Sharp, essential news and analysis from Malaysia.
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Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey offers an unexpected lens for understanding American power's trajectory. The film's central irony—that feared Sea Peoples are actually Greeks themselves—mirrors how the US risks becoming the unconstrained great power its own post-war order was designed to prevent.
Palantir Technologies has raised its 2024 revenue forecast, citing accelerating demand for AI-powered data analytics across government and commercial sectors. The Denver-based firm lifted annual guidance to $8.15-8.16 billion, driven by 90% growth in U.S. government revenue.
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The OPEC+ grouping will gather Sunday for a Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee meeting to determine September oil production ceilings, with analysts expecting member states to incrementally restore output cuts.
The US has advised its citizens in West Asia to consider leaving the region amid escalating tensions with Iran. American embassies issued security alerts warning of potential airspace closures and travel disruptions.
Japan has launched its National Intelligence Bureau, consolidating intelligence gathering across multiple agencies. The move signals Tokyo's pivot towards strengthened counterespionage capabilities amid rising geopolitical tensions in the region.
Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo has resigned, the Minister of State Secretariat announced Monday. Across the region, leaders address US trade pressures, strengthen ASEAN cooperation, and confront shifting demographics.
German luxury carmaker Audi has slashed its annual profit and revenue forecasts, blaming a collapsing Chinese market, fierce pricing competition, and escalating West Asian tensions for the sharp reversal.
OCBC economists say US Section 301 tariffs will have muted near-term impact on Southeast Asian exporters due to product exemptions and lower effective rates, but geopolitical uncertainty and ongoing investigations pose longer-term risks.
Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu has stressed that food security must become a strategic priority for Malaysia, citing Middle East conflict, climate change and supply chain vulnerabilities as pressing concerns requiring urgent action.
The US is overhauling visa policies for foreign students, journalists and exchange visitors, with Chinese journalists facing 90-day limits compared to 240 days for others. The rules eliminate decades-old flexibility that allowed indefinite stays.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that a Petronas vessel has secured clearance to transit the Red Sea and will reach Melaka in early August, attributing the achievement to Malaysia's diplomatic relationships with key regional and global powers.
The European Union has frozen its mechanism for adjusting the price cap on Russian oil for twelve months, while simultaneously moving to sanction vessels supporting Moscow's shadow fleet operations.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with The Genron NPO President Yasushi Kudo to advance discussions on regional strategic dialogue and reinforce Malaysia's comprehensive partnership with Japan.
Indonesia has challenged Asean to convert its diplomatic commitments into concrete results, warning the bloc faces a credibility test as global crises—including Middle East tensions and South China Sea disputes—test regional stability.
Microsoft has committed substantial funding to expand Mistral's computing infrastructure across Europe, integrating the French AI startup's models into Azure services and strengthening the continent's technological independence from the United States.
Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof highlighted how energy security and maritime safety have become inseparable issues, with developments thousands of kilometres away now affecting regional electricity prices and trade flows.
Escalating South China Sea tensions and Myanmar's pariah status are set to test ASEAN unity at this week's Manila gathering, as the US and China signal competing strategic interests in Southeast Asia.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared that all oil, gas, and fertiliser shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz require Iranian coordination and permission, citing incidents involving foreign vessels that disabled navigation systems.
The United States has advised its citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon and northern Israel, warning of heightened security risks and potential for unforeseen escalation in the volatile West Asia region.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has strongly denounced fresh US sanctions, characterizing Washington's approach as a modern iteration of McCarthyism targeting leftist movements globally.
Argentina's war veterans have appealed to fans to prioritize football over geopolitical tensions with England, urging they avoid using the World Cup semi-final as a platform for Falklands sovereignty claims.
Malaysia's Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah has cautioned the public and businesses to prepare for significant economic fallout from Iran's renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz, warning of cascading supply chain disruptions across multiple sectors.
France and Malaysia are strengthening bilateral ties through economic cooperation and cultural exchanges, with French Ambassador Marc Abensour emphasizing their shared commitment to building bridges in an increasingly fragmented world.
NATO members are expected to increase collective defence spending to over US$1.8 trillion in 2026, representing an 11 per cent rise from 2025 as alliance states fulfil pledges made at The Hague summit.
Malaysian equities extended gains as crude oil prices climbed following Iran's attacks on tankers in the Straits of Hormuz, reversing overnight weakness in US tech stocks and prompting a shift toward energy and financial sector plays.
China's National Vulnerability Database has flagged security backdoor risks in Anthropic's Claude Code AI tool, warning it could transmit user data without consent. The alert has prompted major Chinese firms to restrict access.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has firmly rejected Donald Trump's suggestion that the United States should control Greenland, emphasising Denmark's sovereignty and NATO's collective defence commitment.
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Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to strengthening ties with the UAE through strategic cooperation, with particular emphasis on artificial intelligence and regional stability.
Asia Pacific offshore spending remains resilient following West Asian geopolitical tensions, with Southeast Asia expecting a 12 per cent jump in greenfield capital expenditure to exceed US$100 billion, bolstered by stronger energy security focus and a potential Petronas capex cycle by 2027.
Two improvised explosive devices detonated in Damascus on Tuesday, injuring at least 18 people including police officers, as French President Emmanuel Macron visited Syria—the first EU leader to do so in over a decade.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has cautioned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to exercise extreme care in handling Taiwan affairs, emphasising that constructive ties serve both nations' interests.
Iranian and foreign dignitaries gathered in Tehran on Friday to pay respects to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with leaders from Pakistan, Armenia, Georgia, Iraq, Tajikistan, China and Russia attending the solemn ceremony.
Majlis Amanah Rakyat has shifted its international scholarship placements away from the United States for 2025 and 2026, directing sponsored students to alternative countries to mitigate geopolitical and policy risks while maintaining educational quality standards.
Emerging middle powers including Malaysia, Brazil and India must pursue their own strategic interests as the post-World War Two global order unravels, experts told the Asia-Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged Malaysia's continued dedication to fortifying ASEAN as a cohesive regional bloc capable of addressing member nations' needs amid mounting geopolitical pressures and economic headwinds.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has underscored Malaysia's critical role as a trading hub and emphasized economic diplomacy as central to the nation's foreign policy agenda, highlighting expansion into West Asian, Central Asian, African and Latin American markets.
At the 39th Asia-Pacific Roundtable, ISIS Malaysia's leadership calls for ASEAN to exercise greater agency and strategic autonomy rather than passively responding to geopolitical shifts, emphasizing collective resilience.
Mainland Chinese travellers are choosing closer, cheaper Asian destinations this summer, with Kuala Lumpur and Vietnam gaining ground. Political tensions with Japan and Middle East conflicts are reshaping global tourism patterns.
Malaysia's Investment Minister Johari Abdul Ghani has urged the World Trade Organization to fundamentally adapt its framework to address contemporary economic challenges including supply chain resilience, technological competition, and strategic autonomy concerns.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a £15 billion defence funding boost, pushing annual spending to £80 billion by 2029. The plan prioritises AI-enabled military capabilities and autonomous weapons systems.
Outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to unveil a comprehensive defence spending strategy centred on drone technology and autonomous systems, marking a significant shift in how Britain allocates military resources.