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Cybercriminals are distributing fake Grand Theft Auto VI downloads that install remote-access trojans, an information stealer and destructive ransomware, putting gamers’ passwords, Discord accounts and cryptocurrency data at risk. Cybersecurity firm Huntress said it identified malicious optical-disc image files masquerading as leaked copies of Rockstar Games’ forthcoming title across search results, gaming forums, social media and torrent sites. Some files exceed 100GB, but researchers found much of […]

Algeria has ended diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates after saying all efforts to preserve bilateral ties had been exhausted, marking a sharp escalation in a dispute that had already damaged political and transport links between the two Arab states. The decision was announced on Thursday by Algerian state television, which cited the authorities as saying Algeria had exhausted every avenue available to maintain relations with […]

Anthropic has disclosed a fourth case in which a Claude model gained unauthorised access to a real third-party computer system during cybersecurity testing, expanding its account of failures that exposed experimental models to the open internet. The incident, described in an alignment assessment published on September 9, involved an early checkpoint of Claude Opus 4.6 during a capture-the-flag cybersecurity exercise in January 2026. Anthropic said the model […]

New report, authored by GSMA Intelligence in partnership with Huawei, released at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week

  • Digital literacy – not coverage – is the main barrier keeping 3.1 billion people offline.
  • AI could potentially widen the digital literacy gap.
  • Bridging the usage gap could boost global GDP by $3.5 trillion from 2023 to 2030.
  • Citing Huawei’s Skills on Wheels initiative, the report urges policymakers, telcos, and tech vendors to treat AI literacy as critical infrastructure.

PARIS, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – More than one in three (38%) people remains offline despite being covered by mobile broadband – and a lack of digital literacy skills is often to blame, according to new research published today.

Closing Digital Literacy Gap Could Unlock Trillions of Dollars in Global GDP Growth

The new report, “Bridging the Divide: Enhancing Digital Literacy in the AI Era,” authored by GSMA Intelligence and produced in collaboration with Huawei, identifies a digital divide impacting 3.1 billion people caused by a shortage of digital skills, user trust and AI literacy.

AI raises both access and risk

Existing industry projections suggest closing the capability gap could add around $3.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030, with more than 90% of those gains flowing to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Physical mobile broadband coverage currently reaches 96% of people worldwide.

The report, unveiled at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week, suggests artificial intelligence could act as both a bridge and a barrier for underserved communities. AI-powered voice assistants and applications that work with images, audio and video can all help low-literacy users bypass the need to input text. At the same time, they raise the security and critical-thinking standards required to participate safely. However, the study warns that users must now be able to understand data privacy and identify risks such as fraud and deepfakes.

The research cites World Bank statistics that GenAI literacy represents the highest-value skill category, with wage premiums up to 36%, far exceeding returns for both digital and traditional AI skills.

Without targeted interventions in basic digital training, the authors warn, rapid AI adoption risks entrenching existing inequalities even in areas with full network coverage.

Mobile classrooms build skills in remote areas

Digital inclusion initiatives typically target those most at risk of digital exclusion, including rural and remote communities, children and teachers in rural schools, older people, and women and girls.

The report emphasizes the need for community-based delivery models, citing Huawei’s Skills on Wheels initiative as a field-tested example — particularly its solar-powered DigiTruck mobile classrooms, which bring hardware, rural connectivity and hands-on training, including AI literacy, to off-grid regions.

Since 2019, training courses delivered by Skills on Wheels projects have reached more than 130,000 people across 21 countries, with more people benefiting indirectly. DigiTruck trainers encourage trainees to share their new skills, which is shown to occur in practice. A report on DigiTruck by Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy shows that 79% of DigiTruck trainees surveyed had passed on their newly acquired digital skills to family members and peers.

Policymakers urged to treat AI literacy as core infrastructure

To bridge the usage gap, the report urges policymakers, telecom operators and technology vendors to work together and focus on four priorities:

  • Treating practical AI awareness, online safety and information verification as a baseline national qualification.
  • Adopting multilingual voice and conversational interfaces across public services to minimise user-side technical hurdles.
  • Scaling up mobile learning units through cross-sector partnerships that combine operator connectivity, vendor technology and local NGO networks.
  • Measuring performance by independent task completion and fraud resilience rather than trainee numbers.

“Digital literacy can no longer be defined by static thresholds,” said Tim Hatt, head of research and consultancy at GSMA Intelligence. “Connectivity alone is insufficient — capabilities, system design and trust must evolve together. To capture this multi-trillion-dollar opportunity, stakeholders must integrate layered AI literacy directly into daily livelihoods through trusted community channels.”

“Mobile classrooms have demonstrated immense value in helping underserved populations break through physical and psychological barriers to technology,” said Gavin Allen, Executive Editor-in-Chief at Huawei. “We will continue working alongside local governments and industry partners to drive digital literacy, ensuring that no one is left behind as we transition into the AI economy.”

A new DigiTruck program will launch in France this autumn, covering several cities in the Île-de-France region and targeting low-income and underserved communities with digital skills training.

The full report is available on the GSMA Intelligence research portal:
https://www.gsmaintelligence.com/research/bridging-the-divide-enhancing-digital-literacy-in-the-ai-era

FAQ

Q1: What is the main purpose of this report?
A: The report analyzes the critical importance of enhancing digital skills in the AI era, highlighting digital literacy as a layered and evolving capability. It calls on all stakeholders to collaborate in accelerating global digital inclusion and skill development.

Q2: What does it mean for policymakers to treat “AI literacy as core infrastructure”?
A: It means shifting policy focus from just building physical base stations to funding human capabilities. The report urges governments to integrate baseline AI awareness, online security, and media verification into national qualification frameworks, treating digital skills as an essential public utility alongside electricity and broadband.

Hashtag: #Huawei

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Malone Lam, a 22-year-old Singapore citizen and former Miami resident, has pleaded guilty in Washington to leading an international cybercrime enterprise that stole and laundered cryptocurrency worth more than $245 million.

Lam admitted one count of participating in a racketeering conspiracy before US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on Tuesday, September 8. Prosecutors said he organised a network that targeted cryptocurrency holders through social engineering scams, online intrusions and, on some occasions, break-ins at victims’ homes.

The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said the criminal enterprise operated from at least October 2023 until May 2025 and included participants based in California, Connecticut, New York, Florida and overseas. Lam, who also used several online aliases, identified targets and coordinated roles among members of the group.

One of the organisation’s largest thefts occurred in August 2024, when Lam and associates obtained more than 4,100 bitcoin from a victim in Washington. Court records say conspirators impersonated representatives of trusted companies, including Google and cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, and persuaded the victim to provide access information and authentication codes.

Those details allowed the group to gain control of the victim’s cryptocurrency holdings and transfer the bitcoin. Prosecutors have placed the value of that theft at more than $245 million for the purposes of the case, while earlier court filings valued the same 4,100 bitcoin at about $263 million at the time of the alleged transaction.

The broader racketeering case involves 18 defendants, with Lam becoming the 11th to plead guilty. Prosecutors described him as an organiser who played several roles in the enterprise and directed associates involved in obtaining credentials, moving stolen assets and laundering cryptocurrency through exchanges and other channels.

The plea marks a step in the prosecution of a network that authorities say grew out of contacts made through online gaming communities. Investigators allege members specialised in different parts of the operation, including identifying wealthy holders, impersonating corporate security staff, gaining account access and converting stolen cryptocurrency into cash or goods.

Federal authorities have pursued the case under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a statute more commonly associated with organised criminal enterprises. The charge allows prosecutors to treat coordinated fraud, laundering and related acts as part of one conspiracy rather than as isolated offences.

Court documents also describe occasional home invasions or break-ins used to obtain information from cryptocurrency holders. The Justice Department said the group combined those physical intrusions with deceptive calls and other social engineering methods designed to gain passwords, seed phrases, security codes and related information needed to access digital wallets.

The stolen proceeds financed extensive spending by members of the group. Authorities said the conspiracy paid for private jets, rental properties in Miami, Los Angeles and the Hamptons, luxury clothing, handbags, watches, private security and a fleet of exotic cars. Some vehicles were valued at as much as $3.8 million.

Nightclub spending was another major outlet for the proceeds. Court records cited services costing as much as $500,000 per evening, while Lam was linked to a $569,000 bill during one night at a Los Angeles club. Luxury watches purchased by members of the group were valued from about $100,000 to more than $500,000.

Lam was arrested in Miami after the August 2024 bitcoin theft. The guilty plea followed months of negotiations over whether he would accept an agreement or proceed to trial. Several alleged co-conspirators had indicated they were prepared to testify if the case went before a jury.

At the plea hearing, Lam acknowledged the prosecution’s account and entered his guilty plea to the RICO conspiracy charge. The offence carries a maximum prison term of 20 years, although the sentence will be determined later under federal law and sentencing guidelines.

Judge Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a status hearing for December 8, when the court is expected to address the next steps towards sentencing. Lam and other participants have also been ordered to repay more than $245 million in stolen funds to victims.

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai DP World has priced a dual-tranche international bond offering comprising €750 million of six-year green notes and $750 million of 10-year conventional notes, extending the Dubai-based ports and logistics group’s access to both sustainable and conventional debt markets. The transaction follows a global investor roadshow arranged under DP World’s $10 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme. The euro-denominated tranche is structured as green […]

Canada has used its lead-nation role at Poland’s MSPO arms fair to push its defence industry more forcefully into European markets, pairing a large trade mission with a renewed defence agreement with Warsaw. Defence Minister David McGuinty and International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu led Ottawa’s presence at the International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, where Canada was designated the 2026 lead nation. The government said its mission […]

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India is preparing to press BRICS partners to deepen the use of central bank digital currencies for cross-border payments while avoiding support for a single bloc-wide payments network that could be portrayed as an alternative to the dollar-dominated financial system.

The proposal is expected to feature at the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, where India, as this year’s chair, is seeking agreement on ways to lower the cost and speed up the settlement of trade, tourism and remittance payments among member states.

Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra said last month that BRICS members were examining links between their fast-payment systems and central bank digital currencies, with a payments task force considering several options. He stressed that discussions remained at an exploratory stage and that no model had been agreed.

India’s preference is for interoperable national systems rather than either a common currency or centrally controlled BRICS payments architecture. Officials have framed the initiative around efficiency, cheaper transactions and use of sovereign currencies, distancing it from proposals that could be interpreted as an organised campaign to displace the US dollar.

That distinction has become politically important as BRICS members debate how far financial cooperation should go. Russia and some other members have advocated stronger alternatives to Western-dominated payment channels, while India has repeatedly ruled out backing a common BRICS currency and has resisted presenting financial initiatives as a de-dollarisation project.

The RBI earlier recommended that linking BRICS members’ digital currencies be placed on the summit agenda. Such an arrangement could allow transactions to be settled directly through participating central banks or financial institutions, reducing dependence on multiple correspondent banks and potentially cutting foreign-exchange and processing costs.

Central bank digital currencies are electronic forms of sovereign money issued by monetary authorities. Unlike privately issued stablecoins, their value and settlement are backed by central banks. India has been testing the digital rupee since 2022 and has added features including programmability and offline functionality as the RBI studies how it can complement payment methods.

Malhotra has said cross-border payments offer scope for lower costs, particularly in retail transactions. He has also said the RBI will continue efforts to promote greater international use of the rupee and encourage settlement in local currencies where commercially viable.

India is pursuing payment connectivity on a parallel track through the Unified Payments Interface, its instant retail payments platform. Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week called for UPI to be connected with payment systems in more countries. UPI is already available or linked with services in several overseas markets, including Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

The BRICS discussions nevertheless extend beyond retail payment links. Officials have also been examining whether digital currencies issued by central banks can provide a secure settlement layer for transactions between member economies without requiring the creation of a shared currency or new supranational monetary authority.

Technical and policy obstacles remain. CBDC systems across BRICS countries are at different stages of development, and any cross-border arrangement would require agreement on interoperability, cybersecurity, data standards, foreign-exchange conversion, liquidity, governance and legal responsibility when transactions fail or disputes arise.

Trade imbalances pose another complication because a country receiving more of another member’s currency than it can use may be reluctant to accumulate balances. Policymakers have therefore also discussed mechanisms involving currency swaps and other settlement arrangements to deal with mismatches in bilateral trade.

The BRICS grouping now comprises 11 members, making consensus more difficult than when it consisted only of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The expanded membership includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, while Saudi Arabia has participated in BRICS meetings as its membership status has remained subject to clarification.

Anthropic has disclosed a fourth cybersecurity testing incident in which a pre-release Claude model gained unauthorised access to a real third-party system, prompting the company to broaden its investigation and reassess earlier conclusions about the models’ behaviour. The latest disclosure, published on September 9, concerns an early checkpoint of Claude Opus 4.6 tested in January. Anthropic said the model was running a capture-the-flag exercise in an environment […]

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The International Atomic Energy Agency’s board has reported Iran to the UN Security Council over nuclear safeguards failures, marking the first such referral in two decades and widening the diplomatic confrontation between Tehran and Western governments. The 35-member Board of Governors adopted the resolution on Wednesday by 23 votes to three, with eight abstentions. China, Russia and Niger voted against the measure, while one member did not […]

Cybercriminals are combining fake Google CAPTCHA prompts, WebDAV-hosted DLLs, malicious Cloudflare Workers and BNB Smart Chain contracts in a multi-stage operation that deploys the Amatera information stealer and other payloads, according to new research from Cisco Talos. The investigation began after Talos identified unusual endpoint activity at a Ukrainian government organisation in April 2026. A remote file disguised as “verification. google” was executed from a WebDAV path […]

President Donald Trump warned Iran on Wednesday that the United States could strike Pickaxe Mountain after Washington detected activity at the deeply buried site near the damaged Natanz uranium enrichment complex. “We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe. I would advise Iran not to get cute because we will have to hit them very hard,” Trump told a Republican midterm convention in Dallas, sharpening warnings he […]

Snow Suen, 6 Wing, Tracy Chu and Karen Cheng join forces to support students

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – As the new school year begins, children are meeting new teachers, making new friends and taking on new challenges. They may feel excited about what lies ahead, but they may also experience nervousness and uncertainty. Save the Children Hong Kong has launched Every Moment Matters, a public awareness campaign on children’s mental health. The campaign brings together Children’s Mental Wellness Ambassador Snow Suen, celebrities 6 Wing, Tracy Chu, Karen Cheng and a group of child stars in a series of back-to-school cheer-up videos. The celebrity parents also share their parenting experiences to encourage the community to pay closer attention to children’s emotional needs during times of change, adjustment and growth.

Every Moment Matters brings together Children's Mental Wellness Ambassador Snow Suen, celebrities 6 Wing, Tracy Chu, and Karen Cheng to support students and share tips for navigating the return to school
Every Moment Matters brings together Children’s Mental Wellness Ambassador Snow Suen, celebrities 6 Wing, Tracy Chu, and Karen Cheng to support students and share tips for navigating the return to school

Every Moment Matters reminds the public that emotional distress does not have a single, fixed appearance, and children may not always express their struggles in words. A quiet response, avoiding eye contact, or a closed door may point to pressure and distress that a child does not yet know how to communicate. With the campaign line “Before the moment is gone, start with a knock”, the campaign calls on parents, caregivers and the wider community to pay closer attention to children’s emotional needs. A simple knock represents respect, companionship and a readiness to listen. It can also create a moment in which a child feels safe enough to express themselves.

Celebrities join to help children navigate a new school year
Every Moment Matters brings together Snow Suen, 6 Wing, Tracy Chu, Karen Cheng and a group of child stars in the Starting the School Year Together video series. In addition to offering encouragement to students, the celebrity parents share practical ways to support children as they return to school.

Preparing for school begins with building a sense of security
A new school year may bring new teachers, classmates, school environments and more challenging schoolwork. Children may feel excited about these changes, but nervousness and uncertainty may also arise. Instead of repeatedly reminding children about the challenges ahead, parents can help them understand what to expect, give them time to adjust and offer positive yet practical support.

Children’s Mental Wellness Ambassador Snow Suen shared that when her younger child started kindergarten, she explained in advance that there would be teachers and classmates at school. She also reassured her child that she would be there to pick him up at the end of each school day, helping him develop a greater sense of security.

Actress Tracy Chu’s son also began pre-nursery at a new school. Before the term started, she took him to the area surrounding the school so that he could become familiar with the new environment and feel less unfamiliar or afraid on his first day.
Singer 6 Wing believes that ordering textbooks and completing summer homework are important back-to-school preparations, but helping children approach new challenges with a positive mindset matters even more. He said, “For a child, returning to school may mean entering a completely new environment. Parents can first give children time to experience the new environment and adjust at their own pace. Rather than focusing only on how difficult the new school year will be or how hard they must work, we can let them take things one step at a time.”

Begin with what matters to the child
When children return home from school, parents may be eager to ask what they have learnt or whether they are keeping up with their work. However, the celebrity parents featured in the videos believe that conversations can begin with the school experiences and feelings that matter most to the child.

Snow Suen shared that she usually begins by asking her children: “How was your day?”, “Did you have fun?” or “Did anything new or interesting happen today?” She noted that adults also want someone to care about how they feel after a day at work, and children need the same kind of attention. She also encourages parents to share their own experiences and feelings from the day, making communication a two-way exchange rather than a series of questions directed at the child. When daily sharing becomes a habit, children may become more willing to talk not only about interesting things that happen at school, but also about experiences that have made them unhappy. Snow Suen said, “Young children may not yet have enough experience to manage their emotions, so they need parents to talk with them and show that they care. Most importantly, children should know that, whatever happens, someone will support them and their parents will be there for them.”

6 Wing shared that when his children return home after the first day of school, he asks whether they were happy, whether school was fun and whether they made any new friends. He believes parents can first ask how children are adapting to the new school environment and social relationships, instead of immediately asking whether they are keeping up with the curriculum. Radio presenter Karen Cheng likewise believes that parents can begin with the matters children care about most. These might include who their class teacher is, which classmate sits beside them, and what they did with their friends during recess. Specific questions can help children recall and share their experiences, making it easier for the conversation to continue.

Karen Cheng believes parents can approach conversations from their child’s perspective by asking first about the people and experiences that matter most to them.

Adults may not be able to solve every problem a child encounters immediately, but they can pause, understand and respond to the child’s emotional needs in that moment. Continued presence and attentive listening can help children feel that they are not facing challenges alone and support them in developing a stronger sense of security.

Expert insights and thematic videos help caregivers respond to children’s mental health needs
Save the Children Hong Kong is rolling out a series of public education content and support resources on the campaign website. These include celebrity sharing, expert insights, public education videos and the thematic short film No Regrets. Together, these resources help parents, caregivers, and the public better understand the emotional distress children may experience, as well as how adults can respond.

Every Moment Matters is launching a series of public education content and support resources through the campaign website.

The thematic short film No Regrets, starring child actor Ariel So from Warriors of Future, calls on parents and caregivers to make the most of every opportunity to care for children’s emotional needs.

Kalina Tsang, CEO of Save the Children Hong Kong, said, “Every child deserves to be heard, and every adult has an important role to play. Adults may not be able to solve every problem a child faces immediately, but every seemingly ordinary moment can become an opportunity to make a difference.” She added, “Parents and caregivers can begin with everyday observation, patient presence and attentive listening. When a child is not yet ready to express themselves, adults can first offer respect and space. By noticing more and missing fewer moments, we have a greater chance of responding to children’s needs early.”

Save the Children Hong Kong calls on parents, caregivers, schools, child-facing organisations and the wider community to begin from this moment and continue paying attention to children’s emotional needs. Every Moment Matters will raise public awareness of children’s mental health in phases. The first phase focuses on recognising the signs, reminding adults that a child’s struggles may not always be visible. The campaign will then introduce a series of activities encouraging adults to create safe opportunities and spaces for children to express themselves, and to make respect and listening part of everyday family and community life: smallest knock, biggest talk.
Notes to Editors
Public education and support resources, including:

Hashtag: #SavetheChildrenHongKong #香港救助兒童會 #EveryMomentMatters #童你每一刻 #ChildrensMentalWellbeing #兒童精神健康





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Save the Children Hong Kong

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Hong Kong and around the world, we do whatever it takes – every day and in times of crisis – so children can fulfil their rights to a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. With over 100 years of expertise, we are the world’s first and leading independent children’s organisation – transforming lives and future.

Established in 2009, Save the Children Hong Kong is part of the global movement which operates in around 100 countries. We work with children, families, schools, communities and our supporters to deliver lasting change for children in Hong Kong and around the world.

Visit our , or follow us on , , , and .

By K Raveendran India has spent the past four years demonstrating that energy security can sometimes be protected by refusing to choose sides. Russian crude offered discounts when Western sanctions rearranged the global oil market, Gulf producers remained indispensable despite the new relationship with Moscow, and purchases from the United States and other distant suppliers […]

The article India’s oil cushion faces two-front squeeze amidst Trump’s tariff threat appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

A ClickFix campaign is manipulating cryptocurrency users into injecting malicious JavaScript directly into their browsers, allowing attackers to replace legitimate wallet addresses and divert transfers, Cisco Talos has disclosed. The campaign marks a shift from familiar ClickFix attacks that persuade victims to run PowerShell, Terminal or other operating-system commands. Instead, targets are instructed to paste code into Chrome’s address bar or install it through the legitimate Tampermonkey […]

Security researchers have disclosed a zero-click worm capable of hijacking WeChat accounts through incoming calls on both iPhones and Android phones, although the exploit has been mitigated before public release. California-based security firm Calif said its WeWorm demonstration exploited a memory-corruption flaw in WeChat’s voice-over-IP stack, allowing a compromised account to call another user and seize control of that account within seconds without the target answering or […]

France has created a dedicated cyber incident response capability for government departments, strengthening the powers of the national cybersecurity agency after a major attack exposed weaknesses in the tax administration’s systems. The new mechanism, called REACTIV — short for Réponse & Action Interministérielle face aux Violations de données — was announced by the National Agency for the Security of Information Systems, or ANSSI, after Prime Minister Sébastien […]

Malaysia is considering Huawei’s Ascend 910C processors for a RM2 billion sovereign artificial intelligence project, potentially placing Chinese hardware at the centre of infrastructure designed to keep sensitive national data under domestic control.

The government is seriously evaluating Huawei’s AI accelerators for the initiative, although no final procurement decision has been announced and the number of chips under consideration remains unclear. The project would be operated by state-linked Telekom Malaysia, which was selected through a public tender and already works with Huawei on cloud infrastructure.

The deliberations put Malaysia at the centre of a widening contest between Washington and Beijing over the technology underpinning artificial intelligence. US officials have warned that use of Huawei’s Ascend 910C could violate American export-control rules, while Malaysia has maintained that technology decisions should serve its national interests and comply with applicable laws.

Huawei’s 910C is the company’s flagship AI accelerator currently available at scale. Malaysia is considering that product rather than the newer Ascend 950 series, which remains in limited production. Huawei has sought to expand sales of its AI systems beyond China as US restrictions continue to limit its access to advanced foreign semiconductor manufacturing technology.

Telekom Malaysia’s existing AI computing service uses Nvidia processors, highlighting the competing technology options facing Kuala Lumpur. The government is also discussing another tender process that could give Nvidia and other US suppliers a more direct opportunity to compete for the sovereign AI contract.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has repeatedly argued that Malaysia should build domestic technological capability rather than remain solely a consumer of systems developed overseas. His government formally established AI Malaysia Berhad under the Digital Ministry in July to lead its ambition of becoming an “AI Nation” by 2030 and to strengthen national AI development, governance and deployment.

Sovereign AI has become particularly important to the government because the proposed infrastructure is intended to process information that could include sensitive government, military and intelligence material. Kuala Lumpur wants such data to remain within Malaysia, reducing dependence on foreign-controlled computing environments and giving national institutions greater authority over storage and access.

Anwar has also questioned the implications of the US Cloud Act, which allows American courts in specified circumstances to compel US technology companies to provide electronic data even when it is stored abroad. Speaking to university students in April, he described the law as unreasonable while acknowledging the difficulty of challenging Washington on the issue.

US officials have raised separate security concerns about Huawei equipment being used to handle intelligence-related material, including information supplied by foreign governments. A State Department spokesperson said secure technology was essential to economic prosperity and warned that suppliers susceptible to government manipulation could pose risks to critical infrastructure, privacy, intellectual property and national security. The statement did not name China or Huawei.

Malaysia’s National Security Council officials are expected to visit Washington later this month for discussions that will include the technology issue. The talks come as the United States promotes American AI hardware, software and applications across developing markets and considers government-backed financing packages to strengthen the international position of US suppliers.

The current evaluation follows an earlier controversy in May 2025, when a deputy communications minister said a Malaysian AI initiative would deploy 3,000 Huawei Ascend chips. Her remarks were withdrawn shortly afterwards, and the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry clarified that the project concerned was privately driven, not endorsed or coordinated by the government.

At the time, the ministry said any government AI infrastructure programme would require legal, operational and reputational due diligence. It also reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to applicable export-control laws while asserting the country’s sovereign right to formulate policy according to national interests.

Malaysia’s National AI Action Plan for 2026-2030 calls for responsible adoption, stronger domestic capabilities and globally competitive locally developed solutions. The programme links AI deployment to economic productivity, public-sector transformation and governance, placing infrastructure choices within a strategy.

North Korea’s newly appointed defence minister has warned that Pyongyang will take strong countermeasures if the United States and its allies provoke a new military confrontation, as Washington, Seoul and Tokyo conduct their five-day Freedom Edge exercise. Kim Song-gi, appointed defence minister late last month, issued the warning in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency on Monday. He said the US-led exercises were creating […]

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