LAGOS (Reuters) -The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) faces growing threats of terrorism, climate change, military coups, and poverty, its most senior official said on Wednesday as leaders marked 50 years since the bloc's formation in Nigeria. Jihadist violence has surged this year in Nigeria and the Sahel region, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and...
CANNES, France (AFP): Exploitative contracts that force young female Japanese pop stars to forego relationships and sex are at the heart of director Koji Fukada's latest film, which has premiered in Cannes. The 45-year-old director said he was inspired by a news report about a Japanese "idol", as the starlets are known, who was sued by...
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Four people were taken to the hospital after an accident involving a car and a bus at Woodlands Checkpoint on the morning of Saturday (May 24). It also resulted in a lane closure for three hours, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). In response to queries, the police said they were...
SHANGHAI/JAKARTA (Reuters): China's Premier Li Qiang said on Saturday that China and Indonesia will promote "true multilateralism" as he landed in Jakarta on a two-day visit to South-East Asia's largest economy. China has intensified engagement with countries in the region since US President Donald Trump announced hefty import tariffs on its global trading partners earlier this...
KUALA LUMPUR: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has lambasted the ongoing Israeli blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza, describing the actions of the Zionist regime as a "war crime". GCC assistant secretary-general for political and negotiation affairs, Dr Abdel Aziz Abu Hamad Aluwaisheg, said Israeli forces have used the blockade to influence political outcomes and that...
KUALA LUMPUR: Asean Foreign Ministers have commended Malaysia’s proactive leadership in reviving efforts to implement the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) and facilitating constructive dialogue to address the ongoing crisis in Myanmar. Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo said both the informal and extended informal consultations on the implementation of the 5PC, held Saturday (May 24) ahead...
KUALA TERENGGANU: A financial analyst lost his savings of RM147,350 to a fraudulent investment syndicate that operated through a non-existent scheme. Kuala Terengganu OCPD Asst Comm Azli Mohd Noor said the 42-year-old victim saw a stock investment advertisement on a social media platform in February. He said the victim then tapped the advertisement link and was invited...
JOHOR BARU: First-timers who made it into PKR’s central leadership are looking forward to hitting the ground running. Newly elected PKR Youth wing vice-chief Dr Muhammed Taufiq Johari, who is also Sungai Petani MP, said the new party leadership line-up was a good mix of experience and fresh faces. "This new line-up will show that PKR is...
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has hosted a welcoming dinner for his counterparts from all Asean member states, Timor Leste, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and China. The dinner, also attended by Asean secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn and GCC secretary-general Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, was held at Tower 2, Petronas Twin Towers. Also...
JOHOR BAHRU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) was officially announced as having successfully defended his position as Parti Keadilan Rakyat president in the party’s election for the 2025-2028 session. Anwar was announced as having won uncontested after no candidates offered to contest the position. The Central Election Committee (JPP) chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa,...
