EU warns that Trump’s new tariff policy breaks trade agreement
(Feb 24) : A European Union assessment found that US President Donald Trump’s new tariff policy will increase levies on some of the bloc’s exports, including cheese and some agricultural products, above the level permitted in their trade agreement. The new cumulative rate means some goods would be above the 15% ceiling the EU and US agreed to in their trade deal. The new global tariffs can stay in place for as many as 150 days. The European Parliament suspended legislative work on approving the EU-US accord on Monday, requesting clarity on Trump’s new trade policy. Both sides have indicated they want to stick to the trade deal but it’s still unclear how they will be able to do this — and how quickly, some of the people said.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 22:55 UTC
Taleb, Citrini fuel AI scare trade as IBM drops most in 25 years
(Feb 24) : The artificial intelligence “scare trade” erupted again on Monday as growing concerns about the disruptive power of AI dragged down shares of delivery, payments and software companies, and sent International Business Machines Corp. to its worst plunge in 25 years. It began after a bearish report was published over the weekend by a little known firm called Citrini Research. Then AI startup Anthropic said in a blog post Monday that Claude Code tool can help with modernizing COBOL, a dated programming language that’s mainly run on IBM computers. And finally came a warning from Nassim Taleb: investors should brace for escalating volatility and even bankruptcies in the software sector as the AI rally enters a fragile phase. Dire OutlookCitrini’s report described a potential scenario where AI agents seek to save users’ money by eliminating transaction fees charged by payment processing firms like Mastercard and Visa.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 22:35 UTC
Stocks hit by AI-disruption fears as IBM tumbles
(Feb 24): Stocks fell and bonds rose as renewed anxiety over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on company profits joined lingering tariff uncertainty in squelching risk appetites. Tech, delivery and payment shares got hit as Citrini Research laid out the potential AI risks to various industries. “Given the various economic risks and uncertainties that can be linked to the tariff drama, we expect the Fed’s wait-and-see approach to be reinforced,” said Ian Lyngen at BMO Capital Markets. At Edward Jones, Angelo Kourkafas said the newly announced 15% tariff rate is unlikely to have a meaningful impact on economic activity. “We recommend overweight positions in industrials, healthcare, and consumer discretionary, offset by underweights in consumer staples and utilities,” Kourkafas noted.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 22:30 UTC
Software companies face higher borrowing costs, tougher scrutiny as AI threatens businesses
(Feb 23): Software companies are delaying debt deals as higher borrowing costs and tougher scrutiny from lenders weigh on the sector, at a time when mounting pressure from artificial intelligence threatens their business models, industry sources said. U.S. stocks have also been roiled by AI, starting with investors dumping shares of software companies, then companies in sectors vulnerable to automation. Only 0.5% of outstanding software sector loans are due this year, while 6% are due in 2027, Fitch's Hoelmer said. On the high-yield side, only 0.7% of software debt is due this year and 8% in 2027, he added. Still, companies in the sector that have tried to tap U.S. debt markets have faced significantly higher borrowing costs from banks to underwrite the debt.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 19:55 UTC
Azalina tables amendment to limit PM's tenure to two terms
KUALA LUMPUR: The constitutional amendment to limit the prime minister’s tenure to two terms has been tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Feb 23). The Bill was tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. The proposed amendment involves Article 43 of the Federal Constitution, which is related to the appointment of a Prime Minister. According to the new Clause (4b), Cabinet will also be dissolved once the prime minister’s ten-year tenure ends. A prime minister’s tenure prior to the enactment of the new law will also be taken into account when computing the ten years.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 17:32 UTC
Cops hunting for motorist who drove recklessly through JB checkpoint
ISKANDAR PUTERI: Police are tracking down a driver who drove recklessly and sped towards Singapore at the Sultan Abu Bakar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex (KSAB) here. "A car with a Malaysian registration number was seen entering the heavy vehicle lane at Gate C for entry from Malaysia heading towards Singapore. "When the auxiliary policeman directed the driver to make a U-turn into the car lane, the suspect did not cooperate. The case is also being investigated under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless and dangerous driving. "I advise the public to obey the law and act responsibly to protect public property and road safety," he said.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 16:42 UTC
Penangites urged to conserve water as Kedah dam levels drop
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has activated the Sungai Muda Contingency Plan 2026 (SMCP2026) following a critical drop in the levels of key dams in Kedah that serve as Penang’s primary raw water resource. He said that last year, PBAPP abstracted an average of 1,000 million litres per day (MLD) of raw water from the river to produce roughly 85.5% of the treated water supplied across the state. He cautioned that the corporation foresees the dam being unable to release significant volumes of raw water into the Sungai Muda system soon, possibly as early as March. The contingency plan involves maximising raw water abstraction from Sungai Muda while river levels allow it, and utilising strategic drawdowns from the Expanded Mengkuang Dam (EMD), which currently sits at a healthy 91.5% capacity. Additionally, PBAPP will continue its Double Dam Defence programme to ensure that the Air Itam and Teluk Bahang dams do not run dry.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 16:36 UTC
New US military-led group aided Mexico's hunt for 'El Mencho' cartel boss
The Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, which involves multiple US government agencies, was formally launched last month with the goal of mapping out networks of drug cartel members on both sides of the US-Mexico border, US officials said. The official stressed the raid itself was a Mexican military operation. The former official added El Mencho was very high, if not at the top, of a list of US targets in Mexico. Mexican authorities killed drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, commonly known as 'El Mencho', during an operation designed to capture him in the western state of Jalisco. US mapping out cartelsThere is little information publicly available about the US Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, or JITF-CC.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 16:35 UTC
American expat loses nearly RM665,000 to investment scam
KUALA LUMPUR: An American expatriate was cheated out of over half a million ringgit after being duped by an online investment scheme. According to the victim, he joined an investment scheme through the 'Moo Moo Chat' application. There, he chatted with a female suspect via WhatsApp to discuss the investment on Nov 26, 2025. "The complainant made transactions in stages into eleven different bank accounts, totaling RM664,278.00," he said. However, the victim was unable to retrieve his "profits" when he attempted to do so on Jan 30.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 16:22 UTC
Myanmar man charged in PD with compatriot's murder
PORT DICKSON: A 21-year-old Myanmar national was charged at the Magistrate's Court here with the murder of his compatriot, who was found dead with 29 stab wounds. No plea was recorded from Maung Thuka Nyita after he was charged before Magistrate Mohd Farez Rahman on Monday (Feb 23), as the matter is under the purview of the High Court. Maung Thuka was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder which carries the death sentence, or between 30 and 40 years' jail and caning, upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Azriff Firdaus Mohamad Ali told the court the prosecution was not offering bail. Magistrate Mohd Farez agreed and fixed March 31 for next mention.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 16:22 UTC
A painful wait for HK fire victims, months on
They are in temporary housing and authorities have yet to unveil plans for long-term resettlement after carrying out a survey of their preferences. Now they are separated into two temporary housing units on separate floors, each around 9.2sqm. — APChow still regularly returns to Tai Po for church and grocery shopping, despite the hour-long journey. Chan gazing out of a window at her temporary housing unit at a youth hostel. Isaac Tam poses for a photograph at his newly renovated temporary housing unit.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 16:10 UTC
Anwar: NCER records RM78.95bil realised investments in 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: The Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) recorded RM78.95 billion in realised investments and created more than 23,000 job opportunities in 2025, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. In a post on X, he said the achievement was reported at the 35th Northern Corridor Implementation Authority meeting which he chaired today. In addition, last year NCER successfully produced 4,000 local talents who meet the investor and industry requirements through the NCER Technology Innovation Centre (NTIC) programme. The Prime Minister said the meeting also discussed plans for 2026 and the coming years focusing on strengthening its role in accelerating the realisation of high-quality investments in the northern region. "These include several potential investments related to Kedah Rubber City (KRC) and the Chuping Valley Industrial Area (CVIA) in Perlis,” he said.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 16:09 UTC
MACC to charge Terengganu exco rep on Feb 24
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will charge a Terengganu executive councillor in court Tuesday (Feb 24). In a notice Monday (Feb 23), the MACC confirmed that the exco member will be charged on Tuesday at the Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court. Previously, an exco member was detained by graft busters for allegedly abusing his position to secure jobs for his two children in state-linked companies. Sources said the man, in his 60s, was detained at about 11.15am on Sunday (Feb 22) when he turned up to give his statement at the MACC office in Kemaman, Terengganu. Terengganu MACC director Hazrul Shazreen Abd Yazid confirmed the arrest when contacted at the time.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 16:06 UTC
Big blow as Wei Chong withdraws from German Open with knee injury
6 men’s doubles player Man Wei Chong’s preparation for the world’s oldest badminton tournament, the All-England from March 3-8, has been disrupted by a right knee injury. It is a gamble as Wei Chong revealed that the medical team had actually advised him to take a longer break, including skipping the All-England. Last year, Wei Chong-Kai Wun suffered a first round exit at the hands of China’s He Jiting-Ren Xiangyu. "This injury is on my right knee, and I had previously injured the same leg. The draw for this year’s All England will only be known on Tuesday (Feb 24), with Malaysia fielding eight men’s doubles pairs, including Wei Chong-Kai Wun.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 15:55 UTC
Man, 54, dies while hiking at Gunung Lambak
KLUANG: A 54-year-old man died after collapsing while hiking at Gunung Lambak here on Monday (Feb 23). He said the victim, identified as Loh Yeong Keong, had begun the hike at around 11am with his 53-year-old sister-in-law. “He was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel,” he said in a statement. The victim’s body was sent to the forensic unit at Hospital Enche Besar Hajjah Khalsom, with a post-mortem scheduled for 8am on Tuesday to determine the cause of death. “Health Ministry personnel provided initial treatment before he was pronounced dead.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 15:53 UTC