Bold, independent coverage of Malaysian politics, business and current affairs.
More than 65,000 residents have evacuated Washington state as multiple wildfires destroy over 700 homes. Authorities arrested a suspect on arson charges, while firefighting crews battle several major blazes across the region.
Japan's Kumamoto prefecture grapples with recovery following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that killed 38 people. Extreme heat, water shortages, and crowded emergency shelters are hampering relief efforts as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi conducts her first visit to the disaster zone.
A week after the magnitude 7.1 Kumamoto earthquake claimed 38 lives, over 8,000 people remain evacuated across 150 shelters. Water outages affecting 45,000 households and record-breaking heat create urgent health risks.
A Danish pilot and Greek coordinator died when two Bell helicopters collided during aerial firefighting operations near Psatha, Greece on Sunday. Two crew members survived.
Massive wildfires are sweeping through Greece's Kithairon Mountains region west of Athens, with hundreds of international firefighters deployed. The flames are advancing toward Megara, destroying thousands of hectares amid sweltering summer conditions.
A fatal fire in a Clementi HDB flat on Friday night claimed one life and hospitalized two firefighters with burn injuries. The incident highlights ongoing fire safety concerns in Singapore's public housing sector.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced 308 arrests connected to ongoing wildfires, with suspected arson accounting for roughly two-thirds of cases. The Gironde fire has consumed nearly 42,000 hectares.
A rainfall-triggered mountain collapse in Chongqing, southwest China, has claimed 51 lives with 10 people still unaccounted for. Authorities have evacuated more than 1,100 residents from the disaster zone.
A ruptured raw water pipeline in Kelantan has triggered supply disruptions affecting 34,000 consumer accounts across four districts. Air Kelantan is deploying water tankers and coordinating interstate assistance during repairs.
A 7.1 magnitude earthquake centred in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, has left multiple people injured and triggered major transport and utility disruptions across the region.
France faces unprecedented wildfire devastation with 89 firefighters injured and over 220,000 people evacuated from the Gironde department. Military resources, including an Airbus A400M aircraft, have been deployed as authorities warn flames could persist for months.
Spain is fighting its largest recorded wildfire, with the Avila blaze consuming 50,000 hectares and forcing nearly 100,000 people to evacuate across central provinces. Military units and aircraft support ground crews.
Chinese rescuers detonated explosives to clear massive boulders blocking access to 34 people missing for three days following a devastating landslide in Penghui county, Chongqing municipality.
A residential building fire in Schaerbeek, Brussels, has claimed two lives and injured eight others. Emergency services activated municipal protocols to assist evacuated residents.
An explosion sparked by suspected arson at an apartment management office in Gyeongsan, South Korea has left eight people injured. The incident highlights rising tensions within residential communities over management disputes.
Malaysia's Fire and Rescue Department responded to three reports of earthquake tremors in the Klang Valley following a 5.7 magnitude quake centred near Langsa, Indonesia. Inspections confirmed all affected buildings remained structurally sound.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has outlined the expansive mandate of School Liaison Officers, emphasizing their role extends well beyond addressing bullying to encompassing comprehensive student safety monitoring nationwide.
Two firefighters have died while tackling a fire that broke out near Bordeaux Airport in southwestern France. The blaze disrupted flight operations, though the airport has since partially resumed services.
A three-day warehouse fire at a Coupang logistics centre in Incheon, South Korea, was brought under initial control Monday evening after consuming 61 hours and forcing hundreds to evacuate. The operation mobilised 812 firefighters and 231 pieces of equipment.
Torrential rains pounded South Korea's Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon province overnight, causing extensive flooding and property damage affecting hundreds of homes and roads while authorities brace for more severe weather.
Malaysia conducted Ex Urban Falcon 2026, a large-scale simulation involving 450 personnel from 20+ agencies testing coordination and response procedures for aircraft accidents occurring outside airport boundaries, marking a significant shift in disaster preparedness planning.
France is confronting a serious wildfire emergency, with two major fires consuming nearly 1,900 hectares in the Fontainebleau forest. Authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with deliberate arson, prompting calls for severe penalties.
Indonesian police have arrested a 34-year-old man accused of sending a WhatsApp bomb threat to an elementary school in South Jakarta on Monday, forcing evacuations and triggering specialist bomb disposal searches that found no explosives.
Vietnam's Phu Quoc Special Zone has activated emergency protocols following a speedboat accident involving Indian tourists on July 11, with medical teams treating multiple casualties and authorities coordinating financial assistance.
Malaysia is launching 15 permanent disaster relief centres across nine states in a phased rollout beginning this year, with two already completed and nine under construction, to strengthen disaster management and protect school operations.
A lorry driver in his 40s was killed after his 10-tonne vehicle plunged into a 150-foot ravine near Pos Blau-Lojing Bridge in Gua Musang, Kelantan. The incident occurred on July 4.
An Incheon police officer faces criminal charges after accidentally striking and killing a woman in her 60s with her patrol vehicle while responding to a report of a collapsed person on the road.
Sunway Medical Centre Velocity is expanding access to automated external defibrillators across Kuala Lumpur's major transport hubs and commercial centres, combined with public CPR training, to combat Malaysia's critically low cardiac arrest survival rates.
A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Gaoxian County in Yibin City, southwest China's Sichuan Province early Monday, leaving 13 people with minor injuries. No deaths were reported, and relief operations proceeded smoothly.
A civilian aircraft crashed near Nancy in eastern France on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board, including skydiving instructors and nurses participating in an initiation event.
Kentucky faces a catastrophic flooding crisis following relentless rainfall, claiming at least four lives. Governor Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency as rescuers conduct multiple operations across the state.