Ahad, 26 Mei 2013

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


Michelle Borth feels right at home with the boys in Hawaii Five-0

Posted: 26 May 2013 04:21 PM PDT

Michelle Borth feels right at home starring alongside the male-driven cast of Hawaii Five-0.

ACTRESS Michelle Borth has very few female friends.

The gorgeous brunette revealed during a phone interview from Hawaii to Star2 that she has always gotten along better with men, owing to the fact that she grew up with two brothers. So when her recurring role in the remake of the 1960s police procedural drama, Hawaii Five-0, was promoted to a regular on season three, Borth was more than ready for a tussle with the boys (namely Alex O'Loughlin, Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim and Masi Oka).

"There are a lot of dirty jokes," the 34-year-old actress says of the atmosphere on set, before adding playfully, "which I love."

She shares that the testosterone-charged environment ("We have a crew of over 100 Hawaiian men on set that walk around with no shirts on") is a respite from the usual drama that ensues in a female-led or even mixed-sex cast.

"Being on other sets in Los Angeles, there can be a lot of cattiness with actors. There's none of that here," she says.

Borth joins the elite crime-fighting task force, Five-0, as Lieutenant Catherine Rollins in her capacity as a US Navy Lieutenant. Those familiar with the original Hawaii Five-0 may notice that her addition to the cast is a rather unorthodox move for the show, as all the major roles were played by men back then.

But in this remake, Borth is one of two females to be part of the main cast. The burly detective Kono Kalakanua, previously portrayed by Gilbert "Zulu" Kauhi, is now a sultry surfer and sniper played by Grace Park. Borth is happy to see this increase in female presence on the show.

"There are more and more stronger female parts that are being developed, as there are more writers and directors who are women. I think it's important to show strong women on TV and in film to set an example for young girls watching that you can be tough and smart at the same time," she shares.

And tough and smart is just the way to describe Borth's character. Besides using her position as an intelligence officer with the US Navy to feed information to the team, Rollins always puts up a tough fight to take down the bad guys. Borth, who also starred as Major Rebecca Gordon on Combat Hospital, is proud to say she does most of her own stunts.

"I do all the stunt work. But just because I can do them doesn't mean that it looks that great. So, I have a stunt double. The editors usually use the stunts that look better on-screen and mix them up. But from what I've been seeing, I can tell that around 85% is me," she reveals, adding that she underwent intense martial arts and firearms training before shooting began.

It's a good thing the actress picked up some moves on the show as she'll be needing it to protect herself from the envious female fans of Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett (O'Loughlin). Yes, Borth's character also happens to be the hunky leading man's love interest. The two were in an on-again-off-again long distance relationship in the first two seasons, but with Rollins stationed on the island for good now, perhaps they will finally go steady.

"I enjoy playing my character a lot because it serves as a vehicle for a storyline for McGarrett. With her around, you get a different vibe from McGarrett who's usually the tough guy. You see smiles on his face that you didn't see before; you see him vulnerable, laughing and giddy," she says.

However, Borth opines that with Rollins coming on board full-time, their relationship might be at risk of going sour.

"Long distance relationships are always like a honeymoon. You don't see that person for months at a time and then you see them in one weekend, it's a honeymoon. That's kind of what season one and two were about. In my opinion, with Rollins moving in, it's only going to make things difficult. To have to put up with each other all the time while working in a high-pressure situation makes things complicated.

"But you never know, hopefully it ends with them walking down the aisle," she adds.

Hawaii Five-0 airs every Monday at 10pm on AXN (Astro Ch 701/HD Ch 721).

Suria FM's entertaining truck

Posted: 27 May 2013 08:52 AM PDT

FOR one month only, Suria FM will unleash to the streets its first ever Suria FM Truck.

Spotting the faces of its celebrated DJs – Halim Othman, Adibah Noor, Reza Mohamed, Seri, Linda Onn, Bob Ringgo & DJ Lin – on its exterior, the truck will roam the Klang Valley until June 9 and even promises to illuminate itself at night, staying true to Suria's tagline, "Menceriakan Duniamu".

Come rain or shine, the Suria FM Truck, boasting as the first of its kind for any Malaysian radio station, will broadcast the channel live, entertaining passers-by along its routes.

So, why are they doing this? To use an industry jargon, this is a brand engagement exercise.

"The Suria FM Truck is a continuous effort to promote Suria FM to everyone.

"It exposes Suria FM as well as the announcers to the public. Then, Suria FM will be on top of their mind," shared the channel's programme manager Adiwati Zainuddin.

Suria FM is a subsidiary of Star Radio Group

988 hosts Chinese music awards show

Posted: 27 May 2013 08:53 AM PDT

988 plays host to an awards show promoting the development of Chinese music.

THE Star Radio Group's Chinese radio station 988 is set to host the 13th Global Chinese Music Awards (GCMA) on October 5 at Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.

GCMA was established in 2000 with seven of Asia's radio stations taking turns to host the awards show. The seven radio stations are (from China) Beijing Music Radio, Shanghai Dong Gan 101, and Music FM Radio Guang Dong; (Taiwan) Taipei Pop Radio; (Hong Kong) RTHK; (Singapore) YES 933 as well as (Malaysia) 988.

The main objective of GCMA is to promote the development of Chinese music and acknowledge the outstanding contributors in the music industry.

"Play. Music. Hard. is the theme for the 13th Global Chinese Music Awards. The theme represents our acknowledgement to the artistes' perseverance, on their will in standing strong against obstacles in pursuit of creating good music. It is not easy working in the music industry," said deputy group chief broadcasting officer of Star Radio Group Kudsia Kahar.

"Artistes face the lack of financial support, public recognition, the shift to the age of digital commerce, piracy, etc. By hosting this award, we are doing our bit to show our support to the musicians out there."

Ticket are affordably priced at RM50, RM100, RM150, RM200, RM250 and RM300 and will be available July onwards. There will be discounts for early birds, students, and senior citizens.

Download the 988 app or stream online at 988.com.my. 988 is a subsidiary of Star Radio Group.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Colombia, FARC rebels reach agreement on agrarian reform

Posted: 26 May 2013 06:05 PM PDT

HAVANA (Reuters) - Colombia and the Marxist-led FARC rebels have reached agreement on the critical issue of agrarian reform, the two sides said on Sunday in a major step forward for the peace process aimed at ending their long war.

Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) lead negotiator Ivan Marquez (R) walks next to fellow negotiator Ricardo Tellez as they arrive for peace talks in Havana April 25, 2013. REUTERS/Enrique De La Osa

Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) lead negotiator Ivan Marquez (R) walks next to fellow negotiator Ricardo Tellez as they arrive for peace talks in Havana April 25, 2013. REUTERS/Enrique De La Osa

They said the accord called for the economic and social development of rural areas and providing land to the people living there, which addresses one of the main issues that led the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, to form in 1964 as a communist agrarian reform movement and launch its insurgency.

Lead government negotiator Humberto de la Calle reminded that the agreement would take effect only if an overall peace accord is achieved, which has been the guiding principal of the talks since the beginning.

"Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed," he said.

De la Calle said it would represent "a historic change, a rebirth of the Colombian countryside."

The government promised to build up services and infrastructure in rural areas as it tries to end the country's long history of social and economic inequality.

"What we have agreed to in this accord will be the beginning of radical transformations in the rural and agrarian reality of Colombia, with equity and democracy," said the joint statement, which was read at the end of the ninth round of the talks, which began November 19 in Havana.

The rebels warned that "certain points" in the agrarian reform accord "necessarily will have to be retaken before the completion of the final agreement," but said a path was being opened for "the people to act, to mobilize themselves in defence of their rights."

It was not disclosed how much land would be given out. De la Calle said there would be "an ambitious program of restitution and adjudication of lands" to the rural poor, but that private landowners would not lose their property.

"Legal landowners have nothing to fear," he said.

The agreement drew praise at the United Nations in New York, where a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called it "a significant achievement and important step forward."

Ban "wishes both delegations further success in their efforts to reach agreement on the remaining issues and to put an end to Colombia's long conflict," the spokesperson said.

Adam Isacson, senior associate for security policy at the Washington Office on Latin America think tank, told Reuters the agrarian reform agreement was a "genuine big deal" for Colombia's peace hopes.

"To have arrived at an agreement on land and rural development with a peasant-based guerrilla group for the first time in nearly 50 years is a step whose importance is hard to overestimate," he said.

"It greatly increases the probability - now to well over 50 percent - that a final accord will be reached as a result of these talks," Isacson said.

Many potential obstacles remain, starting with the next agenda item - the delicate subject of political participation for the FARC.

FACING JUSTICE

More than 100,000 people have died and millions have been displaced in the war that is now Latin America's longest-running insurgency and goes on at a low intensity even as the peace discussions continue.

Many Colombians feel the FARC must face justice for war casualties, the use of kidnappings to extort money and involvement in the illicit drug trade, the latter a charge the group has denied.

But criminal charges and jail time could exclude many FARC leaders from taking part in politics.

The rebels have said they are willing to "review" any "error" committed during the war but have ruled out prosecution by a state they say they legitimately rose up against for persecuting and neglecting its own people.

Other remaining agenda points include the logistics of ending the conflict, the drug trade, compensation for victims and the implementation of the final accord.

President Juan Manuel Santos, who recently hinted that he plans to run for re-election in 2014, has said he wants the talks ended this year.

Santos initiated the peace talks last year on a bet the FARC had been so weakened by the government's 10-year, U.S.-backed offensive against the group that its leaders were ready to negotiate an end to the fighting.

Three previous peace attempts - the last ending in 2002 - had failed.

The rebels have been pushed into remote corners of the country but still are able to attack oil and mining operations that are fuelling Colombia's economic growth.

The war has diverted billions of dollars from the economy as industry is unable to function at full capacity and the government is forced to spend heavily on troops and weapons.

Even if peace with the FARC is achieved, the government still must deal with a smaller rebel force, the ELN or National Liberation Army, and criminal gangs running drug-trafficking operations.

The ELN, with an estimated 3,000 fighters, has expressed interest in seeking a peace accord similar to the one being pursued with the FARC, but Santos has said it must first release captives who include a Canadian citizen.

Norway and Cuba are serving as guarantors for the Colombia-FARC talks, with Chile and Venezuela as observers.

The discussions are set to resume in Havana on June 11, a government spokesman said.

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Obama calls Oklahoma tornado's toll 'hard to comprehend'

Posted: 26 May 2013 05:42 PM PDT

MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Standing by a pile of debris that once was an elementary school, President Barack Obama on Sunday called the destruction last week's tornado wrought in Moore, Oklahoma, "hard to comprehend" and vowed to provide long-term federal help in rebuilding.

A drawing is left hanging on a tree in front of a home in Moore, Oklahoma, four days after the Oklahoma City suburb was left devastated by a tornado, May 24, 2013. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

A drawing is left hanging on a tree in front of a home in Moore, Oklahoma, four days after the Oklahoma City suburb was left devastated by a tornado, May 24, 2013. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

The tornado, rated at the top of a five-step scale used to measure the destructive power of twisters, killed 24 people - including seven children at the school site Obama visited. It ripped a 17-mile-long (27-km-long) corridor of destruction through the suburb of Oklahoma City, flattening entire blocks of homes, two schools and a hospital.

"Obviously the damage here is pretty hard to comprehend," Obama said, standing on a block where piles of boards, bricks and cinder blocks that used to be buildings and houses lined the side of the street. Rare items that survived the disaster - a television set, a pink baby carriage - stood in contrast to the wreckage.

The visit to the disaster-shaken town was one in a series of responses Obama has made in recent months to tragedies, including the Boston Marathon bombings last month; a December mass school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut; and the destruction that Superstorm Sandy caused along the Jersey Shore in October.

"Whenever I come to an area that has been devastated by some natural disaster like this, I want to make sure that everyone understands that I am speaking on behalf of the entire country," said Obama, flanked by officials including Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. "Everywhere, fellow Americans are praying with you, they're thinking about you and they want to help. And I'm just a messenger here letting you know that you are not alone."

Cars with their bodies dented and windows smashed lay under debris or twisted on their sides. Rising above the wasteland were at least three American flags that had been attached to the rubble, waving in the wind.

Caleb Sloan, 24, who lost his home in the storm, said Obama's words gave him hope that help would be forthcoming.

"He has no choice but to live by his word," Sloan said. "I hope and pray and think he will keep his promises."

SPATE OF STORMS

The May 20 tornado in Moore was the most powerful of a spate of 76 twisters that touched down in 10 states from May 18 through May 20, causing an estimated $2 billion to $5 billion in insured losses, according to disaster-modeling company Eqecat.

The Moore tornado, the deadliest such windstorm to hit the United States in two years, also injured 377 people.

While assuring that residents of the 1,200 homes the storm destroyed would receive extended federal help, Obama also urged lawmakers to maintain funding for the training and equipment that emergency responders rely on in the aftermath of disasters.

"We can't shortchange that kind of ongoing disaster response, we can't just wait until the disaster happens," Obama said. "That's how, in part, we're able to save a lot of lives."

After the president left, the town held its own memorial service at First Baptist Church of Moore that included a performance by the Oklahoma Strong Children's Choir, made up of Moore school children who were affected by Monday's storm.

(Additional reporting by Heide Brandes; Writing by Scott Malone; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Philip Barbara)

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Robots to drones, Australia eyes high-tech farm help to grow food

Posted: 26 May 2013 02:19 PM PDT

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Moving carefully along a row of apple trees, two of Australia's newest agricultural workers check if the fruit is ripe or the soil needs water or fertiliser.

A scientist performs a field test with a 'Hexi-copter' air robot and two ground robots named Mantis and Shrimp, in reference to the marine crustacean's 16 different colour receptors, at an almond farm near the Victorian city of Mildura, located around 500 kilometres north of Melbourne October 15, 2012. Salah Sukkarieh/Australian Centre for Field Robotics/Handout via Reuters

A scientist performs a field test with a 'Hexi-copter' air robot and two ground robots named Mantis and Shrimp, in reference to the marine crustacean's 16 different colour receptors, at an almond farm near the Victorian city of Mildura, located around 500 kilometres north of Melbourne October 15, 2012. Salah Sukkarieh/Australian Centre for Field Robotics/Handout via Reuters

Meet "Mantis" and "Shrimp", agricultural robots being tested to do these tasks and more in a bid to cut costs and improve productivity in Australia's economically vital farm sector, which exported A$39.6 billion ($38.8 billion)of produce in 2012.

Australia is one of the leaders in the field and, with a minimum wage of A$15.96 per hour and a limited workforce, has a big incentive to use robots and other technology such as unmanned aircraft to improve efficiency.

It hopes to tap fast-growing Asian neighbours, where the swelling ranks of the middle class increasingly want more varied and better quality food from blueberries to beef.

"The adoption of new technology is going to be crucial for Australia to maintain its competitiveness in terms of the global agricultural sector," said Luke Matthews, commodities strategist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

"If we don't adopt new technology, we can give up on these high-flying ambitions of being the food bowl of Asia."

Agriculture now accounts for 2 percent of Australia's gross domestic product, but the government forecasts it could reach 5 percent by 2050. Its growth is particularly important now the once-booming mining sector is slowing.

Australia is the world's second-biggest wheat exporter and arable farmers are already using specialised technology aimed at improving efficiency, including satellite positioning software to allow farmers to map out land and soil to determine optimal inputs.

Using such technology to optimise the use of fertiliser can boost profitability at grain farms by 14 percent, according to a study by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

COLOUR RECEPTORS

A robot effortlessly plucking fruit is some way off, though a range of simpler tasks are within reach to add to existing technology such as automatic steering of harvesters.

Salah Sukkarieh, Professor of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at the University of Sydney and developer of Mantis and Shrimp, says the next phase aims for robots to do increasingly complex jobs such as watering and ultimately harvesting.

"We have fitted them with a lot of sensors, vision, laser, radar and conductivity sensors - including GPS and thermal sensors," said Sukkarieh, speaking at his laboratory housing a collection of both ground robots and unmanned air vehicles.

The technology could have the biggest application in horticulture, Australia's third-largest agricultural sector with exports of $1.71 billion in the last marketing year, since a fixed farm layout lends itself better to using robots.

Robots and an unmanned air vehicle that are being developed at the University of Sydney had passed field tests at an almond farm in Mildura, Victoria state, said Sukkarieh.

Propelled by sets of wheels and about the height of a man, the robots were named after the native Mantis shrimp because of the marine crustacean's 16 different colour receptors, capable of detecting up to 12 colours. Humans only have four, three of which pick up colours.

This capacity to recognize colour already allows the robots to sense whether fruit is ripe.

The data can then be processed by computer algorithms to determine what action the robot should take. This could be to water or apply fertiliser or pesticides, or to sweep and prune vegetation, and eventually the aim is to harvest the crop.

"If tomorrow we got an apple, orange or tomato farmer that wants a robot to go up and down these tree crops reliably and accurately, we can do that within six months to a year."

"The question is can we make them more intelligent," added Sukkarieh, who also sees the technology being attached to standard farm vehicles and foresees a fully automated horticulture farm within 10 years.

BRUISED APPLES

Australian farmers, who depend on seasonal labour for jobs such as picking fruit and vegetables, said they would welcome high-tech help.

"Berry picking by a robot would be difficult but if they could produce a robot, I could make a significant saving," said Allan Dixon, co-owner of the Clyde River Berry Farm in New South Wales, who typically takes on five people every year.

To get enough agricultural workers, Australia allows in some labour from neighbouring Pacific island countries and East Timor, as well as using backpackers on temporary work visas.

Some fruit farmers remain sceptical.

"Apples will always need to be harvested by hand, due to their fragile nature. They bruise very easily," said Lucinda Giblett, director at Newton Orchards in Western Australia.

"We see no current opportunities offered by agricultural robots. Even as a pruning device, application is very limited," added Giblett

PRODUCTIVITY

Further productivity gains will be needed if Australia is to reach its target of being the main food supplier to Asia.

A 2011 study by the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics and Sciences said around two-thirds of the increase in the monetary value of agricultural production in the last 50 years in the country was down to gains in productivity

Another survey by the Grains Research and Development Corporation showed 67 percent of respondents in 2011 used auto-steer technology to guide machinery such as harvesters and sprayers, up from 47 percent in 2008.

Obstacles to using more technology remain, however, including the cost of buying or renting equipment and slower growth in research and development spending. Some studies show growth in the use of satellite imagery and soil mapping has stagnated in Australia and the United States in recent years.

Regardless of whether it can meet its targets to supply more food to Asia, Australia is expected to play a big role in global food security by being one of the test beds for new ways to produce food more efficiently in often harsh conditions.

(Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Michael Urquhart)

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

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Hafizh creates history after second placing in Spain

Posted: 26 May 2013 06:35 PM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Moto2 rider Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah raced his way into the history books as the first Malaysian to claim a podium finish in the intensely competitive CEV Repsol Spanish Championships in the second leg at the Motorland Aragon Circuit in Spain yesterday.

A smooth start combined with a well prepared machine saw the Petronas Raceline Malaysia rider storm his way from fifth on the starting grid to second place to record his maiden podium finish.

Hafizh finished the race in 29:27.524, just 0.075 seconds ahead of American Kenny Noyes (29:27.599).

Spaniard Roman Ramos won the 15-lap Race 1 in 29:11.275.

It was a much cherished moment for the 19-year-old Hafizh, who started the race determined to make amends after finishing empty handed in the opening leg in Catalunya early this month.

During the opening leg, Hafizh had dominated the weekend in Catalunya, including taking pole position in qualifying but he crashed out on the first lap.

It was only his second front row start in Catalunya and Hafizh, in his second season, can breathe a sigh of relief to prove the faith in him to make it in the top level is not unfounded.

"It's hard to believe I finally made it on the podium after a tough time in the unofficial practice on Friday and qualifying on Saturday due to harsh weather conditions.

"I am extremely pleased and I would like to extend my gratitude to the team and sponsor for making all this possible," said an elated Hafizh, who rode his way to a 22nd finish in his first wildcard appearance in France Grand Prix in Le Mans last week.

"It was tough. A lot of riders pushed for a good position early but the cold tarmac means less grip and this resulted in a lot of crashes.

"I did not want to repeat another mistake of crashing out of the race so I kept a steady pace throughout to ensure I pick up championship points," said Hafizh in a telephone interview from Aragon yesterday.

Hafizh finished fourth in Race 2 and is currently fourth in the championship standings with 20 points.

Teenager Hafiza on threshold of Wira category title after hat-trick of wins

Posted: 26 May 2013 03:37 PM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Teenage rider Hafiza Rofa is on course for his first major title in the Petronas AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship this season.

The 17-year-old Warner Pumps YSP rider with a 35-point lead, has taken a near-unassailable lead in the Wira category following a hat-trick of wins in Batu Kawan (Round 1), Malacca (Round 2) and Kuala Terengganu (Round 3).

Warner Pumps YSP team manager Lee Waye Siang said Hafiza has a good chance of the winning the Wira crown and should be ready to move to the CP115 class next.

"He is more than ready to go up to the CP115 class. However, the team decided that we should allow him one more season in the Wira class to build on his basics and his confidence before moving up," said Waye Siang.

In the last three years, Hafiza remained as one of the consistent podium finishers in the Wira class, but was often overshadowed by the more flamboyant riders such as Mohd Hafiz Nor Azman, Fakhrusy Syakirin Rostam, Zulsyafiz Rosli and Adib Rosley.

Following a successful one-make race debut in 2010 in which he was second overall in the Honda icon Challenge, Hafiza joined team YSP and finished the 2011 season as runner-up in the Wira category. Last year, the team gambled on a change from Yamaha to Honda. The drastic change affected Hafiza's performance and his ranking dropped to fifth overall.

This year, YSP is back in the Yamaha camp and Hafiza's performance now looks more commanding than ever.

"This weekend's win is very memorable for me. We came prepared, had a strong bike that performed brilliantly throughout the race and all these factors put together allowed me to achieve a hat-trick. More importantly, I scored the hat-trick in front of family and friends who braved the heat to show me support."

Title-holder Vignesa zooms past father-daughter threat

Posted: 26 May 2013 06:32 PM PDT

SEPANG: Twenty-year-old Natasha Seatter and her father Stewart took second place in Round 2 of the Malaysian Super Series (MSS) at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) to take over leadership of the premier GT Open Class in the 12th edition of the racing series yesterday.

The series' first ever father- daughter partnership managed to complete 25 laps in the one-hour endurance race around the 5.543km circuit to finish 1:29.507 behind defending champion Vignesa Moorthy, who partnered Macau's Rodolfo Avila in a Radical SR8 machine.

With two second places and 40 points in the opening round, Natasha has taken her total haul to 60 points after two rounds with Vignessa, who only managed 10 points from Round 1, now having 35 points.

Angus Kirkwood – winner of the opening round in March, failed to add any points after failing to finish the race, which was stopped after 15 minutes on the order of the race stewards and resumed later in another rolling start format.

Starting from third on the grid, Natasha took over the race lead as early as the first lap with Vignesa, who started from pole, dropping to third position.

Natasha, a former Formula Gulf FG1000 Series driver, opened up a 24 seconds on her closest rivals when the race was stopped.

"The re-start clearly affected us. We would have opened up a bigger lead. We are delighted to finish second today and take over the leadership of the championship.

"With three races to go, we are in a very good position to win the overall title," said Natasha, who clocked 2:10.636s as her fastest lap in Lap 10.

Stewart echoed the sentiments raised by Natasha on the red-flag incident but was quick to add that it was part and parcel of racing and that they accepted the decision.

"That's racing. But, overall, we are happy with the performance of our car and today's results. We will be working hard to work further on this performance … I may need to get some tips from Natasha to improve on my speed," he quipped.

Results

Malaysian Super Series ( Round 2)

GT Open Class: 1. Vignesa Moorthy-Rodolfo Avila (Radical SR8) 25 laps (1'15:310), 2. Natasha Seatter-Stewart Seatter (Radical SR8) 25 laps, 3. Noel Becker (Radical SR8) 24 laps.

Touring Production Class: 1. Perajun Krishnan- Hideharu Kuroki (Honda Integra DC5) 22 laps, 2. Damien Dielenberg-Tommy Lee (Honda Integra DC5) 22 laps, 3. Desmond Yee-Mark Darwin (Honda Integra DC5) 22 laps.

Malaysian Touring Car Challenge: 1. Syafiq Ali (Satria Neo) 21 laps, 2. Lai Wee Sing-Tai Choo Xiang (Proton Satria Neo) 21 laps, 3. James Veerapan-Tengku Djan Ley (Proton Preve) 21 laps.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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MPHB falls 8% after offer for sale of MPHB Capital goes ex

Posted: 26 May 2013 06:42 PM PDT

Published: Monday May 27, 2013 MYT 9:42:00 AM

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of Multi-Purpose Holdings Bhd (MPHB) fell 8.2% in early trade on Monday after its renounceable offer for sale of shares in MPHB Capital Bhd went ex.

At 9.28am, MPHB was down 32 sen to RM3.57. There were 1,25 million shares done.

The FBM KLCI fell 6.48 points to 1,766.58. Turnover was 216.14 million shares valued at RM174mil. There were 190 gainers, 173 losers and 165 counters unchanged.

The corporate exercise included MPHB's offer for sale of 715 million MPHB shares to MPHB shareholders on a one offer share for every two shares held as at 5pm on Wednesday. The offer price was RM1 per offer share.

Malaysia's blue chips fall in early trade

Posted: 26 May 2013 06:31 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's FBM KLCI started the new week on Monday a cautious note, extending its decline from last week, following the sharp fall in the Japanese markets.

At 9.13am, the KLCI was down 9.13 points to 5.25 points to 1,767.81. Turnover was 129.67 million shares valued at RM92.68mil. There were 179 gainers, 112 losers and 124 counters unchanged.

Japan's Nikkei 225 fell as much as 3.8% to 14,057.81, extending its 3.5% slide from last week, while Singapore's Straits Times Index was down 0.23% to 3,385.21 in early trade also.

Reuters reported the sharp fall in the Nikkei 225 left many investors shaken but analysts believed the Japanese market's fundamentals in the mid-to-long term have not changed, and there was still upside in the longer term.

At Bursa Malaysia, DKSH fell 34 sen to RM5.10, MPHB 28 sen to RM3.61, Aeon Credit 18 sen to RM16.02 and AirAsia 10 sen to RM3.11.

Among plantations, KL Kepong fell 28 sen to RM21.22 and PPB Group 20 sen to RM13.58.

Trading ideas: Tebrau Teguh, Scomi, MISC

Posted: 26 May 2013 05:48 PM PDT

Published: Monday May 27, 2013 MYT 8:48:00 AM

KUALA LUMPUR: Hwang DBS Vickers Research (HDBSVR) expects Tebrau Teguh, Scomi Group and MISC to be among the companies which could see trading interest on Monday.

It said Tebrau Teguh was reportedly in talks to sell several prime parcels of land in Johor.

As for Scomi Group, it was reported its co-founder Kamaluddin Abdullah is looking to dispose of his equity stake in the company.

HDBSVR also said MISC could attract attention following its turnaround with a quarterly net profit of RM300mil.

Meanwhile, JF Apex Research said Perdana Petroleum could be in focus after the group secured a RM700mil job to lease six offshore vessels to its major shareholder Dayang Enterprise.

O&G specialist SapuraKencana Petroleum was reported to close to securing a RM1.5bil hook up, construction and commissioning job in the O&G Pan Malaysia project.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf


Judging a book by its cover

Posted: 26 May 2013 06:27 AM PDT

What book jacket design trends are taking bookshelves by storm? Here is a quick look at some of them.

HAVE you ever looked at the books on the shelves in a bookstore? Not individually, to pick out a book, but generally, as a collection of books? The next time you're in a store, run your eye over the shelves and you might find that some of the book covers look curiously familiar. You see, just as there are seasonal fashion trends, we've discovered that there are trends in book cover design too.

A sweep through some of the bigger stores in the Klang Valley quickly showed up certain repeated looks. Some designs, we find, have been around the block a couple of times but they're still going strong. Some are particularly apt for the story behind the cover while others seem to have nothing at all to do with the contents. Some are eye-catching while others are more retiring....

Eye see you

This book wants to catch your eye by staring at you with its eye. Although the one-eye book cover seems to be the most popular on the shelves now, there are some covers where the eyes come in pairs. You know, just in case the one-eyed stare isn't good enough. Remember, Big Brother is watching you, even from your bookshelf.

Run on

Damn the vertical layout of the book cover! But I don't want to make my font smaller, so let's just let split that one word into three lines.

Get literal

Reinforce through repetition. Put an image to your book title. Or put a name to the image. No one will know which came first, the text or the picture. Put an image of an umbrella on the cover and call the book Umbrella. The Help shows, well, the help. The world's strongest librarian is really, really strong. A snoozing cat says "I am a cat" and we see that Meowmorphosis is cat + transformation. Yes, we get the picture.

Defining silhouettes

The famous E.T. movie poster shows the lead characters on a flying bicycle, silhouetted against the moon. Want to inject that same dramatic effect into your book cover? Make Emily Dickinson more secretive, trees more melodramatic and expatriates citizens of any country. Here's where it doesn't matter if you are black or white, because this design feature will make any person or inanimate object appear black.

Box it up!

Working with text and images within the confines of a neat little box can yield quite lovely results. It can be orderly, bold, dramatic, fun, or all of the above. It can also be boring, like This Close. Authors, don't forget to think outside the box even when you have to be in it.

Instruct and command

Stop What You Are Doing And Read This! This book cover has never learned how to say please and thank you. It doesn't tell you what it offers; it simply demands that you drop everything and read it/him/her. With an exclamation point! Readers can choose between this and its more polite (or timid?) neighbour, Please Read (If At All Possible).

Lovely legs

If the entire body and face of the person representing the protoganist in the story is on the cover, it will give the reader a preconceived idea of what the character looks like. And not everyone wants that. They might want the freedom to conjure up their own ideas. But does sticking a pair of legs on the cover help or detract from this?

Head chop

Here is a fill-in-the-blanks activity for you. None of the people featured on this book covers have their heads intact. It is like a badly taken photograph where the top portion of the face is not in the frame. Even The Ideal Man is not spared – he has no eyes and is missing half his head. Perhaps the author didn't want to force her idea of the ideal man on her readers. Thoughtful of her?

Back again

Are you the last Caesar? Are you Elizabeth Bennet from Pride And Prejudice? Are you Bond, James Bond? In the world of book covers, they all have one thing in common. They all have their backs to the reader. Irate readers have taken to ranting online that this often happens when the protagonist is black. But it seems that this phenomenon goes beyond this – hey, even William Shakespeare and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins have turned their backs on us.

Big and bold

Is bigger really better? In all caps with a simple typeface and no flashy images to distract, people won't remember anything but (hopefully) the only two things that matter: the author's name and title of the book. Hopefully.

Lost, then found

Posted: 26 May 2013 03:00 AM PDT

Frozen In Time
Author: Mitchell Zuckoff
Publisher: HarperCollins, 391 pages

"... WE are poor little lambs who have lost our way / Baa, baa, baa!" In those lines from the opening sequence of the old TV series Baa Baa Black Sheep (aka, the Black Sheep Squadron), one feels all that's heroic, heartwarming, harrowing and horrific in World War II. The book I'd finished in just one night had the same effect, albeit with a few chuckles.

While rummaging through old newspaper archives, former journalist, and now professor of journalism at Boston University, Mitchell Zuckoff uncovered lots of hidden gems. One of these became Lost In Shangri-La, an airplane crew's story of survival and salvation in the dense jungles of Papua New Guinea during World War II (which I reviewed in 2011: tinyurl.com/na8r5my).

Now Zuckoff is back with another, similar epic: Frozen In Time. This time, he became more involved with the story he was writing, going so far as to visit plane-crash sites in freezing cold weather and giving a stranger his credit card. The things authors do to write books these days....

Greenland, according to Zuckoff, was a source of natural cryolite, used in processing the aluminium that went into American and Canadian warplanes during World War II. That, and Greenland's potential as a staging area for a blitzkrieg-style attack on Europe, led to the US setting up bases there.

Greenland was a tough posting. It's cold, of course, and layers of snow hide deep gaps in the glaciers underneath. When fog or a storm rolls in and covers the horizon, the ground becomes indistinguishable from the sky. Even experienced aviators can't tell which way is up when caught in this hazardous phenomenon, known appropriately as "flying in milk".

This book is about not one but three plane crashes. In 1942, the crash of a C-53 Skytrooper in Greenland sent planes in the air in a search operation. One of those planes, a B-17 bomber, crashed while searching for the C-53. Much of the story revolves around the crew of this B-17. Unlike Zuckoff's other war tale, some of the people involved perished. One of the rescue planes that didn't make it home was a Grumman J2F-4 piloted by Coast Guard members Lieutenant John Pritchard Jr and Radioman First Class Benjamin Bottoms. The plane, also known as the "Duck", crashed while carrying a crew member of the crashed B-17.

Zuckoff not only unearthed the story of the three planes and their crew, he also learned about the people who were trying to bring the Duck and its crew and passenger home. To write a complete account of the three plane crashes, the author joined the 2012 quest to find the Duck.

As I see it, the "Duck Hunt", as the search was called, was primarily driven by two figures. Zuckoff is wary of photographer and explorer Lou Sapienza whose "default posture" reminds the author of a certain windmill-tilter, especially after Sapienza gets him to pay for a shared taxi. And "Don Quixote" wanted Jon Krakauer (of Into Thin Air fame) to write this story. The other guy, retired Coast Guard captain Tom King collects Coast Guard relics to preserve them and keep them away from profiteering wreck-hunters. As Grumman Ducks were rare WW2 planes, the Greenland Grumman may be worth several million.

Tom King has another, more personal reason: "I don't want to see John Pritchard's wallet being sold on eBay."

Those who read Lost In Shangri-La can expect a similar kind of narrative from Zuckoff here, except with even more testosterone. Imagine the Band Of Brothers set in an icy landscape and made by National Geographic. There's plenty of drama to keep the pages turning, and heaps of background information to slow things down, too. Zuckoff has done his homework, as attested to by over 20 pages of source references.

As we follow the travails of the B-17 crew and their rescuers amidst dangers that lurk in the white, we are taken back to each major character's beginnings in relatively fairer climes and times and told how they got to Greenland and, later, learn of their ultimate fates.

Back in the present, we see how the search is hampered by inaccurate maps, a lack of thorough planning, expertise and funding, a clash of personalities, and the harsh Greenland winter.

Zuckoff helps out by giving Sapienza cash and, later, his credit card number. "In no time, Lou (Sapienza) blows past the limit I set." The author's sacrifices provide much of the humour in the latter-day part of this saga, for which I was grateful.

Too many names to mention this time around, as we go from the crash victims' makeshift weather-beaten shelters against the cold to the meeting rooms where creases in the Duck Hunt are being ironed out and, finally, what may be the Duck's final resting place.

Throughout his potentially quixotic mission to bring us the tales of these brave men – in the past and present – Zuckoff is at times asked, "How does the book end?"

Not in the way you would think. History buffs, however, will thank him for getting this story out of the ice.

Bleak journey

Posted: 26 May 2013 03:01 AM PDT

This compelling tale paints a picture of a China bent on desecrating and sterilising both its earth and its people.

The Dark Road
Author: Ma Jian
Translator: Flora Drew
Publisher: Penguin, 360 pages

MA Jian is a bestselling Chinese writer based in London whose earlier books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. The Dark Road is his sixth novel. Although he is a fervent proponent of freedom of speech and a vocal critic of China's authoritarian regime, it is clear from his writing that he loves his native China deeply, despite the fact he has been denied the right to enter the country since 2011 and that China has banned every single one of his books. In a way, this is understandable. After reading even the first page of Ma's latest book it immediately becomes apparent that it will also be banned in China.

Like all his previous work, The Dark Road is politically engaged and exposes the disconcerting reality of modern China. The modern China it depicts is a cruel and harsh place, profoundly damaged on every level imaginable.

Ma's touching story of a family forced to flee their home to save their unborn child is an exploration and indictment of China's one-child policy.

While researching The Dark Road, Ma posed as a journalist and witnessed some of the horrifying scenes he describes in such unflinching detail. He also spent time living among family planning fugitives, and this experience gives a ring of authenticity to the story.

It is a thoughtful and sensitive book, the characters are well developed and sympathetic, but Ma certainly doesn't pull his punches or spare the reader any details of the banal routine of forced abortions, sterilisation, and police brutality – all set against a background of poverty, squalor, corruption and environmental destruction.

Kongsi is a village school teacher who traces his lineage back to Confucius. His wife, Meili, has already had one child (their daughter Naanan) but now, against government regulations, she is pregnant again and guilty of carrying an illegal foetus. The villagers revolt against forced abortions and sterilisations done by the Family Planning Committee and the army are called in to quell the unrest. Kongsi and his family flee their home, mirroring his ancient ancestor's forced exile, and the family join the ranks of the countless family planning fugitives who have lost their homes and livelihoods.

Kongsi hopes the unborn child will be a boy who will carry the family name. Mei Li wants this child to be her last, even if it is a girl. A friend has told her of a place called "Heaven" in Guandong province where there is plenty of work available sorting electronic waste, and where the air is so polluted that men become impotent. Mei Li's plan is to travel there with her family and thus avoid any future pregnancy.

At first it seems that Kongsi might be the hero of this book, but in fact it turns out to be his wife who assumes that role. Through her character, Ma reveals the role of women in Chinese society and the limitations and restrictions imposed on them.

Kongsi finds work as part of a demolition crew destroying ancient homes to make way for the flooding of the Three Gorges Dam, while his family make their home on a boat in the river.

The themes of destruction of the old and the killing of the unborn run throughout this often harrowing book and Ma depicts a country that is systematically destroying both its past and its future, desecrating and sterilising both its earth and its people.

At times, it seems Kongsi sees his wife as little more than a receptacle to produce a son who will carry on his family name. When he isn't off watching porn movies with his co-workers he uses his filial duty to produce a male heir as an excuse to force himself upon his wife on every possible occasion.

Kongsi's fall from grace as a respected school teacher to a drunken, sex-obsessed fugitive (though still capable of reciting Li Bai or Confucius) is an analogy of China's moral decline.

This book leaves you feeling raw and somewhat soiled by the dreadful knowledge it contains. The title, The Dark Road, definitely delivers on what it promises – a bleak journey through modern China.

While it is an excellent and compelling story and Flora Drew's translation makes for a fluid read, it is most decidedly not recommended for expectant mothers or those of a nervous or sensitive disposition.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Documentary on Khmer Rouge hell wins award at Cannes

Posted: 25 May 2013 07:30 PM PDT

CANNES, France: A documentary on relatives wiped out in the Khmer Rouge's tyrannical grip on Cambodia in the 1970s earned Cambodian-French director Rithy Panh a major prize at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.

Entitled "L'Image Manquante" - "The Missing Picture" in English - the 95-minute work earned the top award in the festival's "Un Certain Regard" category, which showcases films by emerging directors.

Panh, 49, has been previously singled out for praise for other documentaries on Cambodia's slaughter: "S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine" (2003) and "Duch, Master of the Forges of Hell" (2012).

"L'Image Manquante" - based on a memoir by Panh called "The Elimination" - mixes archive footage of the ultra-left fanaticism of the Khmer Rouge with hand-carved, painted figurines to represent his lost relatives.

In a review, The Hollywood Reporter praised it as "a deliberately distanced but often harrowing vision of a living hell."

"What I give you today is neither the picture nor the search for a unique image, but the picture of a quest," Panh said in notes to accompany the film.

The documentary coincides with the trial of the Khmer Rouge's two most senior surviving leaders at a UN court in Phnom Penh for crimes against humanity, genocide and other atrocities.

Another defendant, co-founder Ieng Sary, died in March aged 87, stoking fears that the regime's ageing leaders may not survive to hear verdicts on their alleged part in the atrocities.

Led by "Brother Number One" Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied cities and abolished money and schools in a bid to create an agrarian paradise.

Up to two million people were executed or died from starvation, overwork or torture.

The court has so far achieved just one conviction, sentencing former prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, to life in jail for overseeing the deaths of about 15,000 people.

The jury prize in the "Un Certain Regard" category went to "Omar," an enthusiastically-received fictional tale of love and betrayal in the Israeli-occupied territories, directed by Hany Abu-Assad.

Abu-Assad shot to prominence in 2006 with "Paradise Now," about two would-be suicide bombers. The 12-day festival closes on Sunday with the awarding of the coveted Palme d'Or in the main competition, gathering 20 movies. -AFP

A tale of illusions and unbelievable heists in Now You See Me

Posted: 25 May 2013 07:04 PM PDT

Will the real Jesse Eisenberg please stand up?

HAVING only his on-screen persona as a point of reference, it is only natural to be curious what Jesse Eisenberg is like when he's not playing someone else. Does he have anything in common with Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook – an angry but brilliant young man whose words stumble out of his mouth faster than a speeding train (The Social Network)? Or was he just playing a version of himself as the anxious, somewhat frenetic and insecure nice guy in The Squid And The Whale, Adventureland and Zombieland?

When Eisenberg calls from New Orleans, Louisiana, to talk about his new movie, Now You See Me, he starts the 15-minute interview by engaging in small talk, saying he knows where Malaysia is located as he has visited a couple of countries in Asia including Nepal, Tibet, Cambodia, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China. He later adds that he likes Malaysian cuisine – "I can tolerate spicy food" – and has eaten at a Malaysian restaurant called Penang in New York, where he lives.

Throughout the interview, he remains friendly, polite and forthcoming. Perhaps what Eisenberg – who turns 30 this October – shares with the above-mentioned characters is that he's just as intelligent and fast-talking, often punctuating long sentences with erm(s) and short pauses.

Dave Franco, his co-star in Now You See Me, says Eisenberg is very serious about acting and is self-critical. Franco states: "Jesse is amazing. I just love that guy. He is so humble as well. I don't even know if he watches any of the things he's done. He is just genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever been around. It was inspiring to see just how much work he puts into the role."

In Now You See Me, audiences can expect to see a totally different Eisenberg. He plays a charismatic magician named Michael Atlas whose speciality is sleight of hand illusions. When Atlas gets on stage, he commands everyone's attention because he is just that good. Atlas is also the leader of the group known as The Four Horsemen – comprising three other equally talented magicians (Franco, Woody Harrelson and Isla Fisher), each an expert in their own field (picking pockets, mentalist and escapist).

Together, they pull off a series of bold heists (like robbing a bank in France, while staging a show in Las Vegas), which has the authorities (Mark Ruffalo) and other magicians (Morgan Freeman) baffled, and the people they rob from (Michael Caine) frazzled.

As it turns out, Eisenberg was drawn to the role because of his character's fearlessness. The actor shares: "I read the script while I was acting in a play in New York City. I was very nervous going to stage every night and I thought it was interesting how this character is so confident performing on stage. I thought it'd be really fun to play a character that was having so much fun on stage because I was so nervous doing my play. I also love the storyline; it was such an unexpected part. I haven't been in a movie like this – it was thrilling to read and I thought it'd be even more thrilling to watch."

To research for the role, Eisenberg watched a lot of magicians perform. Several professional magicians were also recruited by director Louis Letterier to figure out the art and craft of magic for the film, delving deep into the workings of illusions. This allowed Eisenberg to spend time with them, and further his skills. According to Eisenberg, the magic performed in the film are all very possible in the near future, and their secrets are revealed to movie-goers by the end. "So, you know, nothing about it is like phony or unexplained."

While magicians have had the luxury of practising eight hours a day for a number of years to perfect their craft, Eisenberg – in his limited time – managed to learn enough how to perform the tricks.

What is more important, the New Yorker did pick something up to help him personally. "All magicians have their own style, but there is a general confidence and command over the audience that seems to be common even in magicians who appear to be very casual. They are in great control during the performance.

"When they are performing, they are 10 steps ahead of the audience. They are aware of every possibility and I try to take on that feeling. So, now when I perform in New York, I try to have that same confidence – to be really in control and ahead of what the audience is expecting."

Now You See Me opens nationwide on May 30.

Related Story:
His own man

His own man

Posted: 25 May 2013 07:05 PM PDT

BESIDES the surname, somewhat similar features, the way they talk (and laugh) and being in the same profession, Dave Franco apparently doesn't have much in common with his older brother, James Franco.

In a telephone interview with the 27-year-old, the California native says: "If you meet the two of us, I mean, you'd understand how different we really are. We couldn't be more different."

Perhaps due to this, the two of them are drawn to different roles and projects. Franco's recent ventures saw him playing a scumbag highschooler in 21 Jump Street and a not-so-understanding boyfriend in Warm Bodies. His latest role – and the reason for this telephone call from New Orleans, Louisiana – has him working on the film Now You See Me, alongside Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo and Isla Fisher.

In it he plays Jack Wilder, the youngest member of The Four Horsemen, a group of top magicians who not only perform dazzling magic tricks on stage, but also rob from the rich (in style) and give to the working class folk. At the same time, these four people are hiding an even bigger secret.

Although Franco dabbled in magic when he was younger – "I grew up with two brothers who taught me card tricks" – he got the chance to really get into the craft thanks to the film's magic consultant, David Kwong.

"I learned a couple of things from David Kwong. He taught me how to throw playing cards and I got so good at it that I can now cut a banana in half by throwing a card at it. That's probably the most impressive thing that I've learned. He also taught me how to solve a Rubik's Cube in under five seconds, which is pretty cool. He taught me a few sleight of hand tricks as well. I hold up an empty hand and I do like a snap on the wrist and then I have a deck of cards that appear in my hand. Yea, little things like that."

Learning is something Franco tries to do with each film he makes. He reveals that his ultimate goal is to become a director, so he wants to be around filmmakers he admires to see how they work and pick up useful tips from them. Actually, he has already directed a few internet videos for the Funny Or Die website, on top of starring in them as well. (Do check them out as they are hi-la-rious.)

One of the earliest skits on this site (Acting With James Franco, directed by Andrew J. Cohen) has the young Franco act out a scene from Rebel Without A Cause with his big brother mentoring him to a laugh-inducing result.

So will he ever collaborate with James on a film? "Yea, at some point. As much as I love and respect my brother, I have been trying to distance myself a little bit work-wise because people do draw comparisons. I love him to death but I don't want to be referred to as James Franco's little brother for the rest of my life. But, that being said, I would love to work with him down the line, if it ever gets to a point where I gain enough credibility and people allow me to stand on my own two feet. Then I would love to collaborate with him on something." – Mumtaj Begum

Related Story:
A tale of illusions and unbelievable heists in Now You See Me

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Suspected drug addict found dead in Penang lock-up

Posted: 26 May 2013 06:20 AM PDT

GEORGE TOWN: A 40-year-old suspected drug addict was found dead, some 19 hours after he was detained at the lock-up of the state police headquarters here.

Penang deputy CID chief Asst Comm Mohd Nasir Salleh said R. Jamesh Ramesh was found unconscious when a policeman tried to wake him up at around 10.30am on Sunday.

"The policeman alerted the Penang Hospital immediately but at 11.15am the suspect was certified dead by the medical officers," he told a press conference in Patani Road here.

ACP Mohd Nasir said police have ruled out foul play in the case as initial investigations showed no bruises or injuries on the suspect.

Granny calls off hunger strike over Lynas protest

Posted: 26 May 2013 05:00 AM PDT

KUANTAN: A 72-year-old grandmother, popularly known as Aunty Mei, has called off her month-long hunger strike to protest against the Lynas rare earth refinery.

Well-wishers gave Tuw Ah Mei, a grandmother of 10, a plate of mee goreng at about 10.30am at the municipal council field here.

A crowd of about 100 people had gathered at the field to lend their support and to join her in the protest.

"I started eating again as I said I would if the public shows up to support my cause," she told reporters after taking her first meal on Sunday.

She claimed to have only drank water since starting her no-food protest at her home in Jalan Wong Ah Jang here on April 26.

It was reported last week that Auntie Mei had petitioned to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to pressure the Federal and Pahang state governments to shut down Lynas immediately.

It is learnt that none of her family members were among those who gathered to support her cause.

Partial night closure at Sprint Highway (KL-bound)

Posted: 26 May 2013 04:46 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: A partial night closure of the right-most lane of the Sprint Highway (Kuala Lumpur-bound) will begin from May 29 until August 29. Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) said in a statement that the closure is from 10pm to 5.30am which will be implemented intermittently on weekdays.

It said the closure is to facilitate piloting works for construction of MRT piers and will be carried out in stages for 150-metres, at a stretch between the junction of Jalan Setia Puspa and Wisma Lensa.

Safety barriers, hoardings and traffic cones will be installed at the work site to ensure road users and pedestrians are well-informed of on-going works besides a 24-hour patrolling by MRT Ronda along the routes.

For more information on the traffic diversion, the public can visit the MRT website at www.mymrt.com.my or www.mymrt-underground.com.my.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my
 

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