Dian Sastrowardoyo, Lukman Sardi, Sherina Munaf and Jefri Nichol were among the actors featured in the viral video.

In the video, filmmaker Mira Lesmana tells viewers, “If you vote, Nicholas Saputra will post a selfie on his Instagram account.”

The video also features Nicholas, who says jokingly, “Why me? Jefri Nichols is [the better choice].”

But staying true to the promise, Nicholas posted a selfie on April 17 after casting his ballot, holding up his inked pinkie.

The caption reads: “All right.. Thank you to all friends for participating in the 2019 elections. Stay peaceful and celebrate democracy! PS: This post will be deleted in 24 hours”.

The actor is known for his environmental activism and travel photography on Instagram. This is the first time he has ever posted a selfie.

“It’s not a promise [I made to my friends], I just want people, especially the younger generation, to exercise their right to vote. That’s why I was willing to do something I had never done before,” Nicholas told The Jakarta Post via text message.

Asked how voting went in his neighborhood, Nicholas replied, “So far, so good.”

Fellow celebrities commented with obvious excitement on Nicholas’ selfie.

“This is ‘capturing Nico’s selfie’ for the world,” wrote actor Adinia Wirasti.

“Please don’t erase this,” commented musician Melly Goeslaw, while actor Lukman Sardi simply wrote, “History-making”.

For now, the government wants to focus on improving the existing railway system through electrification and double tracking, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Explaining why there was no urgency for the HSR plan, he said: “For Malaysia, the HSR is not necessary for now, especially when it is only within Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. If travel time is six hours or more, I think HSR is the answer.

“So we will not build the HSR just yet. But we will want to improve the quality and the services of our existing railway system. That can be done and has been done to some extent by double tracking and electrification.”He was responding to a question at a dialogue with the Malaysian Rail Industry Corporation (Maric) yesterday.

Dr Mahathir said the government might in the future proceed with the plan to have the HSR and would determine if having the service from Johor Baru to Penang and to the Malaysia-Thailand border would be necessary.

The HSR was an initiative by the previous administration to introduce a 90-minute train journey bet­ween Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

However, the Pakatan Harapan government decided to suspend the project for two years until May 2020 and had reimbursed Singapore S$15mil (RM46mil).

Keeping track: Maric president Datuk Dr Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman speaking with Mahathir at a rail engineering industry display during Technomart REL 2019 in Cyberjaya. — Bernama

The railway line between Padang Besar in Perlis and Gemas in Negri Sembilan is now fully electrified and double-tracked.

Once the Gemas-Johor Baru Electrified Double-Track Project (EDTP) is completed in 2021, the main trunk line on the West Coast railway line will be an electrified double track system.

The now resumed East Coast Railway Link (ECRL) project, which will link Port Klang in Selangor to Kota Baru in Kelantan, will also be an electrified double track network.

It is set for completion in 2026.

Responding to queries from reporters later, the Prime Minister, when asked whether Singapore agreed to have the HSR service up to the Thai border, said the republic was just thinking about having it to Kuala Lumpur.

Dr Mahathir also said Malaysia had asked for two years before resuming talks on the HSR.

He said for now, the government’s plan was to improve the quality of the railway system so that travelling by train could be at a higher speed.“Our investment for now will go towards upgrading the railway system through electrification and double tracking right from the Thai border to Johor Baru,” he said.

Spain’s world number two, a keen golfer himself, expressed nothing but admiration for Woods, who has fought through at least as many physical challenges as he has himself.

“It was amazing,” Nadal said as he prepared for his Wednesday start at the Monte Carlo Masters, his first event in a month since withdrawing with knee issues at Indian Wells before a semi-final against Roger Federer.

“I’m a big fan of him. Like I’ve said hundreds of times, that he’s probably my favourite sportsman in the world since a long time ago.”

Nadal could not help but compare his own years of fitness problems to those of Woods, who has faced multiple back surgeries and other roadblocks when it looked like his career might be close to ending.

“There have been tough years for him,” 17-time Grand Slam winner Nadal said. “I cannot be happier about the victory of yesterday.

“If you imagine all the process and all the hard work that he had to do to be back on a golf course — all the things that he did…

“And, finally, to win a Grand Slam again, especially in Augusta, probably his favourite one, means everything for him.

“I really know a little bit how hard he worked to be back. I was very emotional yesterday.”

Woods claimed a one-shot victory at Augusta on Sunday to win his 15th major title, but first since 2008.

Nadal, a 17-time Grand Slam champion, attended Woods’ Hero World Challenge event in the Bahamas in 2017, while the golfing great has watched Nadal play at the US Open on multiple occasions.

Nadal seemed particularly struck by the fact that Woods celebrated his victory with his family on the 18th green.

“The celebration of yesterday when he was walking with the family, was one of the moments that I won’t forget.”

The 11-time Monte Carlo champion added that his own drive to succeed on court has not diminished despite his history of injuries.

“I never needed an inspiration. I’ve always been able to come back, it’s nothing new for me.

“I’ve been in comeback situations many times; I’ve always done well.

“One day it won’t be the same, but what happened during the last year for Tiger is an inspiration for everyone.

“He’s a good example of passion for sport… discipline, in terms of hard work… and love for the game.”

After firefighters put out the last remnants of the fire that ravaged Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, daylight revealed the extent of the damage caused by the blaze Monday evening.

Tourists and Parisians, united in their shock at the damage to one of the great monuments of human heritage, watched from the safety of the opposite bank of the Seine, kept away by a police cordon.

But journalists could witness the extent of the damage through one of the great doors which opened to reveal the piles of rubble and charred debris inside.

But in a luminous sign of hope, a golden cross was still intact at the back of the cathedral, shining defiantly in the gloom.

Intact stained-glass windows and statues could also be seen, though sculpted arches were blackened by smoke and pews destroyed.

– ‘It was hell’ –

Cathedral clerics who saw the damage to the interior said they were struggling to believe what they witnessed.

Philippe Marsset, the vicar general of Notre-Dame, was among the first to enter the cathedral.

“It felt like I was looking at a bombing,” Marsset said of the cathedral, where he was ordained a priest 31 years ago.

“It was hell,” he said, describing the moment when the blaze was discovered on the soaring roof shortly after evening mass ended shortly before 7:00 pm (1700 GMT) on Monday.

Church officials raced to remove as many artefacts, paintings and other cultural treasures as they could before being evacuated by firefighters trying to stop the flames from spreading.

But the blaze kept springing up as globs of molten lead fell from the soaring heights of the church.

“All night long I saw men going past with tears in their eyes. I described it this way: It was total chaos, but we can’t let it knock us down,” Marsset said.

“This church was built 850 years ago. It withstood the wars, it withstood the bombings, it resisted everything,” he said.

– ‘History of my life’ –

Onlookers from France and abroad remained transfixed by the sight of the cathedral, relieved that its main structure had been saved but worried about how it could be rebuilt.

“I’m devastated, even if I haven’t been a Catholic for a long time,” 88-year-old Claire told AFP at the scene on Tuesday morning. “I was baptised here.”

Her eyes filled with tears as she watched the cathedral from the riverbank. “For me, this place is the centre of the world. It carries the history of France and beyond. And also the history of my own life, and 800 years before.”

Aurora, 33, an Italian living in Paris for the last half-decade, said she had jumped on her bicycle before dawn “like paying tribute to a sick elderly parent”.

“Notre-Dame, it’s like the Eiffel Tower, it’s like my grandmother. It’s like the Colosseum in Rome had burned down. I had to go,” she said.

But onlookers also worried about how the spirit of the building could be kept through a restoration.

“Those who built it are no longer with us. Do we know all its details, all its secrets?” asked Christelle, a 27-year-old Congolese student.

– ‘Miraculous and heroic’ –

But in the end there was relief that a lot was able to be saved, with much of the stonework as well as the two massive square bell towers largely unscathed.

“We’re all just dumbfounded. It’s more than miraculous, it’s heroic,” Marsset said, calling the firefighters who toiled throughout the night “heroes.”

But he appeared lost for words when asked about what would happen now, as Christians worldwide prepared to celebrate Easter next Sunday.

“We had things planned for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. We don’t yet know where to do these. It’s as if our mother has been wounded,” he said.

Beijing has already attracted widespread criticism for its treatment of Uighurs in the northwest region of Xinjiang, where up to one million members of mostly Muslim Turkic-speaking minority groups are held in internment camps, according to estimates cited by a UN panel.

But according to a Times article on Sunday, facial recognition technology — integrated into China’s huge networks of surveillance cameras — has been programmed to look exclusively for Uighurs based on their appearance and keep records of their movements across China.

Police are now reportedly using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to target Uighurs outside Xinjiang, including in wealthy cities like Hangzhou and Wenzhou. The newspaper claims one central city scanned whether residents were Uighurs 500,000 times in one month alone.

Beijing announced a plan in 2017 to become the world leader in the AI industry. But there have been concerns in the international community that new smart technology is being used for heavy police surveillance in recent years after violent inter-ethnic tensions.

The Times cites experts who say this is the first known example of a government intentionally using AI for racial profiling, with appetite for the new systems growing in cities across the country.

In the central province of Shaanxi, authorities reportedly “aimed to acquire a smart camera system last year that ‘should support facial recognition to identify Uighur/non-Uighur attributes’.”

The Times says China’s Ministry of Public Security did not respond to a faxed request for comment.

China denies the accounts of mass detention in Xinjiang, saying it is running educational training centres as part of a fight against Islamic extremism in the region.

The deeply religious 30-year-old sparked uproar last week for a social media post saying “Hell awaits” homosexuals, with national team sponsor Qantas among those complaining.

He was embroiled in a similar row last year, but has stood by his comments and said he was prepared to choose his faith over rugby.

Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle moved to sack him, saying he had been repeatedly warned about his social media use but ignored the overtures and refused to apologise at a meeting on Friday.

As such, his actions were considered “a high-level breach” of the Professional Players’ Code of Conduct which she said warranted termination of his employment contract.

He has 48 hours to either accept the sanction or have the matter referred to a hearing. Folau has indicated he plans to fight to save his career.

“At its core, this is an issue of the responsibilities an employee owes to their employer and the commitments they make to their employer to abide by their employer’s policies and procedures and adhere to their employer’s values,” said Castle.

“Following the events of last year, Israel was warned formally and repeatedly about the expectations of him as player for the Wallabies and NSW Waratahs with regards to social media use and he has failed to meet those obligations.

“It was made clear to him that any social media posts or commentary that is in any way disrespectful to people because of their sexuality will result in disciplinary action.”

If Folau opts for a code of conduct hearing, an independent three-person tribunal would hear the case and determine whether he has made a breach and, if so, what punishment is appropriate.

Folau posted a banner on Instagram last week that read: “Drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators — Hell awaits you.”

It remains online and has attracted almost 40,000 likes.

– Folau ‘disrespectful’ –

Meanwhile, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said Folau’s actions were “disrespectful” and made it unlikely he could add to his 73 Wallabies caps.

“We had a discussion after the last time and made it pretty clear about his right to believe and our support in that, if that’s what he wants, to be part of the team,” Cheika told reporters.

“But getting it out in that disrespectful manner publicly is not what our team is about.

“When you play in the gold jersey we represent everyone in Australia, everyone. Everyone that is out there supporting us, we don’t pick and choose.”

When asked whether he would select Folau again, Cheika, who fronted the media alongside Wallabies captain Michael Hooper and NSW Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson, said it was highly unlikely.

“I think as it stands right now… you wouldn’t be able,” Cheika said.

Neither Cheika nor Gibson have spoken to Folau, but Hooper said he had exchanged a brief text message with his Waratahs and Wallabies team-mate.

Asked if he would still be comfortable taking the field alongside him, Hooper replied: “Like was said before, in this current state and being here and talking about this as a rugby player, it makes it hard, it makes it difficult.”

“It’s hard being here, we’re rugby players for sure, we are trying to create the best team environment we possibly can and at national level,” he added.

On Sunday Folau, Super Rugby’s record try-scorer, told the Sydney Morning Herald he was ready for life without rugby, saying, “I live for God now”.

“Whatever His will is, whether that’s to continue playing or not, I’m more than happy to do what He wants me to do,” Folau said.

Kardashian uploaded a number of Instagram Stories and Twitter short videos about the trip. They stayed at the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan in Ubud, Gianyar regency.

The owner of make-up line KKW Beauty was also seen feeding an elephant at an animal sanctuary and watching Balinese traditional dances.

In one of her tweets on Saturday, Kardashian wrote” “Had to come back to Bali before our episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashian in Bali [airs].”

Keeping Up with the Kardashians is a reality TV series about the lives of the Kardashian and Jenner families.

According to eonline.com, it was unclear whether the couple brought along their children — North West, Saint West and Chicago West — during the trip.

In October last year, Kardashian traveled to Bali to spend some family time with her siblings, Kourtney and Khloe, and their children.

More than an hour before the episode began, a crowd gathered at central Brooklyn’s Understudy bar and broke into raucous shouts as the first notes of the famous theme music rang out.

Almost 20 months after season seven finished, “GoT” aficionados finally got their fix — and their fill of a Jon Snow cocktail, specially concocted for the occasion in honor of one of the main characters.

The nine most tweeted words Sunday morning all had a link with the world created by author George R. R. Martin, a sign of the immense popularity of the HBO series.

The name of character Bran Stark took first place, mentioned in more than 500,000 tweets by 0500 GMT. Bookmakers consider him the most likely to wrest power and reign over the seven kingdoms.

A number of masks and get-ups were brought to the Brooklyn screening, with a homemade, Jon Snow-inspired costume with strong fantasy and medieval overtones the clear crowd favorite.

One young woman with peroxide blond hair styled a la strongwoman Brienne of Tarth brought along a gnashing papier-mache dragon hand puppet she had made for the occasion.

To add a little spice to the night, some fans played a game based on which character would survive the longest in the bloody, deadly world of Game of Thrones.

The ruler with the wind now in her sails, Daenerys Targaryen, was selected by Jean-Louis Baron.

“She must die, so she’ll be the last to die,” he said.

“The whole world building is absolutely phenomenal,” Baron added. “It’s a great escape”.

Laughter and tears 

Many choose to watch the richly layered series at home so they don’t miss any of the nuances, or have the option of watching a single scene multiple times.

But some, like Robin Akyigit, decided to make an exception for the start of the final series and make it “more of an event.”

“One of the reasons why I wanted to be here was to get everybody’s reaction,” he said. “I love hearing the audience.”

“Luckily, the sound was great,” said Alejandro Hernandez who had come up from Miami.

“I was kind of afraid we were going to miss some of it because of everybody talking but everybody was pretty quiet when they needed to be.”

The crowd of connoisseurs largely restrained their reactions — but there were moments when they burst into laughter, and at times there were tears too.

“I would definitely give it an 8 or a 9,” said Hernandez after the lights came up, adding: “It was pretty exciting to have them all back after so long.”