Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
www.gasiantimes.com June 1-15 2019
Nadal wins 12th French Open title
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June 1-15, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2019
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GAT Calendar of Events GAT welcome submission of announcement pertaining to community related events. Please email event, date, venue, and time to gat@gasiantimes.com. GAT does not guarantee insertion of event announcement and has the right to deny any posting.
2019 Kalayaan Gala Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm-10:00 pm Venue: The Fairmont, West Midtown For more info: Ann Marie Logarta 404936-7322 GAT 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia Awards Date: Thursday, July 11, 2019 Time: 6:30 pm Venue: Sonesta Gwinnett Place
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2019 JapanFest Date: Sat-Sun, Sept 21-22, 2019 Time: 10:00 am-6:00 pm Venue: Infinite Energy Center For more info: japanfest.org
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2019 Atlant Asian Film Festival Date: Oct 11-26, 2019 Venues: multiple venues For more info: www.ATLaff.org
Korean War Commemoration & Wreath Laying Ceremony Date: Friday, July 26, 2019 Time: 10:00 am Venue: KAAGA 5900 Brook Hollow Parkway, Norcross GA 30071 Hong Kong Dragon Boat Atlanta Festival Date: Saturday, Sept 7, 2019 Time: 7:00 am - 6:00 pm Venue: Lake Lanier Olympic Kayak Center For more info: www.dragonboatatlanta.com
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June 1-15, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
METRO ASIAN NEWS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ambassador Andrew J. Young, and Ted Turner were honored at the 2019 Bill Foege Global Health Awards
Atlanta, June 7, 2019 – MAP International presented the third annual Bill Foege Global Health Awards at the Delta Flight Museum. The award, named to pay tribute to Bill Foege, best known for eradicating smallpox, honors individuals and organizations for their commitment to making advancements in global health. This year’s award recognizes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ambassador Andrew J. Young and CNN Founder Ted Turner for humanitarian achievements in combating diseases worldwide. The CDC, where Bill Foege, M.D., served as director for six years, contributes to global health efforts by detecting and controlling disease outbreaks at the source both nationally and internationally. The CDC helps other countries build the capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to various health threats, knowing that disease has no borders. CDC Director Robert Redfield, M.D., accepted the award on behalf of the organization. A champion of human rights, Ambassador Andrew Young has dedicated his life to assisting challenged communities through
programs that aim to improve life, health and well-being. Young has focused his efforts and the initiatives of his foundation on tapping into Africa’s vast economic potential by advancing the quality of life in communities across the continent. Ted Turner, who is founder and chairman of the United Nations Foundation, has provided millions of dollars in grants to major health organizations and has traveled the world on global health missions to eliminate diseases. Brett Turner accepted the award on behalf of his father at the ceremony. “Our Bill Foege Global Health Award winners represent some of the very best examples of outstanding service and leadership in improving health and well-being of communities worldwide,” said President & CEO of MAP International Steve Stirling. “It is an honor for MAP to celebrate their dedication and achievements at this year’s event.”
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2019
METRO ASIAN NEWS
Filipino community in metro Atlanta celebrates “Kalayaan” Independence Day Atlanta, June 12, 2019 — Members of the Filipino community celebrated the Philippines Independence Day “Kalayaan” at a banquet hall in northeast Atlanta. The event was organized by Makabayan and Office of the Consul General of the Philippines. Over 400 guest including Honorary Consul General of Philippines Ray Donato, Consul General Kim Young-Jun of South Korea, Consul General Takashi Shinozuka of Japan, and several leading Atlanta’s business and community leaders attended the colorful dinner gala. The theme for this year’s event is “Halo-Halo: A Celebration of the
History & Culinary Journey of the Filipino” — to celebrate the rich traditional cuisines and culture of the island republic. Guest were treated to a keynote presentation by Amy Besa, author of “Memories of Philippine Kitchens – Stories and Recipes from Far and Near” and Owner of Purple Yam Restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. A silent auction of Philippine indigenous (Lumad) dolls and traditional food display of Philippine dishes were held as part of the celebration.
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June 1-15, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
IMF’s Lagarde highlights potential disruptive nature of fintech Fukuoka, June 8, 2019 - International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde warned on Saturday that the increasing presence of technology giants using big data and artificial intelligence could cause a significant disruption to the world’s financial system. The rapid development of financial technology (fintech) has increased access to cheap payment and settlement systems for low-income households in emerging countries where traditional banking networks are scarce. But it has raised concern about the increasing dominance of big technology firms in mobile payments, which could force global policymakers to rethink the way they regulate the banking system and ensure financial settlements are executed safely. “A significant disruption to the financial landscape is likely to come from the big tech firms, who will use their enormous customer bases and deep pockets to offer financial products based on big data and artificial intelligence,” Lagarde told a symposium on financial technology held on the sidelines of the G20 finance leaders’ meeting in Fukuoka, southern Japan. While such innovation may help modernize financial markets, they could make the financial system vul-
nerable such by putting payment and settlement systems under the control of a handful of technology giants, she added. “This presents a unique systemic challenge to financial stability and efficiency, and one I hope we can touch on during the G20, and address in a cooperative and consistent fashion.” Lagarde said China presents an example of the trade-off between benefits and challenges posed by financial technology. “Over the last five years, technology growth in China has been extremely successful and allowed millions of new entrants to benefit from access to financial products and the creation of high-quality jobs,” she said. “But it has also led to two firms controlling more than 90% of the mobile payments market.” Addressing the pros and cons of financial innovation is among topics of debate at the two-day meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank heads that began on Saturday.
China’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods take effect amid standoff Beijing, June 1, 2019 - An increase in Chinese tariffs on most U.S. imports on a $60 billion target list took effect as planned on Saturday, with Beijing retaliating against Washington’s escalation in the trade war between the world’s two largest economies. The tariffs, announced on May 13 and taking effect as of midnight in Beijing, apply additional 20% or 25% tariffs on more than half of the 5,140 U.S. products targeted. Beijing had previously imposed additional rates of 5% or 10% on the targeted goods. No further trade talks between top Chinese and U.S. negotiators have been scheduled since the last round ended in a stalemate on May 10, the same day when U.S. President Donald Trump announced higher tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods and then took steps to levy duties on all remaining Chinese imports. China ordered the latest tariff increases in response to Trump’s move. Trump has accused China of break-
ing a deal to settle their trade dispute by reneging on earlier commitments made during months of negotiations. China has denied the allegations. Beijing has grown more strident in recent weeks, accusing Washington of lacking sincerity and vowing that it will not cave to the Trump administration’s demands. Its rhetoric has hardened particularly since Washington put Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on a blacklist that effectively bans the firm from doing business with U.S. companies. Chinese state-owned newspapers warned this week that Beijing was ready to use its dominance in the production of rare earths - chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment - in its trade war with the United States. - Reuters
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2019
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BUSINESS
Global recession fears grow as factory activity shrinks London-Hong Kong, June 3, 2019 - Factory activity contracted across Asia and Europe last month as an escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing raised fears of a global economic downturn and heaped pressure on policymakers to roll out more stimulus. Such growth indicators are likely to deteriorate further in coming months as higher trade tariffs take their toll on global commerce and further dent business and consumer sentiment, leading to job losses and delays in investment decisions. Some economists predict a world recession and a renewed race to the bottom on interest rates if trade tensions fail to ease at a Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan at the end of June, when presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping could meet. The U.S.-China trade war, slumping automotive demand, Brexit and wider geopolitical uncertainty took their toll on manufacturing activity in the euro zone last month. It contracted for a fourth month in May - and at a faster pace. “The additional shock from the escalated trade tensions is
not going to be good for global trade. In terms of the monetary policy response, almost everywhere the race is going to be to the downside,” said Aidan Yao, senior emerging markets economist at AXA Investment Managers. IHS Markit’s May final manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index for the euro zone was 47.7, below April’s level and only just above a six-year low in March. In Britain, the Brexit stockpiling boom of early 2019 gave way last month to the steepest downturn in British manufacturing in almost three years as new orders dried up, boding ill for economic growth in the second quarter. After an official gauge on Friday showed contraction in China, Asia’s economic heartbeat, the Caixin/IHS Markit Manufacturing PMI showed modest expansion, offering investors some near-term relief. The outlook, however, remained grim as output growth slipped, factory prices stalled and businesses were the least optimistic on production since the survey series began in April 2012.
Central banks in Australia and India are expected to cut rates this week, with others around the world are seen following suit in coming weeks and months. While U.S. manufacturing is expected to grow steadily, economists expect the global malaise to eventually feed back into the U.S. economy. Fed funds rate futures are now almost fully pricing in a rate cut by September, with about 50 percent chance of a move by end-July. J.P. Morgan now expects the Federal Reserve to cut rates twice this year, a major change from its previous forecast that rates would stay on hold until the end of 2020. Meanwhile, Monday’s survey adds to evidence that the euro zone economy is under pressure and will likely be of concern to policymakers at the European Central Bank, who have already raised the prospect of further support. There is little likelihood of them hiking interest rates before 2021, according to economists in a Reuters poll last week. They said the bank’s next policy move would be to tweak its forward guidance toward more accommodation. RECESSION FEARS The trade conflict between China and the United States escalated last month when Trump raised tariffs on some Chinese
imports to 25% from 10% and threatened levies on all Chinese goods. If that were to happen, and China were to retaliate, “we could end up in a (global) recession in three quarters”, said Chetan Ahya, global head of economics at Morgan Stanley. Washington’s new tariff threats against Mexico last week also contributed to global recession fears, with stock markets tumbling around the world. The 10-year U.S. Treasuries yield fell to 2.121%, a nadir last seen in September 2017. Tensions flared again between the United States and China at the weekend over trade, technology and security. China’s Defence Minister Wei Fenghe warned the United States not to meddle in security disputes over Taiwan and the South China Sea, while acting U.S. Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Washington would no longer “tiptoe” around Chinese behavior in Asia. “We take this seriously. It means that the trade war has not only become a technology war but also a broad-based business war. There will be more retaliation actions from China, especially for the technology sector,” said Iris Pang, Greater China economist at ING.
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June 1-15, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
ENTERTAINMENT
James Bond movie set rocked by blast LONDON, June 5 — An explosion at Britain’s Pinewood Studios yesterday rocked the set of the next James Bond film, causing damage to the stage and one minor injury. The Sun newspaper said a triple blast hit the set after a stunt went wrong, taking off part of the roof and several wall panels. One member of staff was crushed by debris falling down on him as he stood outside the studios, west of London, the tabloid said. The official James Bond account on Twitter said: “During the filming of a controlled explosion on the set of Bond 25 today
at Pinewood Studios, damage was caused to the exterior of the 007 Stage. “There were no injuries on set, however one crew member outside the stage has sustained a minor injury.” inRead invented by Teads The Sun quoted a source as saying: “It was utter chaos. “There were three huge explosions and it’s blown part of the Bond stage roof off. A fireball was supposed to go through the set. That was the stunt but something has gone horribly wrong.
The film has been besieged by problems.
The 25th edition of one of the world’s most enduring franchises will also see the return of Ralph Fiennes as Bond’s boss and French actress Lea Seydoux.
Bond actor Daniel Craig had to undergo minor ankle surgery after an injury on set.
The production has been repeatedly delayed over script disputes.
Craig — who will play the legendary British super spy for the fifth time in the as-yet untitled film — sustained the injury during filming in Jamaica.
The delays were prompted in part by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle’s replacement by Cary Fukunaga in September.
“The place is now on total lockdown.”
Oscar winner Rami Malek will play the villain in the long-awaited movie that is set to see Craig bow out after eight years as 007.
The film is now due to open in cinemas in the United States, Britain and France on April 8, 2020.
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2019
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FASHION
An early ‘Tintin’ cover sells at auction for US$1.1m
WASHINGTON, June 9 — An original drawing used for the first published Tintin cover was sold at auction yesterday in Dallas for US$1.12 million, sais the Heritage Auctions house. The identities of seller and buyer have not been released. The illustration, by Tintin creator Herge (the pseudonym of Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi), shows the plucky young reporter sitting on a tree stump carving a makeshift propeller for his plane after the original was damaged in a rough landing somewhere in the Soviet Union. His faithful dog Snowy (Milou in the original French) sits and watches, bandaged from tail to nose.
The beloved Tintin books have been translated into more than 70 languages, but in 1929, 22-year-old Herge was still telling the young journalist’s story in the pages of Le Petit Vingtieme (The Little Twentieth), a kids’ supplement to the Belgian daily Le Vingtieme Siecle (The Twentieth Century). The serialised Tintin stories proved so popular that soon Le Petit Vingtieme published them in 16-page installments instead of the original eight, and on February 13, 1930, Tintin made the cover. It was only a few months later
that the first book in what was to be a series of two dozen — Tintin in the Land of the Soviets — was published. More than 200 million Tintin books have now been sold worldwide. Most of the old Tintin cover illustrations are on display at the Herge museum in the Belgian town of Louvain-la-Neuve, according to a text in the Heritage Auctions catalogue by Philippe Goddin, who has written several books about Tintin and Herge, including a seven-volume chronology. The drawing sold yesterday, in India ink and gouache, was signed by Herge. A Heritage Auctions spokesman told AFP the illustration, which turned up
in Brussels, was one of the “rare cover illustrations signed by Herge in private hands,” as well as the oldest. The author and artist — who often set his Tintin tales in the most exotic of locales — rarely left Belgium in his lifetime. He died in 1983. Other Tintin works have also drawn big paydays at auction, with some surpassing US$1.5 million.
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June 1-15, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
LIFESTYLE
More U.S. millennials subscribe to video games than traditional pay TV: survey New York, June 10, 2019 More American millennials now subscribe to a video game service than to a traditional paid television service, according to a survey on Monday, as consumers favor new forms of entertainment that are shifting the broader media landscape.
Paid television through cable, satellite or fiber - for instance Comcast Corp’s Xfinity, Dish Network Corp or AT&T Inc’s U-verse TV - has been challenged by changing viewer habits, particularly the rise of direct-to-consumer streaming services.
About 53% of people born between 1983 and 1996 now pay for gaming services, versus 51% who pay for television, according to a survey from the accounting and professional services firm Deloitte.
At the same time, video games and e-sports have soared in popularity, giving rise to an industry of competitive professional and amateur games watched in person and online by fans, alongside more casual gaming on mobile phones.
That is compared with Deloitte’s survey last year, in which paid subscriptions among millennials were 44% for video games and 52% for television.
Players can subscribe to games like World of Warcraft from Activision Blizzard Inc. Riot Games Inc, a unit of Tencent Holdings Ltd , is working on a streaming
mobile version of its hit League of Legends desktop game. Electronic Arts Inc offers subscriptions to its games - which include FIFA 18, Madden NFL 19, The Sims 4, Star Wars Battlefront II and more - for Microsoft Corp’s Xbox and Sony Corp’s PlayStation. In March, Alphabet Inc’s Google unveiled Stadia, its new browser-based video game streaming service to launch this year through its cloud technology. The same month, Apple Inc also introduced a new digital video game subscription service called Apple Arcade. Kevin Westcott, who leads
Deloitte’s U.S. telecom, media and entertainment practice, said increased game consumption comes as more people fill their spare time playing on mobile devices instead of reading and other activities. Gaming can provide social ties and communities of fans and players. “Gaming companies have also been developing more compelling content and interaction with their consumers,” Westcott said in an email. Deloitte’s 13th annual digital media trends survey was fielded by an independent research firm from December 2018 to February 2019 online among 2,003 U.S. consumers. - Reuters
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2019
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ART
Art expert stakes reputation on ‘lost’ US$170m Caravaggio
New exhibition in Zurich showcases works by Picasso and Louise Bourgeois as a duo Zurich, June 7, 2019 ― A new exhibition entitled Louise Bourgeois & Pablo Picasso: Anatomies of Desire, presenting works by the two artists, will open during the Zurich Art Weekend, which runs from June 7 to 9. It will feature 90 paintings, sculptures and works on paper from international public institutions and private collections. The presentation, curated by Marie Laure Bernadec, will display intentional pairings of works, creating a dialogue between the two artists who never met in the flesh. It takes the “couple” as its guiding theme, highlighting that both artists were united by an interest in sexuality as a subject. Although there are striking similarities between their biographies and artistic approaches, Bourgeois and Picasso particularly diverged in their portrayals of the mother figure. Picasso depicted pregnancy several times throughout his ca-
reer, such as “Femme enceinte.” This sculpture depicts the swollen belly and enlarged breasts of the pregnant woman as objects of contemplation and desire, glorifying maternity. Bourgeois’s approach to motherhood in her oeuvre draws on her own personal experience of pregnancy, positioning in “Umbilical Cord” the infant outside of the mother’s belly thanks to a transparent, womb-like sac. “By placing these artists together for comparative analysis, this exhibition sheds new light on their oeuvres and rids us of the clichés of the virile painter armed with a phallic brush and the sculptress armed with a knife,” said curator Marie-Laure Bernadac in a statement. Louise Bourgeois & Pablo Picasso: Anatomies of Desire will be on view at the gallery Hauser & Wirth Zürich from June 8 through September 14. Additional information can be found on the gallery’s website: https:// www.hauserwirth.com/
Paris, June 14, 2019 — Art expert Eric Turquin is not only convinced that a canvas found in the attic of an old house in southwest France is a Caravaggio — he believes it is a revolutionary masterpiece. France’s leading authority on Old Masters paintings has staked his reputation on the assertion that the work — left forgotten under an old mattress for 100 years — is the fiery Italian artist’s lost “Judith and Holofernes”. The painting depicting a grisly biblical scene of the beautiful Jewish widow Judith beheading a sleeping Assyrian general will be displayed in Paris on Friday before it goes under the hammer on June 27 in Toulouse, the city where it was discovered five years ago. Turquin said it should sell for between €100 and €150 million (up to US$170 million). “Not only is it a Caravaggio, but of all the Caravaggios that are known today, this is one of the great pictures,” he insisted. “The painting is in an extraordinarily good state, much better than the Caravaggios I have seen in Naples,” he said. But although everyone agrees on the quality of the work, a minority of experts — particularly in Italy — have their doubts.
They believe it is a copy made by the Flemist artist Louis Finson, who worked alongside Caravaggio as he painted. But Turquin is adamant it is the original from 1606 whose existence was first noted in letters between Italian dukes and art dealers four centuries ago. ‘Turning point’ He is more convinced than ever since the canvas was cleaned in January, a process that took three weeks. On top of X-rays, the cleaning “has shown that the painting was changed a lot as it was painted, with lots of retouching. That proves it is an original,” Turquin said. “Copyists don’t make changes like that, they copy,” he added. A less virtuoso version of the scene by Finson hangs at the Palazzo Zevallos in Naples. Standing in front of what has been called the “Toulouse Caravaggio” in a strongroom above his Paris office, Turquin showed the telltale trace of how the artist had changed his mind about which way Judith should be looking. “After five years of reflection, no one has put up a counter-argument,” said the expert, accusing the Italian doubters of “pronouncing against the painting without seeing it.
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June 1-15, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
LIFESTYLE Native Americans’ D-Day stories come to light SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-MER (France), June 4 — Charles Norman Shay is one of the few remaining US veterans of World War II, but as a Native American the story of his people’s courage and sacrifice on the battlefield is little known. Seventy-five years ago Shay was a 19-year-old military nurse on Omaha Beach, the bloodiest of the five Normandy sites picked for the D-Day landings. Nearly 500 Native Americans fought alongside Allied soldiers to dislodge German forces from the French coast, marking the start of France’s liberation from its Nazi occupiers. Some of them didn’t even have the right to vote in their home state, but decades later, their stories are finally coming to light. After several years of discreet spiritual ceremonies with traditional garb, feathers and smoke, the first official Native American commemoration was held on Utah Beach in 2014. It honored 14 Comanche “code talkers” who worked in their indigenous language, unintelligible to Germans or Japanese. Tomorrow 80 tribe members are expected to attend another Native American commemoration on Omaha Beach. ‘Every man for himself’ In 2017, Shay returned to the spot where he saved lives as a young nurse for the dedication of a granite sculpture of a turtle, a symbol of longevity and wisdom. At nearly 95, Shay is thought to be the last surviving Native American who
participated in the D-Day landings, when his infantry division, called the “Big Red One” after the number on its insignia, was one of the first to hit the water. He watched as friends fell from their boat, shot down by German gunfire. Others jumped into the sea but were dragged under the water by their heavy equipment. “It was every man for himself,” he said, perched in a deckchair at the French home where he is being hosted in Bretteville-L’Orgueilleuse, a halfhour drive from Omaha Beach. “I had to adjust my mind to seeing so many dead and wounded and helpless men, and once I was able to do this, I was able to function in the job I had been trained for, and that was to treat the wounded, to make them comfortable and to try to save the dying,” he said. At home in Maine, members of the Native American Penobscot community called him “Little Muskrat”, an animal which, according to legend, saves people. Thousands of miles away in Normandy, the nickname would turn out to be more fitting than ever. “I landed in the water, up to my chest,” he recalled. “I had the beach under my feet. I made my way to the obstacles the Germans had placed in the water to hide behind… for protection against the fire.” Once he made it onto the beach, Shay said he “selected a spot where I could heal the wounded”, before going back into the water to pull the injured to shore. “The tide was coming in very fast. I
noticed there were many men lying on the beach where the water was coming in. I thought, ‘If somebody doesn’t help these men, they are going to drown’,” he said.
These people “had only a few generations earlier defended their ancestral hunting territories against an aggressively expanding United States,” Prins said.
“I put them on their backs, grabbed them under their arms, and tried to get them up to the high water line as best I could.”
Native Americans have been recognized as US citizens since 1924, though the Constitution gave states the power to implement the policy as they wished.
About a third volunteered An estimated 30,000 to 50,000 Native Americans fought in World War II, including 44,000 from the United States and 5,000 from Canada, according to Harald Prins, a Dutch anthropologist at Kansas State University who co-wrote a biography of Shay. “A majority of North American Indians were drafted for the Second World War,” Prins said. “About a third, however, had voluntarily enlisted” despite opposition from some in their communities. Signing up for the war appealed to some tribal members, while others seized a chance to earn money for their families.
It wasn’t until 1962 that all Native Americans got the right to vote. Today, a memorial to Native American veterans is under construction in Washington, due to open in November 2020. France has awarded its highest honor, the Legion d’Honneur, to several Native Americans involved in the war, including to Shay in 2007. But for Shay, commemorating his people’s sacrifice will never replace the friends he lost on D-Day. “Many of my friends died on these beaches,” he said. “I’m still here and I should be happy about that, I guess, but that’s a sorrow that so many men had to die here.”
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2019
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SPORTS Nadal racks up 12th French crown as Thiem runs out of steam at Roland Garros Certainly it would have taken a monumental effort to remain mentally positive after playing an opening set as he did, and coming out of it empty handed. Paris, June 9, 2019 - Defying the years and one of the most fierce onslaughts he has ever faced at Roland Garros, Rafa Nadal won his 12th French Open crown on Sunday, leaving Dominic Thiem crushed and a packed Parisian stadium shaking their heads in wonder. The first set had been one for the ages, the second ran it close, but after three hours and one minute all that mattered was that Nadal was once again in familiar pose, flat on his back on the clay, a 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 winner to clinch his 18th Grand Slam triumph in total. Of them all, this was one of his most satisfying. “Lots of issues with my knee recently... with my foot... too many issues the last few months which makes this last few weeks very, very special,” Nadal smiled to reporters, the large silver trophy at his side. “Physically and mentally I had been down.” Who could have noticed? Rarely, if ever, has any opponent played so well against Nadal on the Philippe Chatrier center court as Thiem did on Sunday. Rarely, if ever, has Thiem, the best of the young guns, struck the ball so firmly, or played with such purpose and aggression.
But it was not enough. Not nearly enough. Not even before Thiem ultimately ran out of steam. The 33-year-old Nadal, who becomes the first player to win the same Grand Slam title 12 times, going past Margaret Court’s 11 Australian Opens, now sits two major titles behind his great foe and men’s Grand Slam title record holder, 37-year-old Roger Federer. “It’s incredible,” Nadal told the crowd. “For me it was a dream to play here in 2005 and I could not imagine I would be back here in 2019. It’s a very special moment for me.” Afterwards he would not be drawn on his Grand Slam title chase with Federer. “Your neighbor has a nicer house than you... or a bigger TV, or better garden... I don’t see life like this,” he laughed. MENTAL TOLL
Thiem slammed backhands for all they were worth, cleaned the lines with his forehand, and the sonic boom from his serve resonated around the court. He grabbed the first break of the match to lead the opener 3-2 but four games later it was all over, 6-3 to Nadal, the Spaniard seemingly another inexorable step toward the crown. CROWD ERUPTED It speaks volumes for the world number four Austrian that Thiem came out for the second set in the same fashion — throwing absolutely everything imaginable at his opponent. Games passed with no break points in sight, and the tension ratcheted ever higher until the 12th game of the set when it snapped. Nadal rifled a two-fisted backhand just long to hand the leveling set to Thiem. The French crowd erupted. Thiem clenched his fist. Nadal strode to the sidelines.
Physically, Thiem had looked strong and resolute but who can say what mental toll his rain-delayed semi-final victory over world number one Novak Djokovic had taken?
But within a flash Nadal had the upper hand again, winning 16 of the next 17 points to lead 4-0 before Thiem could even register any objection. A blink later the set was over, 6-1.
The Austrian had had to play on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and now Sunday while Nadal had enjoyed Saturday off, having dispatched Federer on Friday before the rain set in.
If Thiem had muttered ‘plus ca change’, he would have been forgiven. So much effort to claw his way back, so little to show for it now.
“I had a little drop and he was coming out in the third set like a rocket... full power,” Thiem later said, as he processed the result. Few people on the planet can hit a backhand like Thiem, even once. To do it time after time after time is boggling, but that is what it would take to unseat Nadal. Still the Spaniard rolled on, soaking up Thiem’s best shots, and the cliche beloved of numerous science fiction films and television series seemed appropriate: “Resistance is futile”. So it proved until Thiem’s final ball drifted long and Nadal was again flat on his back, adopting the pose that will adorn back pages and websites worldwide. By this stage, Thiem, too, could only look on in admiration. “You are such a legend in our sport,” he said to Nadal. Later the Austrian reflected: “It’s obviously the most difficult thing in our sport to win one of the four majors. I’m happy... I gave myself already two opportunities to win one of these. “Many — or all — guys fail to (beat Nadal) in Roland Garros finals. Just the numbers are crazy. He won it 12 times. Twelve times the opponents in the finals failed to beat him... so, also me.” -Reuters
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June 1-15, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS
Warriors outlast Raptors to square NBA Finals at 1-1 Toronto, June 3, 2019 – The twotime defending champion Golden State Warriors used a massive third quarter to overcame a sluggish start and secure a 109-104 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday that squared the NBA Finals at one game apiece. The resilient Warriors, in an unfamiliar position after losing their first Game One in five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals three days ago, opened the third quarter with an 18-0 run to grab a lead they would not relinquish. Toronto led by as many as 12 points during a first half in which they used a dominant defensive display to slow down the Warriors but the visitors, well established as a terrific third-quarter team, rediscovered their swagger after the break. “It pretty much won us the game because we established our defensive presence, we got stops and everybody got involved in the offensive end,” said Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who left the game briefly in the first quarter with lightheadedness. “And when you come to the timeout after a couple runs like that and everybody’s involved … the vibe is just solid, and we know that we have taken control of the momentum and then it’s just about sustaining it down the stretch.” Klay Thompson scored a team-high 25 points for Golden State before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with
a hamstring injury and Curry added 23 while Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard had a game-high 34 points. Curry was given a technical foul with 68 seconds left for launching the ball way up in the air after a whistle and Leonard made the ensuing three free throws to cut the deficit to 106-102 and set up a frantic finish. With the crowd on their feet, Toronto’s Danny Green drained a three-pointer to pull the Raptors to within two points with 26 seconds to play but a wide-open Andrew Iguodala responded with a clutch three with seven seconds left to seal the win. “We were up guarding hard, and we put two on Steph and he almost threw it right to Kawhi, right? It was pretty good defense, they were scrambling around, running around like crazy,” said Raptors head coach Nick Nurse. “And they found Iggy, right, and they found him and like I said, if he’s going to take that and give us a chance to get the ball back and win the game, we’re going to probably live with that.” ‘RENEWED LIFE’ The Warriors, playing without injured two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant for a seventh consecutive game, again struggled defending in transition and looked to be in trouble after the slow start by Curry.
They had a tough time finding the basket early but Curry and Thompson got loose late in the second quarter to send Golden State into the break trailing by five points. “We weren’t exactly making stops, but we cut the lead to five and could kind of breathe at halftime,” said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. “Our guys felt renewed life at that point and came out and just had a great run to take control of the game, and we were able to finish it out from there.” With former U.S. President Barack Obama and professional golfers Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy among those in the crowd, the Warriors shook off a slow start and now head home looking to inch closer to a fourth title in five years. The best-of-seven series, which features the first NBA Finals games played outside of the United States, is now headed to Oakland for games on Wednesday and Friday before returning to Toronto for Game Five on June 10.
Wednesday’s game, which could feature the return of Durant, could go a long way in determining the eventual champion as teams that win Game Three in a 1-1 NBA Finals have a 31-7 series record. Toronto, who in the series opener dominated the Warriors at both ends of the court, will certainly review film of their flat start to the third quarter where they went nearly six minutes without scoring a basket. “That was pretty much the game right there,” said Leonard. “You can’t do that with a championship team on the other side.”
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2019
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HEALTH
Millions of cardiovascular deaths worldwide linked to low fruit, vegetable intake Study: Being active even at age three can have a positive effect on heart Toronto, June 11 , 2019— New Canadian research has found that keeping active in childhood, even when as young as three, could help to boost cardiovascular health later in life. Carried out by researchers at McMaster University, the new study looked at 418 children age three to five. The team analysed the children’s cardiovascular fitness, arterial stiffness and blood pressure every year over a period of three years and asked the children to wear an accelerometer around their waist for one week each year to track their physical activity levels. The findings, published in the journal Pediatrics, showed that even at age three, physical activity had a positive effect on the children’s blood vessel health and cardiovascular fitness, both key factors in preventing adult heart disease, with the researchers observing that while arteries do stiffen over time, the process is slower in young children who have been more active. The positive effects were seen in both boys and girls, although when looking at blood pressure, physical activity appeared to have a positive influence in girls only. The study is the first to show that physical activity can boost blood vessel health in preschoolers, with lead author of the study, Nicole Proudfoot, commenting that, “Many of us tend
to think cardiovascular disease hits in older age, but arteries begin to stiffen when we are very young.” “It’s important to start any kind of preventative measures early. We need to ensure small children have many opportunities to be active to keep their hearts and blood vessels as healthy as possible,” she added. In addition, the more active children could also run for longer on the treadmill, suggesting they had better cardiovascular fitness, and their heart rates also came down faster after exercise. Doing more intense physical activity also appeared to bring bigger benefits. “This research suggests that intensity matters,” says Brian Timmons, an associate professor who supervised the research. “Children benefit the most from energetic play, which means getting out of breath by playing games such as tag. And the more, the better.” Timmons adds that physical activity does not have to happen in one go, and that keeping active throughout the day is important.
NEW YORK, June 11 ― A new preliminary study has estimated that around 1 in 7 cardiovascular deaths around the world could be linked to not eating enough fruit, and 1 in 12 cardiovascular deaths might be due to not eating enough vegetables. Carried out by researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, the new study looked at 2010 data collected from 266 surveys which included 1,630,069 individuals from 113 of 187 countries, representing 82 per cent of the world’s population. Using the survey responses, the researchers estimated the average national intakes of fruit and vegetables in each country, and combined this data with each country’s data on the causes of death and cardiovascular risk associated with a low intake of fruit and vegetables. Optimal fruit intake was defined as 300g per day, equivalent to around two small apples, and optimal intake of vegetables, which also included legumes, was defined as 400g per day, equivalent to about three cups of raw carrots. The findings, which will be presented at Nutrition 2019, the American Society for Nutrition annual meeting held between June 8 and 11, suggested that low fruit intake may be linked with nearly 1.3 million deaths from stroke and more than 520,000 deaths from coronary heart disease around the world in 2010, while low vegetable intake was linked to 200,000 deaths from stroke and more than 800,000 deaths from coronary heart disease.
The countries where low fruit and veg intake appeared to have the biggest impact were in South Asia, East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, which had low fruit intake and also high rates of associated stroke deaths, and countries in Central Asia and Oceania which had low vegetable intake and also high rates of associated coronary heart disease. In the United States, the team estimated that not eating enough vegetables could contribute to 82,000 cardiovascular deaths while low fruit intake may account for 57,000 deaths. Low fruit and vegetable intake also appeared to have the biggest effect on cardiovascular disease deaths among younger adults and also among men, which the team say may be due to the fact that women tend to eat more fruits and vegetables. “Fruits and vegetables are a modifiable component of diet that can impact preventable deaths globally,” said lead study author Victoria Miller. “Our findings indicate the need for population-based efforts to increase fruit and vegetable consumption throughout the world.”
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June 1-15 2019 Georgia Asian Times
Misc Asia Study: China gene babies’ mutation linked to higher mortalit Beijing, June 4 ― The genetic mutation given to Ch, 2019inese twins last year rendering them immune to the HIV virus may significantly reduce life expectancy, scientists said yesterday in a fresh warning against human gene-editing. Chinese researcher He Jiankui last year provoked widespread outrage among doctors by unveiling the results of an experiment he conducted to alter the DNA of twin girls, prompting authorities in Beijing to announce a moratorium on the practice. He used a gene-editing tool known as Crispr to insert a mutated variant of a CCR5 gene ― known as Delta32 ― into the girls’ chromosome at the embryo stage meaning they are now immune to the AIDS-causing HIV virus. But a new wide-ranging study of genetic make-up and death registry information suggests individuals carrying the D32 mutation face a 20-per cent higher risk of early death compared with the global population. Researchers from the University of Berkeley California examined the health data of 409,000 people of British ancestry and looked at whether or not they possessed the mutation, which occurs naturally in around one per cent of the population, and how and when they died. After correcting for the ages of those involved, they found those with the mutation were 21 per cent more likely to die before the age of 76 than those who did not. They found that D32 possessors were significantly more likely to die from diseases that are far more common than HIV, notably influenza. “The cost of resistance to HIV may be increased susceptibility to other, and perhaps more common, diseases,” the study’s authors wrote. ‘We don’t know enough’
The research, published in the journal Nature Medicine, doesn’t explain why the mutation increases mortality risk, but the authors said there was a clear statistical trend that should discourage repeats of He’s experiment. “Introduction of new or derived mutations in humans using Crispr technology... comes with considerable risk even if the mutations provide a perceived advantage,” they said. China in November it said had ordered people involved in the twin experiment to halt their activities, ruling that it “seriously violates” national law and medical ethics. David Curtis, honorary Professor at University College London’s Genetics Institute, said the new study provided a clear look at the possible unintended consequences of gene-editing in humans. “There are many other examples in medicine where an intervention intended to treat one condition inadvertently causes major unexpected problems elsewhere,” said Curtis, who was not involved in the study. “This sends us a warning that we should be extremely cautious around the introduction of therapies involving modifying the genetic code.” Robin Lovell-Badge, group leader at The Francis Crick Institute in London, added: “All this shows once more that He Jiankui was foolish to choose CCR5 to mutate in his attempts at germline genome editing. We simply do not yet know enough about the gene.”
Indian school demands waste plastic as ‘fees’ DISPUR (India), June 5 — One school in northeast India has taken a novel approach to addressing the scourge of plastic waste by making its collection a condition of free attendance.
According to local non-governmental organisation Environ, Dispur alone — home to just under a million people — produces 37 tonnes of waste rubbish daily, a seven-fold rise over 14 years.
Every week the 110 pupils at the Akshar Forum school outside Dispur in Assam state must bring up to 20 items of plastic gathered from their homes and the local area.
“Earlier, we used to burn the plastics and we had no idea that the gas emitted from that was harmful to our health and environment,” said Menu Bora, the mother of one pupil.
“The use of plastics is rampant across Assam,” said Parmita Sarma, who set up the project together with her New Yorker husband Mazin Mukhtar. Until last year schooling was completely without charge, but the school decided to introduce the plastic “fee” after a plea to parents to take part in a recycling scheme fell on deaf ears, said Mukhtar . “We tell (the parents) to send the plastics to the school as fees if you want your children to study here for free.” In addition, the parents have to make a “pledge” not to burn plastics, said Sarma. Awareness The fact that the children now go from home to home asking for plastics has also increased awareness in the local area.
“We also threw these away in the neighbourhood. But that would never happen again... This is a good step initiated by the school.” After collection, the school makes good use of the plastic waste. Pupils stuff plastic bags inside plastic bottles to make “eco bricks” which can then be used to construct new school buildings, toilet buildings or pathways. The students are also paid to do this, something which dovetails with another aim of the school: Getting children out of the local stone quarries and into education. “The parents of most of our school students cannot afford to send them to school,” Mukhtar said. “It was tough but we have motivated them and brought them back to the school.”
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2019
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MISC ASIA
Outrage as Philippines’ Duterte says ‘cured’ himself of being gay Manila, June 4 , 2019— Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has sparked outrage after claiming that he “cured” himself of being gay with the help of beautiful women. Duterte is notorious for his foulmouthed speeches that include insults, threats to perceived enemies and references to rape that he casts as jokes. The latest unfiltered comments came during an appearance before the Filipino community in Tokyo last week. During his speech Duterte appeared to say that one of his high-profile critics, Senator Antonio Trillanes, was gay. “Trillanes and I are similar. But I cured myself,” the president said. The president explained that he “became a man again” after meeting his now ex-wife. “So beautiful women cured me,” he added. Duterte has a wavering record when it comes to gay rights. During his campaign for president in 2016 he voiced support for same sex marriage, but later backtracked. He has also used homosexuality as an insult, including against Philip Goldberg, then US ambassador to Manila. Bahaghari, a gay and transgender advocacy group, said Duterte’s comments
were dangerous and retrograde. “It is symptomatic of an even graver illness: One of ignorance, prejudice and hate,” the group said in an statement. “These statements, like his perverted and offensive comments on women, cannot be taken lightly or dismissed merely as jokes,” the group added. The World Health Organisation and American Psychiatric Association consider homosexuality as a sexual orientation and not a disorder. The Philippines has a reputation for openness toward homosexuality, but watchdogs warn legal protections are lacking. At the same time, the Catholic Church is a powerful force in the nation where the majority of its 106 million people are counted as believers. Abortion and divorce are both illegal, due in part to fierce resistance to change from the church.
Singapore man slapped with S$300 littering fine after shooting two rubber bands onto public road Singapore, May 28 — A man was fined S$300 for littering after he was caught shooting two rubber bands onto a public road, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said yesterday. A photo of the ticket issued to him was posted on social media, and quickly became viral. “NEA is aware of the images circulating online of enforcement tickets issued for leaving behind drink cans and throwing rubber bands in a public place,” the agency said. The incident happened last Thursday (May 23) at Jurong East Central 1 at around noon. NEA enforcement officers had observed the man walking towards his vehicle and shooting two rubber bands into the air, one after the other. The rubber bands landed on a public road. The officers then informed the man of his littering offence and issued him a ticket, said NEA.
According to the photo, the man has until July 8 to pay his S$300 fine. In a separate incident on May 16, two men were fined S$300 each for leaving behind their drink cans on a wooden box outside a unit at Woodlands MRT station, NEA said. The two offenders paid their fines on May 20. “We would like to remind the public that littering has environmental consequences, and keeping our environment clean by not littering is a gracious and socially responsible thing to do,” the agency said. Under the Environmental Public Health Act, the maximum fine for a littering offence is S$2,000 for the first court conviction, S$4,000 for the second, and S$10,000 for the third and subsequent convictions. First-time offenders are usually fined S$300.
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June 1-15, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
TRAVEL
Penang among CNN Travel’s list of best places to visit for ‘ultimate Asia experience’ Kuala Lumpur, June 4 ― Penang has been listed among the best places to visit for the “ultimate Asia experience” by CNN Travel, along with 18 other destinations. The American broadcaster placed the island 14th on its list of 19 destinations, describing it as “a mecca for food and architecture lovers.” According to the list, which was last updated on June 3, George Town, the island’s main city, makes for an ideal home base thanks to a dynamic cityscape that’s punctuated by British colonial architecture, Buddhist temples and ornate Chinese manor houses.
“This seaside city is known as one of the world’s top food destinations, serving up a delicious mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine,” it reads. “You’ll crave dishes like Hokkien mee (fried prawn noodles), roti canai (an Indian-influenced flat bread dish with dal or curry) and Penang laksa for years after visiting.” Other destinations on the list include Bali in Indonesia, Luang Prabang in Laos, Kyoto in Japan, Rajasthan in India, Hong Kong, The Great Wall of China and Xi’an in China and Maldives. Completing the list are Siem Reap in Cambodia, Sri Lanka,
Yogyakarta in Indonesia, Chiang Rai in Thailand, Hanoi and Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Bhutan, Kathmandu in Nepal, El Nido in Philippines and Seoul in South Korea. However, this is not the first time that the island has received recognition for its popularity among holidaymakers. Earlier this year, Penang was among CNN Travel’s 19 best places to travel for spring 2019, alongside popular holiday destinations such as Greece, Spain, Mexico, Holland, Morocco and Japan. The island was also one of Insider’s picks for being among this year’s cheapest holiday
destinations in the world, alongside Budapest in Hungary, Phuket in Thailand, Slima in Malta, Hoi An in Vietnam and Bali in Indonesia. Penang was also named second best places to visit after Prince Edward Island, Canada in 2017 by CNN while George Town was named by Forbes as the 10th best budget tourism destination of the year in 2016.