The package includes A$15 million to set up recovery information hubs in bushfire-hit communities and A$12 million for local councils to rebuild public spaces. Households hit by extended power disruptions because of the fires can apply for A$16 million worth of power outage payments. The package is being jointly funded by the federal and state government of Victoria. The bushfires, which started last week during a summer heatwave, have torn through more than 400,000 hectares (988,421 acres) of land in Victoria. Eleven fires are still active across the state, with authorities warning that firefighters will need weeks to bring them under control.

SINGAPORE: A man forced his friend to drink urine as punishment because he thought the friend had pocketed money from a bank account which had been given to someone else to control and whose funds were subsequently frozen. On April 16, 2022, A1 lodged a police report saying that he had opened the OCBC bank account and relinquished it. The bank account, which contained more than $25,000, was frozen. Investigations revealed that more than S$147,000 (US$114,060) had been received and transferred out of the OCBC bank account. She described the act of making A1 drink urine and pouring it over his head as “unnatural and deeply humiliating”.

KULAI: A retiree with Singapore Permanent Resident status has been fined RM9,000 by a Magistrate's Court for tampering with his car registration plate in a bid to buy subsidised RON95 petrol. When the court interpreter read out the facts of the case, Long tried to intervene by questioning the details. "The court should also consider the accused’s intention in changing his car registration number to enjoy the rights and privileges meant for locals and Malaysian-registered vehicles. "This should serve as a lesson to all, and a reminder not to tamper with their car registration number as they please for personal gain," she said. The court ordered Long to pay a fine of RM9,000 in default nine months’ jail.

(Jan 14): Indonesia’s central bank said it is intervening in the foreign-exchange markets as the rupiah moves closer to a historic low on persistent fiscal concerns. “Bank Indonesia will continue to be present in the market to ensure that the rupiah exchange rate moves in line with fundamental values and healthy market mechanisms,” executive director Erwin Hutapea said in a mobile-phone message on Wednesday. The rupiah is about 0.5% away from a record low it last hit in April, as worries over the nation’s fiscal health resurfaced. “Bank Indonesia will continue to optimise pro-market monetary policy instruments to strengthen the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission and maintain adequate liquidity,” Hutapea said. Escalating geopolitical tensions, concerns over the independence of central banks in a number of developed countries and uncertainty over the future direction of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy exerted pressures on the rupiah, according to Bank Indonesia (BI).

Energy security is now driving the transitionThis shift is especially visible in Southeast Asia, where rising electricity demand, rapid urbanisation and exposure to volatile global fuel markets have made energy security a central concern. These anxieties do not disappear simply because energy systems are under pressure. Trust is now part of the infrastructureIf energy security is now the backbone of national strategy, then earning public trust must be treated as seriously as investment and engineering. In fast-growing regions like Southeast Asia, where energy systems are expanding quickly, this balance between security and public consent will be especially important. Energy security may shape the next decade, but public legitimacy will decide whether the transition succeeds.

KUALA LUMPUR: The police are investigating an alleged case of neglect by a babysitter that resulted in injuries to a three-month-old infant. City police chief Comm Datuk Fadil Marsus said the report was lodged at 2.38pm on Jan 9 after the baby was found to have swelling on his left thigh. "The infant had earlier been sent to a babysitter’s house in Taman Koperasi Polis. A police report was lodged by a 27-year-old doctor after the infant was referred to Hospital Ampang, where examinations revealed a fracture on the left thigh bone, Comm Fadil said. "The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for child neglect.

You could be thin on the outside, but still carry a lot of visceral fat on the inside, especially in your liver. fatty liver linked to metabolic problems such as obesity, diabetes, etc, rather than just “non-alcoholic” causes. fat stored in the hips and thighs) have less dangerous visceral fat than those with apple shapes (i.e. “The more the risk factors, the faster the progression, though at various levels of weight loss, you can actually reverse fatty liver. “This is important as fibrosis is one step before cirrhosis where fatty liver cannot be reversed,” he points out.

The firm is seeking to set up a business in Tokyo this year if it gets regulatory approval, said Sho Kiryu, its Japan country manager. Longbridge plans to offer mobile-based brokerage services for US, Hong Kong and Singapore stocks, as well as US equity options in Japan, Kiryu added. “You can really feel the government-led shift from savings to investment is taking off,” said Kiryu, who joined Longbridge last year from Saxo Bank A/S. Longbridge Group was set up in 2019 and has secured funding of more than US$150 million from financial groups and investment firms, according to its website. The firm’s expansion underscores how Japanese individual investors’ move to load up on stocks is drawing attention from outside the country.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 13): Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) approved RM2.62 billion in financial assistance towards training and skills development activities in 2025, a growth of 32% against 2024. The sector that recorded the biggest number of training places was the manufacturing sector with more than 795,000 training places in 2025. The total financial assistance approved by HRD Corp under the Industry Revolution 4.0 amounted to RM130 million. There were more than 103,000 training places that were recorded across all digital economy and ICT sectors,” it said. Alongside employer-led training priorities, HRD Corp sustained a strong focus on inclusive access to skills development through targeted initiatives and a total of 18,137 Malaysians were beneficiaries of skills development initiatives which used a mix of government grants and internal funds of HRD Corp.

(Jan 14): China’s trade surplus climbed to US$1.2 trillion (RM4.86 trillion) in 2025, extending a record run as overseas shipments surprised with stronger growth at the end of the year. Imports also jumped more than expected and rose 5.7%, leaving a surplus of US$114 billion — the most in six months. The swelling surplus underscores the imbalance between China’s manufacturing strength and stubbornly weak domestic consumption. At the same time, China’s years-long property slump and falling investment restrained the country’s appetite for foreign goods. Looking ahead, global demand for China’s goods and the competitiveness of its exports will likely keep foreign shipments on the rise in 2026, especially if the trade ceasefire with the US lasts.

KUALA LUMPUR: The federal and state governments must earnestly implement follow-up actions on all resolutions and conclusions put forward by the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI), decreed the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah. His Royal Highness, who is MKI chairman, said the government, including the responsible agencies, must pay close attention to and respect matters concluded by the council to give meaningful value to its role. Sultan Nazrin said that during the two-year period he was entrusted to chair MKI, various matters were discussed and considered by the meeting to achieve understanding and consensus. “When resolutions and conclusions are followed through and implemented earnestly, they will directly benefit the people while projecting a positive image of the government. The meeting is the third chaired by Sultan Nazrin during the period he was entrusted by the Conference of Rulers, which began on March 10, 2024, and will conclude on March 9.

KUALA LUMPUR: One of the three victims from the HELP University explosion incident is still unconscious. They comprised a 54-year-old contractor supervisor, a 19-year-old student and a 22-year-old Indonesian worker. “The student is still unconscious after suffering from a broken skull with a bleeding brain. “The other two are conscious with the contractor suffering from burns while the foreign worker is still under observation. The victim was a third-year mechanical engineering student and was scheduled to complete his industrial training this week.

This could sustain the rise in the stock market barring any shocks,” a high-net-worth investor told StarBiz. “The local market is up due to a positive momentum across the regional markets in Asia, where Malaysia tends to benefit from the spillover, especially after the lacklustre return in 2025. There is also a macro tailwind to the improved sentiment about the local market. Maybank Investment Bank Research meanwhile has updated its stance on earnings of local banks for 2026 and 2027. Trump’s reciprocal tariffs issue is also being challenged in the court but analysts believe the risk to the local market remains – but is contained.

ALOR SETAR: A retired engineer lost more than RM100,000 after being deceived into seeking assistance following an earlier scam. Kedah acting commercial crime investigation department chief Deputy Superintendent Jasmani Sabrini said that the 54-year-old victim lodged a police report at the Kuala Muda district police headquarters (IPD) at 12.09pm on Sunday (Jan 11). "On May 16, 2025, the victim was browsing the social media platform Facebook when he came across an advertisement stating, 'If you are a victim of a scam, please contact us.' "He was subsequently contacted via the WhatsApp application and asked to fill in his personal details for application purposes. Jasmani advised the public to remain vigilant and not be deceived by online advertisements offering services to recover money lost to scams.

Siti Saleha and husband Joshua Fitton are over the moon following the birth of their healthy firstborn son, Indra Mateen Fitton, on Jan 3. Pic from IG/NSTP filepicKUALA LUMPUR: Popular actress Siti Saleha, 35, has begun her journey into motherhood following the arrival of her first child, a son named Indra Mateen Fitton. The 7 Hari Mencintaiku star, whose full name is Siti Saleha Mohd Baharum, expressed her profound gratitude for a smooth and uncomplicated delivery. Sitit Saleha shared that she and her husband chose the name Indra for its Javanese meaning of "strong and powerful." Siti Saleha previously delighted her followers by sharing a short video of her newborn on Instagram with the simple, sweet caption: "Hello, my name is Indra."