Compiled by ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN, ALLISON LAI and R. ARAVINTHAN

       TAMIL poet Muniandy Raj won the first prize in a poetry book competition organised by the Malaysian Tamil Writers Association, reported Makkal Osai.

       The competition, with the theme “Sooriyan Mevum Samaveligal” (Sun Blessed Lands), is organised in honour of the late MIC president Tan Sri Manickavasagam Pillai.

       This year saw the 24th edition of the event. Muniandy took home a certificate and RM7,000 cash.

       Poets V. Vanitha, C. Gunalan, Durai Muniandy and M. Manikumar were also honored with special commendation awards and RM500 cash each.

       > A hospital worker in India who got fired after secretly recording and uploading a video of popular Indian actor Ajith Kumar and his wife at the hospital recently, attempted to kill herself in front of the couple’s home, reported Makkal Osai.

       Ajith and his wife were at the hospital for undisclosed reasons when the woman recorded them without their knowledge and shared it online.

       This prompted Ajith to complain to the hospital management who later fired the woman, believed to have been a nurse, for violating patient confidentiality and privacy.

       The woman then decided to go to the couple’s home in Chennai, doused herself in kerosene and threatened to set herself on fire.

       Police managed to stop the woman and took her into custody.

       The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.