WASHINGTON, Dec 4 — Meta said yesterday it is seeking proposals from nuclear power developers to help meet its artificial intelligence and environment goals, becoming the latest big tech company to take interest in atomic power amid an expected boom in electricity demand.

BRUSSELS, Dec 4 — Negotiators for European Union institutions agreed a compromise yesterday on a ban on the import of commodities linked to deforestation, which will be delayed by a year but without changes proposed by EU lawmakers.

SEOUL, Dec 4 — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Wednesday he would lift a surprise martial law declaration he had imposed just hours before, backing down in a standoff with Parliament which roundly rejected his attempt to ban political activity and censor the media.

JERUSALEM/CAIRO, Dec 3 — Israeli leaders hailed today a pledge by US president-elect Donald Trump that there would be “hell to pay” in the Middle East unless hostages held in the Gaza Strip were released ahead of his January 20 inauguration.

BEIJING, Dec 3 — China has banned exports to the United States of items related to the minerals gallium, germanium and antimony that have potential military applications, it said today, a day after Washington’s latest crackdown on China’s chip sector.

LONDON, Dec 3 — Microsoft is facing legal action in the United Kingdom over a claim that thousands of businesses using cloud computing services provided by Amazon, Google and Alibaba could be paying higher licence fees to use Windows Server software.

LONDON, Dec 3 — Barbados has completed what it calls the world’s first “debt-for-climate resilience” swap, in which it will invest US$165 million (RM736.9 million) in water infrastructure, food security and environmental protection to help the island adapt to the damaging effects of climate change.

KYIV, Dec 3 — Ukraine today blasted a deal struck 30 years ago, under which it relinquished nuclear weapons in exchange for security assurances that never materialised, as it made a concerted push for an invitation to join the Nato alliance.

LAS VEGAS, Dec 3 — Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced that Mesolitica, a Malaysian startup specialising in training large language models (LLMs), has built a Malay-language generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI) LLM called MaLLaM on its cloud services.

BEIJING — A new round of United States (US) solar panel import tariffs on Southeast Asian producers is expected to raise consumer prices and cut into producer profit margins, but was largely anticipated by the industry, analysts said.

JAKARTA, Dec 2 — At least 17 Indonesian migrant workers and 24 Bangladeshi nationals were intercepted by the Indonesian Navy on Saturday while attempting to be smuggled into Malaysia, off the coast of Dumai in Riau province.

MANILA, Dec 2 — An impeachment complaint was filed today against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on allegations of corruption, breach of public trust and other constitutional violations, reported the German News Agency (dpa).

BANGKOK, Dec 2 — Thailand’s Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa has urged Myanmar to expedite the release of four detained Thai nationals and a seized fishing vessel involved in a recent incident.

COPENHAGEN, Dec 2 — The world's 100 largest armaments companies saw a significant surge in weapon sales last year, driven by the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, along with broader global tensions, reported the German Press Agency (dpa).

NEW YORK, Dec 2 — The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warned Sunday that Palestinians in Gaza are now entirely dependent on humanitarian aid "amid the ongoing erosion of the United Nations' ability to fulfill its mandate”, Palestine News and Info Agency reported.

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 — US President Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, despite previously promising he would not do so, reported German news agency (dpa).

JAKARTA, Dec 1 — Indonesia plans to form a state revenue ministry to improve revenue collection, said President Prabowo Subianto's brother and close advisor Hashim Djojohadikusumo today, according to a report by news portal Detik.com.

ISTANBUL, Dec 1 — United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump issued a warning Saturday to nations that he would impose a 100 per cent tariff on any BRICS country that attempts to move from the US dollar in international trade, reported Anadolu Agency.

TAIPEI, Dec 1 — Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te began a two-day United States (US) stopover in Hawaii on Saturday as part of a Pacific tour after declaring his democratically governed island a key force for promoting global peace and stability.

JAKARTA, Dec 1 — Over 110 Rohingya refugees came ashore in Indonesia's Aceh province yesterday after their boat nearly sank, officials from the United Nations (UN) refugee agency and local government said, as growing numbers arrive by sea in the Southeast Asian country.