Thailand says Cambodia breached ceasefire, weighs next steps
“If Thailand has to retaliate, we would do so if necessary,” Anutin told reporters in Bangkok on Tuesday. But based on initial discussions between the two countries, he said the incident appears to have been an “accident” and Thailand is seeking further information. The renewed tension comes just days after Thailand agreed to repatriate 18 Cambodian soldiers captured in July. A Thai soldier sustained shrapnel wounds in the Tuesday incident, though his condition isn’t critical, the Second Army Region said in a statement. Earlier, the regional army unit said Cambodia “has violated the ceasefire”.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 05:28 UTC
Pop Mart adds production site in Mexico to boost US supply
The Mexico facility joins newly established factories in Cambodia and Indonesia, supporting the Chinese toymaker’s expansion of its supply chain beyond China and Vietnam, a Pop Mart spokesperson told Bloomberg News, without disclosing further details. Pop Mart doesn’t have its own factories but collaborates with manufacturing partners. Pop Mart has been bolstering its production capacity since its toothy doll Labubu became a global sensation in 2025. “This partner-led network ramps up supply capacity and enables timely, universal access to new products for consumers worldwide,” a Pop Mart spokesperson said in a statement. Shares of Pop Mart rallied as much as 5.7% in Hong Kong on Tuesday, the biggest jump in more than a month and marking a third consecutive day of gains.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 05:18 UTC
AMD unveils new chip for corporate data centres, talks up demand
The company is adding a new model to its current lineup — one called the MI440X — for use in smaller corporate data centres where customers can deploy local hardware and keep data inside their own facilities. The two talked about their shared belief that future economic growth will be tied to the availability of AI resources. The new chip, MI440X, will fit in compact computers in existing smaller data centres. Su also gave a preview of the forthcoming MI500 series of processors that will debut in 2027. That range will deliver up to 1,000 times the performance of the MI300 series that was first rolled out in 2023, Su said.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 05:03 UTC
MARKET VIEWS: Markets, mayhem and mindset: My first 300 days
Markets were on tenterhooks in the subsequent days leading up to “Liberation Day” on April 2 when the US would unveil its reciprocal tariffs. Bursa Malaysia is committed to intensifying efforts together with stakeholders to overcome this menace. Building the next chapterThe year 2026 will mark 50 years since the incorporation of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, which was later renamed Bursa Malaysia. The capital market is a shared opportunity and responsibility, shaped by issuers, investors, participants, policymakers and the wider public. With the capable team behind me at Bursa Malaysia and the support from the ecosystem, I step into the new year a little bit wiser from the lessons learnt in the past 300 days.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 05:00 UTC
Hong Kong developers sell US$750m of luxury homes in weeks
(Jan 6): Developers in Hong Kong were kept busy during the holiday season as rich buyers went on a shopping spree for luxury homes. That bodes well for the luxury sector this year, following a prolonged slump that was exacerbated by distressed owners dumping properties cheaply. HKR International Ltd sold a pair of houses next to its golf club at Discovery Bay for almost HK$1 billion. “Wealthy buyers are making decisions faster,” said William Lau, a senior director and the head of residential agency at Knight Frank in Hong Kong. Knight Frank expects mass residential prices in Hong Kong to jump 5%-8% in 2026 and luxury values to rise 3%-5%, supported by demand from immigrants and finance industry professionals, according to a December report by the real estate consultancy.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 04:53 UTC
CEO of Salonpas maker seeks to take the US$2.9b drug firm private, Bloomberg reports
Banks will provide financing for the deal, and the buyout proposal is likely to be announced soon, they added. Hisamitsu confirmed the report, saying it is considering going private and planned to make an announcement on Tuesday, according to a company statement. Hisamitsu, known for its Salonpas pain-relief patches, joins a growing list of Japanese companies exiting the public market to shield themselves from growing regulatory and investor pressure to lift valuations and implement more oversight. Hisamitsu, which traces its origins to 1847 in the Saga prefecture in southwestern Japan, develops and sells prescription and drugstore products. Salonpas became the first-ever topical pain-relief patch approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2008.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 04:33 UTC
Credit markets rev up after US$61b of deals in one day
(Jan 6): Monday’s US$61 billion (RM247 billion) issuance tally for the global dollar bond market showcases strong investor appetite for credit, one that will likely embolden issuers to boost supply early in the year. At least nine borrowers in Asia — including Japan’s Resona Bank Ltd and Agricultural Bank of China Ltd — were marketing notes in the US currency Tuesday. The previous day’s tally for global bond sales was the biggest since Jan 6, 2025, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Borrowers are locking in deals early, with investment‑grade credit spreads still near historic lows amid broadly solid corporate fundamentals. That’s expected to be driven by companies’ AI expansion projects, refinancing of looming maturities and acquisition financing.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 04:17 UTC
Koo accepts BAM call but backs local coaches
That belief is why former men’s doubles national shuttler Koo Kien Keat admitted he was disappointed after missing out on a top coaching role with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). Kien Keat revealed that BAM had offered him an assistant coach position last year, but he turned it down as he was eyeing the men’s doubles head coach role. “BAM offered me a coaching role but I was not happy with the position,” said Kien Keat. 2014 champions Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah were the last homesters to be crowned champions in the men’s doubles. “Honestly, there’s a chance for a Malaysian pair to reach the final but winning the title will be difficult,” said Kien Keat.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 04:00 UTC
QuickCheck: Does two years of exercise reverse almost 20 years of heart ageing?
A HYPERBOLIC health headline has gone viral with an enticing claim - that only two years of regular exercise may help make your heart 20 years younger. It sounds almost too good to be true, that a regular workout plan can reverse decades of ageing and possibly unhealthy habits. Can just two years of breaking a sweat really turn back the clock on your heart by 20 years? But doctors warn that this does not imply that the heart has truly become "20 years younger." In other words, the volunteers did not reverse 20 years of ageing, instead they regained some functional capacity that had been lost due to prolonged inactivity.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 03:30 UTC
She turned mockery into motivation
Compiled by OON JUN-YANG, CHOW HOW BAN and R. ARAVINTHANA YOUNG woman overcame frequent mockery over her physical appearance, using it as motivation to enter university and secure a job, Kosmo! She obtain a degree in information technology from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, and later started doing live broadcasts on TikTok. She did not expect the platform to become a new source of strength for her. Of course, there are also nasty comments, some mock me, saying I’m using a ‘filter’, but I just ignore them,” she said. The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies).
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 03:27 UTC
3 destinations to add to your travel list this year
Visiting these offbeat destinations allows you to connect with the local way of life and immerse yourself in experiences that feel more authentic and personal. Ganja is the second largest city in Azerbaijan, the transcontinental country straddling Western Asia and Eastern Europe. To make the trip even more worthwhile, pay a visit to the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, for a few days before making your way to Ganja via train (travel time: almost four hours). Experience local life by trying woodworking, pottery and other hands-on crafts that have been part of the community for generations. To reach Kiso Valley, fly from KL to Nagoya, then hop on a scenic train ride to the valley.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 03:05 UTC
MPs call for City Hall overhaul
AS THE capital city enters 2026, MPs are calling for long-overdue governance reforms at Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), warning that poor oversight has triggered rampant overdevelopment and eroded public trust. Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan is asking about the necessity of a RM42mil contract to a company to operate and maintain a smart traffic light system. He further questioned why DBKL needed to have the smart traffic light system after awarding a deal for 5,000 artificial intelligence-powered closed- circuit TV (CCTV) cameras for the city in 2024. Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng suggested that DBKL make public the details of the smart traffic lights contract. “My wish for this year is to see the government buy back the Bohol pond land and restore it to its original state,” she said, adding that this was achievable.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 02:40 UTC
No penalties for CP500 taxpayers this year
PETALING JAYA: Individual taxpayers who have received Instalment Payment Notices (CP500) will not be subjected to penalties this year, says the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN). It said this is to give individual taxpayers with income from employment and non-employment sources, such as rental, interest and royalties, time to properly comply with CP500 requirements for the 2026 Assessment Year (AY). “This measure is in line with the government’s decision to provide a transition period for these individual taxpayers. “As such, during this transition period, no penalties will be imposed even if taxpayers do not make CP500 instalment payments. However, these taxpayers are still advised to update their income reporting in the ITR for AY 2025 to avoid receiving CP500 instalment notices in the future.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 02:36 UTC
‘Come down hard to check unlawful scrap metal deals’
PETALING JAYA: Tougher penalties and stricter enforcement are crucial to rein in Malaysia’s booming illegal scrap metal trade, say two former police top brass. Shanmugamoorthy said thefts targeting public infrastructure were often intricate and required technical skill, with foreign scrap collectors increasingly being involved. He also suggested better engagement with scrap metal traders’ associations and greater transparency in procurement tenders. Criminologist Datuk Seri A. Thaiveegan said to further regulate the scrap metal industry, closer monitoring could be adopted. “I believe many scrap metal operators are law-abiding and ethical.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 02:15 UTC
Hyundai unveils new humanoid robot for work in car factories
(Jan 6): Hyundai Motor Co’s Boston Dynamics unit unveiled the latest iteration of a humanoid robot designed to work in the carmaker’s manufacturing plants starting in 2028, including at a factory in Savannah, Georgia. The Atlas humanoid robot features human-scale hands with tactile sensing and fully rotational joints capable of lifting up to 110 pounds (50kg) and operating in temperatures as low as -4F (-20C) and as high as 104F, it said. The announcement comes after executive chair Chung Euisun said in New Year remarks that his company needs to embrace cutting-edge AI technology to avoid falling behind competitors. Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng Inc last year showed off its Iron humanoid robot to great fanfare, and a surge in shares. Toyota Motor Corp also has an advanced robotics programme, which in 2024 paired with rival Hyundai to speed development of humanoid robots using AI.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 01:52 UTC