FMT News |  |
- Battle to win over the fence sitters
- TPM: Langat 2 mungkin diteruskan tanpa persetujuan Selangor
- 7 signs he’ll be good in bed
- Desperately stupid or stupidly desperate?
- ADUN didakwa biaya ketua kpg lawat Medan
- Temple lodges police report against DBKL
- MB minta SPRM siasat kes teroka tanah haram di Cameron Higlands
- Do the math, hudud is possible
- Speeding up the game?
- A disservice to our disabled athletes
- Kabinet bayangan kelirukan rakyat
- PM: Dana RM40 juta Sabah hanya derma politik
- Najib mengaku bertemu Soros
- May the smallest penis win
- Breasts have grown 3 sizes in 2 years
- Have a cuppa for your health
- Rooney’s best still to come says Hodgson
- France stunned by Japan in Spain rehearsal
- Perfect Murray sets up Federer rematch
- Hodgson faces anxious wait over injured Walcott
- Armstrong’s ex-boss Bruyneel leaves RadioShack
- Rooney double helps England down San Marino
- Russia beat Portugal to grab group lead
- Murray fightback keeps 100% record intact
- No replacements for Armstrong Tour wins
- Taliban’s Radio Mullah’ sent hit squad after Pakistani schoolgirl
- Syria army weakens as battle fronts multiply
- EU’s Nobel award gets mixed welcome
| Battle to win over the fence sitters Posted: 13 Oct 2012 01:47 AM PDT
The battle for the hearts and minds of voters is between incumbents, Pakatan Rakyat, led by DAP and BN, with a handful of alternative political voices trying to create an upset. State Umno Youth head, Sheikh Hussein Mydin, said the feedback from certain quarters showed that over 50% of the voters here remained as fence sitters. “We believed that out of the remaining 50%, about 25% are Pakatan loyalists while the remainder are BN supporters or members.” Sheikh Hussein said in view of the high number of fence sitters, DAP cannot claim that it has consummated all support from the Chinese. “Likewise, Umno also cannot claim that it has the undivided support of the Malay voters,” said Sheikh Hussein. “We hope that Pakatan can shed the arrogance plaguing their administration. Be humble as voters here can swing either way. The pendulum theory works well in Penang.” After the 1990 general election, DAP had denied BN its customary two-thirds in the state legislative assembly, causing a surprise when DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang defeated the then Chief Minister, the late Lim Chong Eu in the Padang Kota state seat. When the 1995 election emerged, DAP was poised to either repeat its electoral performance or capture Penang but it didn’t materialise. Instead, the voters handed DAP a crushing defeat with pundits placing the blame on Kit Siang’s overly aggressive campaign of using the “Robocop” posters to intimidate voters. History may repeat itself, as Kit Siang’s son Lim Guan Eng, the present CM is said to be waging an aggressive campaign of his own, bordering on arrogance, Sheikh Hussein claimed. Nonetheless, BN has adjusted well to its role of opposition, Sheikh Hussein said, adding that the only drawback is that Guan Eng and his leaders apparently cannot stomach criticism. Pakatan’s standard response is to belittle their critics or using online platforms to make nasty commentaries and in some instances, taking their dispute to courts, Sheikh Hussein said. His views were echoed by state Gerakan vice-chairman Wong Mun Hoe, who said the silent majority in Penang are growing by the day. “The reason, is the voters can now measure the performance of Pakatan in the past five years against BN when it was in power,” said Wong. The comparison is not just confined to Penang, Pakatan states of Kelantan, Kedah and Selangor, Wong said, adding that the fact that each state has its fair share of administrative woes and infighting to make people think twice about Pakatan. Wong stressed that in view of the keen competition between Pakatan and BN for votes, the discerning voters are now also focusing on the calibre of candidates, fielded by either side. “People want highly principled candidates, who can serve their interests well. Not the likes of NATO (No Action, Talk Only).” Wong said gone are the days, where people blindly voted for parties. Now, there is a need to elect good politicians, who can bring their respective communities forward, while also aid in the nation building of the country. |
| TPM: Langat 2 mungkin diteruskan tanpa persetujuan Selangor Posted: 13 Oct 2012 01:03 AM PDT
Katanya, pandangan daripada Peguam Negara telah diminta untuk menentukan sama ada terdapat peruntukan undang-undang yang membenarkan kerajaan pusat meneruskan pembinaan Langat 2 walaupun kerajaan negeri Selangor tidak menyetujuinya. “Kita minta pandangan Peguam Negara jikalau ada mana-mana peruntukan dalam Kanun Tanah Negara atau Akta Pengambilan Balik Tanah ada bab-bab sebegitu yang mana kita fikir projek ini ada kepentingan awam dan negara, jikalau tidak diberi kebenaran akan menjadi satu masalah besar, mungkin boleh kita teruskan,” katanya. Menurutnya, pihak Peguam Negara masih belum memberi maklum balas kepadanya dan oleh kerana itu rundingan masih dijalankan dengan kerajaan Selangor supaya mereka mengeluarkan arahan pembangunan (DO) bagi pembinaan Langat 2. Muhyiddin yang juga Menteri Pelajaran berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas menghadiri perhimpunan Guru Muda 1 Malaysia peringkat negeri Johor di Pusat KoKurikulum Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri Johor, di sini hari ini. Muhyiddin berkata, jika loji Langat 2 tidak dilaksanakan, Lembah Klang dijangka akan mengalami krisis air paling buruk dalam sejarah pada 2015-2016. “Isu ini adalah serius dan kini semakin serius,” katanya dan menambah, di antara enam dan tujuh loji rawatan air di Selangor daripada 34 keseluruhannya, kini beroperasi 24 jam tanpa henti. Apa yang dibimbangi, kata beliau, jika loji rawatan air yang beroperasi 24 jam tanpa henti itu mengalami masalah, ia akan menyebabkan bekalan air ke kawasan persekitaran terjejas. Menurutnya, kerajaan pusat mahu menyelesaikan masalah ini, tetapi tanpa persetujuan kerajaan negeri Selangor untuk membina Langat 2, masalah tidak akan dapat diatasi. Muhyiddin berkata, beliau telah mengutus surat kepada Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim memintanya meluluskan permohonan bagi pembinaan Langat 2, tetapi sehingga kini perkara itu menemui jalan buntu. “Dia (Abdul Khalid) masih berdolak-dalik dan memberikan beberapa sebab, hendak menyelesaikan isu rasionalisasi industri air di negeri itu dengan mengambil alih kesemua syarikat konsesi bekalan air Selangor,” katanya. Beliau berkata, Abdul Khalid perlu mengasingkan isu rasionalisasi industri air Selangor daripada isu pembinaan Langat 2, dan memberikan kebenaran terhadap usaha kerajaan pusat untuk mengatasi masalah air di negeri itu. Bernama |
| Posted: 13 Oct 2012 12:28 AM PDT
Here's seven ways that you can spot whether your dude is a dud or whether the guy you're seeing is going to be great in bed. He's a John Travolta The kiss So, where did you grow up? Metrosexual He's firm He laughed when he screamed like a girl His body says it all LINKS |
| Desperately stupid or stupidly desperate? Posted: 13 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT
In my personal opinion they are also getting more stupid by robbing targets who only have a small amount of cash on them. The penalty for robbery with a parang under section 392 is 14 years jail and/or whipping. The amount of money robbed does not count in the sentencing decision. Here are a few such recent incidences taken from MARAH (Malaysians Against Rape, Assault & snatcH) – in late September, a black Myvi with three parang-wielding Indian guys robbed the roti man in PJ Section 11. They grabbed him, shoved him in the car, stole all his money, then violently chucked him out of the moving car. The roti man duly made a police report and gave the license plate number and the robbers descriptions to the police but no arrests have been made so far. Then the “Choy Chai” or mobile van grocer who sells meat, vegetables and fruits in the PJ Section 12 neighbourhood was chased by some robbers as well. He ran into a nearby house to escape from them, but unfortunately the lady in that house was just coming out and so they both ended up getting robbed. In this particular instance the robbers lucked out with a "rob one get one free" deal. Just this week I posted a story in MARAH about 22-year-old Karthik. He sells newspapers just in front of my house in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong. A couple of days ago, an Indian man on a motorbike stopped to buy a newspaper, then whipped out a parang and put it to Karthik's neck and demanded the day's takings. The sales amounted to RM35. Karthik bravely held on tightly to the robber's hand and gave him a swift kick in the stomach. Taken completely by surprise, the robber dropped the parang and staggered backwards. When he regained his balance, he saw Karthik charging at him with his own parang! The coward quickly sprang onto his bike (the engine was left running) and rode away with Karthik chasing him. Having memorised the number plate, Karthik called the police and within 8 minutes a police motorbike and patrol car responded. They took Karthik's statement and recorded the registration number of the robber's bike and his description. I am glad to report that the police arrested the cowardly robber two days later. I will be tracking this case for further updates. Bravo Karthik Ivy Khoo said: Karthik, u r a hero. Not only being so unusually brave, but also having the presence of mind, being able to memorise the number plate in such a situation. Goodness, how can these people even think of robbing poor Karthik who works so hard for his meager living. This is outrageous. Don Kurian said: What a nice story to read considering most post involves ppl being victimised, he’s a brave chap and I suppose when one is pushed to the corner, survival bears no limit … Like what Sonny said, hope those guys don’t return. Pauline Leong said: Pls tell Karthik that many of us are very proud of him! Datuk Nuraina Samad said: BRAVO Karthik. Thank God he’s okay. Not only brave but fast and clever and alert. TAKE CARE now and God bless you and watch over you Karthik!!!! Mohd Jamil Mohd Khalid Ali said: I hope that Balai Polis Puchong will give Karthik something or at least Selangor CPO certificate due to his brave n fast action that finally help police to get those culprit. I hope many heroes out there will do the same as Karthik n always help each other especially in fighting crime..n as always please have the nearest police station contact number for immediate response.. Kuan Chee Heng said: Dave please give a full report and I will write in to seek the DG to give him a letter of appreciation and COPS will do that too. I asked Karthik's permission to post his picture in FMT but he declined. However you can see him, read his story and read all the comments in the MARAH group page. The MARAH group page has long maxed out the 5,000 members limit imposed by facebook and we are encouraging new members to join our fan page instead while asking our current members to migrate. Stay safe, people. Visit MARAH Facebook here |
| ADUN didakwa biaya ketua kpg lawat Medan Posted: 12 Oct 2012 11:55 PM PDT
Menurut sumber Umno, pada mulanya lawatan itu ditawarkan kepada 12 ketua kampung tetapi dua orang tidak mahu pergi. “Tujuan lawatan itu ialah supaya mereka menyokong Harun kekal bertanding mempertahankan kerusi Tanjung Surat dalam pilihan raya umum ke 13 nanti. “Supaya mereka menghantar surat kepada Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Ghani Othman bagi mengekalkan Harun sebagai ADUN Tanjung Surat,” kata sumber Umno Pengerang. Beliau memberitahu, Harun berbuat demikian kerana beliau menyedari peluangnya untuk dicalonkan dalam PRU 13 tipis. Harun menjadi ADUN Tanjung Surat sejak PRU 1999 tetapi beliau kalah dalam pertandingan jawatan ketua Umno bahagian pada 2008 kepada Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, waktu itu menjadi menteri pelancongan. Bagaimanapun, seorang ketua kampung yang dihubungi memberitahu, hanya orang tertentu dipilih menyertai lawatan ke Medan itu. “Saya tidak dipelawa kali ini, mungkin orang kuat dia saja yang dipilih,” kata Isa Sultan, bekas ketua Kampung Pungai, Beliau yang juga AJK Umno bahagian, bagaimanapun tidak mengetahui tujuan lawatan tersebut. “Datuk Harun selalu membuat lawatan ke luar negara. Tahun lepas saya saya dibawa ke Bangkok,” tambahnya. Seorang lagi ketua kampung Tahir Haris berkata, lawatan tersebut biasa saja iaitu untuk makan angin membeli belah sahaja. Katanya, sekitar 16 orang mengikuti lawatan tersebut termasuk seorang pegawai Pejabat Agama dan seorang pegawai Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat. “Saya tidak tahu dan tidak terlibat dengan perkara tersebut,” katanya. Bagaimanapun, usaha untuk menghubungi Harun bagi mengulas perkara tersebut gagal. |
| Temple lodges police report against DBKL Posted: 12 Oct 2012 10:20 PM PDT
The first, issued in July under the Emergency Ordinance, wanted the temple committee to vacate part of the building to allow for the construction of a walkway by Hap Seng Sdn Bhd. DBKL officers subsequently visited the temple under the pretext of evicting squatters but dispersed when told by the temple's legal counsel that the EO was now defunct. DBKL then issued a fresh 30-day notice dated Sept 15 under the Street, Drainage and Building Act of 1974, alleging it was built illegally. The notice calls for the demolition of the temple. Subang MP R Sivarasa, one of two lawyers for temple, the other being Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran, said DBKL had contradicted itself. "DBKL has known of the existence of the temple. The temple exists with their permit. This is mentioned in a DBKL affidavit," said Sivarasa. Yesterday, the temple committee president Balasubramaniam and secretary Nalini Rani lodged a police report at the Dang Wangi police station against DBKL for issuing the notice. They were accompanied by human rights lawyer and PKR vice president, N Surendran, and Hindraf’s S Jayathas who recently joined PKR. In the police report, Nalini said that she suspected there was some sort of collusion between the developer Hap Seng and DBKL authorities. Sivarasa asked: "Who gets the benefit from the notice? It is the developer. What is the relationship between the developer and DBKL? Is there an element of bribery?" Surendran, meanwhile, announced that a demonstration will be held at the DBKL building on Oct 19 at 11am to oppose DBKL's decision to destroy the temple. "Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has cheated the Indian community. The demolition notice is a huge blow and a stab in the back," said Surendran. "Don't touch this temple, or you will face the consequences. This is our warning to the BN government," he added. "The temple has a special place in the hearts of Hindus. Hap Seng obtained a court order to demolish the temple in July. However the temple committee filed a suit in August to set aside the order. The committte said Hap Seng only named DBKL as the defendant while leaving out the temple, saying it was unfair. The suit is to be heard on Nov 1. Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple, located at Jalan Tengah off Jalan P Ramlee, Bukit Nenas, draws about 200 devotees weekly and is the only temple in the Bukit Bintang area. ‘Incorporate temple in development project’ |
| MB minta SPRM siasat kes teroka tanah haram di Cameron Higlands Posted: 12 Oct 2012 09:24 PM PDT
Katanya, kerajaan negeri memandang serius kegiatan tersebut dan jika tidak dicegah dengan lebih awal kawasan hutan di situ boleh lenyap akibat perbuatan tidak bertanggungjawab itu. "Saya berharap SPRM dapat menyiasat dan bertindak tegas sama ada ia membabitkan penyalahgunaan kuasa atau sebaliknya," katanya kepada pemberita ketika diminta mengulas kejadian itu selepas merasmikan majlis ‘Pemimpin Turun Padang dan Kenduri Rakyat’ di Felda Bukit Mendi di sini, semalam. Katanya, ekoran kejadian tersebut kerajaan negeri mengambil keputusan tidak lagi meluluskan lesen menduduki sementara (TOL) bagi menyekat penerokaan tanah secara haram daripada berleluasa di daerah tersebut. Adnan berkata beliau telah meminta pejabat Tanah dan Daerah Cameron Highlands menyediakan laporan segera mengenai situasi tersebut untuk diteliti dan langkah yang patut diambil dalam usaha mengatasi situasi tersebut. |
| Do the math, hudud is possible Posted: 12 Oct 2012 08:22 PM PDT
Hew said there were less than two-third Muslim MPs in Parliament and it needed the consent of at least 148 MPs to push for an amendment to the Constitution to introduce hudud. "Out of the 222 MPs in Parliament, only 107 MPs from the Peninsular are Muslims. If we add the East Malaysian Muslim MPs, there will only be 130. "Besides, our constituency delineation is such that there are only 136 Muslim-majority seats, with more than 61% of the voters being Muslims," said Hew. Hew’s calculation is based on the current political scenario where in total there are only 130 Muslim MPs in Parliament. He must not neglect the current political reality where his calculation is based on the the current government ruled by Barisan Nasional. The hudud calculation is only impossible in the BN political structure because mathematically the maximum number of Muslim MPs from BN even if they win all their seats will only be 117 MPs from Umno. It is almost impossible to have a Muslim/Malay MP from MCA, MIC, PPP and other BN component parties. So hudud is only mathematically impossible if BN rules. As for Pakatan Rakyat, the number of their Muslim MPs can be intangible and hard to predict because any Muslim candidate can represent both DAP and PKR in the general election. Moreover, DAP themselves have already pledged to introduce few potential Muslim/Malay candidates in the upcoming general election. So to have an extra 18 MPs from both PKR and DAP to reach 148 for hudud to be implemented is possible. Hew also claimed that our constituency delineation is such that there are only 136 Muslim-majority seats. But he forgot to include the number of Muslim candidates and MPs from mixed constituencies. Basically, Pakatan just needs an additional 12 seats from Muslim MPs contesting in mixed seats to reach 148 for hudud to be implemented. It’s not all about mathematics Hew also forgot to include the factor of the potential strength of the upcoming prime minister. What if the majority of Muslims MPs in Pakatan decide to elect (PAS president Abdul) Hadi Awang as their prime minister. Having the influence of a prime minister will also increase support among the non MuslimPakatan MPs for Hadi for their own political survival in the coalition and government. Mathematically, the number of Muslim MPs from Pakatan will be more than the number of Muslim MPs from BN. Mathematically, Pakatan’s strong performance in the last general election also led to Parliament witnessing a decrease of seven non Muslim MPs. Even if their choice is Anwar Ibrahim for prime minister, Anwar has pledged his personal support for the implementation of hudud and never once dared to object to it like how Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has done. Even Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who seems pro-Malay has never once made a stand or expressed personal support for hudud. In politics, sometimes it is not all about mathematics. Just look at Perak where DAP won three times the number of seats compared to PAS but the menteri besar came from PAS. Despite DAP existing in Kelantan, its leaders have never been able to block PAS’ Islamic state agenda in the state. A similar situation is also unfolding in Kedah – bumiputera housing loan has been increased from 30% to 50% and then from 50% to 70%, pork abbatoirs were banned, gambling was banned and the list goes on even without a 2/3. Let us talk about Selangor where PAS is the least dominant political party. Do they actually need to be a strong political powerhouse or obtain 2/3 support to raid 7/11 outlets for selling alcohol beverages? What about the ban imposed on a cinema in Bangi back then? In conclusion, the threat of hudud under Pakatan is real, be it politically or mathematically. Shen Yee Aun is a political observer and former Klang DAP Youth chief. Hudud a mathematical impossibility Tags: |
| Posted: 12 Oct 2012 08:08 PM PDT
PAS’ collaboration with DAP has again been brought into question by Nasharuddin Mat Isa, the Bachok MP from PAS. Of late, this former PAS deputy president seems to be making statements not aligned with the party stand. He has questioned Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga’s leadership of Bersih and currently he is questioning PAS’ collaboration with DAP. The latter point is certainly made with the aim of driving a wedge between DAP and PAS. Has he become a Trojan Horse? Definitely he has plunged PAS into a dilemma. To sack him would be an extremely bad move as it would portray PAS as undemocratic and, worse still, of being a stooge of DAP. Thus the better move would be to just let him be. It is not unusual for the enemy plotters to step up attacks on PAS and DAP at this point in time as they want to make sure that Pakatan Rakyat is sufficiently weak before the 13th general election is called and time is running out if they intend to call for the polls this year. Besides Pakatan, the opposition parties in Sabah have yet to iron out a workable deal and are still very much in disarray. Thus the time is ripe to call for an election now with the budget’s goodies being dangled as a carrot to woo the electorate. The economy is still not too bad and everything unpleasant is being kept beneath the surface. As the political situation is very fluid these days with events moving quickly, Barisan Nasional, which is in favour today due to the budget presentation last month, could be out of favour by March next year. Therefore it is best to capture the feel-good feeling fast. Moreover, the application for the BR1M 2.0 cash aid will be opened for registration on Nov 1. This will whet the rakyat’s appetite in anticipation of the payout to be made in January and this means that the feel-good factor can be sustained till then. After the cash is distributed and used up, people will be in the doldrums again. This is not unusual as RM500 is easily used up if one stays in the urban areas and there are many urban poor in KL. After the cash aid has been utilised, BN has nothing more to dangle to the voters and the advantage will then switch to Pakatan. This shows that as long as the cash aid has yet to be disbursed, the advantage still belongs to BN. A big national Deepavali-do is anticipated to be held on Nov 10 or 11 and all the Haj pilgrims will be back by the third week of November. This means that polling can be held on the last weekend of November. Thus the attacks on PAS and DAP are timed in such a way so that there will be an implosion in Pakatan by early November. If Parliament is to be dissolved by end of October or thereabouts, PAS would be in difficulty as it needs time to explain the situation to its grassroots, especially those in the rural areas who need a lot of convincing to get them to stay with PAS. It is clear then that BN is planning for November polls. But if Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak suddenly has cold feet, then the polls will be held next year. One has got to admit that right now, BN seems okay. It is Pakatan which seems to be having problems as there is a slight internal crisis in DAP Perak and PKR has got some small disagreement between Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim’s secretary Faekah Hussin and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali. And now PAS with Nasharuddin’s contentious viewpoint. All these factors added up together and hyped up by the mainstream media will certainly portray Pakatan in an unfavourable light among the electorate, especially the rural voters who have no access to alternative news. Although Pakatan has strong support in the urban areas, in the rural areas there are many people of all races who still worship BN as these people’s minds are moulded daily by BN propaganda via the mainstream media. Still, there are neutral political observers who opine that Pakatan may yet stand a chance of victory at the ballot box. If not for the dubious electoral rolls, Pakatan can win easily. Thus the situation is in balance now. Therefore in order to be very sure of retaining Putrajaya, BN forces are now trying to create havoc within the Pakatan component parties by pitting PAS against DAP and DAP against PKR and what not. It is up to the voters to see through BN’s ploys. Otherwise the saying that Malaysian voters are stupid is proven true beyond reasonable doubt. Selena Tay is a FMT columnist |
| A disservice to our disabled athletes Posted: 12 Oct 2012 08:06 PM PDT
The reason for this is the community’s frustration with the federal government in taking disabled people for granted so much so that even the 15-year wait for the Persons with Disabilities Act which finally came into existence in July 2008 now seems worthless. For one, this Act provides no penalty for discrimination against the OKU group. And even the creation of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, headed by the Women, Family and Community Development Minister is a waste of time, for the council is ‘helpless’ when it comes to compelling other ministries to streamline or amend their laws to be consistent with those pertaining to persons with disabilities (PWDs). The council can only “advise, consult, review and recommend” – all of which are non-legally binding. This being so, where does the OKU community turn to air their grievances each time they are discriminated against? In 1990, an amendment to the Uniform Building By-laws made it mandatory for all public buildings to provide facilities for PWDs. Premises already built prior to the amendment were required to make the necessary changes within three years from the date of commencement. Twenty-two years later, the situation remains the same if not worse; very few buildings in Malaysia are OKU-friendly. As for the rest, they simply dismissed the demand made by the Uniform Building By-Laws and faced no penalty. Why? The never-ending discrimination and prejudice faced by the PWDs is heart-breaking; but to look at this community as a ‘charity’ case as was done by Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek is unpardonable. In his desperate attempt at explaning why the disabled athletes competing in the 2012 London Paralympics Games have been discriminated against in terms of reward, Ahmad Shabery went on the defensive, claiming the ministry was no charity institution to dole out alms. PWDs second class citizens? The minster had gone on to say that the federal government would not be giving pensions to the disabled athletes who brought back medals from London. Malaysia bagged one silver and one bronze medal in the London Paralympics Games last month, equalling the achievement of the able-bodied athletes in Olympics. Of the 23 athletes in Malaysia contingent, Hasihin Sanawi won a silver medal in archery while Mohd Ziyad Zolkefli clinched a bronze in shot putt. The DPPM vice-chief Dr Raja Ahmad Iskandar wants Ahmad Shabery to apologise to the Paralympics athletes. Just as angry is former Youth and Sports deputy minister and one-time MCA chief Ong Tee Keat who is questioning the discriminative and 'unfair' reward system for disabled athletes. Ong, the MP for Pandan plans to raise the issue in Parliament soon and would devote a portion of his debate speech on Budget 2013 to question the system, which offers a lucrative one-off cash reward to Olympics medalists but not to their Paralympics counterparts. Under the Athlete Incentive Scheme (Shakam), gold medal winners at the Olympics received a one-off RM1 million payment while silver and bronze medal winners receive RM300,000 and RM100,000 respectively. This was in stark contrast to Paralympic gold medal winners who received RM300,000 while silver and bronze medal winners get RM200,000 and RM100,000 respectively. Via a video clip posted on his YouTube channel, Ong said: "Today, despite them winning medals, there is still a world of differences in terms of the treatments they got as compared to Lee Chong Wei or Pandelela (Rinong). "Disabled athletes fork out double efforts to take part in Paralympics, they should be given equal shares of reward.” Ahmad Shabery claims the Paralympics games' structure, where multiple sub-categories are found under a category such as 100 metre sprint was the reason for the reward gap between the able-bodied and disabled athletes. But Ong is not buying the Youth and Minister’s lame excuse, saying the ministry should remember the physical challenges the disabled athletes need to endure and the jobs they may forgo to take part in the trainings. "The adoption scheme (bapa angkat) should be extended to disabled athletes, whereby government-linked companies and big corporate entities adopt them and provide them with a flexible job. "At least they don't need to worry that if they go for training for two or three times in a week, they will lose their jobs," Ong said. But the question is does Ahmad Shabery share the same concern as Ong and Raja Ahmad? From the look of things, it does not seem so. Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist. |
| Kabinet bayangan kelirukan rakyat Posted: 12 Oct 2012 07:36 PM PDT
Katanya, tindakan Pakatan itu hanya permainan supaya rakyat dikelirukan, sedangkan pada asasnya mereka tidak mampu memberi keuntungan politik. “Ini semua permainan mereka sebenarnya supaya mengelirukan rakyat sebab pada asasnya mereka tidak boleh berbuat sesuatu yang memberi keuntungan politik. “Mereka mencari pelbagai helah untuk mengelirukan rakyat atau melakukan sesuatu," katanya dalam sidang media selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Dewan Tertinggi Barisan Nasional (BN) Menara Dato' Onn PWTC di sini, malam tadi. Najib berkata, salah satu keperluan dalam sistem dikatakan demokrasi Westminster seperti di England iaitu menubuhkan sebuah kabinet bayangan ketika menjadi pembangkang. Menurut Najib kabinet bayangan ini menjadi asas untuk rakyat menilai sama ada pembang kang berwibawa mahupun sebaliknya. Bagaimanapun Najib berkata, dalam hal tersebut Pakatan tidak berbuat demikian. Bajet alternatif Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, menyentuh mengenai bajet alternatif pembangkang, beliau berkata ia tidak mendapat tumpuan terutama para penganalisis. Beliau berkata penganalisis menyifatkan bajet alternatif tersebut tidak mampu bertahan dari segi kredibiliti dan kemampanannya. "Mereka (penganalisi) merasakan bajet itu tidak dapat dipertahankan dari segi kredibiliti dan juga kemampanannya untuk melaksanakan segala yang dijanji yang telah dimuatkan. "Sebabnya ia membawa kesan dan kemudaratan yang besar terhadap keutuhan kewangan kerajaan dan keyakinan terhadap ekonomi negara," katanya yang juga Menteri Kewangan. Beliau sebaliknya berkata, bajet 2013 dibentangkan beliau ketika sesi Dewan Rakyat pada 28 September lalu mendapat sambutan menggalakkan. |
| PM: Dana RM40 juta Sabah hanya derma politik Posted: 12 Oct 2012 07:31 PM PDT
Menurut beliau, setiap parti politik mempunyai hak menerima derma politik selagi ia dilakukan melalui saluran yang betul. Ditanya mengenai di mana beliau memperolehi dana tersebut, Najib bagaimanapun enggan membuat pendedahan. Beliau berkata bahawa pembangkang didakwa turut menerima derma politik sedemikian. "Kita tidak sewenang-wenang mendedahkan kerana pembangkang juga menerima derma politik dan mereka tidak mendedahkan daripada mana mereka memperolehinya. "Cuba tanya pembangkang, berapa banyak yang mereka dapat untuk derma politik. Pemberian dana ini dilakukan dengan cara yang betul untuk kebaikan parti," katanya. Ketua Menteri Sabah yang juga Ketua Umno negeri, Datuk Seri Musa Aman sebelum ini menafikan tuduhan yang mengaitkan dirinya dengan hartawan balak, Michael Chia yang pernah ditahan pada 2008 kerana cuba menyeludup wang haram berjumlah RM40 juta. Namun Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) membersihkan dakwaan rasuah terhadap Musa dan Chia. Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz pada Khamis berkata, Jabatan Peguam Negara turut memutuskan tiada elemen rasuah dibuktikan membabitkan Ketua Umno Sabah itu. |
| Posted: 12 Oct 2012 07:25 PM PDT
Beliau berkata pertemuan di New York itu adalah atas permintaan Soros dan menganggap ia tidak menjadi masalah. “Memang saya ada berjumpa Soros atas permintaan beliau dan saya anggap ini tidak jadi masalah. “Bagi saya,bukan jumpa George Soros tetapi apa yang dibincangkannya,” katanya kepada pemberita dalam sidang media selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Dewan Tertinggi Barisan Nasional (BN) di Menara Dato’ Onn, PWTC malam tadi. Beliau menyifatkan pertemuan itu hanya perkara biasa antara kedua-dua pihak. “Tidak ada isu untuk menjatuhkan kerajaan. Tiada yang disangka, tiada yang dicurigai. Tak bincang pun untuk dapat kewangan. Tak ada niat jahat. “Beliau (Soros) mahu jumpa saya. Hakikatnya, selepas bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir. Mohamad datang terlebih dahulu untuk jumpa dengan dia,” jelasnya. Ketika ditanya adakah Soros diminta untuk tidak membiayai pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) bagi perubahan pentadbiran, beliau berkata, Soros tidak menyatakan perkara perkara tersebut. Sebelum ini, beberapa pihak turut mendakwa Najib dan mantan Dr Mahathir Mohamad pernah mengadakan pertemuan dengan Soros. Mereka meminta penjelasan Najib mengenai dakwaan laporan media bahawa wujud beberapa pihak menerima dana daripada Soros. |
| Posted: 12 Oct 2012 07:14 PM PDT COPENHAGEN: In Denmark, one of the smallest countries in the world, size clearly matters: a website has invited men to send in photos of their private parts and the man with the smallest penis wins an iPhone. The erotica site, Singlesex.dk owned by Morten Fabricius, 45, recently held a competition for the most beautiful penis, and now the time has come for the smallest member. “The smallest is the extreme,” Fabricius told AFP. “It’s a competition which is weird and funny and almost too much.” “It’s a competition which is at the core of manhood, the most important thing for a man. There are so many unhappy men out there, who think you have to have a giant penis, but it’s not normal to have a huge one.” Fabricius said he hoped the funny and quirky aspect of the competition would enable people to poke a little fun at a sensitive subject, and give them enough courage to post images anonymously. The rules are simple: send in a photo to the website with your erection and a measuring tape next to it.
Those two will win an iPhone, and second and third prizes are an iPad 3, Fabricius said. The competition runs until January 31, 2013. “So far we have received six to seven images which are posted, but we have more trickling in, which we are vetting to make sure they are not stolen from the web,” he said. “Everything has to be bigger, and bigger, and bigger,” he said. “It’s incredible how the media has frightened people from showing themselves as they are,” he said, in part referring to the porn industry. Sexologist Vivi Hollaender said she gets a lot of inquiries from men who think their organs are too small. “The smallest penis was 1.5 cm (just over half an inch) while erected,” she said. The man had sent an image to her, and she said he had described having a well-functioning sex life. “It is frightening how many men are worried that their penis is too small. It can really destroy their quality of life,” she said.—AFP |
| Breasts have grown 3 sizes in 2 years Posted: 12 Oct 2012 07:07 PM PDT LONDON: While the classic 34B was the top-selling bra size at one of Britain’s best known department stores two years ago, today it’s a generous 34DD, suggesting that women could be expanding too. According to sales figures from Debenhams, those in the North, Midlands and Ireland tend to buy the bigger sizes, while women in the South and Scotland are a little less busty. Wales, however, wins the biggest average bra award, with an E-cup being the bestselling size in its stores there. Nearly four in five women questioned in the Debenhams survey said that they had squeezed into a bra that was too small for them. The chain’s head of lingerie buying and design, Sharon Webb, said there had definitely been a change.
However, those that aren’t are certainly getting a little help. Padded and push-up bras made up 70 per cent of bra sales in Debenhams stores this year, compared with 36 percent in 2010, suggesting that that women are keen to make the most of their figures. “Confidence is changing the shape of the nation,” Webb said. Webb suggested that curvaceous women like Nigella Lawson, Dita von Teese and Beyonce were making other women feel more confident about their own fuller figures. “Fit is of paramount importance,” she said. “A great-fitting bra makes you look incredible on the outside and feel fabulous on the inside,” Webb added.—Agencies |
| Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:44 PM PDT
Last year at Harvard, researchers linked drinking four cups a day to lower the risk of endometrial cancer in women by 25 percent. Another study, published in the Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association, linked moderate coffee drinking to reduced heart disease. But notice how the emphasis is in 'moderation'? Here's how you can get the most from your morning mug: Do the math. Researchers recommend only four, 8-oz cups of coffee per day. As each cup would have about 200mg of caffeine, anything more and it can affect your blood pressure. Or make you jittery. So stick to decaf if you have issues like irritable bowel syndrome or acid reflux. Tea has about 60mg of caffeine per cup and you can safely sip 6-8 cups a day. Unfortunately, decaf tea or coffee don't share the same health bonuses, although you'll still get the benefit of the antioxidants in tea and chlorogenic acid in coffee.
Read your tea leaves. Which tea you choose matters. White tea has the most antioxidants, followed by green and black teas. That's because white and green teas are made from different parts of the tea leaves. They are also minimally processed while black tea is fermented. And drink it pure. Getting bottled, designer tea drinks blunt tea's heart-health benefits, as they are often ladenned with sugar, preservatives and other stuff not good for your health.
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| Rooney’s best still to come says Hodgson Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:32 PM PDT  LONDON: Roy Hodgson believes Wayne Rooney’s best is still to come for England after the Manchester United striker moved into fifth place in his country’s all-time scoring charts with a double in the 5-0 win over San Marino.Rooney admitted earlier this week that he has rarely managed to reproduce his sparkling club form when on international duty, but he underlined his value to Hodgson’s side with a clinical brace in Friday’s World Cup qualifier at Wembley. England laboured to break down the packed San Marino defence for long periods, but stand-in captain Rooney came to the rescue as he lashed in a 35th minute penalty before producing a fine finish for the decisive third goal in the 69th minute. Those two strikes, Rooney’s 30th and 31st international goals, took him ahead of Alan Shearer, Tom Finney and Nat Lofthouse on England’s goalscoring charts and Sir Bobby Charlton’s record of 49 looks well within the 26-year-old’s sights. Hodgson is confident Rooney is finally starting to live up to his reputation on the international stage for the first time since his dazzling performances way back at Euro 2004. “He’s only 26, he’s still got a lot of years of football left in him. If he continues to play this way there’s no question he can score plenty more goals,” Hodgson said. “He has enormous confidence. I thought all the Manchester United players were very good. There was some good interplay between Wayne, Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley.” Rooney’s double was the perfect way to end a week to remember as he celebrated captaining England for the first time in a competitive international and also marked the news that his wife Coleen is pregnant with their second child. He admitted scoring as captain in front of a full house at Wembley was a memorable moment, but he is well aware England will need to improve on a slightly erratic display if they are to take three points against Poland in Tuesday’s qualifier. “It was a great feeling. I’m really proud, and thankfully we got the victory,” Rooney said. “We could have scored a few more, but there were some great saves from the keeper. “It was difficult out there. We had to move the ball quickly and create that space for ourselves. “It’s going to be a tough game in Warsaw. They are a tough counter-attacking team and so now we have to prepare as best we can for Tuesday.” Although Rooney seemed to flourish as captain, Hodgson confirmed that Gerrard will regain the armband when he returns from suspension on Tuesday. “There was never any doubt in my mind he would captain the team well, but at the same time I’m looking forward to having Steven Gerrard available for Poland,” Hodgson said. Hodgson admitted he was getting slightly concerned as England took 35 minutes to break down the San Marino defence, but he was pleased his young side stuck to his instructions and refused to panic. “It was attack versus defence and we were patient, probed away, created chances and good value for our goals,” Hodgson said. “I always thought we were going to win. What concerned me is when you have so much of the ball and don’t score immediately, you worry the players are going to stop doing what you want and start panicking. “But the second half was quite enjoyable. If only every match could be like that then managing would be a pretty easy job!” The only low note for Hodgson was the chest injury suffered by Theo Walcott after a wild first half challenge from San Marino goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini. Walcott was kept in hospital on Friday night after scans on the injury and may miss the Poland game, but Hodgson refused to condemn San Marino as a dirty side. “They will argue that they do their best with their resources,” Hodgson said. “I don’t think we can accuse them of playing a dirty game. There weren’t many bad fouls.” - AFP |
| France stunned by Japan in Spain rehearsal Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:30 PM PDT  PARIS: France will go into next week’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Spain on the back of a defeat after Shinji Kagawa’s 88th-minute goal gave Japan a 1-0 win in yesterday’s friendly at Stade de France.The hosts had largely controlled the game but they were caught cold with two minutes to play when Manchester United forward Kagawa volleyed home Yuto Nagatomo’s cross following a rapid counter-attack. It was Japan’s first win over France in six attempts and a first defeat for Didier Deschamps in his fourth game since taking over from Laurent Blanc at the France helm. The former Marseille coach will hope the damage is not too profound ahead of Tuesday’s pivotal Group I game with Spain in Madrid, while Japan will head into their friendly against Brazil in Poland with a spring in their step. Despite a patchy pitch at the French national stadium, the hosts settled quickly and won five corners in the first 10 minutes, one of which was headed narrowly wide by Laurent Koscielny in the fourth minute. Deschamps’ desire to find a place in his starting XI for Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud obliged Karim Benzema to play on the left, but the Real Madrid man was nonetheless a constant threat in the first half. After heading Giroud’s feathered cross straight at Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima in the seventh minute, he shot wide three times before forcing Kawashima into action again with a well-placed free-kick from 20 yards. Benzema left the fray at half-time, in one of three changes made by Deschamps, and although France remained on top, there was a scare in the 55th minute. Hugo Lloris could not hold a low free-kick from Kengo Nakamura and the rebound was collected by Kagawa, but he could only drag the ball across the face of goal. Japan were coming into the game more and more, with Kagawa repositioned in a central role, and Deschamps elected to introduce Franck Ribery from the bench. The Bayern Munich winger worked Kawashima with a deflected effort in the 74th minute, before an angled pass from fellow substitute Mathieu Valbuena almost rolled straight in after Kawashima was distracted by Giroud’s attempt to play the ball. The game opened up, Lloris just getting enough on a Nagatomo centre to take the ball away from Mike Havenaar, before Bafetimbi Gomis headed in Giroud’s overhead kick at the other end, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Kawashima then had to drop quickly to block a near-post shot from Ribery, before an eventful denouement culminated in the winner. Twice Kawashima was solicited, thwarting Giroud and then Valbuena from range, but from the corner that followed Valbuena’s attempt, Japan broke at speed and Nagatomo crossed for Kagawa to convert the winner. - AFP |
| Perfect Murray sets up Federer rematch Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:29 PM PDT  SHANGHAI: Andy Murray maintained his perfect record at the Shanghai Masters yesterday, battling back against unseeded Radek Stepanek to set up a mouthwatering Olympic rematch against Roger Federer in the semi-finals.The US Open champion, chasing a hat-trick of titles in the eastern Chinese city, was below par in losing the first set to the dangerous Czech, ranked 41, before finding his rhythm to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in two hours and 18 minutes. Federer eased past Croatian 10th seed Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-4 while second seed Novak Djokovic cantered to a 6-3, 6-3 win over German veteran Tommy Haas and will meet Tomas Berdych in a semi-final line-up featuring all four top seeds. The match-up between Murray and Federer comes after two high-profile duels in the space of just a few weeks. The Swiss drew first blood, winning the Wimbledon crown in July but Murray demolished Federer to take Olympic gold. “Obviously more has happened for him in the last three months than for me. He had the breakthrough victory, if you like to call it that way, at the (US) Open. The Olympics was too, to some degree,” said world number one Federer. “Some people still weren’t happy with that. It’s amazing to see him back it up at the Open. I assume he’s very confident right now and probably playing with a little bit less pressure. Then again, that can go either way.” Third seed Murray won 20 of the last 25 points of his match against 33-year-old Stepanek to give the scoreline a respectable gloss after two sets he described as “scrappy”. “I just managed to turn it around in time,” said the 25-year-old, who won in Shanghai in 2010 and 2011. “I played actually very well I thought the last 10, 15 minutes of the match.” In-form Djokovic, who has his eyes firmly fixed on dislodging Federer from the top of the rankings as the season enters its final weeks, was also impressive, breaking the 34-year-old Haas five times. “I feel good. I’ve been winning a lot of matches in the last period, so it’s something that is always welcome when you want to have confidence, when you want to feel good about yourself on the court,” said the Serbian, 25. “I try not to think about the long season that is behind me. There are still couple of big tournaments, including this one, where I want to do well.” Djokovic will play fourth seed Tomas Berdych in the last four, who came out on top against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a battle between two of the contenders to reach next month’s ATP World Tour Finals. The Czech grabbed a crucial break against the powerful Frenchman in the eighth game of the first set and edged the second set tie-break to win 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). With four berths still up for grabs at the elite eight-man showpiece in the British capital, Berdych, 27, is sixth in the Race to London while Tsonga, also 27, is in eighth spot. Federer, Djokovic and Murray have already qualified for London, along with the injured Rafael Nadal. - AFP |
| Hodgson faces anxious wait over injured Walcott Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:26 PM PDT  LONDON: England manager Roy Hodgson faces a nervous wait to discover if Theo Walcott will be fit for Tuesday’s trip to Poland after the Arsenal winger was taken to hospital with a chest injury suffered in Friday’s 5-0 win over San Marino.Walcott was stretchered down the tunnel after being clattered by San Marino goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini early in the first half of the World Cup qualifier at Wembley. The 23-year-old’s injury had been scanned and he will be kept under observation in hospital overnight, with Hodgson admitting he is unsure if Walcott will recover in time for the Poland clash. “He (Simoncini) has put Theo in hospital and we will have to wait to find out the extent of the injury. It put a bit of dampener on the evening,” Hodgson said. “It is a chest problem. He will be in hospital overnight. It didn’t look too good but until such time as they have scanned it we won’t know (the extent of the damage).” Simoncini avoided punishment for his rash challenge as he took the ball before colliding with Walcott, but Hodgson felt the keeper was lucky to stay on the pitch. “If I was describing it as reckless I would be being kind,” he said. “It was a very fierce challenge. “I don’t think there was any malice but it was a very bad challenge. They were lucky it wasn’t a penalty and he was lucky he wasn’t sent off.” - AFP |
| Armstrong’s ex-boss Bruyneel leaves RadioShack Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:25 PM PDT
The decision comes just two days after the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) condemned Armstrong for being at the heart of the biggest doping conspiracy in sports history. “I am surprised and extremely disappointed that USADA released information in the public domain relating to their pending case against me before I had been given any opportunity to review the evidence and provide my defence against it,” said Bruyneel. “I still hope to be able to defend myself in a forum free from bias, although I now fear that USADA’s calculated action may have irreversibly prejudiced my case. “It is a troubling facet of USADA’s approach to this case that it appears not to respect basic principles such as the right to be heard and the presumption of innocence.” Earlier, RadioShack said the decision to part ways with Bruyneel was taken to protect the standing of the team. “From this day on, Johan Bruyneel will no longer act in the position of general manager of cycling team RadioShack Nissan Trek,” a statement said on the team’s website. “The decision published by the USADA included a number of testimonies as a result of their investigation. “In light of these testimonies, both parties feel it is necessary to make this decision since Johan Bruyneel can no longer direct the team in an efficient and comfortable way. “His departure is desirable to ensure the serenity and cohesiveness within the team. “RadioShack Nissan Trek wishes to thank Johan Bruyneel for his dedication and devotion since his arrival. “The USADA investigation does not concern the activities of Mr Bruyneel while managing the RadioShack Nissan Trek team. Johan Bruyneel contests the validity of the procedure as well as the charges against him.” Earlier on Friday, the four-time world time-trial champion Fabian Cancellara said he might have had to consider his position with the RadioShack team if 48-year-old Bruyneel had remained in charge. RadioShack is also the team of Andy and Frank Schleck. Andy Schleck was declared the winner of the 2010 Tour de France after Spain’s Alberto Contador was stripped of the title for doping. Bruyneel, who quit as a rider in 1998, was the sporting director at Armstrong’s US Postal team from 1999 to 2005, as well as at the Astana team in 2009 and at RadioShack in 2010, when the American returned to the saddle. The Belgian, who is one of six people accused by USADA in the Armstrong affair, protested his innocence in June. On Wednesday, the Belgian Cycling Federation (RLVB) said they would study the USADA report. - AFP |
| Rooney double helps England down San Marino Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:23 PM PDT  LONDON: Wayne Rooney capped a week to remember as the England skipper’s double inspired his side to a 5-0 win over San Marino in Friday’s World Cup qualifier at Wembley.With regular captain Steven Gerrard suspended, Rooney led England in a competitive international for the first time in the same week he learned wife Coleen was pregnant with the couple’s second child and the Manchester United forward celebrated in style. With Roy Hodgson’s side labouring to break down one of Europe’s weakest teams, Rooney came to the rescue as he lashed in a first half penalty and then netted the decisive third after Danny Welbeck’s strike. The 26-year-old’s 30th and 31st England goals moved him into fifth in his country’s all-time scoring charts ahead of Alan Shearer, Tom Finney and Nat Lofthouse. Welbeck also finished with a brace as he added England’s fourth before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sealed the victory with his first international goal. “It’s not a bad result when you remember that it’s difficult when they have 10, 11 players behind the ball,” said Rooney. “I’m extremely proud to be in the top five of England’s top scorers.” Hodgson added: “I thought we were very patient. We passed the ball well from the first minute to the last and played the way we wanted to. “It would be churlish if one was to start criticising when we’ve won 5-0.” This was far from a vintage performance from England, but the size of the win was emphatic enough to keep the critics at bay, although Tuesday’s trip to Poland will be a far sterner test. San Marino, ranked joint 207th in the world rankings alongside Bhutan and the Turks and Caicos Islands, have only one full-time professional in their side and had won one game in their history. With that woeful pedigree in mind, it was hardly surprising Hodgson opted to send out an attacking line-up that featured Rooney and Welbeck up front, with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott pushing forward on the flanks. England had conceded a goal in 8.3 seconds when they last faced San Marino in 1993. There was never any chance of a repeat but the hosts took a while to break down opponents intent only on keeping the score down. Oxlade-Chamberlain was quick to test Aldo Simoncini with a stinging long-range drive that the San Marino goalkeeper pushed over. Simoncini was involved again moments later when he raced off his line and clattered into Walcott, leaving the pole-axed Arsenal winger with a chest injury that was serious enough for him to be taken to hospital for tests. Rooney should have opened the scoring with a diving header from Tom Cleverley’s cross but, at that stage, there was a lack of speed and imagination about England’s passing. Their luck was out when Michael Carrick’s fierce drive cannoned off the crossbar and Welbeck could only hit a post from the rebound. But Hodgson’s team finally made the breakthrough in the 35th minute when Welbeck was needlessly brought down by Simoncini and Rooney smashed in the penalty to claim his first goal of the season for club or country. There was slightly more energy about England now and Welbeck notched the second goal three minutes later. Substitute Aaron Lennon crossed into the six-yard box and Welbeck twisted his body to direct a superb back-flick past Simoncini, reviving memories of his equally inspired strike against Sweden in Euro 2012. Simoncini kept out Rooney’s curling effort just before half-time and denied Carrick early in the second half. Frustration was beginning to set in among the 84,000 crowd when Gary Cahill miscued a close-range volley. But Rooney scored his second of the night with a fine curling effort from the edge of the area in the 70th minute and two minutes later Welbeck poked home from Cleverley’s low cross. San Marino were tiring now and Arsenal winger Oxlade-Chamberlain made it five with an impressive finish in the 77th minute. - AFP |
| Russia beat Portugal to grab group lead Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:21 PM PDT  MOSCOW: Zenit St Petersburg forward Alexander Kerzhakov struck the decisive goal to earn Russia a hard-fought 1-0 win over Portugal and lift them to the top of 2014 World Cup qualifying Group F here yesterday.Fabio Capello’s side, who were recording their first ever win over Portugal in the post-Soviet era, maintained their perfect record with nine points from three matches to go three points clear of Portugal. Russia got off to a lively start, scoring when the match was just six minutes old through Kerzhakkov, who beat goalkeeper Rui Patricio with an unopposed shot from the egde of the box after seeing off the guests’ defence on a breakaway. Portugal went on the attack searching for the equaliser and made Russian keeper Igor Akinfeyev the most overworked player on the wet synthetic pitch of Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium. He was forced to perform a pair of impressive saves to deny dangerous shots by Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Alves. The visitors were dominating the play, keeping Russia under constant pressure. But Capello’s men defended stoutly against Portugal’s rare but nevertheless dangerous counter-attacks. After the interval Portugal continued testing the hosts’ defence but Russia, spurred on by the 75,000 home crowd, played without making any major mistakes, stifling the visitors’ attacks. Though Portugal had an obvious advantage in posession and looked dominant in general they failed to create any serious threat, while the Russians’ replies looked much more dangerous. In the 66th minute halftime substitute Denis Glushakov had a chance to increase Russia’s lead but the midfielder’s low shot from the edge of the area was confidently stopped by Patricio. In the 82nd minute the keeper parried a dangerous shot by forward Alexander Kokorin also from the edge of the box, with Roman Shirokov’s attempt on the rebound went too wide. In the closing stages Portugal pinned the hosts back but to no avail as they failed to create any scoring chances. On Tuesday Russia take on Azerbaijan while Portugal face Northern Ireland. - AFP |
| Murray fightback keeps 100% record intact Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:19 PM PDT  SHANGHAI: Andy Murray maintained his perfect record at the Shanghai Masters Friday, recovering from a deficit against unseeded Radek Stepanek to set up an Olympic re-match against Roger Federer in the semi-finals.The US Open champion, chasing a hat-trick of titles in the eastern Chinese city, was below par in losing the first set to the dangerous Czech, ranked 41, before finding his rhythm to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in two hours and 18 minutes. Federer had an easier time, beating Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-4 while second seed Novak Djokovic cantered to a 6-3, 6-3 win over German veteran Tommy Haas and will meet Tomas Berdych in a semi-final line-up featuring the top four seeds. “It was quite a scrappy first couple of sets. Obviously the second set I managed to get a break, got a bit of momentum,” said Murray. “For me, the beginning of the third set was what was most frustrating.” “Then I just managed to turn it around in time,” added the 25-year-old, who won in Shanghai in 2010 and 2011. “I played actually very well I thought the last 10, 15 minutes of the match.” Stepanek, making frequent successful forays to the net, took the first set but Murray, showing his frustration at times, was able to force two breaks of serve to level the match despite being below par. The 33-year-old Stepanek interrupted Murray’s charge, breaking again in the decider but the Scot hit back immediately, winning 20 of the last 25 points to set up another clash with Federer. The Swiss 17-time Grand Slam champion beat Murray in the Wimbledon final but was demolished by the Scot in the Olympic final, who then went on to win his first major in New York. Federer, 31, guaranteed a record 300th week as world number one when the next rankings are published on Monday, saw off the challenge of 10th seed Cilic of Croatia with few problems. In-form second seed Djokovic, who has his eyes firmly fixed on dislodging Federer from the top of the rankings as he approaches the last few weeks of the season, was also impressive. “I feel good. I’ve been winning a lot of matches in the last period, so it’s something that is always welcome when you want to have confidence, when you want to feel good about yourself on the court,” said the Serbian, 25. “I try not to think about the long season that is behind me. There are still couple of big tournaments, including this one, where I want to do well.” Djokovic will play fourth seed Tomas Berdych in the last four, who came out on top against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a battle between two of the contenders to reach next month’s ATP World Tour Finals. The Czech grabbed a crucial break against the powerful Frenchman in the eighth game of the first set and edged the second set tie-break to win 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). With four berths still up for grabs at the elite eight-man showpiece in the UK’s capital, Berdych, 27, is sixth in the Race to London while Tsonga, also 27, is in eighth spot. Federer, Djokovic and Murray have already qualified for London, along with the injured Rafael Nadal. - AFP |
| No replacements for Armstrong Tour wins Posted: 12 Oct 2012 06:17 PM PDT
The development came as the sport’s world governing body said it was studying the extensive dossier on the Texan as a “priority”, amid calls for its honorary president to quit and as Armstrong’s former team manager left his current team. Armstrong, who denies taking banned substances and has yet to directly respond to the report, was at the heart of “the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme” ever seen in sport, the US Anti-Doping Agency said. The organisation announced on August 23 that Armstrong was guilty of doping violations and recommended he was stripped of his career victories, raising questions about who would replace him at the top of the Tour podium between 1999 and 2005. Tour director Christian Prudhomme said he was against re-allocating Armstrong’s victories, describing the revelations contained in the USADA’s 202-page “reasoned decision” and more than 1,000 pages of supporting testimony as “damning”. “What we want is that there is no winner,” he said in his first comments on the report, calling the period a “lost decade” for the sport, which has been trying to clean up its act in recent years. Prudhomme’s statement comes even though the International Cycling Union (UCI) has not confirmed the USADA’s findings but could head off further controversy. Replacing Armstrong as Tour winner has been a source of debate since August, given that the majority of those who finished second or third — and even lower down the field — have subsequently been implicated in doping scandals. Finding a rider untouched by links to performance-enhancing drug use would have been a difficult — if not impossible — task. Meanwhile, UCI president Pat McQuaid said it was still studying the USADA dossier against Armstrong, as pressure grew on it to respond to questions about how he managed to evade detection and whether he paid the body hush money for a positive test. “The legal department has been told that this is a priority, that we get the job done as quickly as possible and certainly within that time frame we will be back,” he said on the sidelines of the Tour of Beijing. British cyclist David Millar, who served a two-year doping ban but is now on the athletes’ committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency, called for UCI honorary president Hein Verbruggen to resign in the wake of the revelations. The Dutchman was president of the UCI as Armstrong powered his way into the history books and last year said he was convinced the racer had “never, never, never” doped. Millar told Britain’s domestic Press Association news agency in an interview that the UCI had to take some responsibility, as it was “obvious” from blood data and medical reports that doping was part of cycling’s culture, particularly in big races. “There was only a tiny minority getting good results without drugs and they really were the outsiders. The first step for the UCI is that Verbruggen has to be removed,” he added, calling for him to admit that mistakes were made. Tour de France director Prudhomme, however, called the UCI “pioneers” in the fight against drug use, highlighting the introduction of biological passports and increased testing, including out of competition. British rider Bradley Wiggins also pointed out that widespread doping was not part of the current professional cycling culture. “I don’t think that is relevant to what we are doing today. What we are doing today is setting the example for our sport,” the 2012 Tour winner and Olympic time-trial champion told Britain’s Sky News television. Elsewhere, Armstrong’s former manager Johan Bruyneel left his current team RadioShack, amid reports in Belgium that rider Fabian Cancellara was reviewing his future with the outfit because Bruyneel was cited so often in the USADA report. The Spanish anti-doping agency said it was likely the public prosecutor would be informed over the alleged involvement of two doctors and a trainer in doping activities on Spanish soil. - AFP |
| Taliban’s Radio Mullah’ sent hit squad after Pakistani schoolgirl Posted: 12 Oct 2012 04:38 PM PDT
The gunmen weren’t going after any army officer, politician or Western diplomat. Their target was a 14-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl who had angered the Taliban by speaking out for “Western”-style girls’ education. Tuesday’s shooting of Malala Yousufzai was the culmination of years of campaigning that had pitted the fearless, smiling young girl against one of Pakistan’s most ruthless Taliban commanders. Their story began in 2009, when Fazlullah, known as Radio Mullah for his fiery radio broadcasts, took over Swat Valley, and ordered the closure of girls’ schools, including Yousufzai’s. Outraged, the then-11-year-old kept a blog for the BBC under a pen name and later launched a campaign for girls’ education. It won her Pakistan’s highest civilian honor and death threats from the Taliban. Yousufzai was not blind to the dangers. In her hometown of Mingora, Fazlullah’s Taliban fighters dumped bodies near where her family lived. “I heard my father talking about another three bodies lying at Green Chowk,” she wrote in her diary, referring to a nearby roundabout. A military offensive pushed Fazlullah out of Swat in 2009, but his men simply melted away across the border to Afghanistan. Earlier this year, they kidnapped and beheaded 17 Pakistani soldiers in one of several cross border raids. Yousufzai continued speaking out despite the danger. As her fame grew, Fazlullah tried everything he could to silence her. The Taliban published death threats in the newspapers and slipped them under her door. But she ignored them. The Taliban say that’s why they sent assassins, despite a tribal code forbidding the killing of women. “We had no intentions to kill her but were forced when she would not stop (speaking against us),” said Sirajuddin Ahmad, a spokesman of Swat Taliban now based in Afghanistan’s Kunar province. He said the Taliban held a meeting a few months ago at which they unanimously agreed to kill her. The task was then given to military commanders to carry out. The militia has a force of around 100 men specialized in targeted killing, fighters said. They chose two men, aged between 20-30, who were locals from Swat Valley. The gunmen had proved their worth in previous assassinations, killing an opposition politician and attacking a leading hotelier for “obscenity” in promoting tourism. Their trademark is to kill by shots to the head. Such hits, although dangerous, are also a badge of honor among the Taliban. The fighters who carry them out often receive personal calls of congratulations from senior leaders and may also get cash or guns. Now it was Yousufzai’s turn. “Before the attack, the two fighters personally collected information about Malala’s route to school, timing, the vehicle she used and her security,” Ahmad said. They decided to shoot her near a military checkpoint to make the point they could strike anywhere, he said. On Tuesday, the two men stopped the bus she was riding home in. They asked for Yousufzai by name. Although the frightened girls said she wasn’t there, the men fired at her and also hit two other girls in the van. One of them remains in critical condition. Shot in the head and the neck, Yousufzai still lies unconscious in hospital, unaware that world leaders from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to US President Barack Obama have pledged support. Schoolchildren in Swat prayed for her recovery. “The American people are shocked by this deplorable shooting of a girl who was targeted because she dared to attend school,” a statement from the White House said. On Wednesday, the singer Madonna dedicated a song to Yousufzai during a LA concert. In a gesture that bemused many Pakistanis, she performed a striptease that revealed Yousufzai’s first name, Malala, written across her back. Her would-be killers said they had no idea their attack would propel their victim, already a national hero, into a global icon. “Actually the media gave it so much importance and now even Ban Ki-moon used dirty language against us,” Ahmad said. The international community stayed silent when the Pakistani security forces killed women during a crackdown, he complained. Now that they had failed to kill Yousufzai, they would target her father, Ahmad said. Ziauddin Yousufzai, the headmaster of a girls’ school, is on their hit list for speaking against them, his activities to promote peace in the region and for encouraging his daughter. “We have a clear-cut stance. Anyone who takes side with the government against us will have to die at our hands,” Ahmad warned. “You will see. Other important people will soon become victims.” - Reuters |
| Syria army weakens as battle fronts multiply Posted: 12 Oct 2012 04:35 PM PDT  BEIRUT: The Syrian army has suffered major setbacks in the north of the country, its resources worn down by an increasing number of battle fronts and rebel attacks, analysts say.The rebels, despite a lack of ammunition and arms, have stepped up attacks on different fronts with rockets, automatic weapons and mortar fire, inflicting a record number of army casualties. This week, they severed the highway connecting Damascus to Aleppo, the main route for army reinforcements to the northern city where fighting has centered over the past three months. Resupplying the army is “a fundamental aspect of the performance of the military,” said Emile Hokayem, Middle East expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. While army units, stationed across the Syrian countryside, were initially well-stocked with supplies and ammunition, “over time it becomes very difficult to reach them,” he said. “The number of fronts have multiplied to the extent that they (the army) can no longer count them,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. “The regular army is fighting in hundreds of places. Before, the battle was concentrated in Homs (centre), but today it has reached Aleppo, the coast, the Turkish border areas and the provinces of Damascus and Deir Ezzor (east).” In a cartoon posted on Facebook on Friday, a panting bull tagged “the regime” is running in circles, surrounded by six bullfighters wearing the flag of the Syrian revolt and waving red capes in front of him. The bullfighters are labeled with the names of the strife-torn provinces. “In several cases, the forces of President Bashar al-Assad had to abandon the battlefield or surrender because they did not have enough supplies, they did not have enough gasoline for their armoured vehicles,” said Hokayem. “This is what happened in Maaret al-Numan,” the analyst added. This strategic city, the gateway to the troops sent to Aleppo, fell on Tuesday to the rebel fighters as the army “checkpoints were isolated, they had no gasoline.” National army as ‘occupying force’ Analysts say the army’s superiority, notably its air supremacy, are no longer decisive in the conflict which has dragged on for 19 months and left troops demoralised by defections and deprived of reinforcements. “The qualitative edge, weaponry and technology that Assad has is still present but you cannot deploy it where your manpower has lost morale and is very weary,” said Hokayem. “When you have hundreds of insurgents ambushing a checkpoint and inflicting huge losses on the army, air raids do not change the equation,” said Abdel Rahman. For experts, the numerical superiority of the army — 350,000 troops — is only theoretical. Some have deserted, while others have been confined to their barracks. Only the well equipped and elite units are considered trustworthy by the regime. According to Hokayem, air raids are mainly used to give confidence to the troops on the ground, but “technology alone won’t deliver victory to Assad.” A Syrian security official said that the army is working – thus far unsuccessfully – to eliminate rebel pockets in Homs province in order to free up troops for battle zones in the north, such as Aleppo. Hokayem said that “in many places, the Syrian military now is akin to an occupation force more than anything else.” “The loyalists are scared to death every time we attack,” said Colonel Abdel Jabbar al-Oqaidi, a rebel leader in Aleppo. “At night, they are so afraid that they sleep in their tanks.” “We are fighting in our own towns and villages. We know every corner, while the soldiers deploying from other provinces have no idea about the territory,” he said. - AFP |
| EU’s Nobel award gets mixed welcome Posted: 12 Oct 2012 04:33 PM PDT  BRUSSELS: Europe’s leaders hailed yesterday’s award of the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to the EU in recognition of 60 years without war, but critics attacked it as misplaced, even undeserved, while tweeters derided it as a bad joke.Alongside congratulations, there were calls too for the EU to live up to its responsibilities as the bloc struggles with soaring unemployment and a slumping economy – causes enough for war in the past. Eurosceptics meanwhile found in the award fresh grounds for complaint against an institution they see as overblown, over-extended, and damaging to the true interests of its people. “This goes to show that the Norwegians really do have a sense of humour,” said European parliament member Nigel Farage, head of the UK Independence Party, who wants a referendum on Britain leaving the EU. “The EU may be getting the booby prize for peace because it sure hasn’t created prosperity. The EU has created poverty and unemployment for millions,” Farage charged. Lech Walesa, who won the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize for leading Poland’s anti-communist movement, said he was “unpleasantly surprised” at this year’s award. “Certainly the European Union is trying to change Europe and the world in a peaceful way, but it gets paid to do that,” while individual activists routinely make sacrifices and take huge risks to do so, Walesa said. But Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, the bedrock along with France of the early steps towards the union after the horrors of World War II, said naming the European Union was a “wonderful” decision. The prize given by the Nobel Committee in Oslo “honours the idea of European integration,” Merkel said, noting the “years of terrible bloodshed, horrible wars, murder and devastation” that had come before. France said the prize, “which every European is proud of,” meant there was a new responsibility now to create a continent that is “more united, more just, stronger and a bringer of peace.” President Francois Hollande said Europe must also be able to offer growth, progress, jobs and solidarity, as well as major projects for durable development and culural exchange. Britain, known for its reservations about EU ambitions, said the bloc must “preserve and strengthen” its achievements after the award recognised its “historic role in promoting peace and reconciliation in Europe.” Leaders of the European Union institutions themselves were for their part aglow with pride. “I have to say that when I woke up this morning I did not expect it to be such a good day,” was the first response from a beaming Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission head more used to a daily diet of brickbats over the bloc’s economic travails. “The European Union has reunified a continent split by the Cold War,” EU president Herman Van Rompuy said in a joint statement with Barroso. The US$1.2 million prize was “for the 500 million citizens living in our Union,” the two added. NATO, the military alliance set up by the United States after World War II to defend Western Europe from the Soviet Union, likewise saluted the EU’s “vital role in healing the wounds of history”. Martin Schulz, head of the European Parliament, sounded a note of caution, however, highlighting the dangers posed by the debt crisis to Europe’s “internal peace” in exacerbating the rich-poor divide. “We cannot live in a union where in one country people are really rich … and in others, people, even academics, have to rummage around rubbish bins to find something to eat.” Social media networks meanwhile were awash with comments ridiculing the choice. “Anti-austerity protests in Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy & France, Nationalism, Fascism, unemployment and poverty. Yeah EU deserves it!” @AnonOpGreece said on Twitter. Many on Twitter wondered why the prize was given to a union of states currently wracked by a severe financial crisis, which has led to high unemployment and violent demonstrations in some countries, rather than a courageous fighter for human rights. - AFP |
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