25/08/2025

MONDAY | AUG 25, 2025

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Former Sri Lanka presidents support jailed ex-leader

by its own order, has already withdrawn proceedings against five other non-executive directors. “Despite this, Mr Ambani has been selectively singled out.” Anil was last in the public spotlight seven years ago after politician Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and him of dodgy dealings related to the purchase of Rafale jets from France – allegations that both denied. India’s Supreme Court in December 2018 dismissed calls for an investigation into the controversial jet deal, saying it did “not find any substantial material on record to show that this is a case of commercial favouritism to any party by the Indian government”. – AFP Pentagon plans to send troops to Chicago WASHINGTON: The Pentagon is working on plans to deploy the military to Chicago as President Donald Trump says he is cracking down on crime, homelessness and undocumented immigration. The Defence Department plan involves several options, including mobilising at least a few thousand members of the National Guard next month, the Washington Post reported on Saturday. “Chicago is a mess and we’ll straighten that one out probably next,” Trump, a Republican, told reporters on Friday, deriding its mayor as he continued his attacks on cities run by Democrats. The Pentagon said in a statement on Saturday: “We won’t speculate on further operations. The department is a planning organisation and is working with other agency partners on plans to protect federal assets and personnel.” Asked for comment, the White House referred to Trump’s statement on Friday. J.B. Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, which includes Chicago, said in a statement the state had received no outreach from the federal government on whether it needed assistance. He said there was no emergency warranting a National Guard or other military deployment. “Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicise Americans who serve in uniform and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he is causing working families,” Pritzker said. A spokesperson for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Friday, Johnson said the city had grave concerns about the impact of any deployment of troops. “The problem with the president’s approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for and unsound,” the mayor said, adding that over the past year, homicides in Chicago have fallen by more than 30%, robberies by 35% and shootings by almost 40%. – Reuters

out of fear that he could stage a comeback. He lost the presidential election in September to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, but has remained politically active despite holding no elected office. Wickremesinghe was arrested as part of Dissanayake’s campaign against endemic corruption in the island nation, which is emerging from its worst economic meltdown in 2022. He has maintained that his wife’s travel expenses in Britain were met by her personally and that no state funds were used. Wickremesinghe became president in July 2022 after then leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa stepped down following months of street protests fuelled by the economic crisis. – AFP

to these initiatives, which all political leaders are duty-bound to resist,” Kumaratunga said. Her successor Mahinda Rajapaksa, 79, also expressed solidarity with Wickremesinghe and visited him in prison on Saturday, shortly before he was moved to intensive care. Maithripala Sirisena, 73, who sacked Wickremesinghe from the prime minister’s post in October 2018 before being forced by the Supreme Court to reinstate him 52 days later, described the jailing as a witch hunt. “What we are seeing is a systematic campaign to silence opponents of the new government. They are polishing the lid of a coffin to bury democracy,” Sirisena said. Wickremesinghe’s own United National Party said on Saturday it believed he was being prosecuted

o Charges against Wickremesinghe frivolous: Trio

COLOMBO: Three former presidents of Sri Lanka expressed solidarity with jailed ex-leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday and condemned his incarceration as a “calculated assault” on democracy. The trio, former political rivals of Wickremesinghe, who was president between July 2022 and September 2024, said the charges against him were frivolous. He has been accused of using US$55,000 (RM232,549) in state funds for a stopover in Britain with his wife while returning home after a G77 summit in Havana and the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2023. Wickremesinghe, 76, was rushed

to the intensive care unit of the main state-run hospital in Colombo on Saturday, a day after being remanded in custody. Doctors said he was suffering from severe dehydration on top of acute diabetes and high blood pressure. “What we are witnessing is a calculated onslaught on the very essence of our democratic values,” former president Chandrika Kumaratunga said in a statement. The 80-year-old Kumaratunga said the consequences of Wickremesinghe’s jailing would go beyond the fate of an individual and could affect the rights of all citizens. “I join wholeheartedly in expressing my unreserved opposition

BERLIN STREET TAKES NAME OF SCHOLAR BERLIN: A street in central Berlin was officially renamed on Saturday at a ceremony to replace a name marked by racist overtones. Berlin’s Mitte district, along with several civil initiatives, has long sought to rename Mohrenstrasse, as the term “Mohr” was historically used to describe people of African descent, often in a derogatory manner. The word, which stems from the Latin “Maurus” (Moor), was associated with colonialism, slavery and racist caricatures. This week, city workers installed signs bearing the street’s new name, Anton Wilhelm-Amo-Strasse, a tribute to the first known African philosopher and lawyer to obtain a doctorate at a German university in the 18th century. – Bernama MEXICAN BOXER CHAVEZ FREED MEXICO CITY: Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will be released while awaiting trial for alleged links to drug cartels, his lawyer said on Saturday after a court hearing in Mexico. Chavez Jr, 39, son of boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez, was deported from the United States on Monday and appeared before a federal judge in the northwestern state of Sonora on Saturday. “He will be released immediately as ordered by the judge,” said lawyer Ruben Fernando Benitez. The attorney-general’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Chavez faces charges of “organised crime” without a leadership role, and for allegedly taking part in “clandestine introduction of weapons into Mexico”, the lawyer said. Benitez said “very strict measures”, including a travel ban, were imposed. – AFP

BR I E F S

TOP DOGS ... Canines compete in a 50m race as part of the Corgi Race Vilnius 2025 gathering in Vingis Park, Vilnius, Lithuania on Saturday. For the fourth time, Vilnius hosted the two-day event and costume contest, inviting participants from across Europe. – AFPPIC

Anil Ambani under probe MUMBAI: India’s national The Central Bureau

of Investigation said it had registered a case and that the bank’s complaint would be subjected to “thorough investigation”. The agency searched premises linked to Reliance Communications and Anil’s residence on Saturday. His spokesperson said the tycoon “strongly denies all allegations and charges and will duly defend himself”. “The complaint filed by SBI pertains to matters dating back more than 10 years. “At the relevant time, Mr Ambani was a non-executive director of the company, with no involvement in the day-to-day management,” the spokesperson said. “It is pertinent to note that SBI,

investigative bureau opened a criminal case against tycoon Anil Ambani after receiving a complaint from the country’s biggest bank, alleging fraud. Anil, the younger sibling of Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, has business interests that range from power to defence. The State Bank of India (SBI) alleged Anil and his former telecommunications firm Reliance Communications “misappropriated” bank funds by entering into transactions that were in violation of the terms of the loans. SBI claims it was hit with a loss of 29.29 billion rupees (RM1.4 billion) as a result of their actions.

Anil (left) denies allegations. – AFPPIC