Malaysia has expressed its commitment to finding an amicable solution to the reciprocal tariff matter with the US, stating that all communication lines remain open. The Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) discussed four key areas with the US, including reducing trade deficits, addressing non-tariff barriers, strengthening technological safeguards and security, and exploring a potential bilateral trade agreement. Malaysia welcomed the recent 90-day pause on proposed tariffs, viewing it as an opportunity for constructive engagement. The country has assured that it will not take retaliatory action against the tariffs but remains open to dialogue that benefits both countries.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/04/25/reducing-trade-deficit-among-four-key-areas-in-m039sia-us-tariff-talksIndia's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to take a strong response to recent Kashmiri rebel attacks, stating that Pakistan should "reduce its land to dust" if it continues to support terrorism. The attacks have led to increased tensions between the two countries, with India and Pakistan engaging in gunfire exchanges in disputed Kashmir. This marks a shift from previous responses to similar attacks, which have often been met with restraint. In 2019, a suicide attack killed 41 Indian troops in Pulwama, prompting air strikes on Pakistan territory. The situation remains volatile, with the UN calling for calm and experts suggesting that a military response may still be in the works.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-25/india-pakistan-troops-fire-shots-in-kashmir-after-deadly-attack/105218418The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization has filed a lawsuit against DHS, citing substandard conditions at Krome, a migrant detention center with a history of poor treatment and abuse, including allegations of guards sexually assaulting or coercing female prisoners in the early 2000s.
https://stltoday.com/news/nation-world/article_55ef95c9-79be-48f9-9e47-3bfe55848056.htmlIn South Korea, concerns over US reliability have led to a growing desire for the country to develop its own nuclear arsenal. After Trump's January statement describing North Korea as a "nuclear power," some South Koreans worry that the US will not prioritize denuclearization on the peninsula. This has prompted calls for Seoul to create its own nuclear deterrent, with one resident, Kim Min-ho, stating that relying solely on the US is no longer viable due to their prioritizing their own interests.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/south-korea-debates-nuclear-weapon-option-as-trump-retreats-from-ukraine-13883144.htmlSouth Korea has offered to partner with the US in shipbuilding and energy as part of a proposed "July package" to resolve their tariff disputes, aiming to address the bilateral trade imbalance between the two countries. The agreement comes after the first round of trade talks in Washington, where Seoul's delegation expressed willingness to work towards removing a 25% tariff threatened by the US.
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3307952/south-korea-us-aim-july-package-resolve-tariff-disputes?module=top_story&pgtype=sectionThe United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is facing a significant funding gap due to reduced support from the US and other Western donors, which has led to the suspension of programs providing emergency shelter, psychosocial support, and cash assistance to vulnerable individuals in Ukraine. The agency's appeal for $3.32 billion to aid 8.2 million people in need is currently only 25% funded. Nearly 9,000 people fleeing intensified shelling have passed through UNHCR transit centers in Pavlograd and Sumy, while over 200,000 people have been evacuated or displaced since August last year.
https://www.fakti.bg/en/world/966752-un-cuts-aid-to-ukraine-due-to-funding-shortfallPakistan has closed its airspace to Indian flights amid heightened tensions following a terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam, prompting global condemnation. Several leaders, including US President Donald Trump, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Israel's Netanyahu, France's Macron, and Italy's Meloni, have expressed support for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to punish those responsible. The Islamic world has also rallied around India, with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, and Jordan offering solidarity and support. Leaders from the UK, Australia, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, and other nations have condemned the incident, sending condolences and support to India and Prime Minister Modi, who was in Saudi Arabia at the time of the attack.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/with-you-as-you-hunt-down-us-spy-chief-tulsi-gabbard-to-pm-narendra-modi-on-kashmir-attack-8256518US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has proposed a peace plan to Ukraine and Russia, which includes conceding sovereignty of the Crimea peninsula and keeping four provinces in eastern Ukraine under Russian control. The plan was discussed during a meeting between US diplomat Brett McGurk and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg last week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed conciliatory sentiments on social media, while firefighters in Ukraine struggle to contain drone attacks and fires caused by ongoing conflict.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14641325/Donald-Trump-launches-scathing-attack-Zelensky-warns-wartime-leader-peace-deal-forfeit-land-Putin-lose-Ukraine.htmlA conference on strategic stability and emerging technologies brought together experts from various institutions, including Peking University, the Center for Polar and Oceanic Studies in China, and the London School of Economics. Dr. Han Hua, Dr. Xia Liping, and Dr. Alexander Evans OBE warned that without agreed frameworks, new technologies could pose risks to crisis stability and undermine arms control efforts. The conference featured speakers from Russia's Center for Energy and Security Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Geneva Center for Security Policy, and Austria's Baluchistan Think Tank Network, among others.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1304282-ai-cyber-capabilities-threaten-to-destabilise-global-security-order-experts