One dead and three injured in drive-by shooting

In Sheffield Telegraph today...

One dead and three injured in drive-by shooting

Published Date: 02 July 2009

ONE man was killed and three others injured with gunshots wounds after a drive-by shooting in a Sheffield suburb last night.
The dead man, who has not yet been named by police, was killed on Brunswick Street, Broomhall, shortly after 6.30pm.

South Yorkshire Police were alerted to the gunfire by shocked members of the public.

When officers arrived at the scene they discovered one man slumped on the ground.

He was declared dead at the scene while the three injured men were taken to the Northern General Hospital by ambulance. They are still in hospital this morning.

The crime scene and all surrounding streets were sealed off last night and remained out of bounds to members of the public this morning.

Police stood guard at the crime while officers flooded the surrounding streets looking for potential witnesses and trying to restore calm.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "A number of cordons are in place around Brunswick Street and police ask public to co-operate with officers at the location.

"Detectives have begun a murder investigation so anyone with information is asked to call 0114 220 2020."

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Dulu selalu gi rumah kawan yg sebelah umah dia berlaku shooting ni... dulu rumah kami satu jalan belakang jalan Brunswick ni...kene hati2 kawasan tu kalau berjalan2...

Bergaduh because of gangs rivalry...depa ni hidup dalam ketakutan dan rules of the jungle...nyawa begitu murah sekali...takde pedoman hidup...takleh imagine hidup dalam keadaan tu, alhamdulillah, Allah has chosen us to be muslim and with clear direction of life... kesian mrk yg masih dalam kegelapan...nak approach pun takutttt ...iskk

Hakim masuk surat khabar :)

Di dalam utusan malaysia

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0619&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Agrobiz&pg=ag_01.htm

Teknologi mesin bantu usahawan IKS

Oleh KHAIRUNNISA SULAIMAN

Hasmin Hakim Hasbullah menunjukkan mesin kuih karas rekaannya yang telah dikomersialkan.

Pertumbuhan industri kecil dan kecil dan sederhana (IKS) terutama pemprosesan makanan amat bergantung kepada automasi atau mesin bagi meningkatkan produktiviti mereka.

Bilangan IKS dijangka meningkat menjelang 2010 selaras dengan hasrat Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani mewujudkan 10,000 usahawan baru.

Industri pemprosesan makanan merupakan salah satu industri utama yang diberi perhatian dalam Pelan Induk Perindustrian Ketiga (IMP3).

Industri pemprosesan makanan merupakan penyumbang ke lapan terbesar eksport negara yang mewakili 2.6 peratus daripada jumlah eksport negara bagi sektor pembuatan.

Banyak agensi kerajaan misalnya Institut Penyelidikan dan Kemajuan Pertanian Malaysia (MARDI) terlibat secara aktif dalam menghasilkan mesin dan peralatan pemprosesan makanan dan minuman, khususnya bagi produk tradisional yang memerlukan teknologi pembuatan yang unik dan proses mekanisasi yang rumit di mana kerja penyelidikan dan pembangunan perlu dijalankan secara bersepadu.

Pegawai Penyelidik Prinsipal, Pusat Mekanisasi dan Automasi MARDI, Samsudin Ahmad berkata, pihaknya telah menghasilkan pelbagai jenis mesin dan peralatan bagi menghasilkan makanan tradisional.

"Antaranya adalah mesin menghasilkan lemang, emping, kuih karas, rempeyek, kuih ros, tabaloi, baulu cermai, cakar ayam, keropok lekor, sate, batang buruk, biji rotan, karipap, mesin mengekstrak isi durian dan jus buah-buahan.

"Kebanyakan mesin yang dihasilkan oleh MARDI telah dikomersialkan dan mendapat sambutan menggalakkan di kalangan usahawan IKS," katanya semasa ditemui di pejabatnya di Serdang, Selangor baru-baru ini.

Misalnya mesin menghasilkan lemang, kuih karas, ros, keropok lekor dan sate telah digunakan oleh usahawan IKS seluruh negara.

Terkini pihak MARDI telah menghasilkan tiga lagi produk untuk membangunkan IKS tempatan iaitu mesin memproses kuih tradisional empat dalam satu, mesin menggoreng keropok mudah susun dan mesin serba guna bagi mengekstrak citrus dan mengasing biji benih cili.

Mesin memproses kuih tradisional empat dalam satu hasil rekaan pegawai penyelidik Pusat Mekanisasi dan Automasi MARDI, Hasmin Hakim Hasbullah berupaya menghasilkan empat jenis kuih tradisional dengan hanya menggantikan acuan.

"Mesin yang pada mulanya direka untuk kuih karas didapati sesuai bagi menghasilkan maruku, roti jala dan putu mayam.

"Ini secara tidak langsung boleh memberikan pilihan kepada usahawan kecil menghasilkan kuih tradisional mengikut permintaan tanpa menggunakan mesin yang banyak," katanya.

Mesin ini telah mula digunakan oleh sebuah IKS bagi menghasilkan kuih karas.

Pegawai penyelidik dari pusat yang sama dan mencipta mesin serba guna bagi mengekstrak sitrus dan mengasingkan biji benih cili, Masniza Sairi berkata, mesin berkenaan pada mulanya direka untuk menghasilkan jus dokong.

"Bagaimanapun dokong adalah buah-buahan bermusim jadi saya memikirkan untuk mempelbagaikan kegunaannya bagi mengekstrak jus limau dan mengasingkan biji benih cili," katanya.

Menurut Masniza, mesin berkenaan berupaya menghasilkan jus sitrus tanpa memecahkan biji yang menyebabkan jus berasa pahit.

Bagi mengasingkan biji benih cili, getah penggelek akan digantikan mengikut kesesuaian.

"Mesin ini dapat mengurangkan kos, menjimatkan masa dan tidak rumit jika dibandingkan proses secara manual.

"Jika sebelum ini ramai pekerja yang diperlukan, bau yang tidak menyenangkan, tugas yang rumit untuk proses mengasingkan biji benih cili," katanya.

Bagi memajukan dan mengenengahkan mesin dan peralatan pemprosesan makanan dan minuman kepada golongan sasar seperti IKS makanan, pengeluar dan pengedar mesin, pengeksport dan individu yang ingin menceburkan diri dalam industri makanan, MARDI dengan kerjasama agensi kerajaan dan badan profesional akan menganjurkan persidangan mekanisasi pertanian dan makanan peringkat kebangsaan.

Persidangan berkenaan akan diadakan pada 22 hingga 25 Jun di Hotel Renaissance, Melaka.

Sepanjang persidangan pelbagai teknologi dan mesin bagi pemprosesan makanan dan pertanian akan dibincangkan menerusi pembentangan kertas kerja dan pameran bagi memberi peluang kepada mereka yang berminat untuk meninjau lebih dekat.

Mereka yang berminat boleh menghubungi Pusat Perkhidmatan Teknikal MARDI di talian 03-8941 8070, faksimile 03-8941-3512 atau: ncafm@mardi.gov.my

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ps : tahniah kpd Hakim kerana mesin karas nye berjaya di pasarkan...saya penoh gok rasa kueh karas drp mesin tu, mmg rangup dan sedap ...hebat le ning adik bradik... kakok dia je hok dok habih2 phd lagi...huhu

Akhbar Islami...Innalillahi wainna ilaihi rajiun

Islamic Action Front announces death of its leader Fathi Yakan

Daily Star staff
Monday, June 15, 2009

BEIRUT: The Islamic Action Front announced Saturday the death of its leader Fathi Yakan. He was 76 years old. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Grand Mufti Mohammad Rasheed Qabbani and an array of political and religious figures, as well as the Sunni Jamaa al-Islamiya and Shiite Hizbullah issued statements eulogizing Yakan.

In a statement, the IAF said Yakan passed away at 4:45 p.m. Saturday at the Hotel Dieu Hospital in Achrafieh, where he was admitted on Friday night.

Yakan's body will be moved to Tripoli on Sunday morning. The time and place of the funeral will be announced at a later time, the statement added.

The IAF earlier denied media reports of Yakan's death but said he was in critical condition.

Yakan was born in the northern port city of Tripoli in 1933. He became involved in Islamic work in Lebanon in the mid-1950s and was a pioneer in the establishment of the Islamic Movement. Yakan was elected a member of Parliament in 1992, and was also the founder of one of the earliest private universities in the northern coastal city, the Al-Jinan university.

Since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Yakan's IAF had been allied with the Hizbullah-led opposition; it ran one candidate in Tripoli during the 2009 parliamentary elections on June 7. - The Daily Star

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Islamic Action Front Announces Death of Sheikh Dr. Fathi Yakan

Readers Number : 600

13/06/2009 Head of Islamic Labor Front in Lebanon Fathi Yukon passed away Saturday afternoon after he was hospitalized for serious health problems on Friday night. Yakan was announced dead Saturday morning, but an Islamic Action Front statement later denied the Sheikh was dead, but acknowledged he was in serious condition. Dr. Fathi Yakan is a prominent Islamic scholar and caller. he was born in Tripoli, north of Lebanon, on the 9th of February 1933. With a Ph.D. in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Sheikh Yakan was among the pioneers of the Islamic movement in the 1950s. He was also the General Secretary of the Lebanese Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya from 1962 until 1992 when he won his seat in the Lebanese parliament. He is a key activist on the political stage, which was very clear during the 1996 elections. Sheikh Yakan initiated a political effort between PM Fouad Saniora and his allies on the one hand and the opposition in a bid to end the rule crisis in the wake of the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon. As a key figure in the Lebanese National Opposition, he headed prayers for Sunnis and Shiites on Friday, December 8, 2006 and called in his speech for the unity of Muslims against Israeli plots and schemes. Dr. Yakan was married to Mrs Mona Haddad with whom he had established a private Islamic university (Al-Jinan University). He has four daughters and a son. Sheikh Yakan was known for his support for resistance movements in Lebanon and the Arab and Islamic worlds. He described the 2006 victory as one for Lebanon and the whole nation, Sunnis before Shiites, “because the project of the resistance is not only Lebanese project but a global one.” The Islamic scholar also played a significant role in mending fences between political parties in the region. He was the mediator between the Islamic brotherhood in Syria and President Bachar Assad. He also played the same role between Syria and Turkey between 1998 and 1999, in the wake of the Syria-Turkey crisis. He is the author of more than 35 books, some of them were translated into many languages, including: How do we call for Islam? Towards a unified global Islamic Movement. What does “I’m a Muslim” mean?

http://www.almanar.com.lb/NewsSite/NewsDetails.aspx?id=89874&language=en

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Ustaz Dr Fathi Yakan Telah Kembali ke Rahmatullah

Lubnan, 13 Jun - Ketua جبهة العمل الاسلامي yang juga mantan ahli parlimen Lubnan, Ustaz Dr Fathi Yakan diberitakan telah meninggal dunia pada usia 76 tahun setelah bergelut dengan penyakitnya di sini hari ini.

Ustaz Dr Fathi Yakan yang lahir pada tahun 1933 di Kota Tripoli di Lubnan Utara merupakan salah seorang tokoh penting bagi gerakan Islam di dunia Islam dan telah mengasaskan gerakan Islam di Lubnan pada sekitar 50-an.

Sepanjang hayatnya, beliau telah melahirkan sejumlah karya ulung, termasuk “Apa Ertinya Saya Menganut Islam”, “Masalah Dakwah dan Pendakwah” dan “Persepsi Yang Dinamis Dalam Kerja-kerja Islam” yang telah diterjemahkan ke dalam pelbagai bahasa lainnya.

Ustaz Fathi Yakan telah menyertai pilihanraya parlimen pada tahun 1992 dan memenangi kerusi bagi puak Sunni di Tripoli. Pada tahun 1992 juga beliau merupakan salah seorang peserta dalam Muktamar Islam Antarabangsa.

Beliau memainkan peranan besar di Lubnan bagi menyatukan dan menghindari perselisihan di kalangan rakyat Lubnan, terutama antara kekuatan golongan majoriti dan minoriti.

Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (ISMA) merakamkan ucapan takziah atas pemergian Ustaz Dr Fathi Yakan ke rahmatullah ini. Sesungguhnya pemergian beliau bukan sekadar kehilangan besar bagi rakyat Lubnan, bahkan untuk seluruh umat Islam khususnya di kalangan aktivitis-aktivis dakwah yang banyak mendapat tunjuk ajar daripada beliau.

http://ismaweb.net/v2/Article1083.html

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Moga Allah mencucuri rahmat keatas roh beliau...indeed he will be missed...sedih pulak rasa....beliau telah meninggalkan banyak jasa dan contribution kepada Islam...kita pula, kalau mati nanti bagaimana????

Sheffield banjir lagi...

Semalam hujan sgt lebat di Sheffield, biasanya hujan lebat camni akan menyebabkan banjir...pastu tgk news, sah, beberapa tempat di Sheffield mengalami banjir..bagi org Malaysia, mesti duk ingat hujan sehebat di Malaysia yg turun nonstop beberapa hari mengakibatkan banjir.... sini hujan yg sebab kan banjir ni cuma cam hujan lebat kat mesia, baru 12 jam non stop menyebabkan banjir...mereka kat sini tak biasa ngan banjir until lately...sbb global warming jadi weather pun huru hara, uk yg x penah hujan lebat, pun dah jadi hujan lebat...hebat betul la kuasa Allah tu..

Ni antara petanda tak best...summer tahun ni maybe jadi cam tahun lepas, asyik hujan je...tak dpt nk menikmati alam sekitar sgt....al maklum org takde kete, susah sket kalau hujan2 ni...harap2 bbq ahad/sabtu ni tak hujan...ameen...



Demikian sahaja laporan drp bilik study, broomwalk, sheffield... :)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/8093683.stm

Flash floods after stormy weather

Flash flooding has hit parts of north and mid Wales causing damage to properties and traffic disruption

Severe weather has led to flash flooding in parts of Wales and warnings have been been made by the Met Office that more rain is expected.

The A483 road in Newtown, Powys, leading to the town centre has been closed and six fire crews are dealing with the effects of heavy rain.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said its fire fighters were alerted shortly before 1400 BST.

Meanwhile, fire crews were called to deal with floods in homes in Wrexham.

North Wales fire service said at least three houses in Galaxy Grove were flooded and crews have been called to three other areas near the town.

In Newtown, a blocked culvert led to the closure of the A483 road in the afternoon, while Frolic Street, Park Street and Back Lane were still flooded at 1730 BST.

Workers at the two main office blocks in the town were trapped as water levels rose rapidly.

Special pumps were brought in by firefighters to unblock drains on the main roads.

The roads affected by the severe weather are home to commercial and residential properties.

Six fire appliances were still at the scene at 1730 BST.

Firefighter David Davies from Mid and West Wales Fire Service said: "We had a severe cloudburst in the area. It started about one o'clock in the Caersws region then it's moved about six miles down to Newtown.

"It had the town centre overwhelmed, all the gutters, and we have had a severe problem."

Driving instructor Phil Robinson was taking a student on a pre-test lesson when the rain hit.

"All of a sudden we couldn't see the kerb doing a left reverse," he said.

"As we've been driving around town getting practice before the test, my student is getting lots of experience doing turns in the road because we keep coming to flooded areas and it's 'turn the car around and back again'."

A road was closed after the downpour caused flooding

May Allah blesses their souls....ameen

Beita hari ini di berita harian.....

'Saya hanya ingat mati'

Daripada Ismail Mat
ismailmat@bharian.com.my

ANGGOTA keluarga mangsa serangan di Masjid al-Furqan, Kampung Air Tempayan Narathiwat kelmarin, melihat jemaah yang mati ditembak penyerang bersenjata raifal ketika solat Isyak. - Foto Reuters

12 jemaah ditembak mati ketika imam baca al-Fatihah pada rakaat kedua solat Isyak

NARATHIWAT (Selatan Thailand): "Ketika itu saya hanya terfikir saat kematian dan tidak mampu berpaling melihat siapa menembak kami," kata Nasir Ibrahim, salah seorang jemaah yang terselamat dalam serangan ketika solat Isyak di Masjid al-Furqan, Kampung Air Tempayan, dekat sini malam kelmarin.

Nasir, 42, yang juga penghulu kampung itu berkata, imam Wan Abdullah Wan Latif, 62, sedang membaca surah al-Fatihah pada rakaat kedua apabila mereka diserang dua lelaki bersenjatakan raifel kira-kira jam 9 malam waktu Malaysia itu.

Dua penyerang itu, yang berpakaian serba hitam, masing-masing berada di pintu utama dan sebelah kanan masjid berkenaan, melepaskan tembakan dari jarak kurang tiga meter ke arah jemaah, menyebabkan kebanyakan mangsa mati akibat terkena tembakan di kepala dan tubuh badan masing-masing.

Serangan kejam itu, yang dianggap paling buruk di selatan Thailand, menyebabkan 10 jemaah termasuk Wan Abdullah mati serta-merta, manakala dua lagi jemaah meninggal dunia ketika dalam rawatan kecemasan di Hospital Narathiwat.

Sebelas lagi mangsa cedera parah dan dirawat di hospital itu. Hanya Nasir dan seorang lagi jemaah terselamat dalam serangan itu, tetapi terpaksa dirawat di Klinik Cho Airong dekat sini, ekoran trauma dan serangan jantung kerana terkejut.

PENDUDUK Islam Thai melihat jenazah mangsa serangan di masjid dikebumikan dalam satu liang lahad di tanah perkuburan Cho Airong, Narathiwat, semalam. - Foto Reuters

Nasir berkata, tembakan bertalu-talu dari dari arah belakang dan tepi berlaku hampir 10 minit, menyebabkan ramai jemaah tumbang.

"Saya yang berada di hujung saf di sebelah kanan, turut merebahkan badan. Ketika kelam-kabut itu, saya merangkak di celah jemaah yang cedera dan berlumuran darah, menuju ke stor di sebelah tempat imam. Saya duduk di situ sehingga penyerang melarikan diri," katanya ketika ditemui semalam.

Walaupun bersyukur kerana terselamat dalam serangan itu, Nasir amat bersedih mengenangkan ramai jemaah termasuk Wan Abdullah yang menjadi korban serangan kejam itu.

Isteri Wan Abdullah, Yah Che Kob, 58, berkata ketika kejadian beliau berada di rumahnya, kira-kira 50 meter di hadapan masjid berkenaan.

ORANG ramai melihat mayat mangsa serangan di Masjid al-Furqan, Kampung Air Tempayan, malam kelmarin. - Foto Reuters

"Secara tiba-tiba, saya terdengar bunyi tembakan bertalu-talu macam bertih goreng dari arah masjid. Saya terus berlindung di sebalik pintu rumah dan sejurus selepas itu, terdengar jeritan penduduk kampung menyatakan masjid diserang.

"Saya hanya mampu mendoakan keselamatan suami kerana saya tahu dia mengimamkan solat Isyak. Secara kebetulan anak lain keluar, jika tidak mereka juga berjemaah di masjid," katanya.

Yah berkata, jenazah suaminya hanya dapat dikeluarkan dari masjid itu kira-kira jam 7 pagi semalam.

"Serangan ini amat kejam. Mereka tergamak menyerang dan membunuh umat Islam yang sedang solat," katanya dengan nada sedih mengenangkan kematian suaminya yang sudah 15 tahun menjadi imam masjid itu.

Adik Wan Abdullah, juga seorang imam, Wan Ismail Wan Latif, 58, berkata selain abangnya, turut terkorban ialah lapan ahli kumpulan tabligh yang berkunjung ke masjid itu sejak tiga hari lalu.

Jenazah semua mangsa disemadikan dalam satu liang lahad di tanah perkuburan kampung itu kira-kira 11 pagi semalam dengan dihadiri kira-kira 2,000 penduduk termasuk kumpulan pelajar pondok sekitar Narathiwat.

Yang Dipertua Majlis Agama Islam Narathiwat, Abdul Razak Ali, yang meninjau tempat kejadian pagi semalam, mengutuk serangan kejam itu.

"Serangan kejam ini didalangi pihak yang tidak mahu melihat keamanan dinikmati semua penduduk di selatan Thailand. Mereka yang berbuat begini sebenarnya mahu melihat selatan Thailand terus berada dalam pergolakan," katanya.

Tinjauan Berita Harian mendapati, dinding depan masjid dan cermin pintu turut mempunyai kesan peluru, dipercayai akibat tembakan yang tersasar, manakala sebahagian besar lantai dipenuhi darah jemaah yang terkorban. Kesan itu hanya dibersihkan kira-kira 2 petang semalam dengan sebuah lori tangki air yang dihantar pihak berkuasa tempatan.

Ya Allah...Lindungilah daku dari kejahatan, yang menipuku daripada kemanisan iman...bawalah daku kepada cinta suciMu, berikan daku keredhaan dan SyurgaMu...

Dua beranak curi pakaian

Oleh Noor Hastikah Hassan
am@hmetro.com.my

>

DITAHAN ...anggota polis membawa dua beranak yang dicekup orang ramai, semalam.

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Bagaikan tiada pedoman hidup. Seorang bapa sanggup melatih anaknya sendiri menjadi pencuri semata-mata mahu mendapatkan wang mudah bagi membeli dadah.

Dengan menaiki sebuah motosikal, pencuri dua beranak itu berlegar-legar mencari sasaran sesuai sebelum bertindak apabila mempunyai ruang dan peluang.

Bagaimanapun, sepandai-pandai tupai melompat akhirnya jatuh ke tanah jua.

Dua beranak itu terperangkap selepas mencuri beberapa helai pakaian wanita dan lelaki di sebuah butik di Bandar Perda, di sini, semalam.

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Sedihnya baca berita camni.... tak patut betul...dapat anak ajar anak buat benda2 haram...walhal bukan semua org di anugerahkan Allah utk memiliki anak sendiri...

Kesian kat anak tu...kesian kat anak2 sedunia yg mungkin nasibnya serupa atau lebih teruk lagi...ni seme kes dadah...org Islam lak tu yg hisap dadah...sakit jiwa betul memikirkan masalah2 negara..

Obama di Mesir

Yesterday, Barack Obama went to Egypt and gave a speech. I've listened to part of the speech on BBC news and it seems ok. Dia cuba 'ambil hati' orang2 Islam dgn mengatakan bahawa mmg tak patut Palestinians di treat macam tu... tapi dia kata bond US dan Israel tak dapat dipisahkan...

I dont know what he will do in the future about Palestin and Israel situation. I suspect he will be less brutal compared to the Bush era, but you never know these american presidents... kita tak leh berharap sangat pada depa ni, oleh itu kene berusaha, fikir strategi, camne nak do it our way, inshaAllah...

Here are the comments of Robert Fisk, a journalist from the independence newspaper (original version)

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Robert Fisk: Words that could heal wounds of centuries

President Obama reaches out to the Islamic world in a landmark speech

Friday, 5 June 2009

President Obama's speach reached out to the Islamic world



Preacher, historian, economist, moralist, schoolteacher, critic, warrior, imam, emperor. Sometimes you even forgot Barack Obama was the President of the United States of America.

Will his lecture to a carefully chosen audience at Cairo University "re-imagine the world" and heal the wounds of centuries between Muslims and Christians? Will it resolve the Arab-Israeli tragedy after more than 60 years? If words could do the job, perhaps...

It was a clever speech we heard from Obama yesterday, as gentle and as ruthless as any audience could wish for – and we were all his audience. He praised Islam. He loved Islam. He admired Islam. He loved Christianity. And he admired America. Did we know that there were seven million Muslims in America, that there were mosques in every state of the Union, that Morocco was the first nation to recognise the United States and that our duty is to fight against stereotypes of Muslims just as Muslims must fight against stereotypes of America?

But much of the truth was there, albeit softened to avoid hurting feelings in Israel. To deny the facts of the Jewish Holocaust was "baseless, ignorant and hateful", he said, a remark obviously aimed at Iran. And Israel deserved security and "Palestinians must abandon violence..."

The United States demanded a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He told the Israelis there had to be a total end to their colonisation in the West Bank. "The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements."

The Palestinians had suffered without a homeland. "The situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable," Obama said and the US would not turn its back on the "legitimate Palestinian aspiration for a state of their own". Israel had to take "concrete steps" to give the Palestinians progress in their daily lives as part of a road to peace. Israel needed to acknowledge Palestinian suffering and the Palestinian right to exist. Wow. Not for a generation has Israel had to take this kind of criticism from a US President. It sounded like the end of the Zionist dream. Did George Bush ever exist?

Alas, he did. Indeed, at times, the Obama address sounded like the Bush General Repair Company, visiting the Muslim world to sweep up mountains of broken chandeliers and shredded flesh. The President of the United States – and this was awesome – admitted his country's failures, its over-reaction to 9/11, its creation of Guantanamo which, Obama reminded us all again, he is closing down. Not bad, Obama...

We got to Iran. One state trying to acquire nuclear weapons would lead to a "dangerous path" for all of us, especially in the Middle East. We must prevent a nuclear arms race. But Iran as a nation must be treated with dignity. More extraordinarily, Obama reminded us that the US had connived to overthrow the democratically elected Mossadeq government of Iran in the Fifties. It was "hard to overcome decades of distrust".

There was more; democracy, women's rights, the economy, a few good quotes from the Koran ("Whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind".) Governments must respect "all their people" and their minorities. He mentioned the Christian Copts of Egypt; even the Christian Maronites of Lebanon got a look in.

And when Obama said that some governments, "once in power, are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others", there was a roar of applause from the supposedly obedient audience. No wonder the Egyptian government wanted to select which bits of Obama's speech would be suitable for the Egyptian people. They were clearly very, very unhappy with the police-state regime of Hosni Mubarak. Indeed, Obama did not once mention Mubarak's name.

Over and again, one kept saying to oneself: Obama hasn't mentioned Iraq – and then he did ("a war of choice... our combat brigades will be leaving"). But he hasn't mentioned Afghanistan – and then he did ("we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan... we will gladly bring every one of our troops home"). When he started talking about the "coalition of 46 countries" in Afghanistan – a very dodgy statistic – he began to sound like his predecessor. And here, of course, we encountered an inevitable problem. As the Palestinian intellectual Marwan Bishara pointed out yesterday, it is easy to be "dazzled" by presidents. This was a dazzling performance. But if one searched the text, there were things missing.

There was no mention – during or after his kindly excoriation of Iran – of Israel's estimated 264 nuclear warheads. He admonished the Palestinians for their violence – for "shooting rockets at sleeping children or blowing up old women in a bus". But there was no mention of Israel's violence in Gaza, just of the "continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza". Nor was there a mention of Israel's bombing of civilians in Lebanon, of its repeated invasions of Lebanon (17,500 dead in the 1982 invasion alone). Obama told Muslims not to live in the past, but cut the Israelis out of this. The Holocaust loomed out of his speech and he reminded us that he was going to the site of the Buchenwald concentration camp today.

For a man who is sending thousands more US troops into Afghanistan – a certain disaster-to-come in the eyes of Arabs and Westerners – there was something brazen about all this. When he talked about the debt that all Westerners owed to Islam – the "light of learning" in Andalusia, algebra, the magnetic compass, religious tolerance, it was like a cat being gently stroked before a visit to the vet. And the vet, of course, lectured the Muslims on the dangers of extremism, on "cycles of suspicion and discord" – even if America and Islam shared "common principles" which turned out to be "justice, progress and the dignity of all human beings".

There was one merciful omission: a speech of nearly 6,000 words did not include the lethal word "terror". "Terror" or "terrorism" have become punctuation marks for every Israeli government and became part of the obscene grammar of the Bush era.

An intelligent guy, then, Obama. Not exactly Gettysburg. Not exactly Churchill, but not bad. One could only remember Churchill's observations: "Words are easy and many, while great deeds are difficult and rare."

Interesting news...

Saya pernah tengok beberapa kali documentary about scientology di BBC.... mmg mengarut habis la scientology ini dan menghasut pula ramai orang...they dont believe in God...cam ala2 atheist zaman baruramai gak artis hollywood yg terkenal jadi pengikut cult ni......KARUT...kesian ke org islam yg duk minat pelakon2 hollywood2 tu, jadi idola la, kesian kesian.... saya sangat gembira wikipedia banned them...because scientology ni boleh jadi sangat aggressive...entah2 mrk duk baca apa yg saya (sbb tu tulis ni bnyk in malay)...al kisah knp wikipedia banned mrk sbb mrk akan gunakan segala macam media utk menghapuskan idea yg mrk tu salah...mrk duk asyi tukar apa je org tulis dlm wikipedia tu tentang mrk....mrk ni mmg gila...

Wikipedia bans Church of Scientology from site

By Ian Rakowski

NEWS.com.au

Wikipedia ... the user-edited encyclopedia's entry for the Church of Scientology's, which is currently locked / Wikipedia

• Wikipedia ban on edits by Scientologists
• Allegedly found a coordinated campaign
• More: Technology news and reviews »

WIKIPEDIA has banned members of the Church of Scientology from contributing to articles in a bid to stamp out biased information.

The site's administrators allegedly decided to impose the ban after finding members of the church were changing articles related to Scientology to promote their interests.

It is the first time Wikipedia has placed a ban on such a large group.

In a long running internal review, the site’s Arbitration Committee voted 10 to nil in favour of banning contributions from all IP addresses known to be owned or run by the church.

One member abstained from the vote.

According to evidence found by Wikipedia, multiple users with known scientology IP addresses had been "openly editing (Scientology-related articles) from Church of Scientology equipment and apparently coordinating their activities".

The administrators were concerned the edits were "damaging Wikipedia's reputation for neutrality".

Wikipedia promotes the fact its articles are presented from a neutral point of view, and frowns upon users who edit the site "in order to promote their own interests".

Individual users who caused mischief have been prevented from editing articles in the past, but this is the first time such a large-scale ban has been placed.

The Register reported the ban was the first time administrators had officially placed a block on edits from such a large organisation.

A spokesperson from the Church of Scientology's Sydney office said no Australian members would have been involved in editing the site.

The Church of Scientology's Wikipedia entry is currently locked, preventing any edits.

Kita sambung psl Sang Murobbiyah later...

Sbb pagi ni tetiba terbaca BBC news tentang di bawah ini, tentang patutkah pusat katolik di Rome meringankan undang2 mrk tentang paderi tidak dibenarkan kahwin atau mempunyai hubungan dengan berlainan jantina...di bawah ni di paparkan komen seorang penulis katolik dan juga seorang menteri parlimen di UK..

Ermm...kristian mmg camni, org2 biasa leh debate undang2 agama mrk...lama2 kalau banyak sgt pressure, nanti, catholic church pun ikutlah kata2 mrk..they see this as progression (yg selalu my supervisor said to me)

Islam pulak lain, ada yg boleh di bawa berbincang (perkara2 cabang) dan ada yg mmg dah jelas dan qot'ie (tetap)....contohnya solat kita ni 5 waktu, dah ditetapkan solat subuh, zuhr, asar, maghrib dan isya'...setiap satu ada syarat2 waktunya...takleh sesuka hati nak solat subuh pukul 10 pagi or solat asar bila dah malam....

Teringat pulak my debate ngan my supervisor sejak mula2 masuk belaja sini (4 years ago) sampaila skrg ni, especially masuk waktu2 dekat summer ni, mesti dia persoalkan time solat kita, katanya tak sesuai (suka hati dia je)...dia siap kata, 'i'm sure if prophet muhammad is here now, and he knows about the muslim waking up for prayer at 4 am, he must have deny it and say that is not what he meant, he meant to pray at sensible time, ie after you wake up from sleep around 6 am'....hehehe dia lak nak interpret apa Rasulullah s.a.w kata....

Dia siap suh kita yg kat UK ni ikut waktu solat kat Malaysia je, more sensible, takde la, terputus2 tido...

I said to him, this is just a small sacrifice for Paradise...dia pun ala2 senyap dan masih tak puas hati....betul la kan, kalau Allah suruh lebih drp ni pun kita akan buat, apa la sangat bangun kul 4 am tu banding dengan syurgaNya yg tidak ada bandingan tu...

Tapi konklusinya...agama kristian ni mmg sgt2 open to interpretation sesiapa saja, interpretation ikut akal manusia dan boleh berubah sesuka hati....kita Islam, agama lurus dan the only deen yg di iktiraf oleh Allah skrg ni, have it rules to guide us to be a proper slave...tak semua benda leh di grasp dan di proses oleh akal kita yg limited ni...jadi certain2 perkara we need to have faith on it...all of these are to prove to Him siapakah yg lebih banyak amalannya (Al Mulk :2).....Biarlah apa org nak kata, asalkan Allah redha pada kita....

ps : Tapi sy masih doakan moga one day Allah bagi hidayah kat pakcik John ni...kesian dia, last kalau x beriman, masuk neraka...

Klik disini utk bacaan lengkap berita dibawah

Time to relax Priest celibacy rules?

In some parts of the world, especially the West, the Roman Catholic Church is facing a shortage of priests. Should the Vatican act to resolve this crisis by relaxing the rule that clergy must be celibate and single? Or would allowing priests to marry lead to other, unforeseen problems? Two Catholic commentators argue the pros and cons of married priests.

NO: MARY KENNY, CATHOLIC AUTHOR

Mary Kenny: marriage is not a panacea for personal ills

I know several good men who feel drawn to serving the faith and the people and who would have made excellent Catholic priests - if they had been allowed to marry.

This is such a loss to the Church, and the faithful. I am often inclined to agree that the rule of celibacy is obsolete.

Yet I have also encountered certain married clerics in other denominations who have struck me as rather too comfortably ensconced in the bourgeois life of domesticity.

Recently, a married vicar in a well-to-do parish that I know turned away an application from an addicts' self-help group to meet in the church hall; such undesirables did not fit into the parish profile.

But "undesirables" are exactly the people to whom the Christian faith should be offering succour.

If you seek comfort at every turn, the culture becomes decadent

A Christian should not live too comfortable a life: an ordained Christian minister should be ready to "take up your Cross and follow Me".

YES: JOHN PUGH MP

John Pugh argues that celibacy does not automatically make for good clergy

Rational Catholicism believes that man has a definite nature ultimately fulfilled only by adherence to, and union with, his creator.

Part of our nature self-evidently is that we are sexual beings and fulfilling our true nature is what this life and indeed morality is all about.

No-one can ignore, disown or deny their sexual identity or the various and complex drives that come with it.

Donald Goergen pointed out in his book The Sexual Celibate many years ago that although sexual, maternal and paternal feelings and drives can be rechannelled opportunely and successfully by those sworn to celibacy, absolute denial and attempted elimination are fraught with psychological dangers and moral hazard.

Every priest is also a man; every nun a woman.

Given that Vatican II stated that a vocation to virginity is not inherently superior to a vocation to matrimony, it is not clear that there ever was a convincing theological case for a celibate priesthood; rather the arguments are pragmatic and traditional.

The very existence of a willingly celibate priest reminds his flock of a higher destiny for humanity than propagating one's genes (renunciation also boosts charisma).