Khamis, 10 Oktober 2013

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews


CIA analyst Jack Ryan invades cinemas in December

Posted:

It's almost time to reacquaint ourselves with novelist Tom Clancy's most famous character.

IS everyone excited that we are only two months away from watching Chris Pine play Jack Ryan in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit on the big screen. Or is it just us? Well, we are definitely buzzing a little after watching the latest trailer.

The film is scheduled to open in Malaysian cinemas on Dec 31 and the trailer shows that everyone's favourite CIA analyst is entangled in a web of political intrigue involving the Russians.

Then there is also the matter of him not telling his missus (Keira Knightley) that he has been upgraded from a desk job to a field job.

Pine, 33, follows in the footsteps of three other actors who have portrayed the character in films based on the recently deceased writer's books.

In the 1990s, Ryan looked like Alec Baldwin (The Hunt For Red October) and Harrison Ford (Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger). Then in 2002, the dark-haired agent morphed into Ben Affleck (The Sum Of All Fears).

Alec Baldwin was the first actor to portray Jack Ryan in

Alec Baldwin was the first actor to portray Jack Ryan in The Hunt For Red October in 1990.

Harrison Ford steps into Jack Ryan's shoes after Alec Baldwin in 1992's

Harrison Ford stepped into Jack Ryan's shoes after Alec Baldwin, in 1992's Patriot Games and 1994's Clear And Present Danger.

Actor Ben Affleck appears in the 2001 film,

Ben Affleck as Jack Ryan in the 2002 film The Sum Of All Fears.


Milla Jovovich to headline James McTeigue's spy thriller

Posted:

Milla Jovovich set to play the title character in Survivor, the forthcoming feature from the Australian director behind V For Vendetta.

THE star of the Resident Evil film series will take a break from zombies to replace Katherine Heigl in the spy thriller Survivor, which was announced at the last Cannes Film Festival.

Milla Jovovich will be joined by Pierce Brosnan, Angela Bassett and Emma Thompson on the set of the film, slated for shooting in London from Jan 20, according to Deadline.com.

Survivor focuses on a US State Department employee who has been transferred to the US Embassy in London. After being accused of crimes she did not commit, she will be faced with the task of saving her own life and clearing her name, all while attempting to prevent an imminent terrorist attack.

The feature will mark a return to the director's chair for James McTeigue, who helmed V For Vendetta. His last film, The Raven, was released in 2012.

Jovovich is currently shooting The Expendables 3 alongside Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mel Gibson. – AFP RelaxNews

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz


CIA analyst Jack Ryan invades cinemas in December

Posted:

It's almost time to reacquaint ourselves with novelist Tom Clancy's most famous character.

IS everyone excited that we are only two months away from watching Chris Pine play Jack Ryan in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit on the big screen. Or is it just us? Well, we are definitely buzzing a little after watching the latest trailer.

The film is scheduled to open in Malaysian cinemas on Dec 31 and the trailer shows that everyone's favourite CIA analyst is entangled in a web of political intrigue involving the Russians.

Then there is also the matter of him not telling his missus (Keira Knightley) that he has been upgraded from a desk job to a field job.

Pine, 33, follows in the footsteps of three other actors who have portrayed the character in films based on the recently deceased writer's books.

In the 1990s, Ryan looked like Alec Baldwin (The Hunt For Red October) and Harrison Ford (Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger). Then in 2002, the dark-haired agent morphed into Ben Affleck (The Sum Of All Fears).

Alec Baldwin was the first actor to portray Jack Ryan in

Alec Baldwin was the first actor to portray Jack Ryan in The Hunt For Red October in 1990.

Harrison Ford steps into Jack Ryan's shoes after Alec Baldwin in 1992's

Harrison Ford stepped into Jack Ryan's shoes after Alec Baldwin, in 1992's Patriot Games and 1994's Clear And Present Danger.

Actor Ben Affleck appears in the 2001 film,

Ben Affleck as Jack Ryan in the 2002 film The Sum Of All Fears.


Milla Jovovich to headline James McTeigue's spy thriller

Posted:

Milla Jovovich set to play the title character in Survivor, the forthcoming feature from the Australian director behind V For Vendetta.

THE star of the Resident Evil film series will take a break from zombies to replace Katherine Heigl in the spy thriller Survivor, which was announced at the last Cannes Film Festival.

Milla Jovovich will be joined by Pierce Brosnan, Angela Bassett and Emma Thompson on the set of the film, slated for shooting in London from Jan 20, according to Deadline.com.

Survivor focuses on a US State Department employee who has been transferred to the US Embassy in London. After being accused of crimes she did not commit, she will be faced with the task of saving her own life and clearing her name, all while attempting to prevent an imminent terrorist attack.

The feature will mark a return to the director's chair for James McTeigue, who helmed V For Vendetta. His last film, The Raven, was released in 2012.

Jovovich is currently shooting The Expendables 3 alongside Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mel Gibson. – AFP RelaxNews

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Obama, Republicans aim to end crisis after meeting, hurdles remain

Posted:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Republican leaders appeared ready to end a political crisis that has shuttered much of the U.S. government and pushed the country dangerously close to default after meeting at the White House on Thursday.

No deal emerged from the 90-minute meeting, but talks continued into the night in an effort to re-open the government and extend the government's borrowing authority beyond an October 17 deadline. One senior Republican said an agreement could come on Friday, though hurdles remain.

The plummeting standing of congressional Republicans in public opinion polls helped spur a move toward ending the standoff, Oklahoma Republican Representative James Lankford said on CNN Thursday night. The latest, an NBC-Wall Street Journal survey published on Thursday, showed the public blaming Republicans by a 22-point margin - 53 to 31 percent.

The President's meeting with Republican leaders was the first sign of a thaw in a 10-day standoff that has weighed on financial markets and knocked hundreds of thousands of federal employees out of work.

"It was a very adult conversation," said Republican Representative Hal Rogers, who attended the meeting. "Both sides said they were there in good faith."

Republicans in the meeting offered to extend the government's borrowing authority for several weeks, temporarily putting off a default that otherwise could come as soon as next week. Obama pushed to also reopen government operations that have been closed since October 1.

Significantly, Republicans seemed to be steering clear of the restrictions on Obama's healthcare reforms and spending that prompted the crisis in the first place. Instead, negotiations centred on how far to extend the debt limit and how much funding they would provide the government when it opens, according to Republicans.

The two sides are working on "defining parameters to see if we can make progress," said Republican Representative Pete Sessions, a member of the leadership.

"The President looks forward to making continued progress with members on both sides of the aisle," the White House said in a statement.

The proposal is a significant shift for Republicans, who had hoped to use the threat of a shutdown and a default to undermine Obama's healthcare law.

But they have been hammered in opinion polls and pressured by allies in the business community who worry the brinkmanship is killing jobs and slowing the economy. Republicans worry that the standoff could imperil lawmakers in competitive districts, giving Democrats an increased chance of winning control of the House next year.

Now Republicans hope a short-term debt-limit extension, perhaps until the middle or end of November, will buy time to seek spending cuts, a repeal of a medical-device tax, or other measures they say are needed to keep the national debt at a manageable level.

Conflicting reports of the outcome of the meeting sent immediate ripples through financial markets. U.S. equity index futures tracking the S&P 500 index dropped after a report that Obama had rejected the Republican offer, but rose when details of the meeting trickled out. Major U.S. equity indexes closed 2 percent higher earlier on Thursday on hopes of a deal.

DIDN'T STOP OBAMACARE

The crisis began in late September when Republicans tied continued government funding to measures that would undercut the Affordable Care Act, Obama's signature legislative accomplishment.

The gambit didn't work, as "Obamacare" unveiled its online health-insurance exchanges on October 1 even as much of the rest of the government shut down. Even so, the exchanges have been plagued by serious technical problems unrelated to the shutdown.

In recent days, Republican leaders have emphasized other goals, such as reining in the retirement and health benefit programs that pose a long-term threat to the country's fiscal health.

For the first time in weeks, lawmakers from both parties predicted they would be able to resolve their differences.

"Both sides will be able to claim victory," said Democratic Representative Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania.

Many hurdles remain. Obama has said he will not negotiate on anything until Republicans agree to reopen the government and remove the threat of immediate default.

Rank-and-file Republican conservatives who remain focused on defeating "Obamacare" also could reject the deal. Even if disaster is averted for now, the entire dispute could come to the fore again when the temporary agreement expires.

House Speaker John Boehner's grip over his troops has been tenuous this year and many of the chamber's most conservative lawmakers have defied him repeatedly on other crucial votes.

Boehner has taken pains to show his party's most rebellious members that he listens to their concerns. He took a different approach when he told them of his plan to extend the debt ceiling.

"He put his best Coach Boehner voice and demeanour on and said, 'Guys, this is what we are going to do. The play has been called. I'm happy to answer questions,'" said Republican Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma.

The Obama administration says it will be unable to pay all of its bills if Congress does not raise the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling by October 17. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said he would be unable to prioritize some payments over others among the 30 million transactions his department handles each week.

"It would be chaos," Lew told the Senate Finance Committee.

But Lew and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told their counterparts of the G20 group of economies on Thursday that the standoff over the debt ceiling will be resolved by October 17, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said.

"Colleagues from the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve have said that they hope to solve the issue soon. They said that the problem will be solved by the 17th," Siluanov told reporters after a dinner with G20 counterparts gathering on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank meetings.

"It's an important issue for everyone. Both Lew and Bernanke believe that these difficulties can be overcome soon," Siluanov added.

Democrats who control the Senate are readying a vote, possibly on Saturday, that would extend government borrowing authority for more than a year, rather than the weeks-long time frame Republicans have proposed. Still, they did not entirely dismiss the Republican plan.

"Let's see what they have offered," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said.

House leaders cancelled a recess planned for next week and said they would remain in Washington instead.

Opinion polls indicate that Republicans appear to be getting more of the blame for the standoff. The NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released on Thursday found approval of the Republican Party at 24 percent, a record low. Democrats won the approval of 39 percent of the U.S. public.

Business groups that have close ties to the Republican Party have pressed for an end to the brinkmanship and some are laying plans to mount primary challenges next year to lawmakers who refuse to raise the debt ceiling.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been thrown out of work by the shutdown and individual businesses, from arms makers to motels, have begun to lay off workers as well.

The Labour Department said on Thursday that 15,000 private-sector workers have filed for unemployment benefits due to the shutdown.

(Additional reporting by Jason Lange, Thomas Ferraro, David Lawder, Steve Holland, Roberta Rampton, Mark Felsenthal and Lidia Kelly; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Fred Barbash, Vicki Allen, Tim Dobbyn, Ken Wills and Eric Walsh)

Japan economic minister urges U.S. to resolve fiscal standoff

Posted:

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Economics Minister Akira Amari on Friday urged U.S. politicians to resolve the fiscal impasse with a sense of responsibility as the world's largest economy.

Amari told reporters that if the impasse is to persist, the United States may default on its debt, an outcome which is unthinkable even in developing countries.

U.S. Republicans offered a plan to President Barack Obama on Thursday that would postpone a possible U.S. default in a sign that the two sides may be moving to end the deadlock.

No deal emerged from a 90-minute meeting at the White House, but the two sides said they would continue to talk. It was the first sign of a thaw in a political squabbling that has weighed on financial markets and knocked hundreds of thousands of U.S. federal employees out of work.

(Reporting by Shinji Kitamura; Writing by Dominic Lau; Editing by Shinichi Saoshiro)

Mother of jailed U.S. missionary in North Korea to see son

Posted:

SEATTLE (Reuters) - The mother of jailed U.S. missionary Kenneth Bae has arrived in North Korea to visit her ailing son, who was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour in May on charges of state subversion, his family said on Thursday.

Myunghee Bae was expected to be in North Korea for about five days on a trip in which she hoped to be able to encourage her son, who has diabetes and is poor health, the family said.

"I don't really know what to expect for my trip. All I know is that I want to see my son," Bae's mother said in a statement, in which she expressed gratitude to Pyongyang for allowing the visit.

Bae, 45, was detained last November as he led a tour group through the northern region of the country. His sentencing came amid acrimonious relations between Pyongyang and Washington over the reclusive state's nuclear program.

His plight has attracted international attention. In August, a planned trip by Robert King, U.S. special envoy on North Korean human rights issues, to try to negotiate Bae's release was cancelled by North Korea.

King's trip had been seen as a signal that relations between Washington and Pyongyang might start to improve after a tense start to 2013 in which North Korea conducted a nuclear weapons test and threatened nuclear attack against the United States and its ally, South Korea.

On Thursday, a friend of the Seattle-area based Bae family said he was hopeful the mother's trip signalled that Bae would soon be allowed to return home.

"I believe that it's a sign that there is some openness to explore the possibility of this family reuniting once again," said the friend, Derek Sciba.

But Bae's sister, Terri Chung, said in a telephone interview she was not getting her hopes up.

"We are trying to keep our expectations low and realistic," Chung said. The main purpose of her mother's trip, she said, "is to just visit him - to hold him, comfort him, encourage him, and be with him in person."

The family has not been provided any information about whether North Korea is considering releasing her brother, she added.

In sentencing Bae, who has acknowledged being a missionary and has said he conducted religious services in the North, the court said he used his tourism business to form groups aimed at overthrowing the government.

The family said Bae's health had deteriorated during his detention and that he was hospitalized two months ago and had lost a significant amount of weight.

"He has not been in good health," Chung said. "We don't know what kind of condition he's in."

The family has not heard from Bae since August, although relatives learned two weeks ago that he was in the hospital, Chung said.

Bae, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in South Korea who moved to the United States with his family in 1985, has spent much of the last seven years in China where he started a business leading tour groups into the northern region of North Korea, according to his sister.

(Reporting by Eric Johnson; writing by Cynthia Johnston and Sharon Bernstein; editing by Jackie Frank and Tom Brown)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business


Tugboats to enhance naval shipyard's services

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: Shipbuilder and defence contractor Boustead Heavy Industries Corp Bhd's (BHIC) strategy to enhance technological capabilities and skills in smaller commercial vessels has reached a milestone with the delivery of two tugboats to the Lumut naval shipyard.

The tugboats (pic), costing RM5.75mil each, were designed by British firm Macduff Ship Design Ltd as part of a collaboration plan to strengthen BHIC's position in the region as a specialist producer.

Boustead Naval Shipyard operations director Datuk Yahya Hashim said in a press release that BHIC had submitted bids for the building of more such vessels to interested parties in the country as well as the region.

He also said the company would be working with Macduff on developing designs for vessels to support the needs of the oil and gas sector. Macduff's collaboration with BHIC has also been renewed for a further two years.

The tugboats would provide harbour support services for the naval shipyard basin, and other support duties for the Royal Malaysian Navy.

Public Bank advances to new all-time high again

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of Public Bank Bhd rose to an all-time high in early Friday trade, helping to underpin the FBM KLCI's advance as investors remained upbeat about the prospects for the banking group.

At 9.48am, Public Bank was up 12 sen to RM18.20 with 205,700 shares done while its foreign shares rose 14 sen to RM18.20 with 77,600 shares traded.

The KLCI rose 9.91 points to 1,785.83. Turnover was 484.44 million shares done valued at RM245.56mil. There were 317 gainers, 111 losers and 212 counters unchanged.

StarBiz reported Public Bank looked to have settled one aspect of its succession planning when it recently appointed Quah Poh Keat as deputy chief executive officer II.

The appointment of Quah, a former independent director of the bank, suggests he could be a leading candidate to succeed managing director and chief executive officer Tan Sri Tay Ah Lek when he retires.

StarBiz also reported that the recent price gains were linked to rumours that may include the prospect of allowing Chinese banks to acquire stakes in Malaysian banks.

Malaysia’s blue chips rally, CIMB and Genting lead

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's blue chips chalked up big gains in early Friday trade, as sentiment was boosted by the strong overnight close on Wall Street, underpinned by gains in CIMB, Genting Bhd and Petronas-related stocks.

At 9.14am, the FBM KLCI was up 8.68 points to 1,784.60. Turnover was 270.24 million shares valued at RM104.75mil. There were 284 gainers, 46 losers and 135 counters unchanged.

Hwang DBS Vickers Research (HDBSVR) overnight on Wall Street, major stock indices on Wall Street jumped between 2.2% and 2.3% on hopes of a breakthrough in talks by the US lawmakers to resolve the debt limit.

"The initial joy, nevertheless, might be tempered by a subsequent drop on the futures market, with the DJIA December contract hovering at a 110-point discount to the spot rate this morning," said the research house.

"Still, there is chance for our local bourse to recover further today. On the chart, the benchmark FBM KLCI could climb towards the immediate resistance threshold of 1,785 ahead," it said.

Petronas Daganagan added 30 sen to RM29.60 and Petronas Gas rose 18 sen to RM22.88.

KL Kepong added 18 sen to RM22.88 and Sime Darby seven sen higher at RM9.51. However, PPB fell four sen to RM14.26.

HLFG rose 10 sen to RM15.24 and CIMB eight sen higher at RM10.32.

MAHB fell the most, down 15 sen to RM7.85, Bumi Armada shed four sen to RM3.91 and Puncak Niaga three sen to RM3.26.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies


CIA analyst Jack Ryan invades cinemas in December

Posted:

It's almost time to reacquaint ourselves with novelist Tom Clancy's most famous character.

IS everyone excited that we are only two months away from watching Chris Pine play Jack Ryan in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit on the big screen. Or is it just us? Well, we are definitely buzzing a little after watching the latest trailer.

The film is scheduled to open in Malaysian cinemas on Dec 31 and the trailer shows that everyone's favourite CIA analyst is entangled in a web of political intrigue involving the Russians.

Then there is also the matter of him not telling his missus (Keira Knightley) that he has been upgraded from a desk job to a field job.

Pine, 33, follows in the footsteps of three other actors who have portrayed the character in films based on the recently deceased writer's books.

In the 1990s, Ryan looked like Alec Baldwin (The Hunt For Red October) and Harrison Ford (Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger). Then in 2002, the dark-haired agent morphed into Ben Affleck (The Sum Of All Fears).

Alec Baldwin was the first actor to portray Jack Ryan in

Alec Baldwin was the first actor to portray Jack Ryan in The Hunt For Red October in 1990.

Harrison Ford steps into Jack Ryan's shoes after Alec Baldwin in 1992's

Harrison Ford stepped into Jack Ryan's shoes after Alec Baldwin, in 1992's Patriot Games and 1994's Clear And Present Danger.

Actor Ben Affleck appears in the 2001 film,

Ben Affleck as Jack Ryan in the 2002 film The Sum Of All Fears.


Milla Jovovich to headline James McTeigue's spy thriller

Posted:

Milla Jovovich set to play the title character in Survivor, the forthcoming feature from the Australian director behind V For Vendetta.

THE star of the Resident Evil film series will take a break from zombies to replace Katherine Heigl in the spy thriller Survivor, which was announced at the last Cannes Film Festival.

Milla Jovovich will be joined by Pierce Brosnan, Angela Bassett and Emma Thompson on the set of the film, slated for shooting in London from Jan 20, according to Deadline.com.

Survivor focuses on a US State Department employee who has been transferred to the US Embassy in London. After being accused of crimes she did not commit, she will be faced with the task of saving her own life and clearing her name, all while attempting to prevent an imminent terrorist attack.

The feature will mark a return to the director's chair for James McTeigue, who helmed V For Vendetta. His last film, The Raven, was released in 2012.

Jovovich is currently shooting The Expendables 3 alongside Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mel Gibson. – AFP RelaxNews

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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'Wall collapse due to overload'

Posted:

JITRA: Excessive loading has been cited as a reason for the collapse of the wall of an illegal mall here.

According to Kedah Housing and Local Government, Water Supply and Water Resources Committee chairman Badrul Hisham Hashim, an initial probe revealed that the building structure could not support the renovations made when it was illegally converted to a mall.

"The building was meant as a storage facility but was not strong enough to support subsequent renovations when the developer turned it into a mall," he said at the site of the incident at the Darulaman Industry Area here.

Badrul Hisham said the mall has no Certificate of Fitness and the Kubang Pasu Municipal Council (MDKP) was investigating the developer for misusing the building-planning permit approved for a storage facility.

He said MDPK only realised that the developer had misused the building permit when a signboard for the shopping mall was put up several months ago.

At 8.45am on Tuesday, two Cmart workers escaped unhurt when the concrete wall, ceiling and roof collapsed while they were on a routine inspection an hour before the mall opened.

"MDPK has started action against the developer, and we have sealed the building and three blocks of single-storey shop lots in front of the building owned by the same developer," he said.

"Tenants will need to discuss with the developer as they have agreements with the developer to rent the shop lots," he said.

MDKP president Zahari Ismail will chair a special committee consisting of the Public Works Department, Syarikat Air Darul Aman, Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia and also the Mineral and Geoscience Department to investigate the incident.

Meanwhile, Intra Growth Sdn Bhd property manager Kim Lin Teng, said the company would cooperate with MDKP in their investigation.

He claimed renovations to the building were according to the building plan and they "were baffled as to how the wall can collapse."

Kim added that all of his company's tenants at the building and at the three blocks had abided by the MDKP directive to stop operations pending investigations.

Dr M: Students will lose if English not used to teach

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad warned that Malays will be left behind if the Government continues to neglect the teaching of science and mathematics in English.

"It is sad for me, and I do not agree with the Government (on its policy on English). I don't like to see a Malay who is lacking in knowledge," he said when addressing participants at the National ICT Association's (Pikom) Leaders Summit here yesterday.

He said he had brought the matter up with the Government on the importance of English as the language of knowledge but his call fell on deaf ears.

"Do you go to school to acquire knowledge or to learn a language?

"The emphasis today is more on learning how to speak a particular language and I think this is a mistake," said Mahathir, who added that the Malays would be left behind if English continues to be neglected.

"You may be able to speak fluently in Malay but you will not be able to talk science," he said, adding that there were limited scientific books and materials translated into Malay.

"Every day, new discoveries are made and scientific papers published in English but not translated into Malay."

He lamented that the decision to revert to Bahasa Malaysia was politically motivated following protests from Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in 2008 but it failed to translate into support at the recent polls.

Addressing graduates at the Asian University Presidents Forum on Monday, Dr Mahathir expressed concern that the poor command of the language amongst students would adversely affect their future.

MCA vice-president Gan Ping Sieu also shared Dr Mahathir's sentiments, saying that while it is the duty of Malaysians to uphold Bahasa Malaysia, the medium of instruction in universities should remain in English.

"The reality is, English has become the global communication tool for commerce and professions.

"It will be suicidal for us to live in self-denial, in the name of strengthening Bahasa Malaysia, to detach ourselves from the international language in our own institutions of higher education," said Gan.

Both were referring to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's recent call to institutions of higher learning to strengthen the use of Bahasa Malaysia in their campuses.

Four remanded over body-in-boot murder case

Posted:

IPOH: Police have remanded four men over the kidnap-cum-murder case of two men whose bodies were found in a car boot.

Perak CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Mohd Dzuraidi Ibrahim said the men, aged between 26 and 33, would be remanded until Oct 15.

"The remand order was issued at the Parit Buntar magistrate's court," he said yesterday.

He said three of the four men had been arrested by the Penang police last Friday in connection with the murders.

"The fourth suspect was also arrested in Penang," he said, but declined to elaborate on the matter, noting that police from the Penang and Perak contingents were investigating.

It is learnt that two of the suspects were colleagues. The other two are believed to be related.

Seu Hong Chee, 19, and Ting Liong Chin, 28, were found dead in a car boot at the south-bound Alor Pongsu rest area on Oct 4.

Their bodies were found tied with a rope and their heads wrapped in plastic bags.

Both friends were believed to have been kidnapped in Penang and were reported missing on Oct 2 by a friend.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: Central

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The Star Online: Metro: Central


Search for Hawker Masters begins

Posted:

THE hunt for a new batch of Singapore Hawker Masters began yesterday with the humble mee rebus.

A simple dish of thick yellow noodles with tofu cubes, green chilli and a hard-boiled egg drenched in a flavourful spicy-sour gravy, it is one of six new hawker food categories in this year's search for Singapore's top hawkers.

The annual awards, jointly organised by The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao, are now into their fourth year.

Over the next few weeks, judges will sample dishes in five other categories – the dry and soup versions of fish ball noodles; cheng tng, a sweet dessert soup; rojak, a prawn paste salad; or luak, or fried oyster omelette and nasi briyani.Other categories over the years have included bak kut teh and chicken rice.

Judges will head to the top three stalls in each food category before deciding on the winners.

The awards aim to give deserving hawkers recognition to spur them on to maintain and improve food standards.

They will be presented at The Asian Masters gala dinner at Ocean Gallery, Resorts World Sentosa, on Nov 22. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

SingTel fire affects phone, TV coverage

Posted:

A FIRE at a SingTel building in Bukit Panjang has led to mobile, television and phone outages across Singapore.

The Internet service provider wrote on its Twitter around 3.40pm yesterday that some fixed line voice, broadband and mobile services "may (be) affected", and that it was "working to restore service (as soon as possible)".

A spokesman for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it had been alerted to the fire at 40 Woodlands Road at 2.16pm. The fire, which had been "inside the cable room at level one of the building", was extinguished within 20 minutes of the SCDF's arrival, she added. About 50 people had already evacuated prior to the SCDF's arrival. There were no reported injuries.

Housewife Maggie Goh said she discovered the problem around 4pm.

"My Internet and TV are all down, so I'm watching old movies (on DVD) right now. I was wondering why I was staring at a blank screen," said the 33-year-old. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion


Musical on Mokhtar Dahari to be staged at Istana Budaya

Posted:

Awie to play legendary Malaysian footballer in the musical.

THE life of famed footballer Datuk Mokhtar Dahari will be made into a musical in November.

To be staged at Istana Budaya in Kuala Lumpur from Nov 6 to 18, Super Mokh Sebuah Musical stars Awie, Maya Karin, Rashidi Ishak, Douglas Lim and Dina Nazir. It will be directed by Hans Issac and Harith Iskander with Michael Veerapan as musical director.

"For me, the late Mokhtar is not only respected by Malaysian sports fans but also in the Asian region. I am very honoured to be given the opportunity to be involved in this show. However, I am nervous," says Hans.

The director adds that there will be 10 songs featured in the musical.

Tickets for Super Mokh Sebuah Musical are priced at RM46, RM96, RM106, RM126, RM166, RM206, RM236 and RM306 for night shows. Tickets for matinee (Nov 9, 10, 16 and 17) are priced at RM38, RM78, RM96, RM102, RM134, RM166, RM190 and RM246. Tickets are available from www.ticket2u.biz.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Music


Dang, he's so lucky

Posted:

Issac Dang goes from karaoke to the big league.

A YEAR ago, the only place Malaysian Issac Dang was belting out tunes was in Singapore karaoke joints.

Last Saturday, however, the 28-year-old Singapore permanent resident won the Most Potential New Artiste award at the 13th Global Chinese Music Awards (GCMA), which was held at Bukit Jalil Putra Indoor Stadium, Kuala Lumpur.

Dang, who has been dubbed the next big thing in Asia, was working in Singapore as a graphic designer last January when he was spotted by Singaporean television host Dasmond Koh for his singing talent.

Koh heard Dang singing at a karaoke and asked him if he would sing the theme song for his directorial debut, Timeless Love.

One thing led to another, and in less than six months, Dang got a singing contract in Taiwan. He released his debut album Don't Cry in May.

"I am very lucky to be given so many opportunities, first in Singapore, then Malaysia and Taiwan. It felt like those opportunities just fell from the sky and my destiny changed in such a short span of time," Dang said after the awards ceremony.

For the awards ceremony themed Punk Fantasy, Dang was dressed in an outfit by Singaporean designer Samuel Wong and was also named the Best Dressed Artiste.

The singer, who was also nominated for the Most Outstanding Regional Artiste (Malaysia) award, has racked up quite a resume since he quit his graphic designer job last June after being offered an acting role. He played a rich man's son in a local TV drama titled The Beat, which was aired last year.

Since then, he has sung the theme song for Singapore movie Imperfect, directed by Hong Kong director Steve Cheng. It was released in August last year.

Taiwanese TV host Xu Nai Lin also offered to groom Dang, so last December, he moved into a swanky condominium in Xinyi district in Taipei, a world apart from the rented room where he used to stay when he moved to Singapore in 2008.

Like any rookie singer, he had to go through dance, singing, speech and acting lessons. Thrice a week, he would perform in schools in Taiwan and has since appeared in popular Taiwanese variety shows such as Here Comes Kang Xi and Xiao Yan Zi Ye (Xiao Yan Night).

His hard work has paid off, since Taiwanese artistes such as Lee E-Jun, FIR's Real and Lala Hsu, lauded his singing talent when he released his debut album earlier this year.

On Dang's win, his mentor Xu said: "Issac is my apprentice who has also attended my show in Taiwan. His music is well received in Taiwan. All his hard work has paid off by his winning this award. I hope he will continue to work hard."

GCMA, organised by seven radio stations in Asia, was created in 2000 to recognise regional musical talent in the Chinese pop industry.

Stars such as Hong Kong's Joey Yung, Charlene Choi, Gillian Chung and Raymond Lam, China's Bibi Chang and Hu Xia and Taiwan's Will Pan were among those who turned up at the ceremony last Saturday.

Hosted by 988, the awards saw many local singers scooping up major prizes. They were picked by a panel of deejays from seven radio stations in the region.

The radio stations were Beijing Music Radio, Shanghai Dong Gan 101, Music FM Radio Guang Dong, Taipei Pop Radio, Hong Kong's RTHK, Singapore's YES 933 and 988. – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

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Search for Hawker Masters begins

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THE hunt for a new batch of Singapore Hawker Masters began yesterday with the humble mee rebus.

A simple dish of thick yellow noodles with tofu cubes, green chilli and a hard-boiled egg drenched in a flavourful spicy-sour gravy, it is one of six new hawker food categories in this year's search for Singapore's top hawkers.

The annual awards, jointly organised by The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao, are now into their fourth year.

Over the next few weeks, judges will sample dishes in five other categories – the dry and soup versions of fish ball noodles; cheng tng, a sweet dessert soup; rojak, a prawn paste salad; or luak, or fried oyster omelette and nasi briyani.Other categories over the years have included bak kut teh and chicken rice.

Judges will head to the top three stalls in each food category before deciding on the winners.

The awards aim to give deserving hawkers recognition to spur them on to maintain and improve food standards.

They will be presented at The Asian Masters gala dinner at Ocean Gallery, Resorts World Sentosa, on Nov 22. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

SingTel fire affects phone, TV coverage

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A FIRE at a SingTel building in Bukit Panjang has led to mobile, television and phone outages across Singapore.

The Internet service provider wrote on its Twitter around 3.40pm yesterday that some fixed line voice, broadband and mobile services "may (be) affected", and that it was "working to restore service (as soon as possible)".

A spokesman for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it had been alerted to the fire at 40 Woodlands Road at 2.16pm. The fire, which had been "inside the cable room at level one of the building", was extinguished within 20 minutes of the SCDF's arrival, she added. About 50 people had already evacuated prior to the SCDF's arrival. There were no reported injuries.

Housewife Maggie Goh said she discovered the problem around 4pm.

"My Internet and TV are all down, so I'm watching old movies (on DVD) right now. I was wondering why I was staring at a blank screen," said the 33-year-old. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

‘Ultimate road terror’ jailed

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A BANQUET operations manager who took to the wheel despite having been banned from the road for a year was called the "ultimate road terror'' by a district judge.

While driving under a year-long ban, Tan Yang Chin, 34, was involved in a hit-and-run accident along an expressway which resulted in a taxi overturning and injuring three people. The accident happened along East Coast Parkway (ECP) at 1.14am on Feb 7 this year.

Tan was jailed for 13 months and banned from driving for eight years after admitting to causing grievous hurt to taxi passenger Wang Jing, 28, a Chinese national; driving under a ban; and failing to render assistance.

A district court heard that Tan was speeding along ECP when he fell asleep and hit the centre divider. He woke up and veered his car towards the extreme left lane, and hit the back of Goh Chee Kwang's taxi. Goh, 51, was then taking Wang and another female passenger to the airport.

He lost control of the vehicle which then hit the road barrier and overturned.

Tan sped away from the scene and later left his car unattended about 1km away along ECP before Xilin Avenue.

Wang was taken to hospital for fractures to her pelvis. Both vehicles were badly damaged.

Calling him the "ultimate road terror'', District Judge Low Wee Ping said Tan had been fined and banned from driving for 12 months in April last year for drink-driving.

Two months before his disqualification ended, he drove at least four times.

Two charges of causing hurt to the taxi driver and the other passenger and failing to stop after the accident were considered during his sentencing. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

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'7th Heaven' alum Barry Watson to star in TV movie 'Far From Home'

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Watson plays novelist in the movie that underlines home is where the heart is.

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