Road ban on goods vehicles two days before and after Aidilfitri

KAJANG: Goods vehicles will be banned from roads for four days in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated at a press conference on Monday (March 10) that the ban would be enforced on March 29 and 30, as well as on April 5 and 6. “The purpose of the ban is to prevent...

Trump administration scraps over 80% of USAID programs, top diplomat Rubio says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration has canceled more than 80 percent of all the programs at U.S. Agency for International Development following a six-week review, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday. "The 5200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some...

Putrajaya considers reinstating travel ban for PTPTN loan defaulters

KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya is considering whether to reinstate the overseas travel ban against blacklisted National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan defaulters, says Datuk Mustapha Sakmud (pic). “When the travel ban was previously in place, it had a positive impact on repayment. However, the ban was scrapped,” the deputy higher education minister said during Question Time...

Ailing pope thanks doctors as condition improves

VATICAN City (AFP): Pope Francis, who is responding well to treatment for pneumonia, thanked his doctors and healthcare workers Sunday as he missed delivering a fourth straight Angelus prayer in person. The 88-year-old, in Rome's Gemelli hospital since February 14, issued a written Angelus in which he thanked those who volunteer to help others in need,...

Mpox still a health emergency, says WHO

Mpox remains an international public health emergency, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Feb 27 (2025). This was after the international health agency decided the epidemic still merits the highest level of alert, with cases rising and its geographic spread widening. “The mpox upsurge continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international...

Philippines bans poultry imports from US states amidst bird flu fears

MANILA (Vietnam News/ANN): The Philippines has temporarily banned poultry imports from Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania due to bird flu outbreaks in these US states. It had previously banned poultry imports from Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Maryland, and Missouri. In the latest statement, Secretary of Agriculture Tiu Laurel said the ban covers domestic and wild...

Postpone all non-essential visits to southern Thailand, urges Wisma Putra

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians travelling to or residing in Thailand's southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are urged to exercise caution and to remain vigilant following recent security incidents. The Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Sunday (March 9), also recommended Malaysians to postpone all non-essential visits to the provinces for the time being. As a precautionary measure,...

US court sets Oct 6 trial date for Singaporean man in million-dollar cryptocurrency theft case

SINGAPORE (Bernama): The trial date for Malone Lam, the Singaporean man charged in a US court with stealing and laundering over US$230 million (RM1.015 billlion) in cryptocurrency last year, has been set for October 6, CNA reported. Lam, 20, who is being held in a prison in Virginia, appeared in court in Washington DC on Friday. Assistant US...

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon freed after 52 days in detention

SEOUL (AFP): Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from detention on Saturday after a court voided his arrest on procedural grounds -- but he remains under investigation over his declaration of martial law. The suspended president, who was detained in a dawn raid in January on insurrection charges over his December 3 attempt...

MM2H programme open to applicants from any country, not just Chinese nationals, says Tiong

KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sin has emphasised that the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme is not meant only for Chinese nationals but is open to applicants from any country worldwide. He said that through this programme, foreigners are allowed to apply for residency under different eligibility criteria and those who succeed will receive...