Selasa, 24 September 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro


Credit cards put squeeze on many

Posted:

More people are now struggling to pay off their credit card bills, new figures show, as if underlining the need for the tough new rules governing credit card debt.

Data released by the Credit Bureau Singapore (CBS) yesterday also show that as well as falling behind on payments, they are now owing more.

As of July, there were 62,830 unsecured credit customers who had not made a minimum payment in two months – a striking 12.7% more than the 55,726 people in that category last year.

Unsecured credit includes credit cards, overdrafts and personal loans that are not backed by collateral.

The total amount on unsecured cards, overdrafts and personal loans that are two months or more past due rose as well.

It stood at S$230.7mil (RM591mil) in July, up from S$212.5mil (RM545mil) last year and S$183.8mil (RM469mil) in 2011.

Consumers now rack up an average monthly debt of S$8,030 (RM20,500) on credit cards and overdrafts – up from S$7,859 (RM20,150) last year and S$7,349 (RM18,840) in 2011.

The steady rise in red ink is likely why the Monetary Authority of Singapore launched new rules on unsecured credit loans earlier this month, said CIMB regional economist Song Seng Wun.

"After the binge, comes the belt tightening. When the bad loans are rising against the backdrop of an unexpected external shock or the risk of interest rates going up, the possibility of people on the margin and defaulting is there," said Song.

The new rules include barring financial institutions from giving out more loans to people whose unsecured debt totals more than 12 months of their income for 90 days or more.

CBS research also found that people aged 35 to 39 had the highest percentage of delinquency and were most likely to roll over credit card debts compared with those in other age groups.

CBS executive director William Lim said that people in that age bracket could have major financial commitments like having their first house or child.

"For most of us, in that age range, your level of financial responsibility is probably at its highest and your financial resources may not be at their peak. You're probably at your peak when you're in your 40s for most people," said Lim.

However, there were also some encouraging figures from CBS.

One showed that the overall delinquency rate dipped slightly, from 6.5% in March last year to 6.4% in March this year.

This means that the proportion of people who failed to make repayments for credit card billings, and home, motor and study loans fell marginally.

The average credit score of consumers nationwide has also risen – from 1,897 in March last year to 1,904 this year out of a maximum score of 2000.

The higher the score, the lower the risk of the consumer falling into default.

Lim said credit scores have likely improved on the back of more responsible behaviour. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Injured workers avoiding dorms and don’t know MOM can help

Posted:

CONSTRUCTION worker D. Mathavan is broke.

The 40-year-old has not worked for six months due to a hand injury, yet insists on borrowing cash from friends to pay the S$200-a-month (RM512) rent to stay at a shophouse in Little India.

He would pay only about S$50 (RM128) a month if he stayed at his company's dormitory, but he does not want to as he fears his boss will send him back to India.

Migrant workers' group Transient Workers Count Too is calling on the Manpower Ministry (MOM) to step in and provide accommodation for injured workers where they can feel safe.

The organisation says that problems result when workers run away. Some end up doing illegal work, such as washing dishes, and end up living in overcrowded shophouses.

Under Singapore law, employers are responsible for housing injured foreign workers or those with whom they are in dispute.

The Transient Workers group surveyed 163 such workers, from India or Bangladesh, between April and June to discover the extent of the problem.

Only one was staying at accommodation provided by his company, while just 45 workers – about 28% – had been offered accommodation by their bosses.

A Manpower Ministry spokesman said staff whose employers do not fulfil their responsibility to house them should approach the ministry for help.

However, the spokesman said that it is "not reasonable to compel the employer to provide alternative accommodation" for all workers.

The exceptions are if their accommodation is unacceptable, the worker is physically assaulted or threatened or if attempts have been made to forcibly repatriate the worker without reporting the work accident.

Volunteer Balambigai Balakrishnan, who led the survey, said employees are not turning to the ministry for help and did not know that they can do so. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews


Chris Hemsworth gives viewers an adrenaline Rush

Posted:

Chris Hemsworth shifts gear to play an F1 driver in new film.

HAVING bulked up for Thor: The Dark World, Chris Hemsworth found himself having to lose some of that extra weight really quickly before he started filming Rush.

Directed by Ron Howard, Rush sees Hemsworth portraying race car driver James Hunt, in a four-year period of the Englishman's life leading up to Formula One World Championship in 1976.

While Hunt stood an inch shorter than the 190.5cm Hemsworth, Hunt was a lot slimmer – so, you know, he'd fit in the small space of the racing car.

In a transcript provided by TGV Cinemas, Hemsworth shared: "For Thor I was 98kg and I got down to 84kg for this film, and it was hard work. It's funny, my wife was pregnant at the time and I felt I had more symptoms of pregnancy than she had – I was moody, hungry and tired – because I was overtrained and underfed. But I had to get rid of all of that weight because I was obviously too big."

Well, his effort definitely paid off as the Australian actor not only fit into an F1 car, he also got to drive it in scenes that are less dangerous.

According to the blue-eyed actor, the first time he got to drive such a powerful machine, he felt the roar of the engine and how the car vibrated.

"You are locked into this little cocoon and your shoulders are rubbing the sides of the cabin and you feel that this car is an extension of your body.

"And there's such a sense of power because it's right at your fingertips. You also realise how vulnerable you are because of the precarious nature of the machines. It's an incredible feeling. Once you get into that machine you immediately understand the addiction to that world and the adrenaline rush that comes with it. It hits you in the gut."

Besides taking a peek at Hunt's life, Rush also explores the intense rivalry between Hunt and fellow driver Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) on the race track. They were pretty much considered the rock stars of racing at that time – two professionals, both at the top of their games, each with a different personality and lifestyle. It is said that in the 1970s, driving race cars was a lethal profession as safety was not top priority, unlike now.

Hemsworth was intrigued as to how this affected Hunt, an adrenaline-junkie with a reputation for drinking and enjoying the company of women off the track.

"What was it that attracted them to that kind of world? I think there was an immediacy that the sport gave them. Nothing forces you to be in the moment more than the threat of death and that highly adrenaline charged race."

Chris Hemsworth plays the English race car driver James Hunt in the Ron Howard film, Rush.

Chris Hemsworth plays the English race car driver James Hunt in the Ron Howard film, Rush.

Hemsworth theorised that Hunt (who died of a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 45) lived a fast life off the track to keep the excitment going after the race was over.

"James was a man who didn't want to conform to any standard or expectation for a few different reasons. There was something I admired about the lack of self-censorship he had. He took it too far in many instances but, look, for me working in a business where you've got to be constantly careful about what you do or say and then reading about this guy and listening to audio interviews with him, he just didn't care (laughs).

"And you kind of go, 'I couldn't get away with that!' Love or hate what he did, you've got to respect him throwing it to the wall with everything that he did."

Thirty-year-old Hemsworth has had his career on track since his Hollywood debut in the 2009 films Perfect Getaway and Star Trek (as George Kirk). His popularity was sealed when he was picked to play the God of Thunder in the 2011 film, Thor. He reprises the role for the upcoming Thor sequel, out on Oct 31, and also in The Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015).

Married to Spanish actress Elsa Patanky, who gave birth to their first child last year, Hemsworth is currently attached to a number of projects.

One is Cyber, a film directed by Michael Mann, shot partially in Malaysia. The muscular actor was shooting scenes in a number of places in the Klang Valley all of last month before he flew to London early this month to promote Rush.

After Cyber, he follows up with another collaboration with Ron Howard in the director's next film, In The Heart Of The Sea, which is based on an event involving a whaling ship in 1820.

"The first thing I thought when I finished Rush was, 'When can I get back onto a set with Ron, he's the best'. I mentioned In The Heart Of The Sea to him, he read it, and loved it and things took off from there." 

Rush opens in cinemas nationwide on Thursday.

Check in to top (movie) hotels

Posted:

Some hotels around the world have provided the best backdrops for iconic movies. Here's a list of the top 10.

MOVIE fans may experience deja vu upon entering the lobby of the Regina in Paris, France, the Park Hyatt in Tokyo, Japan or the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States, which have all provided shooting locations for iconic films, whether contemporary or classic.

The hotels below offer guests a chance to walk in the footsteps of the stars.

The Park Hyatt Tokyo and Chateau Marmont

Director Sofia Coppola chose the Park Hyatt in Tokyo as the setting of her first feature-length film, Lost In Translation, released in 2003. The film featured Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson lounging in the rooms and bar of the luxury five-star hotel.

Seven years later, the director filmed Somewhere at the iconic Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles. Since opening its doors in 1929, this hotel has become a Hollywood legend, known as a haven for actors behaving badly.

Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation, which was mainly filmed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan.

Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation, which was mainly filmed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan.

The Grand Hotel Cabourg

Several scenes of Anne Fontaine's Coco Before Chanel (2009) were filmed in this historic hotel in Normandy, France, a frequent haunt of French literary legend Marcel Proust. A room in the Grand Hotel Cabourg was even renovated especially for the needs of the film.

French actress Audrey Tautou portrayed the legendary French designer in the film, lounging in the luxurious seaside hotel.

The Bellagio

Among the most famous hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada, the United States, the Bellagio is particularly well known for its fountains, which come to life every day with spectacular light, water and music shows.

The extravagance of the hotel has attracted more than one filmmaker, providing a setting that embodies the over-the-top spirit of Las Vegas. Ocean's Eleven (2002) and The Hangover (2009) are just a few of the movies that have contributed to the Bellagio's reputation as one of Sin City's most iconic establishments.

In the first The Hangover film, the good friends (from right, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper) wake up from a night of extreme 'fun' at the Hotel Bellagio in Las Vegas.

In the first The Hangover film, the good friends (from right, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper) wake up from a night of extreme 'fun' at the Hotel Bellagio in Las Vegas.

 

Hotel Giraffe

In the first film adaptation of the HBO show Sex And The City, when Carrie Bradshaw pays a visit to the love of her life, Mr Big, she is actually stepping into the Hotel Giraffe on Park Avenue in New York. Director Michael Patrick King chose a room in this contemporary and refined hotel as the set of Mr Big's apartment.

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach

In Brian de Palma's classic gangster film Scarface (1983), Al Pacino lives it up at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel in Florida, lounging at its poolside tiki bar.

With its 1,500 rooms, the hotel also served as the backdrop for several scenes of The Bodyguard (1992), starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. The Fontainebleau was built in 1954 by Morris Lapidus, an architect who contributed to the iconic resort-style associated with Miami since the late 20th century.

Grandhotel Pupp

When James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, checks into Montenegro's Hotel Splendide in Casino Royale (2006), he is actually at the Grandhotel Pupp, in the Czech Republic. The 18th-century hotel, located in the resort town of Karlovy Vary, includes rooms decorated in both traditional and contemporary styles.

The Beverly Wilshire

In the late 1980s, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere played one of cinema's most memorable couples in Pretty Woman. The film takes place in Los Angeles, for the most part within the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons hotel just off Rodeo Drive.

Several scenes were filmed in the hotel's penthouse suite, with its incredible view over the city.

This iconic scene from Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, was set at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles.

This iconic scene from Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere was shot at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles.

The Taj Lake Palace

Occupying an 18th-century white marble mansion, the Taj Lake Palace served as the set of several scenes from the 1983 Bond film Octopussy.

The monumental hotel is located at the centre of Lake Pichola, in Udaipur, India, and is said to offer splendid sunset views over the water. Several famous guests have stayed here, including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman.

Hotel Regina

Luc Besson chose this four-star Parisian hotel as a shooting location for his iconic thriller Nikita (1990), while American filmmaker Doug Liman set up here to film The Bourne Identity (2002).

Visitors can retrace Matt Damon's steps in the role of Jason Bourne through this hotel, built in 1900 for the World Expo.

Since then, the Regina has also appeared in French director Jean-Paul Salome's Female Agents (2008) as well as in Stephen Frears' 2009 film Cheri, starring Michelle Pfeiffer. – AFP Relaxnews

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


James Spader makes comeback in new crime drama

Posted:

Actor explains why he gave the green light to The Blacklist.

CREATING memorable characters is both a blessing and a curse to James Spader.

Roles like Alan Shore in Boston Legal and the The Practice, or Dr. Daniel Jackson in Stargate, have earned him praise and fame. But when he takes on a new part, such as the mysterious and creepy Raymond Reddington in the new drama The Blacklist, which debut last night in the United States, Spader does his best to make people forget his past work and see him as someone new.

"People seem to have short memories when it comes to pop culture, but I think it does help if you're able to, whatever you come up with next, that it be a departure and that the world be very different," he says. "I think obviously with the television series, one has to be cognisant of that. I think that's probably why, if you've done something for a period of time, it's prudent to do other things before you then jump into something else again that you're going to do for a period of time."

The role in The Blacklist is a major departure. His character is a super criminal who has eluded capture for years. One day, he decides to give himself up to the FBI and offer his assistance in tracking down other super criminals. His only stipulation is that he work with rookie profiler Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone).

Spader explains that it's clear from the opening episode there's a past between the two of them to which the profiler isn't privy.

Even devoted Spader fans may have to look twice when they see him on the show; Spader has a nearly shaved head.

The lack of locks make him look different than past characters and fit the nature of his character. Spader explains that Reddington would have wanted to keep his life simple during the 20 years he was on the run.

"He's moving from place to place very quickly. I thought he should have a haircut that he can do himself if he cares to or he can go to some barber shop in a little town in Cambodia and they can cut his hair in 10 minutes," Spader says. "I just thought it was streamlined. And his clothes are like that, too, in that he looks well dressed, but (in) travelling clothes. You know, he wears clothes that he can go from a bank to a cave and he's dressed accordingly." – The Fresno Bee/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

All decked up

Posted:

WHITE seemed to be the colour of choice for many A-list fashionistas at the 65th Emmy Awards, held at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

Elizabeth Moss, Emilia Clarke, Kerry Washington, Julianna Margulies, Malin Akerman and Taylor Schilling were some of the stars who opted for white gowns for TV's biggest night.

While these ladies exuded an ethereal glow in their white ensemble, it was Rose Byrne in blush pink that got our vote for best dressed of the night. Byrne's halter top and skirt combo from Calvin Klein showed enough skin (hello abs!) without being too tarty – a perfect example of simplicity meets sexiness.

Rose Byrne – AFP

Michelle Dockery continued to rock the colour-blocking trend with a two-tone dress by Prada. Everything about this dress was divine – from the raised hemline at the front to the bow-like detail at the back.

Another actress who picked burgundy was Kaley Cuoco. The Big Bang Theory star went glam with an A-line ball gown from Vera Wang.

Kaley Cuoco – AFP

Yellow might be a tough colour to pull off (you don't want to be called Big Bird by Joan Rivers the next day, do you?) but Anna Faris looked chic in her pleated Monique Lhuillier number. On the red carpet, Faris told E!: "I am very bright and bold. I love the bold colour and how gorgeous the dress is." Can't argue with that.

Anna Faris – AFP

When Claire Danes arrived on the red carpet, there was a flurry of chatter on Twitter – no, not about her nude-coloured dress with a plunging neckline but about her new bob. Later, it was revealed that Danes didn't cut her hair; it was a faux bob.

Claire Danes – EPA

After that hair-citement, attention was turned to her Armani Prive number which featured a tulle bodice that was embroidered with shimmering paillettes. The Homeland star, who also took home the Best Actress In A Drama Series trophy, definitely hit home run in that daring dress. – Gordon Kho

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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Chris Hemsworth gives viewers an adrenaline Rush

Posted:

Chris Hemsworth shifts gear to play an F1 driver in new film.

HAVING bulked up for Thor: The Dark World, Chris Hemsworth found himself having to lose some of that extra weight really quickly before he started filming Rush.

Directed by Ron Howard, Rush sees Hemsworth portraying race car driver James Hunt, in a four-year period of the Englishman's life leading up to Formula One World Championship in 1976.

While Hunt stood an inch shorter than the 190.5cm Hemsworth, Hunt was a lot slimmer – so, you know, he'd fit in the small space of the racing car.

In a transcript provided by TGV Cinemas, Hemsworth shared: "For Thor I was 98kg and I got down to 84kg for this film, and it was hard work. It's funny, my wife was pregnant at the time and I felt I had more symptoms of pregnancy than she had – I was moody, hungry and tired – because I was overtrained and underfed. But I had to get rid of all of that weight because I was obviously too big."

Well, his effort definitely paid off as the Australian actor not only fit into an F1 car, he also got to drive it in scenes that are less dangerous.

According to the blue-eyed actor, the first time he got to drive such a powerful machine, he felt the roar of the engine and how the car vibrated.

"You are locked into this little cocoon and your shoulders are rubbing the sides of the cabin and you feel that this car is an extension of your body.

"And there's such a sense of power because it's right at your fingertips. You also realise how vulnerable you are because of the precarious nature of the machines. It's an incredible feeling. Once you get into that machine you immediately understand the addiction to that world and the adrenaline rush that comes with it. It hits you in the gut."

Besides taking a peek at Hunt's life, Rush also explores the intense rivalry between Hunt and fellow driver Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) on the race track. They were pretty much considered the rock stars of racing at that time – two professionals, both at the top of their games, each with a different personality and lifestyle. It is said that in the 1970s, driving race cars was a lethal profession as safety was not top priority, unlike now.

Hemsworth was intrigued as to how this affected Hunt, an adrenaline-junkie with a reputation for drinking and enjoying the company of women off the track.

"What was it that attracted them to that kind of world? I think there was an immediacy that the sport gave them. Nothing forces you to be in the moment more than the threat of death and that highly adrenaline charged race."

Chris Hemsworth plays the English race car driver James Hunt in the Ron Howard film, Rush.

Chris Hemsworth plays the English race car driver James Hunt in the Ron Howard film, Rush.

Hemsworth theorised that Hunt (who died of a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 45) lived a fast life off the track to keep the excitment going after the race was over.

"James was a man who didn't want to conform to any standard or expectation for a few different reasons. There was something I admired about the lack of self-censorship he had. He took it too far in many instances but, look, for me working in a business where you've got to be constantly careful about what you do or say and then reading about this guy and listening to audio interviews with him, he just didn't care (laughs).

"And you kind of go, 'I couldn't get away with that!' Love or hate what he did, you've got to respect him throwing it to the wall with everything that he did."

Thirty-year-old Hemsworth has had his career on track since his Hollywood debut in the 2009 films Perfect Getaway and Star Trek (as George Kirk). His popularity was sealed when he was picked to play the God of Thunder in the 2011 film, Thor. He reprises the role for the upcoming Thor sequel, out on Oct 31, and also in The Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015).

Married to Spanish actress Elsa Patanky, who gave birth to their first child last year, Hemsworth is currently attached to a number of projects.

One is Cyber, a film directed by Michael Mann, shot partially in Malaysia. The muscular actor was shooting scenes in a number of places in the Klang Valley all of last month before he flew to London early this month to promote Rush.

After Cyber, he follows up with another collaboration with Ron Howard in the director's next film, In The Heart Of The Sea, which is based on an event involving a whaling ship in 1820.

"The first thing I thought when I finished Rush was, 'When can I get back onto a set with Ron, he's the best'. I mentioned In The Heart Of The Sea to him, he read it, and loved it and things took off from there." 

Rush opens in cinemas nationwide on Thursday.

Check in to top (movie) hotels

Posted:

Some hotels around the world have provided the best backdrops for iconic movies. Here's a list of the top 10.

MOVIE fans may experience deja vu upon entering the lobby of the Regina in Paris, France, the Park Hyatt in Tokyo, Japan or the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States, which have all provided shooting locations for iconic films, whether contemporary or classic.

The hotels below offer guests a chance to walk in the footsteps of the stars.

The Park Hyatt Tokyo and Chateau Marmont

Director Sofia Coppola chose the Park Hyatt in Tokyo as the setting of her first feature-length film, Lost In Translation, released in 2003. The film featured Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson lounging in the rooms and bar of the luxury five-star hotel.

Seven years later, the director filmed Somewhere at the iconic Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles. Since opening its doors in 1929, this hotel has become a Hollywood legend, known as a haven for actors behaving badly.

Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation, which was mainly filmed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan.

Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation, which was mainly filmed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan.

The Grand Hotel Cabourg

Several scenes of Anne Fontaine's Coco Before Chanel (2009) were filmed in this historic hotel in Normandy, France, a frequent haunt of French literary legend Marcel Proust. A room in the Grand Hotel Cabourg was even renovated especially for the needs of the film.

French actress Audrey Tautou portrayed the legendary French designer in the film, lounging in the luxurious seaside hotel.

The Bellagio

Among the most famous hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada, the United States, the Bellagio is particularly well known for its fountains, which come to life every day with spectacular light, water and music shows.

The extravagance of the hotel has attracted more than one filmmaker, providing a setting that embodies the over-the-top spirit of Las Vegas. Ocean's Eleven (2002) and The Hangover (2009) are just a few of the movies that have contributed to the Bellagio's reputation as one of Sin City's most iconic establishments.

In the first The Hangover film, the good friends (from right, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper) wake up from a night of extreme 'fun' at the Hotel Bellagio in Las Vegas.

In the first The Hangover film, the good friends (from right, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper) wake up from a night of extreme 'fun' at the Hotel Bellagio in Las Vegas.

 

Hotel Giraffe

In the first film adaptation of the HBO show Sex And The City, when Carrie Bradshaw pays a visit to the love of her life, Mr Big, she is actually stepping into the Hotel Giraffe on Park Avenue in New York. Director Michael Patrick King chose a room in this contemporary and refined hotel as the set of Mr Big's apartment.

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach

In Brian de Palma's classic gangster film Scarface (1983), Al Pacino lives it up at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel in Florida, lounging at its poolside tiki bar.

With its 1,500 rooms, the hotel also served as the backdrop for several scenes of The Bodyguard (1992), starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. The Fontainebleau was built in 1954 by Morris Lapidus, an architect who contributed to the iconic resort-style associated with Miami since the late 20th century.

Grandhotel Pupp

When James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, checks into Montenegro's Hotel Splendide in Casino Royale (2006), he is actually at the Grandhotel Pupp, in the Czech Republic. The 18th-century hotel, located in the resort town of Karlovy Vary, includes rooms decorated in both traditional and contemporary styles.

The Beverly Wilshire

In the late 1980s, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere played one of cinema's most memorable couples in Pretty Woman. The film takes place in Los Angeles, for the most part within the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons hotel just off Rodeo Drive.

Several scenes were filmed in the hotel's penthouse suite, with its incredible view over the city.

This iconic scene from Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, was set at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles.

This iconic scene from Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere was shot at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles.

The Taj Lake Palace

Occupying an 18th-century white marble mansion, the Taj Lake Palace served as the set of several scenes from the 1983 Bond film Octopussy.

The monumental hotel is located at the centre of Lake Pichola, in Udaipur, India, and is said to offer splendid sunset views over the water. Several famous guests have stayed here, including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman.

Hotel Regina

Luc Besson chose this four-star Parisian hotel as a shooting location for his iconic thriller Nikita (1990), while American filmmaker Doug Liman set up here to film The Bourne Identity (2002).

Visitors can retrace Matt Damon's steps in the role of Jason Bourne through this hotel, built in 1900 for the World Expo.

Since then, the Regina has also appeared in French director Jean-Paul Salome's Female Agents (2008) as well as in Stephen Frears' 2009 film Cheri, starring Michelle Pfeiffer. – AFP Relaxnews

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business


TH Heavy shares, warrants up on Petronas contract talk

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: TH Heavy Engineering Bhd (THHE) and its warrants rose during midmorning on Wednesday on talks that it is close to winning a significant contract, according to Starbiz on Tuesday.

At 9.39am on Wednesday, THHE shares tose 3.5 sen to 90 sen with 12.69 million shares traded between 88 sen and 90 sen.

Its warrants rose three sen to 48 sen with 10.71 million units done between 46.5 sen and 48.5 sen.

The FBM KLCI fell 5.11 points to 1,787.37. Turnover was 441.37 million valued at RM154.2mil. There were 176 gainers, 173 decliners and 225 counters unchanged.

Starbiz said market talk is that THHE is the frontrunner for the massive fabrication job by Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) for the latter's SK316 field.

It said THHE had jointly bid for the US$1bil (RM3.22bil) job with McDermott International Inc, and has already been announced.

Sources told StarBiz that Petronas would announce the winner next month.

The project entails the development of two gas fields in the SK316 block, sited about 200km north of Bintulu, Sarawak.

The development will comprise a central processing platform and a bridge-linked wellhead platform.

The other bidder for the job is the joint venture of Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Bhd and Technip SA.

Frontken jumps on RM111m contract

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Frontken Corporation Bhd's shares and warrants surged in active trade early Wednesday after it secured a US$34.5mil (RM110.6mil) contract for a facility in Tanjung Bin, Johor.

At 9.33am, Frontken was up two sen to 9.5 sen with 51.99 million shares done while its warrants jumped 1.5 sen to five sen with 47 million units traded.

The FBM KLCI fell 5.36 points to 1,787.12. Turnover was 408.88 million shares valued at RM134.69mil. There were 167 gainers, 168 losers and 209 counters unchanged.

On Tuesday, Frontken announced it bagged a US$34.5mil (RM110.6mil) contract from ATT Tanjung Bin Sdn Bhd to be the main contractor for a facility in Tanjung Bin, Johor.

It said the job comprised of the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of ATB2 Ph-2 terminal and jetty top-site for the proposed hydrocarbon storage and distribution facility.

The project is to be completed within 20 months from the date of the letter of award.

Genting, UMW weigh on KLCI

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's blue chips extended their losses for third day on Wednesday, with the FBM KLCI opened down nearly five points on mild selling of Genting Bhd, UMW and BAT, in line with the subdued Asian bourses.

At 9am, the KLCI was down 4.42 points to 1,788.06. Turnover was 31.80 million shares valued at RM7.33mil. There were 46 gainers, 42 losers and 71 counters unchanged.

BAT fell the most, down RM1.62 to RM63.18 with 200 shares done as its late rally on Tuesday fizzled out.

UMW fell 14 sen to RM12.58 and Genting Bhd eight sen lower at RM10.30. Among the banks, RHB Cap lost nine sen to RM7.89 and Public Bank four sen to RM17.84.

Petronas Gas fell 54 sen to RM21.44 but with only 100 shares done while PPB Group lost 24 sen to RM14.20 with only 100 units done also.

Frontken jumped two sen to 9.5 sen with 8.44 million shares done and its warrants added one sen to 4.5 sen after it secured a RM111mil job to be the main contractor for engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning works for terminal and jetty facilities in Tanjung Bin, Johor.

Petronas Dagangan rose 22 sen to RM29.

BIMB added six sen to RM4.70 and Bursa five sen to RM7.55.

Matrix gained six sen to RM2.93 while Ho Hup inched up four sen to RM1.40 and Muhibbah three sen higher to RM2.34.

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MCA richer under Soi Lek

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BATU PAHAT: MCA's assets grew by RM107mil when Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek took over the helm as party president in March 2010.

Dr Chua said he had to reveal this to counter allegations that he had been selling off party assets.

The MCA, he said, had also appointed tax and financial advisers to re-organise its assets to be more tax efficient.

Dr Chua said the advisers recommended that shares in The Star and Wisma MCA be transferred and registered under the party.

Prior to this, the MCA president is a trustee for The Star.

"Through this we can save a lot of money because the dividend from The Star shares and rental from Wisma MCA will be tax-free as MCA is a political party and so, tax can be exempted.

"Secondly, it is to ensure greater security and protection to the party's assets. To sell off the assets, it will have to be approved by two-thirds of the central committee members," he said at the Batu Pahat MCA division general meeting on Sunday night.

Dr Chua said the party saved RM700,000 in tax every year from the rental, while the MCA's stake in The Star increased from 41% to 42.4% in the last three years.

The party also bought Menara Multi Purpose and registered it under the party and its rental was also tax-free, he said.

Dr Chua said accusations that he had secretly sold off The Star shares were "just nonsense".

"I am sorry that I have to disclose this in order to counter the allegations made by some people within the party who want to smear my name," he said, adding that MCA's accounts were all audited.

In May, Star Publications (M) Bhd clarified that there was no buyout of MCA's shares in The Star.

The MCA is the major shareholder in the media company.

On another issue, Dr Chua said that since the May general election, he had talked less as he believed that the MCA should not "wash dirty linen in public".

However, he said a small number of leaders, would do just that – talk – but did nothing to help the MCA in its transformation process.

He said these leaders had been quiet in the past three years, but became vocal after GE13.

"There are many text messages to scold people, poison pen letters and press conferences held," he said.

"Why is there a need to be fierce? The party will be better today if they are fierce to Umno or the DAP," he said, reminding these few leaders not to belittle the intelligence of the party's grassroots leaders.

During the meeting, the Batu Pahat division passed a resolution to support Dr Chua in leading the MCA and to be re-elected as president in the upcoming party elections.

The division also passed another resolution to protest against deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai's action to call for an extraordinary general meeting, saying that it would be a waste of time and money, and it could potentially cause a party crisis.

Judge lectures heirs to settle estate disputes

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KOTA BARU: A Syariah High Court judge lectured the family of the late business tycoon Othman Razak to settle their disputes over the property and shares left behind because many companies have crumbled as a result of such tussles.

Judge Abu Bakar Abdullah Kutty advised one of Othman's wife Habsah Yusof, 53, and his 14 children represented by one of them – Rosjuliena Abdul Razak – to settle the case quickly, if possible, to ensure that the companies under the late tycoon will continue to flourish.

"I sincerely feel many bumiputra companies have folded just because of dispute over assets.

"If these companies were to flourish, there will be more zakat (tithe) contributed to the poor and this is what Islam is all about," he said.

Habsah, who is the plaintiff and represented by counsel Mustafa Kam­al Mat Hasan in the case filed in 2009, is claiming for nine prime lots here worth RM6mil and shares from four companies amounting to RM2mil, including five luxury cars as her right from Rosjuliena and 14 others.

Abu Bakar also said that those having claims in the suit must give way to each other to ensure the court's time is not wasted.

"What can be partly solved here should be agreed by all parties and it would save the court's time and enable the business to continue," he added.

Later, Abu Bakar, ordered half of the shares amounting to more than RM2mil to be partly liquidated and handed to the Amanah Raya (Trusteecompany) where distribution of the shares would be determined by Islamic Inheritance Law (Faraid).

He also ordered one of the luxury cars to be handed to Habsah and another to one of the defendants while another car is sold and the proceeds distributed evenly among both parties.

However, he said the other half of the shares including the disputed land claim will continue and set Feb 16 next year for hearing.

Rosjuliena and 14 others were represented by counsel Ahmad Fazlan Mustapha.

Mukhriz on a mission to restore image of Umno

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PETALING JAYA: Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir is on a personal mission to restore the image of Umno following targeted attacks to weaken the dominant party in Barisan Nasional.

Many members want to see Umno, which had become the main target of perception games in the last two general elections, regain public confidence.

"Therefore it is pertinent for us to change, or be changed," said Mukhriz.

Mukhriz said his bid for the party vice-presidency was in line with calls to rejuvenate and transform the party.

"I put the party before self," he said.

Mukhriz said Umno must be rejuvenated, as the party would be facing relatively younger leaders from the Opposition front in the next general election.

He said it was pertinent to effectively counter all the false allegations levelled against Umno.

"To regain public confidence, we need to earn the people's trust," he said.

Mukhriz has joined in the fray in a six-cornered race for the three-seat Umno vice-presidency.

Incumbent vice-presidents Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, 60, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, 56, and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, 52, are defending their positions against three other challengers.

The incumbents are being challenged by Mukhriz, 49, former Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, 64, and Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, 64.

Mukhriz's decision to enter the fray had caught the attention of political pundits and leaders.

Mukhriz rated his chances of winning at 50-50.

Contrary to popular assumption, Mukhriz said there was no grand design to secure his smooth ascension in politics.

"The fact that I have lost in party elections before shows that there was never any attempt to prop me up just because I am the son of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (the fourth Prime Minister)," he said.

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Anyone but Khairy rumblings catching fire

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Early Oscar buzz for Oprah Winfrey

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The talk show host earns critical praise in Lee Daniels' The Butler.

OPRAH. Oscar. Oscar. Oprah.

Yes, it might be a bit early to riff on David Letterman's ill-fated, Uma-Oprah 1995 Academy Awards monologue bit.

Then again, with Oprah Winfrey's movie Lee Daniels' The Butler sitting atop the box office with a 10-day take of US$52mil (RM166.4mil), and Winfrey herself earning solid critical praise for her first acting turn since 1998's Beloved, the conversation has already started, like it or not.

And, given the brand name in question, that debate will be spirited, intense and, to some extent, managed by Winfrey herself, as she has the built-in advantage of owning her own television channel and magazine.

"She's an overpowering presence in our culture. You can't pretend otherwise," film critic Leonard Maltin says. "But that's what makes her work in The Butler impressive. She succeeds in making you forget that she's Oprah Winfrey so you can accept and embrace the character she's playing."

That character, Gloria Gaines, is the conflicted, proud wife of Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), a White House butler who serves seven presidents. Gloria grows discontented by the long hours required by her husband's job. "You and the White House can kiss my ...," she tells Cecil at one point. "I don't care what goes on in that White House. I care what goes on in this house."

Though Gloria isn't the title character, director Daniels affords her plenty of screen time – even when she isn't speaking. Often in group scenes where she has little to say, Daniels keeps the shot tight on Winfrey, affording her the opportunity to reveal the inner life of her complicated character.

"Those eyes are mesmerising," Daniels says, while admitting, at the same time, that not everyone seeing the rough cut of the movie shared his enthusiasm for those long close-ups of Winfrey.

"You know what it is? She's got Bette Davis eyes. They were hypnotic, and I was seduced."

Will Oscar voters be similarly beguiled? Academy members can be star-struck too, particularly when the talent in question comes from outside the usual circle of filmmaking friends and acquaintances.

Musicians have been the most-rewarded interlopers over the years, with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Eminem, Phil Collins and Melissa Etheridge winning Oscars for original song over the last two decades.

And though he didn't technically win an Academy Award, Al Gore received a thunderous ovation when he took the stage after the documentary about his campaign to educate the public on climate change, An Inconvenient Truth, won the Oscar.

Oprah Winfrey stars opposite Forest Whitaker (right) in The Butler.

Winfrey stars opposite Forest Whitaker in Lee Daniels' The Butler.

On the acting side, Jennifer Hudson jumped from American Idol to Oscar-winner for her supporting turn in the 2006 movie musical Dreamgirls. Omnipresent music star Justin Timberlake received a for-your-consideration campaign for playing Napster founder Sean Parker in David Fincher's 2010 drama The Social Network, though he fell short of receiving a nomination.

Winfrey has been to the dance before, earning a supporting actress nomination for her high-spirited turn in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple in 1986. She further established her acting credentials, playing a former slave in Jonathan Demme's 1998 film adaptation of Toni Morrison's novel Beloved. The movie – and Winfrey – received generally positive reviews but was a commercial disaster, earning just US$22.8mil (RM??) at the box office.

Since then, Winfrey's influence has continued to grow with multiple platforms – the Oprah Winfrey Network; O, The Oprah Magazine; Oprah Radio on XM; the Oprah.com website – which she has used to promote The Butler and, in theory, could continue to use to campaign for the movie and herself through the awards season.

As with any powerful figure whose name has become part of the pop culture vernacular (Oprahfication, anyone?), Winfrey has her detractors too.

All things equal in a contest like the Oscars where voters' personal tastes and biases enter the equation, envy sometimes plays a part. Several academy members last year privately said they wouldn't vote for Spielberg or his movie Lincoln because, in the words of one balloter, "he already has enough recognition for three lifetimes."

Daniels says he doesn't really understand that kind of thinking, but does remember initial skepticism among some members of the movie's cast and crew about Winfrey's acting ability.

"I think some of the actors came to the set with eyebrows raised," he says. "I didn't care. I knew where we were going and I knew she could deliver. And they found out too once they got in the room with her."

Should Winfrey end up nominated, the second happiest group would probably be ABC network executives, knowing Winfrey generally draws a crowd and would likely boost the show's ratings.

Some 72% of The Butler's opening weekend ticket-buyers said Winfrey increased the likelihood that they'd see the movie.

"She's the most powerful woman on the planet," Daniels says. "I don't want people thinking I'm an Oprah psycho-fan, even though I happen to be one. Sometimes, I'm still amazed she's in the movie." – Los Angeles Times/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Lee Daniels' The Butler opens in cinemas nationwide on Sept 26. Pick up a copy of Star2 on Sunday for our cover story on Oprah Winfrey.

Chris Hemsworth gives viewers an adrenaline Rush

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Chris Hemsworth shifts gear to play an F1 driver in new film.

HAVING bulked up for Thor: The Dark World, Chris Hemsworth found himself having to lose some of that extra weight really quickly before he started filming Rush.

Directed by Ron Howard, Rush sees Hemsworth portraying race car driver James Hunt, in a four-year period of the Englishman's life leading up to Formula One World Championship in 1976.

While Hunt stood an inch shorter than the 190.5cm Hemsworth, Hunt was a lot slimmer – so, you know, he'd fit in the small space of the racing car.

In a transcript provided by TGV Cinemas, Hemsworth shared: "For Thor I was 98kg and I got down to 84kg for this film, and it was hard work. It's funny, my wife was pregnant at the time and I felt I had more symptoms of pregnancy than she had – I was moody, hungry and tired – because I was overtrained and underfed. But I had to get rid of all of that weight because I was obviously too big."

Well, his effort definitely paid off as the Australian actor not only fit into an F1 car, he also got to drive it in scenes that are less dangerous.

According to the blue-eyed actor, the first time he got to drive such a powerful machine, he felt the roar of the engine and how the car vibrated.

"You are locked into this little cocoon and your shoulders are rubbing the sides of the cabin and you feel that this car is an extension of your body.

"And there's such a sense of power because it's right at your fingertips. You also realise how vulnerable you are because of the precarious nature of the machines. It's an incredible feeling. Once you get into that machine you immediately understand the addiction to that world and the adrenaline rush that comes with it. It hits you in the gut."

Besides taking a peek at Hunt's life, Rush also explores the intense rivalry between Hunt and fellow driver Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) on the race track. They were pretty much considered the rock stars of racing at that time – two professionals, both at the top of their games, each with a different personality and lifestyle. It is said that in the 1970s, driving race cars was a lethal profession as safety was not top priority, unlike now.

Hemsworth was intrigued as to how this affected Hunt, an adrenaline-junkie with a reputation for drinking and enjoying the company of women off the track.

"What was it that attracted them to that kind of world? I think there was an immediacy that the sport gave them. Nothing forces you to be in the moment more than the threat of death and that highly adrenaline charged race."

Chris Hemsworth plays the English race car driver James Hunt in the Ron Howard film, Rush.

Chris Hemsworth plays the English race car driver James Hunt in the Ron Howard film, Rush.

Hemsworth theorised that Hunt (who died of a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 45) lived a fast life off the track to keep the excitment going after the race was over.

"James was a man who didn't want to conform to any standard or expectation for a few different reasons. There was something I admired about the lack of self-censorship he had. He took it too far in many instances but, look, for me working in a business where you've got to be constantly careful about what you do or say and then reading about this guy and listening to audio interviews with him, he just didn't care (laughs).

"And you kind of go, 'I couldn't get away with that!' Love or hate what he did, you've got to respect him throwing it to the wall with everything that he did."

Thirty-year-old Hemsworth has had his career on track since his Hollywood debut in the 2009 films Perfect Getaway and Star Trek (as George Kirk). His popularity was sealed when he was picked to play the God of Thunder in the 2011 film, Thor. He reprises the role for the upcoming Thor sequel, out on Oct 31, and also in The Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015).

Married to Spanish actress Elsa Patanky, who gave birth to their first child last year, Hemsworth is currently attached to a number of projects.

One is Cyber, a film directed by Michael Mann, shot partially in Malaysia. The muscular actor was shooting scenes in a number of places in the Klang Valley all of last month before he flew to London early this month to promote Rush.

After Cyber, he follows up with another collaboration with Ron Howard in the director's next film, In The Heart Of The Sea, which is based on an event involving a whaling ship in 1820.

"The first thing I thought when I finished Rush was, 'When can I get back onto a set with Ron, he's the best'. I mentioned In The Heart Of The Sea to him, he read it, and loved it and things took off from there." 

Rush opens in cinemas nationwide on Thursday.

Check in to top (movie) hotels

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Some hotels around the world have provided the best backdrops for iconic movies. Here's a list of the top 10.

MOVIE fans may experience deja vu upon entering the lobby of the Regina in Paris, France, the Park Hyatt in Tokyo, Japan or the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States, which have all provided shooting locations for iconic films, whether contemporary or classic.

The hotels below offer guests a chance to walk in the footsteps of the stars.

The Park Hyatt Tokyo and Chateau Marmont

Director Sofia Coppola chose the Park Hyatt in Tokyo as the setting of her first feature-length film, Lost In Translation, released in 2003. The film featured Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson lounging in the rooms and bar of the luxury five-star hotel.

Seven years later, the director filmed Somewhere at the iconic Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles. Since opening its doors in 1929, this hotel has become a Hollywood legend, known as a haven for actors behaving badly.

Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation, which was mainly filmed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan.

Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation, which was mainly filmed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan.

The Grand Hotel Cabourg

Several scenes of Anne Fontaine's Coco Before Chanel (2009) were filmed in this historic hotel in Normandy, France, a frequent haunt of French literary legend Marcel Proust. A room in the Grand Hotel Cabourg was even renovated especially for the needs of the film.

French actress Audrey Tautou portrayed the legendary French designer in the film, lounging in the luxurious seaside hotel.

The Bellagio

Among the most famous hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada, the United States, the Bellagio is particularly well known for its fountains, which come to life every day with spectacular light, water and music shows.

The extravagance of the hotel has attracted more than one filmmaker, providing a setting that embodies the over-the-top spirit of Las Vegas. Ocean's Eleven (2002) and The Hangover (2009) are just a few of the movies that have contributed to the Bellagio's reputation as one of Sin City's most iconic establishments.

In the first The Hangover film, the good friends (from right, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper) wake up from a night of extreme 'fun' at the Hotel Bellagio in Las Vegas.

In the first The Hangover film, the good friends (from right, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper) wake up from a night of extreme 'fun' at the Hotel Bellagio in Las Vegas.

 

Hotel Giraffe

In the first film adaptation of the HBO show Sex And The City, when Carrie Bradshaw pays a visit to the love of her life, Mr Big, she is actually stepping into the Hotel Giraffe on Park Avenue in New York. Director Michael Patrick King chose a room in this contemporary and refined hotel as the set of Mr Big's apartment.

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach

In Brian de Palma's classic gangster film Scarface (1983), Al Pacino lives it up at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel in Florida, lounging at its poolside tiki bar.

With its 1,500 rooms, the hotel also served as the backdrop for several scenes of The Bodyguard (1992), starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. The Fontainebleau was built in 1954 by Morris Lapidus, an architect who contributed to the iconic resort-style associated with Miami since the late 20th century.

Grandhotel Pupp

When James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, checks into Montenegro's Hotel Splendide in Casino Royale (2006), he is actually at the Grandhotel Pupp, in the Czech Republic. The 18th-century hotel, located in the resort town of Karlovy Vary, includes rooms decorated in both traditional and contemporary styles.

The Beverly Wilshire

In the late 1980s, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere played one of cinema's most memorable couples in Pretty Woman. The film takes place in Los Angeles, for the most part within the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons hotel just off Rodeo Drive.

Several scenes were filmed in the hotel's penthouse suite, with its incredible view over the city.

This iconic scene from Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, was set at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles.

This iconic scene from Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere was shot at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles.

The Taj Lake Palace

Occupying an 18th-century white marble mansion, the Taj Lake Palace served as the set of several scenes from the 1983 Bond film Octopussy.

The monumental hotel is located at the centre of Lake Pichola, in Udaipur, India, and is said to offer splendid sunset views over the water. Several famous guests have stayed here, including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman.

Hotel Regina

Luc Besson chose this four-star Parisian hotel as a shooting location for his iconic thriller Nikita (1990), while American filmmaker Doug Liman set up here to film The Bourne Identity (2002).

Visitors can retrace Matt Damon's steps in the role of Jason Bourne through this hotel, built in 1900 for the World Expo.

Since then, the Regina has also appeared in French director Jean-Paul Salome's Female Agents (2008) as well as in Stephen Frears' 2009 film Cheri, starring Michelle Pfeiffer. – AFP Relaxnews

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Suu Kyi suggests amending Constitution on armed forces

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SOLDIERS should not be in government, Myanmar's democracy icon and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said.

Instead, Myanmar should change its Constitution to have a professional army, as in Britain, which is "well looked after by a civilian government and loved by its people".

"It's not that I want the leopard to change its spots.

"I just want the leopard to stay very beautiful and dignified in the jungle," she said of the military, half in jest.

She was answering a question on whether, given the military's tendency to claim power by force, a leopard can change its spots, during a lecture at Singapore Management University yesterday.

She recalled how her father, General Aung San – who led then Burma to independence from British colonial rule – set an example when he resigned from the military to join politics in 1945.

After decades of military rule, Myanmar under President Thein Sein, a retired general, has undergone political reforms that give it a semi-civilian government in which the military is given 25% of seats in Parliament.

On the subject of leadership, she gave an example of how a leader can, through respect, win over the electorate.

Suu Kyi is in Singapore on a five-day visit.

Today, she will call on several Singapore leaders, including President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

25 dead as typhoon hits China

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HONG KONG: Typhoon Usagi killed at least 25 people after crashing ashore in southern China, throwing the region's transport systems into chaos and leaving tens of thousands of airline passengers stranded in Hong Kong.

Schools and businesses were shut yesterday as activity in the normally teeming financial hub slowed to a crawl after Usagi – the world's most powerful storm this year – battered a long swathe of coastline with torrential rain and winds of up to 165kph during the night.

The deaths were reported by Chinese state media after Usagi made landfall near Shanwei city in Guangdong province northeast of Hong Kong on Sunday evening, prompting the highest-level alert from the National Meteorological Center.

The reports by Xinhua news agency did not say how the 25 were killed but said all the deaths were in Guangdong after the typhoon brought down trees and damaged roads. Dozens more were injured in accidents, it added.

Bullet trains from Guangzhou city to Beijing were suspended and Xinhua said winds were strong enough near Shanwei to blow cars off the road. More than 47,000 fishing boats were in harbour and schools were closed in 14 coastal cities.

Usagi had previously killed two people in the Philippines and unleashed landslides and power outages across southern Taiwan at the weekend as it ploughed through the Luzon Strait with ferocious winds and heavy downpours.

Monsoon rains worsened by Usagi caused flooding yesterday at the Philippine capital Manila and nearby provinces.

As the typhoon bore down on Hong Kong, operators shut down one of the world's busiest sea ports and nearly 450 flights were either cancelled or delayed on Sunday as Cathay Pacific and other airlines imposed preemptive suspensions.

Hong Kong's Observatory said it was the strongest typhoon to brush the city since 1979. Tens of thousands of people had their travel plans upended with ferries and trains also disrupted, while Cathay resumed flights only from yesterday noon.

Many passengers were forced to stay overnight at the airport, sleeping on the floor or spending the night playing card games. Many milled around the departure hall hoping to rebook their flights.

But handwritten signs warned them that there was little chance of getting standby seats on flights out yesterday and to check back later.

"We've waited for so long... and we still can't leave. Who would not be unhappy?" said 26-year-old Iris Ouyang from Beijing. — AFP

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