Taking charge of your fertility

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT: Authorities on Wednesday charged a computer company based here for violation of Republic Act 9239 or the “Optical Media Act of 2003” after two of its employees were caught illegally selling some P404,000 worth of laptops and monitors in a sting here. A report from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Law Enforcement Department (SBMA-LED) identified the company as ECR World Technology Philippines Inc. (ECR), which is located at the Subic Bay Gateway Park. Zhonghua Yuan, a Chinese national, who was identified as quality control manager of the company, was held for questioning after the entrapment. According to SBMA-LED Officer in Charge Gerardo Johnson, the Optical Media Board’s Enforcement and Investigation Division (OMB-EID) set up the entrapment here at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, wherein an OMB-EID intelligence officer was able to purchase computer units from two ECR employees at a nearby gasoline station. Seized from the ECR employees were 65 pieces of ... » Learn More about Computer firm charged for illegally selling units

The arrest of Senegal opposition leader Ousmane Sonko has sparked deadly clashes DAKAR - Detained Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko will appear in court Monday, with his supporters urged to "massively descend onto the streets" for a new round of protests against his arrest. Five people, including a schoolboy, have been killed in days of clashes sparked by the arrest, the worst violence in years in a country usually seen as a beacon of stability in a volatile region. Sonko is due before the court in Dakar to answer questions about a rape charge, which he says is politically motivated. Schools in the capital have been ordered closed for a week, as the political opposition has called for three more days of protests beginning Monday. The unrest has alarmed the United Nations and Senegal's neighbours, who have appealed for all sides to show restraint, and President Macky Sall -- yet to publicly address the situation -- is facing mounting pressure to speak out. Sonko, ... » Learn More about Sonko in court as Senegal protestors urged to take to streets again

Police in Phuket Thailand say they expect to press charges over the death of a first-year university student cheerleader candidate. The student was allegedly made to run until she collapsed. Police are looking to file of charges of recklessness causing death. Investigators are currently awaiting the autopsy results on Phornphiphat Eaddam, 19. She collapsed at Phuket Rajabhat University on Wednesday and died on Thursday. She was in trials for becoming a cheerleader at the University when she died. The university has denied media reports that her death resulted from a hazing ritual . Saying she had been taking part in a cheerleader practice. “The autopsy results are expected to be known in one or two days,” Pol Col Theera Liemsuwan, chief of the Muang district police station, said yesterday. Police are now gathering evidence before seeking court approval to issue arrest warrants for those involved, he said. Students death happened at cheerleader practice An initial ... » Learn More about Police Say Charges Pending Over death of Cheerleader Candidate

JOHOR BARU: The payment of RM2.10 or RM3.60 to join a secret society is a sign of how the gangster world has changed into a much simpler form compared to the old days, where an elaborate initiation ceremony was required. Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the police were also not ruling out the possibility of charging a low membership fee as a way for secret societies to entice youth. “Youth, especially teenagers, are easy targets as they are seen as a blank canvas that can be moulded and influenced to think that joining a group would protect them when they are in trouble. “In reality, the group would only take advantage of these youths and the low payment is one of the terms of their initiation, ” he said. Comm Ayob said this following a special report published by Kosmo! last Sunday quoting him as saying that secret societies had changed their method of recruiting members to a symbolic payment based on their gang name. “For example, if the gang is ... » Learn More about Criminal gangs now charging cheaper recruitment fees

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for the New York-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW), has condemned the series of police operations against suspected left-leaning individuals in Calabarzon Region. Robertson said HRW is “seriously concerned about reports of raids conducted by law enforcement authorities that resulted in activists’ deaths in the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Rizal.” Calabarzon groups the four provinces, together with Quezon province. “The Philippine government should act now to investigate the use of the lethal force in these raids, stop the mayhem and killings that have gone hand in hand with the practice of Red-tagging, and respect of Filipinos to exercise their civil and political right and dissent,” he said in a statement. Robertson believed that the simultaneous operations were “clearly part” of the Philippine government’s “increasingly brutal counter-insurgency campaign,” with the administration’s ambitious bid to end the 52-year-old ... » Learn More about Watchdog condemns Calabarzon killings

When work stress hits, can guilty pleasures be far behind? Sometimes we write off our costly designer coffee as a ‘harmless’ reward for our hard work . . . or load up our online shopping cart for a fleeting moment of joy. But is this — and other indulgences — the way to a stable future? While we could all use an occasional pick-me-upper, the past year’s crises have underscored the role of wise spending in achieving financial security. There is now a notable increase in the number of Filipinos — young adults particularly — who have ceased to be excessive spenders and are cleverly eyeing more meaningful purchases and investments. Successful property platform Ohmyhome is well aware of this and aims to aid these individuals in pursuing their goal through its webinar series called OhTalks, which will air its third episode on February 27, at 3 p.m., via Facebook live. The webinar will dwell on such timely subjects as financial literacy, real estate, entrepreneurship, and technology, ... » Learn More about Ohmyhome shares tips on finances and savings

EVERY Filipino parent wants the best education for his or her children. Every working Filipino looks forward to a good and comfortable retirement life. Every Filipino wants to have the best medical care as needed. All these need advance preparation. The question is: are Filipinos making the right preparations? Let us look at the facts. According to the latest data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, only 29 percent of Filipino adults had bank deposits in 2019. Though this is already a 6 percent increase from 2017 data, it’s still one of the lowest savings rates in Southeast Asia. Did the 71 percent save their money somewhere else, which they can use during crunch time? A Manulife Investor Sentiment Index survey showed Filipino investors only have personal income equivalent to 3.6 months set aside for retirement, the lowest in Asia with an average of 2 to 3 years. What happens after four months into retirement? Further, of the Philippines’ total health expenditure of P906 billion ... » Learn More about What keeps Filipinos from preparing for the future

In his March 1, 2021, “Setahun Malaysia Prihatin” address to the nation, Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stressed the need for the Cabinet Committee on Poverty to seriously look into ways to alleviate the poverty that affects a sizable portion of the population. I can’t agree more that there is an urgent need to address this issue. Poverty is not only confined to the developing world, as pockets of extreme poverty can also be found in the world’s richest nation. The issue of poverty is amply reflected in Goals One and Two of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As such, allow me to share a little of my experience in this area with the Cabinet Committee. When I was the deputy vice-chancellor (Division of Industry and Community Network) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), we introduced the concept of community engagement to help disadvantaged communities, especially the poor. With some funding from the university, staff members as well as ... » Learn More about China lifted millions out of poverty, Malaysia can, too

Summary of business stories March 1 to 7 Economy EPF: Payment for current i-Sinar applications starts Tuesday For contributors who have RM100,000 and below (Account 1), they have access to any withdrawal amount of up to RM10,000. The payments will be staggered over six months with the first payment of up to RM5,000. For those who have above RM100,000 (Account 1), they have access of up to 10% of their Account 1 savings. China’s Nine Dragons Paper to invest RM5.4b in paper mill, factory China’s Nine Dragons Paper plans to invest RM5.4bil in a paper mill and a factory in Malaysia. Tan Sri Muhyiddin said the Malaysian Government's policy is always pro-business and very supportive and ready to offer attractive incentives to investors. These projects will create a total of 2,180 job opportunities of which, nearly 90% will be Malaysians Corporate News Genting Malaysia cuts pay again as Covid shuts local casino Genting Malaysia is asking some ... » Learn More about Summary of business stories March 1 to 7

HERZLIYA, Israel: From flat battery to full charge in just five minutes — an Israeli start-up has developed technology it says could eliminate the “range anxiety” associated with electric cars. Ultra-fast recharge specialists StoreDot have developed a first-generation lithium-ion battery that can rival the filling time of a standard car at the pump. “We are changing the entire experience of the driver, the problem of ‘range anxiety’… that you might get stuck on the highway without energy,” StoreDot founder Doron Myersdorf said. The innovation could eliminate the hours required to recharge an electric car, he said. Hundreds of prototypes are being tested by manufacturers. His company, based in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, is backed by four key investors: German automobile manufacturer Daimler, the UK’s British Petroleum and the electronic giants Samsung and TDK. Myersdorf, who set up the company in 2012, has tested the battery on phones, drones and scooters, before tackling the ... » Learn More about Israeli develops 5-minute battery car charger