The Islamic Economics and Finance Faculty (FEKIm) at Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) organised the seventh edition of Ziarah Mahabbah Programme (PZM) at Utama Mohammad Salleh Mosque in Temburong District yesterday.
The programme was coordinated by the Islamic Finance and Economic Student Society (IFESS) in collaboration with Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) and Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Yayasan).
Guest of honour UNISSA Rector Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal handed over the assistance.
FEKIm Dean Dr Abdul Nasir bin Haji Abdul Rani said the community service project was entirely carried out by Years 1 and 3 students and guided by IFESS.
He added that with access available via Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge, the programme was carried out for the first time in Temburong District.
The dean shared that the recipients ranged from senior citizens, people with different abilities, Muslim converts and lower income families to those with no fixed income.
Some 15 families in Temburong District were selected to receive this year’s assistance in the form of cash and daily essentials.
The annual welfare project is aimed at community service and outreach while exposing FEKIm students to more knowledge and experience.
The event also saw a religious lecture by FEKIm lecturer Professor Dr Razali bin Mat Zin on ‘Membahagiakan hati orang lain dengan rezeki kitani’, which was also attended by UNISSA Acting Deputy Rector Dr Arman bin Haji Asmad, acting Temburong District officer and UNISSA officials.
ABOVE & BELOW: Photos show Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali Rector Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal presenting donations to recipients. PHOTOS: ROKIAH MAHMUD
Brunei Darussalam’s national football team marked their return in the regional scene with a narrow 3-2 loss to Laos during an international friendly match at the New Laos National Stadium in Vientiane last night.
The country’s rising star Hakeme Yazid bin Said marked his international debut for the senior team with a stunning free-kick goal, following in the footsteps of his brothers Shahrazen Said and Adi Said.
The hosts got off the mark in the sixth minute after Laos defender Phoutthavong Sangvilay curled his free-kick beating Brunei’s debutant goalkeeper Ishyra Asmin Jabidi.
Despite the early setback, Brunei were found to be in an advanced position in Laos’ half as Abdul Azizi Ali Rahman tested the home goalkeeper Keooudone Souvannasangso from outside the box with a fierce drive.
The attentive Azizi Ali Rahman bested a Laotian defender in the box but his ensuing effort ended wide much to the relief of Souvannasangso.
His forward teammate Hakeme Yazid also had an effort on target after seizing an opportunity from a misplaced pass.
Brunei Darussalam’s Alinur Rashimy Jufri vies for the ball against a Laos player. PHOTO: LAO FOOTBALL FEDERATION
After a promising spell for the visitors, Laos doubled the lead as forward Chony Wenpaserth coolly slotted home a crisp pass from his teammate in the 27th minute.
Laos forward Visith Bounpaseuth managed a shot but Ishyra Asmin made a good save.
The Million Elephants, buoyed by fervent home supporters, made it 3-0 after midfielder Phithack Kongmathilath tapped the ball home in the 33th minute from a Phoutthasay Khochalern assist.
However, the Wasps reduced the deficit as Azwan Ali Rahman – one of the more experienced players in the national team – scored his fifth international goal six minutes later.
The opening stages of the second half saw Brunei enjoy a fair share of possession as near misses in the box prevented them from inflicting potential damage.
Brunei came within a goal of finding the equaliser as Hakeme Yazid, who recently turned 19, marked his arrival in the international scene with a stunning free-kick in the 72nd minute.
The teenage sensation was one of seven players who made their international debut alongside Ishyra Asmin Jabidi, Alinur Rashimy Jufri, Amirul Hakeem Kasim, Abdul Hariz Herman, Nazhan Zulkifle and Eddy Shahrol Izzat Omar.
The Wasps nearly tied the match after the ball was deflected off a Laotian defender in the latter stages of the game.
MIAMI (AFP) – Daniil Medvedev is thriving on the pressure of being the man to beat after dispatching Andy Murray in straight sets at the Miami Open yesterday to edge closer to regaining his world number one ranking.
The Russian top seed served superbly against the 34-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion to ease to a straightforward 6-4, 6-2 triumph at Hard Rock Stadium and will face Spain’s Pedro Martinez next.
Medvedev lost his number one ranking after just 18 days, having failed to go deep in Indian Wells, but will regain it once again from the absent Novak Djokovic if he reaches the semi-finals in Florida.
With Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both missing, the 26-year-old is the favourite to claim his first Miami Open title and his performance against Murray showed he’s in the kind of form that will cause the rest of the field a multitude of problems.
“For sure, guys going against you are going to have more motivation if you are the top seed,” Medvedev told AFP.
“It could be the biggest win of their season but I like to be in this position. The more pressure you have, the more you expect from yourself.
Daniil Medvedev in action against Andy Murray. PHOTOS: APAndy Murray serves to Daniil Medvedev during the match
“At the beginning of my career, I would be really happy when I was in the third round for the first time but now I want to achieve more. So yeah, there’s definitely more pressure but also more motivation to continue doing well.”
Medvedev was delighted to briefly reach the pinnacle of men’s tennis but is determined to ensure his next spell at the top won’t be as short.
“It felt good to touch it,” smiled Medvedev. “Reaching number one is something that nobody can take away from me even if it was for two weeks. But when I did lose it, I just headed back to the practice court and knew I had to get to the semis in Miami to get it back again.
“I have a lot of motivation to stay at the top for a long time.”
While Medvedev is at the top of his game, Murray is still searching for answers.
The Scot, playing with a metal hip after two operations to fix the problem which almost forced him to retire, has reintroduced Czech legend Ivan Lendl into his coaching team for a third time and hopes he can arrest a run that has seen him fail to back up first-round wins at his last six tournaments.
“My level of tennis wasn’t good enough to win matches like that but Ivan will bring clarity over the right way to play,” said Murray, who will spend time working with Lendl in Florida before skipping the clay court swing of the ATP Tour to ensure he’s prepared for Wimbledon later this summer.
“I don’t think I have been practising the right things for 18 months or so, it’s difficult to sort of undo that space.
“That’s one of the reasons why I’m taking a big period of training to change some of those things and hopefully get my game to a place where it’s more competitive against the top players again.”
THE STRAITS TIMES – Shanghai became China’s biggest virus hot spot after reporting another record increase in daily COVID-19 infections.
The financial hub overtook the north-eastern province of Jilin, which reported 2,078 cases for Saturday.
Shanghai has 2,676 new infections, a jump of 18 per cent from a day earlier, according to data from the municipal health commission.
COVID-19 cases in Shanghai kept hitting records in the past week, though a vast majority are asymptomatic.
Shanghai has seen infections grow rapidly in the past month, with scores of buildings and apartment blocks locked down and residents confined at home.
Health workers at a street in Jing’an district in Shanghai. PHOTO: AFP
While the financial hub’s officials have ruled out fully isolating the city, parts of it will be sealed off and further tested. Officials on Saturday launched a new round of city-wide screening using both nucleic acid and antigen testing.
The health authorities started using differentiated screening tactics in all the sub-districts and townships according to their risk levels to find all infections and stop the transmission in communities, said director of the Shanghai municipal health commission Dr Wu Jinglei.
The more sensitive nucleic acid screening applies to key areas in the outbreak, totalling 23 sub-districts, while antigen testing applies to non-key areas, Dr Wu told a press conference on Saturday.
The local authorities are imposing closed management over the key areas where people are banned from going out before the results of their nucleic acid testing come out.
The authorities have renovated seven venues, including hospitals and stadiums, to quarantine mild cases and asymptomatic carriers, according to Dr Wu.
He also ordered hospitals to take scientific and targetted control measures to reduce the impact on the availability of medical services to other sick people.
China reported 5,550 local COVID-19 cases for Saturday.
Porsche AG, the German luxury car maker, continues to soar to new heights after achieving all-time high in both sales revenue and operating profit.
Sales in 2021 were reported at EUR33.1 billion which is EUR4.4 billion more than the previous year, representing a growth of 15 per cent (previous year: EUR28.7 billion), while operating profit was EUR5.3 billion, exceeding the previous year’s figure by EUR1.1 billion (plus 27 per cent). Porsche thus generated an operating return on sales of 16 per cent (previous year at 14.6 per cent).
In addition, Porsche is setting a high ambition for 2030 of more than 80 per cent all-electric new vehicles.
The latest achievement by the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer was shared by Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG Oliver Blume during an annual media conference.
“Our positive business result is based on courageous, innovative and forward-looking decisions,” said Blume. “Our industry is experiencing what is probably the greatest transformation in its history. We set a strategic course early on and are robust on the operational front. This success is teamwork.”
Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and member of the Executive Board for Finance and IT Lutz Meschke sees the basis for the strong figures in Porsche AG’s healthy cost structure in addition to the attractive product range.
Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG Oliver Blume and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and member of the Executive Board for Finance and IT Lutz Meschke pose with the 911 Targa 4 GTS during the media conference. PHOTO: PORSCHE AGOliver Blume and Lutz Meschke at the conference
“Our business figures reflect the excellent earning power of our company. They demonstrate our value-creating growth and the robustness of our successful business model – even under difficult conditions such as the semiconductor shortage.”
Net cash flow grew by EUR1.5 billion to EUR3.7 billion in 2021 (previous year at EUR2.2 billion). As Meschke explained, “This indicator also provides impressive proof: Porsche is excellently positioned. The positive development is also based on the ambitious 2025 profitability programme, designed to sustainably support earnings through new innovations and business models.”
He thanked the company’s highly motivated employees for the success of its profitability programme.
“Porsche has further increased its efficiency and lowered the break-even point. This gives us the leeway to invest in the future viability of our company despite the tense economic situation. We are resolutely driving forward investments in electrification, digitalisation and sustainability. I am optimistic that Porsche will emerge from the current global crises stronger,” said Meschke.
Meanwhile, Blume said the tense world situation calls for humility and caution, adding that “Porsche is looking at the Ukraine conflict with great concern and dismay”.
“We continue to hope for a cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomacy. The safety and integrity of the people are paramount.”
To help people in need in Ukraine, he revealed that Porsche AG has donated EUR1 million.
“Experts are continuously determining the degree of impact on Porsche’s business activities in a task force. The supply chains for Porsche plants have been affected, which means that on-schedule production is no longer possible in some cases,” he said.
“We have challenging months ahead of us, both economically and politically, but we are nevertheless sticking to our strategic goal, which has been firmly anchored for years, of ensuring an operating return on sales of at least 15 per cent in the long term.”
Meschke added that the task force has taken initial measures to safeguard the company’s earnings in ensuring that they can continue to meet high earning targets. However he cautioned that the success of external challenges cannot be easily influenced.
Internally, Porsche has created all the conditions for a successful business model.
“Strategically, operationally and financially, Porsche is in an excellent position. We are looking to the future with confidence – and welcome the consideration of an IPO of Porsche AG, which would allow Porsche to raise its profile and increase its entrepreneurial freedom.
“At the same time, Volkswagen and Porsche could continue to benefit from joint synergies in the future,” Meschke said.
In 2021, Porsche delivered 301,915 vehicles to customers worldwide, exceeding the 300,000 mark for the first time in the company’s history (previous year: 272,162 deliveries).
The bestselling models were the Macan (88,362) and the Cayenne (83,071). Delivery figures for the Taycan more than doubled: 41,296 customers took delivery of the first all-electric Porsche.
The figures even overtook the iconic 911 sports car, although the famous model also set a new record with 38,464 units sold.
Blume said, “The Taycan is 100 per cent a Porsche and inspires all kinds of people – existing and new customers, experts and the trade media. We are stepping up our electric offensive with another model. By the middle of the decade, we want to offer our mid-engine 718 sports car exclusively in an all-electric form.”
Last year, almost 40 per cent of all new Porsche vehicles delivered in Europe were already at least partly electric, that is, plug-in hybrids or fully electric models.
In addition, Porsche had announced its intention to be carbon-neutral on the balance sheet in 2030.
“In 2025, half of all new Porsche sales are expected to come from the sale of electric vehicles, that is, all-electric or plug-in hybrid,” said Blume.
“In 2030, the share of all new vehicles with an all-electric drive should be more than 80 per cent. To achieve these ambitious goals, Porsche is investing in premium charging stations together with partners – and additionally in its own charging infrastructure.
“Further extensive investments are flowing into core technologies such as battery systems and module production. In the newly founded Cellforce Group, high-performance battery cells are being developed and produced that are expected to be ready for series production by 2024.”
In 2021, Porsche increased its deliveries in all global sales regions. Once again, the highest-volume individual market was China. With almost 96,000 deliveries, an increase of eight per cent was recorded in the country compared to 2020.
Porsche also grew rapidly in North America with a 22 per cent to more than 70,000 units delivered in the United States. A very positive development was also observed in Europe, in which the brand increased its new vehicle deliveries by nine per cent to almost 29,000 units in Germany alone.
The Ministry of Health announced recently that the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital Blood Donation Centre in the capital and the Suri Seri Begawan Hospital Blood Bank in Belait District are seeking blood donors for all blood types.
Blood stocks are at very low levels compared to the need for blood transfusions, thus the ministry’s call on the public to donate blood to boost blood supply in the Sultanate.
Donors wishing to visit blood donation centres may book their slots through the BloodKad app.
The RIPAS Hospital Blood Donation Centre operates from Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 8am to 11.30am and 1.30pm to 4pm.
Suri Seri Begawan Hospital Blood Bank operates from Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 8am to 11.30am and 1.45pm to 3.30pm.
Pengiran Isteri Hajjah Mariam Hospital Blood Bank operates from Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 9am to 11.30am and 1.30pm to 3.30pm.
The public can also donate at blood donation campaigns.
There will be a campaign at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Girls Arabic Religious Secondary School in Kampong Katok ‘B’ today from 9am to noon and at Unicorp Sdn Bhd in Beribi industrial complex on March 31 from 10am-3pm.
For information, contact the Blood Donation Centre at 2242424 (ext 5745/6001/6002) or WhatsApp 8775745, 7375745 or 7175745 or e-mail to bloodbank@moh.gov.bn.
BEIJING (CNA) – Profit growth at China’s industrial firms accelerated in the first two months of the year in line with other signs of momentum in the economy, although the outlook is clouded by domestic COVID-19 outbreaks and the war in Ukraine.
Profits rose five per cent in from a year earlier, up from a 4.2-per-cent gain in December, the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday.
The growth in January to February was driven by surging profits in the energy and raw materials sectors, thanks to higher prices of commodities such as crude oil and coal. January and February data are typically combined to smooth out distortions from the Chinese New Year holiday, which can fall in either month.
Downstream, monthly profit growth among other industrial firms has been weighed down by high raw material costs, languishing in the single-digits since November.
The slightly faster industrial profit growth was in step with improvement in industrial output, retail sales and fixed-asset investment in January to February, suggesting the impact of recent policy measures were starting to be felt.
Workers beside steel wires at a factory in Beijing, China. PHOTO: CNA
Still, challenges have emerged this year including China’s most serious COVID-19 outbreak since early in the pandemic in 2020, driven by the Omicron variant, threatening to disrupt local economies and further chill consumer spending.
“The gap between upstream and downstream profit margins widened as downstream profit margins fell further,” Goldman Sachs analysts wrote in a note. “We expect the COVID outbreak in multiple provinces to weigh on industrial profits in the near term.”
Given the coronavirus flare-ups, policies to further ease monetary and fiscal measures can be expected, they said.
Global upheavals such as the war in Ukraine have also created uncertainty over international supply chains and the potential for even higher commodity and energy prices, ultimately weighing on the bottom line of Chinese firms.
Vice Premier Liu He said recently that Beijing will take measures to boost the economy in the first quarter and that monetary policy would be set to support growth.
To ease financial burdens for smaller firms, China has pledged around CNY1.5 trillion (USD240 billion) in value-added tax (VAT) rebates.
The finance ministry said last Thursday China will exempt the three per cent VAT levied on some small firms, the country’s main source of jobs.
The statistics bureau’s industrial profits data cover large firms with annual revenues above CNY20 million from their main operations.
NEW YORK (AP) – The Black News Channel (BNC) has pulled the plug after the two-year-old venture failed to meet payroll and lost the backing of its biggest investor.
The company’s president and CEO Princell Hair told employees in a memo that the news network was ceasing live production and would file for bankruptcy. BNC was available in some 50 million homes with cable and satellite but had failed to attract many viewers.
The network, founded in 2020 by former GOP congressman JC Watts, hired over 250 Black journalists and production personnel last year in a relaunch following an investment by Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan.
But it was consistently losing money, despite two rounds of layoffs, and Khan decided to stop investing in it further. It is currently three weeks short of payroll, a company spokesman said.
Hair, a former CNN executive, took over in the relaunch last year. BNC brought on contributors like Charles Blow, columnist at The New York Times, and commentator Marc Lamont Hill. Correspondents were stationed in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan. PHOTO: AP
The end came even as BNC recorded its biggest audience ever this week with its live coverage of the Judiciary Committee hearing for United States (US) Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Hair said.
He told employees that their contributions had been remarkable, but “due to challenging market conditions and global financial pressures, we have been unable to meet our financial goals, and the timeline afforded to us has run out”.
Establishing a network is particularly tough at a time when consumers have so many choices and many are cutting cable or satellite cords.
“Remember that we built something great here,” Hair said in his memo. “BNC, or something very close to it, will surely return at some point, because the world needs it, and all of you have proven it can be done.”
News of BNC’s shutdown was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
The National Association of Black Journalists said on Friday it was looking at ways to help members that were thrown out of work by the shutdown.
KABUL (AFP) – Women’s rights activists pledged yesterday to launch a wave of protests across Afghanistan if the Taleban fail to re-open girls’ secondary schools within a week.
Thousands of secondary school girls had flocked to classes on Wednesday after the hardline extremists re-opened their institutions for the first time since seizing power last August.
But officials ordered the schools shut again just hours into the day, triggering international outrage.
“We call on the leaders of the Islamic Emirate to open girls’ schools within one week,” activist Halima Nasari read from a statement issued by four women’s rights groups at a press conference in Kabul.
“If the girls’ schools remain closed even after one week, we will open them ourselves and stage demonstrations throughout the country until our demands are met.”
The Taleban should be building more schools for girls in the country’s remote rural areas rather than shutting existing facilities, said the statement, which comes after several high-profile women’s activists in the country were detained in recent months.
A group of Afghan women activists attend a press conference in Kabul. Photo: AFP
“The people can no longer tolerate such oppression. We do not accept any excuse from the authorities,” it said. On Saturday, about two dozen schoolgirls and women staged a protest in Kabul demanding the re-opening of the schools.
The Education Ministry has so far not given a clear reason for its policy reversal, but senior Taleban leader Suhail Shaheel told AFP that some “practical issues” were still to be resolved before re-opening the schools.
Since storming back to power the Taleban have rolled back two decades of gains made by the country’s women, who have been squeezed out of many government jobs, barred from travelling alone, and ordered to dress according to a strict interpretation of religious texts.
The Taleban had promised a softer version of the harsh extremist rule that characterised their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001.
Piety is meaningless if it is only understood without applying it in daily life as piety is a fundamental part of Islamic spirituality, said Dean of Syariah Faculty at Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) Dr Haji Noralizam bin Haji Aliakbar.
He made these comments in his religious talk La’allakum Tattaqun at Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Mateen Mosque in Kampong Mulaut during Munajat night yesterday.
“Those who apply piety in their daily life has taken a fundamental step in having integrity, as integrity in Islam begins with integrity towards Allah the Almighty by being a pious and faithful servant of Allah the Almighty.
“The society today is not inclined to extend piety into their daily lives and only understand it in personal and spiritual contexts. This results in piety being separated from other areas of life such as politics, economics, education, and community,” Dr Haji Noralizam said.
He also said the main purpose of fasting is la‘allakum tattaqun – attaining a higher state of piety.
“If we look deeper, every religious deed during the holy month of Ramadhan is for us to acquire piety. In Al-Quran, piety is a benchmark for human glory,” he said. He also elaborated on the concept of piety which is “to do good deeds and avoid all wrongdoing”.
Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud in attendance. PHOTOS: AZLAN OTHMANPehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong led the gathering from Suri Seri Begawan Raja Pengiran Anak Damit Mosque in Kampong Manggis Madang
Dr Haji Noralizam added, “Islam sees fasting as a practice to enhance integrity. Muslims perform fasting to get closer to Allah the Almighty and seek rewards.
“The higher the level of faith and piety of an individual is, the higher the value of integrity will be, thus being closer to Allah the Almighty.”
The Munajat night organised by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) was held for the 28th time with the participation of the workforce from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA).
In addition, 69 mosques, suraus and religious halls also participated virtually. The religious ceremony invites individuals to seek forgiveness from Allah the Almighty via Munajat, Istighfar, recitation of Surah Yaasin, Zikir, Selawat and supplication, and praying that the nation is protected from calamities, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud were present. Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar led the gathering with the recitation of Sayyidul Istighfar and Surah Al-Fatihah from Suri Seri Begawan Raja Pengiran Anak Damit Mosque in Kampong Manggis Madang.
This was followed by the recitation of Surah Yaasiin, led by Principal of Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Pengiran Haji Amiruddin bin Pengiran Haji Damit from the institute’s musolla in Jalan Tutong.
Doa Munajat was recited by Ra’es of KUPU SB Dr Haji Adanan bin Haji Basar as a member of the Brunei Islamic Religious Council from the Kampong Pengkalan Batu Mosque.
Following the religious talk, Asmaa Ul-Husna and Selawat were recited led by the Prisons Assistance Counsellor at the Prisons Department Fariszal bin Ali along with MoHA officers from Suri Seri Begawan Raja Pengiran Anak Damit Mosque.
The weekly religious gathering ended with Doa Allah Peliharakan Sultan and Brunei Darussalam by Mosque Affairs Officer cum the Head of Monitoring Team for the Tutong District Noraffindy bin Norsabah from Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque in Pekan Tutong.
