Rescuers race in search for survivors after last week's floods in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand
Read full article: Rescuers race in search for survivors after last week's floods in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and ThailandRescue teams are racing to reach communities isolated by last weekโs catastrophic floods and landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand as over 900 people remained missing.
Deadly Asian floods are no fluke. Theyโre a climate warning, scientists say
Read full article: Deadly Asian floods are no fluke. Theyโre a climate warning, scientists saySoutheast Asia has been hit by unusually severe floods this year, with late storms killing more than 1,400 people and leaving hundreds missing across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
President Trump returns to '60 Minutes' for first time after settling lawsuit against newsmagazine
Read full article: President Trump returns to '60 Minutes' for first time after settling lawsuit against newsmagazinePresident Donald Trump is returning to โ60 Minutesโ for an interview for the first time after settling a lawsuit this summer over the newsmagazine's interview with rival Kamala Harris.
Hegseth orders the military to detail dozens of attorneys to the Justice Department, AP learns
Read full article: Hegseth orders the military to detail dozens of attorneys to the Justice Department, AP learnsDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the military to provide dozens of lawyers to the Justice Department for temporary assignments in Memphis and near the U.S.-Mexico border that could run through next fall.
Australia's Albanese discusses US minerals deal, jet incident with China's Premier Li
Read full article: Australia's Albanese discusses US minerals deal, jet incident with China's Premier LiAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he has discussed Australiaโs critical-minerals deal with the United States during a โpositiveโ meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
Indians stretch, breathe and balance to mark International Day of Yoga
Read full article: Indians stretch, breathe and balance to mark International Day of YogaThousands of people across India stretched themselves in public parks and on sandy beaches to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga by practising the ancient physical, mental and spiritual discipline.
Chinaโs leader Xi Jinping holds talks in Cambodia to wrap up his 3-nation Southeast Asia tour
Read full article: Chinaโs leader Xi Jinping holds talks in Cambodia to wrap up his 3-nation Southeast Asia tourChinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Cambodia for a two-day state visit that serves as an opportunity to further strengthen already robust relations.
A Texas robotics company gets approval to search for MH370 in a new part of the Indian Ocean
Read full article: A Texas robotics company gets approval to search for MH370 in a new part of the Indian OceanMalaysiaโs government has given final approval for a Texas-based marine robotics company to renew the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean more than a decade ago.
Malaysia beefs up search for Indian tourist who fell into sinkhole a week ago
Read full article: Malaysia beefs up search for Indian tourist who fell into sinkhole a week agoThe search for an Indian tourist who was swallowed by a sinkhole in Malaysiaโs capital has entered a seventh day, with the operation hampered by strong undercurrent flows and worries about soil instability after a second sinkhole emerged nearby.
Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines flights disrupted by pressurization problems
Read full article: Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines flights disrupted by pressurization problemsA Korean Air flight to Taiwan was forced to return to Incheon airport west of Seoul after a sudden depressurization on the plane, a Boeing 737 Max 8.
Indonesia's rescue of Rohingya refugees at sea is a reminder of an ordeal that began in Myanmar
Read full article: Indonesia's rescue of Rohingya refugees at sea is a reminder of an ordeal that began in MyanmarA dramatic story of survival and rescue off Indonesiaโs west coast is a reminder of the plight of ethnic Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar who make extremely dangerous voyages across the Indian Ocean to seek better lives.
Coldplay concert in Malaysia can be stopped by organizers if the band misbehaves, government says
Read full article: Coldplay concert in Malaysia can be stopped by organizers if the band misbehaves, government saysA Malaysian minister said organizers of a Coldplay concert are able to stop Wednesday's show if the British rock band misbehaves.
Celine Boutier wins LPGA Malaysia after epic nine-hole playoff
Read full article: Celine Boutier wins LPGA Malaysia after epic nine-hole playoffIn fading light and with another thunderstorm approaching, Celine Boutier made a birdie on the ninth playoff hole to defeat Atthaya Thitikul and win the Maybank Championship on the LPGA Tour.
American Rose Zhang shoots 7-under 65 to take the third-round lead at the LPGA Malaysia tournament
Read full article: American Rose Zhang shoots 7-under 65 to take the third-round lead at the LPGA Malaysia tournamentRose Zhang birdied the 18th hole for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Maybank Championship on the LPGA Tour.
Malaysia will cut subsidies and tax luxury goods as it unveils a 2024 budget narrowing the deficit
Read full article: Malaysia will cut subsidies and tax luxury goods as it unveils a 2024 budget narrowing the deficitMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says subsidies will be progressively cut and new taxes launched next year as part of the 2024 federal budget.
Indonesia denies its fires are causing blankets of haze in neighboring Malaysia
Read full article: Indonesia denies its fires are causing blankets of haze in neighboring MalaysiaIndonesia has denied that forest and peat fires on Sumatra and Borneo islands are causing the haze in neighboring Malaysia.
Small plane crashes on a Malaysian highway, killing all 8 people on board and 2 on the ground
Read full article: Small plane crashes on a Malaysian highway, killing all 8 people on board and 2 on the groundA small aircraft has lost control and crashed on a highway in Malaysiaโs central Selangor state, killing all eight people on board and two on the ground.
Malaysia ex-PM Muhyiddin charged with corruption, laundering
Read full article: Malaysia ex-PM Muhyiddin charged with corruption, launderingFormer Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been charged with corruption and money laundering, making him Malaysiaโs second ex-leader to be indicted after leaving office.
Malaysia landslide death toll rises to 24, 9 more missing
Read full article: Malaysia landslide death toll rises to 24, 9 more missingRescuers in Malaysia have found the bodies of a woman and two children, raising the death toll from a landslide on an unlicensed campground to 24 with nine others still missing.
Pacific rim economies in doldrums, sapped by inflation, war
Read full article: Pacific rim economies in doldrums, sapped by inflation, warEconomies in the Asia-Pacific are forecast to hit the doldrums this year as decades-high inflation and the war in Ukraine add to uncertainty and the aftereffects of the pandemic.
Developing nations seek to overcome energy, currency crises
Read full article: Developing nations seek to overcome energy, currency crisesBusiness leaders and officials from eight developing nations meeting in Bangladesh say more cooperation is needed among them to overcome dwindling foreign currency reserves, a growing energy crisis and supply chain disruptions.
Malaysia: Disney refused to cut gay scenes in 'Lightyear'
Read full article: Malaysia: Disney refused to cut gay scenes in 'Lightyear'Malaysiaโs film censors say it was Disneyโs decision to ax the animated film โLightyearโ from the countryโs cinemas after refusing to cut scenes promoting homosexuality.
US officials heading to Solomons over China pact worries
Read full article: US officials heading to Solomons over China pact worriesThe U.S. is sending two top officials to the Solomon Islands following a visit by an Australian senator over concerns that China could establish a military presence in the South Pacific island nation.
AirAsia renamed Capital A to show it's more than an airline
Read full article: AirAsia renamed Capital A to show it's more than an airlineMalaysiaโs AirAsia Group has changed the name of its listed holding company to Capital A to reflect the diversity of its business portfolio as it seeks to grow its non-airline revenue.
Boat with 120 Rohingya refugees disembarks in Indonesia port
Read full article: Boat with 120 Rohingya refugees disembarks in Indonesia portA group of 120 Rohingya Muslims has disembarked from a boat that drifted for days off Indonesiaโs northernmost province of Aceh and was towed by a navy ship into port.
Report: Chinese hackers targeted Southeast Asian nations
Read full article: Report: Chinese hackers targeted Southeast Asian nationsA U.S.-based private cybersecurity company says it has uncovered evidence Chinese hackers, likely state-sponsored, have been broadly targeting government and private-sector organizations across Southeast Asia, including those closely involved with Beijing on infrastructure development projects.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/K622LAYL5VB4DCCQM55O7UHI6U.jpg)
Malaysia plans windfall tax for rich companies in new budget
Read full article: Malaysia plans windfall tax for rich companies in new budgetMalaysiaโs government has proposed record spending for 2022 to bolster post-pandemic economic recovery, with various industrial incentives and cash handouts for the poor and windfall taxes for high-income companies.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/JSILQPPOL5F47LTSSN5LP32E6E.jpg)
Indonesia warily weighs holiday travel with virus concerns
Read full article: Indonesia warily weighs holiday travel with virus concernsIndonesians are looking ahead warily toward the holiday travel season, anxious for crucial tourist spending but worried an influx of visitors could spread the coronavirus just as its pandemic situation seems to be subsiding.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/4JEXPXFFS5GFRCYWP22W6VKDXM.jpg)
Malaysian king picks ex-deputy PM as nation's new leader
Read full article: Malaysian king picks ex-deputy PM as nation's new leaderMalaysiaโs longest-governing political party has reclaimed the premiership it lost in a shock 2018 election defeat, after the king named its candidate, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, as the countryโs new leader.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/ZJTZCMPTQBCKFFXPA2X4YTV4W4.jpg)
Malaysia's Parliament opens after 7 months, emergency to end
Read full article: Malaysia's Parliament opens after 7 months, emergency to endMalaysiaโs government says it will not extend a coronavirus emergency further as Parliament reopened after a disputed seven-month suspension amid a worsening pandemic.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/VYTPRCQHTFFNHPV7NX4N7O6OFU.jpg)
Malaysia imposes near-total lockdown after virus cases soar
Read full article: Malaysia imposes near-total lockdown after virus cases soarMalaysiaโs prime minister says a near-total coronavirus lockdown will be imposed in the country, with social and economic activities to be halted for two weeks to contain a worsening outbreak.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/7R24WSF6IRH5NHYGDYNJKCP4UM.jpg)
Resorts World Las Vegas gets regulatory OK to open June 24
Read full article: Resorts World Las Vegas gets regulatory OK to open June 24The Malaysia-based owner of Resorts World Las Vegas now has regulatory approval to deal cards, roll dice and welcome gamblers when it opens June 24 on the Las Vegas Strip.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/DOOO3Y7KXNAZLIWVESNHV74XZE.jpg)
Malaysia's 1MDB, former unit file suits to recover $23 bln
Read full article: Malaysia's 1MDB, former unit file suits to recover $23 blnMalaysiaโs finance ministry says the sovereign wealth fund 1MDB and a former subsidiary have filed 22 lawsuits to recover assets worth over $23 billion from various institutions and individuals.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/SLMV2SCU3ZDYBMJVSFYLHTSUNQ.jpg)
Top Glove hopes to resolve U.S. seizure of its rubber gloves
Read full article: Top Glove hopes to resolve U.S. seizure of its rubber glovesMalaysian rubber maker Top Glove says it hopes to swiftly resolve a U.S. ban on its products due to allegations of forced labor after one of its shipments was seized at a U.S. port.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/XDN4D6QS7JG2BHMDCRCQJDOODE.jpg)
'Don't worry, come forward': Asian nations get 1st shots
Read full article: 'Don't worry, come forward': Asian nations get 1st shots(Malaysia Health Ministry via AP)Many nations in the Asia-Pacific region are rolling out the first shots for COVID-19 this week. AUSTRALIATwo elderly people have been administered with higher-than-prescribed doses of the Pfizer vaccine, Australiaโs health minister said Wednesday. Thai officials have said they had secured an additional deal with AstraZeneca for a total of 61 million doses. More than half a million health care and front-line workers will be given priority in the first phase. CHINAChinese regulators are looking at two more potential COVID-19 vaccines, one from state-owned company Sinopharm and another from a private company, CanSino.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/XPAM5UUSRJCBRA7BFP74YGMZNA.jpg)
The Latest: Kentucky urges Black citizens to get vaccinated
Read full article: The Latest: Kentucky urges Black citizens to get vaccinatedJim Thurman counts himself among the converts who recognize the importance of taking a COVID-19 vaccine. AdHealth authorities say first-generation COVID-19 vaccines still protect against variants of the virus that are emerging in different parts of the world. AdIn a separate announcement, Moderna also said it plans to manufacture 700 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine globally this year, up from 600 million. Bosnia, a country of 3.3 million, expects 1.2 million vaccines through COVAX. On Wednesday, Ghana has become the first country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/TBUIL47VIJGAZAZZKOUWLSG3YQ.jpg)
Concern among Muslims over halal status of COVID-19 vaccine
Read full article: Concern among Muslims over halal status of COVID-19 vaccineWhile the diplomats were there to finalize deals to ensure millions of doses reached Indonesian citizens, the clerics had a much different concern: Whether the COVID-19 vaccine was permissible for use under Islamic law. Spokespeople for Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have said that pork products are not part of their COVID-19 vaccines. In Indonesia, the government has already said it will include the Muslim clerical body in the COVID-19 vaccine procurement and certification process. โPublic communication regarding the halal status, price, quality and distribution must be well-prepared,โ Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in October. The government has announced several COVID-19 vaccine procurement deals with the company totaling millions of doses.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/XWLNFDFNFJBDTHZSVTRUTO2QZM.jpg)
Correction: Virus Outbreak-The Latest story
Read full article: Correction: Virus Outbreak-The Latest storyPosters on precautions against the coronavirus are displayed at a subway station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020. The signs on posters read "Precautions against the coronavirus and please wear a mask." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)In a story Nov. 25, 2020, about a new U.S. estimate of missed coronavirus infections, The Associated Press erroneously reported an earlier calculation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previously, the CDC estimated nine of every 10 cases were being missed, not one of every 10.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/NWZL6F23XVHLHC5JVTQI7A63DE.jpg)
Virus outbreak delays production at world's top glove maker
Read full article: Virus outbreak delays production at world's top glove makerMalaysia's Top Glove Corp., the world's largest rubber glove maker, said Tuesday it expects a delay in deliveries after it was hit by a coronavirus outbreak that affected thousands of workers. The government on Monday ordered 28 Top Glove factories in Klang to shut down in stages to allow workers to undergo screening and mandatory quarantine after 2,453 factory workers tested positive for COVID-19. Top Glove says it produces about 90 billion rubber gloves a year, about one quarter of the world's supply, and exports to 195 countries. Top Glove reportedly has about 13,000 workers at its 28 factories in Klang. It employs a total of 21,000 workers in its 41 factories in Malaysia and six others in Thailand, Vietnam and China.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/73YVDK5BBBCIJEX6JDA4KQTLFE.jpg)
Malaysia group teaches refugee women how to read and write
Read full article: Malaysia group teaches refugee women how to read and writeRefugee women in Malaysia, some in their late 50s, are learning to read and write for the first time. The students are refugee women in Malaysia, some in their late 50s, who for the first time are learning how to read and write, both in Malay and English. Like Zaleha, many refugee women in Malaysia have picked up the local tongue, but without knowing how to read or write, they are mostly confined to familiar surroundings. For most refugee women, education is often viewed as a low priority, Arissa said. โIt was very essential for us to not pitch the refugee women as a charity, where they are constantly requiring external aid," Arissa said.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/UD6E3S7ID5CKLL76MN7XYIP3FM.jpg)
The Latest: Hawaii imposes new COVID-19 travel restrictions
Read full article: The Latest: Hawaii imposes new COVID-19 travel restrictionsThere were 1,225 new confirmed COVID-19 cases increasing the state total to 60,873. ___WASHINGTON -- Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech will seek emergency government approval for their coronavirus vaccine, as the U.S. aims to begin administering doses by the end of the year. ___LOUISVILLE, Kentucky โ Kentucky reported a new daily record of 3,649 coronavirus cases Thursday amid warnings by Gov. He and public health experts are warily watching the number of patients hospitalized with the COVID-19 disease caused by the coronavirus. ___WASHINGTON โ Infection disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says he โwants to settleโ concerns about a coronavirus vaccine as he returns to the White House podium for the first time in months.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/VQYK6UX3XBFLFM7DQV52CLYSUM.jpg)
Xi: China will avoid decoupling amid tension with US, Europe
Read full article: Xi: China will avoid decoupling amid tension with US, EuropeXi rejected suggestions Beijing might respond to U.S. sanctions on its fledgling technology companies by trying to separate their industries from global trading partners. โWe will never go back in history by seeking to decouple or forming a โsmall circle' to keep others out," Xi said. Thursday's event came ahead of a meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders hosted by Malaysia. The Trump administration has cut off Chinese tech giant Huaweiโs access to most U.S. components and technology on security grounds. Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said free and open trade and investment, regional economic integration, as well as economic and technical cooperation must remain APEC's priorities moving forward.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/HHHPBBOADBDKFESYKL4EYS6HWI.jpg)
Asia Today: Virus arrives in once-clear Marshall Islands
Read full article: Asia Today: Virus arrives in once-clear Marshall IslandsMalaysia extended restricted movements in its biggest city Kuala Lumpur, neighboring Selangor state and the administrative capital of Putrajaya from Wednesday in an attempt to curb a sharp rise in coronavirus cases. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)WELLINGTON โ The Marshall Islands has reported its first cases of the coronavirus after two people who flew from Hawaii to a U.S. military base tested positive. The small Pacific nation had been among the last places in the world to have no reported cases of the virus. Home to about 78,000 people, the Marshall Islands maintains close military and civilian ties with the U.S. under a compact of free association. โ Australia has sought to prevent new coronavirus cases from reaching its shores by banning most of its residents from leaving in the first place.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/WS7U7RHLJRFJ5LFPROIUGDZWAU.jpg)
Malaysia's king rejects PM's proposal to declare emergency
Read full article: Malaysia's king rejects PM's proposal to declare emergencyMalaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah waves as he leaves National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. National Palace statement says Malay rulers has decided not to accede to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's request to declare a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/WS7U7RHLJRFJ5LFPROIUGDZWAU.jpg)
Malaysia's king rejects PM's proposal to declare emergency
Read full article: Malaysia's king rejects PM's proposal to declare emergencyMalaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah waves as he leaves National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. National Palace statement says Malay rulers has decided not to accede to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's request to declare a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)KUALA LUMPUR โ Malaysia's king on Sunday rejected a proposal by embattled Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to declare a state of emergency to fight a new outbreak of the coronavirus. The king can declare a state of emergency that allows the country to be governed through ordinances that cannot be challenged in court. Some media outlets have cited sources as saying that Muhyiddin wanted an โeconomic emergencyโ to merely suspend Parliament, without any curfew.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/4CVBKS7ZKRA3RA6KL6NFOH5L3M.jpg)
The Latest: UN chief urges G20 to unite on coronavirus fight
Read full article: The Latest: UN chief urges G20 to unite on coronavirus fightThe Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Division of Emergency Management will provide more medical personnel and equipment this week. The move comes during the same week that El Paso County reported 3,750 new coronavirus infections, including 1,161 on Thursday. The announcement came Thursday as the state reported 932 newly confirmed coronavirus cases. Wednesday marked another record day for daily confirmed cases, with 827, and state health officials reported an additional 669 cases Thursday. Florida reported more than 5,500 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, raising the seven-day average in daily reported cases to about 3,300.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/ZF7BO7KLS5CS7BRNFSKXJFJFDU.jpg)
Asia Today: Melbourne ready to ease rules with 1 new case
Read full article: Asia Today: Melbourne ready to ease rules with 1 new case(AP Photo/Vincent Thian)MELBOURNE โ Australiaโs Victoria state has reported just one new case of COVID-19 and no deaths as the city of Melbourne moves closer towards the easing of some lifestyle restrictions. Melbourne residents are expecting COVID-19 restrictions to be eased on Sunday but it is unclear how much freedom will be regained. In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:โ Qingdao, a coastal city in eastern China, has completed coronavirus testing for its 11 million residents following an outbreak and found no new infections so far. โ India reported 62,212 new cases in the past 24 hours, raising its total to more than 7.4 million and continuing a downward trend. Health officials have warned about the potential for the virus to spread during the religious festival season beginning later this month.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/BLQGH3M6LFHH5AJIKMQDEBESO4.jpg)
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar plans new government
Read full article: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar plans new governmentMalaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim gestures as he leaves after a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. Anwar said he has secured a majority in parliament to form a new government that is strong, stable and formidable." (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Rat-eating macaques could boost palm oil sustainability in Malaysia
Read full article: Rat-eating macaques could boost palm oil sustainability in MalaysiaPENANG, Malaysia - Monkeys in Malaysia have been found to eat rats in such great quantities they could replace chemical pest control on palm oil plantations. Palm oil has been much maligned for its role in driving deforestation, and researchers believe macaques could enhance palm oil sustainability by reducing rat populations. Malaysia produces 30% of the global supply of palm oil, a versatile and cheap vegetable oil used in many foodstuffs as well as consumer products like shampoo. Concerns over the impact of palm oil saw major UK supermarket chain Iceland announce that it would stop using the ingredient in its own brand products in 2018. A November 2016 report from rights group Amnesty International claimed labor abuses were rife on Indonesian palm oil plantations.

South Africa seizes almost 800 pounds of lion bones
Read full article: South Africa seizes almost 800 pounds of lion bonesPixabay(CNN) - Nearly 800 pounds of lion bones bound for Malaysia were seized at South Africa's main airport, a spokesman for the environment ministry told CNN on Friday. "When the shipment was inspected, 12 boxes of lion bones wrapped in aluminum foil and weighing 342 kg were discovered," the statement said. Lion bones are used for traditional medicines in Asia, according to the international wildlife charity Born Free Foundation. More than 6,000 lion skeletons were exported from South Africa to countries in Asia in the last decade, according to scientists studying the trade. Between 6,000 and 8,000 lions are bred and held in lion farms in South Africa, although more lions than that are in the wild in the country.

Thick smog from Indonesian forest fires reaches hazardous levels
Read full article: Thick smog from Indonesian forest fires reaches hazardous levelsHe added that "99% of the forest and land fires occurred due to human factors." Singapore and Malaysia have both choked in a dense haze all week as a result of the fires, with air quality reaching unhealthy levels. Schools in parts of Indonesia's smog-hit Sumatra and Borneo islands have also shut, with air quality considered "hazardous" to health in several areas. Hazardous levels of pollutionDuring Jokowi's visit to Pelalawan, air pollution exceeded 300 micrograms per cubic meter -- levels considered hazardous on the Air Quality Index (AQI), according to the country's Antara news agency. The unusually high AQI levels in the region have been linked to smoke from the Indonesian fires, according to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC).

Body found in Malaysia in search for missing London teen
Read full article: Body found in Malaysia in search for missing London teen(CNN) - A body has been found in the search for missing teenager Nora Quoirin in Malaysia, according to a charity that has been assisting the girl's family. It added that an investigation was underway to confirm whether the body is the 15-year-old, who disappeared from a remote resort in Malaysia more than a week ago while on holiday with her family. Search teams had been scouring the rainforest surrounding the Dunsun resort since Quoirin, who has a learning disability, was found to be missing from her bedroom on Sunday, Aug. 4. Quoirin, whose mother is from Belfast and whose father is French, was traveling on an Irish passport during the trip. The resort, where the family was staying, is in a remote area 800 feet above sea level in the Titiwangsa mountain range.

Malaysia fights climate crisis with better buildings
Read full article: Malaysia fights climate crisis with better buildingsArchitects have to take into account a year-round tropical climate in addition to the effect of carbon emissions from their projects. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The world is heating up, making us rethink not just how we live but where we live and work too. Architects have to take into account a year-round tropical climate in addition to the effect of carbon emissions from their projects. In colder climates, architects and builders focus on insulating the roof to keep heat inside and lower fuel consumption. In Malaysia, they're trying to do the reverse encourage more heat to flow out through the roof.

Air pollution in Malaysia forces 400 school closures
Read full article: Air pollution in Malaysia forces 400 school closuresMark Thompson /Allsport(CNN) - More than 400 schools in Malaysia have closed this week after air pollution caused vomiting in dozens of students, authorities said. Since Monday, 104 children have fallen ill in the southern state of Johor because of the pollution, according to local officials. Azlina said two of her three daughters had to be pulled from school due to this week's pollution, amid reports of students collapsing and vomiting. "I rushed to my 10-year-old daughter's school and was so worried about her because she has chronic asthma," she said. CNN's Joshua Berlinger contributed to this reportThe-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company.

:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/BH5UJEGVZNCB5NGUJXXSJXWVEE.jpg)
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/MMA24IBEX5E7DFNPZHNMH57WNU.jpg)
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/57TA5LFY5VCUXLTMPJBZDEX5LY.jpg)
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/LSHGOSK7CJHT5PXO4E7XEZZXLY.jpg)
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/CYFVQ5PAWBFK5GYQ7PS7VCXREE.jpg)