As my wife and I boarded a train to Coventry, my mind drifted back to 1979, when I first set foot in England as a naval cadet officer at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. We took a train to Exeter and then to Dartmouth to begin our naval training. The train journey from Dublin to Galway cut through serene farmlands and quaint Irish towns. The writer in England in 1979, when he attended the Britannia Royal Naval College. Just like in 1979, the English and Irish people we met throughout our journey left a lasting impression – friendly, helpful, and courteous.

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Another Singaporean has been included in the US Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) website listing “the worst of (the) worst criminal aliens” arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Lim Seok Pheng’s inclusion on the list on Feb 6 came after the DHS announced on social media platform X that it had added 5,000 more individuals. The database now comprises 25,011 people who were arrested by ICE and US Customs and Border Protection. Lim, 47, was arrested for suspected money laundering in May 2018 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. With Lim Seok Pheng's inclusion on the website, Singapore now has two individuals listed, the other being child sex offender Amos Yee.

Compiled by OON JUN-YANG, BEH YUEN HUI and R. ARAVINTHANA PLAYFUL joke about being bored during the school holidays unexpectedly escalated for a six-year-old girl in China, who ended up receiving many exercise books from online strangers. Oriental Daily Online reported that the girl, who lives in Qingyuan, Guangdong province, had posted several short videos saying she had nothing to do ­during the winter break. After discovering the address of her parents’ clothing shop, people began mailing her large numbers of test papers and exercise books. This is because his name is translated as “Ma Er Fu” in Chinese, meaning “lucky horse”. British actor Tom Felton, who played Malfoy, reposted a report featuring the sales of Malfoy-themed Lunar New Year couplets on social media.

PETALING JAYA: The national men shuttlers hopes of reaching the Asia Team Championships semi-finals were dashed after suffering a 0-3 defeat at the hands of Japan. In the first singles, world No. 18 Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi had no answers against 2021 world champions and world No. 49 Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin then tried to save the tie for Malaysia in the second singles against world No. 23 Koki Watanabe and got off to a good start by winning the first game 22-20 but ran out of steam in the next two games, losing 11-21, 3-21 in an hour.

PUTRAJAYA: The Veterinary Services Department (DVS) has approved the import of pork from Thailand and Brazil to meet demand over the Chinese New Year period. The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry said the government remains attentive in ensuring there is adequate pork supply to support local needs during the festive season. "Local importers are advised to refer to the DVS official website at www.dvs.gov.my for the list of approved abattoirs – three in Brazil and four in Thailand, for imports," the ministry said in a statement on Friday (Feb 6). The ministry said all imported pork is subject to strict food safety controls and veterinary health standard operating procedures to ensure a safe food supply chain and reduce the risk of disease transmission.

PETALING JAYA: It took just two hours for Malaysian women shuttlers to collapse 0-3 against migthy South Koreans in the Asia Team Championships. Women’s singles shuttler K. Letshanaa had an uphill battle against world No. 1 An Se-young and the gulf in standard showed as the Malaysian went down 11-21, 11-21 in just 36 minutes at the Qingdao Conson Gymnasium on Friday (Feb 6). It set the tone for the day as Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting also found Baek Ha-na-Kim Hye-jeong tough to handle and bowed out with a meek 13-21, 9-21 defeat in 40 minutes. The pressure was then on Wong Ling Ching to save the tie for Malaysia in the second singles but she could not find a way past Park Ga-eun, suffering a 16-21, 12-21 defeat in 44 minutesIt was Malaysia’s second consecutive exit in the last eight after losing to Indonesia in the same stage in the last edition in 2024.

PUTRAJAYA: The Home Minis­try has urged the public not to hold any gatherings in public places during the official visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the weekend. The ministry said the police, as the agency responsible for coordinating security preparations for the visit, would meet the organisers of a rally scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur today. “The police will meet the organisers and request their cooperation in not proceeding with the planned gathering,” it said, Bernama reported. According to the ministry, the police is responsible in ensuring no untoward incident that could cause unrest and disrupt public order during the visit, which reflects the strong diplomatic ties and mutual respect between the two countries. At the same time, a rally related to encroachment and the construction of illegal places of worship is scheduled to be held in the city, and is reportedly expected to involve 141 non-governmental organisations.

(A green card is an identity document that permits a foreigner to live and work in the United States permanently.) “I was stopped once in August last year, and the officer checked my green card to confirm my legal status. Ng is one of the many Malaysians in Minnesota living in a state of heightened anxiety as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents ramp up operations to arrest undocumented migrants. According to Ng, she always checks local community updates about ICE enforcement activities because she wants to avoid stressful situations. The Human Resources Ministry said there are 79,827 Malaysians who are living in the United States as of 2022, citing data from TalentCorp and the World Bank.

PETALING JAYA: Controversial independent preacher Zamri Vinoth has insisted that a planned rally against so-called “illegal” temples will proceed, despite the government’s call for it to be called off. ALSO READ: Police bar Garah rally at Sogo over public safety fearsThe ministry cited security concerns ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Malaysia, which begins on Sunday (Feb 8). The rally, organised by a coalition of approximately 141 non-governmental organisations, aims to pressure authorities to act against unauthorised houses of worship. Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would not allow any party to jeopardise national security during the high-profile diplomatic visit. Zamri has denied any link between the protest and the visit of the Indian Prime Minister, describing the timing as purely coincidental.

PETALING JAYA: The suspension of three senior Human Resource Development Corpo­ration (HRD Corp) officials is a necessary step towards strengthening governance and restoring confidence in the management of employer levy funds, say anti-graft activists. They also said the drastic action taken by HRD Corp reflects an acknowledgement that the issues raised against its top officials are serious and cannot be treated as routine administrative lapses. ALSO READ: HRD Corp suspends three officials“Employer levies collected by HRD Corp are statutory trust funds, not corporate surplus. Pushpan also said that beyond taking action against its staff members, HRD Corp requires structural and governance reforms. “What HRD Corp is doing is to put in place good governance and bring in values of integrity, honesty, transparency and fairness,” he added.

He suffered a kidney failure three years ago due to long-term diabetes and has been on the waiting list since. “A kidney transplant would mean freedom – freedom from machines, from constant exhaustion and from worrying whether my body can keep up,” said Hng, who welcomed efforts to strengthen policy, governance and ­national coordination of transplant services. She decided to become an organ donor after religious considerations. Abdul Rahman Ismail, 52, a self-employed mechanic from Shah Alam, said he decided to decline a kidney transplant because of unresolved religious concerns. Diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure three years ago, Abdul Rahman undergoes dialysis several times a week but is hesitant about receiving an organ transplant.

KUALA LUMPUR: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (pic) will arrive here today on an official visit at the invitation of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Wisma Putra said the visit is to reciprocate the Prime Minister’s official visit to India last August, adding that Modi’s trip is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations and foster enhanced cooperation in areas of mutual benefit. Modi will be accorded an official welcome at the Perdana Putra Complex, Putrajaya, tomorrow followed by a bilateral meeting with Anwar. In 2025, total trade between Malaysia and India reached RM79.49bil (US$18.59bil. Malaysia’s total exports to India amounted to RM52.30bil (US$12.24bil) with total imports at RM27.19bil (US$6.35 bil).

PETALING JAYA: Tasked with cleaning up Malaysia’s porous entry points and years of entrenched corruption, Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) director-general Datuk Seri Comm Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain is under no illusion about the enormous job he has inherited. ALSO READ: AKPS blocks entry of 201.3 tonnes of illegal e-waste via Port Klang“We are inheriting all these, and I cannot make them disappear overnight. ALSO READ: AKPS to take charge at all 125 international gateways in M'sia by January“If you do not play ball, you will not be accepted. “Even if I failed, at least I tried,” Comm Mohd Shuhaily said. “So you see, without even realising it, when you do one good thing, it ripples out and benefits many others,” Comm Mohd Shuhaily said.

THE acceleration of artificial intelligence (AI) in 2025 was remarkable. AI within Asean moved from aspirational principles into a much more coordinated mission where expanded AI ethics guidelines, responsible AI roadmaps and closer policy alignment reflected a growing consensus.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a warning for thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds across several areas in Perak, Selangor and Sarawak. According to MetMalaysia, thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds are expected over the following areas until 9.00am on Friday (Feb 6): in Perak, Manjung, Perak Tengah, Bagan Datuk and Hilir Perak; in Selangor, Sabak Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Klang, Petaling, Kuala Langat and Sepang; and in Sarawak, Mukah (Dalat and Mukah) and Bintulu. The public in the affected areas is advised to remain cautious during thunderstorms and to follow the latest updates from MetMalaysia.