Latest from Brunei

NANJING, China (AP) — World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Tuesday that the track and field’s governing body has approved the introduction of cheek swabs and dry blood-spot tests for female athletes in order to maintain “the integrity of competition.”

XINHUA – Asia is rapidly advancing in emerging green technologies, positioning itself as a potential leader in advanced battery materials, biodegradable plastics, among others, boosted by strong industrial capabilities and policy support, according to a report by theBoao Forum for Asia released yesterday.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Defending champion Argentina had to put the celebrations on hold for a while after securing a place at the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday before kickoff against arch-rival Brazil.

LONDON (AP) — Reece James scored a brilliant free kick and Eberechi Eze grabbed his maiden international goal as England beat Latvia 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley Stadium on Monday.

AUCKLAND (AFP) – New Zealand reached the World Cup for only the third time with a 3-0 win over New Caledonia yesterday but lost in-form Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood to injury.

ANN/THE KOREA HERALD – South Korea’s total debt, encompassing household, corporate, and government obligations, rose by four per cent in the third quarter of last year, exceeding KRW6.2 quadrillion (USD4.24 trillion), according to data from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) released. The figure is equivalent to 2.5 times the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

ANN/VIETNAM NEWS – Vietnam is projected to be among the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies this year, with its gross domestic product (GDP) expected to expand by 6.1 per cent, according to the latest forecast from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In conjunction with World Autism Awareness Day, SMARTER Brunei proudly hosted a Khatam Al-Qur’an ceremony on Saturday, attended by Dr Eddy Fazlin bin Haji Amdan, the Acting Director of the Department of Special Education at the Ministry of Education, as the guest of honour.

MANILA (XINHUA) – The World Bank yesterday approved a USD67.34 million support package to help boost the Philippines’ civil service level.

PARIS (AFP) – Thomas Tuchel made a winning start to life as England coach with a 2-0 victory against Albania in 2026 World Cup qualifying, while Robert Lewandowski handed Poland a narrow win over Lithuania.