Girl, 12, saves sisters from fiery death

The Star Online > Nation

Tuesday August 12, 2008

Girl, 12, saves sisters from fiery death

MALACCA: Quick action by 12-year-old Siti Abirah Mohd Isa, who grabbed her two younger sisters and barely made it out of the door, saved them from a fire which razed their home in Kampung Pernu near here yesterday.

The three sisters, aged between three and 12, were home alone when a fire broke out in the kitchen of their wooden house at 2.15pm.

All gone: This is all that’s left of Regmah’s home in Kampung Pernu, Malacca. A fire destroyed her house yesterday afternoon.

According to neighbour Ahmad Abu Bakar, 27, he was on his way home on his motorcycle when he saw his neighbour’s house engulfed in smoke and fire.

“I saw Siti struggling out of the front door with her two younger sisters and I rushed over to help get them away from the flames,” he said at the scene yesterday.

Meanwhile, the children's mother, Regmah Osman, 41, a teacher at Sekolah Agama Pernu nearby, said she had gone out on an errand with husband when a colleague called to tell her about the fire.

“I was completely distraught. I was dreading the worst but was so relieved to find everyone safe,” said a tearful Regmah, who has six other children.

She said that her family lost everything in the fire and were now homeless.

Meanwhile, Kubu Fire and Rescue station officer Baharum Mohd Hasim said that two fire engines and 14 men rushed to the scene after a 2.30pm call.

The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage were still being determined.

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Russia, Georgia medalists embrace despite conflict

Russia, Georgia medalists embrace despite conflict

By The Associated Press

Posted Sunday, August 10, 2008 5:18 AM ET

BEIJING (AP) -- Their countries may be in a conflict, but a Russian and a Georgian shared a podium and an embrace after winning Olympic medals Sunday.

Getty Images

Silver medalist Natalia Paderina of Russia (L) and bronze medalist Nino Salukvadeze of Georgia pose on the podium of the women's 10m air pistol.

A day after Georgian athletes considered leaving due to violence ack home, Vakhtang Salukvadze took the bronze in the women's 10m air pistol. Russia's Natalia Paderina took the silver, and after the medal ceremony, Salukvadze put her arm around Paderina and the two posed together for photographs. Paderina than gave Salukvadze a kiss on the cheek.

"This medal is good for Georgia, especially during times like this," Salukvadze said. "I am very nervous today. It's very difficult for my people."

Georgia launched a major offensive Friday to retake control of the separatist province of South Ossetia. Russia, which has close ties to the province, responded by sending in armed convoys and military combat aircraft. Russia bombed Georgian towns Saturday.

The International Olympic Council announced Sunday that the Georgian and Russian teams had decided to remain in Beijing.

"It's very difficult for us as Georgians because of everything what's going on at home. It was nice that Natalia Paderina came up to me after and gave me a handshake," Salukvadze said. "Yesterday thought the Georgian Olympic team might withdraw."

Luba Golovina, an 18-year-old Georgian who competes in the gymnastics trampoline event, said there should be no difficulties while competing with the Russians.

"I think it's not a problem with sportsmen. It's politics," Golovina said. "Sports and politics are different."

Copyright 2008 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Good works to be tracked on Google

National
Good works to be tracked on Google Published on February 27, 2008 An e-service system using Google Earth maps is being developed to show places where volunteers are helping distressed people throughout the country. "Many people want to join volunteer groups but don't know where to go. The map will help them find one. "It's easy for them to connect with a group," Win Mektripop, manager of the Volunteer Spirit Supporting Project, said yesterday. The new system, with support from two ministries - Information and Communications Technology and Social Development and Human Security - is expected to be ready to serve Internet users in six months. Social activist Prawes Wasi, who chaired the meeting of volunteer networks at which the system was presented, urged the government to adopt a policy of providing programmes showing volunteers at work to encourage public support. "We would like those programmes to be shown on TV and radio. TPBS (Thai Public Broadcasting Service) should have such programmes as it is a public TV station, and it should air good deeds being done for the public," he said. The meeting was held under the National Health Commission's "Humanised Society" project to share experiences of volunteers in various organisations giving aid to people in trouble and to offer ideas of how to extend volunteer networks. Participants came from volunteer networks, foundations, schools and hospitals. Former public health minister Mongkol na Songkhla and former deputy prime minister and social development and human security minister Paiboon Wattanasiritham also attended. Many stories of volunteers who have devoted themselves to the helpless, the community and the environment were aired at the meeting. They included a monk who has been providing free mental and herbal treatment to cancer patients for years and a school director imbuing the volunteer spirit in students, teachers and locals. Other examples were a group of medical students taking care of patients while they waited for treatment; and two taxi drivers volunteering to aid distressed motorists. One became an accident victim himself while helping an injured driver on a road. Wannapa Phetdee The Nation
Privacy Policy © 2006 Nation Multimedia Group August 8, 2008 10:15 am (Thai local time) www.nationmultimedia.com

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Romantic thoughts could keep love alive

Telegraph.co.uk

Romantic thoughts could keep love alive

Sending love letters or going for romantic strolls can not only win over the object of your desire, it can also make you like them more.

By Kate Devlin Medical Correspondent
Last Updated: 12:48AM BST 06 Aug 2008

Thinking passionate thoughts about the one you love makes you less likely to stray, a new study shows, because you find others less attractive.

The research could prove that love truly makes us blind, scientists believe.

Researchers asked 113 students in long term relationships to look at photographs of 60 different people, who ranged in looks from the average to the highly attractive.

Before being shown the pictures half of the group were asked to write an essay detailing their strong feelings of love for their partner.

The other students were asked to write about a time when they felt extremely happy.

When they were shown the photographs those who had just written about their loved one spent less time looking at the pictures and automatically rejected the most attractive people, the scientists found.

Dr Jon Maner, a psychologist from Florida State University, who led the study, said: "Their attention was repelled, rather than captured, by attractive alternatives to their current partner.

"Romantic love for a current partner, therefore, may inhibit the basic perceptual processing of attractive relationship alternatives.

"In this sense, love truly does appear to be blind."

The results of the study could suggest one reason why humans commit to long term partnerships with only one mate, according to the findings published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour.

The process could have evolved because of the strong social benefits of a stable, committed relationship.

The researchers believe that our response to triggers such as writing about the one we love could be linked to a hormone called oxytocin, the so-called "cuddle" hormone, which works to bond people together and can increase when strong feelings of desire are created.

© Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2008

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They are good friends in need

Date:04/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/04/stories/2008080461170400.htm

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Karnataka - Bangalore

They are good friends in need

Staff Reporter

The IDL Foundation also distributed whistles and white canes to blind participants

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Being there: Visually challenged persons greeting each other on the occasion of Friendship Day in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: If you feel jaded with the concept of Friendship Day, and feel there is nothing new left to be done, this event comes as a breath of fresh air. In a unique attempt to win friends and build bridges between the visually challenged and the rather indifferent general population, the Indian Disabled League brought together a variety of people from different walks of life to celebrate the spirit of friendship.

So, what would a group of professional bike riders, students, policemen and the visually impaired citizens have in common? In a “friendship” walk, aimed at creating awareness about the problems of the blind, members of the foundation and Amaravathi (senior citizen ADDA) walked from Ulsoor Lake to the Ulsoor gurudwara.

Professional bike racers took turns to take their visually-impaired friends on bike rides and entertained the audience with wheelies and bike stunts. The IDL Foundation also distributed whistles and white canes to blind participants.

Bangalore Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari extended his wholehearted support to the cause. “This is an excellent idea and all visually impaired people must consider the police as their friends. We will tell the traffic police to ensure that all support is given to visually-impaired pedestrians,” he said.

Members of the rally shouted slogans seeking help, support and friendship from the community. Sridhar, a visually impaired participant, said that he has the best time of his life on the bike. “Those five to 10 minutes when the bikers took us on a ride was a memorable experience. I also sat in a solar car for the first time,” an awestruck Sridhar told The Hindu.

“We are trying to popularise the use of the whistle through such events. Blind people find that often the public is rather unresponsive. Such programmes will sensitise them,” said founder and executive trustee P.K. Paul.

© Copyright 2000 - 2008 The Hindu

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