AseanPlus News

Afghan car trade screeches to a halt due to regional conflicts

SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan: In Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province, a once-thriving business of trading car parts from far-flung places has screeched to a halt due to conflicts at the country's borders.

Indonesia

Drought tightens grip across Indonesia

JAKARTA: More regions across Indonesia are facing worsening water shortages as the El Niño-driven dry season intensifies, with authorities warning that prolonged below-normal rainfall could deepen the crisis in the coming months.

Thailand

Thai police uncover Ayutthaya hideout in flight attendant heroin case

BANGKOK: Police searched an apartment in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district during an afternoon operation on Saturday (July 4, 2026), saying the room had been used as a hideout and packing site for cloth bags allegedly concealing heroin linked to Mina, a Thai flight attendant who arrived at Melbourne Airport on June 25 with over one kilogram of heroin concealed in tote bags.

Myanmar

Myanmar's Shwedagon Pagoda attracts over 3.87 million visitors in H1

YANGON: The Shwedagon Pagoda, also known as the Golden Pagoda in Myanmar, attracted over 3.87 million visitors during the first half of this year, Boe Thin, a member of the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees, told Xinhua on Saturday (July 4).

Japan

Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani celebrated in hometown rice field art

MORIOKA, Japan: Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has reappeared in his hometown in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, as rice field art.

Nation

MetMalaysia issues afternoon thunderstorm warning for multiple states, including Klang Valley

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a weather warning this afternoon, predicting severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds across several states and federal territories until 4.00pm on Sunday 5 July 2026.

South Korea

South Korea to launch fourth next-generation medium-sized satellite

SEOUL: South Korea plans to launch its fourth medium-sized Earth observation satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday (July 7), Yonhap News Agency reported.

Singapore

Biometric passport clearance, more dining options at Singapore's new HarbourFront terminal

SINGAPORE: Travellers heading to nearby islands from HarbourFront will soon be able to skip the queue at the counters and print their own boarding passes at self-service kiosks before getting on a ferry.

Nation

Mohamad Hasan ready to defend Rantau seat in upcoming state polls

SEREMBAN: Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan is prepared to defend the Rantau seat in the Aug 1 Negri Sembilan polls if he gets the mandate from the Barisan Nasional leadership.

Nation

Sultan of Kedah calls for Langkawi to be developed with its own distinct identity

ALOR SETAR: The development of Langkawi Island should be shaped according to its own identity and character, without imitating or comparing itself to other tourist destinations such as Phuket, Thailand, or Bali, Indonesia, the Sultan of Kedah, Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, said.

Nation

Local issues demand state-level solutions: Chua Lee Huat speaks out for Bentayan

BENTAYAN: After serving more than three years as the village chief of Kampung Enam Lorong, Barisan Nasional candidate Chua Lee Huat believes that many issues affecting residents need to be addressed at the state level.

China

China frees jailed pastor Ezra Jin

BEIJING: China has released the founder of an underground church who has been detained since October, his church and family confirmed to AFP on Sunday, after US President Donald Trump raised his case with counterpart Xi Jinping.

Nation

PH candidate predicts 60% voter turnout in Johor State Elections

KULAI: Based on the analysis of previous elections, the upcoming Johor state election will see at least 60% voter turnout, says Pakatan Harapan candidate for Bukit Batu Arthur Chiong Sen Sern.

AseanPlus News

Third Australian state confirms case of deadly H5 avian flu

SYDNEY: The major Australian state of New South Wales confirmed a case of the H5 avian influenza in a wild bird, bringing the total number of cases nationwide to six just two weeks after it was first detected on the mainland.

India

India eyes oil exploration expansion after Middle East conflict shortages

NEW DELHI: Hit by the biggest energy supply shock in decades during the Middle East conflict, import-dependent India is expanding domestic crude exploration, its oil minister says.

Nation

Old trick to link MCA with PAS. It was DAP that worked with PAS in the past, says Chua

LABIS: DAP is once again trying to link MCA with PAS to win Chinese votes, says former MCA president Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

China

Xi says ready to work with Kim for 'stable' China-North Korea ties: KCNA

SEOUL: China's President Xi Jinping said he was ready to work with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to steer their bilateral relationship toward "long-term, sound and stable" development, Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday (July 5).

Entertainment

Singaporean actress Eswari Gunasagar speaks out after AI-generated images of her and man appear online

She was wearing a bikini in that image, even though she has never uploaded pictures of herself wearing one before.

Nation

Anwar joins Layang-Layang residents, PH candidates for breakfast

KLUANG: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim joined hundreds of residents for breakfast in Simpang Renggam on Sunday (July 5), giving Pakatan Harapan's campaign machinery a morale boost on the ninth day of campaigning for the Johor state election.

Cybersecurity

India takes down battery apps after stalled e-rickshaw rides

Indian officials said on July 3 they had taken down two smartphone apps following reports that some e-rickshaws could be remotely shut down, exploiting a security gap in the budget vehicles.