Latest news with #China-born
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Canadian wins inaugural S'pore board game tournament
Champion of World Series of Board Gaming Asia Wei Wei (in pink) beat three other opponents at The Castle of Burgundy in the final in slightly less than three hours. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE - After three days of competition, financial analyst Wei Wei was crowned the grand champion of the inaugural World Series of Board Gaming (WSBG) Asia on June 2. The China-born Canadian beat three other opponents at The Castle of Burgundy in the final in slightly less than three hours. In that board game, players aim to develop their estate and earn points by building castles or selling goods. 'It feels surreal,' said Mr Wei, 33. 'I was lagging behind in the first few rounds because I made a few poor decisions, so I thought that I didn't have a chance anymore, but the tides turned. He was among about 100 players who participated in the May 31 to June 2 tournament, which was the first WSBG event to be held in Asia. The parent event is held annually in Las Vegas, and satellite tournaments are mainly held in other cities in the United States. Sixteen board games were featured in the Singapore event, and winners for each game competed in the semi-finals on the morning of June 2. Mr Wei secured his spot in a semi-final by winning The White Castle on June 1, and triumphed over other semi-finalists in Wingspan. 'When it was announced that the game for the grand final would be The Castle of Burgundy, I was pretty elated because it is one of the games that I'm more familiar with,' he said. The final game was picked at random out of the pool of games that finalists had not played before the finale . The China-born Canadian finished with 139 points - 12 points ahead of the runner-up - and was crowned the grand champion to much applause. He also won a $1,000 reimbursement for his flight ticket to the 2025 WSBG in Las Vegas in September , which he has already bought event tickets for. Champion of World Series of Board Gaming Asia Wei Wei (in pink) makes a move during the final game, The Castle of Burgundy, on June 2. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Winners of their respective board games in Singapore will also be given a bye to the second round for that game in Las Vegas if they decided to go for the Sept 19-23 event. Hundreds of board game enthusiasts from different countries crowded Mind Cafe Mega at Prinsep Street during the three-day affair, much to the delight of event organisers Ivan Chen and Lynn Liu. 'The turnout was way beyond our expectations,' said Ms Liu. 'So many people walked in to play casually and just experience the atmosphere, and there were many times we ran out of tables.' The couple, who competed in WSBG in Las Vegas in September 2024, brought the event to Singapore to grow the board gaming community in the region. 'I think we've set out what we meant to do,' said Ms Liu. 'Many strangers came together to play against or teach each other, so there was definitely a sense of community.' Taiwanese Joyce Lin, 32, who won The Castle of Burgundy on June 1, said the tournament was a great opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals. Her win came as a surprise. 'I'm not the best at the game, so I was just playing to have fun. When I could smell my victory, I was trying my best to contain my excitement and not smile too wide,' said the finance professional who works in Shanghai. 'The competition was very friendly. Everyone would remind each other if someone forgot to draw or misplaced a game piece,' she said. 'I'll definitely be back next year.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Vogue Singapore
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue Singapore
The sea is this year's leading inspiration for jewellers
Something's in the air lately in jewellery design—or in the water, rather. For millennia, we've looked above and below to wonder about our place in the world. Yet for all the discoveries, very little continues to elude, fascinate and inspire like the ocean. The vast seas—they cover significantly more area on our planet than land, mind you—have shaped and defined cultures, trade and history. The siren song of the seas is as hypnotic as it is varied, as we are seeing being played out in several recent collections of jewellery inspired by the sea. Robert Louis Stevenson's adventure novel Treasure Island was the inspiration and namesake behind Van Cleef & Arpels's newest range of high jewellery. It's perhaps the maison's most playful collection in years, with nods to a pirate adventure and a search for hidden treasure. It gleefully takes on board these childlike symbols and motifs, and turns it on its head with the maison's signature grace and elegance. Courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels Courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels Courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels Courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels Consider the Coquillage Mystérieux seashell clip, which is arranged with mystery-set buffed top square rubies, round and baguette-cut white diamonds, and pink diamonds. On the reverse, a charming secret that toys with the house's classical ballerina and fairy motifs: a nereid, perched atop a cultured pearl, hoisting an emerald. Courtesy of Wallis Hong Courtesy of Wallis Hong The ocean can certainly play to the emotions of jewellers and designers. Take the designs of China-born, Spain-based jewellery artist Wallis Hong, whose pieces are sculptural, dreamlike and have an aquatic quality even when they aren't inspired by the sea. He describes his first design, the Eternal Butterfly, as a 'waterdrop butterfly' that has burst out of a cave with droplets cascading off its form. When I question him about this consistency in design—which is most pronounced in the way he sculpts blue titanium into organic shapes—he explains that the idea is more universal, to evoke emotions and spark imaginations, not taxonomic literalism. 'Some viewers might feel the inspiration comes from water,' he says, while 'others may sense influences from the sky or the universe'. Hong tells me that recent designs, such as the Thorn Shells earrings, were inspired by his first trips to the Spanish islands of Ibiza and Formentera. 'There, I discovered the natural forms of conches on the beaches and explored the vibrant underwater ecosystems teeming with diverse marine life.' Courtesy of Boucheron The universality and critical nature of water has also fascinated Claire Choisne, the brilliant creative director of Boucheron, in her Or Bleu collection of high jewellery. The range of 26 jewels is dedicated to water in its myriad forms: coursing waterfalls, concentric waves on a surface caused by a drop, sea foam washing up on sand, the crystalline translucency of icebergs, among many more. Courtesy of Boucheron The collection's most modern idea might also be its most direct. The Eau Vive pair of shoulder brooches imagine Icelandic waves crashing against the contours of a body. Boucheron used 3D software to simulate the movements of water. After a beautiful 'crash' was determined, it was then sculpted from a single block of aluminium, chosen for lightness, and mirrored to create a symmetrical pair. Diamonds are set into the aluminium—a feat of craftsmanship as the metal is more challenging to work with in jewellery than traditional gold—and then plated in palladium for an intense shine. What a thought: to wear the waves of the sea on one's shoulders. Courtesy of Massimo Izzo Vast and powerful yet serene and constant; the beauty of endless horizons versus the uncaring danger of the unknown. Varied perspectives from different cultures and peoples can make the sea endlessly fascinating. Take the Sicilian jeweller Massimo Izzo, who crafts his jewels of the sea with an unmistakably Mediterranean lushness and hedonism. The lifelike curves of his octopuses, seahorses and starfishes have an almost juicy, bursting quality to them. Courtesy of Simone Jewels Courtesy of Simone Jewels Courtesy of Simone Jewels Contrast that with how the Japanese might view the sea. For an island nation that we get the term 'tsunami' from, it is an entity of destructive power. Katsushika Hokusai's 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa', one of Japan's most famous artworks, inspired the latest Romance de l'art nouveau collection by Simone Jewels. A combination of art nouveau design and Hokusai's artistry, the line celebrates an interplay of chaos and serenity. Diamonds set onto white gold waves almost seem to crest and rise off a bed of chalcedony as water. And in their forms, you instantly recognise a view of the sea from the East. Courtesy of Tiffany & Co. For proof, though, that this cresting wave of aquatic designs is no passing trend, consider that Tiffany & Co. has selected Sea of Wonder as the theme of its Blue Book high jewellery collection for 2025. The first chapter for spring, which debuted in late April at the brand's Landmark flagship in New York, hinges heavily on the marine designs of Jean Schlumberger interpreted by Nathalie Verdeille, the house's chief artistic officer of jewellery and high jewellery. Each piece, she says, is an invitation to 'embark on a journey through uncharted realms of the deep sea'. Figurative at times, but just as equally bold, ornate and fantastical at others, these underwater jewels are an expression of human curiosity and creativity. Courtesy of Mikimoto Courtesy of Louis Vuitton Courtesy of Cartier The May 2025 'Sonder' issue of Vogue Singapore is available online and on newsstands.
New Straits Times
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Jet Li on youngest daughter's graduation: 'Highlight of my life'
NEW YORK: Screen martial arts legend Jet Li was recently in New York for his youngest daughter Jada's graduation ceremony. The Straits Times reported yesterday that Li, 62, has been married to former actress Nina Li Chi, 63, since 1999. They have two daughters, Jane, 25, and Jada, 22. Li also has two older daughters, Li Si and Li Taimi, from a previous marriage to former actress Huang Qiuyan. On May 25, Li posted on Weibo: "All my four daughters have graduated from college. I am at the bottom of the pile as I do not even have a primary school certificate. Please allow me to brag a little, as this is the highlight of my life." The China-born Singaporean actor shared photos of himself with Jane and Jada, as well as a separate photo with Jada. "She is finally free to pursue her dreams after more than 10 years of hard work," Li added. "Congratulations to my youngest daughter, Jada, for graduating from college." According to various Chinese-language media outlets, all four of his daughters pursued their tertiary education in the United States. Jada graduated from Barnard College, while Jane is a Harvard University alumna. Earlier in May, Li revealed in a Weibo post that his second daughter, Taimi, is an ophthalmologist. While in New York, the actor also took the opportunity to tour the city. "My daughter accompanied me to take the subway and visit Central Park," he wrote on Weibo. "We ate some frankfurters. I relaxed for a while and told myself that this kind of ordinary day is so carefree." Li, whose last film role was in the 2020 Hollywood live-action movie Mulan, also posted photos of himself signing autographs and posing with fans upon returning to his hotel. "Thank you for still supporting me after so many years," he wrote.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Who is Justin Sun, controversial China born crypto billionaire at Donald Trump's Memecoin Dinner?
Crypto billionaire and entrepreneur Justin Sun was one of the high profile attendees of lavish dinner hosted by US president Donald Trump on Thursday to felicitate top 220 holders of his Memecoin. Top 25 holders were invited to a special before-dinner reception with the president and also chosen as 'eligible' for a tour of the White House. Justin Sun, the China-born founder of the Tron blockchain, participated in the dinner while he is fighting a market manipulation case in the US. As Trump left the event, Justin Sun was introduced as a speaker by Bill Zanker, who helped organise the dinner. The billionaire, now holding the citizenship of Saint Kitts and Nevis, claims to be one of the top holder of Trump's Memecoin. He is known for purchasing an art piece with a banana taped to a wall for $6.2 million and eating the fruit later. The controversial billionaire was sued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission in 2023 for allegedly manipulating markets by offering the sale of unregistered securities through companies he owns and controls – the Tron Foundation, BitTorrent Foundation Ltd., and Rainberry Inc. He also paid celebrities for undisclosed promotions. The crypto billionaire has also invested a total of $75 million in WLFI, the token of World Liberty Financial, another crypto project linked to Trump and his family members. As an adviser to the project, his early investment is believed to have helped Trump start the project. At the dinner,Sun called for the crypto industry to back Trump and his initiatives. He had expressed great enthusiasm in attending Trump's dinner and thanked the Republican for his 'unwavering support' to the industry. Amid Sun's camaraderie with Trump, the US SEC is looking to pause the case after former chairman Gary Gensler left the agency, reported Bloomberg. The move is one of the noteworthy legal developments after Trump assumed power for a second term on January 20. Trump's dinner gala was slammed by Democrats as Senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff demanded a federal ethics investigation. They called the event a 'pay to play' scheme of 'corruption and foreign influence,' as many holders of Trump's Memecoin are believed to be from outside the US. The White House has defended the event saying Trump was attending the event in his 'personal time' outside official duties. The administration also claimed that it has nothing to do with Trump's Memecoin.
New York Post
23-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Trump hails ‘pioneers' who shelled out for his cryptocoin — as Dems charge corruption
WASHINGTON — President Trump lavished praise on top buyers of his eponymous cryptocurrency Thursday night at a private gathering at his golf club in northern Virginia — as Democrats in Congress and protesters outside the venue called the 220-person event an example of shameful self-dealing by the commander in chief. 'I really think you're going to end up being very proud of what you did, because you're pioneers, you're here very early. It's very early. It's a very young industry, and you've done very well,' Trump, 78, said in the closed-to-press speech, snippets of which were posted to Instagram by a guest. 'I just want to thank you. I want to congratulate you, and I want to let you know that I'm with you all the way.' The event for top $TRUMP buyers had stoked controversy for weeks, though White House aides insisted that investors were not receiving special treatment from the administration. As part of the gala, the president attended an intimate cocktail reception with a group of 25 big-money buyers of his digital currency — topped by China-born Justin Sun, who invested $1,319,904.266 in 'time weighted $TRUMP holdings,' according to signage at the event reviewed by CNN. In February, the Securities and Exchange Commission paused a civil fraud case against Sun after he publicly touted his purchase of the cryptocurrency, which launched in January. The president reportedly has reaped millions from the Solana blockchain memecoin during its four months in existence. A Trump family company and an associated firm have earned $320.19 million in fees, according to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, Reuters reports. Outside Thursday's event, protesters held signs including 'Stop Crypto Corruption' and 'Release the guest list.' Protesters outside Thursday night's event AP Congressional Democrats are likely to investigate Trump's burgeoning crypto empire if they regain power following next year's midterm elections — with the president's business interests, including a series of hotel and resort deals in a trio of Mideast countries he visited last week, forming a potential basis for a third impeachment push against him. 'Donald Trump's dinner is an orgy of corruption,' Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Thursday. 'The American people have no idea who is buying access to the president, and no idea what they are getting in return.' GUEST LIST Although the guest list was not publicly released, many of the attendees who dined on filet mignon and pan-seared halibut are known because they disclosed their plans to attend or posted on social media while there. Vincent Liu, the chief investment officer of Taiwanese crypto company Kronos Research, told Reuters it was an important networking event for him and that 'that kind of access is rare, and it represents how digital assets are entering the mainstream.' Sheldon Zia, founder of the Cayman Islands crypto exchange BitMart, tweeted photos of the ballroom and some of its guests. New Yorker Vincent Deriu reportedly said he was attending after investing $116,000, while German investor Christoph Heuermann posted footage of Trump's remarks. 'I got to see some very rich crypto billionaires,' he wrote on Instagram 'But the majority of the crowd were young professionals from the crypto space hailing mostly from Europe. A fair share of Chinese and a few Americans, but a great diversity of most European countries. People working mostly for crypto exchanges, funds, market makers or just trading themselves. Very nice networking.' The White House brushed off criticism of the event, while deputy press secretary Anna Kelly telling Reuters: 'President Trump's assets are in a trust managed by his children. There are no conflicts of interest.' Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at her Thursday briefing that Trump, who previously led a real estate and branding empire, had lost money while serving as America's chief executive. 'The president is abiding by all conflict of interest laws that are applicable to the president,' she said. 'It's hard for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of his presidency. This president was incredibly successful before giving it all up to serve our country publicly. And not only has he lost wealth, but he also almost lost his life. 'He has sacrificed a lot to be here and to suggest otherwise is just frankly completely absurd.'
