Malaysia PM Says No Evidence of Ship-to-Ship Transfer of Iranian Oil off Malaysia 

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on May 14, 2024. (AFP)
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on May 14, 2024. (AFP)
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Malaysia PM Says No Evidence of Ship-to-Ship Transfer of Iranian Oil off Malaysia 

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on May 14, 2024. (AFP)
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on May 14, 2024. (AFP)

Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday there was "not one shred of evidence" of ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned Iranian oil off Malaysia, amid US concern that Iran was using Malaysian service providers to move its oil.

A senior US Treasury official said last week the United States saw Iran's capacity to move its oil as being reliant on providers in Malaysia.

That official also said the United States was trying to prevent Malaysia from becoming a jurisdiction where the Palestinian group Hamas could both fundraise and then move money.

Speaking at an economic forum in Qatar, Anwar said Malaysia does not have the capacity to monitor ship-to-ship transfers in international waters.

Malaysia has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and has advocated for a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Anwar during his trip met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar.

Anwar said that while he maintains good relations with the political wing of Hamas, he had no involvement with its military operations.

"I have no involvement or discussions with the military apparatus (of Hamas)," he said at the forum.



Vatican Cancels Pope’s Weekend Engagements as He Battles ‘Complex’ Infection 

Pedestrians walk past the statue of Pope John Paul II outside the Gemelli hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalized for tests and treatment for an infection in Rome, on February 18, 2025. (AFP)
Pedestrians walk past the statue of Pope John Paul II outside the Gemelli hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalized for tests and treatment for an infection in Rome, on February 18, 2025. (AFP)
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Vatican Cancels Pope’s Weekend Engagements as He Battles ‘Complex’ Infection 

Pedestrians walk past the statue of Pope John Paul II outside the Gemelli hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalized for tests and treatment for an infection in Rome, on February 18, 2025. (AFP)
Pedestrians walk past the statue of Pope John Paul II outside the Gemelli hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalized for tests and treatment for an infection in Rome, on February 18, 2025. (AFP)

Pope Francis, who began his fifth day in hospital on Tuesday for what doctors have described as a "complex" respiratory infection, will not take part in this weekend's Holy Year events, the Vatican said on Tuesday.

The 88-year-old pontiff has been suffering from a respiratory infection for more than a week and was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Friday.

A planned public papal audience set for Saturday had been cancelled "due to the health condition of the Holy Father", the Vatican said in a brief statement.

A papal mass scheduled for Sunday will still take place, but will be led instead by a senior Vatican official, it added.

The Vatican said on Monday that doctors had changed the pope's drug therapy for the second time during his hospital stay to tackle a "complex clinical situation". They described it as a "polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract".

Doctors say polymicrobial diseases can be caused by a mix of viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Francis, who has been pontiff since 2013, has had influenza and other health problems several times over the past two years. As a young adult he developed pleurisy and had part of one lung removed, and in recent times has been prone to lung infections.