Saturday, April 23, 2011

[NEWS] After School's Jung Ah Shows Off Her Hidden 'X-Line'

Pledis updated their Twitter account with Jung Ah's photo:
X라인으로 화제가 된 명품몸매 쩡쩡!!!예쁘게 봐 주셔서 감사해요~
Translation:
X-line has become a hot topic, Jung Ah’s body is a masterpiece !!! Thank you for a beautiful look~

NEWS:
Jung Ah impresses netizens with her usually hidden ‘X-line’ figure.
Because of recently uploaded photos throughout various online communities Jung Ah is being praised for her smooth waist and feminine appearance. Because of her long legs, long arms and tiny waist many netizens have started saying she has an enviable ‘X-line’ figure. Although she is now known for her sexy X-line, Jung Ah also joins her After School members Kahi and U-ie as being a ‘body terminator’ due to her amazing figure.
After seeing this pictures comments netizens left included things like inquiring about Jung Ah’s diet and remarking on how the Members of After School unfairly have both height and nice bodies. One excited netizen even wrote, “After School’s best line is Jung ah!” and “Finally seeing the light!”
Meanwhile After School is expected to release their first album on April 28th.

Source: Paran + Paran
Trans: AfterSchoolDaze


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[NEWS] After School UEE was Featured Idol Chart Show's Hottest Idol Ranking


On April 20, MNET’s Idol Chart Show revealed rankings for the celebrities with the best bodies; Rain came in first, followed by G.NA who is notorious for her enviable figure. Next was Taecyeon from 2PM and U-ie made it into the top five by coming in at number four!



Credit (video) : uploader



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[NEWS] After School UEE Caught Netizen's Attention with her Slender Legs




U-ie caught shoppers attention while doing some every day shopping.
Today U-ie visited a nine west shoe store in Myeongdong, Seoul. U-ie was low key as she went shopping with two close friends but still managed to grab attention with her silent charisma and enviable slender legs.





Credit: Osen + Paran
Blurb: AfterSchoolDaze
Cropped Photos: ASUeeFacts


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'Detective Liza and Gods' filming in the heat

Liza Wang and her partners Wong Cho Lam, Johnson Lee and Louis Yuen appear in several different disguises for TVB new series Detective Liza and Gods. Yesterday afternoon, the 4 stars along with guest stars Ella Koon and Toby Leung were by a commercial building in To Kwa Wan shooting an investigation case. Maybe because there was a large group pressuring Liza that she NGed over 10 times.

That day, the weather was hot and once the director shouted cut to take a break, Liza sped off to the side to relieve her emotions and studied the script. As for guest star Toby Leung, she also asked the staff for a tissue to wipe off her sweat. She didn't care about her image and even put the tissue over her nose and went around with her fans taking photos. It was a funny moment.

Whenever Wong Cho Lam had time, he would often be on the phone with girlfriend Leanne Li.

Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

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Aimee Chan doesn't mind partnering up with Moses Chan for jobs

Yesterday Aimee Chan attended a shopping mall event and was in a very good mood. When asked if its because she's rumored with Moses Chan that she has an increase in jobs? She said: "Actually just see if time can be arranged or not, workload is about the same. If there are jobs arranged, I will try my best to do them, just recently everyone is more concerned about my love life." Asked if she accepted any jobs with Moses? She expressed she does not know yet, her manager arranges them, but she personally does not mind. She can work with any colleague, just as long as she earns money. When speaking of the high price for being partners with Moses, she said: "Really? Doesn't matter, I hope to be able to accommodate the client, I'll be happy to earn money, the more jobs the happier I am."

Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

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Kate Tsui empty love life, digs for money madly

Yesterday Kate Tsui and Michael Tse attended the film Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf Movie 3's special charity event. Kate plays the voice for 'Pleasant Goat' (Happy), she laughed and said that she loves this character. She said: "She just eats and then sleeps, no need to do other things, very satisfying. I really want to be like that." There has been several good news in TVB, many Miss HKs have got married and had kids, Kate expressed: "Yeah, but I am still looking. Really have to start moving and pursuing." Although Kate has an empty love life, she has a satisfying career, getting one series after another, she said: "Considered pretty good, buying a house has always been my dream, but the housing prices are even more expensive than in 1997, so still can't fulfill my wish yet."

Michael Tse plays the voice for 'Grey Wolf' (Wolfy), he reveals that he already done voice dubbing for 4-5 films. Asked if voice dubbing earns more money? He said: "Pretty okay, this time the dubbing took two days to complete, got 5 figures."

Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

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Friday, April 22, 2011

MC Jin Composes Song to Make Wife Happy

MC Jin accepted an interview after marriage yesterday. He said he needs to rush back to Hong Kong for work and he misses his wife Carol a lot: "We met in Puerto Rico, so we went back there to hold a white wedding. But I'm very busy in Hong Kong, so I let her did everything. We will hold a wedding party later in Hong Kong and I'll handle it this time!"

MC Jin said he will focus more on his wife after marriage: "She is not in the showbiz. I won't openly talk about her that much anymore. I'm a type of man who is afraid of wife, so I'll be rich! Haha!" MC Jin disclosed he will release two albums this year. There is a song in his new Cantonese album that he personally composed for his wife, like a memorial song.

Source: Oriental Daily
Translation: Kay's Entertainment

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Chapman to "Peforms" movie review

Chapman To Man Jat two days ago posted his "vocal performance" of a "3D SEX AND ZEN review" to YouTube. He read a viewer's thoughts after 3D SEX AND ZEN: EXTREME ECSTASY (3D YUK PO TUEN ji GIK LOK BO GAM) in its original format that was filled with foul language. The video received over 330,000 views in one day.

The viewer claimed that SEX AND ZEN was an extreme disappointment to him, lacking in sex scenes but excessive with bloody violence. To Man Jat said, "I haven't see the movie, but earlier I saw Stephen Shiu Jr.'s response to that viewer online and thought this review was very funny. On a whim I recorded it and posted it. I think the online world is very suitable for film people to find inspirations and make exchanges that are close to viewer tastes."

Would he be concerned that his foul language filled performance would affect his image? To Man Jat felt that comedy actors needed different ways to cheer up viewers. Earlier he produced a comedy performance of UNEASY and even put the idea in ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2011 (JUI KEUNG HEI SI) to make the audience laugh.

Sources: mingpao, on.cc
Translated by: hktopten

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Elanne Kong "marries" a Niu with a smile

Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam and A Niu yesterday attended the film THE WEDDING DIARY (GEET FUN NA GEIN SI)'s Singapore press conference. The leads said that the press conference was like thier media announcement of their engagement. When the event began the couple entered. Elanne joked that she only knew A Niu for two days before she had to be engaged to him, she was two days sooner than Big S. "Groom to be" A Niu was bashful and only said during his self introduction, "Hi everyone, she is my old lady. I am very happy, thank you!"

Two nights ago Kong Yeuk Lam already arrived for the film's costume fitting. This time she played a rich girl who immigrated from Hong Kong to Singapore, for a happy life she was determined to propose to her boyfriend. With the crew already addressed her as "Ngau Soh", she was both surprised and pleased to work with A Niu for the first time. "He gives people a very friendly and very easy going feeling, but I am afraid that I would have mad bad takes on this shoot. He really is very funny." A Niu during the costume fitting met Elanne in person for the first time. He thought she was very pretty as the crew even caught him blushing. They made fun of him as someone who was afraid of his wife.

Best Actress Wai Ying Hung would also play Elanne's mother. At the press conference, because both Elanne and Sister Hung wore black she was very happy. "I feel very honored to have this chance to work with Sister Hung because I can have the chance to learn from her about acting. I believe my acting will definitely benefit a lot."

Sources: takungpao, mingpao, on.cc
Translated by: hktopten

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Moses Chan Meticulously Shops for Organic Groceries

Since regaining his single status, Moses Chan Ho was rumored romantically with TVB colleague, Aimee Chan Yan Mei. Although both have repeatedly stressed that they were only friends, Moses often smiled sweetly each time he spoke about Aimee.

Last night, without any female companion, Moses shopped alone at a supermarket in Tseung Kwan O. Aside from knowledge on coffee, Moses appeared to be quite particular in the selection of fruit and organic vegetables. In the shopping trip, Moses carefully read the label ingredients to discern the composition and origins of the products. He also took advantage of sale prices prior to the store close. It was obvious that Moses was a healthy eater and carefully planned his purchases!

Translated by: JayneStars

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Gigi Lai Spotted Shopping for Twin Girls

Since marrying the wealthy Ma Ting Keung, 39-year-old Gigi Lai was loved deeply by her husband. Gigi rarely made public appearances. Aftergiving birth to twin girls last July, Gigi’s figure was quite plump. However, due to female interest in beauty, Gigi has tried to quickly regain her former figure.

Yesterday, Gigi was spotted shopping in the Central district at the Jacadi Paris building for baby toys and clothes, purchasing a double set of supplies for her twin daughters. Gigi wore trendy black pants and 3-inch high heels and did not resemble a middle-aged woman. Accompanying her on the shopping trip was a female assistant.

At the baby supplies shop, the sales person immediately recognized Gigi Lai when she entered the store. The sales person was friendly and assisted Gigi select her products. Gigi carefully selected all her products within an hour and bought many sets of baby clothes, shoes, socks, toys and even baby seats.

Speaking on her mobile phone when she noticed the presence of reporters, Gigi maintained a gentle smile throughout. Adhering to the low-key style of her husband, Gigi did not respond to any reporter questions and boarded a 7-passenger car.

Source: Appledaily
Translated by: JayneStars

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Bernice Liu and Alastair Lam Are Business Partners?

Bernice Liu Bik Yee and Alastair Lam have switched to an underground dating relationship. Last week, the pair was spotted at three locations [in one night]. However, Bernice and Alastair appeared extremely evasive. In addition to having the presence of friends as a cover, Bernice and Alastair arrived at the location separately.

At 11 PM, Bernice and Alastair had dinner with several friends in the Central district. Afterwards, they went to Lan Kwai Fong for after-dinner entertainment. Bernice and Alastair appeared loving and often whispered in each other’s ears. Partying until 2 AM, Alastair watched as Bernice drove away in her car before driving away himself.

A few days later, Alastair was spotted dining with Yedda Chiu Dan and several friends at a Japanese restaurant. Yedda and Alastair smiled lovingly with each other and left in a 7-passenger car to head to another location. The pair stayed until midnight before leaving separately.

When reporters confronted Bernice about her late-night date with Alastair, she said, “It was not only the two of us! There both male and female friends present. We have a collaboration project in mind, so we asked our partners out to discuss the plans.” Regarding Alastair and Yedda’s date, Bernice said, “I don’t know her! It’s is one’s freedom to choose his friends. I am friends with Mr. Lam and do not care about these matters.”

Source: Orientaldaily
Translated by: JayneStars

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China-US to hold rights dialogue amid crackdown (AP)

BEIJING – U.S. diplomats will discuss recent disappearances and detentions of Chinese dissidents during human rights talks in Beijing next week, the U.S. State Department said.

The two-day U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue will also focus on the rule of law, freedom of religion and expression, and labor and minority rights, the department said in a statement issued Friday in Beijing.

Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner will head the U.S. side for what is expected to be "candid and in-depth" discussions, the statement said.

The talks come during a major crackdown by Chinese authorities on the embattled dissident community in which dozens of well-known lawyers and activists have vanished, been interrogated or detained for alleged subversion.

The crackdown was apparently sparked by government fears of a Middle East-style protest movement, although anonymous calls on the Internet for demonstrations in China have produced no clear response.

Human rights groups say the crackdown is on a scale not seen in many years, with security forces employing arbitrary tactics to detain people in their homes in defiance of the law.

China has responded by accusing those detained, including internationally known artist Ai Weiwei, of seeking to use the law as cover for attacks on the ruling Communist Party.

Rights activists have long debated the value of such international dialogues on human rights, saying they play to Beijing's strategy to remove such issues from more general public political and economic discussions.

While they have succeeded in the past in obtaining insights about specific cases, the Chinese side has in recent years grown increasingly unwilling to share such information, said Joshua Rosenzweig, a Hong Kong-based research manager for the U.S. human rights group Dui Hua Foundation.

"This time around, with the crackdown on, it will only add to the pressure for something substantial to come out of it," Rosenzweig said.

Worshippers in underground Protestant churches have also come under pressure. Leaders of Beijing's Shouwang church have vowed to worship in outdoor public spaces after being evicted from their previous rented space and prevented from moving into a sanctuary purchased with church funds.

During an initial attempt last week, church leaders were placed under house arrest and nearly 50 members were detained. The leaders appear willing to risk a confrontation with a new call to gather outdoors for Easter services on Sunday.

The Communist Party requires Christians to worship in state-controlled churches, although millions are believed to worship in unregistered "house" churches. The expansion and growing influence of such congregations have unsettled China's rulers, ever suspicious of any independent groups that could challenge their authority.

Ai, a provocative artist and frequent government critic, is the highest-profile figure rounded up so far in the crackdown. The outgoing U.S. ambassador to Beijing, Jon Huntsman, lauded Ai for his compassion and reform calls in a brief article posted Thursday on the website of Time magazine.

"Ai Weiwei is the kind of visionary any nation should be proud to count among its creative class," Huntsman wrote. "It is very sad that the Chinese government has seen a need to silence one of its most innovative and illustrious citizens."



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Stock markets muted amid Good Friday holiday (AP)

BANGKOK – Shares in Japan's top automakers got a boost Friday after a key auto parts supplier announced the early resumption of some operations that had been halted after last month's devastating earthquake.

Renesas Electronics Corp., a key provider of microprocessors that control brakes, engines and transmissions, said operations would resume June 15 at its Naka factory in Ibaraki prefecture, where production was temporarily halted after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that wreaked havoc in northeastern Japan.

Renesas had earlier said it intended to restart partial manufacturing at the Naka factory in July. The company said it is working "with more than 2,000 additional support workers dispatched from outside Renesas Electronics companies to help speed up the resumption of production as much as possible."

"The schedule assumes a stable source of electric power and no further damage from subsequent aftershocks," the company said.

The news helped lift shares in Japan's automotive sector, which was badly hobbled after the earthquake spawned a mammoth tsunami that slammed into Japan's northeastern coast, killing some 27,000 people. The region was host to a vast network of auto parts suppliers that were wiped off the map in the disaster.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index closed marginally down, less than 4 points, to 9,682.21, with automakers posting gains. Toyota Motor Corp. rose 3.1 percent, Honda Motor Corp. bumped up by 2.3 percent and Nissan Motor Corp. jumped 3.6 percent.

However, some major Japanese exporters slipped as the yen gained against the U.S. dollar. Canon Inc. dropped 1.4 percent, and Sony Corp. was down 1.2 percent.

The Nikkei was one of a handful of exchanges open in Asia on the Good Friday holiday.

South Korea's Kospi index was flat at 2,197.82, and mainland China's Shanghai Composite Index slid 0.5 percent to 3,010.52 as investors booked profits following a week of gains. The smaller Shenzhen Composite Index was down 0.6 percent to 1,274.73. Taiwan's TAIEX rose 0.1 percent to 8,969.43.

Markets in Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore were closed.

On Wall Street, strong earnings from large companies like Apple Inc. and UnitedHealth lifted stocks broadly higher Thursday. Gains were spread across the market, with all 10 company groups that make up the S&P 500 index closing the day with gains.

The Dow rose 52 points to close at 12,506. The S&P 500 rose 7 points to 1,337. The Nasdaq rose 18 points to 2,820.

The euro rose $1.4560 from $1.4544 late Thursday in New York. The dollar was unchanged at 81.90 yen.

Markets will be closed on Friday in the U.S. and most of Europe for the Good Friday holiday. Oil was untraded in Asia due to the holiday.



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Samsung files lawsuits against Apple (AP)

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. said it is suing Apple Inc. for patent rights violations, only days after Apple sued Samsung for the same reason.

Samsung is accusing Apple of violating its rights to 10 smartphone and computer patents. The company filed lawsuits Thursday in Seoul, Tokyo and Mannheim, Germany.

The lawsuits come only days after Apple sued Samsung in a California court. Apple alleges Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones and tablet computers copy Apple's popular iPad and iPhone.

The lawsuits are the latest in a long string of patent disputes among phone makers. In recent years Apple, Microsoft Corp., Nokia Corp., HTC Corp. and others have taken legal action to protect their intellectual property rights.



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Third day of Shanghai strike threatens China exports (Reuters)

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Striking truck drivers protested for a third day on Friday in Shanghai's main harbor district amid heavy police presence and signs the action has already started to curb exports from the world's busiest container port.

The strike is a very public demonstration of anger over rising consumer prices and fuel price increases in China.

It comes as the government struggles to contain higher inflation, which hit 5.4 percent in March, fearful that rising prices could fuel protests like those that have rocked the Middle East.

A crowd of up to 600 people milled about outside an office of a logistics company near the Baoshan Port, one of the city's ports. Some threw rocks at trucks whose drivers had not joined in the strikes, breaking the windows of at least one truck.

The strikers, many of them independent contractors who carry goods to and from the port, stopped work on Wednesday demanding the government do something about high fuel costs and what some called high fees charged by logistics firms, said the drivers, who clashed with police on Thursday.

China is especially wary about threats to social stability following online calls for Middle East-inspired "Jasmine Revolution" protests and has detained dozens of dissidents, including renowned artist Ai Weiwei.

As many as 50 police officers were at the area on Friday, and at least two people were arrested after throwing rocks at trucks. Plainclothes officers also briefly detained some foreign reporters and manhandled a Reuters photographer.

The crowd thinned out after a policeman said authorities planned to meet representatives of the truck drivers on Monday for talks aimed at ending the strike.

"Please disperse and go back," he said through a megaphone to truckers who had gathered near a road junction. "We are already talking to your representatives. There will be an answer for you on Monday."

But two truck drivers told Reuters that they would continue their campaign for the government to offset the rising cost of fuel.

"We are continuing our strike," said a 38-year-old truck driver surnamed Liu. "There has been no response from the government or anybody else. There's nothing we can do."

Workers organized the strike using word of mouth, said a driver.

China's tightly controlled state media has made no mention of the unrest, and the city's government, which is working hard to turn glamorous Shanghai into a global financial hub to compete with Hong Kong and London, has denied knowledge of the strike.

"We're currently not aware of the situation," a spokesman with the Shanghai city government said. He declined to be identified.

EXPORTS SLOW

Duncan Innes-Ker, China analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said the strikes could inspire protests by workers in other transport sectors, given rising fuel prices.

"There are strikes in the taxi driver industry on a regular basis in numerous cities across China," he said. "These are happening and they will continue to happen, and if the oil price continues to rise they will get worse."

China said in early April it would lift retail gasoline and diesel prices by 5-5.5 percent to record highs. [ID:nSGE736009].

An official reached by telephone at Shanghai International Port (Group) Co, which runs the Shanghai port, told Reuters the strike "has not affected operations," though would not comment further.

But one executive said the action was already starting to affect the port's operations, at least for exports.

"The strike has delayed exports and many ships cannot take on a full load before leaving," said Wei Yujun, assistant to the general manager at China Star Distribution Center (Shanghai) Co.

"For example, if one ship carries 5,000 containers en route to Hong Kong and the U.S., now they can only carry 1,000 or 2,000 containers," Wei said, adding that such containers typically carry goods such as textiles and machinery.

Traders said that the strike had caused only minimal disruptions to refined copper flows. Waigaoqiao, together with two other bonded areas in Shanghai, hold about 80 percent of China's bonded copper stocks.

"There is more than enough stocks in the bonded warehouses to offset any short-term impact on supplies," said Bonnie Liu, a Macquarie analyst based in Shanghai.

Shanghai's most active copper futures contract closed flat at 71,440 yuan at midday.

FEW OPTIONS FOR WORKERS

Chinese workers have few means of pressing for better wages.

The government prohibits unions independent of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, an umbrella organization run by the Communist Party. Historically, the ACFTU tries to prevent strikes.

"The most basic issue isn't simply that fuel prices are rising. It is that when fuel prices rise, the truck drivers don't have an independent channel to express their interests," said Li Qiang, executive director of China Labor Watch, told Reuters from New York.

The unrest is occurring near at least one of the port's five major working zones -- Waigaoqiao, a massive free-trade zone and bonded storage warehouse.

Shanghai overtook Singapore in 2010 to become the world's busiest container port. The Shanghai port handled 29.05 million 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, in 2010 -- 500,000 TEUs more than Singapore . Shanghai's cargo throughput rose to about 650 million tons in 2010, remaining the world's largest, up from 590 million tons in 2009.

Situated in the middle of the 18,000 km-long Chinese coastline, the Shanghai port is managed by the publicly listed Shanghai International Port (Group) Co Ltd (600018.SS), which is 44.23 percent owned by the Shanghai Municipal Government.

Last May, a burst of labor disputes disrupted production for many foreign automakers including Toyota and Honda, which laid bare the rising demands of China's 150 million migrant workers and raised questions about the region's future as a low-cost manufacturing base.

(Additional reporting by Jason Subler, Jane Lee, Carlos Barria in Shanghai, Ben Blanchard, Sui-Lee Wee, Michael Martina, Niu Shuping in Beijing and Tan Ee Lyn in Hong Kong,; Writing by Ben Blanchard and Sui-Lee Wee; Editing by Don Durfee and Robert Birsel)



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Philippine landslide leaves 3 dead, 40 missing (AP)

MANILA, Philippines – A landslide tore through a remote mining camp in the southern Philippines on Friday, killing three people and leaving dozens more missing as it buried shanties, tents and the entrances to illegal mine shafts.

Soldiers, police and miners were able to rescue 11 people covered when the hillside outside Pantukan town in Compostela Valley province broke away before dawn, but the remote location and other landslides blocking the lone road in were hampering efforts to bring in bulldozers and other rescue equipment.

Army Col. Roberto Domines said dozens of soldiers, police and militiamen have poured in by foot and helicopter to help in the search and rescue.

The missing were mostly illegal gold miners and their families who build bunkhouses and shanties near where they eke out a living by digging in narrow, dangerous shafts, where accidents are common, Pantukan Mayor Celso Sarenas said.

He said the miners have long been warned to stay away from the landslide-prone area.

"We have warned them repeatedly of the danger there, but they wouldn't listen," Sarenas told The Associated Press by telephone from Pantukan, about 580 miles (930 kilometers) southeast of Manila.

It was difficult to verify the number of people missing because the area is inhabited by transients from outlying villages and towns who have temporarily camped out there while searching for gold. Residents estimated more than 40 people were missing.

The dead included a 16-year-old miner, Sarenas said.



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Japan automakers check radiation on car exports (AP)

TOKYO – Japanese automakers have begun checking the level of radiation on cars to be exported from the country in a bid to ease worries among foreign consumers, an industry group said Friday.

The automakers will inspect radiation inside cars and on tires before shipment, said Hirokazu Furukawa, a spokesman for the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. No radiation has been detected so far on cars to be exported from Japan, he said.

"Some foreign consumers voiced concern over radiation. We want to erase their worries by taking this measure," he said. Furukawa said he has not seen a fall in Japanese car sales abroad due to radiation concerns.

Japan has been struggling to contain radiation leaks since a tsunami on March 11 damaged a coastal nuclear power plant in northern Japan, causing radiation leaks. Furukawa said automakers are currently checking the level of radiation on cars to be shipped from eight ports.

Around 10 cars out every 5,000 are being checked for radiation, he said. The carmakers will continue the radiation check on vehicles until the nuclear crisis subsides.

Toyota Motor Corp. said it has checked the level of radiation on 30 cars to be shipped to the United States. Around 46 percent of Toyota cars made in Japan last year were shipped for export.

Around 30 percent of Honda Motor Co.'s cars made in Japan are for export. Over 50 percent of Nissan Motor Co.'s cars made in Japan are to be shipped abroad.



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Truckers protest again over costs in China (AP)

SHANGHAI – Truck drivers protested Friday for a third day over rising fuel costs and fees, disrupting the flow of goods in China's busiest port city.

The protests that began Wednesday are the latest sign of rising public anger over surging inflation that communist leaders have failed to tame despite repeated promises.

The work action has delayed deliveries of cargo at Shanghai ports, though the extent of the slowdown was unclear, trucking company employees said.

In the latest protest, several hundred truck drivers gathered on a road by a cargo-handling center in Baoshan district in Shanghai's northeastern outskirts and intimidated others to prevent them from going to work, said Yan Maoguo, a trucking company owner whose office is nearby.

Yan said his company suspended operations even though it's not involved because he heard that some protesting drivers have been trying to smash vehicles belonging to other drivers picking up shipments during the protest.

Police blocked off the intersection but there was no violence, he said.

The protest comes as China's communist leaders try to defuse mounting public frustration over inflation that spiked to a 32-month high of 5.4 percent in March, driven by an 11.7 percent jump in food costs. Inflation is politically dangerous for the ruling party because it erodes economic gains that help to support the communists' grip on power.

Chinese leaders have said that taming prices is a priority this year. Cities have raised minimum wages by 10 to 20 percent, but that has failed to keep pace with climbing living costs in many areas.

An employee for a company moving clothing, auto parts and machinery said the protests have caused some delays.

"For the last few days, dozens of our trucks haven been grounded, making us unable to take new business," said Xu Xiaoling of Shanghai Continental Logistics Co.

"Cargo shipments will be delayed at ports for a while until the situation gets better," Xu said.

Taiwan's largest shipping company, Evergreen Marine Corp., was warning customers to expect delays, said an employee who asked not to be identified further because she was not authorized to talk to reporters.

Yan, the trucking company owner, said he stopped taking orders Wednesday for fear his four trucks might be attacked by protesters.

"I cannot do business. If I do, my truckers might be assaulted," he said.

But Yan, who moves goods such as clothing for export, said even if he lost money in the short-term, the protest would be good if it brought down "really high" fuel costs and other fees.

The latest protest comes a day after about 40 truckers gathered at the Baoshan cargo-handling center, watched by 10 vans loaded with police. The main gate of the cargo-handling facility was sealed with yellow police tape.

On Wednesday, truckers blockaded a dock in Pudong district in eastern Shanghai, according to a logistics company employee, while in Baoshan the same day a trucking company owner said eight or nine truckers were arrested when they tried to overturn a traffic patrol car.

Authorities reacted quickly to the Shanghai truckers' protest, deploying police and removing accounts of the unrest from Chinese websites.

__

AP business writer Joe McDonald in Beijing, AP reporter Annie Huang and AP researcher Fu Ting in Shanghai contributed to this report.



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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Ferry sinks in Bangladesh; 24 dead, more missing (AP)

DHAKA, Bangladesh – A ferry carrying about 100 passengers capsized in a river in eastern Bangladesh on Thursday, leaving at least 24 people dead and scores feared missing, a police official said.

Local police chief Jamil Ahmed said villagers and rescuers plucked 24 bodies from the River Meghna in Brahmanbaria and divers were looking for more.

Many passengers were able to swim ashore, but the number of missing was unclear, he said.

The ferry apparently went down after hitting the wreckage of another cargo ferry that sunk a few days ago, Ahmed said.

He said police would investigate the accident, which took place about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of the capital, Dhaka.

Ferry accidents, often blamed on overcrowding and lax rules, are common in Bangladesh, a delta nation of 150 million people.



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NKoreans accuse South of kidnapping, beatings (AP)

PYONGYANG, North Korea – Weeping and shaking their fists, ten North Koreans say they were beaten and pressured to defect after South Korea raided their fishing boat and detained them earlier this year.

The men and women released by the South last month spoke publicly for the first time at a rare news conference in Pyongyang on Thursday attended by The Associated Press.

They accused South Korea of kidnapping the 31 people who were on a one-day fishing expedition. They claim four who stayed in the South are being held against their will.

Seoul says the boat strayed into South Korean waters and the four who stayed asked to defect.

South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung says the claims made Thursday aren't worthy of a response.



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Indian PM admits public fury over corruption (AFP)

NEW DELHI (AFP) – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh admitted on Thursday that corruption had become a cause of serious public discontent, as he pledged to introduce an anti-graft bill in parliament soon.

Singh, credited with kickstarting India's economic boom during his time as finance minister 20 years ago, has seen his reputation suffer during his second term as premier due to a series of major corruption scandals.

Public anger at the dishonest officials and shady business deals that are part of everyday life in India recently drew huge support for a 73-year-old man who went on hunger strike to force the government to act.

"There is a growing feeling in the people that our laws, systems and procedures are not effective in dealing with corruption," Singh told civil servants during a speech in New Delhi.

"We must recognise that there is little public tolerance now for the prevailing state of affairs (and) people expect swift and exemplary action and rightly so."

His government earlier this month accepted hunger-striker Anna Hazare's demand to include activists on a panel drafting the anti-graft bill, which could ensure prosecutions of ministers and bureaucrats.

Singh said the bill would be introduced in the next session of parliament, which starts in July.

On Wednesday, a court remanded in custody five corporate executives accused in an alleged mobile phone licence sales fraud that may have cost the country up to $40 billion in lost revenue.

Disgraced telecoms minister A. Raja is already in custody along with other government officials and businessmen over the alleged fraud.

Last October's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi were also viewed as riddled with graft involving hundreds of millions of dollars.

In Thursday's speech, Singh reiterated that tackling high inflation was a government priority as India's rapid economic growth continues.

"During the past year and a half, persistent inflation, especially in the food sector, has become a cause for concern," he said.

"The long-term solution lies in increased production and productivity in the agriculture sector."

Inflation in March accelerated to nearly nine percent, which put added pressure on the central bank to raise policy rates further to tame price rises.

Surging food prices have given Singh's Congress-led government one of its biggest problems, causing hardship to the hundreds of millions of poor who powered the coalition to a second term in office in 2009.



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Dozens dead, many missing as Bangladesh ferry sinks (Reuters)

DHAKA (Reuters) – A ferry carrying more than 100 people capsized in Bangladesh Thursday after colliding with another vessel, killing at least 26 people, police said.

The death toll was expected to rise with some passengers believed trapped inside the ferry and dozens missing, rescuers said.

Hundreds of people die in ferry accidents on low-lying Bangladesh's many rivers every year as operators often ignore rules that authorities fail to enforce.

"Divers are trying to retrieve more bodies from the sunken ferry," a senior police official, Zahurul Islam Khan, told Reuters from the scene.

The ferry, M. L. Bipasha, sank after it collided with a cargo vessel on the Meghna river at Rajapur, 130 km (80 miles)northeast of the capital Dhaka.

Around 40 people jumped off the ferry and swam to the shore after it was hit by the cargo vessel.

"I woke up hearing a big bang and jumped immediately into the water, then swam ashore," a survivor told a television network.

But the ferry, which was sailing from Bhairab -- near the accident spot -- to northeast, sank with the rest of passengers after the collision, local officials said.

A rescue vessel picked up most survivors from the sinking ferry, but dozens of passengers were still missing.

Anxious people gathered on the river bank waiting for news of missing relatives, witnesses said.

Another vessel is expected to reach the spot late on Thursday or early Friday to try to salvage the two-deck, mostly wooden ferry.

(Reporting by Nizam Ahmed; Editing by Anis Ahmed and Yoko Nishikawa)



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China's VP praises outgoing US ambassador Huntsman (AP)

BEIJING – China's expected future leader praised outgoing U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman on Thursday amid talk of the former Utah governor launching a presidential run.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping called Huntsman "an old friend of the Chinese people" who had made "unremitting efforts to promote the exchanges between our two people.

"Let me express out appreciation for your contributions. We will never forget what you have done," said Xi, who is expected to begin taking over from President Hu Jintao next year.

Xi's comments came during a meeting in Beijing with an unusually large delegation of 10 U.S. senators led by Majority Leader Harry Reid, which Huntsman also attended. The delegation is in China for talks with Chinese officials on topics from clean energy to human rights.

Xi said the presence of Reid's high-powered delegation "fully demonstrates how much importance the U.S. Senate attaches to growing U.S.-China relations."

Huntsman, 50, officially leaves his Beijing post on April 30 and is due to visit the state of New Hampshire just weeks later, further suggesting he is weighing a White House bid.

A fluent Mandarin speaker from his time as a Mormon missionary, Huntsman has won praise from the administration for his work as ambassador. But White House aides have been less than enthused by his interest in exploring a Republican presidential bid next year.

Having served a Democratic president could limit Huntsman's support by conservatives who influence the Republican nomination process.

Huntsman surprised many strategists when he accepted the post in China, considered one of the United States' top diplomatic assignments.



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Pakistani court frees all but 1 in gang-rape case (AP)

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday freed five men accused in the notorious gang-rape of a woman under orders from a village council in 2002, angering the victim and human rights groups. The ruling left just one of the initial 14 suspects in prison.

Mukhtar Mai was assaulted after the council in her village in Punjab province ordered she be raped as punishment for her 13-year-old brother's suspected affair with a woman of a higher caste. She attracted global sympathy and much international media coverage by shunning custom and speaking out about her ordeal.

Fourteen men were originally accused in the case, but a lower court acquitted eight. In 2005, an appeals court acquitted five out of the six remaining defendants, saying witness statements contradicted the prosecution case.

The Supreme Court upheld that ruling Thursday, said defense lawyer Malik Saleem. It also upheld the life sentence handed down to the sixth man.

Mai said she would not request another review of the case.

"I am scared these 13 people will come back to my village and harm me and my family," Mai told The Associated Press. "I have lost faith in the courts, and now I am leaving my case to the court of God. I am sure God will punish those who molested me."

Rights activists condemned the decision, saying it left women even more insecure.

"This is a setback for Mukhtar Mai, the broader struggle to end violence against women and the cause of an independent rights-respecting judiciary in Pakistan," Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

Pakistan's criminal justice system has a very low conviction rate, in large part because police, prosecutors and judges are underequipped, undertrained, corrupt and beholden to the rich, powerful and politically connected in the districts where they serve.

Given this, many people turn to village councils to dispense justice based on tribal traditions. They sometimes order women beaten or killed.

Mai's decision to go public brought an international spotlight on the struggles of women in the South Asian country, and earned her many plaudits. She was named Glamour magazine's Woman of the Year, and now runs a school in her village of Meerwala.



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Australia PM vows to back disaster-hit Japan (AFP)

TOKYO (AFP) – Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard vowed on Thursday to help Japan recover from last month's earthquake and tsunami by securing natural resources and rare earth minerals for the Asian country.

Gillard arrived in Tokyo late Wednesday on a four-day visit to hold talks with her Japanese counterpart Naoto Kan and visit northeastern Japan, hit by the March 11 disaster that has left more than 27,000 people dead or missing.

"Japan will rebuild and Australia will help as a friend," Gillard said in a speech at a meeting with Japanese business leaders.

"Over the next few years Australia will become Japan's most important supplier of liquefied natural gas, as we are already with coal and iron ore," Gillard said.

"Japan can certainly continue to rely on Australia as a reliable source of supply at this difficult time.

"We are also committed to being a secure and reliable supplier to Japan of rare earth metals, which are so important to advanced manufacturing."

Attention has shifted to Australia's nascent rare earths industry after China, which dominates global production, began restricting exports of the metals which are vital in making many high-tech products.

Ahead of her speech, Gillard met Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at their royal residence, voicing her condolences for victims of the disaster, according to government officials and local media.

Gillard and Kan were scheduled to hold talks later in the day and expected to discuss steps to boost ties in disaster relief and energy in the wake of the calamity, Japan's worst since World War II.

Gillard, on her first visit to Japan since the disaster struck, plans to visit evacuation centres in the northeast town of Minamisanriku on Saturday.



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Big bomb found near Indonesia church; 19 arrested (AP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesia was in a state of high alert Thursday after the arrest of 19 terror suspects led police to a 150-kilogram (330-pound) bomb buried beneath a gas pipeline near a church.

Senior security minister Djoko Suyanto said he believed Islamic militants had been plotting an attack outside of the capital during Good Friday celebrations.

"The army and police are under high alert," he told reporters after attending a meeting chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "We want to guarantee safety."

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, was thrust onto the front lines in the battle against extremists in 2002 after al-Qaida-linked militants attacked two nightclubs on Bali island, killing 202 people, many of them foreign tourists.

There have been several attacks since then targeting glitzy hotels, restaurants and an embassy, killing another 60.

In recent months, militants have shifted their focus to local "enemies," including police on anti-terror operations, members of a minority Islamic sect, moderate Muslim leaders and Christians.

National Police Chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said the 19 suspects were arrested Thursday, including six accused in a series of mail bombs sent last month to liberal Muslim activists and a former anti-terror chief.

Four people were wounded in the parcel bombings, none seriously.

The arrested men eventually led police to the gas pipeline near a church in the city of Serpong, southwest of Jakarta, where they found the massive bomb.



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Patty Hou holds wedding in Bali

In case anyone missed it, 32 year-old Patty Hou just got married this past weekend. She wore a beautiful wedding dress by Vera Wang. About 70 friends and family were invited to the wedding, which took place in Bali, costing approximately $17 million (TWD). Patty spoke while holding her tears, “My mom has spent her entire life taking care of me, so I want to bring happiness to her.”

Patty’s mom responded, “I give it 100 (out of 100)! They’re perfect!” During the after party, Patty told the media once again, “She (mom) has always hoped that I can be in happiness, and be able to find someone that I can live the rest of my life with. I thank Ken very much for preparing the wedding, it’s exactly what I wanted.” Ken said, “She (Patty) is very filial, very kind, I’m very lucky to be able to marry her.”

Source: Appledaily
Translated by: fufu @ CpopAccess

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Janice Man suffers abuse at the hands of Lam Lei

Janice Man Wing Shan, Candy Lo Hau Yam, Lam Lei and director Law Wing Cheong yesterday promoted their new film PUNISHED (BO YING) on Metro Radio. In the film Janice played Anthony Wong Chau Sun's daughter who suffered abuses after Lam Lei kidnapped her. She was not only beaten but also forced fed incense ash. The director said, "The kidnapper probably wouldn't feed you dessert." Lam Lei also said that during the performance he could not hold back. Janice honestly said that she was injured a little but would rather be a little more realistic. As for the most dangerous scene, she was tied to a chair and the kidnapper had to kick her along with the chair into the air. Did she use a double? She said, "Yes, but the double only demonstrated. I did my own stunt. I trusted the director so I gave my all."

Although Lam Lei had to hit Janice, he was not comfortable. In one scene he had to kick Janice, after a dozen kicks or so his leg was also injured. In addition during his fight scene with Richie Jen (Yam Yin Chai), everyone was injured. Law Wing Cheong worked with Janice for the first time. He praised her as very smart, in particular her scared expression was very well performed. Janice explained that because she really was scared. Candy had one scene in which she, Wong Chau Sun and Siu Chai jumped from the second floors on wires. She tripped and was injured, afterward she did not dare to let her mother know. Janice at the Hong Kong Film Award won Best Dressed. She said that before hand she did not know that the event had this award so it was a surprise.

Sources: takungpao, on.cc
Translated by: hktopten

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Vonnie Lui breaks down over criticism

Vonnie Lui Hoi Yan, Hiro Hayama (Yip San Ho), Tony Ho Wa Chiu, producer Stephen Shiu Jr. and theme song performer Sukie Shek Wing Lei two nights ago attended the 3D SEX AND ZEN: EXTREME ECSTASY (3D YUK PO TUEN ji GIK LOK BO GAM) celebration. Stephen Shiu Jr. announced that the film after five days in release in Hong Kong passed 14 million at the box office, after one day in release in Taiwan it made close to NT$5 million.

Lui Hoi Yan was excited about the box office success. "I just returned from promoting the film in Taiwan, such a good performance truly is very rare." Speaking of many online criticism about her being the promotion selling point but she did not perform in the buff in the film. Even her topless scene only lasted two seconds. Some even questioned whether she used a double and demanded a "refund". Lui Hoi Yan stressed that she did not use a double. Because during the shoot she was thinner, visually there was a difference. As for why she was not fully naked, she explained, "My character is a hermaphrodite, I am topless but I covered up below. The third spot that everyone saw on screen required computer generated effects."

Did she feel that was like lying to the audience? She was upset and said, "I didn't lie to anyone!" Then she broke down and said, "It took a lot of courage for me to play this character, but instead I was criticized. I am an actress but viewers make me sound like a prostitute. I am just one of the four actresses, why don't viewers stomp on the other actresses? They just point all their arrows at me. I feel humiliated. If it's like this why not just cut out my topless scenes and don't bother." Hiro Hayama consoled her. "Don't cry, tonight is a celebration! Actually she truly gave for the film and worked very hard on her performance."

Would Lui Hoi Yan no longer make category III film? She said that this incident would not affect her decision. In the future whether she would perform in the buff she would make up her mind according to the script. In addition, Stephen Shiu Jr said, "Young people now mistake adult video for category III films. They think that they spend over HK$100 to watch 3D adult video at the movies and criticize that after watching the movie they have no biological response. They have no idea what category III film restrictions are. Since they have an opinion, later when the film will be released on video I will lengthen Lui Hoi Yan's topless scene. (How much longer?) It should be four seconds. On May Day golden week the film will also release an extended edition, which will have 15 minutes more sex scenes that were cut earlier to satisfy everyone."

Sources: takungpao, mingpao
Translated by: hktopten

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Jacky Cheung urges food bank donations

Jacky Cheung Hok Yau after completing the fifth show of his concert series two nights ago took a two day break before continuing on with the remaining 15 shows. During this break, Hok Yau after the show two nights ago announced good news. He urged friends to give rice instead of floral arrangements, through the St. James' Settlement People's Food Bank for the needy in Hong Kong. Now over 7,000 kg of rice was already raised. Friends who donated included Andy Lau Tak Wa, Nicholas Tse Ting Fung and Cecilia Cheung Pak Chi, Kelly Chen Wai Lam, Tong Hok Tak, Julian Cheung Chi Lam and Anita Yuen Wing Yi, Joey Yung Cho Yi and others.

When Hok Yau appeared he tripped on the bags of rice on the stage. Hok Yau sat on the bag and joked, "After the concert my legs are inevitably wobbly, haha." Later, manager Chan Suk Fun and Director Andrew Lau Wai Keung who produced the concert music film and animation cut a cake to celebrate the successful performance.

Hok Yau was unable to attend the Hong Kong Film Award due to his concert. Hok Yau said that he never thought that he would be a Best Actor nominee. Because the character in the film was very light, he was surprised to be nominated and joked that he treated it like he won twice.

He also did not forget to congratulate Best Actor Nicholas Tse Ting Fung. Were the results what he expected? He said that he did not have any expectation so he did not think about it before. However he has seen Lau Ka Ling's award winning film and thought that the film revolved around the male character. Ka Ling and the other actress Li Bingbing did not have a lot of screen time, but Ka Ling performed very well. Did he feel bad for his co-star Tang Wei? Hok Yau said, "No, because every nominee are of a certain caliber. You might as well say no matter who won you had to feel bad for the others." Ting Fung defeated four elders. Hok Yau said learning has no order, not to mention that Nick Cheung Ka Fai already won Best Actor two years ago and Chow Yun Fat was a Best Actor frequent guest. Would Hok Yau see Best Actor as a goal? He honestly said, "You can be only if you put in an effort, I really haven't so I don't deserve the award."

Sources: takungpao, mingpao, singtao
Translated by: hktopten

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