18+ hour, 54+ min ago (317+ words) People walk past a store of Ukraine's telecommunications company Kyivstar, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 12, 2023. REUTERS/Alina Smutko KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine's largest mobile operator Kyivstar has become the first in Europe to launch Starlink's direct-to-cell satellite technology in a bid to keep millions connected amid wartime blackouts and disrupted infrastructure, the company said on Monday. Kyivstar is initially offering SMS capabilities via the technology and plans to extend to voice and data next year, under a deal between Elon Musk's Starlink and telecoms group Veon, the owner of Kyivstar. "In Ukraine, staying connected means staying safe," Kyivstar's CEO Oleksandr Komarov said in a statement, adding that the service would enhance network resilience. Kyivstar serves about 22.5 million mobile customers in Ukraine. The service would enable customers to remain connected on regular 4G smartphones during prolonged blackouts, in recently…...

13+ hour, 28+ min ago (273+ words) KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is considering requiring social media firms to use MyDigital ID to block users under 16 from opening accounts, says Teo Nie Ching. The Deputy Communications Minister said the government and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission are discussing age verification with major platforms. "The current proposal is to use MyDigital ID as one of the tools to verify users" ages," she said. "We will discuss this further with platform providers to ensure users under 16 do not have social media accounts," she said in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Nov 24). She was replying to Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) on enforcing online age restrictions. Teo said similar requirements are being rolled out overseas, including in Australia from December, using different age assessment methods. Earlier, Teo said the commission received 2,937 network quality complaints nationwide from Jan 1 to Nov 20 via the…...

7+ hour, 41+ min ago (249+ words) PETALING JAYA: 56-year-old Paul Wong, founder of Mega Star Arena at Sungei Wang Plaza, was killed in a car accident in Thailand on Saturday (Nov 22), MySinChew reports. The English language portal of Sin Chew Daily reported that Wong's family had posted an obituary on his official Facebook account, saying that the entertainment and live events industry in Malaysia had lost one of its most influential figures. "With profound sadness, we announce that Paul Wong Chee Meng, founder of Mega Star Arena at Sungei Wang Plaza and a highly respected pioneer of the entertainment industry in Malaysia, passed away on Nov 22, 2025, in Thailand due to an accident," MySinChew quoted the statement as saying Wong leaves behind his beloved wife, Fanny Chia and their four children Billy, Jacky, Monique, and Eason. More than an event organiser, MySinChew reported that Wong was a…...

22+ hour, 42+ min ago (146+ words) KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's new Next Generation Emergency Services 999 (NG999) system has stabilised after last week's surge in calls, with 95% of incoming calls now answered within eight seconds, meeting the service-level agreement (SLA) set between the government and Telekom Malaysia (TM). Read full story NG999 now answering 95% of emergency calls within 8 seconds, says Teo Monday, 24 Nov 2025 KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's new Next Generation Emergency Services 999 (NG999) system has stabilised after last week's surge in calls, with 95% of incoming calls now answered within eight seconds, meeting the service-level agreement (SLA) set between the government and Telekom Malaysia (TM). Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching told Parliament that while NG999 officially went live on Nov 15, it immediately experienced an "unexpected and drastic" spike in daily calls, nearly doubling the average traffic recorded on the previous MERS999 platform....

21+ hour, 52+ min ago (448+ words) IOI Properties Group Bhd group chief executive officer Lee Yeow Seng KUALA LUMPUR: IOI Properties Group Bhd (IOIPG) achieved RM473.6mil in property development sales for the first quarter ended Sept 30, 2025 (1Q26). In a statement, the property developer said RM384.2mil, or 81% of sales, came from local projects, with the remaining RM89.4mil, or 19%, contributed by its projects in China. In Malaysia, sales were mainly driven by the Klang Valley at RM243.4mil, led by the group's matured 16 Sierra township in Puchong South and its new Senna Puteri development in Salak Tinggi, Sepang. Meanwhile, the Johor region contributed RM141.7mil, supported by the Bandar Putra Kulai and Taman Kempas Utama townships. IOIPG's property investment segment remained resilient, supported by high occupancy across its malls and offices, with IOI City Mall Phase 2 delivering stronger-than-expected performance and IOI City Tower One now fully committed. The hospitality and leisure segment also benefited from Malaysia's…...

17+ hour, 7+ min ago (428+ words) Tuesday, 25 Nov 2025 AFTER 33 years of shaping young minds, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permatang Rawa principal V. Vijayaletchumi has closed the final chapter of her teaching career, leaving behind a legacy of discipline and dedication. The 60-year-old, born in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, began her teaching journey in 1992 after graduating from Maktab Perguruan Sultan Abdul Halim in Sungai Petani, Kedah. Her career took her to several schools in Penang including SJK(T) Rajaji, SMK Convent Light Street, SMK St Mark Butterworth, SMK Perai, SMK Bukit Mertajam, SMK Kampong Kastam and SMK Mak Mandin before she took the helm at SMK Permatang Rawa in October last year. For Vijayaletchumi, teaching was never just a profession but a lifelong calling. Over the years, she earned three excellent service awards in 2006, 2016 and 2025 in recognition of her commitment and contributions. Students and teachers gathered at the school hall earlier…...

23+ hour, 2+ min ago (124+ words) Cricket - International Test Match Series - Fifth Test - England v India - Kia Oval, London, Britain - August 2, 2025 India's Yashasvi Jaiswal raises his bat as he walks after losing his wicket, caught by England's Jamie Overton off the bowling of Josh Tongue Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs (Reuters) -India were all out for 201 in their reply to South Africa's first innings 489 on day three of the second test in Guwahati on Monday. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal made 58 but it was otherwise a batting capitulation on a pitch offering little assistance to the bowlers. For South Africa, who are 1-0 ahead in the two-test series, Marco Jansen claimed 6-48. (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Toby Chopra)...

16+ hour, 52+ min ago (101+ words) Monday, 24 Nov 2025 The CNN logo is seen during the Republican presidential debate hosted by CNN at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. January 10, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar (Reuters) -CNN has removed its stories from Apple News, ending its content-sharing agreement with the platform, Semafor reported on Sunday. The two companies are discussing a new deal that would restore CNN's stories to Apple News, the report said. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Apple and CNN did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. (Reporting by Dheeraj Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema)...

11+ hour, 44+ min ago (223+ words) GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Hill Corporation (PBBPP) has announced that free shuttle bus services from Komtar to Penang Hill will be available from Dec 25-28 in conjunction with the year-end school holidays. In a statement, it said the service, in collaboration with Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd and the state government, would operate from 9am to 9pm, with eight round trips daily at one-and-a-half-hour intervals. Passengers can board the free shuttle bus, marked 'Penang Hill Free Shuttle Service', at Komtar's Station 9 bus stop on Jalan Ria (underpass next to Rapid Penang kiosk) to travel to the Penang Hill Lower Station and vice versa. "If the shuttle bus reaches full capacity, visitors are encouraged to utilise the Rapid Penang bus service, Route 204, which operates from the Weld Quay Bus Terminal via Komtar to Penang Hill at the standard fare. "The service runs every 35 minutes during…...

23+ hour, 9+ min ago (454+ words) PETALING JAYA: All agencies in charge of national disasters are on full alert following floods in seven states due to continuous heavy rain nationwide, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Ahmad Zahid, who is also the chairman of the government's Central Disaster Management Committee, said that 63 temporary relief centres (PPS) have been activated, with Kelantan currently the worst-hit state. "The latest disaster report issued by the Disaster Control Centre, National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) as of 4pm on Monday (Nov 24) recorded that 4,844 families involving 13,915 victims have been affected by floods. "Kelantan is among the worst affected, with the highest number of victims " 3,487 families and 9,503 individuals " followed by Perak with 485 families and 1,538 victims, Perlis with 426 families and 1,426 victims, Kedah with 168 families and 542 victims, Penang with 106 families and 414 victims, Selangor with 94 families and 283 victims, and Terengganu with 78 families and 209 victims,…...