FILE - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger attends an alpine ski men's World Cup downhill race in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. PHOTO: AP
BERLIN (AP) — Arnold Schwarzenegger was stopped for hours by customs at Munich Airport after entering Germany with a luxury watch that was potentially to be auctioned at a charity event.
The former movie star and California governor was stopped for a routine check after arriving Wednesday, customs spokesperson Thomas Meister said. Schwarzenegger was able to leave after about 2½ hours, he said Thursday.
Goods over the value of EUR430 (USD467) that will stay in the European Union have to be declared and, where appropriate, duty paid on them. German daily Bild, which first reported on the incident, reported that the allegedly undeclared watch made by Swiss manufacturer Audemars Piguet was valued at about EUR20,000 (USD21,739) by Schwarzenegger, for whom it was specially produced.
FILE – Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger attends an alpine ski men’s World Cup downhill race in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. PHOTO: AP
The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative said that Schwarzenegger was detained “for travelling with a watch he owns, that he might be auctioning at his charity auction (Thursday) in Kitzbuehel,” in neighbouring Austria.
It added in an emailed statement that Schwarzenegger “cooperated at every step even though it was an incompetent shakedown” and that he agreed to “prepay potential taxes on the watch (remember, it is his personal watch).”
It said that the watch was still likely to be auctioned and the climate initiative “will properly report it, as all of Arnold’s nonprofits do.” Schwarzenegger’s charity auctions raise millions of dollars every year for after-school programs for children across the US and environmental work around the world, it added.
The matter now goes to a customs penalty body in Augsburg, which will evaluate the case.
KOTA KINABALU (Borneo Post) — Sabah’s Penampang district is currently grappling with a mild measles outbreak that commenced last month, as reported by the state Health Department.
A total of 45 cases were recorded during the initial period, with an additional seven cases identified up to the 2nd epidemiology week of the year, bringing the current total to 52.
According to Sabah Health director Datuk Dr Asits Sanna, 65 per cent of the reported cases involve non-citizens, predominantly in the age range of seven to 17 years (46 per cent) and two to six years (23 per cent). Alarmingly, 87per cent of the cases has never received measles immunisation.
The affected cases stem from 27 localities, with the highest incidence reported in Kampung Kobusak, Kampung Tunoh, Community Learning Centre (CLC) Cerdas, Kampung Limbanak, Kampung Lembah Impian, Kampung Tuavon, and Kampung Kolopis.
Most patients initially displayed symptoms in December of the previous year. An outbreak in Kampung Limbanak involved 37 cases, with epidemiological connections to cases reported in other localities.
The majority of cases have recovered, with only one requiring hospitalization and subsequently being discharged.
To curb the measles spread, the state Health Department, through the Penampang health office, is actively conducting comprehensive investigations, including epidemiological, laboratory, and environmental checks. Targeted immunisation activities for children in affected areas are a primary control measure, accompanied by health promotion initiatives to emphasise the importance of immunisation and measles prevention.
Measles, a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the measles virus, is highly contagious and can be transmitted through airborne droplets from the mouth and nose.
Maintaining measles immunisation coverage above 95 per cent is crucial for preventing community infections.
Parents are urged to ensure their children receive complete measles immunization according to the established schedule, with vaccinations in Sabah given at six months, nine months, and one year of age.
Immunisation services for children are available at both government and private health facilities.
KUCHING (Bernama) — The state government plans to construct six minarets at the State Mosque in Kuching, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the minarets, similar to those at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, would be added to the State Mosque, also known as Jamek Mosque, located in the heart of the state’s administrative centre.
File photo of the Kuching State Mosque, also known as Jamek Mosque in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. PHOTO: BERNAMA
“I intend to build six minarets and the cost will be substantial. We hope that the construction of these minarets will uplift the spirit of the Muslim community,” he said during a forum with Sarawak Islamic agencies on Thursday night.
The Sarawak State Mosque, situated in Petra Jaya, Kuching, was first built in 1987 and completed in 1990. The mosque is able to accommodate about 10,000 worshippers at one time.
FILE - Denise Huskins, left, and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn listen as their attorneys speak at a news conference on July 13, 2015, in Vallejo, Calif. THE TIMES-HERALD VIA AP
VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA (AP) — The ordeal of Denise Huskins, whose kidnapping from her boyfriend’s Northern California home was first dismissed as a hoax by law enforcement, is getting renewed attention as the subject of a new Netflix docuseries, “American Nightmare.”
Here’s a look at the facts of the case, which captivated the country:
THE KIDNAPPING
On March 23, 2015, Huskins was kidnapped by a masked intruder who broke into the home in Vallejo, a city in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, told detectives he woke up to a bright light on his face and that intruders had drugged, blindfolded and tied both of them up before forcefully taking Huskins in the middle of the night. Quinn also said the kidnappers were demanding an USD8,500 ransom.
A Vallejo police detective interrogated Quinn for hours, at times suggesting he may have been involved in Huskins’ disappearance. Quinn took a polygraph test which an FBI agent told him he failed, the couple said later in a book about their ordeal.
Huskins, who was 29 at the time, turned up unharmed two days later outside her father’s apartment in Huntington Beach, a city in Southern California, where she said she was dropped off. She reappeared just hours before the ransom was due.
FILE – Denise Huskins, left, and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn listen as their attorneys speak at a news conference on July 13, 2015, in Vallejo, Calif. THE TIMES-HERALD VIA AP
POLICE CALL IT A HOAX
That same day, police in Vallejo announced in a news conference that they had found no evidence of a kidnapping and accused Huskins and Quinn of faking the abduction, which spurred a massive search.
Police said they became suspicious because Quinn waited hours to report the kidnapping. At the news conference, spokesman Kenny Park expressed disgust over the resources supposedly squandered, with 40 detectives assigned to the case, and the fear it caused among the community.
“It was such an incredible story, we initially had a hard time believing it, and upon further investigation, we couldn’t substantiate any of the things he was saying,” Park said.
But Quinn and Huskins were adamant that it wasn’t a hoax and insisted they were the victims. Quinn’s attorney explained the delay in reporting to police by noting that his client had been bound and drugged.
A SUSPECT IS CAUGHT AND CONVICTED
The couple were proven right when Matthew Muller, a disbarred, Harvard-educated attorney, was caught and charged in Huskins’ abduction.
Muller was arrested on June 8, 2015, in South Lake Tahoe for a home-invasion robbery that occurred in Dublin, a city in the Bay Area, and that had similarities to the Vallejo case. Investigators found a laptop that resembled one that belonged to Quinn and had been taken.
A search of a stolen car connected to Muller turned up numerous other items, including a water pistol with a flashlight and laser pointer on it, and a pair of goggles similar to the ones Huskins and Quinn said they were forced to wear during the kidnapping. In the goggles was a strand of long blond hair, the same colour as the victim’s. Detectives also determined that the vehicle’s navigation system history turned up a Huntington Beach address.
Muller pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and is serving a 40-year prison term.
THE AFTERMATH
Huskins and Quinn sued the city of Vallejo and its police department for false imprisonment, defamation, false arrest and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and reached a USD2.5 million settlement in 2018.
During Muller’s trial, prosecutors said he used a drone to spy on the couple before he broke into the home with the fake gun, tied them up and made them drink a sleep-inducing liquid. While they were blindfolded, Muller, who was dressed in a full-body wetsuit, played a recording that made it seem as if there was more than one kidnapper, they said.
Muller put Huskins in his trunk, drove her to his home in South Lake Tahoe and held her there for two days. Investigators said they found videos of Muller arranging cameras in a bedroom and then recording himself twice sexually assaulting his blindfolded victim. The Associated Press typically does not name victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly with their stories, as Huskins has frequently done.
During and after the kidnapping, Muller used an anonymous email account to send messages to a San Francisco reporter claiming that Huskins was abducted by a team of elite criminals practising their tactics.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW
Huskins and Quinn married in September 2018 and have two young children. In 2021 they released their book, “Victim F: From Crime Victims to Suspects to Survivors.”
That same year the city of Vallejo and its police department both apologised to the couple.
“The Huskins Quinn case was not publicly handled with the type of sensitivity a case of this nature should have been handled with, and for that, the City extends an apology to Ms. Huskins and Mr. Quinn,” city officials said in a statement sent to KGO-TV.
Police Chief Shawny Williams, who was not in that post at the time of the kidnapping, called the couple’s ordeal “horrific and evil,” apologised for how they had been treated and promised to ensure that “survivors are given compassionate service with dignity and respect.”
Models wear creations for Issey Miyake as part of the Menswear ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 2024-2025 collection presented in Paris, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. PHOTO: AP
Models wear creations for Issey Miyake as part of the Menswear ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 2024-2025 collection presented in Paris, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. PHOTO: AP
PARIS (AP) — A white, sanitised runway inside Paris’ Palais de Tokyo was adorned with pleated garments on Thursday, displayed like paintings on its walls.
The spectacle hinted at the theme of Issey Miyake’s display — fusing fashion and drawings by French artist Ronan Bouroullec to find a quiet power. The collaboration at Paris Fashion Week made for an unusually poetical collection, and one unafraid of colour.
Here are some highlights of the fall-winter 2024 men’s shows:
MIYAKE’S ART LESSON
Bursting onto the scene with a kaleidoscope of imagination, the Homme Plisse Issey Miyake collection was a journey through texture and colour.
In this season’s offerings, the sparing use of Bouroullec’s vivid drawings on the house’s loose, pared-down iconic pleats created an understated impact. Each garment moved fluidly and with a vibrancy. The garment-canvasses brought an artistic vision into the realm of wearable art, marrying the ethereal drawings with the tangible, moving nature of clothes. In many instances, it felt like a dance of shadow and light, where the pleats seemed to bring the drawings to life, creating an illusion of movement even in stillness.
Among the myriad dreamlike moments in this inspired display were striking moments of colour-blocking. One model held a voluminous vermilion red fabric abstractly in his hand, powerfully contrasting with a green arm and a black tunic. It made for a bold interplay.
Delving deeper into the heart of the collection, Bouroullec reflected on the collaboration, calling it “an extraordinary experience.”
“I discovered many things … about what my work has in common and in contrast with clothing design,” Bouroullec said.
It was not just the synergy, he said, but also the distance between the two disciplines that made this project come to life, redefining the limits of fashion as a form of artistic expression.
A model wears a creation for Issey Miyake as part of the Menswear ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 2024-2025 collection presented in Paris, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. PHOTO: AP
THE ART OF THE INVITATION, THE PARIS FASHION WEEK WAY
The fashion industry’s penchant for extravagant invitations has remained a curious relic in the digital age and an increasingly climate change-conscious world.
Each season, Paris becomes a maze of couriers delivering unique, often handcrafted invitations — a stark contrast to the industry’s growing eco-awareness narratives. Top fashion houses compete crafting invitations that offer a sneak peek into their runway themes.
Kenzo, for Nigo’s show, offered a hardback book, each page adorned with “Kenzo,” and guest details elegantly handwritten on a bookmark. Loewe sent out a two square metre- (21.5 foot-) cloth embellished with striking artwork and a pin holding the show information on a card.
Louis Vuitton, capturing the essence of Pharrell’s Americana-inspired show, chose a more musical theme, delivering invitations in the form of a box containing a metal harmonica.
However, as the industry moves toward more sustainable practices, the art of the invitation is likely to evolve, balancing creative expression with environmental responsibility.
VAN NOTEN’S RUNWAY REBELLION
Dries Van Noten, the master of contradictions, opened his latest show with a striking twist on the classic suit jacket – tailored to drape like a coat yet unexpectedly capped with truncated woollen arms. The piece set the tone for a collection marked by truncation, contrasting textures, and fluid silhouettes. Off-kilter designs manifested in dark, brooding hues as one standout shirt, adorned with preppy buttons, revealed a glossy black leather undergarment beneath. Theatricality was further embraced in ruffled black gloves, complementing the ruched, Shakespearean looseness of a billowing blue top.
The Belgian designer’s collection, infused with his signature blend of historical motifs and modern subcultures, explored the evolving narrative of contemporary masculinity. His knack for juxtaposing structural sharpness with soft fluidity shone in coats that married tailoring with flowing lines, crafted in rich, tactile materials.
Boldness is a Van Noten staple, and this collection was no exception. Vivid splashes of colour punctuated the otherwise subdued palette, while striking patterns added a layer of visual depth. Models traversed the runway, each embodying orchestrated disarray — a testament to Van Noten’s ability to mix seemingly disparate elements into compelling ensembles.
In a fashion landscape often torn between tradition and innovation, Van Noten’s unique path remains clear – challenging norms with reverence to the craft.
A model wears a creation for Issey Miyake as part of the Menswear ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 2024-2025 collection presented in Paris, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. PHOTO: AP
LEMAIRE’S LAYERED LUXURY AND FOLKSY FUSION
In the historic enclave of Le Marais, Lemaire’s show was a symphony of style and cultural storytelling, set in its new headquarters. Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran unveiled a masterclass in layering, blending balletic grace with folk-inspired flair.
On a circular stage, models clad in voluptuously tailored layers sashayed, their every turn echoing intimate connection with the clothes.
The garments themselves spoke volumes — from dark shirts with intricate embroidered collars to sheer overskirts paired with stirrup leggings and block heels, hinting at a blend of Western and Eastern European influences.
Lemaire’s expertise in soft tailoring was evident in every piece. Mannish suit jackets, loose pants with hand-rolled cuffs, and a rich array of outerwear, including aviator shearlings and raincoats, evoked a relaxed sophistication. The colour palette was a cosy embrace of lichen, clotted cream, and burnt-toast browns.
The show’s intimate setting allowed guests a close-up view of the meticulous craftsmanship, from hand-drawn thistle prints to the delicate interplay of ballet and sleepwear elements.
The accessories were a nod to the brand’s folkloric theme, with abstract bolo ties and small silvery bells adorning bags. Lemaire did not just present clothes — they invited the audience into a world where fashion is a narrative woven with cultural threads.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. PHOTO: AP
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. PHOTO: AP
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA (AP) — Turkey’s first astronaut along with a Swede and Italian launched Thursday to the International Space Station on a chartered SpaceX flight.
The Falcon rocket blasted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in late afternoon, carrying the three men, all with military pilot experience and representing their homelands. Their escort on the trip: A retired NASA astronaut who now works for the company that arranged the private flight.
Their capsule should reach the space station on Saturday. They will spend two weeks performing experiments, chatting up schoolchildren and soaking in the views of Earth, before returning home.
It’s costing each of the three countries USD55 million or more. That’s the rough per-person price for the trip, the third such journey organised by the Houston company Axiom Space with NASA and SpaceX. Russia has been welcoming paid visitors to the space station for more than two decades; NASA didn’t until two years ago.
Turkey’s Alper Gezeravci, a former fighter pilot and captain for Turkish Airlines, is the first person from his country to rocket to space. He noted Turkey just celebrated its 100th anniversary, and, until now, the nation’s view of the sky has been limited to “that we could see with our bare eyes.”
“Now this mission is opening that curtain all the way,” he told reporters before the flight. “This is the beginning of our next centennial.”
Also flying: Sweden’s Marcus Wandt, a former fighter pilot and test pilot for Swedish Aeroplane Corp who was chosen in 2022 as a reserve astronaut by the European Space Agency, and Italian Air Force Col Walter Villadei, who flew to the edge of space last summer with Virgin Galactic.
Among the symbolic items they’re taking up: a Nobel Prize medal from Sweden, fusilli pasta from Italy and tokens of Turkey’s nomadic culture.
With them is Michael Lopez-Alegria, who launched four times as a NASA astronaut before joining Axiom Space and escorting its first chartered flight. He’s the only repeat passenger on a SpaceX Dragon, the capsule that’s been used to ferry astronauts to the space station for NASA since 2020.
“Welcome to the Dragon frequent flyer club,” radioed SpaceX Launch Control.
Egypt's Mohamed Salah receives medical treatment during the African Cup of Nations Group B soccer match between Egypt and Ghana in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Thursday, Jan.18, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (AP) — Mohamed Salah had to go off injured toward the end of the first half of Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations game against Ghana on Thursday.
The Liverpool star pulled up shortly before halftime, sat on the field while play continued at the other end, then indicated he couldn’t continue when the team’s medical staff went to treat him. He appeared to hold the back of his left thigh.
Egypt coach Rui Vitória said after the teams’ 2-2 draw in Group B that the extent of the injury was unclear.
“Of course, we are worried and we hope it is not too serious,” Vitória said.
Salah himself did not stop to speak to journalists in the mixed zone after the game, though he smiled and seemed able to walk without difficulty.
Some Ghana fans cheered when Salah, the most high-profile player in the tournament, left the field to be replaced by Mostafa Fathi in the second minute of first-half injury time. He handed the captain’s armband to defender Ahmed Hegazi.
It got worse for Egypt when Mohammed Kudus scored Ghana’s opening goal just a minute later for a 1-0 halftime lead. Egypt ultimately twice came from behind to draw.
The “Pharaohs” have yet to win a game at the Africa Cup. Egypt was second on two points behind group leader Cape Verde. Cape Verde and Mozambique play their second game of the tournament Friday. Only the top two in each group are assured of advancing.
Egypt’s Mohamed Salah receives medical treatment during the African Cup of Nations Group B soccer match between Egypt and Ghana in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Thursday, January 18. PHOTO: AP
Astronaut with glass helmet with smart lens technology
DAVOS, SWITZERLAND (AP) – Artificial intelligence is easily the biggest buzzword for world leaders and corporate bosses diving into big ideas at the World Economic Forum’s glitzy annual meeting in Davos.
Breathtaking advances in generative AI stunned the world last year, and the elite crowd is angling to take advantage of its promise and minimise its risks.
In a sign of ChatGPT maker OpenAI’s skyrocketing profile, CEO Sam Altman made his Davos debut to rock star crowds, with his benefactor, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, hot on his heels.
Illustrating AI’s geopolitical importance like few other technologies before it, the word was on the lips of world leaders from China to France.
It was visible across the Swiss Alpine town and percolated through afterparties. Here’s a look at the buzz:
OPENAI OPENING BIG AT DAVOS
The leadership drama at the AI world’s much-ballyhooed chatbot maker followed Altman and Nadella to the swanky Swiss snows.
Altman’s sudden firing and swift rehiring last year cemented his position as the face of the generative AI revolution but questions about the boardroom bustup and OpenAI’s governance lingered.
He told a Bloomberg interviewer that he’s focused on getting a “great full board in place” and deflected further questions.
At a Davos panel on technology and humanity Thursday, a question about what Altman learned from the upheaval came at the end.
“We had known that our board had gotten too small, and we knew that we didn’t have a level of experience we needed,” Altman said. “But last year was such a wild year for us in so many ways that we sort of just neglected it.”
Altman added that for “every one step we take closer to very powerful AI, everybody’s character gets, like, plus 10 crazy points. It’s a very stressful thing. And it should be because we’re trying to be responsible about very high stakes.”
WORLD LEADERS WANT TO LEAD THE WORLD ON AI
From China to Europe, top officials staked their positions on AI as the world grapples with regulating the rapidly developing technology that has big implications for workplaces, elections and privacy.
The European Union has devised the world’s first comprehensive AI rules ahead of a busy election year, with AI-powered misinformation and disinformation the biggest risk to the global economy as it threatens to erode democracy and polarize society, according to a World Economic Forum report released last week.
Astronaut with glass helmet with smart lens technology
Chinese Premier Li Qiang called AI “a double-edged sword.”
“Human beings must control the machines instead of having the machines control us,” he said in a speech Tuesday.
“AI must be guided in a direction that is conducive to the progress of humanity, so there should be a redline in AI development — a red line that must not be crossed,” Li said, without elaborating.
China, one of the world’s centres of AI development, wants to “step up communication and cooperation with all parties” on improving global AI governance, Li said.
China has released interim regulations for managing generative AI, but the EU broke ground with its AI Act, which won a hard-fought political deal last month and awaits final sign-off.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said AI is “a very significant opportunity, if used in a responsible way.”
She said “the global race is already on” to develop and adopt AI, and touted the 27-nation EU’s efforts, including the AI Act and a program pairing supercomputers with small and midsized businesses to train large AI models.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he’s a “strong believer” in AI and that his country is “an attractive and competitive country” for the industry.
He played up France’s role in helping coordinate regulation on deepfake images and videos created with AI as well as plans to host a follow-up summit on AI safety after an inaugural gathering in Britain in November.
IT’S ALL IN WHAT THE GLITTERATI SEES
The letters “AI” were omnipresent along the Davos Promenade, where consulting firms and tech giants are among the groups that swoop onto the main drag each year, renting out shops and revamping them into showcase pavilions.
Inside the main conference center, a giant digital wall emanated rolling images of AI art and computer-generated conceptions of wildlife and nature like exotic birds or tropical streams.
Davos-goers who wanted to delve more deeply into the technical ins and outs of artificial intelligence could drop in to sessions at the AI House.
THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE
Generative AI systems like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard captivated the world by rapidly spewing out new poems, images and computer code and are expected to have a sweeping impact on life and work.
The technology could help give a boost to the stagnating global economy, said Nadella, whose company is rolling out the technology in its products.
The Microsoft chief said he’s “very optimistic about AI being that general purpose technology that drives economic growth.”
Business leaders predicted AI will help automate mundane work tasks or make it easier for people to do advanced jobs, but they also warned that it would threaten workers who can’t keep up.
A survey of 4,700 CEOs in more than 100 countries by PwC, released at the start of the Davos meetings, said 14 per cent think they’ll have to lay off staff because of the rise of generative AI.
“There isn’t an area, there isn’t an industry that’s not going to be impacted” by AI, said Julie Sweet, CEO of consulting firm Accenture.
For those who can move with the change, AI promises to transform tasks like computer coding and customer relations and streamline business functions like invoicing, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said.
“If you embrace AI, you’re going to make yourself a lot more productive,” he said. “If you do not … you’re going to find that you do not have a job.”
ANN/THE STAR – When Noor Saerah Idris and Adly Hussaini go on a camping trip, fellow campers often find themselves admiring the “showroom quality” of their campsite.
This married couple’s precision, organisational skills, and keen attention to detail create a campsite that sparkles, becoming a source of envy for many.
Perhaps their professional tendencies contribute to this meticulous approach.
Noor Saerah, 48, is the academic quality officer of Universiti Sains Malaysia’s (USM) Academic Quality Centre.
Adly, also 48, is the web administrator of all USM websites. He is also a trained outdoorsman.
During his undergraduate days at USM, he was in the Malaysian Army Reserve Officers Training Unit and made it to the rank of second lieutenant upon graduation.
“I admit to maybe having a mild degree of obsessive-compulsive disorder, while my husband is trained by the military to always be organised and well-planned,” Noor Saerah said with a laugh.
For their 24th wedding anniversary, the couple packed off for the woods in a managed camp ground in Sedim, Kedah, to celebrate by setting up a special riverside campsite that bespoke luxury, tastefulness and romance.
Noor Saerah and Adly. PHOTO: THE STARABOVE & BELOW: A flysheet enough to shield the tent from direct sunlight and the front porch; and a queen-sized airbed in the tent. PHOTO: THE STARPHOTO: THE STAR
She is so orderly that on social media, she established a serial numbering system of her public camping logs, and their wedding anniversary camp was “Camping No.: 26 (Bil. 9/2023)”, meaning it was their 26th camping trip thus far, and the ninth one of last year.
They chose a cabin air tent.
This is a somewhat recent innovation in which the tent’s frame – its poles and beams – are inflated with air.
“It’s so easy. The tent goes up in less than 10 minutes. It comes with a manual pump and you just pump till the gauge needle hits the green bar,” said Noor Saerah.
The tent has an enclosed living space large enough for them to move in their stoves and dining table to cook and eat should a storm arrive.
In the tent bedroom, they chose a queen-sized airbed.
“When we first started camping, we used self-inflating foam mattresses. It turned out that when deflated, these were so bulky that when we travelled, they took up a lot of space in our car.
“After reviewing other options, we discovered that a queen-sized airbed was more comfortable and when deflated, it packs into a small bundle.
“It has a built-in battery-powered air pump and you can choose how firm or soft you want your airbed to be,” Noor Saerah said.
For a touch of sophistication, their tent is an unrelieved black, and Noor Saerah said contrary to popular belief, the colour does not attract mosquitoes.
“Mosquitoes in camp grounds come out in the twilight, around 7.30pm to 8.30pm. During that time, always zip up your tent entrances and windows. After that time, mosquitoes in the woodlands usually disappear,” she asserted.
But she concedes that the colour black does result in a warmer tent.
“We must pitch our tent under the foliage of trees, and always remembering to study the trees for dead branches above that might fall.
“The other important thing is a large flysheet. Ours is so large that our tent is fully shielded from direct sunlight and it even creates a covered porch at the tent’s front. When you do that, your tent will be cool enough for you to even take an afternoon nap,” she said.
Hanging beside their tent’s entrance is a rolled up, collapsible umbrella, just in case the sky opens up while they are in the tent and they need rain cover when stepping out to get something.
“My husband added the feature. He prefers to be ready for anything at camp and is in charge of the gear. I just handle the cooking,” she smiled.
For their 3D2N wedding anniversary camp, Noor Saerah only needed a large storage box and a good quality 25-litre ice box to bring everything she needed to whip up the meals.
And to add a touch of glam to celebrate 24 years of a blissful marriage, she brought along artificial potted plants, fancy cloth napkins, brass plates and bowls, serving trays, scented candles and exquisite cutlery.
This let them enjoy their camp meals in a fine dining ambience and the menu included fettuccine in alfredo sauce served with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and baby spinach, roasted sesame and mixed herbs grilled chicken, spicy Korean fried chicken, quattro cheese spicy ramen, fried frozen popiah, sweet potato balls and more.
And they brought along their moka pot for a steady flow of rich, creamy coffee.
While at camp, Adly studied the river and realised the weather had been dry for days; the river’s level was low, the crystal clear flow exposed a sandy patch underwater with a row of rocks at just the right height to sit on in the river.
“Suddenly, he wanted to move our camp table onto the river! So I sat on the rocks with flowing water up to my hips while cooking, and it was the most relaxing and cooling camp cooking experience I ever had!” Noor Saerah said.
She confessed that she never had an iota of interest in camping, though she knew her husband loved the outdoors.
During the movement control order (MCO) of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said her husband developed a deep yearning to go camping and pleaded with her to have a family camping trip when the MCO was over.
“So I said Okay. But I didn’t want any normal camping trip. I want something tasteful, delightful and comfortable,” she said.
Their first-ever tent was a teepee, like the native Americans used.
Their first, exploratory trip was to the Batu Ferringhi beach with their daughter, 19, and their son, 17, in September, 2021, and it was only a day-trip-cum-picnic, but with their brand new teepee.
It was a success, and the family’s backwoods skills plus their ensemble of gear have grown substantially now.
“Aim for at least a 3D2N camping trip. On your second full day there, you will really relax and fall in love with nature. Join camping groups and ask many questions,” Noor Saerah advised. – Arnold Loh
Genesis Systems co-founders Shannon Stuckenberg and David Stuckenberg pose with a WaterCube device during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, United States. PHOTO: AFP
LAS VEGAS (AFP) – Tech aimed at battling climate change and even pumping fresh water out of thin air attracted crowds as the annual CES gadget extravaganza showed its green side.
With calls to fight climate change escalating, technology firms are finding ways to help, according to organisers of the Consumer Electronics Show, which wraps up in Las Vegas today.
Genesis Systems was on the show floor with a first of its kind WaterCube – about the size of a central air conditioning unit – that pumps water from the air so effectively it could supply all the water needed by a home.
“Our first mission is to sustainably solve global water scarcity,” said David Stuckenberg, who founded Genesis with his wife, Shannon.
“Once you have this plugged into your house… you can turn yourself off (from) the city water.”
In places where wells and aquifers have dried up, WaterCube can extract water from the air using its unique process, he explained.
Genesis Systems co-founders Shannon Stuckenberg and David Stuckenberg pose with a WaterCube device during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, United States. PHOTO: AFP
The decision to become a “water entrepreneur” sprang from hearing farmers complain of wells running dry and from serving in the United States military in the Middle East as nations there sought new sources of precious water, according to Stuckenberg.
“One of the challenges that we’re facing in terms of making humanity sustainable is the stuff we need for life,” he told AFP.
“Next to air, water is the most important thing.”
Trillions of tonnes of untapped water are in the air, and one of the effects of a warming planet is more water vapor in the atmosphere, Stuckenberg said.
Water in the air is quickly replenished, creating “an infinite water source” that WaterCube taps into at scale, he explained.
“We’re democratising the water supply,” Stuckenberg said.
His Florida-based company is also looking to incorporate carbon-capturing features into WaterCube, since a step in that process already includes drying out the air stream, he said.
Small companies like MolluScan from France were at CES with their own innovative approaches to protecting the environment.
MolluScan wires sea mussels or clams with sensors to detect pollution in waterways or oceans, sharing findings with companies or regulatory authorities – saving the time and expense of water sampling.
“You are pushing industries to improve the environment,” MolluScan co-founder Ludovic Quinault told AFP.
The mollusk-based pollution detectors, known as molluSCAN-eye, have been deployed at the North Pole, Tahiti and elsewhere, according to Quinault.
Companies at CES also touted increased use of recycled or sustainable materials products and power-saving features along with more efficient batteries and solar power generation systems.
French auto equipment supplier Forvia explained how it uses hemp, wood, pineapple and other organic material in its designs.
Meanwhile, Britain-based Matter – whose backers include Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Ashton Kutcher – debuted filtration technology to catch the harmful flood of miniscule plastic fibers typically released in wastewater from washing machines.
Ambient Photonics, whose early investors included Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, demonstrated a solar cell capable of charging from indoor lighting, eliminating the need for batteries in devices.
“Connected electronics require ongoing power, which too often derives from disposable or rechargeable batteries,” said Photonics chief executive Bates Marshall.
South Korean conglomerate SK Group devoted its exhibit to playfully showcasing how environmentally friendly technologies could bring about a happier future.
Visitors could ride on a train capable of being powered by hydrogen or go for a “magic carpet ride” in a clean energy vehicle guided by artificial intelligence.
