Malaysia

China's coast guard can now fire on rivals' vessels

New Coast Guard Law authorises navy to demolish other countries' structures built on reefs and islands claimed by China and to seize or use weapons against foreign vessels illegally entering its territorial waters.

WWF: California-sized forest area lost to deforestation

Commercial agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation globally, particularly large-scale farming, with forested areas cleared for livestock grazing and crop cultivation.

Malaysia imposes state of emergency for first time in over 50 years

Despite Prime Minister Muhyiddin's assurances that the emergency was Covid-19 related and “not a military coup”, critics have cried foul, calling it a power grab.

Will Indonesia become a nuclear power?

In spite of its nuclear ambitions, Indonesia does not yet have the capacity to manage its nuclear waste disposal, which could prove disastrous for the Southeast Asian region.

Mass evacuations as monsoon floods hit Malaysia

Meteorologists said monsoon rains will reach the Borneo Island in East Malaysia and warned of the bad weather conditions expected in the Sabah state.

US bans palm oil imports from Malaysian company over abuses

The ban on Sime Darby is another blow to an industry that has faced mounting allegations of labour and human rights abuses.

Concern among Muslims over halal status of Covid-19 vaccine

Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca confirm that pork products are not part of their Covid-19 vaccines.

Rising xenophobia spurs push for fresh Malaysian hate speech law

Wave of hate speech and misinformation aimed at Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar has been appearing on Malaysian Facebook pages, according to a Reuters report.

Italy's Covid-19 death toll tops 50,000 – latest updates

The global coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 59 million people and killed neary 1.4 million. Here are the updates for November 23:

Study supports cheap combo pill to lower heart risks

For over a decade, doctors have been testing whether the cheap, all-in-one combo pills could help prevent heart and cardiovascular disease and death.

Malaysian parliament to vote on newly-unveiled expansionary budget

The passage of the budget is seen as vital for both the economy and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, whose position is under threat from the opposition and cracks in his coalition after just eight months in office.

Malaysia's PM faces calls to quit after failed bid for emergency rule

Malaysia's King Al-Sultan Abdullah had rejected Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's request for emergency rule amid a fresh spike in Covid-19 infections in the country.