Iraq car bomb targeting shoppers kills 13

A car bomb exploded in a crowded street in a city north of the Iraqi capital on Saturday, killing 13 people and wounding 32, police and a doctor said.
The dead included seven women and a six-year-old child, the doctor said. The blast in Samarra came as people shopped ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, which begins on Tuesday. It is the biggest Muslim holiday of the year. Militants seeking to cause maximum casualties frequently bomb places in Iraq where crowds of people gather, including shopping districts, markets, cafes and mosques.
Violence in the country has reached a level not seen since 2008, when Iraq was just emerging from a brutal sectarian conflict. Diplomats and analysts say the Shiite-led government's failure to address the grievances of the Sunni Arab minority -- which complains of political exclusion and abuses by security forces -- has driven the rise in unrest.
This year's spike in violence, which has included a number of sectarian attacks, has raised fears of a relapse into the kind of intense Sunni-Shiite bloodshed that peaked in 2006-2007 and killed tens of thousands of people.
The latest unrest takes the number of people killed so far this month to more than 270, and to over 4,950 since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

Iraq Kurd chief ready to hit militants in Syria, Iraq

Iraqi Kurdistan is prepared to strike militants anywhere, including neighbouring Syria, but the Kurds must avoid being drawn into its civil war, the autonomous region's president Massud Barzani told AFP.
Barzani's remarks came after militants carried out a late-September attack on a security service headquarters in the Kurdish region's capital Arbil, killing seven people -- a rare occurrence in an area usually spared the violence plaguing other parts of Iraq.
"We will not hesitate in directing strikes (against) the terrorist criminals in any place," Barzani said in an exclusive interview with AFP, when asked about the possibility of Kurdish action against militants in Iraq or Syria. "Our duty is to protect the Kurds if we are able," he said. But the long-time Kurdish leader made a distinction between that and being drawn into Syria's bloody civil war, which he said the Kurds must try to avoid.
"Our opinion is that the Kurds must stand at the same distance" from all parties in the conflict, so "the Kurdish people are not forced into a war" from which they will gain nothing, Barzani said. But Syrian Kurdish forces have already been drawn into the fighting, clashing with jihadist groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad's troops, who want to secure a land corridor connecting them to Iraq.
The violence has pushed tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds across the border, seeking refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan.


And Barzani has previously threatened to intervene in the Syrian conflict to protect Kurdish civilians, although officials have since backtracked on his remarks. Barzani also said in the interview that Iraqi Kurdistan had provided military training to Syrian Kurds so they could defend their communities -- the first public acknowledgement that this was done.
"A number of young (men) were trained, but truly not with the aim of entering the war," Barzani said. In claiming the September 29 attack in Arbil, which killed seven security force personnel and wounded more than 60 people, Al-Qaeda front group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant also pointed to Syria.
The group said the attack on the Kurdish asayesh security service headquarters with suicide bombers, gunfire and car bombs was in response to Barzani's alleged willingness to provide support to the government in Baghdad and to Kurdish forces battling jihadists in Syria. The attack was the first of its kind to hit Arbil since May 2007, when a truck bomb exploded near the same headquarters, killing 14 people and wounding more than 80.
Violence not the way to Kurdish statehood Barzani also discussed the future of the Kurdish people, saying that they have a right to self-determination and statehood, but that this will not be accomplished through violence. It is "a natural right for there to be a state for the Kurdish people, but this will not be achieved by violence, and must be done in a natural way," Barzani said.


This "age is the age of understanding, and we encourage dialogue between the Kurds and... the states" where Kurdish populations live, he said. Four countries -- Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran -- host major Kurdish populations, which have faced decades of discrimination.
In Iraq, the Kurds now have a three-province autonomous region in the country's north with its own government, security forces, flag and borders. Although Kurdistan and the federal government in Baghdad moved to reduce high tensions earlier this year, they are still at odds over a number of issues. Iraqi Kurdistan has sought to establish a pipeline that would give it access to international energy markets, sent crude across the border to neighbouring Turkey, and signed deals with foreign energy firms.
It has also capitalised on its reputation for greater safety and stability, as well as a faster-growing economy than the rest of Iraq, to solicit investment independent of the federal government. All this has angered Baghdad, and the two sides are also locked in a protracted dispute over the Kurds' long-standing demands for the incorporation of other traditionally Kurdish-majority areas into their autonomous region.
Barzani also said that political disputes and rampant violence that is killing hundreds of people in Iraq each month will likely not be resolved before parliamentary elections next year. "I do not believe that the fundamental problems will be resolved until these elections," Barzani said, adding that "there is real fear ... that the conflicts will develop into a civil war."

Ahead of talks, Iran rejects shipping out uranium

Iran will not agree to ship out its stockpile of enriched uranium, one of its main negotiators said Sunday ahead of crunch talks with world powers on its nuclear programme.

"We will negotiate about the volume, levels and the methods of enrichment but shipping out the (enriched) material is a red line for Iran," deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi told the state broadcaster. The remarks came on the eve of two-day talks in Geneva, the first meeting between Iranian negotiators and world powers since President Hassan Rouhani, a reputed moderate, took office in August.

The red line adds to Tehran’s insistence on what it considers its "right" to a uranium enrichment programme on its soil -- a process that can fuel civilian objectives but, in its more advanced form, yield the fissile core of a bomb. Iran currently has a stockpile of 6,774 kilogrammes of low-level uranium enriched, and nearly 186 kg of medium-enriched material with 20 percent purity, according to latest figures by the UN nuclear watchdog in September.

It also possesses some 187 kg of the 20 percent material converted to uranium oxide for use in fuel plates. The UN Security Council has demanded that Iran suspend uranium enrichment and has imposed crippling sanctions on the country. Araqchi said Iran would "remove all of (the) rational concerns of the other side," referring to suspicions in the West and Israel that Tehran is pursuing nuclear arms under the guise of a civilian energy programme, a claim the Islamic state vehemently denies.

"They always claim that they are not opposed to a peaceful nuclear energy (programme) in Iran but are against nuclear weapons," Araqchi said. "When we give them the confidence that Iran has no (nuclear) military programme on its agenda, they will have their victory." As for Iran, he said, the Islamic state's objective is the recognition of "its rights in the field of enrichment."

"We will not back down one iota from what the Iranian people are entitled to under international regulations," he added. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is Iran's top negotiator with the so-called P5+1 group of the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia plus Germany. But Araqchi said he will lead the Iranian team in the talks with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and representatives from the P5+1 countries as Zarif will only attend the opening meeting.

"The Iranian negotiating team will present a specific plan … which we hope will produce results in a logical time period," Araqchi said. A source close to Iranian negotiators earlier told the official IRNA news agency that Iran's proposals envisage "a clear path" for the talks, and include a timetable and a framework with "specified first and last steps."

"The intermediate steps will be defined after the first ones are taken," the unnamed source said, adding that the proposal would be presented in PowerPoint. The talks in Geneva come amid raised hopes of a diplomatic resolution to the decade-long standoff following pledges made by Rouhani to engage with the major powers in order to secure the lifting of the sanctions. However Rouhani's diplomatic outreach to the West has provoked criticism from hardliners, including the commander of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, who has questioned the president for holding an historic telephone call with US President Barack Obama. 

Jafari on Sunday renewed his hardline position with an ambiguous warning, saying: "It is not in the offing that we must relinquish our rights."

Mali boat accident leaves 20 dead, mostly children

Twenty people died, including 15 young children, when a boat on the Niger river broke up overnight near the central Malian city of Mopti, officials said, adding that another 23 people were missing.

"We don't know yet why the boat broke up," Commander Dramane Diallo, from the rescue services, told AFP. "Investigations are under way. The boat broke at the stern" in a branch of the river near the village of Koubi, some 70 kilometres (45 miles) north of the regional capital Mopti, and 210 passengers survived the accident, he said. Senior civil protection official, commander Naman Keita, confirmed the latest toll, adding that 15 children aged under five were among the recovered bodies. 

The search for survivors and more victims was suspended overnight and would resume Sunday morning, he added. Diallo said the large dugout was also loaded with goods. No further details were immediately available. The governor of Mopti said the Malian rescue services were assisted by residents of Koubi and passing boats. "This is what allowed for 20 bodies to be recovered. The search and rescue operation is ongoing," Ibrahima Hama Traore said on public television.

He said that accidents were not uncommon on the river but that the human loss from Friday's disaster was "extremely unusual". Traore said consultations would be undertaken with river transport companies to regulate traffic and prevent overloading. Those rudimentary canoes are the main means of transportation for residents of Mali's central and northern regions travelling to the towns dotting the Niger, the main river in West Africa.

Often powered by a van motor, they can sometimes carry tonnes of merchandise as well as over 100 passengers. The Niger is more than 2,500 miles long. It connects landlocked Mali's arid north to the more fertile south.

Belgium wins first world blind wine-tasting contest for teams

Belgium on Saturday won the first world blind wine-tasting competition for teams, with Denmark and England finishing second and third, organisers said. Philippe Ketelslegers, Filip Mesdom, Eric Derenne and Serge Condens took top honours at the competition held in the southwestern French town of Leognan, near France's winegrowing capital of Bordeaux. 

 A total of 16 teams from around the world including South Africa, China, Russia, Argentina and Quebec took part. The competition aimed to "bring together... all these amateurs, tasters from the world over, who can sometimes feel isolated in their home countries," Philippe de Cantenac, a journalist for the French wine monthly that organised the event.

The teams, blind-tasting 12 fine wines from around the world, had to identify their countries of origin, the grape varieties used in them, their appellations and their vintages.
 A second edition of the competition will be held next year in another French city, Cantenac said. The magazine La Revue du Vin de France has already hosted European championships in the same since 2008.

Tip Jaga badan sempena Raya Korban!

Hari raya Aidiladha atau raya korban pasti menemui kita dalam masa beberapa hari sahaja. Sementara orang sibuk korbankan lembu dan kerbau, jangan bentuk badan ramping kita pula yang terkorban! Jadi mari kita ikuti tip jaga badan sepanjang Raya Korban ini!

Makan untuk merasa, bukan untuk kenyang

Nafsu makan cuba dikawal. Memang sup ekor nampak sedap, tambah pelbagai hidangan yang ada lembu, kerbau dan kambing sangat lazat (tetapi ingat, paras kolesterol perlu diperhatikan juga!). Tidak salah makan, cuma beringatlah. Makan untuk merasa, tidak perlulah tambah sampai tiga kali.

Crunches dan squats jangan tinggal 

Raya haji tak bermakna boleh abaikan senaman. Alang-alang dah bangun awal untuk tengok lembu disembelih, cuba lakukan 150-250 senaman crunches. Ini boleh bantu kempiskan perut anda. Tak cantik kan kalau perut itu buncit kalah perempuan mengandung 9 bulan.

Banyakkan berjalan

Di sekitar kawasan surau/masjid atau padang yang akan lakukan ibadat penyembelihan itu bolehlah digunakan sebaiknya. Cuba berjalan speedwalking berbanding daripada diri tercegak sahaja. Ini boleh membantu pembakaran lemak dalam badan. 

 Kurangkan gula dalam minuman

Bagi mereka yang pulang ke kampung halaman, jangan gunakan alasan minuman di kampung semua manis. Boleh minta Pakcik atau Makcik kurangkan gula dalam kopi-O, bukan susah mana. Kalau makan kuih, cuba makan separuh sahaja.

Gula merupakan penyebab utama kencing manis dan perut buncit. Dengan itu, selamat mencuba tip berikut dan mengekalkan bentuk badan gempak sepanjang Raya Haji!

RAJA AZMI, EDDIE BATAL HASRAT BULAN MADU KERANA MASTERCHEF

Produser penuh kontroversi, Raja Azmi Raja Sulaiman, 54, bersyukur kerana majlis pernikahannya bersama bassist kumpulan CRK, Mohd Eddie Ghazali, 45, berjalan dengan lancarnya di Laman Beringin, Istana Budaya, sebentar tadi. 

Namun dalam pada itu, Raja Azmi tidak menafikan yang perasaannya agak bercampur baur iaitu gembira dan pada waktu yang sama berasa agak takut. “Gembiranya hati saya ini ibarat seperti melahirkan anak pertama dan ianya tidak dapat digambarkan dengan kata-kata. Perasaan takut pula datang menjelma apabila memikirkan yang saya bakal memikul semula tanggungjawab sebagai seorang isteri. 

“Lebih bertambah takut apabila saya terpaksa bergelar ibu kepada 5 anak sekarang ini. Tanggungjawab itu amat besar, tapi saya akan cuba menjadi ibu yang baik buat anak-anak Eddie dan pada masa yang sama menjadi ibu yang lebih baik buat anak-anak saya sendiri,” katanya. Sementara itu, Eddie pula berkata yang dia gembira dan bersyukur kerana apa yang dirancang telah pun berlangsung dengan selamatnya.

“Kini saya sudah pun sah bergelar suami kepada Raja Azmi. Rasa macam tak percaya yang hubungan kami sudah sampai ke tahap ini. Selama 5tahun saya nenduda, saya pernah terfikir untuk berkahwin lagi tapi tak tahu bila masanya sehinggalah saya dipertemukan dengan Raja Azmi. “Seperti orang lain, saya juga mengharapkan perkahwinan kami ini akan kekal sepanjang hayat,” ujar Eddie.

Dalam pada itu, pasangan juga turut berkata selepas berkahwin, mereka akan melalui kehidupan seperti biasa dan cuba mengenali dan memahami satu sama lain dengan lebih mendalam lagi. Kata Eddie, dia memahami kerjaya Raja Azmi dan akan cuba memberi sokongan dan dorongan.

Begitu juga sebaliknya. Tetapi dalam masa yang sama, masing-masing hendaklah mengetahui had dan batasan sebagai suami isteri. Tentang cahaya mata, Raja Azmi secara jujur memberitahu yang dia telah pun melalui proses putus haid. “Secara saintifiknya, kalau sudah melalui proses ini, pasti susah untuk saya mendapat cahaya mata bersama Eddie.

Namun kalau ada itu adalah kuasa Allah dan kami tidak akan menolaknya”, jelas Raja Azmi. Menyentuh bab bulan madu pula, Raja Azmi menjelaskan dia dan Eddie sudah merancang untuk bercuti ke Desaru. Namun pada saat akhir, ianya terpaksa dibatalkan kerana RajaAzmi sudah terlibat dengan komitmen untuk penggambaran All Stars MasterChef Malaysia.

“Penggambaran All Stars MasterChef Malaysia akan bermula pada 16 Oktober iaitu 3 hari selepas saya bernikah, jadi saya dan Eddie tidak dapat nak berbulan madu. Nasib baik Eddie seorang yang memahami situasi saya. Mungkin kami hanya akan berbulan madu di rumah sahaja”, kata Raja Azmi sambil ketawa.

SEKALI LAFAZ, RAJA AZMI & EDDIE SAH BERGELAR SUAMI ISTERI

Hanya dengan sekali lafaz, produser filem penuh kontroversi, Raja Azmi selamat bergelar isteri kepada lelaki pilihan hatinya, Mohd Eddie Ghazali, dalam majlis akad nikah yang berlangsung di Laman Beringin, Istana Budaya, sebentar tadi.

Raja Azmi atau nama sebenarnya, Raja Azmi Raja Sulaiman, 54, bersama Eddie, 45, yang merupakan pemain bass kumpulan CRK telah diijabkabulkan oleh jurunikah, Ustaz Wan Ismail Wan Ahmad dengan mas kahwin sebanyak RM 300 beserta seutas gelang dan senaskah Al-Quran. Raja Azmi telah berwalikan abang sulungnya, Raja Azman Raja Sulaiman serta bersaksikan adik bongsunya, Raja Azizdin Raja Sulaiman dan menantunya, Mohamad Shadan Hashim.

Majlis akad nikah itu telah berlangsung di sebuah pelaminan yang dihias cantik di dalam gazebo yang terletak indah di Laman Beringin, IstanaBudaya. Terdahulu pihak pengantin lelaki telah membawa 1 dulang hantaran yang mengandungi sebuah Al-Quran, mas kahwin dan gelang tangan emasp utih, berbalas dengan 3 dulang hantaran berupa manis-manisan seperti cokelat, cookies dan jeli daripada pihak pengantin perempuan. Sebelum majlis nikah dimulakan, Eddie terlebih dahulu telah diarak masuk oleh tiga pengapit iaitu anak sulungnya, Mohd Daniel serta dua orang anak saudaranya, Mohd Khairulanwar Md Isa dan Muhammad Syazuwan Abdullah beserta iringan tiga penari Istana Budaya.

Manakala Raja Azmi pula diarak masuk tiga pengapitnya iaitu penyanyi Salamiah Hassan, anak perempuan keduanya, Puteri Suaida serta anak saudaranya, Raja Azzrine Raja Azizdin beserta iringan tiga penari wanita Istana Budaya. Upacara membatalkan air sembahyang dilakukan sejurus selepas itu setelah Eddie menyarungkan gelang emas putih ke tangan Raja Azmi.

Kenyataan NASA Bahawa Matahari Akan Terbit Dari Barat

Sains astronomi ada menyebut bahawa kelajuan putaran planet Marikh sedang perlahan sedikit demi sedikit ke arah laluannya ke timur. Para saintis agensi angkasa lepas kebangsaan Amerika Syarikat (NASA) pula mendapati pergerakan planet itu terhenti ke arah laluan tersebut.

NASA kemudian mendapati planet Marikh telah menukar laluannya ke arah yang bertentangan, iaitu ke arah Barat, ini bermakna matahari akan terbit dari arah barat Marikh. Fenomena yang ganjil itu disebut sebagai “retrograde motion”. Kebanyakan saintis Barat berpendapat bahawa semua planet akan melalui fenomena yang serupa dan ini termasuklah planet Bumi.

Apabila ianya berlaku, maka matahari akan terbit dari Barat! Subhanallah! Kekasih Allah Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. bersabda bahawa salah satu tanda besar yang hari kiamat akan tiba ialah apabila matahari terbit dari Barat. Pihak NASA telahpun mendapati tanda-tanda matahari akan terbit dari Barat semasa ahli sains astronominya mengkaji pergerakan planet Marikh. Yang mereka tidak dapat pastikan ialah tempoh masa yang bakal diambil sehinggalah semua planet melalui fenomena yang serupa.

Dapatan sains oleh NASA itu semestinya memperkukuhkan lagi iman umat Islam akan tanda-tanda kiamat. Manusia tidak tahu bila ianya akan berlaku walaupun sudah ada banyak tanda-tandanya. Hanya Allah Yang Maha Mengetahui.

(VIDEO) Insiden Baling Mikrofon Di Mesyuarat Wanita UMNO Gua Musang

Mesyuarat Perwakilan Wanita Umno Bahagian Gua Musang di Bukit Chekati, pagi semalam, hampir berlaku kekecohan apabila empat perwakilan dari Cawangan Sungai Paloh tiba-tiba naik angin sebelum seorang daripadanya bertindak melemparkan mikrofon.

Kekecohan itu bermula ketika mesyuarat sedang berlangsung dan seorang wakil Wanita bangun dan menyuarakan rasa tidak puas hati kerana senarai 21 calon ahli jawatankuasa Wanita Umno bahagian ditolak pada hari penyerahan pencalonan. Mereka menganggap pemimpin Wanita Umno bahagian keterlaluan kerana menolak pencalonan itu walaupun diserah pada jam 5.01 petang pada 21 September lalu.

Berikutan itu, seorang daripada mereka merampas mikrofon dan terus melemparkannya ke lantai sebelum mereka dipujuk seorang pemimpin Wanita supaya bersabar kerana keputusan penolak permohonan pencalonan itu diputuskan peringkat Umno Pusat.

Selepas 10 minit, keadaan kembali reda untuk memberi laluan kepada Ketua Wanita Umno bahagian itu, Datuk Wan Hazani Mohd Noor, yang menang tanpa bertanding jawatan berkenaan berucap dan menjelaskan perlembagaan Umno yang menetapkan cara baru pemilihan pemimpin tahun ini. Suasana pada mula yang dilihat semakin mencemaskan, namun dapat dikawal dengan dibantu anggota Rela.

Perwakilan terlibat, Rohaya Abdul Gani mengakui membuat bantahan begitu kerana tidak berpuas hati dengan barisan kepimpinan Wanita Umno bahagian berkenaan. Menurutnya, walaupun menyerahkan borang pencalonan itu lewat tetapi ia seharusnya diterima untuk menunjukkan amalan demokrasi dalam parti. “Saya tidak setuju dengan penolakan itu kerana kita mahu ada pertandingan secara sihat bagi masa depan Melayu dalam Umno,” katanya.

Sinar Harian juga cuba mendapatkan maklum balas daripada perwakilan yang melemparkan mikrofon itu namun, beliau enggan memberi sebarang komen. Sementara itu, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pemilihan Umno Bahagian Gua Musang, Muhammad Shukri Abd Aziz, yang tampil memberi penjelasan itu kepada pemberita berkata, perkara itu sepatutnya tidak timbul lagi kerana borang pencalonan mereka ditolak sendiri di peringkat Pusat.

Beliau mengakui pada mulanya kumpulan seramai 21 orang, termasuk calon pencabar Ketua Wanita Umno bahagian, Siti Khadijah Mohd Noor menyerah borang pencalonan serentak pada jam 5.01 petang selepas ditutup jam 5 petang. “Ketika menerima borang pencalonan mereka, kita sudah mengadakan mesyuarat membincangkan perkara terbabit dan semuanya memutuskan borang itu terpaksa ditolak kerana melebihi masa. Tetapi kita mengambil borang mereka untuk dirujuk kepada Jawatankuasa Pemilihan Umno Negeri Kelantan. 

“Selepas itu, borang itu dirujuk kepada Jawatankuasa Pemilihan Umno Peringkat Pusat, tetapi sebelum keputusan penolakan itu dibuat, Siti Khadijah membuat permohonan menarik diri daripada bertanding jawatan Ketua Wanita Umno,” katanya.Katanya, perwakilan Wanita Umno yang masih membangkitkan perkara itu perlu faham perkara sebenarnya dan surat mengenai penolakan mereka juga sudah diterima Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pemilihan Umno Peringkat Pusat, Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghani.

Pelakon Maznah Zulkifli Nafi Kahwin Bekas Suami Noniswara

Pelakon Maznah Zulkifli, 39, menafikan dia sudah mengahwini bekas suami pelakon Noniswara Baharudin iaitu Datuk Rosman Ridzwan.
Sebelum ini, Maznah pernah digosipkan sebagai menjadi punca perceraian kepada pelakon Noniswara, 44, dan Rosman, 56, yang sah bercerai pada 18 Julai lalu. “Gosip perkahwinan itu merupakan satu fitnah semata-mata malah saya dan Rosman kini sudah ada pasangan masing-masing,” kata selebriti itu pada majlis pembukaan acara pelancaran motosikal berkuasa besar, S4M Motorsports di sini semalam.
Mengenai gosip yang mendakwa dirinya menjadi punca perceraian Noniswara dan Rosman pula, Rosnah turut menafikan perkara itu dan menyifatkan dakwaan tersebut merupakan isu lampau.

(GAMBAR) Panas!!! Nikita Mirzani Cium Mulut Di Majlis Perkahwinan

Pelakon seksi Indonesia, Nikita Mirzani, 27, yang gemar bertatu selamat diijabkabulkan dengan pilihan hatinya, Sajad Ukra, 37, Jumaat lalu.

Mengulas tentang harapannya terhadap perkahwinan tersebut, bintang filem Nenek Gayung itu menyatakan dia berharap Sujad mampu membimbingnya menjadi seseorang yang lebih baik.

Hal ini kerana Sujad sudah bergelar ‘haji’ dan khatam al-Quran.
“Dia sudah (pernah) naik haji. Dia khatam Al Quran lima kali, orangnya juga humble,” ucap Nikita yang tidak dapat menyembunyikan air mata terharu sejurus sah bergelar isteri.
Majlis pernikahannya berlangsung di Rumah Ranadi, Jeruk Purut, Jakarta Selatan. Nikita sebelum ini sudah pernah berkahwin ketika berusia 21 tahun dan dikurniakan seorang anak perempuan namun berakhir dengan perceraian.
Justeru Nikita juga sempat berkongsi harapan semoga kisah lalunya tidak lagi berulang apabila memilih teman hidup baru yang mempunyai kacukan Timur Tengah dan bekerja di Singapura ini.

Alonso Says His Focus Is Mercedes,Not Vettel.

SUZUKA: Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel is sure to win this year's Formula One title and Ferrari's focus is now on finishing ahead of Mercedes in the constructors' championship, Fernando Alonso said on Saturday.

Vettel enjoys a 77 point lead over the Spaniard and can secure his fourth successive championship if he wins the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday and Alonso fails to finish in the top eight. While Vettel qualified on the front row on Saturday, Alonso will start in eighth place.

"If Sebastian doesn't win the championship here, he will win in India or in Abu Dhabi," said the Ferrari driver, referring to the next two races of the four remaining after Japan. "It's not our more important point of the weekend to be honest. We will not race, try to finish in the first eight to try to keep alive the championship," he continued. "We will race, try to score as many points as possible and try to finish in front of the Mercedes. That is a very important goal for us.

If we can keep the championship open until India it will be OK, but it will not change too much for us." Ferrari are second overall and one point ahead of Mercedes in the constructors' standings with five races remaining. Red Bull are 118 points clear in the constructors'. Both the Mercedes drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, qualified ahead of the Ferraris at Suzuka with the Briton third on the grid and the German sixth.

Time Advantage Vettel starts alongside Australian team mate Mark Webber, on pole for the first time in a year, and can be expected to run away with the race if his misbehaving KERS energy recovery system does not let him down. "The race is about trying to beat the Ferraris and also the Lotuses," Hamilton agreed. "We want to beat both those teams. The Red Bulls, we're not really in their league at the moment."

"When you start the race, your mind's set on winning but if those two Red Bulls get into the first corner first and second, they'll be gone... they've got so much time in their pockets." Alonso said his qualifying had been much as expected, with Ferrari clearly off the pace, although there was hope for the race. "We are not in a position to fight with anyone," he said. 

We have some problems in terms of pace and performance that is not going to change now in the remaining races because we will put zero new parts in. "It is not frustrating any more to be honest," he added. "It is four years that we are one second behind Red Bull (on Saturday). "We were seventh in Korea, we didn't have the pace. 

We arrived here five days later and we didn't expect any miracle. We expected to be eight tenths or one second behind Red Bull and we are eight tenths."

Nurul Wahab Kongsi Gambar Babay Di Blog.

Pastinya kini ramai yang ternanti-nanti untuk menatap wajah baby Z, iaitu bayi pasangan Nurul Wahab dan suaminya Eric. Selepas genap seminggu dilahirkan, semalam buat pertama kalinya Nurul berkongsi gambar cahaya mata keduanya itu.

Bersama catatan di blognya menerusi entry bertajuk 7 Hari Pertama Yang Bahagia... Yang Datang & Yang Pergi..., penyanyi ini menceritakan pengalaman kembali menjaga bayi serta keterujaan suaminya terhadap anak mereka. Nurul memuat naik dua keping gambar bayinya itu untuk tatapan peminat. Nurul dan Eric (Eric Daniel Depp) bernikah pada tanggal 6 Jun 2012.

Majlis perkahwinan mereka berlangsung di Duchess Places Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Baby Z dilahirkan pada 3 Oktober lalu. Setakat ini Nurul tidak penuh anaknya itu dan kami percaya tentunya ada majlis khas memperkenalkan baby Z nanti, kan.

Showcase Sukses! Shila Amzah Bikin Konsert Tahun Hadapan.

Dalam pada dia sibuk mengukuhkan kerjaya nyanyiannya nun di negara tembok besar China, penyanyi Shila Amzah tetap tidak melupakan peminat-peminatnya (yang digelar Shilalas) di tanah air.

Semalam bertempat di Penthouse@The Icon, Shila Amzah dedikasikan sebuah showcase sebagai hadiah buat para penyokong setianya juga kepada para media yang tida jemu-jemu meuar-uarkan tentang perkembangan dirinya.

Lebih istimewa, showcase tersebut seiring dengan pelancaran album terbaru berjudul, Shila Amzah. "Saya tak nak buat pelancaran album yang biasa-biasa, jadi kita adakan showcase ni. Ia hadiah buat peminat dan media tanda penghargaan saya kepada semua yang menyokong saya selama ini. Dalam album ni dirakamkan secara live, jadi saya nak peminat pun sama-sama menikmati lagu dalam album ni pada persembahan live saya.

"Alhamdulillah saya berpuas hati dengan persembahan saya tadi walaupun dalam masa yang singkat. Sambil-sambil saya lebih intim dengan peminat", kata Shila Amzah ketika ditemui sejurus usai persembahannya.

Pada showcase itu Shila menghiburkan penonton menerusi petikan lagu dari album tersebut antara, Sedar, A Moment Like This, Maaf, Masih Aku Cinta, Cinta Hati, Tulus serta Rolling in the Deep dan Set the Rain to the Fire (secara medley).

Showase selama lebih kurang 1 jam itu turut dihadir artis popular seperti Dato' Siti Nurhaliza bersama suaminya, Datuk K, Dato' DJ Dave, pelakon Johan As'ari dan Nazim Othman. Sementara itu, mengenai perancangan jangka masa panjang Shila berkata dia akan mengadakan sebuah konsert pada tahun hadapan.  

"Saya dah lama tak buat show kat sini. InsyaAllah saya akan mengadakan konsert pada tahun hadapan. Showcase ni juga sebagai persediaan saya untuk konsert nanti. Sebab tu saya tak nyanyikan lagu-lagu lama saya sebab saya simpan untuk konsert", ujarnya.

Perkembangan lain, Shila bakal membuat persembahan amal untuk stesen penyiaran Mediacorp di Singapura pada minggu hadapan. Dia juga akan berada di Kota Singa itu dan membuat persembahan di Anugerah Planet Muzik (AMP).

Shila turut tercalon dalam 5 buah kategori dalam anugerah tersebut. Selain itu, sekembalinya Shila ke Beijing hujung bulan ini, beberapa projek besar akan dilaksanakan. Antaranya, Shila merupakan salah seorang daripada lima penyanyi bukan berbangsa Cina paling popular yang di China yang akan membuat persembahan sempena hari kemerdekaan yang ke-64 negara republik itu pada 24 Oktober ini. Kemudian, Shila akan kembali ke studio bagi menyudahkan album Mandarinnya.

"Album Mandarin saya diterbitkan sepenuhnya oleh syarikat pengurusan saya di Shanghai. Setakat ni sudah ada 6 lagu. Kini dalam perancangan mempromosikan single pertama saya, A Moment Like This. "Selain itu rutin saya, saya masih lagi mengikuti kelas Mandarin", katanya juga menyatakan semakin tenang dan bahagia dengan kehidupan sekarang selepas melalui pelbagai dugaan beberapa bulan lalu.

'Allah' Issue Set To Test Malaysia,Regardless If Herald Wins Or Loses Tomorrow.

Whatever the outcome of tomorrow's ruling on whether the Roman Catholic Church can use the word "Allah" in its weekly publication the Herald, it will definitely impact Malaysia and the international community, said PAS central committee member Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

Mujahid said no matter what the Court of Appeal decides, politicians will continue to raise the issue and Islamist parties like PAS will be tested in its call for the freedom of faith. "Malays will be tested in their pursuit of defending Islam but at the same time complying with Article 11 of the Federal Constitution, where the freedom of faith is protected," he told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Mujahid added that the theory that Christians proselytise Muslims will increase and they will be seen as the enemy of Islam. The Parit Buntar MP said there were several issues which the appellate court would take into consideration, including Islam as the religion of the state and multi-racial dynamics. He felt that the influence of the ruling party, Umno, may play a part.

"The issue also covers the freedom of the press, as Catholics were banned from using the word 'Allah' in their publication The Herald. But the High Court ruled that the ban was contradicting the notion of freedom, despite the publication being limited to Christians only," WSJ reported Mujahid as saying. "However, I think that the issue was given such a highlight for the purpose of political gain instead of exploring a brighter future in interfaith relations. "Both Umno and PAS will be forced to play the racial and religious card for the purpose of wooing voters.

"But both parties also need to handle it more maturely because their actions will affect the interfaith and racial fabric of the country," added Mujahid, who had visited almost 30 churches in his quest to promote interfaith dialogue. He pointed to Somalia and Myanmar as examples where tragic acts of violence had been committed in the name of religion, which only ended up depicting a negative image of religion. Dr Mujahid said politicians must find the political will to condemn citizens who use faith to promote violence and hatred among Malaysians.

The Court of Appeal ruling due to be delivered tomorrow is the result of a lower court judgement in 2009 which ruled that the Catholic Church had the constitutional right to use the word Allah in the Bahasa Malaysia editions of the Herald. In early 2010, the same court ordered the Herald not to use the word while the government appealed the decision. Last month, the Catholic Church argued before the appellate court that it should be allowed to use the word as it had been used for centuries by Malay-speaking Christians. The government argued that the restriction on the use of the word was not in bad faith as it had been done from the internal security and public order aspect.

The government also argued that the word was specific to Muslims. The Wall Street Journal reported that observers, including Dr Patricia Anne Martinez, feel tomorrow's decision will go against the Herald, partly due to the current political climate. Martinez, a Malaysian scholar of Islam who is a practising Catholic, said Umno had been using Islam for political mileage.

"There has been a lot widespread negative publicity about the use of the word 'Allah' and the Herald case," she told WSJ, noting that Umno had also raised the issue while campaigning in the 13th general election in May to show it was championing the Islamic cause. Muslim Lawyers Association vice-president Azril Amin said they were not oppressing non-Muslims nor were they stopping them from practicing their religion. Azril, a lawyer representing the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council, said the government's argument was that the proper use of the word Allah should be reserved for Muslims.

Editor of the Herald Father Lawrence Andrew said that he was not tired or worn down by the long legal battle. He said when justice is denied, tiredness is not a factor because you have to consider the commitment you have for the good of the people. “We are just stating what is in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution, which says we have the right to worship and to manage our religious affairs. So, therefore, we are basically fighting for religious freedom," the WSJ quoted Father Lawrence as saying.

Zulfahmi Overcomes Pain Barrier.

PAIN or not, Mohd Zulfahmi Khairuddin got a decent outcome, finishing 14th in yesterday's qualifying session of the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Sepang Circuit. Suffering from a swollen lower back, the 21-year-old Red Bull-KTM-Ajo rider was expected to struggle.
But a strong performance saw him within sight of the top 10 riders as he clocked two minutes 15.474s. Zulfahmi's teammate Luis Salom cracked the Malaysian circuit's lap record en route to pole position with a time of 2:13.867s. "Compared to yesterday, today was very good," said Zulfahmi, referring to his 20th position in Friday's combined free practice times, as the swelling on his back has also reduced.
"We only had an issue in the early part of qualifying when half the track was dry and the other half wet. So we decided to stay in the pits a little bit longer to wait for the track to dry a bit before we went out on slick tyres. I was able to do some constant lap times in the two minutes and 15 seconds region, so I'm confident about my pace. "I'm not too far from the top 10 laps times, so that is my target. Under these circumstances, to finish in the top 10 would be great for me." Zulfahmi continuously undergoes treatment to reduce the swelling on his back and while it has thus far worked, he admitted there was still a little pain hampering his performance yesterday. "At some corners, I was really struggling to control my bike. There is still pain, but it is much better compared to yesterday. The doctors and physios have been working really hard on me, so I wish to thank them for all the work that has gone into trying to ensure I can race this weekend." A repeat of his second place finish from his first ever pole position in his home race last year would be a tough ask, but Zulfahmi remained confident of a decent performance in front of his home crowd. "It will be a really hard 18 laps in the race, especially with the injury.
But I hope to remain in contention and I'm going to push myself hard all the way to the finish line."

'Report On Kudat Crash Next Month!

Defence Minister and acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein visiting crash survivor Noorhazwin Sharom at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu yesterday

KOTA KINABALU: Two women remained in intensive care after surviving the air crash that killed two people in Kudat on Thursday. Sue Isabella Abal, 26, and Fauziah Pelimin, 32, were being kept under close supervision at Queen Elizabeth 2 Hospital here.
Three other survivors were also warded at the hospital. A hospital spokesman said Sue was recuperating well after surgery, while Fauziah injured her back. Both were reported to be in stable condition. Fauziah's 20-month-old daughter, Nurfilzah Raudhah Redzuan, also a survivor, was traumatised. Fauziah's husband, Redzuan Binting, said Nurfilzah would only drink water and had rejected milk formula. He said she had been breastfed before the crash.
"She also has difficulty sleeping and wants to be cuddled all the time," Redzuan said. He added that their other child, 4-year-old Mohd Raiyan, was also onboard the flight that ploughed into a house at Kampung Sin San after missing the runway while attempting to land at Kudat Airport. Redzuan said he was told that Fauziah was holding Nurfilzah during the crash, but was thrown at least four seats away. "She never let go of our baby until she was rescued."
Three other victims warded at the hospital were pilot Captain Wan Mohd Abdul Amir Wan Yahya, 52, who fractured his ribs, and passengers Noorhazwin Sharom, 29, and Merang Maharani, 54. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and Defence Minister and acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein visited the survivors at the hospital here yesterday. Hishammuddin said the wreckage of DHC-6 Twin Otter 9M-MDM would be moved to a hangar in Kota Kinabalu International Airport for investigations.
"I will monitor the probe and will leave no stone unturned. Until the report comes out, which will not take too long, I don't want speculation." Hishammuddin said the report would be ready in a month. He said the investigation would also take into account weather conditions at the time of the accident. The crash killed co-pilot Marc Joel Bansh and passenger Tan Ah Chai. There were 16 passengers onboard. The wreckage, with its tail resting on the fence of a single-storey house, surrounded by electric cables, has attracted crowds over the past three days.
The front part of the plane, which was ripped off exposing the cockpit with its bloodstained seats, is lying on what used to be the kitchen of the house, while the fuselage was spread across the front lawn. Two four-wheel-drive vehicle were also damaged. One of the plane's two propellers was found some 20m behind the house beside a tree that was clipped by the aircraft before it ploughed into the house, spun and came to a halt. The MASWings 19-seater Twin Otter was attempting to land here before proceeding to Sandakan when it crashed.

Aeril Sedih Di Tuduh Punya Anak Luar Nikah?

Pada awalnya, sidang media khas Aeril Zafrel dan Wawa Zainal yang diadakan restoran Western 114 di Neo Damansara, petang semalam bermula dalam suasana tenang.

Meskipun pasangan kontroversi ini membiarkan pihak media menunggu mereka 1 jam lewat dari masa yang dijanjikan, namun pihak media masih boleh bersabar dan memahami keadaan mereka - terperangkap dalam kesesakan lalulintas, katanya. Namun pertengahannya perjalanan majlis yang dipenuhi pihak media itu menjadi agak tegang apabila Aeril yang sejak dari awal banyak berkias dalam memberikan setiap jawapan sehingga sikapnya itu ditegur oleh para wartawan.

Manakan pihak media tidak berang, sudahlah majlis bermula lambat, Aeril pula masih lagi seperti mahu memutar belitkan jawapan dengan 'hujah-hujahnya'. Padahal dia boleh saja berterus terang untuk menjimatkan masa pihak media. Begitu pun, dalam pada dia berbalas hujahnya dengan pihak media, Aeril meluahkan rasa kesal kerana tidak mendedahkan status mereka lebih awal. Aeril juga turut mempersoalkan tujuan media membongkar hal perkahwinan mereka.

"Ya saya menyesal kerana tidak mendedahkan status perhubungan ini lebih awal dan pada masa sama tertanya-tanya apakah tujuan wartawan itu mendedahkan hal kami? Mengaku atau tidak, itu hak kami untuk memberitahu. "Saya sedih apabila banyak tohmahan dilemparkan kononnya anak saya tidak sah taraf. Apabila tengok anak sedang tidur, saya menangis sedih kerana anak itu dianggap anak haram. Saya tak kisah diri ini dihina, tetapi disebabkan pihak itu mendedahkan anak saya tanpa kebenaran, buatkan saya sedih", katanya.

Dalam pada Aeril cuba menyalahkan pihak media, kami puji sikap Wawa yang nampak lebih bijak dan matang daripada suaminya bertindak memohon maaf kepada pihak media kerana tidak mahu keaadan menjadi tegang. "Macam ini, kami meminta maaf kepada semua kerana penafian ini. Apa yang dilakukan semuanya bersebab", kata Wawa.

Isu Kahwin Rahsia, Sembunyi Anak- Wawa & Aeril Mengaku Dan MInta Maaf.

Segala desas desus, spekulasi dan tanda tanya ramai mengenai kontroversi hangat pasangan pelakon Aeril Zafrel dan Wawa Zainal akhirnya terjawab jua dalam satu sidang media khas sebentar tadi.
 "Saya mula berkenalan dan bercinta dengan Wawa pada 2010 sewaktu kami berlakon dalam drama Klik. Tapi ketika itu pihak pengurusan Wawa iaitu MIG tidak membenarkan berkawan apatah lagi bercinta.


" Dan demi Allah, pada 25 Februari 2012 saya Aeril Zafrel dan Wawa telah bernikah. Bukan seperti yang kalian dakwa sebelum ini. Pernikahan kami sah. "Kami bernikah sebanyak dua kali?
Pernikahan kali pertama adalah sebagai menghalalkan perhubungan kami. Kami tak ada surat nikah untuk penikahan pertama itu. Dan selepas saya dapat tahu Wawa mengandung, kami bernikah semula pada 4 Februari 2013 kerana mahu mengikut Undang-undang Keluarga Negeri Selangor dan supaya anak kami boleh di binkan dengan nama saya.
"Kenapa kami nikah dua kali dan kenapa kami merahsiakan pernikahan kami kerana pada ketika itu Wawa meminta saya merahsiakan kerana pihak MIG tidak membenarkan kami bercinta apatah lagi berkahwin. Wawa takut dimarahi oleh pihak pengurusan dia", kata Aeril Zafrel.


Berikut gambar Aeril dan Wawa sebagai bukti mereka telah bernikah.


Sidang media itu turut dihadiri oleh Wawa Zainal, bapa aktres itu, peguam Aeril iaitu Zulhasmi Zakaria (Termizi & Co.) dan juga pengurus aktor itu. Media dimaklumkan pernikahan kali pertama pasangan ini diadakan di rumah keluarga pengurus Aeril yang terletak di Petaling Jaya.
 Majlis tersebut turut dihadiri oleh saksi dan wali iaitu bapa Wawa sendiri dan seorang Imam yang dibawa dari Sabah. Manakala pernikahan kali kedua, pasangan ini bernikah di Masjid Jumuriah Taman Dato Harun dan mereka dinikahkan oleh Imam masjid tersebut.


Dalam masa yang sama, Wawa membuat pengesahan bahwa laporan media sebelum ini tentang kewujudan anak mereka adalah benar. "Anak saya lahir pada 24 Ogos lalu. Semuanya betul seperti yang dilaporkan oleh akhbar tersebut", katanya.
Ahad lalu ruangan sisipan akhbar Berita Harian, Bipop, mendedahkan Aeril dan Wawa telah bernikah pada 4 Februari lalu dan Wawa telah melahirkan seorang bayi pada 24 Ogos lalu. Bayi seberat seberat 3.12kg pada jam 9.25 pagi, di Roopi Medical Centre, Jalan Dato Haji Eusoff, Damai Complex, Kuala Lumpur dan diberikan nama Ahmad Fakharuddin Attar.
Nama bapa bayi tersebut direkodkan sebagai Suhairil Suhari, dipercayai nama sebenar Aeril. Nama ibu diberikan sebagai Nur Hawa Zainal Abidin, turut dipercayai nama sebenar Wawa dengan tarikh lahir sama, 12 Mac 1992.
Keadaan sidang media menjadi tegang dan 'panas' apabila Aeril dan Wawa cuba menarik tali dengan media dan mereka tidak mahu berterus terang dan cuba membuat media keliru.


Dan akhirnya Wawa meminta maaf daripada pihak media kerana merahsiakan perkahwinan mereka dan mereka menipu atas dasar darurat. Darurat dalam erti kata lain, Wawa takut dengan majikannya, David Teo. "Kami minta maaf kepada semua kerana merahsiakan perkahwinan kami.
Kami telah berkahwin dua tahun lepas dan mempunyai seorang anak. Kami menipu kerana ada sebab", ujar Wawa dengan nada sebak. Lantas dicela oleh Aeril, "Oh, media mahu kami minta maaf..., katanya dengan nada yang tidak berpuas hati

Panasss ! Kerana Bercinta Dengan Aeril, MIG Kuarantin Saya.

Sejak semalam hingga saat ini pastinya kisah pengakuan pasangan kontroversi Aeril Zafril dan Wawa Zainal bahwa mereka sebenar memang sudah berkahwin dan mempunyai anak, menjadi bualan ramai. Tambah-tambah dengan pengakuan mereka telah bernikah sebanyak dua kali.
 { Baca lagi: Isu Kahwin Rahsia, Sembunyi Anak : Ariel & Wawa Mengaku, Minta Maaf } Kata Ariel, bukan mereka mahu merahsiakan tentang status mereka buat selamanya. Sebaliknya hero filem Cinta Jannah itu memberitahu dia dan isterinya merancang mahu berterung terang kepada umum tetapi kisah mereka telah dibongkar dulu oleh pihak media.
Tidak cukup dengan itu, Wawa membuat pendedahan bahwa dia pernah di kuarantin selama sebulan oleh pihak pengurusannya iaitu MIG "Saya pernah memberitahu pihak pengurusan saya yang saya berkawan rapat dengan Aeril. Tapi David memarahi saya dan dia bercakap buruk tentang Aeril. Kalau bercinta pun David tak bagi apatahlagi berkahwin. "Kamu semua tidak tahu bagaimana cara pengurusan MIG. Mereka pernah kuarantin saya selama sebulan semata-mata mahu menghalang saya berjumpa dengan Aeril. Dan bukan senang untuk saya keluar daripada MIG", katanya yang masih mempunyai kontak bersama syarikat penrusan artis itu sehingga 2015.
Dalam pada itu mengenai penyakit misteri yang dihadapi, Wawa menegaskan yang dia tidak menipu tentang pekara itu. Bagaimanapun anak kelahiran Lahad Datu Sabah ini memberitahu dirinya kini sudah pulih sepenuhnya. "Tidak! Penyakit misteri itu memang betul. Demi Allah, saya dan adik beradik terkena sihir pada awal tahun ini. Jika ada yang menuduh kononnya saya cuba menutup rahsia perkahwinan dengan penyakit misteri, itu tidak benar.
"Saya terkena sihir ketika bulan Mac (2013) dan masa itu memang sedang mengandung. Alhamdulillah penyakit saya itu sudah sembuh sebelum melahirkan anak lagi", ujar pelakon Cinta Qaseh ini turut meyatakan hasrat mahu meneruskan karier lakonannya pada masa hadapan. Mengenai imejnya yang kini dilihat sudah berhijab, Wawa berkata dia masih lagi dalam proses pembelajaran dan menyesuaikan diri tampil bertudung. "Saya masih sedang belajar lagi", katanya ringkas.

Fierce Cyclone Rips India: 550,000 Flee To Shelters.

Fishermen tie their boats along the shore before leaving for a safer place at Donkuru village in Srikakulam district, in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh October 12, 2013.

INDIA: A fierce cyclone tore into India's coast, killing at least five people, forcing half a million into shelters and threatening to devastate farmland and fishing hamlets. Cyclone Phailin was expected to remain a "very severe cyclonic storm", packing winds of up to 210 kph (130 mph), into Sunday before steadily weakening as it moves inland in the states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

The storm snapped trees and electricity poles and smashed windows in Brahmapur, a town in the area where it hit land on Saturday evening. Rescue workers and soldiers spread out across the region in helicopters and trucks and the full extent of destruction was only expected to become clear after daybreak on Sunday. Some 12 million people were in the path of Phailin, weather and disaster management officials said.

It was India's strongest cyclone since a typhoon killed 10,000 people in the same region 14 years ago. Aid agencies hope better preparation and early warnings will mean far fewer casualties this time. Satellite images showed a vast spiral-shaped storm covering most of the Bay of Bengal's warm seas, before it churned inland. Jagdesh Dasari, a leader in the fishing village of Mogadhalupadu, said police ordered villagers to leave their mud and thatch huts for a school building as night fell.

Many on the impoverished coast were reluctant to go, afraid of losing belongings. "Many people refused to move, had to be convinced, and at times the police had to forcefully move them to safe places," Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said. In the first reported deaths, four people were killed by falling trees, while another died when the walls of her mud house collapsed. Electricity went out in several towns, including Odisha's capital Bhubaneswar.

"We are fortunate that we are here ... we saved our lives," said Narayan Haldar, huddled with 1,300 people in an Odisha fishing village storm shelter, built after the 1999 typhoon. But he complained the government had not provided food. Some shelters were dilapidated and TV images showed crowds standing in the rain outside one overcrowded building. Large waves pounded beaches and villagers told a television station that surging sea levels has pushed water hundreds of feet (metres) inland in low-lying areas. Higher sea levels driven by storm surges can cause the worst destruction. Phailin was forecast to drive sea levels up 11 feet (3.5 meters) at its peak.

"The biggest threat right now is the storm surge along the coast," said Eric Holthaus, meteorologist for Quartz magazine.

 Deserted Towns

India's disaster preparations have improved since the 1999 storm and aid workers praised the precautions taken, such as the stocking of rations and evacuations. Some 550,000 people were crammed into makeshift shelters including schools and temples, in what the National Disaster Management Authority called one of India's largest evacuations.

Even before landfall, coconut trees in villages along the coast were bent and broken in the gusting wind. Electrical poles were brought down and roads littered with debris. Terrified children clung to their mothers as they sought shelter. Most towns along the coast were deserted but some people were still trying to flee in buses and three-wheeled auto-rickshaws just hours before the storm struck. The size of the storm made extensive damage to property more likely, Shashidhar Reddy, vice chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority told reporters in New Delhi.

"Our priority is to minimise loss of life," he said. The weather department warned mud houses faced destruction. It said the disruption of power and communication lines and the flooding of railways and roads was likely. London-based Tropical Storm Risk said the storm lost some strength before making landfall as Category 4 - the second strongest such rating. The U.S. Navy's weather service said wind at sea was earlier gusting at 296 kph (184 mph).

"A lot has been learnt since 1999 and my guess is that while there could be extensive damage to property and crops, the death toll will be much less," said G. Padmanabhan, emergency analyst at the U.N. Development Programme. Despite the warnings, some refused to leave their homes. "I have a small child, so I thought, how will I leave?" asked Achamma, 25, holding her son in Donkuru, a fishing village in Andhra Pradesh, as waves crashed on the beach. 

The port of Paradip halted operations on Friday. All vessels were ordered to leave the port, which handles coal, crude oil and iron ore. An oil tanker carrying 2 million barrels of oil, worth $220 million, was moved, an oil company source said. The storm landed far north of India's largest gas field, the D6 natural gas block in the Cauvery Basin further down the east coast, operated by Reliance Industries.

IBU JADI INSPIRASI NING BAIZURA LAHIRKAN PERFUME NING

Di mana terletaknya kejayaan seseorang itu kalau tidak disokong oleh individu yang paling penting dan bermakna dalam hidup. Begitu juga dengan penyanyi popular Ning Baizura. 

Sokongan dan dorongan ibu tersayang dalam melalui liku-liku hidupnya sebagai anak seni nampaknya membuahkan hasil dari awal kemunculannya sehingga hari ini. Malah kemunculan haruman pertamanya iaitu NING yang didambakan penyanyi berkenaan sejak sekian lama, sekali lagi telah mendapat restu daripada ibunya,Satilah Abdullah.

Ditemui pada majlis pelancaran haruman NING di pusat beli-belah, Pavilion baru-baru ini, Ning Baizura berkata inspirasi bagi melahirkan haruman berkenaan adalah daripada ibunya iaitu sebagai seorang wanita yang telah banyak menabur jasa dalam hidupnya. “Memang haruman ini saya tujukan kepada semua wanita terutama wanita yang bekerjaya, bergelar ibu dan juga semua wanita di luar sana.

“Tapi secara peribadinya, inspirasi bagi melahirkan haruman ini adalah daripada ibu saya sendiri. Saya tujukan khas haruman ini bukan sahaja sebagai hadiah kepada peminat tetapi terutama sekali buat ibu saya,” katanya. Haruman NING yang dijual dalam kuantiti 100 ml pada harga RNM159, boleh didapati di pusat beli-belah Parkson di Pavilion, Selayang, Seremban, Melaka Mall dan Kota Bharu. Turut boleh didapati di pusat beli-belah The Store Pacific, Sungai Petani, The Flying Emporium, Duty Free Flying Emporium, Dimenci LCCT, C&F Langkawi, Emporium LCCT dan Lapangan Terbang Antabangsa KLIA.

Tambah Ning Baizura, proses untuk melahirkan NING memakan masa selama dua tahun, bagaimanapun dia bersyukur kerana sekurang-kurangnya dapat dijadikan langkah pertama untuk dia bergelar seorang usahawan wanita. Tidak sendirian, NING yang dilahirkan daripada syarikatnya, HappeNING (M) Sdn Bhd mendapat kerjasama daripada suami tercinta, Omar Dalton dan juga rakan niaganya bagi memastikan impiannya itu terlaksana.

“Syukur Alhamdulillah, saya berasa amat berbangga kerana akhirnya haruman ini telah dilahirkan. Bukannya satu kerja yang mudah apatah lagi sekarang saya perlu menjaganya dengan baik untuk memastikan segala usaha saya ini berjalan dengan baik. “Semuanya masih baru dan kita tunggu dan lihat sahaja bagaimana maklum balas yang akan saya terima daripada orang ramai. InsyaAllah semuanya akan berjalan dengan baik,” katanya.

ROSYAM NOR, RAMLI SARIP, ONG KIM SWEE BAKAL BERGELAR DATUK?

Papa Rock Negara, Ramli Saripdikhabarkan bakalbertukar status dengan gelaran Datuk mulai pertengahan Oktoberini. Selain bekas vokalis SweetCharity ini, pelakon filem Lenjan iaitu Rosyam Norjuga dikhabarkan turut samadianugerahkan gelaran berkenaan.

Difahamkan, gelaran tersebut diperoleh sebaik saja mereka berdua bakalmenerima darjah kebesaran negeriMelaka sempena hari jadi ke-71 Yang DipertuaNegeri Melaka, Tun Mohd KhalilYaakob pada 24 Oktober ini. Admin mendapat tahu, Rosyam atau nama sebenarnya Mohd. Noor Shamsuddin,46, dianugerahkan Darjah Mulia SeriMelaka. 

urut sama mendapat anugerah ini adalah jurulatih pasukan Harimau MudaA, Ong Kim Swee. Untuk Ramli Sarip pula,anugerah yang diterima adalah DMSM Kehormat. Admin diberitahu lagi, ketiga-tiga individu ini merupakan antara 901penerimadarjah, bintang dan pingat kebesaran negeri Melaka yang akan berlangsung di Dewan Seri Negeri, Ayer Keroh Ahad .

Apapun, Admin ucapkan tahniah dan semoga gelaran baru itu memberi sinarbaru buat individu ini.

SEMUT SENTAP TEWAS DI MINGGU KE-7, AJAK TERSINGKIR

Program Super Spontan 2013 kini telah pun memasuki minggu ketujuh, dan untuk persaingan pada malam tadi,pasukan Semut Sentap tewas dan mereka telah memilih Ajak Shiro sebagai peserta yang harus mengundur diri.

Manakala pasukan Ketam Konfius yang menang pula berjaya meraih cek berbentuk sumbangan RM5,000 yang akan diserahkan kepada badan kebajikan Alzheimer’s Decease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM). Penyingkiran Ajak menjadikan kedua-dua pasukan tinggal 4 orang ahli di mana Semut Sentap diwakili Jep Sepahtu, Johan, Rahim dan Tauke Jambu manakala Ketam Konfius dibarisi Yus Jambu, Nabil Ahmad, Along Cham dan Suhaimi.

Minggu ketujuh Super Spontan 2013 telah berlangsung dari Studio De Showroom, Bandar Sri Damansara dan dihoskan oleh pasangan JoHaRa, Ray dan Haniff dari stesen radio ERA fm. Kumpulan Boboi iaitu Afdlin Shauki dan Harun Salim Bachik pula bertindak selaku pengulas bersama Amir Raja Lawak. Rancangan ini turut disiarkan secara langsung di Astro Warna (saluran 132) dan Astro Mustika HD (saluran 134).

Duduk, Bongkok dan Berdiri adalah permainan pertama minggu ini di mana tiga orang dari setiap kumpulan akan diberikan satu situasi dan seorang dari mereka harus duduk, seorang membongkokan diri dan seorang lagi berdiri. Mereka boleh berubah-ubah posisi namun keadaan setiap seorang dari mereka harus mempunyai posisi berbeza. Permainan kedua ialah sketsa berabjad terbalik di mana tiga orang dari setiap kumpulan akan diberikan satu situasi dan mereka harus memulakan ayat mengikut susunan abjad tetapi secara terbalik atau ke belakang.

Permainan ketiga ialah sketsa Emosi Tidak Stabil. Sketsa ini memerlukan 3 pemain dari setiap pasukan dan dua prop akan diserahkan kepada mereka. Setiap satu prop itu mewakili satu emosi dan pemain harus melakonkan watak emosi menerusi prop yang dipegang mereka ketika jalan cerita dipersembahkan. Permainan keempat dinamakan Muzik Video Karaoke, pemain daripa sukan berlawanan harus mengikut arahan dari pengarah yang merupakan ahli kumpulan lain.

Dan sebaik muzik dimainkan, mereka harus melakonkan aksi yang diarahkan berulang kali sehingga muzik tamat. Pusingan terakhir dinamakan Demonstrasi dan seorang pesertaakan diikat tangannya dan peserta lain akan bertindak menjadi tangan kepada peserta tersebut untuk melakukan sesuatu demonstrasi sambil dibantu peserta ketiga. Minggu ketujuh Super Spontan 2013 terus padat dengan aksi lucu dan berjaya menarik perhatian dengan telatah para pesertanya sehingga ramai tidak kering gusi melihat aksi mereka melakukan setiap tugas dengans pontan. 

Teruskan menonton Super Spontan 2013 di minggu kelapan pada minggu hadapan untuk melihat aksi mereka yang seterusnya.