Khamis, 28 Februari 2013

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


China moves ahead with North Korea trade zone despite nuclear test

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:44 PM PST

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China appears to be pressing ahead with plans to invest in a North Korean free trade zone in a sign that its recent nuclear test has not soured its economic ties with its only major ally.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (front R) arrives at a photo session with participants of a meeting of officials guiding party lectures for the whole army, in this undated recent picture released by the North's official KCNA news agency in Pyongyang on February 23, 2013. REUTERS/KCNA

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (front R) arrives at a photo session with participants of a meeting of officials guiding party lectures for the whole army, in this undated recent picture released by the North's official KCNA news agency in Pyongyang on February 23, 2013. REUTERS/KCNA

While Beijing has not made clear whether the test would disrupt its investment plans for the Rason economic zone, an official at the zone's joint management office told Reuters that all previously announced Chinese projects for the zone remain on track, including a power line from China to ease acute electricity shortages there.

"All the people of the management office are still here working as usual... If there is any major impact (from the nuclear test), do you think we would still be here?" he said by phone from Rason, which lies near where North Korea, China and Russia converge. "All works are proceeding as planned."

There are about 60 Chinese and North Korean people working at the management office, and the number may grow with the launch of more projects, said the official, who declined to be identified as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

China and North Korea jointly set up the Rason management committee in October to handle the planning, construction and development of the zone, also known as Ranjin-Songbong, one of the country's highest profile economic projects.

North Korea conducted its third nuclear test in February, drawing global condemnation and a stern warning from the United States that it was a threat and a provocation. Pyongyang's latest test, its third since 2006, prompted warnings from Washington and others that more sanctions would be imposed on the isolated state.

North Korea's isolated and small economy has few links with the outside world apart from China, its major trading partner and sole influential diplomatic ally. While Beijing appears to be exasperated with the isolated state's belligerent behaviour, it has stopped short of abandoning all support for Pyongyang.

"China has normal relations with North Korea. We will conduct normal trade and economic exchanges with North Korea," Hua Chunying, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman, said when asked whether China would continue to work with North Korea to develop its special economic zones after the nuclear test.

"At the same time, China opposes North Korea's nuclear test and its position on promoting denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is firm," Hua said at a daily news briefing on Thursday.

CEMENT AND POWER

Led by China's commerce ministry, Chinese firms, including State Grid Corp, Jilin Yatai (Group) and China Railway Construction Group and other state enterprises, have indicated interest in investing in power, building materials, transport and agriculture projects in the zone.

Yatai, a Shanghai-listed cement and coal producer, signed a framework agreement last year with the North Korean government to construct a 500,000-square-metre building materials industrial park, including a cement plant, in Rason.

State Grid finished the final review of the feasibility study of the 97.8-kilometre power line early this year, but has not started construction as it has not yet won all approvals, the official and a source close to the plan said.

The planned line would cut through a Siberian tiger natural reserve, and State Grid is awaiting a green light from China's National Development and Reform Commission and coordinating with various other authorities, the source told Reuters.

There is no timetable for the project as State Grid is unsure when it would receive government approvals, he added. State Grid was not immediately available for comment.

Jilin Yatai may delay its cement project in Rason -- which is critical to the construction of other projects such as the railway there -- due to "issues on the North Korean side," said an official at Yatai's securities office.

But the likely delay of the project was not related to the nuclear test, the official said by phone from Changchun, capital city of Northeast China's Jilin province, which borders North Korea. He declined further comment.

In a filing with the Shanghai bourse in August, Yatai said it planned to complete the construction of its first cement plant in North Korea by September this year only if there is sufficient power capacity available.

(Additional reporting by Michael Martina in BEIJING and SEOUL bureau; Editing by Bill Powell and Dean Yates)

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Israel, Turkey row over Zionism deepens rift between ex-allies

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 05:57 PM PST

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's prime minister accused his Turkish counterpart on Thursday of making a "dark and false" statement by calling Zionism a crime against humanity - a comment likely to hit efforts to repair ties between the two former allies.

The Turkish premier's statement, made at a U.N. meeting in Vienna a day earlier, was also condemned by the head of Europe's main rabbinical group who called it a "hateful attack" on Jews.

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan arrives for the fifth United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) forum in Vienna, February 27, 2013. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan arrives for the fifth United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) forum in Vienna, February 27, 2013. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader

"Just as with Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it has become impossible not to see Islamophobia as a crime against humanity," Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said at the U.N. Alliance of Civilisations forum, according to Turkish media reports.

Ties between Israel and mostly Muslim Turkey have been frosty since 2010, when nine Turks were killed by Israeli commandos who stormed their ship carrying aid to Palestinians in Gaza, under a naval blockade.

In recent weeks, there has been a run of reports in the Turkish and Israeli press about efforts to repair relations, including a senior diplomatic meeting earlier this month in Rome and military equipment transfers.

The reports have not been confirmed by either government. No one was immediately available from Turkey's foreign ministry to comment on the new criticism from the rabbis or from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A statement from the Israeli premier's office said he "strongly condemns (Erdogan's) statement about Zionism and its comparison to Nazism."

The Zionist movement was the main force behind the establishment of the state of Israel.

"This is a dark and false pronouncement the likes of which we thought had passed into history," Netanyahu was quoted as saying.

Pinchas Goldschmidt, chief rabbi of Moscow and the head of the Conference of European Rabbis, said Erdogan's criticism of Zionism amounted to anti-Semitism.

"This is an ignorant and hateful attack on the Jewish people and against a movement with peace at its core, which relegates Prime Minster Erdogan to the level of (Iranian President) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and, to Soviet leaders who used anti-Zionism as a euphemism for anti-Semitism," Goldschmidt said in an emailed statement.

"The irony of these comments will not be lost on the families of those slaughtered during the Armenian genocide, a crime still not recognised by the Turkish government," he added.

The White House also condemned the remarks.

"We reject Prime Minister Erdogan's characterization of Zionism as a crime against humanity, which is offensive and wrong," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement.

"We encourage people of all faiths, cultures, and ideas to denounce hateful actions and to overcome the differences of our times," he said.

Armenians accuse Ottoman Turks of committing an orchestrated campaign of massacres against Christian Armenians during World War One.

Turkey, which was established as a republic after the Ottoman Empire collapsed, denies those killings were genocide and says both sides lost lives in internecine fighting during the chaos of war.

The Conference of European Rabbis is an umbrella group of 700 religious leaders in Europe, where an estimated 1.7 million Jewish people live. About 17,000 Jews live in Turkey, a country of 76 million people.

(Writing by Ori Lewis and Ayla Jean Yackley in Istanbul; additional reporting by Jeff Mason in Washington; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Lisa Shumaker)

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Pentagon says no additional cracks found in F-35 engines

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:54 PM PST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Wednesday that no additional cracks have been found on F-35 fighter engines during inspections begun after the February 19 incident that halted flights of the entire fighter fleet, and operation of the engines on the ground.

Three F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (rear to front) AF-2, AF-3 and AF-4, can be seen flying over Edwards Air Force Base in this December 10, 2011 handout photo provided by Lockheed Martin. REUTERS/Lockheed Martin/Darin Russell/Handout

Three F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (rear to front) AF-2, AF-3 and AF-4, can be seen flying over Edwards Air Force Base in this December 10, 2011 handout photo provided by Lockheed Martin. REUTERS/Lockheed Martin/Darin Russell/Handout

Kyra Hawn, spokeswoman for the F-35 program office, said officials were continuing to investigate a cracked engine blade found on a test plane at Edwards Air Force Base in California, with engineers at engine maker Pratt & Whitney due to break open the affected engine blade for further study on Wednesday.

Pratt, a unit of United Technologies Corp, supplies the engine for the single-engine, single-seat fighter plane, which is built by Lockheed Martin Corp.

The Pentagon announced the grounding of all F-35 warplanes on Friday after an inspection revealed a crack on a turbine blade in the jet engine of an F-35 being tested at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

It was the second engine-related grounding in two months of the $396 billion (261 billion pounds) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Pentagon's largest weapons program. The Marines Corps version of the plane was grounded for nearly a month starting in mid-January because of a faulty hose in the engine.

Hawn said inspections were under way of the engines on all 51 F-35 jets in the Pentagon's inventory, as well as additional engines that are spares or on planes being assembled by Lockheed at its Fort Worth, Texas, plant.

None of the engines inspected thus far had shown similar cracks to the one found on the Florida test plane, she said.

She said non-destructive testing of the cracked turbine blade had been completed, including microscopic tests and X-rays, with additional "destructive" testing scheduled for Wednesday, including a test in which the blade will be "fractured" open for closer examination of the surface.

She said the Pentagon would announce further details when the engineering investigation was complete.

Sources familiar with the investigation told Reuters on Tuesday that Pratt & Whitney is 99 percent sure the problem with the turbine problem that grounded the Pentagon's F-35 fleet was not caused by high-cycle fatigue, which could force a costly design change.

Pratt officials have also largely ruled out a manufacturing defect, according to two sources briefed on the investigation, who said the company was recommending the resumption of ground operations of the engine as early as Wednesday, and a return to flight operations later this week.

Tests completed on Tuesday supported that view, pointing to a "creep structure rupture" caused by the fact that the engine on that particular test plane had been run particularly hard at hot temperatures since it was used for after-burner testing, said the two sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Current engines would not reach the same "hot time" for years, Pratt engineers have said, which would allow the Pentagon to impose incremental limits on engine use and monitor them for possible component replacement, one of the sources said.

"Basically this engine was run for an extraordinary amount of time at very high power in a short period of time," said the source, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Pratt had no comment on the state of the investigation.

The top uniformed officers in the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps are due to meet on Thursday for a long-scheduled meeting about the F-35, but they are slated to discuss bigger issues such as when the services can start using the new warplanes for military operations, according to a defence official familiar with the meeting. The services must provide estimated dates for "initial operating capability" to Congress by June 1.

The service chiefs would also discuss a new Pentagon drive to use competition to reduce the staggering cost of operating and maintaining the new jets, a sum now forecast at over $1 trillion over the next decades, the source said.

Lieutenant General Christopher Bogdan, who runs the F-35 program for the Pentagon, slammed Pratt and Lockheed during an air show in Australia earlier on Wednesday, accusing the companies of trying to "squeeze every nickel" out of the U.S. government and failing to see the long-term benefits of the project.

Hawn said a separate incident involving temperature control equipment built by Honeywell International Inc has been deemed a "minor test discovery, with no impact to safety of flight or operations.

(Corrects to show that test plane was at Edwards Air Force base in California, not Eglin, in paragraph 2)


Related Stories:
Pentagon says to resume F-35 flights

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


The storyteller

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:24 PM PST

Diego Bunuel travels the world in search of the stories that will change the world.

DIEGO BUNUEL grew up on fiction – from the experimental to melodramatic, from comedy to crime. The Bunuels were a family of filmmakers. Diego's grandfather, Luis, has been described as one of the most original directors in the history of film, whilst his father Juan, also made films. The younger Bunuel knew from a very early age, however, that he wanted to become a journalist.

"I thought it was quite interesting to invent stories. But then friends of my parents, who were journalists with the Washington Post and the New York Times would tell me about Beirut or Vietnam and stuff like that, and I thought that was awesome. I want to do that."

For Bunuel, reality was just as exciting as fiction – sometimes even more so. When the time came, he went straight for a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Political Science at Northwestern University in the United States, and ended up as lead crime reporter for the Sun Sentinel in Florida, where he covered assignments relating to Cuban exiles, drug trafficking and Haitian gangs.

However, it wasn't long before the Paris-born journalist was drafted for service in the French military.

Bunuel was sent to war-torn Sarajevo, Bosnia and travelled all over the Balkans, writing for a weekly military newspaper, and got his first taste of war correspondence. Ironically, when his time was up, he sought to be in the thick of things once again, by joining the French Television Agency Capa, as a reporter and producer.

And Bunuel seems to have covered it all, from 9/11 to the second Congo war. His job gave him licence to travel the world and capture stories, raw and uncensored.

But as he visited each new and dangerous location, churning out headline grabbing stories about war and terrorism, Bunuel began to realise something important, that his writing revealed only a small portion of what is actually out there.

Which is why he eventually went on to host and produce a travel documentary series titled Don't Tell My Mother I'm In (insert dangerous place name here), which will soon be coming into its fifth season on the National Geographic Channel.

In his show, Bunuel focuses on the human stories behind the headlines. And what comes across is often contrary to stereotypes – like the progressive Iranian Mullah who is supportive of his hoodie-clad rapper son, a donkey-rescuer in Palestine or bearded death metal fans in Iraq.

Is it important that people have access to information like this?

"I think it's fundamental, actually," Bunuel says. "It's what helps us judge the world in which we are living. We need to give the world a more balanced perspective. Afghanistan is not just full of guys with beards running around with AK47s and setting off car bombs, it's much, much more than that."

Unfortunately, he says, most of the stories we read about places like Iran or Pakistan are very negative because the media likes to concentrate on what's shocking, but what do you learn from it?

"Nothing. It just reinforces age-old stereotypes, and that doesn't help anyone."

In fact, Bunuel is a rare breed – about to hit 38, he still believes he can change the world.

"I want my work as a journalist to help other people understand and appreciate the world that we live in. I want people to be actors, not spectators. I try to show stories that will inspire people, or revolt, or shock them, because we are all responsible for the world we live in, and if we don't do something, then no one else will."

We can expect more excitement from Season Five of Don't Tell My Mother I'm In sometime later this year, in which we will see Bunuel travel to the South Pole, Ukraine, Central America, Thailand and Pakistan again (this time, he will be embedded in the Pakistani army to investigate their high-altitude war with India at the Siachen Glacier, 6,400m above sea level).

But before he shoots his final episode in Thailand, Bunuel hopes to spend some time doing what makes him most happy in life – be with his wife and kids, and "get to open the fridge and find something that he wants to eat".

It's easy to imagine him being relaxed at home. After all, he has become known for his chilled-out approach to life.

This coupled with his boyish looks, American twang and affable personality, has given Bunuel the knack for getting his subjects to relax and open up in front of the camera – even in some of the most intense and seemingly hostile of places.

Bunuel shared that advice from his old playboy uncle from New York has been the trick.

"I was 12 or 13, and he always seemed to have girls around him, so I decided to ask him what his secret was and he said 'Hey, it's very simple. You just show up, you say hello, and you smile'."

Bunuel has clung to that philosophy for quite a different purpose in life. And he doesn't think serious reporting and an easy-going personality have to be mutually exclusive.

It's probably what makes him so watchable on TV. This March, Bunuel has got something special in store for viewers. He presents the World's Biggest Festival: Kumbh Mela – the largest known gathering of humans on earth, which takes place every 12 years, and sees as many as 100 million pilgrims converging at key points along the river in Sangam, Allahabad, India.

Bunuel says shooting Kumbh Mela has been different from shooting Don't Tell My Mother.

"Kumbh Mela is mostly a place where people come with their families, and it's the single largest gathering of human beings in the history of humanity – that's what's amazing about it."

Originating from the legend of how a war between gods and demons (over the possession of the elixir of life falling to four different points on earth), the 55-day festival ends on March 10.

The most important of these points lies in Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganga-Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. There, a literal mega city emerges out of nothing: 35,000 toilets, 14 temporary hospitals, 243 doctors and over 30,000 police personnel are stationed to accommodate millions of pilgrims at the foot of the Ganges, before the entire colony is deconstructed again after the festival.

Aside from the very real threat of fires and stampedes (at least 36 have already died this year), and the risk of getting separated from your loved ones among the millions of bodies, there is always plenty of amazing things to see.

Among the crazy things one encounters at the festival are the Juna Akhara, one of the biggest sects of naga sadhus, or holy men.

"First of all, they are incredible to look at, because everyone is naked, ash-clad with dreadlocks, I mean these are warrior monks who defend the faith."

What struck Bunuel most about the Juna Akhara was what they can show us about the will of the mind over the body.

"I met a guy who had been keeping his arm raised in the air, never bringing it down for over 40 years, and others who haven't lain down for over 12 years. The amount of determination to carry these things through is tremendous."

In the process of searching for stories to tell Bunuel found himself humbled when surrounded by more than a billion Hindus from around the world.

"I'm not a spiritual person myself, but I have always believed in the fundamental need for humanity to believe in a greater power, and so I've always been very interested in religion. And although it sounds obvious, experiencing the Kumbh Mela taught me something about the incredible diversity of our cultures and humanity."

If you want to catch Diego Bunuel on his latest adventure, tune into the National Geographic Channel (Astro Ch 553) at 10pm tomorrow as he uncovers the heart and soul of the planet's largest religious festival.

Glitz and glam

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 02:00 AM PST

The Bella Awards – which celebrates the women of Malaysia – has tons to offer in entertainment.

THE inaugural Bella Awards 2013 – an awards show that celebrates women – is set to be a glamorous affair with a host of local and international acts scheduled to perform.

Malaysian superstar Mizz Nina will kick off the show (to be broadcast live from The Royale Chulan Hotel in Kuala Lumpur) with a banging set.

However, top on the list of international stars is Ronan Keating, the 35-year-old former frontman of Irish group, Boyzone. Keating, who is currently on his world tour, will be walking the red carpet (get your cameras ready, guys!) and also performing some of his famous tracks at the awards.

Taiwan-based Malaysian singing sensation Gary Chaw will also be taking to the stage, while Aubrey Suwito, one of Malaysia's renowned music directors, composers, songwriters and producers, will serve as the award show's music director.

The Bella Awards 2013 will be helmed by the beautiful hosts of the Bella talkshow Elaine Daly, Daphne Iking, Vanessa Chong, as well as Hans Isaac.

Meanwhile, the "Sparkle Carpet" – the awards' red carpet arrival segment – will be hosted by Nazrudin Rahman, together with the "Bella Official Correspondent" winner Ashley Chan.

In the "Fashion Rocks" segment, designers Datuk Radzuan Radziwill and Fizi Woo will be showing off their new collections.

During Woo's "Fashion Rocks" moment, electro-pop artiste Darren Ashley and indie group The Impatient Sisters will come together for a special performance. Radzuan's part will see Indonesian heartthrob Marcell Siahaan showing off his vocal chords.

Other Indonesian acts who are also part of the awards are soul and funk band Maliq & D' Essentials and petite pop powerhouse Rossa, who will be performing a duet with Malaysian hip-hop star Joe Flizzow.

There will be numerous awards presented that night, including the Bella Style Award, Bella Creative Award, Bella Beautiful Award, Bella Business Award, Bella Heart Award, Bella Mars Award (which is for the men) and the biggest prize, The Bella Award.

Capital FM's Joanne Kam is nominated for the Bella On-Stage Award for her contributions towards entertainment (for music, theatre or comedy), while some of the country's top sportswomen like Datuk Nicol David and Pandelela Rinong are nominated for the Bella Sports Award.

Organised by Ntv7 in conjunction with International Women's Day, Bella Awards celebrates, honours, and recognises the contributions of women in the country. The awards will be aired live on March 2 from 9pm (the red carpet segment begins at 8.30pm) on ntv7 and TV9. You can also live stream it via www.ntv7.com.my/bellaawards.

Stars share their lives

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 01:56 AM PST

AT 24, actress Nina Dobrev is the envy of young women the world over. She has a role on the hit TV series The Vampire Diaries, a gorgeous guy to call her boyfriend (co-star Ian Somerhalder) and a killer body (fashion magazines are lining up to feature her on their cover).

Galaxie takes a closer look at the young star's life on and off the set of the small screen show in the new issue which hits newsstands today.

Dobrev reveals that she is relishing the idea of getting to play two different characters – Elena and Katherine – on the show.

"There is never a dull day, and the great thing about television is that it's not two hours where you have a beginning, middle and an end, and you only see one character and one thing they go through. Fortunately, these characters get to grow."

When she's not busy acting or spending time with her man, Dobrev makes "vision boards" (with lines like "Learn. Excel. Exceed.") to motivate herself, and she loves to cook. Oh, and did you know she was once a competitive gymnast?

Discover more fascinating facts about the talented actress in the March 1-16 issue of Galaxie.

Also in the new issue, Jason Statham talks about his latest movie project, Parker, Halle Berry puts her personal drama aside to chat about Cloud Atlas and readers can test their celebrity fragrance knowledge with the magazine's fun quiz.

Plus, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation's Elisabeth Shue divulges to Galaxie that she's "squeamish about dead bodies" in a conference call while Malaysia-born Sarah Lian tells the mag about her budding acting career, including her stint on TV's Covert Affairs.

Don't forget to enter all of the contests when you get your copy as well. You could walk away with tickets to Twin Towers@Live 2013 (there are 100 tickets up for grabs!) to watch Demi Lovato perform live in Kuala Lumpur. If merchandise is what you are after, how about an exclusive Justin Bieber T-shirt, an Oz The Great And Powerful tote bag or The Lumineers CD?

Poster-wise, there's Shay Mitchell to complete your Pretty Little Liars collection as well as Justin Timberlake, Ellie Goulding, Phillip Phillips, One Direction and the cast of Glee to decorate your walls with.

The ever popular Songwords section this time features lyrics to Bruno Mars' When I Was Your Man, Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko's Stay and One Republic's If I Lose Myself along with three other radio hits. – Evelyn Teo

Galaxie was voted Entertainment Magazine Of The Year in 2011 and 2012. To get all the latest entertainment news, check the mag out at galaxieblog.com.my, follow it on Twitter (@galaxiemag) and visit its Facebook page (facebook.com/GalaxieMagazine).

The magazine is owned by Star Publications (M) Bhd.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

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The Star Online: Sports


Thumb injury fails to stop Rafiq from winning first medal

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 03:01 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Not even a thumb injury could stop young hotshot Mohd Rafiq Ismail from winning his first medal – a silver – in the Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championships at the Pins Lincoln Bowl in Auckland, New Zealand.

After lying low for the last two days, the 16-year-old Rafiq rose to the occasion when he combined superbly with the onform Siti Shazwani Ahmad Suhaimi to nail a silver medal in the mixed doubles event yesterday – Malaysia's third in the competition.

Rafiq-Shazwani amassed a total of 2,552 pinfalls to finish just 34 pins behind favourites Brendan Meads-Ann Maree Putney of Australia.

England's John Wells-Kirsten Penny came in third with 2,520 pins.

For Shazwani, it was her third silver medal in the tournament after finishing second in the singles and girls' doubles with Dayang Khairuniza Dhiyana Abang Jamalidon respectively.

But it was Rafiq who stole the show yesterday. His six-game total of 1309 (177-197-185-234-258-258) was the highest of the day.

The 25-year-old Shazwani, who had lines of 248-201-180-181-231-202, was happy that her younger partner finally got into the groove, despite the swollen thumb.

"Rafiq's performance was really amazing today. It's really great to see his strong comeback after a slow start to the tournament. He showed great fighting spirit and I'm proud of him," said Shazwani, who had mixed feelings about her third silver medal.

"I feel happy and sad. Happy to have delivered the country's third medal but sad to have missed out on winning the country's first gold."

Shazwani, Rafiq, Isaac Russell Paul and Khairuniza will be competing in the team event today and Shazwani believes that they have what it takes to bag the gold, although Australia, England and Singapore are being represented by their seniors.

"Our goal is to bowl well and convert every spare. The key is good team work. Believing in each other's game is important ... if one slips up, the others must rise and cover for one another," said Shazwani.

National chief coach Holloway Cheah was happy with their achievement despite their lack of experience and injury scare.

"Rafiq was quite nervous in the first two days but today he really got a hang of it. He had hurt his thumb quite badly and I didn't even know about it until much later. The flesh (on his thumb) came off," said Holloway.

"We treated it and made some adjustments so that he could have a good grip of the ball. After struggling in the first three games, he bounced back strongly. He did not let it affect his morale at all."

Coquard conquers Stage Eight for LTdL triumph

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:57 PM PST

TANAH MERAH: Young French sprinter Bryan Coquard grabbed an important win in Stage Eight of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) from Kuala Terengganu to Tanah Merah yesterday.

The Europcar sprinter beat Andrew Fenn of OmegaPharma-QuickStep to the finish line in 3'36:47 to take the 164.5km stage. Veteran Italian sprinter Francesco Chicchi of Vini Fantini completed the podium in third spot.

Julian Arredondo kept the yellow jersey for another day after finishing safely in the leading bunch.

Coquard already has two stage wins under his belt on top of two second-placed finishes this year.

Last month, the 20-year-old Coquard showed glimpses of his ability when he won two stages (Two and Four) and finished second in Stage Five of the Etoile de Besseges in France.

In the opening stage of LTdL, from Kangar to Kulim, Coquard finished second behind Dutchman Theo Bos of Blanco.

"I'm happy with the win ... to get a win in a field packed with strong sprinters is always special," said Coquard, who was the silver medallist in the omnium event of the London Olympics last year.

There were no big breaks in the race yesterday, with Low Ji Wen of OCBC Singapore and Liu Jianpeng of Hengxiang Cycling making the only succcesful break at the 47km mark.

A crash early in the race put paid to Aidis Kruopis' (Orica GreenEdge) hopes of a stage win after three third placings as he pulled out from the race.

Team Nippo were never worried about the break, leaving the duo to build up a comfortable lead of up to 10:48 after 81km of racing.

But as the sprinters' teams – like Astana, Garmin-Sharp and Vini Fantini – combined at the head of the peloton to set up a bunch sprint, the break finally dissolved about 10km to the finish line.

"It's an important win for me because the team worked hard to give me my first win since the start of the race," said Coquard.

"Although I beat the likes of Chicchi and Guardini today, I don't want to compare myself with them yet."

STAGE EIGHT RESULTS Kuala Terengganu-Tanah Merah (164.5km): 1. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Europcar 3'36:47, 2. Andrew Fenn (Bri) OmegaPharma-QuickStep, 3. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Vini Fantini, 4. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana, 5. Rico Rogers (Nzl) Synergy Baku, 6. Omar Bertazzo (Ita) Androni Venezuela, 7. Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Sharp, 8. Hossein Nateghi (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical, 9. Anuar Manan (Mas) Synergy Baku, 10. Jani Tewelde (Eri) MTN Qhubeka all same time.

Leading overall standings: 1. Julian Arredondo (Col) Team Nippo 29'31:52, 2. Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica GreedEdge 1:15 behind, 3. Sergio Pardilla (Spa) MTN Qhubeka 2:10, 4. Peter Stetina (US) Garmin-Sharp 2:32, 5. Wang Meiyin (Chn) Hengxiang Cycling 2:40.

Points competition

Blue jersey: 1. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana 84pts, 2. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Vini Fantini 60, 3. Anuar Manan (Mas) Synergy Baku 57.

King of the Mountain (red jersey): 1. Wang Meiyin (Chn) Hengxiang Cycling 48pts, 2. Julian Arredondo (Col) Team Nippo 45, 3. Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica GreenEdge 32.

Best Asian rider (white jersey): 1. Wang Meiyin (Chn) Hengxiang Cycling 29'34:32, 2. Amir Kolahdozhagh (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical 18secs behind, 3. Mizbani Ghader (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical 58.

Azizul to use ACC to gauge his form

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:16 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: Olympic cyclist Azizulhasni Awang plans to gauge his form at the Asian Cycling Championships (ACC) in New Delhi from March 7-17.

Azizul could only have a short preparation for the ACC due to a visa snag which delayed his return to rejoin national coach John Beasley at the national training camp in Melbourne.

The 26-year-old also skipped the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk from Feb 20-24.

The ACC will also be the first proper international competition for Azizul since he competed in the London Olympics last August. The Dungun rider finished sixth in the keirin final in London.

"The ACC marks my return to competition after the London Olympics ... I had a long break and also welcomed my daughter Amna Maryam last November," said Azizul, who'll leave for India this weekend.

"Then my training programme suffered because of the visa snag ... so, I'm taking the ACC this time as more of a training session.

"It will also be a good stage for me to gauge where I stand. It'll give me an idea of what and where I need to improve when I return to training."

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Mah Sing set to hit RM3b sales target

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:24 PM PST

[unable to retrieve full-text content]MAH Sing's fourth-quarter 2012 net profit of RM55.4mil came in within ours and the market's expectations. Projects from the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru have all contributed to the company's earnings.


Exim Bank to beef up Islamic financing

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:14 PM PST

[unable to retrieve full-text content]KUALA LUMPUR: Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd's (Exim Bank) Islamic financing contribution to total loans is targeted to increase to 30% within the next two years from 20% currently.


Syed Mokhtar closes Tradewinds deal

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:07 PM PST

[unable to retrieve full-text content]PETALING JAYA: Billionaire Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary has succeeded in his bid to take Tradewinds (M) Bhd private via his four companies.


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Parang-wielding man robs bank of RM11,000

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:25 AM PST

Published: Thursday February 28, 2013 MYT 10:46:00 PM
Updated: Thursday February 28, 2013 MYT 11:25:31 PM

GEORGE TOWN: A masked man armed with two parang escaped with RM11,000 after robbing a bank at a hypermarket in Gelugor here on Thursday.

The 15-minute hold-up at the Tesco hypermarket occurred at 12.56pm.

State CID chief SAC Mazlan Kesah said the robber had earlier held up a security guard before ordering a teller to fill up an empty bag with the money.

He said the man dashed out of the bank, which had three customers and three staff members present at the time.

Mazlan believed the man might have been linked to another hold-up at the same location on Jan 15.- Bernama

Unused flyover near Cyberjaya collapses, no one hurt (Updated)

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:09 AM PST

CYBERJAYA: A flyover near here collapsed Thursday afternoon but no one was injured in the incident as the road has not been in use since December.

The flyover is located at KM P2.4 near the Selangor Science Park 2 Interchange between the Putrajaya Toll Plaza and Putrajaya/Cyberjaya, on Lingkaran Putrajaya.

It is learnt that PLUS Malaysia was tipped off by the public at 12.49pm before highway officials rushed to the scene.

A large water pipe which ran alongside the flyover was also damaged, which resulted in thousands of litres of water gushing out.

PKNS general manager Othman Omar said construction of the flyover commenced in 2007 and it was completed in 2009, after which it was handed over to PLUS and the Malaysia Highway Authority (MHA) in March last year.

He said the project was financed by four developers (PKNS, Unduh Aspirasi, Taraf Unggul and Semai Ria) and coordinated by the State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN).

"When we handed over the flyover to PLUS, it was still in good condition but in November, the road was deemed damaged due to the soft swamp soil and a contractor was appointed to dig up the road and apply a new tar on it.

But in early December, the MHA discovered some movement to one of the pillars holding the flyover.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor, in a statement, said he conducted a site visit on Dec 7 and was briefed on the flyover's conditon.

The decision was then made to close the flyover and divert traffic for the safety of motorists, he said, adding that the flyover was initially expected to be closed until December this year.

Following Thursday's collapse, PKNS will set up a technical committee to identify the root cause of the incident.

Othman said clean-up work at the site would take about three weeks and full restoration of the collapsed flyover could take up to eight months at a cost of between RM6mil and RM7mil.

Users from the Elite Highway heading towards Putrajaya or Cyberjaya are advised to exit the highway via the Saujana Putra Interchange before entering the SKVE highway to Putrajaya/Cyberjaya.

Meanwhile, in a statement late Thursday, PLUS clarified that the flyover was never handed over to the company to be maintained.

"It was built by PKNS and continued to be under the purview of PKNS till today," the statement said.

"As safety of road users is our number one priority, the flyover was closed after a site visit by the Works Minister on Dec 7 and the Malaysia Highway Authority had diverted traffic at KM P2.4, at the interchange between the Putrajaya toll plaza and Putrajaya/Cyberjaya, on the Lingkaran Putrajaya stretch."

For more information, contact the Malaysian Highway Authority at 1800 88 7752.

Google map of the area.

Human Resources Minister’s press secretary killed in accident

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 06:49 AM PST

SEREMBAN: The press secretary to Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam was killed in an accident near here Thursday morning.

The vehicle Sivam Balan was travelling in crashed into the rear of a lorry at KM232 of the North-South Expressway, around 9am.

Sivam, 35, died on the spot while the driver of the Nissan X-Trail, Hazrin Hasan, 35, died at the Malacca Hospital while receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit at about 10am.

A police spokesman said both the victims were on their to Alor Gajah from Kuala Lumpur to attend a programme that was to be attended by the minister.

"The Nissan X-Trail went out of control and grazed a Perodua Myvi car before crashing into the rear of a lorry.

"Due to the impact of the crash, both Sivam and Hazrin were pinned to their seats. Sivam died on the spot," he said.

He added that the driver of the lorry and the Myvi car were not injured.

Sivam's body was later sent to the Tampin Hospital for a postmortem and claimed by his family members.

Meanwhile, Dr Subramaniam said Sivam had been working as his press secretary for about three years.

He said he had a close relationship with Sivam, whom he described as a friend who was hardworking and loyal.

"I am very sad because both Sivam and Hazrin were good workers.

"We have lost two good workers in the ministry. Both were loyal, honest and responsible staff.

"Sivam was like my family member and we were close," said Dr Subramaniam.

At the Malacca Hospital mortuary, the atmosphere was poignant as Hazrin's wife Norisuhaila Ishak, 29, and her two children, Haziq Aiman, five, and Afiq Aryan, two, could not control their emotions.

Norisuhaik said Hazrin's remains would be buried at the Muslim cemetery in Batu 3, Kampung Selabak, Teluk Intan, Perak. - Bernama

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Woman, interrupted

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 02:06 AM PST

Here's a fun romp of a read — just ignore the inconsistencies.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Author: Maria Semple
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 324 pages

MEET Bernadette Fox. She is a myriad of characters to various people. She is the talented yet troubled wife of Elgin Branch, a genius working in Microsoft; she is a nuisance and a troublemaker to the mothers at her daughter's school; she is the revolutionary architect to design students and practitioners; and she is simply Mum to Bee, her 15-year-old daughter.

Having presented her titular character as a splinter of more than one personality, author Maria Semple decides that her novel needs drama. Thus, she causes Bernadette to disappear, much to the anguish of Bee and chagrin of Elgin. Semple then not only spends her debut novel exploring why Bernadette Fox disappeared but also who she is. The author attempts to paint a picture of a complex woman suffering from her own inner turmoil, and she succeeds somewhat.

It is while Bernadette is taking care of the logistics of a planned Christmas family trip that she begins to show symptoms of not being all there. Firstly, she engages an Indian woman named Manjula who is based in India to assist with day-to-day errands – in Seattle.

While the e-mail exchanges between Bernadette and Manjula shed some insight into Bernadette's mental make-up when the word agoraphobia comes up, it is the e-mail and fax exchanges between fellow school mums Audrey Griffin and Soo-Lin Lee-Segal that paint Bernadette as a renegade mother who refuses to be the conventional (ie, permanently smiling and happy to be point of being fake) soccer mum that Audrey and Soo-Lin portray themselves to be.

Audrey, the all-American mother with the perfect family and true blue Christian beliefs, is a sharp contrast to Bernadette, who is an adamant atheist. The gossipy exchanges between Audrey and Soo-Lin also serve as the comic element of the novel.

The first run-in between Audrey and Bernadette takes place over several e-mails and faxes and ends up with a dramatic mudslide and a total meltdown for Audrey. The dramatic mudslide may seem a tad far fetched but bear with it, as it plays a vital part in the plot.

Throughout the first part of Where'd You Go, Bernadette (the novel is divided into seven parts), husband Elgin Branch remains distant and in the background, giving readers the impression that Elgin and Bernadette live separate lives.

Bernadette's past comes into full play in the second part of the novel, where readers learn of the creative dervish that was the titular character's career in architecture. Readers also learn of the various miscarriages Bernadette suffered before she conceived and managed to carry Bee to full term. (And we find out that Bee's full name is Balakrishna and that she was named after an Indian deity.)

When Bernadette disappears in the fourth part of the novel, Elgin's presence becomes more prominent. But though he loves her, Semple makes it clear that Elgin is not able to understand the private anguish that Bernadette seems to be harbouring deep inside.

In dramatic tones, Elgin confesses to Bee that certain choices he made in the lead-up to Christmas and the family might have played a part in the disappearance of Bernadette. In contrast, Soo-Lin's ramblings to Audrey about her love for Elgin proves comical. And Bee's reaction to her father's brief affair with Soo-Lin in the wake of her mother's disappearance gives readers a dose of that anguish, despair and confusion that Semple is striving to portray.

Just as Bernadette seems to be made up of a myriad personalities, the novel offers a myriad emotions, which is as near a reflection of what Semple obviously hopes is a slice of real life.

The premise for Where'd You Go, Bernadette is not a wholly original one. What sets Semple's novel apart from previous such stories is her flair for comic timing and how she presents her story. Forgoing traditional narrative until the final parts of the novel, Semple uses e-mail, faxes and letters to present the complex persona that is Bernadette and the quiet but reassuring presence of Bee, and to illustrate the happily fake, all-American-with-Christian-values-they-shout-about characteristics of Audrey and Soo-Lin. Semple also ingeniously uses the formats of press releases and interviews with Bernadette's former mentors and colleagues and architecture students to discuss her once brilliant career.

The novel falters when Semple reverts to traditional narration in part six. Bee's narration seems laboured and prolonged for the sake of meeting a word count. Halfway through Bee's endless narration, this reviewer stopped caring if Bernadette will ever be found.

On that note, the novel also ends rather anti-climatically. Bernadette's mental illness which was prominent in the earlier part of the novel seems to have disappeared; Semple presents her titular character as a normal woman with no signs of having suffered from agoraphobia or anguish at having to be with a crowd of people. If Bernadette was not mentally ill all along, then she did a fine job in portraying herself as a mad woman.

Throughout the novel, Semple uses simple, everyday language, and the e-mail, fax and letter formats make Where'd You Go, Bernadette easy to read. It does not pretend to be anything other than a fun romp of a read. Despite its flaws towards the end, this is a good and enjoyable comic novel – just ignore the inconsistencies.

Beyond looking

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 02:05 AM PST

On Looking: Eleven Walks With Expert Eyes
Author: Alexandra Horowitz
Publisher: Scribner International, 324 pages

ALEXANDRA Horowitz made a name for herself in the field of psychology when her first book, Inside Of A Dog became a giant bestseller in 2009. That book looked into what dogs see, smell and know.

This time, in On Looking, she turns to humans (plus another dog). Horowitz takes a walk with 11 different individuals down ordinary streets and records the way they perceive their surroundings. If you've always zoomed through streets intent only on reaching your destination, what Horowitz does sounds painfully boring. After all, what can be observed that is new about your average city street?

A lot of things, as this journey with Horowitz and her walking companions proves.

In this book, the world comes alive through the mundane — in Horowitz's experience with her co-walkers, nothing is too dull to be undeserving of attention. An old sofa thrown out on the street and the underside of leaves become objects of intense scrutiny to an illustrator and an entomologist respectively. During a stroll with a typographer, every letter seen on a flyer or the side of a taxi radiates its own personality. When walking with a geologist, the stones and pavements become living and breathing beings, revealing traces of what used to live in them.

Adding to the fascination is how Horowitz cleverly fuses witty storytelling with well-informed scientific explanation throughout. With her strong foundation in the cognitive and behavioural sciences, Horowitz backs up her observations with comprehensive scientific information and research.

That we subconsciously look in the direction of our destination – which makes others able to predict where we are headed just by observing the tilt of a head or the turn of a shoulder – is only one of many observations that give us a better understanding of ourselves.

Horowitz also takes us beyond just looking with the eye. Walking with a blind woman and a sound engineer opens up the senses to the world of sounds. In the case of the blind walker and the geologist, the tactile world of contact with the environment becomes a very important way to make sense of the world.

This book shows how a blessing can often be a curse as well. Most of us are blessed with the ability to ignore most of what is happening around us, especially when we have familiarised ourselves with a place. This is crucial in preventing our senses from becoming over-stimulated. At the same time, this is bad news to us as it means our senses have a tendency to shut down a little once there is a perceived sense of familiarity, convinced that we no longer have to actively absorb new information since everything is already so familiar.

We see so much of everything every day that we stop seeing things for what they are. They are reduced to mere background that passes by in a blur. There is a solution to this curtailing of our senses, though, and that is to realise that the extent to which our senses interact with the world depends on wanting to do so.

If you want to be delighted by revelations of human perception and behaviour not consciously known before, this is the book to check out. If not for any other reason, this book is a life lesson that teaches us to start paying real attention to our world.

Stars share their lives

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 01:56 AM PST

AT 24, actress Nina Dobrev is the envy of young women the world over. She has a role on the hit TV series The Vampire Diaries, a gorgeous guy to call her boyfriend (co-star Ian Somerhalder) and a killer body (fashion magazines are lining up to feature her on their cover).

Galaxie takes a closer look at the young star's life on and off the set of the small screen show in the new issue which hits newsstands today.

Dobrev reveals that she is relishing the idea of getting to play two different characters – Elena and Katherine – on the show.

"There is never a dull day, and the great thing about television is that it's not two hours where you have a beginning, middle and an end, and you only see one character and one thing they go through. Fortunately, these characters get to grow."

When she's not busy acting or spending time with her man, Dobrev makes "vision boards" (with lines like "Learn. Excel. Exceed.") to motivate herself, and she loves to cook. Oh, and did you know she was once a competitive gymnast?

Discover more fascinating facts about the talented actress in the March 1-16 issue of Galaxie.

Also in the new issue, Jason Statham talks about his latest movie project, Parker, Halle Berry puts her personal drama aside to chat about Cloud Atlas and readers can test their celebrity fragrance knowledge with the magazine's fun quiz.

Plus, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation's Elisabeth Shue divulges to Galaxie that she's "squeamish about dead bodies" in a conference call while Malaysia-born Sarah Lian tells the mag about her budding acting career, including her stint on TV's Covert Affairs.

Don't forget to enter all of the contests when you get your copy as well. You could walk away with tickets to Twin Towers@Live 2013 (there are 100 tickets up for grabs!) to watch Demi Lovato perform live in Kuala Lumpur. If merchandise is what you are after, how about an exclusive Justin Bieber T-shirt, an Oz The Great And Powerful tote bag or The Lumineers CD?

Poster-wise, there's Shay Mitchell to complete your Pretty Little Liars collection as well as Justin Timberlake, Ellie Goulding, Phillip Phillips, One Direction and the cast of Glee to decorate your walls with.

The ever popular Songwords section this time features lyrics to Bruno Mars' When I Was Your Man, Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko's Stay and One Republic's If I Lose Myself along with three other radio hits. – Evelyn Teo

Galaxie was voted Entertainment Magazine Of The Year in 2011 and 2012. To get all the latest entertainment news, check the mag out at galaxieblog.com.my, follow it on Twitter (@galaxiemag) and visit its Facebook page (facebook.com/GalaxieMagazine).

The magazine is owned by Star Publications (M) Bhd.

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Songlap and Bunohan set to dominate

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 01:50 AM PST

THE 25th Malaysia Film Festival awards night at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre tomorrow will see a total of 59 feature films, 66 short films and 14 animated features competing in 23 categories.

Songlap is leading the list of contenders with 15 nominations.

Directed by Fariza Azlina Isahak and Effendee Mazlan, Songlap is in contention for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Script, Best Original Story, Best Editor, Best Original Music Score, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, among others.

It tells the story of two brothers who are involved in a human trafficking syndicate. Their already tarnished world falls apart when a young girl comes into the picture, causing conflict between them.

Meanwhile, Dain Said's Bunohan – the film that was Malaysia's submission for this year's Academy Awards – has 13 nominations, three of them in the Best Actor category alone for Faizal Hussein, Pekin Ibrahim and Zahiril Adzim.

The three actors play brothers in the story, which revolves around the way they come together in the town of Bunohan, and walk down a path that leads to destruction.

Other nominees include Untuk Tiga Hari, Hantu Gangster and 29 Februari. Erra Fazira and Fahrin Ahmad are slated to host the event which will be aired live on RTM2, Astro Ria dan Astro Mustika.

The women of Oz

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 01:37 AM PST

Story file not found.

Spielberg to head up Cannes festival jury

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 01:39 AM PST

PARIS (AFP) - Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg will head up this year's Cannes Film Festival jury, the organisers announced Thursday, just days after he missed out on a third best director Oscar.

Spielberg, 66, one of the most powerful and respected film-makers in Hollywood, said he was flattered by the appointment.

"It is an honour and a privilege to preside over the jury of a festival that proves, again and again, that cinema is the language of the world," he said in a statement.

The Cannes Film Festival organisers said it was the broad reach of his film-making that had made him an obvious choice to head up the jury.

The festival is one of the highlights in the international cinema calendar and this year runs between May 15 and May 26.

Spielberg's work cuts across a broad spectrum "between entertainment films and serious reflections on history, racism and the human condition", festival organisers said in the statement.

Thierry Fremaux, of the organising committee, said: "Because of his films, and the many causes he holds dear, he's year-in year-out the equal of the very greatest Hollywood filmmakers. "We are very proud to count him among us."

Spielberg has presented several films at Cannes, though most of them were not in competition. But his 1974 film The Sugarland Express did pick up the best screenplay prize.

He is best known for a succession of box office hits in the 1970s and '80s with films including E.T., Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Raiders Of The Lost Ark and Poltergeist.

But it was not until he turned to darker subjects that he won his first Oscars.

He won his first best director award in 1994 for Schindler's List, based on a true story about a man's efforts to save his Jewish workers from the Holocaust.

The film, which starred Liam Neeson in the title role, picked up seven Oscars, including the coveted best picture. He won a second best director Oscar five years later for the devastating WWII drama Saving Private Ryan, starring Tom Hanks, which won five Oscars.

Since then, Spielberg has moved comfortably between the kind of crowd-pleasing entertainment with which he made his name to those tackling more serious themes, such as last year's Lincoln.

Despite leading the nominations ahead of Sunday's Oscars ceremony with 12 nods, the presidential biopic lost out in the best picture category to Argo, while Ang Lee beat Spielberg to best director for The Life Of Pi.

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