Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
www.gasiantimes.com
April 15-30, 2017
Failed Korean Missile Launch
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April 15-30, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2017
Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho Photographer: Ben Hioe
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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. Georgia Asian Times assumes no responsibility for damages from the use of information contained in this publication or the reply to any advertisement. The Publisher will not be liable for any error in advertising to greater extent than the cost of space occupied by the error and will only be made for a single publication date. The Publisher reserves the right to reject any ad or articles submitted for publication that may not be in good taste for a free publication.
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. GAT does not guarantee insertion of event announcement and has the right to deny any posting.
Symposium on Asia USA Partnership Opportunities (SAUPO) Organized by Kennesaw State University Date: Friday, April 14, 2017 Time: 7:00 am - 6:00 pm Venue: Loews Atlanta Hotel
23rd Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival-Atlanta Date: Saturday, Sept 9, 2017 Time: 7:00 am -6:00 pm Venue: Lake Lanier Olympic Kayaking Center, Gainesville, Georgia For more info: DragonBoatAtlanta.com
Celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month & Scholarship Award Ceremony Annual Unity Gala Organized by Asian/Pacific American Council of Georgia (APAC) Date: Saturday, May 6, 2017 Time: 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Venue: Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta For more info: 770.833.7009
13th Atlanta Asian Film Festival Date: Oct13-28, 2017 Venues: Georgia State University-Dunwoody, Plaza Theatre For more info: www.ATLaff.org
Atlanta Jazz Festival Date: May 26-28, 2017 Time: 11 am -11 pm Venue: Piedmont Park Admission: Free For more info: https://www.facebook. com/atlantajazzfestival
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April 15-30, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
METRO ASIAN NEWS UPS lawyer was targeted and shot in Gwinnett Police Officer fired for kicking midtown crosswalk, says Atlanta Police suspect in the head Atlanta, April 4, 2017 — The Atlanta Police Department confirmed the shooting of 40-year old Trinh Huynh near 943 Peachtree Road crosswalk in Midtown on Monday morning. Atlanta Police also released the video of a man who fatally shot the woman. Trinh Huynh was shot several times as she crossed Peachtree Street near Peachtree Place around 7:40 a.m. most likely on her way to work, possibly via MARTA, according to Atlanta Police Department. She was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she later died.
with the Atlanta Police Department through its investigation.” Huynh was born in Saigon, Vietnam, but grew up in Gainesville, Georgia, and graduated from Princeton University in 1998 and Emory University School of Law in 2004, according to her LinkedIn profile. She began her legal career as an associate in the government contracts and construction practice group at Powell Goldstein and later as an associate in a similar practice group at Alston & Bird. She was then counsel at The Gibson Law Firm before launching a solo practice in 2011. “Trinh’s an incredibly vibrant, really energetic person who is all smiles all the time,” said Shaney Lokken, a friend of Huynh’s who previously worked with her on the board of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association. “She has a tremendous heart, and this loss is terrible.” GAPABA issued a statement late Monday night:
Atlanta Police believes the victim was targeted and provided detailed description of the assailant who is about 6-feet tall, either white or Hispanic. Huynh was an-house attorney at UPS and she started her career with Powell Goldstein and Alston & Bird. “UPS was saddened to hear of the death of one of our corporate attorneys, Trinh Huynh, who joined the company last summer,” the company said in a statement. “We will cooperate
‘Trinh Huynh passionately lived her life, whether as a daughter, sister, friend, or lawyer. She served the Asian American legal community for many years through GAPABA and other bar associations. A former Board member, Trinh often attended GAPABA events, where she would share stories from her most recent travels. Her loss is tragic to GAPABA, the many people whom she influenced, and the community at large. She will be greatly missed.” The group will announce arrangements once they are known, according to its statement. Huynh also was a member of the advisory board of the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network, which provides pro bono legal services to immigrant victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault and other crimes.
Lawrenceville, April 13, 2017 — A Gwinnett County police officer sparked outrage in Atlanta communities after a bystander recorded him kicking a handcuffed man in the head while he was lying on the ground. The officer was responding as a backup officer to assist a supervisor with a traffic stop at the intersection of Sugarloaf Parkway at Lawrenceville Suwannee Road. The handcuffed man, identified as Demetrius Hollins, appears to be on
the ground when the video shows the second officer, identified as Master Police Officer Robert McDonald, appear and immediately kick him in the head. The department’s shift commander said he initiated an immediate investigation after the incident. After the incident, the police department also said they seized his issued firearm and sent him home. McDonald, who had been on the force since August of 2013, was later terminated from the department.
Midtown shooting suspect’s court hearing delayed due to jail altercation Atlanta, April 5, 2017 — The court hearing for the suspect accused of shooting Vietnamese American lawyer has been postponed. Raylon Browning was involved with a fight with another jail inmate on Tuesday evening. Based on a report, Browning attacked another inmate by punching the other jail inmate several times in the face. There was no apparent reason for the attack, according to Detention officers, who had to use Taser gun to subdued him. Browning was also found biting his own left arm and spits out blood from his mouth. He received another criminal charge for his attack on another inmate.
Browning was admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment. He is scheduled to appear before the Fulton County Court on Thursday.
Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2017
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April 15-30, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS the court to the left for the first time in decades. “I’ve always heard that the most important thing that a president of the United States does is appoint people, hopefully great people like this appointment, to the United States Supreme Court,” Trump said. “He will decide cases not based on his personal preferences but based on a fair and objective reading of the law,” Trump said of Gorsuch.
Trump’s pick Gorsuch sworn in, restoring top court’s conservative tilt Washington DC, April 11, 2017 — Donald Trump reveled in the biggest political victory of his presidency at a White House ceremony on Monday in which his Supreme Court pick Neil Gorsuch was sworn in, poised to make an instant impact on a court once again dominated by conservatives. Trump was able to fulfill a top campaign promise when the Republican-led U.S. Senate voted to confirm the conservative Colorado-based federal appeals court judge to the lifetime job on Friday despite vehement Democratic opposition. With Gorsuch aboard, the court has five conservative justices and four liberals, a majority that could be pivotal in deciding a range of issues including abortion, gun control, the death penalty, presidential powers, political spending, environmental regulation and religious rights. Standing in the White House Rose Garden under bright sunshine on a warm spring day, Trump tied the occasion to the political aims of his administration, as the eight other members of the nation’s highest court looked on.
“Together we are in a process of reviewing and renewing and also rebuilding our country,” Trump told an audience that included conservative activists and administration officials. “A new optimism is sweeping across our land and a new faith in America is filling our hearts and lifting our sights.” Gorsuch filled a vacancy that had lingered for nearly 14 months after conservative Justice Antonin Scalia’s February 2016 death. Gorsuch’s judicial oath was administered by Justice Anthony Kennedy, for whom Gorsuch worked as a clerk as a young lawyer. Gorsuch becomes the first justice to serve alongside a former boss. Trump made a point of thanking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his role in winning confirmation. McConnell last week led the effort to change long-standing Senate rules in order to end a Democratic blockade of Gorsuch’s nomination. Under McConnell’s leadership, the Senate last year refused to consider Democratic former President Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to replace Scalia, an appointment that would have tilted
During last year’s presidential campaign, Trump pledged to pick a justice who would overturn the landmark 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Gorsuch declined to answer about whether Roe v. Wade and other important court precedents were properly decided. ‘FAITHFUL SERVANT’ “To the American people, I am humbled by the trust placed in me today,” Gorsuch said, with his wife Louise and the Republican president standing behind him. “I will never forget that to whom much is given, much will be expected. And I promise you that I will do all my powers permit to be a faithful servant of the Constitution and laws of this great nation.” Those attending included liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who called Trump “a faker” during the presidential campaign but later said she regretted the remark. Trump at the time called for her resignation, saying her “mind is shot.” Scalia’s widow, Maureen, also attended. Gorsuch earlier in the day took his separate constitutional oath, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts, in a private ceremony at the Supreme Court with the other justices.
Gorsuch, 49, could serve for decades. Trump may be able to make further appointments to make the court even more solidly conservative, with three justices 78 or older: Ginsburg, 84; fellow liberal Stephen Breyer, 78; and conservative swing vote Kennedy, 80. Gorsuch will take part in the court’s next round of oral arguments, starting on April 17. They include a religious rights case on April 19 in which a Missouri church is objecting to being denied state funds for a playground project due to a state ban on providing public money to religious organizations. Gorsuch can be expected to have an immediate impact on the court. He takes part on Thursday in the justices’ private conference to decide which cases to take up. Among cases up for discussion is one in which gun activists are seeking to expand gun rights to include carrying concealed firearms in public. Another is a bid to reinstate Republican-backed North Carolina voting restrictions that a lower court found were intended to suppress black voter turnout. A third concerns whether a Christian bakery owner can object on religious grounds to making a cake for a gay couple. With Gorsuch sworn in, his new colleagues could decide to hear new arguments in their next term, starting in October, in cases argued during their current term in which they may have been split 4-4 and did not yet decide. Reuters
Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2017
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BUSINESS
U.S. small businesses expect continued 2017 growth New York, April 11, 2017 — U.S. small businesses expect stronger revenue this year and many anticipate adding employees, a generally optimistic read that could support job growth in coming months, the New York Fed reported on Tuesday. In a national survey that covered nearly 16,000 firms with fewer than 500 employees, more than 60 percent said they expect more revenue in 2017 than last year, and around 40 percent anticipated expanding their workforce. A third of firms said they had added workers in 2016, with fewer than 20 percent saying they had reduced employment. The findings on employment were “a positive note” in a report that detailed a broader picture of businesses struggling to get the financing needed to expand, said a Federal Reserve official who worked on the study but was not authorized to speak on the record. Steady national job growth and a 4.5 percent unemployment level have convinced Federal Reserve policymakers that the economy is near full employment, or perhaps even slightly beyond it. Though job growth slowed in March, the small business survey is a sign that hiring may continue since smaller firms are responsible for the bulk of U.S. hiring. The NY Fed began surveying small businesses in 2014 but the project has since expanded into a national effort covering all 12 regional Fed districts. Participants in the online survey were not randomly selected, but the results were weighted by firm size, geography and other factors to make it more representative.
The focus was on credit to small firms, and the results cited struggles among businesses owners to find funding. Problems were particularly acute among firms with less than a million dollars in annual revenue, a group that made up 70 percent of the sample. Two-thirds said they faced a shortfall in financing, and a quarter said they had dipped into personal finances to fund their businesses. The smallest firms also struggled to get credit from large banks as opposed to credit unions or community institutions: fewer than half the financing applications to larger banks were approved. “These challenges are particularly salient for the U.S. macroeconomy,” the survey report concluded, since newer, smaller firms are the ones more likely to grow fast. The researchers did not offer policy or regulatory changes that might improve small firms’ financing options. - Reuters
China’s Huawei targets Amazon, Alibaba in public cloud service push Hong Kong, April 11, 2017 — Chinese telecoms equipment and smartphone maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on Tuesday said it aims to compete with Amazon.com Inc and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd as a global provider of public cloud services. The Shenzhen-based firm, which last month reported its slowest profit growth in five years, said it will expand in cloud computing with a dedicated division that will recruit 2,000 more people this year. “We used to focus on private cloud and did well,” Zheng Yelai, president of the new unit, said at an annual analyst meeting. “Now the purpose is to strengthen our public cloud offering.” Public cloud services involve shared data infrastructure, rather than dedicated infrastructure built for single customers. Consultancy Gartner expects the market for public cloud services to reach $383 billion by 2020 from $247 billion in this year. By expanding in cloud computing, hardware-focused Huawei hopes to continue developing software-based revenue at a time of slowing growth in smartphone sales and reduced spending on telecommunication infrastructure. In China, its biggest rival in public cloud services would be Alibaba Cloud, while the latest market entrant is conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group Co Ltd in partnership with International Business Machines Corp (IBM.N). Zheng declined to say when Huawei aims to beat Alibaba, which is also a client of Huawei’s IT infrastructure and services.
Eric Xu, deputy chairman of Huawei’s board and one of three rotating chief executive officers, said Huawei’s global network of telecoms clients give the firm a unique advantage. “I believe we can build upon our advantages accumulated over the years,” Xu said, referring to carrier partnerships in Europe and a strong presence in developing countries. “Compete and coexist with AWS and Microsoft, I believe that is the trend we are going to see.” Xu said, referring to Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Corp’s Azure. Xu also said Huawei would not compete for market share by offering services at extremely low prices. Last month, Tencent Holdings Ltd won a cloud computing contract with a bid of just 0.01 yuan. Rivals complained of unfair competition, local media reported, but Tencent told Reuters that the case was a one-off. “Our strategic focus will be on our telecom partners’ cloud transformation,” Xu said. Huawei’s comments come after the Ministry of Industrial and Information Technology on Monday published a Cloud Computing Development ThreeYear Action Plan. The ministry forecast the domestic cloud computing industry to grow to 430 billion yuan ($62.32 billion) by 2019, from 150 billion yuan in 2015, and said “two to three leading global players” would emerge. Huawei earlier said it expects its cloud computing revenue to reach 10 billion yuan by 2020. - Reuters
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April 15-30, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS Asian economies escape ‘manipulator’ tag, but expect more pressure on trade
Apple eyes backing Hon Hai bid for Toshiba chip unit Tokyo, April 15, 2017 ― Tech giant Apple is considering backing Hon Hai’s multi-billion dollar bid for Toshiba’s lucrative memory chip business, a report said today. The US firm plans to financially support Taiwan’s Hon Hai, which has reportedly bid some 3 trillion yen (RM1.2 billion) in the initial tendering round for the memory chip business, the Mainichi Shimbun said. Apple, which uses Toshiba’s memory chips for its iPhone, hopes to secure stable supplies of the key parts by supporting Hon Hai’s bid, the daily said.
Local media said any foreign buyer would need to pass a Japanese government review, given concerns about security around systems already using Toshiba’s memory chips. Toshiba is the world’s number two supplier of memory chips for smartphones and computers, behind South Korea’s Samsung, and the business accounted for about a quarter of its 5.67 trillion yen in revenue last fiscal year.
Hon Hai, which acquired Japanese electronics maker Sharp last year, is separately asking SoftBank to join the team, the daily said.
But it plans to sell off the chip business, seen as crucial for the cash-strapped company to turn itself around, after suffering huge cost overruns and construction delays at its US nuclear power unit Westinghouse Electric, which filed for bankruptcy protection late March.
The Japanese telecom company may help Hon Hai negotiate with local banks currently supporting Toshiba, it said.
On Tuesday, Toshiba reported an unaudited loss of US$4.9 billion in long-overdue financial results for the nine months to December 2016.
Immediate confirmation of the report was not available.
In announcing the earnings, Toshiba also warned of the likelihood of a worsening financial situation and said its survival was at risk.
Among other bidders are Google and Amazon as well as US private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners and American chipmaker Broadcom, news reports have said, quoting unnamed sources.
Beijing April 15 ― Asian countries escaped the curre, 2017ncy manipulator label in the latest US Treasury report, but remain wary of possible trade friction as President Donald Trump maintains his administration will seek to address trade imbalances.
New language in the Treasury report citing a history of currency intervention in China, South Korea and Taiwan is in line with what experts say could be eventual changes to the criteria aimed at deterring future manipulation.
Trump has said some US trading partners, particularly China, manipulated their currency, but has since backed off that claim and acknowledged that China had not weakened the yuan to make its exports cheaper.
With Washington pushing a trade agenda aimed at reducing deficits, experts say the most logical option is to lengthen the time period for reviewing currency market interventions from 12 months to several years.
China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan remained on a list for special monitoring of currency practices, China by virtue of a massive trade surplus with the United States.
“One thing we noticed was the report touched on the previous history of (currency manipulation). They’re telling us not to do so in the future and we have no intention of doing so,” a senior South Korean finance official said.
“Fixing trade imbalances will be an issue for the US in its dialogues with China and Japan, while the manipulator threat has been put on the backburner,” a Japanese government official told Reuters. The semi-annual US Treasury currency report released today did not name any major trading partner as a currency manipulator, although it seemed to leave open the option for action in the future. Trump has softened his rhetoric against China’s trade practices as Beijing has intervened in foreign exchange markets to prop up the value of its yuan, and as he looks to China for help dealing with rising tension on the Korean peninsula. “I think the United States decided to forego (labeling China a currency manipulator) this time because it wants China’s cooperation on North Korea,” said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute in Tokyo. “Depending on how the North Korean situation develops, we don’t know what will happen in half a year (when the next currency report is due to be published).”
The report showed the high priority the administration puts on addressing trade imbalances and said it would be “scrutinising China’s trade and currency practices very closely”. The report came after China data showed its surplus with the United States was nearly unchanged in the first quarter compared to a year earlier at US$49.6 billion, and cited China’s market protection as an impediment to a balanced trade relationship. While Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week agreed to 100-day trade talks, US business leaders in China have expressed concern about a lack of progress in gaining further access to the Chinese market despite years of negotiations. The Treasury report’s language on Japan was similar to past reports, and focused on the need for structural reforms to improve domestic demand, analysts said. “The basic message is that Japan needs to expand its domestic demand and one can read this as them telling Japan to import more American goods,” said Minami of the Norinchukin Research Institute.
Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2017
EVENT
SAUPO 2017 Welcome Reception, Loews Atlanta Hotel
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EVENT
April 15-30, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
SAUPO 2017 Atlanta Loews Hotel, April 14, 2017
Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2017
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SHOWBIZ
Next Star Wars movie to feature new female character Orlando, April 15, 2017 — The largely testosterone-fueled Star Wars movie franchise has added an important new female character in the eighth film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, director Rian Johnson said yesterday at a fanfest in Orlando. Johnson said the movie, scheduled for release in December, is still in post production. Kelly Marie Tran plays Rose, a maintenance worker in the Resistance. Johnson said her character embodies the notion that even the most unlikely person can step up and become a hero. He said her part is the biggest new role in the film. Lucasfilm also live-streamed to fans worldwide the first movie trailer that features Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, wielding a light sabre under the guidance of Luke Skywalker who tells her that it’s time for the Jedi to end. Ridley was brought into the franchise
in the seventh movie, The Force Awakens, as a lead character. Fans have been expecting Lucasfilm to add more females to the cast. The movie poster shows Rey on an intense red background pointing her light sabre skyward, the beam dividing images of Skywalker and Kylo Ren. The poster harkens back to the poster for the first Star Wars film in 1977 in which Skywalker similarly pointed the beam up. The movie stars were on hand during the 2017 Star Wars Celebration at the Orange County Convention Centre. The popular 40-year-old Star Wars franchise in recent times has been criticized for a lack of recognizably female characters. Carrie Fisher was beloved for her role as Princess Leia, a character who was part of the original cast. Fisher died in December, but filmed scenes in The Last Jedi before her death.
The movie franchise is popular equally with male and female fans. Disney bought the franchise from creator George Lucas in 2012 for US$4 billion. Three years later, the company announced plans for new 14-acre Star Wars “lands” at both its Orlando and Anaheim, California, parks, capitalizing on the lucrative brand much as Universal Studios did at its Orlando parks with the Harry Potter phenomenon.
The Star Wars attraction will dwarf Disney’s other themed lands and feature two new rides, including one in which guests can captain the Millennium Falcon spaceship. — Reuters
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April 15-30, 2017
Georgia Asian Times
LIFESTYLE
New Japanese exhibition examines cross - cultural influences in art and fashion Yokohama, April 14 , 2017― A new exhibition at the Yokohama Museum of Art examines how cultural exchanges influenced aesthetics in both Eastern and Western societies from the late 19th century onwards. During the Meiji Period (1868-1912), Western fashion and customs began permeating Japanese lifestyle; meanwhile, Japanese art objects and kimonos were exported ― and celebrated ― in the West, as “Japonism” became fashionable in both art and design. “The Elegant Other: Cross-Cultural Encounters in Fashion and Art” at the Yokohama Museum of Art will look at the gradual development and discoveries of new aesthetic standards at both ends of the world, focusing on the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It will
underline the seductive exoticism from each end; foreign cultures were seen as “beautiful others,” with unfamiliar yet fascinating clothing, and their respective local traditions and craftsmanship. About 100 dresses and accessories from the Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI) will be shown for the first time in Yokohama. These range from sweeping court dresses with long trains to low-backed evening dresses to draped hostess gowns, examples of clothing and art blurred the boundaries between East and West. The Yokohama Museum of Art, inaugurated in 1989, is one of the largest art institutions in Japan. Its location along the seaport highlights it as a key symbol of international exchange ― when the Yokohama Port initially
opened in 1859, the city became a gateway to Western culture, while also exporting Japanese culture abroad. The Court dress worn by the Empress Meiji, circa 1910, will also be showcased. The Court dress worn by the Empress Meiji, circa 1910, will also be showcased. The Kyoto Costume Institute collects and conserves clothing from across eras, ranging from the 17th century to the present day, with holdings of 12,000 garments and 16,000 fashion-related documents. The institute has received donations from top designers and fashion houses, including Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, as well as a monumental gift of approx-
imately 1000 items from Comme des Garçons. The exhibition also features accessories, handicrafts, paintings, and photographs, loaned from both Japanese and foreign museums and private collections, such as an 1882 painting by Jules Joseph Lefebvre, “La Japonaise,” and vases with cherry blossoms in relief from the Meiji era. The Elegant Other: Cross-cultural Encounters in Fashion and Art will be on view April 15-June 25, 2017.
Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2017
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SPORTS
Garcia Masters Augusta to end major drought Augusta, April 10, 2017 — Sergio Garcia ended nearly two decades of major heartbreak when he beat Justin Rose in a playoff to win the U.S. Masters on Sunday on what would have been the 60th birthday of his hero, the late Seve Ballesteros. After four runner-up finishes and years of self doubt, Spain’s Garcia finally delivered the long-awaited title that seemed destined to forever elude him.
“But lately I’ve been thinking a little bit different, a little bit more positive and kind of accepting, too, that if it for whatever reason didn’t happen, my life is still going to go on.” Deadlocked after nine holes, the two friends and rivals produced an enthralling back nine showdown worthy of any Masters final round in what became a head-to-head battle after the other challengers fell away.
His 12-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole dropped into the cup at the par-four 18th, triggering a massive cheer from an Augusta National gallery that began chanting his name after willing him across the line.
Garcia and Rose both carded 69 to finish tied on nine-under-par 279, three strokes clear of 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, sending the year’s first major to a playoff when both missed birdie putts at the 72nd hole.
As his ball disappeared, Garcia crouched, clenched his fists and let out a mighty scream of pure joy releasing years of frustration, his 74 major starts the most made by any professional golfer before a first win.
Garcia frittered away a chance to win in regulation when his downhill five-footer dribbled away to the right and did not even threaten the cup, moments after Rose had also misread his seven-footer.
“I did think about, am I ever going to win one?” admitted Garcia. “I’ve had so many good chances and either I lost them or someone has done something extraordinary to beat me. So it did cross my mind.
It marked the first Masters playoff since Adam Scott beat Angel Cabrera to become the first Australian to wear the Green Jacket in 2013. All the omens had seemed in place for a Spanish victory with Garcia start-
ing the day perched atop the leaderboard alongside Rose on Ballesteros’ birthday.
before Garcia bogeyed the 10th and 11th holes as Rose took a two-shot lead with six holes left.
Ballesteros, the Spanish talisman who died of brain cancer in 2011, inspired a generation of golfers in his country, winning the Green Jacket in 1980 and 1983.
The two par-fives on the back nine proved pivotal, with Garcia making a clutch seven-footer to save par at the 13th before Rose missed a six-footer that would have taken him three clear.
Garcia becomes the third Spaniard to win the Masters, also joining Jose Maria Olazabal, who triumphed twice at Augusta, in 1994 and 1999.
They were on level terms two holes later after Garcia almost made an albatross at the par-five 15th, his eight-iron second landing inches short of the hole before brushing the pin and trickling 14 feet away, from where he made his eagle putt, the ball teetering on the edge of the cup before toppling in.
“It is amazing. To do it on his (Ballesteros’) 60th birthday and to join him and Jose Maria Olazabal, my two idols in golf, it is something amazing,” said Garcia. “I’m sure he helped a little bit with some of those shots or some of those putts.” Garcia has been plagued by self doubt in the majors and once said he did not have what it takes to be a major winner. On Sunday, though, he demonstrated during an enthralling rollercoaster battle with Rose that he does indeed possess the tools, demeanor and determination of a champion. Rose certainly was convinced, the Olympic champion going toe-to-toe with Garcia in a back-nine battle that at times played out like a heavyweight fight. “You can’t feel bad for me,” said Rose. “If there was anyone to lose to it would be Sergio. “He deserves it as much as anyone out here. He’s had his fair share of heartbreak.” Garcia and Rose traded birdies on the front nine to make the turn tied,
Back on level terms with three holes left, Rose landed the next blow by sinking an eight-foot birdie before Garcia missed a tricky five-footer. But then it was Rose’s turn to miss, failing to convert a seven-footer for par at the 17th and sending them to the 18th tied again, Ryder Cup team mates each on the verge of achieving a lifelong dream. Garcia’s legion of fans around the world surely feared another nightmare ending, but this time there was a happy ending for the Spaniard. “Today I felt the calmest I’ve ever felt on a major Sunday,” Garcia said. Reuters
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April 15-30, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS
Hamilton beats Vettel for Chinese Grand Prix win Shanghai, April 9, 2017 — Lewis Hamilton mastered Shanghai’s changing conditions and stayed clear of squabbling rivals to win the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday. The Briton eased his Mercedes across the line 6.2 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. Max Verstappen, who started 16th, finished a surprise third to hand his Red Bull team their 100th podium. It was Hamilton’s 54th career win and a record fifth in Shanghai. But it was the triple champion’s first this season and returned Mercedes to the top of the podium after Vettel won last month’s season-opening race for a resurgent Ferrari. “I’m so happy with my first win of the year and I can’t believe it if I’m honest,” said Hamilton after the race, which also handed him his 106th podium, putting him joint second with Alain Prost on the list of drivers with most rostrum results. “What I said to Sebastian as I left the last race … I said I’m coming back in the next one. When I got on the podi-
um it was like ‘I told you’.” Hamilton, who finished second to Vettel in Melbourne, heads into the next race in Bahrain in a week’s time tied on points with the German. Mercedes, meanwhile, lead the constructors’ standings by one point over Ferrari. Hamilton started from pole position, but the conditions were a bit of a lottery for all the drivers with the track damp in patches but drying quickly. He kept the lead off the line ahead of Vettel, who came under investigation for lining up out of position on his grid slot. The German, though, stayed second, fending off Valtteri Bottas in the other Mercedes, who had started third. Lance Stroll, the 18-year-old rookie, spun off the track on the first lap after making contact with Force India’s Sergio Perez. The Canadian beached his Williams in the gravel, bringing out the virtual safety car.
Vettel took the opportunity to dive into the pits to change to dry weather tires. His gamble backfired when Antonio Giovinazzi — standing in for Pascal Wehrlein at Sauber — crashed, bringing out the actual safety car two laps later. The four-times world champion found himself bottled up behind Ricciardo and his slower team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, costing him valuable time. As the trio squabbled for position, Hamilton pulled clear at the front. By the time Vettel managed to get past, with a series of spectacular overtaking moves that included banging wheels with his former team-mate, Hamilton was too far ahead. “The safety car came just when I was about to start to feel that the dry tire was a lot quicker,” Vettel said. “So I couldn’t use the momentum, the advantage and I lost a lot of positions. “But then I had a very exciting race.” Ricciardo finished fourth for Red
Bull, crossing the line just 0.8 seconds behind Verstappen after hassling the Dutchman in the closing stages of the 56-lap race. Raikkonen crossed the line a frustrated fifth. Bottas finished sixth. The Finn, who has replaced retired champion Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, dropped him down the field after spinning behind the safety car. Fifteen cars finished Sunday’s race, with neither McLaren making it to the flag. Fernando Alonso, who “pushed like an animal” on Saturday to qualify 13th, had gone into the race aiming to capitalize on the mixed conditions to score his first points of the year, but his hopes were dashed by a driveshaft failure. Team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne was sidelined with fuel pressure problems. - Reuters
Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2017
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HEALTH Vitamin B cocktail could diminish toxic effects of air pollution, study finds exposure to concentrated ambient PM2.5 had substantial physiologic impacts on heart rate, heart rate variability, and white blood counts. Further, we demonstrated that these effects are nearly reversed with four-week B-vitamin supplementation,” explained Andrea Baccarelli, MD, PhD, of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
New York, April 15, 2017 — B-vitamin supplements could diminish the toxic effects of air pollution on the immune and cardiovascular systems, according to an American study published in Scientific Reports. Researchers studying the impact of air pollution in moderately polluted urban areas from July 2013 to February 2014 found that a cocktail of B vitamins (50mg of B6, 2.5mg of B9 and 1mg of B12) taken for four weeks reduced the harmful impact of fine particle pollution (PM2.5 pollution) by 150 per cent on heart rate, 139 per cent on total white blood count and 106 per cent on lymphocyte count. Scientists recruited a panel of 10 healthy non-smokers aged between 18 and 60 years old. The recruits were not taking any form of B vitamin supplement or other medications. Partici-
pants took a placebo for four weeks prior to two hours of exposure to concentrated ambient PM2.5 levels — 250 micrograms/m3 compared to WHO guideline limits of 10 micrograms/m3. Next, participants were administered B-vitamin supplements for four weeks before undergoing a further two-hour exposure to PM2.5. “Our results showed that a two-hour
The researchers caution that it may not be possible to generalize the beneficial effects of B vitamins to populations at higher risk of pollution-induced cardiovascular effects, such as children, older people, individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease or those living in heavily polluted areas.
micrograms/m3 of fine particles (particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, or PM2.5). Fine particle pollution is responsible for 3.7 million premature deaths worldwide, mainly due to toxic effects on the cardiovascular system, and could be linked to 18 million premature births, according to a study published in Environmental International in February.
According to the WHO, 92 per cent of the world’s population lives in places where air pollution levels exceed 10
Menopause: simple exercises to stay in shape During menopause, women suffering from physical and psychological symptoms tend to be less active. Yet several studies have shown that that women who are regularly active during menopause can significantly reduce their weight and BMI (Body Mass Index). The least active women may also enter menopause earlier. Nutritionist Raphaël Gruman has developed a four-week program to help women get into — or get back into — sport after the age of 50. The program includes short daily exercises to help women maintain muscle mass and strength while keeping weight down during menopause.
Here’s a look at some of the exercises he suggests. Strength training to sculpt the silhouette and boost muscle mass Loss of muscle mass is a common side-effect of menopause, and it can be difficult to build back up. Strength training exercises working core strength (the plank) and the thighs (wall sit) are the most effective exercises for strengthening and building muscle mass quickly. Every other day, pick either exercise and hold the position for 30 seconds, repeating it three times. Otherwise, try signing up for a local exercise class. Pilates is Gruman’s pick for conditioning the body’s deep stabilizing muscles with precise results.
Other quick but effective exercises include lunges and sit-ups. Aim for a series of 20, repeated three times. Easing in to cardiovascular exercise After the age of 50 and with no previous training, don’t suddenly start exercise sessions that are too intense. However, cardiovascular exercise is essential for burning fat and maintaining a stable weight. To boost metabolism, it’s best to do 30-minute sessions every other day, alternating with strengthening exercises. Try 30 minutes of jogging (15 minutes is fine at first) — if your back and joints allow — alternating with 30 minutes of cycling, either outdoors or on an exercise bike.
Short interval-based running sessions are a good option for burning fat quickly. For example, start running for five minutes at a normal pace, then do three minutes at a much higher speed, then drop back to the initial pace. To help prevent the loss of bone mass while also working cardiovascular fitness, walking is a very good compromise for anyone who needs to avoid high-impact activities. At the weekend, try to fit in a long walk of around an hour at a brisk pace, or try walking with sticks — sometimes called Nordic walking — to get the arms and upper body working too. Swimming and aqua gym also help bust cellulite and maintain a healthy weight.
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April 15-30, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
Misc Asia
Taiwan bans sale, consumption of dog and cat meat Taipei, April 12, 2017 — Taiwan has banned the eating of dogs and cats, lawmakers said today as pressure grows to improve animal welfare after a spate of cruelty cases that stirred public outrage. Parliament passed legislation to outlaw the consumption, purchase or possession of dog and cat meat, with offenders facing a fine of up to Tw$250,000. The bill also hiked the penalty for killing or abusing animals to a maximum two-year jail term and a stiff fine of Tw$2 million, more than doubling that for repeat offenders. “This shows that Taiwan is a society with advanced animal welfare,” said lawmaker Wang Yu-min who proposed the amendment. Like some other Asian nations, dog consumption was common in Taiwan decades ago and although it is much rarer now, there have been sporadic reports of shops being caught selling dog meet in recent years.
As well, a string of much-publicised animal abuse cases triggered deep public concern, and demands for tougher protection laws. Last year, the military was forced to apologise after a video surfaced of three soldiers torturing and strangling a stray dog to death with an iron chain, prompting several street protests. And in 2014, a male hippo famous for regularly performing at a private zoo in central Taiwan died after breaking a leg and sustaining other injuries during transportation, sparking a public outcry.
Thai junta lifts control on influential Buddhist temple Bangkok, April 11, 2017 -- Thailand’s junta lifted restrictions on movement at the country’s biggest Buddhist temple on Tuesday, a month after police ended a siege of the complex whose former abbot is accused of money laundering. A three-week standoff at the Dhammakaya temple between thousands of police and saffron-robed monks became one of the biggest challenges to government authority since a 2014 coup. Police failed to find the monk. The temple – nearly 10 times the area of the Vatican City and topped by a UFO-shaped gold dome – dwarfs Thailand’s 40,000 or so other temples in wealth as well as size. It claims millions of followers, although still a small minority of Thai Buddhists. “Restriction on the Dhammakaya temple is revoked,” Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters after a meeting between the junta and the cabinet. The junta had used its Article 44 emergency law to declare the temple a restricted area and allow security
forces to search for Phra Dhammachayo, who is wanted on charges of money laundering and taking over land without permission. The temple, just north of Bangkok, has been linked to more than 350 cases, police have said. It is also being investigated for three new cases involving possible financial crimes. “We are humble, relieved and grateful for the improved situation,” senior monk Phra Pasura Dantamano told Reuters, adding that the temple would do its best to meet conditions set by the state and the Sangha religious council. Phra Dhammachayo helped found the temple and remains influential. Aides say they have not seen him for months and that he is too sick for questioning. They say the charges against him are politically motivated.
Georgia Asian Times April 15-30, 2017
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Misc Asia
Meet Mumbai’s first women rickshaw drivers
Mumbai, April 13, 2017 — Chaya Mohite slowly turns the accelerator as she carefully edges the salmon-coloured rickshaw forward, one of Mumbai’s first female auto drivers to make use of a government scheme aimed at empowering women. The 45-year-old was one of 19 women who recently started jobs ferrying passengers through the notoriously congested streets of India’s financial capital in their new three-wheelers. “This job is much better than doing household work. I can make more money and it helps us secure our futures,” said Mohite as she got in some last-minute practice. The mother of three has spent the past two months learning how to drive at a training centre in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs and is thrilled with her new skills and financial prospects. “I couldn’t even ride a bicycle but today I can drive an auto rickshaw. I’m independent and it makes me happy,”
says Mohite, who hopes to earn 1,000 rupees a day. She is benefitting from a scheme introduced by the state government of Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital, that reserves 5 per cent of rickshaw permits for women. It announced the plan in early 2016, saying that 465 licences would be made available for women in Mumbai and the neighbouring district of Thane. Unlike similar schemes in New Delhi and Ranchi, where some pink autos are driven by women for women as a safety initiative, the Maharashtra drivers take both male and female passengers. ‘Ready to drive anywhere’ Services started in Thane last year but Mohite and her new colleagues, who will sport white lab-coat-like uniforms, are the first to ply the streets of India’s most populated metropolis.
“I’ve taught them the A to Z of auto-rickshaw driving. They are now experts and have passed an official RTO (Regional Transport Office) test,” said Sudhir Dhoipode, the women’s instructor. Dhoipode says he is currently teaching more than 40 women how to drive while around 500 others have expressed an interest in learning despite some community opposition in the conservative country. “People mocked us for leaving our homes and choosing to drive rickshaws but we hope we can inspire other women to come forward and take advantage of this great initiative,” said driver Anita Kardak. Rickshaw permits are highly sought after in Mumbai and can be big business, with owners often renting them out for a fee or lending them to others when their shift has finished. Transport officials say they decided the women should have a different co-
loured rickshaw to the ubiquitous black and yellow ones to stop male relatives from taking them over. It has led to some fears the women will be at risk because they will stand out, but Mohite isn’t concerned. “I don’t think there’s going to be any safety issue as we’re capable of looking after ourselves. Driving the rickshaw is a fun feeling and I’m ready to drive anywhere in Mumbai,” she said.
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April 15-30, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
TRAVEL
US airlines most likely to be bump you off your flight New York, April 12, 2017 ― Now that consumers have had their rude awakening about the grim reality of overbooked flights, it’s a good time to revisit a recently-published study of the US airlines most likely to bump confirmed passengers off their flight. The biggest travel story of the week has undoubtedly been the incident of a passenger wrenched violently from his seat by aviation security officers on an overbooked United Airlines flight leaving Chicago O’Hare airport. Videos capturing the incident show the man screaming in protest, hitting his head against the armrest across the aisle and being dragged out of the plane, while fellow passengers express their outrage. But as we’ve learned in this incident, fliers tacitly agree to the risk of being involuntarily bumped as part of the “condition of carriage” agreement attached to their flight purchase. Overbooking flights is a common practice in the airline industry to fill seats that go empty from missed connections and no-shows. Recently, MileCards.com released a report highlighting the US carriers where travelers are most ― and least ― likely to be bumped from their flight, be it voluntarily or involuntarily.
Airlines and their bump rates According to MilesCard’s number crunching, Delta, Hawaiian and Virgin America are the US airlines that are least likely to involuntarily bump confirmed passengers off their flight, at a rate of 0.1 out of every 10,000 passengers. That figures spikes to 1 out of every 10,000 passengers on Southwest, which emerged the airline most likely to impose an involuntary bump. Meanwhile, despite the amount of bad press overbooking has received, flexible fliers also stand to make a lot of money from the practice. When a swath of storms swept through the US East Coast last week, forcing the cancelation of more than 3,200 Delta Air Lines flights, one flier wrote about how she profited from the mayhem, pocketing US$11,000 (RM48,702) in gift cards when the airline needed volunteers to give up their seats on overbooked flights from New York to Florida. Indeed, Delta emerged as the airline most likely to pay volunteers in the MilesCard report, with 10 out of every 10,000 passengers getting compensation for volunteering. That’s twice as good as at American Airlines where the rate is 4.1 for every 10,000 passengers. If you absolutely must get to your
final destination and want to avoid the risk of being bumped and missing your flight at all, your best bets are JetBlue and Hawaiian, says MilesCard, identifying these as the airlines that engage least in the practice of overbooking. The overall risk of bumping is highest on regional flights and feeder airlines like ExpressJet and SkyWest, where the bump rate is 14.7 out of every 10,000 passengers. The report also offers a few tips on how to avoid an involuntary bump that include checking in online early, particularly for Southwest, so you get you get a lower boarding number, and getting to the gate on time.
Because if you don’t present yourself at the gate and you’re bumped, not only do you lose out on your flight but you’ve relinquished your right to compensation. Check your boarding pass for the boarding time and be at the gate at least 30 minutes before departure for domestic flights.