Nation

Penang Hill funicular disruption due to power distribution issue, says PBBPP

GEORGE TOWN: The temporary disruption of the Penang Hill Funicular train service on Friday (Dec 26) was due to a power distribution issue affecting the motor drive, caused by a foreign object.

AseanPlus News

Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Saturday (Dec 27, 2025)

Here's a look at the news highlights from Asean countries in the Star-AseanPlus section for Saturday (Dec 27, 2025).

Football

Soccer-Benin beat Botswana for maiden Africa Cup of Nations finals win

Dec 27 (Reuters) - Yohan Roche scored ‌a deflected winner as Benin claimed a first-ever victory at the ‌Africa Cup of Nations finals with a 1-0 Group D success ‌against Botswana in Rabat on Saturday.

India

Police in India's capital arrest hundreds in security crackdown before before the New Year festivities

Police in Delhi have arrested hundreds of people and seized dozens of arms in a security crackdown before New Year celebrations.

Nation

Suspected explosives found on Nilai bomb maker at time of arrest

SEREMBAN: Police found several objects suspected to be improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on a man arrested in conjunction with an explosion in Desa Palma on Monday (Dec 22).

AseanPlus News

A 40-year-old woman charged over 15kg methamphetamine seizure at Sydney Airport

Australian authorities charged a 40-year-old woman after 15 kilogrammes (kg) of methamphetamine was found in her luggage at Sydney Airport on Friday.

AseanPlus News

The Philippines is ready to shape the future of regular tourism as the Asean chairmanship duty nears

The Philippines is ready to help shape the future of tourism in the region as the Philippine hosting of the 2026 Asean nears, the Department of Tourism said.

Technology

Analysis-Waymo's San Francisco outage raises doubts over robotaxi readiness during crises

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 27 (Reuters) - A widespread power outage ‌in San Francisco that led to Waymo robotaxis stalling and snarling traffic earlier this month has raised concerns about the readiness of autonomous vehicle operators to ‌tackle major emergencies like earthquakes and floods.

Myanmar

Sunday polls bring hopes to Myanmar, junta says on election eve

Myanmar kicks off its three-phase general elections on Sunday, with the government promising it will mark a "turning a new page for Myanmar".

Football

Soccer-Man City go top with 2-1 win at Forest after Cherki heroics

NOTTINGHAM, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Manchester City beat ‌Nottingham Forest 2-1 to move provisionally to the top of the Premier League table ‌after Rayan Cherki grabbed a goal and assist away at The City Ground ‌on Saturday.

Singapore

Year-end clampdown on crime in Singapore sees over 1,700 people investigated, more than 500 arrested

Singapore police conducted over 1,400 operations since November 22, arresting 546 people and investigating 1,771 for various offences. The year-end clampdown on crime is to deter unlawful activities during the festive period.

Other Sports

Alpine skiing-Austrian Scheib claims home win in giant slalom in Semmering

Dec 27 (Reuters) - Austria's Julia Scheib ‌turned a bumpy ride into her third World Cup giant slalom victory ‌of the season on home snow in Semmering on Saturday after leader ‌Alice Robinson crashed out of contention.

Thailand

Thailand's worst incident - The SAO building collapse: causes, accountability and the impact of 2025’s defining tragedy

An investigation into the 28 March 2025 collapse of Bangkok's SAO tower, exploring the human cost, flawed construction, and systemic corruption it exposed.

Indonesia

Indonesian rescuers search for Spanish family after boat sinks near Komodo Island

Indonesian rescuers searched for four members of a Spanish family on Saturday after a tour boat carrying 11 people sank overnight near Padar Island, a popular destination within Komodo National Park.

Laos

Laos provides US$1.93mil to farmers and boosts sustainable rice and vegetable farming

The Laos Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has provided US$1.93 million in funds and support to 85 small-scale rice and vegetable production groups across six provinces.

China

Asia-Pacific rides AI boom to unlock tech-empowered growth, cooperation momentum in 2025

As 2025 draws to a close, the Asia-Pacific region is positioned at the forefront of a global technological revolution, with artificial intelligence (AI) emerging not just as a transformative force.

Thailand

United Nations hopes Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire will pave path to peace

The United Nations said Saturday it hopes the immediate ceasefire agreed on Saturday by Thailand and Cambodia will ultimately lead to confidence-building and peace between the two countries.

Other Sports

Alpine skiing-Austria's Schwarz wins maiden World Cup Super-G in Livigno

Dec 27 (Reuters) - Austria's ‌Marco Schwarz won his first World Cup ‌Super-G on Saturday, sealing his second victory ‌of the season ahead of Switzerland's Alexis Monney and Franjo von Allmen in Livigno.

Arts

Shanghai's elderly waltz back to the past at lunchtime dance halls

Shanghai's lunchtime dance clubs stem from the city's love of ballroom culture dating back to its jazz-age heyday

Japan

'For the safety of our people' - Japan plans record defence budget amid high tensions with China

The Japanese government is responding to weeks of high tensions with China with record spending on national defence.