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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA : Although some World Cup group-stage matches will be aired live in Malaysia in the morning, local football fans will still have to stay up after midnight to catch most of their favourite teams in action. Sixteen out of 26 – or about 62% – of the highly anticipated group matches featuring the major European and South American teams will kick off between midnight and 5am Malaysian time.  England, France and Germany, for example, are scheduled to play all three of their group-stage fixtures in that late-night window (see graphic). Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands will each see two of their three group matches also fall into those early-hours kick-off times. Despite the inconvenient timing, many fans say they are still willing to adjust their routines to keep up with the tournament. Germany fan Fadhli Harun, 34, said he is prepared to sacrifice sleep when necessary, particularly for decisive fixtures. “If it is a must...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Although some World Cup group-stage matches will be aired live in Malaysia in the morning, local football fans will still have to stay up after midnight to catch most of their favourite teams in action. Sixteen out of 26 – or about 62% – of the highly anticipated group matches featuring the major European and South American teams will kick off between midnight and 5am Malaysia time.  England, France and Germany, for example, are scheduled to play all three of their group-stage fixtures in that late-night window. Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands will each see two of their three group matches also fall into those early-hours kick-off times. Despite the inconvenient timing, many fans say they are still willing to adjust their routines to keep up with the tournament. Germany fan Fadhli Harun, 34, said he is prepared to sacrifice sleep when necessary, particularly for decisive fixtures. “If it is a must-win or tie-breaker match, I will sacrifice sl...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI   PETALING JAYA: The hotter it gets, the harder it rains. In urban areas such as the Klang Valley, experts say this is increasingly the reality.  They say rising temperatures, combined with rapid development and climate change, are intensifying thunderstorms, increasing the risk of flash floods in cities.  One reason for the rising heat is the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. This occurs when cities replace green areas with pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain warmth.  This leads to significantly higher temperatures in cities compared to surrounding areas. The hotter air rises to form clouds, leading to heavy downpours that can cause floods.  “In urban areas, concrete buildings, asphalt and other man-made structures absorb heat faster than surrounding areas, creating pressure differences that lead to low-level convergence.  “Hotter conditions in the city make the air mor...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Rising urban temperatures in the Klang Valley are contributing to heavier downpours and flash floods, with experts pointing to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect as one of the factors intensifying storms. Experts say the interaction between urban heat, rapid development and climate change is intensifying thunderstorms over densely built-up areas, including the Klang Valley. Climatologist Professor Emeritus Fredolin Tangang from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said the UHI effect plays a contributing role but is not the sole factor behind the increasing frequency of heavy downpours in urban areas. “The answer is yes, but UHI is not the only factor,” he said, explaining that thunderstorms are more common during inter-monsoon periods in April to May and September to October, when weaker winds create favourable conditions for thunderstorms to develop. He said heat and moisture are key ingredients for thunderstorm formation and...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Some 2,069 tonnes of illegal e-waste worth RM151.6mil were seized in raids on illegal processing and recycling plants nationwide over the past year. A check and compilation of The Star reports from April 2025 to April 2026 found 37 reports related to the illegal e-waste trade, ranging from raids on unlicensed factories and seizures at ports to statements from enforcement agencies and ministries. Of the total reports, four involved raids and seizures at illegal e-waste processing or recycling plants, while seven were related to seizures of illegal e-waste shipments at ports. The raids on illegal processing facilities were conducted in several locations, including Ipoh, Bukit Tambun, Seremban and Gopeng. Among the largest seizures was an operation in Ipoh, Perak, in June last year, where authorities seized 1,500 bags of e-waste worth RM111mil, with each bag weighed between 850kg and 1,000kg. In March this ...