A total of 400 young chess talents from 21 countries - including Asean member nations and dialogue partners such as the United States, China, Russia, India, South Korea, and Japan - are participating in the 23rd Asean+ Age Group Chess Championship, which kicks off here on Wednesday (July 2) in George Town, Penang. The championship, held from July 1 to 11, is expected to have a positive impact on the development of chess across the region. - Bernama
Malaysia
* PTPTN allocates RM47.8mil in advance loans for July 2025 intake
* Married couple arrested for prostitution and distribution of pornographic videos
* Cops launch manhunt after shooting outside school in George Town
* Malaysia's first Orang Asli principal gets award for her contributions to education
* Housing Ministry pledges full cooperation in MACC's probe of the MyKiosk tender
* Negri to ban alcohol consumption in certain public areas, including parks and beaches
* Najib did not make reasonable effort to obtain 'royal addendum', apex court hears
* Cabinet meeting discussed chief justice appointment, says Fahmi
* SAR op ongoing for man who fell off Second Penang Bridge
* Investigation into Pamela's disappearance still active, says cops
* Investment agent in the dock over lewd pics of hubby's second wife
* Johor cops bust syndicate that sold drugs through messaging app
* Rape suspect jailed eight months for fleeing custody
* Perak cops probing origins of mortar shell found near Menora Tunnel
* Mining bribery case: Dr Gunsalam urges PBS members to keep serving the people amid graft claims
* MACC begins investigation into MyKiosk project
* Buckle up: JPJ deploys undercover tactics to catch errant bus drivers, passengers
* Johor led all states in GDP growth last year, says exco man
* Three decomposing bodies found in Seremban house
* The climb to Sarawak’s Pinnacles is brutal, breathtaking, and totally worth it
* Apex court rejects Najib’s bid to block AG’s appeal
* Murder victim’s housemate gave keys to boyfriend, say police
Singapore
* Two men charged in Singapore over fatal accident between two ships near Pedra Branca island
* Man in Singapore on trial for raping drunken woman after offering to drive her and her friend home
* Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade
* Three weeks’ jail for Singaporean man who touched himself on train, flicked bodily fluid on female passenger
* The romance continues: Former ‘Singapore girl’, 77, returns to Osaka Expo after 55 years
* Three in four in Singapore not able to identify deepfake content: Cyber Security Agency survey
* Singapore security firm to stop tracking live location of front-line officers on sick leave after union intervention
* Judge rejects Singapore woman’s claim that she owns 99% of Bukit Timah condo mostly paid for by ex-boyfriend
* Anti-scam law allows police to seize bank accounts
* Rude shock for S’porean drivers
* Singapore's ByteDance food poisoning: Catering firm convicted after cockroach infestation found on premises
Indonesia
* Femicide on rise in Indonesia amid legal, enforcement gaps
* Indonesia eases regulation on franchising businesses
* Indonesian manufacturing slows down as demand fizzles further
Thailand
* Thai DPM Phumtham to be appointed caretaker PM in special Cabinet meeting Thursday (July 3)
* Thaksin attends second day of prosecution witness hearing in royal defamation case
* Top hotels suspend bookings under ‘Half-Half Thai Travel 2025’ scheme due to system glitches
* Thai veteran politician set for single day as acting PM
* Thai leader’s suspension deals new blow to battered economy
* The Shinawatras: Thailand's 21st century political clan
* Double whammy for Shinawatras
Philippines
* Fewer weddings, more live-ins: Filipino families are changing and the numbers prove it
* Philippines biodiversity hotspot Palawan pushes back on mining
* Govt bars ex-Philippine senator over maritime claims
Vietnam
* Vietnam court sentences 11 to death for drug trafficking: state media
* Nha Trang tops list of favourite destinations for S. Korean tourists
* Indian PM says sharing Buddha’s relics with Vietnam is a cultural phenomenon
Myanmar
* Myanmar's famed Shwedagon Pagoda attracts over 3.5 million visitors in first half of 2025
* Four mild earthquakes recorded in Myanmar, Vietnam and Nicobar Islands
* Three killed, and 25 injured in attack by KNLA and PDF in southern central Myanmar
Cambodia
* Cambodian leader warns Thailand: Don’t cross the line on disputed areas
* Cambodia apprehends 12,728 drug suspects, with 1.46 tonnes of narcotics in H1 2025
* The tensions with Cambodia that led to the suspension of Thailand's prime minister
Laos
* Laos makes global call for stronger domestic resource mobilisation
* US tariffs will have significant impact on Lao economy, economists warn
* Lao journalists encourage green reporting for social media users
Brunei
* Brunei national flag hoisted marking start of Sultan’s birthday celebrations
* Collaboration between Brunei and Sabah boosts regional air connectivity, tourism
* Brunei business conference spotlights innovation-driven growth
Aseanplus
* Welcome to the year 2025 - It has to be seen as the year of comebacks for the legendary stars of Malaysian music
* PM Anwar meets up with Muslims in Italy
* PM Anwar meets with Italian industry leaders on his second day in Europe
* Italy seeks economic and trade partnership with Malaysia
* Malaysia sees Italy as key strategic partner, says Anwar
* Anwar arrives in Rome for a three-day official visit
* HK actor Alfred Cheung praises Ipoh hor fun: 'Best Cantonese dish I've had in decades'
* How does long-term exercise slow ageing? Chinese scientists have an answer
* John Lee vows to be ‘reformer’ as Hong Kong shows benefits of security to world
* Cricket-India's omission of Bumrah causes widespread bafflement
* Suaram seeks repeal of restrictive assembly law
* Blast kills four Pakistani officials, 11 injured: police
* Ex-TVB actor Ai Wai opens up about wife's death, says he's emotionally unstable
* Pakistan flash floods, heavy rain kill 64 in a week: govt
* Two men suspected of sexually assaulting woman in Tokyo; allegedly claimed to be water inspectors to enter home
* RON97, diesel prices down three sen in Peninsular Malaysia
* Four-year-old girl rescued from kidnappers, two accused held in India
* MACC probing Singapore tycoon linked to Sabah mining scandal
* Sandakan's only govt hospital facing severe parking woes
* Australia says it cancelled Kanye West's visa over 'Heil Hitler' song
* 2,000-year-old steel acupuncture needles unearthed in China's Jiangxi province
* Zul Ariffin loses 20kg in 2 months for new movie role, intense training caused 'blackouts, nosebleed, migraines'
* Australian inquiry finds Indigenous people faced genocide
* M5.5 earthquake hits Japan’s Kagoshima prefecture islands; no tsunami warning issued
* Japan updates 'megaquake' preparedness plan
* Oil prices little changed as expectations for OPEC+ increase weigh
* Australian moth uses the night sky as a guiding compass
* Militants in Pakistan storm a police station and set fire to banks, killing a boy
* Foreign students eager to stay and work in South Korea: Survey
* India keen to simplify OCI applications for Malaysian Indians: High Commissioner
* India chemical factory blast death toll rises to 45
* TVB star Katy Kung denies rumours of frequenting racecourse to 'hunt for a rich husband'
* China braces for more heavy rain as floods kill several people
* Inbound tourism fuels land price surge across Japan
* Australia vows tougher childcare laws after worker charged with child sex offences
* Celebrating fresh food and real people at Queensland’s Tamborine Mountain region
* Australia's Qantas says six million customer accounts accessed in cyber hack
* Dalai Lama says institution of Dalai Lama will continue
* Alibaba Cloud announces new data centres in Malaysia, the Philippines
* Japan leads Asian stocks lower on tariff angst
* Snake on a plane delays a flight in Australia
* 'Squid Game' stocks sink as blockbuster ends with mixed reviews
* 4 Timor-Leste social enterprises that empower youth and women
* Israel urges China to pressure Iran to rein in nuclear ambitions
* Bank Negara says ringgit is market-determined
* ‘No hope on my salary’: Young South Koreans turn to early investing
* Bursa Malaysia trends higher, boosted by PETRONAS-linked stocks
* Matcha: the Japanese tea taking over the world
* Tariff: Positive response from US to Malaysia's approach
* Ringgit rises as US dollar weakens on fiscal worries
* HK actor Sean Lau says his perspective on fatherhood changed after starring in 'Papa'
* Video shows drone rescuing stranded man during flood in China
* Malaysia leads Asean cybersecurity charge
* How a conflict strains pop culture
* Central cities fight floods unleashed by record rain
* Remembering the child victims
* Seoul trails abuzz with unwelcome ‘lovebugs’
* At least 36 killed in factory blast
* Kim honours troops killed in Russian war
