which practised the three good acts of goodness do good deeds, speak good words and think good thoughts. Venerable Jue Cheng, the Chief Abbess of Dong Zen Temple and the Abbess of Fo Guang Shan for Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, said the lantern festival was based on the Legend of the White Snake, who in the legend was a wife separated from her husband. The wife, while in search of her husband, used her power to flood a temple and was consequently punished by a Buddhist master to be confined in a pagoda. She was later released for practising good deeds preached in Buddhism. Ven Jue Cheng said the story of White Snake inspires all to practise good deeds. To improve life, one should practise good deeds. The Chinese New Year will offer new direction and hope for all, she said. Besides colourful and creative lanterns, a series of activities cultural performances, display of Buddhist relics and blessing sessions are organised by the temple during Chinese New Year. Another highlight of the event is a state-level Chinese New Year celebration held by the Selangor state government at Dong Zen Temple on 8 February. Members of the public are invited to celebrate the Year of the Snake at Dong Zen Temple from 10 am to 10 pm starting from January 25 to February 12.

The AI software can turn in a PPT document in just five minutes, and adjust the page style and aesthetics according to my orders. The presentation went smoothly and nobody realised that I had turned to AI for help, said the student, who wanted to be referred to as Lin. The 22-year-old said that he and his classmates are adept at using common generative AI tools developed by both foreign and domestic companies, and know which tool works best for a particular task. Like Lin, Chinese millennials born and raised in the internet age are among the major users of AI. For some, the technology has become an indispensable assistant in everyday life and studies. Taking note of this trend and to establish guidelines for responsible AI use, Fudan University in Shanghai introduced a set of regulations in late November to limit AI use in undergraduate thesis writing. It was the first time that an institution of higher education in China had issued detailed, practical regulations on the use of AI. Involving six prohibitions and penalties, such as revoking degrees for severe violations, the restrictions are believed to be the first of their kind in the world on AI use in academic settings. The use of particular AI functions banned for students writing graduation theses reflect the specific abilities we focus on developing in youngsters, and what kind of people we ultimately aim to cultivate, said the head of the academic affairs division at Fudan University, who did not wish to be named. At the undergraduate level, the university wants to assess the students abilities to innovate, think critically, express themselves properly and write. These are all tested through the thesis, and we dont plan to compromise on shaping such abilities in this era of technological explosions, he said. Several university teachers said that amid the irreversible march of technology, schools will guide students on proper use of AI tools to increase learning efficiency and broaden horizons while avoiding AI overuse and misuse, which threatens academic integrity. The new era of accelerated technological developments has placed new requirements on university education and teachers. Teaching should be more focused on human abilities that cannot be replaced by machines. Also, the method of university education to evaluate students literacy and capabilities should be updated, said Shen Yang, an associate professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong Universitys School of International and Public Affairs. Fudan Universitys regulations state that use of AI tools are banned for designing research plans, building algorithms and model frameworks, devising thesis structure, and summarising conclusions. We hope AI will empower young people, rather than replace them in doing work with original innovation, said the head of the academic affairs division at Fudan University. Fudans regulations also stipulated that AI cannot be used to polish up language and for translations. Smooth writing and clear logic are the key capabilities we hope to see in students across all majors at the undergraduate level. These are closely related to their ability to think creatively, said the university representative. If undergraduate students do not lay an emphasis on the ability to express themselves and write, they may miss the best opportunity to build such ability, as studies in the following phase may focus on other abilities, for example, the ability to carry out scientific research independently, he said. According to the document, conditions where AI can be used include helping to retrieve and review literature, make charts and figures based on already existing ones, and collate references all aimed at improving efficiency. This is only allowed with the supervisors consent and when AI-generated content does not affect evaluation of students innovating capabilities. Fudan University said that each department can formulate more specific regulations on AI use in assignments according to its own characteristics. Prior to Fudan University, nearly 10 tertiary education institutions in the country voiced their intentions of discouraging students from misusing AI in academics, especially in writing graduation thesis. The Tianjin University of Science and Technology, for example, published a document in May, stipulating that if AI-generated content accounting for 40 per cent or more in an undergraduate students graduation thesis is detected, the university will issue a warning and require rectification. In July, Beijing Normal Universitys School of Journalism and Communication and Shanghai-based East China Normal Universitys School of Communication jointly released a user guide for students regarding the use of generative AI. It made clear that when students use such tools for assignments, they must mark the AI-generated content in red, and the content cannot exceed 20 per cent of the full text. The concerns of these universities are not unfounded. Several domestic surveys have showed that many college students use AI tools in the learning process and while working on assignments and papers, and the proportion of improper use is not low. A study last year revealed that the proportions of undergraduate students who admitted to using generative AI to assist learning sometimes, often, and always were 33 per cent, 40 per cent, and 12 per cent, respectively. Roughly one-third respondents said they directly copied AI-generated content. Undergraduates use AI tools in many aspects, including data and literature search, data analysis, language editing, translation, and thesis writing, according to the research. AI tools are mostly used when they write papers and work on group assignments for courses. The research surveyed more than 3,000 undergraduates from 13 universities all over the country, and was conducted by researchers from Nanjing Agricultural University and Zhejiang University. Lin admitted that he had used AI to write papers, and this is common practice among his peers. Such tools significantly improved efficiency in producing papers. By using an AI tool, Lin only needed to enter a few prompts in the dialog box, and it searched for literature related to the research direction and extracted the core content of the article in batches. It used to take at least half an hour to read a paper. Now I can obtain the outline of dozens of papers in just a few minutes, he said. When he could not find an appropriate introduction to his paper, all he needed was another few prompts in the dialog box to drive the AI tool to generate dozens of titles. After deciding the title, the tool created the framework, abstract, and other parts of the paper upon request. AI-created school assignments, especially those involving design and article writing, are now available on online shopping platforms. Some AI tools provide free AI rate detection service for students, and then provide paid rewriting service to reduce the rate. Liang Ziyin, a graduate student majoring in English at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said that she uses AI tools to correct grammar mistakes in English writing, and turns to AI for help when she fails to find the right word while doing translations. But she has never used generative AI in a school assignment that really matters. The content generated by AI tools is in a paradigm in terms of sentence length and language uniformity, which is quite obvious. And we certainly resist this kind of behaviour of letting AI do creative work for us, and assignment grading based on such work undermines fairness, she said. According to Liang, content generated by AI is often exaggerated and fabricated. She once requested an AI tool to provide the names of the most well-known books about subtitle translation, and some of them were fabricated. There were other times when she requested AI to look for certain types of articles on news websites overseas, there would be fake articles, and the links to the articles were invalid. I also tried AI tools to improve the language and the richness of the text when writing in English, but felt that the content is exaggerated as AI would often use such words as significant, milestone, and ground-breaking, she said. However, AI has its uses. Liang is now interning at a senior middle school as an English teacher. She uses AI to set test papers for students regularly. For example, she said, 10 new words are contained in a chapter and need to be included in a test. She would use AI to come up with a paragraph containing the 10 words, but dig out these words and let students choose words to fill in the blanks. Machines can think of a variety of themes in an instant. As teachers have to change the tricks to come up with new test papers frequently, itll be hard if we totally rely on ourselves to think of new questions, Liang said. Many students and teachers mentioned that AI imposes new requirements on teaching, teachers and the students ability of using such smart tools. Several teachers said that there does not exist a common, authoritative detection method to determine how much of an assignment submitted by a student is AI generated. This requires teachers ability of understanding and using AI. Some teachers said they are increasing in-class, hands-on assignments while reducing after-class ones, especially those that involve writing, so that students are forced to better participate in the learning process. A consensus among teachers is that a complete ban on students use of AI is obviously not possible or necessary. They believe that coexisting with AI in a scientific way shall be the trend of education for the future. Sun Haiqin, who teaches conference interpreting at Shanghai International Studies Universitys Graduate Institute of Interpretation and Translation, said that as AI is capable of doing basic translations, the focus of learning for high-level interpreting talent shall shift to post-editing of drafts provided by AI. Post-editing is about finding AIs mistakes in expressions and logic, and the ability to correct them. Students are required to be able to do translation and do better than machines. They need to input human ideas to make their translation work irreplaceable. So in the age of AI, workload is reduced, but work becomes more demanding, said Sun, who encourages her students to make good use of AI in different phases of an interpreting job. The ability to interact with machines is another key competitiveness in the AI era, Sun said. Users who have a way to write the most appropriate prompt words will obtain the best answer, she said. In the smart age, humans shall be more dedicated to work that is irreplaceable by machines, such as communication between people. Translation is a mutual learning process between civilisations, involving transnational, cross-cultural communication. Translation should reflect humanistic feelings and patriotic sentiments with emotional input from humans, said Sun. However, the use of AI is essential for all walks of life. It is important to understand it, use it well, and outperform it, she said.

climate change, economic cooperation and North Koreas nuclear and missile development. The foreign ministers of the three countries will meet for the first time since November 2023, when they gathered in Busan. The meeting will serve as a preliminary step toward a summit between the three countries to be held in Japan later this year.

cent last year, compared to 14.06 million TEUs in 2023. Ean Yong mentioned that Hong Kongs port previously ranked 10th worldwide handled only 13.69 million TEUs last year, according to data released by the Hong Kong authorities. Pending international confirmation, Port Klang is expected to overtake Hong Kong to rank 10th this year. He stated that the record-high throughput of Port Klang demonstrates outstanding performance in the country's economic development and trade activities. Ean Yong stated that given the global trends, Malaysias trade and industrial development this year is expected to achieve positive growth. As such, PKA is confident that Port Klangs container throughput can surpass 15 million TEUs this year, achieving a growth rate of 45 per cent. He explained that Port Klang's previous container handling ratio consisted of 60 per cent transshipment and 40 per cent import and export containers. However, due to the strong domestic trade performance last year, import and export containers experienced significant growth. In future, the import and export container proportion in Port Klang will further reach 50 per cent. In other words, we are a port where both transshipment as well as import and export are equally important, giving us a competitive edge compared to other ports. he said. For example, 90 per cent of Singapores containers are for transshipment, making it heavily reliant on international shipping, he said. Port Klang currently has the capacity to handle a container throughput of over 20 million TEUs, with 14 million handled by Westport and 6.5 million by Northport, he said. Currently, Westports throughput has exceeded 80 per cent of its capacity, approaching its saturation point. He said PKA anticipates an annual growth rate of 45 per cent in the coming years, which is why the Westport Phase 2 expansion plan is underway. He revealed that the total investment for the Westport Phase 2 expansion plan is RM39 billion, fully funded by the Westport company. The Westport terminal will be expanded by 4.8 kilometres, adding eight berths for container ships. The first phase will involve the construction of four berths, expected to be completed by 2043, he said. He added that once the Phase 2 expansion plan is completed, Westport will be able to handle an additional 13 million TEUs, meeting the demand for the next 10 to 15 years.

year over the next three years. Commercial insurance funds will have to put 30 per cent of their annual new premium revenue into share markets beginning this year, they said. This means that at least several hundred billion yuan of long-term funds will be added to A-shares every year, said Wu Qing, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The announcement followed a meeting of top financial officials including ministries in charge of pensions and the central bank. Implementing the plans various measures will further enhance the equity allocation capacity of medium- and long-term funds, steadily expand the scale of investment, improve the supply and structure of funds in the capital market, and consolidate good conditions for the capital markets recovery, Wu said. The ruling Communist Party announced this move just ahead of Chinas biggest holiday of the year, the Lunar New Year, which begins on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Its a time when families tend to splash out on food and travel and little red packets of money for children and young adults, a time of wishes for good fortune. Markets in Hong Kong and Shanghai rose early Thursday after the announcement but then shed those gains. The Shanghai Composite index closed 0.5 per cent higher while Hong Kongs Hang Seng index fell 0.4 per cent. Chinas share markets are huge but they hit their peak value before the 2008 global financial crisis and have meandered well below that level since. A lack of gains in share prices, along with falling housing prices, has discouraged Chinese families from spending, slowing consumer demand and economic growth. Less than 5 per cent of household wealth in China is held in equities, compared with nearly 30 per cent of household wealth in the United States. Chinese markets, which were set up in the early 1990s, have tended to serve as fund-raising vehicles for state-run companies that have launched massive share offerings but remain under control of the ruling Communist Party. So far, the governments efforts to get people to spend more and save less have had mixed success. An initiative to promote purchases of energy efficient vehicles and appliances by paying subsidies to people who turn in their old versions of such items has boosted sales of such products. But share prices had traded stubbornly within a narrow range after a brief-lived rally late last year. Wu said pension funds will be required to revamp how they assess their performance and companies will be encouraged to conduct more share buybacks and pay higher dividends to give shareholders better returns. This is a very important institutional breakthrough for the entry of medium- and long-term funds into the market. It can be said that it has solved a problem that has been unsolved for many years, he added. On Wednesday, the government announced 20 measures meant to encourage foreign investment in Chinese markets aimed at facilitating more cross-border investments. Foreign investors account for about 4 per cent of total market value of equities in China, according to the Bank for International Settlements, while such investment accounts for about a fifth of market value in the U.S. and 30 per cent in Japan. Sell-offs by foreign investors and major shareholders and high market volatility have handicapped the Chinese markets, Lei Meng, a China equity strategist at UBS Securities, said in a commentary Thursday. So, the willingness of long-term investors to participate in the stock market has dwindled, Lei said. The proposal of market value management reform directly addresses this issue because it is directly related to investors sense of gain. But such moves have often failed in the past, since they attempt to override prevailing market sentiment by government orders. As weve seen in the past, such efforts can be likened to attempting to kindle a fire with damp wood often proving ineffective and short-lived, Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.

sheep on solar farms is part of a broader trend solar grazing that has exploded alongside the solar industry. Agrivoltaics, a method using land for both solar energy production and agriculture, is on the rise with more than 60 solar grazing projects in the U.S., according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The American Solar Grazing Association says 27 states engage in the practice. The industry tends to rely on gas-powered mowers, which kind of contradicts the purpose of renewables, SB Energy asset manager James Hawkins said. Putting the animals to work on solar fields also provides some help to the sheep and wool market, which has struggled in recent years. The inventory of sheep and lamb in Texas fell to 655,000 in January 2024, a 4 per cent drop from the previous year, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because solar fields use sunny, flat land that is often ideal for livestock grazing, the power plants have been used in coordination with farmers rather than against them. Sheepherder JR Howard accidentally found himself in the middle of Texas burgeoning clean energy transition. In 2021, he and his family began contracting with solar farms sites with hundreds of thousands of solar modules to use his sheep to eat the grass. What was once a small business has turned into a full-scale operation with more than 8,000 sheep and 26 employees. Just the growth has been kind of crazy for us, said Howard, who named his company Texas Solar Sheep. Some agriculture experts say Howards success reflects how solar farms have become a boon for some ranchers. Reid Redden, a sheep farmer and solar vegetation manager in San Angelo, Texas, said a successful sheep business requires agricultural land that has become increasingly scarce. Solar grazing is probably the biggest opportunity that the sheep industry had in the United States in several generations, Redden said. The response to solar grazing has been overwhelmingly positive in rural communities near South Texas solar farms where Redden raises sheep for sites to use, he said. I think it softens the blow of the big shock and awe of a big solar farm coming in, Redden said. Agrivoltaics itself isnt new. Solar farms are land-intensive and require a lot of space that could be used for food production. Agrivoltaics compensates by allowing the two to coexist, whether growing food or caring for livestock. There is a lot still unknown about the full effects of solar grazing, said Nuria Gomez-Casanovas, an assistant professor in regenerative system ecology at Texas A University. Not enough studies have been done to know the long-term environmental impacts, such as how viable the soil will be for future agriculture, although Gomez-Casanovas suspects solar grazing may improve sheep productivity because the panels provide shade and can be more cost-efficient than mowing. We really have more questions than answers, Gomez-Casanovas said. There are studies that show that the land productivity is not higher versus solar alone or agriculture alone, so its context-dependent. As one of Texas largest solar sheep operators, Howard has more clients than he can handle. He expects to add about 20 more employees by the end of this year, which would nearly double his current workforce.

to celebrate Chinese New Year. The couplets are used as a New Year decoration to express happiness and hopeful thoughts for the coming year. Headmaster Chew Han Guan said Chinese calligraphy is one of the cultural activities of the Chinese people. Traditional Chinese activities have been organised by the school in conjunction with Chinese New Year for pupils of all races to learn about Chinese traditions and cultural activities, he said. Pupils also get to feel the Chinese New Year mood in advance in the school, he said.

families and friends. The couple said they cant wait to formalise their union. They plan to register their marriage at a district office near their home on the very first day that the law allows. I think Ill cry, Danaya, an office worker, said with a big smile, thinking about the moment that they will sign the paper. Im so happy. Its something that was more than I couldve dreamed of, that suddenly this day is happening. We live together. We bought a house. We bought a car. But we cannot share these things together like a married couple. When this is happening, we feel that its our rights that we need to secure as quickly as possible, she said. It would open up access to full legal, financial and medical rights for LGBTQ+ couples. Sunma, who owns a travel agency, said that she had realised how crucial being legally married was when Danaya was hospitalised with dengue fever, as they dont live close to her parents. The doctors asked me who I was, and I said I was the girlfriend, and they were like, so what? I couldnt make any decision until her condition became quite serious, she said. I was so upset, like, if I had lost her there would be nothing that couldve made up for it. So, I think this is very important for both of us. Thai society largely holds conservative values. Members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in everyday life, although they note that things have improved greatly in recent years. Last week, Government House invited dozens of LGBTQ+ couples and activists for a photo op and a meeting with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and several high ranking officials to celebrate the law coming into effect, making Thailand the first in Southeast Asia and the third place in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to legalise same-sex marriage. It's almost like a dream, but its not. So, congratulations to all, Paetongtarn said. I think its very important that the world notice us, and know that in this small country we have this kind of thought. We have this kind of support for our people. So, we all should be proud. The organisers of Bangkok Pride have collaborated with relevant government agencies to hold a grand celebration in central Bangkok and facilitate couples who wish to register their marriage on the very first day. They said that more than 300 couples have registered to officially tie the knot on Thursday at the event. (The law) is about returning our dignity, and confirming that we also have dignity as a human being, said Ann Waaddao Chumaporn, a gender equality activist and the lead organiser of Bangkok Pride. That day is going to be meaningful to all the couples that have gone through this journey together. Id like to thank everyone, every love, that has faithfully struggled so that today would finally happen. The government and state agencies in Thailand are historically traditional in outlook. To prepare them for change, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said that it has organised workshops for staff of all Bangkok district offices who are in charge of handling marriage registration. They included lectures raising awareness about gender diversity and guidance on how to properly communicate with those who come for the service. Its like a missing piece of the jigsaw, Bangkok Deputy Gov. Sanon Wangsrangboon said at one of the workshops earlier this month. Society is ready. The law is getting ready. But the last piece of the jigsaw is the understanding from officials. He acknowledged there that would be problems in the beginning, but said that he hoped they would gradually improve over time. After they register their marriage, Sunma said that shes looking forward to having a real marriage celebration with her and Danayas families. Its not just the two of us that are happy, but both of our families feel it is a big deal, and it is what everyone has been waiting for. Everyone said they are waiting for Jan. 23, she said.

figures announced by the government in Beijing follow trends worldwide, but especially in East Asia, where Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and other nations have seen their birth rates plummet. China three years ago joined Japan and most of Eastern Europe among other nations whose population is falling. The reasons are in many cases similar: Rising costs of living are causing young people to put off or rule out marriage and child birth while pursuing higher education and careers. While people are living longer, thats not enough to keep up with rate of new births. Countries such as China that allow very little immigration are especially at risk. China has long been among the worlds most populous nations, enduring invasions, floods and other natural disasters to sustain a population that thrived on rice in the south and wheat in the north. Following the end of World War II and the Communist Partys rise to power in 1949, large families re-emerged and the population doubled in just three decades, even after tens of millions died in the Great Leap Forward that sought to revolutionise agriculture and industry and the Cultural Revolution that followed a few years later. After the end of the Cultural Revolution and leader Mao Zedongs death, Communist bureaucrats began to worry the countrys population was outstripping its ability to feed itself and began implementing a draconian one child policy. Though it was never law, women had to apply for permission to have a child and violators could face forced late-term abortions and birth control procedures, massive fines and the prospect of their child being deprived an identification number, effectively making them non-citizens. Rural China, where the preference for male offspring was especially strong and two children were still ostensibly allowed, became the focus of government efforts, with women forced to present evidence they were menstruating and buildings emblazoned with slogans such as have fewer children, have better children. The government sought to stamp out selective abortion of female children, but with abortions legal and readily available, those operating illicit sonogram machines enjoyed a thriving business. That has been the biggest factor in Chinas lopsided sex ratio, with as many as millions more boys born for every 100 girls, raising the possibility of social instability among Chinas army of bachelors. Fridays report gave the sex imbalance as 104.34 men to every 100 women, though independent groups give the imbalance as considerably higher. More disturbing for the government was the drastically falling birth rate, with Chinas total population dropping for the first time in decades in 2023 and China being narrowly overtaken by India as the worlds most populous nation in the same year. While spending on the military and flashy infrastructure projects continues to rise, Chinas already frail social security system is teetering, with increasing numbers of Chinese refusing to pay into the underfunded pension system. Already, more than one-fifth of the population is aged 60 or over, with the official figure given as 310.3 million or 22 per cent of the total population. With fewer students, some vacant schools and kindergartens are meanwhile being transformed into care facilities for older people. Such developments are giving some credence to the aphorism that China, now the worlds second largest economy but facing major headwinds, will grow old before it grows rich. Government inducements including cash pay-outs for having up to three children and financial help with housing costs have had only temporary effects. Meanwhile, China continued its transition to an urban society, with 10 million more people moving to cities for an urbanisation rate of 67 per cent, up almost a percentage point from the previous year.

that risk, such as controlling high blood pressure and other bad-for-the-brain health problems. And its not too late to try even in middle age. All of our research suggests what you do in midlife really matters, said Dr. Josef Coresh of NYU Langone Health, who co-authored the study in the journal Nature Medicine. Taking longer to recall a name or where you put your keys is typical with older age. But dementia isnt a normal part of aging its a progressive loss of memory, language and other cognitive functions. Simply getting older is the biggest risk and the population is rapidly aging. Alzheimers is the most common form, and silent brain changes that eventually lead to it can begin two decades before symptoms appear. Other types include vascular dementia, when heart disease or small strokes impair blood flow to the brain. Many people have mixed causes, meaning vascular problems could exacerbate brewing Alzheimers symptoms. Measuring the risk from a certain age over the potential remaining life span can guide public health recommendations and medical research. Its not a guarantee that someone will develop dementia, cautioned Dr. James Galvin, a University of Miami Alzheimers specialist. He wasnt involved with the new study but said the findings fit with other research. Prior studies estimated about 14 per cent of men and 23 per cent of women would develop some form of dementia during their lifetime. Coreshs team analysed more recent data from a U.S. study that has tracked the heart health and cognitive function of about 15,000 older adults for several decades. Importantly, they found the risk changes with the decades. Only 4 per cent of people developed dementia between the ages of 55 and 75, what Coresh calls a key 20-year window for protecting brain health. For people who survive common health threats until 75, the dementia risk then jumped to 20 per cent by age 85 and 42 per cent between ages 85 and 95. Overall, the lifetime dementia risk after age 55 was 35 per cent for men and 48 per cent for women, the researchers concluded. Women generally live longer than men, a main reason for that difference, Coresh noted. Black Americans had a slightly higher risk, 44 per cent, than white people at 41 per cent. **Yes, there are ways to help lower dementia risk** There are some risk factors people cant control, including age and whether you inherited a gene variant called APOE4 that raises the chances of late-in-life Alzheimers. But people can try to avert or at least delay health problems that contribute to later dementia. Coresh, for example, wears a helmet when biking because repeated or severe brain injuries from crashes or falls increase the risk of later-in-life dementia. Especially important: Whats good for your heart is good for your brain, added Miamis Galvin. He urges people to exercise, avoid obesity, and control blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol. For example, high blood pressure can impair blood flow to the brain, a risk not just for vascular dementia but also linked to some hallmarks of Alzheimers. Similarly, the high blood sugar of poorly controlled diabetes is linked to cognitive decline and damaging inflammation in the brain. Stay socially and cognitively active, too, Galvin said. He urges people to try hearing aids if age brings hearing loss, which can spur social isolation. There are things that we have control over, and those things I think would be really, really important to build a better brain as we age, he said.

According to the Global Hunger Index (GHI), even though the 2023 global GHI score has decreased from 19.1 in 2015 to 18.3, the number of undernourished surged. The share of globally malnourished people increased from 7.5 per cent in 2017 to 9.2 per cent in 2022, reaching approximately 735 million persons. Another challenge faced by both developed and developing countries is obesity. Over 1 billion people worldwide lived with obesity in 2022. Since 1990, adult obesity rates have at least doubled, while the rates among children and adolescents (aged 5 to 19) have quadrupled. Stunting lowers human productivity, which then leads to economic underperformance. Meanwhile, obesity puts a strain on the national health expenditure. As developing countries, Indonesia and Mexico face double problems since hunger and obesity exist like two sides of a coin. The World Obesity Observatory reported that in 2019, the economic impact of overweight and obesity in Indonesia was US$17.47 billion (RM78.44 billion), representing 1.6 per cent of the countrys GDP. This number is projected to reach 4.7 per cent by 2060. A similar trend happened in Mexico, where the cost of the obesity issues in 2019 was estimated at $23.17 billion or 1.8 per cent of GDP. By 2060, these expenses are forecast to reach 5 per cent. The Indonesian Health Ministry recorded the trend of an increasing proportion of obesity in adults from 2007 to 2018. Obesity in 2007 reached 10.5 per cent and increased to 14.8 per cent 2017. At the end of the period, the percentage rose to 21.8 per cent. There is also a nutrition problem in Indonesia, especially among children. While the prevalence of stunting in Indonesia has decreased from 27.7 per cent in 2019 to 21.6 per cent in 2022, it is still far from the government target of 14 per cent in 2024. Stunting prevalence in Mexico is lower than in Indonesia. The National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) 2022 reveals that in 2021, 12.6 per cent of children under 5 suffer from stunting at the national level. While Mexico has been part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for two decades, there has been a rise in overweight and obesity prevalence, with mens rates increasing from 50 per cent to 65.4 per cent and womens from 56.5 per cent to 67.6 per cent between 1994 and 2016, according to the Pan American Health Organisation. Mexico is one of the worlds leading consumers of sweetened beverages. Also, economic development and free trade agreements have reshaped the food landscape in the country. Over the last four decades, Mexico has had a significant dietary transition to an increased consumption of heavily processed foods high in sugar, salt and fats. In Indonesia, sugary foods are also sold cheaply and are widely available throughout the country. Indonesias government should consider policies addressing the malnutrition and obesity challenges. The policy must address both the supply and demand perspectives. Encouraging local food, for one, is essential to address the food supply regarding malnutrition issues. On the demand side, the government should boost societys purchasing power. When people have a high income, they can alternate their diet by consuming healthy food and low-sugar products despite the price. On obesity, the Indonesian government can add a sugar tax for food and beverage products with high-sugar ingredients. They could also encourage the food and beverage industry to produce low-sugar products. In Mexico, from 1992 to 2016, households allocated a smaller share of their budgets to vegetables and fruits, likely because these items tend to be more expensive. Meanwhile, spending on sugary beverages rose as their prices declined. Both Indonesia and Mexico can learn from Japan, the only country to get rich without its population getting fat, due to the countrys policies in preventing obesity. According to the 2017 OECD obesity update, Japan exhibited the lowest obesity prevalence at 4 per cent. Some of the critical policies that Japan has implemented to combat lifestyle-related diseases include Healthy Japan 21, which serves as the cornerstone preventive policy. This initiative focuses on promoting changes in nutrition and eating habits, encouraging physical activity and exercise, and emphasising the importance of mental health care and adequate rest. Japan also enacted the Basic Law on Dietary Education (Shokuiku) in 2005. This law aims to educate the public about the significance of proper meals to address issues such as inappropriate eating habits, dietary problems and other lifestyle-related diseases. This proves that in addition to government policies, it is essential for healthcare and educational systems in Indonesia and Mexico to play a fundamental role, not only in resolving nutrition problems, but in preventing them. These efforts should be guided and supported by healthcare professionals who can provide ongoing guidance and oversight.

members, a family friend identified as Tai is another important person to be around as she is an expert in cooking the syrup sugar with lime for the rice biscuits. One needs to control the fire on the stove well to cook the sugar with lime so that the puffed rice sticks well and the rice biscuits are not too sweet, said Chong, from a Chinese new village in Kampung Bukit Gadong, Jasin. The family bought 10 kg of puffed rice, sugar, peanut, sesame seeds and lime to make the rice biscuits this year, an additional of 2 kg as they ended up distributing the snacks to friends and family members but not themselves. The syrup is mixed with the puffed rice, and then the ingredients are placed on a rectangular tray. One needs to press the puffed rice for it to be in a rectangular shape before cutting it into pieces. The rice biscuits are packed in plastic bags for distribution to friends. They made a total of 160 packets of rice biscuits with 10 kg of puffed rice. Each packet has 12 pieces of rice biscuits. Chong said he used to make rice cake or _nian gao_ for Chinese New Year, but this year he has opted to make rice biscuits due to declining demand for _nian gao_ and the long process of making it.

over the thought of her relatives Shiri and Yarden Bibas and their two small children, Ariel and Kfir being released after 15 months of captivity. I want to know already if theyre coming back, Zailer said hours before the agreement was announced. I want to know already if theyre OK or not. I want to hold my cousin in my arms and celebrate the biggest celebration. It has taken a year of intensive diplomacy by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to pause the war sparked by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack into Israel and pave the way for the release of dozens of hostages. But if talks over the sec

the Seoul Western District Court is invalid and have asked the Seoul Central District Court to consider his release. The clock for the arrest warrant is on hold while the court reviews his petition, which can take up to 48 hours. There is a possibility that Yoon could attend a hearing at the Central District Court as part of the review. Court records showed that the hearing was set for 5 p.m. Thursday, indicating that the decision could come sometime during the evening. Yoon set off the countrys most serious political crisis since its democratisation in the late 1980s when he attempted to break through gridlock in legislation by declaring martial law and deploying troops around the National Assembly on Dec. 3. His presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14, accusing him of rebellion. His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberating on whether to formally remove Yoon from office or reject the charges and reinstate him. Yoon and his allies have defied efforts to investigate his role in the chaos of Dec. 3. He ignored requests to appear for questioning for weeks, remaining in his official residence to avoid detention as his lawyers turned away police, citing a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge Yoon himself. They also said that the anti-corruption agency had no legal authority to investigate rebellion allegations. Yoon also resisted one attempt to detain him as the presidential security service barricaded the residence. In a video message recorded shortly before he was escorted to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Yoon lamented that the rule of law has completely collapsed in this country. He echoed the arguments of his lawyers that the anti-corruption agency does not have the authority to investigate his actions, but said he accepted detention to prevent violence. The Constitutional Court rejected a request by Yoons lawyers to postpone a hearing on his case scheduled for Thursday. It remains possible for Yoon to exercise his right to attend, even while under detention. If a court grants a warrant for Yoons formal arrest, the anti-corruption investigators can extend his detention to 20 days, during which it will transfer the case to public prosecutors for an indictment. If prosecutors indict Yoon on the possible charges of rebellion and abuse of power, he could remain under arrest until the first court ruling, which is typically made within six months, said Park Sung-bae, an attorney specialising in criminal law. Under South Korean law, the leader of a rebellion can face the death penalty or life imprisonment if convicted.

patrons used to tell me they recall their childhood days, said Heng. Heng runs the private kitchen without a menu, and only those who know him place order with him. He will prepare the meals based on the budgets of individual patrons, who are mostly from Kuala Lumpur. The private kitchen is without a signage and cannot be found on Facebook. Except for his name card which bears the name Ming Li Home Recipe Restaurant, Heng runs the kitchen on the first floor of a Sri Penaga shop lot, without a signboard! Whenever he receives an order, Heng will prepare the meals based on the patrons budget, with ingredients he manages to buy from the local wet market. Its a one-man show handled alone by Heng, who is passionate about cooking delicious home-cooked food, right from buying the ingredients at the wet market to the preparation of the dishes. He spends time boiling the soup for hours without using MSG. For patrons willing to spend a little more on food, the soup prepared by him is of tip-top quality. The soup comprising lean meat, old hen, dried squid, ham, scallop and preserved duck costs over RM100. He also spends hours preparing fish maw soup and shark fin. Heng only handles three tables of patrons a day. He relies on referrals from patrons for orders. The income is more than enough for me as a retiree. I am more than happy, he said. Heng often receives photographs of his dishes from patrons who are happy with the dishes, as he does not have the habit of taking photographs of his dishes.

laid the groundwork for marketing its _soju_ through Naegohyang, a company linked to the North Korean military, by filing for trademark registration with Russias Federal Service for Intellectual Property, or Rospatent. The application was filed under four classes of the International Classification of Goods and Services: kimchi, bread, alcohol and tobacco products. However, the alcoholic category does not include beer, according to the local paper. This could mark the first alcohol application by a North Korean company in Russia, according to Andrei Lankov, a professor of Korean studies at Kookmin University in Seoul. Yet, NK News, an English-language news outlet focused on North Korea, reported that the Taedonggang Brewery, a North Korean beer maker, registered its brand in Russia last August, but its beer has yet to appear in the market. The move has gotten people talking, with some speculating that Pyongyang seeks to commercialise its goods and expand into overseas markets as part of broader efforts to deepen ties with Moscow. If imports are greenlit, North Koreas entry into the Russian liquor market could give rise to competition with South Korean companies, whose _soju_ products have won over consumers globally. Yet, doubts persist over whether North Korean _soju_ can compete effectively with the more diverse and lower-alcohol offerings of South Korean _soju_ producers. It seems unlikely that North Korean _sojus_ will lead to direct competition, as their high alcohol content of over 40 per cent positions them as competitors to other hard liquors like whiskey, said an industry official who wished to remain anonymous. North Korean _soju_, known for its traditional style and high alcohol content exceeding 30 per cent, differs significantly from its South Korean counterparts. South Korean commercial _soju_ typically contains 15 to 20 per cent alcohol, with flavoured varieties having less than 15 per cent. South Koreas top _soju_ maker, HiteJinro, for instance, plans to focus on promoting its fruit-flavoured alcoholic drinks, which generated 33.4 billion won (RM103 million) in exports in the first half of last year outperforming _soju_s 26.8 billion won and beers 8.7 billion won over the same period. Another industry official noted that fruit-flavoured drinks may be a better alternative to typical _soju_, as they align more closely with European culinary culture, explaining that diluted _soju_ is largely confined to Korean cuisine. South Koreas _soju_ exports surpassed $100 million (RM450 million) in 2023, marking a milestone a decade after first reaching this level in 2013, with Japan, the US and China leading imports, according to the Korea Customs Service. Grouped into a separate liquor category, exports of fruit-flavoured varieties totalled $91.6 million in 2023, accounting for 28.1 per cent of all liquor exports, slightly lower than the 31.1 per cent share of regular _soju_ exports. Although still trailing behind other nations, the export volume of _soju_ to European countries surged by 155.9 per cent in 2023 compared to 2020, fuelled by the continued overseas expansion efforts of industry leaders like Hitejinro and Lotte Chilsung. However, it is primarily Western European countries such as France, the Netherlands and the UK, that dominate the _soju_ export market. With the establishment of its Russian subsidiary, Hitejinro Rus, in 2013 to expand its footprint in the Russian liquor market, Hiteinro showed a strong upward trajectory, achieving an average annual growth of 76 per cent from 2017 to 2020. Russia is one of 17 countries the firm has chosen as a strategic focus for its expansion plans. Lotte Chilsung, which first entered the Russian market in 1990 by selling various beverages, also established a corporate entity in Russia in January last year as part of a strategic move to strengthen its global business capacity. Amid the market endeavours of Korean liquor makers, however, Russia remains a tough market especially in recent years, with the ongoing war limiting marketing activities in the region.

ritual held to seek guidance on the economic outlook of Penang for year 2025 on 3 February midnight. The economic outlook forecast for 2025 is held in conjunction with the birthday of Master Qing Shui, also known as Chor Soo Kong, where a temple was constructed in 1805 to honour the master. The temple was later known as Snake Temple as many snakes in the area sought shelter at the temple, which sits on the land owned by Penang Hokkien Kongsi. Penang Hokkien Kongsi Coordinator Datuk Cheah Cheng Ean said a series of activities is in the pipeline to celebrate Chinese New Year at the temple, with many snake-related icons set up for visitors to take photographs. Besides snake dance performance, there will also be a drum performance, traditional games, Chinese puppet show, Chinese orchestra performance, cultural dance, acrobatic show and others, including 43 stalls set up to sell food and drinks.

RM115 per kg, but the price has now spiked beyond this, Chia said. He said the price also stunned those in the fishery industry. Chia is unable to explain the poor harvest of Chinese pomfret as other types of fish are available, including prawns. Other types of pomfrets are golden pomfret, white pomfret and black pomfret. Prices of fish and prawns are determined by supply, and a good harvest will see prices down, he explained. Chinese pomfret is much sought-after by restaurants, hotels and families during Chinese New Year as a festive delicacy. It is graded higher than other pomfrets because of its sweetness and tenderness of flesh. The flesh is smooth and soft with a pleasant flavour. A good quality Chinese pomfret is also the showstopper at high-end Chinese restaurants. This fish is also an excellent choice for hot pot as the flesh does not break up easily. Chia advises consumers to be flexible in the choice of fish when preparing Chinese New Year dishes. You may want to replace Chinese pomfret with other types of fish, he said. Copyright 2025 Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad (198301003518).

to compounding threats from pollution, dams, water extraction, agriculture, invasive species, climate change and other disruptions. Most species dont have just one threat putting them at risk of extinction, but many threats acting together, said Sayer, a study-co-author. Previous studies have focused on land animals including including mammals, birds and reptiles. Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm, who was not involved in the study, called it a long-awaited and hugely important paper. Almost every big river in North America and Europe is massively modified through damming, putting freshwater species at risk, he said. In South America, the vast Amazon River ecosystem also faces threats from deforestation, wildfires and illegal gold mining, said Charvet. Illegal fires to clear forest result in waves of ash polluting the river, and unlicensed gold miners dump mercury into the water, she said. Rivers and wetlands concentrate everything that happens around them, she said. If something goes really wrong, like an acid or oil spill, you can threaten an entire species. Theres nowhere else for these animals to go.

the lower number of Japanese residing in Malaysia is only temporary. He hopes the Japanese are able to learn about Malaysia through the Malaysia Gallery in Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, which will start in April. Many Japanese are inspired by the multicultural society in Malaysia, he said, as they can experience and witness many things which are not available in Japan. Shikata gives his thumbs-up for the variety of food in Malaysia. There is Chinese food, Indian food, Malay food, Nyonya food for one to savour here. The multicultural environment here is a plus point to attract Japanese tourists, he told _Sin Chew Daily_ in an exclusive interview held in conjunction with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishibas two-day official visit to Malaysia from Thursday.

that would really be something. You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like and it would also be much better for national security, Trump said of the worlds longest international border and the U.S.'s second-largest trade partner. Such talk of undermining sovereign borders and using military force against allies and fellow NATO members even if said lightly marks a stunning departure from decades-old norms about territorial integrity. And it is rhetoric that analysts say could embolden Americas enemies by suggesting the U.S. is now OK with countries using force to redraw borders at a time when Russia is pressing forward with its invasion of Ukraine and China is threatening Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory. If Im Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping, this is music to my ears, said John Bolton, Trumps former national security adviser-turned-critic, who also served as ambassador to the United Nations. Trumps language, reflecting a 19th century world view that defined European colonial powers, comes as international allies were already grappling with the implications of his return to the world stage. Gerald Butts, outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus former top adviser and a long-time close friend, said Trump seems more emboldened than when he first took office in 2017. I think hes feeling a lot less unencumbered than he was the last time. There are no restraints. This is maximum Trump, he said. Butts is part of a WhatsApp group with others who staffed heads of state and government during the first Trump term. Someone joked that the big fear the last time was that he didnt know what he was doing and the big fear this time is that he does, he recounted. Trumps swaggering rhetoric also marks a continuation of the kind of testosterone-heavy energy that was a signature of his campaign, particularly as he worked to win over younger male voters with appearances on popular podcasts. Charlie Kirk, a key Trump ally who joined Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on a trip to Greenland this week, argued on his podcast Wednesday that it was imperative for the U.S. to control Greenland. The island is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a long-time U.S. ally and a founding NATO member. Beyond the countrys strategic location in the Arctic and its rich resources, Kirk said, there is this other component. It makes America dream again, that were not just this sad, low-testosterone, beta male slouching in our chair, allowing the world to run over us. It is the resurrection of masculine American energy. It is the return of Manifest Destiny, said Kirk, whose Turning Point group helped with Trumps get-out-the-vote effort. Trump allies have long argued that his bluster and most audacious statements are all part of his complex negotiating tactics. Aides note that nearly half of U.S. shipping containers travel through the Panama Canal and that key canal ports are controlled by a Hong Kongbased firm. Greenland is home to the Pituffik Space Base, the northernmost U.S. post, which plays a key role in missile warnings and space surveillance. And China and Russia have been making their own investments in the Arctic at a time when new potential shipping routes are opening as ice caps melt. Canada, Trumps team notes, spends far less on defence than its southern neighbour. Every decision President Trump makes is in the best interest of the United States and the American people. Thats why President Trump has called attention to legitimate national security and economic concerns regarding Canada, Greenland and Panama, said Trump-Vance Transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. But Michael McFaul, the Obama-era ambassador to Russia who now serves as director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, said Trumps language is counterproductive to U.S. national security interests. President Trump is about to take over at one of the most dangerous times in American history, he said. We will be best at addressing those threats with allies. Allies are our superpower. And so I wish he would focus on the real threats and not invent threats. Trumps trolling is not the negotiating ploy of crazy genius, he said, and will have consequences. Weve got serious enemies and adversaries in the world, and were better off with the Canadians and the Danes with us than pissed off with us, he said. Indeed, Canadian officials have responded with increasing anger. The joke is over, Dominic LeBlanc, the countrys finance minister and point person for U.S.-Canada relations, said Wednesday. Its a way for him, I think, to sow confusion, to agitate people, to create chaos knowing this will never happen. Standing before an old map, she quipped that North America should be renamed Amrica Mexicana, or Mexican America, because a founding document dating from 1814 that preceded Mexicos constitution referred to it that way. Denmark and Panama have responded similarly, with Panamas foreign minister, Javier Martnez-Acha, saying, The sovereignty of our canal, which the country has controlled for more than 25 years, is not negotiable and is part of our history of struggle and an irreversible conquest. Mike OHanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said he has been surprised by Trumps recent comments given his previous relative disinterest in using force. While Trump boasted that he had a big

recently bought a piece of land in Johor and planned to invest a data centre there. The proposed data centre would be utilised by Japanese, said Ambassador Shikata in an interview with _Sin Chew Daily_. Currently 1,600 Japanese firms are investing in Malaysia, providing a good collaboration model for other countries in ASEAN, he said, adding that Malaysia could be a role model for ASEAN collaboration. He is referring to the Madani Governments effort to narrow social disparity gap and improve social inclusiveness in Malaysia. Shikata said Japan is interested in the Economy Framework implemented by the Madani Government to achieve inclusiveness and sustainability. The implementation of the framework helps boost investment of Japanese companies in Malaysia. Japanese investments are not only focused in big cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang or Johor but also rural areas. Resolving social disparity is a very important measure and related to the democratic system in Japan, he said. The vision of Madani Economy Framework is forward-looking in tackling global challenges, including climate change, economic security, environment safety and energy safety, he added. Shitata said Japan is confident of the Malaysian government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, citing significant investment growth in the country over the last two years.

called Xigaze in Chinese and sprawls across a high altitude plain. More than 500 aftershocks were recorded after Tuesdays earthquake, which the U.S. Geological Survey said measured magnitude 7.1. Chinas earthquake centre recorded a magnitude of 6.8. The epicentre was about 75 kilometres from Mount Everest and the border with Nepal, where the shaking sent people running out of their homes. About 200 Tibetans lit candles and marched on the two main streets of Dharamshala, India, chanting prayers and carrying signs saying they stand with the victims and calling for aid to help them. In the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, about 50 Tibetans chanted prayers at a Buddhist monastery. We are praying for the souls of the so many people who lost their lives in Tibet because of the earthquake yesterday, said Riya Tamang, who runs a shop. The Chinese government and followers of the Dalai Lama have feuded over who should hold the position of Panchen Lama since a boy appointed by the Dalai Lama disappeared in the mid-1990s and a Chinese-backed candidate was approved for the position. The Dalai Lama has refused to recognise the current Panchen Lama. An announcement on the Dalai Lamas website said he would lead a prayer ceremony in memory of the victims on Thursday in Dharamshala. We are very clear about the separatist nature and political schemes of the Dalai Lama and remain highly vigilant, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said when asked about the prayer ceremony. He expressed confidence that the earthquake-affected population would be able to rebuild under the strong leadership of Chinas ruling Communist Party. State broadcaster CCTV aired video showing workers erecting rows of tents with metal frames and stakes to house survivors. The tents were lined with quilted padding to hold back the cold in a region with an average altitude of about 4,200 metres and where temperatures fall well below freezing overnight. Hong Li, the director of Tibets Emergency Management Department, told a late Wednesday afternoon news conference that the work had shifted from search and rescue to resettlement and reconstruction. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, who visited survivors, called for the acceleration of post-disaster reconstruction to ensure they can be safe and warm this winter, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Earlier in the day, CCTV video showed rescuers in orange uniforms clambering up huge chunks of debris with sniffing search dogs. Blue disaster tents with bright red Chinese flags flapping in the wind had been set up near rows of houses that had been reduced to rubble. Tsering Phuntsog, the Communist Party chief of Gurum village, told Xinhua on Tuesday that at least 22 of its 222 residents had perished. The victims included his 74-year-old mother. Even young people couldnt run out of the houses when the earthquake hit, let alone old people and children, the local leader said. A preliminary survey found that more than 3,600 houses had collapsed, Xinhua said, citing the Shigatse government. Tibet is generally closed to foreign journalists over reports about the ill treatment of the population by Chinese authorities.

life expectancy of 74.88 years 8.66 years longer than the 66.22 years recorded for the lowest income group. Healthy life expectancy refers to the number of years a person lives free from serious illness or disability. The national average for the 2008-2020 period increased by nearly three years, rising from 68.89 years to 71.82 years. In 2020, women had a healthy life expectancy of 73.98 years, 4.55 years longer than mens 69.43 years. In another disturbing trend, the research team also found a growing gap between healthy life expectancy and overall life expectancy, which means people are spending more years living in poor health. While healthy life expectancy increased, overall life expectancy rose even more from 80.83 years in 2008 to 84.55 years in 2020. This figure shows that the gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy widened, from 11.94 years in 2008 to 12.73 years in 2020. The study analysed national health insurance data from 2008 to 2020 and was published in the _Journal of Korean Medical Scienc_e. We need targeted strategies, like health promotion programs for the low-income population, to close these gaps, said Yoon.

Mo-Dian Cultural Centre, guided participants to complete the feat in six hours. The Chinese painting and calligraphy comprise 12 parts with snake as its main theme. It also integrates with batik painting to reflect the local art representing Malaysia. A series of snakes with local cuisines showcase various types of food related to the local cultures, while another set of snakes offer blessings to Malaysia. Chinese art fans painted the snakes slithering with great vitality in search of light and hope signifying the spirt of Chinese New Year. The Year of the Snake-themed paper scroll will be on display for three days from 10 to 12 January at the CNY Cultural Craft Market Festival at Level 2, KL Gateway Mall.

Meteorological Administration. Data from Weather China, the public weather service centre of the CMA, shows that the average temperatures recorded across all provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland last year ranked among the highest temperatures recorded during the top four warmest years in the countrys observation history. The past four years were actually Chinas top four warmest years, while the countrys top 10 warmest years have all been recorded in the 21st century, according to Weather China. Global warming has led to phenomena such as rising sea levels and glacier melt, which continue to impact China. For instance, it has significantly increased the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, resulting in more frequent and prolonged heat waves while reducing the occurrence of cold events, said Shi Ying, a researcher at the National Climate Centre. Natural climate variability such as the El Nio phenomenon the unusual warming of water surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean has also played a role in rising temperatures. During the decaying phase of an El Nio event, typically the following year, global average temperatures tend to rise, potentially increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events and magnifying global warming, Shi said. The El Nio event, which began in May 2023, has continued to influence China, contributing to its above-average temperatures last year, she added. On Dec 30, the World Meteorological Organisation also announced that 2024 is set to be the warmest year on record, capping a decade of unprecedented heat fueled by human activities. In his recent New Years message, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world has endured a decade of deadly heat, with 2024 capping 10 years of unprecedented temperatures. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo described the year 2024 as a sobering wake-up call. Every fraction of a degree of warming matters, and increases climate extremes, impacts and risks, she said. Yu Li, another researcher at the National Climate Centre, warned that a 1 C increase in the average temperature could lead to significant and widespread effects on ecosystems. This 1 C increase is associated with an approximately 2.3-metre rise in sea level over time, threatening coastal ecosystems, she noted. Rising temperatures affect the genetic diversity of wild crop species and increase the prevalence of pests. Some species may face extinction due to their inability to adapt to rapid climate changes, Yu said. A study shows that a 1.58 C rise in the average global surface temperature could lead to the extinction of over 10 per cent of species, she added. Qin Yun, a senior engineer at the National Climate Centre, emphasised the impact of rising temperatures on human activities such as agricultural production. Some regions may see temporary increase in crop yields due to warmer temperatures. However, in the long term, agricultural production will likely face greater fluctuations and potential declines, Qin said. Uneven precipitation patterns caused by global warming could lead to decreased rainfall in some areas, resulting in water shortages. Its estimated that a 1 C rise could increase the number of people affected by water scarcity by 400 million to 1.7 billion, Qin said. Rising temperatures also elevate the risks of heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke and heat exhaustion, contributing to higher mortality rates, she added. The year 2025 has also begun with warmer-than-average temperatures. On Wednesday afternoon, much of the area south of the Yangtze River experienced temperatures exceeding 15 C, which is far from the biting cold typically expected during winter. A cold front for the whole country was forecast from Jan 2, but due to its weak intensity, most areas will experience above-average temperatures despite some mild fluctuations until Jan 12, the National Climate Centre said. Researcher Shi said that extreme heat events in China are projected to increase in frequency, with longer duration and broader impact. Under high emission scenarios, an extreme heat event that currently occurs once in 50 years could occur every one or two years by the end of the 21st century, Shi said. She suggested developing early-warning systems for climate risks, focusing on the spatial-temporal patterns of extreme events such as heat waves. We need to conduct detailed assessments of the impacts of extreme weather events on key sectors. Measures should also be taken to develop monitoring and risk-warning technologies, as well as for enhancing societal resilience to climate change, she added.

of Chinese students studying in Malaysia had crossed 57,000. Close interactions among top leaders and people of Malaysia and China were a proof of good relations between both countries, he said. Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Malaysia last year, followed by the official visits of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to China. The upcoming Year of the Snake is significant to Malaysia, as the country assumes the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN, said the Ambassador when launching the Chinese New Year lanterns with Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook at Si Thian Kong Temple in Kuala Pilah last Saturday. More than 357 sessions of various types of meetings involving China and ASEAN would be held in Malaysia. More tourists and representatives from China will be visiting Malaysia, he said. Decorated with colourful lanterns, Si Thian Kong is open to the public to take photographs until 12 February. A charity sale is also held at the temple to raise funds for Chinese education.

well in a good environment, love and protect the world more. Malaysia has great weather. We can play golf, badminton and remain healthy. Leading a positive and forward-looking lifestyle, we continue to churn out positive energy, he said during his 67th birthday celebration held at the Estate on Federal Hill on Sunday. Friends who attended the birthday celebration included Berjaya Group founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan and his wife Esther Tan. Vincent said he was moved by Dr Lims passion and his focus in Top Glove that paved the company to achieve great success. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the market value of Top Glove exceeded RM7 billion. Even now when the pandemic is over and Top Gloves share price has declined, the company remains strong and the market value of the company is worth about RM12 billion, he said. Top Glove does not rely on government contracts to achieve great success. Its business is purely consumer-based targeting hospitals throughout the world that need gloves, he said. Dr Lim had made huge contributions to charity regardless of race and religion, he said. Another guest, SMRT Holdings Bhd founder Tan Sri Dr R. Palan, said apart from staying focused, Dr Lim was a determined man. His perseverance and self-discipline led to the success of Top Glove. He helped many people during the pandemic, including me, said Dr Palan. Guests who present at the celebration included Besfomec Group managing director Datuk Wira Low Chew Ping, Lim Seong Hai Capital Berhad non-executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Keng Cheng, Nirvana Group founder, funeral services provider Nirvana Asia Group founder Tan Sri Kong Hon Kong, Selangor Turf Club chairman Tan Sri Richard Cham, BGMC International Limited founder Tan Sri Barry Goh Ming Choon, Malaysia Hainan Chamber of Commerce vice president Datuk Seri Lee Sey Liang, GoodMorning Global Holding Berhad Senior Corporate Advisor Datuk Seri Garry K.S. Chua, and others.

the earnings of farmers and the value of their harvest. Subianto has pledged to accelerate GDP growth to 8 per cent from 5 per cent now. In his inauguration speech in October, Subianto said many children are malnourished and his promise to provide free school lunches and milk to 83 million students at more than 400,000 schools across the country is part of a longer-term strategy to develop the nations human resources to achieve a Golden Indonesia generation by 2045. Too many of our brothers and sisters are below the poverty line, too many of our children go to school without breakfast and do not have clothes for school, Subianto said. Subiantos signature program, which had included free milk, could cost upward of 450 trillion rupiah (RM126 million). He said his team had made the calculations to run such a program, and We are capable, he asserted. The governments target is to reach 19.47 million schoolchildren and pregnant women in 2025 with a budget of 71 trillion rupiah so as to keep the annual deficit under a legislated ceiling of 3 per cent of GDP, said Dadan Hindayana, the head of the newly formed National Nutrition Agency. Hindayana said the money would buy an estimated 6.7 million tons of rice, 1.2 million tons of chicken, 500,000 tons of beef, 1 million tons of fish, vegetable and fruit, and 4 million kilolitres of milk, and at least 5,000 kitchens would be set up across the country. On Monday, a truck carrying about 3,000 meal portions arrived before lunch at SD Cilangkap 08, a primary school in the Jakarta satellite city of Depok. The 740 students were provided plates containing rice, stir-fried vegetables, tempeh, stir-fried chicken and oranges. We send a team to each school to facilitate the meal distribution to students every day, Hindayana said, adding that the program will provide one meal per day for each student from early childhood education to senior high school levels, covering a third of the daily caloric needs for children, with the government providing the meals at no cost to recipients. But the populist program has drawn criticism from investors and analysts, ranging from conflation with the interests of industrial lobby groups or the sheer scale of the logistics required, to the burden on Indonesias state finances and economy. Economic researcher from the Center of Economic and Law Studies, Nailul Huda, said with Indonesias tight fiscal condition, state finances are not strong enough to support the fiscal burden and this will lead to additional state debt. That is not comparable to the effect of free meals program which can also be misdirected, Huda said. The burden on our state budget is too heavy if it is forced to reach 100 per cent of the target recipients, and it will be difficult for Prabowos government to achieve the economic growth target of 8 per cent. He warned it could also worsen the external balance of payments for the country, which is already a major importer of rice, wheat, soybeans, beef and dairy products. But Reni Suwarso, the director of Institute for Democracy, Security and Strategic Studies said the stunting rate in Indonesia is still far from the target of a 14 per cent reduction in 2024. According to the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey, the national stunting prevalence was 21.5 per cent, down around 0.8 per cent compared to the previous year. The United Nations Childrens Fund or UNICEF estimated one in 12 Indonesian children younger than 5 are wasted while one in five are stunted. Wasting refers to low weight for the childs height, while stunting refers to low height for the childs age. Both conditions are caused by malnourishment. Child malnourishment have severe consequences, threatening the health and long-term development of infants and young children throughout this nation.

bakery had stopped the process of applying for halal certification due to added workload and paperwork. He said despite not having the halal certificate, he would still ensure the ingredients used are safe and meet the health requirements. If a bakery has to apply for halal certificates, all the raw materials will have to be sourced from suppliers who are also halal-certified. This will directly impact those small suppliers," he said. Chan Yung Ho, who operates Muhibah Bakery, said the outlet applied for halal certificates 20 years ago but starting last year, the outlet is required to hire halal executive to ensure the baking process meets the halal requirements. The application fee for halal certificates has also increased from RM800 to RM4,000, depending on the number of products, he said. This has definitely increased the operating costs." Citing an example, Chan said if the bakery produces 100 types of breads, then the bakery will have to submit the recipe for 100 products and the ingredients used. As Muhibah Bakery sells 380 types of breads, cakes and cookies, he has to apply for four halal certificates as 100 products is the maximum number for each halal certificate. The halal certificate is good to expand business, but for small and medium enterprises, this means additional work load and operating costs," he explained. Due to the large number of suppliers, Chan also faced problems in applying as the certificate will be affected by revocation of the halal certificates of a supplier. If the suppliers halal certificate has expired, we will also be reviewed by the authorities," he said. Chan urges the authorities to simplify the application procedures and conditions. Choo Chin Hin is another old bakery in Kota Bharu set up in 1959. Its operator, Choo, said the bakery is one of the bakeries with a halal certificate. However, the bakery stopped renewing the certificates several years before the Covid-19 pandemic due to the complicated process. Even the Malay staff working at the bakery advised me to give up the certification," he said. It was reported that the Kelantan state government has designated seven categories of food and beverage premises which must obtain halal certification in order to secure a business licence in the state. Bakery is listed in the seven categories of food businesses hotel kitchens, airport premises, shopping malls, _kopitiams_, chain restaurants, fast-food or franchised restaurants, and cake, bread shops, as well as manufacturing factories, to obtain the permanent business licence. It is reported that the Kota Bharu Municipal Council will be the first in the state to enforce this requirement, whereas halal certification has been voluntary at the federal level since 1974. Copyright 2025 Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad (198301003518).

us to look for butterflies after visiting the Congo and were gifted a trapping net by some friends, Collins said. By the time I was 15 years old, I was already visiting other countries like Nigeria to study more about butterflies. During his 20-year career as an agronomist, Collins dedicated his free time to research. He established the African Butterfly Research Institute in 1997. Now, running out of space and time, he hopes to hand it over to the next generation. On his 0.6 hectare of land, hundreds of indigenous trees and flowering bushes form a well-knit forest. Hundreds of butterflies dance from one flower to another, at times landing on Collins hand. His collection is private, although it was initially open to the public when he ran it as an education center between 1998 and 2003. Collins has 1.2 million butterflies from across Africa delicately pinned in frames and stored in rows of shelves, with another 3 million in envelopes. The form of storage also ensures the dried butterflies are not eaten by other insects, parasites and predators. We also ensure we apply insecticides once a year to keep them safe. Julian Bayliss, an ecologist specialising in Africa and a visiting professor at Oxford Brookes University, said he has collected butterflies for Collins over two decades. There is a large part of that collection that is completely irreplaceable because a large part of Africas habitat is being destroyed, Bayliss said. Africa is vulnerable to climate change, with periods of prolonged drought and serious flooding destroying forests and other butterfly habitats. Bayliss suggested digitising the collection to make it accessible worldwide. Whoever takes it over needs to be an institution that is well-founded, well-funded and secure, he said. Scott Miller, an entomologist at the Smithsonian Institution, met Collins almost 30 years ago. He said such collections provide critical information that could show environmental changes over 60 years. These physical specimens, you can actually keep going back to them to get new layers of information as you learn more or you get a different technology or you get different questions, he said. Collins is concerned that soon he will no longer be able to sustain his research. He said his most prized butterfly costs US$8,000 (RM36,000) which he keeps from sight, concerned about possible theft and hopes to sell the collection to an individual or research institution. The costs of running his institute are high. An annual budget posted in 2009 on the Lepidopterists Society of Africa website was $200,000. Collins estimates that the specimens and other assets are worth $8 million. This has been my hobby for decades, and I cant put a price on what I have done so far. Im currently seeking to ensure the species are in safe hands when Im out of this world, he said.

enabled pineapples to remain fresh for longer periods of time for export," he said. The export of pineapples totalled RM899 million as of September last year. Prior to receiving the accumulative figures of the export of pineapples till December, the board estimates the export value for the year to exceed RM1 billion, he said. The total output of pineapples exceeded 100,440 metric tonnes last year, said Sheikh Umar, adding that the initial target was only 85,000 metric tonnes. The increase in output could be attributed to large-scale plantation by conglomerates venturing into pineapple plantation," he said. Sheikh Umar said area under pineapple plantation increased by 1,674 hectares last year to reach 18,275.7 hectares. Pineapple plantation can generate decent income for both farmers and Malaysia, said Sheikh Umar. If 80 per cent of farmers receive more than RM5,000 a month under the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016-2020), the board hopes to see farmers generate RM8,000 a month in the years to come." In mid-2024, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak was ready to expand the state's pineapple plantation to 20,000 hectares by 2030. Sarawak increased the area of pineapple plantation by 228 hectares last year. Copyright 2025 Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad (198301003518).

providing travellers free access to the rest of the 27-member EU bloc. Late on Tuesday, the interior ministers of Bulgaria and Romania met at the Ruse-Giurgiu border crossing between the two countries to mark the opening of the frontier. Another short ceremony was held at a border crossing between Hungary and Romania with a meeting between Hungarys national chief of police and the chief inspector of Romanias border police. The expansion of Schengen came after months of efforts to integrate Bulgaria and Romania into the zone by Hungarys government as it held the six-month rotating presidency of the EU. Some 1 million ethnic Hungarians live in the Transylvania region of Romania, a legacy of the partition of Hungary following World War I. Relations have been historically rocky between the two countries, but the opening of the border will ease travel and strengthen links between the regions. The Schengen Area, one of the main achievements of the European project, was established in 1985 as an intergovernmental project between five EU countries France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. It has gradually expanded to become the largest free-travel area in the world. However, several Schengen member countries, including the Netherlands, Austria and Germany, this year reinstated some land border checks over concerns ranging from migration to security. Some EU officials warned the re-imposed checks could undermine the schemes goals. Before Bulgaria and Romanias partial admission, Schengen was comprised of 23 of the 27 EU member countries, along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Around 3.5 million people cross an internal border each d

with his parents was organised by Lee Chin Chen, deputy speaker of the Pahang state legislative assembly and Bilut state assemblyman, with Taiwanese authorities. Hu, 31, an internet celebrity in Malaysia, told his parents he was attracted by a post on Facebook offering one to work and visit Taiwan at the same time. I have never thought that I would be duped to work as a runner for scammers," he said. Hu also told Lee he did not know the nature of the job offered, and that it was too late when he realised. His passport and mobile phone were kept by the syndicate and he was told to collect money with another work phone given to him. Hu told his parents that he was detained with seven other people in a cell which could accommodate up to nine people. I am fine here and we look after one another," he said, adding that he was looking forward to returning home soon. Hu is currently being held in Changhua County for two months until 11 February. He will be released later but not allowed to leave Taiwan until a court decides on his case. Hu was arrested by the police in Changhua County for alleged fraud while the family sought help from Lee to look for him after they failed to reach him by phone. Hus father lodged a missing-person report with the police in Bentong on 16 December. Hu, who sells products on Facebook live and lives in Kuala Lumpur, was arrested by the police in Changhua County for allegedly working as a runner for scammers to collect money from investors. Copyright 2025 Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad (198301003518).

Japan in March 2025. However, they are still keen on the Disney cruise, said Mohan, a home baker whose husband works in the aviation sector. The children have seen the advertisements, including on YouTube, so we will explore next year,she said. The Mohans are among the growing ranks of middle-class Indian families who go on at least one overseas trip a year. As consumers in India express their desire to increase spending on travel, the industry is set for healthy growth in coming years, said Abhay Prakash Singh, research analyst at Euromonitor International, a global business intelligence, market analysis and consumer insights firm. While Chinese tourists may still be the leader in global tourism spending, India is seen as the fastest-growing market for outbound tourism, expected to grow at 11 per cent annually for the next decade. Indian travellers went from 14th position globally on tourism spending in 2019 to eighth place by 2023, when 28.2 million Indians took overseas holidays and spent US$34.2 billion (RM153 billion), according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. In comparison, 87 million Chinese travelled overseas in 2023, spending US$196.5 billion, according to UN tourism data. The outlook for Indian travellers, however, remains robust. They are expected to become the fourth-largest global travel spenders by 2030, according to a report by Booking.com and McKinsey. Indians are expected to spend US$55.4 billion by 2034, according to another report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Tourism is being fuelled by a growing middle class expected to double by 2047from the current 432 million amid increasing disposable incomes, a stronger desire to travel and expanding aviation links. Interestingly, prior to the pandemic in the year of 2019, the Asia-Pacific region held the biggest share of outbound spending by Indian travellers, said Euromonitors Singh. However, in 2023, the Middle East and Africa region dominated, with close to one-third share in overall outbound spending by Indians. Sanchari Ganguly, 39, is one who likes the path less travelled. Her next holiday is a toss-up betweenFinnish Lapland and a driving trip through Lithuania and Latvia in the Baltics. I want a unique experience as well as to discover a new country, she said. Ganguly, who left her job to look after her son, added: I am just trying to figure out if Lapland is doable with a five-year-old. I am doing my research right now. Her family spends 10 per cent of their annual income, which translates to around 500,000 rupees (RM26,000) to 550,000 rupees, on their yearly overseas vacation. Ganguly, whose husband is a banker, had planned to visit Singapore for the Taylor Swift concert earlier in 2024. But when she could not get hold of tickets, the family travelled in June to Georgia and Azerbaijan instead. We do one big overseas trip every year, and if its very expensive, its the only trip that we will do. After all, we are a single-income household right now. Otherwise, we do small breaks within India, she said. I want my son to travel. Now he asks, Where are we going? According totravel-banking fintech platform Niyo, 58 countries now offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival facilities for Indian tourists. It also found that nearly half of Indian travellers made last-minute plans for foreign holidays, landing on countries that offered the easiest visa regime. While the Indian passport is relatively weak, according to the widely cited Henley Passport Index, an increasing number of countries appear to be wooing Indian tourists with an eye on the growing potential. The Henley index for 2024, for instance, ranks India 84th in the world, with visa-free access to 58 countries. This puts it behind Guinea, Cote dIvoire, Madagascar, Gabon and Burkina Faso. The index ranks Singapore as having the strongest passport, with access to 195 countries. Still, in 2024, Indian tourists became eligible for online visas for Japan; five-year, multi-entry visas for Dubai; and visas on arrival in Indonesia and Iran, among other destinations. More countries are expected to follow suit in 2025, with growing aviation links further boosting travel. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia launched aShaandaar (spectacular in Hindi) Saudi campaign, hopingto attract 7.5 million Indians over the next decade as it diversifies its economy to include tourism. Indian carriers such as Air India and Indigo, which are expanding their fleets, have also been rolling out more routes, both within India and overseas. Air India in 2024 started flights five days a week between Delhi and Hanoi in Vietnam, which in 2023 was the top destination searched for on Google by Indians. The advent of low-cost carriers on international routes, offering direct connectivity, has further boosted outbound travel from India, noted Pushan Sharma, director of research at Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics. Emerging tourism destinations like Tbilisi, Bali, Male, Almaty, Tashkent, Hanoi and Baku are also now more accessible. Subhash Goyal, founder chairman of STIC Travel Group, said: Indian tourists are sought after. And we dont have backpackers. It is the upper middle class and super rich who are travelling. He said that previously, people used to go sightseeing. Today, they want more experiences. They will participate in some festivals, join in some cultural programmes and experience local cuisine and culture. Countries are also trying to woo Indian tourists with curated experiences. SriLankan Airlines, for example, has introduced a special tour package for Indian visitors called the Ramayana Trail, with travel to spots connected to the Hindu epic. In 2022, according to Indias Tourism Ministry, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was the top destination for Indians,followed by Saudi Arabia, the US, Singapore and Britain. Singapores growing appeal as a top destination for Indians still holds, noted Markus Tan, Singapore Tourism Boards (STB) regional director for India, the Middle East, South Asia and Africa, in an interview with _The Straits Times_. For 2024, Singapore welcomed one million visitors from India by October, an approximate 12 per cent increase from the same period in 2023, said Tan, with expectations that year-end figures would reach 1.17 million to 1.2 million Indian tourists. According to data by Indian online travel company MakeMyTrip on travel search and booking trends between Dec 16 and 31 for year-end travel in 2024, Singapore ranks as the third-most searched-for destination on the platform, with searches up 11 per cent year on year. It ranks behind UAE and Thailand. India is Singapores third-largest source market for tourism as at Oct 31, after China and Indonesia. STB expects Singapore to remain among Indian tourists top destinations in 2025 as the two countries mark 60 years of bilateral cultural relations. And Indian tourists are gaining a reputation for being big shoppers. In 2024, until June, Indian travellers in Singapore spent S$776.5 million (RM2.55 billion), out of which 28 per cent was spent on shopping, followed by 19 per cent on accommodation and 15 per cent on food and beverage. The year before from January to December 2023 Indians spent S$1.53 billion, out of which 25 per cent was spent on shopping. Studies also suggest that a rising number of Indians are shopping for luxury goods when travelling overseas, and Singapore is perfectly positioned to cater to this demand, said Tan. Healthy competition drives us all to innovate and enhance our offerings, and its encouraging to see that Singapore remains a top choice for Indian travellers. The Indian traveller is only too ready to travel overseas as foreign destinations, in some cases, become as affordable as domestic travel. Crisils recent study revealed that for a couple travelling for five days during the festive season and staying in five-star accommodation, it is cheaper to go to Bangkok in Thailand than to the southern Indian state of Goa, sought after for its beaches. The reason being, for the same hotel chain, the tariffs in Goa are almost double those in Bangkok, said Sharma. Price parity between domestic and international destinations is also making foreign travel more accessible to Indians.

to prevent further species loss, according to a WWF press release on the same day. The report documents the collaborative efforts of hundreds of scientists from universities, conservation organisations and research institutes worldwide. According to the release, a total of 173 vascular plants species that have specialised tissues for transporting water, minerals and nutrients throughout its structure 26 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 15 fishes and three mammals were identified across Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Since 1997, this has brought the number of described vascular plants and vertebrate animals in the Greater Mekong region to 3,623. Although these species were just described by science last year, they have been living in the unique habitats of our region for many millennia, Chris Hallam, WWF Asia Pacific regional wildlife lead, was quoted as saying in the release. Each of these species is a critical piece of a functioning, healthy ecosystem and a jewel in the regions rich natural heritage. And the researchers are equally as precious! They are working passionately and tirelessly to describe these species under trying conditions, unfortunately often with little resourcing, he added. The report highlights several remarkable discoveries, including a ginger species with a root that smells like mango and a leafless orchid that was found in a market and is likely already threatened by over-exploitation. Among the animal species, a rosy loach fish has been formally described despite already being well known in the aquarium trade. A bright orange crocodile newt was discovered at a record elevation, between 1,800 and 2,300 metres above sea level, while a karst dragon lizard represents not only a new species but also an entirely new genus. Other notable finds include a pit viper snake with striking scales that give the appearance of long eyelashes, a keelback snake named after the Hmong ethnic group and a shrew mole weighing just eight grammes, placing it among the worlds lightest terrestrial mammals. Additionally, a soft-furred hedgehog with sharp fangs has been named after the Vietnamese word for vampire. The release noted that species are often discovered through different means. Some are collected during field visits and remain stored in museums and botanical collections for years before being formally analysed. Gernot Vogel, a contributing researcher, described these collections as the memory of life on our planet. Jedsada Taweekan, WWF Greater Mekong Illegal Wildlife Trade regional programme manager, noted that other species are identified through trade, particularly among orchids and aquarium fish. We must ensure that these species are described and understood so that we dont lose them to overexploitation before theyre ever described in the wild, he said. The Greater Mekong regions biodiversity faces significant pressure from habitat loss, degradation, unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade. According to WWFs Living Planet Report, these challenges are compounded by climate change, pollution, invasive species and emerging diseases. WWF works with communities, governments and other partners to improve species conservation, address wildlife crime and tackle unsustainable exploitation, while also deepening the understanding of the regions extraordinary biodiversity, as per the release.