عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

Rice Dish Delivery by Helicopter Sparks Probe in Malaysia

This May 25, 2018, photo show a general view of capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (AP)
This May 25, 2018, photo show a general view of capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (AP)
TT
TT

Rice Dish Delivery by Helicopter Sparks Probe in Malaysia

This May 25, 2018, photo show a general view of capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (AP)
This May 25, 2018, photo show a general view of capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (AP)

With Malaysians stuck at home due to a coronavirus outbreak, food delivery services are increasingly popular -- but one customer has sparked an outcry by sending a helicopter across the country to collect a rice dish.

Police are investigating an alleged breach of virus rules after the aircraft landed in Ipoh city to pick up 36 portions of the rice dish and returned to Kuala Lumpur, 180 kilometers (110 miles) away.

Authorities have imposed a lockdown to battle a widespread Covid-19 outbreak, with people largely staying at home and travel between states banned except in exceptional circumstances.

Social media lit up with anger after images circulated online of the helicopter landing in a field at the weekend to pick up the takeaway from a well-known Ipoh eatery.

"What kind of nonsense is this?" one user posted on Twitter.

"There are people who can't travel back home to attend... funerals or to see their loved ones for one last time, because it's not a valid enough reason to get them a travel permit."

The dish, which usually contains fish, meat, vegetables and curry sauce, is popularly known as "nasi ganja" due to its supposedly addictive nature -- although it does not contain any drugs.

Police say the red helicopter had been granted permission to fly outside the capital but only for maintenance, not to collect food.

They have taken statements from several people, including the owners of the restaurant and the helicopter, and prosecutors will decide whether to take further action.

The identity of the customer is not clear, but the helicopter owner has defended the unusual delivery.

"All papers were in order... it was a quick pick-up," Mohamed Raffe Chekku told local media outlet Free Malaysia Today.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

Punch the Baby Monkey Isn’t Being Bullied, Says Japan Zoo

Punch, right a Japanese macaque born on July 26, 2025, sits with others in the monkeys' playground at the Ichikawa city zoo in Tokyo's eastward neighboring city, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP)
Punch, right a Japanese macaque born on July 26, 2025, sits with others in the monkeys' playground at the Ichikawa city zoo in Tokyo's eastward neighboring city, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

Punch the Baby Monkey Isn’t Being Bullied, Says Japan Zoo

Punch, right a Japanese macaque born on July 26, 2025, sits with others in the monkeys' playground at the Ichikawa city zoo in Tokyo's eastward neighboring city, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP)
Punch, right a Japanese macaque born on July 26, 2025, sits with others in the monkeys' playground at the Ichikawa city zoo in Tokyo's eastward neighboring city, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP)

A Japanese zoo caring for a baby monkey who has become an internet sensation was forced to issue a statement denying he was being bullied, following an outpouring of concern online.

Punch, a seven-month-old baby macaque, was abandoned by his mother and shot to stardom after he began clinging to a plush orangutan toy from IKEA for comfort at Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo.

But after the zoo posted on X last month that Punch "had been scolded many times by other monkeys", videos showing him being chased by members of the troop were spread online, alongside claims that he was being bullied.

"As a result, we have received many voices of concern from people both in Japan and overseas," the zoo said in a statement Tuesday.

The zoo added that Punch was becoming less reliant on the stuffed orangutan toy because increasing numbers of monkeys were looking after or playing with him.

"While dominant individuals may show disciplining actions toward their subordinates, as macaques do naturally, these actions in the macaque society 'differ from human abuses'," it said.

"Punch spends most of the day peacefully," the zoo added.

The zoo also warned that "Punch has become accustomed to living in this troop, so separating him now would create the risk that he would never be able to return to the group and would have to continue living that way for the rest of his life".

Spurned by its mother, Punch was raised in an artificial environment after being born in July, and began training to rejoin his troop earlier this year.

Punch's predicament sparked huge interest online, spawning a devoted fanbase under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch, as large crowds thronged the zoo, and sales of his IKEA orangutan toy boomed.

However, animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said Punch's plight has highlighted the cruelty of zoos and called for his relocation to a "reputable sanctuary, where he could live in a more natural environment".

Varieties

Thousands of Authors Publish ‘Empty’ Book to Protest AI Using their Work

Thousands of authors published an “empty” book to protest AI (Shutterstock)
Thousands of authors published an “empty” book to protest AI (Shutterstock)
TT
TT

Thousands of Authors Publish ‘Empty’ Book to Protest AI Using their Work

Thousands of authors published an “empty” book to protest AI (Shutterstock)
Thousands of authors published an “empty” book to protest AI (Shutterstock)

Thousands of authors including Kazuo Ishiguro, Philippa Gregory and Richard Osman have published an “empty” book to protest against AI firms using their work without permission.

About 10,000 writers have contributed to Don’t Steal This Book, in which the only content is a list of their names.

Copies of the work were distributed to attenders at the London book fair on Tuesday, a week before the UK government is due to issue an assessment on the economic cost of proposed changes in copyright law.

By March 18, ministers must deliver an economic impact assessment as well as a progress update on a consultation about the legal overhaul, against a backdrop of anger among creative professionals about how their work is being used by AI firms.

The organizer of the book, Ed Newton-Rex, a composer and campaigner for protecting artists’ copyright, said the AI industry was “built on stolen work ... taken without permission or payment.”

He added: “This is not a victimless crime – generative AI competes with the people whose work it is trained on, robbing them of their livelihoods. The government must protect the UK’s creatives, and refuse to legalize the theft of creative work by AI companies.”

Other authors who have contributed their names to the book include the Slow Horses author, Mick Herron; the author Marian Keyes; the historian David Olusoga; and Malorie Blackman, the writer of Noughts and Crosses.

“It is not in any way unreasonable to expect AI companies to pay for the use of authors’ books,” said Blackman.

Varieties

Wildlife to Replace Humans on Next Series of UK Banknotes

Banknotes and coins that feature an image of Britain's King Charles III are pictured on display during a photocall for "The Future of Money" exhibition, at the Bank of England Museum, City of London, UK, Feb. 27, 2024. (AFP)
Banknotes and coins that feature an image of Britain's King Charles III are pictured on display during a photocall for "The Future of Money" exhibition, at the Bank of England Museum, City of London, UK, Feb. 27, 2024. (AFP)
TT
TT

Wildlife to Replace Humans on Next Series of UK Banknotes

Banknotes and coins that feature an image of Britain's King Charles III are pictured on display during a photocall for "The Future of Money" exhibition, at the Bank of England Museum, City of London, UK, Feb. 27, 2024. (AFP)
Banknotes and coins that feature an image of Britain's King Charles III are pictured on display during a photocall for "The Future of Money" exhibition, at the Bank of England Museum, City of London, UK, Feb. 27, 2024. (AFP)

Images of ‌animals will feature on the next series of banknotes from the Bank of England, as the central bank shifts away from historical figures such as William Shakespeare, Winston Churchill and Jane Austen over the coming years.

"Nature is a great choice from a banknote authentication perspective and means we can showcase the UK's rich and varied wildlife on the next series of ‌banknotes," Victoria ‌Cleland, the BoE's chief cashier, said.

Bank ‌of ⁠England banknotes have ⁠featured monarchs since Queen Elizabeth first appeared on one in 1960, while Shakespeare was the first historic figure to appear in 1970.

King Charles' portrait will continue to appear on the next series of notes as well, the ⁠BoE said.

The BoE held a ‌consultation on a change ‌to the design of banknotes in July 2025, ‌inviting views from the public.

The theme of ‌nature was supported by 60% of the 44,000 responses, narrowly beating the category of "architecture and landmarks" on 56% and "notable historical figures" on 38%. Other categories included "arts, ‌culture and sport", "innovation" and "noteworthy milestones".

The new notes will feature wildlife native ⁠to ⁠the United Kingdom and will not include household pets, the BoE said. It plans to run a second consultation in the coming months asking for the public's views on specific animals to feature on the notes taken from a list created by British wildlife experts.

The BoE is not the only producer of banknotes in the United Kingdom. Notes are also produced by seven commercial banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland.