BANDA ACEH – Thousands of Indonesians prayed for their loved ones at mass graves and mosques Monday (Dec 26) to mark a tsunami which devastated Aceh province 12 years ago today, one of the worst natural disasters in human history.
Some 170,000 lives were lost in the country when a 9.1-magnitude “megathrust” quake struck Aceh, a predominantly Muslim province in the northern tip of Sumatra island, bringing about massive waves that also hit coastal areas as far away as Somalia.
“I came here every year to pray for my children, daughter-in-law, and their three children,” Maryam, who goes by one name, told AFP, at the Ulee Lheue mass grave, where 14,800 people were buried.
The bodies of her family were never found but 65-year-old Maryam, who survived by holding on to a tree trunk, was certain her family were buried in the mass grave as they lived in the vicinity at the time of the tsunami.
Graves across the province, including in Siron in Aceh Besar district where more than 46,000 were buried, were crowded with people who scattered flowers on the earth where they believe the remains of their loved ones lie to rest.
Survivors then gathered at a mass prayer in Ulee Lheue mosque, one of the few sea-front mosques still standing in the region after the tsunami.
“The main reason to commemorate the earthquake and tsunami disaster was not to open old wounds,” acting Aceh governor Soedarmo told the mosque attendance.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where the meeting of continental plates causes strong seismic activity, and is frequently hit by earthquakes.
The tsunami commemoration comes just weeks after a strong 6.5-magnitude shallow quake struck inland in Pidie Jaya, a district in Aceh, killing more than 100 people, levelling hundreds of buildings and displacing nearly 84,000 people.
More than 100 relatives of three Singaporean women died Saturday morning at a bus accident on the North-South Expressway near Mahapo, Johor, gathering at the Cai Cun Hong Kong Muslim Cemetery for their final farewell.
Ms. Faridah Tamron (63) and her daughter, Nur Hazimah Mustafa (21), were brought together on Sunday (25 December) and returned from the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar in the early morning.
Their approximately 70 relatives, including the sons of Mrs. Farida and the other daughter, gathered at about 1 pm in the anxious sun for the final prayer.
Both Faridah’s husband Mustafa Yasin (63) and Nur Hazimah’s husband Muhammad Fitri (23) were both injured and they were believed to have been hospitalized in Singapore, before they were transferred from Sultanah Fatimah Hospital in the morning.
Shortly after the funeral at around 1.45 pm, about 50 relatives of another Singaporean, Ms. Hamimah Mammu, who died in the Christmas Eve incident, arrived at the cemetery.
Ms. Hamimah was placed alongside Ms. Faridah and Ms. Nur Hazimah.
Among those men were two sons of Ms. Hamimah, aged 21 and 23, who had not been on the bus.
The two men were in the morgue of Fatima Hospital in Sultanah last night.
Ms. Hamimah’s husband Mohamed Syed, son of Muhammad Hilmi, aged 16, and daughter Alifah, aged 13, were injured in the accident. They are also understood to be here in the hospital.
Accident killed 14 people, 16 people were injured. The fourth victim from Singapore was Au Poi Kiew, a permanent resident who died in the crash, from Hibiscus.
Their bus company departs from JB Sentral in Johor Bahru and gets off at the Jalan Kangkar-Senangar and Kampung Jayo highways in Pagoh, Muar, via the Bandar Tasik Selatan bus terminal in Kuala Lumpur at about 4 am .
The bus driver and his daughter died while his wife was injured.
BANGKOK – At least 400 victims of Asia’s 2004 tsunami that killed 226,000 people remain unidentified in Thailand 12 years on, police said on Monday.
The 9.15 magnitude Dec. 26 earthquake triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean in one of the biggest natural disasters in history.
Thailand, Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka were among the worst hit countries. Some 5,395 people were killed in Thailand, among them about 2,000 foreign tourists.
“Since the 2004 tsunami, authorities have contacted between 4,000 to 5,000 relatives to come and receive bodies. There are about 400 bodies that we cannot identify,” Anand Boonkerkaew, deputy superintendent of Takua Pa district police in Phang Nga province, told Reuters.
Thailand’s tourist high season is in full swing and in much of the area affected by the tsunami, it is business as usual. New hotels have replaced those flattened by the wall of water.
Thailand expects a record 32.4 million foreign tourists this year.
Critics have said Thailand’s tsunami warning system remains inadequate, partly because it isn’t maintained properly. The government has said it is in good order.
According to reports, the National Police’s Dread 88 anti-terrorist shot two alleged terrorists in Pulwakada, West Java on Sunday, allegedly planning terrorist acts at Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The two suspects have been identified as Abu Sovi from Bandung, West Java and Abuja from West Bandung, also known as Abu Azis. The incident was the latest in a series of attacks aimed at preventing the terrorist attacks on Muslims by the majority.
According to two other terror suspects Rijal (aka Abu Arham, 29) and Ivan Rahmat Syarif (28), Densus 88 raided a floating house on the Jatiluhur Dam, at about 12.30 pm local time, They were previously in Cibinong Java – supposedly hiding.
However, Faiz and Sovi refused to surrender and attack the police with machetes, and the officers had to resort to a spokesman for the National Police of the shooting attacker. Rikwanto confirmed.
Earlier this week, Densus 88 murdered three terror suspects in a shooting outside Jakarta, claiming they had boycotted a suicide bombing that was scheduled for the end of the year.
The authorities have so far thwarted 14 attacks, and this year more than 150 people have been arrested for terrorism-related arrests. During the Christmas and New Year period, 80,000 police and 15,000 military personnel were deployed to defend the country.
NEW YORK – Pop superstar George Michael’s death over the Christmas holidays caps one of the most tragic years in memory for the music world which mourned a steady stream of top names.
Here are some of the prominent musicians who died over the momentous year:
The rock icon’s fans were stunned by his death on January 10, just two days after releasing an acclaimed album, “Blackstar,” on his 69th birthday. Bowie, musically innovative until the end, had been battling cancer but his illness was known to few outside his immediate family.
The co-founder and frontman of the Eagles died on January 18 at age 67 after years of poor health. With the massive success of tracks such as “Hotel California,” the country-tinged rockers were among the best-selling acts in US history.
The co-founder and creative force of Jefferson Airplane, whose psychedelic sound was a soundtrack to the 1960s hippie era, died on January 28 at age 74 after a heart attack.
The founder of Earth, Wind & Fire crafted tight pop songs out of funk, with the band becoming one of the top-selling acts of all time and among the first African American groups to win a wide white audience. The 74-year-old died on February 4 after suffering for years from Parkinson’s disease.
KEITH EMERSON AND GREG LAKE
Emerson, one of rock’s original keyboard stars who infused concerts with on-stage theatrics such as playing upside-down, killed himself in his Los Angeles area home at age 71 on March 11. Bassist and singer Greg Lake, his bandmate in progressive rock trio Emerson, Lake & Palmer, died in London of cancer on December 7 at age 69.
PHIFE DAWG
Photo: Endeavours Documentary Film Festival
The snide rapper from A Tribe Called Quest, a group that brought a new artistic sensibility to hip-hop, died on March 22 at 45 after a lifelong struggle with diabetes.
MERLE HAGGARD
The country music legend, a self-styled outlaw whose music gave voice to disaffected conservatives in the hippie era, died on April 6 on his 79th birthday.
One of the most influential and successful artists of the 1980s, the “Purple Rain” star died on April 21 at 57 at his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota from an accidental overdose of powerful painkillers. Prince, who popularized his own brand of sensual and danceable funk, was prolific in his output but also famously reclusive. With his marathon shows, he had appeared outwardly to be a model of health.
The poet and singer, whose meditations on love and spirituality had won him an impassioned if niche audience, died on November 7 at 82, with his family quietly burying him in his native Montreal before announcing the news. In a parallel to Bowie, Cohen just weeks earlier had released an acclaimed album, ominously entitled “You Want It Darker.”
SHARON JONES
The fiery soul and funk singer, who rose to fame at a late age and came to be called the female James Brown, died on November 18 of cancer at age 60.
RICK PARFITT
The hard-charging, hard-living guitarist from Status Quo died on December 24 at age 68 following an infection.
The singer, one of the brightest lights of giddy 1980s pop with the duo Wham! before a more introspective and troubled solo career, died at his home outside London at age 53, apparently on December 25. The “Careless Whisper” singer had numerous health scares and drug-related incidents late in his life.
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea Monday (December 26) mobilized the armed forces to participate actively in its largest poultry, as high-communicable avian flu continues, ordering the re-destruction of 1.6 million birds in affected areas within 24 hours.
In a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the latest culling resulted in a total of 26 million bird flu confirmed for the first time on 18 November.
Isolation and hygiene restrictions have been imposed after the initial case, but the flu has spread.
South Korea’s military has been on the affected facilities to maintain vigilance, the South Korean military will now actively help to destroy birds and disinfection of farms to speed up the slaughter. Culls announced it took two or three days to complete, because of the lack of manpower, it said.
South Korea confirms highly pathogenic bird flu outbreaks
The rapid spread of the H5N6 strain of the virus has enabled Seoul to raise its avian flu alert to the highest possible level for the first time. The mobilization of the armed forces is a fear of epidemics in Northeast Asia, and Japan and China are also curbing the spread of avian flu.
According to the ministry statement, more than 78 percent of South Korea’s birds that have been eliminated are laying hens. With the tight supply of eggs, the ministry said it would temporarily remove tariffs on imported eggs and also subsidize some freight to ease the shortage.
South Korea since November 18 has not found any human infection, and China is different. Last week, China confirmed the first two deaths this winter from the H7N9 avian flu strain.
The most recent outbreak of bird flu in mainland China occurred between late 2013 and early 2014, killing 36 people and costing the agricultural sector more than $ 6 billion.
Extreme sports have gained a footing in Singapore, but they also carry an inherent high risk of danger and serious injuries.
Some of the more common activities include gliding sports such as wakeboarding, snowboarding and kite surfing; rolling sports like BMX and motorcyle racing; and non-vehicle sports such as rock climbing, endurance races and mixed martial arts (MMA).
Sports physician Dr Ng Chung Sien from Changi Sports Medicine Centre explained to The New Paper that such sports are action or adventure activities that require vigorous amount of physical exertion and their environment may also be more unpredictable and hazardous than conventional sports.
The popularity of extreme sports also led to an increase in the number of injuries related to extreme sports, added Dr Ng.
Most referred cases commonly came from people who practise MMA, ultra-marathon and obstacle races.
HIGHER PARTICIPATION RATES
Mixed Martial ArtsPhoto: Evolve MMA
Dr Ng said: “The number of such (extreme sports) events and participation rates have gone up in the recent years.
“With more people taking up these sports, the number of injuries referred to us are also higher.
“Participants and organisers are also more aware of the risks of such sports, so we see a lot more people consulting us for medical advice prior and after such activities.”
Before undertaking extreme sports activities, Dr Ng recommends that participants go for physical and medical check-ups.
“At the very minimum, complete a health screening questionnaire to check for any symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness or breathlessness during training, which will warrant further medical evaluation,” said Dr Ng.
“One should also undergo some form of supervised training and seek medical treatment for any pre-existing musculoskeletal injuries prior to participation.”
Photo: The Straits Times
For ultra-marathon runners, Dr Ng said that injuries usually result from repetitive stress to the bones, muscles and joints of the legs.
To prevent injury, Ford Lim, founder of Ultra-Running Singapore, warns against overtraining, committing junk miles and wearing new shoes on race day.
Mr Lim added that one should “tailor a training method that simulates the race profile”.
“If you run across ridges with undulating elevation gain, consider an elevation-infused training.
“For instance, run to the summit of Bukit Timah Hill, or around the Spider loop at Mount Faber, which has many stairs,” he explained.
“Also try cumulating metres until you reach 1,000m of elevation once or twice a week.”
Mr Lim added: “Consider volume training with progressive increments through the weeks to allow the body to learn how to work under fatigue while holding on to a comfortable consistent pace.”
Participants are also encouraged to look out for gastro-intestinal issues and unpredictable terrains.
NUTRITION
KitesurfingPhoto: The New Paper
“Having a nutrition plan before and after the run is important.
“For instance, I take a sip of a 150-cal liquid every 20 minutes throughout the entire race,” said Mr Lim.
For obstacle races such as the Spartan Race, Dr Ng said that common acute injuries include ankle sprains, ligament tears of the knee and muscle tears of the lower limb.
“The nature of the Spartan Race involves many obstacles and hazardous terrain where participants must jump, climb or crawl through,” said Dr Ng.
“These races offer different levels of difficulty, so participants should choose the appropriate level best suited to their abilities.”
He added: “In preparation for the race, I would recommend prior supervised training sessions with a coach, who will impart the proper techniques and skills required, and advise on what to improve on and what to look out for.”
Mr Amir Khan, 22, a fighter at Evolve MMA, said that MMA is not as dangerous as people may think.
“Our bodies are trained and prepared to get hit, so we know how to protect ourselves such that our bodies won’t get shocked,” said Mr Amir.
MMA fighters wear protective gear such as shin guards, gloves, elbow pads and head gears to minimise the risk of injury.
Mr Khan, who trains twice a day, six times a week, added that injuries often result from overtraining.
“Don’t overtrain. People may think training thrice or four times a day may improve their skills, but continuously training when the body is tired exerts stress on the legs and joints.
“You have to listen to your own body to know the limit.”
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Nathan Hartono gets schooled in mixed martial arts
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LONDON – British pop star George Michael, who rose to fame with the band Wham! and sold more than 100 million albums in his career, has died aged 53, his publicist said on Sunday.
“It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period,” the publicist said in a statement.
Thames Valley Police said the ambulance service had attended a property in Goring in Oxfordshire, where the singer lived, at 1342 GMT on Sunday and a 53-year-old man was confirmed dead at the scene.
“At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious. A post-mortem will be undertaken in due course,” the police said.
Singer Elton John published a picture of himself with Michael on his Instagram account.
“I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend – the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist,” the British star wrote. Madonna posted a video of herself presenting Michael with an award and wrote: “Farewell my Friend! Another Great Artist leaves us.”
Michael was due to release a documentary in 2017 after a period of living as a virtual recluse in which he hit the headlines for a series of bizarre incidents linked to drugs. Earlier this month it was also announced that producer and songwriter Naughty Boy, whose real name is Shahid Khan, was working with Michael on a new album for next year.
Michael was best known for his 1980s hits “Last Christmas”, “Freedom”, “Careless Whisper” and “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” but his career spanned more than three decades. He won a string of awards including two Grammies and three Brits. His last album “Symphonica” (2014) rose to number one in the charts. Many tributes to
Michael referred to other music world deaths in 2016, starting with David Bowie in January and including Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt who died on Saturday.
“2016 – loss of another talented soul. All our love and sympathy to George Michael’s family,” the band Duran Duran, which were 1980s contemporaries of Wham!, said on their official Twitter account. Referring to him by his nickname “Yog” (Yours Only George), Wham! co-star Andrew Ridgeley said he was “heartbroken” by Michael’s death.
Canadian musician Bryan Adams tweeted: “I can’t believe it. Such an incredible singer and a lovely human being, far too young to leave us.”
Tributes poured in from outside the music world too. Football presenter and former England captain Gary Lineker tweeted: “No, not George Michael as well. Another musical great leaves us this year. 2016 can just sod off.”
“Star Trek” actor George Takei referred to some of Michael’s greatest hits in a tweet, writing: “Rest with the glittering stars, George Michael. You’ve found your Freedom, your Faith. It was your Last Christmas, and we shall miss you.”
Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou to a Greek Cypriot father and English mother in north London in 1963. He met Ridgeley at high school and the pair went on to form Wham! in 1981.
With their good looks, perma-tans, highlighted hair and hedonistic image, the duo captured the go-getting spirit of the age and fast became one of Britain’s biggest pop acts.
In 1985, Wham! became the first Western pop band to perform in China as the country was slowly beginning to open up to the outside world under reformist leader Deng Xiaoping. Following years of speculation over his sexuality,
Michael came out as gay in 1998 after being arrested for committing a lewd act in the public toilet of a Los Angeles park. It was the first of several incidents that were to overshadow his musical career in his later years.
He notched up police cautions for cannabis and crack cocaine possession and in 2010 was sentenced to eight weeks in jail after crashing his car into a London shop while under the influence of cannabis and prescription medication.
In 2011, he spent several weeks in hospital in Vienna after contracting pneumonia, later saying that he had been close to death. There were fresh concerns in 2013 when he had to be airlifted to hospital after falling out of his chauffeur-driven Range Rover as it travelled at high speed on a motorway.
