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Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Hear Me Out: Situationship or anti-relationship?
The many stages of modern-day romances for Gen Zers can complicate matters of the heart. PHOTO: PIXABAY SINGAPORE – I am 19, still single, and I'm beginning to wonder if relationships are overrated. A few years ago, I was befuddled by a friend's definition of modern-day romance. Check out the Headstart chatbot for answers to your questions on careers and work trends.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Man jailed 20 years in Malaysia for causing death of pregnant wife during violent sex
The victim was a medical officer who was six months' pregnant when she died. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY Man jailed 20 years in Malaysia for causing death of pregnant wife during violent sex KOTA KINABALU - A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by Sabah's Sandakan High Court on June 26 for causing the death of his pregnant wife during violent sexual intercourse. The court found Mohd Rusdi Mohd Nor, who is unemployed, guilty of unintentionally causing the death of Dr Azma Ab Rajab, a medical officer who was then six months' pregnant, on Nov 9, 2022, at their condominium on Jalan Utara. Justice Celestina Stuel Galid ruled that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, which covers causing death without intent to murder. In delivering the sentence, she acknowledged that the act was not premeditated and that there was no prior history of domestic violence. However, she stressed the severity of the consequences, which included the death of both the wife and their unborn child. During mitigation, the defence argued that Rusdi was remorseful, had cooperated fully with police, and that the incident happened spontaneously without intent to kill. The court heard that there were no signs of strangulation, but injuries were found around the victim's nose, mouth and neck. Deputy Public Prosecutor Risal Abd Fikkah highlighted that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to smothering, and the victim had likely struggled to survive. He also noted that Dr Azma, a dedicated emergency doctor at Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan, who had spent her life saving others, tragically died at the hands of her own husband. The prosecution called 23 witnesses during the trial, while the defence called two, including the accused and a forensic consultant. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Viruses related to deadly human diseases found in Chinese bats
The discovery of 20 previously unknown viruses might be a cause for concern. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY Scientists have discovered 20 previously unknown viruses in bats from China's Yunnan province, including two closely related to the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses, raising fresh concerns about the risk of animal pathogens infecting people. The viruses related to Nipah and Hendra came from fruit bats caught near orchards close to villages, places where people and farm animals are more likely to come into contact with wildlife. The findings, published on June 24 in the journal PLOS Pathogens, underscore how much remains unknown about the microbes carried by bats – animals that serve as natural hosts for some of the world's most dangerous pathogens. Scientists have long warned that climate change, farming expansion, and urbanisation are bringing animals and people into closer contact, increasing the likelihood of new viruses emerging and sparking outbreaks, as seen with Sars , Ebola, and Covid-19. 'This study highlights that we know very little about the viruses that infect bats and those that exist in our world more generally,' said Dr Tim Mahony, director of the Centre for Animal Science at Australia's University of Queensland, who was not part of the study. The research involved scientists from China and the University of Sydney, who examined the kidneys of 142 bats collected over four years in Yunnan. They identified 22 viruses in total, 20 of which had not been previously recorded. Among them were two henipaviruses closely related to Nipah and Hendra, which can cause fatal brain inflammation and respiratory illness in people, with mortality rates as high as 75 per cent . The team also reported two new bacterial species and one previously unknown parasite. While most studies of bat viruses focus on faeces , the researchers looked at kidney tissue, which plays a role in virus shedding through urine – a lesser-studied but potentially important route of transmission. The two new henipaviruses were found in fruit bats living near agricultural areas, where urine from bats may contaminate fruit that is eaten by people or livestock. The findings 'underscore critical zoonotic threats', the study authors wrote, adding that the potential for such viruses to infect humans or farm animals needs urgent attention. Despite the potential implications, one of the study's corresponding authors declined to speak in detail, telling Bloomberg by e-mail that 'the topic is quite sensitive' due to how politically charged it has become. Experts say the discovery is scientifically significant, though it is still too early to know how dangerous the new viruses might be. 'This discovery basically further confirms the diversity of bat viruses in general and henipaviruses in particular,' said Professor Linfa Wang at the Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases at Duke-NUS Medical School. 'My overall assessment is that we need to watch closely, but not be overly concerned at the present time.' BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
E.coli can turn plastic into painkillers, chemists discover
The British team of researchers behind the new study sought to find a solution to the two problems by roping in a third -- which is normally known for making people sick when they eat contaminated food. PHOTO: PIXABAY Scientists have found a way to use the bacteria to convert plastic waste into a popular painkiller, a study said Monday, though outside experts doubted the technique would make a dent in the fight against plastic pollution. Paracetamol, which is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide, is made from the derivatives of fossil fuels, often by Asia-based subcontractors using cheap, polluting methods that contribute to climate change. The world is also facing an escalating crisis of plastic pollution, with countries set for another bruising round of negotiations in August in the hope of sealing an international treaty to reduce plastic waste. The British team of researchers behind the new study sought to find a solution to the two problems by roping in a third -- which is normally known for making people sick when they eat contaminated food. First the chemists used a molecule derived from PET plastic, which is used in bottles and many other plastic products the world over, to spark a chemical reaction in a strain of This created a molecule they called PABA, according to the Nature Chemistry study, which was partly funded by drug firm AstraZeneca. By genetically modifying the bacteria, the chemists were able to transform their molecule into acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol. "This work demonstrates that PET plastic isn't just waste or a material destined to become more plastic -- it can be transformed by microorganisms into valuable new products, including those with potential for treating disease," lead study Stephen Wallace said in a statement. Singaporean researchers not involved in the study praised how it combined synthetic and biological chemistry. But "several practical considerations remain" to take this idea beyond the proof-of-concept stage, they wrote in a linked commentary in the journal Nature Chemistry. The chemical reaction produces only a limited amount of PABA molecules, which "may be insufficient for industrial applications", they wrote. Melissa Valliant, communications director of the Beyond Plastics project of Bennington College in the United States, expressed scepticism. "A new 'plastic-eating bacteria' pops up in the news every few months and has been doing so for years," she told AFP. "These discoveries never scale up to anything significant enough to tackle the massive plastic pollution problem." This "crisis needs to be stopped at the source," she added, which means "companies and policymakers must reduce the amount of plastic being produced and used in the first place".
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
E. coli can turn plastic into painkillers, chemists discover
The British team of researchers behind the new study sought to find a solution to the two problems by roping in a third -- which is normally known for making people sick when they eat contaminated food. PHOTO: PIXABAY Scientists have found a way to use the bacteria to convert plastic waste into a popular painkiller, a study said Monday, though outside experts doubted the technique would make a dent in the fight against plastic pollution. Paracetamol, which is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide, is made from the derivatives of fossil fuels, often by Asia-based subcontractors using cheap, polluting methods that contribute to climate change. The world is also facing an escalating crisis of plastic pollution, with countries set for another bruising round of negotiations in August in the hope of sealing an international treaty to reduce plastic waste. The British team of researchers behind the new study sought to find a solution to the two problems by roping in a third -- which is normally known for making people sick when they eat contaminated food. First the chemists used a molecule derived from PET plastic, which is used in bottles and many other plastic products the world over, to spark a chemical reaction in a strain of This created a molecule they called PABA, according to the Nature Chemistry study, which was partly funded by drug firm AstraZeneca. By genetically modifying the bacteria, the chemists were able to transform their molecule into acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol. "This work demonstrates that PET plastic isn't just waste or a material destined to become more plastic -- it can be transformed by microorganisms into valuable new products, including those with potential for treating disease," lead study Stephen Wallace said in a statement. Singaporean researchers not involved in the study praised how it combined synthetic and biological chemistry. But "several practical considerations remain" to take this idea beyond the proof-of-concept stage, they wrote in a linked commentary in the journal Nature Chemistry. The chemical reaction produces only a limited amount of PABA molecules, which "may be insufficient for industrial applications", they wrote. Melissa Valliant, communications director of the Beyond Plastics project of Bennington College in the United States, expressed scepticism. "A new 'plastic-eating bacteria' pops up in the news every few months and has been doing so for years," she told AFP. "These discoveries never scale up to anything significant enough to tackle the massive plastic pollution problem." This "crisis needs to be stopped at the source," she added, which means "companies and policymakers must reduce the amount of plastic being produced and used in the first place".
