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‘India’s Napa Valley’ draws city tourists to wine Posted: 23 Dec 2012 04:17 PM PST A volunteer speaks to a group of Indian visitors during their day trip to the Sula Vineyard in Nashik, around 166km from Mumbai. – AFP pic NASHIK, Dec 24 – In the bar overlooking the twisting vines in India's answer to Napa Valley, a group of friends from Mumbai enjoy a weekend getaway — and a chance to brush up on their new wine-drinking hobby. "I've been teetotal all my life, but quite recently I started to drink wine. It's a growing trend," said 30-year-old housewife Jol Kapadia, sipping on a glass of Chenin Blanc at Sula Vineyards. The winery is based in the fertile western district of Nashik, India's grape-growing capital and a three-hour drive through the mountains from the teeming metropolis of Mumbai. Boasting India's first vineyard resort, billed as an "antidote for stressed out city folk," Sula is luring crowds of urban middle-class tourists who are eager to learn more about wine. "Our Indian palates are still being trained," said retired colonel Pratap Nair, on a tour and tasting session with a group of fellow ex-officers and their wives from Pune, another city a few hours away. Traditionally, Nair explained, quaffing wine in India meant downing cheap port to get drunk. It was a "man's thing" and not associated with a healthy lifestyle or even dinner—unless you were among the tiny elite who could afford imported vintages. Access to foreign bottles has been hugely limited by import duties and taxes, so pioneering domestic vineyards are keen to promote a European-style wine culture. Sula, which has a 70 per cent share of India's wine market, is using the vineyard visits to this end. The company says 600 to 700 daytrippers or resort guests drop by each weekend for a tour, a meal or a drink on the balcony bar. The mixed clientele on a recent Saturday suggested that wine's appeal is broadening: motorbikes as well as BMWs filled the car park, while some women in saris and others in jeans enjoyed the sunset views. "They're coming with their families and they're open to the idea of wine," said Sula's hospitality executive Swapnil Dangarikar. They are encouraged to enjoy wine with food: the menu at the on-site Indian restaurant suggests novel pairings such as Cabernet Shiraz with chicken tikka masala. Nair remains to be convinced by the quality of Indian wine—"you can't compare it to French, South African or Californian," he said—but he praised Sula's encouragement of a "family experience". Savvy marketing techniques are crucial for vineyards in India, where spirits and beer are the favourite drinks, advertising alcohol is banned and each state imposes its own, often crippling, taxes and regulation. Just 0.01 litres of wine were drunk per person in 2010 according to US Trade Data and Analysis figures, compared with 0.69 litres in China—now a major international wine market—and 45.70 litres in France. But the small Indian market is expanding rapidly, with consumption rising 40 per cent in the three years from 2007. Much of the surging demand is said to be driven by women, who have rising disposable incomes and see wine as a more sophisticated and socially acceptable drink than beer or whisky. "We're going to see a tipping point in the next couple of years in domestic wine," said Myles Mayall, a buyer and educator at The Wine Society of India, which sells imported and local cases. While an Indian wine revival began 30 years ago, "only in the last four years has it been any good," he said. It has not been a smooth ride for smaller vineyards in Nashik. Hambir Phadtare set up Mountain View winery in 2004 amid optimism over the Indian wine scene, but he sold off almost half of his acres after the economic slowdown hit. "When the hype was created, a lot of people jumped into the act without necessarily studying the whole thing," he said. Many struggled to distribute their bottles and to master tropical wine-making—still an experimental process, with limited grape varieties flourishing in warmer climes. Yet confidence in Indian wine is slowly growing, and Phadtare believes a key to success lies in wine tourists. He is restructuring his business into a smaller "boutique" winery, with a tasting room and a restaurant on the roof. "People still know very little about what wine is all about, but there's increasing interest," he said, mentioning executives who want to know their Malbec from their Merlot when on business trips abroad. Faith in the Indian market has also come from foreign brands: there are now two Indo-Italian wineries in west India, while Moet Hennessy has bought up land in Nashik and plans to produce an Indian sparkling wine. "It's a growing market, a lot of potential is there. Wine has a great future," said Moet Hennessy estate manager Rajesh Dixit. – AFP-Relaxnews

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Rodgers: Liverpool starting to see the best of Downing Posted: 23 Dec 2012 05:39 AM PST Rodgers (left) is seen during their English Premier League soccer match at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, South Wales. – Reuters pic LONDON, Dec 23 – Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes the club are finally beginning to see the best of winger Stewart Downing and get a return on their big-money investment. The England international scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool in a 4-0 drubbing of Fulham at Anfield yesterday, some 17 months after joining for a reported £20 million (RM99 million) in July last year. Downing, who also created the second goal with a fine through ball for Steven Gerrard, has failed to live up to expectations with some inconsistent displays but Rodgers hopes the 28-year-old has turned a corner. "I spoke to Stewart about six or seven weeks ago and we had an honest conversation about where he was at. He's in his late 20s, he was an England international a few years ago and he wasn't playing (regularly for Liverpool)," Rodgers told the Liverpool website. "So we spoke about how he could get into the team. And I think his reaction from that moment, like it has been for Jose Enrique and one or two of the others, has been outstanding." There has been British media speculation that Downing, utilised at left back in some games this season, could be allowed to leave in the January transfer window but Rodgers said he was firmly part of his plans to build a side capable of getting back amongst the elite of English soccer. "Stewart has played a lot of games. He's a very important member of our group at the minute and if he keeps performing like that, hopefully he'll establish himself in (the side) and show the talent he clearly has," he said. "If he keeps playing like that, he'll be going nowhere - he'll be staying in the team and that's what it's about." Liverpool's win over Fulham propelled them up to eighth place and to within five points of third-placed Arsenal. Rodgers, in his first season at Anfield, said Liverpool were "improving steadily". "You can see the confidence in the team," he added. "If you lose like we did last week and then you come back to Anfield and play like we did today, it shows the courage of the players. "If we keep making the progress that we have, then it should be a really exciting second half to the season for us." The five-times European champions take on Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League last 32 in February. – Reuters

No peaks? No problem for Latvian downhill ski fans Posted: 23 Dec 2012 05:11 AM PST Janis Bendiks snowboards down from the top of Zagarkalns' main slope in Cesis, Latvia on December 5, 2012. – AFP pic CESIS, Dec 23 – In the flat Baltic nation of Latvia, where hills are few and far between, wily alpine skiing fans have found ways to indulge their passion without flying south to hit the slopes. "Every year we grow the hill a little. It's now about 25 metres higher than it was," says Vadims Kamenevs, marketing director of the Zagarkalns ski resort in Cesis, 90km northeast of the capital Riga. Kamenevs' team have spent recent off seasons piling an earth-mix onto a natural hill, and it now stands 112m above sea level. It says a lot for Latvians' love of downhill skiing that people in the Baltic nation of two million are prepared to grow their own mountains. "If you want bigger slopes, there are only two ways you can go — either up or down, and we didn't want to start digging," Kamenevs laughs. The tallest hill in the country, Gaizinkalns, rises just 312m above sea level and, predictably, it has three pistes on its flanks. The Zagarkalns resort is not alone in using cosmetic surgery to enhance nature's modest mounds. In the western port of Ventspils, a ski hill was built from scratch in 2005. It too is growing each year, currently towering 52m over the nearby Baltic Sea beach and oil terminal. Named "Lemberga Hute", or "Lembergs' Trilby", its bizarre shape imitates the preferred headwear of colourful local mayor and political kingpin Aivars Lembergs. Whereas cross-country skiing is a national obsession in neighbouring Estonia, Latvians prefer the thrill of downhill skiing and snowboarding. "Although Latvia is not a land of mountains, its steep slopes and snow-rich winters are just perfect for short runs with skis or on snowboard," according to a recent report on 400 European ski resorts from the European Consumers Centre Network. "And while it may seem quite unusual, alpine skiing is one of the Latvians' favourite winter-time activities. Ski runs are located in almost every municipality," it adds. Europe's cheapest skiing The report also gives a clue as to why Latvians have kept skiing even during an economic crisis that saw their country battered by the world's deepest recession in 2008-09. The country offers the continent's cheapest skiing, with one-day adult passes costing the equivalent of about €4 (RM16) – albeit on a slope just 250 metres long at the Ramkalni ski centre just outside Riga. In contrast, the continent's most expensive adult pass is found on the somewhat larger Matterhorn in Switzerland, at €62. Latvia also has its own slope for well-heeled skiers, however, with the Zviedru Cepure resort charging €50 for a day's skiing on a kilometre-long slope. One of the benefits of small hills is that skiers can be confident they will not be stuck halfway up a mountain awaiting rescue before spending weeks on crutches. According to the Latvian Ski Track Association, just 61 people were hurt during the 2011-12 season. According to Kamenevs, the competition generated by dozens of small slopes is driving rapid improvements in facilities. "Latvia is the capital of downhill as far as the Baltics are concerned. We get lots of visitors from Estonia, and Lithuanians tell us it's cheaper for them to come here for a weekend than to visit their local facilities," he says. "The Russian market is also becoming very important. Russians can easily combine a weekend break in Riga with a couple of days' skiing on different slopes." Since Latvia joined the European Union in 2004, its slopes have found an extra role — teaching a new generation of skiers skills that they can then take to the Alps, Pyrenees or further afield, which was impossible during 50 years of Soviet occupation. "A fair share of our winter passengers are skiers," says Janis Vanags of national airline airBaltic, himself a fan of the slopes. "Latvians are quite keen to explore less-known ski areas in Finland and Norway, plus new resorts in Georgia are generating a lot of interest. We are quite stubborn. We won't let the fact that we just have a few small mounds stop us from skiing," he adds. With the arrival of the Baltic winter, Latvia's 31 ski centres have just opened for business, and with luck they will stay open well into March. At the top of Zagarkalns' main run, 23-year-old Janis Bendiks says skiing is a way of life even in a small town such as Cesis. "It's simple. You finish work at five o'clock, then everyone heads to the slopes. This evening the run will be packed. "It's right on my doorstep, so why not make the most of it?" he asks before swerving expertly away in a cloud of powder. – AFP-Relaxnews

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Syria government says its forces still strong Posted: 23 Dec 2012 07:45 AM PST A view shows an illustration of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad riddled with bullets on a wall of an infantry college in the countryside in Aleppo December 21, 2012. — Reuters pic BEIRUT, Dec 23— Syria's information minister on Sunday distanced the government from comments by the country's vice president that neither the rebels nor the forces of President Bashar al-Assad could win the civil war. Last week Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa said in a newspaper interview that the country needed a government of national unity since neither side could win militarily. "There are 23 million people in Syria with their own personal opinions, this was one of those 23 million," the information minister, Umran Ahid al-Za'bi, told a news conference in the Syrian capital Damascus. Sharaa, a Sunni Muslim in a power structure dominated by Assad's Alawite minority, has rarely been seen since the revolt began in March 2011 and is not part of the president's inner circle. Za'bi told journalists that the Syrian army was still strong, despite a string of rebel advances and seizures of military sites across the country. He said that many reports of rebel gains were "fantasy, media victories". "I have general advice to those political powers that reject dialogue: Time is getting short. Hurry and move on to working on a political solution," he said. "These military efforts to try to topple the government, of getting rid of the president, of occupying the capital ... forget about this. That is my advice." The minister also said Syria would never use chemical weapons, if it had them, anywhere inside or outside the country. It was the first time a government minister clearly stated that there were no intentions of using chemical arms in any capacity. The United States and other Western countries cited intelligence reports earlier this month suggesting that chemical weapons were being prepared or moved, and warned Assad their use was a "red line" that would have international repercussions. More recently, Washington and NATO have begun to report the use of Scud-type, long-range missiles in Syria. Za'bi did not directly deny the use of such weapons, but said that reports of scuds and chemical weapons were a propaganda campaign against Assad's government. When asked about rebel advances in the north, where the opposition holds large swathes of territory, Za'bi mocked the idea of rebel control there. "They are incapable of staying there and they cannot control the ground," he said. "All this talk is untrue.. If they attack a checkpoint they cannot stay longer than 15 minutes." While rebels have seized many residential areas and military sites, they have little defence against Assad's air power and long-range missiles. Air strikes regularly hit neighbourhoods and military sites seized by the rebels. — Reyters

Dua beradik antara tiga maut akibat kereta rempuh lori Posted: 23 Dec 2012 07:37 AM PST IPOH, 23 Dis — Dua beradik antara tiga yang maut apabila kereta Perodua Viva yang mereka naiki merempuh belakang sebuah lori di Km 25, Jalan Lumut-Ipoh menghala ke Ipoh hari ini. Mereka ialah Nur Aleeya Maisara Muhamad Syakir, 6, adiknya Harith Danial, 5, dan pemandu kereta tersebut Mohd Ramli Abdul Wahabm 27, yang kesemuanya meninggal di tempat kemalangan. Sementara itu dua yang lain cederah parah dalam kemalangan kira-kira 2.30 petang itu iaitu Zalikha Kamarulzaman, 26, ibu kepada kedua-dua adik beradik berkenaan serta adik kepada Zalikha, Mohamad Syarifuddin, 18, yang kedua-duanya sedang dirawat di Hospital Seri Manjung. Ketika kejadian, Nur Aleeya Maisara dikatakan dipangku oleh Mohamad Syarifuddin di tempat duduk sebelah pemandu sementara adiknya dipangku oleh ibu mereka di tempat duduk belakang. Ketua Polis Daerah Manjung, DSP Ahmad Mat Isa berkata para mangsa yang merupakan saudara mara itu sedang dalam perjalanan dari arah Lumut menuju Ipoh apabila kereta mereka melanggar belakang lori yang diletak di tepi jalan. "Kejadian berlaku apabila tayar hadapan sebelah kanan kereta itu tiba-tiba pecah menyebabkan pemandunya hilang kawalan lalu melanggar belakang lori tersebut," katanya. Beliau berkata lori itu diletakkan di tepi jalan kerana pemandunya berhenti untuk membeli minuman di gerai berhampiran. Polis akan mengambil keterangan daripada pemandu lori itu untuk siasatan lanjut, katanya. — Bernama

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Fashion merry-go-round brings Paris new faces for 2013 Posted: 23 Dec 2012 02:51 AM PST A model presents a creation for Saint Laurent during the Spring/Summer 2013 ready-to-wear collection show on October 1, 2012 in Paris. – AFP pic PARIS, Dec 23 — Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga: three top Paris fashion houses kick off 2013 with a new designer at their helm. What better way to whet the appetite of fashionistas and keep sales ticking over? "There comes a point when a brand needs to renew itself," said Serge Carreira, a luxury industry expert and professor at Sciences Po University. Change can come about involuntarily — as in the case of John Galliano, sacked by Dior over a racist outburst in February 2011 and succeeded last spring by the Belgian minimalist Raf Simons. Or it can be deliberate, as at Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga, where Hedi Slimane and Alexander Wang were named to replace the outgoing designers Stefano Pilato and Nicolas Ghesquiere respectively. "Taking on a new designer has become the new way for brands to whip up consumer appetite," said luxury industry consultant Jean-Jacques Picart. For the fashion world, this much change in one year spells the end of a cycle and the start of a new one, as seen in the early 2000s with the arrival of Slimane at Dior Homme, and Tom Ford at Saint Laurent, Picart said. Ghesquiere spent 15 years at Balenciaga, as did Galliano at Dior, while Pilati was at YSL for 12 years in total, starting under Ford, said Pamela Golbin, curator at the Paris museum of decorative arts. Long enough for the industry to change, and the job of designer too. "The number of collections has gone from four to eight, 12 or more if you include capsule collections," she said. Brands increasingly look to designers to act as their public face, opening stores and attending galas. 'Couturiers have to sell clothes' Golbin captures the outlook in today's fashion industry with a quote from the late French designer Madeleine Vionnet: "'Artists are here to make us dream — couturiers have to sell clothes, or they go out of business.'" "Today it's no longer enough to be able to design a dress," Carreira said. "Having a strong identity and a distinctive product are the keys to success." At a time when luxury houses are looking to shore up their prospects for future growth, they need to strike a balancing act between creativity and business imperatives. "And history tells us that it pays to be bold," Carreira said. "If you ask talented creatives to produce standardised products, there is no reason it should work." Consumers have changed, too, in the past 15 years. The industry is now addressing switched-on customers who are far from the fashion novices of the 1990s. Today's clients go back and forth between big and niche brands and more or less expensive offerings. This spring will bring what is widely awaited as Slimane's first "real" shows for Yves Saint Laurent, after last October's spring-summer collection by the cult designer seen as a homage to the house's late founder. Dior's new designer Simons has already made a mark in Paris with two collections, one couture and one ready-to-wear, that reworked the house's iconic nipped-waist silhouette with a clean-lined, contemporary twist. And Wang, the darling of the New York fashion scene, will be taking his first steps at Balenciaga at the autumn-winter ready-to-wear shows this spring. At 28, Wang is already a seasoned businessman, at the helm of an own-name fashion house that has been pushing into Asia, where the Taiwanese-American designer has his family roots. His arrival at Balenciaga may or may not herald a more aggressive market strategy, but whatever direction the house takes, for Picart, Wang's appointment "seals the arrival of a new generation" of designers at the high table of fashion — in the style capital of the world. — AFP/Relaxnews

One million Brazilians join cheating dating service Posted: 23 Dec 2012 01:20 AM PST Since it arrived in Brazil 15 months ago, Ashley Madison has attracted one million lusty Brazilians. – AFP pic SAO PAULO, Dec 23 — Want to cheat on your partner? Then the online dating service Ashley Madison is the perfect place for you. Since it arrived in Brazil 15 months ago, the website has attracted one million lusty Brazilians, turning this South American country of 194 million people into one of the biggest markets for the Canadian company. Created 10 years ago, Ashley Madison and its slogan: "Life is short. Have an affair" is now present in 24 countries, with eight million members in the United States and six million in Canada. But Brazil has seen the firm's most explosive growth in terms of number of clients — 70 per cent of whom are men — and in money spent to finance the temptations the site offers. "Brazilians have a very strong propensity for pleasure, sex and fun," said Eduardo Borges, the company's representative in this body-conscious country famous for its exuberant samba dancing and carnival. "Add to this a fascination for technology, for communicating and meeting other people," he noted. The country has around 80 million Internet users and is among world leaders in the use of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. This provides a combination which, according to Borges, does not promote infidelity but offers alternatives to practise it in a "proper manner." Know-how is precisely the basis for Ashley Madison's marketing appeal, including references to famous cases of infidelity such as those of former US president Bill Clinton and Prince Charles. Lover guaranteed "We started in Brazil in late August 2011. I expected 500,000 subscribers in a year, but we got more than 800,000. And we are going to close 2012 with more than one million, a much bigger growth than what we anticipated," Borges added. With 17 million subscribers worldwide, the website will gross US$120 million this year, but Borges would not say how much is generated in Brazil. "Brazil is our second largest market in terms of income," he said, adding that before the end of the year, the company hopes to open an office in Sao Paulo, the first outside Canada. "Brazil is the apple of our eye," he added. There are many other leading dating sites in Brazil such as eHarmony or Second Love. Ashley Madison was created with women in mind. They do not pay to subscribe or make contacts with men, who are the ones who must pay to send emails, chat messages, draw hearts or use other techniques of virtual seduction. Its business model is based on credits rather than monthly subscriptions. For a conversation between two members, one of the members must pay five credits to initiate the conversation. Any follow-up messages between the two members are free after the communication has been initiated. A pack of 100 credits, which allows a man to contact 20 women on average, costs US$25. Bare chest pictures, faces with piercing looks, adjectives such as "sensitive and affectionate, creative and adventurous," anything goes. "Send me a picture?" said one subscriber named "Guto" when contacted by AFP. He claimed to have been married for 21 years, said he joined the site in March and bought 4,000 credits. "I spent more than I wanted, but I got a few contacts. So far I have had two cases of casual sex, pretty good experiences," he crowed. To mark its first year in Brazil, Ashley Madison launched "Lover guaranteed", a program offering the money back guarantee of an affair. "So far no one has asked for their money back," said Borges. David Benoliel, the company's vice-president for Latin America, said acceptance in the region has been amazing "despite many social and religious taboos". Company officials see infidelity as the perfect recipe to save marriage from boredom. "If there is something missing in your marriage but you do not want a divorce, here we have what you are looking for," Borges insisted. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Barbra Streisand goes on a ‘Guilt Trip’ with Seth Rogen Posted: 23 Dec 2012 04:53 AM PST Streisand and Rogen, stars of new film "The Guilt Trip" pose as they arrive at the film's premiere in Los Angeles. — Reuters pic LOS ANGELES, Dec 23 — Road-trip movies have been dominated by teenagers on wild adventures or "Hangover" style bro-mances, but Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen are driving the genre into new territories with mother-son comedy "The Guilt Trip" to usher in the holiday season. "The Guilt Trip," which hits US theaters this week, follows struggling novice inventor Andy (Seth Rogen), who is guilted in to bringing his mother on a work-related road-trip across the country. Streisand, 70, who broke out as an actress in 1968's comedy "Funny Girl," returns to her comedic roots as Joyce, Andy's overbearing mother, who becomes closer to her son over the duration of their tense and comedic adventures on the road. The actress told reporters at a recent press conference that it was her son Jason Gould who convinced her to do the project after reading the script with her, and Streisand found a deeper connection to the story. "Mothers develop guilt trips," Streisand said. "(When my own son was young) I was working a lot and I felt guilty as a parent that I cannot pick (up) my son everyday from school, bake him cookies, that kind of thing. And so you try and compensate." "I thought it was interesting to investigate this - trying to be his friend versus a mother...this movie, it hit on all those things that I thought I could explore." Rogen, 30, also related closely to the mother-son storyline, saying that while he has a "good relationship" with his own mom, even she can drive him "crazy" sometimes. "That dynamic where your mother is trying and the more she tries, the more it bugs you, the more it bugs you, the more she tries....All that is very, at times, real to my relationship with my mother," Rogen said. Staying out of the spotlight Streisand, who is one of the few actresses to win a Tony, Emmy, Grammy and Oscar award over her six-decade career, last took a leading role in 1996's "The Mirror Has Two Faces," which she also directed and produced. The actress initially had reservations about signing onto the movie and said she gave the movie studio numerous clauses "because I kept wanting an out some way." Her requests included having a set "no more than 45 minutes away from my house" and later morning starts, as "my husband (James Brolin) and I stay up until two or three in the morning so we don't function...at six in the morning." Streisand's requests were granted, and thus came about a road trip movie where the actors never actually went on the road. The film ended up largely being shot on a sound stage with Streisand and Rogen in a car against a green screen while backdrops of landmarks such as the Grand Canyon, were added in later. With the exception of a supporting role as Ben Stiller's mother in 2004's "Meet The Fockers" and 2010's "Little Fockers," Streisand has stayed out of the spotlight in recent years, and attributes that as one of the keys to her long-standing success. "I don't make many movies and I don't make that many appearances. Less is more. Maybe that keeps a little mystery," Streisand said, adding that she likes to "stay at home a lot." While she hasn't signed onto another project just yet, she said what keeps her satisfied as an artist is engaging in work that is "private" as opposed to being on public display. "I love recording and I love making films as a filmmaker," she said. "Because it uses every bit of what you have experienced or know, whether it's graphics, composition, decorating, psychology, story telling, whatever it is. It's a wonderful thing." — Reuters

China ‘V for Vendetta’ broadcast amazes viewers Posted: 22 Dec 2012 11:07 PM PST BEIJING, Dec 23 — China's state-run television network shocked viewers by broadcasting "V for Vendetta", an anarchist-themed film showing an uprising against an authoritarian government. Chinese Internet users expressed surprise after watching the broadcast, circulating subversive lines from the movie including: "The people should not be afraid of the government, the government should be afraid of the people." The film was screened in prime time on CCTV 6 — the state broadcaster's movie channel. But its title was translated as "V Special Forces", rather than the more lurid "V the Revenge Killing Squad" previously used in China. "Am I dreaming?" one user of Sina Weibo — a website similar to Twitter — wrote after seeing the broadcast, joining thousands of others who posted similar messages. The film was once banned in mainland China, the state-run China Youth Daily reported, and was not shown in Chinese cinemas. Web users wondered if the broadcast indicated a relaxation of censorship — though most were sceptical that it indicated any major change in policy. "It's not easy for a film with this kind of content to be broadcast on CCTV, I'm not sure if it's a signal, I'll wait and see," one Sina Weibo user wrote. CCTV did not immediately respond to requests for comment from AFP on Friday. The film, starring Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, is set in a dystopian version of Britain, and portrays a bold, charismatic freedom fighter known as "V", who ignites a revolution against the totalitarian regime. The lead character's black and white mask has become a symbol for anti-authoritarian activists across the world, with online hacking group Anonymous choosing it as their symbol. Anonymous claimed to be behind an attack on Chinese government website in April, when government home pages were replaced with messages criticising China for controlling Internet access. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Polis buru bomoh disyaki rogol gadis 12 tahun Posted: 23 Dec 2012 02:06 AM PST ALOR SETAR, 23 Dis — Polis Kota Setar sedang memburu seorang lelaki berusia 64 tahun yang didakwa merogol seorang gadis bawah umur ketika mangsa mendapatkan rawatan tradisional daripadanya, dalam kejadian tahun lepas. Ketua Polis Daerah Kota Setar ACP Adzaman Md Jan berkata polis menjejaki suspek yang dikenali sebagai 'Walid' itu sejak Februari lepas, susulan laporan polis yang dibuat ibu mangsa. Gadis berusia 12 tahun itu mendakwa dirogol beberapa kali oleh bomoh tersebut ketika menjalani rawatan membuang sihir, di sebuah rumah sewa di Taman PKNK, Jalan Sultanah di sini antara September dan November lepas, katanya di sini hari ini. Katanya polis mendapati suspek sudah berpindah keluar daripada rumah sewanya yang turut dijadikan pusat rawatan dan dipercayai berada di luar daerah ini. Sementara itu, ibu mangsa yang ditemui pemberita, berkata anak saudaranya yang berusia 16 tahun juga mendakwa dicabul bomoh tersebut ketika menemani sepupunya menjalani rawatan berkenaan. Dakwanya setiap kali rawatan, lelaki tersebut akan meminta untuk bersendirian dengan anak gadisnya di dalam sebuah bilik, kononnya bagi melancarkan proses rawatan. "Selepas beberapa kali jalani rawatan anak saya cerita perkara sebenar yang dia dirogol oleh pengamal perubatan itu dan terus membuat pemeriksaan di Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah (HSB) di sini. "Doktor mengesahkan terdapat kesan koyakan pada kemaluan anak saya," katanya. — Bernama

KPDNKK gerak 1,900 pegawai pantau harga barangan terkawal sempena Krismas Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:50 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 23 Dis — Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK) menggerakkan seramai 1,900 anggota penguatkuasa dan 1,600 pegawai pemantau harga di seluruh negara bagi memastikan peniaga mematuhi Skim Kawalan Harga Musim Perayaan Krismas 2012. Timbalan Menterinya Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim berkata seramai 67,000 anggota skuad pengguna yang antaranya terdiri daripada surirumah dan pelajar turut membantu memantau harga barangan terkawal. "Orang ramai juga boleh bersama membuat aduan mengenai peniaga yang tidak mematuhi skim tersebut menerusi e-mel ke e-aduan@kpdnkk.gov.my atau talian bebas tol 1-800-886-800, SMS ke 15888 dengan menaip "KPDNKK ADUAN" <butiran aduan> atau lapor terus ke pejabat KPDNKK di seluruh negara," katanya selepas melawat Ben's Independent Grocer di Publika di sini, hari ini. Lawatan itu dibuat bagi memantau penjualan 13 jenis barangan terkawal sempena Skim Kawalan Harga Musim Perayaan Krismas 2012 yang bermula hari ini dan berakhir pada 27 Dis depan. Antara barangan itu ialah ayam hidup dengan harga maksimum RM5.90 sekilogram, ayam standard (RM7/kg), ayam super (RM7.80/kg), ayam belanda import (RM23/kg) dan daging kambing tempatan bertulang.  Barangan lain ialah daging kambing biri-biri import bertulang (RM19.50/kg), daging kambing biri-biri import tanpa tulang dan tidak termasuk paha (RM23/kg), daging paha kambing biri-biri import bertulang (RM24/kg), telur ayam gred A (35 sen sebiji), B (34 sen) dan C (33 sen), tomato(RM4/kg) serta lada benggala hijau (RM8.50/kg). Rohani turut mengingatkan peniaga supaya meletakkan tanda harga berwarna merah jambu untuk barangan terbabit dan jika gagal boleh didenda sehingga RM10,000 atau kompaun sehingga RM5,000 bagi individu dan denda RM20,000 atau dikompaun sehingga RM10,000 bagi syarikat. Beliau berkata peniaga menjual barangan harga terkawal melebihi harga maksimum pula boleh didenda sehingga RM100,000 atau dipenjarakan tidak lebih tiga tahun atau kedua-duanya atau dikompaun sehingga RM50,000. "Bagi syarikat pula boleh didenda sehingga RM500,000 atau dikompaun sehingga RM250,000," katanya. Beliau berkata bagaimanapun keutamaan kementerian adalah untuk mendidik daripada menghukum peniaga yang ingkar arahan agar peraturan yang ditetapkan itu dipatuhi.  "Jika didapati seseorang peniaga itu melanggar peraturan, biasanya kita akan memberikan amaran terlebih dahulu dan baru mendenda sekiranya peniaga itu berdegil," katanya. Menurutnya sebanyak 232 kes direkodkan berhubung pelanggaran skim tersebut iaitu 11 kes menjual melebihi harga maksimum, 166 kes kerana gagal menggunakan tanda harga khas berwarna merah jambu dan 55 kes tiada tanda harga langsung sepanjang tahun ini dengan nilai kompaun RM26,848.50. Dalam pada itu, Rohani berkata kementerian bersedia untuk mengkaji semula kadar kompaun skim yang diperkenalkan sejak tahun 2000 itu terhadap peniaga yang ingkar. Beliau berkata demikian apabila ditanya pemberita adakah kementerian bercadang untuk meningkatkan nilai kompaun terhadap peniaga yang tidak mematuhi skim tersebuut. "Buat masa ini kita tidak berhasrat untuk meningkatkan kompaun tetapi kita bersedia untuk mengkaji semula dan akan mengambil perhatian serta mempertimbangkan cadangan untuk mengenakan denda yang lebih tinggi itu," katanya. —Bernama

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Perihal muzik dan kedamaian Posted: 22 Dec 2012 04:07 PM PST 23 DIS ― Saat saya menulis dalam mood yang agak sedih mengenangkan penduduk Gaza yang sedang diserang Israel, tiba-tiba lagu "When the Children Cry" dari kumpulan Rock Glam kelahiran Amerika yang popular di tahun 80an, White Lion berkumandang melayang-layang di minda. Saya harus menghormati band rock ini kerana tidak seperti kebanyakan band rock dengan imej glam yang lain, lagu-lagu mereka banyak menyentuh isu sosial dan politik seperti lagu "Cry for Freedom" dan "Broken Home" yang terdapat dalam album ke tiga mereka, "Big Game", yang diterbitkan pada tahun 1989. Maknanya mereka juga berfikir perkara lain yang lebih serius dan penting selain perempuan, arak dan dadah yang biasanya menjadi simbol dan kebanggaan mana-mana kumpulan rock barat terutama yang datangnya dari Amerika khususnya. Sejak zaman berzaman lagu yang bercerita tentang kebodohan dan kekejaman perang sudah berkumandang di seluruh dunia mengajak manusia mencintai dan menyemai benih kasih sayang dari mengangkat senjata. Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Victor Jara, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Billy Bragg, John Lennon antaranya ― mereka ini semuanya berjasa kepada bangsa, negara juga seluruh dunia kerana berperanan dalam muzik dan lagu yang berbentuk protes mengutuk perang dan manusia yang gila kuasa. Untuk lebih jelas, dengarlah lagu-lagu singer songwriter Phil Ochs seperti lagu "War is Over", "Love me I'm a liberal", "There But For Fortune", "I Ain't Marching Anymore" antaranya dan kita akan lebih faham bahawa muzik folk itu bukan hanya lagu dan muzik semata bahkan mampu memberi pencerahan kepada jiwa kita yang cintakan kedamaian. Dylan dengan lagu "Master of War" dan Donovan dengan lagunya "Universal Soldier" di era perang Vietnam ( 1957-1975) jelas menyindir golongan atasan yang punya kuasa dan para soldadu yang menjadi boneka dengan bahasa puisi mereka yang bijak walau mereka yang berkuasa di atas menganggapnya hanya lawak jenaka di angin lalu semata. Atau jika kita sukakan muzik Rock dengarlah muzik dari band-band Rock 70an seperti Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), Al Stewart, Pink Flyod, Gary Moore dan banyak lagi band-band atau penyanyi era 70an menyanyikan lagu tentang peperangan walau dalam dalam apa genre dan konsep sekalipun seperti folk, ekperimental, psychedelic, progresif, pop, blues, rock, reggae, jazz dan sebagainya. Sehinggalah Woodstock Music Festival yang berlangsung pada tahun 1969 di White Lake, New York selama 3 hari yang melibatkan pemuzik dan penyanyi yang hebat di zaman itu seperti Ritchie Havens, Country Joe McDonald, Crosby, Still, Nash and Young, John Sebastian, Arlo Guthrie, Santana, Sha Na Na, Hendrix, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin antaranya. Mereka menyanyikan lagu yang bermesejkan keamanan dan benci perang. Simbol Peace menjadi begitu popular dan imej rugged anak muda bermata kuyu dengan rambut panjang dan nampak "cool" menjadi trend di zaman itu. Itulah kontra di antara mereka yang cintakan keamanan dengan negara yang sukakan perang. Negara-negara maju berperang walau rakyat mereka sendiri pun sangat bencikan peperangan. Setiap pemuzik dan penyanyi tidak akan sukakan keganasan dan perang walau apapun pegangan agama mereka atau jika tidak mempercayai agama sekalipun. Adakah kita jumpa penyanyi atau pemuzik yang menyanyikan lagu cintakan peperangan? Setahu saya tidak ada, kalau ada maknanya mereka itu tidak punya rasa kasih dan sayang dalam diri, melainkan kebencian dan dendam semata. Jika di Indonesia, saya salut band rock Godbless atau pun Gong 2000 yang lagu-lagu mereka banyak berkisar tentang kehidupan, kemanusiaan dan peperangan. Juga Iwan Fals seperti dalam lagunya yang berjudul "Puing" jelas mengutuk perang semaksimumnya, pun mesej dan kritiknya itu kesannya hanyalah seperti angin lalu saja bagi mereka yang berkuasa dan berkepentingan. Semua manusia juga saya percaya akan cintakan keamanan, kecuali bagi mereka yang duduk selesa di kerusi empuk, punya kuasa dan mahu menambahkan lagi kuasa mereka atas dasar kepentingan dan nafsu serakah semata. Mereka ini akan berdiri di atas pentas politik sambil bercerita tentang keamanan dan kejamnya perang itu tanpa punya rasa malu walau sedikit pun. Apabila Gaza bergegar dengan dentuman tanpa belas Israel yang membunuh ribuan umat yang tidak berdosa, umat Islam di seluruh dunia yang prihatin seperti biasa akan menghulurkan bantuan dalam bentuk ringgit dan sebagainya walau Israel tidak pernah kisah dan peduli pun kerana dari zaman dulu lagi mereka anggap merekalah yang paling bijak dan berkuasa. Amerika pula bukanlah negara yang punya apa melainkan mereka bijak memanipulasi kebodohan dan sikap tamak bangsa Arab yang berbalah sesama sendiri terutamanya sewaktu krisis perang Iraq-Iran juga sewaktu krisis Perang Teluk. Selamanya bangsa Arab ini dari dahulu sampailah kiamat mereka ini akan tetap tinggal diam dalam kebodohan dan sikap sombong mereka semata. Di negara kita juga seluruh umat islam di seluruh dunia, mereka menghulurkan simpati dan bantuan dalam pelbagai bentuk. Atas nama insan se agama juga sesama makhluk, kita wajib membantu antara sesama kita. Segala konsert amal, jualan amal, tabung amal, segalanya yang berbentuk amal belaka mereka jayakan walau biasanya bilamana sesuatu yang dikerjakan itu berkaitan dengan ringgit, peratus amal itu mungkin agak berkurangan. Pun bagi saya, perhatian yang diberikan agak keterlaluan dan berlebihan sehingga mungkin timbul isu manipulasi juga . Saya rasa lebih afdal jika kita bantu dan dahulukan rakyat kita yang masih banyak lagi memerlukan bantuan dan perhatian. Dengan kos sara hidup yang tinggi hari ini, masih banyak rakyat di dalam negara kita ini yang berada di bawah paras kemiskinan. Ini jika kita nak minta bantuan pun masih perlu berhadapan dengan pelbagai kerenah birokrasi yang merumitkan, payahlah kalau begitu. Untuk mereka yang di atas sana, jenguk-jenguklah rakyat bawah yang hidup mereka walau dalam kekurangan, pun masih boleh berketawa dan hidup riang walau minum ais kosong segelas. * Ini adalah pandangan peribadi penulis

Hadapi Kiamat dengan mendekati Tuhan Posted: 22 Dec 2012 04:03 PM PST 23 DIS ― Sejak awal tahun ini, tarikh 21 Disember 2012 menjadi bualan hangat masyarakat di seantero dunia. Bukan kerana tarikh tersebut hanya empat hari sebelum sambutan Hari Natal, tetapi ianya melibatkan kelangsungan umat manusia di muka bumi ini. Pelbagai terma diberikan kepada tarikh tersebut. Ada yang menyebutnya sebagai Armageddon, Dooms Day dan tidak kurang juga merujuk hari itu dengan terma yang lebih simplistik iaitu hari kiamat. Namun, tarikh 21 Disember 2012 berlalu sudah tanpa sebarang insiden tidak diingini. Detik-detik menggerunkan yang digambarkan sebelum ini, tidak kunjung tiba. Bagi mereka yang benar-benar akan kedatangan hari kiamat pada tarikh itu, mereka pulang hampa. Tiada insiden yang mana langit akan pecah, tiada pula asteroid menghentam bumi dan tiada juga gempa bumi besar-besaran. Yang kelihatan pada hari tersebut hanyalah hari yang terang-benderang disinari dengan cahaya matahari. Ternyata, ramalan oleh masyarakat Maya bahawa dunia akan kiamat pada tarikh 21 Disember nyata meleset dan tidak tepat. Pastinya, segala gembar-gembur yang dilaporkan dalam media massa hanya satu publisiti mengarut. Malangnya, masih ada segelintir umat manusia yang begitu takut dengan hari berkenaan hingga mendorong mereka membuat persiapan akhir. Di Amerika umpamanya, dilaporkan ada individu yang membeli stok makanan secukupnya dan menyimpan di kawasan bawah tanah. Tidak kurang juga, yang membeli stok perubatan sebagai persediaan menghadapi siri penyakit yang akan melanda dunia. Mujurlah di Malaysia, penduduk-penduduknya lebih realistik dan tidak begitu mudah untuk terpedaya dengan khabar angin yang tidak berasas. Agak menghairankan mengapa individu-individu yang dimaksudkan itu begitu bimbang dengan hari kiamat? Segalanya telah ditakdirkan bahawa dunia akan kiamat jua satu hari nanti. Cuma, bila dan bagaimana — ianya akan ditentukan oleh Tuhan pencipta kita. Oleh itu, mengapa mereka perlu menghalang sesuatu yang tidak mungkin dapat dielakkan? Berkemungkinan kumpulan manusia ini tidak kuat imannya. Jika benarlah iman mereka kuat, perasaan takut untuk mati tidak akan berbangkit. Sesungguhnya, hidup dan mati di tangan tuhan. Bak kata pepatah: manusia hanya boleh merancang, tuhan yang menentukannya. Jika kumpulan manusia sebegini masih berdegil ingin membuat persiapan menghadapi kiamat, lebih baik tempoh terluang digunakan untuk mendekatkan diri dengan Tuhan. Inilah masa terbaik untuk kita mempersiapkan diri dengan melakukan kerja-kerja ibadah. Sentiasa beramal dan membantu golongan yang memerlukan di saat-saat sukar. Pengisian kehidupan dengan amal ibadah boleh membantu seseorang manusia untuk menghadapi hari-hari sukar dengan tenang. Kepada kumpulan manusia yang tidak dapat menerima hakikat ini, mereka perlu bertenang dan menerima ketentuan yang telah ditetapkan. Tiada siapa yang ingin mati. Tiada siapa juga yang mahu meninggalkan anggota keluarga tersayang dan lebih-lebih lagi harta-benda yang dikumpul. Persinggahan kita di muka bumi ini hanyalah sementara sahaja. Setiap umat manusia diutuskan ke bumi ini ada fungsi dan peranannya tersendiri. Dunia di alam fana dan barzakh cukup berbeza. Hanya apabila kita melalui ke fasa itu, baharulah kita dapat merasainya sendiri. Kita tidak perlu takut untuk mati kerana kematian itu adalah satu hakikat. Mati tidak berakhirnya kehidupan manusia. Bagi penulis, kematian merupakan permulaan kepada satu kehidupan baru di dunia lain. Pokoknya, bersedialah dari sekarang! * Ini adalah pandangan peribadi penulis.

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