Joining ASEAN in October, Timur -Lestes economy is poised for take off The issue of Timor-Leste joining ASEAN has become the highlight during ASEAN Summit and Foreign Ministers meeting this year. During a recent visit to Malaysia, Timor-Leste President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jos Ramos-Horta reaffirmed his confidence that the country will officially become an ASEAN member in October this year. He is also optimistic that Timor-Leste will achieve significant economic growth in the next two ..

No camera, just a prompt: South Korean AI video creators are taking over social media SEOUL: Create a video of a young Korean girl playing at a beach. From the way the girl cautiously steps into the water to the sunlight glimmering on the ocean surface, it was remarkable how much detail the video managed to capture from such a simple prompt. This prompt-based AI video also features realistic sound effects, such as crashing waves and the gentle splash of water with each step she takes. Amid ..

ASEAN must build self-reliance in public health following the U.S. withdrawal of foreign aid With the US government shutting door on unconditional foreign aid, Southeast Asian countries are bearing the brunt, facing a crisis of slashed healthcare budgets and stalled public health programmes. Countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam are seeing disruptions in vaccinations, infectious disease control (such as tuberculosis and AIDS), maternal-child healthcare, rural ..

More students in Singapore juggle studying and working to support their families SINGAPORE: Throughout her three years in polytechnic, 21-year-old Amillie Chan spent every evening after class serving customers and preparing food at Mexican-themed fast food chain Guzman y Gomez. Miss Chan, who graduated in May from Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) with a diploma in food and beverage business, worked up to five hours a day on weekdays and 12 hours a day on weekendsall while studying full-time. While ..

Grandpas, grandmas join children in coloring contest KUCHING: This is a coloring contest for children and grandparents alike. The womens wing of Sarawak Hopoh Association organized a coloring contest for both children and senior citizens at Wisma Saberkas on July 13. The contest encouraged children to explore colors and apply their creativity while senior citizens enjoyed time spent on coloring to keep their minds active and prevent dementia, according to a post on the Facebook of the ..

Rock-climbing couple scale heights in wedding attire to mark new journey in life KANGAR: A rock-climbing couple has decided to include the adventures into their wedding photos to symbolise their love as life partners at Bukit Keteri in Perlis. The photos of Low Teck Kuan, 31, in a dark suit and Celine Ong Sher Lyn, 26, in a white wedding gown in climbing harness, against a backdrop of limestone mountain, clear blue sky and green paddy field were unconventional wedding portraits with ..

Six more senior Buddhist monks suspected of having relationships with femme fatale BANGKOK : The so-called femme fatale targeting senior Buddhist monks may have claimed six more victims as investigations into the Phitsanulok monastic chief and five additional monks are underway. The monks are suspected of having intimate relationships with a woman known as Golf, who allegedly lured them into sexual encounters and blackmailed them afterward. A source from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) ..

ECRL may extend another 32km to be connected to Thailand, says Loke BENTONG: Transport Ministry has plans to extend the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) by 32 km from Kota Bharu to Rantau Panjang in Kelantan so that it can be connected to Thailand, says Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook. The plan will be submitted to the Cabinet next year. The cost is estimated to be more than RM2 billion. Transport Ministry hopes to connect ECRL to Thailand. It will be a setback not to connect it to Thailand where ..

Two SPM top scorers offered matriculation programme after being rejected twice PETALING JAYA: Two SPM top-scorers of 9A+ are on cloud nine for receiving offers to take up matriculation programmes despite being rejected twice. Wang Yu Ze and Hiew Kai Xuan from SMK St David, Melaka received offers to study at a college in Pahang. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong posted the good news on his Facebook page on July 12. Congratulations! I am happy for both of them, he wrote. Dr Wee received ..

Malaysian Chinese will only make up 14.8 % of national population by 2060 PETALING JAYA: The sharp decline of Chinese in Malaysia is a growing concern that the Chinese will make up only 21.1% of national population by 2030. However, 35 years later, the population ratio drops further to 14.8% by 2060 according to Population Projections 2020 -2060 released by the Department of Statistics on July 11. In contrast, the population of Bumiputra is projected to rise from 71.8% in 2030 to 79.4% in 2060. ..

China prosecutes 21 key members of telecom fraud group operating in Myanmar According to China's public security authorities, the criminal group is suspected of involvement in activities that led to the deaths of six Chinese citizens. It is found to be linked to over 31,000 telecom fraud cases, with fraud-related funds exceeding 10.6 billion yuan ($1.48 billion). The group is also found to have been involved in the production and trafficking of approximately 11 tonnes of drugs. Since 2015, the ..

First harvest of AI-driven urban farming at Grandview condo in Penang PENANG: An AI-driven urban farming project carried out by the Persiaran Gurney Village Community Management Council at Grandview Condominium here has begun harvesting its first batch of fresh greens. The 3,000 square feet (279 square metre) of land produced 230kgs of greens in 25 days. Led by Tan Chen Tat, chairman of the Persiaran Gurney Village Community Management Council, 17 people spent 90 minutes to plant the seedlings ..

A 29-day feat on vintage motorcycle Malaysian biker fulfils dream to reach Laos-China border from Thailand KOTA BHARU: Malaysian biker Chin Voon Chuen fulfils his wish of riding a 63-year-old Italian-made Vespa to Boten, a Laos- China border town in 29 days. The completion of 5,321km journey on the vintage motorcycle was the best birthday gift for Chin, 39, from Mantin, Negeri Sembilan. Also known as Mr Half Glass on Facebook, Chin took the challenge of riding from Malaysia to Thailand where he ..

Sex predators target the very young, sharp rise of sexual abuse cases since 2022 PETALING JAYA:It began as harmless chats on social media. Anna (not her real name) started chatting on social media with a man only known as Kay. He said he was a globetrotter who was constantly travelling and had lots of friends and instagrammable lifestyle. And the 15 year-old Anna almost got raped by the man, who turned out to be twice her age. Recounting the incident, Annas mother, who only wanted to be known ..

25% on Japan and Malaysia, 40% on Laos: US President Trumps tariff letters to Asia add pressure for deals by Aug 1 WASHINGTON/TAIPEI/KUALA LUMPUR :The politely-worded letters arrived in waves, laying out the consequences for Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and others for failing to strike a deal in time to ward off the elevated tariffs unilaterally announced by President Donald Trump in early April and then paused until July 9. Mr Trump began with his East Asian allies, ..

Better incentives vital to retain nurses in face of critical shortage in Malaysia PETALING JAYA : Better incentives, including flexible working hours, are vital to retain nurses in the face of a critical shortage, particularly in Malaysias public healthcare sector. Malayan Nurses Union president Saaidah Athman said the average starting salary for nurses is around RM1,800, with new recruits placed under the Employees Provident Fund scheme instead of the civil service pension scheme. Meanwhile, ..

Expanded SST: Malaysian consumers warned against dishonest traders **PETALING JAYA** : The expanded Sales and Service tax (SST) may have a limited short- term effect on inflation, and to prevent dishonest traders from profiteering, economists say Malaysians play a crucial role in curbing unnecessary price hikes. They advise consumers to be vigilant when shopping and avoid buying products from dishonest traders. Economist Geoffrey Williams said consumers must be tough on companies that exploit ..

Food critic cum writer Chua Lam laid to rest in Singapore SINGAPORE: The urn keeping ashes of Chua Lam, a famous food critic popularly regarded as Hong Kongs four talents, has arrived in Singapore. His family would be conducting a prayer on an auspicious day and the urn would be placed in a columbarium here. Chua Lams niece confirmed the arrival with Shin Min Daily News. She did not reveal the location of the columbarium according to Chua Lams wish to avoid disturbing the temple and the public. ..

ByRie Hayashi / The Japan News / Asia News Network Japanese retirees invigorate their post-work lives by making their community debuts ByRie Hayashi / The Japan News / Asia News Network TOKYO : This is said to be the era of the 100-year lifespan, when people live for a long time after they retire from work. And if you have a lot of years to live, wont you want to make them fulfilling? Once your office no longer provides you with a place to belong, why not find a new one in your local community? ..

AI-driven human trafficking scams from Southeast Asia spreading globally **BANGKOK : **Online scam centres driven by human trafficking have become a global threat in the digital age. The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has revealed a recent crime trend, stating that human trafficking-fueled scam centres have rapidly expanded their networks from Southeast Asia to new areas in West Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and worldwide in recent years. In its March 2025 ..

Universiti Malaya student group calls for disclosure of figures on direct intake and protect interest of STPM students KUALA LUMPUR: University of Malaya Association of New Youth (UMANY), a Universiti Malaya (UM) student group, is urging the university to disclose admission figures through open channel called SATU which has sidelined the enrolment chances of STPM students. In a statement, the UMANY said according to the data released, a total of 337 students were admitted to the dentistry ..

ByMichelle Ng / The Straits Times / Asia News Network Dalai Lama says only his organisation can name his successor; Beijing pushes back ByMichelle Ng / The Straits Times / Asia News Network BEIJINGThe Dalai Lama said only his organisation can recognise his reincarnation, a statement that Beijing has swiftly rejected amid a renewed tussle over who has the right to appoint the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, asitinsists that any successor must be approved by the Chinese government. In a ..

Brace for price hikes across the board, Malaysian consumers told **PETALING JAYA** : Consumers should brace themselves for a gradual increase in prices of goods following the implementation of the new electricity tariffs effective July 1, say business groups. This is because manufacturers and those in the affected sectors may not be able to absorb higher costs and would likely pass on to consumers. SME Association of Malaysia president Chin Chee Seong said it is too early to gauge the overall ..

Inbound tourism fuels land price surge across Japan **TOKYO** : Strong demand from inbound tourism has significantly driven up land prices in tourist destinations nationwide, a trend extending to areas around the 2025 Osaka- Kansai Expo. According to an announcement by the National Tax Agency on Tuesday, land prices rose year-on-year in 35 prefectures, and the national average increased for the fourth consecutive year. A 55-year-old Belgian tourist was seen smiling as she looked at a sarubobo ..

Many Malaysians using less electricity as new tariffs loom **PETALING JAYA**: Many consumers are taking steps to manage their electricity bills with the implementation of the new tariff structure by the government. For example, many homeowners are considering having solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed on their roofs, while others are looking at the Time of Use scheme, which offers lower rates during off-peak hours, now defined as starting from 10pm to 2pm on weekdays, and the entire day ..

ByNo Kyung-min / The Korea Herald / Asia News Network South Korea overtakes US in cosmetics exports, trailing only France ByNo Kyung-min / The Korea Herald / Asia News Network **SEOUL** : South Koreas cosmetics exports have climbed to second place globally, surpassing those of the United States for the first time this year and now trailing industry powerhouse France, data showed Monday. According to the Korea International Trade Association, Korea exported RM15.14 billion ($3.61 billion) worth ..

Stateless Vietnamese girl overcomes language barrier passing STPM with flying colours IPOH: Born in Vietnam and only learning Chinese and Malay after moving to Malaysia 10-year-old, Nguyen Tran Thao An, now known as Ng Zi Qing, has overcome language and cultural challenges to score a CGPA of 3.67 in the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM). Zi Qing, 19, a student from SMK Jalan Tasek in Ipoh, left her familiar hometown in Vietnam at age 10 to start a new life in Malaysia with her parents, ..

More than 200 senior citizens have fun learning AI Age is not a barrier when it comes to learning artificial intelligence (AI). A total of 230 participants aged between 40 and 87 attended the Have fun learning AI workshop at the Perak Hainan Association on Sunday. Five of the participants are over 80-year-old and 36 of them exceed 70-year-old where they spent two hours to learn how to use AI tools ChatGPT and Deepseek to look for information from checking out delicious dim sum outlets to ..

MCA to decide its direction at annual general assembly in November after compiling resolutions from divisions MUAR: MCA will decide its party direction at the coming annual general assembly in November after compiling resolutions from all divisions, says MCA Secretary-General Datuk Chong Sin Woon. The resolutions compiled from MCA divisions would be analysed in-depth, he said. The secretariat has compiled up to 90% of resolutions from the divisions. Analysis will be carried out once resolutions ..

Chua Lam is the beacon in my life, says Apple Vacations Malaysia co-founder Lee San PETALING JAYA: Apple Vacations founder Lee Ee Hoe, also known as Leesan, describes Chua Lam as the beacon in his life. Lee was introduced to Chua Lam by a colleague at Chuas 70th birthday in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 18, 2011. Chua Lam arrived at Kuala Lumpur to promote a brand on his birthday where he had a grand dinner that night. I was one of the guests at his birthday dinner, Lee said. They later became friends ..

One of Hong Kongs four greatest talents Chua Lam dies at 83 Hong Kong : Chua Lam, renowned food critic and a prolific writer, popularly known as Chai Lan, has passed away on June 25. Surrounded by family and friends, the famous cultural icon in the Chinese-speaking world passed away peacefully at Hong Kong Sanaterium & Hospital. The death was announced by his assistant Yang Ao on Weibo on Friday. No ceremonies and his body has been cremated as he wishes to avoid disturbing others. We would like ..

I love you, bot: When AI becomes your closest companion BALI: It was only a two-month relationship. She checked in regularly, offered thoughtful replies and sometimes tossed in a flirty remark, all from a chat screen. Mateo (not his real name), 32 and newly single, wasnt looking for love. He was just curious about Replika, one of the many AI chatbots out there promising companionship. So he gave it a try. I limit my time with her, only once a week to chat, he says, clarifying that this isnt ..

PETALING JAYA: Parti Hati Rakyat, a new national party, will be launched on Friday. Frederick Ng, the secretary of Parti Hati Rakyat, confirms that a press conference will be held to announce the launch of the new party on Friday. Ng, former president of Direct Selling Association of Malaysia, said it is a multi-racial party where the central committee is made up of Chinese, Malays and Indians . The 13 central committee members are new in politics and they are without political background, he ..

The journey behind A confusing path to higher education While helping to write one of the articles in the A confusing path to higher education series, I interviewed several friends from my hometown. We had sat for the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) in the same classroom, but after Form Five, we made different choices and took diverging paths in life. Some were successfully admitted into matriculation programmes, taking the fast track to public universities through government-sponsored ..

SEOUL: In South Korea, being famous has never been more accessible, and at the same time, financially unstable. With the explosion of streaming, YouTube, and social media, public visibility is easier to achieve than ever before. But as the platforms have multiplied, so have misconceptions about what it actually means to be a full-time celebrity, influencer or digital creator. While the term celebrity once referred to established TV personalities and chart-topping singers, it now applies just as ..

Lucky survivor under STPM system recounts her journey to local university KUALA LUMPUR: A law student shares her path of becoming a Universiti Malaya student with STPM results, describing herself as a lucky survivor under the system. Bo Chi Chian, also known as Bobo, made a video recounting her path on her Facebook page following a frontpage report by _Sin Chew Daily_ on the extremely low number of Chinese students who have managed to enter Universiti Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia ..

90 per cent of medical expenses covered in prenatal insurance claim following appeal PETALING JAYA: An accountant receives RM208, 331.04 in insurance claims to cover medical expenses of her child following her appeal in a prenatal insurance dispute. The sum is approximately 90 per cent of medical expenses of the original claim, said Ng Kian Nam, a lawyer acting for the accountant, Chin Pou Xiang. This additional payout covers crucial surgical costs for Chins child, specifically procedures ..

Primary school boy invents affordable and practical dual-powered fan with only RM20 PENANG: While many assume innovation requires deep pockets, complex technology, or a large team, a student at SJKC Han Chiang has proven otherwisewith just RM20 and a brilliant idea. Alexander Chow Yong Haan has created a small fan called Solar Breeze Power Duo, powered by both solar energy and a rechargeable battery, designed to reduce the heat trapped inside cars on sweltering days. It cost me less than RM20, ..

ByYoon Min-sik / The Korea Herald / Asia News Network Whistleblower wins compensation in #MeToo case against senior Buddhist monk in Seoul ByYoon Min- sik / The Korea Herald / Asia News Network SEOUL: A Seoul court awarded a woman who exposed years of sexual harassment by a high-ranking Buddhist monk and was subjected to disadvantages in personnel decisions afterward, RM956,660 (309.5 million won) in compensation. The Seoul Northern District Court ruled in favor of the victim in a lawsuit ..

PETALING JAYA :The countrys first death due to Covid-19 of this year has been recorded. The Health Ministry said that the death occurred during Epidemiological Week 24 (June 8-15). The individual had serious comorbidities, which were heart disease and diabetes, with the deceased also not taking the second booster vaccine shot, it said in a statement on Thursday (June 19). The ministry added that this was a drastic drop compared to the 57 deaths last year. The last Covid-19 related death was ..