Newly single Nicole Kidman may have a new suitor in due time, as MGM Resorts Chairman Paul Salem calls dibs on the Oscar winner following her divorce from Keith Urban. Insiders told TMZ that the Chairman of the Board of MGM Resorts International, 62, has been vocal about his interest in the 58-year-old Babygirl star, with whom he has mutual friends. Though the outlet reports the two have only “met twice in group settings,” and are not yet an item, Salem apparently hopes to change that. Kidman filed to divorce Grammy winner Urban, also 58, in late September, amid shock waves that they’d been living apart since early summer 2025. –New York Daily News/Tribune News Service

PETALING JAYA: Teoh Mei Xing may be permanently switched to the mixed doubles department, but only if she meets a high benchmark set by the coaching panel. It will be a tough assignment for Mei Xing, who has not featured in mixed doubles since partnering Hoo Pang Ron at the Hong Kong Open in September 2023. Nova explained that the initial plan behind pairing Mei Xing with Zhi Yang was to help elevate the younger player. He even won an International Challenge title (with Nicole Tan) in Ipoh before. It will be a tall order for Mei Xing and Zhi Yang as they must first clear the qualifying round against Taiwan’s Tsai Chen-han-Hung Hsin-en.

PETALING JAYA: National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen believes Tan Kean Wei has given himself the “best possible chance” to grow after accepting an offer to join the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). I believe this gives him the best possible chance for his future in badminton,” said Jonassen. Kean Wei, who captured the national Under-21 title last year, reported for duty at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara last week and has been drafted into the BAM back-up squad. Jonassen explained that Kim Sheng will still feature at the Academy Badminton Malaysia, but in a different capacity as a sparring partner for the national squad. “For Chua Kim Sheng, we’ve made an arrangement where he will come and join us as a sparring player.

PUTRAJAYA: Ramadan is not only a month of fasting, but a powerful opportunity for self-renewal, moral strengthening and collective responsibility towards building a better nation, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He described Ramadan as a time for learning, reflection and personal improvement. "Society must remain sensitive to poverty and social inequalities, while avoiding hypocrisy and superficial gestures in the name of development. He also reminded Malaysians to exercise caution in their actions and decision-making, urging them to pursue success with full awareness of their social and moral responsibilities. On governance, Anwar said leaders and the government carried a heavy responsibility in addressing national challenges, including inflation and unresolved systemic issues.

KOTA KINABALU: Police are still looking for the last two missing body parts of a dismembered murder victim. City acting OCPD Supt Syed Lot Syed Ab Rahman said the main suspect, a 71-year-old man, gave them the approximate location and efforts to find the remains are ongoing. The two missing parts are an arm and a leg. More body parts were discovered at several other locations with the help of the police K9 unit. The murder has been linked to jealousy, a dispute over repayment of an engagement dowry, and other issues.

“FY29 will be more meaningful in terms of contribution from the industrial park,” Low says. Initially, industrial development is expected to account for about 10% of earnings. “Our bread and butter residential development component will still hold at least 50% to 60%,” Low said. So it will not slow down for the next 15 months.”Despite the industrial push, L&G continues to deepen its residential pipeline. L&G also operates private and international schools under the Bestari brand in Sri Damansara, contributing about 15% of group revenue.

(Feb 19): Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte does not plan to attend his pre-trial hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) set for next week, saying he is physically unfit to follow the legal proceedings. I wish for this Court to respect my peace inside the cell it has placed me. Duterte said he does not wish to follow next week’s proceedings from outside the courtroom through the use of technology either. The ex-leader made the request on the same day that his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, said that she will run for the Philippine presidency, declaring her plan years ahead of the next election in 2028. The vice president made the announcement amid a deepening feud with Marcos and fresh impeachment attempts against her.

ALOR SETAR: A man was killed while his wife and three children were injured after the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) they were travelling in collided with a vehicle coming from the opposite direction at Jalan Titi Kobah flyover in Pendang on Wednesday night (Feb 18). "The MPV was driven by the victim's 36-year-old wife from Pendang towards Kota Sarang Semut. "The couple's two other children, who were seated in the rear, also sustained injuries. The driver of the pickup suffered injuries to his waist and knee. "The injured victims were taken to Pendang Hospital for treatment, while the body of the deceased was sent to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital here.

Move follows royal decree by King to ensure graft cases are resolved fastPETALING JAYA: Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin (pic) has been appointed to preside over the newly established Special Corruption High Court to ensure the swift resolution of corruption cases. The circular, signed by Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Hashim Hamzah, added that Shah Alam High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin will be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur High Court, while Johor Bahru High Court judge Noor Hisham Ismail will take over his post in Shah Alam. On Jan 20, the Federal Court’s Chief Registrar’s Office announced that the judiciary had set up a Special Corruption High Court to hear corruption cases and appeals from the Special Corruption Sessions Courts. His Majesty had stressed the need for experienced judges and a dedicated pathway to ensure corruption cases are resolved quickly. Currently, 14 Special Corruption Sessions Courts operate nationwide, aiming to resolve each case within a year of registration.

“Our parents do not mind, and even my parents are currently travelling around China. Xue, who was in Penang with his wife, daughter and friends, said festive performances were no longer common to enjoy back home. Instead, the group of seven chose to spend the festive break in Malaysia. “We invited guests to experience the rich traditions and joyous spirit of the Chinese New Year,” he said. “The celebration included the traditional lion eye-dotting ceremony, multiple performances and a yee sang tossing ceremony.”

PETALING JAYA: Chinese New Year is a special time for Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as that is when he celebrates the auspicious day with his Chinese foster family at their home in Perak. In a Facebook post yesterday, Ahmad Zahid shared photos of the annual tradition with the family of Beh Song Wan, held at the Datuk Haji Abdullah Ahmad multi-purpose hall in Hutan Melintang. “On the second day of Chinese New Year, I spent some time with my foster family, the family of Beh Song Wang or ‘Bujang’ as he is affectionately known. Ahmad Zahid, who is Bagan Datuk MP, was also seen greeting guests at the large gathering, which also featured a lion dance performance. Ahmad Zahid also visited the graves of his relatives following the arrival of the fasting month of Ramadan today.

JOHOR BARU: Ramadan bazaar traders are all set to welcome customers, with many preparing weeks ahead to ensure ample supplies throughout the fasting month. “So I stocked up about two weeks before the festival to ensure I had enough supplies to keep making kuih for Ramadan while shops are closed. ALSO READ: ‘Fasting meets character building’Wan Noraidah, who will operate her stall at the Taman Dahlia Ramadan bazaar, said she was glad to have prepared early. “At least now I do not have to compete with other Ramadan traders for the ingredients, which I believe will be in high demand during the fasting month.”Feeding the people: (From left) Wan Noraidah, Mohd hairi and sharifah Faizah. Meanwhile, Mohd Hairi Salim, 62, said he had decided to get dry ingredients such as rice and spices earlier.

The vehicle that plunged into a ravine in Kota Belud. KOTA KINABALU: Eight people were injured in two separate accidents in Sabah within the past 24 hours. Kota Belud fire station chief Elgie Bakuk said road users who saw the accident rushed to their aid while waiting for help to arrive. Tuaran fire station chief Kurong Ak Beki said they received a distress call at around 3.25am. He said three people in one car were hurt, while the 45-year-old driver from the other vehicle escaped without injuries.

Besides investing in digital literacy, she said such an approach would involve designing platforms with safety in mind, strengthening accountability and supporting parents and caregivers. Selvakumar said that “teen accounts”, with restricted visibility, supervision and built-in safety measures, could serve as an alternative to a total ban. He cited the recent ban in Australia as an example, which led to spikes in downloads of obscure platforms lacking safety features. Last November, the Cabinet approved raising the minimum age for social media accounts to 16, with implementation expected by mid-2026. The move comes as part of wider efforts to tackle cyberbullying, exploitation and exposure to harmful content under the Online Safety Act, which comes into effect in July.

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians must not be trapped in prolonged disputes, as such divisions would only weaken efforts to build a peaceful and resilient nation, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. While acknowledging his own shortcomings, the Prime Minister stressed that constant quarrels would undermine national harmony. "The country will not be peaceful if we are constantly fighting,” he said during the Ihya Ramadan event held at the Home Ministry on Thursday (Feb 19). “Many things have happened over the past two to three weeks – issues involving the MACC, claims that temples cannot be demolished, and some saying mosques should be treated the same. He also cautioned against the spread of misinformation and emotionally driven reactions not grounded in facts, emphasising that nation-building is not the responsibility of a single group.