Buaya gergasi baham antelop

PAOLO TORCHIO berjaya merakamkan gambar seekor buaya sepanjang 6.4 meter membaham seekor antelop di sebatang sungai di Taman Negara Maasai Mara di Kenya.

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TAMAN NEGARA MAASAI MARA, Kenya - Seekor buaya gergasi sepanjang 6.4 meter membaham seekor antelop seberat 136 kilogram di sini, lapor sebuah akhbar kelmarin.

Aksi buaya itu membaham haiwan tersebut sempat dirakamkan oleh jurugambar terkenal, Paolo Torchio dari Itali di sebatang sungai di sini.

Menurut Torchio, kejadian tersebut menyebabkan seseorang itu berfikir bahawa betapa kecilnya diri kita dalam dunia haiwan.

Sungai itu dipenuhi dengan bangkai haiwan yang mati semasa ia cuba untuk berhijrah dari Tanzania ke Kenya.

Dua minggu lalu, sekumpulan penduduk di bandar Bunawan, Filipina berjaya menangkap seekor buaya sepanjang 6.1 meter hidup-hidup.

Buaya itu kini ditempatkan di sebuah kurungan dan ia dipercayai buaya paling besar pernah ditangkap hidup-hidup di dunia. - Agensi

Lelaki tatu tukar nama King of Ink Land

GAMBAR menunjukkan Matthew Wheeler duduk di rumahnya di Birmingham, Britain.

BIRMINGHAM, Britain - Seorang lelaki yang memenuhi hampir keseluruhan badannya dengan lukisan tatu mengejutkan rakan-rakannya selepas dia secara rasmi menukar namanya kepada King of Ink Land atau raja tatu, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Lelaki berusia 31 tahun itu, Matthew Wheeler, yang berasal dari sini, menghabiskan masa hampir 300 jam serta membelanjakan £20,000 (RM95,438) selama tiga tahun untuk mengubah badannya menjadi sebuah kanvas lukisan tatu berwarna warni.

Kini Wheeler turut mengejutkan keluarga dan rakan-rakannya apabila dia meminta mereka memanggilnya dengan nama baharu tersebut.

"Seni lukisan pada tubuh saya bukan sekadar tatu. Ia adalah cara hidup saya," kata Wheeler.
"Saya mahu tubuh saya unik, justeru apa salahnya jika saya turut menukar nama saya," tambahnya. - Agensi

Bike set to smash speed record

Nice wheels ... Paul Anderson on the modified Harley Davidson which he built in his garage

A TEAM of aircraft engineers are attempting to smash the British land speed record — using a modified Harley Davidson motorbike.

They hope the speedy roadster will eventually reach whopping speeds of up to 250mph.
The current UK land speed record is 222mph, which they hope to top with a speed of more than 230mph when they race the bike next spring.

Paul Anderson, 56, an engineer for plane makers Airbus, has been revamping the bike with work colleagues in their spare time.


He got together with fellow Airbus engineers Serbian Andrija Ekmedzic and Richard Spencer to create the bike.


And also roped in pal Garry Morgan and 16-year-old Bristol Grammar School student Connor Galbraith.
Paul, who has raced bikes most of his life, said: "This is a bit of a boys' toy for us, obviously we are all interested in engineering and thought it'd be a great way to bring all our skills together.


"We have made use of wind tunnel technology to develop the speed of the motorbike and have also used a lot of up to the minute software.

Racy ... Paul Anderson and his pals hope the bike will smash the current British land speed record

"The bike still needs more work but we hope our attempt in the spring will be successful."
The super-quick motorcycle is currently being modified in Paul's garage.
Yesterday the team fired up the engine of the bike for the first time.
Paul said: "We decided to call the bike Svarog after a Slavic god.

Speedy ... the team believe the super-fast bike will one day reach 250mph

"Svarog is known as a blacksmith and is represented as a burning wheel, which we have taken as our team symbol.

"It might sound odd but as our chief designer is Serbian it fitted in well with what we are about.
"We've called our team Byzantine Racing, in recognition of the international nature of our attempt.
"People have helped us from Serbia, France, Spain and Germany - it's very much a group effort."
The team also has plans to develop a streamliner — a vehicle designed like a fighter plane without wings — to break the world land speed record, which currently stands at 375mph.

Bilik pejabat kilang ubat umpama sebuah istana

SALAH satu ruang yang terdapat dalam pejabat Kumpulan Syarikat Farmaseutikal Harbin, timur laut wilayah Heilongjiang, China.

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HARBIN, China - Sebuah bangunan pejabat mempunyai hiasan dalaman mirip sebuah istana mewah yang diduduki oleh pemimpin terkaya dunia.

Lebih mengejutkan, blok bangunan itu dibina di China, negara yang dikenali kerana mempraktikkan konsep binaan yang ringkas.

Hiasan dalaman bangunan tersebut ditiru daripada Istana Versailles di Perancis.
Ia merupakan pejabat kilang ubat Kumpulan Syarikat Farmaseutikal Harbin di timur laut wilayah Heilongjiang.

Bangunan itu terdiri daripada blok bangunan enam tingkat yang mengandungi pejabat tiga tingkat manakala baki ruang luar dijadikan muzium milik firma berkenaan.

Syarikat Farmaseutikal Harbin itu adalah milik pemerintah China.
Hiasan dalamannya bercirikan kemewahan seperti dinding dan lampu keemasan sekali gus mencetuskan kemarahan penduduk setempat.

Penduduk mendakwa wang untuk membina hiasan dalaman itu sepatutnya dibelanjakan untuk menyelesaikan masalah pembentungan di kilang-kilang firma berkenaan yang semakin serius.
- Agensi

Citroen unveils high-tech minivan concept

Citroen has unveiled a distinctly unconventional concept set to debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show later this month.

The Tubik, a far cry from the sleek concepts normally on display at top auto shows, is a large van designed to explore the idea that ‘travel should be fun.’

Capable of seating nine passengers, the Tubik is designed in conjunction with Multicity, a transport-sharing scheme operated by Citroen in France.


It is designed to respond to ‘a changing society where extended families and groups of friends travel together.’


Therefore, it’s part vehicle, part lounge, with modular seats that can be rearranged to semi-reclined or face-to-face depending on the requirements of the occupants.


The middle of the three rear seat rows can also be folded into a table or meridienne-style seat.


To make sure the occupants are never bored during the journey, the van is desicked out with a giant semi-circular screen along with high-definition surround-sound, as well as a one-way large panoramic window for privacy.


As the concept is designed as a more environmentally-friendly way to travel, Citroen has opted to include a hybrid diesel engine which it says produces emissions close to those of a conventional — much smaller — sedan.


The model will be on display, along with concept from Citroen’s French stablemates Renault and Peugeot, at the Frankfurt Motor Show

Telefon bimbit rakam gambar 3D

TELEFON bimbit keluaran Sony Ericsson boleh merakamkan imej tiga dimensi.

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LONDON, Britain - Telefon bimbit pintar yang dapat merakamkan gambar panorama tiga dimensi (3D) akan berada dalam pasaran pada bulan depan, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Imej 3D telefon pintar itu adalah daripada siri Xperia Arc S keluaran Sony Ericsson yang boleh ditonton melalui televisyen yang menyokong aplikasi 3D. Imej yang dirakamkan akan dipaparkan dalam bentuk 2D pada skrin telefon pintar tersebut.

Telefon pintar itu yang dijana sistem operasi Android 1.4 gigahertz (GHz) keluaran Google bagaimanapun tidak boleh membuat rakaman video dalam bentuk 3D.

Menurut sebuah akhbar tempatan, telefon pintar Xperia Arc S menggunakan skrin berukuran 10.6 sentimeter selain dilengkapi kamera dengan definisi 8.1 mega piksel.

Harga telefon pintar itu yang diperkenalkan pada pameran teknologi IFA di Berlin Jerman baru-baru ini masih belum diumumkan. - Agensi

Trump dedah pesawat RM297 juta miliknya

PESAWAT milik Donald Trump yang berharga RM297.85 juta.

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NEW YORK - Bilionair terkenal, Donald Trump (gambar kecil) mendedahkan ruang dalam pesawat Boeing 757 miliknya dalam satu klip video baru-baru ini.

Klip video selama tiga minit itu menunjukkan ciri-ciri kemewahan yang terdapat dalam pesawat yang berharga AS$100 juta (RM297.85 juta).

Hos klip video itu ialah Amanda Miller yang pernah muncul dalam program realiti televisyen The Apprentice yang diterbitkan oleh Trump.

Pesawat itu mempunyai kepala sinki bersalut emas di bilik tidur utama.

AMANDA MILLER menunjukkan sinki bersalut emas di dalam pesawat Donald Trump.

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Sebuah televisyen rata dan sebuah kotak kawalan yang mempunyai butang membolehkan Trump mengakses lebih ribuan filem yang diminatinya.

Pesawat itu juga mempunyai sofa mewah mengelilingi sebuah meja untuk mesyuarat.

Ia merupakan pesawat baharu Trump yang dibeli daripada pengasas bersama Microsoft, Paul Allen pada Februari lalu dengan harga AS$100 juta. - Agensi

Giant 21ft killer croc is caught

Captured ... Mayor Cox Elorde and locals with killer crocodile

A GIANT 21ft crocodile feared to have attacked several villagers has been caught after a three-week hunt.

The one-ton male saltwater beast was trapped in a creek in Bunawan, in the Philippines, on Saturday night.
It is one of the largest crocs ever to be captured alive in the country.
Dozens of locals and staff from a crocodile farm set up traps to catch the monster after reports of a number of savage crocodile attacks.
The reptile is suspected of killing a tragic fisherman who went missing in July.
The croc may now be put into a planned ecotourism park in the southern town.
Mayor Cox Elorde says that this would turn it "from a threat into an asset".
After the hunt, he said: "We were nervous but it's our duty to deal with a threat to the villagers. When I finally stood before it, I couldn't believe my eyes."
About 100 people had to pull the crocodile from the creek to a clearing where a crane lifted it into a truck.

Alfa Romeo updates 4C Concept

Alfa Romeo has previewed an updated 4C Concept which the Italian brand will be taking to Frankfurt next month.

The Alfa 4C Concept is a two-seater, rear-wheel drive coupé with a central engine, a length of about 4 meters and a wheelbase of less than 2.4 meters.

The new color is named Fluid Metal with Alfa claiming that it dynamically enhances the smooth and sinuous lines of the car.

The 4C will have 200bhp, with a weight of just 850kg. It’s light and powerful enough for a top end over 155mph and 0-62mph in less than 5.0sec.

The 4C will go into production and will act as the new flagship for the brand.

The 4C is also expected to be the first of a new line of Alfa Romeos to be offered in North America.

Jungle warrior wasp with massive mandibles discovered

Waspzilla ... the 'Garuda' was found on the remote Indonesian island of Sulawesi

IF you're making a trip to Indonesia any time soon, beware – a new waspzilla has been discovered there with jaws longer than its front legs.

The warrior wasp is found on the remote island of Sulawesi and has been dubbed the 'Komodo dragon' of the wasp family.

And for good reason too - males of this stinging species measure an alarming two and a half inches long and have huge ninja-like mandibles.

Some bite ... the wasp has jaws longer than its legs

Lynn Kimsey, entomologist of the University of California, Davis, encountered these fearsome flying beasts when on an expedition to the island.

"Its jaws are so large that they wrap up either side of the head when closed. When the jaws are open they are actually longer than the male's front legs. I don't know how it can walk."

Although these pesky pests mainly chomp on insects, if threatened they could leave a considerable mark on human flesh too.

Ms Kimskey intends to name the mini-beast 'Garuda' after the part-human, part eagle mythical creature that is a national symbol in Indonesia.

The wasp was discovered in the Mekongga Mountains in south-eastern Sulawesi, a little-explored Indonesian island between Borneo and New Guinea.

Bigger ... the warrior wasp measures 2.5 inches long

Ms Kimskey describes it as one of the top three islands for biodiversity in the world, along with Australia and Madagascar.

She and her team have now received a five-year £2.5 million grant to study the island's rich biodiversity that includes the dwarf buffalo and colonial spiders.

The nature fanatic hopes that the discovery of the warrior wasp will help raise awareness about how unique and treasured the region of Sulawesi is, estimating that hundreds of other new species could be catalogued.