Ahad, 6 April 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro


India votes in world's biggest election

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 05:02 PM PDT

Dibrugarh, India (AFP) - The first Indian voters head to the polls Monday for the world's biggest election, set to sweep the opposition Hindu nationalists to power at a time of low growth, anger about corruption and warnings about religious unrest.

India's 814-million-strong electorate are forecast to inflict a heavy defeat on the ruling Congress party, in power for 10 years and led by India's famous Gandhi dynasty, after a bad-tempered campaign.

"Wherever these people (the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party) go they create fights. They'll pit Hindus and Muslims against each other," Rahul Gandhi warned on the eve of balloting, which begins in the remote northeast of the country.

Religious tensions, an undercurrent to the contest which has mostly focused on development until now, burst into the open on Friday when an aide of hardline opposition leader Narendra Modi was accused of inciting sentiments.

Amit Shah faces a judicial investigation after he told supporters to see the election as "revenge" against a "government that protects and gives compensation to those who killed Hindus."

Prime ministerial front-runner Modi, the hawkish son of a tea seller whose rise has split his party, has a polarising effect on the public due to his links to anti-Muslim religious riots in 2002.

He urged voters on Sunday to give him a majority in the 543-seat parliament in defiance of surveys which repeatedly show the BJP likely to need coalition partners.

"I need your blessings for a strong government and strong government means that not less than 300 Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) seats," he said Sunday.

Nine phases until May 12

Monday's vote will take place in tea-growing and insurgency-wracked parts of the northeast, an often neglected part of the country wedged between Bangladesh, China and Myanmar.

After these first six constituencies in the states of Assam and Tripura cast their ballots, voting will take place in a further eight phases, and only finish on May 12. Results are due four days later.

In Assam, a Congress stronghold, some disgruntled voters told AFP they had been swayed by Modi's promises of better infrastructure, strong leadership, jobs and a clean administration.

Despite a decade under Congress when growth has averaged 7.6 percent per year, a sharp slowdown since 2012 has crippled the public finances and led investment to crash.

Coupled with a widespread perception that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's second term was largely lost to indecision and scandal, Modi has tapped into a groundswell of discontent.

"My wife is a graduate, she is sitting at home without a job. The Congress has given us no benefit," 42-year-old car repair shop worker Nirmal Pal told AFP in Dibrugarh.

The small town in Assam near the mighty Brahmaputra river is surrounded by tea plantations, where India's famous export is picked by lowly paid workers who will be a decisive factor in the local result.

Boycotted but undeterred

The election will be the biggest in history and is a mind-boggling feat of organisation as voters travel to nearly a million polling stations.

In 2009, officials walked for four days through snow to deliver voting machines in the Himalayas, while yaks, camels and even elephants were pressed into action elsewhere in the vast country.

Such is India's population growth that 100 million people have joined the electoral rolls since the last vote five years ago. More than half of the country is aged under 25.

Modi, 20 years older than Gandhi at 63, is expected to score strongly among the young thanks to his message of aspiration and skills over the left-leaning Congress's pitch of welfare and equitable development.

"Overall, they (voters) certainly think things will improve under Modi," Sanjay Kumar, director of Delhi-based think tank the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, told AFP before the vote.

India under Modi, an unabashed nationalist, would likely result in a more muscular foreign policy at a time when the country is emerging as a defender of the developing world on issues from climate change to global trade.

But many observers worry about his domestic impact in an officially secular country.

Modi is steeped in the ideology of Hindu nationalism, which is often antagonistic towards Muslims, and he remains tainted by religious riots in Gujarat in 2002.

More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, died in a spasm of violence shortly after he became chief minister, leading the United States and European powers to boycott him for more than a decade.

He has never been found guilty of wrong-doing despite multiple investigations, but a woman he appointed as a minister was jailed for life in 2012 for orchestrating some of the worst of the killing.

Baby Prince George lands in New Zealand for first tour

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 05:44 PM PDT

WELLINGTON, April 7, 2014 (AFP) - Britain's baby Prince George arrived in New Zealand with parents Prince William and Catherine on Monday for the eight-month-old's first ever official tour, an AFP reporter said.

Strong winds, rain and poor visibility greeted the royals in Wellington at the start of a three-week tour of New Zealand and Australia.

It will be one of the first times George, who is third in line to the throne, has been seen in public since his birth on July 22 last year.

The baby will only be taken to a few specific engagements throughout the trip, the family's Kensington Palace residence said.

For Kate, who stepped off the Royal New Zealand Air Force plane in a buttoned-up red coat and pill-box hat, it's a first visit to either country, but William, second in line to the throne, has visited New Zealand and Australia several times.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana took him on their tour in March and April 1983 and his most recent trip was in 2011, when he comforted victims of the Christchurch earthquake and devastating floods in Australia.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were treated like celebrities when they visited Canada soon after their wedding in 2011, while last year they toured Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu as representatives of Queen Elizabeth II on her Diamond Jubilee.

Their visit has already sparked intense interest in New Zealand, with discussion ranging from whether George's baby car seat has been correctly installed to whether the country should retain the monarchy.

Former deputy prime minister Don McKinnon said over the weekend that it was "inevitable" New Zealand would become a republic, even though people still felt great respect for the royals.

Prime Minister John Key said he did not believe change would happen any time soon, saying there was "robust support" for the monarchy in New Zealand which had increased in recent years.

"If you go back... maybe a decade and asked the question whether New Zealanders want to become a republic then I think the numbers would have been sixty-forty opposed," he told public radio.

"If you asked that question today I think it would be eighty-twenty opposed."

More Singaporeans go abroad for drug fix

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

THE club's dance floor was filled with partygoers, some of whom were lying in pools of vomit, too drugged to notice.

In the karaoke rooms, tables were turned into display counters for a host of party drugs, including Ecstasy and ketamine – all for sale. All Lynne had to do was pick her poison, pay, then shoot up for another temporary high.

The next day, a short trip across the Causeway brought her home to Singapore. The club, after all, was in Johor.

Since being sentenced to five years in jail for trafficking ketamine, 29-year-old Lynne, now an administrative assistant, has cleaned up.

But more Singaporeans are going abroad – to Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and even Japan – for an easy fix, according to social workers and drug addiction counsellors. This is despite the threat of being caught when they pass through Customs upon returning to Singapore.

"Over there nobody knows you, and it's also cheaper," said counsellor Janet Wee, who works at the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association.

In the last two years, drug abusers here have been getting younger and more affluent, she said.

"It is becoming more common to see young executives organise drug parties abroad – they can be lawyers, doctors, businessmen."

Last month, 26-year-old Chua Wen Hu died in Jakarta from a suspected drug-related incident after attending a trance music performance.

The same weekend, two 27-year-old Singaporeans were arrested on drug charges by Kuala Lumpur police during a music event at the Bukit Jalil Stadium. A further 11 Singaporeans were hospitalised after taking drugs. Six Malaysians died.

The news did not come as a surprise for Lynne and three other former addicts The Sunday Times spoke to.

"They have everything there in Malaysia. You can just ask them, and they will offer you," said Lynne, who experimented with ketamine when she was 13 after "some friends told me if I took it, I could dance a lot and get happy".

"You can choose any brand you want and pay as little as S$3 (RM8) for one Ecstasy pill which in Singapore can cost 10 times as much. Even if you get caught, you can bribe the police," she said.

Pushers in Malaysia tend to market drugs adulterated with glass powder and even rat poison to raise their profits, the four former addicts said. They suspect poorly mixed drugs could be behind the recent deaths.

"There are a lot of such cases in Malaysia and we know what is happening. We know the risks, but when you are young you just want to enjoy yourself," said Ann, who is now 42 and unemployed.

Formerly a part-time model and waitress, she used to drive to Johor three times a month to take drugs in empty rented houses and cemeteries before heading out to party.

Ex-addict Carl, a 38-year-old driver, said Malaysia was the drug haunt he "loved best" . It was close to home and "about 70% of the people we met at drug parties were from Singapore".

But he also frequented Indonesia and Thailand when he was a sales executive in his early 20s, spending a chunk of his monthly salary on drugs.

Instead of having to sneak tiny sachets of substances around in Singapore, drugs are often consumed openly in these other countries.

He could simply hail a tuk-tuk (motorised rickshaw), tell the driver what drugs he wanted and be taken straight to the suppliers. After getting high, he would hit the discos.

"Nobody there cares that you are taking drugs," said Carl.

The former addicts also said some organisers of drug parties hand out pills and drinks, claiming that these can flush out the drugs before the users return to Singapore.

The seeming lack of enforcement overseas means some Singaporeans "would rather face the risks of low-quality drugs than the heavy punishments and the social stigma here," said Wee.

"The strict laws here are, in a way, driving people overseas."

Helping Hands social worker Raymond Choo, who has worked with drug addicts for more than five years, said the belief that police in these other countries can be bribed also gives abusers the misconception that consuming drugs overseas is easier and safer.

But there is always a price to pay.

Lynne said her long-term memory was badly affected. Her skin became yellow and she grew paranoid.

"I was like a crazy woman, and my habits hurt my family too.

"If you're not so lucky, taking drugs overseas can also cost you your life. It's just not worth it." — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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Scarlett Johansson is one tough woman in Lucy

Posted: 04 Apr 2014 01:40 AM PDT

The actress is also pretty tough as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

It seems like Scarlett Johansson loves playing tough female characters. In the latest trailer for her upcoming film, Lucy, the actress kicks some serious butt as a woman trying to survive with her new-found superhuman abilities in a modern world.

Set in the year 2069 where the streets are ruled by mobs and gangs, this film follows the story of Lucy, a woman tricked into becoming a drug mule. 

When she accidentally ingests the drugs and it seeps into her system, she somehow changes into a metahuman. Lucy is suddenly able to absorb a lot of information and data in mere seconds, as well as move objects with her mind.

However, what seems like a good thing has its downfall.

Directed by French filmmaker Luc Besson, the movie also stars Morgan Freeman, Analeigh Tipton, Choi Min-Sik and Amr Waked. Distribute by UIP, it is set to open in Malaysian cinemas in August. Johansson can currently be seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as S.H.I.E.L.D agent Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow.

Chris Evans: I would have regretted not playing Captain America

Posted: 02 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Working on the movie franchise was the right decision to make for actor.

Being asked to play Captain America in a potentially huge movie franchise is something many actors fantasise about, but when Chris Evans received the offer in 2011, he hesitated.

It meant signing on to do six movies as the superhero, which he feared would take over his career and his life. If the films did well, he would lose his privacy and anonymity, as well as be locked into a commitment for six to eight years.

Looking back today on his eventual decision to say "yes", the 32-year-old tells reporters: "Had I not done the movies, it would've been the biggest mistake of my life. It really would've been the biggest regret to date – and there are plenty."

The success of the first film and the positive buzz surrounding the second, which analysts believe will likely continue the winning streak of Marvel franchises such as Iron Man and The Avengers, have "changed everything for me", the actor says.

Firstly, he says, the success of the movies has allowed him to do things outside the franchise. These include pursuing passion projects such as his upcoming directorial debut, 1:30 Train, an indie romantic comedy that will see him and actress Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness) play a couple who meet and connect on a train.

Secondly, he says it is "comforting knowing that you're making good movies" with the Marvel brand – perhaps conveniently forgetting the other Marvel superhero franchise on his resume, the critically eviscerated Fantastic Four movies of 2005 and 2007, in which he played Johnny Storm, the Human Torch.

"It would be a nightmare to be trapped in this contract and be making films that you're not proud of, but Marvel has the Midas touch, so every time you suit up, you know that you're making something of quality."

Working on this franchise has thus been "rewarding on every level. So thank God I had the right people in my life pushing me to make the right decision."

It was also fun for him to get to work with old friends such as Anthony Mackie, who plays Captain America's high-flying sidekick Falcon, as well as with acting legends Robert Redford and Samuel L. Jackson.

Says Evans: "I've known Anthony for a while now. This is our third movie together and when I first met Anthony, it actually wasn't on a movie set and we got along very well. So it was very easy having just kind of a repartee with him off-set and I think that translates on-set."

He adds that Redford, who plays right-wing bureaucrat Alexander Pierce, was "amazing".

He says: "It was pretty intimidating because he is a living legend, but it's always such a treat when someone you look up to that much lives up to expectation. I mean, he very easily could've come on the set and hijacked the film, not just as an actor, but also given his past as a director and his experience, he very easily could've taken over.

"But he showed up with the utmost professionalism. I think the first day we filmed, we shot until one in the morning and he stuck around for my off-camera stuff. I mean, it was like it was his first movie. So he really is such an example of what it is to be great." – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is currently playing in cinemas.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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Big Bang Theory does Star Wars

Posted: 03 Apr 2014 09:50 PM PDT

The popular sitcom is set to show a special Star Wars-themed episode next month.

May 1 will see Sheldon, Raj, Howard, Leonard and friends get together to celebrate Star Wars Day in a special episode called The Proton Transmogrification.

American comedian Bob Newhart returns for a third cameo after appearing in two other protonically titled episodes last year.

The official crossover means that Lucasfilm and CBS cooperated to create a set based on Dagobah, Yoda's swampy residence, with effects house Industrial Light & Magic along for the ride, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Leonard (left, played by Johnny Galecki) showing off his lightsaber to Sheldon (Jim Parsons) in an episode of Big Bang Theory

Newhart, who has accumulated a collection of awards that includes three Grammys, a Primetime Emmy and a Peabody Award, is to appear as a mystery character from the Star Wars universe, as Jedi master to introverted genius Sheldon.

Insider talk is that a Star Wars VII announcement is also being prepped for Star Wars Day itself, May 4. — AFP Relaxnews

Sheldon as a redhead-ed C-3P0.

David Letterman to say goodbye in 2015

Posted: 03 Apr 2014 09:50 PM PDT

The legendary host of Late Show With David Letterman is retiring to spend more time with his family.

Comedian David Letterman, who brought a sardonic, offbeat wit to late-night television, along with bits such as Stupid Pet Tricks and his Top Ten list, will retire as host of Late Show on CBS in 2015, he said during the taping of his show in New York.

Letterman, whose contract expires next year, began hosting the CBS show in August 1993, after leaving the rival NBC network, where he originated his late-night TV persona and much of his programme on the Late Night With David Letterman show for many years.

There was no immediate word on who might succeed Letterman – who turns 67 on April 12 –
 in the key 11.30pm slot (US time) on CBS, opposite NBC's top-rated The Tonight Show. The Emmy-winning host said he had spoken in the past with CBS Corp president and chief executive officer Leslie Moonves, "and we agreed that we would work together on this circumstance and the timing of this circumstance.

"And I phoned him just before the programme, and I said, 'Leslie, it's been great, you've been great, and the network has been great, but I'm retiring'," Letterman told his studio audience, according to a CBS transcript.

"We don't have the timetable for this precisely down – I think it will be at least a year or so, but sometime in the not-too-distant future, 2015 for the love of God," he added.

CBS said Letterman's announcement elicited a standing ovation from the audience in the Ed Sullivan Theatre.

The First Lady Of the United States Michelle Obama was one of David Letterman's many famous guests.

Letterman's impending departure from CBS marks the latest in a recent rearrangement of the late-night deck chairs at the major networks.

News of Letterman's plans to retire came nearly two months after Jay Leno bid farewell as host of NBC's The Tonight Show, a job Leno assumed in 1992 in a bitter and highly publicised succession of Johnny Carson that led to Letterman's defection from NBC.

Leno was replaced by Jimmy Fallon, who had hosted the show that airs after The Tonight Show, and Fallon in turn was succeeded by comedian Seth Meyers, who like Fallon is an alumnus of Saturday Night Live. Letterman, a late-night fixture for three decades, had jumped ahead of The Tonight Show in the ratings as recently as 2010, when Tonight was briefly hosted by Conan O'Brien.

Rivalry and innovation

Fallon's show averaged 5.1 million viewers a week, compared with 2.9 million for Letterman, according to Nielsen. Although Late Show trailed Tonight in the ratings war, Letterman long reigned as the critics' favourite, known for an edgier, irreverent brand of humour and signature bits like Stupid Pet Tricks, Stupid Human Tricks (video) and the nightly Top-10 list poking fun at current events and pop culture.

He also was a practitioner of such innovations as the Monkey Cam, in which a TV camera was strapped to a monkey turned loose in the studio; a bit where he dropped objects such as melons and television sets off a high platform and played the results back in slow motion; and stunts such as throwing himself onto a Velcro-covered wall or dunking himself in a pool dressed in a suit covered in Alka-Seltzer tablets.

But his show had its more sober moments as well. Veteran CBS newsman Dan Rather famously showed the strain of reporting on the suicide hijacking attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center when he choked back tears during a guest appearance for Letterman's first broadcast after the Sept 11, 2001 disaster.

Moonves said in a statement that Letterman "managed to keep many celebrities, politicians and executives on their toes – including me."

The Indianapolis native began his CBS career after 11 years as host of NBC's Late Night programme in the time slot immediately following The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson at 12.30am, and was long considered Carson's likely successor.

But when Carson retired in 1992 after nearly 30 years of hosting Tonight, NBC replaced him with Leno, sparking a very public, bitter feud with Letterman. The following year, Letterman jumped to CBS to go head-to-head against Leno and his old network in the flagship 11.30pm time slot, setting up one of the most storied rivalries on US television.

He brought his bandleader and sidekick Paul Shaffer with him to CBS, but the name of the ensemble was changed from the World's Most Dangerous Band to the CBS Orchestra.

Letterman led the ratings for his first two years at CBS, but Leno rose to No.1 in 1995 and stayed on top for much of the rest of his tenure.

In March 2002, the Walt Disney Co-owned ABC network made a bid to woo Letterman away from CBS in an aborted effort to replace ABC's late-night news programme, Nightline, but Letterman ultimately opted to stay put at CBS. — Reuters

Related story:

Watch: David Letterman reveals decision to retire from show

Watch: David Letterman reveals decision to retire from show

Posted: 03 Apr 2014 11:45 PM PDT

The 'Late Show' host tells unsuspecting audiences that he will be "wrapping things up" sometime next year.

David Letterman, the longest-serving late night talk show host, revealed his plans to retire from his popular Late Show With David Letterman on the show's April 3 taping, just nine days short of his 67th birthday. In the video, he starts off with a story about how he has spent half his life "behind this desk", as well as "in makeup".

Then he goes on to talk about a previous birdwatching outing with his 11-year-old son Harry, a chat with his wife Regina as well as Harry, and finally, makes an abrupt announcement about retiring next year.

Folks in the studio seemed a little confused at first, unsure of whether the news was real or just one of the host's jokes. But a string of questions from music director Paul Shaffer – who, along with his music entourage, has been with Letterman for decades – confirmed the announcement.

"We don't have the timing of this precisely down; it will be at least a year or so. But at some time in the not too distant future — 2015, for the love of God — in fact, Paul and I will be wrapping things up and taking a hike," says Letterman, who has been a talk show for 33 years.

Meanwhile, other talk show hosts, celebrities and even US President Barack Obama himself have been tweeting words of praise to Letterman. Some folks have also started making their own David Letterman-themed "Top Ten" lists, as well as a list of possible talents who could "replace" him next year (#LettermanReplacement is currently trending on Twitter).

Related story:

David Letterman to say goodbye in 2015

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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Scarlett Johansson is one tough woman in Lucy

Posted: 04 Apr 2014 01:40 AM PDT

The actress is also pretty tough as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

It seems like Scarlett Johansson loves playing tough female characters. In the latest trailer for her upcoming film, Lucy, the actress kicks some serious butt as a woman trying to survive with her new-found superhuman abilities in a modern world.

Set in the year 2069 where the streets are ruled by mobs and gangs, this film follows the story of Lucy, a woman tricked into becoming a drug mule. 

When she accidentally ingests the drugs and it seeps into her system, she somehow changes into a metahuman. Lucy is suddenly able to absorb a lot of information and data in mere seconds, as well as move objects with her mind.

However, what seems like a good thing has its downfall.

Directed by French filmmaker Luc Besson, the movie also stars Morgan Freeman, Analeigh Tipton, Choi Min-Sik and Amr Waked. Distribute by UIP, it is set to open in Malaysian cinemas in August. Johansson can currently be seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as S.H.I.E.L.D agent Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow.

Chris Evans: I would have regretted not playing Captain America

Posted: 02 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Working on the movie franchise was the right decision to make for actor.

Being asked to play Captain America in a potentially huge movie franchise is something many actors fantasise about, but when Chris Evans received the offer in 2011, he hesitated.

It meant signing on to do six movies as the superhero, which he feared would take over his career and his life. If the films did well, he would lose his privacy and anonymity, as well as be locked into a commitment for six to eight years.

Looking back today on his eventual decision to say "yes", the 32-year-old tells reporters: "Had I not done the movies, it would've been the biggest mistake of my life. It really would've been the biggest regret to date – and there are plenty."

The success of the first film and the positive buzz surrounding the second, which analysts believe will likely continue the winning streak of Marvel franchises such as Iron Man and The Avengers, have "changed everything for me", the actor says.

Firstly, he says, the success of the movies has allowed him to do things outside the franchise. These include pursuing passion projects such as his upcoming directorial debut, 1:30 Train, an indie romantic comedy that will see him and actress Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness) play a couple who meet and connect on a train.

Secondly, he says it is "comforting knowing that you're making good movies" with the Marvel brand – perhaps conveniently forgetting the other Marvel superhero franchise on his resume, the critically eviscerated Fantastic Four movies of 2005 and 2007, in which he played Johnny Storm, the Human Torch.

"It would be a nightmare to be trapped in this contract and be making films that you're not proud of, but Marvel has the Midas touch, so every time you suit up, you know that you're making something of quality."

Working on this franchise has thus been "rewarding on every level. So thank God I had the right people in my life pushing me to make the right decision."

It was also fun for him to get to work with old friends such as Anthony Mackie, who plays Captain America's high-flying sidekick Falcon, as well as with acting legends Robert Redford and Samuel L. Jackson.

Says Evans: "I've known Anthony for a while now. This is our third movie together and when I first met Anthony, it actually wasn't on a movie set and we got along very well. So it was very easy having just kind of a repartee with him off-set and I think that translates on-set."

He adds that Redford, who plays right-wing bureaucrat Alexander Pierce, was "amazing".

He says: "It was pretty intimidating because he is a living legend, but it's always such a treat when someone you look up to that much lives up to expectation. I mean, he very easily could've come on the set and hijacked the film, not just as an actor, but also given his past as a director and his experience, he very easily could've taken over.

"But he showed up with the utmost professionalism. I think the first day we filmed, we shot until one in the morning and he stuck around for my off-camera stuff. I mean, it was like it was his first movie. So he really is such an example of what it is to be great." – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is currently playing in cinemas.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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Costa Rica leftist easily wins presidential run-off

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 09:00 PM PDT

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters) - A centre-left academic who has never held elected office easily won Costa Rica's presidential election on Sunday, ousting the graft-stained ruling party from power after its candidate quit campaigning a month ago.

Former diplomat Luis Guillermo Solis, of the Citizen Action Party (PAC), won more than three-quarters of votes by tapping in to public anger at rising inequality and government corruption scandals.

He had defied pollsters' predictions by coming in ahead of his rivals in a first round of voting in February, and then took a huge lead in opinion polls ahead of the run-off.

In a bizarre twist, his rival Johnny Araya of the ruling National Liberation Party (PLN) announced last month he was halting his campaign as polls showed him with little or no chance of catching Solis.

Araya remained on the ballot as required by the constitution and his party continued to campaign, but he faced a heavy defeat.

Solis had 77.88 percent of the vote with returns in from 94 percent of polling booths, Costa Rica's election tribunal said. Araya had just 22.12 percent of the vote, and quickly conceded defeat.

Solis ran on a promise to fight Costa Rica's stubborn poverty rate and to stamp out corruption, an issue that has dogged incumbent President Laura Chinchilla's administration and which struck a chord with voters.

"It's been four years of daily suffering," said Mercedes Castillo, a 66-year-old housewife and mother-of-three, after voting for Solis at a high school in the capital, San Jose. "There's just too much corruption."

Jubilant Solis supporters waved red-and-yellow PAC flags in the streets of San Jose, and drivers honked their horns in celebration.

Solis' victory hands the young PAC its first presidential victory, and wrests power from the PLN, which has been in power since 2006.

Solis was a member of the PLN for 30 years, but abandoned the party in 2005, denouncing internal voting irregularities.

A prosecutor's investigation into allegations of abuse of authority and embezzlement while Araya was mayor of San Jose made it hard for the former front-runner to distance himself from party scandals.

Solis has promised to boost social spending, although he says he will wait two years before raising taxes.

His more egalitarian message chimed with voters, who have seen inequality rise steadily in recent years.

"We want to recover that sense of solidarity, of social inclusion, and commitment to the neediest Costa Ricans that has been lost," the 55-year-old told a news conference on Saturday.

He faces numerous hurdles, however. His PAC will have just 13 of the 57 seats in Congress and he may struggle to find the money to finance social programs.

"He's going to have a government without money, a fiscal deficit of 6 percent, and lots of social spending commitments," said Jose Carlos Chinchilla, a political analyst and a director at the University of Costa Rica.

Solis has also said he hopes to attract new businesses to Costa Rica's booming free-trade zones, which have enticed the likes of Hewlett-Packard Co.

(Additional reporting by Zach Dyer; Writing by Simon Gardner and Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Kieran Murray)

Japan PM Abe wants to confirm further cooperation with Australia

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 08:50 PM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he wants to confirm further cooperation on defence and the economy with Australian premier Tony Abbott, who is visiting Tokyo.

Japanese media reported that Abe and Abbott will announce the basic bilateral agreement later in the day, featuring cuts to Tokyo's tariffs on Australian beef and Canberra ending its duty on cars.

Abe also said during a meeting with fellow ruling party members that he will exchange views on issues over the economy, North Korea, and defence with U.S. President Barack Obama when he visits Japan later this month.

(Reporting by Yuko Yoshikawa; Writing by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Dominic Lau)

Costa Rica leftist easily wins presidential run-off

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 08:30 PM PDT

SAN JOSE (Reuters) - A centre-left academic with a popular anti-corruption message but who has never been elected to office is expected to win Costa Rica's presidential election run-off on Sunday after his opponent slid in polls and stopped campaigning.

Luis Guillermo Solis, a former diplomat, rode a wave of anti-government sentiment over rising inequality and graft scandals to finish ahead in February's first-round vote, surprising pollsters who had placed him fourth.

Facing a depleted war chest, rival Johnny Araya of the ruling National Liberation Party (PLN) quit campaigning after an opinion poll showed him trailing badly. However, Araya remains on the ballot and his party continues to campaign, so theoretically he could win.

Solis has promised to fight Costa Rica's stubborn poverty while stamping out corruption, an issue that has dogged incumbent President Laura Chinchilla's administration.

"There's been so much abuse of power and the people are sick of it," said 63-year-old street vendor Raul Cabrera, who voted for the Citizen Action Party (PAC), Solis's party. "There are too may people without work."

Few voters turned up at voting stations shortly after polls opened on Sunday and local media footage showed the same was true across the country for most of the morning.

Solis urged those who stayed away to come out and vote.

No candidate won the more than 40 percent of votes needed in February to avoid a run-off, paving the way for Sunday's showdown.

Voters appear eager to elevate the young PAC to its first presidential victory and wrest power from the PLN, in power since 2006.

A prosecutor's investigation into allegations of abuse of authority and embezzlement while Araya was mayor of San Jose made it hard for the former front-runner to distance himself from party scandals.

Despite ending his campaign early, Araya said he would be happy to govern if he were to win the vote.

A University of Costa Rica survey last month showed Solis had more than 64 percent support while Araya trailed with around 21 percent. Within hours, Araya shelved his campaign.

Solis campaigned on a pledge to eradicate corruption and help the poorest.

"We want to recover that sense of solidarity, of social inclusion, and commitment to the neediest Costa Ricans that has been lost," Solis told a news conference on Saturday.

But Solis faces hurdles of his own.

Threatened by high rates of absenteeism typical of second-round voting and the looming challenge of a divided Congress, Solis could end up with a weak mandate. His PAC will have just 13 of the 57 seats in Congress.

Solis has also said he will wait two years before raising taxes despite promises to boost social spending.

"He's going to have a government without money, a fiscal deficit of 6 percent, and lots of social spending commitments," said Jose Carlos Chinchilla, a political analyst and a director at the University of Costa Rica.

Solis also has said he hopes to attract new businesses to Costa Rica's booming free-trade zones, which have enticed the likes of Hewlett Packard.

(Additional reporting by Zach Dyer; Editing by Simon Gardne, Gabriel Stargardter and Steve Orlofsky)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Is paying in advance for a 5-star holiday worth it?

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

"PAYING in advance for 5-star holidays while we can afford it makes sense as it is about the monthly amount of a car loan and for future use when we will be retired, but this is NOT investment."

Wise words! This time I agreed with hubby. So we turned down the generous offer to pay now and enjoy inflation-capped holiday in luxurious resorts worldwide the next 25 years.

We stayed in the lavish beautifully-appointed 3-bed, 3-bath Royal Suite with our private pool of a 5-star resort in Phuket. Very relaxing indeed, courtesy of the owner.

The deal was to get hubby and me to invest about RM196,000 to have the privilege of staying in such
luxurious resorts the next 25 years. The promise was enticing as we would be holidaying in the future at
today's prices, based on how the holiday is run on points system.

Holiday liability?

The deal breakerwas having to payup-front either in lump sum ofRM196,000 o rinterest-free installments
up to 10 years; it did not seem like saving costs on future holidays.

It felt like getting another mortgage. Aliability.With bills mounting from raising three kids below 13, this is no holidayat all.

Inflation vs investment

Capping holiday inflation sounds amazing and the numbers do support it. It is a savings of more than RM327,000 at today's prices over 25 years. However, luxurious holidays are choices, not a necessity.

By putting RM196,000 into an asset class that grows at 10%annual compounding interest, this investment can grow to about RM2.3mil after 25 years. The 10% interest can certainly mitigate any holiday inflation and the trip choices are more flexible. 

If you have less time to grow the fund, say 10 years like we do, put the monthly installment ofRM1,600 into a fund that appreciates 10% and we can still grow it to slightly more than half a million of R&R money.

Giving up a paid-up 5-star holiday for the rest of your life is not so silly if you can make yourinvestment 
appreciate fasterthan inflation. This is holiday without liability!

The writer can be contacted at info@successconcepts.biz

Global semicon sales up 11.4% to US$25.87bil in February

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 07:12 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Worldwide sales of semiconductors rose 11.4% in February to US$25.87bil in February 2014 from US$23.23bil a year ago, according to the US-based Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).

It said this was the industry's largest on-year increase in more than three years. However, this was 1.5% lower than the January 2014 total of US$26.26bil, reflecting normal seasonal trends.

SIA president and CEO Brian Toohey said the "trend lines remain positive for the global semiconductor industry", which has followed record revenues in 2013 with an encouraging start to 2014.

"The Americas market continues to demonstrate impressive growth, while sales in Asia Pacific and Europe also increased substantially year-to-year, and the Japanese market continued its recent rebound," he said.

Toohey said regionally, on-year sales increased by 18% in the Americas, Asia Pacific (12%) and Europe (9.6%).

However, there was a 0.2% fall in sales in Japan but February marked the region's smallest year-to-year decrease since August 2012.

"Sales fell across all regions compared to the previous month, as February sales historically are lower than January sales due to seasonal trends.

"The US semiconductor market has been a key driver of global market growth over the last year, and policymakers in Washington can help maintain this momentum by enacting measures that remove obstacles to continued growth," Toohey said.

Public Bank slips after record highs

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 06:53 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Public Bank's local and foreign shares were the top losers early Monday as investors took profit after the surge last week.

At 9.41am, Public Bank was down 22 sen to RM20.58 with 161,300 shares done while Public Bank foreign fell 20 sen to RM20.60 with 9,100 shares done.

The FBM KLCI rose 1.88 points to 1,858.49. Turnover was 483.82 million shares valued at RM236.95mil. There were 232 gainers, 228 losers and 242 counters unchanged.

RHB Research, which has a Neutral recommendation on Public Bank and fair value of RM18.70, said the share price surged 8.6% last week.

"We believe this was mainly driven by its corporate exercise to merge its foreign and local shares (merge shares to trade from April 16), as this will lead to an increase in weighting of certain global indexes due to a higher free float factor.

"Currently, only foreigners holding PBB-F shares (30% of share capital) have voting rights and this has capped the share's investability weighting in FTSE and MSCI indices.

"Note that FTSE has confirmed that the merger will raise Public Bank's investability weighting to 80% from 30%. However, domestically, we understand the exercise will not impact Public Bank's weightage in the FBM KLCI," it said.

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Recent rainfall does not mean water rationing will end, says Syabas

Posted: 05 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Recent rainfall over some parts in Klang Valley does not mean that water rationing may end any time soon, according to Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas).

Syabas' corporate communications assistant general manager Priscilla Alfred said the water distribution company had yet to receive any instruction from the state government or the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) to cease rationing.

"Having just a week of rain doesn't mean that water levels in the dams have increased to a level the state government and SPAN deem satisfactory," Alfred said.

Rain in various parts of the city does not mean that it also rained in water catchment areas, which for Sungai Selangor dam, would be the area upstream of Kuala Kubu Baru.,

As of yesterday, the Sungai Selangor dam, which caters to 60% of Klang Valley's demand, has only seen a minimal storage increase from 36.67% to 37.09%, according to the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) website. Other dams such as Klang Gates, Langat and Sungai Tinggi stood at 52.91%, 49.35% and 60.97% respectively.

Alfred said that phase four of water rationing would continue until April 30.

To address the lack of rain in water catchment areas, cloud seeding will be carried out in these areas.

"Cloud-seeding operations will be based on data on the movement of the clouds – in terms of how fast they move and in which direction," said the department's central forecasting office director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah.

USJ4 resident Jason Ong, who is preparing for phase four which will affect his area today, has bought two 151-litre water containers, costing RM80 each, to cater for the needs of his household.

"We are all prepared and will use water sparingly. The water in containers are just for use when we really need it," said Ong, a businessman.

Top 10 tips on filing your tax returns

Posted: 05 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Whether you are a veteran or just a novice at filing your taxes, here's a checklist to make the task less stressful.

IT'S upon us again - the deadline for filing the 2013 income tax returns for employees is April 30, 2014.

At this time every year, I tend to reminisce about the time of cherry blossoms in Japan when I had my secondment stint with our Tokyo office. Just like how we busied through the audit season then, I see the same scurry in collating income information from our clients here to prepare their income tax returns, chasing them for responses to our reminders just to meet the deadline.

Why? We fear the penalties for late submission of the tax return and/or late payment of taxes.

So, before filing your returns, go through this checklist to avoid those costly errors.

1. Are you taxable for the 2013 income?

If an individual earns an annual employment income of RM26,501 (after EPF deduction), he would have to register a file.

Registration for an income tax reference number can be made at any IRB branch or you can enquire at the Customer Service Centre at 1800-88-5436. A penalty equal to three times the amount of the tax (which is before any set-off, repayment or relief under the Income Tax Act) is payable if a person defaults in furnishing a tax return.

2. Are all of my allowances taxable?

See graphic below.

3. Will all my income be taxed in Malaysia, even those that I earned overseas?

All income accrued in or derived from Malaysia will be subject to Malaysian income tax. Income which you have received in Malaysia from outside Malaysia is exempted from Malaysian income tax if it is not income in connection with your employment in Malaysia.

4. What should I refer to when declaring my income?

You should have received your 2013 EA Form from your employer by now. The EA Form summarises your annual remuneration received in 2013. If you have other income from overseas companies, for example share incentive benefit received in connection with your employment in Malaysia, you would also need to declare the income. A letter from the overseas company confirming the said income is required.

5. How do I declare my income?

The IRB encourages all taxpayers to submit the income declaration via e-filing of the income tax return. More details on e-filing can be obtained from https://e.hasil.gov.my. You do not need to submit the EA Form, receipts or letter of confirmation but you need to keep these records for a period of seven (7) years in case of a tax audit.

6. Can I deduct my donations from my income?

Yes, as long as the donations are made to charitable organisations approved by the Inland Revenue. However, the amount is limited to 7% of your aggregate income.

To check if the charitable organisation you are donating to is approved by the IRB, visit www.hasil.gov.my and search for "List of Institutions under Section 44(6) ITA 1967 ".

7. Are there any other tax reliefs to note?

While much of the income tax relief types remain unchanged for the 2013 tax return filing, here are a few notable reliefs which have been added, removed, altered or have new conditions attached to them. Visit www.hasil.gov.my to see the comprehensive list of tax reliefs one can enjoy.

a) Special tax relief

For those earning an aggregate income of up to RM96,000, they will be able to enjoy a special tax relief of RM2,000. This relief is only applicable for Year Assessment 2013.

b) Personal computer

Tax relief for personal computers will not cover tablets and handphones effective from Year of Assessment 2013. You can still enjoy a tax relief of up to RM3,000 for purchase of personal computers made once every three years.

c) Broadband Internet

Tax relief for broadband Internet will no longer be available.

d) Interest on home financing

Home owners who purchased their property with the sales and purchase agreement signed between March 10, 2009 and December 31, 2010 will have the last chance to enjoy tax relief on interest expended to finance the said property for the first three consecutive years.

A tax relief of up to RM10,000 can be enjoyed by two or more individuals who are eligible to claim relief for the same property subject to the following conditions:

> The taxpayer is a Malaysian citizen and a resident;

> The taxpayer is limited to one residential unit; and

> The residential property is not rented out.

8. What form should I use?

Since the April 30 deadline applies only to employees, you choose one of the following forms:

(a) Form BE (e-BE) – a resident employee who does not carry on business

(b) Form M (e-M) – a non-resident employed with no business income. If you are a knowledge worker, you would use the form affixed with "T" in either of the Form B or M. More details of the form can be obtained from www.hasil.gov.my

9. What is important to note when I claim the tax reliefs?

a) You must be a tax resident. In order to qualify as one, you must be present in Malaysia for at least 183 days in the year 2013.

Full details on the definition of tax residence can be found on www.hasil.gov.my/pdf/pdfam/PR6_2011.pdf.

b) Reliefs apply to expenses you have incurred in 2013 only.

c) Ensure that you keep the receipts of purchases or proofs of payments. Make copies especially for thermal receipts as the prints will not last.

d) All receipts and proof of purchases need not be submitted at the time of filing the income tax return. However, you have to maintain these records for at least seven (7) years following the end of the year of assessment.

10. Is my monthly tax deduction (MTD) a final tax?

Not necessarily so. You would still need to determine your total tax liability after taking into account the income, reliefs and rebates and compare it against the total tax which has been withheld and remitted to the IRB.

Any shortfall will have to be paid to the IRB no later than April 30, 2014. E-bayaran facility (https://epayment.hasil.gov.my/fpx/one.php) is available. Where there is excess tax withheld, a tax refund will be made to you.

The IRB is encouraging employers to implement a "Monthly Tax Deduction (MTD) as final tax" system from 2014. The employee will still be ultimately responsible to ensure that all income is not under-declared and deductions over-claimed so that a penalty (up to as high as double the amount of tax undercharged arising from an incorrect return submitted) can be avoided.

Here are two bonus takeaways for 2013 tax return filing:

> The tax rates will be reduced by 1% for the chargeable income bands from RM2,501 to RM50,000.

> The IRB has also committed to refund within:

(i) 30 days from the date of submission if the submission is done within the due date through e-filing

(ii) Three months from the date of submission if the submission is done manually, within the due date.

A compensation of 2% where the amount refunded is made after:

(a) 90 days from the due date for electronic filing; or

(b) 120 days from the due date for manual filing

The above 10 questions should guide you to avoid costly mistakes in this tax season. By April 30, 2014, you should have e-filed your tax return and settled your final taxes (if any). Remember also to keep the acknowledgment receipt of e-filing and payment of taxes. As proof, nothing's better than something in black and white.

> Ang Weina is a Tax Partner at Deloitte Malaysia's tax practice. She has more than 20 years experience with Deloitte in Singapore, Japan and Malaysia dealing in mobility, rewards and talent issues ranging from tax compliance and immigration matters of employees and employers to advisory on mobility policy, equity incentive design and payroll compliance review.

The comments and opinions here are personal viewpoints of the author and are not reflective of Deloitte's perspective on the subject matter.

■ If you have any query on your tax filing, email your question(s) to sunday@thestar.com.my. We'll run a Q&A for two weeks only.

Hsien Loong to attend Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat

Posted: 05 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will attend the 5th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat to be held in Putrajaya today and tomorrow.

Lee will be accompanied by his wife Ho Ching, several Cabinet ministers and senior officials from the republic during his working visit, Wisma Putra said in a statement.

The ministry said the retreat was a platform for leaders of both countries to take stock of their bilateral co-operation. It also provides the leaders with an avenue to explore and discuss new initiatives and further collaboration.

Both parties are to issue a Leaders' Joint Statement at the conclusion of the retreat, the statement added.

Last year, bilateral trade increased to US$57.4bil (RM188bil) from US$57bil (RM186.9bil).

Singapore was Malaysia's largest export destination last year with a total export of US$31.9bil (RM104.6bil) while the republic was Malaysia's second largest source of imports with a total import of US$25.5bil (RM83.6bil).

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Prudential Malaysian Eye: Seeing is believing

Posted: 05 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Prudential Malaysian Eye exhibition catalogues the bright lights of local contemporary art.

DON'T walk under the circular festoon of "dirty" shoes, an installation by Andrew Chong Boon Pok, at the Prudential Malaysian Eye exhibition now on at MAP's White Box and Black Box art spaces at Publika in Kuala Lumpur. It might just be a pet superstitious aversion like walking under a ladder.

But Chong's installation Circumrotation rigged with all kinds of footwear – suspended in a single-direction loop on the ceiling – hints more at the ephemeral quality of life, with shadows of a zombie existence. Circumrotation features men's and women's shoes. It also doesn't discriminate in age. Add baby shoes, sports shoes, work boots, sandals, sexy stilettos and trendy flats. All the shoes are worn ... with their soles and "souls" worn-out. They are the discards that have outlived their usefulness and succumbed to new trends.

On the floor nearby at this art space you will also come across some "leaden" stone shoes. They look like discards too. But these works by sculptor Azli Wahid are more like relics. Azli, 29, is an artist deeply rooted with themes of civilisation, culture and history. He is also known for his Major Award at the Penang Open art competition in 2009.

While Chong, 50, may not yet be a familiar name in local art circle despite his three solos in London, he comes with the same pedigree as painter-printmaker Kim Ng (Ng Kim Peow), 49. Their artworks are making heads turn at the Prudential Malaysian Eye. Both have won the prestigious first prize of the Owen Rowley Award in London (Chong in 2001 and Kim Ng in 1996).

Ahmad Shukri Ahmad's 'Miracle', a mixed media on canvas piece.

Ahmad Shukri Ahmad's Miracle (2012), a mixed media on canvas piece.

Back to the exhibition, Chong Kim Chew's Unreadable Wall Bricks moulded from newspapers, in a twist to American minimalist artist Carl Andre's stacked bricks, is a subtle reference to an obdurate barrier of obfuscation or hidden contexts.

All four artists are among 75 selected for the Malaysian Eye component of the Parallel Contemporary Arts country artbook series that has covered Indonesia, South Korea and Hong Kong in recent years. The Malaysian Eye book, which was launched in Kuala Lumpur together with an exhibition of works of 21 of the artists, is the latest documentation of contemporary art here.

A selection of works will also be shown at the Prudential EyeZone exhibition at London's Saatchi Gallery from June 21 to 29.

The oldest of the pack on show at the Prudential Malaysian Eye exhibition is watercolourist extraordinaire Chang Fee Ming, 55, best known for his epic survey of the communities and cultures of the Mekong River up to the river source in the Tibetan Plateau. At this exhibition, he parades his Banjarmasin sextet of female boat-rowers taken from a top-down dramatic side angle.

The youngest artist at this exhibition is Khairuddin Zainuddin, 27, a two-time winner of the Tanjung Heritage Art Prize (2010, 2011).

Elsewhere, Ramlan Abdullah, 54, intrigues with his stand-alone sculpture Monumenta, using stainless steel instead of his usual cut-glass-and-metal repertoire. Standing 200cm-tall, the work looks like a woman's bodice with simple designs that perhaps could pass for lace. The sculpture is propped on 11 stick legs. Ramlan's career is impressive with accolades such as the Anugerah Seni Negara (2006), the Zain Azraai Award (2001) and the hugely lucrative Oita Asian Sculpture Prize (1995).

Chong Siew Ying's 'A Thousand Years', a charcoal and acrylic on paper mounted canvas work.

Chong Siew Ying's A Thousand Year (2012), a charcoal and acrylic on paper mounted canvas work.

Another major international star featured is Kow Leong Kiang, 44, with his rollicking tumbling torsos from his Soft solo exhibition at the Yogyakarta Contemporary in 2011. Kow hit the bright lights when he won the Major Award at the Philip Morris Asean Art Award in the finals in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1998.

The largest piece on show is the Veil Of An Artist (2010, 244cm x 1,219cm), a video-projected installation artwork across nine mixed media paintings, by local e-art pioneer Hasnul J. Saidon, 49. It was first shown at the Penang State Art Gallery in 2010, depicting three video projections onto paintings on the introspection of self, religious ritual and communion, and a dance of life.

Chong Ai Lei, one of the 2013 winners of the Malaysian Emerging Artists Award (MEAA), is represented by two works from her True Romances series. Here you will find Ai Lei's solitary young girl lolling in bed in a somewhat provocative pose and with a sense of boredom despite being surrounded by all the modern-day gadgetry as shown in greater details. Ai Lei had her first major solo Pink, at the Sangkring Art Space in Yogyakarta last year.

Another MEAA winner, Sun Kang Jyi, 36, who won in 2011, has two works relishing the rural divide in his usual positive-negative veneer.

French-trained Chong Siew Ying, 45, continues her monochromatic mock Chinese-ink (actually acrylic and charcoal) "landscapes" in A Thousand Year and The Gift Of Rain (triptych). Both works are reflections on the great natural succour and sustenance of life.

Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, 45, the sole artist from the cult Matahati group on show, is represented by his 2012 work, Miracle, from his Golden Gate solo exhibition. Shukri looks like he is recreating what looks like a sumptuous scene from the 2009 sci-fi movie, Avatar, with the floating day-glo "flowers" in a primeval forest allegory.

Sculptor-painter Sabri idrus, 43, fresh from his recent Rimbun Dahan artist's residency – the last since the dual Australia-Malaysia programme started in 1994 – plays on a centrifugal view of a rattan-like craft object with patterns and tensility and earth-brown raw quality. He was the winner of the UOB Art Award in 2011 and was one of three in the group of 21 here with Rimbun Dahan credentials. The others being Siew Ying (1999-2000) and Ahmad Shukri (2003).

Phuan Thai Meng, who was selected from Malaysia for the Asia-Pacific Triennial 7 in Brisbane, Australia, in 2012, continues the pop urbanscapes of Kok Yew Puah (1947-1999) but with greater emphasis on the scale of the infrastructure.

Chong Ai Lei's 'True Romances 1', oil on canvas.

Chong Ai Lei's True Romances 1 (2013), oil on canvas.

Chee Eng Hong, better known as E.H. Chee, 51, creates great psychological insights with his "inner portraits". Just take a glimpse of the rough-toned flesh in works such as Sang Froid 1, Brothers and Mak Cekek, a wizened aboriginal woman Chee met during an Endau Rompin artist expedition.

Other artists featured are Seah Ze Lin, art-photographer Eiffel Chong, textile artist Anne Samat, assemblage artists Azrin Mohd and Hasanul Isyraf Idris.

The Prudential Malaysian Eye exhibition runs at both the White Box and Black Box spaces, MAP at Publika, Level G2-02, Block A5, Jalan Dutamas 1, Kuala Lumpur, till April 30. Free admission. Opening times: 11am to 7pm. Website: www.malaysianeye.com.

Mysterious prehistoric reptiles fly into NY

Posted: 04 Apr 2014 08:50 PM PDT

International exhibition on pterosaurs is largest ever in the US.

An international exhibition in New York explores the fascinating world of prehistoric flying reptiles, the pterosaurs who ruled the skies when dinosaurs ruled the earth millions of years ago.

Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs, opens on April 5 and runs until January 2015 at the American Museum of Natural History, co-curated with an expert from Brazil.

It is the largest exhibition ever mounted in the United States about these flying reptiles that have long captured popular imagination and which play a starring role in any dinosaur movie.

Part of the exhibit called 'Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs' shown at a preview on April 1, 2014, at the American Museum of Natural History. – AFP

In a full interactive experience, visitors can even "pilot" two species of flying pterosaurs over prehistoric landscapes via a sensor programme that reproduces the human body's movements on a screen.

"Despite persistently captivating our popular imagination, pterosaurs are among the least well understood large animals from the age of dinosaurs," said museum president Ellen Futter.

They were the first vertebrates to fly, diversifying into more than 150 species ranging in size from a sparrow to a two-seater plane before becoming extinct 66 million years ago.

From the small Nemicolopterus crypticus of just 10 inches (25cm), to the gigantic Quetzalcoatlus northropi of 10 yards (9m), the exhibition showcases many of the known pterosaurs through rare fossils and stunningly realistic models.

"It's just a fantastic exhibition, taking those bones and putting them into life," says co-curator Alexander Kellner, a paleontologist from Brazil's Museu Nacional in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil, China and now Transylvania

The first pterosaur fossil ever found, a Pterodactylus antiquus, was part of a collection belonging to a German prince in the 18th century and had fascinated scientists for years.

Only in 1809 was it correctly identified by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier, who named it in reference to the Greek words "ptero" or wing and "dactyle", which means finger.

Pterosaurs had developed their characteristic long front limbs and fins adapted to flying by more than 200 million years ago.

Like other flying animals, they spent time on land, where the general consensus is that they moved on all fours.

For more than a hundred years paleontologists focused their searches on Bavaria in Germany, southern England and the US interior.

But in the last two decades, northeastern Brazil and northeast China have seen a "renaissance in terms of discovery".

"We had three places for over a hundred years. Now we have two more places that are even better than the other three," said Mark Norell, curator and chair of the museum's paleontology division.

"It's just exploded in terms of diversity as well as in number of specimens."

This revival is not only the result of new excavation sites, but also stems from "more support" for science in the two emerging economies of Brazil and China, said Kellner.

While Brazil is known for fossils preserved in "3D", in China there is "a lot of diversity", he said.

A sixth area, Transylvania in Romania, has more recently emerged as a new magnet for paleontologists, with the discovery of some "spectacular specimens," said Norell.

One of the fossils found in the region was of a species "even stronger and heavier than the Quetzalcoatlus northropi" and is still little known. – AFP Relaxnews

First artist to paint on Berlin Wall launches solo show

Posted: 04 Apr 2014 08:50 PM PDT

Thierry Noir left his mark on the wall every day for five years in act of defiance.

The first artist to illegally paint on the Berlin Wall has launched his first solo exhibition in London.

Thierry Noir: A Retrospective will see original works displayed alongside rarely seen photographs, interviews and films, exploring Noir's enduring legacy and contribution to society.

Thierry Noir is increasingly recognised as a forerunner of the modern street art movement.

In 1984, French artist Noir spontaneously started to paint the Berlin Wall, and continued to do so every day for the next five years in an attempt to help bring about its demolition. His iconic, bright and seemingly innocent street art symbolised a sole act of defiance and a lone voice of freedom.

The street artist's enormous murals feature vivid colors and simplified forms – a style that embodies the cultural aesthetic of 1980s Berlin.

Today, Noir is increasingly recognised as a forerunner of the modern street art movement and in 2013 he worked in London alongside renowned international street artists including Phlegm and ROA.

Thierry Noir: A Retrospective will run through May 5 at Howard Griffin Gallery. – AFP Relaxnews

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