LONDON (Jan 24): French food and beverage maker Danone said on Friday it was recalling specific baby formula batches in targeted markets, as a toxin contamination scare that started with Nestle products continued to spread. "Danone will withdraw from targeted markets a very limited number of specific batches of infant formula products," the company said in a statement. Cereulide had been detected in an infant formula ingredient called arachidonic acid oil that had been manufactured in China, it said. "The FSAI has been notified by Danone that none of the implicated products have been distributed in Ireland." French investigators are examining the deaths of two infants who had consumed baby formula products that were subject to a precautionary recall earlier this month, the French health ministry said on Friday.

PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles ace Lee Zii Jia suffered a major setback after missing out on the All-England Championships in Birmingham from March 3–8, ending his run in the prestigious Super 1000 event for the first time since his 2020 debut. Zii Jia, now world No. Meanwhile, Zii Jia is not the only former champion to miss out on the All-England as Axelsen, who also triumphed in 2022, has withdrawn from the competition. The two-time Olympic and world champion has been struggling with fitness issues and is yet to make his competitive return this year. 30 Leong Jun Hao will be the sole representative in the men’s singles.

PETALING JAYA: The upward trend of the ringgit against the US dollar has prompted parents with children studying overseas to reassess their currency transfer strategies. Year-to-date, the ringgit has appreciated about 1.5%, supported by steady economic growth, a stable monetary policy stance and a softer US dollar. On Thursday, Bank Negara kept the overnight policy rate (OPR) unchanged at 2.75%, the level it was reduced to in July 2025, in line with market expectations. The central bank said that at the current OPR level, the Monetary Policy Committee considers the monetary policy stance to be appropriate and supportive of the economy, amid price stability. Kenanga Research said the ringgit was supported by a softer US dollar and Bank Negara’s decision to maintain its policy stance.

(Jan 24): A winter storm expected to be the largest of the season is already causing major disruptions across the US, with airlines cutting more than 2,300 flights Saturday and Amtrak cancelling some of its services. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport will be one of the hardest hit with more than 60% of scheduled flights to and from the hub cancelled for Saturday, according to data from aviation analytics provider FlightAware. Other US airports expected to face major disruptions due to the storm include Dallas Love Field Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Airports serving the New York and Washington areas will also face delays and cancellations as the storm progresses into Sunday. Delta Air Lines Inc advised customers to expect additional cancellations ahead of the storm, in a post on its website.

DUBAI, Jan 23 (Reuters) - An ‌influential Iranian cleric warned on Friday that Iran may target ‌U.S.-linked investments in the region in retaliation for any U.S. ‌attack on the Islamic Republic, Iranian news agencies reported. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States had an "armada" heading toward Iran but hoped he would ‍not have to use it, as he ‍renewed warnings to Tehran against ‌killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme. Separately, Iran's ‍top prosecutor Mohammad Movahedi denied that Iran had called off 800 executions of people arrested in recent nationwide protests, as Trump has said. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Fox News last week "There is no plan for hanging at all" by Iran, when asked about the anti-government protests. Rights groups ​say thousands, including bystanders, were killed during the unrest, which represented the biggest challenge to Iran's clerical government since 2022.

KOTA BARU: Shortage in workforce, excessive workloads and the absence of round-the-clock CCTV surveillance have been identified as weaknesses enabling security breaches at national entry points, said the Immigration Department. Its director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said lack of officers would lead to heavier workload and this could compromise the effectiveness of operations at inspection counters. Beyond staffing, uninterrupted 24-hour CCTV monitoring has also been flagged as a critical mechanism for prevention, surveillance and quality control, especially at high-risk locations. The absence of such a system, he said, would undermine accountability and make it difficult to detect early signs of misconduct or procedural violations. “This measure supports our commitment to strengthening integrity, transparency and operational efficiency at our entry points.

PUTRAJAYA: The government has withdrawn the Urban Renewal Bill and will table an enhanced version in Parliament after further refinements, says Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. The Communications Minister said the Cabinet had agreed in principle that there is a need for a comprehensive law to address urban housing issues, particularly those affecting the urban poor, in a fair and effective manner. However, he said the Cabinet decided that the existing Bill should be withdrawn to allow improvements, including amendments and additional provisions, before being reintroduced in an enhanced form. Fahmi said Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming had also informed the Cabinet that a number of proposals had been received from Umno, which would be incorporated into the enhanced Bill. The Urban Renewal Bill was first introduced for its initial reading on Aug 21, 2025, with the second reading scheduled for Aug 28.

This means you can look forward to plenty of exciting activities and special events under Visit Selangor 2026. Chua Yee Ling, Tourism Selangor chief executive officer, said in a press statement that community-based tourism will continue to be a key pillar in the campaign. Head to the Tourism Selangor website (selangor.travel/calendar-of- events-2026) to start planning your itinerary. For example, you can explore Kampung Bandar, also in Kuala Langat, together with a community host who has been certified by Tourism Selangor through its Selangor Local Community Host programme. This park has been around since 1998 and features a total of five caves: Crystal Cave, Dog Cave, Shawl Cave, Gatal Cave and Fig Tree Cave.

KUALA LUMPUR: Reforms under the Medical and Health Insurance/Takaful (MHIT) framework aim to reset Malaysia's healthcare insurance system by shifting away from fee-for-service payments towards a value-based model, in a move to curb rising premiums and improve patient access to care. He said a more integrated insurance structure would allow patients to move through the healthcare system faster, ensuring life-saving investigations and procedures are carried out without unnecessary waiting periods. He stated that the basic takaful and insurance plan is capable of assisting middle- and low-income groups affected by high medical inflation. Dr Syed noted that out-of-pocket healthcare spending in Malaysia remains high, even among those who have insurance coverage, due to rising monthly premiums. Regarding the proposed premium rates, Dr Syed said they are at a low level and could increase the public's access to private healthcare.

PETALING JAYA: The body of Insp Khairil Azhar Kamaruddin has been flown home to Perak for burial, police said. The General Operations Force (GOF) said in a Facebook post on Friday (Jan 23) that the remains were flown from Tawau Airport in Sabah. “Internal Security and Public Order Department deputy director Deputy Comm Datuk Mohamad Suzrin Mohamad Rodhi escorted the repatriation of the remains of the late Insp Khairil Azhar Kamaruddin at Tawau Airport, Sabah,” it said. “The late inspector was transported aboard a Royal Malaysian Air Force C-130 aircraft to Ipoh Airport, Perak,” he added. On Thursday (Jan 22), Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said the police force confirmed the death of the VAT 69 commando following a diving exercise in Semporna, Sabah, on Jan 22.

PUTRAJAYA: Ramadan bazaar traders in Kuala Lumpur this year can rejoice as they only need to pay a maximum of RM400 to rent bazaar lots. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) bazaar lot rentals would be subsidised. "The Ramadan bazaar lot rental will be capped at RM400 regardless of whether the bazaar is managed by DBKL or traders' associations. "The three main associations involved are Pertubuhan Pasar Malam Kuala Lumpur (PMKL), Persatuan Penjaja-Penjaja dan Peniaga-Peniaga Kecil Melayu Wilayah Persekutuan (PPPKMWP) and Persatuan Peniaga dan Penjaja Bumiputera Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (PPPBWPKL)," she said. Also present at the press conference was Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Fadhlun Mak Ujud.

Failure to comply with or breaches of the stipulated provisions may result in voters being barred from entering polling centres by election officials. Early checks on information such as polling centres, polling streams and serial numbers can be made through the portal https://mysprsemak.spr.gov.my, by contacting the EC hotline at 03-88927018, or via the MySPRSemak application. "Voters are reminded not to hand over their identity cards to any party other than election officials,” Khairul Shahril said. This includes activities outside polling centres as well as through social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and others. A total of 1,106 personnel will manage the polling process tomorrow, involving 36 ordinary polling centres comprising 117 polling stations or streams.

PROPERTY developer H&A Holdings Sdn Bhd and the SJK(T) Ladang Jalan Acob school board (LPS) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the relocation and redevelopment of the school at the Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) on Jan 19. H&A Holdings has committed approximately 1.29ha of land in Kapar, Klang, for the primary school’s relocation as an exchange and relocation arrangement. This plan has been mutually agreed upon by H&A Holdings and the school’s LPS. “We hope all matters proceed smoothly for our collective interests, especially for the schoolchildren and local community,” said H&A Holdings representative Siti Maisarah Misrom. Currently, SJK(T) Ladang Jalan Acob operates on land owned by H&A Holdings.

PETALING JAYA: Seven new political secretaries have been sworn in to seven ministerial portfolios, according to sources. The swearing-in ceremony took place on Wednesday (Jan 21) before Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and it was witnessed by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Bakar, sources said. Norashekin Yusof was sworn-in as the political secretary to the Plantation and Commodities Minister, as were Willy Leong @ Rafiqi Helmy (for the Natural Resources and Environment Sustainability Minister), and Aizuddin Abd Gaffal (to the Human Resources Minister). Also sworn-in were Ahmad Nazib Johari as a political secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), and Mohd Kamarul Ariffin Mohd Wafa as a political secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs). Mohammad Afiq Hazwan Samsudin was also sworn in as the political secretary to the Youth and Sports Minister, as well as Mohd Hafiz Mohamad (to the Economy Minister)..

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak maintains that the RM42mil deposited into his personal bank account was a donation from a Saudi monarch, says his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. At a press conference here on Friday (Jan 23), Shafee clarified reports published the day before that Najib knew the money deposited into his bank account was not from Saudi Arabia. ALSO READ: SRC lawsuit: Najib concedes RM42mil was not Saudi donation"He never said that he had abandoned this belief,” Shafee added after proceedings in the RM42mil civil suit filed by SRC International Sdn Bhd and its subsidiary, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, against Najib. Shafee: Now, it is important in this context to consider how the issues involving both 1MDB and SRC became public, or rather, matters of public concern. Shafee: During that period, did you at any time stop or obstruct those investigations?