According to a report by China National Radio on July 11, 2017, a Hong Kong woman was caught smuggling 102 iPhones into China through the Luohu Customs by strapping all of the goods onto her body. The incident occurred in Shenzhen on June 30, 2017.Adding to the list of smuggled accessories were 15 Tissot watches.Altogether 117 items amounting to about 20kg were strapped all over her upper body over some pieces of clothing.
According to the customs police, she used rolls of chest-binders and elastic wraps to strap numerous layers of iPhones onto herself, with each roll taking up at least four layers of iPhones.
Upon looking at her shapely body, one of the customs officers “felt that there was something peculiar about this woman”. He then explained during an interview with the media:“She’s wearing a little too much for the warm weather these days. She doesn’t look like she’s sick too. I also noticed that her upper body was much more swollen than her lower body, and it’s obvious that her body was disproportionate.”And that’s when her disproportionate look foiled her plans.
A Lamborghini driver was captured on camera engaging in a questionable act. According to a caption on the video of what happened posted on ROADS.sg, the incident took place on July 23 as the driver of the flashy car was turning into Hoy Fatt Road from Jalan Bukit Merah. On first-look, it seemed like nothing was out of the ordinary.
The motorist who recorded what happened however, zoomed in on the driver and saw him holding what looks to be a mobile device against his face with his right hand. His left hand was on the steering wheel.
The Lamborghini driver drove out of frame at the end of the video. There are three conditions that must be fulfilled for an act to be considered 'cellphone driving'. Firstly, the vehicle must be in motion. In addition, the driver has to be holding the device, as well as using a function on it, according to the traffic police. If only one or two of the conditions are fulfilled, it is not an offence http://stomp.straitstimes.com
Chinese actor Dai Xiang Yu (formerly known as Dai Yang Tian) and wife, Chen Zi Han was pictured basking in the warm sunshine of Barcelona, Spain as they embarked on their honeymoon after their wedding.
The newlyweds tied the knot last Friday (Dec 9) in Castell De Santa Florentina after the traditional Chinese tea ceremony in the morning. The intimate affair saw the couple shed happy tears during the ceremony too, when they exchanged their moving vows for each other. The couple stayed on in Barcelona after the wedding and visited various places of interest such as, Placa d’Espanya, Park Guell and Roman Catholic church Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor for their honeymoon.
The actress wrote on Weibo a day after her wedding (Dec 10), “It all feels like a dream. Looking back, all the nervousness, anxiety and little hiccups feel like happiness now”. She continued, “Thank you Mr Dai for making my wish come true and giving me a fairytale wedding”.
To thank their friends and family who could not make it for their wedding ceremony in banquet, the pair will be holding an appreciation banquet in Beijing on December 19. Xiang Yu and Zi Han have registered their marriage this May, long before their wedding ceremony this month. Photos: PBE Media
“Sexy” isn’t exactly a word you’d expect to hear coming from a toddler’s mouth, but that’s what two-year-old Zed Lee said when he watched his mother Fann Wong’s slimming commercial. “I showed him the Marie France Bodyline ad I shot when I was pregnant and told him, ‘Zed is inside [my belly]’, and after staring at it for a while he said, ‘Mama so sexy’,” Fann recalled, mimicking her son’s serious expression and drawing laughter from everyone around her.
Although she isn’t sure where he picked up his vocabulary from (we’ve got our money on his dad Christopher Lee), Fann said it isn’t strange for Zed to spout big words out of the blue. “One day he suddenly said ‘stethoscope’ and I was like [wide-eyed, shocked expression].”
Toggle was speaking to the 46-year-old actress at the grand opening of beauty centre Bella Marie France, for which she is their celebrity ambassador. Dressed in a one-shoulder top and shorts that showed off her enviably slender limbs, Fann expressed her excitement at having a place to come to for some much-needed “me time”, as it’s virtually impossible to get that at home. “Before I became a mother, I had time to put on a face mask, but now Zed will come to me and cry, ‘Mama, mama!’ and pull off my face mask,” she said, adding that her 10-step beauty routine has been drastically reduced to the bare basics. Left: Fann shot this ad when she was seven months pregnant with Zed; Right: Fann, Chris and Zed at Tokyo Disneyland. (Photos: Marie France Bodyline, Fann Wong/Instagram) It seems like Zed becomes extra clingy when his mum sets out for some pampering. Fann also brought up a time when she went for a foot massage, during which Christopher planned to take Zed shopping while waiting for her. However, Zed kept calling for her, forcing a very defeated Christopher to bring him back to Fann. The little boy then fell asleep in her lap.
“I spend more time with him so he tends to cling to me more,” Fann explained. Still, that doesn’t stop Christopher from trying to compete with his wife for more attention from their son, which she reported happens quite often. “Every night when I’m reading with Zed, Christopher will walk in but gets ignored, so he’ll whine, ‘Oi, say hello to dad!’ (laughs)”
And it looks like Christopher may have passed down his possessive streak to Zed. Last month, Fann posted a hilarious video on Instagram, which showed Zed tenaciously forbidding his parents to kiss. “He will get jealous! He doesn’t even let his dad hold my hand,” she said. “I have to sit with Zed in the backseat of the car.”
It's official: Jeremy Chan and Jesseca Liu have tied the knot in a hush hush ceremony in Jesseca's hometown of Langkawi today. Held a day before Jeremy's birthday (July 17), the pair only had 15 tables of guests made up of their closest friends and family. There were six bridesmaids and groomsmen for the big day. Jesseca wore a total of three gowns today, with two of them being specially designed white gowns from Galia Lahay, The Proposal, and the third a qipao by local designer LaiChan.
According to a press release shared with the media, the bride walked down the aisle accompanied by her dad, as the groom sang Jacky Cheung's 'Ai Shi Yong Hen'.
"Baby, July 16 is a day I'll remember for the rest of my life. During the past three years with you, you've taught me: acceptance, toleration and height are not problems. Thank you," said Jeremy in his wedding vows.
"I promise to kiss you before I leave the house and kiss you before bedtime. PS: I'll kiss you even if I don't brush my teeth," he continued. "If I can only love you for four days, make that spring, summer, autumn and winter. If I can only love you for three days, make that yesterday, today and tomorrow. If I can only love you for two days, that will be in good and bad times. If I can only love you for a day, make that every living day. I love you, my dearest wife."
In her vows to Jeremy, Jesseca said: "Ever since you got together with me, you've heard the worst things - thankfully you have a big heart and took it all in stride. You often tell me that I'm your best friend on earth, your best buddy, your best sister, your best travel and shopping kaki, I'm also your wife now.
"I will use the rest of my lifetime to learn how to be a good wife. Thank you for your determination and for not giving up, which gave me a chance to be your wife." The wedding venue was designed with a monochromatic theme, with a lush photo area surrounded by fairylights, flowers and plants adorning the area. Like their romance, the couple hoped that the guests would be able to feel the down-to-earth yet romantic vibe from the decor.
The newlyweds' pet cats Tigger and Crusso made a special appearance at the wedding too, as cardboard cutouts and props for the photobooth.
In a joint statement, the pair shared that they first got closer on the set of xinmsn web drama Who Killed the Lead, and dated in secret for two years before going public. "We didn't know that having a wedding would be so hectic, but we thank everyone as all this will become precious memories to us."
2016 Star Awards’ All Time Favourite Artiste, Rui En, has been flagged by her elderly neighbours for being inconsiderate of others. Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao, the neighbours recounted how the actor threw their telephone twice in rage.
The incident happened on 20 April at about 6pm when Rui En appeared at the neighbours door and asked for a power bank because her phone was dead. As the elderly couple did not have a power bank, they invited her to their house to use their landline.
Rui En flew into a rage when the numbers she dialled did not get through and threw the phone in anger twice. She finally managed to put a call through to her maid. The neighbour told the Chinese daily that the actor appeared impatient and agitated throughout the calls, and even ordered the elderly neighbour’s wife to go upstairs to retrieve some items for her. She also did not thank them afterwards. After news of her rudeness broke, the actor apologised to her elderly neighbours with a gift basket. The neighbours accepted her apology but not her gift basket. They told the newspaper that they hoped the popular artiste would be more aware of her words and actions, and not vent herself when she has the goodwill of others.
When contacted by Lianhe Wanbao, Rui En’s manager said that this was a private dispute between neighbours which has been settled.
This is not the first time Rui En has been in the public eye for all the wrong reasons. Her accident with a a motorbike was much talked about in April last her. Rui En knocked over a stationary motorbike at a carpark in Clementi, and when confronted by the rider she retorted, ‘do you know who I am?’
Rui En subsequently issued a public apology for the accident and explained it as a “judgmental error” and “careless driving”. She further admitted that she should have handled the situation “with more tact”.
In December last year, a netizen shared a video of an unsafe driver along Orchard Road. The netizen said that he was approaching a cross junction and slowed his vehicle to about 30km/h, when the black BMW suddenly jumped his lane and overtook his vehicle.
Rui En later acknowledged that the car was hers and that she drove in that manner when she found out that she was on the wrong lane.
Corporate sales executive Lim Yiping, 28, has pretty much been big her entire life -- that is until she managed to lose a whopping 60kg over a period of three years. Stomp sat down with the born-again fitness buff to find out more about her amazing weight-loss journey.
As she stood at a towering 1.81 metres, our interviewer had to swap the conventional armchair for a gymball to match her eyeline. During our chat, Yiping shared with us that she literally has been larger-than-life since young.
When she was in primary school, she already weighed 80kg. The figures surpassed the three-digit mark when she moved on to Secondary school.
Like most overweight individuals, Yiping's biggest adversary was food. She used to eat six meals a day, which included heavy tea-time snacks and supper. Chocolate, potato chips and fast food were some of her favourites that she maintained a love-hate relationship with. When Yiping was preparing to sit for her 'O' Levels at 16, her father passed away. She started consuming more than the already copious amounts of food that she was eating in response to the setback.
With the unholy combination of binge-eating and not exercising, Yiping reached her heaviest in 2014, weighing in at 140kg.
S'pore woman goes from 140kg to 80kg as tribute to aunt who died
That year, her family was hit with another tragedy. Her aunt passed away due to weight-related complications.
Yiping was very close to her aunty, and took her death very hard. A silver-lining however, emerged out of the dark clouds over her life.
Yiping elaborated: "Throughout my life, my aunty has struggled with weight-loss. I struggled with her, and both of us would go on fad diets and meal replacements together. From time to time, she would check on me.
"When she passed on, it triggered me to do something with my life. I'm sure she won't want me to remain unhealthy."
Thereafter, Yiping set out on her journey to lose weight. She started small, purchasing a second-hand exercise bike and using it for around 30 minutes per day.
Within a month, she lost 10kg. As she gradually started reducing her excess biological baggage, she moved on to other activities like swimming and eventually running. Her routine also consisted of high-intensity workouts that she did at home.
Yiping continued:"I try my best to exercise four times a week. It can be very hard, but if you see how far you have come, I'm sure you don't want to waste your effort. "Usually I encourage myself by looking at my photos from the past. I looked horrible. Then I look at myself now, and I will continue. I want to keep going." And keep going she did. Slowly but surely, Yiping lost an impressive 60kg in three years. Her weight fluctuates between the high 70s to low 80s nowadays, down from 140kg.
The 28-year-old's ideal weight is 75kg, a target she'll probably hit in the not-too-distant future. Other than exercise, Yiping's diet also underwent an overhaul. She has cut down on unhealthy food and turned to more nutritious alternatives.
That is not to say however, that she eats very differently from the average Singaporean. Other than meals with meat and vegetables she prepares on her own, Yiping consumes food from coffeeshops and regular eateries, albeit with limited carbohydrates. She has also gone on ketogenic diets, which in layman terms, are meals characterised by high-fat, adequate-protein and low-carbohydrates. These meals cause the body to burn fats instead of carbohydrates.
The huge drop in weight however, also brought new concerns for Yiping. She admitted that she has been a victim of loose skin after her drastic transformation. In an attempt to prevent loose skin and stretch marks, she has been religiously using organic scrubs. She now runs an online store called Hey Remedy that offers coffee and green tea scrubs to those looking to improve their skin.
Yiping also maintains a tumblr page and an Instagram account to provide updates as well as address questions about her exercise regimes and diet. She hopes to use the social networking platforms to inform and inspire those who are seeking to lose weight.
In a video interview, Yiping gives us a more in-depth explanation of how she went from 140kg to 80kg. She also shared her experience with fad diets, and gave some advice on how to find motivation to get in shape.
A man in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, shot his wife dead because she refused to serve him dinner last Saturday night, reported the Times of India.
The 55-year-old victim, Sunaina, was rushed to the Sarvodaya Hospital in Kavi Nagar with a gunshot wound to her head. However, doctors at the hospital declared her dead on arrival.
Rinku, 32, the couple's eldest son told Times of India that his 60-year-old father Ashok Kumar returned home drunk and asked his wife for dinner at around 11pm. A quarrel broke out when his mother refused to serve dinner immediately.
"Infuriated over the delay, my father whipped out a gun and threatened her. I, my wife and my younger brother tried to intervene," Rinku said.
"But he opened fire and the bullet hit my mother on her head. She collapsed on the spot." Police told Times of India that the accused was taken into custody and later arrested. "He has confessed to the crime," said local police, who added that the gun used is illegal and that they were trying to ascertain the source of it.
BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi says such violence is not unique to India - it occurs around the world - but what sets it apart in India from many other countries is the culture of silence and approval that often surrounds it.
"Honour killings" are also commonplace in India, where young couples are punished for "bringing shame" to the family. Honour killings saw a spike last year to 284 cases from just 28 in 2014, according to Al Jazeera. This is an alarming 800 per cent rise. The highest number of killings happen to occur in Uttar Pradesh. akosasi@sph.com.sg
The actress who played lead female protaganist Huang Rong in Hong Kong TV drama The Return Of The Condor Heroes (1983), Susanna Au Yeung Pui San, died from lung cancer on Sunday (July 9). She was 63 years old.
Au Yeung was diagnosed with lung cancer in April, after showing signs of a stroke while on holiday with her actor husband Samuel Kwok Fung, 65. She went through several rounds of brain surgery there.
According to reports, doctors discovered she had been suffering from lung cancer during her third operation. She was subsequently flown back to Hong Kong for treatment.
Kwok told Apple Daily on Sunday that "there was no medication that could cure her" and that he was "devastated". Au Yeung is known for a number of hit Hong Kong TV dramas in the 70s. She starred in The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1979) alongside Chow Yun Fat and The Passenger (1979). She is best known as Huang Rong in The Return Of The Condor Heroes, featuring Bryan Leung Ka Yan as Guo Jing, and Andy Lau as Yang Guo.
Kwok and Au Yeung have been married for 40 years since 1977 after they acted together in Hong Kong TV drama Awakenings (1975).
Au Yeung quit acting in 1993 to become and acupuncturist and qigong master. The couple have no children.
SINGAPORE - Bieber fans in Singapore, 2017 is about to get a whole lot better. Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber will be performing on Oct 7 at the National Stadium as part of his newly announced Asia Purpose World Tour, where he will tour countries such as Japan and the Philippines.
The concert will include highlights of Bieber's album Purpose, which includes hit singles such as What Do You Mean, Sorry and Love Yourself.
The 23-year-old last performed in Singapore at the Formula 1 Grand Prix closing concert in 2013, where 12,000 fans turned up at the Padang for his three-hour long concert.
Ticket sales to Purpose World Tour starts on July 22, 10am and are priced from $148 to $298. VIP packages are priced at $708, $958 and $1,898.
Priority sales for American Express card members opens on July 19 to 20. Bieber fan members on digital hub BKSTG can purchase tickets for the show on July 17, 10am, before the general public. Tickets are sold at www.sportshubtix.sg, Singapore Indoor Stadium Box Office and all SingPost outlets islandwide.
Nadine Lustre is crowned as FHM's sexiest woman of 2017.
The men's magazine unveiled the news on its social media pages on Thursday. The 23-year-old actress was handpicked by fans through the "100 Sexiest Women" poll that ran until June 16.
Joining Lustre in the magazine's top ten were Kim Domingo, Rhian Ramos, Jessy Mendiola, Ellen Adarna, Jennylyn Mercado, Angel Locsin, Liza Soberano, Maine Mendoza and Solenn Heussaff.
Last year, it was Mendiola who bagged the throne as FHM's sexiest woman.
When asked about her reaction, Lustre kept her feet on the ground and thanked her supporters for making it happen.
"Thank you po. Maraming, maraming salamat po sa lahat ng mga bumoto (A big thanks to those who voted). And of course, sa FHM," she told ABS-CBN. "I'm really happy and I'm really proud."
A sweet face paired with a sexy full figure - these are the makings of the ultimate dream girl for many Internet- obsessed geek boys, probably because the same qualities are found in characters of comic books and animated films.
In Taiwan, there is a specific term describing these types of girls: zhai nan nu shen, which literally means "goddess for otaku".
While otaku - a Japanese term describing geeks so obsessed with pop culture that they rarely leave their homes - are often depicted as socially awkward, they are a powerful force: With their help in online promotions and photo-sharing, they can propel zhai nan nu shen to mainstream fame.
Meet the goddesses that otaku worship
Some start out as Internet babes before landing roles in television shows and movies, thanks to their popularity and marketability among the geekier crowd. The Sunday Times looks at some of the most well-known zhai nan nu shen in the Taiwanese entertainment industry now.
Amber An, 31
This leggy 1.72m-tall babe was named a zhai nan nu shen after she was seen impersonating, well, another zhai nan nu shen, Yao Yao, on the television variety show Celebrity Imitated Show in 2009. The impersonation was so funny and spot-on that the clip was widely shared on the Internet. Since then, she has done everything from modelling to hosting to acting and has achieved moderate success. Her edge has nothing to do with her shows. Unlike other female celebrities, she is unafraid of making ugly faces and acting goofy and it is that spunk that drives the boys wild. Still, it helps that she is often seen dressed in sexy clothing. In 2011, she made waves when she was voted the world's sexiest woman in an FHM Taiwan magazine poll, dethroning Taiwanese supermodel Lin Chi-ling, who had held the title for the previous four years. An is currently in Singapore for a month to shoot her first movie here, A Simple Wedding, in which she plays a bride who wishes to hold simple nuptials. Ask her about being called zhai nan nu shen and she says: "Fans call me that because they like me, so I can only be grateful for the title."
DaYuan, 27
Da Yuan, who was born Lin Ying- chen, got noticed as a guest on television talk shows such as College Talk in 2010, not just for her outspoken demeanour or her sweet smile - she is more than happy to flaunt her 32E-cup assets in low-cut dresses and bathing suits. A year later, she debuted as a member of girl group Popu Lady, before also trying her hand at acting, albeit with small roles, in films such as The Fierce Wife (2012) and TV dramas such as Love Or Spend (2015).
Puff Kuo, 28
After Kuo was seen in a McDonald's television commercial in 2008, netizens could not get enough of her doll-like face and she became an Internet sensation on social media networks and forums. Two years later, she debuted as a member of pop group Dream Girls and showed off plenty of sexy dance moves. She also started acting in TV romantic comedies such as Just You (2013) and Miss Rose (2012). In 2013, she knocked Amber An off the top of FHM Taiwan magazine's Sexiest Women In The World list and continued to hold on to that title for the next two years. While she is clearly popular in Taiwan, she has moved to China to act in several TV dramas.
Yao Yao, 26
This bubbly singer-actress, whose real name is Kuo Shu-yao, shot to fame after appearing in a Taiwanese video-gaming commercial in 2009, clad in a bustier top and mini skirt. After signing on to Taiwanese music label Seed Music later that year, she released her debut album Love's Embrace and promoted it via autograph-cum-hugging sessions. Thanks to her 32E-cup assets, the buxom starlet, who often made promotional appearances in low-cut tops, was an instant hit. Over the years, she has reinvented her image from sex kitten to serious actress. In 2013, she won a Golden Horse Award for Best New Performer for playing a tug-of-war contestant in sports movie Step Back To Glory (2013). This year, she won acclaim for her performance as the titular psychic in the HBO Asia original series, The Teenage Psychic.
Tia Lee, 32
Geeks love Lee because she started out as the face of various video-game commercials and is often labelled the "cutest spokesman" on Internet forums. She has since fronted numerous other brands, such as Darlie toothpaste, KFC and Watson's drugstore. Like Puff Kuo, she made her mainstream entertainment debut as a singer in sexy pop group Dream Girls, but Lee appears to be more focused on acting these days, starring in many popular television dramas such as Fall In Love With Me (2014) and When A Woman Chases A Man (2017). Rumour has it that she has been dating Taiwanese heart-throb Kai Ko of You're The Apple Of My Eye fame (2011) for the past two years, but neither has confirmed the relationship.
Mini Tsai, 29
Nicknamed Dou Hua Mei, or Tau Huay Sister, Tsai got her geek-boy fan following after someone posted a picture of her selling tau huay (soya beancurd) on an online forum. At the time, she had a part-time summer job selling tau huay at Taipei Story House, a museum. The photo of the beauty was widely shared on the forum. Several popular bloggers, such as tech blogger C Jay, paid her a visit and wrote about her, giving her the exposure she needed to land a spot on popular television talk show College Talk.
Since then, she has been a guest on numerous variety shows and has snagged acting roles in television dramas such as The Masked Lover (2015) and Pisces (2015).
Geeks, however, will still love her most for hosting video-game TV show GameGX (2009).
GORGEOUS actress and singer Ayda Jebat has declared that she is ready for love. “As a woman who is now 25 years old, I think it is not wrong to be in love. I am ready,” Ayda, whose full name is Nur Suhada Jebat, was quoted as saying in Metro Ahad.
Ayda, who has appeared in the TV3 drama Ku Kirim Cinta, said however that “love” was all fated.
As for the celebrity gossip about her, the actress who is popular for the drama Rindu Awak 200 Peratus dismissed it as mere rumours.
“I have no problem having to deal with such gossip as long as it does not affect my credibility as an artiste,” she said.
> A reader of Metro Ahad wrote to its advice column, seeking views about his wife who had always insisted on going back to her parents’ home for Hari Raya. “I have been married more than 13 years but I have never had the experience of celebrating Hari Raya with my own parents,” said the man named Ghazli from Perak.
“Each year, I have to return to my wife’s kampung in the east coast.” He spoke of how his wife would sometimes buy the bus or flight tickets earlier. “So whether I like it or not, I would have to go to her hometown first,” he lamented. In the reply to him, the advice columnist asked him not to give up and to continue persuading his wife in various ways.
“Likewise, don’t forget to ask the wife to respect your position as the husband.” http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/06/19/ayda-jebat-declares-shes-ready-for-love/
Hundreds of local actress Rebecca Lim's fans and the media fell for a publicity stunt of hers for an endorsement deal.
Contrary to what an Instagram post of hers implied, she is not retiring from show business. The 29-year-old star clarified in a conference call at about 8.20pm on Friday night (Feb 12) that her Instagram post earlier that day was part of a collaboration with insurance company NTUC Income. But she fell short of apologising for the misleading post on her Instagram account on which she has posted many of her personal photographs.
She said: "I feel sorry for any misunderstanding that is being caused. Unfortunately, there are many people who have misinterpreted or misunderstood... I don't think I'm making use of the media. I'm just trying to maximise my reach as a celebrity."
She then posted a video on Facebook on Friday night clarifying that the Instagram post was a publicity stunt to remind "young professionals to plan for the future". The Straits Times tried in vain to contact her and her manager on Friday to clarify the post. Her manager sent in a text message: "Thank you for your concern about Rebecca. She will have answers to your questions soon. We seek your kind understanding."
Lim herself replied, also by text message: "Will update you as soon as I can :)" She did not respond when asked specifically if the Instagram post was a publicity stunt. The actress claimed during the conference call that she was too busy filming to respond. Fans reacted strongly to the post, which went up on Friday morning.
Photo: Screengrab from Instagram / Rebecca Lim
She wrote in a caption that: "Hi everyone. I've decided to do something that will change my life. I have been thinking about it for a while now as I know it has to be done. "Yes, I am retiring. I know you may have questions for me and I will answer them real soon. Meanwhile, be happy for me."
The caption has since been removed. The post gathered more than 11,800 likes and more than 550 comments, mostly from fans who believed her.
Netizen guoquanwong said: "Few have such a blessing to make this choice early in life. Do cherish it. Enjoy your next phase of life and thank you Rebecca! Indeed we will be happy for you! But some were sceptical. Netizen sandralim_2005 asked: "Are u sure you're gonna do this?" There were also those who thought she won the lottery, was getting married, or was pregnant. After reading the online speculation, Lim and the other parties decided to hold the conference call. Lim said: "(After reading the speculation), I started feeling a bit sorry. And I felt it was my responsibility to clear the air immediately."
Lifestyle magazine 8 Days posted on Instagram on Friday night to say that the actress was only "advocating the mindset of early financial planning".
Representatives from NTUC Income and Mediacorp were also present during the conference call. They said there will be a press conference on Monday morning (Feb 15) to clarify the situation. ChannelNewsAsia (CNA), which is part of Mediacorp, had published an online article on Lim's "retirement". But this article had been taken down before the conference call.
Sources told The Straits Times that CNA was told to pull down the story. However, Mediacorp's representative said no news outlet was informed of the stunt until the conference call. This is not the first publicity stunt involving an insurance company.
In 2011, a campaign by one such company involved a "couple" where the man was abruptly "killed" and hence needed insurance. The stunt was slammed by fans, saying it was in bad taste. When asked, Lim said she was not aware of this previous case.
A version of this story was originally published in The Straits Times on February 12, 2016. For more stories like this, head to www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle.
For almost 10 months, she was known as inmate 86359053 at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, surrounded by 80 other female inmates.
It’s not a situation you’d expect Asia’s sexiest DJ and a former Playboy model to be in. But it happened to Vietnamese model and DJ, Angie Vu Ha, 33, who was jailed over child kidnapping charges involving her then-nine-year old daughter. After she was released from prison last month, Vu dived straight back into work and was in Singapore over the Formula 1 weekend to spin at FashionTV Club’s Pitstop Party.
Most people know Vu as Asia’s sexiest supermodel DJ who has posed for Playboy and FHM magazines. But as a former prison inmate? It is not something the talented DJ is shy about, though, when The New Paper met her on Saturday night.
ARRESTED
Vu was arrested last November at John F. Kennedy International Airport for trying to take her daughter from New York, when she was there for a visit, to Vietnam. The girl, now 10, lives with her father, a French national, in Paris. The girl’s father and Vu had met in 2005. In late August, Vu was handed over to French police and was officially released two hours after arriving there. Vu told New York Daily News in April that prison life was “torture” without her clothes and heels and it was “horrible” with the lack of sunlight. When TNP asked her about it, she said that it was meant as a “joke”. Said Vu: “Prison taught me to appreciate everything (outside).
“Even a simple glass cup makes me happy, because everything inside (prison), such as the knives and forks, were made of plastic. Even in the workout room, the dumb-bells were all plastic.”
She said the first couple of months were the toughest because every time she went to a court hearing, she thought she would be released. Vu said: “I had friends who came to court and they brought me makeup and clothes. I thought I was going home.” Vu said the toughest part was not the living conditions or the clothes she had to wear, because she had grown up in Vietnam, a developing country.
She said: “It was more about the bigger things for me, like worrying about my daughter’s safety. I’m not the kind of mother who has to see their daughter immediately. I was more concerned about the end game and trying to get her back.” Most of her time behind bars was spent on yoga and cardio exercises, and reading.
Vu said she was well-loved by fellow inmates and the correctional officers, and was even asked to sign autographs. On her 33rd birthday, on June 1, a fellow inmate threw her a birthday party. She added: “My fans also subscribed to Vogue and Cosmopolitan magazines for me.”
Her time in jail has not hurt her career and she is still getting international gigs and offers. “It’s always sexual stuff... A French company even offered me a few million dollars to be in a porn movie.” This story was originally published on The New Paper.
