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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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• S. Korea president says ferry captain's action 'tantamount to murder'
• Japan PM makes gift to controversial war shrine, skips visit
• S. Korea ferry transcript reveals evacuation panic

S. Korea president says ferry captain's action 'tantamount to murder' Posted: 20 Apr 2014 08:12 PM PDT SEOUL, April 21, 2014 (AFP) - South Korean President Park Geun-Hye said Monday that the behaviour of the captain and crew of the ferry that capsized five days ago with 476 people on board was unacceptable and "tantamount to murder". "The actions of the captain and some crew members were utterly incomprehensible, unacceptable and tantamount to murder," the presidential Blue House quoted Park as saying in a meeting with senior aides. "Not only my heart, but the hearts of all South Koreans have been broken and filled with shock and anger," said Park, who had been heckled Thursday when she met relatives of the hundreds of passengers still missing - most of them schoolchildren. The families have criticised the official response to the disaster, saying the initial rescue effort was inadequate and mismanaged. Park said it was increasingly clear that Captain Lee Joon-Seok had unnecessarily delayed the evacuation of passengers as the ferry started sinking, and then "deserted them" by escaping first. Lee was arrested on Saturday along with a helmsman and the ship's relatively inexperienced third officer, who was in charge of the bridge when the ship first ran into trouble. "This is utterly unimaginable, legally and ethically," she said, adding that all parties to the disaster, from the owners, to the safety inspectors to the crew would be investigated and all those responsible would be held "criminally accountable."

Japan PM makes gift to controversial war shrine, skips visit Posted: 20 Apr 2014 07:30 PM PDT TOKYO, April 21, 2014 (AFP) - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe donated a tree to the controversial Yasukuni war shrine Monday, but did not visit the memorial which is seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's militarist past. Abe donated the symbolic gift, a sacred "masakaki" tree, to coincide with the start of a three-day spring festival, Jiji Press news agency and other local media said. The offering was seen as a sign that he would avoid a personal visit during the festival, reports said, with public broadcaster NHK quoting anonymous sources as saying he was not planning a trip. Abe had been widely expected to refrain from visiting the shrine ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to Tokyo from Wednesday to Friday, with Washington calling for Asian neighbours to mend ties. Many other lawmakers are however expected to make their regular pilgrimage on Tuesday. The 145-year-old Shinto shrine honours Japan's war dead including several leaders condemned as "Class A" war criminals by the US-led allied powers and executed after World War II. Abe, known for his nationalist views, drew protests from China and South Korea when he visited the shrine last December at a time when Japan's ties with the neighbouring countries were severely strained over territorial disputes and differences in historical perceptions. Conservative Japanese parliamentarians make pilgrimages to the shrine during spring and autumn festivals and on the war anniversary. Abe made the same kind of tree offering at the autumn festival last year, but did not visit the shrine. Yasukuni is a flashpoint in relations between Japan and its Asian neighbours, with disagreements about history badly colouring relations. Beijing and Seoul see Yasukuni as a painful reminder of Japan's imperialist past because it enshrines some of the men who ran the country and its military during years of brutal expansionism. But Japanese conservatives say it is natural that they pay homage to people who lost their lives in the service of their country. Keiji Furuya, chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, visited the shrine on Sunday, becoming the second minister in Abe's cabinet to go there in the past week. "I made the visit today so that it would not interrupt my official duty," Furuya said in a statement to Japanese media.

S. Korea ferry transcript reveals evacuation panic Posted: 20 Apr 2014 05:18 PM PDT JINDO , South Korea, April 20, 2014 (AFP) - Panic-stricken and fumbling for a response, the crew of a South Korean ferry dithered over the evacuation of passengers in the crucial final moments before it sank, a transcript released Sunday revealed, as divers began retrieving bodies from the vessel. Investigators arrested ferry captain Lee Joon-Seok on Saturday along with a helmsman and the ship's relatively inexperienced third officer, charging them with negligence and failing to secure the safety of hundreds of passengers - most of them children on a high school holiday trip. In the final nerve-wracking moments before the vessel began listing dangerously, an unidentified crew member on the 6,825-tonne Sewol repeatedly asked an official from Jindo Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) whether help was on the way. "We are listing. Now we are about to go down," the crew member said. "It has tilted so much and we can hardly move." In another message, the crew member revealed that safety instructions couldn't be relayed to passengers as the PA system on board was broken at that crucial moment. Regardless, "please advise passengers to wear life jackets and wear as many layers as possible," the VTS official retorted. "Would passengers be rescued immediately once evacuated?" the crew member said in response. "Make them wear a life ring at least and let them float. Now!" the official insisted. The crew have faced vehement criticism over the delay in mobilising passengers as the ship first foundered, a possibly fatal error of judgement before the vessel fully submerged with hundreds trapped on board. Experts have suggested that many more people might have escaped if they had moved to reach evacuation points before the ship listed sharply and water started flooding in. The dramatic transcript released by South Korean officials is bound to fuel anger among distraught relatives of the passengers, some of whom scuffled with police on Sunday over what they say has been a botched response to the disaster. The confirmed death toll from the disaster stands at 59 so far, with 243 people still unaccounted for. 'Save my child' Coastguard officials said 19 bodies had been removed from the ship which sank on Wednesday morning, pushing operations further along the painful transition from rescue to recovery and identification. It was a key moment for distraught relatives, who have clung desperately to the hope that some passengers may have survived in air pockets in the upturned vessel. Bodies were placed in tents at the harbour on Jindo island - not far from the disaster site - where the relatives have been camped out in a gymnasium since the ferry went down. In a process that looks set to be repeated with tragic frequency in coming days, they were checked for IDs and other particulars, after which their relatives were informed and asked to make an official identification. Some of the policemen standing guard at the tents were openly weeping, while the cries of the family members could be heard from inside. Of the 476 people on board the Sewol, 350 were high school students headed for the holiday island of Jeju. Nearly 200 family members set off Sunday on a hike from Jindo to Seoul - 420 kilometres (260 miles) to the north - where they planned to march on the presidential Blue House in protest over the rescue efforts. Scuffles broke out when they were prevented from crossing the bridge to the mainland by a large police detachment, and eventually they were forced to turn back. One of the marchers, Chung Hye-Sook, said she was appalled that the authorities had begun taking DNA samples to ease identification of the bodies before the entire ferry had been searched. "What are those people thinking?" Chung shouted. "We are asking them to save our children's lives. We can't even think about DNA testing. I want to save my child first," she said. Three giant floating cranes have been at the disaster site off the southwest coast of South Korea for days, but the coastguard has promised it will not begin lifting the ferry until it is clear there is nobody left alive. Only 174 were rescued when the ferry sank and no new survivors have been found since Wednesday. The ferry tragedy looks set to become one of South Korea's worst peacetime disasters. A Seoul department store collapsed in 1995, killing more than 500 people, while nearly 300 people died when a ferry capsized off the west coast in 1993.

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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TV actress Mindy Kaling is feeling the heat on diversity Posted: 20 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT 'The Mindy Project' star Mindy Kaling finds herself held to a higher standard. When The Mindy Project premiered in the United States in fall 2012, it was widely hailed as a breakthrough in the diversity of mainstream television. Its star, Mindy Kaling, who plays a romantically challenged obstetrician in a New York hospital, became the first woman of colour to create, helm and star in a successful sitcom on a major network. But even as the broadcast networks overall are showcasing more minority actors in scripted programming than ever, Kaling is facing mounting criticism that her own sitcom isn't diverse enough. Critics and other observers have pointed out that the popular Indian-American actress and executive producer with 2.8mil Twitter followers has surrounded her prime-time fictional self with a mostly white cast. Unlike many past and present medical shows on network television – a list that includes Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, House and even ER – The Mindy Project does not feature a strong multi-ethnic ensemble. In addition to Kaling's character, the only other minority regular cast member is Xosha Roquemore, who joined the show late in the first season as a sassy nurse. The percolating issue came to a head earlier this month at a South by Southwest conference in Texas where questions about her casting choices provoked an obscenity-laced response. "I look at shows on TV, and this is going to sound defensive, but I'm just going to say it: I'm a ... Indian woman who has her own ... network television show," Kaling said during the session. "I have four series regulars that are women on my show, and no one asks any of the shows I adore – and I won't name them because they're my friends – why no leads on their shows are women of color, and I'm the one that gets lobbied about these things." 'The Mindy Project' cast (L-R): Beth Grant, Ed Weeks, Ike Barinholtz, Kaling, Chris Messina, Zoe Jarman and Xosha Roquemore. Drawing even closer scrutiny have been Kaling's on-screen boyfriends and lovers – all white. The show, which has been picked up for a third season, has not dodged the subject. In fact, characters have made fun of Kaling's Dr Mindy Lahiri for her lighter-skinned preferences. "I think it's too bad that a small minority of people are fixated on the men who are in bed with me," said Kaling in an interview with the Los Angeles Times recently. "I think that's a bit specific and weird." But Kaling said she understood that diversity on The Mindy Project has become a hot topic – one that has affected her deeply. "Ultimately, this is a compliment to the bar that people have set for me," she said. "And that expectation is not one that my peers face. And I have to accept that. "The fact is, I am so proud to be an Asian American and part of the Asian-America community," she added. "My connection with that community is so strong. It struck me that the show is being characterised as not celebrating that richness. I take that more personally than other things." Kaling's ethnicity is a key source of humour on the series, and jokes about race and stereotypes are frequent. In an early episode of the first season, her character was thrilled about going out with her colleagues to a club frequented by NBA players. "Black guys love me!" she declared. "My writing staff and I have been determined to create what is a totally original character," she said. "We've been focused on creating a girl you've never seen before. We're also very determined to show diverse talent. We think that's important." The tempest swirling around The Mindy Project mirrors a similar one largely weathered by Lena Dunham, the star and creator of HBO's Girls who was knocked for the show's lack of minority characters in a show set in Brooklyn. But some say Kaling is being unfairly singled out and held to a higher standard because of her ethnic background. Shows with predominantly white casts, such as The Big Bang Theory or Veep, are rarely asked about including multi-ethnic characters. "There are a lot of white creators and show runners who haven't taken the same heat as Mindy Kaling has," said Darnell Hunt, head of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA. "On the other hand, when you do something that is groundbreaking and is not business as usual, you raise the expectations of audiences who really want to see more diversity." Hunt, who was lead author on a just-released study by the centre examining diversity in Hollywood, added that "it's unfortunate that Mindy has that weight on her shoulders, but that's the reality. Part of being a trailblazer is being a lightning rod for people to focus their frustrations." Kaling said she is listening and is determined to press on with her show. "I have a great job, a great life and a great responsibility, like Spider Man," she said, smiling. "I have to do more, and that's fine. I'm excited about it." – Los Angeles Times/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services > Season 2 of 'The Mindy Project' airs every Monday at 9pm on Diva (Astro Ch 702).

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The Star Online: World Updates

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• Japan PM makes offering to Yasukuni Shrine; China seizes ship
• China seizure of ship could hurt Japan business - Japan spokesman
• Captain of ill-fated Korean ferry praised safety in promotional video

Japan PM makes offering to Yasukuni Shrine; China seizes ship Posted: 20 Apr 2014 09:10 PM PDT TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine, seen by critics as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, a move that may increase strains on Tokyo's ties with Asian neighbours China and South Korea. Adding to unease in the region, a Chinese maritime court in Shanghai seized a ship on Saturday owned by Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, saying the company had failed to pay compensation stemming from a wartime contractual obligation. The offering from Abe, who visited the shrine in December but opted not to go in person this time, was sent just before U.S. President Barack Obama's three-day visit to Japan begins on Wednesday. The United States has said it was "disappointed" with Abe's shrine visit last year, which infuriated Beijing and Seoul. China protested on Saturday after internal affairs minister Yoshitaka Shindo visited the shrine, where 14 Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal after World War Two are honoured along with Japan's war dead. Abe made his latest offering to the shrine as a private individual so it was not the government's place to comment, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference. "It will not have an impact on the U.S.-Japan leaders meeting," Suga, the chief government spokesman, said on Monday. Keiji Furuya, another cabinet minister, has also paid his respects and a number of lawmakers are expected to visit the shrine during its spring festival this week. Abe has said that, like predecessors such as former premier Yasuhiro Nakasone who visited the shrine, he had high regard for Japan's ties with China and South Korea, which suffered under Japanese occupation and colonisation in the 20th century. A number of court cases demanding compensation for forced wartime labour have arisen in China and South Korea. In February, two Japanese firms were sued in what media said at the time was the first instance where a Chinese court had accepted such a case. Suga said the ship seizure, apparently the first time the assets of a Japanese company have been seized in a lawsuit concerning compensation for World War Two, was "extremely regrettable". "It is inevitable that this will have an adverse impact on Japanese companies in China," he said. "We strongly urge the Chinese government to make the proper response." A spokesman for Mitsui O.S.K. said the company has been informed of the seizure order but was still trying to assess what was happening at the port. It did not confirm that the vessel was in the hands of the court. The ship, "Baosteel Emotion", is a 226,434 deadweight-tonne ore carrier. One analyst said the impact of the seizure was likely to be limited and noted that it just seemed to be another case of China putting pressure on Japan, adding that it was unclear if this represented the policy of the Chinese leadership. "Companies that are currently involved with such issues will likely think twice about Chinese businesses, but I believe most Japanese companies have nothing to do with these problems," said Akio Takahara, a professor at the University of Tokyo. "They might take this development as one factor when they think about investments in China, but I don't think this is a decisive factor at the moment." Obama's Asian trip will also take him to South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.

China seizure of ship could hurt Japan business - Japan spokesman Posted: 20 Apr 2014 08:00 PM PDT TOKYO (Reuters) - China's seizure of a ship owned by Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd for allegedly failing to pay compensation stemming from a wartime contractual obligation is "extremely regrettable" and could hurt Japanese business there, Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also told a regular news conference that Japan was asking the Chinese government to provide information on the ship seizure and expected Beijing to take appropriate action. Suga declined direct comment on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ritual offering to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of past Japanese militarism, but said the episode would have no impact on Abe's summit with U.S. President Barack Obama, who arrives in Japan on Wednesday for a state visit. (Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Writing by Linda Sieg; Editing by Dominic Lau)

Captain of ill-fated Korean ferry praised safety in promotional video Posted: 20 Apr 2014 07:50 PM PDT JINDO, South Korea (Reuters) - The captain of a ferry that sank off South Korea's south-western tip with hundreds feared dead said in a promotional video four years ago that the journey was safe - as long as passengers followed the instructions of the crew. The irony is the crew ordered the passengers, mostly high school children, to stay put in their cabins as the ferry sank last Wednesday. As is customary in hierarchical Korean society, the orders were not questioned. However, many of those who escaped alive either did not hear or flouted the instructions and were rescued as they jumped off the deck. Sixty-four people are known to have died and 238 are missing, presumed dead in the upturned hull of the stricken Sewol ferry. Captain Lee Joon-seok, 69, and other crew members have been arrested. Of the 476 passengers and crew on board, 339 were children and teachers on a high school outing. Lee made a promotional video in 2010 in which he highlighted the safety of the journey from the port city of Incheon to the holiday island of Jeju. "Passengers who take our ship to and from Incheon and Jeju can enjoy a safe and pleasant trip and I believe it is safer than any other vehicle as long as they follow the instructions of our crew members," he said in transcripts broadcast by regional cable station OBS. Parents of the children missing in the accident in what is likely to turn out to be one of South Korea's worst maritime disasters sat exhausted from days of grief on Monday, waiting for the almost inevitable news that their loved ones had died. They have spent all their time since the accident in a gymnasium in the port city of Jindo, taking it in turns to vent their anger at the crew's inaction and slow pace of the rescue operation. One of those waiting in the gymnasium is Kim Chang-gu, whose son Kim Dong-hyup is among the missing. "I dream about him and hear hallucinatory sounds," he told Reuters. "Somebody told me he was alive but I now have given up. I know how he said 'Dad'. I keep hearing that." Divers are retrieving the bodies at a faster pace and some parents have moved from the gymnasium to the pier to await news. Others stay put on their mattresses in the gym, where one by one, parents are informed that a body matches the family DNA swab, prompting wailing and collapses as others look on in silence. Kim Chang-gu, father of one of the missing, said parents no longer trusted the news or government or even each other. They even fight each other when things get tense. Now that a few days have passed, the general mood at the gym is people are tired of waiting. Two U.S. underwater drones have been deployed in the search for bodies, a coastguard official said. Strong tides hampered operations overnight but the weather outlook was better for Monday. CONFUSION ON THE BRIDGE A clearer picture has started to emerge of the time around the accident after coastguards released a recording of a conversation between vessel controllers and the ship. Witnesses have said the Sewol turned sharply before it began listing. It is still not clear why the vessel turned. It took more than two hours for it to capsize completely but passengers were ordered to stay put in their cabins. According to the transcript, at 9.25 a.m. the controllers told the captain to "decide how best to evacuate the passengers" and that he should "make the final decision on whether or not to evacuate". Lee was not on the bridge when the ship turned. Navigation was in the hands of a 26-year old third mate who was in charge for the first time in the passage, according to crew members. The transcript shows crew on the ship worried there were not enough rescue boats at the scene to take on all the passengers. Witnesses said the captain and some crew members took to rescue boats before the passengers. Lee said earlier he feared that passengers would be swept away by the ferocious currents if they leapt into the sea. He has not explained why he left the vessel. Pupils at the children's school in Ansan, a gritty commuter town on the outskirts of Seoul, set up shrines to the dead and posted messages for the missing. The vice-principal of the school, who was on the ferry and survived the accident, hanged himself outside the gymnasium in Jindo in another blow to the school. His body was discovered by police on Friday. (Additional reporting by Narae Kim in Seoul; Writing by Nick Macfie; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

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The Star Online: Business

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• Tenaga, Sime Darby weigh on KLCI
• Diary Malaysia April 21 (Monday)
• Japan trade deficit quadruples on-year in March to US$14bil

Tenaga, Sime Darby weigh on KLCI Posted: 20 Apr 2014 06:23 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's FBM KLCI fell in early Monday trade, slipping below the key 1,850 level on mild selling of heavyweight Tenaga and Sime Darby, which was in line with the lacklustre key Asian markets. At 9.07am, the KLCI was down 3.01 points to 1,849.68. Turnover was 169.25 million shares valued at RM70.89mil. There were 206 gainers, 69 losers and 186 counters unchanged. Reuters reported Asian stock markets started the week on a subdued note on Monday, as tensions in Ukraine kept investors cautious amid the absence of catalysts as several markets remained closed for Easter holiday. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan inched down 0.1%. BIMB Securities Research, in its market outlook, said it expected the local market to remain lacklustre due to lack of fresh catalysts.  It said the KLCI's immediate support was at 1,845/40 while the immediate resistance was at 1,860/65. Hong Leong Capital fell the most, down 14 sen to RM12.10 with 6,000 shares done. Petronas Chemicals fell 11 sen to RM6.72, Tenaga six sen to RM11.84, Sime Darby five sen to RM9.25, IHH Healthcare also lost five sen to RM3.91 and Public Bank four sen to RM20.  Plantations were among the gainers, with United Plantations adding 72 sen to RM25.70 and PPB Group 20 sen to RM16.40 in thin trade. MAHB added 10 sen to RM8.18 and Pharmaniaga eight sen to RM4.35. Pipe fittings maker Engtex rose seven sen to RM2.17. Datasonic extended its gains from last Friday, adding 25 sen to RM3.87 after bagging a RM290mil contract from the government.

Diary Malaysia April 21 (Monday) Posted: 20 Apr 2014 05:24 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: ALL TIMES ARE PROVISIONAL AND IN LOCAL TIME FOLLOWED BY GMT IN BRACKETS MONDAY, APRIL 21 KUALA LUMPUR- Media Briefing after Affin Holdings Group annual general meeting & Extraordinary General Meeting at 1200 pm (0200 GMT) KUALA LUMPUR- OSK Holdings Bhd press conference after annual general meeting Plaza OSK, Kuala Lumpur at 4 pm (0800 GMT) TUESDAY, APRIL 22 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 15 Apr 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Detailed Disclosure of International Reserves as at end March 2014 at 1200pm (0400 GMT) KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Money Supply Data April 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, MAY 01 KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday- Labour Day WEDNESDAY, MAY 07 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of External Trade Data as at Mar 2014 at 1201pm (0401 GMT) THURSDAY, MAY 08 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 30 Apr 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, MAY 08 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Interest Rates Decision(Overnight Policy Rates) at 18:00pm(1000 GMT) MONDAY, MAY 12 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Index of Industrial Production Data as of Mar 2014 at 1201pm (0401). TUESDAY, MAY 13 KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday- Wesak Day WEDESDAY, MAY 21 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of CPI Data as of Apr 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, MAY 22 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 15 May 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, MAY 30 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Money Supply Data May 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, MAY 30 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of 1st Quarter 2014 GDP (Not Later Than) at 1800pm (1000 GMT) FRIDAY, MAY 30 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Detailed Disclosure of International Reserves as at end April 2014 at 1200pm (0400 GMT) FRIDAY, JUN 06 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 30 May 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, JUN 06 KUALA LUMPUR - Release of External Trade Data as at Apr 2014 at 1201pm (0401 GMT) SATURDAY, JUN 07 KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday- His Majesty's Birthday WEDNESDAY, JUN 11 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Index of Industrial Production Data as of Apr 2014 at 1201pm (0401). WEDNESDAY, JUN 18 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of CPI Data as of May 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, JUN 20 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 13 Jun 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) MONDAY, JUN 30 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Money Supply Data June 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) MONDAY, JUN 30 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Detailed Disclosure of International Reserves as at end May 2014 at 1200pm (0400 GMT) FRIDAY, JUL 04 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of External Trade Data as at May 2014 at 1201pm (0401 GMT) MONDAY, JUL 7, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 30 Jun 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, JUL 10 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Index of Industrial Production Data as of May 2014 at 1201pm (0401). THRUSDAY, JUL 10 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Interest Rates Decision(Overnight Policy Rates) at 18:00pm(1000 GMT) TUESDAY, JUL 15, KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday- Nuzul Al-Quran WEDNESDAY, JUL 16 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of CPI Data as of Jun 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) TUESDAY, JUL 22, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 15 Jul 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) MONDAY, JUL 28, KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday-Aidil Fitri TUESDAY, JUL 29, KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday-Aidil Fitri THURSDAY, JUL 31, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Money Supply Data July 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, JUL 31, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Detailed Disclosure of International Reserves as at end June 2014 1200pm (0400 GMT) WEDNESDAY, AUG 06 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of External Trade Data as at Jun 2014 at 1201pm (0401 GMT) THURSDAY, AUG 7' KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 31 Jul 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) MONDAY, AUG 11 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Index of Industrial Production Data as of Jun 2014 at 1201pm (0401). WEDNESDAY, AUG 20 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of CPI Data as of Jul 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, AUG 22, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 15 Aug 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, AUG 29, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Detailed Disclosure of International Reserves as at end July 2014 at 1200pm (0400 GMT) FRIDAY, AUG 29, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of 2nd Quarter 2014 GDP (Not Later Than) at 1800pm (1000 GMT) FRIDAY, AUG 29, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Money Supply Data August 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) SUNDAY, AUG 31, KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday- National Day FRIDAY, SEP 5 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of External Trade Data as at Jul 2014 at 1201pm (0401 GMT) MONDAY, SEP 8, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 29 Aug 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, SEP 11 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Index of Industrial Production Data as of Jul 2014 at 1201pm (0401). TUESDAY, SEP 16, KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday- Malaysia Day WEDNESDAY, SEP 17 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of CPI Data as of Aug 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, SEP 18 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Interest Rates Decision(Overnight Policy Rates) at 18:00pm(1000 GMT) TUESDAY, SEP 23, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 15 Sep 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) TUESDAY, SEP 30, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Money Supply Data September 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) TUESDAY, SEP 30, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Detailed Disclosure of International Reserves as at end August 2014 at 1200pm (0400 GMT) TUESDAY, OCT 07 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of External Trade Data as at Aug 2014 at 1201pm (0401 GMT) WEDNESDAY, OCT 8, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 30 Sep 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, OCT 10 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Index of Industrial Production Data as of Aug 2014 at 1201pm (0401). WEDNESDAY, OCT 22, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 15 Oct 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) WEDNESDAY, OCT 22, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of CPI Data as of Sept 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, OCT 23, KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday- Deepavali SATURDAY, OCT 25, KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday- Islamic New Year 1436H FRIDAY, OCT 31, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Detailed Disclosure of International Reserves as at end September 2014 at 1200pm (0400 GMT) FRIDAY, OCT 31, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Money Supply Data October 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, NOV 6, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Interest Rates Decision(Overnight Policy Rates) at 18:00pm(1000 GMT) FRIDAY, NOV 7, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 31 Oct 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, NOV 7, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of External Trade Data as at Sept 2014 at 1201pm (0401 GMT) TUESDAY, NOV 11, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Index of Industrial Production Data as of Sept 2014 at 1201pm (0401). WEDNESDAY, NOV 19, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of CPI Data as of Oct 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, NOV 21, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 14 Nov 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, NOV 28, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of 3rd Quarter 2014 GDP (Not Later Than) at 1800pm (1000 GMT) FRIDAY, NOV 28, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Detailed Disclosure of International Reserves as at end October 2014 at 1200pm (0400 GMT) FRIDAY, NOV 28, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Money Supply Data November 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, DEC 5, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 28 Nov 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) FRIDAY, DEC 5, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of External Trade Data as at Oct 2014 at 1201pm (0401 GMT) THURSDAY, DEC 11 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Index of Industrial Production Data as of Sept 2014 at 1201pm (0401). WEDNESDAY, DEC 17 KUALA LUMPUR- Release of CPI Data as of Nov 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) MONDAY, DEC 22, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Bank Negara's International Bank Reserves as at 15 Dec 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) THURSDAY, DEC 25, KUALA LUMPUR- Market and Public Holiday- Christmas Day WEDNESDAY, DEC 31, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Money Supply Data December 2014 at 1700pm(0900 GMT) WEDNESDAY, DEC 31, KUALA LUMPUR- Release of Detailed Disclosure of International Reserves as at end November 2014 at 1200pm (0400 GMT) NOTE: The inclusion of diary items does not necessarily mean that Reuters will file a story based on the event.- Reuters

Japan trade deficit quadruples on-year in March to US$14bil Posted: 20 Apr 2014 05:19 PM PDT TOKYO: Japan's trade deficit quadrupled on year in March to 14 billion yen as a weak yen pushed up post-Fukushima energy bills and other import costs, government data showed Monday. Japan logged a deficit of 1.45 trillion yen ($14 billion) against the year-before shortfall of 356.9 billion yen, the finance ministry said. - AFP

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'Mrs Doubtfire' sequel is on, but its former child star is not interested Posted: 17 Apr 2014 11:20 PM PDT Actress Mara Wilson has 'no interest' to be involved in the planned sequel of the 1990s hit film. Fox 2000 is planning a sequel to 1993 hit Robin Williams comedy Mrs Doubtfire, but former child star Mara Wilson has "no interest" in reprising her role as Williams' youngest daughter, Natalie Hillard. "I've been in some mediocre movies, but I've never been in a sequel. And I have no interest in being in one now," Wilson wrote on Twitter. "Sequels generally suck unless they were planned as part of a trilogy or series. I think Doubtfire ended where it needed to end." Wilson – also famous for leading roles in Matilda and Miracle On 34th Street – left acting behind over a decade ago, and wrote a blog post in 2012 explaining why, so her quick rejection of even just the possibility of being asked to return is not surprising. "There are many, many reasons I don't want to be in Mrs Doubtfire 2. But they haven't even asked me (yet), so no need to worry," Wilson added. "I'm glad I had the chance to be in it, and I'm proud of what we did, but I don't see how we could do it again." The original film starred Williams as a recently divorced father who decides to dress up like a Scottish nanny in order to spend more time with his kids, also played by Matthew Lawrence and Lisa Jakub. Lawrence appears to be the only "Hillard" child still acting. Sally Field co-starred as the mum, and Pierce Brosnan played her new boyfriend. Williams, who has declined to be involved in the project in the past, is on board to bring the beloved babysitter back to life. Chris Columbus will return to direct from a script by Elf writer David Berenbaum. — Reuters

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• I’m happy to be alive, says MH192 passenger
• Flight MH192 started shaking when it took off, says passenger
• MH192 lands safely in KLIA

I’m happy to be alive, says MH192 passenger Posted: 20 Apr 2014 02:17 PM PDT SEPANG: A Malaysian passenger is happy to be alive after flight MH192 was forced to make an emergency landing at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. "When the plane was about to take off, we could hear three loud bangs. The plane was shaking, especially rows 19 to 23 on the D, E and F side," said the passenger who wanted to be known as Raymond. "Oxygen masks dropped but people did not panic. There was a lot of praying but people were calm," he said when asked about the situation in the aircraft that hovered for about three hours above KLIA. Raymond said the pilot did a good job by keeping everyone up to date with news of the flight. "There wasn't as much information as I would like but we were kept updated," he said. Malaysian IT strategy analyst Eugene Chin, who was heading to Bangalore for training, was asleep when one of the tyres of the plane burst during take off. "When I woke up an hour later, I noticed that we were still hovering near Malaysia. I then overheard that something was wrong with the landing gear of the plane and that there was a possibility of an emergency landing," said the 24-year-old. He said the plane went through a bumpy take off and he felt as if the plane had hit something. "We received constant updates. The captain did a good job and was very thorough with safety procedures," he said. "The captain reassured us multiple times so that we know what was happening." Earlier, MAS had issued a statement that flight MH192 that departed from KLIA at 10.09pm bound for Bangalore had to make an air turn back. Flight MH192 was scheduled to arrive in Bangalore in India at 11.35pm the same day. The aircraft, which right-land landing gear malfunctioned upon take off, landed safely at KLIA about 1.56am. The flight was carrying a total number of 166 people on board which include 159 passengers and seven crewmembers.

Flight MH192 started shaking when it took off, says passenger Posted: 20 Apr 2014 01:46 PM PDT SEPANG: When Malaysian Airlines flight MH192 took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Indian national Raja Gopal Menon knew something was wrong. "We knew something was wrong as the plane started shaking," said the 70-something tourist from Kochi in India. He added that that was the only point he was afraid when on board the Boeing 737-800 aircraft bound for Bangalore that was forced to make a turn back. The aircraft, which right-land landing malfunctioned upon take off, landed safely at KLIA about 1.56am. Raja Gopal said he felt calm throughout the flight as the pilot handled the situation well. "The pilot was calm and helped us through the whole process," he said. Earlier, MAS had issued a statement that flight MH192 that departed from KLIA at 10.09pm bound for Bangalore had to make an air turn back. Flight MH192 was scheduled to arrive in Bangalore in India at 11.35pm the same day. The flight was carrying a total number of 166 people on board which include 159 passengers and seven crewmembers. Gorav Puri, a 31-year-old passenger from Sweden, said he was sitting near the wing and heard a grinding sound when the pilot tried to turn back. "The plane had to make two turns before landing," he said, adding that they were told that the pilot had to use up the fuel before landing. "We were quite calm throughout. We were only scared during take off and when we were told to brace ourselves for landing," he said. He added that he was glad to be safe and commended the pilot's handling of the situation.

MH192 lands safely in KLIA Posted: 20 Apr 2014 11:20 AM PDT PETALING JAYA: A Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight bound for Bangalore, which was forced to make turn back, has landed safely in Kuala Lumpur International Airport. MAS tweeted that the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which right-hand landing gear malfunctioned upon take off, had landed at 1.56am.  Earlier, MAS had issued a statement that flight MH192 that departed from KLIA at 10.09pm bound for Bangalore had to make an air turn back. Flight MH192 was scheduled to arrive in Bangalore in India at 11.35pm the same day. The flight was carrying a total number of 166 people on board which include 159 passengers and seven crewmembers.

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Abdullah strengthens Afghan poll lead to 11 points Posted: 20 Apr 2014 06:28 AM PDT KABUL: Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah is leading Ashraf Ghani in Afghanistan's presidential election by 11 percentage points after half of the ballots were counted, officials said Sunday, with a run-off vote likely next month. The Independent Election Commission said Abdullah was on 44.4 percent with former World Bank economist Ghani on 33.2 percent as counting continues. Eight candidates stood in the April 5 election to succeed Hamid Karzai. -AFP

Britain's baby Prince George visits Australian zoo Posted: 20 Apr 2014 02:26 AM PDT SYDNEY: Britain's baby Prince George stepped out in public with his parents Sunday for the first time in Australia, for an encounter with wildlife at Sydney's Taronga Zoo. George, eight months old and third in line to the throne after grandfather Princes Charles and father William, stole the show as his parents toured the harbourfront zoo overlooking the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The royal family were at the zoo to visit an enclosure for bilbies and meet one of the rabbit-eared native marsupials who was named in George's honour. Dressed in a blue striped shirt, blue shorts and black shoes, the infant prince wriggled excitedly out of Kate's arms as they neared the habitat to get a closer look. He cooed as William fed his bilby namesake and stroked its head, craning over the top of the enclosure's glass wall. Propped up by his mother, George bobbed jubilantly up and down and waved his arms as the inquisitive bilby, previously known as Boy, crouched up on its hind legs and peered over the edge at him.  He grinned and giggled for the cameras as William bounced him in his arms and kissed him on the head, beaming as he was presented with a stuffed toy bilby which he promptly tossed to the ground, setting off ripples of laughter in the capacity crowd.  Special birthday gift George held fast to the ear of a silver bilby statuette as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge unveiled a plaque in his honour. The enclosure was paid for by the Australian government as a gift on behalf of the nation to celebrate George's birth. Senior zookeeper Paul Davies said the young prince was captivated by the animals and attempted to grab anything within reach. "He was amazing, just amazing, he was so good, he loved all the animals," he said. "They were like any family coming into the zoo for a family day out." The zoo had to close its gates at 1.30pm due to the huge crowds gathering to await the royals' arrival. It was George's first public appearance in Australia, five days into the family's 10-day tour of the nation of which William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II is head of state. George had just one formal engagement during their visit to New Zealand last week, at a play date with a group of local toddlers. George left the zoo after his bilby encounter while his parents stayed on to feed a selection of animals including a tree kangaroo and giraffe and take in a sunset bird show in the outdoor amphitheatre. They petted a native quokka and koala and the duchess got a fright when an echidna she was stroking raised its spines. Earlier, William and Kate attended an Easter Sunday church service at Sydney's St Andrew's Cathedral and signed a Bible brought to Australia by the First Fleet of European settlers in 1788. It is widely acknowledged as the Bible used in the first Christian service ever held in Australia. William's parents Diana and Charles had signed the rare edition during their visit to Australia when he was a baby in 1983, as did his grandparents in 1954.  The young family leave Sydney on Sunday night for Canberra, where they will be taking a rest day before moving on to Uluru, an iconic monolithic desert rock sacred to Aboriginal Australians. -AFP

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• Resolving gluten sensitivity: Fodmaps and your gut
• Talk to your doctor to better understand your health issues
• Palliative care: Care that comforts

Resolving gluten sensitivity: Fodmaps and your gut Posted: 19 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT Those sensitive to gluten may improve their symptoms by avoiding the carbohydrates known by their acronym, Fodmaps. Coeliac disease, which is basically the result of the body's inability to digest gluten, and gluten sensitivity are gaining more and more attention. But, for many with symptoms – gas, pain, bloating, cramping, constipation or diarrhoea – gluten may not be the issue, or may only be part of the problem. In true coeliac disease, a person cannot digest gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet is the only management for this condition. For those with gluten sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome or functional gut disorders, eliminating gluten may not resolve the symptoms completely. These individuals may be responding to fermentable, oligo-di-monosaccharides and polyols (Fodmaps). Okay, now that you have swallowed that mouthful, let's break it down. Fodmaps are short-chain carbohydrates, actually sugar molecules, which are poorly absorbed in the intestine. They are osmotic, which means that they pull water into the intestinal tract that in turn, leads to bloating and diarrhoea. They may also be fermented by bacteria in the gut, which also leads to gas and bloating. The response to Fodmaps is very individual, and it requires some effort to determine individual triggers. So, what exactly are Fodmaps? They can be categorised as the following: ·Fructose – found in high amounts in some fruits (watermelon, pineapple, oranges, honeydew melon, peaches, starfruit, mango, apples and pears), honey and high-fructose corn syrup. ·Lactose – milk sugar found in most dairy products (all types of milk, ice cream, custard, yoghurt and soft cheese such as ricotta and cottage cheese). ·Fructans – also known as inulin and found in wheat, onions, garlic, zucchini, mango, persimmon and watermelon. ·Galactans – found in beans, baked beans, green beans, lentils, cabbage and brussels sprouts. ·Polyols – found in low-calorie sweeteners such as sorbitol, mannitol, isomalt and xylitol, and in some fruits such as apples, pears, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches and plums. Resolving gluten sensitivity A low Fodmaps diet may help to resolve symptoms that have not been resolved by simply eliminating foods containing gluten. To try this approach, you need to avoid all Fodmaps food for at least six weeks. This is not easy because so many foods are restricted. It would be wise to do this elimination diet with the help of a registered dietitian or gastroenterologist. Those who are sensitive to Fodmaps usually see resolution of symptoms in one to two weeks. The next step is to slowly reintroduce Fodmaps foods one category at a time to see if symptoms reappear. Many hesitate doing this step once they are feeling better. But it is important because not everyone responds to every Fodmap. In many cases, a person simply needs to limit, rather than eliminate foods. Symptoms are often due to a dose response. In many cases, a person can eat a reasonable portion (half a cup) of a food, but eating more may trigger symptoms. Although it may appear complicated, once triggers are found, it is easy to avoid them. Following a low Fodmaps diet, once individual triggers are determined, is quite safe. There are many gluten-free options currently on the market, as well as many alternative choices for foods that must be avoided. Important to the success of implementing a low Fodmaps diet is the education you receive from a dietitian or doctor. It takes considerable time to examine a person's diet and identify potential triggers. It is also important that you understand and can identify alternative foods that are allowed. Compliance with the diet and its ultimate success will be spotty without a qualified health care provider for support. – HealthNewsDigest.com >> Jo-Ann Heslin is a registered dietitian from the United States.

Talk to your doctor to better understand your health issues Posted: 19 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT Managing health is a shared responsibility between doctor and patient. Maintaining good health is key to our success and happiness. When things go wrong with our health, we will be alerted through the symptoms we experience. This is when we try to find a solution by seeing a doctor. Good communication in the doctor-patient relationship is important to ensure that you get the best care. Being able to communicate well with your doctor will help him or her make a diagnosis and help you understand your illness, so that you know what you can do to get better and maintain your health. Information will be shared between the doctor and you, so it is important that you take an active role in understanding your illness and the treatment. For the doctor, empowering patients to take responsibility in managing their health is the key to a good doctor-patient relationship and successful treatment. There are various factors that need to be communicated during a visit with your doctor. In addition to how you are feeling, you may need to discuss with the doctor various issues relating to the treatment; for example, the cost, how long the treatment requires, how many times each day the medicine must be taken (Does your job permit you to take medicine at the required times?), etc. For both caregivers and recipients of healthcare, it is essential to be able to feel comfortable and build a rapport – developing trust between the caregiver (doctor) and the recipient of the care (patient). Thus, it is essential that the patient feels they can be open with their doctor and discuss their problems without feeling uncomfortable. This trust is important in a doctor-patient relationship so as to ensure success in the provision of care. The role of the doctor is to listen to the patient's problems, comfort and reassure them, make a diagnosis, and provide treatment and advice. Effective communication is a two-way process; the doctor and patient must interact. The doctor needs to educate the patient about their illness, ensuring the information given is in a language that is comprehensible to the patient, and that the patient's understanding of the problem is correct. At the same time, the responsibility of the patient is to ensure that they understand both the information given and how they should implement the steps they need to take to ensure that their health is taken care of. The manner in which the doctor speaks to the patient, from the moment of first meeting the patient, should be sincere, polite and show empathy. The doctor can educate the patient about various health matters, encouraging the patient to have a healthy lifestyle. Empowerment of the patient and the patient's understanding of their role in maintaining their health is key to a good doctor-patient relationship, which is based on understanding, trust, respect and openness between the caregiver and the patient. In order to stay healthy and have a good quality of life, the role of the doctor is to provide accurate information and ensure that the patient understands his illness and how to manage it. The responsibility of the patient is to ensure that he clarifies all doubts about his illness, takes the advice given, and implements the treatment as prescribed. Thus, in order for our society to stay healthy and productive, the responsibility of healthcare is shared between the patient and his caregiver. > This article is contributed by The Star Health & Ageing Panel, which comprises a group of panellists who are not just opinion leaders in their respective fields of medical expertise, but have wide experience in medical health education for the public.  The members of the panel include: Datuk Prof Dr Tan Hui Meng, consultant urologist; Dr Yap Piang Kian, consultant endocrinologist; Datuk Dr Azhari Rosman, consultant cardiologist; A/Prof Dr Philip Poi, consultant geriatrician; Dr Hew Fen Lee, consultant endocrinologist; Prof Dr Low Wah Yun, psychologist; Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist; Dr Lee Moon Keen, consultant neurologist; Dr Ting Hoon Chin, consultant dermatologist; Prof Khoo Ee Ming, primary care physician; Dr Ng Soo Chin, consultant haematologist.  For more information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The Star Health & Ageing Advisory Panel provides this information for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice.  Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader's own medical care. The Star Health & Ageing Advisory Panel disclaims any and all liability for injury or other damages that could result from use of the information obtained from this article.

Palliative care: Care that comforts Posted: 19 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT Palliative care is not just for the old or cancer patients, but also for those with life-limiting illnesses to improve their quality of life. At age 14, Nami is not a typical palliative care recipient. He is young and he does not have cancer. Nami was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic condition that renders his body unable to maintain and support the growth of nerve cells that govern the body's movements. There is no cure for this condition, but Nami continues to be the kind of child who makes his parents smile with pride at his excellent academic results, strong extra-curricular activities, and love for math and science. He is a scout and an avid chess player who won a gold medal for Malaysia at the 2013 Asian Youth Para Games held in Kuala Lumpur. He even taught himself how to play blindfolded shortly after witnessing a blind chess game. For the past four years, Nami has been receiving palliative care from a healthcare team at Hospis Malaysia, a community-based palliative care provider, as his condition has made it necessary to have closer monitoring of his mental and physical well-being. The team also supports his parents, Nizam and Midah, in caring for him. Making patients comfortable Nami's story dispels two of the most common myths about palliative care: that it is needed only by people who are old or have cancer. There are many illnesses for which palliative care is appropriate, says Hospis Malaysia deputy medical director Dr Sylvia McCarthy. Dr McCarthy shows off a promotional photo of Yasmin Yusuff with Hospis Malaysia¿s new palliative care symbol. - Lim Wey Wen   People with life-limiting illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, liver failure, renal failure, heart failure or neurological diseases like Nami's motor neuron disease, can receive help to make them feel and function better, even while they are still receiving treatment to slow down the progression of their illness. Life-limiting illnesses are diseases that shorten a person's life significantly and impact their quality of life. Full recovery from the illness is also highly unlikely. "It is important to recognise that palliative care is not end-of-life care; it is about helping people live in a difficult situation, and the goal of care is about improving people's quality of life," says Dr McCarthy. Palliative care ranges from medical services designed to help patients control symptoms such as pain and nausea, to counselling and spiritual support to help them adjust to changes in their quality of life. The care needed and wanted by each patient is different, and so are the desired outcomes. "The goal of care is not necessarily to cure, but is instead, the person's wellbeing, to enable them to live the kind of life they want to live," the doctor says. Getting palliative care As palliative care is relatively young in Malaysia, there are less than 10 palliative care physicians in the country, and specialised palliative care offered by hospice organisations is available mostly in major cities. Patients usually need a referral from their attending doctors to access these services. However, not everyone requires specialised palliative care, says Dr McCarthy. "The model in most countries is that generalist palliative care can be provided by general practitioners and general physicians… but we still have to develop more specialised palliative care to support that," she says. Family members can ask doctors about things like symptom control or psychological support for their loved ones, to make their journey with a life-limiting illness more comfortable. Information on this kind of support is available online on the Hospis Malaysia website (www.hospismalaysia.org) or palliativecare.my, a new website that will be launched this Friday. It helps to remember that palliative care usually complements a person's treatment, rather than replacing it. A 2010 study at the Massachu-setts General Hospital, United States, found that patients given palliative care on top of standard treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer lived as long as 2.7 months longer than those who didn't receive palliative care. "Palliative care is about the recognition that it is not enough to treat the disease," says Dr McCarthy. "You need to treat the side effects of the disease, the side effects of the treatment of the disease, and deal with the impact of illness on somebody's life. "Sometimes medicine is seen as only for cure, whereas I prefer to see it as for healing. "And healing can be in the sense of making someone well. It doesn't necessarily mean curing the disease." > Hospis Malaysia will be launching a new symbol to raise awareness about palliative care nationwide on April 25 at Publika, Kuala Lumpur. A photo exhibition featuring the stories of palliative care recipients will also be held from April 25-29 at Publika. A public lecture on euthanasia by Cardiff University, United Kingdom, palliative medicine professor Baroness Ilora Finlay will be held at JW Marriott Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, at 5pm on April 25. To register, kindly email pr@hospismalaysia.org.

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Simply Perri-fic: Singer Christina Perri goes Brit with sophomore album Posted: 17 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT The singer-songwriter's new album, Head Or Heart, took more than a year to be completed.  Every singer-songwriter worth his or her salt is proud of each album he or she releases. Christina Perri, the artiste known for multi-platinum hits Jar Of Hearts and A Thousand Years, is no different. The 27-year-old singer could not wait to share the new material she wrote and recorded for Head Or Heart, the follow-up to her debut album, lovestrong. You would not peg her for a workaholic from her easy-going charisma. And maybe she's not, but she definitely will put pen to paper the minute inspiration strikes. Perri initially thought she would take a break after completing her 27-month long tour for her first album. Alas, that break was never meant to be. Shortly after returning home in October 2012, she wrote Trust, which is the first song on Head Or Heart. "I never know when a song is going to come but that song just inspired the whole theme of the album so I just started again," Perri told Star2 recently over the phone from her hotel room in Utah, United States. Where it took just 33 days to finish lovestrong, she said the sophomore album took one year and 78 days to complete. "Every single thing was different," she revealed about how putting together the sophomore effort differed from the first release. "Sonically, it was new. The co-writers I wrote with were new. The producers were new. I'm better at my instruments. I'm better at singing because I got vocal cord surgery (to remove a cyst in 2011). Everything was really bigger and better this time." Part of the reason for the new vibe on the album is Perri being in a different place, quite literally. "I recorded nine songs in Britain," she explained. "And I wrote about half of the album in Britain so I definitely think that this album is very British 'cos it's impossible to go somewhere and not morph into wherever you are whether it be the people there or the way people say things or play instruments. "I was spending every day with my producer (Jake Gosling) and his kids and I was so happy. It was summer time. It was just one of the best experiences I've ever had which is maybe why I love this album so much because I have a very happy memory of making it. "Because I was outside of my comfort zone and I was submersed into a new culture, I was able to focus more and felt comfortable enough to take some risks. I definitely attribute the vibe to the Brits." When asked if she spoke with a British accent by the end of her summer stay, she laughed before saying: "No, if I did, my friends would definitely have made fun of me." However, she conceded to latching on to a few things: "I did start saying things like 'mobile' instead of 'cell phone'. In my head, I'd be saying one thing but I'd be saying it in another way in reality. In my head, I wished I was British." Burning Gold and Be My Forever (featuring Ed Sheeran) from her new album are perfect examples of the change in vibe she was referring to. The former sounds like something from a British female pop artiste while the latter is "the happiest song" she's ever written. Learning from her first tour experience, which was in support of lovestrong — what she calls her break-up album — Perri decided to "have more fun songs" for her second effort. In fact, when she visited Kuala Lumpur in June 2012, she expressed a desire to write a happier album the next time around. "I did? I said that? Well, I did it!" the singer, who has more than 50 tattoos on her body, exclaimed. "Here's the thing: Album Two is just more dynamic in general. It's not a break-up album. It's the opposite. I think it's every emotion a person feels. I think I've managed to capture them all." As for her duet with Sheeran, it materialised from a dare posed by singer-songwriter Jamie Scott. She was feeling particularly happy the day Be My Forever was written and doubted the suitability of the song for Head Or Heart at the start. "I was sure I wasn't going to keep this, maybe I'd give it away to somebody else. But by the end of the day, I'd fallen in love with the song. Ed and I are friends and he loved it when I played it for him. So, we recorded it. It's one of my favourites," explained the self-confessed romantic who went from waitress to recording artiste after Jar Of Hearts was featured on reality TV show So You Think You Can Dance in 2010. Since the title of the album is Head Or Heart, it begged the question: Is Perri more likely to go with her head or her heart? "In a pinch, my heart," she revealed. "But I really, really want to learn how to trust both at the same time. I feel like the album, the whole theme, my experience with love is choosing one or the other. But, I really feel like the answer is both. I'm still on my own journey of trying to figure that out so I don't really have the right answer yet."

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