Ahad, 1 September 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro


RSAF celebrates 45th anniversary

Posted:

THE Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) celebrated its 45th anniversary at a parade officiated by Chief of Air Force Major-General Hoo Cher Mou at Tengah Air Base.

Speaking at the parade, he reiterated the RSAF's commitment towards national defence. 

He said: "While we cannot know for certain what the future might bring, the building blocks of our success are in place and they will not change: unflinching dedication to mission, utmost professionalism, commitment to one another, and absolute loyalty to Singapore.

"On this occasion of the 45th anniversary of our nation's Air Force, we renew our pledge to defend our nation's skies and to keep our Air Force, in the years to come, above all."

Also present at the parade were Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Ng Chee Meng, senior Singapore Armed Forces officers and servicemen and women from the RSAF. 

Members of the public also attended the parade.

In a statement, Mindef noted the RSAF has completed its restructuring into six operational Commands as well as enhanced its capabilities with new platforms, cutting-edge technologies and war fighting concepts. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Residents help restore Lower Pierce Park

Posted:

NEARLY 50 residents from the Kebun Baru area came together in the morning for the first time to help restore grass patches in Lower Pierce Park damaged by wild boars.

Using shovels provided by NParks, they worked together in an area about half the size of a football field for about two hours yesterday to help make the damaged patches as even as possible.

The initiative was organised by the Kebun Baru Vista Neighbourhood Committee (NC), which looks into the welfare of residents in private estates and condominiums in the area. 

"We are passionate and we have a desire to do our part to improve the park's environment because many of us come here regularly for exercise and recreation," said Chang Nam Yuen, the chairman of the Kebun Baru Vista NC. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Obama and aides confront sceptical Congress on Syria strike

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and his top aides launched a full-scale political offensive on Sunday to persuade a sceptical Congress to approve a military strike against Syria, but faced a struggle to win over lawmakers from both parties and a war-weary American public.

Obama made calls to members of the House of Representatives and Senate, with more scheduled for Monday, underscoring the task confronting the administration before it can go ahead with using force in response to a deadly chemical attack blamed on the Syrian government.

Dozens of lawmakers, some in tennis shirts or shirtsleeves, cut short their vacations and streamed into the corridors of the Capitol building for a Sunday afternoon intelligence briefing on Syria with Obama's national security team.

When they emerged nearly three hours later, there was no immediate sign that the many sceptics in Congress had changed their minds. Many questioned the broad nature of the measure Obama is seeking, suggesting it needed to be narrowed.

"I am very concerned about taking America into another war against a country that hasn't attacked us," said Representative Janice Hahn, a California Democrat. On the way out of the briefing, she said the participants appeared "evenly divided" on whether to give Obama approval.

Most seemed convinced that Syria had engaged in chemical warfare. "The searing image of babies lined up dead, that's what I can't get out of my mind right now," Democratic Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz said after the closed-door briefing.

But the credibility of the administration's intelligence is turning out to be a less important issue than the nature and usefulness of the response.

Earlier in the day, Secretary of State John Kerry invoked the crimes of Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein and warned of a potential threat to Israel a day after Obama delayed an imminent attack on Syrian targets until after a congressional vote.

Even as Kerry took to the airwaves touting new evidence that deadly sarin gas was used in the August 21 chemical attack near Damascus, the scope of the challenge confronting the administration became apparent.

Lawmakers questioned the effectiveness of limited strikes, the possible unintended consequence of dragging the United States into another open-ended Middle East conflict, the wisdom of acting without broader international backing to share the burden, and the war fatigue of the American public.

Polls show the public is largely opposed to U.S. military action.

While Kerry predicted Obama would win the endorsement he wants, a growing cacophony of congressional critics - ranging from liberal Democratic doves to Republican Tea Party conservatives - illustrated just how hard that will be.

"I'm not convinced that the administration's support will resolve the issues in Syria," Representative Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, said as he left the meeting, adding he was leaning toward a "no" vote.

"In terms of whether not a lot of questions were really answered today? I'd say no," he said.

Kerry, the administration's most impassioned voice for intervention in Syria's 2-1/2-year civil war, was left to publicly defend Obama's stunning reversal, a decision that puts any strike on hold for at least nine days.

"This is squarely now in the hands of Congress," Kerry told CNN, saying he had confidence lawmakers "will do what is right because they understand the stakes."

In a round of television appearances, Kerry declined to say whether Obama would proceed with military action if Congress rejects his request, as Britain's parliament did last week.

He echoed Obama's comments in the White House Rose Garden on Saturday, insisting the president had the right to act on his own if he chooses that course.

Obama is taking a gamble by putting the brakes on the military assault he considers essential to maintain U.S. credibility after he had said the use of chemical weapons would constitute a "red line" for the United States.

U.S. military officials are using the delay to reassess which ships will be used for a strike, and which sites in Syria to target. One change was a decision to send the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its entire strike group toward the Red Sea to help support the Syria strike, if needed.

MORE EVIDENCE

The consensus on Capitol Hill is that Obama has a good chance of winning approval in the Democratic-led Senate, but the vote appears too close to call in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where the president's opponents rarely miss an opportunity to block him.

The White House is due to talk with House Democrats by telephone on Monday, and Obama will meet with the heads of several key House and Senate committees in person on Tuesday.

Acknowledging that the administration has its work cut out, Kerry insisted Congress could not "have it both ways" by demanding a voice and then abdicating responsibility to uphold the international bans on chemical weapons use.

Kerry used the television appearances to provide further evidence backing accusations against the Syrian government.

"I can share with you today that blood and hair samples that have come to us through an appropriate chain of custody, from east Damascus, from first responders, it has tested positive for signatures of sarin," Kerry told CNN's "State of the Union."

It was the first time the administration had pinpointed the chemical used in the attack, which U.S. intelligence agencies said killed more than 1,400 people, many of them children.

OBAMA'S DILEMMA

Obama's efforts are sure to be hampered by his dismal relations with congressional Republicans. Another bitter face-off on government spending is looming this autumn.

Lawmakers for the most part welcomed Obama's decision to consult them, but looked in no hurry to reconvene early from their summer recess, which lasts until September 9.

Underscoring a sense of wariness even from Obama's traditional allies, many Democrats joined Republicans in saying the use-of-force resolution offered by the White House is too broad and that new language will be written for consideration.

Several said they wanted it to include strict time limits, guarantee that no U.S. troops would be sent into Syria, and tie authorization for any further military action to additional chemical weapons use by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"The president said this is going to be limited. Yet that's an open-ended authorization to just about do anything he wants," said Democratic Senator Tom Harkin.

"The resolution as it is right now is so open-ended that it gives a blanket authority with no time limits. You can't accept it just on its face," said Republican Representative Dennis Ross. "Now we have to look at what is the exit strategy if we do a strike, and I don't know if we're going to do that."

Republican Representative Peter King of New York said it was unclear if lawmakers would sign off on an attack on Syria, but he warned Obama may have to overcome "the isolationist wing" of the Republican Party to prevail.

Seeking to lay the groundwork for what is expected to be a heated congressional debate, Kerry tipped his hand on one administration tactic - linking the vote to safeguarding U.S. ally Israel from the Syrian chemical weapons threat.

"I don't think they will want to vote, ultimately, to put Israel at risk," Kerry said.

Lawmakers of both major political parties recognize how important it is to be seen as defenders of Israel, especially at election time, when they compete to show voters who is a better friend of the Jewish state.

(Adding dropped words in name, paragraph 30)

(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason, Thomas Ferraro, Patricia Zengerle, Patrick Temple-West, David Brunnstrom, Rachelle Younglai and Andrea Shalal-Esa; Writing by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Jackie Frank, Fred Barbash and Peter Cooney)

U.S. says its envoy took part in Israeli-Palestinian meeting

Posted:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Sunday for the first time that the U.S. envoy for Israeli-Palestinian peace had taken part in a meeting between the two parties since negotiations resumed in late July, but declined to say when or whether any progress was made.

"Israeli and Palestinian delegations have been meeting continuously since final status negotiations resumed on July 29," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a brief written statement.

"The negotiations have been serious, and U.S. Special Envoy Martin Indyk and his team have been fully briefed on the bilateral talks and also participated in a bilateral negotiating session," she added. "As we have said in the past, we are not planning to read out the details of these meetings."

It was not clear why the State Department decided to make the disclosure.

Despite deep scepticism among analysts and diplomats, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry this summer succeeded in persuading the two sides to resume peace negotiations that had collapsed in 2010.

Since their resumption, the State Department has said little about their course, and much of the Obama administration national security team's attention has been focused on the Egyptian military's crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and on the Syrian government's alleged use of chemical weapons against its own people.

Israeli-Palestinian peace has become Kerry's signature issue even as the United States is grappling with the unrest in Egypt and the civil war in Syria.

Kerry said on Sunday the Syrian government had used sarin against its own people in an August 21 attack.

President Barack Obama said on Saturday he believed the United States should undertake limited military action - widely expected to be in the form of cruise missile strikes - against Syria, but he decided to seek the approval of Congress for the use of force.

Obama argued it was vital to deter Syria, which borders U.S. allies Israel, Jordan and Turkey, as well as other nations or actors from using chemical munitions or other weapons of mass destruction.

(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Scornful Syria hails 'historic American retreat' as Obama hesitates

Posted:

BEIRUT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Syria hailed a "historic American retreat" on Sunday, mockingly accusing President Barack Obama of hesitation and confusion after he delayed a military response to last month's chemical weapons attack near Damascus until after a congressional vote.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said tests had shown sarin nerve gas was fired on rebel-held areas on August 21, and expressed confidence that U.S. lawmakers would do "what is right" in response.

Washington says more than 1,400 people, many of them children, were killed in the attack.

It was the deadliest incident of the Syrian civil war and the world's worst use of chemical arms since Iraq's Saddam Hussein gassed thousands of Kurds in 1988. But opinion polls have shown strong opposition to a punitive strike among Americans weary of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama's announcement on Saturday that he would seek congressional authorisation for punitive military action against Syria is likely to delay any strike for at least nine days.

His administration launched a political offensive on Sunday to win over a sceptical Congress, but faced tough questions from lawmakers in both parties.

The United Nations said Obama's announcement could be seen as part of an effort to forge a global consensus on responding to the use of chemical arms anywhere.

"The use of chemical weapons will not be accepted under any circumstances," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said. "There should be no impunity and any perpetrators of such a horrific crime against humanity must be held accountable."

The final resolution of a meeting of Arab League meeting foreign ministers meeting in Cairo urged the United Nations and international community to "take the deterrent and necessary measures against the culprits of this crime that the Syrian regime bears responsibility for".

The ministers also said those responsible for the attack should face trial, as other "war criminals" have.

The Syrian government says the attack was staged by the rebels. With Obama drawing back from the brink, President Bashar al-Assad reacted defiantly to the threat of Western retaliation, saying Syria was capable of confronting any external strike.

He left his most withering comments to his official media and a junior minister.

"Obama announced yesterday, directly or through implication, the beginning of the historic American retreat," Syria's official al-Thawra newspaper said in a front-page editorial.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad accused Obama of indecision. "It is clear there was a sense of hesitation and disappointment in what was said by President Barack Obama yesterday. And it is also clear there was a sense of confusion as well," he told reporters in Damascus.

Before Obama put on the brakes, the path had been cleared for a U.S. assault. Warships were in place and awaiting orders to launch missiles, and U.N. inspectors had left Syria after gathering evidence on the use of chemical weapons.

U.S. military officials are using the delay to reassess which ships will be used for a strike, and which sites in Syria to target. One change was a decision to send the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its entire strike group toward the Red Sea to help support a Syria strike, if needed.

SCEPTICAL CONGRESS

Kerry invoked the crimes of Adolf Hitler, Saddam and the potential threat to Israel from Syria and Iran in urging U.S. lawmakers to back a strike on Assad's forces.

"This is squarely now in the hands of Congress," he told CNN, saying he had confidence "they will do what is right because they understand the stakes."

It became apparent on Sunday that convincing Congress of atrocities committed by Assad's forces was only one of the challenges confronting Obama.

Lawmakers raised a broad array of concerns, including the potential effectiveness of limited strikes, the possible unintended consequence of sparking a wider Middle East conflict, the wisdom of acting without broader international backing to share the burden and the war weariness of the American public.

Many Democrats and Republicans are uneasy about intervening in a distant civil war in which 100,000 people have been killed over the past 2 1/2 years, and lawmakers have not cut short their summer recess, which ends September 9.

Members of Congress were briefed by Obama's national security team on the case for military action. When they emerged after nearly three hours, many members from both parties questioned the broad nature of the measure Obama is seeking, suggesting it needed to be narrowed.

"The president said this is going to be limited. Yet that's an open-ended authorization to just about do anything he wants," said Senator Tom Harkin from Obama's Democratic Party.

The White House is due to talk with House Democrats by telephone on Monday, and Obama will meet with the heads of several key House and Senate committees in person on Tuesday.

Kerry said he had more evidence backing accusations against Damascus.

"I can share with you today that blood and hair samples that have come to us through an appropriate chain of custody, from east Damascus, from first responders, it has tested positive for signatures of sarin," he told CNN.

U.N. weapons inspectors collected their own samples and diplomats say Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has told the five permanent Security Council members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - that it would take up to two weeks before the final report is ready.

In Damascus, ordinary Syrians reacted with a mixture of relief, disappointment and scorn to Obama's decision. "I have to admit this morning was the first time I felt I could sleep in," said Nawal, who works as a housekeeper in the Syrian capital.

Bread had returned to the bakeries and members of the state security forces appeared relaxed, drinking tea and chatting at their posts outside government buildings.

FRANCE CANNOT GO IT ALONE

The United States had originally been expected to lead a strike relatively quickly, backed up by its NATO allies Britain and France. But British MPs voted on Thursday against any involvement and France said on Sunday it would await the U.S. Congress' decision.

"France cannot go it alone," Interior Minister Manuel Valls told Europe 1 radio. "We need a coalition."

French President Francois Hollande, whose country ruled Syria for more than two decades until the 1940s, has come under increasing pressure to put the intervention to parliament.

A BVA poll on Saturday showed most French people did not approve of military action and most did not trust Hollande to conduct such an operation.

Jean-Marc Ayrault, his prime minister, was to meet the heads of both houses of parliament and the conservative opposition on Monday before lawmakers debate Syria on Wednesday.

French first lady Valerie Trierweiler said on Sunday she was still in shock over pictures of Syrian children killed in the attack and told France's M6, "I do not know how one can bear it, how one can accept it."

Syria and its main ally, Russia, say rebels carried out the gas attack to draw in foreign military intervention. Moscow has repeatedly used its Security Council veto to block action against Syria, saying it would be illegal and only inflame the civil war.

Critics say further delay by Obama is simply buying Assad more time.

The Istanbul-based Syrian opposition coalition said Assad had moved military equipment and personnel to civilian areas and put prisoners in military sites as human shields against any Western air strikes.

It said rockets, Scud missiles and launchers as well as soldiers had been moved to locations including schools, university dormitories and government buildings inside cities.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports, and attempts to reach Syrian officials for comment were unsuccessful.

Obama's credibility has already been called into question for not punishing Assad over earlier alleged gas attacks, and he is under pressure to act now that he believes Damascus has crossed what he once described as a "red line".

Failure to act, some say, could mean Iran would feel free to press on with a nuclear programme the West believes is aimed at developing an atomic bomb and that might encourage Israel to take matters into its own hands.

"If Obama is hesitating on the matter of Syria, then clearly on the question of attacking Iran - a move that is expected to be far more complicated - Obama will hesitate much more, and thus the chances Israel will have to act alone have increased," Israeli Army Radio quoted an unnamed government official as saying.

Financial markets have been concerned about possible intervention in Syria, and a delay caused by seeking congressional approval would be "a positive," said Michael Yoshikami, CEO of Destination Wealth Management in Walnut Creek, California.

"A delay will let investors calm down and assess things. There was a lot of concern that there would be unilateral military action, because that could have had a major impact on oil prices, which in turn would have impacted GDP and consumer spending - not what we want to see with economic growth still so slow, he said.

Pope Francis called for a negotiated solution to the conflict in Syria and announced he would lead a worldwide day of prayer for peace in the country on Saturday.

(Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Dubai, Louis Charbonneau and Edith Honan at the United Nations, Nick Tattersall in Istanbul, Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Philip Pullella in Rome, Ismael Khader in Antakya, Turkey, Michael Georgy in Cairo, Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom, Thomas Ferraro, Patricia Zengerle, Patrick Temple-West and Andrea Shalal-Esa in Washington, and Ryan Vlastelica in New York; Writing by David Stamp and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Peter Cooney; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews


Breakout movie stars this fall

Posted:

Five up-and-coming young actors who will be making headlines within the next few months.

By Brent Lang and Lucas Shaw

Many fall films are anchored by promising up-and-comers in projects that could make them household names – or Oscar attendees. Some, like Asa Butterfield, have already landed impressive parts in films like Hugo, but are ready to take the next leap forward. Others have strung together a string of weighty performances in supporting roles, but now are ready to take centre stage.

Asa Butterfield


How he'll spend his fall: Rescuing the planet from alien attacks as the teenage warrior in the big screen adaptation of Orson Scott Card's Enders Game (US: Nov 1).

Upcoming: Lionsgate and Summit think that Ender's Game (pic above) has franchise potential to rival The Hunger Games and Twilight. If audiences embrace the futuristic adventure, there could be plenty more Ender Wiggin in Butterfield's future; Card wrote four sequels to his hit novel. The 16-year old actor has also signed on to the fantasy adventure The White Circus opposite Chloe Grace Moretz.

Why he's about to break through: Butterfield first caught audiences' attention as the wide-eyed orphan in Martin Scorsese's Hugo, but Ender's Game marks his first full-fledged action role. The big-budget extravaganza will rise or fall on his performance. If it works, the opportunities are limitless. Just ask Jennifer Lawrence.

Oscar Isaac


 A puss and a melody: Oscar Isaac and a friend in Inside Llewyn Davis.

How he'll spend his fall: Stumbling his way through Greenwich Village during the 1960s folk music explosion in the Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis (US: Dec 6) and examining the finer points of 19th century Parisian infidelity in Therese opposite indie "It Girl" Elizabeth Olsen (US: Sept 27).

Upcoming: He will star as a Greek guide to married tourists in the thriller The Two Faces Of January with Viggo Mortensen and play legendary drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in The Ballad Of Pablo Escobar.

Why he's ready to break through: As a nomadic folk singer consigned to the margins of the music industry, Isaac astounded critics when the film debuted at Cannes. Many reviewers predicted big things for the actor, including a possible Oscar nomination. Isaac has demonstrated an impressive intensity in supporting roles such as the ill-fated thief he played in Drive, but here he is front and centre.

Bonus points for doing his own singing and guitar work.

Margot Robbie


How she'll spend her fall: Playing Leonardo DiCaprio's love interest in Martin Scorsese's Wolf Of Wall Street (pic above) and starring in time-travel romance About Time.

Upcoming: A supporting role in Suite Francaise, a film set in German-occupied France, and the lead role in Focus opposite Will Smith. In Focus, she'll play a young, attractive woman sheperded by a grifter (Smith).

Why she's ready to break through: Robbie has been scratching at the door of stardom for a few years, particularly when she landed a lead role on the short-lived ABC show Pan Am. She's now ready for her breakthrough thanks to movies, taking a major part in Scorsese's latest before starring alongside one of the world's biggest movie stars next year.

Daniel Bruhl

Daniel Bruhl in 'Rush'.

How he'll spend his fall: Helping Julian Assange steal state secrets as a technology activist in The Fifth Estate (US: Oct 18) and racing for the world championship as Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda (pic above) in Rush, out in the US on Sept 20.

Upcoming: He'll engage in international espionage in the big screen adaptation of John Le Carre's A Most Wanted Man opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman before crossing the boards with Kristen Stewart and Chloe Grace Moretz in the backstage drama Sils Maria.

Why he's ready to break through: Bruhl is already a star in Europe thanks to his buttermilk features that belie an inner steel. Chris Hemsworth may be the bigger name in Rush, but it's Bruhl who has the showier role as a race car driver who has to battle back from a devastating accident to compete for the sport's top prize.

Plus, with Edward Snowden a hot topic of debate, The Fifth Estate and its examination of WikiLeaks is bound to stir controversy.

Naomie Harris


How she'll spend her fall: Playing Nelson Mandela's wife Winnie in the biopic Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. The Weinstein Co film will premiere at Toronto in Canada before opening in theatres in November.

Upcoming: Though little has been announced about the next James Bond movie, it's hard to imagine she won't be included since she was anointed the new Money Penny at the end of the last one.

Why she's ready to break through: She's stolen scenes in several big-budget films over the past few years, from two Pirates Of The Caribbean films to the aforementioned Skyall (pic above) . Now viewers will get a chance to see her in a different light, playing one of the best roles for a black actress you can imagine.

While Jennifer Hudson will play it just two months earlier, we're guessing Harris holds her own. And after that? Another big Bond movie. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz


Breakout movie stars this fall

Posted:

Five up-and-coming young actors who will be making headlines within the next few months.

By Brent Lang and Lucas Shaw

Many fall films are anchored by promising up-and-comers in projects that could make them household names – or Oscar attendees. Some, like Asa Butterfield, have already landed impressive parts in films like Hugo, but are ready to take the next leap forward. Others have strung together a string of weighty performances in supporting roles, but now are ready to take centre stage.

Asa Butterfield


How he'll spend his fall: Rescuing the planet from alien attacks as the teenage warrior in the big screen adaptation of Orson Scott Card's Enders Game (US: Nov 1).

Upcoming: Lionsgate and Summit think that Ender's Game (pic above) has franchise potential to rival The Hunger Games and Twilight. If audiences embrace the futuristic adventure, there could be plenty more Ender Wiggin in Butterfield's future; Card wrote four sequels to his hit novel. The 16-year old actor has also signed on to the fantasy adventure The White Circus opposite Chloe Grace Moretz.

Why he's about to break through: Butterfield first caught audiences' attention as the wide-eyed orphan in Martin Scorsese's Hugo, but Ender's Game marks his first full-fledged action role. The big-budget extravaganza will rise or fall on his performance. If it works, the opportunities are limitless. Just ask Jennifer Lawrence.

Oscar Isaac


 A puss and a melody: Oscar Isaac and a friend in Inside Llewyn Davis.

How he'll spend his fall: Stumbling his way through Greenwich Village during the 1960s folk music explosion in the Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis (US: Dec 6) and examining the finer points of 19th century Parisian infidelity in Therese opposite indie "It Girl" Elizabeth Olsen (US: Sept 27).

Upcoming: He will star as a Greek guide to married tourists in the thriller The Two Faces Of January with Viggo Mortensen and play legendary drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in The Ballad Of Pablo Escobar.

Why he's ready to break through: As a nomadic folk singer consigned to the margins of the music industry, Isaac astounded critics when the film debuted at Cannes. Many reviewers predicted big things for the actor, including a possible Oscar nomination. Isaac has demonstrated an impressive intensity in supporting roles such as the ill-fated thief he played in Drive, but here he is front and centre.

Bonus points for doing his own singing and guitar work.

Margot Robbie


How she'll spend her fall: Playing Leonardo DiCaprio's love interest in Martin Scorsese's Wolf Of Wall Street (pic above) and starring in time-travel romance About Time.

Upcoming: A supporting role in Suite Francaise, a film set in German-occupied France, and the lead role in Focus opposite Will Smith. In Focus, she'll play a young, attractive woman sheperded by a grifter (Smith).

Why she's ready to break through: Robbie has been scratching at the door of stardom for a few years, particularly when she landed a lead role on the short-lived ABC show Pan Am. She's now ready for her breakthrough thanks to movies, taking a major part in Scorsese's latest before starring alongside one of the world's biggest movie stars next year.

Daniel Bruhl

Daniel Bruhl in 'Rush'.

How he'll spend his fall: Helping Julian Assange steal state secrets as a technology activist in The Fifth Estate (US: Oct 18) and racing for the world championship as Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda (pic above) in Rush, out in the US on Sept 20.

Upcoming: He'll engage in international espionage in the big screen adaptation of John Le Carre's A Most Wanted Man opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman before crossing the boards with Kristen Stewart and Chloe Grace Moretz in the backstage drama Sils Maria.

Why he's ready to break through: Bruhl is already a star in Europe thanks to his buttermilk features that belie an inner steel. Chris Hemsworth may be the bigger name in Rush, but it's Bruhl who has the showier role as a race car driver who has to battle back from a devastating accident to compete for the sport's top prize.

Plus, with Edward Snowden a hot topic of debate, The Fifth Estate and its examination of WikiLeaks is bound to stir controversy.

Naomie Harris


How she'll spend her fall: Playing Nelson Mandela's wife Winnie in the biopic Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. The Weinstein Co film will premiere at Toronto in Canada before opening in theatres in November.

Upcoming: Though little has been announced about the next James Bond movie, it's hard to imagine she won't be included since she was anointed the new Money Penny at the end of the last one.

Why she's ready to break through: She's stolen scenes in several big-budget films over the past few years, from two Pirates Of The Caribbean films to the aforementioned Skyall (pic above) . Now viewers will get a chance to see her in a different light, playing one of the best roles for a black actress you can imagine.

While Jennifer Hudson will play it just two months earlier, we're guessing Harris holds her own. And after that? Another big Bond movie. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


Life after Friends

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For a decade, they were our best friends on television. It is time to get reacquainted with our pals from Central Perk.

FRIENDS left an indelible mark in sitcom history during its 10-year run on the small screen.

Now, nine years after the show ended, we find out what the friends have been up to. It appears that life outside the walls of Central Perk coffeehouse hasn't exactly been rosy for the world's most famous group of friends.

Matthew Perry

Who would have thought that the bubbly man who played the sarcastic and witty Chandler Bing had a dark secret? Earlier this year, Perry opened up to People magazine and revealed that he was abusing alcohol and drugs during Friends' successful run.

Matthew Perry post Friends.

Now clean and sober at 43, Perry is still very much active in the acting circle. However, the man's spending most of his time these days advocating drug courts where non-violent drug offenders are given a chance to be rehabilitated through treatment (as opposed to serving jail time).

After Friends ended, Perry went on to star in The Ron Clark Story which garnered him a Golden Globe and an Emmy nomination for his performance. Perry's last big outing on the big screen was with Zac Efron in 2009's 17 Again.

His latest show, Go On, was cancelled after just one season. The series suffered a similar fate to his 2011 series Mr Sunshine, which got axed after nine episodes.

David Schwimmer

Unfortunately for David Schwimmer, his acting career has been stuck in second gear after the end of Friends. After the series finale in 2004, Schwimmer played the titular character in 2005's Duane Hopwood. The film was featured in the Sundance Film Festival.

Other notable film roles include the dark comedy Big Nothing and the thriller Nothing But The Truth. His big-screen break came with a voice role in the animated movie Madagascar franchise where he played Melman the giraffe.

David Schwimmer post Friends.

In recent years though, the actor has been honing his live-theatre acting skills. He made his London stage debut in 2006 with the leading role in Some Girls and, in 2006, his Broadway debut in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.

Apart from that, he also had a guest appearance on several TV shows such as 30 Rock and Entourage.

He's also stepped behind the camera to direct a handful of indie films such as Run Fatboy Run and Trust.

Matt LeBlanc

Immediately after the end of Friends, Matt LeBlanc sought to prolong the screen time of his character Joey Tribbiani in the ill-fated spin-off Joey. The show was cancelled after just one season in 2006.

Four years later, LeBlanc might have just found another recipe for success with Episodes, a new comedy series created by one of the producers of Friends. In Episodes, the now 46-year-old actor plays a fictionalised version of himself.

Matt LeBlanc post Friends.

While the critics' responses to Episodes have been mixed, LeBlanc's stint on the series nabbed him a Best Actor win at the 2012's Golden Globes Award and several Emmy nominations.

On the personal front, though, things haven't exactly been rosy for the actor. His marriage to British model Melissa McKnight failed around the same time that Joey did. LeBlanc also made tabloid headlines after he admitted to groping a stripper at a Canadian nightclub.

Jennifer Aniston

There's no doubt that she's the most high-profiled "friend" on the show. After ending her run as fashion enthusiast Rachel Green, the actress continues to make appearances on the big screen and on the pages of tabloids and magazines.

On the professional front, the response to Aniston's film career has been mixed. Her filmography includes Rumor Has It ..., Friends With Money and He's Just Not That Into You where she usually takes on the girl-next-door role. The Break-Up was a commercial success. Despite being panned by critics, the film grossed over US$203mil (RM677mil) worldwide. Aniston managed to silence the critics when she played the man-eating Dr Julia Harris in Horrible Bosses.

While she found professional success, the same can't be said about Aniston's love life. The whole Brangelina issue aside, Aniston has been linked to men such as Vince Vaughn and John Mayer. Both relationships were heavily scrutinised by the media. The actress is currently engaged to actor Justin Theroux whom she met on the set of Wanderlust.

But if anything, Aniston has lasting star power as evident from her appearance on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list (based on "earnings and fame") every year since 2011.

Courteney Cox

Family was the sole focus of Courteney Cox following the series finale of Friends. Cox had been trying for so long to conceive and when she was finally pregnant with daughter Coco, she had to decline the role of Susan Mayer (which went to Teri Hatcher) in Desperate Housewives.

The actress bounced back to TV a few years later when she played a tabloid editor in the comedy series Dirt. The show was cancelled after two seasons due to low ratings. More heartbreak ensued when Cox separated from her husband David Arquette in 2010.

Cox didn't take long to make another break on television, though. The actress is currently playing the role of a divorced real estate agent who's jumping right back on the romance wagon in her 40s in Cougar Town.Courteney Cox post Friends.

While Cougar Town has been a fan favourite, the ratings for the show have not been particularly favourable.

Cox also managed to clinch some screen time in the Scream horror movie franchise.

Lisa Kudrow

Everybody loves Phoebe, the quirkiest of the gang. Post-Friends, Lisa Kudrow embarked on a variety of projects for the small and big screens, and even online.

Lisa Kudrow after Friends.

Kudrow dabbled in a number of indie films, but it was comedy that eventually put her back on the map.

In The Comeback, Kudrow stars as Valerie Cherish, an insecure and desperate actor. She scored an Emmy nomination but the show was cancelled after only 13 episodes, much to the chagrin of fans.

Kudrow later won acclaim for her improvised online series Web Therapy, but the transition of the series to the small screen was greeted with a somewhat lukewarm response. Apart from that, Kudrow has also appeared in a string of movies from PS I Love You to the hit comedy Easy A.

That said, Kudrow's most notable work would have to be as executive producer for the US instalment of the British genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? Kudrow traced back her family tree during the first season of the show.

Up next, Kudrow is set to guest-star in the hit series, Scandal.

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Network services provider OCK in expansion mode

Posted:

PUCHONG: After setting up a subsidiary in Myanmar in July, followed by the incorporation of a unit in Cambodia last month, OCK Group Bhd is looking at Thailand and Indonesia for more potential business opportunities.

Managing director Sam Ooi said the telco network services provider has been studying and researching about venturing into some of the South-East Asian markets since the end of last year.

"In this globalised era, there is no business border and we see opportunities in our neighbouring countries where there is a need for network improvement," he told StarBiz in an interview.

In Myanmar, it is submitting bids for projects alongside vendors to Norway-based telecommunication giant Telenor Group and Qatar-based Qtel Group, which had received the telco licence from the Myanmar Government.

"The two telco operators will have a huge roll-out and they might plan for 4,000 to 5,000 sites within two years.

"As we have already set up a company there, we will bid for the jobs," he said, adding that there could be a "substantial" source of income should it successfully secure some of the contracts.

About two weeks ago, it announced the establishment of its Cambodian unit, Phnom Penh Pte Ltd under its wholly-owned subsidiary OCK International Sdn Bhd, an investment holding company for its regional and international businesses and subsidiaries and the provision of telecommunication network services and trading of related products and materials.

Due to the consolidation in the telco industry in Cambodia, particularly when Axiata Group Bhd's Hello merged with Smart, there will be some consolidating work required.

As OCK has worked with Axiata's local arm, Celcom Axiata Bhd, it stands a chance of winning contracts in Cambodia, he added.

On top of that, it also sees some opportunities in building and maintaining towers in that country.

Recently, it studied the feasibility of setting up a subsidiary in Bangkok for a potential green technology business.

"It is not easy to set up a 100%-owned company in Thailand compared with Myanmar, so we are still studying the process," he said.

At the same time, the long-term evolution (LTE) roll-out in Indonesia has also attracted Ooi's attention as it meant a huge business opportunity for OCK.

"We have intentions of penetrating the market due to the attractive growth potential there," he said.

Back at home, he said the telco sector was still growing steadily as the LTE roll-out in Malaysia was still at the initial stage.

"I believe LTE licence holders will continue to roll out 4G services more aggressively next year," he said, adding that telco players would have to deploy twice the number of existing stations for full coverage nationwide.

This is due to the shorter distance of between towers are built to enable high frequency transmission.

He said the LTE activities in the domestic telco industry would keep it busy for another three to four years.

Some operators may also choose to lease towers from network facility providers (NFP) like OCK, which owns about 60 towers currently, to reduce their capital expenditure, he said.

It aimed to increase the number to 300 sites by end-2014.

The licence it obtained in July from the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission allowed it to lay fibre and lease it to operators, which is an additional scope for the services it provides.

According to Ooi, it has also secured a 10 megawatt-solar farm contract at a site in Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang.

In July, it acquired Milab Marketing Sdn Bhd, which had received a development order for a solar farm project in Kelantan that could generate power of one megawatt, he said.

Going forward, it aims to grow the solar farm business, he added.

Based on its expansion plan, he estimated recurring income from its network facility provision and solar concession business to contribute some 5% to 10% to its topline.

Commenting on how the weaker ringgit would impact its business, he said it would be felt within its trading division which could see its profit dip by 2% to 3%.

Nonetheless, the segment only contributed 8% to its income for its financial year ended December 31, 2012.

KLCI starts September on cautious note

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's blue chips kicked off September on a cautious note, with the FBM KLCI down in early Monday trade, weighed by small losses in banks and Sime Darby.

At 9.02am, the KLCI was down 4.21 points to 1,723.37. Turnover was 36.62 million shares valued at RM12.07mil. There were 64 gainers, 83 losers and 104 counters unchanged.

Tan Chong fell the most, down 68 sen to RM6.30 while MABH gave up 30 sento RM6.68 and Lafarge 23 sen to RM9.23.

Public Bank foreign fell 16 sen to RM17 with 100 shares done, RHB Cap 10 sen lower at RM7.38 and Public Bank six sen to RM17. Sime Darby shed none sen to RM9.30.

Datasonic was the top gainer, up 19 sen to RM3.49 while Aeon Credit added eight sen to RM15.98 while Apollo added seven sen to RM4.21.

Asia shares, Aussie dlr buoyed by China data, yen retreats

Posted:

TOKYO:  Asian shares, the Australian dollar and copper prices rose on Monday while the yen fell as hopes grew that China may have halted a sharp economic slowdown after factory activity data expanded at the fastest pace in more than a year in August.

A delay to U.S. military action against Syria, as U.S. President Barack Obama seeks Congressional support, also helped boost short-term risk appetite.

Steven Englander, Citi's global head of G10 FX strategy, recommended investors short the yen on the back of the Chinese figures, the Syrian news and a panel supporting Japanese sales tax increase.

China's official purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to the highest level since last April and topped market expectations. A separate manufacturing PMI report from HSBC is due at 0200 GMT.

"This will reinforce views of China stabilisation. It is a risk positive, if only because it removes some of the short-term risk that the China slowdown could spiral further downwards," Englander said.

Stock markets in the region got off to a positive start as the China PMI, and the recent data from the U.S. and Europe, raised hopes the global economy was on a firmer footing.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.3 percent after rising 2.1 percent in the previous two sessions. Japan's benchmark Nikkei gained 0.8 percent.

The yen had risen recently on heightened geopolitical tensions and as investors dumped emerging market currencies as they positioned for the U.S. Federal Reserve to begin reducing stimulus, perhaps as early as later this month.

On Monday, the yen slipped 0.4 percent to 98.455 yen to the dollar, pulling well away from last week's low of 96.81, and eased 0.3 percent to 130.00 to the euro.

The Australian dollar, which is seen as a proxy for Chinese growth because of the two countries' close trade ties, rose 0.3 percent to $0.8936.

Against a basket of major currencies, the U.S. dollar held steady at a four-week high.

Trading activity was likely to be light with the U.S. markets closed for the Labor Day holiday.

Buoyed by the factory activity data from top consumer China, copper prices rose 0.6 percent and were on track to snap a four-day losing run.

But oil and gold prices fell as investors unwound their positions as the U.S. delayed military strike against the Syrian government, blamed for using chemical weapons against civilian.

Brent crude prices dropped 1.8 percent to around $112.3 a barrel after falling for a second day in a row on Friday, while gold shed 1.1 percent to around $1,308 an ounce. - Reuters

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Construction of Second Bridge back on track

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GEORGE TOWN: Construction work on the ramps' section of the Second Penang Bridge has resumed following the greenlight obtained from the Department of the Occupational Safety and Health and the Penang Municipal Council.

Work on Ramp 1 and Ramp 2 of the Batu Maung Interchange (Package 3 A), which partially collapsed on June 6 and killed a motorist, is now back on track.

Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd (JKSB) public relations and communication adviser Datuk Mohammad Salleh Rafie, who confirmed this, said the stop-work order was lifted several weeks ago.

"The construction of Package 3A was put on hold due to the incident on June 6 where one of the ramps collapsed. We expect the contractor to complete this package by Oct 8 and the roads near the ramp will also be reopened once the interchange is completed," he said after the commissioning of street and decorative lighting on the Second Bridge on Friday.

This was the first time that lights were lit on the bridge and it came about in conjunction with the 56th National Day celebrations.

Mohammed Salleh stressed that the ramp which caved in during the mishap had not affected the overall structure of the bridge.

He assured the public that the bridge was safe for users.

"The public need not worry about its safety. The bridge is safe for use and it will be opened to the public later this year upon approval from the Works Ministry," he said.

The RM4.5bil Second Penang Bridge spanning 24km, with 16.9km over the sea, will link Batu Kawan on the mainland with Batu Maung on the island.

The project, now about 97.5% completed, is listed as a mega project by the Federal Government. Upon completion, it is expected to spur the socio-economic growth and development, especially in the Northern Corridor Economic Region.

At the lighting ceremony, Mohammad Salleh said about 105 out of 292 street light poles from Pier 0 to Pier 48 on the bridge were activated for the first time to show the project was on track, including the decorative lights at the main navigational span.

"The decorative lights are unique as the colour and tempo of the lights will change according to the country's major festivities or celebrations, similar to those of Incheon Bridge in South Korea that changes its colours according to the (four) seasons."

Vehicle and wall damaged in police car chase drama

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Driver Mahrus Safie had always parked his car in front of his home in Taman Batu, Jinjang.

However, the only time in 14 years he decided to park at the junction of his street proved to be a costly mistake when his car was rammed by another car that was being chased by police.

"There was no space to park other than at the junction. I sometimes park my car at the side lane but not this time," he said.

Mahrus, 48, said there were other cars parked at the junction but only his car was damaged.

"I had just repainted my car two months ago for RM1,800. My insurance company told me it may not be able to pay for the damage," Mahrus told reporters at a press conference organised by Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng.

Home owner Lee Swi Bon, 58, said he was jolted from his sleep by the crash that knocked down part of his perimeter wall.

"I peered out the window and saw police cars outside my house and some officers were detaining some people," he said.

Police arrested two men, aged 40 and 27, at 4.30am after the duo crashed their car into Mahrus' car, that in turn rammed into Lee's wall.

The car driven by the suspects was reported stolen in Sri Damansara.

City CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ku Chin Wah said both men had criminal records.

Thieves make off with over RM660,000 from ATMs

Posted:

KOTA BARU: Thieves carted away RM667,906 after breaking open three automated teller machines (ATMs) at a bank in Chabang Tiga, Pengkalan Chepa here.

Kelantan deputy police chief Datuk Mazlan Lazim said the thieves made their way into the ATM area through the roof behind the building which housed the bank at about 3am yesterday.

"They cut an iron grille door of the building and the ATMs using oxy-acetylene torches.

"We believe they are skilled in using oxy-acetylene torches. They arrived at the scene in a car."

He said the thieves, however, did not attempt to break a cash deposit machine in the ATM area.

Mazlan said the police had set up a team to track down the thieves and would check through closed-circuit television (CCTV) footages recorded from nearby buildings and shops.

Calling on the public to come forward if they have information on the break-in, he said he hoped banks would report to the police if there were empty shop houses near their premises.

Mazlan added that until August, three ATMs were broken into in Pasir Mas and Pengkalan Chepa here. — Bernama

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Torn between politics and ideology

Posted:

He may be a controversial figure, but Narendra Modi looks like the Bharatiya Janata Party's best bet to lead it on the road to New Delhi.

AS India heads into an election year, the Congress Party-led government is on its last legs.

After two terms in power, it is enmeshed in corruption scandals and an unshakeable perception of poor governance.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India's main opposition party, which should be taking advantage of the government's dire condition, is faltering.

Following successive election defeats, and a political environment primed for a change, the BJP faces a choice: move toward the political centre or cling to ideological purity and lurch rightward in an attempt at a divide and conquer strategy.

All signs point to a rightward shift. The BJP's embrace of the far right is embodied by the rise of Gujarat state's chief minister, Narendra Modi, a controversial figure who represents an uncompromising strand of his party's Hindu-nationalist ideology.

Should the BJP choose Modi as its standard-bearer for the general election – a real possibility given his increasing popularity – Modi's polarising style would likely scare away prospective coalition partners and lead to an unstable government dominated by small, regional parties.

Most troubling, Modi's Hindu-nationalism is likely to lead to a deepening of sectarian divisions, India being home to the world's second-largest Muslim population. His questionable conduct during the 2002 riots in Gujarat that left more than 1,000 people dead, mostly Muslims, has shadowed his ascent to the national stage.

He is accused at the very least of doing nothing while Gujarat burned, and at worst of having helped to orchestrate the violence.

In a recent interview with Reuters, Modi did not help his cause when asked about the riots. He answered by saying his feelings of pain for the tragedy were similar to how he'd feel if a puppy had been run over by a car in which he was merely a passenger.

As a consequence of the riots, Modi suffers the indignity of a US visa ban, in effect since 2005, and he remains a target of human rights groups the world over.

He also faces the spectre of investigations into the extrajudicial killings of suspected terrorists by the police in Gujarat, which could implicate his closest aides, and perhaps even Modi himself, in the coming weeks.

For all his talents he has few allies outside his party, a handicap in an era of coalition governments.

The BJP should now be welcoming more partners into its fold. Instead, in June it lost its largest ally, Janata Dal (United), in the large swing state of Bihar, a break-up catalysed by Modi's ascension.

Still, most BJP members - and increasing numbers of voters - seem convinced that Modi, with his larger-than-life persona and unquestioned religious pedigree, is their long awaited Hindu Hriday Samrat - the ruler of Hindu hearts.

The son of a tea-stall owner, Modi, 62, has spent most of his life in politics, joining the right-wing Hindu-nationalist Sangh Parivar organisation early on and rising through its ranks by displaying impressive organising abilities.

He moved to the BJP in 1987 and was appointed chief minister of Gujarat as a midterm replacement in 2001 without ever having fought an election.

In the decade since, Modi has won three straight state elections and engineered remarkable economic growth for his province – some even go as far as describing it as the Guangdong of India.

His focus on pro-investment policies, cutting red tape, extensive infrastructure development, while using his personal charm to woo foreign and domestic investment, has been a marked contrast to most other state governments.

When Tata Motors fell out with the West Bengal government in 2008 over plans to set up a production plant for its "People's Car" - the Nano - Modi wasted no time in text messaging Ratan Tata welcoming him to Gujarat with open arms.

Soon enough, the first Nano was rolled out in his state. Other corporations say they've found Gujarat an oasis for investment.

With a national economy that has recently hit a wall, it's no surprise that India's business class stands united behind Modi as their preferred choice for prime minister, a trend mirrored to a lesser degree in recent national opinion polls.

He describes his governing philosophy as "maximum governance, minimum government," a creed familiar to conservatives everywhere.

Impressive as his achievements may be, his model of development is unlikely to be a good fit for the rest of India.

Gujarat may be an industrial powerhouse but the state's performance in areas of concern to the common man, like human development, is spotty.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal a year ago, Modi appeared out of his depth when he diagnosed his state's high malnutrition rates as being a result of the vegetarian diet, and the state's middle class being "more beauty conscious than health conscious".

The lessons Modi has learned running a one-party state with a strong hand would likely not apply well to the consensual give-and-take nature of a coalition government in New Delhi.

No prime minister of modern India has been able to rule by diktat.

The BJP would do better to look to the example of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose years as prime minister from 1998 to 2004 were largely characterised by a consensual approach to governing.

Vajpayee was like an Indian Ronald Reagan: a true believer in the conservative cause who packaged his ideological stridency into a narrative that depicted the BJP as a responsible party of governance, palatable to its core voters while allaying the fears of disparate coalition allies.

But once Vajpayee left the scene, the BJP steadily drifted toward the far right.

The promise of a Modi victory could prove to be a mirage. Elections are still decided in rural India, where he is yet to be fully tested.

Only L.K. Advani, the octogenarian co-founder of the BJP and Modi's mentor-turned-rival, stands in his path to leading the party.

But Advani's failure as prime minister candidate in the 2009 elections, and the groundswell of rank-and-file support for Modi, may undermine his quest.

Yet, even if Modi is victorious, he would most likely lead an unwieldy coalition government involving decision-making by consultation and consensus, a balancing act that is not his strong suit.

On key global issues like nuclear disarmament, climate change, trade and terrorism, India would find it nearly impossible to craft a coherent policy.

On top of that, India relies on foreign funds to finance its alarmingly large current account deficit – currently contributing to a steep depreciation of the rupee – and if foreign investors were to lose confidence in a new and unstable government, the economy's downward slip would accelerate.

With Indians begging for good governance, the BJP must decide whether to choose Modi's ideological path or to recalibrate to Vajpayee-like inclusiveness.

On that question hinges the outcome of the election – and the future of India.

But Modi's message may well prove difficult to resist: "From snake-charmers, we are now a nation of mouse-charmers. Our youngsters are shaping the world with the click of a mouse." — © 2013 The International Herald Tribune

Krishan Partap Singh is the author of "The War Ministry", the latest in a series of political novels set in New Delhi.

Men, women and the cities

Posted:

In crimes of sexual violence in urban contexts, men in Pakistan and India can target women without fear of accruing any social cost.

ISLAMABAD: It happened around dusk, the time when the cities of South Asia – Lahore and Delhi and Mumbai and Karachi – exhale collectively and let millions out into the streets to begin their slow crawl home.

The victim was a photojournalist who had been taking pictures of an abandoned factory in Mumbai. For protection, perhaps, she had a male colleague accompany her. It was not enough.

As news reports would decry soon afterwards, the 23-year-old was brutally raped by a gang of five men and her escort beaten. India, which has hardly recovered from the gang rape of a bus passenger in Delhi barely a year ago, was once again stunned by this latest act of gender violence.

Spurred into action by media coverage and denunciations by activists and political parties across the board, Mumbai police authorities had, by Sunday, arrested five suspects, each of whom, if found guilty, is expected to face the maximum 20-year sexual violence penalty passed into law by the Indian legislature a few months ago.

The victim is said to be recovering from her injuries. In a statement to the media, she said: "Rape is not the end of life. I want the strictest punishment for the accused, and to return to duty as soon as possible."

Her brave remarks were praised by activists and political figures across India.

The victim of the gruesome Delhi gang rape, they may have remembered, had died from her injuries and never been able to make such a statement.

Across the border in Pakistan, rape often is the end of life, with many victims choosing to commit suicide or suffer in silence rather than press charges. If social taboos do not destroy their chances of survival, other factors will ensure their persecution.

Even while Indian legislators increased the penalties for rapists this year, the Council of Islamic Ideology, Pakistan's constitutional advisory body on Islamic injunctions, deemed DNA evidence inadmissible as primary evidence in rape cases.

Already, the number of victims coming forth or pressing charges in Pakistani courts is quite low.

The burden that gender places on the subcontinent's females is thus formidable. In both India and Pakistan, droves of people are pouring into cities, leaving behind the communal structures of old.

Recent studies reveal that the Asian cities are seeing the greatest increase of urbanisation in the world.

Karachi is supposed to be the fastest growing city in the world and is projected to overtake Shanghai by the year 2025. Mumbai is similarly situated. On both streets, millions of women take to cars, buses and rickshaws every day, out to earn a living.

The rupees enable them to manage the steep costs of living, a parent's healthcare bills, a sister's wedding or a younger brother's tuition. The demands are many and the pressure is great.

Against all of this are pre-urban social structures that have not yet developed the cultural mechanisms to ensure women's safety or punishments for those that jeopardise it.

In India and Pakistan, the basic moral mechanisms of society continue to be largely communal, resting on the maintenance of reputation, honour and the precept that a woman must be kept at home to be kept safe.

According to the old ways of life, before the city, the best deterrent against the commission of rape is the threat of retaliation and the shaming not only of the person who commits the act but his entire extended family.

In the post-migratory urban environment, this mechanism fails. In crimes of sexual violence in urban contexts, men can target women without fear of accruing any social cost, the intimate nature of the crime precluding the likelihood of their ever being caught.

The anonymity of a newly-grown city, with police forces still dominated by patriarchal ideas of old, serves thus to victimise women.

In the namelessness of new urban landscapes, male reputations, it seems, can be made and remade many times, creating an amoral space where men can do as they please.

Women, however, are left still imprisoned, dangling between governments that are unable to hold men accountable in the newly individualised urban environment and old communal arrangements that expect them to abandon public life for safety.

In sum, the few old strictures that were available to curb male sexual violence are no longer viable, the mores of "protecting" women by restricting them to the home are no longer economically feasible.

At the same time, the mechanisms of state – the laws and their enforcers – are unable or unwilling to fill the moral vacuum or let go of the beliefs that see all women in the public as somehow sexually available.

Growing fast and teeming with women, the cities of South Asia are thus moral spaces that are contested between the old and the new and between men and women.

Acts of collective male violence against women, such as the rape in Mumbai, reveal the gross inequality in the moral costs of urbanisation, where the absence of robust mechanisms for prosecuting rapists effectively creates an environment where women can be victimised without repercussions, leaving them condemned to a life on the defensive.

In this sense, in both Pakistan and India, women's bodies become targets for male rage and aggression, their visibility even being equated with the opportunities being taken away from men in the city where chances are few and the burdens many.

> The writer is an attorney teaching constitutional law and political philosophy.

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