Ushar Daniele

Seagrass, not seaweed: Malaysia’s marine science group leads charge in climate-resilient seagrass sanctuary

Seagrass, less commonly known than its aquatic cousin seaweed, is often overlooked in providing a sustainable natural sanctuary for marine ecosystems. Like many other ecosystems, seagrass meadows are at risk of disappearing from the oceans because of…

Malaysia’s artisanal fishermen suffer net losses as climate change hits livelihoods

Thirty years ago, fishermen in Mukim Tanjung Kupang could go out for their morning catch and return with kilos of crabs and prawns, earning hundreds, sometimes thousands of ringgit a week. These 12-foot boats cannot be anchored to secure them from…

Landmark treaty against plastic pollution struck at UN assembly, Asia continues to battle with plastic pollutions

Currently, around 80 per cent of global ocean plastic comes from Asian rivers The treaty focuses on recycling single-use plastic, but to have meaningful impact it will have to grapple with restricting their production Environmentalists and…

‘Such a bad experience’: Child marriages in Malaysia continue amid calls for laws to change

‘Kids are kids and to expect a 16-year-old to be mature enough to be married is wrong’, says Malaysian woman who married at 17 Child marriages have increased during the pandemic as families fend off financial pressure; South Asia has the world’s…

Genting Hong Kong’s demise leaves Malaysian banks – and its government – facing US$600 million question

Finger pointing in parliament as opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim raises spectre of the Bumiputra Malaysia Finance scandal of the 1980s With Najib Razak and finance minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz also wading in, the issue has become a political hot…

Malaysia: TikTok ‘unboxing by husband’ trend among Muslim newlyweds condemned by religious authorities

The online craze, adopted by many Muslims, involves newlywed grooms filming removal of their brides’ head accessories One Muslim cleric said a man videoing such an action was akin to ‘selling the wife’; experts blame social media and Western…

Japan’s Princess Mako’s low-key wedding is unlike lavish royal unions Asia has seen, from Malaysia to Brunei

Japan’s Princess Mako will on Tuesday register her marriage to her university sweetheart Kei Komuro, a 30-year-old commoner, without any of the traditional, festive rites. The princess, also 30, will then relinquish her title, as is customary for…

Malaysia’s Lost Food Project hopes to feed those in need and fight climate change, one meal at a time

When Malaysian retirees Adeline Chang and Zai Saimon began volunteering with a tiny non-profit group called The Lost Food Project in 2016, they never imagined the scale of their work on behalf of the poor could be tangibly measured – let alone in…

Malaysian king picks ex-deputy PM as nation’s new leader

Ismail was the deputy prime minister under the government of Muhyiddin Yassin Many believe Ismail’s choice will restore the status quo, with its perceived failed response to a worsening pandemic KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s King Sultan Abdullah on Friday…

Malaysia’s coronavirus vaccination drive offers hope, but burnt-out doctors are quitting

Even though an accelerated Covid-19 vaccine roll-out called Operation Surge Capacity has given Malaysia’s strained health care system some measure of relief in recent days, frontline medical workers have described how the emotional toll of the…

Malaysian PM resigns as virus cases hit record highs

I have tried my best in this crisis, says Muhyiddin Yassin KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s prime minister resigned on Monday after just 17 months in power amid chronic infighting within his coalition and over his government’s handling of the COVID-19…

Afghanistan’s women fear the worst as Taliban advance sows alarm and terror

Since 2001 women have held key positions in institutions, run for the presidency and served as ambassadors Educated women fearful of losing their freedoms and rights as ultraconservative Pashtun group eyes power KABUL: With US-led forces set to leave…

Philippines activates border checkpoints in Metro Manila ahead of lockdown

Fortnight of curbs ‘critical’ to limit spread of delta variant, official says MANILA: The Philippines government on Sunday began enforcing quarantine control points (QCP) along the borders of the National Capital Region (NCR) to curb the spread of…

Malaysian PM postpones parliament as calls for his resignation grow

More than 500 Malaysians protested against government’s handling of COVID-19 crisis on Saturday amid a rise in infections KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has deferred a key parliamentary session set for Monday amid intense pressure to…

Malaysian contract doctors protest for better work conditions

KUALA LUMPUR: Overworked contract doctors in Malaysia staged a nationwide walkout protest on Monday after their complaints about job insecurity were unaddressed by the government. Up to 8,000 junior doctors walked out of public hospitals, some…

Malaysia’s ‘empty syringe’ incidents may fuel Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy, experts say

The minister’s brief comments to the Berita Harian newspaper follow intense discussions on social media over videos purportedly showing staff at vaccination centres administering jabs with empty syringes. “If found guilty of such offences, the task…

Malaysia’s food entrepreneurs bank on tech and innovation to survive Covid-19 lockdowns

With the national pastime of eating out curtailed, chefs and restaurateurs turned to food delivery apps and scrambled for government aid Established players are looking for ‘pandemic proof’ models involving cloud kitchens and affordable dishes…

Malaysia pins hopes on badminton star Lee Zii Jia to win its first Olympic gold medal

The 23-year-old won the All England Open in March and is seen as a medal contender in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games He has been compared to legendary Malaysian shuttler Lee Chong Wei, who won three silver Olympic medals and retired in 2019

Malaysia’s influencers cash in on health and beauty boom as critics cry ‘pseudoscience’

and television stars whose smiling faces can now be seen plastered across these billboards – each promoting a different brand that vie for prominence in the country’s ever-growing health and beauty sector. Ads for products such as “slimming tea”, as…

India to ease lockdown rules as coronavirus case numbers decline

India has the world’s second-largest number of coronavirus infections after the United States Scientists have warned of a third wave of the coronavirus NEW DELHI: India reported 114,460 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, the lowest in two months,…