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China

'Clearly me': Chinese AI drama accused of stealing faces

HONG KONG: Christine Li is a model and influencer, but not an actor, so when she saw herself playing a cruel character in a Chinese microdrama she felt bewildered, then angry and afraid

Nation

Four arrested, drugs worth RM1.8mil seized in raid on JB apartment

JOHOR BARU: Police have crippled a drug syndicate operating out of a gated apartment, arresting its leader and his girlfriend and seizing narcotics worth RM1.8mil.

AI

Source: Meta plans 10% layoffs as AI spending soars

Meta plans to cut a tenth of its workforce, looking for productivity gains from its remaining workers as it invests heavily in artificial intelligence.

Singapore

Two Indian nationals to be charged with providing illegal payment, remittance services involving over S$38mil in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Two Indian nationals will be charged in court on April 24 with providing illegal cross-border money transfer services involving more than S$38.6 million.

Markets

FBM KLCI stays range-bound ahead of weekend

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI was range-bound on Friday as investors took a breather from the week's rally and digested the deluge of war-related headlines from the Middle East.

Technology

Huawei Ascend supernode to support Deepseek V4

HONG ⁠KONG, April ⁠24 (Reuters) - Huawei ‌Technologies said on Friday its ​Ascend supernode ⁠based ⁠on Ascend 950 ⁠AI chips ‌would ⁠fully support Deepseek's ​V4 ‌versions after ⁠the ​Chinese artificial intelligence ⁠startup launched a ​preview of its new ⁠model.

Japan

Japan passport fees going down to 9,000 yen in July

TOKYO: Starting July, Japan will lower application fees for 10-year passports to around 9,000 yen (US$56.34).

Thailand

Upper Thailand faces summer storms with hail and gusty winds

BANGKOK: The Thai Meteorological Department has forecast weather conditions for Friday (April 24) to Wednesday (April 29). From Friday (April 24) till Saturday (April 25), summer storms are expected in upper Thailand, bringing thunderstorms, gusty winds, lightning and hail in some areas.

Cambodia

Cambodia border gates stay shut until terms are met, says Thai defence minister

BANGKOK: Thailand's defence minister says border crossings will remain closed until Cambodia fully follows the ceasefire Joint Statement.

Nation

AI drones, predictive data to expedite disaster response, says Nadma

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) will implement artificial intelligence (AI) to help locate victims faster.

Other Sports

JD Sports chair quit after failing to convince board to oust CEO, FT reports

April ⁠23 (Reuters) - JD Sports  ⁠chair Andy Higginson ‌has quit after pushing for chief executive Regis ​Schultz to ⁠be ousted ⁠and failing to win ⁠unanimous backing ‌for the move ⁠from the retailer's board, ​the ‌Financial Times reported ⁠on Friday, ​citing four people familiar with ⁠the matter.

AI

Google faces EU pressure to open up Android to Gemini rivals

Google faces ramped-up European Union pressure to lift barriers to rival AI search assistants on Android handsets in an escalation that the US giant fears could compromise users' security and privacy.

India

Record voter turnout in India's West Bengal state polls

HYDERABAD, India: Heavy voter turnout was recorded in the high-stakes state assembly election in the Indian state of West Bengal on Thursday (April 23).

Myanmar

Myanmar distributes low-cost diesel to farmers to reduce fuel shortages

YANGON: Myanmar's Ministry of Electricity and Energy, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation and regional and state governments, is distributing locally produced diesel directly to farmers at their worksites, the state-owned daily The Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Tuesday (April 21).

South Korea

South Korea prosecutors seek 30-year jail term for ex-President Yoon in drone case, Yonhap says

SEOUL: South Korean prosecutors sought a 30-year jail term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday (April 24), in a case alleging he ordered a drone operation over Pyongyang to help create a pretext for his December 2024 declaration of martial law, Yonhap news agency said.

South Korea

Victim said 'no' 75 times, South Korean civic groups challenge rape acquittal and definition

SEOUL: A coalition of civic groups filed a constitutional complaint Thursday (April 23) over a sexual violence case in which courts acquitted the defendant despite the alleged victim having repeatedly refused, arguing that the ruling violated constitutional rights including sexual self-determination.

Nation

Suspect in fatal shooting of three to be charged with murder on April 27

JOHOR BARU: A 71-year-old man who allegedly shot three people dead at a restaurant in Kota Tinggi is expected to be charged with murder on Monday (April 27).

Brunei

Sultan of Brunei highlights need to navigate evolving economic and energy landscape

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, delivering a closing titah on Thursday (April 23), emphasised the importance of navigating an increasingly dynamic and evolving economic and energy landscape.

Laos

Laos' Luang Prabang sees tourism momentum boosted by rail link

VIENTIANE: Tourism in Luang Prabang province in northern Laos is gaining strong momentum, driven by improved rail connectivity, rising international interest and growing global recognition of its cultural and natural heritage.

Nation

Anwar urges private sector to consider flexible work arrangements

CYBERJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday (April 24) called on the private sector to consider implementing flexible work arrangements similar to those practised in the public sector, including work-from-home (WFH).