Spike in dengue cases; no death reported

Paris, France, July 2, 2026 (AFP) -The Paris Opera announced Thursday that it had been forced to extend planned renovations on its historic home in the French capital by three years because of lead contamination.The beloved institution had already announced two years of work from 2027-2029 for the Palais Garnier, which will close one of the most iconic sites of European opera.But the overhaul and de-contamination on the structure is now expected to take five years, with the re-opening date pushed back to 2032."It's a decision we stand by, a decision taken out of responsibility, a decision made to ensure the long-term future of our asset," Paris Opera director general Alexander Neef told AFP on Thursday."We have taken this step today in order to avoid having to launch other major works in a few years' time," he added.Neef blamed "stricter regulations" which he said meant that lead would have to be removed from the stage area.The 150-year-old Palais Garnier is considered an architectural jewel in Paris, famed for its vast domed ceiling painted by Marc Chagall and its grand marble entrance.It is one of several tourist attractions in the City of Light requiring costly repairs, with the Pompidou Centre modern art gallery closed for a five-year modernisation and the Louvre Museum beset by maintenance problems.The Paris Opera renovations had been estimated at 450 million euros ($515 million) by the culture ministry, a quarter of which would be financed by the French state.The institution's other home, the modern Bastille opera house, is set to close for two years of renovations once work is completed on Palais Garnier.

The assets under management (AUM) of unit trust companies in Malaysia increased by approximately RM27 billion, or 6%, to RM569.79 billion as of June 2025, driven by market and currency appreciation.

Malaysia’s healthcare sector is a structural growth story, supported by resilient earnings, demographic trends and rising investor interest, according to Bursa Malaysia.

Malaysia’s healthcare sector is projected to record around 12% growth towards 2030, driven by an ageing population, rising chronic diseases, expanding private healthcare services, medical tourism and digital health adoption, according to Frost & Sullivan.

Belgium is keen to strengthen collaboration with Malaysia in offshore energy, leveraging its expertise as both countries pursue the green energy transition.

Following its exit from the wholesale access agreement with Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), U Mobile has successfully completed the migration to its own nationwide ULTRA5G network.

Melaka will introduce new rules for NGO-run Muslim funeral services to prevent exploitation and fraud, says state exco.

Johor exco says state govt has streamlined lease renewal, offers 50% discount to ease residents' burden.

More than 60% of the Royal Malaysian Navy's fleet is over 40 years old, posing operational challenges and driving urgent modernisation plans.

Cathay Pacific will restart flights to Dubai and Riyadh from September as US-Iran talks signal a potential end to the conflict

THE Malaysia Global Business Forum hosted the MGBF Golden Quill Media Awards in Kuala Lumpur on May 2, 2019, on the eve of World Press Freedom Day.

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