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MANILA – The 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Manila, the Philippines, will serve as a crucial platform for Malaysia to strengthen regional cooperation while addressing increasingly complex security, economic, and geopolitical challenges. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to lead the Malaysian delegation to the summit, which runs from Sunday to next Wednesday. Malaysia's participation at the highest level is vital to safeguarding national interests, particularly as Southeast Asia navigates global geopolitical and economic uncertainties. Nine key issues are expected to take center stage among ASEAN leaders at this summit: 1. The Myanmar Crisis The effectiveness of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) implementation remains a primary question given the protracted conflict in the country, alongside a humanitarian crisis that has yet to see a comprehensive resolution. The pressing question is what new approaches ASEAN can adopt to ensure efforts toward peace and ...

KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has yet to make a decision regarding the resignation of Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, despite having received an official letter from the DAP leader. He stated that the matter requires further scrutiny before any decision is finalized. According to Anwar, he also needs to hold discussions first to review developments surrounding the issue, adding that there is no need to make a hasty decision as the matter remains under his consideration. "Give me time to discuss and review it again. I have not accepted (Loke's) resignation," he said. He made these remarks when met by reporters after performing Friday prayers at Madrasathul Gouthiyyah, Surau Brickfields, here today. Anwar explained that while he has received the resignation letter submitted by Anthony Loke, acknowledging the letter does not mean a decision has been finalized. "I have received the letter and he stated (the resignation) takes effect, ...

Abdul El-Sayed Washington, DC – US Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed has urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign after an effort to impeach him failed to gain enough support in a US House of Representatives vote. According to Anadolu on Wednesday (Nov. 11, 2026), the US House voted on Tuesday against advancing the impeachment push against Hegseth after the resolution received only 211 votes to 204. The outcome referred the resolution to a committee, effectively derailing the effort. In an interview with CNN, El-Sayed directly questioned why Hegseth remains in office as Defense Secretary, arguing that he has failed to fulfill his duties, particularly in handling the war with Iran. "Why are you still doing this job? You are objectively bad at it. You are failing your responsibilities. You have mismanaged this war," El-Sayed said. "So just step down. Make it easier rather than ultimately being pushed out, because that is clearly what is happening," he added. When as...

KUALA LUMPUR – A total of 22 foreign nationals were detained by the Immigration Department during raids on two residential premises suspected of being used as hubs for illegal online activities around the capital on Wednesday and yesterday. Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Immigration Director Datuk Hamsha Injau said those detained comprised 18 men and four women from China and the Philippines, who are suspected of lacking valid passes or permits as well as overstaying in the country. "Preliminary investigations revealed that all the detained foreigners claimed they accepted job offers while still in their home countries with salaries ranging between RM2,000 and RM8,000 per month. "Investigations are still underway to determine each individual's role and the exact nature of their activities," he said in a statement today. Hamsha said the raids were carried out following a week of intelligence gathering by a team of officers from the Intelligence and Operations Unit of...

Washington, DC – US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been relocated from his residence in Washington, DC, to a military base following threats to his safety allegedly linked to Iran. The move comes amid heightened security concerns over escalating Iranian efforts to target American officials and citizens. CBS, the BBC’s US partner, reported that Bessent’s relocation occurred after photos of his residence were published by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The images made it possible to geolocate Bessent’s home in Washington, DC’s Georgetown neighborhood. Bessent has been at the forefront of the US government's efforts to economically isolate Iran through broader sanctions and economic blockades. While the exact nature of the threat against Bessent remains unclear, US intelligence agencies have warned that Iran has significantly stepped up attempts to target Americans, including government officials. "After the Wall Street Journal published an article featuring photos online...

Abu Dhabi – Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a large-scale prisoner of war exchange following two days of negotiations mediated by the United States. However, the talks, which concluded on Wednesday (Nov. 11, 2026), failed to produce a major breakthrough toward ending the war that began when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly five years ago. Expectations for significant progress in the negotiations were low from the outset. The meeting marked the first direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in nine months. While the two nations occasionally conduct prisoner swaps, they remain far apart on the conditions required to reach a peace agreement. US officials stated that Washington is determined to revive peace efforts that have so far yielded little tangible progress. In addition to post-war security guarantees for both Russia and Ukraine, key sticking points holding up negotiations include the future of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories and the ...

GEORGE TOWN – Police today detailed the actions taken in the case of an 11-year-old girl allegedly sexually assaulted by her biological father, following a report lodged by the victim's school headmaster on Oct. 16 last year. Penang Police Chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng said the report was received by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Barat Daya District Police Headquarters at 11:15 am, before the suspect was arrested at approximately 5:30 pm the same day. "The suspect was subsequently remanded until Oct. 24, 2025, before being charged at the Balik Pulau Court on that date under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16 of the same Act. "The case is currently on trial, and the next court mention date has been set for Nov. 11, 2026," he said in a statement tonight. Commenting on the victim's welfare, he said the child was initially placed under the temporary care of her grandmother on Oct. 16, 2025, ...

Tel Aviv – A former member of the Israeli military’s spokesperson unit has revealed that the military manipulated information regarding its operations in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, detailing her own role in shaping narratives delivered to the media during her service. According to Anadolu on Wednesday (Nov. 4, 2026), Ayelet Kroizer said innocent Palestinians were frequently labeled as "terrorists," while official military statements were carefully crafted to bolster public support and gain international legitimacy for Israeli military operations. Kroizer made the remarks in a post on the social media platform X on Monday, in which she also announced her appointment as spokesperson for Breaking the Silence, an Israeli organization that publishes testimonies from former soldiers regarding military abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories. "During my service, I manipulated the information delivered to the media. I saw how the word 'terrorist' ...

KUALA LUMPUR – A total of RM20.271 billion in excess income tax refunds involving 3.65 million taxpayer cases was settled as of October 31, 2026. Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said that out of the total amount, RM6.84 billion was refunded to 3.4 million individual taxpayers, while RM13.036 billion was paid to 206,234 corporate taxpayers, including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). "In executing these repayments, the government prioritizes excess tax refunds to individuals as well as MSME companies," he said during the committee-stage winding-up session of the Supply Bill for the Ministry of Finance in the Dewan Rakyat today. Amir Hamzah said that in line with this approach, the number of taxpayers with excess tax balances was reduced by nearly half to around 550,000 taxpayers as of Oct. 31, 2026, compared to over one million on Dec. 31, 2025. "The government is also committed to ensuring that refund backlogs are fully cleared promptly as ...

GAZA CITY/ISTANBUL – One Palestinian was killed in an Israeli strike in central Gaza early Saturday, while another died from wounds sustained in a previous attack, medical sources told Anadolu Ajansi (AA). The deaths occurred amid ongoing violations by the Israeli military of the Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement, which has been in effect since October 2025. Medical sources at Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza said Diaa Abu al-Rous was killed in an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp. Witnesses told Anadolu that an Israeli drone carried out the strike near the headquarters of an electricity company in the northern part of the camp. Separately, Arafat al-Arair died from critical injuries sustained days earlier in an Israeli strike targeting a vehicle in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, southwest of Gaza City. Medical sources at Al-Shifa Hospital in western Gaza City confirmed his death to Anadolu. Meanwhile, local sources told Anadolu that Israeli military vehicles and artillery shel...

KUALA LUMPUR – More than 580,000 pages from 4,840 Malay manuscript titles had been digitized by the National Library of Malaysia (PNM) as of September this year, in an effort to preserve the nation's literary heritage. National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said PNM’s Malay manuscript collection currently totals 5,405 copies, with written heritage preservation efforts also encompassing the digitization of archival materials, documentation, and the publication of historical works. "These treasures are highlighted through exhibitions featuring the transliteration of old Jawi script into Rumi and digital storytelling. "In line with technological advancements, the ministry welcomes proposals to explore strategic collaboration between PNM and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) to develop immersive Jawi learning content based on official Jawi spelling guidelines," he said in the Dewan Rakyat today. He was responding to a proposal by Datuk Mumtaz Md Nawi (PN-Tumpat) to...

HYDERABAD – Malaysia and Bangladesh are set to begin the first round of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in Dhaka on Tuesday. A 30-member Malaysian delegation is currently in the Bangladeshi capital for the three-day talks, Bangladeshi media reported. Bangladesh is seeking to strengthen economic ties with its key trading partners as it prepares to graduate from the United Nations' Least Developed Country (LDC) status next month. "A free trade agreement (FTA) with Malaysia is vital for Bangladesh's export competitiveness, considering that after graduating from LDC status, preferential access to international markets will be affected," Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) President Mohammad Anwar Shahid told Bernama on Monday. Both countries aim to finalize the FTA by 2027. Bangladesh is Malaysia's second-largest trading partner in South Asia, with total bilateral trade valued at RM12.18 billion in 2025. Malaysia exported goods worth ...

KOTA KINABALU – The international land border demarcation and survey operation between Malaysia and Indonesia in the Sungai Sinapad–Sungai Sesai Outstanding Boundary Problem (OBP) area is running smoothly through close cooperation between technical teams from both countries, according to the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM) Sabah. In a statement on Facebook, JUPEM Sabah said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup visited Boundary Marker B2787, located in the Pensiangan and Nabawan districts, on Monday to inspect the fieldwork carried out by the survey team firsthand. According to JUPEM Sabah, the working visit provided an opportunity to observe up close the operational challenges of border demarcation in the interior, which include hilly terrain, dense jungle environments, and the high technical precision required to accomplish the national border marking mission. "The field team also faces various technical cha...

CAIRO – The Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) announced that authorities have dispatched over 280 trucks carrying flour and food baskets to help alleviate severe bread shortages in the Gaza Strip as of Sunday, Xinhua reported. Over 90 trucks departed on Sunday, following more than 190 trucks sent throughout the previous week. The supplies will be handed over to the Egyptian Relief Committee in Gaza for distribution to bakeries whose operations have been disrupted, according to the ERC. The ERC added that an aid convoy departed for Gaza early Sunday carrying over 3,676 tons of humanitarian supplies, including flour, food baskets, relief items, medicines, and fuel for hospitals, bakeries, and other essential facilities. This marks the 302nd convoy from Egypt to Gaza since the ERC launched its pro-Gaza humanitarian aid initiative in late July 2025. The ERC stated that it has maintained extensive involvement since the crisis began, helping distribute over 1 million tons of humanitarian aid thr...

LONDON – British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is open to discussing the possibility of restoring the rules on the free movement of workers with the European Union (EU), one of the most pivotal issues that triggered the 2016 Brexit referendum. In an interview with the Sunday Times , Burnham stated that while the influx of workers from EU countries into Britain prior to Brexit indeed posed significant challenges, the migration patterns at that time differed from the current situation. "In-and-out migration, when someone comes to work and then returns to their home country, is different. The balance of migration has also changed now. "I think we need to have an honest conversation about this," he said. The remark reinforces his previous stance suggesting that Britain should reassess its relationship with Brussels, including the possibility of rejoining the EU in the future. Official data shows that Britain's long-term net migration rate in 2025 has dropped c...

KUALA LUMPUR – The government's move to relinquish executive control over the administration of Parliament after more than three decades, through the enforcement of the Parliamentary Services Act 2025, will strengthen the administrative autonomy of the Malaysian Parliament. International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Law Lecturer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Khairil Azmin Mokhtar said the act allows staffing, appointments, and administrative affairs of parliamentary officers to be managed more independently, thereby clarifying the principle of the separation of powers between the legislature and the executive. He noted that previously, Parliament's administrative affairs were subject to the Federal public service structure following the repeal of the Parliamentary Services Act 1963 in 1992. "This effort is a appropriate step and a continuation of efforts to solidify the institution of Parliament as one of the pillars of the country, based on the doctrine of the separation of po...

KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained a civil servant on suspicion of soliciting and accepting approximately RM30 million in bribes related to tax assessments from 2025 to this year. According to MACC sources, the illicit acts by the 50-year-old man are believed to involve several companies in exchange for helping reduce tax assessments totaling RM140 million. "The suspect, who is a public sector unit director, was detained at around 12:30 midnight while hiding in a hotel in the Klang Valley," the source said. Sources added that a six-day remand order against the suspect until next Monday was issued by Magistrate Ezrene Zakariah following an application made by the MACC at the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court this morning. MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman, when contacted, confirmed the arrest, and stated that the case is being investigated under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.

BERLIN – Factory-produced cigarette prices in Germany are set to increase significantly around the turn of the year after the German parliament gave final approval on Friday to a tobacco tax reform proposed by the government, the German News Agency ( dpa ) reported. Following the lower house of parliament's (Bundestag) approval of amendments to existing laws on Thursday, the upper house of parliament (Bundesrat) cleared the way on Friday for substantial tax hikes on cigarettes and other tobacco products for the 2027–2030 period. The tax increases will be passed on to end consumers, resulting in prices rising by roughly 50 percent or more over the period. Currently, a pack of 20 cigarettes in Germany costs an average of over €8 ($9), but prices are projected to rise to nearly €12 by 2030, according to Finance Ministry projections. Premium brand cigarettes could reach prices of up to €14 per pack. The government argued that the legal amendment is necessary to strengthen the country...

PUTRAJAYA – Malaysia and Egypt signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the fields of women's empowerment, higher education, tourism, and investment to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. The exchange of the MoU documents took place in conjunction with the state visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Malaysia, witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at Seri Perdana Complex here on Saturday. The four MoUs cover cooperation between the two governments in women's empowerment, higher education, and tourism, alongside cooperation between the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Egypt's General Authority for Investment and Free Zones. The MoU on women's empowerment cooperation was exchanged by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Expatriates, Dr. Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty. For higher educ...