Consistency more important: Kaka

Sunday, September 28, 2008

AC MILAN'S world player of the year Kaka says a victory over Italian champions Inter Milan in today's city derby would be great but it is consistency that his team needs the most.

Milan lost their first two games of the season as high profile new signings Ronaldinho and Andrei Shevchenko failed to inspire them.

They have since won three matches two in Serie A and one in the UEFA Cup but the Brazilian playmaker insists that beating the small teams is even more important than a win over Jose Mourinho's Inter. "Right now we've won three matches in a row, and that's important because beating Lazio or Inter is great but you also have to find the motivation to play against Reggina on a rainy Wednesday night," he said.

"In the end its the points won or lost against the little teams that make the difference."

Consistency has been the problem for Milan already this season. They played well but lost 2-1 at home to Bologna in their first match before deservedly losing 2-0 at Genoa.

In the UEFA Cup they were rarely convincing in a 3-1 win over FC Zurich before producing a superb display to beat Lazio 4-1 at the San Siro.

Yet they were poor in a lucky 2-1 win at Reggina in midweek.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has rotated his squad a fair bit although he looked to be settling on a forward pairing of Marco Borriello and Pato, with Ronaldinho and Shevchenko on the bench.

One of those two should play against Inter as Borriello is injured but it seems clear that AC Milan fans' dream formation with Shevchenko and Brazilians Ronaldinho, Pato and Kaka all lining up in the same team is unlikely to ever happen.AFP

People cautious of Chinese food products

Sunday, September 28, 2008

THE public are now taking extra precautionary measures when buying food items, following the China-made product scare which saw more countries recalling the products found with a toxic chemical.

Hjh Saleha Hj Suhaili, a 42-year-old mother, said that the White Rabbit cream candy has been a favourite since her childhood days.

"Knowing that it is one of the contaminated items makes me wonder what else is affected," she said.

The mother of three said that she was shocked to discover that even Dutch Lady flavoured milk, which has been in the market for a long time is also now on the list of contaminated items.

"Since news of the contaminated dairy products were found in stores throughout the country, I have become quite paranoid when shopping for food, especially when I bring my children as they tend to ask for chocolates and sweets," she added.

Rahimi Hj Mohd Sufri said he has been surfing the internet for more information regarding the matter and found that most of the items that are being suspected in other countries are also available here.

A father of two young children, Rahimi said that he is not going to take any chances as some of the items that have been identified or are being suspected is mostly what his children would buy.

He added that waiting for the products to be identified is not a risk that he is willing to take.

Hj Morni Hj Abd Salam said that there is no way of being 100 per cent sure of what food items are safe and what are not, despite the Ministry of Health ordering a recall of some products this week.

He said that even though the items are no longer available, there is still a possibility of unknown contamination as "we don't really know where the manufacturers get their ingredients."

More countries, including Brunei have banned China-made milk and dairy products, after at least four babies died, while tens of thousands of infants fell ill after consuming baby milk formula containing traces of melamine which can cause health problems such as kidney failure.

The tainted food scandal also prompted the Ministry of Health to recall chocolates, candies and biscuits found to contain unhealthy levels of melamine, which is used to make plastic and glue.(SRH1)

selamat hari raya maaf zahir dan batin

Chinese toxic milk victims seen to increase by 10,000

BEIJING

Saturday, September 27, 2008

CHINESE provinces have reported nearly 10,000 additional cases of children who have developed kidney illnesses after drinking toxic milk formula in recent days, local media reported yesterday.

The problem was confirmed to have spread to neighbouring Japan yesterday, when Marudai Food Co said melamine had been found in some of its recalled products made with Chinese milk, including "Cream Panda" buns, which appeal to children.

In China, attention on the growing milk scandal was at least temporarily diverted to the launch late on Thursday of the country's third manned space mission.But Beijing continues to battle public alarm and international dismay after thousands of Chinese children were hospitalised, sick from milk formula tainted with melamine, a cheap industrial chemical that can be used to cheat quality checks. Four have died.

China's Ministry of Health has not issued a fresh count of infants suffering kidney problems and complications since Sunday.

It said then that 12,892 were in hospital, 104 with serious illness, and close to 40,000 others were affected but did not need major treatment.

However, more recent counts from province-level health authority numbers across the country showed that at least another 9,959 cases have been diagnosed this week with illnesses linked to the toxic milk.

Much of that rise was in Hebei, the northern province that is home to Sanlu Dairy group, which made the contaminated formula that sparked the broader milk scandal.

The Hebei Daily (hbrb.hebnews.cn) said Hebei province alone had diagnosed 13,773 cases up to Thursday, an increase of 4,794 on four days earlier.

Shao Mingli, head of the State Food and Drug Administration, warned his staff that the government would not tolerate cover-ups or reporting delays, after local officials sat on news for at least a month if not longer that Sanlu's milk was suspect.

"Under no circumstances turn a deaf ear to people's complaints and pretend they do not exist," he told a meeting, according to the transcript of a speech on the watchdog's web site (www.sda.gov.cn).

There are no numbers available yet for China's big commercial hub, Shanghai, but state media said many infants there may have been affected.

"A recent city-wide health check of children under three years old showed about five percent were diagnosed with symptoms of possible kidney stones after being fed contaminated powdered milk," the China Daily reported.

The count of recent provincial-level numbers indicated 1,019 additional children were hospitalised this week. But the statistics did not make clear if those cases were included in or separate from the larger number diagnosed with kidney damage.

The count from provincial sources showed no new deaths. The World Health Organisation representative in China said effective medical help made many more deaths unlikely.

"We don't expect a large increase in the number of deaths, because we have to remember that a child usually doesn't die from a kidney stone itself, but from its complications," WHO representative Hans Troedsson told a news conference in Beijing.

"... the treatment has been shown (to be) effective in China," he said. Reuters

McCain heads for key debate

Saturday, September 27, 2008

AFTER two days of high drama, Republican White House hopeful John McCain finally headed yesterday to join Democrat Barack Obama for the first of three key debates in the US elections.

Forty years to the day after the first televised debate between John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon transfixed the nation, the 2008 showdown was set to go ahead yesterday at the University of Mississippi at 8pm (0100 GMT).

McCain had kept everyone guessing about his plans for some 48 hours, after dramatically suspending his campaign last Wednesday to rush back to Washington for talks on the financial meltdown.

But his campaign finally confirmed yesterday that enough progress had been made in the talks in Congress on a US$700-billion Wall Street bailout that the senator would fly to Oxford, Mississippi for the debate.

With Obama ahead in the opinion polls and vowing to go ahead with the Mississippi event with or without his rival, McCain announced that he was "resuming all activities" and heading to the debate.

"The McCain campaign is resuming all activities and the senator will travel to the debate this afternoon," his campaign said in a statement.

"Following the debate, he will return to Washington to ensure that all voices and interests are represented in the final agreement, especially those of taxpayers and homeowners."

McCain spent fewer than 24 hours in Washington discussing the bailout plan with fellow congressmen and administration officials.

The clash will take place at a rare moment of national peril, with the staggering US financial system spawning a global crisis, the stock market reeling and the life savings of millions of Americans in the balance.

Tens of millions of television viewers are expected to tune into the contest, five weeks before the November 4 election day. In 2004, more than 62 million people watched the first debate between President George W Bush and John Kerry — given the historic potential of this year's gripping election race, analysts expect an even bigger audience.

With under 40 days to go before the election, Obama had argued it was more important than ever for the American people to hear from the two men battling to be the next president.

"One of us is going to be in charge of this mess in four months, and the American people I think have a right and obligation to find out where we want to take the country and what we believe," the Illinois senator, 47, said.

Raikkonen desperate for another win

Friday, September 26, 2008

DEFENDING world champion Kimi Raikkonen admitted yesterday his hopes of retaining the title were now out of his hands, but vowed to do all he could to haul himself back into the race.

The Ferrari driver sits fourth in the standings with four races to go after failing to get a podium place at the last Grand Prix at Monza.

Now 21 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton and 20 behind teammate Felipe Massa, the Finn knows nothing short of victory on the unfamiliar Marina Bay street circuit in Singapore this weekend will be enough.

"The most important thing is to win again. The situation in the championship is what it is and it doesn't depend any more only on my results, but of my competitors' results," he said on www.ferrariworld.com.

"In theory it's not over yet, but I don't have it under control any more."

Raikkonen has not won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix in April and the last time he scored any championship points was at Germany in July, when he finished sixth.

But he remains happy after signing a new contract with Ferrari, and is determined to return to his winning ways.

"We'll give it our best at Singapore, so that we can fight for the win, which still remains the main objective. We have to give it all in these four races and then we'll see what's going to happen," he said.

"I've said it many times: victory is the only objective, the essence of motor racing. I'm not just here for driving, but I want to win."

There has been talk that Raikkonen will be under team orders to support Massa's push for the title, but the Finn has not been keen to give up his hopes of a second world crown while he still has a mathematical chance.

Team principal Stefano Domenicali said mission orders had been given to both drivers, but did not spell out what they were.

"The fight for the two titles (drivers and constructors) will be very close," Domenicali said.

"Kimi and Felipe met (Ferrari) president Montezemolo, who made it very clear that, as usual, Ferrari's simple target come the end of the season is to win both titles.

"Both drivers will be working towards this target over the remaining four races, knowing that, as always for the Scuderia, the good of the team comes first."

The omens for a Raikkonen win here aren't good, after he struggled on other street circuits this year, including at Valencia last month when he was forced to retire.

Nevertheless, he has no fear of driving under the powerful spotlights that will illuminate the track in Singapore, which is making history as the first Formula One night race ever.

"I've been waiting for September 28," he said of race day.

"Of course when I think of the results I had this year on street circuits, I shouldn't be too optimistic, but I still like to race on this kind of track: it's pure emotion, when you find the right set up for the single-seater and race between the walls.

"I don't think that it will be a big problem that we race at night. They've done it already with motorbikes and it was a great experience.

"I'm someone who likes to sleep late. My body will adapt perfectly fine to this unusual time of day." AFP

Kebawah DYMM Berangkat ke kemuncak Sambutan Jubli Emas Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien

KEBERANGKATAN tiba Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddien Waddaulah Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam berserta ahli-ahli kerabat diraja dijunjung oleh Menteri Hal Ehwal Ugama, Yang Berhormat Pehin Jawatan Luar Pekerma Raja Dato Seri Utama Dr. Ustaz Haji Awang Mohd. Zain dan Ahli-ahli Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Sambutan Jubli Emas Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien. Foto : Jurufoto Jabatan Penerangan.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jumaat, 26 September . - Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddien Waddaulah Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam berkenan berangkat ke Majlis Menandatangani Tanda Peringatan Jubli Emas Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien serta Majlis Membaca Surah Yaa'sin, Tahlil dan Doa kesyukuran dan seterusnya menunaikan Sembahyang Fardhu Jumaat di Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien di ibu negara hari ini.

Majlis bagi memperingati detik bersejarah pembukaan rasmi Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien yang juga bertepatan diadakan pada hari Jumaat, 26 September 1958 bersamaan 13 Rabiulawal 1378 itu merupakan acara kemuncak Sambutan Jubli Emas Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien.

Is It real...?????

Gensomaden Saiyuki

Photo of final fantasy

The Enemy

Characters :: Sephiroth

Age: Unknown, possible 30s
Birthday: Unknown
Height: Unknown

Role in AC: Enemy, Returned through Kadaj
Role in FFVII: Main Enemy

---

The legendary member of SOLDIER, Sephiroth goes insane when he learns of Jenova and plans to take the planet back for his mother. However when confronted by a rookie Cloud, he jumps into the lifestream, taking Jenova's head with him.

Sephiroth's body drifts via the lifestream to the Northern Crater, where he is able to return years later due to his strong will. Armed with the knowledge of the lifestream, he is able to manipulate Cloud as well as manifest himself to the group throughout the game.

After obtaining the black materia, he is able to summon meteor in which he plans to destroy the planet and become a god. Ultimately he is defeated by cloud in a battle that exists in both the physical and mental planes.

Advent Children centers around the Reunion occurring. For Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo, that is their ultimate goal. But they do not realize that they are actually doing Sephiroth's bidding. For him to return and to continue what he was unable to do at the end of FFVII.

When Kadaj merges with Jenova, Sephiroth is able to return and Cloud is face to face with his nemesis. Sephiroth never forgave Cloud for the problems he had caused him, and for the defeat he was given and is focused on setting things right.

Although Sephiroth is once again defeated, his final words "I will not remain a memory" hint that perhaps we haven't seen the last of him.

Vincent Valentine

Characters :: Vincent Valentine

Age: 27
Birthday: October 13
Height: 6'0"

Role in AC: Returning Party Member
Role in FFVII: Playable Character (hidden)

---

A former Turk, Vincent was charged with protecting the group of scientists involved in The Jenova Project: Gast, Lucrecia Crescent and Hojo. He fell in love with Lucrecia, but it went unrequited when she chose Hojo instead. After the birth of Sephiroth, Vincent confronted Hojo, only to be shot and put in a state of permanent agelessness by the mad scientist. He was discovered locked in a coffin by Cloud under the ShinRa mansion in Nibelheim.

Vincent apparently kept tabs on the development of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz -- as he was able to inform Cloud of their origins after saving him from a disastrous battle at the Sleeping Forest. Vincent surprised Cloud when admitting that he had never tried to find forgiveness for his sin of failing Lucrecia, the woman he loved, which spurred the swordsman to pick himself up. He was also the only member of AVALANCHE not to have a cellphone, which shocked Marlene so that she almost scolded him for it.

Vincent traveled to Edge to, thus, buy a phone -- and also assist his former comrades in battling Bahamut Sin.

Characters :: Tifa Lockhart

Characters :: Tifa Lockhart

Age: 22
Birthday: May 3
Height: 5'4"

Role in AC: Main Female Character
Role in FFVII: Playable Character

---

Cloud Strife's childhood friend from Nibelheim, martial artist Tifa Lockhart was the owner of the Seventh Heaven bar in Midgar and an original member of rebel group, AVALANCHE. She fought against Shinra Inc. with Barret, and later accompanied Cloud on his journey to defeat Sephiroth. Tifa held the key to unlocking Cloud's true past, and continued support him two years after FFVII.

She rebuilt the Seventh Heaven bar in Edge with the help of Barret and Cloud, and continued to look after Marlene in Barret's absence. She was regularly frustrated by Cloud's condition and his insistence at segregating himself from his friends, culminating in a desperate, exasperated argument in Advent Children after Marlene was kidnapped by Loz. Tifa later joined the rest of the regrouped AVALANCHE in battling Bahamut Sin in Edge.

Cloud Strife Age: 23
Birthday: August 11†
Height: 5'7"

Role in AC: Main Character
Role in FFVII: Main Character

---

A failed experiment of The Jenova Project, Cloud Strife led AVALANCHE to defeat Sephiroth at the end of FFVII. In the two years following, he established the Strife Delivery Service to ferry goods across the lands using his bike, Fenrir. Cloud was also infected with Geostigma that covered his left arm in sores, which he hid under a long, black sleeve. The loss of Aerith during their travels weighed heavily on his mind, and the combination of all these drove Cloud to leave Seventh Heaven and stay in her church.

With the emergence of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, Cloud was forced to fight again when they kidnapped children from Edge. With the encouragement of his friends, and the otherworldly reassurances of Aerith, he was able to battle his inner demons to emerge victorious in a final battle with Sephiroth. His Geostigma was healed by Aerith's rain, and Cloud closed his story in Advent Children with a soft glimpse of a peaceful smile.

Japanese A6M Zero

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a superlative fighter, being both fast and manoeuvrable. The Zero was to dominated the early air battles during the Pacific war.

Russian KV-1
The KV-1 was the most powerful tank in service in 1941. Its armour made it invulnerable to most German weapons, and it carried a heavier gun than any rival tank.

Adolf Hitler

(1889-1945)

Founder and leader of the Nazi Party, Reich Chancellor and guiding spirit of the Third Reich from 1933 to 1945, Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, on 20 April 1889. The son of a fifty-two-year-old Austrian customs official, Alois Schickelgruber Hitler, and his third wife, a young peasant girl, Klara Poelzl, both from the backwoods of lower Austria, the young Hitler was a resentful, discontented child. Moody, lazy, of unstable temperament, he was deeply hostile towards his strict, authoritarian father and strongly attached to his indulgent, hard-working mother, whose death from cancer in December 1908 was a shattering blow to the adolescent Hitle

AM Gunners FC donate to the needy

Donation: HRH Prince Abdul Mateen (R) hands over a mock cheque amounting $4,000 to Dato Paduka Haji Zainal (L), President of KACA Brunei. Picture: Saifulizam

Jason Thomas

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, September 15, 2008

FOUR local centres for special needs each received a $4,000 donation from AM Gunners FC last night in a ceremony held at the residence of Pehin Seri Haji Mohd Jaafar Haji Abdul Aziz, the club's deputy-chairman in Jerudong.

The donations were presented by the chairman of AM Gunners FC, Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Abdul Mateen Ibni Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Dipertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam.

Last night's donation was a part of AM Gunners FC's charitable programme to assist the needy and less fortunate people.

According to a Press release issued by the club, the donations for the Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah Fund for Orphans (Dana DPMM), Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam, the Centre for Children with Special Needs (Kaca) and the Society for the Management of Autism Related Issues in Training, Education and Resources (Smarter) were collected during a charity football match between AM Gunners FC and the Sports School in March.

The Sports School won the match 4-2, with all the goals coming in the second half of their game contested on March 22 at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.

HRH receives five foreign envoys

HIS Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, yesterday received in separate audiences four newly-appointed ambassadors to Brunei Darussalam at Balai Penghadapan, Bukit Kayangan.

His Royal Highness first met the Ambassador of the Union of Myanmar His Excellency Thura Thet Oo Maung, followed by His Excellency Louis Le Vert of the Republic of France; His Excellency William Edward Todd of the United States of America and His Excellency Dr Thomas Bruns of the Federal Republic of Germany.

During the audiences His Royal Highness and the foreign envoys discussed matters of bilateral importance.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade also received in audience Gudmundur Eiriksson, Special Envoy for Her Excellency Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Republic of Iceland.

During the meeting, His Royal Highness and the special envoy discussed relations between the two countries. Gudmundur Eiriksson is in the country for a four-day visit. (RSH1)

HM receives in audience four incoming, one outgoing envoys

Rasidah HAB BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN Tuesday, September 16th 2008 HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday consented to present credentials to newly-appointed local envoy and receive letters of appointment from four incoming foreign envoys at Istana Nurul Iman. His Majesty first presented credential to Latif Tuah, Brunei Darussalam Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. His Excellency Latif Tuah, 46, started his service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1986. Prior to this appointment, His Excellency was the director of Asean at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This followed with His Majesty receiving letters of appointments from four newly-appointed ambassadors from foreign nations. The first to present his letter of appointment was His Excellency Thura Thet Oo Maung of the Union of Myanmar. The 50-year-old envoy previously served in the Defence Services with the rank of Brigadier General. Next was Louis Le Vert of the Republic of France. His Excellency Louis Le Vert, 59, prior to his appointment was the Charge de Mission to the Ambassador in charge of Security and Conflict Prevention. His Majesty then received the letter of appointment from the Ambassador of the United States of America, His Excellency William Edward Todd. The envoy, aged 47, was the former Deputy Inspector General at the US Department of State.

Trip To KomPlex Sukan Mumong......Pada 25.8.08

Selamat MeNuNaiKaN Puasa
kepada Umat Islam Yng Berapa Di Brunei Darussalam....Dan Di
berada Di luar Negeri....

Malaya Independence

The effort for independence was spearheaded by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, who led a delegation of ministers and political leaders of Malaya in negotiations with the British in London for Merdeka, or independence along with the first president of the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) Tun Dato Sir Tan Cheng Lock and fifth President of Malaysian Indian Congress Tun V.T. Sambanthan. Once it became increasingly clear that the Communist threat posed during the Malayan Emergency was petering out, agreement was reached on February 8, 1956, for Malaya to gain independence from the British Empire. However, for a number of logistical and administrative reasons, it was decided that the official proclamation of independence would only be made the next year, on August 31, 1957, at Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium), in Kuala Lumpur.

The formation of Malaysia

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj announced the independence of Malaya from the British on August 31, 1957 at Stadium Merdeka.

The Federation of Malaysia, comprising the States of Malaya, North Borneo (later renamed Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore was to be officially declared on the date August 31, 1963, on the 6th anniversary of Malayan independence. However, it was postponed to September 16, 1963, mainly due to Indonesian and the Philippines' opposition to the formation of Malaysia. Nevertheless, North Borneo and Singapore declared sovereignty on August 31, 1963. Indonesian opposition later escalated to a military conflict.

Indonesia considered Malaysia as a new form of colonization on the provinces of Sarawak and Sabah in the island of Borneo (bordering Kalimantan, Indonesia), which they laid claim on.^{[citation needed]} To assure Indonesia that Malaysia was not a form of neo-colonialism, a referendum, organized by the United Nations, and the Cobbold Commission, led by Lord Cobbold, were formed to determine whether the people of Sabah and Sarawak wished to join Malaysia. Their eventual findings which indicated substantial support for Malaysia among the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak, cleared the way for the final proclamation of Malaysia.

The formation of the Federation of Malaysia was then announced on September 16, 1963 as Malaysia Day. The Independence Day celebration is still held on August 31, the original independence date of Malaya. However, this has caused some minor discontent among East Malaysians in particular since it has been argued that celebrating the national day on August 31 is too Malaya-centric.