Singapore

Expect heavy traffic at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints during upcoming festive holidays

SINGAPORE: Those travelling to Malaysia during the upcoming holidays in December should expect longer waiting times at both the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.

Nation

Immigration Dept nabs 46 Bangladeshi men in Nilai

SEREMBAN: The Immigration Department has detained 46 illegal immigrants for various immigration-related offences during an operation at a factory in Nilai on Wednesday (Dec 17) night.

Nation

Hearing of Shafie's contempt case set for Feb 3, influencer fined RM300

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal's contempt of court case relating to the ongoing Zara Qairina Mahathir inquest will be heard on Feb 3.

Cybersecurity

Google sues Chinese ‘Darcula’ group over alleged phishing scheme

Alphabet Inc's Google filed a lawsuit against alleged Chinese cybercriminals, accusing the group of orchestrating a vast phishing campaign designed to dupe Americans into turning over their credit card numbers. 

Europe

8 Swiss cities with interesting Christmas markets to check out

Switzerland's Christmas markets can put even the grumpiest person in a cheerful spirit.

AseanPlus News

Australia PM vows to stamp out hatred as nation mourns youngest Bondi Beach victim

SYDNEY: Australia's prime minister vowed to stamp out extremism Thursday (Dec 18) as the nation mourned the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach shooting, a 10-year-old girl remembered as "our little ray of sunshine".

Banking

CIMB commits to developing tokenised financial services

KUALA LUMPUR: CIMB Group Holdings Bhd says it is committed to develop tokenised financial services spanning tokenised assets, tokenised settlement and next-generation payment rails, supporting Malaysia's national agenda to broaden adoption of tokenisation across the financial ecosystem.

True Or Not

QuickCheck: Did JPJ issue an 'EE' vehicle registration series?

VEHICLE owners are quick to pounce on special registration index series introduced by the Road Transport Department (JPJ), often bidding huge sums to get one of these plates.

Cricket

Cricket-India rule white ball amid geopolitical issues and S Africa lift WTC mace

NEW DELHI, Dec 18 (Reuters) - India owned white-ball cricket while South Africa shed their 'bridesmaids' tag but the spectre of geopolitics loomed large over the game in a tumultuous 2025.

Markets

Tech jitters dent stocks before central banks take centre stage

SYDNEY: Asian shares fell on Thursday as the tech sector took a beating on renewed angst about AI spending, while investors braced for a wave of central bank meetings set to underscore policy divergence worldwide.

Cricket

Cricket-Australia board chief condemns DRS 'clanger' in Ashes test

ADELAIDE, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg has criticised the operator of the Snicko technology used in the Decision Review System (DRS) after an error cost England a vital wicket on day one of the third Ashes test at Adelaide Oval.

Cambodia

Passengers travelling to Cambodia via Thailand complain of tighter restrictions at Bangkok airports

PHNOM PENH: The Cambodian embassy in France has noted restrictions placed on air passengers transiting through Thailand en route to Cambodia, with Thai immigration authorities "harassing" passengers with unusual questions, wasting their time.

Nation

T'ganu seeks emergency federal funds to repair collapsed road

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu government, through the state Public Works Department (JKR), has requested emergency funds from Putrajaya to repair the collapsed Aring 8-Kenyir-Kuala Jeneris road near the Sungai Deka Elephant Conservation Centre in Hulu Terengganu.

AseanPlus News

Thai victim of scalding case to sue South Korean husband

SEOUL: A Thai woman whose South Korean husband poured boiling water on her face while she was sleeping is preparing to file a civil lawsuit seeking damages, the Thai Embassy in South Korea told The Korea Herald on Thursday (Dec 18).

Entertainment

Shinee’s Key apologises over illegal medical treatment controversy

Key's agency SM Entertainment said he was introduced to the woman, dubbed the 'injection aunt' and identified only as Lee, through an acquaintance.

Nation

New chief justice vows to be unwavering guardian of judicial independence

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's judiciary has turned a historic page with the appointment of Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the 17th Chief Justice of the Federal Court.

True Or Not

QuickCheck: Do TV ad breaks cause massive power surges thanks to UK tea drinkers?

THE BRITISH love affair with tea is legendary, with millions of cups brewed daily across the United Kingdom in a ritual as quintessentially British as queuing and apologising unnecessarily.

World

Bolivia president removes fuel subsidies

LA PAZ, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, who took office last month, on Wednesday said his government would remove long-standing fuel subsidies in a bid to shore up public accounts.

Thailand

China sends special envoy to Thailand and Cambodia again to mediate border clash

China's special envoy for Asian affairs to visit Cambodia and Thailand again to mediate the ongoing clashes at the Thai-Cambodian border.

Cricket

Cricket-Australia bowled out for 371 in first innings of third Ashes test

ADELAIDE, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Australia were dismissed for 371 in the first innings early on day two of the third Ashes test at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.