Surat, previously known as Suryapur, is a commercial city of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper is the third cleanest city in India. Surat is Gujarat's second largest city and India's 8th most populated city (in terms of Population in Municipal Corporation area of the City) with a population of 4.5 million. Surat ranks fourth in a global study of fastest developing cities conducted by The City Mayors Foundation, an international think tank on urban affairs. It is the fastest growing Indian city in terms of economic prosperity. The city registered an annualised GDP growth rate of 11.5 per cent over the seven fiscal years between 2001 and 2008, according to data compiled by the economic research firm Indicus Analytics. UK-based charity, The Ecological Sequestration Trust (TEST), has selected Surat as one of the three cities in the world, to be developed as "global cities."

The city is located 306 km south of state capital Gandhinagar, and is situated on the left bank of the Tapti River (Tapi), the centre being around 22 km (14 mi) from its mouth. A moat divides the older parts of the city, with its narrow streets and handsome houses, and the newer suburbs. The city is largely recognised for its textile and diamond businesses. It is also known as the diamond capital of the world and the textile capital/Manchester textile city of India, a distinction it took over from Ahmedabad. It is also known as the "Embroidery capital of India" with the highest number of embroidery machines than any other city. 92% of the world's diamonds are cut and polished in Surat. It has one of the highest GDP growth rates in India at 11.5% as of 2008. Surat was the primary port of India during the Mughal period, a distinction it lost to Bombay during the late 17th century as the East India Company grew.

Iwan Fals (born Virgiawan Listanto; September 3, 1961 in Jakarta) is an Indonesian singer–songwriter. In 2002, Time magazine named him as a Great Asian Hero.

Iwan was born Virgiawan Listanto in Jakarta, on September 3, 1961 to Harsoyo, a soldier, and Lies Suudijah. He studied at SMP 5 Bandung and SMAK BPK Bandung. He continued his studies at Sekolah Tinggi Publisistik and then Jakarta Arts Institute. At the age of thirteen, he performed as a street performer at wedding ceremonies and other social events.

On 1st January 1982, his first son, Galang Rambu Anarki was born. One of his best-known songs, Galang Rambu Anarki, was written for his birth and released on 1982's Opini (Opinion) album. Galang was a guitarist who became a folk musician in his own right, and he died on 25 April 1997 of a suspected morphine overdose. 'Galang Rambu Anarki' translates to "support the sign of anarchy" in English.

Three years later, his first daughter Anissa Cikal Rambu Basae was born. His third child is Rayya Rambu Robbani. He and Rosanna, his wife live in Cibubur, West Java.

Nikita Willy (born Nikita Purnama Willy; June 29, 1994) is an Indonesian actress and pop singer. Willy started her career in the entertainment world in Indonesia since the age of 7 years by starring in a soap operas titled "Bulan dan Bintang" (the Moon and the Star). The artist with Minangkabau ancestry has since become more famous, with the Dime Novel role in a soap opera with Evan Sanders.

On her lavish 17th birthday party in 2011, she was given a new Cadillac with value of Rp.3.4 billion (~$374,000 USD) as a present from her parents.Keith Martin was also invited and sang several songs with her.

She has chosen her career in showbiz over education, so she dropped out of school in 2011.

Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz as-Sudais (Arabic: عبد الرحمن السديس (ʻAbd ar-Rahman ibn ʻAbd al-Aziz as-Sudais), born Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1960) is the imam of the Grand mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and the "Islamic Personality Of the Year" 2005. He is known world wide primarily for his characteristic voice and for his emotional recitation of the Quran in accordance with Tajweed.^{[unreliable source?]} He has also called for peaceful inter-faith dialogue.

In some of his sermons, al-Sudais has vilified non-Muslims and has called for the annihilation of Jews. However the Muslim Council of Britain, responding to some of these accusations, has declared them as being a "witch-hunt" and "deliberately garbled".

Al-Sudais has called for efforts to combat terrorism, discussed ways to combat terrorism, and has preached Islam's opposition to "explosions and terrorism". He actively speaks out against what he believes to be the persecution of Palestinians by Israeli settlers and the state of Israel, and has pleaded for medical supplies and food to be sent to the people of Palestine.