kueytoc

Nice piece...not rare as they do come in quite often especially over at Ah Beng or CF. CF usually stock less than 1 inch sizes. Do watch out for ya Sexy or Anemone Shrimps though if U happen to keep them in ya tanky.

Red Devils pulverise young Gunners !!! Fergie hopes for a favour from Arsenal AFP - Monday, February 1 LONDON (AFP) - – Sir Alex Ferguson has delivered a hammer blow to Arsenal's title hopes but the Manchester United manager believes Arsene Wenger's side can do his team a favour at Chelsea next weekend. Ferguson was rewarded for an inspired team selection as England forward Wayne Rooney and Portugal winger Nani took advantage of the United manager's tactics to inspire a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. The champions' impressive victory moved them to within one point of Premier League leaders Chelsea, although Carlo Ancelotti's men can re-establish a four-point advantage on Tuesday if they win their game in hand at Hull. Ferguson is confident United have the experience and desire to overhaul the Blues, but he has no qualms about admitting he would love to see Arsenal win at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. "The run-in is always a difficult period. We have handled it over the years and I am trusting them to handle it again," Ferguson said. "We hope Chelsea drop points obviously and they will be saying the same about ourselves. "Arsenal are not out of it and I hope they go to Stamford Bridge next Sunday and batter them. I hope they can get some points off them." Judging by Arsenal's tame surrender against United - a lacklustre performance which echoed the Gunners' 3-0 home defeat against Chelsea in November - Ferguson shouldn't invest too much hope in Arsenal tripping up their London rivals. Wenger's team showed their mental fragility by crumbling as soon as goalkeeper Manuel Almunia pushed Nani's cross into his own net in the 33rd minute. With Arsenal's morale in tatters, Rooney capped a breathtaking counter-attack that covered the length of the pitch with a perfect finish to claim his 100th Premier League goal four minutes later. South Korea winger Park Ji-Sung took advantage of woeful Arsenal defending to slot home United's third goal early in the second half and Thomas Vermaelen's volleyed goal in the 80th minute was scant consolation for the hosts. Deployed by Ferguson as a lone forward, Rooney tormented Arsenal's back four and he rightly earned praise from the Scot for the kind of influential display that made him such a formidable force this season. But Ferguson also reserved a special mention for Nani, who was moved across the left to right wing and ruthlessly exploited Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy. Nani was in Ferguson's bad books earlier in the season for expressing his unhappiness at his lack of playing time, but he has been revitalised over the last fortnight. The stunning piece of skill which saw him flick the ball between his legs to bewilder Clichy and Samir Nasri in the build-up to United's first goal was testament to his new-found confidence. "The boy has come back from an injury freshened up and his last three games have been first class. This was his best performance for us," Ferguson said. "Maturity is one reason, he is 23 now. He is a very shy boy and maybe his personality is getting stronger to deal with playing for us every week." While Ferguson showered praise on his stars, Wenger was unusually acerbic when asked to assess Arsenal's latest letdown against a title rival. Wenger, whose side were beaten for the first time in 11 league games, knows Chelsea could be eight points ahead of Arsenal before kick-off next weekend and he conceded it will take a major effort to recover from such a dispiriting defeat. "Next Sunday we have to deliver a better performance before we think about winning the game," he said. "We have to focus completely on delivering a different performance. "We were naive. We never had any cohesion, offensively or defensively. We were completely not at our level. Why? I believe there are some mental reasons in there." "We were never close with our marking. You do not win big games because of that. "We need to deliver something special now to stay in the race. Of course I am conscious of that."

Michael Jackson's kids' tribute By Bang, Updated: 01/02/2010 Michael Jackson's eldest two children, Prince Michael, 12, and 11-year-old Paris, paid tribute to their late father as they accepted a lifetime achievement award on behalf of him at last night's Grammys (31.01.10). Michael Jackson's eldest two children accepted a lifetime achievement award on behalf of their late father at last night's Grammys (31.01.10). Prince Michael, 12, and 11-year-old Paris received a standing ovation as they took to the stage at Los Angeles' Staples Center - where their dad's public memorial was held last July - to collect the honour and then paid an emotional tribute to him. Prince said: 'We are proud to be here to accept this award on behalf of our father, Michael Jackson. 'First of all, we'd like to thank God for watching over us for these past seven months, and our grandma and grandpa for their love and support. We would also like the fans. Our father loved you so much because you were always there for him. 'Our father was always concerned about the planet and humanity. Through all his hard work and dedication, he has helped many charities and donated to all of them. Through all his songs, his message was simple - love.' A musical tribute was also paid to the legendary 'Thriller' singer, in which stars - including Celine Dion, Usher, Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson - sang one of his biggest hits 'Earth Song', accompanied by a 3-D mini-film which was created by Jackson as part of his planned 'This Is It' tour. The big winner on the night was Beyonce Knowles, who scooped six honours - a record for a female artist - including Song of the Year for 'Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)' and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for 'Halo'. When accepting that trophy, Beyonce - who is married to rapper Jay-Z - told the star-studded audience: 'This has been such an amazing night for me and I'd like to thank the Grammys. 'I'd like to thank my family including my husband, I love you.' However, she was beaten to the coveted Album of the Year by country singer Taylor Swift, who has honoured for her LP 'Fearless', as well as winning a further three awards. The Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z and Kings of Leon - whose hit 'Use Somebody' was named Record of the Year - all picked up three trophies each, while Lady Gaga and Eminem won two. Main list of winners from the 2010 Grammy Awards: Record of the Year Kings Of Leon - 'Use Somebody' Album of the Year Taylor Swift - 'Fearless' Song of the Year Beyonce Knowles - 'Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)' Best New Artist Zac Brown Band Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Beyonce Knowles - 'Halo' Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Jason Mraz - 'Make It Mine' Best Pop Performance by a duo or group with vocals Black Eyed Peas - 'I Gotta Feeling' Best Pop Vocal Album Black Eyed Peas - 'The END' Best Dance Recording Lady Gaga - 'Poker Face' Best Electronic/Dance Album Lady Gaga - 'The Fame' Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Michael Buble - 'Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden' Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance Bruce Springsteen - 'Working On A Dream' Best Rock Performance by a duo or group with vocals Kings Of Leon - 'Use Somebody' Best Rock Song Kings Of Leon - 'Use Somebody' Best Rock Album Winner: Green Day - '21st Century Breakdown' Best Alternative Music Album Phoenix - 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' Best R'n'B Song Beyonce Knowles - 'Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)' Best Contemporary R'n'B Album Beyonce Knowles - 'I Am... Sasha Fierce' Best Rap Solo Performance Jay-Z - 'D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)' Best Rap Performance by a duo or group Eminem, Dr Dre and 50 Cent - 'Crack A Bottle' Best Rap Song Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West - 'Run This Town' Best Rap Album Eminem - 'Relapse' Best Country Song Taylor Swift - 'White Horse' Best Country Album Taylor Swift - 'Fearless' Best Short Form Music Video The Black Eyed Peas - 'Boom Boom Pow'

Did I hear CHOATI ???

WOW !!!...quick quick...$ell to moi-moi lah.

Emmanuelle Chriqui voted "Most Desirable Woman 2010" Reuters - Wednesday, January 20 LOS ANGELES - Canadian actress Emmanuelle Chriqui has topped an annual poll of the world's 99 most desirable women, with organizers saying her appeal was boosted by the fact that she does not feature heavily in celebrity magazines. The 32-year-old actress, best known for the TV series "Entourage," was on Tuesday named by men's website AskMen.com as the woman with the qualities most men would want in a girlfriend or wife, taking the title from last year's winner Eva Mendes. Previous winners of the annual list of the world's "Top 99 Most Desirable Women," now in its 10th year, include Katherine Heigl, Beyonce, Jessica Alba and Adriana Lima. "Hearing what the vote is made of is the biggest compliment of all because it's about being a well-rounded woman. That's really empowering and is just a massive compliment to me," Chriqui said in a statement after coming 12th last year. In second place in the 2010 poll, which involved about 8 million votes, was American model Marisa Miller and in the third slot was British actress Kate Beckinsale. AskMen.com's editor-in-chief James Bassil said Chriqui's role in "Entourage" as a sweet, ideal girlfriend had helped her in the survey -- but so had the fact that she is not over exposed. "We don't see a lot of her. She is not a very public person so it leaves some room to the imagination. She is not out there making a spectacle of herself which could sully her image," he told Reuters. "A lot of the behavior we see in the media is not the kind of behavior that you want to see in a girlfriend or wife. You can get over-saturation and we don't want to see their real and sometimes stained and depressed sides of their lives." Chriqui has appeared in a list of films including "Don't Mess With The Zohan," and TV series "The O.C." and "Entourage." Celebrities like Paris Hilton and ###### who appear regularly in the media did not feature at all in the 2010 list. Spears reappeared on the list in 2009 after a few years' absence but was out of favor again in 2010. "It has to do with a lack of mystery and enigma," said Bassil. He said it was interesting to note that Megan Fox has fallen from second place to No. 11 in 2010 after a year of heavy publicity for the American actress. "She has become very much the type we see everywhere, getting a lot of publicity but with not a lot of success driving this. Sure, she's had massive roles in massive movies but they are few and far between compared to many others," he said. Newcomers to the list for 2010 included Italian model/actress Elisabetta Canalis, 31, debuted at No. 43, which Bassil put down to the fact that she is dating Hollywood idol George Clooney. He said it was interesting that French actress Marion Cotillard came in at No. 54 as the movie "Nine" has not been that successful in North America. The list by AskMen.com, a unit of News Corp's Fox Interactive Media, had the perennial favorites like Jessica Alba at No.5 followed by Beyonce in sixth place and Angelina Jolie at No. 88. "All the top women we see in this list are pretty well behaved and respectable women. We don't see a lot of them parading around in public unless it is in the framework of their careers," said Bassil. Following is a list of the top 20 women in the list of 99 with their position in last year's poll in brackets where relevant: 1. Emmanuelle Chriqui 2. Marisa Miller 3. Kate Beckinsale 4. Alessandra Ambrosio 5. Jessica Alba 6. Beyonce 7. Penelope Cruz 8. Cheryl Cole 9. Eva Mendes 10. Miranda Kerr 11. Megan Fox 12. Gisele Bundchen 13. Bar Refaeli 14. Erin Andrews 15. Padma Lakshmi 16. Kelly Brook 17. Natalie Portman 18. January Jones 19. Monica Bellucci 20. Paz Vega

China: Clinton Internet speech harms ties with US By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN, Associated Press – 40 mins ago BEIJING – China rejected Friday a call by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for the lifting of restrictions on the Internet in the communist country, denouncing her criticism as false and damaging to bilateral ties. A state-run newspaper labeled the appeal from Washington as "information imperialism." Clinton's speech Thursday elevated the issue of Internet freedom in the U.S. human rights agenda as never before. She urged China to investigate cyber intrusions that recently prompted search engine Google to threaten to pull out of the country. "Regarding comments that contradict facts and harm China-U.S. relations, we are firmly opposed," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement posted Friday on the ministry's Web site. "We urge the U.S. side to respect facts and stop using the so-called freedom of the Internet to make unjustified accusations against China," the statement said. In her speech in Washington, Clinton cited China as among a number of countries where there has been "a spike in threats to the free flow of information" over the past year. She also named Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Ma defended China's policies promoting the Web, saying the nation boasted more than 380 million users, 3.6 million Web sites, and 180 million blogs. "The Chinese Internet is open and China is the country witnessing the most active development of the Internet," Ma said, adding that China regulated the Web according to law and in keeping with its "national conditions and cultural traditions." Internet control is considered a crucial matter of state security in China, and Beijing is not expected to offer any concessions to the U.S. Beijing promotes Internet use for commerce, but heavily censors content it deems pornographic, anti-social or politically subversive. Chinese cyber police troll the Web for sensitive content, and many foreign news and social media sites, including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, are permanently blocked. Following ethnic rioting in Xinjiang last summer, authorities cut off public Web access entirely to the western region, portions of which they have only recently begun restoring. Clinton's speech came on the heels of a Jan. 12 threat from Google to pull out of China unless the government relented on rules requiring the censorship of content the Communist Party considers subversive. The ultimatum came after Google said it had uncovered a computer attack that tried to plunder its software coding and the e-mail accounts of human rights activists protesting Chinese policies. Eric Schmidt, Google's chief executive, said Thursday that the company hoped to find a way to maintain a presence in China but intended to stop censoring search results within "a reasonably short time." U.S. State Department officials have said they intend to lodge a formal complaint with Chinese officials soon over the Google matter. Clinton not only urged China to investigate the cyber intrusions but openly publish its findings. China has sought to downplay the Google dispute and Ma repeated China's standard line that its laws ban hacking and that it was a leading target for cyber crime. On Thursday, Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei was quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency as saying the Google case "should not be linked with relations between the two governments and countries; otherwise, it's an over-interpretation." Clinton's speech was also denounced by an official newspaper Friday as part of a U.S. campaign to impose its values and denigrate other cultures, labeling it "information imperialism." China must defend itself from information from the West that comes "loaded with aggressive rhetoric against those countries that do not follow their lead," said the English-language Global Times, published by the Communist Party's official People's Daily as part of a government-sponsored campaign to develop international media and influence opinion about China overseas. "Unlike advanced Western countries, Chinese society is still vulnerable to the effect of multifarious information flowing in, especially when it is for creating disorder," the newspaper said. It offered no examples. As part of Washington's promotion of Internet freedoms, U.S. diplomats in China have reached out to bloggers as a method of skirting Beijing's Internet controls, sometimes called the "Great Firewall of China." On Friday, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou were hosting Internet-streamed discussions with members of the blogging community to "share insights and answer questions about Clinton's speech," the embassy said.

China lashes back at U.S. over Internet criticism 1 hour 35 mins ago Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's speech against Internet censorship on Thursday raised contention with Beijing over cyber policy, which flared after Google Inc last week warned it could pull out of China over hacking and restrictions. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said the U.S. criticisms could hurt ties between the two nations -- the world's biggest and third biggest economies -- already frayed over trade imbalances, currency values and U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan. "The U.S. has criticised China's policies to administer the Internet and insinuated that China restricts Internet freedom," said Ma, in a statement carried on the Foreign Ministry website www.mfa.gov.cn. "This runs contrary to the facts and is harmful to China-U.S. relations. "We urge the United States to respect the facts and cease using so-called Internet freedom to make groundless accusations against China," Ma said without mentioning Clinton by name. But the spokesman also indicated that his government did not want to see the dispute overwhelm cooperation with the Obama administration, which has sought Beijing's backing on economic policy and diplomatic standoffs, such as Iran and North Korea. Ma said each side should "appropriately handle rifts and sensitive issues, protecting the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations." Clinton's speech criticised the cyber policies of China and Iran, among others, and demanded Beijing investigate complaints by Google Inc, the world's biggest search engine operator, about hacking and censorship. "A new information curtain is descending across much of the world," said Clinton, calling growing Internet curbs the present-day equivalent of the Berlin Wall that contravene international commitments to free expression. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are blocked in China, which uses a filtering "firewall" to prevent Internet users from seeing overseas web sites with content anathema to the Communist Party. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell told reporters Washington had discussed the Google case with China several times from "working levels to very senior levels." It was unclear how the United States could prod China into opening up the Internet. Some fear strong-arm tactics could backfire and make China control content even more tightly. TESTING TIMES Ties between China and the United States have been put to the test in recent months over trade, currency, climate change and arms sales to Taiwan. This month, China denounced the U.S. sale of Patriot air defence missiles, capable of intercepting Chinese missiles, to Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own. China announced its own anti-missile test soon after. Beijing has warned that more U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan could badly bruise relations with Washington, and has urged President Barack Obama not to meet the Dalai Lama, the exiled Buddhist leader of Tibet who Beijing denounces as a separatist. "I think over the short haul (the Google issue) is going to go away because other problems that the U.S. and China face are rather numerous," said Niu Jun, an international studies expert at Peking University. "I think economic and trade issues are still more important. Both sides will find a positive solution through talks. But this is not necessarily just a simple commercial issue. I don't know what the solution will be. But it won't take a long time." Among other issues, Beijing accuses Washington of protectionism in anti-dumping cases against Chinese exports like tyres and steel, while Washington says Beijing stokes global economic imbalances and the U.S. trade deficit by undervaluing its currency. (Additional reporting by Lucy Hornby and Yu Le; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

China teen seen as hero for killing local official By GILLIAN WONG, Associated Press Writer – Thu Jan 21, 10:07 am ET BEIJING – When Li Shiming was stabbed through the heart by a hired assassin, few of his fellow villagers mourned the local Communist Party official many say made their lives hell by seizing land, extorting money and bullying people for years. Instead, villagers in the northern town of Xiashuixi have made Li's teenage killer something of a local hero. More than 20,000 people from the coal-mining area petitioned a court for a lenient sentence. "I didn't feel surprised at all when I heard Li Shiming was killed, because people wanted to kill him a long time ago," said villager Xin Xiaomei, who says her husband was harassed for years by Li after the two men had a personal dispute. "I wanted to kill Li myself, but I was too weak." The murder trial has again cast a harsh light on abuses of power by communist cadres and the frustration many ordinary Chinese feel with a one-party system that sometimes allows officials to run their districts like personal fiefdoms. China's leaders have identified corruption as a threat to the country's progress, but an opaque political system dominated by the ruling Communist Party — which brooks no dissent — and the lack of an independent judiciary contribute to the problem. In the case of party secretary Li, the young man who confessed to the stabbing — 19-year-old Zhang Xuping — has been sentenced to death for the September 2008 killing, his mother and lawyer said Wednesday. The sentence was quietly handed down last week and an appeal was filed this week, they said. Zhang Xuping was paid 1,000 yuan ($146) by another villager, 35-year-old farmer Zhang Huping, to commit the murder after Li allegedly harassed the farmer for years, local newspaper reports said. The elder Zhang was reportedly routinely detained on trumped up charges ever since he led a group of farmers to seek the help of provincial authorities after Li razed 28 acres of trees belonging to them without permission or compensation in 2003. The teenager entered a school where Li was attending a meeting, found the official alone and stabbed him through the heart. Li staggered out of the building and into his luxury sports utility vehicle but died before he could make it to a hospital, reports said. The case quickly turned into an outpouring of sympathy for the young killer — and expressions of hatred for Li. Zhang's trial, which was originally scheduled for August, had to be postponed to late November because thousands of people showed up outside the courthouse wanting to watch the proceedings, news reports said. Nearly 21,000 people from the area around Xiashuixi petitioned the court for leniency for Zhang — to no avail. In Xiashuixi, villagers contacted by the AP said that for years they had lived in fear of Li, who they say extorted money and used his influence to have those who resisted him detained or jailed. Zhang Weixing, 58, said Li illegally seized his land of 3.3 acres and built houses on it three years ago, and he hired thugs to beat him, his wife and children when they tried to stop him. "When we heard Li Shiming was dead, we felt happy because he did so many evil things and really made us villagers suffer," said Zhang Weixing, who is unrelated to the family of the accused, by phone. "We all hated him." During his trial, the defendant apologized to Li's family, the state-owned Beijing Youth Daily newspaper said. But Li's eldest son rejected the apology in court and said he hoped judges would sentence his father's killer to "death by firing squad." Li's death has dealt an immeasurable blow to the family, the son said, adding that his younger brother and sister were unable to focus on their studies and may stop going to school for the time being. Attempts to reach the Li family by phone were unsuccessful, and family members have not publicly addressed the allegations that he was corrupt. Zhang's case echoes two other instances of ordinary Chinese who became anti-heroes after killing people in positions of power. In June, a Chinese woman who fatally stabbed a party official to fend off his demands for sex was freed by a court in a decision that was likely made to avoid a storm of criticism. But in 2008, Yang Jia, a man who confessed to killing six Shanghai police officers in revenge for allegedly being tortured while interrogated about a possibly stolen bicycle was executed despite an outpouring of sympathy. Unlike those cases, China's state media after initially following Zhang's case did not report his conviction nor his death sentence — a likely indication the government ordered a media blackout. A Beijing-based lawyer and legal blogger, Liu Xiaoyuan, said the court should have taken public opinion into account given the large number of people who had spoken out in Zhang's defense. "If the village secretary had acted illegally and aroused the anger of the mass of villagers, then lenient punishment should have been considered by the court," Liu said. "It has become the will of people. The death sentence is too heavy." The case reflects the desperation that China's rural poor are driven to when bullied by their leaders, wrote Chinese social commentator Yan Changhai on his blog. "Zhang Xuping is guilty. His biggest crime is that he dared to resist a bandit-like official, and refused to be obedient and to be a slave," Yan wrote. Yan blamed the murder on collusion between officials and local police and courts. "If the authorities did not indulge Li Shiming's evil deeds, if even one of his evil deeds was punished by law, he would have avoided death under Zhang Xuping's knife," he wrote. Associated Press researchers Xi Yue and Yu Bing contributed to this report.

Booming Chinese economy snaps at Japan's heels AFP - Friday, January 22 TOKYO (AFP) - – China appears to be on the brink of overtaking beleaguered Japan as the world's second-biggest economy after another blistering performance in 2009, analysts said Thursday. Asia's two biggest economies look to have ended 2009 in a tight race but China, which grew 8.7 percent last year, is soon expected to unseat its neighbour from the position it has held for more than 40 years. "It may have already overtaken Japan in 2009 and, if not, is likely to do so this year," said Brian Jackson, a senior strategist at Royal Bank of Canada in Hong Kong. China on Thursday reported nominal -- unadjusted for inflation -- gross domestic product (GDP) for 2009 of 33.5 trillion yuan, or 4.9 trillion dollars at today's exchange rates. Related article: World bank sees 'signs of bubbles' in China economy Japan posted nominal GDP of about 505.1 trillion yen, or 5.5 trillion dollars, in 2008 and its economy is expected to have shrunk by roughly six percent last year, reducing the figure to about 5.2 trillion dollars. "If you look at nominal figures, the Japanese and Chinese economies are now very close to each other in size," said Yoshikiyo Shimamine, chief economist at Daiichi Life Research Institute in Tokyo. Japan is scheduled to release its 2009 GDP figures on February 15. With China expected to post another year of strong growth in 2010, Japan seems likely to end this year in third place worldwide as it struggles to cope with renewed deflation and a shrinking population, experts said. China returned to double-digit growth in the fourth quarter of 2009 with a red-hot expansion of 10.7 percent. Without China's boom, Japan's economy would be even more sluggish given that the two are major trading partners, analysts said. Comparisons between the two countries are complicated by exchange rate fluctuations. If the yen weakens further, that could hasten China's ascent to world's number two behind the United States. And China could overtake the United States as early as 2020, PriceWaterhouseCoopers said in a report Thursday, underlining the "seismic change" in global economic power. Related article: China could overtake US by 2020, says PWC By 2030, India could also take third spot to relegate Japan to fourth, the business consultancy said. But in terms of per capita GDP, China -- with a population of more than 1.3 billion people -- trails far behind Japan, with about 128 million. On this basis, China ranked 104th in the world in 2008 with nominal GDP per person of 3,259 dollars, while Japan was 23rd at 38,457 dollars, according to the International Monetary Fund. Luxembourg was top with 113,044 dollars. Related article: Asia markets mixed reaction on China economy figures Japan's economy staged a stunning recovery from the ashes of World War II and in the 1980s it was widely predicted to outstrip the United States. But it suffered a decade of stagnation after an asset price bubble burst in the early 1990s. The country plunged back into recession in 2008 as its exports collapsed due to a severe global downturn. It returned to growth in the second quarter of 2009, exiting a year-long downturn. But the recovery remains fragile with falling consumer prices, high public debt and weak domestic demand all major concerns for policymakers. China meanwhile has achieved remarkable growth since opening up its economy 30 years ago, growing at an average of more than nine percent each year in the three decades since 1978 -- three times the world average. Growth stalled in the second half of 2008 as the global crisis took hold, but rebounded in the latter half of last year thanks in large part to a massive government stimulus package.

China could overtake US by 2020: PWC AFP - Thursday, January 21 PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) also said in its report that by 2030 the top 10 world economies could be China, followed by the United States, India, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Germany, Mexico, France and Britain. The current 10 largest economies, according to 2008 data from the International Monetary Fund, are the United States, Japan, China, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Russia, Spain and Brazil. "These projects suggest that China could be the largest economy in the world as early as 2020 and is likely to be some way ahead of the US by 2030," John Hawksworth, head of macroeconomics at PWC, said in the report. "India could grow even faster than China after 2020, however, and will also move rapidly up the global GDP (gross domestic product) rankings" because of its younger and faster growing population as opposed to China, he added. The report also pointed to an increasing share of global GDP taken up by China and India, compared to the United States and the European Union. The proportion in 2010 will be 20 percent for the US, 21 percent for the EU, 13 percent for China and five percent for India, PWC said. But by 2030 that will have changed to 16 percent for the US, 15 percent for the EU, 19 percent for China and nine percent for India, it added. Jim O'Neill, chief global economist for US investment bank Goldman Sachs, forecast last November that China will overtake the United States by 2027 -- 14 years earlier than a previous Goldman Sachs forecast of 2041 made in 2003. O'Neill coined the term "BRICs" to refer to the four emerging market powerhouses Brazil, Russia, India and China, which have since formed an informal grouping to discuss global issues and economic policies. The Group of 20 (G20) developed and emerging economies last year took over from the traditional Group of Seven (G7) -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States -- as the main forum for economic talks.

Man United's debt rises to 716.5 million pounds By STUART CONDIE, AP Sports Writer - Thursday, January 21 LONDON – Manchester United's total debt has risen to 716.5 million pounds ($1.17 billion) and could rise even more over the next year, according to club accounts released Wednesday. The Premier League champions said last week that they had reduced their bank debt to 509 million pounds ($829 million), but the overall increase in the debts of the Glazer-family owned Red Football Joint Venture Ltd. rose 17 million pounds largely because of the punitive interest rates on its so-called payment-in-kind loan. That debt for the year ending June 30, 2009, increased 27 million pounds to 202 million pounds ($329 million). And the interest rate on the PIK loan, which was initially for 138 million pounds ($258 million) in August 2006, is scheduled to rise from an already high 14.25 percent to 16.25 percent in August. United hopes to refinance its debt and reduce interest payments through a 500 million pound ($815 million) bond sale it announced last week. The overall debt was not contained in the prospectus United issued for the bond sale. United paid more than 68 million pounds ($110.7 million) in interest last year, almost as much as the world-record 80 million pounds ($131.7 million) it received from Real Madrid in July for Cristiano Ronaldo. Manager Alex Ferguson has repeatedly said that the debt of the club's holding company, which results from Malcolm Glazer's 2005 takeover, does not impinge upon his running of the team or budget to sign new players. Red Football said in the report filed to Companies House, the government agency with which businesses must be registered, that one of the four key elements to increasing income was "maintaining playing success." But United has spent less than a quarter of the fee it got for Ronaldo, bringing in Ecuador international Antonio Valencia, French prospect Gabriel Obertan and free transfer Michael Owen. The sale of Ronaldo meant that United made an overall profit of 6.4 million pounds ($10.4 million), compared to a 42.7 million pound ($59.3 million) loss 12 months earlier.

Singapore snorts over McDonald's toy pig blunder Reuters - 1 hour 11 minutes ago SINGAPORE, Jan 22 - McDonald's apologised to Singapore on Friday and brought a pig back to its toy menu, after a decision to leave the animal out of its Chinese zodiac collection upset many in the predominantly ethnic Chinese nation. McDonald's this month started selling cartoon character miniatures depicting the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac calendar, but the pig was replaced by love god Cupid as McDonald's said it did not want to offend Muslims. But the move, just ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday and Valentine's Day in February, backfired as many Chinese customers complained in chatrooms and blogs that they would not have a chance to buy the animal sign of their birth year. "We're sorry, and we're grateful," the fast food chain said in a half-page advertisement in the Straits Times newspaper, saying it never intended to offend anyone. Multi-racial Singapore has successfully avoided racial tension since deadly riots in the 1960s, though the government sees race as the biggest potential fault line in society. "I understand that we need to respect our Muslim citizens as Singapore is a multiracial and multicultural society," Pauline Koh, whose daughter was born in the Year of Pig, wrote to the Straits Times. "However, in this case, the Pig is one of the Chinese zodiac signs -- part of Chinese culture and customs -- and it is just a soft toy, not food," she wrote. Around 75 percent of the nearly 5 million population in Singapore is ethnically Chinese and 15 percent is Malay or Indian Muslim. McDonald's and many other fastfood chains sell food that is halal, or acceptable to Muslims. Pork and other pig products are not halal food. Reporting by Nopporn Wong-Anan and Fabian Ng; Editing by Miral Fahmy

Kraft swallows Cadbury in multi-billion-dollar takeover AFP - 2 hours 6 minutes ago LONDON (AFP) - – Cadbury, a monument to the British chocolate bar, fell on Tuesday to US giant Kraft by accepting an offer worth 11.5 billion pounds which creates a world leader in food and confectionery. The pair announced in a statement that Cadbury management had agreed to a takeover worth 840 pence per share -- valuing the group at the equivalent of 13.1 billion euros or 18.9 billion dollars. Cadbury-Kraft will provide large cost savings and create a global market leader, with annual sales totalling more than 100 million dollars, they added. "The board of Kraft Foods is pleased to announce the detailed terms of a recommended final offer for Cadbury and the board of Cadbury unanimously recommends Cadbury security holders to accept the terms," a statement said. The takeover will end more than 180 years of history for the colourful maker of Dairy Milk chocolate bars and Trident chewing gum. News of a friendly takeover also marks the end of months of hostilities over the control of Cadbury, which began life as a small grocer's shop in Birmingham, central England, in 1824. Kraft's previous cash-and-shares offer had valued the iconic British firm at about 10.5 billion pounds. "Kraft Foods believes a combination with Cadbury will provide the potential for meaningful cost savings and revenue synergies from which Cadbury security holders will benefit," the statement added. "Kraft Foods believes a combination represents a strong and complementary strategic fit, creating a global confectionery leader with a portfolio of more than 40 confectionery brands each with annual sales in excess of 100 million dollars." In reaction to the announcement, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that his government was determined to help save jobs at Cadbury. "We are determined that the levels of investment that take place in Cadbury in the United Kingdom are maintained and we are determined that, at a time when people are worried about their jobs, that jobs in Cadbury can be secure," Brown said at a Downing Street press conference. Cadbury employs 45,000 staff worldwide, including 5,600 staff at eight factories in Britain and Ireland. There have been fears about British job losses, with trade union Unite warning Kraft would be saddled with huge debts leading them to axe 7,000 posts at Cadbury and 20,000 at the company's sub-contractors. Prior to Tuesday, Cadbury had repeatedly rejected the previous offer from Kraft, arguing that it was "derisory" and had undervalued the London-listed firm. However, the chocolate firm welcomed news of the improved takeover bid on Tuesday. "We believe the offer represents good value for Cadbury shareholders and are pleased with the commitment that Kraft Foods has made to our heritage, values and people throughout the world," said Chairman Roger Carr. "We will now work with the Kraft Foods' management to ensure the continued success and growth of the business for the benefit of our customers, consumers and employees." Markets were meanwhile waiting to see if US chocolate maker Hershey would table its own offer for Cadbury. The Wall Street Journal last Friday reported that Hershey planned to bid at least 17.9 billion dollars this week. There has also been talk of a possible joint bid for Cadbury from Hershey and Italian chocolate maker Ferrero. Cadbury, the world's second-biggest confectionery company behind Mars, also produces chocolate bar brands Crunchie, Fudge, Flake and Wispa. Dairy Milk is the most popular chocolate bar in Britain -- and the company sells more than 250 million bars every year in 33 countries around the world. Other top-selling brands include Cadbury Creme Eggs, Halls throat lozenges and Milk Tray chocolate boxes. Kraft, the world's second-biggest snacks group after Nestle, makes numerous well-known products including Dairylea cheese, Milka and Toblerone chocolate and Oreo cookies. The US firm proposes to pay 500 pence in cash and 0.1874 new Kraft Foods shares per Cadbury share. Cadbury shareholders will also receive 10 pence per share in a special dividend if the takeover is successful. "This recommended offer represents a compelling opportunity for Cadbury shareholders, providing both immediate value certainty and upside potential in the combined company," said Kraft boss Irene Rosenfeld. "For Kraft Foods shareholders it transforms the portfolio, accelerates long-term growth and delivers highly attractive returns, while maintaining financial discipline." Kraft had made a 10.2-billion-pound offer for Cadbury back in September 2009. However, Cadbury, led by American chief executive Todd Stitzer, rejected the bid, saying that it "fundamentally undervalued" the group. But the US firm has subsequently improved the offer after selling its North American pizza division to Swiss rival Nestle for 3.7 billion dollars. The Kraft tie-up also faced opposition in Britain with protest from senior ministers over the attempt by a huge American firm to take over a homegrown company.

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WAH !!!...got LCD TV also. Indonesian govt red-faced over prison perks AFP - Wednesday, January 13 JAKARTA (AFP) - – The Indonesian government -- which has promised to stamp out corruption -- was embarrassed by revelations Tuesday that rich and powerful prisoners are living in luxury behind bars. Details of the perks for influential inmates were front-page news after a team established by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to probe judicial corruption conducted a snap inspection of a women's jail in Jakarta. Businesswoman Artalyta Suryani, convicted last year for bribing prosecutors, was reportedly interrupted in the middle of a laser beauty treatment in her 64-square-metre (690-square-foot) apartment-style "cell". Her perks included a double bed, air conditioning, flat-screen television, a refrigerator, private kitchen and bathroom, and a playpen for children, according to The Jakarta Globe newspaper. "We deeply regret that several prisoners might have received special treatment," presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha told AFP. "President Yudhoyono believes that all inmates should receive equal treatment. There shouldn't be any privileges or special dispensations for prisoners." Yudhoyono has promised to crush what he has called the "court mafia" that runs the country's judicial system, although critics say his fact-finding team lacks authority and point to Yudhoyono's failure to take more decisive action. The ex-general won re-election in July but his second five-year term has been hit by a steady flow of scandals that have cast doubt on his oft-repeated promises to tackle pervasive corruption. "All the problems related to the judicial mafia can't be solved overnight," Pasha said. Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar suspended the head of the Pondok Bambu (Bamboo Hut) women's prison in Jakarta that was inspected by the fact-finding team and promised to reshuffle other prison chiefs. This would prevent them creating their own "kingdoms" by selling favours and privileges, he added. He made no promise to prosecute any prison chiefs who had profited from such illegal behaviour. It is well known in Indonesia that wealthy and powerful inmates are able to buy special treatment and even shorter sentences, while the poor and vulnerable are crammed into overcrowded cells and subjected to extortion and abuse. An anonymous former inmate told Metro TV that new prisoners faced torture in the form of daily beatings unless they paid money. Other prisoners worked with the guards to extort money from newcomers, he said. "When I was new, I was asked for money but I didnt have any. The consequences were painful, I was beaten up every day," he said. "The most expensive fee for privileges like a/c was two million rupiah (218 dollars) a month, but everything is negotiable." The son of late dictator Suharto reportedly enjoyed luxuries including four fish tanks and personal staff, although he was convicted of killing a Supreme Court judge. One of six children, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra Suharto served just a third of a 15-year jail term for the murder. He was released in October 2006 and made an unsuccessful bid to run for president last year. Yudhoyono pledged to crack down on the court mafia late last year after police and prosecutors were caught allegedly conspiring to frame two senior anti-graft investigators on behalf of a corrupt businessman. One of the prosecutors has resigned without further punishment, while the chief detective at the centre of the scandal remains on the force and no action has been taken against the so-called broker who acted for the businessman.

Jordan wants Dead Sea Scrolls back from Israel By DALE GAVLAK, Associated Press Writer – Thu Jan 14, 8:22 am ET AMMAN, Jordan – Jordan's tourism minister said Thursday that her country was seeking the help of Western nations to regain possession of the Dead Sea Scrolls Israel seized from a Jerusalem museum during the 1967 Mideast war. Maha Khatib said Jordan has given up hope that Israel would directly give back the more than 2,000-year-old scrolls and now hoped Western nations would return them to the Arab kingdom when they host them in exhibitions. Israel rejected the Jordanian claim to the scrolls, which include the earliest known version of portions of the Hebrew Bible and have shed important light on Judaism and the beginnings of Christianity. Their origin is the subject of an insular, but notoriously heated, academic debate. They will next be exhibited in Milwaukee, WI, starting Jan. 22. Jordan says Israel seized 14 scrolls kept in a museum in the eastern sector of Jerusalem when its army occupied that Jordanian-controlled part of the city along with the West Bank in the 1967 war. Israel annexed eastern Jerusalem soon after the war and now says the entire city is its unified, eternal capital. In Jerusalem, foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said Jordan's claims were "ridiculous" and that the scrolls were an "intrinsic part" of Jewish religion, culture and history and have no connection to Jordan. "This claim is totally unfounded," he said. But Khatib said: "The Dead Sea Scrolls are owned and will always be owned by the government of Jordan and we'll continue emphasizing our right to get them back." She told The Associated Press: "We know very well that the Israelis will not give them back." Jordan, she added, would contact countries where the scrolls are put on exhibition and ask them not to return them to Israel, but to Jordan instead. "We are very keen on getting them (the scrolls) by reminding different countries of the international accords on cultural wealth they signed," she said, citing the 1954 Hague Convention governing the protection of cultural property during armed conflict. Earlier this month, Canada refused a Jordanian request to stop the scrolls' return to Israel, after they were displayed at a Toronto museum. It also refused a similar request made by the Palestinian Authority, according to Canadian diplomats. The scrolls were found in caves near the Dead Sea between 1947 and 1956.

JP Morgan reports big jump in profits to $3.27 bln AFP - 2 hours 40 minutes ago WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Banking giant JP Morgan Chase reported on Friday a big jump in net profit to 3.27 billion dollars in the fourth quarter of 2009, highlighting renewed health in the troubled sector. The New York-based financial giant doubled its profits for the full year to 11.7 billion dollars, and quadrupled the numbers put up in the fourth quarter of 2008. The results highlight a return to health in the banking sector after more than a year of crisis, but were expected to fuel public resentment over hefty profits and compensation of firms bailed out by the government and at a time when much of the US economy continues to struggle and unemployment remains high. Chairman and chief executive Jamie Dimon said he was "gratified" by the results but said they "fell short of both an adequate return on capital and the firm's earnings potential." "While we are seeing some stability in delinquencies, consumer credit costs remain high, and weak employment and home prices persist. Accordingly, we remain cautious," he said in a statement. The profit for the quarter amounted to 74 cents a shares, better than the 62 cents expected by analysts. Revenues in the period rose to 25.2 billion dollars from 19.1 billion dollars a year earlier for the banking group, one of the strongest to emerge from the global financial crisis. For 2009, the profit was 11.7 billion dollars on 100.4 billion in revenues, up from earnings of 5.6 billion dollars in 2008 on revenues of 67.3 billion. The results come with banks in focus for hefty executive pay schemes -- which some blame for encouraging risky practices that led to the global crisis. The earnings report for JP Morgan Chase did not include specific bonus amounts, but reports have indicated that many banks are set to pay record bonuses. A Wall Street Journal analysis found Wall Street banks and securities firms were on track to pay employees 145 billion dollars for 2009, a record amount. President Barack Obama on Thursday proposed a tax or fee to be assessed on major banks that would recoup the government's bailout for the sector. JPMorgan, the second largest bank by assets, said its investment banking arm posted a profit of 1.9 billion dollars for the quarter, rebounding from a loss a year earlier. Another big profit driver was corporate and private equity, with 1.2 billion dollars. But its retail banking including home lending lost 399 million dollars and credit card operations lost 306 million. Commercial banking operations resulted in a profit of 224 million dollars while Treasury and securities operations earned 237 million. Despite Dimon's comments, some analysts said the banking giant was hitting its stride. "The bank blew through expectations," said Douglas McIntyre at 24/7 Wall Street. That leaves a lot for Bank of America and Citigroup to live up to." Last year, JPMorgan Chase repaid the US Treasury for an injection of 25 billion dollars in capital under a program to stabilize the financial system. The repayments, which included dividends, freed the banks from government-imposed compensation restrictions. Still, public anger has been boiling over at pay scheme that are blamed for fueling the crisis. Obama unveiled his fee Thursday, saying the new fee on risky assets of big financial institutions was a way to recoup the cost of a massive bailout of the sector than began in 2008. The plan, which requires congressional approval, would raise 90 billion dollars over 10 years and could be kept for 12 years to offset the full 117 billion dollar shortfall now estimated for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). "We want our money back and we are going to get it," Obama said, adding that his determination "is only heightened when I see reports of massive profits and obscene bonuses at some of the very firms who owe their continued existence to the American people."

IEA downgrades 2010 oil demand forecast AFP - Saturday, January 16 PARIS (AFP) - – The International Energy Agency on Friday revised down its forecast for world oil demand in 2010, saying trade would be "sluggish" in rich nations and growth would come only from emerging economies. The IEA forecast that demand would be 1.44 million barrels per day (mbd) this year, compared to its 2010 estimate made last month of 1.47 mbd. The Paris-based agency also warned of possible "downside risks" to economic recovery in the member nations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a grouping of 30 of the world's richest economies. "Oil demand recovery in the OECD will likely remain sluggish," it said, adding: "Demand growth in 2010 derives entirely from outside the OECD." The IEA said 2010 demand would rise 1.7 percent from 2009 to 86.3 mbd. The report also explained that much of that increase would come from Asian markets and some of it from Latin America and the former Soviet Union. In the United States, the world's biggest economy and largest oil consumer, the IEA said "demand continues to fall relative to a very weak baseline." "The US economy remains fragile," the IEA added. Oil prices extended their losses after the publication of the report, with New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in February, falling 45 cents to 78.94 dollars a barrel in trading. "The IEA is still more optimistic than the US Department of Energy that forecasts a demand increase of 1.08 mbd for 2010 and whose projection has also been revised slightly downwards," Germany's Commerzbank said in a note. In its report, the IEA said top producers such as Russia and Saudi Arabia were now increasingly switching their supplies to growth markets in Asia away from traditional big buyers in Europe and the United States. "Saudi Arabia has been increasingly diverting both grades (Arab Heavy and Arab Medium crude oil) to meet growing domestic power generation and higher sales into Asian markets," the report said. Saudi exports of Arab Heavy to Europe in the first nine months of 2009 were down to just 25 kbd -- a crude oil measurement unit -- from 90 kbd in 2008 and 110 kbd in 2007, while export volumes to Asia have gone up, it added. Russia is following a similar trend, with the inauguration in December of a new pipeline and Asian export terminal in eastern Russia and "a rerouting of crude oil from Baltic and Black Sea ports to the east" in 2010, the IEA said. The IEA study also reported a surge in oil prices earlier this month because of the Arctic chill in Europe and the United States, with prices rising to 15-month highs but later easing to between 78 and 80 dollars per barrel. "The weather-related surge in prices that ushered in the new year may prove fleeting" because of a backlog in supplies," the IEA said, adding that the market would look for "signs of economically-driven oil demand growth." Political tensions in Iran, Nigeria and Russia have also helped boost prices in recent weeks by raising the prospect of supply disruptions, the IEA said, pointing in particular to a brewing Russia-Belarus oil transit dispute.

More young people turning to aesthetic procedures Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, January 2 SINGAPORE: The need to look and feel better has been driving Singapore’s multi—million—dollar aesthetic industry for many years. According to aesthetic doctors, more people are turning to minimally—invasive treatments to spruce up their appearance, even during the downturn. Lately, doctors said patients are getting younger, from those in their forties to those in their twenties. And they are seeing more customers despite the slow economy. Dr Kevin Teh, Singapore Lipo, Body and Face Centre said: "It is partly an issue of greater accessibility, greater affordability, and awareness among the general population. "They are the younger set, working adults, who really want to look their best. Sometimes to climb the corporate ladder, it does make a difference if you look fit and trim." Non—invasive procedures, such as acne treatment and hair removal, are fast gaining popularity, even among the very young. Dr Yeak Hwee Lee, medical director, Singapore Aesthetic Centre said: "I can recall a very young girl, an 11—year—old, who was brought in by her parents. "That is because she was going into Secondary School and she had lots of hair on her legs, and her parents decided that in order for her to blend in and to have less social stigma, they wanted her to have her hair permanently removed." Dr Yeak said 50 per cent of her clients are less than 20 years of age. "When students come in, they come in groups. They hang around here, they have their drinks, some of them bring their computers. "And their friend goes in, and then they go off as a group, for their movie, for their lunch. So it is almost like a social occasion," Dr Yeak added. Another reason for the popularity of these treatments is affordability. It costs S$15 for one botox injection, and less than S$1,400 for fat removal. CNA/sc

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S’pore recovering but will take time to get back to pre—crisis vibrancy, says PM Lee Channel NewsAsia - Friday, January 15 HANOI, Vietnam : Singapore is slowly recovering after a grey year in 2009, but it will take time to get back to pre—crisis vibrancy. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made this point when addressing a group of Singaporeans, as part of his official trip to Vietnam. And he said it was important to cultivate ties with neighbours, because Singapore did best when they prospered, as it prospered along with them. Vietnam is an important economic partner of Singapore and many business people at the gathering said they are there as serious investors, and are in for the long term. This is despite some difficulties doing business there. "I would say primarily it would be language, and also because the infrastructure is not there, and for my industry in particular, (which is) supplies," Esther Wee, managing director of Halia Restaurant. Still, Mr Lee said overseas Singaporeans are important to the overall economy. "Through your presence overseas, you will help us to prosper, and to become a robust and strong economy in the new phase. We cannot become robust and strong by ourselves. It depends on our neighbours, it depends on our outreach and our capabilities," said PM Lee. There are currently about 150 Singaporeans working in Hanoi, in areas as diverse as property development, information technology and food & beverage. Meanwhile, Singapore and Vietnamese tourism officials are working to develop the cruise tourism industry in Southeast Asia. Tourism officials said Southeast Asia currently enjoys about 7 per cent of the worldwide cruise market, so there is a lot of untapped potential. One idea is to develop a Southeast Asian cruise market — which could see cruises taking off from Singapore, going up to Malaysia, then Thailand, along several sites in Vietnam and end off in Hong Kong. "Southeast Asia lends itself very well as a cruise destination, given our deep waters, our year round tropical climate, and the diverse cultures and sightseeing opportunities in this region," said Margaret Teo, Assistant Chief Executive, Development Group, Singapore Tourism Board. But before that can take off, governments must work together to market the region as a whole. And infrastructure such as cruise terminals and good roads to tourist sites will have to be built. CNA /ls

Indonesia rages over luxury jail cells for wealthy By NINIEK KARMINI, Associated Press Writer - Thursday, January 14 JAKARTA, Indonesia – It's a bedroom most poor Indonesians can only dream about _ air conditioned with a spacious double bed, flat-screen television, private bathroom, adjoining karaoke suite and serviced by maids and assistants. But this bedroom is the prison cell of a woman serving a five-year sentence for bribing an Indonesian prosecutor. News that business tycoon Artalyta Suryani had bought comfort behind bars using the same tactics for which she was punished has enraged ordinary Indonesians and embarrassed authorities in a country already known as one of the world's most corrupt. The details of the luxury living conditions of Suryani and other rich prisoners have been splashed across the front pages of national newspapers and dominated television coverage this week, the result of a surprise visit to Jakarta Pondok Bambu women's penitentiary by a team set up by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to eradicate the so-called "Judicial Mafia." "We found a number of wealthy inmates had been provided with exclusive facilities," team member Denny Indrayana said Wednesday. "They allegedly paid some corrupt individuals in the prison to get all they want. It shows the weakness of our judicial system." Yudhoyono's government has made fighting corruption the centerpiece of its agenda, securing the convictions of several governors and legislators in recent years. But progress is slow in a country where graft is endemic especially among poorly paid law enforcers. Transparency International still ranks the Southeast Asian nation among the most corrupt in the world, and scandals like this one still regularly embarrass the government. Suryani was sharing her 8-by-8 meter (26-by-26 foot) room with her adopted child, who slept in a cot and was cared for by a full-time nanny. A normal Indonesian prison cell is a cement cubicle a fraction of the size, often shared by dozens of inmates. Overcrowding is a serious and widespread problem. Other perks in Suryani's cell included unlimited and unregistered visitors, private drivers to collect and drop off goods, beauty treatments, a private office with leather chairs and sofas, Tempo magazine reported. "This total madness," Tri Agustine, a Facebook user, said in a posting on the popular social networking site. "Corruptors will not be deterred for committing graft again and again if the prison cells provided are like this." Suryani has reportedly been moved to a general population cell, shared with three other prisoners, since the details became public. "Investigation into other prisons is now under way to eradicate such practices," said Untung Sugiyono, director general of prisons at the Justice Ministry.