THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT !!!

[kueytoc]

Malaysia crabby over right to 'hijacked' recipes

AP - Friday, September 18

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia is starting a food fight with other countries to win bragging rights for producing some of Southeast Asia's most beloved recipes, including chili crabs and coconut cream rice, a news report said Thursday.

"We cannot continue to let other countries hijack our food," The Star newspaper quoted Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen as saying while launching a campaign to promote the country's cuisine.

The ministry is identifying signature recipes that it will declare as Malaysian, Ng said. She did not reveal how the government might counter others who claim ownership of those dishes, but added that details of its strategy will be announced later.

"Chili crab is Malaysian. Hainanese chicken rice is Malaysian. We have to lay claim to our food," Ng said. She mentioned other favorites such as "nasi lemak," which is rice soaked with coconut cream, "laksa," a spicy noodle soup, and "bak kut teh," an ethnic Chinese pork rib stew.

Tourism ministry officials familiar with the campaign could not immediately be contacted.

Variations of the dishes Ng listed are available in several other Asian nations, particularly Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand and China.

Some creations, such as chicken rice, were introduced to Malaysia and Singapore by ethnic Chinese workers who settled here after leaving China a century ago.

Chili crab _ a recipe of crabs stir-fried in tomato and chili-based sauces _ could become a bone of contention. It is often associated with Singapore and is considered the city-state's unofficial national dish.

Malaysia was recently embroiled in another cultural spat with a neighbor.

Indonesians held protests earlier this month accusing Malaysia of stealing a Balinese dance for a TV promotional campaign about Malaysia. It later turned out that Malaysia had nothing to do with the video, which had mistakenly described the dance as Malaysian. The video was broadcast on the Discovery Channel cable network, which apologized for the mistake.

[kueytoc]

Brawl between Malaysian princes sparks royal feud

By SEAN YOONG, Associated Press Writer - Friday, September 18

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – An alleged brawl between two Malaysian princes spilled into the public Thursday, with one accusing the other of holding him at gunpoint and breaking his nose.

The rare washing of dirty linen in public by two blue bloods could focus public attention on indiscretions by members of Malaysia's royalty, which are often whispered but never openly discussed.

Nadzimuddin Mudzaffar, a grandson of the late ruler of central Negri Sembilan state, held a news conference Thursday to give details of the fight, which he said occurred Oct. 25 last year while he was at a Kuala Lumpur nightclub.

Nadzimuddin, 37, claimed he was assaulted at the club by bodyguards of a prince in another state's royal family.

Subsequently, he said he went to a hotel to meet the prince, whose representative contacted him. Nadzimuddin claims that instead of apologizing, the other prince forced him and his friend into an elevator, held a gun to his head and hit him repeatedly in his face, breaking his nose.

Representatives of the other royal family could not immediately be reached Thursday.

Nadzimuddin said he had filed a complaint to the authorities, but he felt "dismay" that government prosecutors had not filed charges.

His family who were at the news conference indicated they might file a lawsuit against the prince if there are no criminal charges.

Officials at the Attorney General's office declined to comment on the case.

There are royal sultans and rulers in nine of Malaysia's 13 states who take turns every five years to become the country's king in a rotating monarchy. The ethnic Malay Muslim majority considers the royalty to be upholders of Malay tradition and Islam.

Constitutional changes eroded many of the rulers' powers in the 1990s. Still, the royalty have ceremonial responsibilities and command wide respect.

[Marinze]

Truly asia strikes again!!! haha

[kueytoc]

Malaysian court orders Muslim lovers caned for sex

AP - Friday, September 18

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – An Islamic court has ordered an unmarried couple to be caned for trying to have sex in a car in the latest of a series of harsh punishments for Muslims in Malaysia, a lawyer said Friday.

Though Malaysia has long been upheld as an example of a moderate Muslim-majority country, recent verdicts sentencing Muslims to whipping for drinking alcohol have made headlines. Two months ago, an Islamic judge triggered a national debate when he ordered a woman to be caned for drinking beer.

In the latest case, the Shariah High Court in central Selangor state sentenced the couple Wednesday to six strokes of the cane after they pleaded guilty to trying to have sex out of wedlock in their car, said prosecutor Shafezan Rusli.

Shafezan said Islamic religious police caught Mohamad Shahrin Abdul Majid, 29, and Nadiah Najat Hussin, 24, with only their undergarments on in a car at an office parking lot in May.

He said they are appealing the caning as they plan to get married soon, though they have paid the court-ordered fine of 5,000 ringgit ($1,400) each.

They could have been jailed for up to three years for the offense, the lawyer said.

Shariah laws apply to Muslims, who make up about 60 percent of the 28 million population, in all personal matters. Non-Muslims _ Chinese, Indians and other minorities _ are not subject to the laws.

Earlier this week, an Islamic court in another state ordered an Indonesian Muslim man to be whipped six times and jailed a year for drinking liquor at a restaurant.

In July, the same court had sentenced a Malaysian woman to six strokes of the cane and a fine for drinking beer in public. The caning, which would be the first time a Malaysian woman has received the punishment, has not been carried out yet. Many see the sentence as a setback for the country's reputation as a moderate Muslim nation.

In Malay-Muslim heartland, caning wins support

Reuters - Thursday, September 17

By Niluksi Koswanage and Razak Ahmad

* Malaysia may cane first woman as early as next week

* Rural Muslims support caning punishment for drinking

* Islamic opposition party gains influence

KOTA BHARU, Malaysia, Sept 17 - The end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan this weekend could see Islamic authorities in Malaysia carry out the country's first caning sentence on a woman, a punishment that is fast gaining support.

Although the penalty has been condemned by rights groups and is being reviewed by an Islamic appeal court, it is endorsed by conservative Muslims whose influence is on the rise in this multi-racial, Southeast Asian country of 27 million people.

Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, was caught drinking beer in a hotel and faces six strokes of the cane.

There are concerns the caning could damage Malaysia's image at a time when it is liberalising its economy to attract more foreign investment. But for many people in Kelantan, a poor rural state, it is more important to see justice done.

"Her punishment is not severe, it will educate people. It will be a good lesson especially after Ramadan," said Runaidah Abdul Hamid, a housewife, as she bought vegetables to prepare for the breaking of the fast during Ramadan.

"Kartika will become more Muslim," said Rahayu Nizam Nawi, a vegetable seller in northern Kelantan's capital, Khota Bharu.

Shukarno said she accepts the six strokes of the cane and has called for the sentence despite moves by the government, including Prime Minister Najib Razak, to review the punishment. [iD:nKLR406778]

Malaysia practices a dual-track legal system, with Islamic criminal and family laws applicable only to Muslims, running alongside civil laws. If Shukarno is caned, she will be fully clothed.

"CITY OF ISLAM"

Kelantan is ruled by the opposition Pan Malaysian Islamic Party and calls Kota Bharu "The City of Islam". The party has grown in influence since it joined an opposition grouping led by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

In 2008 the three-party opposition Peoples Alliance inflicted the biggest ever electoral losses on the National Front government that has ruled Malaysia for 52 years, prompting the Front to replace its prime minister.

A party that advocates Islamic punishments now stands a chance of becoming part of any new government. Elections must be held by 2013 at the latest.

Since Malaysia's ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities deserted the governing National Front coalition, its ability to stay in power is being increasingly shaped by a battle to win the support of Malay Muslims, around 55 percent of the population.

That means the main government party, the United Malays National Organisation , cannot afford to offend conservative voters. In recent by-elections UMNO and PAS were seen arguing over which party was more true to Islam.

"Although Islam is adaptable to modernity, it will not be good when political parties are trying to outdo each other," said political analyst Khoo Kay Peng.

PAS in August demanded a full implementation of a rarely enforced alcohol ban for Muslims in the most developed Malaysian state of Selangor that it also helps to govern.

It also called for Danish pop group "Michael Learns to Rock" to be banned and Muslims were initially forbidden from attending a concert by U.S. hip hop group "The Black Eyed Peas" organised by brewer Guinness, which is owned by the world's biggest spirits group Diageo.

The flow of news headlines and blog comments has bruised Malaysia's image as a moderate Muslim state with some commentators highlighting what they see as undesirable Islamic influences in their own countries.

However, this foreign criticism cuts little ice in Kelantan.

"It does not matter what the outside world thinks, what matters is that Malaysia is an Islamic country which must practice Islamic laws," said Nur Manisah Hassim, a snacks vendor at a bustling market in Kota Bharu.

[kueytoc]

Japan pop star Sakai freed on bail ahead of trial

AFP - Friday, September 18

TOKYO (AFP) - – Japanese pop star Noriko Sakai was freed on bail Thursday ahead of her drugs trial next month in a scandal that has drawn massive media attention and destroyed the clean-cut image of the singer-actor.

Sakai, 38, who has spent more than a month in detention for allegedly possessing and using illegal stimulants, was released on bail of five million yen (about 55,000 dollars) ahead of her trial from October 26, media reported.

"To all who have supported Noriko Sakai, I am very sorry," the actress, dressed in black, said in a shaky voice after walking out of a Tokyo police station, bowing deeply to a crowd of tabloid reporters and TV crews.

Several television station helicopters buzzed overhead then followed the car that took her away across Tokyo, airing live footage.

Shedding tears at a press conference later, she said she had been too weak to beat her drug habit, vowing: "I will do my best to change, to be reborn."

One of Sakai's aides said the devastated star would head to hospital immediately from the press conference to receive psychological help.

Police arrested Sakai on August 8, a week after her husband, professional surfer Yuichi Takaso, 41, was taken into custody when police caught him with a bag of methamphetamines in Tokyo's Shibuya entertainment district.

Takaso also faces trial next month. Media reports quoting police have said he had allegedly admitted to encouraging Sakai to use illegal drugs several years ago.

A court accepted Sakai's request for bail on Monday, but she only emerged Thursday, apparently due to the intense media coverage.

Sakai made her music debut in 1986 and has also appeared in high-rating TV dramas. She is popular in China, Taiwan and South Korea.

Her fame and girl-next-door image have won her advertising contracts with carmaker Toyota, in government public awareness campaigns and as part of a 1993 celebrity-studded commercial against youth drug abuse.

Noriko Sakai repents and expresses her deepest regrets

Xin.sg - Thursday, September 10

Japanese actress Noriko Sakai has released an apology statement a few days ago via her management company, according to various news reports. She addressed the contents of her letter to the public, fans and previous manager and that she is "Really very sorry, sorry." She also expressed her deepest regrets on implicating the president of her management company as he was demoted to the position of a vice-president after news of her drug abuse was leaked.

It was originally speculated that Sakai's drug abuse were due to the adverse influence from her surfer husband, Yuichi Takaso, who was arrested before she later turned herself in. But she recently divulged in the apology letter that the both of them had once promised each other to stop taking drugs. However, during a vacation with their family, Sakai broke her promise and started using MDMA (Ecstasy). Her husband followed suit and soon both were back to their drug habits.

Apart from the shocking revelation, Sakai also shared the reasons behind her sudden disappearance when her husband was arrested. She had taken drugs four days before Takaso's arrest and was at a loss at what to do. Under the circumstances, a helpless Sakai decided to run away instead.

The actress bore no grudges at her eventual arrest and is relieved at her indictment. She confessed that both of them were unable to control their urge for drugs and would have continued leading such wayward lives if not for getting arrested.

Investigations are still being carried out on Sakai's DNA for a more thorough understanding on her drug-taking levels. Her trial is slated to begin next month and the jury is expected to come to a decision for her case in December.

[peacemaker]

She used to be one of my favorite Japanese stars... sigh... image gone down the drain.

[kueytoc]

Female escorts hope Singapore race will boost business

Reuters - Wednesday, September 23

By Nopporn Wong-Anan

SINGAPORE, Sept 23 - Singapore's Formula One race may be beset by last year's match-fixing and lower ticket sales, but many female escorts have flown into the city-state especially for the event, eyeing wealthy customers.

As bars and clubs prepare for this weekend's race, sex workers from neighbours such as Thailand and Vietnam, as well as from further afield including Russia and Colombia, say they are looking forward to well-heeled race fans.

"I timed my visit to Singapore a few days ahead of the F1 since I think it should bring me good business," said Jenny, a Chinese Russian in her mid-20s who said she is a university student and works as a part-time escort girl in Hong Kong.

Jenny was among dozens of scantily-clad women looking for customers in a bar underneath a five-star global hotel chain on Singapore's shopping strip Orchard Road.

"As a business student, coming to Singapore is like killing two birds with one stone -- making money and finding business opportunities," said Jenny, who asks for S$250 for an hour of her services and who declined to give her full name.

In the same bar, Anna, a 26-year-old Vietnamese woman from Ho Chi Minh City, said business had been very slow in the past few weeks, adding that she hoped the F1 would speed up revenues.

"Money in Vietnam is not good so I come here. But money here is not so good yet," Anna said.

Tickets for F1 practice runs and the race have yet to sell out, with the buzz from the sport's first ever night street race in Singapore in 2008 not evident this time, though the event is attracting attention from a scandal over last year's result that may put some fans off.

The bars for Western expatriates remain bustling, but the traditional red-light district of Geylang, which mainly sees locals and foreign male labourers, has been cleaned up in the past few weeks by the police, witnesses say.

"No girls mean no business for us," a beer seller at a bar told her customers, when asked if their business has been affected by the police raids on Geylang streets.

Prostitution is legal in Singapore, but the law bans soliciting of sex and penalises those who live on the earnings of prostitutes.

[kueytoc]

Gadhafi's colorful UN speech rouses and confuses

Wed Sep 23, 3:02 pm ET

Controversial Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi addressed the United Nations General Assembly and his speech made waves online.

In his long and at times dramatic address to the UN today, Gadhafi aired varied and eyebrow-raising complaints. Among his targets:

-- The international body's Security Council, which he termed the "Terror Council," for failing to prevent or aggressively intervene in conflicts around the world since its inception in 1945.

-- The UN's location in New York, which he described as inconvenient for him and other traveling world leaders, causing them all to suffer from jetlag.

-- The Iraq war, which he described as "the mother of all evils." He added that the perpetrators of the war should be tried in international court, and he also compared the Taliban favorably to the Vatican.

-- A range of conspiracies involving Israel, swine flu and the JFK assassination.

At one point near the conclusion of his speech, during which multiple translators were employed, Gadhafi tossed the UN Charter away dismissively.

Needless to say, Gadhafi's speech hasn't gone unnoticed. As of this writing, six different variations of his name are spiking in web searches, while four different versions of his name appear in Twitter's list of top "trending topics." Blame for this confusion could be pointed directly at the big three cable news networks, CNN, MSNBC and Fox, which all featured different spellings of the Libyan leader's name (Gadhafi, Qaddafi and Khaddafy) on screen at various points during his speech. However, in fairness to the aformentioned media giants, transliterating written and regionally pronounced Arabic is done in many different ways, often leading to confusion.

Perhaps Gadhafi's odd address is related to a lack of proper rest? He may have planned to stay on Donald Trump's sprawling property in Bedford, NY, home to Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren, where a tent was erected earlier in the week complete with electricity, a satellite dish and camel-themed lining on the walls. It's unclear whether or not the dictator planned to lodge inside the tent or inside of the seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom Trump mansion that sits on the property. Some have speculated that Gadhafi may have been merely planning to entertain guests in the tent. Regardless, local residents and elected officials reacted with indignation when they learned of the tent on Trump's property, which was shut down by building inspectors for not having the proper permits.

How Gadhafi, who's already had plans to stay in Englewood, NJ and Central Park while in the area squashed by public outrage, came to even be on Trump's property appears to be a bit of a mystery.

A state department official told the AP that the Libyan government had rented the property for the week, but a Trump spokesperson told the New York Post that her boss and his company had no contact with Gadhafi or the Libyan government and that "the property was leased on a short-term basis to Middle Eastern" business partners who "may or may not have a relationship to Mr. Gadhafi."

The Post also reported that Gadhafi may have spent last night at the Libyan Mission in midtown Manhattan after being expelled from Trump's property, where he was visited by Louis Farrakhan.

No official word yet on where Gadhafi plans to stay tonight.

Brett Michael Dykes is a contributor to the Yahoo! News Blog.

[kueytoc]

Spandau Ballet to release single

2 hours 36 mins ago

Reunited chart stars Spandau Ballet have signed a new deal and are set to release their first new single for 20 years, it was announced.

The band, whose last release was in 1989, had initially reformed for a series of live shows but then headed into the studio.

The True and Gold hitmakers are now set to release a new single, Once More, and an album in November after signing with Mercury Records.

Guitarist and songwriter Gary Kemp said: "The band gelled immediately and we immediately played better than we did even back in the old days.

"The new song was a way for us to show that Spandau Ballet are back, not just to play the hits on tour but also to take on our contemporaries in the pop charts."

Singer Tony Hadley said: "When we got back together and the tour dates went on sale, none of us could believe the fantastic reaction we got from fans and the press alike.

"When the opportunity came to get into a studio and play music together, we couldn't pass it up."

The band begins its Reformation Tour next month.

[kueytoc]

Divorce in America: Ind., Fla. counties are tops

By Tamara Lush And Deanna Martin, Associated Press Writers – Thu Sep 24, 9:45 am ET

ISLAMORADA, Fla. – It's easy to see why bookkeeper Linda Mortimer moved to the Florida Keys 20 years ago: the impossibly blue water, the year-round sunshine, a lifestyle so laid-back that every day is like a Jimmy Buffett lyric.

What Mortimer didn't anticipate was falling in love — and then getting divorced less than two years after taking her wedding vows.

"I discovered after we got married that my husband had been divorced four times," said Mortimer, as she finished a noontime burger while sitting at the bar at the Ocean View, a local party spot and Mortimer's place of employment.

"I was his No. 5. He didn't understand why I got so upset."

Divorce is as common in the Florida Keys as fresh grouper and cold beer. Census statistics released this week show that Monroe County — which includes the cluster of 1,700 islands floating off South Florida — has the second-highest proportion of divorced residents. A little more than 18 percent of the people living in Monroe County are divorced, second only to Indiana's Wayne County, which had 19 percent. Nationwide, 10.7 percent of people over 15 are divorced.

Three of the top 10 counties the divorced call home are in Florida — rural Putnam County in Northeast Florida and urban Pinellas County on the Gulf Coast are the other two. Indiana had a total of three counties in the top 10 as well. Along with Wayne County, Floyd and Madison counties made the list.

Newly released census figures show that while the number of unmarried people continued its 10-year climb, the ranks of married people in the United States rose by nearly 6 million last year, bucking a decade-long decline. The number of divorced people rose, but only slightly.

Among the other marriage- and divorce-related findings from the census data:

• The number of unmarried people climbed to about one-third of all Americans over 15.

• Oklahoma has the highest rate of people who have been married three times or more.

• Utah and Idaho tied for the youngest median bride age, at 23.5 years old.

Residents of Wayne County, Ind., don't see why their home should be the divorce capital of America. The water tower in Richmond, Ind., the county's largest city, welcomes visitors to "A Great All-American City."

"It just doesn't make all that much sense," said Michael Jackson, an associate professor of psychology at Earlham College, a private university in Richmond. "We find it really questionable. It just sounds funny."

Indiana is one of a handful of states that don't track divorce statistics. So it's hard to tell if the percentage is caused by a large number of divorces or a large number of young single people moving out of the county to attend college, or if it's just a statistical anomaly.

Divorce counselors say the economy could be partly to blame for adding more stress to marriages. Indiana has been hit hard by the collapse of the auto and manufacturing industries. Wayne County had an average annual unemployment rate of 6.8 percent in 2008 — when the census data was collected — a rate above the state average at the time but still below many other areas of the state and country.

Tom Amyx, who owns a deli along Richmond's main street, said bad financial times shouldn't be a reason for married couples to split. He just celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary with his wife, Sherry, and says couples should tough out hard times. He said attitudes have changed about marriage, with some younger people considering it a less-than-permanent relationship that they can escape if they aren't happy.

"It's not ever about the other person anymore; it's about me, me, me," he said. "People need to make a commitment and stick to the commitment. It's not just a promise — it's a covenant. That's a very serious thing."

Amyx, who has lived in several other states, sees no reason Wayne County would top the list.

"We don't have that many people in the county," he said, "but evidently they get around."

Some folks in the Florida Keys are quick to say that it's not that people are actually divorcing in droves there — it's that divorced people come to the area to start new lives.

"The Keys are a great place to hide," said Mortimer, who is 60. When asked from what, she said: "Child support. Alimony."

A guy sitting next to Mortimer at the Ocean View bar finished his martini in a plastic cup. His chuckle nearly drowned out the Creedence Clearwater Revival song playing on the radio.

"The IRS. The CIA. Family," he said.

Others say that the party lifestyle — and a high cost of living — stresses families to the breaking point.

"This is a place of escape. A place of hedonistic abandon," said Dr. Fred Covan, a Key West therapist. "We have a condition here, we say people get Key Wasted. People come down here and do really, really stupid stuff."

Alcohol was named as a frequent culprit. People in Nevada, which at 14 percent had the highest divorce rate of any state, gave similar reasons.

Frank Lin, a divorce attorney whose firm, Lin & Associates, uses the phone number 702-DIVORCE, said Nevada laws, a 24/7 Sin City environment rich in temptation and other marriage hurdles probably combine to lead to more divorces.

"One of our clients was a bartender at the Palms and he started seeing a cocktail waitress at the Playboy Club. When I go to work, I don't have cocktail waitresses in high heels showing cleavage," Lin said. "He does — that's part of sort of his daily environment."

The most popular ad campaign in recent years promoting Las Vegas to tourists is "What happens here, stays here," and several party planners sell special divorce parties, offering the recently unmarried a guys' or girls' night out on the town.

But casino and nightclub employees aren't the only ones feeling marriage pressures, Lin said, because the rest of Las Vegas works a 24-hour cycle, too. Affairs aren't the only reason people get divorced here, he said.

"If both parties work 9-to-5 jobs, you see each other. But if one party works 9-to-5 and the other party works swing or graveyard, it's not an environment conducive to a marriage," Lin said.

Nevada's laws make it easier to get divorced compared with other states. Couples need only live in the Silver State six weeks before their marriage can be dissolved, while other states require longer residency and a cooling-off period.

Key West divorce lawyer Jiulio Margalli has noticed another trend among couples who are divorcing on the island paradise.

"What we have now is people getting divorced and fighting over who is going to take over the debt. Who's going to be saddled with the $800K mortgage that neither one could pay?" he said. "It used to be that we saw people get divorced and fight over the home. Now it's, 'Oh, my God, not only are we getting divorced, our credit is going down the tubes and we're going into foreclosure.'"

Regardless of the cause, having nearly 20 percent of the population divorced is cause for concern, said Brad Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia.

"It's basically a social and environmental toxin," Wilcox said of divorce.

Associated Press writers Scott Sonner in Reno, Nev., Oskar Garcia in Las Vegas and Frank Bass in East Dover, Vt., contributed to this report.

[kueytoc]

Former Aware president Josie Lau leaves DBS

Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, September 26

SINGAPORE: The former president of the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware), Ms Josie Lau, has left DBS Bank and joined hospitality group Overseas Union Enterprise (OUE).

She is now vice—president for centre management at Mandarin Gallery, where she oversees operations and marketing for the new premier shopping mall, Weekend TODAY has learnt.

The 48—year—old was thrust into the limelight in March, when she became embroiled in a leadership tussle at Aware. Her decision to take on the role of president of the women’s advocacy group earned her a public rebuke from DBS for ignoring its code of conduct.

At the time, she was DBS’ head of marketing, cards and unsecured loans, becoming its vice—president for network planning and deployment in May prior to her resignation.

Ms Lau, who started her new job on Thursday, said she took it because it "allows me to leverage on all my past work experience and my love for fashion retail and marketing".

OUE chief executive Thio Gim Hock said Ms Lau had "expressed her desire to look for new pastures", and he felt she might be suitable for the post. "I asked her to send in her CV and forwarded (it) to the senior vice—president (of) leasing, who interviewed her."

Mr Thio is married to lawyer Thio Su Mien, who had encouraged Ms Lau to get involved in Aware. They attend the same church, but Ms Lau stressed her hiring was "based on my merit".

Likewise Mr Thio — who has known Ms Lau, "though not very well", for over 10 years — said: "It’s easier and more desirable to employ people you already know ... Her getting the job was entirely due to her experience, qualification and personality."

Mr Thio also noted Ms Lau’s "traumatic experience" during the Aware saga which included "having her employer threatening to sack her".

When contacted, a DBS spokesman said: "Ms Lau decided to leave DBS to pursue other opportunities. It was a personal decision, and we wish her the best in her new endeavours."

TODAY/ir

[kueytoc]

'Too much sex' in Bruno film for Malaysia: official

AFP - Tuesday, September 29

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - – Muslim-majority Malaysia has banned British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's raunchy comedy "Bruno" because it contains "a lot of sex", a senior official said Tuesday.

The film, which stars Cohen as a gay Austrian fashionista, has been a box office hit in some countries while being banned elsewhere for over-the-top scenes including sex acts and full-frontal nudity.

"The movie has been banned in Malaysia because of the sexual content. It was decided by a three-man committee. (There is) a lot of sex in it," an official with the National Film Censorship Board told AFP.

He said the panel judges movies based on whether they feature violence, horror, sex or counter-cultural themes.

"In the case of Bruno, the ban is based on its sex and counter-culture content," he said on condition of anonymity.

Following the same format as his 2006 movie "Borat," Cohen's character travels to the United States where bizarre scenarios unfold including one where he mimes sexual activity while visiting a medium.

Other controversial scenes include Bruno and his boyfriend engaged in sexual acts and couples having sex at a swingers' party.

"Borat" was also banned in Malaysia, a conservative country with a multicultural population including 60 percent Muslim Malays.

Since last year alone, Malaysia has banned five movies, the most recent being US horror film Halloween II, written and directed by Rob Zombie.

[kueytoc]

Miss Singapore quits after criminal record revealed

By Teo Xuanwei / Claire Huang, TODAY, 938LIVE | Posted: 29 September 2009 1718 hrs

SINGAPORE - Singapore's representative to the Miss World beauty contest has stepped down after being exposed as a credit card cheat, the local contest organisers said on Tuesday.

Ris Low, a 19-year-old student, had first resisted calls to give up her crown after Singapore media revealed she received a suspended sentence for stealing and misusing customers' credit cards when she worked as a receptionist.

She was convicted of credit card fraud in May and sentenced to two years' probation.

When asked if she was finally bowing down to public pressure, the 19-year-old beauty queen said: "I feel that it would be better for everyone, including Singaporeans who are not very supportive of me going to this pageant.

"This is actually the best for everybody, including the company, the public and for myself. So yes, I have given it up because I think it's the best choice now."

While she did not reveal when she had came to the decision, Ms Low admitted that she's had thoughts of quitting for some time.

Miss Low said that ERM World, organiser of Miss Singapore World pageant, has been informed and supports her decision.

"She has resigned. Story closed," a staff member of ERM World Marketing, holder of the Singapore franchise for the Miss World 2009 contest taking place in Johannesburg in December, told AFP.

ERM said it will be interviewing a new representative to represent Singapore at Miss World 2009 in the coming days and will announce who she is shortly.

Low's admission that she committed the crime as a result of bipolar disorder further stoked calls for her to resign because she was seen as unsuitable to represent Singapore overseas.

Before the revelations of her conviction and psychiatric problems, Low became an object of ridicule after a video interview posted on the Internet showed her speaking fractured English.

AFP/938LIVE/CNA/vm

Miss Singapore World convicted of credit card fraud in May

Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, September 26

SINGAPORE: Miss Singapore World Ris Low has found herself in the spotlight again. This time, due to a criminal conviction.

When a video of Ms Low made its round online recently, her poor command of spoken English was a hot topic in cyberspace.

But now, netizens are debating on whether she could or should represent Singapore for the Miss World 2009 beauty pageant in Johannesburg later this year, after it came to light that Ms Low was convicted of credit card fraud in May.

She was sentenced to two years’ probation for using illegally obtained credit cards.

Some beauty pageant organisers, whom Channel NewsAsia spoke to, said on Friday contestants must be free of criminal record.

But the organiser of Miss Singapore World pageant did not respond to queries on whether the beauty queen will be stripped of her crown or even represent Singapore in the finals.

Some Singaporeans have mixed reactions to the news. One said: "I think they deserve a second chance. They say ex—convicts also deserve a second chance."

"If it reflects badly on her personality or character, then I don’t think it will be good for her to represent Singapore," another added.

— CNA/so

[kueytoc]

Here come the brides: Polygamy club woos Malaysia

By SEAN YOONG,Associated Press Writer - Monday, September 28

RAWANG, Malaysia – When she was practicing law, Kartini Maarof once went beyond the call of duty for her divorce client.

She arranged for Rohaya Mohamad, a mother of seven, to be married again _ to Kartini's own husband.

The spouse they have shared for a decade is 43-year-old Ikramullah Ashaari, who has four wives and 17 children. His 72-year-old father has 38 offspring from five marriages, without ever having flouted Islam's prescribed limit of four wives at a time.

Polygamy is legal for Muslims in Malaysia, though not widespread. The Ashaari clan believes it should be. Last month it launched a "Polygamy Club" that claims the noble aim of helping single mothers, reformed prostitutes and women who feel they are past the marrying age.

"We want to change the way people perceive polygamy, so that it will be seen as something beautiful instead of something disgusting," said Hatijah Aam, the founder of the club. She is the fourth wife of Ikramullah's father, Ashaari Muhammad.

Polygamy may seem out of place in an Asian democracy proud of its skyscrapers, high-tech skills and go-getter economy. But it retains a foothold in this Muslim-majority country of 27 million where piety is deeply embedded and Muslims can be arrested for drinking alcohol or consorting with the opposite sex unless a couple is married.

The government also polices religious practice. Ashaari, the family patriarch, used to head an Islamic sect that was banned in 1994 as heretical because it projected Ashaari as an absolver of sinners.

Most of the Polygamy Club members belonged to the sect, and there's nothing illegal about how they live now, so long as they're Muslims. For the one-third of the population that isn't Muslim, polygamy is unlawful.

The practice used to be more common but has dwindled to an estimated 2 percent of all Muslim marriages as women have become freer and careers have opened up for them.

The polygamists point out that the Prophet Muhammad is thought to have married about a dozen women in his lifetime, including widows in need of protection.

"Some people treat polygamy as a laughing matter because they do not fully comprehend it," says Ikramullah, a jovial businessman and son of his father's first wife. "But a community that practices it would know that it is not bizarre. In fact, you would be teased if you were a man with only one wife."

The club claims to number 300 husbands and 700 wives. It hopes to cultivate examples of happy households to counter women's rights activists who say some spouses and children suffer in polygamous marriages. Club members say polygamy deters adultery and would improve the marriage prospects of ex-prostitutes if more men were available to marry them.

But Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the Muslim female minister in charge of family policy, says polygamy "is not a culture that is encouraged in our society."

Sisters in Islam, an advocacy group campaigning against polygamy, says it isn't good for women.

"If people choose to be monogamous, there are enough men for every woman," it said in a statement to The Associated Press.

One opponent of polygamy is a 42-year-old business executive who asked to be identified only as Sharifah. She said she threatened to divorce her husband of nearly 15 years after he told her last year that he had fallen in love with a divorced mother of three, felt she needed help, and wanted to marry her.

"I felt like my fairy tale had ended," Sharifah said. "He was my soul mate. ... I couldn't believe it was happening. Then I started to scream at him."

She said some people told her that agreeing to a second wife would secure her place in heaven. But Sharifah, the breadwinner for her two children and jobless husband, refused to give in. The couple underwent marriage counseling and Sharifah's husband has promised not to marry the other woman.

"Women have to make a stand. We are getting more progressive. We know our rights," she said. "I will not enter into a polygamous marriage. I know I deserve better."

Kartini, 41, says polygamy has served her well; while she was busy arguing court cases, her husband's first wife would cook, clean and look after the children.

"The wives can complement each other," she said. "Of course, you miss your husband and there are natural feelings of competition and jealousy at first. But after a while, you try to become friends and you learn that you can share your problems with each other."

The club says most of its husbands keep each spouse in a home of her own unless the women agree to live under one roof. Many husbands rotate their days among households.

The tight-knit family is concentrated in Rawang, a town outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's largest city. They gather for religious holidays and other festivities, such as a recent "Family Day" where they performed songs for each other and picnicked. They mingle easily in public, chatting and joking like any ordinary family.

The club is funded by the family's grocery stores, restaurants and other businesses. It plans to offer matchmaking, wedding planning and marriage counseling.

Hatijah, who became the patriarch's fourth wife in 1982, used to be skeptical of polygamy, and agreed to the marriage because she worried that at 27, she was getting too old to find a husband.

Now 54 and a mother of eight, she says: "What is wrong with sharing a husband? I've been doing so for nearly 30 years."

[kueytoc]

Ris Low resigns as Miss Singapore World: official statement

Tue, Sep 29, 2009

Diva

Ris Low has stepped down as Miss Singapore World and will not be representing Singapore at the international Miss World 2009 paegeant in South Africa this December.

The organisers of Miss Singapore World pagaent, ERM World, made the announcement today and said in a press statment that her resignation takes place with immediate effect.

This is the official statement:

ERM World Marketing (ERM) would like to announce that Ris Low has resigned as Miss Singapore World 2009 with immediate effect. She will no longer represent Singapore at Miss World 2009 in South Africa.

We have met her parents Mr. and Mrs. Low and Ris to discuss the matter and they have agreed to allow their daughter to resign from the crown as we feel is in the best interest for the Miss Singapore World Pageant and Singapore at large. We are accepting her resignation.

There was no way of checking if a contestant has a criminal record or suffering from depression. Ris Low was determined, well behaved and performed well throughout the 2 month competition and even went on to win 8 special awards. This is not easy task to accomplish from a group of 22 contestants. With her good performance and beauty, she excelled in the competition.

On her English language, we felt that person who made fun of her on YouTube was malicious and did not do her justice. The video clip was presented in a way to ridicule her. The incident was a onetime interview which misled the Singapore public to believe she spoke English poorly. During the Grand Finals competition held at the Shangri La hotel on the 31st July 2009, she spoke perfectly good English, had a good answer (short, sharp and sweet) and performed very well to impress the 11 judges that she was good enough to win. So perhaps her spoken English could also be an effect from her Bipolar disorder.

As a teenage offender, we feel sorry for her circumstances but we cannot compromise on our contest rules, regulations and the image of the Miss Singapore World Pageant.

ERM did not give any comments earlier to the media and press because we were taken aback by this incident and we did not have any documentary evidence to justify the allegations and could be faced with legal implications later. Ris Low committed this offence as a young offender, and we had to be sensitive to handle any comments delicately where a young offender is concerned. The treatment would be different if she was over 21 years of age.

We like to add that this is the first time in Singapore beauty pageant history that such an incident has occurred. We had to be careful with the approach.

We will be interviewing a new representative to represent Singapore at Miss World 2009 in the coming days and will announce a new representative shortly.

Ris Low's lies exposed

Tue, Sep 29, 2009

Diva

Lianhe Wanbao reported in this evening's paper that three of Ris Low's lies have been exposed:

Lie #1 - ERM World Marketing had known about her conviction

In an interview with the press last week, Low said that ERM knew about the credit card fraud prior to the contest because one of the requirements for entering the pageant included a criminal check.

Yesterday, Low confessed that she only told ERM when the news broke last Friday.

Lie #2 - ERM will continue to allow her to participate in the contest

Low told Lianhe Wanbao last Friday that ERM told her as long as the press did not get wind of her criminal record, she will be allowed to continue competing in Miss Singapore World. She even mentioned that she was worried about ERM's decision.

However, in an interview with The Straits Times yesterday, Ris said that ERM only knew of her past on Friday.

Lie #3 - She was fully aware of the clauses

Last Friday, Low told Lianhe Zaobao that she was fully aware of the terms and conditions when she signed up for the contest in June. She also reckoned that a supervised probation does not equate to a criminal charge or conviction, therefore she did not make any declarations.

However, she said in an interview yesterday that she did not read the terms and conditions in detail.

"I didn't read the clause in detail because all these were not required in other pageants," said Ris Low.

Ris' ex-supervisor: We trusted her, gave her chances

Mon, Sep 28, 2009

The New Paper

SHE got along fairly well with her former colleagues at a clinic and was generous with gifts.

There was only one snag.

Said beauty queen Ris Low's former supervisor: 'She used one of the credit cards (she obtained fraudulently) to buy me a birthday present.

'But the police ordered her to get it back, so she asked me to return the present to her.'

The ex-supervisor, a clinic coordinator who did not want to be named, declined to reveal details of the present.

'We never thought she would do something like that,' she said.

Discouraged

The ex-supervisor said she was disheartened by Ris' dishonesty.

'We all trusted her, and we tried to teach her so many things. We gave her so many chances.

'It was very disappointing - she could have done so much better,' said the 29-year-old woman.

At first, the ex-supervisor could not make the connection between her former colleague and the beauty queen from the photo on the front page of The New Paper on Sunday last month.

The face looked only vaguely familiar.

But the penny dropped after she watched a video of the recently-crowned Miss Singapore World 2009 being interviewed.

It was just over a year ago that Ris had been her subordinate.

Said the former supervisor: 'I didn't recognise her at first because she was wearing a lot of make-up - she never used to wear that much make-up, except fake lashes sometimes.'

She added, however, that she was not surprised Ris would participate in a beauty pageant because she 'loved the attention'.

'Whenever we were out together, she would get approached by talent scouts asking her to model,' she said.

At the time, Ris was working as a patient service assistant at a clinic belonging to a well-known medical group here.

She was convicted of five charges of cheating and misappropriation involving credit cards.

Another 60 charges were taken into consideration for purposes of sentencing, a Subordinate Courts' spokesman told The New Paper.

Said her former supervisor: 'I don't think somebody who did what she did should be allowed to represent Singapore in an international pageant.'

She said Ris' offences were brought to light after patients complained they never got their credit cards back after paying their medical bills.

'It turned out that she had been using the credit cards to buy things for herself.'

This article was first published in The New Paper.

Ris Low: I was young, I didn't think

Mon, Sep 28, 2009

The New Paper

by Liew Hanqing

SHE knows she's one of the most unloved Singaporean beauty queens.

Especially now that her dirty little secret has tumbled out - the one she had hoped no one would learn about.

Miss Singapore World 2009 Ris Low Yi Min was sentenced in May to 24 months of supervised probation after being convicted of credit card fraud.

Sounding almost resigned, Ris said yesterday that she was waiting for the pageant organisers to inform her whether she will still be allowed to represent Singapore in the Miss World pageant in South Africa in December.

'I'm sad and disappointed,' she told The New Paper over the phone.

'I don't know who leaked this information about me. Now I may have to give up my dream (of participating in an international pageant).'

Lawyer Adrian Wee told The New Paper that it was up to Ris' probation officer to decide whether to allow her to travel to South Africa.

'Such decisions are usually determined on a case-by-case basis,' he said.

But even if Ris is allowed to leave Singapore, she may still be barred from taking part in the Miss World pageant.

The Miss World website states that pageant contestants must not have been charged or convicted in any court of law in any country.

Ris said she had used the credit cards fraudulently in 'a moment of folly'.

She said: 'When you are young and do something, you don't really think of the consequences.

'At the time, I didn't even think I would be joining a beauty pageant or that I would become a beauty queen.'

Ris said the pageant organisers were initially unaware of her offences.

'I told them about it only after I had won. I didn't know it was part of the contract,' she said.

She added that the organisers were 'shocked and angry' when they heard about it. The New Paper's repeated phone calls and e-mails to the pageant organisers, ERM World Marketing Pte Ltd, went unanswered yesterday.

Ris said: 'I regret what I did. I disappointed my parents, because I did it (credit card fraud) even though I wasn't in any need of money.'

At 19 and with a future still ahead of her, she is optimistic of putting this setback behind her.

'My friends have been very supportive through this period. I could really see their care and concern for me. My parents have also stood by me,' she said.

The first-time offender had faced five charges of misappropriation, cheating using illegally obtained credit cards and impersonating their users' identities.

Another 60 charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

She had obtained the credit cards while she was working at a well-known medical group here.

According to court documents, Ris spent more than $2,400 on at least three credit cards on at least four separate occasions in April and May last year.

Among the items she bought were a $698 Samsung handphone and two gold anklets worth $980 in all.

She also visited Equinox, an upscale restaurant at Swissotel the Stamford, twice within the same week - spending almost $400 on food and drinks each time.

The New Paper understands that her former employer filed a police report in April last year after she was caught using credit cards belonging to patients who visited the clinic where she worked.

A spokesman for the medical group confirmed that she joined the group in December 2007 and left in May last year.

She also confirmed there was a civil case involving Ris, but declined to comment on it.

When The New Paper learnt of Ris' legal troubles about a month ago and confronted her, she denied it.

Then My Paper broke the story yesterday. Now, it looks like few are prepared to forgive and forget.

This article was first published in The New Paper

[kueytoc]

Calif. pageant contestant denies murder

AP - Wednesday, September 30

PASADENA, Calif. – A self-proclaimed preacher who was a contestant in the TV beauty pageant "The Sexiest Bachelor in America" pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murdering his girlfriend, a former adult-movie actress.

Brian Randone, 45, was arraigned in Superior Court and remained in custody on $2 million bail. He could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted of beating and choking Felicia Lee on Sept. 11 in their suburban Monrovia apartment.

Detectives allege Randone tortured the 31-year-old Lee, noting they found dozens of recent injuries on her body after Randone called 911 to report she was unconscious.

Deputy District Attorney Philip Wojdak said investigators believe Lee was suffocated against a hard surface without a weapon being used. Judge Terry Smerling called the injuries gruesome and sealed photos of Lee's body.

Randone's lawyer, Mark Overland, said he had no comment because he had just taken the case and had not reviewed the police reports.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Oct. 9.

Lee appeared in several adult movies under the name Felicia Tang. The Singapore-born woman also had bit parts in the movies "Rush Hour 2" and "The Fast and the Furious" and had modeled for the Playboy television channel. She had moved in with Randone a few months before her death.

Randone, a Nebraska native, appeared on the Fox special "The Sexiest Bachelor in America" in 2000 but did not win.

Randone has a bachelor's degree from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and a master's of divinity degree from Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

He was involved in ministry as a mime and had once worked as a mime on the campus of Baylor University. Baylor spokeswoman Jill Scoggins said he was not hired by the school and only performed on campus once in 1996.

Police: TV contestant killed actress girlfriend

AP - Saturday, September 26

LOS ANGELES – A self-proclaimed preacher who was on the TV beauty pageant "The Sexiest Bachelor in America" will be arraigned next week for allegedly torturing and murdering his girlfriend, an ex-adult movie actress.

Brian Lee Randone, 45, was charged last week with one count of murder and one count of torture. He was scheduled for arraignment on Sept. 29 and faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted, said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Randone remained jailed Friday on $2 million bail. Robison did not know whether he had an attorney.

Randone was arrested on Sept. 11. Prosecutors said he beat and choked Felicia Lee during a domestic dispute at their apartment in the foothill community of Monrovia, northeast of Los Angeles.

He then dialed 911 to report she was unconscious, investigators said.

"It appeared to be torture prior to the murder," Sgt. Brian Schoonmaker, a homicide detective working the case, said Friday. Lee apparently suffered dozens of injuries in the 24 hours before she died, Schoonmaker said, but he did not provide details.

The two had lived together for only a few months, Schoonmaker said. Investigators were still trying to determine the motive for the killing.

In 2000, Randone appeared on the Fox special "The Sexiest Bachelor in America." He vied with contestants from other states but did not win.

A Fox spokeswoman said Friday that she was not immediately familiar with the show.

Lee, who was born in Singapore, had parts in the movies "Rush Hour 2" and "The Fast and the Furious" and had done some modeling for the Playboy television channel, according to her Web site, which she shut down last year.

She also appeared in several adult movies under the name Felicia Tang. Candace Kita, a model who had worked with her, said Lee was nud# in the movies but did not portray any sex acts.

Randone was involved in ministry as a mime and did "some evangelistic types of entertainment," Schoonmaker said. He did not know when or where Randone performed.

According to the CBS blog "48 Hours Crimesider," Randone had a Web site in the early 2000s advertising a ministry that offered "critically-acclaimed performances."

According to "Crimesider," Randone said on the Web site that he had no plans to "try to be sexy" in the pageant, where he represented his home state of Nebraska.

"I hope to talk about qualities that are really important, what's inside, such as faithfulness, love, commitment and self-control, the masculine characteristics of a Christian," he said.

He also wrote that "we are all sinners" and that sin "is as small as thinking a bad thought and/or as big as murder."

"Because of sin, we deserve hell. I know that if there is one thing I deserve in life its (sic) hell," he said.

Randone has a bachelor's degree from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and a master's of divinity degree from Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported.

He worked as a mime on the campus of Baylor University in Texas in 1996, the newspaper said.

Lee's murder is reminiscent of another case last month, in which Ryan Jenkins, a former contestant on the reality TV show "Megan Wants a Millionaire," allegedly killed his wife, ex-model Jasmine Fiore, in Los Angeles, then fled to Canada and killed himself.

[kueytoc]

Shocked Surfers Find Shark On Cornish Beach

Saturday, September 26 06:50 pm

©Sky News 2009

Surfers got a "nasty shock" at discovering a 12ft shark that had been washed up on a beach in Cornwall.

The thresher shark was found on Hayle beach by the surfers who thought it was a dolphin.

It had a 6ft long body, with a tail of the same length, and is estimated to weigh around 440lb.

Dave Jarvis, from Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network, has formally identified the shark that was found on Wednesday.

"The surfers who found it thought it was a dolphin so they got a nasty shock when they got closer and saw it was a shark," he said.

"It was in good condition, there were no marks on it so we don't know how it died."

Thresher sharks are native to UK waters but it is unusual for them to be washed up in this way.

Mr Jarvis said he could not think of another that had washed up in recent years in Cornwall.

"They don't pose any threat to humans, if they did decide to go for you it would take a lump out of you but they only have a small mouth and two rows of teeth so its not like Jaws," he said.

"I've never heard of anyone being attacked by one."

Thresher sharks can grow up to 20ft in length.

In 2007 a trawler fisherman caught a 16ft thresher shark off the coast off Land's End, Cornwall.

[kueytoc]

Heh Heh...are U one of them ???

Psychiatrist: One pervert in every 10 patients

Wed, Sep 30, 2009

AsiaOne

Out of every 10 patients he sees, one is diagnosed as a pervert, says a psychiatrist.

Most of the time, patients suffering from perversion do not dare to seek medical help until they are caught by the law or their condition is discovered by a family member, reported Shin Min Daily News.

Dr Tan Chue Tin, consultant psychiatrist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, said that 10 per cent of his patients were afflicted with perversion. Of these, 70 per cent were male.

He said: "I believe this number is actually higher as majority of people suffering from perversion do not seek medical help."

Perversion is not a rare condition in Singapore.

Psychiatrists point out that people suffering from perversion usually come from dysfunctional families and symptoms vary between males and females.

Male perverts are typically introverts who lack confidence. Because they fear interaction with the opposite sex, they usually resort to using women's undergarments to stimulate themselves.

Another form of perversion they indulge in is voyeurism, the act of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviour.

Psychiatrist Dr Yeo Seem Huat said he knew of a local manager who had both his marriages ruined because he enjoyed watching his wives having sex with other men.

Female perverts are usually sex addicts.

He said: "Such women sleep around and have a lot of partners, putting them at a very high risk of sexually transmitted diseases."

Last week, Chong Weien, 28, was put on trial for outraging the modesty of a female undergraduate. He was jailed 15 months and given three strokes of the cane.

Chong is now appealing the sentence, claiming that he suffers from spontaneous ejaculation, a condition where he ejaculates without physical stimulation. He also claims that it is a psychological condition.

However, many psychiatrists have expressed that they have not come across such a condition. Most of the time, men who ejaculate without being touched do so through nocturnal emissions or 'wet dreams'.

[kueytoc]

Indonesia's 'unlucky' president takes quake blame

AFP - Sunday, October 4

JAKARTA (AFP) - – Some superstitious Indonesians are blaming a supposedly "unlucky" president -- and not shifting tectonic plates -- for the latest earthquake in this disaster-prone country.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, popularly known by his initials SBY, has long been burdened by murmurs that he carries with him the shadow of cosmic misfortune.

A string of disasters both natural and man-made since his election in 2004, including the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 220,000 across Asia, has seen quips that SBY stands for "Selalu Bencana Ya", roughly meaning "Always A Disaster".

The latest catastrophe, believed to have killed upwards of 1,100 people with another buried 4,000 under rubble, is viewed by many in this Muslim-majority country of 234 million as yet more proof that SBY's stars are crossed. Related article: Disaster leaves villages buried

"SBY, because of his birth date, will always attract disasters to this country, according to the Primbon (a Javanese almanac of mysticism)" Permadi, a veteran politician from the opposition Gerindra party and practising shaman, told AFP.

"Just look at the numbers of his birth date -- the ninth of the ninth, '49 -- that's unlucky. The more he holds on to power, the more great disasters will happen," he said.

If Yudhoyono stays president, "a much bigger disaster will strike Jakarta for sure," Permadi said, referring to the Indonesian capital.

"If SBY had a big heart, he would step down."

Not everyone believes this theory -- and many see SBY's birthday as enviably lucky -- but such talk of supernatural misfortune has deep resonance in Indonesia, where Islam and Christianity are for many merged with older traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism and animism.

The criticism has been long-standing enough that Yudhoyono lectured local government heads in the quake-hit region of West Sumatra two years ago that they should blame the region's volatile geology, and not him.

"Magma doesn't move because SBY has become president. It's malicious to link it to me being president," he was quoted as saying at the time.

Even the Jakarta Post, one of the top-selling English dailies, suggested a link between the disaster and the extravagance of politicians in a Sunday editorial entitled "The Gods Must Be Angry".

"Whether you subscribe to the theological or secular explanation, the 7.6-magnitude quake that killed more than 1,100 people came on the eve of the multi-billion-rupiah inauguration ball for newly elected members of the House of Representatives and the Regional Representative Council in Jakarta," it said.

Political analyst Bima Arya Sugiarto said that while some, particularly opposition politicians, try to paint the president as a spiritual liability, there are benefits for him in Indonesians' gaze beyond the physical world.

Criticism of the often slow aid response, and the poor planning that allowed shoddy buildings to spring up in the first place, has been muted by fatalism and a widespread belief that the disaster is God's will, Sugiarto said.

"The mystical perspective or the religious perspective is more dominant than public criticism of government policies," he said.

Indonesian media have carried accounts of divine symbols in the aftermath of the quake, including a ring-shaped sun surrounded by a rainbow and God's name inscribed in Arabic calligraphy in the clouds.

In the devastated city of Padang, a commonly heard refrain has been that the quake is a test, or a punishment, ordained by God.

"I think the quake happened because many of the youths in Padang commit sins, especially during Ramadan," chicken-feed factory worker Yasrizat, 36, said near a mosque in the city.

"They've been engaging in sinful activities by the beach. I think God is punishing us with this quake."

[kueytoc]

Letterman says wife "horribly hurt" by sex scandal

Reuters - October 5, 2009 3:29 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Comedian David Letterman said on Monday his wife has been "horribly hurt" by revelations of his sexual affairs exposed in an extortion plot against him and he apologized to staff of his popular late-night talk show.

The host of "Late Show with David Letterman" said in the taping of his Monday show that he will try to patch things up with Regina, whom he married in March after dating for more than 20 years. The two have a 5-year-old son, Harry.

"She has been horribly hurt by my behavior, and when something happens like that, if you hurt a person and it's your responsibility, you try to fix it," Letterman told audiences, according to a statement from his company, Worldwide Pants.

"And at that point, there's only two things that can happen: either you're going to make some progress and get it fixed, or you're going to fall short and perhaps not get it fixed, so let me tell you folks, I got my work cut out for me."

He said he was "terribly sorry that I put the staff in that position. Inadvertently, I just wasn't thinking ahead ... my thanks to the staff for, once again, putting up with something stupid I've gotten myself involved in."

On Thursday, Letterman told audiences he had been victimized in an extortion plot by a man who threatened to write a screenplay or book about "all the terrible stuff" Letterman had done. The talk show host then admitted to having had sexual affairs with women employed by his show.

One day later, Robert "Joe" Halderman, a producer for CBS news program "48 Hours," was indicted on a charge of grand larceny for seeking $2 million in hush money from Letterman. Halderman faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

On Monday, Halderman's attorney Gerald Shargel took to U.S. morning talk shows to proclaim his client's innocence and say that Letterman's version of the story was only one side.

"David Letterman didn't give his (Halderman's) side of the story, David Letterman gave what he wanted the public to know," Shargel said on NBC's "Today" show.

"He wanted to get out ahead of the story, and that's exactly what he did," Shargel said of Letterman.

Shargel said it was unlikely that Halderman would have sought to extort Letterman by taking a $2 million check, because that is not how extortionists normally operate.

He declined to detail what may be his client's defense, but added that the veteran journalist has reported on crime stories for years. "He knows all about cops and wiretaps. And to suggest that he was trapped in an extortion plot is preposterous," the attorney said.

Shargel said he looked forward to questioning Letterman on the witness stand.

Court documents show Halderman owed an ex-wife $6,800 a month in child and spousal support, and authorities have said he is deep in debt.

Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Mohammad Zargham

[kueytoc]

Is she an exam cheat as well ?...Ris Low ordered by court not to shop alone

Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, October 7

SINGAPORE: Former Miss Singapore World Ris Low was back in court on Tuesday and ordered by a district judge not to go into a shopping mall unaccompanied by a family member.

In a review of her 24—month supervised probation, District Judge May Mesenas also reminded Ms Low to take her probation seriously.

It was revealed on Tuesday that Ms Low had to re—take her examinations at the Management Development Institute of Singapore after invigilators found revision notes in her pencil box in August.

Ms Low claimed that she had forgotten to remove them.

Her lawyer, Mr Sng Kheng Huat, assured the court that his client remained committed to serving her probation, and would undertake not to repeat the mistake.

The District Judge also told Ms Low, who stayed silent during the 10—minute hearing, to continue with her medical treatment and medication. The 19—year—old suffers from bipolar disorder.

On May 5, two months before she won the pageant, she pleaded guilty to five cheating and criminal misappropriation charges, with 60 other charges being taken into consideration.

Over two months last year, she had spent almost S$8,000 on items such as gold anklets, mobile phones, lingerie and meals in luxury restaurants using seven credit cards that did not belong to her.

Ms Low, who gave up her crown last month after the scandal over her conviction made the headlines, will appear at another probation review in three months’ time.

TODAY/so

Main sponsor might sue Miss Singapore World organiser

Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, October 7

SINGAPORE: After the controversy, legal action could follow. One of the main sponsors of the Miss Singapore World 2009 pageant has sent lawyers’ letters to organiser ERM World Marketing.

Young And Healthy said in a press release on Tuesday that it "has been affected in its business and suffered losses" due to the "uncertainty" over Ms Ris Low’s replacement in next month’s finals in South Africa.

The beauty supplements company said there were "questions which needed to be answered", such as whether ERM knew of Ms Low’s conviction for credit card fraud before it was reported in the press on September 25.

Acting for the sponsor, Clifford Law had written to ERM last Friday, and extended the deadline for ERM’s reply from Monday to Tuesday. The organiser has since replied through its lawyers, but Young And Healthy claimed their questions "were not answered".

Clifford Law’s Michael Loh told MediaCorp that ERM will be "accorded a reasonable period" to respond further.

When contacted, ERM events director Tracy Lee declined further comment.

The one—page statement ended with: "Our clients will weigh their options accordingly." One of the options, said Mr Loh, would be to sue ERM.

TODAY/so

[kueytoc]

OUCH !!!...Saudi gets 5 years in jail for frank TV sex talk

By DONNA ABUNASR,Associated Press Writer - Thursday, October 8

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – A Saudi court on Wednesday convicted a man for publicly talking about sex after he bragged on a TV talk show about his exploits, sentencing him to five years in jail and 1,000 lashes, his lawyer said.

Talking about sex publicly is a taboo in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia.

Lawyer Sulaiman al-Jumeii said he plans to appeal the court's ruling and is confident the sentence against his client, which includes a ban on travel and talking to the media for five years after his release, will be revoked.

The lawyer said there is no specific law in the Saudi penal code "that defines punishment for talking or bragging." He said he assumes the judge based his decision on Islamic law, which forms the general basis of the justice system and stipulates that people should not talk about engaging in immoral behavior.

Al-Jumeii maintains that his client, Mazen Abdul-Jawad, was duped by the Lebanese LBC satellite channel which aired the talk show and was unaware in many cases he was being recorded.

"I hope you will not consider the case closed," the lawyer said. "I will continue pursuing the TV channel, even if no one stands by me, until it gets the punishment it deserves."

The program, which aired July 15 on LBC and was seen in Saudi Arabia, scandalized this conservative country where such frank talk is rarely heard in public. Some 200 people filed legal complaints against Abdul Jawad, who works for the national airline.

The program, "Bold Red Line," begins with Abdul-Jawad, dubbed a "sex braggart" and "Casanova" by the media, describing the first time he had sex at 14. He then leads viewers into his bedroom, dominated by red accessories, and then shows off blurred sex toys.

He is later joined by three male friends for a discussion on what turns them on.

Abdul-Jawad's lawyer maintains his client was referring to other people's sexual experiences and the toys were provided by the TV station.

The government moved swiftly in the wake of the case, shutting down LBC's two offices in the kingdom and arresting Abdul-Jawad.

The other three men on the show were also convicted of discussing sex publicly and sentenced to two years imprisonment and 300 lashes each, according to al-Jumeii.

The case itself was also tried before the wrong court, maintains the lawyer, who says it should have been heard by a specialized court at the Information Ministry qualified to issue decisions regarding editing, dubbing and other technical issues related to the case.

In his statement, al-Jumeii said the decision in the case was made "under pressure from public opinion" due to the media frenzy surrounding it.

He also said he will continue pursuing a lawsuit he has filed against LBC.

The kingdom, which is the birthplace of Islam, enforces strict segregation of the sexes. An unrelated couple, for example, can be detained for being alone in the same car or having a cup of coffee in public.

Saudis observe such segregation even at home, where they have separate living rooms for male and female guests.

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AP: Anna Nicole Smith investigated in murder plot

By MATT SEDENSKY, Associated Press Writer - Thursday, October 8

MIAMI – The FBI investigated whether Anna Nicole Smith plotted to kill her tycoon husband's son as they battled for his father's fortune, but the former Playboy Playmate who died in 2007 was never prosecuted, newly released files show.

Smith's FBI records, obtained exclusively by The Associated Press, say the agency investigated Smith in 2000 and 2001 in a murder-for-hire plot targeting E. Pierce Marshall, who was at the center of a long legal fight to keep the starlet, model and stripper from collecting his father's oil wealth, valued in the hundreds of millions. The younger Marshall died three years ago of natural causes.

The documents released under the Freedom of Information Act depict an investigation going on as the fight raged over J. Howard Marshall II's estate. Vast sections of the 100 pages of released materials _ a fraction of Smith's full FBI file _ are whited out, and no evidence of her involvement in such a plot is detailed.

There is no indication how authorities became aware of any alleged scheme, but agents interviewed Smith on July 3, 2000. Told why she was being questioned, "Smith began crying and denied ever making such plans," a report said.

"Smith adamantly denied ever contemplating such a crime," an agent wrote, and prosecutors eventually agreed the case could not go forward. An April 26, 2001, letter to the FBI from Sally Meloch, an assistant U.S. attorney, said she reviewed the reports but "determined that there is insufficient evidence to establish that there was a murder-for-hire plot by Ms. Smith to kill Pierce Marshall."

Reached at her Los Angeles office on Tuesday, Meloch didn't recall the case, but said, "Any investigations that we didn't proceed with, we couldn't comment on anyway."

An attorney for Smith's estate, Kent Richland, was surprised by the allegations.

"I have not heard anything about that," he said.

An attorney for the Marshall estate, including for the younger Marshall's widow, said he couldn't immediately comment.

Smith was 26 when she wed the 89-year-old Marshall, owner of Great Northern Oil Co., whose wealth was estimated by Forbes to be $550 million in 1992. They met while she was a topless dancer at a Texas strip club.

He died of natural causes in 1995, little more than a year after they wed. His son died in 2006 at age 67 of an infection and Smith died of a drug overdose a year later at age 39 after collapsing in her South Florida hotel room.

The FBI files show a .357-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver was confiscated from Smith's home, along with a 3 1/2-inch stainless steel knife and, for reasons that were not explained, a black and orange hat described as "Dr. Seuss." All three objects were returned to her about seven months later.

Agents reviewed tape recordings of phone calls involving Smith during their investigation, though transcripts were not included in the released materials. Among the things that were included were agents' scribblings in spiral-bound notebooks, accounts of Smith's past arrests for drunken driving and battery, and an interview of the younger Marshall.

In that June 27, 2000 interview, Marshall said Smith rarely spent time with his father after their 1994 marriage and said his father complained that she asked for $50,000 to $60,000 twice a week.

Smith's lawyer and companion Howard K. Stern and two doctors, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor and Dr. Khristine Eroshevich, are charged in California with helping the model obtain drugs that ultimately killed her. All have pleaded not guilty.

The dispute between Smith and the Marshall estate has bounced around courts for years.

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 2006 that Smith could pursue her late husband's fortune, overturning an appellate decision, which continues to be fought in California. The money became a factor after Smith's death, too, with Stern, her mother, and another boyfriend all fighting over an estate that ultimately will go to her daughter, who is now 3.

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Boyzone singer Gately dies in Spain

AFP - Monday, October 12

MADRID (AFP) - – Boyzone singer Stephen Gately, 33, died on Saturday while on holiday in Majorca off the coast of Spain, the Irish band with a string of hits in the 1990s said on its website.

"Stephen tragically died yesterday whilst on holiday with his partner Andrew in Majorca," the site said on Sunday.

The Boyzone members, including lead singer Ronan Keating, were heading to Majorca following news of the death.

The circumstances surrounding Gately's death remained unclear but (Britain's) News of the World newspaper reported he died after a night out.

Boyzone manager Louis Walsh told the newspaper: "We're all absolutely devastated."

He said: "I'm in complete shock. I was only with him on Monday at an awards ceremony. We don't know much about what's happened yet... He was a great man."

Speaking to the newspaper late Saturday, band member Shane Lynch said: "Me and the boys are flying out in the morning.

"We just need to get over to where he's passed and work out what we need to do."

Gately, who married his partner Andrew Cowles in a civil union in 2006, sent ripples through the pop music world 10 years ago when he announced that he was gay.

He joined Boyzone in 1993 after answering an advert in Dublin to audition for Ireland's first boyband.

The band went on to enjoy huge success with six number one singles in Britain, but split up in 2000.

They reunited seven years later, but their recent 19-date Better tour failed to fill stadiums, despite offers of free tickets.

Gately also starred in West End musicals in London, including "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat".

Boyzone lead singer Keating was "completely distraught", the News of the World said, and former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern paid tribute to Gately, whom he knew, on the BBC's Andrew Marr show.

He said: "The Gatelys are in my own constituency. I know the family, I know Stephen.

"He (Gately) was with us the other night with his boyfriend Andy, he came to my book launch."

Ahern, whose daughter Georgina is married to Nicky Byrne of boyband Westlife, continued: "It's just such a tragedy.

"Boyzone and Stephen, they've all been part of Irish life and far wider than that, the last 15 years, and so successful, so it's a huge, huge tragedy. It's so sad."

Gately last posted a message on his Twitter page on October 6, writing: "Still busy, lots going on. Focusing on finishing my book next so may be quiet here."

British actor and comedian Stephen Fry said on Twitter that he was shocked at the news.

"Just heard the very sad news about dear Stephen Gately. What a dreadful shock. He was loveable and sweet natured and will be hugely missed."

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Rev. Moon marries 45,000 in global mass wedding

By HYUNGJIN KIM, Associated Press Writer - Thursday, October 15

ASAN, South Korea – It was his wedding day, but Choi In-seok admitted to a twinge of nervousness Wednesday about spending the rest of his life with the woman hand-picked for him by the Unification Church.

The 34-year-old English teacher was among 45,000 people worldwide who took part in a mass wedding that was the largest in a decade _ and quite possibly the last for the church's controversial founder, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

Moon, who turns 90 in January, has turned day-to-day leadership of the Unification Church over to three sons and a daughter. But the self-proclaimed "Messiah" returned to the altar Wednesday to bless tens of thousands of newlyweds in a special ceremony that also honored his 50th wedding anniversary.

In Moon's church, marriage and family are core to spirituality. Since the early years of his religious leadership, he has paired off couples who believe he is blessed with divine insight.

As the mass weddings grew in scale, so did the theatricality, with Moon and wife Han Hak-ja donning high priest-style white gowns and towering caps and marrying off tens of thousands in stadiums and arenas as protesters shouted outside.

Moon calls his method of pairing followers from different nations part of a plan to encourage world peace.

"My wish is to completely tear down barriers and to create a world in which everyone becomes one," he wrote in his recent autobiography.

Critics call it proof he brainwashes adherents into turning their lives, and possibly their livelihoods, over to the church.

In recent years, the blessing ceremonies have been smaller. In the past, many couples met for the first time on their wedding day; these days, they often meet several times in advance.

On Wednesday, gone were the robes and the theatrics. Moon wore a simple black suit with a rose pinned to his lapel as he sprinkled holy water and read out the wedding vows before leading the newlyweds in a loud "Hurrah!"

Many of the brides at Asan wore white wedding dresses and veils, or Japanese kimono or Korean hanbok, while men were clad in black suits and red ties with white scarves wrapped around their necks. About a quarter were new couples in unions arranged by the church; the rest were renewing their wedding vows.

Some 20,000 more around the globe, from Norway to Brazil, gathered in churches and living rooms to join the festivities by watching a live webcast.

Marriage, Fumi Oliver said in Washington, "is the best way to make peace." A native of Japan, she married an American, the Rev. Zagery Oliver, 12 years ago. "International, intercultural, ###### marriage is the best way to make peace," she said.

Laudicea Corina de Padua called her wedding in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a dream come true.

"Taking part in a mass wedding only adds to the profoundness _ I barely have the words to describe what I feel," said the 40-year-old, dressed in a shimmering wedding gown.

Brazilian church leaders hand-picked 38-year-old metalworker Manoel Marcelino dos Santos as her husband.

"Marrying in this way, with so many other people around the world, will give more strength to our union," he said. "It feels like they are all a part of us."

In South Korea, Tunl Badrakh, a 23-year-old Mongolian student, cradled a portrait of her 21-year-old husband from Mongolia, who wasn't able to make it to South Korea. She said he took part in the ceremony via Internet.

And not everyone was happy Wednesday.

One bride in South Korea sat forlornly in a lawn chair with a black jacket thrown over her white wedding dress, tears streaming down her face.

"I came here against my will," she said. "I'm too young to get married. I don't understand why I have to do something like this." She refused to give her name or age, saying only that she was a student.

Choi In-seok, the English teacher, tied the knot Wednesday with kindergarten teacher Kim Shin-ah.

"I'm so happy," he said. "Today's wedding doesn't only mean our happiness but also our entire families' happiness."

Kim, 31, broke into a smile as she described her new husband as "reliable."

Both come from devout Unification Church families in South Korea _ a background that he says wasn't easy growing up. He said he fought friends who called him a "cult member" during the height of the controversy over the church's practices.

"People say things are better now but there's still some prejudice against us," he said.

Conscious of the stigma attached to being a Unificationist, he didn't invite any friends to Wednesday's ceremony and instead plans to hold an "ordinary" wedding in a few months' time.

He also confessed to lingering worries about marrying a woman chosen for him by his parents and the church. He tried to shake those fears, saying that receiving the Moons' blessings will ensure him "a good life."

But when his wife walked away, he admitted: "Frankly speaking, I'm a little bit concerned."

Associated Press writers Jean H. Lee in Seoul and Soo Bin Park in Asan; Bradley Brooks in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Catherine Shoichet in Mexico City; Jessica Gresko in Washington and Kristen Gelineau in Sydney contributed to this report.

On the Net:

http://www.familyfed.org

http://www.reverendsunmyungmoon.org

http://www.iunificationist.org