CANNES, FRANCE – A galaxy of stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Will Smith turned out for an AIDS benefit that is the social highlight of the Cannes film festival.
The annual amfAR Foundation for AIDs Research gala dinner late Thursday at the luxury Eden Roc hotel just along the French Riviera at Cap d’Antibes saw celebrities and benefactors paying up to half a million dollars (466,000 euros) for a table.
Actresses Jessica Chastain, Milla Jovovich, Eva Longoria, footballer David Beckham and directors David Lynch and jury president Pedro Almodovar were also among the A-listers present for the auction to help the charity founded by the late Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor.
They were aiming to beat the 22 million euros raised at last year’s dinner when DiCaprio – who acted as auctioneer – sold a sculpture by British artist Damien Hirst for 3.1 million euros and a day with Hollywood star Kevin Spacey for half a million.
This year’s lots included a week in an exclusive resort in the Maldives for 60 people, a fully restored 1958 Jaguar XK150 sports car and a weekend for 30 on a luxury yacht.
For those on more modest budgets, there was a 14-metre (46-foot) statue specially created for the occasion by French artist JR, whose “Faces Places” documentary with Agnes Varda is one of the hits of the festival, which ends Sunday.
The final figure from this year’s auction will be released later Friday.
Since the galas began at the Cannes festival in 1993, the “Cinema Against AIDS” dinners have raised more than 174 million euros for the charity.
JAKARTA – Indonesian authorities have arrested three suspects over a twin suicide bombing on a Jakarta bus terminal that killed three policemen and which has been claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group, an official said Friday.
The elite anti-terror squad working with regular police Thursday detained two men in Bandung on Java island and a third in the nearby area of Cimahi, and their houses were now being searched, said local police spokesman Yusri Yunus.
“We arrested three people in connection with the bombing, in three different locations yesterday afternoon,” he told AFP.
The houses of the two suspected bombers are in the same area and had already been raided by authorities, who found Islamic teaching materials and bladed weapons.
The bombers attacked the busy terminal in the capital late Wednesday in a dramatic assault that sparked panic and left human body parts and shattered glass strewn across the street.
Three policemen were killed, while several other officers and civilians were injured in the assault at the Kampung Melayu terminal.
IS claimed responsibility through its propaganda agency Amaq, according to a statement carried by Site Intelligence Group late Thursday. Analysts have pointed the finger at local IS-linked group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), which has been blamed for recent attacks.
The bus station bombing was the deadliest attack in Indonesia since January 2016, when a suicide blast and gun assault claimed by IS in downtown Jakarta left four attackers and four civilians dead.
Hundreds of radicals from Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, have flocked abroad to fight with IS, and the country has seen a surge in plots and attacks linked to the jihadists over the past year.
‘Credible’ IS claim
Yunus would not reveal how the men arrested Thursday were suspected of being involved in the attack, saying only that authorities were led to the trio by witness testimony.
Police have said they believe that IS is linked to the attack, but have given no further details.
Jakarta-based security analyst Sidney Jones, who heads think-tank the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, described the claim by the jihadists as “very credible” and that JAD’s Bandung branch was behind the assault.
Al Chaidar, a terrorism expert from the University of Malikussaleh in Indonesia’s Aceh province, said he also thought the claim credible.
“I think it is credible because they’ve already said on (messaging service) Telegram that they are happy about the bombing – they are just reiterating it on Amaq,” he said.
Police say bombs used in Wednesday’s attacks were made from pressure cookers, similar to a device used in an attack by a JAD militant in Bandung in February.
In that assault, police shot dead the attacker after he allegedly set off a small bomb in a park and then stormed a local government office. No one else was hurt.
JAD was designated a terrorist organisation by the United States in January, which said the network was an umbrella group for about two dozen extremist outfits.
Some have pointed the finger at the group for carrying out last year’s Jakarta attack.
L’OREAL Paris brand ambassadors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone joined their international counterparts Julianne Moore and Eva Longoria at the 70th Festival De Cannes.
L’Oreal Paris celebrates 20 years of partnering with the prestigious Film Festival as it’s Official Makeup brand and for Cannes 2017, the brand’s iconic ambassadors and many others were seen joining in the festivities on the French Riviera.
Deepika Padukone with smoky eyes in antique green, matched with a bottle green gown which had a thigh-high slit to add the oomph.Photo: AFP
They will showcase the transformational power of make-up and kaleidoscope of styles.
This is Deepika’s first year representing L’Oreal Paris as an ambassador at Cannes.
Known as the red carpet expert, L’Oreal Paris has introduced many beauty trends at this glittering festival and for Cannes 2017, the brand’s exclusive collection of products – The L’Oreal Paris Cannes Collection 2017 – includes a range of illuminating True Match Lumi Liquid and Powder Highlighters and the intense Tint Caresse Cushion Lipstick range.
“We’re happy to announce that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor will be representing L’Oreal Paris and India at the Cannes Film Festival this year. This year is very special to us as L’Oreal Paris celebrates two decades of being the official makeup partner for Cannes.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan princess-like looks in a floor-sweeping powder blue ballroom gown by Dubai-based Filipino fashion designer Michael Cinco. Photo: AFP
“This year, the brand is not only introducing an innovative and phenomenal collection of products, but plans to bring Cannes closer to our consumers through the hottest new makeup and fashion trends, and also giving them a unique experience of #LifeatCannes,” Mr Raagjeet Garg, general manager, L’Oreal Paris said in a statement.
The Cannes Film Festival will conclude on May 28.
Sonam Kapoor in a millennial Elli Saab pink blossom gownPhoto: AFP
NOVEMBER 15, 1989. That was the day India and the rest of the cricket-playing world was introduced to a 16-year-old prodigy from Mumbai.
For almost a quarter-century after that India vs Pakistan Test match in Karachi, Sachin Tendulkar thrilled cricket fans around the world. And he remains one of the biggest sporting icons in the world.
He has been extensively written and talked about over the years but the 44-year-old promises that Sachin: A Billion Dreams will reveal a lot that fans don’t know about him.
The biopic on the life of the Master Blaster combines real-life footage from matches and home videos with recreated scenes to trace his life story.
The film, four years in the making, is produced by Ravi Bhagchandka (of 200 Not Out Productions) and Shrikant Bhasi (of Carnival Pictures) and directed by James Erskine.
Sachin TendulkarPhoto: AFP
tabla! met Sachin and Ravi in a sea-facing suite at the Taj Land’s Hotel, a stone’s throw from the legend’s home in Bandra, Mumbai. Dressed in a fuschia button-down and jeans, Sachin asked for a filter coffee before the interview started.
It was Ravi who came up with the idea of a biopic.
“I used to play a little cricket and we would watch sports films based on the lives of (Mohammad) Ali, (Ayrton) Senna and (Michael) Jordan. I thought that we needed an Indian story told in a similar manner. (Sachin) is to cricket what Ali is to boxing or Jordan to basketball.
So, I got in touch with him and decided to push him to do this. It’s a story that will inspire people for years to come. People will know what he did for his country and what he means for all of us,” said Ravi.
It took Ravi almost six months of daily persuasion to finally get Sachin to agree.
“I am a very private person so I wasn’t very comfortable that private moments that happened within the family would be out in a public space,” Sachin said.
“The first thing I asked him (Ravi) was: ‘Do I need to act?’ Thankfully, he said no. I was okay with that. We felt that the fans would want to know more than just what happened on the field in the last 25 years. So, we had to decide on which private family moments we were okay with sharing.”
In the film, the Little Master promises “really, really private and precious moments that have never been seen by anyone outside the family”. So, the decision to share them had to be taken by the family as a whole.
“Those moments belonged to the whole family and everyone’s opinion mattered,” he said.
One moment that made it to the film and is special to Ravi was when Team India won the cricket World Cup in 2011.
“We’ve all seen Sachin the cricketer. In the film, we are trying to show the human side of him. I feel like his fans would want to see the family moments with his wife, mother or brother.
We’ve shot with all his friends. So, I feel like we’ve been able to pick important moments from his life. The World Cup win also ties the whole film together,” explained Ravi.
For Sachin, watching his life on the big screen was very emotional.
Sachin pose with Indian Air Force personnel after the preview of the film.Photo: AFP
“I never thought I would see my life on screen one day. To be able to re-live those moments, it touches your heart. To give you an example, to watch the reaction of the entire nation when we won the World Cup was something else.
We were in the middle of the action so we didn’t see what was happening around us. We were in a different world that time. And, then you step aside and you watch the reactions on a big screen and you go ‘Wow’!”
Sachin retired from cricket about four years ago on Nov 16, 2013.
“I played for 24 years and the kind of retirement I had was truly special. You can’t plan these things. You can’t get 30,000 people to come to (Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai) and cry for you. It was truly special.
That happens only when they care for you. I am in the fortunate position to experience so much love and affection over the years. I will always be thankful to all the people who supported me. If not for all the support I had, it would have been impossible for me to continue for so long.”
Wankhede Stadium was the venue for another memorable moment last month.
On his 44th birthday during a Mumbai Indians and Pune Supergiant IPL match, the whole stadium sang Happy Birthday to Sachin.
“That came as a big surprise. They told me they’ll have a small cake for me to cut. I was not prepared for the whole stadium to sing for me.
They switched on the torch on their phones so the whole stadium was lit up. It was an unforgettable moment. If you saw the video, you could have seen that I was covering my face. I was quite embarrassed.”
Sachin at home with wife Anjali, son Arjun and daughter Photo: IANS
Sachin continues to be a part of the Mumbai Indians’ dugout. He even has the special title of Icon.
“There is a good relationship with the family – Mrs & Mr Mukesh Ambani (owners of the franchise). I have always been a part of Mumbai Indians and I am a Mumbaikar.
So, it’s nice to be there. I get to see some amazing batting and bowling. As the time goes by, players are getting more and more innovative. Possibly a decade from now, a 200 plus score would be normal (in T-20 matches).”
Now that he does not play competitive sport, Sachin has started playing badminton to keep fit and spend time with his friends.
“I enjoy playing badminton with my friends. Friends who I couldn’t catch up with on a regular basis, I would meet to play lots and lots badminton with. It has also helped me stay fit.
One of the first things that happens after you retire is that you go completely out of shape. I know that I can’t have the same level of fitness as when I was playing but it is always nice to engage in some sport. Getting together with my friends and reminiscing about the years gone by is priceless.”
In a little more than two decades, Sachin achieved more than most do in a lifetime so it’s not surprising that he doesn’t have any specific personal goals for the coming years.
“I just want to continue doing what I am doing. After all these years of chasing a dream (of lifting the World Cup for India), it’s nice to just chill,” he says, flashing his trademark smile.
School’s out and kids in Singapore are gearing up to enjoy their upcoming month-long holiday season in June.
Children might have plenty of ideas when it comes to playtime. But here’s an opportunity for parents to show off their fun side by taking the young ones to events such as meeting Sanrio characters at Changi Airport (and possibly watch planes take off) or even visiting a Harry Potter exhibition.
We’ve rounded up a list of activities – including some free ones – to keep your children occupied over the holidays. There are also some options for parents who would like their children to pick up a new skill set or learn something different outside of school.
Now put away your child’s fidget spinner and choose from one of these unique activities to do this June:
1. Reptopia at Singapore Zoo and River Safari
Photo: Wildlife Reserves Singapore
Turn your ‘ewws’ into ‘awws’ at Singapore Zoo this June, with the all-new reptile exhibit, RepTopia. Taking place over the weekends of May 27 to June 26, the park will host a diverse range of activities including animal enrichment sessions, reptile-inspired craft activities and costumed charm-eleon meet and greet sessions.
Zoolympix will also return for the 13th year with this year’s edition ‘Zoolympix 2017: Reptile Revolution’.
Imagine sleeping under the stars to the gentle roar of the lion. If that’s something you think your kid might like, perhaps try out the inaugural Camp Fest 2017 that will be held over the weekend of May 27 to 28 at Night Safari, River Safari or Singapore Zoo as one of three camping options.
For more information on all activities, visit: www.reptopia.sg
2. Zuper Dad at KidZania Singapore
Photo: KidZania
The title says it all. This is specially for dads who are keen to showcase their superpowers and strength at KidZania Singapore, which celebrates the multi-skilled father in June. Thanks to this, daddies will get to enjoy free entry to KidZania Singapore from June 1 to 25 with every two child tickets ($116 each) purchased at KidZania Singapore’s ticketing counters.
For more information, visit: www.kidzania.com.sg
3. Nordic Adventures with Sanrio Characters at Changi Airport
Photo: Changi Airport
Take your kids to Changi Airport to witness something different this June. Say ‘konnichiwa’ to their favourite Sanrio characters who will come to live on May 26 – complete with a song and dance. If you’re lucky enough, you might even get a chance to take a photo with Hello Kitty, Pompompurin, Cinnamoroll, My Melody, Gudetama or Little Twin Stars
Fret not if you can’t make it this weekend because there will be a meet-and-greet session every weekend starting this Friday all the way till June 26.
There’s also the Nordic Exhibition to check out, which is where you can spot My Melody in a Swedish traditional dress as well as Pompompurin dressed in a Danish Viking suit aboard a Viking ship. Too adorable to miss!
For more information, visit: http://www.changiairport.com/en/plan-your-holiday/nordic-adventures.html
4. Collecting magic: From stamps to wands at the Singapore Philatelic Museum
Photo: AsiaOne
Definitely not to be missed for all Potterheads in Singapore. Cast a spell at this exhibition at the Singapore Philatelic Museum and be enchanted by all the collectible stamps from around the world that will be on display. Photo ops are aplenty despite the small size of the exhibition. Pretend you’re on the Hogwarts Express and snap a picture for keepsake.
For more information, visit: http://spm.org.sg/exhibitions/data/collecting-magic-from-stamps-to-wands
5. High Touch High Tech Junior Science Camp
Photo: Pixabay
If your child is a fan of science, or excels at the subject, why not sign him or her up for a junior science camp? They will get to go through interactive science modules as well as hands-on experiments. At the end of the six hours (yes, it’s not that long a camp), participants will be able to take home their very own science kits.
For more information, email: evelyn@sciencemadefunsg.net.
6. Learn how to be a YouTuber
Photo: Pixabay
These days, even toddlers are capable of using YouTube without the help of their parents. They say if you can’t beat them, join them. Rather than try to stop your child from exploring the world wide web, perhaps channel their interest in a different way by learning how to be a professional YouTuber.
Through a five-day digital media production experience, kids will get to discover the skills of storyboarding, filming and editing so even if they don’t want to be a YouTube star in the making – they could dream bigger and go on to be the next Steven Spielberg.
For more information, visit: http://www.lornawhiston.com/post/ee-june-holiday.
7. Creative code camp for kids
Photo: Pixabay
Bring out the inner Mark Zuckerberg in your child by helping him or her learn the fundamentals at a coding camp.
Designed for kids aged between 10 and 13, this Scratch Foundation course will even teach them the basics of programming. They will learn how to programme a simple game as well as an animation. Your child will be coding like a pro in no time. Best part about this course? No experience is needed.
For more information, email: hello@saturdaykids.com.
8. Guitar lessons at Yamaha Music School
Photo: Pixabay
Enough of that Musical.ly craze – it’s time to actually create real music. Music cleanses the soul so send your child for a crash course on how to play the guitar at Yamaha Music School.
The school’s Ang Mo Kio branch is holding a special June holiday course where kids can choose to learn how to play the acoustic steel guitar or classical guitar.
For more information, visit: https://sg.yamaha.com/en/news_events/2017/amk_june2017.html
9. “Reading With Nature” Series: The Bear with the Sword
Photo: NParks
Enjoy a storytelling session as Junior Reading Ambassadors narrate the story of a bear that wants to chop down all the trees in the forest. This free activity will be held in the realms of nature at Ridley Hall at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Kids will also be brought on a guided tour around the Gardens and get to soak in the greenery. This activity is suitable for children in K1 to P6.
For more information, visit: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/activities/events-and-workshops/2017/6/reading-with-nature-series-the-bear-with-the-sword.
10. NParks Concert Series in the Park: Rockestra® enlivens Fort Canning Park with a nostalgic evening of Retro hits
Photo: The Straits Times
Finally, something that both parents and children can enjoy together.
Pack a picnic basket and relax in the evening breeze at Fort Canning Park while tuning in to a live concert series. Sure, the songs might be unrecognisable to your kids but this is a perfect opportunity to bond with them and reminisce about the good ol’ days.
For more information, visit: www.nparks.gov.sg/concertseries.
The long-guarded secret that is Apple Orchard Road will finally open its doors to the public this Saturday at 10am.
For the longest time, everyone has been speculating about when it will open, and after much teasing, the public can finally catch a glimpse from the outside of its massive glass storefront.
Apple store at Orchard Road reveals its spanking new interior overnight
Come Saturday, Apple Orchard Road will join the nearly 500 Apple stores worldwide to welcome more than a million visitors a day.
While it may be a newcomer as a store, the staff running it from Day 1 will be anything but.
Photo: Vulcan Post
25 per cent of the 237 employees who will be opening Apple Orchard Road are Apple employees who transitioned from their call centres or other parts of the company.
This means that the team is the most seasoned to have ever opened an Apple store in a new country.
So you can be sure that there are highly-trained experts in Apple products who are ready to answer deep technical questions, or just help you discover a new creative passion.
As for the store itself, the first thing you will be greeted by is the massive glass facade – 36.576m (120 feet) long and 14m (46 feet) tall.
Photo: Vulcan Post
Having painstakingly made the glass panels as clear as possible, their sole aim is to not make it seem like a barrier that keeps people out.
This also presented an opportunity to create a 7.62m (25 foot) canopy to shelter visitors from the tropical sunlight and also the rain.
Walking into the store, you will also be greeted with trees on each floor of the store which Apple calls “The Grove”.
Photo: Vulcan Post
Speaking of floors, the 1st and 2nd floor of the store is connected by two curved Castania stone staircases at either side of the store which draws inspiration from Apple Park.
The ground floor is where you expect the main store to be.
Here, you can try each and every product Apple has today to your heart’s content.
Payment terminals are cleverly hidden within the display tables, so you will only see them magically appear when you are ready for a purchase.
Photo: Vulcan Post
Today At Apple Comes To Singapore
Up the stairs is where you will find “The Forum”, a vast open mezzanine level with seats and tables scattered around with potted trees at the side.
This is where the Today at Apple programme will be conducted, and on days where there isn’t an activity, visitors can just chill out there.
Today at Apple will be bringing more than 60 new (and free) hands-on sessions to the store, each centred around topics that visitors are passionate about.
Photo: Vulcan Post
Some of the more popular topics mentioned include photography, and art and design; which will be led by store staff as well as the Red Dot Heroes.
Also tucked away in the corner is a place they call “The Boardroom”.
This is where partners (and potential partners) can set up a meeting with Apple to discuss opportunities they can work together on.
Photo: Vulcan Post
At the opening of the Apple Dubai Mall, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail Angela Ahrendts mentioned that the company sees their stores as today’s version of a town hall.
“We view our stores as a modern-day town square, where visitors come to shop, be inspired, learn or connect with others in their community.”
This is evident when you walk into any Apple Store in the world, because more than just a showroom, it’s an experience you can partake in.
Photo: Vulcan Post
You can chat with fellow Apple enthusiasts, gain in depth knowledge from in-store experts, and learn how to effectively utilise your new purchase through workshops by professionals using the very same equipment.
Singaporeans will soon have an Apple Store to call their own soon, and you can be sure the Apple faithful will be crowding at its doors on opening day.
WOULD you pay four times the retail price of a limited edition pair of sneakers? Or thousands for a $200 ticket to a sold-out concert? The Weekend magazine studies the phenomenon of the reselling market.
Meanwhile, enjoy the simple life in Australia’s Bellarine Peninsula, find out how restaurants are benefitting from discount dining apps and test drive the cool new Volkswagen Beetle cabriolet.
What is the difference between “OK” and “OK.”? Everything. This week’s Brunch feature examines how the meaning of punctuation is changing at warp-speed in the digital world.
Elsewhere in the paper, Cult Status looks at products from possibly the hottest beauty company now, while Cubicle Files examines the value of managers getting out their office and finding out what is happening on the ground.
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has confirmed that the plastic-looking grass jelly seen in videos circulated online is real.
AVA said in a Facebook post on Thursday night (May 25) that laboratory tests had been conducted on samples of the grass jelly from feedback providers, and they were confirmed to be “real chin chow”.
AVA also added that they had inspected the manufacturing facility of the grass jelly, which was found to be “satisfactorily maintained with no abnormalities in their manufacturing process”.
The spongy appearance of the grass jelly might have been due to the “different extents of freezing and defrosting after manufacturing”, said AVA. Freezing and thawing of grass jelly can damage its physical structure, as the gelatin bonds within the jelly are broken and then clumped together.
