Photos Muslim pilgrims begin haj rites

MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AFP) - More than 2.5 million Muslim pilgrims began on Friday the rites of the annual haj pilgrimage, leaving the holy city of Mecca for Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his final haj sermon.

Pictures: Inside the Gaddafi compound

Kerajaan Rakyat : Inside Gaddafi Compound

Rebel fighters and civillians walk near the swimming pool inside the house of Aisha Gaddafi, the daughter of Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi, in Tripoli, Libya. (AP)

Stunning Photos Of The London Riots 2

KerajaanRakyat Photos

Almost exactly a year before the city plays host to the Olympic Games, the riot and violence has raised concerns for the city’s security. Theviolence spread outside London, with serious eruptions of violence in Birmingham and Liverpool, but the scale of events in the British capital was unprecedented, and utterly overwhelmed the city’s 32,000 police.

Police called in hundreds of reinforcements and volunteer police officers but even with armoured vehicles in some of the worst-hit districts, the police still struggled to keep pace with the chaos unfolding across London, in the central city of Birmingham, the western city of Bristol and the northwestern city of Liverpool. Prime Minister David Cameron said some 16,000 police would be on London’s streets on Tuesday night, up from the 6,000 on duty on Monday.

$4.5 billion gold-plated super-yacht

NOW that's how you bling up a yacht.

A gold-plated super-yacht that is claimed to be worth a staggering £3 billion ($4.5 billion) has taken the title of the most expensive in the world.

UK designer Stuart Hughes claims that the 30-metre long History Supreme yacht is adorned with 100,000 kilograms of gold and platinum that covers more than half its surface and even comes with a statue made from the bone of a T-Rex dinosaur.

Video : Dutch businessman builds 'real-life' Noah's ark

For the last three years the Dutch city of Dordrecht has been watching in amazement as businessman Johan Huibers' dream of building a 150 metre-long Noah's ark, stocked with thousands of plastic animals, has slowly grown into reality. -

KTM Track removal begins. Pictures 2

Demolition workers began cutting up the steel rails and digging up 

the railway sleepers at the Bukit Timah KTM railway station.

The contractors expect to remove about 1km of the steel rails each day, but it will take longer to excavate the gravel - nearly 1m deep in some areas - and remove the sleepers and tracks.

Pictures: KTM Track removal begins

The contractors expect to remove about 1km of the steel rails each day, but it will take longer to excavate the gravel - nearly 1m deep in some areas - and remove the sleepers and tracks.

First Family watches World Cup final

The White House released this photo of the First Family watching the women's World Cup final on Sunday in the Treaty Room office in the White House residence. - Photo: Pete Souza/White House

Post-Bersih 2.0 Rally, Here Are The Winners - Part 3

Kerajaan Rakyat Photos and Video on Bersih 2.0

Now that the rally is over and the government-controlled media started spinning stories in an attempt for damage-control, who’re the winners and losers post Bersih 2.0 rally? As expected both Malaysian Government and Bersih claim victories. Maybe it’s true that there’re no losers and everyone is a winner.

First Winner – Bersih 2.0

Post-Bersih 2.0 Rally, Here Are The Winners - Part 2 (Videos)

Kerajaan Rakyat Photos and Video on Bersih 2.0

Arrogance is addictive, so I suppose PM Najib felt how his predecessor, former PM Abdullah Badawi, was feeling when Badawi thought he was invincible when confronted with peoples rally back in 2007. If only Najib took the different route and allows these people to march peacefully and hand-over whatever their petitions to the King, he would not have to worry about the post-rally effects now. With a record-breaking 1,667 people arrested, including 151 women and 16 children, 1 death due to tear-gas paid by taxpayers money and international coverage from CNN to Al-Jazeera on police’s brutality, Najib administration should be shivering in fears instead of still boasting about his ability to mobilize so-called 3 million UMNO members for a similar rally.

Post-Bersih 2.0 Rally, Here Are The Winners - Part 1 (Photo)

Kerajaan Rakyat Photos and Video on Bersih 2.0

My driver was anxiously telling me how he evaded the road block on his way to pick me up at the airport, on the eve of Bersih 2.0′s July 9 rally. Before I can start telling him about my trip to Hong Kong and the wonderful foods that I had, he told me not to worry because he would use another route to send me home. Obviously he wasn’t listening and didn’t care about my Hong Kong trip and who could blame him when almost every Tom, Dick and his dog were affected (and excited) about the Bersih 2.0 rally, one way or another.

It seems the Malaysian police received tips that thousands of stubborn supporters would somehow invade the capital city Kuala Lumpur from the country’s international airport, hence the road-block – how stupid can that be. I told my driver I was thinking about staying put in Hong Kong to help the number (of Bersih 2.0 Hong Kong version) since Kuala Lumpur was literally paralysed due to the police lockdown as if the city was infected by some sort of virus. But my driver said the most electrifying moment only happen in the city so I should come back to experience it, whatever that means.

Pictures: Noah's 'real-life' ark on Dutch river

For three years, the quaint old city of Dordrecht has watched in amazement as a local businessman's dream of building a real-life Noah's ark, stocked with thousands of plastic animals, became a reality. -- PHOTO: AFP

DORDRECHT (Netherlands) - FOR three years, the quaint old city of Dordrecht has watched in amazement as a local businessman's dream of building a real-life Noah's ark, stocked with thousands of plastic animals, became a reality.

The enormous vessel stands at an abandoned quay on the Merwede River, about 65km south of Amsterdam. Here, Johan Huibers, 52, and a team of 50 dedicated employees put the final touches to what they believe is the only life-size wooden ark in existence.

Bersih 2.0: PHOTOS FROM INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Malaysian Anti-Riot Police officers stand guard in front of U.S. Embassy during a protest rally after Friday prayers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, July 1, 2011. -- PHOTO: AP

Bersih 2.0: PHOTOS FROM REUTERS and AP

A Malaysian activist from Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) climbs up a water cannon truck during a rally in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 9, 2011. Police fired tear gas and detained hundreds of activists demonstrating across Malaysia's main city demanding electoral reforms in the country's biggest political rally in years. -- PHOTO: AP

Bersih 2.0: MORE PHOTOS FROM REUTERS and AP

Bersih 2.0. Reports - Kuala Lumpur : More than 1,600 people were arrested, including 16 children as well as prominent lawmakers, and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was hospitalised after being knocked down in the pandemonium. Analysts and campaigners said the stern police action was likely to backfire on the country's image as one of South-east Asia's more democratic countries.

Police detain a supporter of the 'Bersih' (Clean) electoral reform coalition during a rally in Kuala Lumpur July 9, 2011. Malaysian police fired tear gas and detained more than 500 people in the capital on Saturday in a bid to prevent thousands of anti-government protesters from putting on a massive show of strength against Prime Minister Najib Razak. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Bersih 2.0: More Photos. Anwar Ibrahim suffered a bruise on his head

Bersih 2.0 Update 
Pakatan Rakyat has condemned the violent crackdown on the Bersih 2.0 rally which saw scores of people injured, including lawmakers such as Anwar Ibrahim. 

He suffered a bruise on his head and a cut on his leg after police fired tear gas on protesters at KL Sentral.

Another casualty was Shah Alam PAS MP Khalid Samad, who was injured when a tear gas canister, seen directed to the back of his head, hit him.

PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said the police had repeatedly fired directly at the crowd, resulting in numerous injuries.

Bersih 2.0: More Photos

Police sealed off parts of Kuala Lumpur today in a bid to thwart a protest aimed at igniting an uprising against Prime Minister Najib Abdu Razak’s government.

Bersih 2.0 Update l 

Photos 

Pictures: 'Slut Walk' hits London streets

Thousands of women took part in a so-called Slut Walk in London on Saturday, insisting that they should be able to wear as much or as little as they like without facing sexual harassment by men. -- PHOTO: AP

LONDON - THOUSANDS of women took part in a so-called Slut Walk in London on Saturday, insisting that they should be able to wear as much or as little as they like without facing sexual harassment by men.

The colourful march saw most people wearing everyday clothing but some wore provocative outfits as they marched on London's central Trafalgar Square.

Pictures: Thousands of tourists for Tiananmen anniversary

Visitors holds umbrellas in the early morning rain as they wait for the flag raising ceremony at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China Saturday, June 4, 2011. -- PHOTO: AP

Kerajaan Rakyat Photos : BEIJING - THOUSANDS of Chinese and foreign tourists flocked to Tiananmen Square on Saturday, the anniversary of the deadly 1989 crackdown on mass pro-democracy protests, amid a noticeable police presence.

In pictures: Malaysia set for Asia's first Legoland

A picture taken on February 22, 2011 shows a scale model of the Legoland Malaysia theme park on display in sourthern state of Johor Bahru. Asia's first Legoland theme park is on track to open next year in southern Malaysia, its builder said, as the region goes all out to lure tourists with a series of big ticket attractions. -- PHOTO: AFP

JOHOR BAHRU (Malaysia) - ASIA'S first Legoland theme park is on track to open next year in southern Malaysia, its builder said, as the region goes all out to lure tourists with a series of big ticket attractions.

Earthmovers have flattened a vast expanse of oil palm-covered hills to make way for the 31ha Legoland Malaysia, one of the main attractions of a new city and economic zone called Iskandar Malaysia.