PYKANY(Brazil), May 28 — On a hot afternoon deep in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, Indigenous chief Megaron soaps himself and enjoys a quick swim in the river, a brief respite from battling threats to his people’s lands.

The 75-year-old, with long white hair and sharp black geometric lines painted across his body, is stepping into a role he has long prepared for: succeeding his uncle, Brazil’s most iconic Indigenous leader, Raoni Metuktire.

Chief Raoni, 93, who has devoted his life to warning the world about the destruction of the Amazon, has been hospitalized several times in recent weeks.

Megaron Txucarramae vowed to carry forward his uncle’s fight at a gathering of Kayapo leaders in the village of Pykany in Para state last week. They had come to see Raoni before he became too ill to attend.

“I told them that I will continue to support the struggle of our uncle to preserve not only Indigenous lands and the forest, but also to preserve our health, our culture, and our language,” Megaron told AFP on the riverbank.

The Kayapo are one of hundreds of Indigenous groups in Brazil, but their fight to defend their land has become one of the most visible internationally.

Pykany lies in one of several Kayapo territories which together form one of the largest blocks of protected rainforest in the world – an area larger than Portugal which they have thanks to the struggle of leaders like Raoni and Megaron.

Experts see Indigenous territories as one of the best barriers to climate change by preventing deforestation, as the Amazon edges closer to a tipping point in which it could transition to a drier, savannah-like ecosystem.

Invasions and protest

Megaron, like Raoni, is one of the last of a generation born before sustained contact with the outside world.

He was born in 1950 in the village of Piaraçu in the north of the state of Mato Grosso and lived through the “truly awful” violence of incursions into Indigenous lands by settlers, ranchers and miners.

“I saw it with my own eyes. A thug hired by ranchers killed two of my uncles right in front of me, when I was just a child,” he told AFP.

He was by Raoni’s side in the 80s leading major protests against the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam on the Xingu River. The dam, one of the biggest in the world, was eventually built and inaugurated in 2016.

In 2010, the outspoken chief slammed President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – then in his second term – as the “number one enemy” of the Indigenous people.

Megaron’s acts against the dam saw him fired as a co-ordinator with Brazil’s Indigenous affairs agency, FUNAI.

Roiti Metuktire, 35, Raoni’s grand-nephew, said the nonagenarian chief has come to see Megaron as “a trusted confidant.”

Megaron served as his translator on international trips and since the 90s has been seen as the natural choice to “carry Raoni’s struggle forward,” said Metuktire.

Poisonous gold

As women chop up a fresh catch of piranha from the river, Megaron bemoans constant incursions by illegal gold miners into Indigenous territory, whose mercury poisons such waters that sustain villages.

A boom in gold prices due to global instability has ramped up the pressure once again.

“The government has failed to take decisive action to permanently expel them and put an end to mining within Indigenous territories,” he said.

Megaron and two other Indigenous leaders are travelling to four European capitals between June 6 and 19, and plan to knock on the door of top jewellery brands like Cartier and Bulgari to urge them to put more pressure on suppliers to ensure their gold does not come from Indigenous land.

“Deeply apprehensive”

Megaron told AFP he was concerned about Brazil’s presidential election in October.

Seeking a fourth term, Lula’s main rival is Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who oversaw a dramatic increase in illegal gold mining and deforestation in the Amazon.

While Indigenous communities have expressed frustration with Lula’s government, he is credited with demarcating 20 new territories since 2023 and cracking down on illegal gold miners.

“It worries us because the political right is anti-Indigenous. We are deeply apprehensive about what might happen if they win,” said Megaron. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Sri Saradha Devi Illam Malaysia (SSDI) celebrated a major milestone with the staging of its SSDI Trinity Convocation 2026, bringing together education, arts, culture and welfare initiatives in a ceremony attended by more than 170 children from welfare homes across the country.

Held on May 16 in Selangor, the event was officiated by Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo and attended by government representatives, community leaders, donors, volunteers and supporters.

Among those present were Batu MP Prabakaran Parameswaran, former minister Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy, Selangor Youth Community chief executive officer Aiman Nazri, Gombak Youth and Sports Department officer Shafrul Kadir, and Dato’ SK Devamany.

The ceremony was led by SSDI president Dr Kumaran Adaikalam, whose leadership has guided the organisation’s work in child welfare, education, cultural development and community service.

The evening featured cultural performances, a traditional opening tribute, and a special audio-visual presentation highlighting SSDI’s journey and contributions over the years.

The event was officiated by Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.

One of the key highlights was a symbolic cake-cutting ceremony involving more than170 children from SSDI and invited welfare homes, representing unity and shared celebration among the institutions.

The event also recognised the academic and vocational achievements of SSDI children through the Diploma Kemahiran Malaysia convocation segment, where students received diploma and Level 3 certifications.

In addition to academic recognition, the children showcased performances in Veenai, Bharatham and Silambam, reflecting SSDI’s emphasis on nurturing cultural appreciation, discipline and self-confidence alongside formal education.

Another highlight of the evening was the launch of Di Sini Bermulanya Sebuah Mimpi, a book written by Dr Suresh Kumar N Vellymalay documenting the history, journey and impact of SSDI.

The ceremony also saw a symbolic mock key presentation for SSDI’s upcoming elderly care home initiative, established in memory of the late parents of donor Thirunavukkarasu.

The event also recognised the academic and vocational achievements of SSDI children through the Diploma Kemahiran Malaysia convocation segment, where students received diploma and Level 3 certifications.

The facility will operate as the SSDI Elderly Care Home, marking the organisation’s expansion beyond child welfare into elderly care services.

SSDI students and alumni were also recognised by the Amazing Malaysian Book of Records for achievements in Bharatham, Silambam and Diploma Kemahiran Malaysia-related categories.

The evening concluded with speeches by student representatives and a succession segment symbolising the passing of values such as gratitude, discipline and service to future generations of SSDI children.

Founded as a welfare and charitable institution, Sri Saradha Devi Illam Malaysia focuses on caring for and empowering children through education, arts, culture and spiritual development.

WELLINGTON, May 28 — One of the world’s rarest parakeets has seen its numbers surge thanks to a pair of super breeders now responsible for more than 10 per cent of the total population.

The New Zealand native kakariki karaka—or orange-fronted parakeet—is critically endangered and has twice been declared extinct, only to be rediscovered.

There are around 450 of the birds left, mainly in sanctuaries and predator-free islands but also in wild populations.

Parents Nacho and Trixie were paired up in 2024 at the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust in Christchurch and have since produced 55 chicks, including 33 this year alone.

Wildlife manager Leigh Percasky praised “super-mum” Trixie.

A handout photo taken in Christchurch on May 20, 2026 and received May 27, 2026 from the The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust shows Nacho - part of a breeding pair of the rare New Zealand kakariki karaka parakeets - who have produced 55 chicks in two years, more than 10% of the total population. One of the world's rarest parakeets has seen its numbers surge thanks to a pair of super breeders now responsible for more than 10 percent of the total population. The New Zealand native kakariki karaka -- or orange-fronted parakeet -- is critically endangered and has twice been declared extinct, only to be rediscovered. There are around 450 of the birds left, mainly in sanctuaries and predator-free islands but also in wild populations. — Photo by Leigh Percasky / The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife via AFP

“The breeding season has ended and yet she’s still producing eggs and raising chicks,” Percasky said.

“Ideally we’d prefer her to stop so she can have a rest, but she shows no signs of that with another seven chicks in her most recent clutch.

“Nacho also deserves credit as he’s responsible for finding food for both Trixie and the chicks which is incredibly busy.”

Captive breeding 

Wayne Beggs, lead of the Department of Conservation’s kakariki karaka recovery programme, said breeding pairs like Nacho and Trixie were ensuring the species didn’t go extinct.

“We rely on the captive breeding programmes as without them we couldn’t establish new sites,” Beggs said.

A handout photo taken in Christchurch on May 20, 2026 and received May 27, 2026 from the The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust shows two chicks produced by Nacho and Trixie - a breeding pair of the rare New Zealand kakariki karaka parakeets - who have produced 55 chicks in two years, more than 10 percent of the total population. One of the world's rarest parakeets has seen its numbers surge thanks to a pair of super breeders now responsible for more than 10 percent of the total population. The New Zealand native kakariki karaka — or orange-fronted parakeet — is critically endangered and has twice been declared extinct, only to be rediscovered. There are around 450 of the birds left, mainly in sanctuaries and predator-free islands but also in wild populations. — Photo by Leigh Percasky / The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife via AFP

“The wild populations are very vulnerable to predators, so we always need backup populations.”

Percasky said Nacho and Trixie had made a “massive contribution” to the survival of their species, but he wants the love birds to “have a well-earned break” after their latest clutch.

“I’m not sure where they get all their energy from.” — AFP

CAIRO, May 28 — Cairo’s new monorail slices across the city skyline, running above the familiar chaos of blaring horns and ageing buses’ exhaust fumes that mark rush hour below.

The US$4.5 billion (RM17.9 billion) monorail, opened this month, is among Egypt’s most prominent new transport projects, part of a debt-funded infrastructure drive criticised for sapping state finances while bringing limited benefits to most of the country’s 109 million people.

“It feels like you’re in a different country,” said Ramy Sayed, 44, aboard a driverless Innovia 300 train.

“No noise, no traffic, we’re not used to this,” the restaurant manager told AFP.

The eastern line runs 56 kilometres from the bustling middle-class district of Nasr City to the New Administrative Capital, a sprawling $58-billion megacity in the desert east of Cairo.

A second 43-kilometre western line, from the Nile’s west bank to 6th of October City beyond the Giza pyramids, is under construction.

The government says the monorail will ease congestion, cut fuel consumption and attract foreign investment.

But critics say even at 45,000 passengers an hour, it will serve only a fraction of Greater Cairo’s 26 million residents, most of whom still rely on buses, microbuses and the metro.

‘Empty desert’ 

At one end of the line in Nasr City, rush hour continues as usual.

Above ground, microbus drivers shout out destinations, while below commuters crowd into packed metro carriages.

“Of course, the monorail is clean and fast,” Basma Hosny, 41, said while waiting for a bus. “But it doesn’t really help me.”

Osama Okeil, a transport engineering professor at Ain Shams University, said infrastructure “should follow where people actually are”.

“You don’t build transport for empty desert and expect demand to follow,” he told AFP.

He said investment should have focused on overstretched systems, particularly Egypt’s railways and buses, warning projects like the monorail that rely on expensive imported technology “can become a burden”.

“Modern transport is about serving the largest number of people at the cheapest cost,” Okeil said.

Passengers ride aboard the new Cairo Monorail as it moves through the New Administration Capital (NAC) megaproject, some 45 kilometres east of Cairo, on May 22, 2026. Cairo's new futuristic monorail slices across the city skyline, its sleek carriages gliding above honking cars, the exhaust of aging buses and the familiar chaos of rush hour in the megalopolis. The $4.5 billion two-line network, about seven years in the making, is a flagship of the Egyption president's administration, in office since 2015. — AFP pic

‘Not for people like us’ 

For Sayed, the monorail offers an easier, if costlier, commute to his job in New Cairo, where gated compounds, universities and office parks have spread over the past decade.

“Before, I had to take two microbuses,” he said. “They were crowded and uncomfortable and sometimes they didn’t even run on weekends. But here, it’s not busy and the timings are fixed.”

Tickets range from 20 to 80 Egyptian pounds (RM1.52 to RM6.08) -- around half a day’s pay for many labourers—and trains run from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Khaled Nazeer, 22, who works at a cafeteria in the new capital, said he now pays “just 30 pounds” for his daily commute, instead of “70 or 80 pounds” for the microbuses.

He commutes to the new capital from Cairo every day, along with an estimated 50,000 government workers staffing President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s megaproject—the focal point of a wave of infrastructure projects that have reshaped Cairo in the past decade.

The city, with its glass skyscrapers, monumental government buildings and upscale housing, remains sparsely populated.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly says about 25,000 people live there, alongside roughly twice as many commuting civil servants.

On a recent Friday, curious passengers rode the monorail to see it for themselves, filming as Cairo’s dense concrete blocks gave way to sweeping boulevards and construction sites, against endless stretches of desert.

“I’ve only ever seen the new capital on TV,” said 33-year-old trader Mostafa Mohamed of the emerging skyline.

“It looks nice of course, modern and organised, but it doesn’t feel like it’s made for people like us,” added Ahmed Gomaa, also 33. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Malaysia’s multicultural food heritage may hold greater strategic value than many realise.

Beyond tourism campaigns and food festivals, veteran culinary professional Chef Rosham Rosli believes the country’s diverse gastronomic ecosystem, shaped by Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya and regional influences, could emerge as a stronger tool for soft diplomacy, tourism promotion and talent development.

He believes Malaysia has an advantage not easily replicated elsewhere — diversity.

“Malaysia may be a small country, but when they consider the skills (we have), they see Malaysia,” he told Bernama in an interview, reflecting his years representing Malaysia on international culinary platforms.  

Rosham recently coached Malaysia’s representative for the Young Chef International (YCI) tournament held alongside the 17th International Economic Forum “Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum 2026” in Russia, while simultaneously serving as an international judge.  

He said Malaysia was recognised under culinary tradition categories. Nonetheless, Rosham believes international culinary participation should not only focus on medals.

“Food brings people together. From cultural exchanges and tourism promotion to diplomatic engagement and international networking, food increasingly serves as a bridge connecting people and countries,” he added.

Develop young talent

For Rosham, strengthening Malaysia’s culinary standing internationally begins with developing young talent early.

“Malaysia possesses strong culinary fundamentals through vocational pathways, hotel industry exposure and multicultural food foundations.

“Yet gaps remain,” he said.

Global opportunities exist all year round, but funding limitations, sponsorship challenges and limited participation platforms restrict exposure to international culinary competitions.

“We sometimes miss opportunities (to compete internationally). Countries such as Thailand have already developed stronger institutional culinary ecosystems,” he said.

A dedicated gastronomy academy focused on mentorship, practical exposure and accelerated talent development is among the proposals to strengthen the ecosystem.

Malaysia should not underestimate gastronomy’s broader economic and strategic value as the sector increasingly intersects with tourism growth, heritage preservation, halal ecosystem expansion, cultural promotion and nation branding, he said.

“Malaysia’s culinary identity has endured through the generations, shaped by heritage, multicultural influences and traditions passed down over time. 

“The next challenge may lie in ensuring it evolves into a stronger strategic asset capable of creating wider value beyond the dining table.

“If nurtured effectively, Malaysia’s next international advantage may emerge not from factories or boardrooms, but kitchens,” he said. — Bernama

KOTA BHARU, May 28 — Despite his physical disability, former Kelantanese para-athlete Mazri Mohamed, 55, never allowed his limitations to stand in the way of his dreams, mastering the delicate art of wood carving through sheer determination and passion, eventually earning recognition on the international stage.

Mazri, who once competed in shot put, discus throw, and javelin events, said he first became involved in wood carving more than four decades ago after learning the intricate craft as a teenager.

Having lost the use of his left leg due to a high fever when he was six years old, he shared that his deep passion for the art of wood carving became the driving force that kept him creating —  while also providing him with a source of income.

“At first, I treated wood carving as nothing more than a hobby. But over time, I began to see its potential to grow much further, especially since very few people are willing to dedicate themselves to preserving this traditional heritage craft.

“After years of refining my skills and deepening my knowledge, I finally gained the confidence to accept commissioned work. My very first order came from villagers who wanted carved wooden designs for a staircase structure,” he said during an interview with Bernama at his workshop near Kampung Pulau Pisang Hilir recently.

The father of five children aged between eight and 26 said he produces a wide range of carvings, including mosque pulpits, Quran rehal (stands), traditional dikir barat musical instruments, doors, and decorative pieces for traditional homes.

He said his craftsmanship not only attracted orders from the local community, but also earned him the honour of contributing wood carvings to the staircase of the Istana Balai Besar about a decade ago.

“I have also received commissions from several prominent figures, including former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the late Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, as well as members of the royal family.

“Every carving comes with its own challenges, especially as there are times when my physical condition limits my movement. Some pieces can be completed within two or three days, while others may take up to two weeks, depending on the design and level of intricacy,” he said.

He added that among the motifs most favoured by customers are the hibiscus flower, betel leaves, and the tree of life — designs that beautifully reflect the identity and rich heritage of Malay cultural artistry, while also complementing various wooden structures such as staircases, doors, and wall decorations.

He said every carving is crafted with great care through a combination of traditional hand-chiselling techniques and modern machinery to ensure finer, neater, and higher-quality results.

“The prices for my carvings range from RM50 to RM2,000, depending on the size, design, and type of wood used, such as meranti, cengal, seraya, merawan, and raya hitam wood.

“Beyond producing wood carvings, I have also showcased my talent internationally through several carving competitions, including in South Korea in 2000, where I created a bird carving, and in India in 2009, for a sculpture carving competition,” he said.

Mazri also shared that he won third place at the 7th International Abilympics in Shizuoka, Japan, in 2007 for his cherry blossom wood carving.

“That achievement was not only a recognition of my talent and craftsmanship, but it also brought pride to the country on the world stage in the field of wood carving artistry.

“I hope this traditional art of wood carving will continue to be preserved and not fade with time. Instead, it should be passed down to the younger generation as a treasured cultural heritage that deserves to endure,” he said. — Bernama

ILULISSAT (Denmark), May 28 — Marinel Garciano dislikes winter, and that’s tough when it lasts nine months in Ilulissat, Greenland. But she has no regrets about leaving the Philippines to give her children opportunities.

Her family is among the roughly 1,200 Filipinos living on the vast Arctic island of 57,000 inhabitants, the largest foreign diaspora in the Danish autonomous territory.

“We’re just looking for a greener pasture,” smiled the 38-year-old, her eyes stealing a glance outside the window.

But behind the glass there was no greenery — just the pristine white of a blizzard enveloping the streets of Ilulissat, north of the Arctic Circle, in the icy month of April.

‘Teleported’

Marinel was taking a break at the Nuka cafe where her husband works, flashing a contagious smile despite being tired from work, her long dark hair falling down her back.

In 2012, Owie Garciano left the lush landscapes of the Visayas and headed to Greenland for a job as a cook.

Marinel and their three children joined him in 2021, amid a tourism boom in the town known for its icebergs.

“It was like I had teleported,” Marinel recalled. “From the tropical forest to here.”

At first she worked in a warehouse, eventually landing a job as a receptionist.

Her 15-year-old daughter sometimes helps her, while her eldest son, 18, works as a kitchen hand in a restaurant.

The Garcianos are often tired from working so much, but it’s for their future: Marinel invests “every penny” in real estate back home to give her children a better life.

“I want my kids to not grow up like me. You want to offer them what you didn’t have,” she said.

In between orders, Owie bounced out of the kitchen, gave her a quick kiss, then disappeared again, leaving behind an odour of fried food.

Since they never know how long their visas will be renewed for, they don’t want to waste any time in Greenland.

Marinel keeps meticulous accounts, watching the children’s spending closely, even going so far as to confiscate their money “for their future”.

“In any case, it’s too cold to go out and have fun,” she said. “And if you drink, you just end up hungover and broke.”

She squirmed on the red vinyl seat.

“I don’t know... maybe I’m crazy,” she laughed.

The next morning, she helped some Filipino friends clean the town’s new airport, which is set to open in October.

This photograph shows the snow-covered harbour, where many fishermen from the Philippines work, in Ilulissat, Greenland, on March 18, 2026. — AFP pic

Labour shortage

At dawn, life at the Best Western hotel begins to stir.

A Thai chambermaid disappears behind a flurry of sheets, a Filipino cook behind a burst of flame.

Here, a quarter of the staff is foreign.

“We want to hire locals, but it’s hard,” admitted manager Arnarissoq Moller.

“I don’t know how we could maintain our high-quality service” without the guest workers, he said.

A town of 5,000 inhabitants, Ilulissat has about 50,000 visitors annually.

Tourism is growing rapidly but Greenland, whose population is in decline, has a labour shortage.

According to Greenland’s employers’ association, five to six per cent of workers on the island are Asian, drawn by the tourism sector.

Their presence is needed, but sometimes misunderstood.

Marinel said she senses it sometimes, in lingering looks and harsh words: “Go home! Go home!”

“Like in any country,” she said.

“We have to learn the language, and adapt to the culture... but it’s not that easy.”

She switches between Greenlandic, Danish and English all day.

At her side, her youngest child Neliowi, five, watched cartoons in English.

“In the mornings I always urge her to speak four or five languages.”

Not die here

Marinel hesitated when the subject of happiness arose.

“I’m happy knowing that my children might not end up being poor again,” she said.

She doesn’t want to die in Greenland, she said, hoping to move back to the Philippines before she turns 40.

Night began to fall, and the tourists gradually left the Nuka cafe one after another. Outside, the blizzard raged.

Marinel pulled on her warm coat with a grimace, saying she dreams of “Trees. Sea. Sand”.

Owie emerged through the swinging kitchen doors, looking tired.

A Filipino kitchen hand greeted him with a bloodstained hand. He was preparing reindeer legs for a panang curry, which has become the “in” dish at Ilulissat’s restaurants.

In the dining area, a young woman laid the tables for the next day.

Ilulissat went to sleep beneath its blanket of snow, but the warm light and strains of Thai pop rock from the Nuka cafe hinted at another life still awake. — AFP

LOS ANGELES, May 278 — An exhausted TJ James has just stepped off an 18-hour flight at Los Angeles international airport where he is getting a taste of the chaos that awaits tens of thousands of people expected for the World Cup, which starts on June 11.

With his wife, their two children, and four suitcases in tow, he steps out into a river of frustrated drivers.

Amid a cacophony of honking horns, the family struggles to identify the shuttle bus that will take them to their rental car.

“There’s no signs really saying where I gotta go,” says the mining industry employee, who travelled from Perth, Australia. “I did my research, and I’m still struggling.”

James, 47, has passed through this airport several times before, and feels sorry for foreign visitors.

“I’m still lost, and I’m an American,” he tells AFP. “This is really annoying.”

The infuriating design of LAX — the main airport in America’s second biggest city — is almost legendary.

About 95,000 vehicles pass through the airport daily, most of which funnel into a bottleneck: a horseshoe-shaped roadway looping past all the terminals, where every passenger tries to get dropped off or picked up as close to the entrance as possible.

In an effort to alleviate congestion, taxis and ride-share services are prohibited from picking up passengers along this main thoroughfare.

Unfinished train

To make their way out of the airport, arriving passengers who don’t have friends or family coming must take shuttle buses, which all look alike, yet travel to different destinations depending on the colour of their designated stop: green for the taxi lot, purple for car rentals, red for certain hotels, pink for other terminals.

“LAX airport is definitely an airport that people in Los Angeles love to hate,” says Joshua Schank, a public policy specialist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Next month’s World Cup, where Los Angeles is hosting eight matches, was supposed to allow the Californian metropolis to burnish its image, just two years before the city hosts the Olympic Games.

To help ease blockages at the airport, an “automated people mover” train connecting it to the city’s sparse subway system was scheduled to go into service in 2023.

But the US$3.5 billion project has become bogged down in delays and contractual disputes, and remains in the testing phase.

People wait for their ride and cars stop to pick up travellers at the arrival area of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, on May 15, 2026. — AFP pic

People arriving at the airport now can watch as the empty trains shuttle impotently back and forth.

They will not be ready in time for World Cup fans, and authorities are no longer providing a start date. LAX managers declined AFP requests for an interview.

This train “has not received the kind of attention that it really deserves in terms of urgency from elected leaders,” sighs Schank.

‘Hell’

It’s not just at the airport that the transport network is creaky.

As a place that came of age with the automobile, Los Angeles is a sprawl of freeways with a public transport system that would embarrass any medium-sized European city.

Buses are infrequent and haphazard, while the subway has only six trundling lines radiating out from the centre, making connections impossible without going all the way in and then all the way out again.

The roads are often pockmarked with potholes, further slowing down the millions of tightly-packed cars, with 5-mile (8-kilometer) commute easily taking 45 minutes.

City managers, eager to ease the headaches for fans flocking to the stadium in Inglewood, have said they will deploy 300 buses running to the games from a dozen different locations, including the airport.

The fare will remain the LA-standard US$1.75 — a small victory for fans smarting at the US$98 price tag for a round-trip train ticket between New York and MetLife Stadium.

Fixing the city’s transport mess is a long-term project, says Schank, but making it easier to get to and from the airport is a must.

The people mover, once operational, is only one part of the equation.

“You have to have good mass transit connections to that people mover if you want people to use mass transit,” he said, noting the metro station where it terminates doesn’t even take you to downtown LA.

“What’s needed are policy changes, adding new mass transit options,” he says. “Elected leaders need to step up... if we’re going to have a successful Olympics.”

Until then, Nigerian Henrietta Henry, who describes her first ever visit to LAX as “hell,” has one piece of advice for fans this summer: “Do your homework.” — AFP

MADRID, May 27 — Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny kicks off a series of 10 concerts on Saturday in Madrid, a city with a booming Latino population now emerging as a new hub of the Latin music industry.

It will be the most shows of the singer’s “Debi Tirar Mas Fotos” tour outside of his native Puerto Rico, where he staged a 31-show residency last year.

Colombian pop superstar Shakira will follow with a 12-night residency beginning September 18 at a temporary venue under construction in southern Madrid that will hold roughly 50,000 people.

The so-called Queen of Latin Pop has vowed to go “all-out” for the Madrid shows, the final stop on her “Women Don’t Cry Anymore” tour and her only dates in Europe.

“Right now, Madrid is an indispensable stop for any major Latin artist on tour,” Billboard’s chief content officer for Latin music, Miami-based Leila Cobo, told AFP.

“Every single Latin star of note plays Madrid.”

That was not always the case, despite the Spanish capital’s deep historical ties with Latin America.

For decades, Madrid’s music scene was better known for Spanish pop, rock and flamenco, with Latin music relegated to nightclubs outside the city centre.

But over the past two decades, Latin beats have increasingly taken the limelight.

The surge in high-profile Latin concerts reflects Madrid’s expanding role in the Latin music industry, driven in part by rising immigration from Latin America that has reshaped the city’s audience and music market.

The number of residents in the Madrid region born in Latin America has risen from about 80,000 in 1999 to just over one million in 2024, roughly one in seven residents, according to the latest official figures.

That demographic shift has pushed Latin rhythms into the mainstream in Madrid, from reggaeton and hip-hop to pop and traditional styles, eased by a shared language, said Cobo, the author of “Decoding ‘Despacito’: An Oral History of Latin Music”.

‘Attracts talent’ 

Music by Latin artists was largely absent from Spanish radio in 2008, but by 2023 it accounted for 44 percent of all songs played on music stations, according to a Nebrija University study published last year.

Latin artists have also become dominant on streaming platforms in Spain, with reggaeton and urban acts such as Bad Bunny and Karol G regularly topping annual charts.

“Young people have grown up listening to reggaeton and Latin urban music, so it’s basically their natural soundtrack,” the study’s author, Nebrija University communications professor Lourdes Moreno Cazalla, told AFP.

“For them, it doesn’t feel like foreign music; it’s the sound of their youth.”

The genre’s rise has attracted more producers and songwriters to Madrid, and spawned new festivals dedicated to the genre, a trend that exploded in the 2010s.

Colombian singer, songwriter and producer Mauricio Rengifo, who co-produced the 2017 hit “Despacito”, moved to Madrid in March after a decade in Los Angeles, according to Spanish daily El Pais.

“It has become the capital of Spanish-language music. Madrid is very much in fashion—it’s a place where people live well, and that attracts talent,” he told the paper.

‘Gateway into Europe’ 

Most major global record labels have offices in the Spanish capital and have stepped up their focus on Latin music, particularly artist development.

Warner Music Spain has hosted multiple Latin artists at its creative hub, The Music Station, in central Madrid, since it opened in 2022.

The space has staged songwriting camps and other sessions bringing together Spanish and Latin American artists to collaborate on writing and recording.

One of the Latin music events that has emerged in Madrid is Iberoexperia, an annual concert cycle focused on Ibero-American contemporary music that has been staged since 2022 and acts as a showcase for talent bookers.

This year’s lineup includes Colombian folk-protest singer La Muchacha and Venezuelan funk band Los Amigos Invisibles, which emerged from Caracas’ alternative music scene.

“Madrid is a gateway into Europe, which is a gigantic market,” the event’s director, Anamaria Rigotto, told AFP, adding that performing in Madrid can help Latin artists raise their international profile. — AFP

QUITO, May 27 — Is your pooch feeling peevish? Too much negative energy?

In Ecuador’s capital Quito, traditional healers are tapping into a new market for herbal remedies: the anxious “parents” of pampered pets.

At the San Francisco market, dogs, cats, rabbits are all candidates for a “limpia” (cleansing), an ancient Andean ceremonial ritual designed to banish physical, emotional and spiritual blockages.

Ecuadorean curandera Amparo Lugmana, a performer of energy cleansing on pets, speaks with AFP at the San Francisco market in Quito on May 17, 2026. — AFP pic

A “curandero” (healer) uses herbs, smoke and raw eggs to open the chakras of creatures great and small and furry.

Ximena Tixi says her one-year-old golden retriever Lucas hasn’t been himself since he had a run-in with a cat.

But she’s seen an improvement since he had two cleanses.

“He’s more active, he no longer shows that fear he had,” the 49-year-old architect told AFP.

Now on his third session, Lucas trots into the stall, tail wagging.

Ecuadorean curandera Amparo Lugmana prepares an egg and roses for an energy cleansing on a dog at the San Francisco market in Quito on May 17, 2026. — AFP pic

Nancy Correa, 57, is a fifth generation healer from a family of female “curanderos.”

She hugs Lucas and then rubs him with a bunch of medicinal herbs, including amaranths, rue, nettle and eucalyptus.

She chose these plants, she said, because they grow in ravines and therefore “hold the energy of water, air, and sun.”

Next door, fellow healer Amparo Lugmana treats Copito, her four-year-old mongrel who has been “feeling down” of late, by rubbing petals, an egg, and herbs over his white, curly fur.

She finishes by hanging Amazonian huayroro seeds on a ribbon around his neck, to ward off evil spirits.

Ecuadorean curandera Amparo Lugmana rubs an egg and roses during a ritual of energy cleansing on the dog Copito at the San Francisco market in Quito on May 17, 2026. — AFP pic

Lugmana has also worked on cats and rabbits and sends treatments to the countryside for owners of unproductive cows and chickens.

The cost of the treatment ranges from US$5 to US$10 (about RM20 to RM40), depending on the size of the pet. — AFP

GAZA, May 27 — As the approaching Eid al-Adha reminds people of togetherness and celebration in much of the Muslim world, for Ahmed Nashwan, a Palestinian man from the Gaza Strip, it serves as a reminder of the suffering and sorrow brought by war, reported Xinhua.

For the third year in a row, he did not go with his brothers and sons to the livestock markets to choose a sacrificial animal, one of the most iconic traditions of the Muslim holiday.

“Before the war, Eid al-Adha was a joyful occasion for us,” said Nashwan.

“We used to gather as a family to select the sacrificial animal, prepare for the holiday, and distribute meat to relatives and poor families.”

The four-day Eid al-Adha, which starts today, is one of the two major Islamic holidays and is marked by the slaughter of livestock by those who can afford it.

“Now the holiday has been reduced to prayers and memories for us,” Nashwan said, “because there is no livestock entering Gaza, and most people can barely secure daily food.”

Despite the ceasefire reached between Hamas and Israel in October 2025, Israel has continued to maintain tight restrictions on the strip, severely limiting the flow of goods into the enclave.

Even livestock such as sheep and calves, essential for Eid al-Adha sacrifices, remain in short supply and far from meeting local needs.

According to Maher al-Tabbaa, director of the Gaza Chamber of Commerce, the price of a single sacrificial animal had risen from around US$500 dollars before the war to between US$6,000 and US$7,000 currently, far beyond the purchasing power of most residents.

Mohammed al-Hissi, a 40-year-old father of four from Gaza City, said that sacrificial animals have become nearly impossible to obtain because of severe shortages and soaring prices.

“Eid al-Adha was always one of the happiest times for our family. My children used to wake up early, wear new clothes, and accompany me to visit relatives after we distributed the meat,” he said.

“But today, everything has changed because of the war and the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza,” he explained.

“Most families can no longer think about buying sacrificial animals because prices are extremely high and people have lost their incomes and homes.”

The site of an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, May 24, 2026. — Reuters pic

In southern Gaza, Mohammed Shallah stood beside the grave of his father, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, recalling family traditions during previous Eid holidays.

“We used to go together with my father and relatives to choose sacrificial animals,” Shallah, 22, said, adding that he can no longer afford to continue the traditions his father once maintained.

“Even if livestock can still be found, the prices are extremely high,” he said.

“I cannot afford to buy a sacrificial animal anymore.”

Livestock trader Salah Afana confirmed that prices have risen several-fold since the outbreak of the war, while demand for sacrificial animals has become “almost non-existent” due to widespread poverty.

“Many animals died because of airstrikes, feed shortages, and the collapse of veterinary services. At the same time, no livestock has entered Gaza because of the crossing closures,” he added.

Raafat Asaliya, spokesperson for the Hamas-run Agriculture Ministry, said the enclave used to import between 10,000 and 20,000 calves and between 30,000 and 40,000 sheep annually ahead of Eid al-Adha before the war.

“With the war and the closure of crossings, imports stopped completely,” said Asaliya, adding that many livestock farms, barns, and feed warehouses had been destroyed during the war.

The destruction of livestock production areas in eastern Gaza had severely affected the availability of sacrificial animals, said al-Tabbaa.

“The population of Gaza has been deprived of sacrificial animals for the third consecutive year,” he said.

“No one knows how many more Eid al-Adha holidays without sacrifices Gazans will have to endure.” — Bernama-Xinhua

SANTIAGO, May 26 — Some 1,000 people jogged along the banks of the Mapocho River in Santiago one Sunday afternoon, an activity that would have been unthinkable a few years ago due to its heavily polluted waters.

For decades, 97 per cent of Santiago’s waste ended up in the 110-kilometer river flowing through the city, which almost resembled an open-air sewer as its stench forced passersby to hold their noses.

Now, the Chilean capital’s almost 10 million residents are breathing a sigh of relief after a novel sanitation process has transformed the once-dirty waterway.

View of the Mapocho River flowing through its riverbed in the Andean foothills on the outskirts of Santiago on April 28, 2026. — AFP pic

“It’s a source of pride to bring back something that had been all but lost, but is now in perfect condition,” Eulogio Cancino, 58, breathlessly told AFP at the finish line of a 10-kilometer (six-mile) race organized to celebrate the river’s reinvigoration.

Twenty kilometers upstream, at the river’s source in the locality of La Ermita, agronomist Joaquin Moure of the Mapocho Vivo Foundation celebrates the nutrient-rich body of water, whose 12-year cleanup project concluded in 2010.

“It contributes to diversity and is a refuge for nature and for human beings,” Moure told AFP.

Zero-waste 

The public-private decontamination project, which the United Nations honored during COP24 in 2018, involved the construction of a 28-kilometer tunnel that channels wastewater to treatment plants.

The treated water is returned to the riverbed and used to irrigate crops, thereby eliminating the risk of typhoid or hepatitis — diseases that were common when irrigation relied on wastewater.

“We use all the waste to produce gas (and) power the plant, and the sludge is turned into fertilizer for agriculture,” said Cristian Schwerter, director of planning and engineering at the water supply company Aguas Andinas, which is part of France’s Veolia group.

Aerial view of a wastewater treatment plant, known as biofactories, where the waters of the Mapocho River are treated in Santiago on May 7, 2026. — AFP pic

New lease on life 

The Mapocho is also enjoying a new lease on life in the form of around 80 endemic, native and exotic species that are proliferating in and around the river.

One thriving creature is an endemic catfish species, measuring just a few centimeters, and which only survives in clean water.

Its return indicates that “everything that supports life is in good condition,” according to biologist Natalia Sandoval of the Center for Applied Ecology.

The Mapocho is “safe for him,” said Moure, cradling the minuscule fish in his hand.

Runners take part in a race along the banks of the Mapocho River in Santiago on May 17, 2026 — AFP pic

Although it was declared an “urban wetland” in January — a title recognizing its environmental value and need for protection — rubbish remains discarded along stretches of its banks.

The river runs through 16 municipalities, and “fragmented territorial administration” makes protection more complicated, warned Margarita Jans, an architect at Diego Portales University.

The Mapocho’s recovery is part of a larger transformation taking place in Santiago, where residents have also benefited from a 42-kilometer bike path and several riverside parks. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Malaysia’s push to strengthen artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities across industries is highlighting a growing need for specialised digital talent, amid a demand for structured education and international Artificial Intelligence (AI) training.

As this demand accelerates globally, universities are expanding specialised AI programmes to keep pace with evolving workforce requirements. Among them, the University of Bristol, named the United Kingdom’s “AI University of the Year” at the National AI Awards 2024, is broadening its postgraduate offerings across engineering, business and healthcare disciplines.

The development comes as Malaysia enters the first phase of its National AI Technology Action Plan 2026–2030, with efforts to build a pipeline of skilled professionals gaining attention across both public and private sectors.

A 2024 TalentCorp study estimates that AI and digitalisation could impact around 620,000 jobs, or 18 per cent of the workforce, within five years, spanning industries such as manufacturing, services, healthcare and finance. Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo has highlighted 2030 as a key milestone under the AI Nation 2030 agenda, with efforts to build Malaysia’s AI talent pipeline.

An international postgraduate student focuses on studies to advance their career. — Picture courtesy of University of Bristol

The university has introduced four specialised AI master’s programmes, as countries including Malaysia prioritise advanced digital skills to support future growth. All four will be based at Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, scheduled to open this year as part of a new innovation district focused on collaborative learning and research.

Malaysian students enrolled in AI programmes across engineering, business and healthcare disciplines reflect the kind of structured AI pathways needed as the country accelerates its digital economy and smart city agenda, according to the University.

The MSc in Artificial Intelligence focuses on AI theory, programming and ethical considerations, grounding students in technical capability alongside responsible deployment, while engineering applications are covered through the MSc in Engineering with Artificial Intelligence, which combines AI with disciplines such as manufacturing, robotics, energy and infrastructure, supported by industry-linked projects and applied learning.

In parallel, the MSc in Artificial Intelligence for Business, delivered jointly with the university’s business school and Faculty of Science and Engineering, centres on data-driven decision-making, innovation strategy and organisational transformation, with emphasis on ethical and sustainable AI use in commercial settings. 

The MSc in Artificial Intelligence for Medicine and Health brings together students from medicine, life sciences and engineering, applying AI to diagnosis, treatment planning and biomedical research, alongside ethical, legal and regulatory frameworks governing healthcare AI.

The University also maintains partnerships with global firms including IBM, GSK, EDF, BT, Airbus and Rolls-Royce, providing students, including those from Malaysia, with industry exposure and applied learning opportunities.

University Square: Artist’s impression of University of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, due to open in 2026. — Picture courtesy of University of Bristol

For Malaysia, where digital transformation is progressing across industries, such developments highlight the importance of expanding access to structured AI education pathways to support future workforce needs.

With world-class academic expertise, industry collaboration, and cutting-edge research infrastructure, including Isambard AI, the UK's fastest and most powerful supercomputer, the University of Bristol positions itself as a strategic partner for Malaysians seeking to lead in the AI-powered global economy.  Visit www.bristol.ac.uk/malaysia-ai

ROME, May 26 — Ferrari presented its first fully electric car on Monday, marking a high-stakes shift by the luxury sports car maker as competitors including Porsche and Lamborghini scale back their EV ambitions, citing weak demand.

The four-door Luce, Italian for “light”, was developed with the help of former Apple design chief Jony Ive and his collective LoveFrom, and is Ferrari’s first five-seater.

Ferrari aims to appeal to families with deep pockets, offering them comfortable seats, high-end tech and a 600-litre boot. Deliveries of the long-awaited Luce, priced at €550,000 (RM2.53 million), are due to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

“It’s the result of five years of work,” CEO Benedetto Vigna told more than 200 reporters gathered in Rome.

The four-door Luce, Italian for ‘light’, was developed with the help of former Apple design chief Jony Ive and his collective LoveFrom, and is Ferrari’s first five-seater. — Ferrari handout pic via Reuters

The Luce, which amplifies natural vibration sounds from its EV powertrain to maintain the visceral appeal of a traditional Ferrari, marks a gamble that a generation steeped in technology and AI, and less attached to its trademark 12- and 8-cylinder engine legacy, will shift to high-tech luxury EVs.

Ferrari is hoping that will also give it the opportunity to move further into markets such as China, where EVs are already widespread and big petrol cars are heavily taxed.

“In our client base there are many... who are still looking for something completely different, to be used in different moments of life,” said Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial officer Enrico Galliera.

The Luce, which amplifies natural vibration sounds from its EV powertrain to maintain the visceral appeal of a traditional Ferrari, marks a gamble that a generation steeped in technology and AI, and less attached to its trademark 12- and 8-cylinder engine legacy, will shift to high-tech luxury EVs. — Ferrari handout pic via Reuters

“It’s absolutely stunning,” Galliera added of the car, which features four electric motors — one per wheel — which help deliver more than 1,000 horsepower, a top speed above 310 kph, and increased agility for a car weighing more than 2.2 tonnes.

Ferrari said the Luce has a range of over 500 kilometres.

A light show launch featured five Luces, painted from Ferrari-red to white and light blue, which mark a break from the carmaker’s aggressive, muscular, signature sporty style with a larger body and expansive, glass-led design.

The Luce interior defers to traditional Ferrari luxury, with leather, glass and anodised aluminium surfaces as well as several physical controls which differ from the all-digital, touch-led approach of Tesla and some Chinese EV makers. — Reuters 

WASHINGTON, May 26 — Some of the plants that make familiar landscapes recognizable may not ‌survive by century’s end as climate change becomes an increasingly important driver of species loss, according to scientists, reshaping and often shrinking suitable habitats that the plants need to survive.

Researchers modelled future ranges for numerous species of vascular plants, a category that accounts for almost all the world’s plants - those with water- and nutrient-carrying tissues. They looked at more than ‌67,000 species, meaning about 18 per cent of the world’s known vascular plants.

They found that 7 per cent to 16 per cent could lose more than 90 per cent of their range, placing them at high risk of extinction. Examples include Catalina ironwood, or island ironwood, a rare endemic California tree, bluish spike-moss from a plant lineage dating back more than 400 million years, and roughly one third of Eucalyptus species, one of Australia’s most recognizable plant groups.

The researchers came to their estimates after examining millions of records on plant locations as well as greenhouse-gas emissions scenarios for 2081-2100.

A plant’s habitat is not simply a place on a map, but the full array of conditions it needs: temperature, rainfall, soils, land use and landscape features such as shade.

“One way to picture this is to imagine plants trying to follow a moving ‘climate envelope.’ As temperatures warm, many species can shift northward or uphill to stay cool enough. But temperature is only part of the story,” Junna Wang, a Yale University postdoctoral researcher, and Xiaoli Dong, a professor of environmental science and policy at the University of California, Davis, said in joint comments to ‌Reuters.

Wang and Dong helped lead the study published in the journal Science.

In many places, the study indicated, climate change is shrinking these combinations, leaving fewer ⁠areas where all the conditions that a species needs still exist together.

For plants, movement, ⁠or dispersal, usually happens across generations, via seeds or spores carried by wind, water, animals or gravity. Yet ⁠when the researchers compared realistic movement with a scenario ⁠in which plants could reach any ⁠newly suitable habitat, extinction rates were very similar.

“If slow movement were the main problem, then allowing unlimited dispersal should dramatically reduce extinction risk. But that is not what we found,” Wang and Dong said.

That matters for conservation

“If dispersal limitation were the main driver, then strategies like assisted migration - physically helping species move to new areas - ⁠could solve much of the problem. But if climate change is reducing the amount of suitable habitat overall, then simply helping species move may not be enough,” they added.

The projected impacts vary by region. Cold-adapted plants in the Arctic may lose habitat as extreme cold climates shrink. Dry regions, including parts of the western United States and Mediterranean-climate regions, face risk from stronger drought, lower soil moisture and more frequent wildfires. In southern and eastern coastal Australia, coastlines may limit poleward shifts.

At the same time, local plant diversity could rise across about 28 per cent of Earth’s land surface as species move into newly suitable areas, including ⁠parts of the tropics and subtropics where increased rainfall - rather than temperature alone - could make conditions suitable for additional species, the researchers found.

They described this as a global reshuffling, with some species disappearing from parts of their historical range while others move into new areas, but said ⁠local gains do not mean plants are doing better overall.

These shifts could also create “novel communities” - combinations of plants that have not historically lived together but would begin encountering ⁠one another for the ⁠first time. How would these interactions play out? The researchers said they do not know.

Plants underpin most terrestrial ecosystems. They store carbon, stabilize soils, support wildlife and provide food, timber, medicines and other materials. So changes in plant diversity can have cascading effects on nature and people.

“If climate change reduces vegetation cover, ecosystems may absorb less carbon dioxide from the ‌atmosphere, which can further intensify warming. That creates a feedback loop in which climate change harms plants, and reduced plant cover/productivity in turn worsens climate change,” Wang and Dong said.

“Ultimately, protecting plant diversity is not only about conserving nature for its own sake - it is also about maintaining the ecological systems that support human societies,” they said. — Reuters 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — The first impression is unmistakable: a scene lifted from the 2006 American action film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift’, featuring cars drifting through tight spaces with precision, and tyres screeching as engines reverberate against concrete walls.

Yet unlike its cinematic counterpart, the atmosphere in the basement carpark of the Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, is less tense, more measured.

Every slide is controlled, every movement intentional – with the drift event taking place in an environment that is safe for both drivers and spectators.

The 20 or so professional drifters who participated in Cargasm’s ‘Drift Underground’ three-day event last month desired the same thing: the perfect drift line and the roar of approval from the crowd.

(Drifting is a driving technique where a driver intentionally causes the rear tyres to lose traction and slide, while steering and using the throttle to maintain vehicle control.)

In Malaysia, drifting – long associated with underground street culture as well as reckless and dangerous driving – is gradually being reshaped in a more controlled, regulated and organised setting within the grassroots motorsport scene via drift platforms such as Cargasm, even to the extent of creating income opportunities for drivers.

The recent ‘Drift Underground’ was the third edition, the first two having taken place in 2024 and 2025, featuring organised drift runs, ride-along experiences and supporting activities, aimed at bringing the sport to a wider audience.

The latest edition, however, was the first to be organised independently.

Fast & Furious

Cargasm cofounder Chen Wing Hong, 30, better known as Wing in the drift circles, said the earlier two editions of ‘Drift Underground’ were held as part of a larger automotive showcase, where the drift segment was managed within a broader event framework.

He noted that running it independently allows the organiser to assess its ability to draw crowds and sustain participation.

Chen said future editions will likely adopt a mix of standalone and collaborative formats, depending on the outcomes, to “enable us to better understand our audience base and operational capacity outside of a larger event setting”.

He added that besides the Klang Valley, grassroots drifting activity is also present in other parts of the country, including Penang, pointing to a wider but still niche community.

He also said that ‘Drift Underground’ – sanctioned by the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM), which governs motorsports in Malaysia – was partly influenced by the movie The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift’, which helped shape the global perception of drifting as an underground subculture.

Economic activity 

Speaking to Bernama about his journey into drifting, Chen said he had no background or connections in motorsports when he first entered the workforce. He worked as a freelance content creator in marketing and advertising, producing automotive videos as well as ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) food content before briefly venturing into fitness.

The turning point came when he was introduced to drifting by a fellow enthusiast Beysshwen Dasnamurthy, 28, which motivated him to undergo formal instruction and eventually participate in drift events.

Chen and Beysshwen went on to establish Cargasm in 2021, which has since evolved into a platform to organise drift events, as well as train drivers and foster community building.

Chen is also currently looking at ‘Drift Underground’ to function as a platform for economic activity. Each event cycle brings together not only drivers but also a broader automotive community, while creating income opportunities for participants.

Chen said the ‘drift taxi’ model, where spectators pay for ride-along experiences in the cars during an event, has become a key mechanism for drivers to earn an income.

“For every drift taxi (service), they get paid. Some of them (drivers) can make RM3,000, RM4,000 or even RM5,000 (at each event),” he said.

The format also broadens access to the sport, allowing newcomers to experience drifting firsthand while supporting drivers financially.

Responding to the turnout at their events, Chen said the first edition of ‘Drift Underground’ drew around 1,000 to 2,000 spectators. The number tripled the following year, with this year’s edition attracting more than 10,000 people, including visitors who flew in from Australia, the United States, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom just to experience the event.

“At the recent ‘Drift Underground’ 2026, about 2,000 drift taxi tickets were sold, which is quite crazy for us because we never anticipated this amount of volume. The drifters were very happy too as some of them made enough money from this one weekend to cover their costs,” he said.

Cargasm also operates Drift Academy, which offers comprehensive drift training programmes and personalised one-on-one coaching sessions for beginners and advanced drivers. — Bernama pic

Saferty and compliance 

Despite the positive developments, drifting continues to grapple with its image as a street-based activity, often shaped by viral footage of illegal drifting on public roads.

Chen said content produced by Cargasm is deliberately curated to highlight drifting in controlled environments, rather than as an informal road activity.

This, he said, is part of a broader effort to reinforce proper practices and shift public perception towards a safer and more structured form of the sport.

He added that events such as ‘Drift Underground’ are held in sanctioned settings, with approvals required from MAM and the police, a process that can take up to six months to complete.

“If we want to make drifting more structured and more professional, we have to do it the right way,” he said.

While interest in drifting continues to grow, structural constraints remain.

Access to suitable venues is increasingly limited, particularly as urban development reduces available open spaces previously used by grassroots drivers.

Chen said locations such as the Shah Alam Stadium, once a common practice ground for drifters, are no longer accessible, leaving enthusiasts with fewer options.

Cost is another barrier, especially for those looking to transition into competitive motorsport.

While entry-level drift cars can be assembled at a relatively modest cost, professional-level builds require significantly higher investment, which limits the progression of grassroots drivers, Chen said.

“For an average or grassroots drift car, you can get one for RM30,000 to RM50,000, but definitely under RM100,000. For a professional car, RM200,000 is like the starting price, with some cars costing around RM1 million, including accessories like carbon fibre,” he said.

Cargasm also operates Drift Academy, which offers comprehensive drift training programmes and personalised one-on-one coaching sessions for beginners and advanced drivers.

According to Chen, the academy has attracted more than 400 students over the past two years, offering them structured entry into the sport. Most of them, he added, take up drifting as a recreational sport rather than pursue it as a professional career.

Speaking on Malaysia’s drift scene, Chen said there are currently more than 10 drift-related platforms in the country, with some focusing on organising fun drift events, others on competitions, and some combining auto shows with drift showcases.

He added that one of the things he has observed is the diversity of people interested in drift.

“It used to be very niche, very specific, but now we are seeing couples, families, travellers and teenagers joining our academy. One time we had a grandfather, father and son joining a drift class together… three generations learning drift, it was amazing,” he said, adding, “Drifting for me is evolving from a motorsport to a lifestyle.”

On the current pool of drifting talent in Malaysia, Chen said about 30 to 40 professional drifters participate in each competition organised in this country.

“It’s hard to be a professional drifter in Malaysia as it is difficult to make a living by solely competing in drifting events as the prize pool, sponsors and audience are still growing.

“I’m quite amazed by how many talented drifters there are in Malaysia, but to most drifters here, drifting is more of a lifestyle than a career,” he said. — Bernama

TOKYO, May 26 — Former chairman of Seven & i Holdings Toshifumi Suzuki, credited for the global success of 7-Eleven convenience stores, has died at the age of 93, the company said yesterday.

Suzuki “passed away due to heart failure on May 18,” the company said in a statement, adding: “We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the kindness shown to him during his lifetime and respectfully inform you of his passing.”

Suzuki is known for opening the first 7-Eleven store in Japan in 1974 and growing the business into the world’s largest convenience store chain, including through turning the struggling US headquarters into a subsidiary of the Japanese company and rebuilding it.

He is known as the “father of the convenience store” in Japan. — AFP

BANGKOK, May 25 — A high-profile alleged sexual abuse case within a wealthy Thai beer brewing family has prompted a wave of painful accounts from survivors of unconnected abuse in the conservative country.

Siranudh Scott, a fourth-generation member of the billionaire Thai family that founded the ubiquitous Singha beer brand, posted an emotional video this month accusing his older brother Sunit of repeatedly abusing him when he was a teenager.

Sunit, who is in his 30s, later denied the allegations in a video clip posted online, but Singha parent Boonrawd dismissed him from his executive role with the company on Tuesday.

“I felt I needed to speak out, otherwise I would have been dead inside,” Siranudh, known locally as Psi, told AFP late last week.

Siranudh said in a second interview on Sunday that the alleged sexual abuse occurred from when he was nine to 13 years old, every time his brother returned home from boarding school for the summer.

Siranudh, 29, said he first told other family members of the alleged abuse about three years ago but at the time he accepted financial compensation from them to keep quiet.

However, after his mother sued him this year over a property dispute – what he called his “breaking point” – Siranudh decided to speak out and is now planning to pursue legal action.

“I’ve been in a family, in a system, in an institution that’s kept my voice silent,” he said.

Accountability push

One of Thailand’s biggest beer brands, Singha is recognised internationally for its golden lion logo and partnerships with sports giants Chelsea FC and the Haas Formula One team.

After Siranudh’s allegations surfaced, celebrities and public figures took to social media to share their own experiences of sexual misconduct and abuse – subjects long considered taboo in Thailand.

Patinya Kuantrakul, scion of one of Thailand’s best-known golf courses, said she was raped by her driver at the age of 11, resulting in a pregnancy and abortion.

Influencer and podcaster Taylor Srirat said he was sexually assaulted by his 50-year-old boss when he was 19.

Some commenters said Siranudh’s testimony – which kicked off the #PsiScott hashtag – encouraged them to speak publicly for the first time about abuse they had endured, sharing messages of empathy and thanks.

Siranudh said the messages made him “feel so much love and support” from social media users in and outside Thailand.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this kind of push for accountability before from a huge conglomerate family,” he added.

Tourists are seen in Bangkok’s Chinatown, Thailand on May 16, 2025. — Reuters pic

‘Victim-blaming’ culture

Analysts said the public outpouring was unusual in Thailand, where victims often remain silent because of stigma and conservative attitudes towards sexual abuse.

“Thai society places strong emphasis on hierarchy, family reputation and avoiding public shame or conflict,” said Busayapa Srisompong, a human rights lawyer who founded Shero, an organisation offering pro-bono legal aid to sexual violence survivors in Thailand.

“This can make disclosure especially difficult when abuse happens within families or involves respected figures.”

The Bhirombhakdi family, to which Siranudh and his brother belong, is listed as Thailand’s 15th richest by Forbes, which estimates their net worth at US$1.75 billion (RM7 billion).

Influencer Taylor said many victims in Thailand do not come forward because of a “culture of victim-blaming”.

But attitudes were beginning to change, he said, adding “social media has provided spaces for survivors to feel less alone”.

Thai society has evolved, said social psychology lecturer Apitchaya Chaiwutikornwanich, explaining that young Thais have “learned the concept of human rights and the rights to own one’s body”.

Along with his social status, alleged voice recordings Siranudh posted confronting his brother about the abuse played a major role in making the allegations more widely believed.

Experts said the case marks an unprecedented shift in Thailand – which never had a #MeToo movement – with Thais more openly discussing sexual harassment and abuse.

Siranudh “Psi” Scott, a fourth-generation member of the billionaire Thai family that founded the Singha beer brand, poses after an interview with AFP in Bangkok on May 24, 2026. — AFP pic

‘No one stood by’

An environmental activist, Siranudh has publicly distanced himself from his family’s Boonrawd business empire – parent of Singha – and said the ocean became his refuge when “no one stood by” him after the alleged assaults.

While many have shown solidarity online, he said Thai laws left him feeling abandoned.

He said his mother sued him this year in a land ownership dispute under Thailand’s “ungrateful child” law, which allows parents to reclaim assets previously given to children deemed unappreciative through their behaviour.

Boonrawd Brewery said in a statement last week that elder brother Sunit had been sacked and the firm would cooperate with any investigations by authorities.

The company did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.

Contact information for Sunit or a legal representative was not available to AFP.

Sunit has denied the accusations of sexual abuse, but acknowledged roughhouse play between boys.

Lawyer Busayapa said creating a safer environment would require society to recognise there is no “perfect victim” and that “sexual violence should be met with genuine zero tolerance”.

Siranudh said speaking out online had helped him “heal faster”.

“I hope this will set a precedent for other people in Thailand to follow suit,” he added. — AFP

PARIS, May 25 — On the ocean floor near the Galapagos Islands, a submersible controlled by scientists came across a mysterious octopus as blue as the ocean and no bigger than a golf ball.

“He’s tiny! It’s blue!” one excited scientist was recorded as saying when she first caught sight of the cerulean cephalopod on footage transmitted from the sub.

The team from the Charles Darwin Foundation had just discovered a new species of octopus nearly 1,800 metres below the water’s surface, according to research published on Monday.

“Right away, I knew it was something really special,” said octopus expert Janet Voight, who was asked to identify the strange species.

At first the curator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago had to make do with photos of the animal.

Then she received its preserved body in the mail.

“When it arrived, I was like ‘Oh! My goodness! It’s beautiful’,” Voight told AFP.

She was immediately interested because the closest known octopus of that shape lives off the coast of Uruguay – in a different ocean on the other side of South America.

Normally to describe a new octopus species, a specimen needs to be cut open so that its mouth, beak, teeth and other parts can be examined.

“We only had the one specimen, so I didn’t want to take it apart,” Voight said.

Instead, the team at the Field Museum used CT scans to take thousands of X-ray images, then compiled them to make a 3D model of the octopus, revealing its insides.

“There’s nothing like spending the day looking at something no other human has ever seen,” the Field Museum’s X-ray lab head Stephanie Smith said in a statement.

'Deep purple’

The new species, named Microeledone galapagensis, stands out for reasons other than its blue hue, which is believed to be the rarest colour in nature.

The octopus appears to be the runt of the Megaleledonidae family, whose members are normally much larger and live in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica.

“Its stubby little arms with only one row of suckers set it apart from most octopus we are familiar with,” Voight said.

Even among “other species with short little arms and a single sucker row, its colouration and smooth skin on the back surface separate it”, she added.

While the octopus is light blue on its back, underneath it is a “very deep purple”, Voight said.

“We think this colour pattern helps keep it safe. If the octopus grabs a prey item that emits light, that light may attract predators that might then eat the octopus,” she explained.

“So the octopus puts its dark-coloured web over the prey item, keeping itself safe.”

Surprisingly, it is not uncommon to find new species of octopus in the deep sea – particularly in areas that have not been well explored, which is a massive amount of the ocean floor.

“If you took all the land on Earth and pieced it together, you would not cover the Pacific Ocean,” Voight pointed out.

She added that she had last seen a new octopus in 2023, off the coast of Costa Rica.

The first sighting of the new blue octopus was made in 2015 near Darwin Island, named after the English scientist whose visit to the Galapagos helped him form the theory of evolution.

Voight’s research on the species was published in the journal Zootaxa. — AFP

MECCA, May 25 — While many children use their duit raya for personal spending or savings, 12 siblings from Perak were raised with a different tradition — depositing their Aidilfitri money into their respective Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) accounts.

The practice, started by their parents more than two decades ago, has now borne fruit, with 10 siblings and six of their spouses currently in the Holy Land to perform the Haj pilgrimage for the 1447H/2026M season.

According to Muhammad Huzair Zakhal, 39, their parents began planning for their children’s Haj savings from a young age by opening TH accounts and making consistent monthly contributions.

“We never viewed duit raya as money to spend because most of it would be deposited into Tabung Haji.

“When we were young, we may not have fully understood it, but now we realise it was one of our parents’ earliest efforts to ensure we would have the savings needed to perform the Haj one day,” he told reporters recently.

He said that besides duit raya contributions, his mother, Azizah Zaudi, 69, also saved RM10 a month for each child, later increasing the amount to RM20 based on the family’s financial ability.

The effort continued until all the siblings successfully registered for Haj in 2009. However, when they received the offer to perform the pilgrimage this year, some still needed to increase their savings to fully cover the cost of the journey.

“Some of us did not have sufficient savings when the Haj offer came. We thought some might need to postpone it, but our mother still wanted all her children to go together and helped wherever necessary,” he said.

Muhammad Huzair said that among the 12 siblings, their eldest sister had already performed the Haj last year, while another sister who is facing health issues was unable to join the group this time.

Apart from financial planning, he said their parents also placed strong emphasis on religious education from an early age, including Quranic studies, hadith lessons and the importance of maintaining close family ties.

According to him, those values continue to be practised today and remain among the key factors strengthening the bond between the siblings despite each having their own families.

“While in the Holy Land, we are not only able to worship together, but also spend valuable time with siblings whom we rarely get to gather with in large numbers back home,” he said.

Muhammad Huzair added that the experience of performing the Haj together has inspired the next generation in the family to continue the culture of saving.

Most of the children in the family already have their own Tabung Haji accounts, and some have even been registered for future haj pilgrimages. — Bernama

GUA MUSANG, May 24 — The traditional practice of chewing betel, once deeply rooted in the culture and identity of the Orang Asli community, is gradually fading among the young generation, particularly those living near urban areas.

Kuala Betis Block A Resettlement Scheme (RPS) village head Rodzi Asod said the practice is no longer commonly observed among the elderly in his settlement, resulting in younger generations no longer being exposed to the tradition.

“In the 1980s, the Orang Asli community widely practised betel chewing, but today there are no elderly residents in Kuala Betis who still chew betel.

“Betel chewing is usually passed down through generations. If grandparents practised it, their grandchildren would follow, but times have changed,” he told Bernama recently.

Meanwhile, Pos Gob Orang Asli Village Security and Development Committee (JPKKOA) chairman Hady Liman said residents in several interior settlements, such as Pos Gob, Pos Simpor, Pos Belatim and Pos Balar, still consume betel as part of their daily routine.

“We chew betel at least twice a day, and the taste can also be varied using natural ingredients such as snails to prepare the betel mixture,” he said, adding that sliced ‘kalog’ stems and kacu leaves are also used as additional ingredients.

According to him, betel chewing is believed to provide various benefits, including strengthening teeth and helping individuals stay alert and energised while working.

Deputy dean of student affairs and alumni at the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Dr Mohamad Hafis Amat Simin, said the traditional practice risks disappearing if it is no longer continued by the young generations.

“The location of settlements greatly influences the continuity of betel chewing practices. For example, the community in RPS Kuala Betis interacts extensively with outside communities, while many residents have migrated elsewhere.

“There are also areas heavily affected by logging and the opening of oil palm plantations and durian orchards, making betel ingredients increasingly difficult to obtain,” he said.

He noted that in the Lojing Highlands, some members of the Temiar tribe, particularly the elderly, still practise betel chewing, unlike younger people who have largely abandoned the tradition due to lifestyle changes, employment in the tourism industry and migration to urban centres such as Kuala Lumpur.

According to Mohamad Hafis, communities living in remote interior areas still have easier access to natural betel resources because forest exploration remains limited there.

The anthropology and science researcher said efforts to pass down the practice to younger generations are important not merely to preserve a habit, but also to safeguard the community’s cultural identity, collective memory and traditional knowledge.

“The possibility of betel chewing declining certainly exists, but whether it disappears entirely or evolves into a symbol of cultural identity depends on how far the indigenous community continues to preserve and reinterpret this heritage for future generations,” he said. — Bernama

AMSTERDAM, May 24 — Fast, fashionable mode of transport for some, scourge of the cycle path for others: in bike-mad Amsterdam, complaints about “fatbikes” have driven authorities to impose an unprecedented ban in one of the city’s top parks.

Hugely popular with children, fatbikes — so called for their ultra-thick tyres — are electric bikes that look like squat motorcycles and can reach speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour.

Competing for space on busy cycle paths in the famously flat Netherlands, many classic cyclists see fatbikes as a menace due to their superior speed and size.

Complaints of “fatbike gangs” of youths tearing around Dutch cities and causing havoc are also commonplace.

A petition against “aggressive fatbikers” in Amsterdam has garnered 2,400 signatures, complaining: “Pavements are racetracks. Public space no longer feels safe.”

So city authorities have decided to ban them in the Vondelpark, a busy park that attracts locals and hordes of tourists on hire bikes or roller skates.

“We get a huge amount of complaints,” said Melanie van der Horst, the Amsterdam city official who introduced the ban.

“A few years ago, we only got around 20 complaints about fatbikes. Now we have more than 2,000,” she told AFP in an interview in the park.

Aside from the nuisance value, there is a safety aspect, given the fatbikes’ popularity among children, added the official.

Fatbikes are supposed to have a maximum speed of around 25 kph, but they are often illegally souped up to reach anywhere between 50 and 60 kph.

“Imagine an 11-year-old child driving around town at 50 kph on a big, souped-up fatbike. It’s extremely dangerous,” said van der Horst.

Children have been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after fatbike accidents, she said, including brain injuries and torn knee ligaments.

“Doctors say it is the same level of impact as a motorcycle accident.”

‘Goes very fast’ 

Visitors to the Vondelpark generally welcomed the ban, with a healthy dollop of the liberal scepticism for which Amsterdam is world-famous.

“I don’t think you should ban anything but I do believe that they should have started maybe by banning kids under a certain age... because I think that’s the biggest issue,” said Aleksandar Rankovic.

“For the park and the people who just want to have peace, I think it’s a good thing,” the 47-year-old football coach told AFP.

Tanja Meuris, who has recently moved into the area, also welcomed the ban, but admitted she didn’t see the difference between a fatbike and a classic electric bike.

“I have an electric bike myself and I think that this thing goes very fast and it can be dangerous if not handled well,” said Meuris, 27, a psychologist.

Officially introduced on May 11, the ban applies to all fatbikes with an electric motor and whose tyres are more than seven centimetres wide.

From next week, anyone caught riding a fatbike in the Vondelpark will be hit in the wallet.

People over 16 will have to pay a fine of €115 (RM530). Children between 12 and 15 pay half that.

Children under 12 get away without having to pay the fine, but their parents are informed.

Amsterdam authorities are keeping a close eye on the effects of the ban, which could potentially be extended to other parts of the capital.

Officials in Enschede, in the east of The Netherlands, have also taken action against fatbikes, banning them in the city centre.

“We’ve never seen anything like this before. That’s why, to protect our children, I would like to see a national law passed,” said van der Horst.

“I would actually just like to get to a situation where children, especially the youngest ones, are simply not allowed to ride these bikes,” she said. — AFP

AUDREGNIES (Belgium), May 24 — Hundreds of distinctively coiffured participants gathered this weekend in southern Belgium for the annual European Mullet Championship to celebrate the once-maligned hairstyle.

Best captured by the tagline “business in the front, party in the back”, the mullet typically combines a closely cropped fringe and sides with flowing locks down the back of the neck.

Popularised in the 1980s, it fell dramatically out of fashion before making a somewhat subversive comeback in recent years.

This year’s European championship is the fourth to be held since a group of enthusiasts in Belgium borrowed the idea from Australia of staging a competition.

Would-be champions for this edition came from as far afield as France, Spain and England.

People attend the annual European Mullet Cup in Audregnies, southern Belgium, May 23, 2026. — AFP pic

For many of those involved, the mullet is much more than a hairdo — it has become a way of life.

“The mullet is open — to others, to difference, to adventure. It has a wild side,” said event spokesman David Hubert, who goes by the pseudonym Edgar Funkel.

In the quest to be crowned with the title of best mullet in Europe, hopefuls first had to fill out a questionnaire explaining more about themselves.

“Of course, we choose a great hairstyle, but what we really want is to choose a wonderful person,” said jury member Lolita Demoustiez, 39 — known as Dalita.

A woman attends the annual European Mullet Cup in Audregnies, southern Belgium, May 23, 2026. — AFP pic

“What matters is that the person carrying the mullet truly embodies values such as tolerance, kindness and the freedom to be oneself.”

Belgian competitor Christine, 60, said her striking new haircut had helped her get through a recent difficult period in her life.

“It feels absolutely brilliant, and I still haven’t taken any antidepressants,” she said, showing off her silver grey do.

“Long live the mullet!”

A man has his hair cut during the annual European Mullet Cup in Audregnies, southern Belgium, May 23, 2026. — AFP pic

Around 50 finalists were selected to show off their mullets before the cheering crowds.

Winners were selected in a range of categories, including junior mullet, traditional mullet, unusual mullet and veteran mullet.

Eventually, the overall champions for 2026 were selected: the duo of Berenice, 44, and Samuel, 46 — better known to their fans as BesaMulet. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — For many Klang Valley commuters rushing through Rapid KL’s LRT network, the daily commute at several rail stops comes with an unexpected charm — one marked by laid-back personalities, rounded forms and watchful eyes.

Over the years, the ‘chonky’ stray cats — a light-hearted internet slang term used to describe their round, cuddly appearance — that now call these stations home have become familiar fixtures of daily travel, charming visitors and regulars who treat them as part of the station’s identity.

At LRT Ampang Station, feline duo Kenit and Adik — residents since 2022 — are regarded by the station manager as emotional support for passengers arriving at and departing from the station.

According to LRT Ampang station manager Hamisah Aziz, Kenit was named for her short, stumpy legs when she first arrived as a stray at the station.

“At first, we thought she was just a regular stray that wandered around, but over time we noticed she continued to loiter within the station compound and never left, even after a few years.

After noticing passengers feeding Kenit, station employees decided to take a more structured approach to her care by providing a designated feeding area within the station.

“We took the initiative to tidy up the area and there was also a station janitor who acted as Kenit’s caretaker, but that person passed away suddenly in 2024,” she told Malay Mail when met.

Kenit is seen near the main stairwell entrance at LRT Ampang station, where she waits for pets from passengers arriving at and departing from the station. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

The same goes for Adik — a calico cat — who arrived earlier than Kenit, first appearing at the station as a stray kitten.

Her name is derived from her being one of four siblings in her litter.

When their caretaker passed away, both cats briefly went “missing”, causing concern among passengers and station employees who had grown familiar with them, before they eventually returned to the station later on.

While “off duty”, Kenit is usually found napping near the potted plants by the station entrance, while Adik often hangs around the nearby Ampang Kwan Yin Temple just outside the station along Jalan Ampang.

Hamisah said both felines display similar personalities, although Kenit is notably more affectionate with passing commuters when seeking attention.

The only difference between the two felines is their food preferences, with Kenit preferring dry cat food while Adik favours wet food.

She said Kenit and Adik often position themselves near the station’s main stairwell entrance during peak hours, especially during the morning and evening rush, when passengers arrive and leave work.

“They know the timing very well, usually appearing during peak hours when commuters are arriving and leaving work to seek attention and pets,” she said.

Adik, wearing a collar gifted by a passenger, lounges outside LRT Ampang station. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

On the Kelana Jaya Line, Lembu of Datuk Keramat station is a familiar sight for commuters passing through.

A resident since August 2025, Lembu was a sickly and thin stray when he first arrived at the station, station manager Khairul Azhar Kamaruddin told Malay Mail.

Loitering near the station’s main entrance stairwell, Lembu was first fed by a station employee who loved cats before gradually coming under their care and eventually becoming an “unofficial” station fixture.

“The employee said he resembled cows from New Zealand because of the black spots on his white coat, which is how the name Lembu stuck to this day.

Lembu is seen lazing around LRT Datuk Keramat station. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Now, Lembu wanders around the station compound and can usually be found napping in various spots — either at his favourite place by the main entrance stairwell or on top of the automated fare collection barrier gates after he’s had his fill.

Unlike Adik and Kenit, Lembu has no specific food preference and is simply happy to be fed, according to Khairul Azhar.

Wearing a bell collar gifted by a station employee, Lembu lives up to his name, with his docile yet lazy nature becoming an instant charm for those passing through the station.

“He often acts as an informal greeter, welcoming visitors as they enter the station and rarely disturbs passers-by, opting to spend most of his time sleeping and eating,” he added.

A passenger photographs Lembu lounging atop the automated fare collection barrier gates at LRT Datuk Keramat station. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Several stops away at Wangsa Maju station, Cantik is a superstar in her own right and, like the other station cats, she too was a stray when she first arrived in 2019.

“At first we noticed her loitering at the station’s main entrance stairwell, and she was given some food before she gradually warmed up to us and finally settled inside the station,” LRT Wangsa Maju station manager Noor Zahbrina Jaafar told Malay Mail.

As for how Cantik got her name, Noor Zahbrina said a station employee chose it after being “awe-struck” by how pretty the cat looked.

Like the other station cats under Rapid KL’s care, Cantik is affectionate and accustomed to attention.

“Even if there were fewer passengers to provide her attention, she would not wander off and leave the station.

“Every morning she will sit on top of the automated fare collection barrier gates or by the glass panel in front of the station’s customer service office,” Noor Zahbrina said.

A passenger photographs a sleepy Cantik lounging atop the automated fare collection barrier gates at LRT Wangsa Maju station. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Her favourite spot, however, is a sign display across from the customer service office, where she usually lounges and eats her meals.

For her meals, Noor Zahbrina said Cantik is well-fed by both passengers and station employees, which accounts for her ‘chonky’ build.

“It is indescribable how people pour their time and heart into looking after Cantik and it is very touching, especially when she cannot be found and people begin asking where she is,” she added.

Head of Rail Operations (Kelana Jaya Line) Noordin Abu Bakar welcomed station staff caring for the cats — despite the company lacking an official policy on keeping them — saying it would be cruel to mistreat animals that had naturally made the stations their home.

“I feel happy because what we are doing is being kind to an animal although generally we do not encourage staff to keep animals because they could disrupt operations.

“However, through my own observation at both the Wangsa Maju and Datuk Keramat stations, I see that these cats seem to understand the boundaries in place and have indirectly become like staff members due to the bond formed with our employees,” he told Malay Mail.

When asked if Rapid KL had plans to monetise the cats’ popularity through merchandising, Noordin said it was a matter for future discussion.

“Most importantly, animals should be cared for as best as possible. They are living beings too and they bring a sense of positivity into human spaces.

“Even when we encounter them by the roadside, they are also hoping for kindness from us,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — At the intersection of concrete platforms and the grind of city life, an unlikely antidote to commuter stress has emerged: the station cat.

At several Rapid KL rail stops, once-stray felines have become real-life maneki-neko, the Japanese “beckoning cat” believed to bring good fortune.

For regular commuters and station employees alike, they are more than just strays; they are colleagues, companions, and a cherished part of the station’s identity.

At LRT Ampang, the duo Kenit and Adik may not boost revenue for the rail line, but their impact is felt in more human ways.

“Indirectly there are noticeable changes, like when exhausted passengers returning from work would often stop to play with the cats and help soften the stress of the daily commute,” LRT Ampang station manager Hamisah Aziz said in an interview with Malay Mail.

Having managed the station for over 15 years, Hamisah said she finds personal meaning in these quiet moments.

“Seeing such an act of kindness is especially touching for a cat lover like myself.”

Kenit is seen here being held by LRT Ampang station manager Hamisah Aziz. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

A few stops away at LRT Datuk Keramat, a bicolour cat named Lembu has become a local celebrity. Station manager Khairul Azhar Kamaruddin said Lembu is now an attraction in his own right.

“Since Lembu became a ‘resident’, parents would sometimes make the trip to the station and bring their children who enjoy cats to see him,” he explained.

“They’ll take photographs with Lembu before boarding the train, which creates positive goodwill for Rapid KL.”

Lembu’s fame is so established that commuters bring him food and ask for him by name.

“[He’s] the only one who stays, unlike other strays that wander off,” Khairul Azhar joked. “It’s as if he has signed a contract here.”

Lembu of Datuk Keramat station is seen here resting on the automated fare collection barrier gates. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Perhaps the most famous of all is Cantik of LRT Wangsa Maju, often regarded as the “OG” of Rapid KL’s informal station cat community.

“She just livens up the station,” said station manager Noor Zahbrina Jaafar.

“There has definitely been a noticeable increase in foot traffic from university students since Cantik’s arrival in 2019.”

In her 26 years on the job, she proudly stated she has never received a single complaint about Cantik.

Lembu of Datuk Keramat station is seen here resting on the automated fare collection barrier gates. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

This phenomenon is not unique to Kuala Lumpur. It mirrors the story of Tama, the calico cat appointed station master of Kishi Station in Japan in 2007.

Originally a stray cared for by station staff, Tama became the face of a struggling rural railway line after the railway company’s president saw her as a real-life maneki-neko and agreed to staff requests to allow the cat to remain at Kishi Station.

She later drew visitors from across Japan and abroad. Local officials later credited her popularity with reviving public interest and bringing economic activity back to the surrounding area as her appointment led to increased ridership.

Given a tiny stationmaster’s hat and formally adopted into the railway’s identity, Tama’s success inspired the appointment of other station cats across Japan’s rail network, cementing her legacy even after she passed away in 2015.

But with this deep affection comes the quiet acknowledgment of an inevitable goodbye.

The station managers admit the eventual passing of these beloved animals will leave a profound void.

A commuter taking a photo of Kenit during off-peak hours at the LRT Ampang station. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

“If they are gone, the atmosphere will definitely change,” said Hamisah, noting how Kenit and Adik wait for commuters by the turnstiles every day.

Khairul Azhar described how Lembu waits patiently for staff at 6am and lingers until the station closes. His absence would mean “the feeling that something is missing.”

Noor Zahbrina echoed the sentiment, noting that Cantik has become synonymous with the station itself.

“When we say Cantik, people automatically remember Wangsa Maju station,” she said.

“It’s just unbelievable that Cantik commands that kind of aura where people think so highly of her...not that she’s a superstar but she does bring a smile to everyone who meets her.”

A commuter reacts as Cantik lazes around at her usual hangout spot near the automated fare collection barrier gates at LRT Wangsa Maju station. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — Amid growing public acceptance of diverse body shapes under the ‘body positivity’ movement, medical experts are cautioning that excess weight is far more than a matter of appearance. It may, in fact, be a ticking time bomb for insulin resistance and other serious health complications.

Senior Consultant in Medicine and Endocrinology at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Prof Dr Norlaila Mustafa said individuals with obesity face a significantly higher risk of developing insulin resistance, a condition in which the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin.

She explained that insulin functions like a ‘key’ that unlocks the body’s cells, allowing sugar to enter and be converted into energy. However, in people with insulin resistance, that key no longer works effectively.

“Almost 100 per cent of individuals with obesity experience insulin resistance, but that does not necessarily mean they have diabetes. Insulin resistance is actually the early stage that may eventually lead to diabetes if left uncontrolled.

“Insulin resistance does not occur suddenly. It develops gradually due to lifestyle factors such as unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity and weight gain,” she told Bernama during a recent interview at HCTM.

Dr Norlaila, who is also a lecturer with the Endocrinology Unit of HCTM’s Department of Medicine, said emotional factors such as stress and disrupted sleep patterns are also silent contributors to insulin resistance.

According to her, stress increases cortisol hormone levels, which interfere with the body’s metabolism, while insufficient sleep contributes to weight gain.

“More worrying is that insulin resistance can also trigger other complications such as heart disease and high blood pressure if not properly managed,” she said.

She noted that Malaysia remains among the countries with the highest obesity and diabetes rates in Southeast Asia, with the problem increasingly affecting younger individuals.

She added that even people with normal or slim body weight may still develop insulin resistance due to factors such as genetics.

“Processed foods such as nuggets, when consumed frequently, are among the contributors to this problem because processed foods contain high levels of fat, and fat cells produce hormones that lead to insulin resistance,” she explained.

Touching on early symptoms, Dr Norlaila said insulin resistance is often difficult to detect because it usually develops without obvious or painful symptoms.

However, she pointed to one physical sign that is frequently misunderstood by the public — darkened patches of skin around the neck, elbows, knuckles or body folds, a condition known as acanthosis nigricans.

“Many people assume it is dirt or poor hygiene, but it is actually one of the signs of insulin resistance. We commonly see it among individuals who are overweight,” she said.

To address the issue, she stressed the importance of returning to the basics of a healthy lifestyle, including engaging in simple physical activities such as brisk walking for at least 30 minutes daily.

“Above all, we must practise a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise and proper nutrition. It does not mean you only need to eat vegetables, but try to reduce foods high in sugar, salt and processed ingredients,” she said. — Bernama

TOKYO, May 23 — A recent survey in Japan found that almost half of elderly women living in the country prefer artificial intelligence (AI) over humans for advice on interpersonal conflict, a higher percentage than any other age demographic, where consulting a human remains the favoured choice, Kyodo News reported.

According to the Japan Institute for Promotion of Digital Economy and Community survey, conducted online in mid-January, when asked whether they would prefer to consult a human or AI about relationship issues, 47.8 per cent of female respondents in their 60s and 70s chose AI, which is more than the 37.3 per cent who preferred humans.

This is compared to the overall tally of all respondents, in which 45.8 per cent said they would choose humans and 36.5 per cent said they would choose AI when seeking unbiased and objective advice on interpersonal problems. The remaining 17.7 per cent said they did not know or did not want to pick either option.

Among male respondents in their 60s and 70s, 57.0 per cent preferred to consult a human, while 25.2 per cent chose AI.

Atsushi Nakagomi, an associate professor at Chiba University who studies the intersection of AI and human health, said he was surprised that it was elderly women who were more likely to prefer AI.

He added, “AI makes people feel more comfortable about opening up, as they might feel free to seek advice without worrying about how their comments will be perceived.”

The online survey received valid responses from 1,449 people aged 18 to 79 residing in Japan. — Bernama-Kyodo

SUNGAI BULOH, May 23 — Grab Malaysia has rolled out a series of support measures for its driver- and delivery-partners, including grocery and fuel vouchers, as part of its annual appreciation programme aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures.

The initiative, Penghargaan Rakan Grab, saw Grab Malaysia distribute fuel and grocery vouchers to driver-and delivery-partners in attendance, in partnership with Central Mart, according to the company.

Grab said the programme is a part of broader initiatives designed to support partners amid rising living costs, while complementing broader national efforts to ease economic pressures.

Senior Director of Grab Malaysia, Rashid Shukor, said the company’s focus is on building a more resilient earnings ecosystem for its partners.

“Grab believes in contributing towards driving Malaysia forward by creating economic empowerment for all. Through tools and programmes that help our partners build resilient, long-term earning opportunities, we are offering a platform where everyone can thrive,” he said.

He added that short-term assistance, such as vouchers, is intended to provide immediate relief in a challenging economic environment.

Grab Malaysia distributed fuel and grocery vouchers to driver- and delivery-partners in attendance at the event. — Picture courtesy of Grab

AI Ride Guide and a new enhanced incentive programme are designed to help partners maximise their earnings and efficiency. By providing real-time demand insights, route optimisation and maximise earnings, partners are able to earn efficiently while retaining the flexibility to choose how and where they are active.

The company said its platform also supports women partners, citing a 2026 study which found that 74 per cent of female partners reported greater financial independence through Grab.

Beyond earnings tools, Grab said that through its GrabBenefits programme it provides benefits including personal accident insurance, Socso and solutions aimed at cost saving measures, as well as upskilling programmes through GrabAcademy.

It added that more than RM10 million was invested into GrabBenefits for partner development initiatives within the past year.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Some 200 students under the ‘Program Ilham Seni Diraja’, accompanied by their teachers, recently had the opportunity to attend the international theatre production Roald Dahl’s The BFG in Singapore.

According to a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s official Facebook page today, the visit involving selected students was organised following an exclusive invitation by Singapore Repertory Theatre artistic director Gaurav Kripalani to the Raja Zarith Sofiah of Johor Foundation.

The production featured a cast from the Royal Shakespeare Company of the United Kingdom, with Singapore being the only venue outside the UK chosen by the renowned theatre company.

“This high-impact programme was coordinated by Datuk Paduka Maharaja Lela and Ilham Seni Diraja coordinator Datuk Azuan Effendy Zairakithnaini,” the post read.

The initiative aimed to strengthen appreciation for arts and culture while exposing the younger generation to international performances in shaping creative thinking, it added.

Program Ilham Seni Diraja is a pioneering initiative inspired by Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, focusing on the B40 community in Kuala Lumpur by bringing them closer to renowned arts practitioners and performers. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Silence descended across a rented sports hall in Petaling Jaya as more than 40 curious visitors gathered to watch members of the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Kyudo Club practice Japan’s ancient martial art of archery.

Inside the hall, as heavy rain poured onto the thin zinc roof, causing a huge roar to reverberate through the arena, young Malaysians lined up alongside foreigners from countries including Russia, Syria and Taiwan, all dressed in flowing hakama trousers and white keikogi tops as they prepared for the afternoon’s demonstration.

The crowd quietened almost instantly once the ceremony began.

Members moved carefully in synchronisation during an opening ceremonial performance before senior practitioner Ng Jim Teng stepped forward for the main showcase, drawing a towering asymmetrical bow in one smooth motion before releasing an arrow that cracked sharply against the target board 28 metres away.

The sound echoed across the hall.

There were no loud commands, no thumping music and none of the aggression often associated with combat sports.

No technical calculations nor complicated equipment. Only the shuffle of feet, the creaking tension of the bowstring and the soft rustle of traditional uniforms breaking the silence.

Silence descended across a rented sports hall in Petaling Jaya as more than 40 curious visitors gathered to watch members of the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Kyudo Club practice Japan’s ancient martial art of archery. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

For many attending the club’s open day, it was their first encounter with kyudo — literally translated as “the way of the bow” — a traditional Japanese martial art that prioritises discipline, posture, breathing and ritual over simply hitting a target.

Even off the shooting line, Ng appeared to embody the quiet restraint the martial art demands.

Soft-spoken and impeccably mannered throughout the interview, the 41-year-old repeatedly bowed his head politely while speaking and barely broke character until training ended and he finally removed his shooting attire.

Ng said the club first began informally around 2014 with just six or seven enthusiasts practicing under the sun at public fields.

“We were just interested people gathering together,” he recalled.

“At first, we practiced on football fields every Sunday because we didn’t have a proper place yet. Slowly we started finding indoor spaces because outside was too hot and not very safe.”

Ng first discovered kyudo while studying the Japanese language and searching online for traditional martial arts.

“I was looking at kendo first because I was interested in Japanese culture and the whole Budo way,” he said.

“However kendo felt a bit too aggressive for me. Kyudo felt very different. It was simple — just the bow, the arrow and your body.”

Kyudo practitioner Ng Jim Teng, 41, guides a participant on proper hand placement and grip during a hands‑on martial arts demonstration in Petaling Jaya, May 3, 2026. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

Unlike modern archery, which relies heavily on sights and stabilisers, kyudo strips the practice down to movement, form and repetition.

“There’s nothing fancy,” Ng said.

“It’s just your body posture, the way you grip, the way you move and release the arrow. The Japanese developed this through years and years of practice without modern science or equipment.

“I found that very interesting because it feels ancient but very refined.”

The discipline required extends far beyond shooting.

Higher-level examinations are judged not only on accuracy, but synchronisation, posture, timing and ceremonial movements performed alongside other practitioners.

“When your dan ranking gets higher, they become very particular,” Ng explained.

“Your movements, your posture, your timing with the other people — everything must synchronise perfectly.

“It’s not only about hitting the target. The form itself matters.”

The club now has around 34 active members and meets every Sunday, with roughly 20 regular practitioners attending weekly sessions.

Club president Shereen Dulau said interest in kyudo has steadily grown over recent years, especially among younger Malaysians exposed to Japanese pop culture.

Shereen Dulau, club president, speaks during an interview at a traditional Japanese archery demonstration. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

For example, the Japanese anime series Tsurune: Kazemai High School Kyudo Club follows a group of high school kyudo practitioners and has developed a following among fans of Japanese culture and martial arts.

“A lot of people discover kyudo through anime like Tsurune but after they join, they realise it’s much deeper than anime,” Shereen added.

“A lot of members stay because of the mental focus, the calmness and the community itself.”

That diversity was evident throughout the hall.

Some members arrived through anime fandom. Others came through martial arts, travel, stress relief or simple curiosity.

For 23‑year‑old Syafiqah Dayana Borhan, she first encountered kyudo while studying in Manchester during a stressful final year pursuing her degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

“I was very stressed during university,” she said.

“My sister randomly found kyudo when we were searching for weekend activities and that’s how I started.

“What I like is that once you step into kyudo, you just follow the sequence and the form. You don’t have to think too much outside of that.”

Syafiqah Dayana Borhan shares her journey during a traditional Japanese archery showcase. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

She said the practice slowly changed the way she approached failure and self-improvement.

“I’m a perfectionist by nature but kyudo teaches you that you cannot become perfect immediately. You cannot force it.

“You need time, repetition and patience. If you overdo it, you actually spoil your form.”

Syafiqah said one of the things that fascinated her most in Britain was seeing elderly practitioners continuing the sport well into their seventies.

“You could see their hands trembling sometimes,” she said with a laugh.

“Then the moment they entered the stance before shooting, suddenly everything became stable.

“That was very beautiful to watch because you realise they are still learning after 10 or 20 years.”

For marketing executive, Olivia Chen Ching Wun, 31, the attraction started much earlier through anime and childhood fascination with archery characters.

Speaking animatedly about anime recommendations — including Tsurune, Frieren, Kimetsu no Yaiba and volleyball series Haikyuu!! — Chen said kyudo eventually became a way to manage overthinking and perfectionism.

“Ever since I was young, I always liked those characters using bows and arrows,” she said.

“Then I watched Tsurune and I thought, ‘Okay, I really want to try this properly.’”

What surprised her most, however, was how physically and mentally demanding kyudo turned out to be.

“It looks calm when you watch it, but when you actually do it, it’s difficult,” she said.

“You need to control your breathing, your posture and your focus at the same time.

“Because it’s so structured, it feels almost like meditation.”

Russian expatriate Anastasiia Bychkova, 25, offered yet another perspective.

A former gymnast who moved to Malaysia with her husband two years ago, Anastasiia said she was initially introduced to kyudo through her husband, who practices kendo and iaido.

Participant Anastasiia Bychkova, 25, at the traditional Japanese archery demonstration in Petaling Jaya. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

“For me, kendo looked too aggressive compared to kyudo, this felt peaceful.”

Fresh off her first session with the club, Bychkova described the experience as unlike any other sport she had tried before.

“I do a lot of sports — gymnastics, volleyball, football — but this one feels very unusual,” she said.

“When you stand there, you only concentrate on the bow, the arrow and yourself.

“It becomes very quiet in your mind.”

Not everyone who arrived at the club came through anime or Japanese pop culture.

For Kok Jun Sern, 44, kyudo offered a slower and more sustainable alternative after years of sports injuries and back problems.

The first-time participant, who had spent nearly a year observing the club online before finally attending a session, said the martial art immediately appealed to him because of its calmness and discipline.

Kok Jun Sern speaks during an interview at a traditional Japanese archery demonstration. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

“I used to play all kinds of sports, only after my spinal injury and slipped disc problems, high-impact activities became difficult.

“With kyudo, there’s no heavy impact on the body. You mainly work on posture, upper body strength and focus.”

Kok said he had always been fascinated by bows and arrows since childhood, recalling how he used to fashion makeshift toy weapons using rubber bands and bits of wood.

“I always liked aiming and shooting things,” he said with a laugh.

“However what attracted me here wasn’t just the archery part.

“This feels more like a way of life rather than a competitive sport.”

He said one of the club’s biggest attractions was its unusually close-knit community despite members coming from vastly different backgrounds.

“You have people from different walks of life here,” he said.

“You can be a CEO, a student or working adult outside, but once you step into the dojo, everybody is just here because they love the art.

“There’s something very peaceful about that.”

Despite the serenity associated with the martial art, kyudo is not necessarily cheap.

A complete setup involving the bow, arrows, traditional uniform and glove can easily cost more than RM3,000, while handcrafted bamboo bows from Japan can stretch well beyond RM10,000 with waiting periods lasting years.

Traditional Japanese archery equipment, including asymmetric ‘yumi’ (bows) and feathered ‘ya’ (arrows), laid out before a kyudo martial arts demonstration. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

Still, Ng stressed that newcomers should not feel intimidated by the cost.

“The club already has beginner equipment people can borrow first,” he said.

“You don’t need to rush and buy everything immediately.”

Of all the equipment, however, Ng said the most important item was the glove used to draw the bowstring — traditionally made from deerskin.

“The glove is very personal,” he explained while carefully holding up his own well-worn pair.

“It slowly shapes itself to your hand and your shooting style over time.

“You cannot simply use somebody else’s glove comfortably because every person’s grip and draw is different.”

Some practitioners even custom-order gloves from Japan using exact hand measurements.

Spectators and fellow practitioners watch attentively as an archer prepares to shoot during a kyudo martial arts demonstration in Petaling Jaya. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

As the afternoon wound down, members packed away targets and bows while newcomers lingered nearby, quietly discussing the experience they had just witnessed.

So if you’ve ever wanted to try something new, step into a warm futsal hall in the Klang Valley, and for a few quiet hours, let modern-day life yield to the measured rhythm of an ancient Japanese bow.

* A previous version of this story contained errors which have since been corrected.

PARIS, May 23 — Forecasters say a potentially “super” El Nino is rapidly taking shape in the Pacific — but whether it evolves into a history-making event could hinge on fickle winds and other volatile atmospheric shifts.

The fast-warming tropical Pacific is pointing to a major event but a crucial weakening of trade winds — capable of turbocharging or throttling the phenomenon — has yet to materialise.

Scientists say these interactions are notoriously complex and difficult to predict — making it too early to confidently forecast how powerful this El Nino could become.

Flashing red

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says there is about an 80 per cent chance of El Nino developing by July.

Sea temperatures in key El Nino zones of the equatorial Pacific are rapidly rising, and an enormous pool of abnormally warm water is massing beneath the surface.

Shallow waters off south Florida topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8C) for several hours on July 24, 2023. — AFP pic

Several leading weather services are predicting Pacific sea temperatures could surge 2.5C or more above average later this year — exceptionally high projections.

Just three events — 1982/83, 1997/98 and 2015/16 — have breached 2C since the first major El Nino recorded in the modern era in 1877/78.

Adam Scaife, head of long-range prediction at the UK Met Office, said this El Nino could be the strongest in decades or “even be of record strength”.

“There’s definitely something coming. We’re very confident about that, and it looks like it will be a big event,” he told AFP.

Wily winds

NOAA forecasts a one-in-three chance this episode will hit 2C or above — crossing into what is dubbed “super El Nino” territory.

But key pieces of the puzzle had yet to fall into place, said Michelle L’Heureux, NOAA’s El Nino-Southern Oscillation lead.

El Ninos build strength as the ocean and atmosphere increasingly “couple” over the summer months, shifting air pressure, cloud patterns and winds.

This feedback loop can turn a modest El Nino into a blockbuster event, supercharging heat and triggering chaotic weather worldwide.

A hallmark of the strongest El Ninos is the weakening of trade winds that blow east to west across the equator.

But those winds are unpredictable and can strengthen unexpectedly, said L’Heureux.

“When that happens, it pauses the growth of El Nino or even reverses it,” she told AFP.

“Ultimately the strength of this event will be likely influenced by these details, like the low-level winds, which we cannot predict many months in advance.”

Heat incoming

El Nino tends to peak around December but ocean heat releases slowly and can drive up global temperatures the following years.

Many record-hot years — including 1998, 2010, 2016, 2023 and 2024 — followed major El Nino events or developed alongside them.

Climate scientists interviewed by AFP said global heat records could fall in 2026 — but 2027 was the year to watch.

There “could easily be a new record level of global warmth in 2027” if an extreme El Nino takes shape this year, said Scaife.

It remains unclear whether Earth’s warming is influencing El Nino intensity. The last event in 2023/24 was weaker than episodes in 1982/83 and 1997/98, making any trend hard to pin down.

Scientists stress that stronger El Ninos raise the odds of more severe impacts — but do not guarantee them.

Yet even a weaker event now unfolds in a world transformed by climate change, with extra heat and moisture loading an already feverish atmosphere and oceans.

That means El Nino’s impacts could become more extreme even if the phenomenon itself is not growing stronger.

“The impacts of this El Nino — on things like rainfall and of course temperature — are riding on top of climate change, and could well be larger than anything we’ve seen in the past,” said Scaife.

Different world

Every El Nino is different, but major events often follow familiar patterns: drought across parts of the Amazon, Indonesia and Australia, disrupted Indian monsoons, and shifting rainfall throughout the tropics.

File picture of a girl beside a mud‑buried car in Kamuchiri village near Mai Mahiu, Kenya, on April 29, 2024, after torrential rains and flash floods triggered by a dam burst killed at least 45 people during the El Nino‑compounded wet season. — AFP pic

But climate change has shifted the baseline so dramatically that “history is a poorer guide for seasonal predictions,” climatologist Felicity Gamble at Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology told AFP.

“What happened during an El Nino event 20 years ago is probably quite different to how it might manifest these days.”

Forecasts are also complicated by climate-driven ocean warming, which makes it easier to trigger El Nino conditions and harder to distinguish La Nina, its opposite cooling phase, against a hotter backdrop, Gamble said.

The Bureau of Meteorology and NOAA have started filtering out background warming to improve forecast accuracy. Other weather agencies are adopting similar adjusted benchmarks.

Even still, Australia is predicting El Nino could reach 2.8C — potentially a history-making event. — AFP

TOKYO, May 23 — As a teenager struggling to fit into life in rural Sicily, psychiatrist Francesco Panto found refuge in anime, where he discovered characters that resembled the kind of man he wanted to be.

Now living in Japan, Panto thinks anime can benefit others and is trialling whether it could be used as a method of therapy, particularly for people who would otherwise struggle to ask for help.

“The use of manga and anime supported me so much... they were very important emotional support kind of tools,” Panto told AFP.

“Being raised in Italy, in Sicily, there were very strong stereotypes around gender or self-expression. But when I was 12 or 13 years old, I started to play this game called ‘Final Fantasy’... and the male protagonists resonated with me.

“They were so masculine and cool, but in their own way.”

Panto’s six-month pilot study into “character-based counselling” at Yokohama City University ended in March.

As part of the trial, he and his team recruited 20 people aged 18-29 who had symptoms of depression and gave them online counselling delivered by a psychologist who appeared on the screen as an anime avatar with a digitally altered voice.

He believes that the “filter of fantasy” can help put people at ease and aid recognition of their problems — and he’s hoping that the trial results will confirm this theory.

From a steady and trustworthy “maternal energy” figure who brandishes an assault rifle, to an emotionally perceptive “prince-like” male who wears a cape, six different characters were created specifically for the study.

Each is based on a particular archetype in Japanese manga, with trial participants given freedom to choose among them.

“I tried to infuse each character with a specific mental struggle. One character is called Kuroto Nagi. She’s affected by bipolar personality traits,” Panto said.

Others struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety disorders, or experience problems related to alcohol use.

But the idea is for the avatars to be “fun”, Panto explained, and although the psychologist tells the story of their character at the start of the session, they were instructed not to make mental health issues too obvious.

One 24-year-old trial participant explained how they had been drawn to the study by a description of one of the characters, who was said to be “searching for true strength”.

That “made me feel like it might help me get closer to the answer to my own problems,” said the participant, an anime fan and game developer who could not be identified by name under the rules of the trial.

‘Will to live’

The phase-one trial — which tracked participants’ heart rates and sleep — is primarily to test whether anime therapy is feasible and if this kind of treatment can reduce symptoms of depression.

Panto is also considering whether the therapy could be delivered using artificial intelligence, without the medium of a real psychologist.

The research project is one of many trying to find solutions to mental health challenges in Japan including “ikizurasa”, a term for people who find it “difficult to live, difficult to survive in society”, said Mio Ishii, an assistant professor helping lead the project.

“There are many young people who cannot go to school or continue working. So, our scope is to give them... new choices to recover from their difficulties,” she said, adding that there was still huge stigma in Japan attached to seeking help.

As of 2022, only six per cent of people in Japan had used psychological counselling for mental health problems, according to data cited on the World Economic Forum website. The rate was much higher in Europe and the United States.

Jesus Maya, who specialises in family therapy at the University of Seville and is not involved in the trial, said the use of anime during sessions can be “really useful”.

“It can facilitate the expression of emotions... (and) identification and communication between the patient and the therapist,” he said.

Under the rules of the study, the 24-year-old trial participant — whose current favourite anime series include The End of Evangelion and Girls Band Cry — could not comment on the trial itself.

But they said anime had given them the “will to live, seeing characters who are full of life as they work hard toward their dreams”.

Ishii hopes the therapy could help people of all ages across the world.

“Because usually people have stigmas and psychological barriers to ask for help about their mental health,” she said. “But anime or technology can decrease them.” — AFP

AUBURN HILLS (United States), May 23 — The 2CV, the iconic French car popular for much of the last century, is to be reincarnated as an electric vehicle 36 years after production ceased, Citroen announced Thursday.

“The 2CV is back!” said CEO Xavier Chardon said. “Citroen is back. Back to the future.”

The announcement came at an investor day in Michigan by parent company Stellantis, which also owns Jeep, Ram and Fiat, among other brands.

A version of the vehicle is expected at the Paris auto show in October.

At Thursday’s event, journalists and analysts could see an exterior of the revamped 2CV that retains the original contours, with signature features such as a domed and ribbed front hood and protruding headlights.

However, modern road standards may necessitate adjustments once the vehicle enters production.

“It’s a very important moment, because in 1948 the 2CV gave freedom of mobility to millions, and 80 years later, the new 2CV will democratise electric mobility,” Chardon said.

Chardon vowed that the reboot will be “100 per cent electric,” entirely produced in Europe and priced at below 15,000 euros (RM69,000).

“The true people’s car designed for real life,” he said. “For me, the future of mobility will not be won by the most complex cars, but by the simplest and the most intuitive ones.”

Citroen officials plan to mainly market the vehicle in Europe, anticipating it will hit retail showrooms in about two years.

Stellantis announced this week a campaign around “e-cars,” small electric vehicles costing at most 15,000 euros under different brands to be produced in Pomigliano d’Arco, Italy.

The Citroen 2CV, or “two horses” was first unveiled with fanfare on October 7, 1948 at the Paris auto salon.

Originally fabricated in a single colour — grey — the vehicle, nicknamed “la deudeuche,” found quick success with consumers, leading to delivery delays in the 1950s.

While keeping the same basic silhouette, subsequent models had greater power and came in a variety of colours.

There were also limited editions such as the Charleston, the Dolly and a “007” version to coincide with the 1981 James Bond Movie “For Your Eyes Only” that featured a yellow 2CV.

Production ended on July 27, 1990 at a factory in Portugal, precipitated by tightening emission standards in Europe. — AFP

SEPANG, May 22 — Electric cars are set to roar again at Sepang.

SoyaCincau, in collaboration with Dongfeng, will return to the Sepang International Circuit on June 6 for Malaysia’s biggest EV Track Day of 2026, promising thrills that go far beyond the shopping mall car park.

Last year’s debut proved sceptics wrong when 30 electric vehicles took to the track, with a Tesla Model 3 Performance clocking a blistering 2:34.344 lap and a stock Hyundai Ioniq 5 N close behind at 2:37.991.

The organisers say this year’s edition will be bigger, faster and more inclusive, designed to lower the barrier of entry for every EV owner.

The programme includes open track sessions across the full 5.543‑kilometre circuit, a Time Attack challenge to crown Malaysia’s quickest EV, and a community parade lap for families and newcomers.

For those who prefer to ride shotgun, professional drivers will offer taxi rides to showcase the gut‑punching acceleration of performance EVs.

Coaching sessions will also be available for drivers keen to shave seconds off their lap times.

Infrastructure is being beefed up to keep cars charged and ready. Dedicated DC charging hubs will be set up at the North Paddock thanks to partners EVC, Jom Charge and EV Power.

Aeson Power and Battery Lux will also run a 12V clinic, offering free health checks and discounted sodium‑ion battery upgrades for both EVs and conventional cars.

Registration opens at 5.45pm on June 6, with the event running until midnight.

SoyaCincau says the focus is not just on driving, but also on learning, diagnosing and pushing the boundaries of electric mobility in Malaysia.

SINGAPORE, May 22 — A race is under way to transform the viral Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop pocket watch into a wearable wristpiece, with Singapore-based strapmaker Delugs among the frontrunners developing a custom solution.

The company is in the final stages of prototyping an integrated strap system designed for the collaboration, with sample production expected soon, co-founder Ken Kuan told The Straits Times.

Development began almost immediately after the hybrid watch was unveiled on May 12, as interest surged among collectors who were disappointed the collaboration did not offer a traditional wristwatch format.

The Royal Pop series, which launched globally on May 16, features eight designs priced at around US$535 (RM2,120) to US$570 depending on configuration, significantly lower than Audemars Piguet’s signature Royal Oak models.

Kuan said demand for a wrist-worn version was clear from the outset, arguing that watches are ultimately designed to be worn on the wrist rather than carried as accessories.

Delugs’ approach involves an integrated strap system where the band is directly connected to a custom case, eliminating the gaps typically seen with standard aftermarket straps.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Delugs (@delugs)

While several brands are also attempting similar conversions — some already taking pre-orders based on concept renders — Delugs is holding back until physical samples are finalised.

Kuan said the company’s email waiting list has already drawn around 10,000 sign-ups, despite the product not yet being released.

One of the key engineering challenges has been designing a secure case for the watch’s detachable “pop-in, pop-out” structure, which was originally intended for lanyard-style use.

Delugs, which does not usually design watch cases, has produced a 3D-printed prototype and is now preparing material testing to ensure durability, flexibility and a secure fit for daily wear.

Kuan said the team has carried out multiple rounds of testing to account for real-world movement, including impacts and wrist expansion.

The company also sourced two units of the watch at inflated resale prices after missing initial retail drops amid global launch chaos that saw long queues and store disruptions in several countries.

Swatch X Audemars Piguet Royal Pop watches are displayed in a presentation case at Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur on May 16, 2026. — Picture by Yusof Isa

Delugs has since documented its development process online, partly to counter widespread AI-generated mock-ups circulating on social media and to capitalise on intense global interest in the collaboration.

Kuan said the project also serves an educational purpose, offering transparency on how such wearable conversions are engineered from concept to production.

The final product is expected to bundle the strap and case at a price range of about US$150 to US$200, with multiple colour options planned for both components.

Delugs, founded in 2018, has grown into a niche but fast-rising watch accessory brand with international reach, expanding from online retail into physical boutiques in Singapore and Hong Kong.

CANNES, May 22 — It is all over in a burst of camera flashes, but the buzziest looks on the red carpet at  Cannes take weeks to plot and prepare.

“Sometimes we think things over for two or three months and everything comes down to 10 seconds on the red carpet,” French stylist Ilya Vanzato, the mastermind behind some of the most talked-about dresses at the world’s top film festival, told AFP.

It all starts with a highly strategic chat between the stylist and their client, be that a rising model, a Hollywood star or an Instagram influencer. “That’s where we ask ourselves what we are aiming for,” he added.

“Something understated and elegant? Or rather a ‘Wow!’ look that will generate buzz.”

Vanzato — who trained in Dior’s haute couture ateliers in Paris before working with designer Zac Posen in New York — insists that a memorable outfit is not just about aesthetics but about storytelling.

The Cannes red carpet has always been a stage for big fashion statements, from Madonna unveiling Jean Paul Gaultier’s famous cone corset to Cate Blanchett letting the colours of the Palestinian flag peek out from the lining of her Haider Ackermann gown.

“There are so many beautiful pieces, but you need to find one that tells a story and fits with the celebrity’s image,” said Russian stylist Alexandra Pavlova, who has been coming to Cannes for six years.

Racks of exclusive outfits 

But in Cannes, fashion is also about negotiation. Behind every outfit are alliances woven long before a celebrity steps onto the red carpet.

“A stylist doesn’t just suggest looks, they have to build bridges between an artist and fashion houses, and gradually raise their status within the fashion world,” said French stylist Coline Bach, who has dressed the likes of singers Christina Aguilera, Belgian singer Angele and DJ Snake.

Turning heads at Cannes can open the door to ad campaigns and collaborations with major brands, said Vanzato, who this year worked with supermodels like Coco Rocha and Natasha Poly.

“There’s a real strategy behind which brand you wear and what relationship you want to build for the future,” said Vanzato.

During the festival, brands set up private showrooms in the Riviera resort’s big luxury hotels, where jewellery and racks of exclusive outfits can be tried on — pieces that are rarely seen again outside those suites.

Last-minute disasters 

The pressure has intensified with social media, which amplifies the visibility of every red carpet moment. A striking look can rack up millions of views and become a global trend within minutes. “Every piece worn in Cannes becomes hyper-mediatised,” said Pavlova.

The final prep stills hours before the red carpet in a hotel room-turned-command centre.

“Three hours before, we’re already on the hair and makeup,” Bach said. But even after months of preparation, everything can change in an instant.

Cannes is full of stories of dresses held up at customs, impossible shoes, or fabrics that just don’t work under the Mediterranean light. Pavlova recalled how minutes before one client was about to go on to the red carpet, someone stepped on her dress in the lobby of Hotel Martinez hotel and tore it.

“You have to react very quickly, which is why I never go anywhere without my sewing kit,” the stylist said. Right there on the spot, among the milling celebrities, journalists and star-spotters, Pavlova hand-stitched the piece back together while her client composed herself for the cameras.

When she finally walked the red carpet for the premiere, no one could have guessed the disaster that had befallen her dress only minutes before.

“People think coming to Cannes is about enjoying the good life, sipping cocktails” by the blue of the Mediterranean, Bach sighed. “But in reality we spend the whole day putting out fires.” — AFP 

PARIS, May 22 — A spiral segment of the Eiffel Tower’s original staircase sold for more than €450,000 (RM2.07 million) at auction in Paris on Thursday.

The buyer, who was in the auction room, became the owner of a 14-step section of staircase that stands 9 feet tall, weighs 1.4 tons and dates back to 1889, the year the monument that towers over central Paris was completed.

“When you buy a piece of the Eiffel Tower, you’re buying a piece of Paris, along with all the imagination and symbolism it represents,” said Sabrina Dolla, Art Deco design director at Artcurial Paris auction house where the sale took place.

More than four decades ago, a total of 526 feet of staircase were cut into smaller sections and sold, replaced by elevators which now carry visitors to the Eiffel Tower’s highest viewing platform.

The section auctioned on Thursday fetched €450,160, three times the upper range of its pre-sale estimated value of between €120,000 and €150,000.

In 2008 one section sold to a private American buyer for a record of €550,000. Other pieces of Eiffel Tower staircase, ranging from nine to 30 feet, are housed at prestigious venues around the globe.

Portions are preserved near the Statue of Liberty in New York, in the gardens of the Yoshi Foundation in Yamanashi, Japan, as well as in private foreign collections.

Dolla said the Paris 2024 Olympics, which saw landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Place de la Concorde and the Grand Palais take centre stage at the games, had boosted the tower’s appeal among collectors.

“We’re definitely seeing a renewed interest in what it symbolizes and in its aesthetic appeal,” she added. — Reuters 

CAIRO, May 22 — If ever there were a structure built to stand the test of time, it surely would be the Great Pyramid of Giza, a transcendent monument to human imagination and ambition. Since being erected during the Old Kingdom period of ancient Egypt, it has stood impassively as time marched on and civilisations rose and fell.

Researchers now have discovered one of the reasons for its astonishing durability — it was designed and built with structural features that have helped it withstand the destructive energy of earthquakes since its construction about 4,600 years ago as the tomb of the pharaoh Khufu.

The scientists assessed its structural dynamics by using devices called seismometers to record ambient vibrations — continuous subtle background shaking generated by natural forces and human activity — at 37 locations in and around the pyramid. It exhibited a remarkably homogeneous and stable structural response to these vibrations despite its size and complexity.

The four sides of the pyramid, located in Giza right outside the Egyptian capital Cairo and built of massive limestone blocks, each measure about 755 feet (230 meters) at the base, and it covers about 13 acres (5.3 hectares).

It originally stood about 480 feet (147 meters) tall. Natural erosion over time and the removal centuries ago of its smooth outer casing stones for building material left it at its current height of approximately 455 feet (138.5 meters). It was the world’s tallest structure for some 3,800 years.

The scientists identified several characteristics that gave the pyramid earthquake resistance. It has an extremely broad base with low center of gravity, highly symmetrical geometry, a gradual reduction in mass toward the top and sophisticated internal design including internal chambers that blunt vibration amplification. It also was constructed on strong limestone bedrock.

“These elements together create a well-balanced, coherent structure,” said seismologist Mohamed ElGabry of the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, or NRIAG, in Egypt, lead author of the study published on Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports.

“Ancient Egyptian builders clearly possessed practical knowledge related to stability, foundation behavior, mass distribution and load transfer,” NRIAG seismologist and study senior author Asem Salama said.

The researchers found that most vibrations recorded within the pyramid had a frequency that indicated that mechanical stress was evenly distributed throughout.

“So while I would hesitate to claim that they intentionally designed the pyramid specifically for earthquake resistance, I do think they developed architectural and geotechnical solutions that naturally produced structures with exceptional long-term resilience,” Salama said.

This was learned over time through trial and error, as some flawed pyramids that preceded this one demonstrate.

The researchers collected seismic data from various passages and chambers built inside the pyramid, including the primary burial room called the King’s Chamber, as well as the surrounding bedrock and soil.

They found that vibration amplification increased with elevation inside the pyramid, a normal phenomenon for tall structures. But they observed a reduction in amplification within five special chambers built above the King’s Chamber, despite their higher position.

“This suggests these chambers effectively help dissipate seismic energy and protect the King’s Chamber — one of the most critical areas — from excessive shaking,” ElGabry said.

The most recent earthquakes in the region included notable ones in 1847 and 1992, both of which heavily damaged thousands of buildings and the latter of which killed more than 560 people. The pyramid experienced scant damage.

It is part of a large complex, alongside other pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza — all drawing throngs of visitors since ancient times.

“The Great Pyramid is not only an extraordinary engineering achievement but also a profound work of art and human vision. Its perfect symmetry, monumental scale and elegant proportions create a timeless beauty that continues to inspire awe even after 4,600 years,” ElGabry said.

“Beyond its physical beauty, what impresses me most is the incredible project management and organisational mastery it represents. Building such a monument took approximately 20 years and required sustaining a clear, long-term vision, an extremely complex supply chain and the coordination of tens of thousands of skilled workers, engineers, and administrators,” ElGabry said.

This would have included managing human resources, training specialised labour forces, ensuring a continuous food supply for the workers, and logistics for massive quantities of stone.

“It reminds us what human civilisation is capable of when vision, science, organisation and determination come together,” ElGabry said.

“They really did,” Salama said, “build ‘one for the ages’.” — Reuters 

LONDON, May 22 — The author of Taiwan Travelogue, Yang Shuang-zi, told AFP she hopes her International Booker Prize-winning novel can one day be read in China and facilitate dialogue about the “future Taiwanese people want”.

On Tuesday, Yang, 41, became the first Taiwanese author to win the prestigious award which celebrates works translated into English, alongside translator Lin King, 32.

The playful novel, set in 1930s Japan-controlled Taiwan, poses as a translation of a rediscovered Japanese travel memoir penned by fictional writer Aoyama Chizuko.

It traces ebullient Chizuko’s travels and gastronomic adventures across the colonial outpost, and the relationship she develops with her Taiwanese interpreter, the reticent Chizuru.

Although historical fiction, the novel probes themes of power imbalance and cultural erasure that the author says are relevant to present-day Taiwan, which is claimed by China as part of its territory.

“I’ve countless times felt anxious inside, asking myself whether literature is too slow,” Yang admitted when asked about Taiwan’s future.

“I often worry, often feel that maybe I should make political statements, or take some kind of action, engage in other forms of activism,” she told AFP in an interview on Wednesday.

“But in reality, as a novelist, I’ve decided to put my faith in literature, to believe in the power of literature.”

First published in Mandarin in 2020, the book has won accolades in Taiwan, but has not been released in China.

“If this book can, in one way or another, make its way into China and be read by Chinese readers, I think we would have an opportunity for dialogue and communication,” said Yang.

That would “let more Chinese people understand what kind of future Taiwanese people want—which is not the same as what many in China imagine”.

‘Uphill battle’ 

Taiwan Travelogue is the first book published in any Chinese language to win the International Booker Prize.

“I hope it can serve as an example in the Chinese-speaking world, showing that in a free and democratic country like Taiwan—a country where I can come out openly as a queer person—we can do this together,” said Yang.

Unlike writing from former British colonies like Hong Kong, King says Taiwanese literature and its colonial past are lesser known in the Anglophone world.

“For Taiwan, it’s always been an uphill battle to be translated into English, and published, and recognised. So this is definitely very momentous for me personally,” said King.

The win has prompted an outpouring of emotion from Taiwanese readers on social media, who see it as an important moment for the self-ruling island usually in the news over tensions with China.

But Yang says the universal themes she discusses in the book—and her mouthwatering descriptions of Taiwanese delicacies—may have also touched readers.

“I’ve packed a lot of elements I personally love into this work—whether it’s travel, railways, food, or women’s friendships. Because I’m so fond of these things, I hope my enthusiasm can also infect my readers.”

For Yang, who dedicated this book featuring the larger-than-life women characters to her late sister, it is as much about preserving Taiwan’s past as it is about fighting for its future.

“Sometimes history briefly disappears; it becomes a blank. But as long as there are descendants willing to search, I believe history can be completed,” said Yang.

This book is “a call to readers all over the world: we can go and retrieve the histories that were once lost, our mothers’ voices, our grandmothers’ voices. We have to recover them ourselves.” — AFP

LONDON, May 21 — As Britain’s wartime leader, Winston Churchill was known for his stirring speeches, but a new London exhibition explores another side to his creativity — as a passionate and prolific artist.

The exhibition opening Saturday at the Wallace Collection will be the most significant display of the statesman’s paintings for more than 60 years, including over 50 canvases, many of them rarely seen in public.

Churchill first tried painting during World War I after he resigned from the government over the 1915 failed Dardanelles naval attack.

This was a “very difficult time in his life” when “he suddenly finds himself with all this unwanted leisure time”, Lucy Davis, co-curator of the exhibition, told AFP.

“And he discovered painting as a way of releasing the stress, the anguish that the situation had caused him.”

The museum presents a chronological survey starting with his first paintings, created with advice from renowned artist John Lavery, then canvases painted in the 1920s at Chartwell, the country house where Churchill lived with his family.

Largely self-taught while associating with well-known painters, Churchill quickly became interested in landscape painting and drew inspiration from holidays in the south of France to create brightly coloured canvases dominated by blues and ochre.

‘Loved the light’ 

Churchill “saw painting as a spur to travel” and “just loved the light and warmth and atmosphere, which he captures so beautifully”, said Davis.

A whole room is dedicated to canvases inspired by trips to Morocco, including The Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque, the only painting that Churchill did during World War II. A gift to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the painting recently belonged to Hollywood star Angelina Jolie.

The exhibition ends with the postwar period when Churchill, defeated in a general election, began painting again and continued until his death in 1965, with some of his works going on display at the Royal Academy.

Churchill had previously shown paintings at various galleries, but always under an assumed name.

As a statesman, Churchill went down in history for his wartime leadership, but as an artist, he had little interest in depicting current world events, the curator stressed.

“He was a wartime leader. He was known for these very stirring wartime speeches. But in these paintings, you really see his joie de vivre, his witty side, his playful side.”

One painting at the exhibition is an exception: The Beach At Walmer, painted in 1938 as fears grew of imminent war.

It shows a sandy beach in southern England with bathers paddling. But in the foreground, a black cannon points at the sea, suggesting a looming threat. — AFP 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — Huawei Malaysia and Universiti Malaya have formalised a collaboration on a diabetes risk study involving smartwatch technology, marking what the companies described as a first-of-its-kind wearable health research initiative in Malaysia.

The collaboration was commemorated through a signing ceremony held on May 19, involving the newly launched HUAWEI WATCH FIT 5 Pro.

According to the statement, the memorandum of agreement represents the first research collaboration between Universiti Malaya and Huawei Malaysia, with both parties aiming to explore how wearable technology can support preventive healthcare and improve health awareness among Malaysians.

The ceremony was officiated by Universiti Malaya deputy vice chancellor (research and innovation) Professor Ir Dr Kaharudin Dimyati and Huawei Consumer Business Group Malaysia country director Patrick Ru.

“At Huawei, we believe technology should go beyond connectivity and convenience to create meaningful value in people’s everyday lives,” Patrick said in the statement.

“Through this collaboration with Universiti Malaya, we hope to further explore how wearable technology can support greater health awareness while empowering Malaysians to take a more proactive approach towards their everyday health and wellbeing.”

The research initiative will be led by Professor Dr Lim Lee Ling, executive director of the Department of Clinical Research and Advancement and senior consultant endocrinologist at Universiti Malaya.

The two-year study is expected to begin in Malaysia in the near future and will focus on blood glucose-related research using wearable technology integrated within Huawei smartwatches.

Huawei said users of the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 5 Pro will be among the first to register their interest in participating in the upcoming study, with further participation details to be announced later by Universiti Malaya.

Kaharudin said the collaboration reflected Universiti Malaya’s ongoing commitment towards research and innovation with societal impact.

“By combining academic expertise with advancements in wearable technology, this initiative represents a leapfrog towards better community engagement and empowerment, designed to elevate preventive healthcare awareness and encourage Malaysians to take charge of their everyday well-being,” he said.

The Huawei WATCH FIT 5 Series is now available in Malaysia from RM799, with early bird vouchers of up to RM150 offered through Huawei Experience Stores and the brand’s official online platforms including Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop. — Picture courtesy of HUAWEI Consumer Business Group (CBG) Malaysia

Huawei said the collaboration also aligns with its broader efforts to expand preventive health innovation within its wearable ecosystem through features focused on health insights, lifestyle awareness and wellbeing monitoring.

The Huawei WATCH FIT 5 Series is now available in Malaysia from RM799, with early bird vouchers of up to RM150 offered through Huawei Experience Stores and the brand’s official online platforms including Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop.

Customers purchasing the smartwatch can also receive complimentary gifts and perks worth up to RM585, including a pair of FreeBuds SE 2 earphones, a one-year APAC warranty, and trial memberships for Huawei Health+ and Huawei Watch Face services.

More information on the collaboration and the latest devices is available via Huawei Malaysia’s official website as well as the company’s official social media channels.

LONDON, May 21 — A former British pirate radio station on Wednesday apologised “for any distress caused” after accidentally announcing the death of King Charles III.

The erroneous announcement was made on Tuesday afternoon due to a computer error at its main studio in Maldon in eastern Essex, Radio Caroline said in a post on social media.

The error had triggered the so-called death of a monarch procedure “which all UK stations hold in readiness while hoping not to require”, wrote station manager Peter Moore.

“Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required, which alerted us to restore programming and issue an on-air apology,” he said on Facebook post.

“Caroline has been pleased to broadcast Her Majesty the Queen’s and now the King’s, Christmas message and we hope to do so for many years to come,” he said, referring to the monarch’s traditional Christmas Day message to the nation.

“We apologise to HM (his majesty) the king and to our listeners for any distress caused,” Moore added.

The mishap on Tuesday came as Charles and Queen Camilla were in Northern Ireland, where they joined a performance with an Irish folk group.

The post did not say how long it was before the mistake was discovered, but the domestic Press Association news agency reported that on Wednesday afternoon, playback for Tuesday’s broadcast between 1.58pm and 5pm was unavailable on the station’s website.

Established in 1964 to challenge the BBC’s broadcasting monopoly, Radio Caroline previously operated from ships off the English coast.

After legislation in 1967 forced many pirate broadcasters to close, it continued intermittently before ending offshore broadcasts in 1990.

Caroline and other similar pirate stations inspired the 2009 comedy film The Boat that Rocked starring Bill Nighy and Philip Seymour Hoffman about a group of eccentric DJs living and working together at sea. — AFP 

GEORGE TOWN, May 21 — A graceful black monkey edges across a swaying red rope bridge strung over a busy residential road in Malaysia’s Penang, watched by local conservationists who carefully record her movements.

For Malaysia’s endangered dusky langurs, recognisable by the “masks” of white fur that ring their eyes, survival increasingly depends on such man-made crossings and the work of “citizen scientists”.

A fragmented habitat, conflict with local communities, and poaching have all pushed the species to endangered status.

But the Langur Project Penang (LPP) conservation group hopes that low-tech engineering and high-tech community engagement can help protect the species, also known as the dusky leaf monkey.

Key to their efforts is helping the monkeys navigate fragmented habitat crisscrossed by busy roads where the animals are often killed.

A view of a green area with dense trees where langur monkeys can be found surrounded by residential buildings and hotels at the Tanjung Bungah area of George Town April 9, 2026. — AFP pic

LPP founder Yap Jo Leen realised the need for a solution when she saw dusky langurs repeatedly risking road crossings as she carried out fieldwork in 2016.

“I realised that they don’t just stay in the forest. They also cross roads to the coastal area to look for food,” she told AFP.

She came up with the idea of building some kind of crossing, and pairing the solution with community engagement.

“At the time, the idea was wild because no one in Malaysia had actually done it before” she said of the crossing plan.

Similar canopy bridges have helped other endangered primates elsewhere, including in Indonesia, where an orangutan was recently seen using such a crossing for the first time.

Langur Project Penang (LPP) project executive Wong Hui Yi uses a ‘live’ tracking application to monitor dusky langurs at a playground near residential buildings in the Tanjung Bungah area of George Town April 9, 2026. — AFP pic

‘Safe haven’ 

Yap’s team experimented with different materials before settling on upcycled fire hoses “twisted to mimic tree branches”.

They are suspended over roads from a tree on one side and a custom-installed pole on the other.

LPP has now installed three, including in April in the coastal suburb and beach destination of Batu Ferringhi.

Yap said the group’s research showed they work. At one site, at least eight monkeys died in traffic accidents between 2016 and 2018. No deaths have been recorded since the crossing was installed in 2019.

The crossings also allow groups of monkeys that were once largely confined to an area to expand their range.

“They have more opportunity to venture closer to the hills... and find their way to a safe haven,” she said.

A dusky langur called ‘Bumi’, named by the Langur Project Penang (LPP), climbs a tree at a playground near a residential area in the Tanjung Bungah area of George Town April 9, 2026. — AFP pic

That not only benefits the animals, but decreases pressure on local communities that have come into conflict with hungry roving bands of dusky langurs seeking food in urban neighbourhoods.

Addressing that conflict is another part of LPP’s efforts.

It recruits members of the local community to serve as “citizen scientists” who track langur movements, collect data and record GPS coordinates using spreadsheets and the Wikiloc trail app.

The volunteers receive a small stipend and training in fieldwork in return for committing to tracking the monkeys for at least three months.

The data helps researchers understand more about the monkeys, including their home range and their feeding habits, and could one day even help guide reforestation efforts.

Teo Hoon Cheng, a citizen scientist, speaks during an interview near the third and most recent artificial road canopy bridge called the ‘Obscura Bridge’, for use by endangered dusky langurs as part of the Langur Project Penang (LPP), in Batu Ferringhi, George Town, April 9, 2026. — AFP pic

‘We have to coexist’ 

The current volunteers range from age 17 to 65 and “call themselves the ‘monkey stalkers’ or ‘monkey whisperers’”, Yap said with a laugh.

Former IT manager Teo Hoon Cheng signed up after encountering “magnificent” langurs on hiking trails over a decade ago.

“You don’t need background knowledge in zoology or biology. Anyone can be a citizen scientist,” he said.

Other locals work with LPP to ease tensions between the community and the monkeys, including retired graphic designer Tan Soo Siah.

“Somebody needs to step up to act as a bridge for this communication,” the 64-year-old said.

Residents complain about the noise the monkeys make when crossing their roofs, as well as occasional “break-ins” when windows are left open.

Tan tries to explain why the monkeys are there, and how they can be gently moved along with a little spray of water.

A dusky langur crosses an artificial canopy bridge called ‘Numi’s Crossing’ as part of the Langur Project Penang (LPP) across Lembah Permai Road in the Tanjung Bungah area of George Town April 9, 2026. — AFP pic

The work has “taught me the meaning of coexistence,” he said.

“It’s good that we can use my experience to show how we can live in harmony with the primates.”

Fellow resident Lim Hock Cheng said the community was gradually learning to accept the animals.

“We’ve encroached into their habitat... We have to coexist, learn to live with each other,” the 66-year-old said.

“The dusky langurs are also part of our society.” — AFP

* This article is part of a reporting project between Mongabay and Agence France-Presse (AFP). 

SYDNEY, May 20 — An Australian animal welfare group is seeking a heroic dog with an appetite for adventure for a full-time position as a koala rescuer.

The successful pooch will replace the world-famous Bear, credited with saving over 100 koalas from bushfires during a decade of service.

“Bear set the gold standard for koala detection dogs,” the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Oceania head of programmes Josey Sharrad said.

“He’s leaving very big boots to fill, but now it’s time to find his successor to follow in his pawprints and keep protecting koalas.”

The ideal candidate will be a rescue pup with a lot of energy and an “obsessive” personality — attributes that might make it hard to find a home but which make it perfect for saving koalas, IFAW said.

“By only recruiting a rescue dog, it’s a win-win — giving a dog the chance of a new life while helping our iconic koalas,” Innovation for Conservation director and handler Russell Miller said.

Other key attributes are a love of play, confidence and a gentle temperament towards fellow animals is crucial.

They must also be medium sized — “not too small that they struggle in the bush, not too big that the handlers can’t carry them when needed”, according to the IFAW job ad.

Interviews were being held in eastern Australia’s Sunshine Coast but applications by video are also welcome.

Bear’s skills saved over 100 koalas as the Black Summer bushfires raged across Australia’s eastern seaboard from late 2019 to early 2020, razing millions of hectares, destroying thousands of homes and blanketing cities in noxious smoke.

The tail-wagging detective with a “joyful and goofy” personality retired with an extensive list of accolades — including an Animal of the Year award and Puppy Tales Photos Australian Dog of the Year award. — AFP

YANGON, May 20 — War has besieged diets in western Myanmar, but chefs smuggle out flavours of local cuisine: delicate noodles and briny broth from a region where conflict blights harvests.

“Seeing my customers enjoy the food until the plate is empty brings me so much joy that nothing else can compare,” said Yee Yee Kyaw, who evacuated her restaurant business from Rakhine state to Yangon in 2024.

“Watching from the kitchen, I’ve even felt it wouldn’t even matter if they left without paying,” the 27-year-old told AFP.

In Myanmar’s civil war, triggered by a 2021 military coup, Rakhine has become a locus of particular suffering.

Bordering Bangladesh and hemmed by mountains and the Bay of Bengal, it has been captured almost completely by ethnic minority rebels, but still sees fierce fighting and has been blockaded by the military along its border.

More than one-third of households in the state suffer food insecurity, and the cost of an average grocery basket has spiked 31 per cent due to the Middle East war, according to the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP).

Workers prepare ingredients to cook at a Rakhine traditional food restaurant in Yangon May 15, 2026. — AFP pic

Paddy agriculture has withered and fishing along the plentiful coastline has been curbed by amphibious warfare.

Rice noodles and conger eel are principal ingredients of Rakhine’s specialty noodle dish, “mont di”, which Yee Yee Kyaw serves in abundance, swirled together in an umami concoction of tamarind, garlic and chilli.

But back in Rakhine — which the WFP has called “the most acute hotspot for hunger in Myanmar” — traditional cooking is secondary to the scramble for daily sustenance.

In Rakhine’s Mrauk-U town, housewife May Pu Chay raved about her local gastronomy laced with pungent fish paste and mashed chilli.

“Rakhine food is the best. I would like it to spread,” said the 51-year-old. “I want everyone to taste Rakhine food.”

Her enthusiasm is dulled only by the realities of hardship in Rakhine — when supplies from her kitchen garden aren’t sufficient.

“We have to struggle hard,” she said. “If there’s nothing to cook, we don’t cook. If there is, then we do.”

War has besieged diets in west Myanmar, but chefs smuggle out flavours of local cuisine: delicate noodles and briny broth from a region where conflict blights harvests of the land and sea. — AFP pic

Hunger for home 

In Yangon, however, Yee Yee Kyaw dispenses about 200 bowls of mont di daily — either as a dry salad with peppery fish soup on the side, or altogether in a steaming conglomeration.

Shutting her two restaurants in coastal Sittwe has allowed her to continue cooking in the Rakhine tradition, from a single 34-seat eatery inside a former beauty spa in Myanmar’s largest city.

Spice levels range from a tickle on the tongue to a slap in the face, and a serving costs up to 3,500 kyat (RM3.50) depending on your choice of protein: fried beans, pork or fish cake.

Reaching for the authentic flavours of Rakhine made the shop a loss-making enterprise for the first year.

“We tried not to change the taste we had back in Sittwe, but being in a new place, everything is different,” she said, recounting the trials of finding ingredients in Yangon markets 500 kilometres from home.

“We are trying hard to preserve the original flavours,” Yee Yee Kyaw said.

She has now established a reputation for hand-crafted vermicelli — extruding the rice noodles through a giant wooden hand pump directly into water kept on a roiling boil.

A vendor prepares food as she waits for customers at a Rakhine traditional food restaurant in Yangon May 13, 2026. — AFP pic

Rakhine’s conflict and humanitarian crisis have left nearly half a million people internally displaced, according to UN statistics.

Many have come to the commercial hub Yangon, with visits back home nearly impossible.

“I believe that eating our noodles helps ease homesickness,” said Yee Yee Kyaw, estimating the majority of her customers hail from Rakhine.

Elsewhere in the city, chef Ni Ni Aung presides over a clamouring canteen also shifted from Rakhine two years ago, serving steamed banana dessert, stingray salad and a snail medley.

Her most popular dish caters to the tastes of the Yangon-bred — a crowd-pleasing vat of fatty pork cuts lurking under a sheen of amber spiced oil.

But it is the Rakhine dishes that pique her pride.

“Local cuisine is a heritage we must continue to preserve,” said the 46-year-old, who prefers cooking for others to eating.

“I am proud to be able to bring the flavours of Rakhine all the way to Yangon.” — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Skincare brand Kiehl’s and ride-hailing platform Grab Malaysia have teamed up to celebrate and support Malaysia’s female delivery riders through a first-of-its-kind sun care initiative held at Sunway Pyramid today.

The campaign, aimed at recognising women riders who spend long hours on the road under Malaysia’s heat and humidity, also earned a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records for the “Most Female Delivery-Partners in a Convoy”.

In a media release, it was stated that the initiative brought together 100 female delivery partners in a symbolic convoy ride to highlight their resilience and raise awareness about the importance of sun protection and well-being while working outdoors.

[from left to right] Amy Hoo, Associate Director, Sunway Malls; Jason Chin, Chief Executive Officer, Selangor Region, Sunway Malls; How Jia Yi, Head of Merchant & Platform Operations, Grab Malaysia; Elaine Wong, General Manager, Kiehl's Malaysia Singapore; Chong Sook Theng, Marketing Director, Kiehl's Malaysia Singapore.

Kiehl’s Malaysia and Grab Malaysia said the initiative was created to acknowledge the often-overlooked challenges faced by delivery riders, particularly women who brave daily exposure to harsh weather conditions to keep cities moving.

Among those present at the event were Kiehl’s Malaysia Singapore general manager Elaine Wong, Kiehl’s Malaysia Singapore marketing director Chong Sook Theng, Grab Malaysia head of merchant and platform operations How Jia Yi, as well as Sunway Malls associate director Amy Hoo and Sunway Malls Selangor region chief executive officer Jason Chin.

The collaboration also served as a platform to educate riders on skincare and sun care protection, while reinforcing appreciation for the role delivery partners play in the country’s growing gig economy.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Answering phone calls, welcoming visitors and handling inquiries at a shipping company in Klang are part of the daily routine of R. Yogeswaran, a receptionist born without hands who has overcome years of hardship and rejection to build an independent life.

For the 34-year-old from Shah Alam, securing employment restored his confidence and gave him a renewed sense of purpose after years of struggling to find work due to his disability.

Born with a congenital upper limb deficiency, the third of four siblings has never allowed his condition to define his future. He has been working at Maritime Network Sdn Bhd since 2019, following an opportunity by the company’s chief executive officer Datuk Seri R. Jeyenderan.

Yogeswaran told Bernama that although he did not complete his formal education due to his condition, his parents ensured he attended tuition classes, enabling him to communicate and write effectively.

For years, he endured disappointment as repeated job applications and interviews ended in rejection, with many employers unwilling to look beyond his disability despite his determination to work and build a better future.

The repeated setbacks gradually took a toll on his confidence and left him close to giving up.

The duo have been working at Maritime Network Sdn Bhd following an opportunity provided by the company’s chief executive officer, Datuk Seri R. Jeyenderan, whom they described as supportive and inclusive in fostering a positive work environment. — Bernama pic

A chance meeting with Jeyenderan at an event marked a turning point in his life. A brief conversation led to an invitation to the company’s office for further discussion, an opportunity he approached cautiously after years of disappointment.

“I had been turned away so many times that I did not want to expect too much anymore. But deep inside, I still hoped someone would believe in me and give me a chance to prove myself,” he said.

That hope became reality when he was offered a position with a starting salary of RM1,500, along with a RM500 transport allowance to cover his daily taxi fare from Shah Alam to Klang.

Yogeswaran said the supportive and inclusive work environment helped him regain his confidence and sense of purpose.

Today, he takes pride in being able to support himself and contribute to his family through his own effort.

“Coming to work every day means a lot to me because I know I am contributing just like everyone else. I can now support myself, help my family and live independently. Something I once thought impossible has become a reality. I have even managed to buy a double-storey house in Setia Alam,” he said.

Meanwhile, S. Kuhan, 26, who works in operations, has been with the company for seven years despite physical disabilities affecting the movement of his right hand and leg.

He manages files and documents to ensure records are properly organised and said the support provided by the company has helped him grow both personally and professionally.

Jeyenderan said many persons with disabilities (PwD) continue to face difficulties in securing employment due to misconceptions, stereotypes and limited workplace accessibility.

“Persons with disabilities are equally capable of contributing when given the opportunity and proper support,” he said, adding that inclusive workplaces help build a more compassionate and understanding society.

“When society opens more doors for persons with disabilities, it not only changes lives, but helps build a more inclusive world for all,” he said. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Malaysia is making a strong push to attract major international conferences and exhibitions at IMEX Frankfurt 2026, one of the world’s largest trade shows for the MICE industry, which kicks off today.

The effort is being led by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. The Malaysian delegation aims to reinforce the country’s position as a premier destination for business events in Asia.

The three-day event, held from May 19 to 21, is a critical platform connecting global destinations with top-tier event planners.

This year’s edition is expected to attract over 3,000 exhibitors and 12,000 industry professionals, including approximately 4,000 “hosted buyers” who represent significant business opportunities from over 150 countries.

“IMEX Frankfurt provides a strategic platform for us to engage directly with the global Business Events community, strengthen existing relationships and explore new opportunities for Malaysia,” said Tan Mei Phing, chief executive officer of MyCEB.

To capture attention, the Malaysia Pavilion will feature appearances by Wira and Manja, the sun bear mascots for the upcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign.

Visit Malaysia Year 2026 sun bear mascots Wira and Manja make an appearance at the Malaysia Pavilion.

Throughout the exhibition, MyCEB will conduct a series of business matching sessions with international buyers to secure future events for Malaysia.

These meetings are designed to showcase the country’s world-class infrastructure, diverse venues, and proven track record in hosting major international gatherings.

MyCEB conducts business matching sessions with international buyers to attract future events to Malaysia.

This also marks MyCEB’s continuous participation in the event since 2011, part of a long-term strategy to boost Malaysia’s visibility and drive sustainable growth in the nation’s lucrative business events industry.

CANNES, May 20 — Film director Abinash Bikram Shah has taken on two of Nepal’s touchiest subjects in “Elephants in the Fog”—the way it treats its trans women and its wild elephants.

It seems an odd combination, but the two come together in his hauntingly beautiful directorial debut at the Cannes Film Festival about the perils of not acknowledging nature—both human and animal.

Shah—the first Nepali to make the festival’s official selection—is no provocateur. So soft spoken you have to lean in to hear him, he used to work for the Nepal Tourism Board, promoting the stunning Himalayan nation.

But as he told AFP before its premiere Wednesday, “Nepal is changing” in very big ways.

Last year the arthritic old order was toppled by a youth revolution, with Gen-Z protesters taking to the streets with the Jolly Roger flag from the manga “One Piece”.

Then in March Nepalis elected 36-year-old rapper Balendra Shah prime minister—the world’s youngest—by a landslide.

Ancient third gender 

Shah—no relation—is proud and excited for his homeland.

Nepal is also one of fewer than two dozen nations that recognise a third gender, and a pioneer on LGBTQ+ rights in Asia.

But Shah said much of that tolerance “is just on paper”. And he wonders how his touching thriller will be received back home.

It centres on the matriarch of a traditional transsexual household in the south of the country where villagers battle nightly to scare off wild elephants from the shrinking forests that surround it.

The Kinnar community, called Hijra or the third sex in India, has ancient cultural and religious roots in the subcontinent, both in Hinduism and Islam.

They sing and dance and their blessings are auspicious for births and weddings or to scare off evil spirits.

Gender realignment is called “emasculation” in Nepal, Shah said, but the Kinnar “have another very beautiful word for it, ‘Nirvana.’”

Many live together in strictly organised Kinnar families, he said, each led by a mother who in turn looks to a Kinnar guru.

Ignoring the haters 

Shah became obsessed by their little-known inner lives as he scrolled TikTok during lockdown.

He was hugely taken by the “joyful videos they posted—singing, dancing, joking”, but also by their collective courage in the face of “so many shocking hate remarks”.

Most Nepalese people “see Kinnar just as having this ability to bless them or as prostitutes,” he said.

So he is delighted that so far the reaction to the trailer for “Elephants in the Fog” has been positive.

“Either something is changed or they don’t realise it’s a trans woman,” he said, as it features the remarkable Kinnar activist Pushpa Thing Lama.

She had never acted but Shah realised he had found someone with a screen presence you can’t teach.

Elephants being squeezed 

“When she is joyful she is so joyful,” the director said, “but when she is quiet she has this calm and silence you can’t take your eyes from.”

Shah said he wanted to show how the Kinnar are at once a central part of Nepalese and Indian culture and at the same time pushed to the fringes.

Most Kinnar “start as a sex workers”, Shah said, “because they are thrown out by their families. Then, when they are frustrated with that life, they join a Kinnar family,” taking a vow of chastity, he said.

Shah spent two years reaching out to the Kinnar community and to villagers in the south of the country where the film is shot, who also play themselves.

As for the elephants, their habitat is being squeezed all over Nepal as forests and jungles are cut down.

“Elephants are very smart, and they move around on ancient routes... like GPS in their brains, so if put up fences they will just go through them,” Shah said.

There is a saying in Nepal, he said: “Run into the river if you see a rhino. Climb a tree if you see a tiger. But for an elephant just pray to God.” — AFP

LONDON, May 20 — Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi and translator Lin King won the International Booker Prize on Tuesday for “Taiwan Travelogue”, a playful postcolonial novel with a culinary bent.

The prestigious award, which was handed out in a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern gallery, recognises works of fiction from around the world that have been translated into English.

“Taiwan Travelogue” is the first book translated from Mandarin Chinese to win the award, and Yang, born in 1984, is the first Taiwanese winner of the prize, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Set in 1930s Japan-controlled Taiwan, the book poses as a translation of a rediscovered Japanese travel memoir penned by fictional writer Aoyama Chizuko.

It traces Chizuko’s travels and gastronomic adventures across the colonial outpost, and the intimate relationship she develops with her Taiwanese interpreter Chizuru.

“This is a book that surprises and isn’t perhaps what it seems like on the surface,” said chair of the judges Natasha Brown.

It “pulls off an incredible double feat: it succeeds as both a romance and an incisive postcolonial novel,” said Brown. “It’s a captivating, slyly sophisticated novel.”

The book beat out a story about a suburban witch by French novelist and playwright Marie Ndiaye as well as Brazilian Ana Paula Maia’s dystopian read about a brutal prison colony.

The other shortlisted works were “The Nights Are Quiet In Tehran” by German writer Shida Bazyar, “She Who Remains” by Bulgarian poet and writer Rene Karabash, and “The Director” by German-Austrian writer Daniel Kehlmann, the only male author on the list.

Organisers say the award gives the authors writing in languages other than English a significant boost in profile and sales.

Previous winners Han Kang, Annie Ernaux and Olga Tokarczuk have gone on to become Nobel laureates.

Also a writer of manga and video game scripts, this was Yang’s first book translated into English, by Taiwanese-American King.

They will share the £50,000 (RM266,000) prize money.

The book was first published in Mandarin in 2020 and won Taiwan’s highest literary honour, the Golden Tripod Award.

“The novel’s central themes of travel and food changed my life in two obvious ways: my savings went down; my weight went up,” Yang said. — AFP