#GE222: Plane Crashes In Taiwan In Bad Weather

A plane making a second landing attempt in stormy weather crashed at an airport on a small Taiwanese island late Wednesday, killing 51 people and injuring 7, fire officials said.

The flight was heading from the capital, Taipei, to the island Penghu, halfway between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait. According to The Star, citing Taiwan News, flight GE222 was scheduled to depart Kaohsiung Siaogang Airport at 4pm, but only took off at 5:43pm due to bad weather.

It was scheduled to land in Penghu’s Magong Airport half an hour later.

However, the aircraft crashed from about 28 metres above the ground. Taiwan media understands that the plane did not skid; the cockpit hit the ground first and burst into flames. Taiwan’s Central News Agency cites the Civil Aviation Administration as saying the flight carried 54 passengers and 4 flight crew and was operated by a Taiwanese airline, TransAsia Airways.

Shanghai Morning Post says the pilot of the aircraft had 23,000km of flying experience and the co-pilot had 22,000 km of flying experience.

Pictures from the airport showed a handful of firefighters using flashlights to look at wreckage in the darkness.

Taiwan was battered by Typhoon Matmo early Tuesday morning, and the Central Weather Bureau was advising of heavy rain through the evening, even though the centre of the storm was in mainland China.

Malaysia Airlines, which experienced 2 devastating tragedies (#MH370 and #MH17) in less than half a year, has tweeted a message of support for TransAsia Airways flight GE222 upon hearing news of the crash:

Our thoughts are with all those on board TransAsia Airways #GE222, their families and loved ones.

— Malaysia Airlines (@MAS) July 23, 2014

CNA, citing Shanghai Morning Post, reports that TransAsia Airways has released the list of names of passengers on the flight. Relatives have rushed to the airport upon hearing news of the crash. According to People’s Daily China, 48 passengers are confirmed dead while 15 others injured, including 5 on the ground.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families, friends, and loved one of those who were on board the #Ge222 flight.

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Which #GameofThrones Character Are You? Malaysian Feng Shui Expert Joey Yap Helps You Find Out

Forget all the other “Game of Thrones” quizzes on the Internetz, for Malaysian “feng shui” expert Dato’ Joey Yap has created one especially for Asians!

By using the BaZi (八字), a methodical system of understanding a person’s character based on the study of the Five Elements Theory, the quiz will help fans plot their “Game of Thrones” profile.

The BaZi system (often used as a fortune-telling system) is reputed as the most authentic for the prediction of an individual’s destiny. The system is based on the 12 stages of the life cycle and the inter-relationship of the constructive and destructive cycles of the 5 elements. Whilst other methods of fortune-telling are based on the celestial formations such as the planets and the stars in the galaxies, BaZi is based on the movement of the solar system.

Long story short, BaZi analyses the unique numerals of an individual’s birth data and gender and then matches them to a matrix of metaphysical knowledge based on the Sun and its elemental influences on him/her. Therein lies the fate and destiny of an individual, in the realms of BaZi.

All you need to do is enter your name, gender, date of birth, and time of birth, and it will quickly assess your details to determine your “Game of Thrones” character. And don’t worry if you’re a little iffy about giving away your personal information right down to your time of birth. You can always hit the “Time of birth unknown” checkbox.


Sony Music Entertainment Introduces OFFMUTE & 3 New Artists

On 19th March, Sony Music Entertainment launched OFFMUTE. This brand is a new pan-regional label from Southeast Asia. OFFMUTE will present talents from Southeast Asia with the combined experience of Sony Music’s entire Southeast Asian team.

The brand has already announced three new Southeast Asians signed to the label. This includes Malaysian recording star Liesl-Mae, Indonesian alt-pop sensation Mezzaluna, and Filipino singer-songwriter Clara Benin.

Liesl-Mae is known for her soothing voice that sounds similar to lullabies. The Malaysian recording star plans on releasing her own music and collaborate with other artists under the new label. She also plans on using the platform to help spread mental health awareness. Liesl-Mae has already two of her songs on Spotify. One of them is a cover song of Don McLean’s “Vincent”. The other song is her 2019 track “Macaroni Song”. She was discovered by Sony Music Malaysia’s A&R team.

Next up, Mezzaluna is a talented Indonesian singer-songwriter who originated from a strong musical lineage and has gained remarkable achievements. She is well known for her deep vocals alongside a strong personal storytelling style. This shows the artist’s capability of showcasing powerful songs. The 20-year-old Indonesian talent will release her debut single on OFFMUTE. Mezzaluna has also mentioned that Amy Winehouse is her biggest inspiration.

Lastly, Clara Benin has garnered more than 25 million streams from both Spotify and YouTube. The Filipino artist has also achieved multiple awards including Wishclusive Contemporary Folk Performance of the Year for her song “I Rose up Slowly”. Her songs are famous for having a blend of deep and ruminative tones.

President, Strategy, and Market Development, Asia and the Middle East, of Sony Music Entertainment, Shridhar Subramaniam explained, “OFFMUTE is the first-of-its-kind label in this part of the world, embracing the eclectic appeal and rich diversity that Southeast Asia has to offer, empowering artists with the resources and expertise to find success in a diverse region”.

He also mentioned that the brand will be captivating for the new generation of artists in Southeast Asia. Subramaniam expresses his excitement in helping these artists reach their full potential.

Executive Vice President of Sony Music Southeast Asia, Ariel Fung, feels enthusiastic about placing his brand in the global music industry. He stated, “I am so excited to see the launch of OFFMUTE which embraces different genres of artists with their unique culture and style, and with the potential of cross-border success.”

Moreover, General Manager of Sony Music Singapore, Shawn Paltiel, stated, “OFFMUTE is built on a foundation of artistry, variety, and diversity. The challenging year that’s just passed due to the Covid pandemic actually played a significant role in defining the OFFMUTE DNA, as the label embraces the new landscape that we’ve seen emerge and strongly encourages and facilitates borderless connections”.


(UPDATE) #EXOrDIUM: EXO To Hold Concert In Malaysia This March!

Oh my! Word on the street is that EXO (엑소) is coming to Malaysia again.

EXO-Ls (as EXO’s fans are lovingly known) went into a frenzy when local concert organiser Star Planet (星艺娱乐) shared a black-and-white photo of a 9-member group on their Facebook page yesterday (14th December). In the caption, they wrote, “Coming up soon in 2017! Guess who is next on stage.”

Though the photo did not reveal the faces of the members, fans were quick to jump into the conclusion that the group in the picture is EXO. Fans are also speculating that the boys will be holding their 3rd world tour, “EXO PLANET #3 The EXO’rDIUM”, in Malaysia next year as they just embarked on the tour in July 2016.

This is not the first time Star Planet brought EXO to town. Earlier this year, the K-Pop idol boy group held their “EXO PLANET #2 The EXO’LuXion World Tour” at Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur. Also organised by Star Planet, the one-night only event attracted 14,000 EXO-Ls from Indonesia, China, Singapore, and Thailand.

EXO-Ls, get ready to hyperventilate because EXO is coming to Malaysia!

Star Planet has confirmed that the popular idol group will be performing in Malaysia as part of their “EXO PLANET #3 The EXO’rDium” world tour. The concert will be held at Stadium Merdeka on 18th March 2017.

EXO debuted through SM Entertainment in 2012 and rose to fame with the release of their album, “XOXO” (2013). Ever since their debut, numerous hits were produced such as “Wolf”, “Growl”, “Call Me Baby”, “Monster”, and “Lucky One”.

Supported by Malaysia Major Events, details for the Malaysian stop of EXO’s concert are as follows:

Ticket prices for “EXO PLANET #3 The EXO’rDIUM” in Kuala Lumpur are as below:

*Ticket prices are inclusive of 6% GST but exclusive of RM4 ticket processing fee.

Tickets will be launched tomorrow (Saturday, 14th January) at Atria Shopping Gallery (Event Hall, 1st Floor) starting from 11am to 5pm. Online purchases will also be available tomorrow from 5pm onwards.

Please contact the ticketing hotline at +603-92228811 or access TicketCharge’s website at www.ticketcharge.com.my to purchase tickets.

Sorry, EXO-Ls, we have bad news for you.

Dreammaker Entertainment, the promoter for EXO’s “EXO PLANET #3 The EXO’rDIUM” tour, has confirmed that Lay (full name Zhang Yixing) won’t be attending the Malaysian leg of the concert. Aside from Malaysia, the singer will also be skipping the Singaporean and North American shows due to “other commitments”.

Don’t worry though, the show will still go on with the other 8 members!

For more info, hit up Star Planet’s website and Facebook page.

Sources: Star Planet’s Facebook page, Dreammaker Entertainment’s Facebook.

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Apple Collaborates With Jay Park On New Music Video “Bite”

Apple’s ‘Made on iPad’ campaign, created in collaboration with internationally-known Korean hip-hop and R&B artist Jay Park (박재범), aims to highlight the device’s extensive creative capabilities. “Bite”, Jay Park’s new music video, is directed by Kyu Ha Kim (김규하) and features the iPad, the Apple Pencil, and numerous other creative apps, as well as illustrations by Namon (나몬)—creator of the hit webtoon “Jungyuni.”

Focusing on the idol’s musical ambitions and goals, the track and lyrics are brought to life in a dream-like perspective. By creating a imaginative virtual world, viewers will glimpse into the singer’s mind and soul with the help of the apps, Clip Studio Paint and Mental Canvas Draw.

The iPad was used throughout the production process, from start to finish. Namon had seized the opportunity to experiment with 3D drawing for the first time. “I’ve always enjoyed using the iPad, but through this project I was especially happy that I got to fully express the emotions and imagery that this song conjured up in me with some amazing iPad apps,” she said.

The avid iPad user was up for the challenge and excited about the new possibilities for webtoon art. Namon hopes that the music video’s colourful style and effects will allow the audience to truly appreciate the positivity and joy it contains.

Director Kyu Ha Kim praised the iPad’s adaptability to all aspects of daily and work life. Viewers will be able to experience Namon’s life through a visual interpretation of his webtoon-style drawing in this music video. As you witness this one-of-a-kind concept, discover the hidden meaning, specific details, and Easter eggs!

Check out Jay Park’s new music video “Bite” down below or you watch it on Apple Music from 18th to 31st August. If you’re looking for behind-the-scenes clips, check out Apple Korea’s official YouTube channel.

Neetashini Kanendran contributed to this article


Taylor Swift Breaks Up With #Spotify, Removes Songs From Service

Merely a week after pop superstar Taylor Swift officially dropped her new album, “1989“, the same one in which she initially surprised fans with in August, she has sent another shock through our systems.

The singer-songwriter, who has always been outspoken about singers valuing their music by saying no to low-royalty streaming services, hasn’t been too keen on sharing her music with Spotify. For starters, in 2012, she held off on allowing Spotify to stream her album, “Red“. And recently, we found that “1989” wasn’t on the service. Why, you ask?

In July, she explained her problem with streaming music services in a Wall Street Journal op-ed:

In my opinion, the value of an album is, and will continue to be, based on the amount of heart and soul an artist has bled into a body of work, and the financial value that artists (and their labels) place on their music when it goes out into the marketplace. Piracy, file sharing and streaming have shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drastically, and every artist has handled this blow differently. Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for. It’s my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album’s price point is. I hope they don’t underestimate themselves or undervalue their art.

So how much do Spotify artists actually make? Artists earn on average less than one cent per play, between $0.006 and $0.0084, to be exact, according to Spotify Artists, a website that explains the service to artists.

To that effect, Taylor Swift’s entire catalogue of music, save for one song, has been yanked from the streaming service at her request:

The move comes as a big blow to the service, which was already licking its wounds after being cut out of the rollout last week for Swift’s new album “1989”, which is expected to sell over 1 million copies in its first week on sale.

In a blog post dated Monday (3rd Nov), Spotify AB said it regretted the artiste’s move and added that it hoped Ms. Swift would “change her mind”. The statement reads:

We love Taylor Swift, and our more than 40 million users love her even more – nearly 16 million of them have played her songs in the last 30 days, and she’s on over 19 million playlists.

We hope she’ll change her mind and join us in building a new music economy that works for everyone. We believe fans should be able to listen to music wherever and whenever they want, and that artists have an absolute right to be paid for their work and protected from piracy. That’s why we pay nearly 70% of our revenue back to the music community.

PS – Taylor, we were both young when we first saw you, but now there’s more than 40 million of us who want you to stay, stay, stay. It’s a love story, baby, just say, Yes.

That having said, let’s not forget that not all hope is lost just yet, Swifties! Her music is still available on other platforms because it appears that Google Play, iTunes, Pandora, and Rdio are still carrying Taylor Swift’s tunes.

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#TheGardensMall: Catch Lion Dance & Acrobatic Performances This CNY

Are your relatives coming to Kuala Lumpur this Chinese New Year? If the answer is yes, then we’ve got some good news for you.

In conjunction with the festive season, The Gardens Mall has been reboot into “an oriental escapade with elegant designs and fittings that bring a juxtaposition of modernity and traditionalism” to showcase the glamour of yesteryear’s exquisite lattice designs. Besides that, visitors can also catch various breathtaking performances at the mall.

You don’t really need to travel far for entertainment, especially if you’re residing within the Klang Valley. From now till 6th February, a series of stunning and specially-choreographed acts such as lion dance, Chinese instrumental performances, acrobatic, as well as dance performances will be taking place at The Gardens Mall.

4. Contemporary Chinese Dance Performance

For more information, check out The Gardens Mall’s website.


#TARA: To Drop Final Album In June; Members Not Renewing Contracts With MBK

Queen’s, the day you dread is inching nearer.

An insider from MBK Entertainment has confirmed that T-ara will be dropping their final album as a group on 1st June. In the same report, the insider also stated that the members do not intend to renew their contracts with the label.

The members’ contracts will be expiring on 15th May and their paths are unsure as of yet. There’s a possibility that they might sign with another label, but no official confirmation has been issued.

The album’s initial release date was set on 17th May, but had to be pushed to a later date. For their upcoming comeback, the idol girl group will be holding their album showcase on 31st May before releasing the album to the public. They are also planning to promote their track for around 2 to 3 weeks.

MBK Entertainment’s official statement reads:

“T-ara was planning to return on 17th May, but we have pushed it back to 1st June to put the finishing touches to the new album. They will return with a further improved album.”

Although T-ara made their debut in 2009, the group has only dropped 1 full studio album in Korea. However, they’ve had an illustrious career, which comprised of 8 extended plays, 6 repackaged albums, as well as countless other collaboration and promotional singles. Some of their hit songs include “Lie”, “Number Nine”, “Roly Poly”, and “Bo Beep Bo Beep”.


(UPDATE) #Jayesslee: The Twins Are Back & Heading To Singapore!

Fans of Jayesslee (Janice and Sonia) can rejoice as they are coming back in full gear, starting with their Asia Tour 2015!

The Korean-Australian twin sisters who shot to fame when they performed cover songs together and started making music from their bedroom last visited Asia in 2012. That tour, which spanned across 8 cities, was deemed a success judging from the amount of sold out shows as well as the thousands of fans who all came out to see them. Who would’ve known that their cover of Tamia’s “Officially Missing You” in 2009 could’ve gotten them this far? ;)

Now, 2 weddings and 2 babies each later, the duo will finally be making their comeback. As part of their Asia Tour 2015, the dynamic duo will be bringing their impeccable musical showmanship, performing at Kallang Theatre in Singapore come Jabuary 2015. Fans will be able to meet the duo up close and personal with a VIP ticket, which includes a VIP Meet & Greet pass, an autographed poster and a photography session with Jayesslee.

In fact, both Janice and Sonia posted up the official announcement via their Facebook page too, in which they said, “To all of our fans in SINGAPORE! Guess what?! We are coming to see you in January! It has been way too long since we saw you all face to face and so we are packing our bags and bringing our families along with us, babies and all!”

Tickets will be made available for purchase here starting tomorrow (3rd Dec).

Jayesslee will hold a second Singapore show on 17th Jan next year at the Kallang Theatre after tickets to their first concert on 16th Jan at the same venue were sold out less than 24 hours after going on sale. The twins themselves confirmed the addition via their Facebook page.

No news yet on whether Malaysia will be part of their Asia tour. They did say, however, that they’ll try their best to come out here. They haven’t been back since 2012, after all. So keep your fingers crossed and we’ll update this post with more information as soon as we know. Hang tight, peeps!

Sources: Jayesslee’s Facebook page, CNA, Launch Group’s Facebook page.

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Furious 7: Vin Diesel Hints At Possible Sequel To Take Place In New York

It seems like the “Fast and Furious” franchise is not coming to an end yet.

Following Paul Walker‘s death, it seemed highly unlikely for Universal Pictures to develop more films out of the money-making franchise. However, director James Wan (of “The Conjuring” fame) made it possible after retiring Walker’s character instead of killing him in “Furious 7“.

Vin Diesel, who played Dominic Toretto in the movie, recently made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel and talked about the possibility of having the 8th instalment of the franchise to be set in New York city.

Back in November 2013, the late Paul Walker told Collider in an interview that Universal Pictures supposedly wants 3 more instalments after “Furious 7” and guaranteed that the studio will develop the 8th film.

Universal Pictures chairperson Donna Langley also told The Hollywood Reporter that the studio will continue the film series, even without the beloved star. She said:

Paul is, and always will be, an integral part of the story. But there are many other great characters, and it’s also an opportunity to introduce new characters. I think it’s still a growing franchise. We’ll see what happens with “Furious 7,” obviously, but our box office has grown over the past 3 or 4 films and internationally, in particular. So we think that there’s more to mine there. But we’re of course very mindful about fatigue.

During an interview with Empire in 2013, Dwayne Johnson also said that the studio was planning to develop a spin-off film starring his character Luke Hobbs. However, there’s no official announcement regarding the plan yet.

As for the 8th film, director James Wan simply stated in an interview with Variety that he is “open to anything at this point”. Vin Diesel told Kimmel that Kurt Russell, who joined the series cast in Furious 7 as a mysterious government agent, will apparently play a more significant role in the sequel.

Kurt Russell came in for this movie. But we really hired him because of a story that follows this that takes place in New York.

Other than the location itself, Diesel did not reveal further information regarding the sequel.

Regarding this matter, Russell appeared on Kimmel’s show a night later and said:

We created somebody that I think is a mystery man. You never know his name. You never know quite what world he’s in. And we don’t, and I think that’s what’s exciting about it.

He also seemed unsure about appearing in the sequel as he said, “If they do more, and if it goes on, we’ll try to come up with something to top this, but I’ll tell you, it’s going to be hard to do.”

So, what do you think? Would you want to see another film from the franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.


Hardwell Skydives To Fulfil His DJ Mag Bet

Hardwell proves that he is indeed a Spaceman!

It’s time to campaign and win votes! Robbert van de Corput better known as Hardwell was crowned the youngest ever World #1 DJ in 2013 on DJ Mag Top 100 and prior to his win, the Dutchman was dared to skydive by his childhood friend, Skiandre.

Currently #1 on DJ Mag Top 100, the 26-year-old DJ came through with his bet and jumped off a plane with five of his closes friends! Now just because he travels all the time, doesn’t mean he enjoys jumping off planes. Like most of us, Hardwell actually prefers to be in the plane. Not a fan of daring extreme sports, it’s safe to assume that he was a tad more than nervous when his buddies came up with this bet.

Proving that he is a Spaceman, Hardwell and his best friends, Adithya (aka Kill the Buzz), Rick, Mattijs (his manager) and Skiandre turned this bet into a reality and it was all caught on video! The special moment was recorded as all five of them jumped off the plane with eight different GoPros, as well as 3 camera jumpers and body cams from their tandem jumpers ensuring that every angle of the exciting adventure was captured.

A colossal DJ Mag logo landing pad was laid out on the tranquil countryside of Netherlands to represent Hardwell’s peak as the World’s #1 DJ.

Watch Hardwell pull of the daring stunt here!

As part of his campaign, Hardwell also posted a shoutout to his Malaysian fans on his Facebook page! WOOOOOHHH!!

Follow Hardwell on his social networking sites for more deets on his campaign — Website, Facebook & Twitter.

Here’s Hardwell at Ultra Music Festival 2014 for your listening pleasure.

We wish Hardwell and all other competing DJs the best of luck!

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KidFest Junior: 4 Reasons Why Parents Will Love It!

There’s nothing like the joy of holding a newborn in your arms for the first time. Those soft minute arms and beans of toes, to the sparkling eyes, and adorable smiles. Nevertheless, a full-time parent has a huge responsibility that he or she needs to fulfill. And of course, it comes with a price.

There’s diapers, baby-food, the ever-expanding clothes, to name a few. And the crying. Lotsa cryin’ fam. Even for the parents. But you know what? A one-stop idea from MamaTribe is coming right to your homes to assist.

KidFest Junior will be weekend sale which will be running for 48 hours straight on the 20th of November, 2021. Being an online sale, it will provide an opportunity for parents to shop at discounted prices from the comfort of their homes. So, actually how does KidFest actually help with parenthood, you ask? Allow us to tell you!

Maybe you’re expecting, but looking for a good time to prepare for the newborn.

Or maybe you’re thinking about going out to get that brand new pram?

Well, why not skip that hassle and the bustle at the market and just wait for the best deals on KidFest? Just show-up and splash right within the 48-hour window to save, earn, and enjoy the very best from the event. Oh, and did we tell you that there are flash sales as well? So, just be prepared for that pram to hit the low bucks!

Of course much of the focus of KidFest will be for the kids. But who says parents can’t join in on the fun as well? Snap some goofy family photos at the virtual photo-booth. Try your luck with fancy minigames such as Spin and Win and win some fancy prizes as you go along!

Starting out as a parent may be challenging and daunting process if you just trying to learn the ropes. Clueless, perhaps? Fret not, as Mamatribe has a whole showcase of educational content from featured brands and communities. Obtain knowledge from various professionals with regards to various topics. From toys to maternity shoots, car seats to essential oils, these pre-recorded workshops will definitely give your parenting experience a boost!

What’s more? There’s a new video every hour to get you inspired!

Now, we’ve saved the best point for last and you’re definitely gonna love it. :D

That’s right! Earn coupons and freebies from participating brands such as Milton, Purell, Rivadouce, AquaSus Malaysia, etc. Or you could participate in the Grand Draw and stand a chance to win larger prizes. Now, isn’t that the best deal you could get? We certainly think it is!

Just visit https://mamatribe.com.my/ on 20th November 2021 and register for free. Of course, you may then have access to download several special offers and codes which can be used during the weekend sale. Besides, the live-videos and content will be available once you log in to the event. It’s as easy as that!

For more information and updates on KidFest, do check out MamaTribe’s official web page or be in touch with Leticia Hsu, leticia@mamatribe.com.my.


CONTEST: Win Tix To “Trax On Track”!

A party’s happening at Sepang International Circuit (SIC) on 17th November 2012 (Saturday) and it’s going to be an exhilarating combination of the best drifting techniques plus dazzling drift shows and the one thing we love most – music!

Oh yeah. We’re talking top-notch drift action, roaring engines, shrieking tires, alongside a repertoire of international and local DJs and music acts such as including our local hero DJ Messic, DJ Charlene and DJ Lisa from Taiwan, DJ Kyau & Albert, and DJ John O’Callaghan.

John O’Callaghan, peeps! You know the one – the Irish DJ who’s under Armada’s (Armin van Buuren’s label) giant wings. He’ll be in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the very first time. We never thought we’d ever see this day come.

The good news is, thanks to the organizers of “Trax on Track”, we have TWENTY pairs of normal tickets and TWO pairs of VIP passes to giveaway to our lucky readers. Who wants ‘em?

Top two most creative tweets will win one pair of VIP passes respectively whilst the rest gets to take home one pair of normal tickets each. Hurry on up and put your thinking cap on for this one already!

[youtube id=”Pkk_Kr_EHOc” width=”600″ height=”350″]

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#StarWars: The Force Is Coming For SMRT Trains In Singapore!

Commuting to work can be hard, especially if you commute by train every day. Most people will resort of listening to music and reading a book to get through the long, boring commute.

But guess what can brighten up Singaporeans’ daily commute now? ;)

According to Channel News Asia, SMRT has partnered up with Disney and Lucasfilm to give commuters a chance to experience the hype surrounding the upcoming “Star Wars” film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens“.

The train operator stated in a press release last Thursday that commuters will get to ride on the “Star Wars”-themed trains from the middle of December onwards.

The characters of the film that will be featured as part of the trains deco include the mysterious Sith lord Kylo Ren, as well as old fan favourites such as R2-D2 and C3PO. The new droid from the upcoming “Star Wars” film, BB-8, will be featured in the trains as well.

“Star Wars” fans can head over to SMRT shops, Kallang Waves or visit the online store to get their hands on the limited edition “Star Wars” premiums and exclusive collectibles. In addition, for every SGD30 spent, fans will stand a chance to win a 5D4N trip to Dubai for the Middle East Film and Comic Con event.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is set to be released on 17th December 2015.


#HelloKitty: She Could Be A Cat. Or Not. Maybe. But Definitely Not Human

While you weren’t looking and while the interwebs was going crazy about the recent revelation of #HelloKitty not being a cat after all, this other thing cropped up.

But before that, just in case you missed the big news, Christine R. Yano, an anthropologist from the University of Hawaii (and currently a visiting professor at Harvard) who has spent years studying the phenomenon that is the “cat”, suggested that Hello Kitty is not a cat, as previously assumed by many for 40 whole years.

According to Yano, while she was preparing her written texts for the “Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty” exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum, she described Hello Kitty as a cat. “I was corrected – very firmly. That’s one correction Sanrio made for my script for the show. Hello Kitty is not a cat. She’s a cartoon character. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. She’s never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature,” she said.

After which, all meow broke loose, starting from this article from Los Angeles Times. So, as we were saying, while you weren’t looking, Brian Ashcraft of Kotaku.com put on his investigative journalism hat as Kotaku called up the “home” of Hello Kitty, Sanrio (Tokyo headquarters). They asked whether or not Hello Kitty was indeed a cat, to which the spokesperson explained, “Hello Kitty was done in the motif of a cat. It’s going too far to say that Hello Kitty is not a cat. Hello Kitty is a personification of a cat.”

The specific word that the Sanrio spokesperson used to describe Hello Kitty was “gijinka” (擬人化), which means “anthropomorphisation” or “personification”. What is this anthropomorphisation, you ask? It’s attribution of human form or other characteristics to anything other than a human being. Such as the White Rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland”, or Disney’s Goofy, or Disney’s Mickey Mouse, Snoopy, Minnie Mouse, or all the characters in “Cars”, for example.

Brian also asked the Sanrio spokesperson, “Then, it would be going too far to say that Hello Kitty was not a cat?” The spokesperson replied, “Yes, that would be going too far.” Of course, you may now question, why did Yano say, “Hello Kitty is not a cat. She’s a cartoon character. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. She’s never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature.” then?

She’s not wrong per se but she also didn’t exactly call Hello Kitty a human being either, like TIME assumed in their “Apparently Hello Kitty is a Human Girl, Not a Cat” article. To be honest, we agree with Brian on the points he put forward about this in his post. Perhaps “little girl” could be referring to the fact that Hello Kitty is a perpetual third grader despite celebrating her 40th “birthday” this year?

And, among cat lovers in Japan, it’s very common for cats to be referred to as “girl” or “boy,” instead of by the Japanese gender markers designated for animals (namely, “osu” or 雄 for “male” animals and “mesu” or 雌 for female animals).

And just in case you think it’s wrong for Hello Kitty to have a pet cat (Charmmy Kitty) because she’s an animal herself well, Disney’s Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse and he has a pet dog named Pluto. Remember Pluto (as in Disney’s, not the no-longer-a-major-planet)?

Also, let’s take this into consideration – How many dog or cat lovers often call their pets “baby girl” or “baby” or “naughty boy” here? It doesn’t necessarily suggest that you have a human pet. It’s just a term of endearment because your furkid is probably more than just a pet and perhaps often treated like a member of your family, even.

Something to think about? We’ll leave you to it.

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New SpongeBob SquarePants Movie In 3D Announced!

The sequel to adventure comedy “The SpongeBob SquarePants” movie has been announced and will be released next year!

Its 2004 prequel was based on the popular television cartoon series “SpongeBob SquarePants”, which shows the adventures of the title character and his various friends. The storyline of the film is yet to be revealed but it will take the endeavours of SpongeBob forward. It will feature the same voice cast as that in the first film to portray the characters as the television show including Tom Kenny as SpongeBob and Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star.

The film’s cheeky poster has been released, which shows SpongeBob taking a departure in terms of animation, as the film looks to be more CG animated as opposed to being a cartoon, like the television series and the previous film.

The movie will be directed and written by Paul Tibbitt, who was a writer for the television series from 1999 until 2004. He was also screenwriter and storyboard artist for the first film, but this will be his first time as a director.

Actor Antonio Banderas will play a pirate in both live action parts of the film as well as animated parts. Former “Guns N Roses” guitarist Slash is also set to appear in the film, although his role is yet to be announced. And that’s all we know for now, really. Oh, and one more thing. Produced by Nickelodeon & Paramount pictures, “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: Sponge Out Of Water” is slated to release on 6th February 2015.

It ain’t far away, peeps! We’ll leave you now with the theme song that we’re sure all SpongeBob Squarepants fans know the words to by heart:


Contest: Win Awesome “Spider-Verse” Merchandise & Movie Tickets

Anyone can wear the mask. How you wear it is up to you. In the highly-anticipated “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”, our main hero Miles Morales will be battling both friends and foes. While Miles wants to save everyone, the other Spider-Men insist that sacrifice must be made for the sake of the greater good.

Just like 2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”, the sequel will bring together many spider-powered heroes – but on a much bigger scale this time around. According to reports, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” will clock in at 2 hours 20 minutes runtime, which is almost 30 minutes longer than its predecessor.

“Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Spider-Verse saga, ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.”

In conjunction with the premiere of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” on 1st June, we’ve got some awesome movie merchandise and 53 pairs of movie tickets to give away. That’s right, Hype Malaysia is getting a whole freaking hall for this screening! (*Do note that the merchandise will be given out randomly and are subject to availability.)


#LoveMeRight: EXO Releases MV Teaser & More Details On Repackaged Album

June is already proving itself to be the most epic month this year as Korean idol boy groups EXO and BIGBANG are going head-to-head through their latest singles.

Soon after BIGBANG dropped the official music video for “Bang Bang Bang“, a music video teaser for EXO’s “Love Me Right” was also released on SM Entertainment‘s official YouTube channel.

“Love Me Right” is the title track for EXO’s upcoming “EXODUS” repackaged album of the same name. It was made to show the members’ gratitude towards their fans, especially those who have supported them since their debut era. Tao of EXO-M was excluded from promoting the song together with the rest of the members as he was not involved in recording it. In fact, it was reported that he will be attending a press conference for his endorsement on the same day as EXO’s repackage release.

Slated for release on 3rd June, the repackaged album will feature the original 10 songs from “EXODUS” and 4 unreleased songs.

It was revealed that “Tender Love” is a song written and composed by Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko. The song is said to be “a charming track with a trendy sound and witty lyrics”. Lay took part in composing “Promise (EXO 2014)” while members Chanyeol and Chen wrote the lyrics. “First Love”, which tells the story of a fairytale-like first love, was previously revealed through EXO’s official homepage during “Call Me Baby” promotions as a bonus track for fans.

Check out the music video teaser of “Love Me Right” below:

SM Entertainment also released a slew of teaser images along with the above teaser. Take a look at ’em in the gallery below:

EXO will kick off their music show promotions on 4th June at “M!Countdown”, followed by performances on “Music Bank” (5th June), “Music Core” (6th June), and “Inkigayo” (7th June).

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Robin van Persie Makes Old Trafford New Home

Hey, hey, no. Don’t boo. You can’t say you had no inkling whatsoever that this day would come.

Since Robin van Persie announced last month that he wouldn’t be signing a new contract with Arsenal, football fans have been busy guessing and double guessing the star’s next move. Rumours included Manchester City and Juventus, amongst other English football clubs.

But one would’ve never guessed that it would be Arsenal’s very own nemesis.

Manchester United is all set to complete the Robin van Persie’s transition, with both Manchester United and Arsenal releasing statements on their websites stating that personal terms still needed to be agreed to and that the deal was subject to a medical examination. The statement on Arsenal’s website reads:

Arsenal Football Club can confirm that terms have been agreed for the transfer of Robin van Persie to Manchester United.

Van Persie will travel to Manchester on Thursday in order to agree personal terms and complete a medical ahead of the proposed move.

Further updates will feature on Arsenal.com in due course.

Uh oh. Now that the biggest and perhaps most heartbreaking news of the football season is out, some Gunners are obviously not “Gunner” be very happy.

No financial details were disclosed by either clubs yet. But that didn’t stop reports from going ahead with saying that the London club wanted £24 million for its captain.

Time for the boys to make nice! (Source).


Instagram: The Swipe Up Feature Will Now Be A Sticker Link!

There’s a high possibility that many Instagram users out there might have dreamt of the day where they’d magically get more than 10,000 followers overnight — just for the swipe up feature! After all, isn’t pointing out the famed phrase of, “Link In Bio” a tad too frustrating? Not to forget, the LinkTree account in your bio just to add in multiple links is a whole new different level of headache!

Well, now you could finally rejoice as Instagram’s swipe-up feature would be non-existent beginning 30th August. For its replacement, which could now be enjoyed by all, Instagram has decided to include link stickers, which are tappable stickers in stories that would take people to external websites!

Now, users can format the look of the stickers, unlike the previous swipe-up feature which only had a particular design hence, giving users more creative control and freedom! In June, Instagram started testing these stickers for various users, not just for those with the swipe up privileges. According to Instagram’s former head of product, Vishal Shah, at the time of the test, the stickers fit more with the way people currently use the platform. He also said the goal was to more widely roll out the stickers. The key difference between the two features, apart from the obvious gesture difference, is viewers can respond to stories that have a link sticker, but cannot respond to swipe up stories.

Adding on, a spokesperson from Instagram stated that for now, only people who had swipe up privileges will receive the sticker option, but that it’s “still evaluating” rolling it out to more users. This update will “help them determine whether it’s the right decision before expanding access to more people.

Well, at least we could finally enjoy the privilege of adding a link to our stories and finally bid adieu to the constant search of followers just to enjoy the previous swipe-up privilege. Hopefully, this addition would not upset content creators.


PUMA Wraps Up “Evolution of Suede” With A Finale Party

The Evolution of Suede reaches its peak with the collaboration with Raising the Bar. Sponsored by Tiger and Smirnoff, the Evolution of Suede Finale Party marks a grand celebration of the PUMA Suede’s 45th year in changing the game and the release of the Future Suede.

Held at Capsquare Hall, Kuala Lumpur, the event was graced by PUMA friends, like James Baum, Nadhira, Zain Saidin, DJ Anowl, Julie Woon, and personalities from the many different street cultures, here in Malaysia.

The night showcased the work of art of 30 artistic people whom envisioned the 2058 Future Suede and brought it to life. Attendees were also entertained with a night filled with music from the past and the present, as well as dance performance, and other interesting activities such as live graffiti and shoe designing by talented graffiti artists.

Mr. Dan and Shikara, two prominent personalities in the Malaysian hip-hop scene were the hosts for the evening. The night started off with an “Evolution of Dance” performance by the winners of Showdown 2011, Elecoldxhot. The performance was full of energy and the routine presented the progression of the hip-hop dance scene from back in the days to its present form.

At the event, the top 30 designs selected from the 160 entries received for the 2058 Future Suede design contest were exhibited.

Esmond Sit, a student of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology was the winner for the designing contest with his design which was envisioned from the idea that the Classic Suede will continue to lead the market, while the blue light emitting represented the evolution of the logo into the future, and at the same time, represents the technological adaptations of the products and beacon to light the way for its fans and consumers.

There was also a live graffiti by graffiti artist, Newba, as well as a live shoe designing by graffiti artists, Bee of PHBKLK, Iqbal of Fresh Kids, Carpet, Katun, and Nenok. Three pairs of PUMA Suede were given out to three most creative Instagram posting with the campaign hashtags #ForTheStreet, #MY, and @PUMA just before the event ended. The three winners were part of the Instagram contest that gained over 600 entries throughout the “Evolution of Suede”.

While the finale event may mark the end of the Evolution of Suede campaign, social media users however, can continue using the campaign hashtags on Twitter and Instagram to join in the global celebration and converse with other PUMA fans around the world.

The Future Suede is now available at PUMA outlets in One Utama, Bangsar Village 2, Pavilion KL, Queensbay Mall, Sunway Pyramid, Suria KLCC, and The Gardens.

For more on the “Evolution of the Suede”, visit their website.

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5 Travel Tips & Advice For 2019 Based On Your Chinese Zodiac Sign

Every year, we look forward to holidays and travel trips. To ensure smooth journey mercies, many turn to zodiac guidance for advices.

With the help of Joey Yap Consulting Group (the biggest and most successful feng shui consulting firm) via Travel Wire Asia and Expedia Singapore’s Fengshui Travel Guide, we’ve compile a list of helpful tips based on your Chinese zodiac sign.

Sources: Travel Wire Asia, Expedia Singapore.


#Facebook: Social Media Company Partnering With BuzzFeed & Vox To Produce Original Shows

Facebook is collaborating with companies already producing tons of video on their respective social platforms, such as BuzzFeed and Vox Media.

According to Reuters, Facebook’s plan is to create original video series, which will feature long as well as short-form content with ad breaks. The intention is to encourage more people to spend more time inside its universe.

There will be 2 types of video entertainment: scripted shows with episodes running between 20 to 30 minutes and unscripted shows with episodes lasting between 5 to 10 minutes. The social media giant will apparently own the longer episodes but not the shorter clips.

“The goal is going to be creating some anchor content initially that helps people learn that going to the video tab — that that’s a great destination where they can explore and come to Facebook with the intent to watch the videos that they want. And then the long-term goal is actually not to be paying for specific content like that, but doing a revenue share model once the whole economy around video on Facebook is built up,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously said.

Besides BuzzFeed and Vox, the deal also include ATTN and Group Nine Media (known for Thrillist, NowThis, and The Dodo) as partners. This move will put Facebook in head-to-head competition with YouTube and Snapchat, as well as other television networks.


JJ Lin, Wang Leehom, Jay Chou & More Pay Touching Tributes To Coco Lee

Last night, the world was shocked to learn that legendary singer Coco Lee (李玟) had taken her own life due to depression. Her passing has left many mourning for the lost of yet another icon who had made her mark on the regional entertainment industry and Hollywood.

Ever since Coco’s sisters confirmed her passing on social media, tributes from celebrities from around the world started pouring in for the 48-year-old. Their heartfelt messages is testimony to what a beautiful soul Coco had while she wa shere.

Singaporean singer JJ Lin posted a photo of the two of them together. The late singer was seen with her usual bright smile. Under the post, he wrote, “It hurts. (It) really hurts to lose a dear friend. I wish life could have been gentler on your soul. The world has lost one of the most iconic performers and artists of all time. Dear Coco @cocolee (our music warrior), the music universe will never be the same without you, we will miss you very much.”

Taiwanese artist Bowie Tsang recalled moments spent together with Coco. On Thanksgiving Day last year, the singer told Bowie that she was going through a battle but told her not worry because she was a ‘fighter’ and a ‘female warrior’. “Thank you for your hard work. I hope that you’re at peace now, and your family is safe,” she wrote.

After staying hidden from the public eye since being exposed by Taiwanese TV host Mickey Huang (黃子佼), artist Dee Hsu reappeared on social media to pay tribute to Coco. She posted a picture with a black background with just the words R.I.P. She wrote in the caption, “I would never forget your smile, voice, and dance forever! You are the most humble and talented person ever!”

According to her manager, Taiwanese singer Elva Hsiao broke down in tears when she heard the news. Hours later, she posted a tribute on her socials. It reads, “We lost the queen of both singing and dancing. She was my teacher and my queen since young. I will forever remember the happy personality. I’m really hurt… She’s forever in my heart. For my whole life, her last words to me was ‘Elva, come back, singing!’ Till now, I can’t bring myself to believe it, my heart aches! She’s forever my queen, I hate to part with her!”

On Weibo, Taiwanese artist Jay Chou posted a video of Coco and him performing together on stage. This video made a lot of netizens tear up as it reminded them of “Dow Ma Dan”, a song by the late singer which Jay Chou also helped composed. Under the video, he wrote, “Forever a Tao Ma Tan. (刀马旦: a female warrior role in Chinese opera)”

On Facebook, Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai wrote a simple and heartwarming message in memory of Coco. The message reads, “R.I.P, I’ll forever remember you with your bright smile.”

Hong Kong and Taiwanese actress Shu Qi also posted a tribute dedicated to Coco. She quoted Coco’s sister’s statement about her passing on Weibo, and wrote a simple sentence. It reads, “May there be no pain and suffering in heaven.”

Just like how many others were shocked and could not believe the news of Coco’s passing, Taiwanese singer G.E.M., is still in shock. She wrote in a post on Weibo, “You’ve always wore a sweet and warm smile. You’ve always faced all your trials and hardships with so much courage and resolution. I can’t imagine how much you’ve been through and how much pain is hidden behind that smile of yours. I will forever miss you @Coco. Rest in peace.”

A post shared by 王力宏 Wang Leehom (@wangleehom)

It has been almost 30 years since Taiwanese artist Wang Leehom first met Coco. The two of them shared many years of friendship as he recalled their sweet memories together on Instagram. He said, “I can still remember she was the life of the party, every guy had a crush on her but assumed she was out of their league. I am lucky and forever grateful to have known her also, as a warm friend. Her spirit, her sunshine, like her voice and music, will never fade.”

A post shared by Sun Yanzi 孙燕姿 (@stefsunyanzi)

In memory of Coco, Singaporean singer-songwriter Stefanie Sun posted a goofy photo with her on Instagram. She said in the caption, “Rest in peace sweet Coco. Thank you for the best smiles and the best performances. We all feel this loss keenly and wish the family peace and strength during this time.”

On her Instagram story, Taiwanese artist Selina Jen posted a photo of her and Coco embracing each other with the caption, “As your fan, I was extremely lucky to have met you and given you a tight hug. Coco, you are my idol forever. I love you. R.I.P.”

Taiwanese singer Rainie Yang was contracted under the same agency with Coco. Since her debut, Coco had been like an older sister to her. Last night, the artist wrote on Weibo, “My first ever idol and role model, you’ve always faced the audience with enthusiasm and positivity. You’ve also always encouraged your juniors with warmth. This is really heartbreaking. I hope that you will never be in pain again. You’ll forever be alive in everyone’s heart. R.I.P. Coco.” Along with her tribute, she also posted a couple of photos of the two of them throughout the years.

As a tribute, Taiwanese singer Jam Hsiao posted a series of photos of him and Coco performing on stage together and hanging out with each other. With gratitude, he thanked the late singer for always taking care of him and encouraging him. Ending his tribute, he said, “I will miss you forever and ever. May you be happy in another world.”

A post shared by Alex To 杜德偉 (@alexto_dudewei)

One of the fondest memory Taiwanese artist Alex To has of Coco was when she appeared at his concert in 2015 as a superstar guest. The artist recalls how Coco went above and beyond during her concert cameo. “Despite practicing it over and over again, she still looked like she was fully enjoying the rehersal!” he said. At the end, he wrote, “May Coco find herself in a happy universe where only love exists. A place where she could also enjoy the bliss of music and performing. R.I.P. Coco.”

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GOT7 To Bring Keep Spinning World Tour To Malaysia In 2020

Rejoice Malaysian IGOT7s! GOT7 (갓세븐) has just announced their 2020 world tour.

Since kicking off their “Keep Spinning” world tour in Seoul KSPO Dome last June, the boy band has been performing across the United Sates and Australia. Next year, the K-pop band will be focusing on Asia.

Consists of 7 members – Jae Bum, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam,
and Yugyeom – GOT7 has 4 studio albums and 13 EPs (including their Japanese releases) under their belt.

So far, 5 Asian countries have been added to the new list. They include Thailand (Bangkok), Singapore, Hong Kong (Macau), Taiwan (Taipei),  as well as Malaysia. Yay! As their world tour title indicates, their concert will be in support of the group’s “Spinning Top” EP, which debuted earlier in May.

In a statement, GOT7 previously explained that the album “delivers a universal theme of both security and insecurity within oneself,” and that theme will be carried throughout their tour.

Brought to you by StarPlanet, the details to GOT7’s “Keep Spinning World Tour” Live in Malaysia are as follows:

Stay tuned to this space for more details.


BPN 2.0: B40 & M40 Malaysians To Receive Cash Aid Starting 21st January

On 23rd September last year, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the PRIHATIN Supplementary Initiative Package (Kita Prihatin) for Malaysians. The package is meant to ease cash flow challenges and purchase of daily necessities.

The second instalment of the cash aid, Bantuan Prihatin Nasional 2.0 (BPN 2.0), will begin on 21st and 25th January.

Existing recipients will receive the remainder of the promised cash amount according to the following income groups. The B40 group will receive it on the 21st while the M40 group will receive theirs on the 25th.

New approvals who applied or appealed between 15th October to 15th November last year will receive the total amount in one instalment. The cash payment will be credited directly into the recipients’ registered bank accounts.

If no bank account was registered, recipients can collect their payments from Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branches starting 25th January. For recipients in Sabah and Sarawak without bank accounts, payments can be collected from early February to 1st April. The locations will be announced at the end of January.

You can check the status of your application on the official BPN portal starting 15th January.


(Video) Michelle Yeoh Invited To Join Jackson Wang On Stage At HITC Festival

This past weekend, 88rising held their annual “Head In The Clouds” (HITC) music festival in Los Angeles. Some of the star-studded headliners were notable names such as Jay Park, BIBI, Rich Brian, Chung Ha and also Jackson Wang. The legendary actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) also made an appearance during the concert.

Fans who attended the recent “HITC” festival truly had unforgettable experiences. Apart from enjoying the spectacular performances, concert-goers were also treated with numerous notable moments. In particular, fans were also falling head over heels with Michelle’s cute interaction with Jackson on the stage.

💖💗When you got the feels💖💗#MichelleYeoh #HITCLA  #hitcfestival  #hitc #HITCJacksonMAGICMAN pic.twitter.com/5C7eJlUpAZ

Baby Wang @JacksonWang852 with the excellent great actress Michelle Yeoh 💚🖤🦋🚀🚀#MAGICMAN out sept 9th#JacksonWang #TEAMWANG #TEAMWANGrecords #got7 #HEADiNTHECLOUDS pic.twitter.com/aJ3gjA5hOO

— Jackson Wang 's real wife 💚🖤🦋 (relax) (@jiaer_fanclub) August 23, 2022

Several footages as well as photos from the event have since gone viral on social media, including Twitter. As seen in some of the photos, Michelle was having a blast on the stage with some of the performing acts of this year’s HITC festival, including Jackson, Warren Hue and also Rich Brian. She was also spotted blowing a kiss to those who attended the music festival.

Following that, she later took to her Instagram to share an adorable snapshot of her alongside Eric Nam, Arden Cho, Andy Le and also the GOT7 star backstage. “Oh what a night with these multitalented dudes!! ☺😎” the “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” actress captioned her post.

Many netizens have flooded the comments section with tons of feedbacks in response to the adorable interaction between the famous duo of Michelle and Jackson. “I never thought I’d aspire even more to be like Michelle Yeoh until she met Jackson Wang,” one comment reads. Another person wrote, “Michelle Yeoh is (literally) everywhere.”

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

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Wipe The Slate Clean With Guinness’ Christmas #BoldConfessions Campaign

Guinness® inspires everyone to wipe the slate clean this Christmas!

It’s the season to be jolly and this time around, Guinness wants to inspire its fans and loyal consumers to be bold by stepping up to start 2015 afresh! This year, the Guinness Christmas Bold Confessions campaign encourages consumers to confess to something, to own up to something they’ve done or to let people in on a dirty little secret about themselves.

Fans and loyal consumers will get the opportunity to record their confessions in the Guinness Bold Confessions Booth, which will be visiting outlets around Klang Valley in November and December. Consumers who are bold enough to step inside the booth to fess up in time for the New Year will be rewarded with vouchers for free pints of Guinness. These bold souls will also stand a chance to win an invite to the exclusive “Guilty As Charged” year-end party.

Those using the Bold Confessions Booth will also get to watch some of the country’s favourite personalities join in the year-end fun with their Bold Confessions. These personalities include Kyoto Protocol, Paper Plane Pursuit frontman John O, and comedian Prakash Daniel.

Speaking at the launch, Guinness Anchor Berhad (GAB) Marketing Director Bruce Dallas, explained the thinking behind the campaign:

As the year draws to a close, thoughts turn to all that has happened over the last 12 months, and ahead to resolutions for the new one. Most of us have done something in the past year to which we’d like to confess and get it off our chest, whether it’s not using that expensive gym membership or admitting a guilty pleasure.

But it’s also a time of year when we like to celebrate and have fun, and that’s what these confessions are – it’s a chance to celebrate who you really are, in a light-hearted and guilt-free way. At GUINNESS® we are all about making bold choices, inspiring our consumers to take a step forward and prove that they are Made of More. With our exciting new Christmas campaign, we’re challenging our consumers to stand up, ‘fess up in our Bold Confessions Booth, and be rewarded for their boldness.

Apart from confessing in the Guinness Bold Confessions Booth, social media users can also confess from the comfort of their own homes by recording their video confession and posting in on Instagram using the hashtag #BoldConfessions and tagging @GuinnessMY.

To find out where you can catch the GUINNESS® Bold Confessions Booth this Christmas, log on to the Guinness Facebook page.


#Stereosonic: Epic 2-Day Festival + 5 Nights In Melbourne For Under RM500

Festival goers and dance music lovers, one of the biggest year end festivals is back. Yes, we’re talking about the mutiple award-winning Stereosonic!

Said to be Australia’s fastest growing music festival (and we agree!), Last year, the might dance festival invited world-famous DJs/producers such as Armin van Buuren, David Guetta, and Calvin Harris to headline their event. These acts were supported by other dance music maestros such as Above & Beyond, Ferry Corsten, Andrew Rayel, Krewella, Mat Zo, Gareth Emery, Nicky Romero, Axwell, Zedd, just to name a few. But we’re sure those were already enough to blow your minds!

And just in case you didn’t get to witness how epic it was, watch the aftermovie:

We know, right? It’s hard not to want to go and live there forever while it lasted!

Luckily, Stereosonic just announced the dates for this year’s festival in Melbourne. The epicness will be back on 6th and 7th December (Saturday and Sunday) at the Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale. Are you ready for the full Stereosonic 2014 lineup?

The bad news is, however, that the early tickets have already been sold out because yes, that’s how epic Stereosonic is.

The good news is that we’re ahead of the release for the first round of tickets, which will go on sale starting 5th August (Tuesday).

With the above in mind and with some help from our friends at Airbnb, the world leader in travel rentals, we’ve got great accommodation ideas for those of you who are planning to go for Stereosonic 2014 in Melbourne.

Let’s face it – it’s a little cutthroat if you and your friends need to spend on event tickets, flight tickets, and F&B expenses. And if you’re not going alone, it sure as heck is cheaper to book Airbnb accommodations (think, homes) because in a long run, a hotel booking in Melbourne for a few days/nights in a row is going to wring your wallet dry.

So here’s how you can get 5 nights in Melbourne for under RM500 per night (from as low as SGD109 per night if you book from 4th December till 9th December for 2 pax) for the occasion.

Carlton Apartment (From SGD109 per night):

CBD Private Ensuite (From SGD129 per night):

Collingwood Warehouse Apartment (From SGD148 per night):

Collingwood Fitzroy Apartment (From SGD166 per night):

Space & Light 2-Bedroom Home (From SGD192 per night):

If you have any questions, feel free to drop Airbnb your questions here.

For more information on Stereosonic 2014, hit up their website.

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Rock Out To Timbre “Rock & Roots”

Organized by homegrown concert organizers and F&B chain, Timbre, “Rock & Roots” is a spin-off from Australian music festival, “Byron Bay Bluesfest”. Presented by OCBC Titanium, the event will feature its biggest and best lineup yet for the festival’s fourth year, slated to happen on 21st and 22nd March 2013 (Thursday and Friday) at Fort Canning Green, Singapore.

Set to perform are some of music’s biggest names and living legends such as headliners Robert Plant aka “The Voice of Led Zeppelin”, 12-time Grammy legend Paul Simon (of Simon & Garfunkel), and rock doyenne Bonnie Rait.

They will also be joined by Jimmy Cliff, Tedeschi Trucks Band, and Rufus Wainwright.

Presenting a unique never-before-heard combination of classics and refreshing new tracks, these award-winning artistes and respected legends who respective live shows have won them rave review will no doubt satisfy both established and new fans over the two-day festival. Deets are as follows:

[youtube id=”-QfN2QpwqlE” width=”600″ height=”350″]

For more information, visit their official website or follow them on Twitter!


Hype’s Now Playing: Tablo x Taeyang – Eyes, Nose, Lips

If you’ve heard Taeyang’s “Eyes, Nose, Lips” and if you’re a fan of Epik High’s Tablo, boy are you going to love this collaboration!

Previously, both Taeyang and Tablo worked on the song, “Tomorrow” together. The result? An astounding track that’s still very much addictive until today.

Now, by utilising the original backing track of Taeyang’s chart-topping song, Tablo has injected his own style (and lyrics) into the “Eyes, Nose, Lips” cover. The collaboration (in English, mind you!) was made complete by fellow Epik High member DJ Tukutz’s hand in remixing. We love it because while it’s completely different from the original song, it doesn’t stray away from the essence of the super successful single.

We also love how as YG Entertainment label mates, it’s such a “sure fire” way of showing support for each other. Love it! Can’t say it enough! Check it, repeatedly if you must:

And yes, Taeyang is still topless in the music video for this cover version. But who’s complaining, really?

Also, if you need help with the lyrics, allow us:


Here’s What We Know About “Produce 48” So Far

Mnet has finally dropped the first teaser for “Produce 48”!

Released earlier today (Wednesday, 11th April), the first half of the clip focused on the success of “Produce 101” season 2‘s centre Kang Daniel and his group Wanna One, with the 2nd half introducing the contestants of the show.

However, the clip was blurred and it was difficult to make out faces. Despite that, we know that one of the girls debuted in 2012 and another trained with BLACKPINK for 2 years.

The show, a collaboration between the “Produce 101” series and Japan’s AKB48 girl group, have been generating waves since rumours about it surfaced earlier this year.

With so many information about the show floating around, we’ve compiled them for you:

1. 1000 applicants auditioned for the show

Three rounds of auditions were held with more than 1000 applicants trying out, but only 96 made it to the show. Out of the 96, 48 are from different entertainment companies in Korea and the rest from AKB48’s current roster.

It was previously reported that 12 members will make it to the final lineup, but Mnet denied the news. Looks like we’ll have to wait for the first broadcast to know for sure!

2. Trainees from the Big 3 won’t be joining the program

Industry representatives have confirmed that the Big 3 agencies have decided to opt out of the show.

SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment have abstained from sending their trainees to previous “Produce” installments, and this current season won’t see their participation either. JYP Entertainment, who sent Jeon Somi to “Produce 101” season 1, won’t be joining the program too.

3. FT Island’s Lee Hongki, former SISTAR member Soyou, and rapper Cheetah have been confirmed as trainers

Hongki and Soyou will be joining as vocal trainers while Cheetah will most probably take the role as the rap trainer. Cheetah was also the rap trainer for both previous seasons of “Produce 101”.

Choreographer Bae Yoon Jeong, 1MILLION Dance Studio’s May J Lee, and choreographer Choi Young Joon will be participating as dance trainers for “Produce 48”.

4. AOA’s Chanmi and CLC’s Yoojin rumoured to join program

A list surfaced on a Korean portal in March, naming several idols and trainees as contestants of the show. Netizens were surprised as a few notable names were included.

Apart from Chanmi and Yoojin, other familiar names mentioned were S.M. Rookies’ Hina; “Idol School”‘s Bae Eunyoung, Lee Si-an, Cho Yoori, Natty; “Produce 101” season 1’s Lee Yoonseo, Han Hyeri; and “Sixteen”‘s Minyoung.

T-ara N4 members Dani was also rumoured to join the program, but she denied the news.

5. I.O.I might have a reunion on the show!

Is this the reunion we’ve been waiting for?

Sources have claimed that I.O.I will be making an appearance on the show, with the members’ respective labels having received a proposal. If successful, the girls will meet in the scheduled recording on the 22nd.

Several members of I.O.I (along with members of their current groups) and AKB48 also had a joint performance at MAMA 2017.

The first “Produce 48” recording took place today and is expected to premiere in June. It is directed by Ahn Joon Young, who helmed the previous installments.

Sources: soompi (1) (2) (3) (4), allkpop, Mogo Hallyu.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Justin Bieber – Cold Water (Acoustic Ver.)

Beliebers, get ready to fall in love with Justin Bieber all over again.

For his 26th appearance on “The Ellen Show“, which was aired on 5th December, the Biebs performed an acoustic rendition of his hit song, “Cold Water”, and it left the audience in awe. The live stage has been trending on Twitter ever since Ellen DeGeneres shared it on her account with the caption, “You’re gonna need some ‘Cold Water’ after this acoustic performance by @JustinBieber.” Well played, Ellen ;)

The stripped-down performance, which was accompanied by twinkling lights, reminded us of Bieber’s early YouTube days when he was just a kid singing on the Internet. During the show, the 22-year-old Canadian singer also revealed that he’s not seeing anyone at the moment and will be laying off the dating scene for a while.

Taken from American electronic band Major Lazer’s 4th studio album, “Cold Water” was written by a number of musicians – Diplo, Ed Sheeran, MØ, Justin Bieber, Jamie Scott, Benny Blanco, Philip “Jr. Blender” Meckseper, and Henry “King Henry” Allen. The song debuted at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Bieber’s 3rd number-two debut on the music chart.

What do you think of the acoustic version of “Cold Water”? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below :)


Hype’s Must Watch: The 5th Wave

Because “The Hunger Games” saga is coming to an end this year, we can’t help but wonder how the next wave of young adult (YA) movie franchise might fare in the future.

“Divergent” isn’t nearly as successful as the “The Hunger Games”, but “The Maze Runner” kept us on toes with its exciting plot and brilliant cast.

Starring Chloë Grace Moretz, “The 5th Wave” is based on Rick Yancey’s best-selling novel of the same name. It is bound to be turned into a franchise as the book already has a sequel titled “The Infinite Sea”, with the 3rd book “The Last Star” arriving in 2016.

Set in the present day, the story is about a world in the midst of an alien invasion. A total of 4 waves of increasingly fatal attacks have left most of Earth decimated. Against a backdrop of fear and distrust, 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan (played by Chloë Grace Moretz) is scrambling to survive and desperately trying to save her younger brother in the wake of an alien invasion.

As the world prepares for the inevitable and lethal 5th wave, Cassie teams up with a young man who may become her final hope – if she can only trust him.

Besides Moretz, “The 5th Wave” also stars Nick Robinson as Ben Parish aka Zombie, Ron Livingston as Dad/Oliver, Maggie Siff as Mom/Lisa, Alex Roe as Evan Walker, Maika Monroe as Ringer, Zackary Arthur as Sam, and Liev Schreiber as Vosch.

The action-adventure film is directed by J. Blakeson based on a screenplay by Susannah Grant. Tobey Maguire, Graham King, Lynn Harris, and Matthew Plouffe serve as the producers while Denis O’Sullivan and Richard Middleton are the executive producers.

Watch the international sneak peak below:

“The 5th Wave” is due to be released in 29th January 2016.

For more information, visit the movie’s Facebook page.


Fun Facts: 9 Things You Need To Know About #DraculaUntold

While there are a lot (and sometimes just way too many) vampire-themed films out there, whether it’s a spoof flick or a film series, “Dracula Untold” is all set to stand out. Why? Well, the team behind the film have said that they’re out to defy the “overly done vampire movie” trend by doing something different – combining historical facts with the fantastical. Or should we say, fang-tastical.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula may haven been inspired by Vlad the Impaler, but Dracula Untold’s first-time feature writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless decided to take the connection literally. In “Dracula Untold”, Dracula is Vlad the Impaler.

Here are some things you need to know about “Dracula Untold”, from the set:

1. Producer Alissa Phillips called the film “an epic, sweeping, action, fantasy film. It’s much more in the land of The Lord of The Rings tonally”. But that doesn’t mean that you should expect to see loads of carnage. Phillips also noted, “We want kids to enjoy this. Blood is an omnipresent iconic story point of vampirism. We can’t deny that, but gore doesn’t have to be. If you want to see a film about Vlad the Impaler, this is probably not it.”

2.  “Dracula Untold” is director Gary Shore’s very first feature film. Actress Sarah Gadon (who plays Mirena, wife of Vlad) called Gary Shore a “baby Spielberg” because “He’s got all this kind of youthful zest and zeal for romance and love, and it’s like really kind of early Spielberg stuff.”

3. Vlad is based on Vlad III or Vlad Tepes, which translates to Vlad the Impaler. There are a lot of biased history books out there, but Luke Evans (who plays Vlad Tepes) insisted that Vlad wasn’t such a bad guy. He wasn’t a terrifying warlord, but rather, a revered leader. His tombstone even says, “He was a great ruler and respected by his enemies”.

4. In the movie, Vlad willingly becomes a vampire by drinking blood from a chalice in Caligula’s cave. Yes, Caligula, the Roman emperor who ruled from 37 AD to 41 AD, known for his cruelty, sadism, extravagance, and sexual perversity, presenting him as an insane tyrant. The abilities Vlad gains after visiting Caligula include speaking without opening his mouth, flying, jumping, immortality, healing capabilities, and also a lot of confidence.

5. Even though Vlad does feel the need to drink human blood, he does everything he can to resist it out of his love for his family and for his people. And when he goes to bite someone, we will see a physical transformation that’s “unique to this film”, according to Luke Evans.

6. Oh, also, Luke Evans wears fangs at times in the movie, but he actually has his very own set naturally. Not sure why.

7. Sarah Gadon has 2 types of outfits in the film, some rather elaborate costumes and then some simpler ones that they called “day glam”. One of her more uncomfortable yet stunning pieces is a crown made of pearls and lace that comes down and tends to cut her forehead a bit.

8. Roughly two thirds of “Dracula Untold” is shot on location and a third of it is shot on a stage. The film will also feature Borgo Pass (a high mountain pass in the Romanian Bârgău Mountains). That portion of the film was shot in a rock quarry and will involve a significant amount of set extension work.

9. According to Luke Evans, this is what a day on set might be like for him – picked up at 5am, on set by 8am, about 14 hours on set, hopefully eating dinner by 9:30pm and in bed by 10:30pm with whatever time he can squeeze in for the gym in between. Phew!

Dracula Untold will be released in a cinema near you on 2nd October.

For more information, visit the movie’s official website.

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(UPDATE) #Malaysia: Video Of Woman In Green Bra Attacking KTM Staff Goes Viral

A video of a woman in a green bra and pink pants attacking and arguing with a man at the KTM station in Bandar Tasik Selatan, Kuala Lumpur has gone viral on social media.

The woman in question is seen to be attacking a man, who is believed to be a staff member of the commuter station, by kicking, hitting, and even throwing a plastic chair at him.

The above video was posted last Friday (8th April) on YouTube, has since gained thousands of views and was widely spread on Facebook as well.

MyNewsHub Channel reported that the woman, a divorcee, behaved in such a manner due to suspected drug abuse – a piece of information that is neither confirmed nor verified. The news outlet also urged the woman’s friends and family to help her as she seemed to be “out of her mind”.

Many netizens praised the staff for his tolerance and patience in dealing with the woman, while others commented that due to her rough and rude actions, she “might not be a real woman”. “She should be arrested and caned for her public nuisance,” said Jesinderan Subramaniam, a social media user.

The woman who was videoed causing a ruckus at the Bandar Tasik Selatan KTM station has been arrested. According to The Star Online, the 30-year-old was nabbed by the police and detained a day after the video went viral.

The identity of the woman was not revealed.

Sources: The Star, MyNewsHub / Featured image: YouTube screenshot.


Jared Leto Tried To Stop The New “Joker” Movie From Being Made

Jared Leto was said to be fuming over the new Todd Phillip’s project, “Joker”, and at one point even tried to shut it down.

According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, a source familiar with Leto, said that the actor was left enraged when he learned that Warner Bros. has green-lit Phillip’s project.

This left the Oscar winner feeling like he been hard strung by the studio, with them also promising Leto to have his own Joker stand-alone film, which has yet to come to fruition. Leto reportedly complained to his agents at CAA, who also represent Philips, and also pressured his music manager, Irving Azoff, to contact the Warner’s parent company’s leader. All of this was to ensure that the “Joker” movie was killed off.

The resulting backlash of the entire event have seemingly made Leto jump ship to CAA’s competitor, WMA, which Leto is now represented by. It was reported that Leto felt that CAA should have notify him about the Phillip’s project sooner and fought harder for his rendition of the Joker character. The actor also reportedly ended his relationship with Azoff, for the same reason.

In light of the incident, Leto’s new representative from WMA has come out to smooth over the entire situation. The new representative claimed that the actor is still happily working with Warner Bros. with Leto currently filming John Lee Hancock’s “Little Things” with the studio, insisting that there is no bad blood between them.

Leto portrayed the Joker character back in 2016, in the “Suicide Squad” movie with him infamously being a little too into the role. Ultimately, his performance in the DC film was less than desirable, which resulted in his Joker character being stuck in limbo.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter. Featured Image: Joe.


2013 Brit Awards Winners!

The 2013 Brit Awards came and went hours ago and it turns out that it has been an amazing year for “the voice of the Olympics”, Emeli Sandé. The Scottich singer overtook Adele’s “21” when her album, “Our Version of Events” became the bestselling album of 2012 in September. Emeli went on to accept trophies for “British Album of the Year” and “Best Female Solo Artiste” at the 2013 Brit Awards earlier today.

Grammy award-winning Mumford & Sons too bagged a Brit award for “Best Group”, alongside Lana Del Ray and One Direction, who won “International Female Solo Artiste” and “BRITs Global Success Award” respectively. As a matter of fact, the One Direction boys were so overjoyed with their win that they jumped up from their seats and triumphantly hugged each other!

If you missed the live stream, here’s the full list of this year’s Brits Awards winners:

British Female Solo Artiste – Emeli Sandé

BRITs Global Success Award – One Direction

British Producer of the Year – Paul Epworth

Special Recognition Award Winner – Tom Odell

International Female Solo Artiste – Lana Del Rey

International Male Solo Artiste – Frank Ocean

British Album of the Year – Emeli Sandé  “Our Version Of Events”

For more information, visit their official website.

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This Is The Woman Responsible For Getting Henry Golding On Crazy Rich Asians

Before Henry Golding became Nick Young – the male lead – in “Crazy Rich Asians“, he was voted “sexual healer” in high school (because of Marvin Gaye’s classic song). He then worked his way up to become a barber before switching careers to be a TV-show host.

This is where Lisa Kim comes in. She was “the woman in accounting” who put in a good word for Golding to Jon M. Chu. The director was searching for a lead in “Crazy Rich Asians” at the time. Fast forward a few years later, Golding has made his silver screen debut.

A post shared by Henry Golding (@henrygolding)

During his appearance on “The Tonight Show”, the Malaysian star told Jimmy Fallon, “There’s this lovely woman in accounting. Her name’s Lisa Kim. If you’re out there Lisa Kim, I still owe you one. I love you Lisa! She was like, ‘I met this guy about 5 years ago in Malaysia. I don’t know what he’s doing now, but for me he was this character Nick Young’.”

Upon Kim’s recommendation, Chu stalked Golding on Instagram and watched his travel videos on YouTube before approaching him. “They sent me about 3 or 4 emails asking me to audition. But I was like, ‘no no no no no. I’m not an actor. I’m sure there’s somebody absolutely amazing ready for this role. And the studio’s not going to gamble on a newbie or a greenhorn’,” Golding shared.

Fortunately, lady fate favoured Golding. Listen to the Hollywood newcomer thank Kim in his accent below – it sounds way better.

“Crazy Rich Asians” opens in Malaysian cinemas on 22nd August.


Randy Jackson Says Goodbye To Idol

Veteran “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson said on Thursday he was leaving the Fox TV singing contest to focus on his other business ventures. The star has been one of the original judges on the show since its start in 2002, made the announcement amid falling ratings and rampant rumors about the future makeup of the celebrity panel.

“Yo! Yo! Yo! To put all of the speculation to the rest, after 12 years of judging on American Idol I have decided it is time to leave after this season. I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry. It’s been a life changing opportunity but I am looking forward to focusing on my company Dream Merchant 21 and other business ventures”, the record producer told entertainment news outlet E! News.

Entertainment website TheWrap.com reported this week that producers were considering a major shake-up of the panel after the end of the season on 16th May 2013. Citing unidentified sources, TheWrap said singers Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and country artist Keith Urban, who were brought in this year in a bid to refresh the show, would all be replaced as judges for the 2014 season.

Fox television declined to comment on the report.


Those With Vaccination Have Started Booking Holidays; When Can M’sians Travel Again?

It’s tiresome to think about the numerous phases of MCOs and lockdowns we’ve had to endure since March 2020. Although the recent National Recovery Plan drew mix feelings among the public, it’s brought renewed hope to some who are hoping things will start to improve by year end.

Phase 4 could take place by November if daily Covid-19 cases remain below 500 and 60% of people in Malaysia have received their 2nd dose of vaccine. Is it too far fetched to think of the day when all economic sectors will reopen and social activities will be allowed? Even travelling abroad isn’t ideal, many would settle for interstate and domestic travels.

TripAdvisor recently conducted a study on “behavioural differences in how vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers are thinking about travel”. In fact, those who have already been vaccinated are probably booking and planning their upcoming holidays already.

Unlike many countries in Asia, where new Covid-19 variants have caused numerous deaths and vaccine rollout is still at a slow pace, the people in United States and Britain have already been vaccinated and avid wanderlusters are pushing the recovery in the tourism sector forward.

“Now the focus must be on governments and international organisations to ensure vaccines reach every part of the world as quickly as possible and make it as easy as possible for vaccinated tourists to travel globally once again,” said TripAdvisor chief executive officer Stephen Kaufer.

Here’s a short summary of the latest developments regarding border reopening in Asia Pacific and more:

Singapore: Khairy Jamaluddin recently announced that Malaysia is in talks with Singapore and other countries to accept the MySejahtera as vaccine passport.

“Once you have the yellow profile on your MySejahtera, that means you are fully vaccinated. We will use the QR code once the Covid-19 Emergency Management Technical Committee recommends allowing certain freedoms (such as international travel) that are not currently possible,” he was quoted as saying.

Thailand: Phuket is hoping to reopen the island destination by 1st July, where tourist won’t have to be quarantined, provided Phuket is the single arrival and departure point.

Indonesia: Bali is eyeing to welcome tourists by July, where 3 Bintan resorts have been declared as green zones.

Cambodia: Cambodia will possibly kick off international tourism (starting with Siem Reap) by 4Q this year. Reports show that Cambodia’s current vaccination rate is ahead of most countries in the region.

South Korea: There are travel bubble talks to potentially allow group tours with 1 to 2 weekly flights. Visitors must test negative for Covid-19 3 days prior to departure and undergo another test upon arrival.

Hong Kong: Those travelling from low-medium risk countries are only required to quarantine for 2 weeks instead of 21 days.

Macau: Mainland Chinese tourists have been coming in, especially during the recent May Golden Week. However, border requirements have been restricted again following a recent spike of Covid-19 infections in Guangzhou and Foshan.

Australia: Australia will only allow international visitors from mid-2022 onwards.

Europe: Countries like Spain, France, Portugal and Denmark have reopened to international tourists.

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Meteorite Blast Rocks Russia

A Reuters witness in Chelyabinsk in Russia confirmed that a powerful blast rocked the country early in the morning. Bright objects, identified as possible meteorites, fell from the sky in the Russian region of the Urals. The sounds of car alarms and breaking windows could be heard in the area and mobile phones were working intermittently. A shockwave in a 19-storey building in the town centre was also felt.

Another Reuters witness said that a trace from a falling object could be seen in Yekaterinburg, some 200km southeast of Chelyabinsk. Local residents too said that they witnessed burning objects in the sky of the Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions.

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[youtube id=”b0cRHsApzt8″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

According to an emergency official, it was definitely not a plane but they are still gathering the bits of information and have no data on casualties so far. Many calls about injuries and damage to buildings were received but as of time of writing, there were no immediate confirmed figures or specific reports on damage.

Yelena Smirnykh (a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Emergency Situations), told the Ekho Moskvy radio station that she believed a meteorite broke apart and fell in several places – fragments were reported to have hit the earth around the city of Satka. Meanwhile, Igor Murog (deputy governor of the Ural region) told Interfax, “Now we have many calls about trauma, cuts and bruises”.

Sources: The Star, FOX News, The Verge, The New York Times.


Netflix’s I Am A Killer Season 3 Review: You’ll Want To Lock Your Doors After Hearing These Stories

There’s something just so fascinating about hearing tales of crime and murder from the perspective of the perpetrators. Whether it’s a pedophile clown or a cannibal serial killer, there’s just much more weight and substance when hearing it from the voice of the killer. This is honestly a format we’ve come to much prefer in comparison to documentaries that only piece together testimonies from tangential figures like victims, family members or law enforcement officers. One we found quite riveting was the three-episode long docuseries on the story of a young man who killed his dad. Hearing this boy describe the grizzly details of the act and context of it had us utterly hooked. So when we heard that we are getting a third season of the series “I Am a Killer”, we were thoroughly hyped for it.

This crime docuseries sees real-life prisoners on death row giving harrowing accounts of the violent crimes they’ve committed. The fact that they’re scheduled for execution creates a space for brutal honesty. The question is: Can “I Am a Killer” deliver the same hair-raising thrills as it has in its previous two seasons? Let’s find out!

Normally each season of the series would have around 10 episodes. However, due to restrictions in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re only getting 6 episodes this season. Still, in spite of the lower quantity of episodes, there are some truly heart-breaking and horrifying stories to be told here. A running theme this season is how trauma and mental illness can play a role in pushing someone towards committing heinous acts. The first episode about an abused victim, Victoria “Vicky” Smith”, who killed her partner after years of suffering really hit us in the feels. Couple that with her limited mental capacity and it creates a potent cocktail of conflict within us.

Then there are the episodes that don’t quite make us doubt our emotions but rather the reality of the situation. The second episode dives into the unusual case of Deryl Madison. Much like the second season’s Pyro Joe, Madison too was a pyromaniac who set buildings and houses on fire. The man even mastrubated while the fires consumed buildings. He also claimed that when he murdered his victim, he was not in control of himself. It was as if something had taken over his mind as he claimed. At the end of it, you’re left with this hollow feeling. A dread creeps over you because you’re not entirely sure if he’s telling the truth or not. Can someone snap like that? Or is a careful ruse? It certainly doesn’t help that he’s eerily calm throughout.

It’s within that tension where we find “I Am a Killer” the most engaging. The fourth episode of the season, “Blackout” explores a similar case with James Walker. He states that when he killed in 2001, he had completely blacked out when he did so. He claims that he has no recollection of the murder altogether. There is a possibility that past instances of physical and mental abuse had led to severe damage to his brain and psyche. Which then raises the question of nature vs nurture, and whether such individuals should be in prison at all.

Not all of the episodes though are of equal calibre. Some of them lean heavily towards an unambigous guilty verdict. Especially, when you can see some pretty hard evidence of the killer’s intention. At that point, you’re just wondering why we’re hearing them try to justify. That being said, “I Am a Killer” did not disappoint with the final episode “A Bad Day”. In this account, we hear about how David Cameron Keith kidnapped a 13-year-old boy and held him hostage. All the while trying to plan a daring escape on a plane. It was truly a spetacular series of errors.

If there’s one thing that utterly bores us to tears, it’s talking-head interviews that constantly explain a single event to death from multiple angles. Its presentation is often dull and unremarkable. Fortunately, “I Am a Killer” has continued to avoid this pitfall by keeping the format of each episode rather lean and efficient. We get to hear the overview of the story from the killers before moving on to a handful of relevant parties who were involved in their lives. Where the series does fail to innovate is in its visuals and its over-reliance on forced subtitles. They can be a useful tool in setting the scene but it quickly becomes intrusive to our sense of immersion.

We would hope that by now, “I Am a Killer” would have allocated the budget to have scenes of dramatic reenactment. We’re not asking for photo-realistic actors doing death-defying stunts. Perhaps a simple animated sequence just to give the retelling a sense of motion and excitement. You have real killers pouring through the most intimate details of their crime and you want a glorified clipshow?! At the very least, they could show some of the interrogation footage of these criminals.

In spite of a contracted season, “I Am a Killer” delivers in compelling stories from real-life prisoners on death row. In terms of visuals and aesthetics, its presentation lacks any form of meaningful innovation which limits the series’ potential. When compared to some of the sleeker Netflix true-crime docuseries, its lean format can only carry the series so far.

Still, if you true-crime fans are looking for a healthy dose stories from death row, then you can catch the third season of “I Am a Killer” on Netflix today!

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.

In spite of a contracted season, "I Am a Killer" delivers in compelling stories from real-life prisoners on death row. In terms of visuals and aesthetics, its presentation lacks any form of meaningful innovation which limits the series' potential. When compared to some of the sleaker Netflix true-crime docuseries, its lean format can only carry the series so far.


#SpiderManHomecoming: Vision & War Machine Were Supposed To Cameo

When the “Spider-Man: Homecoming” project was initially announced, it was heavily emphasised that Iron Man would be appearing as a mentor of sorts. Turns out, 2 more Avengers were almost included in it as well.

A leaked concept art from “Spider-Man: Homecoming” recently made its way online. The 2 images reveal that Vision and War Machine were originally supposed to be in the ferry scene.

If you recall, Peter Parker’s plans to catch the villains off guard backfired on him when the ferry filled with citizens split in half. Thankfully, Iron Man shows up and save the day. The prospect of asking Vision and War Machine to tag along and help with the rescue mission does seem exciting.

All things considered, it would’ve made total sense to have Vision and War Machine on board as they’re both close to Tony Stark. The duo were after all on #TeamIronMan in “Captain America: Civil War“. Having said that, it worked out fairly well eventually when Stark was the only one there to give Parker a lecture about his mistakes.

New unused #SpiderManHomecoming concept art reveals that the movie's script once included Vision and War Machine helping in the ferry scene! pic.twitter.com/qYvY5zwJ0X

— MCU – The Direct (@MCU_Direct) July 19, 2017

Although we didn’t get to see Paul Bettany and Don Cheadle reprise their Avengers roles, “Spider-Man: Homecoming” did feature cameos from Chris Evans (Captain America), Jon Favreau (Happy Hogan), and Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts).

Feel free to read our “Spider-Man: Homecoming” review and check out 10 interesting fun facts about the movie.


Bunkface’s Controversial “LGBT Pergi Mampus” Lyrics Draw Mix Reactions

Yesterday (Wednesday, 26th February), Bunkface dropped a new single titled “Akhir Zaman” or “The End of Times”. It wasn’t long before the song was trending on social media – but for all the wrong reasons.

What was supposed to be a “rebellious” song (with lyrics like “mana pergi semua duit rakyat”), many were taken aback by Bunkface’s jab towards the queer community. The disturbing lyrics called for “LGBT, boleh pergi mampus” (translation: “go die, LGBT” or “go to hell, LGBT”).

While some were horrified by the hate speech incited in “Akhir Zaman” (and are rallying for the song to be reported and taken down), others have defended Bunkface, saying that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

As at time of writing, the lyric video has gained close to 100,00 views with 13k likes and 1.5k dislikes. It’s always a tricky situation when religious views and human rights are thrown into the mix. 4 words from “Akhir Zaman” have ignited online feuds among netizens. Here are what people are saying:

.@bunkfaceband it is NOT punk to target LGBT people. Ridicule and invisibility will cost lives.

You are not punk. You're no better than any nazi fascist band, please rebrand.

LGBT people are not your ping pong balls to score points with Malaysians

— Michelle Yesudas (@chelle_yesudas) February 26, 2020

Y'all knoooooow their fans are gonna be at the gigs singing it with their whole fucking chests. I hope NO INTERNATIONAL STAGES here in Malaysia ever book them for their intolerance. They can stick with the local scene, take 'em. But they're not going anywhere anymore.

— Annatasha (@monkeydisease) February 26, 2020

Has hatred become mainstream these days?

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#Sibu: 54-Year-Old Man Arrested For Selling Dog Meat

A 54-year-old man was arrested for selling dog meat at his food stall in Sibu, Sarawak after a raid at 2:35pm on Tuesday (11th July).

According to multiple reports, the raid was led by a team of officers from the Intelligence and Operations Division of the Criminal Investigation Department, the Sibu Municipal Council, and the State Veterinary Department.

Apparently, the man confessed that he has been selling dog meat for 30 years and served mainly regular customers. Sibu OCPD Asst Comm Saiful Bahari Abdullah said that 2 pieces of frozen dog meat were seized for further investigation. Other meats such as wild boar and fish were also found in the store.

He also added, “The case is being investigated under Section 428 of the Penal Code for killing or maiming an animal.”

It was also reported that the raid was executed following a rabies outbreak in Serian that claimed the lives of 2 children who lives in Kampung Paon, Sungai Rimu last Tuesday. Free Malaysia Today noted that 2 children are currently receiving treatment.

Dog meat trade is not uncommon in Asia as it is legal to consume in many parts of China, Korea, and Vietnam. Recently, Animals Australia (AA) even revealed that many food traders in Bali, Indonesia serve dog meat satays to tourists.

What are your thoughts on dog meat consumption? Feel free to leave a comment below!

Sources: The Star, Free Malaysia Today, Sin Chew.