Reuters Video: Actor Ben Stiller reveals past cancer diagnosis

Reuters Video: Actor Ben Stiller reveals past cancer diagnosis

Reuters Video: Actor Ben Stiller reveals past cancer diagnosis

Posted: 04 Oct 2016 06:43 PM PDT

Duration: 00:56, Published 5 Oct 2016

Hollywood actor Ben Stiller opens up on social media about his battle with prostate cancer and how taking an early screening test saved his life. John Russell reports. — Reuters

Behind the Pixel: Google’s first real threat to the iPhone (VIDEO)

Posted: 04 Oct 2016 06:42 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISO, Oct 5 — Google is embarking on a wholesale revamp of its mobile phone strategy, debuting a pair of slick and powerful handsets that for the first time will go head-to-head with Apple Inc's iconic iPhone.

Alphabet Inc's Google yesterday unveiled the Pixel and larger Pixel XL, the first phones that were conceptualised, designed, engineered and tested in-house. The Pixel handsets feature a Siri-like virtual assistant, flashy camera features and are the first to boast Android's new Nougat 7.1 operating system. Their debut signals Google's push into the US$400 billion (RM1.6 trillion) smartphone hardware business and shows that the company is willing to risk alienating partners like Samsung Electronics Co and LG Electronics Inc that sell Android-based phones.

"Google is now the seller of record of this phone," said Rick Osterloh, chief of the company's new hardware division. He notes that the company is now managing inventory, building relationships with carriers, sourcing components, making supply chain deals and managing distribution. Google is even making accessories, including cases and cables.

Until now, Google had satisfied itself with dipping a toe into the smartphone hardware business with the six-year-old Nexus program, a co-branding effort that outsourced the vast majority of development to other smartphone makers. While well regarded, Nexus handsets were mostly a way for Google to experiment. But along the way, executives began to see the benefit of the Apple approach: a unified portfolio of consumer electronics products that show off its services better than partners can. A Home speaker device, a virtual reality headset, a Wi-Fi router system and an updated video streaming stick were also unveiled yesterday at an event in San Francisco.

Getting into the hardware business is a big, risky financial and operational commitment. But Google needed its own handset to ensure distribution for its web services, and more complex offerings like virtual and augmented reality. So in the summer of 2015, Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai approved the Pixel project; development began last fall. "The difference with this device is that we started from the beginning," says Dave Burke, who runs Android engineering. By contrast, Google's contributions to Nexus phones typically didn't happen until they were 90 per cent done.

Custom silicon

When Osterloh, 44, came on board in mid-April, he brought Google's hardware groups into one division, shuttering projects he didn't see contributing to Google's future. Now the engineers and designers from Google Glass, Chromecast and Pixel all work together. Keeping them separate, he says, made it "hard to drive toward the goal of portfolio strategy and focus." Reflecting long-held ambitions to build an Apple-style supply chain, the hardware division now has a supply-management team, drawing on the expertise of the Nest smart-home unit acquired by Google nearly three years ago.

Google declined to say how much it's spending on the effort. However, Jason Bremner, a former Qualcomm Inc executive who works on Google's hardware products, put it in context. "Part of being the seller of record means that inventory, that supply chain risk — you know, hundreds of millions of dollars on the line on any given day — that's on Google now," he said.

The Google Pixel phone is displayed during the presentation of new Google hardware in San Francisco October 4, 2016. — Reuters picThe Google Pixel phone is displayed during the presentation of new Google hardware in San Francisco October 4, 2016. — Reuters picNow that Google is designing phones itself, the company can at long last put together a product roadmap going out several years. For example, last month Burke was able to see a photo taken by a Google handset that won't debut until next fall. That "would have never happened with Nexus," he says. Going forward, more and more of the phones' guts will be developed in-house. Burke says the company will eventually be able to ship its own custom "silicon," a buzzword for customised processors that make devices work better.

It's a very different setup from Osterloh's previous Google gig, when he ran the Motorola division. "While we were part of Google, we were very arm's-length," he says. Now his team gets early access to the company's advances in machine learning and innovations from the Assistant group. The Pixel phones will also be the first to run the next version of Android, Nougat 7.1, complete with Google tie-ins like pro camera effects, instant chat support, and a service that automatically frees up phone storage via the cloud.

Still, Google has deliberately built a firewall between the hardware and Android divisions so other phone makers' proprietary technology doesn't leak. Hiroshi Lockheimer, who runs the Android unit and is a longtime Osterloh pal, says his group will treat the hardware team like any customer. "Samsung is a very important partner, as is LG, Huawei and so on," he says. "Rick is an important partner. Samsung tells us confidential information about their product line, their plans. We won't tell LG that, and vice versa. That continues. Everyone is treated the same, including Rick's team."

Osterloh show

When Osterloh demonstrated the Pixel phones at Google's Mountain View, California, headquarters recently, it was immediately clear the craftsmanship is light years ahead of the flimsy US$1,500 Google Glass headsets and plastic Chromecast media players of yore. With their metal frames and precisely honed bezels and edges, the Pixels (which come in silver, black and limited-edition blue) have more in common with the elegant gear from Nest.

The phones feature cameras that can snap photos quicker than the blink of an eye, app speeds once reserved for laptops and battery life that bests last year's non-Google made Nexus phones. Osterloh proudly showed how one can twist the phone mid-air to activate the selfie-camera. "That's pretty cool," he says. Also notable is a fingerprint scanner that doubles as a trackpad (other Android phone makers will get to enable this, too) and software-enhanced gyroscopes that reduce shakiness in recorded video, stabilisation that Osterloh calls "out of this world good."

The new phones are made up of off-the-shelf components from several suppliers, including a Snapdragon processor, and are assembled in Taiwan by HTC. But there is still custom work inside this first version, including wireless modem technology that has evolved from earlier experiments with Nexus. The Pixel also has chipsets optimised by Google that makes photo-taking and touchscreen response times much faster than any Android device yet built, Burke says. The Google Assistant was developed separately from Android and offers suggestions based on previous queries. For example, it can list San Francisco landmarks after being asked earlier about the local weather.

While Google has contracted HTC to assemble the Pixel phones, Osterloh says the approach is no different than Apple's partnership with iPhone builder Foxconn. Flip the Pixel over and you'll see "Made by Google," another tip of the hat to Apple, which has long made much of the fact that its phones are "Designed by Apple in California." Osterloh says Google will never say the Pixel is co-engineered with anyone else. He proudly proclaims, "It's ours." — Bloomberg

Chevy Chase to star in new screwball comedy ‘Federal Offense’

Posted: 04 Oct 2016 06:37 PM PDT

Chevy Chase was most recently seen on the NBC show ‘Community’. — AFP picChevy Chase was most recently seen on the NBC show 'Community'. — AFP picLOS ANGELES, Oct 5 — Chevy Chase is returning to the big screen, this time to play a foul-mouthed grandfather in a raunchy new comedy.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chase has boarded the film Federal Offense, described as a screwball storyline centring on three friends who lose a drug kingpin's stash. Mayhem ensues, as they're chased by gangsters, bounty hunters and police after breaking their foul-mouthed grandfather out of the nursing home.

Chase was most recently seen on the NBC show Community and also made appearances in Vacation and Hot Tub Time Machine 2. — AFP-Relaxnews

Samsung Note 7 fires risk hurting demand for other products, analysts say

Posted: 04 Oct 2016 06:36 PM PDT

A Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Note 7 new smartphone is displayed at its store in Seoul September 2, 2016. — Reuters picA Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 7 new smartphone is displayed at its store in Seoul September 2, 2016. — Reuters picHONG KONG, Oct 5 — Kong Tse has seen first-hand how the global uproar over flammable Samsung Note 7 smartphones is playing out with consumers. The 26-year-old, who hawks devices in the warrens of Hong Kong's Wanchai Computer Centre, says sales of the company's handsets have tumbled 30 per cent since the controversy began, including the high-end S7 Edge.

"Once betrayed, eight times avoided," says the tousle-haired salesman, invoking a local saying while leaning against the counter in a tiny shop for Well Go Telecom. "They've lost a lot of trust."

Kong's experience suggests the debacle with Samsung Electronics Co's Note 7 battery fires may reverberate beyond a single product line and jeopardise a brand the South Korean company has spent billions to burnish. Investors will find out more about the fallout tomorrow, when Samsung reports earnings for the first time since the crisis began.

Note 7 sales will undoubtedly fall short of original projections. Since the recall, six analysts surveyed by Bloomberg have cut estimates on Note 7 shipments this year by an average of 38 per cent to eight million units, from an original 13 million. Several said they were waiting to gauge the impact on Samsung's other products, from washing machines to the flagship Galaxy S7.

Samsung has worked hard to limit the damage. The Suwon-based company moved quickly to recall more than 2.5 million Note 7s after the battery troubles emerged and has already begun shipping replacements to key markets, such as Korea and the US. Still, Samsung has lost momentum against key rivals such as Apple Inc and Huawei Technologies Co. The troubles appear particularly challenging in China where customers and government-owned media railed about the country's exclusion from the recall, which they saw as discriminatory.

"The Note 7 impact will last for a while, especially in China where so many good phones are flooding out," said Lee Seung Woo, an analyst at IBK Securities Co. in Seoul. "Samsung may shed market share further in China and the Note 7 impact will possibly spill over to its other product line-ups on the mainland, considering the recent public uproar."

Samsung got more competition yesterday as Alphabet Inc's Google unveiled its new Pixel smartphones. The devices will run on the Android operating system, the same software Google supplies to Samsung and others, and will compete with Samsung's phones at the high end of the market. Samsung shares slipped about 1 per cent in Seoul trading.

Kong isn't alone in seeing a drop in sales. Four other stores in the same mall, traditionally a magnet for electronics shopping, reported sales of Samsung devices were down between 30 and 80 per cent. While two blamed a slowing Chinese economy for draining business, others said consumers had been spooked by the incessant media reports. I-Mobile salesman Ken Wong, 24, said he'd been knocking a few hundred Hong Kong dollars off the shelf price to move Note 7s. All were mostly bereft of customers on a Tuesday afternoon.

The investment community is betting the crisis will blow over soon. Many Korean analysts credit Samsung with a swift response, though consumers complained about confusing policies in different markets. Phones make up just half its business: the company leads the world in memory chips and displays, prices for which have stabilized over past quarters and continue to drive growth. After losing more than $20 billion in market value over two days in early September, Samsung's stock was a mere 4 per cent below its August 23 record after yesterday's close.

Still, the crisis means Samsung will probably post its slowest pace of quarterly profit in more than a year. Just over a month ago, the South Korean conglomerate was riding high on a wave of glowing reviews for its priciest phone, coming off its best quarterly operating profit in more than two years. But after rushing to get the jump on the iPhone 7, Samsung realized some of the millions of devices it pushed out housed overheating-prone batteries, prompting airlines and regulators to ban its use.

"The global perception of Samsung's brand and quality has taken a slight knock," said Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics Inc.

The Korean company will release only preliminary operating earnings and revenue this week, steering clear of divisional breakdowns before a full report card in late October. Analysts however figure the Korean company must set aside upwards of US$1 billion (RM4.1 billion) to replace about 2.5 million phones across the world.

Profit is expected to have inched 3 per cent higher to 7.6 trillion won in the third quarter, while sales probably dipped 1 per cent to 51 trillion won, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. But six analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News have already slashed their quarterly mobile profit expectations by more than one trillion won on average.

Much hinges on whether revamped Note 7s now hitting the market manage to stay out of trouble. Samsung resumed selling a modified device over the weekend, and said last week that more than 60 per cent of phones with faulty batteries had been replaced in South Korea and the US. It's looking into reports from recent Chinese customers that new phones — thought to be fault-free because they use a different battery — had burst into flames.

"If further cases are spotted, consumers' mistrust will spread to other Samsung products. And that will also determine the shares as well," said Song Myung-sup, a Seoul-based analyst at HI Investment & Securities Co.

Kim Hak-soon, for one, is philosophical about the way everything's turned out. The 28-year-old manager of a KT Corp store in downtown Seoul's Jonggak Station, said sales so far haven't been as bad as he'd feared. "Some still worry about the potential exploding of the newly modified phones but everything's going smoothly so far." — Bloomberg

Five European games to watch in World Cup qualifying

Posted: 04 Oct 2016 06:34 PM PDT

Coach Didier Deschamps at training for the French national team at Clairefontaine June 27, 2016. — Reuters picCoach Didier Deschamps at training for the French national team at Clairefontaine June 27, 2016. — Reuters picMADRID, Oct 5 — European qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia resumes this week with every nation playing twice after starting their campaigns last month. AFP Sports picks out some of the highlights amid a vast array of matches:

Southgate leads troubled England

England turn their back on the brief Sam Allardyce era as caretaker manager Gareth Southgate leads the team in a double-header of Group F matches against minnows Malta at Wembley and away to Slovenia. Allardyce left his post last week after just 67 days at the helm, departing "by mutual consent" after being caught giving advice about how to circumvent transfer rules and mocking his predecessor, Roy Hodgson, in a newspaper sting. His one game in charge ended in a 1-0 win in Slovakia, secured by a late Adam Lallana goal. Southgate, the England Under-21s coach, has recalled Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard and confirmed that Wayne Rooney will continue as captain, describing him as "the outstanding leader in the group." Burnley defender Michael Keane has also been called up to replace Stoke City's Glen Johnson, who was ruled out through injury. A slip-up against Malta, ranked 176th in the world, is unthinkable, but Slovenia could prove sticky opponents with a squad notably containing Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak. England needed a late Rooney goal to win in Ljubljana in Euro 2016 qualifying.

Spain seek Italy revenge

Italy and Spain meet in a heavyweight clash in Turin just over three months after the Azzurri knocked the reigning champions out of Euro 2016 in the last 16 at the Stade de France. Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle scored Italy's goals that day but much has changed in the short time since. For a start, both sides now have new coaches, with Giampiero Ventura replacing Chelsea-bound Antonio Conte at the helm of Italy and Julen Lopetegui taking over from Vicente del Bosque. "Spain will be in a new state of mind and will be looking to avenge their Euro 2016 defeat to us," said Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci. "They have the best players. All you need is a look at their squad list to tell you that." Italy won 3-1 in Israel in their Group G opener last month while Spain hammered Liechtenstein 8-0. After Tomorrow's game, Spain visit Albania on Sunday while Italy go to Macedonia.

France look for kick-start

Didier Deschamps' France return to the Stade de France when they play Bulgaria on Friday, their first match there since losing in extra time to Portugal in the Euro 2016 final. Since that agonising defeat, Les Bleus got off to something of a false start in their World Cup qualifying campaign, drawing 0-0 away to Belarus. They could really do with a win against Bulgaria before facing their main Group A rivals, the Netherlands, in Amsterdam next Monday. Bulgaria have a new coach in Petar Hubchev, who played when they last came to France in 1993. That night, a 2-1 Bulgarian win famously denied their hosts a place at the following year's World Cup in the USA. "I've heard it spoken about but I was eight, it is quite a long time ago," said France defender Laurent Koscielny. "It's in the past." There are two new faces in the French squad in defence in the shape of Athletic Bilbao stopper Aymeric Laporte and Presnel Kimpembe of Paris Saint-Germain.   

Kosovo play first 'home' game

Kosovo's competitive debut last month ended in a creditable 1-1 draw away to Finland, with Valon Berisha scoring their maiden World Cup goal in the Group I encounter. It was a remarkable result given that FIFA only gave their approval for a host of players to represent the Balkan outfit on the day of the game. Now Albert Bunjaki's side play their first "home" game, although they will face Croatia in the Albanian city of Shkoder because the facilities in Pristina, the Kosovan capital, are not yet deemed up to the standards of FIFA. In an extremely tough group, they follow Tomorrow's match by playing Ukraine on Sunday. That match will be played in the Polish city of Krakow.

Iceland, Turkey meet again

Iceland's remarkable journey to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 started with a 3-0 home win against a stunned Turkey in Reykjavik in their opening qualifier in September 2014. Now with Heimir Hallgrimsson in sole charge after Lars Lagerback departed following the Euros, Iceland host Turkey again in World Cup qualifying Group I. Both teams drew 1-1 in their opening matches, Iceland in Ukraine and Turkey in Croatia. — AFP

Google releases its own smart home device to chase Amazon

Posted: 04 Oct 2016 06:30 PM PDT

Google Home is displayed during the presentation of new Google hardware in San Francisco October 4, 2016. — Reuters picGoogle Home is displayed during the presentation of new Google hardware in San Francisco October 4, 2016. — Reuters picSAN FRANCISO, Oct 5 — In the two years since Amazon.com Inc. released its Echo speaker, the household device has become a surprise hit — and a surprise threat to Google, as users turn to the Echo for information from the web. Now Google is trying to strike back.

Yesterday, the internet search giant introduced Google Home, a voice-controlled wireless speaker that looks and acts much like the Echo. The device comes packaged with Google's digital assistant technology, a conversational interface that is becoming increasingly critical to the company as its main business, Search, adjusts to a world without screens. The speaker is integrated with other smart-home devices from Philips, Samsung and Nest, a separate division of Google parent Alphabet Inc.

Google Home and the assistant are rolling out nearly two years after the Amazon Echo and its equivalent virtual assistant, Alexa, came to market. Apple Inc. is also working on a speaker device integrated with its Siri voice technology.

Google hopes its advanced search and artificial-intelligence capabilities will appeal to more consumers in the nascent market for smart home gadgets. Its new device comes out alongside other products that Google designed in-house — a departure for the company, which has historically worked with hardware partners.

Google has tried its own devices before, the most successful being the Chromecast media streaming stick. Google is pricing Home relatively cheaply, a strategy that helped Chromecast's popularity. The new speakers will retail for US$129 (RM535) in the US Amazon's main Echo device sells for US$179.99, while a smaller Echo Dot speaker ships for US$49.99.

In addition to Google Home, Google released an upgraded version of its flagship video streaming device. The new product, Chromecast Ultra, supports TVs that stream in 4K Ultra HD over Wi-Fi networks. Chromecast Ultra will cost US$69, more than twice the price of the regular Chromecast device. — Bloomberg

Will Arnett set to revive ‘The Gong Show’ for ABC

Will Arnett set to revive ‘The Gong Show’ for ABC

Will Arnett set to revive ‘The Gong Show’ for ABC

Posted: 03 Oct 2016 06:38 PM PDT

Will Arnett will be serving as executive producer for the reboot of ‘The Gong Show’. — AFP picWill Arnett will be serving as executive producer for the reboot of 'The Gong Show'. — AFP picLOS ANGELES, Oct 4 — A reboot of a retro game show and amateur talent contest is set to air with Will Arnett serving as executive producer.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, ABC has ordered 10 episodes of The Gong Show which originally aired in the late 1970s. The show was popular for its humour and moments of absurdity.

In the modern-day reboot, "unconventionally talented" performers will be pulled from the internet and given the chance to perform for a revolving panel of celebrity judges who will either praise or "gong" contestants.

The show will also be taped in front of a live audience.

It's the latest game show to get a revival from ABC. Other shows include Celebrity Family Feud, Match Game and $100,000 Pyramid. — AFP-Relaxnews

Everything you need to know about ‘Voyage of Time’

Posted: 03 Oct 2016 06:27 PM PDT

Terrence Malick’s ‘Voyage of Time’ can trace its gestation back to the 1970s. — AFP picTerrence Malick's 'Voyage of Time' can trace its gestation back to the 1970s. — AFP picLOS ANGELES, Oct 4 — A 40-year project from three-time Oscar nominated Terrence Malick takes in over 13 billion years' of history, with the resulting profile of life, the universe and everything compressed down to 90 minutes in cinemas or 40 minutes as an IMAX presentation in Voyage of Time.

Who's in it and what's it about?

An epic-scale look at the origins of life and of our universe itself, as well as a preview of what may be to come, with footage of the natural world augmented by visual effects and advanced scientific imagery specially adapted for the project.

Cate Blanchett narrates the English-language version of a 90-minute, feature-length edition, while Brad Pitt narrates a 40-minute version prepared for viewing in IMAX cinemas.

Blanchett and Pitt co-starred in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which dealt with themes of time and perspective though on a lifetime scale rather than over nearly 14 billion of years; Blanchett is also part of the ensemble cast of heist movie Ocean's Eight, whose three immediate predecessors have featured Pitt in a leading role.

Who's behind it?

Terrence Malick has spent more than four decades bringing Voyage of Time from concept to fruition.

Among those assisting him have been previous collaborators including cinematographer Paul Atkins (Malick's Tree of Life, PBS series Nature) production designer Jack Fisk (The Revenant, Malick's The Tree of Life and Knight of Cups) art director Ruth de Jong (Inherent Vice, Knight of Cups) and visual effects supervisor Dan Glass (the Wachowski's Matrix trilogy, Sense 8, Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Ascending as well as The Tree of Life.)

Is it any good?

It's the feature-length edition that has received early reviews, following same-week premieres in Venice and Toronto this September, and a 68 Metacritic score and 65 per cent Rotten Tomatoes approval rating suggest a favourable but not rapturous reception; Rotten Tomatoes' Top Critics is a considerably more impressive 80 per cent.

Despite that, the Top Critics Tomatometer average score is still 6/10 up from 5.6/10; a quick survey of individual reviews suggests a divided audience: "Uniquely vivid," said The Hollywood Reporter; "Pompous," said Sight & Sound.

When's it out?

In the US, an October 7 date has been set for the IMAX and regular editions. International scheduling is yet to be announced, though screenings at film festivals in Bergen, Norway (September 21) and Sitges, Spain (October 15) have been booked. — AFP-Relaxnews

Hurricane Matthew claims first victims as it churns up Caribbean

Posted: 03 Oct 2016 06:17 PM PDT

Traffic moves slowly as heavy rains caused by the outer rain bands of Hurricane Matthew move into Kingston, Jamaica October 2, 2016. — Reuters picTraffic moves slowly as heavy rains caused by the outer rain bands of Hurricane Matthew move into Kingston, Jamaica October 2, 2016. — Reuters picPORT-AU-PRINCE, Oct 4 — Hurricane Matthew claimed its first victims, officials said yesterday, leaving one person dead and another missing in Haiti as it churns through the Caribbean, the most menacing storm in nearly a decade.

Strong winds buffeted the southern coast of the Americas' most destitute country, where flimsy homes and buildings leave residents particularly vulnerable to natural disasters.

Flooding is also being reported in some areas of Jamaica as the Category 4 storm creeps closer from the south, news reports said.

Cuba ordered the evacuation of more than 250,000 people from the east of the island.

"No one likes to leave their homes, but the sea is going to rise and that is very dangerous," said Pedro Gonzalez, a retired chef who had to leave a fishing islet where he lives off the city of Santiago, one of six areas under a hurricane warning.

His sister Ana went with him along with their 100-year-old mother Marina, who uses a wheelchair.

"I would not stay on that cay for all the money in the world," said Ana, who recalled the horror of living through Hurricane Sandy in 2012, when 11 Cubans died.

The authorities are not forcing residents to leave, however, and many have chosen to stay to prevent looting.

Devastating blow

Matthew is expected to hit southwestern Haiti late yesterday, packing powerful winds and torrential rain, the Miami-based US National Hurricane Centre said.

Cuba and the Bahamas also lie along the likely path of destruction.

Haiti, eastern regions of Cuba and the southeastern Bahamas have been placed under a hurricane warning. In Haiti, the alert level has risen to the maximum level of red.

Monstrous storm swells of up to 3.3 meters were forecast off Cuba and Haiti, the NHC said.

"This is shaping up to be a devastating blow," said Domenica Davis, a meteorologist for The Weather Channel.

A fisherman drowned Friday in Haiti and another went missing Sunday, both off the southern coast, civil protection officials said.

At 2100 GMT, the eye of the storm had reached 360 kilometres southwest of Port-au-Prince, with lashing top-wind speeds of 225 kilometres per hour, the US hurricane centre said.

The storm was creeping forward at 11 kilometres per hour.

It is expected to continue north, tearing across southern and eastern Cuba between Yesterday and Today as it moves toward the Bahamas.

Forecasts predict the hurricane will dump 40 to 60 centimetres (15 to 25 inches) of rain over southern Haiti with up to a meter possible in isolated areas.

"Life-threatening flash floods and mudslides are likely from this rainfall in southern and northwestern Haiti, the southwestern Dominican Republic and eastern Cuba," the NHC warned.

Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba prepare

Thousands are still living in tents in Haiti after the country's massive earthquake in 2010. Erosion is especially dangerous because of high mountains and lack of trees and bushes in areas where they have been cut for fuel.

The authorities evacuated more than 500 people Sunday from the southwestern city of Jeremie as a precaution. Nearly 1,000 have also been housed in temporary shelters in other southern regions.

Some were reluctant to leave, civil defence chief Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste said.

"My countrymen, do not be stubborn, do not say 'God is good' and will take care of you," interim president Jocelerme Privert said in an address to the nation.

"The dangerous areas will be evacuated," he added. "We have no interest in risking your lives."

The poorest country in the Americas is home to almost 11 million people, many living in fragile housing. 

In Jamaica, officials said the army and military reserves were called up to help deal with hurricane damage.

Buses were also being sent to flood-prone areas to move residents to shelters.

US embassies in Jamaica and Haiti closed yesterday and today due to the storm.

In Cuba, President Raul Castro travelled to the southeastern city of Santiago to oversee emergency operations.

Matthew had the potential to become a storm for the ages, he warned residents.

"This is a hurricane. It's necessary to prepare for as if it were twice as powerful as Sandy," the Cuban leader said.

At the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba — located along Matthew's predicted path — officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for all non-essential personnel and family members. The 61 remaining inmates in the base's prison are safe, US military officials said.

Forecasters predict the hurricane could hit the US East Coast around midweek. Florida and parts of North Carolina have declared states of emergency. — AFP

Potentially ‘catastrophic’ Hurricane Matthew nears Haiti, may hit US

Posted: 03 Oct 2016 06:12 PM PDT

A woman protects herself from rain as Hurricane Matthew approaches in Les Cayes, Haiti October 3, 2016. — Reuters picA woman protects herself from rain as Hurricane Matthew approaches in Les Cayes, Haiti October 3, 2016. — Reuters picLES CAYES, Oct 4 — Hurricane Matthew bore down on Haiti yesterday, where towns and villages braced for "catastrophic" floods and mudslides that forecasters fear will be triggered by 140 mile-per-hour (220kph) winds and up to 3 feet of rain over its denuded hills.

Winds and rain began picking up in the southwest of the Caribbean country, but the centre of Matthew, a violent Category 4 storm, is not due until late yesterday night, the US National Hurricane Centre said.

It is now forecast to reach the Bahamas today and possibly reach Florida by Thursday as a major hurricane, though weaker than at present, the US National Hurricane Centre said. Before that, it will hit Cuba.

"It has the potential of being catastrophic," said Dennis Feltgen, a meteorologist and spokesman for the Miami-based hurricane centre, when asked about Matthew's expected impact on Haiti.

Authorities were ferrying 3,000 people off Ile-a-Vache, a low-lying island off Haiti's southwest coast, by helicopter, Haitian Foreign Minister Pierrot Delienne said. Interior Minister Francois Anick Joseph said 30,000 people were in areas of risk who should be moved before the storm hits

However, in Haiti's largest slum, the seaside Cite Soleil in capital Port-au-Prince, Mayor Frederic Hislain said 150,000 people whose homes he said were threatened needed to be bussed to safer places.

"Those people are living all along the seashore in a bunch of huts which usually can't even really protect them from ordinary rain. Now we are talking about a strong hurricane. Imagine the disaster we may have to face here."

Alta Jean-Baptiste, head of the Haiti's Department of Civil Protection, said one man was killed by large waves at sea over the weekend, and another went missing when his boat capsized, despite warnings to stay on dry land.

Many people are reluctant to leave their homes due to fears their belongings will be stolen and by Yesterday evening only about 2,000 from the south were in shelters, officials said. However, more have moved from precarious homes into relatives' houses.

Matthew, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recent history, was about 140 miles (225km) south of westernmost Haiti at 5pm EDT (2100 GMT) yesterday, the US hurricane centre said.

It is expected to bring between 15 and 40 inches (38 to 101cm) of rain to parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Crawling north at just 7 miles per hour (11kph), the storm threatens to linger enough for its winds and rain to cause great damage. Haiti is prone to flash floods and mudslides because most of its hillsides have been stripped bare by people cutting down trees to make charcoal to sell for fuel.

Heavy rain

Heavy rain fell over Haiti's southwestern coastal city of Les Cayes, which lies near Matthew's predicted path. Some residents of homes made of scrap metal and zinc sheets, perched just feet away from the ocean, refused to move into government shelters ahead of dangerous predicted storm surges.

A few miles to the west, wind buffeted the town of Tiburon, said Nicole Francois, of Haiti's National Centre of Meteorology.

About 150 people huddled without electricity or food in Les Cayes' largest shelter, a school meant to house 600.

"After the hurricane, we will be miserable. We'll be hungry. The houses will be destroyed," said Rosette Joseph, 44, at the shelter with her four children.

The storm comes at a bad time for Haiti. The poorest country in the Americas is set to hold a long-delayed presidential election on Sunday.

In both Jamaica and Haiti, authorities shut the main airports to wait for the storm to pass.

In Cuba, which Matthew is due to reach today, evacuation operations were well underway, with most tourists in the eastern town of Santiago de Cuba moved inland and given instructions on where to shelter in hotels during the hurricane. — Reuters

Check out new music videos by Solange Knowles

Posted: 03 Oct 2016 06:09 PM PDT

An image posted to Solange Knowles’s Instagram account on September 23, 2016. An image posted to Solange Knowles's Instagram account on September 23, 2016. LOS ANGELES, Oct 4 — Solange Knowles has dropped a pair of new videos for tracks off her newest album A Seat at the Table.

Knowles shared videos on YouTube over the weekend for Don't Touch My Hair, featuring Sampha, and Cranes in the Sky.

She co-directed both videos with husband Alan Ferguson and also served as artistic director.

In both videos, Knowles is highly stylised, filmed in exotic locales or artistic backgrounds.

The album dropped September 30 and features guest appearances by Lil Wayne, Kelly Rowland, Tweet and Q-Tip among others.

Both videos can be found on her YouTube channel. — AFP-Relaxnews

Style and dressing tips from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady

Style and dressing tips from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady

Style and dressing tips from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 06:42 PM PDT

Tom Brady in Tom Ford and Gisele Bundchen in Anthony Vaccarello at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala, in New York May 6, 2013. — Picture by Erin Baiano/The New York TimesTom Brady in Tom Ford and Gisele Bundchen in Anthony Vaccarello at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala, in New York May 6, 2013. — Picture by Erin Baiano/The New York TimesNEW YORK, Oct 3 — With Tom Brady on "Deflategate" suspension for the first four games of the NFL season, it's perhaps fitting that the New England Patriots quarterback and four-time Super Bowl champ is starring in an ad campaign for UGG called Do Nothing. (The five-part digital campaign series features actor Jeff Bridges and teammate Julian Edelman, as well.) The campaign champions the idea of doing nothing, sitting down, and enjoying your time off.

We caught up with Brady at New York's Viceroy Hotel to talk with him about the things that are important off the field: Namely, fashion and his supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen. He has advice for all men on the topics of fit, buying denim, and what women like to see on a man.

Let's start with the basics. Who are your favourite designers?

I have a couple that I like. I like Tom Ford a lot because it's so classic and has great quality. I wear a lot of Rag & Bone.

Why do other sports, such as basketball, have a better reputation for featuring well-dressed men than football?

I think the NBA has done a great job with that because they mandate what the players wear after games; they actually have a dress code. NFL teams I wouldn't say necessarily have the same conditions. We play only 16 games a year, while they play 82 — so there's a lot more opportunity for them to show off the stuff they're wearing. I'm sure if we had cameras in our practice facilities, the guys would dress up all the time. When guys in the NFL have the opportunity to do it, they take advantage of it, but it's not as often as the NBA players do.

So you and your teammates do like fashion?

Definitely.

Is there any competition between you and your teammates on who dresses the best?

Um, no. I don't think there's a ton of that for the guys I hang out with. But I think guys definitely always want to be stylish, and they want to pay attention to what they're wearing. You pay attention to everything else in your life, so why shouldn't you pay attention? It's a representation of yourself, and you can express a lot of your creativity with what you're wearing. A lot of guys on my team take it seriously when they have the opportunity to do it.

What are currently your favourite item in your closet to wear?

I love wearing jackets, but it's been so damn warm you can't wear anything until the fall. I'm looking forward to it getting a little bit cold. I would say this year I want things to fit a lot better.

Why is fit important to you?

Men always want and love when women wear tight and fitted clothing, right? And you're like, "Wow, she looks so beautiful." And then you have men who dress like slobs, and you're like, "What's the deal with these big and baggy suits." It's pretty ridiculous. Once things fit well, everyone's like, "Man, that looks so great," and yeah, no s***, because it fits. Fit is key.

I really focus on my jeans and sweaters for them to fit really well. There was a time that wasn't the case.

How do you find the perfect pair of jeans?

I make sure that every pair of jeans I own fit exactly the way I want, so I can just grab whatever colour I want — does that make sense? So, you know, normally you have 20 pairs of jeans, but you always grab the same two pairs. What's the point in that? I have a tailor, who's now a friend, that I work with all the time to make sure they fit. Its a smart thing for men to do, find a good tailor.

What's your most precious item in your closet?

I have a few things that I got as gifts that have a lot of meaning. I have these two suits that I really love.

Who makes them?

Who do you think?

Tom Ford.

Yes, he makes great suits.

Does Gisele help style you?

Not really. She's very helpful for a lot of things, but she kinda lets me do my own thing.

Do you help her?

Yeah, she does a fashion show for me from time to time. She would ask me what I think, and I would respond, "I like it," and when its too baggy, I say, "I don't like it." I like it when it fits tight.

When you have to deal with a New England winter, what brands do you wear off the field?

It's very cold for months and months at a time. So outside of UGG, it's all about layering.

It's ironic because [UGG is] a California brand — it's really a surf brand, and you know those surfers like to get out of the water and just be comfortable. How they've evolved and moved to the northeast and how the brand is growing is pretty amazing to see. I'm in my house a lot, so I wear the slippers a lot, the Ascot: They're warm, comfortable, and durable. They have winter boots, as well, and casual shoes that I wear with my jeans.

If you weren't playing football what would you be doing?

I have no clue... no idea. Thankfully I never had to go down that road. I never envisioned myself doing anything else. When I started playing, I was like, Man, I would love to keep playing in college, and then when I got to college I said, Wow, I want to play with the pros, and I got a chance to do that.

Did you have a plan B?

I never really had a Plan B and never had to think about it. I have a friend who always had a plan B. I always used to tell him you're working on your Plan B all the time, you're you work harder at your backup plan than at your actual real plan. Why don't you start working on your real plan like you do on both and see what that amounts to?

I'm so blessed I get to do what I love to do. I show up to work, and it doesn't feel like I'm working because I love what I'm doing. I love the training and the different opportunities I get to do.

Is there any athlete whose post-professional career you particularly admire?

Michael Strahan. I really like him, he's a great guy. He's works very hard, too. I never want to do that [television hosting], but I think it's really cool how he's transitioned into his second part of his life. — Bloomberg

No gain pushing on with low turnout, Nur Jazlan tells Bersih 2.0

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 06:41 PM PDT

Nur Jazlan cited police records showing the electoral watchdog’s Bersih 5 road campaign in his home state last Saturday only drew some 300 people. — Reuters picNur Jazlan cited police records showing the electoral watchdog's Bersih 5 road campaign in his home state last Saturday only drew some 300 people. — Reuters picKUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — It would be better for Bersih 2.0 to cancel its nationwide roadshow when so few people have shown interest, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed suggested.

The Johorean cited police records showing the electoral watchdog's Bersih 5 road campaign in his home state last Saturday only drew some 300 people, The New Straits Times reported today.

"There were not many people. Based on information from the police, the response the convoy received was very, very disappointing.

"If they realised that they were not getting any response, they should have stopped it instead of going on, and attracting responses and reactions from people who do not agree with them, such as the Red Shirts," the Pulai MP was quoted as saying.

Sungai Besar Umno division chief Datuk Jamal Yunos leads an anti-Bersih movement known as  the "Red Shirts" and has vowed to hold counter-rallies wherever the group gathers.

On Saturday, the Bersih 2.0 convoy drove from Johor Baru to Kulai with 13 stops in between.

Johor police chief Datuk Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd also reportedly said the roadshow went on between 10am and 6.30pm smoothly despite the presence of the Red Shirt members that day.

In contrast, a scuffle broke out in Teluk Intan between some 50 Bersih participants and 60 Red Shirt members during the Perak leg of the roadshow the same day.

No serious injuries were reported from the incident.

US defeats Europe to end Ryder Cup drought

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 06:40 PM PDT

Ryan Moore of the United States chips on the ninth hole during the single matches in 41st Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska October 2, 2016. — Picture by John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports Ryan Moore of the United States chips on the ninth hole during the single matches in 41st Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska October 2, 2016. — Picture by John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports CHASKA (United States), Oct 3 — The United States captured the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2008 yesterday clinching the victory over Europe when rookie Ryan Moore won the last three holes to defeat England's Lee Westwood.

American singles triumphs by Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler, Brandt Snedeker and rookie Brooks Koepka and a vital half point from Phil Mickelson had put the US team on the brink.

Moore completed the triumph with an eagle at the par-5 16th, a birdie at 17 and a conceded par at 18 to produce a 15-10 lead Europe could not overtake.

"To score the clinching point in the Ryder Cup is just incredible," Moore said. "I can't digest what just happened. I was trying my hardest not to let my team down." — AFP

Sorry Taecyeon, Kim So-hyun won’t protect you from ghosts

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 06:21 PM PDT

The 17-year-old actress is the star of ‘Bring It On, Ghost,’ a K-drama that saw her teaming up with Ok Taec-yeon of boyband 2PM fame. — TODAY picThe 17-year-old actress is the star of 'Bring It On, Ghost,' a K-drama that saw her teaming up with Ok Taec-yeon of boyband 2PM fame. — TODAY picSINGAPORE, Oct 3 — Rising young Korean actress Kim So-hyun can't seem to get away from unfinished business.

The 17-year-old, who made her television debut at the age of seven in Moon Embracing the Sun, starred in the recently concluded drama Bring It On, Ghost, as, well, a ghost. The show saw her teaming up with Ok Taec-yeon of boyband 2PM fame, who played an exorcist and her character's romantic interest.

And her next project, although still unconfirmed, might be a show about Korean folklore in which she also plays a spirit, said the actress, who was in Singapore to attend a media conference on Friday as well as a fan-meet on Saturday that attracted close to 1,000 fans.

Being able to travel through walls and spaces like her character in Bring It On, Ghost can, would be very useful, said the actress, who was also in Missing You and King of Baking Kim Tak Goo. "I could just teleport home after a long day. It would make my life more convenient."

And she definitely would not use those powers for personal gain — by spying on people, for example. "I don't think it's necessary to know too much about people," she laughed. "If I were to spy on someone, it would probably be someone I liked. And I wouldn't really want to know every detail about the person. That way, we can keep the momentum and the fun going."

But in spite of her involvement in spook shows, she isn't into the horror genre or stories about the supernatural. "You could call that my weakness, because I really don't fancy genres that have to do with supernatural things, such as ghosts or zombies. I'm not really a scaredy-cat, but I do get scared sometimes, when I'm watching these shows," she said, admitting that she would be easily spooked if someone leapt out at her, for instance.

So if she and co-star Ok ran into a ghost, who'd be the first to run away? "Taec-yeon oppa," she giggled. "I heard he's really terrified of ghosts and anything supernatural. He won't even go into a haunted house. So, I don't expect him to protect me if we encounter a ghost." And neither should he expect her to protect him. "I would be too busy protecting myself!" she quipped.

Apart from the chemistry between the pair, there were also a lot of action scenes. "The action scenes were a lot of fun to shoot. Of course, there were challenges physically — I had to be on wires and there were different kinds of equipment involved," she recounted. "The part I didn't quite like was when I had to beat people up. I felt very apologetic. It was a little painful to be involved in such scenes. But the action scenes were very exciting and new for me because of their physicality."

When she's not flying around on wires, the actress leads the life of a typical young girl. "I'm trying to catch up on films, especially romance movies. I watch a lot of those," she said. Her other obsession is her dog: A recently adopted Maltese puppy.

But she is fully aware that she is undergoing a period of transformation. "I'm really grateful that Bring It On, Ghost is the drama in which I'm making a transition from being a child actress to a leading lady," she said. "I will continue to work to become a true lead actress in Korea." She added: "When I become a real adult, I want to act in a romantic comedy." — TODAY

Five things we learned in the Premier League

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 06:20 PM PDT

Tottenham's Erik Lamela reacts during the match against Manchester City at White Hart Lane October 2, 2016. — Reuters picTottenham's Erik Lamela reacts during the match against Manchester City at White Hart Lane October 2, 2016. — Reuters picLONDON, Oct 3 — Manchester City suffered their first defeat under manager Pep Guardiola with a 2-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur that served notice of Spurs' Premier League title credentials.

Here are five things we learned this weekend.

Slick Spurs are title contenders

With Jose Mourinho arriving at Manchester United, Manchester City snaring Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte joining Chelsea and big-money signings at Arsenal and Liverpool, there was little talk of the challenge Tottenham Hotspur might pose in the Premier League prior to the start of the season.

Spurs were Leicester City's main challengers last season, only to fade away and finish third, but there was a feeling that they, like Leicester, would end up as collateral damage in the arms race between the division's traditional superpowers. Not so. Tottenham produced a sublime display to beat City 2-0 on Sunday, condemning Guardiola to his first defeat in the job.

Guardiola's men could not handle Spurs' asphyxiating high press — typified by the industry of Son Heung-Min, goal-scorer Dele Alli and Victor Wanyama — and Mauricio Pochettino's side woud have won more comfortably had Erik Lamela not squandered a second-half penalty. Spurs now possess the last unbeaten record in the division and with City just a slender point above them, the summit is within reach.

Conte stiffens Chelsea defence 

Three was the magic number for Antonio Conte as the Chelsea manager was rewarded for changing his defensive tactics in a 2-0 win over Hull on Saturday.

Shocked by the sloppy displays given by his back four this season — an alarming sequence that culminated in last weekend's 3-0 defeat at Arsenal — Conte opted to switch to a system that deployed three centre backs at the KCOM Stadium. David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta made up the reconfigured back three and the trio quickly adapted to Conte's switch as they kept only Chelsea's second clean-sheet of the season.

Conte is something of an expert in playing with a back three after using the formation during his spells as Juventus and Italy coach. The Italian is likely to stick with it after seeing Chelsea halt their run of nine goals conceded in four games.

Lucky Arsenal

A match away to Burnley had all the hallmarks of being the kind of fixture that has prevented Arsenal winning the Premier League title for more than a decade. But while their usual elegance was missing, they still managed to win 1-0 thanks to Laurent Koscielny's goal in the third minute of stoppage time that might have been ruled out for both handball and offside. Sometimes it really is better to be lucky than good. 

Foxes on the run

Frustrated by Southampton in a goalless home draw on Sunday, Leicester are discovering the perils of defending a title.

Claudio Ranieri's side became the most unexpected English champions ever when they lifted the title last season, but they have won only two of their seven league matches this term as reality starts to bite.

The pre-season departure of France midfielder N'Golo Kante to Chelsea robbed Leicester of their driving force and Ranieri has so far failed to come up with a successful Plan B.

Liverpool grit

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have played some scintillating football this season, crushing champions Leicester 4-1, putting five goals past Hull City and winning 4-3 at Arsenal on the opening day.

But they came unstuck in unexpected fashion in their second game at Burnley, losing 2-0 despite dominating the match.

A similar fate appeared to await them on Saturday after they fell behind to an eighth-minute Leroy Fer goal at struggling Swansea City and saw Adam Lallana hobble off with a groin injury.

But Klopp's men dug deep, equalising through Roberto Firmino's header and eventually prevailing courtesy of a late James Milner penalty. It was not pretty, and Klopp was furious about his team's sloppy start, but it might just have been the stuff of champions. — AFP

‘Off your bike, Terminator’: Schwarzenegger runs into German police

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 06:17 PM PDT

Arnold Schwarzenegger in a selfie with Munich police. — Picture via Twitter.com/bpol_byArnold Schwarzenegger in a selfie with Munich police. — Picture via Twitter.com/bpol_byMUNICH, Oct 3 — Hollywood action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger rode into trouble in Germany when he got told off by police for cycling through Munich station, only to be let off with a warning — and a selfie.

The 69-year-old former California governor and his bodyguard readily admitted their mistake after they were stopped by an officer on Friday for failing to get off their bikes while inside the train station, federal police said in a statement.

The star of the Terminator movies said he was having trouble walking and offered to pose for a picture with the officer to make up for the mistake, it added.

The selfie of the smiling officer and the sunglasses-clad actor was then proudly shared on Bayern police's Twitter feed (@bpol_by) on Saturday.

"Cycling forbidden in Munich central station — even for the Terminator," read the caption. — TODAY
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