(Jan 21): Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte is facing new accusations of plunder and graft from a civil group, amid growing signs that the nation’s politics is headed into a new bout of internecine feuding. Wednesday’s filing comes days after an impeachment complaint was made against Duterte’s rival, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. He was accused of wrongdoing for, among other things, allowing the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte, the father of the current vice president. While Marcos and Sara Duterte ran on a joint ticket in 2022, their relationship has deteriorated. Last year, an impeachment complaint against the vice president collapsed after being ruled as unconstitutional.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said these incidents involved only a small number of individuals and should not overshadow those who continue to carry out their duties with professionalism in the Defence Ministry, the Home Ministry, and enforcement agencies. NSTP/MOHD FADLI HAMZAHKUALA LUMPUR: The recent misconduct and corruption cases involving the defence sector must not be allowed to define or discredit the integrity of the wider body of personnel serving in the force, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. "These cases must not be seen as representing the entire body of personnel, whether in the Defence Ministry, the Home Ministry or enforcement agencies," he said at the launch of the National Defence Industry Policy at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre today. He said the vast majority of personnel remain committed to safeguarding national security and maintaining operational preparedness, which form the backbone of public confidence and economic stability. "Malaysia's ability to record strong economic performance and attract investor confidence is closely linked to the tireless work of the armed forces, police, border agencies and enforcement personnel, who ensure a safe and stable environment," he said.

MELBOURNE (Jan 21): Government policies around floor prices for rare earths have improved the function of the market and helped lift prices to sustainable levels, Amanda Lacaze, the chief executive officer of Lynas Rare Earths, said on Wednesday. Prices should reflect costsThe floor price policy discussions are the most important talks Lynas is having with governments, she said. They are crucial for the company to sell rare earths at a level competitive with its lower-cost Chinese rivals. The average selling price for Lynas' product range was A$85.60 (US$57.69 or RM233.78) per kg during the quarter, higher than A$49.20 per kg a year ago. Lynas posted sales revenue of A$201.9 million for the quarter ended Dec 31, compared with A$141.2 million a year ago.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Malaysia will clarify and redefine key terms before finalising the ratification of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the United States, amid concerns over sovereignty and national interests. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said earlier discussions on the deal focused mainly on economic aspects but lacked clear definitions, particularly regarding sovereignty and national interests. These are the issues we need to define clearly,” Johari told the Dewan Rakyat during oral questions on Wednesday. However, the agreement has faced criticism, particularly from right-wing groups, who argued it could undermine Malaysia’s economic sovereignty. Johari stressed that the issue is economic rather than political, but added that any trade discussions would not come at the expense of Malaysia’s sovereignty.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) has been hospitalised since Jan 19 and will be on medical leave for a week, the Dewan Rakyat was informed. According to Dr Wee, he is currently undergoing treatment in the hospital due to a lung infection. “I was admitted on Jan 19 and am now receiving close monitoring and treatment, which is estimated to last about a week,” said Dr Wee in a Facebook post on Wednesday (Jan 21)Dr Wee said he has informed Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul regarding his absence. He has been admitted to the hospital for one week since Jan 19. The current Parliament meeting will take place from Jan 19 to March 3.

The KLCI, meanwhile, has delivered single-digit gains and Bursa Malaysia continues to see more delistings than new entrants. Of the approximately 1,050 companies listed on Bursa Malaysia, almost three-quarters have zero analyst coverage, based on data from Refinitiv I/B/E/S. The Securities Commission Malaysia lists 850 shariah-compliant securities on Bursa Malaysia, approximately 80% of all listings. Research coverage follows liquidity. Research coverage generates positive externalities beyond the private returns to brokerages and fund managers.

KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, received the credentials of 12 new foreign envoys to Malaysia in a ceremony at Istana Negara. The heads of mission were Dr Sandor Sipos (Hungary), Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury (Bangladesh), Abdoul Aziz Loum (Senegal), Jehad Fouad Mabrouk Alqedra (Palestine), Peter Spisiak (Slovak Republic), Maher Kheir (Lebanon), Diego Pelufo Acosta Y. Lara (Uruguay), Osamah Dakhel R. Al-Ahmadi (Saudi Arabia), Raden Mohammad Iman Hascarya Kusumo (Indonesia), Marc Abensour (France), Ibrahim Bileh Doualeh (Djibouti) and Luiz Manuel de Magalhaes de Albuquerque Veloso (Portugal). Also there were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Wisma Putra secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.

However, checks found that the vehicles were sold to foreigners without proper ownership transfer,” he told a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur JPJ headquarters yesterday. “As a result, the registered ­owners remain fully responsible and will also be subjected to enforcement action under existing laws,” Hamidi added. The foreign drivers came from various countries including Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Myanmar. “Several foreign drivers ­attempted to flee during the ­operation but were successfully detained and brought to Kuala Lumpur JPJ for further action,” he added. “The decline is likely due to ­sustained enforcement and ­cooperation with other agencies, but Kuala Lumpur JPJ will continue operations from time to time to address this issue,” he said.

"To preserve the supply of single-family homes for American families and increase the paths to homeownership, it is the policy of my Administration that large institutional investors should not buy single-family homes that could otherwise be purchased by families," Trump said in the order. Trump's order on Tuesday directs his administration to promote home sales to individual buyers, restrict federal programmes from facilitating sales of single-family homes to Wall Street investors, and review acquisitions by large investors. The order instructs federal agencies to allow individuals and other non-institutional investors to buy foreclosed properties ahead of investors. The White House will also prepare legislative recommendations to codify policies to prevent large institutional investors from acquiring single-family homes. By June 2022, institutional investors owned around 450,000 homes, or about 3%, of all single-family rental homes nationally, according to a 2024 study by the Government Accountability Office.

PETALING JAYA: IJM Corporation Berhad has dismissed reports suggesting it is linked to an investigation by the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO), describing such claims as inaccurate. In a statement on Tuesday (Jan 20), the company said neither IJM nor its UK associates are aware of any SFO investigation, adding that it has not been approached by the agency. “Other IJM personnel who have been requested to provide information are also cooperating fully as part of the process,” the statement said. IJM also refuted allegations of money laundering, stressing that since 2012, its UK investments have been funded primarily through facilities from Malaysian financial institutions and channelled to relevant project special-purpose vehicles in the UK. Reiterating its commitment to strong corporate governance, transparency and integrity, IJM said business operations continue as usual.

BARCELONA (Jan 20): A commuter train derailed on Tuesday after a containment wall fell on the track due to heavy rain near the Spanish city of Barcelona, killing the driver and seriously injuring four passengers, a fire brigade official said. The accident occurred just two days after a high-speed train collision and derailment near Adamuz in the southern Córdoba province that killed 42 people. Twenty ambulances were dispatched to the site in Gelida on the outskirts of Barcelona along with 38 firefighter units, emergency services authorities said. The suburban train derailment occurred in an area long plagued by underfunded rail services and frequent incidents. In a separate incident on Tuesday night, traffic between Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes south of the city of Girona — also part of the Barcelona commuter rail network — was interrupted "due to a train axle coming off the track", Spanish rail operator Adif said in a statement on X.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Children entering Year One early at the age of six (5+), starting from the 2027 session, are expected to complete upper secondary education at 16, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE). “Pupils will undergo five years of secondary education and complete upper secondary education at the age of 16 (15+),” according to the document prepared by the MOE’s Education Policy Planning and Research Division. However, the MOE stressed that early admission is a voluntary option for parents and is not compulsory, and depends entirely on the readiness of children who have attended preschool at the age of five and passed the prescribed diagnostic screening. In terms of infrastructure preparedness, the ministry plans to construct additional classrooms using the Industrialised Building System (IBS) method to meet pupils’ needs nationwide. The early entry policy is part of the flexibility of the national education system to provide opportunities for children who achieve academic readiness earlier to begin formal schooling before the usual age of seven.

(Jan 21): Rio Tinto Group’s copper production climbed 5% in the fourth quarter thanks to the expansion of underground operations at Oyu Tolgoi in Mongolia, while its core Pilbara iron ore mines hit a record in the last three months of the year. Rio has until Feb 5 to announce a firm intention to bid or walk away. Rio’s Australian-listed shares climbed on the numbers, trading up as much as 2.47% in late morning trading in Sydney. Among Rio’s other commodities, aluminum production was 2% higher, while lithium output achieved a record thanks to Argentina. “Implementation of our stronger, sharper, simpler way of working continues, and is delivering results and creating value,” Trott said in a statement on Wednesday.

NEW YORK: All three major Wall Street indices ended Tuesday with their biggest one-day drops in three months, in a broad selloff triggered by concerns that fresh tariff threats from President Donald Trump against Europe could signal renewed market volatility. The S&P 500 lost 143.15 points, or 2.06%, to end at 6,796.86 points, while the Nasdaq Composite gave up 561.07 points, or 2.39%, to 22,954.32. The tariffs would increase to 25% on June 1 and continue until a deal was reached for the US to purchase Greenland, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. The CBOE Volatility Index, also known as Wall Street's fear gauge, spiked to 20.09 points, its highest close since November 24. Earnings season is also kicking into higher gear, with several industry bellwethers set to report their quarterly earnings this week.

NIBONG TEBAL: Police have arrested two men to assist in investigations into the fatal shooting of a man believed to be the owner of a car wash in front of the premises along Jalan Besar Permatang Keling here last Saturday (Jan 16). Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the two suspects, both in their 30s, were arrested separately in the state. “The two men have been remanded until Jan 24 and Jan 25 respectively to assist investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder,” he said when contacted on Tuesday (Jan 20). Earlier reports stated that the victim, a local man in his 30s, sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead while receiving treatment. Initial investigations revealed that the victim was shot several times by an unknown assailant.