Billionaires are throwing money into racing into space while Earth burns
This started when two space flight companies, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, went head-to-head after each billionaire announced in turn that they would be heading into space on their respective companies’ first flights carrying recreational passengers. Both Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are getting into the space tourism space. Anyone paying up for a space flight will get right to the edge of space, far enough above our home to see it as a planet in space, which, to be honest, is super cool. If only the world had some way to take even a small percentage of money from these giant corporations.... Oh wait, we do. They’re rich individuals whose fortunes are well earned, and they can do what they want with their money.
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 10:01 UTC
Soniia has not played a single game but already a 'winner'
PETALING JAYA: Whether Soniia Cheah can pull off a shocker in her decisive Group N battle against overwhelming Thai favourite Ratchanok Intanon on Wednesday – she's already a 'winner'. Soniia was in no mood to celebrate as she knew how devastating it could be after experiencing it in 2013. "I really feel sorry for her, I could feel the pain too because she's suffering from the same injury I had many years ago," said Soniia, when contacted yesterday. "I'm the only Malaysian shuttler who has not played a single match yet. "Since I didn't get to play today, I'm going to get a good rest and get ready for tomorrow (Wednesday)."
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 09:45 UTC
Britney Spears says father gets US$16,000 a month while she only gets US$14,000
Rosengart says that since at least 2009, Jamie has been paying himself US$16,000 a month from the estate – which is US$2,000 more each month than he allots his daughter. Jamie also receives US$2,000 per month for office expenses, employs a team of lawyers charging millions in fees and pays himself “a share of the revenues generated by Ms. Spears’ performances”. He is a conservator and, as a conservator, his role is to be burdened by, rather than benefit from, the conservatorship,” Rosengart wrote. “Indeed, far from benefiting Ms. Spears, as she herself has testified, it impairs Ms. Spears’s mental health, her well-being, and her ability to pursue and continue with her extraordinary career,” he wrote. Rosengart wrote Monday that the removal of Jamie is an important first step on that path.
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 09:00 UTC
Najib questions legitimacy of revoking Emergency Ordinance
KUALA LUMPUR: Questions continued to be raised over the legitimacy of revoking the Emergency Ordinances with Datuk Seri Najib Razak (BN-Pekan) being the latest to chime in. He said the announcement of the revocation of the six ordinances - including the main ordinance - could raise questions about the legality and legitimacy of the government from July 21. Najib explained that the Cabinet should have sought the King’s consent for revoking the ordinances first and later gazetted it. He added the matter is also supposed to be debated in both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara. On Monday (July 26), Takiyuddin told the Dewan Rakyat that a total of six Emergency Ordinances had been revoked on July 21.
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 08:03 UTC
Carsome, iCar could see a listing within next 12 months
LAST week, internet investment firm Catcha Group announced its proposal with automotive e-commerce platform Carsome Group to acquire the entire equity interest in iCar Asia Ltd in a transaction worth more than US$200 million (RM840 million). The deal involves Carsome acquiring a 19.9% stake in the Australia-listed iCar from Catcha Group, with the two parties subsequently making a joint proposal to acquire the remaining 80.1% stake in iCar. Upon completion of the merger between Carsome and iCar, Grove says the first development would be the presence of Carsome’s listings on iCar. In fact, he believes that it is more of a boon than a bane for both Carsome and iCar. It is hard to dismiss the synchronicity between the possible listing of the Carsome-iCar merged entity and Catcha Group’s US-listed SPAC, Catcha Investment.
Source:The Edge Markets
July 27, 2021 06:56 UTC
Sarawak polls not imminent, says GPS lawmaker
KUCHING: The Sarawak state election does not have to be called within 60 days of the revocation of all Emergency Ordinances on July 21, says Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. The GPS lawmaker said this was because the Emergency was still in place until Aug 1 and only after then would the Sarawak legislative assembly be dissolved. He said the Emergency Ordinances, which were formulated to regulate various issues during the Emergency, were a separate matter from the declaration of emergency. He noted that the Sabah state election last September had caused a second wave of Covid-19 in the country. Lukanisman told Parliament on Monday that the state election should be postponed to prevent another Covid-19 crisis, particularly as the Delta variant has emerged in the country, including in Sarawak.
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 06:00 UTC
Housing development sector allowed to operate under National Recovery Plan Phase 1
PUTRAJAYA (July 27): The housing development sector is allowed to operate under Phases 1 and 2 of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) effective immediately, said the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) today. KPKT said the permission to operate is applicable to housing developers which are still active with a valid advertising permit and developer’s licence (APDL) under the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1996 (Act 118). Under Phase 1 of PPN, the activities allowed to operate are the housing developer's management office, handing over of vacant possession notices and house keys. KPKT said the permission for the housing development sector to operate is subject to compliance with the latest standard operating procedures (SOPs) which can be downloaded from KPKT's website at https://www.kpkt.gov.my. For any further inquiries, please contact the National Housing Department at the hotline 03-8891 4493/4494.
Source:The Edge Markets
July 27, 2021 05:03 UTC
My Say: What could we be missing about China?
Economic growth appears to be on a good track while Beijing’s policymakers have been quite adept at juggling potentially conflicting objectives. • Second, export demand continues to feed through strongly to China: China is still the pre-eminent downstream economy and therefore the primary beneficiary of recovering demand for manufactured products. There are some standard explanations for this high savings rate:• First, the social safety net in China remains limited, forcing citizens to save more. However, these conventional explanations for a high savings rate do not explain why there has been such a large rise in the savings rate since the pandemic. In short, the Chinese economy appears to be in relatively rosy health right now.
Source:The Edge Markets
July 27, 2021 03:30 UTC
Fire and Rescue Department help woman seen dangling dog from 14th-floor window
KLANG: The Fire and Rescue Department rushed to a high-rise apartment in Damansara, Petaling Jaya last week to rescue a woman who was dangling her pet dog out of her 14th floor unit’s bedroom window. The security company also lodged a police report and policemen had visited her twice and asked the woman to stop screaming and throwing things out of the window or risk being arrested. One of the neighbours then contacted an animal welfare group and narrated how the woman was dangling her pet dog out of a 14th-floor window. After learning that the woman had been behaving strangely, the canine welfare group volunteer put him in touch with the Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA). “One has to be clear when seeking help and it was obvious here that the woman was distressed and may harm herself,’’ said Cheong.
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 02:48 UTC
Guarantee long-term future of national health system
THE Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) refers to the #HartalDoktorKontrak event yesterday that saw contract doctors and other healthcare professionals supporting them going on strike. These decisions will, to some extent, standardise the terms of service between contract and full time doctors. However, Abim stresses that there should be more long-term guarantees for contract doctors, especially after the stated contract extension period ends. For one, more permanent appointments for contract doctors should be realised as soon as possible. Therefore, Abim stresses the importance of fair and equitable government decisions for all frontline workers to increase the effectiveness of Malaysia’s efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 01:18 UTC
MCA: Allow retailers to reopen as more get vaccinated
DAMANSARA MCA is urging the government to allow the retail sector to reopen for business as more people are being inoculated. Damansara MCA chairman Tan Gim Tuan said retail businesses in Selangor, where employees had been fully vaccinated, should be allowed to resume operations with minimal restrictions imposed. “The vaccination programme is heading in the right direction and we urge the government to allow the retail sector, especially those operating from shoplots and commercial areas, to start operations. “Businesses with fully vaccinated employees should be allowed to reopen. “The government should allow those who have been fully vaccinated to dine in at eateries and permit them to patronise outlets where the workers have been vaccinated too,” he said, adding that this should be done as soon as possible.
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 01:18 UTC
Aaron-Wooi Yik face complicated situation after loss to Ahsan-Hendra
9 must not only win in straight games but they need to get the better of the lowly-ranked Canadians with a big-point margin. 2019 All-England runners-up Aaron-Wooi Yik have only themselves to blame for being in a precarious position after going down tamely 16-21, 19-21 to Ahsan-Hendra at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza yesterday. They could have made the situation simpler had they nicked at least one game from the three-time world champions. Aaron-Wooi Yik had their chance when they opened up an 11-6 lead in the second game, but they squandered it. Said Aaron: “All we need is to win our last match tomorrow.
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 01:07 UTC
Hidilyn Diaz - Philippines’ Olympic darling and first-ever gold medalist rewarded US$660,000 and a house
MANILA, July 27 (Bloomberg): Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the first-ever Olympic gold medal for the Philippines, ending the nation’s 97-year drought. Made,” the Olympics said on its Twitter account after 30-year-old Diaz, a silver medalist in the 2016 Rio Olympics, won in the women’s 55kg weightlifting competition in Tokyo on Monday. Diaz spent seven months away from her family after being stuck due to Covid-19 restrictions while on training in Malaysia. "But this is what I want, this is what I love to do.”With the win, Diaz will take with her 33 million pesos (US$660,000) in cash prizes from the government and several businessmen and a house and lot. - Bloomberg
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 00:45 UTC
Ivermectin is not a miracle cure for Covid-19
In such a scenario, many are lobbying for the use of ivermectin (IVM) as a drug that can help stem the increasing number of cases. Depending on who you talk to, IVM can prevent and/or cure Covid-19. This paper triggered the start of intense, passionate debates on the role of IVM in the management of Covid-19. A recent study reveals that patients who received IVM required invasive mechanical ventilation earlier in their treatment for Covid-19. However, there is a reason that not a single regulatory or professional body has approved the use of IVM for Covid-19 at this point in time.
Source:The Star
July 27, 2021 00:00 UTC
Chew waits for better times
But Chew Cheng Chooi still lives there, waiting for the jetty of his ancestors to go back to livelier times so that he can sell his durian puffs and ice cream again. Chew gets by because Penangites enjoy his durian puffs and so he still gets orders. “Those that remain are residents with almost all businesses closed indefinitely. “Chew Jetty is a renowned tourism spot and without tourists, we cannot survive. Chew expects business at Chew Jetty to take some time to rebound.
Source:The Star
July 26, 2021 22:18 UTC