Business

Economist Madeline Berma passes away

KUALA LUMPUR: The passing of economist and academic Prof Datuk Dr Madeline Berma today has been mourned by members of the economics fraternity, the academic community, and alumni of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Cricket

Cricket-Bethell looks to cement place as England number three

MELBOURNE, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Jacob Bethell ‌was not supposed to be England's headline act in the fourth test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but ‌he looked like a player who belonged when the tourists made their nervous chase for victory ‌against Australia.

Nation

Cops dispose of case items worth RM3.5mil

SERDANG: The police have disposed of RM3.5mil worth of items involving cases investigated since 2010.

Nation

Betrayal not an issue Madani govt has to deal with, says Anwar

PUTRAJAYA: Amid the ongoing turmoil within Perikatan Nasional, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he is grateful that the Madani government remains intact.

World

Moody's cuts Budapest's rating to junk due to row with national government

BUDAPEST, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Ratings agency ‌Moody's has downgraded Budapest's credit rating to Ba1 from Baa3 and placed ‌it on review for a further reduction, citing its weak liquidity and ‌a financial dispute with Viktor Orban's national government.

Entertainment

Nick Reiner once admitted he faked being ‘crazy’ to get medication

The 32-year-old was 14 when he first started battling substance abuse.

Brunei

Young Bruneian art critic joins regional platform in Japan and Taiwan

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Bruneian youth Faiq Airudin became the first Bruneian to join the Asian Producers' Platform (APP) Camp for emerging and established performing arts producers.

Cambodia

Cambodian evacuees welcome ceasefire but wait in uncertainty as return home unclear

PHNOM PENH: While hundreds of thousands of families displaced by recent cross-border fighting in Banteay Meanchey province welcome the Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire, many remain uncertain as to when they can return home, with safety assessments and official instructions still pending.

World

Soaring prices spark Australia gold rush for new generation of fortune hunters

MELBOURNE, Dec 30 (Reuters) - In the hinterlands of Australia's historic goldfields, Vicki Plumridge jumps ‌for joy when she digs a small golden nugget out of the earth.

Laos

Laos named among world’s cheapest travel destinations

VIENTIANE: Laos has been ranked among the world's most affordable travel destinations for 2026 by Indie Traveller magazine, reinforcing the country's growing reputation as a budget-friendly destination offering rich cultural experiences.

Nation

Cop claims trial to seven counts of raping a minor

KANGAR: A policeman has pleaded not guilty at a Magistrates' Court here to seven charges of raping a teenage girl.

World

Belarusian Lukashenko pardons 22 prisoners, Belta reports

MOSCOW, ‌Dec ‌30 (Reuters) - ‌Belarusian President ‍Alexander Lukashenko ‍has ‌signed a ‍decree ​pardoning ⁠22 prisoners, ‌the ⁠Belarusian ‍news ‍agency Belta ‌reported on Tuesday.

AI

Nvidia, Lenovo and Samsung to test consumer appetite for AI at CES

The show floor this year will be particularly populated with AI-powered hardware, including the sort of smart glasses popularised by Meta Platforms Inc and that Snap Inc and Apple Inc are planning to launch by the end of 2026.

Nation

Pahang Customs seizes over RM16mil worth of smuggled goods as of Dec 30

KUANTAN: The Pahang branch of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department has seized various smuggled goods worth over RM16.09mil from Jan 1 to Dec 30, 2025.

World

Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first female prime minister, dies at 80

DHAKA, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Khaleda Zia, who became Bangladesh's first female prime ‌minister in 1991 and went on to develop a bitter rivalry with Sheikh Hasina as they spent decades trading power, died on Tuesday after a long illness. She was 80.

Nation

MetMalaysia issues continuous rainfall alert for Sarawak, tomorrow until Jan 1

KUALA LUMPUR: The Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued an alert level for continuous rainfall in several areas of Sarawak, effective from Wednesday (Dec 31) until Jan 1, 2026.

Vietnam

Vietnam seeks ways to expand exports to halal market

HANOI: To help businesses diversify export markets, Ho Chi Minh City has been actively promoting trade with the Halal market, which serves an estimated 2.2 billion Muslim consumers worldwide, particularly in the Middle East, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.

Nation

MMEA seizes six tonnes of tin ore off Batu Pahat

BATU PAHAT: About six tonnes of tin ore packed in gunny sacks have been uncovered by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) at sea.

Indonesia

Yearender: Police reform in Indonesia met with doubt amid persistent brutality, impunity

JAKARTA: With police brutality rising over the past year, 2025 marked a moment when the government launched an effort to reform the force, though skepticism remains over whether the move can bring meaningful change to the institution.

Commodities

Gold bounces from two-week low as thin trade sparks volatile moves

GOLD rose on Tuesday, recovering from a sharp selloff in the previous session, as thin year-end trade exacerbated volatility, with traders expecting fundamental drivers to carry precious metals to new highs ‌in 2026.