Protesters gather in Malaysian capital

Protesters have been gathering in the Malaysian capital ahead of a planned two-day anti-government rally, despite a ban on the demonstration. Many are wearing yellow pro-democracy T-shirts in defiance of another order.

Deutsche Welle, 29 Aug 2015

Two yellow T-shirted protesters take a selfie near a barrier manned by police

Reuters/Olivia Harris

Thousands of protesters congregated in several areas of Kuala Lumpur on Saturday ahead of the planned rally, during which huge crowds are expected to march to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Najib has been facing public outrage over a multi-million-dollar payment made to a bank account under his name.

Security is expected to be tight for the rally, which is due to run until Sunday evening. Police were reported to have blocked access to one square where protesters intended to converge.

A local news portal reported that the army might intervene if the crowds get out of hand, and a state of emergency could be declared. However, a military spokesman declined to comment on the report. The police, meanwhile, have declared the rally illegal and have banned online information about the event, while authorities have urged people not to join the protest.

Kuala Lumpur authorities rejected an application by pro-democracy group Bersih for a permit to protest, setting the stage for a possible showdown with security forces. Police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters at Bersih's last big rally in 2012. The activist group has also called for rallies in the cities of Kota Kinabalu and Kuching on the Malaysian side of Borneo.

The wearing of yellow

Ahead of the protests, Malaysia also banned the wearing of any yellow clothing which contains the word "Bersih", according to the German news agency DPA. Bersih, the Malay word for clean, refers to the Coalition of Free and Fair Elections. The coalition is comprised of 84 non-governmental organizations calling for a thorough reform of the electoral process in Malaysia as well as transparency in government.

But the director of independent pollster Merdeka Center, Ibrahim Suffian, said discontent with Najib, who took office in 2009, was concentrated in urban areas, adding that a national survey this month showed a slight majority were opposed to the rally. Najib also reshuffled part of his cabinet to ensure he had supporters on his side while weathering the storm.

Najib under investigation

The 62-year-old leader ran into trouble in July when it was reported that investigators had launched a probe into the "1Malaysia Development Berhad" (1MDB) debt-laden state fund. A payment of more than $600 million had been traced to an account under the premier's name.

Criticism of Najib has come even
from within his own party

Malaysia's anti-graft agency had verified the funds were a donation from the Middle East, which came just before a 2013 election. On August 3, it said it would ask Najib to explain why the donation was deposited into his private account.

The prime minister's fiercest critic, former leader Mahathir Mohamad, this week said he did not believe the money was a donation and called again for Najib to go. The premier denied any wrongdoing. Opposition parties, meanwhile, have filed a lawsuit against the prime minister.

ss/lw (Reuters, dpa)

Malaysians gather for second day of anti-government protests near Independence Square in Kuala Lumpur pic.twitter.com/K6h2RDJ7D1

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) 30 augustus 2015

Indonesia Wants to Use Yuan for Trades in Asean

Jakarta Globe, 2 August 2015

Jakarta. Indonesia is proposing the use of China's yuan for trade and investment purposes in Asean‎ countries in a bid to counter further impacts from the stronger US dollar against currencies in the region, a minister said on Tuesday.

The 10 members of the Asean region, including Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, mostly use US dollars for international trade. But a strengthening greenback has made imports and servicing debt more expensive, pushing some to consider turning to the yuan.

"We want to push [the use of the yuan] when Indonesia trades with China in particular," Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said at the House of Representatives. "Bank Indonesia is preparing the mechanism so it will be attractive for traders."

Trade Minister Thomas Lembong also brought up the issue on Monday after a meeting with the president.

He said Indonesia should push harder for broader use of the Chinese currency in the region because Asean economies were "much more in tune" with China.

The rupiah traded at an average of 14,700 per US dollar on Monday morning, its weakest point since 1998, according to the counter price at state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia. It has lost about 13 percent of its value against the dollar this year.

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China Agrees With UK on Yuan-Pound Trading, Investment Quota
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"The U in Kundalini"- Oct 18, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: Kundalini, Unification, EU, Nobel Peace Prize 2012, Middle East, South America, Only 5 Currencies on Earth, Old Souls, Duality will dismiss, 3D Humanity will melt with Multi dimensional higher self, Global Unity… etc.)

Guatemala former VP detained in military barracks on corruption charges

The former vice president of Guatemala has been detained at the Matamoros military barracks in connection with a customs corruption scandal. Prosecutors also want to investigate President Otto Perez.

Deutsche Welle, 22 Aug 2015

Former Guatemalan vice president Roxana Baldetti was in the hospital on Friday when a judge arrived to inform her of the charges against her. She was then transferred to the Matamoros military barracks in Guatemala City.

Guatemalan ex-VP detained for possible links to multi-million dollar corruption scandal #guatemala #reformaya http://t.co/vvHakcRmd1

— David Mercer (@ricochetprods) 21 augustus 2015

Prosecutors claim to have enough evidence to presume that Baldetti, who is suspected of illicit association, fraud and graft, took part in a scheme that is believed to have defrauded the government of millions of dollars. Her arrest came a day after her house was searched. Her bank accounts have already been frozen and there are injunctions on eleven properties belonging to Baldetti and her husband.

Baldetti stepped down as vice president in May after the corruption scandal broke. She resigned after one of her top aides, Juan Carlos Monzon, was accused of running the bribery scheme. Monzon is still at large.

Prosecutors and members of the UN commission investigation the fraud later announced they had also found that President Perez Molina was directly involved in a scheme to reduce importers' customs duties in exchange for bribes. Perez was accused of being one of the ringleaders of the bribery scandal.

The arrest and accusation come just two weeks ahead of the September 6 general elections. Perez's term ends in January and he can not run again as Guatemalan presidents are limited to a single four-year term.

Ivan Velasquez of the UN Commission said on the investigation had uncovered evidence of Baldetti and Perez's "very regrettable participation (in the corruption scheme) at every level of the organization."

Line scheme

The UN panel started its investigation in May last year and through 86,000 wire-tapped phone calls uncovered a scheme called "La Linea" (the line), named for the hotline used by businesses to contact the corrupt network of customs officers.

Velasquez said the calls included references to "Number One" and "Number Two," which investigators decided were Perez and Baldetti. He added: "We have evidence that goes beyond the phone calls."

Investigators suspect that in just one week, bribes could have totaled at least $262,000 (230,000 euros).

Both Baldetti and Perez deny the charges.

Perez faces an increasingly vocal protest movement calling for him to resign.

Other corruption investigations have targeted the head of the tax administration, the head of the central bank and the president of the social security administration.

jm/bw (EFE, AFP, AP)

Related Article:

Guatemala President holds on to power despite corruption scandal

The sun is setting but protests are still going strong demanding president molina's resignation. pic.twitter.com/oTBjQtDpL8

— NISGUA (@NISGUA_Guate) 23 augustus 2015

Thalys shooting passengers in Paris; gunman being questioned

DutchNews, August 22, 2015

The passengers caught up in the shooting on the Amsterdam to Paris high-speed Thalys on Friday evening have arrived in Paris.

The last of them arrived at Gard du Nord around 01.45 hours. They were met by Thalys staff who arranged accommodation and changes to onward travel arrangements. 

No Dutch passengers were in the carriage where the shooting took place, Dutch media report. 

A gunman armed with a Kalashnikov had opened fire at around 17.50 on the high-speed train, carrying more than 550 passengers. He was overpowered by three Americans, two of them off duty soldiers. 

Two people were injured in the attack, including one of the Americans who was hospitalised with ‘serious injuries’, French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said. 

The train was diverted to the northern French town of Arras, where police arrested the shooter, described by French investigators as a 26-year-old from Morocco or of Moroccan origin, who was also armed with an automatic pistol and razor blades. 

Thalys said it is running its normal service on Saturday.

Americans Alek Skarlatos (R) and Anthony Sadler helped halt a train attack in France. Story: http://t.co/IpSoH71tdr pic.twitter.com/S0DYl9qSW2

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) 22 augustus 2015

The five who foiled an attack on a European train http://t.co/FT96y05yLg pic.twitter.com/DJm9ESPOQe

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) 22 augustus 2015

US soldiers praised for grappling gunman on Amsterdam-Paris train

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US soldiers praised for grappling gunman on Amsterdam-Paris train

Matthew message (Channelled by Suzanne Ward, July 19, 2015) - (Ziggo?)
Matthew message (Channelled by Suzanne Ward, Aug 3, 2014) - (MH17)


Matthew message (Channelled by Suzanne Ward, July 19, 2015)

Matthew Ward - July 19, 2015

Matthew Ward

With loving greetings from all souls at this station, this is Matthew. Many of your analysts think that the Greek people’s resounding “No” on the recent referendum put their country on the road to irreversible economic ruin. The country will manage. “No” put the Illuminati on the road to irreversible economic ruin.

Going back a long, long ways, bartering worked splendidly in communities, but the expanding borders of commerce required a different means of exchange; and with the introduction of coinage, money became the axis on which your world turned. The forerunners of the Illuminati and later that group itself controlled the turning by devising taxation, banking and lending systems; and, as centuries passed, “numbered” bank accounts, stock markets, Federal Reserve System, International Monetary Fund, regulating agencies and credit cards with usurious interest rates. Everything they established was specifically designed to add to their fortunes, tighten their economic control over the peoples, and increase their influence within national governments.

The Illuminati began as a cohesive group of like-minded individuals whose objective was world domination. As time went by, egos grew and tempers flared, and eventually two competitive factions with that same goal emerged. Later, the Rothschilds and their adherents, who operate out of London and the Vatican, came up with a plan to solidify their control throughout Europe—the European Union, European Central Bank and euro currency. Let us borrow your expression, “How’s that working for you?” There is no bandage large enough to patch the crack the Greek vote made in the Rothschild network. The crack will spread like a spider web around the world and into it will fall the Rockefeller faction headquartered in Washington, DC, and on Wall Street.

As if that isn’t enough for both factions to deal with—and Pope Francis’ goodness and wisdom keeps upsetting their apple cart—now there’s the agreement between negotiators from several major nations and Iran’s leaders that their country will not pursue development of a nuclear weapon. It is no surprise that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, a top-ranking Illuminati, denounced the agreement or that Illuminati in the United States Congress and members whose election campaigns were funded by that group are opposing President Obama’s efforts to get congressional approval. They want to invade Iran and, along with taking over that country’s oil, reap the riches that come from producing the machinery of war.

The vibrations of intensifying light that led to those reversals for the Illuminati will keep increasing as the planet continues on its ascension course. If we could tell you when their total undoing will be, we would do so joyously; but activity in Earth’s energy field of potential indicates that their inevitable demise will come in stages, not one fell swoop. They still have some power, dwindling though it is, in their “black ops” branch of the CIA; other intelligence sources, including Mossad; high-ranking personnel in some military forces; leverage within mainstream media and some governments; and huge caches of monies to initiate or exacerbate uprisings, fund the Islam State, and pay their minions to hack computer systems, oversee the street drug trade, fill your skies with chemtrails, deny pollution’s contribution to climate change, or disseminate false information on the Internet.

While a few within the higher ranks of both Illuminati factions are talking with principals in reform movements, the hardliners are talking about joining forces; some have abandoned their fast-sinking ship, died of natural causes or by their own hand, or been arrested. You would recognize some names, most you would not, and it is unlikely that any of the Illuminati will be identified as such in mainstream news reports.

Upheavals will keep popping up as the ages-old light vs dark battle for Earth’s civilization at last is nearing its end. You have waited a long time to see the light triumph as predestined, and you can welcome the bumpy ride through the last phases. However, most of the populace don’t know about that long conflict or that everything transpiring and what is ahead is about planetary and personal ascension out of millennia of dark bondage.

Many people are fearful or angry, and with each new bump, others will have the same reactions. Your calmness, yet excitement, and explaining to the extent individuals are receptive can encourage them to have an optimistic outlook. But please do not be disheartened if family and friends don’t respond positively—they will waken in their own times of readiness.

And, we ask that you keep foremost in your thoughts that every person in your world is a part of God, by whatever name the Supreme Being in this universe is called. Every person is inextricably connected at soul level with all others, and God’s love for each and every one is unconditional. Seeing “offenders” through God’s eyes doesn’t mean wanting them to forego justice by your world’s standards—already this has come to some and shall befall others. What it does mean is, you will uplift yourselves and your world by envisioning those individuals within the light rather than focusing on their punishment. The impartial, nonjudgmental and unavoidable laws of the universe will serve them justice in a spirit world according to their lifetime deeds.

This is an appropriate place to answer a reader’s questions: “What will happen to Nirvana after Earth reaches 5th density? Can there still be reunions with our loved ones?” Nirvana will accompany Earth to her destination in fifth density and continue to be her spirit realm, but with grand differences. The tiny dense orb that houses the basest individuals and is the only part of the realm separate from the rest will be transported to some third density civilization and incorporated into their spirit world, or it will be dematerialized after its inhabitants are moved to a spirit world of equal density. Nirvana’s lower layers—learning centers for people who want to outgrow their negative tendencies such as bigotry, anger, apathy, envy, miserliness, bitterness, disloyalty, dishonesty, manipulativeness, closed minds and desire to control others—also will disappear. Those traits served well when they were aspects of karmic lessons souls chose to attain balanced experiencing, but your society will have advanced consciously and spiritually and no longer need to experience negative characteristics.

Indeed, reunions of loved ones can take place in Nirvana when that realm and Earth are in fifth density, but then just as now, meetings can be in any placement in this universe where energies are compatible. Actually, these visits have been happening all along during your sleep time, but your bodies’ density can’t retain memories of those visits—when you waken and have fragments of memories of being with a loved one, you attribute them to dreams. As your consciousness expands with light absorption, you will start to clearly remember your joyful reunions.

With reference to our stating that “everything in your world is purposeful,” a reader asked, “What purpose is served by rats, roaches, fleas, mosquitoes, etc.” It started eons past in linear time, when the darkness manipulated the DNA of some weaker civilizations and programmed their bodies for aging and disease. A civilization at third density conscious and spiritual level, which Earth’s peoples and other life forms have been for many millennia, has bodies that are susceptible to the diseases that some insects and rats can cause or spread; and, given the flexibility in soul contracts, physical death by that means can satisfy contracts’ cause and longevity provisions.

Insects also serve the purpose of souls whose lifetime energy consigned them to the basest part of third density spirit realms. When they are willing to receive sufficient light to embody, they do so in a short-lived form without cellular memory patterning that could influence behavior as they start back up the ladder of evolution. You will welcome knowing that insects cannot survive in the higher vibratory levels where Earth is heading, and their place in the food chain no longer will be needed.

Rats are intelligent, emotional rodents, and those that are well-treated pets respond in kind; the hordes that run wild simply are trying to survive in a world where they are detested. As a civilization grows in consciousness, so do all other life forms in that world. With that advancement comes humankind’s respect for all animal life, and “wild” rats, like other species now considered obnoxious, will be elevated in behavior and popular acceptance. Have no concerns that your world may be overrun with rats or rabbits or any other animals that produce litters quickly! They will reproduce less often and in smaller numbers as long as they decide to embody on the planet—these species, like all others, evolve and at some point incarnate as higher-order beings.

Citing numerous ways that Earth’s animals are being treated inhumanely, a reader asked, “Can the galactics not help with ending this horrendous treatment of animals?” Your universal family is helping by beaming light in abundance to Earth, but they cannot interfere with the free will of individuals who cause suffering and merciless death to your animals. It is up to your society to stop abhorrent practices, and thanks to the dedicated efforts of many souls, this is happening. Countries are setting standards for treatment of animals and repercussions for violators; there are boycotts of food, other products and entertainment derived from animal exploitation; poachers of wild animals are being taught other livelihoods; education is expanding about the importance of preserving wildlife and their habitats on land and in the seas; the numbers of wildlife reserves and no-kill shelters of pet species continue growing and so do the numbers of homeless pets who are adopted.

Participating in or financially supporting these encouraging activities is vital, to be sure, but an invaluable contribution that everyone can make to improve animal life is to not agonize about their plight, but instead send love-light to all of Earth. The law of attraction brings back the very same energy sent forth in thoughts and feelings, thus agonizing about any situation brings back still more circumstances to evoke that feeling.

A reader in New Zealand asked why teen suicides in her country and elsewhere are becoming more frequent. Perhaps because of religious teachings, dying by one’s own hand at such a young age—at any age—is viewed as more tragic than death by disease or fatal injury. So first we say, there is no judgment or penalty and no such place as limbo or hell for people who end their lives.

Their reasons differ just as the individuals themselves do; however, according to our colleagues in Nirvana, most teenagers who commit suicide are gay or lesbian or they know that their body and gender are mismatched, and they enter spirit life with tormented psyches that need customized care for healing. They were emotionally drained from struggling to conform to familial expectations, societal standards and religious orientation, or they had been cast out after declaring their true selves—either way, they saw death as the only escape from hopelessness and despair. As your society continues growing consciously and spiritually, honoring the divinity and genuineness of all soul-selves will replace discrimination and rejection.

“I have noticed a lot of fear-based information on the Internet surrounding ingesting monatomic gold. Can you please elaborate on how it actually works within our bodies?” The intention of that information—and it is a good example of DISinformation on the Internet—is to steer you away from one of the most valuable substances you can ingest. In addition to fortifying immune systems, monatomic gold contributes to health by rapidly regenerating cells; raising bodies’ frequencies; improving organs’ functioning;accelerating the transformation of carbon-based cells into crystalline; and helping to increase DNA strands. All of those physical benefits enhance brain power and that leads to expanded consciousness, spiritual clarity and overall balance. Individuals who are influenced by darkness don’t want you to have any of those advantages so they disseminate blatantly false, fear-based information about monatomic gold.

To readers who asked if signing petitions really does any good: Yes. You may or may not see prompt effects in the specific areas the petitions cover, but the energy you put forth to support endeavors you deem worthy contributes to the overall light on the planet.

“Please ask Matthew to speak about people suffering from depression. I am fearful I may not be following my soul contract and more so failing to do my part to promote positive loving thoughts to myself and others so as to assist Earth's transition.” Our understanding and compassion go out to this dear soul and to all others who are dealing with depression, an emotionally painful condition that has become almost commonplace in your world, and we hasten to say that none of you is failing self or others! You are not lacking light, but light-heartedness. Even if depression is a karmic choice for balance, it needn’t be long-lasting, and discovering and alleviating the cause is possible.

The cause may be physical. Consult a trusted healthcare practitioner about testing for hormonal imbalance, which is treatable without pharmaceutical drugs that don’t eliminate the cause and do lead to other maladies. We have mentioned the benefits of monatomic gold, and suggest as well that you eat nutritious food, drink a great deal of pure water, get sufficient sleep, listen to melodic music, and spend as much time as possible with Nature. Especially during these times when body, mind and spirits are adjusting to ever-heightening vibrations, those are wise suggestions for everyone.

In many cases, depression is circumstantial, due to one’s own or loved ones’ situation or perhaps the state of your world. When you start thinking about something sad or worrisome, change to a positive thought about that situation and visualize it dissolving into beams of light—here again the law of attraction plays a crucial role. Take one step at a time to overcome feeling depressed—this can be as simple as the satisfaction of completing a small task or as uplifting as knowing that you are contributing light to the world via compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, generosity and kindness.

Dear ones, apply those light-filled feelings to yourself, too, and ask for help! Angels, spirit guides, souls in Nirvana and other spirit worlds—all are God’s emissaries—are ever-ready and eager to help lift you out of depression’s heavy-heartedness.

Yes, planetary cleansing will continue a while longer because Earth needs to rid herself of negativity as it is produced. But we say to readers who asked about earthquakes that will devastate entire major cities, tsunamis of epic proportions, dramatic changes in land masses, and temperatures that will continue rising until they snuff out all life: Not only are those concerns needless, but they emit low vibrations that add to the negativity Earth has to deal with.

Many who requested our comments about the Trans Pacific Partnership feel this is an Illuminati-made bill that will benefit only the wealthiest. Several also questioned much the same as the reader who wrote: “If President Obama really is a light being, why is he pushing Congress to get this bill passed?” and others wrote that his efforts prove he is either Illuminati or their willing puppet or is being mind-controlled by them.

Indeed, TPP provisions have the potential to favor only the wealthy—whatever can be used beneficially also can be twisted into malevolent directions—and we shall tell you what we have been told about President Obama’s position. He is acting upon the advice of our “space” family members living among you to not make waves at this stage of behind-the-scenes talks with individuals in the Rockefeller faction. They are not defectors per se, they are pragmatists who know their aim of world control is doomed, and because their interests are better served by economic stability than global collapse, they are amenable to discussing reforms that will have far-reaching effects.

These individuals, whose cooperation can expedite the reforms, wield considerable influence in the corporate world; and their bargaining point is that by acting in good faith on TPP’s provisions, workers in the off-shore countries will reap benefits that currently are nonexistent and would not adversely affect workers in the United States. Our perspective is, as vibrations continue increasing, improvements will come in every aspect of life in your world, so with or without TPP, beneficial changes are ahead for people everywhere.

We honor you, our beloved family, for your perseverance as lightworkers. You are adding immeasurably to the light that is propelling ongoing and forthcoming changes throughout your world.

LOVE and PEACE

Suzanne Ward

Website: The Matthew Books

Email: suzy@matthewbooks.com

Israel's former defense minister says army blocked three planned attacks on Iran - New

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems  (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it),  Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse),  Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

Swedish prosecutors drop Assange sexual assault probe

Yahoo – AFP, Hugues Honore, 13 Aug 2015

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has always denied the sexual assault

allegations (AFP/John Stillwell)

Swedish prosecutors said on Thursday they had dropped a sexual assault probe against Julian Assange because the time limit on the case had expired.

Two of the four allegations against the WikiLeaks founder -- who has been holed up at Ecuador's London embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition -- have reached their statute of limitations after five years.

"Now that the statue of limitations has expired on certain offences, I am obliged to drop part of the investigation," prosecutor Marianne Ny said.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has

 been holed up inside Ecuador's London 

embassy since 2012

However she said she still wanted to question the 44-year-old Australian over a more serious claim of rape.

The accusations dropped involve one count of sexual assault and another of unlawful coercion. A separate allegation of sexual molestation will run out on August 18.

The Australian can still however be prosecuted for rape, which carries a 10-year statute of limitations and expires in 2020.

Assange has always denied the allegations brought by two Swedish women, and insists the sexual encounters were consensual.

Under Swedish law, if a suspect is not questioned before the deadline expires, they can no longer be tried for the alleged crimes.

Despite repeated attempts, prosecutors have been unable to gain access to Ecuador's embassy.

They initially insisted Assange return to Sweden for interrogation -- a condition he rejected on fears Stockholm could deliver him to US authorities, who may try him for leaking nearly 750,000 classified military and diplomatic documents in 2010.

In a U-turn in March, prosecutors agreed to Assange's compromise offer to question him inside the London mission but say they have yet to see their request approved by Ecuador because of procedural issues -- leading critics to suspect Quito of playing the clock.

Swedish chief prosecutor Marianne Ny is heading the investigation 

into Wikileaks founder Julian Assange

'Weight lifted'

Attorneys for Assange however say suspicions that Ecuador is using delaying tactics are unfounded.

"The (Swedish) request came in late and is being processed by Ecuador, which will certainly approve it after following its own procedures," Assange's Swedish lawyer Per Samuelsson told AFP earlier this month.

Claes Borgstrom, a lawyer for one of the two women accusing Assange of having assaulted them in 2010, said his client was trying to come to terms with the likelihood that the case will never be tried.

"She has always been ready to stand by her accusations and wanted to bring the case to court. But at the same time a weight has been lifted. This has been dragging on for five years and she wants to go back to her normal life," he told the daily Dagens Nyheter earlier this week.

Assange has compared living inside the embassy -- which has no garden but is in the plush Knightsbridge district, near Harrods department store -- to life on a space station.

His 15 feet by 13 feet (4.5 by 4 metre) room is divided into an office and a living area. He has a treadmill, shower, microwave and sun lamp and spends most of his day at his computer.

He is subject to a European arrest warrant and Britain has vowed to detain him if he sets foot outside the embassy, which is under constant police surveillance.

Suharto Family Ordered to Pay Back $324m in Embezzled Funds

Jakarta Globe, Aug 11, 2015

Siti Hediati Hariyadi, popularly known as Titiek Suharto, is the late
Indonesian president's fourth child. (AFP Photo/Rahmat Pribadi)

Jakarta. The Supreme Court has ordered the family of former president Suharto to pay back to the state Rp. 4.4 trillion ($324 million) in funds misappropriated during the late strongman’s lengthy reign.

The court ruled in favor of the prosecution in a civil case against the now-defunct Supersemar Foundation, controlled by the Suharto family. The ruling, made on July 8 but not announced on the court’s website until Monday, revised an earlier ruling in 2010 which ordered the family to pay just a tiny fraction of the losses to the state.

The court repealed a 1976 government regulation issued by the former president ordering all state-owned banks to set aside 2.5 percent of their profits for the foundation. The court ruled that the funds accumulated since the foundation was established — a total sum of $420 million and Rp 185 billion — were largely embezzled and never used for their stated purpose: education.

The court has now ordered the foundation to pay 75 percent of the funds it had amassed over the years, while the 2010 ruling had ordered the Suharto family to pay $315,000 and Rp 185 million — a small sum for the once-powerful family — instead of the $315 million and Rp 185 billion the Attorney General’s Office had sought. The court claimed this was due to a typo.

The AGO only filed for a case review in 2013, around the same time the Suharto family filed a separate motion looking to reverse the order.

The court “granted the case review filed by the state [the AGO] and rejected the case review filed by the Supersemar Foundation,” the latest ruling states.

Hearing the case were Supreme Court judges Suwardi, Soltony Mohdally and Mahdi Soroinda Nasution.

Attorney General M. Prasetyo said on Monday that his office would follow up on the ruling.

“I haven’t read the ruling. I will read it first and then we will know what to do next,” he said, as quoted by Gatra magazine.

Iraq parliament approves PM's anti-corruption plan

Yahoo – AFP, W.G. Dunlop, 11 Aug 2015

Iraqi protesters rally against corruption and poor services on August 7, 2015

in the holy city of Najaf (AFP Photo/Haidar Hamdani)

Baghdad (AFP) - Iraq's parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's reform programme aimed at curbing the corruption and government waste that sparked widespread anger and weeks of protests.

Abadi on Sunday proposed a series of measures to combat graft, streamline the government and improve services after the protests and a call from Iraq's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani for drastic change.

But both Abadi's reform programme and an additional list of measures also approved by parliament only outline steps to be taken. Actually implementing them will be a difficult process fraught with potential political and legal challenges.

"It was unanimously approved," parliament speaker Salim al-Juburi announced to applause after the vote, which was held without a debate as soon as the plan was read in a session attended by 297 of 328 MPs.

Abadi issued a statement congratulating the Iraqi people on the passage of the plan and pledging "to continue the path of reform even if it costs me my life".

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi proposed a series of measures to combat 

corruption, streamline the government and improve services after weeks of protests

 and a call from Iraq's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani for drastic

change (AFP Photo)

Later in the day, the premier called in another statement for the country's anti-corruption body to present the names of those suspected of wrongdoing so they can be prevented from leaving the country and referred to the judiciary.

One of the most drastic of Abadi's reform proposals, which were approved by the cabinet on Sunday, was a call for the posts of vice president and deputy prime minister to be eliminated "immediately".

UN welcomes reforms

Abadi's plan also calls for an end to unofficial but prevalent "political and sectarian quotas" for senior officials, for increased oversight to prevent corruption, and for services to be improved.

Juburi had urged MPs to sign off on the reforms, but said that a "complementary" parliamentary reform plan was needed to add to and "adjust" Abadi's measures in keeping with the law and the constitution.

Iraqi lawmakers take the oath collectively during a parliamentary session 

in Baghdad on June 14, 2010 (AFP Photo/Ali al-Saadi)

That plan overlaps with Abadi's proposals on various points, while adding others.

New measures include calling for "negligent and corrupt" ministers to be presented for no-confidence votes, the "activation" of a law providing for the removal of excessively absent MPs, and limits of two terms for the premier, president and parliament speaker.

The parliamentary plan was also read and approved without debate, and the session -- most of which was taken up by the reading of the two plans -- ended some 30 minutes after it began.

The acting head of the UN Iraq mission, Gyorgy Busztin, said in a statement that he welcomed Abadi's reform proposals.

An Iraqi man listens on his portable radio

 to the speech of parliament speaker

Salim al-Juburi in downtown Baghdad on

August 11, 2015 (AFP Photo/Sabah Arar)

Busztin said that dissatisfaction over corruption "can be manipulated by terrorist groups for their own ends," at a time when the country is battling to regain ground from jihadists from the Islamic State group.

The approval is a victory for Abadi, but the question now becomes how thoroughly the measures will be implemented, and what politicians and other officials may do to try to thwart them.

Thousands protested

"All Iraqi politicians officially support reform and the fight against corruption but they all engage very heavily in corruption," said Zaid al-Ali, author of "The Struggle For Iraq's Future".

"They have to say that they support reform, but they will work against it."

Ali also said that removing the post of vice president would require an amendment to the constitution, a process that includes a popular referendum that is unlikely to be held at this time.

Iraqi men demonstrate in support of Prime 

Minister Haider al-Abadi's reform plan at 

Baghdad's Tahrir Square on August 9, 

2015 (AFP Photo/Haidar Mohammed Ali)

Amid a major heatwave that has seen temperatures top 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit), protesters have railed against the poor quality of services, especially power outages that leave just a few hours of government-supplied electricity per day.

Thousands of people have turned out in Baghdad and cities in the Shiite south to vent their anger at the authorities, putting pressure on them to make changes.

Various parties and politicians have sought to align themselves with the protesters' calls for reforms to benefit from the movement and mitigate the risk to themselves.

People have protested over services and corruption before, but the demonstrations failed to bring about significant change.

Protestors' demands were given a boost on Friday when Sistani, who is revered by millions, called for Abadi to take "drastic measures" against corruption, saying that the "minor steps" he had announced were not enough.