ADDS Somalia by Anuj Chopra with AFP bureaus Muslims around the world began marking a sombre Eid al-Fitr Sunday, many under coronavirus lockdown, but lax restrictions offered respite to worshippers in some countries despite fears of skyrocketing infections. The three-day festival, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is traditionally celebrated with […]

Malaysia’s economy grew at its slowest pace in more than a decade during the first three months of the year as the coronavirus pandemic battered the country, but still managed to beat forecasts, data showed Wednesday. Gross domestic product grew 0.7 percent on-year in January-March, the central bank reported, compared with 3.6 percent growth in […]

Malaysia will ban its citizens from travelling overseas and foreigners from entering the country in drastic measures announced by the prime minister Monday aimed at curbing the spread of the deadly new coronavirus. Schools will also be closed under the rules that will be in place for two weeks from Wednesday, Muhyiddin Yassin said. Large […]

by Heather SCOTT Faced with a growing economic shutdown from the coronavirus pandemic, the US Federal Reserve on Sunday announced drastic emergency measures to shore up confidence and keep the financial sector running, including slashing the key interest rate to virtually zero. The Fed made its second emergency rate cut in less than two weeks, […]

Malaysia said Sunday that more than half the country’s 428 coronavirus cases were linked to an international Islamic gathering held last month.  The Southeast Asian nation announced a spike of 190 new infections over the weekend, mostly linked to a global Islamic event attended by almost 20,000 people. “Of the 428 cases, 243 are participants […]

Zafrul Aziz, currently the CEO of Malaysia’s second biggest lender – CIMB – has just been announced as the new Finance Minister of Malaysia. This announcement was made by the new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in a press conference on Monday in Putrajaya. The appointment of Zafrul in the cabinet would mean he has to […]

by Liz Thomas Olivia Cotes-James wants us to talk about menstrual health. Properly.  No more euphemisms, no more opaque marketing, no more superstitions, and no glossing over cramps, bleeding, or pain: Reframing current attitudes is vital for female empowerment and health, as well as the environment, says the 29-year-old founder of LUÜNA Naturals, which hails […]

Malaysia’s central bank cut its key interest rate on Tuesday to the lowest level since 2010 to combat the impact of the new coronavirus, which has battered economies worldwide. Bank Negara Malaysia slashed the rate by 25 basis points to 2.5 percent, as expected by economists, in its second cut this year. It came as […]

by Sam Reeves Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned Monday in a shock move as his alliance that came to power less than two years ago unravelled, but he was reappointed as interim leader by the king. It came after months of rising tensions in his “Pact of Hope” coalition, which toppled a corruption-mired government in […]

Goth-inspired pop innovator Billie Eilish cleaned up at Sunday’s Grammys, winning all four major awards including the prestigious Album of the Year prize. The 18-year-old beat out stiff competition from viral hitmaker Lil Nas X and the year’s most-nominated artist Lizzo. Eilish soared to mainstream stardom over the past year, after having won a fervent […]

After identifying the first three cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Malaysia, the Health Ministry now announces the fourth case. This fourth case is independent from the first three. The 40 year-old man is a resident of Wuhan, China, and entered the country through Johor Bahru, via Singapore, using a tourist bus. He exhibited […]

by Aurélia End Like others approaching middle age, the World Economic Forum turns 50 insisting it has matured, that it has moved on from hard partying and wants more meaningful relationships. The focus for this week’s annual meeting in Davos will be as much on hearing from climate change activists as on rapid-fire corporate dealmaking […]

On 10th January 2020, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) informed that the leaked audio clips of conversations between disgraced ex-PM of Malaysia, Najib Razak has been handed over to the Malaysian police for further action. Below are two audio clips of Najib speaking to UAE Crown Prince Mohammad Zayed Al Nahyan and one clip of […]

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Wednesday mounted a veiled attack on a Muslim summit in Malaysia shunned by Saudi Arabia, saying such gatherings would weaken Islam. Leaders of Muslim nations, including Saudi rivals Iran, Turkey and Qatar, will attend the summit this week in Kuala Lumpur, which analysts say is aimed at rivalling […]

by Sam Reeves Malaysia will this week host a summit of Muslim leaders billed as a forum to look at the Islamic world’s problems, but it will be closely watched for Middle East power plays and their stance on China’s Uighur minority. Leaders from Iran, Turkey, and Qatar will be among hundreds of delegates attending […]

Pictures by Hector Retamal It’s dawn in Xiapu county and sunrise over southeastern China is welcomed by dozens of clicking camera shutters. Locals along this rather isolated stretch of coast in Fujian province have drawn their livelihood from the sea since ancient times. But another thriving industry has emerged as steadily rising incomes put cameras […]

Forest fires that raged across Indonesia dented Southeast Asia’s biggest economy to the tune of some $5.2 billion, the World Bank said Wednesday, not including the health impacts from toxic haze that sent air quality plummeting. The fires are an annual problem but this year was the worst since 2015 due to dry weather, with […]

Oil prices tumbled Friday on expectations OPEC next week won’t take aggressive action to boost oil prices, while global equities pulled back on trade war worries.  Both the US and European benchmark contracts for oil fell ahead of the December 5 meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in Vienna where analysts expect […]

Saudi Arabia became the first Arab nation Sunday to take over the G20 presidency as it seeks to bounce back onto the world stage following global uproar over its human rights record. The oil-rich kingdom has promoted a liberalisation drive, including granting greater rights to women, but faced strong criticism over a crackdown on dissent […]

by Juliette Michel Could it be the trade war? What about next year’s US presidential election? For famed investor Steve Eisman, the cause of the next recession is up in the air. “It’s too hard to predict at this point,” said Eisman, who anticipated the 2008 financial crisis and served as the basis for Steve […]

Adolf Hitler would have been able to put anti-Semitic advertisements on Facebook had the social network existed in the 1930s, according to British comedian and actor Sacha Baron Cohen.  The 48-year-old “Ali G” star singled out the US tech giant during a searing broadside Thursday against social media companies amplifying hatred and violence as part of […]

Emirates Airline said Monday it would buy 50 Airbus 350-900 widebody aircraft in a deal worth $16 billion, with delivery to begin in May 2023. “I am happy to announce we are purchasing 50 Airbus 350 for $16 billion,” the carrier’s chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum told reporters at the Dubai Airshow. […]

by Thanaporn PROMYAMYAI / Dene-Hern Chen Southeast Asian leaders met Saturday in Thailand eyeing a breakthrough in talks over the world’s largest trade deal to help throw off the torpor which has gripped the global economy since the start of the US-China tariff war. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened their annual […]

by Paulina ABRAMOVICH Chile pulled out of hosting two major international summits on Wednesday as it struggled to restore order after more than ten days of civil unrest that left at least 23 dead. President Sebastian Pinera said “common sense” dictated the decision to withdraw from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and the Cop […]