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Singapore: A nation of paradoxes? By Alicia Wong – January 17th, 2011 Has the government neglected nation-building while developing Singapore as a global city? Is Singapore full of paradoxes? What more can be done to help the vulnerable in society? These questions and more were raised during a discussion at the Institute of Policy Studies’ annual Singapore Perspectives conference on Monday. Twelve panelists from various industries shared their views on three major topics – a “Global City”, a “Caring Community” and the “Singapore Spirit”. While Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng mapped out the government’s plans to develop Singapore as both a global city and endearing home in his keynote address, subsequent discussions raised doubts on the possibility of doing so. One key concern was the “cost” of nation building, with the focus on growing Singapore into a global city. Writer and independent scholar Derek da Cunha said the apparent focus on developing a global city had “the unintended side effect of causing some fissures to the national fabric”. For instance, bringing in more immigrants to create a cosmopolitan “buzz” put pressure on transport, housing and employment, he said. Citing the sharp increase in casino exclusion orders and news reports of crime in the casinos, Dr de Cunda wondered if the drive to turn the Republic into the “Monaco of the East” would further entrench the underclass and lead to a widening social divide. Chairman for the Workers’ Party and Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Sylvia Lim also highlighted the “palpable sense of loss of identity among Singaporeans due to the pace of change over the last few years”. Pointing out the contradiction in the terms “Global City” and “Endearing Home”, Ms Lim said the change in the population mix adversely impacted citizens’ sense of belonging and security. In 1990, 86 per cent of the population was local but in 2010, the figure fell to 63 per cent, she cited. She said, “Singaporeans must always feel empowered at home”. The government should retreat from various spheres in life and allow for others to take charge, such as in sports associations, and Singapore should celebrate political diversity, she suggested. “We must have the confidence that as Singaporeans we will be taken care of,” she stressed, calling for a “closer look at the social safety nets”. Some felt more should be done for the vulnerable groups, for example, by tackling the widening income gap. Member of Parliament Denise Phua, who spoke about the needs of the low-income and the disabled, young and elderly in Singapore, called on the government to “play a leading role” so that all citizens have equal access to goods that are their “basic social entitlement”. Everyone else can also do their part by doing more for others, she stressed. However, chief executive of the Singapore Indian Development Association T Raja Segar pointed out, a recent survey by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre found Singaporeans more willing to donate money than their time. In true adversity, such as the Brisbane floods, would Singaporeans step up to help others, he asked. Those who responded said, they believed Singaporeans would. In addressing the Singapore spirit, some speakers described it as one that looks ahead to what Singapore can be, rather than one that relied on the past. While it brings vitality and openness to society, it could also mean Singaporeans lack refinement and a stable identity, said associate editor at The Straits Times Janadas Devan. But to director at the Theatre Training & Research Programme, T Sasitharan, “to be at once at home and always at the edge; to feel rooted and at the same time to feel constantly blown away by the wind – these contradictions are what makes us who we are.” Mr Sasitharan, pointing to the increasing diverse demographics in Singapore, said, “Unless we find space in our hearts to include those who are different… we would no longer feel at home.”

GAME OVER !!!...finally no more XXX-rated racy stuffs. Singapore’s ‘Edison Chen’ sentenced to jail By Faris – January 19th, 2011 Former property agent Chen Guilin, alias “Gary Ng” was sentenced to 50 months’ jail and fined $20,000 on Wednesday for offences including forgery and criminal breach of trust. The 28-year-old had admitted to possessing 507 obscene films of which more than 480 were clips of him having sex with different women. While some of the women were willing parties, others were filmed without their consent. Their intimate actions were captured on a video camera hidden in a plastic bag with a slit. He then posted some of the video clips on the Internet. Chen, whose exploits earned him the moniker “Singapore’s Edison Chen” pleaded guilty to four charges of forgery and one count each of housebreaking and theft, criminal breach of trust and unlawfully having another person’s identity card. The Straits Times reported that he committed a total of 21 offences from 2006 to June last year involving stealing property worth $171,770. In view of the severe aggravating factors, the prosecution had earlier urged the court to impose a heavy fine and at least four years’ jail. Deputy Public Prosecutor Paul Wong said Chen was a recalcitrant offender and that all the offences were dishonest involving pre-planning and scheming. However, Chen’s lawyer Savliwala Din had told the court in mitigation that his client made no excuse for his wrongdoing. He turned to crime when he could not earn enough money from his commissions as a real estate agent, he added. Chen was arrested in October last year after some women made police reports against him, saying he had cheated them of money. He had previously said in an interview with The New Paper that he filmed the videos as a way of getting back at women as he became disillusioned after three straight failed relationships in which his girlfriends cheated on him with other men.

Swiss bank UBS to change much-mocked dress code Will they be able to wear red underwear? Swiss bank UBS changes much-mocked dress code Frank Jordans, Associated Press, On Tuesday 18 January 2011, 1:36 SGT GENEVA (AP) -- Good news for Swiss bankers: They may soon be allowed to wear red underwear, black nail polish -- and even eat garlic. Swiss banking giant UBS AG said Monday it is revising its 44-page dress code telling its Swiss staff how to present themselves, which generated worldwide ridicule for its micromanagement of their dressing and dining habits. The code instructs employees on everything from their breath - no garlic or onions, please - to their underwear, which should be skin-colored. "We're reviewing what is important to us," UBS spokesman Andreas Kern told The Associated Press. He said the bank would issue a pared-down booklet with more general guidelines on how to impress customers with a polished presence and sense of Swiss precision and decorum. The existing code tells female employees how to apply makeup, what kind of perfume to wear and what color stockings are acceptable. It advises them not to show roots if they color their hair and to avoid black nail polish. "You can extend the life of your knee socks and stockings by keeping your toenails trimmed and filed," Zurich-based UBS told its female staff. "Always have a spare pair: stockings can be provisionally repaired with transparent nail polish and a bit of luck." Men are told how to knot a tie, to make sure they get a haircut every month and to avoid unruly beards and earrings. "Glasses should always be kept clean," the code instructs. "On the one hand this gives you optimal vision, and on the other hand dirty glasses create an appearance of negligence." The guidelines also recommended that employees always wear wristwatches to signal "trustworthiness and a serious concern for punctuality." The UBS style guide prompted derision and disbelief when it first surfaced last month, but Kern insisted it was still good for the bank's reputation in the long run. "Everyone knows the staff in our banks strive for the perfect look," he said. So will employees now be able to wear red underwear? Who checked to see if they did before? Kern declined to give specific examples of planned changes. A spokesman for rival bank Credit Suisse said he understands what UBS was trying to achieve. "Every Swiss bank with private or retail customers has some sort of guidelines," Marc Dosch said. "UBS has taken it to absurd lengths, but in general it's a good thing that people have some guidance." He noted that banks aren't alone in telling their employees what to wear: "There are gas stations, burger bars and supermarkets where you have to wear ties, and even silly hats at Christmas," he said. The 157-year-old UBS has a history of providing detailed advice for its employees, which numbered 65,000 worldwide at the end of 2009. A handbook for bank trainees gives a country-by-country behavior guide. In Russia, it tells employees to be prepared to hold your drink at business engagements and to "never reject an invitation to the sauna." In Latin America, "turning up before an appointment might even be considered rude." And in the United States, it says, "never criticize the President."

Steve Jobs surrenders reins as Apple thrives AFP - Wednesday, January 19 SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - – Legendary Apple Inc. chief Steve Jobs stepped aside on a high note as the company he saved from ruin raked in a blockbuster $6-billion profit amid unrelenting demand for iPhones and iPads. A day after Jobs announced he was taking an indefinite leave of absence for medical reasons, Apple reported its record net profit as revenue soared to an unprecedented $26.74 billion in the quarter ending December 31. The Cupertino, California-based company said it sold 7.33 million iPad tablet computers and 16.24 million iPhones. "We had a phenomenal holiday quarter with record Mac, iPhone and iPad sales," Jobs said in a statement accompanying the earnings report. "We are firing on all cylinders and we've got some exciting things in the pipeline for this year including iPhone 4 on Verizon, which customers can't wait to get their hands on." He chose Monday, a US holiday on which stock markets were closed, to announce that he was turning the Apple helm over to chief operating officer Timothy Cook. Jobs will keep his chief executive title and participate in "major strategic decisions" at Apple. Apple shares fell Tuesday as concerns for Jobs health raised questions about the company's future. Record high quarterly earnings figures and assurances by Cook that the company saw boom times ahead with its coveted gadgets helped the stock recover some ground. Apple shares rose slightly more than a percent to $344.90 a share in trading that followed the earnings release but remained down in price for the day, after closing at a record high of $348.48 in New York on Friday. The company is "working around the clock" to increase the supply of its hot-selling iPhones, and has already seen more than 80 percent of major companies begin letting workers use iPad tablet computers for business, Cook said. Apple revenue soared 67 percent in the Asia Pacific market, with the company taking in $2.6 billion dollars in China in the quarter, he added. In announcing he was going on medical leave, his third since 2004, the 55-year-old Jobs did not say how long he expected to be away or provide any details about his latest health issues. Jobs underwent an operation for pancreatic cancer in 2004 and received a liver transplant in early 2009. He has appeared gaunt but relatively healthy at recent Apple public events. Cook, 50, has filled in for Jobs in the past, with Apple thriving. He is part of a powerful team of executives stepping in to fill the shoes of Jobs, the charismatic heart and soul of Apple who some believe is irreplaceable. "At the end of the day, there is more to Apple than Steve," said analyst Michael Gartenberg, a partner at Altimeter Group. "These are all people who have been trained by Steve, worked closely with Steve and are the embodiment of Apple's core culture." Analyst Rob Enderle of Silicon Valley's Enderle Group said Jobs's absence will be felt on strategic questions such as "what will Apple do next?" "The challenge is what comes after the iPad," Enderle said. "Apple without Steve Jobs didn't have the magic," he said of the previous occasions when Jobs stepped aside for health reasons. "It was lacking this little something." Product plans are typically mapped out two years in advance, so possible launches of successors to the iPhone and iPad later this year would not change with Jobs absent. As chief operating officer, Cook has been in charge of end-to-end management of Apple's supply chain, sales, service and support in all countries. "Cook is the person who makes the trains run on time at Apple," Gartenberg said. Apple's fortunes have been uniquely linked to Jobs, who returned to the then flagging company in 1997 after a 12-year absence and introduced innovative and wildly successful products like the iPod, iPhone and iPad. Related article: Steve Jobs - from dropout to Apple visionary Apple has sold approximately 14.79 million iPads since the tablet computers hit the market in April, according to a tally of figures made public in earnings releases. "I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011," Jobs said.

I was forced to strip naked for photos By Alicia Wong January 19th, 2011 Well-known Singaporean plastic surgeon Martin Huang is in the spotlight again. This time, a 17-year-old girl is suing the surgeon for pain, suffering, extreme mental distress and trauma arising from photographs taken of her without her underwear before an operation. Her mother filed the lawsuit on her behalf last month. The clinic, The Specialist Surgery & Laser Centre, where Dr Huang is a director, has been named as the second defendant. Both the clinic and Dr Huang have denied the allegations in their defence, filed on Monday, reported The New Paper. Its not the first time Dr Huang has hit the headlines. In 2009, Dr Huang was fined $5,000 by the Singapore Medical Council and censured for professional misconduct over a cell-therapy treatment he performed. In this latest case, the girl, who is not named, visited Dr Huangs clinic with her mother and younger sister on Nov 29 last year. She wanted to get a scar revision and contouring of underlying fat on her left upper thigh. Her mother signed a consent form, acknowledging photographs may be taken as part of confidential medical records. An hour later, the girl was brought to an operating room where she removed her clothes and put on disposable underwear, a medical gown and an overcoat. She was soon informed photographs would be taken, and after some discussion, she was allowed to wear her bra but a nurse removed her underwear. During the 20-minute process which involved Dr Huang, a nurse, another female staff member and a photographer, the girl said she felt that her privacy had been completely violated. A total of seven photos were taken of her upper thigh and surrounding area. No pictures of the girls face or upper body were taken. But she claims that Dr Huang and the nurse did not bother to explain or reassure her why she had to remove her underwear for the photo-taking process. She said she felt humiliated, afraid and confused after the surgery and recounted the incident to her mother over the phone. She claimed to have suffered severe mood swings and was depressed for a few days after the incident. She said she had to seek post-operative care at another clinic. She also claimed the consent form did not state that full nudity was involved and that Dr Huang had failed to treat her in a professional manner, abused his position of trust as her doctor and was negligent in performing his duty of care. She further alleged Dr Huang and clinic staff had committed trespass to her by way of assault and battery. The girl is also seeking a court order for the delivery of all the photos in documentary and electronic form and for the photos to be deleted from the computer database. No amounts were specified in the lawsuit but damages sought include medical expense claims and transport expenses to another clinic, said TNP. WHO TO BELIEVE? In their defence, Dr Huang and the clinic said the girl and mother expressly consented to the photo-taking of the scare and surrounding area. Dr Huang and the clinic denied the allegations of negligence, battery and assault. They claimed the girls pain, mental distress and trauma, if any, were caused by what happened between the girl and her parents after the operation. They claimed the girl appeared comfortable while waiting in the operating room. Dr Huang said he explained that photos of her lower torso and thigh would have to be taken to document her pre-operative condition and to assist in the post-operative analysis. It was his standard practice to request she remove her clothes so the photographer could take photos of the scar. They claimed to have told her the photos would be taken quickly. Dr Huang and the clinic claimed the photo-taking was uneventful and the girl voluntarily positioned herself as instructed. The session took less than three minutes and the girls face was not photographed, they said. The girl apparently was cheerful during and immediately after the procedure. She looked pleased and said goodbye to Dr Huang before she left the room. However, according to Dr Huang, she became increasingly upset in a subsequent phone conversation with her mum. She then told a nurse her mother was upset her underwear had been removed, to which the latter replied that it was standard procedure and part of the medical management for her condition. After the girl again spoke to her parents on the phone and appeared upset, the nurse took over and spoke to them. But they refused to accept the explanation for the removal of the underwear. When she left, the teen was clearly upset by what her parents had said to her, and how she should answer to her parents accusations, they alleged.

Dodge TAX like a Footballer Can you score a massive tax saving like a top footballer, or would you end up facing a penalty shootout? LoveMoney.com, Sam Thewlis, 13:03, Tuesday 18 January 2011 There are many reasons in life to be envious of Premier League footballers, but top of most people's list would not be their tax bill - after all megabucks wages mean massive cheques to HM Revenue and Customs - right? Apparently not. When you have large pots of cash, you can afford to pay the most scurrilous/gifted* tax advisers around to make sure you pay as little as possible, with footballers' effective tax rates quoted in the Sunday papers as low as 2%. So what exactly are the professionals doing to score such a low rate and can you adopt the same formation without falling foul of the taxman? Footballers aren't paid enough The idea behind footballer tax planning, or indeed any celebrity well-known enough to be offered things like sponsorship deals and endorsement packages, is the fact that their actual salary could be considered a small proportion of their total earnings. The tax rules relating to employment income are very tight, and as the duties of employment (i.e. playing football) are normally performed in the UK, in the main, earnings from employment will be taxable in full. There are even special provisions that make sure foreign sportsmen get taxed on a proportion of their earnings if they appear in the UK at any time - on the grounds that if they get sponsorship to wear Adibok clothing, then anytime they appear wearing said clothing, they are earning. Of course, there are exceptions to the rules, like the Champions League 2011 final footballers, Olympic athletes and Tiger Woods and his Ryder Cup cronies, who have been given byes exempting them from these tax rules, on the basis that, if they were charged, they would not come. Just so long as the tax system is fair and equitable… Image rights companies and dual contracts So how does the planning work? The first part of the planning involves the football club deciding how much the players are paid for playing and how much they are going to pay the player in anticipation of the sums they will earn from image rights. Hence it is common practice among footballers to have two contracts when they sign for a club — one that they pay tax on under PAYE same as every other employee and another that they do the clever bits with. Any payments made under the second contract are paid into a private (and possibly offshore) company — either a single entity wholly owned by the footballer in question or, in the case of team payments, a company where the players all own a stake. In one swift pass, all that lovely employment income (subject to income tax at 50%) becomes income of a company and liable to corporation tax at 20% (or possibly 28% in Rooney's reported case). Of course the income then belongs to the company and if the players want to get their hands on the cash, they will still have to pay income tax on any salary or dividends paid from that company, right? Er, no. You see, the company never pays them anything, it simply loans them some money interest-free. This is classed as a benefit in kind — and is subject to a negligible levy of 2%, instead of the top income tax rate of 50%. Not that it is much consolation, but do remember that if it is a UK company, it will be paying 20% corporation tax as well, bringing the total tax take on those earnings to 22%. Poor loves. Can you dodge tax like a footballer? There is certainly nothing to stop you from going to your employer and asking for them to draw up a separate contract for you, in order to pay your image rights income. Unfortunately, unless you are rich, famous or extremely good looking (being the office dish is unlikely to be enough — unless people are always haranguing your employer for T-shirts emblazoned with your face), your image rights are likely to be worthless. Sorry. HMRC has reportedly already obtained millions in underpaid tax from the bigger clubs in settlement of enquiries into 'overestimated' image rights payments. OK so what can you do? So assuming you are not rich enough to pay 2% tax, what can you do to dodge a tax hit? Start with the basics — like equalising income between spouses to use as much 20% income tax band as possible and utilising annual exemptions and personal allowances. Also look into investing in ISAs, where you get tax free growth, or consider pension planning in order to obtain a tax uplift on amounts invested, tax free growth and the possibility of a tax free lump sum at the end. There are even things you can do that don't involve you spending your hard earned cash - if you have children, take up any childcare vouchers offered by your employer and save income tax and national insurance. Rent a room to a lodger and earn up to £4,250 tax free. You could even consider the MPs' favourite, and save capital gains tax by 'flipping' your home. Read our guide How to cut your tax bill by thousands for more help.

Rape laws blurry for Israelis: researcher AFP - Wednesday, January JERUSALEM (AFP) - – More than 60 percent of Israeli men and 40 percent of women do not believe that forcing sex on an acquaintance constitutes rape, an Israeli researcher said on Tuesday. The findings, set to be published in a book in the United States later in the year, indicate a stark difference between public perceptions of what constitutes rape and the way it is defined by law, author Avigail Moor told AFP. "Among the public there is a very stereotypical view of rape of a stranger jumping out the bushes and assaulting a woman," said Moor, a psychologist who treats victims of sexual violence and a researcher at the Tel Hai college in northern Israel. Moor asked participants in her study for a yes or no answer on whether forced sex was rape when carried out by a stranger, an acquaintance or a partner. More than 90 percent of men and women said sexual assault by a stranger was rape. But only 59.8 percent of women and 39.6 percent of men thought forced sex by an acquaintance constituted rape. As for sex without consent in a relationship, 18.5 percent of women and only 17.3 percent of men thought that was rape. "This research highlights how much work needs to be done to make the public aware that the element that differentiates between acceptable sexual relations and rape is the element of consent," the study said. "Israeli law does not make any difference between a stranger and an acquaintance," Moor said, adding that her poll revealed attitudes similar to those prevalent in other countries. The study comes in the wake of the high-profile rape conviction of former Israeli president Moshe Katsav, who had been charged with assaulting members of his staff. The poll was conducted among 160 women and 159 men and has a margin of error of 11.74 percentage points.

Were You be There Folks ??? PRESS RELEASE (JANUARY 2011) For Immediate Release AQUARAMA KICKS OFF 2011 WITH HUGE OPTIMISM The Aquarama 2011 train marches on relentlessly, with new exhibitors and official supporters joining the already-impressive list of participants lined up for this unique biennial event in the international ornamental aquatic calendar. Confirming its total confidence in Aquarama, the Taiwan Ornamental Fish Association (TOFA), for example, has reserved a 252 sqm booth for this year, a huge increase in the floor space it took up in 2009. Visitors to Aquarama 2011 will therefore enjoy an even wider range of Taiwanese products and services than at previous editions. The Thai government’s Department of Fisheries has also confirmed its participation, following its successful experiences at previous Aquarama. Alongside this always popular and attractive display highlighting Thailand ’s diverse aquatic offerings, are new exhibitors from China , Taiwan , Japan , Malaysia and France – the latest to join the continuously expanding catalogue of exhibitors. Aquarama also has a new media partner: Asian Aquaculture Network (AAN) which has undertaken to promote the event. AAN was established in 2009 with the primary aim of promoting sustainable development and practices in Asian aquaculture. The promotion will happen, both via the AAN website (www.asianaquaculturenetwork.com), as well as the organisation’s trade publication, The Practical, which has become an official Aquarama supporting publication, as are: Pet Market, Pets International, AquaPets, AquaZoo News, Fish Magazine, PET Worldwide, Pet Industry News and FISH Magazine. Turning to the Aquarama high-status Trade Seminar Programme, the list of top international speakers is now virtually complete, with participants (so far) coming from Singapore, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic, UK, USA, Australia, India, Thailand and Mexico. The main seminar theme, Managing Change – Maintaining Focus, is divided into three sessions: International Perspectives, Maintaining Quality and – Trends and Trade. Entrance to this gathering of international experts, which will be held during the first two days of the show, is absolutely free. The Public Seminar Programme (entry to which is absolutely free) is also close to being finalised and is equally impressive, with the following topics already decided: discus, seahorses, aquatic plants, dragon fish, cichlids, crystal bee shrimps, aquarium maintenance and nano aquaria. These seminars – to be addressed by an international panel of speakers - will be held during the last two days of the event when the show will open its doors to the general public. And…speaking of nano aquaria, Aquarama 2011 sees the launch of a brand new competition featuring these currently ‘hot’ mini-systems. In this initial phase, the Nano Tank Competition will be restricted to freshwater set-ups which will be judged, not just on appearance, but also on the appropriateness of the décor, plants and tank inhabitants. It is worth mentioning that this new competition is an addition to the already-existing competitions and not a replacement for any of these. Therefore, the Marine Tank Competition, Planted Tank Competition and International Fish Competition – with their usual, attractive cash prizes, trophies and kudos – will still be there and, if current indications are anything to go by, will be, at least, every bit as spectacular and worthy of being staged at Aquarama as all their predecessors. There are several other, completely new, competitive elements lined up, too. The Fish Photography Competition will be dedicated to photographs taken onsite during Aquarama. The Fish Drawing Competition for children will, likewise, need to feature any one, or group, of fish exhibited during the event, while, in the Fish Counting Competition participants will have to estimate how many fish there are in a tank specifically set up with numerous small, fast-swimming, shoaling fish to test participants’ powers of concentration, estimation and patience! Full details of all these features, plus everything else relating to Aquarama 2011 (Suntec Singapore , 26-29 May, 2011) can be found on the event’s website (www.aquarama.com.sg) or by contacting: Mr. Wein Ng , Project Manager (Wein.Ng@ubm.com). UBM ASIA TRADE FAIRS PTE LTD No. 3 Pickering Street, #02-48 China Square Central Singapore 048660 Tel: +65 6592 0889 Fax: +65 6438 6090 Note: Aquarama 2011 will be held on 26 – 29 May 2011 at Suntec Singapore

Berlusconi denies SEX claims ITN, Yesterday, 08:06 am Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says he has been in a steady relationship since separating from his wife, as he stepped up efforts to beat back allegations that he paid for sex with a nightclub dancer. The surprise announcement from the self-confessed lover of beautiful women comes as Berlusconi faces growing pressure over a prostitution probe in which he is suspected of paying to sleep with 17-year-old Karima El Mahroug at his private parties. In a video message to supporters shown on Italian television, Berlusconi attacked magistrates as having acted "illegally" and "unacceptably" and denied ever paying for sex. "It's absurd to even think that I would pay to have sex with a woman. It's something that has never happened even once in my life. I would consider it degrading," he said. "I like to be with young people, I like listening to them, I like having young people around me," said Berlusconi. "I helped them on some occasions", he added, "But there has never been any correlation between money and any sexual intercourse." Italian media have had a field day reporting on the supposed antics at Berlusconi's parties ever since El Mahroug - better known as Ruby Rubacuori (Ruby, Robber of Hearts) - described them as "bunga bunga" parties in a reference to lewd activity. "Since I separated - though I'd never wanted to say it to avoid exposing her to the media - I have had a stable relationship of affection with a person, who was obviously often with me at those evenings and would certainly never have allowed, at or after dinner, those absurd things some newspapers have conjured up," he said. Berlusconi has given no hint of any steady relationship since separating in 2009 from his wife Veronica Lario, who filed for divorce after the Prime Minister attended the birthday party of an aspiring 18-year-old Neapolitan model. Paying for sex with a prostitute under the age of 18 is an offence in Italy. Berlusconi is also being probed on suspicion of improperly pressuring police to release Ruby when she was detained for theft last year. Berlusconi's lawyers say they have not decided whether the Prime Minister will appear in court after being summoned to do so at the end of this week.

Canada bans ‘Money For Nothing’ Posted Fri 14 Jan 2011 14:04 GMT by Ben Gilbert in Behind The Music Music is not only amongst the premier forces in 21st century entertainment but also a fascinating document on society. Looking back over the history of rock and pop, we can see a window into a world that no longer exists, both for good and bad. A fact that Dire Straits have just been made patently aware of. Despite not having made a studio album in over 20 years, Mark Knopfler's iconic ‘80s act have been dragged into a censorship row surrounding their most famous song, ‘Money For Nothing'. A watchdog in Canada has banned the track from being broadcast on their airwaves, after deeming it too offensive. The ruling centres on lyrics in the track and the word "f****t", which features three times in the second verse. It reads: "The little f****t with the earring and the makeup. Yeah, buddy, that's his own hair. That little f****t's got his own jet airplane. That little f****t he's a millionaire". Officials at the Canadian Broadcasts Standards Council are understood to have received an official complaint when an unedited version of the song, which won a Grammy for the Best Rock Performance and featured a landmark video, was aired in their country, where it topped the charts in 1986. The panel were warned that ‘Money For Nothing' was "extremely offensive" to gay, lesb.ian and bisexual people and have now reached a similar conclusion. They decided that "f****t", when used to describe a homosexual man, is a word "that, even if entirely or marginally acceptable in earlier days, is no longer so." "The societal values at issue a quarter century later have shifted and the broadcast of the song in 2010 must reflect those values, rather than those of 1985," ruled the council. This means any station that wishes to play the track must edit it or disguise the offending word. Originally written by Knopfler and Police frontman Sting, the roots of ‘Money For Nothing' are well documented. The Dire Straits leader apparently encountered the protagonist in a New York appliance store, observing him and making notes as he went about his job as an employee in the hardware department. "I borrowed a bit of paper and started to write the song down in the store. I wanted to use a lot of the language that the real guy actually used when I heard him, because it was more real," he said. But this is not the first time the rocker has encountered controversy because of the lyrics, which describe a man he remembers as "a real ignoramus." Speaking to Rolling Stone in 1985, he accepted that people could take offence and suggested an adverse reaction had prompted him to reconsider his approach to songwriting. "I got an objection from the editor of a gay newspaper in London - he actually said it was below the belt," said Knopfler. "Apart from the fact that there are stupid gay people as well as stupid other people, it suggests that maybe you can't let it have so many meanings - you have to be direct. In fact, I'm still in two minds as to whether it's a good idea to write songs that aren't in the first person, to take on other characters," he commented. Mark Knopfler Money for Nothing Lyrics: Now look at them yo-yo's that's the way you do it You play that guitar on the MTV That ain't workin' that's the way you do it Money for nothin' and your chicks for free Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb Maybe get a blister on your little finger Maybe get a blister on your thumb We gotta install microwave ovens Custom kitchen deliveries We gotta move these refrigerators We gotta move these colour TV's The little faggot with the earring and the makeup Yeah buddy that's his own hair That little faggot got his own jet airplane That little faggot he's a millionaire We gotta install microwave ovens Custom kitchen deliveries We gotta move these refrigerators We gotta move these colour TV's I shoulda learned to play the guitar I shoulda learned to play them drums Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera Man we could have some fun And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises? Bangin' on the bongoes like a chimpanzee That ain't workin' that's the way you do it Get your money for nothin' get your chicks for free We gotta install microwave ovens Custom kitchen deliveries We gotta move these refrigerators We gotta move these colour TV's, Lord Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it You play the guitar on the MTV That ain't workin' that's the way you do it Money for nothin' and your chicks for free Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

Elton John Introduces The World To His Son 2 hours 15 mins ago ©Sky News 2011 Sir Elton John and David Furnish have been pictured for the first time with their newborn son Zachary Jackson Levon. The couple became parents to the baby boy, who was born on Christmas Day, through a surrogate mother. In an interview with OK! Magazine, John and Furnish talk openly about the birth and their love for Zachary. The music legend said: "There just aren't proper words to describe that feeling. "It's indescribable. It was just...we have a son." They also talked about their plans for Zachary's upbringing. "I'm ready to have a child and lavish my love on our son and not spoil him," the singer said. He had previously spoken of his desire to become a father, announcing last autumn that he wanted to adopt a boy from an orphange in the Ukraine. But his plans to adopt a baby named Lev were thwarted because the country's laws deemed him too old and he was not married. In the interview, the couple also said they will never give up on the 26-month-old orphan and his HIV-positive brother Artyom, four. The couple is donating all fees received from the interview and pictures of Zachary to charity.

Hands-off Adam - Holloway Sun, 16 Jan 06:55:39 2011 Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has repeated his verbal attack on Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier over making public his interest in signing midfielder Charlie Adam. The Tangerines have already rejected bids for £2.5 and £3.5 million from Villa for Adam. But Holloway has the "raving hump" that Houllier has spoken about Adam, who has 18 months remaining of his current deal. And following his side's 3-2 defeat at West Brom, Holloway said: "You've got every right to ask me the question, but Mr Houllier should not talk about someone else's player when he hasn't put up enough money to buy him. Will I honestly sell him (Adam) to Aston Villa? The answer is no because I am managing his career." He added: "I've told him where I think he's good enough to go and again I think he's hit the best pass I've ever seen in my life. "If there's anybody in the Premier League who can hit a pass like that, how much are they worth? So don't insult me by talking about my players. Don't talk about my player and I got the raving hump about it because it's not etiquette and it's wrong." Holloway saw his side go under despite taking an early lead but was full of praise for Albion. He said: "I felt we had a fantastic spell where they looked a bit nervous but I knew what they could do going forward. We had a couple of chances where DJ (Campbell) missed but you have to give them credit. They showed great belief in themselves." Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo was relieved to end a five-game losing sequence in the Premier League. He said: "For the supporters and neutrals, I guess it was an exciting game. For the two managers, a little bit less! "We had a lot of desire and you saw the commitment of the players. It was a great team effort. It was a fantastic team effort from everyone."

Next generation of Metal Gear underway – in 3D [X360] Monday January 17, 11:14 AM The planning stages have begun for a brand new entry into the ‘Metal Gear Solid’ canon, with Kojima Productions advertising for planners, programmers and CG designers. It looks very likely that the next ‘Metal Gear Solid’ game will be for Xbox 360 and PC in addition to PlayStation 3, judging from the online recruitment ad placed by Kojima Productions this weekend. The new ‘consumer’ game (a term that confirms console versions) is demanding experience from network programmers and those with experience on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Could the new ‘Metal Gear Solid’ be for consoles after Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3? There’s a hint of this too, in that the graphics category of programmers are being tasked with research into the development for the next generation of CG. By the time this next generation of ‘Metal Gear’ sees the light of day, we’d like to think there’ll be at least a sniff of PS4 and Xbox Fandabidozy. One thing for sure is that 3D will be a major component, with positions in 3D character modelling, 3D stage modelling, and 3D character motion design all being advertised. Don’t expect to see anything more on this until late 2011. Copyright © 2011 Unlikely Hero Limited

Sure or Not ??? Xbox isnt a Games Console, says Microsoft boss Mon Jan 17 05:49PM by Andy McV The Xbox 360 that takes pride of place under your gorgeous flat screen television isnt a games console any more. Thats certainly news to us a few of you too, most likely. But if its not a console, what is it? The answer comes from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who, its fair to say, is never at a loss when it comes to quotable soundbites. But his latest surely takes the biscuit: "Xbox isn't a gaming console", he tells Maria Bartiromo of USAToday.com. "Xbox is a family entertainment center. It's a place to socialise. It's a place to watch TV. We have (US-only video streaming service) 'Hulu' coming. It's the only system where you are the controller. Your voice, your gestures, your body". We guess that the family claim isnt overly exaggerated either, with Xbox 360 now offering a range of games and services to attract users (wed better not call them gamers) of all ages and genders. Bring the motion-sensing Kinect peripheral to any family gathering for further proof of that. However, evidence of success in this arena comes from a lot closer to home for Ballmer: My wife used to say, 'No, no, that's the machine the boys use,' and now she says, 'Yeah, I want to go watch movies. Let's go play the dance game'". Spoken like a true corporate wife, you might think. That said, were yet to meet anyone who has been able to resist the infectious allure of Kinect games such as Dance Central. Kinect may make twinkle-toed Louis Spence wannabes of us all yet! Moreover, the Xbox 360, perhaps more than any other home entertainment center (better not call them consoles), is the closest thing we have to the mythical do-it-all set-top box. Were fully expecting Microsoft to add a toast-making application in the not too distant future. Ballmer admits that theres still one corner of the market that is not fully tapped, though: "You go to your average 15-year-old boy, and he will say, 'I'll take an Xbox', I want that average 15-year-old girl as excited about the Kinect, and we haven't done as good a job drawing in that broader set of demographics". It can only be a matter of time before even that mission is accomplished. For all that, Ballmers claims are at least matched by Sony, whose PlayStation 3 has featured Blu-Ray functionality from the outset and has recently added TV on-demand services such as the BBCs iPlayer. Nintendos Wii looks positively old-fashioned by comparison. Then again we dont doubt that Sony or Microsoft would kill to match its sales. Meanwhile, the humble DS which is a pure games machine, in our opinion outsells them all. Now what does that tell you...?

Dalglish cannot fix Liverpool Mon Jan 10 03:41PM Anyone with common sense would realise that Kenny Dalglish is only as good as the tools at his disposal, and those tools are not particularly good. Nothing has changed in that regard at Liverpool. What is more, the best tool he has, Fernando Torres, does not wish to play for the club or to work particularly hard: the desire he showed at the weekend demonstrated that nothing has changed in his mind since Dalglish came on board. All Torres seemed to care about was bickering with the referee, and the best thing 'King Kenny' could do would be to cash in on the Spaniard and bring in maybe two or three players who care about playing for the club. The only trouble is that Liverpool have a vicious circle scenario: no top class players would be willing to join the club when the prospects of European football next season are minimal. Everyone is talking about how much respect Dalglish commands for what he has done in the past and, while I agree that he is a legend of British football, it's fair to say that the foreign contingent will not care remotely about that. Do the likes of Torres and Maxi Rodriguez believe that Dalglish is a legend, and would they have heard of him prior to joining the club? Possibly, but unlikely to be honest. If I played abroad and heard stories and hype about a man who was apparently great 20-30 years ago, would I care? I would buy into it maybe, but it would not drive me on in the same way that Steven Gerrard is motivated by it. There is no doubt that Dalglish will now know who the bad apples are within the squad, and it is his job to weed those players out and focus his attention on the ones who care deeply about the club and what it stands for. The Liverpool players certainly showed more passion and desire than they have for most of this season, but there is absolutely no chance of them making it into Europe for the next campaign. It has to be said that it was quite possibly the worst Manchester United-Liverpool clash for many years, and that was a real shame. Gerrard's red card undoubtedly spoiled the encounter: he is one of my favourite players, but he definitely had to go as it was a horrendous challenge. In regards to the penalty, it should never have been awarded in a million years. What Dimitar Berbatov said after the game about his refusal to ever dive was ridiculous and out of order. The Bulgarian quite clearly dived and there was very little, if any, contact in the box as Daniel Agger came across to challenge him: it was a real shame to see the game decided in such fashion, and the forward should not be proud of that. Liverpool have a huge amount of work to do if they are to get back on track, and surely no one now is delusional enough to think that Dalglish can fix all the problems at the club overnight.

Liverpool say Dalglish has qualities of long-term manager Reuters, Mon, 10 Jan 19:02:00 2011 Interim appointment Kenny Dalglish has all the qualities Liverpool are looking for from their next permanent manager, director of football strategy Damien Comolli said on Monday. Comolli sat next to the Scot at an Anfield news conference and, listing the attributes he was searching for in a long-term appointment, Dalglish may have been mentally ticking them off his CV. "Competence will be the first one, someone who will fit into the club philosophy ... and is huge on man management," Frenchman Comolli told reporters. "It's honestly open to people we think fit into what I just described and obviously Kenny will come into this category because he is exactly what I described. There will be a thorough search ... and we will see where that takes us." Charged with turning around the fortunes of the club he played for and managed during their heyday, Dalglish was appointed on Saturday until the end of the season and the burning question has been whether he will be kept on beyond that. The Scot left the Merseyside team 20 years ago and has been out of management for over a decade but the glistening trophy cabinets that surrounded him on Monday were a reminder of why the club had called on him. With a rescue mission of propelling Liverpool up the table from 12th place following Roy Hodgson's departure, Dalglish said it was too early to think beyond this season. "Let's not start running before we can walk," he said. "My understanding is it's until the end of the season. "If I can get to the end of the season then I'll probably end up being the longest serving manager in the Premiership anyway," he joked. "If I do really well and somebody better than me comes along, I have no problem whatsoever ... I'm here to give help to the club." TOOLS FOR JOB Dalglish will need to improve on a season in which nine league defeats have left Liverpool four points above the drop zone, starting with Wednesday's trip to Blackpool followed by Sunday's hotly anticipated derby with Everton. Despite striker Fernando Torres's dip in form this season as well as others underperforming, Dalglish believes he has the tools for the job. "The squad of players are a lot better than the form and the points total, they've got to start believing that and we've got to make them believe that and there is nothing better than results to do that," he said. Dalglish was confident Spain striker Torres would soon rediscover his touch. "In the games I've been in charge he's been brilliant," he smiled, referring to the 1-0 FA Cup defeat by Manchester United on Sunday, his first game back at the helm. "He did everything and more than anyone could have asked for. Somebody asked me yesterday for a magic wand for Fernando, I said he doesn't need one, he's got one himself. "He's still a top goal-scorer and he's still somebody that everybody fears. We'll do our best to get as much as we can from Fernando." That may also involve persuading Torres to stay at Anfield as media reports have suggested he may be on his way out of a club unlikely to offer Champions League football again next season.

Premier League - Dalglish defends Babel after FA tweet charge Tue, 11 Jan 08:56:00 2011 Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has leapt to the defence of forward Ryan Babel after he was charged with improper behaviour by the Football Association. The Netherlands international was hit with disciplinary action after posting a picture and comments about referee Howard Webb on Twitter after Sunday's FA Cup defeat at Manchester United. He sent out a mocked-up picture of the World Cup final referee wearing a Manchester United shirt and also wrote: "And they call him one of the best referees? That's a joke. SMH (shaking my head)." Dalglish felt Babel was just sharing a joke which quickly swept the internet after the game and it was not the player's deliberate intention to accuse Webb of bias. "I think it is only a bit of fun," said the 59-year-old Scot, who is the only Premier League manager who currently has his own Twitter account. "Maybe I've been out of the game too long but let's see if they can find a sense of humour," he said. "He apologised straight away." Premier League - PFA blast 'precious' FA over Babel Tue, 11 Jan 14:09:00 2011 PFA head Gordon Taylor has blasted the "precious" FA after the governing body charged Liverpool winger Ryan Babel over his Twitter posts. Babel, who was angry that referee Howard Webb awarded Manchester United a match-deciding penalty in their FA Cup third round tie at the weekend, linked to a mocked-up picture of Webb wearing a Red Devils shirt. He later removed the link and twittered an apology. "(Webb) gives an early penalty and sends Stevie Gerrard off - the players aren't going to be pleased and, to some extent, it's just (Babel) giving his feelings," Taylor said on Radio Merseyside. "Where's our sense of humour gone in our game? He's apologised - let's move on. "From the FA's point of view, they may have got pressured by their own referees to say 'Look, we don't need these attacks on our referees'. But I would think Howard Webb is a big enough and good enough person for him to take it. "I think they are looking to make an example, bearing in mind what's been said about referees. "To my mind, and to most footballers' minds, it is the same sort of stuff that flies about every weekend via mobile phones, but they are obviously taking a stance on it. I thought a warning would have been sufficient." He added that the stance taken was "very precious". Babel was charged with improper conduct after initially writing: "And they call him one of the best referees? That's a joke. SMH (shaking my head)." The Netherlands international, who has around 166,000 followers on the social networking tool, was also backed by new Reds manager Kenny Dalglish. The Scot was furious that Webb awarded a spot-kick following Daniel Agger's minimal contact with Dimitar Berbatov in the first minute of Sunday's clash between the bitter rivals, branding the decision a "joke". Ryan Giggs converted the chance and United went on to win 1-0 after Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard had been sent off. Babel's later tweet read: "My apology if they take my posted picture seriously. This is just an emotional reaction after losing an important game. "Sorry Howard Webb." It is not the first time that the winger has come under fire for his Twitter comments. A year ago he slammed then Reds boss Rafael Benitez, which reportedly almost led to him departing Anfield.

Premier League - Babel fined for Twitter outburst Mon, 17 Jan 18:30:00 2011 Liverpool winger Ryan Babel has been fined £10,000 for comments about referee Howard Webb and the doctored picture he posted on Twitter after his side's FA Cup defeat by Manchester United this month. Webb, who officiated at the World Cup final last July, awarded United a penalty in the opening minute which Ryan Giggs converted to give the home side a 1-0 win at Old Trafford. "Social network sites, like Twitter, must be regarded as being in the public domain," the Football Association's Roger Burden said in a statement on Monday. "All participants need to be aware, in the same way as if making a public statement in other forms of media, that any comments would be transmitted to a wider audience. It is their responsibility to ensure only appropriate comments are used," Burden added. Babel posted a mocked-up picture of Webb wearing a Manchester United shirt. "And they call him one of the best referees? That's a joke," wrote the Dutch international, who did not play in the World Cup final that the Netherlands lost 1-0 to Spain, on the social network. Babel later apologised and was warned by manager Kenny Dalglish to be more careful.

United back on top of Premier League after Spurs draw AFP - Monday, January 17 LONDON (AFP) - – Ten-man Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier League here Sunday after holding Tottenham to a 0-0 draw in a match that failed to live up to expectations. United's hard-earned point saw them reclaim top spot from Manchester City on goal difference, although Sir Alex Ferguson's unbeaten side have two games in hand over their bitter local rivals. An open encounter at White Hart Lane never quite caught fire, and United were forced onto the defensive in the final stages after fullback Rafael Da Silva was sent off for his second yellow card. The result leaves Spurs in fifth place on 37 points, eight points off the lead and one point behind Chelsea, who occupy the fourth Champions League spot. "It was a tough game," United manager Ferguson said afterwards. "Tottenham are in a great bit of form but they really didn't make many chances against us and we can take credit for that. "We were a bit careless with the use of the ball. But overall it's a decent point for us you so we can't complain. Our defenders were particularly good." Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp admitted that defence had prevailed. "Both teams defended well, especially the two central defenders on their side and (Michael) Dawson and (William) Gallas on ours. They were fantastic, did their jobs and made it difficult," he said. "Chances were few and far between. I thought we edged the game without creating too many clear-cut chances." It was the fourth score draw of a packed Premier League fixture list on Sunday, which had earlier seen Liverpool draw 2-2 with Merseyside rivals Everton in an emotional Anfield homecoming for Kenny Dalglish. Dalglish appeared to be heading for his third consecutive defeat since taking over from Roy Hodgson after two second-half goals in seven minutes from Sylvain Distin and Jermaine Beckford gave Everton a 2-1 lead. But Liverpool -- who had taken a first-half lead through Raul Meireles -- fought back to secure a draw courtesy of a Dirk Kuyt penalty on 68 minutes after Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard upended Maxi Rodriguez. The atmosphere inside Anfield had been electric before kick-off as the Kop roared out "You'll Never Walk Alone" to mark Dalglish's return to the home dugout for the first time in 20 years. Dalglish later praised the character of his players for coming back after trailing early in the second half. "After five minutes of the second half we were 2-1 down but the players attitude and desire to get back in the game was really something," Dalglish told the BBC. "It was fantastic. We could have been more than one up but we were really pleased with the way we played and that's great credit to the players who have had to adjust to the new ways of playing and training." Earlier Sunday, an injury-time goal from Sunderland's Ghanaian international Asamoah Gyan denied Newcastle home-and-away victories over their northeast rivals as Birmingham and Aston Villa drew at St Andrews. Newcastle, seeking to bounce back from their shock FA Cup exit to lowly Stevenage last week, looked to be heading for a 1-0 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light after a Kevin Nolan goal put them ahead. But with the game deep into injury time World Cup star Gyan scrambled in a fortunate equaliser to make it 1-1. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew was dismayed by his side's failure to close out the win. "Sunderland are having a great season and you have got to remember that," Pardew said. "We are really disappointed because we know our performance and some of our play deserved a win. At St Andrews, Aston Villa fought back from 1-0 down to secure a vital point in their derby clash with Birmingham. Birmingham, who handed a debut to new signing David Bentley, took the lead on 49 minutes when Roger Johnson volleyed in from 12 yards past Brad Friedel. The Blues looked to be in control of the game and heading for victory until Villa equalised against the run of play, when a cross by Marc Albrighton was touched on by Gabriel Agbonlahor before being swept home by James Collins. Birmingham boss Alex McLeish was disappointed with his side's defending for the equaliser. "It was unbelievable we could get ourselves in a mess like that and then give away the goal," he said. "I think it hit one of our defenders and deflected in. Everything that could have gone wrong in that goal did." The draw saw Villa scrape out of the bottom three on goals scored ahead of Wigan. Birmingham meanwhile are one place ahead of Villa in 16th place.

Premier League - Ten-man United resist Tottenham Sun, 16 Jan 18:10:00 2011 Manchester United maintained their unbeaten Premier League record and went top with a goalless draw against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Sir Alex Ferguson's side produced a stout defensive performance, and made light of the dismissal of Rafael for a second bookable offence. Despite enjoying the better of play, Tottenham could not break down a side marshalled by the exceptional Nemanja Vidic. They have not beaten United since May 2001, when with two of the goals in a 3-1 win came from one Willem Korsten. Wayne Rooney came back into the side, having missed United's FA Cup game against Liverpool, while Ryan Giggs made his 600th league appearance for the club. Harry Redknapp chose not to restore Jermain Defoe after suspension, opting to play Peter Crouch as a lone striker. Spurs made a barnstorming start, aided by the visitors who passed the opening kick-off straight to Bale, who sprinted down the left and delivered a cross caught by the commanding Edwin van der Sar. United replied immediately as Dimitar Berbatov released Wayne Rooney, who rode a William Gallas challenge but dragged his shot wide of the left-hand post. Gallas's tackle was mistimed, and had Rooney chosen to make more of it, he might have won a penalty. Rooney later tested Heurelho Gomes twice with 25-yard shots, the second bringing an excellent save from the goalkeeper, but otherwise Rooney played very much in keeping with the rest of this season's disappointing performances. He was booked for dissent after Rafael's sending-off, and cut a frustrated figure throughout. While Bale oozed menace down the Tottenham left, the home team's best chance of the first half came after a cross from the other flank. Alan Hutton's superb delivery found Crouch eight yards out, who beat Rio Ferdinand to the ball but stabbed it just wide of the right-hand post. The danger continued, with Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart exuding craft and imagination missing from the visitors' midfield. Giggs and Nani were both subdued, while Michael Carrick appears a player, like Rooney, for whom a dip in form threatens to become terminal decline. Certainly, Spurs fans will consider the £50 million they received for Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov sensational business considering they spent less than half that amount on Modric and Van der Vaart. The second half brought few clear-cut chances, as Spurs toiled to find space on a crowded pitch. On 74 minutes Rafael received his marching orders and protested furiously after his second booking following an apparently innocuous tangle of legs with Benoit Assou-Ekotto. A dreadful lay-off in his own box by substitute Javier Hernandez teed up Van der Vaart 10 minutes from time, but the Dutchman blazed his shot agonisingly over. Tottenham can take pride from their ability to stand toe-to-toe with the best, but they would rather have three points. United have drawn eight of their 10 away games this season, but will be content to take a single point from this game. They top the table on goal difference but have two games in hand on their neighbours Manchester City. Alex Chick / Eurosport

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Good for Joggers ! New green corridor in East Coast By Ewen Boey – January 16th, 2011 Park lovers will now find it easier to access their favourite recreational spots and playgrounds in the east. A new 3.8km green corridor linking the popular East Coast Park to Bedok Town Centre, as well as Bedok Reservoir, will be built over the next five years, reported The Sunday Times. This makes both recreational spots accessible to Singaporeans via a 20 minute walk, or a short cycle from Bedok MRT station. This plan is part of a larger “ambitious” makeover for the East Coast, which comes on top of a previously-announced plan to revitalise the Bedok Town Centre with a new food centre, an integrated sports complex, a mall and an air-conditioned bus interchange. The area stretching from Kaki Bukit to Tanah Merah is also in the pipeline for upgrading, with a cycling network connecting schools, parks and MRT stations being planned out. When unveiling the details on Saturday at Bedok Town Centre, Senior Minister S. Jayakumar, an MP for East Coast GRC, called the makeover an “ambitious” one that “will benefit not only residents of East Coast but also other Singaporeans”. He said that the vision is “to be the Gateway to the East Coast”. “This means giving everyone greater access to what the East Coast is best known for — a great place to have fun, leisure and good food,” said SM Jayakumar. The upgrading process is part of the S$1 billion second phase of the Remaking Our Heartland programme that seeks to bring new life to older estates in the next five years. Hougang and Jurong Lake are the other towns selected for this programme. An exhibition on the new revitalisation plans is up at Bedok Town Centre, and will run till Wednesday. Residents are giving the thumbs up on this new announcement. Madam Siti Rohdiah, 37, a personal assistant who lives in Changi, visits the hawker centre at East Coast Park once a month with her family to have their favourite chicken wings. “Now we have to travel there by taxi or bus. The bus ride can take more than than an hour because we have to transfer buses twice,” she said. “We will most definitely use the new corridor.” According to The Sunday Times, East Coast Park is currently rather inaccessible to non-drivers as they have to either take buses from Bedok Reservoir, or use the 6km-long Bedok Park Connector. If they are coming from Bedok Town Centre, they will have to take the expressway and roads via underpass, or take a bus. The new corridor, which runs parallel to Bedok North Avenue 1 and Bedok South Avenue 1, will now cut travelling time. Apart from the cycling and pedestrian paths, it will also be lined with gardens and sports facilities. In the meantime, a new integrated sports facility will be built in Bedok North Street 1, replacing the current Kampong Chai Chee Community Centre, Bedok Sports and Recreation Centre (SRC) and swimming complex. The current SRC will be used for housing developments and a new stadium. Bedok Town Centre will be given new lease of life with a transport hub that incorporates a new mall, a new bus interchange and a condominium, said SM Jayakumar. A new hawker centre with a multi-storey carpark will also be built next to the existing one. A town plaza for community events will then be developed on the site of the old hawker centre. Finally, an 11km heritage foot trail will be built along Upper Changi Road, and will contain information boards on the area’s history and links up famous food areas at Simpang Bedok and Siglap. SM Jayakumar, who was Bedok’s MP for 30 years, said that the area has undergone a “total change” over the years. “But things cannot stand still. With other new towns coming and new estates, we have to move on with the times and see how we can have a total remake of this area,” he said.

Singapore announces new measures to cool property market Reuters - Friday, January 14 By Kevin Lim * Stamp duty on those who sell homes within four years * Buyers of second property can only borrow up to 60 pct * Govt cites low interest rates, excessive global liquidity SINGAPORE, Jan 13 - Singapore on Thursday introduced new measures to cool home prices that have continued to rise despite earlier efforts to put a lid on a red-hot property market. Effective Friday, those who buy and sell residential properties within four years will have to pay a stamp duty, up from the current requirement of three years. Individual buyers who are still servicing an existing loan can only borrow up to 60 percent of the new property's value, down from 70 percent at the moment. For corporate investors, the loan-to-value limit will be cut to 50 percent. "Previous government measures have to some extent moderated the market, but sentiment remain buoyant," the finance and national development ministries said in a joint statement with the central bank. "Low interest rates plus excessive liquidity in the financial system, both in Singapore and globally, could cause prices to rise beyond sustainable levels based on economic fundamentals," the government agencies added. Singapore home prices rose to record levels in the fourth quarter, but at a slower pace, prompting some observers to suggest the government may hold off implementing new measures. The city-state last announced measures to cool its property market on Aug 30 last year. Many Asian countries, in particular Singapore, Hong Kong and China, face threats from asset bubbles, particularly in the property sector, fuelled by strong economic growth in the region and cheap money flowing in from the West. In late November, Hong Kong announced some of its toughest-ever measures to cool the property market, applying a stamp duty of as high as 15 percent on apartments sold within six months of purchase, and tightening mortgage restrictions. Singapore private home prices rose 17.6 percent last year, according to flash estimates from the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Zsa Zsa Gabor has leg amputated to save life AFP - Sunday, January 16 LOS ANGELES (AFP) - – Ailing actress Zsa Zsa Gabor had most of her right leg amputated due to an infection which would have killed her without surgery, her husband said. Doctors said the 93-year-old remains in frail health and is being monitored closely after the operation in Los Angeles on Friday, the latest health woe for the ageing star. "She would have died in a very short time because the infection was moving," her husband Prince Frederic von Anhalt told AFP shortly after his wife came round from surgery. "She's doing fine. She's in the recovery room, She opened her eyes (and) looked at me, and there was a little smile. She's OK," he added. The flamboyant star -- who was read the last rites during a health scare last year -- has been in hospital since just after New Year due to an infection, and had been treated with antibiotics. But doctors decided they had no alternative but to remove her leg, as the infection had entered the bone. "Ms. Gabor needed an amputation above her knee due to poor circulation and a large ulcerated area on her right leg," said David Rigberg, associate professor of vascular surgery at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. "After consulting with her husband, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, we felt this was the best medical course of action. The surgery today went well, however, she is in frail health so we will continue to monitor her closely." Before Friday's operation her spokesman John Blanchette had said that she would die without the surgery. The Hungarian-born actress's health has been deteriorating for a number of years. She was partly paralyzed in a car crash in 2002, and suffered a stroke in 2005. Last July she was hospitalized last July after she fell and broke her hip. She underwent hip replacement surgery but suffered more complications, including a blood clot for which she had more surgery. During another hospital stay in August, she called in a priest to administer last rites, then left the hospital a day later insisting that she wanted to be back home in her posh Bel Air neighborhood. "This has been a long, tough road since 2002 when she had an accident that originally disabled her," he said. "She has never been able to walk and her health has spiraled down," said her spokesman. Gabor's husband said his wife was not told about the amputation, and still doesn't know. "We didn't want her to know, because the doctors didn't want the blood pressure to go up, you know when you tell somebody 'Hey, we take your leg off,' they get hysterical, the blood pressure goes up .. and they canot operate. "The doctors told me the first three or four days she wouldn't even know she's lost her leg. And then slowly she will find out and then I have to talk to her," he said. Gabor's long career includes spots in a dozen films and TV series, including John Huston's 1952 "Moulin Rouge" and the 1958 film noir "Touch of Evil" by Orson Welles. She also lent her voice to several animated films and TV series. But the platinum blonde is especially known for her flamboyant lifestyle, legal troubles, nine marriages and a propensity to call just about everyone "darling" with her distinctive accent. Anhalt said he was relieved that the surgery had been done, and was sure she will be, because she has been in so much pain from the infection. "I feel actually good about it. She has no more infection now and she doesn't feel any pain any more," he said. "The infection was terrible pain all over her body. You couldn't touch her hand or anything, she screamed with pain .. now it's gone, the infection's gone, she feels better all over her body now. "When she finds out the leg is gone, that's a different story, but she won't have pain any more."