‘Mother!’: You’d Want To Walk Out On This Film, But Don’t

‘Mother!’: You’d Want To Walk Out On This Film, But Don’t - Let’s get this out of the way first: Mother! is certainly not for everyone.

This surreal film features a nameless couple living at a home in the middle of nowhere. The female protagonist played by Jennifer Lawrence is the calm homemaker in this relationship while her husband (Javier Bardem) is an irritable, narcissistic poet.

The lady’s sense of serenity begins to dissipate when a mysterious man (Ed Harris) shows up and makes himself comfortable in her home.

As more and more people (including a scary Michelle Pfeiffer) show up at her home, the lady’s irritation and fear of her unwanted guests is magnified.

Too bad nobody listens to her whenever she says “no”. Worse, her husband enjoys all the attention coming from these strangers.

It’s in these frenzied, agoraphobic scenes of the lady feeling helpless in her own home that compels viewers to leave the cinema half-way.

You can get a break from all that when the film zooms in on Lawrence’s eerily radiant face, and your mind starts wondering … like why is she glowing like a K-pop idol? Is she supposed to be an android?

If you can stomach all that chaos, then perhaps you’ll be better equipped for what is going to happen next. Warning: it doesn’t get any better for her.

Overall, Mother! is a tragic, painful reminder of the madness that exists in the real world.

This psychological thriller could be an exhilarating, cathartic experience for some. But this also depends on how you make sense of it all.

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Arnie's Grandson Saunders Fires 59 In Web.com Event

Arnie's Grandson Saunders Fires 59 In Web.com Event - Sam Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer, fired the seventh sub-60 round on the Web.com Tour on Thursday only three days removed from the anniversary of the golfing great's death.

Saunders stormed home in electrifying style by capping his round at the Atlantic Beach Country Club in Florida, where he is a member, with six consecutive birdies for a 12-under-par 59 in the opening round of the Web.com Tour Championship.

The 30-year-old American hit 14 greens and needed only 20 putts, including a 10-footer at the last, to grab a three-shot lead heading into Friday's second round.

"It was fun. You know, it was a good time out there and it was a real special day. Certainly memorable," said Saunders, whose round was three days removed from the one-year anniversary of Palmer's death.

Saunders, who started on the back nine, birdied his first three holes and the only blemish on his card came at the par-three 15th where he made bogey en route to an five-under 31 after nine holes.

He birdied seven of his final eight holes to put himself in solid position of being fully exempt for next season on the PGA Tour, where he had two top-10 finishes from 24 events during the 2016-17 season and finished 129th in the FedExCup standings.

"Tomorrow will really help with the familiarity of the golf course," said Saunders, who will be playing again with friend Steve Wheatcroft and Japan's Ryo Ishikawa in the second round.

"I'm not going to be too stressed, hopefully have fun and shoot a low one tomorrow."

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Tibet To Bar Foreign Visitors In October

Tibet To Bar Foreign Visitors In October - Travel to Tibet will be closed for 10 days in October for foreign travellers.

Between Oct 18 and 28, foreign travellers will be barred from entering the country.

Though the Tibet Tourism Bureau has not released an official announcement, several local travel agencies report receiving the notice earlier this month.

The reason for the closure is due to the meeting of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, in Beijing next month.

During the sensitive, high-level talks, Tibetan borders will be closed to foreigners, while visitors travelling the country during that period will likewise be required to leave by Oct 17.

Alternate arrangements should be made with local agencies.

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It’s World Heart Day, Here’s How To Strengthen Your Heart And Live Longer

It’s World Heart Day, Here’s How To Strengthen Your Heart And Live Longer - Today (Sept 29) is marks World Heart Day 2017.

What does this mean for you?

The day aims to remind and encourage you to be heart healthy and cut your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes heart attack and stroke.

CVD is the world’s number one killer, causing 17.5 million deaths each year, with the figure expected to rise to 23 million by 2030.

The good news is that many cases of CVD can be prevented with some daily lifestyle changes. Here we round up some of the ways that everyone can manage their heart health on World Heart Day and all year round.

Get to know your heart

Book a visit to your doctor or healthcare professional to get to know how healthy your heart is and any lifestyle changes that you need to make.

It’s good idea to find out your blood pressure, which is the number-one risk factor for CVD and known as the “silent killer” because it usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many are unaware that they have it.

Also have your blood glucose levels checked as high blood glucose could indicate diabetes, which if left undiagnosed and untreated can also put you at a higher risk of CVD and stroke.

Also check your cholesterol levels, weight, and body mass index (BMI) to help ensure your heart is healthy.

Eat heart-healthy food

Aim to include five portions of fruit and vegetables in your daily diet, with each portion equivalent to around a handful of fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit and vegetables.

Avoid processed and prepackaged foods which are often high in fat, sugar, and salt, and try to make your own healthy meals for lunch at school or work.

Cut down on sugary fruit juices and drink water instead, and keep your alcohol intake within recommended guidelines.

Kick the habit

Stopping smoking is the single best thing anyone can do to improve their heart health.

Within two years of quitting the risk of CVD is significantly reduced, and within 15 years returns to that of a non-smoker.

Exposure to secondhand smoke also increases the risk of heart disease in those around you, so by quitting you’ll also help improve the health of friends and family.

If you’re struggling to kick the habit don’t suffer in silence, seek out the support of those around you and help from a medical professional.

Move more

Physical inactivity is another contributor to CVD, as it can lead to unhealthy weight gain, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity five times a week can help cut this risk, with brisk walking, jogging, swimming and cycling all great choices.

Making everyday changes such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking instead of driving are also easy ways to get more active. 

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U.S. Justice Department, FBI Resist Lawmaker Demands For 'Trump Dossier' Files - Officials

U.S. Justice Department, FBI Resist Lawmaker Demands For 'Trump Dossier' Files - Officials - The U.S. Justice Department and the FBI are resisting demands from a Republican lawmaker to hand over documents about a former British spy's dossier on purported Russian support for Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, because the FBI has its own open criminal investigation, officials said.

The U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee issued subpoenas in August seeking "any and all documents" about both agencies' dealings with former MI6 officer Christopher Steele, according to a letter seen by Reuters from committee chairman Devin Nunes, a Trump supporter.

Steele compiled the so-called Trump dossier, which Trump was told by FBI director James Comey contained salacious material about the businessman-turned president. Trump and his associates have said the dossier's contents were false.

Law enforcement and congressional officials said that the Justice Department and the FBI were reluctant to comply with the demand for documents as the FBI had its own probe, under the supervision of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, into U.S. allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign to tilt the November election in Trump's favour.

Moscow has repeatedly denied meddling and Trump has denied any collusion between his campaign and Russian officials.

Two officials said Nunes met with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein behind closed doors on Thursday to discuss the subpoenas.

"The Deputy Attorney General is meeting with Nunes as part of an ongoing negotiation over what information DOJ will provide or how it will be provided," a Justice Department official said.

The FBI declined to comment on anything to do with Nunes' request. A spokesman for Nunes declined to comment.

According to a Sept. 1 letter Nunes sent to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the subpoenas demand that the department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation produce all documents related to their "relationship" with Steele and the "so-called 'Trump Dossier".

Such documents, the letter said, would include any payments the FBI made to Steele, and any efforts the government made to corroborate the contents of Steele's reports.

Sessions recused himself earlier this year from the Russia investigation. Nunes publicly recused himself from leading the Russia probe in April following a secret visit he paid to White House officials.

Democrats on the committee said Republicans issued the subpoenas in an attempt to discredit Steele. Republicans say it is important to understand the genesis of the dossier and whether it was created to sabotage Trump during his successful campaign for president.

Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee has also been battling with the Justice Department for months over its request to interview two FBI officials about Trump's dismissal in May of Comey as FBI chief, according to letters from the committee and the department.

The department twice refused to allow them to testify, according to the letters. On Sept. 22, it agreed that it would be "appropriate" for the officials to testify provided that it would be in a classified setting and did not interfere with Mueller's inquiry.

The Senate panel's chairman, Charles Grassley, had told reporters on Sept. 20 that the committee had begun drafting subpoenas to compel the testimony. In another letter dated Sept. 27, the conditions of the testimony still appeared to be in dispute

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Trading Ideas: Damansara Realty, Kimlun, MCE, George Kent

Trading Ideas: Damansara Realty, Kimlun, MCE, George Kent - JF Apex Research expects Damansara Realty

, Kimlun, MCE and George Ken to be among the stocks to watch on Friday following their latest corporate news.

The research house also expects Jaycorp, Kim Loong Resources and SYF to generate trading interest today.

Damansara Realty has secured the renewal of five contracts from Telekom Malaysia Bhd

image: https://cdn.thestar.com.my/Themes/img/chart.png

 for integrated facilities management (IFM) services worth RM5mil.

Kimlun has been awarded a RM50mil contract to build a connecting road to the Tanjung Langsat–Cahaya Baru Toll Connecting Highway in Johor.

George Kent’s net profit for the second quarter ended July 31, 2017 rose 24% year-on-year thanks to higher contribution from both its engineering and metering divisions.

Jaycorp’s net profit for the fourth quarter ended July 31, 2017 rose 42.3% year-on-year on higher contribution from its furniture segment.

Kim Loong Resources recorded a 61.6% year-on-year jump in its 2QFY18 net profit on higher oil palm output and prices.

SYF’s net profit for the fourth quarter ended July 31 fell 43.4% year-on-year due to higher raw material costs, and a shortage of raw materials and labour.

Overnight, the US markets  ended slightly higher with the S&P hitting a record high following optimism on Trump's tax reform plan.

Earlier, European stocks also climbed after the European Central Bank hinted it might extend its monetary policy.

“Following the bearish momentum, the FBM KLCI could extend its selldown towards the support of 1,750 points,” JF Apex said.

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Success Didn’t Come Easy For This Malaysian Actress

Success Didn’t Come Easy For This Malaysian Actress - Actress Nadia Brian is far from an overnight success.

After starring in 2015 primetime drama, Akulah Balqis, Nadia’s career seems to be on a meteoric rise. Not only is she starring in a steady stream of TV projects these days, she has made the leap to the big screen, with two films coming up.

But the 26-year-old actress reveals she has been going to auditions since she was 17 and only landed her first acting role two years ago on Akulah Balqis.

“I was still a (performing arts) student back then. My acting wasn’t very good and sometimes the characters weren’t suited for me. I got rejected a lot,” she tells Star2 candidly.

After SPM, Nadia spent years honing her craft as an actress, pursuing a diploma in performing arts while auditioning for acting roles and modelling part-time.

It was on one such modelling assignment that doors to her acting dreams finally flung open.

“Erma Fatima had called me in for a modelling job. After we were done with the shoot, she said ‘You’re going to start acting after this.’ That’s how Akulah Balqis came about,” she recalls the moment the revered actress and director, who wrote and produced the drama, gave her the chance.

“It was a small role at first but as the script writing process was still ongoing, my character became bigger and bigger.”

Nadia, who is of Malay and Australian parentage, has completed shooting her first film, Mak, starring opposite acting heavyweights Wan Hanafi Su and Remy Ishak.

She is also looking forward to her lead role in the horror-thriller Blok 404, a reboot of a local film of the same name, due at the end of the year.

1. Your road to becoming an actress wasn’t easy. What lessons did you learn about the craft along the way?

A lot of people say, “Nadia, you’re pretty, you can be a lead actress.” It’s not like that. There are a lot of beautiful people out there but what’s special about you?

When you become an actress, you have to be smart. It’s not just about saying your lines. You have to work with the camera, work with your on-screen partner, think about lighting.

And you have to always ask yourself, “Who is this character?” You have to create a backstory for your character. If you don’t have one, the audience will sense that your acting is fake.

2. You modelled quite a bit when you were a university student. Does being a model help you as an actress?

As an actress, you have to know why you are standing in a certain position. Every move you make, there must be a reason. In the same way, in modelling, you have to know why you are posing a certain way. Maybe it’s the best angle to show off your legs.

So, when you keep doing that, you won’t be awkward in front of the camera. Starting out as an actress immediately, of course, it will be awkward. You have to learn to be comfortable in front of the camera, and I learned that through modelling.

3. After struggling for so long, how does it feel to finally taste success?

I thank God. I think if you work hard and take good care of your family and loved ones, it will all pay off in the end. And you have to continue on. When you get (that success), be serious about what you do.

4. What’s up next?

I will be hosting a fashion programme, Jom Fesyen. I want to do something different. I want to embark on a new learning process; hosting, and fashion is close to my heart.

5. What’s your dream acting role?

I want to play a superhero. In Malaysia, you have Cicakman but he’s a male superhero. Why not have a female superhero too?

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Louisville Basketball Coach Pitino Put On Leave Amid Bribe Scandal

Louisville Basketball Coach Pitino Put On Leave Amid Bribe Scandal - University of Louisville basketball head coach Rick Pitino was placed on administrative leave in the wake of a federal bribery investigation, the university's interim president said on Wednesday.

Pitino, a Hall of Fame coach who steered the Cardinals to a national championship in 2013, was placed on unpaid leave a day after a probe alleged that coaches with four college basketball programs participated in a scheme to pay recruits' families.

"While the investigation is continuing and no charges have been filed against the University of Louisville or any of its employees, the allegations are serious," Louisville's interim president, Greg Postel, told a news conference.

"It is vital for this university to strictly adhere to NCAA rules and enforce federal law. Doing nothing would be a tacit endorsement of unethical and criminal behaviour," he added.

Postel said Pitino's employment with the men's program will be reviewed at a later date and that he hopes to name an interim replacement for him and athletic director Tom Jurich, who was also put on leave, in the next 48 hours.

The scandal, which has rocked college basketball, involves at least four men's assistant college coaches from around the country and an Adidas AG executive.

Pitino's lawyers said in a statement their client was effectively fired.

The lawyers said information disclosed in the investigation is insufficient to implicate Pitino in any type of misconduct or other activity that would violate the terms of his contract.

"Coach Pitino has done nothing wrong and there is no evidence to suggest otherwise. The rush to judgment is regrettable," the statement said.

This is the latest scandal during Pitino's 16-year stint with Louisville.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association sanctioned the school after investigating the use of strippers and prostitutes to attract players to the men's basketball program. The team must vacate wins that could include the 2013 national title. The university is appealing the NCAA's decision.

Pitino also admitted in 2009 to having sex with the wife of a Louisville equipment manager, and having paid for her to have an abortion. Pitino said he was being extorted, and the woman was later convicted.

Pitino, 65, took over at Louisville after spending four seasons with the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics. Prior to that he was a coach at the University of Kentucky, where he led the men's basketball program back to prominence and won a national title in 1996.

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You Can Hike The Inca Trail To Machu Picchu From Oct 1

You Can Hike The Inca Trail To Machu Picchu From Oct 1 - If you’re planning to trek Machu Picchu’s Inca Trail in 2018, you’ll want to bookmark October 1 in your agenda, as permits will be released a full four months ahead of normal schedule. While the first batch of permits are normally released in January for travel that same year, the Ministry of Culture will be pushing that date up to October 1, reports The Guardian.

Last year, the first permits for 2017 were also released one month earlier in December.

While 500 permits are available a day, that number includes passes for guides, cooks and other trek members — permits are snatched up quickly.

Travellers are advised to book early.

Peak months for the trek are June, July and August.

While the four-day Classic Inca Trail is the most popular way to explore the Lost City of the Incas, travellers can also trek to the mystical site without a permit.

The alternative Salkantay route is an ancient and remote footpath, that crosses the Salkantay Pass at 4,600m above sea level, descends into cloud forests and likewise offers a view of Machu Picchu.

Earlier this spring, the government also introduced two new entry periods for visitors aimed at improving the flow of tourists, reducing wait times and congestion. The first opens at 6am and closes at noon, the second opens at noon and closes at 5.30pm.

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A New Dual-Action Drug For High Cholesterol

A New Dual-Action Drug For High Cholesterol - MSD Malaysia recently announced the approval of its new drug to lower cholesterol in Malaysia.

The drug (ezetimibe and atorvastatin) has a dual mechanism of action: it treats the two main sources of cholesterol in the blood by inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract (through ezetimibe) and the production of cholesterol in the liver (atorvastatin).

The once-daily combination tablet is indicated to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and a history of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), either previously treated with statins or not.

The drug is indicated as an adjunctive therapy to diet for use in adults with primary (heterozygous familial and non-familial) hypercholesterolaemia or mixed hyperlipidaemia in patients not appropriately controlled with a statin alone or already treated with a statin and ezetimibe.

It is also indicated as adjunctive therapy to diet for use in adults with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia.

Understanding cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is produced in the liver and can also be found in foods from animal sources, such as meat, poultry and full-fat dairy products.

More cholesterol is produced by the liver when a person eats a diet high in saturated and trans fats.

The human body needs cholesterol to build cell membranes, make certain hormones and produce compounds that aid in fat digestion.

However, excess cholesterol can form plaque between layers of artery walls, making it harder for the heart to circulate blood. Plaque can break open and cause blood clots. If a clot blocks an artery that feeds the brain, it causes a stroke. If it blocks an artery that feeds the heart, it causes a heart attack.

“Hypercholesterolaemia is asymptomatic whereby patients will not experience any symptoms. Most patients are not aware that their cholesterol level is high and the only way to detect this is through routine screening.

“Thus, if left unchecked, hypercholesterolaemia may lead to various cardiovascular (CVS) diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. Without treatment, a CVS attack can lead to serious health problems or even death,” explained consultant cardiologist Tan Sri Dr Robaayah Zambahari at the launch of the drug.

According to the National Health & Morbidity Survey 2015, the overall prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia (known and undiagnosed) among adults of 18 years and above in Malaysia was 47.7%.

There was a general increasing trend with age, from 22.0% in the 18-19 years age group, reaching a peak of 68.8% among the 55-59 years age group.

Along with a healthy diet, statins are the first-line lipid-lowering therapy to reduce high LDL (LDL-C; bad cholesterol) cholesterol levels in patients when drug therapy is appropriate.

More than half of the participants, particularly in patients at highest CVS risk, including those with CHD or diabetes in the REALITY Asia study did not accomplish recommended levels of LDL-C.

Among the small group of patients whose statin dose was up-titrated, 56% of them did not achieve their cholesterol goal of less than 100mg/dl LDL-C after 12 months of therapy.

When the target of less than 70mg/dl was considered, approximately 72% of patients with CHD or diabetes failed to achieve this goal after their statin doses were up-titrated.

“Recent guidelines state that there is evidence suggesting that lower LDL-C level is associated with fewer CV events; the greater the LDL-C reduction, the greater the CVS risk reduction.

“These benefits related to LDL-C reduction are not specific to statin therapy. Therefore, it seems appropriate to reduce LDL-C as low as possible, at least in patients at very high CVS risk,” observed consultant cardiologist Dr David Quek during the launch.

Effective therapy

The new drug has been shown in multiple studies to effectively lower LDL-C.

In a six-week, multicentre, double-blind, randomised, parallel-group study, 196 patients with hypercholesterolaemia who were treated for six weeks were shown to have significantly greater LDL-C reduction, compared with doubling the dose of atorvastatin.

In the IMPROVE-IT study with 18,144 ACS patients, the treatment with ezetimibe/simvastatin provided incremental benefit in reducing the primary composite endpoints of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, documented unstable angina that required hospitalisation, any coronary revascularisation procedure occurring at least 30 days after randomised treatment assignment and non-fatal stroke compared with simvastatin alone (relative risk reduction of 6.4%).

This incremental benefit is expected to be similar with the new drug, which is the coadministration of ezetimibe and atorvastatin.

“The launch of this new therapy enables healthcare professionals to think beyond statin monotherapy when treating patients struggling to achieve their cholesterol level goals.

“The combination of ezetimibe and atorvastatin represents a new breakthrough, which MSD hopes will address the critical unmet needs of patients in Malaysia,” said Chris Tan, Managing Director and Zone Leader for MSD Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei after the official launch.

The drug has been evaluated for safety in more than 2,400 patients in seven clinical trials. It was generally well tolerated, with common side effects including diarrhoea and myalgia.

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Yosemite Rock Fall kills At Least One Person, Hurts Another

Yosemite Rock Fall kills At Least One Person, Hurts Another - At least one person was killed and another hurt on Wednesday when a rockslide from the famed El Capitan granite monolith in Yosemite National Park in California rained boulders onto a popular hiking trail, a park spokesman said.

Search and rescue teams responded to the scene following the incident shortly before 2 p.m. pacific time and were assessing the situation, along with a park helicopter, Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman said in a statement.

Gediman said crews were working to transport the injured person to a hospital. He said no further details were immediately available.

The rocks appeared to have fallen from an area near the popular "Waterfall Route" climbing trail on the east buttress of El Capitan during an active time for hiking in the popular national park.

Yosemite remained open and visitor services were not affected, Gediman said.

El Capitan is one of the best-known landmarks in Yosemite and a world-class challenge for rock-climbers.

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Palm Sheds Early Gains Tracking Overnight Losses In Rival Soyoil

Palm Sheds Early Gains Tracking Overnight Losses In Rival Soyoil - Malaysian palm oil futures erased earlier gains to end the trading day slightly lower on Wednesday evening, tracking overnight losses in soyoil on the Chicago Board of Trade.

The benchmark palm oil contract for December delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange fell 0.1 percent to 2,747 ringgit ($651) a tonne at the close of trade, its third drop in four  sessions. 

Traded volumes stood at 54,832 lots of 25 tonnes each in the evening.

Palm oil prices were tracking overnight CBOT soyoil prices, according to futures traders from Kuala Lumpur:

A weaker ringgit, the currency of trade for palm oil, usually makes palm oil cheaper for holders of foreign currencies. The currency slipped as much as 0.36 percent to 4.2200 per dollar, its weakest in nearly three weeks.

Another trader said in the evening that he expected the market to be "range trading", as investors are concerned that output could be lower than anticipated.

Palm oil production typically rises in the third and fourth quarters of the year, usually peaking in August or September.

Output this September however could be lower due to some national public holidays, traders said.

The December soybean oil contract on the Chicago Board of Trade gained up to 0.3 percent after closing down 1.6 percent in its previous session on better-than-expected yield reports from the U.S. midwest.

Palm oil prices slided after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it was seeking comments on a proposal to reduce biodiesel blending requirements into the domestic fuel supply. Soyoil is the primary feedstock for soy-based biodiesel fuel.

In other related oils, the January soybean oil contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange fell as much as 0.4 percent, while the January palm olein contract climbed up to 0.7 percent.

Palm oil prices are impacted by the performances of related edible oils as they compete for a share of the global vegetable oils market.

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Veteran Singer Roy May Be An Australian Now But Malaysia Is Always In His Heart

Veteran Singer Roy May Be An Australian Now But Malaysia Is Always In His Heart - Singer-composer Royston Sta Maria, who made Perth his home 29 years ago, has refashioned seven of his old songs in an album titled, Songs Of Love & Inspiration, which are sung by different singers this time round.

“The album is a collection of my favourite songs that I’ve composed over the years. The songs were recorded in Malaysia, Singapore and Perth, Australia, and sung by singers and musicians from these countries.

“The album is currently being sold through several churches and organisations in Perth and all proceeds will be donated to the various charities,” said the singer, fondly known as Roy, during a phone interview from Perth.

The songs were put together and sent for re-mastering at the Gingerbread Studios in Singapore last year. An English version of Mulanya Di Sini, Roy’s most popular composition to date, has also been included. The song was performed at the closing ceremony of the recent SEA games held in Kuala Lumpur.

Songs Of Love & Inspiration will be officially launched on Oct 15 in Melaka through his former school St. Francis Institution to raise money for the school’s various charities and scholarships. The fund will be called Lift A Hand & Light A Heart charity fund.

“I am just happy to have my compositions put together on a CD. I want to share my music with a new generation of music lovers and more importantly to raise money for the less fortunate. God gave me the gift of music for which I made a wonderful career in my life,” he said.

Big break

At 19, he joined his father’s band as a bass guitarist and performed nightly at the New Straits View Hotel in Johor Baru. He left for Kuala Lumpur after two years and worked in the nightclub scene, namely Tomorrow Disco in Merlin Hotel, KL.

He used to perform with household names like composer Fauzi Marzuki, Nasser Abu Kassim, Francis Danker and Radha Krishnan. However, his big break came after he was offered a recording contract with EMI in 1982.

And it was at the hotel that Royston met the young and talented vocalist Francissca Peter and eventually formed the dynamic Roy & Fran. The duo churned many memorable hits like Siapa Dia Sebelum Daku, Tak Kenal Maka Tak Cinta and Bersama Pertemuan Ini

Songs Of Love & Inspiration is an easy-listening album that consists of mostly love songs while the lyrics are about inspiration, believing in yourself, following your dreams and not give up in life even when things get tough. One of the songs on the album, Where Do We Go From Here is performed by Os Pombos. The song highlights the various land issues facing the Portuguese Settlement residents in Melaka. The issue raised in the song is close to their hearts.

“The development and high rise buildings are fast encroaching on the land of the Portuguese people who live nearby. The residents who are traditionally fisherman face an uphill battle to retain their land, culture and heritage. All the performers on this song grew up in the settlement too,” said Roy.

Unfulfilled dreams 

Roy now works at the Perth hotel and restaurant Miss Mauds and performs for private functions with his three-piece group called Eurasia.

“We do a lot of weddings for Malaysians who reside here and we meet a lot of tourists who come here for their holidays. I love to meet fellow Malaysians and talk about old times and keep in touch with the local scene,” said Roy who still has unfulfilled dreams.

At 65, Royston remains single.

“Yes I am still single and still hoping to meet my dream girl, except now sudah tua (already old) and getting more difficult to meet them. My other dream is to write another hit song like Mulanya Di Sini and I hope to do it before I turn 90,” he offered.

And he still misses Malaysia.

“I may be an Australian citizen now but I always tell people, ‘Hati saya masih orang Malaysia’ (deep down I’m a Malaysian). Thank God for Facebook and social media, I can keep in touch with the happenings back home. I do miss Malaysia especially when I hear our local songs, it reminds me of home,” said Roy.

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Aidil Zafuan Slapped With Four-Match Ban, Fined RM21,000 By AFC

Aidil Zafuan Slapped With Four-Match Ban, Fined RM21,000 By AFC - Malaysia will miss the services of national centre back Mohd Aidil Zafuan Abdul Razak (pic) for three remaining matches in the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup Qualifier after being slapped with a four-match ban by the AFC.

The AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee imposed the suspension on the Johor Darul Ta'zim player for abusive remarks on Australian referee Christopher Beath during Malaysia's 1-1 draw with Hong Kong in their qualifying match at the Hang Jebat Stadium on Sept 15.

AFC in their website; www.the-afc.com said the player was also fined US$5,000 (RM21,040) for violating Article 50.1, bringing the game into disrepute.

With the suspension, Aidil Zafuan will not play in three away matches involving Malaysia and North Korea in Pyongyang on Oct 5, Hong Kong (Oct 10) and against Lebanon in Beirut on March 27, 2018.

"The remaining one match suspension would be carried forward in accordance with Article 38.2.1 of the Code," AFC, said adding that the player will be handed a severe punishment if he repeated the same offence.

Besides Aidil Zafuan, another Malaysian player, Mohd Rizal Ghazali of Kedah also received the marching orders from Beath after receiving a second yellow card for protesting.

Malaysia are languishing at the bottom of Group B with one point after two matches.

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There’s A Beach Just For Babies In Germany

There’s A Beach Just For Babies In Germany - Ben is playing with a little green digger in the sand. His little sister Lea uses a spade to deposit some sand in her yellow bucket – and then goes running off, with her brother close behind.

But their father remains implacably relaxed as he watches them from his deckchair. After all, he’s at Germany’s first “baby beach”. What can go wrong?

Located in the North Sea beach resort of Butjadingen in Germany, this 250sq m man-made beach has been created from extra-fine, hypo-allergenic sand. Canopies have been erected to provide shade, and panes of safety glass keep the little cherubs sheltered from the wind – and stop them from running off.

There are no shards of glass, bottle tops or sharp-edged shells in the sand for parents to worry about.

“The children can’t get out – and more importantly, dogs can’t get in,” says Christel Frommberger, who is visiting the baby beach with her granddaughter Dora.

A few meters away, Ben and Lea have returned and their father, Christian Erlei, is playing with them in the sand. “It’s great that it is so sheltered here,” he says. “Ben always complains that he has sand in his eyes.”

A beach exclusively for babies may seem a bit excessive, but many parents find the idea intuitive and appealing. After all, babies can go to yoga, massage, music lessons or swimming lessons, and sip “babycinos” in chic cafes. There are concerts and even plays for babies. So why not a beach?

Of course, babies don’t really need their own beach to be happy. But according to paediatrician and writer Herbert Renz-Polster, the real benefit of the baby beach could be for the parents.

“Small children need happy and relaxed parents,” he says. And being able to relax on the beach without worrying about their child disappearing from view will certainly not do any harm to their stress levels. 

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