The 46th ASEAN Summit concluded in Kuala Lumpur after two days of high-level talks under the theme “Inclusivity and Diversity.” Highlights included the adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, concerns over U.S. tariffs, and efforts to strengthen external partnerships. Adib Zalkapli, managing director of Viewfinder Global Affairs breaks down what the summit delivered and what it means for the region.

Other stories we covered:

• Two ministers down for the count: In a major shake-up for PKR, both Dato' Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad have resigned from Cabinet. Rafizi quit as Economy Minister after losing the party’s deputy presidency to Nurul Izzah Anwar, citing a lack of mandate to drive reform. Hours later, Nik Nazmi stepped down as Natural Resources Minister, following his own defeat in the party’s internal elections. Oh Ei Sun, principal adviser at Pacific Research Centre, weighs in on this.
• Vacancy; Health D-G wanted: The position of Health Director-General has been vacant for about a month following the retirement of Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan. Candidates have been shortlisted to take the helm, but how much do we really know about this critical role? We asked Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, Professor of Health Economics, Hospital & Health Management at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, to shed light on its significance.
• Eyebrows raised at US and Israel-backed aid: A Swiss-based nonprofit, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, is under fire for bypassing the UN and Red Cross in its aid efforts, operating instead through sites secured by US-based contractors and the IDF. The use of facial recognition to screen recipients has also sparked concerns over surveillance and data misuse among Palestinians. We spoke with Saul Takahashi, Professor of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Osaka Jogakuin University, to unpack what this says about the growing politicisation of aid in Gaza.
• Liverpudlians' celebration cut short: On Monday, hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans celebrated the team’s English Premier League victory. But the celebrations turned dark when a car rammed into a packed crowd, injuring 47 people, including four children. The incident has raised concerns about the rise in vehicle-ramming attacks worldwide. We reached out to Jayvin Pandher, security consultant and CEO of Team Security Guards Bhd, to discuss what extra safety measures are needed for large public events.

Image Credit: ASEAN Official Website

The 46th ASEAN Summit concluded in Kuala Lumpur after two days of high-level talks under the theme “Inclusivity and Diversity.” Highlights included the adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, concerns over U.S. tariffs, and efforts to strengthen external partnerships. Adib Zalkapli, managing director of Viewfinder Global Affairs breaks down what the summit delivered and what it means for the region. Other stories we covered: • Two ministers down for the count: In a major shake-up for PKR, both Dato' Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad have resigned from Cabinet. Rafizi quit as Economy Minister after losing the party’s deputy presidency to Nurul Izzah Anwar, citing a lack of mandate to drive reform. Hours later, Nik Nazmi stepped down as Natural Resources Minister, following his own defeat in the party’s internal elections. Oh Ei Sun, principal adviser at Pacific Research Centre, weighs in on this. • Vacancy; Health D-G wanted: The position of Health Director-General has been vacant for about a month following the retirement of Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan. Candidates have been shortlisted to take the helm, but how much do we really know about this critical role? We asked Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, Professor of Health Economics, Hospital &amp; Health Management at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, to shed light on its significance. • Eyebrows raised at US and Israel-backed aid: A Swiss-based nonprofit, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, is under fire for bypassing the UN and Red Cross in its aid efforts, operating instead through sites secured by US-based contractors and the IDF. The use of facial recognition to screen recipients has also sparked concerns over surveillance and data misuse among Palestinians. We spoke with Saul Takahashi, Professor of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Osaka Jogakuin University, to unpack what this says about the growing politicisation of aid in Gaza. • Liverpudlians' celebration cut short: On Monday, hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans celebrated the team’s English Premier League victory. But the celebrations turned dark when a car rammed into a packed crowd, injuring 47 people, including four children. The incident has raised concerns about the rise in vehicle-ramming attacks worldwide. We reached out to Jayvin Pandher, security consultant and CEO of Team Security Guards Bhd, to discuss what extra safety measures are needed for large public events. Image Credit: ASEAN Official Website

A countdown of the 5 biggest stories of the day, to catch you up on all you need to know!

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