Indonesian volcano erupts forcing 6,000 to flee

Nearly six thousand people have fled their homes on Indonesia's Sumatra island after a huge volcanic eruption at the weekend, officials said, as the volcano belched out more smoke Monday.

Mount Sinabung in the Karo district of North Sumatra province erupted before dawn on Sunday, spewing rocks and red-hot ash onto nearby villages.

"The number of evacuees has risen to 5,956 people," said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, adding they were mostly from six villages in a three-kilometre (1.9-mile) zone around the volcano.

The head of the North Sumatra disaster agency, Asren Nasution, said they had taken shelter in churches, mosques and government offices.

An AFP journalist at the scene said that some men who had fled ventured back to their villages to feed livestock but later returned to evacuation shelters.

Hendra Gunawan, a volcanologist at a local monitoring post, said the volcano was still spewing columns of smoke Monday but the activity was lower than the previous day.

The volcano was dormant for nearly 100 years before erupting in August and September 2010, forcing about 12,000 people to flee.

Indonesia has dozens of active volcanoes and straddles major tectonic fault lines known as the "Ring of Fire" between the Pacific and Indian oceans.

Last month five people were killed and hundreds evacuated when a volcano on a tiny island in East Nusa Tenggara province erupted.

The country's most active volcano, Mount Merapi in central Java, killed more than 350 people in a series of violent eruptions in 2010.

- AFP via MyLaunchpad 

Jimat berbelanja dengan pembayaran tunai

Pengguna di negara ini disaran lebih kerap mengamalkan pembayaran tunai, terutama ketika membeli barangan keperluan harian, dan mengehadkan penggunaan kad kredit sebagai langkah jimat berbelanja.

Pensyarah Kanan di Jabatan Ekonomi, Fakulti Pengurusan Perniagaan, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Dr Baayah Baba berkata pembayaran tunai boleh mengelakkan pengguna membeli barangan tidak perlu, sekali gus mengawal perbelanjaan.

"Takkan beli syampu dan barangan dapur pun guna kad kredit? Kalau ada banyak kad kredit guna satu sahaja agar tidak terbeban dengan hutang," katanya kepada Bernama.

Beliau juga menasihati pengguna menyediakan senarai barangan yang hendak dibeli mengikut keutamaan sebagai kaedah mengurus perbelanjaan.

"Saya tahu ada sesetengah individu yang biarpun sudah ada senarai barang yang hendak dibeli tetapi terbeli juga barang yang tidak sepatutnya. Saya nasihatkan makan dahulu sebelum keluar membeli-belah, sebab kalau orang yang perut sedang lapar selalunya akan membeli ikut hawa nafsu," katanya.

Bagi mengurangkan kos petrol, beliau menyarankan pengguna berkongsi kenderaan untuk ke tempat kerja.

Pengguna juga digalak menaiki pengangkutan awam, namun pada yang sama kerajaan perlu menambah baik sistem itu agar dapat dimanfaatkan sepenuhnya oleh rakyat, kata Baayah.

Awal bulan ini kerajaan mengurangkan subsidi petrol RON 95 dan diesel sebanyak 20 sen, sekali gus menaikkan harga petrol RON 95 kepada RM2.10 seliter dan diesel RM2.00.

Kerajaan bagaimanapun mengekalkan kadar subsidi bagi pelbagai lagi barangan keperluan lain seperti minyak masak, tepung gandum, gas memasak dan gula bagi memastikan kos sara hidup rakyat tidak meningkat secara drastik.

Pakar ekonomi dari Universiti Utara Malaysia, Prof Datuk Dr Amir Hussin Baharuddin pula menegaskan kenaikan harga minyak itu ada kaitan dengan tekanan inflasi.

Justeru, daripada melatah terhadap tindakan kerajaan itu ada baiknya pengguna mengubah pemikiran dan berbelanja dengan bijak, kata pensyarah dari Pusat Pengajian Ekonomi, Kewangan dan Perbankan berkenaan.

Beliau turut menyarankan pengguna yang menghadapi masalah menguruskan kewangan agar mendapatkan panduan daripada Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit.

Seorang pengguna, Aini Hassan, 52, meminta kerajaan mencari pendekatan terbaik untuk membantu golongan ibu tunggal berpendapatan rendah menghadapi kenaikan kos sara hidup yang mungkin berlaku susulan pengurangan subsidi bahan api tersebut.

"Saya rasa kerajaan perlu prihatin dengan ibu-ibu tunggal seperti saya dan kalau boleh dalam pembentangan Belanjawan 2014 nanti ada peruntukan khas untuk membantu gologgan seperti kami," katanya.

Bagi kakitangan swasta, Baharudin Bukhari, 30, beliau sedar tindakan menaikkan harga minyak merupakan langkah ke arah rasionalisasi subsidi yang ditanggung kerajaan.

Namun katanya kerajaan perlu ada kaedah efektif bagi memastikan golongan berpendapatan rendah tidak dibebani kos sara hidup yang tinggi susulan kenaikan itu.

Selain itu, Baharudin menggesa tindakan tegas pihak berkuasa untuk mengekang tindakan peniaga yang mengambil kesempatan menaikkan harga barang sesuka hati.

- BERNAMA 

SPRM siasat bekas setiausaha politik berpangkat Datuk, 10 kereta mewah dirampas

Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) hari ini mengesahkan sedang menyiasat seorang bekas setiausaha politik berpangkat Datuk serta merampas 10 kenderaan mewah miliknya berhubung kes penyelewengan dana Program Akhiri Zaman Miskin (1Azam).

Pengarah Siasatan SPRM, Datuk Mustafar Ali ketika dihubungi Astro Awani mengesahkan rampasan kenderaan-kenderaan tersebut yang terdiri dari Toyota Alphard, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Vellfire, Toyota Camry dan lain-lain lagi yang berada di Kompleks D, Putrajaya.

“Saya mengesahkan bahawa kenderaan-kenderaan tersebut dirampas untuk tujuan siasatan,” katanya ketika dihubungi Astro Awani.

Ahad lalu, bekas setiausaha politik itu hadir untuk memberi keterangan di ibu pejabat SPRM berhubung siasatan dana Program Akhiri Zaman Miskin (1Azam).

Dia bagaimanapun dibebaskan setelah keterangannya diambil.

Program 1Azam yang dilancarkan kerajaan  tahun ini memperuntukkan RM100 juta dan usaha merangkumi beberapa bidang termasuk pertanian, keusahawanan, kerja tangan, latihan kemahiran dan bidang lain yang menjurus kepada peningkatan ekonomi penduduk luar bandar.

- ASTRO Awani  

How to grow out your Hair Healthily & Beautifully

One of the most awkward phases in a woman's life is when her hair is neither here nor there. 

Like the majority of ladies out there, our hair is the crowning glory that is much treasured. Now when you have a short-ish style of hair that you want to grow out, patience is a virtue that you'd need a big dose of. Going from pixie cut to just mid-length can be a frustrating experience. But far from letting it get to you, we've got some tips on how to make the process smoother.

Circulate

For anything to grow in your body, there needs to be a good blood flow or circulation. So it would make sense to give yourself a scalp massage every day. Gently use your fingertips to run through your hair and move in a circular motion on your scalp to increase circulation to the follicles. Regular exercises will help get the blood running too.

Flip & Brush

Make it a daily affair to brush your hair with the head flipped forward, moving from roots to ends. This is to distribute all the natural oils down to your dry ends and prevent dryness or breakage – a vital factor in growing out your hair. Plus, this is actually a very relaxing ritual before bedtime to promote rest.

Trim

This is a dilemma for many where they're tempted to just chop it all off in view of the awkward stage. While trimming won't help hair to grow faster, a snip is good enough to maintain shape and cut down on natural thickness that makes long hair harder to manage. A trim is generally welcome to get rid of the dead end. How often you trim depends on the state of your hair. Get at least half an inch off to keep your locks healthy.

Eat Right

If you didn't know already, what we put into our body can affect the health of our skin and hair. Our mane needs nutrients to grow, especially Vitamins A, E, and B, as well as iron and zinc which promote hair health and growth. So eat up more on foods like fruits, fish, nuts and leafy green vegetables. If you're not getting enough of these nutrients from your diet, do consider multivitamins.

Treat It Right

This is the time to give your locks some love. A deep pampering session once a week is vital to keep hair moisturise. Your goal is to avoid ends that break, which will prevent hair from growing longer. Apart from that, don't brush through wet hair, don't use synthetic bristle brushes and don't use heating tools without applying a protectant product on your hair first.

Experiment

Now you've got reasons to play up on different hair styles as you grow your hair out. Buy some cute accessories like headbands, hair ties, and clips if that's your sort of thing. There will be days when you feel like giving up on the growing process but don't brandish the scissors just yet. It's just a matter of working around what suits you.

Source

Google buys Bump app for sharing smartphone files

The startup behind popular smartphone apps for sharing contacts, pictures or other data by "bumping" smartphones together announced on Monday that it has been bought by Google.

Bump Technologies co-founder and chief David Lieb did not disclose terms of the deal bringing his team into the Google fold but leaving its popular Bump and Flock applications available to users.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to join Google," Lieb said in a message at the Bump website.

"Bump and Flock will continue to work as they always have for now; stay tuned for future updates."

The technology website AllThingsD reported the deal was worth between $30 million and $60 million.

The Bump application lets smartphone users easily share data by gently knocking knuckles while holding devices.

Flock software taps into smartphone location-sensing technology to note when friends are in proximity of one another and lets them contribute to sets of photos reflecting shared experiences such as a concerts or sporting events.

"Our mission at Bump has always been to build the simplest tools for sharing the information you care about with other people and devices," Lieb said.

"We strive to create experiences that feel like magic, enabled behind the scene with innovations in math, data processing, and algorithms."

Founded in 2008, venture-backed Bump Technologies is based in the Silicon Valley city of Mountain View, which is also home to Google.

"The Bump team has demonstrated a strong ability to quickly build and develop products that users love, and we think they'll be a great fit at Google," the Internet titan said in an email response to an AFP inquiry.

Source

‘Invisible’ skyscraper? Yes, its possible!

If you once thought constructing an invisible skyscraper was impossible, think again.

According to a recent press release, US-based GDS Archictects will be building an invisible 450m infinity tower in Seoul, South Korea, a first of its kind to be ever built.

Michael Collins, Director at GDS, says the tower will boast the third highest observation deck in the world and will use a sophisticated LED façade system with optical cameras to create the illusion of invisibility.

The building will feature a significant amount of clear glass with open floor plans, allowing visitors to look down multiple levels.

There are plans to make the skyscraper a mega billboard where advertisements and special screenings are expected to be broadcasted across its surface.

The tower is also set to include a water park, movie theaters and restaurants, making it a truly unique multipurpose building.

No completion date has been set yet.

Source

Beyonce gets pulled off stage!

Beyonce was pulled off stage by an eager fan during her performance in Sao Paulo Sunday night, where she reacted gracefully, and reassured fans “everything was all right.”

Her security team acted with swift precision, holding back and subsequently escorting the shirtless fan out of the venue.

Beyonce being a true professional continued with the song, and even went on to shake the rowdy fans' hand, saying, “Thank you, I love you too.”

The crowd, presumably in awe of her graceful reaction, began to chant “Beyonce, Beyonce!”

Source

KWSP tawar nasihat kewangan persaraan kepada pencarum

Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) akan menawarkan khidmat nasihat kewangan dan persaraan sebagai perkhidmatan nilai tambah kepada pencarumnya tahun depan di cawangan KWSP di Lembah Klang, kata Pengerusinya Tan Sri Samsudin Osman.

"Kami akan memulakan projek perintis di Lembah Klang, dan ke seluruh negara pada fasa akhir program itu dalam tempoh satu atau dua tahun," katanya kepada pemberita ketika ditemui pada Seminar Antarabangsa Celik Kewangan dan Simpanan Persaraan 2013 bertema "Ke Arah Menikmati Persaraan yang Selesa."

Samsudin berkata perkhidmatan baharu itu bertujuan membantu pencarum merancang persaraan dan menyediakan pendidikan kewangan, dalam usaha membantu pencarum KWSP bersedia untuk persaraan mereka.

Beliau berkata kajian menunjukkan orang ramai cenderung mensia-siakan wang dalam tempoh singkat, yang boleh menjadi masalah jika KWSP merupakan satu-satunya sumber pendapatan mereka.

Sementara itu, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif KWSP Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan berkata projek perintis di Lembah Klang itu akan mengambil masa sehingga dua tahun sebelum dilaksanakan di seluruh negara untuk tujuan melatih tenaga kerja.

"Kami bekerjasama rapat dengan agensi-agensi lain seperti Agensi Kaunseling Dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) serta Bank Negara Malaysia untuk mendapatkan latihan yang bersesuaian untuk pencarum," katanya.

Seminar dua hari itu yang dirasmikan oleh Menteri Kewangan Kedua Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Mohamed Hanadzlah, bertujuan meningkatkan tahap pengurusan kewangan dan celik kewangan di negara ini.

Seminar ini diharap dapat menyediakan platform untuk para peserta dan petugas memulakan pelan tindakan perancangan persaraan, dengan pakar-pakar antarabangsa dan pembuat dasar berkongsi amalan terbaik celik kewangan.

KWSP, dana simpanan terbesar keenam di dunia, bertanggungjawab mengurus RM554.1 bilion dana sehingga suku kedua tahun ini.

Dalam tempoh lima tahun lepas sejak 2008, KWSP membayar dividen purata 6.11 peratus.

- BERNAMA 

Al-Qaeda releases 'credible' hostage video

Al-Qaeda's north African branch has released a video purporting to show seven kidnapped Westerners, the Mauritanian news agency ANI reported, footage France's foreign ministry deemed "credible".

The hostages are four Frenchmen kidnapped from a uranium compound in northern Niger exactly three years ago along with a Dutchman, a Swede and a South African who were abducted from Timbuktu in northern Mali in November 2011.

"Based on an initial analysis, the video seems credible to us and provides new proof of life of the four French hostages kidnapped in Arlit (northern Niger) on September 16, 2010," foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said Monday, adding that the eight minutes and 42 seconds of footage were being authenticated.

In the video, released to the Mauritanian news agency ANI, Frenchman Daniel Larribe introduces himself as the head of the French group and says he was kidnapped by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

ANI reported on its website that he was speaking on June 27 and said he was in good health.

There was nothing to show whether the seven hostages were filmed at the same location.

The video includes statements from Arribe's compatriots Pierre Legrand, Thierry Dol and Marc Feret as well as South African Stephen Malcolm, Dutchman Sjaak Rijke and Swede Johan Gustafsson.

"Of course we react positively every time we see that they are alive and in relatively good health," said Legrand's grandfather Rene Robert.

AQIM is currently thought to be holding eight Europeans hostage, including five French nationals.

Philippe Verdon, who was kidnapped in Mali in 2011 and found dead earlier this year, was executed with a shot to the head, according to French prosecutors.

Dol, Larribe, Legrand and Feret -- mostly working for French public nuclear giant Areva and its subcontractor Satom -- were kidnapped on September 16, 2010.

Daniel's wife Francoise Larribe was also captured but was released in 2011.

A fifth French hostage, Serge Lazarevic, was kidnapped along with Verdon in the night of November 24, 2011 at their hotel in Hombori.

Their families have insisted they were not mercenaries or secret service agents.

French President Francois Hollande said in July that France was "doing everything" to bring the hostages back but "will not talk so as not to complicate a situation which is bad enough".

In the video the French hostages reportedly urge Hollande's administration as well as family members to work for their release.

"I am in good health," Larribe was quoted as saying by ANI in a brief statement that also referenced France's intervention in Mali earlier this year.

France sent troops into its former colony Mali in January to repel a sweeping Islamist occupation by groups linked to Al-Qaeda including AQIM which was threatening an assault on the capital Bamako.

AQIM grew out of a movement launched in the late 1990s by radical Algerian Islamists who sought the overthrow of the Algerian government to be replaced with Islamic rule.

The organisation linked to Al-Qaeda in 2006 and has spun a tight network across tribes, clans, family and business lines that stretches across the vast Sahel region abutting the southern Sahara desert.

During the nearly year-long 2012 occupation of northern Mali -- which borders Mauritania -- AQIM and its allies Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) used ANI as a conduit for information.

Threats to retaliate against the French-led military intervention which ousted the Islamists have also filtered through ANI and other sites boasting a vast network of informants and correspondents in the Sahel region.

- AFP

Rakyat Malaysia dituduh atur keputusan perlawanan bola sepak di Melbourne

Seorang rakyat Malaysia dituduh menjadi tenaga penting dalam sindiket mengatur keputusan perlawanan bola sepak di negeri Victoria dan merupakan "orang besar" dalam kegiatan itu.

Australian Associated Press (AAP) melaporkan Mahkamah Majistret Melbourne hari ini diberitahu bahawa Segaran G. Subramaniam menerima arahan daripada pihak tertentu dari Hungary dan Malaysia supaya menetapkan keputusan perlawanan bola sepak melibatkan pasukan Southern Stars.

Subramaniam, 45, dituduh menyampaikan perkara berkenaan kepada jurulatih pasukan dalam Liga Premier Victoria itu dan beberapa pemain. Mahkamah itu diberitahu bahawa antara arahan berkenaan ialah agar pasukan itu kalah 4-0.

Pemangku Sarjan Polis Detektif Scott Poynder memberitahu mahkamah bahawa Subramaniam adalah orang penting sindiket itu di Australia.

AAP berkata Subramaniam menghadapi 10 tuduhan, termasuk lima tuduhan kerana terlibat dengan perbuatan menyeleweng atau boleh menyelewengkan keputusan sesuatu pertaruhan dan lima tuduhan menganjurkan perbuatan yang menyeleweng atau boleh menyelewengkan keputusan sesuatu pertaruhan.

Subramaniam memohon kebenaran ikat jamin pada Isnin, tetapi polis mendakwa mereka menemukan resit bagi transaksi mata wang luar negara melibatkan lebih A$200,000 (RM616,000) di sebuah rumah yang disewanya di Clayton South di sini. Poynder berkata sekiranya Subramaniam dibenarkan diikat jamin, tertuduh berkemungkinan meninggalkan Australia.

Katanya Subramaniam tidak mempunyai ikatan dengan Australia dan sudah menempah tiket untuk meninggalkan negara ini malam ini.

Timbalan Ketua Mejistret Jelena Popovic menangguhkan keputusan permohonan itu hingga Jumaat sementara menunggu polis mendapatkan lebih banyak maklumat tentang kedudukan kewangan Subramaniam.

- BERNAMA

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth head to splitsville

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth will not be walking down the aisle as the couple called off their engagement.

Representatives for both Cyrus, 20  and Hemsworth, 23,  had confirmed the news to People magazine. Cyrus has also unfollowed Hemsworth on Twitter.

According to ABC news, the announcement came after months of speculation that the relationship was in trouble. Earlier in June, Cyrus had denied rumours about a split.

The couple met in 2009 on the set of the film ‘The Last Song’ and was engaged in the summer of 2012.

- ASTRO Awani 

Anak-Anak Seakan Satukan Jodoh Nora Danish dan Nadeem

Meskipun sudah jelas lagi nyata di laman sosial Instagram milik Nora Danish menunjukkan dia dan Nadeem Datuk Seri Ahmad Nazri seakan sedang hangat bercinta.

Namun aktres itu tetap tidak mahu menyifatkan hubungan mereka itu  pasangan berkasih terutama sekali kepada pihak umum. Sebaliknya Nora Danish memberitahu, dia dan Nadeem kini hanya berkawan rapat setelah 7 tahun kedua-dua belah pihak keluarga menjalinkan hubungan yang baik.

"Saya tak salahkan peminat jika mereka mengatakan kami bercinta selepas melihat gambar kami di dalam Instagram. Asalkan ianya tidak keluar dari mulut saya. Malah, buat masa sekarang saya hanya akan memberitahu kepada umum bahawa hubungan kami hanya sebagai kawan rapat.

"Saya tak suka cakap yang saya bercinta dengan sesiapa, takut nanti tak jadi nanti.Tapi bila saya sudah benar-benar buat keputusan untuk berkahwin nanti, barulah saya akui yang saya sedang bercinta.

"Mengenai hubungan dengan Nadeem, sebenarnya kami sudah mengenali satu sama lain selama tujuh tahun. Iaitu sejak saya bujang, berkahwin sehinggalah solo balik. Jadi, saya selesa berkawan dan berkongsi masalah dengan dia," katanya kepada murai.com.my

Sementara itu, Nora memberitahu apa yang membuatkan dia begitu selesa berkawan rapat dengan Nadeem adalah kerana mereka sama-sama ibu dan bapa tunggal.

"Malah Nora akui anak-anak mereka seronok bermain dan berkawan bersama. Tidak dinafikan kami kerap berjumpa kerana rumah kami dekat. Lagipun pula dia seorang bapa tunggal dan Nora juga ibu tunggal, jadi anak-anak kami selalu main bersama.

"Walaupun anak lelakinya baru berusia setahun enam bulan, tetapi saya lihat mereka suka bermain bersama kerana Rayqal pun sukakan anak kecil. Bila begitu, jadi macam anak-anak yang temukan jodoh kami pula," katanya berseleroh sambil ketawa.

Nora bakal muncul dalam filem Lagenda Budak Hostel di pawagam seluruh Malaysia mulai 12 September ini.

Sumber

Legoland meraikan ulangtahun pertama

LEGOLAND pertama di Asia yang melakar kejayaan besar pada tahun pertama operasinya, menyambut ulang tahun pertamanya hari ini di Nusajaya.

Taman tema keluarga yang popular di Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia, Johor itu yang menjadi pemacu utama pelancongan di Selatan Malaysia, menganjur acara hebat bagi meraikan ulang tahunnya.

Pada usia setahun, LEGOLAND berkembang pesat dan sudahpun merancang untuk  menjadikannya sebagai resort yang mengandungi Taman Tema Air dan Hotel.

Perayaan khas diadakan sekitar kek LEGO gergasi, yang dibangunkan dengan bantuan pengunjung sejak 10 hari lepas.

Ia diperbuat daripada lebih 300,000 bata dan berukuran tiga meter lebar.  Lebih 3,000 pengunjung taman terlibat dalam aktiviti pembinaan itu yang bermula pada 5 September, 2013 .

Sambutan hari jadi itu termasuk persembahan tarian, parti tarian kanak-kanak pertunjukan bunga api 3D LEGO yang unik, dengan bata seolah-olah gugur dari langit.

Kek hari jadi sebenar turut disediakan untuk majlis itu dan dihidang di dalam CafT .

Hasil jualan kek akan diserahkan kepada Wand Magic Merlin, sebuah pertubuhan kebajikan dunia untuk kanak-kanak kurang bernasib baik.

Siegfried Boerst, Pengurus Besar LEGOLAND Malaysia, berkata: "Kami gembira meraikan ulang tahun pertama kami bersama-sama pengunjung. Ia merupakan tahun yang sangat berjaya untuk LEGOLAND pertama di Asia, dengan bilangan pelawat sudah jauh melebihi jangkaan.

"Sepanjang dua belas bulan yang lepas, kami telah menambah dua tarikan baharu dan tetamu kami ternyata lebih gembira. Ketika menyambut kejayaan penting ini, kami sudah pun merancang sesuatu yang lain, dan pada Oktober kami akan membuka tarikan baharu iaitu Taman Air," katanya pada sambutan itu.

Taman Air LEGOLAND pertama di Asia dibuka pada 21 Okt tahun lepas dan menerajui transformasi LEGOLAND Malaysia sebagai destinasi resort keluarga dengan menawarkan lebih 70 permainan, persembahan dan tarikan.

Boerst berkata pembaharuan pas tahunan sudah dimulakan secara dalam talian dan di Tiket Kaunter di LEGOLAND Malaysia.

Mereka yang memperbaharui pas boleh menikmati lanjutan tambahan sehingga Disember 2014 jika Pas Tahunan semasa tamat pada September, Oktober, November atau Disember 2013.

Pelanggan Maybank juga diberikan tawaran istimewa jika mereka memperbaharuinya sekarang.

- BERNAMA 

13 mati ditembak di Washington

Insiden tembakan di kompleks tentera laut di Washington membunuh 13 orang termasuk penyerang.

Pihak berkuasa mengenal pasti identiti penyerang sebagai Aaron Alexis, berusia 34 tahun berasal dari Texas yang memiliki rekod jenayah. Suspek memasuki kompleks berkenaan menggunakan kad pengenalan palsu.

Alexis adalah bekas pekerja di kompleks berkenaan dan pihak berkuasa mengandaikan serangan itu ada kaitan dengan masalah kerja tetapi siasatan tetap dibuat dari pelbagai aspek termasuk keganasan.

Ketua polis washington DC, Cathy Lanier berkata, susulan serangan itu, kawalan keselamatan Capitol dan White House diperketat.

Polis masih memburu dua lagi suspek yang memakai pakaian seragam ala tentera.

Pihak berkuasa yakin serangan tidak dilancarkan secara berseorangan selepas mendengar keterangan saksi.

Salah seorang saksi memberitahu, penyerang menembak ke arah kafetaria manakala seorang lagi menembak ke arah orang ramai di salah satu tingkat lain.

Serangan itu menyebabkan pekerja di kompleks tentera laut lari bertempiaran bagi menyelamatkan diri. Pusat kawalan sistem tentera laut itu mempunyai tiga ribu pekerja dengan majoritinya adalah orang awam.

Dalam pada itu, president Barack Obama mahu pihak bertanggungjawab menyerang kompleks tentera laut dibawa ke muka pengadilan.

Obama menyifatkan serangan itu sebagai tindakan pengecut serta menyampaikan ucapan takziah kepada semua yang terkesan kerana serangan itu.

Sumber: ASTRO Awani

Nina Davuluri Miss America pertama berbangsa India!

Apa persamaan Malaysia dan Amerika? Dua-dua negara yang mempunyai masyarakat berbilang kaum yang mampu hidup dalam keadaan aman damai.

Oleh kerana masyarakat majmuk ini, kami belajar bahawa definisi kecantikan sangat luas.

Biarpun Malaysia sudah lama menerima wakil ratu cantik daripada pelbagai kaum, Amerika yang biasa menghantar wakil wanita berkulit putih atau Afrika telah membuka minda mereka kepada bangsa-bangsa lain.

Tahun ini, ratu cantik bagi pertandingan Miss America 2014 merupakan gadis berumur 24 tahun yang berbangsa India, iaitu Nina Davuluri.

Pada tahun terdahulu, Miss America pernah diwakili wanita berdarah Lebanon, iaitu Rima Fakih.

Sumber

Miss America of Indian descent rises above tweets

For the first time America's top beauty queen is a woman of Indian origin, a first partly clouded by a spate of hateful Tweets branding her an Arab terrorist.

The new Miss America is Nina Davuluri, a 24-year-old from the state of New York who wants to be a doctor.

She called her crowning Sunday night at the Atlantic City pageant, in which she performed a traditional Bollywood-style dance, a victory for diversity in America.

"It was the first time Bollywood has been performed on the Miss America stage. It's an honor for myself and my community," Davuluri told ABC television Monday morning.

"Halfway through, I just started crying because you know, it was such an incredible experience being on that Miss America stage," she said. "It was so meaningful and powerful."

Davuluri was beaming despite a spurt of racist tweets about her.

"I have to rise above that," she said at a news conference Sunday night after being crowned. "I always viewed myself as first and foremost American."

While many American saluted Davuluri's victory, some online commenters described the beauty queen, who is believed to be a practicing Hindu, as an Arab who looks like a terrorist.

One user said "It's called Miss America. Get outta here New York you look like a terrorist. #bye #americanforamerica."

A person who apparently tweeted from Kansas wrote, "Are you serious??!!! The Arab wins??!!! This is miss AMERICA!!! Not miss Arabia!!! Miss Kansas is in the army and is a country girl!!! C'mon."

Others, like the Jezebel feminist blog, denounced the comments, saying "racists are being racist because Miss America isn't white."

"This world is so ignorant. #MissAmerica Indian or not had every right to gain the title of MissAmerica. This is why I want to leave America!" chimed in @CJlovebug.

Davuluri competed on the platform issue of "celebrating diversity through cultural competency."

"I'm so happy this organization has embraced diversity," she said at the news conference. "I'm thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America."

During her 2014 year of service as Miss America, she will travel extensively to speak to audiences about her chosen issue.

The University of Michigan honor student will also serve as the official national goodwill ambassador for the children's charity group Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Along with her much-prized title, Davuluri won a $50,000 scholarship to pursue her education.
- AFP

Isuzu adds three more models to line-up

ISUZU FVR285: (From left) Isuzu Motors Limited’s chief engineer (Global Product Planning & Engineering Dept) Ryo Miwa; Isuzu Malaysia’s CEO Kimitoshi Kurokawa and COO Daisuke Ishida at the official launch.


PUTRAJAYA: Isuzu Malaysia has added three new models to its impressive truck line-up that offer maximum load haulage capabilities alongside superior reliability over a variety of terrain and business environments.

The new variants – NPS71, FVZ PRO and FVR285, are designed for very  different  market  applications, but each created to efficiently and confidently handle high loads in their own right.
“The new truck variants add significant range to the Isuzu line-up as they now offer customers greater flexibility and choice to meet their transportation demands.

The all-new NPS71, for instance is a powerful and extremely versatile truck that is designed to tackle rugged terrain with considerable ease thanks to its advanced 4-wheel drive system,” CEO of Isuzu Malaysia, Kimitoshi Kurokawa remarked.

An ideal vehicle for moving goods or crops along narrow jungle or plantation tracks, the NPS71 not only develops the highest power and torque figures in its class, it features an advanced 4×4 system that can be quickly engaged or disengaged by the driver for better maneuverability or efficiency as required.

Equally adept on rugged terrain is the all-new FVZ PRO. This powerful and robust 6×4 heavy-duty truck offers remarkable haulage performance, particularly on dirt trails or construction sites where its extremely rigid chassis design, robust underpinnings and a powerful 285PS commonrail engine give it optimal performance and reliability.

Operating comfortably in a very different environment is the new FVR285.

This mega-distance performer is designed to chew miles with ease as its 6-cylinder common rail engine delivers 285PS through a 9-speed gearbox.

Coupled with the latest interior design and exceptional aerodynamics, the new FVR285 offers not only efficient drives, but remains comfortable and safe for drivers and cargo too regardless of distance.

Source: Borneo Post

'Malaysia is like Mom's curry chicken'

It was August 31st. I remembered vividly while driving to work (yes journalists have to work while everybody gets to enjoy their public holidays.)

The radio DJ interjects between the songs wishing her listeners “Happy Birthday, Malaysia!” Wait, that’s not right.

August 31st is Malaysia’s independence day. The day we commemorate the independence of Federation of Malaya from British colonial rule in 1957. It should not be confused with Malaysia Day when Malaysia was formed together by Federation of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore on Sept 16.

However how many of us admit have somewhat made the mistake of confusing those two dates?

All these while, we grew up celebrating Independence Day every 31st August. I remember waking up early in the morning to catch the colourful Merdeka parade on TV. In school, we would decorate our classrooms with Malaysian flag, sing our hearts out during our merdeka theme assembly while excitedly waving our mini flags.

However it’s only been four years since Malaysia Day been made as public holiday nationwide to commemorate the establishment of Malaysian federation on 16 September 1963, thus celebrating the birth of Malaysia.

Now today is Malaysia’s birthday, not August 31st. What does Malaysia Day mean to you? Previously, Malaysia Day was a public holiday only in East Malaysia. A friend from Sabah recalled as a child growing up, to him it was the day to celebrate the official birthday of the head of state of Sabah, Tuan Yang Terutama (TYT).

Till only recently, it was changed to celebrate Malaysia Day. Since this year it marks the 50th year of Malaysia formation, mega celebrations are happening in Sabah and Sarawak. My better half, a proud Sarawakian, said they still went to school on September 16 back then but nobody knew it was the day Malaysia was formed.

Only in college he knew the significance of the date but only because of the internet and the political 'hoo-ha' around it. Asked any East Malaysian, some are still torn what Malaysia Day mean to them.

Some feel it could have been worse if they did not form Malaysia. Some think they could actually be better off. One thing for sure, do not mistake it as the day Sabah and Sarawak “joined Malaysia” as many Malaysians will always say - but formed the Federation of Malaysia as equal partners along with Singapore and Malaya on 16th of September, 1963.

Did you also know Sarawak achieved independence from the British on July 22, while Sabah achieved theirs on Aug 31, both on 1963?

With that said, it’s been 50 years down the road. If Malaysia was a man, he would be half a century old today. That’s old! Although some may argue, life begins at 50. So let bygones be bygones. We can either dwell in the past or decide our path for a better future.

Which leads me back to the question, what does Malaysia day mean to you? If you still don’t feel “it” in you, it’s okay. To many, Malaysia Day celebration is still a new thing. What would help though is making sure you get your history right. First by differentiating Independence Day and Malaysia Day and find your own meaning to it.

You may start by asking what does it mean being a Malaysian? Do you stand up with pride when you hear Negaraku? Are you grateful to live in a peaceful country and not in war-torn Somalia where people lived in poverty and sufferings for over 20 years (because I have been there, I know)? Are you glad we have abundance of food 24 hours a day, we may never go hungry? (I know I am!)

To me, the answer is simple.

Malaysia is like coming home to Mom’s cooking. My favourite is her curry chicken. You know she does not make the best chicken curry - but to you it’s the best dish in the whole entire world!

- ASTRO Awani 

Panasonic’s HIT in full production

Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sbn Bhd (PECMY), a solar module manufacturing plant established by Panasonic Corporation in December 2011 at Kulim Hi-Tech Park, has started full-scale production with an annual production capacity of 300MW (megawatts).

The solar plant manufactures HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) solar modules. The RM1.84 billion solar manufacturing plant started operation in December 2012.

The Kulim plant is pushing Panasonic’s overall annual production capacity to 900MW.

The new manufacturing facility plays an important role in helping Panasonic meet robust solar demand in addition to delivering cost competitiveness.

The Panasonic HIT solar modules offer top-class solar cell conversion efficiency of up to 22 per cent.

“The global solar market is expected to grow further with increasing environmental awareness and the introduction of stimulus measures such as the feed-in tariffs and subsidies in various countries, including Japan and Malaysia. We are proud that in less than a year, the Kulim plant has reached its full-scale production,” Yasuyoshi Kawanishi, managing director of Panasonic Energy Malaysia remarked.

“Our solar factory adopts a fully integrated solar manufacturing system that converts wafers to solar cells and modules. This helps strengthen our cost competitiveness through reduced transportation costs and the use of local materials.

“Doing the environment a favour, Panasonic HIT solar modules play a leading role in reducing carbon footprint while enabling more and more people to have access to clean energy,” he said.

Japan remains the largest importing country at the moment, according to Kawanishi. Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sbn Bhd (PECMY) was officially opened by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

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