When hundreds of Rohingya refugees paid traffickers to escape their squalid camp in Bangladesh, they were promised a new life in Malaysia after just one week at sea.
Instead, the group of mostly women and children suffered more than 200 days of terror on the high seas, until they landed this week on Indonesia's northern coast, where they are now back in refugee tents.
Beaten by the traffickers, they battled hunger and thirst as storms lashed their wooden vessel, and watched in horror as the corpses of scores who died were tossed overboard, according to survivor accounts.
"We were told that we'd reach Malaysia in seven or eight days, but we floated in the water for months," one male survivor told AFP from a makeshift tent camp on Indonesia's Sumatra island.
"We suffered miserably. (The crew) tortured us all the time, beating and cutting us."
Kamrun Nahar, another survivor, said she lost count of how many bodies were thrown into the sea, adding "mothers and their children died" after succumbing to illness.
The new accounts -- and those of nearly 100 Rohingya who landed in Indonesia in June -- suggest some 800 migrants left Bangladesh on a large boat around March before being split onto smaller vessels.
- 'Shuttle system' -
Many paid up to $2,400 to get aboard, but smugglers held them hostage for months in order to extort more money from their friends and relatives, survivors and aid agencies said.
"Traffickers were said to be demanding transfers of as much as 5,000 ringgit ($1,200)," the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) said in a report.
Despite their ordeal, the group looked relatively healthy, suggesting that traffickers had an interest in keeping them alive.
Experts say some smuggling boats are fitted with desalinisation machines to produce potable water during the hazardous crossings.
But the latest arrivals said they were fed little more than a handful of rice and a glass of water each day.
"The smugglers employed a kind of shuttle system, with smaller fishing boats going back and forth with food and water," the IPAC report said.
In another twist, IPAC said many women on board were hoping to reach romantic partners in Malaysia.
"Most are already married either virtually or otherwise to men in Malaysia who financed their travel," it said.
- 'Horrific journey' -
Moving refugees from a mothership onto smaller craft for transfer to shore is a common tactic for traffickers.
But it is a perilous operation and an estimated 200 Rohingya have died at sea this year, said Ann Maymann, the Indonesia representative for UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency.
"It's a horrific journey, it's very unpredictable", Maymann told AFP.
"Those who disembarked are probably those whose families have paid."
The latest survivor accounts -- including claims there could have been as many as 100 dead -- could not be independently verified by AFP but they match reports given to international organisations, including the UNHCR.
Two of this week's arrivals -- a young woman and a man -- have died of unspecified illnesses, although everyone was declared coronavirus-free after testing by local authorities.
- Long-term plan -
This week's arrival was one of the biggest such landings by the persecuted Myanmar minority in years.
Around one million Muslim Rohingya live in cramped refugee camps in Bangladesh -- next to their native Myanmar -- where human traffickers run lucrative operations promising to find them sanctuary abroad.
The Rohingya fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar to escape a military crackdown against them three years ago that UN investigators said amounted to genocide.
Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia are favoured destinations for Rohingya trying to escape Bangladesh.
Rights groups have called on Indonesia's government to negotiate a long-term plan for Rohingya migrants with neighbouring countries.
"We suffered a lot in Myanmar and couldn't find any peace," said Mahmud Syakir who fled the refugee camp in the hope of reuniting with his sister in Malaysia.
"I'm a poor guy, an orphan. I've only got a sister in Malaysia but I can't go to her now."
FORMER prime minister Imran Khan, 72, is expected to seek bail in the Al-Qadir Trust case when the Islamabad High Court (IHC) hears petitions on 11 June to suspend the sentences handed to him and his wife Bushra Bibi.
Khan has been held in Adiala Jail since August 2023 in several cases. PTI chief Gohar Ali Khan told ARY News that “June 11 is going to be an important day for both Khan and his wife,” but he gave no further reason. The IHC had earlier adjourned the matter after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) asked for more time to prepare its arguments.
Gohar said the PTI will work with opposition parties to launch a movement led by the party’s founder from jail. He urged those parties to join “for the sake of the country's survival and security” and added that “The party will address a press conference on June 9 regarding it,” outlining plans for the forthcoming budget.
Last month Khan said he would direct the party’s protest campaign against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition from prison. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has warned of a full-scale movement for Khan’s release after Eid Al-Adha.
Khan, convicted in a few cases, continues to claim the 8 February 2023 general election saw the ‘Mother of All Rigging.’ He brands the PML-N and the Pakistan Peoples Party “mandate thieves.”
Special assistant to the prime minister on political affairs Rana Sanaullah on Saturday urged PTI to accept prime minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer of talks and sit with the government to amend election laws.
Gohar said Bushra Bibi is being held without charges to pressure Khan and insisted no deals would be made for his release. He also dismissed reports of internal rifts within PTI.
The Al-Qadir Trust case centres on a 190 million Pound settlement reached by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) with the family of property tycoon Malik Riaz. In August 2019 the NCA said it had frozen eight bank accounts containing 100 million pounds “suspected to have derived from bribery and corruption in an overseas nation.”
The agency informed the government then led by Khan’s PTI. It is alleged Khan asked his aide on accountability, Shehzad Akbar, to resolve the matter and that the frozen funds belonging to the national treasury were “settled” against Bahria Town’s liability.
Bahria Town Ltd, Riaz’s real-estate firm, was later found to have illegally acquired large tracts of land on Karachi’s outskirts. It donated hundreds of acres to the Al-Qadir Trust, whose only trustees are Khan and Bushra Bibi.
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Some states continue to report relatively low numbers
India’s total number of active COVID-19 cases has risen above 6,000, with health authorities reporting 358 new infections in the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). While there were no Covid related deaths during this period, the increase in cases is prompting state-level monitoring and precautionary measures.
Current case load and recoveries
As of 8:00 a.m. on June 9, 2025, India has 6,491 active Covid-19 cases. The central health ministry confirmed that 358 fresh cases were detected in the last 24 hours, with no fatalities reported in the same timeframe.
According to the ministry’s data, 624 patients recovered or were discharged across the country since the previous update, contributing to the ongoing efforts to manage the spread of the virus through home care and hospital treatment where necessary.
Kerala, Gujarat and Delhi among most affected
Kerala continues to be the worst-affected state, reporting 1,957 active cases. The state added seven new cases in the past day. Gujarat follows with 980 active cases, after recording 158 fresh infections in the same period.
West Bengal stands third with 747 active cases, including 54 new cases reported since Sunday. Delhi is close behind, with 728 active cases, having reported 42 new infections in the last 24 hours. In contrast, Tamil Nadu recorded 25 new cases, bringing its active tally to 219.
Low case numbers in the Northeastern and Eastern states
Some states continue to report relatively low numbers. Assam, for instance, now has six active cases, with two new recoveries in the past 24 hours. Since January 2025, Assam has reported seven total recoveries. Similarly, Odisha reported just four new cases, bringing its total active cases to 34. The state's health department has advised the public, especially those showing flu-like symptoms, to avoid attending the upcoming Rath Yatra in Puri on 27 June.
Situation in Karnataka and other states
Karnataka recorded 57 new Covid-19 cases, increasing its total active case count to 423. Meanwhile, Delhi discharged over 100 patients in the last 24 hours. This trend of simultaneous new infections and recoveries reflects a manageable situation, with healthcare systems largely coping under the current load.
New variants and government advisory
The recent uptick in cases is being attributed to new sub-variants of the Omicron strain, including JN.1, NB.1.8.1, LF.7, and XFC. These variants are believed to be more transmissible but are, so far, associated with milder symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies them as "Variants Under Monitoring"—meaning they do not currently pose significant concern but should be watched closely.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is now regarded as endemic, according to public health experts, and no longer represents the same emergency-level threat it once did. The virus is behaving more like seasonal influenza, with periodic surges expected.
West Bengal urges calm
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a review meeting on Monday to assess the state’s Covid-19 preparedness. Emphasising calm, she stated, “There is no need for panic or to get scared about Covid.” She clarified that although the virus still circulates, the government has made adequate preparations at all administrative levels.
Health officials across the country have also encouraged individuals with symptoms to isolate and seek testingiStock
Banerjee added that the WHO now considers Covid endemic, though she advised residents to verify this independently. West Bengal’s tally stood at 747 active cases, including the 54 new infections added on Monday.
Precautionary measures continue
Several states are maintaining or reintroducing basic precautionary measures, especially in public gatherings and institutions. For instance, Odisha plans to reopen schools on 20 June with Covid safety protocols in place, according to Education Minister Nityananda Gond.
Health officials across the country have also encouraged individuals with symptoms to isolate and seek testing, while hospitals and clinics continue to monitor patients for signs of complications.
The impact
While the recent rise in Covid-19 cases in India has drawn attention, authorities emphasise that the situation remains under control. The absence of new deaths, widespread recoveries, and a growing understanding of the current variants are helping states manage the impact more effectively.
Officials continue to urge vigilance, not panic, as the country adapts to living with Covid-19 in its endemic form.
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Yusuf, who resigned as Reform chairman last week before returning two days later, said he wanted to be 'crystal clear' on the party’s stance. (Photo: Getty Images)
ZIA YUSUF has said that Reform UK would deport every illegal immigrant in Britain if the party came to power.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Yusuf stated, “We will deport everybody who is here in this country illegally, which is roughly about 1.2 million people.”
Yusuf, who resigned as Reform chairman last week before returning two days later, said he wanted to be “crystal clear” on the party’s stance.
Addressing recent criticisms within the party, he added, “I am Muslim. I don’t therefore think that Islam is a ‘threat to the country’,” but said “resentment” was building due to “two-tier policing.”
He said Islamist terrorism remained a major concern for intelligence agencies and pointed to issues of assimilation. Yusuf described his resignation as a result of “exhaustion” and regretted a tweet criticising new MP Sarah Pochin’s comments on a burqa ban.
Nigel Farage is expected to present Yusuf as a potential cabinet minister while also pledging to reopen some coal mines in south Wales.
Richard Tice, Reform deputy, said Yusuf had faced “horrendous online abuse” and added the party was reorganising to manage growth. Nick Candy will take over Yusuf’s former responsibilities.
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The teenager was walking along Staniforth Road in the Darnall area on Wednesday when a grey Audi reportedly hit an electric bike rider before striking Abdullah. (Photo credit: South Yorkshire Police)
TWO men have been charged with murder and three counts of attempted murder after the death of a 16-year-old boy in an alleged hit-and-run in Sheffield.
Zulkernain Ahmed, 20, and Amaan Ahmed, 26, both from Locke Drive, have been charged over the death of Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Al Yazidi, according to South Yorkshire Police.
The teenager was walking along Staniforth Road in the Darnall area on Wednesday when a grey Audi reportedly hit an electric bike rider before striking Abdullah. He later died in hospital.
An 18-year-old man on the bike was seriously injured but is not believed to be in a life-threatening condition.
The two men are due to appear at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Monday. A 46-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender remain on bail.
Abdullah had recently arrived in the UK from Yemen and was preparing to start college. Family and friends said he was devoted to his family and had been learning English.
Darnall councillor Qais Al-Ahdal said, “We’ve really lost someone who is good in the community… May God have mercy on his soul.”
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Several cars burn on North Los Angeles street during clashes between protesters and police on June 8, 2025 in Downtown Los Angeles, California, US. (Photo: Getty Images)
PROTESTERS set fire to vehicles and clashed with police in Los Angeles on Sunday after President Donald Trump sent National Guard troops to the city. Officers kept crowds away from the troops, who had been deployed as unrest entered a third day.
The protests were triggered by recent immigration raids carried out by federal officials, which have led to the arrest of dozens of people identified by authorities as undocumented migrants and gang members.
The raids began in broad daylight on Friday in a city with a large Latino population. The deployment of California’s National Guard — usually controlled by the state’s governor — was criticised by opponents who said Trump was escalating tensions. Trump has made strict immigration enforcement a central part of his second-term agenda.
"We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved," California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X.
"This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they're actually needed. Rescind the order. Return control to California," he added.
At least three Waymo self-driving vehicles were set on fire on Sunday, and two others were vandalised as protesters moved through parts of downtown Los Angeles.
Traffic was stopped for over an hour on a major freeway while people gathered on the road. Officers from the California Highway Patrol dispersed them using flash-bangs and smoke grenades.
After a brief early confrontation outside a detention centre between Department of Homeland Security agents and a few dozen protesters, most clashes involved local police.
By early afternoon, Los Angeles Police Department officers set up containment lines away from federal buildings, keeping demonstrators from reaching armed National Guard troops from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, who were stationed in camouflage gear and helmets.
As night fell, groups of masked protesters remained in certain areas, with some throwing projectiles and fireworks.
The LAPD said 56 people had been arrested over two days, and three officers had sustained minor injuries.
‘Troops everywhere’
Trump defended the use of troops, suggesting more could be deployed in other parts of the country.
"You have violent people, and we are not going to let them get away with it," he told reporters. "I think you’re going to see some very strong law and order."
Asked if he would invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows the military to operate as domestic police, Trump said: "We’re looking at troops everywhere. We’re not going to let this happen to our country."
US Northern Command, part of the Department of Defense, said "approximately 500 Marines... are in a prepared-to-deploy status should they be necessary to augment and support" federal operations.
The National Guard is usually deployed for natural disasters or, occasionally, civil unrest, with the agreement of state officials.
Trump’s decision to send in the Guard without the governor’s consent is the first such move since 1965, during the civil rights era. Democrats, including former vice president Kamala Harris, criticised it. Harris called the move "a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos."
‘Intimidation’
Republicans supported Trump’s decision.
"I have no concern about that at all," said House Speaker Mike Johnson, accusing Newsom of "an inability or unwillingness to do what is necessary".
Protesters told AFP they believed the deployment was meant to deter dissent.
"I think it’s an intimidation tactic," said Thomas Henning. "These protests have been peaceful. There’s no one trying to do any sort of damage right now and yet you have the National Guard with loaded magazines and large guns standing around trying to intimidate Americans from exercising our First Amendment rights."
Marshall Goldberg, 78, said the presence of the troops made him feel "so offended."
"We hate what they’ve done with the undocumented workers, but this is moving it to another level of taking away the right to protest and the right to just peaceably assemble," he told AFP.
ICE raids in other US cities have led to smaller protests in recent months, but the unrest in Los Angeles is the most significant reaction to Trump’s immigration policies so far.
A CBS News poll conducted before the Los Angeles protests showed a slight majority of Americans supported the immigration crackdown.