<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for a medical check up.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>He arrived at the heart centre at 7pm on Thursday and will be undergoing a full medical check-up and further observation, IJN said in a brief statement.&nbsp;</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>Dr Mahathir, 96, is expected to be in IJN for the next few days, the statement said.</div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for a medical check up.

He arrived at the heart centre at 7pm on Thursday and will be undergoing a full medical check-up and further observation, IJN said in a brief statement.

Mahathir admitted to IJN for medical check up

The Selangor government will review its concert guidelines to prevent drug abuse-related deaths from recurring at such events.

Selangor to review concert guidelines to prevent drug abuse-related deaths — exco

The Immigration Department (JIM) detained 53 illegal immigrants during an operation code-named Op Kutip around a shopping mall in Ampang, Selangor, on Friday night.

Immigration Dept nabs 53 illegals around shopping mall in Ampang

As cryptocurrencies gain prominence as an alternative to conventional currencies, they have also become a new tool for criminals to facilitate illegal activities.

MACC strengthening investigation specialists for cryptocurrencies

The US central bank's benchmark policy rate should stay restrictive until it is more certain that inflation is returning to its 2% target, Richmond Federal Reserve (Fed) president Thomas Barkin said on Friday.

Fed policy may need to stay restrictive for longer due to inflation risk, Richmond's Barkin says

The stock market faces its first major test of the year in the coming week, with investors counting on the US jobs report to show a stable but not overheated economy that underpins expectations for equity gains in 2025.

US jobs report poses first big stocks test of 2025

Myanmar's military government will release 5,864 prisoners, including 180 foreigners, under an amnesty marking the Southeast Asian nation's independence day, state media said on Saturday.

Myanmar's junta to free 5,864 prisoners under amnesty

US President Joe Biden is set to order a ban on new offshore oil and gas development across some 625 million acres (252.93 million hectares) of US coastal territory, ruling out the sale of drilling rights in Atlantic and Pacific waters as well as the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Biden to ban new oil drilling over vast stretch of US Atlantic, Pacific waters

Google has paid C$100 million (US$69 million or RM311.59 million) to use news stories from Canadian media outlets on its platform, the tech company said on Friday.

Google pays C$100m to use Canadian news outlets' stories

Singapore will build a new hydrogen-ready combined cycle gas turbine generating unit, slated to begin operations in 2029, the Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has said in a press release, reported Xinhua.

Singapore to build hydrogen-ready generator, operational by 2029

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested a man in connection with a corruption case involving heavy vehicle inspections at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) in the capital.

MACC arrests man in Puspakom bribery probe

PAS is going to go ahead with a planned rally on Monday to show support for jailed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, despite Umno pulling out from the event on Friday night following remarks made by the National Palace and the police.

PAS stands firm on pro-Najib rally despite Umno's cancellation

Microsoft Corp&nbsp;plans to spend US$80 billion (RM360.16 billion) this fiscal year building out data centres, underscoring the intense capital requirements of artificial intelligence (AI).&nbsp;

More than half of this projected spending through June 2025 will be in the US, Microsoft President Brad Smith wrote in a blog post on Friday. Recent AI progress is thanks to “large-scale infrastructure investments that serve as the essential foundation of AI innovation and use”, Smith wrote.

Microsoft to spend US$80b on AI data centres this year

MALAYSIA should stop second-guessing itself.

2025: To be or not to be?

Donald Trump has been ordered to appear for sentencing in his hush money criminal case on Jan&nbsp;10, though the New York state judge signalled that the US president-elect wouldn’t face time behind bars.

Trump fails to toss hush money conviction, faces sentencing on Jan 10

Global&nbsp;stocks rallied on Friday, but remained on track for a weekly decline, while the dollar stalled after its recent rally, but found some support from a stronger-than-expected US&nbsp;manufacturing survey.

Stocks rally after recent weakness; dollar slips

For months, US Steel Corp&nbsp;argued that selling out to Japanese-owned Nippon Steel Corp&nbsp;was the only way to survive. President Joe Biden thought different, concluding that even a takeover by a company based in close ally Japan wasn’t enough to allay national-security concerns.

Nippon Steel rejection shows US national security means whatever you want

Police have confirmed having arrested 196 ethnic Rohingya&nbsp;who landed at Teluk Yu Beach in Langkawi early on Friday.

Langkawi police chief ACP Shariman Ashari said the authorities received information from a member of the public at around 3.25 am, saying that a group of foreigners had landed at the beach.

Police arrest Rohingya group of 196, including women and children, at Teluk Yu Beach

US President Joe Biden is set to order a ban on new offshore oil and gas development across some 625 million acres (252.93&nbsp;million&nbsp;hectares) of US coastal territory, ruling out the sale of drilling rights in Atlantic and Pacific waters as well as the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

The Biden administration suggested that the Supreme Court should reject Donald Trump’s request to delay a law that would ban TikTok in the US if it isn’t sold by its Chinese parent company.

US DOJ asks Supreme Court to reject Trump's bid to delay TikTok ban

Boeing Co&nbsp;and US prosecutors said they are working to hammer out a new deal to settle a criminal case stemming from two fatal 737 Max crashes, after a federal judge&nbsp;blocked&nbsp;an earlier plan because it included race as a consideration for selecting a compliance monitor.

Boeing, DOJ in talks to revise plea deal for 737 Max crashes

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested a man in connection with a corruption case&nbsp;involving heavy vehicle inspections at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom)&nbsp;in the capital.

As cryptocurrencies gain prominence as an alternative to conventional currencies, they have also become a new tool for criminals to facilitate illegal activities.

A decorated US Army Green Beret who died in a New Year’s Day explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and had no apparent ties to terrorism, according to law enforcement officials.

Trump Hotel Cybertruck bomber suffered from PTSD, isn’t terror suspect — FBI

Paramount Global and Skydance Media responded to critics of their pending merger, saying in a regulatory filing that they fail to show they will be harmed by the deal, and instead make demands that threaten free speech rights.

Paramount, Skydance fire back at critics of pending merger

The stock market faces its first major test of the year in the coming week, with investors counting on the US&nbsp;jobs&nbsp;report to show a stable but not overheated economy that underpins expectations for equity gains in 2025.

Getty Images Holdings Inc&nbsp;is exploring a combination with rival Shutterstock Inc, according to people familiar with the matter. Shares Getty Images rose as much as 32%, the most since 2023.

Getty Images explores merger with rival Shutterstock

Singapore will build a new hydrogen-ready combined cycle gas turbine generating unit, slated to begin operations in 2029, the Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has said in a press release,&nbsp;reported Xinhua.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Perak Umno will abide by the party decision not to&nbsp;proceed with the planned solidarity rally for former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak scheduled to be held at the Putrajaya Palace of Justice on Monday.

Perak Umno abides by party decision not to proceed with solidarity rally for Najib

Founded on April 8, 2004, by six visionary organisations (Aarhus United, Karlshamns, Malaysian Palm Oil Association, Migros, Unilever and WWF), the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has made unprecedented progress in spearheading the global production and use of sustainable palm oil that is aligned to the triple bottom-line philosophy embracing social justice, environmental protection and economic viability.

My Say: RSPO’s path to transforming the sustainable palm oil market

The number of babies born in South Korea, a country with one of the world's lowest fertility rates, increased for the first time in nine years in 2024, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.