Food security the focus of next Budget
KULAI: Food security and the agricultural sector will be among the main focus of the coming Budget 2022 in line with the government’s socio-economic recovery plan and growth in the short, medium and long term, says Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz. These sectors will lay the foundation in reducing the country’s dependency on imported food in the long run, he said. “Food security is one of the elements that the government has always emphasised in our economic stimulus packages and Budget 2021. Tengku Zafrul said RM3.15bil had been channelled to the agricultural sector through a stimulus package and Budget 2021. Tengku Zafrul also said Johor had contributed much to the agricultural sector and agro-food sector.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 22:41 UTC
Soccer-Villa end Everton's unbeaten start with 3-0 win
BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) -Aston Villa ended Everton's unbeaten start to the Premier League season with three unanswered goals in nine second-half minutes at Villa Park on Saturday. The visitors were without injured strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison and were also missing keeper Jordan Pickford and right back Seamus Coleman. I felt five minutes before our goal, they were on top," Villa manager Dean Smith said. The first goal was great build-up and Matt (Cash) has put it in the top bin," Smith said. He's really special.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 18:46 UTC
Soccer-Odegaard curler gives Arsenal win at Burnley
BURNLEY, England (Reuters) -Martin Odegaard's 30th-minute free kick earned Arsenal their second win of the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday. "We have players who are not at their strength playing in this type of game, but they did their best and we got the win. I’m very proud of them defensively and I’m really pleased with the win. The Clarets thought they had a chance of an equaliser when Vydra went down under a challenge from Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot. I thought we defended very well today and limited Arsenal to very few chances, which is difficult to do," he said.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 16:13 UTC
Soccer-Ton up for Mane as Liverpool sink Palace 3-0
LIVERPOOL (Reuters) -Liverpool forward Sadio Mane scored his 100th goal for the club to help secure a 3-0 victory over lively Crystal Palace in the Premier League at Anfield on Saturday. Mane turned the ball in from close range just before halftime as he claimed a Premier League record for the most consecutive goals against one club - his ninth in a row versus Palace. Physicality was immense and we had to be ready," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told SkySports. Palace also thought they should have had a penalty as Konstantinos Tsimikas appeared to trip Christian Benteke in the box as the former Liverpool forward attempted to reach a cross. He will be sweating over a calf injury for Thiago that forced the midfielder off in the second half, however.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 16:11 UTC
Soccer-Explosive Bayern put seven past Bochum to go top
"I am very satisfied with both the result and our attitude," said Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann. Nagelsmann, in his first season at Bayern, is looking to extend their record title run to 10 consecutive league crowns. "The aim of course is the 10th (straight) league title. Bayern opened their account with their first shot on goal when Leroy Sane curled a free kick over the wall in the 17th minute. Lewandowski, who set a Bundesliga record with 41 league goals last season, has already scored seven times in Bayern's first five league games so far this term.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 15:47 UTC
Soccer-Falcao scores on Rayo Vallecano debut to cap win over Getafe
MADRID (Reuters) - Radamel Falcao scored on his return to Spanish football on Saturday, crowning an impressive 3-0 home win for his new side Rayo Vallecano over Madrid neighbours Getafe in LaLiga. The win took Rayo to seven points from five games but left Getafe bottom of the standings without any points and heaped more pressure on coach Michel. "I'm very happy and very grateful to these fans who gave us so much support," Falcao told reporters. "I dreamed of getting on the pitch and scoring and my team mates gave me a lot of encouragement." Falcao joined Rayo as a free agent earlier this month after being forced out of Galatasaray due to the Turkish club's financial problems.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 15:45 UTC
Soccer-Mourinho believes there is more to come from Roma despite perfect start
ROME (Reuters) - AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho said that despite his team's spotless start to the season they are not perfect, believing the overall quality of the capital club's football could be better. It is only the third time in the club's history that Roma have won the first six games of any season, but Mourinho is still not completely satisfied. "It would be too easy to say that we were perfect," Mourinho told a news conference ahead of his side's trip to Hellas Verona on Sunday. Verona sacked their manager after just three games of the season this week, with Eusebio Di Francesco replaced by Igor Tudor. "Hellas Verona have zero points but could have come away with something against Inter and Bologna.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 15:33 UTC
Soccer-Milan's Ibrahmovic not Superman, won't play at Juve says coach
"Ibra would like to be Superman but he isn't," Pioli told a news conference on Saturday, "We have assessed him and he hasn't had great improvements. "He and (Olivier) Giroud won't be in the game because of a lower back pain (for the Frenchman). They have made an impressive start to Serie A, winning all three of their opening league matches. "We feel we are a strong team, we try to win every single match," Pioli added. "With Juve it will be a very high level match, they can still win the championship.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 15:11 UTC
Soccer-Juve's Allegri says Milan showdown more important for opposition
TURIN, Italy (Reuters) - Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said Sunday's Serie A clash at home to AC Milan is more important for the visitors because Stefano Pioli's men have been together as a unit for longer. "Juve-Milan is one of the most important, if not the most important, match in the league," Allegri told a news conference on Saturday. "But they have been playing together for years and have acquired important qualities, whereas we are growing. Juve did get their first win of the season in the Champions League in midweek, returning with a 3-0 victory from Malmo. "This team has its own identity with different characteristics, so many things need to be improved to become a team.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 14:37 UTC
Soccer-Brentford sting Wolves for first top flight away win in 74 years
WOLVERHAMPTON, England (Reuters) -Brentford claimed their first away victory in the Premier League with a 2-0 success at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, keeping a clean sheet despite going down to 10 men midway through the second half. The victory was promoted Brentford's second of the season after beating Arsenal on the opening day and the club's first away win in the top flight in 74 years as Thomas Frank's side provisionally moved up to ninth in the standings. "We did well (in the) first half and could have scored more, but the second half showed the character we've got in the dressing room," Toney said. "In the Premier League you have to be deadly when you get the opportunity. In the second half we were down to 10 men but we defended with our heart and soul.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 13:52 UTC
Bats in Laos caves found to carry coronaviruses that share key feature with Sars-CoV-2
VIENTIANE, Sept 18 (Bloomberg): Bats dwelling in limestone caves in northern Laos were found to carry coronaviruses that share a key feature with SARS-CoV-2, moving scientists closer to pinpointing the cause of Covid-19.Researchers at France’s Pasteur Institute and the University of Laos looked for viruses similar to the one that causes Covid among hundreds of horseshoe bats. The BANAL-236 virus has an almost identical receptor binding domain to the pandemic virus, according to the paper. It’s a feature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that has led some scientists to theorize that it was created in a laboratory.No evidence supporting the lab-leak theory has emerged. The bats live in the limestone karstic terrain common to China, Laos, and Vietnam in the Indochina peninsula.The paper highlights the diversity of SARS-CoV-2-like viruses present in bats in Southeast Asia, Holmes said. "This study emphasizes that bat coronaviruses that have the potential to infect humans readily exist in nature and could emerge any point.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 12:45 UTC
Selangor police issue 423 compounds for disregarding SOP
SEPANG (Bernama): Selangor police have issued 423 compounds to members of the public for flouting the standard operating procedure (SOP) under Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) from Sept 10 until Friday (Sept 17). Selangor police chief, Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed, said the compounds were issued for various offences like failure to wear a mask, disregarding social distancing and others. "We are monitoring the beaches and places of attractions in Selangor like waterfalls to ensure visitors closely adhere to the SOP,” he told the media after observing public SOP compliance at Pantai Bagan Lalang, here on Saturday (Sept 18). On today’s observation, Arjunaidi said he was satisfied with the public for observing the SOP while at the beach, which is a popular spot among visitors. "They have been automatically reassigned and had disciplinary action taken against them and were compounded for failure to comply with the SOP.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 12:00 UTC
Dr Wee: More public transport expected to operate in October
BATU PAHAT (Bernama): More public transport is expected to operate if domestic tourist destinations open as the country moves into the Covid-19 endemic phase in October. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic) said based on the Langkawi domestic tourism bubble pilot project, the tourism and transport sectors, especially aviation, was seen to be in high demand when it opened on Thursday (Sept 16). On Thursday, Dr Wee was reported to have said that a total of 1,520 passengers departed on eight flights to Langkawi in conjunction with the start of the Langkawi domestic tourism bubble pilot project. Dr Wee was quoted as saying the flights involved four Malaysia Airlines flights, one Malindo Air flight and three AirAsia flights. He said two more counters will be opened in the near future to meet the demand of the public who use the JPJ services.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 11:03 UTC
PMYT teachings confirmed to be deviant, contrary to islamic law, says Ahmad Marzuk
KOTA BARU (Sept 18): The teachings of religious cult ‘Perjalanan Mimpi Yang Terakhir’ (PMYT) have been confirmed to be deviant and contrary to Islamic law, as well as a threat to national security, says Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary. He said following the decision, it was now up to the respective state Islamic religious councils to gazette the matter. Commenting further, Ahmad Marzuk said the court would decide on the appropriate punishment against the woman and her followers. According to Ahmad Marzuk, the woman had previously been advised by her husband not to spread the teachings. Read also:Govt to continue giving out subsidy towards haj, says Ahmad Marzuk
Source:The Edge Markets
September 18, 2021 10:41 UTC
Govt to continue giving out haj subsidy, says Minister
However, he said the actual cost of performing the haj has yet to be decided. Ahmad Marzuk said the possibility of a cost increase was quite reasonable based on the current situation, but believed the subsidy by the government would continue. Ahmad Marzuk, who is also Pengkalan Chepa MP, said the government had allocated between RM400 and RM500mil for the haj subsidy, but now needed to re-look it due to the current situation. "Usually, when the haj season is approaching, the actual costing will be announced and the pilgrims will be informed in advance. The costs related to the haj will be discussed and hopefully will not burden prospective haj pilgrims, he said.
Source:The Star
September 18, 2021 09:56 UTC