US housewife in 'milkshake murder' doesn't appeal (AP)

HONG KONG – Lawyers for an American woman convicted in Hong Kong of drugging her banker husband and bashing him to death say she has decided not to appeal. They say she will seek a transfer to a U.S. prison. Nancy Kissel, 47, was convicted last month for a second time and sentenced to life in prison for the 2003 murder. Her first conviction in 2005 was overturned by Hong Kong's top court last year. Lawyer Colin Cohen said Thursday that Kissel didn't appeal by a Tuesday deadline and will seek a transfer to a U.S. federal prison. Another lawyer said the process usually takes a year and Kissel will likely seek a transfer to California because her mother lives in the Californian city Sebastopol. The second lawyer said the Kissel family requested he not give his name. View the Original arti...

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Unity among North Waziristan groups crumbles (AP)

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Crumbling unity among militants could provide the Pakistan army an opening to conduct a limited offensive against a particularly vicious Taliban group in a strategic tribal region, according to analysts and a senior military official. The target of such an operation in North Waziristan would be the most violent factions within the so-called Pakistani Taliban. Their leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, is believed to be increasingly isolated after executing a prominent former Pakistani official over the objections of senior militant leaders. Although Mehsud has been linked to attacks in neighboring Afghanistan, his main focus appears to be in plotting carnage elsewhere in Pakistan. And that makes him a prime target for the army. Washington has long urged the Pakistanis to launch...

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N.Korean leader ready for talks on any issue: Carter (Reuters)

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is ready to hold direct talks with South Korea but the isolated state will not apologize for two deadly attacks on the divided peninsula last year, former President Jimmy Carter said on Thursday. Carter returned from a three-day trip to Pyongyang having failed to meet Kim, but he and three other former state leaders -- known as the Elders -- received a last-minute message from the leader saying he was willing to talk with anyone at anytime without preconditions. "He specifically told us he is prepared to meet directly with (South Korean) President Lee Myung-bak any time," Carter told a press conference in Seoul. If Kim was willing to discuss nuclear and other military issues with South Korea, it would mark a change in policy -- the North...

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Indonesian leader warns Islamic radicalism rising (AFP)

JAKARTA (AFP) – Indonesian's president on Thursday warned that the world's most populous Muslim-majority country was confronting a rising tide of Islamic radicalism, after a spate of hate crimes and bombings. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the sprawling archipelago's cherished reputation for tolerance and pluralism was under attack by extremists bent on turning the nation of 240 million people into a strict Islamic state. The country -- praised by US President Barack Obama in November as a "model" of tolerance for the world -- has been shaken by bloody assaults on religious minorities and persistent attacks by homegrown terror groups. "I have witnessed that there has been a radicalisation movement in this nation with religious and ideological motives," Yudhoyono said in a speech at a national...

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Honda quarterly profit drops 38 percent (AP)

TOKYO – Honda Motor Co. said Thursday its quarterly profit dropped 38 percent due to a slump in car production following last month's earthquake and withheld earnings projections amid a chronic shortage of auto parts. The company said it would let go all 600 contract workers at one of its two auto factories in Japan. Honda has been struggling to maintain limited vehicle manufacturing because of parts shortages following the March 11 quake and tsunami. Honda's net profit for the January-March quarter shrank to 44.5 billion yen ($545 million). Revenue fell 2.9 percent to 2.21 trillion yen. "The March quake was the biggest reason for declining profit. We simply could not produce cars due to parts shortages after the quake," said Honda spokesman Tomohiro Okada. The magnitutue-9.0 earthquake...

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Disasters challenge plans to reinvent Japan Inc. (AP)

TOKYO – Before disaster struck, Japan's leaders were vowing to counter the prospect of long-term economic decline with a new spirit of engagement with the rest of the world. Freer trade and deeper economic ties could help re-energize an economy stifled by deflation and eclipsed in size by rising rival China and in vision by smaller, more dynamic countries such as neighboring South Korea. Now, as Japan deals with the aftermath of triple calamities — earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor leaks — the considerable challenges of remaking the world's third-largest economy have become even bigger and may take a backseat to reconstruction. "Those who want to return to a more Keynesian, pump-priming and heavy government control of the economy will argue that this is the time to rebuild Japan and...

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Niki Chow accompanies a baby with birth defect surgery

As the 'Operations Smile China' ambassador, Niki Chow visited the process of a birth defect (harehip) sugery in Zhengzhou. Niki personally carried a 3 month year old baby to the surgery bed and expressed her mixed feelings. "It's really difficult to describe this type of feeling, just I feel that I am very blessed. In the future, when I have my own children, I will no longer be caught up with the baby is a girl or boy, the most important is good health and safety." Niki urges fans to donate and together and support there babies.Source: Oriental DailyTranslator: aZnangel@AEUView the Original arti...

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Fala Chen forgets money at ATM, HK$3000 lesson learned

The day before, Fala Chen groaned over her stupidity on Weibo. She exposed that when she was withdrawing money from the ATM, she forgot to take the money with her, Koni Lui and Natalie Tong comforted her and felt pity that she lost the money. Yesterday Fala reveals though her manager that it aches losing HK$3000. She learned a lesson from this experience.Recently, Fala is busy shooting a new series with Michael Tse. She also often attending events on the side and is so busy she can't even take a breath. Fala is currently working hard in making money, but she hasn't been careful in protecting her hard earned money.She groaned on Weibo of her stupidity:...

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Sammi Cheng is in a hurry to return to Hong Kong and support Andy Hui

Johnnie To Kei Fung, Wai Ka Fai, Zhang Guoli produced new film HIGH ALTITUDE ROMANCE 2 (GO HOI BUT JI LUEN II) earlier shot in the 320 feet above sea level Shangri-La. They planned to shoot for two months, in several days the team will complete its Shangri-La shoot and head to Kunming. Actors Louis Koo Tin Lok, Sammi Cheng Sau Man, Li Guangjie, Yang Yi and Sun Jiayi have all adjusted to the high altitude environment, and the shoot has been very smooth and pleasant.After staying in the high mountains for awhile, Sammi showed no sign of high altitude illness. Instead she grew stronger as the crew gave her the nickname "Female Bull Wa". Although...

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China, US begin human rights talks amid crackdown (AP)

BEIJING – China and the U.S. opened what is likely to be a bruising meeting on human rights Wednesday amid a Chinese crackdown on dissent that has left dispirited activists questioning the value of such diplomatic exchanges. The two-day U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue will focus on the ongoing campaign against dissent, as well as the rule of law, freedom of religion and expression, and labor and minority rights, the State Department said. Dozens of well-known lawyers and activists across China have vanished, been interrogated or detained for alleged subversion in recent weeks as China's government, apparently unnerved by events in the Middle East and North Africa, has moved to squelch dissent. No Middle East-inspired protests are known to have occurred in China, despite anonymous appeals...

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Singapore opposition to contest 82 of 87 seats (AP)

SINGAPORE – Singapore opposition parties will contest the most parliamentary seats since independence in 1965 in general elections next week, officials said Wednesday. Opposition candidates will take on the ruling People's Action Party for 82 of 87 seats in 26 of 27 districts, the Singapore Elections Department said. The announcement marked the beginning of the official campaign period before the May 7 vote. Only a slate of five PAP candidates led by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in the Tanjong Pagar district will run unopposed. The PAP has dominated Singapore politics for more than five decades, but opposition leaders hope to exploit voter discontent over soaring housing prices, a surge in foreign workers, and rising income inequality. The PAP first came to power in 1959 under limited...

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Thousands gather in India for Hindu guru's funeral (AP)

PUTTAPARTI, India – Throngs of tearful devotees gathered Wednesday for the funeral of Sathya Sai Baba, one of India's best-known Hindu ascetics who was revered by millions as a divine incarnation with miraculous healing powers. The 84-year-old was buried in an auditorium in his spiritual center in southern India where his body had been lying in state for the last three days. As Sai Baba's nephew performed the last rites, Hindu priests chanting verses from sacred texts instructed him to anoint the body with oil, herbs and flowers. Tens of thousands of devotees, many weeping and sobbing quietly, filled the auditorium and the streets outside, where they watched the funeral on a large screen. Several Indian television channels broadcast the funeral live. At one point a Western devotee in the...

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Thai-Cambodia clashes continue for 6th day (AP)

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Cambodia's leader has accused Thailand of loving war and says he wants to talk peace with his Thai counterpart at an upcoming regional meeting. Prime Minister Hun Sen said in his first remarks since border fighting began last Friday that he welcomes talks with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at the meeting in Indonesia early next month. Hun Sen accused Abhisit's government of loving war in a manner that he had never seen with previous Thai governments. Both countries accuse the other of starting the fighting. The two countries traded fire for a sixth day Wednesday. The death of a Thai civilian Tuesday brought the total number of dead to 14. View the Original arti...

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China seizes melamine-tainted milk powder (AP)

BEIJING – Authorities seized 26 tons of melamine-tainted milk powder from an ice cream maker in southern China three years after widespread use of the chemical in infant formula killed six babies, state media said Wednesday. The discovery underscores China's stubborn problem with illegal food additives used to turn a quick profit regardless of the health risks. Caches of toxic milk powder repeatedly have been discovered since a crackdown in 2008 that saw dozens arrested and a dairy farmer and a milk salesman executed. The Global Times newspaper quoted police in the southern city of Chongqing as saying Tuesday that the Jixida Food Co. bought the milk powder a year ago to make pastries and ice cream. The report said the tainted powder was stored in a warehouse and had not yet been used. Five...

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Japan's royal couple visits disaster-stricken town (AP)

MINAMI-SANRIKU, Japan – Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited Japan's tsunami-battered northeastern coast on Wednesday, offering encouragement to residents who lost homes and loved ones in last month's disaster. The deeply respected royal couple visited a school gymnasium where 200 people live in the town of Minami-Sanriku, 250 miles (400 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo. Excited crowds began gathering almost two hours before their arrival. "I'm thankful he has come so far. It makes me so happy," said Mitsuko Oikawa, 73, who has been living at the shelter since the tsunami. Her house was washed away by the powerful waves, she said, shaking her head. "I saw it happen right before my eyes," she said. "It hurts just to think about it." But the emperor's visit gives her strength, she said....

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Lesbians in Thailand push boundaries, become chic (AP)

BANGKOK – When she initially pitched the idea for Thailand's first lesbian movie, it was quickly shot down. Producers called the premise distasteful and said movie viewers would find the story line disgusting. After scrounging together funds for five years, director Saratsawadee Wongsomphet released "Yes or No" on an independent label to considerable acclaim. The film's recent success in outwardly tolerant but traditional-minded Thailand is part of a growing acceptance of lesbians under the influence of the Internet and fashion trends. These emboldened lesbians are not using Western-style activism. They are quietly pushing boundaries to find space for their lifestyle, harnassing pop culture and introducing a Thai variation of Lesbian Chic. "It would have been risky to make this movie five...

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After suffering pain from miscarriage, Kelly Chen reappears with smiles

(Left: Kelly's Son) ("Little Sister Man Ling")Since Kelly Chen's miscarriage in March, she remained at home resting for 2 months. Finally Kelly has recovered emotionally and is ready to step out the door for a comeback. She agreed to attend 3D-GOLD Jewelry's new store opening ceremony this Friday and will cut the ribbon with good friend Eric Tsang. Meanwhile, she explained her current situation with the fans, media and friends that are concerned about her. So yesterday she uploaded 4 new photos of her and her son "Shrimp Dumpling Boy" (Lau Sing) at the beach on her own blog. She wrote "Thank You" to expressed her gratefulness to all the concern...

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Moses Chan Has Favorable Impression on Aimee Chan

After he broke up with Bernice Liu, Moses Chan quickly finds himself rumored with fellow TVB artist Aimee Chan. It's said they got together while filming a drama together. Ex Bernice even hinted Aimee is the third party in her relationship with Moses. However, Moses denied and apologized for the inconvenience."I feel there is a need to clear it up. It's never her problem. I feel very bad for her to take those unpleasant names."The TVB actor just returned Hong Kong and he once again stressed he and the Miss Hong Kong 2006 are not dating; however, he does have a favorable impression on her."I do have a favorable impression on her," he said. "The...

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Mavis Pan to Star in Custom-Tailored Role in Mainland Series

Raymond Lam Fung’s ex-girlfriend, Mavis Pan Shuangshuang, has returned to Beijing. Although Mavis’ departure may allow Raymond to take a temporary deep breath and relax, additional turbulences may lie ahead. To complement the July release of her pictorial book and generate publicity, Mavis may release additional intimate photos of Raymond with other women!Aside from Siu Ding Yat expressing interest to cast Mavis in the sequel to Sex and Zen 3D < 3D肉蒲團> and Golden Lotus 3D < 3D金瓶梅>, Mavis was invited to try a screen test for a mainland series. Mavis will portray the role of a woman dejected in...

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Raymond Lam to Win TVB Best Actor and Best Male Singer Awards?

Since Mavis Pan Shuangshuang revealed bed photos with Raymond Lam Fung, the TVB star went through an emotional rollercoaster. Allegedly, Mavis may possess additional intimate photos which could potentially hurt Raymond. Fortunately, he was protected by TVB. Next month, Raymond will make strong advances in the television, film, and music industries. Raymond’s series, Return to the Three Kingdoms "回到三國" will be broadcast as an Anniversary series in the November timeframe.On May 16th, TVB will be airing My Sister of Eternal Flower "花花世界花家姐" in Hong Kong, replacing the time slot for Relics of an Emissary "洪武三十二". In the series, Raymond will co-star...

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Ekin Cheng may marry on the spur of the moment

Yesterday Dior Cheng Yi Kin, Pierre Ngo Ka Nin, Hung Chung Yam and Wong Kam Po and others attended a Community Chest program taping. The team went to the Whitehead Bicycle Tracks for a charity bicycle race. Ekin did not wear the traditional bicycle pants. He joked that his leg muscles were developed so he wore a new style bicycle pants.When asked about his bicycle abilities, he said, "I am capable, with two top notch bicyclists on hand I of course come to learn. Normally I do more mountain biking, I have very little contact with official racing bicycles." Ekin said that lately he has been caught on the bike often, so the event invited him. When...

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Additional Romantic Scenes for Bobby

For his coffee career, Moses Chan used the reason of having to go to Malaysia to attend to his shop to turn down Nelson Cheung's new series "Yue Fu's Hidden Dragon". Accordingly, this series has already made some changes in the cast. Aside from the original main cast of Bobby Au Yeung, Myolie Wu, and Linda Chung, Evergreen Mak will be a new addition. Evergreen admitted that he had received this news over a week ago. The details have not been discussed; everything will be left to the company to arrange.However, because Moses' turned down the series, the whole series' story and characters had to be rewritten. The producer frankly said that there...

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Aaron Kwok gives a hint at his personal life

Aaron Kwok Fu Sing, Eddie Cheung Siu Fai, Ciwi Lam Sze Man and director Oxide Pang Shun yesterday promoted their new film THE DETECTIVE 2 (B+ JING TAM). The event arranged for the live audience to make Sing Sing's poses on the posters. Sing Sing played along, brought back "Ah Tam" and chok the poster look to earn everyone's applause!Sing Sing said that the film will first open in the Mainland on April 29, then on May 12 in Hong Kong. The film in order to enter the Mainland market removed the supernatural portion from its subject. The Mainland version would have have less bloody and violent scenes. Was he concerned about counterfeit? Sing Sing...

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'Lives of Omission' Trailer; Bosco Wong Has More Scenes than Michael Tse?

Although Michael Tse is see as the main lead in new drama "Lives of Omission," but looking at a recent trailer of the drama, looks like Bosco Wong is having more scenes.Upcoming drama "Lives of Omission" is supposed to be the spin-off of legendary undercover "Laughing Gor" from 2009 drama"E.U.". Michael Tse, who plays the role, returns as a police officer in the new drama and will develop a romantic relationship with boss Fala Chen.Additional characters including Bosco Wong and Kate Tsui. From a leak trailer online, it appears Bosco's role as an undercover has a more interesting storyline which might captivate the audience. In order to support...

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Miriam Yeung and Leon Lai represent Hong Kong at the Beijing film festival

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, Beijing city government organized 1st Beijing International Film Festival two nights ago held a grand opening ceremony at the National Grand Theater. Aside from the usual stars, the event also invited over 20 famous film festival chairs to be the opening ceremony guests in Beijing. Media Asia film boss Peter Lam Kin Ngok led a Hong Kong representative group and walked the red carpet with Media Asia representatives Leon Lai Ming and Miriam Yeung Chin Wa.Lai Ming is currently working on his new film WHITE VENGEANCE in Hengdian and made the trip for the opening ceremony before returning to...

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Carina Lau Chooses Tony Leung Chiu Wai

The fresh out of the oven Best Actress Carina Lau Ka Ling, Han Geng, Zhao Wenzhou, Godfrey Gao, Willian Chan Wai Ting and Yumiko Cheng Hei Yi two nights ago attended a GQ Style party.Ka Ling appeared with bunny ears. The media congratulated her on her Best Actress and made her very happy. When asked whether her perfect man was Tony Leung Chiu Wai, she said, "Men are perfect, but men's tenderness for women is a particularly chauvinistic expression. We are all flawed, but while we accept each other's positive points we also accept the other's flaw. We are very compatible." If she had to choose between the Hong Kong Film Award or having a child,...

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Louis Koo is not nervous about the box office

Louis Koo Tin Lok, Wai Ying Hung, Yu Shaoqun, Lin Peng, Wang Danyi and others two nights ago gathered in Wanchai to attend their new film A CHINESE GHOST STORY (SIN NUI YAU WON)'s premiere. Goo Jai revealed that this time he deliberately returned from Shangri-La, where he was working on his new film HIGH ALTITUDE ROMANCE 2 (GO HOI BUT JI LUEN II). Was he nervous about the box office? Goo Jai said, "I went to such a far and away place like Shangri-La, I believe I wouldn't get any information." Goo Jai said that the memorable part of CHINESE was breaking his leg, which still has not recovered.Speaking of Max Mok Siu Chung's drug arrest that made...

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