AseanPlus News

Global South rises as new force in reshaping world governance

The year 2025 witnessed the rise of the Global South as one of the most significant forces reshaping international politics and economics, as developing nations push for a fairer, more representative global governance system.

Sabah & Sarawak

Drop in number of flood victims in Terengganu, situation in Sarawak improving

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood victims in Terengganu is reported to have increased slightly as of 5pm Monday (Dec 15), while the situation in Sarawak is reported to be improving.

China

European firms need to abandon overreliance on China and US, chamber report warns

European Union Chamber of Commerce in China urges companies to "eliminate single-source dependencies"

Other Sports

Italy's Juventus: a history of triumphs, tragedy and scandal

Dec 15 (Reuters) - Italy's Agnelli family said at the weekend that it has no intention of selling Juventus to crypto group Tether or anyone else, rejecting Tether's shock offer for Italy's most successful soccer club.Following are key dates in the history of Juventus.1897: The club is formed by a group of high school students in the northern Italian city of Turin. The name "Juventus" comes from the Latin for youth.1905: The club wins the Italian league for the first time.1923: Edoardo Agnelli, son of the founder of the Fiat motor company, becomes club president. The Agnellis have retained control of the club until the present day.1930-35: Juventus win the Italian league five times in a row.1958: Juventus clinch the Italian title for the 10th time.1977: Juventus lift the UEFA Cup, their first European trophy.1985: Thirty-nine Juventus supporters are killed when a wall collapses in Belgium's Heysel stadium after a charge by Liverpool fans before the European Cup final. The game goes ahead and Juventus win 1-0 to claim the trophy, the forerunner to the Champions League, for the first time.1996: Juventus win the Champions League by defeating Ajax Amsterdam on penalties.2006: Juventus are relegated to second-tier Serie B and stripped of two league titles they had just won, for their part in the "Calciopoli" match-fixing scandal.2007: Promoted back to Serie A at first attempt despite a nine-point penalty.2011: The club moves into its new stadium in Turin.2018: Cristiano Ronaldo signs from Real Madrid for a figure of some 100 million euros, a club record.2020: Juventus win the Italian league for the ninth time in a row and 36th time overall.2021: Italian finance police search club offices in Milan and Turin, seeking documents relating to player trading between 2019 and 2021.September 2022: Juventus report a record annual loss of 254 million euros in the 2021-22 financial year.October 2022: Juventus deny wrongdoing after prosecutors probing allegations of false accounting and market manipulation completed an investigation into the club's financial statements.November 2022: Club Chairman Andrea Agnelli and the board resign as the club tackles its financial and legal troubles.May 2023: Juventus agree to pay a fine of 718,000 euros and accept a 10-point deduction in Serie A in a settlement with Italy's soccer authorities over payments to players and the club's accounts.July 2023: Juventus are given a one-year ban from European competition over breaches of UEFA's Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play rules.February 2025: Tether discloses it has built an initial 5% stake in Juventus.November 2025: Juventus raise almost 98 million euros in a share placement backed by the Agnelli family's Exor holding and Tether, which has increased its stake to over 10%.Sources:, Reuters reporting. 

World

Indonesia president expects flood-stricken Sumatra to return to normal in 2-3 months as death toll exceeds 1,000

JAKARTA, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto said on Monday that activities in areas on Sumatra that were hit by deadly floods may return to normal in the next two to three months, after a disaster that claimed more than 1,000 lives.

Viewpoints

Big Smile, No Teeth: You don’t need classes in how to use AI

When a technology is developing as fast as AI, formal lessons in its use don't't make much sense.

Fashion

Why quiet luxury bezel rings appeal to brides-to-be, Taylor Swift included

Quiet, elegant, and surprisingly versatile, bezel-set engagement rings are winning over brides-to-be, with Taylor Swift among those inspiring the trend.

Life Inspired

Actress Melissa Campbell unwraps festive joy, motherhood and the art of reinvention

Melissa Campbell reflects on a year of growth shaped by motherhood, memory and the quiet magic of Christmas.

Rugby

Rugby-Lower tackle height to be trialled at Under-20 worlds

LONDON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - After a successful trial in community rugby, a lower "sternum tackle height" is to be introduced into the elite game for the first time at next year's World Under-20 championships in Georgia, World Rugby said on Monday.

Nation

Floods: Over 4,400 Armed Forces personnel on standby for relief efforts, says Khaled

KUALA LUMPUR: The Armed Forces have made extensive preparations this year to ensure readiness in responding to flood disasters, including mobilising thousands of personnel and a wide range of assets across all three service branches, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

AseanPlus News

Hong Kong inferno exposes regulatory silos, lax oversight: who is accountable?

Industry insiders also ask whether housing authorities should have played bigger role in supervising renovation at Wang Fuk Court.

Football

Soccer-Toluca sink Tigres 9-8 on penalties to win Mexico's Apertura title

Dec 15 (Reuters) - Toluca won their second straight Mexican league title after beating Tigres UANL 9-8 in a penalty shootout on Sunday, after the two-legged Apertura tournament final ended 2-2 on aggregate.

Corporate News

Poh Kong's 1Q FY26 net profit rises to RM39.6mil on strong gold prices

KUALA LUMPUR: Poh Kong Holdings Bhd's net profit for the first quarter of the financial year 2026, ended Oct 31, 2025 (1Q FY2026), increased to RM39.61 million from RM21.34 million in the same quarter last year.

Sabah & Sarawak

Pulau Bum-Bum bridge: decades-old promise raised again in Sabah Assembly

KOTA KINABALU: The long-delayed Pulau Bum-Bum bridge was raised again in the Sabah State Assembly, with Warisan's Datuk Jaujan Sambakong urging the state government to revive the long-stalled project.

Japan

China and Russia must be on guard to stop Japan causing trouble, Chinese ex-diplomat warns

Wu Hailong tells forum that Tokyo 'has never truly reflected on or repented its crimes of aggression' during World War II

Other Sports

Olympics-Mariah Carey to feature in Milano Cortina Games opening ceremony

PARIS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - American pop superstar Mariah Carey will be the first major music act in the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, organisers said in a statement on Monday.

Other Sports

Chess-FIDE reinstates Russian and Belarusian teams in official contests

PARIS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has voted to allow teams from Russia and Belarus to return to official competitions and fully restored the rights of youth players from both countries, while postponing a final decision on the use of national flags and anthems in adult team events.

Technology

Exclusive-Tesla board made $3 billion via stock awards that dwarfed tech peers

Dec 15 (Reuters) - Tesla's board of directors has earned more than $3 billion through stock awards that far exceeded the value of those given to peers at the biggest U.S. technology firms at the time they were paid, according to an analysis performed for Reuters by compensation and governance specialist Equilar.

Corporate News

Pasukhas unit bags RM63.6mil data centre construction job

KUALA LUMPUR: Pasukhas Group Bhd's wholly-owned subsidiary Midtown Engineering Sdn Bhd has secured a RM63.6mil contract from a leading multinational technology corporation in the US for the construction of a data centre in Johor Bahru.

Boxing

Boxing-‘Saviour’ Joshua to pummel Paul for the good of the sport

MEXICO CITY, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Anthony Joshua says boxing needs saving — and he is happy to play the hero — as the former heavyweight champion prepares to face YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami on December 19.