Top 5 news: December 15

HERE is the list of key news you need to know today. MRT a benchmark for all future plans for nation - PM

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project is the beginning of a new journey for the nation, becoming a 'game changer' and benchmark for all future plans.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said it is a holistic and people-centric project, and not just a public transport project.

Najib is scheduled to launch Phase 1 of MRT SBK (Sungai Buloh-Kajang) covering 12 stations between Sungai Buloh and Semantan (Damansara) today.

MRT

Electricity tariff rebate for Peninsula, Sabah, Labuan for Jan-June 2017 stays

The government has decided to maintain the electricity tariff rebate of 1.52 sen/kWh in the Peninsula and 1.20 sen/kWh in Sabah and Labuan for the Jan 1-June 30 period next year, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said.

He said the government also decided to forgo the Imbalance Cost Pass Through (ICPT) cost savings of RM766.33 million through an electricity tariff rebate of 1.52 sen/kWh for all users in the Peninsula except for those with monthly electricity consumption of below 300kW/h.

For Sabah and Labuan, he said a rebate of 1.20 sen/kWh would also be given to users under the same category.

Senate passes Supply Bill 2017

The Dewan Negara last night passed the Supply Bill 2017 which provides a budget of RM260.8 billion for government expenditure next year.

It was approved after the third reading by Second Finance Minister Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani and seconded by Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

senate

Eiffel Tower blacks out for Aleppo

Eiffel

The lights of the Eiffel Tower in Paris were switched off on Wednesday to show support for the people of the shattered Syrian city of Aleppo.

The monument was plunged into darkness from 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) in what Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said was a protest at the "unbearable" situation for civilians in the city where fighting raged during the day.

Yahoo says 1 billion accounts exposed in newly discovered security breach

Yahoo Inc warned it had uncovered yet another massive cyber attack, saying data from more than 1 billion user accounts was compromised in August 2013, making it the largest breach in history.

The number of affected accounts was double the scope of an attack in 2014 that the internet company disclosed in September.

News of that attack, which affected at least 500 million accounts, prompted Verizon Communication Inc to say in October that it might withdraw from an agreement to buy Yahoo's core internet business for $4.83 billion.