Latest news with #Lo
The Star
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
‘More youths showing interest in agriculture'
Many are unaware of the grants to assist youths in starting up their own business in farming, livestock farming, fisheries or agro-based industries. — Filepic IF you are between 18 and 45 years old and want to venture into farming, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry is offering a start-up grant worth up to RM30,000. Johor Fruit Farmers Association chairman Alvins Lo said many people were unaware of the 'Geran Agropreneur Muda' (GAM) to assist youths in starting up their own business in farming, livestock farming, fisheries or agro-based industries. 'Interest among youths towards the agricultural sector has increased in recent years. 'We have been receiving many inquiries from youths looking for entrepreneurship opportunities and subsidies in the agriculture sector, which is a good sign,' he said in an interview. As such, the association organised an agricultural talk in Yong Peng attended by about 40 youths. Lo said the association invited Batu Pahat Agriculture Department's urban farming unit assistant officer Muhamad Izad Zolzali who spoke about incentives and subsidy programmes available for the participants to apply. Lo (left) presenting a token to Muhamad Izad who shared about the incentives for young farmers. 'He promoted the GAM initiative, which was met with enthusiasm from the attendees as the grant addresses the needs of young farmers by providing them non-cash assistance. 'The speaker gave a detailed explanation about the eligibility of the grant and common reasons for rejection,' said Lo. He added that Muhamad Izad also gave tips and recommendations for their application such as financial planning and harvest estimates. Lo said there was an opportunity for GAM recipients to further apply for another initiative called GAM Scale-up, to help them with upstream activities. 'The scale-up grant, worth up to RM50,000 per individual, would be disbursed in the form of agrotechnology, mechanisation and automation equipment. 'In the question-and-answer portion of the event, Muhamad Izad addressed the participants' concerns and advised them to register their business as an enterprise to ease subsidy applications as well as enjoy future benefits,' he added. Apart from disseminating information about the incentives, the talk was also a way of bridging the gap between the government agency and young farmers. Lo said the association would continue working closely with the ministry to organise more talks to promote initiatives such as the Malaysian Good Agricultural Practices and Maximum Residue Limits for pesticide use. 'It is through good agricultural practices and management that we can ensure our farmed products reach consumers in a safe and edible condition to improve market standards. 'I also took the opportunity to encourage the young farmers to join the association as a platform to communicate and build strength to contribute to agricultural development,' he said.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Lapu-Lapu murder suspect to face trial on mental fitness
Kai-Ji Adam Lo, the suspect in the Vancouver street festival tragedy that left 11 people dead and dozens injured, will face a two-day trial later this summer to determine if he is mentally fit to stand trial for murder. Mark Swartz, Lo's lawyer, requested the trial at a hearing Friday in Vancouver Provincial Court to confirm an in-custody mental health assessment has been completed. The mental fitness trial will be scheduled to run for two days, likely in July, under presiding Judge Reginald Harris. Lo will be required to attend in person. Lo is accused of driving his SUV through a crowd of people at the Filipino community's Lapu-Lapu Day street festival on April 26. He is charged with eight counts of second-degree murder. A five-year-old girl, eight women and two men were killed in the car-ramming. Lo appeared in court Friday via video from where he is being held. He had unruly hair, a thin moustache and was wearing a black sweatshirt. Crown prosecutor Michaela Donnelly requested an updated psychological report be done in the weeks before the mental fitness trial. Harris agreed, stating that in his experience in similar type cases that mental health can change and evolve "dramatically." Some details revealed in Lo's court proceedings so far are under a publication ban and Swartz indicated he will be asking for a similar ban on evidence brought at the trial. Harris said he is required to balance the open court system and the right of media to inform the public versus the possibility of tainting a future jury in a murder trial — if the case comes to that — and preserving Lo's charter right to a fair trial.
Toronto Star
4 days ago
- Toronto Star
Festival attack suspect Adam Lo in court, as judge receives fitness assessment report
VANCOUVER - Lapu Lapu Day festival attack suspect Adam Kai-Ji Lo has appeared by video in Vancouver Provincial Court, as preparations to determine if he's fit to stand trial continue. Lo appeared on screen dressed in a dark blue sweatshirt as his lawyer Mark Swartz, the judge and prosecutor discussed next steps in the case, in which Lo faces second-degree murder charges over the vehicle attack that killed 11 people in April.
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Suspect in Lapu Lapu festival killings makes second appearance in Vancouver court
The man charged with eight counts of murder after 11 people were killed and several more injured at an outdoor Filipino community festival last month appeared briefly by video in Vancouver provincial court on Friday. It was the second court appearance for Kai-ji Adam Lo, 30, who remains in custody. At his previous appearance in the same court about three weeks ago, Lo had been sent for a psychiatric assessment. He is scheduled to return to court in a week to set a date for his next appearance, for legal arguments on whether he is mentally fit to stand trial. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. At the previous appearance, Judge Reg Harris at the start of the hearing to hear an application from Lo's lawyer, Mark Swartz, imposed a publication ban on any submissions by Swartz or prosecutor Michaela Donnelly, but specifically allowed reporting of the order for a psychiatric assessment. Such publications bans are common in pretrial hearings to protect the trial process, especially if the accused chooses to be tried by jury and judge. Lo was arrested on April 26 and charged with eight counts of second-degree murder after someone drove a black SUV through a crowd of people 15 minutes after the end of a daylong festival held by Vancouver's Filipino community to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day near 41st Avenue and Fraser Street in east Vancouver. Among those killed were a five-year-old girl and her parents, and the oldest person killed was 65 years old. Vancouver Police have said more charges are possible.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Festival attack suspect Adam Lo in court, as judge receives fitness assessment report
VANCOUVER – Lapu Lapu Day festival attack suspect Adam Kai-Ji Lo has appeared by video in Vancouver Provincial Court, as preparations to determine if he's fit to stand trial continue. Lo appeared on screen dressed in a dark blue sweatshirt as his lawyer Mark Swartz, the judge and prosecutor discussed next steps in the case, in which Lo faces second-degree murder charges over the vehicle attack that killed 11 people in April. Judge Reg Harris says he's received and read a mental health assessment. Swartz told the court he would be seeking a publication ban on evidence given in a fitness hearing, which he says likely won't occur until sometime in July. Donnelly told the judge one of the doctors treating Lo could write an update on his condition, and Harris said it would be helpful to have the 'most up-to-date perspective.' Harris said past cases he's been involved with demonstrated that mental health 'changes and evolves, ebbs and flows dramatically.' Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. The brief hearing ended with the court setting June 6 as a tentative date for Lo's next appearance. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.
