BEIJING (ANN/CHINA DAILY) – Within the context of the bloc’s scientific and technological innovation cooperation, scientists and researchers from BRICS nations are collaboratively employing state-of-the-art technologies like artificial intelligence and high-performance computing to tackle worldwide challenges.

In early July, the seventh meeting of the BRICS working group on information, communication and technologies, and high-performance computing was held at East China Normal University in Shanghai.

According to a news release from the university, more than 30 representatives from China, Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa attended the meeting, including computer science experts and officials from science, technology and education authorities.

It said that the conference of the working group – an important think tank in the field of scientific and technological innovation for BRICS countries – was the most important academic meeting in the field of computer science to be held before the 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa, which opens in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

The main responsibilities of the working group are to provide recommendations for flagship and general projects in the field of information and communication technology and high-performance computing for cooperation among the BRICS countries, and to provide key topics for scientific and technological cooperation for the BRICS Ministerial Meeting and the BRICS Summit.

During the two-day meeting, the working group reached a basic consensus on the candidate topics for the flagship projects of innovation cooperation among the BRICS countries, according to the news release.

AI for education has been included as a new candidate topic, which will focus on using generative AI technologies in large-scale personalized learning.

There are another three candidate topics awaiting approval, which are digital twin platform, digital health and digital Earth.

Zhou Aimin, the executive chief of the working group meeting and dean of the School of Computer Science and Technology at East China Normal University, told the source that those topics mainly refer to the use of AI technologies to address problems in various fields.

For example, digital health is mainly targeted at developing digital technology infrastructures for promoting medicine, precision medicine and clinical applications, according to Zhou.

“It is quite important for scientists from these five major developing countries to discuss these relevant topics,” he said. “We can work together to find solutions to the challenges we all face while sharing research results in our respective fields.

“For example, in the field of digital Earth, China has achieved relatively good results,” said the expert. “So China can share its experiences and research results with other BRICS countries.”

The meeting of the BRICS working group on information, communication and technologies, and high-performance computing will be held yearly, with the next meeting scheduled to be held in Russia in 2024.

ANN/THE STAR – The Malaysian embassy in Iraq will re-open after 20 years, Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said.

Zambry said the Cabinet’s decision was communicated to the Iraqi government during his first official visit to the nation from August 23 to 25.

Malaysia closed the embassy following riots in Baghdad at the time.

The historic visit, the first formal ministerial visit to Iraq since 2002, also resulted in the acceptance of Iraqi Airways’ intentions to resume regular flights to Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The two nations also agreed to explore more areas of collaboration in numerous sectors, including the economy, education, aviation linkages, and tourism.

Zambry said his visit was at the invitation of his counterpart, Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations Affairs and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Fuad Hussein.

He said the visit has opened a new chapter in the ties between the two countries.

“I also expressed Malaysia’s willingness to explore all routes and the opportunities available to increase the amount of trade and investment, including increasing exports of furniture, pharmaceutical products, electrical and electronic products and commodities to Iraq.

“In the field of investment, the Iraqi government has welcomed the presence of companies from Malaysia to implement infrastructure projects for the reconstruction of Iraq.

“I also discussed the operational status of Petronas in Iraq as well as wider opportunities in the energy sector that can be explored by Petronas,” Zambry said in a statement yesterday.

Zambry also met Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani and Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi.

He said other matters achieved were the agreement to encourage an exchange of high-level visits between the two countries and the implementation of the Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) between Malaysia and Iraq delayed since 2005.

Zambry said Malaysia has conveyed its willingness to participate in construction projects and airport management, road system and water resource management.

The two countries have also agreed to increase cooperation in the field of education through exchange of teaching staff, researchers and students in various fields.

ANN/THE NATION – The controversial policy was one of the pledges made by the Pheu Thai Party in Thailand to voters in the run-up to general election on May 14.

The handout, however, has been heavily criticised. Many opponents pointed to the potential harm it may do to Thailand’s monetary and fiscal discipline.

Among the detractors are current and previous governors of the Bank of Thailand.

Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin vowed yesterday that the policy will be executed “fully” since it is “an important issue and a major measure” that would aid Pheu Thai in its efforts to revive the Thai economy.

“People related to the policy will meet tomorrow or Tuesday to discuss relevant information and prepare a timeline. I hope (the policy) will be implemented in the first quarter of next year,” the new premier said.

As for recent public opinion surveys indicating that Pheu Thai’s popularity has plummeted because it formed a coalition with parties from the previous government, Srettha said his party will prove itself through its performance.

“We are working relentlessly, but I have to admit we cannot control people’s expectations,” he said. “I believe all 11 coalition parties are aware of people’s demands and understand problems. We know that the country needs to move forward by leaving conflicts behind,” Srettha said, referring to the long-lasting political divide that was sparked in the early 2000s.

Pheu Thai deputy secretary-general Paopoom Rojanasakul said that the THB10,000 handout policy could be implemented within the first half of next year.

“Before Songkran in April 2024, more than 50 million Thais aged 16 and above would be able to spend THB10,000 through the (digital wallet) system. Over THB560 billion will be distributed to all areas throughout Thailand,” he said.

ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES – A Singaporean woman deceived her Indonesian domestic aid by saying she intended to send her home to Surabaya for a fictitious 10-day vacation before cancelling her maid’s work visa.

Singaporean food stall owner Hong Xuanyu travelled to Batam with Islahatul Alif on April 28, 2018, and abandoned her on the Indonesian island. The island is between 1,300 kilometres (km) and 1,400km away from Surabaya in Java, another island.

When Islahatul realised she was trapped in Batam city unable to contact her loved ones because her cell phone battery had died, she felt upset.

She borrowed a taxi driver’s mobile phone and called her employment agent in Singapore, who arranged for her to stay with a friend of the agent’s colleague in Batam before returning to Singapore.

Hong, 51, was fined SGD13,000 on Friday after she pleaded guilty to two charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act – failing to repatriate Islahatul to her home town and employing the maid as a food stall assistant even though she did not have a valid pass to work as one.

Ministry of Manpower prosecuting officer Teo Sijing told the court: “(Hong) failed in her duty as an employer to accord basic human dignity to her migrant domestic worker… and had treated her like chattel to be discarded when keeping her was more trouble than it was worth.”

Islahatul started working for Hong in February 2018. Hong broke the law by making the helper work at her fish soup stall at Jurong Point shopping mall almost every day for about three weeks.

Hong got angry with Islahatul at around 7.30am on April 28, 2018, when the helper failed to prepare breakfast.

At around noon, Hong told the maid that she would be sending her home to Surabaya for a purported 10-day holiday, and the journey there would be made via Batam.

The prosecutor said, “Islahatul initially rejected this offer of a holiday, as she feared that the accused would replace her if she went home.

“However, the accused convinced Islahatul that she was not intending to replace her, and insisted on sending Islahatul home. Islahatul reluctantly agreed.”

ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES – Two teenagers were among 130 alleged drug offenders held in Singapore during a blitz with substances having an estimated market value of SGD453,800 confiscated.

The operation from August 14 to Friday, encompassed districts including Kallang, Marine Parade, Pasir Ris, and Woodlands, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said yesterday.

A 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old guy were the youngest suspects apprehended.

The CNB recovered 1.318 kilogrammes (kg) of heroin, 2.535kg of cannabis, 486 grammes (g) of Ice (methamphetamine), 188g of ketamine, 62g of Ecstasy and 311 Ecstasy pills, and 306g of novel psychoactive substances (NPS).

It also seized 213 Erimin-5 tablets, 51 LSD stamps, 11 vaping devices containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), three bottles of methadone, six bottles of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), and cash amounting to SGD1,503.

A person found guilty of trafficking more than 15g of pure heroin, or 250g of methamphetamine, or 500g of cannabis may face the mandatory death penalty.

On August 14, CNB officers arrested eight people in a residential unit in Woodlands Street 81 following a forced entry.

The arrested included two teenagers aged 15 and 17, and others between the ages of 37 and 59.

The teenagers had climbed onto the ledge from the bedroom window of the unit on the second floor to evade arrest.

CNB said its officers persuaded them to return to safety.

The other suspects put up a violent struggle during the arrest and had to be subdued by officers, said CNB.

Officers found about one g of Ice, an Ecstasy tablet and various drug paraphernalia. About seven g of Ice and drug paraphernalia were also seized.

ANN/THE STAR – I love my mum’s fuss-free egg curry recipe. It was a go-to dish whenever we wanted a break from meat-based curries, or when we went vegetarian for a change.

When I got married, I was fortunate enough to savour my mother-in-law’s rendition of egg curry, which highlighted the fact that most Indian households have their own delightful take on the recipe.

This particular recipe combines elements from both my mum and mother-in-law’s styles, using omelettes in place of the traditional hard-boiled eggs.

The omelettes soak up the flavourful gravy, and gives the curry a thicker consistency.

For the curry powder, any meat curry powder works just fine.

On cheat days, my husband and I have this with KFC original-flavour chicken. Sinfully good!

INGREDIENTS

– Five eggs – make into two plain omelettes and tear them into large piece

– One large onion – chopped

– One thumb-size ginger

– Five cloves of garlic – pound together

– One medium-size tomato – crush to a pulp by hand

– Two tbsp meat curry powder

– One tbsp chilli powder

– Two cups water

– One chicken cube (optional)

– Half-a-cup coconut milk (optional)

– Salt and sugar to taste

– One tbsp coconut oil

– Two stalks curry leaves

– Fresh coriander leaves – roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS

Pound the ginger and garlic together.

In a deep pan, sauté the ginger-garlic paste in hot oil, then add the onions and fry until translucent. Add all the curry and chilli powders, lower the heat and continue to stir to remove the raw taste of the spices.

Add one or two tablespoons of water to prevent the mixture from burning.

When the mixture starts darkening and smells fragrant and no longer raw (use your senses to figure this out), add water, increase the heat and let it come to a boil. Pour in the tomato pulp. Add the coconut milk, if you want. Alternatively, add more water and boil for five minutes. Season to taste.

Then, add the omelette pieces and let it boil for a short while so that the curry thickens slightly. Crush the curry leaves with your hand and add it to the curry. Turn off the heat and add the roughly chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

If you want to freeze the curry, remove the eggs first. Frozen omelette does not defrost well. – Janitha Sukumaran