Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2015

Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia

www.gasiantimes.com

2015 Miss Cambodia Georgia

April 15-30, 2015

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April 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2015

Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho

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All Rights Reserved: including those to reproduce this printing or parts thereof in any form without permission in writing from Georgia Asian Times. Established in 2004, the Georgia Asian Times is published by Asiamax Inc. All facts, opinions, and statements appearing within this publication are those of writers and editors themseleves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions, endorsements by Georgia Asian Times or its officers.

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GAT Calendar of Events GAT welcome submission of announcement pertaining to community related events.

Please email event, date, venue, and time to gat@gasiantimes.com.

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Greater Gwinnett Championship - Golf Champions Tour Date: April 13-19, 2015 Venue: TPC Sugarloaf Tickets starts at $20 For more info: www.greatergwinnettchampionship.com 2015 Symposium on Asia-USA Partnership Opportunities (SAUPO) Largest Asian business conference in the South Date: Friday, April 17, 2015 Time: 7:00 am - 6:00 pm Venue: St. Regis Hotel, Atlanta, GA For more info: www.kennesaw.edu/ saupo/home.php 30th Annual Unity Gala - Asian Pacific American Council of Georgia Date: Saturday, May 2, 2015 Time: 6:00 pm Venue: Sonesta Gwinnett Place For more info: www.apacga.org

GAPABA 2nd Annual Gala Date: Thursday, May 14, 2015 Time: 6:00 pm Venue: Fernbank Museum of Natural History For more info: www.gapaba.org/gala GAT 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia - Awards Banquet Date: Friday, July 16, 2015 Time: 6:30 pm Venue: Sonesta Gwinnett Place For more info: 678.971.9388 Asian Cultural Experience (ACE) Date: Saturday-Sunday, Aug 8-9, 2015 Time: 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Sat; 11:00 am-6:00 pm Sun Venue: Gwinnett Center For more info: www.asianculturalexperienceinga.com 20th Annivesary Hong Kong Dragon Boat-Atlanta Date: Saturday, Sept 12, 2015 Time: 7:00 am - 6:00 pm Venue: Clarks Bridge Olympic Kayaking-Lake Lanier, Gainesville, Georgia For info: dragonboatatlanta.com

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April 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

METRO ASIAN NEWS Former leader of Hindu Temple of Georgia sentenced to prison for fraud and obstruction Atlanta, April 14, 2015 — Annamalai Annamalai, a/k/a Dr. Commander Selvam, a/k/a Swamiji Sri Selvam Siddhar, the former leader of the now defunct Hindu Temple of Georgia, has been sentenced to 27 years, three months in prison following his conviction on 34 felony counts, including bank fraud, tax fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and obstruction charges.

“Annamalai perverted the sacred institution of religion by using it as a vehicle for greed and personal profit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Horn. “He convinced his victims that they had a problem in need of spiritual guidance, and then took advantage of their vulnerabilities for personal financial gain. The sentence rendered against him is lengthy but just and fair considering the irreparable harm he caused to his victims.”

“Annamalai Annamalai, a self-proclaimed “child prodigy” and “priest”, received his fate today for the fraud that he perpetrated on the faithful followers that believed in him,” stated Veronica F. Hyman-Pillot, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “This defendant utilized the nation’s financial system to steal money from unsuspecting victims and then used the money for his own personal benefit. This sentence is a vital element in maintaining public confidence in our legal and financial system.”

According to Acting United States Attorney Horn, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Annamalai generated income through the Hindu Temple of Georgia (“the Hindu Temple”) by charging fees to his followers in exchange for providing spiritual or related services. In a typical transaction, a follower agreed to purchase a particular service for a communicated price, and provided a credit card number by telephone to guarantee payment. Annamalai caused the followers’ credit card numbers

to be charged on multiple occasions, in excess of their agreed amount and without authorization.

If the followers disputed the charges with their respective credit card companies, Annamalai submitted false documentation to the credit card companies in support of the unauthorized charges. Annamalai later filed spurious lawsuits against followers who disputed his charges and manipulated audio recordings to make it sound as if the followers had agreed to the disputed charges. Annamalai caused these manipulated audio recordings to be submitted to police departments investigating criminal complaints that were lodged against him.

The income generated by the Hindu Temple through these credit card charges was used to fund the personal lifestyle of Annamalai and his family, who owned or controlled numerous homes and real properties, luxury vehicles, and foreign bank accounts in India.

Following a two-week jury trial, Annamalai was convicted on August 25, 2014, for bank fraud and tax fraud offenses. Annamalai was also convicted of bankruptcy fraud offenses in connection with the Hindu Temple’s petition for bankruptcy protection in August 2009. Annamalai concealed assets from creditors and others by diverting credit card receipts and donations intended for the Hindu Temple to a bank account in the name of a different entity. Annamalai was also convicted of money laundering for using proceeds from the bankruptcy fraud to pay mortgages on properties that he owned, and payments to himself.

Annamalai was also convicted on three counts of obstruction and false statements in connection with the grand jury investigation and the bankruptcy proceeding. Annamalai transmitted a fraudulent email to an

Gwinnett County offers networking opportunity for potential vendors Lawrenceville, April 13, 2015 – Current and potential vendors are invited to attend the ninth annual Supplier Symposium on Thursday, April 16, 2015, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. This free event is hosted by the Gwinnett County Purchasing Division. Gwinnett County buyers, contracting officers and department representatives will be available, along with representatives from the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce.

Purchasing Director Bryant Davis said, “Vendors will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with County staff to become more knowledgeable about doing business with county government. Attendees will network with buyers, department representatives and other metro Atlanta agencies. Suppliers are our best resource for keeping abreast of current products, services, updates, and new information. We believe a competitive environment helps both buyers and sellers.”

The symposium provides vendors with an opportunity to meet buyers and contracting officers in Gwinnett County and other metro Atlanta agencies. Large and small vendors will be able to network with buyers to establish relationships as well as obtain information on current and upcoming projects.

Attendees can register online for this event at www.gwinnettcounty.com.

Current open projects and business opportunities are also available on the County’s website along with a how-to manual for doing business with Gwinnett County.

IRS Special Agent, which was falsely made to appear as if the email had been written and authored by a witness of the criminal investigation.

Annamalai submitted a false affidavit to the grand jury, and a false affidavit to the Bankruptcy Court in connection with the Hindu Temple’s bankruptcy proceeding.

In addition to Annamalai’s prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. also ordered Annamalai to not engage in any spiritual service for compensation, directly or indirectly through intermediaries; and to not file frivolous, abusive, or malicious lawsuits against (1) former customers of the Hindu Temple and related entities, and victims of his criminal schemes; (2) parties, creditors, the Trustee, lawyers, or court personnel involved in the Hindu Temple’s bankruptcy case; and (3) attorneys, government agents, the jury, and court personnel involved in the criminal case. Judge Batten also recommended to the Bureau of Prisons that Annamalai be housed in a “Communications Management Housing Unit,” which is a special facility that will be able to monitor Annamalai’s telephone calls and electronic communications from prison.

Finally, Annamalai was convicted of conspiring with his spouse and others to conceal the arrest of co-defendant Kumar Chinnathambi.

Annamalai Annamalai, 49, of Baytown, Texas, was sentenced to 27 years, three months in prison.

Chinnathambi, 34, of Baytown, Texas, was later arrested and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bankruptcy fraud on July 17, 2014. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2015

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BUSINESS ASIA

April 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

China’s hunt for “economic fugitives” is backed by U.S. Despite U.S. objections, more countries opt to join China-led investment bank Tokyo, April 2, 2015 - The China-led $50 billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) continued to get more members, with the latest being Taiwan and Norway saying they would join the institution, while Japan is mulling the idea and Russia has said it will become a founding member on April 14.

At least 44 countries have applied for membership in the AIIB with the rights of founding countries.

The initial applications are to be processed on March 31.

Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov has said that Russia has applied to participate in the AIIB as a founding member.

Finance Minister Taro Aso reiterated Japan’s concerns about governance at the AIIB, its debt sustainability and environmental and social safeguards.

“Unless these conditions are secured, Japan has no choice but to be very cautious about joining,” Aso told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

At the same time Aso didn’t rule out the possibility of the country’s future participation in AIIB, saying that Japan plans to “watch the bank’s development.”

The AIIB is considered a potential rival to the US-based World Bank.

Earlier in March US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew warned that US-based international financial institutions risk losing “international credibility and influence.”

The new development bank, which was announced just five months ago, is becoming a massive headache for the US, which has in vain been trying to convince allies to stop joining the AIIB. Like the World Bank, the bank would provide loans to developing countries in Asia for infrastructure projects. But unlike the World Bank, China will hold the reins of the AIIB. The US has voiced concern that the institution won’t meet high governance standards, but in reality it appears opposed to the bank as it signals a growing Chinese influence in the region, and in global politics.

Norway said on Tuesday that it intends to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as a prospective founding member to promote closer ties to the Asia-Pacific region.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Boerge Brende said his country is a major contributor to global development efforts and wants to be among the countries in “further refining the structure and mission” of the Chinese-led bank.

“We hope the launch of the (bank) will help address a widely acknowledged infrastructure funding gap in Asia,” Brende said. “China’s initiative highlights the increasing weight of the new and emerging powers.”

Taiwan presidential office spokesman Charles Chen said joining the AIIB would help Taiwan in its efforts at regional economic integration and raise the possibility of joining other multinational bodies.

Beijing, April 11, 2015 — The United States has promised support for China’s campaign to hunt corrupt officials fleeing abroad, the official Xinhua news agency reported late yesterday, after meetings between security officials from the world’s two largest economies.

Chinese public security authorities said the United States supported Chinese programs dubbed “Sky Net” and “Operation Fox Hunt,” which are meant to coordinate a campaign to track down suspected corrupt officials who have fled overseas and to recover their assets.

Talks this week between Chinese domestic security leaders Meng Jianzhu and Guo Shengkun, and US Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson also touched on counter-terrorism, intellectual property rights, maritime law enforcement and cyber security issues, Xinhua said.

The Chinese government has given the United States a priority list of Chinese officials suspected of corruption and who are believed to have fled there, state media has reported.

The US Department of Homeland Security could not be immediately reached for comment. In an earlier statement on its website, the department said Johnson met with counterparts to discuss a variety of homeland security-related issues.

Chinese officials have said more than 150 “economic fugitives” including corrupt government officials are in the United States.

China’s anti-corruption watchdog said last month that more than 500 suspects were repatriated to China last year, along with more than 3 billion yuan.

Guo said the two sides should seek cooperation in law-enforcement, Xinhua said, and that both sides agreed they would not provide refuge to fugitives.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said he aims to track down corrupt officials across sectors in a far-reaching campaign against graft. — Reuters

Asked about Taiwan’s application, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: “Our principle has not changed, and that is it will be an open, inclusive and multilateral organization which we welcome all sides to join.

submitted by South Korea and a number of leading European economies, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg.

“But for Taiwan’s application to join, it should abide by the relevant principles, which is to avoid the problem appearing of ‘two Chinas’ or ‘one China, one Taiwan’.”

Applications to join the AIIB were

Kyrgyzstan too has applied to join AIIB. The country is expected to become a bank member on April 9.

Sweden will also apply to join the bank, the country’s finance minister said Monday, becoming the latest European country to join the institution despite concerns of the US.

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2015

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April 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

LIFESTYLE

Workplace workouts can snag on stressful corporate culture New York, April 13, 2015 — As evidence mounts that fit employees are productive workers, companies have slotted into the corporate routine an array of workplace workout initiatives, from in-house gyms to lunchtime yoga.

But fitness experts say even the best-intentioned get-fit efforts can founder before the demands of a corporate culture that is stressful, sedentary and increasingly round-the-clock.

“This demand for 24/7 access, this idea that I can always access you and you should intensely, immediately respond, is a stressor, and we know from studies that chronic stress will shorten your life and ultimately kill you,” said Dr. Mary Ellen Rose, a Washington, D.C.-based consultant for workplace health promotion.

Rose believes that even the wearable fitness bands and watches meant to keep exercisers on track can be counter-productive.

“For employees to perform at their best they need to be fit, yet workplaces have become anti-fit and increasingly sedentary,” he said.

“When you’re happy and healthy, you’re more productive,” she said.

“But for people who are high anxiety, monitoring every little thing becomes a stressor.”

Hitchins believes companies have a long way to go before they see their employees as athletes rather than as cogs in a machine.

Obesity costs employers about US$73 billion annually in absenteeism and medical expenses, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Patrick Hitchins, co-founder of FitRankings, an Austin, Texas-based fitness tech company that ranks the fitness levels of individuals and companies, notes that most fit people in a company are usually the executives.

“(We need) to raise that awareness on the corporate level that its (fitness) is cheaper than a trip to the hospital,” he said.

Installing showers at the office and welcoming yoga pants at midday meetings are among the methods that Alexia Brue, co-founder with Melisse Gelula of the wellness media company Well+Good, said corporations can use in the workplace.

“One of the challenges is (creating the) acceptance that you can work out at lunch and come back to the desk sweaty,” said New York-based Brue.

“Culturally there needs to be a shift, so workers can roll into office from their workout.”

On the hopeful side, Brue cites the rise of “sweatworking,” or entertaining clients in boutique fitness studios rather than bars, as a good sign.

“We also need to get out the message that it’s as important to unplug and to, say, meditate as it is to be always and immediately responsive, “ she said.

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2015

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EXECUTIVE PROFILE

Striving to make a difference in the community

Noy Lounnarath Bozarth

- President, Asian / Pacific Council of Georgia, Inc. (APAC) - Global Grants and Training Manager, The UPS Foundation

Having served UPS for the last 16 years and with another previous five years at Fritz, Noy Lounnarath is a seasoned professional in the logistics and transportation business. She recently started a new endeavor by joining The UPS Foundation as its Manager of Global Grants and Training.

“I am blessed in my journey to where I am now,” exclaimed Noy in her interview with Georgia Asian Times.

Noy was born in Laos. At the age of twelve years old, she arrived as a refugee with her parents and three younger siblings to Sarasota, Florida in December 1979. Prior to arriving in the United States, they had spent about five years living in Nong Khai refugee camp in Thailand waiting to be sponsored by American missionaries.

“Thank goodness for the kind hearted people at the First Baptist Church who sponsored our family to America,” said Noy. “The kind gesture always

inspires me to continue to work hard on giving back to the community and the underprivileged.”

Noy and her family had to adopt fast to their new life in America. She enrolled in the fifth grade at her local elementary school without any knowledge of the English language.

“You just adopt quickly and learn on your feet as you go!,” said Noy reflecting on the early memory.

That positive minded attitude helps her growth in both professional and personal life.

Noy has been active in the Laotian American community in metro Atlanta and Georgia for the past decade. She initially served as a volunteer and later as the President of the Laotian American Society of Georgia from 2011 to 2014.

“I was entrusted by the Laotian

community to get things done. I felt responsible for the trust, confidence, and encouragement that they have given me over the years,” said Noy. Noy used her organizational skills to help improve operations at the Laotian American Society. She also helps bring structure to the operations and financial management of the non-profit organization.

More often, Noy is the person that will show up at events related to LAS. “It takes a lot of sacrifice in terms of time and energy. More so when you sacrifice personal family time.”

ation of Asian American community organizations in Georgia.

“My goal is to introduce a professional organization structure to nonprofit organizations. Also, I want to promote further cooperation between the diverse groups.”

She credits her husband John and her younger sister in California as her pillars of support, encouragement, and “platform to bounce ideas off of”

Her dedication and perseverance also reflected in her nomination to serve for three terms as President of LAS.

Noy is grateful to her mentors at work that help shape her thinking and values. She counts on Carrie Nordman Smith, VP Finance, Mike Arias, VP Sales, Jerald Barnes, Director, The UPS Foundation, and Frank Romeo, The UPS Foundation VP as her mentors for professional guidance.

In December 2014, Noy was elected to serve as President of Asian Pacific Council of Georgia (APAC), a feder-

“Being a woman, I always strive for diversity and more inclusion in the workplace. My goal is to be a more

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April 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

“My best advice for young people is to never give up. Work hard in the face of adversity. If I could make it, you can do it too.”

effective leader at the workplace and within community organizations,” she responded when asked of her goal.

Noy’s List of Favorites: She decided to enroll in college and earned a Bachelor of Science in Management degree from Shorter University in 2009. She decided to overcome her regrets of understanding the value of education earlier in her life.

Favorite type of music: Pop music Favorite place in Georgia: Atlanta

Lately, Noy has aspired to be a role model for her community and her teenage daughter. She hopes to mentor young people to strive for excellence in their pursuit in work and academics.

Favorite place to visit: Caribbean Favorite food: Laotian

“My best advice for young people is to never give up. Work hard in the face of adversity. If I could make it, you can do it too,” she said with a smile.

Another piece of advice that she would like to share is to maintain a balance in family life, work life, and community service.

Favorite hobby: Shopping Favorite restaurant: Pappadeaux Favorite movie/TV: Homeland

In addition to her new role at The UPS Foundation, Noy is also engaged with UPS Business Resource Group (BRG) and Women Leadership Program.

“I hope to improve on my own skillsets and hopefully improve on my ‘personal brand’,” she said in closing the interview.

Favorite charity: Meals on Wheels Favorite website: Google

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2015

EVENT

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2015 Miss Cambodia Georgia, April 11, 2015

Morgan Villichay crowned as Miss Cambodia Georgia.

Chelsea Ly is voted as Miss Congeniality/Photogenic.

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April 15-30, 2015

Georgia Asian Times

LIFESTYLE tion, found that sudden cardiac death during sports activities is rare among middle aged people who are physically fit.

Researchers reviewed more than 1,200 cases of sudden cardiac arrest – when the heart stops beating due to an electrical disturbance in the organ that stops vital blood flow – in men and women aged 35 to 65.

Only 5% of the cases involved occurred during exercise such as running, basketball or biking.

Vigorous exercise helps people live longer Sydney, April 7, 2015 — Vigorous exercise, the kind that makes you sweat, get red in the face and breathe hard, may be better than moderate exercise when it comes to living longer, researchers said Monday.

“The results indicate that whether or not you are obese, and whether or not you have heart disease or diabetes, if you can manage some vigorous activity it could offer significant benefits for longevity.”

According to a study by Australian researchers based on more than 200,000 adults over age 45, and is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine.

Currently, the World Health Organization urges adults to do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.

The study participants were followed for more than six years.

Those who did jogging, aerobics or competitive tennis – vigorous exercise for 30% of their weekly workouts – had a mortality rate that was nine to 13% lower than those who did moderate exercise, like swimming, social tennis, or household chores.

“The benefits of vigorous activity applied to men and women of all ages, and were independent of the total amount of time spent being active,” said lead author Klaus Gebel from James Cook University’s Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention.

But the current research suggests that given the choice, people should opt for some higher intensity exercise if they can, and if their doctor agrees, the study authors said.

“Our research indicates that even small amounts of vigorous activity could help reduce your risk of early death,” Gebel said.

“For those with medical conditions, for older people in general, and for those who have never done any vigorous activity or exercise before, it’s always important to talk to a doctor first.”

A separate study published Monday in the journal Circulation, a publication of the American Heart Associa-

In two-thirds of the cases, patients had a previously documented cardiovascular disease or symptoms before the sudden cardiac arrest.

“Our study findings reinforce the idea of the high-benefit, low-risk nature of exercise in middle age and emphasize the importance of education to maximize safety, particularly as the population ages and more baby boomers increasingly take part in sports activities to prolong their lives,” said senior author Sumeet Chugh, associate director for genomic cardiology at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles, California.

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2015

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SPORTS Spieth wins first major with historic Masters Augusta, April 12, 2015 — Jordan Spieth won a historic Masters triumph for the ages on Sunday (Apr 12), deftly handling the final-round tension to hold off Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose and win his first major title by four shots.

Writing an epic conclusion to a week of domination at Augusta National, the 21-year-old American fired a two-under par 70 to finish on 18-under 270, matching the 72-hole tournament record set by Tiger Woods in 1997. “It’s the most incredible week of my life,” Spieth said. “It’s a dream come true.

I’m still kind of in shock a little bit.”

Spieth claimed the green jacket symbolic of Masters supremacy and the top prize of US$1.8 million at the US$10 million event by denying two of golf’s top major champions another crown.

“It was very nerve-wracking today,” Spieth said. “With two major champions right behind me, I couldn’t let up.”

England’s Rose, the 2013 US Open winner and Spieth’s last-pair playing partner, shot 70 to share second on 274 with 44-year-old US left-hander Mickelson, a five-time major winner who shot 69. “I played a good solid round but I needed something exceptional. I just didn’t quite get it,” Mickelson said.

“I just got outplayed. Jordan played great.”

Spieth was a runner-up to Bubba Watson last year in his Masters debut after squandering a front-nine lead on Sunday, but this time responded four times when dropping a shot to his rivals, restoring his margin each time on the very next hole.

Spieth, who will jump from fourth to second in the world rankings, became the second-youngest winner in Masters history, five months older than Woods when he won his first major in 1997. Also, Spieth became only the fifth wire-to-wire winner in Masters history, joining Craig Wood in 1941, Arnold Palmer in 1960, Jack Nicklaus in 1972 and Ray Floyd in 1976.

Starting with a four-stroke lead after setting the 36- and 54-hole Masters scoring records, the youngest 18-hole leader in Augusta National history answered every stumble quickly. Three times on the front nine Rose trimmed Spieth’s lead to three shots and each time the Texan boosted his edge back to four on the very next hole.

When Rose made bogey at nine and Spieth followed with a 23-foot birdie putt at 10, the US prodigy’s lead was six shots over Rose and Mickelson with eight holes remaining.

SPIETH SETS BIRDIE MARK

Top-ranked Rory McIlroy, seeking a third consecutive major win to complete his career Grand Slam, was fourth on 276 after a 66, one stroke ahead of Hideki Matsuyama.

Spieth’s birdie at 10 was his 26th of the tournament, breaking the Masters mark of 25 set by Mickelson in 2001, and he added two more at the par-5 13th and 15th for good measure.

Woods, a 14-time major champion, fired a 73 to share 17th on 283, his best finish since 2013 and a sign that the worst of his physical and shotmaking woes might be behind him. “Considering where I was ... I’m really proud of it,” Woods said of his effort.

Spieth dropped a shot at the par-3 12th and Mickelson, who would have been the second-oldest Masters champion, birdied the par-5 13th to pull within four. But once again Spieth answered a challenge with his own birdie at 13 to restore a five-shot edge.

It wasn’t over yet, however. Mickelson eagled the par-5 15th, blasting in from a greenside bunker, and Rose birdied 14 to join him on 14 under, both four back of Spieth with four to play.

Again Spieth answered. He went over the green at 15 but pitched to seven feet and made the birdie putt to reach 19 under par, the first time any player at any point in any Masters was so far below par.

Rose birdied to stay four back but could gain no ground as both parred 16 and 17 and made bogey on 18, Spiethmissing a five-foot par putt at the last which would have given him the tournament record alone.

Spieth became the seventh man to finish second one year and win the Masters the next, the first since his fellow Texan and mentor Ben Crenshaw won in 1984. Crenshaw, 63, played his 44th and final Masters this week.

WOODS HURTS WRIST McIlroy and Woods faded well out of contention early after starting the

day 10 adrift, each needing the greatest comeback in Masters history to stop Spieth.

McIlroy went four under on the back nine to surge into fourth, his best Masters finish. “I played well,” McIlroy said. “I’m happy with how the weekend went. I’ll take a lot of positives from it.”

Woods missed every front-nine fairway and was favoring his right wrist after blasting an approach off pine straw and hitting a tree root at the ninth. “A joint went out of place but I popped it back in,” Woods said.

Woods, in many ways, had a successful week, proving at age 39 that he can still contend in a major, although he said of his next start, “It’s not going to be for a while.”

But Woods has not won the Masters since 2005, has not won a major since the 2008 US Open and has not won any tournament since the 2013 WGC event at Firestone.

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April 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

SPORTS

Fernando Alonso: I will stay with McLaren until I retire Shanghai, April 10, 2015 — Former world champion Fernando Alonso said yesterday that he plans to end his Formula One career with McLaren despite a rocky return to the team.

Bhullar nabs first NBA points in King’s loss to Jazz Salt Lake City, April 9, 2015 — Sacramento’s Sim Bhullar, the NBA’s first player of Indian descent, scored his first career points yesterday in the waning seconds of the Kings’ loss at Utah.

Bhullar, born and brought up in Canada by parents from the Indian state of Punjab, made history on Tuesday with a 16-second debut for the Kings, who are owned by Indian businessman Vivek Ranadive.

Hoping for a chance to impress during the tenure of his 10-day contract, Bhullar played one minute and 22 seconds yesterday, delivering a turnaround hook shot with less than 18 seconds left, the last points in the contest won 103-91 by the Jazz.

The 22-year-old also pulled down one rebound for the Kings, who brought him in from the Reno Bighorns, Sacramento’s affiliate in the NBA Development League.

The 7-foot-5-inch Bhullar had spent the entire season with the Bighorns, after attending the Kings’ pre-season training camp.

Bhullar was a two-time Western Athletic Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player for New Mexico State University. He was undrafted last June but was brought into the training camp by the Kings before landing in Reno.

The Kings, in the second game of a back-to-back and playing without ailing starters DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay or Darren Collison for the first time this season saw their reserves hold their own through three quarters.

The Jazz trailed by two going into the fourth quarter, but opened the period with an 18-5 scoring run to pull ahead and away.

doing the things we are doing now than winning a trophy.

“There are times when you arrive at a state of mind that has different priorities in life.”

The Spaniard, who rejoined McLaren from Ferrari for the 2015 season in a lucrative multi-year deal, rejected the idea of driving for another team before retiring, as he prepared for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.

Alonso won back-to-back world titles at Renault in 2005-06 before an acrimonious 2007 season with McLaren marked by clashes with former teammate Lewis Hamilton.

“After 15, 16, 17 years of Formula One, or whatever it will be, it’s enough,” said the 33-year-old Alonso, who failed to finish in Malaysia two weeks ago in his first race back, having missed the season opener in Melbourne after a crash in testing.

The timing of Alonso’s move to struggling McLaren has raised eyebrows, and the irony of Sebastian Vettel’s superb victory for Ferrari in Malaysia will not have been lost on the Spaniard — although he found an unlikely backer in Hamilton.

“It’s probably the same as my time with Ferrari — I will close the loop, that part of my life.”

The reigning world champion admitted switching teams can be “a bit of a guessing game” but predicted Alonso and McLaren would soon be firing again.

Alonso insisted he would not be tempted into team management after retiring.

“I will finish with McLaren,” he said.

“I do not see myself as a manager.

That will be enough.

“Obviously I would like to win because we are sportsmen and we are all competitive, but also thanks to age, and thanks to the moment of your career, you start looking for other things.

“I’ve been lucky to win championships and to win many grands prix and now sometimes I feel more happy and more proud of my job and my team

“It’s an amazing team so I have no doubt at some stage he’ll come back,” said Hamilton. “How long away (that will be) is the question.”

Both Alonso and Jenson Button sputtered to a halt in Malaysia, leaving McLaren without a single point after two races this season.

“I don’t know Fernando’s reasons (for moving) but everyone has their own reasons,” added Hamilton.

“At the moment it doesn’t look spectacular, but I’m sure it will be good.”

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2015

Page 15

HEALTH Coffee, packed with health benefits, gains ground among medical experts Washington DC, April 4, 2015 -Long viewed as a controversial dark substance, coffee is gaining ground among medical experts who say it can protect against heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and diabetes, even if it is decaffeinated.

Parkinson’s disease and a couple of cancers,” including breast and prostate cancer, she said.

Multiple studies published worldwide in recent years have concluded that coffee can be good for the health.

Researchers do not yet understand the reason for coffee’s health benefits.

She said a “moderate amount” would max out at 500 milligrammes of caffeine per day.

In February, the US government issued new dietary guidelines, as it does every five years.

That’s why Tom Brenna, another member of the advisory group that wrote the new guidelines, urged some caution.

But this year’s recommendations said for the first time that coffee is not generally harmful, even multiple cups per day.

“Implying that coffee is going to cure cancer is not a very good thing to do,” said Brenna, a professor of nutrition and chemistry at Cornell University.

“We looked at all the science,” said Miriam Nelson, a professor in the School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and a member of the committee that wrote the guidelines.

But after poring over the research, experts could find no reason for concern.

“We have found no negative, adverse effects on health when you drink up to three to five cups a day,” she said.

“In fact, there is a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes,

“There is no evidence whatsoever for negative health consequences in the general population and if anything, the signal was in another direction. It seems to be protective,” Brenna added.

“The real takeaway is, have your coffee in the morning with complete

confidence that at least on average, nobody ever found any problem.”

Pregnant women should limit themselves to about 200 milligrammes of caffeine per day, just as a precaution, even though the panel found no evidence in reviewing the research that coffee was linked to premature birth, he said.

More research Nelson would like to see more research on the effects of caffeinated energy drinks that are popular among youths, in order to find out how much caffeine may be toxic.

Both scientists agree that the benefits of coffee, of which each grain contains 1,000 different molecules, goes beyond the caffeine and could be explained by antioxidants like polyphenols, which are also found in red wine and cocoa.

These attributes could also explain the results of a recent study involving 25,000 men and women in South Korea that found those who drank three to five cups of coffee per day had cleaner arteries, with less of the cholesterol buildup that leads to heart disease.

A study involving 2,000 people found coffee may help protect against Parkinson’s disease, an incurable neurological disorder.

Other studies have linked coffee consumption to lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers at Harvard University showed in 2011 that women who drank at least four cups of decaffeinated coffee per day had a 20 percent lower risk of depression.

And in 2006, a study involving 90,000 US women showed that drinking two or three cups of coffee caffeinated or decaffeinated - per day reduced the risk of diabetes.

Coffee may also help extend life, according to a National Institutes of Health study on 400,000 US men and women aged 50 to 71, which found a 10 percent lower risk of dying from any cause - except cancer - among those who drank multiple cups of coffee per day.

Pluck 200 hair to grow 1,200 new ones!

Los Angeles, April 10, 2015 - In a good news for men facing incessant hair loss, researchers have discovered that by plucking 200 hair strands in a specific pattern and density, they can induce up to 1,200 replacement hairs to grow!

Scientists at the University of Southern California (USC) have demonstrated this on a mouse. “It is a good example of how basic research can lead to a work with potential translational value,” said lead researcher ChengMing Chuong.

“The work leads to potential new targets for treating alopecia, a form of hair loss,” he added.

The study began a couple of years

ago on the premise that hair follicle injury affects its adjacent environment, and that this environment in turn can influence hair regeneration.

derlies how the hair follicle system responds to the plucking of some, but not all hair.

Through molecular analyses, the team showed that these plucked follicles signal distress by releasing inflammatory proteins, which recruit immune cells to rush to the site of the injury.

Based on this knowledge, the researchers reasoned that they might be able to use the environment to activate more follicles.

To test this concept, they plucked 200 hair follicles, one by one, in different configurations on the back of a mouse.

When plucking the hair in a low-density pattern from an area exceeding 6 mm in diameter, no hair regenerated.

However, higher-density plucking from circular areas with diameters

between 3-5 mm triggered the regeneration of between 450 and 1,300 hair strands, including ones outside of the plucked region.

The team showed that this regenerative process relies on the principle of “quorum sensing”, which defines how a system responds to stimuli that affect some, but not all members.

In this case, quorum sensing un-

These immune cells then secrete signalling molecules such as tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-I), which, at a certain concentration, communicate to both plucked and un-plucked follicles that it’s time to grow hair.

The results were published in the journal Cell.

Page 16

April 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

Misc Asia

U.S. will deploy “best” weaponry to Asia, says Defense Secretary Carter

Seoul, April 10, 2015 — Defense Secretary Ashton Carter promised today that the US would deploy state of the art weaponry in Asia, including the latest stealth bombers and cyber warfare units, to counter threats posed by the likes of North Korea.

“Our newest and best things are being deployed to this part of the world,” Carter said in Seoul — the second leg of a visit to the two key US military allies in the region, Japan and South Korea.

The Pentagon chief said his talks with South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-Koo had included a “candid assessment” of the threat posed to the Korean peninsula — “and the US homeland” — by North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program.

“As it demonstrated once again with the recent missile launches, North Korea is intent on continued provocation,” he told reporters.

The North fired two surface-to-air missiles off its west coast on Tuesday, just as Carter arrived in Japan on the first leg of his tour.

in South Korea and would assume operational command of both armed forces in the event of a conflict with the North.

The two Koreas remain technically at war because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a ceasefire rather than a peace treaty.

Tailor-made weaponry Stressing that military deterrence and readiness were “at a premium” on the divided peninsula, Carter said the US was investing in “advanced capabilities.... tailored to this dynamic security environment.”

Asked to expand, he cited new stealth bombers, F-35 stealth fighters and highly developed cyber warfare systems that could be rotationally deployed in the Asian theatre.

North Korea has an advanced cyber warfare capability which it has wielded in damaging hacking assaults on South Korean financial institutions.

Earlier, it had test fired a series of short range ballistic missiles to express its anger with annual South Korean-US military exercises which Pyongyang condemns as rehearsals for invasion.

The FBI has accused the North of being behind a devastating cyberattack on Sony Pictures, the studio behind the Hollywood film “The Interview” — a comedy about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

The United States has close to 30,000 troops permanently stationed

At the same time, he said his talks in Seoul had not touched on the sensi-

tive issue of a missile defense system, known as THAAD, that Washington is looking to deploy in South Korea.

China and Russia are both vocally opposed to the THAAD deployment, warning that it would undermine regional peace and stability.

It’s a tricky issue for Seoul which must weigh the priorities of its most important military ally, the US, against its largest trade partner, China.

Carter insisted THAAD was not discussed in Seoul because the system was still in production.

“We’re not at the point yet where we would begin discussing its deployment with anybody,” he said.

Tokyo-Seoul rift Carter’s two-nation trip was partly aimed at underlining President Barack Obama’s commitment to a US strategic shift to Asia — a move complicated by tensions between its allies in Seoul and Tokyo.

Washington has pushed hard for the two neighbors to put simmering territorial and historical disputes behind them, and Obama even hosted a strained three-way leadership summit in March last year.

But relations remain extremely frosty, and Carter said there was only so much the US could do.

“We hope for healing and reconciliation, but it is not for the United States to interpose itself between the parties,” he said.

After the press conference, Carter visited a memorial to the 46 seamen who died in the 2010 sinking of the South Korean naval corvette Cheonan.

A South Korean-led investigation involving a team of international experts concluded the ship was sunk by a North Korean submarine torpedo, but Pyongyang has always denied involvement.

Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2015

Page 17

Misc Asia

Photo: Shanghailist.com

Brother of China’s last emperor dies aged 96 Beijing, April 12, 2015 — The brother of China’s last emperor - who was pushed off the throne in 1912, ending the Qing dynasty - has died in Beijing at the age of 96, state media reported.

Stanford expels student who poisoned classmates San Jose, April 9, 2015 — A mentally disturbed Singaporean student who poisoned her classmates has been expelled from the Stanford University, a media report said on Thursday.

Earlier, she had sabotaged her lab mate’s experiments starting from mid-August. Ouyang is currently on a $50,000 bail and is barred from leaving the US.

Ouyang Xiangyu, 26, was charged in California with four counts of poisoning the drinking water of two of her lab mates between September and November last year. She was initially only banned from campus.

According to California law, she could face between two and five years in jail if found guilty. And another three years could be added if the poison involved causes “great bodily harm or death”.

Stanford University authorities confirmed to The Straits Times that she has been officially expelled.

Ouyang admitted to adding paraformaldehyde (PFA) to two water bottles that were not her own but is likely to plead not guilty due to mental disorder.

Puren was the youngest sibling of the final Qing monarch Puyi, a child-ruler portrayed in the Bernardo Bertolucci film “The Last Emperor”.

Puren died on Friday (Apr 12), the state-run China News Service cited family members as saying. Sometimes known as “The Last Imperial Younger Brother”, Puren was taken to hospital because of pneumonia in February, it said.

Puren - who took the Chinese name Jin Youzhi - was born six years after the rule of his brother Puyi was ended by the “Xinhai Revolution”.

Puyi, from the ethnically Manchu Qing dynasty, became emperor in 1908 when he was just two years and ten months old. His abdication was an epoch-shattering event, ending the rule of the Qing which began in 1644.

The government which took power in 1912 required Puyi and his close family to live within the walls of the Forbidden City, where they retained imperial traditions and were tended to by eunuchs. They were expelled from the palace complex in 1917.

Puren established a primary school with the help of his father in the 1940s and continued to teach until he retired in the late 1960s, the Guangzhou Daily newspaper reported. He reportedly had three sons and two daughters.

The Communist party which took power in 1949 also reportedly gave him a place on the local Beijing branch of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a mostly symbolic body. He made headlines in 2006 when at the age of 88 he filed a lawsuit claiming that a photo exhibit about Puyi in the Forbidden City had violated copyright laws. A Beijing court dismissed the case.

The Legal Evening News said Puren had in recent years suffered from poor health and memory loss.

“He was almost deaf and even couldn’t hold a pen ... he couldn’t recognize people,” it cited one of his sons as saying.

A memorial for Puren will be held at the Babaoshan Cemetery in Beijing, which houses the remains of prominent Chinese revolutionaries and former Communist party leaders, the China News Service said.

Page 18

April 15-30, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

TRAVEL

Getting lost in India’s golden city Jaisalmer, India, April 10, 2015 — India’s city of gold derives its nickname from an imposing honey-coloured fort overlooking sandstone dwellings hemmed in by the rolling dunes of the Thar desert.

“Everything is golden,” said our driver as he took us around Jaisalmer in an auto rickshaw, a three-wheeled tuk-tuk, pointing to the sandstone structures that had changed colour in the sun.

Men in vivid turbans smoke pipes on verandas above lanes that snake between havelis, or private mansions.

Women in traditional, rainbow-hued dresses sell silver trinkets.

Jaisalmer is named after the Rajput king who founded the city in the 12th century. Tourist sites include Gadsisar, a scenic lake surrounded

by temples, and Patwon ki haveli, a 19th-century complex with intricately carved facades and mirrors.

The ‘Golden Fort’ towers above the city. Its lanes, still inhabited, are filled with illuminated shops, bakeries, temples and apartments. The diversity of human activity assaults one’s senses: swarthy men with bushy moustaches sing folksongs; a little girl walks the tightrope; cows lumber in the streets.

A shop near the fort’s entrance sells flavored bhang, a beverage in the Indian subcontinent made from cannabis. The owner, an amiable man who goes by the name Doctor Bhang, serves it with cold coffee and milkshakes. A photo of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain visiting the shop adorns the wall.

Many cafes and hostels have sprung

up to cater for the growing numbers of backpackers. Dylan Cafe, in the heart of the city, is a popular hangout with spartan yet clean rooms. The rooftop cafe has an eclectic menu of local Rajasthani cuisine and international dishes.

Tourists also regularly venture out the area’s sand dunes. The nearest ones, known as Sam, are about 50 km (30 miles) from Jaisalmer. Motorbikes are available for hire, and visi-

tors are often spotted on tarred roads, zooming past herdsmen guiding goats along the way.

Tourists can also clamber on to camels and set off on a desert safari.

The landscape is bare — no buildings, no roads, no vegetation — nothing to distract from the stark beauty of the desert.

A detour on the way back to Jaisalmer takes visitors to Kuldhara, a maze of ruins that are the remnant of an ancient village abandoned in the 19th century.

Kuldhara and its crumbling walls are said to be haunted by a curse and have an eerie beauty. Visitors are not allowed to stay through the night. — Reuters