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ISTANBUL, May 24 -- The Defence Ministry (Mindef) is evaluating offers from several countries to find the best solution to replace the naval strike missile (NSM) system whose delivery was cancelled by a Norwegian defence company. Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said meetings were also held with several parties during his visit to Türkiye to obtain suitable proposals for consideration by the Royal Malaysian Navy. “So far there are three to four countries (that have submitted offers)... countries that we are confident and believe are sincere and want to help us. “We are holding meetings, especially with the navy, to provide solutions and the navy will certainly conduct evaluations of these four offers before they are brought to the government,” he told Bernama in conjunction with the naming and launch of the first Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2) vessel, Tunku Laksamana Abdul Jalil, which was officiated by Her Majesty, Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia at the Istanbul shipyard. Key matters being assessed include whether replacing the missile system would require major modifications to the structure of the ships that have already been built, he added. “In our considerations, first is our confidence and trust in the offers from certain countries. Second is whether major modifications need to be made to the completed ships, third is the issue of cost and fourth is delivery,” adding that the matter would take a considerable time as it was all interconnected. On follow-up action against Norway, Mohamed Khaled said he had yet to receive any latest developments after a notice of demand was sent to the manufacturer there, adding that he would meet his Norwegian counterpart during the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 in Singapore at the end of this month. “We have informed them that we want to meet the Norwegian Defence Minister. Whether it is beneficial or not, that is fine. At the very least, I can meet him and inform him that we are unhappy with their actions,” he said. Norway’s Foreign Affairs Ministry was reported to have withdrawn several export licences related to certain technologies as part of efforts to tighten the country’s export controls, which affected the NSM procurement agreement between the RMN and KDA that was signed in April 2018 with a contract value of 124 million euros (RM571.9 million) to equip six new Littoral Combat Ships. The missile is capable of carrying out long-range maritime strikes at high subsonic speed with a range exceeding 300 kilometres. -- BERNAMA

Mindef Studying Other Offers To Settle Anti-ship Missile Issue – Mohamed Khaled

ISTANBUL, May 24 — The Defence Ministry (Mindef) is evaluating offers from several countries to find the best solution to replace the naval strike missile (NSM) system whose delivery was .... read more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- President Donald Trump appeared to signpost Friday that a conclusion to the US-Israeli war against Iran is on the horizon, Anadolu Ajans reported. "We have stopped them. They're not going to ever have a nuclear weapon. They're never going to have a nuclear weapon. And we'll have that over with soon. It'll be over with soon," the US president told his supporters in the state of New York. "You're going to see numbers like you've never seen, both on the upside and also in terms of cost; you're going to see cars go down," he added. Earlier Friday, Iran's semi-official news agency reported that a Qatari delegation is negotiating with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran in a bid to end the war amid Pakistani mediation. The report came after Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran as part of Islamabad's ongoing mediation efforts to end the war. It is the second such trip to Tehran by Munir. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has been in Tehran for the past two days as part of indirect talks between the US and Iran. The flurry of diplomatic activity comes as reports suggest negotiators are closing gaps on an agreement to end the war. Mediation to draw hostilities to a close began when Pakistan secured a ceasefire on April 8, halting the war and later hosting the highest-level talks between the US and Iran since 1979 on April 11-12. Islamabad has intensified its mediation process to secure a second round of direct talks between the two sides. -- BERNAM

Trump Says US-Israeli War On Iran Will ‘Be Over With Soon’

WASHINGTON, May 23 — President Donald Trump appeared to signpost Friday that a conclusion to the US-Israeli war against Iran is on the horizon, Anadolu Ajans reported. “We have stopped .... read more

SEOUL, May 22 -- South Korea is planning to supply some 90,000 rental housing units for young people in the greater Seoul area by 2027, as part of broader efforts to stabilise the housing market and improve living conditions for youths, Yonhap News Agency reported. According to its Finance Minister Koo Yun Cheol, the government is seeking various ways to expand non-apartment housing, which is one of the key pillars of the public housing supply programme. “We plan to supply 90,000 rental units in Seoul and surrounding areas for the next two years, and 66,000 of them will be located in regulated zones,” Koo said during a meeting of ministers related to real estate policy. Koo said non-apartment housing, such as multifamily homes and compact studio units, can be supplied relatively quickly, helping ease housing difficulties faced by young people at a faster pace. The government will also adopt modular housing and other construction methods to shorten construction periods and reduce financial burdens on developers, encouraging earlier project launches, he added. During the meeting, officials also reviewed housing market trends and response measures and discussed plans to crack down on illegal real estate activities. --BERNAMA

South Korea To Supply 90,000 Rental Homes In Greater Seoul Area For Youths By 2027

SEOUL, May 22 — South Korea is planning to supply some 90,000 rental housing units for young people in the greater Seoul area by 2027, as part of broader efforts .... read more

WASHINGTON, May 21 -- United States (US) President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will not sign off on any effort to ease sanctions on Iran until a deal to permanently end the war on Tehran is finalised, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. “I'm not doing any relief until they sign an agreement. When they sign an agreement, we can get that place built up again and have something that's really a good country for the people, but no, we haven't offered anything,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. Trump earlier on Wednesday said negotiations are in their ‘final stages” but insisted he is “in no hurry” to complete them. “I just wonder whether or not they have the good of the people, because some of the things they're doing, to me, mean they don't have the good of the people, and they have to have the good of the people. There's a lot of anger now in Iran, because people are living so badly,” he said. Earlier Wednesday, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran for his second visit to Iran in less than a week, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported. After his arrival, Naqvi met with his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni at the Interior Ministry. Pakistan has played a key role in mediating efforts to end the US-Israeli war on Iran. Regional tensions boiled over Feb 28 when the US and Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran, prompting Iran to retaliate with barrages of drones and missiles that hit targets across the region as Tehran shuttered the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports through the strategic waterway. -- BERNAMA

Trump Says He Will Not Provide Sanctions Relief For Iran Until Deal Complete

WASHINGTON, May 21 — United States (US) President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will not sign off on any effort to ease sanctions on Iran until a deal to .... read more

BRUSSELS/ISTANBUL, May 21 -- Italy summoned Israel's ambassador to protest the treatment of activists involved in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla and demanded the immediate release of nationals still being held, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, Anadolu Ajansi reported. The Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia, summoned Jonathan Peled and conveyed the Italian government's "strong protest" over the matter, according to a statement from the ministry. During the meeting, Guariglia requested the immediate release and swift return to Italy of all Italian citizens still detained. Reiterating Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's position, Guariglia said the events were "unacceptable", particularly as the individuals involved were unarmed and had no violent intentions. "He also highlighted the gravity of the intervention in international waters and expressed strong outrage at the images released in recent hours," the statement said. The ministry added that Italy reserves the right to consider appropriate political initiatives, including at the European level. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Tajani criticised the incident. "The images of Israeli (National Security) Minister (Itamar) Ben-Gvir are unacceptable. It is unacceptable that these protesters, including many Italian citizens, are subjected to this treatment that violates their human dignity," they said in a joint statement. The Italian government said it was taking immediate steps at the highest institutional levels to secure the release of Italian citizens involved in the incident. Rome also demanded an apology over the treatment of activists and what it described as disregard for its explicit requests. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto also wrote on the social media platform X that Ben-Gvir's actions do not serve Israel’s interests. "We take pride in other things, Minister. We take pride in having always treated your fellow citizens with respect, and we are not in the habit of arresting people in international waters. Rather, we rescue them when they need help," Crosetto added. The remarks came after a video posted by Ben-Gvir on social media showed detained activists zip-tied and forced to kneel after being detained by Israeli forces in international waters. The Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla said Tuesday that all 50 vessels in its aid convoy had been seized by Israel. -- BERNAMA

Italy Summons Israeli Ambassador Over Treatment Of Gaza-Bound Flotilla Activists, Demands Release Of Citizens

BRUSSELS/ISTANBUL, May 21 — Italy summoned Israel’s ambassador to protest the treatment of activists involved in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla and demanded the immediate release of nationals still being held, .... read more

INDONESIA 1. INDONESIA'S PRABOWO NAMES SOES SOLE EXPORTERS FOR KEY COMMODITIES -- ANTARA Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced a new government regulation requiring state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to become sole exporters of several natural resource commodities, including palm oil, coal, and ferroalloys. 2. ASEAN DIGITAL PACT COULD LIFT INDONESIA'S ECONOMY TO US$600 BLN: AIRLANGGA -- ANTARA Indonesia’s digital economy could expand to US$600 billion through the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said on Wednesday. LAOS 1. VIETNAM-LAO EXPRESSWAY CONSTRUCTION STARTS -- VIENTIANE TIMES Vietnam broke ground on a 60-kilometre expressway costing US$910 million (RM3.6 billion) that connects the Lao border. The corridor will improve overland links to Vietnamese seaports that will expand trade and tourism. 2. PREPARING FOR LDC GRADUATION -- VIENTIANE TIMES Lao is preparing to exit the Least Developed Country (LDC) status by focusing on rural development to improve living standards. Poverty reduction, strengthening governance and combating corruption will be given top priorities. MYANMAR 1. IMPROVING RURAL WOMEN’S ECONOMIC STATUS -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR The Small-Scale Industries Department will implement the rural family income improvement project in 214 villages. Sewing and food production courses will be conducted to uplift the economic well-being of rural women. 2. SOLAR-POWERED STREETLIGHTS FOR VILLAGES -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR The government will provide solar streetlights to 41 villages in Shan state. The initiative aims to enhance the socioeconomic status of rural residents and narrow the urban-rural development gap. PHILIPPINES 1. BILL EXTENDING PRC ID VALIDITY TO 5 YEARS APPROVED ON FINAL READING -- PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY In a major win for millions of Filipino professionals, the House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved on third and final reading a measure extending the validity of Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) identification cards from three years to five years, easing renewal burdens and cutting red tape in government transactions. 2. HOUSE OKS KALINGA BILL, EYES FASTER RESPONSE TO FUEL CRISES, INFLATION -- PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading the Kalinga Act, a proposed national emergency response and resiliency framework that would allow the Marcos administration to move faster against fuel-driven inflation, energy supply risks and shocks that threaten food, transport, livelihood, and essential services. SINGAPORE 1. SINGTEL LOGS 12 PCT RISE IN ANNUAL EARNINGS HELPED BY REGIONAL ASSOCIATES - CNA Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) reported a 12 per cent rise in annual underlying profit on Thursday, driven by strong contributions from India's Bharti Airtel and other regional associates. 2. BABY FOOD FROM IRELAND RECALLED DUE TO POTENTIAL MOULD GROWTH AND SPOILAGE: SFA -- THE STRAITS TIMES A recall for a baby food product from Ireland is ongoing due to potential mould growth and spoilage, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said. THAILAND 1. THAILAND REVEALS 93 COUNTRIES LOSING 60-DAY VISA-FREE ENTRY -- THE NATION Thailand’s Cabinet has approved ending 60-day visa-free entry for 93 countries, with most set to return to 30-day stays. 2. GOVT TO PURGE STATE SECRETS -- BANGKOK POST Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered all state agencies to fully disclose public information and eliminate unnecessary secrecy as part of a nationwide anti-corruption campaign launched in cooperation with the private sector. VIETNAM 1. SMART FISHING PORT AT GIA LAI -- VIETNAMPLUS Gia Lai province will build a smart fishing port at Tam Quan to modernise its seafood industry and improve export standards. The port will deploy digital tools, automation and data analytics to manage fleets and track marine catch. 2. ASIAN HACKATHON ATTRACTS OVER 400 TEAMS -- VIETNAMPLUS The Asian Hackathon for Green Future 2026 has attracted 439 teams, with about 1,440 contestants from 22 countries. The 36-hour in-person hackathon is scheduled from July 2 to 5 at VinUni University in Hanoi. -- BERNAMA

Top News Headlines In Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam: May 21, 2026

INDONESIA 1. INDONESIA’S PRABOWO NAMES SOES SOLE EXPORTERS FOR KEY COMMODITIES — ANTARA Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced a new government regulation requiring state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to become sole exporters .... read more

Victory Monument in Bangkok

INDONESIA 1. PERTAMINA NRE EYES RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN BANGLADESH — ANTARA A subsidiary of state-owned oil company Pertamina, Pertamina NRE (New & Renewable Energy), is exploring collaboration in Bangladesh’s .... read more

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UN Chief Welcomes Extension Of Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire

STANBUL, May 17 2026– UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday welcomed the extension of a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel following talks mediated by the US. “The Secretary-General welcomes the .... read more

Most Crew Members Aboard MV Hondius To Undergo Quarantine In Rotterdam Upon Arrival

THE HAGUE, May 16 2026 — The Dutch government announced on Friday that the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius is expected to arrive at the Port of Rotterdam next Monday, .... read more

Federal Reserve Names Jerome Powell Chair Pro Tempore Pending Kevin Warsh Swearing-in

WASHINGTON, May 16 2026 — The US Federal Reserve Board announced Friday that Jerome Powell will serve as chair pro tempore of the central bank following the conclusion of his .... read more

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