KUANTAN, Dec 20 — A cancer patient was found dead near the main lobby of Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) here today, believed to have jumped from the fourth floor of the building.
Kuantan district police chief ACP Mohamad Noor Yusof Ali said the 55-year-old patient who was found at 2.25 am lying face down and covered in blood, was believed to be undergoing treatment at HTAA since Wednesday.
“The deceased’s wife claimed that her husband had been suffering from stage four thyroid cancer for the past year and often went to HTAA for chemotherapy. He was also understood to have complained of severe headaches over the past few days.
“So far, we believe the deceased jumped from the hospital building based on the broken branches and twigs on his body,” he told reporters here today.
Mohamad Noor said the remains of the deceased from Sri Jaya, Maran near here, had been sent to the HTAA Forensic Department. — Bernama
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Quick action by Civil Defence members saved two motorcyclists in Kemaman after their scooter was swept away. (Facebook pic)
KEMAMAN: Quick action by members of the civil defence (APM) saved the lives of two friends, in their 20s, after the motorcycle they were on was swept away at a flooded road in Jalan Ibok here this afternoon.
Kemaman civil defence officer Mohd Suhaimi Awang @ Muhammad said that the Yamaha Ego scooter was swept away by strong currents.
He said his men were monitoring the floods around the Ibok area when they noticed the two friends in trouble.
“One of the victims managed to save himself while the other was stuck on a tree. One APM member then tied a rope around his body and swam against the strong currents to rescue the victim,” he said.
Earlier today, a Perodua Myvi driven by a civil servant was swept away in Kampung Batu 10, near the Chukai Toll Plaza exit, but he was rescued by a father and son who lived nearby.
The Terengganu disaster management secretariat reported that 5,900 evacuees from 1,527 families had been placed at 44 temporary relief centres in the state as at 10pm today.
They are from four districts – Kemaman, which is the worst hit with 4,962 evacuees, Hulu Terenggganu, Setiu and Dungun.
Luis Suarez (right) just returned from a spell on the sidelines. (AP pic)
MADRID: Atletico Madrid forward Luis Suarez was back among the goals to help his side to a 3-1 win at home to Elche on Saturday, taking them three points clear at the top of La Liga.
The victory moved Atleti to 29 points from 12 games, three clear of second-placed Real Sociedad who have played 14 and are in action at Levante later on Saturday.
Uruguay striker Suarez, who recently had a spell on the sidelines after contracting Covid-19, gave Atletico the lead in the 41st minute as he got the slightest touch on a low cross from Kieran Trippier to score for the first time since Nov 7.
Suarez then slid in to knock home another from a delightful low pass by Yannick Carrasco in the 58th for his ninth goal of the season, taking him joint top of the scoring charts alongside Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas and Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal.
Elche got back into the game with a header from Lucas Boye in the 64th following a well-worked corner routine, becoming the first side to score against Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano since the first game of the season.
Boye nearly found an equaliser when he swivelled to shoot inside the box but Atletico keeper Jan Oblak got across to tip the ball around the near post.
The hosts soon sealed the points though when substitute Diego Costa went to ground to earn a debateable penalty and then lashed home from the spot in the 80th.
Elche’s 40-year-old striker Nino then came off the bench to try and help his side get something from the game and almost scored but saw his header cleared off the line.
LAB-GROWN chicken meat made a historic debut at a Singapore restaurant today in a culinary first that its creators said could help reduce the environmental damage involved in human food production.
US start-up Eat Just said earlier this month its product had been approved for sale in the city-state as an ingredient in chicken nuggets after Singapore became the first country to allow the sale of meat created without slaughtering any animals.
A MYANMAR national was killed after he was crushed by a crane that overturned at a factory in Perai today.
Penang Fire and Rescue Department operations officer Syamzul Razman Abd Halim said it received an alert at 8.23pm that a crane, which was being used at the steel factory, had overturned and fallen onto a worker.
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the enforcement could directly eradicate ‘biopiracy’. — Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Enforcement of the Access to Biological Resources and Benefit Sharing Act 2017(Act 795) can ensure that the country benefits when biological resources found in the country are developed into products of value, said Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.
He said the enforcement could directly eradicate ‘biopiracy’, whereby the country’s biological resources are taken and developed without permission and the country does not benefit from it.
“Malaysia is one of 12 countries in the world that is rich in mega-biodiversity resources. The enforcement of this act is important because this treasure has great potential for the development and creation of new products in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.
“It includes medicines, supplements and cosmetic products,” he said in a statement today.
At the same time, he said the enforcement of this act could also generate financial royalties, fees for research permits and patent issuance from the commercialisation of products obtained from biological sources.
The non-financial benefits that can be gained from the enforcement of this act include the sharing of research and development (R&D) findings; training through research exchanges and collaborative research; as well as employment opportunities for the community.
Earlier, Shamsul Anuar announced the enforcement of the act, effective Dec 18, when launching the Webinar Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and Knowledge of Tradition as well as the launch of the ABS User Handbook and the MyABS virtual portal. — Bernama
In Terengganu, the number of evacuees rose to 5,776 people from 1,478 families at 4 pm compared to 4,094 people from 996 families at 7 am today. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 —Terengganu and Kelantan continued to record an increase in the number of flood evacuees while more temporary relief centres (PPS) were also opened as of 5 pm today.
In Terengganu, the number of evacuees rose to 5,776 people from 1,478 families at 4 pm compared to 4,094 people from 996 families at 7 am today.
Terengganu State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat chief Lieutenant Colonel (PA) Che Adam A Rahman said 13 more relief centres had been opened, taking the total number of PPS operating in the state to 46.
“The worst affected district is Kemaman, where the number of evacuees rose to 4,729 people from 1,135 families compared to 3,698 people from 867 families this morning. However, the number of relief centres in Kemaman remained at 25,” he told reporters today.
In Dungun, the number of evacuees also increased to 326 people from 95 families at seven PPS compared to 182 people from 57 families at four relief centres in the morning.
Che Adam said that in Hulu Terengganu, 710 people from 245 families had been placed at 13 PPS, an increase from the 212 people from 71 families at three PSS this afternoon.
The number of evacuees in Setiu also increased to 11 people from three families compared to two families at one PPS earlier.
Meanwhile, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), through its portal http://infobanjir.water.gov.my, reported that five rivers in four districts had exceeded the danger level as of 4 pm today.
In Kemaman, Sungai Tebak at the Tebak Bridge had a reading of 19.55 metres (m) (danger level 18.5m) while Sungai Kemaman in Air Putih was at 14.25m (danger level 14m).
Three rivers in Hulu Terengganu also exceeded the danger level, with Sungai Telemong in Kuala Ping at 20.58m (danger level 19.7m); Sungai Nerus in Kampung Bukit, Setiu at 13.23m (danger level 13.2m); and Sungai Dungun in Jerangau Bridge at 12.69m (danger level 12.5m).
In Kelantan, the number of evacuees at 25 relief centres increased to 851 people from 233 families as of 5 pm compared to 531 victims this morning.
According to the state’s Welfare Department online flood portal, of the three affected districts, Pasir Mas had the most number of victims, with 452 people from 139 families at nine shelters; followed by Kuala Krai (231 victims from 57 families at seven centres) and Tanah Merah (168 people from 37 families at nine centres).
The DID website also reported that two rivers in Kelantan had exceeded the danger level as of 5 pm today.
Sungai Galas in Limau Kasturi, Gua Musang recorded a reading of above 60m (danger level 59m) while Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang recorded a reading of 10.42m (danger level 10m).
Meanwhile, three rivers had exceeded the warning level, namely Kusial Baru in Tanah Merah (15.16m, (danger level 15.1m); Sungai Kelantan in Kusial Tanah Merah (15.88m, danger level 14m); and Sungai Golok in Jenob Tanah Merah (23.3m, danger level 22.5m).
Another three rivers in the state had exceeded the alert level, namely Kg Sungai Nal, Kuala Krai (23.69m, alert level 23.5m); Sungai Kelantan in Kota Bharu Customs Jetty (3.33m, alert level 3m); and Sungai Golok in Kuala Jambu, Tumpat (2.01, alert level 2m). — Bernama
SEATTLE: Amazon has launched a new instant translation feature for its smart assistant Alexa. The tool allows two people to converse with each other in different languages, with translations displayed live on the Echo Show smart speaker screen. The service is being launched in the United States at the end of this year.
Just like any other request, to start, all you have to do is tell Alexa to translate what’s coming next. Alexa is then able to automatically identify each spoken language and translate it onscreen for each speaker.
This feature, simply called “Live Translation”, actually combines several advanced technologies, such as Automatic Speech Recognition, the Amazon Translate translation service and Alexa’s text-to-speech solution. At the moment, it supports six languages in addition to English: German, Spanish, French, Hindi, Italian and Portuguese.
Simultaneous translation is a major challenge today. Earlier this year, Google introduced a brand-new feature in its Translation mobile application that transcribes spoken words into translated, written text in real time. In addition, real-time translation is now available on all headsets equipped with Google Assistant.
Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Bieber. (AFP pic)
LONDON: Five years ago, pop star Justin Bieber was locked in a contest for Britain’s favourite Christmas song with a group of little-known health workers. He gave in.
This year, the Canadian singer-songwriter and the health workers are back, singing his hit “Holy” together to raise funds to help Britain’s state-run National Health Service (NHS) tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
Bieber’s 2015 tweet asking his fans to help the South London Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir went viral and their song beat his to the coveted Christmas Number 1 spot.
The former teen star later met up with the medical workers, leading to this year’s collaboration. “Especially in these difficult times, I’m humbled to team up with them,” he said in a statement on Friday announcing the new release.
Britain has among the largest recorded numbers of infections and deaths from Covid-19 and the government said on Friday the epidemic appeared to be growing again, shortly before a planned five-day relaxation of restrictions for the festive period.
Earlier this year, Bieber donated profits from “Stuck With U”, his single with Ariana Grande, to the First Responders Children’s Foundation, a charity which supports frontline workers in the United States, which has the world’s highest figures for Covid-19 deaths and infections.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali speaks to reporters gathered outside the residence of the late Tun Rahah Mohamed Noah in Kuala Lumpur December 18, 2020. — Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — Dignitaries, family members and friends continued to visit the residence of the late Tun Rahah Mohamed Noah, the widow of second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein in Jalan Eaton here to pay their last respects.
All of them complied with the standard operating procedures set by the National Security Council including taking their body temperature and having their names recorded in the registration book provided.
There are also police personnel assigned to facilitate the traffic movement.
Among those present were Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad and Environment and Water Deputy Minister Dr Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad.
Also seen at the residence were Senior Minister cum International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Air Asia Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.
Mohamed Azmin when met by reporters described Tun Rahah’s death as a great loss to the country as she and Tun Abdul Razak were important figures in the formation of the country.
“I can still remember, when I was in Standard Six, my father took me to the funeral of Tun Abdul Razak who died in 1976. People saw the late Tun Abdul Razak as a distinguished and respected statesman.
“…and of course the late Tun Rahah had played an important role in helping her husband lead the country,” he said.
Zulkifli prayed that former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s family would be given strength and patience over the passing of his beloved mother.
“May Allah reward her for all her good deeds and place Allahyarhamah among the pious,” he said.
Tun Rahah died today at the Prince Court Medical Centre here where she was admitted for treatment. She was 87. — Bernama
