Day: May 26, 2026

New cases of hantavirus among individuals quarantined at Madrid hospital

ISTANBUL: Spain on Monday confirmed a new case of hantavirus among individuals undergoing preventive quarantine at a hospital in Madrid, Anadolu Agency reported. "The positive case was detected during periodic diagnostic checks carried out on contacts under surveillance," the country's Ministry of Health said in a post on social media platform X. It is the second positive case among 14 Spanish nationals evacuated to Tenerife from the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius. The ship was carrying about 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries. On May 11, the Spanish Health Minister announced that a Spanish passenger on the MV Hondius cruise ship had tested positive for hantavirus shortly after authorities completed the ship's evacuation operation. Authorities on Monday said the individual had been under clinical monitoring and isolation since being admitted to hospital, "in accordance with the protocols set by the Early Warning and Rapid Response System." Following confirmation via PCR testing, the patient was transferred to the High-Level Isolation Unit at Gomez Ulla Hospital, and will continue to be under specialized medical monitoring and strict biosecurity measures. "The patient will continue to be admitted to the hospital under special medical monitoring and biosecurity measures provided for such cases," the ministry said. Health authorities stressed that the detection was made within a control system that had already been activated. "Case detection occurred within the isolation and control system that has been activated, therefore it does not change the risk situation for the general population," the ministry said. -- BERNAMA-ANADOLU

ISTANBUL: Spain on Monday confirmed a new case of hantavirus among individuals undergoing preventive quarantine at a hospital in Madrid, Anadolu Agency reported. “The positive case was detected during periodic diagnostic checks carried out on contacts under surveillance,” the country’s Ministry of Health said in a post on social media platform X. It is the […]

YB Gobind Singh Deo Engages Sarawak Leaders on TIC Bintulu Initiative Ahead of APGH 2026

PUTRAJAYA, May 26 — Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo yesterday received a courtesy visit from YBhg. Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Abdullah bin Haji Zaidel, Deputy Secretary of the Government of Sarawak (Economic Planning & Development), alongside Dr Kho Lip Khoon, Assistant Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Energy & Environmental Sustainability Sarawak, for a discussion focused on Sarawak’s industrial transformation agenda. The meeting provided an opportunity for Gobind to gain deeper insight into the Sarawak Transitioning Industrial Cluster (TIC) Bintulu, recognised as Malaysia’s first World Economic Forum Industrial Transformation Initiative. The initiative is scheduled to be officially launched during the APGH 2026 event in Kuching from June 9 to 11. Gobind said the discussions highlighted the importance of strategic collaboration in supporting Malaysia’s aspirations to strengthen the digital economy while accelerating the transformation of the nation’s industries through innovation and sustainable development. He also expressed interest in seeing how the TIC Bintulu initiative could contribute towards enhancing industrial digitalisation and positioning Malaysia as a competitive regional hub for future-ready industries. -- MINUTESMY -- SOURCE: FB GOBIND SINGH DEO

PUTRAJAYA, May 26 — Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo yesterday received a courtesy visit from YBhg. Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Abdullah bin Haji Zaidel, Deputy Secretary of the Government of Sarawak (Economic Planning & Development), alongside Dr Kho Lip Khoon, Assistant Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Energy & Environmental Sustainability Sarawak, for a discussion […]

KL has the potential to become a major regional concert destination – Live Nation

KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur has the potential to rival major regional concert destinations such as Singapore, but stronger coordination in the country's live entertainment ecosystem is needed to attract more international tours and global artists. Live Nation Malaysia Managing Director, Paramananthan Rajagopal said the city has many of the key elements needed to become a major tour destination in Asia including infrastructure, passionate fans and strategic location, however improvements in terms of coordination, venue readiness and industry support remain essential. "Actually, Kuala Lumpur has everything. In fact, maybe better than some other cities, but what we need now is coordination. "An event cannot be made successful by one individual alone. All parties need to work together to ensure that a performance can be held," he told reporters after the launch of the KL Headline Season 2026 here, last night. Paramananthan said the live entertainment industry in Malaysia needs to work together to strengthen the international perception of Kuala Lumpur as a trusted concert destination. "Most international artists and management teams will search for Kuala Lumpur on Google before deciding to tour. Sometimes, what pops up in those searches are stories about cancellations, protests or approval issues (of a concert). "However, in a country like Singapore, the narrative is different. They promote positive things and position the country as a concert destination," he said. He said the issue was not just about facilities, as Kuala Lumpur already had the infrastructure needed to host large-scale productions, although some venues needed improvements to meet the expectations of fans and productions. "Fans pay high prices for tickets. They expect more comfortable seats, clearer views and better facilities. Therefore, venue maintenance and upgrades are very important," he said. Paramananthan said venue availability is one of the biggest challenges facing concert organisers in the country, especially when international tours operate according to a set schedule across various countries. "Our problem behind the scenes is the availability of venues. Tours already have fixed dates and sometimes we can't change them because there are no venues," he said, adding that some countries prioritize international artist tours as part of a broader economic strategy. He said the live entertainment industry should no longer be seen as mere entertainment, but rather concerts also generate huge economic spillovers in the tourism, hospitality, retail and transportation sectors. Malaysia has organised more than 400 concerts in 2024, generating more than RM553 million in tourism and economic impact, while for this year, the industry is expected to contribute almost RM1.7 billion to the national economy, he said. Paramananthan said that fans from neighbouring countries including Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines are increasingly coming to Kuala Lumpur, specifically to attend concerts, reflecting the capital's growing influence in the regional live entertainment landscape. He said the newly launched KL Headline Season 2026 was created to place Kuala Lumpur firmly on the global tour map and establish the city as the premier entertainment capital in Asia. The launch was attended by Communications Minister, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), Hannah Yeoh. The initiative, developed by Live Nation Malaysia in collaboration with PR Worldwide, Tourism Malaysia and CelcomDigi, is expected to bring 25 international music acts across six major venues throughout 2026, attracting an estimated 500,000 fans from Malaysia and across the region, with a roster of artists including big names such as Post Malone, The Weeknd, BTS, Laufey and LANY. -- BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 26 — Kuala Lumpur has the potential to rival major regional concert destinations such as Singapore, but stronger coordination in the country’s live entertainment ecosystem is needed to attract more international tours and global artists. Live Nation Malaysia Managing Director, Paramananthan Rajagopal said the city has many of the key elements needed […]

Two hardcore criminals killed in shootout with police in Kajang

KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 26 -- Two local hardened criminals were shot dead in a shootout with Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) forces at Jalan Persiaran Seri Putra 2, Bandar Seri Putra, in Kajang, Selangor, on Sunday night. Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director, Datuk M. Kumar, said the exchange of gunfire involving the police and criminals occurred at 9.10pm. He said investigations found that both suspects were suspected of being involved in several robbery cases around the Klang Valley. "An inspection (at the scene) found a revolver pistol as well as several bullets and bullet casings. Also found were four machete blades, burglary equipment, face masks and gloves," he said in a statement last night. Kumar said a press conference regarding the incident would be held today. -- BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 26 — Two local hardened criminals were shot dead in a shootout with Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) forces at Jalan Persiaran Seri Putra 2, Bandar Seri Putra, in Kajang, Selangor, on Sunday night. Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director, Datuk M. Kumar, said the exchange of gunfire involving the police […]

Interpol-Wanted Rames Gang Leader Arrested During International Flight

KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 26 -- A man believed to be the leader of the notorious Rames Gang was arrested during an international flight operation last Friday under Op Tiga, following close cooperation between Malaysian, Thai and Indian authorities. Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director M. Kumar said the suspect was detained while travelling on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand to Hyderabad, India, before being brought back to Malaysia for further investigation. According to Kumar, the suspect is being investigated under Section 130V of the Penal Code for alleged involvement in an organised crime group. The offence carries a prison sentence of between five and 20 years upon conviction. He added that the suspect, who has been remanded until Friday, is also being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder. Kumar said the Sungai Petani Magistrate’s Court in Kedah had issued an arrest warrant against the suspect on March 25 in connection with two separate murder cases in Padang Serai and Bedong that took place in February and August last year. He also revealed that Interpol issued a Red Notice against the suspect on April 24, paving the way for international cooperation in tracking and arresting him. The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), he said, expressed appreciation to both Indian and Thai authorities for their assistance in the operation. “PDRM remains committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring national security as well as public safety are continuously protected,” Kumar said in a statement on Monday. -- MINUTESMY / SUGAN BALAN

KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 26 — A man believed to be the leader of the notorious Rames Gang was arrested during an international flight operation last Friday under Op Tiga, following close cooperation between Malaysian, Thai and Indian authorities. Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director M. Kumar said the suspect was detained while travelling on a […]