The parliamentary election held on Thursday was Bangladesh's first vote since the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled long-time premier Sheikh Hasina. It was also the first national election to follow recent revolts led by the under-30s that have cropped up through the wider region. Despite the landslide result, the election had been seen as Bangladesh's first truly competitive vote in years. Turnout appeared on track on Thursday to exceed the 42% recorded in the last election in 2024. More than 2,000 candidates - including many independents - were on the ballot, and at least 50 parties contested seats, a national record.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police expect the number of vehicles entering the capital to almost double ahead of the Chinese New Year celebration on Feb 17, driven by increased travel as people head back to their hometowns and to go shopping. We have identified several hotspot areas and will step up security and traffic control, particularly at locations frequented by the public,” he said. Among the ‘black spots’ identified are Jalan Kuching, Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Sungai Besi, Jalan Damansara, Jalan Kepong and Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar. Hotspot areas include the Segambut roundabout, Kepong roundabout, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kampung Pandan roundabout and Jalan Istana. He advised road users to comply with traffic regulations and follow enforcement officers’ instructions to help ensure smooth traffic flow throughout the festive period.

(Feb 13): Russia and Ukraine said a new round of US-led peace talks will take place in Geneva next week. Ukraine’s negotiating team is also preparing for talks with Russia and the US in Geneva next week, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s aide Dmytro Lytvyn told reporters in a note on WhatsApp. The meeting follows two rounds of talks since New Year in the United Arab Emirates involving military officials from Ukraine and Russia as well as US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Russian President Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine hand over territory in its eastern Donetsk region that Moscow has failed to conquer in fighting dating back to 2014. He was also part of the Russian team that held peace talks with Ukrainian officials in Istanbul weeks after the start of the February 2022 invasion.

MISSED what happened today? KOTA KINABALU – The Special Action Team of the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department performs a demonstration at the Sabah Contingent Police Headquarters. - NSTP/MOHD ADAM ARININKUALA LUMPUR – The gateway along Jalan Raja Laut near the DBKL building is beautifully illuminated with multi-coloured lights. NSTP/AMIRUDIN SAHIBJOHOR BAHRU – The Johor Causeway experiences heavy traffic congestion as captured at 11 a.m. - NSTP/NAJMI NOR’AZAMKUALA TERENGGANU – Fong Lai May meticulously prepares prayer decorations in Kampung Cina ahead of the Chinese New Year celebration. - NSTP/GHAZALI KORIAIR ITAM – Significant traffic congestion is observed along Jalan Greenlane during the evening rush at 6.40 p.m. - NSTP/AURIS FAQRURAZZI

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 13): iCents Group Holdings Bhd (KL:ICENTS) has secured two subcontracts to provide air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation system works, and another to upgrade a Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) substation, worth RM29.38 million in total. The two air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation system jobs will be undertaken for data centre projects, and are worth RM10.13 million each, according to a bourse filing on Friday. They are expected to be completed on Aug 20. Meanwhile, the substation upgrade subcontract, which also includes additional electrical works, is worth RM9.12 million and slated for completion by Dec 31.iCents said the subcontracts were awarded to its unit VC Engineering Sdn Bhd by undisclosed construction companies. iCents, which listed on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia in July last year, provides cleanroom services, including engineering, procurement, construction, and testing and commissioning of cleanrooms catering to semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, data centre, pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.

BANGKOK, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Thailand's ⁠Bhumjaithai Party, which won Sunday's general election by ⁠a wide margin, will be joined by the third-place ‌Pheu Thai party to form a coalition government, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Friday. Anutin-led Bhumjaithai romped to a surprise victory on ​Sunday securing 193 seats in the 500-member ⁠House of Representatives, followed ⁠by the reformist People's Party with 118 seats and the ⁠populist ‌Pheu Thai at 74, according to Reuters' calculations based on election commission data. The support of Pheu ⁠Thai - backed by the currently imprisoned billionaire former ​premier Thaksin Shinawatra - ‌will give Anutin a clear parliamentary majority, potentially ⁠paving the way ​for a stable coalition. "We will work together as a government and manage the country so we can do good things ⁠for the country," Anutin told reporters, after ​holding talks with Pheu Thai leaders. Paetongtarn was later dismissed by a ⁠court order, opening the door for Anutin to become prime minister.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Brunei Darussalam has emerged as one of the world’s top performers for mobile internet speeds, ranking eighth globally with a median download speed of 234.96 Mbps, according to the latest Speedtest Global Index published by Ookla for December 2025. The global median mobile download speed stood at 105.70 Mbps, meaning Brunei’s performance was more than double the global average. The index also recorded a global median mobile upload speed of 14.78 Mbps and latency of 24 milliseconds. However, in fixed broadband performance, Brunei ranked 89th worldwide, with a median download speed of 86.55 Mbps. The global median fixed broadband download speed was 118.59 Mbps.

KUALA LUMPUR: Thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Sabah are expected to persist until 7pm on Friday (Feb 13), according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department. It said in a statement that the areas affected are Kedah (Kulim and Bandar Baru), Penang, Perak, Pahang (Cameron Highlands and Lipis), and Selangor (Sabak Bernam). Similar conditions would prevail in Sibu (Selangau), Mukah, Kapit (Song and Kapit), Bintulu, Miri, and Limbang in Sarawak, it added. In Sabah, such weather would be experienced in the Interior (Sipitang, Tenom, Kuala Penyu, Beaufort, Keningau, and Tambunan), the West Coast, Tawau (Lahad Datu), Sandakan (Telupid, Kinabatangan, Beluran, and Sandakan), and Kudat (Kota Marudu), as well as Labuan.

PETALING JAYA: Three more Bersatu MPs have been sacked by the party's disciplinary board, with others expected to follow. As of 5.30pm Friday (Feb 13), those expelled are Wan Ahmad Fahysal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Machang), Kapten Azahari Hasan (Padang Rengas) and Fathul Huzir Ayob (Gerik). Earlier, the board announced that deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (Larut) had been sacked. The three received notices of expulsion from Bersatu, also signed by disciplinary board chairman Datuk Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan. ALSO READ: Hamzah sacked from Bersatu with immediate effectWan Ahmad Fahysal had been suspended earlier before being expelled today.

The growing elderly population is showing signs of Internet addiction driven by loneliness and a lack of social engagement, prompting experts to call for greater family support and stronger fraud prevention efforts to protect seniors from online scams. A report released on Feb 5 by the China Internet Network Information Centre showed that as at December 2025, China had about 1.125 billion Internet users, with more than 80% of the population having Internet access. “The Internet becomes an ­outlet, offering a place to escape from the real world,” said Ningxia University Xinhua College’s director of psychological health education Wang Wenda. “Family members can discuss cellphone usage time with seniors and set payment limits on mobile payment platforms. It is also necessary for the government to promote anti-fraud knowledge among seniors through big data and push notifications to their phones.” — China Daily/ANN

PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet has decided that a special committee will investigate the controversy surrounding Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki’s alleged share ownership, says Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. The government spokesperson said the special committee would be led by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. “The Cabinet also discussed the issue concerning the MACC chief commissioner and the Cabinet decided that a special committee led by the Chief Secretary to the Government will investigate allegations raised. “We will leave it to the Chief Secretary to the Government and the special committee to look into it,” he added. Azam, in response, said he is ready to be probed by an independent committee established by the government to examine issues related to his share ownership.

Despite her demanding schedule in the entertainment industry, singer and actress Ribbon Ooi continues to place family first whenever Chinese New Year comes around. We’re usually busy with work every day, so this is when we make the effort to go home. Celebrating the occasion with her parents and younger brother, 30-year-old Ooi said festivities at home are no longer as lively as they once were due to her parents’ health conditions. "I’m not much of a cook, so for our (Chinese New Year) reunion dinner every year, we usually order from a restaurant. Ooi is aiming to release at least four new singles this year in various languages, including Malay, English and Mandarin.

PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has been sacked from Bersatu effective immediately. “(The dismissal is) due to the actions of Datuk Seri violating Clause 9.1.4 of the Bersatu constitution,” he added. Mohd Radzi said that Hamzah may submit an appeal to the party’s appeal board for consideration from the date of the notice. Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said the party’s top leadership has been informed of the termination of Hamzah. A party source claimed that Hamzah is also expected to hold a press conference on Sunday (Feb 15).

SINGAPORE: A station inspector with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) was in a hotel when he allegedly outraged a 25-year-old woman’s modesty. According to court documents, Mohamad Joppri Harpawi was in a hotel near Geylang Road when he allegedly kissed the woman’s lips at around 5.30am on March 17, 2014. Her identity cannot be disclosed due to a gag order to protect her identity. Joppri, 43, who resigned from the force in February 2025, was charged with one count of molestation on Feb 11, 2026. A police spokesperson added: “(Our) officers...are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of conduct and integrity.

At i-City in the state capital of Selangor, this shift is taking physical form through AI Living, a residential tower designed to be the first of its kind globally. Lim shared that the AI Living tower is well-positioned to be the world’s first AI and robotics residential tower. AI Living treats intelligence as part of the building’s DNA, being conceived from the ground up as an AI- and robotics-native residential environment. “At AI Living, robotics are treated not as gadgets but as functional occupants within the residential ecosystem. In terms of the units at AI Living, I-Bhd is aiming for a price point that mirrors its Hill10 Residences above DoubleTree by Hilton at i-City.