STORY TO BE TOLD

Penang Mamak Fish Head Curry

By Amy Beh

Ingredients

o 1 big fish head (preferably ikan kurau or threadfin), approximately 1kg-1.5kg
o 2 tsp salt

(A) Spices:
o 3/4 tsp mustard seeds (biji sawi)
o 3cm cinnamon stick
o 1¼ tsp halba campur
o 4 cardamoms, split and use the seeds only
o 2 stalks curry leaves

(B) Ground ingredients:
o 15 shallots
o 4 cloves garlic
o 2 stalks lemon grass
o 1 tsp belacan stock granules
o 1½ tbsp chilli paste
o 3 tbsp fish curry powder
o 2cm ginger
o 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
o 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
o 2½ tbsp tamarind (asam jawa), mixed with 1/2 cup water and squeezed for juice
o 4-5 tbsp oil
o 1 cup thick coconut milk
o 2 cups thin coconut milk
o 2 onions, quartered
o 2 tomatoes, quartered
o 2 eggplants, quartered
o 6-7 lady?s fingers

Seasoning:
o 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
o 1 tsp chicken stock granules

Method

Season fish head with salt and set aside; just before cooking rinse off the salt.

Heat oil in an earthen pot and fry mustard seeds until they start to pop. Add the rest of ingredients (A) and fry until fragrant.

Add ground ingredients (B) and stir-fry well until aromatic; add a little tamarind juice to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pot.

Stir in the rest of the tamarind juice followed by thin coconut milk. When it begins to boil, add the eggplants and bring to a simmer for four to five minutes.

Put in the fish head, onions, tomatoes and lady?s fingers.

When the fish head is almost cooked, pour in the thick coconut milk and add seasoning to taste.

Bring to a boil and immediately turn off heat.

Dish out and serve with hot rice.

All ingredients for the recipes are courtesy of Tops Supermarket.

More on: http://kuali.com/recipes/

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Aduh aduh sakit belakang

RAWATAN fisioterapi untuk melegakan sakit belakang yang ringan.

APA yang anda lakukan bila mengalami sakit belakang? Adakah cukup sekadar mengambil ubat penahan sakit, berurut, mendapatkan rawatan pakar atau mencuba rawatan alternatif?

Apa pun jawapannya, jangan ambil mudah kerana sakit belakang kronik juga boleh mengundang gangguan fungsi seksual terutama kepada kaum lelaki.

Pakar Reumatologi dan Sakit Kronik, Dr. Anwar Samhari Md. Arshad berkata, sakit belakang kronik yang berterusan boleh menjejaskan keupayaan seks lelaki secara langsung atau tidak.

“Ia berlaku apabila sakit belakang berada di tahap kedua dan ketiga di mana kesakitan dirasakan berterusan walaupun selepas pengambilan ubat penahan sakit.

“Kesakitan tersebut menekan atau menghimpit saraf sakrum menyebabkan ia menekan terus saraf pelvik lalu mengganggu keupayaan seksual termasuk mati pucuk,” kata pakar dari Pusat Perubatan KPJ Pulau Pinang itu.

Selain itu kata beliau, pesakit juga boleh mengalami gangguan fungsi seksual secara tidak langsung akibat pengambilan ubat terapeutik dan juga disebabkan kemurungan, stres dan gangguan psikologi.

Semua itu kata beliau berpunca daripada kesakitan biasa yang dipandang ringan oleh pesakit dan dibiarkan tanpa melakukan sebarang rawatan.

Apa itu sakit belakang?

Dr. Anwar berkata, rasa sakit di bahagian tengkuk, tulang belakang dan punggung yang berpanjangan lebih daripada enam minggu hingga tiga bulan boleh ditafsirkan sebagai sakit belakang kronik.

“Jika bercakap tentang sakit belakang, hampir semua orang mengalami sakit belakang. Tapi bila diambil paracetamol atau ubat tahan sakit dan berehat, lama kelamaan kesakitan itu akan hilang,” katanya.

Jelas beliau sakit belakang berpunca daripada kecederaan di bahagian otot, saraf, tulang, sendi atau struktur lain pada tulang belakang.

Kecederaan itu, katanya, disebabkan pekerjaan atau perbuatan berterusan hingga menjejaskan kesihatan tulang belakang. Biasanya ia berlaku kepada mereka yang melakukan sesuatu kerja untuk tempoh yang lama seperti pemandu lori, mengangkat bebanan berat dan juga tidak mempraktikkan kesihatan ergonomik dalam perbuatan seharian.

Rasa sakit itu kata Dr. Anwar, mungkin seperti dicucuk-cucuk, rasa sengal atau berdenyut, mungkin untuk tempoh yang panjang atau sekali sekala.

Ia juga mungkin dirasai pada satu tempat atau merebak dari satu kawasan ke kawasan yang lain.

Kata beliau lagi, jenis sakit belakang yang kerap menyerang lelaki berusia antara 30 hingga 40 tahun adalah sakit sendi dan slipped disc atau disc tergelincir.

“Bagi mereka yang berusia antara 40 hingga 50 pula kerap mengalami sakit sendi faset. Manakala bagi lelaki berusia 60 hingga 70 tahun pula biasa mengalami spinal stenosis,” katanya.

Simptom umum:

Menurut Dr. Anwar berkata, tanda-tanda utama sakit belakang adalah rasa sakit di bahagian pinggang yang menjalar ke punggung, paha dan seterusnya ke betis. Ada juga pesakit yang rasa sakit dan kebas mencucuk hingga bahagian betis, paha dan kaki.

Kaki pesakit juga katanya, berasa lemah. Pada peringkat permulaan ia lebih bersifat mekanikal di mana bagi individu yang melakukan kerja berat akan mengalami rasa sakit. Selepas mengambil paracetamol atau ubat penahan sakit dan berehat, sakit itu akan beransur hilang.

“Pada peringkat kedua, setiap hari pesakit akan merasa sakit. Walaupun berehat dan mengambil penahan sakit, kesakitan masih dirasai,” katanya.

Sakit itu berlanjutan hingga menekan saraf sakrum dan menjejaskan keupayaan seksual. Bukan setakat itu, ia juga menjejaskan fungsi pundi kencing menyebabkan pesakit gagal mengawal pembuangan air kencing dan juga besar.

“Jika keadaan ini berlaku pesakit memerlukan rawatan segera,” katanya.

Jenis-jenis sakit belakang:

1. Slipped disc - disc tergelincir adalah masalah kecederaan pada tulang lembut (disc) yang juga dikenali sebagai disc intervertebral. Dalam istilah perubatan ia disebut spinal disc herniated/ prolapsed. Disc intervertebral boleh diumpamakan sekeping tulang lembut di antara tulang vertebra. Ia terdiri daripada satu tisu yang kuat (annulus fibrosus) di mana di dalamnya terkandung sejenis bahan yang lembut (nucleus polposus). Jelasnya, kecederaan pada disc intervertebral menyebabkan kerosakan pada annulus fibrosus. Akibatnya, ia menjadi bengkak dan seringkali juga pecah pada disc intervertebral.

2. Ankilosing spondilytis - merupakan sejenis artritis yang menjejaskan tulang belakang. Simptom termasuk kesakitan daripada leher hingga ke bahagian tulang bawah. Sakit tulang belakang jenis ini menjejaskan hingga 0.1 hingga 0.5 peratus orang dewasa. Biasanya kerap berlaku di kalangan lelaki berusia antara 20 hingga 30an. Ia jarang berlaku di kalangan wanita dan jika ada sekali pun, tidak begitu serius.

3. Sakit sendi faset- Adalah masalah yang jarang berlaku dan ia boleh menjejaskan bahagian bawah serta leher. Boleh menyebabkan simptom serius dan mengundang kecacatan kekal kepada pesakit. Bagaimanapun, masalah sendi faset jarang melibatkan saraf tulang belakang.

4. Spinal stenosis - Keadaan dimana saluran spinal mengecil dan menekan saraf spinal. Ini biasanya melibatkan kemerosotan spinal disebabkan penuaan. Kadangkala ia juga berpunca daripada disc tergelincir, osteoporosis atau tumor. Spinal stenosis boleh melibatkan kawasan cervical (tengkuk), torasik atau lumbar spinal. Jika ia berlaku di kawasan lumbar boleh menyebabkan kesakitan di bahagian bawah juga rasa kelainan di bahagian kaki, paha, tapak kaki atau punggung. Kadang kala ia juga boleh menjejaskan kawalan pundi kencing dan usus.

5. Sindrom myofasial - Berlaku kesakitan kronik dan bagi sesetengah kes, sakit yang teramat sangat dirasai. Ia diikuti sakit pada bahagian tertentu yang menyucuk.

6. Sindrom kauda equana - Kesakitan di bahagian bawah termasuk punggung, paha dan kaki. Juga berlaku kesakitan kronik dan bagi sesetengah kes, sakit yang teramat sangat dirasa. Boleh melibatkan penekanan di bahagian kelamin, menjejaskan kawalan pundi kencing dan sistem usus.

Bagaimana diagnosis

Biasanya pesakit perlu melalui ujian MRI di bahagian lumbar, pelvik dan torak. Ada juga sesetengah pesakit yang tidak dapat didiagnos menggunakan MRI perlu menjalani suntikan diagnostik blok.

Ujian darah dan air kencing juga diperlukan untuk mengenalpasti sakit belakang kronik.

Tidak seperti sakit belakang akut (akibat kemalangan), sakit belakang kronik tidak memerlukan ujian imbasan sinar-X.

Rawatan

Kata Dr. Anwar, sebanyak 70 hingga 80 peratus mereka yang mengalami sakit belakang tidak memerlukan pembedahan major.

“Biasanya mereka memerlukan rawatan multimodel peringkat demi peringkat,” katanya.

Rawatan tanpa pembedahan jelasnya memerlukan kaunseling, fisioterapi, rehat otot corticosteroid dan pengambilan ubat tahan sakit neuropatik.

Selain itu pemakaian alat sokongan tulang belakang juga membantu. Sekiranya rawatan tidak berkesan, doktor akan mengesyorkan suntikan minimalis seperti radio-frekuensi dan prosedur neurolysis.

Salah satu rawatan yang termaju adalah spinal cord stimulation. Stimulasi ini dilakukan dengan memasang implan pada saraf tunjang.

“Rawatan termoden ini sudah boleh didapati di dalam negara malah saya sendiri melakukannya. Walau bagaimanapun, ia memerlukan kos yang tinggi,” katanya.

Rawatan ini kata beliau dilakukan sekiranya lain-lain rawatan yang diberi tidak berkesan. Jelasnya, prosedur implan tersebut memerlukan generator dipasang di bahagian bawah kulit seperti pemasangan peacemaker pada jantung.

“Pesakit akan diberi alat kawalan di mana jika mereka berasa sakit akan menekan alat tersebut dan kesakitan berkurangan,” kata beliau.

More news on: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/

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Tuah Song Hye Kyo

TUAH muka cantik, aktres Korea, Song Hye Kyo berjaya menempatkan diri dalam senarai 100 Most Beautiful Faces 2010 yang dikendalikan oleh sebuah laman portal filem Amerika, Independent Critics.

Tidak hanya itu, dia juga turut tersenarai dalam carta popular 20 teratas dengan berada di tempat ke-18.

Hye Kyo juga dikatakan merupakan artis Korea pertama yang berjaya menempatkan diri dalam senarai itu.

Dalam pada itu, tempat pertama disandang oleh Camilla Belle, diikuti Emma Watson di tangga kedua manakala selepas Hye Kyo adalah Emily Blunt, Sienna Miller dan Monica Belluci.

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Penoreh getah cedera diserang beruang seberat 50kg
19/12/2010 4:41pm

Oleh YATIMIN ABDULLAH

TANAH MERAH 19 Dis. – Seorang penoreh getah cedera diserang seekor beruang seberat 50 kilogram dan setinggi kira-kira dua meter ketika menyemai anak benih getah di kebunnya di Kampung Kuala Balah, Jeli, petang semalam.

Dalam kejadian kira-kira pukul 4 petang itu, lelaki terbabit, Osman Salleh, 35, terpaksa bergelut dan bertarung menggunakan sebilah parang sepanjang 30 sentimeter selama kira-kira 15 minit dengan haiwan liar tersebut.

Dalam pergelutan tersebut, mangsa berjaya mencederakan bintang berkenaan dengan menetaknya bertubi-tubi sehingga memaksa beruang itu yang dikatakan tersesat ke kebunnya, masuk semula ke kawasan hutan berhampiran.

Berikutan kejadian itu, mangsa mengalami kecederaan di sebelah kaki kanannya akibat digigit binatang buas itu.

Dia kemudiannya menghubungi bapanya, Salleh Mahmud, 70, yang berada kira-kira empat kilometer daripada tempat kejadian untuk mendapatkan bantuan.

Osman kemudiannya dibawa pulang ke rumah oleh bapanya sebelum dirujuk oleh seorang ahli keluarga ke Hospital Tanah Merah (HTM) untuk mendapatkan rawatan lanjut sejam kemudian. – Utusan

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Firman Hassanie, 7, catat sejarah berenang sejauh 15km
19/12/2010 7:09pm

LUMUT 19 Dis. – Usia bukan penghalang bagi seorang perenang cilik maraton negara apabila Firman Hassanie Shauati Abdul Halim, yang berusia tujuh tahun, berjaya menamatkan misi berenang menyusuri Sungai Dinding sejauh 15 kilometer semalam.

Firman, pelajar Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Ampang di Ipoh, yang juga adik perenang selat negara Salman Ali Shariati dan Zahrah Masoumah, berjaya melakukannya dalam masa 10 jam 20 minit.

Bapanya, Dr. Abdul Halim Abdul Manaf, yang bertindak sebagai pengurus berkata, cubaan berenang itu dilakukan dalam misi ”1Pelajar 1Komitmen” menerusi Program Cintai Sekolah Kita Untuk Negeri dan Negara anjuran sekolah berkenaan.

"Mengikut perancangan awal, Firman akan membuat tiga percubaan renang sejauh 12 kilometer dari kawasan pantai Lumut ke Kampung Telaga Nenas, yang terletak di Ayer Tawar semalam sebagai percubaan pertama, Ahad (kedua) dan Isnin (ketiga).

"Bagaimanapun, syukur kepada Allah, beliau berjaya mengharungi misi tersebut dengan hanya sekali percubaan sahaja, malah satu bonus kepada beliau kerana membuat jarak renangan sejauh 15 kilometer dan bukannya 12 kilometer seperti rancangan asal,” katanya kepada hari ini. – Bernama

More news on: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/

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Piala AFF Suzuki: Indonesia mara ke akhir lawan Malaysia
19/12/2010 10:25pm

JAKARTA, 19 Dis. - Indonesia berjaya menundukkan Filipina 1-0 dalam saingan separuh akhir kedua Piala AFF Suzuki yang tamat sebentar tadi di Stadium Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta.

Jaringan Indonesia diperolehi melalui pemain C. Gonzales pada minit ke-43, kemenangan tersebut membolehkan Indonesia mara ke peringkat akhir dengan keputusan agregat 2-0.

Pada peringkat akhir pertama Indonesia bakal menentang Malaysia di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil pada 26 Disember ini. – Utusan

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Middleton's first charity event

Kate Middleton made her first public appearance Saturday night since announcing her engagement to Prince William, joining him at a cancer charity fundraising event in Norfolk.

It marked a transition for Middleton as she made the first of what are expected to be many public appearances for a variety of good causes.

Middleton, 28, is not officially part of the royal family until her marriage April 29, but this week she joined Queen Elizabeth II and the rest of the family's inner circle at a pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, signaling her new status.

She wore an elegant black and white dress cut just above the knee to the charity event, risking high heels despite the slippery conditions as much of England was blanketed with snow. The outfit was topped with a fitted black jacket and a small black handbag.

Middleton and William received some applause as they walked past well-wishers into the Thursford Christmas Spectacular, where he was the guest of honor.

"She looked absolutely beautiful," said Sophie Pinsent, who portrayed an elf at the charity event and got a close-up look at the royal couple. "She was really lovely and they looked so happy together, so it was really nice. I thought it was so exciting."

It had been rumored for days that Middleton would attend, adding to the excitement surrounding the annual event, which was threatened by the icy road conditions and the frigid weather.

Money raised from the show will be used to help pay for construction of a special cancer unit at a hospital in Cambridge.

During intermission, William and Middleton planned to meet with a group of young cancer patients from the greater Norfolk region.

The choice of a cancer charity for Middleton's first event is seen as a possible indication of the type of charities she may focus on as she develops her royal role, which remains undefined. Little is known about her interests.

The couple are to be married at Westminster Abbey on April 29 after a lengthy courtship. They met when they were freshmen at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

William's brother, Prince Harry, was in Berlin on Saturday to receive a reward for his humanitarian work. - AP

Published Dec 19 2010

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Firemen sift through the still-smoldering Bed and Breakfast Pension House in Tuguegarao city, Cagayan province in northern Philippines, after a fire rapidly swept through the budget hotel early Sunday

15 die in budget hotel blaze

A fire rapidly swept through a budget hotel in the northern Philippines early Sunday, burning to death 15 people - several crammed in bathrooms where they fled in panic - and injuring 12 others. Many of the victims were nursing students in town to take a licensing exam, officials said.

Some firefighters, moved by the sight of the badly burned bodies in the upper floors of the five-story hotel, were moved to tears and prayed before retrieving the remains, fire investigator Daniel Abana said. The fire raged for eight hours and gutted the Bed and Breakfast Pension House in Cagayan province's capital of Tuguegarao city.

The students who survived the fire went on to take the exam on Sunday, including one who showed up in slippers and sleeping clothes.

Relatives grieved at a morgue where remains of victims, 14 burned beyond recognition, were brought. Some fainted as body bags were brought into a funeral parlor.

"Their families spent fortunes to send these children to school only to see them end that way," Abana told The Associated Press by telephone.

The fire started on the ground floor, apparently fueled by car tires and other combustible materials stored in an automobile parts store. Paint cans also may have been in the building, which was recently renovated, Abana said.

Dozens of guests, roused by the commotion, were rescued by firefighters and police out of the still-smoldering building through the main gate and fire escapes. Some managed to escape on their own but others may have panicked and got trapped by the flames, Cagayan police chief Mao Aplasca said.

Many of the dead had crammed in bathrooms on the top two floors. One victim had a foot stuck out of a window in a desperate attempt to survive, Abana said.

At least 12 nursing students were taken to hospitals with minor burns. The building was still smoldering when firefighters broke in and scrambled to search for the 15 victims, police said.

"It's so close to Christmas, we wept when we saw their bodies," Abana told The AP.

A nursing college instructor, Romeo Opido, told police that about 36 nursing students from nearby provinces were at the hotel in Tuguegarao, about 215 miles (350 kilometers) north of Manila. At least 27 escaped and 9 were missing, he said before the bodies were discovered.

Aileen Gonzales, an aunt of one of the students believed to have perished in the fire, said what happened was a twin disaster because her nephew died just days before Christmas and her family had hoped she would pass the nursing exam and work abroad.

Many Filipino students from middle-income and impoverished families have taken nursing courses in recent years in the hope of landing relatively high-paying jobs abroad. Their massive departure has alarmed officials in the poor Southeast Asian country, which sorely lacks medical workers and hospitals.

The dead included three children, who may have been members of the family that owned the hotel and who stayed in some of its rooms, Abana said. - AP

Published Dec 19 2010

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Teacher burnt children's faces with electric iron

A Chinese kindergarten teacher has been arrested after several children returned home with burn marks on their faces.

Investigators believe the 30-year-old teacher, identified only as Yi, used a mini-iron to punish the children she thought were unruly.

Seven six-year-old kindergarten students of the kindergarten in Jiangsu province iwere njured.

According to Yangtze Evening News, another teacher – who walked past the classroom - heard the children's cries and went to check.

The teacher then grabbed the hot iron from Yi during Tuesday's incident.

At a press conference, the local government said Yi - a single woman - had intended to frighten the children into behaving by wielding the iron.

Its spokesperson said the teacher thought the electric iron had cooled down.

Parents said their injured children would be sent to Shanghai for further treatment.

They added that the kindergarten management told them it would cover the medical costs.

A mother, Cheng Sixia, said both cheeks of her son had been burned.

She said the teacher claimed the children had pushed and shoved each other while heading to the toilet and said the boy had fallen.

She did not find out the truth initially because the teacher had reportedly told the children to keep quiet about the punishment.
Source: China Daily

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Youth jailed for staging his own kidnapping

A 22-year-old electrical trainee lost HK$100,000 (RM40,350) gambling in Macao.

When he returned to Hong Kong, Cheung Hou-lam staged his own kidnapping to get twice that amount from his parents.

But his plan was exposed after police found discrepancies in his statements.

On Friday, the District Court sentenced Cheung to 20 months' jail and his accomplice, Huang Jing, to 18 months' jail.



On Jan 26, Cheung went to gamble in Macao. He lost all his cash including those borrowed from the relatives and loan sharks.

He planned the kidnap while taking the ferry back home on Jan 29. He sought help from Huang, also 22, and promised to give him HK$20,000 (RM8,070).

The same day, Huang called Cheung's mother to say that the son had been kidnapped. He demanded a ransom of HK$200,000 (RM80,701).

Later, Huang telephoned Cheung's father and "allowed" the son to talk to him.

In the conversation, the father told Cheung that his 47-year-old mother was hospitalised following a heart attack after she had received the call regarding ransom. Cheung cut off the conversation immediately.

He discussed with Huang what to do next.

Then, Cheung directed Huang to call the father again, saying that Cheung was temporarily released, but he still had to pay the ransom otherwise Cheung would be kidnapped again.

The father called the police.

Cheung returned home on Jan 30.

The next day, he told the police that he was kidnapped by three men and taken to China.

But the border control had no record of him entering the country.

Realising that his lies would be exposed, he admitted to haivng staged the kidnapping.
Source: Ming Pao, HK

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Rare toys sold for US$2.3mil

A collection of rare and valuable toys amassed over almost 40 years by the late Malcolm Forbes and his sons sold for US$2.3mil at auction in New York.

The Forbes collection of antique toys was estimated to bring in anywhere from US$3mil to US$5mil at Friday's sale at Sotheby's.
It included toy boats, soldiers, motorcycles and board games, including a handmade Monopoly game from 1933.

The highlight was a 3-foot (meter)-long replica of the Cunard Line's Lusitania ocean liner, complete with crew and passengers. It sold for US$194,500 to an American collector, a record for a toy boat at auction. The price included the buyer's premium.

Malcolm Forbes paid US$28,600 for the Lusitania at Sotheby's in 1983. It had been estimated to bring in US$100,000 to US$200,000. - AP

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Acid victim's family unaware she was pregnant
By AUSTIN CAMOENS

JOHOR BARU: Family members of the 17-year-old gir,l who was stabbed multiple times and doused with acid by a jealous family friend, were unaware she was pregnant.

The victim Nur Ain Ashikin Jemedi’s elder sister Marlina Jemedi, 29, said that her family was shocked to find out that her younger sister was pregnant.

“The loss of Nur Ain’s unborn baby makes the attack even more saddening for us,” she told reporters when met at the Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) on Sunday.

Marlina said that the 42-year-old man, who is allegedly responsible for her sister’s attack, was a close friend of the family.

“We have known the man for 12 years and my father treated the man like his own son,” she said adding that she believed the man had fallen in love with Nur Ain.

She said the attack could be due to unreciprocated love as the man was frustrated as Nur Ain did not loved him back.

It was reported that the jobless man had stabbed her before splashing acid on her. He later turned himself in at the Ulu Tiram police station.

The girl was stabbed in her buttocks, stomach, back and limbs during the attack at her Kampung Baru Sungai Redan home.

“My sister had tried to turn her life around after being released from the Pusat Tunas Bakti, in Malacca earlier this year.

“My father sent her to the centre in 2008 as she used to skip school a lot,” she said adding that Nur Ain had gotten engaged to a 20-year-old man in April this year.

She said that her sister had regained consciousness on Saturday but could not speak as her face and lips were swollen from the acid attack.

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Ten additional episodes confirmed for Queen of Reversals
by javabeans

This isn’t a surprise, but more of a relief: MBC has finally come to a decision regarding the fate of Queen of Reversals: The series will now end with Episode 30 instead of Episode 20. Extension negotiations had bandied about numbers ranging anywhere from two extra installments to twelve, before settling on a final number of ten.

The drama had been hanging in limbo for weeks while broadcast execs tried to decide what to do with it. MBC had already dropped Birdie Buddy and found themselves without a suitable drama to slot in until their next (The Duo) would be ready to air next year.

Even so, MBC was tentative about Queen of Reversals being stretched to fill the time, probably because its ratings (10%-11%) have not been high enough that they would spur extension talk in normal circumstances. But these aren’t normal circumstances. (One senior executive had stated last week that the extension would be granted if the latest two episodes hit 17%. They didn’t, but the jump to 14% was apparently enough to sway them.)

This means Queen of Reversals will air through January, leaving The Duo — starring Chun Jung-myung, Han Ji-hye, and Lee Sang-yoon — to take over in early February.

What say you — will the five extra weeks endanger plot and slow the momentum, or will it allow more fun romance developments and time to build its viewership?

Via Joy News

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Secret Garden to be made into manhwa and novel
by javabeans

Can’t get enough of the wacky romantic comedy Secret Garden? Thanks to the popularity of the drama series, the story will be adapted for several additional formats: a novel, a photo comic book, and a soonjung manhwa (aka shojo manga, or romance-themed comic book).

The novel will be written by a new writer, Kang Yi-eul, and will include many of the drama’s most recognizable bits of dialogue as written by scriptwriter Kim Eun-sook. An example: “Is this your best? Are you sure?” which is the icy comment Joo-won always levels at his staff, which intimidates them and asserts his position as alpha dog. As though his position as CEO and his general hauteur weren’t enough to cow them into submission.

In the photo comic book, memorable scenes will be captured in stills and arranged, comic book style, to tell a story. Since all of its material will be taken from the drama proper, the story won’t be new, so I suppose it works more as a collector’s item for drama fans. It’ll be published in two volumes. The actual (soonjung) comic book, in contrast, will diverge from the drama’s established storyline to include new plotlines for the characters.

Hmm, it’s good for the drama producers, but I’m not sure how compelling this franchise will be without the crackling onscreen chemistry between Hyun Bin and Ha Ji-won (and the childish rivalry between Hyun Bin and Yoon Sang-hyun). At least readers will have their portrayals in mind when reading the new material, which should help.

The novel became available for preorders this week, and preorders open up for the first of the two photo books next week. The manhwa collection plans to go up for preorders in January.

Via BNT News

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Heathrow closure disrupts MAS flights in and out of London

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flights to and from London have been disrupted due to the closure of Heathrow Airport.

In a statement on Sunday, the airlines said the affected flights were MH3 (London to Kuala Lumpur), MH4 and MH 2 (KL-London).

Flight MH3 is stranded in London and has been re-timed to depart on Sunday at 12pm (London time). This is pending the re-opening of Heathrow while MH4 which left on Saturday has been diverted to Frankfurt.

“All passengers have been provided with accommodation. Pending London airport re-opening, passengers will be transferred to an alternative flight, scheduled to depart 19 Dec 2010 at 1.15pm Frankfurt time,” the statement said.

Flight MH2 which departed on Saturday night as scheduled will be diverted to Istanbul as all European airports are no longer accepting anymore diversions.

The re-timing of MH2 will be announced later.

Meanwhile, MH4 which was scheduled to leave Malaysia at 10.45am Sunday is being monitored pending Heathrow being re-opened.

It has currently been re-timed to leave KL on Monday morning, 12.55am (Malaysian time).

MAS operations director Captain Azharuddin Osman said there remains significant snow and ice at Heathrow causing the authorities to decide that it was not safe to operate.

“We apologise to our passengers for the disruption caused by the poor weather in London. The safety of our passengers is our highest priority,” he said in the statement.

“We are working very closely with the airport and all relevant civil aviation authorities and will update passengers on our new flight schedules once we receive the required clearances,” he said.

The statement said passengers on affectetd flights have the option of changing their flight bookings between now and Jan 2, 2011 at no charge for travel until end March subject to seat availability on the fare type booked or obtain a full refund for all fare types, at a fee

Passengers are also advised to check the status of their flights before going to the airport.

They can do so via www.malaysiaairlines.com or call the MAS Call Center 1300-88-3000 (within Malaysia) or +603-7843 3000 (outside Malaysia). Passengers can also check the flight status on their mobile phone by visiting flymas.mobi.

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Stabbed teen fighting for life

KOTA TINGGI: A 17-year-old girl, who was stabbed 19 times by her boyfriend in a fit of jealousy, is in critical condition.

Kota Tinggi deputy OCPD Deputy Supt Muhammad Shamsudin said the teenager, who has been put on the respirator at the Sultan Ismail Hospital’s intensive care unit, was fighting for her life.

He said the girl, said to be 24 weeks’ pregnant, would be transferred to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for further treatment soon.

DSP Muhammad said the boyfriend, who stabbed the girl in front of her 13-year-old sister and two-year-old niece, had no previous criminal record or mental problems.

“Investigations revealed that he was in a rage after suspecting the girl of having an affair with another man,” he said, adding that the 42-year-old man was under remand until Tuesday.

It was reported yesterday that the jobless man had stabbed his lover before splashing acid on her. He later turned himself in at the Ulu Tiram police station.

The girl was stabbed in her buttocks, stomach, back and limbs during the attack at her Kampung Baru Sungai Redan home.

DSP Muhammad said the case was being investigated under Sections 307 and 326 of the Penal Code for attempted murder and causing grievous hurt.

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry issued a statement yesterday, expressing hope that the police would expedite their investigations.

“We also urge the Attorney-General’s Chambers to recommend the maximum sentence upon prosecution of the perpetrator.”

In an unrelated case, police detained four men, believed to be involved in a luxury car theft syndicate.

The syndicate was believed to have stolen four cars, including a Mercedez-Benz, Lexus and Hyundai Sonata.

DSP Muhammad said one of the men was arrested while driving a stolen car — a Perodua Myvi — near the community college in Bandar Penawar.

“The car was earlier reported stolen in Bukit Jelutong, Selangor. The man later brought us to his three colleagues and the other stolen vehicles,” he said, adding that police were investigating if more people were involved in the syndicate.


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Man who went fishing eaten alive by crocodile
By NG AI FERN
aifern@thestar.com.my

KUCHING: A 66-year-old man was eaten alive by a crocodile when he went fishing in a river near his house at Kampung Reban in Asajaya, some 60km from here.

Villagers saw the lower half of Sidi Samat’s body dangling from the mouth of a 20m-long crocodile resting in the middle of the Batang Samarahan river at around 10.30am yesterday.

However, a hastily assembled search and rescue team comprising six villagers using a longboat and equipped with a shotgun, failed to locate the crocodile.

“He went fishing by the river at around 6.30am. He normally returns home in less than an hour, but when he did not come back after 8am, I called for help to look for him,” Sidi’s wife, Dayang Sara Awang Shahrut, 60, told reporters at her house yesterday in front of the river where the incident took place.

Relatives and villagers who went to the river to look for Sidi soon after Dayang Sara called for help, were shocked to see his body inside the crocodile’s mouth.

“We saw a huge crocodile in the middle of the river. I saw Sidi’s legs inside the mouth of the crocodile. But it was too far. We could not reach him,” said Ismail Awang Uding, who then informed the police and Bomba.

“I prayed and talked to the crocodile, asking it to come ashore. It came to the shore, but before we could do anything, it immersed itself in the river,” Ismail said.

According to the villagers, crocodiles are a common sight there but they never came up the banks and the villagers always avoided them.

Villagers said it has been more than 10 years since the last crocodile attack.

Sidi has three sons and three daughters ranging from 23 to 40 years old

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Heartbreak in Facebook world
By RASHVINJEET S.BEDI
sunday@thestar.com.my

A 45-minute suicide countdown on Facebook continues to touch members’ hearts.

“Goodbye, my friend, goodbye My love, you are in my heart.”

RUSSIAN poet Sergei Esenin wrote this suicide note in his own blood and passed it to his friend the day before he hanged himself.

That was in 1925; imagine what he would have done if he had killed himself today.

When Alviss Kong, 22, decided to take his life after his girlfriend of four months left him last week, he posted a farewell status on his Facebook page together with a teary photo of himself.

The status at 11.15pm read “Count Down For 45 Mins…What should I do in this 45 mins?”

In the ensuing minutes, up to 204 Facebook members “liked” his suicidal status post on his Facebook wall, but no one stopped him or alerted his family on his suicidal intentions.

Only his sister Chelvin Kong, 28, reportedly tried to talk him out of the suicide, but Alviss assured her that he was joking.

A few hours later, his body was found sprawled on a car, fallen from the 14th floor of his apartment building in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

This tragic tale has been getting a lot of media coverage especially in the Chinese press, begging the question – what do you do when someone tells you that he or she wants to commit suicide?

Student Ariel Yong*, 17, believes that many thought that Alviss’ message was a prank and simply played along.

“Sometimes when my friend and I wait for the LRT train, we make stupid jokes about throwing ourselves in front of the train. But we know it’s just a joke. I suppose on Facebook, it is difficult to know what somebody really means unless you are also friends outside.”

She feels this shows the significance of “friend” or “community” on Facebook: “Most are not real friends. My real friends would really know if I am joking or serious or if I am depressed or happy.”

International survey firm TNS last month reported that Malaysians had the most “friends” on Facebook and spent nine hours a day on average surfing the site of more than 500 million members.

Real friends or not, Kim Chua*, 19, hopes Alviss got some comfort from those who responded to his wall posting.

“They may not be his real friends or close friends, but no one wants to die alone,” she says.

The psychology student says studies show that an estimated 12–20% of suicides are accompanied by a note and people write it to ease their pain, not as a cry for help.

Paul Jambunathan, consultant clinical psychologist at Monash University Malaysia and Sunway Medical Centre describes those who “liked” Alviss’ Facebook status as “emotional voyeurs”.

“People love to hear about what is happening to others and how they are suffering,” he says, linking it to the trends in today’s popular culture.

“This culture includes suicide as an option to past history within the family or significant others, movies, lyrics and media sensationalism. They all have an effect that makes suicide an option when really it should never be,” he says.

But ultimately, no one can be blamed for Alviss’ death except himself. It was irresponsible of Alviss to put up the posting on Facebook, says Jambunathan.

“He expected society to be responsible for him. He killed himself because he was depress­ed, and became helpless and hopeless. It is unfair to pin this on the girl when the only person responsible is himself, his choices in life and the kind of friends he kept.”

Jambunathan believes that Alviss might not have jumped if there was any inkling of help or hope.

Consultant psychologist Valerie Jacques agrees that Alviss was deeply depressed and put his hopes in the relationship to make him happier.

“Nothing external will make a person happier when they are depressed from deep inside,” she says.

What is clear – and somewhat comforting – is the notion that love and the way people deal with its ups and downs have not changed over time.

Jambunathan concurs, saying that les affaires du coeur (affairs of the heart) have been known to drive men to “madness.”

He explains that very deep-level emotions are involved from even the early stages of love such as infatuation right to the latter stages of mantaining a functional relationship.

“How angry are you when you are hitting on a girl you have just met, and someone else is doing the same? (Love) evokes and stimulates the very basic and deep-rooted issues in people.

“These emotions lead to aggressive behaviour that can lead people to harming others or themselves,” he says.

This is probably why people act uncharacteristically when love is the core issue at stake. As they say, “love makes the world go round” or on the opposite end “love hurts.”

Jambunathan points out that while suicide seems to be an extreme option, others regularly indulge in self-destructive behaviour because of failures in their relationships. The “broken-hearted” might turn to alcohol to try and forget their relationship or sleep around to make themselves feel better, he adds.

Julia*, 30, remembers when she drove to see her then boyfriend after they had a fight over the phone. She was at a party and had been drinking a lot.

In any other circumstance, she wouldn’t have driven but at that moment she really had to see her boyfriend.

“I had many near misses on the road. I almost drove off a bridge but in the end I arrived at my destination. It was a very stupid thing to do,” she recalls.

She says that while career and financial issues are important, they are not as important as her romantic relationships.

Nazmi Johan*, 35, says that even tough-looking males can be “over-sensitive” when their relationships fail.

“It’s quite funny to see a grown man cry because of a girl but it happens,” he says.

“Love is the biggest seller. In almost every movie, there is always some sort of love element. People always believe that there is someone out there made for them and they will live happily ever after,” he muses.

Gregory Tan* who has been “dumped” a couple of times admits that he felt lost and turned to alcohol when his heart was broken.

“When that “one” person rejects you, it’s as if the whole world is rejecting you,” says Tan.

These days, he tries to be more philosophical about things. “I try to take an ‘everything happens for a reason’ attitude. When I fail at a relationship, I would say to myself that I would find someone more compatible,” he says.

Jacques believes love, not relationships, is a big reason why people consider suicide. In Alviss’s case, she believes that the root problem was that he did not feel loved.

“Even though his family love him dearly, he had a deep belief that no one loved him and so he was not lovable. So, any external sign of rejection or break up can trigger bad feelings,” she says.

*Not their real names


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source of photo: Gambar Perkahwinan Marion & SM Nasarudin

Naza’s SM Nasarudin marries celebrity TV presenter Caunter

KUALA LUMPUR: One of the corporate world’s most eligible bachelors, SM Nasarudin SM Nasi­mud­din, has tied the knot with celebrity news presenter Marion Caunter in a ceremony dubbed “Wedding of the Year”.

Host of E! News Asia (Astro Channel 712) Caunter was reported in the Daily Chilli to have looked “angelic” in an all-white traditional Malay baju kurung, designed by Rizalman, during the ceremony at the Bukit Tunku residence of Nasa­rudin, Naza’s joint group executive chairman, on Thursday.

The ceremony was a closed affair with only family members, relatives and a few local celebrities invited.

A grand and exclusive wedding reception was held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel last night, with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin among the guests.

On Friday, the couple also hosted a private wedding reception at the same hotel.

The blushing bride was decked in a custom-made wedding gown, designed by famed international designer Vera Wang.

Among the celebrities spotted at the wedding were model-actress Elaine Daly, beauty queen Deborah Henry, celebrity designers Tom Abang Saufi and Khoon Hooi.

Local pop stars Ning Baizura and Sean Ghazi performed with the Russell Curtis band.

Top Malay entertainment portal, murai.com.my reported that the couple would continue their wedding celebrations on the island of Maldives.

E!News Asia will air exclusive footage of the wedding from Dec 26 to Jan 2.

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