Ben Affleck is the New Batman

The actor will replace Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne in the upcoming untitled Batman-Superman feature for Warner Bros., the studio announced Thursday.

Affleck becomes the eighth actor to play the Caped Crusader, following Bale, George Clooney and Michael Keaton.

“We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some,” WB president Greg Silverman said in a statement.

Directed by “Man of Steel” filmmaker Zack Snyder, the Batman-Superman feature will open worldwide on July 17, 2015, with Henry Cavill, Amy Adams and Diane Lane reprising their roles.

“Man of Steel,” released this past June, has earned over $650 million at the global box office.

“Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne,” Snyder said in a statement. “I can’t wait to work with him.”

The announcement of a Batman-Superman film was revealed last month at Comic-Con to much excitement of fanboys, who will surely be watching as the studio begins to assemble its Justice League.


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WWII veteran, 88, brutally beaten to death in Spokane, Wash

Delbert Belton, who was wounded in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, died Thursday after he was beaten in Spokane, Wash.

An 88-year-old wounded veteran of World War II died Thursday after he was brutally beaten, apparently at random, in the parking lot of his lodge in Spokane, Wash., authorities said.

Spokane police said they were seeking two suspects in the attack Wednesday night on Delbert "Shorty" Belton, a retired aluminum company worker who'd lived in the city for most of his life after he was discharged from the Army after the war. Belton died of his injuries Thursday morning, police said.

The suspects were described as black males of average build, 16 to 19 years old, wearing black clothing and red sneakers. Police Lt. Mark Griffiths said they apparently attacked Belton at random.

"It appears he was assaulted in the parking lot, and there was no indication that he would have known these people prior to the assault," Griffiths said at a news conference.

As police released surveillance camera photos of two young men believed to be the suspects, a makeshift memorial overflowing with flowers, U.S. flags and messages of sympathy sprouted Thursday outside the Eagles Lodge in North Spokane.

Friends and family remembered Belton as a warm, generous man who helped many people over the years.

Belton was waiting for a friend at the lodge because he didn't want her to walk in alone, Lillian Duncan, a longtime friend, told the Spokesman-Review of Spokane.

"He was so awesome," Duncan told the newspaper. "Anybody that didn't get to know him missed out on a wonderful angel in their life."

Many others told similar stories.

"If it wouldn't have been for him, I wouldn't have been able to get my life straight," Belton's great-nephew Allen Hills told NBC station KHQ of Spokane.

Hills said he had hit bottom about 10 years ago in California, where he was unemployed and sleeping on his mother's sofa. That's when his great-uncle stepped in with the offer of a car and a new life in Washington state.

"It seems trivial, but he really did save my life," Hills said. "He made it possible for me to get a job and find work."

Ted Dennison, a friend, called Belton "a tough old bird" who was shot in the leg in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. His experiences in the war didn't appear to have dampened Belton's instinct to help others, Denison said.

"He was always there any time I needed anything," Denison told KHQ.

Belton died the same day another Spokane man was killed in a confrontation with police, a manifestation of what Hills said was the "senseless violence" plaguing the city of 210,000 in eastern Washington.

"It's too much, and it's constant and never-ending," said Hills, who said Belton was just the latest victim.

"He wasn't just my great-uncle," Hills said. "He was a great person, and he didn't deserve to die like that."


By M. Alex Johnson, Staff Writer, NBC News

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SPAD sedang bangunkan sistem pangkalan data pemandu

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KUALA LUMPUR: Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD) sedang membangunkan sistem pangkalan data maklumat pemandu yang mengandungi maklumat pemandu pengangkutan awam.

Pengerusinya Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar berkata sistem itu apabila siap akan membolehkan pengendali bas dan pengguna untuk mendapatkan maklumat lengkap mengenai pemandu.

Menurutnya, sistem itu diwujudkan atas dasar perkongsian maklumat bertujuan mengelak pengendali pengangkutan awam, termasuk bas dan teksi mengambil pemandu yang mempunyai rekod jenayah serta disenaraihitam.

“Di mana sistem maklumat pemandu itu akan bergantung kepada maklumat yang diberikan kepada kami jadi kami harap akan berkerjasama dengan Polis dan JPJ jadi kita akan dapat membuat peperiksaan menyeluruh.,” katanya ketika ditemui Astro AWANI.

Buat masa ini, syarikat yang pengendali pengangkutan awam hanya bergantung kepada maklumat yang dikemukakan oleh pemandu itu sendiri.

Mengulas lanjut, Syed Hamid berkata, usaha membangunkan sistem berkenaan dimulakan awal tahun lalu kerana, maklumat mengenai pemandu yang mempunyai rekod jenayah dan disenaraihitamkan hanya dimiliki oleh jabatan pengangkutan jalan dan polis.

Bagaimanapun, jelasnya SPAD sedang meneliti sistem berkenaan dari aspek perundangan bagi mengelak sebarang pelanggaran undang-undang.

“Banyak isu perundangan seperti pencabulan ruang peribadi, kerahsiaan maklumat dan kita sedang menyelesaikan perkara itu dahulu sebelum ia boleh dilaksanakan,” jelasnya lagi.

Tambahnya, tatacara teknikal sistem itu sudah disiapkan dan dijangka dapat digunakan awal tahun depan.

Mengulas mengenai kemalangan bas yang mengakibatkan 37 orang maut di genting highlands, beliau meminta supaya orang ramai tidak membuat sebarang spekulasi serta menunding jari kepada mana-mana pihak, kerana punca nahas itu masih dalam siasatan.

“Kemalangan itu kini dalam siasatan meskipun terdapat beberapa perkara yang jelas tapi adalah lebih baik kita tidak menyalahkan mana-mana pihak melainkan kita mempunyai laporan teknikal yang membenarkan kita mengambil tindakan lanjut,” katanya.

Tambahnya SPAD telah diarahkan untuk mengetuai jawatankuasa khas yang dibentuk bagi menyiasat punca kemalangan itu dengan kerjasama beberapa pihak berkaitan.

Bagaimanapun jelasnya jawatankuasa berkenaan hanya akan memulakan tugasnya setelah mendapat laporan awal Daripada Institut Penyelidikan Keselamatan Jalan Raya Malaysia (MIROS).

 


Sumber: http://www.astroawani.com/news/show/spad-sedang-bangunkan-sistem-pangkalan-data-pemandu-20914?cp

Pasangan Alvin dan Vivian mohon batal 1 daripada 3 pertuduhan

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Pasangan kontroversi Alvin Tan dan Vivian Lee yang didakwa dengan pertuduhan mempersendakan umat Islam dan Ramadan, memfailkan permohonan di Mahkamah Tinggi di sini untuk membatalkan pertuduhan yang dihadapi mereka mengikut Seksyen 298A(1)(a) Kanun Keseksaan.

Alvin atau nama penuhnya Tan Jye Yee, 25, dan Vivian atau Lee May Ling, 24, memfailkan permohonan itu di Pejabat Pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi di sini pada Rabu lepas.

Dalam permohonan itu, mereka memohon perintah deklarasi bahawa Seksyen 298A Kanun Keseksaan adalah tidak konsisten dan bercanggah dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan serta tidak sah di sisi undang-undang.

Pasangan itu juga memohon perintah deklarasi bahawa Seksyen 298A adalah tidak terpakai dan tidak boleh dikuatkuasakan terhadap mereka.

Mengikut Seksyen 298A(1)(a) Kanun Keseksaan, Tan dan Lee didakwa memuat naik di laman Facebook mereka satu kandungan gambar dan komen yang bertajuk "Selamat Berbuka Puasa (dengan Bak Kut Teh..wangi, enak, menyelerakan !!!)" yang mengandungi logo Halal, berkemungkinan menyebabkan perasaan permusuhan atas alasan agama di kalangan penganut agama berlainan.

Terdahulu, ketika prosiding di Mahkamah Sesyen, peguam Chong Joo Tian, yang mewakili Tan dan Lee memaklumkan bahawa anak guamnya telah memfailkan permohonan itu ketika kes mereka disebut di hadapan Hakim Murtazadi Amran.

Murtazadi kemudian menetapkan 19 Sept ini untuk pengurusan kes.

Mengikut pertuduhan, Alvin dan Vivian didakwa bersama-sama menerbitkan satu penerbitan menghasut di laman Facebook 'Alvin and Vivian - Alvivi' di pautan https://www.facebook.com/alvivi.swingers iaitu kandungan gambar dan komen yang sama, mengikut Akta Hasutan 1948.

Mereka juga didakwa mempamerkan gambar-gambar lucah di http://alviviswingers.tumblr.com/, antara 6 Julai dan 7 Julai lepas, antara 9 malam dan 2 pagi, mengikut Akta Penapisan Filem 2002.

Sementara itu, Chong ketika ditemui pemberita di luar mahkamah berkata permohonan itu difailkan atas alasan pertuduhan yang dihadapi anak guamnya mengikut Seksyen 298A adalah bercanggah dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

"Mengikut perlembagaan, seksyen itu hanya terpakai bagi mereka yang beragama Islam dan tidak boleh dikuatkuasakan terhadap kedua-dua anak guamnya kerana mereka non-muslim," katanya.

Pendakwaan dikendalikan Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Haffiza Jemali.

 


Sumber: http://www.astroawani.com/news/show/pasangan-alvin-dan-vivian-mohon-batal-1-daripada-3-pertuduhan-20899?cp

Pembebasan Azilah dan Sirul: Peguam Negara tidak berpuashati dan akan buat rayuan

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KUALA LUMPUR: Jabatan Peguam Negara tidak berpuashati dengan keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan melepas dan membebaskan anggota Unit Tindakan Khas, Cif Inspektor Azilah Hadri dan Koperal Sirul Azhar Umar, daripada pertuduhan membunuh penterjemah Mongolia, Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail berkata pihaknya akan memfailkan rayuan ke Mahkamah Persekutuan atas alasan yang diberikan oleh mahkamah ketika membebaskan kedua tertuduh tidak mempunyai kaitan.

"Tentang DSP Musa Safri, kami menegaskan keterangan beliau tidak ada kaitan dengan keseluruhan perbicaraan yang telah dijalankan," katanya dalam satu kenyataan media hari ini.

Tiga anggota panel hakim Mahkamah Rayuan Datuk Seri Mohamed Apandi Ali, Datuk Linton Albert dan Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat sebulat suara mengetepikan hukuman mati yang dikenakan oleh Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam selepas membenarkan rayuan terhadap pensabitan dan hukuman.

Dalam rumusan penghakiman empat muka surat itu, mahkamah memutuskan bahawa hakim Mahkamah Tinggi telah tersalah arah dalam mensabitkan mereka.

Hakim Tengku Maimun yang membacakan penghakiman itu berkata hakim perbicaraan telah tersalah arah dirinya dengan cara tanpa arah gagal mempertimbangkan diari stesen dan gagal membuat dapatan sama ada pihak pembelaan telah menimbulkan keraguan yang munasabah terhadap kes pendakwaan bahawa Azilah, yang merupakan tertuduh pertama dalam kes ini, berada di tempat kejadian jenayah.

Sumber: http://www.astroawani.com/news/show/pembebasan-azilah-dan-sirul-peguam-negara-tidak-berpuashati-dan-akan-buat-rayuan-20911?cp

Mahkamah Rayuan bebaskan Azilah dan Sirul

KUALA LUMPUR: Dua anggota unit tindakan khas polis  Azilah Hadri dan Sirul Azhar Umar terlepas daripada hukuman gantung selepas Mahkamah Rayuan di sini hari ini melepaskan dan membebaskan mereka daripada tuduhan membunuh warga Mongolia Altantuya Shaariibuu, tujuh tahun lepas.

 

Tiga anggota panel hakim Datuk Seri Mohamed Apandi Ali, Datuk Linton Albert dan Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat sebulat suara mengetepikan hukuman mati yang dikenakan oleh Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam selepas membenarkan rayuan mereka terhadap pensabitan dan hukuman.

 

Dalam rumusan penghakiman empat muka surat itu, mahkamah memutuskan bahawa hakim Mahkamah Tinggi telah tersalah arah dalam mensabitkan mereka.

 

Hakim Tengku Maimun yang membacakan penghakiman itu berkata hakim perbicaraan telah tersalah arah dirinya dengan cara tanpa arah gagal mempertimbangkan diari stesen dan gagal membuat dapatan sama ada pihak pembelaan telah menimbulkan keraguan yang munasabah terhadap kes pendakwaan bahawa Azilah, yang merupakan tertuduh pertama dalam kes ini, berada di tempat kejadian jenayah.

- BERNAMA 

Tiket bola percuma untuk daftar pemilih baharu - KFA

JITRA:  Orang ramai yang mendaftar sebagai pemilih di kaunter Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) di Stadium Sultan Abdul Halim esok berpeluang menerima tiket percuma menyaksikan pertemuan Kedah dan Perak dalam saingan Piala Malaysia di Stadium Darul Aman malam esok.

Pengerusi Jawatankyasa Belia dan Sukan, Kesenian dan Warisan, Badan-badan Bukan Kerajaan Kedah, Aminuddin Omar berkata sebanyak 1,000 tiket disediakan oleh Persatuan Bolasepak Kedah (KFA) dengan kerjasama Jaringan Gelombang Merah Kedah (JGMK) untuk tujuan itu.

Kaunter SPR itu dibuka dari 11 pagi hingga 5 petang sempena rumah terbuka Aidilfitri Umno Kedah, katanya pada sidang media, di sini Jumaat.

Aminuddin yang juga Setiausaha KFA, berkata inisiatif itu diambil oleh KFA dan JGMK bagi menggalakkan golongan muda mendaftar sebagai pemilih. DAFTAR PEMILIH BAHARU

"Pada masa yang sama kita juga nak tarik lebih ramai datang ke Stadium Darul Aman untuk memberi sokongan kepada pemain, sekali gus dapat mengembalikan zaman kegemilangan pasukan itu," katanya.

Aminuddin berkata pihaknya akan terus mengedarkan tiket-tiket percuma itu kepada seluruh rakyat di negeri ini menerusi pelbagai program jika ia mendapat sambutan memberangsangkan daripada orang ramai.

Sementara itu pada pertemuan Kedah menentang Perak di Stadium Darul Aman, esok, Aminuddin berkata KFA akan menurunkan kesebelasan utama yang berjaya mengekang Lions XII di Singapura, Selasa lepas dengan keputusan 2-2.

Katanya sebagai pasukan bukan pilihan beliau yakin skuad Sang Kenari itu mampu untuk memperoleh tiga mata berharga di tempat sendiri.

Mengenai jurulatih baharu Kedah Datuk Ahmad Shafie, Aminuddin melihat keserasian antara jurulatih baharu itu dengan penolongnya Antonio Sisic serta pemain pasukan itu amat baik.

- BERNAMA 

Pelajar Malaysia selamat pulang

SEPANG:  Kumpulan pertama pelajar Malaysia di Mesir selamat tiba di tanah air pada pukul 6.36 petang Khamis.

Enam pelajar diterbangkan dengan pesawat Egypt Air tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur.

Kumpulan berkenaan merupakan sebahagian daripada 3,300 pelajar yang dibawa pulang melalui Ops Piramid II selepas situasi di Mesir bertambah buruk.

Ketibaan mereka disambut Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan 2 P Kamalanathan.

Beliau menegaskan penghantaran pulang pelajar  diteruskan sehinga 27 Ogos ini.

“Kami berharap dapat selesaikan membawa balik pelajar ke Kuala Lumpur dalam masa 27 atau akhir bulan. Semua yang telah sampai ini sungguh gembira. Mereka bersyukur Malaysia aman tidak seperti Mesir dan mereka berharap keamanan itu kekal selamanya," kata beliau.

Beliau juga memberitahu satu lagi kumpulan, yang terdiri daripada lapan pelajar tiba pada Khamis malam.

Manakala  400 pelajar lagi dijangka  pulang melalui tiga penerbangan pada jumaat.

Sementara itu Kamalanathan menegaskan  delegasi Kementerian Pelajaran akan berlepas ke kaherah bagi membincangkan dengan pihak berkuasa Mesir berkaitan isu pengajian pelajar Malaysia.

- Astro Awani 

Bradley Manning mahu tukar jantina

WASHINGTON:  Sehari selepas dihukum penjara kerana mendedahkan rahsia kerajaan, Bradley Manning berharap dapat menjalani pembedahan menukar jantina.

Dalam satu kenyataan yang dihantar kepada NBC, Manning berkata, beliau mahu memulakan terapi hormon secepat mungkin bagi menjadi seorang perempuan.

Menurut Manning, beliau mahu menggunakan nama Chelsea apabila pembedahan itu berjaya.

Bagaimanapun, permintaan Manning itu dilihat bakal mencetuskan lagi kes mahkamah.

Ini kerana, peraturan tentera Amerika Syarikat tidak membenarkan rawatan hormon atau pembedahan menukar jantina.

Menurut peguam Manning, pihaknya sedia memperjuangkan isu itu sehingga pihak tentera memenuhi permintaan anak guamnya.

Manning dihukum penjara selama 35 tahun di Fort Leavenworth dan beliau perlu mengemukakan petisyen jika mahu berpindah ke penjara pusat bagi menjalani rawatan hormon.

- AFP

Cabaran pemandu bas ke Genting Highlands

KUALA LUMPUR:  Pemandu bas memerlukan latihan mencukupi untuk memenuhi keperluan 32 perjalanan sehari bagi perjalanan turun naik ke Genting Highlands.

Astro Awani menemubual beberapa pemandu bas yang berkongis rutin harian mereka serta cara berkerja yang terlibat bagi seorang pemandu bas.

Egypt's Mubarak leaves prison

CAIRO:  Egypt's ousted president Hosni Mubarak was flown from prison by helicopter to a military hospital Thursday after he was cleared for conditional release while standing trial, an interior ministry general told AFP.

Mubarak will be held under house arrest at the Cairo hospital on the orders of the prime minister, who has been granted the power to order arrests during the current state of emergency.

Live television footage showed the medical helicopter that took Mubarak from Cairo's Tora prison arrive at a nearby military hospital.

Mubarak, 85, is believed to be suffering from a heart condition.

Mubarak was cleared for conditional release after his lawyer argued his detention had exceeded the limit of pre-verdict imprisonment, and Mubarak had paid back the money involved in one of his corruption cases.

His next hearing is set for Sunday, on charges of corruption and complicity in the deaths of protesters during the 18-day uprising that overthrew him in early 2011.

- AFP

Sharapova out with shoulder injury

AFP

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Third-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova has pulled out of next week's US Open due to a shoulder injury.

The four-times grand slam winner, who triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2006, fired coach Jimmy Connors last week after just one match together.

The 26-year-old world number three, who is suffering from inflammation in her right shoulder, said withdrawing from the year's final grand slam was "a really tough decision to make".

"I have done everything I could since Wimbledon to get myself ready but it just wasn't enough time," she said in statement on her Facebook page.

"I have done many tests, received several opinions and it all comes down to taking the proper amount of time to heal my shoulder injury properly.

"It's certainly not an easy decision to make ahead of one of my favourite tournaments, but I know it's the right one that will get me back on the courts soon.

"I plan on taking the next few weeks off, receiving proper treatment and rehabilitation."

Sharapova lost to 20-year-old American Sloane Stephens in the second round of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati last week in her only match since a second-round exit at Wimbledon.

Her absence from Flushing Meadows at least puts to rest widely reported plans she had to legally change her name for the U.S. Open in a publicity stunt for her candy business.

Defending champion Serena Williams is the top seed for the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows in New York, ahead of Belarusian Victoria Azarenka and Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, who now moves up to third.

Tournament director David Brewer had earlier announced Sharapova's withdrawal.

"We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to her return to New York next year," he said in a statement.

- Reuters

Bale close to record transfer to Real Madrid

Getty Images

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Tottenham and Real Madrid are close to concluding a world record transfer for Gareth Bale, according to various reports.

Spurs technical director Franco Baldini has been in the Spanish capital to hold talks with Madrid and there are suggestions that a deal could be announced as early as Friday.

Any deal for the 24-year-old will not be publicised prior to Madrid's friendly with Al Sadd on Thursday evening as the club do not wish to overshadow the return of legendary forward Raul.

Estimations of the fee involved vary – and are complicated by the possibility that left-back Fabio Coentrao will be involved in part exchange.

However, Madrid could be willing to part with as much as 109 million euros (£93m) to secure their key summer target having already brought Asier Illarramendi, Isco, Daniel Carvajal and Casemiro to the club on permanent deals.

Various sources indicate that talks with Bale are now reaching a conclusion.

Bale has been omitted from the Spurs squad to face Dinamo Tbilisi in a Europa league play-off on Thursday night due to a foot injury.

In his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, manager Andre Villas-Boas said reports that Bale was close to joining Madrid were "not true".

However, it now appears the Wales international – who last season enjoyed a clean sweep of English football’s individual awards – is close to securing a move to the Bernabeu.

Bale’s likely fee will eclipse the £80m Madrid paid for Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer of 2009 and take the Spanish club’s summer spending to the £156.8m mark.

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