(FILES) Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands near law enforcement agents in a hallway of a business centre, which houses the office of his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), in Moscow on Dec 26, 2019. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)MUNICH: Five European countries including Britain, France and Germany accused Russia of "poisoning" opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison in 2024 using a "rare toxin", on Saturday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. "We know the Russian state now used this lethal toxin to target Navalny in fear of his opposition," the UK foreign office said in a statement alongside Sweden, France, the Netherlands and Germany, ahead of the second anniversary of the death of the staunch critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Britain also said it had reported Russia to the world's chemical weapons watchdog.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reminded all ministries and implementing agencies to ensure development projects under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) are carried out promptly and completed ahead of schedule. Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said cost savings from these projects could be channelled to more urgent projects, especially in the health and education sectors. "I also stressed that the Federal Government and state governments must plan better and think more strategically about using suitable methods to resolve problems in development projects under the 13MP. Anwar said he was also grateful that the district had no "sick” projects. The Prime Minister also wants the information delivery strategy to be improved so that the government's success in carrying out projects for the people can be delivered more effectively.

(Adds dropped ⁠letter in headline.) NEW DELHI, ⁠Feb 14 (Reuters) - Nvidia CEO ‌Jensen Huang will not be travelling to India next week for ​a India AI ⁠Impact Summit, ⁠which global technology industry and political ⁠leaders ‌are likely to attend, the company ⁠said on Saturday. Huang was expected ​to ‌be one of the biggest ⁠attractions ​at the summit, which will be inaugurated by ⁠Prime Minister Narendra Modi ​on Thursday. While Huang was due to address the media in ⁠New Delhi on Wednesday, the company's media agency in India, MSL, said ​in an email ⁠that he would not be ​traveling due ‌to "unforseen circumstances." (Reporting by ​Munsif Vengattil and Aditya KalraEditing by Bernadette Baum)

The collective net worth of tycoons on the 2026 Forbes list of Hong Kong’s 50 Richest jumped 22% to an all time high of US$366bil (RM1.4 trillion) from US$301bil last year, according to Forbes Asia. Their combined US$34.9bil (RM136bil) net worth, shared with family, was inherited from their father Lee Shau Kee, who died last March at the age of 97. According to Forbes Asia, the list was compiled using information from individuals, analysts, government agencies, stock exchanges, databases, and other sources. The net worths were based on stock prices and exchange rates as of the close of markets on Jan 23, 2026. Real-time net worths on Forbes.com may reflect different valuations.

NIBONG TEBAL: A national pig farming blueprint is in the works to provide industry players with comprehensive guidelines, says Agriculture and Food Security Deputy Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin. He said the ministry is formulating the plan to help tackle environmental and social issues related to the sector. It could lead to social issues, and in the worst-case scenario, race and religion issues," he said. "It is important for all other pig farmers and industry players to learn from Penang," he said. He added that Penang has provided a practical solution through biogas facilities, which enable farmers to properly manage waste and mitigate environmental impact.

PETALING JAYA: Despite steady increases in nominal wages over the past decade, Malaysians are finding their purchasing power squeezed as inflation continues to erode real income gains. According to the Statistics Department (DOSM), the median monthly wage in Malaysia rose from around RM2,000 in 2015 to RM2,864 last year. In contrast, inflation has fluctuated sharply, with spikes in 2017 and 2022 that outpaced wage growth and left households struggling to keep up. In 2017, inflation climbed to 3.7%, driven largely by rising fuel prices and global commodity costs. “The government’s RM200 top-up under the Progressive Wage Policy has already helped employers absorb part of the cost.

The special committee must be given the space to do its job tho­roughly before any action is taken, he added. He was asked whether the MACC chief commissioner should go on leave. The investigation should not disturb the work of the MACC, especially when there are always efforts to derail the commission. He assured that the probe into Azam’s alleged misconduct would be fully transparent, with no one shielded from scrutiny. “We will leave it to the Chief Secretary to the Government and the special committee to look into it,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Noh Omar has resigned as a Bersatu supreme council member, effective Saturday (Feb 14). "The question is, why is the disciplinary board still taking disciplinary action against Bersatu members? What's the use of the council, the highest body, meeting, but its decisions are not respected by the disciplinary board? "When the supreme council had decided to postpone all disciplinary actions against the members involved, then disciplinary action should not have been taken against those who made statements before the supreme council meeting," he said. According to Noh, the supreme council had established a committee to strengthen the party, chaired by Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim.

PETALING JAYA: Para badminton ace Cheah Liek Hou clinched his ninth World Championship title after swiftly defeating Taiwan’s Fang Jen-yu in Manama, Bahrain on Saturday (Feb 14). Liek Hou did not face much challenge as he took only 28 minutes to beat Jen-yu 21-6, 21-11 to defend his men’s singles SU5 (upper body impairment) title at the Isa Sports City. The 37-year-old Liek Hou has won all except one World Championship he has entered in, which came at the 2019 edition in Basel, Switzerland, where he settled for bronze. Liek Hou is still not done in Bahrain as he will return to the court to compete in the men’s doubles SU5 category with partner Faris Ahmas Azri.

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Deputy Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the plan will focus on sustainable development, particularly in managing animal waste to minimise environmental impact. - Bernama picNIBONG TEBAL: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is currently drafting a master plan for the pig farming industry to serve as a comprehensive guideline for industry players nationwide. Deputy Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the plan will focus on sustainable development, particularly in managing animal waste to minimise environmental impact. "I see the main issue in pig farming as environmental management. Previously, the media reported that the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, did not permit pig farming in the state, citing concerns over environmental pollution and public unease.

JOHOR BARU: The Johor Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has seized Chinese prayer lamps worth over RM56,700 due to suspected copyright infringement. Its director, Lilis Saslinda Pornomo said the operation was carried out around Batu Pahat and Johor Baru on Friday (Feb 13). “We raided three different locations such as a storage warehouse and a business premise in Batu Pahat and a business premises in Johor Baru that sells Chinese prayer paraphernalia. “Following further inspection and preliminary verification by the copyright owner, 818 units of prayer lamps were seized with an estimated total value of RM56,791.86,” she said, adding that the case is investigated under the Copyright Act 1987 for suspected copyright infringement. When asked whether both business premises had sourced their stock from the same warehouse, Lilis Saslinda said the matter is still under investigation.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee has urged Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to be like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and step down. The Bersatu vice-president said that, unlike Muhyiddin, Dr Mahathir had the class to step down and make way for the Pagoh MP in 2020 after losing the majority support of Bersatu MPs. Removing Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and 16 others from the party, said Kiandee, was unbecoming of a party president who is trying to hold on to power despite losing grassroots' support. "However, what happened then (in 2020) did not mirror what happened yesterday (Feb 13) when Muhyiddin axed Larut MP Hamzah. He also took potshots at Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Azmin Ali for supporting Muhyiddin.

Ongoing threats such as militant activities, piracy, firearms smuggling and other cross-border crimes, particularly in Sabah waters, continue to challenge the nation’s sovereignty and security, necessitating a heightened state of readiness by the police. - File picLAHAD DATU: Ongoing threats such as militant activities, piracy, firearms smuggling and other cross-border crimes, particularly in Sabah waters, continue to challenge the nation's sovereignty and security, necessitating a heightened state of readiness by the police. "Today, 43 security personnel completed the Basic Sea Combat Course Series 1/2026. "This is not merely routine training, but a strategic and critical initiative by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to reinforce operational preparedness in safeguarding the country's waters, particularly in coastal areas and Sabah waters that face multifaceted security threats," he said at the closing ceremony of the course here today. He expressed hope that the knowledge and expertise gained would be fully utilised by the personnel in their respective units to ensure that the nation's security and sovereignty remain well protected.

Yet I am deeply concerned about the growing risks associated with this habitual usage – risks that are not theoretical, but ­tragically real. A young life full of potential ended in seconds, leaving a family shattered and a community grieving. When our ears are filled with sound, our brain focuses inward on the music, the conversation or the video, rather than on the ­surrounding environment. While official data is limited, research by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) has documented significant levels of distracted walking involving mobile electronic ­devices, including headphone use. Wearing earbuds while ­walking may seem harmless, but if it reduces your ability to detect danger, it becomes a form of self-endangerment.

Weightlifter Aniq Kasdan is aiming to retain his gold medal at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games from July 23-Aug 2. - NSTP file picKUALA LUMPUR: Weightlifter Aniq Kasdan is aiming to retain his gold medal at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games from July 23-Aug 2. "My target at the Commonwealth Games is to defend my gold. He returned for the Thailand SEA Games last year and settled for fourth place in the men's under-60kg category. Aniq made history at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games when he delivered Malaysia's first gold medal in the men's 55kg event with a total lift of 249kg.