Selasa, 4 Disember 2012

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Suicide bomber attacks army base in northwest Pakistan

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 07:04 PM PST

WANA, Pakistan (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the gate of an army base in northwestern Pakistan, security officials said on Wednesday.

There was no immediate information on casualties from the blast in Wana, the capital of the South Waziristan region.

(Reporting by Hafiz Wazir in Wana and Mehreen Zahra-Malik in Islamabad; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Paul Tait)

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Software guru McAfee says to seek asylum in Guatemala

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 06:38 PM PST

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - U.S. anti-virus software guru John McAfee, who is on the run from police in Belize seeking to question him in a murder probe, has crossed into Guatemala and said on Tuesday he will seek political asylum there.

John Mcafee, U.S. anti-virus software guru, addresses a news conference outside the Supreme Court of Justice in Guatemala City December 4, 2012. REUTERS/William Gularte

John Mcafee, U.S. anti-virus software guru, addresses a news conference outside the Supreme Court of Justice in Guatemala City December 4, 2012. REUTERS/William Gularte

McAfee has been in hiding for three weeks since police in Belize said they wanted to question him as "a person of interest" about the murder of fellow American Gregory Faull, with whom McAfee had quarrelled.

McAfee smuggled himself and his girlfriend, Samantha, across the porous land border that Belize shares with Guatemala. He stayed at a hotel in a national park before heading for Guatemala City on Monday evening.

"I have no plans much for the future now. The reason I chose Guatemala is two-fold," McAfee told Reuters by telephone from Guatemala's Supreme Court, flanked by his lawyer, former attorney general and lawyer Telesforo Guerra.

"It is a country bordering Belize, it is a country that understands the corruption within Belize and most importantly, the former attorney general of the country is Samantha's uncle and I knew that he would assist us with legal proceedings."

McAfee has denied involvement in the murder and told Reuters on Monday he would not turn himself in. He posted repeatedly on his blog www.whoismcafee.com while on the run, describing how he would constantly change his disguise to elude capture.

On Tuesday, he appeared with his hair and goatee died black, and wearing a dark suit and tie - a far cry from the surfer-style blonde hair highlights, shorts and tribal-tattooed bare shoulders he sported in Belize.

"(Guerra) is now attempting to get political asylum for myself and for Sam. I don't think there will be much of a problem. From here I can speak freely and safely," McAfee said.

TECH GENIUS, "BONKERS"

McAfee says he believes authorities in Belize would kill him if he turned himself in for questioning. Belize's prime minister has denied the claim and called the 67-year-old paranoid and "bonkers."

On the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye, where McAfee has lived for about four years, residents say he is eccentric, impulsive, erratic and at times unstable, with a penchant for guns and young women.

He would often be seen with armed bodyguards, pistols tucked into his belt, and McAfee's neighbour had complained about the loud barking of dogs that guarded his exclusive beachside compound.

His run-in with authorities in Belize is a world away from a successful life in the United States, where he started McAfee Associates in 1989 and made millions of dollars developing the Internet anti-virus software that carries his name.

There was already a case against McAfee in Belize for possession of illegal firearms, and police had previously raided his property on suspicion he was running a lab to make illegal synthetic narcotics.

McAfee says he has been persecuted for refusing to donate money to politicians, that he loves Belize, and considers it his home.

Guatemala is a canny choice to seek refuge. It has long been embroiled in a territorial dispute with Belize. Guatemala claims the southern half of Belize and all of its islands, or cayes, rightfully belong to it. There is no extradition treaty between the two countries.

A Guatemalan government source said there was "no reason" to detain McAfee because there was no legal case against him pending in the country.

Harold Caballeros, Guatemala's foreign minister, said his government was unaware of any arrest warrant and would study McAfee's asylum request once presented, saying its success would "depend on the arguments."

Guerra told Reuters McAfee would return to Belize once his situation in Guatemala was made legal, citing the fact he had crossed into the country illegally to avoid capture by police in Belize.

"He can go to the United States, there is no problem with that," he added. "We have asked the U.S. embassy for support with our (asylum) request."

He said the asylum request would be formally presented on Wednesday.

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City said in a statement McAfee would have to work within the country's legal framework, but declined to elaborate. "The embassy does not comment on the actions of American citizens, due to privacy considerations."

(Reporting by Simon Gardner and Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Kieran Murray and Eric Walsh)

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Software guru McAfee says to seek asylum in Guatemala

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:21 PM PST

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - U.S. anti-virus software guru John McAfee, who is on the run from police in Belize seeking to question him in a murder probe, has crossed into Guatemala and said on Tuesday he will seek political asylum there.

John Mcafee (C), anti-virus software guru, attends a news conference with his lawyer Telesforo Guerra (L) outside of the Supreme Court of Justice in Guatemala City, December 4, 2012. REUTERS/William Gularte

John Mcafee (C), anti-virus software guru, attends a news conference with his lawyer Telesforo Guerra (L) outside of the Supreme Court of Justice in Guatemala City, December 4, 2012. REUTERS/William Gularte

McAfee has been in hiding for three weeks since police in Belize said they wanted to question him as "a person of interest" about the murder of fellow American Gregory Faull, with whom McAfee had quarreled.

McAfee smuggled himself and his girlfriend, Samantha, across the porous land border that Belize shares with Guatemala. He stayed at a hotel in a national park before heading for Guatemala City on Monday evening.

"I have no plans much for the future now. The reason I chose Guatemala is two-fold," McAfee told Reuters by telephone from Guatemala's Supreme Court, flanked by his lawyer, former attorney general and lawyer Telesforo Guerra.

"It is a country bordering Belize, it is a country that understands the corruption within Belize and most importantly, the former attorney general of the country is Samantha's uncle and I knew that he would assist us with legal proceedings."

McAfee has denied involvement in the murder and told Reuters on Monday he would not turn himself in. He posted repeatedly on his blog www.whoismcafee.com while on the run, describing how he would constantly change his disguise to elude capture.

On Tuesday, he appeared with his hair and goatee died black, and wearing a dark suit and tie - a far cry from the surfer-style blonde hair highlights, shorts and tribal-tattooed bare shoulders he sported in Belize.

"(Guerra) is now attempting to get political asylum for myself and for Sam. I don't think there will be much of a problem. From here I can speak freely and safely," McAfee said.

TECH GENIUS, "BONKERS"

McAfee says he believes authorities in Belize would kill him if he turned himself in for questioning. Belize's prime minister has denied the claim and called the 67-year-old paranoid and "bonkers."

On the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye, where McAfee has lived for about four years, residents say he is eccentric, impulsive, erratic and at times unstable, with a penchant for guns and young women.

He would often be seen with armed bodyguards, pistols tucked into his belt, and McAfee's neighbour had complained about the loud barking of dogs that guarded his exclusive beachside compound.

His run-in with authorities in Belize is a world away from a successful life in the United States, where he started McAfee Associates in 1989 and made millions of dollars developing the Internet anti-virus software that carries his name.

There was already a case against McAfee in Belize for possession of illegal firearms, and police had previously raided his property on suspicion he was running a lab to make illegal synthetic narcotics.

McAfee says he has been persecuted for refusing to donate money to politicians, that he loves Belize, and considers it his home.

Guatemala is a canny choice to seek refuge. It has long been embroiled in a territorial dispute with Belize. Guatemala claims the southern half of Belize and all of its islands, or cayes, rightfully belong to it.

A Guatemalan government source said there was "no reason" to detain McAfee because there was no legal case against him pending in the country. Guatemala's government declined official comment.

"He will go back to Belize once his situation here in Guatemala is made legal," Guerra told Reuters, citing the fact he had crossed into Guatemala illegally to avoid capture by police in Belize.

"He can go to the United States, there is no problem with that," he added. "We have asked the U.S. embassy for support with our (asylum) request."

He said the asylum request would be formally presented on Wednesday.

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City said in a statement McAfee would have to work within the country's legal framework, but declined to elaborate. "The embassy does not comment on the actions of American citizens, due to privacy considerations."

(Reporting by Simon Gardner and Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Kieran Murray and Eric Walsh)

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


Hugh Hefner to say 'I Do' again

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:26 PM PST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is headed to the altar again - with the blonde Playmate who ditched him five days before their planned wedding in 2011.

Hefner, 86, and his former "runaway bride" Crystal Harris, 26, obtained a marriage license in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, Los Angeles County Recorder spokeswoman Elizabeth Knox said.

Celebrity website TMZ.com said the couple, who reunited earlier this year, are planning a New Year's Eve wedding.

Harris was Playboy magazine's Miss December 2009 and appeared on the July 2011 cover of the adult magazine with a "runaway bride" sticker covering her bottom half.

In what was described at the time only as a "change of heart," Harris dumped the magazine mogul and left his Playboy Mansion five days before a lavish June 2011 wedding before 300 guests.

This time around, the couple are playing it low-key, staying mum on their busy Twitter accounts with Hefner's spokeswoman declining to confirm or deny their plans.

Hefner, founder of the Playboy adult entertainment empire, has been married twice before. He and his second wife Kimberley Conrad, also a former Playmate, divorced in 2010 after a lengthy separation. His first marriage to Mildred Williams ended in divorce in 1959. He has two children from each marriage.

The Voice - Winning formula

Posted: 05 Dec 2012 01:04 AM PST

Music and television fans are singing their praise for The Voice.

When The Voice started early last year, it was met with scepticism. Did we really need another reality singing competition show on TV?

American Idol ratings were on the decline and Simon Cowell had announced that an American version of the massively popular British hit The X-Factor would begin later that same year.

It looked like people just couldn't get enough of these talent shows.

Now, The Voice is in its third season and some 12 million viewers tune in to watch it each week in the US alone.

Malaysians, too, get to watch it just a few days after it is screened in the US.

What makes The Voice, which is based on the Dutch series The Voice Of Holland, different from The X-Factor and American Idol is the four superstar coaches who are responsible for picking and mentoring contestants on their team.

All of them – Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera – are vocalists who are actively producing hit music right now and have years of experience under their belts.

They are more than able to prepare their team members for the performances week to week and provide invaluable advice the aspiring artistes would never be able to get on their own.

The show also enlists the help of guest mentors. This season has seen the likes of Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Mary J. Blige, Michael Bublé and Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas giving contestants invaluable advice.

One of the most interesting aspects of The Voice, which is hosted by the very capable Carson Daly, is the blind auditions process.

At the beginning of each season, the coaches have their backs turned to the hopefuls who try out for the show. If one or more coaches like what they hear, they push their bright, shiny red button to turn their chair.

This means that the contestants are judged solely on their voices and nothing else. If more than one chair turns, the power shifts to the contestant and he/she then gets to pick which of the interested coaches they would like to work with.

This year, the coaches pulled out every trick they could think of to build their teams of 16 contestants – from Shelton using his recent American Country Music award as a prop, to Levine reminding everyone that his team won the first season of the show. The banter between the coaches always provides a healthy dose of comic relief.

The coaches also make it a point to perform on The Voice, sometimes with their team members or, with one or all of the other coaches. Last week, the show arranged a cute duet between Green and Kermit The Frog singing Bein' Green.

Like previous seasons, this year's show has seen numerous participants with incredible vocal ability, making it even harder for the coaches to decide who should stay and who should go when it is time to trim down their teams.

In the battle rounds, two contestants are given a song to sing together by their coach and basically, whoever sings better stays.

Now and then, there isn't a clear-cut winner but at this stage, they can be "stolen" by another coach (a new feature introduced this season).

Green was in the unfortunate position of having to pick between Trevin Hunte and Amanda Brown in one of the battles. He picked Hunte while Levine quickly stole Brown.

For the knockout rounds, the contestants pick their own songs but go head-to-head with another contestant on their coach's team. The end of the knockout rounds leaves each coach with five participants each.

In the subsequent stage – the live playoffs – home audiences get the chance to vote for their favourites. It's also the last time the coaches are able to save a team member from being eliminated. And then it's on to the final live performance phase where two contestants with the lowest number of votes get sent home each week.

This week, the remaining six performers take to the stage, inching closer to the grand prize – a recording contract.

Getting the recording deal does not assure brisk record sales, though.

Just ask Season One winner Javier Colon from Team Adam. His album, Come Through For You, peaked at No. 134 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Perhaps Season Two champion Jermaine Paul (from Team Blake) will have better luck when he releases his album on Dec 18.

But let's get back to the show. With hottie Dez Duron being the last contestant eliminated from Team Xtina in the last round, that leaves Levine, Green and Shelton with a shot at having a winning team member.

Levine has powerhouse vocalist Brown and the quirky half-blonde, half-brunette with the raspy voice Melanie Martinez.

Shelton has Cassadee Pope, who was previously in the poprock band Hey Monday, and rocker Terry McDermott, a Scottish singer who was in a band called Driveblind.

Green has high school student Hunte and the bearded soul artiste Nicholas David on his team.

Viewers are just days away from finding out who takes the Season Three crown.

This week's performance episode will see the six contestants singing two songs each as they vie for a coveted spot in the final four.

The two-hour season finale will be shown on Dec 24 over AXN and AXN HD (Astro Ch 701/721) at 8.10pm.

K-pop idol Dong-ho turns action star

Posted: 05 Dec 2012 03:41 AM PST

K-pop idol Dong-ho of U-Kiss turns into an action star for his latest drama Holy Land.

BEFORE you scream, "not another idol drama", check out Holy Land.

True, they are usually a hit or miss in the story stakes, but idol dramas – drama series starring Korean pop idol stars – coninue to be a rising trend. After all, the idols' bankability is guaranteed, with their existing fanbase, and really, not many regular drama fans can resist the glamorous, nubile stars.

Holy Land, the latest to hit our shores, unabashedly cashes in not only on its lead, Dong-ho from K-pop idol group U-Kiss, but also his fellow U-Kisser, Hoon, in a supporting role.

But what makes this four-part, action-packed drama series stand out from the usual crop is its stylised action sequences and character development. That is greatly due to its source material – a popular manga series with the same title, by Kouji Mori.

Like the Japanese version, Holy Land follows the adventures of a homeless teen – here, Kang-yoo (Dong-ho) – who wanders the lonely city streets in search of a place where he can belong; his "holy land".

To survive, he picks up boxing but his extraordinary skills only draw the attention of the thugs and gangs who all want a piece of him. He is rescued by former streetfighter Sang-ho (Seong-woong), who takes him under his wings and hones his fighting skills. Sang-ho's attempts to give Kang-yoo a new life away from the mean streets, however, proves futile as the city's underbelly simply cannot let the teen streetfighter go.

This is Dong-ho's first action role, but the 18-year-old singer and dancer took the physical challenge of the mixed martial arts training in his stride.

Although it left him bruised, he really enjoyed it, he tells Star2 in an e-mail interview.

"It was fun!" he raves, before admitting, "It was physically exhausting ... I thought I was in great shape, thanks to dancing, but I was wrong."

Of course, what he enjoyed most was his "showdown" with his fellow U-Kiss member Hoon.

"I have a fight scene with him and I win! He does taekwondo, so in real life, I'd never be able to beat him. It was fun," says Dong-ho.

No need to fret, Kiss-Mes (aka U-Kiss fans) – neither was hurt in the scene, and they still look as flawless as ever.

Dong-ho did get a scratch on his nose but he was grateful for that "scar" as it helped him get into the loner and rebel role.

"Kang-yoo is a shy outsider both at home and in society. He teaches himself boxing, using an old boxing textbook. We don't have a lot in common. He's kind of shy and dark but I'm not."

He shares he had to dig deep in himself for some scenes.

"I feel like I'm beginning to understand what acting really is. I can't give myself a high score since there's still a lot for me to learn but I'll try to be a better actor."

In fact, he counts the learning experience as the best experience when doing the series.

"I've learned how to control my emotions, which will be helpful in future acting. I still have a lot to learn. Singing's what I've been doing for a long time, but acting is new, so it kind of makes me nervous. I just want to do my best," says the up-and-coming acting star who has appeared in drama series Royal Family and I Am Legend. His filmography includes My Black Mini Dress, Villain And Widow and Mr Idol.

After the intense role in Holy Land, however, Dong-ho hopes to play some light-hearted characters in romantic comedies or high school dramas next.

Still, for now, Dong-ho wants to focus on his music with his group U-Kiss, especially in the promotions of its seventh mini album Stop Girl.

Dong-ho is particularly high from his experience in South America, where U-Kiss became the first K-Pop group to perform in Colombia, where it shared the stage with Shakira.

"I was shocked by how enthusiastic the fans were. A lot more people showed up than expected. I can't wait for our concert in Brazil in the future."

Unfortunately, there are no plans to come back to Malaysia for a concert yet but he hopes they will be able to perform here again soon, gushing, "Thank you very much for your continued support, fans in Malaysia! I'll always try hard to live up to your expectations. I love you all!"

Holy Land premieres tonight at 9pm on KIX HD (Astro Ch 729).

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

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The Star Online: Sports


Official: India suspended from IOC

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:33 PM PST

LAUSANNE: India has had its rights suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because of its stance of electing tainted officials it was announced after a meeting of the IOC Executive Board here on Tuesday.

Suspension of their IOC rights means India will not receive IOC funding and its officials would be banned from attending Olympic meetings and events.

India's athletes would also be barred from competing in the Olympics under the national flag, although the IOC could allow some to take part under the Olympic flag.

The suspension comes amid an ongoing row between the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the IOC over the election procedure for top posts in the national organisation due to be held on Wednesday.

A New Delhi court directed the faction-ridden IOA to hold the vote according to the government's sports code but the IOC wanted it to abide by the Olympic charter that favours autonomy and prompted its action on Tuesday.

"The Executive Board decided to suspend the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) due to its failure to comply to the Olympic charter and its statute, fail to inform the IOC in a timely manner, and as a protective measure to government interference in the election process," said IOC Director of Communications Mark Adams.

"The IOA is no longer entitled to exercise any activity or rights including financial support... until the suspension is lifted.

"The EB confirms that IOA is not entitled to hold any election until all pending issues are resolved."

Things came to a head after it was revealed that Lalit Bhanot, who is out on bail after spending 11 months in custody last year on corruption charges linked to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, was expected to be elected unopposed to the post of secretary-general.

The new IOA president was expected to be Abhey Singh Chautala, who has close links to former incumbent Suresh Kalmadi, who is also on bail over corruption charges linked to the Commonwealth Games.

The IOC Ethics Commission in October warned India against fielding either Bhanot or Kalmadi and has expressed concern over political interference.

Pere Miro, the IOC director responsible for relations with the National Olympic Committees (NOC), said that the whole election process was tainted.

"The election process was tarnished, in my opinion, since its origin because on one hand there was a lot of interference through different governemental groups and afterwards their own bad interpretation of their own statutes by the IOA," he said.

"Because of this, many candidates decided to withdraw because the situation was so confused that they were not ready to take part in this election."

Miro said that it was not just because of the dispute over the election that the IOA had had their rights suspended.

"To preserve the autonomy is 50% of the decision while the other 50% is the bad governance of the IOA itself.

"When we will have both things that will be reversed, the IOC will reanalyze the situation and lift the suspension.

"The IOA has lost all their rights conferred by the Olympic charter: these rights are to receive financial assistance, technical assistance and to take part in any competition under IOC jurisdiction."

Chautala, a politician in northern Haryana state, told AFP in New Delhi on Tuesday ahead of official confirmation of the suspension that it would not be the right thing to do.

"I have not heard anything officially but am told that India has been suspended by the IOC. If that is true, it is wrong and a one-sided decision.

"We will meet tomorrow (Wednesday) to decide our future course of action."

Chautala blamed his one-time rival for the post, Randhir Singh, for the suspension. Singh pulled out of the race to become IOA president last month.

"When he realised he did not have the majority to win the elections, Randhir used his contacts in the IOC to get at us," he said. "He is the one who has shamed Indian sport and should resign from the IOC."

Chautala added that the IOA had no choice but to follow the government's sports code.

"We had explained to the IOC that we were ordered by the Delhi High Court to follow the sports code," he said. "We could not go against a court order. But we did not get a reply from the IOC."

India's lone individual Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra said the IOA deserved to be suspended.

"Bye Bye IOA, hope to see u again soon, hopefully cleaner!," Bindra tweeted.

India's next appearance at a major international event would have been the Asian Games in South Korea in 2014. - AFP

Irish sailor warned by IOC over betting

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:30 PM PST

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Dec 4, 2012 (AFP) - Irish sailor Peter O'Leary has been let off with a warning for betting on the sailing competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Tuesday.

Star Class skipper O'Leary bet 300 euros on rivals Great Britain winning the event at odds of 12-1 and as a result won 3,600 euros.

In its decision, the IOC ethics commission took into account that while at the time of the Beijing Games athletes were barred from betting on any Olympic competition, competitors in 2008 may not have been familiar with the regulations.

They also took into account that the bet had no bearing on the final result because O'Leary did not have a chance of fighting for a medal. - AFP

IOC definitively lift Kuwait suspension

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:30 PM PST

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Dec 4, 2012 (AFP) - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday definitively lifted the suspension of the Kuwait Olympic Committee after receiving assurances concerning the body's autonomy, spokesman Mark Adams said.

The IOC executive commission rubber stamped the decision during a meeting here after having already lifted the two-year ban last July just in time to allow the country's athletes parade under their national flag at the London Olympics.

Kuwait's Olympic committee were suspended by the IOC in January, 2010, over government interference. - AFP

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The Star Online: Business

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Nestle top gainer, Kenanga ups stock to Outperform

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 06:02 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of Nestle Malaysia advanced on Wednesday as investors' appetite for consumer stocks remained firm while Kenanga Investment Research raised its outlook to an "Outperform".

At 9.48am, Nestle was up RM1.44 to RM62.44. There were 2,900 shares done.

The FBM KLCI rose 4.25 points to 1,611.86. Turnover was 118.54 million shares valued at RM76.30mil. There were 162 gainers, 97 losers and 192 counters unchanged.

Kenanga Research said due to the challenging economy outlook ahead, it continues to hold to itsr strong conviction stance on defensive and yield stocks such as Nestle.

"This is especially so in the case of the latter, which has seen its share price falling sharply by 13% after our downgrade in early November.

"The price fall offer opportunities now to buy back the stock again at lower prices. We believe a Buy-on-Weakness strategy is hence appropriate on Nestle at this juncture given that it still has a relatively good dividend yield and fundamentals," it said.

Kenanga Research maintained the target price at RM72.10 based on an unchanged price-to-earnings ratio (PER) of 33.4 times (+3 standard deviation above its five-year average PER level of 22.2 times).

The research house said given a still total return of about 21%, it upgraded its rating on the stock to an Outperform from a Market Perform.

Former boss says sorry for role in HBOS catastrophe

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:57 PM PST

LONDON: A former chief executive of HBOS apologised for the first time on Monday for his role in the high-risk lending strategy that pushed the British bank close to collapse during the financial crisis.

Knighted by the Queen in 2006 for services to the financial sector, James Crosby admitted to a committee of British members of parliament that incompetent corporate lending brought HBOS to its knees two years later.

"I was horrified and deeply upset by what happened," Crosby told the joint committee of Britain's Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards. "I am apologising. I played a major part in building a business that subsequently failed."

The parliamentary committee is looking into what its members described as the "HBOS catastrophe" and what lessons can be learnt to prevent future bank failures.

Once Britain's biggest mortgage provider, HBOS had to be rescued by rival Lloyds and propped up with an £11.5bil (US$18.43bil) taxpayer bailout when the financial crisis laid bare its disastrous exposure to property in Britain and Ireland.

"I have no doubt that my reputation and my achievements will never again be seen in the same light," said Crosby, who sat alone during over two hours of questioning.

"I am too closely associated with the problems of HBOS."

Crosby, who stood down as HBOS CEO in 2006, admitted that he would be unlikely to get regulatory approval to run a financial services company if he applied to British authorities now. He has no plans to do so. Reuters

Swiss anti-graft law in the cold

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:53 PM PST

Wednesday December 5, 2012

GENEVA: The Swiss cabinet has rejected a motion that would force mining companies and private commodity trading houses to declare payments made to resource-rich countries.

The decision puts the traditionally neutral country at odds with the United States and the European Union, both of which are pursuing tough new rules for oil, gas and mining companies aimed at reducing corruption.

The Swiss government said it dismissed the motion, backed by a group of 30 mostly leftwing politicians, because it went beyond measures passed by other Western countries by including the activities of private traders such as Vitol and Gunvor.

Geneva alone is responsible for over a third of daily crude oil volumes and about 35% of grains.

"The cabinet believes that the scope of the European and US transparency measures is not sufficiently clear and that commodity trading outside of the country of origin is unlikely to be included. We therefore reject the motion," the government said in a statement on Monday. Reuters

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf


Book review: Auditor to author, from fact to fiction

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:17 AM PST

Auditors and authors don't seem to have much in common, do they? Ah, but there is always an exception to every stereotype.

THEY SAY our experiences shape us – for Hemingway it was war, and for One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest author Ken Kesey, it was his experience acting as an unwitting LSD guinea pig for the CIA in America.

But if the themes that emerged from these conditions were, respectively, love, war, wilderness and loss; and madness, manipulation, freedom and confinement, then what comes of two decades working as an auditor in Malaysia?

Meet E.S. Shankar.

Retired in 2010, his career of embroilment-in-numbers spans 22 years as a senior manager, executive director and consultant, in both private and publicly listed companies in Malaysia.

And as is evident in the debut release of his thriller-science fiction-satire, Tiger Isle, Shankar is drawn to themes of greed, control, corruption and the inevitable rise of the underdog.

His personal aspirations for society seem to be reflected in the central theme of his new book, where, whether through individual self-empowerment or a man's subjection to external forces, when systems go out-of-whack, nature will correct itself.

His interest in literature began at an early age. The 59-year-old Shankar hails from an era when literature was taken as a compulsory subject in the post-colonial remnants of an English school system – Shakespeare, Camara Laye, Gerald Durrell are names he mentions. "With that kind of education system, something had to rub off on you about reading," he laughs.

Over coffee recently, we talk about his itch to write and where it has taken him.

"It started in the 1990s, I would go back to the Asian financial crisis of 1997/98, when (then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) sacked his deputy prime minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), that got me to thinking that I need to take a closer look at what was happening in the country and the region."

Shankar was never active in politics, never the member of any party, but was by nature politically minded.

"My thoughts and feelings about events around us began festering, but at the time, the only outlets for such things were (online news portal) Malaysiakini. You couldn't write about your political opinions to any of the newspapers, it would never get published."

Not long afterwards, Shankar felt himself pulled by the heady tide of unsolicited discourse when the Internet began unleashing a generation of influential bloggers; a pioneering source of inspiration for Shankar was the no-holds-barred exposes of people like Raja Petra Kamarudin, aka "RPK".

In 2006, Shankar started off by writing articles, commentaries on society and politics, and satirical pieces reflective of the times, albeit not for publication. However, "I always knew I was writing them for someone, and that one day I would want them to be read, or published," Shankar says. Finally, in 2007, when he got the hang of the Internet, he started posting his work on his blog, donplaypuks.blogspot.com.

But the postings were not enough to satisfy the writing bug, and so he dove head first into his first novel despite the fact that his only prior writing experience was as editor of his school paper when he was at the Victoria Institute, and what he calls "fancy auditing reports".

He finished it, a 500-page historico-fictional epic, but was unsuccessful in finding himself a literary agent (this was a time before publishing moved in any significant way online – when every manuscript had to be posted via snail-mail).

An interim publication of memoirs gave Shankar his first taste of seeing his words in print. Let Us Now With Thankfulness tells of his formative years at the Victoria Institute, a time of his life which he holds in great esteem.

Then, after his retirement, the characters of Tiger Isle began to call out to him irresistibly. The itch occupied his brain at all hours, plot-lines would intrude into his life at odd moments, and he would find himself typing out entire chapters at two or three o'clock in the morning.

"I'd go to bed, and then think, argh, I need to change that, and then get out of bed again, sit at the computer and change it."

Shankar's world is coloured deeply by politics; because of his work, he sees life through a political lens – which is why he chose to frame his novel with his personal passion, politics. But when it came to Tiger Isle's main character, a woman named Rekha, he smartly stuck with what he knows thoroughly professionally: auditing. So Rekha is an accountant.

"I wanted to write something I was familiar with – so making the heroine an auditor meant that I didn't have to struggle to figure her out. If she were a nuclear physicist, for example, you know, I wouldn't know where to start!"

Another reason he decided on an auditor as a protagonist is because, that way, she – and the reader – gets to understand what's going on in the financial circles of the government. "I knew I was going to be making up the story in terms of accounts and types of financial fraud."

His plot involves devices that you couldn't really talk about without being familiar with high finance or having a financial background or were involved in some aspect of government auditing.

Tiger Isle is set on a fictional island where one strong woman and her friends are all that stand between its despotic leader and a slide over the precipice towards third world status and bankruptcy.

His story touches on patriotism, too: "What is true patriotism?" he asks. "Beware of patriotism, the last refuge of the scoundrel! People wrap themselves in a flag and hide behind the problems of the country."

And then there are the science fiction aspects in this multifarious novel.

"I am a fan of science fiction, and in a scene from (the 1993 movie) Jurassic Park, someone asks the character played by Richard Attenborough, what would happen if any of the dinosaurs escaped from their enclosures? And he smugly replies that they have engineered the dinosaurs' DNA so that they cannot reproduce.

"I like Jeff Goldblum's line after that; he says 'life will not be contained'," says Shankar.

That line stuck because, to him, it describes that precarious place humanity puts itself in, when we let greed and ambition infect our rules and systems of governance.

"We can do all these experiments – cloning, Dolly the sheep – but, mostly, we don't really understand what we are doing, and nature has its own way of looking at things.

"It has its own plan, we don't realise we are just visitors here."

Book review: Beyond travel guides

Posted: 03 Dec 2012 04:10 PM PST

Although renowned for its travel guides, Lonely Planet is increasingly putting out travel-related titles that aren't just guide books.

MENTION the words "lonely planet", and I'm sure an instant image of a blue-spined book with a country's name emblazoned across it in white print will appear in your mind. Perhaps with a picture of scruffy-looking backpacker earnestly consulting it in the middle of an exotic locale.

Although there are plenty of travel guide publishers out there today, Lonely Planet has established itself as the largest and most well-known of them all.

Founded in 1973 by the footloose husband-and-wife team of Tony and Maureen Wheeler, the company is now wholly owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

While Lonely Planet's core business has always been its travel guides, Asia Pacific sales and marketing director Chris Zeiher shares that its trade and reference titles have been rapidly increasing over the past five years.

"Lonely Planet has been creating beautiful coffee-table pictorials, travel literature and gift titles for more than 15 years, but in the last five years, our output of such titles has significantly increased.

"We believe that publishing an inspirational and reference list of titles will create more frequent engagement with our travellers, and potentially reach a new audience, or a non-travelling market, for example, the armchair traveller," he says in an exclusive e-mail interview recently.

Zeiher explains that the initial idea to publish something other than a travel guide arose out of the large portfolio of images they had accumulated over the years.

"We had an idea to pack these stunning travel photographs in book format for consumers to enjoy.

"This is when titles like Chasing Rickshaws and One Planet were created back in the late 1990s and early 2000s."

The success of One Planet made the company realise that there is a demand out there for inspirational titles. This resulted in Lonely Planet investing in, and creating, its most successful non-guide book to date: The Travel Book.

Having sold over 750,000 copies, this title, which contains profiles of every country on Earth, spawned a series of similar books like The Cities Book, The Europe Book, The Asia Book and The USA Book.

Other inspirational titles include the 1,000 series, eg 1000 Ultimate Experiences and 1000 Ultimate Sights, which package the years of experience, content and recommendations of Lonely Planet authors into individual volumes.

Not forgetting the need for practical travel tips, Zeiher shares that Lonely Planet also produces reference books geared towards specific groups of travellers.

"Our Travel With Children title is into a fifth edition, and covers advice on travelling with infants, toddlers and school-age children, on all kinds of travel from short weekend breaks to long multi-month country hops.

"Our successful Volunteer Handbook is a comprehensive directory of the world's volunteer organisations, which also includes practical advice on how to choose and plan your volunteer experience.

Another quintessential travel topic, food, is also covered in books such as The World's Best Street Food and The Food Lover's Guide To The World; both contain recipes and photos good enough to eat for cuisine explorers.

The company is also reaching out to the younger demographic with its Not-For-Parents series launched just last year. "This series was developed to showcase destinations to young enquiring minds.

"These titles are not guidebooks for children, but fascinating, quirky and fun volumes for children to get inspired about the world around them," says Zeiher.

For example, the Not-For-Parents London title includes interesting information on topics like Cockney rhyming slang, locations from the Harry Potter books, and the London Underground (it might be haunted!).

Using a mix of photography, cartoons, illustrations and fun text, the series has 11 titles out already, with another six more planned for next year, marking its popularity.

The brand also has an eye for the quirky as can be seen from books like Signspotting, Happy and How To Land A Jumbo Jet.

Says Zeiher: "Lonely Planet has always looked at how we can put a travel spin on hot or popular topics. Two such examples of this are our gifting titles, Happy and How To Land A Jumbo Jet."

Described by Zeiher as Lonely Planet's response to the interest generated by Elizabeth Gilbert's 2007 bestseller Eat, Pray, Love, Happy collects in one volume secrets to happiness from cultures and societies around the world.

Meanwhile, How To Land A Jumbo Jet utilises infographics to present travel facts and ephemera, covering practical topics, like what to carry in your backpack, to random ones, like exotic places to run marathons, and facts, like top five countries for crimes of assault and theft, to survey results for topics like "How proud are you of your nationality?".

Says Zeiher: "This book was so successful with our audience that this year we'll be doing a second infographic title called The Book Of Everything.

"By creating products such as this, and delivering them in quirky, unique and alternative styles, we're impressing on our audience that travel can be viewed via themes, topics, genres and formats."

The company also hasn't forgotten about the storytelling aspect of travelling.

"Moving into travel literature seemed obvious for our brand. Lonely Planet releases one anthology of travel literature every year.

"Our angle is to gather authors to write under a particular theme, and deliver a travel angle to that theme.

"In 2010, we produced A Moveable Feast, which gathered food critics, celebrity chefs – such as Anthony Bourdain – and food bloggers to relay their most amazing food experience while travelling.

"In 2011, our focus was on the film and TV industry, and our title Lights, Camera, Travel had celebrities such as Alec Baldwin, Brooke Shields and Paulina Porizkova describing their most fascinating travel stories while on set for work," says Zeiher.

He adds that this year's anthology, the recently-released Better Than Fiction, collects real-life stories from fiction authors, including Booker Prize winners D.B.C. Pierre (Vernon God Little) and Keri Hulme (The Bone People) as well as bestselling authors Alexander McCall Smith, Joyce Carol Oates, and Isabel Allende.

Currently, these non-guide books comprise approximately 17% of Lonely Planets' volume, and Zeiher expects this to continue rising in the years to come.

"Whatever genre we publish in, we'll always ensure that the publication has a travel angle, and that the traveller is at the heart of the content.

"We believe that publishing in other genres will inspire our travellers, and our loyal community, to think about destinations in different ways, and want to experience genuine connected travel experiences.

"This is at the core of what it is that Lonely Planet does; connecting travellers to the heart of a place."

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Bus crash near Gopeng kills driver, injures 10 passengers

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 07:45 AM PST

Published: Tuesday December 4, 2012 MYT 12:40:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday December 4, 2012 MYT 11:45:25 PM

IPOH: An express bus driver was killed and 10 passengers injured after the vehicle crashed into the back of a trailer along the North-South Expressway near Gopeng at about 12.40am Tuesday.

Kampar OCPD Supt Ng Kong Soon said the driver, Abdul Rahim Musa, 57, died on the spot while 10 others who sustained light injuries were sent to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.

"The bus was carrying 13 passengers and heading to Ipoh from Kuala Lumpur before crashing into the back of the trailer while going uphill," he said, adding that the remaining three passengers did not sustain any injuries.

RTD: AES tender process was transparent

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 07:36 AM PST

PUTRAJAYA: The Road Transport Department (RTD) has denied claims that suppliers of the Automatic Enforcement System (AES) were appointed without issuing tenders, and done in haste.

Its director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan said, the tenders were made carefully and transparently and spanning almost eight years, before the AES started operating in 14 locations from Sept 23.

Solah said to get a picture and ensure the effectiveness of the AES, senior officers of the Ministry of Transport visited countries using the system in 2005.

"The government was briefed on the outcome of the visit. It agreed to implement AES and set up a steering committee aided by five work committees," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Based on the report, Solah said the Government agreed in 2006 to offer nine companies to take part in the tender process. The companies were Commercial Circle (M) Sdn Bhd (ATES Sdn Bhd)(with robots from Germany); Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd (with Redflex from Australia); TESS CAPITAL Sdn Bhd (with Poltaich from Australia); Tricubes Berhad (with SAGEM from France); Precision Hawk Eye (M) Sdn Bhd (with Sianco Traficco from Spain), Acropolis Avenue Sdn Bhd (from China); Neza Teguh Sdn Bhd (with Sensys from Sweden); Tenix Solutions Pte Ltd (with Tenix from Australia and Hyundai Information Technology from Korea.

Solah said Tenix Solutions Pte Ltd and Hyundai Information Technology Co Ltd did not submit technical proposals while seven technology suppliers did so.

"After a technical evaluation, only six joined live demonstrations. The tests took more than a month in Putrajaya, Shah Alam and the Guthrie Highway from June to July 2007.

Solah said only Redflex Traffic System Ptd Ltd represented by Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd and Robot Visual System represented by ATES Sdn Bhd passed the technical qualifications of the Technical Committee.

"After a series of negotiations between the Government and the companies, the Government on Dec 9, 2011 signed an agreement with the two companies," he added. - Bernama

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Dewan Negara passes three Bills

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 07:07 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Negara on Tuesday passed the International Transfer of Prisoners Bill 2012 and the Strata Titles (Amendment) Bill 2012.

Apart from the two Bills, the Dewan Negara also passed the Employees Social Security (Amendment) Bill 2012, to increase the age limit for eligibility to obtain the invalid and survivors' pensions from 55 years to 60 years.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong said during the winding-up session that the International Transfer of Prisoners Bill 2012, formulated to bring back prisoners of Malaysian nationality arrested abroad, would only be feasible through bilateral relations with countries that agreed to sign the deal.

"Currently, 2,622 Malaysians including 481 women are being imprisoned in 59 countries for various offences including drug trafficking and credit card scams," he said, adding that 99 countries in the world practised the system of international transfer of prisoners.

Lee said in prisons abroad, Malaysian convicts had to participate in the rehabilitation programmes there which varied according to the culture, religion and language practised.

"Being away from the family will to some extent influence the rehabilitation and reintegration process into the community. Therefore, there is a need for the International Transfer of Prisoners Act to be created."

He said the Bill would also enable foreign prisoners to be transferred to their respective countries to serve their imprisonment and to undergo rehabilitation to facilitate reintegration into society," he said.

"Statistics from the Immigration Department and the Royal Malaysian Police show that more than 40,000 foreigners have been detained and charged each year for various offences including under the Immigration Act," he added.

Meanwhile, Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup in winding-up the debate on the Strata Titles (Amendment) Bill 2012, said the Act was expected to overcome the issue of applying and registering strata titles for old buildings occupied before 1996.

The Bill, he said, was an enhancement to the Strata Title Act 1985 which was amended four times - in 1990, 1996, 2001 and lastly in 2007.

He said during 27 years of implementation of the Act, land administration throughout the country had successfully registered over 970,000 strata titles involving 15,000 multi-storey building schemes.

Apart from the two Bills, the Dewan Negara also passed the Employees Social Security (Amendment) Bill 2012, to increase the age limit for eligibility to obtain the invalid and survivors' pensions from 55 years to 60 years.

The House will sit again Wednesday. - Bernama

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Bollywood 'demigod' Khan casts spell on Moroccans

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:02 AM PST

MARRAKESH (Morocco): Bollywood "demigod and prince charming" Shah Rukh Khan whipped thousands of Moroccans into a frenzy at the Marrakesh film festival when he danced to the tunes of movie songs at the Jamaa El Fna square.

Khan, 47, popularly known as "King Khan", was cheered at the square - a mecca of tourism in Morocco - where a giant screen was installed to show a preview of his latest Hindi movie, Jab Tak Hain Jaan (Till My Last Breath).

In its 12th edition, the festival which runs until Dec 8 in this ochre city, is presenting a "special tribute" to Indian cinema as it celebrates its centenary.

"I am pleased to present the star, the icon, the demigod of Indian cinema, Shah Rukh Khan," said an organiser as the arrival of the star sparked a roar from young fans, who braved gloomy and cold weather to catch a glimpse of him.

Khan, who acted in some 80 films, was specially invited for the festival in Morocco, where Bollywood films rank alongside Egyptian movies in popularity.

A true showman, he warmed up the atmosphere with more than half-an-hour song and dance performance on stage that had the crowds screaming in appreciation.

Later festival organisers screened a preview of Jab Tak Hain Jaan, directed by legendary Bollywood filmmaker Yash Chopra who died in October in Mumbai, the home of India's Hindi-language movie industry, after more than five decades of movie career.

Khan had acted in several box-office hit movies produced and directed by Chopra such as Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (Bravehearts Will Take The Bride Away), Dil To Paagal Hai (Heart Is Crazy) and Daar (Fear).

He has also taken lead roles in other blockbusters such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Something Is Happening) and Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham (Sometimes Joy, Sometimes Sorrow) directed by another popular Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar.

"This is the first time I am seeing Shah Rukh Khan. This is a dream. He was two feet away from me. He is so simple and modest," Khadija Ariba, a young student, told AFP.

"I know all his films. They talk of love, injustice, humanity... things that we speak of. He is the prince of most girls."

For many fans it was an "unforgettable" experience at Jamaa El Fna.

"We watch movies on satellite channels and some movie theatres. But to be present here on Jamaa El Fna is unforgettable for me," said Ouadie El Ouwad.

Ranked in 2001 as part of the World Heritage List by UNESCO, Jamaa El Fna - site of the April 28, 2011 bombing that killed 17 people - was teeming with joyful fans - mostly students and employees - who cheered Khan.

"I left my workplace at 5 pm to see Shah Rukh Khan from close, but once here the place was already packed with people," said Ahmed, 32, a carpenter.

"What I like most are his songs. And I have a friend, who speaks very good Hindi which he learned by watching his movies," he said as he straddled his motorcycle.

Fifteen films are in the race for the top prize at the festival, including Touch of the Light by Taiwanese Chang Jung-Chi, The Attack by French-Lebanese Ziad Doueiri and Like a Lion by Samuel Collardey of France.

The festival's jury comprises of Canadian Marie-Josee Croze, American James Gray, Moroccan Jillali Ferhati and French Lambert Wilson.

On Friday the festival kicked off with a special ovation for French actress Isabelle Huppert. - AFP

New York critics pick 'Zero Dark Thirty' as best film

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 12:50 AM PST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York Film Critics Circle on Monday picked action thriller Zero Dark Thirty as best film and gave its top acting honors to Daniel Day-Lewis and Rachel Weisz in the first major movie awards leading up to Hollywood's Oscars.

U.S. filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow won best director for Zero Dark Thirty, based on the decade-long U.S. operation to hunt down and kill Osama bin Laden, and billed as a cinematic look at "the greatest manhunt in history."

The organization announced the awards via Twitter.

Matthew Fox is lost to the dark side in ‘Alex Cross’

Posted: 03 Dec 2012 11:49 PM PST

BEVERLY HILLS (USA Today/MCT) – It will take a moment for even the most die-hard fan of ABC's Lost to recognize the scary-thin, massively ripped and totally insane serial killer in Alex Cross.

But when it kicks in, the realization hits harder than the mixed martial arts blow that the crazed hit man called Picasso delivers in a brutal early scene of the thriller, opening in Malaysia this week.

The baddie is Matthew Fox, who played noble Dr. Jack Shephard on Lost for six seasons.

"There are people who are going to be horrified by this," Fox, 46, says with a chuckle. "They are so attached to the idea of that (Lost) character and his ultimate goodness that to show up and see me doing this, well, they might not be happy."

Neither is Tyler Perry, who plays homicide detective/ psychologist Alex Cross in his first dramatic role – a film reboot of the best-selling novels by James Patterson. Perry finds a formidable on-screen opponent in Fox, who dug deep to find darkness.

Fox guesses he lost close to 40 pounds from his 200-pound frame during a five-month physical regimen before filming, incorporating weight loss as well as body sculpting "There were no French fries, man," Fox says, moments after placing two fries in his mouth during a recent lunch at the Four Seasons Hotel. He's not as thin today as he appears on-screen, and he enjoys the odd fry again, but he still focuses on his salad and healthy club sandwich.

"Some of the meals were very, very leafy," he says. "I was craving all the things I love — pasta, steak, my mother's pie."

Fox worked on mixed martial arts training along with the intense workouts. "I played college football (at Columbia). I thought I knew my way around exercise," Fox says with a sigh. "Either I was wrong, or things have changed drastically. Maybe it's both. This was full-bore. Many times I felt like throwing up."

For the final step in his transformation, Fox shaved his hair "pretty much to the bone" to present himself to director Rob Cohen. As for the spooky and extensive tattoos seen on-screen? Those were already inked in.

"I've been getting tattoos for a lot of years, and like a lot of people into it, it keeps building on itself," says Fox. "I'm probably really pushing the limit of an actor with tattoos."

Cohen says Fox wouldn't allow pictures to preview his initial visit. "He wanted to surprise me. When I saw him and how ripped he had gotten, I thought, 'This is no Dr. Jack.' We were going where he hadn't gone before."

That included a mental readjustment as well. Fox and Perry even kept their relationship chilly to ensure their tense performances. "We didn't really interact much," says Fox. "Those two guys essentially want to kill each other (on-screen). We didn't have moments where he was like, 'Dude, you look like a freak.'"

"There was no joking around, no relaxing between them," says Cohen, adding that Fox "stayed by himself on set. He was very intensely internal."

Fox admits that his Picasso character stayed with him even after he stopped shooting each day. "It was kind of incessant. I couldn't stop thinking about him. I would get back to the hotel room after a scene and do everything possible to take a break, to check out of it."

However, Fox says his mental state had nothing to do with a real-life altercation with a Cleveland bus driver who said Fox assaulted her in August 2011. (Prosecutors did not charge Fox, and a civil lawsuit was later withdrawn.)

He concedes that the incident might have been caused by his strange physical appearance. "I know I looked scary, and that was something I underestimated at the time. You sort of lose track. After five months of progression of changing my appearance, I never said, 'You have to be careful because you look like a Nazi skinhead.'

"I can tell you this," Fox adds. "I have never hit a woman in my life. Never have and never will. That's not who I am."

Though former Lost co-star Dominic Monaghan kept the controversy alive with a tweet disputing that assertion, Fox says he's moving on personally. He will, however, continue to explore the dark side on-screen, playing a Navy SEAL during a zombie apocalypse alongside Brad Pitt in World War Z, out next summer.

"What has happened in the world has sort of fractured him. He doesn't know where he fits anymore," says Fox of his Z character. "He's a definitely a little unhinged."

Cohen believes this dark side will truly highlight Fox's acting potential. "Lost shows a Matthew Fox he can easily access. But going to these other places, this is where he can really shine over time."

As for Fox, he just wants the great parts that are coming his way. "If there are Lost fans out there expecting to see any version of Jack Shephard ever again — that was that. My choices going forward are going to be different. Whatever is next might be a good guy or a bad guy. Or something in between."

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