Proton gesa pemilik Inspira bawa kereta untuk pemeriksaan

Proton berkata, gesaan itu dibuat seiring dengan kempen pembaikan dan pemeriksaan percuma Mitsubishi Malaysia Motor.

KUALA LUMPUR: Pembuat kereta nasional, Proton Holdings Bhd, menggesa 5,280 pemilik kereta Inspira yang dikeluarkan antara September 2010 hingga Mei 2011 menghubungi pusat servis Proton untuk pemeriksaan percuma.

Proton berkata, gesaan itu dibuat seiring dengan kempen pembaikan dan pemeriksaan percuma Mitsubishi Malaysia Motor yang melibatkan brek booster dan tali berjalur-V ke atas model-model tertentu Mitsubishi yang dipasang sepenuhnya (CBU).

"Dipercayai unit 'Drive Belt Pulley' dalam kereta Proton Inspira yang dikeluarkan dalam tempoh itu mungkin sudah haus selepas jarak perbatuan tertentu serta keadaan pemanduan.

"Ini akan menyebabkan kehausan pramatang dan kelusuhan kepada unit itu, yang mungkin akan menyebabkan kehabisan bateri dan kepanasan enjin serta membebankan sistem stereng kuasa," katanya.

Penggantian tersebut adalah percuma termasuk kos buruh.

- Sumber: Bernama

Pasangan dipenjara lebih dua tahun kerana hina raja Thailand

Pada awalnya, mereka masing-masing berdepan hukuman penjara lima tahun namun telah dikurangkan kepada dua tahun enam bulan kerana mengakui bersalah. - Foto AFP

BANGKOK: Sepasang belia Thailand yang didakwa kerana menghina sistem monarki dalam sebuah pementasan di universiti dijatuhkan hukuman penjara selama dua setengah tahun hari ini, selepas pihak junta mempertingkatkan penahanan di bawah undang-undang lese majeste (menghina institusi diraja) yang kontroversi.

Penuntut Patiwat Saraiyaem, 23, dan aktivis Porntip Mankong, 26, ditangkap pada Ogos tahun lalu selepas habis mementaskan persembahan satira berjudul The Wolf Bride.

Pada awalnya, mereka masing-masing berdepan hukuman penjara lima tahun namun telah dikurangkan kepada dua tahun enam bulan kerana mengaku bersalah, ujar hakim Mahkamah Jenayah Ratchada di Bangkok.

"Mahkamah mendapati peranan yang mereka bawakan dalam pementasan itu mengakibatkan keterjejasan teruk pada sistem monarki dan tiada sebab menggantung hukuman tersebut,” katanya.

Pasangan itu didakwa di bawah undang-undang lese majeste selepas mengadakan pementasan di Universiti Thammasat sempena ulang tahun ke-40 protes pro-demokrasi pelajar.

Polis sedang memburu sekurang-kurangnya lagi enam orang yang turut menjayakan pementasan tersebut. Mereka diburu berdasarkan kod kenayah 112 yang membawa hukuman penjara hingga 15 tahun kerana menghina raja, ratu atau kaum kerabat diraja.

Raja Bhumibol Adulyadej, 87, disanjung seumpama separa dewa dalam negara yang diselubungi undang-undang ketat yang melindungi keluarga diraja.

Para pengkritik menyifatkan undang-undang lese majeste telah digunakan sebagai alat untuk menindas musuh politik, dengan kebanyakan daripadanya adalah mereka yang berkait rapat dengan pergerakan Baju Merah pembangkang. 

- Sumber: AFP

RBS perkenal teknologi pengecaman cap jari untuk perbankan mudah alih

PELANGGAN RBS dan NatWest boleh daftar masuk perkhidmatan kewangan mudah alih menggunakan cap jari menerusi servis 'Touch ID'. - Foto AFP

LONDON: Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) hari ini memperkenalkan perkhidmatan yang membolehkan pelanggan RBS dan NatWest daftar masuk perkhidmatan kewangan mudah alih menggunakan cap jari, pertama daripada sebuah bank British. 

RBS, milik 80 peratus kerajaan British berkata servis 'Touch ID' itu akan memanfaatkan hampir sejuta pengguna Apple iPhone yang mempunyai aplikasi perbankan mudah alih RBS atau NatWest. Teknologi itu kenal cap jari pengguna, jadi mereka tidak perlu lagi masukkan kata laluan untuk daftar masuk. 

Jun tahun lalu, RBS mengumumkan pelaburan lebih 1 bilion pound (RM5.4 bilion) dalam tempoh tiga tahun akan datang untuk memudahkan pengguna membuat urus niaga perbankan secara mudah alih. 

Langkah itu juga sebahagian daripada maklum balas bank itu untuk menampung penyusutan pengguna yang mengunjungi cawangan dan beralih kepada penggunaan aplikasi perbankan mudah alih. 

"Kini sudah ada revolusi dalam bidang perbankan kerana ramai pelanggan kami menggunakan teknologi digital untuk urusan perbankan," kata Stuart Haire, pengarah urusan RBS dan NatWest Direct Bank. 

Mengikut RBS, teknologi itu akan membolehkan 880,000 pelanggan RBS dan NatWest yang menggunakan iPhone untuk akses akaun mereka dalam tempoh beberapa saat saja.

- Sumber: Astro Awani 

Pesara polis tembak mati dua anak perempuan

NEW YORK - AMERIKA SYARIKAT. Seorang pesara polis membunuh diri selepas menembak mati dua anak perempuannya, Sabtu lepas.

Menurut Yahoo News, Glen Hochman, 52, menembak mati Alissa, 17 dan Deanna, 13 dan 3 ekor anjing peliharaan di rumah mereka di Harrison.

Ketua Polis, Anthony Marraccini memberitahu, anggota polis dihantar ke rumah Hochman selepas terdapat aduan orang awam.

Siasatan masih dijalankan dan motif kejadian tidak dapat dipastikan.

- Sumber: Sinar Harian 

Sirul masih enggan beri kenyataan

KUALA LUMPUR - Penantian media selama dua jam bagi mendengar pendedahan bekas ahli Unit Tindakan Khas, Sirul Azhar Umar hampa apabila beliau enggan memberi sebarang kenyatan mengenai kes pembunuhan warga Mongolia, Altantuya Sharibuu.

Dalam satu telesidang yang diaturkan Ketua Penerangan Pas, Datuk Mahfuz Omar hari ini, Sirul berkata beliau akan membuat kenyataan pada masa yang sesuai.

"Saya amat berterima kasih dengan kerajaan Australia yang telah beri perlindungan sepenuhnya kepada saya. Termasuk menyediakan tempat yang saya kira selamat dan juga selesa.

"Saya menghormati sepenuhnya pemerintahan kerajaan Australia dan saya tidak berhasrat buat kenyataan pada masa ini. Walau bagaimanapun, saya akan cuba membuat satu kenyataan lain pada masa yang sesuai," katanya dalam sidang media kedua di Ibu Pejabat Pas, hari ini.

Selepas itu, Sirul mengucapkan "terima kasih" dengan suara yang sebak dan meletakkan telefonnya tanpa mengambil sebarang soalan daripada wartawan.

Telesidang yang sepatutnya diadakan pada jam 11.33 pagi tadi tidak diadakan selepas Mahfuz tidak dapat menghubungi Sirul walaupun percubaan dibuat sebanyak 15 kali selama kira-kira 40 minit.

Bagaimanapun, pada jam 1.10 petang, Mahfuz kemudian berjaya mendapat panggilan telefon daripada Sirul.

- Sumber: Sinar Harian | 23 Februari 2015

Singapore raising income taxes for top earners

Breaking away from conventional wisdom, Singapore is raising the personal income tax rate for top income earners starting with their earnings in 2016, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced today in his budget speech.

“I will raise the marginal tax rates that affect the top 5% of our income earners.”

The top marginal rate will rise to 22% from 20% for a chargeable income of over S$320,000 (RM857,250).

Tharman also said state investor Temasek Holdings will be included in the net investment returns framework alongside sovereign investor GIC and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Under the framework, Singapore can spend up to 50% of expected long term real returns on the net assets managed by the sovereign fund and the central bank.

- Source: Reuters via TRP

Banduan asing hilang dari penjara

KLUANG - Seorang banduan warga asing dipercayai melarikan diri ketika sedang membuat kerja-kerja pembersihan di luar tembok penjara kira-kira jam 10 pagi tadi.

Menurut sumber dari Jabatan Penjara Kluang, kejadian itu berlaku ketika banduan tersebut sedang membuka khemah selepas Jabatan Penjara Kluang mengadakan hari terbuka penjara sempena Tahun Baru Cina, semalam.

"Ketika berehat, dia dipercayai menyusup keluar dari kawasan Kompleks Penjara Kluang dan hanya disedari sebaik kerja-kerja pembersihan selesai.

"Banduan terbabit adalah warganegara Indonesia berumur sekitar 33 tahun dengan ketinggian lebih kurang 157 sentimeter dan berkulit gelap,” katanya ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian, hari ini.

Sumber turut menyatakan usaha mengesan dan mencari banduan tersebut sedang giat diadakan di sekitar kawasan Penjara Kluang dan kawasan penempatan berhampiran.

Beliau berharap bagi sesiapa yang mengetahui mengenai banduan berkenaan boleh terus menghubungi pihak penjara atau balai polis berhampiran.

Bagaimanapun, Ketua Polis Daerah Kluang, Asistan Komisioner Mohd Roze Shaari ketika dihubungi telah mengesahkan kejadian berkenaan dan pihaknya akan menjalankan operasi pencarian serta sekatan bagi menjejaki banduan tersebut.

“Kepada orang ramai yang mengetahui maklumat atau terserempak dengan banduan yang memakai pakaian berwarna hijau boleh terus menghubungi pihak kami dengan segera,” katanya.

- Sumber: Sinar Harian 

'Birdman' menang besar, Lady Gaga tampil beza

Birdman membawa pulang empat anugerah termasuk Pengarah Terbaik dan Filem Terbaik.

KUALA LUMPUR: Filem ‘Birdman’ menang besar di Anugerah Akademi ke-87 yang juga merupakan kemuncak musim anugerah di Hollywood. 

‘Birdman’ membawa pulang empat anugerah termasuk Pengarah Terbaik dan Filem Terbaik.

Ia sekaligus membawa kemenangan besar kepada pengarah asal Mexico Alejandro Gonzalez yang membawa pulang tiga daripada empat trofi milik filem itu.

Salah satu babak dalam filem 'Birdman' 

'Birdman' pernah menang Filem Terbaik di Anugerah Golden Globe Januari lalu, mengisahkan seorang aktor bernama Riggan Thomson (lakonan Michael Keaton) yang terkenal dengan lakonannya sebagai ikon adiwira yang terpaksa mempertahankan ego demi mendapatkan kehidupan lebih baik buat keluarga, kerjaya dan dirinya.

Untuk kategori lakonan, Eddie Redmayne dari Britain menang kategori Pelakon Lelaki Terbaik menerusi filem “The Theory of Everything” manakala Julianne Moore menang kategori Pelakon Wanita Terbaik menerusi filem “Still Alice.”

Pelakon Pembatu Lelaki Terbaik dimenangi J.K. Simmons menerusi “Whiplash”.

Dalam ucapan ringkasnya, beliau menyeru orang ramai untuk terus berhubung bersama ibu bapa mereka.

Kategori Pelakon Pembantu Wanita Terbaik dimenangi Patricia Arquette menerusi filem “Boyhood”. Beliau tampil dengan mesej keras dalam ucapannya yang mahukan persamaan gaji di antara lelaki dan wanita. 

Skor Muzik Asal Terbaik dimenangi filem “The Grand Budapest Hotel” Alexandre Desplat manakala Lagu Terbaik dimenangi lagu “Glory” ciptaan John Stephens & Lonnie Lynn.

Acara tiga setengah jam itu dikendalikan oleh pelakon popular Neil Patrick Harris.

Neil Patrick Harris pengacara bagi Anugerah Akademi ke-87.

Dengan kejayaan Ellen DeGeneres selaku hos pada tahun lepas, Harris tampil dengan gaya dan gimik tersendiri.

Jikalau DeGeneres tampil dengan segmen “selfie”, Harris membuka majlis dengan monolog ala muzikal yang berjaya menghiburkan penonton di Dolby Theatre sambil menyindir empat kategori lakonan dimonopoli oleh pelakon berkulit putih.

Selain itu, beliau juga tampil dengan memakai hanya seluar dalam ketika memberi penghormatan untuk filem "Birdman."

Anugerah Akademi turut dimeriahkan dengan beberapa persembahan.

Lady Gaga tampil beza dengan medley lagu-lagu dari filem “The Sound of Music”. Ia terus mendapat pujian dari penyanyi asal iaitu Julie Andrews.

Penyanyi Jennifer Hudson dan Adam Levine turut membuat persembahan.

Berikut adalah senarai penuh para pemenang. Adakah ia tepati ramalan anda?

Filem Terbaik

• American Sniper

• Birdman (PEMENANG)

• Boyhood

• The Grand Budapest Hotel

• The Imitation Game

• Selma

• The Theory of Everything

• Whiplash

Pengarah Terbaik

• “Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” arahan Alejandro González Iñárritu (PEMENANG)

• “Boyhood” arahan Richard Linklater

• “Foxcatcher” arahan Bennett Miller

• “The Grand Budapest Hotel” arahan Wes Anderson

• “The Imitation Game” arahan Morten Tyldum

Barisan pemenang Oscar, (dari Kiri) JK Simmons, Patricia Arquette, Julianne Moore dan Eddie Redmayne

Pelakon Lelaki Terbaik

• Steve Carell - Foxcatcher

• Bradley Cooper - American Sniper

• Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game

• Michael Keaton - Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

• Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything (PEMENANG)

Pelakon Wanita Terbaik

• Marion Cotillard - “Two Days, One Night”

• Felicity Jones -“The Theory of Everything”

• Julianne Moore - “Still Alice” (PEMENANG)

• Rosamund Pike - “Gone Girl”

• Reese Witherspoon - “Wild”

Pelakon Pembantu Lelaki Terbaik

• Robert Duvall - “The Judge”

• Ethan Hawke -“Boyhood”

• Edward Norton - “Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

• Mark Ruffalo - “Foxcatcher”

• J.K. Simmons - “Whiplash” (PEMENANG)

Pelakon Pembantu Wanita Terbaik

• Patricia Arquette - “Boyhood” (PEMENANG)

• Laura Dern - “Wild”

• Keira Knightley - “The Imitation Game”

• Emma Stone - “Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

• Meryl Streep - “Into the Woods”

Aksi Lady Gaga ketika membuat persembahan lagu 'The Sounds Of Music'

Filem Animasi Terbaik

• Big Hero 6 (PEMENANG)

• The Boxtrolls

• How to Train Your Dragon 2

• Song of the Sea

• The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

Sinematografi Terbaik

• “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Emmanuel Lubezki (PEMENANG)

• “The Grand Budapest Hotel” Robert Yeoman

• “Ida” Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski

• “Mr. Turner” Dick Pope

• “Unbroken” Roger Deakins

Rekaan Kostum Terbaik

• “The Grand Budapest Hotel” Milena Canonero (PEMENANG)

• “Inherent Vice” Mark Bridges

• “Into the Woods” Colleen Atwood
• “Maleficent” Anna B. Sheppard, Jane Clive

• “Mr. Turner” Jacqueline Durran

Dokumentari Terbaik

• Citizen Four (PEMENANG)

• Finding Vivian Maier

• Last Days in Vietnam

• The Salt of the Earth

• Virunga

Dokumentari Subjek Pendek Terbaik

• Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 - Ellen Goosenberg Kent ,Dana Perry (PEMENANG)

• Joanna -Aneta Kopacz

• Our Curse -Tomasz Sliwinski, Maciej Slesicki

• The Reaper (La Parka) -Gabriel Serra Arguello

• White Earth -J. Christian Jensen

Suntingan Terbaik

• “American Sniper” Joel Cox, Gary D. Roach

• “Boyhood” Sandra Adair

• “The Grand Budapest Hotel” Barney Pilling

• “The Imitation Game” William Goldenberg

• “Whiplash” Tom Cross (PEMENANG)

Filem Bahasa Asing Terbaik

• “Ida” Poland (PEMENANG)

• “Leviathan” Russia

• “Tangerines” Estonia

• “Timbuktu” Mauritania

• “Wild Tales” Argentina

Solekan dan Tata Rambut Terbaik

• “Foxcatcher” Bill Corso & Dennis Liddiard

• “The Grand Budapest Hotel” Frances Hannon & Mark Coulier (PEMENANG)

• “Guardians of the Galaxy” Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou & David White

Skor Muzik Asal Terbaik

• “The Grand Budapest Hotel” Alexandre Desplat (PEMENANG)

• “The Imitation Game” Alexandre Desplat

• “Interstellar” Hans Zimmer

• “Mr. Turner” Gary Yershon

• “The Theory of Everything” Jóhann Jóhannsson

Lagu Terbaik

• “Everything Is Awesome” dari filem “The Lego Movie” (Shawn Patterson)

• “Glory” dari filem “Selma” (John Stephens & Lonnie Lynn) (PEMENANG)

• “Grateful” dari filem “Beyond the Lights” (Diane Warren)

• “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” dari filem “Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me” (Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond)

• “Lost Stars” dari filem “Begin Again” (Gregg Alexander & Danielle Brisebois)

Rekaan Produksi Terbaik

• “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (PEMENANG)

• “The Imitation Game”

• “Interstellar”

• “Into the Woods”

• “Mr. Turner”

Filem Pendek Animasi Terbaik

• “The Bigger Picture”

• “The Dam Keeper”

• “Feast” (PEMENANG)

• “Me and My Moulton”

• “A Single Life”

Filem Pendek Aksi Terbaik

• “Aya” Oded Binnun, Mihal Brezis

• “Boogaloo and Graham” Michael Lennox, Ronan Blaney

• “Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)” Hu Wei, Julien Féret

• “Parvaneh” Talkhon Hamzavi, Stefan Eichenberger

• “The Phone Call” Mat Kirkby, James Lucas (PEMENANG)

Suntingan Bunyi Terbaik

• “American Sniper” Alan Robert Murray, Bub Asman (PEMENANG)

• “Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Martín Hernández, Aaron Glascock

• “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” Brent Burge, Jason Canovas

• “Interstellar” Richard King

• “Unbroken” Becky Sullivan, Andrew DeCristofaro

Adunan Bunyi Terbaik

• “American Sniper” John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff ,Walt Martin

• “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Thomas Varga

• “Interstellar” Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker, Mark Weingarten

• “Unbroken” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, David Lee

• “Whiplash” Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins,Thomas Curley (PEMENANG)

Kesan Khas Terbaik

• “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill, Dan Sudick

• “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett , Erik Winquist

• “Guardians of the Galaxy” Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner , Paul Corbould

• “Interstellar” Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter, Scott Fisher (PEMENANG)

• “X-Men: Days of Future Past” Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie, Cameron Waldbauer

Lakonlayar Adaptasi Terbaik

• “American Sniper” -Jason Hall

• “The Imitation Game” -Graham Moore (PEMENANG)

• “Inherent Vice” -Paul Thomas Anderson

• “The Theory of Everything” - Anthony McCarten

• “Whiplash” - Damien Chazelle

Lakonlayar Asal Terbaik

• “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” - Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo (PEMENANG)

• “Boyhood” - Richard Linklater

• “Foxcatcher” - E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman

• “The Grand Budapest Hotel” - Wes Anderson, Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness

• “Nightcrawler” - Dan Gilroy 

- Sumber: Astro Awani 

Kenapa tak percaya? Saya boleh tunjuk 'missed call' Sirul - Mahfuz

MAHFUZ: Kenapa tidak percaya? Saya boleh tunjuk 'missed call' Sirul - Gambar fail

KUALA LUMPUR: Ketua Penerangan PAS, Datuk Mahfuz Omar menyifatkan dakwaan tidak percaya sesetengah pihak mengenai telepersidangannya bersama bekas koperal Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK) Polis, Sirul Azhar adalah halangan untuk rakyat mengetahui kebenaran kes berkenaan.

Tegas Mahfuz, ia merupakan gangguan sekat talian yang dialaminya dan wartawan lain sejak sidang media dimulakan.

"Saya buat panggilan di hadapan lebih 10 wartawan yang masih menunggu di ibu pejabat PAS. Itu selepas berbelas-belas kali saya gagal menghubunginya semasa di hadapan media pada pagi Isnin.

"Saya dapat 'missed call' daripada Sirul, dia juga hairan kenapa saya tidak menghubunginya dan dia juga tidak dapat menghubunginya pada waktu yang ditetapkan," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.

Mahfuz mengulas dakwaan Panel Pemikir Jabatan Hal Ehwal Khas (Jasa), Lokman Noor Adam yang memintanya tidak terus menipu rakyat dengan mendakwa berjaya mengadakan telepersidangan dengan Sirul.

Kata Lokman, rakyat juga tidak seharusnya percaya dengan dakwaan telepersidangan itu kerana Sirul kini berada di dalam tahanan Imigresen.

Terdahulu, Mahfuz mencuba sebanyak 15 kali untuk menghubungi Sirul tetapi gagal.

Kata Mahfuz, pihaknya telah berhubung dengan individu yang diyakini sebagai Sirul itu melalui pesanan ringkas pada pukul 10.40 pagi Isnin.

Dalam pada itu jelas Mahfuz, tidak ada sebab untuk mana-mana pihak menuduhnya menipu kerana rakaman panggilan itu sudah disiar sebuah portal pada petang Isnin.

"Semua yang ada pada masa itu menyuruh saya membuka pembesar suara di telefon bimbit itu untuk mendengar sendiri perbualan bersama Sirul.

"Jadi mereka yang ada mendengar sendiri malah ada portal yang merakam perbualan itu," katanya.

Ketika ditanya mengenai halangan yang bakal ditempuh, Mahfuz menjelaskan;

"Saya tidak pasti ada halangan atau apa-apa, atau bagaimana halangan sebegitu rupa.

"Kita tidak tahu apa angkara yang akan melanda tetapi jika talian telefon diganggu, jadi saya kena sentiasa bersedia."

Mahfuz dalam pada itu memberitahu akan mengumumkan tarikh untuk ke Australia untuk bertemu dengan Sirul.

"Saya akan melihat bagaimana situasinya dan bercakap dengan Australia mengenai proses perlindungan yang harus dibuat," katanya.

Rakaman berdurasi 3 minit 24 saat mengenai perbualan Mahfuz dan Sirul di sebuah portal hanya membincangkan perkara asas.

Sirul juga tidak mendedahkan siapa yang memberinya arahan selain mengucapkan terima kasih kepada rakyat negara ini yang selama ini menyatakan sokongan terhadapnya. 

- Sumber: Astro Awani 

25 years after Malaysian’s murder in Sydney, husband arrested and charged

Mark Caleo has been arrested and charged with the double murders of his Malaysian wife, Rita Caleo (left) and her brother Dr Michael Chye (right), both the children of Sarawak's former CID chief Peter Chye.

KUALA LUMPUR: In 1990, Malaysian Rita Caleo died after sustaining 23 stab wounds while she was in the bathroom of her luxury home in Sydney, Australia.

Rita was the daughter of former Sarawak CID chief Peter Chye.

The tragedy struck less than a year after her brother, Dr Michael Chye, was murdered in 1989, also in Australia.

The high-profile cases were unsolved until Rita’s brother-in-law Gerard Caleo was arrested at Sydney International Airport in August last year after flying in from Kuala Lumpur.

However, a new twist presented itself as Rita’s husband at the time she was killed, Mark Caleo was arrested by Australian police this week.

Mark was arrested and charged on Feb 4, with the murder and the soliciting of murder of Rita.

He also stands accused of killing his brother-in-law Chye.

As reported by Australia’s The Daily Telegraph, the motive behind the murder of Chye was believed to be a real estate deal worth millions which had gone sour.

The Australian news site quoted prosecutor Clint Nasr as saying that Rita had known too much about the accused’s criminal conduct.

The report further stated that police will allege Mark had paid to have his wife killed by a man introduced to his brother Gerard, via a colleague at work.

Although it took the police 25 years to piece together evidence to arrest Mark, the report mentioned that Rita’s solicitor had produced a letter after she was stabbed, implicating her husband.

The letter was said to have been given to her lawyer three months before she died, which could only be opened if she ‘died unnaturally’.

She implicated her husband in her ‘impending’ murder and that of her brother’s, begging for those investigating the case to not let her husband get away with the crimes.

However, the case was still deemed as weak, with Mark’s lawyer saying that it was based on ‘coincidence, speculation and assumptions’.

The court had refused bail for Mark.

- Source: THE RAKYAT POST | Published - 7 February 2015

Telesidang PAS dengan Sirul gagal

Telesidang anjuran PAS dengan Sirul Azhar Umar, yang disabitkan bersalah membunuh Altantuya Shaariibuu, gagal walaupun percubaan berkali-kali dibuat.

Dalam telesidang dijadual di pejabat PAS di Kuala Lumpur pagi ini, Ketua Penerangan PAS Datuk Mahfuz Omar cuma menghubungi Sirul di Australia kira-kira 40 minit tetapi tidak berjaya.

“Talian telefon tiba-tiba tidak ada,” kata seorang pemberita yang membuat liputan acara itu.

- Sumber: malaysiakini | MON 2015/02/23 12:42PM 

   http://m.malaysiakini.com/news/289976

Altantuya murder: Will Sirul reveal anything new tomorrow?

PENANG: Many in Malaysia and abroad will be waiting in suspense over what former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar will reveal in a live teleconference call with the local media tomorrow. 

More importantly, they are hoping that the convicted murderer will reveal something new. 

But a few lawyers in Penang are neither impressed nor amused with Sirul’s intention, saying that whatever he claims may add more confusion rather than clarity to a case that has mystified Malaysia. 

It has been over eight years that Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered in the most horrific of circumstances. 

The model was alleged to have been shot dead before her body was blown to bits by the use of the lethal C4 plastic explosives by Sirul and his superior Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri. 

Both were sentenced to death by the Federal Court. 

With the looming teleconference just hours away according to PAS Information Chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar, the lawyers are telling people not to hold their breath. 

Legally speaking, Sirul is not doing himself any favours, they said as the court had already convicted them. 

He may also be in contempt although his intended course of action may be justified as he is believed to be fighting to avoid the gallows. 

His act is best interpreted as an “afterthought”, said Jason Ong Khan Lee, a lawyer from Penang PKR. 

It would be difficult to convince the court or the Attorney-General on a need to review the case just through such an action, he reasoned. 

Perhaps, a police report and a fresh investigation may be in order, but the mannerism behind Sirul’s claim of innocence at this juncture smells of conspiracy of the highest order.

Only when he is about to face a death sentence, which was meted by the highest court in the land, did Sirul then claim that he was actually the “victim” in this heinous crime. 

Ong also asked why Sirul did not make any effort to contact his alleged accomplice Azilah to underscore what he is alleging. 

“Fleeing the country while claiming his innocence has opened up an air of doubt, and people are suspicious of why he is doing it now. 

“Could he be part of a large conspiracy? Why reveal now when one is facing the gallows? Why didn’t he do so during the exhaustive trial proceedings,” Ong questioned. 

The ex-commando had many chances in court to state his claim, and there were channels available through his counsel, yet he chose to speak only upon seeking refuge overseas. 

Sirul is now under detention at an Australian immigration facility pending an outcome of his appeal to remain Down Under. 

Over the past weeks, it is believed that PAS has persistently attempted to get Sirul to tell his side of the story about the murder. So far, he had only said that he was following orders. 

If the teleconference takes place tomorrow, will Sirul reveal anything new? Will the missing vital element of why the murder took place finally be told? 

It’s the motive of the murder that people are anxious to find out. 

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- Source: http://www.theantdaily.com/Main/Altantuya-murder-Will-Sirul-reveal-anything-new-tomorrow#sthash.uQytigmX.dpuf

Bakal akhiri zaman bujang, Siti Elizad pilih duda

SUATU ketika dahulu, kehadiran pelakon ini sering mendapat perhatian ramai. Namun bukan kerana kontroversi sebaliknya kerana keberkesanan lakonan yang diberikan dalam filem atau drama.

Namun ketika dia bersaing berada di puncak, nama Siti Elizad Mohd Sharifudin atau lebih dikenali dengan Elizad Sharifudin mula menghilang perlahan-lahan.

Bagaimanapun kehilangan wanita yang kini berusia 31 tahun ini bukan atas masalah disiplin atau tiada limpahan publisiti, tetapi kerana satu tanggungjawab.

Tanggungjawab menjaga ibunya, Nazariah Mohd Salleh, 62, akibat mengidap Parkinson selama lima tahun sehinggalah insan yang cukup disayanginya itu menemui Ilahi pada April 2011.

Kerana tanggungjawab sebagai satu-satunya puteri tunggal dalam keluarga, Elizad meletak ke tepi rasa rindu terhadap bidang lakonan, biarpun pada mulanya jiwanya penuh memberontak.

Dek kerana memberi tumpuan menjaga ibu yang sakit, percintaan yang terjalin lebih 10 tahun dengan seorang jejaka berakhir begitu sahaja.

Namun tidak mahu menyalahkan takdir, pelakon yang cukup dikenali menerusi filem Berlari Ke Langit dan Gangster ini berkata, dia kini sudah bangkit sepenuhnya dan sudah pun menemui pengganti.

Akui Elizad, dia bakal mengakhiri zaman bujangnya pada tahun ini dengan seorang duda yang juga merupakan salah seorang pekerja di syarikat permotoran Harley Davidson.

"Insya-ALLAH saya akan mendirikan rumah tangga pada tahun ini. Kalau ikutkan ia sepatutnya berlangsung April ini, tetapi kerana jadual kerja saya yang padat, ia ditunda ke satu tarikh lain.

"Saya serahkan segala pada keluarga dan Alhamdulillah keluarga terutamanya kakak ipar banyak membantu dari segi persiapan. Tapi buat masa ini belum ada sebarang persiapan di buat kerana tarikh pun belum ada lagi.

"Apa pun fokus saya kini lebih kepada kerja dan saya memang suka bekerja (berlakon)," katanya yang ditemui selepas tayangan filem terbarunya, Coverina di GSC NU Sentral.

Elizad berkata, dia bersyukur kerana mendapat pasangan yang cukup memahami dan tidak pernah menghalangnya untuk berlakon sekiranya mereka sudah berkahwin kelak.

“Dia jenis yang tak mengganggu kerja saya. Umur dia sudah 43 tahun dan matang. Kalau sudah berkahwin pun dia tak menghalang untuk saya meneruskan kerjaya lakonan saya ini. Paling penting dia memang tahu saya suka berlakon,” katanya.

Berkongsi detik perkenalan dengan lelaki yang sudah memiliki dua anak ini, Elizad berkata, dia sudah lama mengenali lelaki tersebut sebagai rakan abangnya.

“Abang kenalkan saya dengan dia dan dia sendiri pernah berkawan dengan abang. Dia ada anak dua orang, tapi sekarang dia dah bujang.

"Apa yang membuatkan saya senang dengan dia, dia tak kacau kerja saya dan cukup memahami. Paling penting bila berkawan dengan lelaki berusia ini, dia tidak datangkan masalah pada saya. Senang cerita cukup susah kami bergaduh walaupun saya jenis senang merajuk," katanya.

Populariti bukan keutamaan

Berkongsi perkembangan terkininya, Elizad berkata, dia bakal memasuki set penggambaran sebuah lagi drama untuk siaran slot Akasia, TV3, terbitan Pena Creative.

Dalam masa sama, drama lakonannya, Teman Lelaki Upahan di slot Akasia, TV3, yang memperlihatkan dia membawakan watak utama sebagai Lydia, sedang ditayangkan di TV3.

"Alhamdulillah, sejak kembali aktif, ada sahaja tawaran yang saya terima, terutamanya daripada TV3. Selepas arwah ibu meninggal, jalan saya di dalam bidang seni seolah-olah dipermudahkan. Walaupun jiwa saya pernah memberontak suatu ketika dahulu, tapi kini saya rasa lebih tenang.

"Malah lakonan saya dalam Teman Lelaki Upahan juga mendapat perhatian dan ramai yang sudah perasaan tentang kehadiran saya semula di dalam bidang seni," katanya.

Biarpun industri kini tidak pernah sunyi dengan kehadiran pelakon baru, Elizad berkata, dia tidak sedikit pun berasa takut atau bimbang, kerana dia percaya setiap pelakon ada keistimewaan.

"Bila saya buat comeback sejak dua tahun lalu, memang ramai yang tanya adakah saya tidak bimbang dengan saingan pelakon baru? Jawapan saya tidak, kerana katakanlah diberikan watak perempuan gila, kalau ada tujuh pelakon termasuk saya, saya percaya kami semua tidak memberikan gaya lakonan yang sama.

- Sumber: Sinar Harian 

Malaysians will strip and dance for you, for the right price

Online portal 'The Ant Daily' has reported on a website offering services of strippers for events, with talents from both in and out of the country. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR: Fancy a stripper for a stag or hen’s night party or want to add that extra spark in someone’s birthday party?

While this is common overseas, such as in the United States, Internet accessibility has made it easier for locals to venture into this business.

According to online portal The Ant Daily, local adult entertainment agencies are now advertising their services through the Internet.

One such site the portal mentioned was www.mystripperforhire.blogspot.com where one can place “sexy” orders for an event, with talents from both in and out of the country.

The talents include Filipinos, Indonesians, Thais, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern and Caucasians.

According to the report cited by the website, girls are employed to role play before stripping. The can come as a nurse, police officer, Santarina, little devil or even a schoolgirl.

Male strippers can show up as cops, room service boys or pizza delivery men.

Costumes cost an extra RM100 each.

There was a strict “hands off” rule as well as a limit to the number of spectators, with each extra person required to pay RM100 each.

“There are absolutely no video cameras, no cameras or camera phones, no kissing, no heavy touching, no hanky-panky, no sex at all permitted during the show, unless given permission by the entertainer(s).”

Strippers will perform a lapdance only for the VIP of the night, after getting permission from him/her.

Source: 

http://www.theantdaily.com/Main/Strippers-for-hire-online-and-it-s-all-Malaysian

Isu popia: Chef Wan selar golongan demonstrasi sebagai cetek akal

Chef Wan: 'Tidak ada isu lain ke nak cari pasal?' -Gambar fail

KUALA LUMPUR: Chef popular Datuk Redzuan Ismail atau Chef Wan menyelar golongan demonstrasi yang mendakwa popia bukan makanan warisan Malaysia sebagai cetek akal dan tidak pernah ke luar negara.

Menerusi satu kenyataan yang dimuat naik di laman Instagramnya (@chefwan58) pada Ahad, beliau turut berkata beberapa negara lain juga mempunyai versi popia mereka sendiri.

“Dari negara China ke Filipina yang mereka panggil lumpia sehingga ke Mexico yang diberi nama Chimicanga dan macam-macam lagi.

“Ideanya sama iaitu makanan yang digulung lalu digoreng. Di Thailand dan Vietnam juga mempunyai versi popia mereka. Tidak pula mereka menyalak ke negara asing seperti apa yang Indonesia buat,” katanya.

Beliau turut berkata tidak perlu membuang masa melayan golongan demonstrasi dan rezeki itu datang dari Allah.

“Allah turunkan makanan yang enak-enak supaya kita menjamu selera bergembira dan bersahabat dan bukan suruh berperang,” kata Chef Wan.

Kenyataan Chef Wan yang dimuat naik di Instagram. Gambar: Instagram/@chefwan58

Pada Jumaat, Kumpulan aktivis budaya yang dikenali sebagai Forum Masyarakat Peduli Budaya Indonesia (Formasbudi), mendakwa popia atau lumpia merupakan makanan khusus dari Semarang.

“Formasbudi mengambil langkah ini supaya nanti popiah Semarang tidak didakwa sebagai milik negara Malaysia.

"Pada 17 Oktober 2014, Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan telah menetapkan Lumpia Semarang sebagai warisan budaya nasional bukan benda,” ujar Penyelaras Formasbudi, Rahmulyo Adiwibowo.

Tambahnya, Pejabat Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata Provinsi Jawa Tengah juga akan mengusulkan ke UNESCO agar Lumpia Semarang diiktiraf sebagai warisan budaya dunia yang berasal dari Indonesia.

Dalam demonstrasi tersebut, lumpia dikatakan telah diasaskan oleh Tjoa Thay Joe, seorang lelaki keturunan Cina yang menetap di Semarang, yang kemudian menikah dengan wanita pribumi bernama Mbok Wasi pada tahun 1870 lalu. 

- Sumber: Astro Awani

Oscars fashion: White and silver, and lots of beads

Julianne Moore wore a custom beaded white strapless Chanel gown with black accents, her red hair swept back in a bun.

Hollywood's A-list actresses oozed old-school elegance in white and glittering silver on the Oscars red carpet Sunday, even as rain tumbled down on Tinseltown's top fashion parade.

Beyond the icy color palette, another trend for the ladies was lots of pearls and beads. Many of the gowns seen on the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre were embellished to the max.

Luckily, organizers set up a canopy to protect the stars from the drizzle.

Julianne Moore, the favorite in the best actress category for playing a woman with early onset Alzheimer's disease in "Still Alice," wore a custom beaded white strapless Chanel gown with black accents, her red hair swept back in a bun.

(Click here for Live Updates)

"Karl Lagerfeld made this for me!" she exclaimed.

France's Marion Cotillard, a previous Oscar winner and nominated again Sunday in the best actress category, also chose white -- a sleeveless Dior polka dot gown with a geisha-style bustle.

"I dreamed of cinema glory, for sure... but I would have never thought I would be part of this American family of cinema," Cotillard told E! television's Ryan Seacrest.

Best supporting actress nominee Patricia Arquette, the favorite to take home the trophy for her moving portrayal of a single mother raising two kids in "Boyhood," arrived early with several members of her acting family in tow.

The 46-year-old blonde dazzled in a one-shoulder Rosetta Getty gown with a ruched white bodice and a form-fitting black skirt. A simple up-do gave her a bit of a Greek goddess look.

"It's a beautiful story about human beings and kids growing up," Arquette told CNN of "Boyhood," which earned a total of six nominations, including one for best picture.

Lupita Nyong'o -- the best supporting actress Oscar winner last year for "12 Years a Slave" and a red carpet darling -- wore a custom pearl-encrusted sleeveless Calvin Klein gown.

"The pressure's off," she said. "I can just dress up and enjoy the show."

"Wild" nominee Laura Dern -- who brought her actor father Bruce to the ceremony -- glittered in a fierce silver-studded strapless Alberta Ferretti gown worthy of a warrior princess.

In a pale shade of silvery gray was best actress nominee Felicity Jones, who was resplendent in a hand-sewn, pearl-covered gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, her shoulders bare.

And Lady Gaga, who is singing in a "Sound of Music" tribute during the show, wore a space-age sparkling white and silver Azzedine Alaia gown with a full skirt -- and bright red gloves that seemed better suited for washing dishes.

For fashion and jewelry designers, having an A-list star show up on the Oscars red carpet in one of their creations is essentially free advertising -- thanks to the global coverage of the ceremony.

Bucking the pale color trend was British actress Rosamund Pike -- a nominee for her startling turn in thriller "Gone Girl" -- who looked sultry in a fire engine-red Givenchy gown with a high slit up the front.

And Scarlett Johansson rocked a curve-hugging Versace halter gown in emerald green.

- For men, pops of color -

For the men, there were lots of classic black tuxedos -- best actor nominees Steve Carell and rival Michael Keaton, along with "Boyhood" star Ethan Hawke, a best supporting actor nominee, all kept it simple.

But a few used the red carpet to get noticed. Some mixed it up with color, while best supporting actor favorite J.K. Simmons added a dapper black hat.

"Selma" star David Oyelowo, who many observers felt deserved a nomination for playing Martin Luther King, rocked a three-piece burgundy tux from Dolce & Gabbana.

Briton Eddie Redmayne, who many think will take home the best actor prize for his moving, physical portrayal of astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, sported a midnight blue Alexander McQueen tux with black accents.

"It's raining, which feels beautifully British," Redmayne told E! television.

- Source: AFP

Oscars 2015: Readers' predictions on the major award winners

Who will take home the Oscars?

The Oscars red carpet is rolled out and there’s no stopping the stars to grace the most anticipated film event of the year.

The 87th Annual Academy Awards is hosted by Neil Patrick Harris at the Oscar’s venue in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. 

Aside from celebrating the joys of triumph for the Oscars winners, the performers and celebrity presenters are also much awaited by film fans all over the globe.

Astro AWANI monitored the Oscars this year by running extensive coverage like the full lists, updates, original stories, photo galleries as well as polls.

We posted a few polls for the major awards since last week and the results are in. Our readers have casted their votes and here are the verdicts. Let’s see if our English readers predicted right.

For the Best Film category, our readers have voted American Sniper starring Bradley Cooper, a US Navy SEAL who is on a sole mission to protect his comrades and became the one of the most lethal snipers in American history.

Boyhood came in second, a film that shares the joys and pitfall of growing up through the eyes of an American child names Mason, acted by Ellar Coltrane.

The film on history, technology and the plight of homosexuality, starring among English most talented Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game is our readers’ third favourite movie to win the Best Film Category.

For the Best Director category, our readers predicted that another Spanish film director will take home the Oscars like last 2013’s winner, Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity. This time it is Alejandro G. Iñárritu for Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance.

A tale on robotics prodigy, Hiro who lives in the City of Franskoyo, Big Hero 6 is our readers’ favourite for the Best Animated Feature Film Category.

Edward Norton forBirdman and JK Simmons for Whiplash are two favourites for the Best Supporting Actor category, while Patricia Arquette for Boyhood and Keira Knightley for The Imitation Game for the Best Supporting Actress category.

For theBest Actor category, our readers have chosen English actor Benedict Cumberbatch who played a quiet genius who encounters disgrace during the World War 2 in The Imitation Game. And the for the Best Actress category, the award goes to 2015 Golden Globe Award winner for the same category, Julianne Moore.

Now that the carpet is rolled out and our result for the poll is out, Let’s see if our English readers predicted right.

-  Source: Astro Awani 

Nurul Ilham antara penuhi depan penjara

SUNGAI BULOH - Hampir 100 penyokong setia Ketua Umum PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim meneruskan kempen candlelight vigil di hadapan Penjara Sungai Buloh, malam ini.

Kempen soladariti malam ini turut dihadiri salah seorang anak Anwar, Nurul Ilham Anwar yang tampil berucap selepas 13 hari bapanya menjalani hukuman penjara.

[Laporan terdahulu: Cahaya lilin solidariti di Penjara Sungai Buloh]

Turut berucap, aktivis anak muda, Adam Adli yang baru sahaja dibebaskan dari pusat tahanan Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur kira-kira jam 11.15 pagi tadi selepas ditahan dan disiasat di bawah Seksyen 143 Kanun Keseksaan.

- Sumber: Sinar Harian 

Lebih 130 terkorban di wilayah Kokang

NAY PYI TAW - MYANMAR. Pihak tentera Myanmar berkata, lebih 130 orang terkorban di wilayah bergolak Kokang, berikutan pertempuran antara pemberontak etnik minoriti dan tentera sejak 9 Februari lalu.

"Seramai 61 askar dan polis terbunuh dan sekitar 72 anggota militan maut. Lebih 100 askar turut cedera sejak pertempuran meletus.

"Pemberontak memberikan tentangan sengit, tapi kami tidak akan berundur," kata jurucakap Kementerian Pertahanan, Leftenan Jeneral Mya Htun Oo, semalam dalam laporan Channel News Asia.

Difahamkan, kumpulan pemisah dikenali sebagai Perikatan Tentera Demokratik Kebangsaan Myanmar (MNDAA) dari kawasan berkenaan menuntut sebuah kawasan otonomi yang merdeka daripada pihak kerajaan.

Pada masa sama, kerajaan junta tentera Myanmar melaporkan kebanyakan dari anggota kumpulan pemisah itu berasal dari bekas tentera China yang berpaling tadah.

Beijing dengan tegas menafikan sebarang kaitan dengan kumpulan pemisah itu.

Sejak tercetusnya pergeseran di daerah yang majoriti penduduknya berasal dari China itu, lebih 10,000 orang sudah pun meninggalkan kawasan sempadan yang bergolak itu ke negara jiran China, bagi mendapatkan perlindungan sementara.

- Sumber: Sinar Harian 

Apple mungkin menawarkan iOS 9 dalam bentuk Beta terbuka

Apple pada hari ini telah pun sedia menawarkan OS X dalam bentuk beta terbuka yang membolehkan sejumlah pengguna menyertainya dan menikmati pelbagai kemaskini terlebih dahulu, serta mengujinya sebelum ia ditawarkan kepada umum. Kini, program sama turut dijangka akan ditawarkan untuk sistem operasi mudah-alih mereka, iOS.

Apple dikatakan mungkin menawarkan program beta terbuka untuk iOS 8.3, berkemungkinan seawal bulan Mac ini – dan diiikuti dengan iOS 9 selepas beberapa bulan. Apple dijangka menawarkannya secara terhad – berkemungkinan kepada lebih kurang 100,000 pengguna sahaja untuk peringkat awal ini.

Melaluinya, ia akan membolehkan pihak Apple mendapatkan maklumbalas daripada pengguna yang bukan pembangun mengenai kestabilan sesuatu sistem. Ini juga sekaligus akan membolehkan Apple mengetahui maklumbalas mengenai cara penggunaan peranti yang berbeza oleh sejumlah besar pengguna.

Seperti umum sedia maklum, pada pengenalan iOS 8 sebelum ini, Apple dikritik ramai kerana menawarkan perisian yang tidak stabil, dan mempunyai masalah penggunaan. Berkemungkinan dengan pengenalan program seumpama ini, ia akan mengatasi masalah tersebut, dan membolehkan Apple menawarkan perisian yang lebih stabil lagi.

Buat masa ini, Apple masih tidak mengeluarkan sebarang komen rasmi berkaitan perkara ini.

- Sumber:  Amanz | Februari 20, 2015

Bayi perempuan maut dipatuk ular ketika tidur

TEMERLOH - Seorang bayi perempuan Orang Asli berusia setahun tiga bulan maut akibat dipatuk seekor ular tedung senduk ketika sedang tidur bersama ibunya di rumah di Kampung Paya Badak, Seberang Temerloh awal hari ini.

Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Temerloh Superintendan Zundin Mahmood berkata, dalam kejadian 8.30 pagi itu, Puteri Mia Mazila a/p Ramesh dilaporkan tidur bersama ibunya berusia 34 tahun di ruang depan rumah tanpa nombor. 

"Ibu mangsa tersedar sebaik sahaja mendengar anaknya menangis kuat dan melihat ada kesan lebam di kakinya dipercayai akibat dipatuk ular.

"Dalam masa yang sama ia ternampak seekor ular tedung senduk berwarna hitam sedang menjalar keluar dari rumah," kata Zundin ketika dihubungi di sini.

Ibu mangsa, katanya, segera mengejar untuk menangkap ular berkenaan, tetapi gagal.

Ibu itu berpatah balik ke rumah, dan terkejut bila mendapati bayinya sudah tidak bernyawa.

Kejadian itu kemudian dilaporkan di Balai Polis Temerloh. 

- Sumber: Bernama

1,500 homes damaged by Cyclone Marcia in Australia

A general view shows a house damaged by Tropical Cyclone Marcia in the northern Queensland town of Rockhampton on Feb 21. - AFP Photo/Peter Parks

MACKAY: Australian officials said Sunday all efforts were being made to help those hit by Tropical Cyclone Marcia, which smashed through Queensland state leaving 1,500 homes damaged and thousands without electricity.

Marcia was one of two fierce cyclones which hit northern Australia within hours on Friday. The first, Tropical Cyclone Lam, hit remote communities in the Northern Territory near Elcho Island, some 500 kilometres (300 miles) east of Darwin.

Marcia, a maximum category five storm, tore through the east of Queensland state and badly affected Yeppoon, 670 kilometres north of the capital Brisbane, before heading south to Rockhampton.

"We've had assessments of over 1,500 houses that have had some kind of structural damage," said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

"In Yeppoon and Rockhampton around 100 are severely impacted... people can't go back into their homes. Our fundamental priority now is on those families who have been the most severely impacted."

As the clean-up gathered pace, some 50,000 properties remained without electricity and some residents in more remote areas were expecting to wait a week to be reconnected.

"There are over 1,800 (power) lines down. This is absolutely significant, and we are doing everything we possibly can to restore power," Palaszczuk said.

The government has committed army reservists to help with the clean-up in Yeppoon, as well as disaster relief funding to those affected in Queensland.

"The power of the cyclone is evident everywhere. The destruction of the vegetation is extraordinary, obviously a lot of buildings have been severely damaged," Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said as he toured the state.

In the central Queensland town of Biloela, about 100 kilometres south of Yeppoon, several hundred homes are believed to have been inundated by flooding brought by the storm.

Despite the destruction, authorities have so far not received reports of serious injuries or deaths. But residents have spoken of the terror of the storm.

"You could see the neighbours' roofs flying across the paddock," said Karen Johnston, who was in her home in Marmor, 45 kilometres south of Rockhampton, as the cyclone passed.

"And the horses were running around the paddock and all I could think was, 'We are going to have a horse decapitated or sliced in half'," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The Bureau of Meteorology cancelled its severe weather warning for Queensland on Sunday, saying ex-tropical cyclone Marcia had now travelled offshore and was expected to remain there.

But flood warnings were in place for parts of the state's southeast, although the Mary River has peaked in the town of Gympie south of Rockhampton and is expected to recede.

Queensland has been smashed by several major storms and cyclones over the past few years. Cyclone Oswald, also a category five, flooded parts of the state in 2013, racking up insurance claims of some Aus$977 million (US$765 million).

In the Northern Territory a state of emergency has been declared for the areas worst-hit by Cyclone Lam, with trees ripped up and some homes destroyed.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles told Elcho Island residents the government would do all it can to help.

"I was expecting people to be much more devastated, but people are in very good spirits," he said.

"It's heartbreaking for anyone to come and see." 

- Source: AFP

Oscar 2015: Nominees for the 87th Academy Awards

What is your prediction for this year's Oscars?

Here is the full list of nominees for the 87th Academy Awards which will be aired LIVE on HBO (Channel 411) at 8am Malaysian time on Monday:

Best Picture

"American Sniper" – Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan
"Birdman/The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance" – Alejandro G. Inarritu, John Lesher, James Skotchdopole
"Boyhood" – Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland
"The Grand Budapest Hotel" – Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson
"The Imitation Game" – Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman
"Selma" – Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner
"The Theory of Everything" – Time Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten
"Whiplash" – Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook and David Lancaster

Actor

Steve Carell in “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper in “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game”

Michael Keaton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything”

Supporting Actor

Robert Duvall in “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke in “Boyhood”
Edward Norton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Mark Ruffalo in “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons in “Whiplash”

Actress

Marion Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night”

Felicity Jones in “The Theory of Everything”

Julianne Moore in “Still Alice”
Rosamund Pike in “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon in “Wild”

Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette in “Boyhood”
Laura Dern in “Wild”
Keira Knightley in “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Meryl Streep in “Into the Woods”

Animated Feature

“Big Hero 6” – Don Hall, Chris Williams and Roy Conli
“The Boxtrolls” – Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable and Travis Knight
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” – Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold
“Song of the Sea” – Tomm Moore and Paul Young
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” – Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura

Adapted Screenplay

“American Sniper” – Written by Jason Hall
“The Imitation Game” – Written by Graham Moore
“Inherent Vice” – Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
“The Theory of Everything” – Screenplay by Anthony McCarten
“Whiplash” – Written by Damien Chazelle

Original Screenplay

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” – Written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo
“Boyhood” – Written by Richard Linklater
“Foxcatcher” – Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” – Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness
“Nightcrawler” – Written by Dan Gilroy

Cinematography

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” – Emmanuel Lubezki
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” – Robert Yeoman
“Ida” – Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski
“Mr. Turner” – Dick Pope
“Unbroken” – Roger Deakins

Costume Design

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” – Milena Canonero
“Inherent Vice” – Mark Bridges
“Into the Woods” – Colleen Atwood
“Maleficent” – Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive
“Mr. Turner” – Jacqueline Durran

Director

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” – Alejandro G. Iñárritu

“Boyhood” – Richard Linklater
“Foxcatcher” – Bennett Miller
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” – Wes Anderson
“The Imitation Game” – Morten Tyldum

Documentary Feature

“CitizenFour” – Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky
“Finding Vivian Maier” – John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
“Last Days in Vietnam” – Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester
“The Salt of the Earth” – Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and David Rosier
“Virunga” – Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara

Documentary Short Subject

“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1” – Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry
“Joanna” – Aneta Kopacz
“Our Curse” – Tomasz Sliwinski and Maciej Slesicki
“The Reaper (La Parka)” – Gabriel Serra Arguello
“White Earth” – J. Christian Jensen

Film Editing

“American Sniper” – Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach
“Boyhood” – Sandra Adair
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” – Barney Pilling
“The Imitation Game” – William Goldenberg
“Whiplash” – Tom Cross

Foreign Language Film

“Ida” – Poland
“Leviathan” – Russia
“Tangerines” – Estonia
“Timbuktu” – Mauritania
“Wild Tales” – Argentina

Makeup and Hair styling

“Foxcatcher” – Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” – Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier
“Guardians of the Galaxy” – Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White

Original Score

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” – Alexandre Desplat
“The Imitation Game” – Alexandre Desplat
“Interstellar” – Hans Zimmer
“Mr. Turner” – Gary Yershon
“The Theory of Everything” – Jóhann Jóhannsson

Original Song

“Everything Is Awesome” from “The Lego Movie” – Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson
“Glory” from “Selma” – Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn
“Grateful” from “Beyond the Lights” – Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from “Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me” – Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond
“Lost Stars” from “Begin Again” – Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois

 Production Design

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” – Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
“The Imitation Game” – Production Design: Maria Djurkovic; Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald
“Interstellar” – Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
“Into the Woods” – Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
“Mr. Turner” – Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts

Animated Short Film

“The Bigger Picture” – Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees
“The Dam Keeper” – Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi
“Feast” – Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed
“Me and My Moulton” – Torill Kove
“A Single Life” – Joris Oprins

Live Action Short Film

“Aya” – Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis
“Boogaloo and Graham” – Michael Lennox and Ronan Blaney
“Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)” – Hu Wei and Julien Féret
“Parvaneh” – Talkhon Hamzavi and Stefan Eichenberger
“The Phone Call” – Mat Kirkby and James Lucas

Sound Editing

“American Sniper” – Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” – Martín Hernández and Aaron Glascock
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” – Brent Burge and Jason Canovas
“Interstellar” – Richard King
“Unbroken” – Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro

Sound Mixing

“American Sniper” – John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” – Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga
“Interstellar” – Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten
“Unbroken” – Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee
“Whiplash” – Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley

Visual Effects

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” – Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” – Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist
“Guardians of the Galaxy” – Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould
“Interstellar” – Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” – Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer

- Sumber: AFP