PHNOM PENH (XINHUA) – The World Bank has approved USD275 million in credit to support Cambodia’s efforts to promote long-term economic growth and resilience, the lender said in a news release yesterday.
The financing will promote reforms that boost private sector competitiveness, strengthen the country’s fiscal position and provide assistance to the most vulnerable.
“While Cambodia’s economy has recovered from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shocks, the focus is now shifting toward achieving sustained high quality growth,” said World Bank country manager for Cambodia Maryam
Salim.
“This new operation will boost private sector competitiveness, strengthen the government’s fiscal position, provide assistance to the most vulnerable Cambodians,” she added.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to Cambodia’s first economic contraction in 25 years, the news release said, adding that the economy has since recovered, though growth has not returned to its pre-pandemic trend.
The situation reflects both the global economic slowdown and structural challenges to the country’s growth model, the news release said.
Cambodia’s structural challenges include weak productivity growth, low human capital formation and barriers to private business formation and competition, it added.
The new operation supports reforms to address challenges, the news release said, adding that it will help create an environment in which firms can enter, exit and compete fairly.
World Bank approves USD275M to support Cambodia’s economic growth
Most automated driving systems are not making drivers pay attention
DETROIT (AP) – Most electronic systems that take on some driving tasks for humans don’t adequately make sure drivers are paying attention, and they don’t issue strong enough warnings or take other actions to make drivers behave, according to an insurance industry study published recently.
Only one of 14 partially automated systems tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) performed well enough to get an overall “acceptable” rating. Two others were rated “marginal”, while the rest were rated “poor”. No system received the top rating of “good”.
“Most of them don’t include adequate measures to prevent misuse and keep drivers from losing focus on what’s happening on the road,” said IIHS President David Harkey.
The institute, Harkey said, came up with the new ratings to get automakers to follow standards, including how closely they watch drivers and how fast the cars issue warnings if drivers aren’t paying attention.
It also says it is trying to fill a “regulatory void” left by inaction on the systems from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Harkey said the agency needs to do more to set standards for the systems, which are not able to drive vehicles themselves.
A message was left seeking comment from the agency.
IIHS safety ratings are closely followed by automakers, which often make changes to comply with them.
The 14 systems, which include several variations from single automakers, are among the most sophisticated now on the market, Harkey said.
Only one of the systems, Teammate in the Lexus LS, earned the adequate rating. General Motors’ Super Cruise in the GMC Sierra and Nissan’s Pro-Pilot Assist with Navi-Link in the Ariya electric vehicle were rated marginal.
Other systems from Nissan, Tesla, BMW, Ford, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo were rated poor.
Harkey said the driving systems initially were combinations of safety features such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, lane centering and blind-spot detection. But now they give drivers the chance to not pay attention for some period of time, raising safety risks, he said in an interview.
“That’s why the focus is on how do we make sure that the driver remains focused on the driving task,” Harkey said.
Some automakers, he said, market the systems in a way that drivers could think they are fully autonomous.
“The one thing we do not want is for drivers to misinterpret what these things can or cannot do,” he said.
The systems, IIHS said, should be able to see if a driver’s head or eyes are not directed on the road, and whether their hands are on the wheel or ready to grab it if necessary.
The institute also said if a system doesn’t see a driver’s eyes on the road or hands aren’t ready to steer, there should be audible and visual alerts within 10 seconds. Before 20 seconds, the system should add a third alert or start an emergency procedure to slow down the vehicle, the institute said.
Automakers should also make sure safety systems such as seat belts and automatic emergency braking are activated before the driving systems can be used, it said.
None of the 14 systems met all the driver monitoring requirements in the test, but Ford’s came close, the group said.
Italian coast guard recovers 12 more shipwreck victims
MILAN (AP) – The Italian coast guard on Thursday recovered 12 more bodies from a weekend shipwreck in the Ionian Sea off the southern Italian coastline, bringing to 20 the number of known victims from the sinking. Dozens more are missing and presumed dead.
The bodies, including women and children, were being transferred to a port in Calabria. Two more coast guard ships were on their way to join the air-and-sea search, some 190 kilometres from shore.
Survivors reported that the boat motor had caught fire, causing it to capsize off the Italian coast overnight on Sunday about eight days after departing from Turkiye with about 75 people from Iran, Syria and Iraq on board, according to the United Nations (UN) refugee agency and other UN organisations. Eleven survivors were being treated on shore.
The deaths bring to more than 800 people who have died or went missing and are presumed dead crossing the central Mediterranean so far this year, an average of five dead a day, the UN agencies said.
Centuries-old cherries discovered at Mount Vernon
AP – George Washington never did cut down the cherry tree, despite the famous story to the contrary, but he did pack away quite a few bottles of the fruit at his Mount Vernon home.
Dozens of bottles of cherries and berries – impossibly preserved in storage pits uncovered from the cellar of his mansion on the banks of the Potomac River – were discovered during an archaeological dig connected to a restoration project.
Jason Boroughs, Mount Vernon’s principal archaeologist, said the discovery of so much perfectly preserved food from more than 250 years ago is essentially unprecedented.
“Finding what is essentially fresh fruit, 250 years later, is pretty spectacular,” Boroughs said in an interview. “All the stars sort of have to align in the right manner for that to happen.”
Whole pieces of fruit, recognisable as cherries, were found in some of the bottles. Other bottles held what appear to be gooseberries or currants, though testing is underway to confirm that.
Mount Vernon is partnering with the US Department of Agriculture, which is conducting DNA testing on the fruit. They are also examining more than 50 cherry pits recovered from the bottles to see if any of them can be planted.
“It’s kind of a longshot,” said Benjamin Gutierrez, a USDA plant geneticist, of the chances of using a cherry pit to grow a tree. Seeds preserve best when they are dry, and most of the samples found at Mount Vernon were waterlogged. A couple of pits tested initially were not viable as seeds.
Still, he said the bottles are a remarkable find. In addition to DNA testing, he said chemical testing may be able to show if particular spices were used to preserve the fruits.
Records at Mount Vernon show that George and Martha Washington were fond of cherries. Martha Washington’s recipe for a “cherry bounce” cocktail survives, and Washington wrote that he took a canteen of cherry bounce with him on a trip across the Alleghenies in 1784.
These cherries, though, were most likely bottled to be eaten simply as cherries, Boroughs said.
Royalty grace Khatam Al-Quran ceremony
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman on Friday attended the International School Brunei (ISB) religious class Khatam Al-Quran. The religious event was held at Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (BKISHHB).
The event celebrated some 29 Primary Six students completing the recitation of 30 chapters of Al-Quran, including Their Royal Highnesses’ daughter Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah.
Also in attendance were Their Royal Highnesses’ children Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim; Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Muda Muhammad Aiman; and Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Faathimah Az-Zahraa’ Raihaanul Bolkiah.
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and spouse were also present.
Their Royal Highnesses later presented Khatam Al-Quran certificates to the students.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also received Pesambah from the school.
The event’s objective was to encourage students to read the Al-Quran correctly while inculcating the reading of the Holy Book as part of daily life. It also sought to complement the government’s goals of producing a literate generation in Al-Quran. – AZLAN OTHMAN
Bruno Mars returns to Kuala Lumpur
(ANN/THE STAR) – Kuala Lumpur is gearing up for one spectacular night as American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars returns to the stage after a six-year hiatus.
The Bruno Mars Live In KL concert is scheduled for September 17 at the city’s iconic National Stadium Bukit Jalil.
Bruno Mars, renowned for chart-topping hits such as “Just The Way You Are,” “24K Magic,” and “Leave The Door Open,” stands as one of the most successful artists in music history.
With over 200 million singles sold worldwide, Mars boasts an impressive 14 Grammy Awards and holds a unique record: he is the first male artist, and third overall, to achieve at least three top five Hot 100 hits from each of his first three albums, a feat surpassed only by legends Mariah Carey and Beyoncé.
Japan’s space agency hit by multiple cyberattacks
TOKYO (AP) – Japan’s space agency has suffered a series of cyberattacks since last year, but sensitive information related to rockets and satellites was not affected and it is continuing to investigate and take preventive measures, officials said Friday.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi acknowledged that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, has had “a number of” cyberattacks since late last year.
JAXA has investigated the extent of illegal access while shutting down the affected networks and verifying that they did not contain classified information about operations of rockets and satellites and national security, he said.
Hayashi vowed to strengthen Japan’s ability to counter cyberattacks.
Japan has been accelerating a military buildup in response to China’s growing military might and is hoping to be able to develop a counterstrike ability, but experts say Tokyo will continue to need to rely heavily on the United States for launching long-range cruise missiles at targets.
Officials on Friday said they were not aware of any information leak from the cyberattacks.
Defence Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters that the attacks on JAXA have not affected his ministry, but that he is keeping a close watch on the investigation by the agency, which is one of his ministry’s key contractors.
Education and science minister Masahito Moriyama also told a news conference Friday that he believed there was no actual damage from the cyberattacks.
Officials said JAXA is currently working with the government’s cybersecurity team to introduce countermeasures.
Ipoh housewife faces child murder charge
IPOH (ANN/THE STAR) – A 27-year-old housewife from Ipoh, Malaysia, Wan Fatimah Zahra Wan Abdullah, has been charged with the murder of her best friend’s five-year-old daughter, Iman Adelia Yusullah.
The charge was read out before Magistrate S Punitha on Friday (June 21), to which Wan Fatimah nodded in understanding.
No plea was recorded as murder cases fall under the purview of the High Court. The alleged murder took place in a house at Jalan Kledang Raya 23, Taman Malcop in Ipoh between June 5 and 10.
The charge is under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment for up to 40 years and 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Vatchira Wong Rui Fern appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was not represented.
Wong requested the court to deny bail. Punitha set August 28 for mention pending the chemist’s report.
During the proceedings, the victim’s family members from Pahang, including the child’s mother, were present and wept. Before leaving the court, the child’s mother asked the accused, “Why did you do this to my daughter?”
The incident was reported on June 11 when a child was suspected to have been abused, resulting in her death. Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad stated that the accused and her 66-year-old husband had been looking after the girl for a few months.
The victim showed signs of being beaten all over her body with a blunt object, and there were also tears in her private parts and anus.
Brunei haj pilgrims’ return: Imams urge Islamic etiquette
Brunei Haj pilgrims are set to return starting this Monday (24th June), with the first flight arriving from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In the Friday sermon, Imams emphasised the importance of celebrating the return of the pilgrims in a manner consistent with Islamic teachings.
One of the recommended etiquettes upon welcoming the haj pilgrims is for them to stop by the nearest mosque to offer a voluntary prayer before proceeding home. It is also encouraged to greet them warmly with handshakes, embraces, and supplications. However, it was reminded that physical contact should observe Islamic guidelines, maintaining interactions between men with men and women with women, even within the bounds of a mahram relationship to avoid potential misunderstandings and preserve modesty.
Imams also advised that Haj pilgrims enter their homes from the front rather than the back as a mark of respect and proper conduct.
For families and relatives awaiting their return, it is recommended to prepare a modest feast within their means to celebrate and welcome back their loved ones who have completed the Haj pilgrimage.
Beginning Monday (24th June), four scheduled flights will bring the Brunei haj pilgrims safely home after their journey of devotion. – AZLAN OTHMAN
Researchers grow seafood, seaweed under turbines
KRIEGERS FLAK OFFSHORE WIND FARM, DENMARK (AP) – In a small boat bobbing in the waves between towering offshore wind turbines, researchers in Europe’s Baltic Sea reach into the frigid water and remove long lines stretched between the pylons onto which mussels and seaweed are growing.
It’s part of efforts to explore multiple uses for remote wind parks far out at sea, such as fresh seafood production.
Run by the Swedish state-owned power firm Vattenfall and Denmark’s Aarhus University, the four-year project started in 2023 off the Danish east coast at Scandinavia’s largest wind farm, Kriegers Flak.
With its first harvest just 18 months later, it’s already showing signs of early success.
“There’s an increasing competition for space on land and in the sea,” said Aarhus University senior scientist Annette Bruhn, who leads the project. “We can, in one area, produce both fossil-free energy and food for a growing population.”
With a capacity of over 600 megawatts, Kriegers Flak can power up to 600,000 households. Its 72 turbines deliver clean energy to nearby Denmark and Germany to the south.
But researchers saw other potential within the park’s 132 square-kilometre (51 square-mile) area.
The water between its spinning blades has been transformed into an experimental underwater seafood farm.
Four hundred-meter (328-foot) lines spread between the turbines grow seaweed and mussel crops. The seaweed was recently harvested for the first time.
“Seaweed and mussels are low trophic aquaculture crops, which means that they can be produced without the use of fertilisers. They take up nutrients from the sea and produce healthy foods,” Bruhn said.
Recent Aarhus University modeling suggests tons of fresh seafood could be produced annually by utilizing just a tenth of Denmark’s wind park area.
Researchers say the benefits could go well beyond food production — mussel and seaweed crops could help improve water quality and capture carbon.
“These are non-fed crops that live from what they take up from the sea, they capture emissions instead of having emissions,” Bruhn said.
Researchers say now is the time to develop guidelines to encourage companies to plan for multiple uses of the ocean as European nations massively ramp up production of clean energy from wind turbines in the North Sea.
In 1991, Denmark became the first country in the world to install a commercial offshore wind park. More than 30 years later, nearly half of the Danish electricity production derives from wind turbines.
Driven to meet climate targets and reduce energy dependence on Russia, nine European countries, including Denmark, last year announced plans to quadruple current production to 120 gigawatts by the end of the decade, and move to 300 gigawatts by 2050.
Vattenfall bioscience expert Tim Wilms said there’s “huge potential.” “We have so much untapped area within our turbines that is not being used,” he said.
“In some areas, it makes a lot of sense to combine with sustainable food” while in other areas “we might look into offshore solar.”
A growing body of research shows that offshore wind farms can have both positive and negative impacts on local ecosystems.
Offshore projects have been criticized for damage caused to the sea floor during construction, noise pollution and now debunked claims they caused whale deaths.
Meanwhile, the large boulders laid at the base of the turbines to prevent erosion can also act as artificial reefs attracting more marine life and protect from large-scale fishing operations.
Wilms said underwater surveys of older wind farms revealed structures “completely transformed”, overgrown with different species.
Liselotte Hohwy Stokholm, CEO of Danish think tank Ocean Institute, said more “knowledge about multi-use” developments was needed to understand how to combine human activities so that great areas of the ocean could become “strictly protected areas.”
Currently, efforts are on a limited scale, but researchers hope to soon take their knowledge to the extreme conditions of the North Sea, eventually upscaling to commercial food production.
“It’s very vital that we do it now because there’s so many questions we still need to have answered before we can do this in the right way,” said Bruhn.