Development of hybrid prized melons in Malaysia inspires new generation of young farmers - CNA

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES FROM WEATHER TO FUNDING

These sweet melons are grown in greenhouses on four cycles each year. They thrive in hot weather, and are ready to be harvested in 65 days.
 
In general, hotter weather leads to larger fruits, as the melons suck up more water and nutrients from the ground. 
 
However, farmers said that the unpredictable weather these days poses a constant headache for them.
 
To improve farm operations, technologies such as artificial intelligence are being adopted. They also help to gather useful data to future-proof the industry.
 
The huge potential of Terengganu melons has inspired two female postgraduates - Mazaitul Akma Suhaimi and Norzilawati Fauzi, who both majored in food and biotechnology - to venture into the business.
 
Ms Mazaitul is the founder of Ayana Agrotech, which currently sells about 70 per cent of their produce in and around the capital Kuala Lumpur. 
 
The company hopes to export to the Middle East, as well as Hong Kong and neighbouring Singapore next year. 
 
“The biggest challenge is the fund to start. It’s quite hard if you are new. Fertigation is quite costly,” said Ms Mazaitul, referring to the technique of supplying dissolved fertiliser to crops through an irrigation system. 
 
“We can sell the melons at a good price. It has excellent quality in terms of taste and texture. We must do proper marketing to introduce it to the whole of Malaysia,” she added.

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2024-06-07 04:31:16Z
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Malaysia hopes its Nangchem hybrid premium fruit will prove a juicy hit with China - CNA

According to researchers, jackfruits – also known as nangka in Malaysia and Indonesia – as well as cempedak belong to the same family as breadfruits.

They are some of the most environmentally sustainable species that exist in the wild, and together, they form an important gene bank that can help combat climate change.

“Just one good tree can provide so much fruit, so it's (an) affordable and nutritious food source,” said Ms Maria Wang, sustainability consultant from the Smithsonian Institution, a museum, education, and research complex in the United States.

This spells good news for food security and the environment as well, she added.

“They take in carbon. And they also need less water and fertiliser than annual crops like rice, wheat and corn, and you can eat the seeds,” she said.

Ms Wang noted that like cempedak and jackfruit, Nangchem is perishable and must be consumed within days. 

Developing the technology to export fresh Nangchem is key to exporting the funky-looking fruits worldwide, she added.

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2024-06-07 01:48:00Z
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'Small enhancement measure': Chinese officials respond after waterfall in Henan province found to use piped water - CNA

On Tuesday (Jun 4), Yuntai Mountain Park’s management posted a light-hearted statement on its official Weibo page, explaining that the natural water flow depended on the season. 

Most parts of China generally have four distinct seasons: Spring is from March to May, summer is from June to August, autumn is from September to November, and winter is from December to February.

Addressing netizens directly, the statement read: “Dear friends, hello! I didn’t expect to meet and talk to everyone under such circumstances. I’m Yuntai Falls, one of the many natural water landscapes in the Yuntai Mountain scenic area.” 

“Due to seasonal factors, I cannot ensure that I will be able to meet everyone in my most beautiful appearance when people visit.”

Standing at 314 metres tall, the waterfall - located in China’s Henan province - is the highest waterfall in Asia, news website Shanghai Daily reported. 

In order to ensure that visitors do not leave disappointed, the park management said that during dry seasons, a “small enhancement measure” was made. 

The statement also said that it would soon be the “abundant water period” this summer, and the waterfall will meet visitors in its “most perfect and natural form”. 

The statement, which garnered more than 7,300 likes on Weibo, saw many positive comments from Chinese internet users. 

“This is the level of public relations (that I’m expecting), (they) turned their response into advertising,” one comment with 846 likes read. 

Another commenter wrote: “Isn’t it great that you get to see the great waterfall even during the dry season.”, referring to the use of water pipes to supply water to the falls. 

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2024-06-06 09:46:30Z
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Hong Kong seeks to ban all e-cigarettes - CNA

Under existing laws, anyone in Hong Kong who imports e-cigarettes can be punished by up to seven years in jail and a fine of HK$2 million (US$256,000), while sellers and manufacturers can be jailed for up to six months.

"A blanket ban on alternative smoking products has become a consensus in society ... It is time to ban all forms of possession of alternative smoking products, including for personal use," said Deputy Secretary for Health Eddie Lee.

City officials also announced other smoking curbs on Thursday, including a ban on smoking while queueing in outdoor public areas and sharing cigarettes with minors.

The government also proposed banning flavoured tobacco, which officials said survey results showed particularly appealed to women and young people.

Lo said he hoped the e-cigarette ban and other proposals would be introduced to the legislature this year.

The World Health Organization reported last year that 34 countries have banned the sale of e-cigarettes, while 87 have full or partial regulation.

Hong Kong authorities hope to reduce the smoking prevalence rate to 7.8 per cent by next year, down from 9.1 per cent in 2023.

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2024-06-06 08:09:00Z
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What does Modi’s weakened mandate mean for India’s rivalry with China? - CNA

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2024-06-06 03:18:45Z
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Putin threatens to arm countries that could hit Western targets - CNA

SAINT Petersburg: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (Jun 5) criticised the West's delivery of long-range weapons to Ukraine, arguing Moscow could arm other countries with similar weapons to attack Western targets.

The comment - which Putin made at a rare press conference with foreign news outlets - came after several Western countries including the United States gave Ukraine the green light to strike targets inside Russia, a move Moscow has called a grave miscalculation.

"If someone thinks it is possible to supply such weapons to a warzone to attack our territory and create problems for us, why don't we have the right to supply weapons of the same class to regions of the world where there will be strikes on sensitive facilities of those (Western) countries," Putin said.

"That is, the response can be asymmetric. We will think about it," he told reporters.

"Delivering arms to a warzone is always bad. Even more so if those who are delivering are not just delivering weapons but also controlling them. This is a very serious and very dangerous step," Putin said.

The Russian leader singled out Germany, saying that when the first German-supplied tanks "appeared on Ukrainian soil, it provoked a moral and ethical shock in Russia" because of the legacy of World War II.

Referring to German authorities, he said: "When they say that there will be more missiles which will hit targets on Russian territory, this definitively destroys Russian-German relations."

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2024-06-05 21:04:00Z
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India's Modi set for tougher ride after close election win - CNA

BJP supporters on the streets of New Delhi pointed out their party had secured the most seats and toasted that win.

"We are so happy about the results," said 36-year-old office worker Archana Sharma.

She said she was "looking forward to supporting Modi and BJP" in the future, too.

Govind Singh, 38, an optometrist, said "having a strong opposition is necessary" but added that it was better to have a government with a parliamentary majority.

"Having a full mandate is essential for any country," he said.

The BJP secured 240 seats in parliament, well down on the 303 from five years ago and 32 seats short of a majority.

The main opposition Congress party won 99 seats in a remarkable turnaround, almost doubling its 2019 tally of 52.

"The country has said to Narendra Modi 'We don't want you'," opposition leader Rahul Gandhi told reporters after the results were released, saying people had given "the right response".

Two key parties, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal United (JDU), with a total of 28 seats have said they back Modi's alliance.

Commentators and exit polls had projected an overwhelming victory for Modi, who critics have accused of leading the jailing of opposition figures and trampling on the rights of India's 200-million-plus Muslim community.

In a personal sting, Modi was re-elected to his constituency representing the Hindu holy city of Varanasi with a far lower margin of 152,300 votes. That compared with nearly half a million votes five years ago.

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2024-06-05 05:18:00Z
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