News Headlines - 24 February 2020

▽Malaysia's Mahathir quits at 94 but agrees to stay as interim PM - Reuters

Mahathir Mohamad unexpectedly quit as Malaysia’s prime minister on Monday, leaving the country in political turmoil, but agreed to a request by the Southeast Asian nation’s king to stay on as interim premier until a successor is named.
The resignation of Mahathir, 94, broke apart a coalition with old rival Anwar Ibrahim, 72, that had scored a surprise election victory in 2018, and was not part of a pre-election promise that Mahathir would eventually cede power to Anwar.
The decision, which Mahathir did not explain, followed weekend talks between members of his coalition and the opposition on forming a new government.

▽Around 30 hurt as car rams Germany carnival procession - The Local

Prosecutors in Frankfurt said the 29-year-old suspect was a German national who faces charges of attempted homicide over the incident in the western state of Hesse.
The investigation was continuing "in all directions", they said in a statement, after police stopped short of calling the incident an attack.

▽Morgan Stanley is buying E-Trade for $13 billion - CNN

Morgan Stanley is buying online broker E-Trade for $13 billion in an all-stock deal, a move that shows how serious the Wall Street giant is about catering to everyday consumers.
Shares of E-Trade (ETFC) rose 24% in early trading on the news while Morgan Stanley (MS) fell more than 4%. The deal comes nearly three months after E-Trade rivals Charles Schwab (SCHW) and TD Ameritrade (AMTD) announced a $26 billion merger.

▽Brazil's 'last samurai' seeks to keep tradition alive in South America - Reuters

The sturdy gray-haired Suemitsu said he first became interested in producing katanas when his Japanese-born grandfather would forge blades as a tool to defend against venomous snakes at their frontier farm.
Upon moving to Curitiba in the late 1960s, he learned the art of making katanas, largely, he says, by trial and error.
Eventually, his work gained widespread acceptance. Suemitsu has made around 1,000 swords over 42 years, ranging in price from 6,000 reais ($1,400) to about 20,000 reais. He said his clients come from as far away as Egypt.

▽Yoshitomo Tsutsugo blasts Tampa Bay Rays first home run of the spring - DRaysBay

Since making his debut during Sunday’s game against the New York Yankees, Tsutsugo has walked twice, singled, and has now crushed his first home run of the spring as he launched a ball beyond the wall in left-center field.
During the 4th inning of Monday’s contest against the Boston Red Sox at Port Charlotte, Tsutsugo barreled up a pitch and sent it skyward with tremendous carry to the left-center field alley. Eventually the outfielders ran out of room and the ball cleared the wall for a solo home run. Tsutsugo’s home run was also the Tampa Bay Rays first home run of the spring.