Friday, December 17, 2010

Pluralisme: Masalah metodologi, bukan niat

Shah al-Maududy
Dis 17, 10
10:13am

Akhir-akhir ini, terdapat ahli akademik cenderung melabel tokoh-tokoh tertentu, sebagai cenderung atau menyokong fahaman pluralisme agama.

Ada tokoh dilabelkan sedemikian, kerana menghadiri satu 'majlis rasmi' kuil Buddha di Kelantan. Seorang lagi tokoh dikaitkan dengan pluralisme, antaranya disebabkan sikapnya yang konsisten membenarkan penggunaan nama Allah oleh bukan Islam.

meccaAda pihak yang menganggap 'kecenderungan melabel' itu sebagai berniat jahat. Tapi, saya tidak beranggapan sedemikian. Saya tidak percaya, ahli akademik yang melabel itu berniat jahat. Saya percaya, ahli akademik tersebut berniat baik dan ikhlas. Iaitu memelihara kesucian agama.

Saya juga tidak mempercayai, 'pelabelan' ini dilakukan dengan niat menggunakan isu akidah, untuk mewujudkan permusuhan di kalangan ahli politik.
Sangat serius

Pada pengamatan saya, 'pelabelan' yang 'sangat serius' ini, berpunca daripada kesilapan metodologi yang diguna pakai, dalam mendiskusi isu-isu agama. Ia bukan isu 'niat jahat'. Ia sebaliknya isu 'ketempangan metodologi'.

Sepatutnya, dalam membuat keputusan berhubung isu-isu agama (sebenarnya dalam semua isu), nas-nas al-Quran dan hadis, hendaklah dirujuk terlebih dahulu.

Kesilapan akan berlaku, apabila yang pertama dirujuk, ialah kemaslahatan umum atau kebimbangan terhadap kedudukan agama. Sementara, nas-nas syarak dikemudiankan.

sitting in a mosqueMetodologi yang salah inilah juga antara faktor tercetusnya 'budaya tahrim', iaitu budaya suka mengharam sesuatu secara melulu.

Akibatnya, mendoakan kesejahteraan keduniaan kepada bukan Islam, haram. Mendoakan keburukan kepada orang-orang Islam yang dianggap zalim, haram. Bukan Islam masuk ke dalam masjid, haram. Menyedekahkan hasil judi kepada fakir miskin, haram…

Semuanya diputuskan sebagai haram, kerana rujukan pertama kepada nas-nas syarak, tidak dilakukan terlebih dahulu.

Jika yang pertama dirujuk ialah nas-nas syarak, saya yakin, tokoh yang menghadiri majlis di kuil Buddha, atau membenarkan bukan Islam menggunakan kalimah Allah, tidak akan dilabel sebagai cenderung atau menyokong pluralisme. Bahkan, tidak akan ada yang tergamak melabel sedemikian.

masjid jamek mosqueIni disebabkan, apa yang dilakukan oleh Nabi SAW lebih 'dahsyat' daripada sekadar 'menghadiri majlis rasmi di rumah ibadat bukan Islam'.

Ibnu Ishaq dalam kitabnya berkenaan sirah nabawiyyah, mencatatkan peristiwa lawatan satu rombongan Kristian dari Najran ke Madinah, untuk bertemu Nabi SAW. Rombongan tersebut disambut Baginda SAW di masjid Baginda, Masjid Nabawi.
Kristian di masjid

Kebetulan, rombongan tersebut tiba di Masjid Nabawi selepas Asar, yang merupakan waktu sembahyang mereka. Lantas, rombongan Kristian itu bangun untuk mengerjakan sembahyang mereka dalam Masjid Nabawi.

Tatkala para sahabat mahu menegah mereka berbuat demikian, Nabi SAW bersabda, “biarkan mereka (mengerjakan sembahyang mereka)”. Lantas mereka mengadap ke arah timur, lalu mengerjakan sembahyang mereka dalam masjid kedua suci dalam Islam itu!

Peristiwa ini turut disentuh oleh Imam Ibnu Qayyim dalam karyanya Zadul Ma'ad, jilid 3.

putrajaya 120505 mosqueSikap lunak Nabi SAW terhadap bukan Islam, diteruskan oleh para sahabat Baginda. Syaidina Umar r.a sebagai contoh, mengarahkan diperuntukkan daripada Baitulmal, bantuan kewangan tetap kepada salah seorang Yahudi dan tanggungannya (al-Kharaj, karangan Abu Yusuf, ms.26 & Fiqh al-Zakat, karangan al-Qaradhawi, jilid 2, ms.705-706).

Beliau juga mengarahkan diperuntukkan dari Baitulmal bantuan kewangan kepada para pesakit kusta beragama Kristian (Ghair al-Muslimin Fi al-Mujtama' al-Islami, karangan al-Qaradhawi, ms.47).

Lebih dari itu, sesetengah para tabi'in yang terkemuka, memberikan sebahagian daripada zakat fitrah kepada paderi-paderi Kristian. Sesetengah daripada mereka, seperti Ikrimah, Ibnu Sirin dan al-Zuhri pula berpendapat, harus memberi zakat kepada mereka (Ghair al-Muslimin Fi al-Mujtama' al-Islami, ms.47)
Zakat kepada bukan Islam

Menyedari Nabi SAW pernah mengizinkan orang-orang Kristian mengerjakan sembahyang mengikut cara mereka dalam Masjid Nabawi, Syaidina Umar r.a memberikan bantuan kewangan kepada bukan Islam bersumberkan wang Baitulmal, dan ada tabi'in yang mengharuskan wang zakat diberikan kepada bukan Islam.

NONEMenyedari semua ini, adalah amat membingungkan, apabila seseorang itu dilabel sebagai condong kepada fahaman pluralisme, semata-mata kerana menghadiri 'majlis rasmi' di kuil Buddha!

Jika dirujuk nas-nas syarak berhubung penggunaan nama Allah oleh bukan Islam pula, saya yakin, tiada pihak yang sanggup melabelkan mana-mana orang Islam yang membenarkannya, sebagai penganut fahaman pluralisme.

Dalam surah al-Zumar ayat 3, Al-Quran merakamkan ucapan orang-orang musyrik yang menjustifikasikan perbuatan mereka menyembah berhala. Mereka berkata “Kami tidak menyembah atau memujanya (yakni berhala) melainkan supaya mereka mendampingkan kami kepada Allah sedamping-dampingnya”(al-Zumar : 3).

Jelasnya, mereka menggunakan kalimah Allah seperti yang dirakam sendiri oleh al-Quran. Dalam ayat di atas, al-Quran tidak menegah mereka menggunakan perkata Allah dalam ucapan mereka itu.

NONESebaliknya, al-Quran hanya menyebut dalam sambungan ayat di atas “Sesungguhnya Allah akan menghukum di antara mereka (dengan orang-orang yang tidak melakukan syirik) tentang apa yang mereka berselisihan padanya. Sesungguhnya Allah tidak memberi hidayah petunjuk kepada orang-orang yang tetap berdusta, lagi sentiasa kufur”(al-Zumar :3)

Rujukan kepada nas menemukan kita bahawa, pada zaman Nabi s.a.w, orang-orang bukan Islam bukan sahaja menggunakan kalimah Allah dalam ucapan mereka. Bahkan mereka menggunakan ucapan Bismillahirrahmanirrahim!.
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

Dalam surat Raja Mesir, Muqauqis yang beragama Kristian kepada Nabi SAW, beliau memulakannya dengan “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim! Kepada Muhammad bin Abdullah (SAW) dari Muqauqis, pembesar Qibti…”(Ibnu Qayyim dalam Zadul Ma'ad, jilid 3, ms.61 & Ibnu Hisyam dalam Sirah Ibnu Hisyam, jilid 2, ms.359).

Tidak terdapat pula sebarang kenyataan yang menunjukkan Nabi SAW membantah penggunaan Bismillahirrahmanirrahim oleh Muqauqis itu.

taman tamadun islam 280906 mosqueDi samping nas-nas syarak yang dinyatakan, kenyataan para ulama juga sangat jelas berhubung soal ini. Contohnya, jumhur ulama mensyaratkan Ahli Kitab (penganut Yahudi dan Kristian) menyebut nama Allah ketika menyembelih binatang bagi menjadikannya halal dimakan oleh orang Islam (lihat tafsiran ayat 5 Surah al-Maidah dalam Tafsir al-Qurtubi).

Justeru, bagaimana boleh dikatakan, orang bukan Islam terutamanya Ahli Kitab, tidak boleh menggunakan kalimah Allah?

Penggunaan nama Allah oleh bukan Islam begitu luas pada zaman kegemilangan Islam, sehingga mereka menggunakannya dalam nama-nama mereka, tanpa ada bantahan dari ulama Islam.

ibrahimi mosque 240205Sebagai contoh, Hibatullah bin Tilmiz, yang merupakan salah seorang cendiakawan bukan Islam pada zaman Abbasiah (Ghair al-Muslimin Fi al-Mujtama' al-Islami, ms.53). Hibatullah adalah gabungan dua perkataan, iaitu Hibah dan Allah.

Berhadapan dengan nas-nas syarak dan fakta-fakta ini, saya tidak faham, bagaimana orang Islam yang membenarkan bukan Islam menggunakan kalimah Allah, dilabel sebagai menyokong fahaman pluralisme!

Bagi mengelakkan munculnya 'pandangan-pandangan yang menghairankan' ini, kembalilah kepada metodologi penentuan hukum dalam Islam. Rujuklah al-Quran dan Sunah terlebih dahulu, sebelum merujuk kepada sumber-sumber perundangan lain yang diperakui.

Daughter of British nuclear physicist faces death penalty

Daughter of British nuclear physicist faces death penalty after being caught with huge heroin haul in Malaysia

By Andrew Drummond
Last updated at 12:59 AM on 17th December 2010

  • Shivaun Patra Orton arrested with Malaysian husband
  • He claims he deliberately got her addicted to drugs to stop her leaving him
  • Couple have two sons, 14 and 16
The daughter of a leading British nuclear physicist is facing the death penalty after being arrested for drug trafficking in Malaysia.
Shivaun Orton, 41, was held after police found £16,000 of cannabis, amphetamine, ecstasy and heroin during a raid on a holiday resort she runs with her Malaysian husband.
The mother of two teenage sons, Miss Orton is the daughter of the late Mike Orton – an eminent health scientist who worked at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment in Aldermaston, Berkshire, for 36 years.
Arrested: Shivaun Orton, seen here with one of her sons, was arrested along with her Malaysian husband Abdul Harris Fadilah
Arrested: Shivaun Orton, seen here with one of her sons, was arrested along with her Malaysian husband Abdul Harris Fadilah
She grew up in the pretty Welsh coastal town of Harlech.

It is understood Mr Orton and his wife, Shirley, 67, were estranged from their daughter, who police yesterday described as a heroin addict.
Mr Orton – who died aged 72 – attempted to make contact with his daughter before his death from cancer in April last year, but failed.

Her parents had not spoken to her for more than five years.

Possession or dealing of cannabis, amphetamine and ecstasy carries a sentence of life imprisonment in Malaysia, but possession of more than 15 grams of heroin carries the death penalty. Execution is by hanging.

Father: Mike Orton was a prominent nuclear physicist who died in April 2009
Father: Mike Orton was a prominent nuclear physicist who died in April 2009
It is understood Miss Orton admitted five cannabis plants found in her bedroom were hers and for personal consumption only, but denied possession of the heroin.

Reports in Malaysia suggested her husband, Abdul Harris Fadilah, 46, who has also been arrested, confessed that the 225 grams of heroin seized by police was his.

He claimed to have got his wife hooked on the Class A drug after she threatened to leave him and return to the UK.

The couple, who have two sons, aged 14 and 16, run the Ranting Resort, offering £15-a-night backpacker bungalows on the beach in the eastern town of Cherating, on the border of Pahang and Terengganu states. They are being held in Kemaman police station in Terengganu on suspicion of drug dealing and have been remanded in custody until Sunday.

Officers from the Malaysian narcotics investigation department raided the resort following a tip-off from a member of the public.

Speaking from her bungalow in Harlech, Mrs Orton – who has two other daughters and a son – said last night: ‘I do not know what to do. The Foreign Office have not yet informed me.

‘I have had no contact with my daughter for over five years.

‘She had been taking drugs and was psychotic, but before he died my husband tried to make contact with her but was unsuccessful. We did not even have a phone number for her.’
Canon Tony Beacon, vicar of St Tanwg’s, the parish church close to the family home, said Miss Orton had not lived in the area for many years. ‘It’s unbelievable,’ he said. ‘I know Shirley and her husband Mike used to be my church warden. He died suddenly last year of cancer.

‘They are most helpful and joined in everything, getting very involved in local activities.

‘Mike used to work with the Scouts for years, and as well as church warden served on committees for the well-being of Harlech. Shirley has been very involved with us at the church as well. They are a very nice family. This is a blow, I think people here will be quite shattered.’
Beach bungalows at the Ranting Resort in Cherating, Pahang State, Malaysia
Drugs raid: Beach bungalows at the Ranting Resort in Cherating, Pahang State, Malaysia, that the couple ran and where they were arrested

Chief superintendent Roslan Abdul Wahid, head of the Terengganu narcotics investigation department, said it was the biggest drugs bust in the area for three years.

‘Initial investigations show the couple have been hard-core addicts for almost 15 years,’ he said. ‘We believe they started distributing drugs during the past ten years.

‘The cannabis plants alone carry a sentence of life imprisonment. If the heroin, after analysis, tests positive, then anything over 15 grams carries the death penalty.’

Fadilah is Miss Orton’s second husband. She married her first, Olivier Lavaud, in 1990 in London, aged 20 – but the union failed and she moved to Malaysia.

She and Fadilah ran a business renting out backpacker bungalows in Cherating, a beautiful area of palm tree-lined beaches about five hours drive from Kuala Lumpar. It is the site of a cultural village and turtle sanctuary.

Mr Orton was a health physicist at Aldermaston. He retired at 56 and went on teach information technology at two further education colleges before his death.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1339152/Shivaun-Patra-Orton-faces-death-penalty-heroin-haul-Malaysia.html#ixzz18KxZqVXD

Thursday, December 16, 2010

3D TV can disorientate the brain

Why 3D glasses make you sick: New study shows being too close to new TVs can cause nausea

By Liz Thomas
Last updated at 2:25 AM on 16th December 2010

3D TV can disorientate the brain, causing eye strain, headaches, nausea and sickness, scientists have warned.
And the closer you are to the screen, the worse you feel, making TVs more problematic than cinema screens.
Studies show that in up to 20 per cent of viewers it could even induce physical sickness.
Watching 3D TV close up can make viewers feel sick, according to a new study
Watching 3D TV close up can make viewers feel sick, according to a new study
In one experiment, researchers at Eindhoven University in the Netherlands asked 39 people who could see 3D to read some text on a screen from 10 feet away.
Seven of the group suffered symptoms that can lead to nausea, including double vision and eye strain, this week’s New Scientist  reports.
Earlier this year The Royal College of Opthalmologists, Association of Optometrists and opticians said more research was needed in to the long term effects of 3D TV, but conceded short term effects were visible.
Viewers will have a choice between two types of 3D television types known as 'active' and 'passive', which show images in different ways.
An 'active' television will cost less, but will require special 'shutter' glasses. The basic idea is that the TV displays the programme in a series of rapidly alternating frames - left eye, right eye, left eye, right eye - changing at such speed that the viewer cannot even detect it is happening.
To watch in 3D, the viewer wears a pair of shutter glasses, which cost £50 a pair and are powered by a small battery, which block out one eye or the other on alternate frames at the same high speed, synchronising with the image being displayed on TV via a wireless connection to the set. The brain is thus fooled into creating a 3D image in the mind's eye.
The passive technology relies on a special polarising filter on the TV set to split the image into its left eye/right eye components.
The split picture is then viewed using a simple pair of polarising glasses - similar to the ones handed out in modern 3D cinemas - to create the 3D image.
John Lee, President of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, said in a recent interview: ‘You cannot damage your eyes by watching [in 3D], but if you spend an excessive period of time doing so, you may get a slight headache because of eye strain.’
Around 10 per cent of the UK population has poor binocular vision, which means it is difficult for them to see 3D effects in movies and video games. Instead, they see a blurry image, and will suffer headaches and eye strain as a result.
Experts do not recommend allowing children under eight to regularly use 3D glasses because their eye muscles are still developing.
Some electronics manufacturers have issued disclaimers to protect themselves from legal claims warning that viewing 3D TV may cause ‘motion sickness’, ‘disorientation’ and ‘eye strain’.

Don't bother with 3D TV - you'll only need it during World Cup, says Sir David Attenborough

By Liz Thomas
Last updated at 2:25 AM on 16th December 2010

It has been hailed as the next ‘must have’ technological advance in television.
But 3D TV will not take off in Britain, according to one of broadcasting’s elder statesman.
Sir David Attenborough said it would not become the norm for viewers because it is ‘too isolating’.
Sir David Attenborough in his new documentary Flying Monsters, which will be broadcast in 3D
Taking off: Sir David Attenborough in his new documentary Flying Monsters, which will be broadcast in 3D
People would choose only to watch big events in 3D, such as World Cup football matches, the forthcoming royal wedding, or ground-breaking new nature or history shows, he said.
Its success in the cinema will not translate to everyday viewing in the living room, he added.
‘When I started in 1952, people had television sets and thought it was a miracle,’ Sir David said. ‘You sat in front of it and waited for it to start and watched all the way through to the end and it was an event.
‘But within a decade, you ate and talked and knitted while it was on.
‘Then colour came about and once again it was an event, people would come round and say, “Wow, look at the colour”. Then we got accustomed to colour and it came to be used as wallpaper.
‘I don’t think that will happen with 3D. I don’t think it can be used as wallpaper, particularly because you need the glasses and when you put them on it’s very isolating.
‘You become very unaware of the person next to you.’ He added: ‘I think 3D TV is going to be event TV. It can be an international football match, or it can also be an important programme. It does require your attention.’
But he stressed he was a supporter of the format where warranted – such as for his new documentary for Sky, Flying Monsters. 3D TV is being billed by many as the future of broadcasting. All the major electronics brands, including Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic, have launched 3D sets costing between £1,000 and £5,000 in the last few months.
Films such as Avatar, which made £2billion worldwide and is the highest grossing film of all time, have created a boom in interest.
John Lewis said about 15 per cent of widescreen sets now sold were 3D ready, while Dixons said one in three had 3D capability – all require viewers to wear specially-made glasses.
Sir David’s Flying Monsters, will be broadcast on Sky 3D on Christmas Day. Broadcasters are also considering plans to screen the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29 in 3D.
And its bad for the brain graphic


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1339002/Dont-bother-3DTV--youll-need-World-Cup-says-Sir-David-Attenborough.html#ixzz18FyAtX2W

Niagara Falls ran dry

The day Niagara Falls ran dry: Newly-discovered photos show the moment the iconic waterfall came to a standstill

By Graham Smith
Last updated at 3:04 AM on 16th December 20
It's taken 41 years, but a previously unseen set of photos of the mighty Niagara Falls reduced to nothing more than a barren cliff-top have finally surfaced.
The stark images reveal North America's iconic - and most powerful - waterfall to be almost as dry as a desert.
In June 1969, U.S. engineers diverted the flow of the Niagara River away from the American side of the falls for several months.
Scroll down for video
Stark: A completely dry Niagara Falls has never been seen before or since the six months in July 1969 when U.S. engineers set about restructuring the American side of the twin landmark
Stark: A completely dry Niagara Falls has never been seen before or since the six months in July 1969 when U.S. engineers set about restructuring the American side of the twin landmark

Mountain of rubble: This set of photos only recently came to light when Russ Glasson found them in a shoebox in his in-laws' Connecticut garage
Mountain of rubble: This set of photos only recently came to light when Russ Glasson found them in a shoebox in his in-laws' Connecticut garage

Their plan was to remove the large amount of loose rock from the base of the waterfall, an idea which they eventually abandoned due to expense in November of that year.
During the interim, they studied the riverbed and mechanically bolted and strengthened a number of faults to delay the gradual erosion of the American Falls.
The team, made up of U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, blew up their temporary dam in November 1969 and six million cubic feet of water once again thundered over the falls' sides every minute.

Now, after lying unseen for more than four decades, a set of images showing the eerie calm at the American Falls that year have been unearthed by a man from Connecticut.
Plan: The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers studied the riverbed and mechanically bolted and strengthened a number of faults to delay the gradual erosion of the American Falls
Plan: The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers studied the riverbed and mechanically bolted and strengthened a number of faults to delay the gradual erosion of the American Falls

Historical moment: In order to stop the Niagara River running over the American Falls, engineers constructed a dam consisting of 27,800 tons of rock, stopping the water for the first time in 12,000 years
Historical moment: In order to stop the Niagara River running over the American Falls, engineers constructed a dam consisting of 27,800 tons of rock, stopping the water for the first time in 12,000 years

Russ Glasson recently stumbled across the pictures, which were taken by his in-laws, and had been left in an old shoebox in their garage for over four decades.
Mr Glasson said: 'My in-laws took these pictures during the six months through June to November that the Army was working to improve the health of the American Falls.'
Two rockslides from the plate of the falls in 1931 and 1954 had caused a large amount of rock to be collected at the base.
In 1965, reporters at local newspaper Niagara Falls Gazette revealed that the America Falls would eventually cease to flow and stop altogether if the rocks were not removed.
Four years later, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers were charged with de-watering the falls to clean the river bed and to remove any loose rock at the bottom of the falls.
Gradual deterioration: Two rockslides from the plate of the falls in 1931 and 1954 had caused a large amount of rock to be collected at the base
Gradual deterioration: Two rockslides from the plate of the falls in 1931 and 1954 had caused a large amount of rock to be collected at the base

Eerie calm: The temporary dam can be seen in the top-right of this photograph
Eerie calm: The temporary dam can be seen in the top-right of this photograph
Thunderous: The American Falls as they normally appear, with millions of gallons of water hurtling over the edge every minute
Thunderous: The American Falls as they normally appear, with millions of gallons of water hurtling over the edge every minute
To achieve this the army had to build a 600ft dam across the Niagara River, which meant that 60,000 gallons of water that flowed ever second was diverted over the larger Horseshoe Falls which flow entirely on the Canadian side of the border.
The dam itself consisted of 27,800 tons of rock, and on June 12, 1969, after flowing continuously for over 12,000 years, the American Falls stopped.
Over the course of the next six months thousands of visitors flocked to the falls to witness the historic occasion.
Once the engineers had removed the collected rocks from the falls base and made geological testing to make safe the rest, the falls were re-watered on November 25 in front of 2,650 onlookers.

Tourist hotspot: The Maid Of The Mist cruise boat journeys near to the Canadian Falls. The American Falls can be seen in the distance on the left
Tourist hotspot: The Maid Of The Mist cruise boat journeys near to the Canadian Falls. The American Falls can be seen in the distance on the left


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1338793/Niagara-Falls-ran-dry-Photos-moment-iconic-waterfall-came-standstilll.html#ixzz18FugEiL9

Monday, December 13, 2010

Metrodome collapsed

Minneapolis Metrodome's inflatable roof collapses as 20 INCHES of snow is dumped on Midwest in ONE DAY

Last updated at 8:38 AM on 13th December 2010

  • Video captures dramatic moment  Metrodome collapsed
  • Collapse forces cancellation of Vikings-New York giants game
  • Roads closed across five states as 20inches of snow falls
  • State of emergency declared in Wisconsin 'as a precaution'
  • Delta cancels all flights into Minneapolis
The giant inflatable roof above the Minneapolis Metrodome collapsed yesterday under the weight of a massive snowstorm that swept across the Midwest.
Stadium staff watched in horror as the 580,000lbs roof, which is made of Teflon-coated fibreglass and supported by twenty 90-horsepower fans, slowly fell in - just hours before Minnesota Vikings were due to play the New York Giants.
No one was hurt but the dramatic incident - captured on video - forced the National Football League to shift the game to Monday night at Detroit's Ford Field.
Snow fall: The Metrodome's roof collapsed after 20 inches of snow hit Minneapolis
Snow fall: The Metrodome's roof collapsed after 20 inches of snow hit Minneapolis
Before and after: The inflatable roof of the metrodome collapsed today
Before and after: The inflatable roof of the metrodome collapsed today

Icy pitch: Tons of snow fell through the roof and covered half the field meaning the Minnesota Vikings may not be able to play until Tuesday
Icy pitch: Tons of snow fell through the roof and covered half the field meaning the Minnesota Vikings may not be able to play until Tuesday
Caught on camera: An incredible video captures the moment a build-up of snow forced the inflatable roof of the Minneapolis Metrodome to collapse
Caught on camera: An incredible video captures the moment a build-up of snow forced the inflatable roof of the Minneapolis Metrodome to collapse
MSFC director of facilities and engineering Steve Maki said: 'This just came very fast. It was heavily loaded, and the wind was just unbelievable.'
Bill Lester, the MSFC's executive director, added: 'There were no injuries, which we're thankful for.'

Meanwhile a team of people from the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission has been working to clear the snow from the Metrodome.
It was not the first time the stadium's roof has failed. It deflated in 1981, 1982 and 1983 due to heavy snowfall.
The instability of the roof could be why the Vikings has been lobbying for a new home building for the past ten years. Next season is the final year of their tenancy at the Metrodome.
Blizzard: Pedestrians make their way to a Minnesota college basketball game in a snowstorm yesterday
Blizzard: Pedestrians make their way to a Minnesota college basketball game in a snowstorm yesterday
The snowstorm which broke the stadium's roof was expected to be followed by dangerously cold conditions - North Dakota had experienced wind chills of -16C.
Roads were closed across five states as 20 inches of snow - or half a metre - fell across the upper Midwest in the U.S. yesterday.
The Chicago Department of Aviation said more than 900 flights were canceled at O'Hare airport and another 250 at Midway airport.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle declared a state of emergency for the state's 72 counties as a precaution, calling the National Guard to active duty to help local authorities.
'Conditions continue to deteriorate and it is becoming critically important for vehicles to stay off the roadways," Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent David Collins said.
Eastern Minnesota's Oakdale area got 20 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm was moving east and it had dumped about a foot of snow - 30 centimetres - in Chippewa County in northwestern Wisconsin and 24 inches of the white stuff - 61 centimetres - were expected to fall by Sunday morning in the Eau Claire area.
Amrita Mukherjee, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, said: 'It's looking very frightening. Since morning, it's been snowing heavily and the wind is really strong. And each hour, it's getting even worse.'
Lisa McGrath was shovelling her front walk in southeast Minneapolis, but knew she'd likely have to do it again in a few hours.
At a standstill: A man tries to help move a car on an icy street in Minneapolis, Minnesota
At a standstill: A man tries to help move a car on an icy street in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Chilly: Shoppers walk to an electronics store amid blowing snow, in Omaha, Nebraska, yesterday
Chilly: Shoppers walk to an electronics store amid blowing snow, in Omaha, Nebraska, yesterday
'It's good exercise - the only exercise I'm going to get today,' she said as she hoisted the shovel.
The State Patrol said there had been 76 crashes reported statewide, but there were no serious injuries. An additional 319 reports of vehicles sliding off roads had been received by the control room.
Wisconsin authorities issued a statewide no-travel advisory because of blizzards and winter storms in nearly every county.
Flyers with Delta, United, U.S. Airways and Continental had all been told they could change their flights without penalty because of the conditions.
Delta had cancelled all flights into Minneapolis because of snow on the runways.
Meanwhile, small riverside towns in Washington and areas of Portland, Oregon, were expected to flood as six inches of rain - 15 centimetres - was forecasted to fall across the Pacific Northwest.
Freezing: A pedestrian uses plastic bags for boots as he walks down a street during a snowstorm in Minneapolis
Freezing: A pedestrian uses plastic bags for boots as he walks down a street during a snowstorm in Minneapolis
Transportation managers said on Saturday that mudslides caused by the storms forced the suspension of Amtrak service between Portland and Seattle until Monday.
Portland officials warned residents in flood-prone areas such as the Johnson Creek watershed to be prepared to evacuate.
The tributary empties in the Willamette River south of downtown Portland.
The National Weather Service also expects the Chahalis, Snohomish and Snoqualmie rivers in Washington state to reach flood stage. Forecasters say flooding is likely to be widespread.



Friday, December 10, 2010

Misi Menyelamat Di Kepulauan Mentawai

Suka Duka Misi Menyelamat Di Kepulauan Mentawai

 
Kampung Bosua yang musnah dilanda tsunami pada 25 Oktober 2010. - Foto Ihsan DR MOHAMMAD IQBAL
PENGALAMAN menunggu selama lima hari oleh rombongan bantuan kemanusiaan Mercy Malaysia (misi kedua) untuk tiba di Kepulauan Mentawai, Indonesia yang dilanda tsunami pada 25 Oktober lalu merupakan detik yang mungkin tidak dapat dilupakan oleh para sukarelawan Malaysia.
Gempa bumi yang direkodkan pada skala Ritcher 7.7 sudah cukup untuk melakukan kemusnahan yang tidak terimaginasikan oleh sesiapa sahaja lebih-lebih lagi kepada kita rakyat Malaysia yang tidak pernah ada pengalaman melalui detik-detik cemas seperti mana yang telah dirasai oleh rakyat negara jiran kita, Indonesia.
 
Keadaan Desa Bosua dilihat seperti padang jarak padang terkukur selepas dilanda tsunami, 25 Oktober 2010.
Difahamkan 400 mangsa dari 150 perkampungan hilang dalam kejadian gempa bumi selama 10 minit pada hari kejadian.
Bagi mereka yang lemah semangat, langkah paling mudah ialah berpatah balik lebih-lebih lagi, kehadiran para sukarelawan kita seolah-olah terasa seperti tidak dihargai.
Apatah lagi setelah berdepan dengan pelbagai halangan mereka perlu terlebih dahulu berdepan dengan masalah termasuklah menunggu sehingga lima hari sebelum dapat tiba di kepulauan berkenaan.
 
Sebuah rumah di Kampung Tumalai ranap menyembah bumi ekoran dilanda tsunami, 25 Oktober lalu.
Namun para sukarelawan Malaysia tekad meneruskan langkah pertama yang mereka lakukan ketika meninggalkan tanah air dalam misi tersebut.
Segala aral melintang dijadikan pembakar semangat seorang doktor sukarelawan, Profesor Madya Dr Mohammad Iqbal Omar atau Ye Htut.
Beliau bersama seorang pembantu perubatan, Chee Fook Wah dan empat anggota perubatan menyertai rombongan kemanusiaan itu di bawah naungan Mercy Malaysia dari 31 Oktober lalu sehingga 7 November.
Perjalanan mereka bermula apabila tiba di Padang beberapa hari lebih awal untuk membuat penilaian ke atas bantuan yang diperlukan.
 
Peta menunjukkan Kepulauan Mentawai, Indonesia.
Dari Padang, mereka perlu bertolak ke Kepulauan Mentawai iaitu tempat kejadian. Mereka yang hendak ke Kepulauan Mentawai harus menggunakan Pelabuhan Sikakap yang menghubungkan Padang ke Pulau Pagai.
Perjalanan bot ke situ memakan masa selama 12 jam jika laut bergelora atau satu setengah jam jika menggunakan helikopter.
AHAD (31 OKTOBER) - Hari Pertama:
Rombongan Mercy Malaysia sepatutnya menaiki kapal milik Port Authority Naval Sea kira-kira pukul 10 malam. Bagaimanapun, pihak berkuasa tempatan tidak membenarkan orang asing menaikinya.
Ekoran itu, para sukarelawan Malaysia terpaksa berpatah balik ke hotel di Padang. Mereka mendapat tahu terdapat helikopter ke pulau berkenaan pada keesokan harinya.
ISNIN (1 NOVEMBER) - Hari Kedua:
Pada 6.30 pagi Isnin, mereka pergi ke hangar milik polis dan tentera dan menunggu selama hampir tiga jam. Sekali lagi, cuaca yang tidak menentu menghalang usaha mereka ke situ.
“Cuaca sukar diramalkan di sini. Hujan boleh turun dengan lebat untuk setengah jam dan kering setengah jam kemudiannya,” kata Dr Mohammad Iqbal.
Misi untuk ke Kepulauan Mentawai terkandas untuk kali yang keduanya.
SELASA (2 NOVEMBER) - Hari Ketiga:
Jelas beliau, perkhidmatan feri antara laluan Sikakap dan Padang memang disediakan, tetapi semua tempat duduk telahpun ditempah. Maklumlah ia adalah bot komersial yang lebih mementingkan keuntungan. “Kami kerap menerima mesej Mercy Malaysia misi pertama menerusi khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) yang memberitahu mereka memerlukan pertolongan kami,” katanya.
Sebelum kedatangan mereka, satu rombongan Mercy Malaysia misi pertama telah pun dihantar ke situ. Mereka terdiri daripada dua wakil Mercy Malaysia dan dibantu lima penuntut perubatan yang belajar di Indonesia.
RABU (3 NOVEMBER) - Hari Keempat:
Masa terus berlalu begitu sahaja. Pada Rabu, mereka dimaklumkan helikopter dibenarkan berlepas.
“Alangkah kecewanya saya apabila Gabenor serta pihak tentera secara diplomatiknya memberitahu kami, helikopter tidak mempunyai ruang untuk membawa penumpang,” katanya dengan nada kecewa.
Dr Mohammad Iqbal tidak dapat menyembunyikan kekecewaannya kerana misi mereka adalah untuk melakukan kerja-kerja kesukarelawan di pulau berkenaan tetapi mereka masih tidak dapat bertolak ke lokasi bencana alam walaupun telah menanti selama empat hari.
KHAMIS (4 NOVEMBER) - Hari Kelima:
Keesokannya, mereka pergi ke lapangan terbang persendirian Minangkabau (dan tunggu dari pagi hingga tengah hari).
“Pada lebih kurang jam 8 pagi, ramai orang kenamaan (VIP) yang tiba hadir. Mereka juga ingin bertolak ke Kepulauan Mentawai. Sekali lagi kami dihampakan kerana tiada ruang untuk kami.
 
Sukarelawan dari Mercy Malaysia misi kedua ketika menaiki kapal navigasi yang belayar dari Sikakap ke Kepulauan Mentawai.
“Kami tinggalkan hangar dan bergegas ke Pelabuhan Sikakap kerana kononnya ada kapal navigasi ke situ,” ujarnya.
Akhirnya rombongan Mercy Malaysia misi berjaya menaiki kapal tersebut pada jam 2.30 petang dan sampai di Kepulauan Mentawai menjelang 12.30 tengah malam.
Kapal tersebut dilabuhkan di lautan dan para penumpang perlu menggunakan bot laju mudah alih ke persisiran pantai.
Kerana kepekatan malam, mereka mengambil keputusan untuk memulakan misi apabila fajar menyingsing.
Kumpulan Mercy Malaysia misi kedua seterusnya bergabung dengan kumpulan Mercy misi pertama yang berpangkalankan sebuah bot sewa.
Ketika itu, tiga penuntut perubatan terpaksa pulang kerana perlu meneruskan pengajian mereka di universiti.
Ini bermakna tinggal lima sukarelawan dari misi pertama dan enam sukarelawan dari misi kedua meneruskan usaha Mercy Malaysia.
 
Sukarelawan Mercy Malaysia di atas kapal Arimbi yang disewa.
BOT ‘RUMAH’
Dr Mohammad Iqbal dan lain-lain sukarelawan menjadikan bot itu sebagai tempat penginapan pada waktu malam.
Bot tersebut disewa selama sepuluh hari untuk misi menghantar bantuan kemanusiaan.Di situlah mereka makan, tidur dan mandi.
Menurut beliau, bot tersebut yang disewa untuk tempoh 10 hari itu memiliki catuan makanan untuk 14 penumpang termasuk kru.
Katanya, semua penumpang makan sayur-sayuran, telur, ikan sardin, mi segera dan nasi semasa berada di atas kapal tersebut.
“Makanan mentah disimpan dalam peti sejuk. Kami minum air botol mineral. Dalam keadaan ‘darurat’ sedemikian, kami hanya mandi sekali dalam sehari. Itupun air hujan yang disimpan. Air hujan juga digunakan untuk membersihkan tandas selepas digunakan,” katanya.
JUMAAT (5 NOVEMBER) - Hari Keenam:
Destinasi pertama ialah Desa Maonai di Pulau Pagai di utara Kepulauan Mentawai. Ahli-ahli sukarelawan Malaysia memberikan rawatan perubatan kepada kira-kira 20 mangsa bencana alam dari 9 pagi hingga 2 petang. Kira-kira tujuh sukarelawan bekerja dalam setiap operasi.
 
Sukarelawan Mercy Malaysia menaiki bot ke kampung yang dilanda tsunami untuk memberikan bantuan perubatan.
“Kami diberitahu, apabila tsunami menghentam persisiran pantai, ia mengakibatkan lebih 300 orang Mindanao kehilangan tempat tinggal (atau Internally Displaced Person),” kata Dr Mohammad Iqbal.
Pelarian tersebut, kata Dr Mohammad Iqbal, rata-ratanya tidak tercedera ataupun mempunyai masalah serius dan hanya menerima rawatan pesakit luar.
Tambahnya, kebanyakan mereka lebih memerlukan sokongan psikologi.
Mereka turut memantau sama ada berlaku pemerebakan wabak kerana faktor kebersihan.
SABTU (6 NOVEMBER) - Hari Ketujuh:
Rombongan Mercy Malaysia misi kedua tiba di Batu Monga pada 9 pagi. Oleh kerana sudah terdapat pegawai Indian Red Cross, maka mereka tidak menghabiskan masa terlalu lama di situ.
Mereka bertolak ke Batu Malai dan merupakan pasukan sukarelawan yang pertama tiba di situ tepat pada pukul 12 tengah hari.
Terdapat kira-kira 120 penduduk dari 45 keluarga menetap di situ. Semua rumah ranap kecuali satu bangunan tinggi. Majoriti penduduknya beragama Kristian.
Dr Mohammad Iqbal memberitahu, terdapat satu kematian dan dua kecederaan di perkampungan tersebut akibat tsunami.
 
Dr Mohammad Iqbal menjalankan satu pembedahan kecil keatas seorang mangsa tsunami pada lututnya yang tercedera.
“Salah seorang daripadanya mengalami jangkitan pada lutut. Kami juga melakukan beberapa pembedahan minor keatas kanak-kanak yang menghidap jangkitan pada kulit selain mengesan beberapa insiden pasca traumatik,” ceritanya.
Apa yang paling menyayatkan hati, katanya, ialah seorang wanita menitiskan air mata kegembiraan dengan kehadiran mereka.
“Dia merayu kami menyelamatkan suaminya yang mengalami kecederaan kepala dan dalam koma akibat tsunami tempoh hari. Kami melakukan apa yang terdaya dan menguruskan penghantarannya ke hospital,” katanya.
Lelaki tersebut difahamkan sedang mencari rotan bersama dua rakannya ketika tsunami melanda kepulauan itu. Seorang mati manakala seorang lagi cedera.
 
Dr Mohammad Iqbal merawat seorang bayi di klinik bergerak di Desa Maonai, Pulau Pagai di utara Kepulauan Mentawai.
Dr Mohammad Iqbal dan rakan-rakannya membantu 53 pesakit dari 12 tengah hari hingga 4 petang.
Persinggahan mereka di situ tidaklah terlalu lama kerana laut bergelora pada lewat petang dan ini membahayakan keselamatan.
AHAD (7 NOVEMBER) - Hari Kelapan:
 
Sebuah klinik bergerak Mercy Malaysia di Kampung Tumalai.
Destinasi terakhir ialah Pulau Sipora. Mereka melawat ke Desa Bosua yang dihuni kira-kira 420 keluarga di bahagian selatan pulau itu dari jam 9 pagi hingga 2 petang.
Dr Mohammad Iqbal berkata, mereka berjaya merawat 55 pesakit dan menjalankan dua pembedahan kecil.
Sementara itu, beliau berkata, pasukan perubatan tidak mengikuti rombongan sukarelawan Mercy ke Desa Kobi Bara untuk menghantar bantuan kemanusiaan.
“Ini kerana sudah ramai sukarelawan dari Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah, pertubuhan bukan kerajaan dari Australia, dan South Surfer Aid ada di situ,” katanya.
Secara keseluruhannya, dari 31 Oktober hingga 7 November, Dr Mohammad Iqbal memberitahu, mereka melawat sembilan kampung, merawat 566 pesakit dan mewujudkan tujuh klinik. Tambahnya, Mercy turut membawa 100 helai selimut, 44 kotak mi segera (Indomie) dan 45 kotak botol air mineral untuk mangsa-mangsa.
 
Sukarelawan Mercy Malaysia di atas kapal Arimbi yang disewa selama 10 hari untuk misi kemanusian ke Kepulauan Mentawai pada Oktober dan November 2010.
“Kami pulang dengan bot sewa apabila genap sepuluh hari,” katanya.
Ditanya apakah pengalaman paling berharga sepanjang berada di situ, Dr Mohammad Iqbal tidak teragak-agak menyatakan ia adalah kasih sayang sesama manusia yang tidak mengenal sempadan.
Beliau bersedia untuk menyahut panggilan Mercy agar dapat menawarkan bantuan kepada sesiapa sahaja dan di mana jua.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Smoking in pregnancy

Smoking in pregnancy could increase baby's sudden death risk 'by affecting breathing regulator in brain'


Last updated at 2:01 PM on 10th November 2010

Babies whose mothers smoke during pregnancy have a far higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, now researchers think they know why.
Researchers, reporting in the journal Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology,  found nicotine could be affecting the development of brain centres that regulate breathing.
Research revealed babies of mothers who smoked during pregnancy had more pauses in breathing (infant apnea)
Research revealed babies of mothers who smoked during pregnancy had more pauses in breathing (infant apnea)

SIDS is the leading cause of death during the first year of a baby's life and the link between maternal smoking and SIDS is well-established.
Prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke puts infants at a two to five fold increased risk of SIDS and contributes to premature birth, which is another risk factor.
However what was known was how exposure to the chemicals in cigarette smoke in the womb increased this risk.
Researchers from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio analysed evidence from a number of human and animal studies.
They found nicotine exposure in the womb led to altered breathing patterns and ventilatory responses that compromised respiratory arousal and auto-resuscitation.
Babies of mothers who smoked during pregnancy had more pauses in breathing (infant apnea) and had a decreased ability to wake up from sleep in response to low oxygen.
Journal editor Dr Harold Farber, said: 'These findings highlight the importance of public health policies to prevent the development of tobacco dependence in adolescent girls and the importance of treatment of maternal tobacco dependence prior to pregnancy.
'Perhaps when young women are freed from the chains of tobacco addiction we can then truly say that "you have come a long way… for your baby."'

Ultimate boys' toy

Ultimate boys' toy: A magnificent hand-crafted 145ft Scalextric track... which took three YEARS to build


Last updated at 8:37 AM on 10th November 2010
With Christmas just around the corner, many boys will be being especially good so that Santa delivers the toy of their dreams under their tree on December 25.
And when they see this magnificent Scalextric track, Father Christmas could have a job on his hands pushing it though chimneys.
For here is a 1/32 scale Formula One course, which is 145ft long, lovingly hand-crafted by American big kid James-Michael Harlan... and he spent three YEARS making it.
The need for speed: Designer and car fanatic James-Michael Harlan has spent three years creating the White Lake Formula One track
The need for speed: Designer and car fanatic James-Michael Harlan has spent three years creating the White Lake Formula One track

Attention to detail: The unmarried 39-year-old has spent over £3,700 and 7,000 hours on the track, which is the envy of slot car racers all over the world
Attention to detail: The unmarried 39-year-old has spent over £3,700 and 7,000 hours on the track, which is the envy of slot car racers all over the world

Grand plans: Mr Harlan said: 'This isn't the end though, there is so much more I want to do. I've only just begun.'
Grand plans: Mr Harlan said: 'This isn't the end though, there is so much more I want to do. I've only just begun.'
The course, named the White Lake Formula One Ring, has just been completed and is the envy of all slot car enthusiasts around the world.
With 19 hair-raising turns and a complex track, complete with four lanes, pit stops and a grandstand, this miniature Formula One track is the ultimate boys' toy.
An exhibition designer and car fanatic, Mr Harlan has thought of absolutely everything, including miniature safety cars and podiums to stadium lights, cameras and stunning landscapes.
The elaborate track, which stands at 2.5ft high, has a 20ft bridge, straight and surrounding scenery of skyscrapers, viewing towers and countryside.
But amazingly the unmarried 39-year-old from White Lake, Michigan, who built the track in his basement, has used little more than copper tape, MDF, electrical wire and some paint to create the impressive track.
Having spent $6,000 (£3,740) in total on the track and cars, and about 7,000 hours creating it, he said: 'I guess you could say I've always had a need for speed.
'But I suppose I've taken it pretty far beyond what has already been done.
'I know it's quite an unusual thing for a designer to do and sometimes when I sit back and look at it, I realise I have created something quite extraordinary.
'I hold race nights with about 30 people and I run it all properly with qualifying laps and everything.
'I've even been known to run 24-hour races where the track is lit by day and illuminated with on-track lighting by night for an authentic feel.'

Hand-crafted: Mr Harlan, from White Lake, built the track in his basement, and has used little more than copper tape, MDF, electrical wire and some paint
Hand-crafted: Mr Harlan, from White Lake, built the track in his basement, and has used little more than copper tape, MDF, electrical wire and some paint

Checkered flag: There are tiny figures and the attention to detail around the 19-bend track is breath-taking
Checkered flag: There are tiny figures and the attention to detail around the 19-bend track is breath-taking
He added: 'This isn't the end though, there is so much more I want to do. I've only just begun.
'It’s a true passion and one I will enjoy for many many years to come.'
Scalextric, a brand of slot car racing, first became popular in Britain in the 1950s when it was created by Minimodels.
Hornby bought Minimodels out and the toys are still going strong - for small and big kids.
Record-breaker: Top Gear's James May and 350 helpers created the biggest Scalextric track in the world - a life-size copy of Brooklands, which was 2.95 miles in length
Record-breaker: Top Gear's James May and 350 helpers created the biggest Scalextric track in the world - a life-size copy of Brooklands, which was 2.95 miles in length
In 2009, BBC Top Gear presenter James May recreated the full length Brooklands racing track using Scalextric track and cars with the help of 350 volunteers.
They built the track from an uncounted number of pieces of Scalextric track, navigating ponds and roads, closely following the route of the old Brooklands track.
The event broke the Guinness World Record for the longest ever Scalextric track in the world, measuring 2.95 miles (4.75 km) in length.


Obama vows to end 'years of mistrust' between West and Muslim world

Obama vows to end 'years of mistrust' between West and Muslim world as he impresses Indonesians with local language

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:44 AM on 10th November 2010

  • Obama describes Indonesia as shining example of tolerance and democracy to other Muslim countries
  • President speaks in Indonesian, telling students 'I've come home to the village' after returning to country he lived in as a boy
  • He and wife fit in visit to mosque and university before fears Air Force One will be grounded by volcanic ash force them him to fly to South Korea early
  • Former neighbours reveal he was known as 'chubby Barry', the naughty 'boy who runs like a duck'
U.S. President Barack Obama today vowed to try and repair relations between the West and the Muslim world in a bid to end the ‘years of mistrust’.
Mr Obama, who is visiting Indonesia, also said the world’s most populous Muslim country – where he lived as a boy – was a shining example to others.
In a speech peppered with Indonesian phrases, he said: ‘Your achievements demonstrate that democracy and development reinforce one another.’
Happy to be here: U.S. President Barack Obama delivering a speech at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta today. He fondly recalled the country he grew up in from ages six to ten and peppered his speech with Indonesian phrases
Happy to be here: U.S. President Barack Obama delivering a speech at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta today. He fondly recalled the country he grew up in and peppered his speech with Indonesian phrases
Welcome 'home': Mr Obama was cheered like a rock star as audience members rushed to meet him
Welcome 'home': Mr Obama was cheered like a rock star as audience members rushed to meet him
Cheers: Around 6,000 students in the packed hall greeted Mr Obama's speech enthusiastically
Cheers: Around 6,000 students in the packed hall greeted Mr Obama's speech enthusiastically
The president - who has been treated as a returning hero, in sharp contrast to the anger he has faced in America – added: ‘Indonesia is a part of me.’
Mr Obama - who later boarded a flight to South Korea for the G20 summit, after being forced to cut short visit over fears that an ash cloud from the deadly Mount Merapi volcano could prevent Air Force One from taking off - hopes to repair confidence in Muslim nations following his initial gains after entering office last year.
His speech was an update to a major address he gave 17 months ago in Egypt where he declared a ‘new beginning’ in U.S.-Muslim relations after the tensions over the September 11, 2001, attacks and the former President George W Bush’s response to them.

MRS OBAMA'S MOSQUE DRESS-UP

First Lady Michelle Obama covered up during her tour of a mosque – but still managed to display some of her famous fashion sense.
In a bid not to offend her hosts at Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in southeast Asia, Mrs Obama (pictured below with her husband) wore a beige animal-print headscarf.
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visit the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta But there was a nod to her sartorial instincts in the form of beads and turquoise fringing at the neck.
Though her wide-legged Stephen Burrows trouser suit was simple in cut, Mrs Obama is never one to shy away from vibrant colour, and the edgy chartreuse hue was evidence of that.
She last wore the outfit by the Harlem, New York-based designer back in July.
Taking off their shoes, as another sign of respect in the place of worship, she and her husband (pictured below) strolled along a carpet laid across the sprawling courtyard together.
US President Barack Obama (C) and First Lady Michelle Obama (R) are barefoot as they are led on a tour by Grand Imam Yaqub Along the way, the mosque's imam explained that a Christian church visible in the distance uses the mosque's car park during Christmas celebrations because it doesn't have enough space.
A smiling Mr Obama then relayed that story to reporters.
He called it an example of cooperation between the different religions in Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population.
Since his Cairo address, irritants remain on both sides.
Al Qaeda still seeks to attack its Western enemies.
Little progress has been made in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian dispute and U.S. troops are still in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Confidence in Obama has dropped in many Muslim nations as a result.
‘In the 17 months that have passed we have made some progress, but much more work remains to be done,’ Mr Obama said.
Speaking to a crowd of thousand that cheered him like a rock star, he said ‘no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust’.
But he promised: ‘No matter what setbacks may come, the United States is committed to human progress.
‘That is who we are. That is what we have done. That is what we will do.’
On the Middle East specifically, Obama said the Israeli-Palestinian peace process faces ‘enormous obstacles’ after he relaunched talks in September only to see the dialogue bogged down over disputes between the parties.
‘But let there be no doubt: we will spare no effort in working for the outcome that is just, and that is in the interest of all the parties involved: two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.’
Despite having to cut short his twice-postponed trip to Indonesia, Mr Obama and his wife, Michelle, still managed to visit  the capital Jakarta's national Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in southeast Asia.
Taking off their shoes, as a sign of respect in the place of worship, they along a carpet laid across the sprawling courtyard together, along with the imam.
He gave his speech at the University of Indonesia, where he drew rapturous applause and cheers from the mostly young audience, especially when he spoke in Indonesian.
Introducing himself, he prompted laughter when he said: ‘Pulang kampung, nih,’  meaning ‘I've come home to the village’.
Indonesia was the second stop on Mr Obama's four-country, ten-day tour of Asia, which will end with a visit to Japan before heading back to the U.S. on Monday.
He repeated the success of his visit to India by fondly recalling the four years he spent as a boy in Indonesia, where he moved as a six-year-old with his mother in 1967.
He lived in the village of Matraman-Dalam as a boy with his white American mother,  Stanley Ann Durham, and his Indonesian stepfather, Lolo Soetoro.
Far from the suave and athletic figure he cuts today, his former neighbours there remembered him as ‘chubby Barry’, the ‘boy who runs like a duck’.
Djumiati Satjakoesoemah, 69, who recalled the nickname, revealed that Mr Obama attended the local school with classmates who couldn’t even afford shoes.
But even then, he seemed to have one eye on his destiny.
Another childhood friend, Slamet Januadi, told the New York Times that ‘Barry’  once asked a group of boys if they would rather be a president, a solider or a businessman when they grow up.
He said that, although a president would have nothing, the solider could have weapons and the businessman could have money.
None of the other boys said they wanted to one day be president.
‘Then Barry said he would become president and order the solider to guard him and the businessman to use his money to build him something. 
A hero's return: Passenger's on a train wave and shout as Mr Obama's convoy passes a street during his visit
A hero's return: Passenger's on a train wave and shout as Mr Obama's convoy passes a street during his visit

Respect: Mr and Mrs Obama are given a tour of the Istiqlal Mosque by imam Ali Mustafa Yacub
Respect: Mr and Mrs Obama are given a tour of the Istiqlal Mosque by imam Ali Mustafa Yacub
Opposition: Indonesian protesters outside the University of Indonesia where Mr Obama spoke
Opposition: Indonesian protesters outside the University of Indonesia where Mr Obama spoke

Threat: Ash spewing from Indonesia's Mount Merapi forced the Obamas to leave the country earlier than planned
Threat: Ash spewing from Indonesia's Mount Merapi forced the Obamas to leave the country earlier than planned
We told him: ‘You cheated. You didn’t give us those details.’
‘But we all became what we said we would,’ he added.
Some of his old neighbours recalled him as being a bit of a trouble-maker.
‘Barry was so naughty that my father even scolded him one time,’ said an old classmate Sonni Gondokusumo, 49.
While he was there he was under the charge of an openly gay nanny, who apparently dated the local butcher and later joined a  transvestite group that entertained people with street dancing in Jakarta.

Muslim minister claims he was 'forced' to shake hands with Michelle Obama on Indonesian visit

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 4:04 PM on 10th November 2010

 
An Indonesian politician has come under attack for shaking hands with Michelle Obama, swiftly resorting to Twitter to announce it as forced contact.
Tifatul Sembiring, the country’s information minister, flaunts his conservatism, and as a Muslim he claims to avoid touching women who aren’t related to him.
Indonesia - which has the world’s largest Islamic population, the vast majority moderate - had been debating how to handle encounters between the First Lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas’ arrival in the country.
Indonesian information minister Tifatul Sembiring shakes hands with First Lady Michelle Obama as the Obamas arrive in Jakarta. Sembiring now insists it was 'forced'
Indonesian information minister Tifatul Sembiring shakes hands with the First Lady as the Obamas arrive in Jakarta. Sembiring now insists it was 'forced'
Sembiring sought to deflect criticism by claiming that Tuesday’s skin-to-skin contact was all Michelle Obama’s fault.
‘I tried to prevent [being touched] with my hands but Mrs. Michelle held her hands too far toward me [so] we touched,’ Sembiring tweeted.
Footage on YouTube shows otherwise, sparking a debate that has lit up Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the blogosphere.
The minister was among the dignitaries in a receiving line that greeted President Barack Obama and his wife as they arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday - a homecoming of sorts for the president who spent part of his childhood here.
U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle walk down the red carpet as they arrive in Jakarta
U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle walk down the red carpet as they arrive in Jakarta

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife Kristiani Herawati drink a toast at a state dinner to honour the Obamas
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife Kristiani Herawati drink a toast at a state dinner to honour the Obamas
Indonesians gathered around television sets across the country to watch the American president touch down. Children at the school he attended practised a song dedicated to him just in case he visited.
In footage of the official welcome, Sembiring appeared to share his countrymen’s enthusiasm. He smiled broadly as he shook the president’s hand and then reached with both hands to grasp Michelle Obama’s. But later he said she forced their contact.
His denial was in a response to tweets from Indonesians who noted the handshake and questioned his long-standing claims that, as a good Muslim, he restricts his contact with women.
Many posts had a ‘gotchya’ quality to them.
One female journalist - who said the minister had refused to shake her hand - gleefully noted that now he would no longer be able to wriggle out of it.
Sembiring has often tweeted controversial comments, including blaming natural disasters on a lack of morality and joking about Aids.

Modestly chic: Michelle Obama dons a headscarf as she visits mosque on Indonesia trip

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:53 AM on 10th November 2010

Her impeccable dress sense has been praised throughout the world.
So it was no surprise that Michelle Obama managed to be stylish and show respect to her Muslim hosts when she visited a mosque on her tour of Indonesia.
The First Lady covered her hair with a beige animal-print scarf as she toured Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in southeast Asia.
Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Elegant: Michelle Obama chose an animal print scarf and modest suit as she visited the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia

Obamas in Indonesia
Tour: Mr Obama and the Michelle were shown round the Istiqlal Mosque by Grand Imam Yaqub
But there was a nod to her sartorial instincts in the form of beads and turquoise fringing at the neck.
Though her wide-legged Stephen Burrows trouser suit was simple in cut, Mrs Obama is never one to shy away from vibrant colour, and the edgy chartreuse hue was evidence of that.
She last wore the outfit by the Harlem, New York-based designer back in July.
Taking off their shoes, as another sign of respect in the place of worship, she and her husband strolled along a carpet laid across the sprawling courtyard together.

 
Along the way, the mosque's imam explained that a Christian church visible in the distance uses the mosque's car park during Christmas celebrations because it doesn't have enough space.
A smiling Mr Obama then relayed that story to reporters.
He called it an example of cooperation between the different religions in Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population.
Michelle and Barack Obama
Michelle and Barack Obama
Well-dressed: Her vibrant coloured suit was by New York based designer Stephen Burrows

The Obamas
Mark of respect: The President padded round in his socks while Michelle also removed her shoes