Nation

Don't fish for votes at the expense of national unity, says PKR leader

MELAKA: Dividing society for personal or political gain must not be tolerated, says PKR deputy secretary-general Aidi Amin Yazid.

Sabah & Sarawak

New political secretaries urged to promote Sabah state policies, programmes

KOTA KINABALU: Newly appointed political secretaries are asked to disseminate information on state policies and programmes while refraining from abusing their positions for personal agendas.

China

China says it is granting new, streamlined rare earth export licences

BEIJING: China's Commerce Ministry said on Thursday (Dec 18) that it had granted several general licenses for rare earth exports, a new category of permit that aims to speed up shipments of the vital elements.

Cycling

Track cyclist Aisyah rides to shock gold

BANGKOK: Paris Olympian Nur Aisyah Zubir proved that she is an all-rounder in cycling.

Sabah & Sarawak

Split native vote kept PBS from winning more seats in Sabah polls, says Gunsalam

KOTA KINABALU: The splitting of native votes after Sabah STAR pulled out of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was a key factor in why Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) failed to gain ground in the Nov 29 state election, says Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam.

China

Tidal wave of Chinese tea brands place bets on winning over American tastebuds

NEW YORK/SHANGHAI: Amanda Wang, co-founder of Chinese fast-growing beverage chain Ningji Lemon Tea, made four research trips to the US before launching Bobobaba, designed to cater specifically to American tastes.

Nation

Kluang cops nab four over spate of break-ins

KLUANG: Three men and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in a series of break-ins at homes and schools here.

Nation

Let Najib go home immediately if High Court rules in his favour, says lawyer Shafee

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak must be allowed to return home immediately to serve his sentence under house arrest should the High Court rule in his favour.

Nation

Hit the road running, no honeymoon period, new ministers told

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has informed the new ministers that there will be no honeymoon period, and they must begin their duties immediately.

Nation

Ischaemic heart disease remains the leading cause of death, says Stats Dept

PUTRAJAYA: Ischaemic heart disease was once again the leading cause of death in Malaysia in 2024, responsible for 17,421 or 13 per cent of medically certified deaths, the Department of Statistics Malaysia reported on Thursday (Dec 18).

South Korea

Study says South Korea has too many twins, warns of health risks

SEOUL: As the number of twin births and higher-order multiple pregnancies rises in South Korea, a study released on Dec 18 called for state measures to protect the health of both mothers and infants, including policies aimed at curbing the growing share of multifetal pregnancies.

Football

Soccer-Nigeria allege DR Congo fielded ineligible players in World Cup playoff

Dec 18 (Reuters) - Nigeria have submitted a petition to FIFA alleging the Democratic Republic of Congo fielded ineligible players in their African qualification play-off for next year's World Cup, a federation (NFF) spokesperson said.

Cricket

Cricket-NZ's Conway, Latham smash hundreds in third West Indies test

Dec 18 (Reuters) - New Zealand's Devon Conway and Tom Latham struck hundreds in a mammoth opening stand of 323 to deflate West Indies on the opening day of the third and final test in Mount Maunganui on Thursday.

Football

Soccer-Hosts Morocco face heavy burden of expectation at Cup of Nations

RABAT, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Africa Cup of Nations hosts Morocco are putting up their best foot forward with sparkling stadiums and much-improved facilities for the 24 competing teams but the pressure on their own footballers to deliver the title is potentially stifling.

Business

Record-breaking RM3.2bil in sales

The success of Mihas@Shanghai testifies to the global trust in Malaysia's halal ecosystem, marking a strategic leap in globalising the nation's halal economy.

World

EU leaders face crunch decision on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

BRUSSELS, Dec 18 (Reuters) - European Union leaders will decide whether to use frozen Russian assets to lend billions of euros of cash to Ukraine to keep its war effort afloat at a summit on Thursday seen as a critical test of the group's strength.

Nation

Fella Design Seremban debuts farmhouse collection

Fella Design launched its flagship farmhouse collection at its Seremban showroom on Nov 13.

Nation

No toll hike on highways run by 10 concessionaires in 2026, govt to bear costs

KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no increase in toll charges on highways run by 10 concessionaires in 2026, with the government to bear the costs, says, says Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.

Technology

Micron surges on upbeat profit forecast as chip prices soar

Dec 18 (Reuters) - Micron Technology's shares rose 9% in premarket trading on Thursday after the U.S. chipmaker delivered an outsized quarterly profit forecast, underscoring its leadership in the high-bandwidth memory chips market as prices surge.

Nation

Barisan considering Bung Moktar’s son as Kinabatangan candidate, says Ahmad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional is considering fielding Naim Kurniawan, the son of the late Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, as its candidate for the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election scheduled for January next year, says its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.