Coffee Break: A journey of self-discovery without leaving home
If anything, the lifestyle changes caused by holing ourselves up at home for an extended duration have resulted in a period of self-discovery. Then there are those who can’t wait to return to the office as they crave in-person interaction with colleagues. I myself have realised that a lot of things I took for granted a year ago are actually essential to me. It gives me hope for an early retirement.”The pandemic has also demonstrated to us the value of freedom. Hence the increased willingness to get vaccinated voluntarily as it is perceived as a passport to move freely again.
Source:The Edge Markets
June 28, 2021 01:30 UTC
More support for appeal to lift ban on cycling
I REFER to “Appeal for government to allow solo cycling” (The Star, June 24) and wish to join Datuk Wee Beng Gee in asking the government to lift the ban on cycling and allow solo riders to enjoy their preferred form of exercise should the first phase of the movement restrictions under the National Recovery Plan (NRP) be extended further. The 7am ruling is unnecessary, but I agree that the behaviour of people exercising in a group is often undesirable. Most of the time, motorists would notice them and give way, but there are instances when near misses have occurred. But I really hope that solo cycling will be allowed if phase one of the movement restrictions under NRP is extended. I have suffered from heart problems for the past 29 years and cycling is the perfect exercise that has kept me alive.
Source:The Star
June 28, 2021 00:33 UTC
Singer misses out on reality show because of visa woes
China due to visa issues, China Press reported. Earlier, local singer-songwriter Firdhaus Farmizi (pic), 22, who wrote the popular Mandarin hit The Gulf of Alaska, had to also give up his opportunity to appear on the same reality show following visa woes. > A video of a wild boar in action started trending on TikTok recently, and were viewed more than 2.1 million times, China Press reported. Many Internet users commented that they had never seen a wild boar running so fast, with some joking that it must have broken the speed limit in the village. Others commented that the wild boar resembled Inosuke, one of the main characters in the popular anime series Demon Slayer, who fights while wearing a wild boar hide.
Source:The Star
June 28, 2021 00:22 UTC
Tale of twins swapped at birth unfolds after 19 years
KUALA LUMPUR: This story of a pair of twins who were separated at birth could well be a plot of a soap opera. The incident was only discovered 19 years after the twins and another baby were born at a hospital in Kota Baru. For 19 years, Adryani Iwani and Adryana Iwani grew up thinking they were non-identical twins and didn’t realise they were not biological sisters. Adryani’s real twin sister, Noratirah was raised by another family. With the truth uncovered, Noratirah has moved in to stay with her biological family in Kampung Langgar, Kota Baru, in January.
Source:The Star
June 28, 2021 00:11 UTC
Changing focus with horticulture
Optical shop owner Bridget Tang, 43, said while many business owners lamented about the expected slowdown, she viewed it as a chance to focus on what she enjoyed, namely horticulture. “I now spend hours tending to my plants, researching ways to improve their growth and exploring gardening techniques. “Other than planting them in pots, I also arrange them in clusters and place them in biscuit tins and decorative pots. Tang said she first got interested in horticulture in primary school but had to put her hobby aside during secondary school and while pursuing tertiary studies and working in Singapore. About two years ago, Tang met a group of nature lovers in her hometown of Pekan Nanas, which inspired her to pick up horticulture again.
Source:The Star
June 28, 2021 00:00 UTC
Sabah teacher turns boat into mobile classroom
KINABATANGAN: A teacher in Kinabatangan is using a boat as his classroom so his pupils don’t miss their lessons during the pandemic, when face-to-face teaching and learning cannot be held. Nasir Mohamed Jamal, 39, of SK Desa Permai, also uses the boat to send learning modules to his pupils every week. “My other colleagues and I take the initiative to send Teaching and Learning at Home (PdPR) modules by boat once or twice a week to the pupils. With a bag containing the PdPR modules and a foldable table, Nasir, who teaches Science, Physical Education and Health Education, rows the wooden boat along Sungai Kinabatangan to his pupils’ houses. He would take their body temperature, as well as provide hand sanitisers and face masks, when the pupils get into the boat to begin their lesson.
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 23:37 UTC
Creativity saves the day
Pak Abu started off as an office boy in a bank and worked his way up to the position of vice-president. “One of my biggest pet peeves is chasing after clients who refuse to pay for services rendered,” he said, referring to his wedding business. “I still get phone calls almost every day from brides-to-be, telling me that they have postponed their big day to this date and that date. Daljit the saree queenDaljit Kaur, 51, started her online business Shimmerz Styles in 2008, offering exclusive designer sarees, kurtis and custom-made Indian-inspired jewellery. Daljit has refocused on her online business and began offering handmade customised designer sarees.
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 23:26 UTC
‘We’re all set and eager for our jab’
“So, I was relieved when the Pikas initiative was announced as it could get help me get protection against Covid-19 soon,” she added. Sharifah Zainol Syed Ali, 50, who works in a factory manufacturing tissue paper, said the programme would make it easier for her to make arrangements on the scheduled vaccination date. “I have not received my vaccination date on MySejahtera and I am worried that the date may not fit my working schedule. “As we know, there is a higher percentage of clusters coming from industrial areas, especially in the manufacturing sector. Efforts were already underway from the launch of Pikas to vaccinate employees from the manufacturing sector through 49 designated industry vaccination centres (PPV) established nationwide,” he added.
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 23:03 UTC
Repercussions for the tin market
A large portion of its 40, 000 tonnes of tin ore annually is smelted and traded on the local physical tin market in Malaysia. MSC tin ingotsThe current restriction on operations has also disrupted its tin supply to both the London Metal Exchange and the KLTM, added Yong. With such restrictions on its workforce, no tin can possibly come out from MSC’s tin mines which are managed by Rahman Hydraulic Tin Sdn Bhd and its tin smelting plants. MSC tin smeltingYong cautioned that “more local industries such as tin canning, tin plating and solder making which require tin will now have to import tin at a higher price. Furthermore, the drop in MSC’s tin production will have a global impact, namely, in the semiconductor and photovoltaic industries.
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 23:03 UTC
AI and the jobs of tomorrow
Hoping to pursue an economics degree overseas, Luqman Fairus looked forward to a bright future but life had other plans for the 18-year-old. The pandemic had made him rethink about travelling abroad, forcing him to reassess his plans for the future.
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 23:00 UTC
Thousands descend on Barcelona for reboot of MWC mobile tech show
BARCELONA (Reuters) - The great and good of the mobile communications world have flocked to their annual jamboree in Barcelona, all armed with this year's must-have tech: a negative COVID-19 test, an FFP2 face mask and a digital badge for contact-tracing. Over 30,000 visitors from 143 countries are set to stream into the Catalan city for the three-day Mobile World Congress, or MWC, which starts on Monday - and each will have to pass through a mammoth testing area complete with 80 booths. While that attendance is a far cry from the crowds of 100,000-plus in years gone by, it is nonetheless encouraging for the organisers, global mobile industry body GSMA. The industry hopes that this year's event, split between physical, virtual and hybrid activities, will provide a blueprint for future business gatherings. "This (MWC) marks a before and an after," Carme Artigas, the Spanish government's digitalisation and AI chief, said at the lunch.
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 22:52 UTC
Pressmen in Penang get their vaccinations
GEORGE TOWN: It was a big sigh of relief for a majority of media practitioners in Penang when they got their Covid-19 vaccination. A total of 117 media practitioners out of 192 who registered got their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs yesterday. State exco member Yeoh Soon Hin also stopped by. He praised the efforts of the state and federal governments in ensuring that pressmen got vaccinated. Bernama Penang bureau chief Kenny Teng, 35, expressed gladness that the months of waiting had come to an end.
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 21:56 UTC
ANALYSIS-Shut off from the world, Australia fosters red-hot growth at home
SYDNEY: A year after the coronavirus pandemic pummelled Australia's economy, IT contractor Ashok Ravindran has a nice problem: deciding which of three job offers to accept. His happy dilemma is a reflection of an economy that is now larger than its pre-pandemic level. I tried a few companies just to test waters and received three offers," Ravindran told Reuters. "The current international border setting is virtually no-one-in and no-one-out," said Innes Willox, chief executive of Australia's employer association Ai Group. For the likes of Ravindran, however, there has never been a better time to look for work.
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 21:56 UTC
Soccer-Portuguese shed tears for missed Euro chance after Belgium loss -Santos
The Portuguese had 24 efforts on goal compared with Belgium's six, and they also hit the woodwork. Belgium had just one effort on target, Thorgan Hazard's long-range rocket shot in the 42nd minute that won the game. They (Belgium) made six shots, one on goal and scored one goal, we had 24 shots and hit the post." Portugal began brightly and Diogo Jota wasted a great chance in the sixth minute, dragging his shot wide. "My players did everything to bring great joy to the Portuguese people - we did not win, but we deserved to win."
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 21:56 UTC
Soccer-Hazard rocket fires Belgium past holders Portugal into last eight
A 43rd-minute strike from Thorgan Hazard secured the win for Roberto Martinez's team, who survived plenty of pressure from the Portuguese in the second half. But with the finishing touch missing, it was the end of the road for Cristiano Ronaldo and a Portugal team who had triumphed in Paris five years ago. "In the first half we were playing high and putting pressure on Portugal, but looking at that second half, we are lucky to win," said Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen. Ronaldo then tested Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois with a low-struck free kick as Fernando Santos's team continued to apply pressure. 'GRAB YOUR CHANCES'A smart passing move ended with Thomas Meunier feeding Thorgan Hazard, whose wickedly swerving shot flew past the wrong-footed Portugal keeper Rui Patricio.
Source:The Star
June 27, 2021 21:22 UTC