Covid-19: About 40 Kampar businesses temporarily close to 'Stop the Chain' of infection
KAMPAR: About 40 business premises here have been temporarily shuttered in their bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19. They are part of the "Stop the Chain" campaign started by a businessman in response to the increase in cases in the district. Kampar is now categorised as an "orange" zone with 36 active cases, following a steep surge over the past few days. He said some people were speculating that there were Covid-19 cases at the respective shops, forcing the temporary closure. If there's still no improvement, I will probably continue to close my shops for another week," he added.
Source:The Star
April 19, 2021 08:46 UTC
AIA Malaysia ties up with DOC2US to provide virtual health services and wellness programmes
KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Electronic prescription (e-prescription) telemedicine provider DOC2US has inked a strategic collaboration with AIA Malaysia to provide virtual health services and wellness programmes to the insurer’s individual and corporate customers. In a statement today, DOC2US said it had successfully completed full integration with AIA Malaysia’s super app, My AIA, to allow users to gain easy access to virtual health services with just a few taps away. DOC2US chief technology officer Tan Aik Keong said AIA customers will now be able to use DOC2US’ digital health services directly via the My AIA app without the need to instal another app. AIA Health Services chief officer Tung Hsiao Ley said the partnership marks an important milestone in its foray into digital health services as the firm enhances and expands its Total Health Solution ecosystem. On top of the in-app integration with My AIA, DOC2US is the only virtual health advisory platform integrated with the MySejahtera app.
Source:The Edge Markets
April 19, 2021 07:07 UTC
Jacky Cheung and Louis Koo conferred honorary awards
Hong Kong singer Jacky Cheung and actor Louis Koo have been conferred honorary awards by the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts on April 16. Cheung was given an honorary doctorate while Koo received an honorary fellowship. Hong Kong actor Wong Cho Lam, veteran actor Lau Shun and opera singer Leung So Kam also received the honorary fellowship from the academy. The academy praised Koo, 50, for actively supporting and promoting Hong Kong films and promoting the Asian film industry over the years. "I hope to continue to promote the development of the Hong Kong film industry and nurture a new generation of film talent in the future," he said.
Source:The Star
April 19, 2021 07:01 UTC
Moody's assigns A3 rating to Malaysia's international sovereign sukuks
It said legal opinions have also confirmed legal, binding and enforceable obligations for the Malaysian government. Moody's also noted that its sukuk ratings do not express an opinion on the structure's compliance with Shariah law. The rating agency said Malaysia's A3 rating is underpinned by its diversified, competitive and moderately large economy, strong medium-term growth potential compared with peers, and ample natural resources. A change in Malaysia's sovereign rating will be automatically reflected in the trust certificate ratings of the issuer. “Volatile politics that undermined the credibility and effectiveness of institutions and threatened the stability of capital flows would also be credit negative.
Source:The Edge Markets
April 19, 2021 06:35 UTC
Her body is not her own: Report shows women face many restrictions
Nearly half the women in 57 countries around the world face restrictions on what they can do with their bodies, such as have sex, use contraception or seek health care, the UN said in a recent report. The authors of the report by the United Nations Population Fund addressed for the first time women's bodily autonomy. The study entitled My Body is My Own lists attacks on women in 57 countries, ranging from rape to forced sterilization to virginity tests and genital mutilation. The study looks at restrictions on women deciding what to do with their bodies without fear of violence or a decision from someone else on their physical integrity. The study said only 56% of the countries examined in the report have laws or policies providing for thorough sex education.
Source:The Star
April 19, 2021 06:00 UTC
The unadulterated excess of a US$574,000 Lamborghini
The 2021 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster is one such unicorn. It has a naturally aspirated V12 engine made by Automobili Lamborghini Holding SpA, at the Lamborghini factory in Bologna, not shared as is so often the case with the Audi-Bentley-Porsche siblings under Volkswagen AG’s maternal wing. Which is to say, don’t buy the Aventador SVJ Roadster if you want something nice for rolling slowly down Rodeo Drive and casual club nights. All those things—especially the magnetism for California Chippies—make this Aventador feel like a true sibling of the glorious and difficult Lamborghinis of the ’70s and ’80s. The SVJ Roadster is as loud, mean, powerful, hot, awkward, big, and fast as the most legendary supercars always have been.
Source:The Edge Markets
April 19, 2021 04:41 UTC
This Malaysian offers relief to the underprivileged through food bank
KSK recently embarked on a food bank project in Pahang to help underpriviledged and marginalised groups, including the Orang Asli. They are in the midst of raising funds for the Bentong Food Bank. Breaking the chain of povertyThong (centre) with volunteers, hopes to help underprivileged families escape the poverty cycle. The group provides the families with essential food items so that they can use whatever money they’ve budgeted for food for their children’s school uniforms, textbooks and other necessities. “Sometimes, the ‘clients’ only need help for six to nine months, and then they are able to get back on their feet, ” says Thong.
Source:The Star
April 19, 2021 02:01 UTC
Tech retakes market lead
Big tech-related growth stocks in other S&P 500 sectors such as Amazon Inc, Tesla Inc and Google-parent Alphabet Inc have also charged higher. The gains have followed a months-long rotation in which tech stocks were outpaced by shares of banks, energy companies and other economically-sensitive names that have surged since breakthroughs in Covid-19 vaccines late last year. The increases in many of these so-called value stocks have slowed lately, while US Treasury prices have come galloping back in April after a sharp first-quarter sell-off. Investors also pointed to the impending influx of quarterly reports as key to determining market leadership, with Netflix Inc and Intel Corp among the major tech and growth company earnings due next week. “Amid increasingly euphoric sentiment, lofty valuations, and peak stimulus, we continue to believe the market has overly priced in the good news, ” BofA’s strategists wrote.
Source:The Star
April 19, 2021 01:41 UTC
The (robot) pizza guy is here
While venture capitalists salivate over sentient transport trucks and robot SUVs that can safely navigate a Boston blizzard, some of the smartest self-driving engineers are making progress flipping chicken sandwiches. But progress is progress. Kiwibot, a five-year-old startup, unveiled a Star Wars-esque droid that looks like a cooler on wheels. With fast-food and sidewalk retail, Nuro, Kiwibot and their rivals are out there getting their repetitions – real-world reps, rather than the simulations self-driving car startups have come to rely on. “She basically said, ‘I saw your robot on the street, and it’s really ugly,” Varela recalls.
Source:The Star
April 19, 2021 01:30 UTC
The bane of modern gadgets
THE camera phone is a boon in my work as a journalist, especially in the last few years, but lately I find this communication gadget is more of a bane. But I admit that this high-technology gadget has more advantages than disadvantages if it is put to good use. As the number grows in China, live-streamers can be a nuisance, occupying public places and recording without getting other people’s consent. Granny Zhang, gained popularity after sharing her inspirational thoughts with a customer Zhang Zhigang, who uploaded video of her at work onto Sina Weibo – Chinese’s Twitter-like social media platform – recently. “There is nothing great, just an old woman making caimo, ” she is seen saying in a follow-up clip by Zhigang.
Source:The Star
April 19, 2021 00:11 UTC
Japan March exports rise 16.1% year/year
TOKYO: Japan's exports jumped 16.1% in March from a year earlier, Ministry of Finance (MOF) data showed on Monday, as demand for goods recovered from low, pandemic-hit levels last year. The reading compared with an 11.6% increase expected by economists in a Reuters poll. Imports gained 5.7% in the year to March, versus the median estimate for a 4.7% increase and following a 11.8% rise in the previous month. The trade balance came to a surplus of 663.7 billion yen ($6.11 billion), versus the median estimate for a 490.0 billion yen surplus. To view full tables, go to the MOF website at: http://www.customs.go.jp/toukei/info/index_e.htm ($1 = 108.7000 yen)- Reuters
Source:The Star
April 19, 2021 00:00 UTC
On the lookout for price hikes
They included 2,266 enforcement officers and over 1,000 price monitoring officers, he said. He said they had been conducting operations to ensure the public was not burdened by price hikes. “This affected chicken prices in the supply chain from the farm level to wholesalers, retailers and consumers. The ministry said it also implemented Ops Suri on Jan 1 to monitor price tagging and prevent profiteering, including from poultry, meat, fish and vegetable traders. He added the ministry had received 15 complaints related to chicken prices, 15 on fish prices, two on vegetables and one on meat prices since the start of Ramadan.
Source:The Star
April 18, 2021 23:14 UTC
You can’t blame Soniia
“It (Covid-19 situation in India) is a little bit out of control now, ” said Soniia, whose name was one of the six taken out from the women’s singles main draw in the updated tournament entry list last Friday. 6 Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand were the two biggest names to have withdrawn from the women’s singles competition. I will focus on preparing for the Malaysia and Singapore Opens instead, ” said Soniia. Soniia is on course to qualify as she’s currently ranked 18th in the Race to Tokyo standings and the top qualifier from Malaysia. “I know how people view me out there but I know exactly what I’m doing and I’m really doing my best.
Source:The Star
April 18, 2021 22:52 UTC
Canada's budget to include digital and luxury levies, but no wealth tax
OTTAWA: Canada's first budget in two years, to be presented to parliament on Monday, proposes a sales tax for online platforms and e-commerce warehouses, a digital services tax for Web giants and a luxury tax on items like yachts, government sources familiar with the document said. It will not include a wealth tax, a levy sought by the opposition New Democrats. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's budget will need the support of at least one opposition group to pass. The budget will include a sales tax for online platforms and e-commerce warehouses starting from July, and a digital services tax on big Web companies starting from Jan. 1,2022, both measures originally promised last year. Online platforms include foreign-based vendors with no physical presence in Canada that sell products such as mobile apps and online video gaming.
Source:The Star
April 18, 2021 22:41 UTC
Soccer-Reaction to major European clubs planning for breakaway Super League
(Reuters) -Media reports on Sunday said that 12 European clubs, including six from England, have signed up to a breakaway Super League -- a rival competition to UEFA's Champions League. We believe that the concept of a European Super League would destroy this dream." CHRISTIAN SEIFERT, CEO OF THE GERMAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE (DFL)"The DFL opposes any concept of a European Super League. FRENCH FOOTBALL FEDERATION"The French Football Federation (FFF) and the Professional Football League (LFP) are opposed to any European Super League project. FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED CAPTAIN GARY NEVILLE"I'm disgusted with Manchester United and Liverpool the most.
Source:The Star
April 18, 2021 17:46 UTC