Southeast Asia’s second most powerful passport among world’s 10 cheapest
A Malaysia’s passport costs US$51.88, making it one of world’s 10 cheapest, according to a study by British comparison website Compare the Market.
UAE passport ranked world’s 2nd most powerful, highest ever
The United Arab Emirates’s passport has climbed three places since January to rank as the world’s second most powerful in the latest Henley Passport Index 2026, marking the highest position it has achieved in the 20-year history of the ranking.
Japanese girl offers $6 to Chinese tourist to pay bus fare
A young Japanese girl has touched many netizens after helping a Chinese tourist who was struggling to navigate Okinawa’s public transport system, even offering her money to pay the bus fare.
Vietnam’s roasted pork belly banh mi second best dish in Southeast Asia: TasteAtlas
Banh mi heo quay (Vietnamese roasted pork belly banh mi) ranked second in a list of 100 best Southeast Asian foods as voted by readers of international food magazine TasteAtlas.
Malaysian tourist says ChatGPT helped her through late-night taxi scare in China
A Malaysian tourist says the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT helped her navigate a frightening late-night encounter with suspicious taxi drivers during a solo trip to Guangzhou, China.
Australia police recover two bodies in search for missing Chinese backpackers
Australian police have recovered two bodies during a search for two Chinese backpackers who went missing in a flood-hit region in the country’s east, local media reported on Thursday.
Southeast Asia’s 2nd most powerful passport achieves highest ranking ever
Malaysia’s passport has jumped three places to rank sixth most powerful globally in the latest Henley Passport Index 2026, marking its highest position in the 20-year history of the index.
Singapore Airlines, Scoot extend flight cancellations amid escalating Middle East conflict
Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its budget subsidiary Scoot have again extended the cancellation of their Middle East flights amid the ongoing conflict.
US approves up to $40M to evacuate Americans from Middle East on charter flights amid travel disruptions
The State Department has authorized the use of up to US$40 million in emergency funds to pay for evacuation charter flights for Americans to leave the Middle East because of disruptions in transportation caused by the Iran war.
World’s most expensive passport revealed and it’s not Singapore
The Australian passport is the most expensive in the world, with its citizens paying AU$422 (US$302) to obtain the international travel document, following a price increase in January 2026.
