Hindus celebrate the Ponggal festival at the Kallumalai Arulmigu Subramaniar Temple, Gunung Cheroh, Ipoh, on Thursday (Jan 15, 2026). About 1,000 devotees gathered since 8am at the over 150-year-old temple to offer prayers and traditionally cook Ponggal soru (Ponggal sweet rice) in milk pots to mark the annual Hindu harvest festival. - Photo: Bernama
Malaysia
* Akmal resigns as Melaka Umno exco member effective next week
* Melaka CM to decide on Akmal’s exco post after receiving official quit letter
* Zahid wants to meet Akmal over combative remarks
* RM11.4mil in assets seized in MACC probe involving former Army Chief
* Come in person to apologise, Akmal tells portal reps over social media post blunder
* Zahid delivers key points at closed-door session
* Tok Mat: Don’t cross Umno’s red lines
* Warm welcome as Khairy returns to Umno General Assembly
* ‘An extremely emotional day for me’, says KJ on Umno general assembly attendance
* KJ’s attendance at Umno Youth AGM has my blessings, says Ahmad Zahid
* Tamil community nationwide marks Ponggal, honouring tradition, family ties
* Blaze kills three, destroys two factories in Banting industrial area
* Let’s reopen doors to ex-Umno leaders, says Puteri wing chief
* Partnering with other political coalitions doesn’t mean we are weak, says Wanita Umno chief
* Umno must lead with 30% women in top leadership, says Noraini
* Drunk man detained after provoking Border Control DG’s police escort on KL-Seremban highway
* Mohamad Sabu vows surprise checks on government-funded farm projects
* Sabah needs bipartisan team to implement 40% revenue order, says Tham
* Cases against armed forces brass to be submitted next week, says MACC chief
* MACC races to wrap probe into senior military officers
* Sabah not asking for charity, says Kitingan on delay in 40% revenue share review
* MACC, Mindef to meet over procurement processes and anti-graft efforts
* MACC seeks to forfeit assets worth RM11.4mil linked to ex-Army chief graft case, says Azam
* Doctor to be charged with murdering wife and son in JB
* MACC to wrap up RM5mil graft probe on ex-minister in two weeks, says Azam
* Ex-insurance agent pleads guilty to obtaining loan using fake documents
* LHDN launches WhatsApp tax inquiry platform
* Immigration officer among eight held over illegal passport syndicate
* Owner of 'gay-friendly' hotel in Melaka meets with authorities
* Cops detain three for suspected murder in Sibu
* Former security guard jailed seven years for stealing 17 gold bars and jewellery
* There are many 'Akmal Saleh' who can replace me, says Umno Youth chief
* Two students still receiving treatment after HELP University explosion
* Cops on the hunt for trio behind RM2mil Taman Hillview heist
* Sisters detained for multiple petrol purchases in Tumpat
Singapore
* Singapore PM removes Pritam Singh as Leader of Opposition
* What’s next for Pritam Singh? Singapore analysts weigh in
* Alarm clock sounds disrupt Tiong Bahru residents up to eight times a day for over a month
* WWF-Singapore and EDB launch programme to tackle hurdles in protecting Asia’s mangroves, seagrass
* 13 weeks’ jail for nursing home employee in Singapore who choked, pushed elderly man against bed rails
* Woman faces seven charges in Singapore after allegedly throwing human waste on parapet of Marsiling HDB block
* No plans to publicly display carcass of euthanised Himalayan vulture: Singapore's Lee Kong Chian museum
* Workers' Party will ‘deliberate carefully’ on Singapore PM Wong’s letter asking it to nominate a replacement as Opposition Leader
* Singaporean man on trial for attempted murder ran over foreigner he thought had implicated him in another case
Indonesia
* Indonesian ride-hailing industry set for shake-up under draft presidential decree
* Indonesian forces rescue 18 Freeport workers from rebel siege in Papua
* Prabowo makes first presidential visit to Nusantara
* Indonesia vows action against laggards on forestry fines
* Detained for months, Indonesia woman convicted of protest incitement
Thailand
* Another crane collapses in Thailand killing two people, police say
* Some saved, some not: rescuers face Thai train crash havoc
* Thai PM hits out at low compensation for rail crash victims, demands millions for families
* Fatal back-to-back crane failures tied to same Thai firm: Minister
* Chemical leak sparks mass evacuation in Samut Prakan as schools close
* Beijing pledges US$2.8mil in aid and full cooperation following Thai rail disaster
* Former Thai PM Thaksin eligible for parole in May, says Corrections Department official
* Fatal back-to-back Thailand crane failures tied to same firm
* Thai PM Anutin laments two crane collapses in two days, says only Thailand has seen such incidents
Philippines
* Marcos promises aid, accountability after landfill collapse in Philippines
* Japan, Philippine top diplomats commit to uphold rules-based order
* Philippines excluded from US visa processing suspension: Envoy
* Death toll rises to 22 after landfill collapse in the Philippines
* Philippines to ban Musk’s Grok AI on Jan 15 over sexualised deepfakes
Vietnam
* Vietnam's economic growth in 2026 to rely on domestic consumption
* Vietnam's southern hub starts construction of second metro line
* Rare sea turtle caught in fishing net released in Quang Ngaai province
* Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is a political mission of Vietnam: PM
Myanmar
* Myanmar junta claims capture of giant jungle meth labs
* China’s Intelligence sharing key to drug lab seizures in Northern Shan state: Myanmar
* Myanmar to take legal action against opposition party Chair over secret meeting with foreign reps
Cambodia
* US pauses migrant visas for 75 nations, including Cambodia and Thailand
* Cambodia saw almost seven million pass through international airports in 2025
* Cambodia protests Thai seizure of fishing boat, demands respect for sovereignty
* In wake of conflict, ERW education has now reached more than half of displaced Cambodians
Laos
* Laos plans to harness cultural heritage for sustainable development
* Travel industry insiders name Laos among top destinations to watch in 2026
Brunei
* Brunei students shine nationally, regionally, internationally: Minister
* Brunei Prime Minister's Office highlights Vision 2035 progress
* Royal Brunei Police Force marks 105th Police Day with parade ceremony
Aseanplus
* Govt orders crackdown on misuse of social visit visas
* Final death toll from Hong Kong fire put at 168
* It’s back to the stadiums for BTS
* Oil reverses gains after Trump eases worries over Iran
* HK actress Carina Lau, 60, says she's getting old and becoming forgetful
* FBM KLCI hovers above 1,700 support
* Global trade finance gap at US$2.5 trillion as global trade tensions rise, ADB says
* Ringgit edges up as softer US yields weigh on greenback
* Border Control foils attempt to smuggle 2,000kg pig carcasses at Bukit Kayu Hitam
* More than one in seven newborns in South Korea conceived through infertility treatment
* Could Hong Kong be the perfect hiking and city break in one?
* China teen makes fraudulent returns on cosmetics platform, profiting US$570,000 from resale
* Why Japan's Takaichi is gambling on an early election
* Bank Negara's OPR expected to remain at 2.75% throughout 2026 - BMI
* Australian festival apologises for cancelling Palestinian author
* Oil drops as Trump calms Iran fears; tech stocks slide in Asia
* I wanted a job, didn’t know it was wrong, claims Indonesian woman nabbed with false MyKad in joint raid
* India presses quick-commerce firms to end 10-minute deliveries
* Musk's Grok barred from undressing images after global backlash
* Jay Chou draws cheers at Australian Open One Point Slam before swift first-round defeat
* Beijing tells Chinese firms to stop using US and Israeli cybersecurity software, sources say
* Dreams on hold for Rohingya children in Bangladesh camps
* Malaysia's construction, sub-contractor industries urged to expand into Asean, India- AIEC
* China warns of covert mapping by foreign forces to steal sensitive geodata
* Bursa Malaysia slips as profit-taking hits heavyweight counters, KLCI down 0.33%
* Japanese PM and South Korean President jam to K-pop hits at summit
* TSMC fourth-quarter profit leaps to record driven by AI boom
* Two court officers stabbed in Tokyo apartment during visit to carry out forced eviction
* China, Canada move to reset ties as Carney visits
* DeepSeek stays mum on next AI model release as technical papers show frontier innovation
* Korean food wasn’t always this spicy. The rise of heat explained
* HK singer Charlene Choi confirms romance with fitness coach 10 years her junior
* China's central bank to conduct 900-billion-yuan outright reverse repo operation
* SME Bank expects Bank Negara to hold OPR at 2.75% in 2026
* MACC seizes RM8.42mil in cash, assets linked to military funds abuse
* The AI boom needs electricity, but Western grids are strained. Is power China’s power?
* Nepal's oldest party splits ahead of post-protest elections
* South Korea opens state scholarships exclusively for refugees
* Australia's hate speech, gun law reforms face free speech concerns
* Amir Hamzah: 2026 marks implementation of govt reforms, development agenda
* Oil slides over 3% after Trump comments ease Iran fears
* ‘We have democratised everything’: Indian PM
* South Korea to keep monitoring US chip tariffs to minimise impact, industry minister says
* China midwife accidentally severs baby’s middle finger during Caesarean section
* UK presses on with Grok deepfake probe despite Musk's climbdown
* RTS Link construction on track for completion by end 2026
* FBM KLCI on a roll, notches fifth straight gain
* Police issue warning after bombs found in Australian capital
* At 78, DJ Dave still going strong
* Sabarimala gold theft case: Hospitalised former Travancore Devaswom Board member arrested after Kerala High Court rap
* Ringgit ends lower as firmer US dollar weighs on market
* Spotify to raise monthly subscription price to $12.99 in select markets
* Australia social media ban hits 4.7 million teen accounts in first month
* Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley visited Singapore’s Chinatown during the Christmas holidays
* Aaron-Wooi Yik, Pearly-Thinaah storm into quarter-finals in India
* Air India A350 engine damaged after ingesting baggage container
* Jackie Chan says he has recorded a farewell song for release after his death
