Rugby

Rugby-Vakatawa to debut for Fiji after switch from France

EDINBURGH, July 16 (Reuters) - Fiji ⁠will hand a debut to centre Virimi Vakatawa ⁠when they meet Scotland in the Nations Championship ‌on Saturday, reviving his international career after 32 caps for France.

Nation

Melaka Pakatan reaffirms decision to withdraw from state administration

MELAKA: Melaka Pakatan Harapan stands by its decision to withdraw from Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh's administration, brushing aside calls for further negotiations after reaffirming its opposition to the creation of nominated assemblymen.

Philippines

Philippines VP Sara Duterte’s net satisfaction rating rises to 31 points: survey

MANILA: The net satisfaction rating of Vice President Sara Duterte was classified as "good" as it rose to 31 points in June 2026, according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

Technology

Short sellers rack up $8.7 billion profit as SpaceX slips below IPO price -Ortex

NEW ⁠YORK, July ⁠16 (Reuters) - Short sellers ‌targeting SpaceX shares are sitting ​on an ⁠estimated $8.7 billion ⁠in paper profit ⁠since the ‌rockets-to-AI ⁠firm's initial public offering, ​as ‌its stock slipped ⁠below ​the IPO price, ⁠according to data ​and analytics firm Ortex Technologies.

Rugby

PREVIEW-Rugby-Ireland eye end to All Blacks' 52-test Eden Park run

July 16 (Reuters) - New Zealand's proud ⁠home record at Eden Park comes under threat from Ireland on Saturday in the third round ⁠of Nations Championship matches as the southern hemisphere leg of the new competition wraps up.

World

Analysis-Pakistan worries about being drawn into US-Iran conflict after Houthis attack Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD, July 16 (Reuters) - Attacks on Saudi ⁠Arabia by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis this week have frustrated Pakistan and threaten to draw Islamabad into the conflict, complicating any future role it may have as a mediator between the United ⁠States and Iran.  

AseanPlus News

Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Thursday (July 16, 2026)

Here's a look at the news highlights from Asean countries in the Star-AseanPlus section for Thursday (July 16, 2026)

Technology

Micron signs deals with Qualcomm, others for AI-powered automobile chip components

July 16 (Reuters) - Micron ⁠Technology on Thursday signed long-term agreements with automotive ⁠suppliers, including chip designer Qualcomm and audio products ‌maker Harman, to secure memory and storage components that powers AI-enabled vehicles.

Nation

Strategic approach, commitment by all needed to create safe school ecosystem, says Fadhlina

KUALA LUMPUR: The increasingly complex issue of school safety requires a strategic approach and the comprehensive commitment of all parties to create a safe school ecosystem, says Fadhlina Sidek.

Technology

Trump Media to license Truth Social data to financial services firms

July 16 (Reuters) - Trump ⁠Media & Technology Group on Thursday launched Truth ⁠API, a licensed data feed that ‌will provide financial services companies with "the fastest" access to posts from the highest-ranking Truth Social accounts.

Technology

Organised crime groups move billions through crypto, global financial crime watchdog warns

PARIS, ⁠July 16 (Reuters) - Criminals are taking advantage of ⁠gaps in regulation to move billions in ‌illicit proceeds through the crypto industry, the Financial Action Task Force said on Thursday, in its latest review ​into the role of virtual assets ⁠and illicit finance.

Nation

Sepanggar missing girl case reclassified as murder, two men arrested

KOTA KINABALU: The disappearance of a young girl in Kampung Numbak, Sepanggar, here, has been reclassified as a murder investigation after police discovered a body believed to be hers.

Tennis

Tennis-Defending champion Alcaraz set for Cincinnati return

July 16 (Reuters) - Defending ⁠champion Carlos Alcaraz has entered next month's Cincinnati ⁠Open as he targets a return from ‌a wrist injury, tournament organisers said.

AseanPlus News

Boko Haram exploited US and Chinese AI chatbots for attacks, Cambridge study finds

Former fighters say AI helped with bomb-making, planning and propaganda, raising calls for US-China action on terrorist misuse of chatbots

China

Construction sector issues new guidelines to implement total smoke ban in Hong Kong

HONG KONG: Hong Kong's major construction groups have issued a set of general guidelines on enforcing a total smoking ban at construction sites, which takes effect on Friday (July 17).

Sabah & Sarawak

Media plays bigger role in Sarawak than just reporting the news, says DPM Fadillah

KUCHING: The media play a bigger role in Sarawak's multicultural society than merely reporting the news, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

India

Authorities order demolition of unauthorised buildings in northern Indian varsity

HYDERABAD, (India): (Bernama) The local administration in Rampur city, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, has ordered the demolition of 38 of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University's 40 buildings over alleged unauthorised construction.

AseanPlus News

Lindsey Graham’s death removes one of Washington’s most influential China hawks

Graham's sister will fill his Senate seat, but his role as one of Trump's closest foreign policy advisers may prove harder to replace

Brunei

Singapore, Brunei reaffirm commitment to strengthening bilateral ties during SM Lee's visit

SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah reaffirmed their countries' shared commitment to strengthening bilateral ties during SM Lee's visit to the South-east Asian country.

South Korea

Korean man indicted for murdering girlfriend over argument

SEOUL: A South Korean man in his 20s has been indicted under physical detention for killing his girlfriend during an argument, the prosecution said Thursday (July 16).