China opens its first major river-to-sea canal since 1949 as $10.8B shortcut to Southeast Asia

VNExpress - Sep 17, 2026

China opened a major canal on Wednesday that will provide landlocked areas with direct access to the sea, state media said, reducing transport times and costs as the country aims to bolster trade ties with regional neighbors.

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SNAPSHOT | Court stays evidence bid by Rosmah; plea by Papagomo to halt payment rejected
Sep 17, 2026

SNAPSHOT | Court stays evidence bid by Rosmah; plea by Papagomo to halt payment rejected

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N Sembilan govt gazetting change of ruler, says MB
Sep 17, 2026

N Sembilan govt gazetting change of ruler, says MB

UPDATED 2.34PM | Exco instructed state secretary to proceed, Ismail says.

Indonesia’s Prabowo mulls labelling wildfires as ‘ecological terrorism’
Sep 17, 2026

Indonesia’s Prabowo mulls labelling wildfires as ‘ecological terrorism’

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for stricter regulations and sanctions against those who use slash and burn methods to clear land, as the country struggles to contain wildfires that have been raging for weeks. Indonesia is battling its most intense wildfires in 11 years, with “super El Nino” weather parching ‌the country’s forests and fields. The islands of Borneo and Sumatra have been the worst hit, with the hazardous haze causing a spike in respiratory illnesses. Transboundary...

N Sembilan crisis: Customary council says Tuanku Muhriz still ruler, ex-MB, lawyers cry treason
Sep 17, 2026

N Sembilan crisis: Customary council says Tuanku Muhriz still ruler, ex-MB, lawyers cry treason

They note the state exco's earlier backing of the state ruler and an interim court injunction to preserve status quo.

Contests promote AI use in cultural creations
Sep 17, 2026

Contests promote AI use in cultural creations

The online Identity Knowledge quiz offers an interactive way to learn about Việt Nam’s policies, history, culture, heritage, arts, tourism and people.

Casino, not bakery: Philippine e-payment firms urged to improve merchant vetting
Sep 17, 2026

Casino, not bakery: Philippine e-payment firms urged to improve merchant vetting

Electronic payment providers need to be more diligent in vetting companies that use their platforms to protect people from fraud, the Philippine central bank said. The requirement came after Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas found thousands of illegal businesses on the payment platforms, including many online casinos masquerading as more ordinary companies like beauty salons and bakeries. “We want to protect consumers from online fraud, illegal activities and also from money launderers,” Deputy...

HCM City musical performance commemorate COVID-19 victims and support orphans
Sep 17, 2026

HCM City musical performance commemorate COVID-19 victims and support orphans

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic caused profound loss, daily life has returned to normal for most people. But for many children who lost their fathers or mothers, the void left by the loss of a parent remains.

From Hermès bags to $20M penthouse, Singapore sells off its biggest money laundering haul
Sep 17, 2026

From Hermès bags to $20M penthouse, Singapore sells off its biggest money laundering haul

Singapore has opened online bidding on hundreds of luxury handbags and jewelry pieces seized in its largest money laundering case, launching a series of 15 auctions that will run through May 2027.

Australia to ban international students from bringing partners and children
Sep 17, 2026

Australia to ban international students from bringing partners and children

Australia will stop foreign students from bringing their partners and children to accompany them while they study and tighten rules for temporary migrants ​to switch visas, media reported on Thursday, ahead of a minister's ‌speech on immigration changes.

Drums tell tales from history at the Temple of Literature
Sep 17, 2026

Drums tell tales from history at the Temple of Literature

Drums may seem familiar to people but carry a world of stories about culture, history, arts and crafts that are told to audiences at the One Drum, A Single Drumbeat, A Thousand Years of Civilisation programme in Hà Nội.

Unhealthy air quality recorded in 28 areas nationwide
Sep 17, 2026

Unhealthy air quality recorded in 28 areas nationwide

Perak seems to be the hardest-hit state today, with several areas recording in the 180 range.

Đà Nẵng accelerates MICE tourism to boost year-end growth
Sep 17, 2026

Đà Nẵng accelerates MICE tourism to boost year-end growth

The central city aims to welcome and support nearly 93,000 MICE visitors in 2026, up about 12 per cent year on year. To accelerate the market in the final months of the year, the municipal tourism sector is strengthening links with corporations, businesses and event organisers while diversifying tourism promotion activities.

Artistic exchange helps foster Việt Nam-Colombia friendship
Sep 17, 2026

Artistic exchange helps foster Việt Nam-Colombia friendship

Co-organised by the Embassy of Colombia, the Đà Nẵng Department of Foreign Affairs, the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Hội An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Centre, the programme contributed to strengthening cultural exchanges, connecting young people and promoting friendship between the two countries.

Peninsula politicians should learn from Borneo, Anwar says as stony-faced Zahid looks on
Sep 17, 2026

Peninsula politicians should learn from Borneo, Anwar says as stony-faced Zahid looks on

Jabs in Malaysia Day address come amid tensions in Putrajaya.

Đắk R'măng market – where Mong cultural identity is upheld in Central Highlands
Sep 17, 2026

Đắk R'măng market – where Mong cultural identity is upheld in Central Highlands

For the Mông people in Tà Đùng, Đắk R'măng is not merely a weekly rendezvous, but a space preserving memories of their northwestern hometowns and cultural identity in their new land.

Ninh Bình promotes art of stilt walking
Sep 17, 2026

Ninh Bình promotes art of stilt walking

Originally a practical tool that enabled fishermen to move easily across tidal mudflats while harvesting aquatic resources, stilts gradually evolved into a distinctive cultural tradition, reflecting the creativity, diligence and resilience of the region's coastal people.

SNAPSHOT | Cops take Hadi's statement over alleged US offer to help overthrow govt
Sep 17, 2026

SNAPSHOT | Cops take Hadi's statement over alleged US offer to help overthrow govt

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Tourists seek out riverine landscapes, discover a different Đồng Tháp
Sep 17, 2026

Tourists seek out riverine landscapes, discover a different Đồng Tháp

From winding canals and lush orchards to traditional villages and wetland ecosystems, Đồng Tháp is drawing increasing numbers of visitors with tourism experiences that bring them closer to nature, local life and the province’s rich cultural heritage.

Foreign students in South Korea hit record 500,000 as culture boom drives demand
Sep 17, 2026

Foreign students in South Korea hit record 500,000 as culture boom drives demand

The number of foreigners entering South Korea for study and training surpassed a record 500,000 in 2025, marking more than a sixfold increase since 2021, driven by the global expansion of Korean pop culture.

PM announces RM1.5b for Sarawak, BudiDiesel perks, RM500 flight aid for students
Sep 17, 2026

PM announces RM1.5b for Sarawak, BudiDiesel perks, RM500 flight aid for students

This comes amid friction with Umno, Borneo support needed for stability.

YOURSAY | Pardons Board should stop hiding behind the King
Sep 17, 2026

YOURSAY | Pardons Board should stop hiding behind the King

'If you can't say, just say you can't.'

YOURSAY | Pardons Board should stop hiding behind Agong
Sep 17, 2026

YOURSAY | Pardons Board should stop hiding behind Agong

'If you can't say, just say you can't.'

Hanoi rainfall exceeds 150 mm overnight, causing widespread flooding
Sep 17, 2026

Hanoi rainfall exceeds 150 mm overnight, causing widespread flooding

Rainfall exceeding 150 mm in several parts of Hanoi from Wednesday night to Thursday morning has caused widespread flooding, with some schools switching to online classes.

Widespread flooding disrupts traffic, business in Hanoi after heavy rain overnight
Sep 17, 2026

Widespread flooding disrupts traffic, business in Hanoi after heavy rain overnight

Rainfall exceeding 150 mm in several parts of Hanoi from Wednesday night to Thursday morning has caused widespread flooding that paralyzed traffic and forced shop closures.

Widespread flooding disrupts traffic, business in Hanoi after heavy rain overnight
Sep 17, 2026

Widespread flooding disrupts traffic, business in Hanoi after heavy rain overnight

Rainfall exceeding 150 mm in several parts of Hanoi from Wednesday night to Thursday morning caused widespread flooding, paralyzing traffic and forcing businesses and schools to close.

Health crisis grips Indonesians enduring haze: ‘my eyes sting, my head hurts’
Sep 16, 2026

Health crisis grips Indonesians enduring haze: ‘my eyes sting, my head hurts’

Struggling to breathe through the acrid haze emanating from wildfires on Indonesia’s Borneo Island, residents said on Wednesday they feared for their health but had little to do but wait out the foul-smelling hazard. Indonesia, which shares Borneo with Malaysia and Brunei, is grappling with forest fires that have ravaged swathes of the island, partly caused by the El Nino climate phenomenon that has also affected other countries in Southeast Asia and beyond. In Pontianak, the capital of West...

China marks breakthrough on railway linking Central Asia to Europe
Sep 16, 2026

China marks breakthrough on railway linking Central Asia to Europe

China has completed drilling a key tunnel on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which will create a shorter trade route to Europe and bypass Russia.

Vietnamese student wins two physics awards at once at world's No. 1 university
Sep 16, 2026

Vietnamese student wins two physics awards at once at world's No. 1 university

Tran Quang Vinh, an International Physics Olympiad gold medalist, was the only student to win two of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology physics department's academic awards this year.

Which Southeast Asian country has the world's highest paid leader?
Sep 16, 2026

Which Southeast Asian country has the world's highest paid leader?

This leader earns about US$1.7 million a year, more than four times what the U.S. president makes.

Southeast Asian city ranks as world's most welcoming
Sep 16, 2026

Southeast Asian city ranks as world's most welcoming

Singapore has been ranked the world’s most welcoming city for travelers, ahead of London and Sydney, in a global study by travel eSIM provider Holafly.

Ex-N Sembilan MB backs Tuanku Muhriz as lawmakers question legitimacy of exco statement
Sep 16, 2026

Ex-N Sembilan MB backs Tuanku Muhriz as lawmakers question legitimacy of exco statement

Aminuddin calls for solidarity, urges rakyat to defend sovereignty of the constitutional monarchy.

Thai king and queen visit Hanoi university that hosts Thai language, culture center
Sep 16, 2026

Thai king and queen visit Hanoi university that hosts Thai language, culture center

Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Queen Suthida visited Hanoi University, meeting its staff and students on Wednesday.

Malaysia to invite Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing for Rohingya repatriation talks
Sep 16, 2026

Malaysia to invite Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing for Rohingya repatriation talks

Malaysia will formally invite Myanmar leader Minh Aung Hlaing to visit Kuala Lumpur to discuss efforts to repatriate nearly 200,000 refugees from the war-torn nation that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says have placed a heavy social and economic burden on his country. Refugees from Myanmar, particularly ethnic Rohingya, have faced worsening hostility in recent months in Malaysia, where they are accused of causing social problems and taking over small local businesses in areas where they have set...

Rembau undang: Exco cannot override N Sembilan constitution, DKU ruling on Tuanku Muhriz
Sep 16, 2026

Rembau undang: Exco cannot override N Sembilan constitution, DKU ruling on Tuanku Muhriz

UPDATED 9.37PM | Hassan says fundamental requirements were not fulfilled, rendering April 19 proclamation invalid.

Singapore's top university destroys tumors with magnetic pulses, no chemo needed
Sep 16, 2026

Singapore's top university destroys tumors with magnetic pulses, no chemo needed

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have used brief pulses of a weak magnetic field to eliminate breast tumors in 75% of the mice they tested, without any chemotherapy.

How wildfires are threatening Indonesia’s economy and carbon market
Sep 16, 2026

How wildfires are threatening Indonesia’s economy and carbon market

Forest and peatland fires raging across Indonesia are threatening to become more than an environmental emergency, with analysts warning that the thickening haze could weigh on economic activity, strain public health and test confidence in the nation’s fledgling carbon market. Indonesia is no stranger to forest and peat fires, but this year’s super El Nino has helped make it the country’s most intense wildfire season in 11 years. Toxic haze and smoke have also drifted to neighbouring countries...

SNAPSHOT | CJ: Unjust to keep crime suspects under remand for years before trial
Sep 16, 2026

SNAPSHOT | CJ: Unjust to keep crime suspects under remand for years before trial

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Bringing Hà Nội's heritage spaces to life
Sep 16, 2026

Bringing Hà Nội's heritage spaces to life

Hà Nội is buzzing with colour and festive energy as the second Thăng Long - Hà Nội Festival gets underway, bringing a wide range of activities to heritage sites across the capital.

Experts highlight cinema's role in developing heritage resources
Sep 16, 2026

Experts highlight cinema's role in developing heritage resources

Experts at the seminar, titled 'Cinema and Heritage – From Nurturing Talent to Developing Creative Industries', proposed the links between heritage, creative talent, film production and the development of creative industries.

N Sembilan exco says Tuanku Muhriz removal valid, recognises Tuanku Nadzaruddin as ruler
Sep 16, 2026

N Sembilan exco says Tuanku Muhriz removal valid, recognises Tuanku Nadzaruddin as ruler

Exco says MB's signature on Aug 3 completed the proclamation.

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