14th five year

KOTA KINABALU: There will be no Ramadan bazaars in Sabah this year, said the state-level National Security Council. The council said on its official Facebook account that this is due to the emergence of Covid-19 clusters from social gatherings, a low adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the unstable trend in daily case numbers in the state. This will be the second year that Sabah has gone without any festivals or bazaars since the outbreak of the virus last year. Datuk Masidi Manjun, the minister in charge of Covid-19 matters in the state, said Sabah recorded 60 new cases on April 7. He said the average SOP adherence rate for Sabah was at 97% statewide. Six districts - Tawau with 41 new cases, Lahad Datu (8), Kota Kinabalu (2), Kunak (1), Keningau (1) and Kinabatangan (zero new cases as of April 7) - are still categorised as red zones. ... » Learn More about Sabah NSC: No Ramadan bazaars allowed in the state this year

Key figure: Deby at a Sahel summit in the French city of Pau in January last year N'DJAMENA - Chad headed into presidential elections on Sunday in which Idriss Deby Itno, the country's ruler for the last three decades, looks assured of a sixth term. A key ally in the West's anti-jihadist campaign in the Sahel, Deby, 68, is frontrunner in a six-candidate race without major rivals after a campaign in which demonstrations were banned or dispersed. Chad has struggled with poverty and instability since gaining independence from France in 1960. Its leader, Deby, is a former rebel and career soldier who seized power in a coup in 1990 and has twice, with French help, thwarted attempts to oust him. Other candidates include Albert Pahimi Padacke, 55, a former prime minister under Deby, and Felix Nialbe Romadoumngar, 64 -- officially "leader of the opposition" as his URD party has eight seats in the National Assembly. Lydie Beassemda, 54, a former minister of agricultural production, ... » Learn More about Chad votes with 30-year ruler Deby poised for sixth win

This file photo taken on April 16, 2019 shows charred debris inside Notre-Dame-de Paris in Paris in the aftermath of a fire that devastated the cathedral. April 15, 2021 marks the two years anniversary of the fire that devastated Notre-Dame-de-Paris Cathedral, in the center of the French capital. Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN / POOL / AFP PARIS — On the evening of April 15 2019, France and the world watched transfixed in horror as flames ravaged Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, fearful that the heritage landmark could be lost to humanity forever. While the spire collapsed and much of the roof was destroyed, the efforts of firefighters ensured the great mediaeval edifice survived the night. Yet the road to restoration has been long and arduous and it is only expected to return to its former glory in April 2024, five years after the fire. The cause of the blaze remains a subject of uncertainty, although investigators are so far rejecting any idea of foul play and focusing on a ... » Learn More about Two years on, Notre-Dame awaits long path to pre-fire glory

Thailand is notorious for its road and driving conditions, and a disproportionate number of driving accidents . The World Health Organisation now reports that road accidents cost an estimated 500 billion baht in 2019 alone. The WHO report placed Thailand as the number one country in ASEAN with a 32.7 per cent death rate, the highest in Southeast Asia. The Road Accident Victims Protection Co explains that the WHO calculates the financial damages of driving deaths in different countries around the world. Thailand’s 500 billion baht loss amounts to about 3 per cent of the country’s entire 2019 gross domestic product of 16.87 trillion baht. By analyzing statistics and making projections about road deaths from 2021 to 2027, the estimates during the next 6 years that Thailand is facing an average of about 15,400 deaths per year in the best case, and looking a worst case scenario of over 18,600 deaths per year in traffic accidents. Adding an extra depressing edge to this gruesome ... » Learn More about Thailand road accidents cost 500 billion baht per year

TO mark its first decade in the industry, online English education platform 51Talk held its 10 Years Certified Conference 2021 in Beijing, China to update its stakeholders about its education innovation initiatives and future plans to enhance the user experience of teachers and students alike. In the Philippines, the 51Talk platform is used by a community of 30,000 online English teachers who earn in the safety and comfort of their own homes, which is considered a boon to livelihood seekers throughout the pandemic. In his keynote address, 51Talk Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jack Huang emphasized the important role of Filipino teachers in delivering high-quality online English lessons to students. Now, there are 30,000 Filipino teachers who are with 51Talk. “During the past decade, Filipino teachers have risen to become one of the most popular foreign teaching groups in China. As the online education industry matures, Filipino teachers are expected to play a bigger role in ... » Learn More about 51Talk marks its 10th year

Since receiving its first shipment of vaccine on December 15, Guam has been proactively vaccinating the island based on their priority groups. As of March 29, Guam has fully vaccinated over 25 percent of its qualified population and over 39 percent have received at least one dose. In order to accelerate the process and faster reach the target set by the Governor, who aims to vaccinate 50 percent of Guam’s adult population (approximately 62,500 people) by May 1, and 80 percent of the qualified population by July 21, the Vaccine and Antiviral Prioritization Policy Committee (VAPPC) has approved to expand the Covid-19 vaccine eligibility criteria to residents aged 16 years and older. Effective immediately, minors can get vaccinated at designated medical facilities and locations. On another hand, Guam has been reporting low positive numbers in recent months to demonstrate the effectiveness of system to contain Covid-19 virus on the island. Also, Guam Visitors Bureau’s “Guam Safe ... » Learn More about Guam expands Covid-19 vaccine eligibility to 16 years old

Filipinos are known to be naturally talented especially in art. That’s what this brand decided to highlight when they started the company 15 years ago with only 2 bold ideas to capitalize on: Fair Trade and Social Entrepreneurship. With Filipinos having a multitude of cultures and traditions, Gifts & Graces does not look beyond local talent and instead, focuses their energy into partnering with the local communities around the country to showcase the best of what Filipino craftsmen, designers and artists have to offer. The company was the brainchild of Sandy Prieto Romualdez, with the main purpose of bridging the gap between livelihood projects and market access by acting as the venue of expression and celebration of all things Filipino. As retail stores adjust to new realities, Gifts and Graces bravely pivoted amidst the crisis. Their mission is to unleash the potential of Filipinos through authentic and thoughtful designs that connect Filipino artisans with consumers, ... » Learn More about Gifts & Graces: Expanding the World of Filipino Local Artisans

Duterte on motorbike. Image from Sen. Bong Go MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Sunday said he is “not buying” the rumor that President Rodrigo Duterte is sick, saying that the “narcissist” President is doing this on purpose to get attention. “I’m not buying this info that Duterte is sick. He’s been doing that for the past 5 years,” said Trillanes in a statement. “Mawawala kunyare (pretend to disappear) then they’d float their own rumor. Tapos lalabas (then appear) like a conquering hero and burn all those who went for the ride. He’s a narcissist, remember? He craves for the attention,” he added. Trillanes said that instead of getting hooked into the administration’s “script,” Filipinos should demand that the President gets to work “at this time of severe national crisis.” “Napakatamad na, wala pang malasakit” Trillanes said. (Not only is he lazy, but he is also indifferent.) It has already been two weeks since President Duterte last ... » Learn More about Speculation of ‘narcissist’ Duterte being sick is part of admin’s ‘script’ – Trillanes

SINGAPORE - Lucky Plaza and Peninsula Plaza shopping centres were buzzing for the first time in months on Sunday (April 11) after restrictions limiting entry to the two malls on weekends were lifted the day before. The tills rang as workers on their day off, mainly from the Philippines and Myanmar, flocked to their popular hangout spots to shop, eat and get their hair done. "I'm tired but happy," said Ms Sanda Kyaw Naint, owner of Ye Yint Cafe in Peninsula Plaza. The 51-year-old could hardly catch a break on Sunday as she served, during breakfast and lunch hours, almost twice as many customers as she had the previous weekend. Mr Bob Kok, 60, who owns a grocery store in Lucky Plaza, told The Straits Times that the weekend entry restrictions imposed from Aug 29 last year made business even worse for shop owners already struggling with the pandemic. Under the restrictions, those whose identification numbers end in even digits could visit the two malls only on even dates, while ... » Learn More about Crowds return to Lucky Plaza, Peninsula Plaza after lifting of weekend entry curbs

(NYTIMES) - No one in Ms Deena Al Mahbuba's family has met her daughter, Aara. She was born at the end of 2019, extremely premature. By the time Aara left the hospital for her home outside Boston in mid-June, the world was already months into Covid-19 lockdowns. Ms Mahbuba's close relatives, along with her husband's, all live in Bangladesh. The couple moved from there in 2013. Family members have done their best to stay connected, but Ms Mahbuba, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wishes her relatives were nearby. Her elder siblings could help her soothe Aara when she is sleepless. Or they could show her how they introduced foods to their babies. Aara, now 15 months old, struggles with new foods after having been tube-fed in her early life. Ms Mahbuba also hopes Aara will learn to speak Bengali, but worries she needs exposure to the language from people besides her parents. "Sometimes, I feel really sad," she said. "I feel like there is ... » Learn More about Bonding with a child born during pandemic times