Washington, United States (AFP): Nearly 12 years after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished with 239 people on board, the search for answers to one of aviation's most haunting riddles resumed Tuesday (Dec 30) in the remote southern Indian Ocean. MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur just after midnight on March 8, 2014, bound for Beijing on what should have been an uneventful six-hour flight. A Beijing court ordered Malaysia Airlines on December 8, 2025 to pay compensation to the families of eight passengers from flight MH370, more than a decade after the plane disappeared. In this picture taken on December 10, 2025, Jiang Hui, whose mother was on board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, is seen showing items commemorating the accident at his home in Beijing. Jiang Cuiyun, then a 72-year-old retiree, was one of 239 people aboard flight MH370 when it vanished from radar screens on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

LONDON (Dec 30): Britain said on Tuesday that China's military exercises around Taiwan increased the risk of escalation, and reiterated a call for restraint. "China's military exercises around Taiwan this week increase cross-strait tensions and the risk of escalation," a foreign office spokesperson said in a statement. We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo or any activity that risks destabilising it." "We continue to call for restraint and the avoidance of any further actions that risk undermining peace and stability." The Chinese embassy in Britain said the foreign office remarks were "a misrepresentation of the facts, a manipulation of the truth".

Compiled by KHOO JIAN TENG, C.ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHANMARTIAL arts superstar Jackie Chan regrets being a strict father which led to an estranged relationship with his son Jaycee, Sin Chew Daily reported. “In the past, whenever I saw my son Jaycee, I scolded him. Jackie said over time, his son grew increasingly fearful of him as a father and would only call him once a year to say happy birthday. However, even the birthday phone calls stopped after Jackie chided his son and ordered him to stop calling. He said he now realised that he had been overly strict as a parent and that he no longer imposed expectations on his children.

THE US ‌Geological Survey’s (USGS) updated critical minerals list now encompasses 60 different materials, representing around 80% of all the mined commodities on the periodic table. Many critical minerals are “spice metals” – used in only tiny quantities but with a transformative impact. These are two of the oldest metals used by humans; in combination they defined the Bronze Age. That’s nearly 78% of all US weapons and just five out of 60 critical minerals. The West’s pressing need to escape China’s chokehold on critical minerals supply has thrust these previously obscure elements to the center of world politics.

PETALING JAYA: New Year’s Eve celebration for medical staff like Najmuddin Mazelan means catching a glimpse of fireworks from a window, if he’s lucky. Our night duty is about attending to patients, documentation, and moving from one case to another. Dr Muhamad Hazim Moktar, who works in a private clinic, said that Dec 31 would be like any other working day for him. He would be on double shift duty from 4pm until 8am the next day. As for Dr Muhammad Hazril Abdul Rahman Raja, 30, who will be working the night shift for the first time on Dec 31, he said: “It’s a typical on-call day for me.

IPOH: Two people, including a senior citizen, were injured in the early hours of Wednesday (Dec 31) morning after the car they were travelling in caught fire following a road accident on the North-South Expressway near Gopeng. Perak Fire and Rescue Department acting deputy director of operations Shazlean Mohd Hanafiah said the department received a distress call at 5.16am. He said the car caught fire after an accident at KM 292.4 on the northbound lane of the expressway. “The car was about 80% burnt upon arrival, and a 42-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman sustained injuries in the crash,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 31). Shazlean said the male victim suffered lacerations to his arm, while the elderly female victim received injuries to her face.

PUTRAJAYA: The Customs Department’s inspection for travellers departing from Malaysia will be consolidated at the departure gates of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 (KLIA T1) starting Jan 1. Currently, the department conducts inspections using departure screening scanners located in the departure zone after Immigration clearance, which has the potential to cause congestion during peak travel periods. The Transport Ministry said in a statement that this new initiative will allow passengers to experience a smoother flow of movement before boarding their flights, thereby reducing congestion and waiting times in the departure zone. “This improvement is implemented through close cooperation between the ministry, Customs Department, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd and the Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency. “This step does not compromise security levels or Customs enforcement,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.

JOHOR BARU: It was a lucky coincidence for a teenager here who got to board Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd’s (KTMB) Southern Express train for the first time just one day before the service ends its run. “My friend and I decided to ride the train to Gemas to visit our friends there. In a statement on Monday, KTMB announced that its Southern Express train service on the Gemas-JB Sentral-Gemas route, which had been operating for nine years, will be terminated effective Jan 1. Muhammad Arif said he was unaware about the ceasing of the Southern Express train service. Shalini said that she plans to take the Electric Train Service (ETS) for her future trips.

PETALING JAYA: TT Vision Holdings Bhd (TTVHB) has secured several purchase orders for its solar cell inspection equipment from one of its major customers, totalling RM7.11mil. The company, which is principally involved in the development and manufacturing of machine vision equipment, said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia yesterday that the contract is expected to be fulfilled within three months. “The contract will not have any effect on the share capital and substantial shareholders’ shareholdings of the TTVHB and its subsidiaries. “However, the contract is expected to contribute positively towards the future earnings and net assets of the group for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2026.”TTVHB said it does not foresee any exceptional risk other than the normal operational risks associated with the supply of products.

Koong acknowledged that ACCCIM has received complaints from SMEs who felt sidelined for not needing to provide e-invoices but he stressed that non-issuance does not mean transactions are illegitimate. SMEs that are not required to issue e-invoices doesn’t mean that the transactions are illegitimate. When you do business with MNCs, you will mostly follow their requirements,” he said, adding that most SMEs in MNC supply chains have already implemented e-invoicing. Meanwhile, LHDN chief executive officer Datuk Dr Abu Tariq Jamaluddin said e-invoicing participation was currently on a voluntary basis. “However, LHDN encourages SMEs to accelerate their participation, and will continue to provide support throughout the implementation process,” he said.

HOUSTON: Oil was steady after a choppy session on Tuesday as investors weighed dented hopes of a Russia-Ukraine peace deal and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East around Yemen. Brent crude futures for February delivery, which expire on Tuesday, settled down 2 cents, or 0.03%, at US$61.92 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate ‌crude settled down 13 cents, or 0.22%, at US$57.95. Russia has said it will toughen its position in peace talks after accusing Kyiv of attacking the residence, an allegation that Kyiv dismissed as baseless and designed to undermine peace negotiations. Prices are likely to trend ‍downwards in the first quarter of 2026 because of a "growing oil glut", said Marex analyst Ed Meir.

Eat, drink and enjoy the outdoors and family gatherings – in moderation, say those who see an increase in heart emergencies during the holiday season. Cardiac emergencies spike 30% on Christmas Eve, according to American Medical Response, which provides emergency medical services in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. region in the United States. Dr Racht is the chief medical officer of Global Medical Response, the parent company of American Medical Response. Heart attacks happen when blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced or blocked, the American Heart Association says. Paramedics and medical technicians can initiate life-saving care on the road and prepare the emergency room for a heart attack response.

This triggered the right to compulsorily acquire the remaining shares under Section 222 of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. — Apex Healthcare privatisation goes ahead as compulsory acquisition threshold crossedChin Hin Group Bhd’s (KL:CHINHIN) 95%-owned subsidiary, Kayangan Kemas Sdn Bhd, has initiated arbitration proceedings against Exyte Malaysia Sdn Bhd — the main contractor of the Intel Pelican Project in Bayan Lepas, Penang — seeking about RM201 million following a contract dispute. The plant is being acquired from PKNP Reneuco Suria Sdn Bhd, which is under receivership and is a 95%-owned subsidiary of Practice Note 17-listed Reneuco Bhd (KL:RENEUCO). Reneuco, then known as Kumpulan Powernet Bhd, in collaboration with Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Pahang (PKNP), was shortlisted to develop the 50MWac solar photovoltaic plant. The disposal slashed Insas’ stake in Omesti to 4.638%, below the requisite 5% to be deemed a substantial shareholder.

“We cried in the car; it was such an emotional moment.”As the youngest of three siblings, Angeliana is the first in her family to pursue university studies abroad. I just provided moral support, financial backing for tuition and extra classes and made sure she had the time and resources to succeed. A brighter futureFor Surendran Muniandy, the YTN My Brighter Future (MyBF) sponsorship has been life-changing in a different way. > My BRIGHTER FUTURE (MyBF): Targeted at students from lower-income families, providing full financial support without repayment obligations. YTN’s scholarships not only support students and families but also contribute to Malaysia’s human capital development, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to social responsibility, equity and nation-building.

KANGAR: Newly appointed Perlis Mentri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah has announced a RM3,000 monthly salary cut as part of efforts to reduce the state government’s financial burden. “For the new exco members later, I will also advise them to make a RM1,500 deduction. Abu Bakar was sworn in before the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail at Istana Arau last Sunday. On the appointment of new exco members, he said discussions will first be held with the State Secretary before submitting the proposed names to Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin. “We must rise from complacency, rise from weaknesses, rise from laziness and the like.