China’s $19 Trillion Surge

According to a Facebook post on Thursday by fridayeveryday, "in just 25 years, the Chinese raised their GDP roughly 14-fold, from $1.36 trillion to $19.50 trillion – the largest accumulation of absolute economic output in human history". 

He's right, of course. For nearly three decades, China sustained near-double-digit growth, transforming from an agrarian backwater into the world's factory and, subsequently, an unrivalled technological powerhouse.

Understanding China's Growth Profile

Scale of Transformation: China moved from a low-income country to an upper-middle-income economy, lifting over 800 million people out of absolute poverty.

Percentage Velocity: A 14-fold multiplication of an entire economy within a 25-year window is unprecedented among major global economies.

Manufacturing Expansion: The nation grew to produce over 30% of global manufacturing output, becoming the world's primary goods exporter.

And yet, the West never stops to systematically devalue China's achievements, dripping with malicious envy, savage derision, and unforgiving hostility.

Women's pair Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan's quest for a second World Tour title this year was ruined by Japan's Sumire Nakade-Miyu Takahashi at the Taipei Open final on Sunday. 

The top seeds were unable to stop world No. 71 Nakade-Takahashi from winning 21-16, 21-18 in the Super 300 tournament. 

😞😞😞😞😞😞

Pearly-Thinaah will have to do better! No two ways about it!

By the way, the Japanese duo are no pushovers. The Taipei Open was their fourth title in five tournaments, having won the Orleans Masters, China Super 100 and Canada Open this year.

The Flagship America Can't Have

It’s been quite a while since Huawei were driven out of most global markets by losing out on Google’s services and apps, with market share plummeting in numerous regions as a result. 

However, as the company continue to innovate and dominate sales back home in China, it turns out that Americans wish they could still purchase and use Huawei phones as well. 

Despite a strict US government ban preventing their devices from being sold through official channels, Huawei recently emerged as the top choice for American tech enthusiasts. In a major industry poll conducted by the mobile technology publication ⁠PhoneArena, asking which Chinese smartphone brand consumers would most like to see properly enter the United States with full carrier support, Huawei led the vote with nearly 31 percent of the total selection. 

This strong showing highlights a deep, ongoing demand among premium Android users for the brand's hardware innovation, even as the broader landscape of international smartphone options shrinks. 

This suggests that Americans not only still miss the company but would be willing to give up Google’s services and accept Huawei’s HarmonyOS as well. Huawei have been pushing out some crazy powerful devices with very unique designs and gimmicks, and you want to get your hands on them. 

Getting a Chinese smartphone in the US is a gargantuan hassle, and no channels exist to purchase one like you would a Samsung, Google Pixel, or Apple phone. Most people who do use Chinese phones in the US get an unlocked model and have to use workarounds to have an almost normal experience. 

But from the said reader poll, we now know how much Americans want access to other Chinese brands after Huawei. In second place is Oppo, with a little over 23 percent of respondents wishing that it would be sold stateside. 

Xiaomi followed with 22 percent of the votes, as the company have been pumping out some excellent smartphones in the last few years with spectacular specs and great ideas like a second display on the rear. 

Meanwhile, a little under 12 percent want Vivo to take on Samsung, Google, and Apple in the US. iQOO got over seven percent of the votes and Realme came last with a little under five percent of you wanting it to operate normally in the States. 

Malaysian women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan secured their first semi-final appearance since the All England in March with a hard-earned victory at the Taipei Open yesterday. 

The world No. 5 had to work hard for their 21-14, 21-17 win over Taiwan's world No. 39 Lin Chih Chun-Yang Chu Yun in the quarter-finals.

The important thing is they won! 💪💪💪

But young women's doubles pair Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan's brave run came to an end. The world No. 67 suffered a 21-11, 20-22, 22-24 heartbreak to Thailand's world No. 36 Hathaithip Mijad-Napapakorn Tungkasatan after a titanic battle. 😞😞😞

C919's High-altitude and Stretched Variants

The high-altitude variant of COMAC’s C919 narrowbody has completed its first test flight at Shanghai’s Pudong international airport. 

The maiden sortie lasted one hour 59 minutes, and the test aircraft (registered B-002U) completed all “scheduled test items”. 

COMAC say the test flight marks “an important step” in the certification of the high-altitude variant, but do not disclose when they expect that to happen. 

Xizang Airlines (formerly Tibet Airlines) are the type’s launch customer, after signing for 40 aircraft at the 2024 Singapore air show. 

In fact, according to FlightGlobal on Wednesday, the airline are working closely with COMAC to jointly develop the high-altitude C919 variant. The high-altitude variant, officially named the C919-600, seats about 140 passengers, compared to the baseline model’s standard layout of 164 seats. 

[Note: China's Tibet Airlines have changed their English-language name to Xizang Airlines. "Xizang" is how the Mandarin Chinese name for the region is spelled using the Latin alphabet. The change took effect in February, when the former designation "Tibet Airlines" was replaced in official international registries]. 

Not resting on their laurels, COMAC are also developing a stretched variant of the C919, which can seat around 210 passengers. 

The C919’s stretched and high-altitude variants were first revealed at the 2023 Shanghai International Airshow, and COMAC also brought models of the variants to the Singapore and Farnborough air shows in 2024. 👏👏👏

Entering the BWF Super 300 tournament as the top seeds, Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan prevailed over Chinese Taipei’s Chen Yan-fei and Sun Liang-ching yesterday, recovering after dropping the first game to win 11-21, 21-12, 21-15 in 43 minutes. 

They carry Malaysia's primary hopes of breaking the country's title drought in this category.

Earlier, Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan booked their place in the quarter-finals after upsetting third seeds Hsu Yin-hui-Lin Jhih-yun 20-22, 21-13, 21-11 in 56 minutes. 

Ranked 67th in the world – 56 places below their experienced opponents – the Malaysian teenagers showed incredible composure! After letting a game point slip away in the opener, the unseeded young pair took complete control of the next two games to secure a massive upset win! 🇲🇾🏸

Malaysian Pride! A magnificent and heroic charge by our women’s doubles duos at the Taipei Open Badminton Championships!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏

Later, today:

Ukraine Warns About The New Threat Triad

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, on Monday, issued a stark warning about what he described as three growing threats facing Ukraine as the war with Russia continues, namely, North Korea, Iran, and China. 

He explained that North Korea has supplied munitions and thousands of troops, Iran has provided drones and ballistic missiles, and China is assisting Russia with satellite and targeting technology. 

Even if it is true, what's the big deal? The West has been standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine providing money, weapons and even combatants (labelled as independent volunteers) to Ukraine all this while. 

Zelensky fears that this four-power axis gravely threatens Ukraine.

To be sure, Russia is more than capable of handling Ukraine by themselves. My only misgiving is that Russia is taking their sweet time to vanquish, destroy, and annihilate Ukraine once and for all!

Top seeds Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan got their Taipei Open campaign off to a solid start after easing past Japan's Mao Hitasue-Kanano Muroya 21-15, 21-17 to advance to the next round on Wednesday. The Malaysians cleared the opening hurdle in only 38 minutes.

What Everyone Gets Wrong About "Money Can't Buy Happiness"

American actor and film producer Samuel L Jackson’s most famous quote about money is: "Those who say that money can't buy happiness never had any". 

Whether you agree or not, it reflects the reality that money eliminates fundamental stressors like penury, debt, and chronic insecurity. Without these burdens, people have the freedom and agency to pursue a higher quality of life. 

Jackson's truism challenges the age-old "wisdom" by pointing out that financial stability provides practical comfort and freedom. It’s a popular sentiment that reminds us that having your basic needs met makes life significantly easier. 

While some may want to insist that money can't buy happiness, the fact remains that it buys the freedom to choose a far better class of problems. Meaning you can finally afford to be absolutely miserable in style. 😝😝😝

Or another way of putting it:

😀😀😀

At the quarter-finals (Round of 8) of the China Open yesterday, Pearly Tan-Thinaah Murlaitharan were eliminated after losing to Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto. 

The Malaysian duo lost in straight games with a score of 16-21, 16-21.

Pearly-Thinaah's head-to-head record against the world's No. 3 pair is now tied at 5-5. Meanwhile, the China Open marked their fourth consecutive defeat to the Japanese duo. 

The Malaysian duo admitted they lost out to Fukushima-Matsumoto in fitness. 

Pearly, whose recurring back injury kept her off the World Tour earlier this year, said she is still lacking in terms of fitness, although there were positives to take from their defeat.

"...One thing I've learned is that even in a difficult situation, we still managed to find a way to compete and put up a fight despite the defeat. We communicated well on court and knew the game we wanted to play".

Thinaah felt that the quarter-final defeat was an indication of the hard work that they need to put in to get back to their best. 

"Overall, there are definitely a lot of things we still need to work on because it's been some time since both of us were back on court", said Thinaah.

Let's see how they fare at the Taiwan Open next week.

PhDs for the Real World

In most countries, earning a PhD means writing a dissertation. Hundreds of pages of theory, research, and citations that very few people will ever read. 

China decided to try something different. Under a law passed in 2024, select universities can now award engineering doctorates based on physical prototypes, new techniques, or major installations instead of traditional papers. 

The rule is straightforward: build something that works in real life and at scale, and you can graduate. 

The first cohort has already finished. Zheng Hehui earned his doctorate by designing reinforced steel blocks that snap together like LEGO to form massive bridge pylons. His invention is already in use on the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, the world's longest cable-stayed bridge. 

Wei Lianfeng became the first practical PhD graduate at Harbin Institute of Technology by developing vacuum laser welding processes for the Nuclear Power Institute of China. 

Another candidate built a fire-fighting system for large seaplanes. 

At least 11 engineers have now earned their doctorates through this route. Since 2022, more than 60 universities and 100 companies have collaborated, selecting over 20,000 students for practical doctorate programmes. 

The goal is to close the gap between academic theory and industrial application, particularly in fields like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. One student built a bridge. Another welded nuclear components. And they got the same three letters as everyone else.

Yesterday, Malaysia's top women's doubles pair, Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, successfully defeated Ukraine's Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia Kantemyr in the Round of 16 at the China Open. 

They took just a swift thirty minutes to wrap up a straight-games victory, winning 21-19, 21-12. 

They're in the last eight and today, they will play Japanese nemeses Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto, whom they hold a 5-4 head-to-head advantage.

National doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky believes the Japanese world No. 3 pair will have an edge as the Malaysians are still finding their footing on the World Tour.

"Against the Japanese pair, they will start as the underdogs. However, Pearly and Thinaah have beaten them before, so I hope they will fight all the way and regain their momentum", added Rexy. 

Current form suggests Fukushima-Matsumoto will start as favourites, but the China Open also presents Pearly-Thinaah with an opportunity to rediscover the form that once took them to world No. 2.

US Explosive Diarrhoea Outbreak

Mexico’s Ministry of Health and the National Committee for Epidemiological Surveillance (CONAVE) issued an official preventive travel advisory. 

The advisory warns of an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic stomach illness, that has infected at least 1,645 people across 34 US states. No deaths have been reported from Cyclospora infection, but at least 94 people have been hospitalised. 

Newsweek was first to report on this alert in English, and highlighting that US health agencies detected a sharp spike in infections since May. 

The parasite (Cyclospora cayetanensis) causes severe intestinal issues and is typically spread by consuming fresh produce or water contaminated with infected feces. 

As at Monday, US investigators had not confirmed a source, though the FDA were examining shredded iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) supplied by Taylor Farms. 

Taco Bell, known for meticulous supply chain management, were among the first to identify themselves as using Taylor Farms produce and warn recent diners they may be about to enter the launch cycle. 

Health officials in Mexico are urging citizens traveling north for the summer to carefully monitor their health for up to two weeks upon their return.

Malaysian women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan bounced back from last week’s first-round exit at the Japan Open by advancing to the second round of the China Open yesterday. 

The world No 5 pair were in complete control as they defeated the 29th-ranked Japanese pair Ririna Hiramoto-Kokona Ishikawa 21-16, 21-12 in just 31 minutes. 

Pearly-Thinaah will face Ukraine's Polina Buhrova-Yevheniia Kantemyr, for a place in the quarter-finals today.

In Kenya, No Human, No Copyright

Kenya’s Copyright Tribunal, on July 09, 2026, delivered a landmark ruling determining that works generated solely by AI cannot receive copyright protection. 

The decision establishes that sufficient human effort, judgment, and original expression are strictly required to qualify for copyright, as only humans can be legally recognized as authors. 

The dispute involved author Cynthia Beldina Akoth and her contracting company, Aryeh Movement Ltd. Beldina had written a collection of Bible scripture stories using AI tools. Following a fallout, she discovered the company had registered the AI-assisted literary works in their own name. 

The Tribunal ruled against the company's copyright claim, stating that while AI is an acceptable creative tool, it cannot replace human authorship. To claim copyright over AI-assisted works, the creator must provide proof of substantial human intervention and creative control. 

Note that the Kenyan ruling itself does not legally apply outside of the country, because copyright laws are strictly territorial and governed by each country's national courts. 

However, the legal logic used by the Kenyan Tribunal matches the approach taken by most major global powers. As of 2026, there is no unified international treaty governing AI copyright, leading to a highly fractured legal landscape. 

In the US, content generated entirely by AI goes directly into the public domain. Copyright is strictly reserved for human beings. E g., In March 2026, the US Supreme Court officially denied certiorari in Thaler v. Perlmutter, upholding lower court rulings that AI cannot be an "author". 

The same goes for the European Union. Under the EU AI Act and established case law, works must reflect the "author's own intellectual creation" through human choices. Pure AI output cannot be copyrighted. 

UK law, though, has a legacy provision protecting "computer-generated works" without a human author, awarding copyright to the person who arranged the generation. 

In China, the courts have taken a drastically different, pro-innovation stance, granting copyright to AI-assisted images if the human prompter shows significant effort. Landmark rulings, including a major decision reported by the Changshu People’s Court, confirmed that a user's prompt sequence and parameter adjustments can meet the "originality threshold". 

Global framework treaties like the ⁠Berne Convention allow authors to protect their books and art across borders, explicitly requiring human intellectual effort to qualify. Because international frameworks do not recognize AI systems as legal persons, pure AI content cannot be protected globally.

World No. 5 Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan crashed out of the Japan Open in a major first-round upset after squandering a one-game advantage to lose 9-21, 21-17, 21-17 to Taiwan's Hsu Yin-Hui-Lin Jhih Yun on Tuesday.

I'm distressed.

Hollywood Honours Marilyn Monroe, 100 Years On

Hollywood wished a “Happy Birthday” to Marilyn Monroe (left) on Monday as Tinseltown celebrated 100 years since the birth of one of their most famous daughters. 

More than six decades after her tragically early death, the city was awash with references to the bottle-blonde icon on what would have been her 100th birthday. 

“When you think of Hollywood, you think of Marilyn”, tour guide Lacey Noel told AFP on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame. “There’s some sort of beautiful, mysterious, and captivating aura that she has that will never go away”. 

At the historic Chinese Theatre, where Monroe’s handprints are immortalised alongside “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (1953) co-star Jane Russell, fans gathered to sing “Happy Birthday” – echoing her famed sultry serenade to US president John F Kennedy. 

And one hundred roses and a cake were placed at the site, a symbol of Hollywood’s golden age and a popular tourist hotspot.

Malaysian women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan missed out on a semi-final spot at the Indonesia Open after a quarter-final defeat in Jakarta on Friday. 

The world No. 2 lost 22-20, 21-16 to Japan's world No. 13 Rui Hirokami-Sayaka Hobara at the Istora Senayan. The result is a breakthrough for the Japanese pair, securing their first victory over the world No. 2 in three meetings.

Scotland at the 2026 World Cup

For the 2026 World Cup, I SUPPORT SCOTLAND!

Scotland are back at the World Cup after a 28-year absence.

And they have been drawn into a tough group with five-time winners Brazil, Morocco and Haiti as the Scots attempt to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time in their history.

Scotland's 2026 World Cup fixtures are as follows:

GROUP STAGE 

Scotland vs. Haiti on Sunday, June 14 

Scotland's first game is certainly their easiest on paper, against the 83rd-ranked Haiti. The game, which kicks off locally on Saturday night, provides a great chance for a strong start.

Scotland vs. Morocco on Friday, June 19 

Morocco, now eighth in the world, are dark horses for the tournament after reaching the semis four years ago. Even a point from this game would be a bonus for Steve Clarke and Co. 

Scotland vs. Brazil on Wednesday, June 24 

Scotland's next test will be against the iconic Seleção, another side they faced in their last World Cup group stage in 1998. Back then, Brazil won 2-1 to kick off their tournament. 

ROUND OF 32

1st in Group C: Monday, June 29 vs. Group F runners-up 

2nd in Group C: Tuesday, June 30, vs. Group F winners 

3rd in Group C: Depends on third-place seeding

Just over a week until Scotland's World Cup campaign begins, tickets for the opening match are being sold on third-party resale websites. This is a shambolic situation because US travel bans mean that fans traveling from countries such as Haiti won’t be able to attend the World Cup to support their teams. If this is not discrimination, I don't know what is.

The situation highlights a disgraceful disconnect between FIFA’s global inclusive ethos and strict, localized US immigration policies.  

Football aside, Malaysian women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan advanced to the Indonesia Open Badminton quarter-finals on Thursday after defeating Taiwan's Hsu Ya Ching-Sung Yu Hsuan. 

The world No. 2 beat the Taiwanese world No. 15 duo 21-18, 21-19 in a close second-round match in Jakarta. This will be their first quarter-final appearance since Pearly returned from a back injury at last week's Singapore Open, where they were eliminated in the second round.

And in squash, Sivasangari Subramaniam's challenge at the British Open ended in the third round on Wednesday. 

The world No. 5 was tipped to overcome England's world No. 8 Georgina Kennedy for a place in the quarter-finals but instead went down 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5 in 52 minutes. It was the Malaysian's fifth defeat to Kennedy in six meetings. 

She had received a first-round bye and on Monday, she defeated England's world No. 30 Lucy Turmel in the second round, rallying back from a game down to win 10-12, 11-2, 11-8, 11-9.

A Classroom Ban on the Viral Six-seven

From viral catchphrases to bizarre inside jokes, internet memes have become an unavoidable part of youth culture, often spilling beyond social media feeds and into classrooms, homes and everyday conversations. 

The “six seven” meme, for one, has taken over not only online spaces among the younger generation but also real-life interactions, as the mere mention of these numbers may trigger an overly enthusiastic response from children, teenagers and even young adults who keep up with current online trends. 

[Note: If you don't know what this meme is all about, kindly check our my blog post "Six-seven" published October 29, 2025 – and you'll understand it].

The Sun, had, on May 22, highlighted a woman who had claimed to have come across a sign banning the popular meme in a classroom, even going so far as to impose punishment on students who either utter it or act it out.

The viral Threads post claimed that the punishment involves students writing 200 sentences if they are caught. 

“This kind of useless trend is ruining kids’ brains and attitudes”, the post was captioned. 

The woman also said in the comments section that the slang had become so overused that she actively avoids saying the two numbers herself. 

While some see these trends as harmless fun and a reflection of changing times, others argue that excessive obsession with online slang may be affecting students’ focus and behaviour in school. 

With the post garnering widespread attention, netizens were divided over the ban, with some agreeing and others criticising the move, highlighting the growing influence of internet culture on younger generations and the challenges educators face in balancing discipline with self-expression. 

“It disrupts the lesson. The moment you say ‘six seven’, students start repeating it, making them less focused”, one user pointed out. 

“There are levels to memes, but I don’t know why this current generation of memes is just straight-up nonsense. I genuinely prefer the older memes that were more relevant in many situations”, another netizen said. 

“Why are people so uptight about it? I’d rather kids say random brainless but harmless things instead of vulgar ones. Let kids be kids”, commented another. 

Netizens also pointed out that similar memes or slangs that were trending during their youth did not deter their focus from learning during school hours.

At the Singapore Open today, Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan crashed out in the second round.

The Thai sisters, Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard, who are ranked No. 105 in the world defeated the Malaysian women's doubles pair 21-16, 21-19 in 36 minutes.

Disappointing!!

United States of the Middle East

US President Donald Trump posted a photo of the United States flag covering the map of Iran, with the question: “United States of the Middle East?” 

The post on Truth Social on Saturday represented another potentially incendiary message from Trump amid supposedly ongoing negotiations for a more lasting ceasefire in the US-Israeli war with Iran.

That's not all! The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed they executed targeted "self-defence" military strikes in southern Iran on Monday. The operations primarily targeted the port city of Bandar Abbas and areas near Larak Island, hitting missile launch sites as well as IRGC mine-laying boats. 

Iran retaliated – but it was very much a restrained response. As far as I am aware, the IRGC downed an MQ-9 Reaper drone and repelled an F-35 fighter jet (as per IRGC on Tuesday).

Mohammad Akbarzadeh, the deputy political chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, was even quoted by the Tasnim news agency as saying that the possibility of renewed war is low!

Why is Iran still trusting the United States?! When will Iran ever learn?!?!

😡😡😡😡

…and Greenland breathes a sigh of relief.

On Friday, he had posted this 👇

Pearly Tan said she felt a sense of relief more than anything else as Malaysia's world No. 2 women's pair made a triumphant return to competitive action in the first round at the Singapore Badminton Open 2026 today. 

The 26-year-old and partner Thinaah Muralitharan were made to work hard before emerging victorious over Taiwan's world No. 26 Hu Ling Fang-Jheng Yu Chieh 20-22, 21-16, 21-15 in 51 minutes. 

Pearly-Thinaah next face either Thailand's Aimsaard sisters, Benyapa-Nuntakarn, or Canada's Jackie Dent-Crystal Lai in the second round.

A Containment Zone for Mona Lisa

Paris, France's Louvre have selected international architecture firms Studios Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects to design their sweeping $1 billion "Nouvelle Renaissance" expansion. 

The centerpiece of this massive overhaul is a custom-built, 33,000-square-foot underground exhibition space – I call it a containment zone – specifically dedicated to the Mona Lisa. 

This project aims to solve the severe, chronic overcrowding at the world's most-visited museum. Approximately 80% of the museum's 9 million annual visitors come primarily to see the portrait, turning the current viewing room into a chaotic bottleneck. 

In fact, visitors who came solely for the Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece will buy a separate, dedicated ticket. 

It means that those looking to only view the famous Giocanda will not necessarily have to pass through or even visit the rest of the Louvre. They will be spared the extra time waiting in line, and can get in, take their selfies, and get out. 

Meanwhile, those who wish to see the hundreds of thousands of other pieces among the galleries, will be spared the extra waiting time in line from those queuing only for the purpose of seeing the Mona Lisa. 

Methinks, it's a superb compromise.

Happy news as Malaysian women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan have been cleared to return to action at the Singapore Open, which begins tomorrow. 

Pearly Tan (right) had to miss both the Uber Cup 2026 as well as the Malaysia Masters, due to a recurring back injury.  

Malaysia Qualifies for Uber Cup 2026 QFs to End 16-year Wait

The Malaysian women's team wrapped up the Uber Cup 2026 Group B action on Monday when they went down 1-4 to six-time champions Japan in Horsens, Denmark. 

With both teams already through to the quarter-finals, the tie was effectively a battle for top spot, and Malaysia were quickly tested by a star-studded Japanese line-up. 

Japan surged into a commanding 3-0 lead through a series of clinical performances. 

Letshanaa Karupathevan fought bravely but fell 21-19, 21-17 to world No. 3 and three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi in the opening singles. Scratch pair Thinaah Muralitharan-Ong Xin Yee were outclassed 21-9, 21-9 by world No. 6 pair Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto in the first doubles. [Note: This makeshift arrangement was forced together after Pearly Tan suffered a recurring back injury]. Wong Ling Ching also battled gamely but went down 21-16, 21-13 to world No. 9 Tomoka Miyazaki as Japan sealed the tie. 

But Malaysia refused to go quietly. Debutants Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan, aged just fifteen and eighteen respectively, produced the moment of the tie by stunning world No. 7 Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi 21-17, 12-21, 21-19 in a superb display of composure and belief. Trailing 19-16 in the decider, the young duo showed nerves of steel to reel off four straight points to snatch victory, a performance that belied their age and marked a breakthrough on the big stage. 

In the final match, Goh Jin Wei delivered a spirited performance, taking the opening game 21-19 against world No. 22 Riko Gunji before being forced to retire in the second game while trailing 4-3. This could prove a major blow for Malaysia, with Jin Wei's service in the third singles a key component of their line-up heading into the knockout stage. 

Despite the defeat, Malaysia can take encouragement from a brave showing against one of the tournament favourites.

On Sunday, Malaysia ended a 16-year drought to reach the quarter-finals after sweeping aside South Africa 5-0. [FYI, Malaysia has made the Uber Cup quarter-finals three times previously, in 2004, 2008 and 2010]. 

Letshanaa, Ling Ching, and Siti Zulaikha Azmi won their singles matches comfortably, while pairings Xin Yee-Carmen Ting and Chong Jie Yu-Zi Yu secured the doubles. 

[I assumed Thinaah was rested and a mixed line-up of younger players were featured instead].

And on Saturday, Malaysia edged Türkiye 3-2 in a tense opener. 

In the three singles, Letshanaa won 21-16, 12-21, 21-13;  Ling Ching lost 17-21, 21-15, 18-21; and Jin Wei bested her opponent 21-14, 21-13. 

The tie was neck-and-neck at 2-2 after Thinaah-Xin Yee fell to their battle-hardened rivals in a sixty-nine-minute thriller (22-20, 19-21, 19-21). 

Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah came to the rescue when they clinched victory by winning the decisive second doubles match against their Turkish challengers, 21-18, 21-19 in forty-four minutes.

The Malaysian men's team also qualified for the 2026 Thomas Cup quarter-finals, after securing wins against England (3-2) and Finland (4-1) in Group B.

Israeli Flag with Swastika

A Polish lawmaker on Tuesday displayed a paper Israeli flag emblazoned with a swastika in parliament, accusing the country of "genocide" in the Middle East.

"Israel is in the process of committing a genocide of exceptional cruelty before our very eyes," Konrad Berkowicz told lawmakers, comparing the country to a "new Third Reich". 

Berkowicz, a member of the far-right nationalist Konfederacja (Confederation) opposition party, then brandished the paper flag, with the Nazi symbol replacing the Star of David at its centre. 

Berkowicz also accused the Israeli army of using white phosphorous bombs in the Middle East, describing in detail the severe injuries, suffering, and deaths of "tens of thousands of women and children" by such weapons. 

Human Rights Watch too have accused Israel of "illegally" using white phosphorous in southern Lebanon after launching an offensive against Hezbollah. 

The genocidal Zionist regime got recognition even in Poland!

Malaysian women’s doubles shuttler Pearly Tan (right) has pulled out of next week’s Uber Cup in Denmark due to a recurring back injury. 

Pearly, who forms the world No 2 partnership with Thinaah Muralitharan, sustained the injury during last week’s Badminton Asia Championships 2026 in Ningbo, China, where the pair were eliminated in the quarter-finals. 

Pearly’s absence means Malaysia will be without their top women’s doubles pair at the Uber Cup to be played from April 24 to May 03. 

Thinaah is likely be paired with another player. 

“I’m truly disappointed about this. It breaks my heart to say that I won’t be able to join the Uber Cup team this time”, Pearly said in a Facebook post. “There’s nothing I wanted more than to be on court, fighting for every point and standing with my team. But because of my back injury, I have to step back for now”. 

Her absence from the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s official team photograph on Tuesday raised concerns over her fitness. Pearly stated that she missed the session to undergo an MRI scan to assess the injury she sustained in China.

“Anyone who knows me understands that I would never walk away from the court. I would fight until the very last point, every single time. But this time… my body is telling me to stop, and I have to listen”. 

BAM have confirmed that Pearly will not be part of the squad for the Uber Cup, with national doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky stating that the decision was made following a late assessment of her condition.

Malaysia has been drawn in Group B with Japan, Türkiye and South Africa.

Malaysia's 2026 Thomas and Uber Cup Squads Named

As expected, Malaysia's top men's doubles pair, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, will lead the national badminton squad to take on the challenge at the 2026 Thomas Cup in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24 to May 03. 

In the list announced by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) Saturday, the men's singles will see Leong Jun Hao taking on the role of first singles player, followed by Justin Hoh. Two other places are filled by professional players, namely Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin and former Asian and All England champion Lee Zii Jia, who is considered capable of inspiring the national squad. 

The men's doubles is led by Aaron-Wooi Yik and assisted by the country's No. 2 pair, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and former world No. 1 doubles, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani. 

The national team is scheduled to undergo a 10-day central training camp in Herning, Denmark, starting today as the final preparation before the biennial tournament opens. 

This time, BAM are targeting to end a 34-year championship drought after Malaysia last emerged as the Thomas Cup champion in the 1992 edition held in Kuala Lumpur. 

Meanwhile, the national women's badminton squad is led by last year's women's doubles world runner-up Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan assisted by Carmen Ting-Ong Xin Yee and the young pair, Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan. 

The women's singles saw BAM list Letshanaa Karupathevan, Wong Ling Ching, Siti Zulaikha Azmi and former world junior champion Goh Jin Wei. 

Polymarket Apologizes for Allowing Bets on US Pilots Downed in Iran

Crypto prediction platform Polymarket has apologized for allowing users to place bets on whether American airmen from a downed US fighter jet would be rescued from Iran after facing backlash over questionable ethics. 

On Friday, a two-seater F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran, prompting the US to launch a high-risk extraction mission. US officials said that while one crew member was evacuated shortly after the crash, it took the US more than 24 hours to locate and extract the other, an operation that reportedly involved several helicopters and a CIA deception ploy. 

Iranian officials, however, have denied that the operation was a success, claiming that Tehran destroyed a C-130 military transport plane and two Black Hawk helicopters, with videos circulating on social media showing the aircraft’s debris. 

The uncertainty about the fate of the US service members prompted a now-deleted bet that allowed users to buy ‘yes’ or ‘no’ positions on whether the airmen would be recovered by April 03 or April 04, with roughly 63% of traders predicting a Saturday rescue. 

US congressman Seth Moulton (left) was one of the first to flag the bet, writing on X: “This is DISGUSTING. They could be your neighbor, a friend, a family member. And people are betting on whether or not they’ll be saved”. 

Polymarket promptly deleted the bet, replying to Moulton: “We took this market down immediately as it does not meet our integrity standards. It should not have been posted, and we are investigating how this slipped through our internal safeguards”. 

Moulton, however, did not accept the apology as sufficient, saying that Polymarket’s “integrity standards are severely lacking”, pointing to dozens of other active war bets still visible on the platform. 

He also took a swing at the Trump administration, recalling that Donald Trump Jr. “is an investor in this dystopian death market and may have access to intelligence that isn’t public yet”. 

The episode is the latest in a string of controversies for Polymarket tied to the Iran war. According to several media reports, six suspected insiders collectively won $1.2 million by betting that the US would strike Iran on February 28 – the exact day coordinated US-Israeli airstrikes began – with all of the accounts funded within hours of the attack. 

Israeli prosecutors separately filed indictments against an IDF reservist and a civilian for allegedly using classified military intelligence to bet on Polymarket during the Twelve-Day War in June 2025. 

Today, Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan suffered a straight-games defeat in Ningbo, China, halting their progress at the Badminton Asia Championships. 

The world No. 2 were beaten 21-13, 21-15 in forty-one minutes by China's world No. 9 Li Yi Jing-Luo Xu Min.

It was the Malaysians' second loss to the Chinese pair in three meetings.