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 tea drinkers cause massive power surges in the UK?

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-England's Ashes hopes hanging by a thread as Australia press for victory in Adelaide

ADELAIDE, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Nearly four years of Ashes planning was left in smouldering ruins on Thursday as England buckled under the heat and the pressure at Adelaide Oval to lurch towards a series-deciding defeat in the third test against Australia.

Sabah & Sarawak

Chinese university alumni clarify UEC recognition after MARA chairman’s remarks

SIBU: Three alumni associations representing leading Chinese universities have issued a joint statement to clarify the recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) in university admissions in China, following comments by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

AI

China’s Qwen and DeepSeek edge out US AI models in Christian values benchmark

US start-up Gloo's Flourishing AI Christian benchmark tested how the output of AI models 'help people flourish', CEO Pat Gelsinger said.

Nation

Man hacked to death in Klang

PETALING JAYA: A 34-year-old man was hacked to death during a fight in Taman Sentosa, Klang, on Wednesday (Dec 17) night.

Living

Providing early intervention and therapy for kids with special needs in the US

Kindering, a non-profit organisation in Seattle, provides early intervention and therapy for children with special needs.

Wellness

More treatment options for shoulder issues

There are a number of new treatments available for more advanced problems with this important joint.

Technology

Fermi denies report that Amazon was prospective tenant in stalled project

Dec 17 (Reuters) - Data center real estate investment company Fermi  on Wednesday denied a report that said Amazon was a prospective tenant and that it withdrew funding from the company's project.

Nation

Border Control calls for police expertise to curb smuggling at entry points

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) requires the expertise of the police to tackle challenges at the country's entry points, particularly the smuggling of contraband, says Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain.

Economy

Australia dollar suffers with stocks, kiwi underwhelmed by GDP

SYDNEY: The Australian dollar was on the defensive on Thursday as losses in global equity markets sapped risk sentiment, while its New Zealand counterpart struggled to find any comfort in an upside surprise for economic growth at home.

Nation

Johor Immigration detains 356 undocumented foreigners in Tebrau factory raid

JOHOR BARU: A total of 356 undocumented foreign nationals were detained by the Immigration Department during a raid on a computer component factory in the Tebrau industrial area here.

Commodities

Oil prices jump on Trump's Venezuela blockade

BEIJING: Oil prices were up nearly a dollar in Asian trade on Thursday after President Donald Trump announced a blockade on tankers entering and leaving Venezuela and most exports from the country remained on hold.

Technology

OpenAI discussed raising tens of billions at about $750 billion valuation, the Information reports

Dec 17 (Reuters) - OpenAI has held preliminary talks with some investors about raising funds at a valuation of around $750 billion, the Information reported on Wednesday.

Technology

Apple opens iPhone to alternative app stores in Japan

(Corrects first paragraph to reflect that the changes apply only to iPhones, not other Apple devices)

Technology

Amazon, Walmart shareholder pushes firms to report impact of Trump's immigration policies

NEW YORK, Dec 18 - A union-aligned investment group sent letters to Amazon, Walmart and Alphabet on Wednesday, asking how U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policies were impacting their finances and supply chains, according to the documents seen by Reuters.