AS we celebrate Mothers Day today, the air is filled with the scent of carnations and the warmth of gratitude.

CONSEQUENCES from the conflict in the Middle East have rippled far beyond the region, unsettling energy markets, disrupting supply chains, and straining economies that had already been struggling to grow.

THE good news: Malaysians are living longer.

MALAYSIA is generally not a country that worries about going hungry.

THE two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran that began on April 7 gives Malaysia a moment to catch its breath – but we should not be under any illusions about the conflict or the strength of the peace.

IT takes only a second to hit "forward" on a text message, but the damage that text could potentially cause can last much longer.

IT gives us great pleasure to report that Malaysians, by and large, are not panicking en masse over petrol.

IN a world that is still far too dependent on fossil fuels instead of renewable sources, any problems in the Middle East will cast a long shadow.

TODAY, on International Women's Day, it is good to note that Malaysia has made significant progress in advancing women's equality since the country's independence in 1957.

FROM the supermarkets in the Klang Valley to the rural kedai runcit, the crisp rustle of traditional banknotes being taken out of wallets and purses is steadily being replaced by the quick, clean beep of digital payments.

TODAY marks the end of an extended holiday that had many Malaysians on the road.

AS the lunar calendar aligns with our national holidays next week, Malaysia stands on the cusp of a beautiful phenomenon: the overlap of Chinese New Year and the start of Ramadan.