Five killed in Seattle shooting spree

SEATTLE - A gunman killed five people in a shooting spree in Seattle on Wednesday before turning the weapon on himself as officers closed in, police said. The shootings shocked the northwestern US city that has now seen as many murders this year as it did in the whole of 2011. The suspect, identified by the Seattle Times as 40-year-old Ian Stawicki, is believed to have entered Cafe Racer Espresso near the University of Seattle at around 11 am (1800 GMT), where he shot five people with a pistol, two of whom died at the scene. Half-an-hour later, Stawicki is believed to have shot dead a woman in downtown Seattle before fleeing in a black Mercedes-Benz SUV. An officer spotted the suspect a few hours later a mile-and-a-half away from the abandoned vehicle. When patrol cars approached Stawicki he put a gun to his head and fired one round, Deputy Police Chief Nick Metz said, according to the Seattle Times. "The man detectives believe to be the lone suspect in 4 murders in 2 locations shot himself in the head when approached by @SeattlePD," read a tweet from the Seattle police department earlier Wednesday. He was taken alive to a Seattle clinic where he and two more of his victims later died. "We've had two tragic shootings today that have shaken this city. And it follows on the heels of multiple tragic episodes of gun violence that have occurred throughout the city," Seattle mayor Mike McGinn told reporters. The motive for the shootings was not clear, but the suspect's brother told the Seattle Times he was mentally ill. "It's no surprise to me this happened. We could see this coming. Nothing good is going to come with that much anger inside of you," Andrew Stawicki said. Source: Asiaone

Radioactivity: Japan's invisible enemy within

TOKYO - Before March 11, 2011, procuring food for an average Japanese household was a pretty straight-forward affair. Following long-established traditions, a housewife - it is, still, almost always a woman in charge - did her best to ensure that every product brought to the table could be traced to Japanese soil or waters. This, it was widely held, was the best way to avoid eating fish, meat or produce tainted with dangerous contaminants. Chinese imports were to be avoided whenever possible. The accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, unleashed by a devastating earthquake and tsunami, shattered this age-old faith in the purity of Japanese produce. Even the country's most cherished and emblematic staple, rice, has been tainted in a way that was unimaginable before March 11. The very products - many of them cultural icons - that had always been deeply reassuring precisely because of their native origins, were suddenly perceived as potentially poisonous, transformed overnight from sources of comfort to objects of fear. Nuclear radiation is scary stuff. A quarter century after Chernobyl, and more than 65 years after atomic bombs laid waste to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, fatally sickening thousands not killed outright, even unfounded fears of radioactive contamination can spark panic. Japan's catastrophe emptied pharmacies in North America and Europe of anti-radiation pills despite reassurances from all manner of experts that the danger was nil. By contrast, there are any number of agents - cancer, AIDS and auto accidents, to name three - that claim millions of victims every year but do not inspire that same kind of terror. People still smoke, practise unsafe sex and climb into their cars every day. So why is nuclear radiation so fearsome, and what determines how we react when faced with a threat, imagined or real? The answer is complex and laced with contradictions, starting with the fact that most people don't even think twice about absorbing radiation doses delivered through medical X-rays or scans. But put the words "nuclear" and "accident" together, and suddenly the idea that sub-atomic particles can slip through our skin to damage inner tissue, or seep into the food we eat and the air we breathe, sets spines shuddering. "Anything that can penetrate inside our bodies fills us with apprehension, and triggers an ancestral or ancient fear," said Herve Chneiweiss, a neurologist at the Centre for Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Universite Paris Descartes. When the culprit is invisible, odorless, tasteless - beyond, in other words, the reach of perception - that angst is magnified even more. The partial meltdown of three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant released caesium particles and other radioactive elements into the air, soil and sea. Unlike harmful iodine 131, which disappears in matter of days, caesium 137 has a "half-life" of 30 years and lingers even longer. Radioactive discharge from the crippled power station fell directly on crops and vegetables, and worked its way into the food chain when fish or animals in affected areas consumed contaminated plants. Even as the reactors continued to spew nuclear detritus, health officials began to monitor radiation levels of food products around the country and essentially quarantined a large swath of agricultural land and fishing grounds around the plant, located some 250 kilometres northeast of Tokyo. But spot checks in areas well beyond Fukushima - including around the capital - showed that potentially harmful radiation had been carried far afield by the wind and ocean currents. Official statements on what did or did not constitute dangerous levels of contamination varied, adding to the confusion and concern. To allay their fears, many Japanese consumers took matters into their own hands. Some didn't hesitate, for example, to shell out thousands of yen (several dozen euros or dollars) to have their supermarket purchases examined for traces of radioactivity on their way out of the store, a service offered by several municipalities. Private companies such as Bekumiru - literally meaning "see the becquerels", in reference to the unit used to measure the amount of radiation emitted by a source - rent out self-service detectors. In Kashiwa, a city near Tokyo that at various times has shown abnormally high levels of radiation, the company's offices are never empty and the phones never stop ringing. "The people who live here are especially worried," notes the site manager, Motohiro Takamatsu. "Clients come with their vegetables, a bowl of rice, water or any other food stuff," he explains. "They do the measuring themselves - it's more reassuring that way." A user guide next to the machines, which take about 20 minutes to complete an analysis, lists the legal safety limits for each food type in becquerels per kilogram (Bq/kg). "I grow veggies in the courtyard of the kindergarten where I work, and since the children eat them I come here regularly to reassure the parents," said Ryotaka Iwasaki. "I don't know what I'd do if this service didn't exist, because it would cost too much to have specialists come to the school." For Mitsue Suzuki, in her sixties, Bekumiru is a way to be sure that she isn't poisoning her customers. "I came to test the rice I grow. It has already been approved for sale, but I wanted to verify myself." One large supermarket group, Aeon, has set up its own testing regimen to regain the confidence of consumers. Setting a "safety threshold" for radioactive contamination, as has done the government, is not good enough, argues the chain's deputy general director, Yashide Chikazawa: "Only products that have undetectable levels of radiation can compete with imported products now." Aeon's "zero tolerance" policy was at first met with howls of protest by suppliers in affected areas, but they came around to the idea that it was the only way to reassure a nervous public, he said. They have reason to be skeptical. After the accident, the government raised the tolerable limit of contamination to 500 Bq of caesium per kilo, following international emergency guidelines. But consumers did not fail to see that products that previously would have been tossed in the rubbish as potentially toxic were now on the grocery shelf. As of April 1, the threshold has returned to pre-accident levels: 100 Bq/kg for most products, 10 Bq/kg for a litre of water, and 50 Bq/kg for food consumed by infants. But the temporary relaxing of standards nourished the widely-held idea that the government was more concerned about producers than the public. The recent and unexpected detection of elevated radioactivity - up to several dozen millisieverts (mSv) per hour compared to 0.2 mSv before the nuclear meltdown - in cities relatively distant from Fukushima feeds into these suspicions. "The wind and rain transported radioactive elements," explained scientist Tatsuhiko Kodama, an expert on the impacts of radioactivity. The government had defined the large zones of contamination, but has not been able to keep track of smaller, shifting "hot spots," so many people have taken to wearing inexpensive Geiger counters that bleat a warning when radioactivity climbs. Beyond rational concerns, say scientists, radiation also inspires more primal anxieties. For evolutionary psychologists, who argue that human behaviour is deeply rooted in natural selection and the need to adapt to our environment, fear of radiation also taps into the apprehension of our distant forbear about contagious disease. Even if early man could not see viruses or bacteria, he was confronted with their lethal impact. "People treat nuclear contamination as if it were disease contamination - emotionally, they think about mere exposure and not dose," said John Tooby, a professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara and an expert on the evolutionary origins of emotion. "Although we live bathed in a sea of background radiation, people treat any increment as a dire risk." In the case of Japan especially, such gut-level reactions are overlaid with historical knowledge of both the atom's terrible power and the unpredictable conditions under which it can be unleashed. Source: Asiaone

Pakistan conducts fourth missile test in a month

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Thursday tested a fourth nuclear-capable cruise missile since India launched a new long-range weapon capable of hitting China last month. The Hatf VIII air cruise missile has a range of 350 kilometres (220 miles) and can carry conventional warheads, the military said. It described the "low altitude, terrain hugging missile with high maneuverability" as "state of the art" with "pinpoint accuracy". On April 20, India successfully test fired the Agni V capable of delivering a one-tonne nuclear warhead anywhere in rival China, marking a major advance in its military capabilities. India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947. Each has carried out routine missile tests since both demonstrated nuclear weapons capability in 1998. Defence analysts say India's strategic priorities are focusing more on China, while Pakistan is still concerned about its eastern neighbour. Source: Asiaone

Mallika Sherawat’s Cannes appearance: highly innovative

Seems like the babe is in love with French designer Ali Mahdavi’s work, which is why we get to see her in the stylist’s creation, once again! Gone are the days when Mallika Sherawat obsessed over a bold and beautiful style. The babe is fixated on the idea of flaunting an unconventional look lately. Ms Sherawat’s first appearance at Cannes, in a dress which was stitched by Ali on the spot for her was quite appreciated by fashion critics. But looks like the babe is greedy for more compliments, and as she raises the ante when it comes to her fashion statements at this prestigious film festival, we are starting to expect more from the actor in terms of style. We loved Mallika’s light brown body-hugging gown that she chose to wear on the red carpet yesterday. The hood attached to the dress and the drape effect on the bottom of the gown get an enthusiastic thumbs-up from us. The feline style eye make-up and the classic hairdo complement her bizarre gown. Although the prominent sweat patch disappoints us, Mallika makes up for that faux pas by carrying herself amazingly. The hood lends a very sinister feel to the elegant dress, and we can’t help but wonder if this is the actor’s way of bringing her alter ego to the fore! Do tell us, what do you think about her unusual dress? Source: BollywoodLife

Arjun Rampal’s Cannes look: Ethnic and stylish

A princely looking Arjun Rampal sashayed down the red carpet at Cannes in a Rohit Bal creation, leaving us awestruck Till a few days ago, Arjun Rampal was extremely confused about what to wear at the 65th Cannes International Film Festival. And after a lot of hemming and hawing, he chose to don close friend’s Rohit Bal’s creation. We are mighty impressed with Arjun’s fashion statement at the festival and we think he looks hot in Jodhpur pants, which he teamed up with a stylish bandhgala jacket. His moustache and those pointy shoes complement his cool royal look, and with beautiful Mehr by his side, the actor looks no less than a handsome prince strutting around with his princess. Mehr looks gorgeous in an orange floor-length gown. Arjun has come a long way – from walking the ramp to walking the red carpet. A successful model at one time, Rampal couldn’t resist the temptation of tinsel town. He decided to take the plunge and started his acting career with Ashok Mehta’s Moksh. Trashed by critics for his wooden expressions and substandard thespian skills, Rampal continued his struggle and nothing could alter his determination to make it in Bollywood; not even all the criticism. Over the years there hasn’t been any significant improvement in the way the actor expresses himself onscreen, but he still remains one of the most sought-after faces. And as he makes an appearance at this prestigious film festival as the brand ambassador of a liquor brand, wethinks it’s his charm and determination that has brought him to this coveted platform today. What do you think? Source: BollywoodLife

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan finds a supporter in Kajol!

The yummy mummy is furious about the continuous criticism faced by Ash for her post-pregnancy weight gain After Sonali Bendre and Lara Dutta, Kajol, who has managed to get back into great shape after two kids, recently defended Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the ho-haa over her post-pregnancy weight-gain. During an interview, the outspoken actor, Kads snapped at a journo for asking her to comment on Ash’s fuller figure. “It’s stupid to have this conversation. Everyone has the right to their lives and to look the way they want to!” she said. Mrs Devgn didn’t stop at that. “Tomorrow I can put on 25 kilos… it’s my choice, my body! She’s (Aishwarya) at home, taking care of her baby. As long as it doesn’t affect her work, I don’t understand why it should be under discussion,” said the gorgeous mommy. Meanwhile, the former beauty queen isn’t affected by the constant media censure on her weight gain. At the 65th Cannes International Film Festival Ash said, “An actor is in the public eye so there will be opinions. And yes there is negativity, but I am blessed – the positivity is so much more that the negativity is just a drop. It slides right off. It doesn’t stick.” We like the fact that all the yummy mummies of B-town are standing up for Mrs Bachchan, and we hope Ash derives some inspiration from their support. Source: BollywoodLife

Suspected Chinese spy met with vice farm minister

A senior vice minister at the farm ministry admitted Wednesday he had met the Chinese diplomat suspected of spying, among other unlawful activities, a revelation the opposition plans to press the government about in the Diet.

Nobutaka Tsutsui, senior vice minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, told reporters they met at his office while leading a project to promote Japanese agricultural exports to China, but denied any "close ties" to the diplomat or that he had ever given him classified material. The 45-year-old diplomat at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo left Japan after rejecting a request by Tokyo police to submit to questioning in mid-May over allegations he opened bank accounts using fraudulent documents and engaged in commercial activities in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Michihiko Kano said Wednesday he has ordered a team headed by the ministry's senior vice minister, Tsukasa Iwamoto, to investigate whether any classified information was leaked to the diplomat. The team is set to question Tsutsui and complete a midterm report by early June. "As there have been media reports (suggesting a leak), it is important that we investigate appropriately," Kano said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told a press conference that the government would make sure the investigative team "gets the facts straight." The diplomat was involved in a project, launched in December 2010 by Tsutsui and a Chinese state-owned firm, to introduce agricultural products at a fair in Beijing to promote Japanese firms in the Chinese market, according to ministry sources. A secretary of a Lower House member close to Kano pushed for the project as an adviser to the farm ministry. The secretary later became the representative of the council behind the project and was actively involved in raising funds from member companies and in negotiations with the Chinese. The fair, scheduled for last summer, was put off due to the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant crisis triggered by the March 11 megaquake and tsunami. Meanwhile, negotiations between China and Japan on the subsequent quarantine have not progressed. According to the sources, the Chinese diplomat met repeatedly with Tsutsui and the secretary, and he also accompanied a ministry official on an inspection trip to Hokkaido. The Liberal Democratic Party and its ally, New Komeito, agreed Wednesday to raise questions in the Diet regarding any involvement between Tsutsui, or other senior ranking government officials, and the Chinese diplomat. At their meeting Wednesday, LDP Secretary General Nobuteru Ishihara and his New Komeito counterpart, Yoshihisa Inoue, said their parties will take up the issue "with grave concern" in view of the fact that the diplomat had extensive contact with members of Japan's political and business circles. In another development, the Contemporary Asian Economy Research Institute and Hamamatsu University said Wednesday the diplomat had falsified his resume to say he had been a visiting researcher at the private university in Shizuoka Prefecture between 2002 and 2004. The resume was submitted to the Tokyo research institute, to which he belongs as a researcher. The institute said it did not verify his record when it uploaded his resume onto its home page, while the university said the diplomat only participated in a Japan-China joint seminar in 2001 and was not employed as a visiting researcher. The Chinese side asked the university if the diplomat could be employed but the talks were never concluded, the university said. The diplomat, whose name was not provided, was fluent in Japanese and received a master's degree in local administration from Fukushima University in 1997, reports said Tuesday. Source: JapanTimes

Vatican shows rare public anger over leak

The Vatican expressed rare public anger Wednesday in blasting the leaking of private papers from the pope's apartment, a scandal that observers say lifts the lid on a secret power struggle going on behind the closed doors of the Catholic Church. A top Roman Catholic Church official called the theft of the documents "an immoral act of unprecedented gravity" and "despicable abuse of the relationship of trust that exists between Benedict XVI and those who turn to him." Archbishop Angelo Becciu made the remarks to the Vatican's official newspaper six days after the pope's butler was arrested for leaking the papers. Paolo Gabriele, 46, was arrested Wednesday on accusations of illegal possession of confidential documents, the Vatican said in a statement issued three days after the arrest. With the leaks, the pope's very ministry "has come under attack," Becciu said. The pope himself referred briefly to the scandal at the end of his regular Wednesday audience, his first public remarks on the matter. He criticized reports about the affair as "entirely gratuitous" and presenting "a completely unrealistic image of the Holy See." But experts say that exactly the opposite may be the truth, and that the arrest, alongside the firing of the head of the Vatican Bank a day later, may reveal the battle going on behind the scenes at the Vatican. The two events are bad PR for the top hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, but they may be more than that, experts say. They could affect who becomes the next pope. The effect of each one is the same: to weaken the authority of Pope Benedict XVI's second in command. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, is involved in a power struggle with his predecessor, experts say. "The reason for this fight is that the secretary of state will have a strong influence over the next conclave which will choose the next pope," said Giacomo Galeazzi, a journalist at the Italian daily La Stampa. The late John Paul II's secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, is trying to sideline Bertone and put one of his own proeteges in place before Benedict dies, Galeazzi said. "The leaks will end when Bertone is out as secretary of state," he predicted. He said he expects that Bertone, who will be 78 in December, would be replaced at the end of the year, but not by the cardinal Sodano wants. Sodano, who is now the dean of the College of Cardinals, isn't the only one who doesn't like Bertone, said the Rev. Thomas Reese, author of "Inside the Vatican." When he became Vatican Secretary of State, Bertone "did what normally happens. He brought in his team, the people he likes, the people he trusts, and he put them in key positions in the Vatican," Reese said. "There are people who had hitched their star to the previous secretary of state who thought by now they would become an archbishop or a cardinal, and they didn't," Reese said. "These people are unhappy and don't like Bertone." Part of the reason for the butler and bank scandals is that the Vatican hasn't been run well in decades, Reese said. "Clerics don't go to Harvard Business School. Bertone is a theologian. He doesn't have an MBA," he said. And Benedict is no better, he said. "He is a German professor. He's a person who is into ideas, not a manager, and yet he is running a 1.2-billion member organization," Reese said. There's a faction within the Vatican that wants the next pope to be "a better manger who can get the shop in order," Reese said. "A lot of people think that would be an Italian, of course," after two popes from outside of Italy, John Paul II from Poland and Benedict from Germany, he said. But the undermining of Bertone may work against that faction, he said. "Bertone is from the Vatican and is Italian," Reese pointed out. "People may say we need somebody from outside who can come in and knock heads together and make it work." Reese isn't taking a position on where the next pope should be from, but he has strong views on what Benedict's successor should do: "The place really needs to be restructured and reorganized. It still operates in many ways like a 19th century European court." Source: CNN

Death toll from Italy earthquake rises

Medolla, Italy (CNN) -- The death toll from a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in northern Italy rose to 17 after the discovery of another body, officials said Wednesday, as questions were asked about why factory buildings collapsed. The latest body was found in the rubble of the collapsed factory in the area of Medolla, Italy's civil protection agency said. The prosecutor's office in the province of Modena, where the quake was centered, opened an investigation Wednesday into the cause of death of the quake victims, many of whom were factory workers. Investigators will examine how the factories were built and why they couldn't withstand an earthquake of Tuesday's magnitude. Modena's chief prosecutor, Vito Zincani, told CNN that as modern buildings, they should have remained standing. Most of the modern structures in the area were not damaged, he said, so the fact that some factories collapsed "shows an anomaly that needs investigation." Look at high-resolution images of the disaster The earthquake, which forced thousands of people from their homes, came nine days after a 6.0-magnitude quake struck the same region, killing seven people. Tuesday's quake, which struck at about 9 a .m. local when many people had begun work, was followed by dozens of aftershocks. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded one of 5.6 magnitude. Italian ministers met Wednesday morning and decided on several measures to be taken in the aftermath of the quake. The government declared a state of emergency in the quake area and set June 4 as a national day of mourning, according to a press statement. An extra two-cent tax will also be added to gasoline to help finance the recovery effort, it said. Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano, Prime Minister Mario Monti and the speakers of both Italian houses of parliament on the earthquake met later Wednesday at the presidential palace in Rome to discuss the disaster. The towns of Mirandola and Cavezzo, northwest of the city of Bologna, were closest to the epicenter, civil protection authorities said. Witnesses reported on Twitter that Cavezzo was about 70% destroyed. Pictures purportedly from the town, as well as a video stream from Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, show damaged and destroyed buildings. Churches and historic structures were among the affected buildings. In the small town of Novi di Modena, a 65-year-old priest died inside his church as he tried to save its statue of the Madonna. Construction workers who were out surveying the damage in Medolla were emotional as they spoke of their experiences a day earlier. Mohmammed Mouhalhal told CNN he was at work when the earthquake struck. He and his fellow construction workers now fear for their jobs and their safety, he said. He said no one could sleep Tuesday night and they stayed outside for fear of further quakes. Some 50 tremors were felt in the area overnight. Italian authorities are still assessing the economic impact of the earthquakes on the region, which lies in northern Italy, the heartland of the country's manufacturing industry. Leaders of agricultural and industrial organizations, speaking to Italian media, have estimated the cost of the disaster at nearly one billion euros. The Italian daily newspaper Repubblica puts the damage to the biomedical industry in Medolla alone at about €600 million ($751 million). Many cheese makers are also among those affected. Stefano Berni, president of the consortium that makes Grana Padano, a hard cheese similar to Parmesan, told CNN that some 350,000 whole cheeses, each weighing 40 kilograms (88 pounds), had been shaken to the ground. No more than 40% of those are likely to be salvageable, he said, leading to estimated losses of €70 million ($88 million). About 600 cheese producers located in the area north of the earthquake epicenter have suffered damage to their production centers and warehouses, he said. About 50,000 families, including the milk producers and cheese makers, work for the industry. Other factories and warehouses that have not been damaged by the quake will still suffer losses because they have had to halt production for safety checks. Geophysicist Antonio Piersanti, of the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology, told Corriere della Sera that it was possible more earthquakes could follow in the coming weeks. The last significant earthquake in this area was in 1571. It was followed by about four years of aftershocks.

North Korea proclaims itself a nuclear state in new constitution

North Korea proclaimed itself a "nuclear state" this week following a revision of its constitution earlier this year. Kim Jong-Il has "transferred the country into an undefeated country with strong political ideology, a nuclear power state, and invincible military power," according to the updated constitution posted on its portal website Naenara. The website posted the revised constitution on Wednesday, according to Yonhap, the South Korean state affiliated news agency.

The statement looks all too familiar. North Korea previously announced its nuclear capability through its state-run broadcaster and newspapers, "but no expression can be stronger than including it in their constitution," Professor Choi Jong Kun of Yonsei University told CNN. "It is an announcement of confirmation," he added, "and it appears to be directed to the U.S. and other relevant nations." The communist state carried out nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009. Pyongyang recently announced that it will press on with its nuclear program in response to what it calls "hostility from the United States." A defense publication, IHS Janes, also said it detected signs of activities ramping up at North Korea's nuclear test site, raising speculation Pyongyang may be preparing for a third nuclear test. Source: CNN

China vows to ensure national sovereignty

China vowed its unwavering determination to ensure national sovereignty and its persistence in peaceful resolution to disputes, Defense Minister Liang Guanglie said on May 29. Liang made the remarks at a short consultative meeting with ASEAN defense ministers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Liang called for cooperation, mutual benefits, equality and mutual respect, and he hailed the communication and pragmatic cooperation between China and ASEAN. "In the new context, China will never slough off its responsibility to ensure regional peace and stability, never change its decision to pursue peace and development, never slacken its effort to promote regional cooperation, never give up its sincerity of a peaceful resolution to disputes and never waver over its determination to guard the security of national sovereignty," Liang said. The defense ministers of ASEAN countries said the meeting provides a platform for sharing views. China will continue to promote dialogue and communication with ASEAN countries, beef up understanding and mutual trust and deepen cooperation, Liang said. Earlier on May 28, Liang also met his Philippine counterpart Voltaire Gazmin on the sidelines of the defense ministers' meeting of Southeast Asian countries. It was the first face-to-face talk for the two defense chiefs since the Huangyan Island incident broke out about two months ago, and Liang urged the Philippines to be "discreet in both words and deeds" over the island impasse and make tangible steps toward regional peace and stability.

'You were born this way, Indonesia!' Gaga shouts

JAKARTA - A video of American pop act Lady Gaga inviting her fans in Singapore to give a shout out to Indonesian fans during her performance in the country on Tuesday evening has been circulating on the video-sharing website Youtube. In the four-minute video, the 26-year-old singer, wearing black clothes, asks the Singapore audience to shout: "You were born this way, Indonesia!" twice while holding a mini placard saying "we love Indo". "I just want you to do something special for me, okay? I can't go to Indonesia this year. We all know why. So, to make Indonesian "Little Monsters" happy … put your paws up in the name of compassion," she said in the video, uploaded by Youtube user 123teevee on Tuesday. "Little Monsters" is the nickname for the singer's group of followers. Gaga, who has expressed her devastation over the cancellation of her Jakarta concert via her Twitter account, @ladygaga, asked the Singapore audience "to put your paws up" for Indonesia, quoting a phrase from her self-embracing anthem "Born This Way". "One more time so that everyone in Indonesia can hear you … one, two, three … You were born this way, Indonesia! Thank you for doing that for me, for them and for each other. In the end, it's the music that bonds all of us," she added.

he Grammy-award winning singer was performing in Singapore as a part of her 2012 world tour, titled "Born This Way Ball" late on Tuesday. Her Jakarta gig, previously scheduled for June 3, was cancelled amid pressure from the country's hard-liner groups. Among Indonesian fans who came to Singapore to watch Gaga was local presenter Becky Tumewu, who said via her Twitter on Tuesday evening that "Gaga is dedicating the Singapore concert to a group of Little Monsters in Indonesia". The singer, known for her songs such as "Bad Romance" and "Just Dance" is slated to perform again in Singapore on Thursday.

Father arrested for allegedly abducting child

TANGERANG, Indonesia - Pondok Aren Police have arrested a man who allegedly abducted a five-year-old child he believed was his son from his ex-wife, according to a senior detective. The arrest was made on Tuesday, one day after the child was reported missing, Sr. Comr. Toni Harmanto, the commander of the Jakarta Police's criminal investigations directorate, said on Wednesday, "We arrested the suspect, Danu Melandy, for allegedly planning the kidnap of the child. Based on his confession to investigators, he kidnapped the boy because he believed he had parental rights over the child as his biological father," Toni said. The child was kidnapped by an unidentified man when he was flying a kite in front of his house in Pondok Aren, South Tangerang, on Monday. The man then got into a blue car that had been standing by, Toni said. The mother told the police that she suspected that her former husband allegedly planned the kidnapping. Officer's found the child in the house of Danu's maid in Cibelut in Tangerang, West Java. The police were still investigating to the case, according to Toni. "The mother told the investigators that Danu was not the child's biological father," Toni said, adding that the police would run a DNA test to confirm it. Source: Asiaone

Marines ordered to say sorry for assaulting journalists in Indonesia

JAKARTA/PADANG - Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm. Agus Suhartono says he has ordered the Marines who allegedly assaulted journalists during a prostitution crackdown in Padang, West Sumatra, to apologize. "The Marines did not intentionally commit violence against the journalists. There has been a misunderstanding, particularly given that the family of one of the Marines ran a shop raided by local officers," Agus told reporters at the Presidential Office on Wednesday. "It was triggered by a feeling of sympathy that a shop run by one of the Marine's family members had been damaged," he added. The order by the TNI commander was made amid an upward trend in violence directed against journalists in Indonesia. Agus said he had also ordered the Marines to return the journalists' cameras, videotapes and memory cards, which were allegedly forcibly seized during the attack. The Marines chased and assaulted six television journalists as they were covering a raid conducted by the Padang City Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officers on cafes allegedly offering prostitution services in Bukit Lubuk Begalung district, Padang, at around 5 p.m. local time on Tuesday. The matter was discussed by Padang 2nd Naval Fleet (Lamtamal) Marine Defense Battalion commander Brig. Gen. Gatot Subroto in a dialog involving more than 100 journalists and mediated by West Sumatra Legislative Council speaker Yulteknil in Padang on Wednesday.

"I deeply regret the incident and will take action against the perpetrators. We are not protecting them and wish to maintain a good relationship with our media colleagues," Gatot said. The 11 Marines implicated in the incident were detained at battalion headquarters in Tekuk Bayur where they await military justice, Gatot added. The Marines were identified as Chief Sgt. Zaenal Mashur; Second Sgt. Saddam Husein; First Cpl. Bainuddin; Chief Privates Alexander and Kusnendi; and First Privates Zulfahmi, Malendra H., Komtung Yan, Dwi Eka Prasatia, Utomo Saputra and Erwanto. Global TV journalist Budi Sunandar received seven stitches for an ear lacerated in the mayhem. The perpetrators took his videotape and struck local Favorit TV journalist Jamaldi on the face and damaged his camera. The memory card of Padang Ekspres daily photographer Sy Ridwan's camera was also seized. Trans TV journalist Julian was also injured and his camera destroyed, while SCTV and Metro TV journalists Andora Khew and Afriandi suffered bruises and their videotapes were seized. Trans TV journalist Deden was beaten and choked. More than 100 journalists from various media organizations in Padang staged outside the West Sumatra Legislative Council building in Padang on Wednesday, including representatives of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) and the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI), demanding transparency in the legal proceedings against the perpetrators. Separately, dozens of journalists rallied on Wednesday at Taman Makam Pahlawan Taruna circle in Tangerang City, Banten, in protest the assault of the journalists in Padang. The journalists, grouped under the Tangerang Journalists Working Group, demanded that the TNI commander impose stern sanctions on the perpetrators. "We, Tangerang-based journalists, condemn any form of violence against journalists and demand an immediate investigation of the assaults," Aimar Rani, a contributor to the MNC group, said. Meanwhile, in Batam, Riau Islands, the Batam District Military Command is currently disciplining a soldier who allegedly confiscated the camera of a Batam TV journalist who was filming long lines at a local gas station on May 28. The Army said that the soldier was not involved in fuel hoarding that has lead to fuel shortages in the area. The commander of the local military district, Lt. Col. Ahmad Rizal, visited the Batam office of Kompas daily on Tuesday evening to clarify the incident. "I express my deepest apology to my media colleagues over the incident. The concerned soldier has been reprimanded. It's true that he is a member of Army," Rizal said, declining to disclose the soldier's name or unit. Rizal added that the soldier might have felt cornered when four journalists were filming the line outside the Paradise gas station in Batu Aji, Batam, on May 28. As the journalists were photographing and taping the line, a military vehicle appeared and disgorged several men in TNI uniforms. The men shouted at the journalists and seized the camera of Batam TV journalist Bagong Sastranegara. Violence against journalists April 10, 2012 Unidentified police officers beat several journalists as they attempted to cover the evacuation of 120 illegal immigrants at Indah Kita Port in Banten. April 13, 2012 Tuti Alawiyah (SCTV), Bahana Situmorang (TVOne), Ayat Sudrajat Hasibuan (Trans TV) and Yudhistira (Beritasatu) were beaten by soldiers on security duty during a visit of Vice President Boediono to Medan, North Sumatra. May 29, 2012 Two journalists were beaten by a group of people at a gas station in Morowali, Central Sulawesi. The journalists were identified as Reni Sri Ayu of Kompas daily and Mohtar Mahyuddin of Mercusuar Palu daily. Source: Asiaone

Suu Kyi gets taste of home away from home

Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said she felt at home when thousands of migrant workers gathered to greet their "Me Suu" (Mother Suu) with joy and the hope that she will take their country towards democracy and prosperity. Her first overseas trip in 24 years kicked off yesterday in Samut Sakhon's Mahachai area, where she did not feel at all like a stranger because the town is the home and workplace for thousands of Myanmar migrant workers. In fact, many of them have lived in Mahachai for more than two decades now. After hearing about her visit from local media, social networks and friends, Myanmar citizens gathered outside the office of the Migrant Worker's Rights Network (MWRN) hours before her arrival at 10am yesterday. Many of the workers wore T-shirts with her image, or carried portraits of Suu Kyi and her father late General Aung San, as well as flowers and signs expressing their feelings and opinions. "Want to be embraced by Mother Suu", one poster read. "Yes, I feel like she is our mother," affirmed 29-year-old Karen worker Chit Thu. Nan Kyat Su Kyi, a restaurant worker who was standing nearby, said, "It is more than that. I feel like she is our queen. I think if she was given a chance to run the country, Myanmar would be a lot better than it is now." Nan Kyat Su Kyi and her friends spent Bt400 on a taxi from Bangkok to Mahachai so they could catch a glimpse of Suu Kyi yesterday. "We have come to see her, laud her and support her struggle for democracy and the future of our country," Ni Ni Moyo Aye, a young Karen woman, said. Laup, a farm worker from the neighbouring Ratchaburi province, said he tried to follow Suu Kyi wherever she went in order to absorb her strong spirit. "If I have a chance to talk to her in person, I will say nothing but wish her good health, good spirit and happiness," the worker, who also goes by the name Wichai, said. Suu Kyi spent an hour at the office of migrant workers' network in Mahachai, and told the gathering that she had learned much about their situation and living conditions in Thailand. "I can give you one promise - I will try my best for you," she said, to loud applause. At the MWRN office, Suu Kyi met senior officials from the Samut Sakhon provincial authority, representatives of migrant workers as well as NGO staff members who raised several issues related to migrant workers in Thailand. An NGO member said that Suu Kyi had promised that she would take the issue up with the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, where she will be attending a conference next month. She told Myanmar workers that since they had to live and work under Thai laws and regulations, they should respect and obey the country's law and order. "When you work in another country, be responsible and skilful, so people in the country can respect you," she said, adding that they would become a valuable resource for their country once they return home. History is always changing. You are working here now, but when our country is developed, the value of workers will be higher. We won't forget you," she said. Suu Kyi is hoping to use her time in Thailand addressing issues related to Myanmar concerns. She brought up the subject of migrant workers during her meeting with former prime minister and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday, and is planning to raise the issue again today when she meets Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, who is in charge of migrant worker issues. Source: Asiaone

Two arrested for trying to leak military technologies to N. Korea

Police on Wednesday arrested two businessmen on suspicion of having attempted to hand over advanced military technologies to North Korea. They were acting under the direction of a North Korean agent based in northern China, the Seoul District Police Agency said. The technologies allegedly leaked include electronic jamming devices that could neutralize Seoul's global positioning systems. They also tried to pass a radar system for anti-aircraft defense to Pyongyang, according to police. The suspects were charged with violating the National Security Law and were transferred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. They had been in the business of trading with North Korea, officials said. Investigators are looking into whether the technologies were handed over to the communist country and used for its recent cyber-attacks on South Korea. Early this month, hundreds of commercial jets and ships of South Korea experienced GPS disruptions for more than two weeks. One of the suspects had been sentenced to a life imprisonment in the 1970s on conviction of spying for North Korea. The 74-year-old man identified only by his surnamed Lee was released on parole in 1990 though he refused to renounce his political beliefs. Under the direction of a 40-something North Korean agent active in Lioning Province, northeast China, he ordered his 56-year-old accomplice, surnamed Kim, to collect military secrets last July, authorities said. They gained the information through a former chief executive of a domestic defense contractor, surnamed Chung. Police booked the man without detention. Police suspect a separate spy organization secured classified data on a location tracing technology used for ballistic missiles. Police got the clues from e-mail messages that Lee sent to Chung. The incident would constitute a violation of United Nations sanctions that ban sales to the North of weapons and technology that would aid its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.Source: Asiaone

Paris Hilton at VIP Room Nightclub in Cannes

Paris Hilton at VIP Room Nightclub in Cannes

Source: Zimbio

Korean female celebrities forced into sex

Yet another sex scandal has rocked the Korean entertainment industry, well-known for its "casting couch" practises of trading sexual favours for opportunities. This time, a series of over 30 sex videos featuring a number of A- and B-list female Korean stars have been leaked and circulated on the Internet. The actresses are reportedly from Korea's 107G channel and have starred in several popular K-dramas. However, none of them have been identified. The leaked videos also feature a man who is believed to be the same person. The background of most videos are also similar. It is believed the stars were secretly filmed while offering sex to the man, said to be a high-ranking official in the country. The videos were apparently exposed after a particular high-ranking official's residence was broken into in June, reported the Chinese media. One of the most famous victims of such practises is Jang Ja-Yeon, a Korean actress, who died at the age of 29 after she took her own life in March 2009. She had apparently committed suicide when she could no longer cope with the "casting couch". Several reports claimed that she apparently left letters claiming that she had been forced to have sex with more than 30 industry people more than a hundred times. However, in March this year, reports also surfaced refuting the authenticity of those letters. Netizens have said that the "casting couch" practice is an open-secret in Korea's entertainment industry. An earlier survey showed that about 60 per cent of female artistes in Korea have had to exchange sexual favours for casting opportunities. Source: Asiaone While "casting couch" does not happen to all Korean celebrities, many know of someone who has had to do so.

Malaysian woman tells of kidnap attempt on Facebook

PETALING JAYA - An Internet marketeer had a close shave with a couple of would-be rapists when she was abducted from the car park of The Curve shopping mall here. However, the feisty Chin Xin-Ci put up a fight and jumped out of the moving car just as it was exiting the car park. Recounting the harrowing experience on her Facebook account, she wrote that she was loading her shopping bags onto the backseat of her boyfriend's car when the incident took place at about 5.20pm on Sunday. She was on her own that day. "Suddenly, the rear car door was slammed against my back and a meat cleaver was pressed against my throat," she wrote. "A man covered my mouth with his hand and whispered to me not to scream. He then shoved me onto the floor of the backseat and waved the cleaver at me, ordering me not to scream." According to her posting, which has gone viral on Twitter and Facebook, a second man appeared and took her car keys while demanding for the parking ticket. "I told them they could take everything, just to let me go. But at that point they didn't even ask for money. Instead, one of the men started to make sexual advances. "Then it hit me: 'Oh my God. Oh my God. This is really happening. I'm being kidnapped and I think I know what they want'," she wrote. Waiting for a chance to make her escape, she said she was aware that the car would slow down as it moved out from the car park. She managed to open the door but one of the suspects pulled her back in. However, she put up a fight with the two suspects before making a run for it. The ordeal - from the moment she left the parking ticket payment machine to her escape - took just about four minutes "but it felt like a long nightmare", she wrote. She also tweeted that she was fortunate to just have some scratches and bruises although she lost almost all her belongings, including her cellphone. Meanwhile, The Curve centre manager Jazmi Kamarudin said they would cooperate with the police as well as offer support to Chin. "We have also provided our CCTV footage to assist the police with their investigation. "As this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to share any details. "We sincerely regret that this incident took place despite our numerous safety efforts," Jazmi said in a statement yesterday. Police confirmed that a report had been lodged and that the case had been classified as robbery. Other Twitter users also expressed their concern about the incident.

30 hours ago, I escaped from being kidnapped By Chin Xin-Ci As I sit here writing this, I am just so grateful to be alive. To think that 30 hours ago I had a knife to my throat, face to face with the threat of being kidnapped and raped. It was a Sunday, at 5.22PM. I was alone, walking towards my boyfriend's car in level B2 of The Curve, Mutiara Damansara. He was not in town, and I was running errands with his car. Just as I was putting my shopping bags in the rear seat, the rear car door was slammed against my back, and a meat cleaver was pressed against my throat. A man covered my mouth with his hand, and whispered not to scream. He then shoved me onto the floor of the backseat of the car and waved the cleaver at me, reminding me not to scream. He was skinny, wearing a baggy turqoise blue t-shirt, had a thick moustache and short curly hair, approx 5'8", mid-30s, and of Indian descent. At this moment, second man appeared. He was also in his mid-30s. He was wearing a red t-shirt, had a crewcut, and was of Malay descent. He grabbed my car keys and demanded for my parking ticket. I couldn't remember where it was. They shoved me deeper into the car, and the Indian man got into the back seat with me, while the Malay man got into the driver's seat, driving us out of the carpark. I told them they could take everything, just let me go. But at that point they didn't even ask for money. Instead, the Indian man started to make sexual advances. Then it hit me. "Oh my God. Oh my God. This is really happening. I'm being kidnapped.. and I think I know what they want." From this moment on, there were a few crucial things that happened that I think is the reason I'm alive today. 1. I managed to get into a position to escape. When they got into the car, the Indian man had tried to force my body down onto the floor. I knew that the moment I'm on the floor, there would be no chance of escape. So I begged him to let me sit up. I promised him I wouldn't scream or alert anyone's attention. Thankfully, he trusted me, and let me sit up, gripping my arm tightly. Then I told him my arm really hurt and to please not grip it so hard. He loosened his grip. 2. I did not fight for the sake of fighting. I was in an enclosed space, with no clear escape route. I would never win in a fight with these 2 guys, especially when they have sharp weapons. Had I fought from the get go, I may not have been in a position to escape. I might've even been knocked out cold, and God only knows where I would be right now. 3. I was lucky and sneaky. I knew that the only way to escape, was to jump out of the car, even if it was moving. They had locked the car doors. So I leaned back, pretended to scratch my hair, and shakily unlocked the door I was leaning against. I'm so lucky they did not see or hear this! 4. I went 'crazy' at the right time. And then I waited. I knew that the car would have to slow down outside the parking lot, as it exits to merge with the main roads. The moment it slowed down, I opened the car door and tried to make a run for it. I failed. I kicked my legs out of the car, but the Indian man had managed to pull my body back in. From this moment on, everything is a blur. I remember the Malay driver temporarily stopping the car, leaning over from the driver's seat and attempting to close the door and pull my legs in. At that point I remember thinking, "Even if I don't get out now, I need to keep the door open and my legs out the door. At the very least, it should cause a scene, and someone would see me. Or, the door might hit another car and they'll be forced to slow down." So I continued kicking. My right foot pushed against the wide-open car door to keep it open. I recall elbowing, struggling, kicking, and even biting. I lost my glasses, and was struggling blindly for my life. At some point the Malay driver yelled, "BAGI DIA LEPAS! BAGI DIA LEPAS!" (Let her go! Let her go!) and the Indian man loosened his grip. I made a jump out of the still-moving car, and ran for my life. 5. I acted in spite of the fear. My friends said I was brave. But I didn't feel like it. I was quivering and shaking in fear. I was so afraid. I thought I was going to die. I was weak with fear and deathly afraid. I truly thought "this was it". But I knew I HAD to move. I had to run. Or there would be a worser fate in store for me. While I was quaking in fear, I forced myself to look around and see if there was any way I could escape, or even catch someone's eye. 6. I remembered the people I love. The only thing that matters when you're faced with potentially horrendous fate, is the people in your life. When I felt the knife to my neck, the first thing I thought was , "This cannot be happening. I must be dreaming." The second? The people that truly matter to me flashed across my mind. It sounds cliche, but it's true. I thought of my parents. My brother. Khailee. Esther. More people. That's all I could think of for a few moments, before I thought, "Shit. I need to get out of here." I ran towards the Maybank outlet at the Curve. There were plenty of people milling around. I screamed for help over and over again. I was hysterical. I grabbed an older Malay man by his shoulders and begged for help before practically collapsing at his feet. I will always remember the relief and liberation I felt, running over Mutiara Damansara's manicured grass and into the crowd. Today, I found out that the entire ordeal from the moment I left the parking ticket payment machine, to my escape, happened in about 4 minutes. To me, it felt like one long nightmare. We never think its going to happen to us... and then it does. I used to think that this is something that happens only in the papers and to people far, far removed from me. But then it did happen to me. I moved to PJ/KL 6 years ago, and I've spent countless mornings, afternoons and nights at The Curve. When my friends and I were organizing Rock Up! back in 2008, we were walking around the place at 4AM even. It's been 6 years, and never once did I feel that I was unsafe at The Curve. Until yesterday. I feel like moving out of the country ASAP. Getting the hell out of this state where you hear of a kidnapping or attempted one every month (remember Nayati?), or a snatch theft every week. And yet I'm fully aware of the fact that in another country with more lax firearm laws, they would've been holding a gun to my head, not a cleaver. And that would've been so, so much worse. I'm Blessed. By God's grace, I am alive and relatively well. And I will live another day to build another cat iPhone app. It just was not my time to go. And for that, I thank God. I want to share this story with everyone because cops tell me that they rarely get to hear it from someone who escapes. Girls, be so very careful. Be vigilant, and please try not to go anywhere alone. If you need to walk to the carpark, and you're alone, get a guard to go with you. I was recently told that it's part of their job description to assist anyone if needed. Guys, watch out for your girlfriends, wives, mothers, sisters and friends. Walk with them, don't take their paranoia or fear lightly. Watch out for them. And everyone, just watch out for each other. Take care of each other. These things really DO happen. As I ran out of the car, so many people came to help me. Strangers who didn't know who I was, came forward and offered me tissue paper, water, cellphones, and general comfort. Malaysians, please care for one another. You already do. Just keep on caring. Keep watching out for each other. Don't worry about being thought of as "busy body" or "overreacting". The world can be a cruel place, but all it takes is for people to care for one another to make all the difference.

Dead woman kept in freezer up 10 years

An 80-year-old man was being questioned in Japan on Wednesday on suspicion of strangling his wife and keeping her body in the freezer for up to 10 years, police and media reports said. Masaichi Yamada, who runs a fish-processing company, was arrested in the northern Japan port of Kushiro early on Tuesday when the frozen corpse - still fully clothed - was uncovered. "The suspect maliciously strangled the victim with a string-like object at their home and abandoned her body in the freezer at his working place," a spokesman for police in Hokkaido told AFP by telephone. It was not immediately known when the murder took place, the official said, adding the woman would have been 71 years old if she was alive today. Source: Agencies

For sale: Salt from human tears

Believe it or not, a range of salts made from harvested human tears is now on sale in London. The collection by Hoxton Street Monster Supplies offers salt produced by humans while experiencing a variety of different emotions. The range, named Salt Made From Tears, uses fresh human tears combined with a craft that has been around for centuries. The process sees the concoction "gently boiled, released into shallow crystallisation tanks, then harvested by hand and finally rinsed in brine", reports its official website www.monstersupplies.org. A spokesperson for the company explains that the salts come in different taste. The variety includes tears shed from emotions such as sorrow, laughter and anger. Also, sneezing and chopping onions. Each jar of salt costs £7 (RM35). Source: monstersupplies

He finds out he's really a she

A man who went to hospital with a kidney stone received the shock of his life when told he was actually a female. Steve Crecelius, a photographer from Denver, Colorado, whose clients include Hollywood star Harrison Ford, was born with both male and female traits and had long repressed his feminine side. Now, 40 years later, the nurse gave the explanation for his feelings, revealing that he was intersex. Intersex is a term used to describe people who bear both external genitals and internal organs, such as testes and ovaries. A person with the condition may have male genitals and fallopian tubes and ovaries. "The condition used to be called hermaphroditism, meaning that person can't be identified as male or female," Crecelius told ABC News. According to the Intersex Society of North America, more than 1,500 children a year are born intersex. Recounting that day in the hospital, Crecelius told Fox31: "I had a kidney stone and we're in the emergency room. The nurse is reading the ultrasound and says, 'Huh, this says you're a female'. It validated everything I had always felt inside."

Crecelius, who has been married for 25 years and has six kids, is now known as "Stevie". When they arrived home, his wife Debbie forced him to talk about it - a conversation that he had avoided for fear that he would lose his family. But rather than walking away, she was supportive, choosing to deal with the news by taking Crecelius shopping for her first bra, The Denver Post reported. Debbie admitted it has not been easy and feared that she would never get her husband back. But she stood by Crecelius , saying: "You will be who you are." She said she faced the situation by being open about their concerns as they tried to adjust through the changes. "We asked each other questions," Debbie told the Post. "He asked me, 'What if you meet someone along the way?' I said, 'What if you meet someone?' The road goes both ways." The couple still share a room and a bed together. Crecelius said: "She still relates to my heart and soul, and I still relate to hers, and I think that that's the essence of true love." Source: The Korea Herald/ANN

Elvis Presley crypt up for auction

If you have a mountain of cash, you or your loved one can rest in peace in the tomb of The King. Celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien is selling Elvis Presley's original crypt to the highest bidder as part of his Music Icons auction on June 23-24 in Beverly Hills, California. The tomb is located inside the granite and marble mausoleum at the Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. Presley was interred there alongside his mother, Gladys, after he died on Aug 16, 1977. The body of Presley was temporarily entombed in the crypt of a private mausoleum there before being moved to the grounds of his Graceland mansion two months later. The original crypt has remained empty ever since. Source: Agencies

More Malaysians are obese

Obesity in developing countries like Malaysia is still on the upward trend, said Datin Paduka Dr Santha Kumari, chairman of the Malaysian Diabetes Association's Selangor branch. Almost 1 in every 2 Malaysians are obese. She said the matter should be viewed seriously as it could lead to various complications, including type 2 diabetes cases. "Malaysia is leading in the prevalence of obesity among Southeast Asian countries. Almost one in two Malaysians are either overweight or obese, placing them at a high risk for diabetes," Dr Santha Kumari told a press conference in Klang Tuesday. She said a recent study showed that 22% of Malaysians above the age of 30 were diabetic patients. It is vital for diabetic patients to seek counselling on the disease in order to adopt a healthy lifestyle and prevent serious complications, she said. Meanwhile, the association will be hosting a charity dinner, featuring US evergreen group The Three Degrees at the Premiere Hotel in Klang on June 16. Source: Bernama

S'pore funeral view hotels a hit with tourists

Clean sheets, reasonable rates and a room with a view... of a funeral parlour. Tourists who book themselves into one of several hotels and hostels around Lavender Street may end up getting a little more than they bargained for. Of course, Lavender Street has long been known mainly for its multi-storey funeral complex. Not only are there vans ferrying bodies to the nearby Singapore Casket, but holidaymakers have also been greeted by the sight of sobbing mourners following a hearse down the road. Source: The Straits Times/ANN

Braless dancer has wardrobe malfunction

A dancer stunned thousands of football fans in Singapore when the top of her dress slipped off during a pre-match performance. The woman was among 18 dancers performing at the Jalan Besar Stadium before the match between First XI and S. League All Stars, which was telecasted live on TV Sunday. First, it was her blue wig that fell off about 20 seconds after the dance began. It was not clear when the strap of the dress broke, but the top suddenly slipped off - exposing her breasts. Many of the audience members telephoned Lianhe Wanbao to inform the paper of the incident, saying the dancer continued with the performance while trying to fix the problem, but failed. She gave up and ran off the field. Some 7,000 people witnessed the incident. Source: Sin Chew Daily

Apple's iCloud exposes iPhone thief

iPhone user Katy McCaffrey was on board a Disney cruise last month when her smartphone was stolen. But Apple's iCloud service helped her get it back. She did not recover the phone but apparently after the theft, new photos from the thief kept appearing in her iCloud account. The thief was actually taking photos with her iPhone. The iCloud service automatically uploads photos taken on the iPhone onto the cloud, which can then be viewed on other Apple devices. McCaffrey then decided to upload the photos to her Facebook account. The album was named "Stolen iPhone Adventures". According to reports, the Facebook album has gone viral and has attracted news coverage. For now, McCaffrey will get her iPhone back when the ship returns to shore. Source: digitalone

Official arrested for raping over 10 girls

Police in central China detained a former Communist Party official on suspicion of raping underage girls. Li Xingong, who was the party's deputy head in Yongcheng city of Henan province, is accused of sexually assaulting more than ten girls during police interrogations, the official Xinhua news agency reported. City authorities have "ordered swift and severe punishment on the suspect in accordance with relevant laws", the report added. The case has been widely discussed on China's wildly popular Twitter-like microblogging site Weibo, after reports about the rapes naming him as the perpetrator began circulating online over the past week. "Officials these days are all like this. It's really terrible," wrote one netizen. "These dog officials are everywhere. Only execution will sate the public's anger," wrote another. Source and image: Reuters

Aliens won't enslave humans

Will aliens endanger Earth like in movies? One alien hunter says not likely. Extraterrestrial intelligence that is evolved enough to reach Earth probably will not want to enslave or attack humans, according to renowned astronomer Jill Tarter. Tarter, outgoing director of Center for SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute, said such alien species would have technology so advanced that they would not need slaves, food, or other planets, Space.com reported. Tarter said she disagree with famous British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking who said in 2010 that extraterrestrial life is likely to be predatory and could try to exploit Earth’s resources. “If aliens were to come here, it would be simply to explore. Considering the age of the universe, we probably wouldn’t be their first extraterrestrial encounter, either.” Source: Korea Herald

Burning protest in Tibet

Two men set themselves on fire outside a temple that is a popular tourist destination in Lhasa, marking the first time a recent wave of self-immolations to protest Chinese rule has reached the tightly guarded Tibetan capital. The official Xinhua News Agency said one of the men died and the other was hospitalised after they set themselves ablaze on Sunday outside the Jokhang Temple. The report quoted a local Communist Party official as blaming the incident on separatist forces. Xinhua said the men were swifty removed by authorities within two minutes of burning themselves. There have been at least 34 immolations since March of last year to draw attention to China's restrictions on Buddhism and to call for the return from exile of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Most have taken place in heavily Tibetan areas of China, but only one had occurred in Tibet itself and none in the capital. Chinese authorities have confirmed some of the self-immolations over the past year but not all. Most of the recent immolations have taken place in Aba, home to Kirti monastery, which has seen numerous protests against the Chinese government over the past several years. Xiahe is home to the large and influential Labrang monastery and the Tibetan community there has had sporadic clashes with local authorities. Source: AP

Teenager enslaved for 8 years

A teenage German woman has been rescued from a Bosnian couple who are accused of starving and beating her for years and of harnessing her to a horse cart and making her pull it. The 19-year-old, kept in a hamlet near the northeastern town of Kalesija since 2004, had been taken to safety and the couple had been detained for investigation, regional prosecutors said on Sunday. Damir Arnautovic, a spokesman for the prosecution in Tuzla, told Reuters Television the woman had been in a bad physical and psychological state and had no papers. She was not named. He said Milenko Marinkovic, 52, and his wife Slavojka, 45, had been detained on suspicion of treating the woman in an inhuman way, "forbidding her any contacts with people, forbidding her to attend school." The woman's German mother had once been married to Marinkovic, although the woman had a different father. Her mother still lives in the hamlet and told reporters there to go away. Arnautovic said the mother had been interrogated by the police as a witness and her role was being investigated. The neighbour who had tipped off police said the woman had been forced into hard labour and was covered in bruises and scars. Cazim Makalic once witnessed Marinkovic harness the girl to a horse cart and forced her to pull it with him and his friend sitting in it while he whipped her, he said. "I could not watch them beat and starve her any more," he said. Source: Reuters

1,000 Vietnamese kids abused per year

It's a grim statistic. Around 1,000 children are sexually abused in Vietnam every year, and the figure is rising, according to government data. More and more cases of children being raped are being reported, including those under five, and many are killed after being raped, the ministry of labour, invalids and social affairs said. In many instances teachers sexually abuse students, fathers rape daughters over a long period of time, and men rape their stepdaughters. The problems of trafficking and kidnapping children have become rampant. In the northern provinces of Ha Giang, Dien Bien, and Lai Chau, local criminals work with foreigners to take advantage of the remoteness of mountainous areas to kidnap children for trafficking to China. In southern provinces like An Giang and Tay Ninh, forcing girls aged 14-15 to work as prostitutes at brothels in neighbouring Cambodia is increasing. Criminals are even trafficking children and babies in the guise of adopting children from poor families. Nguyen Hai Huu, head of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs' Children Protection and Caring Department, said the cause of the crime is mostly financial difficulty, making some families unable to care for their children or even ignore them completely. This leads to problems like ill-treatment, sexual abuse, violence, exploitation, and children turning to crime. He also blamed the erosion of human values, the negative impacts of pornographic and violent movies, and the increasing rate of divorce. There are not enough organisations to care for children and protect them from these problems, he said. The ministry would continue to study and develop mechanisms and policies to stop violence against and the abuse of children, he promised. Source: ANN/ Vietnam News

Man eats man's face

A naked man in Miami in the USA, was shot dead after being caught chewing another man's head, reported the Miami Herald. It happened on a street. The police officer spotted this and ordered the naked man to back away, but he refused. The police officer opened fire but the attacker continued to eat the man, despite being shot. This forced the police officer to fire at least half a dozen shots before killing hin Officials have yet to identify the officer involved, the deceased, or the victim. Source: Miami Herald

At least 32 children killed in Syria massacre

The United Nations said that more than 100 people including 32 children were killed in the worst violence since the start of a U.N. peace plan to slow the flow of blood in Syria's uprising. The bloodied bodies of children, some with their skulls split open, were shown in footage posted to YouTube purporting to show the victims of the shelling in the central town of Houla on Friday. The sound of wailing filled the room. "This morning U.N. military and civilian observers went to Houla and counted more than 32 children under the age of 10 and over 60 adults killed," the head of U.N. team monitoring the ceasefire - which has yet to take hold - said. "The observers confirmed from examination of ordinances the use of artillery tank shells," Major General Robert Mood said in a statement, without elaborating. "Whoever started, whoever responded and whoever carried out this deplorable act of violence should be held responsible."

In a statement, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon demanded "the government of Syria immediately cease the use of heavy weapons in population centres." "Women, children and old men were shot dead. This is not the hallmark of the heroic Syrian army," Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdesi told reporters in Damascus. Syrian authorities, however, denied carrying out the massacre. Source and images: Reuters