LATEST PULSE

With the United States and Donald Trump shifting focus to domestic issues, the future of Europe’s defense is becoming more uncertain. A major question looms: Can it protect itself if the US pulls back from its long-standing security commitments?   The US Steps Back For years, the US has been a key part of Europe’s defense through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a political and military alliance of countries from...

Catastrophic floods and landslides have torn through South and Southeast Asia in recent weeks, as powerful tropical storms and cyclones hit Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.   The destruction has been overwhelming. More than 2,000 people are dead across Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand alone, with many are missing. In Sri Lanka, over 1.1 million people were displaced, prompting President Anura Kumara ...

The 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal has taken a new turn after the Singapore High Court approved a $2.7 billion case against Standard Chartered Bank on November 24. This major development adds a powerful new player to the growing list of global institutions linked to the scandal, where over $4.5 billion meant for Malaysia’s development was stolen and diverted into luxury spending and Hollywood projects.   The UK-based Sta...

On December 9, the Paris Court of Appeal issued its final decision in the long-running $15 billion arbitration case brought against Malaysia by eight Filipino claimants claiming to be descendants of the former Sultanate of Sulu. The court ruled in favor of Malaysia.   The claim previously moved through courts in London, Madrid, Sabah, Luxembourg, The Hague, and Washington. Every single court ultimately rejected the case for lacking legal b...

The United States has seized a large crude oil tanker operating near Venezuela, a dramatic move that Washington says targets an illicit shipping network tied to sanctioned Venezuelan and Iranian oil. President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, calling the vessel “the largest tanker ever seized,” but offered few details on the legal or strategic basis for the action.   Footage released on X showed US agents boarding the tank...