TAIPEI (Dec 19): Three people were killed and five injured when a knife-wielding attacker went on a rampage in central Taipei on Friday, before then dying during a police chase after falling from a building, the premier said. The man had let off smoke bombs at Taipei's main train station, and then ran to a nearby subway station in a busy shopping district, attacking people on the way, Premier Cho Jung-tai said. The deceased suspected attacker had a prior criminal record and outstanding warrants and his house has been searched, Cho told reporters. "We will investigate his background and associated relationships to understand his motives and determine if there are other connected factors," he added, identifying the man only by his last name, Chang. "It appears he deliberately threw smoke bombs and wielded a long knife to carry out indiscriminate attacks on the public."

BENGALURU (Dec 19): US President Donald Trump said he was leaving the possibility of war with Venezuela on the table, according to an interview with NBC News published on Friday. "I don't rule it out, no," he told NBC News in a phone interview. Trump also said there would be additional seizures of oil tankers near Venezuelan waters, according to the interview. "If they're foolish enough to be sailing along, they'll be sailing along back into one of our harbours," he told NBC News. In his NBC interview, Trump declined to say whether removing Maduro was his ultimate goal, telling NBC News: "He knows exactly what I want."

Yet many organisations continue to treat these periods as short-term marketing moments — windows for discounts, noise, and tactical activation. In Asia, festivals don’t just increase demand. For leaders thinking about growth, retention, and lifetime value, that makes them strategic assets — not marketing spikes. Across Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East, Ramadan reshapes daily rhythm, spending intent and expectations of brands. That is why Asia’s cultural calendar is not a marketing moment.

(Dec 19): Grab Holdings Ltd has acquired Chinese tech company Infermove to expand in artificial intelligence-enabled (AI) robotics for food delivery. Grab sees Infermove’s solutions will complement its first- and last-mile delivery capabilities, the Singapore-based company said in a statement on Friday in response to a query from Bloomberg News. Before the acquisition, Infermove had raised US$300,000 (RM1.23 million) in its angel funding round from investors including MiraclePlus. It also signed an agreement with a subsidiary of Tieda Technology in 2024, which valued the startup at US$33 million. A spokesperson for Infermove confirmed details including the transaction.

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Offshore marine support services provider Perdana Petroleum Bhd (KL:PERDANA) said on Friday that it has secured two contracts from Dialog Group Bhd (KL:DIALOG) for the charter of two anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels. Perdana Petroleum said the estimated charter period for the contracts is 153 days, commencing tentatively on April 1, 2026, or upon the handover of the vessels from the first charterer, SK Earthon Co Ltd, under a joint tender arrangement. It added that the contracts are expected to run until Aug 30, 2026, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the contractual terms. The contracts were entered into between Perdana Nautika Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Perdana Petroleum, and Dialog Resources Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dialog Group. Under the agreements, Perdana Nautika will provide the AHTS vessels complete with crew and equipment to deliver continuous 24-hour offshore support services.

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): A Malakoff Corp Bhd (KL:MALAKOF)-led joint venture with Solarvest Holdings Bhd (KL:SLVEST) has on Friday signed a 21-year power purchase agreement with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) for the sale of electricity generated from its large-scale solar photovoltaic facility in Perak. MSSSB is tasked to design, construct, own, operate and maintain a 470MWac solar photovoltaic energy generating facility located at Windsor Estate in Larut and Matang, Perak. The facility will generate, deliver and sell solar energy to Tenaga throughout the tenure of the agreement. The scheduled commercial operation date of the solar facility is expected in the first quarter of 2028. At market close on Friday, shares in Malakoff fell 0.5 sen or 0.62% to 80.5 sen, giving the group a market capitalisation of RM4 billion.

(Dec 19): Natural gas prices in Europe have fallen close to levels not seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Years of elevated costs have hollowed out parts of Europe’s industrial core, and even the lowest seasonal gas prices since 2020 aren’t enough to reopen shuttered factories. Despite the recent gas price decrease, the company said its structural challenges have either persisted or intensified since. The loss of so many industrial consumers means Europe’s underlying demand remains weak even with current benchmark gas prices of about €27 a megawatt-hour. Europe’s energy crisis did accelerate the rise of renewables, providing an alternative to gas-fired power.

Sterling was mostly flat against the dollar at US$1.3378, while the euro was marginally lower at 87.55 pence. But now, traders are more concerned about Japan's longer-term finances than what the Japanese currency is yielding at the moment. Governor Andrew Bailey said the overall direction for rates was lower, but possibly at a slower rate. "We suspect that these wage expectations will come down in the New Year in line with lower headline inflation. In all, we continue to expect 25-basis-point rate cuts in February and April, compared to market pricing of just one cut.

(Dec 19): France could face a market backlash if plans to repair the public finances fail to bring its deficit within 5% of economic output next year, the country’s central bank chief said. “Beyond a 5% deficit, France would clearly put itself in danger,” Francois Villeroy de Galhau said in an interview with Le Figaro. The government has warned that portions of finance bills so far approved would only bring the deficit to 5.3% of economic output in 2026, down from 5.4% this year. The yield premium on France’s 10-year bonds compared to German peers is about 70 basis points, after rising to over 89 in October. Villeroy said markets can suddenly shift if there is a sequence of events including a clash with the European Union over fiscal policy, more ratings downgrades or the withdrawal of hedge funds.

KOTA KINABALU: A jobless man has been arrested for allegedly raping his 14-year-old girlfriend in Sabah’s east coast Tawau district. Tawau police chief Asst Comm Jasmin Hussin said the arrest was made after a report lodged by the girl’s mother the previous day. Based on their probe, he said, the suspect lived in the same house in Balung as the victim, adding that the incident occurred on Nov 16. “The mother lodged the report after the daughter related the (alleged) incident to her,” he said in a statement on Friday (Nov 22). ACP Jasmin advised the public, particularly parents, not to leave their children unsupervised with unfamiliar individuals.

"This sovereign AI means that the AI belongs to the state or country only. Meanwhile, he also said that Selangor always strives to increase state revenue by introducing various new policies and formulas to ensure a sustainable income. He said his administration does not rely on land revenue and contributions from the federal government to increase state revenue, as claimed. "We also received revenue from the Zero Discharge Policy (ZDP). We have already received RM18mil this year and will get more... our first collection in Nov 2024 will reach RM1mil," he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: The “D” grading of the government by electoral reform watchdog Bersih is acceptable for now, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. “About Bersih’s report, it is okay to get a ‘D’... (at least it’s not) an ‘F’. Today, we get a ‘D’ mark for the UPSR but next time, we can get an ‘A’ mark for the SPM,” he told Parliament yesterday. This was also included in the Bersih report. Anwar suggested that Awang take on the role of “mediator” and assured that funds would be channelled if an agreement was reached promptly.

SHAH ALAM: The public should be careful when using social media as a source of information following the allegation that a government-related real estate investment company spent almost RM14mil to repair toilets. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the matter was not discussed in the Cabinet meeting and he had no information about it. "Not everything we read is, firstly accurate, secondly full of context (because) sometimes it is uploaded with reasons known only to those who upload it. "The meaning is that there may be intentions of their own. So there should not be a trial by media situation but we will look into this matter," he said at a press conference after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) and the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas) at the EPF Tower in Kwasa Damansara, here.- Bernama

RIO DE JANEIRO: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's inaugural visit to Brazil has generated potential export opportunities worth RM6.8bil (US$1.57bil) over the next three to five years. Anwar, who also serves as the Finance Minister, credited this achievement to discussions with 58 industry leaders representing 28 top companies and business associations in Brazil. "This round-table meeting generated a potential export value of RM6.8bil for the next three to five years," Anwar stated during a press conference on Monday (Nov 18). The identified export prospects include oil and gas services, semiconductors, palm oil, aerospace components, and food and beverage products. Meanwhile, Malaysian companies such as PETRONAS, Yinson, and Sapura have invested over US$15bil in Brazil’s energy and oil and gas sectors.

KUALA LUMPUR: As of October 2024, the government is holding some RM12bil of unclaimed monies, says Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan. In his winding-up speech on the Supply Bill 2025 on Wednesday (Nov 13), Amir Hamzah said that RM17bil of unclaimed money had been received as of Oct 31. “A total of RM4.2bil has been paid to the claimants, leaving a balance of RM12.8bil in unclaimed money," he added. The amendments to the Unclaimed Moneys Act 1965 allow the government to consider unclaimed money as revenue after 10 years. Unclaimed money previously held by companies and lodged with the Registrar was to be credited into the Consolidated Trust Account.