On the eve of New York Fashion Week, the industry’s elite took time out to raise awareness for AIDS at amfAR’s annual gala benefit on Wednesday night.
At this year’s 19th edition of the event, actress Scarlett Johansson and designer Donatella Versace were honoured for their commitment to the cause. “I’m deeply, deeply touched. Really, deeply touched to be here,” said Johansson.
Brazilian model Adriana Lima said Versace was worthy of the honour. “She always finds a way to help with different charities. You can tell that she uses her profile to help other people and she has a great heart. So she deserves an award tonight,” Lima said.
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, was founded in 1985 and has funded more than 3,300 research organisations around the world. Several times a year the foundation holds galas to raise money and awareness to fight the disease.
Qoo10 is running a Qoo10 Day Grand Sale promotion featuring free cart coupons worth $5, $20 & $50. Coupons are only available during the Event Period stated
Juhe, China – Carrying the golden statue of a revered ancient general, villagers in eastern China dash wildly through waterlogged fields in a mud-spattered celebration of a local rebel adored for stealing from the rich to give to the poor.
Spurred on by the roar of firecrackers and cheers of families crowded on muddy banks, teams of men splash through the quagmire, in a centuries-old ceremony that is part of the lead up to China’s Lantern Festival on February 11.
It is a time for colourful ceremonies in the coastal province of Fujian, where the Hakka people have held on particularly strongly to their folk traditions.
At the centre of the celebrations is the solemn-faced gilded effigy of Guan Gong, a Chinese general who lived nearly 2,000 years ago during the Eastern Han dynasty and has been granted god-like status.
But he is not the main focus of the festivities.
For villagers here Guan Gong acts as a stand-in for a local rebel king named Zhang Lian, akin to a Robin Hood figure, who looted riches and helped the poor.
He rose up in 1560 against the corrupt Ming empire, which used its massive army to impose heavy taxes on local peasants.
After two years of fighting, the government crushed the insurrection, leading the hero to flee to Indonesia, where legend has it he eventually became king of the southeastern island known today as Sumatra.
Seeking to honour him without upsetting the emperor, Ming dynasty peasants paid tribute to an image of Guan Gong instead.
Local families pray to the statue, light incense and sacrifice chickens, before carrying it down to the field.
Photo: AFP
Villagers on Wednesday ran through the flooded fields to the point of collapse and then splashed water on the statue and each other in the winter morning chill.
Stomping about in the mud is also a way to “awaken” the farmland for the coming spring and express hopes for a good harvest year.
Hu Sheng, one of the men carrying the statue in a bamboo litter, told AFP that he travelled to the ceremony every year from the southern city of Shenzhen where he works.
“Everyone respects Guan Gong. I must come back for this because I hope he will bless me and my family this year, and I want everyone to have a good harvest,” he said.
British actor Tom Hiddleston has opened up about his 2016 summer romance with Taylor Swift, insisting their relationship “was real” but explaining that his much-mocked “I (heart) T.S.” tank top was just a joke.
The three-month romance between the “Thor” actor and U.S. pop star Swift became a celebrity media obsession last year, cataloged in paparazzi shots on beaches and at restaurants.
Many viewed it with suspicion, questioning whether it was a publicity stunt intended to benefit the public images of both Hiddleston, 36, and Swift, 27. It ended in September without explanation.
Photos: Internet screengrabs
“Taylor is an amazing woman,” Hiddleston told GQ magazine in an interview for the March issue that was released on Wednesday.
“She’s generous and kind and lovely, and we had the best time. Of course it was real,” he said.
Hiddleston said he was taken aback by the attention given to the skimpy white “I (heart) T.S.” tank top he was photographed wearing while kissing Swift in the ocean at her annual July 4 beach party.
The actor said he had hurt his back playing a game and wanted to protect the graze from the sun.
“One of her friends said, ‘I’ve got this.’ And we all laughed about it. It was a joke.
“I was surprised. I was just surprised that it got so much attention. The tank top became an emblem of this thing,” he told GQ.
THAI POLICE have contacted their Malaysian counterparts, requesting permission to interrogate a Malaysian drug suspect to probe his possible link to Xaysana Keopimpha’s alleged drug network.
Kamarudin bin Awang was arrested in Malaysia’s Kelantan State on Monday, weeks after Thai police had nabbed Xaysana – a high-profile Laotian – at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
“We have already contacted Malaysian police,” Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) chief Pol Lt-General Sommai Kongwisaisuk said yesterday.
He described Kamarudin as a man who had allegedly facilitated drug flows from Thailand’s North to Malaysia for years.
“I’ve heard that at the time of his arrest, more than Bt30 million (S$1.2 million) cash was found, hidden in PVC pipes,” he added.
Sommai said there were grounds to believe both Kamarudin and Xaysana might have been drug lords.
NSB deputy chief Pol Maj-General Pornchai Charoenwong said his agency was now busy listing assets linked to Xaysana.
“We expect to complete the list by February 10,” he said.
He added that relevant authorities would then discuss financial probes next week.
Xaysana – who had long portrayed himself as a rich and well-connected man from Laos – is reported to have owned hundreds of super-cars.
Photo: The Nation/ANN
Akarakit “Benz Racing” Woraroj-charoendet, a famous motorcycle racer, became the first Thai celebrity to be linked to Xaysana because of a Lamborghini Gallardo SuperLeggera that he flaunted.
Akarakit often posed for photos with the luxury car. He claimed he owned it but Nattapon Nakkam, who was arrested earlier this month for allegedly facilitating Xaysana’s drug trade in Thailand, has told police he bought the vehicle in Akarakit’s name.
Police have suggested the possibility that many prominent Thai figures assisted Xaysana with money laundering and asset concealment.
According to Sommai, at least three super-cars linked to Akarakit and Nattapon are now in police custody pending further investigation. Each of them is worth about Bt20 million.
Pol Maj-General Chatree Paisansilp, a deputy chief of the NSB, said Akarakit would be summoned for questioning again next week.
Last Friday, Akarakit turned himself in to the NSB, claiming he did not know Xaysana and had simply borrowed Bt6 million from Nattapon to buy the Lamborghini.
At this point, police do not think Akarakit has sufficient evidence to support his claim.
Photo: The Nation/ANN
Nattawat Huangmanee – the owner of the Buono Auto Clinic where the Lamborghini was sold – told police yesterday that the super-car initially belonged to a financial institution.
He declined to answer a media question as to whether he knew Akarakit and Nattapon.
Sommai disclosed that the ongoing investigation had already expanded to about 20 luxury cars on the Lao side as well.
“We have already requested information on these vehicles from Laos, as we suspect that they might have been linked to Xaysana,” he said.
Thai authorities have firmly dismissed rumours that Laos had demanded the release of Xaysana.
Deputy national police Commissioner Pol General Rungroj Sangkram, meanwhile, said a fact-finding committee was trying to gather evidence on the allegation that Pol Captain Pattarapon Thuaythong, a deputy inspector at Suvarnabhumi Airport’s checkpoint, had special ties with Xaysana.
“We will announce the probe results to the public, too,” Rungroj said.
An informed source said that Pattarapon always greeted Xaysana at the airport and kept a car key for the Laotian.
“If he is found guilty, he will face both disciplinary and criminal action,” Rungroj said.
Singapore has planted a fresh flag to promote global trade – in stark contrast to what it sees as a “dark shift” toward protectionism in other developed markets.
The city-state’s Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) on Thursday released its long-awaited report on how the island-nation will address challenges from stagnant economic growth as key industries, such as trade and commodities, suffered from a slowdown and digital disruption.
The CFE was set up last year to develop strategies to prepare the workforce for economic and social challenges, including digital disruption and an aging population.
The 30-member committee was co-chaired by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat and Minister for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran, and included cabinet ministers, members of parliament and business leaders. The report will form the basis for Singapore’s upcoming budget statement later this month.
Singapore, despite being less than a quarter of the size of the state of Rhode Island, often punches well above its weight diplomatically and can help to set the rhetorical tone for the region. It is Southeast Asia’s only country with developed nation status.
Graphic: The Straits Times
But the city-state has long hung its hat on openness to global trade and among the various challenges to the country’s economy, the delayed CFE report honed in on recent political developments in the US and Europe.
“Most worryingly, the world saw a dark shift in mood away from globalisation in 2016. It no longer seems certain we are on an inexorable course towards greater globalisation, stronger multilateral institutions and a more connected world,” the report said.
“Instead, we saw nativist politics and protectionist economics growing in strength and influence in Europe and the US. The anti-globalisation trend will undermine international trade, hurting all economies, but particularly small open ones like Singapore, with two-thirds of our gross domestic product (GDP) generated by external demand.”
That followed US President Donald Trump’s decision last month to formally pull the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which would have created a 12-country Pacific rim free-trade bloc, including Singapore. The TPP, which was negotiated during President Barack Obama’s term in office, hadn’t yet been voted on or ratified by Congress.
Trump also signalled he planned to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), enacted in 1994, which eliminated most tariffs between Mexico, the US and Canada.
Following a referendum last year, the UK has also moved to exit the European Union trade bloc and in France, nationalist National Front party leader Marine Le Pen, who is opposed to the EU and globalisation, has advanced in election polls.
Singapore’s CFE, however, said the city-state’s future remain focused on developing international ties, although the report placed great emphasis on regional ties as important for future economic growth.
“We must resist the threat of rising protectionism. Singapore must continue to work with like-minded partners,” the report said, including “less traditional” ones.
“The US and Europe continue to have innovative companies and people, whom we can work with. We also see strong potential in many Asian markets – in particular Southeast Asia, China and India – as well as in emerging markets farther afield,” the report said.
It particularly cited the opportunities from the rise of the middle class and urbanization in Asia.
“We cannot know which industries will succeed,” the report said. “What we do know is that Singapore must stay open to trade, talent and ideas and build deep capabilities.”
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The report offered seven strategies, some of which were previously announced efforts.
One strategy was to continue to work to reduce trade barriers and tariffs, as well as to build further “innovation alliances.”
That included tie-ups between universities and foreign and domestic start-ups as well as opportunities for Singaporean students to study overseas. The report also advocated for greater market research across the region, to deepen specialised knowledge of markets.
The report cited existing industrial and business parks the city-state’s companies have been developing in India, Indonesia and Vietnam, as well as township projects in China.
In what could represent a cultural shift for Singapore’s strong emphasis on education, the report advocated moving away from “the pursuit of the highest possible academic qualifications early in life” and toward life-long learning and retraining approaches.
The report also targeted increasing commercialization of the government’s investments in research and development.
The CFE also advocated continuing Singapore’s efforts to become a start-up hub in the region, aiming to encourage partnerships between small and large enterprises and improve access to venture capital.
It particularly advised increasing digitization and encouraging it among small businesses. Singapore already has been a global leader in moving government functions online. Going further, the CFE advised developing data analytics and cyber security industries and data science programs.
The CFE also advised greater digital connection with other economies as well as greater infrastructure connections. It cited the continued expansion of the city-state’s airport as well as other projects, including a high-speed rail between the city-state and Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, its neighbour to the north.
Developing “exportable capabilities,” such as research on self-driving vehicles and water technologies, were also cited.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is on a manhunt for culprits behind two suspected cases of cruelty towards mynahs in the River Valley area.
Two mynahs on the road in Singapore.Photo: The Straits Times
In the first incident on Jan 25, a mynah was found on the ground floor of Block 78, Indus Road with its feet and neck tied with three different types of string.
The bird was alive when found by a passer-by, but had died by the time SPCA officers arrived, executive director Jaipal Singh Gill told The Straits Times.
Three days later, two mynahs were found with their legs bound together in a men’s restroom at the nearby Delta House.
Members of a Buddhist meditation group found the birds, which appeared to be otherwise unharmed, and removed the string.
A report has been lodged with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, which is investigating.
Dr Gill said that the incidents appeared to be deliberate acts of cruelty, adding that this is the first such case he has seen.
“It’s not unheard of for a bird to get entangled – but three different strings makes it unlikely. One of the strings was also tied with triple knots. Because they happened in such close vicinity, our suspicion is that it is the same person or people responsible,” he said.
SPCA volunteers went from door to door at Housing Board blocks along Indus Road on Tuesday night to hand out fliers with appeals for information.
A poster put up by the SPCA at Block 78, Indus Road. It is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the culprits.Photo: The Straits Times
The organisation is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
The SPCA investigated 776 cases of alleged cruelty, which includes neglect and abandonment, from July 1, 2015 to June 30 last year. This is down from 846 cases for the same period spanning the previous year.
Dr Gill said that while the drop is not statistically significant, stronger enforcement by the authorities and stiffer penalties implemented against animal abusers in recent years have sent a clear message that abuse is not tolerated.
Under the Animals and Birds Act, those convicted of cruelty to animals face up to 18 months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000 or both for the first offence.
The nine armoured vehicles which Hong Kong recently returned to Singapore will be deployed for training soon.
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has completed serviceability checks and maintenance of the Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles and other equipment which were shipped back on Jan 30, the Singapore Army said on Monday.
Giving an update on its Facebook page, it added that the infantry troop carriers will be deployed for training “shortly”, though it did not specify when.
On Nov 23 last year, Hong Kong Customs seized the nine Terrex vehicles which were on an APL container ship that was in transit in Hong Kong, en route from Taiwan to Singapore. The Singapore-made vehicles had been used in a military exercise in Taiwan, and were being shipped home.
Media reports had said earlier that commercial shipper APL did not have the appropriate permits for the vehicles.
On Jan 24, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said that Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying had replied to an earlier letter from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, to inform him that the Hong Kong authorities had completed their investigations and would release the held vehicles and equipment.
The Terrex vehicles left the Hong Kong port on Jan 27 on an APL ship, arriving in Singapore three days later. Hong Kong Customs said that APL could face criminal charges for a suspected breach of the law.
This article was first published on Feb 9, 2017. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
