Technology

L'oreal to invest $383 million in Indian beauty tech hub

Jan 21 (Reuters) - French ‌cosmetics giant L'oreal said on Wednesday ‌it will set up a beauty tech ‌hub in the south Indian city of Hyderabad with an initial investment of over 35 billion rupees ($383.4 ‍million).

Technology

OpenAI to start offering chatbot ads to advertisers, The Information reports

Jan 21 (Reuters) - OpenAI ‌has started offering its new chatbot ads to ‌dozens of advertisers, The Information reported on Tuesday, ‌citing people familiar with the matter.

Thailand

Thai PM orders swift aid disbursement for border victims after Election Commission approval

BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered the expedited disbursement of financial assistance to residents affected by incidents along the Thai-Cambodia border, a government spokesperson said on Tuesday (Jan 20).

Nation

Vice Admiral Datuk Sabri sues Chegubard over graft allegations

KUALA LUMPUR: President of the National Defence Studies Centre (Puspahanas) Vice Admiral Datuk Sabri Zal has filed a lawsuit against political activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard.

Corporate News

Binastra unit accepts RM742.86mil building contract in Johor

KUALA LUMPUR: Binastra Corp Bhd said its wholly-owned subsidiary Binastra Builders Sdn Bhd has accepted a contract from Maxim Pelangi Sdn Bhd for main building works of a 72-storey serviced apartment in Plentong, Johor.

Indonesia

Lab tests reveal E. coli contamination in free meals that sickened 800 students in Central Java

JAKARTA: Laboratory tests have confirmed E. coli contamination in food and water served under the free nutritious meal programme that sickened more than 800 students in Grobogan, Central Java earlier this month.

Nation

Action against over 3,600 overloaded lorries shows concerning trend, says Loke

KUALA LUMPUR: Action was taken against 3,604 overloaded heavy vehicles between October and December last year, the Dewan Rakyat was told.

Laos

Lao Bullion Bank, Japan link Laos’ gold market to global bullion trade

VIENTIANE: The Lao Bullion Bank (LBB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Japan Bullion Market Association (JBMA) to support the development of Laos' gold market and strengthen links with international bullion trading

Nation

Businessman claims trial to cheating amounting to nearly RM40,000

IPOH: A businessman has been charged at the Magistrate's Court here for cheating a factory owner of about RM38,943.

True Or Not

QuickCheck: Did an e-scooter rider crash into a car on a main road in Penang?

A 31-SECOND video circulating on social media shows a dramatic collision at a road junction.

Nation

Misconduct by few should not undermine Armed Forces integrity, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: The recent cases of corruption and misuse of public funds involving several senior military officers must not undermine the overall integrity of the Armed Forces and other enforcement agencies, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Nation

Unesco World Heritage nominations for Chinese new villages made by NGO, says Nga

KUALA LUMPUR: The nomination of selected Chinese new villages for Unesco World Heritage status was made by the International Council of Monuments and Sites (Icomos) Malaysia and not directly by the Housing and Local Government Ministry, says its minister Nga Kor Ming.

Sabah & Sarawak

Online check-in among future AirBorneo services, says state minister

KUCHING: Sarawak-owned AirBorneo will provide online check-in services soon for better passenger convenience, says state Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin.

Singapore

US approves US$2.bil sale of aircraft, torpedoes to Singapore

WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday (Jan 20) announced the approval of a US$2.3 billion sale of P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, torpedoes and related equipment to Singapore.

South Korea

Mother climbs down wall of building to rescue kids from burning home in South Korea

GWANGYANG, South Korea: A woman in her 40s carried out a perilous rescue in South Korea's South Jeolla Province on Jan 19, climbing down the exterior wall of an apartment building to reach her three young children trapped inside their burning home.

Nation

Overhauled defence policies to benefit local industry, says Mohamed Khaled

KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry will no longer allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to carry out maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work on defence assets once their warranty periods expire, under major policy reforms unveiled on Wednesday (Jan 21).

True Or Not

QuickCheck: Were four tigers caught on camera eating a cow in Tanjung Rambutan?

A 20-SECOND video showing four tigers feasting on a cow has been circulating on social media for the past two days.

Philippines

It’s city jail for former Philippine senator Revilla and six others in flood control project mess

MANILA: Seven years after his 2018 acquittal in a case arising from the pork barrel scam, former Sen Ramon Revilla Jr is back in jail, this time for graft and malversation charges over a flood control project in Bulacan.

Myanmar

Over 17,000 migratory waterbirds winter at Myanmar's largest freshwater lake

YANGON: More than 17,000 migratory waterbirds of 29 species are spending the winter at Indawgyi Lake, Myanmar's largest freshwater lake in Kachin state, an official said on Tuesday (Jan 20).

Brunei

Training enhances knowledge of traditional Malay massage in Brunei

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Some 15 participants completed the Traditional Malay Massage Course Levels 1 and 2, with a Certificate Presentation Ceremony held to mark the completion.