<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 11): The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) has appointed Professor Datuk Dr Asma Ismail as its new chairman for three years, effective Jan 1, 2019 till Dec 31, 2021.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In a statement today, MQA said Asma, who is the vice-chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), is replacing its previous chairman Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Abu Hassan Othman, who ended his service in December last year.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"MQA would like to record the highest appreciation to Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Abu Hassan Othman and 14 MQA council members from the 2016 - 2018 session for their contributions and efforts to help MQA strengthen the quality of higher education in the country," it said.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Prior to her current position in USM, Asma was the vice-chancellor of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) in 2012, making her the first women in the country to have been appointed as a vice-chancellor for two public universities.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Earlier, she served as the Director-General of Higher Education and is currently the first female president of the Academy of Science Malaysia (2016-2019).</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Asma holds a degree in Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), a masters degree in Microbiology from Indiana University, Bloomington, and a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from UNR.</p></div>


The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) has appointed Professor Datuk Dr Asma Ismail as its new chairman for three years, effective Jan 1, 2019 till Dec 31, 2021

MQA appoints USM VC as new chairman

PAS' move to 'politicise' the recent Christmas celebration at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government was disrespectful to the rights of Malaysia’s multiracial and multi-religious society, according to three DAP leaders.

DAP leaders criticise PAS for 'politicising' Christmas celebration

Manmohan Singh, the Gandhi family confidant who freed India’s economy from Soviet-inspired controls and was one of the country’s longest serving prime ministers, has passed on. He was 92.

Manmohan Singh, PM who unleashed India's economy, passes away at 92

The Thai government’s campaign to pressure the Bank of Thailand to cut interest rates suffered a significant setback, with the Office of the Council of State effectively ruling that the official nominee to be chairman, former finance minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, is not suitable.

Thai govt suffers setback in bid to influence central bank

Richard Parsons, the executive dubbed “Captain Emergency” for his record of stabilising ailing companies such as AOL Time Warner, Citigroup Inc and Dime Savings Bank of New York, has passed away. He was 76.

Richard Parsons, 'Captain Emergency' who rescued Time Warner and Citigroup, passes on at 76

Chinese workers at a construction site in Brazil for a factory owned by China's electric vehicle producer BYD are victims of human trafficking, Brazilian labour authorities said on Thursday in a growing controversy in BYD's biggest overseas market.

Brazil says workers at China's BYD site are victims of human trafficking

Asked what makes Nissan Motor Co a strong business partner, Honda Motor Co chief executive officer Toshihiro Mibe struggled to find the right words.

For Honda, a Nissan rescue comes with only a thin silver lining

Japanese manufacturing giant Nidec said on Friday it planned to launch a ¥257 billion (US$1.6 billion or RM7.27 billion) bid for Makino Milling Machine, a surprise unsolicited takeover offer in a country better known for agreed deals.

Japan's Nidec targets Makino Milling in US$1.6b unsolicited bid

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's cabinet on Friday approved a record US$730 billion (RM3.26 trillion) budget for the next fiscal year, while limiting new bond issuance to the lowest in 17 years on the back of record tax revenue.

Japan's cabinet approves record budget, faces tough parliament fight

It’s a wonder three little headlights can stir up such debate. But that’s what many netizens in China have been driven to comment on following the launch of Nio Inc’s newest sub-brand, Firefly.

Nio’s mass market push draws scorn as EV maker promises a profit

A less-than-perfect debut for the new season of Netflix Inc’s blockbuster series Squid Game sent shares of related South Korean companies sharply lower Friday.

‘Squid Game’ stocks tank in Korea on Netflix new season letdown

<p>Shares of MyMBN Bhd (KL:MBN) fell on Friday to their lowest since listing 17 months ago and below its initial public offering price after the Malaysian government temporarily suspended bird's nest exports to China.</p>


MyMBN shares slip to lowest on record after govt suspends bird's nest export to China

<p>Shares of Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) rose on Friday to their new record high as analysts flagged potential earnings upside from implementation of Regulatory Period 4 (RP4).</p>


Tenaga Nasional shares hit new record high as analysts flag upside from RP4

<p>The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday its analysis of samples from the first severe case of bird flu in the country last week showed mutations not seen in samples from an infected backyard flock on the patient's property.</p>


Bird flu virus shows mutations in first severe human case in US, CDC says

<p>Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's cabinet on Friday approved a record US$730 billion (RM3.26 trillion) budget for the next fiscal year, while limiting new bond issuance to the lowest in 17 years on the back of record tax revenue.</p>


<p>Oil edged lower in light holiday trading on soft US jobs data and a retreat in natural gas futures.&nbsp;</p>


Oil prices dip in thin trading on soft US data, natural gas outlook

<p>Asian stocks wobbled on Friday while the dollar was steady, keeping the yen rooted near five-month lows in thin year-end trading as investors looked ahead to 2025, when the Federal Reserve is expected to be measured in its interest rate cuts.</p>


Asian stocks drift, yen at five-month low in thin year-end trading

<p>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.</p>


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

<p>The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has ordered Bybit Technology Ltd to disable its website and mobile applications in the country as part of enforcement actions against the cryptocurrency exchange.</p>


SC orders Bybit to disable website, apps in Malaysia for operating illegal crypto exchange

<p>US soybean futures rose more than 1% on Thursday and soymeal futures touched a two-month high as worries about dry weather in parts of Argentina prompted speculators to exit short positions ahead of the new year, analysts said.</p>


Soybean futures up as weather spurs short-covering; corn at six-month high

<p>Stocks wavered in a quiet post-holiday session as mixed jobless claims data did little to alter bets on the Federal Reserve outlook.</p>


US stock rally stalls in sleepy session

<p>Chinese battery manufacturer CATL said it plans to seek a listing in Hong Kong, a Shenzhen Stock Exchange filing showed.</p>


China's CATL to seek Hong Kong listing

<p>Japanese manufacturing giant Nidec said on Friday it planned to launch a ¥257 billion (US$1.6 billion or RM7.27 billion) bid for Makino Milling Machine, a surprise unsolicited takeover offer in a country better known for agreed deals.</p>


<p>Chinese workers at a construction site in Brazil for a factory owned by China's electric vehicle producer BYD are victims of human trafficking, Brazilian labour authorities said on Thursday in a growing controversy in BYD's biggest overseas market.</p>


<p>A less-than-perfect debut for the new season of Netflix Inc’s blockbuster series Squid Game sent shares of related South Korean companies sharply lower Friday.</p>


<p>As Donald Trump prepares to fulfill a lengthy list of campaign promises, the president-elect’s vow to ensure that all remaining Bitcoin is “made in the USA” may prove to be one of the most challenging to keep.</p>


Trump’s ‘made in USA’ Bitcoin is promise impossible to keep

<p>As Covid swept across California in early 2020, pediatric infectious diseases physician Karin Nielsen grew alarmed by the crisis erupting in maternity wards. Pregnant women were placed on life support, undergoing emergency C-sections as the virus triggered severe complications. Some died.</p>


Covid pregnancies may have boosted autism risk, study shows

<p>China's industrial profits fell at a slower clip in November, official data showed on Friday, offering some respite to an embattled sector even as persistently soft domestic demand delays a recovery.</p>


China's November industrial profits narrow decline but demand remains soft

<p>Core inflation in Japan's capital accelerated in December while services inflation held steady, data showed on Friday, keeping alive market expectations for a near-term interest rate hike.</p>


Inflation in Japan's capital accelerates, keeps rate hike prospects intact

<p>Alexei Miller, the head of Russia's Gazprom&nbsp;said on Thursday the group's natural gas production is set to rise this year by 61 billion cubic metres (bcm) to around 416 bcm.</p>


Gazprom's gas output to rise to around 416 bil cubic metres in 2024

<p>South Korea’s business confidence deteriorated the most since the global outbreak of Covid-19, reflecting mounting concerns about an economy grappling with political turmoil and facing Donald Trump’s tariff threats.</p>
