Sabtu, 25 Januari 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro


Thai protesters surround polling stations as advance voting begins

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 07:22 PM PST

BANGKOK: Thai anti-government protesters surrounded polling stations Sunday as advance voting for controversial elections got under way, authorities said, raising uncertainty over whether the ballot will ultimately be held.

Over two million people are registered for the advance vote ahead of the February 2 election, which was called by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in an attempt to defuse rising political tensions after weeks of mass anti-government protests.

Demonstrators, who have staged a near two-week so-called "shutdown" of Bangkok in an effort to derail the vote, have rejected the election and vowed to congregate around polling stations.

Advance voting is being held for those who are unable to take part in the February 2 election and is routine, although this time it is being seen as a litmus test for the possibility of holding the vote next Sunday without violence.

The country's Election Commission has said that individual polling stations could decide to suspend advance voting if there is a blockade or violence.

Protesters insist they will not obstruct voters, although analysts have questioned whether their actions are tantamount to voter intimidation.

There were no immediate reports of violence on Sunday but Thai television said there had been verbal clashes between voters and protesters at some polling stations.

"There are around 2,500 protesters (in total) in front of at least 13-14 polling stations," in the Thai capital, a National Police officer, who did not want to be named told AFP.

Police would keep a low profile to avoid raising tensions, he said, adding they would go onto the streets in the event of any "unrest".

Protesters also reportedly blocked polling stations in southern Thailand - where the anti-government movement draws widespread support.

Demonstrators want to topple the government and install an unelected "people's council" to implement loosely-defined reforms that they hope will rid Thailand of the influence of ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra - Yingluck's older brother.

They do not want the February 2 polls to go ahead, calling for reform before elections.

An AFP reporter at one Bangkok polling station said there was no sign of voters early Sunday as dozens of protesters, many blowing whistles, surrounded the building's entrance which was padlocked as voting opened.

"I'm here to prevent people from voting," said 64-year-old Amornchock, giving one name.

"I'm not against democracy, I'm not against elections, but they have to be fair."

There is mounting uncertainty over whether elections will take place on schedule, after the country's Constitutional Court on Friday ruled that the February polls could legally be delayed because of the crisis.
Yingluck, who has so far refused to resign or delay the poll, is set to meet Election Commission officials on Tuesday.

Nine people have been killed and hundreds injured during nearly three months of protests that have sparked international concern and investor fears over the country's economy.

Sunai Phasuk, Thailand researcher for Human Rights Watch, said it was unclear how the protesters would enact their plan to "persuade" people not to vote without blocking them from doing so.

"What if they refuse to comply? This is a slippery slope and could easily turn into intimidation of voters," Sunai said.

Thailand's political system has been left deeply fractured by years of political turmoil that began shortly before Thaksin was deposed in a military coup in 2006.

The crisis roughly pits Thaksin's supporters from rural and urbanised communities in the north and northeast against his foes within the country's elite, the Bangkok middle classes and parts of the south.

The billionaire tycoon-turned-politician - who lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption that he says was politically motivated - has won every election since 2001 either directly or more recently through allied parties. 

But his opponents accuse him of corruption, "vote buying" and pushing through expensive populist policies to strengthen his electoral position.

The main opposition Democrat Party, which has not won an elected majority in some two decades, is boycotting the latest polls. -AFP

Horror in Philippine online child sex abuse village

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 07:58 PM PST

IBABAO, Philippines: In a remote Philippine village, toddlers played oblivious at a nursery as the house next door became part of a horrifying child pornography ring, with live footage of children performing sex acts being streamed online to paedophiles around the world.

The depraved scenes in the bungalow were being repeated in many homes throughout Ibabao, a secluded community on Cebu island where Internet child pornography had for some of its 5,000 residents become more lucrative than fishing or factory work.

"In the beginning I was shocked, I could not believe this was happening in my town," mayor Adelino Sitoy told AFP last week, shortly after police announced they had cracked a global live-streaming paedophile ring in which Ibabao was a key source of the child pornography.

But while the village is currently in the spotlight, authorities and child rights advocates say the fast-growing global industry is infecting many parts of the mostly poor Philippines, with thousands of children having been abused.

At first look the coastal community of Ibabao, 885 kilometres (550 miles) south of Manila, is a typical close-knit rural Philippine village, where many of the long-time residents are relatives or enjoy close and longstanding ties.

In scenes echoed across the devoutly Catholic Philippines, its residents regularly attend masses held in quaint chapels along narrow footpaths and dirt roads.

Parents sell children for online sex

But police and authorities said that behind the closed doors of the tiny wooden and brick homes, many parents directed their children for sex videos in front of webcams connected via the Internet to paying paedophiles overseas.

Other children were lured into the homes of neighbours and forced to perform sex acts in front of webcams, they said.

Sitoy said the trade thrived because children were locked secretly inside homes, as well as Ibabao's remote location and the fact some elected village leaders with relatives involved ignored the crimes.

But some of the videos eventually found their way into the computer files of a known British paedophile two years ago, triggering a global manhunt to track down the perpetrators.

The British man was convicted in March last year and sentenced to eight years in prison.

Shortly afterwards police in the Philippines began carrying out raids in Ibabao and nearby areas with the help of British, Australian and US authorities.

One of the raids saw dozens of Filipino police and social workers break into the bungalow next to the day care centre in September last year, arresting a couple and rescuing their three children, aged three, nine and 11.

Two days later, 13 other children who were being abused in other Ibabao homes were rescued, according to Philippine police.

Residents are generally wary of outsiders but some allowed AFP to interview them on condition of anonymity.

They said "cybersex dens" remained in operation, but security fears and the Filipino tradition of not interfering with a neighbour's affairs helped to ensure that people did not pry further or try to stop it.

Housewife Jennifer Canete, 38, was willing to talk openly about the crimes, confirming many people in the community were involved and that she feared her four young children could become victims.

Canete said one of her children attended the nursery located next to the house where the three children were being abused.

"We were angry that this could happen just near the day care," she said.

"I was also afraid, we didn't know what could happen to our children if they went to school because there were many here who were doing that."

Shadowy outsider introduces child cyberporn

Authorities say they do not know exactly when the trade arrived in Ibabao.

But, according to local social workers, a Filipina woman from outside the community believed to belong to an organised crime group relocated to the village several years ago and introduced locals to the get-rich-quick scheme.

That woman taught residents how to scout for clients in pornographic chat rooms and receive payments through international money transfers, according to the social workers, who did not want to be named for security reasons.

Some operators lured friends of their children into their homes and abused them, threatening to harm their parents if they told anyone, the social workers said.

One parent told AFP a neighbour who had tried to recruit her said clients paid as much as 100 dollars a session, a fortune in a region where the minimum daily wage is the equivalent of about seven dollars.

She said the neighbour justified the trade by saying that no actual physical contact took place.

"I was angry. We were always taught to protect and love our children," the woman said.

"We are not rich, but we are also not poor and desperate. It was an evil thing to do."

Nevertheless, she said that staying silent and steering clear of those involved in the trade was the best thing to do, to avoid any trouble.

In announcing the dismantling of the paedophile network, Britain's National Crime Agency said in mid-January that 11 people had been arrested in the Philippines and 18 elsewhere around the world.

Another 733 suspects were being investigated, the agency added.

Andrey Sawchenko, Philippine head of the Washington-based International Justice Mission (IJM) who helped in the arrests, said 39 children had been rescued in Ibabao and elsewhere in the Philippines.

But this is widely believed to be just the tip of the iceberg, with the British crime agency describing online child sex abuse as a "significant and emerging threat".

"Extreme poverty, the increasing availability of high speed Internet and the existence of a vast and comparatively wealthy overseas customer base has led to organised crime groups exploiting children for financial gain," it said.

Dutch advocate group Terre des Hommes estimates that "tens of thousands" of children are being abused through the cybersex industry just in the Philippines.

Last year, the group created a virtual 10-year-old Filipina girl that was deployed in Internet chat rooms to lure paedophiles.

Over 10 weeks, 20,000 people from 71 countries approached the fake girl asking for sexual performances,  according to Terre des Hommes, which passed the details of the paedophiles onto police. -AFP

Japan NHK head's 'comfort women' remark stirs controversy

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 08:27 PM PST

TOKYO: The newly appointed head of Japan's public broadcaster NHK has stirred controversy by saying the system of forcibly drafting women into military brothels during World War II was "common in any country at war".

Katsuto Momii's comment on Saturday came after popular Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto prompted global outrage last year by suggesting that the so-called "comfort women" served a "necessary" role by keeping battle-stressed soldiers in check.

Up to 200,000 women from Korea, China, the Philippines and elsewhere were forced into brothels catering to the Japanese military in territories occupied by Japan during WWII, according to many mainstream historians.

The military brothel system was "common in any country at war", Momii told his first news conference as NHK chairman on Saturday.

"Can we say there were none in Germany or France? It was everywhere in Europe," he said, according to reports.

Noting that this was his personal view, Momii said the comfort women issue has been "complicated because South Korea says Japan was the only country that forcibly recruited (women)".

The politically charged issue of comfort women has stoked regional tensions, with South Korea and China insisting that Japan must face up to its World War II-era sexual enslavement of women from across occupied Asia.

In a landmark 1993 statement, then chief Japanese government spokesman Yohei Kono apologised to former comfort women and acknowledged Japan's role in causing their suffering.

But in remarks in 2007 that triggered a region-wide uproar, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who also served as premier then, said there was no evidence that Japan directly forced women to work as sex slaves.

Momii, 70, who previously served as a vice chairman of trading house Mitsui, is rumoured to have been Abe's preferred choice as NHK chairman, Kyodo news agency said. -AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Twelve dead in fresh violence in China's Xinjiang

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 09:15 PM PST

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese police shot dead six people during a "terrorist" attack in the restive western region of Xinjiang and six more died when explosives they were carrying detonated, state media said, as officials accused a prominent academic of aiding militants.

Police came under attack on Friday by a group throwing explosive devices in Xinhe county, the official news agency Xinhua said on Saturday, citing regional authorities, the latest violence to jolt an area with a large Muslim population.

Five suspects were captured and one policeman was slightly wounded, Xinhua said.

Xinjiang has been the theatre of numerous incidents of unrest in recent years, which the government often blames on the separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), although experts and rights groups cast doubt on its existence as a cohesive group.

Around 100 people, including several policemen, have been killed in violence in Xinjiang since last April, according to state media reports.

Many rights groups say China has overplayed the threat posed by militants from the large Uighur minority, Muslims who speak a Turkic language, to justify tough controls in energy-rich Xinjiang. The region lies on the borders of ex-Soviet Central Asia, India and Pakistan.

Eleven people believed to be members of a militant group of Uighurs were killed in Kyrgyzstan after illegally crossing into the former Soviet republic from China, Kyrgyz border guards said on Friday.

Police in Xinjiang's regional capital Urumqi said on Saturday a well-known, Beijing-based Uighur economics professor, Ilham Tohti, was being investigated for promoting Xinjiang's independence and abetting separatists.

Tohti was detained in Beijing last week, prompting concern from both the United States and European Union.

Tohti used his classes to laud the attackers in recent militant incidents as "heroes", "inciting the students to hate the country, hate the government and seek to overthrow it", Urumqi police said on their official microblog.

The Chinese-language statement implied a link with ETIM, but a later English translation by Xinhua did not use such specific terms.

"Ilham Tohti used his position as a teacher to entice, lure and coerce certain people to form a gang, colluded with leaders of overseas East Turkestan separatist forces, and sent followers overseas to engage in separatist activities," the statement said.

Tohti also sowed misinformation and rumours and "agitated for Xinjiang independence", the police said, adding they had "cast-iron evidence" against him.

Tohti's wife, Guzailai Nu'er, said on Sunday she thought the accusations were ridiculous.

"Do they really think the university would allow him to say such things in class? He's just an ordinary teacher. Why are they saying these things?" she told Reuters by telephone from her house, which is under close watch by police.

"And all this stuff about East Turkestan elements. What rubbish."

Nu'er said she still had no idea where he husband was being detained because authorities had not told her anything and were following her every move.

Tohti has championed the rights of the Uighur community in Xinjiang, and has challenged the government's version of several incidents involving Uighurs, including what Beijing says was its first major suicide attack involving people from Xinjiang in Beijing's Tiananmen Square last year.

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Ron Popeski, Pravin Char and Paul Tait)

Three dead, including gunman, in Maryland mall shooting

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 08:40 PM PST

COLUMBIA, Maryland (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire with a shotgun in a skate shop at a crowded shopping mall near Baltimore on Saturday, killing two store employees and wounding another person before apparently killing himself, police said.

Howard County police said they did not know the motive for the shooting at the large mall in Columbia, Maryland, about 20 miles (32 km) west of Baltimore. Police said they have tentatively identified the shooter, who was carrying explosive material in a bag, but did not release his name.

Police identified the victims as Brianna Benlolo, 21, of College Park, Maryland, and Tyler Johnson, 25, of Mt. Airy, Maryland. Johnson had recently moved to Mt. Airy from Ellicott City, police said. Both were employees of Zumiez, a skate shop where the shooting took place.

One person suffered a gunshot wound to the foot, and four others were injured in the chaos, police said. Howard County General Hospital said all five people had been treated and released. The person shot in the foot was a level below the Zumiez store, police said.

The shooting happened at about 11:15 a.m. EST (1615 GMT) on the mall's upper level just above the food court. The mall, which has more than 200 stores, was crowded with weekend shoppers, many of whom sheltered in place after hearing the shots or seeing people fleeing.

Police, who were in the area on another case, responded to the emergency calls within two minutes and found all three bodies either in the store or just outside it. Police said they believe the man shot himself to death.

Police said in a statement Saturday night that a search of the shooter's bag found inside the store revealed "two crude devices that appeared to be an attempt at making explosives using fireworks."

Police said both devices were disabled, and that police will conduct a thorough search of the mall using K-9 units through the night. Investigators also were reviewing footage from surveillance cameras around the mall.

The mall will remain closed on Sunday, police said, though people may retrieve vehicles from the mall parking lot this evening.

It took hours for state and Howard County police, joined by authorities from neighbouring counties, to clear the building of shoppers and employees and ensure there were no other shooters.

"This took a long time because you can imagine how many rooms there are in the mall, how many back offices, bathrooms and dressing rooms and nooks and crannies in the mall," Howard County Executive Ken Ulman told reporters.

DEVOTED MOTHER

A friend of Benlolo, Paul Dorion Malcolm, 24, said she had a young son.

"I met a lot of young mothers that have kids, but I've never met a mom so devoted. She took that kid everywhere, when she wasn't working at Zumiez she was with her kid," Malcolm said in a phone interview.

"Her energy was amazing: always upbeat, positive," said Malcolm, who used to work at a shoe store at the mall and met Benlolo there last year.

A visitor to the mall said the shooting caused panic.

Tonya Broughton of Silver Spring, Maryland, was having a ladies' day out with friend Tarah Lancaster-Williams when they saw people running.

"We were getting facials at a kiosk on the lower level when everyone started running," Broughton said. "We just headed for the nearest store, Victoria's Secret. I still had the facial on."

She said the Victoria's Secret employees herded everyone to the rear of the store.

"They were very nice, keeping us calm. They told us we were safe," Broughton said.

Colin Reddy, who works at the mall, told CNN he heard about eight or nine shots in all.

"We thought it was construction because there's a lot of construction going on at the mall right now. Then I heard it again. Like 'boom, boom, boom.' And then everybody started running," he said.

Reddy said he and the other employees closed the store's gate and waited in a back room for police to arrive.

Zumiez, which has more than 400 stores across the United States, said in a statement it was "deeply saddened by the violence" at its store. The company said it was arranging counseling for its employees in the area.

The attack in Columbia follows a shooting at a New Jersey mall in November in which a gunman fired at least six shots without hitting anyone, sparking a mass evacuation of the complex, then killing himself.

There also has been a spate of shootings in recent days at U.S. schools and universities. A student was shot dead on Friday at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, and at Purdue University in Indiana a teacher's assistant was shot and killed on Tuesday. In both incidents, suspects have been charged with the crimes.

Suicide bomber attacks Afghan army bus killing three

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 08:30 PM PST

KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber attacked an Afghan army bus in the capital, Kabul, on Sunday, killing three people and wounding at least 10, police said.

The attack, the latest in a worrying upsurge of violence in Kabul and around Afghanistan, was claimed by the Taliban.

"The number (of victims) might change. An investigation is ongoing about the incident," said Hashmat Stanikzai, the chief spokesman for police in Kabul.

(Reporting by Mirwais Haroooni and Jessica Donati; Editing by Paul Tait)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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Creature feature in 'I, Frankenstein'

Posted: 23 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Aaron Eckhart explains why Victor Frankenstein's monstrous creation is just like everyone else.

THE monstrous creature that is Victor Frankenstein's creation in the novel Frankenstein, stands at eight feet tall. Frankenstein had used discarded human body parts to form his "monster" and had been obsessed with the idea of reanimating the body. When it is successfully brought to life, Frankenstein becomes horrified by its grotesque appearance.

He shuns the creature, causing it to wander around alone with so much anger and confusion.

In a telephone interview earlier this week from New York, actor Aaron Eckhart said he empathised with the legendary creature.

"Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a compelling story with a universal theme. It's about being unwanted, unloved and trying to find your purpose in life. People will find themselves asking the same questions that the creature has pondered upon. He was looking to be loved and he just wants to belong," said Eckhart, 45.

The actor plays the creature, named Adam, in the film I, Frankenstein. Based on a graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux, the film depicts how Adam is caught in the middle of a war between gargoyles and demons. For centuries, the gargoyles – led by its queen, Leonore (played by Miranda Otto) – has been able to prevent the demons from destroying humanity.

Eventually, demon leader Naberius (played by Bill Nighy) realises that the key to victory lies in Frankenstein's method of reanimating corpses. If he could get his hands on Adam as Frankenstein's only living specimen, he would be able to create his own legion of undead fighters.

Eckhart said the gothic-action film has reimagined Adam as a "dynamic fighter".

"He's got to be a lean, mean fighting machine. I think we came up with a new, nicer version of the creature."

Eckhart performed his own stunts in the film and even mastered a new skill for his character. Instead of relying on just brute strength, Eckhart trained in the Filipino art of Kali stick fighting to give Adam an edge over his opponents.

"Yeah, if anyone comes up behind me in an alley and there's a stick around, I could defend myself (laughs). I trained for five to six months to master the fighting. I really worked hard to make it look like I know what I was doing in the film."

Adam also has a less-than-intimidating appearance working for him. Gone are the signature bolts at the sides of his head and stitches on his forehead. You can also forget about the familiar green, gangly appearance – which would have made him easy to spot, really.

"We tried all kinds of makeup during rehearsals and the process is really quite beautiful. We didn't want to make him look so big and cumberstone. The team put a lot of thought into the scars around Adam's face and body. We looked at the scars as an ingenious way of telling Adam's story," Eckhart shared.

Despite the radical way I, Frankenstein has changed the creature's look, Eckhart believes its inner struggles remain the same.

"I think it's not so much on how you look, but really how you feel on the inside. Adam still has so much rage in him due to how he feels after being ostracised and rejected by everyone, including his creator."

Even in the company of the winged gargoyles, Adam is often being questioned over his identity. Since he is neither human nor demon, some of the gargoyles feel that he doesn't belong with them.

On the other hand, Naberius' clan wants Adam to be on its side but that would mean he has to turn his back on humanity.

"That's the crux of the story. Adam has to make a decision based on his instinct. He doesn't have anyone to help him. He doesn't know what love and kindness feels like. He never experienced anyone being nice to him."

Eckhart revealed that he can relate to how his character is always wandering around the world, all on his own. "I feel very much like Adam in that sense. I work in different cities all over the world. During weekends or between days off, I simply wander the streets and I don't know anybody."

The actor hopes audiences get to see Frankenstein's infamous creation in a different light, despite numerous other films portraing him as a brainless monster with limited vocabulary. "Mary Shelley has written the creature as a sensitive, intelligent character. He has deep thoughts. He was looking for love and companionship."

That said, however, Eckhart noted that he has mixed feelings about hearing everyone's reaction to I, Frankenstein.

"(Laughs) I don't know. I like hearing nice things and I don't like hearing bad things. It's quite nerve-racking because everyone has an opinion about it. I hope it's a big success. But you know, that's the way it goes. It's the business. I'm kind of used to it by now!"

I, Frankenstein is showing in cinemas nationwide.

Related story:
Aaron Eckhart: Of monster and man

Movies coming soon

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

The Lego Movie (pic, above) Emmet, an ordinary Lego mini figure, mistakenly thought to be the last living Master Builder, is recruited to stop an evil tyrant, Lord Business. With some help, Emmet is forced to unlearn everything he has ever learnt and unleash the power of his imagination to save the Lego universe. Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks and Morgan Freeman lend their voices to this animated movie.

Huat Ah! Huat Ah! Huat! – This inspirational film tells the story of Ah Huat, an autistic young man who has an extraordinary sense of smell and a unique ability to brew the perfect cup of coffee.

Also, in spite of his quest for success, Ah Huat never loses sight of his motto that "honesty is the best policy".

This made-in-Malaysia flick stars Aniu and Joyce Cheng.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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'Hot In Cleveland' in cartoon form

Posted: 23 Jan 2014 08:45 PM PST

An animated episode of the funny ladies is in the works.

Ready to experience the sure-to-be-delightful sight of Betty White in cartoon form? Soon you'll have your chance.

The TV Land sitcom Hot In Cleveland is gearing up for an animated episode, which will air during the fifth season of the series.

The episode, which will feature art from the Titmouse Animation Studio (Black Dynamite, Metalocalypse), will find Elka (White), Melanie (Valerie Bertinelli), Joy (Jane Leeves) and Victoria (Wendie Malick) transformed into cartoon characters who embark on an around-the-world adventure.

The journey will consist of "a psychedelic romp through pop culture hits," and will include homages to Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, The Walking Dead and Frankenstein.

"Viewers love that we take their favorite sitcom stars and put them in our original sitcoms, so we're sure they are going to love seeing these characters in an entirely new, animated universe," TV Land president Larry W. Jones said of the episode.

For the record, White, 92, has appeared as a cartoon character at least once before, on an episode of The Simpsons. White played herself, hosting a PBS fundraising drive. — Reuters

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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Creature feature in 'I, Frankenstein'

Posted: 23 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Aaron Eckhart explains why Victor Frankenstein's monstrous creation is just like everyone else.

THE monstrous creature that is Victor Frankenstein's creation in the novel Frankenstein, stands at eight feet tall. Frankenstein had used discarded human body parts to form his "monster" and had been obsessed with the idea of reanimating the body. When it is successfully brought to life, Frankenstein becomes horrified by its grotesque appearance.

He shuns the creature, causing it to wander around alone with so much anger and confusion.

In a telephone interview earlier this week from New York, actor Aaron Eckhart said he empathised with the legendary creature.

"Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a compelling story with a universal theme. It's about being unwanted, unloved and trying to find your purpose in life. People will find themselves asking the same questions that the creature has pondered upon. He was looking to be loved and he just wants to belong," said Eckhart, 45.

The actor plays the creature, named Adam, in the film I, Frankenstein. Based on a graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux, the film depicts how Adam is caught in the middle of a war between gargoyles and demons. For centuries, the gargoyles – led by its queen, Leonore (played by Miranda Otto) – has been able to prevent the demons from destroying humanity.

Eventually, demon leader Naberius (played by Bill Nighy) realises that the key to victory lies in Frankenstein's method of reanimating corpses. If he could get his hands on Adam as Frankenstein's only living specimen, he would be able to create his own legion of undead fighters.

Eckhart said the gothic-action film has reimagined Adam as a "dynamic fighter".

"He's got to be a lean, mean fighting machine. I think we came up with a new, nicer version of the creature."

Eckhart performed his own stunts in the film and even mastered a new skill for his character. Instead of relying on just brute strength, Eckhart trained in the Filipino art of Kali stick fighting to give Adam an edge over his opponents.

"Yeah, if anyone comes up behind me in an alley and there's a stick around, I could defend myself (laughs). I trained for five to six months to master the fighting. I really worked hard to make it look like I know what I was doing in the film."

Adam also has a less-than-intimidating appearance working for him. Gone are the signature bolts at the sides of his head and stitches on his forehead. You can also forget about the familiar green, gangly appearance – which would have made him easy to spot, really.

"We tried all kinds of makeup during rehearsals and the process is really quite beautiful. We didn't want to make him look so big and cumberstone. The team put a lot of thought into the scars around Adam's face and body. We looked at the scars as an ingenious way of telling Adam's story," Eckhart shared.

Despite the radical way I, Frankenstein has changed the creature's look, Eckhart believes its inner struggles remain the same.

"I think it's not so much on how you look, but really how you feel on the inside. Adam still has so much rage in him due to how he feels after being ostracised and rejected by everyone, including his creator."

Even in the company of the winged gargoyles, Adam is often being questioned over his identity. Since he is neither human nor demon, some of the gargoyles feel that he doesn't belong with them.

On the other hand, Naberius' clan wants Adam to be on its side but that would mean he has to turn his back on humanity.

"That's the crux of the story. Adam has to make a decision based on his instinct. He doesn't have anyone to help him. He doesn't know what love and kindness feels like. He never experienced anyone being nice to him."

Eckhart revealed that he can relate to how his character is always wandering around the world, all on his own. "I feel very much like Adam in that sense. I work in different cities all over the world. During weekends or between days off, I simply wander the streets and I don't know anybody."

The actor hopes audiences get to see Frankenstein's infamous creation in a different light, despite numerous other films portraing him as a brainless monster with limited vocabulary. "Mary Shelley has written the creature as a sensitive, intelligent character. He has deep thoughts. He was looking for love and companionship."

That said, however, Eckhart noted that he has mixed feelings about hearing everyone's reaction to I, Frankenstein.

"(Laughs) I don't know. I like hearing nice things and I don't like hearing bad things. It's quite nerve-racking because everyone has an opinion about it. I hope it's a big success. But you know, that's the way it goes. It's the business. I'm kind of used to it by now!"

I, Frankenstein is showing in cinemas nationwide.

Related story:
Aaron Eckhart: Of monster and man

Movies coming soon

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

The Lego Movie (pic, above) Emmet, an ordinary Lego mini figure, mistakenly thought to be the last living Master Builder, is recruited to stop an evil tyrant, Lord Business. With some help, Emmet is forced to unlearn everything he has ever learnt and unleash the power of his imagination to save the Lego universe. Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks and Morgan Freeman lend their voices to this animated movie.

Huat Ah! Huat Ah! Huat! – This inspirational film tells the story of Ah Huat, an autistic young man who has an extraordinary sense of smell and a unique ability to brew the perfect cup of coffee.

Also, in spite of his quest for success, Ah Huat never loses sight of his motto that "honesty is the best policy".

This made-in-Malaysia flick stars Aniu and Joyce Cheng.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business


IMF's Lagarde sees eurozone inflation 'way below target'

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 06:03 AM PST

DAVOS, Switzerland: Euro zone inflation is "way below target" and deflation is a potential risk for the bloc, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde told the World Economic Forum in Davos on Saturday.

In response, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said the ECB stood ready to act if inflation went lower than forecast and reaffirmed that interest rates would remain low or go lower for an extended period of time.

Asked about the possiblity of the ECB adopting quantitative easing policies such as the U.S., British and Japanese central banks had done, Draghi said: "I'm not saying it should be done or it shouldn't be done."

The EU treaty prevented monetary financing of governments, he said. The ECB might be able to buy securitised bank loans if they could be packaged as asset backed securities in a transparent manner, which would require regulatory change, Draghi added. - Reuters

SAP finance chief says could look at big acquisitions again

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 05:21 AM PST

FRAMKFURT: German business software maker SAP could start looking at large acquisition targets again, particularly among cloud computing firms, its finance chief was quoted as saying by weekly Euro am Sonntag.

"We could look at almost any size," SAP's Chief Financial Officer Werner Brandt was quoted as saying. Brandt, who will retire in May, declined to name any potential targets.

SAP on Tuesday pushed back its profit target by two years as it waits for subscription revenue from cloud computing to gather pace and invests more in the business to keep up with a fast-growing market.

Cloud computing helps businesses cut costs by ditching bulky servers for network-based software in their own offices, instead using remote data centers run by technology companies.

IBM Markets Intelligence estimates the cloud computing market could be as big as $200 billion by 2020.

SAP entered cloud computing in 2012 after spending $7.7 billion on buying internet-based computing companies Ariba and SuccessFactors. Analysts have said SAP may need more acquisitions to reach its 2017 revenue target of 3-3.5 billion euros for the business. - Reuters

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The Star Online: Nation

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The Star Online: Nation


World's most beautiful sound found

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: A recording of natura­l sounds including frogs, birds and insects from Kubah National Park in Kuching, Sarawak, was judged to be "the most beautiful sound in the world" by US-based lifestyle website BeautifulNow (www.BeautifulNow.is).

The winner was announced recently on the website, as well as the music-sharing website Soundcloud.com, after a month-long search for the world's most beautiful sounds.

The announcement was picked up by other lifestyle and nature websites before Malaysian netizens began sharing the news on social media earlier this week.

Australian photographer and sound recordist Marc Anderson submitted the recording, titled "Dusk By The Frog Pond", under the moniker Wild Ambience. Listeners voted it to the top spot from among a dozen finalists and over 100 entries.

Julian Treasure, who is chairman of The Sound Agency, a branding company whose clients include Harrod's, Honda and Nokia, created the competition.

In an audio interview posted on the website, Treasure said Anderson's recording was "the most amazing, rich recording of just life – teeming life" and stated that was the reason voters chose it.

The full version of the recording and two interviews with Anderson can be heard online at http://www.beautifulnow.is/sound.

> An exclusive interview with Anderson by The Star Online will appear in next week's Lifestyle channel, thestar.com.my/lifestyle.

Senior citizen and four dogs die in blaze

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

GEORGE TOWN: It was a gloomy week indeed for pet lovers.

A day after three cats perished in a fire, another blaze claimed the lives of a woman and her four dogs.

In the 1pm incident yesterday, the septuagenarian and her pets perished in the fire at a rented wooden house in Paya Terubong here.

Firemen found the charred remains of Thum Pek Guan, 75, near the door with her dogs.

It is learnt that Thum, who was hunchbacked, had tried to escape from the building but to no avail.

The annexe building, a steel foundry, was also partially destroyed. The cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained.

Thum's goddaughter Phang Seh Moy, 55, said she reared the dogs together with the deceased.

"I fed the dogs with her after work although they were strays.

"The dogs had been with us for many years. I will miss them," she said when met at the scene.

Thum's godson Ong Lai Seng, 54, said she had been living alone in the house for eight years.

"I spoke to her an hour before the tragic incident. Usually, I would buy her lunch.

"I even told her to stay with me or stay at an old folks home but she refused," he said.

Paya Terubong Fire Station chief Poh Leong Soon said they received a distress call at about 1.10pm. He said the fire was brought under control by 1.38pm.

"The fire was not big but when we rushed in, the charred remains and the carcasses of four dogs were already there.

"We believe Thum had tried to flee but was obstructed by the zinc and other obstruction. Luckily at that time, workers at the foundry were out for lunch," he said.

On Thursday, three cats were killed after a unit on the 14th floor of a flat in Bukit Jambul here caught fire.

Use of word 'Allah' clearly spelt in 10-point solution, says PM

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims must be in accordance with the Federal and State Islamic laws, said Prime Mi­­nister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said the matter was clearly spelt in the 10-point solution which had been agreed on by the Federal Government in April 2011.

Najib, who is also Umno president, said the supreme council ack­nowledged the 10-point solution, but any decision or issues raised that involved Islam would have to be based on Federal and state Islamic laws.

"For states with (Islamic) enactment, then these laws must take precedence.

"For states with no such enactment such as Sabah and Sarawak, the existing practice applies," he told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting yesterday.

Najib said one of the points in the 10-point solution gave recognition that any issue raised must be based on the Federal and state Islamic laws.

According to Point Nine, the Government reiterated its commitment to work with different religious groups to address inter-religious issues and work towards the fulfilment of all religious aspirations in accordance with the Constitution, taking into account the other relevant laws of the country.

On Thursday, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluuddin said the Cabinet decided that the seizure of Bibles by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) remained a state issue that should be resolved by the Selangor Govern­ment and that the 10-point solution could not supercede the state enactment.

On Jan 2, Jais seized more than 300 copies of Malay and Iban language Bibles from the premises of the Bible Society of Malaysia during a raid.

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The Star Online: Metro: Central

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Truckers stuck in middle of divide

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

SALAMABAD: The 49 truck drivers, grizzled men from the mountains of Kashmir, were on a routine job dropping goods across the de facto border between Pakistan and India when a drugs bust left them stranded.

For more than a week, the men from the Pakistani side of the divided region, one of the world's most sensitive faultlines, have been stuck in the middle of a row that reflects the difficulty in boosting regional ties through trade.

Last Friday, Indian police along the treacherous mountain road leading between the two sides seized a truck and arrested its driver after 114kg of heroin were found concealed in a consignment of almonds.

Pakistani authorities then refused to let the other trucks in the convoy, or the 48 other drivers, back across the heavily militarised Line of Control unless the arrested man was returned as well. They also detained 27 Indian trucks and their drivers, who had crossed over on the same day to deliver goods as part of a barter trade agreement that was started as a "confidence-building measure" in 2008.

Huddled inside a hall at the Trade Facilitation Centre in Salamabad, 115km from Indian Kashmir's main city of Srinagar, the Pakistani drivers are found watching a Bollywood film on cable TV.

"We are becoming a tragic movie ourselves," said 30-year-old Ahsan Awan from Muzaffarabad.

Under Indian law, smuggling or possessing narcotics is a serious offence that lands an accused in jail without bail. — AFP

Fear over effects of emergency on Thai economy

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

BANGKOK: Foreign chambers of commerce in Thailand have raised serious concerns about this week's emergency decree affecting Bangkok and surrounding provinces, saying it will hurt the tourism sector and lead to a loss of investment opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations yesterday urged the government to cancel the decree before its 60-day period ends, arguing that it will damage investors confidence, domestic trading, and the everyday life of people.

Tourism Council of Thailand president Piyaman Tejapaibul also said a special meeting of its members yesterday passed a resolution to ask the government to rescind the decree as soon as possible.

However, despite their concerns, many chambers still believe in Thailand's basic economic strength, resilience, and other supporting factors such as its geographical location, in a perfect position to become a regional leader when the Asean Economic Community (AEC) is launched next year.

In normal times, hotels in Bangkok are fully booked during December and January. When the anti-government protests started, the cancellation rate was 30%, and after the state of emergency was declared, it went up to 70%, said Stanley Kang, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand.

Simon Landy, chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand, said the political situation was creating uncertainty, and businesses don't like that, but the main effect of the declared state of emergency would be on tourism.

"The number of British visitors to Bangkok went down this month, but Phuket and Samui have no problem at all. Group tours will be the most affected by the state of emergency since it will be impossible for them to get travel insurance for their customers," he said.

Phuket and Chiang Mai would benefit from the situation in Bangkok since many tourists would just go straight to other destination in Thailand instead of stopping in the capital for a few days as they usually do, he said.

Caretaker Tourism Minister Somsak Pureesrisak said yesterday that after the "Bangkok shutdown" reached its second week many countries had begun warning their citizens about coming to Thailand.

Kalin Sarasin, secretary-general of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said he did not agree with the declaration of the state of emergency because it would lower investors' confidence and lead to missed opportunities, since many big business events scheduled for February and March have already begun to be cancelled.

Darren Buckley, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, said the emergency decree would mainly affect the tourism sector but would have only a small impact on investor confidence.

He said many long-term foreign investors still believed in Thailand's resilience to setbacks and he agreed with Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul's comment that the economic fundamentals are sound and should be able to carry the country out of this slump once the political conflict is resolved. — The Nation / Asia News Network

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Music


Pharrell Williams returns to Malaysia

Posted: 23 Jan 2014 02:20 AM PST

The hip-hop star is the latest to join the Future Music Festival Asia 2014 line-up.

Pharrell Williams is returning to Malaysia as one of the main attractions of the Future Music Festival Asia 2014 (March 13-15).

The Grammy-nominated performer, who was in Malaysia for the Sunburst KL International Music Festival in 2009, will play on the upcoming music festival's closing day. Others in the line-up that day include Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Yuna, Dangerdisko (featuring Datuk Sheila Majid) and Raekwon.

There are over 70 local and international acts set to perform at this year's festival. Some of them include Deadmau5, R3hab, Paul Van Dyk, Breaking Diamonds, BATE and Tinie Tempah. Another highlight of the festival is Armin Van Buuren's A State Of Trance 650: New Horizons set, which will play on the second day.

The festival, which will now take place at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium showgrounds, is expected to draw over 85,000 partygoers from all over the world. Tickets are priced at RM208 (single-day pass) and RM588 (three-day VIP access).

Tickets are available at selected Rock Corner and Victoria Music outlets nationwide. This event is open to patrons 18 years and older only. For more information, log on to www.futuremusicfestival.asia or www.facebook.com/futuremusicasia.

Jiang Yu Heng to hold final concert in Genting

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 07:35 PM PST

One of Mandopop's most distinct voices draws the curtains on his illustrious 30-year career.

VETERAN Mandopop singer Jiang Yu Heng will be bidding farewell to his Malaysian fans in a farewell concert in the Arena of Stars, Genting Highlands on 8.30pm, March 29.

The concert is to commemorate the Taiwan-based singer's 30 years in music and is part of his final world tour before he finally calls it quits.

"I feel that this is the right time and right place to bring down the curtain and move on to the next chapter of my life," said the 56-year-old Korean-born singer.

With his mellow, gentle and deep vocals, Jiang is one of Mandopop's most distinct voices. His career began in the late 1980s, and he is best known for iconic classic hits such as Yi Dong De Xin (The Wandering Heart), Zai Hui Shou (Looking back Once More) and Gen Wang Shi Gan Bei (Toast To The Past) and many more. Jiang became a household name after he sang the theme song of popular 90s TV series Plum Blossom Trilogy, which was adapted from Taiwanese writer Qiong Yao's novel.

Organized by Star Planet, tickets for the Jiang Yu Heng Farewell World Tour Live in Malaysia 2014 are priced at RM520 (VVIP), RM420 (VIP), RM340 (PS1), RM260 (PS2), RM180(PS3) and RM100(PS4) (*excluding RM3 processing fee).

Official ticket sales commence from 28 Jan, and the first 800 tickets sold will enjoy a 15% early bird discount.

For more information, call the Star Planet (03-92233667), Ticket Charge (03-9222 8811) or Genting (03-2718 1118) hotlines, or visit www.starplanet.com.my.

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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

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Truckers stuck in middle of divide

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

SALAMABAD: The 49 truck drivers, grizzled men from the mountains of Kashmir, were on a routine job dropping goods across the de facto border between Pakistan and India when a drugs bust left them stranded.

For more than a week, the men from the Pakistani side of the divided region, one of the world's most sensitive faultlines, have been stuck in the middle of a row that reflects the difficulty in boosting regional ties through trade.

Last Friday, Indian police along the treacherous mountain road leading between the two sides seized a truck and arrested its driver after 114kg of heroin were found concealed in a consignment of almonds.

Pakistani authorities then refused to let the other trucks in the convoy, or the 48 other drivers, back across the heavily militarised Line of Control unless the arrested man was returned as well. They also detained 27 Indian trucks and their drivers, who had crossed over on the same day to deliver goods as part of a barter trade agreement that was started as a "confidence-building measure" in 2008.

Huddled inside a hall at the Trade Facilitation Centre in Salamabad, 115km from Indian Kashmir's main city of Srinagar, the Pakistani drivers are found watching a Bollywood film on cable TV.

"We are becoming a tragic movie ourselves," said 30-year-old Ahsan Awan from Muzaffarabad.

Under Indian law, smuggling or possessing narcotics is a serious offence that lands an accused in jail without bail. — AFP

Fear over effects of emergency on Thai economy

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

BANGKOK: Foreign chambers of commerce in Thailand have raised serious concerns about this week's emergency decree affecting Bangkok and surrounding provinces, saying it will hurt the tourism sector and lead to a loss of investment opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations yesterday urged the government to cancel the decree before its 60-day period ends, arguing that it will damage investors confidence, domestic trading, and the everyday life of people.

Tourism Council of Thailand president Piyaman Tejapaibul also said a special meeting of its members yesterday passed a resolution to ask the government to rescind the decree as soon as possible.

However, despite their concerns, many chambers still believe in Thailand's basic economic strength, resilience, and other supporting factors such as its geographical location, in a perfect position to become a regional leader when the Asean Economic Community (AEC) is launched next year.

In normal times, hotels in Bangkok are fully booked during December and January. When the anti-government protests started, the cancellation rate was 30%, and after the state of emergency was declared, it went up to 70%, said Stanley Kang, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand.

Simon Landy, chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand, said the political situation was creating uncertainty, and businesses don't like that, but the main effect of the declared state of emergency would be on tourism.

"The number of British visitors to Bangkok went down this month, but Phuket and Samui have no problem at all. Group tours will be the most affected by the state of emergency since it will be impossible for them to get travel insurance for their customers," he said.

Phuket and Chiang Mai would benefit from the situation in Bangkok since many tourists would just go straight to other destination in Thailand instead of stopping in the capital for a few days as they usually do, he said.

Caretaker Tourism Minister Somsak Pureesrisak said yesterday that after the "Bangkok shutdown" reached its second week many countries had begun warning their citizens about coming to Thailand.

Kalin Sarasin, secretary-general of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said he did not agree with the declaration of the state of emergency because it would lower investors' confidence and lead to missed opportunities, since many big business events scheduled for February and March have already begun to be cancelled.

Darren Buckley, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, said the emergency decree would mainly affect the tourism sector but would have only a small impact on investor confidence.

He said many long-term foreign investors still believed in Thailand's resilience to setbacks and he agreed with Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul's comment that the economic fundamentals are sound and should be able to carry the country out of this slump once the political conflict is resolved. — The Nation / Asia News Network

MP aims to table Bill on human trafficking in November

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Four public consultations have been targeted in March and April for a proposed private member's Bill which seeks to combat human trafficking.

"We are aiming to gather the views and insights of voluntary welfare organisations, religious and secular volunteer groups, business and students communities some of whom have already expressed interest in getting involved with the Bill," said Christopher de Souza, Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC in a press statement yesterday.

He said the aim is to table the Bill in November and conclude its second reading in first quarter of next year. de Souza had been given the greenlight by the Home Affairs Ministry in November last year to introduce the Bill.

A private member's Bill – one that is introduced by MPs who are not Cabinet ministers – are rare.

The last such Bill to be successfully passed in Singapore was the Maintenance of Parents Act, which was introduced by then-nominated MP Walter Woon in 1994.

Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli had said last year that the government supported de Souza's initiative.

He has also asked the Inter-Agency Task Force on Trafficking in Persons to support the MP on developing the Bill. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

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