Author: ultroni1

Addicts, be they hooked on narcotics or alcohol, could be helped by a wearable patch that appears to not only reduce cravings, but also lead to diminished intake of the substances.

Known as a “wearable heart rate variability biofeedback tool”, the device “can help people with substance use disorders (SUD) manage stress, reduce cravings and lower their risk of relapse in real time”, said doctors at Mass Brigham General – a combination of Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the United States.

The treatment “appears to confer benefit in part by disrupting the association between craving and subsequent AOD [alcohol and other drugs] use”, the team said in a paper published in the medical journal JAMA Psychiatry.

Pointing out that stress and craving “tend to be associated with lower heart rate variability (HRV) – the natural variations in time between heartbeats, which reflects underlying health, as well as how the body adapts to stress”, the team said that the patch detects heartbeat changes, prompting it to cue the wearer to adjust their breathing, which, in turn, reduces cravings.

“Special breathing exercises can raise HRV and help regulate mood and improve cognitive control,” the researchers said.

Study participants who were given one of the devices to wear were found to have “less negative emotions, reported fewer cravings for alcohol or drugs, and were 64% less likely to use substances on any given day”, the researchers said.

However, as the tests only involved people in the often-difficult first year of abstinence, the team warned that more work is needed to determine if the patches have “sustained benefits” beyond initial abstinence. 

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Singer-actor Hsieh Kun-da, who was among the Taiwanese celebrities suspected of evading military service, has been detained on his return to Taiwan.

The 43-year-old member of boy band Energy was on the latest list of men sought by the authorities for the suspected offence on Oct 21.

Hsieh had just flown to Canada to begin 10 days of filming for variety show Mr Player (2014 to present) when the police went to his residence on the morning of Oct 21. Only his wife, Taiwanese actress Alice Ko, was at home.

Upon learning the news, Hsieh contacted the Taiwanese police to arrange for an early return.

He reached Taiwan at about 6.30am on Oct 22 and was detained by the police, who were waiting at Taoyuan International Airport.

Taiwanese media said that Hsieh had admitted to evading military service in 2010 by using a forged medical report claiming he had high blood pressure. He was believed to have paid between NT$200,000 and NT$300,000 to a syndicate headed by a man named Chen Chih-ming.

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The National Department of Culture and Arts (JKKN) is planning to revive the National Theatre Festival next year to reinvigorate the development of local theatre, which has been on the decline in recent years.

Its deputy director-general (Culture and Arts) Mohd Radzi Omar, said the festival was last held in 2019, and its absence since then has caused a slowdown in the development of theatre in Malaysia.

“While there have been events organised by private organisations and certain groups, the government’s role is crucial in ensuring the continuity of theatre,” he told the media after the recent children’s theatre performance Di Mana Putra? in Kota Baru, Kelantan.

He added that agencies  like Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) are active in organising performances in Kuala Lumpur every week, and cultural complexes at the state level also offer facilities that can be utilised.

Mohd Radzi said JKKN is currently working on securing the necessary budget to organise the festival again, following the successful staging of the National Dance Festival earlier this year.

“We will alternate the events, one year we hold the Dance Festival, and the next year, the Theatre Festival,” he said.

He emphasised that the festivals should not only be a competition platform but also lead to follow-up performances, helping winning theatre groups remain active.

Mohd Radzi noted that these groups often disband after the festival due to the lack of ongoing activities and suggested they be given opportunities to perform at other venues and lead theatre workshops in schools.

On the current state of theatre groups, he noted that most are now operating independently and do not focus on Bahasa Malaysia theatre.

“Most of the active theatre groups today are focused on English-language productions, such as those at KLPac. Bahasa Malaysia theatre, on the other hand, heavily depends on government and NGO support,” he said.

Mohd Radzi also highlighted that the government provides the Cultural Sector Support Grant (GSSK), which is available for NGOs and cultural arts companies, with an annual allocation of approximately RM30mil to support arts activities, including theatre, dance, and music.

“We hope that this support will continue next year to ensure the ongoing development and expansion of our nation’s arts and culture,” he added. 

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AN old clip of Jackie Chan belittling martial arts legend Bruce Lee is once again making its rounds on the Internet, China Press reported.

It showed Chan implying that he could beat the latter in a fight.

Chan, who appeared as an extra in Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury (1972) and Enter the Dragon (1973), said Lee was a nice person but had been “deified” by fans and the filmmaking industry. 

Speaking on the Chinese talk show Behind the Headlines with Wen Tao, Chan mocked Lee’s signature yell when executing a martial arts move, saying that it was “ugly”. 

When asked who would win in a fight between Lee and himself, Chan replied that he would “let him win”, implying that he himself was a more skilled martial artist.

However, not everyone agreed with Chan’s view of Lee. 

“Bruce Lee really knew martial arts. Jackie Chan’s moves are just for show,” Cheng Pei-pei once said. 

> The daily also reported that a man who pulled a large python from under a car’s hood in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, garnered both fear and admiration from online users.

The video, which was shared by Threads user @iamvictorchan, showed a man approaching a white sedan with its bonnet open. 

The head of a large snake could be seen protruding from the engine. With quick hands, he grabbed the reptile’s head, tugged hard at it and managed to pull it to the ground. Judging from the video, the python captured was at least 2m long.

When interviewed, the uploader of the video said this was not the first time they helped capture a snake on behalf of their neighbours. 

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Retirement opens doors to exciting prospects like travel, hobbies and more quality time with loved ones, but thinking about all the financial decisions around it can feel overwhelming.

In the lead-up to giving up work for good, questions around pension pots, annuities and tax become increasingly important and tackling these less-exciting details now will enable you to enjoy the fun stuff later without the added stress.

To help make the transition smoother, we enlisted the help of Robert Cochran, retirement expert at UK pension and investment company Scottish Widows, who has outlined three essential financial questions to ask yourself before stepping into this next chapter of life…

1. What type of retirement lifestyle can I realistically expect?

“The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (now called Pensions UK) created something called the three retirement living standards profiles – minimum, moderate and comfortable – and they’re based on expenditure in retirement,” explains Cochran. “It takes into account factors like how frequently you are going to replace your car, the type of holidays you want to go on, broadband costs and how much you spend on presents.

“These standards have been set on an individual level and a couple level, and are much more achievable on a couple level.”

For an idea of the kinds of saving you’ll need for a basic or comfortable retirement fund, look for similar online guidelines based on living standards in the country where you plan to retire.

According to guidelines for the UK, for example, the minimum living standard is set at £13,400 (RM75,556.95) per year for a single person and £21,600 (RM121,793.28) for a couple. A moderate standard of living requires £31,700 (RM178,742.92) for one person and £43,900 for two, while a comfortable lifestyle is defined as needing £43,900 (RM247,533.57) for an individual and £60,600 (RM341,697.83) for a couple.

2. Do I know the tax implications of retiring?

There are a number of different ways you can access your pension savings, and there are tax implications for each of these.

“One of the most common mistakes people make is not thinking about tax enough,” says Cochran. This will vary depending on where you are living and retiring.

In the UK, for example: “Most people accessing their pension at 55 years old will be able to take 25% of their pension tax-free, but if you take it out as income all in one go you maximise the tax you have to pay. So, I would strongly encourage people to know what the tax implications are before they start taking any money out.”

3. Do I want a pension annuity? If so, what type?

“An annuity is a guaranteed income for life and it’s an irreversible decision. So, once you make that decision, you’ve got to stick by it,” highlights Cochran. “There are a whole host of different types of annuity with all kind of guarantees but one of the most popular, which pays the highest levels of income, will be on a single life basis with no guarantees.”

Despite the popularity of this, Cochran stresses that it’s not necessarily always the best type to get, particularly if you’re in a couple.

“This is because on average women live longer than men and men traditionally have bigger pension pots, so if a man goes and takes out a single basis annuity for the highest possible income he can get with no guarantees, when he dies his spouse will get nothing from that fund,” says Cochran.

“So it’s particularly important for couples to talk to each other about this. Are you willing to forgo what is usually a really small amount of initial income to have a guarantee of an income for your loved one upon the death of the first spouse?”

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Stripping off and diving into a swimming pool can seem daunting, but braving the water could be one of the best decisions you ever make for your mental and physical health.

Being a strong swimmer is a key life skill that can come in handy when you least expect it, so it’s important to finetune your skills and increase your confidence in the pool, especially later in life.

“I’ve seen the difference swimming makes in people’s lives, especially for older adults,” says Nuffield Health national swim manager Emma Kuwertz-Norman in Britain.

“It’s not just about keeping fit; it’s about feeling confident, staying independent and enjoying life to the fullest.

“Retirement is the perfect time to work on movement and the pool is one of the safest and most effective places to start.”

When you compare swimming to other low-impact activities, like walking or cycling, it really does stand out.

“It’s safer for people who struggle with balance, it works more muscle groups, and because our pools are indoors, it’s something you can do all-year round,” she says.

If you are apprehensive about taking the plunge, here are five key benefits of taking up swimming in retirement and some tips on how to get started.

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EVERY dream begins with an opportunity. Through the Malaysian Indian Skills Initiative (MISI), the Indian community in Malaysia is being given a chance to acquire vocational training and employment opportunities for a new start in life.

MISI is not merely a programme but a bridge between potential and achievement, between dreams and reality. 

Implemented through agencies such as HRD Corp and TalentCorp – two agencies under the Human Resources Ministry (KESUMA) – the initiative focuses on skills training, job opportunities and career development.

The true strength of MISI lay not in figures or performance reports but in the human success stories behind them. The programme helps develop technical skills as well as build confidence, dignity and a future for its participants.

From village girl to multinational company engineer

In the past, Yuemystra Veswalinggam has only heard of big names like Jabil on television. 

A native of Kulim from a B40 family earning about RM2,500 a month, she struggled to find a job after graduation, especially with no experience and living far from the city.

Everything changed when she joined the MISI programme, which was established to help the Malaysian Indian community access training and employment opportunities.

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At an event at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, France recently, the Michelin guide unveiled its first global selection of keys – the equivalent of stars, but for hotels. But hours before, at a separate event at the ornate 18th century Pozzo di Borgo mansion also in Paris, it unveiled something more controversial: An honest look into the ways that it makes money from such reviews, both on the hotel and restaurant sides of its operations.

It was the first time that the French company spoke explicitly about what many have known to be true for years: that government-run tourism boards pay for Michelin guide restaurant reviewers to come to their states and cities. 

For years questions have swirled in the travel industry about whether the company can maintain impartiality in awarding stars to local restaurants while at the same time accepting payment from the tourism bodies charged with their promotion. 

As it turns out, reviewing hotels – an expensive practice that has become all but impossible for most publications to do in a thorough, independent way – is what forced Michelin to come clean on its practices.

And that’s not because Michelin is compromising its standards. In fact, executives at the guide confirmed that the company is paying full-price, publicly-listed rates for every hotel it vets, and also for the flights required to get there. It does the same with restaurants, which is visits anonymously.

In order to go global with its hotel ratings, though, the guide has had to create different revenue streams. In October 2018, it acquired the hotel booking platform Tablet, creating a platform for Michelin loyalists to plan and book their vacations. The company takes a cut from each of these bookings at an industry standard rate of around 15%.

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Hong Kong superstar Aaron Kwok has declared himself the luckiest man in the world.

The 59-year-old actor-singer, who is married to Chinese fashion blogger Moka Fang, 38, took to social media on the evening of Oct 22 to announce the birth of their third daughter.

“Our little princess has finally arrived home,” the Cantopop performer wrote in Chinese, posting a photo of the baby. “Both mother and daughter are well, and we are grateful for everything.”

Kwok, who has two other daughters aged six and eight with Fang, added: “Our family now has three shining pearls, and I feel incredibly blessed and contented. The elder sisters can’t wait to take care of their younger sister. ”

Referring to previous media reports which claimed that Fang was carrying a boy, he wrote: “To me, whether it’s a son or a daughter, they are all the most precious gifts heaven has bestowed upon me. Our home is truly a ‘House of Goddesses’, and I am the luckiest man in the world, deeply loved by four goddesses.”

Fang also shared Kwok’s post on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

She added in Chinese: “Seeing my husband holding her, his eyes still sparkling with the same excitement and adoration as when he became a father for the first time, I know we possess the purest love.

“Thank you, my husband – gender has never been a condition of our love. Health, happiness and kindness are the best gifts we can give our daughters.”

Kwok was spotted by Hong Kong media outlet Sing Tao Headline driving from his apartment to Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital with his mother-in-law on the afternoon of Oct 22.

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Sarah Ferguson is officially a duchess no more – and she knows it.

The ex-wife of Britain’s Prince Andrew removed the royal moniker from her social media, days after Buckingham Palace announced her former spouse would be giving up his titles.

Fergie, as she’s popularly known, has since changed her Twitter handle from “@SarahTheDuchess” to “@sarahMFergie15.”

Even though the couple divorced in 1996, the London native had continued to use Duchess of York as a courtesy title throughout her professional pursuits.

Fergie’s move comes after Andrew made the shocking announcement on Oct 17 that he would relinquish his royal titles, including the Duke of York, amid ongoing allegations over his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” the 65-year-old said in the statement. “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first.”

The second-youngest of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s four children, Andrew previously announced in 2019 that he would step back from public life over his links to Epstein, despite his denials of wrongdoing.

“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me,” the embattled royal continued. “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”

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