Donation of tablets for needy students
FOR close to a year now, students in Malaysia have been forced into home-based learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in schools being closed for an extended period. Many have been left behind due to their inability to afford digital devices such as tablets, smartphones and personal computers. To meet their needs, a public relations firm recently donated 50 tablets to non-governmental organisation PertubuhanKasih Umat Malaysia (PKUM), which is on a mission to provide digital learning devices to some 43,000 poor students in the country. ShekhinahPR spent RM20,000 to purchase the tablets at a discounted rate, as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) project. Its chief executive officer Christopher Raj Aralanthu presented the tablets to PKUM founder Ebit Lew at ShekhinahPR headquarters in Petaling Jaya.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 23:48 UTC
Annuar Musa queried over alleged SOP breach
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have recorded a statement from Tan Sri Annuar Musa over a photograph of him eating at a table with six other people during an event in Cheras. Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Saiful Azly Kamaruddin said the Federal Territories Minister had his statement recorded on Tuesday. Annuar had attended an event during which the photograph of the group eating together was taken. On Facebook, Annuar said he only sat at the table for a while on Saturday and left because the SOP was not being followed. He said gardeners and club members had initially adhered to the SOP during Annuar’s visit, with attendees being instructed to register their details.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 23:36 UTC
First year at the helm of Wisma Putra
Q: In less than a month, you would have led Wisma Putra for a full year. This is why I personally took it upon myself to push for the official visit, with a strict standard operating procedure (SOP). I worked closely with Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, back when we both held the defence portfolio. A: The public had online front-row seats and witnessed for themselves the grand reception accorded to the Prime Minister. Time and again, your name crops up as one of the candidates for deputy prime minister.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 23:29 UTC
In a race for national safety
PETALING JAYA: “Vaccine diplomacy” played a vital role in Malaysia being able to secure a supply of Covid-19 vaccines, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. He also described the race to find a Covid-19 vaccine as having been a difficult challenge, for Malaysia and other countries. “Maintaining relations with our partners around the world is crucial for Malaysia’s vaccination programme as well as to acquire best practices in the use of Covid-19 vaccines from countries that have purchased similar vaccines and begun their national rollout plans, ” he said. “These equipment arrive on our shores every month, which was a strong display of our mended relationships, ” he said. “To be honest, many more of my counterparts expressed their wish to visit Malaysia officially but I was reluctant due to the worry that I would not be able to return the visit.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 22:57 UTC
Prolific Haaland powers Dortmund to victory in Seville
SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland continued his prolific run in the Champions League by scoring twice as his side came from behind to earn a 3-2 win at Sevilla in a last-16 first leg on Wednesday. "The first half, apart from their early goal, went exactly as we had imagined," said Dortmund captain Marco Reus. "The second half wasn’t as good because we became too passive. Sevilla, last season's Europa League winners, went into the game on a run of nine victories in all competitions and without conceding in their last seven games. "I'd been talking a lot to our coach and he said today would be my game, that I would get my chances and I did," said Haaland.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 22:09 UTC
With ski slopes closed, Parisians flock to the beaches
LA BAULE, France (Reuters) - With ski lifts closed because of COVID-19 restrictions, Parisians have flocked to the French Atlantic coast where sunny weather and a spike in visitor numbers have given beaches an air of summer. My husband is tele-working from here, with an ocean view," said Clemence Martin, a school teacher whose in-laws own a house in La Baule. He said more people now were living year-round in La Baule, with lockdowns and curfews making life in cities more stressful. He added that La Baule was also attracting people from northern Europe, some of them thanks to the region's advanced cycling infrastructure. There are more people and their food budget is up; for us it is good," said Sara Grandjean, a fish vendor at the La Baule covered market.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 17:25 UTC
Nadal's grand ambitions thwarted in Australia again
The 34-year-old has now lost in the quarter-finals two years running, having been outplayed by eventual finalist Dominic Thiem last year. Nadal, who won his only Australian Open crown in 2009, had a disrupted preparation for the Grand Slam this year, with a lower back strain putting him out of the ATP Cup. Nadal has had plenty of injury problems at Melbourne Park in the past and been stopped four times in the finals. Not at all feeling unlucky for me and not at all am I complaining about my luck here in Australia," he said. I have what I deserved in my career, and over here in Australia I had chances, but I was not able to convert it.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 15:00 UTC
Culture meets Tinder: this museum wants you to swipe through exhibits
No, we're not talking about online dating, but a new kind of app for museum exhibits - albeit one with a slightly less romantic name: My Object. "It's like Tinder for objects in a museum," says Eckart Koehne, director of the Badisches Landesmuseum in the southern German city of Karlsruhe. The idea is simple: You walk into the museum, download the app on your phone and get swiping as you walk around. From a selection of around 80 objects in this museum's app so far, you simply choose which ones interest you most. Even the interface's design and font when you hook up with an exhibit is reminiscent of Tinder, making the switch from online dating to walking around a museum strangely seamless.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 13:41 UTC
Nadal's Grand Slam record bid blown away by Tsitsipas
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal's bid for a record 21st Grand Slam title came crashing to a halt at the Australian Open on Wednesday as Stefanos Tsitsipas rose up to topple the Spaniard 3-6 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4 7-5 and reach the semi-finals. Fifth seed Tsitsipas booked his second Australian Open semi-final and will meet Russian juggernaut Daniil Medvedev for a place in the decider. Tsitsipas slept-walked through the match before he knuckled down on serve in the third set. The stadium was empty barring a few coaches, officials and ballkids, but tension reached boiling point as Tsitsipas butchered a forehand on match point. Tsitsipas made no mistake on his third chance to seal it, blasting a winning backhand that left Nadal's record bid in tatters.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 13:34 UTC
Pioli says AC Milan want to be Europa League surprise package
ROME (Reuters) - Stefano Pioli wants AC Milan to be the surprise of the season in the Europa League as he looks to put a shock Serie A defeat behind him against Red Star Belgrade on Thursday. Milan went on to top Group H ahead of Lille, Sparta Prague and Celtic, and Pioli left no doubt about his side’s aspirations. "The team must have the same desire to progress that we saw against Rio Ave – we want to be the surprise in the Europa League." "It would’ve been more worrying if we had lost while playing like Milan. "We want to be here playing in the Europa League," he said.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 11:15 UTC
Factory fined RM18,000 for discharging waste into Prai River
BUTTERWORTH: The Penang Department of Environment (DoE) has fined a food processing factory here RM18,000 for discharging effluents into the Prai River. Penang DoE director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said the department investigated the condition of the Prai River after receiving complaints about water pollution and dead fish. "The department received information from the public claiming the Prai River is contaminated with white foam. The department has directed the factory to cease all effluent emissions into the river immediately. "A compound has been issued to the factory under the Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluent) Regulations 2009.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 11:03 UTC
PKR veep denies man held by MACC was his aide, states stand against graft
There has also been talk alleging that Tinagaran's actions were linked to the then Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry helmed by Dr Xavier. Dr Xavier added it had been wrongly reported in the media that Tinagaran, who was a close family friend, was his aide. Spurred by advice from family and friends, Dr Xavier said he was clearing his name with the authorities. Dr Xavier added that the onus was on leaders implicated in graft to prove their accountability. Tinagaran was arrested on Tuesday (Feb 16) when he went to the MACC office to record his statement.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 10:51 UTC
Zaid vs Zaid
For former de facto law minister Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim and his former law firm, Zaid Ibrahim & Co, it means everything, as the law firm — now one of the largest in the country — is already a familiar name and brand. Last November, 69-year-old Zaid sued Zaid Ibrahim & Co after he was removed as chairman nine days after he was appointed to the position. Discovery applicationTo support his suit, Zaid filed a discovery application in December to obtain documents from the law firm. He has not given a pointed answer as to what has happened to my beneficial shareholding in Zico Holdings. Zaid has engaged the firm of Messrs Suflan TH Liew as its solicitors, while Zaid Ibrahim & Co has hired the firm of Tommy Thomas and the former attorney-general to represent them.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 17, 2021 10:07 UTC
Najib to support Rosmah on decision day of her corruption trial
“I am making an application because my client wants to support his wife, ” Shafee said in court Wednesday (Feb 17). On Nov 15,2018, Rosmah claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to two counts of soliciting RM187.5mil and receiving RM1.5mil for projects to provide solar energy to rural schools in Sarawak. On the second count, Rosmah was charged with dishonestly receiving for herself RM1,500,000 from Saidi for the same purpose at No. All the cases had been transferred from the Sessions Court to the High Court for the trial which began on Feb 5,2020. The prosecution trial has concluded and Rosmah will know tomorrow whether she will be acquitted or will have to enter her defence.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 09:34 UTC
Nominations, registration for Perak Youth Assembly sitting now open, says MB
IPOH: Nominations and registration for the Perak Youth Assembly sitting have officially open, says Datuk Saarani Mohamad (pic). The Perak Mentri Besar said nominations for the representatives and voters would be held starting from Wednesday (Feb 17). “There will be 59 youth representatives from each constituency in the state. He also appointed Trong assemblyman Jamilah Zakaria as the Speaker for the sitting, assisted by Perak Youth Council president Aswannudin Hariffudin as Deputy Speaker 1. Perak Alumni Youth Council president Muhammad Ariff Zaky Mohd Zolkafly will be the second deputy speaker.
Source:The Star
February 17, 2021 08:22 UTC