Author - James Lim

King and Queen pray for continued harmony in New Year’s message

KUALA LUMPUR: The harmony enjoyed by the country and Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, is in the prayers of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia. In their New Year's message on Facebook, the royal couple expressed their wish that the unity and harmony in the...

Indonesia: Mount Ibu erupts on 2024’s last day; govt sends out highest alert and aviation warning

JAKARTA (Agencies): Mount Ibu, located in Indonesia's North Maluku province, erupted earlier on December 31, prompting an aviation warning, according to the country's Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre (VGDMC). The biggest eruption occurred at 5:18 am (local time), sending a column of ash up to three kilometres into the sky. The thick grey cloud drifted...

Plane carrying Johor delegation turns back three hours after departing Bahrain airport

JOHOR BARU: The plane a Johor government delegation to Turkey and Jordan was on has been forced to turn back more than three hours after taking off. Johor Islamic affairs committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid described his experience in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Dec 31), saying the aircraft had been in the air for...

2024 marked beginning of Malaysia’s national reform agenda, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has described 2024 as a historic year that served as the prelude and foundation for Malaysia's national reform agenda. Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said throughout 2024, the government initiated transformative efforts with clear political will, sincere intentions and meticulous evaluation to ensure that policies implemented benefit...

Malaysians thought to be involved in fatal bus crash in Norway

OSLO: A bus carrying several foreign tourists went off the road and ended up partially submerged in a lake near the Raftsundet strait that separates the Lofoten archipelago from the Norwegian mainland, killing three people and injuring four, police said Thursday (Dec 26). "Many of the passengers on the bus were foreign nationals," police said, adding...

QuickCheck: Did a woman set a motorcycle on fire in Taiping?

A RECENT video has caught the attention of many online viewers. The footage appears to show a woman setting a motorcycle on fire, leading to widespread interest. Could it be true that this incident took place in Taiping? Verdict: TRUE Police in Taiping, Perak have arrested a woman for allegedly setting a motorcycle on fire. Taiping OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Nasir...

Thai baby hippo Moo Deng gets US$300,000 Christmas gift from Ethereum co-founder

BANGKOK: Moo Deng, the celebrity baby pygmy hippopotamus at a Thai zoo, has just received a huge Christmas present from one of the most influential figures in the crypto world. Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of the Ethereum blockchain platform, “adopted” the beloved Moo Deng through a generous donation of 10 million Thai baht (US$300,000) to the...

South Korea’s acting president faces impeachment as Yoon set for trial

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's acting president faces an impeachment vote on Friday, intensifying a political crisis as the Constitutional Court meets for its first hearing on suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law declared on Dec. 3. The push to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who has been acting president since Yoon was impeached on...

Chiang Mai police arrest magic mushroom vendor after British tourist’s death

CHIANG MAI: Police and public health officials in Chiang Mai conducted a sting operation on Tuesday (Dec 24), using a foreign undercover agent to purchase magic mushrooms from a shop on Tha Pae Road in Muang district. The undercover agent purchased a bag of mushrooms for 500 baht (S$20), prompting authorities to raid the shop and...