
Malaysia's Strategic Ascent

Boomers: Selfish or Scapegoats?

Reverse Apartheid" in SA?

Trump’s 50% tariffs on europe

Muslim pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat in hajj apex

'Floating village' to house thousands of Asian Games athletes

Morocco set for sheepless Eid as drought persists

Trump administration ramps up attack on Harvard, Columbia
Politics
North Korea's Kim vows 'unconditional support' for Russia's war in Ukraine
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to "unconditionally support" Russia in its war in Ukraine and said he expected Moscow to emerge victorious, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday.
Politics
Starbase city grows near Musk's launch site and wilderness refuges
Elon Musk has a long way to go before colonizing Mars, but the controversial billionaire already has his own city on a flat patch of Texas, where giant, experimental Starship rockets roar over the incongruous sight of dolphins -- and some skeptical human neighbors.
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Trump says Putin plans to retaliate after Ukraine drone strikes
Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin warned him "very strongly" in a call Wednesday that he would respond to Ukraine's stunning attack on Russian airfields, adding that any immediate prospect of peace remained far off.

McIlroy explains media silence after driver ban
Masters champion Rory McIlroy has explained his media silence during the PGA Championship admitting that he was unhappy at the way the news of his driver disqualification was leaked.

Over 1.5 million pilgrims begin hajj under blazing sun
More than 1.5 million pilgrims joined Islam's most important rite under a beating sun on Wednesday, as the hajj kicked off with the Saudi hosts scrambling to avoid last year's 1,000-plus deaths in sweltering heat.

Trump says Iran 'slowwalking' as Khamenei opposes nuclear proposal
US President Donald Trump accused Tehran on Wednesday of "slowwalking" on a nuclear deal, after Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the latest proposal from Washington was against the national interest.

Boisson 'going for the dream' at French Open after injury nightmare
Lois Boisson has "resilience" tattooed above her right elbow and the 361st-ranked Frenchwoman demonstrated she had plenty as she stormed into semi-finals of the French Open on Wednesday.

Trump talks with Putin on Ukraine, Iran
US President Donald Trump said he spoke to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Wednesday about Ukraine and Iran, warning that the Kremlin leader had "very strongly" pledged to respond to Kyiv's stunning drone attack on Russian bombers.

Bulgaria on course to become 21st EU member to adopt euro
The European Commission gave the green light on Wednesday for Bulgaria to adopt the euro from next year, putting the Balkan country on course to become the 21st member of the single currency area.

Deadly stampede at India cricket celebrations leaves 11 dead
Packed crowds in India celebrating their cricket team's victory ended in a deadly stampede on Wednesday with 11 mainly young fans crushed to death, the local state's chief minister said.

US-China at trade impasse as Trump's steel tariff hike strains ties
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday it is "extremely hard" to reach a deal with China as a trade impasse persisted, while his doubling of metal tariffs fueled tensions with key partners.

Paris seeks personhood status for River Seine
French authorities want to give legal rights to the River Seine to better defend the world-famous waterway in court and protect its fragile ecosystem, part of a global movement to grant legal personhood to nature.

Sensational Boisson lights up French Open, Sinner reaches semi-finals
An inspired Lois Boisson delighted Roland Garros as the French world number 361 downed Mirra Andreeva on Wednesday to set up a French Open semi-final against Coco Gauff, while Jannik Sinner secured a last-four meeting with either Novak Djokovic or Alexander Zverev.

Top seed Sinner outclasses Bublik to reach French Open semis
Jannik Sinner booked himself a second consecutive semi-final appearance at Roland Garros on Wednesday with a typically ruthless straight-sets victory over unseeded Kazakh Alexander Bublik.

Big-name porn sites black out in France over age checks
French visitors to major adult websites Pornhub, YouPorn and RedTube were met Wednesday with a message denouncing privacy risks from government demands that they verify users' ages.

At least 11 killed in stampede at India cricket celebrations
At least 11 people were killed in a stampede Wednesday as a tightly packed crowd celebrated the victory of their home cricket team in the Indian city of Bengaluru, the state's chief minister said.

Nintendo fans stoked for Switch 2 'mega launch'
With shops planning midnight launch parties after a run on pre-orders, Nintendo releases the Switch 2 on Thursday, hoping to score record early sales for a games console.

French wildcard Boisson shocks Andreeva to continue 'incredible' Paris adventure
France's 361st-ranked Lois Boisson continued her "incredible" Paris adventure on Wednesday, dispatching world number six Mirra Andreeva in a thrilling two-set battle to reach the French Open semi-finals.

US novelist Edmund White, chronicler of gay life, dead at 85
Edmund White, the influential American novelist who chronicled gay life and his own sexual odyssey through his work, including dozens of books, several short stories and countless articles and essays, has died, his agent said Wednesday. He was 85.

Gauff to pretend crowd are 'cheering for me' against Boisson
Coco Gauff said on Wednesday she will pretend the French crowd "are cheering for me" when she faces home favourite Lois Boisson in the Roland Garros semi-finals.

Boisson continues dream French Open run, Djokovic, Sinner eye semis
An inspired Lois Boisson delighted Roland Garros as the French world number 361 downed Mirra Andreeva on Wednesday to set up a French Open semi-final against Coco Gauff, before Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic both chase men's last-four berths.

Saudis use AI, drones and thousands of cameras to keep hajj pilgrims safe
Working day and night in front of maps, screens and seemingly endless data, Saudi officials have harnessed artificial intelligence to help manage the million-strong sea of pilgrims during the hajj.

France's 361st-ranked Boisson shocks Andreeva to reach French Open semis
France's 361st-ranked Lois Boisson continued her dream run at the French Open, defeating world number six Mirra Andreeva to advance to the semi-finals at Roland Garros on Wednesday.

Stocks rise despite weak US jobs data
Stock markets advanced Wednesday despite data showing US private sector job growth nearly dried up last month, reviving fears about the economy.

Zelensky says Russian ceasefire memorandum is an 'ultimatum'
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said that Russia was giving Ukraine an ultimatum at peace negotiations but said he was ready to hold direct talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump "any day".

Deadly stampede at India cricket celebrations
A stampede broke out Wednesday as a tightly packed crowd celebrated the victory of their home cricket team in the Indian city of Bengaluru, resulting in deaths, a senior government official said.

US novelist Edmund White, chronicler of gay life, dead at 85: agent
Edmund White, the influential American novelist who chronicled gay life through his semi-autobiographical work, including dozens of books, several short stories and countless articles and essays, has died, his agent said Wednesday. He was 85.

Germany unveils tax breaks to boost stagnant economy
Germany's government on Wednesday put forward a sweeping package of corporate tax breaks aimed at boosting investment and pulling Europe's largest economy out of the doldrums.

India sets date of population and caste census
The world's most populous nation India will conduct a census in 2027, its first since 2011, the government said Wednesday, which will also count caste -- a controversial accounting not done since the country's independence.

Kluivert confident Indonesia will edge China in World Cup qualifier
Patrick Kluivert said he is "very confident" Indonesia will get a positive result against China in front of a sell-out crowd in Jakarta on Thursday to move closer to a historic World Cup spot.

Thirteen on trial in France over 'racist' stunt targeting singer Aya Nakamura
Thirteen people went on trial in Paris on Wednesday over a "racist" insult targeting Franco-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who faced criticism from the far right and harassment over her performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

Czechs sign nuclear deal with S.Korea firm KHNP: PM
A Czech state-run company signed Wednesday a deal with South Korea's KHNP to build two nuclear reactors in the EU country after a court dismissed a bid by France's EDF to block the deal.

Huge planet discovered orbiting tiny star puzzles scientists
Astronomers announced Wednesday they have discovered a massive planet orbiting a tiny star, a bizarre pairing that has stumped scientists.

Pioneering US novelist Edmund White put gay life on the page
US novelist Edmund White, who died Tuesday aged 85, established himself as a leading chronicler of gay emancipation through a trailblazing, largely autobiographical body of work.

World Boxing say 'not correct' to have named Khelif in sex test statement
World Boxing on Wednesday apologised to the Algerian federation saying it had been incorrect to name boxer Imane Khelif in a statement announcing mandatory gender testing to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes wanting to take part in its competitions.

US private sector hiring sharply slows, drawing Trump ire
US private sector hiring hit its slowest pace since 2023 in May, according to data Wednesday from payroll firm ADP, significantly missing expectations in a month where all eyes are on the effects of President Donald Trump's trade war.

Suspected mastermind of French crypto kidnappings held in Morocco
A 24-year-old Franco-Moroccan man suspected of masterminding a series of kidnappings targeting cryptocurrency entrepreneurs in France has been arrested in Morocco, France said.

China seek 'perfect' Indonesia win to keep World Cup dream alive
China will fight to stay alive in the hunt for a World Cup spot with hopes of a "perfect performance" when they face Indonesia in a crucial qualifier on Thursday, coach Branko Ivankovic said.

Sweden tries jihadist over Jordanian pilot burned to death by IS
A convicted Swedish jihadist went on trial in Stockholm on Wednesday accused of war crimes for his role in the 2014 killing of a Jordanian pilot who was burned alive in Syria.

England defender Bright rules herself out of Women's Euros
England defender Millie Bright on Wednesday ruled herself out of selection for next month's women's Euros, saying she is "not able to give 100 percent mentally or physically".

'Why this hatred': French town reels over killing of Tunisian man
The murder of a Tunisian man by his French neighbour in southern France, which is being investigated as a terror crime, has horrified the local community and raised alarm over rising racism in the country.