From crumbling food independence to global digital disruption, today’s AGN Afternoon Update uncovers stories that shape our region’s future.

🇲🇾 Malaysia

Malaysia’s food self-sufficiency goals are failing, according to the latest Agriculture Census.

• Beef SSL fell to just 15.9% in 2023, well below national targets
  
• Experts cite ageing farmers, feed import costs, and poor tech adoption
  
• Calls grow to treat food production like a commercial business
  
• RM27.59 billion has been invested since 2021—but results lag behind
  

Professors urge modernisation and youth participation to reverse the trend and protect national stability in future crises.

🌍 International

Is Google About to Destroy the Open Web?

• Google’s new AI Mode replaces traditional search results with chatbot-generated answers
  
• Critics fear this could collapse the ad-revenue model for publishers
  
• Click-through rates down as much as 70% with AI Overviews
  
• Google insists AI Mode expands content discovery, but concerns over filter bubbles and misinformation persist
  

Industry leaders now push for AI crawler regulations and payment-for-data models to protect creators.

🌏 Asia

Xi to Lee: Let’s Defend Free Trade

• China’s President Xi Jinping called South Korea’s new leader Lee Jae-myung
  
• Urged stronger strategic ties and regional stability through multilateralism
  
• Lee signalled a more balanced approach between US and China, inviting Xi to APEC in Gyeongju
  
• Hopes to reset relations strained under previous leadership
  

Both nations now face US tariffs threatening their export-heavy economies.

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