Nation

Go after smugglers instead of private liquor collectors, Tiong tells Customs Dept

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has urged the Royal Malaysian Customs Department to focus on fighting liquor smuggling rather than targeting Malaysians who keep private collections at home.

Banking

Alliance Bank maintains growth trajectory in 1QFY26

KUALA LUMPUR: Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd's strong first-quarter results were driven by a significant increase in non-interest income as well as growth in interest income as loans momentum continued to gain pace.

India

Trump's 50% tariffs on India take effect, among the highest in the world

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump imposed a crushing 50% tariff on some Indian goods - the highest in Asia - to punish the country for buying Russian oil, upending a decades-long push by Washington to forge closer ties with New Delhi.

Laos

Laos to trial online immigration form for foreign arrivals

VIENTIANE: The Ministry of Public Security will launch a trial of its new online arrival registration system on Monday (Sept 1), marking a shift away from the traditional paper-based immigration forms for foreign passport holders.

Nation

Six Laotian crewmen detained over drug abuse

MERSING: Six Laotian crewmen on a fishing boat have been detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for testing positive for drugs.

Nation

Taiping 'black dust' culprit to be charged soon, says DOE

IPOH: The party believed to be behind the "black dust" incident in Tekkah, Taiping, is expected to be charged soon, says the Environment Department (DOE).

Banking

Hong Leong Bank ends FY25 with higher net profit of RM4.27bil, declares 68c div/share

KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Bank Bhd wrapped a strong financial year, underpinned by net interest income growth and a wider net interest margin (NIM), as well as a surge in non-interest income.

Markets

Bursa Malaysia edges higher at midday on bargain hunting

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia remained in positive territory at midday, lifted by bargain hunting in consumer products, financial and utilities heavyweights following yesterday's sell-off, a dealer said.

Football

Soccer-Pulisic returns to US squad as McKennie misses out for S.Korea, Japan friendlies

(Reuters) -Christian Pulisic has been named in the U.S. squad for the friendly matches against South Korea and Japan after skipping the CONCACAF Gold Cup, but Weston McKennie has been omitted from coach Mauricio Pochettino's 22-player roster.

Nation

Few medical officers opt for Sabah, Sarawak despite over 1,000 vacancies

KUALA LUMPUR: Only 22 medical officers have chosen placements in Sabah and Sarawak despite there being over 1,000 vacancies in the East Malaysian states, says Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.

Entertainment

Taylor Swift’s engagement ring estimated to be worth RM2.3mil or more

"(Travis) Kelce worked with Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry to design the ring," Vogue reported.

AI

OpenAI plans to update ChatGPT after parents sue over teen’s suicide

OpenAI is making changes to its popular chatbot following a lawsuit alleging that a teenager who died by suicide this spring relied on ChatGPT as a coach.

Living

Father-son duo keeps ancient Japanese food tsukudani tradition alive

The ancient Japanese food tsukudani is preserved food invented long before the advent of modern refrigeration, dating back to the samurai Edo Era more than 200 years ago.

Brunei

Fixed deposit campaign encourages Bruneians to save

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Baiduri Bank has launched the 'Big dreams grow with smart savings', a fixed deposit campaign aimed at encouraging Bruneians to take a more proactive approach to saving.

Nation

Shop assistant pleads guilty to raping underage girl

SEREMBAN: An 18-year-old shop assistant pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court here to a charge of raping his 14-year-old girlfriend.

Nation

Melaka honours first Queen’s Guide at Girl Guides centenary

MELAKA: The state's first-ever Queen's Guide, Tan Kate Lin, has been honoured at a special ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the Girl Guides movement in Melaka.

Nation

Anwar hosts luncheon for Sultan of Brunei

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday (Aug 27) hosted an official luncheon in honour of the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his delegation at Seri Perdana.

Nation

Clinic digitalisation now possible in three days with CCMS, says Lukanisman

KUALA LUMPUR: A clinic can now be digitalised within three days using the Cloud-Based Clinic Management System (CCMS), says Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sani.

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City begins campaign to prevent dengue fever, chikungunya

HO CHI MINH CITY: Ho Chi Minh City launched a campaign on Tuesday (Aug 26) to eliminate mosquitoes and prevent their transmission of dengue fever and chikungunya and the Zika virus.

Nation

Lorry driver jailed six years for sexual assault of stepdaughter

SEREMBAN: A lorry driver has been sentenced to six years in jail after he pleaded guilty to the physical sexual assault of his 12-year-old stepdaughter.