(Jan 12): Deutsche Lufthansa AG still plans to resume flights to Iran’s capital this week despite ongoing deadly protests around the country and German government travel warnings. Lufthansa is targeting Friday for the first regular service to Tehran, a spokesperson said. Europe’s largest airline group — which includes Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Swiss — would be among the few carriers offering direct flights to Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport. Austrian suspended its service last week and will give an update later Monday, a spokesperson said. The German carrier’s move comes as the Islamic Republic is gripped by nationwide anti-government protests that erupted two weeks ago.

(Jan 12): Shake Shack Inc shares tumbled after the burger chain reported preliminary fourth-quarter (4Q) sales below Wall Street estimates, another sign of struggles in the fast-casual restaurant sector. Shake Shack blamed inclement weather in the northeast US for keeping diners away during the last six weeks of the year. Shake Shack shares fell 4.6% at 7.24am in early New York trading. Shake Shack provided preliminary results ahead of its presentation at the ICR Conference taking place this week in Orlando. The company is expected to report full 4Q results around Feb 20.

KUALA LUMPUR: Help University says its emergency protocols, including immediate evacuation, were activated after an explosion at its Bukit Damansara campus. "An incident occurred in the kitchen of an F&B outlet located on the fourth floor of one of Help University's campus building at Bukit Damansara. "Students and staff on campus were immediately evacuated in accordance with emergency protocols. "Investigations found that the explosion occurred in the air-conditioning compressor room located in the Help University cafeteria on the fourth floor while maintenance work was being carried out by the a contractor," it said. A contractor conducting air-conditioning maintenance was killed in the blast and nine others were injured, including four students.

(Jan 12): A service door that might have offered a second escape route at the Swiss bar where a deadly fire claimed 40 lives on New Year's Eve was locked at the time of the incident, one of the managers told Swiss prosecutors, according to national broadcaster RTS. The man also bought sound-proofing foam for the ceiling of the bar from a hardware store and installed it himself, according to the RTS report. The man was arrested following questioning on Friday, after being deemed a flight risk, prosecutors said. Many of those who died were teenagers, with the youngest just 14 years old. Some of the more than 100 people injured are still being treated in hospitals across Europe, given the severity of their burns.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry has ordered the private university where an explosion occurred to conduct a full safety inspection. In a statement on Monday (Jan 12) the ministry extended its condolences to the victims and family members and said it took a very serious view of the incident. "Authorities are conducting further investigation and any new information related to this incident will be communicated from time to time. "The ministry will continue to monitor the development of the incident and will not compromise on safety to ensure a safe and conducive campus environment so the well-being of the higher education community remains protected," it said. The explosion on Monday killed one and injured nine others, including four students.

GEORGE TOWN (Jan 12): The government wants Penang Port to go beyond being merely a transshipment port, and instead develop its role as the main homeport in the northern region in line with efforts to strengthen the nation’s maritime ecosystem. Loke said Penang Port plays a strategic role as a key gateway for trade activities, cargo movement, and support for the manufacturing and logistics sectors in the northern region. “Thus, Penang Port will continue to receive attention and undergo development to strengthen its role as the gateway for the northern region. The minister added that Penang Port’s current capacity stands at 2.3 million TEUs and is expected to increase to 6.8 million TEUs after expansion. The expansion plan spans 30 years until 2053, with 6.8 million TEUs set as the ultimate target capacity, he added.

“Wan Azhar told me the 5% payment to Sayed Amir Muzzakkir was due because NSB had won the tender. The eighth prosecution witness testified that Wan Azhar initially said the accused demanded the payment—roughly RM19 million — as a lump sum three to four months after the letter of acceptance. “But Wan Azhar refused to pay it all at once, saying NSB lacked the funds. "I believe Sayed Amir Muzzakkir helped NSB win the tender because he was the Home Minister's political secretary, so Wan Azhar had to pay him. I confirm that only Wan Azhar signed cheques or approved online transfers to him.

KUALA TERENGGANU: The driver, charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) student, has been ordered by the Magistrates' Court here to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Permai Hospital in Johor Bahru. Deputy public prosecutor Nur Anith Nabilah Rusli made the application for the evaluation after informing the court that the accused is currently on psychotropic medication. The accused, represented by a lawyer from the National Legal Aid Foundation, Ummi Sharmimi Harun, did not enter a plea after the charge was read. The court denied the accused bail and suspended all classes of his driving licence pending the disposal of the case. In the incident, second-semester Postgraduate Diploma in Education student Syakirah Hanan died at the scene after her car was struck head-on by another car.

The man is accused, in his capacity as chairman, of dishonestly misappropriating RM207,000 belonging to the non-governmental organisation (NGO). During proceedings, deputy public prosecutor Asmaa’ Zamri proposed bail of RM50,000 with one surety. However, defence counsel Azizzul Shariman Mat Yusoff argued that the proposed bail amount was too high, as the accused had cooperated fully since investigations began. Previously, the media reported that the MACC had uncovered the misappropriation of funds from an NGO, believed to involve public donations totalling RM26mil. Meanwhile, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the commission had seized various assets worth more than RM8mil.

(Jan 12): Moderna Inc said its US Covid-19 business did better than expected last year, a rare bright spot for the vaccine maker, which has struggled with the decline of people getting its shot. The number of people in the US getting Covid-19 shots fell 26% in 2025, according to chief financial officer Jamey Mock. The company expects potential approvals for its flu vaccine in several countries this year. But it doesn’t anticipate its flu shot will be widely available in the US until 2027, Mock said. For months, Moderna has been seeking a financial partner to fund some late-stage vaccine trials.

Selangor is expanding its community-garden programme to strengthen food security and promote urban agriculture. “They also reduce dependency on external food sources.”As of last year, the state had 391 registered community gardens monitored by local councils and Selangor Agriculture Department. Izham says community gardens encourage residents to produce their own food while strengthening neighbourly bonds. The Jalan Tuntung garden has also won first place in many state community garden competitions. Several local councils have also launched competitions to recognise active gardens, including Klang’s Green Circular Economy (Community Garden) contest.

Chalamet defeated Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney and other big names at the red-carpet ceremony in Beverly Hills, California. One Battle, distributed by Warner Bros, ‌is competing in the best movie musical or comedy category against table tennis tale Marty Supreme starring Chalamet, and black comedy Bugonia, among others. The ⁠best movie drama race features Jay Kelly, starring Clooney as an actor grappling with his legacy and Adam Sandler as his devoted manager. Globes voters do not have a say in the Oscars, but a win at the Globes can help bring attention to potential Academy Awards contenders. Recipients of the Globes are chosen by ‍more than 300 entertainment journalists, compared with roughly 9,000 voters who select the Oscars.

Following the urgency for healthcare system reform outlined in our first article, Malaysia’s healthcare system requires more than recognition of its pressures; it demands a carefully-planned roadmap. In 2023, the government launched the Health White Paper (HWP), a 15-year blueprint aiming to modernise healthcare financing, delivery and governance. It is a national statement about the type of healthcare system Malaysia aspires to have. If Malaysia hopes to create a healthcare system that is resilient, equitable and future-ready, vision and action must go hand in hand. This is the second in a five-part series on healthcare reform that will be published weekly.

The three-day official visit to Turkiye couldn’t have been timelier or more strategic and underscores a paradigm shift. To be sure, he did not go to Ankara as a passing sojourner, for this was the third visit to Turkiye since becoming Prime Minister. This is exemplified in the inaugural Malaysia–Turkiye High-Lev­el Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), underlining the key word “strategic” and signifying the transition from mere cooperation (seen as being contingent on the vagaries of leadership status) to one that is more secure and predictable. Naturally, it demands long-term commitment across a broad spectrum of interests, not the least being the core sectors in trade, defence and security, and techno­logy. Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah is Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Isis) chairman.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 12): Sunway Bhd (KL:SUNWAY) said IJM Corporation Bhd (KL:IJM) shareholders who accept its takeover offer announced on Monday (Jan 12) will not be entitled to the dividend-in-specie related to the listing of its healthcare business. “We have announced earlier that there is a dividend-in-specie for the listing of our healthcare business shares to our shareholders. IJM shareholders who take up our shares will not be entitled to that dividend-in-species, unfortunately, due to the difference in timing,” said Sunway president Datuk Anuar Taib. Last month, Sunway announced that the Securities Commission Malaysia had approved the proposed listing of Sunway Healthcare Holdings Bhd (SHH) on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia. Currently, SHH is an 84%-owned unit of Sunway City Sdn Bhd (SunCity), which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sunway.