In pictures: Japan disaster

Water submerged highways in the city of Sendai as the tsunami struck [AFP]

Given the scale of the disaster, it will be days before the extent of damage is finally known. [AFP]

Train services in capital Tokyo were suspended following the quake. [GALLO/GETTY]

Fires broke out and Japan's nuclear industry was on alert as reactors shut down automatically as a safety precaution. [Reuters]

Thousands ran out of buildings in panic and then were left in a state of shock. [Reuters]

Countries around the Pacific basin are on tsunami alert. [Reuters]

Friday's twin disaster was one of the biggest to hit Japan in recent decades . [Reuters]

The tidal waves swept away cars, boats, homes and people as the tsunami overwhelmed coastal barriers. [AFP]

A massive earthquake triggered a devastating tsunami in northeastern Japan killing hundreds. [Reuters]

The 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck on Friday afternoon, creating gigantic waves. [Reuters]

The quake shook Japan and roads in many cities caved in. [AFP]

Japan fears nuclear plant meltdown

Blast reported at nuclear plant as safety panel worries that reactor can no longer cool radioactive substances.

Last Modified: 12 Mar 2011 09:16 GMT



Japanese nuclear authorities say there is a possibility that nuclear fuel rods at a reactor in Fukushima prefecture may be melting.
The cooling system of the plant was damaged in the massive earthquake that struck northeastern Japan and triggered a tsunami, killing at least 703 people.
Masato Abe, a Fukushima Prefecture official, said there was shaking and a trail of white smoke at the quake-hit plant on Saturday. He said the cause was under investigation, and it was unclear whether there was an explosion.
Jiji news agency quoted reported that several workers were injured and that radioactivity had risen 20-fold outside.
Television channels warned nearby residents to stay indoors, turn off air-conditioners and not to drink tap water. People going outside were also told to avoid exposing their skin and to cover their faces with masks and wet towels.
Kyodo News agency said radioactive caesium had been detected near the plant, citing the Japanese nuclear safety commission.

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Parts of the No. 1 reactor's nuclear fuel rods were briefly exposed to the air on Saturday after cooling water levels dropped and a fire engine was pumping water into the reactor, Jiji Press reported.
Tokyo Electric Power, the operator of the plant, said water levels were recovering, according to Jiji.
Peter Hayes, the executive director of the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable development in Melbourne, described the situation as "dire".
"It's still possible that the reactor workers can stabilise the situation is power is brought back, if coolant is brought into the reactor," he told Al Jazeera, but warned that "we're really right at the precipice of a massive nuclear crisis".
State of emergency
A state of emergency has been declared for five nuclear reactors at two different sites in Fukushima, located about 250 kilometres northeast of greater Tokyo.

Nuclear expert Peter Hayes discusses possible scenarios for the quake-hit nuclear plants

Steam containing low-level radiation were released to relieve pressure and tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated from surrounding areas.
Radiation 1,000 times above normal was detected in the control room of one plant, although authorities said levels outside the facility's gates were only eight times above normal, spelling "no immediate health hazard".
The 8.9 quake and the tsunami cut the supply of off-site power to the plant and diesel generators intended to provide back-up electricity to the cooling system.
"The events that occurred at these plants, which is the loss of both offsite power and onsite power, is one of the rarest events to happen in a nuclear power plant, and all indications are that the Japanese do not have the situation under control," "Edwin Lyman, a nuclear expert at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a US-based nonprofit organisation, said.
'No Chernobyl possible'
However, Naoto Sekimura, a professor at the University of Tokyo, said a major radioactive disaster was unlikely.
"No Chernobyl is possible at a light water reactor. Loss of coolant means a temperature rise, but it also will stop the
reaction," he said.
"Even in the worst-case scenario, that would mean some radioactive leakage and equipment damage, but not an explosion. If venting is done carefully, there will be little leakage. Certainly not beyond the 3 km radius."
Prime Minister Naoto Kan said securing the nuclear plants was Japan's top priority. Early on Saturday morning, he left on a helicopter ride to Fukushima to assess the situation at the plants operated by Tokyo Electric Power, and in other areas in the disaster zone.
When Friday's quake hit, the plants immediately shut down, along with others in quake-hit parts of Japan, as they are designed to do - but cooling systems at some reactors failed, the government said.
When reactors shut down, cooling systems must kick in to bring down the very high temperatures. This is key to prevent a "nuclear meltdown" and radioactive release. Japan's network of advanced nuclear power plants are designed to shut down as soon as the earth shakes.
The quake was one of the strongest ever recorded and triggered a devastating tsunami, up to 10-metre-high along parts of the country's northeastern coastline.

Media reports estimate at least 1,300 people may have been killed, most of whom appeared to have drowned by churning waters.
"The damage is so enormous that it will take us much time to gather data," an official at the national police agency said.
Massive destruction
The Japanese army has deployed about 50,000 troops for search and rescue operations.
A towering wall of water, generated by the quake, pulverised the northeastern city of Sendai, where 200-300 bodies have reportedly been found on the coast.
The wave of black water sent shipping containers, cars and debris crashing through the streets of Sendai and across open farmland, while a tidal wave of debris-littered mud destroyed everything in its path.
The northeastern Japanese city of Kesennuma, with a population of 74,000, was hit by widespread fires and one-third of the city was under water, Jiji news agency said.

Al Jazeera's meteorologist explains Japan's quake

More than eight million homes lost power, mobile and landline phone systems broke down for many and gas was cut to more than 300,000 homes, meaning many people could not heat their dark homes during the cold night.
The unfolding natural disaster prompted offers of search and rescue help from 50 countries.
Australia pledged to throw "anything and everything" to help Japan.
China said rescuers were ready to help with quake relief, while President Barack Obama mobilised US military might to provide emergency aid after the disaster which he described as "simply heartbreaking."
The United States, which has nearly 40,000 military personnel in Japan, has ordered a flotilla including two aircraft carriers and support ships to the region to provide aid following the tsunami.
The towering wave set off alerts across the Pacific, sparking evacuations in Hawaii and the US West Coast, and devastating at least one California port.
Chile said it was evacuating coastal areas and Ecuador's state oil company announced it had suspended crude oil exports due to risks posed by the tsunami.
Unfolding disaster
More than 300 houses were destroyed in the remote city of Ofunato and a dam broke in the northeast prefecture of Fukushima, with homes washed away.
In Tokyo, office workers who were stranded in the city after the quake forced the subway system to close early slept alongside the homeless at one station.
Scores of men in suits lay on newspapers, using their briefcases as pillows. Kyodo said at least 116,000 people in Tokyo had been unable to return home on Friday evening due to transport disruption.
There was major disruption to air travel and bullet train services. A passenger train with an unknown number of people aboard was unaccounted for on a line outside Sendai, Kyodo News reported.
The quake, which hit at 05:46 GMT and lasted about two minutes, rattled buildings in greater Tokyo, the world's largest urban area and home to about 30 million people. It was felt in Beijing, some 2,500 km away.
The first quake struck just under 400km northeast of Tokyo, the US Geological Survey said. It was followed by more than 70 powerful aftershocks, one as strong as 7.1.
Japan sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire" and Tokyo is in one of its most dangerous areas, where three continental plates are slowly grinding against each other, building up enormous seismic pressure.
The government has warned of a 70 per cent chance that a magnitude-eight quake will strike within the next 30 years in the Kanto plains, home to Tokyo's vast urban sprawl.

High prices drive Malaysian shoppers abroad, online

By Lee Wei Lian

February 25, 2011

A model presents a creation by Gucci at the Milan Fashion Week

February 23, 2011. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — Malaysian shopping doyen Mira Abu Bakar, known for her popular blog on shopping, Redmummy (redmummy.com) is a self-professed shopaholic who spends thousands on branded handbags each year. Most of that money, however, is spent in London and Paris rather than in KL handbag boutiques.
Despite government efforts to promote Malaysia as a shopping destination, massive price disparities are driving savvy shoppers like Redmummy overseas and to shopping websites in order to stretch their ringgit and get branded items for far less than what is available in Malaysia.
Redmummy, who makes a shopping trip to Europe every year, said Chanel bags that cost RM10,000 in Paris or London cost RM13,000-RM14,000 in Malaysia.
On a recent trip to London, she said she saved RM5,000 on the purchase of three handbags including a Miu Miu bag that cost RM3,000 (RM5,000 in KL) along with a Mulberry and Chloe bag.
“KL is very expensive,” she told The Malaysian Insider.
“The government really needs to relook at our prices, especially compared with Singapore. Only rich people can afford to shop in KL.”

Shoppers queue in front of the Louis Vuitton outlet on Orchard Road, Singapore July 9, 2009. — Reuters pic

While going overseas to shop may seem like a hassle, many Malaysians find that the savings can pay for the flight ticket and possibly even cover other expenses of a holiday. Finance executive and shopping enthusiast Rizal Omar said he “doesn’t even bother” shopping locally anymore but waits until one of his overseas business trips or planned vacations to do his purchasing.
Rizal last year took an empty suitcase to London where he stocked up on 20kg worth of purchases including Thomas Pink shirts for £29 (RM141) and Timberland shoes for £20 (RM98).
Thomas Pink shirts cost up to RM800-RM900 in Malaysia.
“The savings subsidised my holiday,” said Rizal. “Besides, you can’t get good quality shirts for RM100 plus ringgit in Malaysia.”
On his visit to the famed Bicester outlet mall in UK, he was told by retailers there that they see many Malaysians shopping there — including even members of the Malaysian royalty.
He also bought a Gucci bag for a friend for €380 (RM1,571) on a trip to Europe two years ago. The same bag apparently cost RM3,500 in KL.
Rizal also complained about “sales” in Malaysia, saying he usually only sees price reductions of about 20-30 per cent whereas on his trips to Europe, Singapore or Hong Kong, price reductions of 50-70 per cent are common and he sometimes even sees 90 per cent discounts.
Those who are unable to travel abroad normally place orders with those they know who are going or even with strangers.
Engineer Edward Seah, who made a trip to California last month, brought back 10 Coach handbags and wristlets for friends, family members and colleagues who ordered them before he left.
He also bought towels from the Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren home range for just US$8 (RM24) each and shopped at Armani for clothes at 70 per cent off.
“I have never shopped so much in my life before,” he said, adding that he liked the no questions asked return policy in the US.
In the popular Low Yat online forum, there are Malaysians going overseas who advertise their shopping services whereby they will charge a 12.5 per cent commission for each purchase.
One such advertisement placed in July last year for a shopping trip to UK  drew orders for about 100 items from 23 different forum members including for Ted Baker bags, Nike shoes and La Senza lingerie.

Those unable to travel abroad turned to online shopping. — Reuters pic

Online shopping is also gaining popularity due to their wide range of products and incentives such as free shipping. Student Hana Abu Bakar says that she finds it cheaper to shop online for brands like Banana Republic, and an increasing number of online shopping websites are offering free shipping for purchases above a certain amount.
She added that her friends bought BCBG dresses online for about RM600 while similar dresses cost up to RM2,000 in KL shops.
A check with the Thomas Pink website showed shirts for sale as low as £49.
Malaysia has made moves to make shopping more attractive in the country including abolishing import taxes in Budget 2011. The stronger ringgit should also, in theory, make goods more affordable.
Many shoppers, however, have complained that they have not noticed any reduction in prices.
The director of wholesale and retail at government think tank Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), Ravidran Devagunam, acknowledged that some retailers will maximise profits on luxury items not readily available in Malaysia but said that the government is “unable” to compel them to discount their prices after the abolishment of import duties as luxury goods and apparel are not controlled items.
“However, we believe that market forces and consumer education will eventually force a price reduction of these goods over time,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
He added that some international brands control the price of their products from their principle countries, thus setting arbitrary retail prices for other markets like Malaysia to follow.
“This creates a false ‘advantage’ for their home countries in that European prices of certain brands are artificially cheaper than the prices in the Far East,” said Devagunam.

Foreign brands create price disparities to gain home ground advantage, said Ravidran. — Reuters pic

He noted that, for many years, Malaysia suffered a limited choice of some branded goods because the market was regarded as immature and retailers did not bring in the full range of stock, leading to an outflow of shoppers which in turn resulted in lower economies of scale and less desire to “market appropriately.” The Pemandu director also pointed out that with the opening of the 80-brand Johor Premium Outlet facility in Johor in November this year, Malaysians would get to experience the same level levels of outlet shopping as their counterparts in US and Europe.
Joyce Yap, CEO of the upscale Pavilion mall in KL and the former president of the association for shopping and high rise complexes, said that it was unfair to compare Malaysia to other countries due to prevailing circumstances.
She pointed out that Malaysia has sales taxes of 10 per cent and the fact that the volume of goods sold and cost of logistics also contribute to prices being lower in neighbouring Singapore while Hong Kong and Dubai have no sales tax.
Yap disagreed that sales discounts were better overseas but admitted that due to sheer volume in places like Hong Kong, the probability of finding suitable styles and sizes was higher.
The lack of a service culture in retail outlets in Malaysia is also affecting the industry.
Hana said that she liked shopping in Australia where “the customer is always right” and online where a “no questions asked” return policy is common.
Yap concurred that service in the country needs to be improved.
“Malaysia has great potential to be a top-of-mind shopping destination in 3-5 years,” she said but noted that the range of merchandise, service levels and marketing have to be improved.
Alexis De Laporte, managing director for South East Asia at luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre, said however that the price of watches, which are duty free in Malaysia, are competitive with those in Singapore and Europe.
“We have absorbed some key price increase in the production such as gold price which has been rocketing in the last few months,” added De Laporte.

malaysian insider

Bahrain cancels Formula One race

Crown prince says nation must "focus on issues of national interest" as Grand Prix event is called off amid unrest. Last Modified: 21 Feb 2011 17:30 GMT Email Article Print Article Share Article Send Feedback

The F1 Grand Prix race, which brings in large numbers of visitors, was set to run in Bahrain on March 13 [File: Reuters] The season-opening Formula One race in Bahrain has been called off because of anti-government protests, officials say. Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the crown prince of Bahrain who is the ruler's son, said on Monday that the country must "focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date". LIVE BLOG The race had been set to run in the Gulf Arab state on March 13. The event could still be rescheduled but organisers said in a statement that no decision had been taken yet. "The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) today announced that the Kingdom of Bahrain would withdraw from hosting this year's F1 Grand Prix race so that the country can focus on its process of national dialogue," the organisers said. Bahrain's king, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, has asked Salman  to conduct a dialogue with all parties. "At the present time the country's entire attention is focused on building a new national dialogue for Bahrain," Salman said. "Although [F1 supremo] Bernie Ecclestone had graciously made clear that a decision on the race was entirely Bahrain's to make and was not yet required, we felt it was important for the country to focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date." Ecclestone said in the statement that Formula One looked forward to returning soon. "It is sad that Bahrain has had to withdraw from the race, we wish the whole nation well as they begin to heal their country," he said. Protesters continue to occupy the Pearl Roundabout, a landmark junction in the heart of the capital, Manama. Demonstrations began with calls to weaken the Sunni monarchy's power and address claims of discrimination against the country's Shia Muslim majority. They have now escalated their demands to calling for an end to the Al-Khalifa dynasty. At least seven people have been killed since the protests began on February 14.

Democracy state or police state?

FEB 17 — Only this morning Datuk Seri Najib Razak insisted that Malaysia
should not apologise for its
democracy, and lamented that
perhaps there was too much
democracy due to personal
snipes against him by opposition
leaders and critics using social
media.
Hours later, came the staggering
revelation that Tun Dr Mahathir
Mohamad had opposed the
Internal Security Act (ISA) and
wanted to scrap it. But the police
held firm and he faltered.
The country’s longest-serving
Inspector-General of Police, Tun
Hanif Omar, backed up Dr
Mahathir ’s claims, saying that he
had also turned down a similar
request from the former prime
minister ’s protege-turned-foe
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Incredibly, Dr Chandra Muzaffar
said the same, although the
trenchant critic of the security
law noted his support that Dr
Mahathir had nothing to do with
the 1987 ISA crackdown was only
limited to the first 60 days.
“The first 60 days of arrest was a
police operation,” said the
former Universiti Malaya
academic.
In the space of a few hours and
nearly 24 years after Ops Lalang,
we find out that Dr Mahathir
wasn ’t as powerful as we
thought.
That the police could resist his
word on scrapping a law once
reserved for communists but
now used in the name of
national security to detain
anyone — from opposition
figures to counterfeiters, radical
Muslims, Shiites and a nuclear
parts salesman.
So who can we believe now?
That we are a democracy where
elected lawmakers hold sway?
That the executive holds the
power together with the
legislative and the judiciary as is
in any democracy.
Which would stand to reason
why judicial review was removed
from the ISA statutes in 1989
when Dr Mahathir was still prime
minister.
Or do the police hold the reins
of power and tell off the
lawmakers? Would that explain
Tan Sri Musa Hassan being the
last to know that his contract as
IGP would not be extended last
year. If Dr Mahathir, Chandra
and Hanif are right that the
police can even stop laws from
being scrapped, would the
government not listen to Musa
to dictate his own farewell?
The question is: is it convenient
to blame the police for the ISA
remaining in our law books? Or
is this another attempt to rewrite
the country ’s recent history?
And really, are we a democracy
where leaders are openly
criticised or a police state where
even politicians whimper when
the top cop twitches his
moustache or flexes his muscle?
It’s Najib’s word against the
stellar cast of Dr Mahathir,
Chandra and Hanif.

Jordan's king sacks cabinet

Monarch asks ex-army general to form new government in the wake of streets protests over prices and reforms.

Last Modified: 01 Feb 2011 13:38 GMT

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Thousands of Jordanians took to the streets inspired by the protests in Tunisia and Egypt [GALLO/GETTY]

King Abdullah II of Jordan has sacked his government in the wake of street protests and has asked an ex-army general to form a new cabinet, Jordan's Royal Palace has announced.

King Abdullah's move on Tuesday comes after thousands of Jordanians took to the streets, inspired by anti-government protests in Tunisia and Egypt. Jordanians had been calling for the resignation of prime minister Samir Rifai who is blamed for a rise in fuel and food prices and slowed political reforms.

A Jordanian official said the monarch officially accepted the resignation of Rifai, a wealthy politician and former court adviser, and asked Marouf Bakhit to form a new cabinet. 
"[Bakhit] is a former general and briefly ambassador to Israel who has been prime minister before. He's someone who would be seen as a safe pair of hands," Rosemary Hollis, professor of Middle East policy studies at London's City University, said.
"I wouldn't see it as a sign of liberalisation. With his previous premiership, he talked the talk of reform but little actually happened," she said.
Protests have spread across Jordan in the last few weeks, with demonstrators blaming corruption spawned by free-market reforms for the plight of the country's poor. 
Many Jordanians hold successive governments responsible for a prolonged recession and rising public debt that hit a record $15bn this year in one of the Arab world's smallest economies, heavily dependent on foreign aid.

Bahrain doles out money to families

Latest appeasement comes as activists call for protests to demand political, social and economic reforms.

Last Modified: 12 Feb 2011 06:34 GMT

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Egypt Effect: Activists have called for protests to demand political, social and economic reforms [Reuters]

Ahead of protests planned to take place in Bahrain next week, the nation's king has said he will give 1,000 dinars ($2,650) to each Bahraini family.
Friday's announcement on state media came as the latest step that Sunni rulers have taken to appease the majority Shia public.
Activists have called for protests in Bahrain, starting from Monday, to demand political, social and economic reforms. The demonstrations will coincide with the tenth anniversary of Bahrain's constitution.
Although most analysts do not see any immediate risk of revolt after popular uprisings toppled the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt, the small island nation is considered the most vulnerable to unrest among Gulf Arab countries.
The Bahraini government has made several concessions in recent weeks, such as higher social spending and offering to release some minors arrested during a security crackdown against some Shi'ite groups last August.
'Sign of appreciation'
The Bahraini News Agency (BNA) reported that the financial concessions were to mark the anniversary of a national charter for reforms.
"On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the National Action Charter and as a sign of appreciation for the people of Bahrain who have approved it, King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa has ordered 1,000 dinars to be paid to every Bahraini family," Friday's report on BNA said.
Bahrain is one of the few Arab countries where the majority practices Shia Islam.
Tensions between the ruling family and the Shia majority population are usually at a low boil, although there were some clashes ahead of election last October.
It is not yet clear how widespread next week's protests will be, but analysts and diplomats say the Shia opposition group Wefaq will be waiting to see how many concessions the government is prepared to make.
Although Bahrain has a parliamentary system, many Shias feel elections have only served to co-opt them into the political system and did not improve their access to government jobs and services.