Hellos :D


♥ Tuesday, June 30



MORONI (AFP) - - A Yemeni Airbus carrying 153 people crashed into the Indian Ocean as it came into land in the Comoros islands early on Tuesday but rescuers managed to pull a child survivor from the water, officials said.

It was the second time in less than a month that an Airbus has crashed. This time French authorities said the Yemeni carrier had been under surveillance and that problems had been reported with the jet.


Bodies and wreckage from the Yemenia airline flight were spotted in the Indian Ocean near Moroni, capital of the island archipelago, aviation officials said.


But rescuers managed to pull a child from the water, one of the only survivors among the 142 passengers and 11 crew on Flight IY 626, a surgeon at the Moroni hospital told AFP.
Issa Ben Imani said the child was being taken ashore and on to hospital.


Arfachad Salim, a rescue coordinator for the Comoros Red Crescent, confirmed the child was alive and said local fishermen had also found wreckage, handbags and other effects belonging to the passengers.


In Sanaa, Yemenia's deputy managing director for operations Mohammed al-Sumairi said three bodies had also been recovered.


Flight IY 626 had started in Paris early on Monday and made stops in Marseille, Sanaa and Djibouti before heading to Moroni.


The control tower at Moroni airport lost contact with the jet just before it was due to land amid bad weather, airport director Hadji Mmadi Ali told AFP.


French civil aviation officials said 66 passengers were French. Three small babies were also on board, officials said. France sent two navy ships and a plane from its nearby Indian Ocean territories to help the rescue.


"Bodies were seen floating on the surface of the water and a fuel slick was also spotted about 16 or 17 nautical miles from Moroni," senior Yemeni civil aviation official Mohammad Abdel Kader told reporters in Sanaa.


Kader said the wind was blowing in gusts of up to 70 mph (115 kph) when the plane went down.
"Weather conditions were bad," he said. "The sea was rough."

The Yemenia flight left Sanaa at 9:45pm (1845 GMT) on Monday and contact was lost four hours later at 1:51am (2251 GMT), Kader said.


"Yemenia regrets to announce the missing of its flight No IY626 from Sanaa to Moroni with 142 passengers and 11 crew on board Airbus 310-300," the airline announced on its website.


Airbus, which is still reeling from the crash of an Air France A330-320 into the Atlantic on June 1 with 228 people on board, set up a crisis cell straight away and sent investigators to the Comoros.


Investigators are still trying to establish the cause of the Air France disaster. The black box flight recorders have not been found and their signal will stop emitting on July 2.


The European plane maker said the plane which crashed off Moroni was built in 1990 and had been operated by Yemenia since 1999.


France's Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau said inspectors had noted numerous faults on the Yemenia jet and the airline was being closely monitored by EU authorities.


"The A310 in question had been inspected in France in 2007 by the DGAC (French civil aviation authority) and a certain number of faults had been noted," Dominique Bussereau.


"The plane had not since then reappeared in our country," he told i-tele news.


Yemenia was not on an EU blacklist "but was being subjected to closer inspection by us and was due to soon be heard by the security committee of the European Union," he said.


Airbus said in a statement the jet had accumulated approximately 51,900 hours in the air on some 17,300 flights.


Yemen Airways was founded in 1961 and Yemenia was formed out of it in 1978. The airline, which is Yemen's national carrier, is 51 percent owned by the Yemeni government and 49 percent by Saudi Arabia, according to its website.


The Yemenia flight started at Paris Charles de Gaulle on Monday morning, using a more modern Airbus A330-200 for the first legs of the journey.


The plane flew to Marseille in southern France, where there is a large Comoran community, and then went on to Sanaa. There were about 100 passengers on board when it left Marseille, Yemeni civil aviation official Kader said.


In the Yemeni capital, people from various Arab states joined the flight and the passengers changed to the Airbus A310 which first flew to Djibouti.


A crisis task force was set up at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport while psychologists were on hand at Marseille's airport to comfort relatives of the passengers.



Published by: Raymond Lim

4/9 '10 loves x3 9:30 PM

SECOND AIR CRASH in JUNE.



MORONI - An Airbus A310-300 from Yemen with 153 people on board crashed into choppy seas as it tried to land in bad weather on the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros Tuesday, officials said.

Two French military planes and a French ship left the Indian Ocean islands of Mayotte and Reunion to search for the Yemenia aircraft that was carrying nationals from France and Comoros.

An official from the Yemeni state carrier said the plane had 142 passengers, including three infants, and 11 crew on board. It was flying from Sanaa to Moroni, the capital of the main island of the Comoros archipelago.

"We still do not have information about the reason behind the crash or survivors," Mohammad al-Sumairi, deputy general manager for Yemenia operations told Reuters.

"The weather conditions were rough; strong wind and high seas. The wind speed recorded on land at the airport was 61 km an hour. There could be other factors," he said.

It is the second Airbus to plunge into the sea this month. An Air France Airbus A330-200 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean killing 228 people on board on June 1.

In 1996, a hijacked Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 also crashed into the sea off the Comoros islands in 1996, killing 125 of 175 passengers and crew.

"Two French military aircraft have left from the islands of Mayotte and Reunion to search the identified zone, and a French vessel has left Mayotte," said Hadji Madi Ali, director General of Moroni International Airport.

COMING INTO LAND

"The plane has crashed and we still don't know exactly where. We think it's in the area of Mitsamiouli," Comoros Vice-President Idi Nadhoim told Reuters from the airport.
Ibrahim Kassim, a representative from regional air security body ASECNA, said the plane had probably come down 5 to 10 km from the coast, and civilian and military boats had set off to search the rough waters.

"We think the crash is somewhere along its landing approach," Kassim told Reuters. "The weather is really not very favourable. The sea is very rough."

ASECNA -- the Agency for Aviation Security and Navigation in Africa and Madagascar -- covers Francophone Africa.

The town of Mitsamiouli is on the main island Grande Comore.

Interior Minister Hamid Bourhane told Reuters the army had sent small speedboats to an area between the village of Ntsaoueni and the airport.

"At the moment we don't have any information about whether there are any survivors," he told Reuters.

A medical worker in Mitsamiouli said he had been called in.

"They have just called me to come to the hospital. They said a plane had crashed," he told Reuters.

A United Nations official at the airport, who declined to be named, said the control tower had received notification the plane was coming into land, and then lost contact with it.

Yemenia is 51 percent owned by the Yemeni government and 49 percent owned by the Saudi Arabian government. Its fleet includes two Airbus 330-200s, four Airbus 310-300s and four Boeing 737-800s, according to the company Web site.

The Comoros covers three small volcanic islands, Grande Comore, Anjouan and Moheli, in the Mozambique channel, 300 km northwest of Madagascar and a similar distance east of the African mainland.



Published By: Raymond Lim

4/9 '10 loves x3 8:26 PM




happy
belated birthday to mr lau!!!
you always brightened up our days with your horny jokes! and stop touching girls' "butt" on the screen! hahas :D & faster find gf hor!!


happy birthday to ginni!!!
hellos, genie in the bottle! you rocks!!



i shall try to wish everyone their birthdays here from now onwards :)

zishing:)

4/9 '10 loves x3 6:01 PM

♥ Monday, June 29
In memory of the KING OF POP


LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - The father of Michael Jackson said he remained concerned about the circumstances of his son's death as the tragic pop icon's personal doctor protested his innocence.
In a surprising first public appearance since the death of his superstar son, family patriarch Joe Jackson appeared on the red carpet of a Los Angeles awards show dedicated to the African-American entertainment industry.

The Jackson family is reportedly angry at the "unanswered questions" concerning the role of doctor Conrad Murray in the final hours of Michael Jackson's life. Lawyers for Murray insist he has been cleared of wrongdoing.

However speaking to a CNN reporter at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards, Jackson, 79, said he continued to harbor misgivings about the sudden death of his son at the age of 50.

"I have a lot of concerns. I can't get into that, but I don't like what happened," Jackson said, before directing questions to a family lawyer who declined to comment further.

"We can't talk about that now," attorney Londell McMillan said. "There is a second autopsy that is underway and we'll let that process take its course at this time. We'll have more detail at a later point."

Los Angeles police conducted a second interview with Murray on Saturday but cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing, the physician's lawyers said.

The 51-year-old cardiologist, who became part of Jackson's staff in March to help the singer prepare for a concert comeback in London, has faced intense speculation amid reports he injected Jackson with the potent prescription painkiller Demerol just before he died.
However a lawyer for Murray said Sunday that reports of an injection were "absolutely false," the first time the allegation has been denied.

"There was no Demerol. No OxyContin," Edward Chernoff, an attorney for Murray was quoted as saying by the Los Angeles Times, adding that Murray had discovered Jackson unconscious in the bedroom of his home.

"(Murray) was the one who suggested the autopsy to the family while they were still in the hospital. He didn't understand why Michael Jackson had died," Chernoff was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile Jackson's family have yet to finalize funeral plans and were due to meet activist Reverend Al Sharpton Sunday to discuss plans for a tribute.

Sharpton was cited in several media reports as saying Jackson's family was considering a series of simultaneous memorials around the world to reflect the huge appeal of the late "King of Pop."
"Reverend Sharpton will discuss with the family ideas that people from around the world have sent him about how they would like to memorialize Michael Jackson," a spokeswoman for Sharpton said.

However an unofficial memorial appeared to already be underway at Los Angeles's famous Shrine Auditorium, where the cream of the African-American music, acting and sporting worlds was gathering for the BET Awards.

A galaxy of stars paid fulsome tribute to Jackson as they walked the red carpet, hailing his role as a star who had helped break racial barriers.

"You know, my man is the greatest," hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy Combs" told CNN. "He's one of the reasons why Barack Obama's president... He started the change in the world about how African-Americans are perceived."

"We miss him and we love him and we just feel devastated," said soul singer Alicia Keys, urging people to remember Jackson in a "respectful, positive way."

Asked how Jackson had influenced her, Keys replied: "In every way. How could he not influence us to break the barrier and to think bigger, and to try new things and to break the rules?
"Tonight is a true memorial for him. It's really about honoring him."

Thousands of Jackson devotees continued to gather outside the singer's star on the walk of fame as well as the Jackson family's home in Encino, where makeshift shrines of flowers and cards have grown rapidly since Thursday.

Jackson's death has sent fans scrambling to stock up on his music across the world. British chart officials said a compilation album of the star's greatest hits had rocketed to the top of the charts on Sunday.

A spokesman for music retailer HMV said there had been an 80-fold increase in demand for Jackson's music "almost overnight" after the singer's death -- the biggest one-day rise in sales seen for any artists, including Elvis Presley and John Lennon.

Labels: ,


4/9 '10 loves x3 12:06 PM

♥ Sunday, June 28
Brooks Republic Run. ( NPCC/ 3/9 Students)








Cheeky smile.













4/9 '10 loves x3 8:06 PM

♥ Saturday, June 27
Singapore visitor arrivals fell 13 pct in May


SINGAPORE, June 26 - Visitor arrivals in Singapore fell for the 12th consecutive month in May, the government said on Friday, dropping 13 percent from a year ago as the global recession and outbreak of H1N1 flu discouraged travel.

The Singapore Tourism Board said in a statement that 725,000 people visited the city-state last month compared with 834,000 a year ago.

The total number of days spent by tourists in Singapore fell a smaller 10.6 percent to 3.1 million days.

The May figure was also below April's 779,000 visitor arrivals

Singapore had been planning to expand its tourism business. Two large casino-resorts -- one operated by Las Vegas Sands , and the other by Genting Singapore -- are scheduled to open their doors early next year.

The two casino-resorts will add over a thousand hotel rooms to the city-state at a time when occupancy and rates are falling.

STB said the average hotel room rate in Singapore fell 25.4 percent to S$184 in May from a year ago, while occupancy fell to 69 percent, down 12.2 percentage point from the same period.


Published by: Raymond Lim

4/9 '10 loves x3 11:24 AM

♥ Friday, June 26
Never Say Die Spirit.


The moral of this Article is, no matter what happened, we should not give up easily, instead, we should put in our efforts and try our Best to overcome the situation. Just like Farrah Fewcett. Although she had cancer, she did not give up. She continued to battle for her life against cancer. Though her battle ended, but she did not give up her life from the beginning, when she found out that she had cancer. This INSPIRED most of the people all around the world. This is the NEVER SAY DIE spirit, and the NEVER GIVE UP spirit that we should FOLLOW.

LOS ANGELES - Farrah Fawcett, a 1970s sex symbol and TV star of "Charlie's Angels," spent almost three years in private fighting for her life against cancer. But shortly before her battle ended, she allowed the public an intimate and inspiring look inside.

Fawcett, 62, died Thursday morning at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, after being diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006.


The news came just a month after the airing of "Farrah's Story," a documentary in which she made public her painful treatments and dispiriting setbacks _ from shaving her golden locks before chemotherapy could claim them to undergoing experimental treatments in Germany.

"Her big message to people is don't give up. No matter what they say to you, keep fighting,"

Alana Stewart, who filmed Fawcett as she underwent treatment, said last month. NBC estimated the May 15, 2009, broadcast drew nearly 9 million viewers.


In the documentary, she also recounted her efforts to unmask the source of leaks from her UCLA Medical Center records, which led a hospital employee to plead guilty to violating a federal privacy law for selling celebrities' information to the National Enquirer.


On Thursday, Fawcett was with Ryan O'Neal, her longtime companion who returned to her side when she became ill. He is the father of her 24-year-old son, Redmond.


This month, O'Neal said he asked Fawcett to marry him and she agreed. They would wed "as soon as she can say yes," he said, but it never happened.


"Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world," O'Neal said in a statement.


Other "Charlie's Angels" stars also paid tribute to the actress who stole the series with her winsome smile, tousled hair and unfettered sensuality.


"Farrah had courage, she had strength, and she had faith. And now she has peace as she rests with the real angels," Jaclyn Smith said.


Said Cheryl Ladd: "She was incredibly brave, and God will be welcoming her with open arms."
Kate Jackson said she would remember Fawcett's "kindness, her cutting, dry wit and, of course, her beautiful smile. Today when you think of Farrah remember her smiling because that is exactly how she wanted to be remembered, smiling."


Fawcett became a sensation in 1976 as one-third of the crime-fighting trio in "Charlie's Angels." A poster of her in a clingy, red swimsuit sold in the millions and her full, layered hairstyle became all the rage, with girls and women across America mimicking the look.


She left the show after one season but had a flop on the big screen with "Somebody Killed Her Husband." She turned to more serious roles in the 1980s and 1990s, winning praise playing an abused wife in "The Burning Bed."


Born Feb. 2, 1947, in Corpus Christi, Texas, she was named Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett by her mother, who said she added the Farrah because it sounded good with Fawcett. As a student at the University of Texas at Austin, she was voted one of the 10 most beautiful people on the campus and her photos were eventually spotted by movie publicist David Mirisch, who suggested she pursue a film career.


She appeared in a string of commercials, including one where she shaved quarterback Joe Namath, and in such TV shows as "That Girl," "The Flying Nun," "I Dream of Jeannie" and "The Partridge Family."


Fawcett, Jackson and Smith made up the original "Angels," the sexy, police-trained trio of martial arts experts who took their assignments from a rich, mysterious boss named Charlie (John Forsythe, who was never seen on camera but whose distinctive voice was heard on speaker phone.)


The program debuted in September 1976, the height of what some critics derisively referred to as television's "jiggle show" era. It gave each of the actresses ample opportunity to show off their figures as they disguised themselves as hookers and strippers to solve crimes.
Backed by a clever publicity campaign, Fawcett _ then billed as Farrah Fawcett-Majors because of her marriage to "The Six Million Dollar Man" star Lee Majors _ quickly became the most popular Angel of all.


Her face helped sell T-shirts, lunch boxes, shampoo, wigs and even a novelty plumbing device called Farrah's faucet. Her flowing blond hair, pearly white smile and trim, shapely body made her a favorite with male viewers in particular.
The public and the show's producer, Spelling-Goldberg, were shocked when she announced after the series' first season that she was leaving television's No. 5-rated series to star in feature films. (Ladd became the new "Angel" on the series.)


But Fawcett was never able to duplicate her TV success on film. Her first star vehicle, the comedy-mystery "Somebody Killed Her Husband," flopped. The actress had also been in line to star in "Foul Play" for Columbia Pictures. But the studio opted for Goldie Hawn instead. Fawcett told The Associated Press in 1979 that Spelling-Goldberg sabotaged her, warning "all the studios that that they would be sued for damages if they employed me."

She finally reached an agreement to appear in three episodes of "Charlie's Angels" a season, an experience she called "painful."


After a short string of unsuccessful movies, Fawcett found critical success in the 1984 television movie "The Burning Bed," which earned her an Emmy nomination.


As further proof of her acting credentials, Fawcett appeared off-Broadway in "Extremities," playing a woman who seeks revenge against her attacker after being raped in her own home. She repeated the role in the 1986 film version.


Not content to continue playing victims, she switched type to take on roles as a murderous mother in the 1989 true-crime story "Small Sacrifices" and a tough lawyer on the trail of a thief in 1992's "Criminal Behavior."


She also starred in biographies of Nazi-hunter Beate Klarsfeld and photographer Margaret Bourke-White.


In 1995, at age 50, Fawcett stirred controversy posing partly nude for Playboy magazine. The following year, she starred in a Playboy video, "All of Me," in which she was equally unclothed while she sculpted and painted.


Fawcett's most unfortunate career moment may have been a 1997 appearance on David Letterman's show, when her disjointed, rambling answers led many to speculate that she was on drugs. She denied that, blaming her strange behavior on questionable advice from her mother to be playful and have a good time.


In September 2006, Fawcett, who at 59 still maintained a strict regimen of tennis and paddleball, began to feel strangely exhausted. She underwent two weeks of tests that revealed the cancer.


"I do not want to die of this disease. So I say to God, `It is seriously time for a miracle,'" she said in "Farrah's Story."


Published by: Raymond Lim

4/9 '10 loves x3 10:21 PM

Michael Jackson Dead


LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Michael Jackson died on Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest, sending shockwaves sweeping across the world and tributes pouring in for the tortured music icon revered as the "King of Pop."

Jackson, 50, collapsed at his rented mansion in the exclusive Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills and was rushed to hospital by paramedics before being pronounced dead at 2:26 pm (2126 GMT).

Jackson, one of the most influential figures in pop music history whose four-decade career included the highest-selling album of all-time, "Thriller," had been preparing for a concert comeback in London next month he had dubbed "the final curtain."

News of Jackson's death triggered an outpouring of grief as shocked pop music superstars, foreign governments and devoted fans paid tribute to the troubled star who struggled to rebuild his career after a 2005 acquittal for child abuse.

Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Lieutenant Fred Corral said an autopsy would likely be carried out on Friday and would not speculate on the exact cause of death.
Jackson's brother Jermaine, the family's official spokesman, later revealed physicians had battled for more than an hour to revive the star after his arrival at the UCLA Medical Center before he was pronounced dead.

"Our family requests that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time," Jermaine Jackson said. "May Allah be with you, Michael, always."
As the sun began to sink over Los Angeles, a coroner's office helicopter bearing Jackson's body took off from the UCLA Medical Center, where hundreds of media and fans had gathered throughout the day.

Meanwhile police motorcycle riders surrounded Jackson's gated mansion as crowds of tourists and fans gathered, snapping photographs of the property's wrought iron gates.
Pop diva Madonna was among dozens of celebrities who struggled to cope. "I can't stop crying over the sad news," the singer said in a statement. "The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever!"

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband also posted his thoughts on micro-blogging site Twitter. "Never has one soared so high and yet dived so low. RIP Michael," Miliband wrote.
Lana Brown, a 49-year-old tourist from Dallas, broke down in tears as she digested the news. "Right today I can't believe we might have lost the best entertainer this world has ever seen," she told AFP.

Jackson's death came as the singer prepared to make a keenly anticipated concert comeback in London, his first series of shows in more than a decade and the first since his 2005 child molestation trial.

However those concerts were thrown into doubt after Jackson pushed back the opening dates last month, although organizers insisted the delay was not linked to Jackson's health.
Randy Phillips of concert backers AEG Live said at the time: "I would trade my body for his tomorrow. He's in fantastic shape."

But Jackson attorney and family spokesman Brian Oxman said he had harbored concerns over the singer's condition, revealing that he had taking prescription medication as he prepared for his comeback.

Oxman compared Jackson's fate to the overdose death of Playboy centerfold Anna-Nicole Smith, voicing concern over "enablers" in his entourage.

"The people who have surrounded him have been enabling him... if you think that the case of Anna-Nicole Smith was an abuse, it was nothing to what we have seen in Michael Jackson's life," Oxman told CNN.

"When you warn people that this is what's going to happen and then it happens -- where there's smoke there's fire."

While Jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with electric dance moves like the backwards "moonwalk" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his colorful public behavior, his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.
Jackson lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges including child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.

Despite his acquittal, the trial was a body blow from which the pop music superstar, who named his ranch for Peter Pan's "Neverland" of perpetual childhood and furnished it with Disney-inspired rides, struggled to recover.

Four years later, Jackson was still worshipped by fans for revolutionizing music, dance and music videos at the peak of his success.

The attention paid to him in recent years was less flattering, focusing on apparent cosmetic surgery -- which he denies -- his baby dangling antics and a decade of swirling child abuse allegations.

Born on August 29, 1958, Jackson made his show business debut with four of his older brothers in the Jackson Five pop group, and went on to lead the stage clan with a piping soprano and dazzling dance moves.

By 1969, the group had signed a contract with Motown Records, becoming one of the last great acts to emerge from the legendary label.

The Jacksons produced seven platinum singles for Motown, selling over a million, and three multi-platinum albums, selling more than two million. They moved to CBS's Epic Records in 1976.

Despite the early success, Jackson was to recall those years as unhappy and lonely ones. Eventually the family act broke up, as Jackson went solo.
In 1979, Quincy Jones produced Jackson's first solo album for Epic, "Off the Wall," a huge disco-oriented success that sold 10 million copies.

They teamed up again in 1982 for what would be Jackson's breakthrough album as a composer and co-producer, "Thriller," which became the top-selling album of all time, with sales exceeding 41 million.

Jones reacted with shock after being informed of Jackson's death Thursday.
"I'm absolutely devastated at this news," he said. "I just don't have the words. Divinity brought our souls together and allowed us to do what we could do through the '80s," Jones said.
"To this day that music is played in every corner of the world, and the reason is because he had it all -- talent, grace, and professionalism.

I've lost my little brother today and part of my soul has gone with him."

_____________________________________________

POSTED BY INDEX 34 OF CLASS 3/9
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Labels:


4/9 '10 loves x3 1:24 PM



YANGON (AFP) - - Myanmar downplayed reports that a possibly weapons-bearing North Korean ship was headed for its shores, saying it expected another vessel from the communist state but that it only carried rice.

The comments came after a US Navy destroyer began tracking the suspect North Korean ship, the Kang Nam 1, under new United Nations sanctions designed to punish Pyongyang over a recent underground nuclear test.

Military-ruled Myanmar's government-controlled media said it had no information on the ageing Kang Nam 1 and that a separate North Korean cargo ship was due to arrive from India.
"Certain foreign news agencies have been spreading rumours these days about a DPRK (North Korea)-owned cargo vessel, Kang Nam 1, which left Nampo port, North Korea for Myanmar on June 17," the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.

"The authorities concerned have no information about the Kang Nam 1 itself as reported by foreign news agencies."

The newspaper added that the MV Dumangang cargo ship from North Korea was due to arrive in Myanmar on June 27 "for the shipment of 8,000 tonnes of rice from Kolkata, India."
Myanmar and hardline communist North Korea, both of which are severely criticised internationally for human rights abuses, restored diplomatic relations in 2007 after a 24-year rift.

US officials have said that the Kang Nam 1 was being tracked by the Aegis destroyer USS John S. McCain under the UN sanctions and could be headed to Myanmar.
South Korea's YTN television news channel, citing an unnamed intelligence source, reported on Sunday the Kang Nam 1 was suspected of carrying missiles or related parts and was heading for Myanmar via Singapore.

However, Singapore's maritime and port authority said Thursday it had not received any information that the ship had requested to dock in the city-state.

The 2,000-tonne ship left the western North Korean port of Nampo on June 17, with Myanmar set as its final destination, YTN said.

The US Defense Department said overnight that the ship was still being monitored but declined to give its location or say if or when the US Navy might ask to search it.

"That is a decision I think we will likely take collectively with our allies and partners out there and make a determination about whether we choose to hail and query this particular ship," press secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters.

"But that is not a decision that's been made yet, and I don't get the sense that -- that it is imminent. So I would urge everybody just to take a deep breath and to not hyperventilate about this particular ship."

Concern over the North Korean ship comes as a group of exiled Myanmar activists released pictures of what they said was a secret network of tunnels built by North Korean experts inside Myanmar.

The Democratic Voice of Burma said most of the huge, vehicle-width tunnels were constructed around the ruling junta's new capital, Naypyidaw.

Myanmar severed ties with Pyongyang in 1983 following a failed assassination attempt by North Korean agents on then-South Korean president Chun Doo-Hwan during his visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

The bombing killed 17 of Chun's entourage including cabinet ministers while four Myanmar officials also died, but with both countries branded "outposts of tyranny" by the United States they have sought to rebuild relations.

Tensions in Asia have soared since North Korea's long-range rocket launch in early April and its nuclear test in late May, and on Thursday Pyongyang warned that "dark clouds of nuclear war" are gathering over the peninsula.

Published by: Raymond Lim

4/9 '10 loves x3 9:11 AM

♥ Thursday, June 25
IMPORTANT.


Dear all,

If you have been following the news, Ministry of Education has announced that schoolwill start asscheduled, i.e. on the 29th Jun 2009.

Before school starts, just a few gentle reminder:

1.BRING YOUR THERMOMETER EVERYDAY.

2.IF YOU ARE NOT FEELING WELL, DO NOT COME TO SCHOOL.(Please see a doctor and get a MC).

3.BRING YOUR TRAVEL DECLARATION FORM WHICH WAS MAILED TO YOUR HOUSE.

4.BRING YOUR REPORT BOOK FOR SUBMISSION TO YOUR FORM TEACHER.

5.HAVE A HAIR CUT IF YOUR HAIR IS LONG. (2 fingers above the collar, no longsideburn and fringe)

6.IF YOU HAVE COLOURED YOUR HAIR, PLEASE DYE IT BLACK BEFORE RETURNING TO SCHOOL.

Other information:

1.Lessons will start on the very first day. Please follow your term 2 time table andbring thenecessary items.

2.There will be no CCA for the first week of school.

3.There will be no assembly in the afternoon, all classes will have PC.

4.There will be no flag raising for the first week. All students are to return toclass uponarrival in school.

5.All class monitor and monitress please report to school earlier (7 am) to help your form teacher for classroom adminstration on the first day.

Thank you for your attention. With regards.

Mr. David Leong

4/9 '10 loves x3 6:17 PM

Swine Flu, H1N1, mainly caused by H2N2.


SINGAPORE: Singapore has confirmed another 26 new H1N1 cases, comprising 11 local cases and 15 cases with travel history.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Singapore to 220.

The Health Ministry said Wednesday the 11 new local cases comprise two Butter Factory patrons, two who attended a church camp at the Fishermen of Christ Church, two full—time national servicemen at Maju Camp and five unlinked cases.

The five unlinked cases comprise four women and one man — between 18 and 22 years of age.
Of the 15 imported cases, four had a travel history to the Philippines, four to Australia, three to Hong Kong, two to the United States, one to the United Kingdom and one to New Zealand.


Published by: Raymond Lim

4/9 '10 loves x3 6:10 PM

David Widjaja


Before we proceed, let's just view a random picture.






Let's carry on...


SINGAPORE: In the ongoing coroner’s inquiry into the death of Indonesian student David Widjaja, friends from his university’s bible study group told the court on Wednesday the student was a reserved person who avoided talking about his personal life.

Speaking to reporters at a news conference, his elder brother William Widjaja expressed his disappointment about the way the university had handled the issue.

The Widjaja family said they wanted to claim some of his belongings, including his laptop and his mobile phone.

The family also hired their own forensic scientist and lawyer to assist them with proceedings.
The 21—year—old Indonesian was a final year Electrical and Electronic Engineering student at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

He had allegedly stabbed his project work supervisor, Chan Kap Luk, before falling to his death in March this year.



Published by: Nicholas Ee and Raymond Lim

4/9 '10 loves x3 6:09 PM

Special Report: North Korea Threats


SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea (1)accused Washington of seeking to "provoke a second Korean War" as the regime prepared to hold maritime military exercises off the eastern coast.
U.S. and regional authorities were watching closely for signs that North Korea might fire short- or mid-range missiles during the June 25 to July 10 timeframe cited in a no-sail ban for military drills sent to Japan's Coast Guard.
North Korea had warned previously it would fire a long-range missile as a response to *U.N. Security Council condemnation of an April rocket launch seen as a cover for its (2)ballistic missile technology.
An underground nuclear test last month drew more Security Council action: a resolution seeking to clamp down on North Korea's trading of banned arms and weapons-related material by requiring U.N. member states to request inspections of ships carrying suspected cargo.
In a first test of the new resolution, a North Korean ship suspected of transporting (3)illicit weapons was sailing off China's coast with a U.S. destroyer close behind. The Kang Nam, which left the North Korean port of Nampo a week ago, is believed bound for Myanmar, South Korean and U.S. officials said.
Myanmar state television downplayed the reports of a possible weapons shipment Wednesday evening, saying another North Korean vessel was expected to pick up a load of rice but that the government had no information about the Kang Nam.
A senior U.S. defense official said Wednesday that the ship had already cleared the Taiwan Strait. He said he didn't know how much range the Kang Nam has _ that is, whether or when it may need to stop in some port to refuel _ but that the Kang Nam has in the past stopped in Hong Kong's port. Another U.S. defense official said he (4)tended to doubt reports that the Kang Nam was carrying nuclear-related equipment, saying the information officials have received seems to indicate the cargo is (5)conventional (6)munitions.
The U.S. officials spoke on condition of (7)anonymity because they were discussing intelligence. Officials said last week that they believed the ship was carrying smaller arms, though they didn't elaborate. North Korea has said it would consider (8)interception of its ships a declaration of war, and on Wednesday accused the U.S. of seeking to start another Korean War. "If the U.S. imperialists start another war, the army and people of Korea will ... wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all," a dispatch from the official Korean Central News Agency said.
The warning came on the eve of the 59th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. The (9)brutal fighting ended after three years in a truce in 1953, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula divided and in a state of war.
The U.S. has 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect against an outbreak of (10)hostilities. On Wednesday, the top U.S. commander in South Korea, Gen. Walter Sharp, praised soldiers from U.S.-led U.N. forces who died fighting the "tyranny" of communist North Korea decades ago.
"A North Korean victory in the Korean War would have brought the nightmare of (11)tyranny to this great land, thrusting the citizens of the Republic of Korea into a darkness that their northern counterparts have yet to emerge from," he said a commemoration ceremony Wednesday, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
Reports about possible missile launches from the North highlighted the state of tension on the Korean peninsula. A senior South Korean government official said the no-sail ban is believed connected to North Korean plans to fire short- or mid-range missiles.
He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing department policy. Yonhap reported that the North may fire a (12)Scud missile with a range of up to 310 miles (500 kilometers) or a short-range ground-to-ship missile with a range of 100 miles (160 kilometers) during the no-sail period.
U.S. defense and counterproliferation officials in Washington said they also expected the North to launch short- to medium-range missiles. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence. South Korea will expedite the introduction of high-tech (13)unmanned aerial surveillance systems and "bunker-buster" bombs in response to North Korea's provocations, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper said, citing lawmakers.
Meanwhile, a flurry of diplomatic efforts were under way to try getting North Korea to return to (14)disarmament talks. Russia's top nuclear (15)envoy, Alexei Borodavkin, said after meeting with his South Korean counterpart that Moscow is open to other formats for discussion since Pyongyang has pulled out of formal six-nation negotiations.
In Beijing, top U.S. and Chinese defense officials also discussed North Korea. U.S. Defense Undersecretary Michele Flournoy was heading next to Tokyo and Seoul for talks. South Korea has proposed high-level "consultations" to discuss North Korea with the U.S., Russia, China and Japan. ____________________________________________________________________
*The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights. Due to its unique international character, and the powers vested in its founding Charter, the Organization can take action on a wide range of issues, and provide a forum for its 192 Member States to express their views, through the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies and committees.
The work of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for peacekeeping, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many other ways the United Nations and its System (specialized agencies, funds and programmes) affect our lives and make the world a better place. The Organization works on a broad range of fundamental issues, from sustainable development, environment and refugees protection, disaster relief, counter terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, to promoting democracy, human rights, governance, economic and social development and international health, clearing landmines, expanding food production, and more, in order to achieve its goals and coordinate efforts for a safer world for this and future generations. ____________________________________________________________________
DICTIONARY

(1) adj - charged with a crime, wrongdoing, fault, etc.: the accused boy.

(2) adj - having its motion determined or describable by the laws of exterior ballistics.

(3) adj - not legally permitted or authorized; unlicensed; unlawful.

(4) verb - to be disposed or inclined in action, operation, or effect to do something.

(5) adj - conforming or adhering to accepted standards, as of conduct or taste.

(6) noun - materials used in war, esp. weapons and ammunition.

(7) noun - the state or quality of being anonymous.

(8) noun - an act or instance of intercepting.

(9) adj - savage; cruel; inhuman.

(10) noun - a hostile state, condition, or attitude; enmity; antagonism; unfriendliness.

(11) noun - arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority.

(12) noun - to run or move quickly or hurriedly.

(13) adj - without the physical presence of people in control.

(14) noun - the reduction or limitation of the size, equipment, armament, etc., of the army, navy, or air force of a country.

(15) noun - a diplomatic agent.
____________________________________________________________________

Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20090625/tap-as-koreas-nuclear-4th-ld-writethru-d3b07b8.html

Credits: http://www.dictionary.com/
____________________________________________________________________
POSTED BY INDEX 34 OF CLASS 3/9
____________________________________________________________________

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4/9 '10 loves x3 12:45 PM

♥ Wednesday, June 24
















PARIS - French military ships searching for the black boxes of Flight 447 have detected sounds in the Atlantic depths but they are not from the Air France plane's flight recorders, French officials said Tuesday.

The officials and French investigators denied a report on the Web site of the French newspaper Le Monde that French ships had picked up a signal from the black boxes.



The two recorders, key to helping determine what happened to the plane that plunged into the ocean May 31, will only continue to emit signals for another eight days or so.



French vessels in the search area have picked up noises regularly, but subsequent investigation has revealed no link to the black boxes, French military spokesman Christophe Prazuck told Associated Press Television News.



"The black boxes have not been found. The black boxes have not been located. We're still looking for the black boxes," Prazuck said in English.



"Regularly they have alerts. They hear noises that could be related to the black boxes so they have to investigate these noises," he added, saying the French authorities "never" have had confirmation that any of the sounds detected were related to the black boxes.



A spokesman for the Brazilian navy had no comment on the Le Monde report, and referred all questions to French investigators. The Brazilian military has led the search and recovery efforts for bodies and debris, but the French are in charge of investigating the crash and the hunt for the black boxes.



The Airbus A330 plane came down in the Atlantic after running into thunderstorms en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. All 228 people aboard were killed. The cause of the crash remains unclear.



The French air accident investigation agency, BEA, said in a statement Tuesday that "no signals transmitted by the flight recorders' locator beacons have been validated up to now."
The BEA said work is continuing "aimed at eliminating any doubts related to any sounds that may be heard, and any findings will be made public."



Last week, BEA director Paul-Louis Arslanian sternly warned against any unconfirmed leaks in the investigation, saying they could mislead the public and unnecessarily worry or encourage the families.



Le Monde said a mini research submarine, the Nautile, dived Monday to search for the boxes based on a "very weak signal" from the flight recorders picked up by the French ships.
Searchers from Brazil, France, the United States and other countries are methodically scanning the Atlantic for signs of the plane.



Two French-chartered ships are trolling a search area with a radius of 50 miles (80 kilometers), pulling U.S. Navy underwater listening devices attached to 19,700 feet (6,000 meters) of cable. A French submarine is also searching.



"There is no news yet, no false reports came from us," said U.S. Air Force Col. Willie Berges, the Brazil-based commander of the American military forces supporting the search. A 10-person team from the United States is on each of the ships pulling the locator devices, which continue to search.



The black boxes send out an electronic tapping sound that can be heard up to 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) away.



Eleven of 50 bodies recovered from the flight have been identified. The international police agency Interpol said Tuesday they are eight Brazilians, one with joint Brazilian-German citizenship, one Brazilian-Swiss and a British national.



Interpol said its specialists are working alongside Brazilian forensic examiners and that the DNA and other material from the bodies is being collated and compared to other data in a central Interpol database.



Dental records, fingerprints and DNA samples were used to identify the bodies. Investigators are reviewing all remains, debris and baggage at a base set up in Recife, Brazil.







Published by: Raymond Lim

4/9 '10 loves x3 7:40 PM




















WASHINGTON (AFP) - - Boeing Tuesday delayed the first flight and delivery of its 787 Dreamliner to reinforce the structure of the aircraft, the latest setback in a program seen as a key to the aerospace giant's future.

Boeing said a new schedule for the first flight and delivery would be available in "several weeks" and that in the interim the 787 team will continue with other aspects of testing.



Boeing said in a statement the delay was "due to a need to reinforce an area within the side-of-body section of the aircraft."



It added that the need "was identified during the recent regularly scheduled tests on the full-scale static test airplane."



Scott Carson, president and chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said the postponement was the correct decision.



"Consideration was given to a temporary solution that would allow us to fly as scheduled, but we ultimately concluded that the right thing was to develop, design, test and incorporate a permanent modification to the localized area requiring reinforcement," Carson said.



Boeing executives said the fix does not represent a fundamental problem with the carbon-fiber composite material from which the airplane is constructed.



"Composites are the right material," said Pat Shanahan, head of airplane programs. "We will correct this situation and do it with both care and urgency."



Boeing had planned for the much-delayed Dreamliner to have its maiden flight by June 30 on a schedule that would allow delivery of the plane to first customer, All Nippon Airways (ANA), in the first quarter of 2010.



The Boeing statement said a preliminary analysis indicated that flight test could proceed this month as planned, and last week Boeing officials said the maiden flight was on schedule.
"However, after further testing and consideration of possible modified flight test plans, the decision was made late last week that first flight should instead be postponed until productive flight testing could occur," the company said.



This marked the fifth delay for the Dreamliner, already nearly two years behind the initial schedule.



The new delay is bad news for Boeing, which is facing fierce competition in the aviation market from Airbus, a unit of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company.
Airbus has begun working on a new long-range A350 plane aimed at competing with the Dreamliner, expected to fly in mid-2013.



Boeing says it has 865 orders from 56 airlines for the cutting-edge plane, claiming it is the "fastest-selling all-new jetliner in aviation history" but the delays have led to some cancellations.
The 787 Dreamliner is the company's first new model in more than a decade and features 50 percent plastic composites, compared with 12 percent on its 777s, helping lower fuel consumption.



According to Boeing, the 787 will use 20 percent less fuel than similarly sized airplanes, reducing emissions by a similar amount.



Published by: Raymond Lim

4/9 '10 loves x3 7:37 PM

Questions and Qnswers on H1N1


Novel H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) and You

Novel H1N1 Flu



What is novel H1N1 (swine flu)?
Novel H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.


Why is novel H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?
This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a "quadruple reassortant" virus.




Are there human infections with novel H1N1 virus in the U.S.?
Yes. Cases of human infection with novel H1N1 influenza virus were first confirmed in the U.S. in Southern California and near Guadalupe County, Texas. The outbreak intensified rapidly from that time and more and more states have been reporting cases of illness from this virus. An updated case count of confirmed novel H1N1 flu infections in the United States is kept at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/investigation.htm. CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.


Is novel H1N1 virus contagious?
CDC has determined that novel H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.


What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people?

The symptoms of novel H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu, severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.


How severe is illness associated with novel H1N1 flu virus?
It’s not known at this time how severe novel H1N1 flu virus will be in the general population. In seasonal flu, there are certain people that are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions. Early indications are that pregnancy and other previously recognized medical conditions that increase the risk of influenza-related complications, like asthma and diabetes, also appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from novel H1N1 virus infection as well.

One thing that appears to be different from seasonal influenza is that adults older than 64 years do not yet appear to be at increased risk of novel H1N1-related complications thus far in the outbreak. CDC is conducting laboratory studies to see if certain people might have natural immunity to this virus, depending on their age. Early reports indicate that no children and few adults younger than 60 years old have existing antibody to novel H1N1 flu virus; however, about one-third of adults older than 60 may have antibodies against this virus. It is unknown how much, if any, protection may be afforded against novel H1N1 flu by any existing antibody.


How does novel H1N1 flu compare to seasonal flu in terms of its severity and infection rates?
CDC is still learning about the severity of novel H1N1 flu virus. At this time, there is not enough information to predict how severe novel H1N1 flu outbreak will be in terms of illness and death or how it will compare with seasonal influenza.

With seasonal flu, we know that seasons vary in terms of timing, duration and severity. Seasonal influenza can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Each year, in the United States, on average 36,000 people die from flu-related complications and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related causes. Of those hospitalized, 20,000 are children younger than 5 years old. Over 90% of deaths and about 60 percent of hospitalization occur in people older than 65.

So far, with novel H1N1 flu, the largest number of novel H1N1 flu confirmed and probable cases have occurred in people between the ages of 5 and 24-years-old. At this time, there are few cases and no deaths reported in people older than 64 years old, which is unusual when compared with seasonal flu. However, pregnancy and other previously recognized high risk medical conditions from seasonal influenza appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from this novel H1N1.


How does novel H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of novel H1N1 virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.


How long can an infected person spread this virus to others?
At the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. CDC is studying the virus and its capabilities to try to learn more and will provide more information as it becomes available.
Exposures Not Thought to Spread Novel H1N1 Flu

Can I get infected with novel H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork?
No. Novel H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get infected with novel HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

Is there a risk from drinking water?
Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of novel H1N1 flu virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water.
Can novel H1N1 flu virus be spread through water in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational water venues?
Influenza viruses infect the human upper respiratory tract. There has never been a documented case of influenza virus infection associated with water exposure. Recreational water that has been treated at CDC recommended disinfectant levels does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of novel H1N1 influenza virus to chlorine and other disinfectants used in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational venues. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels recommended by CDC (1–3 parts per million [ppm or mg/L] for pools and 2–5 ppm for spas) are adequate to disinfect avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 virus would also be similarly disinfected by chlorine.

Can novel H1N1 influenza virus be spread at recreational water venues outside of the water?
Yes, recreational water venues are no different than any other group setting. The spread of this novel H1N1 flu is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.



Prevention & Treatment


What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against novel H1N1 virus. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.


Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
Other important actions that you can take are:
What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?
If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. If you are sick, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.




What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. CDC recommends that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.


What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in areas where people have been identified with novel H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people. Staying at home means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. This means avoiding normal activities, including work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.


If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Are there medicines to treat novel H1N1 infection?

Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with novel H1N1 flu virus. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. During the current outbreak, the priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during is to treat severe influenza illness.


What is CDC’s recommendation regarding "swine flu parties"?

"Swine flu parties" are gatherings during which people have close contact with a person who has novel H1N1 flu in order to become infected with the virus. The intent of these parties is to become infected with what for many people has been a mild disease, in the hope of having natural immunity to the novel H1N1 flu virus that might circulate later and cause more severe disease.


CDC does not recommend "swine flu parties" as a way to protect against novel H1N1 flu in the future. While the disease seen in the current novel H1N1 flu outbreak has been mild for many people, it has been severe and even fatal for others. There is no way to predict with certainty what the outcome will be for an individual or, equally important, for others to whom the intentionally infected person may spread the virus.


CDC recommends that people with novel H1N1 flu avoid contact with others as much as possible. They should stay home from work or school for 7 days after the onset of illness or until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.


Contamination & Cleaning

How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?


Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface.

What kills influenza virus?Influenza virus is destroyed by heat (167-212°F [75-100°C]). In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodophors (iodine-based antiseptics), and alcohols are effective against human influenza viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time. For example, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used to clean hands. The gels should be rubbed into hands until they are dry.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?

Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.


How should waste disposal be handled to prevent the spread of influenza virus?

To prevent the spread of influenza virus, it is recommended that tissues and other disposable items used by an infected person be thrown in the trash. Additionally, persons should wash their hands with soap and water after touching used tissues and similar waste.


What household cleaning should be done to prevent the spread of influenza virus?



To prevent the spread of influenza virus it is important to keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.





How should linens, eating utensils and dishes of persons infected with influenza virus be handled?

Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first. Linens (such as bed sheets and towels) should be washed by using household laundry soap and tumbled dry on a hot setting. Individuals should avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating themselves. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub immediately after handling dirty laundry.


Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.


Response & Investigation

What is CDC doing in response to the outbreak?
The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. CDC is working with state and local health departments to enhance surveillance in the United States and to collect and analyze data to assess the impact of the virus and determine the groups at increased risk of complications. In addition, CDC continues to issue new and updated interim guidance for clinicians, public health professionals and the public for the prevention and treatment of this new virus.

To expand the national and international laboratory capacity for detecting novel H1N1 influenza, CDC has developed and distributed new influenza diagnostic kits and reagents to more than 350 laboratories, including laboratories in 131 countries. CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak.

The U.S. Government also is aggressively taking early steps in the process to manufacture a novel H1N1 influenza vaccine, working closely with manufacturing. CDC has isolated the new H1N1 virus, made a candidate vaccine virus that can be used to create vaccine, and has provided this virus to industry so they can begin scaling up for production of a vaccine, if necessary.

What epidemiological investigations are taking place in response to the recent outbreak?
CDC works very closely with state and local officials in areas where human cases of new H1N1 flu infections have been identified. CDC has deployed staff to several states to assist with the investigation of the impact of the novel H1N1 influenza, including the assessment of the severity of illness, how easily the virus spreads, and the amount of time people may be infectious. In states where EpiAid teams have been deployed, many epidemiological activities are taking place or planned including:
Who is in charge of medicine in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) once it is deployed?
Local health officials have full control of SNS medicine once supplies are deployed to a city, state, or territory. Federal, state, and local community planners are working together to ensure that SNS medicines will be delivered to the affected area as soon as possible. Many cities, states, and territories have already received SNS supplies. After CDC sends medicine to a state or city, control and distribution of the supply is at the discretion of that state or local health department. Most states and cities also have their own medicines that they can access to treat infected persons.

*Note: Much of the information in this document is based on studies and past experience with seasonal (human) influenza. CDC believes the information applies to novel H1N1 (swine) viruses as well, but studies on this virus are ongoing to learn more about its characteristics. This document will be updated as new information becomes available.

For general information about influenza in pigs (not novel H1N1 flu) see Background Information on Influenza in Pigs.


Source: http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm

POSTED BY: INDEX 34 OF CLASS 3/9

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4/9 '10 loves x3 11:04 AM

♥ Tuesday, June 23
BOEING 787 DREAMLINER



WASHINGTON (AFP) - - US aerospace giant Boeing is readying its 787 Dreamliner for first test flight in the coming days, banking on the new fuel-efficient plane to sail above stiff market headwinds.


Boeing expects the much-delayed Dreamliner to have its maiden flight by June 30 on a schedule that puts delivery of the plane to first customer, All Nippon Airways (ANA), in the first quarter of 2010.


"We're very much looking forward to seeing our airplane take to the skies," Marc Birtel, a Boeing spokesman, said in a phone interview with AFP Friday.


No specific date has been announced for the flight.


Nearly two years behind the initial schedule, the company has delayed the Dreamliner's first flight four times since launching the program in 2004 because of production problems.
The Chicago-based company announced Wednesday final assembly had begun on the first aircraft destined for ANA, which has ordered 50 Dreamliners.


"This is a great day for the 787 team," Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the Dreamliner program, said in a statement.


"In 2004, ANA demonstrated great faith in Boeing and the 787 by placing the largest launch order for any new airplane in Boeing history."


Boeing has built six Dreamliners that will be used in the flight-test program to assure the plane's safety for the company and for regulators, including the Federal Aviation Administration and foreign authorities, Birtel said.


"The main mantra is safety," he said.


Boeing says it has 865 orders from 56 airlines for the cutting-edge plane, claiming it is the "fastest-selling all-new jetliner in aviation history."
The 787 Dreamliner is the company's first new model in more than a decade and features 50 percent plastic composites, compared with 12 percent on its 777s, helping lower fuel consumption.


According to Boeing, the 787 will use 20 percent less fuel than similarly sized airplanes, reducing emissions by a similar amount.


Plagued by problems from a complex international production system and a two-month machinists strike last year, the Dreamliner's delays have irked customers and resulted in order cancellations.


The latest delay, announced last December, postponed first flight into the second quarter of 2009, from the fourth quarter of 2008. Launch customer ANA complained about the new delay for first delivery of the plane which initially was set for the third quarter of 2009.
In January, Russian carrier S7 Airlines announced the cancellation of an order for 15 Dreamliners. The next month Boeing said that Dubai-based aircraft leasing company LCAL had cancelled 16 of the 21 planes ordered.


The launch of the new plane comes amid turbulence in the aviation industry as the global economy slumps in the worst economic crisis in decades.


A plunge in passenger air travel has led to massive cancellations and deferrals of aircraft orders.
The International Air Transport Association projects that passenger traffic will fall eight percent this year and airlines could lose nine billion dollars, almost double the estimate three months ago.
That would be on top of 10.4 billion dollars lost in 2008, according to IATA.
Boeing earlier this month lowered its outlook for the world commercial airplane market over the next two decades because of the global economic downturn, slumping air traffic and volatile fuel prices.


But it forecast the growing Asia Pacific region will lead the commercial airplane market in both units and value.


Japanese carriers buy almost exclusively from the US aerospace giant, which is keeping a close eye on arch rival Airbus.


The France-based manufacturer, a unit of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, has begun working on a new long-range A350 plane aimed at competing with the Dreamliner, expected to fly in mid-2013.


Boeing's financial losses have shaken investor confidence and the company has announced 10,000 job cuts for 2009, including 4,500 in the commercial aircraft division.


Published by: Raymond Lim ( 39 )

4/9 '10 loves x3 10:57 PM


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