Nation

Welfare Dept to take custody of baby who tested positive for drugs

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan Social Welfare Department (JKM) will take custody of a five-month-old baby girl who tested positive for two types of drugs if her parents are found unable to care for her.

AseanPlus News

Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Thursday (Aug 20, 2026)

Here's a look at the news highlights from Asean countries in the Star-AseanPlus section for Thursday (Aug 20, 2026)

Football

Soccer-Chelsea boss Alonso gives little away on Fernandez future amid transfer talk

LONDON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Chelsea manager ⁠Xabi Alonso said midfielder Enzo Fernandez was preparing well for ⁠their Premier League opener at Fulham on Monday, but stopped short ‌of confirming whether the Argentine had told him he wanted to stay amid transfer speculation.

Tennis

Tennis-Grand Slams create player advisory council amid push for increased prize money

Aug 20 (Reuters) - Tennis's four biggest tournaments ⁠announced on Thursday the creation of a Grand Slam Player Advisory Council that will ⁠focus on a range of issues including prize money.

Rugby

Rugby-Tension mounting as Springboks, All Blacks ready for opening test of tour series

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Marketed as 'Rugby's ⁠Greatest Rivalry', the four-match series between South Africa and New Zealand has been preceded by spiky exchanges over ⁠the teams' contrasting playing styles, stoking tensions before Saturday's first test in Johannesburg.

Tennis

Tennis-US Open announces record $108 million prize purse

Aug 20 (Reuters) - The ⁠U.S. Open will hand out $108 ⁠million in prize money at this ‌year's final Grand Slam, it said on Thursday, marking the largest purse in tennis history ​and a 20% jump ⁠from last year's ⁠total payout.

World

Guatemala says 2,300 Mexicans deported from US entered in 2026

GUATEMALA CITY, ⁠Aug 20 (Reuters) - Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo said in an ⁠interview aired late Wednesday that around 2,300 Mexicans deported ‌from the United States have been flown to Guatemala so far in 2026 alongside returning Guatemalans, but remain in the country for less than 24 ​hours before being transferred to Mexico.

Football

Soccer-Arsenal's Guimaraes a doubt for Coventry game as Arteta eyes another title

LONDON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Arsenal's new signing ⁠Bruno Guimaraes is doubtful for Friday's Premier League opener against promoted Coventry City, manager Mikel ⁠Arteta said as he acknowledged that they must try to keep players fit as ‌they face the task of defending the title.

Athletics

Athletics-World Athletics unveils lane draft, jump-offs for new Ultimate Championship

Aug 20 (Reuters) - ⁠Sprinters will choose their own lanes, jump-offs will decide winners ⁠in the high jump and pole vault, and television viewers ‌will get win probabilities and live fan feedback when World Athletics launches its new Ultimate Championship.

World

Colombia mine collapse kills 13

BOGOTA, ⁠Aug 20 (Reuters) - ⁠A slope collapsed ‌at an open-pit mine in Policarpa, ​in Colombia's southwestern ⁠Narino ⁠department, killing 13 workers ⁠and ‌injuring seven, ⁠local authorities said. 

World

Overloaded boat capsizes in Nigeria, at least 40 bodies recovered

Aug 20 (Reuters) - At least ⁠40 bodies, mostly of children, have been ⁠recovered after an overloaded boat capsized in Nigeria's northwest ‌Sokoto state, local officials and residents said on Thursday.

Football

Soccer-Barca bring back Cancelo for third spell on deal until 2029

Aug 20 (Reuters) - Barcelona have ⁠signed fullback Joao Cancelo on a free transfer until June ⁠2029, the LaLiga champions said on Thursday, with the Portugal international ‌returning to the Catalan club for a third spell.

World

Top Canada, US trade negotiators to meet again as deal deadline nears

OTTAWA, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Top ⁠trade negotiators from Canada and the U.S. will meet for the second day ⁠running in Washington on Thursday in a bid to finalize a trade deal ‌that could help reduce months of tariffs and counter duties.

Football

Soccer-Brazil's iconic Maracana to stage Women's World Cup opener and final in 2027

Aug 20 (Reuters) - ⁠Brazil will stage the opening game and final of the 2027 ⁠Women's World Cup at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium, according ‌to the match schedule unveiled on Thursday for the 32-team tournament.

Badminton

Aaron-Wooi Yik enter quarters after Tee withdraws due to food poisoning

PETALING JAYA: The much-anticipated all-Malaysian men's doubles clash ended in disappointment after Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun withdrew, handing Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik a walkover.

World

Academic who raised concerns over Jason Arday suspended by Ghent University

PARIS, Aug ⁠20 (Reuters) - Nathan Cofnas, the ⁠academic who had raised ‌plagiarism concerns regarding the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday, said ​on Thursday that ⁠he had ⁠been suspended by Belgium's Ghent ⁠University.

North Korea

North Korea says South Korea's description of US drills move shows uneasiness and impatience

PYONGYANG: North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong-un, on Thursday (Aug 20) said South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's reaction to the US move to reduce joint drills were "double-dealing remarks" that showed uneasiness and impatience, KCNA reported.

AseanPlus News

Mongolia to ban social media use in schools

ULAANBAATAR: (Bernama-Xinhua) Mongolia will ban the use of all types of social media in general education schools across the country starting from the 2026-2027 academic year. Education and Science Minister Luvsantseren Enkh-Amgalan said on Wednesday (Aug 19), reported Xinhua.

Athletics

Athletics-Former world champion Simpson diagnosed with rare heart condition

Aug 20 (Reuters) - American ⁠Olympic bronze medallist and former ⁠1500 metres world champion Jenny Simpson has ‌been diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), a rare inherited heart condition that makes a return ​to running dangerous, the ⁠athlete said on Instagram ⁠on Thursday.

AseanPlus News

Over 1,000 birds found dead in suspected H5N1 outbreak in South Australia

CANBERRA: (Bernama-Xinhua) Authorities in South Australia (SA) said on Thursday (Aug 20) that more than 1,000 birds had died in three separate suspected H5N1 avian influenza mass mortality events on islands off the state's coast, reported Xinhua