Apple co-founder and Chairman Steve Jobs died today. He was 56.

Jobs had been suffering from various health issues following the seven-year anniversary of his surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer in August 2004. Apple announced in January that he would be taking an indeterminate medical leave of absence, with Jobs then stepping down from his role as CEO in late August.

Jobs had undergone a liver transplant in April 2009 during an earlier planned six-month leave of absence. He returned to work for a year and a half before his health forced him to take more time off. He told his employees in August, “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”

One of the most legendary businessmen in American history, Jobs turned three separate industries on their head in the 35 (April 1, 1976) years he was involved in the technology industry.

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International news broadcaster CNBC has confirmed cancelling its flagship show World Business as allegations of impropriety surface linking the programme to FBC Media, a British firm apparently paid millions of ringgit by Putrajaya and Sarawak to shine their images globally.

The satellite news channel said it has also started investigating FBC Media’s business practices, in what is seen as a bid to remove itself from being tainted by any possible scandal that could smear it like the phone-hacking allegations that ended the 168-year-old News of The World last month.

“In response to your question below, you are correct in that we have withdrawn World Business in the light of serious questions raised last week and we have initiated an examination of FBC and its business practices,” Charlotte Westgate, CNBC’s vice-president of marketing and communications, told The Malaysian Insider in an email last night.

The news of CNBC’s popular business news programme, under the eye of its managing editor John Defterios, being dumped was first reported yesterday by Sarawak Report.

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Technorati Tags: CNBC, FBC Media, Najib Razak, Taib Mahmud, World Business

12.20pm: Pudu Plaza – At Jalan Landak, Pudu, some 200 people have started to gather, preparing for the rally. Police are scattered about, searching the protestors’ bags but take no further action. A small quarrel breaks out between protestors and Pudu security personnel when latter try to chase them away. Some foodstalls and restaurants are still open, and a durian stall is seen offering protestors a taste of its wares.

DAP leaders who have shown up include Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, Bukit Bendera MP Liew Ching Tong, Segambut MP Lim Lip Éng, Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham, Selangor exco Ean Yong Hian Wah, Lukut Adun Ean Yong Tin Sin, Pasir Pinjir Adun Thomas Soo, Bahau Adun Teo Kok Seong.

12.45pm: Dataran Merdeka – Police have fired tear gas at a group of protestors heading towards the area. The cannisters land near the Bar Council building. This group is believed to started from the former KTM headquarters nearby. The crowd is estimated to be 1,000.

12.50pm: About 3,000 to 4,000 people are marching from Petaling Street in downtown Kuala Lumpur to Stadium Negara. They are chanting “Bersih, Bersih, Pilihanraya” and “Hidup, Hidup, Rakyat”.

Six middle-aged protestors began a rendition of Negaraku, immediately receiving strong response from the crowd which sings along. Dr Wong Fort Pin, one of the six singers, said they are celebrating peace. ”We are walking for a better Malaysia,” he said.

12.51pm: Hilton Hotel – PKR leaders Nurul Izzah Anwar, Syed Husin Ali, Lateefah Koya arrive at Anwar Ibrahim’s hotel room. Local and foreign media are at the lobby.

12.55pm: Pudu Plaza – DAP leader Teresa Kok is defying her ban and leading protesters to start the walk towards Merdeka Stadium. The crowd is shouting, “Bersih, bersih,” “Hidup rakyat” , “Rakyat sudah bangun,” and “Daulat Tuanku.”

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7.50am: Masjid Jamek – There is heavy police presence in the vicinity of the mosque. The road fronting the mosque has been sealed off.

7.45am: Masjid Negara – A dozen FRU jeeps and a water cannon truck are stationed at the Jalan Keretapi roundabout opposite the Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court complex. No roadblocks are visible, but there are many police personnel in the area.

8am: Jalan Bukit Bintang – The streets of the tourist trap areas in Bukit Bintang are still empty, save for a few cars and a jaywalker. Unlike the other known assembly points for protesters, there is minimal police presence. Umno Youth is expected to rally here at 1.30pm.

8.10am: Tune Hotel – The Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman interchange are being manned by about 100 police personnel who are inspecting all vehicles entering the area. Tourist appear to be having trouble finding taxis.

8.25am: Sogo – The Sogo shopping complex on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman now looks like a police base. More than 10 police trucks and 100 police personnel are spotted. There is another roadblock here, and every vehicle is being inspected.

8.30am: Kampung Baru – Nine Bersih 2.0 supporters are nabbed and packed into one of the two police trucks parked near the Kampung Baru mosque. The road to the mosque has been cordoned off.

8.40am: Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman – Bar Council’s monitoring team hits the streets donning black suits and a “Observer” tags on their jackets. ”We will monitor the rally and take photographs if necessary. There are about 100 observers from the Bar Council. Some of them are also providing legal aid,” said HR Dipendra, who leads a team of 15 observers.

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Technorati Tags: 9 july, bersih, bersih 2, bersih chronology, bersih event, bersih live report

A group of 86 top scorers who failed to secure Public Service Department (PSD) overseas scholarships will be offered places in local private institutions of higher learning (IPTS).

This was decided by the Cabinet meeting Wednesday, according to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

He said the move would cost RM21.6 million compared to RM52.1 million if they were offered overseas scholarships.

“We’ve decided on the first option, which is sending them to local IPTS where they can pursue studies in fields of their choice,” he told reporters here.

He said the students, comprising three Malays, 71 Chinese, 11 Indians and one Bumiputera student from Sarawak, would be placed at several IPTS like International Medical University, Monash University Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Petronas and Malaysian Multimedia University.
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Technorati Tags: engineering, jabatan perkhidmatan awam, jpa, matriculation, medicine, psd scholarship, scholarship

There is a prima facie case in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy charge as the accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan is a credible witness, trial judge Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah has ruled.

The High Court judge, in his decision today, quashed the defence team’s arguments in attacking Saiful’s credibility as the case’s star witness.

They had charged that Saiful had lied in open court, and charged that there were many loopholes in his testimony.

Mohd Zabidin had also decided that there was nothing “inconsistent” with the clinical findings by the doctors from Hospital Kuala Lumput (HKL) as well as government chemists who had taken DNA samples from Saiful and Anwar.
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Technorati Tags: anwar, anwar ibrahim, enter defence, high court, saiful, saiful bukhari, sodomy case