Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
www.gasiantimes.com January 15-31, 2013 Vol 10 No 2
Flu Reaches Epidemic Level in Georgia
Georgia Asian Times January 15-31, 2013
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GAT Calendar of Events (For latest & updated events, visit www.gasiantimes.com)
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2013 Georgia Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting Dinner Date: Tuesday Jan 15, 2013 Time: 6:00 pm Venue: Georgia World Congress Center 2013 Eggs & Issues Breakfast Date: Wednesday Jan 16, 2013 Time: 7:00 am Venue: Georgia World Congress Center Chinese Business Association of Atlanta Annual Meeting Date: Saturday Jan 19, 2013 Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Venue: Golden House Restaurant For more info: 404-519-3889 NACA Chinese New Year Banquet Date: Saturday, February 2, 2013 Time: 6:00 pm Venue: Canton House, Buford Hwy For more info: www.naca-atlanta.org Chinese Lunar New Year Festival Culture. Food. Fun. Celebration Date: February 9-10 (Sat. & Sun.), 2013 Time: 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Venue: 5377 New Peachtree Road, Chamblee, GA 30341, 770-451-4456 For more info: FaceBook |Â Atlanta Chinese Lunar New Year Festival
Lunar Tet New Year Festival 2013 Vietnamese Community of Georgia Date: Sunday, Feb 10, 2013 Time: 11:00 am -8:00 pm Venue: Grand Ballroom, 6100 Live Oak Pkwy, Norcross GA 30093 For more info: Kim Hanh 678-849-6470 Tet Vietnamese New Year 2013 Vietnamese American Community of Georgia Date: Sunday, Feb 17, 2013 Time: 10:00 am Venue: Grand Ballroom, 6100 Live Oak Parkway, Norcross International Golf Tournament Organized by Consul General Indonesia Date: Sunday April 22, 2013 Time: 1:00 pm Venue: Hamilton Mill Golf Club - Canongate Golf Club
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January 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
EXECUTIVE PROFILE
Promoting Understanding & Economic Relations With China Steven Zhenhua Gu Mergers & Acquisition-Tax, KPMG LLP President, National Association of Chinese Americans (NACA)
Steven Gu is a seasoned business professional who understand the inner working of Chinese corporate investments into the U.S. Since August 2006, Gu has been advising international clients on issues related to mergers and acquisition at KPMG LLP. His wide portfolio of work includes IPOs, private equity ventures, leverage buyouts, bankruptcy, due diligence, and etc. Gu has been involved with several key KPMG deals including the largest M&A transaction in telecommunication industry and the fifth largest bankruptcy restructuring deal in the U.S. He also plays a key role in KPMG US China Practice where he assist Chinese companies seeking access to U.S. markets specifically expanding markets, raising capitals or engaging in mergers and acquisition transactions. In collaboration with member firms in China, he also assists U.S. companies implement cross borders investments strategies and navigate the associated risks in China. Steven graduated in 1999 with a law degree from Southwestern University Financial and Economics in Chengdu, China. Upon graduation, he joined Central Bank of China as an in-house legal counsel. He was later transferred to China’s State Administration of
Foreign Exchange (SAFE) and worked in the foreign investment division until 2002. He later moved to U.S. to pursue a Masters degree in law. In 2006, Steven graduated with a Masters law degree from University of Florida in Gainesville. A member of the National Association of Chinese Americans (NACA) since 2006. Steven was attracted by NACA’s mission and effort in promoting understanding and ties with China. “I was recruited to join NACA in 2007 by then President Henry Yu. NACA has helped me in my personal
L-R: Mayor Kaseem Reed, Mayor Cai Qi of Hangzhou, Steven Gu, President of NACA
growth and professional development,” said Gu. NACA members and its Board of Directors elected Steven as NACA’s President since 2010. One of Steven’s major accomplishment during his tenure is the NACA inaugural U.S.- China Business Conference held in November 2010. The conference attracted over 250 participants from all around the country and China. Mayor Kaseem Reed of Atlanta was a keynote speaker at the conference.
Witnessing the signing on an MOU between Mayor of Atlanta and Mayor of Nanjing.
“I am most proud of the fact that the conference are able to attract top notch speakers and business people. It also provided a genuine platform for business people to network and to learn about the fast changing Chinese economy,” said Gu proudly.
“Atlanta desperately need a platform where businesses can update themselves about China’s economy. I believed NACA has delivered a quality conference given that it is only the inaugural event,” he added. Amongst the various NACA projects that he has been working on with other members is a Business Mentorship Program. The goal is to match young Asian professionals with a mentee and to mentor them in their professional growth, according to Gu. Gu and NACA Board of Directors have been busy matching mentees with qualified candidates as mentors in the past month. The official selection of the program will be announced on February 2 at the annual NACA Lunar New Year banquet. “The NACA mentorship program is an important step to lay the foundation in grooming future generation of leaders. It is also an important strategy for NACA to draw membership into the organization,” explains Steven.
Georgia Asian Times
January 15-31, 2013
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METRO ASIAN NEWS
Inaugural NACA US-China Business Conference held in November 2010 at Ritz Carldton Buckhead Atlanta.
In addition to NACA responsibilities, Steven carry a heavy workload and wide range of high ranking China related activities. He was invited to attend activities related to China’s President Hu Jintao state visit in Washington DC in January 2011. Steven was also invited to attend event honoring China’s Premier Wen Jiabao in November 2010.
business focused schedule for the 46member delegation to visit ShenzhenGuangzhou, Hangzhou, and Nanjing,” said Steven.
NACA was the only Chinese organization in Georgia commissioned in the planning the of the first trade mission to China by Atlanta Mayor Kaseem Reed and members of Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in March 2012.
On the personal note, Steven is currently posted to Beijing by KPMG Outbound Acquisition Practice for several months assignment. “There are a lot deals on the horizon - I am just happy to be part of the team to facilitate the transactions,” said Steven.
“With the collaboration of the Atlanta Mayor’s office, Invest Atlanta, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, NACA is able to assist in organizing a
NACA plans to organize more business related trade mission to China in the coming years to promote economic development for metro Atlanta and Georgia.
To learn more on NACA, visit www.naca-atlanta.org
Atlanta Mayor Kaseem Reed and trade mission to the city of Shenzhen, China.
President Mark Becker accepting the award from State Councilor Madam Liu Yandong in Beijing.
GSU Honored with Confucius Institute of Year Award Atlanta, December 14, 2013 - The Confucius Institute at Georgia State University has been named the 2012 “Confucius Institute of the Year” by Hanban - the official Confucius Institute Headquarters. The award was awarded to Mark Becker, President of GSU during Hanban’s annual World Confucius Institute Conference in Beijing in December 2012. Out of about 400 Confucius
Institutes and about 500 Confucius Classrooms, only 26 Confucius Institutes and 4 Confucius Classrooms were bestowed the prestigious award. The Confucius Institute at Georgia State University was recognized for its contributions to promoting business relations between China and the U.S. and for its impact on the local business community in Atlanta.
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January 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
Skype to replace Microsoft Messenger in March SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 9, 2013 - Microsoft on Wednesday sent out word that it will “retire” its Messenger online chat feature on March 15 and replace it with the Skype Internet telephony service it bought last year.
Sony to sell Tokyo building: report TOKYO, Jan 10, 2013 - Japan’s Sony plans to sell one of its main buildings in Tokyo as the former electronics titan tries to raise enough cash to fund its huge restructuring, a report said Thursday. As it looks to repair its tattered balance sheet the company is realigning its operations, including selling off its chemical division while investing 50 billion yen ($572 million) in camera and medical equipment maker Olympus. The sale of the building, which is less than two-years old, is part of an effort to raise cash for the restructuring, the Nikkei business daily said, without putting a figure on its value. However, based on real estate prices in Tokyo, it is expected to be more than enough to cover the cost of the Olympus investment. The 25-storey building with two levels underground is in Tokyo’s Osaki district, which accommodates Sony’s television division, the Nikkei said, adding that about 5,000 people work there. Sony is also considering selling its building in Manhattan, the paper added, underscoring the hard times at the once world-beating firm, which also saw its stock value tumble below 1,000 yen a share in June.
Shares in the company closed 3.41 percent higher at 968 yen in Tokyo Thursday. The maker of PlayStation game consoles and Bravia televisions lost a whopping 456.66 billion yen in its previous fiscal year, the fourth in a row, although it says it is on track to eke out a small profit in the 12 months to March. Last year, Sony said it would cut about 10,000 jobs and spend nearly $1.0 billion on a massive corporate overhaul designed to shake up its product line and chop costs, which new chief Kazuo Hirai described as “urgent”. Japan’s battered electronics sector has suffered from myriad problems including a high yen, slowing demand in key export markets, fierce overseas competition and strategic mistakes that left its finances in ruins. The industry has been awash in huge losses and credit rating downgrades, with rival Sharp saying last year it would put up real estate as collateral for bank loans -- including its Osaka headquarters -- to stay afloat.
Microsoft sent an email message advising Messenger users to update to Skype using their same account information in advance of the deadline. “You’ll be able to instant message and video chat...just like before, and also discover new ways of staying in touch with Skype on your mobile and tablet,” Microsoft said in the message. The Redmond, Washington-based technology giant announced in November that it was shutting down Messenger in favor of merging users into Skype. The transition began late last year with the release of Skype 6.0 software that lets people sign in to the online
communication service using Microsoft accounts. Messenger will be shut off in every country but China. Skype features include video calls and being able to call mobile phones from computers, as well as being able to connect with friends at leading social network Facebook. A Skype feature on Facebook, a social network in which Microsoft owns a small stake, allows for multi-person conversations and instant one-on-one video calls with friends. Skype users can make low-cost or free phone calls over the Internet using their computers or smart phones. Skype bypasses the standard telephone network by channeling voice and video calls over the Web. Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011.
Starbucks to enter coffee-loving Vietnam HANOI, Jan 3, 2013 - Starbucks said Thursday it would open its first store in Vietnam next month, seeking a foothold in the coffee-loving country as part of efforts to expand in Asia. The communist country’s first Starbucks cafe will be in southern Ho Chi Minh City, the US beverage giant said in a joint statement with its local partner, Hong Kong’s Maxim Group. “Vietnam is one of the most dynamic and exciting markets in the world,” said Starbucks China and Asia Pacific president John Culver, adding that this would increase the company’s presence across Asia to 12 countries. Starbucks has been targeting growth outside of the stagnant US market,
opening thousands of stores in China and across the Asia-Pacific over the past few years. In October it opened its first stores in India. Culver said the group was “deeply respectful of Vietnam’s long and distinctive local coffee culture” and hoped its expanding presence in the country would help develop the coffee industry. Vietnam -- the world’s second-largest coffee producer -- already has a strong local coffee culture, with dozens of popular local chains and small coffee shops on nearly every street corner. “We are not worried at all,” Tran Thu Minh, 52, who owns a small street-side coffee shop in the capital Hanoi said after hearing about the looming chal-
Georgia Asian Times
January 15-31, 2013
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BUSINESS
Google’s Schmidt urges North Korea Internet freedom BEIJING, Jan 10, 2013 - Google chairman Eric Schmidt said Thursday he had told North Korea it would not develop unless it embraces Internet freedom, as he returned from a controversial visit to the communist state. Bill Richardson, the former US ambassador to the United Nations who led the trip, said he called on Pyongyang to adopt a moratorium on ballistic missile and nuclear tests following its widely criticized rocket launch last month. Talks were also held about an American citizen who is being detained in the country, he told reporters at Beijing airport, after speculation that he could return with the man, Kenneth Bae. Efforts to “strongly urge” North Korea, a highly secretive and tightlycontrolled country, to increase the use of the Internet were “the main success of the visit”, the former New Mexico governor said. Schmidt said he told North Korean officials they should open up the country’s Internet “or they will remain behind”.
“As the world becomes increasingly connected, their decision to be virtually isolated is very much going to affect their physical world, their economic growth and so forth, and it will make it harder for them to catch up economically,” Schmidt said. “Once the Internet starts, citizens in a country can certainly build on top of it. The government has to do something. It has to make it possible for people to use the Internet which the government in North Korea has not yet done.” The North has a domestic Intranet service with a very limited number of users. Analysts say access to the Internet is for the super-elite only, meaning a few hundred people or maybe 1,000 at most. Last week in a surprise New Year address North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said improving the economy through science and technology was a key goal. But experts said Internet freedom in the tightly controlled country was a distant possibility.
“Most people in North Korea do not know what is going on in the outside world, so to have access to this through the Internet would be a shock to the system,” said Brian Bridges, of Hong Kong’s Lingnan University. The US State Department had voiced concern about the trip, saying it was ill-timed in the wake of the North’s rocket launch. Pyongyang said its aim was to put a scientific satellite into orbit, but Washington and other nations called it a disguised ballistic missile test. “We strongly urged the North Koreans to proceed with a moratorium on ballistic missiles and possible nuclear test,” Richardson said. The delegation did not meet leader Kim but had a “series of very frank discussions” with officials on “the current level of tension in the peninsula”, he said, adding: “The North Koreans need to temper their nuclear development.” Richardson has been to the North several times in the past two decades
and has been involved in negotiating the release of US citizens detained there. During the latest trip there were discussions about Bae, an American of Korean descent who was arrested in November, but the delegation did not meet him personally as he was being held too far from Pyongyang, Richardson said. “We were informed that his health was good and that the judicial proceedings would start soon. That is encouraging,” he added. Bae, 44, entered the country as a tourist, according to the North’s official news agency, which said he had admitted committing a crime against the state. The official agency has described the high-profile visitors as a Google delegation. Richardson last visited the North in 2010 when he met its chief nuclear negotiator to try and ease tensions after the country shelled a South Korean border island.
Starbucks Opening in Vietnam Continue from Page 6 challenge from Starbucks.
to dent demand for local brews.
“We have loyal customers who could never drink (Starbucks) coffee. The taste is different,” she said.
“The taste of Starbucks coffee is too light for Vietnamese people, we prefer traditional coffee prepared like this,” said 42-year-old office worker Do Hung as he sipped a cup of Vietnamese coffee at his local cafe.
Vietnamese coffee is traditionally prepared in individual metal drip filters, which produce a very strong, thick liquid often mixed with condensed milk or served black over ice. Domestic giants such as Highlands Coffee and Tonkin Coffee already serve Western-style espresso-based coffee drinks, which have proved popular with the younger generation but failed
Starbucks aims to have almost 4,000 stores in the Asia-Pacific by the end of 2013, including 1,000 in China. It also wants to expand its purchases of Vietnam’s high-quality arabica coffee.
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January 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
TECH Tech world crawling into the crib
IBM tops as tech titans scramble for US patents SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 10, 2013 - The number of US patents issued last year hit a record high, with IBM leading ranks of technology titans scrambling for ownership of intellectual property, says a report released Thursday. The US Patent and Trademark Office issued 253,155 “utility” patents in the year 2012, with 6,478 of them going to New York State-based centenarian IBM, according to IFI Claims Patent Servicers. “For the past five years, the world’s appetite for US patents has been seemingly insatiable,” IFI chief executive Mike Baycroft said in a release. “Again this year, we’re seeing a new record for the total number of grants in a single year.” The list of the top 50 patent recipients included 17 US firms and 26 that are based in Asia. Utility patents are the most common type and are a primary means of protecting intellectual property, according to IFI. IBM headed the annual patent recipient list for the 20th time while South Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung was second with 5,081 patents and Canon third with 3,174 patents.
Sony, Panasonic, and Microsoft were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, according to IFI, which specializes in tracking and analyzing patent trends. California-based Internet colossus Google made its first appearance in the Top 50 list, catapulting the number of patents received by 170 percent to land just 15 ahead of the 1,136 awarded to rival Apple. “US companies are holding their own against a growing number of Asian and European firms that, in recent years, have put a very high priority on patent accumulation,” said Baycroft. “IBM has made this strategy a priority for more than two decades and now many of the other US firms are following suit as a means to outpace current and future competition.” Patent infringement lawsuits by Internet technology firms have become rife as marketplace rivals battle in courts for strategic advantages and cash damages.
LAS VEGAS, Jan 9, 2013 - One is never too young to be connected.
worry about prolonged exposure to these devices.
The technology industry displaying its wares at the massive Consumer Electronics Show this week included a variety of products and apps aimed at the youngest audiences, even those unable to walk.
Company officials argue, however, that parents know best the limits for their kids.
The baby tech offerings featured accessories and apps marketed to parents as tools to help children learn at a very tender age. Fisher-Price was showing a bright plastic object with teething rings that doubles as an iPhone case. That makes it possible for a six-month-old to use the smartphone. “It’s a great learning tool,” said Julia Maher, marketing manager for infant toys at Fisher-Price, a unit of Mattel. “We see moms passing back their devices to occupy babies all the time.” She said babies “like to turn pages” and can in fact interact with a mobile device. For 18-month-olds, another device from the toymaker attaches to the iPad, giving toddlers another option to start a digital lifestyle. A tablet designed specifically for young children was on display at CES from the French company Lexibook. The colorful device, which can withstand the numerous drops expected from the young ones’ heavy usage, is designed for children from four to eight years old “but kids have the ability to use this at age two,” said sales representative Robert Manlin. These gadgets come on top of others such as the “tabeo” from retailer Toys “R” US designed for children, and released last year. Tactile screens make it a lot easier for kids to go mobile, but some experts
“When I was young, people asked if kids watch too much TV,” said Bill Hensley, vice president for marketing at Wanderful, which was showing its apps and interactive books for kids at the CES in Las Vegas. “Education is a big part of what we do.” The new technology “helps children not only to learn to read, but also to love stories. It’s a gateway to real books,” he said. In some of the new interactive devices, children can find a word or image and figure out how to match them, or to make them move, part of key early learning skills, according to backers. “If the app is used properly, there’s no harm for kids to develop creativity or Internet skills early in the childhood,” said Steven Chu, chief operating officer of Canadian child mobile app maker ToonBoom. Others note that tactile screens and apps can be especially beneficial for children with disabilities. Interbots has developed a system aimed at autistic children, allowing them to control a robot through a tactile screen. A therapist can also use the robot to speak, offering a new type of interaction for the children. “Children with autism like working with touch screens, they’re a little more keen on interacting with a robot than with a parent or a therapist,” said Interbots chief technical officer Michael Knight.
Georgia Asian Times January 15-31, 2013
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EVENTS
TAWC USA: Asian American Alliances Annual New Year Dinner Jan 12, 2013
Members of CPACS enjoying the festivities.
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January 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
LIFESTYLE Modern art light shines at Gucci museum in Florence FLORENCE, Italy, Jan 12, 2013 - The new Gucci Museum in Florence opened its latest show this month -- a selection of US artist Cindy Sherman’s early works -- in a setting where mediaeval architecture meets fashion history. “For visitors to Florence, it’s nice to react with something that is contemporary and alive,” said Francesca Amfitheatrof, curator at the Gucci Museum and a celebrated Londonbased jewelry designer in her own right. The temporary exhibit “Cindy Sherman: Early Works”, which runs until June 9, is the latest loan from the vast collection of Francois Pinault, the French luxury goods tycoon whose holding company PPR took over Gucci in 2004. Pinault’s contribution to the contemporary art scene in Italy in recent years has included the Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana museums in Venice. “Murder Mystery People” (1976) featuring Sherman in a variety of costumes greets visitors in a former chapel that also once served as a Gucci fitting room, which overlooks the city’s breathtaking Piazza della Signoria. The exhibit continues in a room decorated with a mediaeval fresco of the Virgin Mary, which contains the series “Bus Riders” (1976) with Sherman posing as different bus passengers in Buffalo, New York where the she studied art. “These works show her fascination with dressing up, identity and gender,” Amfitheatrof said. A close-up of the artist’s hand in the short film “Doll Clothes” (1975) represents “a society that puts women back in their boxes.”
Previous exhibitors at the Florentine museum have included US video artist Bill Viola and edgy British sculptor Paul Fryer whose representation of a dead Jesus Christ on an electric chair in “Pieta” caused something of a stir. The mix of art and business is particularly fitting for a museum housed in Palazzo della Mercanzia, where Florence’s trade guilds met to commission famous artists to decorate the city, including Michelangelo and his David statue.
‘Surprisingly un-blingy’ “The history of turmoil, passion and creativity in this place is amazing,” said Amfitheatrof, in charge since the museum opened in 2011, who explained that half the proceeds from ticket sales go towards renovating local art works. Most of the museum is devoted to Gucci products through the ages starting with suitcases from the beginning of the 1920s when founder Guccio Gucci opened his first store inspired by his time as a bellboy at the Savoy Hotel in London. The diamond pattern and the redand-green stripes that are still used on Gucci products today are already discernible in the early works, which have inspired some of the latest collections by creative director Frida Giannini. One spotlit room is dedicated to Gucci dresses worn for film awards like the shimmering gold dress made for “Gossip Girl” star Blake Lively and some feather and chiffon numbers for Cameron Diaz, Salma Hayek and Jessica Chastain. The museum guards the Gucci archives in a basement which is strictly off-limits for visitors, and has special agreements with auction houses and
antique dealers around the world to purchase historic Gucci products. The collection is displayed in glass cases and is accompanied by explanatory videos and mood music, with collections treated as true works of art. It has become a major draw for international fashion students, as well as Florentines curious about a local brand that has become a global fashion icon. In its first year of operation last year, it had 60,000 visitors. There is a strong emphasis on the evolution of Gucci themes, like the stirrup patterns and horseshoe buttons on women’s caftans from the 1970s. The use of bamboo wood for handbag handles and the mix of leather
and textile for suitcases were due to leather shortages during World War II. Even the use of floral patterns was fortuitous -- the product of a request for a silk neck scarf by Grace Kelly at a time when Gucci was not producing any. Aside from a Gucci-themed Cadillac dominating one room, the collection is perhaps surprisingly un-blingy and contains a bewildering array of Gucci products from sledges to backgammon sets, from drinking horns to surf boards. Amfitheatrof said: “Even though Gucci’s become a massive machine, when you go back to the roots, it’s exactly the same. It’s the DNA of Gucci.”
Georgia Asian Times January 15-31, 2013
ART
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AUTO
Honda unveils small SUV at heart of huge expansion DETROIT, Michigan, Jan 14, 2013 - Honda unveiled Monday a stylish “urban SUV” concept at the heart of a small car onslaught aimed at helping the Japanese automaker boost global sales by 50 percent over the next four years. An expansion of the already popular Fit family, Honda said the muscular yet compact car will offer a great alternative to customers who want the versatility of a sport utility vehicle with the size and handling of a small car.
Japan finds Tang Dynasty copy of Wang Xizhi work TOKYO, Jan 8, 2013 - An extremely rare copy of a work by fourth century Chinese calligraphy legend Wang Xizhi has been unearthed in Japan, the first such discovery in four decades, Tokyo National Museum said Tuesday. No original works survive, despite their having been treasured by Chinese emperors throughout history for their contribution to the development of the delicate art form. However, Wang’s innovative style was so influential that Chinese courts created precise replicas of his writings more than a millennium ago, some of which are held by Japan as national treasures. “This is a significant discovery for the study of Wang Xizhi’s work,” the museum, which will display it from January 22 to March 3, said in a statement. The writing, owned by an individual in Japan whose identity was not disclosed, shows 24 Chinese characters in three lines on a piece of paper roughly 26 centimeters by 10 centimeters (10 inches by 4 inches). It was long thought to be the work of an ancient Japanese nobleman cal-
ligrapher, but a recent review by Jun Tomita, Chinese calligraphy expert at the museum, has determined that it was an expertly-made copy of Wang’s writing. The page appears to be part of a letter and includes phrases known to be used by the master calligrapher. “I am tired everyday. I am living only for you,” part of the script says. It also includes the names of his relatives including his son, the museum said. The content of the writing, its style, copying technique, and other factors indicate the copy was made during the Tang Dynasty in the seventh to eighth century by the emperor’s court, the museum said. It was likely brought out of China by Japanese commercial or diplomatic missions visiting their powerful continental neighbor during the same era, the museum said.
“With aspirational and sophisticated styling, this urban SUV concept showcases the dynamic sculpting and vibrant character lines of a sporty coupe in the confident, capable stance of an SUV,” American Honda sales chief John Mendel told a press conference at the Detroit auto show. “Younger buyers in particular are looking for the functionality of an SUV in an efficient, fun-to-drive package. And we think this vehicle is right on the money.” The new model will hit the US and Japanese markets in 2014 following the launch of the updated Fit before being rolled out worldwide.
capacity to build 200,000 vehicles a year, Mendel said. Honda expects to be able to boost US sales from 1.4 million vehicles in 2012 to about 1.8 million by 2017, which will help North American sales reach close to two million. Building small cars profitably is “tough,” especially for vehicles sold in emerging markets that need to come in a lower price point, Ito said on the sidelines of the show. “I think for all automobile markers to survive in the future it’s going to be necessary to make these kinds of small cars, to make them highly efficient and to have the technology to build them,” he added. “We think product development and tech development in this area is something we’re very good at.” Toyota is also building a new factory in Japan that will focus on compact cars and is working to slash overhead, increase efficiency and optimize production by concentrating research and development, sourcing and production in one location.
Small cars like the Fit, City and urban SUV will the be “key to our future,” Honda chief executive Takanobu Ito said as he unveiled the concept car.
Similar plans are going into the upcoming Mexican plant and localization also helps to lower costs while offsetting currency fluctuations and the impact of the strong yen.
Honda forecasts that sales of this “global compact series” will expand from about 500,000 today to 1.5 million for the fiscal year ending in March 2017, said Mendel.
“The exchange rate obviously is not something one can control and it’s not something that’s very easy to predict,” Ito said.
That will help Honda drastically increase sales from four million to six million vehicles during the same period.
“Therefore, globally for Honda in order for us to grow we need to work to minimize these exchange rate risks.”
The remaining growth will come primarily from its core global models: the Accord, Civic and CRV.
Honda -- which was the first Japanese automaker to launch US auto production in 1982 -- currently builds 90 percent of the vehicles it sells in the United States in North America.
“We see small continuing to grow,” Mendel said in an interview after the launch. “We think that with continued pressure on fuel economy demands we’ll see a continuation of that kind of Europeanization of the US market: smaller, more rational but I want all the emotional content, I want the capability.” There is a great deal of pent-up demand in the United States for Honda’s Fit that will not be met until a new factory in Mexico comes online in 2014 with the
That will move up to about 95 percent once the Mexican factory comes on line, Ito said in an interview on the sidelines of the show. Honda already has several smaller expansions underway at some of its 14 existing North American plants to bring total capacity up to 1.92 million units from the current level of 1.63 million by 2014.
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January 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
LITERATURE
Man Asian literary prize unveils 2012 shortlist HONG KONG, Jan 9, 2013 - A debut novel and a work by a Nobel laureate were among five books shortlisted for Asia’s most prestigious literary prize on Wednesday, with entries across the region from Turkey to Japan. The shortlist for the $30,000 Man Asian Literary Prize was drawn from a long list of 15 published works, after 108 entries were submitted to a panel of judges led by literary critic and journalist Maya Jaggi. Professor David Parker, executive director of the Asian Literary Prize, the organizing body of the award, hailed what he called a “remarkable” selection of books that bring together regional publishers with larger international houses. “Several of these writers have been celebrated in their own countries and recognized internationally, but never before have we viewed them collectively as Asian writers,” said Parker. “Silent House”, an early work from Turkish writer and 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature winner Orhan Pamuk, made the list despite being first published nearly 30 years ago. It qualified for the prize because it appeared in English for the first time in 2012. Turkey and Iran are among the 35
countries eligible for the prize, which is looking for a new sponsor with London-based Man Group ending its funding for the Asian prize after this edition of the event. “This book written 30 years ago still spoke to us and spoke to some very present issues to do with the way individuals experience the drive for modernity and rapid urbanization,” Jaggi said at a press conference in Hong Kong via video link from London. Other works include two books that were shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize for Fiction, which was won by record-breaking British author Hilary Mantel for “Bring up the Bodies” in October. Jeet Thayil’s “Narcopolis” is his debut novel, a sprawling exploration of opium addiction and its impact on Old Bombay over three decades, described by Jaggi as “a stylistic tour de force with great originality”. “The Garden of Evening Mists” by Malaysia’s Tan Twan Eng was also shortlisted for the Booker prize and follows a young law graduate who discovers the only Japanese garden in Malaya and its secretive owner and creator. Another text appearing in translation is “The Briefcase” by Hiromi
Kawakami, which traces the relationship between an office worker nearing 40 and her former literature teacher, a retired widower. “Between Clay and Dust” by Pakistani author Musharraf Ali Farooqi is set in an unnamed Pakistani city after the partition of India and follows the story of a former champion wrestler. “Farooqi’s tale is more moving for the spareness and restraint with which it is told,” said Jaggi, who is joined on the judging panel by award winning Vietnamese-American novelist Monique Truong and Indian writer Vikram Chandra. She added that Thayil, Eng and Farooqi embodied “Asian writers of a new generation turning to the past in a different way -- all younger writers who are looking not simply at the history of their own nations but regional history.” The winner will be announced on March 14. Winning translators are awarded $5,000. The Man Asian Literary Prize began in 2007 and is given to the best novel by an Asian writer, either written in English or translated into English. The 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize was awarded to South Korean author Kyung-Sook Shin for her novel
“Please Look After Mom”, a story about a family’s guilty soul-searching after the disappearance of their elderly mother that has gone on to sell more than two million copies.
The 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize shortlist: - “Between Clay and Dust” - Musharraf Ali Farooqi (Pakistan) - “The Briefcase” - Hiromi Kawakami (Japan) - “Silent House” - Orhan Pamuk (Turkey) - “The Garden of Evening Mists” - Tan Twan Eng (Malaysia) - “Narcopolis” - Jeet Thayil (India)
Georgia Asian Times January 15-31, 2013
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SPORTS
North Korean striker signs for South Korean team SEOUL, Jan 10, 2013 - North Korean striker Jong Tae-Se finalized his move to South Korea’s K-league on Thursday, vowing to score at least 15 goals for his new team the Suwon Samsung Bluewings before the end of the season.
Jong made his professional debut with Kawasaki Frontale in Japan’s JLeague in 2006 and won his first cap for North Korea in 2007. He was part of the national squad that qualified and played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Jong, 28, was bought by Suwon from FC Koln in the second division of the German Bundesliga for a reported transfer fee of 300,000 euros ($395,850).
Jong said his target was to score 15 goals over the rest of the season.
“I will use my experience in Germany to help Suwon win the league this season,” Jong told reporters after finaliszing a three-year-contract that makes him the fourth North Korean to play in the K-League. Jong, born in Japan to a South Korean father and a North Korean mother, has a North Korean passport and has said in previous interviews that he considered himself North Korean. After passing his medical on Tuesday, he expressed his desire to serve as “an ambassador” for inter-Korean sporting exchanges.
“There is no particular reason to set such a goal ... I just thought a striker of a winning team should achieve at least that much,” he said. “I will be mostly playing as a striker but am willing to take another position if ordered to do so by the coach,” he added. Jong has racked up 15 goals in 28 games for North Korea, but his club scoring record has been lack lustre since moving to Germany in 2010. Suwon is one of the most popular clubs in the country and has won the K-league championship four times since its founding in 1995 -- with its most recent title coming in 2008.
Premier League quartet call for curbs on owners LONDON, Jan 14, 2013 - Four of England’s leading clubs have written to officials calling for European governing body UEFA’s financial fair play rules to be introduced into the Premier League. A letter from Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool to league chief executive Richard Scudamore calls for full spending controls -where clubs must break even -- without wealthy owners being allowed to cover clubs’ losses. But Premier League champions Manchester City -- bankrolled by Abu Dhabi based Sheikh Mansour and European kings Chelsea, financed by
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich are understood to be opposing any such spending controls. When all 20 clubs meet next month they could agree on a compromise which will cover a fixed amount of losses to be covered by owners. The letter from the four clubs, reproduced in Monday’s Daily Mail, said: “Thank you for your continued work on the vital subject of Financial Regulation for the Premier League. “However, we do not feel that the latest proposals go far enough to curb the inflationary spending which is putting
McIlroy joins Nike in blockbuster deal ABU DHABI, Jan 14, 2013 (AFP) - World No. 1 Rory McIlroy on Monday confirmed he had signed on with sportswear and equipment giant Nike in a deal believed to be one the biggest sponsorship contracts in sport. With the Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque lit up in the background, McIlroy stepped onto a stage wearing the Nike swoosh and revealed the clubs he will take into competition starting at this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in the UAE capital. No exact details of what the deal was worth were released, but press reports have estimated it could bring the 23-year-old Northern Irishman up to $250 million (190 million euros) over 10 years. “Growing up I always thought all the best athletes in most sports were Nike players and I’m looking forward to joining the Nike family,” he said. “I began testing the clubs late last year at the Nike factory in Texas and I could not be more happy. “Hopefully now using Nike I have an even better year than last year. Last year was great winning a second major Championship and getting to No.1 in the world and this year I feel I can go to a new level and higher than I ever had and hopefully more majors.” McIlroy was introduced as a Nike staff player by Cindy Davis, president of Nike Golf, who indicated he had signed a ‘multi-year’ agreement.
so much pressure on clubs across the entire League. “We continue to believe that to be successful and have the best chance of gaining at least the 14 votes necessary, any proposals for Financial Regulation must include meaningful measures to restrict the owner funding of operating losses.”
“Today marks a significant moment for our brand and our golf business, and for the career of an extraordinary young athlete,” she said. “We could not be more thrilled with tonight’s announcement. “The beginning of 2013 for us is one of the most exciting times since Tiger Woods joined the ‘Swoosh’.” McIlroy, who grew up in humble surrounds in suburban Belfast, insisted his switch of clubs from Titleist to Nike was not about the money. “I don’t play golf for the money as I am well past that,” he said. “I am Major Champion that I have always dreamed of being and I am World No. 1 as I have always dreamed of being, and really Nike is the company that can help me sustain that. “So I play for Major titles, not the money.” Welcoming McIlroy to the Nike family were three of Nike’s famed stars - Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, tennis great Roger Federer and 14-time Major winning Tiger Woods, who delivered video welcome messages to McIlroy. McIlroy will face Woods in this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, part of the European PGA Tour with both players choosing the emirate to start their season’s for the second straight year.
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January 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS Olympics: Winning bid would restore Spanish pride: Samaranch PARIS, Jan 14, 2013 - Madrid winning the right to host the 2020 Olympic Games would restore pride to Spain, boost the morale of the Spanish people and also create much-needed jobs, said Spanish International Olympic Committee member Juan Antonio Samaranch on Monday. The 53-year-old, son of the late long-time IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, added a Madrid Games would present the Olympic Movement with an efficient new model for the global sporting showpiece in the 21st century. Madrid, which is bidding for the third successive time having finished third for the 2012 Games and runners-up to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 renewal, is seen by the bookmakers as the outsider of the three candidates. The Spanish capital, favorites Tokyo - who are the only one to have previously hosted the Games in 1964 but who finished behind Madrid in the 2016 vote - and Istanbul will learn their fate in Buenos Aires on September 7 when the 100-plus IOC members vote. Samaranch, an engineer by training but a banker by profession, said by phone from Madrid they were not asking the IOC to save a country in the midst of a dreadful financial crisis but, were they to vote them as hosts, they would engineer a revival in the country’s fortunes. “Madrid is a rare case where the majority of the investment and sacrifices have already been made,” said Samaranch, who sits on the elite IOC Executive Board. “The previous two bids honored their promise in that, despite sadly not winning the Games, they still built the infrastructure. Thus we have the hotels, the ring roads, the high speed train link and the airport as well as 28 of the 35 venues. “A winning bid would restore pride to the nation, boost the country’s morale and create jobs. “The IOC members’ mission is not to revive Spain but a vote in our favor would have an effect that we would appreciate internally.” Easing the unemployment rate would be most welcome as it has risen to unprecedented levels in Spain.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s government is forecasting an end-2012 unemployment rate of 24.6 percent, with a decline to 23.3 percent in 2013.
the country’s DNA, said winning the Games would not mean anything special because of who his father was.
for the 2012 and 2016 bids but it wasn’t to be. We have him in our memories and is a source of great pride.
“Being his son I am very partial about what he did for the IOC and I do recognise his achievements,” he said.
“But this bid is about building for future generations, not the past.”
“However, we are not asking the IOC based on his memory. He fought very hard
But the OECD economic body has forecast that unemployment will continue to climb and reach 26.9 percent in 2014. Samaranch, though, said that there were signs that the reforms introduced by the Rajoy government were beginning to have an impact. “The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and the Economist are changing their tune a little bit,” he said. “The WSJ had a report last week where they said the government had been right not to ask for the rescue package from the European Union and IMF and that Spain has introduced some of the necessary reforms without asking for the bailout. “Although we are in dire straits things are working a little better. “Economic circumstances can change. Look at London when they won their economy was strong and by the time they hosted them it had gone the other way.” Samaranch, married with four children, said Madrid’s message was clear to the IOC. “We won’t ask them to save Spain but tell them the way we can help in the current environment is not leaving a useless legacy such as stadia that never get used again and make sure that this is an efficient new model for the 21st century Games.
Badminton: South Korean underdogs claim two titles at home Seoul, Jan 13, 2013 - South Korean underdogs gave the host country two surprising victories in the Korea Open badminton finals Sunday, while Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei confirmed his standing as the men’s world number one. Lee defended his Korea Open title in the men’s singles, comfortably beating Du Pengyu of China 21-12, 21-15. China, who won four out of five events in each of the two past Korea Opens, had to settle for women’s and mixed doubles titles, where the finals were all-Chinese affairs. In the men’s doubles, feisty South Koreans Lee Yong-Dae and Ko Sung-Hyun upended Denmark’s world number one pairing of Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen, 19-21, 21-13, 21-10, taking advantage of the Danes’ sloppy play in the third set.
“Effectively this is the way where the Olympic movement is going.”
Holding on to a 13-10 lead in the decisive frame, the South Koreans reeled off eight straight points to clinch their first Korea Open together, their fourth tournament victory since becoming partners last September.
Samaranch, who admitted he had been surprised at the enthusiasm and popular support for a third successive bid, said it was perplexing to see how quickly the country’s fortunes had declined.
In the women’s singles, unseeded Sung Ji-Hyun upset the defending champion Wang Shixian of China 21-12, 22-20 for South Korea’s second win, avenging her loss to Wang in the 2010 final.
“We were a wonderful country five years ago with a strong economy and then all of a sudden it all changed,” he said.
Sung came back from 6-2 down to take the first set, and quickly turned a 9-4 disadvantage into a 10-9 lead in the second. Wang, down 19-15, forced Sung into a deuce before conceding the final two points and the title.
“We in the Madrid bid need to jump start that economy, to provide the spark for the country’s revival.” Samaranch, who said Spain’s history of hosting sporting events meant it was part of
In the all-China women’s doubles final, the top-seeded Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli
defeated Ma Jin and Tang Jinhua, 21-17, 21-13, for their second Korea Open title in three years. Yu and Wang were among eight female badminton players to be disqualified from the London Olympics in a “play-to-lose” scandal. They were cleared by the Chinese authorities to compete right away, and they have now won three of the four events since London. Ma suffered her second defeat of the day in the mixed doubles when fellow Chinese Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei took down Ma and Xu Chen 13-21, 21-16, 21-13, denying the world number ones their second straight Korea Open.
Georgia Asian Times January 15-31, 2013
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HEALTH Scientists say vaccine temporarily brakes HIV
MADRID, Jan 03, 2013 (AFP) - A team of Spanish researchers say they have developed a therapeutic vaccine that can temporarily brake growth of the HIV virus in infected patients.
The vaccine, based on immune cells exposed to HIV that had been inactivated with heat, was tested on a group of 36 people carrying the virus and the results were the best yet recorded for such a treatment, the team said. “What we did was give instructions to the immune system so it could learn to destroy the virus, which it does not do naturally,” said Felipe Garcia, one of the scientists in the team at Barcelona University’s Hospital Clinic. The therapeutic vaccine, a shot that treats an existing disease rather than preventing it, was safe and led to a dramatic drop in the amount of HIV virus detected in some patients, said the study, published Wednesday in Science Translation Medicine. After 12 weeks of the trial, the HIV viral load dropped by more than 90 percent among 12 of the 22 patients who received the vaccine. Only one among the 11 patients who received a control injection without the vaccine experienced a similar result. After 24 weeks, the effectiveness had begun to decline, however, with seven of the 20 remaining patients receiving the vaccine enjoying a similar 90-percent slump in viral load. No-one in the control group of 10 patients experienced such a decline in the virus. The vaccine lost its effectiveness after a year, when the patients had to return to their regular combination therapy of antiretroviral drugs. Researchers said the results were similar to those achieved with a single anti-retroviral drug, used to block the growth of HIV. “It is the most solid demonstration in the scientific literature that a therapeutic vaccine is possible,” they said in a statement. The vaccine allowed patients temporarily to live without taking multiple medicines on a daily basis, which created hardship
for patients, could have toxic side-effects over the long term and had a high financial price, the team said.
Binge drinking serious problem for US women: study WASHINGTON, Jan 8, 2013 Binge drinking is an under-recognized problem for US women, nearly 14 million of whom engage in it about three times a month, downing about six drinks each time, says a study released Tuesday. The practice is most common among women aged 18 to 34 as well as high school students, whites, Hispanics and women with household incomes of $75,000 or more, said the report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That US government institution defines binge drinking as having four or more drinks on a given occasion for women and girls.
And half of all high school girls who drink alcohol admit to binge drinking, said the new study. Excessive drinking, including binge drinking, is responsible for about 23,000 deaths among women and girls in the United States each year. “Binge drinking causes many health problems, and there are proven ways to prevent excessive drinking,” said CDC Director Thomas Frieden. The study emphasized that hard drinking puts women at increased risk for many conditions such as breast cancer, sexually transmitted diseases and heart disease.
“Effective community measures can support women and girls in making wise choices about whether to drink or how much to drink if they do,” Frieden said. For this study, the agency examined the drinking behavior of approximately 278,000 US women aged 18 and older and more than 7,500 high school students over the course of 30 days in 2011. “It is alarming to see that binge drinking is so common among women and girls, and that women and girls are drinking so much when they do,” said Robert Brewer, who works on the alcohol program at the CDC.
Flu Reaches Epidemic Level In Georgia Atlanta, January 11, 2013 – The state of Georgia is now in the midst of a flu epidemic. The flu is hitting Georgia harder this year than it has in nearly a decade. Flu activity is widespread throughout the state and the number of flu related hospitalizations is high. So far, two adult, flu-related deaths have been reported in Georgia. “We are seeing some decrease in flu activity, but we are still at epidemic level and the flu is unpredictable,” says Patrick O’Neal, M.D., director of the Division of Health Protection, Georgia Department of Public Health. “We are getting reports of more severe flu effects in neighboring states, including the number of deaths. Peak flu season typically does not happen until late January or early February so we may not have seen the worst yet.” The most recent flu report may also be affected by doctors’ offices being closed for the holidays and people traveling. Flu symptoms and their intensity can vary person to person. It is important to take preventative measures now to minimize the effects of the flu and stay healthy. The single most effective way to prevent the flu is the flu vaccine and there
is plenty of vaccine available statewide. Every healthy individual over the age of 6 months should get a flu vaccine. The predominant strain of flu circulating in Georgia and around the country is H3N2. This year’s vaccine is a close match making it effective in preventing the flu or minimizing its symptoms and duration. There are other things you can do to help keep yourself from getting sick. Frequent and thorough hand washing with warm water and soap will help protect you from the flu. Alcohol based gels are the next best thing if you don’t have access to soap and water. Cover the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing to help prevent the spread of the flu. Use a tissue or cough or sneeze into the crook of the elbow or arm. Avoid touching your face as flu germs can get into the body through mucus membranes of the nose, mouth and eyes. If you are sick, stay home from school or work. Flu sufferers should be free of a fever without the use of a fever reducer for at least 24 hours before returning to work or school.
If you are caring for a sick individual at home, keep them away from other people as much as possible. Keep the sick person away from common areas of the house and if you have more than one bathroom, have the sick person use one and well people use the other. Clean the sick room and the bathroom once a day with household disinfectant. No one should visit the sick person other than the caregiver. Clean linens, eating utensils, and dishes used by the sick person thoroughly before reusing. You do not need to wash items separately. To learn more about influenza and the nationwide epidemic go to www.flu.gov.
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January 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
Misc Asia Vietnam gambler wins $55 mn casino jackpot case HANOI, Jan 8, 2013 - An American man who hit a $55 million jackpot on a slot machine in a five-star Vietnamese hotel has won his lawsuit against the casino after it refused to pay out, a court official said Tuesday. A court in southern Ho Chi Minh City found in favor of the gambler on Monday, the clerk told AFP on condition of anonymity, without providing further details. Media reports said the hearing found that the man should be allowed to collect his winnings, which the casino said were more than one thousand times the supposed maximum from the machine and had been generated by a fault. According to state-run Thanh Nien newspaper, the man -- identified as Ly Sam -- saw the figure $55,542,291.70 flash up as he played on the slot machine at the casino inside the city’s luxury Sheraton hotel in October 2009.
The report said he took pictures of the machine and asked other gamblers present at the time to sign statements saying they had witnessed his win. But the house manager refused to provide a written confirmation of the eye-popping sum and the casino later said it was invalid because the gaming machine had unspecified faults, the report said. The owner of the casino told the court the maximum prize was only supposed to be $46,000, so it was unacceptable that Sam wanted a payment of over $55 million, Thanh Nien said. The court rejected the firm’s argument, saying it had failed to show evidence of the fault in the machine. Company representatives said they plan to appeal the ruling, the report added.
Malaysian manhunt on as escape drama spices up KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9, 2013 - Seven Malaysians who escaped police custody this week did so by temporarily blinding a guard with chili powder hidden in one of the escapee’s underpants, police and press reports said Wednesday. The escape Monday of the seven men -- whom police have called “dangerous criminals” -- has prompted a large-scale manhunt in the northern Malaysian state of Penang. But the seven escapees remained at large after their daring break-out from a police van as they were being transported to a local court. The detainees had staged a fight in the vehicle, prompting its driver to pull over, police have said. When police opened the rear door to investigate, “they threw chili powder on a policeman,” said Abdul Rahman Ibrahim, a local police official, as other detainees attacked and injured his fellow guards. Abdul Rahman declined to elaborate on the use of the spices, but press reports have said one of the men had concealed
the chili powder in his underwear. Chili powder is ubiquitous in Malaysia, which is known for its spicy cuisine. The seven fugitives then sped off in the police van, which was later found abandoned in a nearby village, police have said. Some 250 police officers aided by tracker dogs and a police helicopter were scouring the area near where the van was discarded, said Abdul Rahim Hanafi, Penang’s state police chief. “The escapees are dangerous criminals who have been charged with serious offenses, including murder, gang robbery and causing grievous hurt,” he was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper. Police were investigating how the detainees had obtained the chili powder. The Star quoted an unnamed source saying the powder could have been from the spicy seasoning sachets found in instant noodle packets that are sometimes provided to detainees by family members during visits.
India to hike rail fares for first time in decade NEW DELHI, Jan 9, 2013 - India announced its first across-the-board rise in rail fares for a decade on Wednesday to fund improvements in safety on the overburdened network. The proposed increase across various tiers of the national rail system come 10 months after an earlier plan to raise fares had to be scrapped following fierce opposition from a then partner in the Congressled coalition government. Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said he expected annual losses in 2012-13 to climb to 250 billion rupees ($4.5 billion), adding: “This in fact points to the imperative of... a reasonable fare hike immediately.” “We, after all the deliberations, careful
consideration of all the issues, have decided to effect an increase in the fare... with effect from 21st of this month,” Bansal told reporters. He said he would not increase prices again next month when he is due to present the annual railway budget in parliament. The dilapidated railways, still the main form of long-distance travel in India despite fierce competition from airlines, run thousands of passenger and freight trains and carry millions of people daily. The proposed hike would see the 860mile (1,400-kilometer) Mumbai to Delhi fare rising by 84 rupees ($1.53), or 21 percent, for bottom-rung sleeper-class customers.
Furious protests by a regional ally of the government over a suggested fare increase last year saw the then railway minister resign and led to a reversal of the policy. In the end, only first-class fares were raised. Bansal said last year’s rollback had forced cuts in “necessary programs that we have to have for the safety, for the cleanliness, for the up gradation of the railway stations”. India’s colonial-era train system has a notoriously bad accident record, with a recent official report revealing that almost
15,000 people are killed a year crossing rail tracks -- a figure the government described as a “massacre”. Derailments, collisions and other accidents are also common.
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Misc Asia Taiwan police probe betting on cancer patient deaths TAIPEI, Jan 8, 2013 - Taiwan’s police said Tuesday they have launched an investigation into a report that gamblers are betting tens of millions of dollars on the life expectancy of terminally ill cancer patients.
Punters are allowed to visit cancer patients before placing their bets, which start at a minimum of Tw$2,000, losing to the bookies if their selected patients die within a month, according to the magazine.
The investigation comes after Taipeibased Next magazine claimed that gamblers -- including the families and doctors of cancer sufferers -- in the central city of Taichung are placing bets as high as Tw$1.0 billion ($34.5 million) on when patients will die.
The expose identifies one road with more than 10 betting shops which is now known as “death gambling street”. “These offices are the betting stations even though they can hardly be judged from their outlook,” it said.
The report describes a rampant new trend served by betting stations in the disguise of non-profit organizations where punters are paid three times their bets if targeted patients die between one and six months of a prediction. “We’ve been looking at the media report,” said a Taichung police officer declining to provide details.
A member of staff at one of the suspected organizations denied that it was a front for a betting station and said the magazine’s report was exaggerated when contacted by local China Television Company. He claimed that the group helped poor families to pay for funerals which they are otherwise unable to afford.
Heavy police presence for South Korean gang boss funeral SEOUL, Jan 8, 2013 (AFP) - Scores of riot police turned out Tuesday for the funeral of one of South Korea’s most notorious gang bosses, Kim TaeChon -- a major figure in the organized crime world in the 1970s and 80s. The service was held at the Seoul hospital where Kim died on Saturday at the age of 64 of a heart attack arising from a long illness. Some 300 people attended the ceremony, which was monitored by around 150 riot police. “We despatched units to prepare for any sudden incidents at the hospital, where there are other patients and visitors non-related to this funeral,” a police spokesman told AFP. Kim, who was known for arming his gang members with long, ultra-sharp
sushi knives, was convicted of masterminding the brutal stabbing murder of a nightclub manager in 1986. He was sentenced to 10 years, but the term was suspended after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. In 1992, he was handed another 10-year jail term for setting up his own criminal syndicate named the “Beomseobangpa” gang. After his release, he appeared to have forsaken his gang life and began preaching against crime to young people as a reformed Christian. But a few years later he was back in prison after being convicted on bribery charges. In 2007, he was indicted for threatening one of South Korea’s top actors, Kwon Sang-Woo, allegedly saying he would turn Kwon’s house “into a
Rare photo of A-bomb split cloud found in Hiroshima TOKYO, Jan 9, 2013 - A rare photo showing the mushroom cloud from the Hiroshima atomic bombing in two distinct parts, one above the other, has been discovered in the city, a museum curator said Wednesday. The black-and-white picture is believed to have been taken about half-an-hour after the bombing on August 6, 1945, around 10 kilometers (six miles) east of the hypo center. “The existence of this shot was always known in history books, but this is the first time that the actual print has been discovered,” said a curator at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. “A shot showing the mushroom cloud split into two like this is very rare.”
bloodbath” if the star refused to attend a fan meeting in Japan. He was acquitted on appeal. Kim was admitted to Seoul National University Hospital for respiratory problems in December 2011 and remained hospitalized there until his death. Following Tuesday’s ceremony, his body was removed and taken to his hometown in South Jeolla province for cremation.
The photo was found among articles related to the atomic bombing now owned by Honkawa Elementary School in Hiroshima city, she said. The best-known pictures of the aftermath of the bombing were taken from the air by the US military. An American B-29 bomber named Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb nicknamed “Little Boy”, turning the western Japanese city into a nuclear inferno and killing an estimated 140,000 in the final chapter of World War II. Three days later another atomic bomb -- “Fat Man” -- was dropped on the city of Nagasaki, claiming the lives of another 70,000.
Organized crime was widespread in South Korea during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, with criminal syndicates wielding considerable influence in entertainment, the media and politics. An official crackdown in 1990 resulted in the incarceration of hundreds of gang members and bosses.