President Donald Trump’s aggressive government cost-cutting agenda is forcing his treasury chief to balance support for that mission with efforts to protect a crucial financial lifeline for millions of low-income Americans.

Bessent resists DOGE cuts that put low-income lending programme under fire

BERLIN (April 3): The VC pilots union is breaking off talks with Germany's Lufthansa over proposed cuts, sources told Reuters on Wednesday, increasing the likelihood of strikes by cockpit crew over the course of this year.

The airline is seeking union approval for cost reductio...

Pilots union breaks off talks over Lufthansa's staffing plans, sources say

MADRID (April 3): Japanese tyremaker Bridgestone said it plans to cut jobs at two factories in northern Spain in reaction to an adverse evolution of the European market and the rise of non-European products.

The company plans to cut 546 jobs at two factories making tyres for tractors, o...

Tyre maker Bridgestone to cut 546 jobs in Spain on uncertainty, competition

MILAN (April 3): Carmaker Stellantis has signed a deal with trade unions for 350 voluntary exits from its Pomigliano and Pratola Serra plants in southern Italy, the Fiom union said on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Stellantis said the layoffs involved employees close to retirement age ...

Stellantis agrees 350 job cuts in southern Italy with unions

US President Donald Trump has told members of his Cabinet and other close contacts that tech billionaire Elon Musk will soon step back from his cost-cutting government role, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing three people close to Trump.

Trump tells Cabinet, others that Musk will leave soon, reports Politico 

The Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) has issued an apology and retracted its earlier media statement on the gas pipeline inferno in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya.

CIDB issues apology, retracts statement on devastating gas pipeline inferno

Over 30 hours after the gas pipeline fire on Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, which startled the nation on Tuesday morning, attention has now shifted to the investigation into the incident’s cause and the safety checks being conducted at the scene.

Gas pipeline fire: Cause of fire under investigation as safety checks continue

The European Union (EU) is preparing a package of potential emergency measures to support parts of its economy that could be hit the hardest by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, according to people familiar with the matter.

EU eyes emergency plans to shield economy from Trump tariffs — Bloomberg

When Geely listed Volvo Car AB in 2021, Li Shufu hailed the turnaround of the “tiger” that he’d bought 11 years earlier, and said the job now was to “give that tiger wings”.

Volvo’s billionaire owner Li faces pressure for new growth plan

Boeing Co chief executive officer Kelly Ortberg said the US planemaker has implemented sweeping changes to reduce the number of defects and hitches in its production line, as he faced questions from US senators about the company’s recovery from several high-profile accidents.

Boeing has made ‘drastic’ changes to root out defects, CEO says

The UK will be hit by the global impact of US tariffs even if ministers succeed in their mission to secure an exemption for British goods, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said.

Reeves says Trump’s tariffs will hurt UK even if Britain secures US deal

Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) has firmly denied any relation to the gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, on Tuesday.

Indah Water denies responsibility for Putra Heights gas pipeline fire

RHB Banking Group has announced a strategic organisational realignment, involving key leadership changes across five senior roles, as part of its new three-year corporate strategy (2025-2027), known as “PROGRESS27”.

RHB announces organisational realignment to drive growth

T7 Global Bhd (KL:T7GLOBAL) said on Thursday that to the best of its board’s knowledge there is no ongoing investigation into the company.

Responding to a query from Bursa Malaysia Securities regarding Tan Sri Tan Kean Soon’s sudden resignation as T7 Global's executive deputy chairman, the company said it had only received his resignation letter and that he had not informed the company of any investigation.

T7 Global: No ongoing investigation into company

A brief recap of some corporate announcements that made the news on Wednesday.

Petronas Gas, Gas Malaysia, IJM, Rohas Tecnic, T7 Global, ICT Zone Asia, Capital A, YNH Property, OCK Group

The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has confirmed that no construction activities were taking place at the gas pipeline explosion site in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, at the time of the incident on Tuesday.

No construction work at gas pipeline fire site — CIDB

QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, the operator of KFC restaurants across Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Cambodia, said there are "no sales process currently being pursued or planned" by the group, and that it has been seeing encouraging signs of recovery in the first quarter of 2025 (1Q2025).

KFC operator QSR Brands says no sales process being pursued or planned

Malaysia is working towards expanding its flight connectivity to Europe, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Malaysia to expand flight connectivity to Europe — Loke

A summary of how key Bursa Malaysia indices and the ringgit performed on Wednesday.

FBM KLCI up 0.85% to 1,526.52 on April 2, 2025

US President Donald Trump's planned tariffs will be negative across the world, with the damage depending on how far they go, how long they last and whether they lead to successful negotiations, European Central Bank (ECB) head Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday.

Trump's tariffs will be negative the world over, says ECB's Lagarde

US President Donald Trump's new tariff plan has the ocean shipping industry on edge as he stokes a trade war destined to stanch transport demand and send companies scrambling to manage the fallout.

Trump's reciprocal tariff plan amplifies risk of ocean shipping chaos, executives say

President Donald Trump on Wednesday is set to announce the most expansive US trade restrictions in a century, at a stroke upending the postwar global trading system and posing difficult-to-predict economic risks.

Trump tariff rollout opens new era of risk for global economy

US stock indices recovered from morning losses to trade modestly higher on Wednesday as investors awaited US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff announcements.

Wall Street steadies ahead of Trump's tariff plans

Myanmar’s military said it fired “warning shots” at a vehicle convoy from the Red Cross Society of China bringing aid to the central areas of the country devastated by Friday’s earthquake, which has killed more than 2,800 people.

Myanmar military fires ‘warning shots’ at Chinese relief convoy

British Airways is partnering with Malaysia Airlines to expand its codeshare agreement, offering travellers more travel options to Europe.

British Airways, Malaysia Airlines expand codeshare, resuming Heathrow-KLIA services

The Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) has issued an apology and retracted its earlier media statement on the gas pipeline inferno in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya.

Loan growth at Malaysian banks is expected to pick up in the coming months following a moderation in February.

Malaysian banks’ loan growth to pick up following slowdown in February — analysts

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has recorded the statements of two main administrators of a Facebook group being used to spread information and comments believed to incite racial and religious discord that can potentially cause public unrest.

MCMC summons Facebook group admins over racially inciting content

YNH Property Bhd (KL:YNHPROP) said the independent review of its joint venture (JV) and turnkey contracts is now expected to be ready by April 9.

The company told Bursa Malaysia on Thursday that its audit committee convened a meeting on March 25 to receive an update from Messrs UHY on the draft special independent review (SIR) report.

YNH Property expects independent review of contracts to be completed by April 9

The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has dispatched a team to inspect the crater area, formed at the site of the gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, near here.

Fire Dept deploys team to inspect crater at gas pipeline fire site — DG

China’s embassy in Bangkok urged a construction company to cooperate with Thai authorities in a probe into the crash of a skyscraper during an earthquake last week, which has now widened to the firm’s other business operations in the Southeast Asian country.

Emily Flitter, Simone Foxman & Amara Omeokwe