parliament
Reuters, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak announced the dissolution of parliament on Friday, paving the way for a tough election where the embattled leader will face off against his old mentor and the country’s most seasoned campaigner Mahathir Mohamad.
Najib, 64, burdened by a multi-billion dollar scandal linked to a state fund, is under pressure to deliver an emphatic win for his Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition as he struggles to appease Malaysians unhappy with rising costs and blunt the challenge from the charismatic 92-year-old Mahathir.
Puigdemont set for bail in Germany
AFP, Neumünster
Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont is set to walk out of German jail Friday, after judges refused his extradition to Spain on a rebellion charge and ordered him freed on bail pending a ruling on a lesser corruption charge.
“See you tomorrow. Thank you very much to everybody!” read a tweet posted in Puigdemont’s name late Thursday.
China bans on online Bible sales
AFP, Beijing
Bibles have been pulled from Chinese online retailers in “recent days”, merchants told AFP on Friday, as Communist authorities ramp up control over religious worship.
The clamp down on “illegally published books” also comes as the Vatican and Beijing negotiate a historic agreement on the appointment of bishops in China.”Bibles and books without publication numbers have all been removed in recent days,” a merchant on Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao told AFP, without giving details on how authorities have enforced the ban.
Mauritius official charged with sexual assault
AP, Gold Coast
A former official of the Mauritius Commonwealth Games team has been charged with sexually assaulting an athlete.
Queensland state police on Friday confirmed the man had been charged following a complaint by a 26-year-old woman in the athletes’ village last week.
The man will face Southport Magistrates Court on April 17.
