Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
www.gasiantimes.com May 15-31, 2013 Vol 10 No 10
TEA FESTIVAL
Page 2
May 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2013
Page 3
GAT Calendar of Events (For latest & updated events, visit www.gasiantimes.com)
Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho Photography: Ben Hioe
Tel: 770.335.4593 Advertising: gat@gasiantimes.com Editorial: info@gasiantimes.com URL: www.gasiantimes.com Mailing Address: P.O. Box 922348 Norcross, GA 30010-2348
Copyright Georgia Asian Times 2004-2012
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. All Rights Reserved: including those to reproduce this printing or parts thereof in any form without permission in writing from Georgia Asian Times. Established in 2004, the Georgia Asian Times is published by Asiamax Inc. All facts, opinions, and statements appearing within this publication are those of writers and editors themseleves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions, endorsements by Georgia Asian Times or its officers. Georgia Asian Times assumes no responsibility for damages from the use of information contained in this publication or the reply to any advertisement. The Publisher will not be liable for any error in advertising to greater extent than the cost of space occupied by the error and will only be made for a single publication date. The Publisher reserves the right to reject any ad or articles submitted for publication that may not be in good taste for a free publication.
“Jiki to Hanga: Japanese Porcelain and Prints” Date: May 12-Aug 25, 2013 Venue: Oglethorpe University Museum of Art For more info: rvary@oglethorpe. edu “Discovering the Filipino American Experience”
Date: May 18, 2013 Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Venue: National Archives Atlanta, 5780 Jonesboro Rd. Morrow, GA 30260 For more info: www.filamexpereince. com
The Challenges in Middle Management Presented by NAAAP Atlanta
Date: Thursday, June 6 Time: 6:15 pm - 9:00 pm Venue: ATT Campus (Lenox Rd-Buckhead)
Laotian American Society (LAS) 8th Annual Fundraiser Ball Date: Saturday, June 8 Time: 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm Venue: 5th Avenue, 2720 Mall of Georgia Admission: $50.00 per ticket Kalayaan 2013 - 115th Philippines Independence Day Date: Wednesday, June 12 Venue: Georgia International Convention Center, College Park For more info: eleanorpascual@ gmail.com
18th Annual Savannah Asian Festival Date: Saturday, June 22, 2013 Time: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Venue: Savannah Civic Center MLK Arena For more info: www.savannahga. gov GAT 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia - Awards Dinner Date: Thursday, July 18, 2013 Time: 6:30 pm Venue: Happy Valley Restaurant For sponsorship and reservation: contact GAT 678-971-9388
18th Atlanta Dragon Boat Festival
Date: Saturday Sept 14, 2013 Time: 7:00 am - 5:00 pm Venue: Clarks Bridge, Lake Lanier Olympic Rowing Facility For more info: www.dragonboatatlanta.com
Peachtree City Dragon Boat Festival Date: Sept 28, 2013 Time: 8:00 am Venue: Peachtree City For more info: ptcdragonboats@ gmail.com 9th Atlanta Asian Film Festival Date: Oct 11-25, 2013 Volunteers needed. Apply: info@atlaff.org For more info: www.atlaff.org
Page 4
May 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
METRO ASIAN NEWS APAC Georgia Celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Month Duluth, May 4, 2013 — Asian Pacific American Council of Georgia (APAC) celebrated its 28th annual banquet at the Atlanta Marriott Gwinnett Place Hotel. APAC is a federation of over 14 member organizations representing various Asian American community organizations in metro Atlanta and Georgia. “We honor the Asian Pacific Americans who have contributed and sacrifices time, talent, and resources for the betterment and unity of our community. We hope their legacy serves to inspire the future generations,” said Le Dam Doan, President of APAC Georgia. Photo: GPCID
Pleasant Hill Road Bridge in Gwinnett Closed on June 7 Weekend For Diamond Interchange Works Lawrenceville, May 14, 2013 – The Gwinnett County Department of Transportation will close the I-85 at Pleasant Hill Road bridge for the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) crossover. The project involves shifting traffic to the opposite side of the bridge, which will make left turns onto the interstate easier and improve the flow of traffic across the bridge. The closure will begin at 9 p.m. on Friday, June 7, weather and conditions permitting. The bridge will open to traffic by 5 a.m. on Monday, June 10 with the new DDI configuration. The bridge will be closed to all through-traffic during the weekend, although construction will not impact right turn access to or from I-85. Drivers and pedestrians should take the planned detour: Pleasant Hill Road to Satellite Boulevard to Steve Reynolds Boulevard to Shackleford Road to Pleasant Hill Road and the reverse. Pedestrian traffic should continue to use the detour route for at least one
month following crossover during the construction of pedestrian walkways. “We ask that drivers in this area be especially cautious and alert during construction,” said Transportation Director Kim Conroy. “We understand this is an inconvenience, so Gwinnett DOT staff will closely monitor traffic flow and signals during the crossover weekend to help keep traffic moving.” After crossover, construction will continue on the center median and pedestrian facilities, while crews will finalize the signals, interchange lighting and pavement markings. The project is expected to be substantially complete in September, with landscaping to begin in the fall. Once the project is complete, the bridge at Pleasant Hill Road and I-85 will be Gwinnett County’s first DDI and the second in Georgia. For information on how to drive the diamond including a video rendering of the completed project, visit www. gwinnettDDI.com.
Guest speakers for the evening included Representative B.J. Pak, 108th District; Representative Hugh Floyd, 99th District; Charlotte Nash, Chair of Gwinnett Board of Commissioners, Director General Huei Yuan Tai of TECO Atlanta, Joe Allen, Executive Director of Gwinnett Place CID; and Eugene Chin Yu, President of Federation of Korean Associations USA.
In conjunction with the Asian Pacific Heritage Month celebration, APAC Georgia also awarded scholarship to eight Asian American high school students. The recipients for this year scholarships are: Kathlyn Grace Moriles, Dutchtown High School; Yen Phuong Doan, North Clayton High School; Young Lee, Mill Creek High School; Brandon Voravong, White Water High School; Kevin Lee, Northview High School; Binita Devkota, Winter Park High School; Patrick Yu, Northview High School; and John Oh, Peachtree Ridge High School. For more information on APAC Georgia, visit www.apacga.org
ASEAN Ambassadors Says Opportunities to Increase Trade with Georgia Atlanta, May 1, 2013 — Ambassadors from Southeast Asian nations met with local businesses in a roundtable discussion organized by Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, US-ASEAN Council and World Affairs Council. Mr. Harris Tuah, Deputy Chef of Mission of Brunei Darulsalam, Ambassador Hem Heng of Cambodia, Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia of the Philippines, Ambassador Ashok Kumar Mirpuri of Singapore, and Ambassador Chaiyong Satjipanon of Thailand delivered a brief economic update of their respective country and an overview of the region. The four ambassadors also gave an update on the timeline of the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) including
questions pertaining to intellectual properties, sustainable environment regulation, trade, and infrastructure growth. Majority of the ambassadors emphasized that there are ample opportunity to increase trade and exports between the state of Georgia and their respective country. During the brief visit to Atlanta, the ambassadors and senior embassy staffs also visited Center for Disease Control and the Coca-Cola headquarters. For more information on US-ASEAN Council, visit www.usasean.org
Georgia Asian Times
May 15-31, 2013
Page 5
FEATURE
Tea buffs gather in Japan for global festival
Higashiyama, Japan, May 14, 2013 In the shadow of a giant Chinese character for “tea” written in live cypress trees, enthusiasts gather once every three years in Japan to talk about one of the world’s favorite drinks.
kilograms of the delicate buds.
The World Tea Festival this month celebrated the liquid in all its forms, from the earthenware teapots used in Japan to the delicate bone china of an English cup and saucer; from the samovars that gurgle in Russian novels to the short, sweet, shot-sized glasses drunk in Turkey.
“Sado” -- tea ceremony -- is laden with symbolism, from the movement of the hands that spoon the fine dust into the cup to the manner in which it is drunk and the seasonal significance of the colourful compacted sugar cakes that accompany it.
For the connoisseur there were tasting sessions where expert blenders guided visitors through the range of teas grown on the slopes of Shizuoka in central Japan; some sweet, some sharp, some citrus and some an eyewatering 300,000 yen per kilogram ($1,500 per pound). While most teas retail for considerably less than that, the prize blend by the Kakegawa Jonan Tea Industry Union is labour intensive, taking 50 people a whole day to harvest just four
There were also tea ceremonies where the powdered form of Japanese green tea was whipped into a frothing frenzy with a stubby bamboo brush.
The every day form of strong, slightly bitter green tea is the beverage of choice for millions of Japanese. It is drunk at home, in the office and on the go in ready-made bottles bought from convenience stores. In this part of Japan, tea is a very serious business, said Mitsuru Shirai, who heads Shizuoka prefecture’s office for tea and agricultural produce. “It is tea that has created us,” he said, calling the festival “a combined celebration of culture and industry.”
The green leaves have been grown here for nearly 800 years; today they support 15,000 farmers, 800 different companies, and provide 100,000 jobs in an industry worth 44 billion yen ($444 million) to the local economy.
Shizuoka produces 40 percent of the tea that Japan’s 128 million citizens drink. Like all farmers, tea growers have to contend with their share of troubles. CONTINUE ON PAGE 8
Page 6
May 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
AirAsia X hopes to raise up to $300 million from IPO
Space tourism won’t hurt environment: Branson SINGAPORE, May 13, 2013 (AFP) - British billionaire Richard Branson said Monday that rocket-powered space tourism flights by his firm Virgin Galactic would have only a minor impact on climate change. More than 500 people have already reserved seats -- and paid deposits on the $200,000 ticket price -- for a minutes-long suborbital flight on the SpaceShipTwo (SS2) set to begin by the end of this year. “We have reduced the (carbon emission) cost of somebody going into space from something like two weeks of New York’s electricity supply... to less than the cost of a economy roundtrip from Singapore to London,” Branson told reporters in Singapore. The founder of the diversified Virgin group was in the Southeast Asian city-state to attend a summit organized by the Carbon War Room, an environmental charity organization he founded in 2009. “New technology can dramatically reduce the carbon output and that is the challenge we have set ourselves,” added Branson. The SS2’s lightweight carbon-fibre body will also “reduce fuel burn dramatically”, he said.
The SS2, with two pilots, is designed to be launched by a transport plane called White KnightTwo and will be guided by a rocket motor before gliding back to Earth. Branson, whose Virgin group includes airlines Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia, said the aviation industry could do more to cut its carbon output and shift to cleaner fuels. Rising carbon emissions caused by industry, transport and deforestation have been blamed for global warming. “If you have clean fuels, you got a competitor to the dirty fuels and you could hopefully reduce the cost of the fuel, which means you can reduce the price of the ticket,” he said. Branson’s Virgin Group and Virgin Green Fund last October announced plans to form a $200 million emerging markets fund with Russia’s Rosnano Capital to invest in innovations and green technologies. The Carbon War Room, which he founded with other global entrepreneurs, aims to enpower industries to find market-based incentives to reduce carbon emissions.
KUALA LUMPUR, May 13, 2013 (AFP) - Malaysian tycoon Tony Fernandes plans to raise up to $300 million by listing shares in the long-haul arm of AirAsia, slated for July, a source said Monday.
it lends credibility to the IPO. The financial market is conducive and there is an appetite for shares in a low cost carrier especially one with a proven track record like AirAsia, despite the global economic turbulence,” he said.
AirAsia X would sell 790.12 million shares in the initial public offering (IPO) with listing scheduled for July 10 on Bursa Malaysia, said a source familiar with the deal on condition of anonymity.
AirAsia X flies to cities in Australia, Japan and China from Kuala Lumpur.
The funds are expected to be used for a mixture of activities including capital expenditure and repayment of loans. Fernandes, who declined to reveal details of the IPO due to regulatory compliance, said that a roadshow to promote his airline business would start in the second week of June with retail investors being his primary target. “Going to do a much larger retail offering to give back something to the thousands of people who flew and supported us. Roadshow will start in the second week of June,” he said in an email message. “I will go on the road to meet retail investors,” he added. The listing comes as Fernandes tries to tap the Kuala Lumpur exchange’s popularity as a centre to launch initial public offerings. Shukor Yusof, an aviation analyst with Standard and Poor’s Equity Research in Singapore said the AirAsia X listing would be a success. “It is doable. With Tony at the helm
Fernandes has previously announced plans to list AirAsia’s Indonesian unit and Tune Insurance in a bid to raise funds to expand in a bigger marketplace. Tune Group is owned by Fernandes and his deputy Kamarudin Meranum who are founders of AirAsia, the region’s largest budget carrier. Meanwhile Dow Jones Newswires said the planned offering by AirAsia X kickstarts the IPO momentum in Malaysia that saw deals worth about US$4 billion held back due to elections in the country earlier this month. Companies like power firm Malakoff, port and logistics company Westports and an oil-and-gas unit of UMW Holdings had delayed their offerings ahead of the May 5 elections, it said. Last year Malaysia saw IPOs worth close to US$12 billion raised, making it the number one country in Southeast Asia in terms of fundraising. So far this year, the country ranks fifth in Southeast Asia by deal value, Dow Jones said.
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2013
Page 7
BUSINESS
China shadow banking growing fast: Moody’s BEIJING, May 13, 2013 (AFP) China’s shadow banking activities have risen nearly 70 percent over the past two years and now total more than half the size of the world’s second-largest economy, ratings agency Moody’s said Monday. Shadow banking includes private lending, off-balance-sheet vehicles and trusts, and allows borrowers to circumvent banks’ formal underwriting standards, as well as official regulation. Such lending has surged 67 percent since the end of 2010, Moody’s said in a report, reaching an estimated total of 29 trillion yuan ($4.7 trillion) at the end of last year, or 55 percent of China’s GDP. The rapid growth was partly due to some borrowers having difficulties obtaining regular bank loans, according to the report, and threatened the health of the banking system and the overall economy.
“Shadow banking may encourage excessive financial leverage in the broad economy and add to credit bubble concerns,” Moody’s said. “Given the substantial scale and growth of shadow banking activities in China, we are doubtful of the banks’ ability to isolate themselves from a significant increase in defaults in the shadow banking domain.” China’s banking regulator has sought to rein in non-transparent lending activities and in March ordered banks to step up checks on wealth management products as part of a bid to boost risk control and openness. But Moody’s said: “The impact from shadow banking on banks will depend on the amount and timing of losses and how they are allocated, variables that are difficult to assess at this point, given the lack of transparency and fastevolving nature of shadow banking in China.”
Indonesia holds interest rates after growth slows JAKARTA, May 14, 2013 (AFP) - Indonesia held its key interest rate at 5.75 percent on Tuesday for the 15th consecutive month after the economy expanded at its slowest pace for more than two years at the start of the year. The central bank stood pat, as had been expected, after the economy grew 6.02 percent in the first quarter onyear, below expectations and the slowest pace since the third quarter of 2010 as demand for exports declined. But the bank hinted it may tighten monetary policy if the government hikes fuel prices, a move that may be approved in the coming weeks and which would push up inflation and increase pressure for a rate hike. “Bank Indonesia remains cautious of inflationary pressures coming from
an expected inflation increase linked to the fuel policy,” the central bank said in a statement. The government of Southeast Asia’s top economy is waiting for parliament to approve compensation for the millions who will be affected by a reduction in fuel subsidies before pushing through the politically sensitive measure. A fuel hike is expected to push up inflation across the board due to the increased cost of transporting goods. The bank sounded pessimistic about the prospects for growth, saying it thought the full-year figure would come in near the lower end of its forecast of between 6.2 and 6.6 percent. Last month, it lowered its full-year
India’s central bank puts a curb on gold imports MUMBAI, May 13, 2013 (AFP) - India’s central bank on Monday announced steps to restrict the import of gold by banks in a move to stem the country’s widening current account deficit. “To moderate the demand for gold for domestic use, it has been decided to restrict the import of gold on consignment basis by banks, only to meet the genuine needs of exporters of gold jewelery,” Reserve Bank of India said. The decision takes effect immediately, the bank added in a statement. India is the world’s biggest consumer and importer of gold, with purchases an essential part of religious festivals and weddings. Many Indians -- especially in rural areas where there are few banks -- buy gold in the form of jewelery, bars and coins as a hedge against inflation. But India is seeking to deter vast gold imports, one of the main contributors to the deficit in the current account, the broadest measure of trade.
forecast to that range from one of between 6.3 percent and 6.8 percent. Indonesia has recorded annual growth of above six percent in recent
The hefty current account deficit totaled $32.6 billion or a record 6.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), in the three months to December, as imports outpaced exports. The RBI described the widening current account deficit as the “biggest risk” to the Indian economy, when it cut interest rates earlier this month. Earlier in the day, government data showed that gold imports rose 138 percent in April to $7.5 billion, against $3.1 billion a year earlier. The surge in gold purchases in April sent India’s trade deficit to $17.8 billion, up more than 72 percent from a month earlier, official data showed, as retail buying increased after a sharp fall in global gold prices. India imports about 900 tons of gold each year, mainly through designated banks. The government in January increased the import duty on gold to six percent from four percent.
years, underpinned by strong domestic spending and demand for its exports, such as palm oil, tin and coal.
Page 8
May 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
FEATURE
EAT OUT
Poona ~ Indian Cooking with Tasty Spices Poona has been operating at the new location at Club Drive off Pleasant Hill Road for nearly a year now. The current space was a former American pancake and breakfast restaurant with an outdoor patio. Tea specialist Hidehiro Inagaki said three years ago around 60 percent of Shizuoka’s tea crop was lost to a cold snap.
Two years after the disaster the Institute for Research on Tea continues to analyze soil samples for signs of contamination.
This restaurant has a large following of patrons from South Asians, Malaysian and Indonesian community. It is especially popular due to the “halal” or kosher way of cooking.
“If they get too cold, the buds do not come out because the plant saves energy to keep itself warm,” he said.
“This year the central government no longer requires testing, but we continue to do so at prefecture level,” said Kazuo Mochizuki, head of the institute, which was founded in 1908 and continues to work on developing new varieties of tea.
Poona serves a well balanced lunch buffet from Tuesday to Sunday. Price ranges from $7.95 per person for weekdays and $9.95 per person for weekends. A la carte menus are offered for daily dinners.
In a bid to keep the cold at bay, rather ugly-looking large electric fans blow warmed air down the avenues of tea bushes. It isn’t pretty, say the farmers, but it works. In the weeks after the 2011 nuclear disaster at Fukushima, when reactors were sent into meltdown after a huge tsunami rolled ashore, a cloud of radiation drifted over parts of Japan. Some of that radiation made its way into the tea, with at least 162 kilograms of dried leaves seized at a Paris airport after being found to be above safety limits.
Despite the technologies now in play that make harvesting much easier and mean bushes are more resistant to disease and produce higher yields, for farmer Toshiharu Suguira the quintessential nature of tea is what he sees. In the 40 years since he took over a three-acre farm from his father, the mountainsides with their serried ranks of tea bushes have provided a constant vista. “Nothing has changed,” he said. - AFP
A buffet spread typically includes variety of servings including vegetable pakoras, tandoori chicken, aloo gobi, bombay aloo, roghan gosht, basmati rice, chicken bryani and several daily choices. Customers are served freshly baked naans with their meals. Its Chicken Bryani is the best available in town as it is tasty and moist. Lightly spiced and the rice is cooked to the right texture.
Vegetarians will love the wide selections on the menu including Bombay Aloo, a dish made from baby potatoes sauteed with tomato based tangy sauce. Poona’s Roghan Ghost are served with small chunks of tender lamb and goat meat that has been stewed with spices, onions, and tomatoes. This dish is recommended for individuals who is not concern with high blood pressure or hypertension. Buffett patrons are offered choices of kheer rice pudding or caramel custard (flan). It is recommended for dinner patrons to call in for reservations as the place can be busy. Customer service is attentive and friendly. The owner will personally greet and seats you at the table. Poona Indian Restaurant 3665 Club Drive Duluth, GA 30096 Tel (770) 717-9559 Fax (770) 717-9558 www.poonarestaurant.com
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2013
EVENT Asian Pacific American Council of Georgia - 28th Annual Unity Gala May 4, 2013
Page 9
Page 10
May 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
SOCIAL Cleveland kidnap victims switched on ‘auto-pilot’ to survive WASHINGTON, May 10, 2013 (AFP) - To survive a 10-year ordeal of beatings and rapes at the hands of the Ohio kidnapper, his three victims may have shut down mentally on a form of “autopilot” to dull the trauma, psychologists say. The three women were kidnapped in separate incidents around ten years ago in the US city of Cleveland, and were only released on Monday after spending years trapped in a house prosecutors have dubbed a “private torture chamber.” Police have reported that the women are in surprisingly good physical condition after their ordeal, but that they need peace and privacy while they cope with the psychological torment inflicted on them. Steven Gold of Nova Southeastern University’s Center for Psychological Studies, said that in many cases victims of this kind of abuse survive by “shutting down emotionally and often even on a sensory level.” “In these types of extreme and longterm conditions, people commonly survive by dissociating, that is, by disconnecting to a great extent from their immediate surroundings and from their own experience,” he said. “This is largely an automatic process rather than an intentional one, a reflexive survival mechanism.” With the women now free thanks to a chance escape, grim details have begun filtering out about the rapes, beatings, forced miscarriages and periods of starvation that they endured at the house on Seymour Avenue. “When a dire situation goes on for long periods of time, living on automatic pilot and being relatively oblivious to emotional and physical discomfort is not just a momentarily triggered response,” Gold said.
“It becomes a constant state and a way of life.” Ariel Castro, 52, was arrested on Monday after 27-year-old Amanda Berry called out to a neighbor who then kicked in the door to the suspect’s home to rescue her and the daughter -- now six -- she bore during her captivity. Police arrived on the scene and entered the house, finding two more women, 23-year-old Gina DeJesus and 32-year-old Michelle Knight. Castro has been charged with kidnapping and raping the women. He was ordered held on an $8 million bond and prosecutors say they plan to charge him with the aggravated murder of unborn babies the women lost during beatings. The former captives have not spoken publicly about their experiences, and will need counseling, but experts said there is hope that they could recover. “The human mind is just incredibly adaptive and resilient,” said Elaine Ducharme, a licensed psychologist in Connecticut. “We are really trained, our basic instincts is for survival.” Without commenting directly on the Cleveland case, the psychologist noted that each person reacts differently to the same trauma.
the day -- such as bird songs, television or the radio -- or routines, such as daily meals or sunrises. Michael Mantell, who was the chief psychologist for San Diego police in California, said the women likely had to “change their thinking from ‘this is awful and horrible’ to ‘this is, sadly, bearable’ to help them cope.” “They have had to redefine life by placing their wellbeing into the hands of their psychiatrically ill captors,” he added. This so-called “Stockholm Syndrome,” in which captives develop positive feelings toward and even form a bond with their captors in a time of trauma, may have come into play at the house, he speculated. “People form some type of dysfunctional, confused, attachment to their abductors, as a way of staying alive,” Mantell added.
This could explain why DeJesus and Knight initially stayed inside the house, perhaps worried that Castro would return, while Berry and her daughter made a run for it.
As for resuming life as normal, he warned that this would “be a long and sensitive journey for them all, complicated by a wide range of emotions that their families will need help in dealing with.”
Ducharme noted that once the hope of escape fades, captives can become deeply spiritual in their search for meaning.
Although the families may be eager to think that all is fine, the path to recovery will be long and fraught with obstacles.
They may reassign their hope onto certain sounds they may hear during
“These people, the adults and children, are fragile, broken and will no
doubt move along the continuum of wellness with lapses that need to be gently and carefully handled,” Mantell said. “They will have to relearn how to communicate with others in healthy ways, free of the burden of not knowing if they would live or be killed.” Ducharme insisted that despite the immense public interest and fascination in the case, the women will need privacy for some time as they gather up the pieces of their once shattered lives. “It’s going to be important for these women to know that it wasn’t their fault,” the psychologist said. “They may feel so guilty that they should have figured out how to escape, or they shouldn’t have walked out of school that day.” But she was confident that with time, therapy and the love and support of their loved ones, the women could learn to trust again and find some peace.
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2013
Page 11
FOCUS
Sri Lanka sexes up image of Ceylon tea
KANDANA, Sri Lanka, May 12, 2013 (AFP) - A hot cup of Ceylon tea is better known as being soothing and relaxing, but Sri Lanka is now marketing its most profitable export as a luxury boost for the libido.
At his tea factory in Kandana town, north of the capital Colombo, Fernando held up a ceramic urn wrapped in black velvet and sealed with a gold ribbon, explaining that a cuppa is not only good for sexual health.
The tea industry is increasingly plugging Ceylon’s supposed aphrodisiac qualities in a bid to radically change perceptions of the brew, which manufacturers say can sell for less than water in some markets.
The tea contains polyphenols, flavonoids and anti-oxidants -- known to improve the immune system and blood circulation.
“We are highlighting the properties of tea that can give you an edge in the bedroom,” said Rohan Fernando, whose firm HVA Foods sells a small 60-gram jar of premium Ceylon for $350. “Tea has traditionally been the poor man’s drink. We want to be at the topend of the supply chain,” he said. The industry may not yet have hard medical proof of Ceylon’s performanceenhancing powers, but they have long been the stuff of legend among Sri Lankan tea lovers. The brews known for their potency are the top-quality white teas, known as Silver Tips and Golden Tips, which are gaining popularity among wellheeled Chinese businessmen along with rich Saudis and Japanese, Fernando said. Unlike orthodox teas, the white varieties are made with just the tender tea buds, which are sun-dried and carefully tended until they turn gold or silver in color.
Leading tea maker Herman Gunaratne is also keen to promote such qualities in his rare “virgin white” tea, so called because it is untouched by human hands in production, unlike orthodox types hand-plucked from the tea bush. The product retails at the Mariage Freres tea emporium in Paris for $88 for a 20-gram box, the equivalent of $4,400 per kilo. “My virgin white tea contains 10.11 percent anti-oxidants... This could be the highest level of anti-oxidants in any tea,” said Gunaratne. “When your overall health improves, your sexual performance automatically increases.” Tea is not indigenous to Sri Lanka, but after Scotsman James Taylor planted the first tea bush, Camellia Sinensis, in 1849, it became a primary export. Last year, tea brought in nearly $1.5 billion to the country’s coffers. Sri Lanka also conducts the world’s largest weekly tea auction where five to six million kilos (10 to 13 million pounds) change hands.
But the island may soon be reaching its maximum production capacity after exporting nearly 320 million kilos last year. Gunaratne is among the tea purists who want to guard Sri Lanka’s reputation as a maker of clean tea -- product that is free of pesticide residue and other contaminants -- and he is keen to see more high-end varieties rather than the traditional export of cheap bulk products. “We need to re-brand tea,” he said. “We have the potential to increase our tea income four-fold.” The Sri Lanka Tea Board is about to embark on a major international marketing campaign for the first time in decades, which will promote the health benefits of a high-end cup. Currently only 42 to 43 percent of Ceylon is exported in packets of less than three kilos each, but the target is to raise this to 60 percent in the next five years, board director Hasitha de Alwis said.
Anil Cooke, head of Sri Lankan tea broking firm Asia Siyaka Commodities, agreed that Ceylon -- known by the country’s colonial name -- should be “re-positioned globally” with a focus on increasing its value. “It is being done in a small way by a few companies, but it can be given a bigger boost,” Cooke said. Leading the way is Gunaratne’s tea plantation in the south of the island, which has become a key tourist attraction with a tea museum, tours and tasting sessions. Despite cutting daily tea leaf production from 20,000 to just 2,000 kilos a day, his gourmet products now sell at 10 times the average retail price of loose tea in the local market. “Since shifting to highly specialized teas... I earn double what I did before,” said Gunaratne. Cooke said he was not sure if the aphrodisiac properties or the big bucks from his Ceylon had put a permanent smile on the 69-year-old tea maker’s face.
Page 12
May 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
TECH Rocky road for electric car market
WASHINGTON, May 13, 2013 - The road has gotten bumpier for electric cars. Coda Automotive, one of what had been a promising crop of electric car startups, filed for bankruptcy protection this month, and said it would reorganize around the electric storage market. High-end electric car maker Fisker Automotive, which has had financial woes for months, announced meanwhile it was laying off 75 percent of its workforce, raising the prospect of defaulting on US government loans. Electric cars are still coming to market from luxury maker Tesla, and from major automakers such as General Motors, Nissan and others, but the outlook has become murkier. Analysts are divided on the outlook, but few believe President Barack Obama’s goal of getting one million electric cars on the market by 2015 will be met. “It’s not like people are clamoring for these vehicles,” said Rebecca Lindland, analyst with Rebel Three Media, and member of a committee studying barriers to electric cars for the National Academy of Sciences. Lindland said her view that Americans “just don’t see how an electric car can fit into their lifestyle. We continue to be risk-averse in investing in new technology in our cars.” Mike VanNieuwkuyk of the research firm JD Power & Associates said more people are aware of the electric cars on the market “but there is still a low number of consumers who say they would purchase an electric car.”
A report by JD Power and its partner LMC Automotive found batterypowered vehicles’ share of US auto sales was just 0.08 percent in 2012, and predicts this will reach only 0.47 percent by 2015. Only about three percent in the survey said their next vehicle would likely have a battery-electric power train. VanNieuwkuyk said consumers are held back by a lack of plug-in charging stations, concerns about the range of the vehicle before it needs recharging, and especially the high cost. At the same time, the analyst said, gasoline-powered cars “are improving enough to meet the needs of the consumer,” without the price tag of electric cars. Jason Kavanagh, engineering editor at the research firm Edmunds.com said recent surveys suggest pure electric vehicles are unlikely to get past one percent of the US market, even by 2040. The lack of range and long recharging times are key factors. “Sitting around for eight hours waiting for your (Nissan) Leaf to charge up is not exactly a selling point,” he said. “EVs have a sitting-on-your-ass factor that conventional cars do not.” More important, said Kavanagh, is that the US electric power system cannot support large numbers of electric vehicles which need constant charging. “The US power grid is not capable of supporting that,” he told AFP. “You would need a multitude of small nuclear power stations to support that recharging.”
Chevrolet cut production of its Volt last year amid soft demand, and is reported to be working on a less expensive version. Toyota and Honda also scaled back plans for all-electric vehicles for the US market. And Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne said recently the company stands to lose $10,000 on every battery-powered Fiat 500 it sells in California. There are a few bright spots, however. Tesla Motors posted its first-ever quarterly profit, of $11 million in the first quarter as revenues rose 83 percent from the prior quarter. Tesla is banking on its Model S, which sells for upwards of $60,000, by offering special financing and leasing deals with a guaranteed resale price. The car, which has an estimated range of more than 200 miles (320 kilometers), was given a top rating by Consumer Reports. Nissan has boosted sales of its allelectric Leaf to over 5,000 in the first quarter, overtaking the Chevrolet Volt, which has seen sales sputter. Brett Smith, analyst at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said he is not surprised by
the slow progress in the electric car market. “There was an enormous electric vehicle hype,” he said. “In a way that was good because it helped push the technology.” Smith said it is clear that batterypowered cars “are not a near-term mainstream product” but still believes in the value of the technology. “There is a pretty good chance something positive will come out of this,” said Smith. “Whether or not we get a cost-competitive electric vehicle in the next 10 years, the good news is there is lot of development which crosses over to other vehicles.” Kavanagh of Edmunds.com said beneficiary of the trend will likely be hybrids, which use both gasoline and electric power, and charge during driving. “We’re going to see a big jump in hybrids, which can take advantage of the infrastructure we have,” he said. Kavanagh said he expects hybrids may become more attractive in the coming years “because they will become more capable in range and more cost-effective.”
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2013
Page 13
SPORTS
China’s ‘Super Dan’ gets world champs wildcard KUALA LUMPUR, May 9, 2013 (AFP) - Chinese star Lin Dan will defend his title at this year’s world championships after organizers gave him a wildcard to raise the tournament’s profile, a statement said Thursday.
Moyes succeeds Ferguson as United manager LONDON, May 09, 2013 (AFP) – David Moyes faces the daunting task of following in the footsteps of Alex Ferguson after being officially confirmed as the manager of Manchester United on a six-year contract on Thursday. Ferguson’s shock retirement announcement the day before left United looking for a new manager for the first time since the legendary Scot succeeded Ron Atkinson in November 1986, but the Premier League champions moved quickly to appoint Moyes. The 50-year-old, who has been at Everton since 2002, will take over from Ferguson on July 1. Ferguson, who has won 38 trophies during a record-breaking 26-year spell at Old Trafford, revealed that he had personally recommended his fellow Glaswegian as his successor. “When we discussed the candidates that we felt had the right attributes, we unanimously agreed on David Moyes,” said Ferguson in a statement. “David is a man of great integrity with a strong work ethic. I’ve admired his work for a long time and approached him as far back as 1998 to discuss the position of assistant manager here. “He was a young man then at the
start of his career and has since gone on to do a magnificent job at Everton. There is no question he has all the qualities we expect of a manager at this club.” Moyes has only presided over two matches in the Champions League and has failed to win a trophy in his 11-year tenure at Goodison Park, but he is widely admired for having led Everton to six consecutive top-eight finishes in the Premier League despite operating on a shoestring budget. “It’s a great honor to be asked to be the next manager of Manchester United,” he said in a statement released by his new employers. “I am delighted that Sir Alex saw fit to recommend me for the job. I have great respect for everything he has done for the football club. “I know how hard it will be to follow the best manager ever, but the opportunity to manage Manchester United isn’t something that comes around very often and I’m really looking forward to taking up the post next season.” United director Bobby Charlton, captain of the club’s 1968 European Cup-winning team, hailed Moyes as “a genuine Manchester United man”. “In David Moyes, we have someone
The four-time winner was handed the only wildcard for the August 5-11 event in Guangzhou, China, because of his “stature and fan appeal”, the Badminton World Federation said. Lin’s ranking has dropped to 41 in the world after his eight-month break since winning last year’s Olympics, meaning he was not eligible for an automatic spot. “Exercising its prerogative to nominate a wildcard entry in each category, the COM (committee of management) determined the 29-year-old’s stature and fan appeal would significantly enhance the championships,” the statement said. who understands the things that make this such a special club,” he added. “We have secured a man who is committed to the long-term and will build teams for the future as well as now.” Earlier, Everton confirmed that Moyes would leave the club at the end of the season, after he quickly emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Ferguson. “The manager met chairman Bill Kenwright early yesterday evening (Wednesday) and confirmed his desire to join Manchester United,” read an Everton statement. “The chairman, on behalf of the club, would like to place on record his thanks to David for the massive contribution he has made to Everton since his arrival in March 2002. He
“This was the only wildcard awarded.” While the multiple world and Olympic champion is badminton’s biggest star, the move may not go down well in the camp of Malaysian world number one Lee Chong Wei, who has lost a number of major finals to Lin. Their last meeting was in London, when Lin overcame Lee in the Olympic final after also beating him to gold in Beijing. He enjoys a 21-9 record against his Malaysian rival. “Super Dan” has since played only three competitive matches. He returned to action at the Badminton Asia Championships in April but pulled out after the third round with a shoulder injury.
has been an outstanding manager.” Kenwright has confirmed that Moyes will take charge of Everton’s two remaining matches of the Premier League season, at home to West Ham United on Sunday and away to Chelsea on May 19. Moyes thanked his former club, saying: “I have had a terrific job at Everton, with a tremendous chairman and board of directors and a great set of players. Between now and the end of the season, I will do everything in my power to make sure we finish as high as possible in the table.” Moyes will lead United for the first time on their pre-season tour of Thailand, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong in July, with his first official game set to be the Community Shield against the FA Cup winners at Wembley Stadium on August 11.
Page 14
May 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS
Sir Alex Ferguson ‘brought football to Asia’
SINGAPORE, May 9, 2013 (AFP) – Asian fans from Singapore to Shanghai on Thursday praised Alex Ferguson’s role in bringing Premier League football to the region’s masses, after his shock retirement as Manchester United manager. As the club’s millions of Asian fans absorbed the news, splashed on front and back pages across the continent, they applauded Ferguson’s regular visits and his signings of Park Ji-Sung and Shinji Kagawa. “Whatever else he has done, he has brought football to Asia, to the people, because not many people can afford to go to Old Trafford,” said Laurence How, secretary of Malaysia’s official supporters club.
TV images of the gum-chewing Ferguson have been a weekly feature of Asian life since the globally focused Premier League’s inauguration in 1992, with now ubiquitous sports bars often crammed with locals wearing United shirts. Streets, malls, markets and slums are also dotted with the United crest and colours. Last year, a survey commissioned by Manchester United and carried out by market research firm Kantar estimated there were 659 million Manchester United fans worldwide with about half of them, 325 million, in Asia. “Most of the fans are devastated,” said David Fan, general secretary of
Reds in Shanghai, as supporters took en masse to China’s popular, Twitterstyle weibos, where the subject was trending. “Like me, we didn’t expect that. Most of us have been watching United for more than 10 years and it started with Sir Alex, so it’s very hard for us to accept the fact. We’ve never seen the team without Sir Alex.” The Premier League’s exploding popularity more than doubled overseas TV rights to 1.4 billion pounds ($2.2 billion) in 2010, and they are estimated to rise another 30 percent after the current round of negotiations. In Asia, even the newly crowned president of the Asian Football Confederation, Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, is a proud Manchester United fan, a fact proclaimed on his campaign website. Manchester United have carefully cultivated their relationship with the continent, with Ferguson heading popular pre-season trips. Companies such as Toshiba, Singha beer and Hong Kong’s PCCW are among their list of sponsors. “Last summer I saw them in Shanghai and it was quite unbelievable,” said Fan. “You see them on TV, and then they’re live in front of you. “You can talk to them and the feeling is unbelievable, because you love this team, it’s part of your life.”
How, of Malaysia, where the supporters’ clubhouse is dotted with United memorabilia and has proudly hosted stars including Eric Cantona, said Ferguson’s personal touch had also gone down well with Asian fans. “There was a trip here and he asked us to turn up for the plane and gave us a chance to meet the players. He thinks about the supporters more than the commercial people,” he said. Supporters also cited the impact of signings like South Korea’s Park, who thrived under Ferguson, becoming the first Asian to win Europe’s Champions League and also the first to wear United’s captain’s armband. Great things are also expected of Japanese international Kagawa, despite an injury-interrupted first season, after a string of influential performances and a hat-trick to his name already. “The signings of Park and Kagawa brought excitement. People in Asia want to play football there too and now they know there’s a chance,” said Ken Lai, head of Singapore’s official supporters club.
Shanghai’s Fan said while many English clubs have had Asian players, there was no sense amongst fans that Ferguson’s purchase of Park and Kagawa was driven by a desire to attract more Asian supporters. “United have signed some Asian players like Park, like Kagawa and they used to have a Chinese player, Dong Fangzhuo, who didn’t last that long,” he said. “Some fans think other clubs sign Asian players maybe to expand their popularity in Asia, but Sir Alex doesn’t sign players for commercial reasons.” Asian fans will also be among the first to experience the new-look Manchester United when they tour Thailand, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong in July.
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2013
Page 15
HEALTH Smartphone app helps fight obesity: study
PARIS, May 11, 2013 (AFP) - Using a simple smartphone application to photograph one’s meals is a useful slimming aid for the overweight, according to an experiment reported on Sunday. The app, designed by British doctors, aims at promoting “food memory” so that people recall what they have eaten and are encouraged not to snack on high-calorie treats. The app has three parts: -- before eating food or drinking a beverage, the user snaps a picture of what is about to be consumed. -- after finishing the meal or drink, the user then looks at the picture that was taken, and answers questions about the consumption experience: “Did you finish it all?” and “How full are you now?” -- before further meals, users also look back at the file of pictures that have been taken in the course of the day, and get a text message urging them to remind themselves of what they have already eaten. The researchers recruited 12 overweight or obese men and women and monitored them over four weeks in a small-scale pilot study. The volunteers accessed the app more than five times a day on average, and recorded 2.7 daily “episodes” of eating and drinking. Over the study period, the participants lost 1.5 kilos (3.3 pounds) on average. Six lost a kilo (2.2 pounds) or more and four lost between zero and one kilo (2.2 pounds), although the other two gained weight, by 100 and 400 grammes (3.5 ounces and 14 ounces) respectively. “Raising awareness of eating and weight loss achieved suggest this approach could be fruitful,” said University of Liverpool investigator Eric Robinson. “Given that our trial was a very brief intervention with little contact time and no nutritional advice or support, this is a promising finding.” The work was unveiled at the European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, northwestern England.
Gene clues for testicular cancer, heart defect PARIS, France, May 12, 2013 (AFP) - Separate studies of the human genome have found tantalizing clues to the inherited causes of testicular cancer and non-inherited causes of congenital heart disease, journals reported on Sunday. University of Pennsylvania researchers looked at the DNA of more than 13,000 men, comparing the DNA code of those with testicular cancer -- the commonest form of cancer diagnosed among young men today -- against men who were otherwise healthy. They found four new variants that increase the risk of this disease, bringing the
tally of known mutations to 17, according to research reported in Nature Genetics. Meanwhile, investigators at the Yale School of Medicine found a clutch of gene mutations, absent in parents but found in their offspring, which account for at least 10 percent of cases of severe congenital heart disease, a birth defect that afflicts nearly one percent of babies. “Most interestingly, the set of genes mutated in congenital heart disease unexpectedly overlapped with genes and pathways mutated in autism,” said Richard Lifton, a professor of genetics.
“These findings suggest there may be common pathways that underlie a wide range of common congenital diseases.” The study appears in the journal Nature. Genomics is one of the fastest-moving areas of medical research. Identifying genetic signatures associated with disease opens up the prospect of DNA tests to identify people most at risk. They also throw open avenues of research to block or reverse the disease.
Study shows that adventure shapes the individual WASHINGTON, May 9, 2013 (AFP) - The act of exploring helps shape the brain and adventuring is what makes each individual different, according to a study out Thursday by researchers in Germany.
And by fitting them with a special micro-chip that emitted electromagnetic signals, scientists could track how much the mice moved around and quantify their exploratory behavior.
The findings published in the US journal Science may offer new paths to treating psychiatric diseases, scientists said.
“Over time, the animals therefore increasingly differed in their realm of experience and behavior,” said Kempermann. Over the course of three months, they developed very different personalities.
Researchers sought to pin down why identical twins are not perfect replicas of each other, even when they have been raised in the same environment, and studied the matter using 40 genetically identical mice. The mice were kept in an elaborate, fivelevel cage connected by glass chutes and filled with toys, scaffolds, wooden flower pots, nesting places and more. The space available to explore spanned about five square meters (yards). “This environment was so rich that each mouse gathered its own individual experiences in it,” said principal investigator Gerd Kempermann of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Even though the mice were genetically the same, and the environment they were kept in was also the same, they showed individually different levels of activity. Some explored a lot, some did not.
Researchers found that the brains of the most explorative mice were building more new neurons -- a process known as neurogenesis -- in the hippocampus, the center for learning and memory, than the animals that were more passive. Control mice kept in a less enriching environment showed less brain growth. Kempermann and colleagues said they have shown for the first time how personal experiences and ensuing behavior contribute to individualization, and that neither genetics nor environment alone could cause this personal growth. “Adult neurogenesis also occurs in the hippocampus of humans,” according to Kempermann. “Hence we assume that we have tracked down a neurobiological foundation for individuality that also applies to humans.”
The findings offer new understanding of how the brain works, and could shed light on the processes of learning and aging, said Ulman Lindenberger, director of the Center for Lifespan Psychology at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin. “When viewed from educational and psychological perspectives, the results of our experiment suggest that an enriched environment fosters the development of individuality,” said Lindenberger. An accompanying commentary in Science by Olaf Bergmann and Jonas Frisen of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, said the research has two main uses. “Molecular understanding of neurogenesis will hopefully aid in the rational development of new classes of drugs for psychiatric disease,” they wrote. Furthermore, it “may teach us... how living our lives makes us who we are.”
Page 16
May 15-31, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
Misc Asia
Branson serves as AirAsia stewardess after losing bet KUALA LUMPUR, May 12, 2013 (AFP) - British billionaire Richard Branson strutted his stuff as an AirAsia flight attendant Sunday -- complete with fishnet stockings and figure-hugging red pencil skirt.
Photos from the flight showed him chatting with passengers and serving food to Fernandes, who used to work for Branson in the music industry.
His star turn on the flight from Australia’s Perth to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur came after he lost a Grand Prix bet with the Malaysian budget carrier’s founder.
“This has been a real first for me but I have enjoyed the experience,” Branson was quoted as saying in an AirAsia statement. “I’ve always said I’m a man of my word and I’m happy to have finally honored the bet.”
Virgin boss Branson agreed with AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes in 2010 that whoever’s Formula One team -- then Virgin and Lotus -- finished their debut season lower would serve as a stewardess on the other’s airline.
Branson disembarked in red flat ballet pumps and posed with a handbag for waiting media.
The British tycoon came off worse after Virgin ended 12th in the World Constructors’ Championship, two spots behind Lotus. But his stint as a stewardess was postponed in early 2011 after he injured himself while skiing. There was no escape on Sunday however, when Branson was recruited to serve coffee, tea and meals on the five-and-a-half-hour flight. Though he kept his trademark beard, he shaved his legs to show them off in black fishnets beneath his red AirAsia uniform. He topped off the outfit with bright red lipstick, heavy eye make-up and his blonde hair pulled back in a quiff.
Fernandes said Branson graduated as an AirAsia cabin crew member “with flying colors”. AirAsia donated part of the money from ticket sales for the flight to a children’s charity in Australia. Since the original bet was made between Branson and Fernandes, Virgin’s team has been bought by Marussia Motors, while Fernandes’ team has been renamed Caterham. Both of those teams finished 2012 with no points.
Taiwan awards Oscar-winning Ang Lee medal of honor TAIPEI, May 10, 2013 (AFP) - Taiwan on Friday awarded Oscar-winning director Ang Lee a top medal of honor to recognize his achievement in the film industry after he garnered two best director Oscars. President Ma Ying-jeou conferred the highest class of the “Order of the Brilliant Star” to Lee, making him the first person from the arts and entertainment sector to receive the honor. “I win this medal because of my Oscar award, I share the Oscar with everyone and I share this honor with everyone. I hope Taiwan’s arts and entertainment will get better and better,” Lee said. Lee, who is based in New York, was hailed as the “glory of Taiwan” after becoming the first Asian to win a best director Oscar for the gay cowboy drama “Brokeback Mountain” in 2007.
He won a second best director Oscar for the 3D adventure “Life of Pi” in February. The Oscar came as a rare chance for Taiwan, living in the shadow of giant neighbor China, to bask in the global limelight after the small island found its way into Lee’s acceptance speech. “I (could) not make this movie without the help of Taiwan. We shot there,” the 58-year-old said. Lee also won a best foreign language film Oscar for his kung fu epic “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”.
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2013
Page 17
Misc Asia China emperors ruled via false prophecies: Xinhua BEIJING, May 13, 2013 (AFP) - China’s ancient rulers misled their people by fabricating results of divination rituals used to help decide policy and shape public opinion, state media quoted researchers as saying Monday. Emperors during the Shang dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) relied heavily on prophecy and divination, using techniques such as burning turtle shells or cattle bones and basing predictions on the pattern of cracks, the official Xinhua news agency said. “We have learned from our experiments that the appearance of certain crack patterns is basically controllable,” it cited Hou Yanfeng, a specialist at an archaeology laboratory in Henan province, as saying.
“During the Shang Dynasty, the emperor was the leader of the diviners. Thus, it is possible that he controlled public opinion via oracle bone divination,” he added. A senior archaeologist told Xinhua that 185 replica fragments of oracle bones and shells were analyzed in their research, which has been recognized internationally.
Samsung announces 5G data breakthrough SEOUL, May 13, 2013 (AFP) - Samsung Electronics said Monday it had successfully tested super-fast fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology that would eventually allow users to download an entire movie in one second.
“As a result, subscribers will be able to enjoy a wide range of services such as 3D movies and games, real-time streaming of ultra high-definition (UHD) content, and remote medical services,” it added.
The South Korean giant said the test had witnessed data transmission of more than one gigabyte per second over a distance of two kilometres.
Samsung said it had found a way to harness millimeter-wave bands which have proved to be a sticking point for the mobile industry to date.
The new technology, which will not be ready for the commercial market before 2020 at the earliest, would offer transmitting speeds “up to several hundred times faster” than existing 4G networks, it said in a statement.
The test used 64 antenna elements, which the tech titan said overcame the issue of “unfavorable propagation characteristics” that have prevented data traveling across long distances using the bands.
That will permit users to “transmit massive data files including high quality digital movies practically without limitation”, it said.
One of the most wired countries on earth, South Korea already has around 20 million 4G users.
South Korea’s presidency apologizes for sex scandal
SEOUL, May 12, 2013 (AFP) - South Korea’s presidential office apologized Sunday for an “very shameful” scandal involving a former senior official who was fired midway through President Park GeunHye’s US visit.
Yoon Chang-Jung, a former spokesman for Park, was sacked last week over allegations that he had sexually harassed a female intern -- a Korean-American -- while accompanying Park on her May 5-9 trip. The presidential chief of staff Sunday said Yoon had been involved in an “embarrassing and unsavory incident” and apologized to the victim and her family. “We offer our deepest apology to all South Koreans, the victim, her family and Korean expatriates overseas for the incident,” Huh Tae-Yeol told a press conference, adding he had been left “speechless”. “This is an unacceptable and very shameful incident,” he said without elaborating on its nature. Huh added that Lee Nam-Ki, the top spokesman for Park and Yoon’s superior, had offered to resign to take responsibility but did not say whether the resignation had been accepted. Yoon returned to Seoul on Wednesday without accompanying Park on her trip to Los Angeles, the final stop of her US visit. Washington D.C. police told the South’s Yonhap news agency they were “investigating the report of a misdemeanor sexual abuse” by an unnamed 56-year-old male suspect. A Washington police report obtained by Yonhap and The Washington Post said the suspect allegedly “grabbed her buttocks without her permission”.
Yoon denied the allegation, saying he had merely “patted her waist” while drinking with the intern -- a college student in her early 20s -- at a Washington bar Tuesday night and he had no sexual intent. “I implore her to forgive me if I had hurt her due to differences in culture. I offer my apology to her,” the 56-year-old said at a live TV press conference on Saturday. The affair overshadowed Park’s US tour - her first overseas trip since taking office in February -- that would otherwise have been considered a success. North Korea said Sunday the scandal showed Park’s trip had been a failure. Its ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, monitored by Yonhap, said in a commentary that a senior member of Park’s entourage had committed a “shameful” act of indecency during the visit. Park -- the South’s first female president -- held a summit with President Barack Obama, with the two leaders united in a vow to offer no concessions when dealing with the North. She also addressed a joint session of the US Congress, stressing that Pyongyang had to give up its nuclear weapons while also proposing small peace steps after months of high tensions.