Russia rebuffed incoming US President Donald Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, while saying it’s ready to hold negotiations on a long-lasting peace agreement to end almost three years of war.

Russia rejects Trump call for Ukraine truce, but ready for talks

US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he had asked the Defense Department to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, after condemning Russia's Christmas Day attack on Ukraine's energy system and some of its cities.

Biden reaffirms support for weapons surge to Ukraine after Russia's Christmas attack

Russia attacked Ukraine's energy system and some cities with cruise and ballistic missiles plus drones on Wednesday in an "inhuman" Christmas Day assault, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Russia launches 'inhuman' Christmas Day attacks, Ukraine says

South Korea's military said on Monday it had detected signs of North Korea preparing to send more troops and weapons, including suicide drones, to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

South Korea says it detects signs of North Korea preparing more troops, drones for Russia

US President-elect Donald Trump suggested he’s open to meeting Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine sparked by Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Trump keeps door open to Putin offer for talks on war in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he was ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks with US President-elect Donald Trump on ending the war and had no conditions for starting talks with the Ukrainian authorities.

Trump, a self-styled master of brokering agreements and author of the 1987 book 'Trump: the Art of the Deal', has vowed to swiftly end the conflict, but has not yet given any details on how he might achieve that.

Putin says Russia is ready to compromise with Trump on Ukraine war

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russian forces were moving towards achieving their primary goals on the battlefield in Ukraine and touted what he said was the invincibility of Russia's new hypersonic missile.

Putin says Russia is moving closer to achieving goals in Ukraine

A top Russian general accused by Ukraine of being responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops was assassinated in Moscow by Ukraine's SBU intelligence service on Tuesday morning in the most high-profile killing of its kind.

Ukraine kills Russian chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov in Moscow

Russia has begun using North Korean troops in significant numbers for the first time to conduct assaults on Ukrainian forces battling to hold an enclave in Russia's Kursk region, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday.

North Korean troops join Russian assaults in significant numbers, Kyiv says

MOSCOW (Dec 12): Russia has established direct contact with the political committee of Syria's Islamist rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying on Thursday.

Russia in contact with Syrian rebels, hopes to keep military bases, Interfax reports

GDANSK/KYIV (Dec 9): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made the case on Monday for a diplomatic settlement to Russia's war in Ukraine and raised the idea of foreign troops being deployed in his country, until it could join the Nato military alliance.

Zelenskiy seeks diplomatic end to Russia's war, floats role for foreign troops

Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad is in Moscow with his family after Russia granted them asylum on humanitarian grounds, a Kremlin source told Russian news agencies on Sunday, and a deal has been done to ensure the safety of Russian military bases.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said earlier that Assad had left Syria and given orders for a peaceful transfer of power, after rebel fighters raced into Damascus unopposed on Sunday, ending nearly six decades of his family's iron-fisted rule.

Syria's Assad is in Moscow after deal on military bases, says Russian state media

US President-elect Donald Trump called on Sunday for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end "the madness", prompting Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy and the Kremlin to list their conditions.

Trump calls for immediate Ukraine ceasefire, Kyiv and Moscow cite conditions

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that his forces could strike “decision-making centres” in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with new ballistic missiles as retaliation for attacks on Russia using Western missiles.

Putin warns Russia may strike Kyiv with new ballistic missiles

Tech and growth stocks dragged Wall Street's main indexes lower on Friday, at the end of an upbeat holiday-shortened week driven by expectations around a traditionally strong period for markets.

Wall Street falls as strong holiday-shortened week nears close

SCGM Bhd's (KL:SCGM) substantial shareholders are to inject their agriculture-related business into the cash company in return for RM207.94 million worth of shares as part of the company's regularisation plan.

SCGM formalises injection of agriculture business, proposes 25 sen special dividend 

Here is a brief recap of the business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Friday.

ViTrox, Kim Loong Resources, Crescendo, JcbNext, OCB, Paragon Globe, Tropicana, Asia Poly, Nova MSC, PUC, SCGM

A mystery seller is asking US$200 million (RM893.43 million) for an empty waterfront lot next door to the properties Jeff Bezos bought in South Florida.

The roughly 1.84 acre lot (0.74 hectare) is located at Indian Creek, a man-made barrier island that’s been dubbed “Billionaire Bunker.” Ilya Reznik, who’s brokering the transaction, declined to identify the seller but said they are “willing to negotiate” on price.

Bezos’ Miami neighbour seeking US$200 mil for empty lot

Brazil’s annual inflation unexpectedly slowed in early December as energy costs dropped, giving central bankers limited relief as they pledge two more jumbo interest rate hikes by March.

Official data released on Friday showed consumer prices rose 4.71% from a year earlier, below the 4.83% median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists and the prior reading of 4.77%.

Brazil’s annual inflation unexpectedly slows, giving central bank limited respite

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh instructed the investment ministry and other authorities to work on development scenarios and measures that will enable the country to attain “double-digit” growth in gross domestic product next year.

Vietnam PM seeks steps for double-digit GDP growth next year

Shell has shut down one of its oil processing units at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park on Singapore’s Pulau Bukom to facilitate an investigation into a suspected leak in the system.

Shell shuts down oil processing unit at Singapore's Pulau Bukom to probe leak

A Norwegian shipping company on Friday rejected an accusation from Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, that it refused to rescue sailors from a sinking Russian cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea.

Norwegian shipping firm denies Moscow's claim it refused to help sinking Russian ship

OpenAI, founded a decade ago as a research organisation, is considering a change to the AI company’s structure that would create a more conventional money-making corporation alongside a non-profit arm.

OpenAI mulls plan for more conventional for-profit business 

Over 330 initial public offerings (IPOs), US$20 billion (RM89.34 billion) of proceeds and more than US$160 billion addition in country’s market value, sums up a bumper year for India that is set to further strengthen its position among top global destinations for capital raising.

Roaring debuts cap a bumper year for IPOs in India

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.

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

Khazanah Nasional Bhd announced on Friday that it has invested in private equity Cambrian Fund and California-based artificial intelligence (AI) firm Syntiant Corp.

In a statement, the sovereign wealth fund said the investment was made through its RM1 billion Dana Impak fund, which aims to drive greater growth and innovation in Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4) technologies and capacity development, and boost research and development (R&amp;D) in AI and semiconductor technologies.

Khazanah announces investments into ViTrox-backed Cambrian Fund and AI firm Syntiant Corp

The proposed adjustment in Peninsular Malaysia’s base electricity tariff under the Regulatory Period 2025-2027 (RP4) is mainly a “rebasing exercise” to reflect higher fuel costs assumption, said Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA).

Base electricity tariff adjustment reflects higher fuel costs, won't burden vulnerable groups, says Tenaga

The government will not allow increases in electricity tariffs that would burden the majority of the public, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Electricity tariff adjustment won’t burden majority, says PM

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

PUC Bhd’s (KL:PUC) photography associate Pictureworks International Holdings Ltd has filed for a listing on Nasdaq in the US.

The initial public offering (IPO) of its 27.53%-owned associate has been registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission though the terms such as pricing, number of shares to be offered, and timetable for the public offering were not disclosed.

PUC’s associate Pictureworks files for IPO on Nasdaq in US

Crescendo Corporation Bhd (KL:CRESNDO) reported a more than fivefold increase in net profit for its third quarter, driven by data centre land sales in Nusa Cemerlang Industrial Park (NCIP) in Iskandar Puteri, Johor.

Data centre land sales lift Crescendo's 3Q net profit

PAS'&nbsp;move to 'politicise' the recent Christmas celebration&nbsp;at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government was&nbsp;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

No decision has been made regarding electricity tariff hikes in Peninsular Malaysia as of now, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

No decision on electricity rate hike just yet — DPM Fadillah

On Nov 20, the Kuala Terengganu Shariah High Court handed down the sentence of six lashes in public for repeated offences of khalwat (close proximity) against a carpenter named Mohd Affendi Awan.

Shariah whipping in public — does it exceed the Shariah Courts’ jurisdiction?

The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has received 114 million e-invoices from 9,000 taxpayers as of Thursday.

IRB corporate services department director Noraini Mustafa said that the response has been very encouraging, particularly in Phase 1, with some companies originally scheduled for Phases 2 and 3 voluntarily participating earlier than required.

IRB says 114 million e-invoices received as of Dec 26

Cocoaland Holdings Bhd co-founder Lau Pak Lam has ceased to be a substantial shareholder in PUC Bhd (KL:PUC) after disposing of 100 million shares or a 3.6% stake in the digital payment solutions provider via a direct business transaction on Dec 23.

PUC changes substantial shareholders

A man was whipped at a mosque in Terengganu on Friday for the Islamic crime of close proximity with a non-family member of the opposite sex, local media reported, in a rare public sentencing.

Man publicly whipped in Terengganu for Islamic crime of close proximity

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) expresses its deep concern over the decision of the Terengganu Shariah Court in the case of Mohd Affendi Awang, a 42-year-old carpenter, who was sentenced to six lashes in public, after being convicted of repeated khalwat (close proximity) offences under Section 31(a) of the Shariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) (Terengganu) Enactment 2022. This punishment undermines human rights, dignity, and the rule of law. The commission takes note that whipping under shariah laws is different from civil law. Be that as it may, the sentence not only constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, but also raises serious questions regarding the legality of public whipping under the Federal Constitution and federal law.

Public whipping in Terengganu: A violation of human rights and rule of law

Malaysia's Foreign Ministry through the Embassy of Malaysia in Stockholm, is in constant communication with the Norwegian authorities to gather more information regarding a bus accident near Lake Åsvatnet on Dec 26 which reportedly involved passengers from several countries including Malaysia.

Malaysia sends consular team following bus accident in Norway

Industrial services firm Swift Energy Technology Bhd's initial public offering (IPO) was oversubscribed by 58.09 times for the 50.04 million new shares offered to the public, the issuing house said on Friday.

Swift Energy's IPO shares for public oversubscribed by 58 times

The LED Fantasy Light Carnival held at the Bukit Gambir Multipurpose Hall has been ordered to cease immediately and has been fully shut down.

The Tangkak District Council (MDT), through a post on its Facebook page, announced that an investigation found the organisers had failed to comply with the conditions for holding the carnival, particularly in terms of its sensitivity to the local community.

Tangkak LED Fantasy Light Carnival shut down over Chinese flag on rocket

Penang, Johor, Selangor, Sarawak, and Kuala Lumpur dominated Malaysia’s exports, accounting for 83.8% of the total in November, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Penang, Johor, Selangor, Sarawak and KL the top exporters in November, data show

The staff involved in the Christmas celebration at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) in Putrajaya recently were mostly Christians.&nbsp;

Minister Nga Kor Ming said many of those who sang “Jingle Bells” were Kadazans&nbsp;from Sabah, apart from employees from Sarawak.

Nga says ministry's Christmas celebration involved mostly non-Muslims

Chinese national Huang YongKang has emerged as Asia Poly Holdings Bhd's (KL:ASIAPLY) second biggest shareholder after taking up the entire 95.85 million shares issued under a private placement.&nbsp;

The shares represent a 9.09% stake in the Klang-based cast acrylic sheets manufacturer.

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