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Markets

Bursa Malaysia ends lower on selling utilities, banking heavyweights

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Monday, weighed down by selling pressure in selected heavyweights, mainly utilities and banking stocks, alongside weaker performances across regional markets.

Nation

High Court dismisses KLIA shooter’s appeal to backdate seven-year jail term

SHAH ALAM: The High Court here on Monday (Oct 26) dismissed an appeal by a former travel agency manager to have his seven-year jail sentence for shooting his wife and injuring her bodyguard backdated to the date of his arrest in 2024.

Pakistan

Thousands of trucks stuck as partial Iran-Pakistan trade resumes

QUETTA, (Pakistan): Thousands of trucks remain stranded on both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border despite the resumption of limited overland trade between the two countries. Southwest Pakistan business representatives told AFP on Monday (Oct 26).

Nation

Zahid refutes claims of missing RM2.1bil in rural road funds, cites revised budget

KUALA LUMPUR: The RM2.1bil difference between the original allocation and actual expenditure for the Rural Road Programme (JALB) from 2023 to 2025 does not indicate missing funds or misappropriation, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Asia & Oceania

Experiencing China's scenic Xinjiang aboard a luxury train

Travelling on a sleeper train in China and waking up to a different province every morning. 

AseanPlus News

Man found dead in floodwaters in Australia's Queensland

SYDNEY, (Australia): (Bernama-Xinhua) A man has been found dead in floodwaters in the southern region of the Australian state of Queensland following widespread intense rainfall over several days, reported Xinhua.

Singapore

All 10 Singapore-based firms acknowledge NEA notices on haze law; majority say they will cooperate

SINGAPORE: All 10 Singapore-based companies that were issued notices under the Republic's haze law have acknowledged the National Environment Agency's (NEA) requests for information on their links to fires in Indonesia.

Japan

Japan indicts US Marine on murder charge in Okinawa

TOKYO: Japanese prosecutors have indicted a US Marine on suspicion of murdering a woman in Okinawa, a court spokesman told AFP.

Japan

Nonagenarian in Japan outwits suspected scammer

TOKYO: A 93-year-old woman in western Japan outsmarted a suspected scammer by pretending to fall for the scheme and helping police arrest him at her home, an officer told AFP on Monday (Oct 26)

Nepal

Nepal resumes power exports to Bangladesh after flood disruption

KATHMANDU: Nepal resumed exporting 40 megawatts of electricity to Bangladesh through India's transmission network on Friday evening (Oct 23), after the August 26 Bhotekoshi flood damage to two hydropower plants disrupted supplies.

Bangladesh

Sexual assaults on madrasah children in Bangladesh spark outrage

DHAKA: Allegations of rape, attempted rape and sexual abuse of children at six madrasahs in just 16 days have sparked public outrage.

Nation

Speaker says Takiyuddin should have waited for reply on mediation proposal, not go public

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Johari Abdul says he is disappointed that Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Baru) had publicly disclosed a request for mediation without giving him time to respond.

AseanPlus News

First international flight lands at new Western Sydney Airport

SYDNEY, (Australia): (Bernama-Xinhua) Australia's first new major airport in over 50 years has officially opened to passengers, with the first international flight landing at Western Sydney International Airport on Monday (Oct 26) morning, reported Xinhua.

India

India to evacuate thousands as Cyclone Arnab nears eastern coast

BHUBANESWAR, India: Two states along India's eastern coast were preparing to evacuate thousands of people ahead of Cyclone Arnab, which is expected to make landfall on Wednesday (Oct 28), as one of the states said it would close schools in some districts for two days.

South Korea

AI shoppers get first say in South Korea’s retail race

SEOUL: South Korean retailers are testing products on artificial intelligence-generated shoppers before bringing them to real customers, using virtual consumers to predict buying decisions, fine-tune prices and identify potential flaws in shopping experiences.

Nation

Border Control Agency unveils interactive hologram kiosk to assist international arrivals at KLIA Terminal 1

SEPANG: the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency's (AKPS) has unveiled an interactive hologram kiosk to assist arriving international passengers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1.

Philippines

Philippines VP Sara Duterte’s husband Mans Carpio behind cyberlibel case against journalist

MANILA: Lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, was the complainant in the cyberlibel case that led to the arrest of veteran journalist Philip Lustre Jr. over the weekend.

Nation

Govt retiree claims trial to charges involving two girls

KANGAR: A government retiree pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here Monday (Oct 26) to three charges of committing physical sexual assault and criminal force against two girls about two months ago.

World

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi acquitted in defamation case, TV channels report

Oct 26 (Reuters) - Rahul ⁠Gandhi, the leader of India's main opposition Congress ⁠party, was acquitted in a defamation case by ‌a local court on Monday, TV channels said.

China

China's Communist Party elite hold key talks on governance

BEIJING: China's President Xi Jinping (pic) opened a key meeting of Communist Party elites in Beijing on Monday (Oct 26), state media said, which observers will be closely watching for clues as to the country's direction and future leadership.