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• Hospitals facing bed shortage
• Seven in 10 seek new jobs but hiring has slowed
• Travellers 'can't do without Internet'

Hospitals facing bed shortage Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST A severe bed crunch at Singapore's public hospitals has forced several of them into taking some extraordinary measures. Changi General Hospital (CGH), which has 800 beds, started housing patients waiting for beds in a large air-conditioned tent this week. The 1,200-bed Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), meanwhile, has been forced to set up 49 beds along the corridors of its wards to cope with the demand. Together with Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH), they have also resorted to sending patients to Alex­andra Hospital, one of the few public hospitals here with spare beds. Having taken in more than 900 patients from other hospitals bet­ween last September and December, it continues to admit around 11 such patients each day. Dr Lee Chien Earn, CGH's chief executive officer, said: "Our bed occupancy rate has crossed 100% for certain periods over the past month and some patients have waited more than 24 hours for an inpatient bed." This is despite CGH already renting a ward from Parkway East Hos­pital and the next-door St Andrew's Community Hospital. Liak Teng Lit, head of Alexandra Health which runs KTPH, said: "Every day, we have to make decisions regarding our 500 patients. Those who are not so sick are discharged to make way for the 50 to 60 patients waiting for a bed." He described the current bed crunch as "abnormal", since public hospitals usually experience a dip in patients during this period. But numbers went up instead. Dr Chia Shi-Lu, a member of the Government Parliamentary Commit­tee for Health, said the crunch might be due to the holiday season rather than a spike in illnesses. Liak said this was possible. He exp­lained how 20 KTPH patients at any one time refuse to be discharged. Some say their families are on holiday, and there is no one at home. Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Tuesday night that he was aware of the problem – hence, the push to add 1,900 more acute hospital beds and 2,600 community hospital beds by 2020. He added: "The hospitals have also implemented various measures to alleviate the bed crunch. "CGH has set up a nine-bed Short Stay Unit and expanded its observation ward from 12 to 20 beds at the Emergency Department and also set up an Admission Transit Area for patients who are waiting for a bed in the ward." — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Seven in 10 seek new jobs but hiring has slowed Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST Seven in 10 workers in Singapore are looking for a new job but companies are cutting back on their hiring, according to two surveys. Bad bosses and a desire for higher pay are two main factors pushing workers to look for new jobs, said a report by human resources consultancy Hudson. The report, released on Tuesday, was based on interviews with 1,292 workers and 477 employers at the end of last year. It said that of the more than 900 workers who may quit, almost 90% are expected to resign within a year. And of the job seekers, less than one-third are actively going for job interviews while the others are passively waiting for a better job to come along. As workers go job-hunting, emplo­yers are not rolling out the red carpet. Only two in five of the firms polled said they were hiring in the next three months, a 4.3% decline from three months ago. This is the second quarter in a row that shows hiring sentiments have weakened, said Hudson. Official preliminary figures rele­ased last week show the economy is slowing. It shrank 2.7% in the final quarter of last year compared with the preceding quarter, although it grew 4.4% when compared with the same period a year ago. The brightest spot for job seekers is the banking and financial services sector. It is the only one of the five key sectors Hudson surveyed that shows a rise in the number of firms hiring. Half of the banks and financial institutions said they were raising their headcount, an increase of 7.4% from three months ago. "This reflects an increase in confidence in the Singapore banking sector, with a busy lending and investment environment," said Andrew Tomich, executive general manager of Hudson Singapore. Meanwhile, a separate survey on hiring outlook for the first six months of this year also shows fewer companies are recruiting. The survey, also released yesterday, is by home-grown HR consultancy firm Achieve Group. It found that companies in seven of the nine sectors polled plan to retrench staff. Even in the financial services sector, around 4% of companies are planning to reduce their headcount, said Achieve Group. Although the financial services sector is doing well, banks will strive to keep headcount flat, said George McFerran, Asia-Pacific managing director of eFinancialCareers. If they hire, it will be in selective areas such as private banking, technology or risk compliance, he added. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Travellers 'can't do without Internet' Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST SHE travels about 10 times a year for work and leisure to countries like the United States and Japan. On those trips, accountant Winnie Tan, 45, carries a smartphone and refuses to "disconnect" from the online world. "I want access to my e-mail even when I'm on holiday," she said. "It's not that my company makes me do it, but I don't like (having to clear) a backlog when I'm back from my holidays." Bank officer A. Tan, 34, said she tried to check her work e-mail every day via her phone while overseas, as there could be urgent messages. She also visits news websites regularly. "It's so that I know what's happe­ning back home when I'm away. It's important to keep updated," she said. A recent Visa survey showed Sing­apore's affluent travellers want access to Internet banking while on holiday and require constant contact with others. The 2013 Global Travel Intentions Study surveyed 506 Singapore travellers aged 18 and above in November and December 2012. It found that affluent travellers – those with monthly household incomes of S$11,000 (RM28,400) or higher – do not "switch off" when they are on holiday. Affluent Singapore travellers also go abroad more frequently, with an average of seven trips made annually in 2011 and 2012. And they require constant contact with others. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

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YSL brought to life on screen Posted: 08 Jan 2014 07:00 PM PST Fashion legend Yves Saint Laurent is brought to life in a biopic released this week. Feted as a visionary but tormented genius who reshaped the silhouette of 20th century women, Yves Saint Laurent comes back to life this week in the first biopic of the man known as the "prince of fashion". The film by French actor-turned-director Jalil Lespert focuses on 20 years of the designer's life between 1956 and 1976 that saw him burst onto the fashion scene – first at Dior then at the head of his own house – and ascend to fame and fortune. It is also a love story – that of Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge, whose up-and-down relationship reveals the "dark, sombre face" of a man who at times plunged into depression, drugs and alcohol, and was unfaithful. Saint Laurent, who died in 2008 aged 71, dominated the international couture scene from the swinging 1960s, revolutionising women's wardrobes with a new androgynous style that mirrored women's push for a stronger social role. He is also widely credited as the first to employ black models, and British supermodel Naomi Campbell in 2008 paid tribute to a man she said promoted women of colour on the runway. Lespert, 37, told AFP he wanted to "tell a love story and at the same time a story about people who fight for their dreams". He pointed to "the historic and national importance" of the designer "through his creations, men's clothes – trousers, tuxedos, reefer jackets – which he democratised for women at a time when French society was changing". For Lespert, the designer embodied "absolute timidity, extreme elegance." Saint Laurent is played by 24-year-old actor Pierre Niney, a rising star who joined the prestigious Comedie Francaise theatre when he was just 21. Tall, slim, and wearing Saint Laurent's trademark black-rimmed glasses, Niney morphs into the 1.85m designer in the film. In order to play the fashion legend, he first read up about Saint Laurent to get his head round a person he knew very little about. Four-and-a-half months later, he was taught fashion design and drawing. Niney also underwent coaching to imitate Saint Laurent's soft, halting voice. "I worked with a woman who drew for Saint Laurent for 15 years. I also learnt to recognise the ... coded vocabulary of workshops," he said. Berge is played by Guillaume Gallienne, a French actor who is also part of the Comedie Francaise. Lespert said he wanted two actors who had received classical theatre training to better encapsulate the language used at the time, and Saint Laurent's specific way of speaking. Berge okayed the film, unlike another biopic on Saint Laurent due to come out in May. Saint Laurent was born in 1936 in Algeria, when the North African country was still French territory. A shy lonely child born to a well-off family, he was taunted over his homosexuality and became fascinated by clothes. He arrived in Paris in 1953, aged 17, with a portfolio of sketches and the following year won three of the four categories in a Paris design competition – the fourth went to his rival Karl Lagerfeld, now at Chanel. Saint Laurent started out at Christian Dior and then struck out on his own, with Berge taking care of the business side. He went from strength to strength, mixing along the way with famous people, and his name and the YSL logo became synonymous with all the latest trends. But in his later years, the depression that haunted him all his life became more oppressive, and at his farewell bash in 2002 Saint Laurent admitted to having recourse to "those false friends which are tranquilisers and narcotics". — AFP Relaxnews Still of 'Yves Saint Laurent' starring Pierre Niney

The Lego Movie TV spot is awesome Posted: 07 Jan 2014 07:20 PM PST Warner Bros releases a new catchphrase for the upcoming film. Got kids? Taking them to see The Lego Movie in February? Here's a preview of the one word catchphrase they'll be repeating. Although it might remind parents of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the heir apparent to the kids' catchphrase throne of 2014, as nominated by The Lego Movie, is AWESOME. It's almost as if Warner Bros is trying to get a six-month jump on the TMNT movie reboot coming out in August. The Lego Movie is to debut on Feb 7 in North America, Brazil and India, with wider release the following week. Many characters are drawn from the DC stable of comic book favourites, and an all-star cast includes Will Arnett as Batman, Elizabeth Banks as WyldStyle, Channing Tatum as Superman, Alison Brie as Uni-Kitty, Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius and Chris Pratt as main character, construction worker, and unwitting super-superhero Emmet. — AFP Relaxnews

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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• Update on Twin Peaks, finally
• No S.H.I.E.L.D. against cliches
• New TV series with female leads

Update on Twin Peaks, finally Posted: 07 Jan 2014 07:20 PM PST A casting call for the show suggests that new footage will be shot. Twin Peaks fans are all aflutter with the news that David Lynch is shooting some sort of new footage for the 1990s franchise, beginning Tuesday. It started earlier this week when a casting call for a Twin Peaks promo was posted by Sande Alessi Casting. It's looking for a "hot" brunette or redhead between the ages of 18 and 27. Here's the casting call, according to projectcasting.com: "TWIN PEAKS PROMO. Directed by David Lynch. Shoots in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan 7, 2014. Prob a 6 hour or less day. Rate is 150/8. You must live in LA to submit. I don't think SAG has jurisdiction on this, so SAG and NON can submit. I have called SAG to double check this and I am awaiting a call back to confirm this though. HOT Caucasian girl – BRUNETTE OR REDHEADS ONLY to play waitress. Age 18-27. MUST have an amazing body. Busty, very period looking face. Please submit two current colour photos (one body shot, one face shot), your sizes, union status and contact info to: SandeAlessiCasting@gmail.com. Subject line should read: TP Promo." Although TheWrap spoke with someone at Sande Alessi Casting who said the ad sounds real, there's some speculation that it's false. A tweet from an unverified account of show co-producer Mark Frost said that the posting is false. Early speculation suggested Lynch is shooting the promo for the upcoming Blu-ray release of the former ABC series, which is reportedly slated for an early 2014 release. But, Bustle.com had a theory that the promo is meant to follow up on a scene during the show's series finale. Spoiler alert! Apparently, Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) tells Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) on the finale that she will see him again in 25 years. Although the show aired in 1990, it actually shot in 1989. So, 25 years later would be 2014. So, does that mean that Lynch is making good on Laura's promise? CBS TV, which distributes the series on DVD, hasn't returned TheWrap's request for comment on the casting call. Twin Peaks only aired for two seasons on ABC from 1990-1991, but it has since become a cult hit and spawned a feature film: the prequel Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, which hit theatres in 1992. — Reuters

No S.H.I.E.L.D. against cliches Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST [unable to retrieve full-text content]The highly-anticipated 'Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' TV series fails to capitalise on its strong cinematic legacy.

New TV series with female leads Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:35 PM PST Tori Spelling, Jennie Garth and Emily Osment comedies will debut this year. ABC Family has ordered two new comedies to series: Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth's Mystery Girls, and Ashley Tisdale-produced Young & Hungry. Production will commence on both series in Los Angeles in early-2014, and both will premiere this year, as well. "It's great to start the new year and my tenure at ABC Family with the pickup of these two funny original series," ABC Family president Tom Ascheim said in a statement. He continued, "ABC Family's comedy lineup continues to resonate with our audience and I'm thrilled to boost that momentum by adding Mystery Girls and Young & Hungry, which are sure to become fan favourites." Starring and executive-produced by Spelling and Garth, Mystery Girls follows two former detective TV show starlets who are reunited by a real-life mystery. Miguel Pinzon (A New York Love Story) stars as a fan and witness to a crime who will only speak with the former TV stars. Maggie Malina also executive produces. Executive-produced by Tisdale, Young & Hungry stars Emily Osment as food blogger, Gabi, who becomes the personal chef to a wealthy tech entrepreneur (Jonathan Sadowski). Rex Lee, Aimee Carrero and Kym Whitley also star. Designing Women's Annie Potts plays a recurring role. Aside from Tisdale, the series is executive-produced by Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum (Two And A Half Men), CBS Television Studios, Relativity Television and Jessica Rhoades (Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure). "We are excited to expand our comedy brand with two new series that build on our already solid comedy block of hits, Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy," said the network's chief creative officer and executive vice president of programming and development, Kate Juergens. "Viewers are excited to see Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth back on television together again, and will fall in love with Young & Hungry star Emily Osment in these comedies that bring us fun, new characters with which to laugh out loud," she continued. — Reuters

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YSL brought to life on screen Posted: 08 Jan 2014 07:00 PM PST Fashion legend Yves Saint Laurent is brought to life in a biopic released this week. Feted as a visionary but tormented genius who reshaped the silhouette of 20th century women, Yves Saint Laurent comes back to life this week in the first biopic of the man known as the "prince of fashion". The film by French actor-turned-director Jalil Lespert focuses on 20 years of the designer's life between 1956 and 1976 that saw him burst onto the fashion scene – first at Dior then at the head of his own house – and ascend to fame and fortune. It is also a love story – that of Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge, whose up-and-down relationship reveals the "dark, sombre face" of a man who at times plunged into depression, drugs and alcohol, and was unfaithful. Saint Laurent, who died in 2008 aged 71, dominated the international couture scene from the swinging 1960s, revolutionising women's wardrobes with a new androgynous style that mirrored women's push for a stronger social role. He is also widely credited as the first to employ black models, and British supermodel Naomi Campbell in 2008 paid tribute to a man she said promoted women of colour on the runway. Lespert, 37, told AFP he wanted to "tell a love story and at the same time a story about people who fight for their dreams". He pointed to "the historic and national importance" of the designer "through his creations, men's clothes – trousers, tuxedos, reefer jackets – which he democratised for women at a time when French society was changing". For Lespert, the designer embodied "absolute timidity, extreme elegance." Saint Laurent is played by 24-year-old actor Pierre Niney, a rising star who joined the prestigious Comedie Francaise theatre when he was just 21. Tall, slim, and wearing Saint Laurent's trademark black-rimmed glasses, Niney morphs into the 1.85m designer in the film. In order to play the fashion legend, he first read up about Saint Laurent to get his head round a person he knew very little about. Four-and-a-half months later, he was taught fashion design and drawing. Niney also underwent coaching to imitate Saint Laurent's soft, halting voice. "I worked with a woman who drew for Saint Laurent for 15 years. I also learnt to recognise the ... coded vocabulary of workshops," he said. Berge is played by Guillaume Gallienne, a French actor who is also part of the Comedie Francaise. Lespert said he wanted two actors who had received classical theatre training to better encapsulate the language used at the time, and Saint Laurent's specific way of speaking. Berge okayed the film, unlike another biopic on Saint Laurent due to come out in May. Saint Laurent was born in 1936 in Algeria, when the North African country was still French territory. A shy lonely child born to a well-off family, he was taunted over his homosexuality and became fascinated by clothes. He arrived in Paris in 1953, aged 17, with a portfolio of sketches and the following year won three of the four categories in a Paris design competition – the fourth went to his rival Karl Lagerfeld, now at Chanel. Saint Laurent started out at Christian Dior and then struck out on his own, with Berge taking care of the business side. He went from strength to strength, mixing along the way with famous people, and his name and the YSL logo became synonymous with all the latest trends. But in his later years, the depression that haunted him all his life became more oppressive, and at his farewell bash in 2002 Saint Laurent admitted to having recourse to "those false friends which are tranquilisers and narcotics". — AFP Relaxnews Still of 'Yves Saint Laurent' starring Pierre Niney

The Lego Movie TV spot is awesome Posted: 07 Jan 2014 07:20 PM PST Warner Bros releases a new catchphrase for the upcoming film. Got kids? Taking them to see The Lego Movie in February? Here's a preview of the one word catchphrase they'll be repeating. Although it might remind parents of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the heir apparent to the kids' catchphrase throne of 2014, as nominated by The Lego Movie, is AWESOME. It's almost as if Warner Bros is trying to get a six-month jump on the TMNT movie reboot coming out in August. The Lego Movie is to debut on Feb 7 in North America, Brazil and India, with wider release the following week. Many characters are drawn from the DC stable of comic book favourites, and an all-star cast includes Will Arnett as Batman, Elizabeth Banks as WyldStyle, Channing Tatum as Superman, Alison Brie as Uni-Kitty, Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius and Chris Pratt as main character, construction worker, and unwitting super-superhero Emmet. — AFP Relaxnews

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• Nauru hikes journalist visa costs amid Australian secrecy on asylum policy
• Rodman heads for North Korean leader's pet ski resort project
• Japan aims to register 280 remote islands as national assets

Nauru hikes journalist visa costs amid Australian secrecy on asylum policy Posted: 08 Jan 2014 09:25 PM PST SYDNEY (Reuters) - Nauru, the tiny Pacific island that hosts a controversial Australian immigration detention centre, is hiking visa costs for foreign journalists by 40 times, fuelling concerns over secrecy surrounding Australia's asylum seeker policy. The steady flow of refugee boats is a hot political issue in Australia, polarising voters while stoking tension with neighbours such as Indonesia and Sri Lanka over border security policies criticised by the United Nations. Nauru's decision to increase the cost of applying for a one-visit visa from A$200 ($180) to A$8,000 makes the rate one of the most expensive in the world. "I understand the fee is for revenue purposes," government spokeswoman Joanna Olsson said in an email. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's conservative Liberal-led coalition is under fire for what critics call secrecy regarding its policies to deter asylum seekers making the perilous boat journey. The government has refused to confirm reports that Australia last month turned a boat carrying asylum-seekers back to Indonesia, in line with its policy of not commenting on "operational matters". A report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) quoted boat passengers as saying they received only one meal a day during the five-day ordeal and Australian authorities used restraints and physical force against some passengers. Opposition Labor Party lawmaker Anthony Albanese accused the government of running a "North Korean" style blackout over the issue. Abbott defended the secrecy, telling Macquarie Radio on Thursday, "The point is not to provide sport for public discussion, the point is to stop the boats." Rights Group Amnesty International has criticised conditions at the detention centres on Nauru and Manus island in Papua New Guinea, where access to adequate medical facilities and housing have been a major concern. The majority of those held in Nauru and on Manus have fled from war-torn areas, including Afghanistan, Darfur, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria. "I don't see the logic of annoying the media," said James Jupp, an adjunct associate professor at the Australian National University in Canberra, adding that Abbott could be telling the public he was fulfilling his election promise of stopping the boats, but was refusing to do so. ($1=1.1198 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Matt Siegel,; Editing by Jane Wardell and Clarence Fernandez)

Rodman heads for North Korean leader's pet ski resort project Posted: 08 Jan 2014 09:25 PM PST SEOUL (Reuters) - Retired U.S. basketball star Dennis Rodman headed for a North Korean ski resort on Thursday after staging a match in Pyongyang for dictator Kim Jong Un's birthday that has drawn the ire of human rights activists and some of his fellow professionals. A source with direct knowledge of Rodman's itinerary said the 52-year old was on a helicopter to the new multimillion dollar resort which is one of Kim's showcase projects. It was not immediately clear if Kim, who is believed to have celebrated his 31st birthday on Wednesday, was with Rodman on the flight. The source declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue. On Wednesday, Rodman led a chorus of North Koreans singing "Happy Birthday" to the leader of the isolated and heavily sanctioned country at a basketball match that Kim attended with his young wife. Rodman's fourth trip to North Korea has drawn criticism from human rights activists and the family of imprisoned U.S. missionary Kenneth Bae after Rodman appeared to suggest in an interview peppered with obscenities that Bae, rather than the North Korean authorities, was responsible for his incarceration. Bae's sister, Terri Chung, said her family was outraged by Rodman's comments and he should use his access to the North Korean leader to advocate on Bae's behalf, rather than "hurl outrageous accusations" at her brother. "He is playing games with my brother's life," Chung said in a statement. "He is clearly uninformed about Kenneth's case, and he is certainly not in any position to pass judgment," Chung said, adding that Bae never had hostile intentions against the state. FADING STAR IS KIM'S "FRIEND" The fading basketball star's trips had been financed by Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, although it has now withdrawn its funding and the colourful Rodman used his first visit in 2013 to promote his own vodka brand. It is not known whether Rodman has the capacity to fund another trip. North Korea rarely pays for this kind of visit, according to experts on the country. Rodman has described Kim, who has been in power for just over two years as his "friend". Kim has presided over two long range rocket launches - banned under United Nations sanctions due to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and proliferation efforts - a nuclear test and last year threatened to attack South Korea, Japan and the United States. Last month, his uncle Jang Song Thaek was executed in one of the biggest and most public purges undertaken in North Korea, which has been ruled by the same family for three generations. Jang is just one of hundreds of thousands North Koreans who have faced death or imprisonment in the North. An estimated 150,000-200,000 people live in brutal conditions in the country's political prisons and forced labour camps, according to rights activists. Defectors from the isolated state have testified to summary executions and rampant human rights abuses on North Korea. They say they were starved, beaten and abused in work camps where many die and that babies born in the camps were killed. While North Koreans suffer from food shortages and malnutrition, according to United Nations assessments, Kim has pushed ahead with massive building projects such as the Masik Ski Resort that Rodman will visit. South Korean officials estimate it cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build and North Korea aims to make $43.75 million in annual profit from the resort, according to documents prepared for potential foreign investors. It expects up to 5,000 skiers to visit per day. Pictures released at the resort opening late last year showed just one ancient chair lift for the resort and an assortment of snow equipment that appeared to have been imported despite a United Nations ban on the export of "luxury" goods to the North. (The story corrects para 5 to 4th from 3rd trip.) (Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Japan aims to register 280 remote islands as national assets Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:30 PM PST TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan is set to clarify the ownership of 280 remote islands within its territorial waters and register them as national assets, a move that could rile China and South Korea, currently engaged in territorial disputes with Tokyo. The move for the government to survey the islands and claim those with no apparent owners was announced this week and continues a plan first begun five years ago, an official at the Oceanic Policy and Territorial Issues secretariat said. "Basically the idea is to register these islands as national assets," the official added. He said the location of the islands remained unclear until the survey was completed, but they were all within Japanese territorial waters and the boundaries of the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) would not change. Since the plan kicked off, Japan has nationalised some 99 remote islands with no apparent owner. That figure is separate from the number now targeted for survey. Ties between Japan and China have been strained due to a simmering row over ownership of a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, while Japan and South Korea are locked in a territorial row over a different set of islands. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's December 26 visit to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, where Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals are enshrined along with war dead, infuriated China and South Korea and stoked concern from the United States, a key ally. (Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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The Star Online: Business

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• China issues US$413mil yuan-denominated bonds in London
• US judge upholds JPMorgan settlement in Madoff case
• Scomi Energy shares up after RM90mil Petronas deal

China issues US$413mil yuan-denominated bonds in London Posted: 08 Jan 2014 06:21 PM PST SHANGHAI: Bank of China's London branch issued 2.5 billion yuan's (US$413mil) worth of yuan-denominated bonds in London on Wednesday local time, the first such issue by the UK branch of a Chinese bank, according to a statement by the bank and domestic media reports. It comes as Beijing seeks to increase the international usage of its currency for trade and investment by foreign multinationals, even as it tinkers with liberalising its capital account at home. The plan to conduct the issue was published on the Bank of China's website without specifying the amount, which was reported by the official Xinhua news service. The announcement added that the bond will list on the London stock exchange. "The funds raised from the deal will all be retained in London to support the further development of the London offshore RMB market as well as UK-China bilateral trade and investment," the Bank of China statement said. The statement said HSBC, UBS and Bank of America Merrill Lynch have been appointed as joint managers for the issue, to be coordinated by Bank of China – Reuters.

US judge upholds JPMorgan settlement in Madoff case Posted: 08 Jan 2014 06:34 PM PST NEW YORK: A federal judge on Wednesday approved an agreement between JPMorgan Chase & Co and US prosecutors to settle charges that the bank violated anti-money laundering laws by failing to alert authorities to warning signs its employees encountered in dealings with convicted Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff. The settlement, which deferred the criminal charges against the bank until Jan 8 2016, requires JPMorgan to pay a US$1.7bil forfeiture and improve its anti-money laundering controls. If it meets the terms by the appointed date, prosecutors can dismiss the charges against it. US district Judge P. Kevin Castel approved the deferred prosecution agreement during a short hearing Wednesday, saying "I find the need to require judicial intervention to protect the integrity of the process is not necessary." Appearing on behalf of the bank, JPMorgan General Counsel Steven Cutler entered "not guilty" pleas to two criminal charges of violating the Bank Secrecy Act. Prosecutors charged the bank with violating the act by failing to maintain adequate anti-money laundering controls and failing to file a suspicious activity report. Dressed in a gray suit and a blue tie, the silver-haired Cutler did not speak except to affirm that he was authorised to represent JPMorgan and that he had taken the steps necessary to enter into the settlement agreement with prosecutors. He declined to comment after the hearing. JPMorgan is paying US$2.6bil in all to settle criminal, civil and regulatory actions against it related to its business with Madoff, who pleaded guilty to fraud in 2009 and is serving a 150-year prison term. Even as the bank cut its exposure to Madoff's fund to minimise its losses in what ended up being a US$17.3bil Ponzi scheme, JPMorgan never shared its doubts with US authorities, government prosecutors said – Reuters.

Scomi Energy shares up after RM90mil Petronas deal Posted: 08 Jan 2014 06:31 PM PST KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of Scomi Energy Services rose to a high of 85.5 sen in mid-morning trade on Thursday after it had secured two jobs worth RM90mil from Petroliam Nasional (Petronas). At 10.21am, its share price was up 2.5 sen to 85.5 sen with some 2.66 million shares traded between 83.5 sen and 85.5 sen. The FBM KLCI retreated, down 0.34 of a point to 1,830.96. Turnover was 533.03 million valued at RM323.934mil. There were 249 gainers, 278 decliners and 243 counters unchanged. On Wednesday, Scomi Energy told Bursa Malaysia that it had secured two contracts  from Petronas Carigali Myanmar Inc and Petronas Carigali (Hong Kong) Ltd for drilling fluids, solid control, well bore clean-out, drilling waste management equipment, materials and services. With this award, the group's order book has increased to RM5.1bil.

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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Vince Vaughn, the father figure Posted: 06 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST The actor embraces parenthood in his new movie and in real life. All Vince Vaughn had to do to find inspiration for his role as a sperm donor who's fathered 533 children in Delivery Man was think about his own life. Vaughn married Kyla Weber in 2010, when he was 40, so the couple made a conscious effort to have children right away. The 43-year-old actor's now the father of two. In a bit of art imitating life, the second child became a reality while Vaughn was filming Delivery Man. "So there was a day, it was around Christmas, that my wife came to me with a Christmas ornament with the family and there was an extra little person in a Santa hat. That's how I found out, which was great," Vaughn says. "So I was really excited both times, thrilled to have impregnated my wife at this point." Unable to pass up a joke, Vaughn laughingly boasts the pregnancy "is more about me being proud of the fact of my own ability." It may have been all the pregnancy talk, but Vaughn signed on to star in the movie – a remake of the Canadian film Starbuck – despite it being different than the films that help make him a star. There's no swagger to the character, like the one he played in Swingers, or the lunacy of his roles in Old School or Wedding Crashers. "I think for all actors, it's fun to do different things," Vaughn says. "I'll definitely do something more crazy, but I think part of it is your age, and different roles present themselves to you. Change is what you play, I think, at 23 to some degree different than what you play at 43. So for me, it's more about tone. "I think I started off doing more dramatic and character stuff, and had a lot of fun. Now for me this movie particularly has been really great because it is more dramatic, but I think it also is very funny and also a lot of different things." Delivery Man is about family, responsibility and parenting that at times is deeply endearing. Vaughn was attracted to how the film looks at a group of people – who all share the same biological father – looking for a connection. They want to be a part of something. He likes how the film deals with that quest in a "non-fluffy" way. Vaughn brings to the role the perspective he's gotten as a father. It's important for him to enjoy being a dad and to have fun being with his children. At the same time, he's trying to figure out how to give his children the tools they need to be happy in life. And, he's trying to balance that with being a husband. "I'm very fortunate with my wife. You realise how much the relationship, when kids are young, can suffer. And it's important to make sure that you are able to spend some time with each other. I think as a father, the best thing you can do for the kid is to love the mum," Vaughn says. "Even as a parent I believe that loving the mother is the most important thing. "And even parents, who maybe aren't together, I think that's important for them to respect each other and to be kind to each other." Vaughn's happy the Delivery Man script came to him at this point in his life. He loved being able to play a more grounded character, but he's not turning his back on more outlandish roles in the future. "I would definitely do another kind of more outlaw or comedy again, depending on what that story was," Vaughn says. – The Fresno Bee/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services > Delivery Man is currently showing in cinemas nationwide.

Hercules is coming Posted: 06 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST Kellan Lutz takes on the role of Hercules in the latest film about the demigod. MYTHOLOGICAL hero Hercules has had his share of limelight on both the big and small screens – a Disney animated feature and a series starring a very charming Kevin Sorbo are two memorable ones. Now Kellan Lutz gets to add his own spin to Hercules' tale in the film The Legend Of Hercules. The 28-year-old actor describes the film as an epic origin story – from a young boy who falls in love and fighting for that love, to a man who realises he has a greater destiny to fulfill. "It's a story of him coming to terms with his true identity, being born to a mortal woman and the god Zeus," said Lutz, who is best known for his role in the Twilight franchise, in an online interview. Lutz's fascination for Hercules started from young when he saw a picture in a colouring book of a man getting ready to fight a lion. This, apparently, resulted in his love for wild cats and Greek mythology. Hence, playing the role of Hercules is a childhood dream come true for him. The Legend Of Hercules begins with Queen Alcmene (Roxanne McKee) being granted a son, Hercules, by the Roman God of War. Unfortunately, his presence brings about resentment from the queen's husband, King Amphitryon (Scott Adkins) who never shows any affection towards Hercules and favours Hercules' older brother, Iphicles (Liam Garrigan). When Hercules falls in love with Iphicles' betrothed (Gaia Weiss) and runs away with her, the king locates him and then sends him to fight in a raging war as a punishment. Unfortunately, Hercules is then sold into slavery and forced to battle in a gladiatorial arena against impossible opponents. It is here, however, that he befriends a fellow gladiator (Liam McIntyre) and comes to realise his true fate. What happens next, is something Hercules' stepfather would've never predicted. The reality that he is playing Hercules truly sunk in when Lutz put on the gladiator costume and walked onto the grand sets depicting ancient Greece. It was at that point, he became mentally ready for the shoot. Lutz, who was born in North Dakota in the United States, had prepared himself physically as he knew he was going to be shirtless for quite a bit in the film. Lutz packed on the muscles to play the son of Zeus, who is said to be able to defeat six men all by himself, by going on a high-protein diet. He admitted that it, "was kind of tough because I really love candy". But this helped to shape his body as much as the intense workout, which included riding a horse, spear-throwing and swordplay on top of regular routines like push-ups and bearing weight. "It was a lot of hard work," he confessed. But this allowed him to do most of the stuntwork himself. "Almost 99% of it is me," he said. In the production notes, Lutz added: "I love doing stunts and action films which is the genre I've chosen as an actor. Some of the combat is of a grand scale, while other is hand to hand and I've really put all of myself into all of these scenes, with some scars to prove it."  > The Legend Of Hercules opens in cinemas nationwide this Thursday.

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• PM's first female political secretary
• Tolerance is the key to Allah issue
• Man who accused wife of being a man now has to pay her RM12,000 in costs

PM's first female political secretary Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR: Her appointment as political secretary to the Prime Minister came as a pleasant surprise to Datin Paduka Norhayati Onn (pic), who believes it will pave the way for greater involvement of Malaysian wo­­men in politics. Norhayati, 50, who was sworn in to the post on Monday, is the first woman to serve the country's Prime Minister as political secretary. The mother of three said her appointment came as a surprise even though Wanita Umno, under the leadership of Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil, had been pushing for more women to be actively involved in mainstream politics. "I have served Umno for more than 30 years and never expected to be given this opportunity. "I am truly humbled to be chosen for the job and I am honoured to be serving Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as his political secretary," she said in an interview yesterday. Norhayati, who entered politics at the tender age of 16, has been the Klang Wanita Umno chief since 1992. She is currently the Selangor Wanita head and is also in the exco line-up of the national Wanita Umno movement. The daughter of former Umno permanent chairman Tan Sri Onn Ismail had served as a senator for two terms. Her appointment reflects Najib's confidence in women for all fields in the workforce, including politics, she said, adding that she had been given the task to look after women's issues. The first thing she plans to do is organise a meet-up between political secretaries of Cabinet ministers and the Wanita leadership of Barisan Nasional component parties, beginning with Wanita Umno. "Once we know each other, the better we can work together to serve the people," she said. Welcoming Norhayati's appointment, Shahrizat said it had created history as it was the first time a woman was appointed to fill the post. "It marks another milestone in the Barisan Wanita's struggles towards mainstreaming women's participation as policy makers in the political arena," she said in a statement here yesterday. The Wanita Umno chief expressed hope the appointment would inspire women in Malaysia to continue playing their roles to ensure success for the national transformation agenda.

Tolerance is the key to Allah issue Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST PETALING JAYA: Tolerance is the formula that has enabled Muslims and non-Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak to share the usage of the word "Allah" without any problems. Sarawak Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman said Christians in the state had been using Allah to refer to God for over a hundred years because the bibles were in Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Malaysia. "The Muslims are never confused about this and this does not bother us. After all, we all believe in one God. "We are firm in our belief and the Christians are firm in their belief," he said. He said statistics showed that there was no major conversion in religions from both sides just because Muslims and Christians in the state used Allah to refer to God. Daud hoped that Muslims and Christians in the peninsula would stop hurling threats at each other. "Nobody will win if we continue like this. Let us discuss it peacefully as there is always a way out. It was not a problem 40 to 50 years ago, so what's the problem now?" he asked. Dayak leader Tan Sri Dr James Masing said Sarawakians achieved religious harmony because they recog­nised and respected religious differences and practices without resorting to the "holier than thou" attitude. He said the most vicious wars had always been fought in the name of God and religion. "We must never allow it to happen in Malaysia," said the State Land Development Minister and Parti Rakyat Sarawak president. In KOTA KINABALU, Sabahans are puzzled by the fuss over the use of the word Allah. Sabah Council of Churches chairman Bishop Datuk Thomas Tsen said the use of Allah in the al-Kitab has been done for generations of Christians. "We have lived in harmony. Sabah has always had the 1Malaysia spirit even before it was coined," he said. Sabah STAR chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said failure to honour the agreement would lead to the perception that the Government had no intention of doing so. "Religious freedom was a matter close to the hearts of the founding fathers of Malaysia especially from Sabah and Sarawak. "If there were no guarantees, including Constitutional safeguards, Sabah and Sarawak would probably not have agreed to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963," he added. Related stories: Uphold 10-point solution Govt urged Ti: NUCC should have asked Jais to return bibles Seizure of bibles in line with dept's SOP, says state councillor Perkasa: Do not hold protests outside churches Cops record Father Lawrences statement Society: MBPJ officers' action just doesn't seem right

Man who accused wife of being a man now has to pay her RM12,000 in costs Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR: A former university dean, who accused his wife of being a man, has been ordered by a Syariah High Court to pay RM12,000 in costs in four instalments over his four failed applications against the beauty care boutique owner. Dr Bahrom Sanugi, 63, a former Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia dean, is to pay Sri Wani Choo Abdullah RM3,000 monthly before the 7th of each month following the ruling made by Syarie judge Amran Md Zain yesterday. Dr Bahrom's four applications, among others, sought to compel Sri Wani to undergo a DNA test to verify her gender. On Aug 30, 2012, Syariah High Court judge Abdul Walid Abu Hassan ruled then the court had no jurisdiction to conduct the case as Dr Bahrom had failed to reply to an affidavit in relation to his rented house in Taman Dato' Senu here. The judge said the respondent had also failed to reply to an affidavit on the issue although he had been given sufficient time to file it and this had wasted the court's time Dr Bahrom had also applied to validate a solemnisation and temporary separation (faraq nikah) from his wife. The other applications were for an injunction to prevent Sri Wani from making press statements and a committal order to jail her. Judge Amran Md Zain instructed Dr Bahrom to pay the costs in instalments after meeting the parties in chambers yesterday. Syarie counsel Datuk Amli Embong, who acted for Sri Wani, told reporters: "Today, Dr Bahrom paid RM3,000 in cash as the first instalment to Sri Wani."

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Great Balls Of Cheese Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:57 PM PST MICHELLE Buffardi knew the cheese ball was in serious need of reinvention. Most of us are probably familiar with pre-made cheese balls that don't exactly taste like real cheese, or old-school recipes calling for old-school cheeses that are increasingly hard to find. (This time every year, my mum embarks on her annual hunt for jars of Kraft Roka Blue and Old English shelf-stable cheeses, which few stores carry anymore, for her favourite cheese ball.) But Buffardi, a cheese lover and food writer in New York who recently published Great Balls of Cheese, knew there was a better way. "I wanted to have the flavours and accoutrements that people expect but made with real cheese," she says. Softened cream cheese is the best base because it's readily available and somewhat neutrally flavoured, but goat cheese is another good option. From there, you can add harder and stronger flavoured cheeses, such as cheddar, mozzarella or Manchego, which when shredded also add stability to the final ball. After you build a cheese base, the sky's the limit for what ingredients you can add next. Buffardi makes several balls inspired by real-world dishes, like a pepperoni pizza ball. In all, she came up with 50 recipes for her book, which came out in October 2013. Good cheese balls have a variety of complementing ingredients, but great cheese balls have a mix of textures, too. Raw onions work, but not everyone loves them. (Buffardi suggests caramelising the onions if you're not a fan of raw or are looking for totally different flavour.) For a salty crunch, Antonelli suggests rolling the cheese ball in crushed snack almonds, and Buffardi uses everything from crushed pretzels and graham crackers to broken tortilla chips and shredded carrots. The longer the ball sits, the more the flavours come together, Buffardi says, which can be a bad thing if you add too much of a pungent ingredient, such as garlic or dill. In general, making the ball a day before you plan to serve it allows the flavours to meld just enough to please guests. When it comes time to serve, crackers and pita chips are the obvious choices, but Buffardi also suggests raw vegetables like you'd serve on a relish or crudité plate or toasted slices of baguette or, if you're serving a sweet cheese ball, cookies, fruit or graham crackers. In her book, she recommends a specific food to pair with each ball. As a recipe developer, Buffardi knows that the flavours in the cheese balls had to come first, but she wasn't wedded to the ball shape. She started out by making a cheese ball in the shape of a snowman, but that was just the start. "I thought, 'If a snowman works, what about a Christmas tree-shaped cheese ball that you could cover in herbs?'" she says. "It doesn't have to be so uptight all the time." That's where the cute and sometimes silly shapes in the book come from: the eye-catching owl that graces the book's cover, chicks for Easter, footballs for the Super Bowl, baseballs for Opening Day, a hedgehog, penguin, cat and an eight-ball for everyday fun. So, why are cheese balls so popular during the holidays? Buffardi says it's a tradition rooted in convenience. They are easy (and relatively inexpensive) to make, easy to transport for parties and easy to serve. Plus, even people who think they can't cook can make them and bring them to a potluck or get-together. Even if it's not in the shape of an ornament-studded Christmas tree, it's certainly more memorable than a bottle of wine. – Austin American-Statesman/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

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Louvre collects millions to restore masterpiece Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:50 PM PST Help from individual donors have allowed the museum to fund project. The Paris Louvre, one of the world's largest museums, will be able to fund restoration work on the statue called Winged Victory of Samothrace, one of its masterpieces, after collecting one million euros in individual donations. The work will also include repairs to the large staircase that leads up to the 2nd-century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike, the museum told AFP on Monday. It said about 6,700 individual donors had contributed over the last four months, with the rest of the projected total cost of 4mil euros (US$5.5mil/RM17.6mil) coming from sponsors. The Winged Victory is currently undergoing restoration work in a nearby hall and is expected to return to its established site at the museum in mid-2014. Work on the monumental staircase should be finished by March next year. The statue was discovered on the Greek island of Samothrace in 1863 and then taken to Paris for exhibition at the Louvre where it overlooks the so-called Daru staircase. — AFP Relaxnews

Rural Indonesia is alive and kicking Posted: 04 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST An Indonesian artist paints a picture of his rural homeland which thrives on both tradition and modernity. THEY were all of them gathered. The villagers. Under the tall trees at the village square. From the youngest boy to the oldest woman. It was a day of festivity, merrymaking and most importantly, a day of thanksgiving. For the good earth, abundant water and a good harvest. It was that time of the year in Central Java, Indonesia, where everyone gathers for this day of celebration. And as is custom, several clowns were there. Not the sort of clowns many of us are familiar with, the ones with the big red nose, psychedelic hair and extremely large shoes. These were traditional clowns, strong and muscular men in traditional clown masks, going about their jesting and dancing. The gongs nearby resonated in the Javanese air. All in all, a distinctly Indonesian culture. Even to this very day and age. This is exactly what Rudy Mardijanto captures and encapsulates in his Indonesian Rural Society In Transition art exhibition at Interpr8 Art Space in Kuala Lumpur. Rudy Mardijanto juxtaposes traditional, rural life in Indonesia with the 'invasion' of technology. The exhibition is a testament to the vibrant, yet ordinary, day to day lives of the rural folk in Indonesia, particularly central Java where Rudy is from, and how tradition and culture is still retained and treasured in the face of modernisation. "Through this exhibition, I wish to portray Indonesian culture, especially that from central Java and show, hopefully, that though time has and will pass, our culture and tradition cannot and will not disappear," said Rudy, 46. What is arresting and engaging with Rudy's artworks is that, the culture, tradition and way of life of rural Indonesians are very similar to ours. A sense of familiarity and nostalgia may awaken in one's mind when one beholds Rudy's paintings that portray the wayang kulit (shadow puppet), kuda kepang, congkak and morning markets. In the Watching The Play piece, several people are seen watching the wayang kulit, but from behind the veil. A group of excited people make the foreground of the painting and the entire procession of the shadow theatre, with the shadow puppet masters and musicians forming the background. Thus, the shadow puppet show itself is not of importance to Rudy but rather, the experience of watching it with a group of people. Negeri Gerabah (Pottery Village) Another piece that dwelled on the same theme is Selamat Hari Lebaran (Selamat Hari Raya). The first thing one would notice about this particular painting is the sea of people crowding the canvas. Showing a scene during the Hari Raya celebration, the painting is filled with people of many kinds greeting and talking with each other. Vibrant colours are the choice hues for Rudy. Once again, the main theme of the artwork does not seem to be about the Hari Raya celebration itself but the fellowship amongst the people. But you see, Rudy did not just stop there. He took it a step further. Even amidst the high noon of culture and tradition, technology has slipped into the lives of rural Indonesians and has become part of their lives. "Before, only people in the towns used technology. But now, technology has reached the villages as well!" quipped Rudy, who has been painting for more than two decades. He juxtaposed these traditions and culture with technology, at once making a social statement. It was interesting to see how Rudy chose to show these facts via his paintings. In Perubahan Zaman (Changing Times), a group of women in traditional two-piece clothes are seen playing the congkak under the shade of trees. Nonton Badutan (Watching the Clowns Show) While they play, two women, clad in crimson and blue baju kebaya, also sitting under a tree, are using a laptop, set on a wooden stool and a mobile phone. It is as if these gadgets had been part of their culture for ages. That is the genius of Rudy, for not over emphasising on the "invasion" of technology and at the same time not aggrandising the hold of cultural life. Another such painting is called Mencari Kutu (Searching For Lice). The scene is now a paddy field. A white bullock is grazing the grass and three women are threshing the paddy, chatting. Taking centre stage is a woman in baju kurung finding lice on the head of another, younger woman who is using her laptop. The simplicity and surrealism of the artwork makes it even more appealing and engaging. A few other paintings serve as social statements. "Negeri Gerabah (Pottery Village) is about the famous Kasongan district in Jogyakarta, known for its traditional pottery productions. "In this particular painting, the workers are making clay figurines of a bride and her groom. "What I would like to show is that these workers are very poor and their sole income is making these potteries. This is how they make a living, even to this day," he explained. It is always an enthralling and enriching experience to view the age-old culture and tradition of another society, especially one seen through the eyes of an artist. But what's even more interesting is when one discovers not only the similarity between one's culture and another's and the history behind them, but also that no matter how high the tide of modernisation is, tradition is tradition and should never be lost. It is akin to losing one's identity. Indonesian Rural Society In Transition is happening at Interpr8 Art Space (Block C5, Level G4, Lot 20, Publika, Jalan Solaris Dutamas 1) in Kuala Lumpur till Jan 31. Exhibition is open 11am to 7pm daily, except on Sundays. Free admission. More information: www.facebook.com/interpr8.

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