A cornucopia of bargains is lighting up booking sites for Thailand, where five-star luxury hotel rooms are going for huge discounts during the peak holiday season – the unplanned spin-off from the Iran war which threatens to hit international tourist arrivals at a crucial time of the year.
At the same time, the surge in diesel costs caused by the choking of the Strait of Hormuz has forced many Thais to pause or scrap domestic travel plans, fearing such expenses will continue to rise during the…
Iran crisis bites into Malaysia’s supply chain as Anwar cuts fuel subsidy quota
Four weeks into the US-Israeli war on Iran, the crisis is beginning to bite in Malaysia, where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has cut the monthly quota for subsidised petrol and food manufacturers are warning that surging diesel costs could force them to close or raise prices.
The move reflects how a distant geopolitical shock is beginning to feed directly into Malaysia’s fuel bill, food supply chain and inflation outlook, analysts note.
In a special televised address on Thursday, Anwar said the…
MEPs back EU-US trade deal – with conditions attached
Conditions that MEPs seek to build into a prospective trade deal between the EU and US are designed to reduce European business’ exposure to geopolitical risks, according to an expert in international trade.
Bangladesh recovers 24 bodies after bus plunges into river
Rescue teams including navy divers in Bangladesh have recovered 24 bodies from a bus that plunged into a river at a ferry crossing, officials said on Thursday.
The bus sank into the deep waters of the Padma river in Goalanda on Wednesday, about 65km (40 miles) west of the capital Dhaka. It had around 50 passengers on board, many of whom managed to escape.
A fire service report said that 24 bodies, including those of five children, had been recovered by midday on Thursday.
Some were pulled out by…
Couple sentenced to 1 year in prison for having sex at Malaysian cemetery
A man and woman caught engaging in a sexual act at the Batu Gantung Chinese Cemetery in Penang, Malaysia, have each been jailed for a year.
M. Jegathesan, 58, and Halila Abu Bakar, 37, pleaded guilty to committing the offence when the charges were read to them at the Magistrates’ Court in George Town at about 8.30am on Thursday.
Magistrate Nadratun Naim Mohd Saidi sentenced both of them to 12 months’ imprisonment under Section 377D of the Penal Code for gross indecency in a public place.
In…
UK construction late payment and retention plans demonstrate ‘hardened stance’ by government
UK government plans to crack down on late payments and ban withholding of retentions in the construction sector demonstrate its “hardened stance”, an expert has said.
Sri Lanka’s refusal to host US warplanes before Iran war risks trade backlash
Two days before the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran, Washington asked Sri Lanka to let two armed warplanes use an airport on its southern coast.
Colombo said no, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently revealed – a decision analysts said reflected the Indian Ocean island nation’s desire to avoid being drawn into a foreign conflict from which it had “nothing to gain”.
The request, made on February 26, reportedly sought to relocate two aircraft from a US base in…
Man extradited from Singapore to New Zealand faces rape, home invasion charges
A Chinese national accused of raping and strangling a woman during a violent home invasion appeared in a New Zealand court on Wednesday to face charges, seven months after he was extradited from Singapore.
Zhang Xuesong reportedly fled to China following the alleged March 2024 Auckland break-in, complicating efforts to arrest him as no extradition treaty exists between the two countries.
The 41-year-old subsequently visited Singapore, where he was returned to New Zealand last September.
Zhang,…
UK automotive decarbonisation must not mean deindustrialisation
The UK initiative that encourages a move away from petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles to zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) is working – but the cost of complying with the ZEV mandate is too high and unsustainable in the long-term. That was the clear message delivered by the UK automotive industry at the SMMT Electrified 2026 event in London earlier this month.
Japan PM mocked as ‘Trump sycophant’ after giggling at Biden’s autopen portrait
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is facing accusations of diplomatic sycophancy after White House footage showed her giggling at a portrait of an autopen – placed by US President Donald Trump in the spot reserved for his predecessor Joe Biden – during summit talks last week.
The clip, posted on the official White House website, shows Takaichi pointing at the framed picture, then laughing and covering her mouth.
It was filmed on the “Presidential Walk of Fame”, a gallery unveiled by Trump…