Contradictheory: So, how safe are Malaysia's newly re-opened schools?
A Malaysian school published on Instagram a photo of a classroom after schools reopened – everybody was wearing a mask except the teacher. The obvious question is, “Does the teacher need to wear a mask at all times when in school?” What is safe behaviour? This is backed up by the SOP published by the National Security Council that says “always wear masks”. On top of that, last month, the school informed parents that students who are immunocompromised must wear masks all the time. This implies it might not be always necessary for all students – and by extension, teachers – to wear masks.
Source:The Star
March 07, 2021 01:52 UTC
In Iraq's ruined city of Mosul, pope hears of life under Islamic State
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Muslim and Christian residents in the ruined Iraqi city of Mosul told Pope Francis of their lives under brutal Islamic State rule on Sunday as the pontiff blessed their vow to rise up from ashes and told them that "fraternity is more durable than fratricide." The 84-year-old pope saw ruins of houses and churches in a square that was the old town's thriving centre before Mosul was occupied by Islamic State from 2014 to 2017. Much of the old city was destroyed in 2017 during the bloody battle by Iraqi forces and an international military coalition to drive out Islamic State. In an apparent direct reference to Islamic State, Francis said hope could never be "silenced by the blood spilled by those who pervert the name of God to pursue paths of destruction." Francis then flew by helicopter to Qaraqosh, a Christian enclave that was overrun by Islamic State fighters and where families have slowly returned and rebuilt ruined homes.
Source:The Star
March 07, 2021 01:50 UTC
Boyfriend of Myanmar protest 'martyr' vows resistance
Protesters shelter behind shields as they face security forces during a demonstration against the military coup next to Shwezigon Pagoda in Nyaung-U near the UNESCO world heritage site Bagan on March 7, 2021. "I got a tattoo of her portrait as I'm missing her -- it's a memory for us. "I sent her a message, 'Please call me back', because I had no credit on my phone, but she never did," said Hein Yar Zar, who heard the news of her shooting from her sister. "I stayed beside her at the hospital and I prayed every day that she would get better. "She gave her life for this revolution -- as her boyfriend, I will keep doing it for her," he said.
Source:The Star
March 07, 2021 00:38 UTC
Coveted apprenticeship goes digital
THE Covid-19 pandemic is no deterrent for Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) to run the fifth instalment of its CXO Apprentice Programme. Digi chief human resource officer Elisabeth Stene said she was amazed at how quick the young talents have adjusted to the fast-paced business conditions. “Despite having to work from home most of the time, they have been able to gain hands-on experience, under the guidance of their CXO (chief officer) mentors, ” she said. HELP University psychology student Anne Selvam said the company’s measures to keep employees engaged has been one of the highlights of her apprenticeship. For details on Digi’s CXO Apprentice Programme, visit digi.my/cxoapprentice.
Source:The Star
March 07, 2021 00:10 UTC
UTAR student to represent country at global design challenge
This follows his win at the ACA Championship Malaysia 2020, where he beat participants from 70 educational institutions to emerge champion. “This competition fascinated me because I am very passionate about the creative arts using Adobe Photoshop. As the competition was deferred from May to September, Tse seized the opportunity to improve his visual design skills using Adobe Photoshop. He also attended a two-day Adobe Photoshop workshop held by the organisers where he obtained an Adobe Photoshop certification. I am still learning to be better and to showcase more of my work using Adobe Photoshop, ” he said.
Source:The Star
March 07, 2021 00:00 UTC
Perak student tops Tamil public speaking challenge
SHALINI Pubalachandar from SMK Methodist (ACS) Sitiwan, Perak, recently trumped 600 other participants to emerge victorious in an international public speaking competition. The Form Four student gave a speech on mother tongue language at the International Budding Star 2021 Tamil language public speaking competition held on Jan 29. The competition, held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was jointly organised by private education providers in India and Malaysia. Shalini, an aspiring teacher, has been actively involved in public speaking since she was 10. Her years of participating in school, national and now international level competitions have taught her the importance of working hard and smart.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 23:59 UTC
The Four Ds of politics
Exploring the connection between personal trauma and political success has been an obsession of mine since I first entered politics 20 years ago. The Four Ds I call them, the four types of people who run for office: damaged, desperate, disenfranchised and duty-bound. The desperate candidates all seem to regard politics as a vehicle for achieving instant respect – a reasonable assumption, I guess. Like President Reagan, their fathers drank or were abusive like President Clinton’s, or emotionally unavailable like President Wilson’s. It helps me to understand a candidate’s politics and to predict their needs and behaviour.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 23:48 UTC
Guessing game over Tan Sri drug lord
IT’S a shocking revelation – Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said many times that several individuals, including those with “Tan Sri”, “Datuk Seri” and “Datuk” titles have been identified as the masterminds behind more than five drug syndicates in the country. However, there aren’t many Tan Sri, although more are surfacing in recent years. Following this titbit of info, the media and businessmen, especially those with Tan Sri titles, have been trading notes to find out what they’ve heard. There has been speculation, naturally, that since the drug raid was in Penang, the implicated Tan Sri could be from there, too. They would have left Malaysia, MCO or not, now that the police have publicly revealed their pursuit and even named the Tan Sri and their trades.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 23:37 UTC
Zii Jia and Kian Meng-Pei Jing falter in semi-final stage
Second seeded Zii Jia was stopped 18-21,10-21 by fast-rising Thai teenager Kunlavut Vitidsarn in 41 minutes yesterday. Despite the defeat, it was still a relatively successful outing for Zii Jia. Zii Jia slipped to No. SEMI-FINALSMen’s singles: Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt K. Srikanth (Ind) 21-13,21-19; Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt Lee Zii Jia (Mas) 21-18,21-10. Sindhu (Ind) bt Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Tha) 21-16,23-21; Mia Blichfeldt (Den) bt Phittayaporn Chaiwan (Tha) 21-10,21-7; Pornpawee Chochuwong-Line Christophersen (Den) 21-11,21-15.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 23:37 UTC
There is protection for Covid-19 vaccine
From April onwards, senior citizens and high risk groups will get the Covid-19 vaccine, followed by adults aged 18 and above beginning May. Several insurance companies have started extending coverage for such possible complications, with some offering it for free to existing clients. For those who worry about such side effects, Dr Subramaniam stresses that the benefits of getting the vaccine outweigh the risks by far. “Hence, kudos to insurance companies offering additional coverage for any complications that can arise from the vaccine, ” she says. “Hopefully, this option by the insurance companies will encourage more to get the jabs so that we can form herd immunity successfully, ” he adds.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 23:15 UTC
Why it's so hard for survivors to come forward
When survivors come forward to disclose a sexual assault, they are frequently met with more questions than support in our communities. The timing of the disclosure should be just right or we question why they didn’t come forward soon enough. It’s little wonder many victims wait decades to come forward, or decide not to report a sexual assault at all. With public attention focused on recent allegations of sexual assault, it’s the right time to be asking why survivors don’t always come forward straight away. It is important for sexual assault survivors to be heard, to be believed, and to be told what happened is not their fault.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 22:52 UTC
M’sian teen gets gold in Commonwealth essay competition
WHEN she was younger, Mae Chew was apprehensive every time she sat for her English language written examinations. Last November, Mae bagged the Gold Finalist award at the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) 2020, which saw the participation of 13,000 students from 58 countries. It was the highest accolade awarded at the annual event, known to be the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools. In her entry to the competition, themed “Climate Action in the Commonwealth”, Mae wrote a short story and titled it Things I Do Not Know. In 2019, her research paper on ethnic politics earned her the Gold Key Award – the highest possible accolade for entries competing in the International Writing Region-at-Large division of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 22:18 UTC
PSG ease into French Cup last 16 with Brest win
PARIS (Reuters) - Paris St Germain geared up for their Champions League last-16 second leg against Barcelona with a no-nonsense 3-0 victory at Stade Brestois in the French Cup last 32 on Saturday. Mbappe put the visitors ahead on nine minutes with a fierce strike into the top corner at the end of a counter-attack. Sarabia doubled the advantage just before the interval by latching onto Julian Draxler's cross after another rapid break. Mbappe then chested the ball into the net from Marco Verratti's cross to put the result beyond doubt in the 74th minute. Elsewhere, RC Lens, who are fifth in Ligue 1, slumped to a 3-2 defeat at third division Red Star.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 22:11 UTC
Manhattan’s real estate agents take up TikTok to find renters
It’s also a place to hawk Manhattan apartments. New York real estate professionals are turning to the booming social media app to find tenants in a market where units are piling up amid near-record vacancies. That’s made alternative marketing strategies like TikTok, which enable agents to connect with renters on their mobile phones, ever more essential. A person who has stopped scrolling to watch a video about something related to New York real estate in the past might be shown one of Sutton’s the next time. Sutton, who calls herself a “real estate influencer” on LinkedIn, recently helped a young professional find a place in Murray Hill.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 11:26 UTC
Ex-PKR MP Steven Choong rubbishes allegations of being pressured to support Muhyiddin
JOHOR BARU: Former PKR lawmaker Steven Choong (pic, right) has rubbished allegations that he was pressured by government enforcement agencies to support Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Choong, who is also Tebrau MP, said that the allegations made by the Pakatan presidential council were untrue and were made with ill-intention. "The statement by the Pakatan presidential council is blatantly untrue, uncalled for and done with ill-will. Choong also stressed that he left Pakatan voluntarily, as he has lost confidence in its leadership. "I wish to state in no uncertainty that I left Pakatan voluntarily.
Source:The Star
March 06, 2021 10:40 UTC