#SHOWBIZ: US$800 hypnosis session ends Jerry O'Connell's 14-year smoking habit
Jerry O’Connell has revealed he quit smoking after being hypnotised, saying he has not touched a cigarette in 14 years now. INSTAGRAM/MRJERRYOCNEW YORK CITY: Actor Jerry O'Connell has revealed he quit smoking after being hypnotised, saying he has not touched a cigarette in 14 years following an US$800 (about RM3,107) session in 2012. "My wife said, 'I'm not touching you anymore until you quit smoking.'" He explained that a friend who had successfully quit smoking led him to try hypnosis. "I knew a girl who had quit smoking, and I called her up, and I said, 'How did you do it?'
Source:New Strait Times
February 23, 2026 10:35 UTC
Lawyers, retired judges eligible for newly proposed public prosecutor role, says AG
KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 23): Lawyers and retired judges are eligible candidates to fill the proposed public prosecutor role as long as they have 10 years of litigation experience under their belt. The proposed bill, however, also explicitly prohibits Members of Parliament from being considered for the role unless they resign from their seat. The proposed term of office for the public prosecutor is seven years. The attorney general, meanwhile, will continue advising the government on matters of law though legal matters involving criminal law and criminal procedure will fall under the public prosecutor’s purview. Syahredzan Johan (Bangi-DAP) asked if the public prosecutor’s seven-year term in office is capped and if the person can be reappointed.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 10:19 UTC
BOJ may raise rates in March if yen resumes slide, says ex-policymaker
TOKYO (Feb 23): The Bank of Japan may raise interest rates as soon as March if the yen renews its slide ahead of a US-Japan summit expected to be held during the month, former central bank board member Makoto Sakurai told Reuters. The best way to counter a weak yen is for the BOJ to raise interest rates," said Sakurai, who retains close contact with incumbent policymakers. "It would make better sense to wait until April but depending on yen moves, there's a chance the BOJ could raise rates in March," Sakurai said. A majority of economists polled by Reuters expect the BOJ to raise rates to 1% by end-June, while markets have priced in a roughly 70% chance of a hike by April. The BOJ next meets for a policy meeting on March 18-19.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 09:24 UTC
Renault to take full ownership of electric van joint venture Flexis
GDANSK (Feb 23): Renault will buy out truckmaker Volvo's and shipping group CMA CGM's stakes in their new generation electric vans joint venture Flexis, the French carmaker said on Monday. The agreement will become effective by the end of the first half of 2026, as Renault CEO François Provost, who took over last year, accelerates his efforts to streamline the group's operations. Flexis was created in 2024 by former Renault CEO Luca de Meo in partnership with Sweden's Volvo, with CMA CGM joining later as a minority shareholder. Renault and Volvo each hold 45%, with CMA CGM owning 10%. It added that Volvo will also market the vehicle from 2027 onwards through Renault Trucks, part of the Volvo Group, as part of a long-term partnership for light commercial vehicles.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 08:54 UTC
Singapore's core inflation at 1.0% on-year in January, lower than expected
SINGAPORE (Feb 23): Singapore's key consumer price gauge rose 1.0% in January from a year earlier, official data showed on Monday. The core inflation rate, which excludes private road transport and accommodation costs, was lower than the median forecast of 1.5% in a Reuters poll of economists. Headline inflation was 1.4% in annual terms in January, close to the poll forecast of 1.45%. In January, the Monetary Authority of Singapore updated its core inflation and headline inflation forecasts for 2026 to 1.0% to 2.0% for both, from a previous forecast of 0.5% to 1.5% for both.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 08:18 UTC
Open market value tax won't burden B40, M40 car buyers, Parliament hears
He said the Excise (Determination of Value of Locally Manufactured Goods for the Purpose of Levying Excise Duty) Regulations 2019 apply to all locally manufactured goods and are not limited to vehicles. “The impact on vehicle prices will be minimal. Sim said that previously, the government had provided a five-year exemption, up to June 30, 2026, to allow excise values for locally manufactured vehicles to be calculated based on manufacturing costs. Sim noted that the government must ensure the industry’s tax structure is fair and equitable, without favouring any particular party. The approach, he said, aims to minimise the impact of the regulation’s implementation, particularly for new vehicle models, while ensuring that more than 90% of existing models will not see price increases.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 06:18 UTC
Gold rises as Trump tariff defeat throws trade deals into doubt
(Feb 23): Gold climbed after a run of three weekly gains, as heightened uncertainty over US trade policy unsettled markets and hurt the dollar. Bullion rose as much as 1.4% toward US$5,180 (RM20,155.38) an ounce. The court ruling has cast doubt over deals the US has negotiated with major trading partners. Gold’s recent run of gains has helped the metal to recover ground following a sudden rout at the turn of the month, which had dragged prices down from a record. Gold rose 1.3% to US$5,174.75 an ounce at 11.02am in Singapore (same time as Malaysia).
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 05:23 UTC
Sabah quake: Residents recall tense 10 seconds following tremor
KOTA KINABALU: Residents of Kota Kinabalu and nearby Putatan faced a tense 10 seconds of fear at midnight as an earthquake rattled the waters off the coast, sending waves of panic through the area. The ceiling fan in the living room swung violently, and picture frames shook. The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) reported a 6.8-magnitude earthquake off Kota Kinabalu at 12.57am Monday (Feb 23), with no tsunami threat. "The tremor lasted around 10 seconds, but the swaying forced me to hold onto the corridor railing. The tremor was widely felt by residents in Kota Kinabalu and surrounding areas, especially those living in high-rise buildings.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 05:14 UTC
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Complainants exempt from police station dress code in emergencies, Dewan Rakyat hears
KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 23): Individuals filing reports at police stations in emergencies or situations requiring immediate assistance are now exempt from the dress code, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Monday. Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said a circular issued on Dec 29 made the exemption effective immediately, ensuring that the rights of complainants or victims in urgent cases are fully protected. “In such cases, the welfare and safety of complainants take priority and should not be constrained by dress code requirements. He was responding to Ramkarpal Singh (Pakatan Harapan-Bukit Gelugor) regarding a proposal to introduce a law requiring all police stations nationwide to accept reports from the public regardless of their attire. Commenting further, Shamsul Anuar said the ministry considers the existing administrative directive sufficient and sees no need to enact new legislation on the matter.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 05:14 UTC
Customs arrests four company owners for breaching vehicle import laws
JOHOR BARU: Four company owners have been arrested by the Customs Department for allegedly violating vehicle import laws involving 42 cars. Johor Customs director Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi said the arrests were made following statewide operations from Jan 5 to Feb 6. He said that the vehicles, which do not have licence plates, were stored in bonded warehouses. "However, our inspections found that some of the vehicles had exceeded the permitted storage period, thus violating the law. He added that imported vehicles stored in bonded warehouses are subject to taxes and duties immediately upon being removed from the premises.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 05:12 UTC
Thalassemia treatment costs RM3mil per patient, Parliament heard
KUALA LUMPUR: It costs around RM3mil to treat a thalassemia patient from infancy up to the age of 40, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. The standard treatment for thalassemia patients in Malaysia includes regular blood transfusions, chelation therapy to control iron overload, and other supportive clinical care. “A one-time curative treatment costs between RM10mil and RM13mil per patient,” he said during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Feb 23). He added that the ministry has also been using Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) to treat patients. “A total of 212 thalassemia patients have been cured through HSCT since 2007.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 05:09 UTC
India's IDFC First Bank tanks 20% on suspected US$65 mil fraud
IDFC First Bank, a mid-sized lender, has attracted investments from the likes of Warburg Pincus and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority last year. The government notification did not share any information on why AU Small Finance Bank has been removed from the list. AU Small Finance said Haryana had sought information on transactions in an account, which has been submitted. "Based on available facts at this stage and preliminary review, there is no indication of any financial impact or any fraudulent activity towards the Bank," AU Small Finance Bank said in a statement to exchanges. Shares of AU Small Finance Bank fell as much as 7.74% in their steepest percent loss in more than a year.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 04:38 UTC
MAHB's domestic airports saw 9.4 mil passengers in January
KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 23): Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) said its domestic network saw 9.4 million passenger movements in January, the opening month of Visit Malaysia Year 2026. "As traffic grows, we remain focused on upgrading infrastructure, strengthening network connectivity, and delivering consistent service standards across all our airports. "These enhancements are part of our proactive approach to ensuring capacity, reliability and service quality keep pace with growth," he said. Meanwhile, MAHB said service enhancements continued in January with the launch of RIMBA @ KLIA at the Satellite Building of KLIA Terminal 1, offering passengers a calm, nature-inspired rest area. "These services connect to Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Penang, supporting tourism and regional economic growth," it said.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 04:38 UTC
Stronger ringgit to have limited impact on exports, trade balance, says deputy minister
KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 23): The strengthening of the ringgit is not expected to have a significant impact on Malaysia’s export performance and trade balance, said Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah. He said the country’s trade balance increased by 9.2% to RM151.8 billion in 2025, recording a surplus for 28 consecutive years since 1998. “The ringgit’s strengthening reflects strong economic fundamentals, including resilient export performance, a continuous trade surplus, and sustained external demand for Malaysia’s goods and services. “Malaysia’s trade balance performance remained strong even when the ringgit was at RM3.80 against the US dollar during the implementation of the ringgit peg from 1998 to 2005,” he said in a Dewan Negara question-and-answer session on Monday. Therefore, these strategic measures are expected to support efforts to maintain the trade surplus and subsequently achieve export growth of 5.8% annually during the 13MP.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 23, 2026 04:28 UTC
Girl, 5, killed in crash on Seremban-PD Highway
PORT DICKSON: A five-year-old girl died after a car driven by her father crashed into a PLUS emergency response team lorry at KM16.6 of the Seremban-Port Dickson Highway. Port Dickson OCPD Supt Maslan Udin said the incident happened at 6.55pm on Sunday (Feb 22) during a downpour. "The father is believed to have lost control of the car and crashed into the rear of the lorry. "The lorry then moved forward and crashed into another PLUS-owned four-wheel-drive patrol vehicle," he said in a statement on Monday (Feb 23). The victim, who was seated in the front passenger seat of the car, died while receiving treatment in hospital about an hour later.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2026 04:26 UTC