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Brunei

Bruneian returns home after serving as imam in Japan

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: National Al-Hafiz from Brunei Darussalam, Muhammad Ekram 'Afif Awang Mohd Hanafi, successfully completed a month-long religious mission in Osaka, Japan, serving as an imam for Tarawih prayers during Ramadan.

Nation

MetMalaysia: Perlis, Parts of Kedah, Perak at level 2 heatwave

KUALA LUMPUR: Five districts in Kedah, Hulu Perak in Perak and the whole of Perlis recorded a Level 2 heatwave, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).

Vietnam

Hanoi sets vision to become global city beyond 2065

HANOI: The 18th-tenure Hanoi Party Committee convened its fifth conference on Friday (March 27) to deliberate and adopt a range of strategic decisions shaping the capital's development in a new era.

Singapore

Five ways hotter weather will affect Singapore - and what you can do to cope

SINGAPORE: With El Nino on the horizon and warmer weather on the cards for Singapore, there is an increasing need for people here to learn how to build their resilience against rising temperatures.

Laos

Laos reviews 2025 macroeconomic performance, 2026 outlook

VIENTIANE: Representatives from the Lao government, private sector and international organisations convened to review Laos' macroeconomic assessment in 2025 and its outlook for 2026, highlighting persistent challenges that may impact the country's economic growth.

South Korea

North Korea's Kim tells Xi he wants to strengthen relationship with China

SEOUL:North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said in a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping that North Korea's stand is to continue to develop in-depth relations of friendship with China, North Korean state media KCNA said on Saturday (March 28).

Philippines

Philippines' Mayon volcano emits lava fountain

MANILA: State volcanologists observed lava fountaining at Mayon Volcano on Friday (March 27) night.

Asia & Oceania

This Malaysian discovers Timor-Leste's underwater wonders

Timor-Leste is one of the best destinations for diving. 

Nation

‘She said yes’: Bella Astillah gets engaged to Syed Saddiq

PETALING JAYA: Actress Bella Astillah and Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman have announced their engagement.

Cambodia

After border clashes with Thailand, Cambodia’s economic time bomb ticks louder

PHNOM PENH: The drive from the new Techo International Airport into Phnom Penh encapsulates much of what the Cambodian leadership wants to showcase, both domestically and to the world.

Badminton

Haikal says sorry, Herry moves on

PETALING JAYA: The relationship between men's doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi and Mohd Haikal Nazri is back to normal after the player personally apologised.

Indonesia

Tourists raped in Bali in two separate cases

DENPASAR: Two female foreign tourists have been raped in Bali in separate incidents, with the police managing to arrest a suspect in one of the cases, while still pursuing the other.

Nation

Penang deepens ties with Latin America as global chip supply chains shift

PETALING JAYA: Penang is positioning itself to deepen ties with Latin America as global semiconductor supply chains rapidly restructure, says Penang Port Commission chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin.

China

China blasts 'false' news after report says chipmaker SMIC supplying Iran

BEIJING: China's foreign ministry accused the media of publishing "false information" on Friday following a report that said the country's top semiconductor firm has sent chipmaking tools to Iran.

AI

AI agents: They’re fun. They’re useful. But don’t give them the credit card.

New AI bots can do more than just chat. They can edit files, send emails, book trips and cause trouble.

Thailand

Fuel fears and price surge dampen Songkran travel mood in Thailand

Rising oil prices and Middle East tensions weigh on Songkran travel demand, though Thailand still expects 30 billion baht in tourism revenue

Singapore

Garuda flight passengers evacuated after safety hazard detected during boarding at Changi

SINGAPORE: Passengers on board a Garuda Indonesia flight bound for Jakarta, Indonesia, from Changi Airport were evacuated after a safety issue was detected on the aircraft before take-off on March 25.

World

Nepal's ex-PM Oli arrested over deaths during Gen Z protests

KATHMANDU, March ⁠28 (Reuters) - Nepal's former prime minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, was arrested ⁠on Saturday as police investigate whether he was negligent in ‌failing to prevent dozens of deaths during Gen Z anti-corruption protests last September, officials said.

AI

Scientists use saliva for non-invasive, AI-based Parkinson's test

Timely diagnosis of debilitating and often deadly brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's remains largely elusive, though in recent years several teams of scientists have reported potential advances based on eye scans or blood tests.

India

Rapper-turned-PM takes office

The nation's rapper-­turned-­politician Balendra Shah was sworn in as prime minister after sweeping the first election since deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government last year.