Nation

PKR polls: Rifts in party will manifest if no efforts made to reconcile, says youth chief

JOHOR BARU: The divisions in PKR will only become real if no efforts are made at reconciliation after the party's elections, says Adam Adli Abdul Halim.

AseanPlus News

China-Thailand meeting yields agreement on strategic cooperation and military exercises

Visit to Beijing by Thailand's top defence official Songwit Noonpackdee is latest in a series of diplomatic activities with China

Nation

PKR polls: PKR to discuss abolishing president's power to allow new members to contest polls, says Anwar

JOHOR BARU: The proposal to abolish the power of the PKR president to allow new members to contest in general and party elections will be discussed further at a party meeting, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Energy

Oil heads to first weekly loss since April on OPEC+ supply hike prospect

SINGAPORE: Oil prices dropped for a fourth consecutive session on Friday and were set for their first weekly decline in three weeks, weighed down by renewed supply pressure from another possible OPEC+ output hike in July.

Animals

Footage of rare snail laying an egg from its neck captured for the first time

The strange reproductive habits of a large, carnivorous New Zealand snail called the Powelliphanta augusta snailwere once shrouded in mystery.

Nation

GCC seeks stronger ties with Asean on security, trade

SEPANG: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is ready to work more closely with Asean to improve security and to keep the region safe and stable.

Brunei

Brunei Sultan to attend 46th Asean Summit and related summits

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is scheduled to attend the 46th Asean Summit and related summits which will be held from May 26 to 27 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Badminton

Cutting down on milk tea after thirty is keeping Ratchanok happy

KUALA LUMPUR: Thai shuttler Ratchanok Intanon loves milk tea but she has to cut back on her favourite drink to keep playing at the highest level in the women's singles.

Forex

Malaysia's ringgit and Indonesia's rupiah lead weekly gains among Asia FX

Emerging Asian currencies rose on Friday, on track for a sixth consecutive weekly gain, as fading appetite for U.S. assets due to concerns over the country's fiscal health lifted emerging assets including Malaysia's ringgit and Indonesia's rupiah.

World

Bangladesh's Yunus could quit over lack of reform progress, student leader says

DHAKA (Reuters) -Bangladesh's de-facto prime minister has threatened to step down if political parties cannot agree on reforms that citizens await with growing impatience, a top student leader has said, deepening uncertainty in the wake of deadly protests last year.

Nation

HR Ministry studying proposal to raise retirement age, says Sim

KLANG: The Human Resources Ministry is currently reviewing the proposal to raise the mandatory retirement age from 60 to 65, said Minister Steven Sim.

Markets

Asian shares gain as Treasuries find support

SYDNEY: Asian shares gained on Friday as beaten-down Treasuries found buyers after U.S. President Donald Trump's tax bill narrowly passed the lower house, although debt worries still dominated.

Technology

Telegram 'surprised' as Vietnam orders messaging app to be blocked

HANOI (Reuters) -Vietnam's technology ministry has ordered telecommunication service providers to block the messaging app Telegram for not cooperating in combating alleged crimes committed by its users, in a move that Telegram said was surprising.

Nation

PKR polls: Anwar casts ballot in PKR central leadership polls

JOHOR BARU: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) President and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim cast his vote in person in the party's central leadership election at the Berjaya Waterfront Hotel here.

Thailand

Malaysia, Thailand collaborate to improve river mouth of Sungai Golok

BANGKOK: Malaysia has undertaken extensive measures under the Cross-Border Collaboration initiative with Thailand through the Golok River Mouth Improvement Project to mitigate frequent flooding and improve the quality of life for communities along Sungai Golok.

Indonesia

Indonesia on alert as Covid-19 surges across Asia

JAKARTA: As several Asian countries grapple with a resurgence of Covid-19, the Indonesian government has assured the public that Indonesia's health sector is well-prepared to handle any future outbreaks, while authorities ramp up precautionary measures to prevent a domestic surge.

Nation

Najib's contempt bid against former AG ignores court order, says AGC

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Razak's application to initiate contempt proceedings against former attorney general Tan Sri Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh is in breach of an existing court order, says the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC).

Japan

'Investment, not tariffs,' says Ishiba after telephone talks with Trump before third round of talks

TOKYO: Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Friday (May 23) that he held telephone talks with US President Donald Trump and agreed to hold "productive" discussions at an upcoming tariff talks between the two sides.

Laos

Laos’ largest regional wind farm scheduled to become operational by late 2025

VIENTIANE: Laos is on track to launch its first wind farm – and the largest in South-East Asia – by the end of this year, with all 133 turbines for the project now fully installed.

Corporate News

Velesto secures new drilling contract in Indonesia

KUALA LUMPUR: Velesto Energy Bhd has secured a new drilling contract from PC Ketapang II Ltd, PC North Madura II Ltd, and PETRONAS North Ketapang Sdn Bhd for its NAGA 8 jack-up rig in Indonesia.