LATEST PULSE

The Arab Gulf states are under growing pressure to pick a side in the ongoing United States-Iran-Israel war. But across the Middle East, many leaders now fear that choosing either camp could pull the region deeper into instability, economic shocks, and permanent conflict.   Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain all sit at the center of one of the world’s most dangerous geopolitical fault lines. The ...

On June 16, 2026, Malaysia's judiciary officially published the full written judgment in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, nearly six months after the High Court convicted him on multiple corruption and money laundering charges linked to RM2.3 billion in state funds.   Najib was sentenced on December 25, 2025, at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya to 15 years’ imprisonme...

Malaysia is expanding its long-term energy presence deeper into Central Asia, with Petroliam Nasional Bhd, also known as Petronas, securing access to major gas fields in Turkmenistan.   On June 19, 2026, an agreement was reached following close engagement between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Turkmenistani President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, building on more than 30 years of Malaysia-Turkmenistan energy cooperation. The deal reflects both ...

Brazil has made significant progress in reducing deforestation in the Amazon. Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, enforcement has increased and forest clearing has fallen sharply from the highs recorded under his predecessor.   But lower deforestation does not mean the Amazon is out of danger. Wildfires, illegal mining, logging, drought, and organized crime continue to damage large areas of the rainforest. In many places, the...

A strange new political symbol is making headlines across India. Young protesters have embraced the label "cockroach" and turned it into a badge of pride, defiance, and survival. What began as a satirical online project has quickly grown into a youth-led movement that is attracting national attention.   At the center of the story is Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a digital-first protest movement that mixes humo...