Khamis, 20 Mac 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Better weather to aid Malaysia plane search
Maid charged with socialite’s murder
New technique eliminates need for invasive collection methods

Better weather to aid Malaysia plane search

Posted: 20 Mar 2014 04:18 PM PDT

SYDNEY: Improving weather conditions should help the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on Friday, forecasters said, as Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott vowed everything "humanly possible" was being done to find the aircraft.

Grainy satellite imagery taken on Sunday detected a pair of floating objects in the southern Indian Ocean which Malaysia and Australia called a credible lead in the drawn-out hunt for the jet that vanished on March 8 with 239 passengers and crew on board.

But four planes from Australia, New Zealand and the United States that flew over a 23,000-square kilometre (8,800 square mile) area of the vast ocean some 2,500 kilometres southwest of Perth on Thursday saw nothing of significance, hampered by low cloud.

"The weather conditions were such that we were unable to see for very much of the flight," Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lieutenant Chris Birrer told reporters of his crew's sortie.

But conditions are improving, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology told AFP.

"Showers associated with the passage of a cold front on Thursday, which saw low cloud and drizzle affect visibility, are easing," the bureau said.

"Winds are currently 15-20 knots, with swell 2 to 2.5 metres, and also easing. Overall conditions are expected to slowly improve today for the search operations in the area."

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which Malaysia tasked with heading the southern Indian Ocean search, said the four planes would leave again Friday on further missions to try and find the two objects, one as large as 24 metres (79 feet) in size.

Military jets dispatched

"Today's search will utilise four military aircraft, including two RAAF Orions, tasked by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to search a 23,000-kilometre area, about 2,500 kilometres south-west of Perth," AMSA said in a statement Friday.

A Norwegian merchant ship is currently in the search area and AMSA said another merchant ship was expected Friday evening, but Australia's HMAS Success, which is capable of retrieving any wreckage, was still some days away.

New Zealand Air Commodore Mike Yardley, commenting to TV3 on the sortie flown by the New Zealand P3 Orion on Thursday, warned that "there's a lot of debris out there in the ocean".

"Our crews picked up debris out there that was not part of the aircraft," he said.

"Our radar will pick up containers that have fallen off container vessels as well, and last night our radar system was picking up marine life - whales and dolphins."

Abbott, who first announced the potential breakthrough to parliament on Thursday, again cautioned that they were looking in "a remarkably isolated location in very deep and inaccessible ocean".

"Nevertheless, we are throwing all the resources we can at it," he said late Thursday after arriving in Papua New Guinea for a visit.

"We will do everything we humanly can to try to get to the bottom of this.

"We don't know what that satellite saw until we can get a much better, much closer, look at it. But this is the first tangible breakthrough in what up until now has been an utterly baffling mystery." - AFP

Maid charged with socialite’s murder

Posted: 20 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

An Indonesian domestic worker was charged in court with the murder of socialite and philanthropist Nancy Gan Wan Geok.

Dewi Sukowati, 23, is alleged to have caused the death of her 69-year-old employer at her bungalow in Bukit Timah on Wednesday.

The mother of two was found in the swimming pool of her home. She had suffered head injuries. The prosecution successfully applied for Dewi to be remanded at Changi Women's Prison for psychiatric assessment. She will be back in court on April 10. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

New technique eliminates need for invasive collection methods

Posted: 20 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Scientists in Singapore say they have found a way to create human stem cells from a drop of blood pricked from the finger.

Previously, methods for generating these cells – called human-induced pluripotent stem cells – involved collecting adult cells from bone marrow, skin or large quantities of blood. These were then genetically coaxed into reverting into stem cells.

However, such invasive collection methods deterred some potential donors.

Researchers from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) revealed their new technique yesterday.

The team, from A*Star's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, had tried to find a way of reducing the amount of blood needed to generate the stem cells and created a method requiring just a single finger prick.

It could encourage a wider range of people to donate stem cells and collect their own blood samples, the scientists said, and lead to the establishment of comprehensive "biobanks" from people with a broad range of ethnic backgrounds, genetics and disease risks.

"It all began when we wondered if we could reduce the volume of blood used for reprogramming," said Dr Jonathan Loh, who led the research.

"We then tested if donors could collect their own blood sample in a normal room environment and store it. Our finger-prick technique, in fact, utilised less than a drop of finger-pricked blood. The remaining blood could even be used for DNA sequencing and other blood tests."

The cells collected from the finger pricks were reprogrammed into stem cells which were then turned into heart cells.

Stem cells can be used for basic research, to test new drugs, and for cell therapy.

There have been ethical objections to using their traditional source – human embryos – so such induced pluripotent stem cells have often been used as an alternative.

The team's work was published in the journal Stem Cell Translational Medicine yesterday. The researchers have filed a patent for the method. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

'Mokissu': Down with dengue

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Mokissu is a light-hearted movie with an important message about a deadly disease.

WITH the dengue problem currently setting off alarm bells in Malaysia, dengue prevention movie Mokissu is indeed timely.

The made-in-Malaysia campus comedy is supported by Malaysia's Health Ministry, which recently launched a Combating Dengue Campaign to spread awareness and educate students about the deadly menace.

Pronounced "Mo-Kiss-U" (a play on "mosquito"), the Chinese language film is produced by Pelangi Publishing Group, a prominent publisher of educational materials and teaching aids that is currently venturing into movie production and home video releases. It is scripted and directed by photojournalist-turned-filmmaker Tai Min Hwee, who is known for other campus comedies like White Ants, Wonder Of Little Fatty, Orphan Wonderland, and Lost In The Jungle.

"I've been making campus comedies for a few years and wanted to inject a more impactful message in my new project," Tai recounted during a recent press conference. "I recalled how one of my cast members caught dengue virus, so I decided to add in dengue prevention elements to show viewers how to protect themselves from dengue. And then I weaved in other elements of romance and comedy for light-hearted and entertaining story."

Tai has been conducting roadshows in several states to promote the movie with Mokissu main cast members as well as health officers from the Health Ministry.

The movie stars newcomers like Yumi Wong, Danny Koo, Toh Chai Chung, Lillian Wenwen who play ordinary students in a school where dengue unexpectedly breaks out.

Wong clarified that Mokissu was actually her first film, and that Ah Beng: Mission Impossible, which opened in cinemas earlier this year, was actually her second one. Playing a spoilt girl who wanted her father to get her a smartphone for her birthday, Wong said she felt it was quite a challenge to play someone quite unlike herself.

"In the movie, I had to throw a tantrum and be rude to my father. I felt really bad every time I said my lines, so I would apologise after each take! I never ask (my parents) for things that way – if I want anything for myself, I would earn my own money and buy it myself. My father disapproves of that sort of unbecoming behaviour," shared Wong.

Wong, who started started her career as a model, said her posture posed a problem initially. "People kept pointing out to me that my back was too straight, and that I should be more relaxed in order to play a student. So, I had to constantly remind myself and change my habits."

Wearing dentures to play a schoolboy with buck teeth, Koo was happy to make his film debut with such a unusual-looking character, though his company was initially not too keen on a role that "ruined" his looks. "Being an actor means having the opportunity to portray all sorts of different characters anyway, so I decided to take the leap. It was initially a real challenge to say my lines as the dentures would often fall out and make everyone on the set laugh uncontrollably!"

Koo, who hosts children's programmes on Astro's Xiao Tai Yang (CH 325), also shared his experience with a friend who came down with dengue.

"I've heard about the symptoms, such as fever and chills, the itchy skin rash, the muscle and joint pain, the headaches and backaches. It was quite terrible to be suffering from dengue," said Koo of the mosquito-borne viral infection.

Mokissu also features a cameo by the director's famous sister, Taiwan-based singer-songwriter Penny Tai, who plays a secondary school teacher. Penny also sang the movie soundtrack How I Miss You, while her multi-talented brother wrote another two songs in the movie: one titled Ye Chang Meng Duo sung by Koo and the other titled Ru Guo You Yi Tian which Tai recorded by himself.

Mokissu buzzes into cinemas nationwide on March 20

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

Analysis of possible plane debris slowed by vast size of satellite data
Seoul set to announce meeting of South Korean, Japanese leaders
Thai court could declare February election void

Analysis of possible plane debris slowed by vast size of satellite data

Posted: 20 Mar 2014 09:10 PM PDT

WASHINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Delays in identifying satellite images that may show debris of a missing Malaysian plane in the southern Indian Ocean were due to the vast amounts of data that needed to be analysed, Australian authorities and the U.S. company that collected the images said.

Australia rushed four international aircraft to an area about 2,500 km (1,500 miles) southwest of Perth on Thursday after analysis of satellite images identified two large objects that may have come from the Malaysia Airlines plane that went missing almost two weeks ago with 239 people aboard.

DigitalGlobe Inc, a Colorado-based company that collects satellite imagery for the U.S. government and other countries as well as private companies, confirmed it had collected the images on March 16. It did not say when the images were provided to Australian authorities.

Australian Acting Prime Minister Warren Truss said on Friday the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which is leading the search for the Boeing 777 airliner in the southern Indian Ocean, had only received the satellite images on Thursday morning.

However, the data was analysed by Australia's Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO) before that.

"That was essentially because of the work that was required to essentially identify whether these pictures were relevant, whether the lead was sufficiently promising to shift the search area to that location," Truss told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Radio.

DigitalGlobe spokesman Turner Brinton declined to comment on whether the debris was spotted by the company's own analysts, government analysts or Internet users participating in a "crowdsourcing" effort launched by the company to help locate the plane.

Brinton said more than 6.3 million users were involved in the effort, looking at more than 485 million "map views," which accounted for more than 120,000 sq km of imagery. More than 6.7 million features had been tagged by the crowd, he said.

Australia's Defence Department, which is responsible for DIGO, declined to comment further on Friday on the process and timeline involved in examining the images.

Brinton said the company's five high-resolution satellites capture more than 3 million square km of earth imagery each day.

"This volume of imagery is far too vast to search through in real time without an idea of where to look," Brinton said.

"Given the extraordinary size of the current search area, the lengthy duration of the analysis effort was to be expected," he said in a statement.

Truss said DIGO was continuing to comb through satellite images, even as five aircraft were due to resume the physical search on Friday.

"That work will continue, trying to get more pictures, stronger resolution so that we can be more confident about where the items are, how far they have moved and therefore what efforts should be put into the search effort," Truss said.

The larger of the objects pictured on March 16 measured up to 24 metres (79 feet) long and appeared to be floating in water several thousand meters deep, Australian officials said. The second object was about five metres (16 feet) long.

While describing the images as a credible new lead deserving of the intense physical search underway, Australian and Malaysian authorities have cautioned that the debris in the pictures might not be related to the missing plane.

Still, Steve Wood, a former U.S. intelligence officer who headed DigitalGlobe's analysis unit until July 2013, said the images would allow U.S. and foreign government agencies, and private companies, to launch a more focused search of data gathered by radars, satellites, ships, and other sources at the same time.

"You've now got a bullseye in your search," said Wood.

(Additional reporting by Jane Wardell in Sydney; Editing by Leslie Adler and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Seoul set to announce meeting of South Korean, Japanese leaders

Posted: 20 Mar 2014 08:52 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea is likely to announce on Friday President Park Geun-hye will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for the first time in a trilateral meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of a global summit next week, officials in Seoul said.

The meeting in The Hague comes amid chilled ties between the Asian neighbours over anger in South Korea that Japanese leaders have not atoned for Japan's wartime aggression, including the use of mostly Korean sex slaves.

"As for the South Korea-U.S.-Japan (summit), I understand the Foreign Ministry will be making an announcement in the afternoon," Ju Chul-ki, Park's top foreign affairs aide, told reporters. He declined to provide further details.

The three-way meeting, if it takes place next week during a nuclear security summit, will be a partial compromise by Park after Washington pressed Seoul and Tokyo to improve ties ahead of Obama's visit to the region next month.

The three leaders are expected to focus their discussions on security tensions created by North Korea's pursuit of nuclear and missile programmes and sidestep the delicate issue of Japanese wartime history, news reports said.

The summit looked more likely after Abe's acknowledgement last week of a previous government apology to "comfort women" forced to serve in wartime military brothels, which was seen in Seoul as a softening of his nationalistic tone.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Writing by Jack Kim; Editing by Choonsik Yoo and Paul Tait)

Thai court could declare February election void

Posted: 20 Mar 2014 08:51 PM PDT

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Constitutional Court was due to rule on Friday on the validity of a general election held in February that was disrupted by protesters, with speculation growing it could void the vote, adding to the political turmoil in the country.

The protests are the latest chapter in an eight-year crisis that pits Bangkok's middle class and royalist establishment against supporters of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her brother, ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled by the army in 2006 and lives in exile to avoid a jail term for graft.

Now in their fifth month, the protesters have shut government offices and at times blocked major thoroughfares in Bangkok to try to force Yingluck out. Twenty-three people have died and hundreds have been injured in the violence.

The court complaint was brought by a law lecturer who argues among other things that the February 2 election was unconstitutional because voting did not take place in all areas on the same day.

Yingluck called the election in December to try to defuse the protests and since then has headed a caretaker government with limited powers. The violence and political paralysis has dented confidence, prompting cuts to economic growth forecasts.

Yingluck's Puea Thai Party had been expected to win but the main opposition Democrat Party threw in its lot with the protesters and has demanded electoral changes before any vote, aimed at reducing the influence of Thaksin. Parties led by or allied to him have won every election since 2001.

The protesters retreated this month to a Bangkok park and the battleground has moved from the streets to the courts. Yingluck faces a spate of legal challenges that could bring down her government, including a charge of dereliction of duty related to a disastrous rice-buying scheme.

Thaksin's "red shirt" supporters, who are strong in the north and northeast, are beginning to make militant noises, raising the prospect of more violence if Yingluck is forced out by the courts, the anti-corruption commission or by other means.

"Independent agencies are being quite obvious that they want to remove her and her entire cabinet to create a power vacuum, claim that elections can't be held and then nominate a prime minister of their choice," said Kan Yuenyong, a political analyst at the Siam Intelligence Unit.

"If they run with this plan, then the government's supporters will fight back and the next half of the year will be much worse than what we saw in the first half," he said.

The streets have been relatively calm since several big protest sites were shut at the start of March and a state of emergency was lifted on Wednesday.

However, police reported that three grenades exploded just before midnight on Thursday near the home of one of the Constitutional Court judges. One person was slightly injured.

(Additional reporting by; Aukkarapon Niyomyat and Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat; Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by Michael Perry)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

'Mokissu': Down with dengue
Snoopy steals the limelight from Charlie Brown in the teaser for 'Peanuts'
New trailer alert: The Boxtrolls

'Mokissu': Down with dengue

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Mokissu is a light-hearted movie with an important message about a deadly disease.

WITH the dengue problem currently setting off alarm bells in Malaysia, dengue prevention movie Mokissu is indeed timely.

The made-in-Malaysia campus comedy is supported by Malaysia's Health Ministry, which recently launched a Combating Dengue Campaign to spread awareness and educate students about the deadly menace.

Tai has been conducting roadshows in several states to promote the movie with Mokissu main cast members as well as health officers from the Health Ministry.

The movie stars newcomers like Yumi Wong, Danny Koo, Toh Chai Chung, Lillian Wenwen who play ordinary students in a school where dengue unexpectedly breaks out.

Koo, who hosts children's programmes on Astro's Xiao Tai Yang (CH 325), also shared his experience with a friend who came down with dengue.

Mokissu buzzes into cinemas nationwide on March 20

Snoopy steals the limelight from Charlie Brown in the teaser for 'Peanuts'

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 05:25 PM PDT

Watch the trailer here.

A new teaser unveils the CGI versions of the famous dog Snoopy, his despondent master Charlie Brown and their feathered friend Woodstock.

Opening with a parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the new video from Fox Family Entertainment introduces the big-screen debut of Charles M. Schulz's classic characters.

The CGI adaptation, made with the permission of Schulz's estate, is directed by Steve Martino of BlueSky Studios, who helmed Horton Hears a Who and Ice Age: Continental Drift. The movie will hit theatres worldwide in late 2015.

Since being created in 1950, the Peanuts comic strip has become an American pop culture icon. The adventures of Charlie Brown, his pets and his friends have been read in over 75 countries. – AFP Relaxnews

New trailer alert: The Boxtrolls

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 08:10 PM PDT

This animated feature from the folks who brought us Coraline and ParaNorman takes a look at a group of misunderstood night creatures, the Boxtrolls.

The Boxtrolls is set in Cheesebridge, a small Victorian-era town obsessed with wealth, class and the stinkiest of cheeses. Beneath its charming cobblestone streets live creepy monsters called the Boxtrolls, who crawl out of the sewers at night to kidnap children and steal er, cheese.

At least that's the legend residents have always believed in anyway.

The truth is that the Boxtrolls are simply an underground cavern-dwelling community of quirky and lovable oddballs who wear recycled cardboard boxes as clothes. The Boxtrolls found an abandoned baby a few years ago and have since raised him – who they call "Eggs" – to be one of their own.

When the gang is targeted by an exterminator named Archibald Snatcher who is bent on eradicating them, the Boxtrolls decide to let Eggs return to his own kind and teach the humans about who they really are. Helping him out is the adventurous rich girl Winnie.

This movie opens in Malaysia in September and features the voices of Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Elle Fanning, Ben Kingsley, Simon Pegg, Richard Ayoade, Nick Frost, Jared Harris and Tracy Morgan. Directed by Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

Hero

Posted: 17 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

A self-help book from Rhonda Byrne, author of the The Secret.

FOR those who are ardent readers of self-help books, here is another offering you might not want to miss. Rhonda Byrne, author of the The Secret, has gifted us with another "life-changing" read.

Her latest book, Hero, will add to the wealth of knowledge of those who are connoisseurs of the power of the mind. To those who don't subscribe to this belief, I'd say treat this book as an entertaining read, for it is loaded with real life tales about real people who have scaled the ladder of success.

Bryne, of course, gained renown as the author of The Secret, the word-of-mouth bestseller released in 2006 that has now sold over 21 million copies in 46 languages. The central discussion in the first book is "the power of positive thinking" and it was a huge hit, as was the movie of the same title.

In her subsequent books, The Power (2010) and The Magic (2012), Byrne plays around with the concept of the "law of a ttraction"; this is a thread that runs through all her works, including her latest, Hero.

In Hero, Byrne takes us on a whirl: Imagine sitting on a magical flying carpet that takes you on a tour of the inside of you – where you discover that the mind is a power house and thoughts are energy with the capacity to make every dream and desire of yours turn into reality.

A book's success depends on the bond it creates with its readers within the first few pages, and Byrne knows this trick all too well. At the onset, the compelling statement in Hero – "Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't" – sets the tone and scene for readers to take the book on both resourcefully and purposefully.

The Introduction gives a fair insight into what the book might do for readers, like a brand promise, if you like.

Several successful personalities are introduced with a short success story for each of them. Among them, American Liz Murray on how she overcame poverty and her state of homelessness and is now a Harvard scholar and a motivational speaker. Another story is that of Paul Orfalea who revolutionised photocopying and is the proud owner of the Kinko chain of stores in the US.

The book is divided into short chapters carrying sub-headings: The Dream, The Hero, The Quest and The Victory. The language is simple, yet the choice of words adds life to the book. The odd size of the book keeps the text on each page at a manageable level. What the writer wants to say is captured in short paragraphs with interjections and interludes comprising testimonials.

In "The Dream", Byrne talks about the greatness involved in following our dream and how each of us is unique, with the talents and ability to realise our dreams. The author hits the perfect cord when she establishes her theory, that it is the imperfections in our lives that allow us to dream. From there on Byrne unwaveringly drives home the message that "you are fully equipped with everything you need to make your dream come true".

The writer uses "dream" in place of "mission" and that, I feel, makes it more relevant and palatable to the ave rage reader.

Aptly, she also broaches the concept of time and discusses the importance of "now".

The part that discusses how "'Someday' is a disease that will take your dream to the grave with you" is loaded with insights, I thought.

The Hero takes us through what being a Hero means, ie stop complaining, stop giving excuses, think positive, don't succumb to fear, have courage, and, with gratitude, the universe gives you more. None of this really new, of course, as it has all been discoursed on at length in her previous works.

"The Quest" chapter is essentially being resilient with all spanners you might see in your works. Not being able to see the path to your success should not be a deterrent, it is arriving at the ultimate that should be the focus. In this context, Laird Hamilton, who has become the world's greatest big-wave surfers after beating the odds, says "The journey itself will never be as you think ... you have an idea of the destination, but you never know the route".

Liz Murray echoes this with the importance of taking one step at a time.

And Hero's final part, "Victory", leaves you with a deep sens e of wanting to just get up and GO!

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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The Star Online: Nation

Daily revisions pay off for Anis
Friends died of drowning
SJK (C) Sungai Chua to start single session next year

Daily revisions pay off for Anis

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

KLANG: After news spread that she was among the top students in the country to score a perfect CGPA (cumulative grade point average) of 4.0 in the STPM examinations, Anis Syarirah Saiful said she was over the moon and thanked her teachers and parents for her success.

The 20-year-old from Kolej Islam Sultan Alam Shah said there was no secret to success apart from daily revisions.

"I woke up at 4am, said my prayers, and studied every day," she said, adding that her teachers and parents also played an important role in her success.

Anis said her next plan was to pursue her long-time dream of studying Arabic language at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa.

Fellow top student, Naim Syukri Sidek, 20, who comes from the same college, also thanked God for his success.

"All I want to do now is to further my law studies at Universiti Malaya," he said.

Former principal of the college, Abdullah Jusoh, who retired just two months ago, said Kolej Islam Sultan Alam Shah had emerged as the top institution in the country for the sixth time in a row.

"Although I have retired, I am proud of what the college has achieved," he said, congratulating the students and teachers.

All 59 STPM students from the college passed, with 29 of them scoring a CGPA of 3.5 and above.

Friends died of drowning

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

IPOH: A student jumped into a river to rescue his drowning friend although he did not know how to swim. Both died.

The two college students were found dead after they went missing with two other students on Gunung Bubu in Kuala Kangsar on Sunday.

Post-mortems carried out on the remains of Adam Asyraf Azman and Muhammad Amir Aysraff Baharuddin, both 17, pointed to drowning as the cause of death, said acting Kuala Kangsar OCPD Supt Ahmad Rabawi Abdul Jamil.

"We believe that Adam Asyraf had slipped and fell into Sungai Gading before being swept away by the strong currents.

"It was then that Muhammad Amir Aysraff tried to help his friend and got into the water as well.

"However, Muhammad Amir Aysraff did not know how to swim and drowned as well," Supt Ahmad Rabawi said yesterday.

Adam Aysraf (left) and Muhammad Amir Aysraff were not so lucky – they drowned. — Bernama

Their bodies were discovered by rescuers in the river at about 3.20pm on Tuesday.

Adam Aysraf and Muhammad Amir Aysraff were among four students who went missing while descending Gunung Bubu with six teachers and 21 other students from the Kuala Kangsar Vocational College, about 45km from here.

They were on a three-day camping trip to the mountain.

It was reported that the teachers discovered the four missing at about 2.30pm on Sunday but only alerted the Fire and Rescue Department at about 10pm.

The two other missing students were found near the river situated about 13km away from the Kem Bina Negara Ulu Kenas at about 9am on Tuesday.

Supt Ahmad Rabawi said the two students who were rescued, Muhammad Putera Rafii and Siti Azimah Mohd Fitri, were still traumatised by the incident.

At a press conference here yesterday, acting Perak Education Department director Mohd Idris Mohd Ramli said the group had descended the mountain at 8pm on Sunday and not at 2.30pm as reported.

Asked if action would be taken against the teachers involved, he said the department would only issue a statement on the incident after obtaining reports from the college and the search and rescue team.

On allegations by parents of the students that they were only informed about the children's disappearance at 6am the day after the incident, Mohd Idris said he did not have any information on that.

SJK (C) Sungai Chua to start single session next year

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

KAJANG: With the completion of two new blocks by the middle of the year, SJK (C) Sungai Chua will finally have enough classrooms for a single session.

The Chinese primary school will start its single session in the morning next year.

MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the RM3.7mil project, which began in June last year, was approved by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin before the last general election.

"It is 80% completed now and we expect this to be finished by June or July this year. Both the parents and teachers have been waiting for many years for a single session.

"This project proves to be another success by the Barisan Nasional government to fulfil its promise to the people," he said after visiting the project site at Sungai Chua new village.

The school, which was set up in 1952, currently has over 1,500 pupils using 21 classrooms.

The Education Ministry, said Dr Wee, had also approved two new Chinese primary schools in Hulu Langat.

"The SJK (C) Bandar Sungai Long project is 95% completed now," he said, adding that the new school could accommodate more than 2,000 pupils.

However, Dr Wee said the fate of SJK (C) Kajang 2 in Kajang Utama was still uncertain.

"Until now, the project to build the new school cannot begin despite approval from the Federal Government many years ago. We have applied for land title for the school in April 2012. However, till now, we have received no news," he said.

"We hope the state government will put aside political differences and let education be their priority."

Meanwhile, MCA Youth lodged a police report against several Opposition leaders over allegations that party vice-president Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun closed a Chinese primary school in Petaling Jaya.

The report was lodged against PKR's Batu MP Tian Chua, and DAP's Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah and Pantai Remis state assemblyman Nga Kor Ming for accusing Chew, who was Petaling Jaya Utara MP in 2000, of closing SJK (C) Damansara.

Its secretary-general Leong Kim Soon said the allegations had tarnished the good name and reputation of Chew, who is now Barisan Nasional candidate in the Kajang by-election.

The school, said Leong, was shifted due to a highway built next to the school, adding that "the original school is still operating".

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

Pesta Rabak takes off

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Pesta Rabak lands in Kuala Lumpur with a diverse arts spread.

THEIR beginnings were humble: tucked away in a little tuition centre in Ipoh, Perak, a group of people, united by their love for the arts, would gather for their fortnightly events.

It could be a film screening one week, an art exhibition the next, and a reading the week after. Sometimes they even got all experimental with their attempts at street theatre or welcomed an underground band on stage.

"Projek Rabak is an arts collective that originated in Ipoh. We were a bunch of friends who wanted to share and spread our love for the arts," says Mohd Jayzuan, 32, who goes by Jay, during an interview in Petaling Jaya. "And then, as more and more people heard about what we were doing, the movement grew."

Jay, one of the initiators of the collective, says that the first Pesta Rabak was held in 2012, to commemorate the first anniversary of their "small events".

'We just want to spread the love for arts,' says Mohd Jayzuan, of Pesta Rabak that will be held in Kuala Lumpur for the first time this Saturday.

"You could say that the first Pesta Rabak was a culmination of all the people and activities we had over the course of a year. We never expected it to get to something so big, so quickly," he says.

This year, Pesta Rabak moves from its Ipoh base to Publika, Solaris Dutamas in Kuala Lumpur on March 22. The third instalment of this one-day festival is curated by six curators, one for each category (streetwear, books, art and photography, film, street theatre, poetry marathons, and music).

Jay describes Pesta Rabak as a "counter-culture, pop culture festival" with events running the gamut from art exhibitions to film screenings, live music to mime, edgy streetwear to alternative book publishers and more.

Preparations for this year's festival have been going on behind the scenes since September last year, but the people behind it only started getting the word out in January this year.

"It's quite a big event but it didn't feel too difficult to coordinate as we have six curators who are very good at what they do. It is a very 'DIY' project and maybe the hardest thing in pulling something together something like this is the lack of sponsors," Jay shares.

The six curators are The Little Birds Convention, Sisi Seni, Paradoks, Haru Monia, Rabak Lit and Tempatan Fest.

He says that they don't really know what to expect as it is the first time the festival is being held in KL.

Bands on parade at the Mindrubdown stage include Pitahati, Dirgahayu, Soft and Enterprise. Alternative book publishers confirmed for the day-long event are Rabak Lit, Fixi, Legen Press, Salut Press, Sang Freud Press and many more. There will no shortage of independent films too, especially with screenings from indie directors Syahid Johan (100 Anak Tangga) and Nabil Zamanhuri (Ganggu). Where street fashion is concerned, the Tempatan Fest 'South East Asia' @ Pesta Rabak is the place to check out edgy clothing brands from the homegrown scene.

"We always say, 'the more the merrier', so we would be very happy to see a huge turnout of course, even though numbers isn't our goal. The objective is simply to spread love for the arts."

Interestingly, there will be another Pesta Rabak held in Manchester in Britain that will run on the same day as the festival in KL. Organised by "one of the core members" of Projek Rabak who is based there, the event will be held at the University of Manchester.

"Like the Pesta Rabak in KL, there will be Malaysian artistes there. Although it will be done on a much smaller scale than the one here, I think it's pretty cool that we have something going on at the same time overseas," concludes Jay.

Pesta Rabak will be held at several locations (White Box, Black Box, The Square, Mall) at Publika, Solaris Dutamas in Kuala Lumpur on March 22. Free admission. Event duration: 10am to 10pm. More info: http://goo.gl/Thucax.

Zaha Hadid's Dongdaemun Design Plaza to open in Seoul with international expo

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 05:05 PM PDT

Opening programme features 'Designed To Win', an exhibition of design and sports.

Starchitect Zaha Hadid's vast Dongdaemun Design Plaza is set to open its doors in Seoul on March 21, marking the occasion with an international design exhibition.

The structure is the world's largest asymmetrical free-form building, featuring three stories below ground, four above, and a total space of over 85,000sqm. It was designed to host exhibitions, conferences, fashion shows, concerts and seminars, acting as a cultural hub for the South Korean capital.

"The design was governed by the belief that architecture should enable people to think beyond existing boundaries, in order to reach innovative solutions," states Zaha Hadid Architects .

The opening programme will feature Designed to Win, an exhibition developed by the Design Museum, London, which was first shown during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Designed by Urban Salon with graphics by Studio Fernando Gutierrez , the show explores the ways in which design and sports are combined, from the design of F1 cars to running shoes, bats, balls and bicycles.

It is part of a larger presentation, "Sports Design: Science, Human, Fashion and Victory," which will be on display at the Design Plaza until May.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza by Zaha Hadid Architects. – Dongdaemun Design Plaza/AFP

Pritzker-winning Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid is one of the world's most famous architects, with recent projects including the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games and the Fiera di Milano masterplan.

"Sports Design: Science, Human, Fashion and Victor" will be open to the public March 21-May 26. – AFP Relaxnews

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health

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Different 'shot' for diabetics
Dark chocolate's healthy effects due to actions of gut bacteria
Lose that fat

Different 'shot' for diabetics

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Tequila plant-based sweetener could be a healthier option for diabetics.

A NEW sweetener made from the tequila plant could help reduce blood glucose levels in diabetics and contribute to weight loss in obese people.

A researcher has outlined the potential benefits of agavins, the natural sugar found in the agave plant, which is non-digestible and may act as a dietary fibre rather than a sugar that raises blood glucose.

"We have found that since agavins reduce glucose levels and increase GLP-1, they also increase the amount of insulin," said Dr Mercedes G. López, of the Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Biotechnology and Biochemistry Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a hormone "that slows the stomach from emptying", which subsequently begins insulin production.

"This study represents the first attempt to evaluate agavins as sweeteners in spite of their lower sweetness compared to sugar,'" she said.

Lopez and her team analysed a group of mice fed a standard diet and added agavins to their daily water. The mice were weighed every day and had their glucose blood levels checked weekly.

The majority of the mice that drank agavins ate less, lost weight and had lower blood glucose levels compared to sweeteners such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, aspartame and agave syrup.

"Agavins are not expensive and they have no known side effects, except for those few people who cannot tolerate them," Dr Lopez continued, adding that much like other fructans, agavins are comprised of fructose.

Fructose contributes to healthy microbe growth in the mouth and intestines. Because fructans are linked together in long, branched chains, they can't affect blood sugar the way high fructose corn syrup does.

Agavins are occasionally confused with agave nectar or agave syrup, both of which are health-food store shelf staples. However, these products feature individually broken-down fructans, making them similar to high-fructose corn syrup.

Lopez also notes that agavins are better than artificial sweeteners, as the latter are absorbed by the body, resulting in side effects such as headaches. Artificial sweeteners have also been linked to weight gain, among other adverse health effects, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

"One slight downside, however, is that agavins are not quite as sweet as their artificial counterparts," she said. – AFP Relaxnews

Dark chocolate's healthy effects due to actions of gut bacteria

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 06:05 PM PDT

Fermentation in the stomach creates anti-inflammatory compounds; aids heart health.

The idea that dark chocolate is good for your health is nothing new, however the exact reason why it's so darn beneficial has remained something of a mystery ... until now.

Researchers have discovered a specific stomach bacteria that breaks down chocolate and ferments it into anti-inflammatory compounds, making the dark stuff highly useful in terms of heart health.

Findings were presented at the 247th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Dallas, Texas.

"We found that there are two kinds of microbes in the gut: the 'good' ones and the 'bad' ones," explained Louisiana State University undergraduate student and study researcher Maria Moore. "The good microbes, such as Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria, feast on chocolate," she said. "When you eat dark chocolate, they grow and ferment it, producing compounds that are anti-inflammatory."

"When these compounds are absorbed by the body, they lessen the inflammation of cardiovascular tissue, reducing the long-term risk of stroke," said leader researcher John Finley, Ph.D. of Louisiana State. Finley also noted that the study is the first to examine the effects of dark chocolate on various types of stomach bacteria.

The professor and his team analyzed three cocoa powders using a model digestive tract designed to simulate normal digestion. The researchers then put non-digestible materials through anaerobic fermentation using human fecal bacteria. Cocoa powder is one of the main ingredients in chocolate, and contains several antioxidant compounds such as catechin and epicatechin, as well as a small amount of dietary fiber.

While both catechin and epicatechin are difficult for the body to digest and absorb, this changes when they reach the colon, as "desirable microbes" take over. "In our study we found that the fiber is fermented and the large polyphenolic polymers are metabolized to smaller molecules, which are more easily absorbed. These smaller polymers exhibit anti-inflammatory activity," Finley said.

Finley also remarked that combining cocoa's fiber content with prebiotics can contribute to overall health and help change antioxidants in the stomach into anti-inflammatory compounds. Prebiotics are food components found in raw garlic, whole wheat flour and other foods humans cannot digest but are heavily favored by gut bacteria.

"When you ingest prebiotics, the beneficial gut microbial population increases and outcompetes any undesirable microbes in the gut, like those that cause stomach problems," Finley said. He also noted that combining dark chocolate with solid fruits such as pomegranates is even more beneficial to health, and is likely the future of the industry.

Another recent study on dark chocolate and heart health found eating the stuff in moderation can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, or the thickening and hardening of the arteries, by restoring arterial flexibility and preventing white blood cells from sticking to blood vessel walls. The study was conducted by a research team at the Top Institute Food and Nutrition and the Division of Human Nutrition at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and published in The FASEB Journal. – AFP Relaxnews

Lose that fat

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

There are many serious conditions associated with obesity.

I JUST joined a gym, and in my gym, there are plenty of overweight people who are trying to lose weight. My gym trainer told me that obesity is a very serious condition. I mean, it isn't as if it's a disease or anything, right?

Obesity is indeed a serious condition. If you don't take steps to do something about it, it can lead to many serious diseases.

The more obese you are, the more likely you are to have health problems associated with it. But the good news is that even when you lose weight moderately, you can improve your health. You don't need to have a goal to get "model" thin in order to make changes to your life!

Just how do you define obesity anyway?

Obesity is defined as having an excess of fat in your body. There are several ways to measure obesity.

1. Body Mass Index (BMI): This is the most common way. You calculate your BMI by measuring body weight (kg)/height (m2). This is how to interpret your BMI:

> Less than 18.5: Underweight

> 18.5-24.9: Healthy weight (congratulations!)

> 25-29.9: Overweight

> 30-34.9: Obesity 1

> 35-39.9: Obesity II

> More than 40: Obesity IIIS

2. Skin fold thickness: This entails using a caliper to grasp your skin and measure the amount of subcutaneous fat you have. This is primarily to determine your amount of body fat. This has been superseded by some machines, which can be found in gyms.

3. Waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio: If you have a waist circumference of more than 94cm for men and 80cm for women, you have an increased risk of health problems.

I have a friend who can eat and eat and not gain a single ounce. I just have to look at a cupcake, and I instantly gain weight. Why is it so unfair?

Yes, I also have friends who are the same way. Life does seem unfair.

But it's all a matter of mathematics, actually. If you take in more calories than you burn off – either by day-to-day metabolism or by exercise – you will gain weight.

Your metabolism might be a lot lower than you think it is, especially when you get older. For example, if you have a basal metabolic rate of 1200 calories a day, you can only eat 1200 calories a day to maintain your body weight if you don't exercise at all. So check your metabolic rate at the gym if you haven't already.

Obesity is usually caused by:

> Lack of activity – being sedentary, not exercising.

> Overeating and eating an unhealthy diet – it is not only about how much you eat, but what you eat and drink. If you keep drinking sodas and a frappucino every day and eating fast foods, you are going to gain a lot of weight if you don't burn it off. Beware of that buffet dinner!

Carbohydrates are also not your friend if overeaten, as with anything that has a high glycaemic index.

> Lack of sleep – having little sleep can change your hormonal patterns and result in an increased appetite, as well as a craving for carbohydrates.

> Pregnancy – some women have difficulty losing weight after having a baby.

> Certain medicines – these include antidepressants, anti-diabetic medicines, antipsychotics, steroids.

What are the diseases associated with obesity?

There are many such diseases. These include:

> High blood pressure

> High cholesterol

> Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome

> Heart disease

> Stroke

> Cancers – breast, cervix, colon, ovaries, rectum, prostate

> Sleep apnoea

> Depression

> Gallbladder disease

> Infertility and irregular periods

> Fatty liver

> Osteoarthritis

Is the only cure for obesity diet and exercise?

You will need to eat a healthy diet and exercise, no matter what. Just make sure you go to a doctor for a medical check-up before you start, just in case you might have any underlying diseases.

Aim for a slow and steady weight loss of 1kg a week.

For weight loss, you may need to get as much as 250 to 300 minutes of exercise a week initially.

> Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: South & East

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Desperate asylum seekers trapped in Nepal by high visa fines
Pre-school plan leads to big gains for disadvantaged children
Indo-Aussie ties still at a low

Desperate asylum seekers trapped in Nepal by high visa fines

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

KATHMANDU: Amir Hussain, a Rohingya Muslim, lost a dozen members of his family to sectarian violence in Myanmar last year. He fled to Nepal where the country's policy on refugees has left him among hundreds trapped, jobless and mired in debt.

He lives with his family in a tiny room in a house where walls have collapsed, water drips through holes in the roof and an open concrete stairwell is a potential deathtrap for his two young children.

"If I go back to Burma (Myanmar), I will be killed," he said. "When I came to Nepal, I felt safe but we found many problems."

Hundreds of desperate refugees are trapped in Nepal, told they must pay fines as high as US$100,000 (RM327,255) before they can be resettled to the West. Barred from working, many have spent years waiting for the government to let them leave.

The biggest problem: that despite being offered new lives in the West by the UN's refugee agency, most refugees – who number around 400 in the capital Kathmandu – have been trapped here for years by Nepal's rules, which are decried by rights groups.

Nepal is neither a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, nor has it established a clear legal framework to deal with asylum-seekers or refugees.

The refugees are fined US$5 (RM16.3) for every day they overstay their 30-day tourist visa and the debt must be cleared before they leave. Many families have amassed tens of thousands of dollars in fines.

The government does not waive the visa overstay fee even after the UNHCR has organised resettlement, which is usually to the United States or Canada.

And since the government does not recognise their refugee status, they must find the money while being barred from working, leaving them in a perpetual limbo.

Nawid Ahmad, 42, from Lahore in Pakistan, has a fine of over US$100,000 (RM327,255) hanging over him and his family.

He is a member of the Ahmadi sect of Islam, which is officially heretical in Pakistan. Ahmadis can face three years in jail just for saying the traditional Islamic greeting of "As-Salaam-Alaikum". Their mosque in Lahore was bombed in 2010, killing around 80 people.

Ahmad decided to leave in 2004 after he was shot four times – in the leg, chest and hip – in an unprovoked attack while out shopping.

"I miss everything. My heart and soul is in Pakistan, but we could not stay," he said at his home in Kathmandu.

"This place is beautiful," he added, gesturing towards the snow-capped Himalayas that lined the horizon. "But for us, it has become a hilly prison. We just wait and wait and wait."

Even more tragic is the case of the Somali community. Many came in 2007 when smugglers promised them a new life in the Italian city of "Naples".

"When we arrived here, the smuggler said it was just a stop-over. In the morning, he had disappeared," said "Khalid", who fled Mogadishu after his father, brother and sister were all killed by a rival clan. He requested that his real name not be used.

He has been offered relocation to the United States, and is looking for a loan shark to pay the US$19,000 (RM62,178) in visa fines he owes for his family, a tactic employed by many refugees desperate to leave.

The loan could mean a long period of indentured servitude for Khalid, but he says: "I won't hesitate. My children will get a better education and better life."

All are grateful for the peace and religious tolerance of Nepal.

Although there is occasional discrimination – particularly against dark-skinned Somalis – it is nothing compared to the brutal violence they faced at home. — AFP

Pre-school plan leads to big gains for disadvantaged children

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

THE six-year-old boy used to be hyperactive and aggressive and lagged behind his peers in English and maths. But he became more focused and did better in his studies after an educational therapist taught him to focus better.

"Now in Primary 1, my son's behaviour has improved, he is able to focus on his studies," said his security guard mother, who took on a new job with more stable hours to spend more time with him.

The mother and son are participants in a scheme that ropes in educational therapists, social workers and pre-school teachers to help disadvantaged children and their families, and has already seen results.

Called Circle of Care and piloted by welfare organisation Care Corner and philanthropic group the Lien Foundation, the scheme has led to big gains in learning for children after just one year.

Under the scheme, which started in February last year, 159 pre-school children from two childcare centres at Leng Kee and Admiralty received a high-quality pre-school education, which included music and movement classes, field trips and literacy and numeracy programmes.

The Leng Kee centre charges S$560 (RM1,450) a month for full-day childcare, but needy families pay just S$3 (RM7) to S$6 (RM16) a month.

Children who need help in areas from learning to health and finance were identified early by social workers.

They and their families were given appropriate help, often at the centre itself.

For instance, the six-year-old boy was taught how to focus better and given help to develop his reading and maths skills; his mother learnt effective parenting techniques, including how to coach her son.

The scheme has had encouraging results. Not only did the children go to pre-school more often, but they also showed big jumps in reading and numeracy skills.

Children at the Leng Kee centre used to attend class only five days a month on average. Now they attend an average 12 days a month.

Twenty-four children at the two centres, who could read only a few words such as "I" or "me", also received educational therapy.

Among other things, they were taught reading and told stories by students from Wheelock College, a pre-school teacher training institute.

After more than six months, the children could recognise the sounds that accompany the letters of the alphabet, noted early childhood expert Khoo Kim Choo, who designed the curriculum and trained the teachers.

The centres also ran talks and workshops for parents and invited them on field trips. This has made the parents more involved in their children's education.

For a start, they are taking their children to the centres on time, at 9am. Previously some would arrive as late as 4pm.

And before the programme started at Leng Kee, only one parent turned up to meet her child's teacher.

Last year, 25 parents attended the meeting.

Lee Poh Wah, chief executive of the Lien Foundation which has pledged S$1.8mil (RM4.6mil) to run the programme for four years, said the results so far have shown that the pilot scheme, which brings together various kinds of help for children, can improve outcomes for pre-schoolers from disadvantaged backgrounds. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Indo-Aussie ties still at a low

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT

JAKARTA: Australia's defence minister conceded during a visit to Jakarta there was still no "breakthrough" in improving relations with Indonesia which have been damaged by a row over spying.

Ties between Jakarta and Canberra have sunk to their lowest point for years following allegations that Australian spies tried to tap the phones of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his inner circle.

The spying claims, which emerged in news reports in November, prompted Indonesia to recall its ambassador and halt cooperation on people-smuggling and with Australia's military.

During a visit to Jakarta for an annual defence conference yesterday, Defence Minister David Johnston insisted the relationship remained "very close, very friendly".

"The senior leadership on both sides has a very close working relationship," said Johnston.

Johnston was due to hold talks with his Indonesian counterpart Purnomo Yusgiantoro later in the day.

However he conceded that the relationship with Jakarta was at a "go-slow", adding: "I don't think we are in a breakthrough situation."

Indonesia has demanded that Australia agree on a code of conduct before ties can return to normal, and officials are in the process of trying to hammer one out.

Jakarta has also been angered by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's policies on stemming the flow of asylum-seekers.

Canberra has established a military-led operation to stop the boatpeople arriving, a flashpoint political issue in Australia, which sees the navy turning boats back to Indonesia when it is safe to do so.

Jakarta has halted cooperation with Canberra on the issue, but Johnston insisted: "People-smuggling is a serious problem in our region and Australia is really keen to work with Indonesia." — AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Khamis, 20 Mac 2014