Where to get a pair of luxury eyeglasses on the cheap (VIDEO) |
- Where to get a pair of luxury eyeglasses on the cheap (VIDEO)
- Russia state fund reveals plan for US$800m tourism venture with China
- After fake bikini pic, photo of Dyana and Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali
- Reacting to China… and its grand plan — Simon Tay and Nicholas Fang
- ‘Selfie’, ‘hashtag’ now in Merriam-Webster dictionary
| Where to get a pair of luxury eyeglasses on the cheap (VIDEO) Posted: 19 May 2014 06:02 PM PDT NEW YORK, May 20 — Luxury fashion is expensive, and eyeglasses are no exception. One brand is trying to right that wrong with a direct-to-consumer model that aims to disrupt the industry. For the latest in "The Entrepreneurs: Making It," Bloomberg's Anna Edwards meets Rohan Dhir, founder of Archibald Optics. — Bloomberg  |
| Russia state fund reveals plan for US$800m tourism venture with China Posted: 19 May 2014 06:01 PM PDT
The move is the latest in a series of partnerships and funds developed by RDIF, a US$10 billion sovereign wealth fund set up in 2011 to attract strategic investors who have steered clear of Russia due to concerns over rampant graft and the rule of law. RDIF will hold a stake in the fund through Russia-China Investment Fund (RCIF), a private equity firm established with China's sovereign wealth fund CIC in 2012, RDIF Chief Executive Kirill Dmitriev told Reuters in an interview. "We will hold a controlling stake, but will raise the rest of the fund from international partners," Dmitriev said ahead of today's signing ceremony in Shanghai for a series of Sino-Russian deals. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Shanghai today on a two-day visit, where he is expected to sign a number of other deals. China is the second most popular destination for Russian tourists. In 2012, 3.3 million Chinese tourists visited Russia, a three times increase on 2007, Dmitriev added. RCIF is a US$2 billion private equity fund and nearly half of that has been invested so far, Dmitriev said. Seventy per cent of the fund is earmarked to be invested in Russia. FDI into Russia reached a record US$94 billion in 2013, an 83 per cent increase on 2012. Russia ranked third globally behind the United States and China on FDI volumes, according to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Dmitriev said the RDIF's investors have expressed concerns over Western-led sanctions against Russia and their economic and political impact. "All investors and business people we talk to are against sanctions. We oppose them because we believe the best solution to the situation in the Ukraine is to encourage peaceful dialogue," said Dmitriev. In April, RDIF signed a memorandum of understanding with Bahraini sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat prompting the United States to issue a statement stating its disapproval. — Reuters |
| After fake bikini pic, photo of Dyana and Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali Posted: 19 May 2014 05:58 PM PDT
The online attacks against DAP's candidate for the Teluk Intan by-election has resumed, with detractors now circulating a photograph of Dyana Sofya standing beside the head of the Malay rights group, believed to be from an event hosted by the latter to fete Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. Ibrahim, who is known to be close to the Gua Musang federal lawmaker popularly known as Ku Li, reportedly organised the dinner to celebrate the latter's honorary doctorate from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) on March 10. Ku Li, Ibrahim, and Dyana Sofya's mother Yammy Samat had been in the Semangat 46 party that splintered from Umno during the Kelantan prince's feud with then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Dyana Sofya is also an alumni of UiTM. According to news portal Malaysiakini, the circulation of the photo has led to questions of Dyana Sofya's affiliation with Ibrahim, who has had repeated run-ins with the leaders of her DAP party over matters of race and religion. Last week, a photograph of a woman wearing a two-piece swimsuit was distributed online and accompanied by claims that it was of the former political aide to DAP national advisor Lim Kit Siang. The picture was later identified as that of Filipino actress Pauleen Luna. The start of the attacks against Dyana Sofya coincided with speculation that she would be named as the DAP candidate for the Teluk Intan poll. In a bid to shed its image as a predominantly-Chinese party, DAP picked Dyana Sofya, a young Malay woman, as its candidate for the May 25 by-election in Teluk Intan, a Chinese-majority constituency. Dyana will face Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong in a straight fight for Teluk Intan. Mah won the Teluk Intan seat in 1999 and 2004, but lost to DAP's M. Manogaran in 2008 with a 1,470-vote majority. DAP's Seah Leong Peng had defeated Mah in 2013 with a 7,313 majority before succumbing to advanced bladder cancer on May 1, this year. The voter base in Teluk Intan is 42 per cent Chinese, 38 per cent Malay and 19 per cent Indian, making a total of 60,349 registered voters. |
| Reacting to China… and its grand plan — Simon Tay and Nicholas Fang Posted: 19 May 2014 05:55 PM PDT
With reports of fatalities and injuries, other manufacturers have been closing out of precaution. Global supply chains have felt the effects and Hanoi has wisely asserted domestic order. But will the conflict escalate? Will Vietnam be the only one to protest or will others respond too? Regional response History testifies to the real dangers of conflict between China and Vietnam. The two neighbours fought over the Paracel Islands in 1974, when China completed its effective control and Vietnam lost more than 50 personnel. They clashed again along their border in 1979. Anti-China street protests have grown visibly in recent years, demonstrating nationalistic fervour. Until now, countervailing factors have prevented conflict. Soon after the end of the Cold War, the respective communist parties that run the two countries developed layered dialogues on territorial issues at sea and along their long shared border. While upholding its claims, Hanoi restrained criticism. Present events may upend this process. While the angry statements ensue, it is worth watching whether parties can possibly and quietly return to the dialogue process, away from public glare. However, it is not, in any event, only Vietnam who should respond. Others with competing claims —Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines — must take heed. Manila has already angered Beijing by taking up international arbitration and recently arresting Chinese nationals for fishing in contested waters. Its president once likened China to Hitler. Brunei and Malaysia have been relatively tame in their responses, but may now need to steel themselves. Each has recently experienced Chinese vessels assertively venturing into nearby waters. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), as the regional voice, will be pressed to take sides. The group's ministerial meetings so far have declined to single out China, but instead express "serious concerns" about recent developments. It would be right to urge a peaceful resolution in accordance with international law and speed up discussions on a Code of Conduct that both sides have promised. If further concerns arise, Asean must be expected to speak up. Beijing's calculations But will China care? There is a sense that China is looking past Vietnam and the region. Place this action in a broader context of Beijing's stand-off with Tokyo over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, and its declaration of an Air Defence Identification Zone. Note that China moved the rig into the disputed waters soon after United States President Barack Obama's Asian visit, which had put security reassurance at the top of the agenda. China's action can be understood as a pushback against the Obama administration's policy to 'pivot' or rebalance towards Asia. Shrewdly, it has acted against Vietnam, which is not an American ally. Each step taken, from China's perspective, is justified and in isolation, may not seem significant. Collectively, however, some will read an orchestrated, step-by-step effort by China to move the status quo in its favour. It remains unclear at present if the US sees it this way and how it might respond. So far, US Vice-President Joe Biden has said the country does not take sides in the dispute, while a State Department spokesman characterised Chinese actions as being "provocative and unhelpful". In response, a senior Chinese leader, General Fang Fenghui, sharply blamed the US 'pivot' for giving neighbouring countries a chance to "provoke problems". This came while the general visited Washington DC for a high-level dialogue with US defence counterparts. China has put relations with the US on a new plane, as a "major power" dialogue partner. This seeks to better manage the complex and interdependent relationship between the current and rising superpowers on global issues. This tests America's commitment and emphasis in rebalancing to Asia. If the Obama administration presses too hard, this could jeopardise a range of other interests on which China's cooperation is needed. Yet, if it does not respond, Obama's security reassurances will mean little. Asking China to reverse its present action may be asking too much. However, it will take more than finger wagging to convince Beijing that there is real cost against a further step. The Vietnamese reaction has been angry and immediate. No doubt, the Philippines will promptly protest out of solidarity. Beyond this, broader implications will ripple through the region and indeed across the Pacific. Most still wish to cooperate with a rising China while maintaining stability in the region. But, while no one should demonise Beijing, all have to be wary of mute acquiescence and this will require thoughtful and more measured responses. — Today * Simon Tay and Nicholas Fang are, respectively, chairman and executive director of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs. Both were part of a Singapore delegation that attended the 3rd Singapore-US strategic dialogue in Washington last week. ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online. |
| ‘Selfie’, ‘hashtag’ now in Merriam-Webster dictionary Posted: 19 May 2014 05:49 PM PDT
"So many of these new words show the impact of online connectivity to our lives and livelihoods," said Peter Sokolowski, editor-at-large for Merriam-Webster. "Tweep, selfie, and hashtag refer to the ways we communicate and share as individuals," he added. Originally a social media buzzword, "selfie" was admitted to the online version of the Oxford English dictionary in 2013, which named it word of the year. Merriam-Webster defined "selfie" as "an image of oneself taken by oneself using a digital camera especially for posting on social networks." The dictionary said a "more playful intersection" of technology and human behaviour can be seen in "steampunk." The word made the cut and was defined as "science fiction dealing with 19th century societies dominated by historical or imagined steam-powered technology." "Crowdfunding," "big data" and "gamification," were also added, showing "how technology is being used to understand and motivate behaviour," the dictionary said. Another newbie was "catfish," defined as a person who sets up a false social networking profile for deceptive purposes. "Fracking" was also admitted to the dictionary. The technique involves using huge amounts of pressurised water mixed with chemicals to crack open shale — sedimentary rock containing hydrocarbons — to release natural gas or oil. It has unlocked an energy boom in the United States but has sparked controversy elsewhere as a threat to the environment and potential cause of earthquakes, with some countries banning it. — AFP |
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