Rumah dinas Wali Kota Bandung tertutup usai Yana Mulyana terjaring KPK

Kondisi depan Rumah Dinas Wali Kota Bandung di Jalan Dalem Kaum, Kota Bandung, Jawa Barat, hari Sabtu, 15/04/2023. (ANTARA/Ricky Prayoga)

Bandung - Rumah dinas Wali Kota Bandung, Sabtu, terlihat sepi dan tertutup rapat usai Wali Kota Bandung Yana Mulyana tertangkap tangan oleh tim penyidik Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) dalam operasi tangkap tangan (OTT) di Bandung, pada hari Jumat, 14/04/2023.

Berdasarkan pantauan ANTARA di lapangan, Sabtu pagi, selain kondisi sepi, pintu gerbang dari kayu tebal di halaman depan rumah dinas Wali Kota Bandung, yang terletak di Jalan Dalem Kaum, juga tertutup rapat. Bahkan, pintu belakang dari salah satu bangunan bersejarah di Kota Bandung itu pun tertutup rapat.

Sementara itu, rumah dinas Wakil Wali Kota Bandung, yang terletak di Jalan Nyland, Cipaganti, juga tampak sepi. Di depan rumah bernomor 11 A itu terparkir mobil patroli dan kawal kepolisian. Suasana terlihat sepi dan pintu gerbang kayu di rumah itu juga tertutup.

Pada kedua rumah dinas kepala daerah Kota Bandung tersebut hanya terlihat beberapa petugas keamanan yang berjaga.

Selama menjabat sebagai kepala daerah, Yana Mulyana diketahui lebih sering tinggal di rumah dinas Wakil Wali Kota Bandung karena itu merupakan rumah dinasnya sebelum menjabat sebagai wali kota.

Sekitar pukul 06.30 WIB, terdapat satu mobil berjenis Toyota Voxy berwarna hitam dengan nomor polisi D 1198 C keluar dari rumah dinas di Jalan Nyland. Namun di dalam mobil itu hanya tampak seorang pengemudi.

Yana Mulyana terjaring operasi tangkap tangan (OTT) oleh Komisi Pemberantasan (KPK) pada Jumat malam (14/4). KPK menyebut OTT tersebut digelar dalam rangka penindakan terhadap kasus dugaan tindak pidana korupsi suap pengadaan kamera pengawas (CCTV) dan jasa penyedia jaringan internet.

Dalam operasi tersebut, KPK juga menangkap beberapa orang lainnya secara terpisah dan kemudian dibawa ke Jakarta untuk menjalani pemeriksaan lebih lanjut.

OTT Wali Kota Bandung, KPK tentukan sikap dalam 1x24 jam

Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi telah melakukan operasi tangkap tangan (OTT) terhadap sejumlah individu di kawasan Kota Bandung, terkait dugaan suap pengadaan barang dan jasa di wilayah tersebut. Kepala Bagian Pemberitaan KPK Ali Fikri menyebut pihaknya akan melakukan pemeriksaan guna menentukan sikap dalam 1x24 jam.

Juru Bicara KPK, Ali Fikri, mengungkap tim pun mengamankan sejumlah uang.

"Ada barang bukti sejumlah uang dalam rupiah. Tentu akan dikonfirmasi dulu kepada orang-orang yang ditangkap," ujar Ali soal OTT KPK itu, Jakarta, Sabtu (15/4/2023).

Dia menegaskan, dalam penindakan korupsi, KPK tidak melihat jumlah uang. Namun, KPK melihat dari sisi perbuatan para terduga.

Menurut dia, tim KPK segera memeriksa Wali Kota Bandung dan sejumlah orang yang ditangkap. Total, ada 9 orang yang sudah digiring ke Gedung Merah Putih KPK.

"Sebab KPK hanya memiliki waktu 1x24 jam dalam menentukan sikap atas status mereka," kata Ali.

Ali Fikri menuturkan, Satgas KPK bergerak menindaklanjuti laporan masyarakat terkait dugaan korupsi dalam program Bandung Smart City. Hal itu dilakukan sejak Jumat siang hingga malam.

"Dari kemarin siang hingga tadi malam secara paralel tim bergerak menindaklanjuti laporan masyarakat, pada akhirnya tim KPK menangkap Wali Kota Bandung dan beberapa pejabat di dinas perhubungan," ungkap Ali.

Japan PM Fumio Kishida evacuated unhurt after explosion at speech: Report

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was unhurt after a suspect threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb at an outdoor speech in western Japan on Saturday, local media reported.

A man, believed to be a suspect who threw a pipe-like object near Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during his outdoor speech, is held by police officers at Saikazaki fishing port in Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture, south-western Japan April 15, 2023, in this photo released by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unhurt after a suspect threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb at an outdoor speech in western Japan on Saturday, domestic media reported.

The incident occurred at the Saikazaki fishing harbour in Wakayama prefecture, some 65 km (40 miles) southwest of Osaka city.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the longest-serving leader of modern Japan, was assassinated with a homemade gun last July while campaigning for a parliamentary election, shocking the nation and prompting a review of security for politicians, who routinely press the flesh with the public.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unhurt after a suspect threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb at an outdoor speech in western Japan on Saturday, domestic media reported.

A loud explosion was heard, but the premier took cover and was unharmed while police subdued a man at the scene, public broadcaster NHK said.

Kishida had just started to deliver the speech after touring the harbour when Saturday's incident occurred, NHK said. The speech was scheduled for 11:40 a.m. (0240 GMT), according to Kishida's ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Kishida was to continue his Saturday afternoon campaign schedule after the incident, the LDP confirmed via its Twitter account.

A pipe-like object was thrown near Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during an outdoor speech in the city of Wakayama on April 15, reports Reuters, quoting Japanese media

— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2023

NHK footage showed crowds running away as several police officers appeared to pin a man to the ground before removing him from the scene. The man appeared to be in his 20s or 30s, media said.

A representative of Wakayama's prefectural police headquarters told Reuters he could not answer questions about the incident.

A woman on the scene told NHK that she saw an object flying overhead and "it gave me a bad feeling, so we ran away unbelievably fast. Then we heard a really loud noise. It made my daughter cry."

Kishida is to host a Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima next month. G7 foreign ministers are to meet on Sunday in the resort city of Karuizawa.

Video footage showed people at Saikazaki Fishing Port in Wakayama running for shelter at around 11:25 a.m., while a man was subdued first by what appeared to be two local fishermen. Several others — possibly police officers at the scene — then held the suspect on the ground. A Twitter post also showed that people were escaping from the scene.

岸田さんの演説でまさか目の前で… pic.twitter.com/RcXWnYbuzB

— ゆき (@yukiko_070) April 15, 2023

Kishida, who was visiting the port for a speech to support a Liberal Democratic Party candidate for a by-election planned for later this month, left the scene unhurt after the incident, which took place as he was speaking with a candidate of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Police later arrested the suspect at the scene for forcible obstruction of business and was taken to a nearby police station for questioning.

Kishida will proceed with the rest of the speeches scheduled for the day. After the incident in Saikazaki, he finished his speech in front of Wakayama Station at around 1 p.m. and is slated to speak in Urayasu and Ichikawa in Chiba Prefecture later in the afternoon. Kishida’s trip to Oita Prefecture on Sunday, in support of the LDP candidate for the Upper-House by-elections, will still take place for now.

“Right now, we are in the midst of an important election campaign,” Kishida said after he showed up at a separate event in Wakayama later Saturday. “We need to continue on with the help of all of you.”

The incident comes just nine months after the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a homemade gun while campaigning for the Liberal Democratic Party in Nara Prefecture, which borders Wakayama.

The killing of Abe prompted police to revise its rules for VIP protection.

LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi said he had spoken to the prime minister who was safe, and added, “It is extremely regrettable that such an incident took place during an election which is the foundation of democracy. I strongly condemn it.”

An explosion-like sound was heard at the scene, public broadcaster NHK reported. Fumio Kishida took cover at the site of the explosion site and remained safe, it added.

Japanese PM was was unharmed in the incident, local media reported.

Videos shared on social media showed officers remocing a man as people cleared the area. Fumio Kishida was beginning a speech after touring a fishing harbour in the western Japanese city when the incident occurred, NHK reported

🔴 #AHORA | El momento de la fuerte explosión a metros del Primer Ministro de Japón, Fumio Kishida. ❗️ pic.twitter.com/wVzSQX2DTe

— Mundo en Conflicto 🌎 (@MundoEConflicto) April 15, 2023

A man believed to be a suspect was apprehended at the scene, the report added.

The incident comes just nine months after Fumio Kishida's predecessor, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated while delivering a campaign speech. Japan is due to host a Group of Seven (G7) leaders' summit in Hiroshima next month.

OPEC+ cuts risk oil supply deficit, threaten economic recovery - IEA

Credit: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

Output cuts announced by OPEC+ producers risk exacerbating an oil supply deficit expected in the second half of the year and could hurt consumers and global economic recovery, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Friday.

OPEC+ and the IEA have jousted in recent months over their outlooks for global oil supply and demand.

Consumer countries represented by the IEA have argued that tightening supplies drive up prices and could threaten a recession, while OPEC+ blames Western monetary policy for market volatility and inflation which undercuts the value of its oil.

"Oil market balances were already set to tighten in the second half of 2023, with the potential for a substantial supply deficit to emerge," the IEA said in its monthly oil report.

Global oil supply/demand

"The latest cuts risk exacerbating those strains, pushing both crude and product prices higher. Consumers currently under siege from inflation will suffer even more from higher prices."

The IEA saw 2023 demand at a record 101.9 million barrels per day, up 2 million barrels per day on last year and on par with its prediction last month.

OPEC+ called its surprise cut decision a "precautionary measure" and in a monthly oil report published on Thursday OPEC cited downside risks to summer oil demand from high stock levels and economic challenges.

The IEA said it expected global oil supply to fall by 400,000 bpd by the end of the year citing an expected production increase of 1 million bpd from outside of OPEC+ beginning in March versus a 1.4 million bpd decline from the producers bloc.

Gains outside the producer alliance were due to be led by the United States and Brazil, with Norway and Ecuador also making significant contributions.

Rising global oil stocks may have influenced the OPEC+ decision, the IEA added, noting the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) industry stocks in January hit their highest level since July 2021 at 2.83 billion barrels.

Supply/Demand Balance

The demand picture will be skewed between lacklustre growth in OECD countries and rebounding demand led by China after the relaxation of its COVID-19 restrictions, the IEA said

Meanwhile Russian oil exports in March hit their highest levels since April 2020 on robust oil product flows, the IEA said, despite a seaborne import ban from the European Union and a price cap sanctions policy spearheaded by the United States.

World Total Oil Demand

Russia's March revenue rose by $1 billion month on month to $12.7 billion, but was still 43% lower than a year earlier partly due to capped prices on its seaborne oil exports.

Chinese defense minister to visit Russia, meet with Shoigu — top brass

China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu
©AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu will visit Russia next week for meetings with counterpart Sergei Shoigu and other military officials, China's Defense Ministry said Friday.

Li’s visit underscores China’s strengthening engagement with Russia, with which it has largely aligned its foreign policy in an attempt to reshape the world order to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies.

China has refused to criticize Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and blamed the U.S. and NATO for provoking Moscow. During a 2022 visit to Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping issued a joint statement declaring a "no limits" relationship between the two countries.

Li will also visit Russia’s military academy during his April 16-19 trip, Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei said.

The trip follows an official visit to Moscow last month by Xi that emphasized how China is increasingly becoming the senior partner in the relationship as it provides Russia with political cover and an economic lifeline during its war on Ukraine.

Officially, however, China remains neutral in the conflict and has yet to offer a full-throated endorsement of Russia's actions.

While Moscow and Beijing have said they would increase contacts between their militaries and stage more joint sea and air patrols and drills, the Chinese foreign minister said Friday that China would not be helping Russia with weapons, as the U.S. and other Western allies have feared.

"Sino-Russian military relations have continued to operate at a high level, and new progress has been made," Tan was quoted as saying in a ministry news release announcing Li's visit.

The "China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era" has been enriched by "strategic communication, joint exercises and practical cooperation" at the military level, Tan said.

Military power in China is concentrated in the ruling Communist Party's Military Affairs Commission led by Xi and two vice chairs.

An aerospace engineer by training, Li is under U.S. sanctions over Chinese purchases of Russian fighter jets and air defense missiles. He was appointed minister in March at the annual meeting of China's ceremonial legislature.

China has remained neutral in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and has refused to impose sanctions on Moscow or send weapons to either side, instead calling for a peaceful resolution to the hostilities.

Nevertheless, the US has seen the growing relations between Moscow and Beijing as a threat to its geopolitical dominance, as stated on Tuesday by CIA director William Burns. He claimed that Russian-Chinese ties will present a "formidable challenge" to his agency for years to come.

Western officials have also repeatedly issued warnings to China not to provide any military aid to Russia, threatening "consequences" should it choose to do so.

Western officials have also repeatedly issued warnings to China not to provide any military aid to Russia, threatening "consequences" should it choose to do so.

Li Shangfu, who previously served as the director of China's Equipment Development Department before becoming Defense Minister, is currently under US sanctions for "engaging in significant transactions with Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms export entity

US military-biological activity in CIS threatens security — Lavrov

©Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Military-biological activities by Washington and its allies in the CIS countries pose a direct threat to biological security, namely, to public health and the environment, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference following his visit to Uzbekistan on Friday.

"Our joint work [with the CIS countries] for neutralizing threats to the security of our countries is of particular importance. There are threats of terrorism and threats posed by military-biological activities in our space by the United States and its allies, which create very dangerous precedents in terms of biological security. Also, there is a direct threat to public health and the environment," he said.

The State Duma and the Federation Council in March 2022 passed a resolution to conduct a parliamentary investigation of the biolaboratories in Ukraine.

Earlier, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that during the special military operation in Ukraine, Russian forces unearthed evidence pointing to an emergency cleanup by the Kiev regime of traces of a military biological program, carried out in Ukraine and bankrolled by the US Department of Defense.

According to Konashenkov, staff from these Pentagon-run Ukrainian-based labs revealed the emergency disposal of particularly dangerous pathogens on February 24, namely, plague, anthrax, tularemia, cholera and other deadly diseases.

US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland on March 9, 2022, speaking at a hearing at the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US Senate, said that there were facilities in Ukraine that did research in the field of biology and that Washington was trying to prevent them from falling under the control of Russian forces.

She said the Department of State was "concerned that the Russian military may be trying to take control of them," and is working with Ukraine to ensure that Kiev can "prevent any of these research materials from falling into the hands of Russian forces." The Russian Defense Ministry stated that in fact Nuland had confirmed the Pentagon’s involvement in biological programs in Ukraine.

Earlier, the Russian embassy in Armenia also said that there were "organizations involved in bio-projects in Ukraine." Yerevan denies the existence of biolaboratories using the services of US Department of Defense personnel. According to the Armenian government, all "biolaboratories operate in accordance with the legislation and in the interests of the republic and employ only Armenian

Lavrov Holds Presser After CIS Foreign Ministers' Council in Uzbekistan

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov came to Uzbekistan for a 2-day visit. He has discussed various foreign policy issues with his counterparts.

The top diplomat will discuss issues of diplomatic consultation of CIS countries and the cooperation of top diplomats of the CIS. Separately, they will discuss the issues of training journalists.

Lavrov came to Uzbekistan for official 2-day visit. Russian FM already held talks with Qin Gang – his Chinese counterpart and Bakhtiyor Saidov - Uzbekistan’s Acting FM. Also top diplomat participated in the 4th Ministerial Conference of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries (Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).

Russia’s military takes into account West’s attempts to trigger conflicts around — Lavrov

Russia in its military-political and diplomatic planning takes into account attempts by the West to foment conflicts near its borders, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference following his visit to Uzbekistan on Friday.

"We stay on guard, we see this (Western attempts to provoke conflicts near Russia's borders - TASS), and we take it all into account in our planning in political, military, diplomatic and other respects," he said.

The West has tried to drag the Georgian leadership into creating a so-called second front, Lavrov stressed, but the current Georgian leaders "show a responsible approach," which is based on the fundamental interests of their people, and "reject this kind of schemes."

"There have been reports of attempts of turning Moldova into such a second or third front, too," Lavrov went on to say. "The way the West treats this or that leadership was clearly demonstrated when there were protests in Moldova against the pro-Western president and government and against neglect of the interests of economic development. The West condemned it as almost an attempt to overthrow legitimate authorities."

In the meantime, in the case of Georgia, "the protests were actively supported [by the West], and the protesters were in every way stimulated to stage another color revolution. We have a clear understanding what methods the West employs," Lavrov said.

He recalled that Poland had amassed major military contingents on the border with Belarus.

"Let's not forget that the Polish leadership also offered its territory for deploying US nuclear weapons," he added. "The combination of these factors, of course, does not let anyone feel at ease."

Ukraine’s EU backers skeptical of counteroffensive – Bloomberg

Soldiers of the Ukrainian 3rd Army Assault Brigade of the Special Operations Forces (SSO) "Azov" near their armoured U.S. Hummer vehicle in position near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. © AP Photo/Libkos

Some EU nations supporting Ukraine have started to doubt whether Kiev will be able to recapture large swathes of territory this year, Bloomberg has reported. Even a modest advance would likely result in heavy casualties among Ukrainian personnel and require considerable amounts of ammunition and hardware, the outlet claimed, citing anonymous EU officials.

In an article on Friday, Bloomberg alleged that the high hopes prevalent among Ukraine’s backers late last year, after Kiev’s troops managed to regain a large area, have now mostly dissipated. Fewer people in Western capitals are counting on a decisive push in 2023, with the fighting expected to continue well into next year.

The news agency quoted unnamed European officials “involved in efforts to support Ukraine’s military” as predicting that a realistic goal for Kiev would be a 30 km (20 mile) advance. This, if successful, should set the stage for a deeper counteroffensive in 2024, the sources predicted.

To support such a push, Ukraine’s Western backers would need to step up their military production capacity, Bloomberg said. According to the outlet, further large-scale deliveries could, however, run into political opposition in some countries.

An unnamed European official cited in the report also warned that any such operation would be a costly endeavor, both in terms of manpower and weapons, as Russian forces have had time to dig in, with minefields, ditches, and concrete anti-tank pyramids in place.

Nevertheless, several European defense officials have told reporters that the counteroffensive, which the Ukrainian leadership has been hyping up for several months now, is likely to get underway by mid-May. Strikes may be expected from multiple directions, potentially including diversionary ones, the sources alleged.

Speaking to The Hill on Tuesday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal suggested that the counteroffensive may actually begin in the summer. He insisted that Western backers were not putting any pressure on Kiev to force it into action without due preparation.

The official also called on the West to provide Ukraine with more artillery, ammunition, middle- and long-range missiles, tanks, and fighter jets.

On the same day, the Washington Post, citing a trove of recently leaked classified documents, reported that US intelligence did not hold out much hope back in February as to Ukraine’s ability to make significant territorial gains during the anticipated counteroffensive.

Among the problems supposedly faced by Kiev at the time were “force generation and sustainment shortfalls.”

'Stupid' Polish PM naive on NATO – Medvedev

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has claimed that Poland would cease to exist if a direct war were to occur between Russia and NATO, regardless of the outcome. He was responding to remarks by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who expressed confidence that the Western alliance would win such a conflict.

Morawiecki, who is currently visiting the US, commented on the Ukrainian conflict in an interview with NBC News on Friday. Host Kristen Welker asked whether he was concerned that Ukrainian strikes outside its territory risked “a wider war, drawing Polan... into the conflict.”

The prime minister replied that he was not concerned, as it would be “a war between Russia and NATO, and Russia would lose this war very quickly.”

“They believe that fighting with Ukraine they are fighting with the West and fighting with NATO, whereas the fact of the matter is that we are only supporting a brutally invaded country”, Morawiecki said.

Medvedev, who serves as deputy chair of Russia’s National Security Council, tweeted in response that he was not so certain about which side would win, “but considering Poland’s role as a NATO outpost in Europe, this country is sure to disappear together with its stupid prime minister.”

The Russian official has previously warned against a possible escalation of the Ukraine conflict, which Moscow perceives as a proxy war against it by the US and its allies. If that were to happen, hostilities could go nuclear, Medvedev believes, and all sides would be catastrophically harmed. The former president has branded European leaders who underestimate this risk as incompetent.

Morawiecki is one of the most outspoken critics of Russia and its involvement in Ukraine. He has claimed the country is similar to Nazi Germany in its goals and methods, and accused nations in the EU that do not fully support Ukraine, of appeasing Moscow.

During his visit to the US, the Polish leader delivered a speech to the Atlantic Council, a pro-NATO think-tank, in which he reiterated his case for investing in Ukraine. If Kiev loses, he claimed, the West’s “golden age” may end.