Chamakh goal takes Palace off bottom |
- Chamakh goal takes Palace off bottom
- Which way is Umno headed to? — Lim Sue Goan
- Human trafficking a worry in post-typhoon Philippines, says US
- Police officer feared suspect in UK soldier murder would kill her
- Next Media: Russian dancer sentenced to six years for organising acid attack on Sergei Filin
- Cyber Monday sales reach web-shopping record
| Chamakh goal takes Palace off bottom Posted: 03 Dec 2013 05:03 PM PST
Chamakh scored the only goal of the game ― the Moroccan's first since August 24 ― when he headed in Barry Bannan's curling cross in the 42nd minute. The striker had previously scored just one goal this season ― although that was still one goal more than he managed in five months on loan at West Ham last term. West Ham came into this all London clash boosted by a 3-0 win over Fulham but have still to record back-to-back Premier League wins since being promoted last year. Victory left Palace just three points adrift of safety and West Ham, one of several clubs on 13 points who could yet get drawn into a relegation battle. "We stayed strong and didn't give them the chances to score and I hope it will be like that every week until the end of the season," said Pulis. Meanwhile West Ham manager Sam Allardyce bemoaned his side's performance at both ends of the pitch. "Not enough cutting edge. I think that's the problem for us,"Allardyce said. "Then we gave away the most ridiculous goal I've seen in a long, long time from our point of view. "I haven't got the words for it when everybody has a marker and the ball comes in from the corner, you still have your marker, you don't lose your marker but we did and being in the middle of the goal with a free header they're not going to miss. "That's the most disappointing thing for me today (Tuesday) because that's lost us the game effectively. "On such a crucial game we should not have let that slip. A point at the end of the day wouldn't have been a bad result. It's our entire fault today. " Palace captain and Australia international Mile Jedinak, released Jason Puncheon early on, only for Puncheon to shoot tamely at Jussi Jaaskelainen. West Ham, however, then looked the more likely to open the scoring with Mark Noble failing to connect properly with a close-range shot following a well-worked free-kick routine. The Hammers then created another fine chance only for Mohamed Diame to head over the bar from Stewart Downing's curling cross. And moments later Palace took the lead when, after Bannan's initial cross was blocked, the Scotland midfielder whipped in a second ball glanced in by the now unmarked Chamakh. The second half saw Palace go in search of a second goal that would put the result beyond doubt and give Pulis the boost of a victory after his first game in charge ended in defeat by Norwich last weekend. Another Bannan cross was headed narrowly over by Kagisho Dikgacoi and Jaaskelainen did well to spread himself to deny Cameron Jerome after he raced through one-on-one. West Ham, however, did have the ball in the net after 65 minutes when England winger Downing lashed in a low volley but James Tomkins had already been penalised for a foul in the area, although it looked as if the Hammers man had been impeded first. Palace substitute Jimmy Kebe also had a 'goal' ruled out moments later when he turned in Jedinak's pull-back but was flagged for offside. West Ham pushed for an equaliser late on but Ravel Morrison and James Collins were off target, while Kebe shot over the top in stoppage-time for Palace. An angry Morrison was booked after the final whistle for shoving Joel Ward in the face.― AFP  |
| Which way is Umno headed to? — Lim Sue Goan Posted: 03 Dec 2013 05:01 PM PST
Former Supreme Council member Saifuddin Abdullah said frankly during an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily that party president cum prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was under tremendous pressure from within the party during the Umno elections, resulting in him declaring to make the bumiputra agenda a key national agenda on September 14 in a bid to win broader support from Umno delegates. If the bumiputra empowerment policy was only a contingency plan put forward during the party elections, then Najib would possibly reactivate the New Economic Model as soon as this pressure is removed. I personally feel that Najib's presidential address, the Umno assembly atmosphere and the base tone would determine whether Umno would eventually move towards moderation or more fundamentalism (further clinging onto its traditional support base). GE13 is now seven months behind us, and over the past seven months, the political climate in this country has been gloomy, with racist remarks making occasional resurgence every now and then and transformation program laid aside. In its stead, bumi empowerment has taken the driver seat as if to herald the return of racist politics. Having suffered the electoral setback, how will Najib instruct party leaders and members to take heed of the lackluster response from urban, young and Chinese voters? Will they call for more assistance for the Malays? If the focus of Umno assembly debates falls on how to reward the supporters of BN, then there will be no way for the New Economic Model running on meritocracy model to ever have a possible comeback again. To connect with the international community, Umno has over the past few years organized international forums on the eve of the Umno assemblies. The theme for this year's forum is "adopting moderation and principles of balanced politics towards peace and stability." Among those attending this year's event are heavyweight local and foreign leaders such as Hamas' political bureau chairman Khaled Mashal. Since Najib has been loudly advocating moderation here and abroad, his party must therefore move towards this end in a bid to accomplish the goal of national reconciliation. Unfortunately, the 2013 undergraduates assembly, a precursor event of the Umno general assembly, passed 36 motions on Sunday, including a proposal to adopt a single stream education system and for the GLCs to give priority to bumiputras or bumiputra companies, among others. This shows that many people still subscribe to populism. Judging from the outcome of the October party elections and personnel placement, it could be seen that Najib is adopting a strategy of "orderliness in the midst of chaos." Many incumbent leaders have been returned to the key posts while appointed state chairmen remain largely the same, including Noh Omar for Selangor. Meanwhile, most of the 13 appointed Supreme Council members have been old faces. Based on such a line-up, it is unlikely that we will ever see a major reshuffle in the Cabinet line-up anytime soon. Chances for new blood to be injected are slim. Among the 13 appointed Supreme Council members, the most notable could have been Ustaz Mohammad Kazim Elias and Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah (YADIM) president Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki. Kazim is a PAS member and appointing a religious cleric to the Supreme Council has been meant to counteract PAS' religious influences. In a similar fashion, Najib has appointed former Maybank CEO Abdul Wahid Omar and Transparency International president Paul Low as ministers in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of the economic planning unit and anti-corruption initiatives. The key, nevertheless, is whether the existing policies and systems will be overhauled at all. On the back of an unsteady economy, it is essential that Umno leaders must put a stop to all the political squabbles and focus on the economic issues, including expediting the economic transformation and possible impact on the lives of ordinary citizens owing to the government's subsidy rationalization drive while striving to check superfluous expenses and administrative irregularities. If increases in the prices of petrol and electricity tariff eventually spark more political conflicts, the ensuing vicious cycle will not be favorable for BN to recapture the hearts of voters. Umno should continue to uphold and practise universally accepted value systems in hope of establishing national understanding. The situation in Thailand should serve as a perfect lesson for us that populist politics will only lead to extremism with little hope of turning back. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online. |
| Human trafficking a worry in post-typhoon Philippines, says US Posted: 03 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST
A US congressman returning from a visit to the storm-ravaged island nation said that while Filipino authorities and US forces were helping vast numbers of storm victims, more attention was needed to thwart criminal opportunists taking advantage of the chaos after Super-typhoon Haiyan roared ashore. "The most vulnerable — women, children, the elderly, and those with special needs — always fare worst during disasters," Republican congressman Chris Smith, who led the three-member delegation to the disaster zone last week, told a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee. At particular risk of sex trafficking are vulnerable people "who over a longer period of time may have lost some hope," said Smith. Such persons in the Philippines, many among the thousands transported out of the disaster zone to cities like the capital Manila, could fall victim to offers of work in Saudi Arabia or Korea, Smith said, only to find themselves with "an engraved invitation to a hell on Earth." Washington considers the Philippines as not in full compliance with minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. The State Department's 2013 trafficking report describes it as a source country for sex-trafficking and forced labour, and that "child sex tourism remained a serious problem" there. The US Agency for International Development, which for years has worked with the government of the Philippines to reduce human trafficking, also sounded the alarm at the hearing. "We are watching this very closely," Nancy Lindborg, the USAID's assistant administrator for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, testified. "To protect the children of the central Philippines during this time of heightened vulnerability, the government of the Philippines and the international community will need to make every effort... to ensure and strengthen local and national protective services." That includes creation of safe spaces for women and children, and programs that help identify, trace and reunify unaccompanied children, she said. Washington has committed nearly US$60 million (RM193 million) worth of typhoon-related aid to the Philippines, Lindborg said. More than 7,400 people died or remain missing in the aftermath of Haiyan, one of the most powerful typhoons on record. — AFP |
| Police officer feared suspect in UK soldier murder would kill her Posted: 03 Dec 2013 04:48 PM PST
The officer, identified only as D49 to protect her, attended the scene in Woolwich, south London, minutes after the gruesome murder of soldier Lee Rigby in May. The trial of Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, heard this week that the pair tried to cut off Rigby's head in broad daylight to avenge the deaths of Muslims abroad. The police officer said she saw Adebolajo running towards her waving a knife and then she saw Adebowale holding a gun. The pair, both Britons of Nigerian descent, deny murdering Rigby, attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer. "I feared for my life," the officer said in a statement read to London's Old Bailey court. "I saw a black male running at me waving both his hands in the air in a chopping motion. In his right hand I saw what I call a meat cleaver, or a machete," she said. "I instantly thought, 'he's going to kill me'." The officer said she went to draw out her Glock pistol but it was blocked by the door of her car. "It was a split second decision to draw my Taser," she said. "I could still see the look in the suspect's eyes. They were so wide and I could see the whites of them. He was shouting something." She then saw a second suspect, said to be Adebowale, holding a gun. "I thought, 'oh my God, he's going to shoot me'. I feared for my life." Both suspects were later shot by another officer. The second officer, identified as E48, told the court that the officers had "very little time to deal with the threat". The court also saw mobile phone footage of Adebolajo speaking with bloodied hands. "The only reason we've killed this man today is because Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers," he says in the clip. "This British soldier is one — he is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." A paramedic who treated Adebolajo after he was shot said the suspect had talked about religion while receiving medical attention. Nicholas Goh described Adebolajo as saying: "I don't want anyone to die, I just want the soldiers out of my country. Your government is all wrong. I did it for my God." — AFP |
| Next Media: Russian dancer sentenced to six years for organising acid attack on Sergei Filin Posted: 03 Dec 2013 04:46 PM PST Russian dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko was sentenced to six years in prison on 3 December 2013 for his role in the acid attack against the artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet. According to reports, Sergei Filin was attacked in front of his house in Moscow's Troitskaya Street on January 17. — Reuters |
| Cyber Monday sales reach web-shopping record Posted: 03 Dec 2013 04:45 PM PST
Including shopping on personal computers and mobile devices, Internet retail sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving rose to almost US$2 billion (RM6.4 billion), according to researcher ComScore Inc. That made it the heaviest Web-spending day ever for the fourth straight year. More than US$23.9 billion has been spent on the Web through PCs alone since Nov 1, an 8.4 per cent gain from the same period in 2012, the company said in a statement. Cyber Monday marked a bright spot in a holiday shopping season that so far has lacked lustre, including the first spending decline for a Black Friday weekend since 2009. While e- commerce is projected to make up only about 14 per cent of total retail sales in Nov and Dec, companies such as Amazon.com Inc. and EBay Inc. are luring customers with the promise of daily deals, fast shipping and the ease of leaving the minivan in the driveway. They're also catering to consumers who are browsing products from tablets and smartphones. "The discounts are strong, and Amazon has gained share as it typically does," ComScore Chairman Gian Fulgoni said in an interview on CNBC. "Their growth rates are well ahead of the overall market." Visa, Walmart.com Businesses across the retail industry showed increased sales on Cyber Monday. Visa Inc., the world's biggest bank-card network, said U.S. cardholders spent US$7.8 billion from Thanksgiving through yesterday, a 30 per cent increase from a year earlier. On Cyber Monday, Visa customers spent US$2.6 billion, up 28 per cent and the most of any day during that span. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, said yesterday was its biggest-ever online spending day, and that Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday marked the company's highest five- day Web sales period to date. Top-selling items on Cyber Monday included an LG 50-inch television, Apple Inc.'s iPad 2 and a Fisher-Price Power Wheels truck. "The momentum we saw on Thanksgiving carried through to Cyber Monday," Joel Anderson, president of Walmart.com in the US, said today in a statement. Amazon's Cyber Monday same-store sales jumped 46 per cent, while EBay's climbed 32 per cent, according to ChannelAdvisor Corp., which provides services to sellers on both of those sites. EBay's PayPal unit said in a statement that mobile payment volume more than doubled as of 2 pm. New York time yesterday compared with a year earlier. Mobile Shopping Retailers who tailored applications and websites for smartphone and tablet users benefited from the effort. Mobile traffic accounted for 32 per cent of site visits, a 45 per cent gain from a year earlier, according to International Business Machines Corp. In terms of sales, mobile devices drove more than 17 per cent of online purchases on Cyber Monday, IBM said. Such devices also helped make Black Friday and Cyber Monday the two biggest sales days in North America in Groupon Inc.'s history, the company said in a statement today. Transactions made on smartphones or tablets made up 55 per cent of sales for the four-day weekend. Bookings rose 30 per cent in that period, Groupon said. Wayfair LLC, which began selling home furnishings on the Web in 2002, posted a 50 per cent increase in Cyber Monday sales, marking the biggest revenue day in the company's history. From Thanksgiving through yesterday, the store saw US$25 million in revenue, a 56 percent rise from a year earlier. Store Slump Web-based retailers are reporting strong sales even as those with physical stores face a less rosy holiday shopping season. Online spending increased 15 percent to a record US$1.2 billion on Black Friday, according to Reston, Virginia-based ComScore. At the same time, because of the in-store slump, total purchases fell 2.9 per cent to US$57.4 billion during the four days beginning with the Nov 28 Thanksgiving holiday, according to a survey commissioned by the National Retail Federation. "The real winners are, in fact, the consumers, who are recognizing more savings through competitive pricing and great promotions being offered in every category," NRF Chief Executive Officer Matthew Shay said in a statement.― Bloomberg |
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