Austrian bearded drag queen Conchita to release debut album

Wurst, whose name was among the top 10 Google searches of 2014, has also used her new fame to campaign for gay rights, performing in front of the European Parliament and for UN chief Ban Ki-moon. - AFP Photo/Jonathan Nackstrand

VIENNA: Austria's bearded drag queen sensation Conchita Wurst, winner of last year's Eurovision Song Contest, said Thursday that her debut album would be released on May 13.

"Conchita" the album contains 14 tracks but will not feature "Rise Like a Phoenix", the rousing James Bond-like song that won Wurst -- real name Tom Neuwirth, 26 -- Eurovision in Copenhagen last May.

Wurst, whose name was among the top 10 Google searches of 2014, has also used her new fame to campaign for gay rights, performing in front of the European Parliament and for UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

"As Conchita, I've got everything that I need to be glamourous and in the spotlight, giving interviews, doing photo shoots," she told AFP in an interview in December.

"And on the other side, there's Tom, this shy, boring boy. And I love to be shy and boring when I'm in private."

In May Austria's capital will host this year's Eurovision, and Vienna's public transport operator announced this week that during the annual extravaganza recorded announcements would be made by none other than Wurst. 

- Source: AFP RELAXNEWS

Nurul nuha: Kami tak sangka ini berlaku

Nurul Nuha Anwar 

SHAH ALAM - "Kami tak sangka keputusan dibuat secepat ini kerana petisyen pengampunan masih diputuskan!" demikian ujar Anak Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Nurul Nuha Anwar bagi mengulas penolakan permohonan Anwar untuk hadir ke persidangan Parlimen menjelang Isnin depan.

"Kami sekeluarga amat hampa dengan keputusan yang telah dibuat. Penolakan ini dibuat tanpa alasan kukuh," katanya kepada Sinar Online.

Ketua Pengarah Penjara, Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar dalam satu surat yang dihantar kepada Peguam Anwar, N Surendran tidak membenarkan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hadir ke persidangan Parlimen.

Bagaimanapun keputusan tersebut didapati bercanggah dengan Fasal 48 (4) (c) Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang menyatakan Anwar masih kekal sebagai ahli Parlimen selagi petisyen pengampunan yang dibawa oleh keluarga Anwar tidak diselesaikan oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Menjelaskan kepada Sinar Online hari ini, Nurul Nuha turut menegaskan bahawa kedudukan Anwar sebagai Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh masih dikekalkan berikutan keputusan petisyen masih belum diumumkan.

"Dewan Rakyat kata ayah kami masih lagi Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh, dia masih berhak hadir ke persidangan," katanya lagi.

- Sumber: Sinar Harian