FILE - Colombian singer Maluma performs on the Auditorium Stravinski stage during the 57th Montreux Jazz Festival (MJF), in Montreux, Switzerland, on July 11, 2023. On Friday, Maluma will release his latest album, “Don Juan.” (Valentin Flauraud/Keystone via AP, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) – On New Year’s Eve 2022, Colombian superstar Maluma bid farewell to his musical alter ego Papi Juancho, created during the coronavirus pandemic. “Fue un placer,” he wrote on Instagram. “It was a pleasure.” Then he teased a new era: Don Juan, coming 2023.
The wait is over. On Friday, Maluma will release his highly anticipated album, “Don Juan.”
The choice of title is both a clever reference to the infamous 17th century literary Lothario and a reference to Maluma’s birth name, Juan Luis Londoño Arias.
It’s a rich place to pull from, and that matches the listening experience: “Don Juan” may very well be Maluma’s most dynamic album to date, a collection of familiar sounds and new collaborations spanning different genres — a more expansive listen than 2020’s “Papi Juancho,” and just as enjoyable.
A file photo of Colombian singer Maluma performing at the Auditorium Stravinski stage during the 57th Montreux Jazz Festival (MJF), in Montreux, Switzerland, on July 11. PHOTO: AP
“‘Don Juan’ is a part of me,” Maluma, 29, said. “Of course, ‘Don Juan’ is a character that I’ve been building for the last two years… for this whole new music era.”
Maluma was a composer on the album, which he describes as “very personal” — a reflection of his musical roots, like reggaeton, the sounds from his earliest records — and “more mature.”
The singer has long-considered himself a genre-eclecticist, pulling from various styles of music across Latin America and beyond. On the pop-norteño track “Según Quién,” he teams up with música mexicana hero Carin León — directly reflective of the mainstream success regional Mexican music acts like Peso Pluma, Eslabon Armado, and Grupo Frontera are currently experiencing.
Before the pandemic, Maluma says, he sensed that corridos and banda music were going to enter the global music market. So, he called up songwriter Édgar Barrera in 2018 and said: “I need different instrumentals because I want to start writing Mexican songs, like, regional music. He said, ‘Why? Let’s keep doing reggaeton,’ and I was like, ‘You’ll see!'”
Then the sound was everywhere.
“I’m so glad that it happened because we really needed it in the industry,” he smiles. “That Mexican sauce, we were missing it in the global view of Latin music.”
In many ways, “Don Juan” mirrors Maluma’s take on global Latin music — he tackles salsa on “La Fórmula,” with Marc Anthony in one moment, and reggaeton and house music on “Diablo, Qué Chimba,” a collaboration with Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AA.
The latter is particularly noteworthy because the pair appeared to have a short-lived rivalry a few years back when Anuel AA sang, “Nunca flow Maluma, siempre Real G,” on the 2019 Bryant Myers’ “Gan-Ga” remix. Translated to English, it implies that Anuel AA has “real flow,” and not “Maluma flow” — a dig at the singer’s accessible, glossy style. Bad Bunny even tweeted the lyric.
“He’s a good human being,” Maluma says of Anuel AA. “And I never expected that, to be honest. The first time I met him, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this douchebag.'”
But once they started talking about music and realized they had more in common, he realized Anuel “has a big heart, come on!”
“That’s how the collaboration started,” he added. “He’s an interesting character that we have in Latin music, and he really can’t stop what he’s doing because we need that kind of characters in our industry.”
And between Papi Juancho and his new Don Juan persona, Maluma knows something about characters.
President of Spain's soccer federation, Luis Rubiales, left, stands next to Spain Head Coach Jorge Vilda after their World Cup victory at La Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. Moments after Spain won the Women's World Cup, the man who leads the country's national soccer federation took some unwanted attention away from the celebrating players. Criticism from the Spanish government and the soccer world rained down Monday on Luis Rubiales for his inappropriate conduct while reveling in Spain's 1-0 win over England in Sunday's final in Sydney, Australia. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
BARCELONA (AP) – Spain’s acting prime minister said it was “unacceptable” that the Spanish football federation president kissed a player on the lips without her consent, as pressure builds on Luis Rubiales to resign for tarnishing the team’s Women’s World Cup championship.
Pedro Sánchez praised the team during an audience at the presidential palace on Tuesday and later joined the growing criticism of Rubiales.
“What we saw is unacceptable,” Sánchez said. “And the apologies offered by Mr Rubiales are not sufficient, I would call them inappropriate, so he must continue taking further steps to clarify what we all saw.”
Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stands with Spain’s Women’s World Cup football team after their World Cup victory, at La Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, August 22. PHOTO: AP
Late Tuesday, the Spanish football federation announced it will hold an emergency meeting of its general assembly on Friday. It is unclear if Rubiales can maintain the backing of the leaders of Spain’s regional football organisations.
The federation said it was opening an internal probe “regarding the incidents during the awards ceremony Women’s World Cup.”
Gender equality and women’s rights have been cornerstones of Sánchez’s leftist government. But Spain’s Women’s World Cup success has been marred by the forced kiss Rubiales gave to player Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony following Spain’s 1-0 victory on Sunday in the final against England in Sydney, Australia.
After claiming that those who criticized his kiss were “idiots and stupid people,” Rubiales was forced to apologise on Monday.
Rubiales accompanied the team and staff to the meeting with Sánchez, who greeted him with a handshake.
The forced kiss caused an immediate outcry both inside Spain and abroad. Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz said Rubiales “has harassed and assaulted” a woman and called for his resignation.
The country’s equality minister said it was an act of “sexual assault.” Under a new sexual violence law, the unsolicited kiss, during which Rubiales grabbed Hermoso’s face before giving her a kiss on the mouth, could potentially be pursued as a crime.
Immediately after Spain’s victory, Rubiales had also grabbed his crotch in a victory gesture. That occurred with 16-year-old Princess Infanta Sofía and Queen Letizia of Spain standing nearby.
President of Spain’s football federation, Luis Rubiales, left, stands next to Spain Head Coach Jorge Vilda after their World Cup victory at La Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, August 22. PHOTO: AP
The country’s leading opposition party has joined in denouncing Rubiales’ behaviour, leaving him without any support from major public or political figures.
Asked if Rubiales should go, Sánchez said that it was not his call to make because the Spanish football federation is not controlled by the government. But Sánchez did say Rubiales “has yet to be clear and compelling in his apologies.”
Spain’s players union, which Rubiales used to head, issued a statement on Tuesday calling for Spain’s Higher Council for Sports, which oversees Spanish sports, to act against Rubiales if he does not step down. The union cited Spain’s sports law that sanctions acts that “damage the dignity” of someone or “creates an atmosphere of intimidation” based on unwanted conduct related to gender or race.
“The incident regarding Jenni Hermoso is especially grave since she finds herself in a situation of vulnerability before a person in a position of power,” the union said. “A once-in-a-lifetime celebration for the Spanish players has been overshadowed by the improper behaviour of the federation president.”
Spain’s Higher Council for Sports told The Associated Press that on Tuesday it received a formal complaint against Rubiales filed by the president of Spain’s national school for football coaches, Miguel Galan. It said it was studying the complaint.
Sumar, a left-wing political party led by Díaz, also said it had filed an official complaint with Spain’s Higher Council for Sports.
During the celebrations on Monday in the capital, Hermoso avoided commenting on the incident.
“We’re world champions, aren’t we?” she said. “Right now I think it’s too much.”
Players and staff landed late Monday in Madrid after a 20-plus hour flight from Sydney. They were greeted by thousands in a celebration that lasted until past midnight.
Sánchez said the team members will be awarded Spain’s golden medal of sports achievement.
Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks next to Spain’s Women’s World Cup football team after their World Cup victory, at La Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, August 22. PHOTO: AP
“You have achieved something very important. The girls who watch you see football as a place where they can develop athletically and personally, “Sánchez said while posing for a group photo with the football team in Madrid. “The 21st century will be the century of women on all fronts, and the century of effective equality between men and women.”
The 45-year-old Rubiales is a former player who led the world players’ union’s Spanish affiliate for eight years before being elected to lead the national football federation in 2018. Since then, he has revamped the Spanish Super Cup, taking it to Saudi Arabia for millions of dollars, in a move criticised by human rights groups. Last year, Spain’s state prosecutors’ office announced it was opening a probe into the contracts behind the Super Cup move.
Rubiales is now promoting a joint bid by Spain, Portugal and Morocco to host the men’s World Cup in 2030. The bid could potentially include Ukraine as well. Neither FIFA nor UEFA have commented on his conduct at the final.
Rubiales is up for re-election next year. The president of the football federation is chosen by representatives of clubs, players, coaches, referees and regional federation heads.
The Spain squad was in near-mutiny last year because of some players’ complaints about the culture under coach Jorge Vilda, demanding better coaching and preparation to get more out of the team.
Rubiales backed Vilda and only three of the 15 players who complained were included on the World Cup team. The federation did take some steps toward improving the conditions of the players, which included a financial package to allow them to bring family members to the World Cup and permission for players with children to spend time with them.
Ground crew work near an Air Koryo commercial plane on the tarmac at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. A North Korean commercial flight has landed in Beijing amid signs that Pyongyang is opening borders again after almost three years of COVID-19 restrictions. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
BEIJING (AP) – A North Korean commercial flight has taken off from Beijing in a sign that Pyongyang is opening its borders again after almost three years of severe COVID-19 restrictions.
The Russian-made Air Koryo Tupolev Tu-204 jet with capacity for 210 passengers reportedly landed in the Chinese capital Tuesday morning and was filmed taking off shortly after 1.30pm local time.
China has “approved the regular flight plan of North Korean Air Koryo Pyongyang-Beijing-Pyongyang and other passenger routes in accordance with the procedures,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.
Ground crew work near an Air Koryo commercial plane on the tarmac at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, August 22. PHOTO: AP
“The specific flight is subject to the arrangement of the airline in accordance with the approval of the Chinese competent authority,” Wang said.
China is North Korea’s closest diplomatic ally and a key source of food and fuel aid for an economy beset by natural disasters and mismanagement.
Little is known about conditions inside the country due to the ruling Workers Party’s complete control over information and its exclusion of most foreign diplomats, United Nations organizations and overseas media.
The flight follows a meeting between US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea, who agreed Friday to expand security and economic ties at a historic summit at Camp David just outside Washington.
Biden maintained, as have US, South Korean and Japanese officials, that the summit “was not about China” but was focused on broader security issues.
Yet, the leaders in their joint summit concluding statement noted China’s “dangerous and aggressive” action in the South China Sea and said they “strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the waters of the Indo-Pacific.”
Biden said the nations would establish a communications hotline to discuss responses to threats. He announced the agreements, including what the leaders termed the “Camp David Principles,” at the close of his talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Yoon noted in particular the threat posed by North Korea, saying the three leaders had agreed to improve “our joint response capabilities to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, which have become sophisticated more than ever.”
Isolated diplomatically and highly food insecure, North Korea has persevered in its campaign of missile and nuclear threats that seek to glorify the regime of Kim Jong Un, the third generation of the family-run totalitarian state.
An Air Koryo commercial plane takes off from the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, August 22. PHOTO: AP
Kazutaka Yonekura, chief executive of Tokyo startup Alt Inc., demonstrates his digital clone on a personal computer at his office in Tokyo, Aug. 17, 2023. His company is developing a digital double, an animated image that looks and talks just like its owner. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama)
TOKYO (AP) – Kazutaka Yonekura dreams of a world where everyone will have their very own digital “clone” — an online avatar that could take on some of our work and daily tasks, such as appearing in Zoom meetings in our place.
Yonekura, chief executive of Tokyo startup Alt Inc., believes it could make our lives easier and more efficient.
His company is developing a digital double, an animated image that looks and talks just like its owner. The digital clone can be used, for example, by a recruiter to carry out preliminary job interviews, or by a physician to screen patients ahead of checkups.
“This liberates you from all the routine (tasks) that you must do tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and the day after that,” he told The Associated Press as he showed off his double — a thumbnail video image of Yonekura on the computer screen, with a synthesized version of his voice.
Kazutaka Yonekura, chief executive of Tokyo startup Alt Inc., demonstrates his digital clone on a personal computer at his office in Tokyo, August 17. PHOTO: AP
When his digital clone is asked “What kind of music do you like,” it pauses for several seconds, then goes into a long-winded explanation about Yonekura’s fondness for energetic rhythmical music such as hip-hop or rock ‘n’ roll.
A bit mechanical perhaps — but any social gaffes have been programmed out.
Yonekura, 46, argues that the technology is more personal than Siri, ChatGPT or Google AI. Most importantly, it belongs to you and not the technology company that created it, he said.
For now, having a digital double is expensive. Each Alt clone costs about JPY20 million so it will likely take some time before there’s a clone for everyone.
In creating a digital double, information about a person is skimmed off social media sites and publicly available records in a massive data collection effort, and stored in the software. The data is constantly updated, keeping in synch with the owner’s changing habits and tastes.
Yonekura believes a digital clone could pave the way for a society where people can focus on being creative and waste less time on tedious interactions.
For many Japanese — the nation that gave the world Pokemon, karaoke, Hello Kitty and emojis — the digital clone is as friendly as an animation character.
But Yonekura acknowledges cultures are different and that Westerners may not like the idea of a digital clone as much.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked: Why does it have to be a personal clone, and not just a digital agent?” he said, a hint of exasperation in his voice.
Yonekura’s company has drawn mostly domestic investments of more than JPY6 billion, including venture capital funds run by major Japanese banks, while also building collaborative relationships with academia, including the University of Southern California and the University of Tokyo.
But large-scale production of digital doubles is a long way off — for now, the company offers more affordable voice recognition software and virtual assistant technology.
Matt Alt, who co-founded AltJapan Co., a company that produces English-language versions of popular Japanese video games and who has written books about Japan, including “Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World,” says the digital clone idea makes more sense culturally in Japan.
Ninjas, the famous feudal Japanese undercover warriors, were known for “bunshin-jutsu” techniques of creating the illusion of a double or a helper in battle to confuse the opponent. The bunshin-jutsu idea has been adopted and is common in modern-day Japanese video games and manga comic books and graphic novels.
“Who wouldn’t want a helping hand from someone who understood them intimately?” Alt said but added that in the West, the idea of an existing double is “more frightening.”
“There is the ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers,’ for instance, or even the brooms that multiply like a virus in Disney’s ‘Fantasia’,” he said.
Yu Tamura, chief executive and founder of Incs toenter Co. speaks with The Associated Press at his Tokyo office, on August 10. PHOTO: AP
INCS toenter Co., another Tokyo-based startup, has been successful as a production company of computerized music for animation, manga, films, virtual realities and games that uses so-called Vocaloid artists. The synthesized singers or musical acts known as Vocaloid are often paired up with anime- or manga- style characters.
Like Yonekura’s digital clone, Vocaloids are an example of Japanese technology that uses computer software to duplicate human traits or likeness.
Among INCS toenter’s hits is “Melt,” created on a single desktop in 2007 and performed by a group called Supercell, which has been played 23 million times on YouTube.
A more recent hit is “Kawaikute gomen,” which means “Sorry for being so cute,” by HoneyWorks, a vocaloid unit. Another is Eve, who performs the theme song of megahit animation series “Jujutsu Kaisen,” and has 4.6 million subscribers on his YouTube channel.
Some wonder whether digital clones or Vocaloids could become popular outside Japan. Digital assistant and voice software, as well as computerized music exist in the West, but they are not clones or Vocaloids.
Yu Tamura, chief executive and founder of INCS toenter, says he is encouraged by the increasing global popularity of Japanese animation and manga but that one thing to watch out for is the “Galapagos syndrome.”
The term, referring to the isolated Pacific islands where animals evolved in unique ways, is widely used in Japan to describe how some Japanese products, while successful at home, fail to translate abroad.
Overseas consumers could see it as quirky or too cutesy, except for Japanophiles, Tamura said.
Photo of a young pregnant woman holds her hands on her swollen belly. PHOTO: FREEPIK
Gestational diabetes affects about one in five women, and it has risen globally in recent years
SINGAPORE (CNA) – Pregnancy typically marks an exhilarating phase in a woman’s journey. However, for a woman named Debby (pseudonym) at the age of 34, it evolved into a significantly stressful period due to gestational diabetes – a condition where diabetes occurs during pregnancy.
Debby, a mother of two who welcomed her children in August 2020 and April 2023 respectively, both delivered at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), was faced with the challenge of gestational diabetes in both instances.
Notably, the impact was more pronounced during her second pregnancy. The diagnosis arrived a little over two months into her pregnancy, compelling her to adhere to strict diet aimed at regulating her blood glucose levels.
“Even a slice of wholemeal bread would cause my blood sugar to spike. I controlled my diet very strictly and mostly ate vegetables and protein during the day but I was constantly hungry.
“Sometimes, I would wake up around midnight feeling dizzy. At that point, I wouldn’t be able to control my appetite and would sometimes eat unhealthy meals such as bread with sugar or instant noodles,” she confessed.
This cycle was only broken after the fifth or sixth month of her pregnancy when she was prescribed insulin. This kept Debby’s blood sugar under control, and she found herself able to eat healthy filling meals again.
Photo of a young pregnant woman holds her hands on her swollen belly. PHOTO: FREEPIK
DIABETES IN PREGNANCY AFFECTS ONE IN FIVE WOMEN
Gestational diabetes is fairly common. It affects about one in five women, noted Professor Tan Kok Hian, head of the Perinatal Audit and Epidemiology Unit at KKH.
It has risen both in Singapore and globally in recent years due to the increasing average age of childbearing, as well as an increased incidence of pre-existing diabetes and obesity in pregnancy, he said.
Why does diabetes happen during pregnancy? Associate Professor Chan Shiao-Yng, from the maternal fetal medicine division of the National University Hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology department, explained that when a woman gets pregnant, hormonal changes take place in her body that help the foetus to grow and develop healthily.
However, these hormonal changes also make her body more resistant to insulin and cause blood glucose to rise.
Normally, the body produces more insulin to compensate for it. But in cases where the body cannot make enough insulin to keep blood glucose under control during pregnancy, gestational diabetes is likely to occur.
While it is not clear why some women get gestational diabetes and others do not, both genetic vulnerabilities and environmental factors are known to contribute to it, Assoc Prof Chan noted.
According to Prof Tan, these factors include:
Being over the age of 35
Being overweight before pregnancy
Having pre-diabetes or a family history of diabetes
Having high blood pressure
Having a previous pregnancy which led to an unexplained miscarriage or stillbirth
Previously giving birth to a baby who weighed over four kilogrammes (kg).
THE DANGER OF UNCONTROLLED GESTATIONAL DIABETES
Gestational diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure in pregnant women, as well as preeclampsia (a serious blood pressure condition that occurs during pregnancy) and eclampsia (seizures that occur in pregnant women with preeclampsia).
It also increases the risk of urinary tract infection, premature delivery, gestational diabetes in future pregnancies, and the development of type 2 diabetes in the future for the mother, said Prof Tan.
Uncontrolled gestational diabetes can also be dangerous for the unborn baby. It may lead to excessive birth weight of over four kg, which may make vaginal delivery dangerous and make a caesarean section necessary.
Other complications include foetal abnormalities to developing organ systems such as the musculoskeletal and central nervous system, sudden foetal death, newborn respiratory distress syndrome (where the baby’s lungs are not fully developed and cannot provide enough oxygen), hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar in the baby), jaundice after birth, and stillbirth in rare cases, Prof Tan noted.
“In the long term, the offspring (of women with poorly managed gestational diabetes) are at an increased risk of developing obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
“This is because exposure to the less healthy environment within their mother’s womb has ‘programmed’ their tissues to be more vulnerable to challenges such as fast food and the lack of exercise they will face later in life,” Assoc Prof Chan added.
GESTATIONAL DIABETES SCREENING DURING PREGNANCY
There’s another cause for concern: “Virtually all women with gestational diabetes are entirely asymptomatic,” Assoc Prof Chan pointed out.
This is why screening for the disease is vital.
Screening is usually done via a glucose tolerance test where pregnant women are given a sweet drink, and blood samples are taken before and after the drink for testing. The test measures your body’s response to a large amount of sugar.
At KKH, this screening is routinely done between 24- and 28-weeks’ gestation, or even earlier if the expectant mother falls in the high-risk group.
In Debby’s case, because she had gestational diabetes during her first pregnancy, she was tested earlier when she got pregnant the second time – at around two to three months, she said.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES GO A LONG WAY
The majority of pregnant women are able to manage gestational diabetes through modifying their lifestyle, said Prof Tan. This includes both dietary changes and regular exercise such as a 30-minute walk after meals.
As a rule of thumb, Kellie Kong, a dietitian at KKH, recommends avoiding sugar, and sweet foods and beverages, as well as fried and oily food.
When consuming carbohydrate-containing food, she recommends choosing wholegrains, pulses (the dried seed of the legume plant, such as chickpeas), fresh fruits and non-starchy vegetables as these foods are higher in fibre and help to delay the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, she said.
Close up of pregnant woman with vegetable salad. PHOTO: FREEPIK
Instead of having three large meals, women with gestational diabetes should try to have small frequent meals such as three meals and three snacks throughout the day.
They should also eat the same amount of carbohydrate-containing foods or snacks at each meal for better blood sugar regulation, Kong added. For instance, if you usually eat half a bowl of brown rice for dinner, try not to double the amount or skip carbohydrates sporadically.
There is no one-size-fits-all diet. Every woman is different and their gestational diabetes diet would be individualised as well. Even if you’ve had gestational diabetes in previous pregnancies, your body may react differently.
WAYS TO MANAGE GESTATIONAL DIABETES
If you have gestational diabetes, your doctor will likely recommend that you monitor your blood sugar at home via a finger prick test with a glucometer, several times a day.
This helps you check that your blood sugar levels are within the healthy range throughout the day and allows you to figure out what foods may be causing your blood glucose to spike.
Those with more severe gestational diabetes may be prescribed metformin, an oral drug to lower blood sugar, or insulin, a hormone similar to what the body naturally produces that is effective in lowering blood sugar, explained Assoc Prof Chan. Insulin is delivered via self-administered injections.
Debby, for instance, was prescribed metformin for both her pregnancies, and also, insulin for her second pregnancy. Though initially apprehensive about insulin injections, Debby said that on hindsight, she was glad that she heeded her doctor’s
A photo of a pregnant woman in a white dress holding an ultrasound image. PHOTO: FREEPIK
“My first baby was born with low blood sugar and was taken away from me after birth because she needed to go to the special care nursery for three to four days. I couldn’t breastfeed her, and was discharged without her. My heart ached for her and I blamed myself for not being able to control my blood sugar better.
“I was better able to control my blood sugar in my second pregnancy with insulin so my second baby was born healthy and I could breastfeed him immediately,” she said.
Though managing the condition can be challenging for many women such as Debby, Assoc Prof Chan encouraged women to persist and seek support from family and friends.
“Pregnancy only lasts for a short time so do your best to control your glucose levels for the baby and for your own sake. The hard work you put in these few months is an investment in the future.
“It could impact your future health, as well as that of your unborn child, giving your child a healthy start to life and putting your child on a low-risk health trajectory,” she said.
POST-PREGNANCY DIABETES SCREENING
The good news is, gestational diabetes typically resolves on its own within a few days to weeks after delivery. In Singapore, about 85 per cent of women have a normal glucose tolerance test six weeks after delivery, said Assoc Prof Chan.
On the flipside, that means that the remaining 15 per cent may be found to have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes after giving birth, and require continued lifestyle modification and treatment. Hence, follow-up screening after delivery is important.
Moreover, even those with resolved gestational diabetes have a significantly higher risk of developing diabetes later in life.
“This lifetime risk of women with resolved gestational diabetes subsequently developing diabetes can be as high as 70 per cent, with between 10 to 15 per cent of these women developing diabetes each year,” said Prof Tan.
These women should get themselves tested for diabetes at least once every three years for diabetes. Prof Tan added that annual screening might be preferred for early detection of prediabetes – earlier intervention may reduce the risk of progressing to type two diabetes.
She also recommends that mothers who have had gestational diabetes try to breastfeed for longer than six months, lose as much of their pregnancy weight as possible, maintain a normal weight, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet to reduce their risk of developing diabetes later in life.
A photo of a pregnant woman exercising on a fitness mat. PHOTO: FREEPIK
The IBM logo is displayed on the IBM building in Midtown Manhattan, April 26, 2017, in New York. PHOTO: AP
NEW YORK (AP) – IBM is selling assets of The Weather Company – including Weather.com and The Weather Channel mobile app – to private equity firm Francisco Partners.
The two companies announced the deal Tuesday that also includes The Weather Company’s forecasting science and technology platform and other digital properties. They did not disclose its price.
IBM agreed to buy The Weather Channel mobile app along with the digital assets of The Weather Company in 2015 for USD2 billion – but did not acquire The Weather Channel seen on TV. Allen Media Group has owned the Weather Group, which includes The Weather Channel television network, since 2018.
IBM will still retain its sustainability software business, including the Environmental Intelligence Suite. The Armonk, New York-based tech company said it also plans to still use The Weather Company’s weather data for this technology.
According to Tuesday’s announcement, The Weather Company reaches an average of more than 415 million people each month through its consumer-facing digital properties and more than 2,000 businesses through its enterprise offerings.
Rob Thomas, IBM’s senior vice president of software and chief commercial officer, said the deal reflects IBM’s focus on artificial intelligence and hybrid cloud technology.
The sale is set to close in early 2024, the companies said.
The IBM logo is displayed on the IBM building in Midtown Manhattan, April 26, 2017, in New York. PHOTO: AP
Jihyo of Twice holds a press conference for her first solo album "Zone" in Seoul on Friday. PHOTO: ANN/THE KOREA HERALD
SEOUL (ANN/THE KOREA HERALD) – Jihyo from Twice marked her solo debut with the EP “Zone”, embarking on a fresh journey after nine years since her initial debut. At 26 years old, she becomes the second member of the girl group to step into the solo spotlight, following Nayeon’s release of the album “Im Nayeon” in June 2022.
Jihyo held a press conference in Seoul on Friday, a few hours before “Zone” came out at 1 pm that day.
According to Jihyo, she began working on the album last year.
“When the company told me that I’d be making a solo album last year, rather than giving me a direction, they told me to decide what I wanted to do,” she said.
“It was difficult to choose at first, but working on the songs, I eventually thought I wanted to make an album that could show new sides of myself as a vocalist. All the songs are of different genres and I tried to make my voice sound as different as I could for each of them.”
The title “Zone” is a composition of “z,” which refers to Jihyo, and “one” meaning Jihyo’s one complete artwork, the agency explained. The album is a seven-track package spanning different genres from R&B to Latin, highlighting Jihyo’s colorful sonic palette. Usually a high-pitch singer in Twice music, Jihyo went she goes lower in tone and even attempted singing-rap in her solo project.
The lead single, “Killin’ Me Good” is centered on showing Jihyo as she is, the singer said. Her powerful, low voice resonates through the song, with a rhythmical, groovy melody.
Rather than tapping into something completely new at the first step, Jihyo opts for what she is the best at, a powerful and vivacious dance anthem.
“I believed that, as a singer, I had to enjoy my performance first to give good energy and emotions to the people watching me,” she said. “Many people recommended that I do a ballad for my first solo piece, but I wanted to dance.
“I even said that it would be meaningless for me to release a solo album if I didn’t dance. My biggest joy as a singer is dancing and performing and entertaining people through the activity.”
Her label JYP Entertainment’s founder and producer JY Park – a singer-performer himself – penned the lyrics for the song. Jihyo had also tried writing her own lyrics, but it was Park’s words that best portrayed the song’s message, she said.
“His title – ‘Killin’ Me Good’ – grabbed me from the start. Then the words were also lovely, candidly expressing one’s feelings, and I felt it went well with the melody,” she recalled.
Expanding the spectrum and digging deeper into Jihyo’s musicality are six side-tracks “Talkin’ About It (featuring 24kGoldn),” “Closer”, “Wishing On You”, “Don’t Wanna Go Back (duet with Heize)”, “Room” and “Nightmare.”
Jihyo contributed to all six songs, including the album’s only all-English lyric song, “Talkin’ About It.”
A solo career is a dream for many K-pop idols, and it took nine years for Jihyo to accomplish it – it’s almost 19 years since she first joined JYP Entertainment as a trainee.
But Jihyo said she feels fortunate to debut solo now and not earlier. Through her nine years with Twice, she’s learned about her personality, what she was good at and how she could shine better.
“I believe that everyone, whether an artist or not, have their own individual allures. It might seem ugly to some, but I believe it could appeal to others. I tried best to show myself as naturally as I could, and while some might think it’s cute and others, frank, I hope that everyone could give their own interpretations as they feel,” she said.
Twice is extending its massive popularity into its ninth year thanks to their consistency, positive energy and the chemistry the nine members show on and off the stage.
Its prominence even increased recently overseas, especially in the US where it has been for its “Ready To Be” tour since April.
In July, it became the first K-pop girl group to hold a concert at New York’s MetLife Stadium.
“I was eight or nine years old when I first dreamed of this job (as a singer). I’ve always imagined myself as being a part of a team rather than as a soloist. I wanted to be with my friends. After having that dream come true and receiving so much love even until now, I’m actually living a life that I’d imagined and I’m grateful,” she said.
Her first solo album “Zone” is out, and Jihyo said her job is done here.
“I’ve already achieved everything by putting out an album I’m satisfied with that portrays me as a solo singer. Rather than saying ‘please play it many times,’ I want to say ‘please enjoy,’” she said.
Embarking on her new journey, Jihyo hoped to become someone who stays true to herself, both as a person and a musician.
“Although I’m not sure whether I’ll be loved as now in 10 years’ time, I hope that I’m a person who could be genuinely happy, reveling in myself as I am.”
Jihyo of Twice holds a press conference for her first solo album “Zone” in Seoul on Friday. PHOTO: ANN/THE KOREA HERALD
ANN/THE STAR – In numerous societies and social groups, the skill of weaving is typically associated with women. However, this doesn’t imply that men are incapable of acquiring this skill or using it as a means of livelihood.
A case in point is Shahrizan Juin, 28, who originates from Keningau, Sabah. Shahrizan declared himself as one of the few male weavers in the district.
He has been engaged in weaving since the age of 10.
“It is traditionally only done by women, but being able to weave is very important to me,” said the passionate weaver, who is of Dusun Liwan descent.
As a child, Rizan, as he prefers to be known, enjoyed watching his grandmother weave.
He would observe her patiently from a corner, while she meticulously wove the bamboo strips together. Feeling a sense of responsibility to carry on his grandmother’s legacy, Rizan started picking up the skill soon after.
Shahrizan Juin weaving. PHOTO: THE STAR
“If no one continues to learn how to do it, the craft will eventually die,” he said. Instead of just producing mats or bags, Shahrizan also creates beautiful textiles, using an ancient weaving technique.
Most of his works are made with a backstrap loom, an old tool used by weavers in the past.He said that one of the most challenging things for him to do is creating contemporary motifs.
Among the motifs he’s done are the mansau-ansau (which means to travel or journey, usually aimlessly, in the Kadazandusun language) pattern, buah duku and lembing or spear.
Rizan said that weaving textiles would usually take him no more than two weeks to complete. However, he spent more than a year creating mansau-ansau.
“It’s 15 metres long, and every piece represents the many unknowns in our journey. As for buah duku, I was inspired by a memory of someone climbing the duku tree, while attempting to pluck the fruit,” he shares. – Gisele Soo
Yoong and his team are turning plastic waste into a sustainable solution through Precious Plastic Malaysia. PHOTO: YOONG YI
ANN/THE STAR – Envision a scenario where plastic bottle caps have the potential to undergo a transformation, becoming flexible stools and keychains through the process of melting.
Founder of Precious Precious Malaysia (PPM) Yoong Yi, 31, aims to not only bring attention to the issue of plastic waste but also to educate the public about the significance of diminishing plastic usage and its far-reaching consequences on the environment.
Through workshops and community outreach programmes, this Seremban-based activist aspires to inspire a positive change and help individuals make sustainable choices. And this includes upcycling plastic waste into reusable things.
“It takes about 15 plastic bottle caps to make a coaster and approximately five for a keychain. By utilising plastic recycling technologies, we can transform plastic waste into valuable resources instead of discarding them as trash,” said Yoong in an email interview.
Yoong’s inspiration came from the global movement Precious Plastic, founded in 2013 by Dutch designer Dave Hakkens. And as part of this initiative, PPM empowers individuals, communities, and entrepreneurs to combat plastic waste through open-source recycling technologies and education.
Precious Plastic provides blueprints and instructions for building various recycling machines, including shredder, extruder and injection machine. These machines allow people to process plastic waste locally, turning it into valuable products.
The shredder minces plastic into plastic flakes. Next, flakes are transferred to the injection machine where they are melted and moulded into different products like tiles, coasters and keychains. Meanwhile, the extruder melts flakes into plastic strips and these strips are then used to make items like stools and gardening pots.
Yoong and his team are turning plastic waste into a sustainable solution through Precious Plastic Malaysia. PHOTO: YOONG YIUpcycling involves transforming discarded materials into new products of higher value, including gardening pots. PHOTO: YOONG YICoasters made from recycled plastic. PHOTO: YOONG YIChildren are more open to learning new habits, says Yoong. PHOTO: YOONG YI
LOOKING FOR MEANING
Yoong’s green journey began when he left his advertising job in 2018, feeling the need for a more meaningful pursuit. Witnessing the mounting plastic pollution crisis, he decided to embrace Precious Plastic and start his business venture, PPM, with an initial investment of MYR80,000.
“When I first saw the videos Precious Plastic posted, I was amazed by what they were doing.
Their machines can easily upcycle plastic into new things. I have witnessed the escalating plastic pollution crisis in Malaysia and around the world and I want to be part of the solution.
Since there was an opening with Precious Plastic, I decided to channel my passion into a business venture with a difference,” said Yoong, who runs the company with eight staff.
Since then, PPM has upcycled plastics donated to the cause, producing items like coasters, phone holders, running event medals and stools. Over the past five years, they have recycled 3,980kg of plastic waste and created 28,000 products.
With 167 recycling machines built and sold to organisations like Gamuda, Petronas and Sabah Forestry Department, Yoong’s efforts have not only impacted Malaysia but have reached other countries including Nigeria, South America and Japan.
The transition from advertising to plastic recycling, Yoong admits, was no easy feat. He devoted nine months to learn to build machines from scratch from YouTube.
“Initially, it was a challenge as I am from advertising. Adapting the blueprint to suit Malaysia’s measurement system was a challenge, requiring months of legwork. The blueprint’s measurements are in metric system but Malaysia uses and the imperial measurement system.”
Nevertheless, he pulled it through, selling the three-piece recycling machine at MYR20,000.
He said PPM’s influence goes beyond production; it has conducted 50 workshops with corporations, schools and communities to spread awareness about plastic pollution and responsible consumption.
At schools, they educate students on identifying various plastic types and grades, instilling sustainable practices early. By empowering the younger generation with knowledge, PPM sets the stage for a sustainable future where plastic waste is seen as a valuable resource, rather than simply discarded as trash.
“Last year, we worked with a few schools in the Klang Valley and Negri Sembilan. We taught students how to identify different types of plastics based on different grades like polyethylene terephthalate or plastic 1 (water bottles), high-density polyethylene or plastic 2 (bottle caps and shampoo bottles) and polyvinyl chloride or plastic 3 (PVC pipes and credit cards).
“Children are impressionable and are more open to learning new habits. By teaching them about plastic waste reduction early, we can shape their behaviour and instil sustainable practices that can last a lifetime.”
Yoong and his team are turning plastic waste into a sustainable solution, one workshop at a time.
With each recycled item and every educated mind, PPM moves closer to its vision for a cleaner and greener Malaysia. – Sheela Chandran
ABOVE & BELOW: Dried plastic bags are carefully placed on a plastic thermoforming machine, seamlessly fusing them into large compressed sheets; Miyasaka finds fascination in fusing plastics together using an array of colour combinations; and plastic sheets are washed to prevent any lingering odour. PHOTO: THE STAR
ANN/THE STAR – Twenty-nine-year-old Chua Ken Jin bid farewell to his digital marketing position at a real estate development firm two years ago, to pursue a less conventional route by establishing a business focused on upcycling single-use plastic bags.
“After graduating with a degree in Social Science, I dabbled in different jobs like running a nasi lemak store, working in an e-sports start-up and doing digital marketing. But after a while, I got disillusioned and jaded with the jobs. I’ve always been interested in sustainability so I started to volunteer at a permaculture farm in Kuala Lumpur.
“There, I met my future partners Jayce Izumi and Pamela Noer who were also interested in sustainable practices. One thing led to another and we decided to form .bungkus, an innovative recycling project that breathes new life into discarded plastic bags,” said Chua.
“My parents weren’t too happy with my decision. Their biggest worry was if I could make ends meet,” said Chua in an interview at .bungkus workshop in Sungai Buloh.
For a long time, plastics have been linked to environmental issues, which also include misunderstandings regarding their recyclability. The project .bungkus aims to challenge these notions by converting discarded plastic bags and fusing them into plastic resheets. These sheets form the foundation of their daily items, ranging from bags and pouches to laptop sleeves.
To hone their craft, the founders turned to social media for inspiration. “After learning about plastic fusing online and attempting to make several prototypes, it seemed like a great idea to not only give value to the common single-use plastic bags, but to serve as a platform where we could connect with others to shift our waste-producing culture,” said Chua.
ABOVE & BELOW: Dried plastic bags are carefully placed on a plastic thermoforming machine, seamlessly fusing them into large compressed sheets; Miyasaka finds fascination in fusing plastics together using an array of colour combinations; and plastic sheets are washed to prevent any lingering odour. PHOTO: THE STARPHOTO: THE STARPHOTO: THE STARPieces of recycled plastic are cut and fused onto plastic sheets for a burst of colour. PHOTO: THE STARFounders of .bungkus aspire to put Malaysia on the global map as a producer of eco-friendly and sustainable products. PHOTO: THE STAR
“During our journey, a fashion undergraduate named Mio Miyasaka interned at our company.
She developed more techniques and products on how to upcycle plastic waste into valuable items. Currently, we have seven people in the team. Mio has been with us since graduating from fashion school,” he shared.
Fuelling the group’s initiative was the alarming state of plastic recycling in Malaysia. According to the article ‘Market Study for Malaysia: Plastics Circularity Opportunities and Barriers’ on www.worldbank.org, Malaysia only recycled 24 per cent of key plastic resins in 2019 and is not on track to meet the National Solid Waste Management Department’s (JPSPN) recycling target of 40 per cent by 2025.
The report added that factors that exacerbate market failure for plastics recycling include the lack of regulatory clarity on the use of recycled content for food-grade applications and less incentives for source separation and diversion.
“This is worrying as most soft plastic waste is rejected by large-scale recycling centres due to plastics being soiled with food waste or dirt. While waiting for newer restrictions on manufacturing to be developed and enforced, it is important to take measures to solve the problem,” Chua said.
Nestled in Jalan Kusta, .bungkus finds its home in an industrial area where sustainability takes centre stage. Housed within a double-storey warehouse, the innovative hub breathes life into discarded plastic bags through a simple upcycling process.
WASTE INTO WONDERS
On the ground floor, there are towering piles of plastic bags, sourced from manufacturing companies across the Klang Valley, awaiting their transformative journey. Inside, a dedicated team handwashes each plastic bag, ensuring they are clean before they’re dried at the back of the warehouse, Chua said.
“We work with a waste management company and individuals that provide us with a lot of plastic waste. Some sheets sourced from food processing factories are dirty and foul-smelling. We wash them immediately to prevent any lingering odour,” said Chua, adding over MYR20,000 was invested to kickstart .bungkus.
Once dry, these bags are carefully placed on a plastic thermoforming machine, fusing them into large compressed sheets, measuring 100cm x 80cm.
With precision and artistry, skilled hands measure, cut, and stitch these compressed sheets into an array of sustainable products.
The journey, however, hasn’t been one without bumps. Consistency of the material was a significant challenge they had to overcome.
“Since we source waste from different groups, we end up with varying types and colours of soft plastics, leading to different effects during fusing or textile-making. Ultimately, it boils down to lots of research and development and knowing how plastic waste interacts with one another during the processes,” Chua shared.
INSPIRING CHANGE
Miyasaka, a Japanese born and raised in Malaysia, plays a pivotal role in designing innovative, sustainable products.
“Only plastics labelled Type 4 (low-density polyethylene), Type 5 (polyethylene), and Type 6 (polystyrene) can be melted into new things like bags, pouches and laptop sleeves.”
Embracing the challenge of creating art from unconventional materials, Miyasaka finds fascination in fusing plastics using different colour combinations. “The outcomes vary, ranging from red and green to black,” she said.
Miyasaka’s advocacy for the environment drives her to upcycle plastic waste to help alleviate the burden on landfills. She pointed out that trash contaminates soil and crops and human ingestion of harmful microplastics is dangerous.
The response from consumers has been positive, with retailers eagerly supporting their cause. To engage more with the public, .bungkus has organised 10 workshops, teaching participants about the art of upcycling plastic waste into usable and useful items.
“Our participants are thrilled to learn about the different types of soft plastic waste and how to create new items from it. We emphasise that all you need is a heating source like an iron, parchment paper, colorful cleaned soft plastic waste and a strong DIY spirit,” Chua said.
With a commitment to create a sustainable future,.bungkus has set ambitious long-term goals. Chua and his partners aspire to put Malaysia on the global map as a producer of eco-friendly and sustainable products.
“There’s a global movement happening with producers and innovators putting the task of recycling undesirable waste in their own hands. We feel that Malaysians have a lot to contribute to this space. – Sheela Chandran
