Chinese county admits plagiarism after web users flag data identical to another
The government of Pingle county in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region said on Tuesday that it had detected plagiarism in 'a limited number of paragraphs' in its 2023-2030 forest fire prevention plan.
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The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
This robot uses Japanese tradition and AI for sashimi that lasts longer and is more humane
A Los Angeles-area startup is using artificial intelligence and robotics in an unlikely way: making sashimi and other fish dishes taste better, last longer and more humane. El Segundo, California-based Shinkei Systems wants to bring a traditional Japanese method of handling fish to fine dining in America, using technology to replace the labour-intensive process historically handled by practitioners on board ships. Investors have just bet millions that it will succeed. The company's AI-driven robot – called Poseidon – has been designed to do a traditional form of fish handling called ikejime in Japanese. It is a method of killing fish that enthusiasts say enhances flavour, texture and shelf life. Although fish processed in this way is found in some of the best restaurants in Japan, it hasn't been promoted in the US because it is generally too expensive. Automating the process will make it more readily available to Americans, said Saif Khawaja, the company's chief executive. "My end goal is that you're walking into your local grocery store and can buy fish that lasts three times as long, tastes better and is handled humanely," he said. The company raised US$22mil (RM 94.10mil) in a funding round last month, co-led by Founders Fund and Interlagos, bringing total funding to US$30mil (RM 128.32mil) since its inception. It has four Poseidons working on ships in the Pacific and Atlantic and hopes to have 10 more working in the coming year. The ikejime process involves taking live fish that has just been caught and quickly putting them out of their misery by killing them with a spike through the brain and cutting their gills. This stops the stress hormone and lactic acid buildup that can hurt flavor and texture when fish are left to asphyxiate. Although traditional practitioners sometimes add a step in which the spinal cord is destroyed, Poseidon just does the first steps of the ikejime technique. The method has remained largely artisanal even in Japan, where only some fishermen will make the effort to process batches of fish in this way to sell to specific sushi chefs who are obsessed with having the highest-quality ingredients. Even in Japan, the method "is still too labour-intensive to replicate at a high speed without damaging the fish," Khawaja said, adding that, "It's impractical and unsustainable for fishermen to adopt methods that require significant hands-on work," in the US. Shinkei says it also has a higher calling than just better-tasting fish. Khawaja said one of the motivations for developing the technology was to try to find a kinder, gentler way to kill fish than letting them die gasping for air. During childhood fishing trips with his father in the Red Sea, he remembers it being "very hard to watch" fish suffocating after they were caught. Poseidon is roughly refrigerator-sized and sits on fishing boat decks. — Courtesy Shinkei Systems/TNS While he was in graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania, Khawaja was moved by an essay that argued that fish suffer inhumane deaths because they cannot vocalise pain. He even once considered developing sensors to make fish's pain audible. Shinkei provides Poseidon machines to fishermen, who then sell fish processed through the machines back to Shinkei at a premium. Shinkei in turn sells the fish to restaurants and other retailers under its fish company Seremoni. Poseidon is roughly refrigerator-sized and sits on fishing boat decks. It processes fish within seconds of being caught. The fish is fed through an opening in the machine and into a small vinyl cavity. The machine then uses AI to identify what kind of fish it is and where exactly its brain and gills are. Fish emerge with a hole in the head and incisions near the gills before being placed in an ice slurry for blood drainage. Quickly killing the fish, bleeding it and chilling it without freezing leads to fish that is noticeably better, Khawaja said. "There's going to be a flavour profile difference and there's going to be texture profile difference," he said. The company chose Los Angeles for its headquarters and production because it has the right mix of potential employees as well as customers. It has the mechanical engineering talent as well as a major fishing fleet and lots of high-end restaurants. "The best mechanical engineering talent in the world, in my opinion, is in Southern California," said Seremoni co-founder Reed Ginsberg. The city is also a major health and consumer products hub as well as a trend setter for cutting-edge food fads. Chef Michael Cimarusti, co-owner of the Michelin starred Providence restaurant in Los Angeles, says he tries to buy local ikejime fish when he can because it preserves the quality and color. The fish preserved using ikejime look as if they "were just pulled from the water minutes ago," he said in an interview posted on YouTube by the American Fishing Tackle Co. Shinkei currently processes thousands of pounds weekly across operations in Washington, Central California and Massachusetts, with expansion to Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico planned this year. After feedback from fishermen that the bots took up too much deck space, the company developed "Block 2" robots that have roughly half the footprint while processing fish twice as fast. Currently, black cod and black sea bass processed through Poseidon are sold under Shinkei's brand Seremoni at retailers such as Happier Grocery and served at upscale restaurants including Atomix and Sushi Zo. This summer, the company plans to add salmon and red snapper to its offerings. – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Creating art for Cognac
Remy Martin has worked with acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor on a limited-edition Rémy Martin XO decanter. — Handout THE House of Remy Martin recently unveiled an exceptional collaboration with internationally renowned contemporary artist Anish Kapoor, with a limited-edition Remy Martin XO decanter and an exclusive artwork. The Remy Martin XO x Anish Kapoor limited edition collaboration was launched in Malaysia at an event last month held at Private Chamber, Starhill Gallery, KL. Only 480 units of the limited edition are available here in Malaysia, and it retails for RM 1,049.00. Best known for large-scale sculptures like Chicago's 'Cloud Gate' (aka 'The Bean'), 'Descension', and 'Dismemberment Site', Kapoor is recognised as one of the world's leading contemporary artists. Kapoor sensed from the beginning that the Remy Martin project would be one that 'refers to my history'. 'My father used to drink it when I was a boy in India, and I carried that with me.' he says. Starting with the iconic Remy Martin XO decanter, Kapoor reimagined it as a minimalist curve with a concave centre in glowing amber tones. He revisited the original glass mold to form a smooth front surface that fuses with the classic scooped design on the back to amplify its luminous effect, enhance its solar shape, and reflect infinite possibilities. After 'toying with it' for a while, Kapoor eventually decided on a 'much simpler design'. The result is a highly collectible limited-edition decanter that is worthy of standing alongside not just the iconic Remy Martin XO decanter, but also some of Kapoor's previous masterpieces. Featuring a new copper bottle neck and stopper, the decanter is a true work of art. The concave surface of the vast mirror immerses viewers in its dense yet ethereal tones. These are inspired by all the shades of Remy Martin XO eaux-de-vie – hundreds of hues, ranging from pale gold to dark amber, carefully blended, then patiently aged in French oak casks, browned by time in the darkness of its cellars. As you move around the work, the colours change, with endless rays of reflections coming to light. 'I had to search for this colour,' explains the artist, 'because it's a liquid and as the light changes, it changes – and the concave mirror captures its reflective qualities.' Speaking of liquid, Remy Martin XO is truly a spirit befitting a work of art. The House of Remy Martin is well known to be the only major House to craft Cognacs Fine Champagne, which are cognacs made exclusively with grapes from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne crus, with at least 50% eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne as requested by the AOC (Appellation d'origine controllee – Controlled appellation of origin). Remy Martin XO is its most iconic expression of the House, and provides the perfect balance of fruit and spice, which gives way to an outstanding sensory experience. 'Remy Martin XO perfectly embodies the heritage and savoir-faire of the Maison,' said Jean-Philippe Hecquet, CEO of the House of Remy Martin. 'It is the ultimate expression of our terroir, offering an exceptionally smooth, full-bodied blend of eaux-de-vie from Grande and Petite Champagne that gradually releases a wealth of harmonious aromas. Its opulent radiance paired with the timeless design of its magnificent decanter has inspired Anish Kapoor whose creation now becomes a part of our brand's enduring legacy.' he concluded. The Remy Martin XO x Anish Kapoor limited edition retails from RM1,049, and is available in a 700ml format exclusively in The Chamber stores in Starhill, Pavilion Bukit Jalil and Sunway Pyramid, and online at
Daily Express
a day ago
- Daily Express
Crackdown on littering near Grand Merdeka Mall
Published on: Friday, August 01, 2025 Published on: Fri, Aug 01, 2025 By: Sidney Skinner Text Size: 10 litterbugs, like the one above, were taken to task by SWMD staff in this part of Bandar Sierra Boulevard 1. City Hall is cracking down on those who dispose of their rubbish indiscriminately along the road leading to a Manggatal commercial centre. This action follows feedback about the refuse strewn about near the planter boxes and on the pavement beside the Grand Merdeka Mall. A Manggatal resident bemoaned the bits of litter – including cigarette butts, empty styrofoam food containers and plastic cups – left behind along a section of Bandar Sierra Boulevard 1 by many patrons of the night-market held outside the Mall. The individual provided Hotline with the pertinent details which were forwarded to the agency. A spokesman for its Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) warned that anyone caught throwing their refuse haphazardly on the road-shoulder beside the Mall risked being served with a compound for as much as RM500 under City Hall's Anti-Litter By-Laws 1984 (Amendment 2005). 'We are aware that some nightmarket-goers have the habit of sitting against the planter boxes to enjoy the food and drinks they have bought at the stalls,' he said. 'Others sit in their vehicles to do this. 'Whatever the case, these individuals should dispose of their garbage responsibly in bins and not leave the common area in a mess. 'If they fail to be more civic minded, when it comes to getting rid of their rubbish, and are witnessed littering, then we will not hesitate to take them to task.' He said SWMD officers met with a staff from the Mall's management, who oversees the nightmarket, to discuss what had been transpiring there on Wednesday. 'Our personnel were made to understand that the part of the compound, where the nightmarket is held, is cleaned up daily after the stalls close.' To prove that it means business, City Hall penalised 11 litterbugs during a random check carried out along this part of Bandar Sierra Boulevard 1 between 4.00pm and 8.00pm later that same day. 'We will continue to monitor the goings-on around the road and the Mall from time to time.' He said those who repeatedly disregarded the agency's calls to refrain from littering in the common areas could wind up having legal action taken against them. 'They will become liable to a fine for as much as RM 10,000, if they are found guilty in court.' The spokesman said City Hall had been coming down hard on littering violations in a bid to get the public to take a more active role in keeping its rating-area clean. 'It is not just up to our garbage collectors and street-sweepers to keep the commercial properties around our rating-area looking presentable and pleasing to the eye, especially to the many first time visitors from abroad. 'It is the collective responsibility of everyone who lives, works and frequents these locales.' The agency collected a total of RM1,700 in the on-the-spot compounds from 85 wrongdoers, including those at the Mall, as part of its 'Ops Bersih' in July, according to him. 'The Mall had the most offenders when it came to areas inspected outside the City. 'This was followed by Inanam, where nine errant individuals were nabbed. Six were taken to task around Manggatal.' Between four to five SWMD inspectors in plain clothes carried out 34 separate inspections between July 1 and July 31. Besides Grand Merdeka Mall, Inanam and Manggatal, the Department's team also went to Damai Plaza, Likas Plaza, Mini Putrajaya, Kingfisher Plaza, the Indah Permai shops and the Salut Commercial Centre, according to the spokesman. When it came to the City, he said checks were made around the Bandaran Berjaya shophouses, as well as those around Kg Air and Sinsuran. On top of this, checks were also made of the common areas around Centre Point Sabah and Gaya Street. 'The highest number of litterbugs was nabbed around Centre Point (11), followed by Kg Air (nine) and Bandaran Berjaya (eight).' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
