Rabu, 7 Mei 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro


Japan makes first arrest over 3-D printer guns

Posted: 07 May 2014 10:16 PM PDT

TOKYO: A Japanese man suspected of possessing guns made with a 3-D printer has been arrested, reports said Thursday, in what was said to be the country's first such detention.

Officers who raided the home of Yoshitomo Imura, a 27-year-old college employee, confiscated five weapons, two of which had the potential to fire lethal bullets, broadcaster NHK said.

They also recovered a 3-D printer from the home in Kawasaki, near Tokyo, but did not find any ammunition for the guns, Jiji Press reported.

It is the first time Japan's firearm control law has been applied to the possession of guns produced by 3-D printers, Jiji reported.

The police investigation began after the suspect allegedly posted video footage on the Internet showing him shooting the guns, the Mainichi Shimbun said on its website.

Officers suspect that he downloaded blueprints for making the guns with 3-D printers from websites hosted overseas, the newspaper said.

The daily said the suspect largely admitted the allegations, saying: "It is true that I made them, but I did not think it was illegal."

The police refused to confirm the reports, although broadcasters showed footage of Imura being taken in for questioning.

The rapid development of 3-D printing technology, which allows relatively cheap machines to construct complex physical objects by building up layers of polymer, has proved a challenge for legislators around the world.

Weapons assembled from parts produced by the printers are not detectable with regular security equipment, like that found at airports, leading to fears that they may be used in hijackings.

The debate about home-made guns took off last year in the United States when a Texas-based group, Defense Distributed, posted blueprints for a fully functional, 3-D-printed firearm, a single-shot pistol made almost entirely out of hard polymer plastic.

In December the US Congress renewed a ban on guns that contain no metal.

While Japanese police are armed, Japan has very strict firearms control laws and few people possess guns or have ever come into contact with them. -AFP

Autistic Australian an artistic hero

Posted: 07 May 2014 09:44 PM PDT

SYDNEY: Artist Tim Smart cannot explain why his colourful work has such appeal, or how the cheeky superhero he first drew when he was a child, Laser Beak Man, has won fans around the world and become a television series.

"Drawing makes me really happy, doesn't it mum," is all he says, as his mother Judy sits beside him in Sydney's Hyde Park. "Colours can make me happy. Am I doing well mum?"

Smart, who turns 26 this month, was first diagnosed as autistic when he was three years old. At the time, his mother was told he would never talk, go to school or feel real affection for her. One doctor encouraged her to put him into an institution and move on.

Judy knew her son was intelligent and loving, but it wasn't until she began drawing pictures to communicate with him that he seemed to "switch on".

The first time she drew, Tim grabbed her hand and pushed it towards the pencil for her to pick it up and keep drawing. "And that in itself was a major interaction, he hadn't done that before."

The discovery was a breakthrough, meaning day-to-day activities such as going to another child's birthday party, which had once made Tim deeply anxious, became manageable once shown to him in pictures.

"Now I was able to show him the sequence of what you do - we go, we take the present, we blow out the candles, we sing 'Happy Birthday', and then we leave.

"And as soon as the candles were blown out we had to leave," she says, laughing. "But he didn't scream for the hour or so before that so it made a difference that way."

Once Tim starting drawing, it was quickly clear he had his own quirky style.

"I don't know that it was Picasso or anything like that, there was just something about it for a four-year-old," Judy says.

"What he tended to draw tended to have a lot of personality to it. And then he liked to watch me draw, which was a big thing because I couldn't maintain his attention on anything else." 

'Have a filthy, disgusting birthday'

When he was 11, Tim told his mum that he wanted to be his creation - Laser Beak Man - when he grew up. It was around this time Tim and his younger brother were going to a birthday party and set about making a card.

"We didn't have any money for the card. So we made the card. I said, 'We'll put Laser Beak Man on the front. And I said to Tim, 'What would Laser Beak Man say?' What does he say? "Have a filthy, disgusting birthday".

"And we put that inside and we gave it to our friend who happened to have a friend who worked in the disability arts scene who said, 'This is just brilliant'. You have to make cards of this.'"

For Tim, Laser Beak Man was an extension of his love for superheroes such as Batman, Spiderman, Superman and the X-Men.

"He's always in my paintings," he explains of the creations which often involve a pun - such as one called "Everyone is Beautiful' in which the superhero is surrounded by the number 1, or "Shut the Duck Up" which has a duck with its mouth tied shut and Laser Beak Man holding a cooked bird on a platter.

In another entitled 'How to Make Mona Lisa Smile', Laser Beak Man is pictured mooning the famous subject as he paints her portrait.

Tim's work had instant appeal, and at 16 he was selected for the Very Special Arts Festival in Washington for people with disabilities. Judy mortgaged their house to make sure he could get there.

Since then, Tim, who uses pencils and crayons to create his bright designs on the family's kitchen table, has won fans such as Hollywood star Cate Blanchett and had a music festival staged in his honour in Nashville, Tennessee.

Laser Beak Man has also inspired an animated television series screened by the Cartoon Network and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

For Judy, one of the great things about Tim's art is that it has showed that acceptance of people with disabilities has improved.

"Lots of things have happened that we never thought would happen," she said. "Every day is exciting." -AFP

Hong Kong publisher given 10 years' jail in China

Posted: 07 May 2014 09:34 PM PDT

BEIJING: A Chinese court has condemned a Hong Kong publisher who planned to release a dissident's book about President Xi Jinping to 10 years in jail, his lawyer said Thursday.

Yao Wentian, 73, was given the sentence for smuggling on Wednesday by the Shenzhen Municipal Intermediate People's Court, one of his lawyers Ding Xikui told AFP.

Yao, also known as Yiu Man-tin in Cantonese, is the chief editor of Hong Kong's Morning Bell Press and has previously published politically sensitive books that were banned in mainland China.

He had been working with US-based author and dissident Yu Jie to release "Chinese Godfather Xi Jinping".

But Yao was detained last October after he was "lured" to Shenzhen, next to Hong Kong, previous media reports said.

Ding said Yao was convicted of smuggling a chemical raw material, with the court ruling that he had avoided tariffs of 740,000 yuan ($119,000).

His lawyers argued he was only an accessory.

"The sentence was too heavy," Ding said, adding Yao has until May 17 to lodge an appeal.

Censored Chinese books have become a big seller in the former British colony of Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous region of China which enjoys a separate legal system.

In 2012, Yao complained to Google, saying his Gmail account had been hacked while he prepared to release Yu's "Hu Jintao: Harmony King", a book on China's former president.

China came 173rd in a press freedom ranking of 179 countries issued by the advocacy group Reporters Without Borders last year, climbing one place from the previous year. -AFP

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


A decade without 'Friends': Bringing back memories

Posted: 05 May 2014 08:40 PM PDT

Feel like your job's a joke, you're broke and your love life's D.O.A? Well, let these Friends (Central) Perk you up!

It may be a little hard to believe, but it has been 10 years since we last said goodbye to our six favourite Friends, Ross and Monica Geller, Rachel Green, Chandler Bing, Joey Tribbiani and Phoebe Buffay.

The highly popular sitcom broadcast its final episode, aptly titled The Last One, on May 6, 2004, after 10 successful seasons. Since then, the show's six stars – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer – have gone on to do many other things.

Recently, Cox appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman to promote her big screen directorial debut, Just Before I Go. On the talk show, the actress nixed any idea of a Friends reunion, saying how it was impossible to get even everyone together for dinner, let alone a project.

Last year, Perry had also commented that a reunion was out of the question, which the show's co-creator Marta Kauffman (the other creator is David Crane) confirmed weeks later. Meanwhile, Aniston said she once had a nightmare about a Friends reunion – she wasn't invited to it!

Fortunately, in the world of television (and movies), anything can happen, so even if a reunion doesn't happen soon, there's always hope for something to happen some time in the future... right?

To commemorate today's 10-year Friends finale "anniversary", let's look back at some of many things that we enjoyed about the sitcom. Ten Star2 writers also shared their favourite episodes of Friends in today's paper. Grab a copy to find out what they are.

1. Catchphrases

From Joey's "How you doin'?" to Chandler's "Could it BE ..." to Ross' "We were on a break!" to regular character Janice's (Maggie Wheeler) "Oh. My. God.", Friends was full of catchphrases that we sometimes find ourselves saying in our daily conversations. So, do you, like Ross, have unagi?

Could this BE any funnier?

2. Love life

Ross is, according to Phoebe, Rachel's lobster. The duo's love life ranged from dramatic and problematic to romantic and beautiful ... to crazy and passionate. Fun!

Chandler and Monica's courtship was sweet and reliable, while Phoebe and Mike's (Paul Rudd) relationship offered us ... a less weird Phoebe (she gave up Glynnis and Gladys for him!)

As for Joey, his many love interests – which includes Rachel – and failed romances were what kept some of us interested over the years.

Rachel and Gladys.

3. Dysfunctional family

Chandler had two mums when his dad, played by Kathleen Turner, became a woman. His"real" mother, played Morgan Fairchild, once made out with Ross.

Rachel's divorced parents seemed normal compared to her bratty, ignorant and spoiled sisters Amy (Christina Applegate) and Jill (Reese Witherspoon) but the episodes they were featured in were some of the most memorable ones.

Joey grew up surrounded by women (he had seven sisters) and Italian food while Phoebe's childhood remained a mystery till the end. We knew she had a twin sister Ursula who didn't really like her, that she grew up poor and was homeless for a large part of her early life and that her real parents "abandoned" her.

The Geller siblings probably had the most normal childhood, really, even if they did once unknowingly make out with one another. Ewwwww...

4. Supporting characters

Gunther from Central Perk was the unofficial "seventh" friend. He wasn't "in" the group but he did appear in almost every episode, right up to the finale. Played by James Michael Tyler, Gunther became more than just the guy in the background although he never really had much to say.

James Michael Tyler as Gunther.

Apart from him, other memorable characters included Ugly Naked Guy, Mr Heckles, Joey's agent Estelle, the parents, Phoebe's grandmother, Janice Littman Goralnik nee Hosenstein, and of course, the chick and the duck.

5. Thanksgiving dinners

As a chef and former chubby girl, Monica always made sure her friends and family had the best Thanksgiving dinners. Of course, the one that many fans would remember well featured Aniston's (then) real-life husband Brad Pitt, but there are a few others that were real gems. The show had nine Thanksgiving episodes altogether – they skipped it in Season 2.

6. Special guest stars

Even from Season 1, Friends had always featured special guest stars to pump up a storyline ; Chandler got stuck in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre, a Victoria's Secret model and Harry Connick Jr's wife.

Jean Claude Van Damme also starred as himself, while Brooke Shields was a fanatical stalker who was in love with Drake Ramoray, Joey's character he played in Days Of Our Lives. Others A-list guests include Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Elle Macpherson, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Anna Faris, Sean Penn, George Clooney, Alec Baldwin, Gary Oldman, Jennifer Saunders and Bruce Willis, who appeared in several episodes as Rachel's boyfriend and Ross' girlfriend's dad. Willis even won an Emmy for his portrayal as the uptight man.

7. Fashion

Rachel had some questionable outfit choices (she wore the mullet skirt first, ladies) in the first few seasons but her haircut was what put her on the style map – in the mid-1990s, "the Rachel" haircut became such a worldwide phenomenon that even men were asking for it in salons.

Joey's "man-bag" was actually not a bad idea, but we all LOL-ed at his blue lipstick for men.

Also, Monica's wedding dress was beautiful, as were the bridesmaids' (Rachel and Phoebe) dresses, but it was Phoebe's gorgeous white gown that made us swoon.

8. Music

You don't have to be a fan to know the show's theme song I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts. But perhaps you might have to watch a few episodes to realise that Friends had featured a number of famous tracks in the 10 years it was on air.

Some of these tracks include U2's With Or Without You, Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight, Chris Isaak's Wicked Game, Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi and The Pretenders' Angel In The Morning. Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders played Stephanie on the show, a musician hired by the Central Perk boss to entertain customers.

But of course, the best song to ever be played on Friends was sung by one of its stars – Smelly Cat. Everybody now, "Smelly cat, smelly cat, it's not your fault!"

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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Crashed drones programmed to fly from North Korea and back - South Korea

Posted: 07 May 2014 09:00 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - Three drones that crashed in South Korea had onboard flight programming that showed they were launched from North Korea and were meant to return after flying over military installations in the South, the defence ministry in Seoul said on Thursday.

South Korean and U.S. officials jointly examined the three drones that were recovered in three different locations near the Korean border over a two-week period starting in late March.

The second was discovered soon after a three-hour artillery barrage between North and South Korea in waters near a disputed maritime border.

The drones' penetration of South Korean airspace raised questions about its air defence capabilities while Pyongyang clings to its hard-line stance against Seoul.

"North Korea's action is a clear military provocation that violates the armistice and the South-North non-aggression agreement," the South's defence ministry said in a statement.

Pyongyang has denied any involvement, calling the South's charge a fabrication.

In April, North Korea proposed a joint probe with the South but Seoul rejected the proposal.

South Korea's defence ministry also said in April some of the parts in the recovered drones were manufactured in China, Japan, the Czech Republic and the United States, but it offered no further details.

Photographs unearthed by the North Korea Tech blog showed a drone made by a Chinese company with an almost identical size and shape to some of the drones found in South Korea.

South Korea's defence ministry said it was aware of the Chinese-made drone and had sought explanations from the Chinese government.

Repeated calls by Reuters to Taiyuan Hangyou Hangkong Technology Co. Ltd, the company that produces the drones, were not answered.

Chin's foreign ministry also did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

So far this year North Korea has test-fired medium-range ballistic missiles, threatened to conduct a nuclear test, and fired more than 500 artillery shells that landed in disputed waters between the two Koreas.

Pyongyang has also recently conducted engine tests for an intercontinental ballistic missile that could potentially deliver a nuclear warhead to the United States, a U.S. think tank said on Friday.

North Korea released TV footage last year of practice drones which had been modified to crash into predetermined targets, but it is not believed to operate drones capable of air strikes or long-range surveillance sorties.

North Korea's state media said last year leader Kim Jong Un had supervised a drill of "super-precision" drone attacks on a simulated South Korean target.

Although the North has one of the world's largest standing armies, much of its equipment consists of antiquated Soviet-era designs. It has focused its resources on developing nuclear and long-range missile programmes.

(Additional reporting by James Pearson and Lim Sang-gyu in SEOUL and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Jack Kim and Paul Tait)

China detains journalist on charges of leaking state secrets

Posted: 07 May 2014 08:40 PM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese authorities have detained an outspoken journalist and political activist accused of providing state secrets to foreign contacts, the official Xinhua News Agency said on Thursday, and state television aired images of her making a confession.

The arrest of journalist Gao Yu is the latest in a string of detentions that critics say shows Chinese leaders' sensitivity to dissent ahead of the 25th anniversary of a crackdown on a pro-democracy movement around Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.

Gao, who previously worked for state media, was a prominent supporter of the pro-democracy protests in 1989. She was jailed in 1993 for six years on charges of divulging state secrets.

On Thursday morning, the official China Central Television showed Gao, with her face blurred out, confessing.

"I believe what I have done has violated the law and has harmed the interests of (my) country," Gao said. "What I have done is extremely wrong. I will earnestly and sincerely take a lesson from this, and I admit my guilt."

Gao is accused of illegally obtaining a highly confidential document and sending an electronic copy of it to a website abroad in June last year, Xinhua said, citing a police statement.

She was detained on April 24, Xinhua said. Gao's friends became concerned after she missed a low-key gathering of activists late last month to commemorate a key event in the lead up to the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

A prominent free-speech lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang, was also among those detained earlier.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, in a statement on April 28, noted that Gao's detention was part of a pattern.

"It has been a government tradition to start cracking down on protesters, critics, and dissidents before April 15, and this year is no different," the statement said.

(Reporting By Megha Rajagopalan, additional reporting by Joseph Campbell; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

South Africa's ruling ANC takes early election lead

Posted: 07 May 2014 08:20 PM PDT

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) held an early lead as votes were counted on Thursday, a day after millions cast their ballots in the country's first "Born Free" election.

The ANC, the liberation party that swept to power under the leadership of Nelson Mandela at the end of apartheid in 1994, had 55.8 percent of the vote after the results from nearly 20 percent of polling stations had been counted, the electoral commission said.

The ANC's nearest rival, the Democratic Alliance, held 31 percent as it looks to make up more ground after polling 16.7 percent nationwide at the last general election in 2009.

(Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Paul Tait)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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Angelina Jolie's evil turn in 'Maleficent'

Posted: 06 May 2014 11:35 PM PDT

Jolie not only plays the sinister Maleficent from the classic Sleeping Beauty in the film, she also served as producer.

Actress Angelina Jolie was in Paris recently to talk about playing a villain in Disney's latest film, Maleficent.

"I think in any film you're a part of you try to participate in all levels as much as they let you, and you try to be a part of solutions for every different team and what's going on, whether it be sound or the stunts," she said about being working on the movie.

Jolie and fiance Brad Pitt's five-year-old daughter Vivienne Jolie-Pitt makes her cinematic debut in the flick.

"There were a few little kids that came to set and every time they saw me they'd scream and one little boy said: 'Mummy tell the mean witch to stop talking to me!'."

Angelina Jolie (right) and Elle Fanning at the Paris premiere of their film, Maleficent.

The older version of Princess Aurora is played by Elle Fanning, who said the role was a childhood dream come true.

"When I was little, when people asked me what do you want to be when you grow up I would say a Disney princess..." said Fanning.

The film is scheduled to hit theatres on May 29 in Malaysia. — Reuters

Disneyland Paris to grow ingredients for its 'Ratatouille' attraction

Posted: 06 May 2014 08:50 PM PDT

The vegetable garden will have numerous 'magical-sounding' produce by summer.

To commemorate the launch of its 60th attraction, which is dedicated to the movie Ratatouille, Disneyland Paris is planting its very own vegetable garden. Located near Disney's Hotel Cheyenne, the "Potager Ratatouille" should be ready in late June.

White Egg eggplants, Golden Marconi peppers, White Wonder tomatoes ... these are among the unusual varieties of produce visitors will find growing in Disneyland Paris's new vegetable garden this summer.

By the time Ratatouille: The Adventure attraction opens on July 10, the theme park should have ready access to all the ingredients needed to make the famous Mediterranean dish. The new garden will undoubtedly come in handy for the chefs at Chez Remy, the gourmet restaurant scheduled to open simultaneously with the new attraction.

Of course, it seems likely that the eatery will offer a version of ratatouille made with the ingredients grown on site.

To create this new outdoor space on the grounds of Disney's Hotel Cheyenne, which already includes an orchard and a flowering meadow, Disneyland Paris called upon Louis-Albert de Broglie, whose aristocratic heritage and devotion to sustainable farming has earned him the nickname of "the Gardener Prince". An heirloom vegetable enthusiast, de Broglie provided Disneyland Paris with around 60 tomato plants from his National Tomato Conservatory at the Chateau de la Bourdaisiere.

Around 10 varieties of tomatoes will be grown in the new garden, offering a wide range of flavours, textures and colours. Alongside the more traditional red fruits, visitors to the Ratatouille Vegetable Garden will find white, green, orange, pink and even black tomatoes. — AFP Relaxnews

Eddie Murphy will return to the 'Beverly Hills Cop' franchise

Posted: 06 May 2014 08:40 PM PDT

The comedy star is set to reprise the role he made famous in the 1980s.

The police comedy franchise Beverly Hills Cop will return to US theatres on March 25, 2016 with Eddie Murphy in the title role once again, Paramount indicated.

The franchise will be revived through this fourth installment, which will arrive in theatres 22 years after Beverly Hills Cop 3. Eddie Murphy will reprise his legendary performance as Axel Foley, the fearless, fast-talking cop.

For the fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie, the protagonist will leave sunny California to return to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan.

Jerry Bruckheimer and Paramount are producing the feature, which will be helmed by Brett Ratner. The director behind the Rush Hour franchise worked with Murphy on the comedy Tower Heist in 2011. Ratner will follow in the footsteps of Martin Brest, Tony Scott and John Landis, who helmed the three previous movies in 1984, 1987 and 1994.

The new Axel Foley adventure will be written by Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec. The screenwriters are known for their scripts for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) and for the new adaptation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which is due for release this October.

Last season, Beverly Hills Cop nearly returned to the screen as a TV series, as CBS ordered a pilot for a comedy on the life of Axel Foley's son. The project hit a dead end, but Murphy's brief appearance in the pilot sparked a wave of enthusiasm for the character of Axel Foley. — AFP Relaxnews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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Angelina Jolie's evil turn in 'Maleficent'

Posted: 06 May 2014 11:35 PM PDT

Jolie not only plays the sinister Maleficent from the classic Sleeping Beauty in the film, she also served as producer.

Actress Angelina Jolie was in Paris recently to talk about playing a villain in Disney's latest film, Maleficent.

"I think in any film you're a part of you try to participate in all levels as much as they let you, and you try to be a part of solutions for every different team and what's going on, whether it be sound or the stunts," she said about being working on the movie.

Jolie and fiance Brad Pitt's five-year-old daughter Vivienne Jolie-Pitt makes her cinematic debut in the flick.

"There were a few little kids that came to set and every time they saw me they'd scream and one little boy said: 'Mummy tell the mean witch to stop talking to me!'."

Angelina Jolie (right) and Elle Fanning at the Paris premiere of their film, Maleficent.

The older version of Princess Aurora is played by Elle Fanning, who said the role was a childhood dream come true.

"When I was little, when people asked me what do you want to be when you grow up I would say a Disney princess..." said Fanning.

The film is scheduled to hit theatres on May 29 in Malaysia. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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Tesla outlook disappoints, shares drop 7%

Posted: 07 May 2014 07:41 PM PDT

DETROIT: Tesla Motors Inc, led by billionaire Elon Musk, on Wednesday offered an outlook for the second quarter that disappointed some investors, sending shares of the electric carmaker down more than 7% in after-hours trading.

Tesla posted a higher-than-expected Q1 operating profit and said its operating automotive gross margins in the current quarter would increase slightly. S&P Capital IQ analyst Efraim Levy called the outlook a disappointment, saying investors had hoped for something better.

The Palo Alto, California-based company reported a first quarter net loss of almost US$50mil, compared with its first quarterly profit a year ago.

Tesla said it would spend up to US$850mil this year to boost production capacity of its Model S luxury electric sedan, develop the Model X crossover vehicle and start construction of a new lithium-ion battery plant, dubbed the "gigafactory."

It said that would leave the company with a negative free cash flow for 2014.

Like other so-called momentum stocks, Tesla's shares have fallen recently and at the close of the market on Wednesday were down more than 20% from an all-time high of US$265 in mid-February.

In after-hours activity, Tesla shares traded at US$186.60, after closing at US$201.35.

The company said the project to begin production of lithium-ion batteries at the gigafactory is on course for 2017 and the plant should reach its full production rate in 2020.

"We have not yet finalised the ultimate location for the gigafactory, and we are going to start work on at least two locations in parallel in order to minimise risk of delays arising after groundbreaking," Musk said in a letter to shareholders posted online.

He later said on a conference call with analysts that the company would break ground at the first location probably next month, followed by the second site one to two months later.

The company has said it would choose the location for the plant from Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico or Texas, and Musk said on Wednesday that California was potentially back in the running but still improbable given the state's more onerous regulatory environment.

Tesla said in February it planned to raise US$1.6bil through convertible senior notes to finance the factory. Analysts have said it would require a capital infusion of US$5bil to US$6bil.

PANASONIC DEAL

Musk said on Wednesday that Tesla had signed a letter of intent for the factory with battery supplier Panasonic Corp, but was still in talks with other potential partners. Executives expect the Panasonic deal to be finalised later this year.

Panasonic would be the only company producing battery cells in the gigafactory, but the supplier as well as other companies would ship in cells from other plants, Musk said.

Analysts have said Tesla needs to get the plans for the battery plant finalised soon if it wants to meet its 2017 production target.

Musk also said the company expects to begin selling Model X crossover vehicles in the second quarter of next year.

Excluding one-time items, Tesla earned US$17mil, or 12 cents a share, in the first quarter, two cents better than what analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S had expected. The results included a currency gain of US$6.7mil.

On a net basis, Tesla lost US$49.8mil, or 40 cents a share, compared with a profit last year of US$11.25mil, or 10 cents a share. Net revenue rose 10% from last year to almost US$621mil, while operating revenue was up 27% at US$713mil.

The first quarter included no revenue from zero-emission vehicle credit sales, as the company had forecast, and US$12mil in other environmental credit sales. In the same quarter last year, those totals were US$67.9mil and US$17.1mil, respectively.

Tesla said it delivered 6,457 Model S cars in the first quarter, slightly above the 6,400 it had forecast in February. It also reiterated its full-year delivery target of more than 35,000 cars, including a forecast of about 7,500 cars in the second quarter.

Tesla also said battery cell supply will still constrain company vehicle production in the second quarter but that situation should improve in the third quarter. The company said its production rate is now at almost 700 vehicles per week, up 15% from the end of the fourth quarter, and should rise to 1,000 per week by the end of 2014.

The company started selling Model S sedans in China last month and Musk said demand there was strong and the company would have to open a plant in that country within three to four years. – Reuters 

China April exports and imports up

Posted: 07 May 2014 07:25 PM PDT

BEIJING: China's exports rose 0.9% in April from a year earlier, while imports rose 0.8%, leaving the country with a trade surplus of US$18.5bil for the month, the Customs Administration said on Thursday.

That compared with market expectations in a Reuters poll of a 1.7% fall in exports, a 2.3% fall in imports and a trade surplus of US$13.9bil. – Reuters

Barclays to cut up to 20,000 jobs: reports

Posted: 07 May 2014 07:15 PM PDT

LONDON: Britain's scandal-hit Barclays bank is expected on Thursday to announce 20,000 job losses over the next three years in a major shake-up of its investment division, according to media reports.

Chief executive Antony Jenkins had already said that as many as 12,000 jobs worldwide would go this year out of a global workforce of about 139,000, but that could now be raised to 15,000, according to Sky News.

More than 6,000 positions at its investment operation will follow over the next two years as it looks to shift its focus to less risky areas of the market.

The bank announced a results statement last week that showed pre-tax profit at the investment arm dived 49% to £668mil (US$1.13bil) in the three months to March from a year earlier, hit by sliding revenue at its Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities (FICC) trading business.

Around a quarter of the investment bank's 24,000 employees are expected to lose their jobs in total, according to reports by the Guardian, the BBC and Sky News.

Barclays is still seeking to fix a reputation badly damaged by its role in the Libor interest rate-rigging scandal of 2012, while it has also been probed along with other banks over possible manipulation of foreign exchange trade.

The bank is reshaping itself under Jenkins, who replaced Bob Diamond as chief executive in the wake of the Libor crisis.

Diamond, who headed the investment unit before becoming CEO, was one of the world's highest paid bankers before and after the global financial crisis and helped to turn Barclays into a global player in investment banking. – AFP 

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies


Disneyland Paris to grow ingredients for its 'Ratatouille' attraction

Posted: 06 May 2014 08:50 PM PDT

The vegetable garden will have numerous 'magical-sounding' produce by summer.

To commemorate the launch of its 60th attraction, which is dedicated to the movie Ratatouille, Disneyland Paris is planting its very own vegetable garden. Located near Disney's Hotel Cheyenne, the "Potager Ratatouille" should be ready in late June.

White Egg eggplants, Golden Marconi peppers, White Wonder tomatoes ... these are among the unusual varieties of produce visitors will find growing in Disneyland Paris's new vegetable garden this summer.

By the time Ratatouille: The Adventure attraction opens on July 10, the theme park should have ready access to all the ingredients needed to make the famous Mediterranean dish. The new garden will undoubtedly come in handy for the chefs at Chez Remy, the gourmet restaurant scheduled to open simultaneously with the new attraction.

Of course, it seems likely that the eatery will offer a version of ratatouille made with the ingredients grown on site.

To create this new outdoor space on the grounds of Disney's Hotel Cheyenne, which already includes an orchard and a flowering meadow, Disneyland Paris called upon Louis-Albert de Broglie, whose aristocratic heritage and devotion to sustainable farming has earned him the nickname of "the Gardener Prince". An heirloom vegetable enthusiast, de Broglie provided Disneyland Paris with around 60 tomato plants from his National Tomato Conservatory at the Chateau de la Bourdaisiere.

Around 10 varieties of tomatoes will be grown in the new garden, offering a wide range of flavours, textures and colours. Alongside the more traditional red fruits, visitors to the Ratatouille Vegetable Garden will find white, green, orange, pink and even black tomatoes. — AFP Relaxnews

Artists from all eras pay tribute to the last 'Bujang Lapok' star, Aziz Sattar

Posted: 06 May 2014 02:05 AM PDT

Malaysia's movie industry was hit today by the passing of entertainer Aziz Sattar, as actors and directors from different eras paid their respects to the eternal Bujang Lapok star.

The death of actor and comedian Datuk Abdul Aziz Sattar, 89, hit the entertainment industry hard early Tuesday morning. Actors, directors and other celebrities who grew up with the 1950s and '60s screen legend – who became a movie star with the now-classic black-and-white Bujang Lapok comedy series alongside P Ramlee – were devastated when they heard the news that Aziz Sattar had died of a heart attack at around 2am on May 6.

"This is big loss for the local entertainment scene," said Datuk Rosyam Nor in a phone interview. Rosyam had worked with Aziz Sattar in the 1989 movie Tak Kisahlah... Beb! and in the TV dramas Berkorban Apa Saja and Jiran. "Of course I am sad. Who isn't? He was one of my earliest teachers in the industry."

"In 1987, I had the opportunity to work under him in Perawan Malam and I learned so much from just watching him work. He was a kind man and a funny one as well. He taught me the importance of being disciplined and to be committed to my work if I want to succeed in this field," Rosyam added.

News of Aziz Sattar's passing was verified by his grandson, Abu Ubaidah A Ishak, who made the sad announcement through Twitter.

Aziz Sattar found fame as one of the cheeky Bujang Lapok trio, which cast him next to Tan Sri P Ramlee and S Shamsuddin in the '50s. Despite his age, Aziz Sattar refused to slow down and starred in a string of movies from the 1990s right up to 2010, including big hits like Abang '92, Layar Lara and Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam.

Producer, director and entertainer Afdlin Shauki told The Star Online that Aziz Sattar's contribution to the comedy scene was simply priceless.

"Pak Ajis was and still is a hero to many comedians in the country. Without him paving the way, along with his compatriots, I believe comedy would not be where it is today. He was a kind, giving actor and you would have never seen him in public without a gracious smile planted on his face – a smile so infectious that you couldn't help but smile back no matter how low you were feeling," he said.

"A passionate and consummate professional till the end, his commitment and discipline on set would put any new actor to shame. He was a legend and we are the poorer with his passing. A gem is truly lost to all Malaysians. I and many comedians will miss him deeply, a kind human being and a truly great comedian," Afdlin added.

Filmmaker Datuk Paduka Shuhaimi Baba, who worked with Pak Ajis in Layar Lara and two Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam movies, showered the late actor with praise as well.

"He was an uncle to those of us who worked with him. For years he delighted us with his comedic portrayals – his humour on screen and off screen – and it is hard to believe that Uncle Aziz is no longer with us," she said.

"He loved the Jalan Ampas studio and he loved P Ramlee. Every time he told one of his stories, it sounded like they all happened yesterday. His eyes would light up and we would just burst into laughter every few minutes listening to him. He had such remarkable energy on set. Whenever he worked with me, Uncle Aziz would always ask if I had roles for his friends Wahid Satay or the late S Shamsuddin. We could create small roles for his friends, just for Uncle Aziz," Shuhaimi added.

Afdlin Shauki, Shuhaimi Baba and Melissa Saila have fond memories of Aziz Sattar.

Fellow actors who attended Aziz Sattar's funeral at the Cheras Perdana Muslim cemetery also paid their last respects to their old friend.

Veteran actor Datuk Mustafa Maarof: "I have way too many memories of him and it would take an eternity to recount them all. He was one of my closest friends when we worked together at Jalan Ampas. Even though he knew of his heart's condition, Aziz had never complained or allowed his illness to slow him down."

Layar Lara actress Melissa Saila (whose aunt was the celebrated '60s star Puan Sri Saloma): "I cannot believe that the last time I saw him at my mother's (actress Mariani Ismail) birthday party two weeks ago would be the last time I saw him forever. He didn't feel too well even then but that didn't stop him from mingling with the guests and celebrating the birthday of my mum, one of his good friends. Although we worked in different eras, he and I had a close relationship and he would always encourage me to do my best in the entertainment scene."

Persatuan Karyawan Malaysia president Datuk Freddie Fernandez: "This is definitely a huge loss to all of us and there will never be another Aziz Sattar."

Meanwhile, Datuk Aznil Hj Nawawi posted a photo on his Instagram account with the caption: "Al Fatihah utk seniman agung Datuk Aziz Sattar yg pergi meninggalkan kita jam 2pg td..semoga diletakkan bersama orang2 yg soleh. Amin"

Matt Damon might be tempted to play Jason Bourne again

Posted: 05 May 2014 10:25 PM PDT

The actor said he would consider doing another film in the franchise if you gave him a good story.

Universal may be moving forward with another Bourne movie starring Jeremy Renner, but there's still hope for fans hoping Matt Damon will return to the franchise.

He's even calling on them to come up with a story worthy of his time.

"I've always been open to it if Paul Greengrass is the director. We've just never been able to come up with a story," Damon said in an interview with CNBC last weekend. "So if any of your viewers have a story, please call Universal and submit it."

The fifth installment of the franchise inspired by Robert Ludlum's book series is set to hit theatres on Aug 15, 2015. Renner, who carried the story as Aaron Cross in The Bourne Legacy, is back, and Justin Lin (Fast & Furious) is directing.

"If felt like such a good way to end it the last time," Damon said of his third outting as the secret agent. "But having said that, I love that character and I'd love to see what happened to him."

Greengrass, who directed last year's Captain Phillips, was responsible for The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. While Damon has said for years that he's open to being Bourne again, providing his requirements are met, Greengrass' interest appeared at an all-time low during an interview with Empire magazine last fall.

"Listen, I loved the Bourne movies," he said. "I loved making them but it's like anything in life, you've got to move on and do different things." — Reuters

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Zahid: Foreign vessels to follow designated routes off east coast of Sabah

Posted: 07 May 2014 07:54 AM PDT

LAHAD DATU: All foreign vessels entering and exiting the east coast of Sabah will have to follow designated routes especially in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone) with immediate effect.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi said on Wednesday that the Government had decided on seven gazetted entry zones into Sabah and all foreign vessels will have to follow the legal routes or face action under Malaysian law.

In line with the decision, he said all boat owners in Sabah would have to register their boats to show that the vessels were owned by them and not foreign vessels.

"These two steps are proactive actions that will take immediate effect to ensure the security and safety of the people particularly those in the Esszone," he told reporters after visiting Pulau Baik where a fish farm manager was abducted by gunmen in military fatigues on Tuesday morning.

Chinese national Yang Zai Lin was abducted from Wonderful Terrace Fish Farm by five gunmen at 2.45am Tuesday.

Yang's abduction is the second recent kidnapping of a Chinese national in the area. Last month, Chinese tourist Gao Huayun, 29, and Filipina resort worker Marcy Dayawan, 40, were seized from a resort in Sabah.

Zahid also said that seven new outposts will be set up as soon as possible to further strengthen the Esszone.

He added that more assets and equipment would be added for the various security forces (police, armed forces and MMEA) operating in the area to carry out more patrols and strengthen security.

He said these actions were part of short and long term plans for the Esszone and efforts to secure the east coast of the state.

Zahid, who was with minister in Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim and East Coast Security Command (Esscom) director-general Datuk Mohammad Mentek, said that many agencies had also sent up various proposals which were being considered.

Zahid will be meeting with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Aman with regard security issues in the Esszone on Thursday.

Health Ministry to increase water testing in Selangor

Posted: 07 May 2014 06:46 AM PDT

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry will be increasing water testing at treatment plants in Selangor to ensure water supplied to consumers is not polluted by dangerous substances and is safe for consumption.

Health Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said under normal circumstances, the testing frequency was once a month to check for chemicals and metals, but would now be done once a week.

"If the Selangor government's decision to draw raw water from former mining pools is continued, we will step up testing to ensure the water supplied meets the Health Ministry's standards," he told reporters here Wednesday.

He was responding to a front page report in a local daily which had alluded that water from the former mining pools was not safe for consumption.

Subramaniam said according to sampling done two weeks ago, treated water in Selangor was determined to be safe for consumption and did not contain any dangerous elements.

He also urged the Department of Environment (DOE) and Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (Luas) to do continuous checks on the contents of raw water and issue warnings if there were adverse changes in the water quality.

"The cooperation of all agencies responsible is important to ensure raw water drawn and treated water are safe," he said, adding that if the ministry found raw water sourced in Selangor to be not safe, the state government would be asked to stop drawing the water from their respective sources. – Bernama

Questioning PAS' Hudud law not an anti-Islam stance, says Wee

Posted: 07 May 2014 06:16 AM PDT

SHAH ALAM: Questioning the bid by PAS to implement hudud law in Kelantan should not be seen as an anti-Islamic stance, said Datuk Wee Ka Siong.

"When people question PAS' Hudud, it should not be seen as anti-Islam, there is no correlation. We will defend the Constitution under which Islam is holy, and this has been MCA's consistent stand," said the MCA deputy president, who spoke as a panellist at the "Hudud: Are we ready" forum on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the private member's bill which PAS plans to table at the next Parliament sitting to bring hudud to Kelantan was not the first attempt by the party to implement the Islamic penal code in its home state.

"If we look at our history, PAS had plans to introduce hudud but it was rejected by Tunku Abdul Rahman because of the social contract that became our Federal Constitution. We are a multicultural society and we have Muslims and non-Muslims living together," said Wee.

He also said there would be discrepancies in the punishments faced by Muslims and non-Muslims should PAS' hudud be implemented.

In response, fellow panellist Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said that a Muslim facing punishment under PAS' hudud had chosen to accept Islam as their religion, including all its criminal laws.

"This would be because the Muslim chose Islam as their religion, and therefore has chosen to accept all of Islam including its criminal laws, and therefore amputation would be fair," said the Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar.

He said the party's main intention in tabling the Bill was to show PAS' hudud did not go against the Constitution, adding that its actual implementation was still subject to much discussion.

At a press conference later, Wee repeated his earlier statement that MCA would reconsider its position in Barisan should Umno leaders vote in agreement with the Bill tabled by PAS.

"Yes, this is true because we would have our cause to fight.

"We have not come to that stage yet. Umno MPs have voiced their support but MCA as a Barisan component party says otherwise," said Wee.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

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Blockbuster ballet at Singapore's dance festival

Posted: 06 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Matthew Bourne's groundbreaking interpretation of Swan Lake will be the opening show of this year's da:ns Festival. 

British choreographer Matthew Bourne's groundbreaking and critically-acclaimed interpretation of the classic ballet Swan Lake will be the opening show for this year's da:ns Festival at the Esplanade in Singapore.

The show, which replaces the female swans with men, will run from Oct 9 to 12 at the Esplanade Theatre. Tickets range from S$20 (RM52) to S$120 (RM312) and are on sale now from Sistic (www.sistic.com.sg). The rest of the line-up for the popular annual festival will be announced later this year.

The ballet, which premiered at London's Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1995, has received numerous plaudits for transforming the elegant ballet into a cutting-edge modern classic, combining dance, humour and mime.

The traditional Swan Lake, composed by Russian composer Tchaikovsky in the 1870s, is usually staged based on choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov for its 1895 revival at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia.

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake is currently the longest-running ballet on London's West End, and will tour Tokyo and Shanghai before coming to Singapore. It will also be touring to Melbourne in October. – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

'Baa Stool': The cute furry footstool inspired by sheep

Posted: 06 May 2014 01:25 AM PDT

You could be forgiven for thinking this nebulous-looking seat belonged in a field, but the Baa Stool is in fact the latest quirky design to hit the world of interiors.

Is it a furry stool, a fluffy cloud or a fuzzy sheep? Whatever it is, wouldn't you like to have one?

Set to go on display at Clerkenwell Design Week in London later this month, the handmade and cheekily named Baa Stool comprises a luxurious removable sheepskin cover on a hardwood frame. 

Produced by British designer Michelle Bartleet-Greavey, the pieces were inspired by the sheep in the countryside surrounding her home in North Wales. 

Designer Michelle Bartleet-Greavey with a flock of her Baa Stool, displaying varied their sheepskin covers. 

According to Bartleet-Greavey, each stool is made using local materials, with premium-grade British sheepskin stitched into a sleeve to create the covers. The stools are available in natural shades of ivory, dark brown, mottled creams and browns and a limited-edition pink. There are also other colour options but these depend when you place your order online. 

The hardwood legs come in two lengths and you can choose between a design resembling sheep's hooves or a minimalist tapered design that's less animalistic. Each stool currently retails for 299 pounds (RM1,642). 

Shakespeare's 'The Merchant Of Venice' is a spectacle to behold

Posted: 05 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

The play, now showing in Singapore, is the seventh edition of the Singapore Repertory Theatre's annual Shakespeare In The Park series.

The artistic director of British physical theatre company Frantic Assembly, who was lauded for his choreography for the award-winning play The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time in London, will work his magic on a staging of Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice in Singapore.

Scott Graham will provide movement direction for Singapore Repertory Theatre's Shakespeare In The Park — The Merchant Of Venice, which is now playing at Fort Canning Park in Singapore until May 25. Last year, he was nominated for the prestigious Olivier award for his choreography in The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time based on the bestselling Mark Haddon book of the same name.

In 2011, he was nominated for a Drama Desk award for his movement direction in Beautiful Burnout, a play about five young boxers who are trying to make it big.

Graham, who was here earlier this month to work with the company, says his approach to the Bard's work is no different from the way he tackles any other script.

"It's no different from doing any kind of play. The movement comes from the relationships, the subtext, what's actually going on, and allowing physicality to articulate that, sometimes through big choreographed movements, sometimes through absolute stillness."

The Merchant Of Venice is the seventh edition of the company's annual Shakespeare In The Park series, and tells the story of titular merchant Antonio, who locks horns with Jewish moneylender Shylock over a debt. It will star Daniel Jenkins as Antonio, Julie Wee as Portia and Remesh Panicker as Shylock.

The play will be directed by Bruce Guthrie, 33, who has helmed two previous productions of Shakespeare In The Park: Twelfth Night in 2012 and Othello last year.

The visual quality of 'Shakespeare In The Park - The Merchant Of Venice' will also help to carry the play to the audience seated right at the back of Fort Canning Green.

The visual quality of Shakespeare In The Park – The Merchant Of Venice will also help to carry the play to the audience seated right at the back of Fort Canning Green.

The Merchant Of Venice marks the first time Graham and Guthrie are working together. Movement director Graham says of their partnership: "The reason why I did this was because it is an opportunity to learn. I've been running Frantic Assembly for 20 years, and some people might think that's when you know what you're doing, but that's the time when you have to learn more, because otherwise, you'll fall into patterns."

Director Guthrie is also enjoying the infusion of movement into the Shakespearean drama.

He says of the choreography: "It's not dance, it's movement, and it's about the actors moving in their characters, and creating the whole world of the play.

"That connectivity between voice and body and story and character can sometimes become separated, and that's been something I'm very interested in."

Graham, 43, adds that the visual quality of the movement will also help to carry the play to the audience seated right at the back of Fort Canning Green.

"The movements will help tell that story to the people who are right at the back because every move is a line, is a sentence, that we understand so much quicker than we can take in text," he says. "We understand a very, very complex paragraph in a split second through physicality."

Along with the addition of movement, director Guthrie has also decided to update the piece to a nameless 21st century city, with some aspects of Singapore in it.

"It's originally set in Venice, but there are aspects of Singapore and Singaporean life that we think audiences will recognise, such as the fact that Venice in those days was a city of commerce, like Singapore is now," he says.

"It's a fantastic story, it's a really interesting, rich, complex and brilliant story, and it really resonates with today, and if we've done our job right, it won't feel like a 400-year-old play." – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

  • Shakespeare In The Park - The Merchant Of Venice is playing at Fort Canning Park in Singapore (daily, except Tuesday) until May 25. Tickets from www.sistic.com.sg.
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