Malaysia

A former Playboy bunny has embraced Islam, comparing the transition to “rebirth.”

Felixia Yeap announced her conversion to her 835,000 followers on Facebook on July 3, later revealing that she had taken up her new faith at the Taman Tun Dr. Ismail Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Malaysia's highest court on Monday dismissed a bid by Christians for the right to use the word "Allah", ending a years-long legal battle that has escalated religious tensions in the Muslim-majority country.
      

Malaysian authorities on Thursday were searching for 35 people missing at sea following two boat accidents at a time when many illegal migrant workers head home to Indonesia for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
      

An illegal boat carrying 97 people from Indonesia has sunk off the western coast of Malaysia and at least 42 of the passengers are missing, Tuesday.

Some 31 passengers had been rescued, according to reports of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

Relatives of passengers from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 have begun receiving compensation payments of USD 50,000.

Six Malaysian families and one Chinese family have so far received compensation from the airline's insurance company, while 40 more expect to receive such in the coming days, BBC reported.

Bulgaria is to open new trade offices in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, in northern Iraq  at Erbil, Algiers, Tunisia, Ghana, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, in the US in Chicago, Hungary and in Cyprus.

Bulgaria will open trade missions in 20 countries by end-2014, according to a media statement of the government.

The new trade representations are to be opened in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, northern Iraq (Erbil), Algiers, Tunisia, Ghana, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, US (Chicago), Hungary and Cyprus.

Turkish Minister Yazıcı (C), Undersecretary of South Korean Customs Administration Baek Un-chan (L) and his Turkish counterpart pose at the ceremony. Turkey moved to develop its multi-billion dollar bilateral trade with South Korea yesterday by signing a deal to harmonize their customs systems – the first such deal between the Asian nation and a European country.

Several families of those aboard Flight MH370 yesterday launched a drive to raise $5 million to reward any insider who comes forward and resolves the mystery of the plane’s disappearance exactly three months ago.

11 Bulgarians were arrested by the State Agency for National Security (DANS) for draining credit cards through skimming devices.

4 of the 11 Bulgarians who were arrested had European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued against them, according to a media statement of DANS.