Category: General

KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur (KL) has climbed 16 spots to become the world’s 73rd smartest city out of 142 cities, according to the 2024 Smart City Index (SCI) released by the Institute for Management Development (IMD) Smart City Observatory recently.

Last year, KL was ranked 89th.

The report highlighted several commendable performances of KL, including the ease of online purchasing of tickets and accessibility of online job listings that make it easier to find work.

The report also commended the city’s health and safety structure, such as ‘arranging medical appointments online has improved access’, and mobility structures like ‘online scheduling and ticket sales have made public transport easier to use’.

However, the report found that traffic congestion, corruption, air pollution and affordable housing were among the most concerned issues in KL.

Smart City Observatory president Bruno Lanvin said cities must design and adopt strategies to resist the test of a future plagued with growing uncertainties.

He
also said trust and good governance are growing in importance, and the significance of artificial intelligence (AI) in city design and management is set to increase.

‘Counterintuitive as it may sound, AI can help cities to become more human-centric,’ he said in a statement published on the IMD website.

Zurich retained the top spot for the fifth consecutive edition of the SCI in 2024, followed by Oslo, Canberra, Geneva and Singapore.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Prague: The Vietnam Women’s Union in Hungary is organising a wide range of activities to mark its 20th founding anniversary, with a grand ceremony expected to take place in Budapest on June 9.

Attending a get-together held by the union on April 8, Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary Nguyen Thi Bich Thao spoke highly of its contributions to activities of the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese representative offices there.

Women have also contributed to promoting Vietnam’s culture to people in the host country, Thao added.

The union is holding a painting contest for Hungarian children, with the sponsor of the Vietnamese Embassy. The contest is attracting the participation of students from over 50 schools across Hungary. The outstanding works will be honoured at a ceremony on May 25./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: Richmarc Sports 3B and VNS-Nasty will try to end their respective slump when they clash in the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Friday.

The Elite Spikers and the Griffins square off at 4 p.m.

Kernel Ipulan and Kurl Rosete will lead Richmarc Sports 3B’s bid to barge into the win column after four losses.

Ipulan had nine spikes and one ace while Rosete made four attacks and two blocks in their game against the Philippine Navy on April 5.

VNS-Nasty, on the other hand, is expected to lean on Manuel Medina, who scored 18 points against the D’Navigators, also on April 5.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Air Force eyes its second victory against the winless Maverick at 6 p.m.

Bryan Jaleco, Pol Salvador, Louis Lumanlan, and former UAAP juniors MVP Wesley Cajolo will banner the Airmen, who are hoping to bounce back after three straight defeats.

The Hard Hitters, on the other hand, will depend on team captain Razzel Palisoc and Jerome Cordez.

Source: Philippines News A
gency

BAGUIO: About PHP444.94 million worth of agricultural damage has been recorded in the Cordillera region as of March 22 due to the dry spell, a report from the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed on Thursday.

DA-Cordillera Director Jennilyn Dawayan, in a report, said most of the damage involved yellow corn for animal feeds and rice.

She said 5,896 corn farmers posted production loss amounting to almost PHP411.34 million while 1,912 rice farmers registered a total production loss of nearly PHP33.38 million.

On top of these, 62 fisherfolk were also affected, with a total production loss of 1,470 kg. of fish worth PHP226,090.

The report said Ifugao incurred the most damage amounting to about PHP232.12 million, followed by Mountain Province, PHP160.51 million; Kalinga, PHP51.14 million; Abra, PHP591,880; and Benguet, PHP323,910.

Apayao has yet to submit its report.

With these developments, Dawayan said they have sought the help of various agencies and local governments in the region
for assistance to farmers affected by the El Niño.

‘We have updated the master list incorporating the number of farmers affected as a basis for endorsement to the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and the DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) for possible intervention,’ she said.

Dawayan said counterparts in the provincial and municipal government units have also been tapped not just for monitoring, assessment, and surveillance but also to look into additional assistance to the affected farmers and fisherfolk.

She said they have also requested the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. for an updated list of farmers enrolled for insurance and those who have availed of insurance benefits related to El Niño.

The distribution of irrigation network systems to areas at risk of drought has been prioritized, Dawayan said, noting that authorities are also doing an inventory of the small-scale irrigation projects and seed reserve.

She said they have also prepositioned seeds ready for immediate plan
ting in vulnerable areas.

DA data shows that of the 7,361 hectares of land with drought-affected crops, plants in about 6,600 hectares have chances of recovery and have been declared only ‘partially damaged.’

Aside from monitoring damage to farms and searching for interventions, the DA is also monitoring the prices of commodities in the market.

The report said both the DA and the regional office of the National Irrigation Authority are implementing rotational water delivery and distribution to allow all farms to have water for their plants.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is also monitoring and conducting surveillance for water quality.

Dispersal of fingerlings in communal bodies of water is also being conducted, the report said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: A magnitude 5.1 earthquake jolted Davao de Oro on Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

The tectonic quake struck 1 km. southeast of the municipality of New Bataan, at a depth of 8 km., at 11:33 a.m.

Intensity V was felt in Pantukan, Mabini, and Maco, Davao de Oro.

Intensity IV was reported in City of Tagum, Davao de Oro; and City of Bislig, Surigao del Sur.

Phivolcs also recorded the following instrumental intensities:

Intensity V – Nabunturan, Davao de Oro

Intensity I – City of Digos, Davao City, Matanao, and Magsaysay, Davao del Sur; Malungon, Sarangani

Reported intensity is the traditional way of knowing the intensity based on reports of people who felt the earthquake.

On the other hand, instrumental intensity is measured using an intensity meter that measures ground acceleration.

Aftershocks are possible, but Phivolcs is not expecting damage from the magnitude 5.1 earthquake.

Source: Philippines News Agency

ILOILO: Western Visayas’ top cop on Thursday reminded police officers in the region against the use of mobile phones, one of the marching orders of the chief of the Philippine National Police, Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.

In an interview, Police Regional Office 6 director Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky said he directed the office of the deputy regional director for administration and the command group to augment personnel at the Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIAS) to inspect and ensure police officers are doing their job.

‘How can you do your job if you always focus on your cell phone? We will investigate to determine whether or not it is official once we catch them using cellphones while on duty,’ he said.

Wanky said RIAS was tasked to check if police officers are doing well in their job or if they have violations.

He warned all members of the PNP in the region to stay alert.

‘We should always aim that our performance for today should be an improvement of our performance yesterday,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Wa
nky turned over close to PHP1 million worth of vehicles and equipment to the Malay Police Station and the Antique Police Provincial Office in a ceremony at the regional headquarters at Camp Martin Delgado in Iloilo City.

The list included a 4×2 patrol jeepney for Malay MPS, and 21 autogated night vision goggles, three generator sets, 236 tactical vests, 36 tires, 800 raincoats, among others.

‘Let us use these judiciously so they will serve their lifetime purpose. There is a standard procedure for taking care of equipment, so it’s up to commanders on the ground to supervise their people to utilize the equipment judiciously,’ Wanky said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (MAPIM) today strongly condemns the Israeli military strike on the first day of Eid Fitri on Wednesday, which resulted in the killing of three children of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and several grandchildren in the Gaza Strip.

MAPIM president, Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid, in expressing shock and deepest condolences to Ismail over his tragic loss, stressed that targeting Hamas leaders and their family members will only strengthen the resolve to fight for the freedom and rights of all Palestinians and the Muslim ummah.

“I cannot help but express my abhorrence and unequivocal condemnation of the barbarity of the Zionist occupation forces indiscriminately targeting non-combatants in the aggression. The ongoing genocide in Gaza is strongly condemned, and we demand an immediate end to Israel’s atrocities committed with impunity.

“I reiterate and reaffirm our commitment to stand in solidarity with Palestine until liberation is achieved,” he said
in a statement today.

According to Al Jazeera TV, Haniyeh’s three sons – Hazem, Amir, and Mohammad – were killed when the car they were driving in was bombed in Gaza’s Al-Shati camp.

The attack also killed two of Haniyeh’s grandchildren and injured a third, as reported by Hamas media.

Haniyeh has been a prominent figure in Hamas’ international diplomacy amid the ongoing conflict with Israel in the Gaza Strip. His family home was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike back in November.

Mohd Azmi stated that he could not find words to ease the pain of Haniyeh’s family but was inspired by the leader’s calm response to the tragic news.

“My relations with him have been personal. I met his family during my visit to Gaza in 2014 and had dinner with all his children at his modest home. I welcomed his visit to Malaysia a few years ago with love and great respect.

“I pray that Brother Ismail Haniyeh and his family remain strong and persevere through this test from Allah. I pray that all his martyred children and grand
children are rewarded with the highest reward of jannah,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency