Star Wars ticket sales smash records |
- Star Wars ticket sales smash records
- Struggling Yahoo to reshape itself after disappointing quarter
- Disgraced Paralympian Pistorius spends first day out of jail
- Asian stock futures mixed as crude oil slips below US$46
- Hyundai Tucson Cross-Over SUV to debut in Malaysia
- Pua denies calling Indians ‘thugs’ and ‘pariah’ on Twitter
| Star Wars ticket sales smash records Posted: 20 Oct 2015 05:48 PM PDT
Fandango, the market leader in online ticket sales, said yesterday that it had sold eight times as many tickets as it did for "The Hunger Games," the previous record holder for first day tickets sales. "This is an extraordinary time for the industry, which experienced unprecedented ticketing demand last night for 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'," Fandango said in a statement, without providing numbers. "The enthusiasm for this year's most anticipated movie is out of this world, and we expect it to continue all the way to its debut on December 18." It said that movie theatres were continually adding more shows as fans rush to secure seats for opening night. Demand was so overwhelming on Monday evening, when the tickets went on sale, that several online ticketing services crashed. Some tickets were already showing up yesterday on eBay, with one pair of VIP tickets offered for US$10,000 (RM42, 834). Disney also released the full-length trailer for the movie during Monday Night Football, causing hysteria on social media. By midday yesterday, the footage had been viewed more than 14 million times. Walt Disney Company bought the rights to the saga created by George Lucas when it purchased Lucasfilm three years ago for US$4 billion. Disney soon announced plans for a new trilogy in the series, with acclaimed Hollywood director J.J. Abrams being entrusted with "The Force Awakens." Other standalone films are also planned—"Rogue One" is due in December 2016. The company has launched a carefully orchestrated mega-marketing campaign for "The Force Awakens. Analysts expect merchandise sales to reach up to US$5 billion this year, with everything from light sabers to action figures and even pet gear on offer. Super fans of the saga will also be able to book tickets for marathon viewing of the first six instalments in the series before Episode VII. The entertainment site Deadline has predicted that the movie could rake in a record-setting US$615 million when it opens during the busy Christmas season. — AFP  |
| Struggling Yahoo to reshape itself after disappointing quarter Posted: 20 Oct 2015 05:46 PM PDT
Mayer, who has been seeking to turn around the onetime online star, said Yahoo faces ongoing declines in its older businesses and needs to make even more changes in how it operates. Yahoo released its quarterly results and at the same time unveiled a partnership with Google, which will take over some of the search and advertising operations for users on Yahoo websites and apps. "We are continuing to experience revenue headwinds in the core of our business," Mayer said during an earnings call. "We see a unique opportunity for Yahoo to narrow our strategy." Mayer did not offer details, but said the new focus would be outlined by the end of the following quarter. "As we move into 2016, we will work to narrow our strategy, focusing on fewer products with higher quality to achieve improved growth and profitability," Mayer said in a statement. The third quarter delivered a profit of US$76 million, compared with US$6.8 billion (RM29.1 billion) a year ago, when Yahoo enjoyed a one-time gain linked to sale of shares in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba. The profit results were weaker than expected, while revenues rose a slower-than-forecast seven per cent from a year ago to US$1.226 billion. Mayer said the results "were largely within our forecasted expectations" and showed growth in key areas of mobile and video services. She also said that another key priority is spinning off the Yahoo stake in Alibaba, though there are uncertainties about how US tax authorities will treat the deal. Partnering with Google The lacklustre quarterly results were offset in part by a separate announcement from Yahoo that it had reached a deal with Google to provide search ads and results for some Yahoo online queries. Under the deal, which follows a similar arrangement with Microsoft's Bing search engine, Google will pay Yahoo a per centage of the revenues from ads on Yahoo and affiliated sites. Mayer said the deal, which requires regulatory approval, would lead to "a competitive search dynamic that will provide a better experience for users and improve our monetisation." Yahoo shares dipped 0.7 per cent in after-hours trade to US$32.58. The stock has tumbled as much as 40 per cent from highs early this year amid skepticism over Yahoo's ability to regain its prominence in the tech sector. To make matters worse, Yahoo has lost a number of key executives, including development officer Jackie Reses marketing executive Lisa Licht, who departed this week. A key to Yahoo's future is how it handles the cash from its stake in Alibaba and reshapes its core operations. Mayer said the company is making "good progress" toward its goal of completing the deal by the end of the fourth quarter but noted that with regulatory issues and holiday delays, "the transaction may ultimately conclude in January." Yahoo in July formally notified US regulators that it is spinning off its stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to an independent new company called Aabaco Holdings. Aabaco will wind up owning approximately 384 million shares of the Alibaba Group, representing an interest of about 15 per cent. Early in September, the Internal Revenue Service refused to promise that the Internet pioneer's plan for spinning off its Alibaba holdings would sidestep US taxes. The IRS declined a request for a preliminary ruling that the way the spin-off is structured satisfies requirements for avoiding taxes on the stake in Alibaba. At the same time, the IRS did not indicate for sure that the transaction would be taxable. The tax treatment could mean billions for Yahoo, whose market value is seen as minimal after discounting the stakes in Alibaba and Yahoo Japan. ― AFP |
| Disgraced Paralympian Pistorius spends first day out of jail Posted: 20 Oct 2015 05:39 PM PDT
His family welcomed him home after he was released in secret, one year into a five-year sentence for shooting dead Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013. Pistorius, 28, had been due to leave prison yesterday, but South African officials issued a statement late Monday confirming he had already been taken to his uncle Arnold's house in an apparent attempt to avoid the media. "The family is happy that Oscar is home but they want to make the point that Oscar's sentence continues," spokeswoman Anneliese Burgess said outside the house in an upmarket suburb of the capital. "Oscar's sentence has not been shortened or reduced. He now enters the next phase of his sentence. He will serve this under the strict conditions that govern correctional supervision." Burgess confirmed that the family had been taken by surprise by his covert release, saying the decision had been taken by the Pretoria prison where he was jailed. The Olympian and Paralympian sprinter was found guilty on October 21 last year of culpable homicide—a charge equivalent to manslaughter—after telling his trial that he shot Steenkamp through a bathroom door because he mistook her for an intruder. He was initially scheduled for release in August but the justice minister intervened at the last-minute, saying it was "premature". However, Pistorius will face a further test at the Supreme Court on November 3 when prosecutors will appeal for a murder conviction and a tougher sentence that could see him jailed for at least 15 years. To meet victim's parents? Tania Koen, a lawyer representing the Steenkamp family, said Reeva's parents were "still dealing with her loss". "They feel that his release from prison makes no difference, as it won't bring back their child," Koen told AFP. "They were prepared for this, because they knew it was going to happen." Pistorius's parole conditions are reported to allow him to meet with June and Barry Steenkamp if they wish. Koen said there were no immediate plans for a meeting. "If anything happens, it will have to be after the appeal proceedings, once they are finalised. Right now, they are focused on healing," she said.
The Department of Correctional Services said Pistorius would undergo "continued psychotherapy" and face restrictions on owning firearms. He is also likely to have to report to police regularly and accept random visits from correctional services officers, but he may be allowed to attend church. Pistorius was jailed after a six-month trial that made headlines around the world. Prosecutors said he killed Steenkamp in a fit of rage, firing four shots through the locked toilet door. They described the double amputee as an egotistical liar obsessed with guns, fast cars and beautiful women, who was not prepared to take responsibility for his actions. State appeal During the trial, Pistorius often broke down, weeping and at times vomiting as he heard how Steenkamp's head "exploded" under the impact of hollow-point bullets from the 9mm pistol that he kept under his bed. The court heard transcripts of phone messages in which the pair argued, with Steenkamp, 29, texting: "I'm scared of you sometimes, of how you snap at me." Defence lawyers sought to explain there are "two Oscars"—a world-class athlete, and a vulnerable individual with a serious disability who acted out of fear when he fired the fatal shots. Pistorius will not appear in person at the Supreme Court appeal in Bloemfontein in two weeks' time, when judges will hear the case for a murder conviction. "We don't know what the Supreme Court of Appeal will find, and it would have been unlawful to keep him in prison for longer than he needed to be," Kelly Phelps, a University of Cape Town law lecturer, told AFP. "I think the hearing will be between one to two days, and I would expect a judgement within a matter of weeks." Before he shot Steenkamp, Pistorius—a gold-medal winning Paralympic sprinter — was hailed as a role model around the world. His fame reached a peak when he raced against able-bodied competitors at the 2012 London Olympics, the first double-amputee athlete to do so. Pistorius—whose legs were amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old—has lost his lucrative contracts and has no immediate hope of salvaging his athletic career. — AFP |
| Asian stock futures mixed as crude oil slips below US$46 Posted: 20 Oct 2015 05:38 PM PDT
Japanese futures fell with Australian stocks, while New Zealand equities climbed for a ninth straight day after the Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell just 0.1 per cent yesterday, closing little changed for a second session. The kiwi dollar held losses following a drop in dairy prices at a global auction. American crude declined as industry data indicated US stockpiles surged last week, fueling concerns over the global glut. Copper futures fell a fourth day amid angst China's slowdown will curb demand for industrial metals. "We are back to levels you can't get excited about," Evan Lucas, a market strategist in Melbourne at IG Ltd, said by phone. "Until we get through the third-quarter US earnings season and get some more clarity from the Fed, I can't see any large moves in either direction now." Results from IBM Corp to Travelers Cos as well as merger deals set the tone during US trading, with a renewed selloff in biotechnology shares driving the Nasdaq Composite Index lower. Despite data showing a surge in new-home building, traders continue to price the odds of a US rate increase this year at less than 35 per cent amid ongoing evidence that the global recovery is uneven. The European Central Bank stoked speculation that it isn't inclined to further expand stimulus, with officials to review policy Thursday. Stocks Futures on the S&P 500 were little changed at 2,019.75 by 8.49am Tokyo time, following a drop of 0.1 per cent in the index in New York. The S&P/ASX 200 Index lost 0.5 per cent in Sydney in a second day of declines, led by banks. BHP Billiton Ltd, the world's biggest mining company and the No. 5 stock in terms of size in Australia's index, rallied from a two-week low, adding 0.8 per cent after reporting an increase in iron-ore output. New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 Index rose 0.4 per cent in Wellington, extending its longest run of gains since November last year. Futures on the Kospi index in Seoul were little changed in most recent trading, while FTSE China A50 Index futures traded in Singapore climbed 0.3 per cent with markets in Hong Kong closed Wednesday for a holiday. In Japan, Nikkei 225 Stock Average futures were bid for 18,180 in the Osaka pre-market, from 18,210 at their close yesterday. Yen-denominated futures on the gauge slipped 0.1 per cent in Chicago to 18,180, following a 0.3 per cent drop in the previous session. The S&P 500 has climbed 7.8 per cent since September 29, as it rebounds from the worst quarterly performance since 2011. The US benchmark has advanced almost 9 per cent from the nadir of its summer selloff, though gains have slowed in recent days as earnings season gets into full swing. Of the 57 index members that have reported so far, 75 per cent have beaten analysts' estimates on profit, while just under 50 per cent have exceeded projections on revenue, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. International Business Machines Corp declined 5.8 per cent yesterday after lowering its full-year profit forecast as quarterly sales trailed expectations. Harley-Davidson Inc dropped the most in the S&P 500 after its earnings fell short. Currencies The kiwi was little changed at 67.53 US cents after sinking as much as 0.8 per cent yesterday. Whole milk powder prices slipped for the first time in five auctions, dropping to US$2,694 a metric ton on average. Auckland-based Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd, the world's biggest dairy exporter, is counting on prices to rise to around US$3000 to US$3,200 to be able to support its forecast payout to New Zealand farmers this season. The euro was steady at US$1.1353 after snapping a three-day retreat on Tuesday, rising 0.2 per cent after a report from the ECB indicated lending conditions in the region continued to improve last quarter, a sign officials may be able to hold off on extending their asset-purchase programme. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, a gauge of the greenback against 10 major peers, was little changed early Wednesday after capping a three-day climb. The Fed is due to review monetary policy next week for the second-last time this year, with bets on a rate hike now pushed back to as late as March 2016. Commodities December futures on West Texas Intermediate crude lost 0.8 per cent to US$45.92 a barrel after November contracts, which expired Tuesday, slipped 0.7 per cent last session to US$45.55, the lowest close since October 2. US oil supplies expanded by 7.05 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute was said to have reported Tuesday. Energy Information Administration data due today is forecast to show inventories rose by 3.75 million barrels, according to a Bloomberg survey. Futures on copper dropped 0.2 per cent to US$2.3620 a pound on the Comex after losing more than 2 per cent over the past three days. China, the world's biggest commodities consumer, reported on Monday its weakest quarterly growth since the global financial crisis, reigniting concern over the world's second-biggest economy. ― Bloomberg |
| Hyundai Tucson Cross-Over SUV to debut in Malaysia Posted: 20 Oct 2015 05:35 PM PDT
The term "cross-over" used to be applied for vehicles based on an existing sedan platform, and look much like the original sedan, but with slightly raised ride heights. This owed much to larger tyres and beefed-up suspension, and with those black plastic surrounds on the lower body and around the wheel wells, supposedly replaceable in case they get scratched. SUVs back then were generally larger vehicles with all-wheel drive systems, an evolution of off-road workhorses made more comfortable. These large SUVs tended to be intimidating to the sedan user, thus prompting the development of cross-overs. Cross-over vehicles were made to "bridge" the gap for people moving from sedans to SUV vehicles. There seems to be some confusion as to what is a cross-over and what is a SUV, so it appears that car-makers are calling them SUV Crossover vehicles. They are generally mid-sized vehicles that look very similar to the larger SUVs, but with smaller engines, and can come with just one driven axle or two. The Hyundai Tucson, the baby of Hyundai SUVs, has been around for some time now since its introduction in 2004. The second generation was introduced in 2009, and it looked a lot better, and came with more powerful engines and a six-speed automatic (in Malaysia), gaining even more popularity. The "fluidic sculpture" philosophy and the high level of trim that permeated the entire Hyundai line-up (including the Sonata and sedan models) saw the local acceptance of Korean-made vehicles going to a new level. The third generation Tucson is larger and looks better than the outgoing model, and the overall lines take cues from its bigger brother, the Hyundai Santa Fe. New from the ground up, the new Tucson is longer (4,475mm, +65mm), wider (1,850mm + 30mm), the same overall height (1,655mm ) than the outgoing Tucson. The wheelbase is 2,670mm, an increase of 30mm. The front end is more rugged-looking, and carries the new Hyundai signature hexagonal grill. Just imagine a smaller Hyundai Santa Fe, and you will know what I mean. The front and rear ends are more upright, giving the Tucson a more masculine demeanour over the outgoing model. The overall impact is much more pleasing to the eye. We tested the Philippines model recently — it came with a 164 horsepower GDI gasoline engine carried over from the current Tucson, but we are told that Malaysia may opt for the smaller-capacity 1.6-litre turbo-charged gasoline engine that delivers 175 horses. The test unit came with a 6-speed automatic, and there is a 7-speed dual clutch (DCT) option. It is likely that the Malaysian version will get the automatic transmission, but then anything can change. Other goodie options include Driver Mode Select, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control System (TCS), in addition to the taken-for-granted ABS, and Brake Assist. There are also options for Hillstart Assist Control (HAC) and Downhill Brake Control (DBC). Given that the outgoing model carried quite high specifications, we would expect to see the Tucson debut here with most of the good stuff as standard. At the very least, we should see at least two or even more variants with different levels of specifications to suit different-sized pocketbooks. The new Tucson is also available with projector headlamps with LED accents, six airbags, and smartphone connectivity. Our test-drive route was approximately 150 kilometres, with two driving sections. I got to drive for about half the distance. The roads we travelled were mostly narrow, with very heavy traffic in most places, and local traffic through the small towns and villages, it can be a nightmare. Local traffic included three-wheeled motorcycle "taxis" and the lumbering "Jeepneys", not to mention huge trucks, pre-war buses and motor cycles. The going was slow, and we could hardly put the Tucson to the test as we would do to other vehicles. We got to drive the front-wheel-drive variants, both those with petrol and diesel engines. The 2.0-litre petrol was adequately powerful, with the six-speed automatic transmission performing well to spread the power through the gears. Even if we get this engine version, it should be perfectly all right for most of the likely users of the new Tucson. Fuel economy was decent; the rated fuel economy is 7.8 litres per 100 kilometres. We saw numbers of around 9+ litres per 100 kilometres, which is respectable. The 2.0-litre diesel model, which is compliant to Euro 4 diesel, has an output of 185 horsepower and 400Nm of torque on call. This makes the Tucson so much better to drive. The additional torque can really be appreciated when it is time to pull out of traffic to overtake. If I had to choose between the gasoline or diesel version, I would go for the diesel. Having said that, the 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine, which we already know exists in the Veloster turbo, would be interesting too. Generally, I would say the new Hyundai Tucson, depending on the final specifications, trim level and, of course, the pricing, when it is introduced here, will play a great role in determining whether it is a runaway success or an also ran. Over to you, Hyundai. |
| Pua denies calling Indians ‘thugs’ and ‘pariah’ on Twitter Posted: 20 Oct 2015 05:33 PM PDT
The Petaling Jaya Utara MP was unsure who created the message but said he believed it was in response to his criticism of the group that prevented several Indian traders in Sungai Way, Petaling Jaya, from setting up stalls for the Deepavali Bazaar last week. Pua noted that in a statement after the incident, which saw him and several others being heckled, shoved and insulted, he had described the group as "thugs". "The above tweet is clearly a fake image and I have never written anything remotely close to what was written above. It is clearly fake because you would notice that the time stamp next to every tweet has been removed. "In addition, I would like to think that I would not misspell 'threaten', nor would I be grammatically wrong when it should be 'threatened'," he said in a statement this morning. "Regardless, I have never used the word 'pariah' to describe anyone and I most certainly do not believe that Indians 'behave like thugs'," he added. Pua went on to say that thugs exist in every race and that the person or persons who created the image of the tweet was the real "thug". He said the fake tweet was likely designed to inflame racial sentiments against him but stressed that it would not stop him from carrying out his duties. Pua was referring to the image being spread on WhatsApp of a tweet he had allegedly posted on microblogging site saying,"The Indians really behave like thugs and act like Pariah! i will not be threathen by them!" Last Thursday during a visit to the Deepavali bazaar at SS9A/12 in Sungai Way, a group of rowdy individuals reportedly stopped traders from setting up shop as well as harassed Pua, Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San, Selangor exco V. Ganabatirau and Petaling Jaya city councillor Sean Oon Chong Ling. The group, according to reports, had been strongly against the PJ city council's (MBPJ) decision to move to annual bazaar from SS9A/13 to SS9A/12. On Sunday, Petaling Jaya Mayor Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain said those who wanted to use the previous site for the bazaar could proceed to do so but under strict conditions, according to The Star Online. The move was criticised by Pua in a statement yesterday where he accused the council of succumbing to the group's thuggery. |
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