Bangladesh

Dhaki shortage threatens traditional Durga Puja music in Bangladesh

RANGPUR: The beats of the dhak are an integral part of Durga Puja, adding to the festive spirit, especially during arati, the worship ritual. But a shortage of professional dhakis across Rangpur division is threatening this age-old tradition. Many temple committees are struggling to find dhakis, with some buying dhaks and asking their own members to play them.

Nepal

Tourist arrivals in Nepal’s Mustang district plunge 41.5 per cent

MUSTANG: Tourist arrivals in Mustang fell by 41.52 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal year compared with the same period last year, as floods, heavy rainfall and prolonged road closures disrupted access to the Himalayan district.

Pakistan

Pakistan extends ban on Indian aircraft using its airspace until Nov 24

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended its airspace ban for Indian aircraft for another month, until Nov 24, according to a Notice to Airmen (Notam) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA).

Aviation

AirAsia shares drop as Malaysia says it hasn’t agreed to financial aid

AirAsia Group Bhd. tumbled to the lowest in almost four years after Malaysia's leader said the country hasn't agreed to provide financial support to the struggling airline. 

Japan

Japanese protesters rally against Takaichi government's military buildup, constitutional revision

TOKYO: Japanese citizens staged a protest rally in front of the National Diet in Tokyo on Monday evening (Oct 19), opposing the military buildup and constitutional revision drive of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government and calling for the preservation of peace.

India

Indian rappers use music to sound climate alarm

BENGALURU: Aishwarya KUMAR Indian rapper Kali needed little inspiration to write about dwindling water supplies -- he drew on childhood memories of hauling plastic pots full of the precious resource.

South Korea

Experts warn Busan shark Bukang-i may have just two weeks to live

SEOUL: A shark stranded for more than a month in a canal at Busan's North Port may have only two weeks to live, a marine expert has warned.

Brunei

Luminous object lights up Brunei's evening sky

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam (PABD) on Sunday (Oct 18) received dozens of eyewitness reports from across the country regarding the sighting of a prominent high-altitude luminous object traversing the skies over Belait, Tutong, and Brunei-Muara districts between 6.30pm and 6.33pm.

Animals

Hope for rescued pups: Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better struggles to survive

When a few dog lovers started a canine welfare group Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) 18 years ago, little did they know that it would become one of their most difficult challenges in the future.

Cybersecurity

AI tool that hacked Korean banks was used in Japan, GMO says

The hackers who recently infiltrated some of Japan's biggest companies used an AI tool developed in China and linked to a rash of breaches at South Korean banks in September.

Cambodia

Cambodia sees 11% dip in international air passengers year-on-year in Jan.-Sept.

PHNOM PENH: Cambodia's international air passenger traffic dropped 11 per cent year-on-year to 4.55 million during the first nine months of 2026, according to a State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) report released Tuesday (Oct 20).

Nation

Year One girl dies after suffering breathing difficulties in classroom

PETALING JAYA: A Year One girl died after experiencing breathing difficulties in her classroom at a school near Dengkil on Monday (Oct 19)

Corporate News

SD Guthrie denies allegations of causing fires in Indonesia

PETALING JAYA: SD Guthrie Bhd has categorically denied reports alleging that its subsidiaries or employees caused forest and land fires in Indonesia.

Myanmar

Myanmar issues preventive guidelines for El Niño health risks

YANGON: The Ministry of Health has announced that the public can significantly reduce health risks associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon by following simple preventative measures.

Indonesia

Prabowo begins third year with tighter grip on Indonesia as public support slips

JAKARTA: President Prabowo Subianto rose to power two years ago on a landslide victory, riding waves of optimism fueled by promises that the former Army general would accelerate economic growth and deliver social programmes that would improve the lives of ordinary Indonesians.

Philippines

Remulla questions Rimbang’s absence from Duterte-era drug war watchlist

MANILA: Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has questioned why Sultan Edrieza Hadji Nasser Rimbang, described as the alleged "financier of the entire operation" behind a Laos drug shipment, was not included on the drug war watchlist under former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Singapore

Man accused of using hidden device to steal bank card details at Singapore mall

SINGAPORE; A man allegedly used a hidden device equipped with near-field communication (NFC) functions to illegally obtain bank card information from unsuspecting customers at Mustafa Centre.

Nation

Bersatu blames PAS for PN's deregistration

PETALING JAYA: The deregistration of Perikatan Nasional has exposed PAS' failure to comply with the Societies Act 1966 and the coalition's constitution, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Entertainment

Catherine Zeta-Jones recalls her fondest memories of Malaysia: 'The people, the diversity'

In an exclusive interview with The Star, Zeta-Jones talked about being No.1 on the call sheet for her new series 'Kill Jackie', honouring fellow Welsh star Bonnie Tyler and her fondest memories of Malaysia.

China

Beyond fantasy, how Chinese web novels unlock China for Russian readers

MOSCOW: Rows of colourful, carefully crafted editions of contemporary Chinese books line the desk of Maria Rudneva, editor-in-chief of Freedom, an imprint of Russia's leading publishing house, Eksmo.