ATHENS (AFP) – Greece yesterday set a February deadline for people to receive coronavirus booster jabs and will bar those without the additional dose from most indoor venues.
“From February 1, anyone who has not taken the booster dose after a seven month period (from the second dose) will be considered unvaccinated,” Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris said in an interview with the Ant1 broadcaster.
“The certificate will be valid, because it is a European certificate valid for nine months, but they will not be able to have the privileges and advantages as to access indoor and other activities that are for the fully vaccinated.”
Greece is struggling to contain a surge of the Omicron variant and encouraging those not vaccinated to get jabbed as well as imposing further restrictions for the vaccinated.
Since mid-November, unvaccinated people have been largely barred from indoor spaces, including restaurants, cinemas, museums and gyms, even if they test negative for COVID-19.
Ahead of New Year’s Eve, the Greek government has implemented new measures as daily cases soared, after Christmas celebrations.
Until January 16, restaurants and entertainment venues are required to close at midnight, are only able to seat tables of six people while music is banned.
Up to half of employees in the public and private sectors are advised to work from home, up from 20 per cent previously.
The country has recorded 1,489,024 coronavirus cases and 21,328 related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
On December 14, the country said a record 130 people had died of COVID in 24 hours, but that daily figure has since dropped below 100.
THE WASHINGTON POST – Hollywood’s superhero franchises survived and then thrived in this year of coronavirus variants – whether fans were huddled at home while watching Marvel and DC’s streaming titles, or eventually venturing into theatres to catch Disney and Sony comic-book movies, which accounted for five of the six biggest domestic hits of 2021.
Anchoring the success of these films were the layered human performances amid all the in-computer effects. Here are a dozen actors who especially delivered depth within their superhero universes:
12. RICHARD MADDEN AND KIT HARINGTON (ETERNALS)
These Game of Thrones alumni are two-thirds of a kinetic love triangle opposite Gemma Chan in Eternals. Madden deftly plays his character Ikaris like a Superman with a dark side – a by-the-book immortal dedicated to a master plan while harbouring grievous secrets. And Harington’s boyfriend character Dane Whitman – while destined for more super things as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s future Black Knight – here poignantly conveys how there’s nothing wrong with being eternally human.
11. RAY FISHER (ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE)
Fisher’s performance as Cyborg is the true heart of Snyder’s Justice League. The actor – who made headlines with accusations over how he was treated by director Joss Whedon and studio management during production – was so good in the Snyder Cut, it’s disheartening to realise that he might never reprise the role. Unlike Whedon, Snyder (who initially shepherded the feature film) saw Cyborg’s character as worth building a story around, as well as potential spinoffs.
10. EZRA MILLER (ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE)
The Snyder Cut – the four-hour streaming version of the maligned two-hour theatrical release – was saved in part by Miller’s well-pitched performance (as super speedster the Flash), much of which was left on Whedon’s cutting-room floor in 2017. Miller goes from comic relief to a world-saving role in Snyder’s version, and where Whedon had decelerated Miller’s Flash, Snyder put him in fifth gear. Also now on display: Miller proves himself worthy of an eagerly anticipated Flash movie.
Tony Leung as Wenwu; and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff. PHOTOS: MARVEL STUDIOS
9. HAILEE STEINFELD (HAWKEYE)
As master archer and adulating sidekick Kate Bishop, the lively Steinfeld crafts a performance of sharp contrasts opposite Jeremy Renner’s more serious-minded hero, Hawkeye/Clint Barton. Steinfeld does so well as Hawkeye’s apprentice that her character is poised to go in a number of directions: Bishop could get her own show or become a next-generation Avenger. Maybe both.
8. TOM HIDDLESTON (LOKI)
The gifted Hiddleston never brings less than total commitment to inhabiting the MCU’s most mischievous character as Loki, and Disney Plus is better for it. The streaming series dramatically puts Loki in an unfamiliar position: He has to think about someone other than himself. Hiddleston devours such dialogue, grinning as he chews the scenery.
7. SIMU LIU (SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS)
Simu Liu took a lesser-known comic-book character and – rippling with warmth, humour and winning vulnerability – turned Shang-Chi into a household name. From the dangerous streetcars and scaffolding to the perilous dance of family intrigue, his emotional and physical performance justifies Shang-Chi becoming a next-generation Avenger, whenever Marvel Studios reassembles that team.
6. ELIZABETH OLSEN (WANDAVISION)
As Wanda Maximoff, the eclectic Olsen shows off comedic and dramatic gifts (all that tragic denial!) beyond what she’d had a chance to display as a non-leading character in the Avengers movies. Now, after WandaVision and her forthcoming appearance in the next Doctor Strange film, her Scarlet Witch moves into the MCU’s pantheon of essential characters going forward.
5. FLORENCE PUGH (BLACK WIDOW)
Why make Black Widow, after Scarlett Johansson’s title character had already been killed off in 2019′s Avengers: Endgame? Well, one chief reason: To dramatise the passing of the superhero torch to sisterly character Yelena Belova – a role that Pugh embraced with athletic ferocity and quick comic aplomb. With Black Widow as a strong jumping-off point, Pugh should stay ready to return to Marvel duty as needed.
4. MARGOT ROBBIE (THE SUICIDE SQUAD)
Playing the relentlessly resourceful Harley Quinn, Robbie is reliably the most electric presence in DC’s sprawling team-up movies, dropping coy one-liners with as much force as her violent blows. She again steals entire scenes in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, and with each own-the-screen DC outing, including Birds of Prey, she proves that her radiant Harley could carry solo movies in between the Suicide squadfests.
3. KATHRYN HAHN (WANDAVISION)
No matter the decade that the spoof-happy WandaVision beams from, Hahn shines like a supernova as Agatha Harkness. With her supreme comedic versatility, she complements Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda, seamlessly transitioning from over-the-top supporting character to villain in charge.
2. TONY LEUNG (SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS)
The international superstar is so beguiling as the paternal Shang-Chi baddie Wenwu that scenes seem to bend toward Leung’s magnetic energy. By conveying a complex mix of familial passion and calculating menace, the veteran actor has crafted perhaps the most charismatic villain in the MCU.
1. TOM HOLLAND (SPIDER-MAN: NWH)
After spending years under the guiding Iron hand of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr), Holland’s webslinger is no longer a Spider-Kid. The actor’s latest outing as Peter Parker in this Sony trilogy is a tour de force, as Holland more than holds his own alongside some of the greatest superhero and supervillain performers of the past two decades.
ANN/ THE KOREAN HERALD – BTS and IU won the top prizes on Saturday at the 36th Golden Disc Awards, the annual South Korean event that honours achievements in the local
music industry.
BTS took home Album of the Year award at a ceremony at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome for its album Be, which was released in November 2020. It was the fifth consecutive year that the group won the top honour in the album category.
The group also won three additional awards, including the Seezn most popular artist award, digital song and best album. BTS did not attend the ceremony as the members are on a long-term break. Instead, the boy band appeared in a video message and thanked its fans.
“Be was an album through which we aimed to deliver a message of hope to those suffering due to COVID-19, but we have instead received a lot of comfort from many others. We’d like to share this honour with Army, who always support us,” BTS leader RM said during the acceptance speech. Army refers to BTS fans.
IU also had a big night, grabbing the top award in the digital song division with her hit Celebrity, which was released in March last year. It marked the singer’s second consecutive year winning Digital Song of the Year. She also received awards for digital song and
best album.
“Last year was a very meaningful one for me. Closing out my 20s, I worked hard to promote music as I thought it was the best way to express my sincere gratitude to the fans who have been with me for the last 10 years. It feels like I’ve ended my 20s well with people listening to my music, loving me for so long and giving me such a big award like this,” she said.
Girl groups Aespa and StayC took home rookie of the year awards. Aespa also won the Cosmopolitan Artist Award, Digital Song and Artist of the Year. StayC received the award for Digital Song as well. The Best Group Award and Best Solo Artist Awards went to Brave Girls and Lim Young-woong, respectively, while The Boyz and Jeon So-mi won the awards for best performance.
The winners were selected based on the sales of singles and albums released between November 2020 and mid-November last year, as well as evaluations by music experts, according to the Golden Disc Awards. Sales accounted for 60 per cent of the final score, with expert evaluation accounting for 40 per cent.
Meanwhile, this year’s music award ceremony was held without a live audience due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The event was hosted by veteran ballad singer Sung Si-kyung, actress Lee Da-hee and actor-singer Lee Seung-gi, while award presenters included actors Jung Woo-sung and Joo Ji-hoon, Jeon So-min and Han Sun-hwa.
ANN/THE DAILY STAR – Do not get frustrated if you fail to cut back on your sugar intake in one go. You don’t even have to go cold turkey to avoid sugary foods. With some smart sugar strategies, you can keep your cravings under control.
Be adventurous and outsmart your sweet tooth. Have patience because the endurance is well worth in the long run.
SERVE YOUR CRAVING WITH A HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE
Whenever sugar craving kicks in, try to grab some healthy meal. With that in mind you need to keep some healthy snacks or pre-made meals handy. Healthy sources of carbohydrate and fibre will level out your blood sugar level and keep you full for a longer time.
FRUITS FOR THOUGHT
Fruits are great alternatives for sugary foods as they not only provide you with sufficient nutrients, but also satisfies your sweet tooth. The high water content helps to keep you full.
You can always go for fruit salads, which never fails to hit the taste buds. Stocking up on nuts, seeds and dried foods are also highly recommended.
TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
It is always enjoyable to take a brisk walk in the neighbourhood, not only to distract yourself from the sweet craving, but also to get relief from boredom, anxiety or other emotions. If it’s difficult to go outside, focus on few exhausting body-weight exercises.
Take a hot shower and buy yourself some time to take your mind off from the craving.
MADRID (AP) — Spanish police said yesterday they dismantled a drug-trafficking ring that allegedly brought hashish and marijuana from Morocco to southern Spain by helicopter and then transported it to France by road.
The Guardia Civil said in a statement it seized 2.4 metric tonnes of hashish and 112 kilogrammes of marijuana in the operation, as well as three helicopters, guns and ammunition.
Officers arrested 11 people and a further nine are being sought in France, the statement said.
After being flown by helicopter across the Mediterranean Sea from Morocco to Spain, which are about 15 kilometres apart at the nearest point, the drugs were concealed in trucks and a tour bus with fake number plates for the journey north to France.
Police believe the revenue from the drug sales was laundered through front companies.
French police and the European Union crime agency Europol took part in the operation, the Guardia Civil said.
ANN/THE STAR – The past two years have been an arduous litmus test for humankind, one that has ultimately proven that resilience is not in short supply.
The human spirit continues to flourish even in the throes of unforeseen adversity, and this is evident in many economic sectors, including the hard-hit food and beverages industry, which continues to bounce back with remarkable enthusiasm, even picking up new trends to help it chug along.
What’s interesting is that many of the food trends that are likely to dominate in 2022 have been spurred forward and in many cases – accelerated – by the COVID-19 pandemic.
So will these trends continue to soar and surge even as the pandemic meets its highly-anticipated decline and demise? Or will new, independent food trends emerge, entirely unrelated to the pandemic?
Here’s a look at what could potentially be in store in the F&B world this coming year.
In 2022, many mid-range and high-end restaurants in Malaysian urban cities will likely have plant-based meat on their menus, in response to the growing appetite for it. PHOTOS: IMPOSSIBLE FOODS & PHUTURE DAGING
Food delivery will continue to be on the rise in 2022. PHOTO: THE STAR
THE GROWTH OF THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
Although restaurants were dropping like flies in 2020 and 2021, projections are good for 2022 and beyond – strange as it may seem for an industry still reeling from the aftermath of the pandemic.
In fact, according to GlobalData’s report: Malaysia – The Future of Foodservice to 2025, released in 2021, the foodservice sector is projected to grow 10 per cent from 2020 to 2025.
Chef-owner of high-end eateries like Beta and Skillet in the Klang Valley Raymond Tham said this is exactly what he believes is going to happen in 2022.
“Just look at how many restaurants have opened up in the past year alone in Kuala Lumpur! There have been so many restaurant openings in 2021 even when the pandemic was at its worst, so I think there will be even more restaurants opening in 2020, for sure.
“Also people can’t really travel, so many restaurateurs are seizing the opportunity to offer a different range of international foods – like Italian, Spanish, Korean, etc to local customers,” said Tham.
THE RISE OF PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS
In 2020 and 2021, alternative proteins from brands like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and Phuture Daging started sneaking onto Malaysian supermarket shelves and restaurant menus.
At first, its presence was barely noticeable, a tiny dent in a huge equation. But last year, it started making its presence felt in a far more discernible way.
This was augmented by a shift towards plant-based meats during the pandemic when wariness about meat consumption (and meat production plants) caused a massive uptick in plant-based interest. In fact, a survey conducted by Herbalife Nutrition found that in 2020, 61 per cent of Malaysians surveyed were eating more plant-based foods.
This has had a trickle-down effect because according to The Food Purveyor CEO Geoff King, which owns supermarkets like Village Grocer and Ben’s Independent Grocer, sales of plant-based meat shot up by over 200 per cent last year at the height of the pandemic!
“Plant-based foods will play a significant role in 2022. In 2021, we noticed that our consumers in Village Grocer and Ben’s Independent Grocer are actively seeking plant-based products as these products are healthier and better for our planet.
“And, as taste and textures improved, we saw the demand grow in tandem. Currently, we are carrying 15 plant-based brands in our outlets compared to three brands in early 2021,” said King.
It isn’t just retailers that are recognising this growing consumer demand; restaurants have been slowly but surely adapting to these changes too. Last year, KFC introduced a KFC Zero Chicken burger in collaboration with meat substitute brand Quorn, while Korean fried chicken behemoth Kyochon now has an entire range of meat-free alternative proteins on its menu.
Across the Klang Valley, mid-range restaurants like Botanica + Co and Nourish by Kenny Hills Bakers have embraced alternative proteins, and even a few high-end eateries like Hilton Kuala Lumpur’s Chynna and Tham’s Beta have adopted these plant-based meatless meats.
Which is why 2022 is likely going to be the year you’ll see alternative proteins and other plant-based foods like jackfruit patties becoming ubiquitous in restaurant menus across the country.
“I can see the trend is growing – we have a lot more customers asking if we have vegan or vegetarian menus. So it is very obvious that people are more concerned about what they eat.
“And alternative proteins are definitely part of this trend. These days, you have to have at least a plant-based burger or some sort of plant-based item on the menu,” said Tham.
HEALTHIER EATING WILL GAIN TRACTION
In tandem with the shift towards plant-based foods, wellness and healthy foods have seen a remarkable surge in interest, which will only get bigger in 2022.
GrabFood’s Food Trends Report 2020/2021 shows that seven out of 10 Malaysians want to eat healthier and 44 per cent are willing to pay more for healthier food. Additionally, in 2020, orders for healthy food were three times more than in 2019.
“We have seen a burst of interest in health or wellness foods and organic foods. Our consumers value these healthy and organic food options as there has been greater awareness of gut health and overall health,” affirmed King.
King’s views are echoed by Ewen Lim, who runs the Klang Valley’s first fruit-centric healthy food eatery Hey Peach!
“The healthy eating trend is a worldwide trend that started a few years ago but Malaysia is always three to five years behind. So right now, we are finally catching up with the trend, and I can definitely see that there will be more restaurants and other F&B businesses developed around healthy food in 2022.
“This is also because since the pandemic, people have put more effort into taking care of their bodies and going for healthier food options. For example, if a restaurant said their nasi lemak or nasi goreng is ‘healthy’, people will opt for it.
“So restaurants are catering to this growing demand – you can see it on many menus now,” she said.
CONTINUED RISE OF FOOD DELIVERY
GrabFood Food Trends Report 2020/2021 show that the pandemic has cemented food delivery’s ascent and continued growth well into 2022 and beyond. According to data from the report, meals ordered using delivery services in Malaysia increased by 13 per cent during the pandemic.
This is fairly unsurprising, because for many Malaysians, food delivery has become a part of their daily lives, especially families with young children who are often the most cautious about eating out and also don’t have the time to cook after a busy working day.
In fact, the data shows that 52 per cent of food delivery consumers are married with kids and 61 per cent are 25 to 44 years old, which means that the core customer base is young and will continue to expand and grow over the years.
Consequently, this pattern of ordering food online has become such a regular facet of Malaysian eating culture these days that according to the report, 87 per cent of consumers said that they will keep ordering food delivery in the future.
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad has undergone a procedure at a specialist heart hospital and is expected to be discharged in the coming days, the medical facility said yesterday.
The 96-year-old was admitted on Friday to the National Heart Institute, which said he was to have an “elective medical procedure”, without giving further details.
The centre said a team of doctors successfully conducted the procedure, and the ex-prime minister was “recuperating well”.
“He is fully awake and in high spirits,” it added in a statement. Mahathir had already spent several days in the hospital last month for a check-up.
He has had heart problems in the past, suffering several heart attacks and undergoing bypass surgery.
He has been one of Malaysia’s most dominant political figures in recent decades, serving twice as prime minister for 24 years.
He was leader from 1981 to 2003, then returned to power in 2018 at the age of 92 as the head of a reformist coalition.
Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad. PHOTO: AFP
A total of 25 former National Service Programme (PKBN) trainees took part in a cleaning campaign as part of the Day of Action at Serasa Beach yesterday.
“The theme for us today is green initiative, and we chose to conduct a cleaning campaign here as it is important to keep it clean for parents to enjoy time outside with their children,” said Acting PKBN Training Camp Commander Major (Rtd) Sofian bin Haji Mohd Yassin.
Apart from Serasa Beach, alumni members also held cleaning campaigns in the Temburong District.
“The former trainees are passionate to do their part to help the country. They have continuously stepped forward to take part in various initiatives including serving as frontliners in the COVID-19 fight,” the acting commander added.
The Day of Action Campaign is an initiative by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports which takes place from December 5, 2021 to February 28, 2022.
Former PKBN trainees clean up Serasa Beach. PHOTOS: ADIB NOORTrainees and officers pick up trash during the campaign
THE STAR – From Unilever Plc to Colgate-Palmolive Co, consumer goods makers in India are facing distribution blues that have nothing to do with pandemic-induced shortages and bottlenecks. The trusted middlemen that brands have traditionally relied on to reach millions of small neighbourhood stores in 8,000 towns and 660,000 villages are in revolt.
It’s a mutiny that the multinationals have invited upon themselves.
About 90 per cent of what gets consumed in the continent-sized economy flows through a pipe known as “general trade”: Brands appoint third-party distributors who stock bulk inventory, despatch goods in small quantities to shops in their area, collect cash and offer retailers unsecured credit at zero interest (without the cumbersome “know-your-customer,” or KYC, checks of the formal financial system).
Distributors also take the onus of compliance with existing rules and regulations for the brands as they’re the ones dealing directly with the the last-mile outlet, known as kirana.
Each of these services is important in its own right. Together, they’re worth at least 11.5 per cent of the final price of merchandise, estimates US-trained engineer Sumit Aggarwal who returned to run his family’s consumer goods distribution business in north India. Yet, the distributors’ share of the pie is barely five per cent-to-six per cent. The rest of their value addition benefits other stakeholders, including consumers.
If the pipe is only now gurgling with discontent, it’s because a new breed of rivals has arrived.
Better-funded bulk suppliers such as Walmart Inc, billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s JioMart and Germany’s Metro AG as well as business-to-business e-commerce firms like Udaan and Big Basket are flexing their superior financial muscles to win over the small shopkeeper.
Vendors wait for customers at their stall in India. PHOTO: THE STAR
The price at which distributors get merchandise from brands allows for only 10 per cent-12 per cent margins for retailers. Apps are offering as much as 20 per cent. Since none of the new-age intermediaries are operationally profitable, the deep discounts are very likely backed by investor capital, of which there is no shortage at present.
Retailers are switching to more modern suppliers, and the traditional distribution chain is up in arms.
The Economic Times last month chronicled the story of Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc distributor Vipresh Shah in a small town 200 miles south of Mumbai. When the newspaper caught up with him, Shah, who has been selling Dettol bars to shops in his area for 14 years, hadn’t had a single order in eight days.
Storeowners are buying the same soap 15 per cent cheaper on the JioMart Partner app and accusing Shah of ripping them off.
Daring to take on the behemoths, the middlemen are sending an SOS: “Don’t turn us into a bunch of frustrated Willy Lomans from Death of a Salesman. We, too, can digitise and compete.”
Distributors in India’s Maharashtra state stopped supplying Hindustan Unilever Ltd’s Kissan range of ketchups and sauces from January 1 and threatened to expand the blockade to personal-care products and detergents. Colgate, which is facing a similar embargo on its Max Fresh line of toothpaste, has been warned by an association of traders that its products may vanish from retail outlets in Maharashtra by February.
The ban might extend to other states as well. It probably won’t come to that. Small and midsized intermediaries are scattered across the country. While they have temporarily come together in one state, they don’t have the staying power for a prolonged, nationwide strike against the far more resourceful producers.
The mobile Internet is transforming the retail landscape in India. Pure e-commerce, the kind offered by Amazon.com Inc and Walmart Inc’s Flipkart, is still a minuscule part of overall consumer spending.
But owners of mom-and-pop kirana shops are increasingly whipping out their smartphones to source goods as cheaply as they can.
Credit, which was the No 1 reason for them to rely on distributors, is now being offered by a whole range of new fintech players.
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson scored season highs of 33 and 27 points as the short-handed Miami Heat dominated the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns with a 123-100 victory on Saturday.
The pair sparked the hot-shooting offence as the Heat equalled a franchise record by making 22 of 44 baskets from three-point range.
Robinson drained eight threes, including two clutch ones in the fourth quarter that thwarted a brief Suns rally.
The Heat, who outrebounded Phoenix 49-35, had 11 players on the inactive list, including star guard Jimmy Butler.
Devin Booker scored a team-high 26 points and Mikal Bridges added 20 for the Suns, who shot just 38 percent from the field.
It was a rare one-sided home loss for the Suns, who had their three-game win streak halted. The Suns dropped to 30-9 on the season.
In Los Angeles, Jaren Jackson scored a team-high 26 points as the Memphis Grizzlies used a strong second quarter to win their eighth straight game with a 123-108 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Desmond Bane finished with 23 points, including five three-pointers, one of four Grizzlies players who finished with 18 points or more.
After a slow start which saw them down by 12 points in the first quarter, Memphis went on a 10-0 scoring surge early in the second to take the lead. They led 66-56 at the half and never trailed in the second half.
“One of the great things about Jaren is that he’s very versatile,” Grizzlies assistant coach Brad Jones said. “The Clippers struggled on how to handle him today.”
Tyus Jones tallied 18 points and had five assists while Brandon Clarke came off the bench to finish with 18 points and 15 rebounds.
Memphis was missing leading scorer Ja Morant, who was out with a thigh injury.
They lost starter Dillon Brooks early in the second quarter after the Canadian forward injured his ankle and had to be helped off the floor.
“Our guys have stuck together. We figure it out as it goes along,” said Jones. “They believe in our system and each other. It’s really cool when players are talking about that and the coaches don’t have to.”
Marcus Morris scored a game-high 29 points for Los Angeles, which included draining four threes. But the Clippers as a team went just 10-of-32 from three-point range.
