Latest news with #interference
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
South African President Faces New Crisis Over Police Allegations
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faces a fresh crisis within his government after a police official accused one of his ministers of interference in an investigation into political assassinations. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the police commissioner in KwaZulu-Natal province, said Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and senior national police officials in March seized dockets with information on political killings and effectively froze the probes. He questioned the motives behind what he said were Mchunu's plans to disband a task team established to look into the deaths.
Free Malaysia Today
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
JAC questioned senior judge on alleged judicial interference, says source
At the opening of the legal year in January, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat warned that any attempt to interfere with the JAC's independent functions would constitute a criminal offence. PETALING JAYA : A senior judge was summoned by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to answer several allegations of interference in the appointment of judicial officers dating back to last year, says a source. 'Following the questioning, there was a heated discussion at last month's monthly meeting of the JAC, which is now split into two factions, with one sympathetic to the judge,' the source told FMT, declining to provide further details. Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat chairs the nine-member JAC. Other members include Court of Appeal president Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, Chief Judge of Malaya Hasnah Hashim, and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli. These four are members of the JAC by virtue of holding the top administrative positions in the judiciary. In February, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appointed senior Federal Court judge Zabariah Yusof to the JAC under Section 5(1)(e) of the JAC Act 2009. Last year, Anwar also appointed former attorney-general Idrus Harun, former Federal Court judge Zainun Ali, former Sarawak attorney-general Mahmood Abdul Rashid, and academician Hartini Saripan to the JAC. Meanwhile, a subordinate of the judge concerned lodged a police report two weeks ago against a reporter from a news portal who had sent a text message seeking the judge's response to the allegations of interference. In the report filed at the Putrajaya police station and sighted by FMT, the officer said the journalist's questions pertained to matters discussed at the May 16 JAC meeting. 'This report is being made to urge the authorities to investigate how such information was leaked,' the officer stated. At the opening of the legal year in January, Tengku Maimun warned that any attempt to interfere with the JAC's independent functions would constitute a criminal offence. She said Section 34 of the JAC Act stated that any person found guilty of influencing or attempting to influence the commission could face a fine of up to RM100,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. Speaking on judicial appointments, Tengku Maimun reiterated that only the JAC and the prime minister were authorised to recommend candidates for positions in the superior courts. She added that bypassing the provisions of the JAC Act could render such appointments unconstitutional or unlawful.
RNZ News
08-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Judith Collins looking into how Australian warship was able to knock parts of New Zealand offline
HMAS Canberra. Photo: ABC News / Department of Defence Prime Minister Christopher Luxon remains unaware of how an Australian warship was allowed accidentally to knock out mobile internet access across Taranaki and Marlborough last week. Navigation radar interference from HMAS Canberra, the Royal Australian Navy's largest warship, disrupted 5 GHz wireless access points on Wednesday as it sailed through the Cook Strait. The interference triggered in-built switches in the devices that caused them to go offline, ABC News reported - a safety precaution to prevent wireless signals interfering with radar systems in New Zealand's airspace. Luxon told Morning Report on Monday he was yet to have an explanation how the situation was allowed to happen, but he was "sure" Defence Minister Judith Collins would find out. He said it was not a "deliberate" act from the Australians. "Look, we are very pleased that they're here. They are our only ally. We work very closely with the Australians, as you know, I'm not sure what's happened here. Again, that'll be something the defense minister will look into." Asked if it had exposed a vulnerability in our communications network, Luxon said it was "the nature" of it. "There's a whole bunch of technology… in the defence space and the cyberspace and how wars are being fought, and will be fought in the future will be a big component of it… "Judith Collins will be checking into that and understanding exactly what has happened there, but I'm very proud of that relationship. I'm very proud that they're here. It's great that they've come." The blackout came the same week "human error" knocked out fibre-based internet to much of the lower North Island . Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith told RNZ last week he would be discussing the Australian warship situation with officials. Helen Clark and Don Brash. Photo: RNZ Also last week, two former prime ministers and an ex-governor of the Reserve Bank put their names to a letter questioning the government's foreign policy - in particular "positioning New Zealand alongside the United States as an adversary of China". It was signed, among others, by Helen Clark, Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Dr Don Brash, questioning whether New Zealand was risking its economic and trade relationship with China by aligning itself closer with the US . "Like 192 other countries, we've got an independent foreign policy. There'll be lots of different views on foreign policy, I get that," Luxon told Morning Report . "But, you know, frankly, my job as prime minister is to advance our national interests - that is both… around our security and our economic interests. And I think you've also got to acknowledge that the strategic environment from 25 or 35 years ago is very different from what we have today, and it will continue to evolve." He said he disagreed with the view that working more closely with the US on defence, under the adversarial Trump administration, would sour New Zealand's relationship with China. I think, you know, we have important relationships with both the US and China. We will make our own assessment based on our own needs, as to, you know, how we navigate those relationships. "But in both cases, you know, we have, you know, deep engagement and cooperation. We also have differences with the US - we've raised concerns around tariffs. With the Chinese, we've raised concerns around cyber attacks on our parliamentary system." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Bloomberg
03-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Lula Blasts US Threats to Impose Sanctions on Brazil Judge
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva denounced US threats to impose sanctions on a Brazilian Supreme Court judge, saying it is 'unacceptable' for the Trump administration to try to interfere in another country's legal process. 'The US needs to understand that respect for the integrity of other countries' institutions is very important,' Lula said at a Tuesday press conference in Brasilia. 'Brazil will defend not only its judge but also the Supreme Court.'
Japan Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Poland says Russia is trying to interfere in presidential election
Poland is facing an unprecedented attempt by Russia to interfere in its presidential election, the digital affairs minister said on Tuesday, as the first round of voting looms on May 18. Poland says its role as a hub for aid to Ukraine has made it a target for Russian sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation, and it has been on high alert for interference, especially after Romania canceled a presidential election in December due to alleged Russian meddling. "During the current presidential elections in Poland, we are facing an unprecedented attempt to interfere in the electoral process from the Russian side," Krzysztof Gawkowski told a defense conference. "This is being done ... (by) spreading disinformation in combination with hybrid attacks on Polish critical infrastructure in order to paralyze the normal functioning of the state." Russia has repeatedly denied accusations that it interferes in foreign elections. Gawkowski said that Polish water and sewage companies, heat and power plants and state administration bodies had all been attacked, and that Russian involvement in such attacks had more than doubled this year. "Today in Poland, during every minute of my speech, a dozen or so incidents targeting critical infrastructure were recorded," he said. The Russian embassy in Warsaw declined to comment on the matter and recommended asking Gawkowski to "provide evidence for his insinuation." Prime Minister Donald Tusk blamed foreign actors for a cyberattack on the IT systems of his Civic Platform party in April. Since last year, Poland has notably reported cyberattacks on its space agency and the state news agency. Warsaw and its allies have also alleged that Moscow is behind acts of arson and sabotage around Europe. Russia dismisses these allegations.
