Tuesday, January 31, 2017
James Corden, Sandra Bullock Will Be In Ocean’s Eight - James Corden is taking a role opposite Sandra Bullock in the crime-caper spinoff Ocean’s Eight, portraying an insurance investigator.
Gary Ross is directing for Warner Bros and Village Roadshow Pictures. Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter are all starring with Bullock.
Bullock’s character is the leader of a group of thieves and cons who try to pull off a major heist. Damian Lewis (Billions) will play Bullock’s ex-lover and the target of the gang’s robbery.
Ross is directing from a script that he co-wrote with Olivia Milch. Ocean’s Eleven director Steven Soderbergh and Ross will produce with executive producer Susan Ekins. Village Roadshow is co-producing and co-financing, as it did with the three previous Ocean’s movies starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Those films were released in 2001, 2004 and 2007.
Warner Bros has set a release date of June 8, 2018, for Ocean’s Eight. Corden hosts The Late Late Show With James Corden and has been set to host the Grammy Awards in February. His feature credits include The Lady In The Van, Into The Woods and Begin Again. He also has voice credits on Trolls, along with the upcoming The Emoji Movie and Peter Rabbit. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood. – Reuters/Dave McNary
Lin Dan To Play At All-England, Confirm England BA - Fancy seeing Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei taking on China’s Lin Dan at the All-England in Birmingham from March 7-12?
Well, your wish is about to come true.
While world No. 1 Chong Wei had confirmed his entry much earlier, the inclusion of world No. 6 Lin Dan has come a big surprise.
The England BA confirmed on their website – www.allenglandbadminton.com – on Friday that two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan had entered for the tournament. The closing date for entry was Jan 24.
Lin Dan’s last international tournament was the Rio Olympic Games last August. Then, he lost to Chong Wei in the semi-finals and to Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen in the bronze medal playoff.
The All-England will also be Chong Wei’s first Superseries appearance in four months, having skipped last year’s French Open, Hong Kong Open and China Open due to injury.
This could well be the last time these two badminton giants come face-to-face in the All-England.
Although no official announcements have been made, it is widely acknowledged that Chong Wei and Lin Dan are on the last lap of their badminton careers and both are likely to call it a day after the World Championships in Glasgow in August.
Lin Dan has won six All-England titles while Chong Wei has won it three times.
They have played against each other in the All-England three times, with the record favouring the China shuttler 2-1.
Lin Dan won in 2009 and Chong Wei exacted revenge in 2011. In 2012, Chong Wei was forced to retire with an injury.
The two have played against each other 37 times in the last decade, with Lin Dan winning 25 of those clashes.
Lonely Planet Thinks You Should Visit This US City This Year - Lonely Planet has named a town that’s known as “Beer City USA” the most exciting place to visit in the United States this year. In their list of the Best In The US 2017, travel experts at Lonely Planet named Asheville, North Carolina as the No. 1 destination to visit for its creative spirit, eclectic architecture, thriving artistic community and booming food and drink scene, set against a mountain backdrop.
Asheville is likewise a beer lover’s paradise.
In second spot, experts chose western Washington which had a starring role in the cult classic TV series Twin Peaks. A reboot of the show is set to air next year.
And rounding out the top three spots is Lincoln, Nebraska, which fetes its 150th anniversary this year.
For the list, experts chose the 10 destinations that are expected to shine this year, whether they’re up-and-coming, overlooked, or offer new reasons to visit.
Here are the top 10 best places to visit in the US, according to Lonely Planet.
1. Asheville, North Carolina – Appalachia’s most surprising city
2. Western Washington – David Lynch fans, take note
3. Lincoln, Nebraska – Hip and happening in the heartland
4. California’s Low Desert – Los Angeles meets a new generation
5. Montana’s Flathead Valley – Big sky, big mountains, big bears
6. Atlanta, Georgia – The airport epicentre is flying high in 2017
7. Adirondack Mountains – New York’s best views after Manhattan
8. Texas Hill Country wine region – The best wine country you’ve never heard of
9. Denver, Colorado – The “Mile-High City” has never been more fun
10. Florida’s Emerald Coast – The “Redneck Riviera” no more
Women Who Eat These Can Look Forward To Stronger Bones - An anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean-style diet – already beneficial to heart health – could help prevent fractures linked to reduced bone density in certain women, according to researchers in the US.
This study, which analysed data from 160,191 women aged 50 to 79, was published in the Journal Of Bone And Mineral Research.
Numerous studies have previously identified health benefits associated with a Mediterranean diet, rich in fruit, vegetables and unprocessed foods, such as reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, as well as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
New research suggests that the diet could also help promote stronger bones. According to a study from the Ohio State University, women could help boost their bone density by paying attention to what they eat.
As they reach menopause, at around 50 years of age, many women discover that they are suffering from osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones, making them more likely to break or fracture.
The scientists studied a group of 160,191 women aged 50 to 79 years-old with no previous history of bone fractures, from 1993 to 1998, to evaluate the risk of fractures to the hip, the lower arm and other parts of the body. Their diets were rated for inflammation, three months before the tests, and given inflammation scores based on 32 food components.
Younger women following high-inflammatory diets were found to be at greatest risk of suffering fractures. This group of women had a twice greater risk of hip fracture than women with the lowest inflammatory scores.
However, across all participants, no correlation was found between high-inflammatory diets and fractures in general. In fact, the researchers saw a slightly lower risk of lower arm fracture in women with the highest dietary inflammation ratings. They suggest that women with lower inflammation scores are likely to be more physically active, in turn putting them at greater risk of falls.
Note that a Swedish study recently concluded that increased physical activity (at least 3½ hours per week) prior to puberty and during growth could boost the development of bone mass.
Women with the least inflammatory diets had lower bone densities at the beginning of the study, but they lost less bone than women following high inflammatory diets. This could be explained by their smaller builds, the study suggests.
Maintaining bone density is important for ageing women, especially after menopause, when bone density can drastically drop.
In conclusion, all factors favoring inflammation could potentially increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, according to the study. As a result, a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit vegetables, fish, omega-3 and whole grain cereals could be beneficial. Vitamin D (sardines, mackerel, calf’s liver, eggs, cod liver oil) is also essential to the development and regeneration of bone, especially for those who exercise regularly.
Trump Fires Acting Attorney General Who Defied Him On Travel Ban - US President Donald Trump on Monday fired the acting attorney general, a holdover from the Obama administration, after she ordered Justice Department attorneys not to defend his controversial executive order on immigration.
”The acting attorney general, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States,” the White House said in a statement.
”President Trump relieved Ms Yates of her duties and subsequently named Dana Boente, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to serve as acting attorney general until Senator Jeff Sessions is finally confirmed by the Senate.”
Visitors Make A Beeline For Pandas At Zoo Negara - Many families swarmed Zoo Negara during the Chinese New Year holiday to visit its adorable family of giant pandas while they are still together.
Father panda Xing Xing and mother Liang Liang arrived in Malaysia in May 2014, on loan for 10 years, as a symbol of close Malaysia-China diplomatic ties.
Cub Nuan Nuan was born to them on Aug 18, 2015, and is due to be sent to Chengdu, China, after her second birthday.
The move is in keeping with the Malaysia-China Giant Panda International Conservation Agreement.
A zoo employee, who declined to be named, said the Giant Panda Conservation Centre received more than 4,000 visitors a day during the holiday.
Among the crowd there yesterday was group admin controller Leong Keng Hoe, 51, and his 18-year-old daughter Qi Jia, a temporary teacher.
“We came to see the panda family because my daughter loves animals and enjoys being near them,” he said.
Aside from celebrating the festivities with the family, Leong said that visiting the zoo was a good way to spend the rest of the holiday.
It gave him the chance to spend more time with his daughter, doing what she loved.
Pharmacist Tay Jia Ying, 27, was there with her parents, three siblings, and a cousin for “some family time” and to take wefies with the panda family.
The Kedah lass travelled to Kuala Lumpur with her family on Sunday and made sure to visit the zoo.
“I go back to work on Tuesday so we’re here to see the pandas before we return,” she said.
Teacher Aznira Razak, 35, was also there for the pandas.
“I start work on Wednesday so I decided to come here with my family to see the pandas,” she said, adding that she was with her husband, their two children, her mother and a niece.
Account executive Karen Lee, 36, was there with her four children and husband for quality family time.
“My children are still schooling and all of them enjoy watching animals,” she said, adding that they were eager to see the pandas.
The 1.6ha centre costs the Government RM2.25mil annually to maintain.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Weight Loss Tips From Jamie Foxx - Over a few months he lost the equivalent weight of a microwave oven or a chubby toddler, but don’t expect Jamie Foxx to bring out a dieting guide any time soon.
It’s not that he doesn’t have wisdom to impart on getting into shape, it’s just that his way of expressing the secrets of his success is rather unconventional.
“I didn’t really diet, I just cut all that **** out,” the 49-year-old actor tells AFP, recalling the moment it dawned on him that he could no longer gorge on fast food and just run it off.
His latest movie Sleepless, a claustrophobic, taut police procedural which takes place over one night, sees Foxx playing a Las Vegas detective with ties to the underworld who scours a casino in search of his kidnapped son.
The role would require the actor and his 40-year-old co-star Michelle Monaghan (Mission: Impossible III, Patriots Day) to run, jump, fight and generally be in the shape of their lives.
At the time Foxx was tipping the scales at 98kg in July last year, with cholesterol levels that would make a polar bear blanch, but managed to get down to 83kg.
“I ate chicken, fish and vegetables,” he tells AFP at a plush hotel in Beverly Hills, California, where he is promoting the crime thriller.
“Within two weeks I lost 3.6kg and I started working out with my trainer and before you know it I was at 90kg within two or three, four weeks and then just steady, steady, steady.”
All the training in the world, however, could not have helped Foxx avoid a full-on punch to the teeth delivered by Monaghan during a fight scene in a casino hotel room.
“I didn’t knock them out, but I did chip them,” Monaghan confesses to AFP at the same promotion event.
“We were in the heat of the moment and I don’t know if the adrenaline got the best of me but I hit him just square in the teeth and I chipped them. He took it and he honestly said ‘keep going’.”
Foxx has been one of the most sought-after actors in the business since bagging an Oscar in 2005 for his portrayal of blind American musician Ray Charles in Taylor Hackford’s biopic Ray.
A classically trained pianist, Foxx jammed with Charles before the artist’s death in June 2004 at the age of 73.
Born Eric Marlon Bishop on Dec 13, 1967 in Terrell, Texas, Foxx was encouraged by his grandmother, who raised him, to start tinkling the ivories at a young age.
He studied piano at New York’s prestigious Juilliard School and moved to Los Angeles in the late 1980s to become a musician, but was quickly sidetracked by comedy.
Soon a fixture on the stand-up circuit, he landed a job in the sketch show In Living Color in the 1990s, before being given his own sitcom, the The Jamie Foxx Show.
He won secondary roles in a number of comedy movies but his first dramatic role was as a football player in Oliver Stone’s 1999 drama Any Given Sunday, opposite Al Pacino.
In Sleepless, Foxx’s character Vincent struggles to balance the rigorous requirements of the day job with making the time to see his son – a dilemma which any hard-working actor with a family must confront.
“Oliver Stone gave me advice when we were shooting and my kid was young,” the father of two daughters – one seven, the other now grown up – tells AFP. “He said ‘bring your kids everywhere with you, bring them to set’.”
Foxx took the advice, and brought along his youngest, Annalise, when he was filming Quentin Tarantino’s gory western Django Unchained. “And that’s what you’ve got to do,” he laughs. “Once your kids have an explanation of what it is you do, then you’re pretty much cool.”
Ramdan And Fazriq Hope To Revive The Sidek Legacy - Can Misbun Ramdan Misbun (pic) and Muhd Fazriq Razif revive the legacy of the Sidek family in the local badminton arena?
The 26-year-old Ramdan has been entered for the men’s singles event of the RM270,000 National Badminton Championships in Ulu Kinta, Perak, from Feb 19-25.
Ramdan, the son of former great Datuk Misbun Sidek, is one of the 113 men’s singles shuttlers competing in the national meet. Except for the top 16 players, the rest have to go through a qualifying tournament.
This is Ramdan’s first tournament since taking an indefinite leave from competitions due to an Achilles heel rupture in 2015.
Ramdan had showcased his immense potential before the injury, bagging the national title in 2012.
He then left the national team to train under his father Misbun in 2013. He went on to win the 2014 Romanian International as an independent player before the injury halted his progress.
Ramdan, though, is trying to play down expectations.
“I want to give my best to clear the opening round. I’ve not played for a long time ... I’m not setting high targets,” said Ramdan.
“I’ve undergone rehabilitation for my injury. I’ve started training, but I’ve only pushed myself as much as my body allows.
“I’m making this comeback with one purpose in mind ... to keep the Sidek family tradition going.”
His nephew and the youngest son of another former great Razif Sidek – Fazriq – has joined the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) this year as a Form 1 student.
The duo will have big shoes to fill as the Sidek brothers – Misbun, Razif, Jalani, Rashid and Rahman – dominated Malaysian badminton scene during the 1980s and 1990s.
Olympic bronze medal winner Rashid said: “It’s good to see the return of my nephew Ramdan, but I don’t expect immediate result. It’ll take time.
“Ramdan can use the national meet to see where he stands and gauge how far he can go on after the injury.
“My other nephew, Fazriq, has won the National Schools (MSSM) Under-12 doubles title. He is good for his age. It’s nice to see the Sidek name back in competition.”
Former Olympian Razif is also looking forward to the emergence of Ramdan and Fazriq to keep the Sidek tradition going.
“I hope that Misbun’s son and mine will do well and carve a name for themselves in badminton,” said Razif, who won a bronze medal with Jalani at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
“I’m happy to see the return of Ramdan. We hope his appearance at the national meet will be the start of greater things.
“He is coming back to a tournament he has won before. It’s never easy to come back from an injury ... let’s hope Ramdan will pick up from where he left off.
“All of us – Misbun, Rashid, Rahman, Jalani and I – are into coaching now. It’ll be great to see the Sidek family’s name in the world badminton map once again.”
5 Feng Shui Travel Tips For A ‘Lucky’ Holiday - Many know of feng shui as that Chinese philosophical system that brings all the ong ah (luck) and huat ah (prosperity) in your life. In some cases, it might even bring a lover who looks like Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany to your doorstep (oh, a boy can dream!), so that nosy relatives can stop asking that dreaded marriage question.
But did you know that feng shui can also influence travel luck in your life? Since it’s the Chinese New Year season, here are some tips we have fashioned based on going through some references to boost your travel luck.
The north-west will bring you to beautiful northern countries
OK, not really. But the north-west direction is considered by feng shui practitioners, to be the direction that enhances travel luck. It is represented by the metal element, so you’re encouraged to display metallic items such as wind chimes.
But say, if you’ve always wanted to visit Seoul, perhaps you can display a cutout of a scene from K-drama Descendants Of The Sun in a – wait for it – metallic photo frame. DIY feng shui, yes?
Stay healthy while travelling with a Chinese gourd
Better known as wu lou, the Chinese gourd is considered to be a symbol of good health in the Chinese community. In feng shui, practitioners display the gourd in their homes to absorb sickness energy.
So the next time you pack that vitamin C and charcoal pills, perhaps you can throw in a Chinese gourd as well to protect from falling ill while travelling.
Find parking wherever you go with the mystic knot
The mystic knot is arguably one of the most popular symbols in feng shui. It is used to symbolise a long and happy life full of good fortune. So you might see a mystic knot hanging in cars sometimes.
Now according to the World Of Feng Shui website, the mystic knot can also help you find a parking space! Bear that in mind when you’re looking to park your car at the mall during this hectic CNY period (or for any major holidays).
Prevent theft with the Blue Rhino
We’ve all heard horror stories of pickpockets and snatch thief while travelling. Well, you can prevent that by carrying a small Blue Rhinoceros in your bag or display it in your car.
In feng shui, the double-horned Blue Rhinoceros is a well-known symbol of protection against robbery, accidents, betrayal and even office drama.
Change your clothes to avert bad luck
Flat tyres are always a nuisance. But according to feng shui practitioners, they are also a sign of imminent travel misfortune. Luckily, an extra change of clothes in your car can change that. If you encounter a flat tyre or small accident, change clothing before you continue your journey.
Keep your eyes on the road and have a safe and prosperous travel this Chinese New Year!
How To Recover From A Cold And Continue CNY Celebrations - With ‘Chinese New Year weather’, fatigue, stress and lack of sleep, colds are quick to take advantage of weakened immune systems. Here’s a look at some of the natural remedies available to help you bounce back.
Unblock noses with essential oils
Place two drops of antibacterial niaouli essential oil and three drops of decongestant eucalyptus radiata essential oil onto a handkerchief or tissue and inhale as needed throughout the day.
Boost the immune system’s natural defenses with vitamin C
Tuck into citrus fruit like mandarines, lemons, oranges and grapefruits as well as kiwis. These are particularly rich in vitamin C, which has antiviral properties. Try to favour whole, fresh fruit. If you have a cold, you can take up to 1,000mg of vitamin C per day. Between seasons, dietary intake can be boosted with a supplement of 500mg per day.
Try a course of grapefruit seed extract as soon as symptoms appear. Dilute 15 drops in a glass of water three times a day.
A hot toddy of lemon juice and honey is a highly effective remedy. Add fresh grated ginger for a warming touch.
Keep microbes at bay with herbal infusions
Thyme is a great choice thanks to its antibacterial properties. Echinacea can also be consumed in herbal teas to slightly relieve the intensity of symptoms like congestion, runny noses, sore throats and headaches. Lavender and yarrow can help dilate airways.
Get more sleep
Colds generally last for around 10 days. To optimise recovery, try to get to bed early, rest as much as possible and keep warm. In the evening, a relaxing essential oil massage can be helpful, recommends expert Daniele Festy.
Mix two drops of antiviral ravintsara essential oil, one drop of antibacterial tea tree oil, one drop of eucalyptus radiata essential oil and one drop of rosewood essential oil to a large drop of plant-based carrier oil (apricot, almond). Apply to the sinuses, the sides of the nose, the neck and behind the ears.
To optimise recovery, try to get to bed early, rest as much as possible and keep warm.
Five Dead In Quebec City Mosque Shooting - Five people were killed after gunmen opened fire in a Quebec City mosque during evening prayers, the mosque's president told reporters on Sunday.
Earlier, a witness told Reuters that up to three gunmen fired on about 40 people inside the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center. Police put up a security perimeter around the mosque and declined to comment to reporters about the incident.
"Why is this happening here? This is barbaric,” said the mosque's president, Mohamed Yangui.
A police spokesman confirmed that two people have been arrested over the incident.
In June 2016, a pig’s head was left on the doorstep of the cultural centre.
Yangui, who was not inside the mosque when the shooting occurred, said he got frantic calls from people at evening prayers. He did not know how many were injured, saying they had been taken to different hospitals across Quebec City.
Incidents of Islamophobia increased in Quebec in recent years amid a political debate over banning the niqab, or Muslim face covering. In 2013, police investigated after a mosque in the Saguenay region of Quebec was splattered with what was believed to be pig blood.
In the neighboring province of Ontario, a mosque was set on fire in 2015, a day after an attack by gunmen and suicide bombers in Paris.
CNY Holiday Outing Turns Tragic - What was supposed to be a leisure boat trip for a group of 28 Chinese tourists to an island west of Kota Kinabalu turned into a nightmare when their catamaran sank in the South China Sea on the first day of the Chinese New Year.
Twenty Chinese tourists and two Malaysian crew members were rescued from the sea near Pulau Tiga off Labuan.
Three of the tourists, including a woman, have died.
Five Chinese nationals and one crew member are still missing.
The sea was believed to be choppy with waves reaching up to three to four metres high when the incident happened.
The catamaran had left the Tanjung Aru jetty at about 9am on Saturday.
The group, which included three crewmen, was supposed to arrive at Pulau Mengalum, about 56km west of Kota Kinabalu two hours later.
The island is known for its beautiful beaches and is also a magnet for divers.
Pulau Tiga is about 53km away from Pulau Mengalum, and 50km from Tanjung Aru jetty.
The boat was reported missing at about 9.50pm by its owners who said that it had not reached the island. It is not known why the report was lodged late.
Despite the strong waves and bad weather, a massive search and rescue operation covering an area of 400 nautical square miles, was launched by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) with help from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and the police.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Ramli Din said the vessel skipper Sharizal Shalian, 25, and a crewman Amran Abdul, 38, were rescued earlier.
All 22 victims, he said, were pulled from the sea between Pulau Tiga and the Samarang offshore petroleum rig.
He said the search and rescue for the remaining six people is being intensified with the area expanded from 400 to 1,400 nautical miles.
He said the police believed the catamaran sank at about 10am on Saturday after encountering rough seas on the way to the island.
“We will be investigating if there is any element of negligence involved in this incident,” he added.
Saturday, January 28, 2017
What To Watch: First Day Of CNY - One of the things I look forward to every Chinese New Year is the fancy eight-course meals.
It begins with the customary yee sang toss, then followed by a piping hot serving of fish maw soup (say no to shark fin soup please!) to get your appetite going.
The mains are next, marked by meatier dishes like crispy roast chicken, steamed fish and king prawns (which is the highlight of the meal, if you asked me). Stir-fried broccoli with chinese mushrooms gets thrown in somewhere in between.
A plate of steamed glutinous rice guarantees you a full stomach and finally, a sweet bowl of tong sui caps off the night.
CNY TV viewing is a lot like an eight-course meal. There’s lighter fare like variety shows and live music shows, heavy family dramas that are filled with meaning and sweet, sentimental love stories.
Here’s a run-down of what to watch on the first day of CNY (look out for the list for the second day tomorrow). We hope you’ll find something that’ll satisfy your viewing appetite.
Baba Nyonya
TV3, Astro Ch 103/HyppTV Ch 103, Noon
The Year of the Monkey has been a lucky year for Wai Meng as his business has been thriving. But success is getting to his head, as he becomes more and more greedy and selfish. His wife Mei Mei tries to make him realise that wealth means nothing without his loved ones by his side to celebrate with him. Will she succeed? Starring Vince Chong, Aenie Wong and Hanif Safuan.
Shaolin Soccer
8TV, Astro Ch 708/HyppTV Ch 108, 2pm
Stephen Chow combines kung fu with football in Shaolin Soccer, and scores. Sing is a Shaolin monk who has been trying to find a way to promote kung fu. The perfect opportunity arises when he meets a former football star offering to coach him and his fellow Shaolin monks, using their kung fu moves to their advantage in the sport. Zhao Wei and Ng Man Tat co-star.
Ayam Jaguh
TV2, Astro Ch 102/HyppTV Ch 102, 2pm
Ambitious May Ling plans to set up a zumba and yoga business but her boyfriend doesn’t want her to. Will she choose ambition over love? Starring Megan Tan and Zoee Tan.
The Kid From The Big Apple
Astro AEC, Ch 301, 3.30pm
The Kid From The Big Apple generated quite a bit of buzz last year after picking up four awards at the 7th Macau International Movie Festival. The heartwarming family drama focuses on 11-year-old Sarah whose entire life in New York gets uprooted all of a sudden when she has to move and stay with her grandfather in Malaysia. They don’t get along with each other, but the loving grandpa never stops trying. Starring Jessica Hester Hsuan, Lung Ti and Tan Qin Lin.
Let’s Sing Kids Season Four
Astro Xiao Tai Yang, Ch 325, 7.30pm
You may have seen Malaysian singer Adinda Tasya Mansor’s rendition of Celine Dion’s I Surrender, which went viral last year on this show. Watch her entire journey as a contestant on Let’s Sing Kids, a version of Voice Of China for children under 14, in this marathon special.
The Mermaid
Astro Wah Lai Toi, Ch 311, 8.30pm
A mermaid plots to assassinate a developer who is working on a project that requires eradicating all sea life living in her area. But what happens when the two begin to fall for each other? Starring Deng Chao, Lin Yun and Show Luo.
Trivisa
Celestial Movies, Astro Ch 322, 9pm
The Hong Kong Film Critics Society has named Trivisa the best film of last year. Wondering what the fuss is all about? Set in 1997 just before Britain handed over of Hong Kong to China, rumours are swirling that three notorious thieves are planning one last heist. One of the men hears the rumour and gets inspired, initiating contact with the other two. Starring Gordon Lam, Richie Jen and Jordan Chan.
The Ark Of Mr Chow
SCM HD, HyppTV Ch 228, 10.30pm
A group of teen geniuses are selected to be a part of a university programme. As they’re a little rebellious and rough around the edges, they don’t quite fit in with the university’s studious, bespectacled crowd. Starring Sun Honglei, Zhou Dongyu and Dong Zijian.
Nadal Wipes Tears Away To Reach Final At Melbourne Park - It took nearly five hours of gruelling tennis for Rafa Nadal to fend off Grigor Dimitrov and book a dream Australian Open final against Roger Federer but before Melbourne Park the Spaniard endured a season of heartache and doubt.
So having edged Dimitrov 6-3 5-7 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-4 in a nerve-shredding marathon to reach his first grand slam final since the 2014 French Open, an exhausted Nadal allowed himself to reflect on a "tough" year.
Shut out of the grand slam semi-finals for two years, Nadal felt at rock-bottom at Roland Garros last year where the nine-time champion was a shock withdrawal after the third round, his injured wrist finally giving way after being propped up by painkilling injections.
"I always had the confidence that if I am able to win some matches, then anything can happen," Nadal told reporters.
"But last year was tough. When you feel that you are playing very well and you have to go from Roland Garros without going on court, I remember myself crying in the car coming back to hotel.
"That was a tough moment."
Although sidelined from the game, Nadal spent time off the court productively, opening his tennis academy in his home island Mallorca in October with the help of Federer, who he will meet in a ninth grand slam final on Sunday.
The pair were supposed to play an exhibition match but Federer was also hobbled by a knee injury.
"No, in that moment, for sure we never thought that we had the chance to be, again, in a final, and especially in the first of the year," he said. "It's happened.
"Both of us I think worked very hard to be where we are. It's great. It's great that, again, we are in a moment like
this and we going to have a chance again to enjoy a moment like this."
Ninth seed Nadal will face 17th seed Federer in a Melbourne Park final for the first time since 2009, when he defeated the Swiss master in five sets, bringing tears to his great rival's eyes.
The 30-year-old will bid for a 15th grand slam title, with 35-year-old Federer going for his 18th.
Dimitrov, who earned the nickname 'Baby Fed' early in his career for the similarity of his game to the Swiss master, provided near-perfect preparation for the heavyweight clash.
Nadal has a 6-2 winning record against Federer in grand slam finals but the Spaniard dismissed it as irrelevant.
"(That) was a long time ago," he said.
"I really don't think about what happened in the past. I think the player who play better is going to be the winner.
"It's great. It's exciting for me and for both of us that we still there and we still fighting for important events. So that's important for us, I think."
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