Rabu, 19 Disember 2012

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Loved and loathed, Park talks tough after Korea poll win

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 08:37 PM PST

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's President-elect, Park Geun-hye, used her first major speech on Thursday to warn of the risks posed by a hostile North Korea and also fired a political shot across the bows of Japan's incoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

South Korea's conservative President-elect Park Geun-hye speaks during a news conference at the main office of ruling Saenuri Party in Seoul December 20, 2012. REUTERS/Woohae Cho

South Korea's conservative President-elect Park Geun-hye speaks during a news conference at the main office of ruling Saenuri Party in Seoul December 20, 2012. REUTERS/Woohae Cho

Speaking after a visit to the country's national cemetery, which included a poignant homage at the graves of her assassinated father and mother, South Korea's first female leader pledged to spread wealth more evenly.

Park has said she will hold talks with North Korea and resume aid to the isolated and belligerent country, but only if it abandons its nuclear weapons programme. The impoverished North launched a rocket last week that critics said was a test for technology that could be used for a long-range missile that could one day carry a nuclear warhead.

"North Korea's long-range missile launch showed how grave the security reality is that we are faced with," Park told a news conference a day after her convincing election win.

Park will take office in February and signalled she would continue outgoing Lee Myung-bak's tough line on territorial claims that Japan has on South Korea.

The relationship between them, the two closest allies of the United States in the region, has been damaged by an island row and the issue of an apology and compensation from Japan for the forced sexual slavery of Korean women in World War Two.

South Korea says Japan, which has similar disputes with China, has not come to terms with its harsh past rule of Korea. Japan says it has paid compensation for the slavery issue and has apologised.

"I will try to work for greater reconciliation, cooperation and peace in North East Asia based on correct perception of history," she said in an apparent reference to the simmering conflict with Tokyo.

Park, 60, replaces fellow conservative Lee after his mandatory single, five-year term ends.

The slightly built and elegant Park grew up in Seoul's presidential palace during the 18-year rule of her father, Park Chung-hee, who took power in a military coup in 1961.

"TREMENDOUS BURDEN"

Park on Tuesday called for national "reconciliation" in South Korea and pledged again to share wealth more evenly, but offered no clues about how she would implement policies.

She is likely to face protests by South Korea's vocal left, angry over the rise to power of the daughter of a man they believe was a repressive "dictator".

"This will be a tremendous burden on her ability to govern," political commentator Yu Chang-seon said of Park's heritage.

"It effectively means that she could be in direct conflict with half of society ... The first six months will be key."

On the economy, which dominated the election campaign, Park has promised more social welfare but given few specifics.

Korea has achieved astonishing success in rising from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War to become the world's 14th largest economy, but rewards have been thinly spread.

Economic growth was 5.5 percent for decades, driven by some of the world's biggest companies, such as Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Hyundai Motor Co. That pace has slowed and this year the economy will expand by about 2 percent.

The hundreds of thousands of graduates churned out by South Korean universities each year complain they have trouble finding decent jobs and income differentials have widened sharply.

Park has at times invoked her father's legacy of rapid growth that propelled South Korea into the league of industrialised nations.

At other times, she has apologised for his suppression of protests and the execution of people suspected of sympathising with the North, which is still technically at war with the South after an armistice ended the Korean War.

"FIRST LADY"

Families of those who were executed under her father's rule believe Park has not apologised enough and that she has sought to sweep her past under the carpet. Park was her father's "First Lady" following the 1974 assassination of her mother up until her father was also shot and killed in 1979.

The most notorious executions under Park Chung-hee's rule were of eight men dubbed the "People's Revolutionary Party". They were hanged 24 hours after being sentenced for treason.

The eight, aged 30 to 52, represented a broad section of South Korean society, comprising a bee keeper, a brewery owner, an acupuncturist and teachers. They were exonerated posthumously by the Supreme Court in 2007.

"What she needs to be doing is to reach out to everyone, to those who oppose her, to show her interest and offer her sympathy and to say that she feels sorry for what happened," said Reverend Park Jung-il, who was chief army chaplain in April 1975 and witnessed the dawn executions of the eight men.

As well as confronting a domestic legacy that is still painful for many South Koreans, Park will have to deal with Kim Jong-un, the 29-year-old ruler of North Korea whose grandfather ordered several assassination attempts on her father.

During a 2002 thaw in relations, Park met Kim Jong-il, the father of the latest Kim to rule the North, which in 2010 sank a South Korean naval vessel and shelled a South Korean island.

Park has said she will seek to improve ties with Pyongyang.

Lee, the outgoing president, infuriated the North by cutting off aid to a country where a third of the population is said by the United Nations to be malnourished.

On the face of it, North Korea is in no mood for compromise. It has declared it will not ditch its nuclear weapons capacity, which it recently termed "treasured".

It pushed ahead with last week's rocket launch, despite it being banned under U.N. resolutions imposed in the wake of its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests, as the South got ready to vote.

Park herself has become a target for Pyongyang's propaganda machine, which has denounced Lee's five-year rule for bringing "nightmare, despair, (and )catastrophe".

(Editing by Dean Yates and Paul Tait)

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Loved and loathed, Park talks tough after Korea poll win

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:15 PM PST

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's President-elect, Park Geun-hye, used her first major speech on Thursday to warn of the risks posed by a hostile North Korea and also fired a political shot across the bows of Japan's incoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Winner of South Korea's presidential election Park Geun-hye waves to her supporters in front of the headquarters of the ruling Saenuri party in Seoul December 19, 2012. REUTERS/Cho Jong-Won/Newsis

Winner of South Korea's presidential election Park Geun-hye waves to her supporters in front of the headquarters of the ruling Saenuri party in Seoul December 19, 2012. REUTERS/Cho Jong-Won/Newsis

Speaking after a visit to the country's national cemetery, which included a poignant homage at the graves of her assassinated father and mother, South Korea's first female leader pledged to spread wealth more evenly.

Park has said she will hold talks with North Korea and resume aid to the isolated and belligerent country, but only if it abandons its nuclear weapons programme. The impoverished North launched a rocket last week that critics said was a test for technology that could be used for a long-range missile that could one day carry a nuclear warhead.

"North Korea's long-range missile launch showed how grave the security reality is that we are faced with," Park told a news conference a day after her convincing election win.

Park will take office in February and signalled she would continue outgoing Lee Myung-bak's tough line on territorial claims that Japan has on South Korea.

The relationship between them, the two closest allies of the United States in the region, has been damaged by an island row and the issue of an apology and compensation from Japan for the forced sexual slavery of Korean women in World War Two.

South Korea says Japan, which has similar disputes with China, has not come to terms with its harsh past rule of Korea. Japan says it has paid compensation for the slavery issue and has apologised.

"I will try to work for greater reconciliation, cooperation and peace in North East Asia based on correct perception of history," she said in an apparent reference to the simmering conflict with Tokyo.

Park, 60, replaces fellow conservative Lee after his mandatory single, five-year term ends.

The slightly built and elegant Park grew up in Seoul's presidential palace during the 18-year rule of her father, Park Chung-hee, who took power in a military coup in 1961.

"TREMENDOUS BURDEN"

Park on Tuesday called for national "reconciliation" in South Korea and pledged again to share wealth more evenly, but offered no clues about how she would implement policies.

She is likely to face protests by South Korea's vocal left, angry over the rise to power of the daughter of a man they believe was a repressive "dictator".

"This will be a tremendous burden on her ability to govern," political commentator Yu Chang-seon said of Park's heritage.

"It effectively means that she could be in direct conflict with half of society ... The first six months will be key."

On the economy, which dominated the election campaign, Park has promised more social welfare but given few specifics.

Korea has achieved astonishing success in rising from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War to become the world's 14th largest economy, but rewards have been thinly spread.

Economic growth was 5.5 percent for decades, driven by some of the world's biggest companies, such as Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Hyundai Motor Co. That pace has slowed and this year the economy will expand by about 2 percent.

The hundreds of thousands of graduates churned out by South Korean universities each year complain they have trouble finding decent jobs and income differentials have widened sharply.

Park has at times invoked her father's legacy of rapid growth that propelled South Korea into the league of industrialised nations.

At other times, she has apologised for his suppression of protests and the execution of people suspected of sympathising with the North, which is still technically at war with the South after an armistice ended the Korean War.

"FIRST LADY"

Families of those who were executed under her father's rule believe Park has not apologised enough and that she has sought to sweep her past under the carpet. Park was her father's "First Lady" following the 1974 assassination of her mother up until her father was also shot and killed in 1979.

The most notorious executions under Park Chung-hee's rule were of eight men dubbed the "People's Revolutionary Party". They were hanged 24 hours after being sentenced for treason.

The eight, aged 30 to 52, represented a broad section of South Korean society, comprising a bee keeper, a brewery owner, an acupuncturist and teachers. They were exonerated posthumously by the Supreme Court in 2007.

"What she needs to be doing is to reach out to everyone, to those who oppose her, to show her interest and offer her sympathy and to say that she feels sorry for what happened," said Reverend Park Jung-il, who was chief army chaplain in April 1975 and witnessed the dawn executions of the eight men.

As well as confronting a domestic legacy that is still painful for many South Koreans, Park will have to deal with Kim Jong-un, the 29-year-old ruler of North Korea whose grandfather ordered several assassination attempts on her father.

During a 2002 thaw in relations, Park met Kim Jong-il, the father of the latest Kim to rule the North, which in 2010 sank a South Korean naval vessel and shelled a South Korean island.

Park has said she will seek to improve ties with Pyongyang.

Lee, the outgoing president, infuriated the North by cutting off aid to a country where a third of the population is said by the United Nations to be malnourished.

On the face of it, North Korea is in no mood for compromise. It has declared it will not ditch its nuclear weapons capacity, which it recently termed "treasured".

It pushed ahead with last week's rocket launch, despite it being banned under U.N. resolutions imposed in the wake of its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests, as the South got ready to vote.

Park herself has become a target for Pyongyang's propaganda machine, which has denounced Lee's five-year rule for bringing "nightmare, despair, (and )catastrophe".

(Editing by Dean Yates and Paul Tait)

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

White House readies gun-control plan as more children laid to rest

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:09 PM PST

NEWTOWN, Connecticut (Reuters) - President Barack Obama assigned Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday to find ways to curtail gun violence in America and try to avoid tragedies like the elementary school massacre in Connecticut, where the town buried one of its heroes on Wednesday.

A girl lights a candle at a makeshift memorial outside the Sandy Hook Elementary school for the victims of the December 14 shootings in Sandy Hook village in Newtown, Connecticut, December 19, 2012. REUTERS/Eric Thayer

A girl lights a candle at a makeshift memorial outside the Sandy Hook Elementary school for the victims of the December 14 shootings in Sandy Hook village in Newtown, Connecticut, December 19, 2012. REUTERS/Eric Thayer

With Newtown still in mourning from last Friday's shooting, when a 20-year-old gunman shot dead 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School and then himself, Biden took the assignment to produce recommendations and report back to Obama in time for the president's State of the Union address in late January.

Obama's initiative addressed national outrage over the shootings in Connecticut, which have prompted long-time gun-rights supporters to reconsider their positions and a major private equity firm to put its gun-making business up for sale.

Funerals or wakes were held for four of Newtown's children on Wednesday, as well as the school principal. Teacher Victoria Soto, who is credited with saving half her class of 6- and 7-year-olds by diverting the shooter and hiding the children in a closet, was also laid to rest.

"Vicki achieved in her 27 years what many of us will never achieve if we live to be a hundred," the Reverend Meg Boxwell Williams told the funeral service. "Her last act was absolutely selfless, Christ-like, laying down her life for her children."

Gunman Adam Lanza, 20, shot his mother at home and then killed 20 children and six adults at the school before shooting himself in the head, officials said.

Soto hid her students in a closet when she heard the shooting start early Friday morning, and when Lanza entered Soto's classroom she tried to throw him off by telling him the students were at the other end of the school in an auditorium, the Hartford Courant reported, citing unnamed law-enforcement officials.

Lanza shot six of the children when they tried to run, and police later found the remaining seven students still hiding in the closet, the Courant said. Those children told law enforcement officials what had happened, the Courant reported.

The account provided Newtown with a positive story to cling to following the horrible events that left the nation stunned.

Soto's death "mixed with the glad knowledge that her sacrifice saved so many children," Williams said.

MOURNERS LINE THE STREETS

Some 30 police motorcycles from surrounding towns led the hearse carrying Soto's body to the service in Stratford, Connecticut. About 200 mourners lined the streets outside the church, including a mother and daughter from Maryland who never met Soto but made the long drive because they were touched by her bravery in trying to protect the children in her class.

The family of the school's slain principal, Dawn Hochsprung, invited mourners to visit a local funeral home on Wednesday. Her burial was due to be private at an undisclosed time.

Hundreds braved a bitter wind to pay their respects to the fallen principal, including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

After the service for Daniel Barden, 7, a bagpiper played "America the Beautiful," as hundreds of police officers and fire-fighters, some from New York City and distant towns, stood in formation outside.

The little boy loved his family, riding waves at the beach, playing drums, foosball, reading and making s'mores around a bonfire at his grandfather's house, said an obituary in the Newtown Bee newspaper.

Funerals were also held for Charlotte Bacon and Caroline Previdi, both 6, and a wake for Chase Kowalski, 7.

The massacre prompted some Republican lawmakers to open the door to a national debate about gun control.

That may give an opening to Obama, who said he hoped the National Rifle Association gun lobby would reflect on the tragedy as it awaits Biden's recommendations.

"The vast majority of responsible law-abiding gun owners would be some of the first to say that we should be able to keep an irresponsible, law-breaking few from buying a weapon of war," Obama said.

Connecticut's U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and Senator-elect Chris Murphy met on Wednesday evening with a group of about 40 Newtown residents who are pushing for strengthened gun control and calling themselves Newtown United.

Blumenthal said, as he asks people in town if there is anything he can do, they tell him: "Yes. Do something about guns."

(Additional reporting by Edith Honan and Mark Felsenthal; Writing by Barbara Goldberg and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Christopher Wilson and Todd Eastham)


Related Stories:
Obama promises gun control action early next year

U.S. gun owners fear move to ban assault weapons just a first step

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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'Gossip Girl,' a teen phenomenon

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 01:28 AM PST

The rich kids of the Upper East Side said their goodbyes on Monday, 17 December in the US. Over its six seasons,Gossip Girl did not start a television revolution, but it did manage to become a social phenomenon, especially among teenagers.

On 17 December, the CW network aired the conclusion of the adventures of Serena van der Woodsen, head of a circle of high school friends, and later graduates, in the most chic Manhattan neighborhood, with the episode New York, I Love You XOXO, a reference to the signature used at the end of each episode by the narrator, the secret Gossip Girl.

The identity of Gossip Girl: A well-guarded secret They're gorgeous and rich, yet the friends, who have known each other since their silver-spoon beginnings on the Upper East Side, are confronted day and night by a big problem: the content of the Gossip Girl blog, which reveals their most embarrassing secrets.

Like a version of The Bold And The Beautiful for younger viewers, Gossip Girl is full of improbable developments. However, its strength has been its masterful capacity to divert viewers' attention away from the repetitive adventures of Serena, Blair, Nate, Dan and Chuck.

A TEENAGER'S DREAM LIFE

Showing the everyday life of beyond-rich kids offers notable advantages, including the fact that the teens are able to do whatever they please.

Not only do the characters have access to designer clothes, handbags and jewelry, but they can also drink at the bars of the most luxurious hotels. Already leading adult lives, they do not need a parental green light to party all night.

The Gossip Girl stars immediately became role models for their viewers. Mostly unknown actors in 2007, they now star in big Hollywood productions and in major ad campaigns, the brightest example being Blake Lively (Serena).

Seen in Ben Affleck's The Town, she also appeared in Green Lantern and Oliver Stone's Savages, and she's the face of Chanel Mademoiselle handbags and Gucci perfume.

COMMERCIALISM CRITICIZED

The show's detractors criticize a weak plot that allows viewers to concentrate on the characters' clothes more than their adventures.

Gossip Girl is accused of being one big runway, showcasing brands' products.

Others point to obnoxious characters, with Blair Waldorf making condescending statements such as "Rats go underground. Not Waldorfs!" (about riding the subway) -- even though some characters, such as Brooklynite brother and sister Dan and Jenny Humphrey, gained more sympathy with their different social background.

Fans of Cecily von Ziegesar's 16-volume bestselling saga, which inspired Gossip Girl, also regard the TV version of their beloved story as somewhat sugar-coated.

(Relaxnews)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

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Saberi laments poor pitch conditions

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:29 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The national team are unhappy with the deplorable conditions of the AstroTurf at the Al-Rayyan Hockey Stadium in Doha, the venue of the six-nation Asian Champions Trophy tournament.

Malaysia, who finished third in last year's championship in China, open their campaign against Japan today. The others in the fray are defending champions India, Pakistan, China and newcomers Oman.

"The turf is worn out and slippery. It's also uneven. The players are finding it difficult to play on the pitch despite training there on three occasions," team manager Mohd Saberi Salleh said in a telephone interview yesterday.

He added that the team's performance could be affected by the poor condition of the pitch.

"To make matter worse, it took us an hour to reach the venue from the hotel," complained Saberi, who is also the Terengganu HA secretary.

To prepare for the tournament, Malaysia played a friendly against Qatar on Tuesday. The Malaysians won 8-0.

"It was a good warm-up before we take on Japan," said Saberi.

Saberi, however, warned his team not to take Japan for granted.

"We can expect a difficult task against Japan as they are a fast attacking team. They have retained a number of players who finished fifth in the recent Champions Challenge I tournament in Argentina.

"The pressure will be on us to get the better of Japan as we beat them twice in the tournament last year," said Saberi.

Malaysia won 3-2 in the preliminary round and 1-0 in the third placing playoff.

"We need a good result against Japan to boost our confidence for the other matches. And coach Paul (Revington) wants the team to improve their performance in every match.

"Our main concern is the defence as they conceded goals when it mattered most in the Champions Challenge I tournament," said Saberi.

Malaysia won the first four group matches, scoring 16 goals and conceding five. But in the semi-finals against South Korea, they trailed 4-0 and eventually lost 6-3.

In the bronze medal playoff against Ireland, Malaysia were leading 3-2 with three minutes remaining. But Ireland managed to equalise to force the match into sudden-death extra-time. Ireland went on to win 4-3.

"Our target here is to improve on our third placing. Pakistan and India (who finished third and fourth in the recent Champions Trophy in Melbourne) will pose a big threat to our hopes of reaching the final," said Saberi.

Saberi added that regular midfielder Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor failed to make the final 18-member squad after suffering a hamstring injury in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

"We have replaced him with Mohd Marhan Mohd Jalil," he added.

Malaysian too good for Brown in second round

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:29 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: National No. 2 Low Wee Wern showed she is well qualified to be Nicol David's successor.

The 22-year-old put up a convincing performance to knock out Australia's Kasey Brown to reach the Women's World Open quarter-finals in Cayman Islands on Tuesday.

World No. 7 Wee Wern went into the tournament half-fit, having suffered a hamstring injury in the Hong Kong Open earlier this month.

But it did not deter her as Wee Wern, playing with heavy strappings on her right thigh, proved too strong for Brown, winning 11-5, 11-8, 12-10 in the second round in 35 minutes.

It was world No. 11 Brown who made a better start before a series of unforced errors handed the first two sets to Wee Wern.

The Australian No. 1 again came out stronger in the third, taking a 3-0 lead and holding the edge until 10-9. But the errors returned as first a tin, followed by a stroke and, finally, a scuffed shot handed the match to Wee Wern.

It was Wee Wern's second win over Brown in five meetings, but it was a well-deserved one for the Penangite.

Making the quarter-finals also equalled Wee Wern's previous best performance in last year's championship.

She is now fired up to go one step further by making the last four.

"It's always tough playing Kasey because she never gives up. I'm used to these hot conditions so maybe it was an advantage to me.

"Overall, I'm happy to be able to play and win in three sets despite the heavy strappings," said Wee Wern in a text message.

"Although this will be my second quarter-final appearance, I want to keep on doing better because there is so much more for me to achieve.

"I'll face Laura (Massaro) in the quarters and I don't think I've beaten her recently. But I'm in good form and there is nothing for me to lose," added Wee Wern.

World No. 3 and third seed Massaro of England was also in good form.

She ended the fairytale run of Guyana's Nicolette Fernandes, winning 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 in 51 minutes.

Second seed Raneem El Weleily of Egypt also powered through after coming back from a set down to beat India's Dipika Pallikal 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-5.

The upset of the day came from Dutch veteran Natalie Grinham who rolled back the years to stun fifth seed Joelle King of New Zealand 8-11,11-3, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7.

RESULTS

Second round: Natalie Grinham (Ned) bt Joelle King (Nzl) 8-11, 11-3, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7; Low Wee Wern (Mas) bt Kasey Brown (Aus) 11-5, 11-8, 12-10; Laura Massaro (Eng) bt Nicolette Fernandes (Guy) 11-9, 11-9, 11-7; Raneem El Weleily (Egy) bt Dipika Pallikal (Ind) 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-5.

Asian women dominate with four ranked in the top five

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:33 PM PST

SINGAPORE: Rapid growth has made Asia the big new destination for world golf but there's an unmistakable sense of gloom as long-standing events face an uncertain future and local talent stalls.

While rich tournaments and even richer stars continue to flood east, grabbing widespread attention and making large sums for the game's elite, for the home-grown scene it's a different story entirely.

A bitter turf war between two rival circuits, which has spooked sponsors and divided players, shows little sign of easing, and Asian golfers are making slow progress on the world stage with just nine listed in the top 100.

China, the great new market with an ever-increasing number of courses and recreational players, is developing at a glacial rate in competitive terms with only three men ranked among the world's best 800.

Asia's inter-circuit rivalry even ended up before the courts with four struggling players, who were fined and suspended by the Asian Tour for taking part in OneAsia events, winning a restraint of trade case in Singapore.

Meanwhile, traditional cornerstone events are facing trouble. Prize money at the venerable Hong Kong Open was slashed to just US$2mil, and organisers went cap-in-hand for government funds to pay appearance fees for top players.

The Singapore Open, touted as "Asia's Major" and its oldest national open dating back to 1961, lost title sponsor Barclays and is missing from next year's European schedule, with its future date and backers unclear.

While those events hit hard times, the European and American Tours remain in a powerful position with a series of big, multi-million dollar tournaments that remain the season's highlights.

The CIMB Classic in Malaysia, headlined this year by Tiger Woods, will become a full-status PGA Tour event next season – and with just 10 Asian Tour players in the field, according to current plans.

The WGC-HSBC Champions, which featured just nine winners of Asian Tour events and four Chinese players at its last edition in November, has signed on for a five-year stint in Shanghai with Major-level prize money of US$8.5mil.

The European Tour also bypassed both the Asian Tour and OneAsia by co-sanctioning the US$7.1mil BMW Masters, a much-criticised exhibition tournament when it emerged last year, with China's domestic circuit.

But the year's most talked-about event, China's "Duel at Jinsha Lake", was unsanctioned, featured only Woods and Rory McIlroy and was over in just one day of spectator mayhem and gratuitous displays of wealth by the organisers.

Perhaps not surprisingly, local players barely figured at the top tournaments and out of five European and PGA-backed events since late October, only three Asians, in total, finished in the top 10, and none in the top five.

And among Asia's top performers this year, several, including Asian Tour merit winner Thaworn Wiratchant, and Thongchai Jaidee and Jeev Milkha Singh, who won the Wales and Scottish opens respectively, are in their forties.

However those victories also show it's not all bleak for Asian golf, and there are other signs to cheer the optimist.

In June, Beijing-born Florida resident Andy Zhang played the US Open at just 14, and China's Guang Tianlang, who is the same age and also trains frequently in the United States, is set to break the US Masters age record next year.

Asians continue to dominate the women's game with four of the top five players, including world number one Tseng Yani and Park In-bee, the highest earner on this year's US LPGA tour.

And just this month, Naomichi "Joe" Ozaki's Asia team won the Royal Trophy in a play-off against a European side led by Jose Maria Olazabal, who masterminded September's famous Ryder Cup victory.

The men in charge of Asia's rival Tours both insist that the future is bright and that the trajectory, despite admitted problems, remains upward.

Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said his organisation provides the "right balance" of tournaments to nurture players, adding in an email: "We are confident the future of professional golf in the region is secure."

OneAsia chairman and commissioner Sang Y. Chun called Asia's development "alarmingly strong", and even held out the possibility of working with the Asian Tour to bring the region on to a more equal footing with Europe and the PGA.

However for some observers, the current situation is very different from the high hopes of nearly 20 years ago, when the Asian Tour first came into being.

"Some people on all sides are claiming they're working for the betterment of golf and in fact they're doing no such thing," Spencer Robinson, managing editor of Asian Golf Monthly, told AFP last month.

"You just want to shake these guys, pick them up by the ears and bash their heads together and say, 'For Christ's sake, there's a big enough pie. Let's all sit down and work together'." — AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business


FBM KLCI up 0.68 points at 9.30am

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:46 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI is sustaining its gain streak on Thursday. At 9.30am, the FBM KLCI moved 0.04% or 0.68 points up to 1,666.32.

Earlier, the local benchmark bourse dipped into the red, in line with key regional markets.

The Nikkei 225 fell 0.82% to 10,077.18 while the Hang Seng was down 0.09% to 22,602.99.

The Shanghai composite fell 0.01% to 2,162.24, Taiex also fell 0.58% to 7,632.91.

Singapore's Straits Times index was down 0.11% to 3,155.19. Most Asian markets fell as United States (US) federal budget negotiations deteriorated. Fiscal cliff negotiations appeared to have stalled, bringing back worries of US sliding back into recession.

At Bursa Malaysia, 64.02 million shares exchanged hands, valued at RM45.43mil. Losers outpaced gainers at 100 versus 83 while 137 counters remained unchanged.

Among top gainers were British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Bhd up 24 sen to RM59.74, Tenaga Nasional Bhd up 13 sen to RM6.93, and Power Root Bhd up 7 sen to RM1.17.

Losers were Allianz Malaysia Bhd down 9 sen to RM7.01, DiGi.Com Bhd down 7 sen to RM5.21, and Petronas Gas Bhd down 6 sen to RM19.02.

The World Bank commends Malaysia’s efforts to be more business-friendly

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:45 PM PST

Facilitating the growth of giants

WHEN Malaysia was ranked 12th worldwide in the World Bank's recent Doing Business 2013 Report, it was widely recognised as a fine achievement, given that we are a young country compared with the likes of Germany, Japan and Switzerland, which were 20th, 24th and 28th respectively.

"Malaysia is to be commended for its ongoing efforts to reduce the costs of doing business. This will help the private sector drive growth, especially if Malaysia can build on its success by continuing to tackle long-term challenges, such as improving the quality of education," said Annette Dixon, World Bank country director for Malaysia.

Indeed, this is not an overnight feat. Malaysia's success to date is driven by business-friendly policies and infrastructure as well as the determination and passion of Malaysians.

These factors have propelled the nation from a dependency on its rich natural resources in the 1970s, to becoming a prosperous, multi-sector economy that boasts home-grown businesses that are now significant players on the world stage, such as financial group CIMB Bhd and conglomerate YTL Corp Bhd.

Supportive policies

Global success is not attained through sheer good luck and short-term actions. Instead, it is built upon sound foundations laid decades ago by founding fathers who put in place the infrastructure and policies necessary to support healthy competition and sustained growth.

In the United States and Britain, for example, the foresight of many generations before had brought about development that has led to these nations' early industrialisation and tremendous growth.

Despite a later start, Malaysia's story is no different. In the early days, the country's leaders stimulated economic expansion through state investment in industry and infrastructure, expanding the drivers of growth beyond a dependence on natural resources.

Through careful planning, policies have been introduced and implemented to increase Malaysia's income per capita and competitiveness.

A recent example was the conscious effort by the Government to liberalise sectors such as financial services and healthcare to allow greater foreign participation, elevate industry standards and improve our competitiveness.

Talent is a pillar of economic growth, with education as the foundation that supports the development of our workforce. As such, several initiatives have been introduced to help up-skill Malaysia's local talent and attract Malaysians abroad and foreign talent who can transfer skills and expertise to the Malaysian workforce.

The Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) includes several sector-specific inititiatives such as the National Talent Enhancement Programme (NTEP) and the MyProCert programme, which seek to increase the employability of Malaysia's graduates through on-the-job training and professional certifications.

The NTEP has so far provided on-the-job training for 347 people, accelerating the development of a skilled workforce via partnerships that pave the way for industry attachments. Launched in October 2011, MyProCert has 11 partners, including Oracle, Scicom and SAP. The target is to attract the participation of 1,250 professionals. To date, 946 have enrolled.

The two-year-old Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd (TalentCorp) was set up to address the availability of talent needed to support the country's economic transformation. Among other things, it looks outside the country's borders to fulfil those needs by attracting foreigners and Malaysians alike to contribute to Malaysia's emerging transformation story.

A TalentCorp initiative that has received positive feedback from international corporate leaders based here is the Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T) programme.

This is open to certain expatriate professionals, enabling them to work in Malaysia for 10 years.

The initiative has helped make Malaysia an expatriate-friendly destination, and has contributed to attracting foreign talent here.

Commenting on the programme, Adachi Yoshikazu, president and CEO of Nomura Securities Malaysia, described it as a good scheme and said it would attract more talented people to Malaysia because they would enjoy the flexibility of having a 10-year pass.

General Electric Asean CEO Stuart Dean, who has chosen to base the company's regional corporate headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, commended Malaysia on this programme, saying it had helped ease mobility in and out of the country tremendously.

The programme makes it easy for Dean to enter and depart from Malaysia as he no longer needs to have his passport manually stamped or to complete embarkation forms.

With a comprehensive talent development strategy and a framework that facilitates doing business, Malaysia has the building blocks for success and is poised to play an increasingly influential role on the world stage. Embracing the Malaysian spirit

Government support, however, can only propel a nation so far. It's the people who drive the success of any country.

The out-of-the-box thinking and drive seen in such places as Silicon Valley, where individuals have gone against the grain to create and bring to market innovative products and services that have shaped the world, are testament to this.

There is no doubt that Malaysians too have that kind of determination, entrepreneurship and tenacity. Malaysians indeed embody the can-do spirit needed to leverage the infrastructure and support provided to scale greater heights.

Conglomerates such as the Genting Group and Sunway Bhd have been around for decades and their founders are no doubt a source of inspiration for Malaysian start-ups.

The good news is that the Malaysian entrepreneurial spirit is alive and kicking. Among the more recent successes are mobile communications technology provider Macrokiosk, and food and beverage players OldTown White Coffee and PappaRich.

These businesses were founded in the 1990s or early 2000s by individuals with vision and a passion to share their unique offerings with the Malaysian public. These companies have expanded overseas and are the nation's next generation of brands on the cusp of international success.

Malaysia today truly represents a land of endless opportunities for small start-ups, medium-sized corporations and large conglomerates alike, whether home-grown or from abroad. Malaysia's conducive business environment offers tools and support for businesses to succeed, allowing them to leverage opportunities to grow and enhance their knowledge.

As Malaysia continues to climb the ranks of competitive economies worldwide, it will continue to see multinational corporations establish and grow their presence here, while at the same time seeing its home-grown brands thrive, building a name for themselves at home and abroad.

Malaysian billionaire Lim in Italian yacht deal

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:39 PM PST

MILAN: Malaysian billionaire Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, whose luxury empire spans casinos and cruise liners, is to buy half of yacht maker Wider to expand into a fast growing market in Asia, the founder of the Italian company said.

Wider is the second Italian yacht maker to attract Asian investors after Chinese state-owned Shandong Heavy Industry took control of Ferretti group for 374 million euros (US$493mil) in January.

"Asia is an incredibly growing market for yachting, but they still know very little about this world," Wider chairman and founder Tilli Antonelli told Reuters.

Italy is the world's No. 1 builder of super luxury yachts, but few Europeans can afford a 60-metre yacht with marbled floors and private gyms amid the economic slowdown.

Global yacht sales were expected to grow 2% to 7 billion euros in 2012, the worst performing sector in the 212-billion euro luxury industry, US consultancy Bain said.

Antonelli launched Wider with his longtime business partner Paolo Favilla in 2010, after quitting Pershing, the luxury motor yacht brand he founded 30 years ago and sold to Ferretti in the 90s.

Wider made a splash with its innovative 12-metre daycruisers with foldout cockpits that turn into a large walkable area for additional seating and more comfort.

Lim, Malaysia's 16th richest man according to Forbes and chairman of luxury group Genting, got in touch with Wider during a trip to southern France last summer, Antonelli said. Five months later the deal was signed.

Following a capital increase, the Malaysian billionaire will become the single biggest shareholder in Wider with a 50% stake owned by his vehicle EXA Ltd, Antonelli said.

Antonelli and Favilla will share the remaining 50 %.

Other financial details were not disclosed.

Antonelli, who owns the cockpit patent, said he expected revenue of six million euros this year.

The global yachting market has been in decline since the financial crisis in 2008.

Yacht imports in China, however, increased threefold from 2009 to 2010 as new marinas and yachting facilities began to dot the southern coast, offering domestic billionaires the luxury experience of distant Mediterranean resorts.

Newmoney buyers are also boosting sales of super yachts, which represent a symbol of social power.

Antonelli, whose yachts use technology from Formula 1 and aerospace to cut weight and, thus, boost efficiency, said he will focus on 150foot yachts from next year.

Orders for yachts above 150 feet were expected to grow 3.9 % in 2012, according to the 2013 Global Order Book, the benchmark annual report on the global nautical industry by specialised magazine ShowBoat International. - Reuters

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Naomi Watts pulls off 'The Impossible' to critical acclaim

Posted: 18 Dec 2012 06:58 PM PST

LOS ANGELES: Days after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, actress Naomi Watts took part in a fundraising telethon spearheaded by George Clooney to help the millions of people from Indonesia to the east coast of Africa whose lives were shattered.

Little did Watts know that eight years later she would be starring in "The Impossible," out in the U.S. movie theaters on Friday, about a real family's experience in Thailand.

The earthquake and tsunami killed more than 5,000 people, left more than 2,800 missing and displacing 7,000 more in Thailand alone.

She hesitated to star in the film when she was first approached by Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona.

"I thought, how do you make a movie about a tsunami without it becoming some sort of spectacular disaster movie?" Watts, 44, told Reuters.

"That would be so wrong." But once Watts read the script, she said was moved by the story based on the real-life Spanish family of Maria Belon, her husband, Enrique Alvarez, portrayed by Ewan McGregor, and their three sons.

Belon's family was spending their Christmas holiday in Thailand when the tsunami hit. Injured and separated, the film follows their struggle to survive in the aftermath and their perseverance in finding each other amidst the chaos.

"I felt a huge amount of pressure because of the responsibility to Maria's story," said Watts.

"And on her back, she carries the stories of everybody else, because hers is connected to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. I felt a sense of responsibility."

PLAUDITS FOR WATTS' PERFORMANCE

The British-born, Australian actress delivered, despite her fears. So far, her performance has earned Watts best actress nominations from the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild and the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

The weekly newspaper, The New York Observer, wrote in its review that "Watts seems almost spiritually committed to her role" while The Hollywood Reporter trade paper said she "packs a huge charge of emotion as the battered, ever-weakening Maria whose tears of pain and fear never appear fake or idealized."

Watts credits the real Maria Belon, a doctor, for being "an open book" when it came to recalling the experience.

The two met before shooting began, and Belon was on the film set.

Belon also wrote detailed letters chronicling her experience, including taking refuge in a tree and and being found by Thai villagers.

One of the more challenging aspects of the shoot was recreating the tsunami, a 10-minute sequence in the film that Watts said took six weeks to shoot on location in Spain.

Rather than creating the tidal wave digitally, actors were anchored in water tanks with the current pushing at them and "debris being chucked at you."

Though incomparable to the suffering of those who went through the ordeal in 2004, Watts said shooting the sequence was "physically the most demanding thing I've ever done."

There was much more dialogue scripted during that sequence but "you were struggling to breathe and we quickly learned that once you open your mouth, water is going in and nothing is coming out.

"Though it was difficult, I'm grateful we got that kind of level of fear and intensity," she added.

What offset the intensity during the shoot was having her sons Sasha, 5, and Sammy, 4, visiting Watts on the set.

"We had them paint stuff on themselves like scars and wounds, then rub them off so they could see it wasn't real," recalled Watts. It's a far cry from the way she used to approach her work before having kids, such as her Oscar-nominated performance as a grief-stricken mother the 2003 film "21 Grams."

"I was taking everything home with me, staying up all hours, writing, thinking, researching ... just living with torment," Watts recalled of that time.

"I can't live like that at this point in my life with little ones. I am a mom of two small kids and once I put the key in the door, it's my duty to be totally present." -Reuters

Jackie Chan: The romantic hero

Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:30 PM PST

After his latest action movie CZ12, Jackie Chan is game for dramatic and romantic roles.

WHAT is all this talk about Jackie Chan retiring soon? Of course, he is not. He may be pushing 60, but the mega action star is not about to hang up his kung fu shoes yet. In fact, there is a lot more in the works: a couple of movies, a new album and even a musical.

With so much going on, he cannot afford to endanger his life with any more of his signature death-defying stunts. After all, the Hong Kong filmmaker admits he is not getting any younger and all his past injuries and broken bones are coming back to haunt him.

"Sometimes, when it hurts somewhere on my body, I'm never sure whether it's due to injuries I sustained today or yesterday or last week, or last month or even last year. In fact, there are days when it seems to hurt everywhere, all over my body," said Chan, who celebrated his 58th birthday in April this year.

"I have to take better care of my health because there is so much more for me to do. There is no point risking my life doing those stunts, now that special effects and editing can make everything look just as convincing."

He may be starring in his last major action movie but he is not giving up moviemaking or even action films. Chan expressed his desire to play dramatic and even romantic roles.

"Instead of being an action star, I want to show that I'm an actor who can fight. Although the characters I've played have all had love interests, I never get to do any kissing scenes. I would like to make some love stories, the ones where there will be kissing scenes with a pretty lady as well as long, leisurely strolls on the beach," Chan mused, naming our very own action queen Datuk Seri Michelle Yeoh as the belle he would love to have as a romantic leading lady.

In Kuala Lumpur last week to promote his latest movie CZ12 (also known as Chinese Zodiac), Chan was accompanied by stunning mainland Chinese starlets Yao Xintong and Zhang Lanxin, who is also a national taekwondo champion.

After spending seven years writing the script, Chan took another one-and-a-half years to shoot CZ12. Told in the vein of Armour Of God (1987), the infamous film with the stunt that nearly took his life, CZ12 tells of a treasure hunter on a mission to retrieve the missing bronze heads of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac that were looted from Beijing's Old Summer Palace during the Opium Wars in 1860.

Earlier this month, the action maestro had been awarded with two Guinness World Records: The Most Stunts Performed By A Living Actor and Most Credits in One Movie. The latter award refers to the 15 credits Chan has to his name in the action adventure CZ12, among them being lead actor, film director, producer, scriptwriter, stunt choreographer, theme song vocalist and even catering co-ordinator.

"I was born in the studio, and I have been working on the set since I was a kid. Making movies comes naturally to me," said the Hong Kong superstar who told the media at the opening of the China Movie Channel Media Awards in June this year that he had made over 250 movies.

CZ12 was filmed in several countries, in both urban and rural settings, with Chan braving the various elements of fire, water and wind. He rolled downhill in a stunt filmed at the Yasur Volcano on Tanna Island in Vanuatu. He took on an airborne fighting sequence in the vertical wind tunnel in Jelgava, Latvia.

Other stunts included manoeuvring down roads as a "human buggy" while wearing a special 31-wheel roller suit, and diving into the ocean without a diving licence.

Other members of CZ12's multi-national cast include South Korean actors Kwon Sang Woo and Steve Yoo, Taiwanese actors Jonathan Lee and Chen Bo Lin, mainland Chinese actor Liao Fan, French actress Laura Weissbecker, US judo champion Caitlin Dechelle, French Moroccan actor Alaa Safi and American actor Oliver Platt.

With all the speculation about another sequel to the Rush Hour franchise, Chan confirmed that there were talks for a possible movie collaboration with American actor Chris Tucker, but it would not be Rush Hour 4.

Of all the movies he has made, Chan says his favourite is the Police Story series. He has been named Best Actor for both Police Story 3: Super Cop (1992) at Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards 1992 and New Police Story (2004) at China's Golden Rooster Awards 2005. Police Story (1985) and Police Story 2 (1988) have both won for Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards.

So it is no surprise that he is super-excited to have commenced production of his next movie Police Story 2013. Not intended as a sequel, the plot of the 2013 movie is said to revolve around a hostage drama with Chan portraying a mainland Chinese cop.

Filming in Beijing is expected to wrap up next March.

> CZ12 opens in local cinemas nationwide tomorrow.

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Batu Caves condo issue: 5 professionals appointed to independent committee

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:01 AM PST

Published: Wednesday December 19, 2012 MYT 11:02:00 PM

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has appointed five professionals as members of its independent committee set up to probe the issue of condominium development in the vicinity of the Batu Caves temple.

They are Orang Besar Daerah Klang, Datuk Setia Diraja Datuk Abdul Ghani Pateh Akhir; neurosurgeon Dr M.Nachiappan; former judicial commissioner Datuk Ranita Hussein; construction law expert Harbans Singh and geologist Tan Boon Kong.

The appointments were announced by Selangor Mentri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim here Wednesday.

The 29-storey Dolomite Park Avenue condominium project in the area has received widespread opposition because of fears that its proximity to the world famous Batu Caves Hindu temple could weaken the temple's structure as it sits on limestone foundation. - Bernama

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CM’s son sued by ex-wife for child support

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 06:58 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: A former daughter-in-law of Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has filed a RM121.36mil child support claim against his son, Datuk Seri Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib.

Shahnaz A. Majid, 48, filed the suit through law firm Chambers of Rafie Mohd Shafie and Associates at the Syariah High Court here on Nov 30.

The statement of claim was made available to the media on Wednesday.

The matter will be mentioned in the court on Jan 10.

Shahnaz, the older sister of singer Datuk Sheila Majid, said in her statement of claim that she and Mahmud Abu Bekir were married on Jan 9, 1992 and divorced on May 11, 2011. They have a son, Raden Murya, 19, who is studying in Britain.

Shahnaz said that under the divorce order, the boy would be under her custody but there was no agreement on his maintenance.

Shahnaz alleged her former husband had failed to pay any maintenance after their divorce.

She is claiming an education trust fund of RM40mil and a RM60mil terrace house in London.

She is also seeking tuition fees in Britain amounting to RM315,000, two Aston Martin cars, air travel for six times a year, RM10,000 for books, RM72,000 pocket money, RM5mil medical insurance and monthly pocket money for two years totalling RM72,000.

Shahnaz had earlier filed a claim of RM300mil in matrimonial property and RM100mil in mutaah (gifts) as a divorce settlement. She is also claiming 50% of all assets owned by Mahmud Abu Bekir. The trial resumes on Monday.

She is represented by Syarie counsel Dr Rafie Mohd Shafie and Akbardin Abdul Kader, while Mahmud Abu Bekir is represented by Datuk Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar and Saadiah Din.

Star Trek exhibition comes to Malaysia

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 06:13 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Star Trek fans, or "trekkies", can re-live their favourite moments on the show at an exhibition featuring actual props used on the set.

"Star Trek: The Exhibition", to be held until March 31 next year, features the largest collection of artifacts, costumes and information from the five television series and 11 feature films.

Highlights of the exhibition include a replica of the transporter, a teleportation machine used in the show, the legendary Captain's chair and a seven-metre long model of the USS Enterprise spaceship.

Visitors can also leaf through copies of the script used in the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series at the exhibition at the National Science Centre, Bukit Kiara here.

Centre director Assoc Prof Dr Irmawati Ramli said Kuala Lumpur was the first Asian city to display the items after a successful run in Vancouver, Canada.

"I am confident it will be a success in view of the many Star Trek fans here," she said.

The exhibition is co-organised by EMS Holdings Pte Ltd, the global licensed partner of CBS Consumer Products.

EMS Holdings Pte Ltd chairman Datuk Jared Lim said it was interesting to note that many inventions such as handphones were inspired by fictional gadgets on Star Trek.

"The handphone is based on the communicator in the show whereas tablets were inspired by Star Trek's personal access display device or PAD," he said.

The exhibition is open from 9am to 5pm daily except Fridays. Tickets are priced at RM20 per adult and RM10 for children and students.

For more information, log on to www.facebook.com/startrekexhibition.

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