The Nio normal: Chinese electric carmaker seeks to plug buyers into lifestyle app
(April 27): In Shanghai, aerospace executive Lu Hao didn't just buy a sleek electric SUV from Nio, China's answer to Tesla . He bought Nio's whole vision of a future where social media, e-commerce and the daily commute converge in one lifestyle app. In the morning, the 31-year-old eats cereal bought from the automaker's Nio Life online store while chatting on its app with other Nio owners. Geely, China's biggest private automaker, launched a new electric Zeekr brand with a similar strategy of city centre showrooms and lifestyle product lines. Meanwhile BMW, which has a long-time lifestyle product line, launched its car-owner app in China in last September.
Source:The Edge Markets
April 27, 2021 07:18 UTC
Cops taking rape threat allegation against 17-year-old seriously
KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Aman says it is not taking an alleged rape threat against a teenage girl lightly and has denied media reports that Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani was dismissive of her claims. Inspector-General of Police corporate communications secretariat Supt Skandaguru Anandan claimed that two media agencies had inaccurately reported the statement made by Acryl Sani about the rape threat against the teenager. He said the two reports gave the impression that the Deputy IGP had conveyed that the rape threat might be "a joke". What Acryl Sani said was; "The first report was linked to what she felt was an improper approach by the teacher. Supt Skandaguru added that the police take every report lodged seriously and are always committed to conduct a thorough investigation.
Source:The Star
April 27, 2021 06:37 UTC
Swiss cheese model explains why multiple measures needed to fight Covid-19
The Swiss cheese model to address the problem of human fallibility in the management of errors was put forward by British psychologist Emeritus Professor James Reason. However, in the real world, these defences are more like slices of Swiss cheese with holes in them. Australian virologist Dr Ian Mackay adapted Emeritus Prof Reason’s Swiss cheese model for Covid-19 with his colleagues last year (2020), resulting in the Swiss Cheese Respiratory Virus Pandemic Defence (see graphic). The Swiss Cheese Respiratory Virus Pandemic Defence model adapted by Dr Mackay and his colleagues from the Swiss Cheese model of accident causation created by Emeritus Prof Reason. SummaryIt is evident that no slice of the Swiss cheese model provides 100% protection against viral spread.
Source:The Star
April 27, 2021 04:52 UTC
Chelsea's Pulisic confident injury problems are behind him
(Reuters) - Chelsea's Christian Pulisic has missed large stretches of the season due to hamstring and muscular problems but the American forward says his injury problems are behind him and he is ready to make an impact as the club enters a crucial phase. "I feel very confident in my body and my fitness level at the moment," Pulisic said. "I never thought of myself as a player who was injury prone or anything. "Coming back, I felt very confident and I still feel that way. Right now, it's about keeping up that form and trying to help my team to win these big games coming up," he added.
Source:The Star
April 27, 2021 04:30 UTC
Two Penang cops plead not guilty to accepting bribes
BUTTERWORTH: Two policemen pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of bribery at the Sessions Court here on Tuesday (April 27). Deputy Public Prosecutor S. Selvaranjini who acted on behalf of the MACC, requested for the court to set bail at RM30,000. Judge Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid set bail at RM8,000 each and fixed May 28 for next mention for submission of documents. Selvaranjini, assisted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Mastura Zakaria, asked the court to set bail at RM20,000 for all four charges. Amrick Singh, however, pleaded to the court for a lenient bail for his client, urging the court to set bail at RM1,000 for each charge.
Source:The Star
April 27, 2021 03:33 UTC
India gasps for air as health systems crumble under Covid explosion
Ravaged by a deadly second wave, India is facing a mammoth medical challenge as hundreds of thousands of patients face a lack of oxygen, hospital beds and anti-viral drugs. Hospitals in India are sending SOS alerts over the dearth of oxygen supplies for their Covid-19 patients as shortages of anti-viral drugs and equipment spawn a black market for desperate relatives. India, staring down its worst-ever health emergency, is struggling under an explosion of virus cases that has led to the collapse of medical facilities across major cities. Patients in ambulances, stretchers and private vehicles have been waiting outside hospitals filled to capacity. Oxygen supply has been a huge problem, particularly in New Delhi, the hardest-hit among Indian cities.
Source:The Star
April 27, 2021 02:01 UTC
Missing the adrenaline rush
I did not contract the virus but rather came into close contact with an individual who had it. Going for a swab test for the first time was certainly a memorable experience, for all the wrong reasons. Now, don’t get me wrong – I am not a party guy who spends after working hours drinking with pals and heading home in the wee hours of the morning. While a journalist can do that sitting behind a desk, there is nothing like feeling the adrenaline rush when being out there in the field, because that is what we do. Ya, the quarantine was a learning experience but I definitely would not want to put myself in such a situation again.
Source:The Star
April 27, 2021 01:13 UTC
Insight- India’s Covid crisis threatens a global oil recovery
INDIA, the world’s third-largest oil consumer behind the United States and China, was meant to be a major driver of oil’s demand recovery as economies reopened. Demand for oil in the world’s third-largest oil market was expected to be above, or close to, pre-pandemic levels this year. The world’s biggest oil producers are starting to fret too. A slump in India’s oil demand will make that more difficult, forcing them either to delay opening the taps once again or risk undermining crude prices. Article type: metered User Type: anonymous web User Status: Campaign ID: 46 Cxense type: free User access status: 3
Source:The Star
April 27, 2021 00:59 UTC
Don’t give up on cultivating a reading habit
Call it apathy or perhaps it’s because some of us are not there yet in achieving First World civic- consciousness. With mobile phones in wide use nowadays, why not use a QR code system to lock and unlock the kiosks? Another plus point is the data gathered from the book borrowers – it would form a useful demographic database that can track Malaysians’ reading habits. There is no easy answer, but cultivating a love of books and reading is shaped from young through learning from and emulating parents, teachers and leaders. The Kuala Lumpur World Book Capital 2020 campaign has ended but let’s continue supporting its good efforts.
Source:The Star
April 27, 2021 00:37 UTC
Ringgit opens below 4.1000 against US dollar ahead of Fed decision
KUALA LUMPUR (April 27): The ringgit opened at 4.0977 against the US dollar in morning trade as investors weighed the outlook of the US dollar ahead of the US Federal Reserve's (Fed) monetary policy decision today. At the time of writing, the ringgit was traded at 4.0998 against the US dollar after the exchange rate closed at 4.0977 yesterday. Over the last one year, the ringgit-US dollar exchange rate was between 3.9957 and 4.3733. Against other curencies today, the ringgit strengthened against the Singapore dollar at 3.0881 at the time of writing, but weakened versus the Australian dollar at 3.1902. "Dollar bears are treading a bit carefully ahead of the Fed decision," Joe Manimbo, a senior market analyst at Western Union Business Solutions was quoted as saying.
Source:The Edge Markets
April 27, 2021 00:21 UTC
Musk says Tesla sold Bitcoin to prove liquidity as cash alternative
(April 27): Tesla sold 10% of its Bitcoin holdings to prove the cryptocurrency’s liquidity as an alternative to holding cash on the balance sheet, CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet reply. Musk added that he has not sold any of his personal Bitcoin. I have not sold any of my Bitcoin. Tesla sold 10% of its holdings essentially to prove liquidity of Bitcoin as an alternative to holding cash on balance sheet. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 26, 2021He was responding to a separate tweet from Barstool Sports President Dave Portnoy who claimed that Musk bought Bitcoin, pumped it and then dumped it to make a fortune.
Source:The Edge Markets
April 27, 2021 00:11 UTC
M’sia to start using AstraZeneca
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will proceed with using the vaccine from AstraZeneca for its Covid-19 immunisation programme after health authorities are convinced of its safety, says Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba. “The AstraZeneca vaccine is safe to be used for all and it is effective. We will begin using the vaccine on those aged 60 years and above, ” he told a press conference yesterday. On Friday, Malaysia received its first batch of 268,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the global Covax facility in South Korea. To date, more than 20 million people have received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Source:The Star
April 26, 2021 23:28 UTC
Apple iPhone privacy update seen hurting Facebook revenue in second-quarter
(Reuters) - When Facebook Inc reports first quarter earnings on Wednesday, investors will be preoccupied with how a new pop-up privacy notification on Apple's iPhones will affect the second quarter. Facebook faces up to a 7% decline in second quarter revenue if 80% of its users block the company from tracking them on iPhones, said mobile ad analyst Eric Seufert. It has warned investors that a significant number of iPhone users could reject being tracked, and hurt Facebook's digital ad business. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has accused Apple of behaving anti-competitively, handicapping other developers to benefit its own app ecosystem. The feature lets users browse and purchase items like clothes and jewelry from select merchants within Facebook and Instagram.
Source:The Star
April 26, 2021 14:50 UTC
Soccer-Real not thinking about any Super League sanctions - Zidane
(fixes typo in 'test' in penultimate para)MADRID (Reuters) -Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Monday he was not thinking about any sanctions against the club from UEFA in the wake of the European Super League announcement last week. The breakaway league involving 12 of Europe's major clubs collapsed within three days of its announcement amid a fierce backlash from fans, governing bodies and politicians. "It's absurd to think that we won't be in the Champions League next season," he told a news conference ahead of Tuesday's semi-final, first leg at home to Chelsea. "The president (Perez) knows what I feel (about the Super League) in my heart. There was better news, however, with midfielder Toni Kroos and Real's former Chelsea forward Eden Hazard fit for the game.
Source:The Star
April 26, 2021 10:18 UTC
Govt imposes anti-dumping duties on steel trade from Indonesia, Vietnam
KUALA LUMPUR (April 26): The Malaysian government has imposed anti-dumping duties on imports of cold rolled stainless steel in coil, sheet or any other form (subject merchandise) originating or exported from Indonesia and Vietnam. In a statement today, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) said the anti-dumping duty for Indonesia is 8.8% to 34.82% and Vietnam 7.81% to 23.84%. “The collection of anti-dumping duty on the subject merchandise has been enforced by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department for five years from April 24, 2021 to April 23, 2026. "The imposition of the anti-dumping duties on the subject merchandise from these countries is expected to address the issue of unfair trade practices," it said. On July 28, 2020, the government initiated an anti-dumping investigation into the subject merchandise originating or exported from Indonesia and Vietnam in accordance with the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Act 1993 and Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Regulation 1994.
Source:The Edge Markets
April 26, 2021 09:45 UTC