A 99-million-year-old skull recently discovered in amber might actually belong to a lizard, rather than a tiny bird-like dinosaur as first thought
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PUTRAJAYA: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) foiled two attempts to smuggle ketamine and ketum leaves, worth RM6.19 million, at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s Free Trade Zone on March 15 and 16.
Central Zone Customs assistant director-general Datuk Zulkurnain Mohamed Yusuf said the first case on March 15 involved 54.36 kg of ketamine valued at RM2.45 million, while in the second case on March 16, 747.73kg of ketum leaves worth RM3.74 million were discovered.
He said on March 15, at 3 am, KLIA Central Zone Enforcement Unit III officers carried out inspection on 28 polystyrene boxes, declared as frozen seafood bound for Hong Kong.
Upon inspection, 190 lumps wrapped with black plastic, which contained white powder, were found hidden in catfish (patin) belly.
“The substance, believed to be ketamine, were hidden in such a way to deceive the authority, with Hong Kong International Airport as their final destination,” he said in a statement here, today.
Zulkurnain said a 60-year old local man was detained and the case is investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Meanwhile on March 16, at 2.35pm, the team went through 39 boxes, declared as ‘Mitragyna Speciose Leaf Powder’ from Indonesia, where they found transparent packets filled with green leaves believed to be ketum.
Following the discovery, a local was arrested and the case was investigated under Section 135 (1) (a) of the Customs Act 1967. – Bernama
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Dear colleagues and friends,
World TB Day, this year, comes at a sobering time – as the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. We stand in solidarity with those affected, those at the frontlines of the fight to combat COVID-19, as well as those who continue efforts to support
those ill with longstanding health problems like TB, HIV and other diseases. However, we cannot forget the millions and their families who battle TB every day and lose their lives to this ancient disease – which remains the world’s top
infectious killer.
As eloquently emphasized by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his press briefing on COVID-19 yesterday, “I’d like to remind everyone that although COVID-19 is dominating the world’s attention-there is another respiratory
disease that is both preventable and treatable, but kills 1.5 million people every year – that disease is tuberculosis”
“It’s Time”, the focus for World TB Day this year is therefore on urgently accelerating the TB response to save lives and end suffering, even in times of crisis. This will be essential if we are to reach the targets and commitments made
by Heads of State at the 2018 UN High Level Meeting on TB.
We have made important strides against the TB epidemic to date.
We announced last year, that more people received life-saving treatment for tuberculosis in 2018 than ever before, largely due to improved detection and diagnosis. Globally, 7 million people were diagnosed and treated for TB – up from 6.4 million in 2017
– enabling the world to meet one of the milestones towards the United Nations political declaration targets on TB and the WHO Director-General Flagship Initiative Find.Treat.All End TB jointly with Stop TB Partnership and the Global Fund. This
has been a big win for the TB community.
WHO is working with countries to roll out important guidelines, including a comprehensive package on TB preventive treatment released today, and updated MDR TB guidelines to promote the use of all-oral regimens for patients with drug-resistant TB which
would be helpful – particularly at this point, when visiting health centers is a challenge. Furthermore, WHO has developed a note to guide and urge countries to ensure continuity of TB services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are strengthening our collaboration with civil society – more information is highlighted in the WHO Civil Society Taskforce Progress Review released today.
Youth mobilization is being ramped up through the WHO 1+1 Youth Initiative to end TB and the Global Youth Declaration to End TB. Multisectoral accountability is being promoted in countries through our framework and we have finalized a new global strategy
on TB research and innovation, that will be reviewed by the World Health Assembly.
Yet, the gains we have made are at risk – if there is any slackening of commitment and action, especially in times of crisis.
We are at a crossroads and we need to unite forces to take the path of success that will save lives and end suffering.
I was especially heartened today, to see the TB community coming together like never before. We all took our events to the virtual realm due to COVID-19 lockdowns. The WHO Online Talk Show held this afternoon, had a powerful line up of speakers that included,
TB survivors and advocates, civil society, high level government representatives, heads of agencies, researchers and partners. As of this evening we have surpassed 10,000 views on YouTube. I also participated in townhalls organized by Stop TB Partnership.
Our joint efforts have indeed ensured a continuing spotlight on those affected by TB, and clearly shows that no matter what the barrier, we can surpass it if we work together.
I am proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you all virtually – and recommit to champion End TB efforts till we reach the finish line.
It’s time to deliver on our promises and ensure no one is left behind.
It’s time to End TB!
Dr Tereza Kasaeva
Director
Global TB Programme
World Health Organization
In the backdrop of the global battle against COVID-19, WHO organized a special online talk show to mark World TB Day 2020. The talk show had a powerful line up of speakers from among TB survivors and advocates, civil society, high-level government representatives,
heads of agencies, researchers and partners. The video was streamed live on WHO’s Youtube channel crossing over 10,000 views in a few hours. Watch the talk show video
New WHO recommendations to prevent tuberculosis aim to save millions of lives
24 March 2020 News release
Geneva – New World Health Organization (WHO) guidance will help countries accelerate efforts to stop people with tuberculosis (TB) infection becoming sick with TB by giving them preventive treatment. A quarter of the world‘s population
is estimated to be infected with TB bacteria. These people are neither sick nor contagious. However, they are at greater risk of developing TB disease, especially those with weakened immunity. Offering them TB preventive treatment will not only protect
them from becoming sick but also cut down on the risk of transmission in the community. Read more
The full package is available below and at our World TB Day Campaign Page
The WHO Civil Society Taskforce provides a platform for meaningful engagement of civil society, building on the commitment of the Director-General, with emphasis on harnessing the untapped potential in engagement with civil society and affected communities
al all levels. To mark World TB Day 2020, the Task Force has released a Progress Review highlighting key achievements since its formation in 2018.
Access link here
WHO Global TB Programme / McMaster University
The WHO Global Tuberculosis (TB) Programme, in collaboration with McMaster University, Canada, is developing a smart platform to improve access to and use of all WHO recommendations on TB prevention and care. The WHO eTB guidelines platform will facilitate
the adoption, adaptation and implementation (“adolopment”) by countries of recommendations across the continuum of care. This digital platform will provide a variety of users – TB programme managers, healthcare workers including
nurses, researchers, patients and affected communities – with easy access to all essential information about WHO-s current policy guidance on TB.
The first set of recommendations on TB preventive treatment were released on this new platform on World TB Day.
24 March 2020 News release
Geneva – As the world comes together to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to ensure that essential health services and operations are continued to protect the lives of people with TB and other diseases or health conditions. Health services,
including national programmes to combat TB, need to be actively engaged in ensuring an effective and rapid response to COVID-19 while ensuring that TB services are maintained. Read more
Ksenia Schenina
Ksenia Schenina
24 March 2020 Photo story
On World TB Day 2020, the theme – “Its time” – stresses the urgency to end the TB epidemic. TB survivor and advocate, Ksenia Schenina, talks about her struggle with the disease, the persistence of stigma and the role that remembrance can play
in fighting it. Through her TB memorial project, she aims to remember those who passed away from this terrible and ancient disease. “We do it to show what kind of people they were – what kind of things they liked, what kind of music
they listened to and what their favorite movies were; if they liked fishing or dreamt of a flight to space,” she says. Read more
To end TB, we must invest in research and innovation
24 March 2020 Commentary
If the world is to get anywhere near ending TB, a disease that killed more than 1.5 million people in 2018, something significant needs to change.
TB remains the world’s leading infectious killer and yet, in the last 50 years, only three new drugs and regimes have been developed to combat the disease. “What we need is more research and more tools in the pipeline; better diagnostics,
more effective vaccines, and safer, shorter drug regimes,” explains Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of the World Health Organization Global Tuberculosis Programme. Read more
Maria Emily C. Ballesteros
Watch this story of Emily, a nurse managing the tuberculosis (TB) program of the City Health Office in Tuguegarao City. Her dream for Tuguegarao is to one day see zero TB cases and that no one dies from this infectious disease. Nurses and healthcare workers
play a critical role in TB prevention and care. It’s time to invest in them to improve healthcare for all. We thank all the nurses, midwives and healthcare workers working to #EndTB! Watch the video
New research tool supports scale-up of digital technologies to End TB
24 March 2020 TDR news item
National anti-tuberculosis efforts are increasingly involving digital technologies, such as mobile applications to support treatment adherence and electronic surveillance systems that enable real-time monitoring of a country’s TB situation. Read more
World TB Day 2020: It’s Time for solidarity
24 March 2020 HIV/TB news item
At this unique time in history when the world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes stands in solidarity with governments and communities as they seek to maintain health services
and continue to address the needs of patients suffering from HIV and tuberculosis (TB). Read more
New, shorter treatment to prevent TB to be rolled out in five high TB burden countries
24 March 2020 news item
Three-month regimen expected to prevent TB in those at highest risk of developing the disease, including people living with HIV and children under the age of five
Today, the Aurum Institute and its partners, as part of the IMPAACT4TB project, announced that five high-burden TB countries will roll out a new, shorter drug regimen (known as 3HP) to prevent TB. The announcement comes as countries around the world mark World TB Day, which takes place every year on March 24th. Countries that will initially provide the new regimen with funding from Unitaid, U.S. PEPFAR and the Global Fund include Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe. More than 120,000 patient courses of 3HP will be delivered by the project to 12 countries in 2020. An additional 1 million patient courses are expected to reach low- and middle-income countries by the end of the year, through the combined support of Unitaid, Global Fund, the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility (GDF) and PEPFAR. Read more
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KUANTAN: The Pahang state government today announced five additional initiatives totalling RM4.25 million to help those affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said through the additional initiatives, a cash assistance of RM100 and essential items worth RM50 would be handed over to 21,000 recipients in all 42 Pahang state assembly constituencies.
“The assistance involves an allocation of RM3.15 million and we will work with penghulu and village headmen to identify the eligible recipients.
“A total allocation of RM596,250 has also been set side to provide RM100 cash aid and essential items worth RM50 to 3,975 recipients from the Orang Asli community,” he said in a statement, here today.
Wan Rosdy said a sum of RM304,500 had also been approved for the distribution of 500 rice packets to the needy in all state assembly constituencies.
Besides that he said the state government had also approved a RM75,000 allocation to give out RM50 worth of essential items to 1,500 hardcore poor in the state.
Wan Rosdy also announced a RM132,400 allocation to provide RM300 cash assistance to 80 penghulu and RM200 each to the Village Community Management Council chairmen.
“I hope the assistance provided by the state government will complement the Federal Government’s efforts to help ease the burden of the people throughout the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO),” he said.
On March 23, the state government announced eight Covid-19 initiatives worth RM14.99 million.
The MCO which should have ended tomorrow has been extended to April 14. – Bernama
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KUALA LUMPUR: Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin (pix) today announced that Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) personnel will receive RM200 per month throughout the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
She said the incentive was an appreciation of their roles and services as front liners as the country sought to combat the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.
“In recognition of the roles of JBPM personnel as front liners, the government through the ministry will provide RM200 per month throughout the MCO period,” she said in a public service announcement which was broadcast on all television stations today.
She said the incentive was part of her ministry’s initiatives implemented under the RM250 billion people-centric economic stimulus package (Prihatin) announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday.
The Prihatin package covers all walks of life and also focuses on the B40 group, including those living in low-cost flats across the country, small traders and factory workers.
Zuraida said several other initiatives implemented by her ministry under the Prihatin package include the six months rental payment exemption for the People’s Housing Projects (PPRs) under the ministry’s management, involving 3,636 units of housing and costing the government RM3 million.
“There is also a six-month deferment of monthly repayment from April to September for the Rent to Own (RTO) of PPR units under the ministry’s management involving a total of RM5.7 million and 4,649 units of houses,” she said.
Zuraida, who is also Ampang MP, said to ease the burden of borrowers, all pawn brokers registered under the ministry were directed to extend the redemption period without charging interest during the MCO period. – Bernama
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PUTRAJAYA: The government will need more than RM50 million to bring back Malaysians from the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) if the two countries implemented travel restrictions, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (pix) today.
Therefore, he said those who are still in both countries and wish to come back should fly home now while commercial flights are still available as well as to avoid unnecessary complications later.
“Don’t wait until there is a lockdown in these two countries, and then come running to the government and Wisma Putra to ask for help bringing them back,” he told reporters after witnessing the handover of medical equipment from the Chinese government to Malaysia here today.
Hishammuddin outlined two issues that the government had to face in addressing the Malaysians stranded overseas problem.
“First, the lockdown in the host country. That can only be resolved (through) G-to-G (Government-to-Government (effort), and that can only happen if Wisma Putra has strong bilateral ties with these countries,” he said.
“Second problem (is), even if we have the landing rights and we have the agreement from the (foreign) governments to allow our planes to come in, we need an allocation to charter planes and the amount is not small,“ he added.
Hishammuddin further added that in the case of bringing back Malaysians from the US, Wisma Putra estimated some RM50 million was needed to fund the initiative.
“That RM50 million could be spent on buying equipment, medication for Malaysians in need. So please understand, Malaysians who are overseas, that (the issue) is not just about allocation.
“Come home now if you want to come home, don’t come home after the lockdown is implemented as the numbers (of Malaysians) in the US, especially, is huge,“ he said.
It was reported that US recorded over 100,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases as of yesterday. — Bernama
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SHAH ALAM: Gardenia Bakeries (KL) Sdn. Bhd has increased its production to 2.2 million loaves of bread a day through its five factories operating 24 hours a day.
Its senior general manager Desmond Tan said the production was a five per cent increase in total production before the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
“This supply is able to meet 60% of the demand for bread from all over Peninsular Malaysia, other bread brands have also been in high demand since the Movement Control Order was implemented,“ he said after welcoming Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), Datuk Rosol Wahid who visited the factory here today.
He said despite the increase in bread production, it has always complied with standards set including aspects of cleanliness, delivery and date of expiry.
In the meantime, Rosol has agreed that retailers carry out their own limited bakery purchases according to the needs of their localities so as to look after the welfare of others. — Bernama
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We’re lowering costs for more than 1 million current index fund investors and giving new investors one more reason to choose Vanguard.
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PUTRAJAYA: Residents of housing projects under the Johor Port Authority (LPJ) and Perbadanan Aset Keretapi (PAK) will enjoy a six-month waiver on rent, beginning next month.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pix) said the initiatives of the two bodies would benefit 2,343 tenants.
“A total of 143 tenants of LPJ will benefit from this initiative, involving RM370,425 in rentals, while under PAK, the waiver will involve 2,200 unit of houses that will cost the corporation RM15 million in rentals,” he said in a statement.
Wee said the initiative would help ease the burden of the B40 and M40 families.
He said the initiatives were to complement the people-centric economic stimulus package (PRIHATIN), announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today. — Bernama
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KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 426 fraud cases with regard to the sale of face masks have been reported nationwide during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period until yesterday, with losses amounting to RM3 million.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department deputy director Datuk Saiful Azly Kamaruddin said 30 individuals, including 10 local women, have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in selling fake face masks on social media.
He said all the cases were being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for fraud and police were now tracking the remaining members of the syndicate, adding that of the 30 arrested, 19 have been charged unti yesterday.
He said all the deals were made via WhatsApp and the syndicate would also provide tracking numbers to deceive the buyers, but once payment had been made the suspects would disappear and their social media access blocked.
Saiful Azly said police constantly reminded the public through various social media alerts like on WhatsApp, Facebook Cyber Crime Alert, ‘crawlers’ on major television channels and in cooperation with the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission to raise awareness about the sale of masks.
He also advised the public to refer to the ‘Semakmule’ portal and the online status of sellers via http://biztrust.ssm.com.my before purchasing to avoid being victims of fraud.
He also reminded the public not to allow anyone to access their personal banking facilities and not to be hasty in making purchases.
The public can contact the CCID Infoline at 013-2111222 for more information, he said.
Meanwhile, Saiful Azly said that so far police have not received any report with regard to the fraudulent sale of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and recycled masks a viralled on social media. — Bernama
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