Khamis, 9 Januari 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

0 ulasan 11:18 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Over 8,000 pig-nosed turtles rescued in Indonesia
Scientists apologise for failing to make girl a dragon
Sign language frees Cambodian deaf from 'prison'

Over 8,000 pig-nosed turtles rescued in Indonesia

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 10:37 PM PST

JAKARTA: Indonesian officials said Friday they have rescued more than 8,000 baby pig-nosed turtles hidden in suitcases and thought to be destined for China and Singapore.

A total of 2,968 were discovered in four suitcases at the airport serving the capital Jakarta after arriving from the remote eastern Papua region, said Zaenal Abidi, quarantine official.

"The suitcases were full of plastic boxes holding 15 to 20 turtles each. Sadly, 14 of them were dead on arrival," he said.

Airport officials were asked Thursday to be on the look-out for pig-nosed turtles - classified as vulnerable - after 5,400 of the creatures were discovered in seven suitcases in Papua, he said.

Abidi said that pig-nosed turtles smuggled through Jakarta are usually sent to Singapore or China, where they are sold as exotic pets and sometimes end up in food markets.

All the turtles would be returned to their natural habitat in Papua, Abidi said.

He added that police knew who had checked in the luggage but their whereabouts were now unknown.

The pig-nosed turtle is only found in Australia and New Guinea, an island shared between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, and is protected under Indonesian conservation laws.

It has a distinctive snout-like nose and webbed feet.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the pig-nosed turtle as vulnerable and trade of the species is restricted. -AFP

Scientists apologise for failing to make girl a dragon

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:47 PM PST

SYDNEY: Australia's national science agency issued a rare apology to a seven-year-old girl for not being able to make her a fire-breathing dragon, blaming a lack of research into the mythical creatures.

The youngster, Sophie, wrote to a "Lovely Scientist" at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), politely asking whether they could make her a winged pet of her own.

"I would call it Toothless if it was a girl and if it is a boy I would name it Stuart," she wrote in her letter, promising to feed it raw fish and play with it when she wasn't at school.

Toothless is the name of a dragon befriended by a Viking teenager in the How to Train Your Dragon series of children's books. The pair also feature in a popular film franchise.

Sophie's request prompted an unusual apology from the 87-year-old institution, which admitted "we've missed something".

"There are no dragons," it said in a blog reply posted on its website this week.

"Over the past 87 odd years we have not been able to create a dragon or dragon eggs," it said, adding that its scientists had observed dragonflies and even measured the body temperatures of the lizard known as a mallee dragon.

"But our work has never ventured into dragons of the mythical, fire breathing variety. And for this Australia, we are sorry."

The CSIRO said scientists overseas had recently pondered whether dragon fire would be produced by flint, gas, or rocket fuel, and speculated whether its own research into alternative fuels could be a starting block for its dragon research and development programme.

"Would dragon fuel be a low emissions option? Thanks for the fuel for thought, Sophie. We're looking into it," it said.

The enquiry had a fairytale ending Friday when the CSIRO announced that, thanks to Sophie's letter, "a dragon was born".

"We couldn't sit here and do nothing. After all, we promised Sophie we would look into it," they explained in a new blog.

"Toothless, 3D printed out of titanium, came into the world at Lab 22, our additive manufacturing facility in Melbourne."

The electric blue and grey dragon, small enough to be held by hand, is currently en route from Melbourne to Sophie's home in Brisbane, the CSIRO said.

"Being that electron beams were used to 3D print her, we are certainly glad she didn't come out breathing them... instead of fire," said the CSIRO's Chad Henry.

"Titanium is super strong and lightweight, so Toothless will be a very capable flyer." -AFP

Sign language frees Cambodian deaf from 'prison'

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:33 PM PST

PHNOM PENH: At a hairdresser's shop in the Cambodian capital, there is none of the usual chit chat you might expect when getting a haircut -- because the barbers are all deaf.

They have graduated from the only education course for deaf adults in Cambodia, where the vast majority of people with hearing problems never had the opportunity to learn sign language.

"I didn't have any contact outside of my family. It was like being in prison. I was stuck there. I couldn't do anything. I didn't have any money. I didn't have any education," barber trainee Oeun Darong, 27, explained in Cambodian sign language.

Until the late 1990s, Cambodia was one of the few countries in the world without its own sign language.

But that is changing thanks to the work of American priest Charlie Dittmeier, who began to develop the kingdom's own version with help from foreign linguists and researchers after he was posted in the Southeast Asian nation 13 years ago.

"We get people coming to us at the age of 25, 30, 35. They have never been to school a day in their life. They have no language," said Dittmeier.

His Deaf Development Programme (DDP) is one of only two groups running schools for people with hearing problems in Cambodia. The other one is for children.

About 30 deaf students aged 16 or older are currently taking a two-year course at the DDP centre in Phnom Penh, learning simple sign language, writing, reading and other life skills, said Dittmeier.

A third year is spent in job training like at the barber shop, where the students receive instructions - given in sign language - on how to offer hair cuts, shaves and ear cleaning.

'I couldn't talk to my family'

Many have spent their life working in rice fields or as cattle herders, with no one to teach them how to use sign language.

"I was by myself. It was a sad life. I couldn't learn anything. I couldn't talk to my family," said Darong, who once thought he was the only deaf person in the world.

He was born into a family of farmers - one of eight children - and missed out on an education.

"The others would walk to school but I was left at home taking care of the cow, fishing and working in the garden, while they would go and learn how to read and write."

Other pupils at the same deaf school had even worse experiences, such as the pair rescued from one of the country's rehabilitation centres, which rights activists criticise for unlawfully detaining street children, beggars, drug users and other undesirables.

"They had no social skills at all. They did not know how to take a shower," said Dittmeier.

On the walls of the DDP centre, some drawings show the basic rules of hygiene, while others teach Cambodian sign language.

"We are constantly trying to expose them to new ideas and then they start developing the signs. Then our work is to record the signs. We draw them. We scan them. We put them into books and dictionaries," Dittmeier said.

"When they start wanting to talk about new topics they will develop new signs. It shouldn't come from the hearing people - it should come from the deaf people. And so their life expands, their language expands, their world expands."

'People don't ignore me anymore'

There are estimated to be more than 50,000 deaf people across Cambodia, yet only a fraction of them have learned sign language.

For those who do, it can be a life-changing step.

"I can now communicate," said 23-year-old student Kheng Nat. "People don't ignore me or discriminate against me here. It is not like at home or in the village."

The situation in Cambodia, which has no state-funded education programme for the deaf, is by no means unique.

"Worldwide, deaf children and young people are often denied an education, including in sign language," said Shantha Rau Barriga, disability rights director at New York-based Human Rights Watch.

"Sign language is critical for deaf people to be able to communicate, express themselves, and learn," she added.

The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) campaigns for better access to education for the 70 million deaf people around the world, the majority of whom live in developing countries that lack well-trained sign language teachers.

In many nations, the quality of education for deaf people is low and the illiteracy rate is high, according to the WFD, which deplores "a massive ignorance in education systems about the importance of sign language."

One of the first things students do when they enter the DDP school in Phnom Penh is to choose their own sign name - a crucial step towards leaving their solitary life behind.

"I met lots of deaf people here who are now my friends," said Darong. "I'm not by myself anymore." -AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

0 ulasan 10:07 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: World Updates

China mulls national pollution permit trading system
Indian envoy leaves U.S. in deal to calm diplomatic row
Singapore supermarket tycoon's mother abducted in rare kidnap case

China mulls national pollution permit trading system

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:45 PM PST

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will look into establishing a nation-wide trading system for pollution permits as part of efforts to use market mechanisms to help clean up its environment, the country's top environment official said.

In remarks published on the website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection (www.mep.gov.cn) on Friday, minister Zhou Shengxian said China was working on new regulations for pollution permits and would also publish proposals for new pilot trading projects as soon as possible.

China has vowed to reverse the environmental consequences of three decades of breakneck industrial expansion and clean up its heavily polluted air, water and soil and is hoping to use the market to encourage firms to cut emissions.

Provinces pledged this week to meet targets set by the ministry to cut air pollution by 5 to 25 percent. The ministry said it was considering a system to evaluate progress.

Authorities regularly issue directives to try to tackle air pollution in major cities, but the effect has been limited with enforcement still lax and economic growth seen as the priority.

China already has more than 20 local trading platforms that allow industrial firms to buy and sell permits for pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, major constituents of smog and acid rain. But their impact has been limited, said Ma Zhong, the dean of the School of Environment and Natural Resources at Renmin University.

"Emission trading in China is not strictly a market activity and it is more like paying for emitting. It is just a few regions running some test trading," he told Reuters.

Five cities and regions set up new pilot carbon trading platforms last year to encourage local enterprises to address soaring greenhouse gas emissions and two more will be launched in 2014. China aims to have a nationwide carbon emissions trading system later in the decade.

On Friday, the seven pilot carbon trading platforms signed an agreement with other environmental exchanges to look into trading not only carbon credits but also pollution, water and energy use permits.

Environment minister Zhou said China planned to cut major pollutants like sulphur dioxide and ammonium nitrate by 2 percent over 2014. Nitrogen oxides would be slashed by 5 percent.

China said late last year that it was struggling to meet environmental targets for the 2011-2015 period, with energy and carbon intensity targets still behind schedule.

Nitrogen oxide emissions, expected to fall 10 percent over the 2011-2015 period, actually rose 2.82 percent by the end of 2012. Zhou said the total amount was expected to have fallen by more than 3.5 percent last year.

(Reporting by David Stanway and Kathy Chen; Editing by Ron Popeski)

Indian envoy leaves U.S. in deal to calm diplomatic row

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:30 PM PST

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Indian diplomat whose arrest and strip-search caused a major rift in U.S.-Indian ties was effectively expelled from the United States on Thursday as part of a deal in which she was granted diplomatic immunity from charges of visa fraud and lying about underpaying her nanny.

Devyani Khobragade, who was deputy consul-general in New York, was arrested on December 12 and indicted on Thursday by a grand jury for visa fraud and making false statements about how much she paid her housekeeper.

Her arrest set off protests in India amid disclosures that she was handcuffed and strip-searched. The dispute soured the broader U.S.-India bilateral relationship, leading to sanctions against American diplomats in New Delhi and the postponement of visits to India by senior U.S. officials and another by a U.S. business delegation.

A United Nations diplomat familiar with the case said Khobragade had flown out of the United States. In India, the foreign ministry said she was being transferred to a post in New Delhi.

Khobragade's lawyer Daniel Arshack said she would leave with her head "held high."

"She knows she has done no wrong and she looks forward to assuring that the truth is known," he said in a statement.

While both New Delhi and Washington stressed the importance of their bilateral relationship during the crisis, it has taken weeks of complex wrangling to find a workable solution both sides could live with.

Documents and statements from U.S. officials reveal a dizzying 24 hours in which the State Department granted Khobragade diplomatic immunity, unsuccessfully asked India to waive that immunity and ordered her to leave the country immediately.

According to documents provided by Arshack, the U.S. mission sent a letter to Khobragade on Wednesday granting her diplomatic status as of 5.47 p.m. (2147 GMT) that day.

INDIA INCENSED

On Thursday, the Indian mission to the United Nations rejected the State Department's request that her immunity be waived. Then in a diplomatic note, the U.S. mission requested Khobragade's immediate departure from the United States and said it would take steps to prevent her from obtaining a visa in the future. It also said Khobragade, 39, who is married to an American, risked arrest if she tried to return.

"Upon her departure a warrant may be issued for her arrest and should she seek to enter the United States she could be arrested," the note said.

There was no immediate comment from the Indian Embassy in Washington or its mission to the United Nations.

The foreign ministry statement in New Delhi said: "At the time of her departure for India, Counsellor Khobragade reiterated her innocence on charges filed against her.

"She also affirmed her determination to ensure that the episode would not leave a lasting impact on her family, in particular, her children, who are still in the United States."

India was incensed by the treatment of Khobragade and has curtailed privileges offered to U.S. diplomats in New Delhi. On Wednesday it ordered the U.S. Embassy to close a club for expatriate Americans there.

Also on Wednesday, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz postponed a visit to India scheduled for next week. This move came days after U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Nisha Desai Biswal delayed her first visit to the country to avoid the trip becoming embroiled in the dispute.

The arresting authority, the U.S. Marshals Service, characterized the strip search as a routine procedure imposed on any new arrestee.

As well as this treatment of Khobragade, India was angered that the United States took it upon itself to fly the nanny's family out of India. The prosecuting attorney, Preet Bharara of Manhattan, an ethnic Indian, said attempts were made in India to "silence" the nanny, Sangeeta Richard, and compel her to return home.

Safe Horizon, a non-government organisation that campaigns for victims of abuse, said that although Richard's legal presence in the United States was tied to her employment, she had been granted temporary permission to remain while she cooperates with law enforcement as a victim of human trafficking.

It said Richard was likely to apply for a special "T-1" visa reserved for trafficking victims. Such a visa would be valid for up to four years and allow her to work in the United States. It can also lead to lawful permanent residence, according to the website of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

UNDERLYING PROBLEMS

Khobragade's departure would remove the focus of current friction between New Delhi and Washington, but it is unclear how long it will take the anger to subside in the run-up to national elections in India in May. Also, the continued presence of Richard in the United States could prove an irritant.

The case has exposed underlying problems in a bilateral relationship that has failed to live up to its billing by President Barack Obama in 2010 as "a defining partnership for the 21st Century."

Critics accuse Obama of failing to pay sufficient attention to ties with a country viewed as a key strategic counterbalance to China and as an engine to boost the U.S. economy, while American hopes of building a more robust business relationship with India have run into bureaucratic hurdles.

Indian sourcing rules for retail, information technology, medicine and clean energy products are contentious and U.S. firms complain about "unfair" imports from India of everything from shrimp to steel pipes. In June, more than 170 U.S. lawmakers signed a letter to Obama about Indian policies they said threatened U.S. jobs.

Speaking at a seminar on Thursday, Ron Somers, president of the U.S.-India Business Council blamed "bumbling on both sides" for the Khobragade affair.

"We have to do some thinking on this side as to what has there been in the way of frustration that allowed this incident to provoke and spill over as it has," he said.

"We really need now to be building trust and taking an introspective look at whether we really mean what we say when we talk about strategic partnership and how do we get there."

(Reporting by Nate Raymond, Joseph Ax and Chris Francescani in New York, David Brunnstrom in Washington, Louis Charbonneau at the United Nations and Frank Jack Daniel in New Delhi; Editing by Clive McKeef, Eric Walsh and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Singapore supermarket tycoon's mother abducted in rare kidnap case

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:20 PM PST

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Two men were charged with kidnapping on Friday in Singapore after the elderly mother of a supermarket tycoon was abducted and held for ransom, a rare instance in a country that prides itself on its low crime rate.

Lim Hock Chee, founder and chief executive of Sheng Siong Group Ltd, said his mother, 79, was lured into a car on Wednesday morning by a man who said he had seen her son injured in a bad fall.

The kidnappers then called Lim and demanded a S$20 million ransom. After almost 12 hours of negotiations, Lim left S$2 million in a bag under a tree in a park, and his mother was then released in the early hours of Thursday morning.

"This was a very scary experience, every minute was in fear," Lim said in a video posted on the website of the Straits Times daily.

The two men were arrested an hour after the victim's release, according to the Singapore Police Force and the money recovered. They were charged in court on Friday morning.

Lim is the 35th richest man in Singapore according to Forbes Singapore in 2013, with a net worth of S$654 million.

He established Sheng Siong in 1985 and it operates 33 stores. The company listed in August 2011 and is valued at S$835.33 million.

The kidnapping was only the fourth such case on the island in 13 years. Singapore, which provides for the death penalty or caning for certain offences, has some of the lowest crime rates in the world, with 581 cases of crime per 100,000 people, according to official figures.

"Kidnapping for ransom is very rare in Singapore, but is a very severe offence, which is punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty," deputy commissioner of police Hoong Wee Teck said in a statement.

($1 = 1.2715 Singapore dollars)

(Reporting By Brian Leonal; Editing by Rachel Armstrong and Ron Popeski)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

0 ulasan 10:03 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

First look at 'Fargo' with Martin Freeman
Banshee, place of interest
'Boardwalk Empire' to end

First look at 'Fargo' with Martin Freeman

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:40 PM PST

Check out some images from the new TV series.

In an exclusive premiere, Yahoo! TV has unveiled a handful of stills from the new FX series, a spin-off on the Coen brothers' 1996 film.

One of the images revealed by Yahoo! TV shows Martin Freeman, the actor best known for his portrayal of Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit trilogy. The British actor will play the show's protagonist, Lester Nygaard, a role loosely based on the character played by William H. Macy in the original movie.

Allison Tolman in a scene from Fargo.

In the TV version, this henpecked insurance salesman will meet a mysterious stranger who brings him nothing but trouble.

Freeman will be joined by Billy Bob Thornton, Colin Hanks, Kate Walsh, Oliver Platt and Bob Odenkirk in the series, which is produced by the directors of the movie version, Joel and Ethan Coen. Screenwriter Noah Hawley (Bones) will pen the series, aiming to preserve the dark humor and distinctive Midwestern atmosphere of the film while creating an entirely new plot.

FX plans to air the first 10 episodes of Fargo, filmed in Canada, from this spring. — AFP Relaxnews

Banshee, place of interest

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:50 PM PST

Series creator Greg Yaitanes provides teasers for second season.

THE Cinemax original series Banshee is all set to roll out its second season on Jan 17 at 11pm on Astro Ch 412. The Star met with executive producer and creator Greg Yaitanes in Los Angeles to get more than a few morsels on what is coming up in the action-packed series.

Yaitanes teases that the episodes never quite go in the direction that the audience thinks the storyline might be headed.

The series has garnered fans not only for its more-than-abundant fight scenes, but also how it has been exploring storytelling in various media. There is a comic book called Banshee: Origins that looks at the background of the main characters before one was captured by the police and sent to prison for 15 years, while the other ended up living the life of a good wife and mother in the town of Banshee.

Like its first season, Banshee continues to tell a mini-story in its title sequence, which gives access to more clues on its official site: Welcome to Banshee. (For season two, the site also features Origins' short videos to accompany each episode in season two, which has a more direct relevance to an episode.)

As for the title sequence, Yaitanes shares that he wanted one that would change every week. "I wanted a title sequence to be social, I want it to change every week, and I want it to tell a story.

"Each character's card tells the story of the character and the photographs change every week and there are bits of animation (that change). The numbers on the dial were significant last year as they actually unlock content to some of the meaning behind the photographs. This year especially, none of the number you see anywhere, like on the phone, are insignificant; 62 is one of the numbers this year, and one of the characters picks up the phone and the time on the phone is 62 minutes before midnight. This year, the number in the title sequence is significant throughout the season.

"Fans took to Twitter to find out the significance of the number and for us, it is important that everything means something. We have put in clues no matter how deep you want to go, we've put something there for the fans."

'Boardwalk Empire' to end

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:15 PM PST

The HBO drama will end its run after five seasons.

US Prohibition-era television drama Boardwalk Empire will conclude after its fifth season, which is slated to air later this year, HBO said on Thursday.

Boardwalk Empire, a mob crime drama, stars Steve Buscemi as crooked Atlantic City, New Jersey, treasurer Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, based on Enoch L. Johnson, a corrupt and powerful political boss of the 1920s Prohibition era.

The fifth season is scheduled to premiere in the fall. The drama was created by The Sopranos writer and executive producer Terence Winter. Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese won an Emmy for his direction of the series' big-budget pilot that premiered in September 2010.

The series has won 17 Emmy awards since its debut, including Bobby Cannavale as best supporting actor in a drama series for his role as gangster Gyp Rosetti. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

0 ulasan 9:16 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

Star power in 2014
Who to look out for this year
Not winners yet

Star power in 2014

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

From Amy Adams to Johnny Depp, these are the movie stars who will shine bright in 2014.

This year promises to be a good one for movie lovers across the board. Between historical dramas, science-fiction thrillers, superhero action movies and arthouse films, there will be something for everyone. For movie fans who swear only by the stars, here is our pick of the top names to watch in 2014.

Angelina Jolie

The coming year will be a busy one for the Hollywood star, who returns to theatres in May in the title role of Maleficent, a live-action adaptation of Disney's Sleeping Beauty told from the perspective of the iconic villain. In December, the actress will present her latest project as a director, Unbroken.

The film is a biopic on the remarkable destiny of Louis Zamperini, a former small-time criminal who went on to become an Olympic athlete and later a war hero. He is still alive today at age 96.

Charlotte Gainsbourg

The 42-year-old French actress has teamed up once again with Melancholia director Lars von Trier for Nymphomaniac, which premieres at the Berlinale in February 2014 before hitting US theatres in March. Gainsbourg stars as Jo, a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac, in this highly anticipated two-part drama.

Eva Green

Another French actress making waves on the international film scene, 33-year-old Green will be seen playing two femme fatale roles during the coming year. In 300: Rise Of An Empire, hitting US theatres in March, she will play the ruthless queen Artemisia, commander of the Persian army sent to invade the Greeks.

In late August, Green will appear in the role of Ava Lord, who seduces Josh Brolin's character in the stylised noir film Sin City: A Dame To Kill For.

Russell Crowe

The New Zealand native will turn 50 in 2014, but he isn't showing any signs of slowing down. The actor will co-star with Colin Farrell in the romantic fantasy drama Winter's Tale in February, before appearing in the title role of Darren Aronofsky's Noah, an epic and somewhat controversial biblical saga.

Last but not least, the actor will present his feature-length directorial debut, The Water Diviner, at the end of the year. The film will explore the aftermath of the Dardanelles Campaign during World War I, in which several Australians perished.

Nicole Kidman

Though she may have seemed to be under the radar in 2013, the Australian star was busy shooting a number of much-anticipated films expected in theatres in the coming months.

In 2014, Kidman will star in the thriller Before I Go To Sleep and the drama The Railway Man, not to mention Grace Of Monaco, Olivier Dahan's biopic on the legendary princess, and Paddington, the film adaptation of the adventures of the Britain's favourite bear.

Meanwhile, the actress will also be busy on the sets of Jason Bateman's The Family Fang and Werner Herzog's Queen Of The Desert.

Chris Pratt

A well-known face to Parks And Recreation fans, the 34-year-old actor will be propelled to international fame in 2014 as the star of Marvel's summer blockbuster Guardians Of The Galaxy, something of an outer-space version of the Avengers. His reputation could grow even further if he joins the cast of Jurassic World, slated to go into production this year.

Amy Adams

The red-headed beauty will ride the wave of success from David O. Russell's American Hustle, possibly even bagging an Oscar nomination. Adams will then head to the set of Batman Vs. Superman to play Lois Lane before joining Christoph Waltz on the set of Big Eyes. In this Tim Burton drama, due in theatres in late 2014, Adams will play Margaret Keane, who accuses her husband of stealing her paintings.

Johnny Depp

After a rather dismal 2013, marked by the commercial and critical failure of The Lone Ranger, Depp seems ready to make a solid comeback in 2014.

The actor will play the villain in the science-fiction thriller Transcendence next spring before returning to theaters in the title role of Mortdecai, an adventure comedy adapted from the writings of Kyril Bonfiglioli. Finally, at the end of 2014, he will don a wolf costume for Into The Woods, a Disney production that draws inspiration from multiple fairy tales. — AFP Relaxnews

Who to look out for this year

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

WHILE there will be plenty of stories from the entertainment world to keep us occupied, these selected celebrities will be the ones to dominate magazine pages in 2014.

Jennifer Lawrence: There will be no slowing down for Lawrence in 2014. As if 2013 wasn't hot enough for the 23-year-old actress – who nabbed an Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook, continued starring in the successful Hunger Games franchise and wowed everyone with her no-holds-barred attitude – 2014 may be even more sizzling, if that's possible.

She's got the next X-Men and Hunger Games flicks hitting theatres, plus the period piece Serena (her third movie with Bradley Cooper). And, oh yeah: she's expected to earn an Academy Award nom for her turn in David O. Russell's American Hustle.

Jay-Z and Beyonce: The music world's hottest couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce, avoided the baby boom of 2013 – but we think they'll be at the centre of it in 2014. With daughter Blue Ivy about to turn two, this is the perfect time for 44-year-old Jay and 32-year-old Bey to announce another pregnancy.

American Idol: Idol will make a strong comeback this year. Though 2013 saw a big drop in ratings and some judge hiring misfires (umm ... Nicki Minaj) for the long-running music competition show, 2014's shaken-up judging panel of Jennifer Lopez (returning after a hiatus from the show), newbie Harry Connick Jr and Keith Urban (coming back for a second season) should prove to be just what the Idol doctor ordered.

We predict lots of chemistry for these energetic three, who will surely choose some seriously talented singers to battle it out on stage.

Kim and Khloe Kardashian: Kim and Khloe will both find happily ever-afters. Kim had a stellar 2013, welcoming daughter North West and getting engaged to rapper-baby daddy Kanye West, plus getting her drawn-out divorce from Kris Humphries finalised.

For 2014, we think Kim and West's sure-to-be over-the-top wedding (which will, of course, be televised) will actually lead to stability for the twice divorced reality starlet.

Meanwhile, younger sister Khloe will rebound from her rough year, which saw a split from hubby Lamar Odom after his reported addiction to crack came to light, with a new, healthier relationship that will grow slowly, unlike her wedding to Odom, which took place just 30 days after the couple met. — amNewYork/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Not winners yet

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Golden Globes organisers seek to stop film nominations being referred to as 'wins'.

AS the Oscars hype machine steps up a gear to culminate in March's Academy Awards ceremony, adverts have begun to appear in trade magazines celebrating the achievements of contenders for this month's Golden Globes.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which operates these awards to be awarded on Jan 12, has said it will look unkindly on instances of movies being referred to as "winners" of nominations.

"We have recently seen several instances in which the word 'winner' was used too prominently in publicity and advertising to describe nominees," Theo Kingma, the HFPA president, warned in a letter to studios.

"While earning a nomination is certainly an honour and one to be celebrated, it is not a 'win' and using that term or terms similar to it is likely to mislead the public and diminish the excitement around the awards show, when the winners will be revealed."

Publicity for a number of prominent Oscars contenders has recently used a format in which the word "winner" appears in large text above the number of Golden Globe nominations received by the film. Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave, the Meryl Streep drama August: Osage County, Stephen Frears's Philomena and Justin Chadwick's Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom have all been named as transgressors by the Hollywood Reporter, though there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by any of the studios involved.

The HFPA has not previously targeted the practice, which was banned by the Oscars body, the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, several years ago.

The move is being seen as the latest endeavour by the HFPA to improve its image after years of criticism over lists of nominees that seemed geared towards attracting high-profile Hollywood stars to its annual ceremony.

In other awards-season news, an embarrassing video has emerged of Leonardo DiCaprio extolling the public-speaking skills of Jordan Belfort, the financial fraudster he portrays in controversial Oscar-tipped Martin Scorsese drama The Wolf Of Wall Street.

The testimonial was made some time ago, but has re-emerged into the public consciousness following DiCaprio's flurry of recent interviews denouncing Belfort's activities at discredited 1990s Long Island brokerage Stratton Oakmont.

Scorsese and DiCaprio's three-hour black comedy of excess and betrayal has received considerable praise, though the film-makers' adoption of Belfort's story has proven controversial.

The daughter of a man linked to the discredited financial schemes depicted in the film recently attacked Scorsese and DiCaprio for glamorising a lifestyle of "fun sexcapades and coke binges", while director and star found themselves heckled at a screening last month amid suggestions that their movie was not going down well with older, conservative Oscars voters.

The pair have faced criticism, too, from an animal rights group – which has called for a boycott over the use of a live chimp in one of the film's scenes of excess.

DiCaprio, who was a hands-on producer on The Wolf Of Wall Street and could be in line for an Oscars nod if the film can overcome the furore surrounding it, last week spoke out to insist that he and Scorsese were not "condoning the behaviour" of Belfort and his former cronies.

The testimonial video is being seen as an example of the dirty tactics that often emerge during awards seasons as rival studios flag up their own movies and vie to discredit rival productions. – Guardian News & Media

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

0 ulasan 9:10 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

Star power in 2014
Who to look out for this year
Not winners yet

Star power in 2014

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

From Amy Adams to Johnny Depp, these are the movie stars who will shine bright in 2014.

Angelina Jolie

The film is a biopic on the remarkable destiny of Louis Zamperini, a former small-time criminal who went on to become an Olympic athlete and later a war hero. He is still alive today at age 96.

Charlotte Gainsbourg

Eva Green

In late August, Green will appear in the role of Ava Lord, who seduces Josh Brolin's character in the stylised noir film Sin City: A Dame To Kill For.

Russell Crowe

Nicole Kidman

Though she may have seemed to be under the radar in 2013, the Australian star was busy shooting a number of much-anticipated films expected in theatres in the coming months.

Meanwhile, the actress will also be busy on the sets of Jason Bateman's The Family Fang and Werner Herzog's Queen Of The Desert.

Chris Pratt

Amy Adams

Johnny Depp

After a rather dismal 2013, marked by the commercial and critical failure of The Lone Ranger, Depp seems ready to make a solid comeback in 2014.

Who to look out for this year

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

WHILE there will be plenty of stories from the entertainment world to keep us occupied, these selected celebrities will be the ones to dominate magazine pages in 2014.

We predict lots of chemistry for these energetic three, who will surely choose some seriously talented singers to battle it out on stage.

For 2014, we think Kim and West's sure-to-be over-the-top wedding (which will, of course, be televised) will actually lead to stability for the twice divorced reality starlet.

Not winners yet

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Golden Globes organisers seek to stop film nominations being referred to as 'wins'.

The HFPA has not previously targeted the practice, which was banned by the Oscars body, the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, several years ago.

Scorsese and DiCaprio's three-hour black comedy of excess and betrayal has received considerable praise, though the film-makers' adoption of Belfort's story has proven controversial.

The pair have faced criticism, too, from an animal rights group – which has called for a boycott over the use of a live chimp in one of the film's scenes of excess.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

0 ulasan 7:45 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Business

China Dec exports growth slows, 2014 outlook brighter
Bernanke gives upbeat assessment of economy to US senators
Wearable gadgets, like watches to check text messages, not ready for prime time

China Dec exports growth slows, 2014 outlook brighter

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 06:21 PM PST

BEIJING: China's export growth slowed more than expected in December due to a higher comparison base a year earlier and a clamp-down on speculative activities disguised as export deals, missing the official target on foreign trade.

But the outlook for 2014 is expected to be brighter as global demand picks up.

"Exports weakened dramatically, but were close to the consensus. The data is positive for China and Asia sentiment as it alleviates concerns that China is slowing too sharply," said Dariusz Kowalczyk, a senior economist and strategist for Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong.

Exports rose 4.3% in December from a year earlier, the Customs Administration said on Friday, slowing from 12.7% in November and compared to market expectations of 4.9%.

Imports rose 8.3%, quickening from 5.3% in November and overshooting the same rate expected by the market, raising optimism that domestic demand may remain firm despite signs that the world's second-largest economy is losing steam.

The December trade surplus fell 24.3% from a year earlier to US$25.6bil, missing the forecast of US$31.2bil.

For 2013, exports rose 7.9% and imports rose 7.3%, producing a trade surplus of US$259.8bil, up 12.4% from 2012.

BETTER 2014

Uncertain global demand, a stronger yuan and rising labour costs have taken their toll on Chinese exporters, but analysts believe sales could pick up modestly in 2014 due to improved demand from the US and Europe.

China's combined exports and imports rose 7.6% in 2013, below the official target of 8%. In 2012, China missed a 10% annual growth target. The government does not set any target on exports.

"China's exporters are facing pressures from rising costs, including increasing labour costs and yuan currency appreciation," customs spokesman Zheng Yuesheng told a news conference, adding that trade is entering a "stabilisation and development stage" in 2014.

China's Commerce Ministry has pledged to maintain steady trade growth this year and further balance the trade structure by increasing imports of raw materials and energy products.

"The biggest surprise is December imports. This suggests China's domestic demand is continuing to improve," said Sun Junwei, China economist at HSBC in Beijing.

"We expect exports to show further recovery in 2014, but the magnitude would be small and at around 10 percent. Imports could be supported by steady domestic demand and are likely to grow around 8 percent this year."

China's leaders want to wean the economy off its heavy reliance on investment and exports in favour of a more sustainable expansion in consumption and have unveiled the boldest economic and social reforms in nearly three decades to pursue that goal – Reuters.

Bernanke gives upbeat assessment of economy to US senators

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:32 PM PST

WASHINGTON: Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday offered an optimistic view on the US economy's prospects to Democratic senators, but warned that "tough decisions" were ahead on dealing with long-term budget deficits and healthcare costs, according to lawmakers present.

Bernanke, whose term as chairman ends on Jan 31, told a private lunchtime meeting with senators that the reduction in federal budget deficits and the country's improving energy position were "all positives" contributing to a healthier US economy, according to Senator Thomas Carper of Delaware.

According to Carper, Bernanke said that "the next several years are more encouraging, but we can't forget those long-term challenges and they involve among other things programmes that are concerned with healthcare."

An aging US population will put increasing pressure on the federal government as it struggles to provide retirement and healthcare benefits to the elderly, poor and disabled.

Bernanke did not speak to reporters upon leaving the meeting and a spokeswoman for the US central bank declined to comment.

The Fed last month decided to begin scaling back its bond-buying monetary stimulus, dropping its monthly purchases to US$75bil from US$85bil. Exiting the stimulus programme will likely be the main task on the plate for Fed Vice Chair Janet Yellen, who was confirmed by the Senate on Monday to succeed Bernanke.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, arguing on the Senate floor that an extension of jobless benefits would boost the US economy, quoted Bernanke as saying that the economy could do much better.

"He talked about the vibrancy of this economy now," said Reid, a Democrat. "He said ... it's not as good as it should be. But he said: 'With a little bit of help it would be on fire.'"

Senate Budget Committee head Patty Murray said Bernanke was "very astute, talking about how things are looking up and some of the things we need to be doing investing in infrastructure and research that will help our economy in the future."

Senator Charles Schumer emerged from the session declaring to reporters that the Fed chief "thinks over the next four or five years the deficit is in very good control but he's much more worried about middle-class incomes and growth of average families than he is about the deficit."

President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats in Congress are focusing their 2014 political message on the need to narrow the income gap between rich and poor.

Schumer, the Senate's third-ranking Democrat and a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee, said Bernanke also discussed the issue of financial institutions that are deemed "too big to fail."

Asked how Bernanke addressed that issue, Schumer said: "One of the ways is to have market forces deal with the ability of closing banks when they're in trouble and he talked about how the credit rating agencies, realising that the government might not come in and bail out these institutions anymore, have actually lowered their credit ratings, which is a market force" – Reuters.

Wearable gadgets, like watches to check text messages, not ready for prime time

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:31 PM PST

LAS VEGAS/SINGAPORE: Despite the hoopla, wearable gadgets like wristwatches for checking your text messages or eyeglasses that capture video are unlikely to make a splash with consumers anytime soon, given the clumsy designs, high prices and technological constraints of many of the current offerings.

That is the conclusion drawn by many industry executives and analysts who trolled the vast exhibition halls of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week.

Most of the wearable products on display at the industry's premier showcase looked like awkward attempts to shoehorn technology into new forms without an original or compelling benefit for the wearer, skeptics say.

Stacy Rasgon, a semiconductor analyst at Bernstein, spent a day at CES busily snapping photos of every fitness band, watch and other wearable device he came across.

"I have 20 different photos, but if I look at the pictures I couldn't tell you which product is from which vendor. They all look the same," Rasgon said. "Wearables sound like a great idea and there's going to be a lot of experimentation. People are throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks."

Sony Corp <6758.T>, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd <005930.KS> and Qualcomm Inc <QCOM.O> showed off new or recently launched smartwatches, most of which act as extensions to cellphones, letting users check messages and appointments. Wristbands - like the popular Fitbit that tracks physical activity - also accounted for a big chunk of the devices on display at CES.

"For wearables to finally match up with the hype, (they have) to be a true solution, where it isn't about the technology - it's about what the technology enables you to do, something you couldn't do before," saidMike Bell, the senior executive leading Intel Corp's <INTC.O> wearables push.

"The function, form and experience have to be as important as the parts you slap inside," he said.

Intel this week unveiled its take on wearables that Bell believes serve a clear purpose and could catch on, including prototype earbuds with a built-in heart rate monitor that changes the music on asmartphone to keep pace with a workout. It also announced a collaboration with luxury department store Barneys New York to develop smart bracelets intended to look like they were dreamed up by a fashion designer - not an engineer.

The wearables mania gripping the industry is in part a response to slowing smartphone and tablet markets. After growing 39 percent in 2013, global smartphone shipments are forecast to expand by just 18 percent annually through 2017, with prices steadily falling, according to market research firm IDC. Tablet shipments are seen up 22 percent this year, compared with 54 percent in 2013.

Tech executives say many consumers are intrigued by the potential for wearable gadgets, but they are also cautious. A survey by research company Yankee Group in December found less than 10 percent of respondents planned to pay $200 or more for a fitness wellness device.

A survey by Wakefield Research, commissioned by U.S. cloud-services company Citrix Systems <CTXS.O>, last November found 91 percent of respondents were excited about wearables, but 61 percent said they had no plans to purchase one.

Simon Randall, whose British-based OMG Life Plc makes a wearable camera called Autographer, is not surprised. He recalls the lukewarm reception when Nokia <NOK1V.HE>, his employer at the time, introduced camera-phones more than a decade ago.

"New things take time to be broadly adopted but if there's an intrinsic benefit at the heart of them they'll prosper," Randall said.

HAUTE COUTURE

Samsung's $300 Galaxy Gear may have had the biggest launch of any wearable so far - but it was panned by reviewers. It shipped an estimated 800,000 of the watches in the two months since it was introduced in September, a figure that pales in comparison to the millions its smartphones manage.

Some experts said Apple <AAPL.O> may have the best chance of developing a gadget that will propel the wearable category into prime time, given its track record in consumer devices.

"2014 will be more a year of attempts than of successful products. And for a lot of manufacturers it will be a matter of waiting to see what Apple does," said Carolina Milanesi, a consumer tech analyst at Kantar Worldpanel.

While the electronics show lacked sure-fire winners, some offers were definitely intriguing and drew crowds.

Epson <6724.T> unveiled a $700 pair of eyeglasses that allow the user to simultaneously view data about objects they are looking at. Sony's prototype glasses can display captions and information about programs a viewer is watching on TV.

Another offer was a bracelet made by Netatmo embedded with a sensor that looks like a jewel and which measures exposure to sunlight, helping the wearer decide when to put on sunscreen.

Even Qualcomm, one of the largest companies now touting the impending wearable device revolution and purveyor of the "Toq" smartwatch, acknowledges the hurdles ahead.

Raj Talluri, who oversees the design of its Snapdragon smartphone processors, wants to add the same chips to watches and apparel to let them handle much more sophisticated functions. But more work needs to be done on power consumption.

"The power consumption of processors really needs to get an order of magnitude less," Talluri said. "People's expectation in wearables is not that they have to charge them every day. They want to wear things for weeks." - Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

0 ulasan 4:03 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Nation

Former CEO pleads guilty to taking bribe
Kg Chitty will remain as heritage site
Lee wants ROS go-ahead for Kedah DAP meeting

Former CEO pleads guilty to taking bribe

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

JOHOR BARU: A 48-year-old former chief executive officer of Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary company of Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB), has pleaded guilty at a Sessions Court here to accepting a bribe of RM25,000.

Mohamad Hanafiah Abu Mansor, who is currently JP Logistics Sdn Bhd CEO, was slapped with a RM30,000 fine for asking and receiving the bribe at a car park behind IIB in Danga Bay between 3pm and 4pm on January 2010.

He took the bribe from Mohd Zulkifli Arif as a reward for helping Segi Mulia Sdn Bhd to procure the tender for a project under Medini Iskandar Malaysia.

The facts of the case stated that in early 2009, Medini Iskandar Malaysia opened tender for "The Proposed Construction And Completion of Kg Sg Pendas – Alternative Villager's Logistic Road For Medini Development Iskandar Malaysia" project worth RM2.7mil.

Segi Mulia Sdn Bhd secured the project on July 29, 2009.

Mohamad Hanafiah was previously charged on Oct 24 last year with two counts of bribery offences involving the same project, where he pleaded not guilty.

He was offered an alternative charge yesterday under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term up to two years or a fine or both upon conviction. He pleaded guilty.

In mitigation, Mohamad Hanafiah pleaded for a fine instead of a jail sentence as it was his first offence and he had a wife and four children to take care of.

He paid the fine.

Kg Chitty will remain as heritage site

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

MALACCA: A development project at the fringes of a heritage site housing three Hindu temples will not threaten the existence of the traditional village, said state executive councillor Datuk M.S. Mahadevan.

Refuting allegations on social media, he said the Malacca government was monitoring the controversial high-rise condominium project at Kampung Chitty in Gajah Berang here, arguably the oldest enclave in the historic city.

Mahadevan, who is exco member for sector affairs, human resources and NGOs, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron had given him the responsibility to protect the three ancient temples there: the Sri Muthu Mariamman, Sri Anggala Parameswari and Sri Kailasanathar temples.

"The temples will be scrutinised by building engineers and even the slightest damage to any structure will draw an immediate stop-work order (on the development project) by the relevant authorities," said Mahadevan when interviewed by The Star.

Several groups are asking the authorities to stop the project, alleging that it is within the buffer zone designated as a Unesco heritage and that the settlement was also gazetted by the state as a heritage village in July 2002.

The project involves the construction of two 22-storey condominium blocks, a 12-storey hotel annexe and a six-storey car park on private land adjacent to the settlement.

It was temporarily stopped some time back but the developer was said to have resumed work six months ago.

The state government had reportedly said it would have to settle a compensation of about RM30mil if it re-acquires the land.

Lee wants ROS go-ahead for Kedah DAP meeting

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

ALOR SETAR: Kedah DAP chairman Lee Guan Aik has submitted a letter to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) seeking approval to hold its annual general meeting (AGM).

Lee claimed that ROS approval was needed because the DAP's national headquarters was still mum on when the party's state AGM would be held.

He said Kedah DAP needed to hold its state convention every two years, adding that the last one was held in 2010 during which he was elected state chairman.

"The state DAP committee does not want to be another culprit in violating the party's constitution or the Societies Act," he said after handing the letter to ROS yesterday.

Asked if his action went against DAP headquarters, Lee said he decided to seek ROS' approval since he knew that it would not entertain his request.

He said other states had held their AGMs and conventions and that the DAP headquarters' reason for not allowing the Kedah AGM was due to the appointment of a state interim committee chaired by Zairil Khir Johari.

It was reported that ROS did not recognise Zairil's appointment by the party's CEC and had confirmed Lee as Kedah DAP chairman in a letter dated Dec 4 last year.

Kedah ROS director Annuar Isa confirmed that Lee had submitted the letter but said it would refer the matter to its headquarters for further action.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Khamis, 9 Januari 2014