Nation

Malaysia's food security assured even with floods, says Mat Sabu

JOHOR BARU: Malaysia will not face any shortage of food despite ongoing challenges including floods, says Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.

Nation

Anwar to meet Prabowo, Thaksin in Langkawi to discuss regional issues, Asean

SUBANG: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to meet Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Langkawi to discuss regional strategic issues and Asean developments.

Nation

PETRONAS a national oil company, not a peninsula one, says Anwar

SUBANG JAYA: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS) should be recognised as a national oil company instead of a “semenanjung” company as outlined under the Petroleum Development Act 1947, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

India

Indian denies hospital rape and murder of doctor

KOLKATA, (India): An Indian man on trial for raping and murdering a 31-year-old doctor has pleaded not guilty, his lawyer said Saturday (Dec 21), a crime that appalled the nation and triggered wide-scale protests.

Nation

JAIS suspends classes at Serdang religious school following student's death

SHAH ALAM: Classes at an Islamic school in Serdang near here have been suspended following the death of a 12-year-old student from electrocution.

Nation

UM says no compromise for sexual harassment offenders

KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no compromises for sexual harassment offenders at Universiti Malaya (UM), says Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman.

Myanmar

Southeast Asian nations vow to ramp up Myanmar crisis efforts

YANGON: Foreign ministers from Southeast Asia said they need to find stronger approaches to help resolve the crisis in war-torn Myanmar, as doubts grow about the military regime’s ability to hold onto power.

World

Pakistan military court jails 25 over 2023 attacks

KARACHI (Reuters) -Twenty-five civilians were sentenced by a Pakistani military court to periods of two to 10 years of "rigorous imprisonment" in connection with attacks on military facilities in 2023, the armed forces' media wing said on Saturday.

Nation

Visa-free entry boosts Indian tourist arrivals by 223%, says Immigration DG

KUALA LUMPUR: The visa exemption for Indian nationals has increased visitors from India by 223%, says Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban.

India

Indian PM Modi embarks on historic visit to Kuwait; to focus on labour, bilateral ties

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a landmark two-day visit to Kuwait on Saturday (Dec 21), marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Gulf nation in 43 years.

Nation

Traffic crawl at border checkpoints as Malaysians head north to Thailand for the holidays

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians heading to Thailand for the school holidays saw traffic congestion at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security Complex (ICQS) border checkpoint.

Nation

Anwar says some prosecutions rushed post-14th General Election

SUBANG JAYA: Some cases brought for prosecution following the 14th General Election were conducted hastily and with political vengeance, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

World

Rival protests over South Korea's impeached President Yoon held in Seoul

SEOUL (Reuters) - Demonstrators supporting and opposing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held rival protests several hundred metres apart in Seoul on Saturday, a week after he was impeached over his short-lived declaration of martial law.

Vietnam

Hanoi banquet leaves two dead, 15 hospitalised

HANOI: A banquet in Hanoi tragically resulted in two deaths and the hospitalisation of 15 others, with suspected alcohol poisoning being the cause.

Nation

MMEA nabs nine men, seizes two boats off Lahad Datu

KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained nine men and seized two boats in Lahad Datu waters.

Fashion

Celebrity Style: Sabrina Carpenter is quickly becoming a fashion icon

Sabrina Carpenter is now among the world’s biggest pop sensations. Her celebrity status has quickly attracted the attention of fashion designers too.

Family

Childhood sexual assault is a common occurrence for children in 193 countries

International child advocacy group reveals how children from 193 countries are exposed to sexual violence every day.

Thailand

Most of Thailand to get cooler with morning fog

BANGKOK: The upper Thailand as well as upper South will experience colder temperatures on Saturday (Dec 21) as the moderate high-pressure system has moved down from China to cover the upper part of the country.

AseanPlus News

Thousands told to evacuate as bushfire west of Melbourne triples in size and gets out of control

Residents of several towns in west of Melbourne in Australia's state of Victoria have been told to leave immediately as a nearby major bushfire continues to burn out-of-control.

Singapore

More than 1,800 people hauled up, 610 arrested so far in Singapore's year-end anti-crime blitz

SINGAPORE: The naughty list in 2024 is looking to be extra long after more than 1,800 people were hauled up by the police in the past month in one of the biggest anti-crime blitzes since the Covid-19 pandemic.