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Nation

Continuous rain warning issued for seven states on Dec 17

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) issues a continuous rain warning for seven states, including two federal territories.

Philippines

Inside the US$2bil flood mitigation scandal that paralysed the Philippines

MANILA: Senator Francis Pangilinan leaned into his microphone and fired off numbers in pesos: 50 million? 10 million? 100 million? "You withdrew this in cash?"

Tennis

Tennis-'Sincaraz' rivalry lights up 2025 season, women share the spotlight

BENGALURU, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner turned 2025 into a gripping tug-of-war for tennis supremacy by carving up the Grand Slams for a second straight year, while the women's game showcased depth and drama with four different major champions.

China

Famous China painter, 87, welcomes son with wife, 37, amid US$280mil theft rumour

SHANGHAI: Fan Zeng, one of the most valuable contemporary painters in China, recently announced the birth of his only biological son while severing ties with his other children, once again bringing family disputes into the public eye.

Nation

Man runs amok, kills grandmother, injures great-grandmother

BALING: A 65-year-old woman was killed while her 80-year-old mother was injured after they were attacked by the woman's grandson, who ran amok in an incident at Kampung Baru Bakai, Malau near here on Tuesday (Dec 16).

Internet

Grok spews misinformation about deadly Australia shooting

Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok churned out misinformation about Australia's Bondi Beach mass shooting, misidentifying a key figure who saved lives and falsely claiming that a victim staged his injuries, researchers said on Dec 17.

Wellness

Biosimilars: Same effects as biologics, but less costly

These are more affordable versions of original biologic drugs that are frequently the best option to treat many chronic diseases.

Living

Toxic mines put South-East Asia’s rivers and people at risk, study says

Across mainland South-East Asia, more than 2,400 mines – many of them illegal and unregulated – could be releasing deadly chemicals such as cyanide and mercury into river water.

Nation

Police to refer Jalan Kuchai Lama fatal crash probe to DPP

PETALING JAYA: Police will submit the investigation papers on a fatal road accident along Jalan Kuchai Lama to the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) for further instructions.

Nation

Border Control Agency to enhance training with Australian Border Force

PUTRAJAYA: Plans are underway to send frontline Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency officers for training with the Australian Border Force (ABF), says Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain.

World

Europe votes in favour of scheme to improve access to abortions

STRASBOURG, France, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The EU's parliament voted on Wednesday in favour of a scheme that would enable women from nations restricting abortion to terminate pregnancies in another member state free of charge.

Forex

Ringgit firms to 4.07 against US$ on improved sentiment

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit strengthened against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday, extending its recent gains to hover around the 4.07 level, its strongest showing in nearly five years, underpinned by firmer domestic and external sentiment.

True Or Not

QuickCheck: Did the iconic cafeteria tray scene in Spider-Man (2002) feature visual effects?

In the world of cinema, we have seen superheroes of all shapes and sizes perform incredible feats. To bring them to life on the screen, computer-generated special effects are often used.

Markets

FBM KLCI slips on profit-taking after rally

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI started slightly lower on Wednesday after a four-day rally, which took the index to its highest closing so far this year.

World

Sydney mourners remember slain rabbi at Bondi Beach funeral

SYDNEY, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Hundreds of mourners gathered in a Bondi synagogue for the funeral of Rabbi Eli Schlanger on Wednesday, a few blocks away from the beach where he was gunned down, one of the first of many services for the Hanukkah festival shooting victims.

Technology

Blackstone leads investment in data-security firm Cyera at a $9 billion valuation, WSJ reports

Dec 16 (Reuters) - Blackstone is leading a $400 million investment in data-security firm Cyera that values the New York-based company at $9 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Technology

AI romance blooms as Japan woman weds virtual partner of her dreams

OKAYAMA, Japan, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Music played in a wedding hall in western Japan as Yurina Noguchi, wearing a white gown and tiara, dabbed away her tears, taking in the words of her husband-to-be: an AI-generated persona gazing out from a smartphone screen.

Entertainment

Singaporean singer Nathan Hartono engaged to actress Liz Sergeant Tan

Tan is the daughter of the late theatre director, actress and arts educator Christina Sergeant, one of the pioneers of Singapore's theatre scene who died in 2013.

Economy

Singapore's November exports rise 11.6% y-o-y, stronger than expected

SINGAPORE: Singapore's non-oil domestic exports rose by 11.6% in November from the same month a year earlier, government data showed on Wednesday, led primarily by pharmaceuticals and supported by electronic products, such as integrated circuits and PCs.

Nation

Border Control calls for 50% boost in manpower to strengthen security

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency requires a 50% increase in manpower to effectively safeguard the country's borders against intrusion, smuggling and other cross-border crimes, says Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain.