Asianews September 20- 26,2013

September 20-26, 2013

Lovable Dhaka A melting pot of people, voices and a thousand stories

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September 20-26, 2013

Contents City

Lovable Dhaka

We e k l y B r i e f i n g

News in numbers

Politics

Asif Ali Zardari makes history

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September 20-26, 2013

Contents Environment

Nothing is added, nothing is taken

Health

A rejuvenating lift

Fashion

The J Factor Arts

From gloom to glorious

September 20-26, 2013

Contents Entertainment

Stars under siege

Lifestyle

Diamonds are China's best friend

>>DATEBOOK

Happenings around Asia

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WEEKLY BRIEFING

News in numbers

9,000

15

number of boxes

63%

smartphone penetration in Southeast Asia, an increase of 47% from last year; tablet penetration increased almost three-fold to 39% from 14% according to a study by the Ericsson Consumer Lab Southeast Asia.

of evidence and more than 2,000 pages of financial transactions— purportedly detailing the extent of a 10billion-peso (US$228 million) racket involving Philippine state funds meant to ease rural poverty and ended in kickbacks over 10 years—submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation.

automated teller machines

in Malaysia are to be equipped with a currency protection device (CPD) to discourage thieves from carting off money from the machines. The CPD will emit a bright coloured dye to permanently stain banknotes in the event that an ATM is “attacked”.

3

trillion rupiah (US$264 million) has been spent on the revamp of the old Bali airport, which had not been renovated for more than a decade. Bali will be hosting the Apec CEO summit next month.

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WEEKLY BRIEFING

90

83%

the age of Lee Kuan Yew,

welcome Tokyo's selection

Singapore's former prime minister, who told The Straits Times: "I am lucky to reach 90." Lee also said his greatest satisfaction when looking back on an illustrious life is "to see Singapore's progress".

as host for the Olympics in 2020, a random telephone survey conducted nationwide by The Yomiuri Shimbun said. The survey was done from September 13-15 and covered 1,729 households with eligible voters, of which 1,063 people responded.

The response rate was 61%.

6

languages

will be used for guide displays of roads, railways, sports arenas and other facilities in Tokyo for foreign tourists who will visit Japan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. These are Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Arabic and French

25% of Japan's population is now estimated to be 65 or older.

POLITICS

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The Zardari legacy

POLITICS

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POLITICS

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POLITICS Dawn Islamabad

O PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DAWN

n September 8 this year, Zardari became the first Pakistan president to complete his constitutional term (five years), and hand over duties to a democratically elected successor, Mamnoon Hussain. This was not a small achievement for someone who has been referred to as the "accidental president".

But what is it that stands out during his tenure as president: will it be rising militancy in Pakistan? A plummeting economy? The reported 93 trips abroad? Or will it be this final act - the voluntary cession of his presidential position, which is unprecedented among Pakistan's former and current leaders - be marked as Zardari's greatest feat?

NAFISA SHAH MEMBER OF PAKISTAN'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND SENIOR PPP MEMBER

Above all, Zardari will stand out in history as the first president to strengthen the Pakistan federation

and upheld democracy.

Through the 18th Amendment to the Pakistan Constitution, the parliamentary government was restored. Through the introduction of special initiatives for the regions, such as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) reforms, Aghaze-Huqooq-e-Balochistan, the National Finance Commission Award, and the Gilgit Balochistan autonomy, the federation was strengthened.

Prior to this, no elected government in Pakistan has ever finished a full term.

Despite several economic and security challenges it faced, under Zardari's administration, the parliament was strengthened, many laws upholding the peoples' fundamental rights were passed, providing for an independent judiciary and election commission.

Zardari's reconciliation policy held together the minority government for five years, through coalition building, ensuring all parties were included and placing priority on mutual consensus in handling issues such as national security. Perhaps this inclusive attitude is the reason

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POLITICS why he is the only president to have addressed the parliament five times.

AYAZ AMIR FORMER PARLIAMENT MEMBER

Pakistan's 6th President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, or General Zia, had a wide smile, not ear-to-ear, but pretty close.

Remarkably, only his lips used to smile, never his eyes. In the place of a laugh, he always gave a low, sardonic cackle.

Zardari, on the other hand, had a wider grin that always showed his teeth and whenever he laughed, his eyes would too. It would be easy for anyone who did know Zardari, to be taken in by his disarming smile.

But those who did know him, knew that the easy smile does imply a man of simplicity or innocence.

What would the image of Zardari be that would remain in the minds of the people after his tenure as president? Would it be the countless trips to China, unannounced trips to Dubai, jaunts in London, stories of the slaughtering of black bakras (goats) to ward off the evil eye?

I think the lingering image that

is etched into people's minds when they think about Zardari, is a face with a wide grin, looking as though he could not believe his luck to be in the position he was in, earning the reputation of a political genius.

Compared to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's 4th president and his fatherin-law, Zardari was a better politician.

Bhutto had a knack for making enemies.

Given his expertise in what can only be called "high finance", it can be said that Zardari operated on the principle, "every man has his price".

Another Zardari "trademark", was the cap he sometimes wore on his visits to Central Asia, which looks something like a monkey cap (balaclava) with ear flaps pulled down.

MOSHARRAF ZAIDI POLITICAL ANALYST AND CURRENTAFFAIRS COMMENTATOR

When Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) heartland of rural Sindh was essentially robbed of a protector and guardian. This view is derided and sneered at in constituencies such

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POLITICS as Karachi’s NA-250, and Lahore’s NA-126, but the contemptuous urban bias against the PPP is what sustains Sindh’s love affair with the Bhuttos and the party.

Zardari was never supposed to be a national leader, and his presidency will forever be tainted by this mere fact.

But for all the criticism he has endured, it cannot be denied that Pakistan’s political history is essentially a story of political parties repeatedly being brutalised and demonised, to glamourise the military and support its ambition to govern. Every other electorally viable party has seen multiple rebirths, after being "cracked open" by the military to serve the dictator of the day—but not PPP. The PPP survived General Zia's execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, as well as his attempts to eliminate "all traces of Bhutto altogether". Yet, despite killing Bhutto and despite the tension between Benazir Bhutto and her brother Murtaza, Zia failed. Benazir's enduring legacy is what sustains the PPP. While Benazir's loyalists are repulsed by the comparison, it

is undeniable that Zardari has done for PPP between 2007 and 2013, what Benazir did for the party from 1977 to 1988—they kept it alive.

After Benazir's assasination, Pakistan was expected to implode into an ethnic "free-for-all", from Karachi to Khyber.

It was thought that the PPP would fold under the pressure of being "Bhuttoless" and that the entire democratic process would come to an end.

System-wide resilience can never be attributed to individuals, but if there were two men who deserve credit for the resilience of Pakistani politics in the wake of Benazir's assassination, they are Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. While Sharif is in the midst of constructing his own legacy, Zardari has already written his. He has bequeathed a living, breathing, party to senior leaders and the next generation. The future of PPP, is now entirely their responsiblity.

ASAD RAHIM KHAN LAWYER AND COLUMNIST FOR THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE

Usually short and shiny, the idea of "defining moments" has its critics. But

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POLITICS as with T20s, tweets and fast food, they suit the times we live in. The troubles with this presidency are plain: there are too many of them. Five years of ugliness makes for some compelling press.

Here's a snapshot of how it all began: Asif Ali Zardari, formerly in jail, taking oath of office in pinstripes—a luxury afforded to a man whose job history begins and ends with First Husband.

Invited to the occasion is Hamid Karzai, a sign of five years of American largesse to come our way, via Raymonds and Salalas and drones strikes. There’s the visual of Zulfiqar Mirza, Koran on head, hand over heart, pink from flooding Karachi with weapon licenses, ensuring that the streets bled for years.

After reducing Lyari to a pile of ash, the president’s home minister reminds those "bhookay nangay" (extremely poor) Muhajirs (Urdu-speaking people) how they had sought out Sindh. And while the coalition partners smile at each other in Islamabad, Karachi becomes a whirl of ethnic bloodletting.

But even with these five years of arresting images, it will take a lifetime

to forget Alamdar Road, Quetta.

Then, as with the floods of 2010, as with the funerals of the shaheeds that fought against terror so that we may live oblivious, it was defined by an absent president. He was not there for the Hazaras, nor for the mothers that refused to bury their dead. For common human dignity.

He stayed indoors, in whichever fortress he chose for the week, sending along sock puppet Raja Pervez Ashraf instead. A premier that stood out as awful, in a line of awful premiers, Ashraf sat among ashen-faced relations, numb in the face. When they wept for redress, the information minister gently reminded them, “This isn’t a dialogue”.

ATHAR MINALLAH SUPREME COURT ADVOCATE

Asif Ali Zardari was the most vilified, criticised, unpopular and defamed politician in the history of Pakistan. He was the first president to have addressed joint meetings of the parliament five times without interruption, saw an elected

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POLITICS parliament completing its term.

He welcomed a new parliament constituted as a result of the general elections, administered an oath to his political rival as the prime minister; witnessed his hand-picked prime minister disqualified by the Supreme Court for not writing a letter to reopen cases against him in the Swiss courts; ignored his second prime minister in bowing to the Supreme Court and dispatching the letter to the Swiss authorities after dragging court proceedings for four years; received a letter from the Swiss authorities expressing inability to reopen the cases; took credit for reconciliation in politics enabling the parliament to make significant amendments in the constitution, and experienced an active, independent and aggressive media and a popularly restored judiciary.

Seldom seen outside the walls of the presidential office, yet the most talked about and criticised citizen of Pakistan. Probably relishing the agony of those predicting his ouster and arrest for four years.

He witnessed the elections of

his successor in office without offering himself as a candidate.

However, none were his defining moments.

The most vilified, criticised and unpopular citizen will become the first president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the past 66 years to have completed his constitutional term. He will hand over the mantle to an elected successor and leave the presidency with, according to him, a "clear conscience".

This will end the debate on immunity, but his portrait will forever hang on the walls of the presidency, along with others, as an elected president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

KHALID AZIZ FORMER BUREAUCRAT

Whilst Zardari was president, economic growth slumped to below three per cent per annum. Inflation broke the back of the salaried and wage-earning class, and money lost purchasing power. Social services declined, raising health and other costs for the marginalised; security deteriorated to the point that there has

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POLITICS

been a flight of capital and educated manpower out of Pakistan. It can be gathered from this analysis that under President Zardari’s tenure, the country went downhill.

But is that the full story? Zardari turned out to be a very smart president indeed. Lest it is forgotten that before becoming president, he not only suffered imprisonment and torture but also lost his wife, Benazir Bhutto, due to state negligence.

Despite all these drawbacks, he and his allies made some remarkable achievements, that any political party or alliance will be unable to match for a long time to come. In my view, his outstanding contributions to Pakistan include the passage of the 18th Amendment that devolved power, from a very centralised and ethnically dominated central government to the provinces.

He and Raza Rabbani were unmatched in this. The passage of the seventh NFC award transferred

more funds to the provinces than was ever thought possible. Here, the contributions of his finance minister Shaukat Tarin, were outstanding. He lasted through the institutional crisis created by the Memogate manoeuvre and later the Tahirul Qadri drama; yet, his policy of nonchalance prevented a tussle with the military—and saved it from a crisis after the Bin Laden raid.

To my mind, his greatest contribution was to nurture the system of governance and to take it unharmed, for the first time in our history, from one election to the next.

No Pakistani leader has ever done this before, nor is this feat likely to be repeated. To my mind, Asif Ali Zardari will rank as one of our most remarkable and astute presidents ever, despite all the contradictions of character he displayed. He will encapsulate all this when he hands over the baton to his successor on September 8. It is no mean achievement indeed. ÂŹ

ENVIRONMENT

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Nothing is added, nothing is taken LORIE ANN CASCARO Vientiane Times Xayaboury

A VILLAGER FISHES NEAR XAYABOURY DAM CONSTRUCTION SITE. THE DAM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PROMISES VILLAGERS WHO ARE RELOCATED FROM THE PROJECT SITE TO HELP THEM TO GET SUSTAINABLE JOBS AND INCOME.

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ENVIRONMENT

T A LAO TV JOURNALIST WALKS PAST THE CONSTRUCTION SITE OF XAYABOURY DAM PROJECT.

he giant Mekong River was a muddy brown and at its highest level on August 15 when a group of visitors, including local and foreign journalists, arrived at the Xayaboury project site at midday.

Being at the dam site felt like standing in the bottom of an empty pool 40 metres deep.

Instead of water, the surface below the coffer dams cradled a sun-drenched construction zone filled with cranes, dump trucks, cement, steel bars and thousands of workers in colour-coded hard hats and safety vests.

When completed in 2019, the dam will have an installed capacity of 1,285 megawatts, and 95 per cent of the electricity produced will be exported to Thailand.

This US$3.5-billion hydropower project is a “transparent” run-of-river dam which, according to the developer, the Xayaboury Power Company Limited (XPCL), means “nothing is added, nothing taken from the water”.

But international environmental nongovernment organisations warn that the dam could block fish migration which

ENVIRONMENT

A GIRL WASHES DISHES AT HER NEW RELOCATED VILLAGE. THE DAM PROJECT PROVIDES NEW HOMES TO THE VILLAGERS WHO WERE REMOVED FROM THE PROJECT SITE.

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may affect 60 million people said to be dependent on the Mekong River for the protein in their diet. Critics say more studies are needed to gain a comprehensive overview of the downstream impacts.

Engineers on site explain that a number of investigations are underway to address concerns about fish migration.

“We have determined with these studies what the detailed requirements of the different fish species are to be able to move upstream and downstream in their natural migration cycles,” said the director for hydropower in Asia and Russia of Pöyry Energy Ltd., Knut Sierotzki.

While visitors took photos of the dam from the hilltop, he showed this correspondent around the dam site and pointed to some of the special features under construction—the navigation lock, spillway gates, powerhouse and fish ladder.

To study the number of fish and the various species that pass through the river, a hydroacoustic camera is being used to capture ultrasound images underwater every six hours over an entire cross-section of the Mekong.

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ENVIRONMENT This has been going on since the beginning of 2012, said XPCL lead engineer Prat Nantasen.

With only one piece of equipment, they have to move the camera continually in four sections between the riverbanks.

Data from the camera, with its scope of 30 metres and 30-degree angle, are collected every month. Prat has yet to summarise the data for the last month. He said120 fish species caught by net are also being studied to determine their age and reproductive stage.

In the revised dam design, XPCL will use three different systems of fish passage facilities—an elongated fish ladder, a central fish lift and the navigation/fish lock system.

In addition, fish friendly turbines are currently being tested. Such turbine types,

which have already proven their effectiveness, for example, in the Tennessee Valley in the United States, will be used in the Xayaboury dam, said Sierotzki.

Charlee Srivichit, engineer and advisor from Southeast Asia Energy Ltd. (SEAN), told reporters the Xayaboury dam fish ladder was originally designed to be about 1.8 kilometres long. Based on recommendations made by Pöyry, the fish passage design has been changed to cater to the requirements of various species in the Mekong. The design is now being modified further by Swiss company AF Colenco to make it much flatter.

Some fish passages in older dams were found to be less effective than planned, Sierotzki said. But knowledge in this field has moved forward and XPCL

is adapting the best passage systems found in different river types and geographical zones. He added that if some fish species were not fully accepting the fish passage, XPCL would be able to adapt or extend the fish transfer systems. “That's what I call a flexible design,” he stressed.

Environmental experts are not convinced that the design will enable nutrient-rich sediments to pass through.

“Sediment is a complex subject to understand,” Technical Advisor for Sustainable Hydropower and River Basin Management of the WWF Greater Mekong Programme, Victor Cowling, told Vientiane Times earlier.

He pointed out that when the sediment is being flushed through, power cannot be

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ENVIRONMENT

generated, and there is a strong risk of major problems directly downstream of the dam resulting from too much sediment being released in too short a time.

France's Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) is carrying out an extended sediment sampling campaign which it has been doing over the last 12 months along a 1,000km stretch of the river, hoping to understand the detailed sediment processes and especially the transportation mechanics of the coarser sediment particles.

At the dam site, the SEAN engineering advisor pointed to the drawing of the spillway gate on an XPCL brochure,

then looked up, stretched his arm, and pointed out the foundation of the spillway gate that will control the release of water downstream.

“Sediment will be flushed once a week in the rainy season and once or twice a month in the dry season, or a total of at least 20 times a year.”

Every month the amount of sediment will be checked in the river bed, on the surface and at the mid-level of the water, he added.

Aiming to be a significant hydropower exporter in Southeast Asia, the Lao government has a long-term plan to build eight more dams

in the lower Mekong River.

Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines Viraphonh Viravong, who joined the site visit, was asked by a journalist if he was certain the river would stay healthy. “Sure. One hundred per cent,” he said. “This is our life. We are not talking about ourselves only. We're talking about our children, our generations to come.”

Lorie Ann Cascaro of MindaNews is one of the fellows of the FK Norway (Fredskorpset) exchange programme. She's currently in Laos and hosted by the Vientiane Times. ¬

HEALTH

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Acupuncture is a better alternative for instant face lifts

HERE'S A FACE LIFT THAT COMES WITH A HEALTH LIFT. BECAUSE IT'S NOT AS INVASIVE AS SURGERY, ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES THE WELLNESS OF YOUR FACE AND BODY.

AFP

A rejuvenating lift

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HEALTH

ALEX Y. VERGARA Philippine Daily Inquirer Manila

TO GET RID OF PIGMENTATION, BELO DOES REV LIGHT FIRST, A FIVE-MINUTE LASER TREATMENT, BEFORE DOING ACUPUNCTURE.

N

ow it’s your choice: You can go for cosmetic acupuncture over a surgical face lift.

To give the face an instant lift, renowned Filipino dermatologist Dr. Vicki Belo now uses acupuncture, an ancient form of traditional Chinese medicine that involves pricking the skin, nerves and muscles with needles to alleviate pain and cure a host of ailments.

Combined with a more conventional and noninvasive “lunchtime” procedure like Rev Light, acupuncture is said to instantly tighten sagging muscles and improve blood circulation for a more glowing complexion.

Belo used to go to Hong Kong regularly to have facial acupuncture until she was able to convince her Chinese acupuncturist to fly to Manila to train her and her team of doctors.

“We started offering acupuncture late last year,” she says. “Our knowledge is limited to the face, but acupuncture is known and accepted even in the West to help treat various conditions.”

Because of the facial muscles’ “unique” composition, acupuncture is able to address a person’s sagging facial muscles without her having to go under the knife. People in their 40s, 50s and even in their 60s are the best candidates for this procedure, Belo adds.

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HEALTH While noninvasive procedures such as Ulthera, Thermage, Fraxel and even Rev Light stimulate the skin to contract and increase collagen production, they don’t address sagging facial muscles and poor blood circulation. As a person ages, her facial blood vessels also shrink, resulting in dark, uneven skin tone.

“The face is the only part of the body where skin and muscles are stuck together,” says Belo.

“When a person is young, the muscles of the face are rounder, shorter and more contracted.

Thus, you can see the contours of a young person’s face.”

MISCONCEPTION BELO DOES ACUPUNCTURE ON A PATIENT WITH SAGGING FACIAL MUSCLES.

Many people—and even some beauty doctors—have this misconception that only fat gives the face volume. It turns out that muscles also make the face look rounder, younger and more relaxed, says Belo. As a person ages, these facial muscles become longer and looser.

You can do all sorts of noninvasive laser and radiofrequency procedures aimed at tightening the skin, but the effects are limited because the sagging muscles underneath remain untouched. Between skin and muscles, the muscles prevail in the end because they’re thicker and heavier than skin.

“That’s why the effects of Ulthera and Thermage last only about a year, two at the most,” says Belo. “If there’s nothing weighing down the face, laser-treated skin would be able to hold up longer.”

The only noninvasive procedure that causes facial muscles to contract is acupuncture, “a thousand-year old practice that takes only 15 minutes to do”, she says.

Belo sticks about a dozen or so needles on various points of the face before removing them one by one a few minutes later.

Belo’s acupuncture programme comprises 10 sessions (5,000 pesos or US$114 per session). The

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HEALTH first two sessions are done within a week, while the remaining eight sessions are done once a month.

LASER PROCEDURE

To address dull, aging skin, Belo has paired acupuncture with Rev Light (9,000 pesos per session), a laser procedure designed to diminish wrinkles, shrink pores, even out skin tone and eliminate unsightly pigmentation. Depending on the condition of a person’s skin, clients normally undergo four sessions of Rev Light once a week.

She likens pigmentation to a big chunk of rock on the face. When a person has even skin, light that falls on her face is able to shine back, making her look younger.

Pigmentations, which are brown, map-like discolourations resulting from sun exposure and uneven melanin production, leave splotchy shadows on a person’s face.

“Rev Light should go hand in hand with acupuncture,” says Belo. “You undergo Rev Light

first to blast away pigmentations into tiny chunks or particles.

These particles are eliminated first through your lymphatic drainage system before they go down to your tummy and out.”

If circulation is impeded, these pigments are likely to stay on your complexion longer. That’s why you need to undergo acupuncture after every Rev Light procedure to help jump-start circulation and remove those pesky pigments, pronto.

“The beauty of acupuncture is its two-pronged effect,” says Belo. “It stimulates energy flow and circulation while promoting muscle contraction.”

SHORT-TERM EFFECT

But acupuncture has a rather short-term effect. After going through 10 sessions of acupuncture, you have to do it all over again after three months or so to keep your facial muscles from sagging.

Through a so-called embedded thread procedure, Belo is able to extend acupuncture’s tightening effects for as long as one year.

“We usually do Rev Light and acupuncture first,” she says.

“The effect is instant. If the patient likes the results, and he or she would want a more long-term effect, we proceed by putting embedded thread.”

Like acupuncture, the embedded thread procedure also involves pricking the skin with needles—at least 40 needles per treatment. But this time, a socalled protein thread is attached to each needle. When a needle is removed, the protein thread, which is designed to stimulate the skin and muscles, gets left inside.

“Unlike Apthos Thread, embedded thread doesn’t physically support anything because each thread is small,” says Belo. “But since each thread is in permanent contact with an acupuncture point, it causes the muscles to contract continuously.

The effect can last from six months to one year without you having to undergo acupuncture again.” *US$1=43 pesos

ARTS

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From gloom to glorious A Chinese artist’s work has changed tones from bleak colours during the country's Cultural Revolution in the 1960s to warm hues of nature in the modern days of peace

CHINESE PAINTER MAO XUHUI ‘S WORK IS ON EXHIBIT AT THE SINGAPORE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS.

ARTS

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MAITREYA TEMPLE PARK (2013)

ARTS

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EUCALYPTUS LANDSCAPE (2013)

ARTS

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ARTS

HUANG LIJIE The Straits Times Singapore

T

he leader of a prominent 1980s avant-garde art group in China, painter Mao Xuhui has always allowed his heart to rule his brush.

The paintings he made after China's Cultural Revolution of the 1960s reverberated with anguish and adversity. His canvases were marked by tensely wrought compositions, roughhewn strokes and livid colours.

A change of heart, and mind, in recent years, however, led the 57-year-old painter to shed the grim and bleak in his art for a sense of ease and warmth. His palette is now closer to that of nature, his compositions are more relaxed and his brushstrokes carry less restraint.

A selection of 18 such works, painted over the last six years, which highlight this pivotal moment in his practice is on display at the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Loewen Road, Singapore. The paintings are not for sale.

Mao's stylistic about-turn comes

after a life spent weathering China's social and economic upheavals, including the Cultural Revolution as well as the subsequent opening up and commercialisation of the country.

Born the youngest of three sons to teacher parents in Chongqing, he was among the many educated youth in urban areas who were sent to the countryside to perform manual labour and undergo ideological re-education during the Cultural Revolution.

When the revolution ended, he enrolled in the Yunnan Academy of Fine Arts to study oil painting. Today, he teaches the subject at Yunnan University.

The soft-spoken artist says in Mandarin: "When I was younger, life was difficult and I was more tense. But after having experienced so much in life, I have become more mature and mild."

His stylistic evolution is evident because the subjects of his paintings remain largely unchanged. Guishan, a town in the Chinese city of Kunming, for

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ARTS

example, reappears in his latest paintings.

He first made a series of works based on a rural village in Guishan between 1982 and 1986. He was drawn to the primitive, puritanical nature of the austere life there. He returned in 2006 on an art excursion with his students and began painting scenes of Guishan again.

But he was no longer depicting the village in a style inspired by the stark, intense paintings of 19thcentury artists such as Paul Cezanne and Edvard Munch. Instead, he had French modernist Henri Matisse in mind, an artist he once dismissed as too saccharine sweet for his liking.

He says: "As artists in the 1980s, we wanted to rebel against tradition, we wanted a strong visual language to fire us up. But people change. For me, it was the spring of 2008."

His father died of pneumonia a year before, and thereafter, he had been painting in shades of black, white and grey.

But he was seized by the moving rebirth of nature all around him that spring, and the emotion evoked in his mind works by Matisse.

He began studying the artist's paintings and was swayed by the capacity for painting to "express such warm feelings".

This led him to paint Guishan with a less conceptual slant and greater intuition, submitting to the visual sensation of what he saw with his eyes rather than his intellect.

Similarly, everyday objects such as scissors and chairs, a part of his oeuvre since the 1990s, are painted in a new light. These objects, previously often read as symbols of the dynamic power in social and psychological relationships, take on new significance as works made in response to the deaths of both his parents. His mother died in 2009 from heart disease.

Mao, whose eyes turn pink and moist at the memory, says: "I found the way they died in hospital, with tubes

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ARTS

sticking out of them, too crude. I felt that people should not die this way, they should be surrounded by nature.

"And as a son and an artist, I felt I owed it to my parents to express this feeling and the emotions their deaths stirred in me through painting."

For him, the motifs of scissors and chairs swept off their legs in a prone position aptly convey this and he bathes them in hues from nature rather than sombre colours. The painting, Place To Bury. Open Scissors (2008-2010), for example, is washed in purple and green, the colours of a common flower in Yunnan. In another work from the same series, Fallen Backed Chair And The Dry Riverbed (2011) shows a chair lying on its back in a dreamy

landscape as a monolithic monument.

Mao's creative impetus is also present in a new series of works that depict Kunming. The light and colour-infused paintings liberate scenes of the city such as a quiet park and its famous lake Dianchi from conventions of space, order and application of brush strokes. In turn, the immediate planes of colour and overlapping images rendered in loose strokes conjure a sense of tranquillity and spaciousness.

Mao, who is married with two daughters, says: "I have lived here all my life, but recently I realised I have never made Kunming a subject of my work, so I was moved to paint the emotions that the city has stirred in me." ÂŹ

FASHION

| September 20-26, 2013

Rabiatul Kamit/The Brunei Times

The

J factor This Malaysian designer aims to spruce up Brunei fashion

MALAYSIAN FASHION DESIGNER JOVIAN MANDAGIE REVEALS HIS PLANS TO BUILD ON HIS STRONG FOLLOWING IN BRUNEI BY STARTING UP A FRANCHISE.

RABIATUL KAMIT The Brunei Times Bandar Seri Begawan

| September 20-26, 2013

FASHION Courtesy of Jovian Sdn Bhd JOVIAN'S DESIGNS ALSO CARRY A COLLECTION OF SCARVES KNOWN AS THE HIJAB WHICH IS AVAILABLE ONLINE VIA FASHIONVALET.COM AS WELL AS AT THE BAJOO BOUTIQUE IN GADONG.

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alaysian designer Jovian Mandagie is looking to set up a fashion boutique in Brunei amid a growing fanbase following the success of his ready-to-wear collections.

Speaking to The Brunei Times in an exclusive interview, the up-and-coming designer said he is planning to build his brand presence with the opening of a J Store franchise in the region.

"I want to expand my enterprise by reaching out to a bigger crowd," revealed the 27-year-old, having gained a strong reputation in the local fashion industry.

In addition to his flagship store in Kuala Lumpur, Jovian is looking to roll out more J Store boutiques in other parts of Malaysia and is also in talks with potential investors to launch a store in Singapore. The Sultanate, as the fashion designer pointed out, is also on his list of countries where he intends to build his enterprise.

"I'm keen to work with anybody who is interested in running

| September 20-26, 2013

FASHION Courtesy of Jovian Sdn Bhd JOVIAN'S DESIGNS ALSO CARRY A COLLECTION OF SCARVES KNOWN AS THE HIJAB WHICH IS AVAILABLE ONLINE VIA FASHIONVALET.COM AS WELL AS AT THE BAJOO BOUTIQUE IN GADONG.

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FASHION Jovian Mandiage’s Facebook page JOVIAN MANDIAGE’S COLLECTION.

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FASHION Jovian Mandiage’s Facebook page JOVIAN MANDIAGE’S COLLECTION.

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FASHION Jovian Mandiage’s Facebook page JOVIAN MANDIAGE’S COLLECTION.

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FASHION Jovian Mandiage’s Facebook page JOVIAN MANDIAGE’S COLLECTION.

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FASHION Jovian Mandiage’s Facebook page JOVIAN MANDIAGE’S COLLECTION.

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FASHION Jovian Mandiage’s Facebook page JOVIAN MANDIAGE’S COLLECTION.

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FASHION Jovian Mandiage’s Facebook page JOVIAN MANDIAGE’S COLLECTION.

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FASHION Jovian Mandiage’s Facebook page.

JOVIAN MANDIAGE’S COLLECTION.

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FASHION Jovian Mandiage’s Facebook page

JOVIAN MANDIAGE’S COLLECTION.

a J Store franchise in Brunei," he said, inviting interested parties to come forward.

The opening of a J Store franchise will allow Jovian to meet the growing demands of the regional market. At present, customers in Brunei can only purchase from his ready-towear collections online via www.fashionvalet.com and at the Bajoo boutique located in Mata-Mata, Gadong.

Since the launching of 2012 fashion line-up, sales have skyrocketed from 15,000 dresses last year to 30,000 dresses this Hari Raya season.

"The response has been massive," remarked Jovian, noting that Brunei is one of the biggest markets for both his ready-to-wear collections and couture services.

Besides celebrities, the renowned designer's clientele also includes members of Brunei's royal family.

Jovian, who was in the country over the weekend, was also thrilled to see many local women donning the trendy pieces of his ready-to-wear collections.

"I'm very flattered that Bruneians are wearing my line. I hope that one day I can contribute to the country, but for now, I feel

that I have helped to brighten the colours of Brunei fashion. I'm a new face to this industry, but Bruneians were among the first to support me," he commented.

Jovian, whose young and successful career has taken the fashion industry by storm, says by all means that he has no intention of slowing down.

"My team and I are going through a rebranding exercise.

We eventually want the name Jovian Mandagie to go international and to serve a bigger market.

"You always have to move forward and aim for bigger things in life," he said confidently. ¬

LIFESTYLE

| September 20-26, 2013 AFP

Diamonds are tChina's best friend

The growing rich Chinese middle class are lured by the sparkle of a prized gem EIGHTY-FOUR PER CENT OF THE WORLD'S ROUGH DIAMONDS AND 50 PER CENT OF ALL POLISHED DIAMONDS PASS THROUGH ANTWERP, BELGIUM, AND THE CHINESE ARE ITS HUGE CLIENTELE.

LIFESTYLE

TUO YANNAN China Daily Antwerp, Belgium

| September 20-26, 2013

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hu Xiao's office is only 50 metres from Antwerp's central railway station.

Through a window, the Beijinger can see crowds of people from every corner of the world flowing in and out of the city every day.

The scenery through that window hasn't changed much in the past century, but the owner of this office changed three years ago from a Jewish businessman to a Chinese one.

Every morning, many Jewish people in their orthodox black robes gather along this street to trade diamonds, just as they have done for hundreds of years. When Chu, 30, decided to quit his job in a Shenzhen-based diamond company three years ago, he made the boldest decision of his life to open his own business in Antwerp.

The Belgian city is the world's main diamond trading centre. Given its high share of the global trade, saying that the sparkling stones are an iconic facet of Antwerp's reputation and image is no exaggeration.

In the past decade in the city's two diamond wholesale streets and

four bourses—the most diamond bourses in any city in the world— more Indians and Chinese have been seen alongside the Jewish dealers.

Seeing the potential demand in the Chinese market, Chu realised that he had to go to the city where most diamond transactions originate. However, setting up a business in Antwerp was harder than he imagined. When he arrived, almost all of the wholesale diamond traders were Jewish or Indian.

Diamonds and Antwerp have been intertwined for more than 550 years, and the Jewish community has dominated the diamond trade for much of that time. On one of the two trading streets there is a synagogue opposite the Antwerp World Diamond Centre.

Now, Indian companies control about 60 per cent of the global trade in polished diamonds. Every morning, when the four bourses open, the narrow street where Chu works suddenly fills with people. Everyone seems to know each other. Many million dollars of deals can be made through a handshake or a greeting.

| September 20-26, 2013

LIFESTYLE On this street, trust is everything.

Among these traders, you will see an intriguing assortment of business types: traditionally dressed Jews looking around alertly, and many Indian businessmen carrying black briefcases and talking into their phones in loud, heavily accented English. This is no different from a busy commercial street in most parts of the world, except that many of the businessmen in this street carry small paper parcels in their suit pockets or briefcases.

These small folded squares of pink or white paper are so thin and light that you would think there would be nothing inside them. However, once you open them you see the unmistakable sparkle of bright diamonds.

Chu laughed when he saw my surprised face. "You are a little disappointed to see such treasure wrapped so roughly? You're holding US$100,000," he smiled.

According to the AWDC, the industry-established foundation, each year about 130 million carats of diamonds are mined worldwide. Of those, 84 per cent of all rough diamonds

and 50 per cent of all polished diamonds pass through Antwerp. Diamonds represent 5 per cent of total Belgian exports and 15 per cent of all Belgian exports outside the European Union, making diamonds the nation's most important export product worldwide.

Among the non-European markets, the largest destination for diamonds is China, which has become the new driving force of the old city of Antwerp.

"In the beginning, I got no recognition at the bourse," Chu says.

"Every day now, they greet me with 'Hi, young Chinese man, you're here.'"

RISING DEMAND

According to the AWDC, the annual total value of global rough diamonds is nearly $9 billion.

They are set in jewellery that is valued at nearly $50 billion.

It also says that global supply is expected to decline, falling behind expected demand growth that will be driven by China, India and the United States. "Over the next 10 years, supply and demand are expected to grow at a compound annual rate

| September 20-26, 2013

LIFESTYLE of 2 per cent and 5.1 per cent."

China's rising middle class has changed Antwerp and the diamond industry over the past decade.

In China, most customers don't realise that almost every diamond on their jewellery passed through the city.

About two years ago, China became the biggest destination for polished diamond exports from Antwerp, overtaking the US, says Ari Epstein, head of the AWDC. The centre's research report says China will account for an estimated 29 per cent of the global rough-diamond market's growth through to 2023, as its middle class expands and the rural population moves into the cities.

"Current projections suggest that the middle class will almost triple in size by 2023, and rough-diamond demand will more than double to about $5 billion in that year in China," Epstein says.

Middle-class households currently make up only 19 per cent of China's population, but most forecasts say that percentage will rise to 44 per cent by 2023.

"Diamond demand could accelerate

if middle-class affluence grows faster," Epstein says. "With more spending power at their disposal, some will likely buy more expensive diamond pieces."

Li Yan, the founder and owner of Silkroad Diamonds, was one of the first Chinese to become involved, in the 1990s, in Antwerp's diamond business.

She was a violinist in the city, and on an off chance some of her friends in China asked her to find a diamond wholesaler in Belgium. She took this new opportunity and ended up starting her own diamond business in 1996.

Her office is now in one of Antwerp's diamond bourses. When she opened her double security door for me, she was wearing a beautiful dress that combined the beauty of the East and West.

"It's from a local Antwerp brand," she smiled, adding that its pattern reminds her of China.

Li's company was the official diamond partner of the Belgian EU Pavilion at Expo 2010 Shanghai.

Li says that in the past the Chinese tended to buy diamonds under one carat but recently younger people are starting to buy bigger stones.

LIFESTYLE "Now the Chinese market is a barometre of Antwerp's diamond industry. If the demand from the Chinese market is not strong, the price will drop quickly," Li says.

GROWING CLIENTELE

Not only are Chinese dealers aware of the importance of their home market, but Belgian companies have also begun to adapt to the new situation.

Wang Tingting, a young Chinese woman who was hired by Dayekh Diamond last year, has been given the task of dealing with Chinese customers.

According to Alexander Dayekh, the store was established by his father 10 years ago and mainly sold diamonds to Russian and US customers. But after he became involved in the family business, he began to explore the Chinese market. Now more than 60 per cent of his customers are Chinese, which is why he hired Wang, the company's first Chinese employee.

The company's diamond polisher, Edgar Gapamajian, has worked in the industry for 12 years. The biggest diamond he has polished

in recent times was for a 24-yearold Chinese woman. "In the past, Russians were the ones who usually bought such big diamonds," he says.

This four-carat diamond was sold through a contact from Wang's account with WeChat, a Chinese instant messaging service.

"The Chinese buyer lives in London and through my WeChat account I've sent her many pictures and chatted with her about our products," Wang says.

"Then she flew to Antwerp to visit us."

The Belgian government and local associations are also paying a lot of attention to the Chinese market.

Antwerp vice mayor Ludo van Campenhout says that there are 1,850 registered diamond companies in Antwerp, and each year 38,000 Kimberley Process certificates are issued there. These certificates are granted to ensure that no diamonds are traded to finance unlawful rebel movements.

"Therefore the city of Antwerp plays a role that is similar to that of New York in international banking and finance," he says. "What New York is to the money markets, Antwerp

| September 20-26, 2013

LIFESTYLE is to the global diamond trade."

Diamonds are the main trading product for Russia, India and China, he says.

According to Van Campenhout, China is the leading importer of polished diamonds from Antwerp.

In 2012, 31.3 per cent of Antwerp's polished diamonds headed to China.

"Exports of diamonds, rough and polished, from Antwerp to China increased 73 per cent in value between 2007 and 2012," he says. "This share grew during the financial crisis and stabilised afterward窶馬ot only because demand in general is rising, but also because of the Chinese interest in diamonds as an investment." ﾂｬ

ENTERTAINMENT

| September 20-26, 2013 AFP

Stars under siege South Korea’s mandatory military service law has been getting a lot of attention lately especially with controversies surrounding celebrity soldiers

DOMINIQUE JESSICA The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Rain

| September 20-26, 2013

ENTERTAINMENT

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ilitary service is mandatory in South Korea, as the country wants to prepare for threats from its northern counterpart. This means all South Korean men aged 20– 30 are obliged to serve in the military for at least 21 months.

Each candidate goes through physical exams to determine which of the seven levels he will serve in, based on his health. Levels 1–3 are soldiers in active duty, level 4 is public service, levels 5 and 6 are exempt from service and those in level 7 must repeat the test. Those put into levels 1–4 undergo basic training, including pitching tents, weaponry, rope climbing and wilderness survival. After training, they are assigned to various posts throughout the country.

Korean pop stars are not exempt.

Despite their fame and fortune, they too must complete their two years of military service. However, in several instances, celebrity recruits seemed to have enjoyed special treatment.

First is the suspicious level

placement. It’s no secret that K-pop stars go through years of rigorous training to maintain their energy on and off stage; they are in tip-top shape. So why have all celebrity recruits been placed in level 4? After all, level 4 soldiers are referred to as “public service agents” and perform administrative duties off the battlefield.

According to Korean media outlet Chosun Ilbo, singer-actor Rain had 94 days off base—that’s more than twice the average number of holidays taken by regular soldiers. Rain’s meeting with girlfriend actress Kim Taehee during this time also sparked a lot of public criticism.

The latest celebrities in hot water for receiving special treatment are Se7en and Sangchu, after photos of the boys visiting an adult massage parlor were released in July. They were even caught on tape assaulting a reporter while trying to obtain the photos of their late night rendezvous.

Adding fuel to the fire, SBS programme On-Site 21 aired an

episode exposing the leniency of military rules for celebrity recruits, with clips of other celebrities on duty using mobile phones freely and sporting civilian clothing instead of uniforms.

The Ministry of Defence quickly launched an internal investigation and announced the termination of their celebrity recruits unit, which was initially set up as a way to promote the country’s armed forces.

“After an investigation into the promotional department of the military, we have decided to abolish the Promotional Support Brigade [celebrity recruits unit].

Due to unpleasant issues that have occurred, it has tarnished the military’s image and brought down the morale of other soldiers serving diligently,” Star News quoted a ministry spokesperson as saying.

Since then, the ministry has punished eight celebrity soldiers, including Se7en and Sangchu, and reassigned 15 others to different units. They have been serving in the field with fellow troops since August 1. ¬

| September 20-26, 2013

ENTERTAINMENT

A FEW GOOD MEN YOO SEUNG HO

OH JONG HYUK

This 19-year-old may look like a gentle soul on the series I Miss You, but the actor takes his duty to his country very seriously. Seung Ho was reported to have refused all commercial filming obligations for the series’ promotion to focus on his military tasks.

His dedication during training earned him a spot on the list of the Top 16 Honourary Soldiers out of his recruitment batch.

This member of Korean boy band Click-B manned up by enlisting in South Korea’s marine corps. While other celebrities may have been eager to end their military run, Jong Hyuk postponed his own discharge so he could complete his military training.

Way to go, Jong Hyuk!

HYUN BIN

The Secret Garden actor has received public praise for his military service. He joined the marines, considered the toughest branch in the South Korean military, and took shorter leave than most regular soldiers to keep up with training.

| September 20-26, 2013

CITY

Lovable Dhaka Over the years, Dhaka locals have experienced amazing highs and devastating lows living in Bangladesh’s capital. Used to the cycle of life, they survived slightly dishevelled, but grinning nonetheless

| September 20-26, 2013

CITY

INMA SUMAITA RAHMAN The Daily Star Dhaka

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n its yearly liveability survey, the Economist Intelligence Unit placed Dhaka as the second worst liveable city among the 140 in the survey, second only to war-torn Damascus and below Karachi, Harare and Tripoli. It doesn’t paint us in the prettiest of shades but it’s not the first time.

Last year, Dhaka had the dubious honour of being last out of the 140 countries. And it makes for little consolation that we were only ousted because of the unrest in Syria. Dhaka has consistently scored low marks in infrastructure and health care and from the outside looking in, it doesn’t seem to be the most desirable place to live. But we’re still here and we love it. Here’s a look at everything that defines Dhaka — a melting pot of people, voices and a thousand stories.

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CITY

Dhaka defines urbanisation and industrialisation for those who have never set foot out of the perimeters of Bangladesh.

We know its flaws. We suffer and bear with the snail paced traffic, we fan our ways out of the long hours of load shedding and we paddle through the frequent floods posed by the horrible drainage systems.

I’m not blind but I love Dhaka, even with all its flaws. I love Dhaka with its affordable clothes. I love it when it rips me off and then the next moment shows me unconventional kindness from a stranger which makes the greedy shopkeeper a distant memory.

Can you ever not feel utterly distraught at the thought of celebrating Eid anywhere but Dhaka? The festivities ringing loudly in our minds, while the streets are left barren and free of traffic. The warmth radiating

from the people, all religions alike. I cannot think of any other city that does Eid justice like we do. And what about our regular days? How about those evening rendezvous at Rabindra Sharobor, to sit around and enjoy the evening breeze with a cup of tea? There’s always going to be at least one group of friends with a guitar, singing to their heart’s content. On sad days, might I suggest a walk around Shahbagh, admiring the brilliant art that covers the walls of Charukola?

Now I know, us Dhakaites aren’t known for our grace but I don’t think we truly tend to underestimate our fellow citizens’ good hearts at times. We never take the time to appreciate the angry mob that forms at any sign of injustice or crime on the streets of Dhaka (mugging, automobile collision or even teasing) out of nothing but sheer compassion. I know we’re pretty

poor but we actually have a pretty rapidly rising GDP. And inflation hasn’t hit us too bad in the case of domestic goods.

A simple T-shirt would cost us around US$20 in other places, whereas we get it for a couple hundred takas in Dhaka. I can say the same about the food.

Two words: STAR KABAB. So when Dhaka was ranked second on the list of “least liveable cities in the world” by the Economist Intelligence Unit, I felt a dire need to point out that Dhaka was more than liveable. It’s great to live in!

Dhaka, oozing with culture and diversity. Dhaka, that is growing right in front of you and me (Indeed, EIU placed Dhaka sixth on the list of cities with the most improved liveability scores over five years). Dhaka that might not be the prettiest but definitely isn’t a war zone or suffering from smog pollution. Dhaka that has

| September 20-26, 2013

CITY no signs of acid rain. Dhaka, situated in Bangladesh that was termed as the “11th happiest country” a couple of years ago.

At the end of the day, statistics and surveys count for little in the face of such love. I’m sure a person from Melbourne could paint a prettier picture. But the fact that we can score so poorly and still manage to paint such an exquisite picture tells you something about Dhaka. It’s a place that brings out the true mettle in its people; if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. Everyday spent in the capital is symbiotic. Dhaka isn’t perfect and neither are its people. But where we fall short, the city makes up for it with its undying charm and on the occasions when the city stumbles, the people rise to the challenge. It’s more than just numbers fed into a statistical analyser, it’s what we call home.

Lovable, liveable Dhaka. ¬

WHAT THEY SAY

“Canberra is beautiful and the people are nice, but I know I miss the long rides to school despite the traffic back home. I miss the cheap food and knowing I could go out to eat with my friends without worrying about money and, oh my God, I miss the pirated DVDs.” – Madhuri Shah Kibria, Canberra, Australia ”I miss how everyone knew everyone when it came to interschool tournaments.

Dhaka’s small and that makes it feel even more homely.

It’s like a gigantic family.”

– Karar Kabir Rabib, UT Arlington, US “Rickshaws! To the environmentalists trying to lower global warming,

we’ve been way ahead of you hippie white people.“ – Ashnaa Rabbani “Nowhere else in this world will you be able to feast to your heart’s content at the rate of a mere US$5.“ – Md. Tarek-Ul-Hassan Khan, Computer Source, Dhaka “The tongs, with the creamy tea and butter buns cannot be beaten by any fancy cafe, for me.”

– Meehan Kathan, IBA, Jahangirnagar University “I really like the modesty that I see in people of all classes alike. It might not be noticed all the time, but we’re actually quite the united bunch.”

– Nibras K. Chowdhury

CITY

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CITY

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CITY

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CITY

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DATEBOOK

| September 20-26, 2013 BEIJING

INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN-MAKING AND BOW-MAKING COMPETITION

SEOUL

AVENUE Q The R-rated American adult puppet musical, titled “Avenue Q”, is a hilarious, lighthearted coming-of-age tale highlighting the anxieties and struggles associated with entering adulthood. It premiered on Broadway in 2003 and picked up three Tony awards, including Best Musical, in the same year.

The musical’s subject matter–pornography, homosexuality and racism, which the audience may not be too comfortable with—is delivered through Sesame Streetinspired puppets alongside human actors.

When: Until October 6 Where: Charlotte Theatre

The opening ceremony of the second China International Violin-Making and Bow-Making Competition opened on September 9 in Beijing. A total of 245 instrument makers from 11 countries entered the competition with 399 works.

The gold, silver and bronze medals in four categories, including cello, viola and bow, will be awarded at the competition. A series of relevant activities, such as an awarding gala concert, an entries exhibition and seminars by master makers, will be organised during the competition.

The competition provides a communication platform for young violin- and bow-makers around the world. It is becoming one of the most significant competitions of its kind in the world.

When: Until September 21 Where: National Centre for the Performing Arts

DATEBOOK

| September 20-26, 2013

KYAUKSE, MYANMAR

ELEPHANT DANCE FESTIVAL The whole town competes, not only for the best “elephant dance”-performance, but at the same time for the nicest-decorated “elephant”. For the dance itself: two men get inside a life-size hollowedout papier-mâché elephant figure and imitate the movements of a real elephant. Usually, there is a ‘lead’-man who coordinates the movements of the dancers, assisted by a small number of musicians.

PHUKET When: October 2

VEGETARIAN FESTIVAL The festival is an annual event held during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. During this time, local residents of Chinese ancestry strictly observe a 10-day vegetarian or vegan diet for the purpose of spiritual cleansing and merit-making. Sacred rituals are performed at various Chinese shrines and temples and aesthetic displays such as walking barefooted over hot coals and ascending ladders with bladed rungs are performed by entranced devotees known as "Ma Song".

When: October 5-13

DATEBOOK

| September 20-26, 2013

BALI

KALASHA VALLEYS, PAKISTAN

KUTA KARNIVAL 2013

CHOWMAS FESTIVAL

Kuta beach presents Kuta Karnival which is the annual event that it has become an important event in Balinese tourism calendar. This festival was inaugurated to honour the victims of human violence and also to show the world the true spirit of local Balinese community always survives. The festival programme also contain culture parade and food exhibition.

Held in Kalasha Valleys near Chitral, the festival aims to welcome winter with first snowfall. It also marks the end of the year's fieldwork and harvest season.

During this festival, girls and boys choose their life partners and soothsayers predict the future year. Goats are slaughtered, Cheese taken out from its hoardings and wine doled out to those celebrating the festival.

When: October

When: October 18-21

DATEBOOK

BEIJING

BEIJING INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL Established in 2004, the festival is a celebration of classical music from around the world as well as China. Collaboration makes this festival an outstanding event in music and music appreciation.

When: October 2-19 Where: Beijing International Music Academy

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