Sunday 25 January 2015

India wants to know: Where has Michelle Obama been all day?

Obama-Michelle-Modi-India

On her first tour to India, she met Mumbai’s street children, played hopscotch with them, and danced to a Bollywood number. This time around, she has (so far) mostly chosen to stay out of the limelight.


India wants to know: where has Michelle Obama been all day?


After arriving in New Delhi early on Jan. 25, Michelle Obama walked down the stairs from Air Force One alongside her husband, US president Barack Obama, engaged in some pleasantries, got into the presidential ride and then entirely disappeared from view.


Till this evening.




PM Narendra Modi greets US Prez Obama & First Lady Michelle Obama at the banquet in Rashtrapati Bhawan #ObamaInIndia pic.twitter.com/sGpEFTzZTE


— ANI (@ANI_news) January 25, 2015




On the other hand, the US president has had a rather busy day. After a quick trip to Mahatma Gandhi’s resting place, he met India’s president Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and received the Guard of Honour. That was followed by lunch and diplomatic parlays, and finally a significant press conference with prime minister Narendra Modi.


In between all that, POTUS (President of the United States) and Modi even made some time for tea surrounded by pools of lotus.


But FLOTUS—yes, the First Lady of the United States—uncharacteristically was no where to be seen.


This is unusual for the Harvard-trained lawyer who has made important international trips by herself to project American soft power. Perhaps the most significant of these was her 2014 visit to China, where she spoke about “minority rights, Internet access and religious freedom” while also partaking in some skipping rope and Chinese martial arts.


Even on her 2010 trip in India, the first lady made her presence felt—and the Indian press was fascinated. Headlines included “Dancing queen Michelle rocks India.”



Obama-Michelle-India

At Mumbai’s Holy Name High School(Reuters/Jason Reed)


Obama-Michelle-India

And then at Mumbai University.(Reuters/Danish Siddiqui)

But unlike the last visit, the US first lady doesn’t really have an Indian counterpart. Although married, prime minister Modi had never acknowledged his wife publicly until he filed election nomination papers ahead of the general elections last year. And till date, she has not played any role in his public life.


Still, FLOTUS has time to make up for her disappearing act—although initial reactions to her dress at the ceremonial dinner at India’s presidential palace have been less than flattering.




OMG! What IS Michelle Obama wearing?! That bustle-skirt dress is seriously unflattering! Almost makes me wish she had stayed invisible!


— Seema Goswami (@seemagoswami) January 25, 2015




Also read


POTUS by lotus: Modi (again) proves he’s the master of symbolism


Narendra Modi greeted and hugged Barack Obama—all is forgiven


This article is a part of Quartz India. For more, follow this link.



India wants to know: Where has Michelle Obama been all day?
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What you need to know about the election in Greece

All change.

“In Greece, democracy will return,” Alexis Tsipras said as he voted on Sunday in his nation’s general election. The 40-year-old leader of the radical left Syriza party is likely to be the next prime minister of what is after all the birthplace of democracy.




The next leader of Greece?(Reuters/Marko Djurica)

Tsipras’s imminent ascendancy to the top of Greek politics holds consequences, not only for his country but for all the 19 members of the euro zone.


Why are voters turning to Syriza?


Because Greece has been a depressing place to live in the last five years.


In late 2009, Greece—after much umming and ahhing—re-stated its accounts and said its debts were the highest in the country’s modern history. In 2010, it received a 110-billion-euro bailout from the euro zone. That wasn’t enough, and in 2012, another 130-billion-euro bailout was agreed upon by international lenders in return for a series of major spending cuts.


Syriza—then a coalition of leftist parties rather than a single entity—almost derailed the second bailout by winning the most votes in a general election in May 2012 on an anti-austerity platform that called for leaving the euro and returning to the drachma. But a second election was held six weeks later, won by a traditional party that backed the bailout, and Greeks have had it even tougher since then.




Roughly 25% of the Greek economy has been destroyed since the peak in late 2007, putting its tumble on par with the US Great Depression:



Cumulative-change-in-Greek-GDP-from-2008-peak-rate_chartbuilder



Unemployment shot through the roof. Currently, about 26% of people in Greece are unemployed (pdf), the highest in the European Union:




Understandably, people aren’t happy. Syriza came in first in elections for the European Parliament last May, and polls predict that it will win the largest number of seats today.


The political parties that backed austerity point to a return to growth in Greek GDP and the first annual current account surplus in its history as a sign that Greece is on the right path—but for many voters, this feels like too little, too late.


Will Greece leave the euro?


Probably not. But you never know.


Tsipras has toned down his rhetoric since the heady days of the second bailout. He has abandoned talk of leaving the euro that led Der Spiegel in 2012 to label Tsipras among the most dangerous men in Europe. But still, he now wants to tear up the bailout agreement and write off Greece’s enormous mountain of debt, which reached a whopping 175% of GDP in 2013.


Tsipras has even appealed to Germans directly to tell them that they have no choice but to write it off: “Let me be frank. Greece’s debt is currently unsustainable and will never be serviced, especially while Greece is being subjected to continuous fiscal waterboarding.”


This face-off could still lead to a euro exit—the implied threat is that a Syriza-led Greece will default on its debt if its lenders do not forgive its debt mountain and loosen the grip of austerity. Germany—the biggest creditor to the rest of the euro zone—has said this won’t happen.


But Germany has also quietly signaled that it is calm about a Syriza victory and that the euro could cope with a “Grexit” without causing the whole currency to collapse. Add to this that the European Central Bank launched a huge program of quantitative easing last week and many feel that the financial markets can cope with the new, more radical Greece.


Still, any real moves by Tsipras toward an exit from the euro would cause all sorts of panic—partially because there is no official way to leave the euro without leaving the whole European Union.


Also, Syriza is unlikely to win an outright majority, polls suggest, and will need to form a coalition to govern. The most likely ally is a centrist party, which is likely rein in the new government from any real brinkmanship. Still, there are fears that backing away from its more radical policies could lead to a schism within Syriza itself.


What is next for Europe?


The election and the victory of the radical left in Greece could have important knock-on effects for the rest of Europe.



There are national elections to be held later this year in Portugal and Spain—the former has been bailed out, as has the latter’s banking system—and the rise of Syriza could lead to significant gains for the left. In Portugal, the Socialist Party has raised the issue of debt relief and this could accelerate if the far left starts to gain traction from bringing up the issue.


In Spain, the rise of the far-left Podemos party has mirrored that of Syriza and their leaders are close friends. How the Greek leftists perform in government will likely be closely watched Spanish voters.


“A scenario where a Syriza-led government leads to economic and political volatility could limit the appeal of Podemos among undecided voters and constrain the growth potential of the new party,” says Antonio Barroso, an analyst at the consulting firm Teneo Intelligence.


In France, the far-right National Front is even rooting for a Syriza victory to give a further boost to its anti-euro platform. Throughout Europe, in fact, all eyes will be on Tsipras after today.




What you need to know about the election in Greece
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POTUS by lotus: Modi (again) proves he’s the master of symbolism

India-Obama-Modi

Narendra Modi’s deft ascent from Gandhinagar to New Delhi was only the prelude.


The true demonstration of his proficiency with the medium and the message began with his inauguration as India’s 15th prime minister in May 2014—and his mastery over symbolism has continued to be on display as he’s engaged with one world leader after another.


His handling of US president Barack Obama’s latest visit to India is a case in point—and it’s only been half-a-day since POTUS (President of the United States) landed in New Delhi.


Modi’s charm offensive began almost as soon as Air Force One touched down, with the Indian prime minister breaking protocol and turning up at the airport to personally receive Obama and the first lady.




Warm welcome in cold Delhi. Breaking normal protocol PM @narendramodi receives Prez @BarackObama on arrival. pic.twitter.com/HNhB0TdMfA


— Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) January 25, 2015




By the time Obama arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet president Pranab Mukherjee and receive the Guard of Honour, Modi had swiftly given up on the traditional Indian garb and switched into a more formal pinstripe bandhgala.



India-Obama-US-Modi

One suit and two bandhgalas.(Reuters/Ahmad Masood)

But the sartorial statement was overshadowed by a more significant masterstroke: The inter-services Guard of Honour at the forecourt of India’s presidential palace was led by the Indian Airforce’s Wing Commander Pooja Thakur.



At a time when India is constantly—and rightfully—criticised by the west for unending crimes against women, to have a lady officer leading an important military ceremony for one of the most important men in the world sends a powerful message.


Even as Indians were digesting Modi’s morning memo on women power, the two leaders headed to Delhi’s storied Hyderabad House for nourishment and negotiations. The menu, as expected, was expansive but with a distinctive Gujarati twist. And for the benefit of the gastronomically inclined, the foreign ministry’s spokesperson made both the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian variants public.




Lunch time.

Here is what PM @narendramodi & Prez @BarackObama are having for lunch. pic.twitter.com/N9D4TIsqol


— Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) January 25, 2015




Lunch complete, Obama and Modi headed for a walkabout in Hyderabad House’s quaint garden around 3pm. The stroll began with both leaders engaged in deep in conversation with near constant gesticulation, with an occasional laugh and even a pat on the shoulder.


Television cameras followed them throughout, framing Obama and Modi perfectly as they stood and chatted by a pool of water. The ensuing poetry was unavoidable.




This is Lotus, dear Potus pic.twitter.com/mDxIJ2erB3


— Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) January 25, 2015




But the moment most redolent with symbolism was tea, an object (and activity) that has become central to the myth of Narendra Modi.




Conversations over a cup of tea. pic.twitter.com/vMN7n9YsrO


— Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) January 25, 2015




And as the Indian prime minister—once a teaseller in a mofussil Indian town, as Obama himself recalled this week—poured a cup for the US president (but didn’t add enough sugar), his American counterpart was sold on Modi’s patented “Chai Pe Charcha.”


“We need more of those at the White House,” Obama later said.


For a nation that is easily swayed by spectacle and drama, the Indian prime minister has ensured there is more than enough for his people to chew on. And there’s much more lined up for tomorrow, as Obama goes to the Republic Day parade.


Of course, it’ll help greatly if there’s enough substance to back the copious symbolism.


Also read:
Narendra Modi greeted and hugged Barack Obama—all is forgiven


On Monday, Obama will watch a Soviet-style display of weaponry (and camels) in India


This article is a part of Quartz India. For more, follow this link.



POTUS by lotus: Modi (again) proves he’s the master of symbolism
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27 startups in Asia that caught our eye

asian startups weekly list

Here’s our newest round-up of the featured startups on our site this week. If you have startup tips or story suggestions, feel free to email us. Enjoy this week’s list!


1. YellowNepal | Nepal (Techlist Profile)


Kathmandu-based startup YellowNepal is a location based restaurant search app which provides a discovery service for 1,500 restaurants in the Kathmandu Valley. The interface of the app allows you to search for restaurants by name, cuisine, or area with an option to check details like menus, directions, business hours, and contact info of the establishments.


2. PinoyTravel | Philippines (Techlist Profile)


PinoyTravel is Philippines’ first online provincial bus booking system and also among the first batch of startups funded by Philippine accelerator Ideaspace Foundation. Since its launch in September 2013, PinoyTravel has expanded its services to include ferry and hotel bookings. It will soon launch a reseller portal, allowing even small neighborhood convenience stores to sell bus tickets.


3. Hopscotch | India (Techlist Profile)


Hopscotch is an ecommerce portal selling merchandise for babies and kids in India. It is recently revealed that Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin and venture capital fund Velos Partners have invested US$11 million in the startup.


4. Aoliday | China (Techlist Profile)


Travel and ticketing booking site Aoliday does things differently from most of the other similar sites by focusing on selling daytrips, tours, and adventurous experiences around the world. The startup has recently secured US$1.5 million in seed financing from Gobi Partners.


5. Dealoka | Indonesia (Techlist Profile)


Launched mid last year, Dealoka is a mobile app that enables shoppers to receive exclusive and targeted offers from the brands that matter to them. The company is among the first graduates of Indosat’s accelerator program, Ideabox, and is raising an undisclosed amount of series A funding from SB ISAT, a US$50 million fund by Softbank and telco Indosat.


6. Meituan | China (Techlist Profile)


Meituan is one of China’s biggest startups as well as one of its top daily deals sites for localized consumer services. The company revealed this week that it has secured US$700 million in funding.


7. SmartNews| Japan (Techlist Profile)


Founded in June 2012, SmartNews, is a news reading app which uses machine-learning algorithms to aggregate trending stories from both news outlets and social media. Within three months of its US debut, the app has one million monthly active American users. It has also reached the number-one spot in the news category for apps on the US versions of the App Store and Google Play.


8. NanoArcade | Taiwan and US (Techlist Profile)


NanoArcade is an arcade machine you can take everywhere. It lets users play Java-based games using physical push-buttons and a joystick and gain access to its library of almost 100 games. The mini-arcade cabinet just passed its funding goal on Kickstarter.


9. Naldo | South Korea (Techlist Profile)


Seoul-based urban logistics startup Naldo works sort of like an Uber for last-mile deliveries. With its mostly two-wheeled fleet, it promises delivery within 90 minutes in Seoul. The site connects clients directly to available nearby drivers with no middlemen involved.


10. Vitargent | Hong Kong (Techlist Profile)


Hong Kong-based Vitargent provides bio-chem testing services to cosmetics, pharmeceauticals, and food and beverages companies. At different product stages – from raw material to packaged item – samples are collected and sent to Vitargent’s lab for testing. If it passes, it gets a clean safety report and certification. The startup also licenses its patented tech to clients, for which it charges a licensing and consultation fee. Companies can also purchase the testing equipment used by Vitargent to conduct their own tests.


11. Shakr | South Korea (Techlist Profile)


Shakr, a Seoul-based startup that helps small businesses make professional-caliber video advertisements on a budget, has secured funding from Silicon Valley-based, Japanese-led venture capital fund SV Frontier.


12. StockRadars | Thailand (Techlist Profile)


StockRadars is a stock analysis app that simplifies information for investors to help them better understand the stock market, thereby decreasing risk. While the app comes with a free set of default radars, users can purchase additional radars with more advanced criteria if they so desire. The company announced raising an undisclosed amount in a funding round led by CyberAgent Ventures and joined by East Ventures.


13. Beibei | China (Techlist Profile)


Established in April 2014 by its parent company Mizhe, Beibei is a Chinese ecommerce site specializing in items for infants, toddlers, and moms. The startup has just announced it raised a series C funding round led by Capital Today and New Horizon.


14. 3Restart | Pakistan (Techlist Profile)


3Restart is a company focused on creating predictive and adaptive learning solutions in the form of games, along with analytics and progress reports. Currently, the product is still in the pilot phase, and the team is testing features with students and teachers from local schools, making sure to pick testers from different backgrounds and income brackets.


15. HandyMantis | Indonesia (Techlist Profile)


Launched in November 2013, HandyMantis does offer ojek (motorcycle taxi) rides, its main bread and butter is in courier and personal delivery services. It has yet to have its own mobile app, but has most of its business coming from popular chat apps like WhatsApp, Blackberry Messenger, and Line.


16. iSkwelahan | Philippines (Techlist Profile)


iSkwelahan is a mass notification system that allows schools to reach their students via SMS in seconds – whether it’s about a time-sensitive situation, an event, or the rollout of a new policy.


17. Gigfairy | Malaysia (Techlist Profile)


Gigfairy prides itself on being a simple go-to place to book musicians. There are only two steps that need to be taken to get a rocking live band: browse through the profiles of local musicians, and book them right from their profile page.


Startup lists


18 – 27. 10 Indonesian startups with impressive growth and funding


Related startup stories


We’re now gearing up for our 9th edition, Startup Asia Singapore, to be held in May 2015. For the first time ever at Startup Asia Singapore 2015, we will be featuring about 400 startups at the Boostrap Alley on both days, and startup founders are able to exhibit for free!


Furthermore, we will be having a 10-city search in Asia this coming March, for the best startups to showcase at Startup Asia Singapore. Winners of each city’s pitch will stand a chance to get free flights and accommodation, startup passes, booths to Startup Asia Singapore, and priority consideration to be one of the 10 finalists at the Arena finale during the conference itself!


Like RSS? There’s always our Asia startups RSS feed!


This post 27 startups in Asia that caught our eye appeared first on Tech in Asia.







27 startups in Asia that caught our eye
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Narendra Modi greeted and hugged Barack Obama—all is forgiven

US president Barack Obama hugs India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrives at Air Force Station Palam in New Delhi, Jan. 25, 2015.

Till a year ago, Narendra Modi was persona non grata in Washington DC. But judging by the warmth with which he received the US president Barack Obama on Sunday in New Delhi, it seems he is letting bygones be bygones.


The Indian prime minister broke with protocol to greet and bear hug Obama as he landed at Air Force Station Palam in New Delhi. Usually, the prime minister meets foreign leaders at a formal ceremony at the presidential palace.




Warm welcome in cold Delhi. Breaking normal protocol PM @narendramodi receives Prez @BarackObama on arrival. pic.twitter.com/HNhB0TdMfA


— Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) January 25, 2015




Modi was denied a US visa by president George W. Bush’s administration in 2005, following the Gujarat riots in 2002. More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots in the state while Modi was its chief minister. But almost immediately after 64-year-old Modi became the prime minister, he was invited by Obama to visit the US.


Both leaders seem keen to nurture a strong relationship. Obama is in India to attend the Republic Day parade, becoming the first US president to do so.



Obama-india

US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive at Air Force Station Palam in New Delhi, Jan. 25.(Reuters/Jim Bourg)


Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Narendra Modi

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, bottom right wearing orange scarf, waits to welcome US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, Jan. 25.(AP Photo)



US President Barack Obama hugs India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrives at Air Force Station Palam in New Delhi Jan. 25.(Reuters/Jim Bourg)


Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Narendra Modi

US President Barack Obama, left, shakes hand with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, as first lady Michelle Obama stands beside them, upon arrival at the Palam Air Force Station in New Delhi, Jan. 25.(AP Photo)


obama-india

U.S. President Barack Obama walks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon arrival at Air Force Station Palam in New Delhi, Jan. 25.(Reuters/Jim Bourg)


India-Obama-Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves as the car carrying US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama drive off at the Palam Air Force Station in New Delhi, Jan. 25.(AP Photo)

This article is a part of Quartz India. For more, follow this link.



Narendra Modi greeted and hugged Barack Obama—all is forgiven
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Saturday 24 January 2015

This is why Obama should not meet the new Saudi king

A criminal act.

This coming week, Barack Obama is to cut short a trip to India to visit the new ruler of Saudi Arabia following the death of King Abdullah last week. That the American president is so keen to abandon a fast-growing and important ally to visit the dementia-struck 79-year-old leader of an old one shows what sway the House of Saud still has over US foreign policy.


But it doesn’t have to be this way. Amnesty International, British politicians angry at the Union Jack being flown at half-mast for Abdullah, and The Economist are just a few of those have called on Western politicians to rethink their close relationship with the conservative kingdom. Here are a few reasons why Obama should reconsider his trip to meet King Salman.


The human-rights record


Raif Badawi, a Saudi blogger, was flogged 50 times on Jan. 9 in front of mosque in Jeddah—part of a sentence of 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for calling for a “day for Saudi liberals.” Part of the evidence against him was that he liked a Facebook page for Arab Christians.


Badawi’s beating brought Saudi Arabia’s record on corporal punishment into the spotlight once more. It should make Obama think hard, coming as he does from the US—a country that has a prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment as part of its Bill of Rights.


Public beheadings are common in the kingdom—87 people were executed last year, mostly by decapitation. Saudi Arabia is also one of just four countries that still execute offenders who are minors.


Recently, the website Middle East Eye pointed out that the punishments meted out by Saudi Arabia are almost identical to those inflicted by ISIL, also known as the Islamic State—including death by stoning for adultery and amputation of a hand in the case of stealing.




Documents show IS & Saudi Arabia prescribe near-identical punishments for crimes http://t.co/ZoVVUqeHMn #ISIS #Saudi pic.twitter.com/kUEXqXCJiv


— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) January 20, 2015




One of these strict regimes is the US’s closest ally in the region; the other is being vilified and bombed by US forces. Of course, one is the world’s largest oil exporter and the region’s main counterweight to Iran; the other is trying to destabilize as many countries as possible. The geopolitical calculus can’t be ignored. But it does highlight how hypocritical the US’s defense of human rights can sometimes be.


The political record


Saudi Arabia has been an absolute monarchy since King Ibn Saud unified it in 1932. It tolerates very little dissent. Most famously, it remains the only country in the world where women not only cannot vote, nor do business without a man’s consent, but cannot drive. Two women who defied the ban recently face trial in a terrorism court. The late king did appoint 30 women to the Shura Council, a consultative body that produces recommendations for the cabinet, but steps towards reform stopped dead after the Arab Spring kicked off in 2011.


The country did experience protests, mainly from members of its Shia minority demanding an end to discrimination. Protesters were dismissed as puppets of Iran and Hezbollah, and several were killed by police while activists were also tried in the terrorism courts. Not only did Saudi Arabia put down its own protests, but sent troops into Bahrain to quell protests there.


What has King Salman pledged? Business as usual.


The new oil shock


The price of oil has plunged by more than 60% in the past year, and could fall further. This is partly because of US shale gas production, which has turned the US into the world’s biggest oil and gas producer—bigger than Saudi Arabia or Russia (though it remains a net importer). That means that Obama goes to meet Salman with a very different hand to play than his predecessors, who were much more dependent on Saudi Arabia to keep the lights on.


Obama could push against the House of Saud harder than it has ever been pushed. But it might be better if he used the US’s imminent energy independence to simply snub the Saudis. That would be a pretty gentle punishment for acts that would make any other nation a pariah.




This is why Obama should not meet the new Saudi king
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This is Origami—Starbucks’ single-use pourover kit in Japan

Starbucks Origami

There are many ways to brew instant coffee, but this is one of the most creative. Origami is Starbucks Japan’s take on the single-use pourover filter, a product that coffee brands have long sold at Japan’s ubiquitous convenience stores.


Starbucks calls it “personal drip,” and offers it in three roasts. We picked up this Christmas Blend kit (link in Japanese) while meeting with Starbucks in Tokyo late last year.



Starbucks Origami

Opening up Origami.(Quartz/David Yanofsky)

Origami is simple—and, dare we say, fun—to use: Open a sealed bag, one per serving. Unfold the “origami” filter that’s pre-filled with ground coffee. Place it on a mug. Slowly pour hot water over the grounds. Enjoy your coffee! And then toss the whole contraption in the trash—grounds, filter, and stand.



Starbucks Origami pour

The coffee tastes about as you’d expect—pre-ground Starbucks beans, with a pleasantly smoky aroma. But it’s at least a more interesting technique than, say, dumping instant coffee into a mug of hot water.


“Invoking the artistry and hand-crafted nature of Japan’s ancient art of origami, this innovative product allows customers to brew a single cup of Starbucks coffee at home that does not require any special equipment,” Starbucks said when it launched the product in 2010 in partnership with Ajinomoto General Foods, a Tokyo-based instant coffee manufacturer.


Instant and ready-to-drink coffee products, by the way, have long been eyed as potential growth drivers for Starbucks, which still generates most of its sales from its stores. In the US, Starbucks sells three types: its own VIA packets and Verismo pods—and, more recently, K-Cups for Keurig machines. On Starbucks’s earnings call this week, the company announced that 100 million Starbucks K-Cups were shipped last December, up 20% from the prior year.




This is Origami—Starbucks’ single-use pourover kit in Japan
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