Copenhagen shootings: Shooter’s neighbourhood no stranger to gang warfare |
- Copenhagen shootings: Shooter’s neighbourhood no stranger to gang warfare
- Tories want young Britons to make meals in return for benefits
- Fight among dragons, robots, trolls for animation Oscar
- Thai group bids for Berlusconi’s US$4.09b Milan stake
- Morocco closes airspace to Libyan planes, suspends Libya flights for security reasons
- New manager Sherwood plans to keep Villa at the top
| Copenhagen shootings: Shooter’s neighbourhood no stranger to gang warfare Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:03 PM PST
Blighted by protests and gang warfare, the area is a cauldron of cultures and ethnicities in sharp contrast to more homogenous regions of Copenhagen and has suffered from a bad, some residents would say overblown, reputation. The suspect, named by media on Sunday as Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, was shot right by the Norrebro train station on the corner of a busy intersection marked by brightly lit shawarma grilled meat cafes, currency exchanges and other shops. It is an area of contrasts ― red-brick housing estates stand next to 100-year-old tenement buildings and a green strip of parks, sports pitches and bicycle lanes runs through its heart. A busy Christian community centre is streets away from Denmark's first purpose-built mosque, opened just last summer. Residents piled up flowers outside the synagogue where one of the two people killed in the attacks was shot and the site was visited by Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who called the shootings a terrorist attack. In Norrebro however, there was a sense of a community under siege ― the media descended on the place where the suspect was killed in a shootout with police and residents passed by quickly, avoiding the cameras. Many declined to speak ― women in hijabs or niqabs walked around the film crews. "I think what we have here is so stupid. We have one person killing two other people. Of course it's bad. But next time I pass by here, it's not going to mean anything to me," said 24-year-old Heider, a media student, rejecting religious links to the attack. "The thing is how much attention has the media paid to this? What about the events in Nigeria a couple of months ago when 500 died ― no one heard a thing," he said. When asked about his roots, he shoots back: "I'm Danish!". 'I'm not a terrorist' Residents of Norrebro appeared resigned to the media onslaught, which they say will tarnish the neighbourhood's reputation further after the area was known for protests against housing policies in what used to be a squalid workers' area. In the 1970s, squatters took over buildings, the hippy movement flourished and from the 1980s onwards an influx of refugees came from conflicts in Iran and Iraq, Pakistan, Morocco and Yugoslavia. Now over a quarter of Norrebro's residents are immigrants or children of immigrants. Gang fought gang, in turf warfare particularly between the Hell's Angels and new immigrant groups. Gunfire in Norrebro was not unusual, although residents say that is now a thing of the past. But while the area appears run down, there is a clear sense of community and a pride in its tumultuous history. A Norrebro local committee member, Mogens Petersen, smiles and shrugs as he recounts decades of protests and years of shootings. "We haven't been polarised yet. I think that could happen out where there aren't any foreigners. When you live together, you're not so afraid of each other," he said. "There's lunatics all over but it's not my neighbour, it's not where I buy my vegetables," he said. The suspect shooter was known to police precisely because of his connections to gangs. El-Hussein was convicted two months ago of a violent assault against a commuter on a train in 2013. Local media said he was the son of Palestinian immigrants who argued aggressively about the Israel-Palestinian conflict, had a short fuse, but had not shown signs of radicalisation that could lead to an attack. While most residents preferred to say nothing, an articulate 16-year-old student, who did not wish to give his name but who had moved here as a child from the Middle East, spoke of his anger at the events. "Those who come out and shoot people, just because of some stupid cartoons, I am completely against. The prophet, praise be upon him, has been drawn for hundreds of years," he said. "Those extremist should be isolated. They are just making a bad image for Muslims. I am not that image that the whole media wants to show, that I am a bad man, that I want to fight every one, that I am a terrorist." ― Reuters  |
| Tories want young Britons to make meals in return for benefits Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:02 PM PST
Unemployed 18-to-21-year-olds not enrolled in education or training will have to carry out 30 hours of community service and 10 hours of job searching each week under the proposed Community Work Programme, according to a statement from Cameron's office. So-called NEETs between age 18 and 21 account for 10 per cent of all jobless-benefit claims, the statement said. With the race for the May 7 general election neck-and-neck, Cameron is trying to win voters by taking a tough approach to welfare, which accounts for about 30 per cent of total government spending. The opposition Labour Party announced its own proposals to boost the economy yesterday with a plan to guarantee an apprenticeship for every school leaver with the necessary grades. "We want to get rid of that well-worn path from the school gate, down to the Job Center, and onto a life on benefits," Cameron said in the statement. "From day one, they must realise that welfare is not a one-way street. Yes, we will help them, but there is no more something for nothing." An ICM poll yesterday put the Tories four points ahead Labour, though other surveys over the past week give Labour the edge. Neither is expected to win an outright parliamentary majority, raising the prospect of a coalition involving two or more parties. Cameron said his measures are aimed at tackling long-term youth unemployment. He has already committed a Tory government to a Youth Allowance requiring unemployed young people to undertake an apprenticeship or community work after six months of receiving benefits. His latest plan would apply to those not in work or education for six months before claiming benefits, with activities including making meals for older people and working for local charities. — Bloomberg |
| Fight among dragons, robots, trolls for animation Oscar Posted: 16 Feb 2015 04:48 PM PST
Disney Animation's "Big Hero 6," DreamWorks Animation's "How to Train Your Dragon 2," Laika Studios' "The Boxtrolls," Studio Ghibli's "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" and Cartoon Saloon's "Song of the Sea" will compete for the Academy Award for animated feature. But the exclusion of Time Warner Inc-owned Warner Bros' "The Lego Movie," last year's top-grossing animated film with more than US$257 million (RM921.28m) at the US box office, stunned even those in the industry. "It was a big shock to me. I saw the movie and loved it," said Dean DeBlois, co-director of "Dragon 2," about a Viking named Hiccup and his dragon, Toothless. With no clear favourite, the animation race is likely between big-budget spectaculars such as "Big Hero 6" and "Dragon 2," and niche artistry of films such as "The Boxtrolls." "Big Hero 6," an ambitious work from an animation studio often overshadowed by its more flashy Disney sibling Pixar, fused Japanese influences into a Marvel-inspired tale of boy genius Hiro who befriends a robot and forms a superhero ensemble. "We're reaching a broad audience without compromising," said co-director Chris Williams. "We're making films that audiences want to come see, but they're still products of passion." Animation on the fringes The animated film Oscar is a relatively new category, inaugurated in 2001 and dominated by Pixar, which has won seven Academy Awards in the category for films including "Finding Nemo" and "Up." With no Pixar release this year and "Lego Movie" shunned, the nominees reflect stories that lie on the fringes of animation, rather than targeting a mainstream audience. Japan's Studio Ghibli has earned Oscar nods for masterpieces such as Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away," which won in 2002, and is renowned for delivering mystical tales such as "Princess Kaguya," about a moon princess who comes to Earth, by the studio's co-founder Isao Takahata. Cartoon Saloon's Tomm Moore, previously nominated for 2009's "The Secret of Kells," earned a second Oscar nod for "Song of the Sea" about the Celtic selkie, a mythical creature that lives as a seal in water but as a human on land. "The selkie story is not necessarily a happy story, it's about the risk of falling in love with magical creatures, and there's parting and sorrow," said Eric Beckman, president of GKids, the US distributor of "Song of the Sea" and "Princess Kaguya." While animated films are aimed at a young audience, "Boxtrolls" co-director Anthony Stacchi said they didn't shy away from making edgier content with grotesque little trolls and repulsive villains. "You do kids a disservice when you hide too much from them and don't let them see stories that have a full range of darkness and emotion," he said. Stacchi's sentiment is echoed across this year's nominees, where each film melds grown-up themes such as losing a loved one, be it Princess Kaguya's parents facing her return to the moon, Saoirse's decision to stay on land or in the sea in "Song," or Hiro losing his brother in "Big Hero 6." "We didn't veer away from some of the bolder, more emotionally resonant elements," said DeBlois, who drew on his own experience of losing his father at a young age to write about Hiccup's loss of his father in "Dragon 2." "We want to feel the validation and pride of making something that feels timeless and resonant, and not just something that appeals to pop culture." — Reuters |
| Thai group bids for Berlusconi’s US$4.09b Milan stake Posted: 16 Feb 2015 04:47 PM PST
The offer came from Bee Taechaubol, executive director of Thai Prime Company Limited, a south east Asian private equity group. Bee is also a co-owner of the Global Legends Series (GLS) Bangkok that features veteran football players taking part in charity matches across the region. The Bangkok Post reported that Bee wanted at least a 50 per cent stake in the seven-times European champions but not complete ownership. Bee was confident of completing a deal for the 18-times Italian champions within a month, the report added. The businessman could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters. One of Italian football's most prestigious names, Milan have struggled since winning the last of their Serie A titles in 2011. The club, who employed four different head coaches last year, are 11th in the 20-team standings following a 1-1 draw with Empoli on Sunday. They trail leaders Juventus by 24 points with 15 games to go. Despite the on-field issues, the club was ranked the 10th richest in world football by Deloitte last month with revenue of US$250 million (RM896.2 million) for the 2013-14 season. If a deal is concluded Milan would follow their great rivals in being bought by south east Asian investors after Indonesian Erick Thohir headed a group which acquired a 70 per cent stake in Inter Milan in 2013. — Reuters |
| Morocco closes airspace to Libyan planes, suspends Libya flights for security reasons Posted: 16 Feb 2015 04:46 PM PST
Morocco's Royal Air Maroc had already suspended its flights to Libya in July when Libyan factions started to fight over the control of Tripoli's airport. But some Libyan carriers were still operating between the two countries. The government statement did not specify the security concerns in Libya, where Egyptian jets bombed Islamic State positions yesterday, a day after the group there released a video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians. "The temporary suspension was dictated by the nonconformity of the flights departing from Libyan airports to the international standards" a statement from the Interior and Transportation ministries said. Morocco has also decided to close its airspace to all the Libyan airplanes, it added. Three years after the fall of strongman Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has turned to a violent power struggle between rival factions who have installed competing governments. Militant groups, including movements linked to Islamic State, have also won ground in different areas of the country. ― Reuters |
| New manager Sherwood plans to keep Villa at the top Posted: 16 Feb 2015 04:37 PM PST
Sherwood, watching Villa labour in a drab first half at Villa Park, went into the dressing room at the break and was punching the air in delight as Scott Sinclair's late strike put them 2-0 ahead after an improved second half performance. Their run to the FA Cup quarterfinals has been Villa's one respite from a terrible league campaign which has seen them plummet after being second in mid-September. Manager Paul Lambert paid the price for that slump when he was sacked on Wednesday with Villa 18th in the 20-team league, deep in relegation trouble with 13 matches to play. Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Sherwood told reporters: "I know how to win matches in this league. I know how to galvanise players and get the best out of them — all I can do is prepare the team to the best of my ability. "It's all about winning 13 cup finals now, and hopefully 14 if we do get to the Cup final itself." Sherwood, 46, said the squad was good enough to survive and he hoped that Belgium striker Christian Benteke, who has scored just three goals all season, will start finding the net again. "He just needs a goal to restore his confidence. But you've got to try to win football matches. We've got good players who can play off the cuff," he said. "I remember playing against Christian Benteke as a manager and I know what a handful he can be. We need to get him back to that. There are a lot of big names in that squad and none of them want to get relegated. "No-one at this football club does and it will hurt them to drop into the Championship. We have to make sure that does not happen." Villa have scored 12 League goals all season and have lost their last five league matches. They have not won in the league since another 2-1 win over Leicester on Dec. 7 and Sherwood is only concentrating on survival. "We are not in the position we are in for no reason. "I believe in giving youth an opportunity but don't expect too many Under-18 players on Saturday — that's a long-term plan. For the short term, its all about winning, nothing else." Sherwood managed Spurs for the second half of last season and had been linked with the managerial posts at several clubs since leaving White Hart Lane in May. — Reuters |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malay Mail Online | All To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
