Samsung unveils new feature-rich Galaxy S4

Intensifying its smartphone battle with Apple, Samsung unveiled the feature-rich Galaxy S4, with groundbreaking eye motion technology to let users control key functions at a glance.

In one highlight, sensors in the S4 detect when a person looks away from a video and then pauses play until the distraction has passed and eyes are once again directed at the screen. The eye motion technology can also screen through emails.

The South Korean consumer electronics giant introduced the Galaxy S4 Thursday on the stage of New York City's Radio City Music Hall and said the smartphones would roll out in 155 countries in late April. Pricing was not disclosed.

"For each of us, life is a journey," said Samsung mobile communications division head JK Shin. "What we want is a device that can join us on that journey; a companion that helps us experience life in the fullest."

capabilities and the capacity to translate to and from nine languages.

"It is now clearly Samsung's flagship device; jam-packed with technology," said Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg.

"The question is how many of these features will resonate with consumers."

Samsung played up its online hub for music, books, and video and the ease with which the S4 can share video with televisions made by the company.

"At this point, smartphones are all about software and ecosystems; showing up with compelling hardware is the expected starting point," Gartenberg said.

"This is about a Samsung ecosystem that happens to be built on Android."

Samsung is the biggest and most successful maker of smartphones powered by Android software that Google makes available for free.

Samsung has become the top smartphone maker worldwide with a 29 percent market share, according to IDC, while in the US market Apple remains the king and sells more than one of every three mobile phones.

The Galaxy S3 has sold more than 40 million worldwide since its launch last May and has some analysts debating which of the two firms is ahead in innovation.

"We are always listening to learn from people around the world about what kind of progress they really want," Shin said.

Samsung stressed innovation as it continues to defend itself against charges made by Apple in public and in lawsuits that the South Korean rival has copied the California company's creations.

The S4 is thinner than its predecessor and weighs just 130 grams despite having a bigger screen and battery.

The smartphone also boasts a "dual camera" function that lets the front and rear-facing cameras be used simultaneously for pictures or videos that combine images of subjects with that of the photographer.

A Group Play function lets S4 handsets close to one another share music, photos, documents or games, or even work in unison as a sound system for a song.

An S Translator feature lets people speak or enter text in one tongue and have it instantly converted to another.

S4 sensors combined with S Health software enable handsets to be used to track exercise, eating, heart rate and other fitness factors.

The handsets were also designed to measure temperature and humidity to help people "understand what is going on around them."

Samsung also took aim at the trend of people using their own smartphones for work with the addition of new Knox software that builds a secure wall between personal and business data on handsets.

"The Samsung Galaxy S4 is very good, but looks like an evolution to the S3, not a revolution," said technology analyst Jeff Kagan.

Apple, which is known for keeping its plans private, is believed to be working on its own upgrades, including a new version of the iconic iPhone. But Apple shares have slumped some 40 percent from highs hit last year.

By Sophie Estienne

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8 important medical test for women

Since March is Woman’s Month, and this, as a matter of fact, is the Health & Wellness section, I have compiled a list of 8 tests a woman should do in her lifetime.

1.   Mammogram
Breast cancer remains the number 1 killer of women all over the world. A mammogram can detect breast cancer at its earliest stage. Ask your doctor for a request every year starting age 40.

2.   Pap smear
Cervical cancer is number 2 after breast cancer in affecting women in our country.

A pap smear cannot prevent the cancer from occurring but it can catch the cancer cells even before they start presenting with symptoms.

Once a woman has even just one sexual encounter, she may already be exposed to the cancer-causing virus. She needs a pap smear ever year.


Related: Yes, it's true: Not all women need a Pap smear

3.   Vaginal or rectal ultrasound
Whether you are single or married, a virgin or not, with children or without children, all women should have at least one ultrasound in their lifetime.

Many diseases do not present with symptoms until it is too late.

Ovarian cancer, myomas, endometrial cancer… all these remain unnoticed because these diseases lie silent and deep in the pelvic organs. They start to manifest with bleeding or pain when they are in their advanced stages.

Not even a yearly pap smear can detect these tumors, but an ultrasound can. Do it today!

4.   Bone mineral density
Another silent disease is osteoporosis. You will never know you have it until you break a bone.

All women start to lose bone mass at the age of 35. This loss is most rapid at the age of menopause.

The incidence of osteoporosis is double the incidence of heart disease, breast cancer and stroke combined. That’s a lot of women who will, out of nowhere, without warning, just cough really hard and they’ll break their back. That’s how fragile and brittle an osteoporotic bone can be.

As soon as you have stopped menstruating and you’ve entered the menopausal stage, have a central bone mineral density screening done every 3 years.

The keyword is “central”. It is more accurate than the “peripheral” bone screening often conducted in malls and product blitzes. (These peripheral screenings are so inaccurate, if you go for the test 3 successive times and you’ll get 3 different results!)

So, insist on a CENTRAL bone mineral density scan.


Related: Women have better sex with an uncircumcised partner


5.   Eye exam
Blurring of vision is gradual, subtle and progressive. Very often you will not know that you have diminishing visual acuity because the eyes adjust to the loss of vision by squinting. Or, you may move your cellphone just a little bit further or just complete ignore a word or paragraph thinking that it was printed using a 6-point font size.

Accept it. Your aging lenses begin to lose their elasticity by age 40. One day you wake up and you can’t read your text message.

Have an eye exam every year beginning age 40.

6.   Hearing test
Just like your vision, your hearing will give way to the aging process too. Exposure to loud music and loud sounds can cause hearing loss to come at an earlier age. Genetics also plays a major role.

Schedule a hearing test every 5 years as soon as you hit 40.


Related: How one tablet can save your life

7.   Colonoscopy
Colon cancer is one of the most curable cancers. It would be a terrible shame if the tumor would be detected at a late stage.

The easiest way to spot a problem in the colon is a yearly stool exam.

But a colonoscopy is more accurate. It is recommended every 3 years beginning at age 45 and earlier and more frequently for women with a relative who has had colon cancer.

8.   Thyroid function test
Symptoms of thyroid disease are very non-specific that they are often ignored.

If you have too much thyroid hormones as in the case of hyperthyroidism, you may experience weight loss, palpitations, rapid heart rate and insomnia.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, those with hypothyroidism or lacking in the hormone complain of weight gain, fatigue, dry skin and brittle nails.

Do a blood test for thyroid function every 5 years.


When it comes to your health, do not wait for symptoms to occur. It’s always best to be ahead of the game. If you belong to the age groups mentioned above, see your doctor for these tests.

By Dr. Diana Sarmiento

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Miriam hits 'old' and 'gay' political foes

“If only he is not old, I would punch him now.”
 
Without naming names, Senator Miriam Santiago described her political enemies as “gay” and “stupid” during her lecture on Sabah at the Manila Hotel on Friday.
 
During the annual convention of Association of Nursing Service Administrators of the Philippines, the feisty senator tried to revive her allegation of anomalous disbursement of funds in the Senate.
 
“They got P2 million this Christmas. They did not even give it to the poor. They gifted themselves, their luxuries, their mistresses,” Santiago said.
 
“And to those involved in smuggling, when the Supreme Court ruled against freeports and smuggling. You, Subic Bay, close shop but until now there is still smuggling in one port,” she added.
 
Eliciting laughter from the audience, Santiago hinted that she is talking about “the only person who has a port, where smuggling takes place.”
 
“In the whole Philippines, in the whole archipelago, he’s the only person who has a port where smuggling takes place. Is that our leader?”
 
“And he’s not even contented with himself. He even now has a junior. Imagine?”
 
In January, Santiago condemned the leadership of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for tolerating “unethical” policies and practices in the Senate like giving away Senate savings as gifts to senators.
 
Enrile has been helping out his son, Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce “Jack” Enrile Jr., in his senatorial campaign under the United Nationalist Alliance.
 
After attacking the senate president, Santiago then moved on to attack another detractor, whom she described to be a member of the “third sex.”
 
“I then asked this gay person, what did you do with the money allotted for the office. Do you mean that if you have a staff of 40 people, you would put them in a small space in the Senate office because we don’t have a Senate building, we are also renting,” she said.
 
“You aren’t renting. Where did you put the money that’s supposed to pay for the rent, in your pocket? You are pretending to be brave,” Santiago said.
 
In her speech, Sentiago admitted reference to the senator, who questioned the use of Senate funds to pay the rent of her office.
 
Earlier, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson openly questioned Santiago over the use of funds for her office.

But Santiago explained Senate allows them to use their funds to pay for the rent of their offices in order to accommodate the big number of their staff.
 
For his part, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson hit Santiago, whom he described as corrupt.
 
“If she isn’t crazy, I have cleared many times that I am not gay,” Lacson said in Filipino in reaction to Santiago’s remarks.
 
“Secondly, the issue against her is graft because she used the money of the people to pay for her personal expenses,” he said.
 
Lacson was referring to Senate funds, which he claimed Santiago used to pay the rent of her extended office in a building owned by her family.
 
The outgoing senator clarified that his extended office is only located on the 5th floor of the Senate building and not outside Pasay City.
 
“I’m not like her who’s greedy. I have not pocketed any funds in all the time that I have been in government and I don’t accept bribes,” Lacson said
 
“And what about her? Perhaps, it will be better for her to answer appropriately and not like some crazy woman with graft cases at the Ombudsman,” he added.

By Rio Rose Ribaya

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'We're treated like animals' Filipinos in Sabah

Zamboanga City (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - "They dragged all the men outside the houses, kicked and hit them," 32-year-old Amira Taradji said on Friday as she recounted her family's ordeal in Sandakan, which started when Malaysian security forces launched a crackdown on suspected supporters of the sultan of Sulu Jamalul Kiram III in Sabah.

Taradji said Malaysian policemen ordered Filipino men to run as fast as they could and shot them.

Among those killed on Monday night during the police sweep of a Filipino community in Sandakan was her brother, Jumadil, she said.

Taradji, who was originally from Calinan in Davao City, was among some 400 Filipinos who fled Lahad Datu, Semporna, Tawau and Kunak in Sabah for Sulu as the violence sparked by the intrusion of the followers of Jamalul into the eastern Malaysian state spread at the start of the week.

In other Philippine areas near Sabah, hundreds more have arrived since the police crackdown started and many more Filipinos are expected to return home soon, according to government officials.

Speaking to the Inquirer by phone shortly after arriving in Patikul town by a commercial vessel from Sabah late Friday, Taradji said the police sweeps had become dreadful for both Filipinos and Sabahans known as Orang Suluk (people who originated from Sulu).

Taradji reported the arrest of Filipino men in Tawau and Kunak.

Some of the arrested men, who showed immigration papers, were shot dead, she said, recounting reports by other Filipinos who fled Sabah with her.

She said those who had been locked up were also unlucky, as the Malaysian authorities were not feeding them.

Extreme fear

Taradji had lived in Sandakan since she was 6 years old and was a holder of MyKad, the identification card issued to Malaysian citizens and permanent residents.

She said that despite her and her family's being holders of MyKad, they hastily abandoned their home when the police sweeps started Monday night.

She said that from a distance, she saw how those caught during the raid suffered in the hands of Malaysian policemen.

"We sailed from Sandakan to nearby islands...until we reached a small island where we took [an outrigger] for the Philippines. We begged hard so they would allow us into one of [their boats]," she said.

Carla Manlaw, 47, said the extreme fear of Malaysian policemen, with stories of abuses and killings, had prompted her and other Filipinos to leave for Bongao in Tawi-Tawi.

Manlaw and 99 others, including children and elderly people, reached Philippine waters in two motorboats after sailing for about two hours from Sandakan. They were intercepted and escorted by a Philippine Navy ship to Bongao late Friday.

"My employer had no problem with having a Filipino worker. But what bothered me was the police," she said.

Manlaw said the other Filipinos in her boat had also fled because of fear. "What will they do to us?" she said, quoting her fellow refugees.

She said that when she heard that a vessel was leaving for Bongao from Sandakan, she had immediately grabbed her things and gone for it.

Investigate now

Mayor Hussin Amin of Jolo, Sulu, said the accounts of Filipinos fleeing police abuse in Sabah were "alarming and disturbing" and the Philippine government should look into it.

He said he had spoken with many refugees and their stories were the same: Malaysian soldiers and policemen do not distinguish between illegal immigrants and MyKad holders.

"Soldiers and policemen stormed their houses and even those with legitimate working papers like passports and IC papers were not spared. These documents were allegedly torn before their eyes. Men were told to run and were shot if they did. Those who refused were beaten black and blue. Filipinos in jail were executed," Amin said by phone late Friday.

Timeline: Understanding the Sabah crisis 

What's really happening?

"We are asking our government to investigate now. Refugees from Sandakan and Sabah had spoken to us about their ordeals. If indeed what they have been telling us is true, then Malaysian authorities are not just targeting the Kirams in Lahad Datu," Amin said.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch also wants to know what is really happening in Sabah.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, issued a statement on Friday saying that while the "situation on the ground in the conflict zone in Sabah is still quite murky," Malaysia "should provide clear and accurate information on what had occurred."

Robertson said the Malaysian authorities should "ensure the protection of all civilians in the area, and allow humanitarian access for the provision of emergency assistance to those affected by the violence."

"We're concerned about the Malaysian government's use of the Security Offenses Special Measures Act to detain reportedly more than 50 individuals, and call on the government to either charge them with a recognisable criminal offense or release them. All parties to the conflict should heed the call of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to 'act in full respect of international human rights norms and standards," Robertson said.

Amin said that for now, he tended to believe the stories told by the refugees that Filipino men, especially Tausug, were being killed in the streets and in detention centres in Malaysia.

"Our people are treated like animals there and this has to stop because they are no longer hitting the Kirams," Amin said.

He said one reason why he believed the stories was his observation that children and women were so "deeply traumatised" that they tried to flee when they saw Filipino policemen as they arrived in Jolo.

"Some (of them) even attempted to jump to the sea, thinking they were still in Malaysia," he said, referring to scenes at the Jolo port this week.

"I spoke to them and gave them assurance that they were all home and no one would harm them now and the policemen securing the port were not Malaysians but Filipinos protecting them," Amin said.

Humanitarian crisis

Social welfare officials, who spoke to the Inquirer on condition of anonymity, said they anticipated that more than a thousand Filipinos from Sabah would arrive in the next few days.

One official said the crush of evacuees would "pose a problem" greater than the difficulties caused by the massive deportation of Filipinos from Malaysia in 2002.

Some 64,000 undocumented Filipinos were forced out of Sabah in that year and feeding or relocating them became a nightmare for officials.

Amirah Lidasan of the militant group Suara Bangsamoro said she pitied women and children who braved danger at sea to escape the Sabah violence. The waters between Sabah and the Philippine areas of Tawi-Tawi and Sulu are known for huge waves that could swamp and capsize small vessels.

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Willie lashes out at Ethel Booba and Ate Gay

• 
  (UPDATE) Willie Revillame lashed out at Ethel Booba and Ate Gay, mainstays of his TV5 noontime show “Wowowillie” and even dared them to resign.

“Pinagalitan ko si Ethel at Ate Gay ,” Wilie said in the Feb. 28 edition of his show. “Hindi sila professional. Nagalit sila kasi hindi sila nanalo sa costume.”

Willie  was referring to the show’s talent contest called  “Mini-Concierto,”  where the female co-hosts outdo each other in wearing eye-catching costumes.

Willie jokingly told Ethel, “Style ba ‘yan? Ginagaya mo lang si Anne Curtis eh… Wala, ginagaya lang si Anne Curtis. Kasi ‘yung suot niya sa ‘ASAP,’ may shower pa. Hindi niyo kaya ‘yon. Huwag kayong mag-ilusyon.”

Ethel Booba has been through a lot since she her showbiz debut in 2002 through Sing Galing on then ABC-5. She has …Talent, not ‘singit’

A visibly miffed Ethel replied, “Ano ito? Bakit mo kami ikino-compare doon? We’re talking about talent, not singit. Come on!”

Willie also said that Ethel shouted at him.

“Sa dressing room, sinabi (niya) sa 'kin, ‘Bakit mo ko ginaganon?” Wilie recalled.

The singer-host added that Ethel should not have taken his remark seriously.

“Katuwaan lang. Pinapasaya lang namin kayo. Ang lalaki na ng ulo n’yo! You don’t do that to me!”

Handling success

He reminded Ethel not to let success get into her head and to remember that he’s the producer and host of the show, the one who turned a deaf ear to her detractors and gave her a chance to revive her showbiz career.

“You don’t do that to me kasi ako ang nagbigay sa 'yo ng pagkakataon sa buhay. If  you want to resign, go! Inaangat kita (tapos) ganyan ang gagawin mo sa akin,” he told Ethel.

Addressing Ate Gay, Willie said, “Binigyan kita ng break. Magkaroon ka ng utang na loob!”

Because of the incident, Willie decided to scrap the “Mini-Concierto”  segment.

The incident drew mixed reactions from netizens. Vice Ganda spoofed the incident in his show.

Ate Gay’s manager Freddie Bautista told Yahoo! Philippines OMG! over the phone that his talent got a call from the “Wowowillie” staff to go back to work on March 1, a day after Willie’s emotional outburst. But Bautista said Ate Gay was scheduled to fly to Singapore for a show on that day. Ate Gay just returned from Singapore on Monday, March 4.

Meanwhile, Willie has refused to comment on the issue further.

By Maridol Rañoa-Bismark

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Malaysia launches attack to clear out militants

Malaysian fighter jets launched air strikes on a defiant group of Filipino intruders Tuesday as security forces sought to end a three-week incursion that has already killed 27 people.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said the government had no choice but to quell Malaysia's worst security crisis in years, sparked when militants invaded to claim the Malaysian state of Sabah for a self-styled Philippine sultan.

"The longer this invasion lasts, it is clear to the authorities that the invaders do not intend to leave Sabah," Najib said, adding that negotiations had gone nowhere.

"The government must take action to safeguard the dignity and sovereignty of the country as required by the people."

The intruders have been holed up in the village of Tanduo since they landed by boat on February 12 from nearby Philippine islands in a bizarre incursion that has exposed Malaysian security lapses.

At least two fighter jets roared over the standoff site from early morning, launching an air bombardment, a Malaysian reporter positioned about 20 kilometres (12 miles) away told AFP by phone.

"There was a series of explosions in Tanduo. Intense bombing lasted for about half an hour," followed by a series of sporadic blasts, he said, asking not to be named.

An AFP reporter at a police roadblock about 30 kilometres from the assault saw heavy military helicopters flying toward Tanduo. Six ambulances also were seen speeding toward the site.

Three military trucks filled with dozens of soldiers also moved in the direction of Tanduo, located amid vast oil palm plantations.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino's spokesman said Manila had done all it could to avoid a violent end in Sabah for the followers of 74-year-old Manila-based Islamic leader, Jamalul Kiram III.

"We've done everything we could to prevent this, but in the end, Kiram's people chose this path," spokesman Ricky Carandang said.

After a lengthy standoff, violence erupted on Friday with a shootout between Malaysian security forces and militants in the village that left 12 Filipinos and two police officers dead.

Another gun battle Saturday in the town of Semporna, a long distance from the standoff, left six police and six gunmen dead, raising fears of a wider guerrilla infiltration from the Philippines.

One gunman was beaten to death in Semporna on Saturday by villagers, police have said.

Najib had ordered a doubling of security forces in Sabah after the weekend violence.

Followers of Kiram, the self-proclaimed heir to the Philippine sultanate of Sulu, have said the gunmen are ready to die to defend his historical claim to Sabah.

The Sulu sultanate's power faded about a century ago but it has continued to insist on ultimate ownership of resource-rich Sabah, and still receives nominal Malaysian payments under a leasing deal struck by Western colonial powers.

The exact identities of the gunmen and their numbers have remained a mystery. Malaysian authorities have been criticised by the opposition for releasing inadequate information on the Sabah mayhem.

Supporters of the Filipino intruders took their campaign to cyberspace on Monday, manipulating Google listings to post a message backing the incursion, while some Philippine sites also were reportedly defaced by pro-Malaysia hackers.

Sabah has seen small raids by Islamic militants and criminals coming by boat from the Philippines before, but nothing on the current scale.

By M. Jegathesan

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Sunday Holy Mass Mar. 03, 2013 courtesy of Paulines embed only

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Does president Aquino fell into saboteurs’ trap?

Malacañang believes that the occupation of the seaside village of Lahad Datu in Sabah by Rajah Mudah Agbinuddin Kiram, brother of the Sultan of Sulu, and his followers is really meant to sabotage the peace talks that his administration is conducting with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Reports said Malacañang suspects the national security adviser of Gloria Arroyo, Norberto Gonzales, as behind the sabotage.

It is easily believable because Gonzales has deep network in Muslim Mindanao and is close to Nur Misuari, the leader of another disgruntled group , the Moro National Liberation Front.

Gonzales and Misuari’s partnership go back a long way to their special operations training days in Malaysia during the 1960’s.

When Misuari staged a rebellion in 2001. Gonzales was known to have exerted influence to allow the former governor of the Authonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao to be placed under house arrest. The case was eventually dismissed.

There are intelligence reports that Gonzales and his Jesuit priest friend have been meeting with some sectoral leaders and talking about “a revolutionary situation” under Aquino.

Norberto GonzalesIf Gonzales has a hand in the Sabah stand off, could Gloria Arroyo be far behind? Remember Jamalul Kiram III was in the senatorial ticket of the Arroyo administration in 2007?

If it’s true that the Sabah stand off is an act of sabotage, not only of the peace talks with the MILF, but to embarrass President Aquino who is riding high in popularity surveys, the instigators achieved their objective. Aquino fell into their trap.

Aquino’s statement, which betrayed his ignorance of the root of the Sabah issue, arrogance and immaturity only deepened the “sama ng loob” that Sultan of Sulu Jamalul Kiram III, his relatives and supporters have been harboring about Aquino.

Imagine telling the Sultan and his followers asserting their right over their property in the hands of Malaysia that it is a “hopeless cause.”

It has been a series of snubs for Kiram III starting with the spurning of his request for a meeting with Aquino made at the start of the administration in 2010. Aquino said the letter was lost in the “bureaucractic maze.”

The administration officials condescending attitude towards the Kiram III and his followers is also reflected in their comments. When told about Kiram III’s complaint that he was not given a good seat during the signing of the preliminary peace agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF in October last year, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda remarked that he, himself, had no seat.

Why, is he also a royalty like the Sultan? Why did he even have to insert himself into the picture?

Another official who should be told to think twice or thrice before he opens his mouth on this issue is Police Chief Alan Purisima.

Aquino wants those in the Sabah standoff to return home before he talks with Kiram III. This Purisima threatens to arrest those people. He said:“Kung may dala-dala silang armas na babalik din sa atin that is illegal possession of firearms and puwede silang arestuhin because the crime is being committed in the presence of the law enforcers.”

Kiram III made more sense with his reply, “Huhulihin pa kami at mga taong ibabalik.What kind of government is this?”

By Ellen Tordesillas

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Malaysia threatens 'drastic' steps in Borneo siege

Malaysia threatened Saturday to take "drastic action" against intruding followers of a self-proclaimed Filipino sultan who have vowed to dig in following a shootout that killed 14 people.
Twelve followers of the little-known sultan of Sulu and two Malaysian security personnel were killed in Friday's firefight, police said, as the more than two-week-old siege in a remote corner of Malaysia turned deadly.
Dozens of Filipinos have been holed up on Borneo island, surrounded by a massive Malaysian police and military cordon, since landing by boat from the nearby Philippines to insist the area belongs to their Islamic leader.
"We want them to surrender immediately. If they don't, they will face drastic action," Hamza Taib, police chief of the Malaysian state of Sabah where the drama was taking place, told AFP.
He declined to provide details of what security forces had in store but his comments echoed growing Malaysian impatience with the situation.
In Manila, Philippine President Benigno Aquino urged the gunmen to surrender immediately.
"To those who have influence and the capacity to reason with (the sultan's followers), I ask you to convey this message: surrender now, without conditions," he said in a statement.
The Filipinos, who are estimated to number between 100 and 300, sailed from their remote islands to press Jamalul Kiram III's claim to Sabah.
Kiram, 74, claims to be the heir to the Islamic sultanate of Sulu, which once controlled parts of the southern Philippines and a portion of Borneo.
In an immediate response to President Aquino's appeal, Kiram's spokesman Abraham Idjirani said the gunmen would remain in Sabah.
"We have spoken: It's honour over lives," he said, adding that the deaths of the sultan's followers have "only strengthened our resolve to defend the rights of the Filipino people over Sabah".
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose government has been embarrassed by the security breach, said doors for negotiation are closed and urged the gunmen to surrender.
"The Sulu rebels have to surrender or they will face the action of our security forces," he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper
While it is not clear how the firefight erupted, Najib said the two police officers were gunned down after walking into a trap.
"I was told some Sulu gunmen had waved the white flag but when the Malaysian forces moved in, they were fired upon instead," he said.
Muslim-majority Malaysia had previously avoided tough talk, expressing hope the intruders would leave peacefully.
But now even if they give up, they will face Malaysian prosecution, Hamza said, after he met with Malaysia's home minister and other top security officials.
Local residents were staying indoors and the usually bustling coastal town of Lahad Datu -- the area's only major town, about 150 kilometres from the standoff site -- was quiet with most shops closed on Saturday.
The Sulu sultanate's power faded about a century ago but it has continued to receive nominal payments from Malaysia for Sabah under a historical lease arrangement passed down from European colonial powers.

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Robin Padilla shows support for Sulu sultan Jamalul Kiram III

MANILA, Philippines—Action movie star Robin Padilla showed his support for embattled Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III by paying him a surprise visit at his home in Maharlika Village, Taguig City, Saturday afternoon. He gave the ailing Kiram a check for P500,000 for his medical needs.
Padilla told reporters he owed his conversion to Islam to the sultan, who introduced the Islamic faith to the actor while he was doing time in prison for illegal possession of guns.
Padilla immediately drew a crowd when he and a handful of companions arrived shortly after 2 p.m. by helicopter at the Blue Mosque, which is adjacent to the Sultan’s home.
He had an audience with Kiram for about 30 minutes discussing the plight in Sabah of the sultan’s brother and heir and 235 followers, 10 of whom were killed by Malaysian security forces Friday morning.
“Nakakalungkot kasi Muslim ang pumatay sa kapwa Muslim. Narito ako para maliwanagan (It is sad because Muslims killed fellow Muslims. I’m here to be enlightened),” the actor told reporters before he was ushered into the Kiram’s room.
“Marami akong tanong na kailangan ng sagot. Bakit pinayagan nating mapatay ang ating kapwa Pilipino (I have many questions that need answers. Why did we allow our fellow Filipinos to be killed)?” he added.
The actor sidestepped a questioned about the government’s call on Kiram’s followers to come home, saying the government should sit down with the Kirams as the sultanate of Sulu used to have relations with foreign governments at the height of its power long ago.
On whether he wants the sultanate’s crown prince, who leads the expedition now in Sabah, to come home, Padilla said given the circumstances, he would not say anything to dishearten the Royal Security Force.
“Nandito ako para mag-apela. Kapwa Pilipino na natin ang pinapatay doon. Ako nasasaktan ho bilang isang Muslim at isang Pilipino (I am here to make an appeal. Our fellow Filipinos are getting killed there. I am hurting as a Muslim and as a Filipino),” he said.
The sultan’s daughter, Jacel Kiram, told reporters later that Padilla expressed his support for the Sultan’s cause.
The actor also handed over a check for P500,000 to Kiram, saying the money was for his medical needs (the Sultan requires regular dialysis) and not for buying weapons. Kiram needs to undergo two kidney dialysis sessions every week.

By Dona Z. Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Sunday Holy Mass Feb. 24, 2013 courtesy of Paulines embed only

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How To: Jailbreak iOS 6.1.2 Untethered On The iPhone, iPod Touch Or iPad With Evasi0n 1.4

Apple released the iOS 6.1.2 firmware to fix an Exchange calendar bug and to a lot of peoples surprise, the fruit company never patched the Evasi0n iOS 6.x Untethered exploit. As such, the Evad3rs released Evasi0n 1.4 with support for Jailbreaking the iOS 6.1.2 firmwareUntethered on all iOS devices.

It is recommended that everyone update to iOS 6.1.2 so you can be running the latest firmware version and be Jailbroken before Apple releases another firmwareupdate to fix the Evasi0n iOS 6.x Untethered exploit. As once Apple releases a new firmwareversion you will not be able to strictly update to iOS 6.1.2.

In order to update to iOS 6.1.2 you will need to do an update or restore through iTunes (a restore is always recommended). You cannot update to iOS 6.1.2 over-the-air because it is restricted with all devices Jailbroken with Evasi0n, and for those non-Jailbreakers updating over-the-air to a new firmware versions is not compatible with Evasi0n. You will need to follow our preparation guide for more information.

In this tutorial you will learn how to Jailbreak your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad running iOS 6.1.2 with Evasi0n. Keep in mind that the steps are universal for all firmware versions.

iOS 6.1.2 Untethered Jailbreak With Evasi0n

Step 1: The first thing you will need to do is download Eavsi0n 1.4 for Windows, Mac OS X or Linux. This can be done by using one of the links below or through the iJailbreak Downloads Section.

Download Evasi0n 1.4 for Mac OS X

Download Evasi0n 1.4 for Windows

Download Evasi0n 1.4 for Linux

Step 2: With Evasi0n downloaded you will need to extract it. On Mac OS X you will find a .dmg file that upon being clicked you will be able to drag the files to your desktop, but one Windows you will have a .zip file that can be extracted by right clicking on it and then clicking the extract to folder option.

After the Evasi0n Jailbreaking tool has been extracted find the Evasi0n app / .exe file. On Windows you will need to right click on it and then click the Run as administrator option. On Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and above you will need to hold down the control button on your keyboard, click the Evasi0n app and then the Open option to get past Gatekeeper.

Step 3: With Evasi0n up and running you will need to plug your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad into your computer via the USB cable (upon doing this Evasi0n should recognize your device). Before you proceed any further you will also need to ensure you disable your lockscreen passcode if you have one enabled. This can be done by launching the Settings app, going into the General tab, followed by Passcode Lock and then tapping Turn Passcode off.

Step 4: With your lockscreen Passcode disabled, iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad plugged into your computer and iTunes closed you can click the Jailbreak button. The process will now begin and you should see the progress bar moving forward.

Sit back and do not touch your computer until Evasi0n tells you to unlock your device and search for a newly created icon by the name of Jailbreak.

When you see this message simply follow its instructions.

1. Unlock your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad
2. Find the newly created Jailbreak icon on your homescreen
3. Tap this icon ONCE, it will launch and quickly close itself. This is normal.

Step 5: You will then see the Evasi0n Jailbreaking tool start back up again and the progress bar should start moving. When the Jailbreak is complete you will see a “Done!” message displayed . This means the Jailbreak was successful! You will now just need to sit back until your iOS device automatically restarts, which might take a several tries.

Step 6: When your device restarts it will display a white background with an Evasi0n logo. This is again part of the Jailbreaking process and you will see messages like Setting up Cydia, Clearing SpringBoard cache etc.

Once everything is finished being configured your device will be brought to the lockscreen. In which case you can unlock your device, find the Cydia icon on your SpringBoard and be on your way!

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Jaden Ellett on www.ijailbreak.com

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