Thailand

Thai Transport Minister orders fresh review of 997bil-baht land bridge study

BANGKOK: Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has ordered a fresh review of the feasibility work on Thailand's land bridge project—valued at about 997 billion baht—saying the findings need to be clarified again as objections persist.

Badminton

Roy King-Arif may just pip pros Sze Fei-Izzuddin for Thomas Cup slot

KUALA LUMPUR: Men's doubles shuttlers Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi are determined to fight for of a spot in the Thomas Cup Finals from April 24-May 3 in Denmark.

Vietnam

Vietnam ensuring equity in access to knowledge through a single textbook set

HANOI: From the 2026–27 school year, Vietnam will move to a single, uniform set of textbooks for general education nationwide, a shift the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) says will cut costs, improve equity and bring greater stability to classrooms from grade 1 to grade 12.

Vietnam

Rare cold spell surprises locals in Ho Chi Minh City

HCM CITY: HCM City experienced unusually cold weather on Friday (Jan 9) morning, as temperatures dropped to around 16–17 degrees Celsius, the lowest level recorded in nearly a decade.

Living

Durian growers scent opportunity as Chinese demand spikes

Durian, the world's most controversial fruit, smells somewhere between rotting flesh and old, sweaty clothes. And yet it's currently booming amid a spike in demand from China.

Family

Does excessive screen time affect the older generation?

Study finds spending time online may contribute to better mental health among older people, but warns it is a 'double-edged sword'.

Markets

Stocks bide time before jobs report, tariff ruling

SINGAPORE: Asian stocks drifted lower and the dollar firmed on Friday ahead of a crucial jobs report, while investors girded for a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs that jolted markets last year.

Philippines

Devotees in Philippines join massive 'Black Nazarene' procession

MANILA: Hundreds of thousands of Philippine devotees joined an annual procession of a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ on Friday (Jan 9), one of the world's largest displays of Catholic faith that this year served as a platform to criticise corrupt officials in the graft-weary nation.

Indonesia

Indonesia’s plan to expand military role in counter-terrorism draws flak

JAKARTA: A renewed plan to include the Indonesian Military (TNI) in the country's fight against terrorism has sparked concerns among civil society groups, who warn it could further undermine hard-won democratic reforms and threaten civil liberties under the guise of security operations.

South Korea

South Korea sets up task force on uranium enrichment, nuclear cooperation with US

SEOUL: South Korea has set up an inter-agency task force to coordinate with the US on uranium enrichment and nuclear fuel reprocessing for peaceful purposes, the foreign ministry said on Friday (Jan 9)

AseanPlus News

Small private clinics driving sex-selective abortions in Nepal

KATHMANDU: Sex-selective abortions are rampant in Nepal, especially in big cities and semi-urban areas of Nepal, as data on boys to girls birth ratio indicate.

Laos

Laos unveils five-year socio-economic development plan

VIENTIANE: Laos aims to achieve an annual economic growth rate of six per cent between 2026 and 2030, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone said at a key meeting.

World

Jeju Air crash victims could have all survived without concrete barrier, lawmaker says

SEOUL, Jan 9 (Reuters) - A South Korean ‌government-commissioned report found the Jeju Air plane crash in December 2024 that killed 179 people might not have been ‌deadly if there had not been a concrete mound at the end of the runway, an opposition lawmaker ‌said.

Entertainment

Indonesian actor and martial arts star Iko Uwais makes his directorial debut in new film 'Timur'

True to form, the silat master does not do things by halves – he's not only directing and producing the film, he is starring in it.

Technology

TSMC posts Q4 revenue of T$1,046.08 billion, above forecasts

(Corrects to ‌show revenue amount ‌is in Taiwan dollars, ‌not U.S. dollars, in headline)

Singapore

Malaysian man who smuggled cigarettes and vapes into Singapore jailed and fined

SINGAPORE: A man who smuggled vapes and cigarettes into Singapore to sell to his friends was caught red-handed at Woodlands Checkpoint during a check by officers.

Nation

PAS won't be part of Perlis govt, Hadi stresses

PETALING JAYA: PAS will reject any overtures to join the Perlis government, says Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.

Banking

Exim Bank Malaysia inks tripartite MOUs with Turkish firms to boost bilateral trade, investment ties

KUALA LUMPUR: The signing of three partnerships between EXIM Bank Malaysia and Turkish companies has further reinforced bilateral trade and investment collaboration, while supporting the international expansion of Malaysian companies in line with Malaysia's broader industrial and trade diversification objectives.

Brunei

Flash floods reported across Brunei following prolonged heavy rain

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Flash floods were reported in several areas across Brunei on Thursday (Jan 8) and early Friday morning following continuous heavy rain since the night of Jan 7, with the Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department (BDMD) warning that wet conditions are expected to persist until Jan 12.

Nation

UPSR, PT3 exams may be revived, says Education Ministry

PUTRAJAYA: The Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan Tiga (PT3) examinations could be back on the cards soon, says Fadhlina Sidek.