Sabah & Sarawak

Strong winds damage structures in Semporna

KOTA KINABALU: A mosque was among dozens of structures damaged by strong winds in two villages in Semporna early on Sunday (Dec 22).

Philippines

Jailed televangelist Quiboloy's senatorial bid alive as Commission on Elections junks petition to disqualify him

MANILA: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has denied a petition to disqualify jailed televangelist Apollo Quiboloy from the 2025 senatorial race and have him declared a “nuisance” candidate.

Nation

Malaysians harassed at Jakarta music fest, 18 Indonesia cops nabbed

JAKARTA: Indonesian police have arrested 18 police officers suspected of being involved in an extortion case against attendees, which included Malaysians, of the Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) music festival on Dec 15.

China

China ‘white mafia’ services help women handle difficult ex and tricky landlords

BEIJING: An increasing number of young women in China are enlisting the services of the so-called “white mafia” to assist them in dealing with troublesome ex-boyfriends or dishonest landlords.

Thailand

Phuket emerges as premier luxury living destination amid property boom

BANGKOK: Phuket is witnessing an unprecedented transformation into a global luxury living destination, with property analysts projecting the market to reach US$4.1 billion (150 billion baht) by 2025, representing a compounded annual growth rate of 7.8% from 2023.

Sri Lanka

Three dead, over 20 injured as bus plunges into ravine in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: (Bernama-Xinhua) Three people died and over 20 others were injured after a passenger bus plunged down a ravine in Mallawa, located on the Hatton-Kandy main road in Sri Lanka's Central Province on Saturday (Dec 21), according to the police, as reported by Xinhua.

Singapore

‘I feel like I’m finally a normal person’: Stateless youth becomes Singapore PR

SINGAPORE: A little blue card, with his name and a few numbers that say who he is and where he lives.

Myanmar

Indonesia donates 2.72 million doses of polio vaccines to Myanmar: media

YANGON: (Bernama-Xinhua) A total of 2.72 million doses of polio vaccines (bOPV), donated by Indonesia to Myanmar, arrived at Yangon International Airport on Friday (Dec 20), reported Xinhua, citing the state-run daily The Mirror on Saturday (Dec 21).

Asia & Oceania

A mystical journey through Kandy’s colonial vestiges

Time travel in a tea cup: A mystical journey through Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Nation

Johor cops probe derogatory message insulting Islam printed on fast food restaurant’s receipts

JOHOR BARU: The police have started investigations into a derogatory message insulting Islam printed on three separate receipts of a fast food restaurant.

World

Out-of-control Australia bushfire will burn for days, officials say

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An uncontained bushfire raging in Australia's Victoria state that has prompted an evacuation order for hundreds of residents will burn for several days, officials said on Sunday.

Boxing

Boxing-Ukraine's Usyk outpoints Fury to retain world heavyweight crowns

RIYADH (Reuters) -Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk retained his WBA (Super), WBO and WBC world heavyweight titles by unanimous decision against Britain's Tyson Fury to remain undefeated after an enthralling clash in an electric atmosphere at the Kingdom Arena on Saturday.

Nation

Anwar to meet Prabowo and Thaksin in Langkawi

SUBANG JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be meeting Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Langkawi to discuss regional strategic issues and Asean developments.

Focus

South Korean youth standing up for their rights

People in their late teens and 20s joined people their parents’ and grandparents’ age, all spooked and angered by the President’s brazen action.

Focus

Confronting an impunity crisis in South-East Asia

In South-East Asia, impunity not only silences dissent and erodes public trust, but also perpetuates cycles of repression and inequality.

Focus

Looking south

Japan should grow security ties with the Global South as China increases military outreach, say analysts.

Focus

Thailand’s role in UN Human Rights Council

It is a cause for elation for the country and an opportunity to set an example for good practices.

Focus

Do we need a revolution in the Philippines?

The world’s most established democracies and entrenched autocracies are experiencing an unprecedented degree of systemic vulnerability.

Focus

Editorial: Is Indonesia abandoning Asean?

This is the second time since Prabowo’s inauguration that Indonesia has sent a concerning message to its regional neighbours.

Focus

The Trump-Xi bromance has a chance in 2025

If they play their cards right, that is. It could create the right environment for an improvement in ties between the two superpowers.