US aircraft hit 90 Islamic State targets in three days: Pentagon

US aircraft hit 90 Islamic State targets in three days: Pentagon
Mexico closes 80 schools after chemical leak
Tragedi ngeri
Perompak warga Filipina diberkas
Budak mati terjatuh, dihempap timbunan bata
Bot ekspres Kapit-Baleh kembali beroperasi

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 07:41 PM PDT

WASHINGTON: US military aircraft have carried out 35 air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq over the past three days, destroying more than 90 targets, the Pentagon said Monday (Aug 18).

The strikes marked the most intensive US bombardments of IS positions since they began on August 8. Drones and fighter, bomber and attack jets "eliminated" Islamist fighters' positions as the militants battled for control of a major dam in northern Iraq, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said.

"In all, we destroyed over 90 targets including a range of vehicles, equipment and fighting positions," he added in a statement. "Iraqi forces have cleared the dam and are working to further expand their area of control."

Earlier, US Central command (CENTCOM) indicated that American warplanes and drones carried out 15 air strikes on Monday alone. Fighter jets, bombers and unmanned planes destroyed nine Islamic State positions and eight vehicles around the Mosul dam, where insurgents are fighting Kurdish forces, CENTCOM added.

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said US forces stood ready to pursue more missions along those lines, according to Kirby. "Secretary Hagel also commends the way in which Iraqi forces worked together in this operation. It reflects the growing determination of Iraqis to fight back," the spokesman added.

The US military launched a wave of air strikes in northern Iraq just over a week ago with the stated aim of protecting a group of Yazidi minority refugees and US personnel and facilities. The strikes also sought to prevent an IS advance on the city of Arbil.

Obama hailed the Kurds' recapture of a major dam outside Mosul but warned Baghdad that "the wolf is at the door" and said it must move quickly to build an inclusive government. "This operation demonstrates that Iraqi and Kurdish forces are capable of working together and taking the fight to ISIL (Islamic State)," Obama said.

"If they continue to do so, they will have the strong support of the United States of America," he promised, in his clearest signal yet that the 10-day-old US air campaign against IS is far from over.

Monday's barrage destroyed nine IS fighting positions and a checkpoint, six armed trucks, an armoured vehicle, a mobile anti-aircraft gun and a patch of ground booby-trapped with improvised explosives. CENTCOM said the strikes had been conducted under the authority of Obama's order to support Iraqi and Kurdish forces in the fight against IS militants and to protect US personnel and facilities. – AFP

Mexico closes 80 schools after chemical leak

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 07:37 PM PDT

MEXICO CITY: Authorities in Mexico said Monday (Aug 18) they have closed about 80 schools after sulphuric acid leaked from a copper mine in the country's northwest and contaminated the Sonora River. "About 5,000 students from around 80 schools will not have classes this week because of a lack of water and in some locations their proximity to the river," said the director of the Sonora state civil protection agency, Jesus Arias.

On Aug 6, some 40,000 cubic metres of sulphuric acid used to dissolve copper from ore for processing leaked out of a holding tank at the Buenavista copper mine, one of the largest in the world. The chemical turned a 60-kilometre stretch of the Sonora River orange, causing authorities to shut off the municipal water supply to 20,000 people in seven towns.

The mine has poured tons of lime into the river to neutralize the acidity, but experts warn the water supply still poses a health risk because sulphuric acid releases heavy metals from the surrounding environment. Potential risks for the local population include cancer, genetic deformities and developmental problems in children.

The government and the mine, which is owned by Latin American mining giant Grupo Mexico, say they have distributed four million litres of water to most of the affected communities.

The mine produces 200,000 tonnes of copper a year, and is seeking to increase annual output to 510,000 tonnes by 2016 with a US$3.2 billion (S$3.98 billion) investment. Prosecutors have said it could face a US$224,000 fine for the leak. – AFP

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Tragedi ngeri

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 03:30 PM PDT

Oleh Watt Zacchaeus //

Lelaki maut kereta dipandunya merempuh lori bawa muatan kelapa sawit di Kilometer 21 Jalan Sibu-Bintulu

SIBU: Seorang lelaki meninggal dunia selepas kereta yang dipandunya merempuh lori yang membawa muatan biji kelapa sawit di Kilometer 21 Jalan Sibu- Bintulu, malam kelmarin.

Su Sieng Yih, 35, dari Tanjung Batu, Bintulu dikatakan memandu seorang diri ketika kejadian yang berlaku sekitar jam 9.30 malam itu.

Mangsa yang memandu kereta Toyota Vios dikatakan hilang kawalan dan merempuh lori yang datang dari arah bertentangan.

Akibat perlanggaran itu, kereta mangsa dikatakan berpusing beberapa kali sebelum merempuh lagi bahagian tayar lori lalu seterusnya tercampak kirakira 20 meter dan tersadai di sebuah longkang di tepi jalan.

Kesan perlanggaran yang kuat itu menyebabkan tayar kenderaan berat terbabit pecah.

Akibatnya, pemandu lori terbabit gagal mengawal kenderaannya lalu terbabas ke bahu jalan.

Biji kelapa sawit bertaburan di atas jalan.

Bagaimanapun, pemandu lori tidak mengalami sebarang kecederaan.

Kemalangan itu menyebabkan kesesakan lalu lintas di sepanjang jalan tersebut.

Perompak warga Filipina diberkas

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 03:27 PM PDT

MIRI: Tindakan pantas seorang anggota polis yang tidak bertugas berjaya menggagalkan hasrat dua lelaki warga asing yang cuba merompak seorang lelaki dalam kejadian di hadapan sebuah bank di Jalan China di sini petang semalam.

Menurut sumber, dalam kejadian sekitar jam 2.15 petang itu, seorang anggota polis berpangkat lans koperal yang tidak bertugas kebetulan berada di kawasan berkenaan apabila terserempak dengan dua lelaki yang memakai topeng muka.

Seorang daripada lelaki terbabit dilihat memegang sebilah parang dan cuba merompak seorang lelaki yang sedang berada di hadapan bank berkenaan.

Difahamkan, mangsa pergi ke bank itu untuk memasukkan wang.

Melihat kejadian itu, anggota polis terbabit segera menghubungi bilik gerakan untuk mendapatkan bantuan anggota bit.

Manakala dua perompak terbabit yang merupakan warga Filipina segera meninggalkan tempat kejadian dengan menaiki sebuah motosikal jenis Honda berwarna hijau/hitam setelah menyedari perbuatan mereka diperhatikan.

Berikutan itu, anggota polis terbabit terus mengekori kedua-dua suspek sehingga ke tempat letak kereta di Stadium Tertutup Miri.

Mereka kemudian dilihat meninggalkan motosikal di pekarangan stadium sebelum pergi ke kawasan Dataran Kipas.

Sebaik anggota bit tiba, mereka pergi ke kawasan Dataran Kipas untuk menjejaki dua suspek terbabit dan mendapati mereka sedang bersembunyi di salah sebuah pondok di kawasan tersebut.

Setelah menyedari kehadiran polis, kedua-duanya cuba melarikan diri namun kemudian berjaya diberkas di kawasan Jalan Sylvia di sini dan kemudian dibawa ke Balai Polis Pusat Miri untuk disoal siasat.

Semasa tangkapan dibuat, polis turut merampas sebuah beg berwarna merah daripada salah seorang suspek dan hasil pemeriksaan mendapati beg itu mengandungi sebilah parang, sebilah kapak, tiga topeng muka dan dua sarung tangan.

Selain itu, polis turut merampas motosikal yang digunakan keduadua suspek untuk dijadikan barang kes.

Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Daerah Miri ACP Gan Tian Kee ketika dihubungi mengesahkan menerima laporan berhubung kejadian itu.

Bagaimanapun katanya, mangsa masih belum membuat laporan rasmi berhubung insiden tersebut.

Budak mati terjatuh, dihempap timbunan bata

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 03:26 PM PDT

KUCHING: Seorang kanak-kanak berusia lapan tahun menemui ajal apabila terjatuh dari tempat tinggi sebelum dihempap objek berat di sebuah kilang di Jalan Pending.

Mangsa yang dikenal pasti sebagai Delson Goh difahamkan tergelincir lalu terkena papan perancah sebelum dihempap timbunan bata.

Mangsa yang dalam keadaan kritikal seterusnya dikejarkan ke Hospital Umum Sarawak (HUS) sekitar jam 6 petang.

Bagaimanapun, mangsa yang menerima rawatan di Zon Merah gagal diselamatkan.

Dia dilaporkan menghembuskan nafas terakhir sejam kemudian.

Polis mengklasifi kasikan kes itu sebagai mati mengejut.

Bot ekspres Kapit-Baleh kembali beroperasi

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 03:24 PM PDT

SIBU: Operasi bot ekspres dari Kapit ke Baleh yang dihentikan sementara waktu pada 26 Julai lalu disebabkan paras air amat rendah kini kembali beroperasi seperti biasa.

Keadaan itu memberi kelegaan kepada pengguna yang bergantung kepada pengangkutan sungai untuk pergi ke tempat tersebut.

Pengawal Lembaga Sungai-Sungai Sarawak William Jinep mengesahkan bahawa perkhidmatan bot itu telah kembali normal sejak 9 Ogos lalu.

"Dua bot mula beroperasi menggunakan laluan Kapit/ Baleh dengan kapasiti 96 hingga 90 penumpang," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini semalam.

Beliau menambah, ada dua bot lagi di laluan Kapit/Nanga Gaat beroperasi dengan kapasiti masing-masing 104 dan 90 orang penumpang.

"Perkhidmatan Kapit/Belaga beroperasi seperti biasa," katanya.

Bulan lalu, paras air amat rendah memaksa perkhidmatan bot antara Kapit dan Baleh terpaksa dihentikan sementara.

Jelasnya, ini kerana terdapat bonjolan batu-batu yang boleh mengundang bahaya kepada bot melalui kawasan tersebut.

Dilaporkan bahawa beberapa laluan air dari Kapit ke Baleh berada di paras bawah dua kaki dalam dan beberapa laluan kurang satu meter dan hanya paras satu meter.

Menurut Jinep, bot ekspres hanya dapat beroperasi sekiranya paras air sekurang-kurangnya sedalam dua meter.