World unites for Mandela memorial

SOWETO: Tens of thousands of grieving South Africans will sit side-by-side with presidents, priests, queens and sheikhs today at a memorial service for unifying global icon Nelson Mandela.

Close to 100 world leaders and 80,000 South Africans will gather at a stadium in Soweto — the crucible of Mandela’s anti-apartheid struggle — to bid farewell to a man whose life story earned uncommon universal respect.

News of the prisoner-turned-president’s death at his home in Johannesburg on Thursday resonated around the world, triggering a wave of loving admiration from political and religious leaders, some of whom agree on little else.

The presidents of the United States and Cuba are among those who will share a stage, pausing rivalries that date back to the Cold War to pay tribute as millions around the world look on.

The event is part of an extended state funeral that will culminate in Mandela’s burial on Sunday in the rural village of Qunu where he spent his early childhood.

A massive security operation will swing into place as South Africans grab their final chance to unite in a mass celebration of Mandela’s life ahead of the more formal lying in state.

Spain to open vs Netherlands

COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil -- World champions Spain will open their defence of the title at the 2014 World Cup play with a rematch of the 2010 final against Netherlands, while hosts Brazil kick off against Croatia and the United States was drawn in the tournament's Group of Death.

 The draw, which opened with a tribute to Nelson Mandela, saw Brazil alongside Mexico and Cameroon in Group A, while Spain were drawn in Group B with Chile -- who they also faced en route to lifting the trophy in South Africa in 2010 -- and Australia, as well as the Netherlands.

"I said this morning that we would get Holland in the first game, and look what happened," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. "What fortune! It is up to us to be very good from the first day. The Dutch will demand the best from us. From there, it could all depend on us and our mental preparation."

Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan and Greece are together in Group C. South American champions Uruguay, Euro 2012 finalists Italy, Costa Rica and England are in a highly competitive Group D. Switzerland, Honduras, Ecuador and France are in Group E.

Argentina, Nigeria, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina are in Group F. Bosnia-Herzegovina -- the only debutant at next year's finals -- will play their first-ever World Cup match against Argentina.


Group G looks set to be this tournament's 'Group of Death', containing Germany, Ghana, United States and Portugal. Belgium, South Korea, Algeria and Russia complete the draw in Group H.

 Mexico will play their first match against Cameroon, while the USA take on their 2010 second-round conquerors, Ghana, in their opener.

Making their seventh straight World Cup appearance, the Americans will open on June 16 in Natal.

"I kind of had in my stomach that we were going to get Germany," said Klinsmann. "Obviously it's one of the most difficult groups in the whole draw, having Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo and then Ghana, who has a history with the United States. It couldn't get any more difficult or any bigger."

With the longest travel schedule of any World Cup team at almost 9,000 miles, the US meet Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo on June 22 in the Amazon rainforest city of Manaus.

They close their group against Germany in Recife on June 26 in Recife, facing the team that beat them in the 2002 quarter-finals.


In Group D, Italy start against England, who they defeated in a penalty shootout at Euro 2012 before losing to Spain in the final.

 "It’s a tough group, no doubt about that," England manager Roy Hodgson said. "With Uruguay and Italy, we’ve almost got two No. 1 seeds, because Italy were very unlucky not to be seeded amongst the first eight. We know how good they are, because we lost to them in the Euros."

Argentina, champion in 1978 and 1986, first plays Bosnia-Herzegovina, the only World Cup newcomer among the 32 teams. After that game at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, the Argentine team of four-time world player of the year Lionel Messi then plays Iran and finally Nigeria. In six previous World Cup encounters, Nigeria has beaten Argentina just once.

Farewell, Madiba

NICOSIA: So what, exactly, is it that makes Nelson Mandela so special?

Apart from the fact that he emerged from 27 years in apartheid prisons bearing so little malice. And that he insisted on “reconciliation” being central to a truth commission in order to heal wounds caused by years of bitter racial hatred.

And that he donned a Springbok jersey and took to the field during the 1995 rugby World Cup final in a bold bid to unite the nation behind the mainly-white South African team.

And that he stepped down after just one term as president, unlike too many world leaders who, once given a whiff of power, cling to it until it destroys them or they destroy the nation they are leading.

These are some of the anti-apartheid icon’s better known qualities.

Reaction to the death of Nelson Mandela

South African President Jacob Zuma: “Our people have lost a father. Although we knew this day was going to come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss. His tireless struggle for freedom earned him the respect of the world. His humility, passion and humanity earned him their love.”

US President Barack Obama: “He achieved more than could be expected of any man.... Today he’s gone home, and we’ve lost one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron: “A great light has gone out in the world. Nelson Mandela was a hero of our time.”

Former South African President F.W. de Klerk, on CNN: “He was a great unifier and a very, very special man in this regard beyond everything else he did. This emphasis on reconciliation was his biggest legacy.”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: “Nelson Mandela was a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration. Nelson Mandela showed what is possible for our world and within each one of us if we believe, dream and work together for justice and humanity.”

Former US President Jimmy Carter: “The people of South Africa and human rights advocates around the world have lost a great leader. His passion for freedom and justice created new hope for generations of oppressed people worldwide, and because of him, South Africa is today one of the world’s leading democracies.”

Anti-apartheid icon Mandela dies at 95

South African anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela died aged 95 at his Johannesburg home yesterday after a prolonged lung infection, plunging his nation and the world into mourning for a man hailed by global leaders as a moral giant.

Although Mandela had been frail and ailing for nearly a year, President Jacob Zuma’s announcement late yesterday of the death of the former president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate shook South Africa.

Tributes began flooding in almost immediately for a man who was an iconic global symbol of struggle against injustice and of racial reconciliation.

US President Barack Obama said the world had lost “one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth”.

British Prime Minister David Cameron called Mandela “a hero of our time”and said “a great light has gone out in the world”.

Ordinary South Africans were in shock. “It feels like it’s y father who has died. He was such a good man, who had good values the nation could look up to. He was a role model unlike our leaders of today,” said Annah Khokhozela, 37, a nanny, speaking in Johannesburg.

Mahabharata – Bahagian 57

Sebaik sahaja Raja Yayati memeluk Puru, suatu transformasi magis berlaku. Sebelum ini, Yayati menjadi tua kerana sumpahan Maharishi Sukracharya.

Akan tetapi, kini Yayati tiba-tiba memiliki kekuatan seperti seorang remaja berusia 15 tahun. Sementara itu, putera bongsunya pula yang kini mendapati dirinya sudah menjadi seorang lelaki tua.

“Betapa hebatnya perasaan ini!” Yayati meluahkan rasa gembira seraya memeluk Puru beberapa kali. “Ayah sudah dapat merasakan darah muda dan hormon remaja menular dalam tubuh ini.”

Puru pula kepenatan kerana tiba-tiba bertukar menjadi orang tua.

Dia meminta diri untuk duduk di atas kerusi. Sementara itu, Yayati melompat-lompat dan menggerak-gerakkan tangannya kerana amat gembira dengan transformasi yang berlaku pada diri.

“Apakah ayah akan kembali kepada ibu?” tanya Puru sejurus kemudian.

“Kembali kepada Devayani?” Yayati mengerutkan kening sebelum ketawa.

Mahabharata – Bahagian 56

Putera keempat berminat untuk mengetahui tawaran terkini yang dikemukakan oleh Raja Yayati. Para putera lain juga ingin tahu.

“Ayah menjadi tua akibat sumpahan Maharishi Sukracharya. Kalau kau bersetuju menyerahkan usia muda kau kepada ayah, maka kau boleh menggantikan ayah sebagai raja Kerajaan Bharata.

“Apabila ayah sudah puas menikmati hidup bersama-sama para gadis dan wanita, maka ayah akan kembalikan usia muda ini kepada kau. Kau pula boleh terus kekal sebagai raja,” Yayati mencadangkan.

Putera keempat berfikir sebentar. Dia sedar bahawa dia perlu membuat keputusan teliti agar tidak menyesal nanti. Misalnya, Yayati menyebut “apabila ayah sudah puas” dan perkara itu adalah amat subjektif.

Mungkin mengambil masa setahun, lima tahun atau sepuluh tahu sebelum Yayati benar-benar berasa puas.

“Maafkan saya, ayah. Saya tetap terpaksa menolak tawaran ini.”

“Kenapa?” Yayati bertanya dengan penuh sedih dan suara merayu.

“Suatu hakikat yang diketahui umum adalah bahawa warga emas yang sudah terlalu lanjut usia – seperti ayah sekarang – akan menghadapi masalah untuk membersihkan diri sendiri sekali pun,” kata putera keempat tanpa mendedahkan mengenai isu “apabila ayah sudah puas” itu.

“Oh! Bukankah dayang-dayang boleh memandikan kau dengan penuh manja dan mesra?”

“Bagaimana kalau saya sarankan perkara sama kepada ayah? Supaya ayah membiarkan dayang-dayang melayan ayah?”

Yayati terkedu mendengar jawapan yang amat pedas dan menikam kalbu. Raja berkenaan sedar bahawa putera keempat juga tidak bersedia untuk menyerahkan usia muda kepadanya.

Dalam diam, Yayati menyumpah-nyumpah isterinya, Devayani. Kalau bukan kerana wanita itu mengadu kepada bapanya iaitu Sukracharya, tentulah segala masalah ini tidak wujud.

Tidak timbul keperluan untuk Yayati merayu-rayu kepada putera-puteranya.

“Bagaimana pula dengan kau?” Yayati memandang sekilas putera bongsunya yang berumur 15 tahun.

Yayati sedar bahawa sebagai seorang remaja yang baru sahaja mula menikmati keseronokan berkasih dan meniduri wanita, putera kelima itu pasti amat keberatan untuk meninggalkan alam remaja.

“Demi ayah, saya bersetuju.”

Yayati amat terkejut mendengar kata-kata yang diucapkan oleh Puru. Keempat-empat putera turut hairan dengan jawapan yang diberikan oleh adik bongsu mereka.

“Nampaknya dia masih terlalu mentah untuk memahami apa yang bakal dia kehilangan,” bisik putera keempat kepada abang-abangnya.

 “Dalam masa sehari sahaja, dia pasti tidak dapat mengawal nafsu dan mahu kembali menjadi remaja.”

Yayati berpura-pura tidak mendengar bisikan itu. Sebaliknya dia segera berdiri lalu menghampiri Puru.

Putera bongsu itu juga berjalan ke arah ayahnya yang ternyata terlalu lemah untuk berjalan dengan cepat.

“Betulkah apa yang ayah dengar? Benarkah kau bersetuju dan bersedia untuk menyerahkan usia muda kau kepada ayah?” Yayati bertanya dengan penuh tidak sabar.

“Benar, ayah. Demi ayah, saya bersedia untuk menjadi orang tua. Biarlah ayah menikmati kepuasan seks seperti yang ayah impikan,” kata Puru tanpa berselindung.

“Benarkah?” Yayati bertanya lagi – lebih kepada dirinya sendiri – seraya fikirannya sepantas kilat sudah mula membayangkan tubuh-tubuh montok yang bakal dapat dinikmatinya dalam masa terdekat.

Tambahan pula, dia bakal memiliki nafsu dan tenaga seperti seorang remaja berumur 15 tahun!


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2013/11/17/mahabharata-%e2%80%93-bahagian-56/