Donald Trump said on Thursday the survival of Ukraine is important to the US, a shift in tone days before the Republican-led US House of Representatives is due to vote on a US$61 billion (RM291.8 billion) aid package.

Donald Trump says Ukraine's survival is important to US

Russian missiles and drones destroyed a large electricity plant near Kyiv and hit power facilities in several regions of Ukraine on Thursday, officials said, ramping up pressure on the embattled energy system as Kyiv runs low on air defences.

Major Russian air strikes destroy Kyiv power plant, damage other stations

LONDON (March 22): Some western banks are lobbying against EU proposals to redistribute billions of euros in interest earned on frozen Russian assets, senior industry sources said, fearing it could lead to costly litigation.

European Union leaders on Thursday agreed to move ahead with w...

Western banks warn of risks in EU plan to grab Russian assets — Reuters

A Russian energy ministry official told a parliament meeting on Tuesday there were plans to defend oil and gas facilities with missile systems.

"We are jointly working, including with colleagues from the Russian National Guard, to cover objects, on installing, accordingly, protection systems such as Pantsir," said Artyom Verkhov, director of energy ministry's department for gas industry development.

Russia plans to defend oil and gas facilities with missile systems

KYIV (March 17):Ukraine's gross domestic product rose 3.6% in the first two months of this year, and growth is expected to continue in the first quarter, the economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Sunday.

Ukraine's GDP up by 3.6% in January-February, economy minister says

(March 17): Ukraine launched 35 drones against broad areas of Russia, sparking a brief fire at an oil refinery, targeting Moscow and disrupting electricity in border areas, Russia said early on Sunday, the final day of the country's presidential vote.

Ukraine drones attack refinery, target Moscow, disrupt power, Russia says

Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine on Friday of aiming to disrupt Russia's presidential election by shelling Russian territory and using 2,500 armed soldiers to try to pierce his country's borders, and vowed to punish Kyiv for its actions.

Putin vows to punish Ukraine for attacks that mar Russia's presidential election

President Vladimir Putin told the West on Wednesday that Russia was technically ready for nuclear war and that if the US sent troops to Ukraine, it would be considered a significant escalation of the conflict.

Putin warns the West: Russia is ready for nuclear war

Russia said Pope Francis's call for talks with Moscow to end the war in Ukraine was a request to Kyiv's Western allies to abandon their ambition to defeat Russia and to recognise the West's mistake in the Ukraine war, Italy's ANSA news agency reported.

Russia says Pope's appeal on Ukraine war is to the West

Senior Ukrainian officials, in a meeting with a Chinese regional envoy on Thursday, pressed Kyiv's plan to end the two-year conflict with Russia and presented what they said was evidence of North Korean weaponry supplied to Moscow.

Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine's presidential administration, wrote on Telegram that he and his team presented the situation on the battlefield and Kyiv's peace proposals to Li Hui, China's special representative for Eurasian affairs.

Ukraine presses peace plan, points to North Korean involvement in talks with Chinese envoy

The US embassy in Russia has warned US citizens to avoid large gatherings in Moscow due to what it said were reports that extremists had imminent plans for an attack.

The embassy, which has repeatedly urged all US citizens to leave Russia immediately, gave no further details about the nature of the threat, but said people should avoid crowds and be aware of their surroundings.

US embassy warns of imminent extremist attack in Moscow

Ukraine’s top energy official ruled out any commercial agreements to allow Russian natural gas to continue flowing through the country after the current transit deal lapses at the end of the year.

Ukraine slams the door on bringing Russian gas to Europe

Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday one participant on a high-level military call on Ukraine intercepted by Russia had mistakenly joined via a non-secure line and German communications systems had not been compromised.

Russia had likely intercepted the discussion among senior German air force officials by chance via widespread surveillance, Pistorius added, as he presented initial results of an investigation into the leak, which has embarrassed Germany and prompted questions about its intelligence security.

Germany says one participant's error led to Moscow intercepting call on Ukraine

ODESA, Ukraine (March 3): A Russian drone attack whose multiple victims included an infant and a two-year-old on Saturday (March 2) could have been avoided if Ukraine was not facing delays to weapons supplies, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Eight killed in Russian drone attack on Odesa, Ukraine says

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Silver Ridge Holdings Bhd said its wholly owned unit is being sued by a subcontractor over alleged outstanding contract payments.

Silver Ridge’s unit slapped with suit over alleged unpaid contract sums

A weekly round-up of tanker and dry bulk market (April 19, 2024)

Baltic Exchange shipping updates: April 19, 2024

Malaysia’s economic growth will likely pick up pace in the quarters ahead, economists say, though some are cautioning that global uncertainties raise the risk of undershooting the official target for 2024.

This follows the Department of Statistics Malaysia's advanced gross domestic product (GDP) estimate of 3.9% for the first quarter of 2024 (1Q2024).

Malaysia's economy will pick up pace but global uncertainties remain key risks — economists

DUBAI/JERUSALEM (April 19): Explosions echoed over an Iranian city on Friday in what sources described as an Israeli attack, but Tehran played down the incident and indicated that it had no plans for retaliation — a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war.

Tehran signals no retaliation against Israel after drones attack Iran

In today’s edition of Evening 5: 0:06 Escalating Middle East unrest, hawkish US Fed shake regional markets 2:32 Malaysia's economy grew 3.9% in 1Q2024, advance estimate shows4:02 Axiata merger with Bharti Airtel raises earnings concern — analysts5:51 Awantec shares plunge as much as 53%, intraday short selling suspended7:33 Main-Market bound MKH Oil Palm’s IPO oversubscribed by 8.43 times

EVENING 5: Bursa ends mixed amid weak regional sentiment

Here’s a quick look at some of the stories that made headlines today.

EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Construction company Lim Seong Hai Capital Bhd (LSH Capital) said it has obtained approval from its shareholders to transfer the group’s listing from the LEAP Market to the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities.

Lim Seong Hai Capital gets shareholder nod for transfer of listing to ACE Market

YX Precious Metals Bhd, a 70%-owned subsidiary of Tomei Consolidated Bhd, has proposed to transfer its listing from the ACE Market to the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia as it has met the profit requirements for the transfer.

In a bourse filing, the gold jewellery wholesaler and manufacturer said it has also satisfied the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) and Main Market listing requirements on financial position, public shareholding spread and Bumiputera equity.

YX Precious Metals proposes to transfer listing from ACE Market to Main Market

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Oil-and-gas services firm Yinson Holdings Bhd said on Friday that its indirect wholly owned subsidiary Yinson Production Offshore Pte Ltd (Yinson Production) has successfully placed a US$500 million five-year senior secured bond issue.

Yinson’s unit places US$500 mil five-year senior secured bonds

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd said it has secured a RM13.33 million contract to upgrade fire engineering systems at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s Terminal 1 satellite building.

Fajarbaru clinches RM13 mil contract from MAHB

Shares of Sapura Energy Bhd will be suspended from trading pending an announcement, the company said on Friday.

Trading in Sapura Energy suspended pending announcement 

Most read this week - Stay up to date with the biggest news and latest trending topics by checking out the top 10 articles of the week. 

Most read this week

Israel launched an attack on Iranian soil on Friday, sources said, in the latest tit-for-tat exchange between the two arch foes, whose decades of shadow war has broken out into the open and threatened to drag the region deeper into conflict.

Israel attacks Iran, Reuters reports, as drones shot down over Isfahan 

Shares of Awanbiru Technology Bhd (Awantec) fell as much as 53% on Friday, prompting Bursa Malaysia to suspend the counter’s intraday short selling (IDSS).&nbsp;

Awantec shares plunge 53%, intraday short selling suspended 

RHB Investment Bank Bhd (RHB IB) on Friday upgraded Public Bank Bhd to “buy” from “neutral”, with a higher target price (TP) of RM4.80 (from RM4.70).

RHB upgrades Public Bank to ‘buy’, raises target price to RM4.80

Malaysia's economy grew by 3.9% in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q2024), as compared to 3.0% in the previous quarter, according to Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) advance gross domestic product (GDP) estimates.

Malaysia's economy grew 3.9% in 1Q2024, advance estimate shows

MKH Oil Palm (East Kalimantan) Bhd’s initial public offering (IPO) has been oversubscribed by 8.43 times, ahead of its listing on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market on April 30.&nbsp;

Main Market-bound MKH Oil Palm’s IPO oversubscribed by 8.43 times

Apple said on Friday it had removed Meta Platforms' WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China after being ordered to do so by the Chinese government, which cited national security concerns.

Apple pulls WhatsApp, Threads from China app store after Beijing order

The Malaysian rubber glove industry has demonstrated resilience and adaptability amidst challenging global dynamics, with optimism for a rebound in 2024, with an anticipated surge to approximately 450 billion pieces by 2027 despite a downturn in 2023, according to the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (Margma).

Margma optimistic of rebound in 2024, expects surge to 450 billion pieces by 2027

The escalating tensions in the Middle East have influenced market sentiment and shifted investors' emphasis to the energy, finance and plantation sectors, which helped boost the FBM KLCI higher by midday on Friday.

KLCI up 0.43% with focus on energy, plantation, financial stocks

The planned merger of Axiata Group Bhd, Malaysia’s largest telecommunications company by revenue, with India’s Bharti Airtel Ltd raises concerns as the latter's subsidiary Airtel Lanka is currently a loss-making company, analysts said.

Malaysia’s Axiata merger with Bharti Airtel of India raises earnings concern — analysts

Bursa Malaysia Bhd’s core net profit may have risen 34% in the first quarter, from a year earlier, on higher securities and derivatives trading activity when the exchange operator reports its results, Hong Leong Investment Bank said.

Bursa Malaysia 1Q earnings likely up 34% y-o-y, HLIB projects

Malaysia’s exports contracted at a slower than expected pace in March mainly due to lower foreign demand for electronics while shipments to China fell, official data Friday showed.

Malaysia’s March exports down 0.8%, imports surge 12.5%

Sime Darby Property Bhd, Malaysia’s biggest developer in terms of landbank, has secured commitment for the remaining 30% of its industrial development fund to close at RM1 billion.

Sime Darby Property gets commitment for balance 30% of RM1b industrial development fund

Financial services provider MIDF has reported a recent cyber security incident to relevant authorities and is collaborating closely with them on addressing the matter.

In a brief statement issued on Friday, MIDF affirmed that it takes the cyber security incident seriously and reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the privacy and security of customers' information.

MIDF confirms cyber security incident

Kenanga Investment Bank has initiated coverage on soon-to-be listed oil and gas services firm Keyfield International Bhd at RM1.90 — reflecting a 111% premium over its IPO price of 90 sen per share — while giving it an “outperform” rating.

Kenanga sees Main-Market bound Keyfield International cashing in on OSV boom, sets target price at RM1.90

PUTRAJAYA (April 19): Payment of fees&nbsp;for training or classes in esports, equestrian, swimming, motorsports and taekwondo is&nbsp;eligible for&nbsp;tax relief of up to RM1,000 from next year, said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.

Payment of fees for sports training eligible for tax relief from next year — Hannah

Melaka State Secretary Datuk Zaidi Johari died of a heart attack this morning. He was 54.

According to a statement from the Melaka Chief Minister’s Office, Zaidi breathed his last at about 8.15am at Hospital Melaka here.

Melaka State Secretary Zaidi dies of heart attack

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Oil-and-gas services firm Yinson Holdings Bhd said on Friday that its indirect wholly owned subsidiary Yinson Production Offshore Pte Ltd (Yinson Production) has successfully placed a US$500 million five-year senior secured bond issue.

Automotive electronic parts manufacturer MCE Holdings Bhd has commenced the construction for its MCE Auto Hub, the company’s new manufacturing facility in Serendah, Selangor, with an initial investment of RM50 million for the first phase of the development.&nbsp;

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