CEBU CITY (Jan 28): Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin held bilateral meetings with senior officials from the Philippines and Indonesia on the sidelines of the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) Retreat here on Tuesday. “Discussions covered preparations for the AMM Retreat and Related Meetings, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), the South China Sea, the situation in Myanmar, and other bilateral issues of mutual interest,” it stated. Amran and his delegation are in Cebu in conjunction with the AMM Retreat, which will kick off on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will lead the Malaysian delegation to the AMM Retreat and related meetings. The AMM Retreat marks the first official Asean meeting of the year under the Philippines’ Asean chairmanship, with the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together”.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): Barisan Nasional (BN) must develop a smarter political strategy, including digital approaches and tactical measures, to prepare for the 16th general election (GE16) within the next 22 months, its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said. New digital strategies are essential because it is impossible to reach all 2.5 million new voters through face-to-face communication,” he said. “This experience shows that even with limited numbers, we succeeded by implementing a political strategy that was correct, timely, and targeted,” he said. He stressed that BN must be bold in changing its political communication, avoid being overly defensive, and focus on regaining dominance in GE16. The Better Nation Forum, initiated by Ahmad Zahid, brings together thought leaders, experts, and the public to discuss critical issues shaping Malaysia’s future.

The move comes after UPS said in October that it was eliminating 34,000 operational positions in 2025. It has also been slashing delivery volume for its largest customer, Amazon.com Inc, to cut down on low-margin packages. Earnings in the fourth quarter were US$2.38 (RM9.44) a share, UPS said, topping the US$2.21 average of analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. UPS also faced operational hurdles last quarter following a November crash of one of its MD-11 jets near UPS’ main hub in Louisville, Kentucky. UPS will replace the lost capacity with 18 Boeing Co 767 planes, of which 15 are scheduled to be delivered this year.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) on Tuesday (Jan 27) expressed grave concern over mounting tensions between the United States and Iran, warning that the growing concentration of military assets and increasingly absolutist rhetoric risk pushing an already volatile situation towards open conflict. He said any confrontation between Washington and Tehran would have repercussions across an already fragile Middle East, with the risk of proxy escalation, threats to maritime security and severe economic shock extending beyond the region. "No strategic interest could justify such human and material devastation that such conflict would entail,” he posted on Facebook. He also commended Oman’s constructive efforts to facilitate dialogue and urged countries with influence to use every available means to promote de-escalation and exercise utmost restraint in the interest of regional and international stability. International media reported that the Iranian government is bracing for a fresh US and Israeli missile assault following the deployment of key assets from the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the region.

(Jan 27): Khaby Lame, the world’s biggest TikToker, has partnered with Rich Sparkle Holdings Ltd to transform his 360 million social media followers into a commercial venture. Lame has 160 million followers on TikTok, compared with 156 million for Charli d’Amelio, who ranks as the second-highest popular person on the platform. The commercialisation of his fan base is expected to generate more than US$4 billion in annual sales, the company said. It will also feature an artificial intelligence version of Lame, using his expressions, voice and gestures to create multilingual social media content. Before signing up Lame, Rich Sparkle’s main focus was financial printing and corporate services primarily for listed companies and institutional clients in Hong Kong.

CEBU CITY (Jan 27): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), under Philippine chairship, is seeking to sustain practical collaboration with Russia to promote frictionless travel and tourism growth in the region, the Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported. Speaking at the 16th Asean–Russia Tourism Consultation on Tuesday, Tourism Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso said Asean is aiming to build an "inclusive" and "resilient" tourism sector. "We value the Russian Federation as a long-standing partner of Asean in strengthening people-to-people exchanges. Buensuceso said Asean is keen to pursue cooperation that boosts traveller confidence and safety, supports workforce development and skills exchange, and improves connectivity to make travel more accessible and seamless. Four years after the pandemic, Maksimov said tourism flow between Russia and Asean states has steadily recovered by 93%.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 27): The defamation suit filed by former minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar against blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, better known as Papagomo, will continue with the trial after both parties failed to settle the case amicably at the High Court here. Lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, representing Mohd Na'im as the plaintiff, said the case failed to be resolved through mediation because the defendant (Wan Muhammad Azri) did not agree to the settlement terms. "In this regard, the trial of the suit, which was set for Sept 21 and 24, will continue. The mediation proceedings, which lasted for an hour, were also attended by Mohd Na'im and Wan Muhammad Azri with his lawyer Logen Eskandar Abdullah. Mohd Na'im, who filed the suit on Oct 19, 2023, claimed that Wan Muhammad Azri published a post against him on the defendant's Facebook account known as "Sir Azri" dated Sept 18 2023.

Jan 26 (Reuters) - Heated political rhetoric over ‌the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis on Saturday spilled into Silicon Valley as partners ‌at an influential venture firm distanced themselves from a colleague who defended the killing. The death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti ‌was one of five shootings this month involving federal agents conducting immigration enforcement, including the fatal shooting of Minnesota woman Renee Good. The Pretti shooting has drawn anger across the U.S. political spectrum as the administration of Republican President Donald Trump ‍backed the agents even as video evidence contradicted its version of events. Musk has not commented on the Pretti shooting, while Hoffman echoed Khosla's message that humanity should transcend politics. "The wanton brutality ... has removed any credibility that these actions are about immigration enforcement.

Yet, during the same period, analysts have raised their average 12-month target price for Tesla shares to US$409.49 from US$337.99. The dynamic is “very unusual”, Colas said, since higher target prices typically go hand-in-hand with improving earnings estimates, not dimming expectations. That’s by far the most-expensive valuation among the Magnificent Seven tech giants, which combined trade for around 29 times anticipated earnings. The amount of hope baked into Tesla’s share price has become a point of controversy among investors. The “generational growth opportunities” in robotics, autonomy and energy storage make Tesla’s price worth paying, according to Canaccord Genuity analyst George Gianarikas.

GEORGE TOWN (Jan 27): Elsoft Research Bhd (KL:ELSOFT) will spend about RM20 million in 2026 to support its new and future business segments. The Penang-based automated test equipment (ATE) manufacturer spent over RM2 million in 2025 to develop kidney dialysis embedded systems and ultra-slim meta-lens test solutions. Group CEO Tan Cheik Eaik told The Edge that Elsoft had secured orders for its embedded systems used in peritoneal kidney dialysis machines. “A local medical company placed the order for 2,000 embedded systems with a RM10 million to RM12 million value. Last year, we got orders for only 1,000 embedded systems,” he said.

SEMENYIH (Jan 27): Malay reserve land involved in the Semenyih Bypass project, including the construction of Islamic public burial plots in Hulu Langat, Selangor, will be replaced. "I heard it myself…I will not compromise on the status of Malay reserve land. Yes, if the Malay land has to be taken for road development, it will be replaced. Then, we will manage other projects as best as possible,” Anwar said at the launch of the Semenyih Public Infrastructure Development project here on Tuesday. He said the project, which encompasses the construction of a new Islamic burial ground, will be handed over to the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council for maintenance.

KUCHING: For Ronny Chin, making lion heads is not just about creating works of art but preser­ving a Chinese cultural tradition. He learnt the art as a teenager, spurred by his interest in lion dance and the costumes donned by performers. “My father was in a lion dance association and I used to join him in performances. “I’m now training young people to make lion heads so that more Sarawakians can master this craft. For example, lion dance troupes will order high-spec lion heads for competitions.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed was seen at Pavilion Damansara Heights on Tuesday (Jan 27). According to his aide, Sufi Yusoff, this was Dr Mahathir's first public outing since he was treated at the National Heart Institute (IJN). Sufi, however, said Dr Mahathir has not been discharged and that the outing was merely a coffee break. A photo of Dr Mahathir, posted by Sufi in the former official WhatsApp group, shows the statesman in a wheelchair, being assisted by several officers at a cafe. On Jan 6, Dr Mahathir suffered a fractured right hip following a fall at his residence in The Mines.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has agreed to scrap the proposed diagnostic screening test to assess children's eligibility for entry into Year One as early as six years old, beginning with the 2027 school session. "The initial proposal was well-intentioned, as it aimed to introduce an assessment system before children enter school. This was the Education Minister's recommendation, and I agreed," he said. Anwar said this in reply to Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda-Muar) during the Ministers' Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Jan 27). However, the Prime Minister said the absence of a diagnostic test does not mean that monitoring pupils' readiness will be neglected.

The Prime Minister said unnecessary delays in the approval process must be avoided, as they could undermine Malaysia’s development momentum and economic growth. This is a new Malaysia, a Malaysia that aims for stronger growth. We cannot afford to stall,” he said at the launch of the Semenyih public infrastructure development here on Tuesday (Jan 27). "Looking at the latest figures, our economic performance is good. The Prime Minister acknowledged that some weaknesses and challenges persist, but the government has chosen a positive, collective approach to address shortcomings and drive continuous improvement.