Cambodia

Abusive fathers added to Cambodia's clemency ‘blacklist’ as requests considered

PHNOM PENH: The National Committee for Sentence Reductions and Pardons has completed reviews of applications for clemency by inmates of the Kingdom’s prison system, with two of the applicants – both convicted of incest against their own children – being added to the official “blacklist”, meaning they are permanently ineligible for sentence reductions or clemency.

Nation

AED saves toddler’s life in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: Having an automated external defibrillator (AED) on hand proved invaluable for volunteers who managed to keep a toddler alive until ambulance services arrived.

Technology

Google says it could loosen search deals in US antitrust case

(Reuters) - Alphabet's Google proposed on Friday a loosening of its agreements with Apple and others to set Google as the default search engine on new devices to address a U.S. ruling that it unlawfully dominates online search.

Nation

Monsoon surge predicted to last until Christmas Eve

PETALING JAYA: The ongoing monsoon surge is expected to continue until Christmas Eve on Tuesday (December 24).

Singapore

Police probing case of bicycles parked across road in Queenstown, Singapore

SINGAPORE: The police are investigating the circumstances behind three bicycles that were left on a major road in Queenstown to block traffic.

Forex

Ringgit expected to trade within narrow range next week amid holiday calm

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit is expected to trade within the narrow range of 4.50 to 4.52 against the US dollar next week, reflecting subdued volatility and cautious sentiment among traders during the Christmas holiday period.

Movie Review

'Mufasa: The Lion King' review: Boundary-pushing prequel worthy of original film

A visually dazzling and emotionally affecting coming-of-age story about Simba’s father, whose death traumatised an entire generation of kids in 1994.

Social media

Is Bluesky the new Twitter for teachers in the US?

The platform looks a lot like Twitter, but some educators describe it as a cleaner version.

Wellness

Inaccurate results of self-test kits a worrying problem

Experts warn that consumers are at risk of buying products that do more harm than good.

Nation

MetMalaysia issues thunderstorm warning for Perak, Selangor, Sabah

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds expected to affect Perak, Selangor and Sabah until noon on Saturday (Dec 21).

Thailand

Thailand's new e-visa service effective Jan 1, 2025

BANGKOK: The Thai foreign ministry announced on Tuesday (Dec 17) that Thailand's e-visa system, which allows applicants to apply for visas online, will come into force on Jan 1, 2025, across 94 royal Thai embassies and consulate-generals worldwide.

Nation

Johor Health Dept seizes vape products disguised as toys, food

JOHOR BARU: The Johor Health Department has seized 989 vape or electronic cigarette products worth RM34,158 disguised as toys and food during a special operation conducted on Wednesday and Thursday.

Myanmar

An ethnic armed group in western Myanmar claims to have captured a major regional army headquarters

BANGKOK: A powerful ethnic armed group in western Myanmar claimed Friday (Dec 20) to have scored a major victory in the war against the ruling military, even as neighboring nations at a meeting in Thailand were discussing efforts to end the conflict peacefully.

Nation

Tourism Malaysia honours Indian key industry players for record arrivals

NEW DELHI: Malaysia is now truly recognised as a top destination for Indian tourists travelling abroad, says Malaysian High Commissioner to India Datuk Muzafar Shah Mustafa.

Cambodia

Dara Sakor airport in southwest Cambodia to begin operation for domestic charter flights

PHNOM PENH: The newly-built Dara Sakor International Airport in southwest Cambodia's Koh Kong province is set to begin operations for domestic charter flights next week, a civil aviation spokesperson said on Friday (Dec 20).

Video games

'Metaphor: ReFantazio', 'Dragon Age', 'Astro Bot' and an indie wave lead the top video games of 2024

Indie designers stepped up to fill in the gaps. And toward the end of the year, a few AAA studios rallied with ambitious, big-budget adventures.

Living

The holey leaf: Why is the monstera still such a popular houseplant?

Houseplant trends come and go, but one stubborn and somewhat weird plant has remained perennially popular. What is it that makes the monstera such a special plant?

Arts

Notre Dame cathedral unveils controversial new stained glass windows

Designs for six new stained glass windows in fire-damaged Notre Dame cathedral were unveiled for the first time on Wednesday.

Nation

Highway users exempt from tolls for Christmas

KUALA LUMPUR: Highway users will be exempt from tolls on highways nationwide on 23 and 24 December in conjunction with Christmas celebrations.

Nation

Man found dead by nephew in Ipoh apartment

IPOH: A 68-year-old man was found dead at his home in Block C, Cherry Apartment here