Monday, April 2, 2012

Mid Day International News

Mid Day International News


Fire-stricken ship heads back to port

Posted:

A cruise ship left adrift at sea for 24 hours by a fire arrived in Malaysia following repairs. The Azamara Quest docked in the port of Sandakan, on the island of Borneo. Fire broke out on the vessel on Friday, a day after it left Manila for Malaysia, carrying 1,001 people, mainly European and American tourists.


Back to safety: Azamara Quest docked at Sandakan Port, Malaysia,
after it was escorted by a patrol boat. Pic/AFP


Operator Azamara Club Cruises said five crew suffered smoke inhalation, but that no passengers were injured.
After crossing from Philippines into Malaysian waters earlier on Sunday, the liner, travelling at a speed of six knots, was escorted to Sandakan by a Malaysian patrol boat.

Police and buses were waiting at the port to take passengers to various hotels. The company has said that the rest of the ship's voyage will now be cancelled. Azamara Club Cruises said the blaze in one of the ship's engine rooms had been immediately extinguished. The fire left the Azamara Quest disabled at sea for a day before power was restored to one of the engines on Saturday evening.

One passenger said dinner was about to be served when the fire broke out. "One of the engineers ran up covered in oil, running through the dining room and smoke filled the dining room and everybody was evacuated and given life jackets," she said.

1,011
The number of passengers and crew members aboard the ship that caught fire on Friday

5
The number of crew members who suffered from smoke inhalation


Suu Kyi makes history as she wins Myanmar polls

Posted:

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi won a seat in parliament yesterday, her party said, after a historic by-election that is testing Myanmar's nascent reform credentials and could convince the West to end sanctions.


Winning hearts: Aung San Suu Kyi is surrounded by supporters and
journalists as she visits a polling station in the constituency where she
stands as a candidate in Kawhmu. Pic/AFP


Her National League for Democracy (NLD) party announced to loud cheers at its headquarters that the Nobel Peace Prize laureate had won in Kawhmu, south of the commercial capital Yangon, paving the way for her first role in government after a two decade struggle against dictatorship.

"Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has won," an NLD official announced, referring to Suu Kyi by her honorific title. Myanmar's Election Commission has yet to confirm any results from the by-elections for 45 legislative seats.
The charismatic and wildly popular Suu Kyi, had complained last week of "irregularities", though none significant enough to derail her party's bid for 44 of the seats.

Suu Kyi made no immediate comment on her victory. From dawn, voters quietly filed into makeshift polling stations at schools, religious centres and community buildings, some gushing with excitement after casting ballots for the frail Suu Kyi, or "Aunty Suu" as she is affectionately known.

Among her supporters who voted early on Sunday in Suu Kyi's rustic constituency, there was little doubt she would win. "My whole family voted for her and I am sure all relatives and friends of us will vote for her too," said Naw Ohn Kyi, a farmer from Warthinkha. "So far as my friends and I have checked, almost everyone we asked voted for Aunty Suu," added Ko Myint Aung, a 27-year shop owner from Kawhmu.


007's new mission: To launch the olympics

Posted:

James Bond's latest mission is to declare the 2012 London Olympic Games open and guess who asked him to do it? The Queen! And this isn't a film plot... this is really going to happen! Daniel Craig, the actor who plays Agent 007 in the film franchise is presently in London shooting for the next James Bond flick, Skyfall and it seems the actor has been invited by the Queen to shoot some sequences of the film in Buckingham Palace, in a bid to promote the 2012 Olympics.



She asked him into Buckingham Palace to film spectacular scenes as 007 for London's sporting extravaganza.
In the film, he arrives by Royal Appointment to be told his latest mission is to launch the Games. Her Majesty may even make a cameo appearance.


On her Majesty's secret service: Daniel Craig as James Bond will
inaugurate the Olympics in a bid to promote London.
File pics


A billion people watching on TV around the world will see Bond getting his instructions before he is taken by helicopter to parachute into the Olympic stadium in Stratford, East London. Daniel and a film crew headed by Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle were given unprecedented access to The Queen's private rooms. They also shot helicopter and parachuting scenes. Boyle, creative director of the opening ceremony, has chosen to make Bond a key part of the spectacle which will kick-start the Olympics.

A source on set said, "It's a huge coup for the producers and Danny to be allowed into the Palace and have the Queen involved. They wanted the most iconic British film character inside the building most associated with London and with the monarch -- and they got it. It will be a magical scene for all watching at home and inside the stadium on July 27."

Crew members were given strict instructions not to tell anyone what they were filming. The film -- to be fed into the opening ceremony -- was given the name The Arrival. A Palace spokesman said, "Buckingham Palace is involved in a number of filming projects during this special Jubilee year and we would not go into details of any particular project until nearer the time of transmission."


No comments:

Post a Comment