Ahad, 18 November 2012

The Star Online: World Updates

0 ulasan
Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info
Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: World Updates


Soyuz with crew of three lands in Kazakhstan

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 08:09 PM PST

ALMATY (Reuters) - A Russian Soyuz capsule landed on the Kazakh steppe on Monday, safely delivering a trio of astronauts from a four-month stint aboard the International Space Station.

The Soyuz TMA-05M capsule, carrying Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Sunita Williams, parachuted through dark, cloudy skies and touched down at 7:56 a.m. local time (0156 GMT).

The Soyuz TMA-05M spacecraft is seen shortly after it landed with the International Space Station (ISS) crew of Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Sunita Williams near the town of Arkalyk in northern Kazakhstan November 19, 2012. REUTERS/Maxim Shipenkov/Pool

The Soyuz TMA-05M spacecraft is seen shortly after it landed with the International Space Station (ISS) crew of Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Sunita Williams near the town of Arkalyk in northern Kazakhstan November 19, 2012. REUTERS/Maxim Shipenkov/Pool

A round of applause greeted the landing at Russian mission control near Moscow, footage from NASA TV showed. A screen inside the building showed the message: "We have landing!"

The capsule blazed a red plasma trail across the dark sky after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. It landed on its side on the snow-covered steppe 52 miles (83 km) northeast of the town of Arkalyk in northern Kazakhstan.

The astronauts were extracted quickly from the capsule and wrapped in blue thermal blankets. All three smiled and appeared relaxed as they chatted with the search-and-recovery team, NASA TV footage showed.

"Fresh air - very good!" Williams said, in Russian. The landing, after a three-and-a-half-hour descent from the orbital outpost, was the first pre-dawn touchdown since 2006.

The Expedition 33 crew had spent 125 days aboard the International Space Station, a $100 billion research complex involving 15 countries and orbiting 250 miles (410 km) above Earth.

The crew conducted a number of experiments, including tests on radiation levels at the space station and research into the effects of melting glaciers and seasonal changes on Earth's ecosystems, NASA said in a statement.

They also managed several visits to the space station by international and commercial spacecraft and conducted several space walks to maintain the station.

A three-man crew remains aboard the space station. When NASA's Kevin Ford and rookie cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Yevgeny Tarelkin - both on their first space mission - docked on October 25, they brought with them Japanese fish for a variety of experiments.

They are scheduled to be joined by another trio - Canadian Chris Hadfield, U.S. astronaut Tom Marshburn and cosmonaut Roman Romanenko - who are due to blast off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on December 19.

Monday's smooth landing will help to ease concerns over Russia's space programme following a string of recent mishaps.

The Soviet Union put the first satellite and the first man in space, but Moscow's space programme has suffered a series of humiliating setbacks in recent months that industry veterans blame on a decade of crimped budgets and a brain drain.

While none of the mishaps have threatened crews, they have raised worries over Russia's reliability, cost billions of dollars in satellite losses and dashed Moscow's dreams of ending its more than two-decade absence from deep-space exploration.

Since the retirement of the U.S. space shuttles last year, the United States is dependent on Russia to fly astronauts at a cost to the nation of $60 million per person.

(Reporting by Robin Paxton; editing by Philip Barbara and Christopher Wilson)

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Praise and pressure as Obama begins historic Myanmar visit

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 07:41 PM PST

YANGON (Reuters) - Barack Obama has become the first serving U.S. president to visit Myanmar, arriving on Monday for a trip that will attempt to strike a balance between praising the government's progress in shaking off military rule and pressing it for further reforms.

Cars pass along a road to Yangon Air Port where U.S and Myanmar flags are posted in Yangon November 18, 2012. U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that his upcoming trip to Myanmar was not an endorsement of the government, but rather an acknowledgement of the progress it has made in moving towards democracy after decades of military rule. REUTERS/Minzayar

Cars pass along a road to Yangon Air Port where U.S and Myanmar flags are posted in Yangon November 18, 2012. U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that his upcoming trip to Myanmar was not an endorsement of the government, but rather an acknowledgement of the progress it has made in moving towards democracy after decades of military rule. REUTERS/Minzayar

His plane landed in the former capital Yangon, where he will meet President Thein Sein, a former junta member who has spearheaded reforms since taking office in March 2011, and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the struggle against military rule and, like Obama, is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is now a lawmaker.

Obama's trek to Myanmar is meant to highlight what the White House has touted as a major foreign policy achievement -- its success in pushing the country's generals to enact changes that have unfolded with surprising speed over the past year.

But some international human rights group object to the Myanmar visit, saying Obama is rewarding the country's government for a job they regard as incomplete.

Speaking in Thailand on the eve of his landmark visit to the former pariah state, Obama denied he was going there to offer his "endorsement" or that his trip was premature.

Instead, he insisted his intention was to acknowledge that Myanmar, also known as Burma, had opened the door to democratic change but there was still much more to do.

"I don't think anybody is under the illusion that Burma's arrived, that they're where they need to be," Obama told a news conference as he began a three-country Asian tour, his first trip abroad since winning a second term.

"On the other hand, if we waited to engage until they had achieved a perfect democracy, my suspicion is we'd be waiting an awful long time," he said.

The Myanmar visit, less than two weeks after his re-election, is the centrepiece of a trip aimed at showing Obama is serious about shifting the U.S. strategic focus eastwards as America winds down wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The so-called "Asia pivot" is also meant to counter China's rising influence.

But Obama arrives with his attention divided as he faces a mounting conflict in the Gaza Strip and grapples with a looming fiscal crisis at home.

"Obama's trip to Burma risks providing an undeserved seal of approval to the military-dominated government that is still violating human rights," Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said before the president arrived in the region.

Obama's aides said he was determined to "lock in" democratic changes already under way but will also press for further action, including freeing remaining political prisoners and stronger efforts to curb ethnic and sectarian violence.

A senior U.S. official said Obama would announce the resumption of U.S. aid programmes in Myanmar during his visit, anticipating assistance of $170 million in fiscal 2012 and 2013, but this, too, would be dependent on further reforms.

"The president will be announcing that the United States is re-establishing a USAID mission in Burma, which has been suspended for many years," the official told reporters in Bangkok, declining to be named.

"Our continued ramping-up of our efforts within Burma is contingent upon the government continuing to address the issues at hand on political reform, on national reconciliation and on a development that reaches their people," the official added.

The United States has softened sanctions and removed a ban on most imports from Myanmar in response to reforms already undertaken, but it has set conditions for the full normalisation of relations, such as the release of all political detainees.

PRISONER RELEASE

Late on Sunday, state television in Myanmar said 66 more prisoners would be released on Monday, bringing to 518 the number released over the past week.

The previous batch did not appear to include any political prisoners, but a senior prison department official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters that Myint Aye, a prominent human rights activist, would be among those freed on Monday.

In a speech to be given at Yangon University to an audience that will include several high-profile former prisoners, Obama will stress the rule of law and allude to the need to amend a constitution that still gives a great role in politics to the military, including a quarter of the seats in parliament.

"America may have the strongest military in the world, but it must submit to civilian control. As president and commander-in-chief, I cannot just impose my will on our congress, even though sometimes I wish I could," he will say.

"I appoint some of our judges, but I cannot tell them how to rule, because every person in America, from a child living in poverty to the president, is equal under the law."

He looks forward to a future "where national security is strengthened by a military that serves under civilians, and a Constitution guarantees that only those who are elected by the people may govern".

Violence between majority Buddhists and the Rohingya Muslim minority in western Myanmar is a top concern, and Obama's aides said he would address the issue directly with Myanmar's leaders.

Myanmar considers the Rohingya Muslims to be illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh and does not recognise them as citizens. A Reuters investigation into the wave of sectarian assaults painted a picture of organised attacks against the Muslim community.

At least 167 people were killed in two periods of violence in Rakhine state in June and October this year.

Obama did not refer to this in the copy of his speech released to media ahead of delivery, but he will recall the sometimes violent history of the United States, its civil war and segregation, and say hatred could recede with time.

"I stand before you today as president of the most powerful nation on Earth, with a heritage that would have once denied me the right to vote. So I believe deeply that this country can transcend its differences, and that every human being within these borders is a part of your nation's story," he will say.

Thein Sein, in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week, promised to tackle the root causes of the problem, the United Nations said.

Despite human rights concerns, the White House sees Myanmar as a legacy-building success story of Obama's policy of seeking engagement with U.S. enemies, a strategy that has made little progress with countries such as Iran and North Korea.

Obama's visit to Myanmar, sandwiched between stops in Thailand and Cambodia, also fits the administration's strategy of trying to lure China's neighbours out of Beijing's orbit.

For Obama, the visit carries added significance. He received his Nobel Peace Prize less than a year after taking office in 2009. The award was widely seen as recognising him more for lofty speech-making than for any major accomplishment on the world stage. This is a chance to tout a foreign policy success.

(Reporting By Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Alan Raybould and Alex Richardson)


Related Stories:
Obama arrives in Myanmar, first visit by a U.S. president

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Praise and pressure as Obama begins historic Myanmar visit

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 07:34 PM PST

YANGON (Reuters) - Barack Obama has become the first serving U.S. president to visit Myanmar, arriving on Monday for trip that will attempt to strike a balance between praising the government's progress in shaking off military rule and pressing it for further reforms.

Cars pass along a road to Yangon Air Port where U.S and Myanmar flags are posted in Yangon November 18, 2012. U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that his upcoming trip to Myanmar was not an endorsement of the government, but rather an acknowledgement of the progress it has made in moving towards democracy after decades of military rule. REUTERS/Minzayar

Cars pass along a road to Yangon Air Port where U.S and Myanmar flags are posted in Yangon November 18, 2012. U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that his upcoming trip to Myanmar was not an endorsement of the government, but rather an acknowledgement of the progress it has made in moving towards democracy after decades of military rule. REUTERS/Minzayar

His plane landed in the former capital Yangon, where he will meet President Thein Sein, a former junta member who has spearheaded reforms since taking office in March 2011, and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the struggle against military rule and, like Obama, is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is now a lawmaker.

Obama's trek to Myanmar is meant to highlight what the White House has touted as a major foreign policy achievement -- its success in pushing the country's generals to enact changes that have unfolded with surprising speed over the past year.

But some international human rights group object to the Myanmar visit, saying Obama is rewarding the country's government for a job they regard as incomplete.

Speaking in Thailand on the eve of his landmark visit to the former pariah state, Obama denied he was going there to offer his "endorsement" or that his trip was premature.

Instead, he insisted his intention was to acknowledge that Myanmar, also known as Burma, had opened the door to democratic change but there was still much more to do.

"I don't think anybody is under the illusion that Burma's arrived, that they're where they need to be," Obama told a news conference as he began a three-country Asian tour, his first trip abroad since winning a second term.

"On the other hand, if we waited to engage until they had achieved a perfect democracy, my suspicion is we'd be waiting an awful long time," he said.

The Myanmar visit, less than two weeks after his re-election, is the centrepiece of a trip aimed at showing Obama is serious about shifting the U.S. strategic focus eastwards as America winds down wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The so-called "Asia pivot" is also meant to counter China's rising influence.

But Obama arrives with his attention divided as he faces a mounting conflict in the Gaza Strip and grapples with a looming fiscal crisis at home.

"Obama's trip to Burma risks providing an undeserved seal of approval to the military-dominated government that is still violating human rights," Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said before the president arrived in the region.

Obama's aides said he was determined to "lock in" democratic changes already under way but will also press for further action, including freeing remaining political prisoners and stronger efforts to curb ethnic and sectarian violence.

A senior U.S. official said Obama would announce the resumption of U.S. aid programmes in Myanmar during his visit, anticipating assistance of $170 million in fiscal 2012 and 2013, but this, too, would be dependent on further reforms.

"The president will be announcing that the United States is re-establishing a USAID mission in Burma, which has been suspended for many years," the official told reporters in Bangkok, declining to be named.

"Our continued ramping-up of our efforts within Burma is contingent upon the government continuing to address the issues at hand on political reform, on national reconciliation and on a development that reaches their people," the official added.

The United States has softened sanctions and removed a ban on most imports from Myanmar in response to reforms already undertaken, but it has set conditions for the full normalisation of relations, such as the release of all political detainees.

PRISONER RELEASE

Late on Sunday, state television in Myanmar said 66 more prisoners would be released on Monday, bringing to 518 the number released over the past week.

The previous batch did not appear to include any political prisoners, but a senior prison department official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters that Myint Aye, a prominent human rights activist, would be among those freed on Monday.

In a speech to be given at Yangon University to an audience that will include several high-profile former prisoners, Obama will stress the rule of law and allude to the need to amend a constitution that still gives a great role in politics to the military, including a quarter of the seats in parliament.

"America may have the strongest military in the world, but it must submit to civilian control. As president and commander-in-chief, I cannot just impose my will on our congress, even though sometimes I wish I could," he will say.

"I appoint some of our judges, but I cannot tell them how to rule, because every person in America, from a child living in poverty to the president, is equal under the law."

He looks forward to a future "where national security is strengthened by a military that serves under civilians, and a Constitution guarantees that only those who are elected by the people may govern".

Violence between majority Buddhists and the Rohingya Muslim minority in western Myanmar is a top concern, and Obama's aides said he would address the issue directly with Myanmar's leaders.

Myanmar considers the Rohingya Muslims to be illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh and does not recognise them as citizens. A Reuters investigation into the wave of sectarian assaults painted a picture of organised attacks against the Muslim community.

At least 167 people were killed in two periods of violence in Rakhine state in June and October this year.

Obama did not refer to this in the copy of his speech released to media ahead of delivery, but he will recall the sometimes violent history of the United States, its civil war and segregation, and say hatred could recede with time.

"I stand before you today as president of the most powerful nation on Earth, with a heritage that would have once denied me the right to vote. So I believe deeply that this country can transcend its differences, and that every human being within these borders is a part of your nation's story," he will say.

Thein Sein, in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week, promised to tackle the root causes of the problem, the United Nations said.

Despite human rights concerns, the White House sees Myanmar as a legacy-building success story of Obama's policy of seeking engagement with U.S. enemies, a strategy that has made little progress with countries such as Iran and North Korea.

Obama's visit to Myanmar, sandwiched between stops in Thailand and Cambodia, also fits the administration's strategy of trying to lure China's neighbours out of Beijing's orbit.

For Obama, the visit carries added significance. He received his Nobel Peace Prize less than a year after taking office in 2009. The award was widely seen as recognising him more for lofty speech-making than for any major accomplishment on the world stage. This is a chance to tout a foreign policy success.

(Reporting By Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Alan Raybould and Alex Richardson)


Related Stories:
Obama arrives in Myanmar, first visit by a U.S. president

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

0 ulasan
Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info
Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Sports


Choi wins LPGA season finale

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 05:35 PM PST

NAPLES, Florida: Na Yeon Choi capped her outstanding 2012 LPGA campaign with a two-stroke victory over fellow South Korean So Yeon Ryu Sunday in the $1.5 million season-ending Titleholders.

Choi countered a double-bogey at the third with an eagle at the par-five fifth. She added three more birdies - the last of them at the par-four 16th, for a two-under par 70 and a 72-hole total of 14-under 274.

Her second victory of the year, after a triumph in the US Women's Open, was worth $500,000 and took her total prize money for the campaign to $1.9 million.

"I'm really happy with how I played this season," said the 25-year-old Choi. "I won my first major and even this tournament is very big for me."

Ryu, who had already locked up Rookie of the Year honors, fell out of a tie for the lead with a three-putt bogey on the par-five 14th. She settled for a 70 for 276.

"My putting wasn't really great," Ryu said. "Na Yeon is a great player, and I'm just a rookie, just starting this season. It was quite tough. Na Yeon was great."

American Brittany Lincicome also signed for a 70 at TwinEagles for sole possession of third place on 277.

Australian Karrie Webb posted a 69 for 278, with Ai Miyazato of Japan rounding out the top five after a 74 for 279.

South Korean Inbee Park finished with a share of 11th place to secure the LPGA money title and the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average.

Stacy Lewis, the first US player to claim Player of the Year honors since Beth Daniel in 1994, finished equal 29th.

Overnight leader Choi ran into trouble at the third, where her approach was left of the green. Her attempt to chip on failed and she two-putted for a double-bogey.

Oddly, falling into a tie for the lead may have helped.

"I was very nervous last night," Choi said. "I told people that leading the tournament, there's always extra pressure. Even on front nine, when I had the double bogey and tie for first place, I felt more comfortable than leading. Maybe that sounds a little weird. I like chasing somebody, and then I can play more aggressive."

She regained the lead shortly thereafter, after her three-wood from 240 yards out at the fifth bounced onto the green and she made the putt for eagle.

After going birdie-bogey at seven and eight, birdies at 12 and 16 were all she needed to stay in front. - AFP

Double duty in Barcelona

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 03:54 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian long distance swimmers Kevin Yeap and Khoo Cai Lin are set for double duty at the World Championships in Barcelona next July after winning a second quota spot for their respective pet events at the Asian Swimming Championships in Dubai.

Kevin finished fifth in the men's 1,500m freestyle final in 15:40.87 on Saturday to dip under the world championship qualifying mark of 15:46.38.

It was a satisfactory end to his campaign as he only finished behind two Japanese and two Chinese swimmers in a top class list spearheaded by double Olympic champion Sun Yang.

Sun Yang, who trains in Australia, splashed to his third gold and a third championship record with a time of 14:44.10 in the longest race of the programme.

But it was well below his world record of 14:31.02, which he set at the London Olympics this year.

Kevin, the gold medallist at the Indonesia SEA Games last year, beat the qualifying time for the 400m freestyle in finishing fourth on Friday.

Cai Lin did not post a fast time in the women's 400m freestyle final but her 4:17.88 gave her fifth placing and beat the world meet qualifying time of 4:18.55.

It was enough for her to book a second quota spot after achieving her first in the 800m freestyle at the London Olympics.

Xu Danlu led a Chinese sweep of the gold and silver with a new championship record of 4:05.75 ahead of compatriot Shao Yiwen (4:10.98).

Thailand's Natthanan Junkrajang touched home ahead of Japan's Tsuzumi Hasegawa to grab the bronze in 4:14.59.

The Dubai meet is a designated continental qualifying event for the World Championships and breaststroker Yap See Tuan was the only one of the three Malaysians to miss the mark.

See Tuan managed to reach the men's 200m breaststroke final but finished seventh in 2:18.21.

He had been eighth in the 100m breaststroke in 1:04.48.

The Asian meet is held every four years and the synchro swimming competition ends today. Malaysia's Lee sisters, Zyanne and Zylane, are currently placed fifth after the free duet discipline (73.690).

Olympic bronze medallists China lead with 94.040 points and second placed Japan (91.510) will find it hard to unseat their arch rivals unless they produce an exceptional performance in the technical discipline.

Fired-up Khe Wei’s eager to get it right with Vivian

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 02:56 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: National women's doubles shuttler Woon Khe Wei has gone through a run of poor results since picking up an ankle injury in the Malaysian Open early this year.

But having finally tasted success in the Malaysian International Challenge in Kuching yesterday, the 23-year-old Khe Wei is now eager for more.

Khe Wei partnered Ong Jian Guo to win the mixed doubles title, beating Indonesia's Lukhi Apri Nugroho-Annisa Saufika 21-11, 21-14.

"My main focus is still women's doubles, but to finally win a title after so long feels great," said Khe Wei, who partners Vivian Hoo in the women's doubles.

"What makes the win awesome is that I've only played with Jian Guo in two other tournaments. So this is quite special.

"This win has also fired me up to do well in the women's doubles with Vivian.

"I lost quite a bit of speed because of the injury and Vivian has been covering for me most of the time.

"It eventually affected her own game and I feel bad about it. But I'm feeling fresh again and am ready to make amends by getting some good results with her."

The budding women's pair of Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean announced their arrival on the senior stage by winning their first title yesterday.

The duo, both 18, were in smashing form, beating Indonesia's Ririn Amelia-Melvira Oklamona 21-13, 23-21.

The men's pair of Goh V Shem-Teo Kok Siang also got their act right by downing team-mates Low Juan Shen-Tan Yip Jiun 21-15, 21-12 in the final.

Lydia Cheah then made it four titles for Malaysia with a 21-17, 21-12 win over Singapore's Liang Xiaoyu in the women's singles.

Veteran Mohd Hafiz Hashim, however, failed to make it a clean sweep, throwing away a one game lead to lose 21-3, 19-21, 18-21 to Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo of Indonesia in the men's singles.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

0 ulasan
Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info
Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Business


Maersk plans to move away from shipping

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 06:31 PM PST

COPENHAGEN - Danish oil and shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk will not invest significantly in its shipping business over the next five years and will focus on its oil, drilling rigs and ports, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

"We will move away from the shipping side of things and go towards the higher profit generators and more stable businesses," Maersk Chief Executive Nils Andersen told the newspaper.

"What we are going to do over the next five years, we are not going to invest significant amounts in Maersk Line. We have sufficient capacity to grow in line with the market."

Maersk Line, the company's container shipping unit, has struggled with profitability due to the global economic slowdown and an oversupply of vessels that could intensify next year. The subsidiary is a barometer of world trade as its fleet carries more than 15 percent of all sea-borne containers.

Ship owners are raising rates and cutting costs to cushion falling volumes as global trade slows.

A rebound in container rates returned Maersk Line to profit in the third quarter after four successive periods of losses, although Andersen warned earlier this month that the recovery does not mean there is no chance of a relapse for prices on some routes.

"When we have taken that shift, probably more than 50 percent of our capital will be tied in these three other businesses," the FT quoted Andersen as saying, referring to the oil, drilling rigs and ports divisions.

"Maersk Line will then account for 25-30 percent of capital. We will have four businesses of almost equal size." - Reuters

FBM KLCI starts the week lower

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 06:25 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI started the week lower today, dragged down by BAT and Axiata.

At 9.05am, the FBM KLCI was down 5.96 points to 1,623.32. Turnover was 17.70 million shares valued at RM7.9mil. There were 58 gainers, 52 losers and 80 counters unchanged.

HwangDBS Vickers Research said the FBM KLCI would likely stage a technical rebound today following a decline of 46.4-point or 2.8% over the last nine market days.

"On the chart, the benchmark index may attempt to overcome the support-turned-resistance line of 1,635 ahead," it said.

Reuters reported that US President Barack Obama will meet with congressional leaders in the week after Thanksgiving to discuss the "fiscal cliff" of expiring tax cuts and spending reductions.

It said economists had warned that the sudden shock of austerity, combined with consumers putting more of their dollars toward taxes instead of shopping, could plunge the United States back into a recession.

Although Wall Street ended moderately higher on Friday, it still recorded losses for the week, with the Dow Jones industrial average standing at 12,588.31, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index at 1,59.88 and the Nasdaq Composite Index at 2,853.13.

Among stocks that might see movements today are Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) and Guan Chong.

A news report said MRCB and DMIA Sdn Bhd have jointly submitted a plan to build a RM3bn railway line for freight trains. While Guan Chong's third quarter results came in below expectations at RM27.4mil as margins were eroded by lower selling prices.

At Bursa Malaysia, CIMB shed six sen to RM7.58, BAT down RM1.32 to RM58.42 and Axiata lost four sen to RM5.96.

RHB Cap rose nine sen to RM7.69 while YTL Power and Tenaga both edged up one sen each to RM1.54 and RM6.95.

Among the plantations, Kuala Lumpur Kepong declined 14 sen to RM20.60 and Genting Plantations shed 12 sen to RM8.50.

Barclays denies buying its way to win Saudi licence

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 05:47 PM PST

DUBAI: Barclays did not make any "illegal payment" to win a banking licence in Saudi Arabia, the bank said in a statement in response to a newspaper report said US authorities were looking at whether improper payments were made.

The Financial Times had reported on Nov 10 that the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) was investigating whether Barclays made any improper payments to win a banking licence in Saudi Arabia to operate a wealth-management arm and investment bank, citing people familiar with the investigation.

"The board of directors of Barclays Saudi Arabia and its executive management takes the issue raised by the media very seriously," the bank said on Saturday.

"Barclays Saudi Arabia confirms that it did not make any illegal payment to the CMA (Capital Markets Authority) or any of its officials regarding the granting of Saudi licence."

"Barclays SA will continue to conduct business in the kingdom in accordance with the highest professional standards and is fully committed to the development of Saudi Arabia's financial market," the bank said.

Barclays was licensed to start business in Saudi Arabia in August 2009 and given final approval to begin securities trading in May 2010 after the Saudi regulator said the bank had met all requirements.

The CMA said last week that it was not aware of any investigations and had not received any inquiries from regulatory bodies on the issue.

Barclays is facing a series of investigations into its business, including one by Britain's Serious Fraud Office and Financial Services Authority which are scrutinising payments made by Barclays to Qatar as part of a 2008 fundraising.

The bank has come under scrutiny regarding manipulation of benchmark interest rate Libor and could face fines over an investigation into the manipulation of power prices the United States.

Barclays Saudi Arabia is a closed joint stock company regulated by the CMA. - Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

0 ulasan
Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info
Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Nation


Support for Hadi as future PM continues to put Opposition partners in a spot

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 06:25 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The PAS Ulama and Muslimat wings' support for party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang to be made prime minister should Pakatan Rakyat come to power continues to put other Opposition coalition members in a spot.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, widely seen as the premier-in-waiting, was evasive when reporters asked for his response.

"It's okay. No problem. We will discuss in a nice manner", he said as he walked briskly to his car after launching a convention on national education at Universiti Selangor (Unisel) in Shah Alam on Sunday.

He said he had to rush off to another function in Kuantan.

However, DAP was characteristically vocal.

Its deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said bluntly on Sunday that Anwar would be prime minister should Pakatan win the 13th general election and hudud law would not be implemented.

"All of us have agreed that Anwar will be the PM should we take over Putrajaya.

"In a democracy, we, of course, allow for differing opinions, but the consensus in Pakatan that Anwar remains the PM-in-waiting is final, so even if the PAS Ulama and Muslimat wings say otherwise, it makes no difference," he said.

He said that the Pakatan Rakyat leadership would only implement policies that have the consensus of all three-component parties, and reject those which have yet to obtain it.

At the same time, it was the lack of consensus that has stopped the implementation of hudud law from becoming part of Pakatan's common framework policy.

"If there is consensus, we will enforce it. If not, we won't. And the decision from the leadership is final," he told reporters after a DAP ceramah in Kepong Baru on Sunday morning, reiterating the DAP's position on the matter.

He also said that it was "pure politicking" by Barisan National to imply that the Islamic penal code could be so easily implemented.

He said that it required an amendment to the Federal Constitution to implement hudud and any amendment to the constitution required consent from two-thirds of the members of parliament.

At the 58th PAS muktamar in Kota Baru on Saturday Dewan Ulama representative Hairun Nizam had said Hadi was the best candidate for the job if the coalition took over Putrajaya, a sentiment echoed by PAS Muslimat on Sunday. When pressed for a reaction, Hadi had earlier dodged responding directly, saying instead, that he would rather be a "servant" to the people and country.

"Whoever becomes the prime minister needs the support of the party and people. I would rather be a khadam (servant) to the people," he had said.

Meanwhile, in Ipoh, Umno treasurer Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said Sunday the Opposition's inability to agree on a common platform and contest under a common flag in the upcoming general elections showed that they could not govern the country.

"PAS will definitely want to implement their Islamic ways if Pakatan comes into power and if it is not done, it will destroy the Opposition.

"Intellectually, if they cannot even be united in contesting as a single party, then they are incapable of being united to rule the country," he said in a press conference in Manjoi here on Sunday.

"As such, I do not see that they have any hope of winning in the upcoming elections," he said.

PAS Muslimat supports Ulama’s call to appoint Hadi as PM

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 06:24 AM PST

KOTA BARU: PAS Muslimat supported the Ulama's call to appoint party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang as Prime Minister if Pakatan Rakyat came to power.

Muslimat representative Aiman Athirah Al-Jundi said Hadi was the best candidate for the Prime Minister post.

"There is no doubt about that,'' she said during the winding up session at the 58th PAS Muktamar Sunday,

She called on members and leaders to "give face" to Hadi, adding the party should stand on the strength of its machinery and not on the sympathy of Pakatan Rakyat partners.

"PAS is the most senior party (in the coalition), but we have the lowest number of seats,'' she said.

She said they must go all out to win all the targeted 60 Parliamentary seats to empower the party.

Perak delegate Dr Khairuddin Nor Malik highlighted the need to address the fear factor among the Malays that Chinese and Christians would control them if Umno were to lose power.

"Therefore the best defence is to attack,'' said Dr Khairuddin when debating a resolution on politics.

He said PAS must effectively put forth its out-of-box ideas to convince the Malay ground that the party would be in the forefront in Pakatan Rakyat.

He said the Malays also wanted to know how PAS would promote God-fearing culture among Malay rulers.

PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad lambasted those who use the hudud issue to undermine the coalition.

"They (the detractors) claim that this (hudud) is the biggest hurdle (for the coalition),'' he said.

Hadi wlecomes suggestion for him to be PM

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 06:24 AM PST

KOTA BARU: PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang on Sunday welcomed the suggestion by delegates at the party's general assembly, here, for him to be appointed prime minister if Pakatan wins the upcoming 13th general election.

"Sometimes, it can be syok' (a thrill) (to be proposed for PM post) but I ask God that Islam be the winner. After that, (I) can be anything, or even die," he said in his winding-up speech at PAS' 58th Annual Muktamar (General Assembly) here.

However, his speech did not touch on the hudud law which was raised several times by the delegates this time.

Hadi, meanwhile reminded the delegates that PAS did not need trouble-makers who could interfere with the party's direction.

"We steer this ship using a compass in order to go which direction we choose, but if there's a busybody who wants to grab the ship's steering wheel, we just throw him into the sea.

"I also wish to remind those who joined PAS to follow the PAS way. If many wish to join, there's no problem but their struggle must be the same. It's a problem if you stay in different rooms; there'll be upheaval," he said.

Hadi said in the struggle to reach Putrajaya, PAS members could not do it with fellow Muslims only as it needed the support of non-Muslims too.

The muktamar was also told that PAS was capable of implementing hudud if the party wins the majority of the parliamentary seats in the coming elections.

"Our tuan guru president (Hadi) said that we would implement hudud based on the system of democracy," said PAS' Ulama wing's vice-chief, Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamed when winding up his debate.

"Hudud is always relevant and Islam is the priority in our struggle," he said.

Mahfodz said that based on the democratic system, Hadi would be prime minister if PAS wins parliamentary majority.

"If we (PAS) win more seats (than others), definitely the prime minister should be from PAS and not someone from another party," he said.

PAS' Dewan Muslimat (Women's wing) delegate Aiman Athirah Al Jundi stressed that PAS was the most eligible to be the main pillar of the opposition pact based on its position of being the most senior party in the group.

She also said that Hadi was the most qualified to be prime minister if Pakatan wins the general election.

"Therefore, all our party election machinery must be united and fight all out to win 60 parliamentary seats in the elections for us (PAS) to be the leader in the opposition pact," she said in her adjournment speech at the muktamar. - Bernama

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

0 ulasan
Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info
Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies


Man for all seasons

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 10:56 PM PST

Bront Palarae wears many hats and he is passionate about his craft, too.

BRONT Palarae. For a movie fan like me, his name exudes mystery, aloofness and intrigue, not to mention that his roles have so far showed his substantial acting craft.

If one notices, his name hardly appears in headlines – be it about his personal life or his work.

Bursting with curiosity, I caught up with Bront on his upcoming movie Lagenda Budak Setan 2, which will be screened in cinemas nationwide on Nov 29.

Bront, whose real name is Nasrul Suhaimin Saifuddin, turned up for the interview alone (minus the entourage which is common among local artistes) and my first impression was that he's a very nice guy-next-door type. And he's good looking to boot!

For the uninitiated, the 34-year-old is a highly-talented actor, screenwriter, director and producer.

Though he made his acting debut on TV in 2000, Bront first gained fame portraying two characters in TV series Cinta Tsunami (2005). Since then, he has starred in Castello, Man Laksa and Bilut, all in 2005.

Bront's biggest commercial success was drama series Sindarela (2008) which he co-starred with Sharifah Amani and Remy Ishak. This was followed by another TV series Rona Roni Macaroni with Sharifah in the same year.

Dissatisfied with his career direction, the media-shy actor turned his focus to movies. His first major role was in V3: Samseng Jalanan (2010) starring alongside his childhood buddy Farid Kamil, who also directed the movie.

In 2009, Bront played the leading character in Belukar, co-starring Daphne Iking and directed by Jason Chong. Though the movie did not do well at the box-office, Bront's acting was praised by critics and audiences alike. He received the Best Actor award at the 23rd Malaysia Film Festival and also at TV3's Anugerah Skrin 2010 for his portrayal of an insurance investigator in the movie.

"I studied film-making and I'm here to make movies, and maybe a bit of acting along the way. It is definitely not for the glamour," said the Alor Setar-born actor.

"My philosophy in acting is I would take any good roles no matter how small rather than play the lead in sub-standard productions. No matter how minor a role is, I make sure that I do a good job so that I do not disappoint my supportive fans," said Bront who speaks fluent Hokkien and Thai apart from English and Bahasa Malaysia.

"I try to live my life as normal as possible and I need to keep myself grounded at all times," said the youngest of three siblings.

"Frankly, my life hasn't changed that much, except that I can't be in the public much," he said.

"But being a public figure has its perks. I can cut queue at cinemas, hospital and at police road blocks ... and have people coming up to help in emergency situations because they recognise your face," he said with a devilish grin.

"I never really see myself as a celebrity. For me, the word 'celebrity' makes light of your crafts and skills and ultimately, your profession. But I don't have any problem with celebrities out there as long as they are passionate about their work.

"You know, I went to film school but somehow I ended up being in front of the camera. I guess I can call myself a filmmaker who acts," he said.

Bront explained how he ended up starring opposite Maya Karin in Lagenda Budak Setan 2.

"I play this psychotic fiance to Maya's character Katrina. Maya was bugging me continously to play the role and I wasn't really interested initially. But Maya is one of my closest friends and at the end I thought to myself, why not?

"My role has violent tendencies and he is very possessive. To get into character, I purposedly did things to annoy Maya and this went on for 11 days. Maya, however, stopped talking to me.

"What's strange is that she bugged me to play the role and kept telling me that it suited me perfectly. But after we have completd filming, she stopped talking to me! She is still one of the handful of close friends I have in the film industry."

But the frosty situation has to be set aside as they have been paired up in Jwanita, directed by Osman Ali.

In Jwanita, Bront plays Farhan, the husband to Julaika (Christina Suzannee) and the prized trophy for Jwanita (Maya) who dabbles in black magic. The movie will be released in the middle of next year.

His next movie is Anak Jantan, co-starring Farid Kamil and Nora Danish.

One his dreams when he studied film-making was to direct his own movie. With Otto Films, which he co-founded with two other friends in 2010, he recently co-directed a 20-minute short film entitled Kolumpo, featuring three shorts stories from three different directors but the tales are based on the same theme.

"It was a tough collaborating with two other directors, sharing the same theme and the director's seat ... But it had been both fun and challenging.

"Kolumpo pays homage to KL, how different people interpret and see the city in different light.

"The best part is I managed to arm-twist all my good friends to appear in the movie, with Yuna performing a song, too," said Bront, adding that the stars involved were Sharifah Amani, Adibah Noor, Azad Jasmin and Mano Maniam.

Lagenda Budak Setan 2 will be screening in cinemas nationwide on Nov 29.

James Bond villains are the heroes of new exhibit

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 09:24 PM PST

WASHINGTON: Where would James Bond be without Dr. No, Goldfinger or the statuesque May Day? Agent 007 may be a hero, but in this new exhibit in the US capital the bad guys are the stars of the show.

"Exquisitely Evil: 50 years of Bond Villains," which opened Friday for a two-year run at the International Spy Museum, recounts a half century of these infamous adversaries, from Dr. No in the 1962 film of the same name, to Raoul Silva in "Skyfall," the just-released 23rd Bond film.

Reflecting the real-life Cold War animosity between the United States and the Soviet Union, the evil Blofeld, head of the global crime network SPECTRE, tried to pit the superpowers against each other.

In the 1970s, Karl Stromberg and Hugo Drax threatened the world with nuclear weapons in "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker," while drug kingpins reigned in "Live and Let Die," and "License to Kill."

"Where Bond remains the same, over 50 years the villains have changed - they've changed to reflect changing times," said Meg Simmonds, archive director at Eon Productions, the company that makes the films and an advisor for the exhibit.

Well, not changed in all respects, she acknowledged.

Each Bond villain is "wealthy, intelligent, charming on occasion, yet devious, depraved and deranged."

To illustrate each theme, excerpts from the Bond films play next to displays connecting the plot to events at the time the film was made, or to the individual who inspired the character.

The hundred or so items on display include the weapon-concealing high heels of a real-life Rosa Klebb, the deadly spy from "From Russia With Love," and the bullet that inflated and exploded Dr. Kananga, the bad guy in "Live and Let Die."

Also on display are costumes worn by dozens of anonymous henchmen, though "why minions are so easy to recruit is an open question," the exhibit notes humorously, pointing out "they labor long hours, earn no vacations and the separation clause to their contracts has only one provision: early death."

While Bond may be a poor depiction of the life of a real spy - "he never does anything secretly," former CIA analyst Mark Stout complained - the bad guys are "are exaggerated but most have a basis in reality."

In the most recent films, the heroes take on terrorists, where "you never quite know who is a member and who isn't. That's quite similar to Al-Qaeda," Stout said.

In "License to Kill," the cocaine king Franz Sanchez, iguana perched on his shoulder, was modeled after Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, who raised hippopotamuses on his property, he added.

But not all the villains have roots in real life, British espionage expert Chris Moran laughed, citing in particular Jaws, the giant, metal-mouth assassin from "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker."

"When you're seven feet five inches (2.3 meters), it's impossible to operate in the shadows," he grinned.

"Henchmen, to kill spies, need to blend in," he said. And the femme fatale Bond girls?

"During the Cold War, the KGB and the GRU were regularly sending female agents into the USA and the UK hoping to honey trap civil servants with access to atomic secrets or defense secrets," Moran said, referring to the Soviet secret police and the Russian foreign intelligence service.

The blockbuster 007 movies, full of special effects and cheesy lines, may seem over the top, but real-life villains "are just as bad, if not worse, than Bond villains," said Tony Mendez, whose story inspired the recent non-Bond spy thriller, Argo. - AFP

Russell Crowe 'to sell stake in Rabbitohs'

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 07:42 PM PST

SYDNEY: Hollywood star Russell Crowe is planning to sell his stake in the Australian rugby league team he co-owns in an attempt to simplify his life after splitting from his wife, a report said Sunday.

Crowe has been a fan of National Rugby League outfit South Sydney Rabbitohs since childhood and regularly turns up to watch their home games.

In 2006 he and businessman Peter Holmes a Court bought 75 percent of the club but Channel Nine television said he was now ready to sell up following his split last month from wife Danielle Spencer.

League commentator Danny Weidler told Nine he had been in touch with Crowe by email and text and the actor confirmed he would be selling his stake at the end of the 2013 season.

"From what I can understand, Russell is just trying to simplify his life," Weidler said.

"As you know, he has been through a lot recently in his personal life and I would say that is... a part of his reasoning."

Crowe and Spencer separated amicably after nine years of marriage last month. They have two young children.

Reports at the time said the demands of Crowe's acting career played a part in the split, with the star away for much of the past year filming "The Man with the Iron Fists", "Les Miserables", "Broken City", "Man of Steel" and "Noah".

Born in New Zealand, Crowe has lived in Australia since he was a small child.

Weidler estimated that Crowe and Holmes a Court had invested around Aus$11 million (US$11.3 million) in the Rabbitohs since taking it over, helping revive the team after years of poor performances. The club had no comment. - AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

0 ulasan
Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info
Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf


The siren call of her books

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 11:12 PM PST

IF I want to take a book from the towering bookshelf in my living room, I simply step onto the wooden bench that seats my children at the dining table. To look for a book while I am up there, I sit on the edge of the table.

The longer I sit, the more comfortable I become. In no time, I am glued to the table top, reminiscing over the memorable times I have had reading some of these books, and aching for more time to read those that I have not got to yet.

So every now and then, when I have time to steal from work or my children, I will sneak up there on the bench in an attempt to start a book not yet read, or restart a book that had been forsaken.

Franz Kafka's The Trial always tempts. The protagonist Josef K. is said to have been accused and arrested within the very first sentence of the book – but I have yet to find out why.

Yesterday morning, when the rain poured down and prevented me from stepping out, I sat in my spot, reading quietly, completely unperturbed by the violent pattering on the window panes.

These moments, I call them an indulgence. They slow and calm me down.

Still, I have not managed to find out why Josef K. is imprisoned, though I have been more than dazzled by Kafka's descriptive language.

So I made plans: The next day when I had no work and no appointments and as soon as my kids had been sent off to school, I would make a cup of tea and sit at the edge of the table again to thumb through those yellowish pages and plough through the densely spaced lines just to find out the reasons.

The rain threatened to pour down again that morning, but gave way to the half-emerging sun that sparked rainbows on the window panes. When my mood is lightened, my emotions are stirred; just as when the body is fully rested, the restless urges ensue. Hence, I put down The Trial and went for Robert D. Kaplan's The Ends Of The Earth, a book that had previously taken me to the frontiers of anarchy before I became too tired to finish the journey.

I vaguely remember stopping at Iran, the epitome of anarchism, and I now want to trudge into Central Asia where China and Russia rule. The book has been on my bookshelf for more than a decade. I am, as you now know, a disorganised reader, greedy and disloyal like a socialite scurrying from one party to another.

But the bench and table somewhat tame me. On that day when the sun tried in vain to stir, I finished my journey with Kaplan.

The clock struck 1pm, and my stomach rumbled. Tiptoeing across the hallway like a content little girl thoroughly pleased by treats, I headed to my study in search of Kaplan's new book that I lugged back to Sydney from Kuala Lumpur last month.

It was there on a makeshift side table next to the daybed. The Revenge Of Geography was a book I wanted to read and review. Yet, not a page has been turned. Well, if the bench suits me then I must go back there.

My sandwich followed, and as I placed it on the table and nearly tripped, a book in the bottom row got kicked out of its place. Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin winked and the woman on the cover glared right at me. NO! Don't be tempted, I heard Kaplan's scream, which seemed to echo across the continents in between the borders of which he juxtaposes ongoing conflicts and the impending fate of nations.

Geography, not just politics, has been the predominant factor in determining the fate of nations, from pharaonic Egypt to last year's Arab Spring. That premise was enough to lure me and to justify placing (not kicking!) The Blind Assassin back in its spot on the shelf.

I turned the page. I was enthralled and stuck in my spot despite the calling of a fully-emerged sun.

The window next to my bowed bookshelf, my one and only, warms the books and provides them stimulation as cars zoom by and people walk past. Nobody knows that behind that window lies a bookshelf that requires a dinner table and a wooden bench to catch its owner's attention so that she will focus on the lovely old books she has forsaken of late.

She is a socialite who socialises, so many visitors are in and out of her house every day. They, too, hardly pay attention to the bookshelf, for maybe they think this socialite is pretending to be learned by housing a book collection (that is neither huge nor small).

This socialite hardly talks about books with her adult friends, but with children ... ah, for them she buys books generously. She is a witch attempting to bewitch children and turn them into bookworms.

Abby Wong always borrows books from the libraries for children who come into her house every Saturday to listen to her storytelling. And she always gets fined for returning the books late or misplacing them....

Bestsellers

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 11:05 PM PST

FOR the week ending Nov 11, 2012:

Non-fiction

1. Unstoppable: The Incredible Power Of Faith In Action by Nick Vujicic

2. Justin Bieber: Just Getting Started by Justin Bieber

3. Dare To Dream: Life As One Direction by One Direction

4. Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo & Lynn Vincent

5. 9 Habits Of Happiness by David Leonhardt

6. Steven Gerrard: My Liverpool Story by Steven Gerrard

7. Guinness World Records 2013 by Guinness World Records Ltd

8. No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account Of The Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden by Mark Owen & Kevin Maurer

9. A World Without Islam by Graham E. Fuller

10. Another Forgotten Child by Cathy Glass

Fiction

1. Fifty Shades Of Grey by E.L. James

2. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

3. The Charm Bracelet by Melissa Hill

4. The Sins Of The Father by Jeffrey Archer

5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

6. Life Of Pi by Yann Martel

7. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

8. The Racketeer by John Grisham

9. The Twelve by Justin Cronin

10. Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

Weekly list compiled by MPH Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur; www.mphonline.com.

A writer’s life

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 07:18 PM PST

MICHAEL Cunningham was born in 1952 in Cincinnati, Ohio, in what he calls a typical suburban family with a working father and a housewife mother. He has a younger sister.

He grew up in Pasadena, Los Angeles County, in the state of California, did his bachelor's in English literature at Stanford University and his master of fine arts in creative writing at the University of Iowa.

His early stories were published in the 1980s in established literary journals such as the Atlantic Monthly and Paris Review.

He received the University of Iowa's Michener Fellowship from the University of Iowa in 1982, and a US National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 1988.

His first book, Golden States, was published in 1984 by Crown Publishers but critical success only came six years later with A Home At The End Of The World, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

He received the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1993 and five years later published The Hours, a homage to Virginia Woolf's 1925 classic tale of one ordinary day through different eyes, Mrs Dalloway.

The Hours won Cunningham the 1999 Pulitzer Prize and Pen/Faulkner Award for fiction.

It was made into an Academy Award-winning 2002 movie of the same name, starring Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore.

In 2004, Cunningham was asked to adapt A Home At The End Of The World for film and the movie starring Colin Farrell was directed by Michael Mayer.

His most recent book is By Nightfall, written two years ago and inspired by Death In Venice, Thomas Mann's tale of an ageing roue.

Cunningham is a senior lecturer at Yale University.

Recently single, with no children, he lives in New York, his home of over 30 years, and is 150 pages into a new novel. – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

Related Story:
Michael Cunningham shares his thoughts

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my
 

The Star Online

Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved