Today's top Malaysian news, sport and lifestyle.
Devastating wildfires across Washington state have displaced more than 65,000 residents and destroyed over 700 homes. Authorities arrested a man on arson charges linked to one of the blazes, as multiple fires burn with zero containment.
A week after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake devastated Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan, more than 8,000 evacuees remain sheltered as water shortages and record heat pose mounting health risks, with authorities now designating it a disaster of extreme severity.
South Korea's southeastern city of Yangsan recorded a staggering 42.5°C on Sunday, marking the highest temperature since weather records began in 1904. The government activated emergency protocols as heatwave conditions persist across the region.
An elderly woman taking shelter in a car has died from apparent heat stroke in earthquake-ravaged Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, as survivors face combined threats from structural damage, extreme heat, and inadequate shelter conditions.
France is battling an exceptional wildfire season, with 119,000 hectares burned and 14,320 fire outbreaks recorded since January. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warns conditions remain dangerous despite temporary humidity gains.
A person died after a fire engulfed an eighth-floor HDB unit in Clementi on July 31. Two firefighters were hospitalized with burn injuries, though one has since been discharged.
Malaysia's Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) is pursuing recertification as a Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team through the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group, marking its continued prominence in global disaster response.
France has arrested more than 300 people in connection with ongoing wildfires, with suspected arson accounting for roughly two-thirds of cases. The southwestern Gironde blaze affecting over 42,000 hectares shows signs of stabilisation.
Devastating wildfires across France and Spain have begun to stabilise after days of destruction, though meteorologists caution that an approaching heat wave poses fresh risks to fire-ravaged regions already depleted of firefighting resources.
Two people have died in a traffic accident in Sibu after their vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a roadside drain. Firefighters recovered both victims from the submerged car.
An explosion at Aeon Mall Kumamoto in southwestern Japan has left multiple people trapped and injured, with the second floor partially collapsed. Rescue operations are underway following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake earlier that day.
France faces a severe wildfire crisis with over 85 firefighters injured and more than 220,000 people evacuated from the Gironde department. The blazes have consumed 42,000 hectares, prompting emergency military intervention.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has urged Malaysia to establish an integrated air disaster management system enabling all agencies to operate under unified command, stressing that effective emergency response depends on seamless coordination rather than resources alone.
Spain is combating its worst wildfire on record, with blazes in central provinces burning more than 77,000 hectares and forcing nearly 100,000 people to evacuate or shelter indoors across 46 municipalities.
Spain's government has declared a national state of emergency after massive wildfires forced nearly 60,000 residents to flee their homes near Madrid and in Ávila province. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed cautious optimism about containment efforts.
Rescue teams in southwestern China used controlled explosions Monday to dislodge massive boulders blocking access to 34 people reported missing after a landslide that killed eight during heavy rainfall in Penghui county, near Chongqing.
South Korean firefighters have made progress controlling a massive blaze at an Incheon warehouse after 61 hours of intensive efforts. The fire at a Coupang logistics facility forced hundreds of nearby residents to evacuate.
A fatal collision on the East-West Highway in Tanah Merah, Kelantan claimed three lives when a chicken-laden five-tonne lorry struck a stationary trailer, requiring an extensive rescue operation.
A devastating wildfire in France's Var department has consumed 1,700 hectares, prompting the evacuation of around 400 residents and disrupting electricity to 2,300 households. Intense summer heat continues to fuel the crisis.
A battery-powered vehicle burst into flames outside a Woodlands HDB carpark in Singapore on July 21. The driver safely evacuated after noticing smoke, and emergency responders contained the fire with minimal damage to surrounding property.
Melaka's state government has unveiled plans for a temporary water tank at Kem Terendak military camp to tackle persistent water shortages while awaiting completion of major infrastructure upgrades expected in 2028.
South Korea's Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon province endured intense overnight rainfall, triggering closures of 10 national parks and causing approximately 540 instances of property damage. No fatalities reported.
Intense rainfall across the Klang Valley triggered sudden flooding in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, with water levels at 223 Food Court reaching nearly two metres and leaving traders and customers stranded.
France faces escalating wildfire crisis with two major blazes consuming 1,920 hectares in Fontainebleau forest. Authorities suspect arson and have arrested 59 people across the country since the fire season began.
Four people were hospitalised following a hornet attack near Redhill Market in Singapore on July 10. Authorities cordoned off the area and removed the nest from a tree, with eyewitnesses describing a woman sustaining multiple stings to her head and ears.
Maxim Malaysia has introduced an upgraded SOS system allowing users to alert emergency contacts or call 999 within seconds. The new features include a Driver Alert System notifying nearby Maxim drivers within three kilometres to provide immediate assistance.
A wildfire in Spain's Almeria province has claimed 13 lives and burned 7,000 hectares. Regional authorities say the blaze is stabilised, with evacuees beginning to return home as investigators examine whether an electricity pole collapse sparked the disaster.
Vietnamese authorities have deployed comprehensive medical and rescue resources following a July 11 speedboat accident in Phu Quoc that killed Indian nationals. Hospitals provided intensive care while authorities coordinated victim support and repatriation efforts.
Beijing's meteorological authorities have activated their first orange-level rainstorm alert of the 2026 flood season, with severe rainfall expected through Sunday affecting multiple districts and prompting Level-II flood control emergency protocols.
Devastating storms across China have killed at least 39 people, with over 100,000 evacuated from flood-hit regions. Typhoon Maysak triggered dam failures and widespread river overflows in Guangxi province.
Pakistan intensified search operations for a K2 Airways cargo plane that vanished over the Arabian Sea near Karachi on Tuesday evening. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed the aircraft crashed into the sea with five crew members on board.
Powerful thunderstorms and gales swept across eastern Hubei Province in central China on Monday night, leaving 11 people dead, one missing, and over 300 injured. The extreme weather damaged thousands of buildings.
A paddleboarder has died after being struck by lightning in waters near Pasir Ris Beach in Singapore, with six other people injured in the incident. Police have ruled out foul play.
A lorry driver in his 40s was killed when his 10-tonne vehicle plunged into a 150-foot ravine near the Pos Blau-Lojing Bridge in Gua Musang. Fire and rescue personnel recovered the body after a lengthy operation.
An Incheon police officer in her twenties is under criminal investigation after accidentally running over a woman in her sixties whom she had been sent to help. The incident has sparked scrutiny of police emergency procedures.
Four people have died in severe flooding across Kentucky after intense rainfall struck the Southern US state, leading Governor Andy Beshear to declare a state of emergency and mobilize emergency rescue teams.