Bahrain’s move to Malaysia creates an F1 doubleheader with Singapore — and a chance for hotels to turn two race weekends into one regional travel surge.
Skift Airlines•Montira Rungjirajittranon10h ago
IHG will debut Garner in Malaysia in 2027 through a two-hotel franchise deal in Sabah, with a Holiday Inn Express in Tawau scheduled to follow in 2028.
Reformers who had pinned hope on Anwar to clean things up are enraged.
Foreign Policy•Joseph Rachman13h ago
An EU-Philippines pact is the latest trade deal to be 'harvested', and Thailand and Malaysia are likely to be next.
On 20/09/2026, a flood started in Malaysia, lasting until 22/09/2026 (last update). The flood caused 0 deaths and 365 displaced .
MUAR, Malaysia (AP) — Traditional Chinese beliefs envisioned an afterlife that in many ways mirrored the world of the living, rather than the Christian or Islamic conception of heaven or hell as a person’s ultimate destination.
Religion News Service•Susanna Granieri21 Sept
MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta says the “idea is to go” to Qatar for the Grand Prix scheduled for 8 November, despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The conflict in the region has put several motorsport events in the Middle East at risk this year, with the Formula 1 race in Saudi Arabia cancelled and the Bahrian Grand Prix moved to Malaysia. The status of the Qatar events has ... Keep reading
MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta says the “idea is to go” to Qatar for the Grand Prix scheduled for 8 November, despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The conflict in the region has put several motorsport events in the Middle East at risk this year, with the Formula 1 race in Saudi Arabia cancelled and the Bahrian Grand Prix moved to Malaysia. The status of the Qatar events has ... Keep reading
Mercedes has confirmed its next big Formula 1 car upgrade will arrive at the forthcoming grand prix in Malaysia, where it hopes to get back into contention for pole. The Silver Arrows is the runaway leader of the 2026 championship with a 145-point advantage over second-placed Ferrari, despite its last major upgrade package being Montreal in May. Mercedes has instead preferred to fit minor ... Keep reading
Mercedes has confirmed its next big Formula 1 car upgrade will arrive at the forthcoming grand prix in Malaysia, where it hopes to get back into contention for pole. The Silver Arrows is the runaway leader of the 2026 championship with a 145-point advantage over second-placed Ferrari, despite its last major upgrade package being Montreal in May. Mercedes has instead preferred to fit minor ... Keep reading
Tony Fernandes did not take media reaction quietly. Two days after Reuters reported that Malaysia’s government had asked Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air whether they could absorb AirAsia’s domestic market share, the AirAsia co-founder called an emergency press conference in…
Air Insight•Addison Schonland18 Sept
AirAsia is defending its dominance in Malaysia as rivals eye its domestic capacity, while higher fuel costs and liquidity concerns test its advantage.
Skift Airlines•Montira Rungjirajittranon18 Sept
The former prime minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, was convicted in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal. He’ll serve out his time at a luxury home.
The New York Times•Zunaira Saieed18 Sept
Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models are now being delivered to customers worldwide following the pre-order period that began on Saturday, September 12. For those who didn't pre-order, there's now a 3-4 week wait time for iPhone 18 Pro Max models across all storage options and colorways in the U.S. Demand has been less strong for iPhone 18 Pro models, but you're still looking at a 2-3 week wait for any configuration. However, delivery or in-store pickup at select Apple Store locations on launch day is still an option. As of writing, Apple's online stores in the United States and Canada haven't yet been updated to show pickup availability, but there could be shortages for some configurations, though there could be some variation state by state. In the U.K., all iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max configurations have shipping estimates running into the first and second week of October, respectively, but same-day pickup is still available in many regions, but it could depend on the store you choose. Apple Stores in Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Türkiye, and the UAE are also offering same-day pickup options. To order a product with Apple Store pickup, add the product to your bag on Apple.com or in the Apple Store app, proceed to checkout, select the "I'll pick it up" option, enter your ZIP or postal code, choose an available Apple Store location, select a pickup date, and select a 15-minute check-in window. Payment is completed online, and a valid government-issued photo ID and the order number may be required upon pickup. iPhone 18 Pro models may also be available for walk-in customers at Apple Store locations with sufficient inventory, but availability can't be guaranteed. Walk-in customers may be placed into a separate queue with lower priority upon arrival to the store. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Both received a $100 increase over their predecessors, and the increases get steeper the more storage you opt for, with a 1TB iPhone 18 Pro now costing $300 more than a 1TB iPhone 17 Pro did last year. What Upgrading to iPhone 18 Pro From iPhone 17 Pro Gets You iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Max Buyer's Guide iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: 35+ Upgrades Compared iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Worth Upgrading? iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade? Both phones have the same OLED Super Retina XDR always-on display with ProMotion and the Dynamic Island, the A20 Pro chip, 5G connectivity, a 48 megapixel Pro Fusion camera system, and the same four color options: Burgundy, Glacier Blue, Silver, and Black. Both are also offered in the same four storage tiers, including a 2TB option that is available on the smaller Pro model for the first time. Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro Tag: Apple Store Buyer's Guide: iPhone 18 Pro (Buy Now) Related Forum: iPhone This article, " Forgot to Pre-Order iPhone 18 Pro? Apple Store Pickup Available Today at Most Locations " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Convicted in the 1MDB scandal for embezzling millions, former Prime Minister Najib Razak had repeatedly sought clemency. Malaysia's king has now granted him a "conditional pardon."
Deutsche Welle18 Sept
Malaysia's king agreed on Friday to allow jailed former premier Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, the government said, four years after his conviction for his involvement in a multi-billion-dollar financial scandal. Najib, prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was found guilty of corruption in relation to the embezzlement of billions of dollars tied to 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state investment fund he co-founded while in power. He has consistently denied wrongdoing. "King Sultan Ibrahim has consented to grant a conditional pardon to Najib Razak, allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028," the prime minister's legal department said in a statement. In the 1MDB scandal, more than $1 billion allegedly made its way into accounts linked to Najib, 73, who says he has been made the scapegoat for a complex, globe-spanning scheme that siphoned away as much as $4.5 billion in funds, according to US investigators. Najib a divisive figure It was the second pardon for Najib, who under the previous king in 2024 had his 12-year sentence halved and the fines imposed on him reduced. Najib had insisted that the decision also allowed him to serve out his term under house arrest, but a legal effort to secure that was unsuccessful. Najib was also convicted in a separate 1MDB-related case in December last year, for which he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $2.8 billion for abuse of power and money laundering. He has lodged an appeal in that case. Despite being jailed, Najib is a divisive figure in Malaysian politics and is still influential in the once-dominant United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which is part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's multi-party government. Anwar's Pakatan Harapan alliance has opposed leniency towards Najib and the pardon could widen fissures in his administration. Though the next election is not due until early 2028, Anwar has said he might consider calling a snap poll if the rifts deepen. Pakatan teamed up with rival UMNO to form a government in 2022 when a general election left Malaysia with a hung parliament, but relations are now testy following a series of internal disagreements, including on the treatment of Najib. Pardon 'a big win for UMNO' Anwar's public support has taken a hit and it is unclear how his coalition would fare if an early election was called. Pakatan was trounced twice in the past two months by UMNO's Barisan Nasional coalition in state elections. Najib was also fined 50 million ringgit ($12.27 million) as a condition of his house arrest. It was not immediately clear when he would leave prison and his legal team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Syaza Shukri, a political scientist at the International Islamic University Malaysia, said the pardon was bad news for Anwar and a boon for Najib's UMNO ahead of the next election. "The impact on Anwar and his government is really bad unless they can explain to the people the constitutionality and limitations they face," she said. "This is a big win for UMNO and they would feel more confident and emboldened going forward to get things going their way, looking like they will be the next government in waiting."
North Korea and Iran account for the majority of onchain malware, while Malaysia has been named among the most crypto curious Islamic nations.
Cointelegraph•Cointelegraph by Andrew Fenton17 Sept
The Malaysian government is reportedly making contingency plans in case AirAsia’s financial situation worsens in the near future. …
AeroTime•Miquel Ros17 Sept
Countries: World, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Chile, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Jamaica, Jordan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Türkiye, United States of America, Viet Nam Source: World Meteorological Organization Please refer to the attached file. WMO: Recent water trends have serious future implications The WMO State of Global Water Resources report is a comprehensive science-based annual assessment of the hydrological cycle and extreme events in 2025 and over the past five years. 2025 was one of driest years for river discharge in 35 years Past 7 years have seen abnormal river flows Water storage on Earth’s land surface has decreased in past 10 years Widespread glacier loss across all regions for 4th consecutive year Asia and Africa are the regions most affected by water-related disasters Water data availability has improved, but gaps remain in hard hit areas Geneva, Switzerland, 17 September 2026 (WMO) – Rivers across the globe in 2025 had one of the driest years in more than three decades, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It shows a continuation of the long-term decline in Earth’s freshwater storage and in glacier retreat - trends with serious implications for people and economies in the future. The WMO State of Global Water Resources Report shows that the water cycle has become more erratic and unpredictable, swinging between too little or too much. The past seven years have seen the fewest rivers with “normal” flows since 1991. Asia and Africa together accounted for at least half of all recorded water-related extreme events and more than 80% of reported associated deaths over the past five years, it says. The report provides a comprehensive, science-based assessment of the entire water cycle loop, including river discharge, groundwater, evapotranspiration, land water storage, and snow and ice, as well as high-impact events. It covers the year 2025 and summarizes findings of the past five years since it was first published. Some parts of this cycle are fast – such as precipitation, river flow, soil moisture – they respond to weather within days or weeks. Others, like groundwater, glaciers and seasonal snowpack, are slow, they accumulate or deplete over seasons to decades or longer. Traditionally these slow reserves have acted as the planet's savings account: a buffer that absorbs bad years so that a single drought or a single dry season does not translate directly into a water crisis,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. “We are depleting that savings account. Global terrestrial water storage has shown a declining trend since 2014–2016 - a persistent, decade-long signal. For the fourth consecutive year, every major glaciated region on Earth lost ice mass. Groundwater tells a similar story: nearly two-thirds of monitored wells worldwide showed conditions outside the historical norm in 2025, and the balance shifted further toward deficit compared with 2024, not toward recovery,” said Celeste Saulo. “At the same time, we are seeing more water-related disasters. The strengthening El Niño will increase the risk of drought in some areas, and flooding in others,” she said. The report highlights some major areas of concern: 2025 was one of driest years for river discharge globally in 35 years, with below-normal flows over 36% of global basin area. This is based on data from simulations from 13 global hydrological models, driven by observed weather data. For the seventh year in a row, the number of river basins with “normal” conditions was in a clear minority: ranging between 34-38%, compared to the average of 46% between 1991-2020, according to the report. Terrestrial water storage – the total amount of water stored in groundwater, lakes and rivers, soil moisture, vegetation and ice and snow – has been in decline since mid-2010s. 2025 marked the fourth consecutive year with widespread glacier loss across all regions – leading to short term hazards like floods and long-term water insecurity. Between 2023-2025 glaciers lost mass in each reporting year with cumulative global glacier mass loss at 1400 Gigatonnes of water. This is roughly equal to the water required to fill about 560 million Olympic-sized swimming pools, or about one third of annual freshwater withdrawals. In each of the past five years, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services around the globe reported record-breaking floods and droughts. Some places have had no recovery time between one event and the next. “Water respects no borders. A river basin's water balance depends on what happens in another country. A glacier's retreat in one country reshapes water availability for populations hundreds of kilometers downstream. This is precisely why we need shared data, shared standards, and shared early warning — the exact function WMO exists to perform,” said Celeste Saulo. Dozens of experts from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, data centres, researchers and partner institutions shared in situ observations, model outputs and space-based data and contributed to the report, which has expanded from three to 15 hydrological variables since the first edition in 2021. Country coverage has greatly expanded. However, Africa and Asia are still among the least represented regions in terms of hydrological observations in the report, even though they are most affected by extremes. 2025 was one of the warmest years on record. A weak La Niña emerged towards the end of the year after neutral conditions, and there was a predominantly negative Indian Ocean Dipole, which influenced precipitation. River basins Across the five reporting years (2021-2025), recurring below-normal river discharge was observed in major parts of the Amazon and La Plata basins, North America, Central and East Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. Annual river discharge in 2025 was above-normal to much-above-normal across South and South-East Asia and parts of northern South America. In Africa, there were above-normal flows in the Senegal, Niger, Lake Chad, Orange and Limpopo basins, but much-below-normal discharge in the Nile, Congo and Zambezi basins. Below-normal to much-below-normal river discharge affected several major regions, including much of North America, the La Plata and São Francisco basins of South America, Eastern European basins, the Middle East and Central Asia. Reservoir and lake levels followed similar geographical trends as for river basins. African lakes were largely much above normal, with Kariba a notable exception. Terrestrial water storage Terrestrial water storage shows a persistent negative trend since 2014-2016 with increasing area under below-normal conditions. Between 2021-2025 below-normal terrestrial water storage repeatedly affected the south-western United States, Patagonia and the subtropical Andes, the Ganges–Indus headwaters, North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and eastern China, while persistent positive anomalies occurred in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the Sahel and the Tibetan Plateau. In 2025, it was below-normal in northern and southwestern North America, Patagonia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, eastern Brazil, northern India, parts of Northern Europe, the Russian Federation, China and Northern Africa. La Plata in South America showed signs of partial recovery from the long-term drought. Much-above-normal storage continued from 2024 into 2025 in Central and Southern Africa. Groundwater levels Persistent groundwater deficits were observed during 2022–2025 in parts of the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, India, southern Africa and Australia. Persistent and widespread below-normal to much-below-normal groundwater levels were observed across Central and Eastern Europe, central United States, parts of Mexico, northern and central Chile, northeastern and central-western Brazil, northern South Africa, northwestern India and parts of southern Australia, pointing to a cumulative depletion with multi-year drying trend. There were above-normal to much-above-normal conditions include parts of France, much of Northern Europe, the southeastern United States, large parts of South Africa, South-East Asia, and eastern Australia. Snow cover and glaciers Snow conditions were below normal across Europe in 2025, whilst the Russian Federation and North America showed strong regional contrasts. In the hydrological year 2025, glaciers lost 408 (±132) Gigatonnes of mass, equivalent to 1.1 (±0.4) mm of sea-level rise. It marked the fourth consecutive year in which every major glaciated region recorded a net loss. Central Asia, South Asia West, Russian Arctic, Iceland, Western Canada and USA all recorded annual mass balances that ranked among the three most negative years on record for that region. Some regions dominated by smaller glaciers, such as the Caucasus, Western Canada and the USA, and Central Europe may already have reached “peak water conditions,” the threshold where the glacier reaches its maximum runoff due to melting. Extreme events From 2021-2025, South America’s La Plata and Amazon basins, the Middle East and the Greater Horn of Africa experienced persistent multi-year drought conditions, while severe floods repeatedly affected West and Central Africa and South-East Asia. Asia and Africa were the regions most affected by extreme hydrometeorological events in 2025, with several African countries experiencing major flooding for two (Nigeria) or three consecutive years (Democratic Republic of the Congo). South and South-East Asia was hit by compound tropical cyclones and intense monsoon, leading to up to 3 600 deaths across affected countries - Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines. Assessing the economic losses associated with water-related disasters remains challenging in many countries. Jamaica reported that hurricane Melissa resulted in losses equivalent to 41% of GDP. Cyclone Ditwah cost Sri Lanka around 4% of GDP. Severe drought gripped East Europe, the Mediterranean, and Middle East and also returned to the Greater Horn of Africa after one of the driest October–December seasons on record linked to La Niña and a negative Indian Ocean Dipole. Notes to Editors The WMO State of Global Water Resources 2025 report includes scientific contributions from dozens of WMO Members, partners and scientists. Full details of the datasets, references and institutions involved are available in the report. The WMO Secretariat wishes to thank everyone who dedicated their time and expertise to this report. The World Meteorological Organization is the United Nations System’s authoritative voice on Weather, Climate and Water. For further information, please contact: Clare Nullis, WMO media officer, cnullis@wmo.int, +41 79 709 13 97 Global Communication and Engagement Media Contact media@wmo.int
ReliefWeb•World Meteorological Organization17 Sept
Malaysia has invited Myanmar’s military ruler for a visit to the country in a bid to expedite Rohingya repatriation.
Al Jazeera16 Sept