STORY TO BE TOLD

Pelakon Faizal Yusof meninggal dunia
01/01/2011 5:58pm

KUALA LUMPUR 1 Jan (Bernama) — Pelakon, Faizal Yusof meninggal dunia kira-kira 1.45 tengah hari ini di Pusat Rawatan Islam (Pusrawi), Jalan Tun Razak di sini akibat serangan jantung.

Faizal, 32, dikatakan pengsan di rumahnya di Anjung Villa Bandar Baru Sentul di sini kira-kira 9 pagi akibat serangan jantung sebelum dibawa ke hospital untuk mendapatkan rawatan.

Faizal dikenali kerana lakonannya dalam beberapa drama bersiri di televisyen seperti Tiramisu dan Manjalara.

Allahyarham meninggalkan seorang isteri, Rosmunira Rashid, 27, yang sedang mengandung lima bulan.

Allahyarham pernah berkahwin sebelum bercerai dengan penyanyi Siti Nordiana dan dikurniakan seorang anak lelaki, Mohd Rayyan Nakhaie, 2 tahun sembilan bulan. — Bernama

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S’wak health dept aims to give better cancer care

KUCHING: The Sarawak Health Department's resolution for this year is to push for better cancer care in the state.

Its director Dr Zulkifli Jantan said state health authorities would press the Federal Government to set up and upgrade cancer treatment facilities in the state.

He added it was crucial to increase the number of cancer specialists for better treatment in the state.

"The lack of cancer specialists is always a problem in the country. In Sarawak, there are only two cancer specialists. However, the number of cancer patients is increasing.

"Cancer facility upgrades in the state might take time but it is always our priority to provide better cancer care in the state," he told reporters at the first day of operations of the Sarawak General Hospital's (SGH) Heart Centre, formerly known as Sarawak International Medical Centre (SIMC) at Kota Samarahan, about 15 km from here on Saturday.

It was reported last year that the cancer treatment would be part of the service at the SIMC and it would be renamed as Sarawak Heart and Cancer Hospital.

However, after a turn-around plan in July last year, the centre has now been renamed as SGH Heart Centre. - Bernama

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Sad new year for single mum
By CHAN LI LEEN
lileen@thestar.com.my

IPOH: There will be no celebration to usher in the New Year for a pasar malam trader and her family here until her runaway daughter returns home.

Lee Sheau Ling, a 34-year-old single mother, first thought that her daughter Choo Poi Hwa, 15, had gone to Kuala Lumpur to look for her Facebook friend.

She contacted the 16-year-old boy, only to be told that he and the girl had “broken up” two months ago.

had “broken up” two months ago.

Her daughter has been missing from their home in Menglembu here since Monday, Lee told reporters at the Perak MCA headquarters here yesterday.

“She left home in a taxi, taking her mobile phone and RM100. She did not take her identity card,” Lee said.

She added that her eight-year-old son Kim Thou also saw his sister taking along a large bag of clothes and make-up.

“Poi Hwa has since turned off her phone and she cannot be reached. Her friends claim they do not know where she is,” said Lee.

Recalling events before her daughter went missing, Lee said she and Poi Hwa had a minor misunderstanding about dinner on Chirstmas Day.

“Kim Thou teased her that we were going out without her and she got mad.

“But then, we went out together, anyway,” she added.

“I want my daughter to come home. Everything else does not matter,” said Lee, adding that Poi Hwa’s paternal grandfather was ill and was asking for her.

Poi Hwa’s 75-year-old maternal grandfather, Lee Yoon Kim, was distraught that the girl has run away, and said he has neither slept nor eaten since she left the house.

Perak MCA public services and complaints bureau chairman Datuk Lee Kon Yin urged the public to notify him at 012-515-1178 or call the Perak MCA at 05-253-6981 should they come across Poi Hwa or know of her whereabouts.

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No more free plastic bags
By CHRISTINA CHIN
sgchris@thestar.com.my

GEORGE TOWN: It’s all systems go for Penang’s “No Free Plastic Bags” and ‘No Polystyrene at Local Council Hawker Centres’ rulings which come into force today.

The Penang Consumer Watch Group in all 40 state constituencies will monitor the daily “no plastic bag” rule through random checks at shopping centres, hypermarkets, departmental stores, pharmacies, fast food restaurants, nasi kandar outlets and convenience stores.

State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said they would report back to the state on whether operators have adhered to the ruling as well as consumers’ response.

“Last year was spent educating the public on the ruling.

“It’s time for full implementation now,” he said.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng will launch the campaigns at Sunway Carnival in Seberang Prai today.

Shoppers who don’t bring their own reusable bags will be charged 20 sen for each plastic bag.

Money collected from the sale of plastic bags are for the “Partners Against Poverty” special fund to help the state’s hardcore poor.

Mini-markets and sole proprietorship businesses will have to adhere to the ruling on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

On the polystyrene ban, Phee said the local councils’ health department would conduct random checks at hawker centres to enforce the ruling.

Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Operators Association president Noorul Hassan Saul Hameed urged its members in the state to adhere to the ruling.

“Although we are not affected by the polystyrene ban, the association is planning a nationwide roadshow to educate our members on more environmentally-friendly packaging next year,” he said.

Penang Chinese Commercial Union chairman Tan Cheng Eow said memos had been sent to all its members to adhere to the plastic bag ruling.

“We have advised our members, comprising mini market and sundry shop owners and wholesalers, to adhere to the ruling or risk facing difficulties in renewing their business licences.

Sunshine Wholesale Mart general manager Yee Kam Ming said the chain had prepared recycled boxes for customers who buy a lot of items at its six outlets in Penang.

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Enraged car owner bashes up six-year-old boy
Other News & View
Compiled by DHARMENDER SINGH, CHRISTINA TAN and A.RAMAN

A SIX-year-old boy who accidentally spat the food in his mouth from his shophouse which landed on a BMW, spent four days in hospital after the car owner became furious and bashed him, reported Harian Metro.

In the incident which occurred on Sunday, the enraged car owner barged into the boy’s house on seeing his soiled car.

The man, in his 30s, hit Solihin Ramzan repeatedly like a possessed man, says Solihin’s uncle Mohd Amir Salamatula.

Mohd Amir, 43, added that during the incident, the boy’s mother was asleep in her room in the upper level of a shophouse in Jalan Batu Belah, Jalan Ipoh, in Kuala Lumpur.

He said Solihin’s aunt, who was lives nearby, saw the incident and begged the man to stop but he ignored her and continued landing punches on the boy.

“She even offered herself to be beaten instead, but it did not stop the man from beating the boy.

“Only after Solihin vomited blood did the man stop and leave the house,” Mohd Amir said.

He added that the boy was taken to Selayang Hospital where he was admitted for four days when the doctor confirmed that there was a blood clot in his head.

A report was lodged at the Jinjang police station on Dec 26.

> Kosmo! reported that Kuala Lumpur City Hall tore down 262 makeshift rooms which were used for vice activities in Jalan Petaling and Jalan Silang.

City Hall security and enforcement deputy chief Tanda Usoh said this was the ninth time that the local authority conducted a large scale anti-vice operations in the area but the illegal activities would invariably return.

“A total of 225 rooms demolished were in 10 premises in Jalan Petaling and the rest were in two premises in Jalan Silang,” he said, adding that the rooms were separated by plywood walls.

> Other News & Views is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a sub-heading, it denotes a separate news item

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Lindsay Lohan to move to secret location

Lindsay Lohan will be moved to a secret location with her mother when she leaves rehab next week.

The troubled actress - who is due to complete court-ordered treatment at the Betty Ford clinic next week - will not be returning to her West Hollywood home, and instead will be taken to a residence out of the public eye by her mum Dina and siblings Ali, 17, and 14-year-old Cody.

A friend of the 'Machete' actress told X17online: "Lindsay will be staying at a secret location starting January 4, with her family, mother and siblings. She also has the support of me and her other friends.

"As long as she doesn't fail any tests - and everyone is going to make sure she doesn't - she'll be put on summary unsupervised probation on February 25."

Lindsay's estranged father Michael - who has a notoriously strained relationship with Dina - welcomed the move, admitting he is pleased his daughter will be kept away from her "old haunts", which he believed contributed to her struggles.

He said: "Being away from her old so-called friends and haunts in Hollywood would only behoove Lindsay as long as when she gets to New York, she stays away from the old haunts and friends, as well."

However, Michael is keen for his ongoing feud with his ex-wife not to come in the way of Lindsay's progress following her release from rehab.

He added: "Another important part of Lindsay's release, if she does spend time with Dina, is that Dina does not put Lindsay in between, or include her, in any of our differences. Lindsay needs two parents who will stand by her and become united rather than two parents who oppose each other.

"To any extent, I'm proud of Lindsay, I'm happy for her and I want her to be happy, as well. Family is the most important thing in recovery."

The 24-year-old star was told to enter rehab after breaching the conditions of probation set for a 2007 conviction for driving under the influence.

Source:Bang!Extranet

Published Dec 31 2010

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Playing 3D games on Nintendo may harm the eyes of young children.

Health warning: Nintendo's 3D games bad for young kids

The launch of Nintendo's long-awaited 3D version of its best-selling DS games console has been overshadowed by a health warning.

The Japanese computer giant has said children under the age of six should not use the device in 3D mode as it may harm their eyesight, Daily Mail of UK reported.

The Nintendo 3DS represents a major breakthrough as it will be the first hand-held games console to offer 3D images of both games and films without the need for glasses.

The European launch will take place in Amsterdam in January with the first consoles due to go on sale in UK shops in March. The device will go on sale in Japan in February and is due for release in the U.S. the following month.

This is a second LCD screen that sits over the main viewing panel that consists of a layer of material with a series of precision slits, allowing each eye to see a different set of pixels, so creating a sense of 3D depth.

It works well providing the user sits in a fixed point in front of the image but does not work when viewed from an angle.

A slider at the side of the device lets users choose the intensity of the 3D display, from an extreme "in your face" experience to a more subtle effect.

The 3DS is vital for the future of Nintendo, which disappointed many children around the world after it was unable to launch the product in time for Christmas.

The failure to go on sale in the crucial trading period wiped tens of millions of pounds off the company's stock market value.

However, there are new reasons to worry about its prospects after it emerged Nintendo has published an official safety alert on a Japanese website.

Game site Kotaku.com translated the page and reports that it warns that 3-D viewing causes quicker eye fatigue than standard screen viewing.

It suggests that players of all ages should take a break at least every 30 minutes in order to avoid eye fatigue.

Nintendo states: "If your physical condition worsens or you become ill, please stop playing at once."

The company goes on to warn that since the vision of young children is still in developmental stages, it recommends those under six should not use the console's 3D screen effect.

The warning follows comments made by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, who said: "We will recommend that very young children not look at 3-D images.

"That's because, (in) young children, the muscles for the eyes are not fully formed."

The concern appears to be that playing the game for long periods could harm the ability of children to focus, which may mean they require glasses in later life.

Many contributors to the Kotaku website suggested it would be difficult for parents to stop young children watching in 3D and Nintendo could face lawsuits in the future.

One warned: "As a child, your eyes, and your ability to force yourself to go cross-eyed or wide-eyed is very weak. Playing extensively could damage your ability to focus properly."

However, there is a parental control system involving a PIN number that will allow adults to turn off the 3D function.
Other contributors praised Nintendo for flagging up the issue.

One said: "I like how they are so responsible and warn people about the real side effects of the 3D gimmick.

"Many small kids will probably jump on it like wild animals because they simply do not know that it could harm their eyes."

The Nintendo 3D technology is different to that employed by the manufacturers of 3D televisions.

Essentially, the screen is made up with a large number of angled vertical ridges. The left eye sees one set of images and the right eye another set at the same time, fooling the brain into believing it is in 3D.

A similar system is used by some in-car DVD players to allow children sitting each side of the back seat to watch two different films through one screen at the same time.

With 3D televisions, the hi-tech glasses flash open and shut alternately over the left and right eye to create the illusion of 3D.

While the technology is different, the Nintendo warning echoes a similar alert issued by Samsung in April over viewing its 3D televisions.

Its advice included warnings to children, pregnant women, the elderly and those suffering from serious medical conditions.

The catch-all alert also included those with a history of epilepsy and strokes or even those who had been drinking.

It highlighted a number of alarming side effects including confusion, nausea, convulsions, altered vision, light-headedness, dizziness, involuntary movements such as eye or muscle twitching and cramps. - www.dailymail.co.uk

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Insomnia? Try night milk of cows

Drinking the nighttime milk of cows may help insomniacs fall asleep.

A German firm has recently patented a new milk product, which it claims contains high levels of sleep-regulating hormone melatonin, ABC News reports.

The Munich-based company, Milchkristalle, believes that if its herd of cows is milked between 2am and 4am the animals will produce more melatonin than during the daytime.

The milk is then freeze-dried, packed and sold under the brand Nightmilk Crystals, which can be mixed with milk or yogurt and consumed before going to bed.



Schnittger was out of work for a while and at night worries used to flood her mind, keeping her up for hours. But she says taking Nightmilk Crystals was a huge help, conking her out in just 30 minutes.

"It was a deep sleep and the next morning I felt really awake," she said, adding that she likes that the product is natural.

To further boost the hormone production, the cows are fed clover and soothed under warm red lights to calm them while being milked.

And during the day when the weather is good, the pampered animals are turned out in a pen with grass and deep, cozy sand.

The special treatment, as claimed by the firm, helps yield milk that has ten times more melatonin than the normal milk.

After years of research, Nightmilk Crystals' inventor Tony Gnann says his studies show that giving cows different care and milking them during the middle of the night changes the level of nocturnal melatonin in their blood and the milk they produce.

Melatonin, which is widely available without a prescription in the US, is under much stricter restrictions in Europe where it's only available at pharmacies.

The hormone is naturally produced by the body and used by the brain to regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

Doctors often recommend supplements of melatonin for people who have jet lag or work odd shifts.

"Melatonin won't make you sleepy, but will help you fall asleep if your body clock is out of sync," said David Schulman, a doctor at the Emory University sleep laboratory in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, consumer watchdog groups have questioned the company's science, saying a person would have to drink an impossible amount of the milk product to see results.

Schulman also has concerns about the dose size. The average recommended dose of melatonin is three milligrams, far more than a person would get from the 1,800 picogram dose of the Nightmilk Crystal supplement.

"I'd be surprised if this small a dose did anything at all," Schulman said.
Source: ANI

Published Dec 30 2010

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Boney M's Bobby Farrell dies at 61


Boney M during their heydays in the 1970s

Bobby Farrell, the frontman of the 70’s disco quartet Boney M, has died in St Petersburg, Russia, of unknown causes. He was 61.

The Daddy Cool hitmaker, known for his flamboyant costumes and energetic dancing was found dead in his hotel room on Thursday morning, said his agent John Seine, reported Time online.

The death was sudden, since he performed with his band on Wednesday and his body was found in his room by hotel staff after he failed to respond to a wake-up call in the city where the band rose to stardom in the Soviet era.

"He did a show last night as part of Bobby Farrell’s Boney M and they found him this morning dead in his hotel room," Seine told Reuters by telephone from The Netherlands.
Bobby Farrell, the frontman of Boney M, was found dead in his hotel room

Bobby Farrell, the frontman of Boney M, was found dead in his hotel room


"He did not feel well last night, and was having problems with his breathing, but he did the show anyway," he added.

The cause of his death was not immediately clear, said Sergei Kapitanov, representative of St Petersburg’s branch of Russia’s investigative committee.

Farrell was famous for dancing and lip synching for the disco band that rose to prominence in Europe, the United States and the Soviet Union with all-time hit songs like Ma Baker, Rivers of Babylon, Bahama Mama and Rasputin.

Boney M was put together by German singer-songwriter Frank Farian who also produced most of the vocals for the group, which stormed to the top of the charts in the late 1970s with a string of hits.

Farrell born in Aruba as Roberto 'Bobby' Alfonso Farrell left home at 15 to become a sailor. He lived in Norway and The Netherlands before moving to Germany where he worked as a DJ and a dancer.

Farrell was the sole male singer of the group comprising Liz Mitchell, Maizie Williams, Marcia Barrett
Source: AP
Published Dec 31 2010

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Mersing tragedy: body no.5 found at Bintan


The late Ng Kian Teck left behind a wife and three children

A body believed to be that of Singaporean tourist Ng Kian Teck was found on Thursday on the north-eastern shores of Bintan Island, Indonesia, about 150km from the scene of the Boxing Day ferry tragedy.

The 49-year-old married father of three is thought to have drowned along with four other Singaporeans after the over-laden boat capsized off Mersing in Malaysia on Sunday.

A fisherman spotted the body just off the beach near Bintan Lagoon Resort at 1.30pm on Thursday, said Bintan police chief Johanes Widjojo. It has been taken to the Tanjung Pinang Hospital for an autopsy.

Found on the body was a bag containing two passports, one bearing Ng's name and the other, the name of a Madam Chua Poh Lit, said a spokesman for Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There was also a credit card and RM400 in cash.

A spokesman for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said it was unusual for a body to be washed so far from the scene of an accident.

Source: The Straits Times/ANN
Published Dec 31 2010

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Boy, 8, boiled alive

A boy in New Zealand died after falling into a pool of boiling water at a scenic spot, it was reported Thursday.

Aaccording to The Sun, the eight-year-old boy was scalded all over his body in the geothermal pool, believed to be at boiling point - 100°C .

Witness Anna Kare said the unnamed youngster was in agony. She added: "There was screaming and yelling - it was just horrible.

"The boy was yelling 'My hands! My hands!' and I saw all the skin on his hands peeling off.

"The burns were all the way from his head to his feet."

He died in hospital.

The tragedy happened in Kuirau Park in New Zealand's North Island city of Rotorua.

The boy - from the Pacific Islands - was visiting the area with his family. The area is known for its steaming geysers and hot mud and water pools.

It was unclear how the boy fell in.

All pools in the park have safety fences and warning signs.

Source: The Sun
Published Dec 31 2010

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Komtar Bus Terminal upgrading works to end in Feb
By ZALINAH NOORDIN

GEORGE TOWN: The upgrading works by Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd at the Komtar Bus Terminal which started Thursday will last until Feb 2011.

Rapid Penang creative communications manager Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Kassim said that only one bus lane would be closed each time to minimise inconvenience.

“Our staff will be deployed at the terminal for assistance and any changes will be displayed on the digital screen at the terminal,” he said.

The public is advised to adhere by the guidelines provided.

For further information, please contact Rapid Penang at 04-2382313.

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Millions gathering worldwide to ring in new year

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) - New Zealanders sang and danced their way into 2011, with firework displays and sold-out concerts entertaining revellers in one of the first countries in the world to welcome the new year.

In the biggest city, Auckland, explosions of red, gold and white burst over the Sky Tower while tens of thousands shouted, danced and sang in the streets below.

In the southern city of Christchurch, thousands of partiers shrugged off a minor 3.3 earthquake that struck just before 10 p.m. and celebrated in Cathedral Square. The city has rumbled with thousands of aftershocks from a powerful 7.1-magnitude quake that damaged buildings across the city on Sept. 4.

New Zealand police reported only minor incidents as revelers in dozens of towns, cities and rural gatherings celebrated at open air concerts and pyrotechnic displays.

As the clock ticked closer to 2011, cities across Asia readied for midnight events ranging from traditional prayers in Japan to a massive pyrotechnic display in the shape of a dragon in Taiwan. Europeans were looking forward to celebrations that could help them forget their economic worries.

Across the Tasman Sea in Sydney, Australia, 1.5 million people gathered on folding chairs, picnic blankets and blowup beds to watch the spectacular fireworks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Organizers have promised a special midnight finale to the display, always one of the world's top New Year's pyrotechnic shows. A 9 p.m. preview wowed the crowds who had been waiting all day.

"I'm so glad they aren't disappointing after such a long wait," said Ross Bagnato, 35, who said he was nearly falling asleep after waiting almost 12 hours.

At the Opera Bar Beach House, hundreds of people paid up to $500 for the view and a party with a beach theme.

"This has got to be the best place to be in the world tonight," said guest Marc Wilson, 41.

In New York City, nearly a million revelers were expected to cram into the streets around Times Square to watch the traditional midnight ball drop. The 20-inch snowstorm that blanketed the city will be just a memory thanks to work crews and warmer temperatures.

At midnight Thursday - with just 24 hours to go - hundreds of people milled around Times Square as crews finished preparing TV sets for New Year's Eve broadcasts and vendors sold hats and noisemakers.

Among the tourists were students from Grand Valley State University near Grand Rapids, Michigan, who were scoping out a good location for Friday night and marveling at the preparations.

"For sure, we're going to be here," said Ahmed Lachheb, 23, from Sfax, Tunisia.

"I'm going to be here near the closest restroom just in case," added Mohamed Azuz, also 23, from Tripoli, Libya.

This year marks the first time Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, officially celebrates the new year with a countdown blowout, complete with a light show and foreign DJs in front of the city's elegant French colonial-style opera house.

Vietnamese typically save their biggest celebrations for Tet, the lunar new year that begins on Feb. 3. But in recent years, the Western influence has started seeping into Vietnamese culture among teens, who have no memory of war or poverty and are eager to find a new reason to party in the Communist country.

At midnight in Taipei, Taiwan, fireworks will form a spiraling dragon climbing up the city's tallest skyscraper.

In Japan, New Year's Eve is generally spent at home with family but those who venture out go to temples to pray for good luck in the new year. At Zojoji, a 600-year-old Buddhist temple in central Tokyo, thousands were expected to release balloons at midnight carrying notes with their hopes for 2011.

In the Philippines, powerful firecrackers have injured at least 245 people in recent days and Health Secretary Enrique Ona urged safety during Friday's celebrations, saying he feared up to 1,000 injuries.

Many Filipinos, influenced by Chinese tradition, believe that noisy New Year's celebrations drive away evil and misfortune. But they have carried that superstition to extremes, exploding huge firecrackers sometimes bigger than dynamite sticks to welcome the new year.

In Europe, many people will be partying simply to forget their economic woes after a year that saw Greece and Ireland needing financial bailouts and others, such as Spain and Portugal, battling speculation that they will need similar aid.

In London, thousands will witness a musical and firework display at the 135-meter high London Eye, located on the southern banks of the Thames River. The Eye, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, lies almost opposite the Big Ben clock tower at Parliament that will chime in 2011.

If not at home or at private parties, Spaniards traditionally gather in their main town squares to eat 12 grapes one by one as the bell in the square marks the countdown to 2011.

In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her New Year message that Europe is dealing with a major test and must strengthen the euro, even as she celebrated Germany's emergence from the economic crisis, powered by strong exports.

Merkel said in her televised message being broadcast Friday that "it was a good year for Germany."

Still, Merkel said that "we will have to prove our strengths in future too."

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