Rabu, 14 Mei 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Thai poll body calls for election delay after new unrest
Malala portrait goes for $102,500 in New York
Attack on Thai protest camp leaves 2 dead, 24 wounded (Update)

Thai poll body calls for election delay after new unrest

Posted: 14 May 2014 11:12 PM PDT

BANGKOK: Thailand's Election Commission on Thursday called for the postponement of key parliamentary polls due to be held on July 20 because of political unrest shaking the kingdom.

The appeal came after an attack on an anti-government rally in Bangkok the same day that left three dead.

Hours later opposition demonstrators stormed a meeting between the government and vote officials, forcing caretaker Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan and other ministers to flee.

"The election on July 20 is no longer possible. It must be postponed," Election Commission secretary general Puchong Nutrawong told AFP.

"The reason is because today's meeting collapsed and it affects the election timetable," Puchong said.
He said early August was one option for the polls but "may be too soon".

"The election cannot be held if protesters do not agree," Puchong added.

The dismissal of prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office last week in a controversial court ruling has sent tensions soaring in the Southeast Asian nation, which has endured years of political turmoil.

Yingluck's supporters have accused the Election Commission of conspiring with the anti-government movement and parts of the judiciary to prevent her party's return to power.

Grenade blasts and gunfire at an anti-government protest site in Bangkok early Thursday left three dead and 23 wounded, stoking fears of wider political violence in the crisis-hit kingdom.

The attack comes as opposition protesters push for the appointment of an unelected premier in a move that has infuriated government supporters.

An election held in February was later annulled after demonstrators blocked voting in many areas.
The opposition refuses to take part in elections unless reforms are held first to tackle what it says is widespread corruption and cronyism.

Thailand has been torn apart by political divisions since 2006 when Yingluck's older brother Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup after frictions with the country's royalist establishment.

Thaksin-led or aligned parties have won every election since 2001, but have also seen four premiers removed by coups or court rulings. - AFP

Malala portrait goes for $102,500 in New York

Posted: 14 May 2014 04:50 PM PDT

NEW YORK: A painted portrait of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban, fetched $102,500 at auction Wednesday in New York - with the money going to female education in Nigeria.

The proceeds will be donated from her Malala Fund to a special fund designed to assist local NGOs working to educate girls and women in Nigeria, where more than 200 schoolgirls are missing after being snatched at gun point last month by extremists.

Auction house Christie's had estimated the portrait of the veiled teenager - done in 2013 by leading British artist Jonathan Yeo - would fetch $60,000-$80,000.

But after several bids it was snapped up in just a few minutes at a higher price.

Malala, now 16, was shot by a Taliban gunman in 2012 over her outspoken views on education for girls in her home region of northwest Pakistan. After undergoing extensive medical treatment, she now lives in Britain. - AFP

Attack on Thai protest camp leaves 2 dead, 24 wounded (Update)

Posted: 14 May 2014 04:31 PM PDT

BANGKOK: Grenade blasts and gunfire rocked an anti-government protest site in Thailand's capital Thursday, leaving two dead and 24 wounded as fears of wider political violence mounted in the crisis-hit kingdom.

The attack, which shattered weeks of relative calm on the streets of Bangkok, comes as opposition protesters push for the appointment of an unelected premier in a move that has infuriated government supporters.

Her "Red Shirt" supporters have warned of the threat of civil war if power is handed to an unelected leader.

Unknown assailants fired two M79 grenades into a rally camp early Thursday at the city's Democracy Monument - a stone's throw from the city's famed backpacker zone - followed by a burst of gunshots, police said.

The first victim was a protester who was sleeping at Democracy Monument, while the second was a protest guard who died from gunshots," Police Major Wallop Prathummuang told AFP.

The city's Erawan Emergency Centre said two people were killed and 24 wounded in the attack, which took place at 3am (2000 GMT Wednesday). It said one person was in a critical condition.

There were no immediate reports of the identity of the gunmen, but both pro- and anti-government supporters are known to have armed hardliners and have blamed each other for previous bloodshed.

The deaths take the toll from six months of protests aimed at toppling the government to 27, with hundreds of others wounded in gun and grenade attacks mostly targeting opposition protesters.

Fears have intensified that the nation's political deadlock could spiral into street clashes between rival protesters following the ousting of Yingluck by the Constitutional Court for the unlawful transfer of a top security official.

Her Red Shirt supporters have been holding a rally in a Bangkok suburb and have vowed to defend the government, which has limped on despite her removal from office, along with nine cabinet members.

They want new elections slated for July 20 to find a path through the crisis, which has festered since last year.

The government was due to hold talks later Thursday with poll officials on preparations for the new vote. An election held in February was later annulled after demonstrators blocked voting in many areas.

Anti-government protesters refuse to join the ballot box contest and say the ruling Puea Thai party administration lacks the legitimacy to govern.

They are calling on the upper house of parliament, the Senate, to invoke a clause in the kingdom's constitution to remove the government and appoint a new premier.

But their critics say such a move has no legal basis.

Anti-government protesters have recently moved to the area immediately around Government House in the city's historic quarter - a short walk from the site of Thursday's attack.

They are protected by several layers of concrete barriers and sand bags, while scores of protest guards patrol the area.

Protest leaders now occupy a wing of the government headquarters, holding press conferences in an attempt to show the government lacks the authority to rule.

Thailand has been cleaved apart by political divisions since 2006 when Yingluck's older brother Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup.

Thaksin, a billionaire former telecoms tycoon, is reviled by the Bangkok elite and many southerners who accuse him of driving rampant corruption, cronyism and of being a threat to the revered monarchy.

But he has traditionally drawn strong support among the northern rural poor, who say he is the first Thai leader to improve their situation with populist policies and increasing political power.

Thaksin-led or aligned parties have won every election since 2001, but have also seen four premiers removed by coups or court rulings.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Watch: 'Gotham' promotes guest stars ahead of September debut

Posted: 12 May 2014 06:00 PM PDT

Batman's origin story features a number of additional characters.

Edward Nygma numbers among three additional characters from the pilot episode of the late 2014 series dealing with Batman's origin story, Gotham, who have now been confirmed as series regulars.

With Bruce Wayne a child at the time that Gotham takes place, much is made of the character of James Gordon, then a new detective, but destined to become the city's police commissioner by the time an older Wayne's Batman comes to the fore.

Joining Cory Michael Smith, the Camp X-Ray character who plays Edward Nygma/The Riddler, are Victoria Cartagena of The Bedford Diaries and Andrew Stewart Jones of One Life to Live as Gotham City PD detectives Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen respectively.

Already installed were the likes of Ben McKenzie (The O.C., Southland) as Det. Jim Gordon, Donal Logue (Sons of Anarchy, Vikings) as his partner Det. Harvey Bullock, Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Robin Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin and Sean Pertwee (Dog Soldiers) as Alfred.

Jada Pinkett-Smith of Collateral, Matrix Revolutions and Madagascar appears as Fish Mooney, an original part created for the series. – AFP Relaxnews

90210’s Matt Lanter on new TV role

Posted: 12 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Actor plays an extraterrestrial being in love with a human teenager in Star-Crossed.

IT'S hard to believe that the hunky Matt Lanter was once bullied as a kid.

"When I was young, I was really, really short, so I was always picked on for being short," said Lanter, now a strapping 1.78m-tall actor.

The former 90210 star, along with Aimee Teegarden, were fielding questions from international journalists at a press conference on their latest TV project, Star-Crossed, in Los Angeles, California.

The 31-year-old Ohio-native continued: "It doesn't have to be physical, it can be mental bullying. I think all of us have been in that situation to some degree, at some point. It's something we can all relate to."

Lanter was talking about his character, Roman, an "Atrian" (an alien species from the planet Atria) who faces discrimination by the humans on his first day of high school in the pilot of Star-Crossed.

This 13-episode sci-fi romantic series – which, unfortunately, will not be returning for a second season – is set in 2024 where the human race is gradually learning to accept the aliens into their fold. Ten years ago, the Atrians fled their planet and landed on Earth but as their arrival was met with a less than friendly reception from the humans, the two waged war.

Now, seven Atrians have been selected to attend a human high school for the first time in an effort to integrate the two species. Here, Roman meets a human teenager, Emery (played by Teegarden), and realise they have a shared history.

On the night the alien spacecraft crash-landed and the world was at war, six-year-old Emery discovered Roman who managed to escape and sought shelter in her family's shed. As Emery fed and cared for him, they forged an unlikely friendship. But days later, military officials located Roman and took him away. As the series progresses, the two rekindle their long lost friendship ... and then some.

Lanter's character Roman is one of seven aliens chosen to enroll in a human high school as part of an integration initiative.

Lanter's character, Roman (left), is one of seven aliens chosen to enroll in a human high school as part of an integration initiative.

"I have not experienced a ton of bullying...," Teegarden offered before Lanter chimed in teasingly, "I bully you sometimes."

Best known for her role as Julie Taylor on Friday Night Lights, the 24-year-old actress went on to share that she suffered "mild" bullying for her dietary lifestyle: "When I was growing up, people didn't know what a vegetarian was. They were like, 'you're a veg-a-what?' I still get that, definitely in the South."

The issue of discrimination and equality undeniably forms the series' backbone, what with the budding forbidden romance between Roman and Emery. Teegarden shared the show is a great way to give a different perspective to dividing issues like race and religion faced in the world today: "Our show handles a lot of political hot topics in a very unique, interesting, non-threatening way. We're not saying black or white ... It's fictional, so we're talking about Atrians."

But should these extraterrestrial beings come knocking on her door in real life, would the actress be as welcoming as Emery? "Oh! It would definitely be interesting, meeting somebody or something that you've never seen before. You've got to ask why, who, how, when? There will be more trepidation and fear than I think aggression," enthused Teegarden, who doesn't disregard the possibility of extraterrestrial existence.

Meanwhile, Lanter, who was asked if he would pull out a gun at the sight of an alien, hesitated: "Maybe, I don't know. These Atrians are not like aliens we've been presented with in past projects. They walk, they talk, they have feelings and emotions. There's nothing to be scared about, at least at first."

And they look almost like humans, too. Save for the markings that stretch from the right side of his face to the nape of his neck (an indication of the tribe he came from), Roman looks just like any other human being (some might add he's even more aesthetically-pleasing).

Aimee Teegarden believes Star-Crossed is more than just another high-school drama, addressing today's 'political hot topics' in a non-threatening way.

Still, these aliens can do much more. By the end of the pilot, viewers will learn that Roman has a superpower. "More things are going to come out about the Atrians, what certain Atrians can do and what certain Atrians can't do, the powers they have and what is different about them," he revealed, adding "flying" would be a great superpower to have, if given the choice.

By now, readers might be thinking that the series sounds like a carbon copy of the 1999 hit sci-fi show, Roswell. But the co-stars believe the premises of the two shows are markedly different.

Teegarden said: "In Roswell, it's like you're hiding the aliens and just getting to know them. But in this show, they've landed and this is 10 years into the future." Lanter continued: "It's not an alien arrival story. It's more about they're here, they've been here. How do they co-exist together?"

Asked if it was a challenge to portray a high school student even though Lanter is in his early 30s, he joked" "Here on The CW (TV network), we have an age serum that we all inject."

"It's not uncommon for younger-skewed TV shows to hire older actors. You don't really forget your high school years, it's not difficult to remember how you felt with your first love," he went on.

Speaking of first loves, the actor divulged: "I remember dark movie theatre make-out sessions. My mum dropped me off and I go, 'Yes! I can make out now.'

"But I also remember heartbreak, it's very powerful when you're young and don't quite understand it."

Star-Crossed premieres tonight (May 13) at 9.55pm on RTL CBS Entertainment HD (HyppTV Ch 616).

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

Past future tech
New 'Transformers: Age Of Extinction' stills and poster revealed
One step up: Channing Tatum to play Gambit

Past future tech

Posted: 14 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

With 2015 just over 500 days away, we analyse how realistic the 2015 in Back To The Future Part II was.

The future – at least director Robert Zemeckis' idea of the future, as envisioned in 1989 – arrives, in our present space-time continuum, in 553 Earth days. That date, Oct 21, 2015, is when Back to the Future Part II is set, and the movie imagines a world of flying vehicles, hoverboards, drone dog-walkers ... and in the future a lot of stuff will float, apparently.

In some cases, Zemeckis' 2015 isn't too far from reality. Other prognostications are just embarrassingly off. Here, we examine how likely the Back to the Future future jibes with our actual future. Takeaway: There's still time for fax machines to make a comeback.

Hoverboard

Scene: Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) uses a hoverboard, a skateboard that floats above ground, to escape Griff Tannen's henchmen.

Status for 2015: Not happening.

Early in March, a video surfaced of a supposed tech company called HUVr, in which pro skateboarder Tony Hawk was seen demonstrating a prototype of a hoverboard. Alas, it was a hoax created by comedy website Funny Or Die. But is hoverboard technology possible? I asked Adrienne Appell, spokeswoman for the Toy Industry Association: "It's hard to speculate. Five years before the iPad we didn't think we had the technology for that. I've not seen a product like (the hoverboard), but the toy industry is all about innovation, and once the technology becomes available, I have no doubt we'll come up with a way."

Wearable eyeglass phone

Scene: At the dinner table, Marlene McFly (also played by Fox) answers a call with her eyeglass phone.

Status for 2015: Likely available for public.

Google Glass isn't a phone per se, but an Android-operated computer that connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone. On Tuesday it was put up for sale, at US$1,500 (RM4893), for one day. Google is expected to make Glass available on the consumer market, but it's unclear when that will happen. Otherwise, customers have been able to sign up to beta-test via Google's "Glass Explorer Program" (and pay US$1,500 to purchase a prototype).

Food hydrator

Scene: A coaster-size disc of pizza is inserted into a Black & Decker Food Hydrator. Several seconds later, a large pizza emerges hot and ready to serve.

Status for 2015: Exists in some form.

Homaro Cantu is the kitchen science wizard behind Moto, the Chicago temple of molecular gastronomy. He says the technology to dry and rehydrate food already exists, but the technology to make that food taste good is many decades away, if ever.

"There'll always be a degradation in quality," Cantu said. "The cell structures and textures change. Technically, it's here today, but why would you want to pour water on a dried pizza and have it taste like a wet sock? I'd rather have the real thing. It only makes sense for long-distance travel, such as if you're in a sealed space capsule."

By-the-second weather forecasting

Scene: During a downpour, Emmett "Doc" Brown (Christopher Lloyd) says, "Wait five more seconds!" The rain stops on cue.

Status for 2015: Weather forecasting is increasingly precise but unlikely at that level.

"I don't think we'll get to the point where we can get second-by-second street corner forecasting. It just isn't economically feasible to get that level of precision," said WGN Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling.

"We're going to need more computer power to do that. But the strides we've made in numerical modelling is absolutely stunning. The goal is to get higher and higher resolution, and we're going in that direction."

Flying cars on roadways of air

Scene: Doc Brown, Marty McFly and Marty's girlfriend Jennifer Parker (Elisabeth Shue) arrive in the year 2015 in their flying DeLorean, travelling along an air expressway.

Status in 2015: Nope.

From Patrick George, senior writer at Jalopnik, the automotive blog: "I don't think we'll ever see flying cars as they were portrayed in Back to the Future II, let alone by 2015. A few companies have experimented with aircraft / car hybrids, like the Terrafugia Transition, but none of them seem realistic for mass production and use in a practical sense yet. Also, would buyers really trust flying cars, and would they offer significant advantages over road-going cars besides just being awesome? I hate to be a killjoy, but I'm not sure they would."

Drone photojournalism

Scene: When Griff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson) and his gang get arrested after crashing into the courthouse, a USA Today drone is taking a picture for the newspaper.

Status for 2015: Already exists, gaining popularity.

Drone photography has become prevalent in recent years, so much so that there now exists a group called Professional Society of Drone Journalists. A Shenzhen, China-based company called DJI manufactures consumer grade, remote-control helicopters for aerial photography, with prices starting about US$400 (RM1304).

Future fashion

Scene: The color palette of Hill Valley residents' apparel is awash in bright neons. Jackets have self-adjusting sleeves and dry automatically. Doc Brown wears a see-through plastic tie, while Marty McFly Sr. sports the "double tie."

Status for 2015: Yes, if you want to be ironic. Otherwise, no.

Kurt Soller, a style writer and deputy editor of Bloomberg Businessweek's Etc. section, says: "While Zemeckis seems to have taken plenty of liberties, the fashion in the movie seems pretty stuck in the '80s. Neon had a moment a few years ago, but many of the color trends as we head into 2015 are neutral or pastel, the opposite of neon. Double ties also haven't made their way into fashion (yet), but I do have to give a small amount of fortune-telling credit to Doc's transparent tie; many overtly stylish young guys have been rocking the 'air tie,' a joke for buttoning your collar button sans neckwear. I suppose that's the same idea as a see-through tie?"

The Scenery Channel

Scene: Inside the McFly residence, a window television is showing The Scenery Channel, "broadcasting beautiful views 24 hours a day."

Status for 2015: Already exists.

In 2010, Comcast added The Window Channel to its video-on-demand roster. Now, the North Carolina-based high-definition channel is part of Amazon Prime's streaming video service, sold on DVD and shown in 18,000 hospital rooms.

Fax as communications hub

Scene: Marty McFly Sr. is fired by Cusco CEO Fujitsu-san via fax.

Status for 2015: On endangered list; replaced by PDF file format.

What Zemeckis got right was the series of interconnected networks with data transferring through fibre optic lines. That the terminals are attached to a printer is hilariously antiquated. – Chicago Tribune/MCT Information Services.

Other 2015 Back To The Future II predictions:

1. Mr Fusion home energy reactor, using banana peels and old beer to power the DeLorean.

2. Sleep-inducing alpha rhythm generator used to knock out Marty's girlfriend Jennifer.

3. Voice-activated remote control for television. (Marty McFly Jr: "I want channels 18, 24, 63, 109, 87 and The Weather Channel.")

4. Rejuvenation clinic (Doc takes off 30 to 40 years with a face peel, hair repair, blood transfusion, and a spleen and colon replacement).

5. Multiple-screen television displays.

6. Jaws 19 in Holomax 3-D.

7. Self-expanding baseball bats.

8. Little Bug roving garbage disposals.

9. Roll-up television screens.

10. Ceiling-retracting Garden Centre.

11. Paying taxi drivers using thumbprint identification.

12. Handleless doors, accessed using thumbprint identification.

13. Drone dog-walkers.

14. Video telecommunication on big screen televisions.

15. Foot-strapped human transporters (that George McFly hangs upside down from).

New 'Transformers: Age Of Extinction' stills and poster revealed

Posted: 14 May 2014 12:30 AM PDT

Optimus Prime and Bumblebee of the Autobots make their debut in a movie magazine.

Paramount has released the poster and new stills from Transformers: Age Of Extinction, the fourth feature in the series directed by Michael Bay.

The new images of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, two of the good guy robots known as the Autobots, made their debut in the latest issue of Empire magazine.

Part of a new trilogy directed by Michael Bay, the feature is headlined by Mark Walhberg. Peter Cullen, John Goodman and Ken Watanabe lend their voices to the Autobots Optimus Prime, Hound and Drift, respectively.

Bumblebee is all set for an epic battle.

The action in Transformers: Age Of Extinction takes place four years after the end of the previous film, Dark Of The Moon. The Transformers have been eliminated from the face of the Earth by humans, who now control the Cybertron technology. Until one inventor decides to reactivate Optimus Prime.

Meanwhile, Earth is coming under threat from an ancient force. The feature will be released in Malaysia in late June. — AFP Relaxnews

Ride 'em, cowbot!

One step up: Channing Tatum to play Gambit

Posted: 13 May 2014 09:55 PM PDT

The actor is set to star as Marvel character Gambit in an X-Men spinoff movie.

Channing Tatum is set to play Marvel mutant Gambit in an upcoming X-Men spinoff movie, franchise producer Lauren Shuler Donner confirmed this week after Tatum teased last month that he had met with her to discuss the role.

"It is Channing," Donner told Total Film in an interview released Tuesday. "He's a rogue, he's a rascal, just like Remy LeBeau. And he can handle the action, as we know, and he's got a real good heart, I know him personally.

"He'll be great for Gambit, and he's a southerner too ... so he understands that world, and you know Gambit loves New Orleans."

Gambit, a Marvel mutant with the ability to mentally create, control and manipulate pure kinetic energy (as well as smack his enemies around with a bo staff), was previously played by Taylor Kitsch (video below) in X-Men Origins: Wolverine – typically fans' least favourite installment of the 20th Century Fox franchise. The studio had no comment for TheWrap.

Tatum has been expressing interest in the role since at least September, and even called the character his favourite from the Marvel comic book property.

"I would like to play Gambit. Gambit's my favourite. I'm from New Orleans, around that area. My dad's from New Orleans, and I like to do a Cajun accent," Tatum told the media at a press event last year.

"I could do it for real. No knock on Taylor Kitsch, though, 'cause I actually like his Gambit, but I've always lived around Cajun people. Gambit was always like the woman-loving, cigarette-smoking, drinking. He was the punk rock of all the superheroes. He's a thief. He kind of rode the line," he added.

The 34-year-old actor, who most certainly has the proper look for the character, will once again be showcasing his action chops this summer. First, he'll be fighting bad guys comedically in 22 Jump Street, then he'll put on a pair of pointy ears to fight for Mila Kunis in Jupiter Ascending.

Director Bryan Singer has already said he hopes to bring Gambit, as well as Nightcrawler, back for sequel X-Men: Apocalypse. X-Men: Days of Future Past opens in Malaysia next week. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

Past future tech
New 'Transformers: Age Of Extinction' stills and poster revealed
One step up: Channing Tatum to play Gambit

Past future tech

Posted: 14 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

With 2015 just over 500 days away, we analyse how realistic the 2015 in Back To The Future Part II was.

Hoverboard

Scene: Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) uses a hoverboard, a skateboard that floats above ground, to escape Griff Tannen's henchmen.

Status for 2015: Not happening.

Wearable eyeglass phone

Scene: At the dinner table, Marlene McFly (also played by Fox) answers a call with her eyeglass phone.

Status for 2015: Likely available for public.

Food hydrator

Scene: A coaster-size disc of pizza is inserted into a Black & Decker Food Hydrator. Several seconds later, a large pizza emerges hot and ready to serve.

Status for 2015: Exists in some form.

By-the-second weather forecasting

New 'Transformers: Age Of Extinction' stills and poster revealed

Posted: 14 May 2014 12:30 AM PDT

Optimus Prime and Bumblebee of the Autobots make their debut in a movie magazine.

Paramount has released the poster and new stills from Transformers: Age Of Extinction, the fourth feature in the series directed by Michael Bay.

The new images of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, two of the good guy robots known as the Autobots, made their debut in the latest issue of Empire magazine.

Bumblebee is all set for an epic battle.

Meanwhile, Earth is coming under threat from an ancient force. The feature will be released in Malaysia in late June. — AFP Relaxnews

Ride 'em, cowbot!

One step up: Channing Tatum to play Gambit

Posted: 13 May 2014 09:55 PM PDT

The actor is set to star as Marvel character Gambit in an X-Men spinoff movie.

"He'll be great for Gambit, and he's a southerner too ... so he understands that world, and you know Gambit loves New Orleans."

Tatum has been expressing interest in the role since at least September, and even called the character his favourite from the Marvel comic book property.

Director Bryan Singer has already said he hopes to bring Gambit, as well as Nightcrawler, back for sequel X-Men: Apocalypse. X-Men: Days of Future Past opens in Malaysia next week. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business

Google gets take-down requests after European Court ruling
Japan's Amari: Economy to continue recovery on firm domestic demand
Hyundai Motor Union demands higher wages shorter hours

Google gets take-down requests after European Court ruling

Posted: 14 May 2014 07:20 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO: Google Inc is already getting requests to remove objectionable personal information from its search engine after Europe's top court ruled that subjects have the "right to be forgotten," a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The world's No. 1 Internet search company has yet to figure out how to handle an expected flood of requests after Tuesday's ruling, said the source, who is not authorized to speak on the record about the issue.

The decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which affects the region's 500 million citizens, requires that Internet search services remove information deemed "inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant." Failure to do so can result in fines.

"There's many open questions," Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said at the company's annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday in response to a question about the ruling and its implications on Google's operations.

"A simple way of understanding what happened here is that you have a collision between a right to be forgotten and a right to know. From Google's perspective that's a balance," Schmidt said. "Google believes having looked at the decision, which is binding, that the balance that was struck was wrong."

He was not asked about the recent take-down requests.

Google will need to build up an "army of removal experts" in each of the 28 European Union countries, including those where Google does not have operations, the source said. Whether those staffers merely remove controversial links or actually judge the merits of individual take-down requests are among the many questions Google has yet to figure out, the source said.

Europeans can submit take-down requests directly to Internet companies rather than to local authorities or publishers under the ruling. If a search engine elects not to remove the link, a person can seek redress from the courts.

The criteria for determining which take-down requests are legitimate is not completely clear from the decision, said Jeffrey Rosen, a law professor at the George Washington University and head of the National Constitution Center.

The ruling seems to give search engines more leeway to dismiss take-down requests for links to webpages about public figures, in which the information is deemed to be of public interest. But search engines may err on the side of caution and remove more links than necessary to avoid liability, said Rosen, a long-time critic of such laws. He was asked by Google to speak to reporters on Tuesday's ruling, but has no formal relationship with the company.

Search engines will also have to authenticate requests, he noted, to ensure that the person seeking a link's removal is actually the one he or she claims to be.

Google is the dominant search engine in Europe, commanding about 93 percent of the market, according to StatCounter global statistics. Microsoft Corp's Bing has 2.4 percent and Yahoo Inc has 1.7 percent.

Google has some experience dealing with take-down requests in its YouTube video website, which has a process to remove uploads that infringe copyrights. Google has automated much of the process with a ContentID system that automatically scans uploaded videos for particular content that media companies have provided to YouTube.

Google may be able to create similar technology to address the EU requirements, said BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis.

Even if Google does not automate the process, the extra cost of hiring staffers is likely to be insignificant to a company that generated roughly $60 billion in revenue last year, Gillis said. If Google were to pay staffers $15 an hour to process take-down requests, for example, the company could get a million hours of work for $15 million, he said. "It's the cost of doing business for them."

Google has said it is disappointed with the ruling, which it noted differed dramatically from a non-binding opinion by the ECJ's court adviser last year. That opinion said deleting information from search results would interfere with freedom of expression.

Yahoo is "carefully reviewing" the decision to assess the impact for its business and its users, a spokeswoman said in a statement. "Since our founding almost 20 years ago, we've supported an open and free internet; not one shaded by censorship."

Microsoft declined to comment.- Reuter

Japan's Amari: Economy to continue recovery on firm domestic demand

Posted: 14 May 2014 07:14 PM PDT

TOKYO: Japanese Economy Minister Akira Amari said on Thursday that the economy is making steady progress towards beating deflation and that it will continue to recover in the current fiscal year led by firm domestic demand.

Private consumption is showing weakness after the April 1 sales tax hike but the move is within expectation, Amari said, adding that he hopes consumption will recover gradually ahead alongside an improvement in job conditions.

Amari was speaking to reporters after data showed the economy posted its fastest growth in 2-1/2 years as consumer spending jumped ahead of the sales tax increase to 8 percent from 5 percent in April.- Reuters

Hyundai Motor Union demands higher wages shorter hours

Posted: 14 May 2014 07:11 PM PDT

SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Co's South Korean labor union has demanded higher pay and bonuses and more cuts to working hours, as the automaker heads into annual wage talks in June under the threat of industrial action.

Any strike action in South Korea - which makes nearly 40 percent of Hyundai vehicles sold globally - could disrupt supply around the world as the company fights to reverse a fall in profits linked to the stronger won and competition from the likes of Volkswagen AG <VOWG_p.DE>.

New union boss Lee Kyung-hoon is seen as a moderate but he has not ruled out industrial action, telling a union newspaper in February that he was "willing to risk waging an all-out war" to get a better deal for workers.

Hyundai, the world's fifth-biggest automaker along with its affiliate Kia Motors Corp <000270.KS>, has been hit by strikes in all but four of the union's 27-year history, leading to lost production worth 14.4 trillion won ($14.06 billion).

Union delegates finalized their demands late Wednesday, including a 8.2 percent rise in the monthly basic wage and performance pay totaling 30 percent of the automaker's 2013 net profit distributed to workers.

The most contentious issue would be expanding the definition of the regular wage, which is the basis for calculating overtime and other payments to the firm's 47,000 workers in South Korea.

The union is also calling for daily working hours to be trimmed by one hour to 16 from 2015, after the automaker scaled them back from 20 to 17 starting from March last year.

MODERATE UNION BOSS

E*Trade Korea auto analyst Kang Sang-min said Hyundai faced an "uphill battle" to reach an agreement with the union over tricky issues like the regular wage.

"A potential disruption to output will dampen investor sentiment, already hurt by Hyundai's decelerating growth," he said.

Hyundai, which was an outperformer during the 2009 global economic downturn, has posted lackluster earnings in the past couple of years. Its January-March net profit slipped to its lowest in five quarters, missing estimates.

The strengthening won and stiffer competition from rivals' refreshed models has seen Hyundai's U.S. market share drop from a record 5.1 percent in 2011 to 4.4 percent this year.

The labor talks will be the first since Lee took the reins of South Korea's biggest union in December, stirring hope of steadier industrial relations after his predecessor called strikes in two consecutive years.

Lee led the union during a rare, strike-free period from 2009 to 2011, although a company spokesman said his previous record counted for nothing in the forthcoming negotiations.

"The current union leader is seen as a moderate, but he is still a unionist," the spokesman said.

Kia Motors is also preparing separate annual wage talks with its South Korean union, while General Motors' <GM.N> South Korean unit kicked off annual wage negotiations in late April.- Reuters

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Terengganu crisis: Situation should have been handled diplomatically, says Dr M
Terengganu crisis: Ahmad Said denies delaying daughter’s wedding
Cops question man over arrows shot at dog

Terengganu crisis: Situation should have been handled diplomatically, says Dr M

Posted: 14 May 2014 08:05 AM PDT

PETALING JAYA: The Umno top leadership should have handled the Terengganu political crisis carefully, using diplomacy, so that Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) would continue to gain the people's trust in administering the state, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said if Umno leaders used a rough approach, it would only invite problems like former Terengganu menteri besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said's reaction of quitting the party.

"If we had acted harshly, it would not be a problem for him (Ahmad) to leave Umno. It (situation) is not like in some states like Johor, where Umno is already in the members' blood. In Kelantan, is is difficult for party members to quit PAS or Umno as they have strong faith in their party.

"Both leaders (at the federal and state levels) must accept the fact that mistakes had been made by both sides," he told reporters after receiving an honorary doctorate in political development from Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday.

Dr Mahathir said in Terengganu, it was not a big issue for Umno leaders to quit the party compared to those in other states, because "in Terengganu, crossing over to another party is normal and they like to try. They would try to do it in Umno, then in Pas and in Umno again.

"It's their way, so we have to be careful as they can easily switch (party). It's their character."

Dr Mahathir, who is also former Umno president, said the political crisis in Terengganu arose because of the party's weakness.

"Umno is weak now. The feeling of (party members) is that it is focusing less on the problems of the Malay community but more attention being paid on opposition parties, the Chinese community and so on.

"Hence, there is dissatisfaction among the Malays. They support (Umno) not because of the leadership but because they dislike the opposition," he said.

Dr Mahathir said the Umno top leadership needed to understand the sentiments of the party supporters at the grassroots level to ensure continued support for the party, especially in facing the next general election.

He stressed that Umno leaders should not listen totally to the individuals around them, but should instead also listen to the grouses of members who always supported the party.

Dr Mahathir also noted that Umno had in many instances, made the same mistakes, but not many of its party leaders were brave enough to correct the mistakes, making the top leaders feel that whatever they do receives support.

"Umno seldom learns. I've said this many times before but they still don't realise it. We will lose (power) if Umno does not learn and repeats those mistakes," he said. - Bernama

Terengganu crisis: Ahmad Said denies delaying daughter’s wedding

Posted: 14 May 2014 07:52 AM PDT

KEMAMAN: Former Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said denied claims that he delayed his daughter's wedding on purpose.

He said the wedding was fixed for May 10 and 17 after confirming the attendance of the Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.

"It's not easy to invite the Sultan (Sultan Mizan) to the wedding. The invitation had to be sent two months in advance. The Sultan was only free on May 10, so we held it that day," he told a press conference at his residence in Teluk Kalong here on Wednesday.

Based on custom, he said the bride's side has to host another reception a week after the official ceremony on May 10, which was to be on May 17 in Teluk Kalong.

"Then there's a reception in Kuala Lumpur on May 31. The wedding date was not delayed to May on purpose," he said.

Ahmad also added that his daughter had been traumatised by his resignation as Mentri Besar.

Queried as to whether he will be appointed as a Senator, he said: "Let's not think about that now. I just want to rest after this."

Ahmad had resigned as Terengganu Mentri Besar on Monday following which Seberang Takir assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman was appointed as the new Mentri Besar and took his oath before the Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Syarqiyyah, Kuala Terengganu later the same day.

On May 13, Ahmad resigned from Umno and declared himself as an independent elected representative but changed his mind today by retracting his resignation and returned to the party. - Bernama

Cops question man over arrows shot at dog

Posted: 14 May 2014 07:28 AM PDT

PETALING JAYA: The man who shot two arrows at a dog in Taman Sinaran, Taming Jaya was questioned at his house by police Wednesday evening.

According to a police officer from the Kajang district police headquarters, who declined to be named, they had received instructions from the Selangor police headquarters to investigate the matter.

The officer also declined to reveal if the man was being investigated for possessing and using the bow and arrow as opposed to animal abuse.

"We cannot reveal anything at the moment because the case is under investigation,'' said the police officer.

The man had shot and wounded the dog, which had stood at his gate and refused to move and one arrow lodged hit the front leg whilst another hit the back.

Animal lovers rushed the dog to a veterinary clinic where it received first aid before handing over the Rottweiler to canine welfare project Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB).

MDDB project manager Melinda Joy Gomez said the dog has been estimated to be about 12 years old and was also partially blind.

"She appears to be a lost dog and must have been trying to find her way home and gone to the shooter's house after hearing voices coming from that direction,'' said Gomez.

She added the dog had not moved away because it could not see.

"That's also why the dog stood at the same spot as the man shot his arrows at it,'' she added.

According to Gomez, the dog has since been admitted to a veterinary clinic and found to be anaemic and suffering from tick fever and heartworm.

"He had shot his arrows at an old, blind and very very sick dog,'' said Gomez.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Traditional Malay Archers Association (Pertama) has voiced its unhappiness over the man's conduct.

"He has given the sport a bad name and violated all of its code of ethics by shooting at a poor and defenceless animal,'' said its president Muhamad Akmal Mohamad Dahlan.

Muhamad Akmal also said the man was not a member of his association.

"We condemn his actions and urge the relevant authorities to initiate the necessary action against him,'' said Muhamad Akmal.

He said the incident had tarnished the image and reputation of archery enthusiasts in the country.

"The sport and art of archery denotes disciplines and is forbidden to be used to create pain and misery,'' said Muhamad Akmal.

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China youth suicide blamed on education system

Posted: 14 May 2014 01:46 AM PDT

Beijing (AFP) - China's high-pressure, exam-driven education system is responsible for the vast majority of suicides by schoolchildren in the country, state media said Wednesday, citing a study.

Official statistics on youth suicides are hard to obtain, but a health ministry journal said that about 500 primary and middle school students kill themselves every year.

A study of 79 such suicides last year found that almost 93 percent happened following arguments between the pupils and their teachers, or after the students experienced heavy pressure with their studies.

Most killed themselves because "they could not bear the heavy pressure of the test-oriented education system", said the findings, quoted in the state-run China Daily newspaper.

The 2014 Annual Report on China's Education was released Tuesday after a spate of suicides caused concern over the country's high-pressure education system, where progress is based on key tests, including entrance exams for high school and university.

In January last year, a student in Inner Mongolia jumped from the top of a building after learning that his test scores had dropped, the China Daily said.

Earlier this month a 13-year-old boy in Jiangsu province hanged himself after he failed to finish his homework, the newspaper added.

The school day can be as long as 12 hours in China, and students can typically expect between two and four hours of homework on top of that.

Many Chinese parents also take a highly disciplined approach to education, strictly enforcing their children's studies.

The study found that almost two thirds of the suicides came in the second half of the academic year, when exams are taken.

Chu Zhaohui, a senior researcher on basic education at the National Institute of Education Sciences, told the China Daily more communication was needed between students and their parents and teachers.

"Parents and teachers should often talk to the children, get to know their needs and respect their thoughts," Chu said.

"This is a simple thing to do, but really effective."

Anti-China protesters set factories on fire in Vietnam

Posted: 14 May 2014 01:31 AM PDT

Hanoi (AFP) - Anti-China protesters set more than a dozen factories on fire in Vietnam, state media said Wednesday, in an escalating backlash against Beijing's deployment of an oil rig in contested waters.

Workers looted goods and attacked offices in a rare outburst of public unrest Tuesday in the authoritarian communist nation, which allowed mass anti-China rallies around Vietnam at the weekend.

The protesters targeted manufacturing companies that are owned or managed by Chinese as well as Chinese workers in Binh Duong province, the Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park said in a statement.

There were no reports of casualties.

Tens of thousands of workers poured onto the streets Tuesday and a small number of them began looting and attacking security guards and factory management before setting fire to at least 15 factories, the state-run VNExpress website reported.

Videos and images posted on dissident blogs showed thousands of workers, many waving the Vietnamese flag, destroying factory gates and pouring into compounds and causing widespread destruction of property.

A number of Taiwanese, Japanese and South Korean businesses have shut their plants for the day, giving workers the day off, and have hung Vietnamese flags outside their business in a bid to deter looters, VNExpress added.

Hanoi's Ministry of Public Security has deployed rapid-response riot police to the area to reinforce local security staff and prevent further unrest, VNExpress said.

"There will be serious punishment for those who abused the situation to instigate unrest," local official Tran Van Nam was quoted as saying.

Taiwan condemned the violence and said it had urged Vietnam to guarantee the safety of Taiwanese nationals in the area.

"We urge the Vietnamese people to exercise restraint and not to take violent and non-rational actions as this would affect Taiwanese businessmen's willingness to invest," Foreign Minister David Lin said.

Vietnamese police and officials contacted by AFP repeatedly refused to comment.

China and Vietnam are locked in long-standing territorial disputes in the South China Sea over the Paracel and Spratly islands, which both claim.

There have been repeated skirmishes near the oil rig in recent days involving vessels from the two countries, with collisions and the use of water cannon.

Vietnamese protesters staged multiple, large anti-China demonstrations Sunday with at least 1,000 people gathering in Hanoi and a similar-sized crowd in Ho Chi Minh City.

Experts say Vietnam's leadership has allowed some public protests to go ahead as a means of expressing extreme discontent with Beijing.

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Music from Cantopop legends in Dama's new show

Posted: 11 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Dama Orchestra's The Legends is a tribute to 1980s Cantopop.

"WE expect to deliver a spectacular performance and one that includes more hits from the four singers," said Dama Orchestra artistic director Pun Kai Loon after a recent sneak peek ofThe Legends show at the intimate space Theatre Lounge Cafe in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Even as a preview show, this Dama Orchestra production, which is set to run next month at KLPac, was an enjoyable experience in this setting. The Legends show is a tribute to the golden Cantopop era of the 1980s and it features music from superstars like Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, Danny Chan and Roman Tam.

The interesting thing about The Legends show is this production goes beyond songs. It also touches on the lives of these HK pop superstars, their friendships and their colourful and illustrious singing careers.

At this preview, which featured Dama regulars like Tan Soo Tze and older sister Soo Suan, the fine-tuning was hardly noticed as the cast made this two-hour entertaining documentary a breeze. Throughout the show, which also had singers like Terence Au, Bui Yik Ling, Khoo Wu Ji, Kong Jie Wei and Lim Yee Fan, there were pop anecdotes and background info before each song, indirectly giving viewers a lesson on how these singers rose to fame.

Favourites like the controversial and provocative Bad Girl by Anita Mui, and Leslie Cheung's signature Monica, Past Love and Chase received a contemporary upgrade without losing their familiarity. Danny Chan's love ballads such as Tears For You and Just Loving You will be sung by three upcoming young baritones from the orchestra.

Of course, there will also be duets and group singing involved. One song to look out for will be Roman Tam's A Good Song For You as all the main singers will come together for that hit.

The show's artistic director Pun added that Dama is still refining the details for the upcoming show in June.

"We are also looking into improving aspects of the props and decorations to make the ambience in KLPac suitable for our performance. We hope to make this a memorable night out for Cantpop fans and music fans," said Pun.

>The Legends will run at Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac), Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur from June 7 to 22. Tickets are priced between RM68 to RM288. Early bird discounts are available before May 31. For more info, call the box-office (03 4047-9000) or visit www.ticketpro.com.my.

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Rabu, 14 Mei 2014