We are not even one month into the new Rabbit Year and already the number 7 violent star in the middle of this year's feng shui chart has made its presence felt. Chinese New Year broke out with unrest and uprising in Egypt, which is located in the middle of the world no matter what map you use, and since the fall of Mubarak, other countries in the region are following suit. As we go to print, we see news of Libya where Mohd. Gaddafi is unleashing the might of his armed forces against his own people. Other countries in the Mideast facing unrest since the beginning of the year include Bahrain, Iran, Iraq and Yemen, all unfortunately placed in the center which is so terribly afflicted by the #7 this year.

With this, we strongly urge everyone to take extra care in 2011, because the middle sector affects everybody. For the individual, from a flying star perspective, if you live in an open plan house, the number 7 in the center becomes even more dangerous and it thus becomes imperative for you to keep it under control. Do make sure you place a water feature in the center of your home – you can get one of those tabletop ones and place it on a central coffee table in your living area, as water exhausts metal, the intrinsic element of the #7. Also try and carry amulet protection at all times if you can, so you can stay safe from the foreboding forces that seem to pervade the year.

On a lighter note, we are in the thick of Awards season in Hollywood where the brightest and best of what the world has to offer are being recognized and rewarded. By the time this issue is out, we will have new Oscar winners but in the meantime, whether our favourites win or not, we put the spotlight on some of the stars we think will continue to make huge waves in the coming year. Natalie Portman was phenomenal in Black Swan, truly a breakout role for her. While she has always been famous and on the world's consciousness, this role thrusts her into the big league, proving she can really take on just about anything and work her magic on it. True, it is a disturbing movie, definitely not one for the kids, but it is powerful and really quite unforgettable. Other stars to watch this year are Mila Kunis and Carey Mulligan, both of whom we predict are about to make the leap into the big time.

While we await the Hollywood version of Stieg Larsson's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, directed by David Fincher and starring our favourite James Bond Daniel Craig and newcomer Rooney Mara, the real life drama left over after Larrson's untimely premature death continues to play out. His unfortunate lover and life partner Eva Gabrielsson is still raging over being left with nothing after his death, because he did not have a proper will in place. Instead, all rights, income and royalties from his work, which has become the second largest earning book franchise since Harry Potter, have gone to his father and brother, who Eva claims had been estranged from Stieg for years now, while she was at his side throughout the time he was working on his bestselling trilogy. She has suggested there is a fourth book, and outlines for up to ten books. The drama continues to unfold... read more within.

On the royal front, this year will see two high profile weddings: of the dashing Prince William to Kate Middleton, who will be known as Princess Catherine, and in Monaco, of the athletic and beautiful Charlene Wittstock to Prince Albert, taking the role once filled by the legendary Grace Kelly. Stepping up to royal life from a commoner's shoes is never easy, and no one assumes it will be. Already there are whisperings of discontent among the Monaco royal circles. Only time will tell how things will turn out for these two beautiful and alluring ladies. This issue we feature the other princess in waiting...

For those of you wanting to improve your own feng shui, our in-depth case studies should be helpful. We have floor plan feature by Honey Lim that focuses on an East-facing house; we chose East, as this facing direction house has some troublesome vibes this year. Those of you with East facing homes can use this as a blueprint to fix your own feng shui. Peter Lung analyses a doctor's office, while Chris Yeo talks us through segmenting different sectors then linking them together using the bubble diagram. Lillian Too's new column Playing Feng Shui Detective starts this issue with a focus on how to sniff out trouble in the home when things just don't seem to be going right. We have also buffed up our astrology section, adding Tarot Card astrology by celebrated Vedic astrologer Jyoti Arora from India.

Happy reading and remember to stay protected and safe!