Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
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May 15-31, 2017
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May 15-31, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2017
Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho Photographer: Ben Hioe
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All Rights Reserved: including those to reproduce this printing or parts thereof in any form without permission in writing from Georgia Asian Times. Established in 2004, the Georgia Asian Times is published by Asiamax Inc. All facts, opinions, and statements appearing within this publication are those of writers and editors themseleves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions, endorsements by Georgia Asian Times or its officers. Georgia Asian Times assumes no responsibility for damages from the use of information contained in this publication or the reply to any advertisement. The Publisher will not be liable for any error in advertising to greater extent than the cost of space occupied by the error and will only be made for a single publication date. The Publisher reserves the right to reject any ad or articles submitted for publication that may not be in good taste for a free publication.
GAT Calendar of Events GAT welcome submission of announcement pertaining to community related events. Please email event, date, venue, and time to gat@gasiantimes.com. GAT does not guarantee insertion of event announcement and has the right to deny any posting.
Atlanta Jazz Festival Date: May 26-28, 2017 Time: 11 am -11 pm Venue: Piedmont Park Admission: Free For more info: https://www.facebook. com/atlantajazzfestival
23rd Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival-Atlanta Date: Saturday, Sept 9, 2017 Time: 7:00 am -6:00 pm Venue: Lake Lanier Olympic Kayaking Center, Gainesville, Georgia For more info: DragonBoatAtlanta.com
2017 International Day of Yoga Date: Sunday, June 25, 2017 Time: 7:30 am – 10:30 am Venue: Heritage Sandy Springs Park, 6110 Blue Stone Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30328 For more info, visit idyatlanta.org
13th Atlanta Asian Film Festival Date: Oct13-28, 2017 Venues: Georgia State University-Dunwoody, Plaza Theatre For more info: www.ATLaff.org
GAT 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia-Awards Presentation Date: Wed, July 12, 2017 Time: 6:30 pm Venue: Sonesta Gwinnett Place Sponsorship & table reservation available.
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May 15-31, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
METRO ASIAN NEWS
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on the 30-Day Pass! APAC Georgia celebrates 32nd annual gala with scholarship awards Duluth, May 6, 2017 — Asian/Pacific Council of Georgia (APAC) celebrated the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with its 32nd annual scholarship dinner gala at Sonesta Gwinnett Place. Over 350 guests including community, business, and legislative leaders attended the celebration. Charlotte Hall Nash, Chairman of Gwinnett Board of Commissioners provided the keynote address for the evening. “As one of the most diverse counties in the Southeast, we make it a priority to encourage everyone to get involved in local government and to help make our community a better and more attractive place to live and visit. My fellow commissioners and I urge young people to engage with their government,” said Ms. Nash in her remarks. Among the students recognized with a scholarship award are: Charlene Claire Mabutin-Locust Grove High School, Miles Shoemaker-Etowah High School, Austin Kim-North gwinnett High School, Poutheavy Tep, Rooman Karmacharya-Georga Walton Compre-
hensive High School, Phuc Dang-Maynard Jackson High School, Charlene Claire Mabutin-Clarkston High School, Zipporah Gunaven-River Ridge High School, Jasmin Gao, Alex Lin-Northview High School, Tyler Hein-Grayson High School, Manya Gard. “I am proud to know that throughout its 32 years of existence, APAC has remained strong and committed to serve and represent our Asian Pacific America community in Georgia,” said Eleanor Mae Pascual, 2017 President of APAC in her remarks. Guests were treated to traditional cultural dances and performances throughout the dinner gala. An official flag ceremony showcasing different Asian nation flags were on displayed at the opening ceremony. For more information on APAC Georgia, visit www.apacga.org
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Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2017
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May 15-31, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
FEATURE
Private security firms identified the virus as a new variant of ‘WannaCry’ ransomware with the ability to automatically spread across large networks by exploiting a bug in Microsoft Corp’s Windows operating system.
Global cyber attack fuels concern about U.S. vulnerability disclosures Washington DC, May 14, 2017 — A global cyber attack on Friday renewed concerns about whether the U.S. National Security Agency and other countries’ intelligence services too often hoard software vulnerabilities for offensive purposes, rather than quickly alerting technology companies to such flaws. Hacking tools believed to belong to the NSA that were leaked online last month appear to be the root cause of a major cyber attack unfurling throughout Europe and beyond, security researchers said, stoking fears that the spy agency’s powerful cyber weapons had been stolen and repurposed by hackers with nefarious goals. Some cyber security experts and privacy advocates said the massive attack reflected a flawed approach by the United States to dedicate more cyber resources to offense rather than defense, a practice they argued makes the internet less secure. Across the U.S. federal government, about 90 percent of all spending on cyber programs is dedicated to offensive efforts, including penetrating the com-
puter systems of adversaries, listening to communications and developing the means to disable or degrade infrastructure, senior intelligence officials told Reuters in March. (reut.rs/2o7qHqN) “These attacks underscore the fact that vulnerabilities will be exploited not just by our security agencies, but by hackers and criminals around the world,” Patrick Toomey, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. The NSA did not respond to a request for comment. Hospitals and doctors’ surgeries in parts of England on Friday were forced to turn away patients and cancel appointments after they were infected with the “ransomware”, which scrambled data on computers and demanded payments of $300 to $600 to restore access. Security software maker Avast said it had observed more than 57,000 infections in 99 countries. Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan were the top targets, it said.
Security experts said the ransomware used in the attacks leveraged a hacking tool found in a leak of documents in April by a group known as Shadow Brokers. At the time, Microsoft acknowledged the vulnerabilities and said they had been patched in a series of earlier updates pushed to customers, the most recent of which had been rolled out only a month earlier in March. But the episode prompted concerns about whether the tools could be leveraged by hackers to attack unpatched systems. In a statement, a Microsoft spokesman said on Friday its engineers had provided additional detection and protection services against the WannaCry malware and that it was working with customers to provide additional assistance. The spokesman reiterated that customers who have Windows Updates enabled and use the company’s free antivirus software are protected. Shadow Brokers first emerged last year and began dumping tranches of documents that it said belonged to the NSA, though the files appeared at least a few years old. Over time, western researchers have grown more confident that Russia may be behind Shadow Brokers and possi-
bly other recent disclosures of sensitive information about cyber capabilities that have been pilfered from U.S. intelligence agencies. Some researchers cast blame not on the NSA but on the hospitals and other customers that appeared to leave themselves open to attack. “The main problem here is organizations taking more than eight weeks to patch once Microsoft released the update,” said Chris Wysopal, chief technology officer at the cyber firm Veracode. “Eight weeks is plenty of time for a criminal organization to develop a sophisticated attack on software and launch it on a wide scale.” Former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, who in 2013 leaked documents to journalists revealing the existence of broad U.S. surveillance programs, said on Twitter the NSA had built attack tools targeting U.S. software that “now threatens the lives of hospital patients.” “Despite warnings, (NSA) built dangerous attack tools that could target Western software,” Snowden said. “Today we see the cost.” - Reuters
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2017
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BUSINESS
India skips China’s Silk Road summit, warns of ‘unsustainable’ debt New Delhi, May 14, 2017 — India has not sent an official delegation to attend the “Belt and Road Forum” in Beijing and instead criticized China’s global initiative, warning of an “unsustainable debt burden” for countries involved. Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting dozens of world leaders and senior officials today for the country’s biggest diplomatic showcase of the year, touting his vision of a new “Silk Road” that opens trade routes across the globe. Government officials from New Delhi did not travel, Indian officials said, although scholars from Indian thinktanks have flown to Beijing to attend some of the meetings at the forum. Indian foreign ministry spokesman Gopal Baglay, asked whether New Delhi was participating in the summit, said India could not accept a project that compromised its sovereignty. India is incensed that one of the key Belt and Road projects passes through Kashmir and Pakistan. The nuclear-armed rivals have fought two of their three wars over the disputed region. “No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Baglay said. He also warned of the danger of debt. One of the criticisms of the Silk Road plan is that host countries may struggle to pay back loans for huge infrastructure projects being carried out and funded by Chinese companies and banks. “Connectivity initiatives must follow principles of financial responsibility to avoid projects that would create unsus-
tainable debt burden for communities,” Baglay said. New Delhi’s criticism of the Belt and Road initiative came as Xi pledged US$124 billion to the plan, and called for the abandonment of old models based on rivalry and diplomatic power games. Leaders from 29 countries and ministerial delegates from many more are attending the forum in Beijing, including India’s smaller neighbors — not just Pakistan, but also Sri Lanka and Nepal. Baglay said India supported greater connectivity across the region and listed the initiatives it was involved in, including highway projects and the North-South corridor in Central Asia, but he said these had to be developed in a transparent manner. “We are of firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognized international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality,” he said in a statement. As well as the corridor through Pakistan, India is worried more broadly about China’s economic and diplomatic expansion through Asia, and in particular across countries and waterways that it considers to be its sphere of influence. — Reuters
China pledges US$124 billion for new Silk Road, says open to everyone Beijing, May 14, 2017 — Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged US$124 billion on Sunday for his ambitious new Silk Road plan, saying everyone was welcome to join what he envisioned would be a path for peace and prosperity for the world. China has touted what it formally calls the Belt and Road initiative as a new way to boost development since Xi unveiled the plan in 2013, aiming to expand links between Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond underpinned by billions of dollars in infrastructure investment. “We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy,” Xi told the opening of a summit on the new Silk Road. “We should jointly create an environment that will facilitate opening up and development, establish a fair, equitable and transparent system of international trade and investment rules,” he added. Xi pledged a massive funding boost to the new Silk Road, including: - an extra 100 billion yuan ($14.50 billion) into the existing Silk Road Fund 250 billion yuan in loans from China Development Bank - 130 billion yuan in loans from Export-Import Bank of China - 60 billion yuan in aid to developing countries and international institutions in new Silk Road countries - encouraging financial institutions to expand their overseas yuan fund businesses to the tune of 300 billion yuan - 2 billion yuan in emergency food aid - $1 billion to a South–South Cooperation fund
- $1 bln for cooperation projects in countries on the new Silk Road He did not give a timeframe. Leaders from 29 countries are attending the forum, which ends on Monday. China formally calls the scheme in English the Belt and Road initiative. Some Western diplomats have expressed unease about both the summit and the plan as a whole, seeing it as an attempt to promote Chinese influence globally. China has rejected criticism of the plan and the summit, saying the scheme is open to all, is a win-win and aimed only at promoting prosperity. “What we hope to create is a big family of harmonious co-existence,” Xi said, adding pursuit of the initiative will not resort to outdated geopolitical maneuvering. “What we hope to achieve is a new model of win-win cooperation.” Some of China’s most reliable allies and partners will attend the forum, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. There are also several European leaders attending, including the prime ministers of Spain, Italy, Greece and Hungary. - Reuters
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May 15-31, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
U.S fails to reassure Europe, Japan over ‘Trumponomics’ Bari (Italy), May 14, 2017 — The United States said yesterday the world’s other rich economies were getting used to the policy plans of President Donald Trump, but Europe and Japan showed they remained worried about Washington’s shift. Officials from the Group of Seven nations met in southern Italy hoping to hear more about Trump’s plans which they fear will revive protectionism and set back the global approach to issues such as banking reform and climate change. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the United States reserved the right to be protectionist if it thought trade was not free or fair. “We do not want to be protectionist but we reserve our right to be protectionist to the extent that we believe trade is not free and fair... Our approach is for more balanced trade, and people have heard that,” Mnuchin told reporters at the end of the two-day meeting. “And as I say, people are more comfortable today, now that they’ve had the opportunity to spend time with me and listen to the president and hear our economic message.”
Other ministers from the G7 countries made it clear they did not share his view. “All the six others ... said explicitly, and sometimes very directly, to the representatives of the US administration that it is absolutely necessary to continue with the same spirit of international cooperation,” French Finance Minister Michel Sapin told reporters. Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau said there was a “light breeze” of optimism within the G7 about the recovering global economy after years of sluggish growth following the financial crisis that began nearly a decade ago. But he said the continued uncertainty about the direction of US policy represented a risk, echoing comments made on Friday by Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso. “We must not backpedal on free trade as it has contributed to economic prosperity,” Aso said. European G7 officials complain that no-one knows what the United States understands by “fair trade” and that the only way to establish fairness was
by sticking to the rules of the World Trade Organization — a multilateral framework. They also say the US demand to balance trade bilaterally was not economically sound, because trade deficits and surpluses could only be analyzed in a global context. A senior Japanese finance ministry official said yesterday uncertainties remained over how quickly the US Federal Reserve would raise interest rates, but the biggest question mark was over possible US tax cuts that could fire up an already recovering US economy. Trump has proposed slashing the US corporate income tax rate and offer multinational businesses a steep tax break on overseas profits brought back home. He dropped, however, a controversial proposal of a “border-adjustment” tax on imports as a way to offset revenue losses resulting from tax cuts. The tax reform plans were also questioned by some European officials. “I am not so sure that with an economy already at full employment and working at full speed a fiscal stimulus would add a lot,” European Commissioner for
Economic and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici told reporters. “(But) we avoided some discussions which would have been more damaging, like the border adjustment tax, which is no longer on the table at this moment,” he said. — Reuters
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2017
EVENTS
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APAC Georgia Schoalrship Gala May 6, 2017
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EVENT
May 15-31, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
APAC Georgia Schoalrship Gala May 6, 2017
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2017
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SHOWBIZ
Jackie Chan, Sylvester Stallone set to team up for ‘Ex-Baghdad’
Los Angeles, May 12, 2017 — For the first time in their careers, Jackie Chan and Sylvester Stallone are partnering for the upcoming action movie Ex-Baghdad, likely directed by Scott Waugh of Need for Speed and Act of Valour.
action-comedy style and being wellknown for the Rush Hour, Shanghai Knights and Kung Fu Panda franchises in addition to hits like The Young Master, Project A, Rumble in the Bronx, First Strike, and the Police Story and Armour of God movies.
Two elite security professionals end up rescuing an oil refinery’s worth of workers from a Chinese plant in Iraq, while at the same time finding a way to stop attacking forces from plundering its reserves of black gold.
Sylvester Stallone has enjoyed considerable success with action roles in Rocky, Rambo and, The Expendables, many of which he accumulated writing and directorial credits for alongside his more obvious muscle man performances on camera.
Los Angeles, May 12 — Actors Antonio Banderas and Alec Baldwin have signed on to star in a Lamborghini biopic, to be helmed by Oscar-nominated director Michael Radford (Il Postino).
Waugh directed and edited Act of Valour and Need for Speed, while his credits as a stunt co-ordinator include The Translator, xXx, Torque and Sleeper Cell.
Based on a book by Lamborghini’s son, Tonino, the film currently has the working title Lamborghini — The Legend, with shooting scheduled to start this summer in Italy and other worldwide locales.
In Ex-Baghdad, Jackie Chan is to play a private security contractor with Sylvester Stallone a former US marine, according to Deadline, which broke the story. Both actors are legends of the action genre, with Chan embodying an
Baldwin to play rivals in Lamborghini biopic The feature will chronicle the life and loves of Ferruccio Lamborghini — the founder of the famous car that bears his name — with Banderas to play the famous entrepreneur, and Baldwin to co-star as his rival Enzo Ferrari. The project is being produced and financed by Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s AMBI Media Group, and is expected to be introduced to buyers in Cannes (via Deadline).
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May 15-31, 2017
Georgia Asian Times
LIFESTYLE
The truth about 10 sun safety myths London, May 13, 2017 — As we move into the warmer weather and start thinking about summer, it’s also time to start thinking about how to protect ourselves from sunburn. Barbecues with friends, walks in the park, even driving to work... we need to think about protecting our skin during dayto-day activities and not just when on vacation. This week marks Sun Awareness Week in the UK, with one of the country’s leading cancer charities, Cancer Research UK this year providing insight into 10 sun safety myths to help us all stay safe in the sun all year long. Myth 1: ‘The sun is strongest when it’s hottest’ The heat of the sun doesn’t come from its skin-damaging UV rays. UV rays are strongest when the sun is highest in the sky. If you want to head outside and enjoy the good weather best to do it when the sun’s rays are lower, and the risk of burning won’t be as high. Myth 2: ‘You can only burn in the middle of summer’ The sun can be strong enough to burn at other times of the year too. The UV Index can tell you how strong the sun is where you are today, and you can find it on weather forecasts and on-
line. If the UV Index is three or above think about protecting your skin. Myth 3: ‘Sun damage always looks red and peely’ Skin doesn’t necessarily peel, but if it has turned red or pink in the sun, that’s sunburn, and it’s dangerous due to the damage the UV rays cause to DNA inside cells. If your skin goes pink but then a tan develops that still counts as a burn. However, you can’t always see the damage. Those with naturally darker skin might just feel irritated, tender or itchy skin rather than see a colour change. Myth 4: ‘The occasional sunburn doesn’t make much difference’ Getting a sunburn doesn’t mean you will definitely go on to develop skin cancer, but even one every two years can triple the risk of melanoma. If you have been sunburnt in the past, think about what you can do to protect your skin next time. Myth 5: ‘Higher SPF sunscreens are much better than lower SPF ones’ No sunscreen is 100 per cent effective and choosing a higher SPFs doesn’t add much extra protection. In fact, it might even encourage you
to spend longer in the sun than you should. Choose a minimum of SPF 15 and make sure your sunscreen has four stars or more for UVA protection. Myth 6: ‘A ‘base tan’ will protect me on holiday’ Some people think getting a tan before they go on holiday, from the sun or a sunbed, will protect them from burning once they arrive at their destination. However, a tan offers very little protection against the sun. Some studies have found that tans only offer protection equivalent to using factor three sunscreen, and tans from sunbeds could be as low as SPF 1. So make sure you apply minimum SPF 15 sunscreen. Myth 7: ‘Putting sunscreen on once is enough’ Once is not enough, even if it says once-a-day on the label. All sunscreens should be re-applied regularly, and some products rub, wash or sweat off more easily than others. It’s also really easy to miss parts of your body so put plenty on; regular applications will help ensure you’ve got everywhere covered. Myth 8: ‘Sunbeds are a safer way to tan’
There is no such thing as a safe tan, and the evidence is clear: Sunbeds cause skin cancer. A tan is a sign that your body is trying to repair the damage caused by UV rays. Myth 9: ‘Sunscreen lasts forever’ Nearly all of us hang on to bottles of sunscreen left over from previous holidays, but when you’re packing for your next one check if it is still safe to use, as most sunscreens go out of date. To check look out for a small open jar icon on the bottle, which will show the number of months the product can be used for after opening. And if you do need to replace your sunscreen don’t worry about buying the most expensive — it’s the SPF and star rating that is important, not the price. Myth 10: ‘You can’t get sun damage through glass’ Being indoors means you are mostly protected from sunburn, but some UV rays can get through glass. If you spend lots of time driving or sitting in a conservatory when the sun is strong, then long-term you might be at risk of damage from UVA rays. If sitting by a window you can protect your skin with clothes and sunscreen with four or more stars.
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2017
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SPORTS
McLaren boss accepts Alonso ultimatum Barcelona, May 13, 2017 ― McLaren-Honda boss Zak Brown said he accepted Fernando Alonso’s challenge to give him a race winning car for next year, and had no concerns at him leaving the circuit to play tennis after another engine failure. The newly-installed American told reporters at the Spanish Grand Prix yesterday that he had watched the previous day’s news conference during which two-time champion Alonso, who is taking leave from the team to miss the Monaco Grand Prix later this month and instead race in the Indianapolis 500, issued his personal ultimatum. “Totally understand his position... He’s a two-time world champion that wants to be a three-time world champion and he’s only going to do that in a car that would win. “As he said, he would love to stay at McLaren. We’ve given him a great environment, he really enjoys it here ― we’ve got to give him a winning car. “Sitting here today in Barcelona, it’s hard to know when that will be ― other than we’ve designed lots of winning cars.
“We’ve seen other engine manufacturers make significant progress over the season, as you saw with Renault a couple of years ago, where they started and where they ended up. “As he said, he’s going to wait until after the summer break, which is what we’ve agreed.” Alonso said he would be open to offers for next year if by late summer he had not been convinced that McLaren-Honda could provide a winning car. Yesterday morning, in front of his home fans, he suffered another engine failure when he spun on his own oil leak before completing a lap in opening practice. After returning to the pits, he left the circuit to go back to his hotel and play tennis. Brown laughed off the incident. “Well, his session was over,” he said. “I think you’re not going to learn a lot by watching other cars go around so obviously he wanted to get rid of some energy, built-up energy, so I don’t have any issue with that.”
Hamilton back on top in Spain Barcelona, May 12, 2017 — Lewis Hamilton bounced back from his Sochi setback today when he topped the times for Mercedes in opening practice for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. The three-time world champion led the way ahead of his team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who claimed his maiden win in Russia two weeks ago, where a baffled Hamilton finished fourth. The Mercedes pair were almost a second clear of the two Ferraris led by Kimi Raikkonen ahead of championship leader four-time champion Sebastian Vettel. Hamilton clocked a best lap in one minute and 21.521 seconds, leading Bottas by 0.029 seconds. Luckless home hero Fernando Alonso once again suffered from an engine failure with his McLaren Honda car.
He failed to complete a lap and left the circuit to return to his hotel and play tennis, only his sense of humour and loyalty to his fans keeping him optimistic for the afternoon’s second session. Last year’s winner Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, who triumphed on his debut for Red Bull, was fifth fastest ahead of his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen and his Haas team-mate Romain Grosjean, Nico Hulkenberg of Renault and Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso. Vettel suffered an early brief setback when he pulled up in the pit lane exit in his Ferrari with a rear wheel problem. He was hauled back to the team garage before he rejoined the fray with all of the teams running cars carrying extensive updates.
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May 15-31, 2017 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS
Courageous, compassionate Conte heals Chelsea rifts masterfully London, May 13, 2017 ― Just 10 months after arriving at a club ripped apart by feuds and rampant egos, Antonio Conte has healed the rifts so masterfully that Chelsea are the Premier League champions.
But the 47-year-old jumped at the chance to see if the philosophy he had honed during a stellar managerial career, which included three Serie A titles with Juventus, could work outside his homeland.
Conte and his players were wreathed in smiles and soaked in champagne after clinching the title with a 1-0 win at West Bromwich Albion yesterday.
Aware that the unhappiness of players like Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas had sowed the seeds of discontent at Chelsea, Conte hatched a plan to win over his collection of multi-millionaire millennials.
Yet when the Italian drove into Chelsea’s palatial training base in the leafy village of Cobham for the first time last July, he was in no mood to soak up the tranquil surroundings. “At the start of the season it wasn’t easy. We had to solve a lot of problems,” he said. Conte knew the depth of the problems lying in wait for him with a squad still in turmoil after the mutiny that cost Jose Mourinho his job and prompted a shocking slide down the table. When club owner Roman Abramovich asked Conte to leave his role as Italy coach to sort out Chelsea’s sulking stars, many felt he was on a hiding to nothing.
Instead of treating them like naughty schoolboys, Conte ― a former altar boy and devout Catholic ― promised they would find him honest and compassionate, as long as they followed his demanding regime to the letter. Crucially, the absence of European fixtures from Chelsea’s schedule afforded Conte time to drill his philosophy into his players, with double training sessions including long pattern-of-play exercises. The revolution really gathered pace once Conte responded to lacklustre defeats against Liverpool and Arsenal in September by switching to his preferred three-man defensive system.
‘Great men’ Conte’s players were tuned in to such an extent that they seized control of the title race by equalling a single-season top-flight record with 13 successive victories. “My biggest achievement was that the players gave me availability to work hard on the physical, tactical and video analysis aspects,” Conte said. “When you have these types of changes it’s not easy. First, you must find men and then good players. I found great men and then really good players.” Even then, Conte could not rest easy and his wild touchline celebrations were the perfect window into the soul of a ferocious competitor who thinks nothing of waking in the middle of the night to plot another tactical masterstroke. How could it be any other way for a man who named his daughter Vittoria, Italian for ‘victory’, and admits he finds it impossible to sleep before and after matches because he is so pumped up with adrenaline? No longer bombarded by text mes-
sages, a favourite motivational method of Mourinho’s, Chelsea’s stars lapped up Conte’s more considered approach. Keeping a lid on the volatile Costa’s emotions is a full-time job, but Conte managed to rein in the Spain striker well enough to ensure his goals kept Chelsea on top. He deftly eased club legend John Terry out of the first team, all while retaining his backing, and showed his human touch when he granted Willian time in Brazil after the death of his mother and sent him messages of support. It did not go unnoticed. The revitalised Blues have repaid their manager with a relentless march to the title and Conte can now reflect on how far he has come in such a short time. “After one year, when you work a lot and you suffer a lot, enjoying but also suffering, if you are able to win and to reach your target then I think the moment of celebration must be fantastic,” he said.
Georgia Asian Times May 15-31, 2017
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HEALTH Testosterone protects men from developing asthma, study finds Paris, May 10, 2017 ― A Franco-Australian study published this week reports that testosterone protects males against developing asthma, suppressing the production of a type of immune cell that triggers allergic asthma.
As highlighted by a French study published in PNAS in 2014, these cells, which are found in lungs, skin and other organs, play a role in triggering allergic reactions like asthma.
An international team of researchers set out to investigate why females are two times more likely to develop asthma than males after puberty.
These cells produce inflammatory proteins that can cause lung inflammation and damage in response to common triggers for allergic asthma, such as pollen, dust mites, cigarette smoke and pet hair.
According to the research, carried out jointly by the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, Australia, and the Physiopathology Centre of Toulouse-Purpan, France, the answer could lie in our hormones. The scientists found that high levels
of testosterone had a protective effect against the development of allergic asthma, inhibiting immune cells called type-two innate lymphoid cells (ILC2), associated with the initiation of asthma.
in the lungs and this directly correlates with the reduced severity of asthma.” This major breakthrough in understanding the mechanisms that drive allergic asthma, as well as key differences between males and females, could lead to new treatments for the disease. These could potentially mimic the hormonal regulation of ILC2 to treat or prevent asthma. - Reuters
“Testosterone directly acts on ILC2s by inhibiting their proliferation,” explains Dr Cyril Seillet from Melbourne’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. “So in males, you have less ILC2s
Could cannabis reverse the aging process in the brain? Berlin, May 10, 2017 — New European research on animals suggests that cannabis could help reverse the aging process in the brain, opening up the possibility that the drug could be used in the treatment of dementia.
“The treatment completely reversed the loss of performance in the old animals,” reported one of the study’s authors Prof. Andreas Zimmer from the University of Bonn.
Led by researchers from the University of Bonn, Germany, along with a team from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, the new study looked at the effects of THC on mice, an animal which has a relatively short life expectancy in nature and shows pronounced cognitive deficits even at 12 months of age.
After examining the brain tissue and gene activity of the mice given THC further, the team also found that the molecular signature — the sets of genes, proteins, and genetic variants of the mice — was no longer in line with the molecular signature of old animals, but instead showed similarities to that of young animals.
The researchers gave the mice a small quantity of THC, the active ingredient in the hemp plant (cannabis), at age two, 12 and 18 months over a period of four weeks. The mice were given only a small amount to ensure there was no intoxicating effect.
The animals were then tested on their learning capacity and memory performance, including their orientation skills and the recognition of other mice. The team found that mice given cannabis showed cognitive functions equal to those seen in the two-monthold control animals, however those who were given a placebo showed the natural learning and memory losses associated with aging.
The number of links between the nerve cells in the brain, which are important for learning ability, had also increased to levels more associated with younger mice: “It looked as though the THC treatment turned back the molecular clock,” says Zimmer. The team are now planning on taking
their research to the next stage to see if THC can also reverse aging processes in the brain and increase cognitive ability in humans, with the North Rhine-Westphalia science minister Svenja Schulze commenting, “Although there is a long path from mice to humans, I feel extremely positive about the prospect that THC could be used to treat dementia, for instance.” Many countries and US states have recently started relaxing their cannabis laws, with the use of medical marijuana, for example to help relieve pain, growing in popularity. The results can be found published online in the journal Nature Medicine. - Reuters
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Misc Asia
Japan university to set up ninja studies center Tokyo, May 11 , 2017— A Japanese university is planning what it says will be the world’s first research centre devoted to ninja — the black clad assassins known for secrecy and stealth. While mostly confined to history books and fiction, ninja have been enjoying something of a resurgence as Japanese authorities increasingly deploy them to promote tourism ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Now, Mie University in central Japan — the region considered the home of the feudal martial arts masters — has announced that a ninja research facility will be established in July. It plans to compile a database of ninja and encourage cooperation between scholars from different disciplines who study ninja, according to Yuji Yamada, a professor of Japanese history at the university. “We’ll conduct research on ancient documents and collaborate with science researchers to be able to apply the wisdom of ninja to modern society,” Yamada, who is setting up the centre, said today. “For instance, ninja burnt Japanese incense before going out to avoid evil things.
“We assume the incense could boost concentration and thus ninja could avoid injuries,” he said, adding that research on such fragrances might prove useful in today’s world. The facility will be located in Iga — 350km southwest of Tokyo — a mountain-shrouded city that was once home to many ninja. Yamada also said that the centre plans to publish its research in English and well as Japanese so as to make it accessible for interested researchers and fans overseas. Amid the ongoing ninja boom, Aichi prefecture last year began hiring fulltime ninja, including a foreigner, to promote tourism in the area known for historic Nagoya castle. In 2015, governors and mayors from prefectures around the country traded their usual suits for ninja costumes to announce the launch of a “ninja council”.
Treasures from Paris’s Louvre museum go on display in Hong Kong A selection of artwork from Paris’ world-renowned Louvre museum goes on display in Hong Kong on Wednesday, offering Chinese patrons a rare opportunity to view some of the institution’s cultural treasures on their doorstep. The “Inventing le Louvre: From Palace to Museum over 800 Years” exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum features some 130 works, including paintings, sculptures, ceramics and tapestries from various periods spanning centuries. It features a statue of French writer Jean de La Fontaine and a fragment of a horse head dating from before 500 BC. The exhibition is being held to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Hong Kong’s Special Administrative Region (SAR) government after the territory was handed back to China in 1997 following over 150 years of British rule.
It also underscores the importance of Chinese visitors to the Paris museum, according to Pascal Torres, Chief Curator of the Louvre’s department of interpretation and cultural programming. “The most important visitors of (any) foreign country are Chinese,” he told Reuters. “So it was necessary for us to permit to some good part of the Chinese public, who will not travel very easily to France or to Paris, to know a little about the Louvre Museum.” “Inventing the Louvre” runs until July 24. - Reuters
Georgia Asian Times May15-31, 2017
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Misc Asia per cent meth purity) come from the factories of the North and South Wa — armed ethnic groups marshaling a self-governing state on the Myanmar-China border — and by the Lahu hill tribe. Poor, corrupt and bordering five countries, Laos makes for an ideal transit route to the rest of South-east Asia.
The Laos Connection: Mr X and the cartels hooking SE Asia on pills Bangkok, May 8, 2017 — The downfall of millionaire “Mr X”, long shielded by cash and contacts in Laos, has highlighted the role of the secretive, communist country in showering pills across South-east Asia. Allegedly a key figure among gangs buying drugs from Myanmar’s meth labs, Laotian Xaysana Keophimpha — dubbed ‘Mr X’ — is believed to have used his graft-riddled country to shuttle narcotics south, first through Thailand then onto Malaysia. The heavy-set 42-year-old was arrested by armed Thai police on 19 January at Bangkok’s main airport en route to Laos where he lived freely, reveling in a lifestyle of celebrity parties and supercars.
devotion to fast cars and fancy holidays flaunted on social media. If police are right, their ostentation in one of Asia’s poorest countries was funded by smuggling highly-addictive caffeine-laced methamphetamine pills — better known as ‘yaba’ or crazy medicine — and crystal meth (ice). “From Xaysana’s phone and Facebook records it was clear he and Sisouk are friends... their (drug) groups are connected,” said Thai Police Major-General Supakit Srijantranon last week. Meth men
He denies charges of drug possession and smuggling.
At US$8 a pop in Thailand, the best yaba pills rise in price the further they move from source, bringing extraordinary rewards to the traffickers.
But subsequent police operations have turned up several more men accused of running drugs through Laos, an opaque country whose role in the regional narcotics trade is gradually emerging.
Stamped with a distinctive ‘WY’, the pink and green pills of the Myanmar drug labs are supercharging everyone from Malaysian farm hands to Bangkok’s “Hi-So” (high society) party crowd.
They are the suspected middlemen of the ‘Golden Triangle’, shifting pills, ice and heroin from the world’s second largest drug producing zone to a regional market.
Each year regional seizures break records, according to the UN’s crime agency.
Among the accused is Xaysana’s friend Sisouk Daoheoung — a minor Laos celebrity with a penchant for thoroughbred horses and a shared
That points to better law enforcement, they say, but it also show that the cartels can ramp up production at will to cover losses. The highest quality pills (15-20
Drugs are shifted across the Mekong river into Thailand then onto Malaysia and beyond. Thailand is being hit hard by the trade. Between October last year and April, Thailand seized 74 million pills, according to the kingdom’s Narcotics Control Board (NCB), as well as two tonnes of crystal meth and 320 kilograms of heroin. Official estimates say the kingdom has around 1.3 million addicts, with drug convictions accounting for the bulk of Thailand’s prison population of 290,000 — the tenth highest incarceration rate in the world. “Drugs are destroying everything. They affect the security of our country, our society and people,” NCB secretary-general Sirinya Sitdhichai told AFP. Cops are fighting back and say they have battered three major Laos-linked drug networks, confiscating tens of millions of dollars-worth of assets including hotels, cars, cash and even a horse riding school in Vientiane.
been reluctant to admit it has a drug problem. But under Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith the country is keen to show it is flushing out criminals and corrupt officials. The recent arrests are part of his gettough message to the drug gangs. Last year Laos authorities reeled in a record 144 kilograms of crystal meth and nearly 21 million yaba pills. The once toothless Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision (LCDC), has been beefed up under control of the Ministry of Public Security. The fall of Xaysana and co is being bundled up as victory for intelligence-sharing between Laos and Thailand. But with many western embassies still unable to post specialist narcotics police in Laos it is hard to get facts on the country’s suspected role as a haven for drug producers. The LCDC did not respond to requests for comment. And while Laos authorities sweep up mid-ranking henchmen they do not touch “the major organized crime behind significant production and trafficking,” according to Jeremy Douglas of the UNODC. Questions remain over how high-profile suspects could have operated beyond the law for so long.
They are still hunting a fourth group led by Usman Salameang, a Thai believed to be holed up in Laos, wanted for moving gear through Thailand’s violent border area into Malaysia.
One reason for that impunity is their aversion to publicity and violence — in contrast to their Latin American peers — a western drug enforcement official, requesting anonymity.
“He is the only big boss we are still trying to arrest,” Sirinya said.
They live by a maxim of “Don’t bring attention to your operations. You work in silence, you work in the dark.”
All roads lead to Laos Historically, communist Laos has
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TRAVEL
District 2, Ho Chi Minh’s playground for the well-heeled and trendy Ho Chi Minh, May 4 — Vietnam’s largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, is segmented into 12 districts, with District 1 at its epicentre. While District 2 is a mainstay for tourists, it is climbing up the popularity ranks with the hipster crowd as well as the expatriate and middle-class communities. Even though the District 2 enclave caters to the well-heeled, the standard of living is a little lower than District 1’s, according to Vietnam Online. The introduction of premium residential projects by foreign investors and several international schools has also helped raised the profile of this sleepy town. Separated by the Saigon River, District 2 is only 10km from District 1. This translates into a 20-minute taxi ride. Once your taxi clears the bridge, the view transforms vastly. Where District 1 is sardine-packed with honking cars, taxis and motorbikes, District 2 has little to no traffic.
opened her second shop in District 2 because she wanted to move “away from the hustle and bustle of a noisy city”. She has a main shop in District 1 that also sells handcrafted leather accessories, scarves, handbags, shoes and clothes.
or-decoration shops. The Villa Royale Antiques & Tea Room serves cakes and TWG tea in a bona-fide antique shop. The owner told us that he only carries antiques from Europe, though it would have been nice to see some local antiques.
“District 2 is peaceful and very green. Less traffic makes it a pleasure to walk around. Most businesses here are tucked away in lovely locations, which gives the district a very chillax ambience,” said Horvil.
Across from Villa Royale is an interesting shopping concept — a cluster of shops selling a variety of creative offerings like fashion, art and home decor. This is where we found Horvil’s boutique. Also located in the compound is Asian Hideaways Gallery, an art gallery opened by a group of four photographers from Europe.
“New restaurants and shops that have opened in the past year have amazing and unique concepts that help to transform District 2 into a destination of its own.” A river runs through it
Even though the peace is welcomed, getting a taxi to get around can be a challenge as we found out the hard way. A metro project is underway to link all the districts together. Scheduled for completion in 2020, this will make District 2 more accessible.
A preferred activity at District 2 is to dine by the Saigon River. Both Bistro Song Vie and The Deck offer great views, great grub and a spot to hang out on lazy afternoons. The Deck is a standalone restaurant, while Bistro Song Vie is a restaurant located in luxury boutique hotel, Villa Song Saigon. The colonial architecture of Villa Song and its location next to the languid Saigon River make it a choice location for honeymooners.
Unlike District 1’s garish malls, the shopping here is more quaint and designed for discerning tastes. British-born Anupa Horvil, owner of Anupa, a fashion boutique for women,
When you’re done with lunch, or brunch, take a leisurely stroll around the river bend. As with any new, middle-class residential project, there are some beautiful antique and interi-
One of the owners, French photographer Sylvain Marcelle, said the gallery caters to tourists as well as new residents. The photographic masterpieces feature mostly Vietnamese landscapes. Retro lovers looking to deck their homes will love Diabolo Square, the anchor tenant in this retail cluster. The shop collects furniture, lighting, tableware and home textiles made in Vietnam for the hipster crowd. Other must-visit home decoration shops include the modern furniture shop/ cafe/bistro Kokois and The Warehouse by Thai Cong, which has a florist, boutique furniture gallery and cafe all under one roof. Getting bendy
When you’re done shopping and cafe-hopping in District 2, make a pit stop at a spa. Nestled in Thao Dien are myriad spas that offer traditional Vietnamese massages. The Thao Dien Village offers spa packages from S$50. Ladies can get the full suite of services from facials to waxing in a lush setting. For a different kind of bending, don’t miss Saigon Outcast. Started in 2012 and built out of repurposed shipping containers, it is now an office space, venue for marketing events, weekend markets and a cultural hotspot. For weekly events, visit its website, saigonoutcast.com. District 2 is a nice getaway from the city centre for returning visitors. And, if for nothing else, come to Ho Chi Minh’s District 2 for its authentic Saigon village ambience, said Horvil. - Today