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SEOUL, South Korea — On a recent nighttime visit to a drugstore, a double-masked Kim Jong Un lamented the slow delivery of medicine. Separately, the North Korean leader’s lieutenants have quarantined hundreds of thousands of suspected COVID-19 patients and urged people with mild symptoms to take willow leaf or honeysuckle tea. Despite what the North’s propaganda is describing as an all-out effort, the fear is palpable among citizens, according to defectors in South Korea with contacts in the North, and some outside observers worry the outbreak may get much worse, with much of an impoverished, unvaccinated population left without enough hospital care and struggling to afford even simple medicine. “North Koreans know so many people around the world have died because of COVID-19, so they have fear that some of them could die, too,” said Kang Mi-jin, a North Korean defector, citing her phone calls with contacts in the northern North Korean city of Hyesan. She said people who can afford … [Read more...] about Tea and infomercials: North Korea fights COVID with few tools

FILE PHOTO: Service members of Ukrainian forces who have surrendered after weeks holed up at Azovstal steel works are seen inside a bus, which arrived under escort of the pro-Russian military at a detention facility in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict in the settlement of Olenivka in the Donetsk Region, Ukraine May 17, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko MARIUPOL, Ukraine — Moscow said nearly 700 more Ukrainian fighters had surrendered in Russian-held Mariupol as it shored up a key gain in the south, while the United States became the latest Western country to reopen its embassy in Kyiv. Ukraine has ordered its garrison in Mariupol to stand down, but the ultimate outcome of Europe’s bloodiest battle for decades remains unresolved. Top commanders of Ukrainian fighters who had made their last stand at the Azovstal steelworks in the port city were still inside the plant, according to the leader of pro-Russian separatists in control of the area, Denis Pushilin was quoted by … [Read more...] about More Ukraine fighters surrender in Mariupol, Russia says; US reopens Kyiv embassy

Ismail Sabri (left) with Balakrishnan - A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 19): Issues related to the 1962 Johor River Water Agreement were among the matters discussed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan during their meeting on Wednesday (May 18). In his latest posting on Facebook, Ismail Sabri said he received a courtesy call from Dr Vivian at his office in Putrajaya on Wednesday. “Many issues were discussed including the 10th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders Retreat, bilateral ties, investment, tourism, cross-border issues and the Johor River Water Agreement 1962. “We also discussed the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail project, the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project, as well as Malaysia-Singapore maritime and airspace issues,” he said. He also expressed hope that the existing bilateral ties between the two countries would remain strong for mutual benefit. … [Read more...] about Johor River Water Agreement among matters discussed by PM with Singapore foreign minister

This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on May 9, 2022 - May 15, 2022. - A + A BECAUSE military spending has always been shrouded in secrecy, companies involved in the industry are used as conduits to channel kickbacks that go undetected. It is no different with Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) and its subsidiary Boustead Holdings Bhd (BHB), two companies that are major beneficiaries of Malaysia’s defence spending. The defence business is carried out via Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd (BHIC), in which BHB has a 65% stake. LTAT directly owns 8.16% of BHIC. In the last 15 years, more often than not, the Boustead Group and LTAT were in the limelight for facilitating deals seen largely as not “commercially driven”. From procurement of submarines to land and traffic surveillance systems, LTAT and BHB have been used as vehicles to buy assets at inflated prices. Mainly, the assets are linked to connected individuals. One … [Read more...] about Cover Story: A litany of controversial deals

- A + A LONDON (May 19): Britain's pound inched up against the dollar on Thursday, but stayed clear of recent two-week highs as soaring inflation combined with a murky growth outlook prevented a stronger rebound. At 0850 GMT, sterling was up 0.4% at $1.2395. However, the currency stayed off highs of $1.25 seen earlier this week, having tumbled on Wednesday after data showed UK inflation rising to a 40-year record and concerns flared about a sharp economic slowdown given the pain inflicted on consumers. "The key debate we’re having, and the Bank of England is having, is to what extent should they be responding to the pick-up in inflation and to what extent the rise in inflation is putting downward pressure on future growth, so limiting the need to tighten policy," said RBC Capital Markets chief currency strategist Adam Cole. "We're kind of on a bit of a knife edge at the moment over which one dominates." An easing in the safe-haven dollar aided the pound's … [Read more...] about Britain’s pound inches up, but growth fears dominate

So, you have a job interview at a company you really like. It’s your dream job. Your interviews are scheduled, and you ready to start to preparing. But how? advertisement advertisement Most candidates research the company, the interviewer, and the job, then jot down notes on what they’ll say and write out questions to ask. But how many job seekers actually write out a script for themselves? Not many! They may fear sounding wooden or robotic in the interview. Or they suspect they’ll panic if they forget their lines. Don’t believe it. Without a script, you’re rudderless. You’ll deliver whatever comes into your head at the moment. And you won’t necessarily get across a clear, consistent message about your readiness for the job. As a former speechwriter, I can tell you, good scripts don’t come “in the moment.” There’s a slight chance you’ll get it right. But more likely you’ll deliver mixed messages that don’t add up to a clear and compelling picture … [Read more...] about How to write a script for a job interview that feels authentic

It wasn’t so long ago that creators were dismissed as frivolous curiosities. YouTubers and TikTokers were seen as kids with too much time on their hands and Instagram influencers as wannabe celebrities with a narcissism streak. advertisement advertisement Today, we know better. Content creation is serious business. The industry was worth $13.8 billion in 2021 with brands, marketers, and social media platforms reliant on creators to reach critical audiences. Meanwhile, creators themselves have proven they are legitimate entrepreneurs who boast some serious hard skills: photography and video editing, SEO, small business financial management, and contract negotiation. And with some, like Miss Excel Kat Norton earning six figures in a single day by hawking Excel tips on TikTok, it’s no wonder a majority of Gen Z and Millennials say they’d consider getting paid for the content they post online . But creators have also brought back into focus some of … [Read more...] about 3 ‘creator’ soft skills that can get you hired

Image: Instagram/@kuhledesma OPM singer Kuh Ledesma encouraged Filipinos to pray for the country’s leaders as she assured that God is “in control” amid the results of the May 9 elections. Ledesma, who was among the celebrities who campaigned for Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, admitted she was saddened by the results of the polls, as seen on her Instagram page yesterday, May 18. Both Robredo and Pangilinan fell behind in the Commission on Elections’ partial and unofficial count of votes. Presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has garnered the majority votes at 31.09 million as of Monday, May 16. “Alam ko there’s a lot of people who are sad. Ako rin nalungkot, sobra. Ilang days ko ‘yan ipinagdasal,” Ledesma said. (I know there’s a lot of people who are sad. I was also very sad. I prayed for it for days.) Despite this, Ledesma believes one should not remain sad for long. “Ayaw kong manatiling malungkot dahil I am grateful to … [Read more...] about Kuh Ledesma assures public post-elections: ‘God is in control’

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri. MANILA, Philippines — Amid petitions to suspend the canvassing of votes for the president and vice president, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has weighed in, to uphold the constitutional duty of Congress to proceed with the canvassing. “Congress is constitutionally bound to canvass the results for the President and Vice President. Nothing can prevent us from performing this duty to ensure the peaceful transfer of power. That is our democracy at work, and that is our sworn duty to the Filipino people,” Zubiri said. “We only need a few days to complete this task, and we commit that before June 30, we shall have our new president and vice president—the ones elected by the sovereign will of 31 million Filipino people.” “The suspension of canvassing of votes for the president and vice president would only promote instability, leaving us without leaders at a crucial time and trigger a constitutional crisis. We are still laboring under the … [Read more...] about Sen. Zubiri: Congress’ canvassing of votes is constitutional and must proceed

JP Nadda (File image) The Congress is neither national nor Indian and not democratic either and has become a "bhai-bahan" party, BJP president J P Nadda said on Thursday in a sharp attack on dynastic parties. Addressing a seminar on "Threat of Dynastic Parties to Democratic Governance", Nadda said dynastic parties, where a person’s interest reigns supreme, lack ideology and are a threat to democracy. While the Constitution bars any discrimination on the basis of birth, leadership in these parties is decided on the basis of birth and others are ignored, he said, bringing in dynasty-run regional parties in almost every state as well as the Congress in his attack. The BJP president blamed the Congress for the growth of regional parties, accusing the main opposition party of not giving space to regional aspirations during its dominance over national politics. The BJP, he said, believes in "unity among diversity" and gives space to regional aspirations while keeping the … [Read more...] about Congress neither national nor Indian, it’s now party of ‘bhai-bahan’: BJP President J P Nadda