Deluge knows no boundary

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• Deluge knows no boundary
• Journalist deaths rise to 70 in 2013
• Bird flu subtype re-emerges in Hong Kong
• Paras air di Sungai Sarawak sentiasa dipantau, kata Jabu
• Sarawak mula dilanda banjir
• Najib umum 11 langkah kurangkan perbelanjaan sektor awam

Deluge knows no boundary Posted: 30 Dec 2013 07:07 PM PST KUALA BELAIT: Staff and patients alike were treading in ankle-deep water as Hospital Suri Seri Begawan was flooded due to a heavy downpour on Sunday night in the Belait District, Brudirect reported. The floodwater made its way into the reception area yesterday morning, causing disruption in daily operation as staffs were prompted to remove the water as quick as they can. It was not until 9am yesterday that the flood began to recede. Other areas in the Belait District remained in almost two feet of water, including the Kuala Balai housing area, Kampong Lumut, Kampong Sungai Liang, Jalan Utara Seria and various residential grounds in Seria. In response to this continuous flooding, the Belait District Office and other government agencies set up the Incident Command Post (ICP) in Kg Sungai Mau yesterday. Relief operation on flooded areas is currently ongoing. To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Journalist deaths rise to 70 in 2013 Posted: 30 Dec 2013 05:39 PM PST The number of journalists killed worldwide this year has risen to 70, including eight who lost their lives in the unusually deadly month of December, a US-based watchdog said Monday. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) updated its toll less than two weeks after reporting that 52 journalists had died on the job. Syria was the deadliest assignment, resulting in 28 deaths this year, CPJ said. Ten journalists were killed in Iraq, including five in December alone. The updated figures include the deadly December bombing of an Iraqi TV station, and additional killings in Iraq, Syria and India. The toll is based on what CPJ calls "a rigorous research process" to verify whether journalists were killed as a direct result of their work. The toll as it stands now is down slightly from 74 in 2012. But CPJ is still investigating the 2013 deaths of 25 more journalists to establish whether they were work-related. More than a third of the journalists were killed in combat or crossfire, while 20 percent died during some other type of dangerous assignment. At least 63 journalists have perished covering the civil war in Syria since it broke out in 2011. "Yet the huge number of deaths in Syria does not tell the complete story of the danger to journalists there," CPJ's Elana Beiser said in a blog post. "The country saw an unprecedented number of kidnappings in 2013; about 60 journalists were abducted at least briefly during the year, according to CPJ research. Late in 2013, at least 30 were still missing. Most were believed held by rebel groups. However, at least one journalist died in government custody during the year." The third deadliest country for journalists in 2013 was Egypt with six deaths, followed by Pakistan with five, Somalia with four, India, the Philippines and Brazil with three each and Russia and Mali with two each. Turkey, Bangladesh, Colombia and Libya each saw one journalist death, CPJ said. Paris-based media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said earlier this month that 71 journalists lost their lives in 2013. – AFP To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Bird flu subtype re-emerges in Hong Kong Posted: 30 Dec 2013 04:23 PM PST HONG KONG: An elderly man has contracted a mild form of bird flu in the first case of its type for four years, Hong Kong officials said on Monday. "We are now investigating a confirmed human case of influenza A H9N2, affecting a man aged 86," Leung Ting-hung, controller of the city's Centre for Health Protection, told reporters. H9N2 is an avian flu subtype that mainly affects ducks and chickens but can also pass to humans, causing mild symptoms. Under Hong Kong law cases of such infection must be made public, according to Leung. Since 1999 Hong Kong has reported seven such cases with the last one reported in 2009, Leung said. The man, who lives in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen bordering Hong Kong, was diagnosed with the disease after returning to Hong Kong on Saturday. He is now in stable condition in an isolation ward. "As the temperature is cooler in recent weeks, we expect there may be other cases of avian influenza being detected," Leung said. On Thursday the city reported the first death from the more serious H7N9 strain of bird flu. The male victim had returned from Shenzhen, as had a woman who contracted Hong Kong's first reported case of H7N9. She is still in hospital in stable condition. Scientists have warned that avian flu could potentially cause a pandemic if it mutates into a form easily transmissible between humans. – AFP To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Paras air di Sungai Sarawak sentiasa dipantau, kata Jabu Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:22 PM PST KUCHING: Sarawak River Barrage (SRB) sentiasa menjalankan pemantauan paras air di Sungai Sarawak, kata Timbalan Ketua Menteri Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang. Menurutnya, petugas SRB melakukan pemantauan dari semasa ke semasa bagi mengelak berlakunya banjir besar di negeri ini. "Apa yang anda lihat mereka membuat penjadualan paras air secara teknikal dari semasa ke semasa dan di sini (baraj) mereka tidak membuat ia secara begitu sahaja bagi memastikan ketepatan yang jitu," katanya ketika ditemui di SRB di sini semalam. Malah, Jabu memberitahu bahawa SRB mempunyai 24 stesen bagi merekodkan taburan hujan dan paras air sungai di seluruh negeri. "Kesemua stesen ini dipantau di sini menerusi monitor dan petugas akan merekodkan setiap bacaan yang ditunjukkan," jelasnya. Berhubung pembukaan pintu baraj semalam, beliau berharap paras air di Sungai Sarawak akan menurun bagi mengurangkan risiko berlakunya banjir. "Mereka melakukan tugas Paras air di Sungai Sarawak sentiasa dipantau, kata Jabu dengan berhemah dan kita berharap hujan tidak turun dalam masa tiga jam ini. "Justeru, marilah kita bersama- sama berdoa mengikut kepercayaan masing-masing supaya dihindiri musibah banjir ini agar kita dapat meraikan Tahun Baharu 2014 dengan keadaan yang baik," ujarnya. Sementara itu, jurucakap SRB memberitahu, paras air laut setinggi 11 meter dijangka akan melanda sekitar 7 malam pada Jumaat ini (3 Januari). Tegasnya, banjir dijangka melanda di beberapa kawasan rendah seluruh Sarawak sekiranya hujan turun berterusan dalam tempoh dua atau tiga hari ini. "Bacaan tertinggi paras air sungai adalah setinggi 10 meter yang dicatat hari ini sekitar jam 3 petang. "Kami baharu sahaja dapat membuka pintu baraj dan sekarang paras air semakin rendah iaitu 9.7 meter. "Namun, kami menjangkakan paras air laut setinggi 11 meter akan melanda pada 3 Januari ini sekitar jam 7 malam, sekiranya hujan berterusan melanda bandar raya Kuching dijangkakan akan berlaku banjir di beberapa kawasan rendah," katanya ketika ditemui semalam. To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Sarawak mula dilanda banjir Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:21 PM PST by Siti Aisyah Ramli. Posted on December 31, 2013, Tuesday Bintulu terjejas agak teruk dengan membabitkan 327 mangsa dipindahkan KUCHING: Beberapa bahagian di Sarawak mula dilanda banjir kelmarin dengan Bintulu terjejas agak teruk yang membabitkan 327 mangsa dipindahkan ke pusat pemindahan sementara sejak pagi semalam. Timbalan Ketua Menteri Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang berkata selain Bintulu, dua pusat pemindahan di Miri turut dibuka iaitu di Marudi dan Niah membabitkan 12 keluarga merangkumi 39 mangsa. Namun setakat ini, bencana banjir yang melanda Bintulu tidak menjejaskan sebarang aktiviti operasi loji petrokimia di kawasan terbabit. Di kawasan lain seperti Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu dan Mukah meskipun mula dinaiki air semalam, tiada pusat pemindahan dibuka memandangkan paras air masih rendah. "Meskipun hujan turun secara berterusan di beberapa bahagian di seluruh negeri ini, ia masih berada di bawah paras terkawal. "Penduduk di kawasan sekitar yang terjejas akibat banjir dinasihati supaya tidak menyebarkan berita-berita tentang banjir yang belum disahkan bagi mengelakkan sebarang suasana panik," katanya pada sidang media selepas Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Negeri (JPBN), di sini, semalam. Jabu yang juga pengerusi jawatankuasa itu turut menasihati orang ramai agar sentiasa berwaspada dan membuat persiapan bagi menangani situasi hujan yang mengakibatkan bencana banjir. Beliau yang juga pengerusi mesyuarat JPBN berkata, Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia telah memaklumkan bahawa sebanyak empat hingga lima episod hujan lebat dijangka berlaku sepanjang musim Monsun Timur Laut yang dijangka berakhir pada Mac 2014. Selain itu, hujan berterusan itu juga telah mengakibatkan kejadian tanah runtuh di dua kawasan iaitu di Jalan Bakong Kilometer 7 (KM7), Miri dan kawasan Mukah. "Dua kawasan iaitu di Jalan Bakong Kilometer 7 (KM7), Miri dan kawasan Mukah telah terputus hubungan akibat tanah runtuh yang berlaku ekoran hujan lebat. "Namun kami (JPBN) akan sentiasa berusaha mencari jalan untuk menghulurkan bantuan kepada mangsa yang berada di kawasan-kawasan yang terjejas banjir," ujarnya. Selain pembukaan pusat-pusat pemindahan mangsa banjir, JPBN turut menyalur bantuan kepada mangsa banjir yang berada di kawasan pedalaman yang tidak dapat berpindah. Mesyuarat JPBN yang berlangsung semalam dihadiri ahli jawatankuasa JPBN terdiri daripada agensi kerajaan persekutuan dan negeri serta semua Residen yang bertindak sebagai Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Bahagian (JPBB). Hadir sama ialah Pemangku Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri merangkap Timbalan Pengerusi Mesyuarat JPBN Datu Misnu Taha dan Setiausaha Keselamatan Negeri merangkap Setiausaha JPBN Addyhanis Ahamad. To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Najib umum 11 langkah kurangkan perbelanjaan sektor awam Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:20 PM PST KUALA LUMPUR: Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak semalam mengumumkan 11 langkah bagi mengurangkan perbelanjaan sektor awam, termasuk mengurangkan elaun keraian menteri dan timbalan menteri sebanyak 10 peratus, berkuat kuasa 1 Januari. Tindakan itu adalah selaras dengan hasrat kerajaan untuk mengamalkan perbelanjaan yang lebih berhemah pada tahun depan, katanya dalam kenyataan yang dikeluarkan di sini semalam. Beliau berkata keputusan itu dibuat hasil rundingan dengan Timbalannya Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dan Ketua Setiausaha Negara Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa. Beliau berkata kerajaan juga akan mengurangkan elaun keraian sebanyak lima hingga 10 peratus bagi pegawai kanan kerajaan Gred Jawatan Utama Sektor Awam C (JUSA C) ke atas. Selain itu, kemudahan tol pegawai kanan kerajaan gred itu juga akan dikurangkan sebanyak RM50 hingga RM100 atau sebanyak 30 peratus, katanya dalam kenyataan dua muka surat itu. Najib berkata kerajaan juga akan meminda kelayakan Tiket Penerbangan Domestik dan Antarabangsa bagi penjawat awam iaitu kelayakan penerbangan sektor domestik bagi Gred Jusa C ke bawah ialah Kelas Ekonomi. Selain itu, kerajaan juga akan mengurangan lima peratus kos utiliti elektrik di semua kementerian, jabatan, agensi dan premis kerajaan, selain membekukan permohonan baharu bagi pengubahsuaian ruang pejabat kerajaan. Beliau berkata kerajaan juga memutuskan untuk mengoptimumkan penggunaan ruang pejabat sedia ada bagi mengurangkan sewaan premis pejabat. Najib, yang juga Menteri Kewangan berkata kerajaan juga akan mengetatkan pelantikan juruperunding untuk projek-projek fizikal kerajaan termasuk dalam menjalankan kajian kebolehlaksanaan. Beliau berkata cadangan pelantikan hendaklah dikemukakan terlebih dahulu kepada Jawatankuasa Perancang Pembangunan Negara yang dipengerusikan Ketua Setiausaha Negara untuk kelulusan. Kerajaan juga akan mengurangkan penggunaan syarikat pengurusan acara atau 'event management' serta pemberian sagu hati (door gifts) atau cenderamata untuk penganjuran persidangan atau majlismajlis kerajaan yang melibatkan anggota pentadbiran dan penjawat awam, katanya. Najib berkata kerajaan juga akan mengurangkan penyediaan makanan dan minuman serta mengurangkan penggunaan kain pemidang (bunting dan banner) bagi penganjuran persidangan, seminar, mesyuarat, kursus, bengkel atau sebarang acara rasmi kerajaan. Kerajaan juga akan mengaplikasi pendekatan Strategi Lautan Biru Kebangsaan (NBOS) dengan mengoptimumkan penggunaan Pusat Latihan 1Malaysia (1MTC) dan kemudahan-kemudahan di institusi- institusi latihan milik kerajaan bagi penganjuran kursus, seminar dan bengkel, katanya. — Bernama To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

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Egypt turmoil turns tourist hub Luxor into ghost town

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• Egypt turmoil turns tourist hub Luxor into ghost town
• Some current, former smokers should get annual lung scans, says US Panel
• Asian currencies rally before holiday as silver gains after drop
• Blood and gore in ‘Dead Snow’ sequel (VIDEO)
• Samsung Smart TV to control home appliances in 2014
• Call to take action against cop in bribery case

Egypt turmoil turns tourist hub Luxor into ghost town Posted: 30 Dec 2013 05:14 PM PST Several officials in Luxor have denied the statement that the Ministry of Tourism has decided to give aid to those affected by the deteriorating tourism situation. — AFP picLUXOR, Dec 31 — Tourists once flocked to Luxor for its pharaonic treasures, but as Egypt witnesses sweeping political upheavals, the visitors have simply vanished from this famed temple city. Christmas used to be particularly busy, as tens of thousands of visitors thronged Luxor's famous temples, but fresh unrest that followed the army's ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in July has virtually stopped tourist arrivals. Egypt's political unrest first began with the 2011 uprising that toppled long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak and triggered a wave of events that has rocked the tourism industry, which was vital to the country's economy. Salah, 51, earned a living showing tourists around Luxor in his horse carriage, but now the father-of-four, the youngest of whom is just 18 months old, has no customers and his cart has lain idle for months. "Before, I used to earn 2,000 to 3,000 (Egyptian) pounds (RM1,383.69) a month. Today, I am happy if I have 10 pounds in my pocket," Salah said. Luxor, a city of around 500,000 residents on the banks of the Nile in southern Egypt, is one of the country's main tourist hubs that has born the brunt of the upheavals of the past three years. It is an open-air museum of intricate temples, tombs of pharaonic rulers and landmarks such as the Winter Palace hotel where crime novelist Agatha Christie is said to have written "Death on the Nile." Before 2011, it attracted several million tourists annually, drawn by the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, and the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut -- scene of a 1997 massacre that killed dozens of foreign tourists. The 1997 attack by radical Islamist militants dented tourism, but in the years leading up to 2011 the industry was on the rise again and Luxor was once again a popular destination. Most families like Salah's live on earnings from tourism, a sector that makes up over 11 percent of Egypt's gross domestic product and until recently employed more than four million. But the days when about 10,000 tourists arrived daily in Luxor have gone. One could barely walk through the crowded streets three years ago, but now idle guides loiter between the towering columns of historic structures. Vendors dispute recovery Salah lives in a three-room house with a courtyard where his horse is tethered. "I had another horse, but I sold it," he said, dressed in a traditional gallabiya. "The choice was between feeding my children or the two horses," Salah said, adding that among the 340 horse-carriages in Luxor, 20 saw their animals starve to death. He is not the only one facing difficulties in city. The once thriving tourist hub has become into a virtual ghost city. The airport is empty and taxis wait outside of hotels that hardly have any occupants. In one hotel lobby, about six employees light up a tall Christmas tree, but unfortunately the festive period is not promising at all. The bloody government crackdown on Mursi's supporters after his ouster has left more than 1,000 people killed in clashes and derailed any chances of a pick-up in tourist arrivals, with many foreign governments issuing travel warnings for Egypt. Although Luxor has been unaffected by the unrest, local guides and tourist operators accuse Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood of scaring away the tourists. For "stability" to return, Luxor residents want Egypt's interim authorities to quickly carry out the democratic transition they had promised after ousting Mursi. The transition envisages a referendum on a new constitution next month, to be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections in mid-2014. But Luxor governor Tareq Saadeddine is optimistic. "For the past three months the (hotel) occupancy rate was less than one percent. Today, it is 18 percent and continues to grow," he said, adding that 28 of the 255 boats are already operating. But local vendors are less cheery, like Mohamed Hussein, 23, who swears he has not made a single sale in months. Hussein said vendors like him were surviving on savings or by selling their wives' jewelry. He said that for "six months" he had not paid his shop's electricity bills. Another seller said the mantra to survive these days was to sell cheap. "It is so cheap now that you can buy gifts for even those you dislike," he said in fluent French. — AFP Share with Others Related Article

Some current, former smokers should get annual lung scans, says US Panel Posted: 30 Dec 2013 05:08 PM PST Smoking is the biggest risk factor for developing lung cancer, resulting in about 85 per cent of lung cancers in the United States. — AFP picCHICAGO, Dec 31 ― Heavy smokers and former heavy smokers should get annual lung cancer screening tests, according to final guidelines issued yesterday by an influential US panel. The final recommendations, issued by the US Preventive Services Task Force and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, apply to people aged 55 to 80 whose smoking has put them at high risk of cancer. That includes former heavy smokers who have quit within the past 15 years. Heavy smokers are considered to be those who smoked a pack a day for 30 years, or two packs a day for 15 years. According to a comprehensive review of medical evidence since 2004, the panel found the benefits of screening high-risk individuals with low-dose computed tomography, or CT scans, outweigh the potential harms of overdiagnosis and increased exposure to radiation, which also contribute to cancer risk. The panel, which is comprised of independent experts and advises US policymakers, gave the screening a "B" recommendation, meaning it is at least moderately certain that the benefits of the scans outweigh the harms. Under the Affordable Care Act, insurers are required to cover preventive services with a grade of "B" or higher. The guidelines are intended to help prevent some of the 160,000 annual lung cancer deaths in the United States, which exceed the total number of deaths from breast, prostate and colon cancer combined. Smoking is the biggest risk factor for developing lung cancer, resulting in about 85 per cent of lung cancers in the United States. The guidelines largely fall in line with recommendations from most major groups of cancer experts, including the American Cancer Society and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. When the initial recommendations were published in July, some doctors expressed concern that the guidelines could lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment of cancers, in much the same way that widespread screening programs for breast and prostate cancers have done. ― Reuters Share with Others Related Article

Asian currencies rally before holiday as silver gains after drop Posted: 30 Dec 2013 04:58 PM PST Currencies from the Australian dollar to the yen and Malaysia's ringgit climbed against the greenback, trimming annual declines before the New Year holiday. – Reuters picSINGAPORE, Dec 31 — Currencies from the Australian dollar to the yen and Malaysia's ringgit climbed against the greenback, trimming annual declines before the New Year holiday. Silver and gold rebounded after slumping yesterday while oil in New York held below US$100 (RM388) a barrel. Australia's currency, known as the Aussie, added 0.2 per cent versus the dollar by 11:33am in Sydney, while the ringgit gained 0.1 per cent. The yen climbed 0.2 per cent, leaving its 2013 slide at 17 per cent. Silver and gold gained after losing at least 1.4 per cent yesterday. The metals are set for their worst years since 1981. Oil was steady at US$99.36. Standard & Poor's 500 Index futures and Asian stocks were little changed after the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record. The dollar is poised for its best annual surge versus the yen since 1979 and has gained against 10 of 16 major currencies tracked by Bloomberg this year as the Federal Reserve said it would pare back record bond purchases and the Bank of Japan pledged to maintain stimulus. While markets from Japan to South Korea and Indonesia are shut today, Australia is scheduled to post private sector credit data and in the US, reports on house prices and consumer confidence are due. "Dollar-yen has probably been one of the most popular leverage trades throughout the year," Robert Rennie, the Sydney-based global head of currency and commodity strategy at Westpac Banking Corp., said by phone. "The BOJ's intention to almost double the size of its balance sheet and more than double its monetary base target over a two-year period was heavily sponsored by the hedge fund community." Yen retreat The yen climbed to 104.96 per dollar today after slipping every day last week in its ninth straight week of depreciation. It is posting the worst yearly performance among 16 major currencies tracked by Bloomberg after the 19 per cent slump in the South African rand. The yen gained 0.2 per cent versus the euro today, snapping a six-day retreat. The Aussie rallied to 89.18 US cents and is headed for the third-worst performance among the major-currency group, losing 14 per cent versus the dollar for its weakest year since 2008. The ringgit appreciated to 3.2892 a dollar, trimming its 2013 drop to 7 per cent. Ten-year Treasury yields dropped to 2.97 per cent in New York after touching a two-year high above 3 per cent last week. Rates have climbed 1.21 percentage points this year, the first increase since 2009. Similar maturity Australian bonds rose today, with yields falling two basis points, or 0.02 percentage point, to 4.25 per cent. Yields are up 98 basis points in 2013, also the first advance since 2009. Commodity moves Gold rose 0.1 per cent to US$1,197.72 an ounce after sliding 1.4 per cent yesterday. It's on track for a 29 per cent annual decline, the first since 2000 and the steepest drop since 1981 as signs of improvement in the global economy diminish gold's appeal as a protection of wealth. Silver added 0.3 per cent to US$19.63 an ounce after tumbling 2.5 per cent yesterday, the most since Dec. 12. The precious metal is headed for a 35 per cent slump in 2013, also its worst annual retreat since 1981. Palladium gained 0.2 per cent, bringing its 2013 advance to 0.9 per cent, while platinum added 0.2 per cent to cut its annual decline to 13 per cent. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.1 per cent after slipping 1 per cent to US$99.29 a barrel yesterday. WTI topped US$100 December 27 for the first time since October. Brent outlook Brent, the benchmark for about 50 per cent of the world's oil, will weaken in 2014 as US output expands and threats to Middle East and North African supply ease, according to the most-accurate forecasters. Brent, which dropped to US$111.20 a barrel yesterday, will average US$105 in 2014, from US$108.71 this year, according to the median estimate of seven analysts who most accurately predicted this year's level in a survey last December. While the Nikkei 225 Stock Average capped its best year since 1972 yesterday, valuations on Asian stocks outside Japan are trailing those for global equities by the most since 2005, data compiled by Bloomberg show. "Investors are finishing the year a lot more confident than they were at the start of it," Ric Spooner, chief market analyst at CMC Markets Plc in Sydney, said by phone today. "There are still quite a large proportion of people who are underweight equities. Given market moves this year we are now vulnerable to deeper corrections." Asian stocks The MSCI Asia Pacific excluding Japan Index has risen 0.2 per cent in 2013, with member companies trading at a price-to- earnings ratio of 13.3. That compares with an advance of 20 per cent in MSCI's All-Country World Index, which has a earnings multiple of 17.9, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The Nikkei 225 jumped 57 per cent in 2013, the biggest gain among 24 major developed markets tracked by Bloomberg, while the S&P 500 is up 29 per cent, set for its best year since 1997. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index was little changed today, advancing 15 per cent this year, set for a second year of gains. The NZX 50 Index, which closed early down 0.7 per cent, is up 16 per cent this year in Wellington, led by a surge in accounting software provider Xero Ltd. Australia's stock market closes at 2:10pm local time today. While mainland Chinese markets are open today, Hong Kong is only open for half the day. Both markets are closed tomorrow. Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam are all closed through January 2 and Japanese markets don't resume until January 6. India is open over the New Year period. China PMI South Korean consumer prices rose 1.1 per cent from a year earlier this month, exceeding the median economist estimate of 1 per cent and up from 0.9 per cent in November, data today showed. The nation reports trade data tomorrow. Australian private- sector credit growth probably accelerated to 0.4 per cent month- on-month in November from 0.3 per cent in October, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists. China is scheduled to post its manufacturing purchasing managers' index for December tomorrow, with the median of 29 economists' estimates for the gauge to drop to 51.2 from 51.4 in November. Readings above 50 signal expansion. An S&P index of 11 homebuilders rallied for a sixth straight day and reached a six-month high even after data on home sales missed economists' estimates. Contracts to purchase previously owned US homes rose less than forecast in November. A gauge of pending sales increasing 0.2 per cent, the first gain in six months, after a 1.2 per cent drop in October that was larger than initially reported, the National Association of Realtors said. The median projection in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 1 per cent advance. — Bloomberg Share with Others Related Article

Blood and gore in ‘Dead Snow’ sequel (VIDEO) Posted: 30 Dec 2013 04:56 PM PST 'Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead' promises to deliver both gore and laughs galore. ― AFP picLOS ANGELES, Dec 31 ― The follow-up to the Norwegian zombie movie of 2009 will premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival's "Park City at Midnight" programme. Five years after the first episode, the Nazi zombies introduced in "Dead Snow" are returning to the big screen in "Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead." Directed by Tommy Wirkola, like the original, the sequel promises to combine parody and comic relief with unbridled gore and violence. A character who survived at the end of the first film, Martin (Vegar Hoel) must form his own army to battle the Nazi zombies. Between directing "Dead Snow" and its sequel, Tommy Wirkola took a break from zombies to helm "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters." ― AFP-Relaxnews Dead Snow; Red vs. Dead - Teaser Trailer w/English subs from Kjetil Omberg on Vimeo. Share with Others Related Article

Samsung Smart TV to control home appliances in 2014 Posted: 30 Dec 2013 04:53 PM PST Samsung's Smart TV will soon include applications for controlling home appliances. — Reuters picSAN FRANCISCO, Dec 31 — Following the next update to Samsung's Smart TV SDK (software development kit), developers will be able to create apps for controlling connected home appliances from the TV. Samsung announced the future update just after LG revealed that HomeChat, its new messaging app for controlling home appliances, will be unveiled at CES 2014. Smart apps for smart appliances In addition to offering recommendations and responding to gesture commands, Samsung's Smart TV will soon include applications for controlling home appliances. This means users will be able to open and close the blinds, adjust the thermostat or turn on the lights through dedicated apps on their TV, which can be accessed through their remote control. The final version of the SDK allowing for the integration of these apps will be available on January 6, one day before CES 2014 opens in Las Vegas. For its part, LG has said that its next generation of smart home appliances will be compatible with the new HomeChat remote control system, which will allow users to control their appliances through the mobile messaging app Line. The new system will also be presented for the first time at CES 2014. Identical curved UHD TVs? In addition to making similar announcements in the realm of home automation, the two South Korean electronics giants seem to be thinking alike in the TV sector. Both brands have announced that they will unveil a curved, 105-inch ultra-high definition (UHD) TV in Las Vegas this January. Surprising as it may seem, the two TVs announced have exactly the same characteristics, including a 105-inch diagonal, 5120x2160 resolution and a curved, 21/9 format screen. At the previous CES, in January 2013, Samsung and LG both created a splash by presenting their first slightly concave 55-inch OLED screens, both of which were marketed only in the second half of 2013, exclusively in Asia. CES takes place from January 7-10, 2014 in Las Vegas. — AFP-Relaxnews Share with Others Related Article

Call to take action against cop in bribery case Posted: 30 Dec 2013 04:52 PM PST KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — Action has been taken against a policeman who was alleged to have received bribes to release illegal immigrants, said a posting on the police Facebook. The alleged policeman has been transferred to another location until investigations are completed. A video clip on the case of the policeman receiving money from the employer of the illegal immigrant went viral on the internet. According to the posting, a police report had been lodged and the case referred to the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) for action. The police view such cases seriously and would not compromise against any officers involved in corruption. Anyone with information of such cases are advised to contact the police through the i-SPAAA system at the www.rmp.gov.my website. — Bernama  Share with Others Related Article

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DVDs worth RM33m seized in Selangor

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• DVDs worth RM33m seized in Selangor
• Cuepacs: Raise allowances
• Parents to sue over Ferris wheel mishap
• Family of three escape blaze
• Cabbies, hawkers worry rally may affect their income
• Disgruntled folk told to use proper channels

DVDs worth RM33m seized in Selangor Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:01 AM PST 31 December 2013| last updated at 12:02AM By EUNICE AU | euniceau@nst.com.my  SHAH ALAM: THE Selangor Film Censorship Control and Enforcement Division will  intensify efforts to curb the distribution and sales of pornographic, uncensored and unauthorised films next year. Its director, Noor Aziah Abdullah said the division would increase the number of raids at various locations, including licensed CD and DVD premises, stores, factories, night markets, corridors, eateries, cinemas, as well as land, air and port entry gateways into the state. She said the division, under the Home Ministry, faced the challenge of curbing syndicate activities and not just small-time CD and DVD salesmen. "We have to trace their modus operandi as they keep changing their methods with the development of new technology. Our officers will continue to collaborate with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's forensic division to learn techniques to identify such illegal operations," she said during a press conference at the division's office in Bangunan Affin Bank, Section 14, here, yesterday. She said distributors had evolved into using hard discs and thumb drives to sell movies. "Customers only need to bring their devices to copy films at a price of RM5 for two films." This year, the division's single biggest raid saw RM1.3 million worth of goods seized in October from a distributor that operated out of three houses. Aziah said the distributor was a repeat offender as it used the same modus operandi in different locations last year. This year, the Selangor division conducted 946 operations at licensed and unlicensed stores according to the Film Censorship Act 2002. From these raids, 3,468 pornographic DVDs and 1.19 million unauthorised DVDs were seized with an estimated value of RM33.15 million. Selangor Film Censorship Control and Enforcement Division director Noor Aziah Abdullah (left) and officer Fazi Amar Ahmad Suhimi showing confiscated DVDs in Petaling Jaya yesterday. Pic by Asyraf Bokhar

Cuepacs: Raise allowances Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST 31 December 2013| last updated at 11:57PM By AVILA GERALDINE | avila@nst.com.my KOTA KINABALU: THE Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has called on the government to revise  allowances of civil servants to ensure their welfare was well taken care of next year. Its president, Azih Muda, said there were 231 allowances that had not been reviewed for more than 10 years, including service, lodging, housing and mileage. "Many civil servants have to fork out their money to pay extra (during outstation trips) because of the high cost of living and this is not fair. This can lead to protests against the government because of dissatisfaction," he said here yesterday. The newly appointed president was in the state to meet Sabah Cuepecs members for the first time to discuss civil service issues. Azih hoped the government would consider allowing civil servants aged 55 to take 20 per cent of their retirement funds for medical purposes. "This will reduce their financial burdn. They can also use the money to go on pilgrimage or pay for their children's education." He also hoped the government would increase the haj quota next year, including extending leave replacement from 150 to 180 days. Meanwhile, Cuepacs wants the state Health Department to explain the refund of the balance of uniform allowance by its staff. In September, the department had issued a notice to 5,000 staff to return the balance or face disciplinary action. "The notice did not state the sum and the staff have expressed dissatisfaction. Cuepacs is ready to sit down with the department to resolve the matter," said Azih.

Parents to sue over Ferris wheel mishap Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST 31 December 2013| last updated at 12:11AM Abu Kassim Yaacob, 41, said he would wait for the authorities to complete their investigation before filing the suit. "For now, I just want my son to recover." State Safety and Health Department director Annuar Embi said his officers were investigating the case. "We will revert to the authorities concerned," he said. Penang Pesta manager C.A. Kher said workers did not spot the boy at the entry point of the wheel for height restriction checks, claiming that the boy had sneaked in. "We know this boy. His father has a stall at the Pesta and we have seen him running around unsupervised." In the 12.50am incident, Mohamad Khairul Naimme Abu Kassim was found unconscious on the ground next to the wheel and slipped into a coma after sustaining injuries to his head and internal bleeding. Kher said the boy had gone into the wheel after it had ceased operations at the time. "We are investigating the matter. It is difficult to make insurance claims as the boy got into the Pesta without a ticket." State financial officer Datuk Mokhtar Daip said he would issue a statement on the incident today.

Family of three escape blaze Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST 31 December 2013| last updated at 12:17AM A 61-year-old former plantation company manager, his wife and their son in his 20s managed to rush out of the house before fire razed 90 per cent of its structure. The fire is believed to have started from a room on the bungalow's ground floor. TTDI Fire and Rescue station chief Hamdan Maat said they received a call at 6.40pm, before a team of 38 firemen from four fire stations were deployed to the scene. "When we arrived, the flames were so strong that we had to use a turntable ladder fire engine to control the blaze from above. "Luckily, three people who were inside the house managed to escape. We managed to control the fire about 40 minutes later." He said authorities were still investigating the cause of the fire. It is learnt that the family had lived in the house for 20 years and it was valued at about RM9 million. The razed bungalow in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, where a family of three escaped the fire at 6.30pm yesterday. Bernama pic Related Articles Bangsar Tamil School alumni honour high achievers VIP's son dies after setting self on fire Missing 70-year-old man found in Bukit Kiara Litrak monitors Sprint for flash floods Oasis of calm in the heart of PJ

Cabbies, hawkers worry rally may affect their income Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST 31 December 2013| last updated at 12:07AM Gabungan Persatuan dan Syarikat Teksi Semenanjung Malaysia (Gabungan) deputy president Datuk Mohd Alias Abdul said the rally would affect the income of taxi drivers. "Besides affecting the taxi drivers' earnings on New Year's Eve, it will also affect traders," said Alias after Gabungan and another group lodged police reports against the rally at the Dang Wangi police station here yesterday. He said such rallies tainted the country's image and affected tourist arrivals as the country ushers in Visit Malaysia Year 2014. Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) activist Mohd Mustaffa Hamzah said every time there was a rally, the country's peace would be affected. It was reported that the illegal rally at Dataran Merdeka, which is being organised by groups backed by the opposition, was aimed at toppling the government. However, the organisers insisted that it was a protest against the rising cost of living. Invitations to attend the rally had been circulated on social media and pro-opposition blogs. On Friday, police listed four non-governmental organisations -- Kumpulan Gerakan Turun Kos Sara Hidup (Turun), Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM), Jingga 13 and Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia -- as allegedly planning to "cause trouble" during New Year celebrations. City deputy police chief Datuk Amar Singh Ishar Singh had said police would not hesitate to arrest any one who incited commotion. On Thursday, the owner of a Facebook page "Asmaelz Hadeny II" was arrested for allegedly inciting the public to participate in the rally. On Wednesday, police arrested the leader of an anti-price hike movement over the planned rally. Traders in the city hoped the anti-government rally would not take place. Mohd Sabri Shafie, 39, who was hoping to earn extra money, said he would have to close his store if the rally went ahead. "My stall is run by my wife and kids, hence their safety would be my priority," he said, adding that he had to close his drinks stall in Masjid India during the Bersih 2.0 rally. "I incurred tremendous losses during the Bersih 2.0 rally, and I have yet to recover from it." Another trader, Kristina Rosdi, 33, who had set up a food stall near Dataran Merdeka, said she hoped the celebration would proceed without incident. Local travel agent Abdul Hamid Jamilamat said his agency had decided to bring visitors to celebrate New Year's Eve at Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). "We choose to celebrate at KLCC because of rumours that there would be an anti-government rally at Dataran Merdeka." A member of Gabungan Persatuan dan Syarikat Teksi Semenanjung Malaysia holding a poster against the planned rally at Dataran Merdeka. Pic by Muhd Asyraf Sawal

Disgruntled folk told to use proper channels Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST 31 December 2013| last updated at 12:07AM Norian, who is a former inspector-general of police, said there were many channels available for the public to protest. He added that assemblies could be organised as long as they adhered to laws and were held in suitable places. "The Peaceful Assembly Act allows peaceful assemblies so long as an application is done and an appropriate spot is chosen," he said at Wisma Sunway Mas, Section 9, here yesterday. He said those who applied for rally permits had to consider the interests of the public in choosing a location. His comments came on the heels of the anti-government rally planned at Dataran Merdeka tonight. Norian dismissed the notion that the gathering would lead to an "Arab Spring" as the scenario in Malaysia was different from the Middle East. "I think Malaysians understand the situation in the country has no basis for such political uprising. The Arab Spring resulted from a very different background." Norian expressed confidence that the police would be able to handle the rally and urged that firm action be taken in the interest of the public. He urged members of the public who have questions and complaints to utilise the police's Integrated Public Agency Complaint Monitoring System, or i-SPAAA, that was launched on Dec 20. Bernama quoted Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek as describing tonight's planned protest as a waste of time and energy. "We have a parliamentary system. They can express themselves in Parliament, through the media and so on. The government is prepared to listen. We will provide an explanation," he said after attending a programme to distribute school aid for flood victims in Kemaman. Ahmad Shabery said it was better for that time and energy to be channelled into helping flood victims. In Alor Star, National Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang urged the organisers to cancel the rally. Tan said the masterminds, most of whom were linked to the opposition, should be mature enough to anticipate the risk of holding such rallies, which might lead to chaos. "The organisers purposely select Dec 31 to take advantage of the crowd gathering at Dataran Merdeka to usher in the New Year." Tan said it would be better if the organisers rallied against the governments of Selangor and Penang. He said the salary for Selangor assemblymen had been increased from RM6,000 to RM11,250, or 87 per cent, and 130,000 consumers in Penang had to pay more for their water bill after the state utility raised the surcharge by 20 per cent.

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