Huge top hat

LIVERPOOL, England: Mohamed Salah scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, as Liverpool began their Premier League title defence with a hugely entertaining 4-3 win over promoted Leeds United at Anfield on Saturday. Leeds, making their return to the top flight after a 16-year absence, fought back from behind three times and played the brand of intense, attacking football that their Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa established during their promotion campaign last season. The champions will be concerned with some slack defending but once again did what they have done so well in the past two seasons - finding a way to win at the end. A season beginning with fans still barred from the grounds due to COVID-19 restrictions needed a start to spark some excitement among frustrated fans and this high-energy, incident-packed encounter certainly delivered. Juergen Klopp's side grabbed a fourth minute lead after referee Michael Oliver harshly ruled that Leeds' debutant German defender … [Read more...] about Football: Salah hits hat-trick as Liverpool outgun impressive Leeds

SINGAPORE: As digital banks look set to make their debut here later this year, observers say it may be an uphill task for them to build a customer base against more established conventional banks. While digital banks may find success in appealing to a digitally savvy customer base, traditional banks - which already have advantages such as a strong brand and an established customer base – have already started their own process of digital transformation, they noted. Last year, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced it would issue up to five digital banking licences to non-bank players. Of these, up to two of the licences will be for digital retail banking, which will allow firms to provide a range of financial services as well as take deposits from customers. Another three will be issued for digital wholesale banking, which allows licensees to serve small-and-medium enterprises, as well as other non-retail sectors. MAS announced earlier this year that it had … [Read more...] about Companies vying for digital bank licence may face uphill battle, say experts

KUALA LUMPUR: It has been months since Naeem Nassir was terminated from Oman Air in July, and the 30-year-old pilot still longs for the adrenaline rush and glamour of his previous work. His job of two years was quite different from the traditional deskbound nine-to-five. The senior first officer counted frequent international travel, an above average income and an office above the clouds as some of its perks. For now, taking to the skies is out of reach for Naeem and hundreds of his pilot and flight attendant colleagues in Malaysia who have been grounded or sacked as COVID-19 pandemic has decimated the air travel industry. Over the last few months, two major airlines in Malaysia, Malindo Air and AirAsia, have confirmed that there have been layoffs while national carrier Malaysia Airlines has implemented cost-cutting measures such as unpaid leave and pay cuts. Some of those impacted have turned to entrepreneurship to earn a living, kick-starting businesses in the hope that … [Read more...] about ‘Don’t know if I’ll ever fly again’: Pilots, aircrew in Malaysia turn entrepreneurs to tide over COVID-19

LONDON: Arsenal's fans had waited nine long months to return to the club's north London stadium but the 2,000 people sprinkled across the red seats had to wait only nine minutes to enjoy the thrill of celebrating a goal in the flesh again on Thursday (Dec 3). Appropriately, it was Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette who struck the opener in a 4-1 victory over Rapid Vienna - the same player who 272 days earlier had scored the winner against West Ham United, days before the COVID-19 pandemic swept in. Lacazette described it as "amazing" while his team mate Ainsley Maitland-Niles said: "We've waited a long time. It's just great to have that sound back and have our 12th man back." While English football re-started in June following a three-month hiatus, the country's gleaming Premier League stadiums have since been eerily silent and sad places on match days with fans watching from afar on TV. With the capital placed in the government's Tier Two restrictions following the end of … [Read more...] about Football: Night of cheer as fans return and Arsenal win big

Your ticket to the German classical music festival scene: Concert Hour has the picks of the season — two hours of music updated regularly. Along with host Rick Fulker, the musicians themselves are on hand to give their insights into the events and the music. In these two episodes of Concert Hour, we take a tour through the works of 19th-century Danish composer Carl Nielsen. Listen to audio 54:59 Concert Hour: Carl Nielsen, part two Carl Nielsen, part one " These songs go straight to the heart, " says Nielsen expert Bo Holten , " and they're in the bloodstream of every Danish person - over forty. That's how it is now unfortunately, but we're hoping for a revival and for the interest of younger people. " Danish fiddler Harald Haugaard sees Nielsen as a very open-minded person. "He went through life with an open heart and open mind and found inspiration everywhere," said Haugard : "in other music, literature, art, … [Read more...] about Music for your soul: Carl Nielsen