Nation

St Anne Feast: Selected roads in Bukit Mertajam to close this weekend

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Several roads near the Minor Basilica of St Anne will be closed from 9am Saturday (July 26) to 2pm Sunday (July 27) for the annual St Anne Feast, one of Malaysia's largest religious celebrations.

AseanPlus News

Former security guard at US embassy in Norway charged with espionage

A former security guard who used to work at the US embassy in Oslo has been charged with spying for Russia and Iran, Norwegian media reported on Wednesday.

Singapore

Seven weeks’ jail for Myanmar cook who molested drunken man sleeping on bench at shopping mall in Singapore

The cook's offence came to light when a security guard viewed CCTV footage showing the Myanmar national molesting the victim.

Football

Soccer-Top English women's clubs to allow alcohol in trial

(Reuters) -Banned for decades at men's games in England to curb hooliganism, alcohol will be allowed in the stands for seven Women's Super League clubs during the 2025-26 season as a trial.

Entertainment

HK lyricist Peter Lai, 75, wants a soulmate, says son treats him like a stranger

Lai revealed that he had spent over RM53,000 to fund his son's four-year studies in Nanjing – only for the latter to fail to graduate.

Thailand

How do Cambodia and Thailand's militaries compare?

BANGKOK: Months of simmering tensions between Cambodia and Thailand exploded into armed conflict on Thursday (July 24), including the deployment of a Thai F-16 fighter, in the heaviest fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in over a decade.

Thailand

Emerging Markets - Thai assets stumble amid border clashes, but Asia stocks rally on trade boost

hailand diverged from the Asian rally as the baht was the only emerging Asian currency to weaken, while the benchmark SET Index fell 1.1%, as escalating border tensions with Cambodia unnerved investors.

Nation

PM announcement signals policy shift towards more inclusive approach for M40, say experts

KUALA LUMPUR: The announcement of several key initiatives by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday, as a gesture of appreciation to the people, reflects a policy shift by the Madani government towards a more inclusive approach for the middle-income group (M40).

Philippines

Typhoon May strengthen on track toward the northern Philippines; govt expects crops to be impacted badly

A typhoon moving toward northern Philippines may intensify further before making landfall as early as tonight, with heavy rain and strong winds likely to impact some rice and corn crops.

Nation

Govt studying if e-hailing fares need regulation, says Transport Ministry

KUALA LUMPUR: A study to determine if e-hailing fares should be regulated will be completed in five months, says Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.

Vietnam

Heavy downpours and flooding from storm Wipha kill three in Vietnam; thousands of people evacuated

Three people have been killed and another is missing in torrential downpours over Vietnam from Tropical Storm Wipha, authorities said Thursday, while nearly 4,000 homes were flooded by deluges.

Football

Soccer-Neymar says he felt offended, explaining confrontation with Santos fan

(Reuters) -Striker Neymar said it was hard to control his feelings when he was being insulted, commenting on a heated exchange he had with a fan after his late goal was ruled out and his club Santos suffered a 2-1 defeat that left them in the Brazilian Serie A relegation zone.

Nation

House arrest law can ease prison overcrowding, says Saifuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is mulling house arrest – which includes the use of electronic monitoring devices – for remand detainees to address overcrowding in prisons, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Cricket

Cricket-Crawley and Duckett lead England recovery after Pant's Old Trafford heroics

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -A superb 166-run opening partnership between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett led England's recovery on day two of the fourth test against India, the hosts 225-2 at the close of play on Thursday, trailing the tourists by 133 runs.

True Or Not

QuickCheck: Did a tank of chemicals fall into the sea off Johor?

In the realm of transportation, unexpected spills can sometimes add a splash of chaos.

AseanPlus News

Three people are missing after motorboat capsizes in river in Myanmar's Yangon

Three people were reported missing after a motorboat capsized in a river in Yangon, Myanmar, an official from a local rescue organisation said on Thursday.

Laos

Laos aims to improve workforce skills and also expand job access for its youth

The Lao government, in collaboration with its partner, has launched a skills testing and certification program to improve national workforce standards and promote fair employment opportunities nationwide.

Technology

Novartis to pay Matchpoint up to $1 billion to develop anti-inflammatory therapies

(Reuters) -Swiss drugmaker Novartis will pay up to $1 billion to U.S. biotech Matchpoint Therapeutics to develop oral drugs for several inflammatory diseases.

Nation

Dr Wee asks why consent threshold rates differ under proposed urban renewal law

PETALING JAYA: The government should explain its rationale for setting different consent threshold rates based on the age of properties under the proposed urban renewal law, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.