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Eritrea: World Hepatitis Day Observed at National Level
Eritrea: World Hepatitis Day Observed at National Level

Zawya

timea day ago

  • Health
  • Zawya

Eritrea: World Hepatitis Day Observed at National Level

World Hepatitis Day was observed at the national level in Asmara yesterday under the theme 'Hepatitis: Let's Break It Down.' Dr. Araya Berhane, Director of Communicable Diseases Control at the Ministry of Health, stated that although hepatitis has various forms, this year's observance focused on infection-related hepatitis, which remains a leading cause of illness and death in the country. Citing a study by the Ministry of Health, Dr. Araya noted that in Eritrea, 30 out of every 1,000 people are carriers of Hepatitis B virus, while 5 out of every 1,000 are carriers of Hepatitis C. He also highlighted that the rate of infection varies across regions, and chronic illnesses are often associated with these two viruses. He further stated that the primary means of controlling Hepatitis B is through vaccination, which has been in place in Eritrea for over 23 years. Since newborns must be vaccinated within 24 hours of birth, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with its partners, plans to expand the vaccination program starting in November 2025. Dr. Mary Stephen, WHO Representative in Eritrea, and Dr. Abdullahi Mohammed Yousuf, UNICEF Representative, commended Eritrea's efforts in controlling and eradicating hepatitis. They emphasized that the observance of the day serves as a reminder to give due attention to hepatitis and to combat it through integrated and timely efforts. Participants held extensive discussions on the current situation of hepatitis and strategies for its control. The event featured a general knowledge competition among secondary schools in the Central Region, with awards presented to the winners. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Gacha capsule toy machine you control with your brain/prayers created in Japan【Video】
Gacha capsule toy machine you control with your brain/prayers created in Japan【Video】

SoraNews24

time4 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • SoraNews24

Gacha capsule toy machine you control with your brain/prayers created in Japan【Video】

Designers want Mushin Gacha in arcades, anime specialty shops, and character cafes. We're in a gacha capsule toy golden age in Japan right now, with an unprecedented variety of items available to suit just about every interest and aesthetic taste. But while toy designers are constantly coming up with new prizes to stock gacha machines with, the purchasing process has changed very little: toss your coins into the slot, then turn the handle until a capsule drops for you. But what if instead of turning the handle with your hand, you could turn it with your mind? That's the idea behind Mushin Gacha, a new type of capsule toy machine dreamed up by Tokyo-based neurotechnology and AI research/solutions company Araya. 'Mushin' has a number of possible meanings, but among them are associations with innocence or desire, and those are aspects of the mental state you must achieve to get their Mushin Gacha prize capsule to drop. ▼ Mushin Gacha demonstration video Users don an electroencephalograph head sensor which measures their brain's current level of alpha waves, said to be produced when the mind is in a relaxed state. At the same time, a camera equipped with AI image recognition software will check to see if you've got your hands clasped in a 'please give me a gacha capsule' pose. Fulfilling those conditions, showing an unabashed genuine desire, will activate the Mushin Gacha's motor, causing it to drop your prize capsule. ▼ If you're wondering why it needs a crank at all, it's because gacha is the onomatopoeia of the clunking noise it makes as it turns, so it'd be weird to make a gacha machine without that traditional aural factor, even if it's so cutting-edge you operate it with your brain. Araya says it hopes to install Mushin Gacha machines at video game arcades, anime/manga specialty stores, shopping center game corners, fan events, popup stores, and themed cafes. The preview images show a 'Please insert coin' message on the screen, but it's not clear what happens if you don't achieve the right combination of prayer pose and alpha waves right away. Theoretically, operators could set it to so that players have an unlimited amount of time/number of chances to keep trying in, or perhaps could set a time limit after which no prize is won and the player needs to step aside and let someone else have a turn. Although the unit in the preview video is made out of cardboard, it feels like a safe bet that that's just a pre-production mockup, and that a more substantial and high-tech housing is in the works, and perhaps something Araya has in the works for its upcoming demonstration for visitors at this year's Tokyo Game Show in September. Source: PR Times Top image: PR Times Insert images: YouTube/Araya Inc., PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Facing $100K roof repair bill, Ethiopian church seeks community help
Facing $100K roof repair bill, Ethiopian church seeks community help

CBC

time6 days ago

  • General
  • CBC

Facing $100K roof repair bill, Ethiopian church seeks community help

When it rains during service at Dibre Hail Qulibie Saint Gabriel Ethiopian Orthodox Church, members of the congregation have to set down their Bibles and break out the buckets. "The rain gets in the building and we have buckets everywhere, just trying to collect the water because it's damaging our carpets and precious paintings," said Bilen Araya, the church's public relations co-ordinator. "That's what worries us most. This is a very old building, and it's going to lose its heritage if it continues like this." The church on Elizabeth Street in the heart of London's Old East Village was built in 1924, originally operating as the Church of Christ Disciples. It was bought in 2006 to serve London's growing Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Christian community, a group often collectively referred to as Habesha. Prior to that move, the congregation met in various rented meeting spaces. It's a community that now numbers a few thousand strong, and the church operates as much as a community centre as it does a place of worship. "We do New Year's celebrations here, weddings and non-religious gatherings, so it's like a very central hub to the community," said Araya. Century-old building brings challenges Araya said they love the building's facade with its large pillars, the 30-foot ceiling of the main chapel and the original stained glass windows that depict scenes from the Bible. "We really love this building," said Araya, "but it comes with a lot of challenges." Those challenges include a long list of staggering costs to upgrade and maintain the century-old structure. Right now, work is underway to fix a persistent leak in the roof, which has left the main chapel's 30-foot ceiling pocked with holes. Fixing it will cost $100,000, an expenditure the church is financing while also asking the community for help through an online fundraising campaign. The roof isn't the only area of concern. The church is heated by a leak-prone hot-water radiant system plumbed with rusty metal piping. "Even finding people to do maintenance on that is another challenge," said Araya. "No one knows how it works because of its old age." Replacing the heating system would be the best option; the church has been quoted $100,000 for that work. "That's our next project," she said. There are also challenges that come with the church's location in the heart of Old East Village. The area is front and centre to London's struggles with homelessness and drug use. The church is surrounded by fencing, but it isn't always enough to prevent break-ins and vandalism. Araya said the church has looked into selling and moving into a newer space, but the building's challenges and the restrictions that come with being a heritage-listed property limit its market value. "We will be here for some time," she said. "We don't have a choice." So for now, the church is asking for help, hoping to raise the $100,000 to cover the roof repair. It's an ask she admits is beyond the ability of the congregation to cover. They're asking for outside help, including assistance from other faith groups. They're also looking into government grants. "We want to be able to keep building this community," she said. "We don't want to lose this building and lose the services that we are giving."

Emma Maxwell: The interior designer behind Burnt Ends and Araya, two of Singapore's most striking restaurants
Emma Maxwell: The interior designer behind Burnt Ends and Araya, two of Singapore's most striking restaurants

CNA

time16-07-2025

  • CNA

Emma Maxwell: The interior designer behind Burnt Ends and Araya, two of Singapore's most striking restaurants

A few years ago, Emma Maxwell was in Madagascar and noticed a piece of stone. The Singapore-based interior designer picked it up, not knowing what it was. 'That turned out to be rose quartz. The colour was warm, soft, almost glowing. I kept it, knowing I'd use it one day,' said the founder of her eponymous Singapore-based design studio. Rose quartz ended up being the main feature in Michelin-starred Chilean fine-dining restaurant, Araya, helmed by chefs Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero. 'When Araya came along, I knew where it belonged. We designed a 10m-long chef's counter from a single slab of rose quartz. It runs the length of the space and sets the tone for everything around it; people respond to it instinctively. It's also common in Chile where the chefs are from, so it felt grounded,' said Maxwell. She described the soft ombre colour as evoking a Chilean desert sunset. In the private dining room, a panoramic wallpaper of Chilean mountains further reflects the cuisine. 'We layered in as many links to their heritage and food as we could,' elaborated Maxwell. The Australian-born designer has created many memorable interiors for popular F&B destinations in Singapore. Aside from Araya, she has also designed the Cempedak Island resort, Michelin-starred and World's 50 Best restaurant Burnt Ends, as well as the recently opened VITIS wine bar. In contrast to the soft, feminine atmosphere of Araya, VITIS is masculine and moody. 'At VITIS, I was inspired by the winemaking process – grounded, sensory, precise. The space embraces those elements; it puts people at ease. Sustainability was built in from the start with timber from fallen trees in Singapore, recycled Japanese paper, vegetable-dyed leather. Spotted gum flooring adds warmth and hand-blow crystals cast a soft, flattening glow. Every material was chosen to feel good underfoot, in the hand and for the body,' described Maxwell. Good spatial design is the crucial missing piece to a holistic, memorable meal experience, she stressed. 'People underestimate how much a space shapes feeling through scale, light, sound, material and furniture. It's not what's seen, it's what's sensed. That's where memory begins.' Maxwell has always sensitive to such sensual attributes, even as a child. Born in Melbourne, she grew up in the Shepparton countryside, within the Australian state of Victoria where she competed in horse riding for agricultural shows. Unlike the horses she controlled, Maxwell pushed against rules and limits. 'Anything that tried to contain me; I wasn't wild, but I never followed,' said the former 'punk-goth-indie kid' who was creative in many fields. 'I was always drawing, obsessed with music, sneaking into gigs and stage diving into the crowd,' she mused. The constraining approach of secondary school left the rebel feeling like an outsider. 'I didn't process things in straight lines. I saw space; I felt light shift. Sound carries and materials hold emotion. Long before I had words for it, I could read rooms like people. I was spatially fluent before I even knew what that meant,' Maxwell reflected. This is still how she designs today, marching to the beat of her own drum, feeling the world around her and then distilling it out through her unique lens. 'Twenty years on, that way of seeing still flows into my work,' said Maxwell. 'I take everything in at once – light, texture, rhythm and tension – and shape them by instinct, not formula.' Interior design was a calling that came after she graduated from sculpture studies at RMIT (The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) and worked a little in advertising – a job that did not win her soul. After being engaged to design an office, Maxwell discovered the bond with interior design. She came to Singapore to work on a project for the same client and never left. I first met Maxwell two years ago when she took me on a tour of Burnt Ends, pointing out all the details of the restaurant. With jet-black hair, steely eyes and a robust, confident laughter, Maxwell is not one to be easily forgotten. But she is also somewhat motherly and cocooning, drawing people into her world with a generous, convivial spirit. Burnt Ends is a special project for Maxwell. She became friends with chef Dave Pynt after becoming a regular patron at the original location in a shophouse at Teck Lim Road. Maxwell was there every Saturday for lunch with friends. 'It was our happy place – high-energy, relaxed, never forced. There was always a pulse in the room with the open kitchen, the counter seating, the food, the music, and over the years, great conversation with Dave,' said Maxwell. When the restaurant moved to Dempsey Roadchef Pynt asked her to do the interiors. 'Dave and I share similar standards and a similar sense of humour. That made the collaboration work. We weren't even trying to reinvent anything. We just wanted to carry forward that original feeling of Burnt Ends. It always had that intensity of being tight, physical and focused. Every material choice, such as the lava stone, charred timber, 10-million-year-old petrified wood, came from that. These all tie to how Dave cooks with wood, fire and smoke,' Maxwell described. The most important part of the design was how it made people feel. 'You're not just entering a restaurant; you're stepping into the Burnt Ends world. The atmosphere hits you, holds you and makes you want to stay,' said Maxwell. The partnership was a great one, and she went on to design Audi x Burnt Ends Bakery and GT Bar that opened in February this year at Audi House of Progress along Cross Street. Here, customers in the showroom and office workers in that area can enjoy the bakery's famous doughnuts, as well as German-inspired bites like Bavarian beer-battered waffles and currywurst. 'The goal was to bring Burnt Ends into Audi's world seamlessly, letting both identities speak clearly. Audi brings heritage, innovation and sophistication; Burnt Ends brings rhythm and material depth,' said Maxwell on the direction of the sleek space. Having designed hospitality spaces for more than a decade, I ask her about her observations on F&B industry today. 'It's a complex moment,' she responded. 'The global economy has put pressure on everyone – operators, investors, suppliers, designers. That uncertainty is reshaping how people think about hospitality – on how they spend, what they value and where they choose to go.' Customers want less formality and more flexibility. They also want environments that feel generous, relaxed and convivial. Restaurant owners want customers to linger and spend, and thus have to respond accordingly. 'They're asking deeper questions: How do we create mood? How do we build memory?' stated Maxwell. She added: 'We talk a lot about emotional tempo, how people arrive, how they're 'held' [while in a space], and how they leave. If you design in rhythm with human experience, the space does more than look good; it earns its keep. That's where we're headed: Less noise, more meaning.' Maxwell's current ethos is similar, shaped after the COVID-19 pandemic. 'I struggled deeply. I'm someone who is always in motion between countries, studios and projects. That rhythm fuels my thinking and then overnight, it was gone. There was no team, no site visits, nothing tactile to ground the day. It was confronting,' she said of the difficult period that was a catalyst for introspection and transformation. Maxwell went back to basics, drawing furiously in her sketchbook. 'I couldn't stop,' remarked the designer who studied painting masters like Caravaggio, Albrecht Dürer and Alberto Giacometti. 'Their work sharpened how I see form, light, proportion and feeling. They reset my eye; it gave me a way back. They also changed how I think about presence – both my own and the guests',' she pondered. After the pandemic, she continued her travels to seek inspiration. 'In Georgia, I visited a 1,500-year-old mountain church built entirely from local stone. There were no ornaments, just mass and stone. It made me think differently about spatial pressure and restraint.' In a Slovenian forest, she thought of how the painter Casper David Friedrich used landscape 'to explore the human condition and hold emotion in place; the trees, stone and light – all of that stayed with me.' In any project, the materials are paramount. 'I keep coming back to oiled oak, brushed pewter, slate and thick felt, not so much for how they look but for how they behave; how they influence one's posture, pace and presence,' explained Maxwell. The experimental and ever-curious designer is now working on a textile blend of stinging nettle fibre and silk, hand-woven in Nepal. 'Dyed in layers of mineral pigment, it holds a strange duality. It is dry and raw to the touch, but reflects light like glass,' she described. Currently, Maxwell is working on two vastly different projects. 'One is with a hotel, reworking a legacy property. The other is with a chef, whose precision completely changed how I see space, light, rhythm, movement and response,' she said. Precedents for these and other projects come from spaces around the world that elevate her spirit, are exacting and honest in their intent, and are 'not always about perfection but presence.' One example is La Buvette in Paris. 'It is a tiny, low-lit, chef-filled space, with natural wine, raw textures and soft edges. I always end up staying longer than I plan to,' Maxwell shared. Others include Haawm in Bangkok – 'six seats, no signage, intimate and focus; you feel as if you've walked into a chef's home' – and Ratana in Milan, which is a former train depot 'reworked with integrity; you taste the city in the food, and feel it in the room.' A Slim Aarons photo of Hotel Cap-Eden-Roc's pool drew her to the hotel in Antibes, France. 'The hotel is the pure spirit of the Cote d'Azur. I've been a few times since. It's exactly where you hope it will be,' said Maxwell. In London, she heads to Core Clare Smyth –'it's calm and grounded, a fine-dining room that flows' – and she is also a regular at Satan's Whiskers where she is handed a Negroni and led to her usual seat whenever she's there. 'The vibe is low-key, comfortable and coal. There's no scene, just good energy,' she said of her local London bar. These spaces all have something special, which is what Maxwell tries to bring to the spaces she designs. 'The hotels, restaurants and bars that last are the ones that feel generous, honest and emotionally sharp, not just styled. That's what brings people back,' she commented. Every square metre has to earn its place operationally and atmospherically,' she remarked. 'Design isn't just visual; it's behavioural. That's where the difference is made.'

Michelin-starred Araya, Colombian restaurant Latido now selling their popular South American breads
Michelin-starred Araya, Colombian restaurant Latido now selling their popular South American breads

CNA

time28-04-2025

  • Entertainment
  • CNA

Michelin-starred Araya, Colombian restaurant Latido now selling their popular South American breads

'All sorrows are less with bread', wrote Miguel de Cervantes, the Spanish author of Don Quixote. Fellow lovers of loaves have cause for rejoicing as two of Singapore's South American restaurants have made their popular breads available for purchase. Bakes by talented pastry chef Fernanda Guerrero of Michelin-starred Chilean restaurant Araya are now ready for retail, while Colombian chef Fernando Arevalo of Latido has opened a standalone stall offering bread and more: Boronas at Asia Square. They aren't the first restaurants to do so – Burnt Ends, with its bakery off its Dempsey Hill restaurant, naturally comes to mind – and won't be the last, either, with chef Daniele Sperindio of now-closed Michelin-starred Art planning an upcoming Italian bakery offering bread and pastries. The motivation in all cases comes from rave reviews of these restaurants' bread courses. 'Guests kept asking if they could bring the breads home, and that meant a lot to me,' Guerrero said. 'Bread is such a personal thing in Chile. We eat it every day. It is also something we share as a gesture of care. At Araya, we put the same level of attention into it as we do the rest of the menu, and over time, it became something people remembered long after the meal." She added: "Making it available for takeaway just felt like a natural next step – an extension of that experience. There is something really special about having it the next morning and remembering your night with us. I love the idea that our breads can create that kind of memory.' Three types of artisanal bread (all S$3.67 each) rooted in Chilean culture are available for ordering and self-pickup through Araya's web shop. The chapalele is a potato sourdough roll inspired by the Mapuche culture of southern Chile. 'The original is usually steamed and is quite dense. At Araya, we ferment the dough over 38 hours with sourdough culture and fold in mashed South American potatoes,' Guerrero explained. 'It is earthy, tangy, and textured.' Then there is the marraqueta, 'a symbol of national identity', she said. With a crispy crust and a fluffy interior, it's 'known as 'the people's bread'. It is as important to us as the baguette is to the French. It has no fat and is a lean, plain bread. It is an integral part of life, and you find it at every table, from the most humble homes to corner bakeries'. Lastly, the Bocado de Dama, meaning 'lady's bite', is a type of layered bread from colonial times. 'We flavour ours with nori, which is not traditional, but gives it an umami note which I love. We also use the beef fat from our picana to make the bread, which gives it a really nice savoury richness.' Bread 'is seen as a small but delicious pleasure, and when people find out everything is made fresh in-house, and grounded in our traditions, they are often surprised,' said the pastry chef who co-helms the restaurant with husband Francisco Araya. 'Many households in Chile still make their own bread, using techniques passed down through generations – kneading by hand, shaping the dough, and baking in wood-fired ovens. The traditional methods and care give the bread its unique texture and taste.' Over at Boronas, the star item is the Pan de la Casa (S$8) or 'homemade bread' in Spanish, paired with smoked butter. Arevalo began serving this rye bread with fermented mushroom and maple glaze, bacon fat and a sprinkle of thyme and salt at his previous restaurant, Preludio, and, during the pandemic, received many orders for it. Since then, 'I thought opening a place for the bread would be a good idea,' he said. Sharing diners' enthusiastic feedback about the bread, he said, 'I love how everyone finds something familiar in it. Some Asian people think it has oyster sauce; Australians tell me it must be Vegemite; Colombians also compare it with treats we have there. I love how it is new yet familiar'. Diners at Arevalo's current restaurant, Latido at Tras Street, still get to enjoy it, but now, so does the CBD crowd. At Boronas, which opened last month at Asia Square's food court, 150 to 200 of these are sold every day. But, that's not all, as Boronas also offers quick breakfast and lunch items such as a meaty Colombian-style sandwich option, as well as Colombian coffee. An unexpectedly popular menu item has been a house-made beverage: The Chispa (S$6), a palm sugar lemonade with coconut foam inspired by a traditional Colombian drink called agua de panela. Also gaining popularity is the 'La mananera' (S$10), a sweet corn arepa with egg and avocado, he shared. It's doing so well that the menu is expanding. 'We initially started mainly focused on the bread, but now, we are about to launch a full range of arepa rellena or stuffed arepas, starting in the second week of May,' Arevalo revealed. The arepas – a flatbread made of ground corn dough – will be available with five different types of fillings including beef short rib with melted cheese and chimichurri, pulled pork with pickled onion, chicken with chillies and guacamole and Colombian scrambled eggs. 'My mum eats arepa with chorizo for almost every single dinner back at home, so, why not bring some here?' said Arevalo, who hopes to open Boronas in more locations in Singapore. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Boronas (@ Meanwhile, Araya is also set to expand its retail options. Currently, in addition to the bread, you can also purchase Guerrero's 13-piece artisanal chocolate box, inspired by the chocolate trolley rolled out at the end of each meal at Araya designed to 'feel fun and varied', she shared. The handmade chocolates 'use single-origin cacao from South America's top regions, including Amazonia, Peru, Brazil and Venezuela, and are inspired by the flavours we grew up with, like cocadas, made with digestive biscuits; coconut and dulce de leche; dark chocolate with merken (a smoked chilli pepper powder) and walnut cookie; banana toffee; or raspberry in white chocolate.' Soon, 'we will be introducing our merken butter and empanadas for takeaway.' She added: 'We are taking it one step at a time, but I would love to eventually introduce more. We are still fine-tuning how best to package, making sure everything travels well and keeps the quality we care about.' In an ideal world, one of the things she and her husband would like to offer is sandwiches. 'Chilean sandwiches are delicious and full of character and I would love to share something like that with our guests one day. Right now, it is not part of the offering, but who knows? Maybe in the near future we will have a version of our favourite sandwich, done the Araya way.'

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