Isnin, 5 Ogos 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Dumex recalls some baby formula
BA boss cleans plane toilets, too
Actor apologises for slapping girlfriend

Dumex recalls some baby formula

Posted:

DANONE Dumex has initiated a precautionary recall of some batches of its products following concerns over a whey protein bacterial contamination that can cause botulism.

In a statement released yesterday, the infant formula giant said that their supplier Fonterra had informed them that one of their ingredients had a "potential quality issue".

The products recalled: Mamil Gold PreciNutri Step 2 After 6 Months Follow-up Formula in both 900g and 1.6kg packet sizes. — The Straits Times/ Asia News Network

BA boss cleans plane toilets, too

Posted:

WHEN he is not busy running British Airways' South-East Asia operations, Robert Williams is serving meals and cleaning toilets on planes.

Appointed in March as the region's Singapore-based general manager, the Briton, who leads a team of 25, is also a trained cabin crew member.

Once in about three months, he hangs up his "boss" hat and dons his navy blue cabin crew suit.

He said in a recent interview at his United Square office in Thomson Road: "I spend all my time telling people they should fly with us because that's my job.

"Surely I should know what it is that we are delivering for the core part of our product, which is in the air.

"Serving as cabin crew gives me a real understanding of what the customer is going to get on board and what the differences are between the products and services that we offer in each cabin."

Being in the air also means leaving his boss badge behind. And yes, he cleans toilets, too.

Williams is one of about 600 British Airways staff who have opted to be part of the airline's Inflight Customer Support Programme, which was launched in 2010 to forge rapport and understanding among employees.

Ground staff who are keen and get selected undergo the full five-week cabin crew training and serve on actual flights.

To comply with British civil aviation rules, they need to fly at least once every 90 days and sit a three-day course and test once a year.

Williams, 34, who has completed 15 to 20 flights, thinks the programme is a great idea. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Actor apologises for slapping girlfriend

Posted:

ACTOR Ridhwan Azman of movie Ah Boys To Men fame has admitted to and apologised online for hitting and slapping his girlfriend.

The incident appears to have taken place last Thursday, according to the 19-year-old's Twitter posts.

He has since apologised close to 10 times on the microblog for his actions.

In his post on Saturday, titled I Love This Girl, he wrote that "I know my mistake", and "there's no reason why anyone should hit girls".

Pictures online of the alleged incident show Ridhwan's 18-year-old girlfriend Luna Woo with red welts on her cheek, and him lying spread-eagled on a grass patch.

It is uncertain how their dispute came about.

According to screen grabs of Luna's SMSes to her friends, she had been crying and saying that she did not want to go with him to meet his friends.

That apparently angered Ridhwan, who "hit", "slapped", "pushed" and "strangled" her before he lay down on a grass patch and refused to budge, the messages said.

Ridhwan played the character of recruit Ismail in the Ah Boys To Men movies, and has been known on social media since 2009 for his singing, after finishing in the Top 12 of reality TV singing competition Campus Superstar that year.

In his most recent blog post, he said it was Luna who introduced the "new ingredient" of violence into their relationship, when she slapped and humiliated him on a bus and tore his shirt.

He said he did not hit her on that occasion, and ended the post saying that he loves her. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

Old-time favourite

Posted:

James Hong is the go-to guy for Asian roles in Hollywood.

YOU'VE seen him before in many movies and television shows, even though he's rarely the star of any. However, as the go-to guy for many Asian characters (mostly Chinese, of course), James Hong is a familiar face in American productions.

He also has a familiar voice, distinguishable mainly for his Chinese-American accent – it's not a put-on accent, he really does speak like that – and his high-pitched tone.

Born on Feb 22, 1929 in Minnesota, United States, Hong began his showbusiness career in the 1950s as a voice actor, dubbing Asian films into English. He also started taking on small acting roles, until hitting it big with the popular TV series The New Adventures Of Charlie Chan. From then on, Hong has never looked back.

The 84-year-old actor has appeared alongside many of Hollywood's top stars including Jack Nicholson, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Bacon, Faye Dunaway and Danny Glover. Hong has so far appeared more than 500 times in TV shows and movies, making him one of the most hardworking actors around. This year alone, Hong's film projects include Blunt Movie, The Lost Medallion: The Adventures Of Billy Stone and R.I.P.D, which is currently showing in Malaysian cinemas.

Here are some of the more memorable films that feature Hong.

Big Trouble In Little China (1986)

Character: Lo Pan

What it is: This John Carpenter-directed movie stars Kurt Russell and sees Hong as Lo Pan, the bada** immortal sorcerer living in San Francisco. Big Trouble In Little China is a favourite among lovers of cheesy films and those who admire Carpenter's work.

James Hong moment: When "dark magic" comes out of his eyes.

Blade Runner (1982)

Hong as Chew, the eye maker in Blade Runner.

Character: Chew, the eye guy

What it is: A cult favourite among sci-fi lovers, Blade Runner is perhaps director Ridley Scott's most talked-about movie. Well, after Alien, that is. Set in the distant future (although 2019 doesn't seem so distant now), the movie stars Harrison Ford as a former "blade runner" – special agents trained to capture and destroy human-like robots banned from Earth – who returns to the force to hunt down a group of escaped robots. Hong plays the guy who manufactures the robots' eyes.

JH moment: When Chew meets Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) and checks out his eyes ... before getting scared of his own creations.

Wayne's World 2 (1993)

Character: Jeff Wong

What it is: The sequel to Wayne's World, this film sees Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) trying to organise a rock festival. At the same time, Wayne also has to prove his worth to Jeff Wong, the father of his girlfriend Cassandra (Tia Carrere). Yes, Hong played Carrere's father in the movie.

JH moment: When Jeff meets Wayne and he challenges him to a good ol' fashioned kungfu battle. He also walks down some steps ... on his hands. A stuntman probably did it, but the whole scene is hilarious!

Airplane! (1980)

Character: Japanese General

What it is: The crew and some of the passengers of a commercial airplane gets seriously ill during a flight and there is only one person around who can land the plane. However, he has problems of his own. This over-the-top, silly movie is very funny, but you do need to watch it with an open mind and without any expectations.

JH moment: Hong's scene in this movie lasts all of three seconds, but he kills it.

James Hong plays the voice of Mr Ping in the Kung Fu Panda movies.

Kung Fu Panda (2008) and Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Character: Mr Ping the noodle-selling goose

What it is: In this sequel, Po the "Dragon Warrior" starts to get flashbacks of his long-forgotten childhood. At the same time, he has to ward off a narcissistic peacock from taking over the land and getting rid of all the warriors.

JH moment: Hong reprises his role as the voice of Mr Ping, the father of Po the panda. The scene where Ping is forced to tell the story of how he found Po is quite touching. Hong's voice turns into a softer tone, which fits the scene perfectly.

More penguins coming our way

Posted:

Benedict Cumberbatch and John Malkovich in new animated movie.

In a casting coup, DreamWorks Animation has set Benedict Cumberbatch and John Malkovich to voice new characters in its spin-off The Penguins Of Madagascar, TheWrap has learned.

The animated movie, which features the penguins from DreamWork's Madagascar franchise, is scheduled for release on March 27, 2015. An individual familiar with the project tells TheWrap that Malkovich will voice the film's charming villain, while Cumberbatch will voice a high-ranking animal CIA agent hot on his trail. (Cumberbatch has often been jokingly described as "looking like an otter" so perhaps he will play one in the movie?)

Simon J. Smith (Bee Movie) is directing from a script by Michael Colton and John Aboud. Lara Breay (Megamind) is producing, while executive producers include Mireille Soria, Tom McGrath and Eric Darnell, all of whom are responsible for the original Madagascar trilogy.

The Penguins Of Madagascar has already spawned a successful Nickelodeon TV show, a straight-to-DVD movie and a comic book written by David Server and Jackson Lanzing. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Munn's the word
Chow Yun Fat returns to TVB
Urban on 'Idol'

Munn's the word

Posted:

The fast-talking Olivia Munn loves every minute of being part of The Newsroom gang.

TO say that Olivia Munn is sexy, is an understatement. More than that, though, Munn is also a witty, down-to-earth and strong woman who is not afraid to share her opinion on matters that she feels strongly about, as evidenced at a press junket for Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom in Singapore recently.

"In school, I was treated differently from my friend because she was cute and I looked weird, so I learned early on that some people are just nicer to those who are aesthetically pleasing," said Munn.

Now in its second season, The Newsroom revolves around a group of TV journalists and news crew of a show called News Night, which is broadcast under the media group ACN. Although the network, TV programme and characters are all fictional, the news items in The Newsroom are all based on real incidents that have happened (the show is set about two years behind present time). In fact, some of the clips used are even actual footage taken by real newsmen.

Munn, 33, plays financial news reporter Sloan Sabbith on the show, someone who is bold and steadfast when it comes to work, yet a little awkward in social situations. She is also by far the sexiest woman on the show.

"I wanted my character to look a specific way. I didn't want her to wear flashy jewellery, personally I find that a bit distracting. I wanted her to wear a fitted suit and not something baggy because I didn't want her to look like she's apologising for being a woman. I wanted her to flaunt her sexuality," she said, citing Diane Sawyer as the role model for her character.

Sloan began as a small role in The Newsroom, but midway through Season One, viewers began to see more storylines that feature her. "The response I've gotten from women who are in many different positions (work-wise) has been very positive; they relate to Sloan and this shows that there are many out there who want to see more strong female characters on TV. I play Sloan like a strong man not because she's better as a man, but because it's the opposite of what people expect."

Munn has also been getting a lot more lines to spew out in the show, something many actors are wary of when it comes to a Sorkin production. However, the actress relishes the challenge of taking on a dialogue afflicted with the infamous "Sorkinitis" (super-long sentences, no breaks in between conversations, fast delivery of speech).

"I love it! To get it right, you need to read the dialogue over and over again, from comma to comma, word for word. I find that you learn a lot about the character when you do things this way, everything you need to know is somewhere in those lines. I talk really fast anyway but sometimes when I think that I've said a line too fast, I get 'That's good, but can you do it faster?'," said Munn.

Another challenge that Munn has faced before in Season One of The Newsroom is to speak in Japanese for some scenes in the episode, Bullies. Munn was born in Oklahoma in the United States, but her family moved to Japan when she was just a toddler; they moved back to the US when she was in her teens. "I do speak Japanese fluently, but I am out of practice. When they asked me if I could speak Japanese I said yes. 'It's just a few words or two', they said.

"Then later they asked if I could handle doing a whole line in Japanese. I said yes. When I finally got the script, that 'line' turned into a whole big scene where we're doing a news broadcast in Japanese. It's a lot different from just having a conversation in Japanese," Munn shared. She added that one of the show's executive producers Alan Poul has a Masters degree in Japanese so they worked together on getting that scene just right.

"After we wrap up Season Two, I plan to travel to Europe, before heading to Japan and stay there for about a month. I want to brush up on my Japanese," she revealed. The actress goes on to talk about her castmates, showing a particular fondness for Sam Waterston, who plays Charlie Skinner, president of ACN's news division. Simply put, he's Sloan's boss.

In The Newsroom, the two characters have sort of a love-hate (but so far, non-romantic) relationship that is somewhat similar to that of Mackenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer) and William McAvoy's (Jeff Daniels), except that theirs sometimes gets a bit comical ... and hostile. "I'm pitching for a Sloan-Charlie relationship in the show," she said, half-jokingly.

Munn added: "One time, we only got our script the night before rehearsal. It was terrifying because it's an Aaron Sorkin script and I had a lot of scenes with Sam Waterston, that genius from Law & Order. I cried from 2am-3am, which was great because I got it all out there before starting work ...

"After rehearsal, Aaron said, 'Now that's a f*****g cast'. The fact that I could please him felt really good. I always work towards making Aaron happy."

The Newsroom

From her stories about being on the show, and her quips about the people she works with, one could tell that Munn is more than grateful for being part of the The Newsroom team. Her background in journalism – she has a degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and worked for an NBC affiliate while in college – more or less explains that.

"I turned down offers from other shows to be in this one. I mean, it's an Aaron Sorkin production! But this show is also interesting and it celebrates journalists who are still trying to do things the way it's supposed to be done. The way I was taught in school.

"Journalists get a bad rep these days. I prefer just pretending to be a journalist. Being on the show makes my mum happy, too, because I'm kind of using my degree," she said. Munn goes on to share tales about her mother, whom she says speaks with a Chinese accent. "I swear she puts it on thicker whenever she wants to ask me for something!"

Munn's Chinese mother, Kim, was born and raised in Vietnam but left the country for the US just as the war was ending. Her father Sam is of Irish-German descent, which explains Munn's exotic looks.

"For me to be an actress is just beyond my mother's dreams. I know she's happy and proud of me, of all of us, but she does have her quirks. She'll say things like, 'I never thought you could do it'. When I started making my own money, I bought gifts for my family and I got my mum a Jeep but it wasn't really what she wanted. So I asked what she would like instead and she said, 'I wan fur-nee-chur, but is okay if you cannot afford'," Munn said, poking fun at her mother's accent. "My mother," she concluded, rolling her eyes.

The Newsroom Season Two premieres tonight at 9pm on HBO (Astro Ch 411/HD 431) .

Chow Yun Fat returns to TVB

Posted:

CHOW Yun Fat (pic) is headlining his first TVB production in decades, a Chinese New Year comedy also starring Nicholas Tse.

Back in 1981, before he became a movie star, Chow had appeared in the TVB gambling drama The Shell Game II, with Tse's father, Patrick.

At a press conference for the new movie in TVB City recently, Chow joked: "When I was filming at TVB, Nicholas' mum and dad took care of me a lot. This time, I'll show my gratitude. I'll see if there's a chance to bully him."

Director Wong Jing said Chow was receiving a Hollywood pay cheque for the Hong Kong production, the actor's first in years after a decade packed with Hollywood movies and Chinese co-productions including Bulletproof Monk (2003) and Let The Bullets Fly (2010).

Wong did not say how much Chow would be paid exactly. According to Ming Pao Daily News, the actor's usual fee is US$8mil (RM25.8mil).

Chow said it had been a long time since his last Hong Kong movie, adding: "I watched Nicholas Tse grow up and Nicholas is so big now. He's married and having babies."

Tse cut in, saying: "I'm also divorced", and a stunned Chow answered that he had not heard about it.

He quickly recovered though and quipped: "How come you're divorced faster than me?"

Tse was left dumbfounded as reporters laughed, according to NetEase website. – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

Urban on 'Idol'

Posted:

Country singer Keith Urban returning as American Idol judge.

Country singer Keith Urban will be returning to American Idol as a judge when the Fox singing contest returns for its 13th season next year, Fox Broadcasting Company said.

"I will confirm one thing, Keith is going to return to the show, you could see how much he loved the show," Kevin Reilly, chairman of entertainment at Fox told reporters at a Television Critics Association meeting.

Idol, once a ratings juggernaut for Fox, has slumped in recent years and is in the midst of revamping its judging panel after high-priced talent Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj failed to boost viewership last season. Pop singer Carey and rapper Minaj announced after the Idol May finale that they were leaving the talent show, while longtime judge Randy Jackson also bowed out.

Singer Jennifer Lopez, who left the show in 2012 after two seasons as a judge, may return to the panel when Idol begins in January, Reilly said. "There is no deal with her or with anybody else," he said after saying Fox has had discussions with Lopez about a return.

Idol, which premiered in 2002 and drew more than 30 million viewers during its peak years of 2006 and 2007, attracted only 14.2 million viewers for its finale, in which vocal powerhouse Candice Glover won the competition.

The show's longtime producer, Nigel Lythgoe, was let go in June and replaced by Swedish producer Per Blankens, who was most recently the producer of Sweden's version of the show. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

Old-time favourite

Posted:

James Hong is the go-to guy for Asian roles in Hollywood.

He also has a familiar voice, distinguishable mainly for his Chinese-American accent – it's not a put-on accent, he really does speak like that – and his high-pitched tone.

Here are some of the more memorable films that feature Hong.

Big Trouble In Little China (1986)

Character: Lo Pan

James Hong moment: When "dark magic" comes out of his eyes.

Blade Runner (1982)

Hong as Chew, the eye maker in Blade Runner.

Character: Chew, the eye guy

JH moment: When Chew meets Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) and checks out his eyes ... before getting scared of his own creations.

Wayne's World 2 (1993)

Character: Jeff Wong

Airplane! (1980)

Character: Japanese General

JH moment: Hong's scene in this movie lasts all of three seconds, but he kills it.

James Hong plays the voice of Mr Ping in the Kung Fu Panda movies.

Kung Fu Panda (2008) and Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Character: Mr Ping the noodle-selling goose

More penguins coming our way

Posted:

Benedict Cumberbatch and John Malkovich in new animated movie.

In a casting coup, DreamWorks Animation has set Benedict Cumberbatch and John Malkovich to voice new characters in its spin-off The Penguins Of Madagascar, TheWrap has learned.

The Penguins Of Madagascar has already spawned a successful Nickelodeon TV show, a straight-to-DVD movie and a comic book written by David Server and Jackson Lanzing. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

Hiroshima marks anniversary of US atomic bombing
New Zealand's clean, green image under scrutiny with dairy scare
NZ worries about China dairy bans as Fonterra hit by more recalls

Hiroshima marks anniversary of US atomic bombing

Posted:

HIROSHIMA, Japan: Tens of thousands gathered at a peace memorial park in Hiroshima on Tuesday to mark the 68th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the city, as anti-atomic sentiment runs high in Japan.

The annual ceremony came as radioactive water leaks at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant have stoked renewed fears about the plant's precarious state, and underscored broader worries about atomic power following Japan's 2011 nuclear crisis.

In Hiroshima, ageing survivors, relatives, government officials and foreign delegates observed a moment of silence at 8:15 am (2315 GMT Monday), the time of the detonation which turned the western Japanese city into a nuclear inferno.

"We offer heartfelt consolation to the souls of the atomic bomb victims by pledging to do everything in our power to eliminate the absolute evil of nuclear weapons and achieve a peaceful world," Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui told the ceremony.

An American B-29 bomber named Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima August 6, 1945, in one of the final chapters of World War II. It killed an estimated 140,000 by December that year. Three days later, the port city of Nagasaki was also bombed, killing an estimated 70,000 people.

The Allied powers have long argued that the twin attacks brought a quick end to the war by speeding up Japan's surrender, preventing millions more casualties from a land invasion planned for later in the year.

Later Tuesday, Japanese officials will be unveiling Tokyo's biggest naval ship since World War II, as the government moves to beef up Japan's self-defence forces, jangling nerves in neighbouring China and South Korea.

Tokyo said the timing of an annual peace ceremony and the helicopter carrier unveiling was coincidental.

Among the attendees in Hiroshima last year was Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of former US president Harry Truman, who authorised the bombings. He was the first Truman relative to attend the annual anniversary in Japan.

Many atomic bomb survivors, known as "hibakusha", oppose both military and civil use of nuclear power, pointing to the tens of thousands who were killed instantly in the Hiroshima blast and the many more who later died from radiation sickness and cancers linked to the attack.

Anti-nuclear sentiment flared in Japan after an earthquake-sparked tsunami left some 19,000 dead or missing and knocked out cooling systems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant two years ago.

Meltdowns at the crippled site spread radiation over a large area and forced thousands to leave their homes in the worst atomic disaster in a generation.

Concerns about Fukushima have remained high since the accident. In recent weeks, the plant's operator Tokyo Electric Power admitted for the first time that radioactive water had leaked into the ocean as it struggles to contain the toxic buildup.

"Eastern Japan is still suffering the aftermath of the great earthquake and the nuclear accident," Hiroshima's mayor said Tuesday.

"The people of Hiroshima know well the ordeal of recovery. We urge the national government to rapidly develop and implement a responsible energy policy that places top priority on peoples' safety and livelihood."

The administration of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was among the attendees at Tuesday's memorial event, has advocated restarting Japan's switched-off nuclear reactors if their safety can be assured, a plan opposed by many in the disaster-struck nation.

Abe's conservative Liberal Democratic Party has also said it wants to upgrade Japan's self-defence forces into a full-fledged military, which would mean overhauling a pacifist constitution imposed on the country by the US and its allies after WWII.

Later Tuesday, the forces' naval arm was due to hold a ceremony marking the launch of a 248-metre (810-foot) helicopter carrier which can accommodate nine aircraft.

Officials said the ceremony was scheduled for the same day as the Hiroshima anniversary due to favourable ocean tides and an auspicious date. -AFP

New Zealand's clean, green image under scrutiny with dairy scare

Posted:

WELLINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) - For a country that markets itself to the world with the slogan "100% Pure", New Zealand's environmental credentials are not as impeccable as many would think.

The majority of its rivers are too polluted to swim in. Its record on preservation of natural environments is among the worst in the world on a per capita basis. And it is the only OECD country that does not produce a regular national report on its environment.

The discovery by dairy giant Fonterra of a bacteria that can cause potentially fatal food poisoning in ingredients sold to eight countries exposes New Zealand's vulnerability to food safety scares and the fragility of the clean, green image underpinning its farming- and tourism-based economy.

Agricultural exports, including dairy, meat, fruit and wine, command high premiums internationally thanks to New Zealand's reputation as a producer of safe, natural and high-quality food.

"It was only a matter of time before our dirty little secret came out," said Jill Brinsdon, brand strategist at Radiation, a brand agency in Auckland.

"Fonterra is our largest exporter and they're completely intertwined with New Zealand's image and also they're the absolute biggest benefactor of the '100% Pure' brand. When you're coming out with something that presents itself as fact, or 100% pure, then you have to be 100% pure and we've proven that we're not."

PURE?

New Zealand's primary sector, which includes fishing and forestry, accounts for some 60 percent of exports and 18 percent of the country's $160 billion GDP, among the highest proportions in the developed world. Tourism makes up another 10 percent or so of GDP.

The country has long marketed itself internationally with the "100% Pure" slogan in print and TV ads, drawing millions of visitors each year to experience its national parks, beaches and lakes. With barely 4.5 million people spread over a mountainous area larger than the United Kingdom or California and more than a quarter of that set aside for reserves and national parks - the backdrop for the popular Lord of the Rings movie trilogy - New Zealand has no shortage of unspoilt natural attractions.

But the marketing overlooks a dark side to the country's environmental credentials.

More than 60 percent of New Zealand rivers monitored by the Environment Ministry had "poor" or "very poor" water quality and were rated as unsafe for swimming due to pollution.

Dairy farming, which has a lot riding on New Zealand's strong environmental reputation, has been a significant cause of poor river quality due to fertiliser and effluent runoff. Unlike many other countries, New Zealand cows are kept on grassy pastures year-round, a major selling point for its $9 billion annual global dairy trade.

"Because we've had a lack of regulation on farm waste for 20 years it's been a free for all, so farmers have done what they can to produce more milk - which is to put more cows on pastures," said Mike Joy, an ecology and environmental sustainability scientist at Massey University.

Prime Minister John Key, who has been previously criticised for saying the 100% pure marketing should be taken with a pinch of salt, said New Zealand would always be reliant on dairying, with its natural competitive advantage and global demand rising.

"The right answer is not for New Zealand to sell less dairy. The right answer is for New Zealand to be absolutely sure that the safety standards are met," he said on Tuesday.

FOOD SAFETY

While separate from its environmental credentials, New Zealand's food safety record is also not without stain.

Until the late 2000s, New Zealand had the highest rate in the developed world of food-borne campylobacteriosis, a serious and sometimes deadly disease caused by a bacteria often found in uncooked chicken.

By 2011, even after a major government initiative to control the epidemic, New Zealand still reported incidents of the disease at more than double the rate of nearby Australia and 12 times the rate of the United States, according to the University of Otago.

The botulism scare at Fonterra was the company's second contamination issue this year after it earlier found traces of dicyandiamde, a potentially toxic chemical, in some products.

Even so, New Zealand has one of the most stringent food safety regimes in the world and the recent dairy product scares only turned up with the sophisticated and sensitive testing available.

Fonterra expects the current contamination issue to be resolved within days.

A protracted, major animal health incident, rather than a localised contamination issue, could wreak havoc on the New Zealand economy.

A decade ago, at the height of a foot and mouth epidemic in Europe, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand modelled the impact of a limited outbreak of the livestock disease - estimating an immediate 20 percent hit to the currency, as well as a 12 percent fall in exports and an 8 percent hit to GDP in two years.

"We've got to wake up and look more closely at our green credentials, and work harder to create a pristine environment so consumers can get a product which matches the story," said a consultant to New Zealand companies operating in Asia.

"We can't be complacent."

(Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

NZ worries about China dairy bans as Fonterra hit by more recalls

Posted:

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Dairy giant Fonterra was hit by fresh infant formula recalls in China and Hong Kong on Tuesday, while New Zealand's government fretted that the widening contamination scare would prompt China to extend a ban on whey protein powder to other dairy products.

Government officials rapped Fonterra, the world's biggest dairy exporter, for dragging its feet in identifying whey protein products containing a bacteria which can potentially cause botulism.

New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser said there was a risk that China, a major importer of New Zealand dairy ingredients including powder used in infant formula, may block more products.

"So far, (there has been) very limited action. But this is likely to change, and it would change in the direction of wider, not narrower," Groser told reporters.

There have been no reports of illness resulting from the affected products so far, but the contamination caused by a dirty pipe at one of Fonterra's New Zealand plants has damaged the country's "clean green" image and threatens to scar its dairy export trade.

Groser's comments come one day after Fonterra Chief Executive Theo Spierings said that the company was not facing a ban on its products in China, only restrictions on whey protein concentrate. He added that he expected the curbs would be lifted early this week as soon as Fonterra provides Chinese regulators with a detailed explanation of what went wrong.

China's consumer quality body on Tuesday said it had ordered a recall of two batches of milk formula brands marketed by Abbott Laboratories, a day after some of the U.S. healthcare company's products were recalled in Vietnam.

In addition, Cow & Gate has recalled 80,000 cans of one type of its stage-three baby formula in Hong Kong and Macau. It said there were no signs of contamination in any of the products sold in the two regions.

More infant formula tins were also cleared from New Zealand supermarkets after Nutricia, a Danone subsidiary which manufactures the Karicare brand, announced a blanket ban on two of its infant products late on Monday.

"We've got an issue of confidence here (with) Fonterra," Economic Development Minister Stephen Joyce told Radio New Zealand. "It's certainly pretty frustrating."

Products containing the contaminated whey protein also have been sold to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

Groser said Russia had not announced a ban on dairy imports from New Zealand. Media reports late last week said that the major dairy consuming country had blocked New Zealand products.

(Additional reporting by Jonathan Standing in Beijing and Anne-Marie Roantree in Hong Kong; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business

Affin Research upgrades Aeon, higher target price
Sony Rejects Third Point's Proposal To Spin Off Entertainment Unit
KLCI slips in early trade, Axiata, Tenaga down

Affin Research upgrades Aeon, higher target price

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Affin Research has upgraded Aeon Co. (M) Bhd to "Reduce" from "Sell" with a raised target price of RM13.80 from RM12.13.

Affin also said in conjunction with Aeon's 30th anniversary celebration next year, it believes the cash-rich company might raise its dividend payout.

It said Aeon's first half of 2013 same-store-sales (SSS) growth was healthy at 4%.

"We believe consumer spending will remain healthy in second half 2013, driven mainly by higher sales activities, especially on non-discretionary consumer products, in tandem with the festive holidays which are Hari Raya, year-end, and Christmas sales.

"We now forecast a revised financial year 2013 net profit growth of 13.3% on-year, vs our previous growth forecast of 9.6% on-year," it said.

Affin added Aeon is set to open a further three to four malls by end-2014 in strategic locations such as Taiping, Bukit Mertajam, Sg Petani and Klebang.

"They are currently developing the 818k sq ft mall purchased in Dec 31, 2012 in Shah Alam, and is aiming to open the mall in financial year 2015. The group also guided that they will open the Aeon Kempas mall in financial year 2016," it said.

Affin said the group currently has 26 Aeon malls and four MaxValue convenient stores in the peninsular region, and plans to expand the company's footprint into East Malaysia, targeting major cities such as Kuching and Kota Kinabalu in 2016.

"Management has allocated an annual capex budget of RM400mil for financial year 2014 to 2016. Judging from Aeon's strong net cash position, and its robust free cash flow of RM140mil, we believe funding is not an issue for the ambition expansion program," it said.

Sony Rejects Third Point's Proposal To Spin Off Entertainment Unit

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TOKYO: Japan's Sony Corp rejected on Tuesday a proposal from activist shareholder Daniel Loeb to spin off a part of the electronics company's entertainment business.

Loeb's Third Point LLC hedge fund proposed in May that Sony sell as much as a fifth of its money-making entertainment arm -- movies, TV and music -- to free up cash to revive the electronics business.

"Sony's board of directors has unanimously concluded that continuing to own 100 percent of our entertainment business is the best path forward and is integral to Sony's strategy," the company said in a letter to Third Point.

Loeb, who owns around 7 percent of Sony through shares and cash-settled swaps, has called the entertainment division poorly managed.

Sony's board was expected to reject Loeb's proposals, the Nikkei newspaper said last week, with directors arguing Sony could compete better by maintaining ties with the entertainment arm of the business.

Sony has long been a pillar of Japan Inc and a pioneer in the electronics industry. But it has lost market share - and its innovative edge - to aggressive foreign rivals such as South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd <005930.KS> and Apple Inc <AAPL.O> as they churn out blockbuster products.- Reuters

KLCI slips in early trade, Axiata, Tenaga down

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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's blue chips fell in early Tuesday trade, dragged down by mild selling of key stocks like UMW, Axiata, Tenaga and Maybank amid a mixed broader market.

At 9.03am, the FBM KLCI fell 4.94 points to 1,780.2. Turnover was 55.68 million shares valued at RM19.48mil. There were 59 gainers, 54 losers and 105 counters unchanged.

UMW fell the most, down 34 sen to RM13.82, Axiata six sen to RM6.78 and Tenaga four sen to RM8.69. MAHB and AirAsia shed three sen each to RM6.65 and RM3.12.

Among the banks, RHB Cap lost four sen to RM8.26 and Maybank four sen lower also to RM10.36.

Faber was the top gainer, surging 23 sen to RM2.03 in active trade. KL Kepong rose 22 sen to RM21.48 and PPB Group 10 sen higher to RM15.08.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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Success derived from family's fish head soup
Bodies of young Indonesian couple found in vegetable farm
Crane topples and crushes van in Bukit OUG

Success derived from family's fish head soup

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KOTA BARU: Although the fish head soup dish does not come cheap, with a price range of between RM25 and RM70 each, it is a meal popular to break fast with for many during Ramadan.

Nik Mohd Nor, who runs a restaurant selling the dish at the Medan Ikan Bakar along Jalan Kuala Besar here, is always out of fish head stock due to its popularity.

He said that the secret of his fish head soup lies in the recipe his grandfather Syed Deraman had passed down to him.

Nik Mohd's family has been using the same recipe for the past 50 years.

"We have a tried and tested method to make the dish using fish like senangin, bawal and siakap.It is a secret and all I can reveal is that it is mixed with 'kulit kayu', 'pelaga hindi' and other spices.

"I believe my grandfather had tested everything in the market to come up with just the right taste over the years," he added.

He said the price of the dish was quite expensive, and although many shops were selling the same type of soup, some customers were disappointed with the taste and had felt shortchanged.

He claimed that the price fixed by his restaurant was right as they had many repeat customers.

"I can vouch that anyone who has a taste of our fish head soup will not be disappointed with the money they have to fork out," he added.

Bodies of young Indonesian couple found in vegetable farm

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KUANTAN: An Indonesian couple who planned to get married was found dead in a plastic tent at a vegetable farm in Jalan Sungai Menson, Tringkap near Cameron Highlands on Sunday.

Passers-by stumbled on the bodies of the 26-year-old man and the 22-year-old woman about noon and alerted the police.

Initial police investigations revealed the duo, who were employed as workers at the farm, had consumed poison.

The bodies were sent to the Sultanah Hajah Kalsom Hospital in Cameron Highlands.

The police have classified the case as sudden death.

Cameron Highlands police chief DSP Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said the couple had been in Malaysia for only three months and planned to get married.

"We believe they had consumed poison," he told Bernama on Monday.

Crane topples and crushes van in Bukit OUG

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KUALA LUMPUR: A van parked by the side of the road was crushed by a crane that toppled over while lifting steel bars.

Nobody was injured in the incident, which happened at the Kiara Residence project in Bukit OUG here at about 4pm on Monday.

The van, belonging to a plumbing company, was parked opposite the entrance of the construction project while its occupants were at work inside.

The crane blocked a road across the Shah Alam Highway, connecting Taman Yarl to Bukit OUG, forcing residents of the neighboring apartments to make a detour in order to get home.

Another crane arrived shortly before 8.30pm to lift the fallen crane, which was removed after two hours.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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Posted:

Bollywood's Priyanka Chopra targets stereotypes in Hollywood.

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has a higher mission than just making it in Hollywood: she wants to break down stereotypes of Indians in Tinseltown's eyes and maybe make things easier for her compatriots who live in the United States.

Here's her first lesson: "We don't travel on elephants, there aren't any snake charmers on the side of the road, everybody doesn't talk like Apu from The Simpsons," the actress says, with a bit of a laugh.

Chopra, 31, is one of the biggest stars to emerge in Indian film in recent years, alongside Bollywood heavyweights Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan, with big budget franchises such as Krrish and Don.

She has also won plaudits for taking on unconventional roles, most recently playing an autistic woman in 2012's Barfi!. But in her latest role as an eye-catching animated racing airplane in Disney's global adventure Planes, Chopra said she is hoping to cross the boundaries of Bollywood to Hollywood.

"This is a very global movie. You have characters from all across the world, and I think for kids, it's great to understand that there's so many different kinds of culture and people out there," the actress told Reuters. Chopra plays the voice of Ishani in the movie.

Priyanka Chopra is Ishani in Disney's 'Planes'.

Chopra first rose to fame in 2000, winning the Miss World beauty pageant and transitioning into Bollywood film. But the journey has not come easily for the actress, who said she had to learn the ropes of acting.

"I was 17 years old, I didn't know anything. I just went with my gut and I wanted to take a chance," she said, adding "I've made so many mistakes along the way."

Chopra is currently in production on a biopic about Indian Olympic boxing champion Mary Kom, and learning to box herself, Chopra said the role was "the most difficult film I've ever done".

"Mary is a national icon. She's a five-time world champion, a mother of three kids, an Olympic medallist and she has an incredible story," the actress said. "The challenge was that I have to learn a completely new sport and play a living, breathing person."

Chopra, who was born and raised in India and also spent a few years living in the United States in her teens, has conquered the ranks of Bollywood, but cracking into Hollywood has presented its own challenges. "There is a very big stereotype with Indian actors, and you get only Indian parts. There is a stereotype that there's a certain accent and there's a certain vibe and how is that cool. I felt a lot of that and I really want to be able to change that, for people to be proud of their roots," the actress said.

Pop album, top producer
Chopra's step into Hollywood coincides with her foray into pop music, releasing her first single, Exotic, featuring rapper Pitbull from her upcoming yet-to-be-titled album. The album is being overseen by renowned pop music producer RedOne, who has worked with Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Lopez, and is expected out in early 2014.

It will feature more collaborations with other artistes, although Chopra said it was too early to reveal any names. "My album is like me – eclectic in my taste." said Chopra. "I like a little bit of everything, so my album has ballad, mid tempos, pop, a little rap, EDM ... a little bit of everything."

With her music and film career expanding outside of Bollywood, Chopra said she was now in a position to change common misconceptions that people may have about India.

"It was really hard for me when I went to school in the US, and I don't want that to happen to any more kids or people who come from my part of the world. So if I can do something to change that perception, I'd be happy," she said. — Reuters

> Disney's Planes opens in cinemas in Malaysia on Aug 15.

Most wanted voices

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Regional cast in the Bahasa Malaysia version of latest Madagascar movie.

THIS coming Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, HBO Asia serves up an exclusive treat for its Malaysian viewers: the Asian television premiere of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted.

Looking at the cast list, the voice actors for the Bahasa Malaysia version comprise an impressive lineup of celebrities from Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

Voicing the lead character Alex the Lion is award-winning singer Hafiz Suip, actress Lisa Surihani is Gloria the Hippo, and Singaporean singer Taufik Batisah and actor Fahrin Ahmad voice the characters of Marty the Zebra and Melman the Giraffe respectively.

Others in the cast include Singaporean host and musician Najip Ali as Julien the Lemur. Singers Jazz Hassan from Brunei and Hazama Ahmad Azmi from Malaysia will voice penguins Private and Skipper.

You'll also hear actress Didie Alias (as Captain DuBois), director Hafizuddin Fadzil (Vitaly the Tiger), actress Nabila Huda (Gia the Jaguar), host and actor Farish Aziz (Mort), ERA FM announcers Zahid (Maurice), Ray (Stefano the Sea Lion), Adi (Jonesy), Haniff (Comandante) and Hitz FM deejay Rizal (Freddie) in the movie.

Lisa Surihani was excited about playing a voice role as she is a big fan of the animated movie franchise. Playing Gloria was a dream come true of sorts for her.

"I have always wanted to do a voice-over for an animation and I got it! So I'm really excited. Yes I watched the movie several times so I would really understand the story.

"Even though we are different sizes – myself and Gloria – we are so similar on the inside!" said Lisa during the recent press conference.

"It was challenging as it is done in Bahasa Malaysia and I had to make sure that I spoke in sync with the lip movements on the screen at all times, but (at the same time) I also tried my best not to imitate the character too much as I wanted to give it a Malaysian touch.

For Hafiz, he was grateful for the experience and found taking on the role of Alex the Lion really challenging because he had the most lines.

"Alex is hyper at times and it was difficult initially but I was being myself and put my identity into my voice," he said.

The affable Najip welcomed the part of Julien with open arms – voicing the manic character was both interesting and challenging.

"I've been a fan of the film series and I just love Julien's signature song," he revealed before proceeding to sing the chorus (I like to move it, move it). "I decided to voice Julien with an identifiable Indian twang. It was a real challenge but fun nonetheless."

Taufik, on the other hand, was hesitant at first to accept this role because he had never done voice acting before.

"Seriously, I didn't want to sound like Chris Rock (who voices Marty in the original Madagascar films). I did try to imitate him but I got a headache afterwards. It was a fun experience, though."

Fahrin was glad that his experience in voice acting for the animation series Saladin helped him to voice Melman the Giraffe.

"I knew what I had to do. I had watched the film the night before recording, and recorded all of my parts for Melman in three hours the next day," he recalled.

Actress Didie had a challenge – she had to speak with a French accent for the role of the animal control officer, Captain DuBois.

"She is a unique character, so I watched the film with my kids to get an idea of how to voice her," she explained.

HBO Asia sales and affiliate marketing head Jacelyn Kek said that it did a similar project with The Smurfs last year but only recruited Malaysian talents. "This year, we decided to include talents from South-east Asia," she explained.

Seeing double: Voicing the lead character of Alex the Lion is award-winning singer Hafiz Suip.

In Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, the famous foursome – Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman – who are stranded on an island, are still trying to find their way home to New York. Their journey takes them to Europe where they are relentlessly pursued by the murderous Captain DuBois. The four join a failing travelling circus and end up reviving the business, leaving them to question where home really is.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (with dual-language options of Bahasa Malaysia and English) will be aired on Aug 8 at 8pm on HBO / HBO HD (Astro Ch 411/ Ch 431). Local language subtitles of Bahasa Malaysia or Chinese are also available.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

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Talking landscapes
Artistic Africa awakens
Shared aspirations

Talking landscapes

Posted:

ALSO on exhibition at Galeri Petronas is Convergence: Allegories Of The Malaysian Landscape. The exhibition features 59 works by 31 major local artists, including Haron Mokhtar, Ismail Mat Hussin, Awang Damit, Ivan Lam, Wong Hoy Cheong, Raphael Scott Ahbeng, Johan Marjonid, Chuah Thean Teng, Mad Anuar, Yee I Lann and Anthony Lau.

The exhibition – divided into four sections – gives visitors an insight into how landscape art is not only a reflection of the natural environment, but also symbolical landscapes of the nation's past history, economic development, cultures and belief systems.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Galeri Petronas is organising a public talk by Prof Dr Ramlan Abdullah on Artist's Interpretation: Commission Public Sculpture Of Ramlan Abdullah on Sept 7 from 11am to 1pm with an entrance fee of RM15 per person. Browse www.galeripetronas.com.my or call 03-2051-7770 for more details.

The Convergence: Allegories Of The Malaysian Landscape exhibition is open for public viewing at Galeri Petronas till Sept 22.

Artistic Africa awakens

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Growing demand for homegrown art in countries such as Nigeria is matched by interest from international galleries.

WHEN one of Nigeria's biggest media moguls began collecting contemporary African art three decades ago, he was one of the few Africans in a niche market dominated by Western connoisseurs. But as African art becomes more sought-after globally, that is rapidly changing.

"Some of the things I bought just for aesthetic pleasure years ago are now worth millions," says the businessman, who did not want to be named for fear of becoming a target for thieves.

"A lot of people on both sides of the pond are waking up to the fact you can make big money in contemporary (African) art," he adds, reclining on a golden sofa in his Lagos home.

As African economies outperform the global average, a collectors' scene is booming among emerging elites and a growing number of foreign buyers.

When Nike Davies-Okundaye began selling adire – a Nigerian traditional textile art she learned from her great-grandmother – in the 1960s, "only expats liked buying, even though our forefathers were already art lovers", she says on a walk through her gallery, the largest in west Africa.

Nowadays she has a global clientele and, increasingly among locals, young business people wanting to invest their money in safe assets. Growing incomes colliding with a rich history of visual arts have seen fine art sales soar in other African countries too, says Davies-Okundaye, who helped establish one of Kenya's first art galleries in the 1980s.

The boom has been most pronounced in Nigeria and South Africa, which between them account for half of Africa's billionaires. Increasingly, local rather than imported artwork adorns the walls of many glitzy offices and restaurants.

"One stockbroker I know bought so much art he didn't know where to put it. He actually had to put some of the paintings on the ceilings," says Arthur Mbanefo, a prominent sponsor.

As African nations replicate a trend witnessed by emerging countries, such as Brazil and India, over the past decade, the fever is also sweeping across international galleries and exhibitions. Last year, Ghanaian artist El Anatsui's New World Map tapestry – made using flattened bottle tops of cheap African liquor – sold for a record-breaking £541,250 (RM202,956) at a sale of African art at British auction house, Bonhams. "Artworks from hitherto unacknowledged regions of the world, not only Africa, are being collected as artworks rather than curios or ethnological objects," says the Nigeria-based artist, whose colossal outdoor installations draw huge crowds to galleries in Berlin, Paris and New York. Nevertheless, he dismisses the "African artist" label. "Art is a universal sensibility," he says.

This year, Angola became the first African country to win a prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale and, in London, the Cameroon-born curator Koyo Kouch plans to show work from the continent at the Frieze art fair.

Last month, London's Tate Modern opened its first major exhibition of work by African artists Meschac Gaba of Benin and Sudan's Ibrahim el-Salahi.

"Before, there would be moments of huge interest and then another 10 years would pass before we saw anything," says Kerry Green, head of Tate's African art acquisitions committee, which was set up last year.

Some worry that huge sums of money flooding in could distort attempts to police a fledgling art market. "We have had people return objects they buy from the roadside which turned out to be heritage art stolen from this very museum," says a worker at the national museum in Lagos.

Nevertheless, sellers are scrambling to feed the growing appetite. At a recent sale in Lagos, an auctioneer was flown in from London. "We wanted it to be someone really up to scratch," one of the Lebanese curators explains, adding: "Also, it gives prestige." – Guardian News & Media

Shared aspirations

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Zulkifli Yusoff's Merdeka! A Work In Progress is a timely reminder about our Malaysian identity.

AT first glance, the Galeri Petronas hall holding contemporary visual artist Zulkifli Yusoff's installation piece entitled Merdeka! A Work In Progress, resembles a trippy film scene – complete with pods and meditation bubbles – from the psychedelic sci-fi classic Fantastic Planet (1973) by French animator/director Rene Laloux. It also wouldn't be out of place to have the same movie's soundtrack from French composer Alain Goraguer playing, or more accurately "percolating", in the background as visitors examine Zulkifli's newly commissioned Merdeka! A Work In Progress project to commemorate Galeri Petronas' 20th anniversary and the upcoming Merdeka/Malaysia Day celebrations.

Zulkifli was a resident artist at Galeri Petronas in 2003, so he's back on familiar ground with this new work – to remind us about our Malaysian identity and to upkeep the spirit of independence.

His mixed media installation, Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah, at the gallery in 2003, brought to light the man's ambitious statements as a storyteller and social commentator.

In his present work, Zulkifli, 51, is advocating a timely return to the spirit of Merdeka! – which has become, arguably, an alien concept in today's social and political landscape.

"I'm not interested in telling stories, however, I composite thinking patterns or ways of seeing (things). My works also may require the audience to decode rather than read a story," says Zulkifli about his current installation piece, which is divided into two sections – wall mounts and objects on the floor.

As a versatile artist with a knack for historical and socio-political references, Zulkifli has worked in various types of mediums that span installations, paintings and sculpture. He came to prominence in the Malaysian art scene over 20 years ago when he won the grand prize (and also the first and consolation prizes) for his sculpture work in Salon Malaysia 1991/1992. His installation piece, Don't Play During Maghrib, also represented Malaysia at the Venice Biennale in 1997.

Back to Merdeka! A Work In Progress, which is a room-size visual feast, the mission statement is to encourage harmony and prosperity.

If anything, you have to leave the rampant everyday cynicism at the door, and embrace the work's idealism ... the best you can.

"Artists are also thinkers, and use their rational mind, too. Artists must engage with issues and commit to pertinent problems of the day. Issues are the food for artists and they must show a sign of engagement," adds the Kedah-born Zulkifli.

As you investigate and circle the pieces, you will find Zulkifli has symbolically translated and metaphorically presented the idea of "shared aspirations" as installation pieces. Presumably, there is no desire to preach nor indulge in corporate sloganeering. But there is a need in Merdeka! A Work In Progress to reiterate the message that the foundations of this country have been well laid, ensuring its wealth of opportunities can be pursued by those willing and capable while its abundance of natural resources are to be shared by all.

The two centre pieces in the installation – a collage of resin, canvas and wood – as displayed in the gallery, symbolise various precious minerals, placed in a symmetrical composition. The eight accompanying pieces represent the overabundance of natural resources, like ripe fruits, ready to be plucked and consumed.

The six floor pieces are shaped based on the form of the kawah, a traditional Malay cauldron used for cooking for a large crowd during festivities, as metaphor for unity.

In not so many words, Zulkifli has laid out his observations and perceptions of the country, where everyone has a right to the Merdeka! dream.

"Artworks can then be taken as a form of solution to pertinent problems," he concludes.

Merdeka! A Work In Progress is open for public viewing at Galeri Petronas, Level 3, Suria KLCC till Sept 22. Open from Tuesdays to Sundays (10am to 8pm); closed on Mondays. Admission is free.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Isnin, 5 Ogos 2013