Sunday, 25 January 2026

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Sunday, 25 January 2026

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EU withdraws immediate tariff threat against US

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[12:25, 1/24/2026] +60 13-882 9673: NATION Cut sugar, adopt healthy eating habits BUTTERWORTH, Seberang Perai, Penang: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is urging Malaysians to cut back on sugar. He said unhealthy eating habits, particularly high sugar intake, are a major contributor to the rising public health burden, placing added pressure on the national healthcare system. “Sugar consumption in Malaysia is among the highest in Asia. Although the government spends a lot on healthcare, we need to encourage healthy eating to prevent people from getting various illnesses,” he said in his speech at the launch of a new block at Seberang Jaya Hospital, Perai today (Jan 24). Anwar said awareness campaigns on reducing sugar intake should be intensified, including by offering healthier foo… [12:27, 1/24/2026] +60 13-882 9673: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (second right) officiates the launch of the new Seberang Jaya Hospital building today, witnessed by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (right), Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Steven Sim (left), and Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (second from left). - Photo: BERNAMA [12:34, 1/24/2026] +60 13-882 9673: BUSINESS CIMB Islamic channels RM20 million into conservation efforts KUALA LUMPUR: CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd has committed RM20 million over the next five years to support environmental conservation initiatives through its EcoSave-i programme, Malaysia’s first environmentally focused Islamic savings account. The programme is designed to support conservation initiatives under the group’s green, social, sustainable impact products and services framework. It aims to mobilise RM300 billion in sustainable financing by 2030, a statement said.  Its Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, said the funding will support conservation, environmental education and community empowerment efforts tailored to local needs. “A lot of the conservation efforts have to be tailored to the local situation because different areas require different approaches,” he said during the CIMB Islamic Green Showcase here today. Ahmad Shahriman said the bank works closely with technical partners to determine suitable performance indicators, which may include land protection status, tree-planting outcomes or community training programmes, depending on the location. He said CIMB Islamic’s conservation initiatives over the past five years have already engaged more than 3,000 local community members, while over 10,000 trees have been planted nationwide. Among the key projects it supports are the Taman Tugu in the heart of Kuala Lumpur with a RM3 million allocation, alongside forest conservation efforts in Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve and Royal Belum State Park. “Taman Tugu is a focal point for customers and the public to learn about conservation efforts, especially because it is easily accessible in the heart of Kuala Lumpur,” he said. Ahmad Shahriman said the initiative is aligned with Islamic finance principles, which emphasise stewardship and responsibility beyond commercial returns. “We are not just looking at profit. Under Islamic finance, we see ourselves as stewards, responsible for taking care of the environment and the communities around us,” he said. He added that the five-year commitment is intended to ensure continuity and resilience of conservation projects, noting that environmental protection requires sustained, long-term collaboration. “This project cannot just be done once a year. It has to be a continuous multi-year project. Conservation requires multiple stakeholders and programmes that can continue and adapt over time,” he said. - BERNAMA   TAGS: CIMB Islamic Bank, EcoSave-i programme, Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, environment, conservation [12:35, 1/24/2026] +60 13-882 9673: Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff [12:42, 1/24/2026] +60 13-882 9673: NATION Year Four assessments to identify student weaknesses earlier BUTTERWORTH, Seberang Perai, Penang: The implementation of the Year Four assessments under the National Education Blueprint (RPN) 2026-2035 aims to identify students' weaknesses in reading, writing and arithmetic at an earlier stage, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said this approach is designed to enable remedial actions before students progress to secondary school, rather than waiting for Year Six assessments. He emphasised that the policy is intended to better prepare the education system to produce a knowledgeable, skilled, and competitive generation, including in digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI). “The new national education policy (RPN) focuses on improving the quality of education for the future of our children," he said in his speech at the launch of a new block at Seberang Jaya Hospital in Perai today. He also addressed the proposal to introduce preschool education as early as five years old, providing an early preparation for children before they enter Year One at the age of six.   Anwar added that the government is providing free preschool facilities in schools to ensure all children receive a solid educational foundation. He further stressed that education should not be politicised with divisive issues, but should focus on improving the quality of learning and instilling human values in a multi-ethnic society. He said the government is committed to offering a range of educational pathways, including religious schools, international schools, and language-based streams, provided students master the Malay language and Malaysian history as the foundation for national unity. Anwar also clarified that students from different educational systems who meet these criteria should be given opportunities to continue their studies at higher levels, including in colleges and universities. The prime minister emphasised that this inclusive approach is crucial to ensure the education system remains fair and provides opportunities for all, while remaining grounded in national identity. "At the same time, the education system must not only focus on technology and new skills but also cultivate individuals who possess humanitarian values, respect for other races, and an understanding of Malaysia's cultural diversity," he added. - BERNAMA   TAGS: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, education policy, RPN, assessment, Year Four, preschool [12:44, 1/24/2026] +60 13-882 9673: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivers his speech at the MADANI Cultural Carnival and 'Kenduri Rakyat' Penang 2026 Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permatang Pasir, Seberang Perai, Penang, today. - Photo: BERNAMA [12:49, 1/24/2026] +60 13-882 9673: WORLD EU withdraws immediate tariff threat against US BRUSSELS, Belgium: The European Union (EU) is suspending its special tariff threat against the United States (US) following this week's sudden de-escalation of the Greenland conflict, it was confirmed on Friday (Jan 23), reported German Press Agency (dpa). A regulation prepared last year for duties on imports worth €93 billion (USD109 billion) is to be put on hold for a further six months, said a spokesman for the European Commission in Brussels. This would otherwise have automatically taken effect on February 7. However, the tariffs could be activated at any time - even before the expiry of the new six-month suspension, the spokesman added. The EU had threatened the measures after US President Donald Trump announced punitive tariffs on goods from Denmark and allied countries because they rejected his claim to acquire Greenland. On Wednesday evening, Trump made a surprising U-turn, saying at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he would not use force in the dispute over the Arctic island and was withdrawing his announced punitive tariffs. According to Trump, a framework for a future agreement on Greenland and the entire Arctic region had been agreed at a meeting with NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, rendering other measures unnecessary. Details remain unclear, but according to NATO sources, the US will be allowed to expand its military presence in Greenland and may also be given a say in certain investments there. The EU's tariff package was developed last year in the wake of the trade conflict with the US at the time. It would make the export of many industrial and agricultural products from the US to the EU more costly - such as planes, motorbikes, beef, whisky and citrus fruits. -BERNAMA-dpa    TAGS: EU, suspending, threat, tariffs, US, de-escalation, Greenland [12:51, 1/24/2026] +60 13-882 9673: EU flags seen before the special EU summit in Brussels. At the one-day meeting of EU heads of state and government, the EU is discussing its relationship with the US. - Alexandros Michailidis/European Council/dpa

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BRUSSELS, Belgium: The European Union (EU) is suspending its special tariff threat against the United States (US) following this week’s sudden de-escalation of the Greenland conflict, it was confirmed on Friday (Jan 23), reported German Press Agency (dpa).

A regulation prepared last year for duties on imports worth €93 billion (USD109 billion) is to be put on hold for a further six months, said a spokesman for the European Commission in Brussels.

This would otherwise have automatically taken effect on February 7. However, the tariffs could be activated at any time – even before the expiry of the new six-month suspension, the spokesman added.

The EU had threatened the measures after US President Donald Trump announced punitive tariffs on goods from Denmark and allied countries because they rejected his claim to acquire Greenland.

On Wednesday evening, Trump made a surprising U-turn, saying at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he would not use force in the dispute over the Arctic island and was withdrawing his announced punitive tariffs.

According to Trump, a framework for a future agreement on Greenland and the entire Arctic region had been agreed at a meeting with NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, rendering other measures unnecessary.

Details remain unclear, but according to NATO sources, the US will be allowed to expand its military presence in Greenland and may also be given a say in certain investments there.

The EU’s tariff package was developed last year in the wake of the trade conflict with the US at the time.

It would make the export of many industrial and agricultural products from the US to the EU more costly – such as planes, motorbikes, beef, whisky and citrus fruits. -BERNAMA-dpa 
 

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