WASHINGTON, March 29 — The Pentagon is reportedly preparing contingency plans for several weeks of ground operations in Iran, which could include raids on Kharg Island and coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Washington Post, although President Donald Trump has not yet approved any deployment.

TEHRAN, March 29 — Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Sunday threatened to target US-linked universities across the Middle East, claiming that US-Israeli strikes had destroyed two Iranian universities.

KULIM, March 29 — Police have launched a murder probe after a charred body and a burnt motorcycle were discovered at Ladang Anak Kulim yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will reportedly begin phasing in restrictions on the use of foreign credit and debit cards for RON95 petrol purchases nationwide starting Wednesday.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — Police have arrested two men who appeared in a viral video allegedly seeking “protection money” from a business operator, with investigations now ongoing.

SUZUKA, March 28 — Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli secured a second consecutive pole position in Japanese Grand Prix qualifying today, edging out teammate George Russell to give Mercedes a third straight front-row lockout.

WASHINGTON, March 28 — US President Donald Trump said yesterday that “Cuba is next” in his latest warning directed at the Caribbean nation, while brushing aside concerns that recent US military actions could weaken his political support.

BANDUNG, March 27 — Two Bengal tiger cubs born at Indonesia’s Bandung Zoo last year have died after contracting a viral infection, a conservation official told AFP on Friday.

IPOH, March 28 — An eight-year-old girl, believed to be a victim of abuse, died in Taiping on Thursday after being found with multiple injuries.

SHAH ALAM, March 28 — Fuel costs for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Malaysia could surge to as much as 50 per cent of total operating expenses if tensions in West Asia persist.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — After months of playful denials, subtle hints on social media, and a string of clues that kept fans guessing, it now seems that Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and actress-singer Bella Astillah have taken a major step forward in their relationship.

PARIS, March 27 — France has expressed “serious concern” over the International Olympic Committee’s decision to reintroduce gender testing for female athletes, calling it “a step backward.”