AirAsia plane tyre bursts while landing at Sibu Airport

SIBU: The right rear axle tyre of an A320 aircraft belonging to low-cost carrier AirAsia burst upon landing at the Sibu Airport but no injuries were reported. 

Sibu Malaysia Airports Berhad manager Zainuddin Abu Nasir said all 138 passengers and six crew on board Flight AK6440 were unhurt in the incident at 7.20pm Thursday.  

He said the aircraft was ordered to taxi to "Bay 3" after it landed and subsequently disallowed from taking off.  

He said the incident also caused a runway light to be damaged but it did not affect other flights.

"The plane is undergoing repairs and the damaged bulb has also been replaced," Zainuddin told Bernama.  

He added that passengers scheduled to board the plane on the Sibu-Kuching route at 7.50pm had to wait for a replacement aircraft and were scheduled to depart on Friday morning.

The cause of the incident is under investigation and it is learnt that two flights had to be delayed by several hours, namely MH3383 to Kuching and Miri-bound MH3660. - BERNAMA

FELDA menang saman, dapat ganti rugi RM100,000

Berhubung dakwaan jual minyak sawit kepada Israel

KUALA LUMPUR: Mahkamah Tinggi di sini semalam memerintahkan Setiausaha Agung PAS Datuk Mustafa Ali dan empat lagi defendan supaya membayar ganti rugi RM100,000 kepada Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan (FELDA) selepas mereka didapati bertanggungjawab memfitnah FELDA berkaitan artikel bahawa agensi itu menjual minyak sawit mentah kepada Israel.

Hakim Lee Heng Cheong turut memerintahkan Mustafa dan empat lagi defendan — Ketua Pengarang Harakah Ahmad Lutfi Othman, Pengarang Taufek Yahya, penulis artikel Mohd Arif Atan dan pencetak Harakah Angkatan Edaran Ent Sdn Bhd — membayar kos berjumlah RM30,000 kepada FELDA.

Bagaimanapun, mahkamah menolak tuntutan FELDA terhadap defendan pertama, Presiden Persatuan Anak Peneroka FELDA Kebangsaan, Mazlan Aliman dan memerintahkan FELDA membayar RM30,000 kos perundangan kepada Mazlan.

“Defendan pertama membuktikan pembelaannya berhubung perlindungan bersyarat dan komen berpatutan,” katanya.

Ketika membenarkan saman FELDA terhadap lima defendan itu, Lee mendapati kedua-dua artikel yang disiarkan Mustafa dalam Harakah mampu menimbulkan fitnah terhadap plaintif (FELDA).

Hakim itu turut mendapati FELDA membuktikan dengan jelas bahawa agensi berkenaan tidak menjual minyak sawit mentah kepada Israel dan lima defendan itu juga gagal membuktikan pembelaan mereka berhubung perlindungan bersyarat dan komen berpatutan.

Lee dalam keputusannya berkata FELDA ialah entiti sah yang berasingan daripada FELDA IFFCO Oil Products Sdn Bhd dan FELDA Global Ventures Holdings Sdn Bhd dan selain itu tiada penjualan minyak sawit mentah dilakukan kepada Bunge Agribusiness Singapore Pte Ltd, sebuah syarikat berpusat di Singapura.

“Bunge Agribusiness bukanlah sebuah syarikat Israel,” kata hakim itu yang membuat keputusan selepas mendengar keterangan daripada enam saksi.

Peguam Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun mewakili FELDA manakala Azhana Mohd Khairuddin mewakili keenam-enam defendan.

Mohd Hafarizam memberitahu pemberita kemudian bahawa beliau akan mendapatkan arahan anak guamnya sama ada akan merayu berhubung keputusan mahkamah menolak saman FELDA terhadap Mazlan.

Pada 7 Jan tahun lepas, FELDA menyaman keenam-enam mereka dan Setiausaha Agung PKR Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, berhubung beberapa artikel bertajuk ‘2,000 Himpun Bantah Felda Jual Minyak ke Israel’ dan ‘BN Jangan Tipu Rakyat, bertarikh 27 Nov 2012, yang disiarkan dalam Suara Keadilan.

Dalam pernyataan tuntutannya, FELDA berkata Mazlan memuat naik dalam laman Facebook beliau pada 19 Nov 2012, gambar invois dan kapsyen yang berbaur fitnah terhadap FELDA selain turut membuat kenyataan yang sama semasa perhimpunan di hadapan pejabat FELDA empat hari kemudian (23 Nov 2012).

FELDA mendakwa kenyataan itu diterbitkan semula oleh defendan kedua hingga keenam dalam beberapa artikel akhbar Harakah antara 26 Nov dan 29 Nov, 2012.

Ia menegaskan kenyataan itu menjejaskan reputasi FELDA dan mendakwa defendan berbuat demikian dengan niat mencapai agenda peribadi mereka untuk memusnahkan kepercayaan orang ramai terhadap FELDA.

Bagaimanapun, pada 21 April kes saman fitnah FELDA terhadap Saifuddin itu diselesaikan secara baik.

Saifuddin juga bersetuju untuk menerima dan mengakui bahawa FELDA IFFCO Oil Product Sdn Bhd membuat penghantaran ke Palestin dan bukan Israel pada Mac 2010, dan FELDA tidak pernah menjual minyak sawit mentah kepada Israel atau mana-mana syarikat milik Israel.

Beliau turut mengakui FELDA dan FELDA IFFCO Oil Products Sdn Bhd adalah dua entiti berasingan yang sah di sisi undang-undang. — Bernama

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/05/01/felda-menang-saman-dapat-ganti-rugi-rm100000/#ixzz3Cqs17kcD

Liquid water was flowing on Mars 200,000 years ago

A very young crater on Mars has shown evidence that liquid water existed on the red planet as recently as 200,000 years ago, according to a new research.

"We have discovered a very young crater in the southern mid-latitudes of Mars that shows evidence of liquid water in Mars' recent past," said Andreas Johnsson at the University of Gothenburg.

The southern hemisphere of Mars is home to a crater that contains very well-preserved gullies and debris flow deposits, researchers said.

The geomorphological attributes of these landforms provide evidence that they were formed by the action of liquid water in geologically recent time, they said.

When sediment on a slope becomes saturated with water, the mixture may become too heavy to remain in place, leading to a flow of debris and water as a single-phase unit. This is called a debris flow.

Debris flows on Earth often cause significant material destruction and even human casualties, when they occur in built-up areas. During a debris flow, a mixture of stones, gravel, clay and water moves rapidly down a slope.

When the sediment subsequently stops, it displays characteristic surface features such as lobate deposits and paired levees along flow channels.

It is these landforms that Johnsson has identified on Mars. The research group has been able to compare the landforms on Mars with known debris flows on Svalbard with the aid of aerial photography and field studies.

The debris flows on Mars provide evidence that liquid water has been present in the region.

"Our fieldwork on Svalbard confirmed our interpretation of the Martian deposits. What surprised us was that the crater in which these debris flows have formed is so young," said Johnsson.

Crater statistics allowed Andreas Johnsson and his co-authors to determine that the age of the crater to be approximately 200,000 years. This means that the crater was formed long after the most recent proposed ice age on Mars, which ended around 400,000 years ago.

"Gullies are common on Mars, but the ones which have been studied previously are older, and the sediments where they have formed are associated with the most recent ice age. Our study crater on Mars is far too young to have been influenced by the conditions that were prevalent then," Johnsson said.

"This suggests that the meltwater-related processes that formed these deposits have been exceptionally effective also in more recent times," Johnsson said.

The study crater is situated in the mid-latitudes of Mars' southern hemisphere, superposed on what is known as the rampart ejecta of a nearby larger crater.

A rampart ejecta display a "flowerlike" form around the host crater, and scientists have interpreted this as being the result of an impact in wet or ice-rich ground.

The study was published in the journal Icarus.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/liquid-water-was-flowing-on-mars-200-000-years-ago-114042700218_1.html

2000-year-old Roman tiles with puppy paw prints discovered

It seems that for about as long as there have been opportunities to do so, mischief makers have been attempting to immortalize their appendages or names in the drying material of someone else’s workspace for others to see.

This well documented phenomenon is just as evident with the recent discovery of puppy paw prints on Roman tiles in England, proving that the troublesome mischief makers are not always bipedal.

The small paw prints of a young, snoopy dog were discovered hardened into a rusty colored clay tile from an ancient archeological site with Roman roots.

In what was likely a very upsetting act to whomever tirelessly toiled over making the tile, the puppy had carelessly stomped on the tile just before it dried in order to leave an impression of its paw that has lasted for over a millennia.

The find was made in the Blackfriars area of Leicester, England. Leicester is also famous for the 2012 discovery of the long sought for bones of King Richard III under a parking lot. Nick Daffern, a senior project manager with Wardell Armstrong Archaeology refers to it as “a snapshot [of] a single moment in history.”

Leicester was once home to a group of people known as the Corieltauvi tribe, a faction of people living in England prior to the Roman conquest of 43 AD. The Corieltauvi were an Iron Age people who lived a largely agricultural lifestyle.

They produced coins during the first century, before the usurping Roman armies violently conquered England. Several fragments of what are possibly coin molds that are likely of Corieltauvi origin were also found with the tiles. Also among the recovered items were a set of Roman tweezers, brooches, coins, and painted wall plaster.

Additionally, they uncovered evidence of a large Roman style structure, possibly a basilica which had been ransacked for building materials during the medieval era.

The archeological dig conducted by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology is funded by the construction company, Watkin Jones. Wardell Armstrong Archaeology is currently working on the site, a locale that had previously been selected as the future location of student housing.

The archeologists present updates on their blog, Blackfriars. They are routinely uploading insider images to the blog of their efforts to recover a historically significant, ancient structure.

Some of the tiles that were not damaged by the playful pup are imprinted with the hoof of another creature, such as a sheep or goat, with just as little respect for the act of tile making as the puppy.

The ancient, red tinged tiles could be approximately 2,000 years old, but their origin is unknown.

The artifacts were discovered amidst layers of rubble. The initial purpose of the tiles is unclear, but the sight of them invokes the image of a jovial puppy romping through an ancient clay filled workshop, much to the animated dismay of its disgruntled proprietor.

In time, as the Wardell Armstrong Archaeology team continues its work on the East Midlands dig site, we may learn more specific details about the lives of the people who lived there long ago.

https://www.authintmail.com/article/art-culture/2000-year-old-roman-tiles-puppy-paw-prints-discovered

Killer Shrimp now Haunts UK

Earlier, the UK Government warned about Asian hornets, but now they are raising alarm about killer shrimp. The species, which is capable of laying 200 eggs at one go, is proving quite taxing for wildlife in the UK.

Experts said the shrimp is not only a threat to the environment but to human health as well. The Environmental Audit Committee, Parliament's green watchdog, strongly feels that the UK needs to come up with stringent laws to stop these creatures.

In the UK, there were 1,875 non-native species and 282 of them had been included in the category of 'invasive'. Among the species that have now become threat to Britain are the ruddy duck, Japanese Knotweed, zebra mussels and North American signal crayfish.

Most disappointing part is that currently, no monitoring ways are present for invasive non-native species. "As yet there is no formal surveillance system in place in Great Britain that could effectively trigger action to ensure early eradication of invasive species before they become established", said the report.

Problem of invasive species is present in entire Europe and now steps are being taken to tackle the problem. Last week, legislation has been finalized that aims to strengthen the fight against the invasive species across the EU. If collective damage is seen from the aliens to the European Union then it is at least _12 billion a year.

The law will require experts appointed by the Commission to prepare a priority list having the names of the most problematic species across the EU. To complete the task, experts will be given a deadline. These species will be then be declared as of 'Union Concern'.

The list will be finalized and will come into force by January 2016. It simply means that European citizens will not be allowed to own, transport, sell or grow any of the listed species.

http://austriantribune.com/informationen/143431-killer-shrimp-now-haunts-uk

Search-and-rescue ships called back from S China Sea

The government (Taiwan) has called back navy and Coast Guard Administration ships sent to search part of the South China Sea for signs of Malaysia Airlines flight 370, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, one day after Malaysia said it no longer believes the missing plane will be found in that area.

Along with a Chengkung-class frigate and Lafayette-class frigate from the navy and two coast guard patrol vessels, a C-130 transport plane will no longer be sent out to help with the search, the ministry said in a statement.

“The Malaysian government has not decided on the next move in the search for the missing plane, so our frigates and coast guard vessels will return home first,” the ministry said.

Ministry spokesman Major General David Lo said that the ministry will consider how it can best participate in the international search-and-rescue once Malaysia announces its next move in the search for the plane, which disappeared on March 8 with 227 passengers aboard, including one Taiwanese.

The ministry remains committed to helping in the search, he said.

The ministry began sending out the C-130 plane on a daily basis to help find the missing aircraft starting on Monday last week, when the flight was still believed to have crashed into the ocean. Authorities now believe its disappearance and apparent divergence from its planned route were intentional decisions.

The plane disappeared from radar screens and lost contact with air traffic controllers in the early hours of March 8, shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/03/17/2003585855

Experts: Search for jet hampered by Malaysian government

The investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet has been hindered by the Malaysian government’s lack of technology and its reluctance to share critical information about the flight now the subject of an unprecedented search that stretches from the southern tip of the Indian Ocean to Kazakhstan, aviation experts said.

Government officials behind the search announced yesterday Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 — which took off March 8 bound for Beijing with 227 passengers — was deliberately diverted and continued flying for more than six hours after losing contact with the ground.

“The evidence is pretty sketchy, the electronic evidence. And the government doesn’t seem to be too technically savvy in terms of interpreting it,” said Vernon Grose, a veteran NTSB plane crash investigator.

Malaysia is not suited to handle an investigation of this scope, and the investigation has been compromised, he said.

“The fact is they’re not very well-equipped to head the investigation,” Grose said.

John Hansman, an aeronautics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said, “We probably could have been searching more efficiently if the Malaysian government had been more open with the information it had.”

He added, “It’s been hard to put all the pieces together. ... This is probably the biggest search area that I’ve seen. The possible search area is about two or three times the size of the United States.”

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is assisting in the investigation, but only has a supportive role, Hansman said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said yesterday the jet’s disappearance was no accident. The investigation is now focused on the flight’s 12-person crew and passengers. Authorities have previously said that whoever disabled the plane’s communication systems and then flew the jet must have had technical knowledge and experience with planes. The jet took off last week from Kuala Lumpur destined for Beijing at 12:40 a.m., and communication with civilian air controllers was severed about 40 minutes later.

The Chinese government, where the bulk of the passengers were from, has expressed frustrations over Malaysia’s foot-dragging in releasing information.

The mystery is something out of a novel, Grose said. “Whoever writes this one would get a Nobel Prize for creativity,” he said.


http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/international/europe/2014/03/experts_search_for_jet_hampered_by_malaysian_government

Jangan basuh enjin kereta guna air

KITA pasti seronok dan selesa apabila melihat kereta bersih, berkilat dan bahagian enjin pula tidak comot.

Jangan menggunakan air ketika membersihkan enjin kerana pada ­permukaannya terdapat banyak kesan minyak yang tidak boleh ditanggalkan dengan air. 

Penggunaan air juga boleh menyebabkan litar pintas dan kereta meragam. Seelok-eloknya gunakanlah bahan yang paling klasik iaitu minyak tanah bagi menghilangkan minyak dan gris pada permukaan enjin. 

Kini lebih mudah apabila ada banyak bahan cucian yang dijual di kedai aksesori untuk menghilang gris dan tar. Semburkan bahan berkenaan di tempat yang perlu, biarkan ia meresap kemudian lap dengan kain kering.

Gris dan sisa minyak pelincir perlu dibersihkan dengan segera daripada bahagian luaran enjin kerana boleh merosakkan tali kipas, paip getah dan kabel elektrik.

Selain gris, debu atau lumpur yang melekat pada komponen elektrik seperti alternator (motor penghidup), generator, gegelung penghidup, pengagih dan lampu boleh menyerap wap air serta menyebabkan litar pintas. 

Pada terminal bateri pula jika terlihat ada endapan putih, siram dengan air panas kemudian bersihkan menggunakan kain. 

Endapan itu dapat ­dihilangkan dengan mudah tetapi hati-hati dan jangan sampai air masuk ke dalam bateri. Lubang pengudaraan pada penutup bateri juga perlu dipastikan sentiasa terbuka. 

Ketika mencuci bahagian enjin, pemilik kenderaan dapat memastikan jika ada kebocoran minyak pelincir, elemen penting bagi menjamin kesinambungan kerja setiap bahagian yang bergerak. 

Jika menyedari ada kebocoran minyak pelincir, cari segera puncanya dan tambahkan minyak pelincir apabila kurang. 

Dalam keadaan biasa, selepas beberapa tahun, gasket kebuk enjin boleh bocor sedikit dan minyak pelincir pula menitis. Ini dapat dilihat pada lantai tempat kereta diletakkan. Jika jumlah titisan itu banyak, mungkin gasket di oil sum yang rosak. 

Dalam keadaan biasa minyak pelincir berkurang menerusi pemeluwapan dan pembakaran. Tapi ­jumlahnya tidak banyak kira-kira 1/300-1/500 daripada jumlah penggunaan petrol. 

Jumlah minyak pelincir boleh dipastikan dengan memeriksa tolok sukat. Baik periksa sendiri kerana jika dibiarkan juruteknik stesen minyak memeriksanya, dalam banyak keadaan anda sebenarnya membantu memajukan perniagaan mereka. 

Membersihkan bahagian luar adalah lebih mudah. Hantar saja ke bengkel mencuci kereta dan bayar antara RM5 dan RM10. Dalam tempoh setengah jam, kereta anda sudah bersih dan cantik semula. 

Namun, jika anda mahu membasuh sendiri, gunakan sabun yang sesuai tetapi elak sabun basuh atau peluntur. 

Lazimnya, kereta baru dicat dengan cat bermutu tinggi. Jika permukaan itu tidak dibersihkan dengan baik, ia cepat rosak. 

Debu dan lumpur yang melekat pada badan kenderaan boleh menyerap wap air dengan cepat dan merosakkan permukaan cat. Selain nampak comot, cat mudah luntur dan kelihatan retak-retak. 

Langkah pertama membersihkan kenderaan adalah menghilang debu dengan membuat semburan tanpa menggunakan sabun. 

Apabila permukaan badan kenderaan berada dalam keadaan kering dan tidak terlalu kotor, debu yang melekat dapat dihilangkan dengan bulu ayam. Tetapi, jika kotoran tidak dapat dihilangkan, gunakan kain bersih basah. 

Penggunaan kain kering boleh menyebabkan calar atau gurisan pada ­permukaan cat. Ini disebabkan kotoran berkenaan mempunyai butir debu keras dan pasir. 

Apabila membasuh kenderaan menggunakan sabun, jangan biarkan sabun melekat terlalu lama di badan kenderaan kerana ia akan meningkatkan partikel bintik-bintik putih serta bahan kimia sabun boleh merosakkan cat. 

Selepas dibasuh, ­keringkan badan kereta ­dengan kain bersih. Bagi ­hasil yang lebih baik ­selepas kereta kering sapu wax (lilin). Selain menambahkan kilat kereta, wax ­melindungi permukaan supaya tetap menarik dan hidup.

http://www.hmetro.com.my/articles/TipPenjagaanKereta_Janganbasuhenjinkeretagunaair/Article

Satellite firm says it received signals from missing Malaysian aircraft

A British satellite communications company on Saturday said it had recorded electronic ping signals from the missing Malaysian aircraft which could be analysed to help estimate its location.

As the hunt for Flight MH370 remained inconclusive, the information from Inmarsat could prove to be a valuable break in the frustrating search for the plane with 239 people aboard that mysteriously vanished from radar screens last week.

Inmarsat described the communication signals from the plane as "routine" and "automated", without disclosing any details regarding the timing of the signals in relation to the aircraft's disappearance on March 8.

Inmarsat said in a statement that it handed the information to communications specialist SITA which, it adds, has shared the data with the airline.

It has not stated which satellites were involved. Inmarsat operates about 10 geostationary satellites through which it handles satcom datalink transmissions including those from the aeronautical sector.

Until now, that search has turned up false leads: oil slicks, chunks of foam, life vests and other debris unconnected to the vanished plane.

But a series of electronic pings sent by the aircraft could help the search, which is shifting focus from the confines of the Gulf of Thailand and nearby waters to include the Indian Ocean on the western side of Malaysia.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/satellite-firm-says-it-received-signals-from-missing-malaysian-aircraft/458123-2.html

Still no sign of wreckage from missing plane

CHRIS UHLMANN: Two days after a Malaysia Airlines plane failed to arrive in Beijing there is, as yet, no sign of any wreckage, as 40 ships and 34 aircraft from nine different nations scour the seas off Vietnam and Malaysia. Two hundred and thirty nine people, including six Australians, are missing.

Authorities are investigating the possibility of a terrorist attack because two passengers on board the flight were travelling on stolen passports. And mysteriously there was no distress signal from the plane before it lost contact with air traffic controllers.

In Kuala Lumpur the families of those onboard spend their hours in a hotel near the airport as they wait for news.

Our South-East Asia correspondent Samantha Hawley filed this report from Kuala Lumpur.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: In the Malaysian capital CCTV footage is now vital evidence for authorities. It shows the two potential suspects arriving and boarding Malaysia Airlines flight 370 to Beijing.

The pair was travelling on stolen passports belonging to an Italian and Austrian man. Both documents were reported missing in Thailand at different times.

The nation's defence minister and acting transport minister is Hishammuddin Hussein.

HISHAMMUDDIN HUSSEIN: I can confirm that we have visuals on them through the CCTV, and I also can confirm that the two individuals concerned and their details have been forwarded to the intelligence agencies - not only local, but international.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Can you confirm what their nationality is?

HISHAMMUDDIN HUSSEIN: No, not yet. I do not want to reveal any information which may affect the investigation of this nature because it involved security threats. But concerns the public has had on these two fake passports, I've indicated that we have managed to get visuals of them.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: You said 'not yet' - so you seem quite certain that it is a terrorist act? You said 'not yet'.

HISHAMMUDDIN HUSSEIN: I said from the beginning that we are looking at all possibilities. Just because 'not yet' does not mean that we are saying that it is a terrorist act, but we are not discounting anything when it comes to the lives of innocent people.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: There are now also investigations into the possibility the plane may have turned around after it lost contact with air traffic controllers on the ground.

The relatives of the passengers and crew on the plane spend their hours at a hotel about a 40 minute drive from Kuala Lumpur's international airport where they wait for news. They're visited often by prominent Malaysians - including on this occasion, the wife of the embattled opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

WAN AZIZAH WAN ISMAIL: Of course they deserve our condolences. The other thing is that we have to know for sure what happened, and therefore keep them... at least not in the dark and not expect... we do expect the worst.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: As the wait grows longer any glimmer of hope they had is fading fast.

This is Samantha Hawley in Kuala Lumpur reporting for AM.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-10/still-no-sign-of-wreckage-from-missing-plane/5309284

MISSING MH370: US dispatch two ships, aircraft to assist SAR operation.

KUALA LUMPUR: The United States (US) has dispatched two of its navy ships to assist in the search and rescue (SAR) operation of the Malaysian Airlines (MAS) flight MH370, which was reported missing on Saturday.

The US embassy said in a statement today that following a request from the Malaysian Government, the US navy had dispatched the USS Pinckney (DDG 91) and the USNS John Ericsson to assist in the SAR operation.

In this image obtained from the US Navy, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) transits San Diego Bay on September 16, 2013. The Pentagon announced that the Pinckney is en route to the southern coast of Vietnam to aid in the search efforts of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. AFP PHOTO

"We managed to send in our DDG 91, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, to the scene and arrived this afternoon to assist in the search of the area.

"The DDG 91 carries two MH-60R helicopters that can be equipped for search and rescue missions," said the statement.

It said the USNS John Ericsson, a replenishment oilier operated by the Military Sealift Command, had sailed out from Singapore this morning to support the search and rescue efforts.

In addition to both the ships, a US Navy P-3C Orion aircraft that carries long-range search, radar and communications capabilities had departed from the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan this morning and had begun to search the area, it said.

According to the statement, a team from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were currently en route to the region to offer assistance.

"The US government continues to closely follow the development regarding the air craft and is assisting the Malaysian Government with search and rescue efforts.

"We extend our thoughts and prayers to the loved ones of those on board the MAS flight," it said.

The search and rescue operation was launched yesterday after MAS Flight MH370, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing about an hour after taking off from the KL International Airport at 12.40am Saturday.

It should have landed in Beijing at 6.30am the same day.-- BERNAMA

Read more: MISSING MH370: US dispatch two ships, aircraft to assist SAR operation - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/font-color-red-missing-mh370-font-us-dispatch-two-ships-aircraft-to-assist-sar-operation-1.504599#ixzz2vTI25cq5

MH 370: First officer on missing jet was transitioning to 777-200s

By Tom Watkins, CNN

March 8, 2014 -- Updated 1556 GMT (2356 HKT)

Quest: I flew with missing first officer

(CNN) -- The first officer aboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 when it disappeared early Saturday from radar was transitioning to work on the Boeing 777-200.

Fariq Ab Hamid, a 27-year-old Malaysian, helped fly the plane from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur, where he landed it under the supervision of a senior pilot as well as a safety captain, according to CNN aviation correspondent Richard Quest, who was also in the cockpit.

The network was shooting video of the landing for use in a "CNN Business Traveler" program.

"It was interesting to watch the way he brought the aircraft in to land," Quest recalled about the February 19 landing, which the captain described as textbook-perfect.

Hamid, who has 2,763 flying hours, joined Malaysia Airlines in 2007. He had been flying another jet and was transitioning to the Boeing 777-200 after having completed training in a flight simulator.

The airline's first officers are trained to the same standards as the captains, Quest said he was told by airline officials. "The captain was very much in control, but the first officer was flying the aircraft."

The missing plane was piloted by Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a 53-year-old Malaysian with 18,365 flying hours who joined the airline in 1981.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/08/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-first-officer/

Selepas rugi RM29.14 juta, FGV saman lembaga pengarah anak syarikat

Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) memfailkan saman terhadap 12 bekas Ahli Lembaga anak syarikat yang dibelinya, Pontian United Plantation Bhd (Pontian) atas dakwaan pecah amanah melibatkan kerugian sebanyak RM29.14 juta kepada syarikat tersebut.

Menurut kenyataan FGV ke Bursa Malaysia kelmarin, saman yang difailkan ke Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur membabitkan 12 defendan iaitu Dr Chen Man Hin, Soo Lim Pang, Khoo Siong Kee, Soh Lim Chang, Soo Chong Veoy, Tan Kim Hai, Dr Wong Shiak Sun, Wong Loi, Khoo Lian Fue @ Khoo Bing Sing, Chew Ah Siong, Dr Christopher Chen Li Hsian dan Dr John Chen Li Tat, seperti dilapokan Utusan Malaysia, hari ini.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif FGV, Mohd Emir Mavani Abdullah, berkata Pontian diambil alih oleh FGV pada 1 Oktober 2013 lalu.

Beliau berkata, pengambilalihan itu akan meningkatkan pengeluaran minyak sawit mentah (MSM) syarikat sebanyak 80,000 tan metrik setahun, selain kumpulan mendapat manfaat daripada sinergi yang terhasil membabitkan operasi kedua-dua ladang di Sabah.

Sementara itu, menurut sumber, semua bekas ahli lembaga pengarah itu termasuk Man Hin yang juga Penasihat Seumur Hidup DAP didakwa bertindak menyalahgunakan kuasa mereka untuk meluluskan beberapa transaksi demi kepentingan diri pada 3 September tahun lalu.

Bekas ahli lembaga pengarah terbabit mengadakan Mesyuarat Tergempar Lembaga dan mencadangkan pembayaran gratuiti berjumlah RM28.7 juta dan bajet percutian RM432,000 tanpa pengetahuan FGV.

Sumber itu memberitahu, mesyuarat tersebut dibuat hanya sehari selepas pengambilalihan Pontian United Plantation oleh FGV dimuktamad pada 2 September melibatkan kos RM1.2 bilion manakala pembayaran transaksi kepada bekas ahli lembaga pengarah berlaku pada 6 September.

Sehubungan itu, satu laporan polis dibuat pada 3 Januari lalu di Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial Bukit Aman dan siasatan dibuat mengikut Seksyen 409 Kanun Keseksaan yang memperuntukkan penjara minimum dua tahun dan maksimum 20 tahun selain sebatan serta denda.

"Kita kesal dengan apa yang berlaku kerana jelas segala transaksi yang dilakukan oleh mereka adalah penyelewengan ke atas aset Pontian United Plantation, sedangkan selaku pemilik saham majoriti dengan jumlah 50.25%, sebarang keputusan memerlukan kelulusan FGV.

"Tindakan undang-undang adalah jawapan terbaik bagi menyelesaikan isu itu kerana perbuatan mereka secara sedar mengadakan Mesyuarat Tergempar Lembaga dengan tergesa-gesa bagi tujuan pecah amanah tidak boleh dibiarkan," katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia, hari ini. – 10 Januari, 2014.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/selepas-rugi-rm29.14-juta-fgv-saman-lembaga-pengarah-anak-syarikat

Pengkritik ramal Koperasi Permodalan Felda rugi dengan penjualan gergasi minyak sawit

Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGVH) sekali lagi mencetuskan kontroversi apabila mencadangkan penjualan baki 51% saham syarikat pengeluar minyak kelapa sawit terbesar dunia, Felda Holdings Bhd (FHB), dan pengkritik berkata ia akan memudaratkan pemiliknya, Koperasi Permodalan Felda (KPF).

Penganalisis kewangan meramalkan perjanjian RM2.2 bilion itu akan menguntungkan FGVH, tetapi pengkritik berkata KPF yang mewakili 113,000 peneroka akan kehilangan wang tunai dan berhadapan dengan masa depan tidak pasti.

“Mereka mungkin akan dapat sesuatu, tetapi dalam jangkamasa panjang, mereka sebenarnya kehilangan lebih banyak keuntungan,” kata penganalisis ekonomi terkemuka, Tan Sri Dr Kamal Salih kepada The Malaysian Insider, merujuk kepada dividen lumayan 15% hingga 16% diberikan kepada pemegang saham.

Pada ketika ini, FHB merupakan pengeluar minyak sawit mentah terbesar dunia (CPO), dengan 3.3 juta tan dikeluarkan pada 2012. KPF memegang 51% kepentingan dalam syarikat itu manakala baki 49% adalah milik FGV.

“Sebanyak 80% daripada kekuatan KPF datang daripada FHB. Kehilangan 80% kepada projek FGV menyebabkan masa depan KPF tidak menentu,” kata Presiden Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak), Mazlan Aliman.

Penganalisa ekonomi, Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin bersetuju dengan kebimbangan Mazlan dan berkata, KPF akan mengalami kerugian lebih besar jika menjual saham mereka sekarang.

“Saya bimbang KPF tidak akan mempunyai apa-apa untuk menjana pendapatan pada masa akan datang,” katanya yang juga pemikir ekonomi untuk Institut Rakyat milik PKR.

Walaupun Pengerusi KPF, Datuk Faizoull Ahmad mengatakan perjanjian RM2.2 bilion itu akan digunakan untuk melabur dalam anak syarikat Felda sedia ada, terdapat keraguan pelaburan itu akan menyamai keuntungan besar yang mereka perolehi kini.

“Terdapat kebimbangan sama ada pelaburan itu akan memberikan pulangan yang baik kepada ahlinya,” kata Azrul.

Selain itu, keputusan FGVH untuk mengawal penuh FHB berbanding membeli sejumlah saham menjadikannya pemegang saham terbesar menimbulkan persoalan mengenai motif di belakang cadangan itu.

Seorang pegawai kerajaan memberitahu The Malaysian Insider pembelian FHB akan menyebabkan FGV tidak diganggu oleh pemegang saham KPF berhubung keputusan pelaburan.

“Semasa mesyuarat awam, FGV tidak perlu berurusan dengan organisasi seperti Anak lagi,” katanya dengan syarat tidak dinamakan.

Anak satu-satunya kumpulan yang menentang perjanjian itu, menyatakan kebimbangan nasib peneroka tidak terjamin jika rancangan FGVH itu berjaya.

“FGVH merupakan syarikat awam yang mana sahamnya turun naik. Ini akan menjejaskan peneroka kerana kehidupan mereka bergantung kepada prestasi FGVH dalam pasaran,” kata Mazlan.

Tetapi pembelian itu juga mungkin tidak memberikan kesan positif kepada FGVH kerana komitmen mengambil alih FHB akan memberikan beban besar kepada syarikat itu.

Ini bukan kali pertama FGVH mencadangkan untuk membeli 51% saham KPF dalam FHB. Pada tahun 2011, FGVH mencadangkan tawaran awam permulaan (IPO) bermaksud peneroka menukarkan kepentingan 51% mereka dengan 61% saham FGVH.

Rancangan itu gagal selepas KPF membuat keputusan untuk menolak tawaran itu.

“Pada 2011, KPF mempunyai pengerusi yang dekat dengan peneroka dan mempunyai pengaruh kuat dalam ahli lembaga pengarah. Sekarang keadaan sudah berubah,” kata Mazlan.

Bekas pengerusi KPF, Datuk Zulkifli Wahab disuruh bercuti pada Disember 2011 selepas pengambilalihan itu gagal. Faizoull mengambil alih jawatan dikosongkan Zulkifli.

Pemerhati bersetuju faktor anak muda dicampur dengan peneroka yang tidak berfikir panjang menyebabkan perjanjian itu tidak dibantah ramai.

“Sudah tentu mereka yang mahu untung cepat mahu menjualnya,” kata Kamal.

Seorang pegawai syarikat memberitahu cadangan itu akan dibentangkan pada mesyuarat agung luar biasa (EGM) KPF pada 27 Oktober. Pemegang saham, termasuk Mazlan akan mendengar nasihat wakil yang datang ke mesyuarat itu.

“Peneroka biasanya akan mengikut sahaja nasihat diberikan oleh wakil itu. Apa yang kami bimbang ialah wakil dipilih untuk hadir ke mesyuarat itu terdiri daripada penyokong FGV.

“Ini merupakan berita sedih. Umno bercakap soal mempertahankan hak Melayu tetapi pengambil alihan ini adalah pengkhianatan kepada Melayu,” kata Mazlan.

21 Oktober, 2013.

http://news.malaysia.msn.com/tmi/pengkritik-ramal-koperasi-permodalan-felda-rugi-dengan-penjualan-gergasi-minyak-sawit

Malaysian engineers help design Intel's 4th generation core processor

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian engineers are very much behind the success of Intel Corporation's new fourth generation Intel Core processor, the first system-on-a-chip for personal computers, launched here on June 2.

Altlet berbasikal Terengganu maut dalam nahas ketika berlatih

5 Jun 2013

KUALA TERENGGANU - Seorang pelatih skuad projek pelapis lumba basikal negeri Terengganu maut manakala dua lagi cedera ringan selepas terlibat dalam kemalangan dengan sebuah lori ketika menjalani latihan harian di sini hari ini.

Google bans porn on Google Glass

(CNN) -- On Monday morning, the first porn app for Google Glass was announced. Unfortunately, the app violated the most recent additions to Google's developer policies for the futuristic eyewear, which ban sexually explicit material.

The pornographic app for Glass was released by MiKandi, an adult app store that has a successful Android app store for adult apps. Using the application, Google Glass wearers could look at photos and watch videos filmed using Google Glass. The company wanted to expand from first-person point of view videos to one-on-one interactions between adults who both have Glass.

Now it seems that business plan will need to be altered.

Google added a new section to its developer policies for Google Glass late last week that prohibits apps from delivering sexually explicit content.
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"Our policies make it clear that Glass does not allow Glassware content that contains nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material. Any Glassware that violates this policy will be blocked from appearing on Glass," a Google spokesperson said. The same section promises harsh penalties for any app featuring child pornography. Google also bans gratuitous violence, hate speech and gambling on Glass.

The connected Glass headset features a tiny screen above the right eye that can display Internet content. The device is still in beta mode and is not expected to go on sale to the general public until late this year or early 2014.

More than 10,000 people have visited the landing page for the porn app, and a dozen Glass owners have signed up with the app, MiKandi CEO Jesse Adams said in a blog post.

He said the company made sure it was following the Google Glass developer terms when it started creating the app two weeks ago, but those rules were changed by Google just before the app's launch. MiKandi will comply with the new rules, and plans on rolling out a new app that somehow doesn't include any of the forbidden content.

"Although the app is still live and people are using it, at this point we must make changes to the app in order to comply with the new policies. Expect to see changes to the application tomorrow," Adams said in a blog post.

This is not the first time the adult company has gone up against Silicon Valley giants.

In 2011, Apple sent the company a cease and desist letter for using the phrase "app store" in its tagline. It has also had apps rejected from the iOS and Android app stores before.

Google Glass is a completely new product, and the public is still figuring out how and if it will be used. The company is working hard to avoid a sullied reputation for the wearable computer before it it is publicly released.



How it feels to wear Google Glass

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/03/tech/mobile/google-adult-glass/?hpt=hp_t5

Georgetown: Wartakan makam Datuk Jenaton

SEBAHAGIAN daripada waris Datuk Jenaton yang hadir pada majlis Perhimpunan Keluarga Datuk Jenaton kali ke-6 di George Town semalam.

GEORGE TOWN – Keluarga Datuk Jenaton Raju Labu iaitu antara individu terawal yang meneroka Pulau Pinang sekitar tahun 1749 memohon Majlis Agama Islam Pulau Pinang (MAIPP) mewartakan makam tokoh itu di Persiaran Changkat Minden dekat sini sebagai tapak warisan sejarah.

Warisnya, Profesor Ahmad Murad Merican (gambar kecil) memberitahu permohonan rasmi telah dikemukakan para waris pembesar yang berasal dari Pagar Ruyong, Sumatera itu melalui Jawatankuasa Keluarga Datuk Jenaton.

Beliau yang juga pensyarah Jabatan Pengurusan dan Kemanusiaan, Universiti Teknologi Petronas berkata, pihaknya berharap permintaan tersebut dapat diluluskan oleh MAIPP dalam tempoh terdekat.

“Para waris mahu mengekalkan makam Datuk Jenaton yang terletak berhampiran kampus Universiti Sains Malaysia sebagai tapak warisan dengan meletakkan papan tanda sebagai tatapan generasi muda.

“Penerokaan orang Melayu di sini pada seawal abad ke-18 menerusi kawasan pertanian yang seterusnya membentuk institusi sosial iaitu lebih awal sebelum Francis Light tiba,” ujarnya.

Oleh ZAKI SALLEH
zaki.salleh@kosmo.com.my

Artikel Penuh: http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2013&dt=0603&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_11.htm#ixzz2V87T7h4h
Hakcipta terpelihara

Sandakan: The untold stories of Sun Bear and their contibution to the forest.

By Haslin Gaffor

SANDAKAN, May 30 (Bernama) -- From dispersing fruit seeds to carving out narrow holes on trees, later used by hornbills and squirrels to nest, the Malayan Sun Bear contributes to a thriving forest habitat.

The smallest of the world's bears serve as forest doctors, engineers and planters and by foraging for termites and other insects, help mix nutrients in the soil.

Jerusalem: Israel Warns Russia Against Syria Arms Sales

JERUSALEM — Israel's defense chief said Tuesday a Russian plan to supply sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles to Syria was a "threat" and signaled that Israel is prepared to use force to stop the delivery.

The warning by Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon ratcheted up tensions with Moscow over the planned sale of S-300 air-defense missiles to Syria. Earlier in the day, a top Russian official said his government remained committed to the deal.

Israel has been lobbying Moscow to halt the sale, fearing the missiles would upset the balance of power in the region and could slip into the hands of hostile groups, including the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, a close ally of the Syrian regime.

Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Syria in recent months that are believed to have destroyed weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah. Israel has not confirmed carrying out the attacks.

The delivery of the Russian missiles to Syria could limit the Israeli air force's ability to act. It is not clear whether Israeli warplanes entered Syrian airspace in these attacks.

Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Russia to discuss the Syrian situation with President Vladimir Putin. The sides have said little about the talks, but the S-300s were believed to have been on the agenda.

"Clearly this move is a threat to us," Yaalon told reporters Tuesday when asked about the planned Russian sale.

"At this stage I can't say there is an escalation. The shipments have not been sent on their way yet. And I hope that they will not be sent," he said. But "if God forbid they do reach Syria, we will know what to do."

Since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011, Israel repeatedly has voiced concerns that Syria's sophisticated arsenal, including chemical weapons, could either be transferred to Hezbollah, a bitter enemy of Israel, or fall into the hands of rebels battling Syrian President Bashar Assad. The rebels include al-Qaida-affiliated groups that Israel believes could turn their attention toward Israel if they topple Assad.

Syria already possesses Russian-made air defenses, and Israel is believed to have used long-distance bombs fired from Israeli or Lebanese airspace. The S-300s would expand Syria's capabilities, allowing it to counter airstrikes launched from foreign airspace as well.

In Moscow, Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, wouldn't say whether Russia has shipped any of the S-300s, which have a range of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) and the capability to track and strike multiple targets simultaneously. But he insisted that Moscow isn't going to abandon the deal despite strong Western and Israeli criticism.

"We understand the concerns and signals sent to us from different capitals. We realize that many of our partners are concerned about the issue," Ryabkov said. "We have no reason to revise our stance."

He said the missiles could be a deterrent against foreign intervention in Syria and would not be used against Syrian rebels, who do not have an air force.

"We believe that such steps to a large extent help restrain some `hotheads' considering a scenario to give an international dimension to this conflict," he said.

Russia has been the key ally of the Syrian regime, protecting it from United Nations sanctions and providing it with weapons despite the civil war there that has claimed over 70,000 lives.

In any case, an open confrontation between Israel and Russia would seem to be months away. Russian military analysts say it would take at least one year for Syrian crews to learn how to operate the S-300s, and the training will involve a live drill with real ammunition at a Russian shooting range. There has been no evidence that any such training has begun.

If Russia were to deliver the missiles to Syria, Israeli and Western intelligence would likely detect the shipment, and Israel would have ample time to strike before the system is deployed.

Ryabkov's statement came a day after European Union's decision to lift an arms embargo against Syrian rebels. He criticized the EU decision, saying it would help fuel the conflict.

Israel's defense chief spoke at an annual civil defense drill to prepare for missile attacks on Israel. This year's exercise comes at a time of heightened concerns that Israel could be dragged into the Syrian civil war.

A number of mortar shells from the fighting in Syria have landed in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. While Israel believes most of the fire has been errant, it has accused Syria of firing intentionally at Israeli targets on several occasions, and last week the sides briefly exchanged fire.

Israel's civil defense chief, Home Front Minister Gilad Erdan, said this week's drill was not specifically connected to the tensions with Syria.

"But of course we must take into consideration that something like that might happen in the near future because of what we see in Syria, and because we know that chemical weapons exist in Syria and might fall to the hands of radical Muslim terror groups," he said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/28/israel-warns-russia-against-syria-arms-sales_n_3345644.html?syria