Mumbai – India’s minister for women has warned Bollywood producers over sexual harassment in the Hindi film industry after a scandal that has brought down some leading Hollywood figures.
Maneka Gandhi wrote to leading production houses reminding them that they are “ethically and legally” responsible for providing a “safe, secure and inclusive work environment” for all staff under Indian law.
Bollywood has not so far faced the kind of allegations that have rocked the US film industry and led to the downfall of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
But last month a Bollywood actress said she had been harassed by an unnamed director early in her career.
India’s Ministry of Women and Child Development said in a series of tweets late Wednesday that Gandhi had written letters to 24 producers urging them to comply with India’s 2013 sexual harassment act.
“The aim of this law is to ensure that no woman is sexually harassed at her workplace,” she wrote.
“This is to be followed in letter and spirit by all organisations in the country and I expect you to personally lead these efforts with sincerity and commitment, in accordance with all the applicable laws,” Gandhi added.
It follows an interview that Bollywood actress Swara Bhaskar gave to the Mumbai Mirror tabloid in November in which she said she had “lost a few roles” over the years because she “didn’t give in” to unwanted advances.
Bhaskar urged aspiring actresses to reject parts rather than “get on the couch”, a reference to the “casting couch” culture where young women are expected to exchange sexual favours to be cast in a film.
The issue is almost never discussed in Indian media or talked about openly by Bollywood stars, but aspiring actors and actresses are known to regularly share their experiences of it privately.
Since the Weinstein scandal first broke some Indian actresses, including Kalki Koechlin and Richa Chadha, have said Bollywood needs to create an environment where victims can speak out without fear of being ostracised or trolled on social media.
Bhaskar said in her interview that the cliquey nature of Bollywood, where many of the leading stars and directors are either friends or related, made going public with allegations difficult.
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Government has sent S$100,000 worth of relief supplies for people in Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine State.
The supplies were handed to Myanmar’s National Disaster Management Organisation office in Yangon on Thursday (Dec 14) by Singapore’s Ambassador to Myanmar Robert Chua.
Items included 3,800 kitchen sets comprising pots, pans, cups and eating utensils.
Singapore’s Ambassador to Myanmar Robert Chua hands over the Singapore government’s relief assistance to the Myanmar government’s National Disaster Management Organisation office in Yangon on Thursday (Dec 14).
The supplies were delivered by the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre).
“The relief supplies will be distributed to all those in need, regardless of ethnicity or religion. We hope that our contribution will help to alleviate the suffering of the people,” said Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a Facebook post on Thursday.
It added that aid to Myanmar refugees in Bangladesh was delivered earlier.
“It is our hope that all parties involved will work together to reconcile differences, so that those affected can rebuild their lives and live in peace, dignity and harmony,” said MFA.
A Myanmar military crackdown on rebels in Rakhine State that began in August sparked an exodus of Rohingya Muslims to neighbouring Bangladesh. Villages have been razed to the ground in Rakhine amid the crackdown.
In October, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) delivered S$270,000 worth of humanitarian supplies to Bangladesh for Rohingya Muslim refugees.
The supplies donated by both the SAF and Mercy Relief included tents, solar lamps and dignity kits containing shawls, sanitary napkins and soap for women. Other items in the relief package include blankets, food and medical supplies.
A resident in Marine Parade had complained of weird noises coming from a flat in Marine Parade.
MP for Marine Parade GRC Mr Tan Chuan Jin shared this in a Facebook post on Dec 12.
on Facebook
From time to time, we encounter issues that may be beyond an MP’s ability. And I mean waaaaay beyond.
House visit this…
Posted by Tan Chuan-Jin on Tuesday, 12 December 2017
He had a house visit that evening and a resident had given feedback about chairs dragging on the floor in the flat above.
Initially, he thought it was ‘another neighbourly dispute’ but later found out that the owner had passed on and the flat was unoccupied.
He cited this as an example of how MPs may encounter issues that are ‘way beyond their abilities’.
Facebook user Tsui Kyit also shared a similar experience.
“When I got pregnant, I always heard the strangle audible noises like door slamming, marbles dropping, sudden drop of things from 11pm onwards for consecutive nights, for many months,” wrote the Facebook user.
She then decided to tell the kids to refrain from playing marbles, however, when she reached the flat upstairs she found that the flat was empty.
Tsui also added, “After the birth of my baby, “someone” always played with my baby’s toys after midnight that we had to take out batteries or switch it off the sounds.”
This continued on for years until one day she saw the shadow of the supernatural figure. She eventually moved out, believing that her flat was ‘unclean’.
Tan Chuan Jin replied to the comment, saying, “Marbles seem a recurrent theme. Some of explained it to be from the pipes…pressure and some such natural occurrences… (sic)”
Another Facebook user quipped that he should use his Speaker’s Seal to ‘chase the beings away’.
SINGAPORE: The challenge. The adrenaline rush. The scenery. The perfect photo or video, even. Rooftoppers will admit to being motivated by all of these – just don’t accuse them of doing it for the attention. In fact, don’t even call them rooftoppers at all: They’d rather be known as explorers or photographers, said local proponents of the activity.
Rooftopping involves seeking access to the highest level of buildings to snap perilous-looking photographs or videos. Visible around the world for years, the practice made headlines earlier this week when it emerged that Chinese rooftopper Wu Yongning had plummeted to his death while attempting pull-ups off the edge of a 62-storey building.
In Singapore, the first known incident took place in early 2015 with the arrest of a group of youngsters on the roof of Shaw Towers. Two years later, the practice has gained popularity – at least on social media, where dozens of local, youth-run Instagram, YouTube and Facebook accounts flaunt picturesque scenes of Singaporean cityscapes from high up.
The locations are not always discernible, but a typical shot involves dangling feet or a subject who is precariously perched. A typical outcome is appreciation numbering in the tens of thousands.
“A lot of people will generalise and think we’re only doing it for the likes and comments,” said a 23-year-old local rooftopper who only wanted to be known as Darren. “Some people are fuelled by fame … However for me, it’s more about the experience and I would still be doing it even if there was no social media or Internet.”
YouTube content creator Thomas K said he initially started rooftopping for both the thrill and sense of accomplishment from overcoming his fear of heights.
(Photo courtesy of Thomas K)
Toss in the prospect of a “sick view” lying in wait at the top, and it explains why you have some enthusiasts climbing 60 flights of stairs just for that one shot, added the 22-year-old.
“WE MEAN NO HARM”
In a sign of its growing popularity here, last week a veteran local photographer took to Facebook to publicly decry rooftopping as unacceptable, calling it a “stupid game of trespassing into private property” and that “some day, someone is going to fall off a very tall building”.
A screenshot of the Facebook post, where a rooftopper is criticised for “putting his friend and himself in harm’s way”.
Contacted by Channel NewsAsia, the Singapore police said it “would like to remind the public that ‘rooftopping’ may constitute an offence of wilful trespass or criminal trespass”.
“Wilful trespassing on any ground without satisfactory excuse carries a fine of up to S$1,000 on conviction,” read the advisory. “Criminal trespassing carries an imprisonment term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to S$1,500, or both.”
This proved a sufficient deterrent for Faaariz, 19, who stopped rooftopping after two years for fear of getting caught by the authorities. While he was still active, he admitted to “sometimes breaking the law” together with his group of seven who met through Instagram.
But they mostly tried their best not to trespass, said the student, echoing the sentiments of the other rooftoppers.
“We would climb the roof stairs to see if the roof door is locked. If it’s locked, we will make our way back. We don’t break the locks,” Faaariz asserted.
Said JL, who started rooftopping a few months ago: “I respect the security – I only go to roofs which have easy access. If the door is already open, I will just go up and have a photoshoot and go back down.”
Thomas, however, said he’d noticed that “a lot of buildings are diligently tightening their security, locking up access”. As a result many rooftoppers have been discouraged and forced to bank on security forgetting to lock up. Others try their luck by walking into residential estates they don’t live in, he said, while revealing the Tanjong Pagar, Marina Bay and Chinatown areas as common rooftopping jaunts.
“Many times it treads the line of trespassing … or basically it is,” said Thomas. “But ultimately we mean no harm.”
“NEVER DO IT JUST TO LOOK COOL”
What, then, of the potential harm to themselves – as shown by the fate of Chinese rooftopper Wu?
“Someone as experienced as him already knew the risks involved in performing such crazy stunts,” said Darren, who has been rooftopping for close to two years.
Added Thomas: “My friend sent it to me and begged me to stop rooftopping … I think when anyone attempts that kind of a stunt, they’ve accepted that today might be the day he dies.
“But I truly do respect the danger of this. There are many rooftoppers who are very careful. If it’s too risky we don’t do it,” he stated.
JL agreed. “Don’t do stupid things and attract unwanted attention, unless you’re doing it for the attention – then I’ve got nothing else to say.”
Pointing out that the media often portrays rooftopping as “a hooligan thing”, he said: “There are black sheep who just want to show off, who do foolish things … but not all of us.”
Said Faaariz: “Never do it just to look cool … always, safety first.”
As a precautionary measure, Darren never goes at it alone. He believes that rooftopping’s two-pronged threat – falling off a building and falling foul of the law – will always prevent the activity from being embraced by the masses.
“Therefore the community is small, probably below a hundred,” he noted. “And rooftopping will always be stereotyped as a reckless activity, but I hope in future, people will be more liberal and open-minded about this.”
Yet all the rooftoppers interviewed also said they would not encourage anyone else to do what they do.
“Your life is greater than your ego and following on social media,” said Thomas. “And I don’t enjoy the risks of getting caught.”
But, for him at least, enjoying the peace and quiet afforded by rooftops makes it worthwhile.
“It’s more of escaping from the haste and bustle of the city. We’re so stressed out down here,” he mused. “When you’re sitting on a roof, you feel above it all, not caught up in all of it.
“You’re just free for a moment, and you can just breathe and clear your head.”
If you’re into Balearic music, here’s an awesome-pawsome place to hang out at every Friday and Saturday at Rogue Trader on Campbell Lane in Little India.
If you don’t know, now you know.
To catch Simi the Party Girl, listen to her on OneFM‘s #1 Breakfast Show with Glenn Ong and The Flying Dutchman on Thursday mornings.
Find out what she gets up to on AsiaOne’s social media! Follow @sphasiaone on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and @simiaut0matic on Snapchat.
Ever since Harvey Weinstein and other A-list stars were exposed as sexual predators, we started to worry about our favourite films and shows being ruined. Not going to lie, we literally looked up every film in the Weinstein Company website. Luckily, there’s now a website that makes it easier for us to weed them out.
Rotten Apples is a website designed to help viewers know which shows and films are made or starred by sexual predators. For example, if you type “House of Cards,” you’ll get a “rotten apples” label and will indicate Kevin Spacey as the culprit.
It’s the same when you type “The Godfather,” which tags Marlon Brando because of the “butter rape” scene. (I’m still heartbroken by this.)
The site will also let you know if the film was produced by the Weinsteins. Disclaimer: Most of your beloved films may be part of this (Lord of the Rings included).
But if a movie doesn’t have a sexual predator affiliated with it, you’ll get the “fresh apples” label. They’ll also let you correct the error by letting you send the name of the perpetrator and an article link to verify the information.
The creators of the site told The New York Times that they didn’t start Rotten Apples to encourage people to boycott films. “The team instead wants the tool to help people make ‘ethical media consumption decisions.'”
BRB, we’re going to look up A LOT of things on this site.
Irfan will only reveal which clubs he is trying out for after the results of the trials are released next year.
Irfan Fandi will only reveal which clubs he is trying out for after the results are released next year.
(Updated: )
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SINGAPORE: A move to the English Premier League (EPL) could be on the cards for Singapore footballer Irfan Fandi, who will attend a round of trials in England in March next year.
In an interview with Channel NewsAsia, the son of local football legend Fandi Ahmad said that the trials will involve multiple EPL clubs.
However, the 20-year-old said he would only reveal their names after the results of his trials have been released. His younger brother Ikhsan will also go through the tryouts.
“It all started when my brother Ilhan went to London. And from there, my dad had contact with one of the English scouts,” said Irfan.
“This scout has trials with other clubs as well, but there are two that are big which I know can bring me further in football.”
Irfan said he has sent his curriculum vitae and footage of games he has played in to clubs that may be interested in him.
“All they want us to do now is come down, maybe for a few training sessions, and from there we will see how it goes,” he added.
Irfan spent two years with Chilean side Club Deportivo Universidad Catolica from 2014 to 2015 along with Ikhsan, before they returned to Singapore in January 2016, when they signed with S-League outfit Home United.
The pair then enlisted for National Service in April of that year.
Irfan now has his sights set on England and shared that there is one club in particular that he’s looking forward to trying out for in March.
“I can say it’s a famous club. It’s a pretty big club in Europe, in England. If I break out there then it will be really be big,” said the defender.
“I still have a dream of playing overseas in Europe. And I feel that 20, 21, is the right age to go overseas and play.”
Irfan could begin his EPL career next season if he’s successful in the trials and gets a work permit.
SINGAPORE: Flag carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) picked up the first of its five new A380s on Thursday (Dec 14).
The new planes are fitted with more Premium Economy and Economy class seats, as well as revamped Suites and Business class cabins.
The delivery flight arrived at Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 at 9.50am from France’s Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, following a send-off ceremony organised by Airbus.
Singapore Airlines picks up the first of its five new A-380 airbuses – that feature brand new seats and inflight entertainment. Watch: Aircraft lands at Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 from Toulouse, France. pic.twitter.com/gviSqcxxoN
The double-decker jumbo jets are fitted with new seats, in-flight entertainment screens and other cabin products.
The new in-flight entertainment screens. (Photo: Elizabeth Neo)
More premium economy and economy seats, which are in the lower deck, have been fitted in the planes.
The Premium Economy seats are on the lower deck of the A380. (Photo: Elizabeth Neo)
The 471-seat jets have six seats in Suites class, 78 in Business class, 44 in Premium Economy and 343 in Economy.
Business seats in the A380 where passengers can recline their seats to a bed. (Photo: Elizabeth Neo)
SIA’s current fleet of A380s has 441 seats, of which 12 are in Suites, 60 in Business class, 36 in Premium Economy and 333 in Economy.
Under the new configuration, seats in Suites have 60 per cent more space, and are located on the upper deck together with the Business class seats.
The Suites class seats in the new A380s have 60 per cent more space than the existing A380s. (Photo: Elizabeth Neo)
The airline will receive another four new A380s by the third quarter of 2018.
It will also progressively retrofit the 14 existing A380s, which will be completed by the end of 2020. SIA said it invested US$850 million in the research and development of the new products on the 19 A380s.
SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong said the arrival of the new A380s is a milestone for the company, noting that SIA was the first airline to fly the A380s in 2007.
Stairs in the A380 leading to the upper deck. (Photo: Elizabeth Neo)
“The aircraft (A380) has proven to be a huge commercial success in service with the carrier, flying passengers efficiently and in comfort on the airlines’ long haul and regional network,” said Airbus CEO Tom Enders.
SIA’s new A380 will make its first flight on the Singapore to Sydney route next Monday. The A380s will also fly to Auckland, Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Shanghai and Zurich.
SINGAPORE: WeWork, the world’s largest provider of shared work spaces, opened its first location in Singapore on Thursday (Dec 14) and has plans for at least two more co-working spaces here.
The three-storey WeWork Beach Centre is the New York-based company’s first branch in Southeast Asia and 200th around the world. Its members include multinational companies such as HP as well as local start-ups like restaurant-booking app Chope and digital insurance app PolicyPal.
Rapid growth in Singapore is on the cards for WeWork. (Photo: WeWork)
Rapid growth in Singapore is on the cards, said WeWork, which has been eagerly expanding in Asia.
Its second location is scheduled to open in early 2018 at 71 Robinson, with a third planned at the redeveloped Funan DigitaLife Mall.
The opening on Thursday comes four months after WeWork announced that it will acquire Singapore’s Spacemob as part of a US$500 million (S$681 million) push into Southeast Asia and South Korea.
WeWork said Singapore will serve as a gateway to the company’s regional expansion into other Southeast Asia markets.
“Singapore is a global hub that acts as a springboard into the whole of Southeast Asia and beyond. We see numerous expansion opportunities in the region that will only serve to strengthen our global community,” said WeWork Asia’s managing director Christian Lee, while adding that the company will enter several new markets in Southeast Asia next year.
WeWork is the world’s largest provider of shared work spaces. (Photo: WeWork)
The American company’s debut comes amid an increasingly crowded co-working market in Singapore.
Shared office spaces have mushroomed in recent years to provide workspaces for users as varied as freelancers, entrepreneurs and companies looking to contain costs. But as the market gets increasingly competitive, some smaller local operators have fallen prey to consolidation.
Those still standing have ramped up their physical presence or teamed up with external partners. Local player JustCo, for one, merged with China’s naked Hub in July to form what it claimed to be Asia’s largest co-working operator.
Meanwhile, Chinese player UrWork has its eyes set on a second location in Singapore. The 1,300 sq m space at Suntec City, scheduled for the first quarter of 2018, will focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises from the financial industry.
Beijing-based UrWork opened its first co-working space at the JTC LaunchPad @ one-north in June. Members range from bicycle-sharing start-up ofo to large corporations like Citic Bank and JD logistics, according to founder and CEO Mao Daqing.
Mr Mao added that the Chinese operator stands out for its ability to facilitate business expansion and growth for companies targeting the Chinese market.
LOS ANGELES – Professional wrestler turned actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson paid tribute to his family on Wednesday as he accepted his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The ‘Jumanji’ actor, one of the highest paid in Hollywood, struggled to get through his speech with fans chanting “Rocky”, a reference to his wrestling moniker.
Johnson, 45, recognised those who helped him in his career, including girlfriend Lauren Hashian, who is pregnant with their second child.
“You don’t have success alone. You don’t do it alone,” he said.
“It takes a team so I’m so grateful right now to recognise a few people in my life and it is just a few and they are here who without them there would be no me.”
After thanking the crowd, he recounted his favourite quote that he first discovered as a 15-year old – “It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice.”
Johnson’s star, the 2,624th to be awarded, is next to the stars of World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Vince McMahon and muppet Kermit the Frog.
