As the dragon is seen to be an auspicious creature, it’s not surprising to see many couples trying to get married in this Year of the Dragon or trying for a Dragon baby.According to geomancers, this Year of the Water Dragon will bring good luck to those in the arts.Also brace for growth and changes, as the Chinese element theory dictates that water produces wood, which signifies growth.This is a double boost for the dragon, which itself represents growth and is a symbol of power.The dragon is the most revered mythical animal for the Chinese, who have no qualms calling themselves descendents of the dragon.In the old days, the dragon represented the Chinese emperor and was used as an image to extol and herald prosperity, power and intelligence.

Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad (born 10 July 1925) is a Malaysian politician who was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia’s longest serving Prime Minister. His political career spanned almost 40 years.Born and raised in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir excelled at school and became a medical doctor. He became active in the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Malaysia’s largest political party, before entering parliament in 1964. He served one term before losing his seat, before falling out with the then Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman and being expelled from UMNO. When Abdul Rahman resigned, Mahathir re-entered UMNO and parliament, and was promoted to the Cabinet. By 1976, he had risen to Deputy Prime Minister, and in 1981 was sworn in as Prime Minister after the resignation of his predecessor, Hussein Onn.

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is known as “Spring Festival,” the literal translation of the Chinese name 春節 (Pinyin: Chūn Jié), since the spring season in Chinese calendar starts with lichun, the first solar term in a Chinese calendar year. It marks the end of the winter season, analogous to the Western carnival. The festival begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: Zhēng Yuè) in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year’s Eve, a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, is known as Chú Xī (除夕) or “Eve of the Passing Year.” Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the “Lunar New Year”.

Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim (born 10 August 1947) is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998.Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir’s government.In 1999, he was sentenced to six years in prison for corruption, and in 2000, to another nine years for sodomy. In 2004, the Federal Court reversed the second conviction and he was released. In July 2008, he was arrested over allegations he sodomised one of his male aides, but was acquitted of the charge in January 2012.

Children across the country donned their new school uniforms and went to school for the first time with some feeling scared and nervous, some crying, and some excited, while their parents waited for them outside their classes

Anwar bin Ibrahim (born 10 August 1947) is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir’s government.In 1999, he was sentenced to six years in prison for corruption, and in 2000, to another nine years for sodomy. In 2004, the Federal Court reversed the second conviction and he was released. In July 2008, he was arrested over allegations he sodomised one of his male aides, and faces new sodomy charges in the Malaysian courts.

Occupy Dataran is an autonomous grassroots initiative based in Kuala Lumpur, that aims to create a platform to experiment participatory democracy based on the popular assembly model.The Malaysian Insider reported that the actual street protests of Occupy Dataran were an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street. The paper also reported that the Malaysian protesters were expressing solidarity with the New York protest movement.However, it is widely acknowledged that the first Occupy Dataran assembly was held on 30 July 2011, seven weeks before Occupy Wall Street. The Daily Mail even reported that the global Occupy Movement started in Kuala Lumpur with Occupy Dataran in July.

The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner.The New Year of the Gregorian calendar, today in worldwide use, falls on 1 January, continuing the practice of the Roman calendar. There are numerous calendars that remain in regional use that calculate the New Year differently.

Hundreds of university students organized by Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) took to the streets to lobby the repeal of the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA), which the undergraduates say denies their academic freedom

POLICE in Indonesia’s most conservative province raided a punk-rock concert and detained 65 fans, buzzing off their spiky mohawks and stripping away body piercings because of the perceived threat to Islamic values.Punk rock fans in Indonesia’s staunchly Muslim province of Aceh were relieved that a 10-day re-education programme finally ended, but further brainwashing efforts may await them.Sixty-five punk rock enthusiasts on Friday completed a 10-day rehabilitation programme at a police school, aimed at persuading them to do away with their distinctive lifestyles.Police arrested the 60 males and five females at a concert that authorities said lacked a permit this month.

Miss Tourism International is an annual international beauty contest run by the D’ Touch International’s Sdn Bhd Foundation.The beauty pageant had same with Miss Tourism International in Sri Lanka that was held three times (1993, 1996 & 2002). Nevertheless, the pageant not held again.The contest began in 1994 in Kuching, Malaysia. Malaysia hosts Miss Tourism International every year, except in 2006 it was held outside Malaysia for the first time, in Guangzhou, China. The beauty pageant was not held in 1996, 1997 and 2007.

The Bakun dam has been condemned by opponents as a catastrophe for the mighty Balui river watershed and the people that depend on it.But in a push to develop Sarawak’s backward economy, the state government plans still more dams and has opened up virgin forest to loggers and palm-oil plantations that increasingly encroach on tribal lands, natives say.The Swiss-based jungle-protection group Bruno Manser Fund says about 90 percent of Sarawak’s rainforests have been damaged by logging and other pressures.Tribes in many areas have pushed back, repeatedly barricading logging roads in recent years in an effort to protect forests.But Malaysia’s top court in September ruled against a tribal coalition including the Kayan and Ukit in their 12-year legal battle to reclaim ancestral lands lost to the dam in what many called a dire blow for native rights.Three years ago, Kayan and Ukit natives moved upriver, deeper into the forest, establishing Nahajale in a bid to escape the outside pressures and rising reservoir waters that flooded their ancestral homes two months ago.

Kim Jong-il (born: Yuri Irsenovich Kim (16 February 1941/2 – 17 December 2011)was the supreme leader of North Korea. He was the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the ruling party since 1948, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea, and the supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army, the fourth-largest standing army in the world.

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, celebrated generally on December 25 as a religious and cultural holiday by billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it closes the Advent season and initiates the twelve days of Christmastide.Christmas is a civil holiday in many of the world’s nations, is celebrated by an increasing number of non-Christians, and is an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season.

Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah from the northern state of Kedah takes the throne as the country’s 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.He and his wife, Sultanah Hamidah Hamidun, arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday morning where they attended a short ceremony, steeped in tradition.The event was witnessed by cabinet ministers, lawmakers and foreign dignitaries.This is the first time in Malaysia’s history that the same Sultan or traditional ruler has become king twice.

Mizan was appointed Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 26 April 1999 after Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, the Sultan of Selangor was elected the 11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong by the Conference of Rulers. Following the death of Salahuddin, Mizan became Acting YDPA on 21 November 2001.Mizan was re-appointed Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 13 December 2001 after the Conference of Rulers elected Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail as the 12th YDPA.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun’s rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a full moon. The type and length of an eclipse depend upon the Moon’s location relative to its orbital nodes. The most recent total lunar eclipse occurred on December 10, 2011. The previous total lunar eclipse occurred on June 15, 2011, The recent eclipse was visible from all of Asia and Australia, seen as rising over Europe and setting over Northwest North America. The last to previous total lunar eclipse occurred on December 21, 2010, at 08:17 UTC.

The United Malays National Organisation,(abbreviated as UMNO) is Malaysia’s largest political party, a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence.The UMNO emphasizes as its foundation the struggle to uphold the aspirations of Malay nationalism and the dignity of race, religion and country.The party also aspires to protect the Malay culture as the national culture and to uphold, defend and expand Islam.

Palm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil are edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis; palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel (seed) of the oil palm and coconut oil is derived from the kernel of the coconut (Cocos nucifera). Palm oil is naturally reddish in color because it contains a high amount of beta-carotene.Palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil are three of the few highly saturated vegetable fats. Palm oil is semi-solid at room temperatures. Palm oil contains several saturated and unsaturated fats in the forms of glyceryl laurate (0.1%, saturated), myristate (1%, saturated), palmitate (44%, saturated), stearate (5%, saturated), oleate (39%, monounsaturated), linoleate (10%, polyunsaturated), and alpha-linolenate (0.3%, polyunsaturated).Palm kernel oil and coconut oil are more highly saturated than palm oil. Like all vegetable oils, palm oil does not contain cholesterol (found in unrefined animal fats),although saturated fat intake increases both LDL and HDL cholesterol.

Male circumcision is the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin (prepuce) from the penis.The word “circumcision” comes from Latin circum (meaning “around”) and cædere (meaning “to cut”). Early depictions of circumcision are found in cave paintings and Ancient Egyptian tombs, though some pictures are open to interpretation.Religious male circumcision is considered a commandment from God in Judaism.In Islam, though not discussed in the Qur’an, male circumcision is widely practised and most often considered to be a sunnah