'The Avengers' set for blockbuster return

Marvel's "Avengers: Age Of Ultron" - L to R: Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) - Jay Maidment/Marvel 2015

LOS ANGELES: Three years after saving the Earth -- and breaking a few box office records -- "The Avengers" are back with a power-packed punch this week with their latest blockbuster adventure.

Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hulk and Hawkeye take on a new baddie who wants to wipe out Humanity, in "Avengers: Age of Ultron," out from Tuesday in much of the world.

Returning director Joss Whedon pits the superhero gang against their own shortcomings as they take on their ultimate enemy -- but also plays with the chemistry that developed between them in their first run-out.

The original 2012 "The Avengers" became the third-highest grossing movie in cinema history, taking over $1.5 billion at the box office, only beaten by "Avatar" (2009) and "Titanic" (1997).

The pressure on Whedon was therefore enormous -- but the 50-year-old said he drew the most inspiration from amidst the first film's very success, and from the interplay between the main characters.

He looked for "what little moments are there between these characters that I haven't gotten to do yet, what conversations they haven't had yet, what haven't I shown?" Whedon told reporters in Los Angeles.

Relationships are indeed richer between Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).

There is also more humor to temper filmgoers' pure adrenalin rush.

The main thing was "to make sure that everybody had their moment, that it's all connected to the movie, to the main thing," said the filmmaker, who spent hundreds of hours editing the movie.

The result is two hours of turbo-driven action, superhero fist-fights and technology at the service of a story full of surprises, which US critics have already hailed as a huge hit.

Industry journal Variety called it a "super-sized spandex soap opera that's heavy on catastrophic action but surprisingly light on its feet, and rich in the human-scale emotion that can cut even a raging Hulk down to size."

New horizons

James Spader, known for his roles in TV shows "Boston Legal" and "The Blacklist," plays ultimate baddie Ultron, a robotic assassin able to reproduce himself and who is determined to annihilate "The Avengers."

He wins the unexpected backing of twins Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, also known as Scarlett Witch and Quicksilver and played by Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson).

Jarvis/The Vision (played by Paul Bettany) makes his entry as a counterweight to the power of Ultron, who emerges as a kind of ghost in the Stark Industries machine.

"They embody a little bit of him (Tony Stark)," said Whedon.

"But I do see them as both sides of the same coin, sort of a core between the two of them. There's something beautiful about the fact that they see the same thing and react differently."

The climax of the film closes certain storylines from the first film, and opens new horizons for those to come: "The Avengers: Infinity War," the third part of the saga that Marvel is dividing into two movies.

The first part is due out on May 4, 2018, followed by the second on May 3, 2019. Both will be directed by filmmaking brothers Anthony and Joe Russo.

But it is unknown what role new Marvel characters could play.

"There are so many different directions to go," said Johansson. "We'll see."

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" will be released in the United States on May 1, a week or two after it is out around much of the rest of the planet.

180 arrested in Langkawi

Some of the 180 drug addicts were arrested in Ops Sarang conducted by Special Forces Tactical Narcotics Intelligence (Sting) Bukit Aman National Drug Agency (NADA).

BEACH - A total of 180 people were arrested in Ops nest here today on suspicion of involvement in drug abuse.

Deputy Commander II Special Forces Tactical Intelligence and Narcotic (STING), Senior Assistant Commissioner Roslan Abdul Wahid said, 150 grams of heroin, 6.68 grams of cocaine and 17 kg of leaf density were also seized in the operation conducted since 18 April last.

He said that, of the total arrested, 125 suspects tested positive for drugs and referred to the National Anti-Drug Agency (NADA) for recovery.

Six of those arrested were suspected of being a distributor that three of them are believed to smuggle drugs from the mainland and neighboring countries, "he told reporters.

He said the operation around and Taman Bukit Malut Nilam involved 150 police officers as well as the agency.

"This is the first time that integrated operations conducted with the agency deemed successful in addressing abuse and drug trafficking.

Also present at the press conference were Deputy Director (Operations) of the agency, Izhar Abu Talib, Kedah agency's director, Mustafa Mohammad Nazer and Langkawi District Police Chief Superintendent Harrith Kam Abdullah.

Dutch expert suspended after showing MH17 victim photos

All 298 passengers and crew onboard the Malaysia Airlines jetliner -- most of them Dutch -- died when it was shot down at high altitude over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July last year.

THE HAGUE: A Dutch expert helping to identify victims from last year's MH17 airliner crash in Ukraine has been suspended after showing photographs of the dead at a public lecture, police said Thursday.

"He has been suspended from his work and we'll see if other measures need to be taken," Thomas Aling, spokesman for the Dutch national forensics investigation team LTFO, told AFP.

"Apparently he showed photos that cannot be shown at a public meeting," Aling said following the lecture given by George Maat and organised by a medical students association in southern city Maastricht.

Maat, an anthropologist at Leiden University, is also accused of making comments outside his realm of expertise, notably about the causes of the crash, which were "incorrect," Aling said.

All 298 passengers and crew onboard the Malaysia Airlines jetliner -- most of them Dutch -- died when it was shot down at high altitude over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July last year.

Dutch Justice Minister Ard van der Steur said that Maat's lecture was "completely inappropriate and in bad taste".

Journalists from private television channel RTL Nieuws attended and first reported on the lecture, during which Maat showed photos of victims' body parts and explained elements of the identification process.

The remains of all but two victims, both Dutch, have been identified an international team of Dutch led experts.

The lecture was given early April to an audience of around 150 people and showing the photos would have been allowed for educational purposes if the general public were not allowed in.

A Facebook page advertising the lecture clearly said that it was open to the public.

The deputy head of the MH17 Air Disaster Association, Evert van Zijtveld, told AFP that showing the photos was "shameful and very shocking for victims' relatives, this adds to the grief."

Maat said he had not known that the lecture was not restricted to medical students.

"It appears that other people were there, I hadn't realised," he said in a statement released by the police.

"I'm very sorry to have hurt or distressed victims' loved ones."

Kiev and the West claim that the plane was shot down by the separatists using a BUK surface-to-air missile supplied by Russia. Moscow denies the charges, pointing the finger at Kiev.

The Netherlands has been charged with leading the investigation into the cause of the incident and identifying the victims of the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

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Afgan baby Rossa?

SINGERS Indonesia, Rossa with Afgan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Familiarity renowned singer Rossa and Afgan mired in controversy when it comes to stories say they love relationships.

Rossa Rossa real name Roslaina Sri Hand, 36, said the issue had arisen perhaps because they have a close friendship and there are those who do not know that fact.

"When we made love story onset, I feel like funny also because I consider Afgan like my sister because she was much younger than me.

"We've started to close the past five years, but may not know all the things that are causing these rumors. I was the only woman in our group of five people.

"They are also people in the industry also often been to my house to hang out and have a barbecue together," Rossa said when met at the press conference Night Miracle of Love concert at Istana Budaya, here.

Indonesian-born singer also said Afghan enthusiasts who are mostly women also informed about the friendship the two of them.

"I am sure all aware of the multitude of fans Afgan comprises women and on average they know we are truly close and do not believe the controversy.

"If I'm back in love already, I want older men than me. Among other features is the man I want to be more intelligent, moral and more competent than myself," he said, smiling.

Commenting on his solo concert titled Night Miracle of Love, expressed excited because Rossa has long harbored dreams of performing at the Palace of Culture.

"Who does not want to make a presentation at the Istana Budaya, right? I'm already eyeing several times and I am grateful to be given sustenance to play at Istana Budaya.

"I will perform with singer invitation that raises the element of surprise for fans probably do not think of their appearance in the upcoming concert.

"The period of time to make exercise also among the challenges I face to make sure everything runs smoothly," said Rossa end the conversation.

Indian students develop driverless car controlled via phone App

The driverless car was developed at the cost 3 lakhs which is approximately RM17, 200.

Inspired by Google’s driverless car, a group of Indian students and professors from Amiraj College of Engineering in Gujarat, India, have developed a driverless car of their own design.

The prototype, using a Hyundai i10, was completed in a record 28 days. It accelerates up to 100kmph and can also be controlled with an Android application.

The driverless vehicle has 5 seats, a screen displaying the route and has a set of sensors that allows the vehicle’s computer to determine its location and surroundings. Furthermore, it has 6 night vision cameras to avoid accidents. Without the help of humans, the prototype can speed, steer, shift gears and apply brakes via the application.

The driverless car was developed at the cost 3 lakhs which is approximately RM17, 200.

It is interesting to know that a driverless vehicle was created in a short duration with a low costing. Perhaps, we would soon see driverless cars hitting the road as the Indians have proven that this technology can be inexpensive for humans to consume.

Tinder applications combine separate siblings

Erik de Vries, 24, and Josephine Egberts, 22

BREDA - NETHERLANDS. This pair of sisters had never met for 16 years and met again after acquainted through an application, Tinder.

Erik de Vries, 24, and Josephine Egberts, 22, has not met since 1992 after their parents divorced.

Erik and his father carrying his twin Maarten to Belgium while Josephine was living with his mother in the Netherlands.

Previously Maarten Erik and tried to find his sister again but failed and attempts to rediscover his sister that results when Erik moved to the Netherlands.

Tinder is an application that allows users to see the promise if both interested in each other.

According to Erik, I first saw her profile and chat through Tinder, I did not suspect that we have such relationship.

But after some time chatting, Erik began to suspect that the girl was probably derived from her sister Breda separate by background who told the girl.

When they realize that they are brothers and sisters, the pair agreed to meet at a local cafe.

'This meeting is so special when seeing their own flesh and blood after 16 years apart, "said Josephine.

Erik twins, Maarten was surprised by these findings.

"It's something very special and I'm very happy that I can now see the sister," he was quoted by Daily Mail.

The three siblings said they plan to spend more time together.