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Massimo Bottura named best chef in Italy Posted: 13 Oct 2012 02:11 AM PDT Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. — All rights reserved. NEW YORK, Oct 13 — An influential food guide in Italy has crowned Massimo Bottura the best chef in the country for the second time. Guida Espresso 2013 gave the Modena chef a score of 19.75 out of 20 for his artful, contemporary cuisine at the recently renovated Osteria Francescana, also holder of three Michelin stars. This year, the address was also ranked the fifth best in the world in Restaurant magazine's World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards, which applauded the chef for striking a balance between the demands of tradition and modernity. Bottura is known for playing with themes of deconstruction. Not far behind is La Pergola, the only eatery in Rome to boast all three Michelin stars. The hotel restaurant for the Rome Cavalieri at the Waldorf Astoria, the fine dining destination boasts a wine cellar with 53,000 bottles and a water menu with 29 choices. Le Calandre in Rubano, which highlights regional dishes with a contemporary flair, was also named one of the top restaurants in the country. Meanwhile, the top-scoring performer in the restaurant guide was not a chef but a wine, the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio di Sotto which was given a perfect score of 20 out of 20. — AFP-Relaxnews

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McLaren wary of Webber ‘riding shotgun’ for Vettel Posted: 13 Oct 2012 07:43 AM PDT YEONGAM, South Korea, Oct 13 — McLaren's Jenson Button today dismissed, with a broad smile and theatrical nod of the head, Red Bull rival Mark Webber's chances of winning the Korean Grand Prix tomorrow. Australian Webber will line up on pole position with teammate and double Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel alongside. Button (left) high-fives fans before an autograph signing session in Yeongam. — Reuters pic Vettel is four points behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso with five races remaining and 56 ahead of Webber. Asked whether he expected Webber to "ride shotgun" for the German, allowing Vettel to pass and build up an advantage while keeping others behind him, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said he doubted it. "I don't think he will, do you?" said Whitmarsh. Button, sitting on a stool alongside, nodded vigorously to the assembled reporters. "I do," said the driver. "Well, I don't think he will willingly," added Whitmarsh. McLaren have Lewis Hamilton, fourth in the standings and 42 points behind Alonso, third on the starting grid and directly behind Webber. With Vettel on the "dirty" side of the track, and Webber not always the quickest driver off the grid, Hamilton will be looking to strike early. So-called "team orders" are legal in Formula One but Red Bull have so far resisted imposing them, or not had any need to. Button will have to play a more strategic race after qualifying 11th at a track where overtaking has not been straightforward in the past although the "DRS Zone" where the rear wing can be manually operated for more straight-line speed has been extended in distance. "As soon as the field spreads out, I think you'll see more overtaking than in previous years," said Button. "There's quite a lot of degradation with the tyres, so I think people will be doing different strategies. "I'm hoping there's going to be a lot of fighting and overtaking." — Reuters

Australian White admits to doping within Armstrong team Posted: 13 Oct 2012 07:17 AM PDT PARIS, Oct 13 — Australian Matt White today stepped down as Orica-GreenEDGE sports director after admitting to doping while riding with Lance Armstrong's US Postal cycling team. "I am sad to say that I was part of a team where doping formed part of the team's strategy, and I too was involved in that strategy," White, who rode at US Postal from 2001-03, said in a statement. "Given my admissions above, I have been in contact with my employees and will be voluntarily standing down from my positions with the National Men's High Performance Program with Cycling Australia and as a Sports Director with GreenEDGE Cycling while inquiries into my case are conducted and the Board of Cycling Australia and GreenEDGE make a determination regarding my future with each organisation." On Wednesday, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) published a 1,000-page document that said Armstrong used banned substances and organised team doping during his career. Although he has denied any wrongdoing, Armstrong, who is set to lose his record seven Tour de France titles, has chosen not to fight the USADA charges before an arbitration panel. White, 38, was fired from the Garmin team in 2010 after allegedly sending rider Trent Lowe to consult with a doctor outside the team's frame, Spaniard Luis Garcia del Moral. Del Moral has been banned for life by USADA this year for his involvement in the Armstrong case. White said that cycling had dramatically changed over the past decade. "A lot has changed for the better, cycling is totally different now, and I have seen these changes as an athlete and also in management with my own eyes in the last decade," he said. "As a sport, cycling has received a lot of criticism regarding doping and rightfully so — but certain teams have also led the way in fighting an otherwise never ending battle to ensure that professional cycling can stay clean." — Reuters

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Jodie Foster to direct ‘Money Monster’ Posted: 12 Oct 2012 09:37 PM PDT LOS ANGELES, Oct 13 — Jodie Foster (picture) is getting back behind the camera to shoot indie movie Money Monster, according to IM Global. Foster (who directed The Beaver) is working on the project about a finance guru who is held hostage on his own show by a man who followed his bad investment advice. Money Monster will start shooting early in 2013 and casting has yet to be finalised. — AFP-Relaxnews

NBC and Sky dig Dracula out of the grave Posted: 12 Oct 2012 07:27 PM PDT Jonathan Rhys Meyers will portray Dracula in an upcoming British-American production. — AFP-Relaxnews pic LOS ANGELES, Oct 13 — Dracula is headed to 1890s London in a British-American production starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors) as the bloodthirsty count. The TV series found its showrunner and scriptwriter in Dan Knauf. The creator of Carnivale, a TV series that aired on HBO from 2003 to 2005, will be able to make good use of his experience with fantasy stories. His involvement should speed up the development process of Dracula, which still lacks a production start date. The series will be based on the cult Gothic novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, set in Victorian England. In the story, the vampire, freshly arrived in London in the 1890s as an American entrepreneur, seeks vengeance against those who ruined his life centuries earlier. His encounter with a woman who bears a striking resemblance to his deceased wife upsets his plans. The shooting is set to start before the end of the year. Dracula will benefit from the expertise of the producers of Downton Abbey, the acclaimed historical TV series from Britain. Comic strip author Cole Haddon (The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde) penned the script for the series' ten episodes. — AFP-Relaxnews

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Awang Adek saran mesin ATM berisiko dirompak dipindah ke kawasan selamat Posted: 13 Oct 2012 02:51 AM PDT BACHOK, 13 Okt — Kementerian Kewangan mahu pihak bank yang mempunyai mesin pengeluaran wang automatik (ATM) di kawasan berisiko tinggi berlaku rompakan supaya segera memindahkannya ke kawasan lebih selamat. Timbalan Menterinya, Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin berkata pihak bank juga diwajibkan mengadakan mesin ATM yang baru bertaraf piawaian antarabangsa yang sukar dipecahkan. Pihak bank juga diwajibkan memasang sistem penggera yang dapat didengar dari jauh oleh pasukan keselamatan apabila ia dipecahkan, katanya. "Di samping itu mereka juga perlu memasang kamera litar tertutup (CCTV) dan kerap mengadakan rondaan oleh pasukan keselamatan," katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyampai elaun sara hidup kepada 540 nelayan, yang keseluruhan berjumlah lebih RM100,000 di Perupuk di sini hari ini. Turut hadir Pengarah Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia (LKIM) Kelantan, Wan Mohd Adnan Wan Ibrahim. Awang Adek berkata sehingga ini, sebanyak 17 kes rompakan mesin ATM telah dilaporkan dengan kerugian bernilai jutaan ringgit, yang sebilangan besarnya berlaku kerana pihak bank tidak melakukan ciri-ciri keselamatan yang mencukupi. "Malah bangunan yang tempatkan mesin ATM itu juga tidak dibina dengan mempunyai unsur kekebalan menyebabkan ia mudah dipecahkan," katanya. Beliau turut berkata kes mesin ATM dipecahkan jarang berlaku di negara lain dan kes yang berlaku di negara ini menghairankan para pakar keselamatan dalam dan luar negara dengan kejadian seperti ini mesti dibendung segera. — Bernama

Penuntut UPM diingatkan tidak terpengaruh tuntutan kebebasan bersuara, titah Sultan Selangor Posted: 13 Oct 2012 01:26 AM PDT Penuntut UPM diingatkan tidak terpengaruh tuntutan kebebasan bersuara, titah Sultan Selangor SERDANG, 13 Okt — Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah bertitah mengingatkan penuntut Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) supaya tidak terpengaruh dengan tuntutan kebebasan bersuara yang diperjuangkan segolongan pihak yang hanya mementingkan ideologi politik. Baginda yang juga Canselor UPM turut berharap agar mahasiswa tidak terjebak dengan budaya negatif seperti politik kepartian dalam kampus dan tidak terlalu taksub dalam mengikuti perkembangan politik semasa. "Beta berharap ilmu yang dipelajari dijadikan panduan dan pedoman untuk berjaya dengan cemerlang tanpa mengorbankan nilai-nilai yang menjadi teras masyarakat di negara ini," titah baginda pada majlis Konvokesyen UPM ke-36 di sini hari ini. Baginda turut mengingatkan mahasiswa mengenai objektif utama memasuki institusi pengajian tinggi adalah untuk memartabatkan ilmu pengetahuan dan menjadikan mereka lebih matang dalam menangani apa jua masalah. "Justeru para graduan perlu sentiasa mencintai dan menjaga nama baik UPM di mana sahaja mereka berada walaupun selepas tamat pengajian," titah baginda. Sultan Sharafuddin bertitah mahasiswa dan juga alumni UPM perlu mempunyai jiwa dan semangat patriotik yang tinggi kepada negara dan tidak sewenang-wenangnya mempermainkan kedaulatan negara mahupun melakukan perkara yang boleh menjejaskan imej negara. Baginda juga mengingatkan mahasiswa supaya tidak terlibat dalam gejala negatif seperti rasuah, tidak amanah dan menyalahgunakan kuasa yang secara tidak langsung boleh menjatuhkan imej universiti. — Bernama

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Umno-BN terdesak menamatkan sistem kronisme AP penjualan CPO? Posted: 12 Oct 2012 08:54 PM PDT 13 OKT — Keputusan Cabinet semalam untuk menurunkan cukai ekspot minyak sawit mentah (CPO) dan menamatkan quota AP penjualan CPO tanpa cukai sebanyak 5 juta metric tan, pastinya mengizinkan pelbagai pihak, khasnya pengilang penapis kelapa sawit (refiners) menarik nafas lega. Perkara ini adalah sebahagian isu yang saya bangkitkan dalam ucapan perbahasan Belanjawaan saya pada hari Khamis lalu, yang mendesak kerajaan supaya segera mengambil tindakan segera atas isu ini. Saya telah tegaskan dalam perbahasan bahawa Kementerian Perladangan dan Komoditi mesti mengubah ke struktur duti ekspot yang rendah, fleksibel dan terbuka supaya syarikat penapisan minyak sawit Malaysia boleh berdaya saing dengan Indonesia. Malaysia sebelum ini mengenakan duti ekspot 23 peratus yang tidak fleksible atas CPOnya, berbanding Indonesia yang bukan sahaja serendah 13.5 peratus tetapi mempunyai regim duti ekspot yang fleksible mengikut pergerakan harga CPO dunia. Krisis isu penapisan minyak sawit ini bermula pada bulan Oktober tahun lepas. Seharusnya masalah ini di selesaikan secepat mungkin, tetapi Kementerian gagal mengambil apa-apa tidakan selama 10 bulan. Menjadi lebih parah lagi apabila dua bulan lalu, Kementerian bertindak dengan meningkatkan jumlah kuota AP minyak sawit sebanyak 2 juta metric tan lagi.  Peningkatan AP minyak sawit ini bukan merupakan satu langkah yang bijak, tetapi telah memburukan lagi situasi yang sudah teruk. Ini disebabkan kebanyakkan kuota diberi kepada syarikat syarikat yang memang tak berupaya untuk menjual CPO. Penambahan 2 juta metrik tan CPO kepada pasaran yang sudah lembap nyata gagal menarik minat pembeli-pembeli baru. Menteri Tan Sri Bernard Dompok minggu lalu mengakui dalam penerangangnya kepada media bahawa masih ada 2.5 juta metrik tan AP yang tak terjual.  Malah penambahan AP ini telah menyebabkan satu situasi dimana CPO tidak dapat di hantar kepada pembeli kerana tangki-tangki minyak sawit di loji-loji penapisan dan pelabuhan-pelabuhan sudah sesak penuh dengan minyak kelapa sawit yang telah diproses, tetapi tak terjual.  Kesesakan logisitik ini mencetuskan satu "backlog" yang bukan sahaja "mencekik" industri hilir tetapi telah merebak ke industri huluan serentak menyebabkan rantaian bekalan lumpuh (choked the supply chain). Ramai pengusaha sawit termasuk Palm Oil Refiners Association of Malaysia (PORAM) dan pengusaha kilang sawit bahawa tangki-tangki di kilang sawit (oil mills) kini sudah pun dekat penuh, dan pengeluar dan peneroka FFB (fresh fruit bunches) dipaksa untuk menjual buah-buahan mereka kepada pengilang dengan harga murah dan dengan diskaun.  Ramai pemerhati industri sawit juga percaya bahawa dasar penambahan 2 juta AP tanpa duti ekspot ini adalah factor utama yang menyebabkan kejatuhan harga CPO yang mendadak baru-baru ini. Dalam perbahasan Belanjawaan saya yang menekankan betapa kerajaan Umno-BN terus-terusan enggan dan tidak bersedia merungkaikan system monopoli, sistem rentier atau kronisme yang sebenarnya beperanan mengherot pasaran yang seharusnya mesti diiznkan berfungsi secara efisien dan berkesan. Sistem menopoli secara jelasnya adalah petualang besar yang merosakkan pasaran sekaligus, menjejaskan pendapatan rakyat dan meningkatkan kos saran hidup. Monopoli dan memberi keutamaan kepda kroni dalam pelbagai urus-tadbir perniagaan termasuk beras, gula, telekomunikasi, akhbar, penerbangan, media satelit seperti Astro, lessen teksi, dll, secara langsung menjejaskan kos saran hidup rakyat dan mengurangkan pendapatan boleh berbelanja mereka (disposable income).  Atas nama ketelusan dan kebertangungjawaban saya juga mendesak Kementerian mendedahkan nama-nama penerima AP yang telah mendapat menfaatkan dari sistem pemberian hak menjual tanpa duti ekspot disamping yang merupakan the big-boys (KLK, IOI, Kwantas, FELDA, United Plantation) yang telah diberikan AP dahulu untuk membantu mereka supaya menjadi lebih kompetitif kerana mempunyai kilang penapis di luar negara. Persoalannya siapakah pihak penerima AP penjualan CPO yang lain, yang ada yang mendakwa, seperti AP kereta juga, yang tidak ada apa-apa pengopersian kilang mahupun "network" marketing global, tetapi diberikan AP hampir 600 ribu tan setahun dan membuat keuntungan ratusan jutaan atas perniagaan seperti ini. Berapa jutakah diberikan kembali kepada penguasa politik pemerintah dalam urus-tadbir yang mengherot pasaran ini? Persoalan kedua, meskipun bersifat teknikal, adalah mengapakah perlu tunggu sehingga awal tahun depan untuk merungkaikan sistem AP yang jelas telah mencekik industry dan rakyat dinegara ini? Dua bulan lebih adalah masa yang panjang yang akan memburukkan lagi keadaan backlog yang telah "stroke"kan seluruh "supply chain" komoditi ini. Jelasnya ketika berlaku pertentangan kepentingan, Umno-BN lebih mementingkan kroninya dari membela rakyat, peneroka, pengusaha dan membantu membangunkan industri-industi di negara ini.  Masa untuk merobah dan menamatkan kesemua kebejatan dan kebobrokan urus-tadbir kewangan dan pembangunan yang mengorbankan rakyat dan membela kroni telah sampai! * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

More than just the right to vote Posted: 12 Oct 2012 04:31 PM PDT OCT 13 — There's more to women's rights than just the right to vote. Though universal suffrage for a number of developing countries remains an elusive and long fought battle for many women, we are fortunate that in Malaysia this fundamental right as a citizen has been secured almost from the very onset of the birth of this country, as rightly pointed out by the prime minister.  But I hope he doesn't forget that it was the pioneers of the women's rights movement back in the pre-Merdeka days who utilised the power of politics to secure that right and to ensure that the voice of women would not only be heard and counted, it would also help shape the future of the country and its people. The women's rights movement in Malaysia has a proud history and whose work continues on to this day. I am absolutely certain that women such as Tun Dr Fatimah Hashim (of Kaum Ibu and a former Cabinet member), Khadijah Sidek (of Kaum Ibu Umno and Kaum Ibu PAS) and Tan Sri Aishah Ghani (also a former Cabinet member) would have been appalled and would have disagreed with this assessment of the women's rights movement in Malaysia. A woman's right to vote is not an end in itself. The vote provides a way to participate and the means to an end which is the improvement and betterment of women and society in Malaysia. There continues to be much which needs to be done and, based on recent history, most of it depends on the voice of women carried forth through the organisations which form the substance of the women's rights movement. We cannot just depend nor place the burden solely on the government. The right to vote, unfortunately, does not directly bequeath upon a person the ability to put food on the table, provide the means to bring up a family or result in an improvement in the quality of life. Perhaps a better understanding of the status and quality of life for women in Malaysia is needed. If that's the case, for a spot of bedtime reading, may I recommend the alternative report written to assess the government's progress in implementing the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)? Recently launched, its chapters document not only areas where we have progressed in improving the lives of women in Malaysia but also, just as importantly, where we continue to fall short. It's like a report card for Malaysia. Please do read it. It's a real page turner. Why is an alternative report written by NGOs the only report available as opposed to a government progress report on CEDAW? Unfortunately, the answer to that is despite the fact that the Malaysian government acceded to the convention in July 1995, it has only reported to the CEDAW Committee once. The government, led by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, prepared a combined first and second report in 2004 and appeared before the committee in 2006. The government is obligated by the convention to submit a report to the CEDAW Committee every four years. Yet, it has not done so and the next report was due four years ago. Hence, in the continued absence of the government report, the women's rights NGOs decided to submit the alternative report. When we read the report, we will realise why we cannot afford to wait the years for the government to naturally become aware of the issues highlighted and to take action. The government needs and depends on the women's rights movement to highlight these concerns for it to address. Take a look at the report and you will see issues and concerns related to the participation of women in the workforce as well as in politics and decision making; the practice and implementation of laws which discriminate women; the problems of teenage pregnancies and maternal mortality; the continued practice of child marriage; the sexual abuse of women and girls in east Malaysia; gender-based violence; and many other issues of concern to the women in Malaysia. Much of the advancement on women's rights in Malaysia can be credited to the advocacy work done by civil society organisations working hard to convince and work with the government on various initiatives such as gender discrimination and domestic violence. This symbiosis has and will continue to make an impact on the lives of millions of women in Malaysia. No leader in a democratic country can ever afford to lose the support and participation of women. In a previous article, I indicated that we must listen and respond better to the needs of women and girls. The women's rights movement is an essential component to that commitment. We must do better. Let's not be complacent and take women, and their vote, for granted. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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