From ceramah to chatbots: Malaysian political parties turn to AI tools to analyse, engage voters

• India and the US are nearing the completion of the first phase of a landmark trade agreement. • Key challenges remain as both nations work to resolve specific sticking points to finalize the deal.

• The BJP has backed accusations made by party president Nitin Nabin that Congress leadership possesses a "foreign mindset" and is working under external influence to destabilize India. • BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla further criticized the opposition, mockingly referring to the party as the "anti-India Italian National Congress" or "Islamabad National Congress."

• Pakistan launched airstrikes into Afghanistan, resulting in a death toll that varies by source: the Taliban reports 36 civilians killed, while Pakistan claims 32 militants were neutralized. • The incident marks a significant escalation in a monthslong conflict between the two neighboring nations over border security and militant activity.

• Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated on Monday that India's electoral process is the most transparent among the world's major democracies. • He highlighted that every stage of the exercise, including voter list preparation, polling, and counting, is audited by candidates and political parties.

• The Supreme Court has issued a ruling allowing President Donald Trump to fire agency heads, marking a significant expansion of presidential executive power. • Separately, federal law enforcement is coordinating a massive security operation in Washington D.C. to protect hundreds of thousands of visitors attending the America 250 celebrations.

• A wall collapse in Jaipur on June 29, 2026, has resulted in three confirmed deaths, with several other workers feared to be trapped under the debris. • In diplomatic tensions, India has issued a sharp rebuttal against Pakistan, dismissing "baseless" claims regarding a recent attack in Karachi.

• Donald Trump has nominated Keith Sonderling to serve as the U.S. Labor Secretary. • In a separate tragedy, three firefighters were killed while battling a wildfire near the Utah border.

• Secretary of State Rubio met with his German counterpart in Washington on Monday, June 29, to discuss diplomatic relations. • Severe flooding in Accra has rendered several roads impassable, disrupting transportation and infrastructure in the city.

• Former President Donald Trump is expected to visit India, a move seen as positive for strengthening bilateral ties amidst global instability. • The two nations share critical strategic interests in Indo-Pacific stability, counter-terrorism, and the creation of resilient supply chains.

• Pakistan has launched air strikes against militant groups in Afghanistan to curb the rising frequency of armed attacks within its own borders. • Security analysts warn that military pressure alone is insufficient, as the threat from these armed groups has already penetrated major Pakistani cities.

• The Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled that the president has the authority to fire officials who wield executive authority, regardless of whether they have fixed terms set by law. • This decision challenges the long-standing 1935 precedent that protected bipartisan boards of experts from being dismissed due to political disagreements.

• The Supreme Court ruled that state laws, rather than federal statutes, determine the deadlines for when mail-in ballots must be received and counted. • The decision follows a challenge by Republicans who argued that federal law required all ballots to be counted by Election Day instead of allowing a multi-day grace period.