World's New Tallest Man 2009 in London Looking for Love

The world's new tallest man, measuring two meters 46.5 centimeters (eight feet one inch), said he was looking for love as he was presented by Guinness World Records in London on Wednesday.

Sultan Kosen, 26, blotted out the iconic Tower Bridge as he posed for photographs on the banks of the River Thames in his first ever trip outside his native Turkey.

He takes over the title from China's Bao Xishun, who stands 'just' 2.36 meters (seven feet 8.95 inches).

The Turk also has the world's largest hands and largest feet, measuring 27.5 centimeters (10.8 inches) and 36.5 centimeters (14.4 inches) respectively.

And his giant hands dwarfed those proffered by amazed wellwishers as he turned heads in London, while reporters strained to get their microphones within reach of his head.

Kosen was unable to complete his schooling because of his extreme height, but works occasionally as a farmer to support his family.

He said he hoped his newfound celebrity status would enable him "to travel and see the world and have a car that accommodates my size."

"My biggest dream though, is to get married and have children -- I'm looking for love," he said.

The extreme difficulty of squeezing into a regular-sized car is one of the main disadvantages of his height, but he says it comes in handy for replacing light bulbs and hanging curtains for his mother.

Kosen has three brothers and a sister, who are all normal-sized, but his rate of growth surged from the age of 10 because of a tumour which caused too much growth hormone to be released from his pituitary gland.

The tumour was successfully removed in surgery and he finally stopped growing last year. He uses walking sticks and tires quickly if he is standing.

Another pretender to the tallest title, Ukrainian Leonid Stadnyk, who claims to be 10.5 centimeters taller than Kosen, fails to qualify for the record because he refused to be measured by Guinness World Records officials.

Guinness editor-in-chief Craig Glenday travelled to Turkey to personally validate Kosen's height under strict guidelines, measuring him three times in one day because bodies expand and shrink throughout the day.

Glenday said: "Sultan's an imposing figure, but a gentle, quiet man who's totally relaxed and unfazed about his unique standing in the world."

"Malaysia's Education System Proved To Be Among World's Best," Says Najib. Is This Really True?

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein's election to Unesco's executive board with the highest number of votes proves that Malaysia's education system is among the world's best. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said this to Malaysian journalists at the end of his four-day visit to France before leaving for home via London.

He said Hishammuddin was the right candidate for the seat and his election lifted the country's image. It would also enable Malaysia to give greater contributions to the development of education system elsewhere, he said.

"I am very proud with this achievement. It proves that we have good products that have been recognised at the Unesco-level and the world," he said.

Malaysia was elected to Unesco's executive board after receiving 147 votes in the Asia-Pacific group at the organisation's 34th general conference here yesterday. Five other countries in the group elected were South Korea (139 votes), the Philippines (137), Sri Lanka (130), Mongolia (130) and Pakistan (106), out of nine contesting countries.

Hishammuddin was an early favourite among Unesco member countries now numbering 193.

Najib said that through Malaysia's election, the country would be able export the "winning formula" of its education system to other countries. He also expressed confidence in Hishammuddin and said that the education minister would be able to cooperate with his Unesco colleagues and uplift the country's image further throughout his 2008-2011 term.

Asked on urgent issues that need to be dealt with by Unesco, Najib said: "Ensuring education for all". "I see this as the most crucial because there are countries where only 30 per cent of their children go to school. If that is the case, the countries will face a bleak future and many serious problems," he said.

Najib said the successful Unesco bid capped a series of sterling achievements by Malaysia in a matter of days.

It started with the return of the country's first spaceman, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, from the International Space Station to earth on Sunday followed by the launch of Malaysia's first submarine in Cherbourg, France, on Tuesday.

"Praise be to God, Malaysia achieved three big feats in a short period of time," he said. (Bernama)

***** Oh boy! That's a whole load of hype with a capital 'H'. What has Hishammuddin's election success got to do with our education system? At best it shows that we have very 'generous' lobbying skills. And Najib wants to export the "winning formula" of our education system to other countries! Does this mean that the minorities of some foreign lands are going to get the short end of the stick as is happening here?

Perhaps in the excitement of seeing his cousin winning the Unesco bid, the DPM got overwhelmed and spoke without thinking? No country should condemn half their citizens to fight for morsels while the other half enjoy the fruits of everyone's hard work. No other nation should impose such unfair and unjust rules which allow the undeserving to leisurely walk into their varsities while the straight-A achievers watch from the sidelines empty-handed.

To Unesco members, go ahead and elect our education ministers for life terms at Unesco if you wish, but please don't ever import or copy our system of educational apartheid. Your citizens deserve better.

An Unlikely Celebrity Sex Tape: Malaysian Minister

By Mike Nizza

Chua Soi Lek found out the hard way that “some Malaysians have a holier-than-thou attitude.” (Photo: Associated Press)

If Malaysia’s Minister of Health, Chua Soi Lek, were a lucky man, he might have fended off recent accusations of infidelity the way many others have: by working the he-said/she-said angle for everything it is worth and hoping that the next news cycle forgets you.

But Mr. Chua is not a lucky man, at least not today.

It seems the ministerial sex romp in question was captured on tape — from four different angles — and then edited into not one but two full-length DVDs, which were peddled on streetcorners and even seemed to reach some people as junk mail, according to the New Straits Times, a major Malay daily controlled by the ruling party.

As you might guess, the tapes have produced one helluva political scandal, which Malaysian officials initially addressed with several creative versions of “no comment.” More from the New Straits Times: