India's central bank employees strike over pensions

• 20 November 2015 Business
    
  Most of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) 17,000 employees went on strike on Thursday in what the central bank described as "mass casual leave".

  The walk out resulted in "some interruptions" to clearing and settlement operations at the central bank, but it said that its systems were largely operational.
  Four unions had called for the strike to demand better pension benefits.
  It was also against reforms that would reduce the RBI's regulatory powers.
  The central bank has been in debate over its policy independence with the government, which has been trying to assert more influence over the RBI's interest rate setting process.
  The government wants to create a rate-setting board with its appointed members to vote on such decisions.
  The RBI has cut interest rates four times this year, with the latest move in September to boost growth as inflation hit a record low on tumbling commodity prices.
  

  'Losing independence'

  Union leaders said the dispute over retirement benefits showed that the bank was losing its independence, because it used raise pensions without approval from the government.
  Workers want their pensions to be increased to reflect rising costs and payments to former employees raised by $75 (£49) a month so that they can afford healthcare.
  The unions have warned of longer strikes in the near future if the central bank does not meet its demands.
   

Singapore jails City Harvest megachurch founder and officials

• 20 November 2015 Asia

  The convicted (top-left to bottom-right): Serina Wee, Chew Eng Han, Sharon Tan, Kong Hee, Tan Ye Peng and John Lam

Six senior officials of Singapore's City Harvest megachurch have been jailed over a $50m Singapore dollar ($35m; £23m) fraud case.

The evangelical church's pastor and founder, Kong Hee, was jailed for eight years - others received between 21 months and six years.

The court ruled last month the group had misused church finances to fund the music career of Kong's wife, Sun Ho.

All denied the charges - the church had supported them during the trial.

State prosecutors said before sentencing it was "the largest amount of charity funds ever misappropriated in Singapore's legal history".

'Wrongful gain'

Known for its slick image and wealth-focused brand of Christianity, City Harvest Church (CHC) has some 17,500 members in Singapore and branches around the world.

In 2002, its launched what it called the Crossover Project - a scheme to evangelise through Ms Ho's music career.
 
 The case has attracted considerable media interest in Singapore 

 The hope was that songs like China Wine - a tune with rapper Wyclef Jean depicting Ms Ho as a Chinese exotic dancer in Jamaica - would help spread the gospel.

A church-backed music production company aimed at helping her achieve mainstream success in the US was left with millions of dollars in losses when the project failed.

The six were convicted on 21 October of misappropriating S$24m of church funds for the music project, and using another S$26m in an attempt to cover their tracks.

They were found guilty of various counts of criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts, although the judge accepted that there was no evidence of "wrongful gain" by the defendants themselves.

That lack of personal financial benefit from the fraud meant the judge did not impose the maximum sentences of up to 20 years, local media report.

Ms Ho herself was not prosecuted in connection with the case and did not attend Friday's sentencing.

She recently took over leadership of the church.

Convictions in full

• Kong Hee, CHC founder: eight years.
• Chew Eng Han, former fund manager for the church: six years.
• Tan Ye Peng, deputy senior pastor: five years and six months.
• Serina Wee, former finance manager: five years.
• John Lam, finance committee member: three years
• Sharon Tan, former finance manager: 21 months
• All can appeal against their sentences.

 

Kim & Kanye We're Selling Our Starter Home ... For $20 Plus Mil!!!

3:35PM by Emmanuel Nwokoma



Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are proving the old adage, "the rich get richer," because they're making more on a single house than 10 random people combined will ever make in a lifetime.
Kim and Kanye bought the sprawling Bel-Air mansion in 2013 for $9 million, and our sources say they spent around $2 million renovating it.
We've learned the home is going on the market in the next few days, and the asking price will be more than $20 million.
Our West L.A. real estate sources say they will get what they're asking, and maybe more. The house is in a hot area of town and it's likely they'll get multiple offers which will trigger a bidding war.
Here's the real bitch of it all ... they didn't even bother to live there. They moved to Calabasas to live with Kris for a while, and then bought a house in nearby Hidden Hills.
Rich people ... it's really hard to like them.

Apollo Nida Feds to Seize Prized Ducati Watch Out Kandi Burruss

The feds are are hot on the trail of Apollo Nida's super expensive ATV and motorcycle ... and it's led them to the doorstep of 'RHOA' co-star Kandi Burruss.
The government is on the hunt for anything of value that Apollo owns, so his victims can be made whole. Apollo owns nearly $2 mil in restitution for money laundering and check fraud.
As he sits in prison, the feds are looking to seize Apollo's 2014 Ducati and Yamaha Raptor ATV.  It looks like he was trying to hide them, because they're not at his house. They're tucked away at Kandi's.

 

But Apollo has a problem ... 'RHOA' aired an episode Sunday where Kandi confessed the wheels were in her garage.  We've learned 2 days later the feds were in court, getting an order from a judge allowing them to pay a visit to Kandi and grab the fancy toys.
Here's the good news. The feds are fans of 'Real Housewives.'

Giuliana Rancic Will Take No Sass

11/19/2015 6:00 AM PST, by Emmanuel Nwokoma

Giuliana Rancic's size has pretty much always been a thing. She's very, very thin, and she says it's because of a cancer medication she takes that makes it extremely difficult for her to put on any weight, but people will never, ever stop talking about it. There's been all kinds of speculation about a possible eating disorder, but Giuliana says it's her medication, and since we're not in her head, we have to take her word for it.

But Giuliana knows what you've been saying about her. She knows, and she has the most fabulous reaction:

Oh, how wonderful! "Eat a burger" is a comment that people love to make to thin women, but don't y'all even worry about it, because Giuliana has that covered. You can move along with your day and find something about some other lady's body to criticize, but Giuliana is fine right now. Thanks!

Tito Ortiz Says Jenna Jameson "Abandoned" Twins, Following Rare Red Carpet Sighting

Tito Ortiz is speaking out about ex Jenna Jameson, putting her on blast for "abandoning" their twins on social media.
On Wednesday, we tweeted out a link to an adorable photo of the MMA fighter with 6-year-old sons Jesse and Journey at the premiere of "The Good Dinosaur" in Hollywood.
In the pic it linked to, the proud papa smiles with his hands on his boys' shoulders, the two cute kids all dressed up for the red carpet.

Famous Offspring Arrested Together In Stolen Car

Chaka Khan should be worried about the people with whom her son is hanging out. And if oil baron and Hollywood kingpin Marvin Davis were alive, he should be worried his grandson is hanging with Chaka's son ... because both were just arrested together.
Chaka's son Damien Holland and Marvin's grandson Jason "Gummy Bear" Davis were arrested Thursday in Bev Hills, for allegedly cruising around in a stolen car ... and that's just for starters.
Bev Hills cops spotted the pair in a white Audi Q5. Cops searched the car and found stolen mail.
Davis and Holland were arrested and booked for identity theft and possession of a stolen property. We're told cops are still investigating and they could be booked for possession of a stolen car.