Sabah’s dusk-to-dawn sea curfew extended until March 16

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s dusk-to-dawn sea curfew which ends Sunday (Feb 28) has been extended for another two weeks until March 16. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rtflrw

‘A possible drop in numbers by May’

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Covid-19 cases can drop to two digits by May if the R0 or R-naught continues to be on a downward trend, says the Health director-general. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtflrN

France reports 23,996 new COVID-19 cases, 186 deaths

PARIS (Reuters) - France on Saturday reported 23,996 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the space of 24 hours, down from 25,207 the previous day, data from the health ministry showed. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rtflp3

Five protesters die, dozens injured in clashes in Iraqi city

NASSIRIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - At least five protesters were killed and more than 175 people injured on Friday in clashes between demonstrators and security forces in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya, a Reuters witness and other sources said. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rtbw8F

UK says it still raises 'terrible crime' of Khashoggi killing with Saudi government

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Friday it continued to raise the issue of Jamal Khashoggi's killing in engagements with Saudi Arabia's government, and regards his death as a terrible crime. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rtbw7Z

'No smoking gun,' 'We are all Mohammed bin Salman,' say crown prince supporters

DUBAI (Reuters) - "No smoking gun," pro-government Saudi commentators concluded in response to a U.S. intelligence assessment that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had approved the operation to capture or kill journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rtbw5w

Facebook signs letter of intent with three Australian media firms

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Facebook Inc on Friday said it had signed letters of intent with three Australian media firms, a day after the country's Parliament passed a law forcing it to pay media companies for using content on its platform. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtXL9X

On a scale of one to 15, how do you rate your ‘Zoom fatigue’?

“Zoom fatigue” is the expression coined to describe feelings of mental fatigue experienced following an excess of videoconference calls – a new source of angst for home workers and students since the onset of the pandemic. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtXL62

More peninsular states get their vaccine doses

KUALA LUMPUR: More states in Peninsular Malaysia have received their supply of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, on the second day of the first phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtXL1Q

Reddit recovers from hour-long outage amid heavy trading in GameStop

(Reuters) - Reddit recovered from an hour-long outage that affected thousands of users on Wednesday afternoon as volatility returned to stocks including GameStop GME.N> and AMC that were at the center of a slugfest between retail traders and Wall Street. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtSGWn

Chinese ride-sharing giant Didi plans entry into Europe

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing Technology Co plans to make its debut in Western Europe, people familiar with the matter said, as the company seeks new growth markets ahead of a long-awaited initial public offering. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtSGRb

EU-U.S. data flows could face 'massive disruption' - Irish regulator

DUBLIN (Reuters) - One of the European Union's most powerful data regulators has warned companies may yet face massive disruption to translatlantic data flows as a result of an EU court ruling last year, despite efforts by policymakers to avoid that outcome. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtSGNk

Samsung SDI to invest $849 million to expand EV battery plant in Hungary

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean manufacturer Samsung SDI Co Ltd said it will invest 942 billion won ($849 million) to expand its electric vehicle (EV) battery factory in Hungary, a company official told Reuters on Wednesday. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtNBrp

China imposes new rules to restrict independent online content creators

China has this week imposed its tightest restrictions to date on the publication of original content online via short video and “self-media” accounts, in the latest escalation of its ongoing crackdown on public discourse. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtNBp6

Tech firms say there’s little doubt Russia behind major hack

Leading technology companies said on Feb 23 that a months-long breach of US corporate and government networks was so sophisticated, focused and labour-intensive that a nation had to be behind it, with all the evidence pointing to Russia. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtNBlD

‘Tighten exam SOP, please’

PETALING JAYA: The strict standard operating procedure (SOP) at Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination centres ensured candidates felt safe sitting for their long-delayed national examination. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtJ5mx

U.S. arrests wife of Mexico cartel chief El Chapo on drug charges

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The wife of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the imprisoned former leader of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel, was arrested on Monday over her alleged involvement in international drug trafficking, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtJ5jT

Vaccine passport offers hope

PETALING JAYA: As Covid-19 vaccinations start to roll out in many countries, including Malaysia which will start soon, talk of a “vaccine passport” is gaining pace. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtJ5fN

Pilot endures most nerve-racking hour flying in vaccines to M'sia

SEPANG: It was the most nerve-racking hour in Captain Hamdan Che Ismail’s 29-year career in the aviation industry as he navigated flight MH604 carrying the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines from Singapore to Malaysia. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtD41P

Facial recognition may help find US Capitol rioters, but at a cost

As facial recognition is increasingly used by authorities to nab lawbreakers from criminals to US Capitol rioters, experts warn it could harm many others. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtD40R

RTS to further spur Johor’s economy

JOHOR BARU: The state is slated to boom further by the next five years with the completion of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link which will take commuters only five minutes to reach Singapore, says the Ruler of Johor. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RtD3xn

’The Medium’ mixes horror with unusual game mechanics

Horror game "The Medium" plays with a mechanic that splits the user between two worlds, in an interesting twist to the genre. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rt8xc0

Australian PM Morrison gets COVID-19 vaccine as inoculation rollout starts

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was injected on Sunday with the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, as the nation started its inoculation program a day ahead of schedule. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rt8xbd

Pig deaths in Pitas, Sabah linked to African Swine Fever

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Veterinary Services Department has linked the recent deaths of scores of pigs in Pitas district in the state to a possible outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF). Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rt8xbG

Four key combinations every Windows user needs to know

Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rt65jl

Apple in talks to buy self-driving sensors, key step in car plan

Apple Inc. is shopping for lidar car sensors for its self driving cars, an indicator that the finished product could be several years away still. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rt65jd

UK top court shakes up gig economy with ruling against Uber

After a four year legal saga, UK's top court ruled that Uber drivers are entitled to workers' rights, a decision that could have huge implications to the gig economy. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rt65hy

Australia to continue talks with Facebook's Zuckerberg over media code

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he would continue his talks with Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday after the social media platform blocked its news feeds in the country over disputes over a new media payment code. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rt2X85

U.S. immigration agents ordered to focus on serious criminals, recent border crossers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government issued interim guidance on Thursday sharply limiting who can be arrested and deported by immigration agents, a move that comes as the Biden administration faces growing pressure from activists to scale back deportations. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rt2X7r

Georgia's prime minister resigns, opposition calls for early election

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced his resignation on Thursday, prompting celebrations from the opposition, which called for an early election. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rt2X6q

Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes southeast of Loyalty Islands: USGS

(Reuters) - A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsyYwN

Saudi-Led coalition intercepted a drone launched by Houthis towards Khamis Mushait -state TV

CAIRO (Reuters) - The Saudi-Led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Houthis towards Saudi Arabia's southern city of Khamis Mushait, the state TV reported early on Thursday. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsyYvc

Fishing app surges in US during pandemic with user downloads

Fishing was one of the few sports where participation seemed to pick up when everything else went on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsyYtN

New Zealand to withdraw last few troops from Afghanistan by May

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand said on Wednesday that it will withdraw its last remaining troops from Afghanistan by May, concluding the country's longest running deployment of military personnel, which has lasted two decades. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RstY26

Italy's Draghi to unveil policy goals ahead of Senate vote

ROME (Reuters) - Prime Minister Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, will present his policy priorities in the Italian Senate on Wednesday before a mandatory confidence vote in his government of national unity. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RstY1v

U.S., European foreign ministers condemn rocket attack in Iraq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top diplomats of the United States, France, Germany, Italy and Britain issued a joint statement on Tuesday condemning "in the strongest terms" a rocket attack in northern Iraq that killed a civilian contractor and injured a U.S. service member. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RstY0f

Remote workers flee to RM280,000-a-month resorts while awaiting vaccines

Wealthy Americans and remote workers have fled to tropical bunkers, from Hawaii to Mexico and many parts of the Caribbean, as they wait for a vaccine. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rspcwd

Riot Games CEO faces sexual harassment allegations

League Of Legends maker Riot Games said it had hired an independent team to review allegations of sexual harassment against its top executive, in the latest episode highlighting a troubled workplace culture in the video game industry. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RspcwQ

Palestinians accuse Israel of preventing COVID-19 vaccine transfer to Gaza

TEL AVIV/GAZA (Reuters) - The Palestinian Authority (PA) accused Israel on Monday of holding up the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines into Gaza, where Palestinians have yet to receive any doses. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rspcvq

Elon Musk’s Bitcoin embrace is a bit of a head-scratcher

Though Elon Musk may be famously erratic, his interest in cryptocurrency seems particularly at odds with his other ventures and sustainability goals. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rskr6f

Biden to hold virtual event with G7 leaders on Friday - White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will hold his first event with leaders from the Group of Seven nations on Friday in a virtual meeting to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and the world economy, the White House said on Sunday. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rskr6M

Syrian army says air defences intercepted 'Israeli aggression' over Damascus

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syria's army said on Monday the country's air defences intercepted an "Israeli aggression" over the capital, Damascus in the latest stepped up bombing of Iranian targets inside the country. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rskr3j

Forget 5G, the US and China are already fighting for 6G dominance

The first to develop and patent 6G will be the biggest winners in what some call the next industrial revolution. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsgpkN

Catalonia holds regional election, gauging separatists' strength

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Catalan voters head to the polls on Sunday for an election that will test the strength of the Spanish region's pro-independence movement in an era now dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsgpjK

Kosovo goes to polls in vote that could complicate dialogue with Serbia

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo goes to the polls on Sunday in a parliamentary election that an anti-establishment party is expected to win by a landslide, further complicating Western efforts to resolve a decades-long territorial dispute with Serbia. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsgpgZ

Canadian regulator clears launch of world's first bitcoin ETF - investment manager

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's main securities regulator has cleared the launch of the world's first bitcoin exchange traded fund, an investment manager said on Friday, providing investors greater access to the cryptocurrency that has sparked an explosion in trading interest. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rscygr

Imposter scams remain the most common type of fraud, says US FTC

Consumers reported losing more than US$3.3bil (RM13bil) to fraud in 2020, up from US$1.8bil (RM7bil) in 2019. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rscygf

Indian authorities assess damages after earthquake in Tajikistan

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian authorities on Saturday said there were no initial reports of critical damage to buildings and infrastructure, or casualties, in its northern states after intense tremors from a quake in the central Asian nation of Tajikistan on Friday night. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RscydN

Britain, France, Germany condemn Houthi attack on Saudi's Abha airport

PARIS (Reuters) - Britain, France and Germany on Thursday condemned a spate of attacks on Saudi Arabia claimed by Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen, saying the proliferation of drones posed a serious threat to regional stability. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsYLN3

North Korea's Kim blasts bureaucracy for unambitious economic plans

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has denounced his cabinet for a lack of innovation and "smart strategies" in drafting goals for a new five-year economic plan, state media reported on Friday. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsYLMV

Driver has fiery brush with death

KOTA KINABALU: A man had a close brush with death when his vehicle burst into flames after crashing into a lorry at Jalan Kibabaig Panglima Banting in Penampang near here. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsYLHT

Dine-in green light not much help to restaurants

JOHOR BARU: Restaurants here are depending on takeaway and home delivery orders this Chinese New Year despite dine-ins being allowed now. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsTQWp

U.S. calls on Turkey to immediately release jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala

(Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday called on Turkey to immediately release philanthropist Osman Kavala, who has been detained for more than three years without conviction. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsTQWb

No artificial hike in gadget prices, says Pikom

PETALING JAYA: Despite complaints of price hikes in IT hardware recently, the National Tech Association of Malaysia (Pikom) claimed it has not seen a marked increase in prices across the board. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsTQTb

Elderly man arrested in Minnesota clinic shooting that wounded five

(Reuters) - An elderly man opened fire inside a Minneapolis-area medical clinic on Tuesday, wounding five people before being arrested by police. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsPTvG

North Korea's Kim lays out paths to take with South Korea, external affairs

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the paths for his ruling Workers' Party to take with South Korea and external affairs, state media KCNA said on Wednesday. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsPTsz

US woman who glued hair receives internet's help

The internet rallied behind an American woman who glued her hair with extra strong glue, donating more than RM60,000 for possible surgery. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsPTp0

Australia's Blue Mountains hit by Lunar New Year slump in Asian visitors

KATOOMBA, Australia (Reuters) - Sparse handfuls of people stand at railings to gaze at plunging rocks and shimmering waterfalls amid the verdant vegetation of Australia's Blue Mountains, presenting a stark contrast with the throngs usually drawn to the attraction every year. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsKVl8

U.S. drops lawsuit against former Melania Trump aide for tell-all book

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Monday dropped a lawsuit against Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former aide to Melania Trump who was accused of violating a non-disclosure agreement by writing a tell-all book about the former first lady. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsKVl7

Australia says active COVID-19 cases at near two-month low

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia has fewer than 50 active cases of COVID-19, official data released on Tuesday showed, the lowest number in nearly two months, although authorities warned against complacency. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsKVkV

Apple’s password manager Keychain finally playing nice with Windows

Apple's iCloud Keychain is a handy password manager designed for Macs and iOS devices. But then how are Apple users supposed to get their passwords when sitting at a Windows computer? Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsFZFn

These are the three best free programs to back up your files

Your hard drive gives up the ghost, your files are hijacked by ransomware or there’s a fire at home. None of these scenarios seem particularly immediate – and yet you still have to be prepared for them. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsFZDq

Too soon to end German lockdown, says Bavarian leader Soeder

BERLIN (Reuters) - It is too soon for Germany to lift its lockdown without risking a third wave of COVID-19 infections, Bavarian premier Markus Soeder said on Sunday, ahead of a crunch meeting to review the restrictions aimed at stemming the pandemic. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsFZ9J

GameStop booster did well; many devotees won't as shares sag

Doubts emerged about GameStop and its online boosters this week as the stock plunged, spelling trouble for novice investors who got in too late, bought too high and found themselves caught up in an epic story of battling against the 1%. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsBVDS

Navy drives out nine Indonesian fishing boats from Malaysian waters

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The Royal Malaysian Navy chased out nine Indonesian fishing boats that encroached into Malaysian waters about 44 nautical miles southeast of Pulau Perak, Kedah on Saturday (Feb 6) evening. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsBVDD

Current active cases at 50,894 after 3,847 new ones detected

PETALING JAYA: There are now 50,894 active Covid-19 cases after another 3,847 new cases were recorded, says Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RsBVBZ

Aung San Suu Kyi lawyer says unable to meet her, seeks unconditional release

(Reuters) - The lawyer for Myanmar's detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and ousted President Win Myint said the two politicians were being kept at their homes but he was unable to meet them because they are still under investigation after a coup this week. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rs7ckC

Myanmar military rulers order block on Twitter, Instagram 'until further notice'

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The new military rulers of Myanmar on Friday ordered mobile operators and internet service providers to block access to Twitter and Instagram in the country until further notice, Norwegian telecom Telenor said. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rs7chQ

COVAX bottlenecks need to be urgently addressed, U.N. agency says

GENEVA (Reuters) - A top official at the U.N. agency in charge of vaccine deliveries via the COVAX sharing scheme urged recipient countries on Friday to address bottlenecks that could hamper the rollout set to begin this month. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rs7cfC

Apple and Facebook at loggerheads over data privacy

Historically, Apple and Facebook have always had divergent policies when it comes to handling user data. While Apple often paints itself as a champion of data privacy, Facebook has built its whole business model on using that data. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rs3xpB

UK tells social media to take down Covid myths

The British government said on Feb 4 it was telling social media giants to take down posts containing coronavirus disinformation over concern that many in minority communities were refusing to be vaccinated. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rs3xp0

UK tells social media to take down Covid myths

The British government said on Feb 4 it was telling social media giants to take down posts containing coronavirus disinformation over concern that many in minority communities were refusing to be vaccinated. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rs3xn5

U.S. should delay complete troop pullout in Afghanistan -report to Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States should extend the May 1 deadline for pulling all its troops from Afghanistan, and make force cuts contingent on progress in peace talks as well as by the Taliban in reducing violence and containing al Qaeda, a bipartisan report to Congress said on Wednesday. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rs02h0

Ex-Mara Inc chief to be charged over property deal

PUTRAJAYA: A former Mara Incorporated chairman, believed to have received bribes amounting to RM33.45mil over the purchase of a property in Australia, will face 22 charges tomorrow. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rs02gp

The pandemic is giving global tablet sales a boost

Global tablet shipments topped 50 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, reaching levels not seen since the fourth quarter of 2017 (49.9 million), according to data from IDC. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rs02cZ

U.S. agricultural futures fall

CHICAGO, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural futures fell across the board on Tuesday, led by corn. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rrw62V

Amazon announces CEO transition

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Amazon announced on Tuesday that Jeff Bezos will transition to the role of Executive Chair in the third quarter of 2021 and Andy Jassy will become Chief Executive Officer at that time. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rrw606

U.S. stocks jump as GameStop mania cools

NEW YORK, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks finished noticeably higher on Tuesday as concerns over a speculative trading mania eased. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rrw5xY

With Amazon billions, MacKenzie Scott shakes up philanthropy

Food banks, immigrant rights groups, and struggling colleges across the US discovered a surprise benefactor last year as billions of dollars flowed into organisations hurting during the pandemic from MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RrrBkk

With Amazon billions, MacKenzie Scott shakes up philanthropy

Food banks, immigrant rights groups, and struggling colleges across the US discovered a surprise benefactor last year as billions of dollars flowed into organisations hurting during the pandemic from MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RrrBk8

Revive Talian NUR, govt urged

PETALING JAYA: Following last week’s death of a seven-year-old due to alleged abuse, the Children’s Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), Datuk Noor Aziah Mohd Awal, has urged for a special helpline for children to be reintroduced.She said that the current Talian Kasih at 15999 did not provide for such a dedicated line. (Besides handling problems about children, Talian Kasih also deals with cases related to teenagers and domestic violence, among others.) Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RrrBhF

Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Jan. 31

JERUSALEM -- Israel's military chief Aviv Kochavi met with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Commander Stefano Del Col on Sunday to discuss the security situation in southern Lebanon. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RrmLqd

At least 9 dead after two boats capsize off Pacific coast of Colombia

BOGOTA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people have died and several more have been reported missing after two boats capsized on Saturday afternoon off the Pacific coast of Colombia, Mayor Emilsen Angulo of the municipality of Tumaco in the Narino department confirmed on Sunday. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RrmLqc

Over 1,000 people affected by weather front in Chile

SANTIAGO, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The weather front that hit Chile on Sunday has caused flooding, landslides, power outages and other issues that have affected more than 1,000 people, the National Emergency Office (Onemi) reported. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/RrmLpM