STORY TO BE TOLD

H1N1: School student among three victims

KUALA LUMPUR: A form four school student in Kajang is among three people who died from H1N1 this year, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

The girl, who had symptoms of vomiting, headache and cough for a week but no fever, was taken to a private hospital on Feb 22 when she fainted (syncope) after jogging.

She was then referred to Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Kuala Lumpur and then to Kuala Lumpur Hospital where she died on Feb 24.

"PCR tests confirmed that the virus on Feb 25 was H1N1 positive," he said in a press statement here Thursday.

Hulu Langat District Health Office probed the victim's school on March 1 and found that 15 of her 42 classmates had symptoms of cough or cold, while eight teachers screened had no influenza-like illness (ILI).

Liow said control measures had been taken including health education like washing hands and ethics when coughing.

Students and school staff with symptoms are advised not to come to school and seek treatment from health facilities.

The minister said that the school principal reported that two teachers were on sick leave due to fever, cough and flu while 149 of 1,600 students in the morning session were absent.

"Given the high rate of absenteeism, the school management decided to close the school (yesterday)," he said.

School principals and headmasters were reminded to abide by guidelines for the management of H1N1 in schools as cases often occur in clusters

The number of confirmed H1N1 cases from Jan 1 until Wednesday stood at 679.

Liow said of 279 patients receiving treatment in hospitals, 31 tested positive H1N1.

"Two patients are being treated in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and both have risk factors," he added.

Those with ILI symptoms must stay away from public places and maintain a high level of personal hygiene. - Bernama


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Ford Supermodel search unveils 12 finalists

By Jo Teh

The country’s burgeoning supermodels have just been named.

After having auditioned hundreds of young women across the country over the last two months, the Ford Models Supermodel of the World Search Malaysia 2011 ended its highly successful nationwide search yesterday.

At a closed door selection, the search announced 12 brand new faces from its lists of 24 semifinalists, most meeting the international height requirement of 183cm.

The selection came after a series of tough auditions held across the country.

According to organising chairman Datuk Nancy Yeoh, the search had been an eventful exercise and had garnered genuine interest amongst members of the general public along the way.

“We took a gamble by investing so much time and effort into what is essentially viewed as a fledgling local modelling industry. In recent years, we have not been able to produce many new faces and have been relying on foreign talents to bring life to this business,” said Yeoh who is also president and chief executive officer of Stylo International.

“These amazing results are most fulfilling as they suggest there are still many Malaysians waiting to be found and groomed as future supermodels,” she added.

The finalists are Nur Atikah, 18, Chan Shin Yee, 23, Raja Alicia, 16, Renee Tan, 20, Gabrielle Ashley, 20, Jenilyn Lim, 21, Melissa Wong, 23, Loh Tze Shian, 18, Karen Lugun, 18, Cassandra Azman, 18, Zana Chin, 22, and Phoebe How, 23.

The girls consist of an eclectic collection of mixed backgrounds including, Bajau, Malay, French, Portugese, Chinese, Kelabit, English, and Punjabi.

One of these 12 girls will realise her dream on the evening of the Sepang F1 race and a chance to vie for global fame.

She will represent Malaysia at the 30^th anniversary celebrations of the Ford Models Search in New York.

At yesterday’s selection, the girls were faced with a panel of judges consisting of former model Cilla Foong, Yeoh, supermodel Tengku Azura, and British fashion brand F&F Commercial Director Hem Patel.

Foong said she was impressed by the search and the discovery of new faces.

For most of the girls, this is their first foray into the modelling industry.

“I am in this to win and I will do my best,” said Cassandra.

“I am always looking for knowledge and this is a learning curve for me. Being a model can also help build my self confidence and it gives me the chance to also work on my flaws as the challenges build up,” said Lim.

Echoing her sentiment was Ashley who said she wanted to take the opportunity as she felt modelling was a career that one could only embark on at a young age.

From here on out, it will be a rigorous ride for the finalists. They will be judged over several sessions; a closed door judging with the Supermodel Advisory Board, at the upcoming Stylo Fashion Ball hosted by Tiffany & Co and British fashion brand F&F and a final round at the F1 concert. The photography judging will include an SMS competition plus judging by top New York talent scouts. F&F, a major sponsor of this year's London Fashion Week is an international brand created by British retail giant, Tesco UK and will debut in Malaysia during Stylo. The Ford Models Supermodel of the World Search, Malaysia 2011 is organised by Stylo International as part of its Fashion GP presented by Mercedes Benz.

Published March 2 2011

Indonesian police suspected of gang-raping teen

Indonesian police said on Thursday four officers would be charged over the 'unforgivable' gang rape of a 15-year-old girl in Papua province.

The officers, along with three civilians, allegedly took turns raping the girl in a house in Biak city in February, Papua provincial spokesman Wachyono told AFP.

"We have completed our investigations. Some of the suspects confessed to the rape, some didn't," he said.

"But we have spoken to witnesses and collected enough evidence to show they were guilty of rape and we'll be taking the case to court."

Local media reported that the men locked the teenager in a room and raped her repeatedly over a period of days. She was beaten if she resisted and lost consciousness as a result of the abuse.

"The officers committed a grave wrongdoing, a violation that is unforgivable and uncondonable and deserving of severe punishment. They have sullied the good name of the national police," Wachyono said.

Police are also investigating the alleged rape of a Papuan woman who was forced to give oral sex to officers while she was being held in custody in the Papuan provincial capital of Jayapura.

Source: The Jakarta Globe
Published March 3 2011


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Dad smothers kids before plunging to death

A restaurant manager in Singapore smothered his two young children, torched his flat and rolled down from a 12th-floor parapet at his block in Ang Mo Kio a week after his wife had asked for a divorce, a coroner's court heard on Wednesday.

Ng Chee Kiang, 39, had written a letter to his family members expressing his depressed feelings over his wife's contributions to the family and her request for a divorce on Nov 1, 2009.

He mentioned that he was not willing to let his children, Xavier, five, and Cheryl, three, be 'seconded to another family'', and that he would take them with him.

The bodies of the children were found side by side on the bed in the master bedroom of the family's four-room flat at Block 533 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 by civil defence officers on Nov 7, 2009.

Firefighters had earlier broken the padlock and put out the fire in the living room.

Ng then went to the highest floor and lay on the 12th-floor parapet ledge. He later rolled down the ledge and died in hospital at 12.46am the next day.

At a joint inquiry into their deaths, State Coroner Victor Yeo said in his findings that Ng had been depressed about his failing marriage and his wife's request for a divorce.

He found that Xavier and Cheryl died after their father had smothered them with a pillow, and that Ng had taken his own life.

Photo credit: Shinmin
Source: The Straits Times/ANN
Published March 3 2011


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