Isnin, 22 Julai 2013

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Emmy 2013 nominations

Posted:

Netflix scores big in Emmy nominations, but HBO remains the player to beat.

HOUSE Of Cards proved to be Netflix's ace, making history with nine nominations for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards – and redefining the television landscape in the process. Broadcast and cable networks are no longer the only programming games in town.

The company best known for its little red DVD envelopes broke new ground with its slate of original programming with House Of Cards, the reboot of the cult comedy favourite Arrested Development, and the horror thriller Hemlock Grove. The three programmes received a combined total of 14 Emmy nominations – and suggested that the TV academy members are binge viewers.

Still, Netflix has a long way to go.

HBO pulled in 108 nods, 27 more than last year, helping to solidify one of the longest-running story lines in TV history. (That being the pay channel's dominance each awards season.) In second place were CBS and NBC, tying with 53 nominations apiece.

The single most lauded programme of the day was FX's gothic miniseries, American Horror Story: Asylum, which goes into the TV awards season with 17 nominations, including for best miniseries, and best actress for Jessica Lange.

That was followed by HBO's Game of Thrones, which garnered 16 nods – the most for any drama series.

Tying with 15 nominations apiece was HBO's movie Behind The Candelabra, starring Michael Douglas as the flamboyant Liberace and Matt Damon as his young lover, and NBC's veteran variety series Saturday Night Live.

That's quite an accomplishment for SNL, which has been on the air since 1975. Its tendrils of influence extend far beyond its variety series category, as evidenced by Thursday's nominations.

Three of the nominees in the marquee lead actress in a comedy series category are SNL alums: Tina Fey for 30 Rock, Amy Poehler for Parks & Recreation and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Veep. SNL alum Jimmy Fallon, who is taking the reins of The Tonight Show in February, earned an Emmy nomination for best variety series for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. And several performers were nominated for hosting SNL, including Justin Timberlake and Melissa McCarthy.

30 Rock is up for 13 nominations, with Alec Baldwin (left) and Tina Fey (centre) getting the nods for best actor and actress in a comedy series.

On the comedy series front, NBC's 30 Rock led the pack with 13 nominations, including best comedy series and best actress and actor nods for Fey and Alec Baldwin. The show – a critical favourite that was never a ratings blockbuster – ended its run in the spring.

Showtime, the other major pay channel, picked up 31 nominations, its most ever. It earned 11 for last year's top Emmy winner, Homeland, including a nomination for best drama series, and lead actor and actress for Damian Lewis and Claire Danes. Also receiving a nomination in the writing category was executive producer / writer Henry Bromell, who died this spring at the age of 65. – Los Angeles Times/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

List of Emmy nominees

DRAMA SERIES

Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

Game of Thrones

Homeland

House Of Cards

Mad Men

Jon Hamm in Mad Men. Both are up for awards in the drama series category.

DRAMA ACTOR

Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey)

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)

Jeff Daniels (Newsroom)

Jon Hamm (Mad Men)

Damian Lewis (Homeland)

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

DRAMA ACTRESS

Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates.

Claire Danes (Homeland)

Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel)

Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey)

Robin Wright (House Of Cards)

Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)

Connie Britton (Nashville)

Kerry Washington (Scandal)

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire)

Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad)

Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)

Jim Carter (Downton Abbey)

Peter Dinklage (Game Of Thrones)

Mandy Patinkin (Homeland)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryan.

Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad)

Maggie Smith (Downtown Abbey)

Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones)

Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)

Morena Baccarin (Homeland)

Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)

COMEDY SERIES

The Big Bang Theory

Girls

Louie

Modern Family

30 Rock

Veep

COMEDY ACTOR

Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)

Jason Bateman (Arrested Development)

Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)

Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)

Louie C.K (Louie)

Don Cheadle (House Of Lies)

COMEDY ACTRESS

Tina Fey (30 Rock)

Laura Dern (Enlightened)

Lena Dunham (Girls)

Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)

Amy Poehler (Parks And Recreation)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Adam Driver (Girls)

Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family)

Ed O'Neill (Modern Family)

Ty Burrell (Modern Family)

Bill Hader (SNL)

Tony Hale (Veep)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory)

Jane Lynch (Glee)

Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)

Julie Bowen (Modern Family)

Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie)

Jane Krakowski (30 Rock)

Anna Chlumsky (Veep)

MINISERIES OR MOVIE

American Horror Story: Asylum

Behind The Candelabra

The Bible

Phil Spector

Political Animals

Top Of The Lake

REALITY COMPETITION

The Amazing Race

Dancing With The Stars

Project Runway

So You Think You Can Dance

Top Chef

The Voice

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

Batman vs Superman!
Lizard's tale
The jokes are getting old

Batman vs Superman!

Posted:

The Caped Crusader is set to battle the Man of Steel in movie sequel.

Superman director Zack Snyder said last weekend that a sequel to last month's hit film was not only in the works, but would feature two of DC Comic's best-known caped crusaders – Superman versus Batman.

Snyder, who directed British actor Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent, surprised the audience with the news at the end of a Warner Bros film panel at San Diego's Comic-Con, an annual comics convention, and received thunderous applause from the 6,000-plus in attendance.

The sequel to the latest Superman film, Man Of Steel, is banking on the success of recent comic-book films that have paired up heroes from the comic book universe, such as Disney's Marvel superhero ensemble The Avengers in 2012, which made US$1.5bil (RM4.5bil) at the worldwide box office. The most recent installment of the Batman franchise, 2012's The Dark Knight Rises, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale, has made more than US$1bil (RM3bil) at the global box office.

Superman has not always seen success at the box office and 2006's sequel starring Brandon Routh did not perform up to industry expectations. But Snyder's darker reimagining of the complex superhero in June's Man Of Steel delivered a strong performance at the worldwide box office.

With Nolan as executive producer of the film, rumours were circulating that a pairing of Batman and Superman could come to the big screen. Cavill is expected to reprise the role of Superman but there was no word on who would play Batman. Bale has previously shot down rumours that he would play the masked hero again.

Warner Bros, a unit of Time Warner Inc, showcased a number of upcoming films on Saturday at Comic-Con, including Seventh Son, 300: Rise Of An Empire, Godzilla and The Lego Movie, which will bring together Superman and Batman in animated Lego form. – Reuters

Lizard's tale

Posted:

The Godzilla reboot due out next year from Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros Pictures is going to be big – we mean, as in the size of the titular creature.

The film's teaser poster unveiled at the San Diego Comic-Con last week shows just the big fella's tail, and a freakishly huge tail it is too, from the relative size of the helicopters buzzing around Godzilla's ... uh, rear.

Gareth Edwards, who gave us Monsters – an offbeat road trip/love story set in a creature-infested land – in 2010, is directing the movie from a script written by, among others, Frank Darabont (The Walking Dead), from a story by David S. Goyer (Man Of Steel, Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy).

None other than Kick-Ass himself, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, is heading a cast that includes Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston as well as Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen and Juliette Binoche.

Godzilla is of course the famous tale of a giant, radiation-mutated lizard that wreaks havoc on various cities, mostly Tokyo.

In Roland Emmerich's 1998 remake, it ravaged New York and was defeated by Jean Reno's Elvis impression.

Well, it helped.

For Comic-Con last week, a section of downtown San Diego was "made over" to look like a demolished part of Tokyo, with a "Godzilla Encounter" attraction to thrill fans.

The reboot is set to hit theatres in May.

The jokes are getting old

Posted:

Critics agree: Grown Ups 2 is this year's worst summer movie.

THE critics have spoken, and Grown Ups 2 is the winner – as the worst movie of the summer so far.

Although the Adam Sandler comedy did good business in its US debut last weekend, the sequel has attracted a blizzard of critical bashes, generating only 7% positive notices, according to the aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.

That's an improvement of sorts from the initial wave of reviews for the Sandler film, where a rock-bottom 0% of the Grown Ups 2 reviews were listed as favourable.

The scoring was a little more kind at Metacritic, where Grown Ups 2 received 21 out of a possible 100 points.

Compared to even some of the summer's biggest critical busts, Grown Ups 2 has been trashed harder than Will Smith's After Earth (11% positive reviews), Bradley Cooper's The Hangover Part III (19%), Johnny Depp's The Lone Ranger (26%) and Vince Vaughn's The Internship (36%).

In addition to starring in the film, Sandler produced and co-wrote Grown Ups 2. Like eager kids dropping baited hooks into an overstocked trout pond, the critics had little trouble landing colourful Grown Ups 2 slams.

Mark Olsen in the Los Angeles Times: "With the slack, lackadaisical effort of Grown Ups 2, Sandler has perhaps revealed himself not as a confrere of (Judd) Apatow, who directed him in Funny People to a performance both crude and soulful. Rather, he's the white Tyler Perry: smart enough to know better, savvy enough to do it anyway, lazy enough not to care."

Matt Patches, Time Out New York: "Put it this way: In the first five minutes, a deer walks into the star's bedroom and urinates on his face. It's all downhill from there."

Claudia Puig in USA Today: "Mystifyingly, the movie manages to emerge plot-free. Instead, it offers a succession of humourless gross-out gags, fat jokes, suggestive posturing, bullying, belches and pratfalls."

Stephanie Merry, the Washington Post: "Grown Ups 2 isn't merely mindless.

At times, it seems to actually drain IQ points from its viewers while wasting a talented cast of Saturday Night Live alums, who are all capable of being much smarter and so much funnier."

Sara Stewart, the New York Post: "Sandler sums it up himself halfway through: 'We're irrelevant! We're losers! We're old!' Age isn't the problem, buddy; nobody is more in touch with his inner obnoxious six-year-old than you. But two out of three ain't bad." – Los Angeles Times/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

It's a boy for Britain's William and Kate
One killed in attack on pro-Mursi protest in Cairo - state news website
World awaits first glimpse of Britain's new prince

It's a boy for Britain's William and Kate

Posted:

LONDON (AFP) - Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate were celebrating after she gave birth to a baby boy, providing the royal family with a future king and sparking a global media frenzy.

Cheering crowds rushed towards the gates of Buckingham Palace as it was announced that the Duchess of Cambridge had produced a healthy male heir weighing 8lbs 6oz (3.8 kilos).

The as-yet unnamed baby is third in line to the throne and in the direct line of succession after Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son and heir Prince Charles, and then his eldest son William.

"We could not be happier," William, the son of Charles and the late Princess Diana, said in a brief statement.

US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle led international tributes to the "joyous occasion" while Canada was the first of the 15 overseas Commonwealth realms, countries where the queen is monarch, to hail the birth.

An easel stands in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in London on July 22, 2013, to announce the birth of a baby boy, at 4.24pm to Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at St Mary's Hospital. Prince William's wife Kate on Monday gave birth to a baby boy who will one day be heir to the British throne, Kensington Palace said in a statement. - AFP PHOTO

The former Kate Middleton, 31, spent ten hours in labour after she and William arrived around dawn at the private Lindo wing of London's St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, in central London.

"Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4:24 pm (1524 GMT)," Kensington Palace said in a statement just over four hours after she gave birth.

"The baby weighs 8lbs 6oz. The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth."

It was in the same hospital wing that the late Princess Diana gave birth to William in 1982.

Royal aides later placed a formal bulletin on a gold easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace which said that both Kate and her son were "doing well".

Royal doctor Marcus Setchell added: "Wonderful baby. Beautiful baby".

The queen, 87, said she was "delighted" while Prince Charles said he was overjoyed.

British landmarks including the London Eye and BT Tower were lit in red white and blue to celebrate the baby's birth while cannon fire will ring out across the capital on Tuesday.

An easel stands in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in London on July 22, 2013, to announce the birth

Newspapers splashed the arrival over their front pages, with many saying simply: "It's a boy."

The arrival of a royal baby and a new generation for the British monarchy had been hotly anticipated ever since the couple married in 2011 after a decade-long romance.

The popular couple have been widely credited with revitalising "The Firm", as the British royals are known, following decades of scandal and the death of Diana in a Paris car crash in 1997.

The palace said the boy's name would be revealed later, but he will be known as Prince of Cambridge.

Bookmakers say the favourites are George and James, traditional names for a future monarch.

William, also 31 has been on annual leave and will take two weeks' paternity leave from his job as a Royal Air Force search and rescue pilot.

The birth came later than widely expected, adding to the sense of anticipation -- as well as the frustrations of hundreds of members of the international media who waited outside the hospital for three weeks.

Head of news at the Royal Household, Ed Perkins, leaves the hospital with news of the birth in London on July 22, 2013

Prince Charles said that he and his second wife Camilla were "overjoyed at the arrival of my first grandchild".

"It is an incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for them on the birth of their baby boy," the 64-year-old heir to the throne said in a statement.

"Grandparenthood is a unique moment in anyone's life, as countless kind people have told me in recent months, so I am enormously proud and happy to be a grandfather for the first time and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby in the near future."

The fact that it is a boy averted the need to rush through new succession laws across the 16 Commonwealth realms, which would mean that a royal princess could no longer be overtaken by any future younger brothers.

Royal fanatics gathered in London could not hide their excitement.

"We think it's so exciting that there is a new third in line to the throne," said Janice, a visitor from Ohio in the United States. "We came here on Thursday and were very hopeful we would be here for the exciting news, we don't have royalty, so to us this is very very exciting."

The new arrival is Queen Elizabeth's third great-grandchild.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said outside his Downing Street office that it was "wonderful news" for Britain -- a nuclear-armed UN Security Council permanent member and the world's sixth biggest economy.

"It is an important moment in the life of our nation. A proud nation is celebrating with a very proud and happy couple tonight," Cameron said.

The Obamas said they wished William and Kate "all the happiness and blessings parenthood brings", adding: "The child enters the world at a time of promise and opportunity for our two nations."

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called it "a happy day for our close friends in Britain and the Commonwealth."

"Prince William demonstrated deep compassion when he met with families in Victoria who had lost everything during the Black Saturday bushfires of February 2009," recalled Rudd.

The pregnancy was announced in December when Kate was admitted to hospital with severe morning sickness.

A pall fell over the proceedings when a nurse at the hospital committed suicide following a prank call by two Australian radio hosts pretending to be the queen and Prince Charles.-AFP

One killed in attack on pro-Mursi protest in Cairo - state news website

Posted:

CAIRO (Reuters) - One man was killed and 15 people were injured in an attack on a protest by hundreds of supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi near Cairo University early Tuesday morning, state-run news website said.

Al-Ahram Online said police fired tear gas to quell the violence and several cars in the area were smashed or set on fire.

Police sources said hundreds of Pro-Mursi supporters clashed with local residents, street sellers and others near Cairo University's main campus in Giza province, south of Cairo. They said gunshots were fired and stones were thrown during the incident.

One person was killed and around 20 were injured on Monday in clashes between supporters and opponents of Mursi in central Cairo. Around 100 were killed since the army's overthrow of Mursi, elected last year, on July 3 after mass protests.

(Reporting by Yasmine Saleh and Ahmed Tolba, Writing by Yasmine Saleh)

World awaits first glimpse of Britain's new prince

Posted:

LONDON (Reuters) - The world was awaiting the first glimpse of Britain's new prince on Tuesday with camera crews poised to photograph Prince William and his wife, Kate, leaving a London hospital with their baby son.

Kate, 31, gave birth to the couple's first child, who is third in line to the British throne, on Monday afternoon, ending weeks of feverish anticipation about the arrival and surprising royal watchers, who were widely expecting a girl.

The baby's name will be announced later but George and James, both traditional royal names, were favoured choices with British bookmakers for the child, who could one day be king.

The popular couple sidestepped tradition by announcing the birth via a press release but were expected to adhere to protocol by giving the public the first sight of the royal baby on the steps as they leave St. Mary's Hospital in west London.

"All we will probably see is a glimpse of the top of the baby's head but they will stick to this tradition," said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine.

"After that we won't see them for some time. Having a baby is a very private moment and they are a private couple so the next time we see the baby will be the official photo and that could be weeks."

Kensington Palace announced the arrival of a boy weighing 8 lbs 6 oz (3.8 kg) at about 8:30 p.m. on Monday, four hours after his birth, saying Kate and her child were doing well and would remain in hospital overnight. Prince William was with them.

Their son is third in line to the throne after grandfather Prince Charles and father Prince William, 31, and pushes the fun-loving Prince Harry, William's brother, into fourth place.

BOOST FOR BRITAIN

Congratulations flooded in from all over the world after the announcement of the birth, which was followed moment-by-moment by the world media as well as the British press with the excitement seen as a boost for Britons facing economic austerity.

British tabloid newspaper The Sun temporarily renamed itself The Son in honour of the baby while the left-leaning Guardian newspaper provided readers of its website with a "Republican" button so that they could filter out the barrage of royal news if they wanted.

The birth fuels a new wave of popularity for the House of Windsor led by the younger royals, William and Harry, who were both born to the late Princess Diana at St. Mary's Hospital.

Support for the royals dipped after Diana's death in a car crash in Paris in 1997, a year after her divorce from Prince Charles, as the royals were accused of being out of touch with modern Britain in the way they handled the death of the popular princess.

But last year's celebrations of Queen Elizabeth's 60th year on the throne showed the affection with which she is held by most of the population despite a small Republican movement.

Hordes of TV crews and photographers, and royal fans wrapped in Union Jacks, remained camped outside the hospital overnight Monday, waiting for the first photo of the baby, who will be called the Prince of Cambridge.

Prince William and Kate, who met when they were students at St. Andrews University in Scotland about 10 years ago, have officially been known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge since their sumptuous royal wedding in April 2011.

Tourists in London were revelling in the celebrations that top a run of British sporting victories and an unusual heatwave.

"For me it's a wonderful, historic event. You spend a lot of time studying these things. To actually get to be here to witness one is tremendous," said George Boudreau, 48, a history professor from Philadelphia, outside Buckingham Palace.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

Batman vs Superman!
Lizard's tale
The jokes are getting old

Batman vs Superman!

Posted:

The Caped Crusader is set to battle the Man of Steel in movie sequel.

Lizard's tale

Posted:

The Godzilla reboot due out next year from Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros Pictures is going to be big – we mean, as in the size of the titular creature.

None other than Kick-Ass himself, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, is heading a cast that includes Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston as well as Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen and Juliette Binoche.

Godzilla is of course the famous tale of a giant, radiation-mutated lizard that wreaks havoc on various cities, mostly Tokyo.

In Roland Emmerich's 1998 remake, it ravaged New York and was defeated by Jean Reno's Elvis impression.

Well, it helped.

For Comic-Con last week, a section of downtown San Diego was "made over" to look like a demolished part of Tokyo, with a "Godzilla Encounter" attraction to thrill fans.

The reboot is set to hit theatres in May.

The jokes are getting old

Posted:

Critics agree: Grown Ups 2 is this year's worst summer movie.

THE critics have spoken, and Grown Ups 2 is the winner – as the worst movie of the summer so far.

That's an improvement of sorts from the initial wave of reviews for the Sandler film, where a rock-bottom 0% of the Grown Ups 2 reviews were listed as favourable.

The scoring was a little more kind at Metacritic, where Grown Ups 2 received 21 out of a possible 100 points.

Matt Patches, Time Out New York: "Put it this way: In the first five minutes, a deer walks into the star's bedroom and urinates on his face. It's all downhill from there."

Stephanie Merry, the Washington Post: "Grown Ups 2 isn't merely mindless.

At times, it seems to actually drain IQ points from its viewers while wasting a talented cast of Saturday Night Live alums, who are all capable of being much smarter and so much funnier."

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business

Affin Research maintains "Add" on MISC
KLCI higher in early trade, plantations, UMW up
CIMB Research downgrades Malaysian auto sector to Neutral

Affin Research maintains "Add" on MISC

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Affin Research is maintaining its "Add" call on MISC Bhd with a raised target price of RM6.12 from RM5.05.

It said MISC's 66.5% owned MMHE has a tenderbook of over RM4bil with an equal share of domestic and overseas prospects.

"As at end-March 2013, MMHE had a RM2.3bil of orderbook backlog, most of which will be completed by end-2013 (except for the Malikai TLP project). The group is actively bidding for new contracts but we expect the contract flow to only pick up from fourth quarter 2013 onwards," it said.

"Given the heavy delivery schedule as well as bigger capacty coming on stream in 2013, we do not expect rates to improve signifcantly in 2H13.

"However, the shipping outlook as well as freight rates are anticipated to fare better from 2014 onwards, as the last heavy bout of new capacity delivery into the market will be this year," it said.

It added given the heavy delivery schedule in 2013, freight rates for VLCC have continued to stay under pressure – albeit some recovery from its low levels in first quarter of 2013.

"The average VLCC spot rate in first half of 2013 was around US$8,560 per day compared to an average of US$6,650 per day registered in first half of 2012.

"The trend is similar with Aframax, although rates have held up better with lower new tonnage into the market. The average spot rate for aframax (Caribbean to US Gulf) in first half of 2013 was US$11,770 per day, only 8% lower from the year before," it said.

It added for chemical tankers, the slowdown in new deliveries as well as limited new tonnage into the market, has led to an upward trend in rates.

"In addition, demand for chemicals is buoyant in the Far East as well as China and India. In first quarter of 2013, the average spot rate for chemical tankers (Rotterdam – Far East) rose by 15% on-quarter and 2% on-year to US$118/day," it said.

KLCI higher in early trade, plantations, UMW up

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Key blue chips advanced in early trade on Tuesday, supported by gains in plantations, UMW and HLFG while the broader market was firmer with some nibbling on small cap and lower liners.

At 9.20am, the FBM KLCI was up 4.64 points to 1,802.32. Turnover was 124.22 million shares valued at RM94mil. There were 205 gainers, 79 losers and 170 counters unchanged.

United Plantations was the top gainer, albeit with just 100 shares done, adding 58 sen to RM27.50, KL Keping rose 22 sen to RM21.50 and Batu Kawan 20 sen to RM18.94.

BAT recouped part of the late losses from Monday, adding 44 sen to RM60.22.

HLFG advanced 28 sen to RM14.58, UMW 12 sen to RM14.32 and Petronas Gas 12 sen to RM21.

ABM Fujiya rose 2.5 sen to 62.5 sen on its trading debut. It was the most active with 16.88 million shares done.

CIMB Research downgrades Malaysian auto sector to Neutral

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: CIMB Equities Research is downgrading the Malaysian automobile sector rating from Overweight to Neutral.

It said on Tuesday the market is reaching saturation, following its recent UMW downgrade to Neutral on the back of its tempered Toyota sales forecast in 2013.

"June industry figures confirm our 2013 outlook. Our total industry sales forecast of 630,0oo in 2013 remains unchanged. We remain positive on the catalyst of non-national car segment, which has captured 48% market share in 1H13 (versus 45% in 1H12)," it said.

CIMB Research said Tan Chong is the best proxy for its non-national theme and its top pick.

"We downgrade DRB-Hicom from Trading Buy to Neutral, as it is the most vulnerable to tighter credit and the loss of market share in the national segment," it said.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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The Star Online: Nation

Teen abandons cannabis car
Postmen may be suffering from anti-social personality disorder
Kuala Besut by-election: May the best candidate win

Teen abandons cannabis car

Posted:

BUKIT KAYU HITAM: The Kedah Anti-Smuggling Unit (UPP) has seized 98 slabs of substance believed to be cannabis worth RM245,000.

The slabs were hidden in a Proton Wira driven by a 19-year-old who was stopped at a UPP roadblock on Wednesday evening near the Thai border, said Kedah UPP commander Abd Latif Abdul Rahman.

"The teenager alighted from the car to open the boot for inspection while the UPP personnel asked him to produce his MyKad," he said.

"However, when they were about to inspect the backseat, he fled the scene on foot."

The unit found the substance, weighing 96.6kg, as well as a passport believed to be the driver's.

"A police dog unit searched for him, but was unsuccessful," he said.

Abd Latif said police were now looking for Norizdhan Faridzuan Yazet to shed light on the matter.

He said those with information could contact the Kubang Pasu police at 04-917 6999 or 04-917 2222.

In an unrelated case, the unit seized more than RM5,000 worth of imitation goods from two lorries at Jalan Kota Putra, Durian Burung near Kuala Nerang, on Friday.

Among the items were fake designer T-shirts and jeans as well as imitation Indonesian batik sarong.

Abd Latif said most of the items were handed over to the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry while the sarong were forwarded to the Customs Department for further action.

Postmen may be suffering from anti-social personality disorder

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: The postmen who dumped thousands of undelivered mail in Ukay Heights may be suffering from antisocial personality disorder, say medical experts.

Consultant psychiatrist Prof Dr Mohamad Hussain Habil said the irresponsible postmen alleged to have thrown away the letters might have elements of the disorder or a disregard of people's feelings and property.

"In severe cases, they may even feel joy from seeing people suffer," he said.

Calling the postmen's act "horrendous", Dr Mohamad Hussain proposed that Pos Malaysia screened new postmen for mental wellbeing, aside from their physical state and other qualifications, so as to prevent future incidents.

Dr Mohamad Hussain said the incident was one of public interest as the letters could be significant such as university acceptance letters, legal or financial documents.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Ting Joe Hang said work stress could have contributed to the behaviour of the postmen.

"But it does not justify what they did," he said.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association secretary-general Datuk Paul Selvaraj suggested that Pos Malaysia include random checks on their postmen, such as following them on their rounds to ensure they carried out their duties diligently.

Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Dr Ma'amor Osman suggested that every envelope be encoded with a tracking number to allow senders to trace their letters online.

"A GPS system should also be installed in the postal vehicles to ensure they do not stray from their intended route," he added.

Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said: "Pos Malaysia will have to talk to its staff and stress the importance of being responsible and diligent in their duties.

"They need to instil proper work ethics, good mental health and integrity among their postmen," he said.

Related story:

Pos Malaysia rescues 'junked mail'

Kuala Besut by-election: May the best candidate win

Posted:

The fight between Abe Ku and Che Long enters the final stage in Terengganu.

WITH only two more days to polling, the Abe Ku and Che Long fight in Kuala Besut has entered the final stage with Barisan Nasional and PAS going all-out to win the hearts and minds of over 17,000 voters in the constituency.

Abe Ku is the nickname given by the locals to civil engineer Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abd Rahman of Barisan and Che Long is PAS' Endut@Azlan Yusof, a successful businessman dealing in timber products and a Class A contractor.

The two are very different in temperament, appearance and educational background.

Short for Abang Tengku in Kelantanese dialect since Kuala Besut is close to the Kelantan border, the 37-year-old Abe Ku has the advantage as a qualified professional.

While the 47-year-old Che Long does not have any tertiary education, PAS has touted him as someone they can trust as he is a self-made businessman.

Abe Ku is always seen impeccably attired in smart long pants and shirts with a songkok or cap, or a baju melayu set with samping with a blue theme when attending functions.

Che Long seems to favour a more informal look, and is often seen on the campaign trail in robes or sarong.

Another marked difference is the support they receive from family members.

Tengku Zaihan appears to have the full blessings of his extended family which Barisan claims to number in the thousands.

Azlan who admitted that he was once an Umno member, does not enjoy the same level of support. Many of his cousins and other family members are still with Umno and have openly stated their unhappiness about his decision to become a candidate.

One of Azlan's cousins, known only as Anuar, claimed he and his family were all Barisan supporters and he had even put up the coalition's flag on his house fence in Kampung Bahru, which is a PAS stronghold.

Both Barisan and PAS have taken an opposing approach in their campaigns. Barisan opted for the quiet mode of door-to-door visits and employing the influence of several of Umno's ustaz (religious teachers) to carry out programmes in mosques involving the breaking of fast as well as the terawih and subuh prayers.

PAS, meanwhile, is banking on the influence of its fiery orators such as party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, deputy president Mohamed Sabu and vice-presidents Husam Musa and Salahuddin Ayub to wow voters in their many evening mass ceramah.

Missing are speakers from other Pakatan Rakyat parties, except for PKR Bandar assemblyman and PKR Terengganu chief Azan Ismail.

PAS has also backed off from its initial claim that a 16:16 seat ratio between Barisan and Pakatan would not necessarily mean that Barisan would remain as state government as it is open to legal interpretation.

It is now claiming that the party was only interested in ensuring a stronger opposition and to take over the government.

Whatever claims and assertions made by both sides, should PAS win the by-election – levelling the number of seats held by Barisan and Pakatan – the bickering would be endless.

It will also likely lead to an impasse between the state government and the Opposition in almost anything that is up for debate in the state assembly. Will such situation benefit the people is the big question that will only be answered if the 16:16 scenario truly becomes a reality.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: South & East

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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Fewer kids with parents from Singapore
Church hails Yeo's Vatican role
Successful youth more likely to have close friends from another race

Fewer kids with parents from Singapore

Posted:

THERE were 42,663 babies born in Singapore last year, but only half of them had parents who were both Singapore citizens.

Their proportion of all births shrank sharply from 2000.

The rest were born to citizens with foreign spouses, or foreign couples.

And this group swelled considerably from before.

It is a significant demographic shift, experts say, with implications for what it means to be Singaporean and how to integrate foreigners who are here to stay.

The data on parents' nationality appears in the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2012, published by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) this month.

A comparison of birth statistics for 2000 and 2012, both auspicious Dragon Years in the Chinese zodiac, shows:

A sharp decline in the number of babies with parents who are both Singaporean – 22,650 (53.1% of all babies) last year, down from 31,308 (66.6%).

Slightly more babies born to Singaporeans and their foreign spouses – 10,588 (24.8%) last year, up from 10,309 (21.9%).

The number of babies born to parents who are both foreigners has nearly doubled – 9,425 (22.1%) last year, from 5,380 (11.4%).

Sociologists and demographers say the shift comes as fewer Singaporeans are marrying and having babies and more marry foreigners.

Meanwhile, the number of permanent residents (PRs) and non-residents such as foreign workers doubled from one million in 2000 to two million last year and this explains the sharp rise in the number of babies born to foreigners here.

Demographer Gavin Jones noted that the ICA statistics shed some light on immigration patterns, giving a rare breakdown of data by nationality.

For instance, the statistics suggest a significant presence of newcomers from Asean countries, China and India.

Babies born to couples from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, for example, formed 4.5% of babies born last year – more than triple the 1.3% in 2000.

According to the Census 2010, the Indian and Others minorities in the resident population grew over the previous decade, while the proportion of Chinese and Malays shrank.

How many of the babies with a foreign parent will stay for the long haul is a question to ponder, said sociologist Paulin Straughan.

This can affect population size, especially given the baby shortage and ageing population here.

"This is a wake-up call that policies must evolve with the demographic shift," she said. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Church hails Yeo's Vatican role

Posted:

THE Catholic Church in Singapore has hailed the appointment of former foreign minister George Yeo to a special Vatican commission set up by Pope Francis I.

Archbishop William Goh said the Church will give him all the support it can as Yeo, the only Asian member in the eight-member committee, carries out his responsibilities for the Vatican.

The move is part of an effort by Pope Francis to clean up the scandal-hit institution he inherited from his predecessor Benedict XVI.

"We are pleased that Yeo has accepted this heavy responsibility and we have every confidence that he will make invaluable contributions to the Church through his work in this commission and do us proud," said Archbishop Goh.

When contacted, Yeo declined to be interviewed and would only say that it is a "heavy responsibility".

Archbishop Goh said that Yeo is the best man for the job because of his experience and exposure to various economic, administrative and political challenges, both locally and internationally.

The commission members – also from Spain, Germany, France, Malta and Italy – are experts in fields such as economics, finance and law.

Archbishop Goh said Mr Yeo's knowledge in corporate governance and financial affairs, among other fields, will "value-add significantly to the commission's deliberations".

"(These qualities) are what we believe the Vatican will need in this task of reforming the Church's administrative and economic structures," he added.

The Pope has tasked the commission to overhaul the structure of the Vatican after the Church struggled with a series of issues.

The committee, which includes seven lay members and one cleric, will have the right to examine any paper and digital document in the Vatican. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Successful youth more likely to have close friends from another race

Posted:

SINGAPOREANS who are younger, better educated, have higher incomes and live in a more expensive house are more likely to have a close friend from another race.

The findings, from an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and OnePeople.sg survey released on Thursday, goes against some commonly held perceptions that older folk and those living in Housing Board flats, have deeper relationships with those from other communities.

Tertiary schools and cosmopolitan workplaces may give the young more opportunities to build such friendships, said Dr Mathew Mathews, the study's principal investigator.

Education and working together tend to "open people's world view and help people become more apt at dealing with diversity", said the IPS research fellow.

Race differences may also become less salient as people become better off, he added, as their values and aspirations tend to be more similar to one another's.

In the study, more than one in two of the 4,131 Singaporeans surveyed said they did not have at least one close friend of another race. The overall profile of the survey's respondents mirrored national demographics.

About two in 10 Chinese had a Malay or Indian friend, while nearly two-thirds of minorities had at least one close Chinese friend.

The study defined a close friend as someone with whom they felt at ease, could talk to about what was on their mind, or they could call on for help.

Across all the three major races, those aged between 18 and 25 were more likely to have such friends from another race than those who were older.

Among those surprised by the findings was Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle leader Ameerali Abdeali, who said he had expected older people to be the ones more likely to have close cross-racial friendships. Because of his childhood in a kampung, he has close friends from other races, he added.

But rosy pictures of interracial camaraderie that were a result of kampung days might not be representative, said Dr Mathews, noting that some of these communities were segregated.

Moreover, these ties might not have translated to close friendships, on which the study focuses, said OnePeople.sg chairman Zainudin Nordin.

Dr Mathews added: "Speaking a common language didn't necessarily mean people were deeply connected (to those from another race).

"The racial riots happened in the 1960s, a time when people did speak other languages."

The strength of interracial ties was also greater the higher up the socioeconomic ladder a respondent was, the study found.

"People from similar class backgrounds share similar values and lifestyles, and cross-racial friendship becomes a lot more possible," Dr Mathews said.

"The higher you move up the socioeconomic ladder towards the middle class and beyond, the more people's values become similar. There's more likelihood of you finding affinity and closeness with others with similar values, regardless of race."

How can interracial ties be strengthened, especially among the lower-income groups?

Zainudin, an MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, suggested small-group recreational programmes to help neighbours get to know one another better.This could take the form of encouraging them to greet one another in lifts, and fun quizzes about how well they knew one another.

"This allows people to get a bit of courage to say hello," he said.

But at the end of the day, he added, it was still down to the individual to make a move. —The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: TV Tracks

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Emmy 2013 nominations

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Netflix scores big in Emmy nominations, but HBO remains the player to beat.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Parenting

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Parenting

Snoozaboo Contest
Win books about Special Agent EJ12
Having fun cycling as a family

Snoozaboo Contest

Posted:

A baby sleep bag is a wearable blanket that baby can't kick off. Baby sleep bags keep your baby at a comfortable temperature all night long, and they are much safer than regular blankets.

They are very popular in Europe and Australia ... and now there's a baby sleep bag made specially for babies in tropical climates!

Snoozaboo baby sleep bags are lightweight and made of highly-breathable premium 100% cotton fabric. Designed specially to suit local weather, Snoozaboo baby sleep bags comply with the highest standard for baby sleep bags, the British Standard BS8510.

They come in two different tog (warmth) ratings and three sizes for babies and toddlers aged 0-36 months.

Snoozaboo baby sleep bags come in 3 sizes for ages 0 to 36 months; both front-zip and side-zip styles; and various designs.

For more information, visit www.snoozaboo.com.

Want to win one? Just enter our contest!

Contest period:

July 22-Aug 11

Prizes:

3 x 1 Snoozaboo baby sleep bag (winner chooses size, tog and design) + 1 copy of the book The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley

Sponsor:

Snoozaboo

Rules & Regulations:

1) This contest is only open to Malaysian citizens residing in the country.

2) To qualify for a prize, however, a contestant must provide valid personal information. (ie. New IC number and name as appears on the IC)

3) Contestants may submit more than one entry. However, each person is only entitled to one prize.

4) Please do NOT submit multiple entries with the exact same answers.

5) Prizes are not exchangeable for cash.

6) Staff of Star Publications (M) Berhad and their immediate families are not allowed to participate.

7) The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entertained.

8) Judges will be from The Star.

9) The winners will be notified either by phone or email after the judging.

10) The list of names will be published on The Star Online (Family subsection).

11) By taking part in this contest, participants expressly consent to the collection, collation, use and/or disclosure of all the above data by Star Publications (M) Berhad for the purposes of this contest and advertising/promotions related to it.

12) For further information, please email us at parenthots@thestar.com.my.

Win books about Special Agent EJ12

Posted:

The Star Online and Scholastic Books are giving away three sets of EJ12 Girl Hero books this month.

EJ12 is for children aged seven and older. The series is about a secret agent named EJ12 who cracks codes and foils evil plans all over the world. However, as her alter ego, Emma Jacks, she finds school and her peers a tad harder to handle.

Each set of books being given away includes the following titles:

Hot & Cold

Some evil mastermind is trying to melt the polar ice cap. It is up to Special Agent EJ12 to crack the codes and foil the plan. That may be easier than handling the school Ice Queen of Mean.

Jump Start

The evil agency Shadow has some dastardly plans brewing in the rainforest. EJ12 will have to save the day. But can she also deal with the state gym competition?

In The Dark

EJ12 is tasked to crack Shadow's codes before they turn the lights out on the Shine network. As her alter ego, Emma, how will she cope at her best friend's slumber party.

Want a set of these books?

Contest

Prizes:

3 x 1 set of EJ12 Girl Hero books (Hot & Cold, Jump Start, In The Dark)

How to enter:

Send us a photo of your children reading with a short description of the photo. The description should be in 50-100 words and can include what your children are reading, why they love those books they are reading, and how you encourage them to love reading.

Send it to parenthots@thestar.com.my.

Include your full name, IC number (new Mykad), address and telephone number.

Closing date:

July 28, 2013

Rules & Regulations:

1) This contest is only open to Malaysian citizens residing in the country.

2) To qualify for a prize, however, a contestant must provide valid personal information. (ie. New IC number and name as appears on the IC)

3) Contestants may submit more than one entry. However, each person is only entitled to one prize.

4) Prizes are not exchangeable for cash.

5_ Staff of Star Publications (M) Berhad and their immediate families are not allowed to participate.

6) The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entertained.

7) Judges will be from Star Publications.

8) The winners will be notified either by phone or email after the judging.

9) The list of names will be published on thestar.com.my.

10) Prizes must be collected from Menara Star, No 15 Jalan 16/11, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, within a month after the winners are announced.

12) For further information, please email us at parenthots@thestar.com.my.

Having fun cycling as a family

Posted:

Every weekend, we have a family cycling day. My daughter loves cycling as it is a fun activity and keeps her strong and helps her avoid becoming "flu's friend", as she often gets the flu.

On the weekends, she wakes up early, at about 6.30am, and starts to prepare for her happy cycling day. We always remind her to sleep early the night before so that she is able to wake up early. This is when we explain to her the importance of sleeping early – to help her wake up early, keep herself fresh, and have a longer time cycling compared to if she woke up late. Now, this has become her routine and she will usually go to bed at about 10pm and wake up before 7am.

After having her breakfast, she will start to prepare her cycling equipment such as her lovely bicycle and helmet. She will also equip herself with water and shoes and wait for us to start our journey. As she learns the importance of protecting herself, she also learns to consume more water after exercising.

At first, she did not even know how to cycle. We needed to push her from the back and teach her how to walk while on the bicycle to make it move. Although she failed to cycle many times, we kept encouraging her and told her not to give up.

Finally, she did it and she felt so excited. The success helped her learn the importance of failure and trained her not to give up so easily.

Each time after cycling, we teach her to clean her bicycle besides checking the quality of her bicycle. Mostly, we clean her bicycle together and point out to her if there is any quality issue on her bicycle.

Although her bicycle is "small", it sometimes takes us about 30 minutes to clean and check it.

This training helps her learn to take good care of her equipment.

Cycling is a good activity to keep my child healthy, as well as train her to be responsible for her own belongings. We love this activity very much as it gives us an opportunity to spend time together and lets us have a happy weekend.

Ooi Ling Ling

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Isnin, 22 Julai 2013