Ismail Sabri denies knowledge, involvement in ‘Dubai Move’

Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has denied involvement or knowledge of an alleged plot hatched in Dubai, to topple Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration. Speculations had been rife on a purported 'Langkah Dubai' (Dubai Move) that was said to have been masterminded by opposition party leaders, with help from certain representatives of the government. Ismail, who...

T’ganu fully recovers from 3rd wave of floods

Terengganu has fully recovered from its third wave of floods which hit the state since Dec 23. According to the Terengganu State Disaster Management Committee (JPBNT) secretariat, the last temporary evacuation centre (PPS) in the state at Dewan Serbaguna Taman Perumahan Wakaf Tengah in the Kuala Nerus district, housing six victims, was closed at 2pm today. Earlier,...

McDonald’s seeking RM6m in damages from boycott advocates

A group advocating for boycotts against major international brands in response to the Israeli invasion of Gaza is facing an RM6 million claim for damages suffered by fast food chain McDonald’s. Gerbang Alaf Restaurants Sdn Bhd (GAR), the franchise owner of McDonald’s in Malaysia, was claiming the sum for revenue loss (RM3 million), compensation for employees...

Students in flood areas can wear normal clothes to school – T’ganu education dept

The Terengganu Education Department (JPNT) gives flexibility to students affected by the floods to attend school in normal clothes when schools reopen on Jan 2. JPNT deputy director (school management sector) Azman Othman said the department understood the difficulties faced by flood victims and would work to ease their burden. “I would like to advise the students...

Tsunami waves reach Japan’s coast following major quakes

A series of strong earthquakes, with some measuring up to 7.6 magnitude, struck the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. A major tsunami warning has been issued by the JMA for Noto region, urging people to evacuate immediately, following tsunami warnings for Niigata, Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures of the...

More than 12k deaths in 2023 road accidents, say cops

A total of 598,635 road accidents were reported nationwide from Jan 1 to Dec 30 last year with 12,417 involving death. Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department deputy director Mohd Nasri Omar told reporters this after conducting an operation at the Jalan Duta Toll Plaza in KL early this morning. According to Bernama, he added that Selangor...

BlackRock designates JPMorgan, Jane Street as Bitcoin ETF authorized participants

BlackRock disclosed JPMorgan Securities and Jane Street as intended participants for its proposed Bitcoin ETF before the SEC decision. The asset management giant is set to collaborate with the participants, pending approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Authorized participants play a crucial role in ETF operations, as they can create and redeem shares. This involves exchanging ETF...

VanEck files updated spot Bitcoin ETF application

The asset manager submitted an amended S-1 Form with the SEC on deadline day, switching to cash-only subscriptions like most issuers seeking spot Bitcoin ETF approval. VanEck’s update did not name the authorized participants for its VanEck Bitcoin Trust, an exchange-traded fund aiming to invest in the largest cryptocurrency by market cap at its spot price. https://twitter.com/BitcoinMagazine/status/1740788284253520368 Several other issuers...

Coinbase appoints new head of custody amid Bitcoin ETF preparations

Coinbase has changed its head of custody, potentially as a strategic decision for handling services related to spot Bitcoin ETFs. The departure of Aaron Schnarch, the former Chief Executive Officer of Coinbase Custody, marks a pivotal shift in the company’s leadership. Schnarch’s position has been filled by Rick Schonberg, who joined Coinbase in 2021 and brings experience from...

Cryptocurrency option trading soars as January ETF expectations escalate

There’s been a noticeable uptick in trading cryptocurrency options and futures since Christmas, primarily driven by traditional financial institutions. This increase is largely in anticipation of a key decision by U.S. regulatory authorities regarding the approval or disapproval of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on direct investments in Bitcoin. As reported by Bloomberg, recent data indicates that Bitcoin...