In COVID-hit India, a 26-year-old doctor decides who lives and who dies
Everyone at Holy Family Hospital – patients, relatives and staff – knows there aren't enough beds, not enough oxygen or ventilators to keep everyone who arrives at the hospital's front gates alive. He is minutes into his rounds when he receives an urgent call – one of his patients is sick. Sumit Ray, the hospital's medical superintendent and head of the ICU, says the hospital staff are doing everything they can. "She might die at any time," he tells her nephew Pulkit, imploring him to move her to a hospital with an ICU bed free. While helping out in the ICU, Aggarwal sees a senior colleague.
Source:The Star
May 05, 2021 08:32 UTC
Bishop's passing a great loss for Mar Thoma Church
HIS Grace the Most Rev Dr Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma Valiya Metropolitan has passed away at the age of 104. Philipose Mar Chrysostom, fondly known to local Mar Thoma parishioners as Valiya Thirumeni, was the emeritus Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, and a bishop for close to 68 years. "The passing on of our revered Philipose Mar Chrysostom Valiya Metropolitan is a great loss to the church and the numerous people he touched through his life and ministry. In 2007, Valiya Thirumeni announced his resignation as supreme head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church on grounds of old age and ill-health. On Mar Chrysostom's 90th birthday, the Mar Thoma Church devised a project, the Navathy Home Project, to build homes for 1,500 families in India, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
Source:The Star
May 05, 2021 08:08 UTC
The apt thing to do about MySejahtera
So like a hopeful K-pop concertgoer waiting for ticket reservations to open, I was all ready by 11.45am with the MySejahtera app on my phone. I logged onto the booking website after a few tries and secured the same day and PPV for my mother and me. The MySejahtera app has been part of our lives for more than a year now. The morning after we got home, we got a slightly ominous message on the MySejahtera app. We do not know where and when as MySejahtera does not reveal that information to prevent the place from being stigmatised.
Source:The Star
May 05, 2021 00:17 UTC
Do-gooder charges needy RM1 for servicing air-conds
IPOH: After experiencing hardship while growing up, Issac Chin decided to do his part by charging as low as RM1 to service air-conditioners for the needy. For replacement of spare parts and minor repairs, the 38-year-old owner of a shop selling air-conditioners charges a maximum of RM10. Chin said many had questioned him on how come people who were needy had air-conditioners in their houses. “I also have second-hand air-cond sets that I repair and donate to the needy, ” he said. Together with a few others, we helped to clean his house and provided him with a new mattress, cupboard and food, ” he said.
Source:The Star
May 05, 2021 00:11 UTC
IRB to close Sabah offices for sanitisation
KOTA KINABALU (May 4): The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) will temporarily close an office and several branches here from Wednesday (May 5) for sanitisation. IRB, in a statement on Tuesday, said the premises involved are the Sabah Director's Office, Kota Kinabalu branch, Kota Kinabalu investigation branch and multinational tax branch. It said the multinational tax branch will resume operations on May 6, while the Sabah Director's Office, the Kota Kinabalu branch and Kota Kinabalu investigation branch will reopen on May 10. For enquiries, the public can contact the IRB Hasil Care Line at 03-8911 1000 / 603-8911 1100 (overseas), HASiL Live Chat or https://maklumbalaspelanggan.hasil.gov.my/MaklumBalas/ms-my/.
Source:The Edge Markets
May 04, 2021 15:22 UTC
S. Korea's dairy company CEO resigns over virus research scandal
SEOUL, South Korea (AP): The chairman of one of South Korea’s biggest dairy companies has resigned over a scandal in which his company was accused of deliberately spreading misinformation that its yogurt helps prevent coronavirus infections.While stepping down as the company’s head, Hong Won-sik and other members of his family will retain their commanding share in Namyang Dairy Products.Namyang financed research it aggressively promoted through the media and a symposium it funded last month that claimed its Bulgaris yogurt drinks were effective in lowering the risk of coronavirus infections.Namyang’s stock price rose temporarily before the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety sued the company for false advertising, saying the research was dubious and never involved any animal testing or clinical trials.Police searched Namyang’s Seoul headquarters last week. Namyang’s CEO, Lee Kwang-bum, also offered to resign following a public uproar. "I express my sincere apology for causing disappointment and anger to our country’s people with the Bulgaris-related controversy at a time when the nation is undergoing a hard time because of Covid-19,” Hong said, tearing up.He said he will take "all responsibility” by stepping down as chairman and promised not to pass on management rights to his children, which is a much-criticised practice at South Korea’s family-owned businesses.
Source:The Star
May 04, 2021 13:11 UTC
Pandemic or climate change, government has a crucial role to play
LONDON (May 4): It’s an oft-repeated warning that poor countries will suffer more from climate change than rich countries. I grew up in Maharashtra, which is one of the Indian states worst affected, and most of my family is still there. “The same is true for climate.”The question of how much government intervention is needed frequently arises when it comes to tackling climate change. Countries like Thailand and Malaysia, which are ranked close to India on The Economist’s Democracy Index, have managed the pandemic better. With the pandemic, governments have had to step in to impose immediate restrictions and provide financial help.
Source:The Edge Markets
May 04, 2021 10:41 UTC
Phase two of BPR payments to 8.4 mil recipients to begin Friday
KUALA LUMPUR (May 4): The second phase of Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) payments involving an allocation of RM2.75 billion will be made in stages starting this Friday. Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said the payment would benefit 8.4 million recipients comprising 3.6 million households, one million senior citizens and 3.8 million single individuals. Tengku Zafrul said the phase one payment to the same recipients had been made from Feb 24 and April 1, involving an allocation of RM1.93 billion. Tengku Zafrul said those whose applications were rejected can submit an appeal with relevant document to the Inland Revenue Board from May 15 to June 30. As of May 2021, direct assistance given by the government to the B40 group through Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) 2.0 and BPR phase one and two, amounting to RM6.59 billion.
Source:The Edge Markets
May 04, 2021 09:56 UTC
Twitter bans Indian actress for violating hate and abuse rules
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Twitter Inc on Tuesday said it has banned leading Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, known for her ardent support of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing her of violating its rules on hateful conduct and abusive behaviour. Following the election, Banerjee's party was accused of violent attacks on its defeated opponents, which it denies. Confirming that Ranaut's account had been suspended, Twitter explained its policy. "The referenced account has been permanently suspended for repeated violations of Twitter Rules specifically our Hateful Conduct policy and Abusive Behaviour policy." They are Americans, and by birth a white person feels entitled to enslave a brown person.
Source:The Star
May 04, 2021 09:49 UTC
Roller coaster stops mid-ride, forces passengers to walk down
LONDON (ANN): Theme park visitors in England surely got some unexpected thrill when the roller coaster they were riding got stuck, leaving them to walk hundreds of feet back to the ground. The tourists got stuck at the summit of Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s The Big One, which is the tallest roller coaster in the United Kingdom. Park staff were forced to go up the roller coaster themselves and guide visitors to safety by making them walk down the ride, as per Lancashire Telegraph on April 25. The incident was also captured by some park visitors who commended the staff for their response to the accident. The roller coaster was sent around its track a few times after the passengers were off the ride, Summers added.
Source:The Star
May 04, 2021 08:48 UTC
Cover Story: Bangsar Hill Park to be officially launched in June
Bangsar Hill Park Development Sdn Bhd (BHPD) will officially launch its 5.87-acre Bangsar Hill Park project in June this year, starting with Phase 1 or Verdura, which comprises two blocks (Blocks D and E) of 62-storey towers with a total of 812 condominium units. Bangsar Hill Park will be jointly developed. Bangsar Hill Park on Lorong Maarof is part of the RM3.01 billion, 9.82-acre leasehold redevelopment of the Sri Pahang flats in Bukit Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, being undertaken by BHPD. “Bangsar Hill Park is another project he has embarked on. With the right price, right location and good design, I don’t see any reason Bangsar Hill Park won’t do well,” he remarks.
Source:The Edge Markets
May 04, 2021 08:15 UTC
The Force may not be with us, but what about the tech in 'Star Wars'?
In 1977, Star Wars blew away audiences with faraway visions of lightsabers, droids and holograms. Apparently enough people said it this way that now May the Fourth, May 4, is the designated day for celebrating all things Star Wars. The year 2021 especially is a big year, as it's the 44th anniversary of the US premiere of the first Star Wars film by George Lucas. According to Star Wars expert and physicist Sascha Vogel, the answer is no. HologramsIn the Star Wars universe, holograms are used for communication, for example when R2-D2 transports and then plays a hologram recorded by Princess Leia asking Obi-Wan Kenobi for help.
Source:The Star
May 04, 2021 07:04 UTC
'Blind box' craze grips China's youth, and mints toymakers a fortune
The blind box market was worth 7.4 billion yuan (RM4.6bil) in 2019, according to market research firm Qianzhan Intelligence, which added that could soar to 30 billion yuan (RM19bil) by 2024. On the vibrant second-hand market, rare figures can fetch dozens of times the original price of an unopened box, which usually costs US$10-$20 (RM41-RM82). Liu Xiaoli, a nickname, has been collecting blind box toys since 2018.The advertising professional, in her thirties, pulls thousands of followers to a Bilibili video channel where she documents her box-opening adventures. The competition is so intense that the most sought-after toys, such as the archaeology-themed blind boxes sold by Henan province’s official museum, sell out almost immediately after their online release. “One of the reasons behind the success of blind boxes is that they divide their products into different categories of rarity, ” said Steffi Noel, a consumer analyst at Shanghai-based Daxue Consulting.
Source:The Star
May 04, 2021 07:01 UTC
Dr M to former IGP Khalid over defamation claims: I'll see you in court
The former premier then went to Twitter this afternoon, where he confirmed that he had received the LOD from Khalid, and wrote that he would see Khalid in court. Several media reports said Khalid is seeking RM10 million from Dr Mahathir for defamation, following the former premier's allegations last month. Khalid sent the LOD, dated April 22, through Messrs Gunaseharan & Linda, seeking an apology within seven days. The former IGP has also denied Dr Mahathir's allegations, which he described as untrue, defamatory and had tarnished his reputation. Khalid also asked Dr Mahathir to withdraw his statement, which had been published on several news portals, as it affects his reputation as a former IGP.
Source:The Edge Markets
May 04, 2021 05:37 UTC
Teaching children about mental health in school
In February (2021), the Green Ribbon Group published an infographic on the mental health landscape of children and adolescents in Malaysia. The 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) states that 424,000 children and adolescents suffer from mental health problems in our country. More outdoor and imaginative play could also be emphasised in our school syllabus, in order to encourage more awareness and understanding of mental health and wellbeing. Raising awareness early on would also help to correct the perception that talking about mental health with our children could plant seeds that they themselves have mental health issues. Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan is the Royal Patron of the National Coalition of Mental Wellbeing and International Patron of World Mental Health Day 2020.
Source:The Star
May 04, 2021 05:01 UTC