Day in court: Teoh arriving at the Magistrate’s Court in Alor Setar. She was also accused of uttering insulting words and making an obscene gesture at the same police officer at the same location and time. The charge was framed under Section 509 which carries a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment or a fine, or both upon conviction. For the third charge, Teoh was said to have intentionally hurt the religious feelings of Muslims by uttering words that are insulting to Islam at the same location and time. The offence under Section 298 provides for imprisonment of up to one year or a fine, or both upon conviction.

SEREMBAN: Two Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Rembau campus students have died after the motorcycle they were on skidded off the road at KM 1 Jalan Chengkau-Panchang-Lubok Cina here. Rembau OCPD Supt Hasani Hussain said in the incident at about 4 pm on Sunday (Jan 4), Ismawanie Husna Ismail, 19, and Nur Ain Zulaisya Zahrain, 19, died at the scene due to head injuries. "Initial investigations found that the accident occurred when the duo were travelling from UiTM Rembau towards Pekan Lubok Cina. "When they reached a bend in the road, Ismawanie Husna is believed to have lost control and control of the motorcycle and hit a guardrail," he said in a statement on Sunday night. He said the bodies of both victims were sent to the Rembau Hospital for a post-mortem examination and the case is being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

South Korea�s President Lee Jae Myung (Right) and his wife Kim Hea Kyung (Left) board their plane to depart for China at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam yesterday. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung left for China eager to boost economic ties with Seoul's largest trading partner while keeping a lid on potentially explosive issues such as Taiwan. — AFPBEIJING: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will meet Monday with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, with closer economic ties as well as the recalcitrant North on the agenda. The South Korean leader, accompanied by a delegation of business and tech leaders, hopes to secure pledges to expand economic cooperation with his country's largest trading partner. He has previously called for South Korea and China to work towards "more horizontal and mutually beneficial" trade.

Wide variety of creative desserts keeps king of fruits popular beyond peak seasonGEORGE TOWN: The durian kingdom has spawned by-pro­d­ucts so wide in range that the thorny fruit is available 365 days in diverse forms. There’s durian-flavoured bing­su (shaved ice), coffee, mochi, smoothies, chocolates, ice cream, freeze-dried durian chips and crepes filled with durian-flavoured cream. He said several entrepreneurs have developed a wide range of products, enabling visitors to sample different forms of durian and take them home as souvenirs as well. “Over time, this will help build a mature durian market featuring a full range of products, similar to other popular fruits,” he said at the launch of the Durian Tree Experience Centre here yesterday. With durian-flavoured desserts, he said, domestic and international tourists are no longer limited to orchard visits or eating durian by the roadside.

Seberang Perai Tengah OCPD Asst Comm Helmi Aris said police raided a house and arrested a 45-year-old local man at 10.20pm on Sunday (Jan 4). "In a search of the house, police found 130 vape cartridges containing liquid syabu, valued at RM45,500," he said in a statement on Sunday night. Helmi said police also seized two cars and jewellery comprising bracelets, bangles, rings, necklaces and earrings worth a total of RM429,500. He added that the suspect, who has a record of 10 previous crimes, tested negative for drugs. The suspect has been remanded for seven days until Jan 10 for investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

(Jan 5) : Japan’s retail investors have ignored the equity rally at home and have placed their faith in overseas stocks. Meanwhile, their net buying of overseas stocks via investment trust funds has hovered near 2024’s record-high 9.4 trillion yen, indicating that retail investors continue to have a good appetite for foreign assets. That’s driven by weakening in the yen which inflates the value of overseas equities in Japanese currency terms. Still, a slowdown in the AI rally may prompt retail investors to shift their focus to domestic equities. “Selling by retail investors will probably continue.”

Patrons at a fast-food outlet and nearby premises in Banting, Kuala Langat, were left in shock following an incident believed to be a shooting last night. - NSTP picSHAH ALAM: Patrons at a fast-food outlet and nearby premises in Banting, Kuala Langat, were left in shock following an incident believed to be a shooting last night. Several photos and video recordings that went viral showed a man lying unconscious against the exterior wall of the restaurant with visible injuries. Bloodstains were also seen on the wall near where the man was found. Kuala Langat police chief Superintendent Mohd Akmalrizal Radzi, when contacted, said police would issue a statement on the matter soon.

Changes will affect only non-paying borrowers, leaving others untouchedMANJUNG: The restructuring of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan repayments will not affect borro­wers’ housing loans or other personal loans, says Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir. The Higher Education Minister said the measure applies only to borrowers who have made no payments and those who have not contacted PTPTN to discuss their financial situation. Zambry said besides PTPTN loans, the government provides various programmes to help students, particularly those from low-income families, pursue higher education. On another matter, Zambry, who is an Umno supreme council member, said proposals made by Umno Youth, including on the party’s position in the unity government, will be submitted to the supreme council for deliberation. “Any views, demands or proposals will be referred to the sup­reme council,” he said.

THE relief of finally being allowed home turned to shock for residents of Taman United low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur. More than a month after a landslide forced the evacuation of 52 units in Block C, residents who returned on Jan 1 found their homes in deplorable conditions with mud, flood damage and debris. Ng said there was no notice from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to inform residents that they could return. Authorities subsequently ordered residents in Block C to vacate their homes until further notice to allow for repairs to the wall and slope. The notice added that residents of Block C were allowed to return to their homes on Jan 1, while occupants of the two landed properties were advised not to return until further notice.

(Jan 5): A panel of economic luminaries said the long-run risk posed by mounting federal debt represented a paramount problem facing the US economy. “The preconditions for fiscal dominance are clearly strengthening,” former Treasury secretary and Federal Reserve (Fed) chair Janet Yellen said on Sunday during a panel discussion at the American Economic Association’s annual meeting in Philadelphia. Yellen also noted that President Donald Trump has “vocally demanded” the Fed lower interest rates explicitly to reduce the government’s debt-servicing costs. “I doubt Americans will end up on the fiscal dominance course, but I definitely think the dangers are real and should be monitored,” she said. “We have a fiscal problem,” Romer said.

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, CanadaPostal Code

Currency markets are giving a first read-out before US equity-index futures and US crude futures start trading, with Brent crude opening later. Traders are also watching precious metals such as gold and silver that have recently become a hot segment of the market. Although Venezuela isn’t a top-20 crude producer, any persistent increase in oil prices and its inflationary impact on economies pose a risk for markets. “We don’t think the situation will escalate into a sustained oil shock, and this should be a short-lived sentiment drag.”Early signals suggest that the global oil market will largely take the move in its stride. Investors will also be keeping an eye on US Treasury yields, which can weigh on stocks if they rise too quickly.

Some photos shared on social media showed that the congestion was worsened by several accidents along the highways. The Malaysian Highway Autho­rity (LLM) on its social media page said that at 6.46pm, traffic was reported to be heavy and slow-moving on multiple stretches of major highways. The North-South Expressway near Port Dickson also showed heavy congestion, particularly vehicles heading towards the north, while vehicles heading south were moving faster. “It was a slow-moving traffic from LPT (East Coast Expressway) towards KL city centre. Noorul Aida posted on her social media page at around 5pm that she was caught in the slow-moving traffic when travelling from Kuala Krai, Kelantan.

Malaysia opposes all forms of foreign intervention in the internal affairs of other states, as well as the threat or use of force. KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia opposes all forms of foreign intervention in the internal affairs of other states, as well as the threat or use of force. The Foreign Ministry said this in its update yesterday on the situation in Venezuela, adding that it was monitoring developments there after the United States operations in Caracas on Saturday. "The embassy is actively monitoring the situation and stands ready to provide consular assistance should the need arise," it added. "Malaysians in Venezuela are advised to remain vigilant, follow local authorities' instructions and maintain close communication with the embassy," said the ministry.

KANGAR: Three Perlis State Assemblymen (ADUN) have submitted an official appeal to the PAS Ulama Syura Council regarding their membership status. "This appeal is made with full order and confidence that the Syura Ulema Council has the trust and authority as provided for in the PAS Constitution," he said in a statement on Saturday (Jan 3). The three assemblymen also stressed that they still hope to be accepted as PAS members and have never made any public statements regarding the incident. The notice of appeal was served on the General Leader and the Secretary of the Shura Council. To date, no official statement has been issued by the PAS Ulama Council regarding the appeal.