Jumaat, 26 Ogos 2011

The Star Online: World Updates

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U.S. on high alert as Hurricane Irene closes in

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 08:09 PM PDT

WILMINGTON, N.C. (Reuters) - Hurricane Irene closed in on the U.S. Atlantic coast on Friday, triggering emergency preparations that included unprecedented evacuations and mass transit shutdowns in New York City as the menacing storm approached.

People shop for supplies to weather approaching Hurricane Irene at a Home Depot store in Freeport on Long Island, New York August 26, 2011. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

As Irene careened north, rain and tropical storm force winds and ferocious surf began pummeling the North Carolina coast. "The core of the hurricane will approach the coast of North Carolina tonight and pass near or over the North Carolina coast on Saturday," the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory on Friday evening.

Washington and states from the Carolinas through Maine declared emergencies due to Irene, a nearly 600 mile (960 km)-wide hurricane that put 55 million Americans on the eastern seaboard on alert and that experts say could cause billions of dollars in damages.

President Barack Obama said the impact of the storm, an unusually large storm, could be "extremely dangerous and costly" for a nation that still remembers destructive Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "All indications point to this being a historic hurricane," Obama said.

Hundreds of thousands of residents and vacationers were evacuating from Irene's path.

A quarter of a million New Yorkers were ordered to leave homes in low-lying areas, including the financial district surrounding Wall Street in Manhattan, as authorities prepared for dangerous storm surge and flooding on Sunday in the city and farther east on Long Island.

Some New York hospitals in flood-prone areas were already evacuating patients, and New York's mass transit system, which carries 8.5 million people on weekdays, was due to start shutting down around noon (1600 GMT) on Saturday.

"We've never done a mandatory evacuation before and we wouldn't be doing it now if we didn't think this storm had the potential to be very serious," Mayor Michael Bloomberg told a news conference.

As U.S. authorities ramped up preparations to cope with a potential major natural disaster on the densely populated East Coast, U.S. airlines canceled more nearly 7,000 flights and moved airplanes out of Irene's path.

Officials were taking every precaution with Irene because they remember all too well how Katrina swamped New Orleans, killing up to 1,800 people and causing $80 billion in damages.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the military stood ready to aid in the response to Irene, with more than 100,000 National Guard forces available if needed in eastern states.

Coastal communities stocked up on food and water and tried to secure homes, vehicles and boats. Cities, ports, hospitals, oil refineries and nuclear plants activated emergency plans.

The earliest edges of Irene began to knock down trees, caused localized flooding and had knocked out power to 7,600 residents of Wilmington, North Carolina by Friday night.

People huddling in a shelter at a local school said they feared the storm's potential impact but were reluctant to evacuate entirely.

"We were going to go to Charlotte, but we were told we might not be able to get back if there was a lot of damage," said Chastity May, 34, as she watched over her 4-year-old son.

Some were looking to capitalize on the approaching storm.

Greg Bayly, 52, and Scott Olden, 24, were selling generators out of a rented cargo truck along a busy Wilmington street that leads out to nearby beaches. Bayly said the pair could process credit cards to complete purchases, despite the rapidly deteriorating weather conditions.

U.S. federal and state leaders, from Obama downward, urged the millions of Americans in the hurricane's path to prepare and to heed evacuation orders if they received them.

WIND FIELD "HUGE"

Irene weakened early on Friday to a Category 2 hurricane from a 3 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, but it was still carrying winds of up to 100 miles per hour (155 kph).

It was expected to remain a hurricane as it sweeps up the mid-Atlantic coast over the weekend. The Miami-based hurricane center said it could dip below hurricane strength before reaching New England, but its impact would not vary much.

At 8 p.m. EDT (midnight GMT), Irene's center was 235 miles (380 km) south-southwest of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and churning north-northeast.

Irene, the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season, has already caused as much as $1.1 billion in insured losses in the Caribbean this week, catastrophe modeling company AIR Worldwide said, with more losses expected to come.

The hurricane center said hurricane force winds extended outward up to 90 miles (150 km) from Irene's center, while tropical storm force winds extended out up to 290 miles (465 km), giving the storm a vast wind field width of nearly 600 miles (960 km).

"The wind field is huge," NHC Director Bill Read told Reuters Insider.

In earlier comments, Read said Irene, which will be the first significant hurricane to affect the populous U.S. Northeast in decades, would lash the eastern seaboard with tropical storm-force winds and a "huge swath of rain" from the Carolinas to New England.

"WATCHING THAT BIG WHITE SWIRL"

Wall Street firms scrambled to raise cash into early next week in case Irene caused major disruption in trading.

Traders were "watching that big white swirl" on their television sets, said Guy LeBas, chief fixed income strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott in Philadelphia.

Northeast oil, natural gas and power facilities also made preparations.

Brent crude oil futures rose in choppy trading on Friday as the storm approached and traders weighed comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on the economy.

Benedict Willis III, director of floor operations for investment banking boutique Sunrise Securities, said the New York Stock Exchange had a responsibility to open on Monday after the storm passes because millions of investors will be relying on it for stock prices.

"But if the waters rise this high," he said, gesturing at the buzzing trading floor, "then it's a bigger problem than I can handle. My name's not Noah."

Irene will be the first hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Ike pounded Texas in 2008.

In Washington, Irene forced the postponement of Sunday's dedication ceremony for the new memorial honoring civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Tens of thousands of people, including the president, had been expected to attend.

Flooding from Irene killed at least one person in Puerto Rico and two in Dominican Republic. The storm knocked out power in the Bahamian capital, Nassau, and blocked roads with trees.

(Reporting by Tom Brown, in Miami, Daniel Trotta, Basil Katz, Richard Leong, Joan Gralla, Lynn Adler, Ben Berkowitz in New York; Jeremy Pelofsky and Vicki Allen in Washington, Laura MacInnis and Alister Bull on Martha's Vineyard, Ed Barnett in Morehead City, North Carolina; Writing by Tom Brown; Editing by Todd Eastham)

Copyright © 2011 Reuters

Eighteen killed in Algeria attack - hospital source

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 06:05 PM PDT

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Two suicide bombers hit a military barracks in Algeria on Friday, killing 18 people in one of the deadliest attacks in the North African country in recent years.

The attackers arrived by motorbike near the entrance of the barracks in Cherchell soon after iftar -- when Muslims break their daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan, a security source said.

"Of the 18 dead, there are 16 servicemen and two civilians," a hospital source said.

The town of Cherchell, home to ancient Roman ruins, lies just under 100 km (60 miles) west of the capital Algiers.

Algeria, an energy exporter in North Africa, is still emerging from nearly two decades of conflict between security forces and Islamist militant groups.

In the past few years the violence has been reduced significantly, but the militants -- who now operate as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) -- still carry out ambushes, kidnappings and occasional bombings.

One the last major attacks was in August 2008, when a bomb attack targeting a paramilitary gendarmerie training school at Issers, east of Algiers, killed 48. In June 2009, insurgents killed 18 paramilitary police officers and one civilian, according to officials, in an ambush.

Algeria has said it believes the chaos inside neighbouring Libya, and large quantities of weapons circulating there, are being exploited by AQIM, which has weapons, a safe heaven in the Sahara desert and huge sums of money earned from kidnapping.

The location of Cherchell is unusual, as attacks have usually occurred east of the capital such as in the mountainous Kabylie region, where AQIM has a stronghold.

Algeria has taken a leading role in combating AQIM, in part because the organisation is led by Algerian nationals and grew out of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, which fought a long insurgency against Algeria's security forces.

"Al Qaeda's main target is the capital Algiers but it failed to hit it, that is why it is operating around the capital," Sameur Riad, a security analyst at Algeria's El Khabar newspaper, said.

Al Qaeda's North African wing this month claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing on a police headquarters in the town of Tizi Ouzou that officials said injured 29 people.

(Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian)

Copyright © 2011 Reuters

Thousands march anew against Syria's Assad, 2 killed

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 05:03 PM PDT

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian forces killed at least two protesters on Saturday as tens of thousands of people marched again to demand the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, activists and residents said.

People protest against President Bashar al-Assad after Friday prayers in the city of Amude August 26, 2011. Syrian forces killed at least two protesters on Saturday as tens of thousands of people marched again to demand the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, activists and residents said. (REUTERS/Handout)

The two were killed overnight when government forces fired live ammunition to disperse demonstrators who streamed out of mosques in the town of Qusair and in Latakia after al-Qadr prayers, the night when Muslims believe the Prophet received the Koran.

At the United Nations, a U.S. and European push to impose Security Council sanctions on Syria over its crackdown on the protests met resistance from Russia and China, diplomats said.

Assad has sent in tanks and troops to crush months of street demonstrations calling for an end to his family's 41-year rule.

Syrian authorities have blamed armed "terrorist groups" for the bloodshed and say 500 police and army have been killed. They have expelled most independent journalists, making it difficult to verify events on the ground. The United Nations says his troops have killed at least 2,200 protesters.

Coastal Latakia has been besieged by tanks and armoured vehicles for two weeks to end protests in the sixth month of the uprising.

"Death but not humiliation," a YouTube video showed marchers shouting in the northwestern city of Idlib.

They carried the old Syrian green and white flag of the republic before the Baath Party took power in a 1963 coup, ushering in almost five decades of minority Alawite rule.

"The people want the execution of the president," was another slogan chanted during a protest in the Damascus suburb of Hajar al-Aswad, home to refugees from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Similar demonstrations were reported in other Damascus suburbs, such as of Douma and Qadam, districts inside the capital, in Homs, hometown of Assad's wife Asma, the ancient desert city of Palmyra, Hama, scene of a 1982 massacre by the military and a tank assault this month, in the southern Hauran Plain and the eastern province of Hasakeh.

On Friday residents of Deir al-Zor said security forces opened fire to disperse scores of protesters, killing two of them on the spot, 26-year-old Marii Fathi and 22-year-old Oday Bahloul.

"There was shooting in Kanama Street near Jandol cafe and a white security van took their bodies," one witness said.

Another youth, Ibrahim Mohammad al-Dukhoul, was taken to hospital with serious gunshot wounds and died later, he said.

Six other protesters were killed across the country on Friday, including the southern town of Nawa, which has seen regular protests, where residents and activists said one protester was killed after security forces shot at demonstrators coming out of a mosque.

State television said two gunmen were killed in Deir al-Zor, capital of a tribal province bordering Iraq, after they fired at a checkpoint, wounding three security officers.

"Gaddafi is gone, it is your turn Bashar!" shouted protesters in the town of Hirak northeast of Deraa, encouraged by the overthrow of the Libyan strongman by rebels this week, according to a witness who spoke by phone.

In New York, the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Portugal circulated a draft resolution calling for sanctions against Assad, members of his family and associates. They said they wanted to put the draft to a vote as soon as possible but diplomats said there are no plans for that yet.

The measures are not as severe as U.S. sanctions in place and a proposed expansion of European Union steps against Damascus that would forbid the import of Syrian oil.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin has hinted that Moscow would use its veto power to knock down the draft if it was put to a vote at the present time. Western diplomats said that Russia and China were refusing to discuss the draft.

Russia has a naval base in Syria and is one of its main arms suppliers. One proposed sanctions is an arms embargo.

The United States and EU have urged Assad to step down.

Any power shakeup in Syria would have major regional repercussions. Assad, from Syria's minority Alawite sect, still has alliances with the country's influential Sunni business class and a loyalist core in the army and security service.

The uprising has damaged Syria's economy, hitting investment and tourist numbers. Businesses have been laying off workers.

European Union diplomats said on Wednesday the bloc's governments were likely to impose an embargo on imports of Syrian oil by the end of next week, although new sanctions may be less stringent than those imposed by Washington.

"France is more determined than ever to do everything it can that Bashar al-Assad ends the repression without delay and that blood stops flowing," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said on Friday.

Since Ramadan began on Aug. 1, tanks have entered the cities of Hama, scene of a 1982 massacre by the military, Deir al-Zor and Latakia on the Mediterranean coast.

The first U.N. mission to be allowed into Syria since the crackdown began found that civilians felt under constant threat, a U.N. spokesman said on Friday.

"The mission concluded that although there's no countrywide humanitarian crisis, there is an urgent need to protect civilians from the excessive use of force," spokesman Farhan Haq said.

(Additional reporting by Suleiman al-Khalidi, Mariam Karouny, John Irish in Paris, Patrcik Worsnip at the United Nations; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Copyright © 2011 Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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Treasury Pulse

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 04:54 PM PDT

Global foreign exchange market

WITH no major economic data scheduled for release this week, investors are focused on the Federal Reserve's annual summit in Jackson Hole. At last year's summit, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke outlined the requirements for further action by the central bank, paving the way to QE2, which was announced 3 months later. The lack of meaningful growth over the past year has put the Fed back in the spotlight with the world watching closely for hints at QE3.

The US dollar has been treading water for the past few days and we expect this tight range to remain in place until Bernanke speaks on Friday. The US dollar index gained 0.02% to 74.119 levels.

The euro held up remarkably well in the face of further disappointing data from eurozone this week. Even with the release of weaker-than-expected German IFO index which fell more than expected in August to 108.7 from 112.9 in July and eurozone industrial orders dropped 0.7% month-on-month and 11.1% year-on-year in June, persistent demand kept the euro firm throughout the week. During the week the euro gained 0.2% to 1.4411. On the other hand, the British pound slipped 1.03% on stop-hunting (cross-related) and dovish comments from Bank of England (BOE)'s monetary policy committee member who said Britain faced the risk of sliding into recession and BOE's growth forecast for 2011 and 2012 may be too optimistic.

Japan's rating was cut by Moody's from Aa2 to Aa3, with a stable outlook. The impact of the sovereign downgrade together with negative rating actions on most Japanese banks was short-lived for the US dollar. However, the US dollar/yen posted its highest daily close in weeks as the yen weakened after Japanese officials unveiled a new US$100bil fund designed to curb the currency's persistent strength. This facility will use dollar funds in the forex reserves to facilitate acquisition of foreign firms by Japanese firms. The US dollar/yen pair finished the week 1.24% higher at 77.30.

The Australian dollar showed positive upside strength following its central bank's Governor Glenn Stevens' comments. Glenn Stevens mentioned the difficult time the United States was having in finding a way to avoid a major fiscal contraction. This prompted the Australian dollar to edge higher by 0.55% against the greenback to 1.0484 at the point of writing.

Asian currencies were up only very marginally against the US dollar this week. Asian currencies behaviour suggests that caution in Asian forex persists, and that if anything, the sensitivity to downside risk is quite high. The Bloomberg-JPMorgan Asia Dollar index traded almost unchanged for the week at 119.05.

The ringgit maintained losses after a Government report showed the surplus in nation's current-account balance narrowed to RM23.4bil in the second quarter from RM14.8bil in the previous corresponding quarter. The ringgit declined 0.33% during the week, trading at 2.9900-levels.

Bank of Thailand raised the benchmark interest rate by 25 bps to 3.50%, nudging it up for a seventh consecutive rate-setting session to quell rising inflationary pressures in the economy. Inflationary pressures continue to creep higher in Asian economies. Singapore CPI for July came in higher than expected at 5.4%, and is the highest since January. Separately, China's August HSBC flash manufacturing PMI edged up to 49.8 from previous 49.2.

Bernanke may leave markets wanting for more, which could see another surge in risk aversion and potentially could lead to a drop in equity markets and other risk assets and a strengthening of the US dollar on safe-haven flows. Prevalent risk aversion will maintain upside momentum for the US dollar/ringgit. As such, we expect US dollar/ringgit to trade within the range of 2.9700 to 3.0200.

US treasuries (UST) market

As of Thursday's close, UST yields retraced higher following better than expected US durable goods orders reported, paring some gains from recent rally. Benchmark UST five- and 10-year yields edged 9bps and 16 bps higher on w/w basis to close at 0.98% and 2.23% respectively. Short-dated two-year remained well anchored at 0.2% on the view; US interest rates will continue to remain low for an extended period until the first half of 2013.

Malaysian bond market

Amid a rather data light week on the local front, players were seen staying on the sideline ahead of the Raya holiday next week. Trading volume in local bonds generally thinned on speculation most investors adopted a wait-and-see approach ahead of this week's US Jackson Hole meeting. At press time, outcome from the meeting had yet to be finalised but most market players are expecting some form of stimulus to be announced by US policymakers to spur its economy, including potential reinvestments of maturing US Treasuries held to be skewed towards long-end safe havens, to help cap borrowing cost.

This week benchmark Malaysia Government Securities yields generally traded ranged-bound with levels closing a tad higher as of Thursday's close, with the 3-, 5-, 7-, 10-, 15- and 20-year benchmarks aligned 1-4 bps higher at 3.17%, 3.39%, 3.55%, 3.64%, 3.92% and 4.05% respectively. Overall, RM9.9bil worth of trades was transacted with a daily average trading volume of RM2.5bil versus last week's daily average of RM4bil.

In the private debt market, a total of RM1.9bil worth of trades was transacted with a daily average trade volume of RM471mil. The GG/AAA and AA segments contributed 32% and 57% of trades respectively with the remaining from the single-A segment.

In the GG/AAA segment, notable transactions reported include Hyundai Capital bonds maturing 2011-13 and Pengurusan Air SPV bonds maturing 2018-21 with RM202mil and RM90mil in total done respectively. Hyundai Capital 2008-12 and 2011-13 ended 1-3 bps lower to close at 3.75% and 3.91% respectively, while Pengurusan Air SPV 2006-18 shed 15 bps to close at 3.75%.

Within the AA segment, trading in banking and power sector bonds saw greater prominence. The YTL Power 2008-18 garnered strong volume, with trades worth RM210mil, closing at 4.22%. This was followed by CIMB Bank 2008-21, which closed at 4.7% with RM150mil done. Likewise, banking bonds were seen preferred within the single-A segment led by RHB Bank 2003-19 which closed unchanged at 4.79% with RM60mil done.

Ringgit interest rate swap (IRS) market

The ringgit IRS rates rebounded during the week as markets were expecting measures to be announced by Fed to counter the slow growth in US. The rise of IRS rates further aided by the recovery of global equity markets. The rates ended the week by 4~15 bps.

For enquiries, contact: fx-research@ambankgroup.com or bond-research@ambankgroup.com

Technical recovery likely

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 04:53 PM PDT

REVIEW: Bursa Malaysia started out the week on a soft platform, with the bellwether FBM Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (FBM KLCI) shedding a significant 6.65 points, or 0.45% to 1,477.33 in initial deals.

Market sentiment was undermined by the frail US markets overnight, as fears of another recession in the US, combined with concerns related to Europe's debt crisis kept investors on the edge the previous Friday.

An unspiring performance in Asian equities also fanned the downbeat note.

In the absence of fresh buying incentives on the horizon, the local bourse retreated deeper into the red during the day, touching a low of 1,467.42 in the afternoon before paring slightly to settle at 1.472.16, down 11.82 points on Monday.

After the recent beatings, overnight Dow eked out a gain of 37 points to 10.854.65 in dull trade the next day, as market players were reluctant to take big bets without any compelling leads in sight.

Though crude oil prices jumped US$1.86 a barrel to US$84.12, trading was somewhat choppy.

Like the regional trend, the local bourse treaded waters in sluggish business throughout the morning session, tracking the cautiously firmer Wall Street and commodity prices but in an unexpected move after the midday break, the momentum picked up steam, as a better-than-expected China August purchasing managers index boosted investors' confidence.

On the back of improving market sentiment, quality issues led the rebound, driving the FBM KLCI up 10.21 points to 1,482.37 on Tuesday.

Come Wednesday, the local market continued to mend in the morning session on spilled-over buying after Wall Street rallied some 322.11 points to 11,176.76 on speculation of more easing by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the struggling US economy.

But sadly, the positive momentum swiftly petered out, as news about Moody's Investors Service downgrading Japan's government debt by one notch to AA3, prompted investors to move back to the sidelines.

In a scenario where early buyers turned net sellers, Bursa succumbed to tremendous stress to reverse direction, ending down 13.22 points to 1,469.15 that day.

Thereafter, sellers dominated the floor amid worries over the global economic outlook.

Blue chips, especially the banking stocks bore the brunt of selling, dragging the key index down 4.41 points to 1.464.74 on Thursday and an extra 19.93 points to 1,444.81 yesterday.

Statistics: Week-on-week, the major index lost 39.17 points, or 2.6% to 1,444.81 yesterday, against 1,483.98 on Aug 19.

Turnover for the regular week amounted to 4.422 billion shares worth RM9.580bil, versus 5.068 billion units valued at RM8.932bil changed hands previously.

Technical indicators: The oscillator per cent K and the oscillator per cent D of the daily slow-stochastic momentum index sustained the downward spiral during the week to settle at the 6% and 14% levels respectively yesterday.

Similarly, the 14-day relative strength index deteriorated further to end at 22 points yesterday.

Meanwhile, the daily moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) histogram resumed the negative expansion against the daily trigger line to stay bearish.

Weekly indicators were not looking well, with the weekly MACD expanding negatively against the weekly signal line and the upward trend of the weekly slow-stochastic momentum index stalling.

Outlook: Bursa retreated significantly on renewed liquidation pressure the past week, as a futile attempt to penetrate the 14-day simple moving average (SMA) brought out fresh fears of an extended correction going forward.

The other contributing factor could be the long break ahead, because most investors clear position due to prevailing uncertainty and global equities experiencing great volatility. Bursa would be shut from the afternoon session on Monday and reopens on Friday, if Hari Raya falls on Tuesday.

Anyway, we have seen a couple of breakdowns and negative crossings since the market peaked out on July 11 at an all-time high of 1,597.08. Apart from that, we now are worry of a possible "death cross" of the 50-day SMA against the 100-day SMA.

Apparently, the gap between the two averages is only less than two points. If the crossing does come about, it would surely add more weights to equities. Then, the market will find it harder to come out of the rut.

Technically, indicators are sending out oversold signal, implying the local bourse is likely to stage a relief recovery in the short-term, but the upside is likely to be limited, as other measurements remain negative.

Support is pegged at the recent lows of 1,423.47, of which a clear breakdown would prompt us to alter our outlook from "neutral" to bearish.

The lower stronger support is envisaged at the 1,396-1,400 points band, followed by the 1,350 points mark.

Resistance is expected at 1,481 points, 1,500 points, 1,530 points and the next, at 1,540-1,550 points range.

Snapshots

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 04:53 PM PDT

Bingsop's Fables: Little Morals for Big Business

Author: Stanley Bing

Publisher: Harper Business

A middle-aged Mogul, whose hair had begun to turn rather sparse in inverse proportion to his girth, found himself pursuing two supermodels at the same time. One of them was obsessed with youth, which she was then on the point of losing. The other was obsessed with food, which she was not permitted to eat. The latter got her vicarious thrills by making sure the Mogul ingested all that she could not eat, while the former, terrified of going grey, removed every one she could find on him. Between them, he soon found himself fat, bald and alone. Using much illustrations, the author uses wit and insight in his white-collar fables passed down from generations since Greece was glorious and Rome was grand.

How to Click with People: The secret to better relationships in business and in life

Author: Rick Kirschner

Publisher: Hyperion

WITH some people, you just click. The connection is quick and easy. Communication flows. You can tell them anything and they just know what you mean. We think this connection is an instantaneous thing. Not so, says the author. These skills have to be learned and he relates how you can speak the same language as the other person you are taking to, whether emotional or intellectual. He also writes about our responses to others and highlights the obstacles that get in the way of how we connect with people.

Leadership is Dead: How influence is reviving it

Author: Jeremie Kubicek

Publisher: Howard Books

THE author is of the view that good leadership is all about relationships. In order to become trustworthy, one must first of all give trust. In order to be credible, one must not just be smart but be honest and show integrity. These qualities are important because in order to have opportunities, one must first of all pursue relationship ahead of monetary goals. In order to get, one has to first of all, give of oneself.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

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Doha bids to host 2020 Summer Olympics

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 06:08 PM PDT

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Doha became the fifth city to launch a bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics after it was given permission to propose an autumn time bracket.

The International Olympic Committee agreed to the Qatari city's request for a Sept. 20-Oct. 20 timeframe to avoid the height of the summer when the temperature can far exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the desert country.

Qatari Olympic Committee President Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said Friday he wanted to "personally thank" the IOC and its President Jacques Rogge for their help.

"To simply have a chance to enter the bidding process is a step closer to realizing something very special for our nation," he said.

Doha will compete with bids from Rome, Madrid, Tokyo and Istanbul. The deadline for cities to express their interest is Sept. 1 and the IOC will elect the 2020 host city on Sept. 7, 2013.

Dubai, South Africa and the United States have announced they will not enter a bid.

Qatar has already won the right to host the first football World Cup in the Middle East in 2022, even though that is due to be held in June. The country has proposed air-conditioned stadiums to beat the heat.

Doha also bid for the 2016 Olympics, but failed to make the shortlist. The games were eventually awarded to Rio de Janeiro.

"We have listened and learned from our 2016 attempt to bid for the Games," said Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Secretary General of the QOC.

"We know that it is imperative that we guarantee ideal conditions for athletes, support staff, technicians and spectators, and ensure events are scheduled appropriately for all stakeholders and that is what we will do."

The Olympics are usually held in August but they have been held later in the year before. The 1964 Games in Tokyo and the Mexico City Olympics four years later took place in October, while the 1988 Seoul Games began Sept. 17.

Kittel wins Spanish Vuelta's 7th stage

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 06:00 PM PDT

TALAVERA DE LA REINA, Spain (AP) — German rider Marcel Kittel won the seventh stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Friday, while Sylvain Chavanel maintained the leader's jersey for the fourth consecutive day.

The Skil Shimano rider edged ahead of the pack for the victory after Tyler Farrar of the United States fell in the final meters, provoking an accident in the peloton just before the finish line.

Kittel finished the 183-kilometer (114-mile) leg from Almaden to Talavera de la Reina in four hours, 47 minutes, 59 seconds.

"It's like a dream," said the 23-year-old Kittel. "We are so proud of each other. We did really good teamwork today."

Peter Sagan, of Liquigas-Cannondale, came close to claiming his second straight stage, but finished runner-up.

The day's race did not produce any major changes among the leaders of the general classification.

Quickstep rider Chavanel protected his 15-second lead over Daniel Moreno and his 16-second advantage over defending champion Vicenzo Nibali.

A group of four cyclists broke away early in the stage, establishing an advantage of almost nine minutes, before being caught with 10 kilometers to go.

"Although the stage was classified for sprinters the route was anything but easy," Chavanel said. "There was also a wind factor that antagonized the pack all day long. However we stayed in control all day."

The pile up on the final stretch included, among others, Nibali and fellow contender Joaquin Rodriguez, who stayed within 23 seconds of the lead.

"All of us who want to be at the top of the classification were very nervous (in the accident)," said Rodriguez, adding that he had hurt his right hand when braking.

Saturday's eighth stage is a 177.3-kilometer (110-mile) mountain course from Talavera de la Reina to San Lorenzo de El Escorial in central Spain.

Garrido snatches lead at Gleneagles

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 05:57 PM PDT

GLENEAGLES, Scotland (AP) — Ignacio Garrido broke away from a pack of frontrunners with a late birdie to take the outright lead after the second round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at a wet and chilly Gleneagles on Friday.

The 39-year-old Spaniard rolled in his fifth birdie of the day at the par-3 No. 17 to post a 3-under 69, with his 8-under total leaving him a shot clear of a group of five players that included rejuvenated Dane Thomas Bjorn (69).

A member of Europe's 1997 Ryder Cup team, the 197th-ranked Garrido's finest hour on a personal level came in 2003 when he won the PGA Championship at Wentworth — his second tour title.

The fact that he has had a modest season to date, save for a fifth place at the Irish Open, is probably the reason he is not getting carried away with his revival in fortunes on the PGA Centenary course that will host the Ryder Cup in 2014.

"It's very easy to do that in this game and one of the things you learn is to just stay in the present. It's been one of the key things these two days, that I've managed to hit one shot at a time and not look too far ahead," he said.

"It's not an easy course and it doesn't give you many birdies. But my game's been solid."

Overnight leader Mark Foster (71) was among the players level with Bjorn on 7 under, with Ireland's Peter Lawrie (69), Italy's Lorenzo Gagli (68) and England's Kenneth Ferrie (69) also just off the pace.

Defending champion Edoardo Molinari of Italy just made the cut, which was set at level par, after a second-round 70 but his 2010 Ryder Cup teammate Ross Fisher (1 over) and Jose Maria Olazabal (4 over) — Europe's captain at the Ryder Cup in Medinah next year — were the big names to miss out.

A total of 51 players were forced to finish their first rounds early Friday after thick fog had wiped out 160 minutes of play on the opening day, although Garrido was safely in the clubhouse tied for second after a 67.

Opening his second round with a bogey on par-4 No. 1, he birdied three of the next six holes and picked up his other shot at No. 11.

Bjorn rediscovered his British Open form after an unhappy stint in the United States to shoot a second straight round in the 60s.

After rolling back the years to finish fourth at Royal St. George's six weeks ago, the 70th-ranked Bjorn struggled in the U.S. by tying a lowly 68th at the Bridgestone Invitational and then missing the cut at the U.S. PGA Championship.

Returning to European soil, he is back in his element, impressing in the rain and cold in central Scotland as he bids for a second victory of 2011 following his win at the Qatar Masters in February.

"I played extremely well that week at the Open and got a lot of confidence. But I found myself in a position I always do where I then go to America and all of a sudden have to hit the ball straight up in the air. I found it impossible," said Bjorn, an 11-time winner on the European Tour.

"My confidence took a knock in America and I didn't feel comfortable at all with my golf. I went home and worked for a few days, came here and found a few things I need to do to control the ball again. I'm playing decent golf."

Bjorn dropped just one shot on Friday, on No. 15 (his sixth hole of the day), but three birdies around the turn propelled him up the leaderboard. He then picked up a fourth shot at the long par-4 No. 7.

Ferrie mirrored Bjorn's scoring to move into contention for a first win since 2005, with his recent switch to a belly putter paying dividends, while Gagli — a graduate from the second-tier Challenge Tour — shot 68 to continue a strong recent run that saw him finish third in the Scottish Open, eighth in the Irish Open and fifth in the Czech Open last week.

Colin Montgomerie shot a 73 for 1 under, keeping the tournament chairman and 2010 Ryder Cup captain in his home event for the weekend. But Olazabal, Montgomerie's successor, picked up a two-shot penalty on No. 2 for hitting the wrong ball, making a double-bogey 7 in a second straight 74 that means he'll miss the cut.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies


Movie coming soon

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 06:55 AM PDT

Crazy, Stupid Love – Cal seems to have the perfect life ... until his wife Emily decides to call it quits and asks for a divorce. When he realises that it would be very difficult to change Emily's decision, he seeks the help of his friend Jacob, to teach him how to be single again. Starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore and Emma Stone.

Jason Momoa eyes breakout role in 'Conan'

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 03:08 AM PDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters): Jason Momoa may not be a household name from Hollywood yet, but neither was Arnold Schwarzenegger when he took on the title role of Conan The Barbarian in 1982.

Nearly 30 years later, Momoa could see a similar starmaking trajectory if moviegoers embrace him as the new, 3D incarnation of Conan the Barbarian, in cinemas now. If there's one person who hopes they will, it is Momoa.

``Conan (is) going to give me star status,'' he told Reuters of his hopes for a movie that breaks him out of the pack of Hollywood actors. ``It's going to put me in leading man roles.''

Based on pulp fiction writer Robert E. Howard's sword and sorcery fantasy stories, the Conan reboot begins with the barbarian's early years when, as a young boy, he witnesses the destruction of his village and the death of his father.

As an adult, Conan embarks on a personal mission to avenge the death, which then turns into an epic battle to save an entire nation from a supernatural evil.

Unlike Schwarzenegger who, at 35, was a body building champ but a relative newcomer to Hollywood movies when he took the Conan role, the 32 year-old Momoa has 12 years of work under his belt. But only his hardcore fans, including followers of HBO series Games Of Thrones, likely know he's got the acting skills, not to mention the muscles, to wield Conan's weapons.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Momoa was raised by his single mother in Iowa, where he never felt like he fit in with his exotic looks inherited largely from his native Hawaiian father. After high school, in an attempt to ``get to know my father better'' Momoa went back to Hawaii where his looks became an asset. Modeling gigs followed, then came an opportunity he could never have predicted -- a gig on Baywatch.

``I was 19 and folding t-shirts in a surf shop,'' Momoa told Reuters. ``And I got chosen out of 1,300 people to play a lead role on Baywatch Hawaii. I didn't even know how to act.''

That led to another Hawaii-based show, North Shore, which only lasted a year and after that, a dry spell.

``It took me five years to get an agent after Baywatch,'' said Momoa. ``No one would take me seriously because it was Baywatch. I lived in the shadow of that for a long time.'''

Eventually he landed the role of the dreadlock-wearing warrior Ronon Dex in the SyFy Channel TV series Stargate: Atlantis, where he was quickly embraced by sci-fi fans. The show lasted on TV for five seasons.

His career took another fortuitous turn when he was cast as the powerful warlock Khal Drogo on HBO's Game Of Thrones, based on the popular A Song Of Ice And Fire fantasy novels. After premiering earlier this year, Thrones became an instant hit with fans and critics, earning 13 Emmy nominations.

``It was the first project in my life where I was like, 'I have to have this, no one is gonna take this from me,''' said Momoa. ``It was the first thing I've ever fought for.''

Momoa's 6'3'' frame and muscular body make him a strong choice for roles as tough guys who battle evil, and his exotic looks give him an eerie resemblance to Howard's original drawings of Conan.

But the actor, who is married and has two young children with actress Lisa Bonet, said it was being a father that made him connect with the Conan character.

``Conan's father is killed in front of him and as a father, if someone messes with your family, your children, you're gonna get primal on them,'' said the actor. ``You're gonna go feral. It resides in everyone,'' Momoa said.

Clearly, going primal is one thing Momoa can do. His face bears a striking scar from a 2008 bar fight where, he said, ``I took a pint glass to the face. It took a 140 stitches to put my face back together.''

But those days are gone, he said, and the actor is focused on his future. Besides Thrones, Momoa is currently shooting a villainous role opposite Sylvester Stallone in next year's crime thriller, Bullet To The Head. He also has a couple of projects in the works with Bonet.

Though his career is moving at a faster pace now, Momoa paused to reflect about first seeing himself on the big screen in Conan, complete with the physical transformation which included an additional 25 lbs. of muscle.

``There's moments you look at yourself,'' he said. ``And wow, it's kinda cool.''

Free Contagion Tickets

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 02:05 AM PDT

Contagion follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days. As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. As the virus spreads around the world, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart.

Contagion stars Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Contagion opens in cinemas here on 8 September 2011.

eCentral.my and Warner Bros. Pictures would like to invite you to a special screening of Contagion. For a pair of tickets, please print this page and bring it to our redemption counter. We have 65 pairs of tickets to give away on a first come, first served basis.  

Redemption Details

Date: 5 September 2011 (Monday)

Time: 11am to 1pm

Venue: Lobby of Menara Star, Star Publications,

      15 Jln 16/11, Section 16, 46350 Petaling Jaya

Screening Details

Date: 6 September 2011 (Tuesday)

Time: 9pm

Venue: GSC Mid Valley


Rules & Regulations

1. This redemption is open to all eCentral fans.

2. Print out the contest page and redeem it at the venue given in this article.

3. Each page entitles you to two movie tickets only. Each person is allowed to redeem only once.

4. Tickets are given out on a first come, first served basis.

5. Queue-jumping and reserving places in line during the redemption are strictly prohibited. The organizers reserve the right to refuse tickets to anyone found doing so.

6. Tickets are not exchangeable for cash.

7. Movie ratings will strictly apply for this movie. Please refer to your ticket or your daily newspaper for ratings. The organizers reserve the right to refuse entry to the cinema hall to those not within the permitted age limit. No exceptions will be made at any time for any reason.

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The Star Online: Nation

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RM8bil worth of projects in Sg Buloh-Kajang MRT for bumi firms

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 05:46 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Over RM8bil worth of projects will be awarded to Bumiputra companies in the Sungai Buloh-Kajang mass rapid transit (MRT) line project, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said several packages in the RM20bil project have been specially allocated to Bumiputra contractors.

The packages are civil and infrastructure works; TNB power supply; centralised procurement; tunnel and underground works and MRT systems.

Meanwhile, the Bumiputera Agenda Coordinating Unit (Teraju) in the Prime Minister's Department said procurement strategies for the MRT project have been approved by the one-stop procurement committee headed by Najib.

Teraju said packages worth RM200mil have been set aside for contractors in Class D, E and F to undertake civil and infrastructure works. BERNAMA

Traffic along N-S Expressway congested but moving

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 04:48 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Traffic at several stretches along the North-South Expressway (Plus) has been slow since 5pm Friday, particularly traffic heading North, between the Menora Tunnel and Sungai Perak in Perak.

A Plusline spokesman told Bernama, traffic was also building up from Tapah to Gopeng, Perak and from Juru to the Juru Toll Plaza, Penang.

In the city, traffic was slow from Subang heading towards Damansara, Sungai Buloh to Jalan Duta and after the Sungai Besi Toll towards the city.

For up to date information motorists can call the 24-hour Plusline at 1800-88-0000, he said.

Meanwhile, a Malaysian Highway Authority spokesman informed Bernama that there was an accident involving a lorry at KM13.7 Saujana Putra of the Elite highway.

"Traffic congestion stretched to about 5km," he said.

At Bukit Aman, a spokeswoman said there was an accident on the Plus Expressway at KM186 Ayer Keroh to Pagoh (heading South) about 5.50pm, which caused a slowdown.

Vehicles heading to Seremban from the city were also involved in a bumper-to-bumper crawl, she said.

The traffic congestion was believed to be due city folks leaving for their hometowns to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which is expected to fall on Tuesday.

Sodomy II: Trial postponed to Sept 19-23

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 04:12 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: The sodomy trial of Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been postponed, and will be held from Sept 19 to 23.

Earlier Friday, DNA expert Dr Brian Leslie McDonald told the High Court that the process used by a chemist did not ensure that the sperm extracted from the rectum of complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan was pure and not mixed with other cells.

During examination in chief by counsel Ram Karpal Singh, Dr Mcdonald told the court, in his opinion, the differential extraction process (DEP) carried out by Dr Seah Lay Hong, who was the prosecution witness, was speculative.

He added that the sperm examined by Dr Seah did not comprise purely sperm heads and there was the existence of other cells there.

McDonald, the fourth defence witness, had testified Thursday that Dr Seah's testing procedure did not follow international standards.

Anwar, 63, is charged with sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful, 26, at Desa Damansara Condominium in Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

More in The Star on Saturday

Related Stories:
Handling of specimen was flawed, DNA expert tells court
Sample won't last long' Witness: Extremely rare to get positive result from sperm after 36 hours

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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Sizzling noir by Jo Nesbo

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 12:45 AM PDT

Anyone looking for serious, and seriously compelling, crime writing need look no further.


The Redbreast (521 pages)
Nemesis (474 pages)
The Devil's Star (502 pages)
Author: Jo Nesbo
Publisher: Harper

IT would seem that there is something of a crime wave sweeping Scandinavia. Henning Mankel, Stieg Larsson, Lars Kepler ... these are not, as you might imagine, serial killers but crime writers whose work has topped bestseller lists across the world.

In the case of Kepler, there was even the additional excitement of a plot about a thriller as journalists sought the actual identity of the secretive author of The Hypnotist. Shortly after it was sold for a huge advance, a journalist and cameraman finally arrived at "Kepler's" house in the dead of night and forced Alexandra and Alexander Ahndoril, critically acclaimed Stockholm based writers, to admit that Lars Kepler was a pseudonym for their combined identity. They admitted it. It turned out that they too had abandoned academia for crime.

Whatever the cause of this wave of crime fiction, Jo Nesbo is another of its finest exponents. The Redbreast, Nemesis and The Devil's Star may not be a trilogy in the sense that The Lord Of The Rings is a trilogy – not least because I suspect there is more to come – but together they make up close to 1,500 pages of gripping crime fiction. That is a long time to spend in the company of Harry Hole, Nesbo's detective protagonist, but it is time well spent if you have a taste for Scandinavian noir.

I am going to come clean here and say that it is very difficult to review these three books together without giving away the plot of the earlier titles. While each of the three will stand on its own, there are characters, incidents and crimes that are common to all three or to two of the three, and there are parts of The Devil's Star that it is impossible to write about here without spoiling The Redbreast and Nemesis for potential readers. So I shall do what I can without giving anything, or at least too much, away in the hope that you will read all three in the order in which they are intended to be read.

Almost all crime fiction depends on the character of its central investigator. Harry Hole is in a mould lovers of crime fiction will readily identify. A loner, a breaker of rules, a man with a tangled love life and a problem with alcohol, Hole has many of the characteristics associated with the protagonists of the genre, including considerable powers of intuition.

His colleagues and opponents also have a familiar ring – an indulgent superior, a despised bent cop, a lone colleague who can be trusted and the usual gang of thugs, serial killers and hard men who make up the opposition. So what then makes Jo Nesbo different?

Firstly, there is a ferocious intelligence at work in these books. The dividing line between crime fiction and literary fiction has become ever more blurred over the years and Nesbo does an excellent job of smudging it to the point of obliterating the divide. By comparison, much crime fiction, even very competent crime fiction, looks one dimensional.

Nesbo's casts are big and his plots spread their tentacles through entire cities and, on a number of occasions, across countries. This does not always make for easy reading – "too many characters and too much going on" is not an uncommon response to the first 100 pages. But as the books develop and the plots thicken and the unravelling gets more tortuous, all three of these books exert their grip and that initial confusion is replaced by admiration for the skill and craftsmanship Nesbo shows in managing events.

Secondly, Harry is a great character. He may have characteristics that tie him to other protagonists in the genre (Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch certainly comes to mind) but he has more substance than most. Nesbo takes time to explore and describe not only his investigative talents but the flat in which he lives, his contributions to meetings, his rivalries, his dreams, his memories, his fears and the state of his soul. In short, he is a fully rounded character with whose plight you sympathise and whose frustrations you share.

Never a team player and too often "doing his own thing and letting everyone around him pay the price", he may catch you off guard on occasions, and you may not always like what you see, but you will be involved with Harry Hole, like him or not.

There are other pleasures in these books too. Beate Lonn is a terrific creation, a video recording specialist whose fusiform gyrus (an area of the brain that is the key structure in face perception) is so large that she can identify and remember a face once seen even over a period of many years. Effectively, she becomes Harry's partner, along with an old colleague, the eccentric psychologist Stale Aune with his elegant tweed jacket and bow tie with red dots, "one of the country's finest in his field and an expert to whom the police had had frequent recourse".

And running through all three books is the hideous Tom Waaler, a fellow member of the force but one with whom Harry is in constant conflict even when he has to work alongside him. Is Waaler behind the drug running and arms smuggling that threatens to overrun the city, and behind the death of Harry's much loved old colleague Ellen Gjelten? And even if he is, is there any way it will ever be proved?

Through plot, counter plot and a whole string of nail-biting scenes, Nesbo is sure-footed over the course of these three books. But be warned: this is an author who loves to mislead his reader and seems to specialise in what in Agatha Christie's time were called "red herrings". All is rarely what it seems. But what does seem certain is that international crime fiction has a new star – his name is Jo Nesbo and he is setting new standards in Scandinavian noir.

Too much info

Posted: 26 Aug 2011 12:42 AM PDT

The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood
Author: James Gleick
Publisher: Fourth Estate, 526 pages

WHAT an iPad of a book, I thought, as I ran my hands over the cover that was tastefully done in white, black and red. And just like a real iPad, you will either get sick of it after a short while or be lost in it for hours, maybe days.

The Information is James Gleick's attempt to enlighten the masses about the subject of "information": its history, theories, and how technology that bloomed in the last 50 years has redefined our relationship with information.

Gleick kicks things off with the story of early forms of texting, which includes fire signals and African talking drums. While highlighting the latter we are introduced to Kele, a Bantu language spoken in parts of Zaire and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Inflections in speech can give the same Kele word or phrase different meanings, resulting in comical and potentially tragic consequences. For instance, one can end up saying "he boiled his mother-in-law" instead of "he watched the riverbank". Several revelations arise from this: language is complex; such complexities can form a basis for some kind of encryption; and it seems that mothers-in-law are hated everywhere.

The book explores other aspects of information, such as communication (telegraph and telecommunications), processing (19th century English mathematician and mechanical engineer Charles Babbage's difference engine, transistors and logic circuits), encryption (WWII's famed Enigma machine), and finally, "the flood" (social networks and Wikipedia).

The book gets harder to read as one goes along, however. Some parts are like a textbook or encyclopaedia, with diagrams, math equations, foreign words and special symbols. All that, plus the dry tone and inaccessible language clutter up and bog down what would have been an interesting book that might explain and contextualise, among other things, phenomena such as Fox "News", LOLcats, and Charlie Sheen. Digging up such gems, however, is like going through a mile of Google search results. One wonders if this is actually the sequel to Gleick's previous book, Chaos.

Those with the determination, patience and stamina to wade through the entire book will likely be rewarded with a clearer understanding of what we read, why we seek it, why we read some things more than others, and why we have that urge to "spread the word".

Some points to ponder: Our hunger for information can lead to an information hangover and apathy, so how do we sate the hunger while avoiding the side-effects? If DNA code is "information", does that make us "living machines", and gene-based treatments a form of programming?

For me, "information" connotes something that's shiny, intriguing and that invites exploration, but the task of unravelling the complex relationships between us and the information we produce and consume is much, much harder.

Though I feel Gleick has done his utmost to do this, I also fear he has been too successful. The Information may help us understand the origins of information and our ties to it, but it may also end up a victim of its author's apparent success – a book that's too smart for the casual reader, afflicted by some of the problems it highlights and tries to explain.

Loosen the bind

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 11:46 PM PDT

Secrets Of Power Problem Solving
Author: Roger Dawson
Publisher: Advantage Quest, 217 pages

PROBLEMS happen every day, but how many of us have a formula we follow when attempting to solve them? The author says that even successful people rarely employ a specific technique when it comes to problem-solving.

More often than not, the idea seems to be to deal with a problem only when it rears its ugly head.

This book takes the reader through the different categories of problems, how to identify them, and the techniques and strategies for solving almost everything the world throws at you.

How To Communicate With Anyone
Author: David Hirst
Publisher: Advantage Quest, 292 pages

HOW many times have you had to repeat yourself today? Isn't it frustrating when nobody understands what you are trying to say? Verbal cues are not enough; body language can make or break the communication.

This book examines the latest approaches to communication from both a conscious and subconscious perspective. Exercises are also included so you can flex your communication skills in the real world.

Is He Lying To You?
Author: Dan Crum
Publisher: Advantage Quest, 213 pages

DRAWING on his skills and experience as a polygraph examiner and special investigator for the CIA, the author has developed tactics and strategies for detecting deception.

Aimed specifically at women, this book discusses useful tidbits like how to trap a liar, the two biggest signs of deception, a man's verbal and non-verbal clues that give him away when he's being deceptive and the reasons why it is so easy to miss deception.

The book includes more than 100 examples of how to identify when someone is lying to you.

50 Simple Ways To Live A Longer Life
Author: Suzanne Bohan & Glenn Thompson
Publisher: Advantage Quest, 287 pages

THIS book claims that you can make yourself healthier and happier by spending just five minutes a day on the techniques it highlights. The authors have sorted through well-known health do's and don'ts and combined scientific facts with practical advice.

They have narrowed it down to 50 techniques they think will help increase your life span as well as practices and habits – like eating more fish, spending more time outdoors, meditating and maintaining a positive outlook – that could possibly help to decrease the risk factors of heart disease, diabetes and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

How To Think Like Einstein
Author: Scott Thorpe
Publisher: Advantage Quest, 232 pages

THERE is potential in every person you meet on the street. The trick is to discover how to tap into it. In this step-by-step guide to discovering your hidden genius, the author goes through topics like why it is important to think out of the box, act like a millionaire, pretend to be James Bond, break rules and adopt a flexible definition of victory.

Unnatural Selection
Author: Mara Hvistendahl
Publisher: Public Affairs, 314 pages

THERE is a city in China that has 163 boys for every 100 girls. Similar figures are popping up in other parts of Asia. The author argues that we are already seeing the effects now: sex trafficking and bride-buying are some of the examples.

Infant girls are being killed upon birth, but perhaps more relevant to this issue in the modern world is the availability of ultrasound and abortion. The author warns of a world of surplus Asian men.

What consequences will this gender imbalance cause in the future?

A Stolen Life
Author: Jaycee Dugard
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 273 pages

KIDNAPPED when she was 11 years old, Jaycee Dugard was kept prisoner in a backyard shed for 18 years and sexually abused. She was forced to become a sister, and then a mother. She wasn't even allowed to say her own name.

The chapters alternate between a first-person account of her time in captivity and "reflections" sections that serve as commentaries.

The World's 200 Hardest Brain Teasers
Author: Gary R. Gruber
Publisher: Advantage Quest, 188 pages

IT'S all about keeping the gears running and sharpening your brain – and having fun in the process too, of course. This book is a collection of mind-boggling puzzles, riddles, maths problems and curious questions.

Answers are included alongside explanations and detailed strategies to answering the questions using what the author calls the Gruber Method.

It even comes with a warning: the brain teasers in this book may get you so wrapped up in critical thinking that you may not be able to do your regular work until you solve them!

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