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Top 5 at 5: US and China Strike Truce

Lee Pei May, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Madani Studies, International Islamic University Malaysia

31-Oct-25 17:00

Top 5 at 5: US and China Strike Truce

After years of strained ties and tariff battles, the US and China have agreed to a one-year trade truce following talks in Busan. But how meaningful is this pause, and what does it signal about the world’s two biggest economies? We speak with Lee Pei May, Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science and Madani Studies, International Islamic University Malaysia.

Other stories we covered:

• Zayn Rayyan's mother guilty of neglect: The Sessions Court found Ismanira Abdul Manaf guilty of neglect leading to harm, following the death of her six-year-old son, Zayn Rayyan. We hear reactions from lawyer Nizam Bashir, and discuss what more can be done to support parents of children with disabilities with Srividhya Ganapathy, Co-Chairperson of CRIB Foundation.

• Is policing schools the way to go?: Following a series of violent incidents, the government wants police to play a bigger role in monitoring schools, including installing CCTVs linked to police networks. We unpack the implications for students, safety, and trust with Dr Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid, Criminologist and Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya.

• PM tenth most influential Muslim: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been ranked among the world’s ten most influential Muslims in a report by Jordan’s Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre. We hear thoughts from Faisal Aziz, former President of Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM).

• Billie Eilish donates 20% of her net worth: And used her WSJ Innovator Awards speech to ask billionaires, “Why are you still a billionaire?” She told them to “give your money away, shorties.” We unpack her message and what it says about wealth, ethics, and accountability.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Alia Zefri, Tee Shiao Eek, Sneha Harikannan, Sudais Ferhard, Lee Chwi Lynn

Presented by: Lee Chwi Lynn, Dashran Yohan


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Categories:  controversiesLaw/Activismyoung financepoliticsinternationalcultureeducationgovernmentmarketseconomy

Tags:  billie eilishbillionairesPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahimpolicingschoolszayn rayyanguilty verdictneglectus-china trade warus president trumppresident xi jinping





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