Smooth traffic on major expressways as of 10am, increase expected after noon
KUALA LUMPUR: Traffic flow on all major highways nationwide was reported to be smooth as of 10am Wednesday (Feb 18), but the number of vehicles is expected to increase after noon. However, we anticipate a gradual increase in volume after noon or following Zohor prayers,” he said when contacted. The spokesperson added that weather conditions could also impact traffic flow, as heavy rain is forecast in several areas. "Based on Tuesday's (Feb 17) trend, continuous heavy rain from morning until evening contributed to higher traffic volume. Highway users are also encouraged to plan their trips by referring to the Travel Time Advisory (TTA) schedule via the MyPLUS-TTA application.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 13:25 UTC
Infineon CEO flags growth prospects for humanoid robot chips
FRANKFURT, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The CEO of Infineon Technologiestold daily Handelsblatt that the German semiconductor maker is well-positioned to benefit from a future boom in the market for microchips used in humanoid robots. "This could become a growth market like the one today for high-performance semiconductors in AI data centres," Jochen Hanebeck was quoted as saying on Wednesday. He added that Infineon could already produce many microchips for human-like robots, partly because its business in autonomous driving, and the need for new in-house technology development was limited. (Reporting by Myria Mildenberger and Ludwig Burger, editing by Thomas Seythal)
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 13:20 UTC
UK examining Epstein's use of airports for trafficking
LONDON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - British police are assessing whether Jeffrey Epstein trafficked women through two London airports on private flights as part of a now nationally-coordinated effort to investigate the late sex offender's ties to Britain. NATIONALLY-COORDINATED EFFORTSTheir assessments, which do not constitute a full investigation,follow the establishment of a national coordination group to support individual police forces in examining Epstein's ties to Britain or British people. Documents in the Epstein files show multiple references to Stansted, including one that discussed whether a Russian woman with a U.S. visa could switch planes at the airport. Stansted Airport said in a statement that private flights were not managed by the terminal it operates, and that Border Force was responsible for immigration and customs checks. The Epstein files suggested both had forwarded confidential government documents to the late U.S. financier.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 13:10 UTC
Could excess screen time for kids have long term effect on brain?
Children who had more screen exposure as infants showed faster development in brain areas linked to visual processing and self-control. This allowed them to see how brain networks developed over time rather than relying on a single scan. "Accelerated maturation happens when certain brain networks develop too fast, often in response to adversity or other stimuli," says Dr Huang Pei, the study's first author. "During normal development, brain networks gradually become more specialised over time. However, in children with high screen exposure, the networks controlling vision and cognition specialised faster, before they had developed the efficient connections needed for complex thinking.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 13:05 UTC
Man loses leg to fireworks explosion in Segamat
SEGAMAT: A local man lost his left leg after fireworks he had set up exploded in front of his house. Segamat OCPD Supt Mohd Jumazanzahir Chek Ismail said the incident occurred at Taman Damai Jaya, Bukit Siput here at about 12.30am on Tuesday (Feb 17). “He was rushed to the red zone of Hospital Segamat to receive treatment. “Medical officers confirmed that he suffered a below-the-knee amputation of his left leg and is currently in stable condition,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Feb 18). Supt Mohd Jumazanzahir advised the public to only use approved fireworks in open areas and to practise safety measures, as misuse can lead to serious injuries as well as legal action.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 13:04 UTC
Border-less Chinese cuisine at Restaurant Jie in Damansara Heights, KL
Restaurant JieAddress: 73-M, Jalan Setia Bakti, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala LumpurTel: 012-325 0885Open Tuesday to Saturday: 6pm to 11pmPerched on the first floor of a quiet row of shop lots in the salubrious Kuala Lumour neighbourhood of Damansara Heights is Restaurant Jie. Wong was inspired to open Jie after dining at famed modern Chinese restaurant Wing in Hong Kong, ranked #3 in the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list. I saw that there was a lot of potential for Chinese cuisine presented in a more plated, more refined approach,” says Wong. The kitchen at Jie is helmed by affable, seasoned chef Lee Kook Siong, who has spent decades honing his skills in Chinese cuisine. At Jie, Wong and Lee work hand-in-hand to reinterpret traditional Chinese cuisine, giving it new shapes and margins while still paying tribute to the roots it sprouted from.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 13:04 UTC
CNY reverse exodus traffic in full swing heading towards KL
"On the North-South Expressway (PLUS) E1, northbound traffic is moving slowly from Changkat Jering to Taiping Utara and from Taiping Utara to Bukit Merah. Meanwhile, he said on the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), southbound traffic was reported to be slow from Sungai Buloh to Bukit Lanjan. Traffic flow on the Johor Causeway southbound is also slow from the middle of the bridge towards the Woodlands Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Singapore. "On the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link Expressway (LINKEDUA) southbound, traffic is slow from the Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza to the Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ Complex, Johor Bahru,” he said. On the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (E8), eastbound traffic is slow from the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) interchange to the Gombak Toll Plaza, while westbound traffic is slow from Bentong Timur to the Bentong Toll Plaza as well as from the Gombak lay-by to the Gombak Toll Plaza.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 12:30 UTC
YouTube restores service after brief streaming disruption
Feb 17 (Reuters) - YouTube said on Tuesday it has resolved an issue that briefly affected access to the video-sharing platform, after outage-tracking website Downdetector reported widespread global disruptions. YouTube said that an issue with its recommendation system had prevented videos from appearing across YouTube surfaces. "The issue with our recommendations system has been resolved, and all of our platforms (YouTube.com, the YouTube app, YouTube Music, Kids, and TV) are back to normal," YouTube said in an update. YouTube also faced outages in countries including India, Britain, Australia, and Mexico, according to DownDetector. (Reporting by Fabiola Arámburo in Mexico City and Devika Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona and Rashmi Aich)
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 12:15 UTC
Two men rescued from burning house in Klang
PETALING JAYA: Two foreign nationals were rescued after a double-storey terrace house caught fire in Taman Bayu Perdana, Klang, on Wednesday (Feb 18). Selangor Fire and Rescue Department operations division assistant director Ahmad Mukhlis Mokhtar said the department received an emergency call at 4.39pm and fire engines from BBP Sri Andalas arrived at the scene nine minutes later. “The fire involved a 20x60sq ft Class C double-storey terrace house, with about 70% of the structure destroyed. He added that both victims were successfully rescued by firefighters and the blaze was brought under control at 5.10pm. A total of 14 firefighters from BBP Sri Andalas and BBP Pelabuhan Klang were involved in the operation.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 12:07 UTC
Oil gains as traders weigh progress in Russia-Ukraine and US-Iran talks
LONDON (Feb 18): Oil prices gained over 1% on Wednesday after falling in the previous session as investors assessed developments in Russia-Ukraine and US-Iran talks. Keeping a risk premium on prices was the abrupt end of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva on Wednesday after only two hours. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that the discussions had been difficult and accused Russia of deliberately seeking to delay progress towards a deal to end the four-year-old war. Russia's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said the talks had been difficult but business-like, and that a new round of talks would be held soon. Analysts polled by Reuters estimated that US crude oil stockpiles likely rose last week, while distillate and gasoline inventories probably fell.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 18, 2026 12:00 UTC
Tobacco tax hike, rigorous enforcement vital for Endgame 2045, says council
KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 18): Increasing tobacco excise duties is among the most effective measures to curb the smoking habit, alongside comprehensive enforcement to ensure the "Endgame 2045" goal of reducing the use of smoking products can be achieved, says the Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC). Its president Prof Dr Murallitharan Munisamy said tax increases were among the most effective public health policy instruments to reduce smoking, particularly among the youth and low-income groups who were more price-sensitive. MCTC also added that taxes on tobacco products had not been raised since 2015, and therefore, a review of the fiscal policy was urgently required to achieve the “smoking product endgame” target by 2045. In this regard, MCTC urged the government to ratify the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products to strengthen licensing mechanisms, track-and-trace systems, and cross-border cooperation in accordance with Article 15 of the FCTC. “Without a solid enforcement foundation, the positive impact of tax increases would be eroded by the illicit market,” he said.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 18, 2026 11:49 UTC
Bodies of five family members in tragic murder released for burial
KUANTAN: The bodies of five family members involved in a tragic murder at the Cerating Damai housing estate here were claimed by relatives this evening after post-mortem examinations were completed. Kuantan police chief ACP Ashari Abu Samah said all procedures at the Forensic Medicine Department of Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital were concluded at about 4pm on Wednesday (Feb 18). "The bodies have been released to family members for burial in Cherating,” he said when contacted. Four of the bodies were taken to the Cherating Mosque for the funeral rites and prayers, while another was brought to the Sungai Ular Mosque for the same purpose. All the bodies are expected to be buried at the Kampung Budaya Cherating Islamic Cemetery.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 11:34 UTC
Embrace spirit of mujahadah during Ramadan says Anwar
He added that Ramadan is the time for Muslims to strive to understand its deeper wisdom and the objectives of the Islamic faith. In this context, he said the motivation in performing acts of worship during the Ramadan month should be driven by the spirit of mujahadah (to strive against sins). On Tuesday (Feb 17), Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal Syed Danial Syed Ahmad announced that Muslims will begin the Ramadan dawn-to-dusk month-long fast starting Thursday. The sighting of the new moon for the commencement of Ramadan took place on Tuesday. The fasting month also overlaps with Chinese New Year, which was celebrated on Feb 17, signalling a double “celebration” for Malaysians in the country.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 11:20 UTC
Monsoon wind gusts: Longer thunderstorm, heavy rain forecast in Sabah, Sarawak
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecast significant weather with the monsoon wind gusts expected to enter the country from Feb 19 to 23. MetMalaysia director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the situation has the potential to result in wetter weather conditions, bringing thunderstorms and heavy rain for a longer period of time in Sabah and Sarawak. "This situation has also caused strong winds and rough seas in the South China Sea. "In this regard, MetMalaysia has issued a strong wind and rough sea warning for the waters of the LCS effective from Feb 18 to 21, ” he said in a post on Facebook. The public is advised to always refer to the website www.met.gov.my and MetMalaysia’s official social media as well as download the myCuaca application for the latest and most accurate information.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 11:01 UTC
Data leak at Abu Dhabi finance summit exposes global figures, FT reports
U.S. investor and former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci was also among those whose identity documents were exposed, the FT said. Howard declined to comment, while Cameron and Scaramucci did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. ADFW, in a statement to Reuters, said, "a vulnerability in a third-party vendor-managed storage environment relating to a limited subset of ADFW 2025 attendees." The data was accessible to anybody using a simple web browser, the FT reported, citing freelance security researcher and consultant Roni Suchowski, who discovered it. The server was made secure after the FT approached ADFW about the leak on Monday, the report added.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2026 10:40 UTC