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Southeast Asia has taken a major step toward becoming one of the world's biggest digital economies. ASEAN member states have completed negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), a landmark deal designed to make digital trade easier across the region.   The agreement was finalized during senior economic meetings in Manila in late May and is expected to be signed at the ASEAN Summit in November 2026. Supporters say...

Western intelligence agencies are warning that China is using fake job offers, online recruiters, and consulting fronts to turn ordinary professional networking sites into hunting grounds for espionage.   On June 3, 2026, the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, issued a rare joint public warning about what it described as an aggressive Chinese intelligen...

Malaysia has entered a new chapter in its defense strategy after officially deploying Turkish-made ANKA-S drones on June 19, 2026. The aircraft are now operating from Labuan Air Base, a key military facility located near the South China Sea. The move comes as countries across the region increase efforts to monitor busy shipping lanes and disputed maritime areas.   The drone acquisition, reportedly valued at RM 423.8 million, highlights Mal...

Argentina is playing more than 17,000 kilometers from Bangladesh, yet millions of fans watch Argentina as if the blue-and-white shirt represents them too. Across the country, streets fill with flags, murals of Messi and Diego Maradona cover walls, and families gather through the night for matches that begin in the early morning.   The scale of that support is striking. Bangladeshi writer and sports commentator Rajib Hasan has estimated tha...

Iraq has weighed leaving OPEC if the group refuses to grant Baghdad a significantly higher oil production quota, deepening the pressure inside a cartel already weakened by recent exits and growing internal disputes.   The dispute would add to OPEC’s internal strains and put fresh pressure on Saudi Arabia’s role as the group’s dominant power. Angola left OPEC in 2024 after a quota dispute, and the United Arab Emirates...