Georgia Asian Times November 1-15, 2015

Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia

www.gasiantimes.com November 1-15, 2015

New American Hero Award Captain Jason Pak (US Army retired)

Page 2

November 1-15, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

Georgia Asian Times November 1-15, 2015

Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho Photographer: Ben Hioe, Kat Merto

Tel: 678-971-9388 Advertising: gat@gasiantimes.com Editorial: info@gasiantimes.com URL: www.gasiantimes.com Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4502 Suwanee GA 30024 Copyright Georgia Asian Times 2004-2015

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.

The Film Industry in Gwinnett Date: Friday, November 6, 2015 Time: 7:00 am - 9:30 am Venue: Eagle Rock Distributing Company, 6205 Best Friend Road, Suite A, Norcross, GA 30071 Admission: $45, $40 Chamber, $35 PG Investor For more info: haley@gwinnettchamber.org Opening Ceremony to Celebrate the 7th Birthday of CIKSU with Peking Opera Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 Time: 12:30 pm-1:45pm Location: SO-1021 Auditorium, New Social Sciences Building, Kennesaw State University Organizer: Confucius Institute at KSU (CIKSU) Speakers: Dr. Ming Chen, Dr. Yumin Ao, Dean Robin Dorff, Dean Patty Poulter, Mr. Ken Jin Professional Peking Opera Performers: Ms. Tu Linghui, Mr. Liu, Chunnuan

Atlanta-Fukuoka 10th Anniversary Sister City Seminar and Celebration Date: Tuesday, Nov 17, 2015 Time: 3:15 pm -5:30 pm (Seminar); 6:00 pm-8:00 pm (Reception) Venue: Coca-Cola HQ (1 Coca-Cola Plaza, NW, Atlanta GA 30313

Page 3

Page 4

November 1-15, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

METRO ASIAN NEWS

Elections: 6 Asian American candidates - 1 win, 2 runoffs & 3 lost Metro Atlanta, November 4, 2015 -- Bangladeshi-American candidate MD Naser won the Doraville Council District 2 seat by defeating Tim Snyder 394 over 390 votes. (reported as 11:00 pm Nov 3, 2015). Naser will be the the first Asian American to serve in Doraville Council.

Chinese American Eve Erdogan lost her bid for Brookhaven Council District 1 seat to incumbent Linley Jones by 1,521 votes to 413 votes.

Chinese American Jay Lin will be in a run off election on December 1 for the Johns Creek Council Post 2 seat.

Lin managed to pulled in 1,897 votes along with Chris Couglin (1,224 votes) and Tood Burkhalter (1,199 votes).

Indian American Nazeera Dawood will also be in a run off on December 1 with Stephanie Endres. Endres gathered 1,979 votes and Dawood earned 1,577 votes at the time of report (Nov 3, 10:55 pm).

First time candidate Birendra Dhakal (203 votes) lost his bid for Clarkston City Council to Mario Williams (285 votes). Bhutanese American Dhakal earned a respective showing despite his first attempt.

Indian American candidate lost his bid for Johns Creek Special Post 2 to Todd Burkhalter (1,451 votes) to Misra (432 votes).

Meanwhile, the other leading news from the local elections: - LaVista Hills Incorporation was defeated at the ballot by the vote of 6,925 “No” votes over 6,789 “YES “ votes.

- Tucker Incorporation won by 3,937 votes over 1,389 votes.

- Gwinnett County SPLOST vote won with an overwhelming 75% votes (18,661 to 6,321 votes).

Korean American servicemen honored with New American Hero Awards Marietta, October 23, 2015 — Two Korean American servicemen were honored with New American Hero Awards by America Korea Friendship Society at a dinner ceremony at Renaissance Galleria Hotel. The late James Suh, Petty Officer, US Navy Seal and Captain Jason Pak, United States Army (retired) were both honored with a $10,000 cash donations by the society.

“It is important for us to remember and to honor the sacrifices and dedications by these individuals,” said Sunny K. Park, President of New American Hero Awards in his opening remarks.

Frank Blake, former Chairman and CEO of the Home Depot, delivered the keynote address for the evening. “It is reflective of the blessings that we receive. It is truly you who own the blessings when you gave it to others,” said Blake in describing Mr. Sunny Park’s generous characters.

The late James Suh, U.S. Navy Seal, was one of the 16 troops killed when a MH-47 Chinoook helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005.

DSC_7997The late James Suh was represented at the ceremony by his father, Mr. Solomon Suh in accepting

the donation. Mr. Suh announced that he is donating the $10,000 donation to Eugene Bell Foundation, a missionary treating tuberculosis patients in the Korean Peninsula.

Another honoree is Captain Jason Pak, U.S. Army Retired, who lost both his legs and two of his fingers in IED explosion on December 12, 2012.

“I am deeply honored to accept the award. I have always been taught since I was young to give your best. I have no regret and since learned to embrace my injuries,” said Captain Pak, who now works as Manager for Army Weapons Systems inGovernment Operations at Boeing Company.DSC_8026 Captain Pak donated the $10,000 cash to America’s Fund, a non-profit program supporting injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

He has been active in sharing his stories through inspirational speaking and plans to return to school.

This year’s ceremony marked the fourth time the awards were conferred.

Previous New American Hero honorees included Dr. Tom Kim, Lt. Colonel John Oh, and Olympians Dr. Sammy Lee.

Georgia Asian Times November 1-15, 2015

Page 5

METRO ASIAN NEWS nese-American youth cultural exchanges through baseball, Aaron’s passion to advance international understanding through the game includes his appreciation of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). In 1984 Aaron visited Korakuen Stadium in Japan in conjunction of the 50th anniversary celebration of Japanese baseball and spoke to a crowd with a message promoting continued friendship and cooperation between U.S. Major League Baseball and the NPB.

Born in 1934 in Mobile, Alabama, Aaron began his professional baseball career in 1954 with the Braves. During his incredible time with the Braves, Aaron shattered several of baseball’s most venerated records, including his world famous 715th homerun hit in Atlanta, Georgia on April 8, 1974, which surpassed the famed Babe Ruth’s long-standing record. Aaron went on to hit a total of 755 homeruns throughout his career.

Transportation is Region’s Top Concern, Metro Atlanta Speaks Survey

Hank Aaron conferred Order of Rising Sun by Japanese Government Tokyo, November 3, 2015 — The Government of Japan announced the foreign recipients of the 2015 Autumn Imperial Decorations. Among 89 foreign recipients is Mr. Henry Louis Aaron, Co-founder and Honorary Director, World Children’s Baseball Fair, Senior Vice President, Atlanta Braves, and Former professional baseball player with the Atlanta Braves, who will receive the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, in recognition of his contribution to promoting youth exchanges and friendly relations between Japan and the United States through baseball.

DECORATION: The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette SERVICE: Contributed to promoting youth exchanges and friendly relations between Japan and the United States through baseball NAME (AGE): Henry Louis Aaron (81) MAJOR TITLES: Co-founder and Honorary Director, World Children’s Baseball Fair Senior Vice President, Atlanta Braves Former professional baseball player with the Atlanta Braves ADDRESS (NATIONALITY): Atlanta, Georgia (U. S. A.)

As one of the most famous baseball players of all time, Henry Aaron used his world-renowned fame and his love of baseball to promote world understanding and cultural exchange through the celebration of baseball.

Though often recognized for his efforts on the field, Aaron’s hard work since his retirement in 1976 has further helped to improve Japan-U.S. relations and youth exchange through both countries’ mutual love of baseball.

Working with Japanese baseball champion and friend, Sadaharu Oh, in 1989 Aaron co-founded the World Children’s Baseball Fair (WCBF) which holds annual week-long baseball camps for children, fostering a deeper love of baseball and encouraging cultural exchange. Since the inaugural camp was hosted by Los Angeles, more than 20 of the 25 annual Summer Week Events have been hosted by Japanese cities.

This has allowed Aaron to visit Japan on several occasions, including this year’s Summer Week Events hosted

by Chiba Prefecture, which celebrated the 25th anniversary of the founding of WCBF. Along with promotion of Japa-

Atlanta, October 30, 2015 – Transportation remains the region’s top concern, according to the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) third Metro Atlanta Speaks public opinion poll, which was released during the agency’s State of the Region breakfast.

According to the survey, 27 percent of respondents said transportation was the biggest problem facing the Atlanta region – the second straight year that transportation topped the region’s list of concerns. The economy, which was the second-most pressing issue last year, dropped to third as the region continued its recovery from the Great Recession. Crime replaced the economy in the number two slot.

Other key findings from this year’s poll include: · Support for public transit is strong, with 91 percent of respondents saying improving public transit is “very important” or “somewhat important” to metro Atlanta’s future. · 44 percent of respondents believe expanding public transit is the best long-term solution to the region’s traffic problems, while 31 percent preferred improving roads and highways. · Metro Atlanta residents are generally upbeat about where they live, with 67 percent of respondents rating the region as a good or excellent place to live and 76 percent rating their neighborhoods as good or excellent places to live. · Respondents had mixed feelings about the public education system. Of those surveyed, 53 percent rated public

education in their local district as good or excellent, compared to 34 percent who said public education in the region was good or excellent. · Metro Atlanta residents are growing more optimistic. Just 14 percent of respondents said they expect things to get worse in the next 3-4 years, compared to 31 percent in 2013.

“This survey helps ARC and other decision-makers better understand this complex, fast-growing region,” said Doug Hooker, ARC executive director.

“More broadly, Metro Atlanta Speaks will become an even more potent tool over time, as we’ll be able to track how the region’s views change on key topics.”

The 2015 survey, conducted by Kennesaw State University’s A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service and Research, asked 26 questions of 5,029 residents across 13 counties about key quality-of-life issues such as transportation, education, the economy, the arts and aging. The survey is statistically valid to county levels and has a 13-county margin of error of 1.7 percent.

Several new questions were added to this year’s survey, thanks to a new partnership between ARC and United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. Results from these questions included: 64 percent of respondents said they had attended a religious service in the past year, while 44 percent had volunteered to work a community event in the past year.

Page 6

November 1-15, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

FEATURE

China & Taiwan leaders set for historic meeting in Singapore Singapore, November 3, 3015 -Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold talks with his Taiwanese counterpart Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore on Saturday in the first such meeting of leaders from the two rivals since the Chinese civil war ended in 1949.

The historic meeting comes at a sensitive time in Taiwan, with elections for a new president and legislature being held on Jan. 16 amid rising anti-China sentiment, particularly among younger Taiwanese who don’t believe Taiwan benefits from closer economic ties with its giant neighbor.

Ma’s office said in a statement that the purpose of his trip was to “consolidate cross-strait peace and maintain the status quo”. Ma would not sign any agreements, nor issue any joint statements with China during the trip, it added.

Zhang Zhijun, head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said the two leaders will “exchange views on promoting the peaceful development of cross-Taiwan Straits relations”, according to a statement carried by the official Xinhua news agency.

“This is a pragmatic arrangement made in accordance with the one-China principle under the situation where the political dispute across the Taiwan Strait has yet to be resolved,” Zhang added.

China deems the island a breakaway province to be taken back, by force if necessary, particularly if it makes moves toward independence.

Ma has made improving economic links with China a key policy since he

took office in 2008, and has signed a series of landmark business and tourism deals, though there has been no progress on resolving their political differences.

He is set to step down next year due to term limits, with his ruling pro-China Nationalist Party, known as the Kuomintang (KMT), trailing badly in opinion polls behind the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which traditionally favors independence and is loathed by the Chinese Communist Party.

KMT presidential candidate Eric Chu supports a continuation of Ma’s China policies. The DPP says it believes only Taiwan’s people can decide its future.

Beijing takes this to mean it wants independence.

DPP presidential frontrunner Tsai Ing-wen has said she will “maintain the status quo” but has not elaborated on how she plans to do so.

Experts said China could be trying to influence the election, adding Ma was taking a risk in meeting Xi with the poll only 10 weeks away.

China could be trying to show that ties will improve if Taiwan continues to be ruled by the KMT, said Aaron Friedberg, professor at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.

“It’s conceivable that they had something like that in mind. They may be rewarding President Ma for policies that he has pursued, that in general have tended to favor closer relations between Taiwan and the mainland,” Friedberg said.

Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said there had been a shift in public opinion in Taiwan towards more skepticism about the relationship with China.

Mao Zedong’s Communists at the end of the Chinese civil war. Since then Taiwan has been self-ruled.

“There is less public support for forging economic cooperation agreements with the mainland, than there was when Ma Ying-jeou came to power,” Glaser said.

In 1996, then-Chinese President Jiang Zemin ordered live fire missile tests and war games in the seas around Taiwan to try and intimidate voters not to back Lee Teng-hui, who China believed was moving the island closer to formal independence.

“It’s hard to see how this (meeting) is really going to help his party remain in power.”

PROTESTS EXPECTED Protesters are expected to gather outside Taiwan’s parliament on Wednesday, where the cabinet would meet with leaders of parliament and the island’s political parties to discuss the trip.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, the island’s top China policymaking body, will hold a press conference on Wednesday, while Ma will hold a news briefing on Thursday, the presidential office said.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters it was too early to call the meeting a turning point.

“We would certainly welcome steps that are taken on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to try to reduce tensions and improve cross-strait relations,” Earnest said. “But, you know, we’ll have to see what actually comes out of the meeting.”

Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to Taiwan following their defeat by

Previous Chinese attempts to influence Taiwan’s elections have backfired.

The crisis brought the two sides to the verge of conflict and prompted the United States to sail a carrier task force through the Taiwan Strait in a warning to Beijing.

Lee won the election by a landslide.

In March this year, Ma flew to Singapore to pay his respects after the death of the city-state’s first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, a diplomatically sensitive visit given China’s stance that Taiwan is a renegade province.

China, which maintains a good relationship with Singapore, holds that there is only “One China” and Taiwan is part of it.

However, Singapore also maintains a close, informal relationship with Taiwan and the two signed a free trade pact in 2013.

In 1993, Singapore was the location of the first direct talks between China and Taiwan since 1949.

Georgia Asian Times November 1-15, 2015

Page 7

LIFESTYLE

Acupuncture alleviates chronic neck pain, study shows US teens spend nearly seven hours a day using media, study finds New York, Nov 4, 2015 — US teenagers average more than six and a half hours a day in front of screens, from televisions to tablets, with pre-teens lagging close behind, a report released yesterday said.

Authors of the study, which was conducted by the Common Sense Media organization, emphasized that apart from watching TV, teenagers and preteens spend their screen time doing vastly different activities, from social networking to gaming, with patterns varying greatly.

According to the study, teenagers (age 13 to 18) watch television, DVDs or videos an average two hours and 38 minutes daily. They also spend an hour and 21 minutes on gaming and an hour and 11 minutes doing social networking, it said.

In total, teenagers spend an average of six hours and 40 minutes in front of screens, while their pre-teen or “tween” counterparts (age eight to 12) spend four hours and 36 minutes, it said.

The study emphasized that children could spend time in front of a screen while doing other activities, such as cleaning their rooms or participating in sports.

They could also use several media at once, the authors said, explaining that this usage was added up as separate

instances of screen time, rather than one instance.

London, Nov 5, 2015 — A new scientific study reports that acupuncture and the Alexander Technique, two forms of alternative medicine, have been shown to be effective in relieving chronic neck pain.

Screen time varied greatly between different types of users. For example, the 56 per cent of teens who play video games spend two hours and 25 minutes daily doing so.

The status of two forms of alternative medicine has been boosted by this scientific study, which was published in the November 2 edition of Annals of Internal Medicine.

Meanwhile, the 58 per cent of teens who report using social networks spend an average of two hours and four minutes on those sites and apps daily.

The Alexander Technique is used to prevent and relieve various types of pain associated with misuse of the body in daily activities. The method is based on such principles as the recognition of unhelpful habits in order to stop them, and giving yourself a series of coordinated orders to prevent automatic responses to stimuli.

Only 15 per cent of pre-teens, however, reported using social media.

Screenless media that the survey accounted for included listening to music, which 66 per cent of teens said they did daily, making it the most popular daily media activity.

Only 58 per cent of teens said they watched television programming daily.

The study also accounted for reading time, with 79 per cent of teenagers saying they do not read except for what is required for class.

Only three per cent said they read the newspaper and five per cent read magazines.

The survey of 2,658 US children age eight to 18 was conducted from February to March.

Acupuncture takes an energy-based holistic approach to the body. It acts through meridians which Chinese medicine says are life-energy paths in the body. Needles inserted into the surface of the skin stimulate acupuncture points, which is said helps to bring about physiological, physical and psychic balance.

To assess the effectiveness of these two complementary care methods, a team of British and American researchers selected 517 patients who had had chronic neck pain for over three months. Patients were randomly assigned to 12 acupuncture sessions, or 20 Alexander Technique lessons, or usual care.

These two alternative therapies are often used together to alleviate this type of pain.

The researchers used the Northwick Park Questionnaire (NPQ) to assess the neck pain at 3, 6 and 12 months.

The team noted that one year after treatment began, the pain experienced by the participants who attended sessions in one of these two techniques was reduced, in contrast to the patients who received conventional care.

Both groups experienced a 32 per cent reduction in pain from the beginning of the acupuncture sessions or Alexander Technique lessons. This was substantially higher than the nine per cent generally obtained with a combination of physiotherapy and exercises.

The researchers also stated that these therapies, which had a high rate of acceptability and greater adherence, resulted in an increase in the participants’ self-efficacy. These improvements were associated with better NPQ outcomes.

Previous studies, such as the one published in the journal Pain in June 2004 undertaken by a team at Oslo University, have concluded that adequate acupuncture treatment may reduce chronic muscular pain in the shoulder and neck and related headaches.

Page 8

November 1-15, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

BUSINESS

Widodo says Indonesia intends to join TPP trade deal Washington DC, October 26, 2015 — Indonesian President Joko Widodo, speaking after a meeting with US President Barack Obama on Monday, said his Southeast Asian country intends to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal the United States has forged with 11 other nations.

“We are the largest economy in Southeast Asia,” Widodo said through a translator.

“And Indonesia intends to join the TPP.” US Trade Representative Michael Froman said the United States would keep sharing information about the TPP, which will set common standards on issues ranging from workers’ rights to intellectual property protection.

“As we have said from the beginning, TPP is intended to be an open platform to which other countries who are able and willing to meet the standards can potentially accede,” he said at a business summit hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce.

More broadly, Indonesia had work to do on cutting red tape, addressing barriers such as local content and local packaging requirements, eliminating import and export restrictions and protecting intellectual property rights,

Froman said.

President Widodo finalized more than US$20 billion worth of US deals during his trip, including a US$500 million infrastructure investment from Coca-Cola and up to US$1 billion from General Electric for Indonesia’s energy and healthcare sectors, according to the Indonesian embassy in Washington. Both deals were for a five-year period.

Apple chief shrugs off China’s economic slowdown Shanghai, Oct 22, 2015 — US technology giant Apple will continue to invest in China despite slowing growth in the world’s second-largest economy, chief executive Tim Cook told state media, as the company prepares to open its newest store in the mainland.

“I know some people are worried about the economy. We’ll continue to invest,” Cook told the official Xinhua news agency, according to a report late yesterday.

Indonesia’s state oil firm Pertamina, and Corpus Christie Liquefaction, a subsidiary of Cheniere Energy, also finalized a shale gas deal valued at US$13 billion.

“China is a superb place to be. Nothing has changed that,” Cook said while on a visit to the country.

Widodo and Obama also discussed climate change, strengthening Indonesia’s maritime security powers and forest fires in Indonesia.

China’s economy logged its worst performance since the global financial crisis in the third quarter with gross domestic product growing just 6.9 per cent — its slowest rate in six years, the government said on Monday.

The Indonesian government said earlier on Monday Widodo would be cutting short his trip to the United States in order to address the “haze crisis” caused by forest fires.

Widodo linked the fires to the effects of climate change felt by Indonesia. – Reuters

Cook has previously said that he expects China one day to surpass the United States to become Apple’s largest market.

The launch of the company’s largescreen iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus last year boosted its sales in China, though it faces sharp competition from domestic competitors such as Xiaomi and Huawei.

On his Chinese Sina Weibo — or microblog — account, Cook yesterday posted a photo of himself climbing the Great Wall and said he was “Happy to be back” in China.

The US company will open its 21st mainland China store in the northeastern city of Dalian on Saturday, according to its website.

Apple has in the past been criticized for having only a limited number of stores in China despite demand for its products, which encourages smuggling, especially from neighboring Hong Kong.

Apple is due to report quarterly earnings next week.

It recently began offering Apple Music and other digital content in the world’s most populous country and is reportedly planning to launch online payment service Apple Pay. Last month, it came to light that hackers had infiltrated the Apple ecosystem by injecting malicious software into popular Chinese mobile apps including popular instant messaging service WeChat.

Apple said it had removed the tainted applications.

Georgia Asian Times November 1-15, 2015

Page 9

BUSINESS

TPP partners to refrain from currency wars WASHINGTON, Nov 5 — The dozen countries that signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership have committed to refrain from competitive currency devaluations and be transparent about their exchange— rate policies, the US said.

Negotiators for Pacific Rim nations including the US, Japan, Australia and Vietnam agreed last month to the deal, which would cut trade barriers on items ranging from cars to rice. It requires ratification by Congress.

The countries have pledged to “avoid unfair currency practices and refrain from competitive devaluation,” according to a fact sheet provided by the US Treasury Department on a joint declaration that accompanies the deal.

The language echoes a statement by Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers at a meeting in Turkey in September.

The TPP nations have also promised to publish economic data that shine light on their exchange-rate policies, including foreign-exchange reserves and intervention in currency markets.

Senior officials from each country will meet at least once a year to consult on exchange-rate policy, and will produce an annual report on the meetings.

US automakers and steel producers had sought enforceable currency provisions as part of the agreement. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton cited inadequate safeguards against currency manipulation in opposing the deal last month.

The Treasury said the declaration addresses the main negotiating objectives on currency that Congress included in a June law granting President Barack Obama the authority to submit trade agreements to lawmakers for an expedited, up-or-down vote without amendments.

The currency declaration will rely on multilateral engagement and public pressure to enforce the commitments and transparency, a Treasury official said yesterday. Countries that seek to join the TPP in the future will be required to join the currency declaration, the official said, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity.

Ford Motor Co criticised the latest currency language, saying that it “does nothing to change the status quo.”

“It falls outside of TPP, and it fails to include dispute settlement mechanisms to ensure global rules prohibiting currency manipulation are enforced,” Ford said in an e-mailed statement.

The other TPP countries are Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, and Singapore. The provisions in the currency declaration indicate that Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia will be increasing disclosures of their foreign-exchange data such as interventions, the US official said.

Islamic finance assets to reach US$3.2 Trillion by 2020, according to Thomson Reuters KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The global Islamic finance assets are projected to grow to US$3.2 trillion by 2020, says Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading provider of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.

Its Head of Islamic Finance, Mustafa Adil said Islamic finance was considered the most developed sector within the various pillars of the Islamic economy and its growth in the global industry was broadly measured by the value of Islamic finance assets.

“In 2014, Islamic finance assets totalled US$1.8 trillion, with Islamic banking representing 74 per cent of this, followed by sukuk at 16 per cent,” he said on the sidelines of the 11th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), here today.

He said the information were based on Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) Thomson Reuters Islamic Finance Development Indicator 2015.

“According to Thomson Reuters’ projections, Islamic finance assets are projected to grow to US$3.2 trillion by 2020, with Islamic banking reaching US$2.6 trillion,” he added.

As global acceptance of Islamic finance continues to grow, he said more corporates and non-Muslim sovereigns were announcing Islamic finance initiatives such as ethical finance or Shariah-compliant regulations, as well

as sukuk issuances.

The increased appetite demonstrates that the investors are attracted to the benefits surrounding the ethical principles of Islamic finance, linking finance to physical assets, productive fiscal activities and real economic growth.

On another area, Mustafa said the global halal food and lifestyle sector, whose consumption stood at US$1.8 trillion in 2014, was projected to increase to US$2.6 trillion by 2020, according to findings from the ‘State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2015/2016’ that the company also introduced at the 11th WIEF. “The halal food sector, with current consumption of US$1.13 trillion, is expected to grow to US$1.56 trillion by 2020, with the demand for ethical treatment of animals alone resulting in a US$100 billion organic food market,” he said.

Mustafa also gave an introduction to Salaam, the global Islamic economy gateway, that was launched at the Global Islamic Economy Summit in Dubai in October this year.

The website address is http://www. salaamgateway.com and 90 per cent of its contents could be accessed for free, he said.

Page 10

EVENTS

November 1-15, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

New American Hero Awards - America Korea Friendship Society Friendship Dinner, Oct 23, 2015

Georgia Asian Times November 1-15, 2015

EVENTS

Page 11

New American Hero Awards - America Korea Friendship Society Friendship Dinner, Oct 23, 2015

Solomon Suh, father of late James Suh, US Navy Seal, accepting the honor on behalf of his son.

Captain Jason Pak, US Army (retired) accepting the New American Hero Award presented by Sunny K. Park, President of America Korea Friendship Society.

Page 12

November 1-15, 2015

Georgia Asian Times

TECH

US mums increasingly shopping on their phones – even in store As well as the go-to tool for timing feeds, for digitally detailing every moment of development and for Googling potential symptoms of an illness, mothers are increasingly using their smartphones for making online purchases, too.

The US Mobile Mom 2015 survey, which polled the opinions of 1,117 mothers and mothers to be, shows that in the space of 12 months, there has been a 33% increase in online shopping via smartphone. Nearly two thirds (64%) of mothers now complete a purchase, rather than simply compare prices or search for coupons and other offers, via their handsets. Furthermore, 70% said that while in a physical store, they’ve reached for their phone to make a purchase, and 48% said they’d done so because the goods they’d come for were out of stock.

Over the past 12 months, the average new smartphone display size has increased significantly with 4.8-5.2 inches now becoming the norm whether on Apple or Android. However, despite bigger screens, shopping online with a phone is still difficult – 59% of moms surveyed said that entering text into fields on the screen was still a real challenge. Yet, the convenience is clearly outweighing visual shortcomings and it’s unsurprising that four in 10 respondents cited one-click purchasing options as a boon in this respect.

“As we continue to watch the evolution of mobile shopping, particularly as mobile moms make the smartphone a more critical part of their purchasing behaviour, it’s important for brands to understand that these screens have tremendous pull and influence,” said Julie Michaelson, Head of Global Sales, BabyCentre.

Other mobile behaviours are developing into trends along digital mothers. Over half (56%) now admit to showrooming (up 14% from 2014) and there has been a 13% increase in the use of mobile and digital coupons – something 61% of moms now do. Likewise, nearly half (47%) of respondents said that they now use their device to photograph items that are potential purchases.

However, shopping isn’t the only growing mobile mom trend. Numerous studies have pointed to women being the driving force behind the popularity of mobile and casual gaming, with a separate past study compiled by WildTangent of 1000 women either expecting a child or with children of differing ages (from infant to toddler to late teen) finding that 80% with a smartphone or tablet played a game at least once a week.

Tor Messenger: an alternative solution for encrypted untraceable instant messaging Following in the wake of its web browser, the anonymous network Tor has released a beta version of a new instant messenger.

Tor Messenger is a new instant messaging programme based on Instantbird, an open source instant messenger client provided by the Mozilla Foundation.

This new programme is already compatible with several networks including Jabber, IRC, Google Talk, Facebook Chat and Yahoo! The idea is to be able to continue to communicate with your pre-existing contacts without leaving any trace, by masking your identity.

Tor Messenger’s designers want to go further than software like Pidgin and Adium which enable encrypted messaging between users. Their intention is for instant messages to be totally untraceable. The plan for a more elaborate instant messenger is only at the early stages and many updates are expected.

A network where you can be anonymous

Tor is a decentralised anonymous network which theoretically enables the user to be completely untraceable on the internet. It is based on the principle of a mix network which consists of a large number of layers of routers, ie. many “nodes” which channel information through the network, thereby ensuring that its users remain anonymous.

By using the Tor network, the surfer’s personal data (IP address, country, etc.) theoretically cannot be localised by visited websites.

Currently Tor’s most popular application is a web browser of the same name.

Check out Tor: torproject.org A video explaining Tor: https://youtu.be/JWII85UlzKw Download Tor Messenger (beta): blog.torproject.org.

Georgia Asian Times November 1-15, 2015

Page 13

SPORTS

Champions League: Real, Man City through to last 16 as Rooney rescues Red Devils

Paris, Nov 4, 2015 — Real Madrid and Manchester City qualified for the Champions League knock-out rounds with victories over Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla respectively yesterday.

And there was relief at Old Trafford as Manchester United ended a 400-minute wait for a goal to beat CSKA Moscow 1-0.

A fortuitous goal from Nacho proved decisive for 10-time champions Real to win 1-0 despite being outplayed for the majority of the first half of their Group A game at the Santiago Bernabeu.

PSG were on top throughout the first period with Zlatan Ibrahimovic curling a shot from the left just wide of the far post and Edinson Cavani’s stabbed dink over goalkeeper Keylor Navas cleared off the line by a defender.

But the closest they came was Adrien Rabiot’s volley cannoning back off the foot of the post.

And when Toni Kroos let fly from distance just after the half hour, the ball spooned up off Thiago Silva and fell to Nacho, who had only come on for injured left-back Marcelo two minutes earlier, inside the area.

PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp initially came for the looping ball but as he backtracked from no-man’s land,

Nacho’s casual side-foot spun wickedly on the bounce and dropped inside the far post.

Little happened in the second half but Angel Di Maria did hit the bar late on with a free-kick, although the French champions couldn’t find the goal their play deserved.

Real qualified from Group A thanks to Shakhtar Donetsk romping to a 4-0 win over Malmo, a result which means a win for PSG in either of their last two matches will ensure they join Real in the last 16.

City banished memories of their recent Champions League struggles as a confident 3-1 win in Seville qualified them for the last 16 with two games to spare in Group D. Borussia Moenchengladbach’s failure to beat Juventus in Germany, where the sides played out a 1-1 draw, meant City, who now top the group, have made it to the knock-out stages for only the third time.

Raheem Sterling set them on their way with a goal after eight minutes while Fernandinho doubled the advantage three minutes later.

Frenchman Benoit Tremoulinas gave the Spanish hosts hope but Wilfried Bony’s crisp low finish nine minutes

from the break effectively killed the contest, giving City a third straight Group D victory since losing 2-1 at home to Juve in their opening game.

In Germany Fabian Johnson gave Borussia the lead on 18 minutes but Stephan Lichtsteiner marked his return from minor heart surgery with the equaliser a minute before the break to restore parity.

Juve held on for the final 35 minutes with 10 men after Hernanes was dismissed for a late tackle on Alvaro Dominguez, meaning the Italians need only two more points to go through.

Rooney saviour City’s neighbours United laboured for long periods despite near total domination against CSKA at Old Trafford before a late Wayne Rooney header snatched a 1-0 win that puts the Red Devils in control of Group B. PSV Eindhoven’s 2-0 win at home to Wolfsburg means United lead those two by a point but a victory over the Dutch outfit at Old Trafford in three weeks time will book the three-time winners’ place in the last 16.

United came into the game on the back of three successive 0-0 draws with manager Louis van Gaal’s tactics increasingly coming in for criticism.

Urged on by their fans to “attack, attack, attack”, United buzzed around their opponents from the off and enjoyed 70 percent possession but were often let down by their final ball or a poor finish.

Just before Rooney scored, goalkeeper David De Gea, a virtual spectator throughout, had to come to his side’s rescue after Ahmed Musa’s perfectly weighted ball sent Seydou Doumbia racing clear.

De Gea made a brilliant one-handed save to deny the Ivory Coast forward before the back-tracking Chris Smalling slid in to crucially clear the follow-up off the line.

Almost immediately, Untied went up the other end, carved CSKA open and Rooney headed in Jesse Lingard’s cross unmarked from seven yards.

Benfica are close to qualifying from Group C after beating Galatasaray 2-1 in Lisbon while Atletico Madrid were held 0-0 by Astana in Kazakhstan, although the Spaniards are second and three points ahead of Gala.

Page 14

November 1-15, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

SPORTS

LeBron James youngest in NBA to hit 25,000 point milestone New York, Nov 3, 2015 — After becoming the youngest player in NBA history to surpass 25,000 career points yesterday, LeBron James sat in the locker room in the Wells Fargo Center with his feet in an ice bucket, an ice bag on each knee and another ice bag on his back.

“To be the youngest player in the history of the game to score 25,000 points — particularly when you’re every bit the passer that you are the scorer — is just a testament to his greatness,” Blatt said.

No matter the aches and pains for the Cleveland Cavaliers forward, the 13-year veteran makes it look easy.

The Philadelphia fans accorded James with a standing ovation during a timeout with 7:45 left, when an announcement was made about his achievement.

Needing 21 points at the start of the road game against the Philadelphia 76ers to reach the milestone, James scored 22 while collecting 11 assists and nine rebounds in Cleveland’s 107100 victory.

He surpassed the mark when he dunked a lob from guard Matthew Dellavedova with 8:07 remaining and left the game for good shortly after that.

At 30 years and 307 days, James surpassed Kobe Bryant (31 years, 351 days) as the youngest to achieve the milestone.

James, who is 20th on the all-time scoring list, could not immediately put the mark in perspective.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “I haven’t had an opportunity to categorise the list of things I’ve done.”

James did say that it was great to reach the mark in a victory while playing with a group of team mates he enjoys and, he added, “in a building that loves the game of basketball”.

Cavaliers coach David Blatt called it an “extremely important, extremely impressive” mark.

“Obviously, they’re Sixer fans to death, but they know and they respect the game of basketball,” James added.

“To get a standing ovation reaching that milestone, it was very special.”

The former Miami Heat leader said the mark was a tribute to playing with “two great organizations” and having great team mates and coaches around him. The most important thing, he said, was, “I’ve been able to stay healthy, relative, in my career.”

Then he knocked on a wooden bench. The ice bags were still on his knees and his feet were still in the bucket.

Sixers coach Brett Brown was, of course, asked about James afterward, and he talked not so much about his scoring as his leadership and intellect.

“He sees stuff,” Brown said. “He’s telling us about an assist before he even passes it. It’s just the whole package he brings to the table. He’s very, very unusual and very unique.” — Reuters

Guardiola visits ailing mentor Johan Cruyff Barcelona, November 4, 2015 — Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola took advantage of a rare weekend off to fly back to his native Barcelona to visit sick mentor Johan Cruyff.

The 68-year-old Dutch legend is suffering from lung cancer and was Guardiola’s coach at Barcelona during his playing career.

According to Catalan sports daily Sport, Guardiola flew to Spain to meet Cruyff in Osona, near Barcelona, after Bayern’s goalless draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.

It was the first time the pair have met since Cruyff announced his battle with cancer last month.

Guardiola, 44, has often referred to Cruyff as one of the main influences during his career both as a player and latterly as Barcelona’s most successful ever coach.

“Cruyff built the cathedral. We only maintained it,” Guardiola once said about the former Ajax and Barcelona playmaker.

Guardiola was part of Cruyff’s so called “Dream Team” which won a string of titles in the early 1990’s.

The Dutchman also established Barcelona’s La Masia youth training centre where youngster’s are drilled in the fine arts of the passing and possession game that have earmarked the club.

Georgia Asian Times November 1-15, 2015

Page 15

HEALTH Rhubarb could be a new weapon in anti-cancer treatment Atlanta, October 25, 2015 — The pigment in rhubarb has useful chemical properties in terms of blocking tumor cell growth, according to a new US and Chinese study.

While these results are encouraging, more research is required. The experiment took place in a lab, and the study’s authors concluded that the chemical will now have to be tested on humans to see if efficacy and safety conditions are met.

A team of scientists from Emory University in Atlanta in the US, other US research institutions, and Peking University in China, has discovered that rhubarb contains a pigment that can inhibit a protein that is essential for tumor growth.

The researchers worked with a concentrated form of this pigment called physcion or parietin, which gives rhubarb stems their red color.

In the lab, the chemical created from this concentrate was added to leukemia cells. The results showed that after 48 hours, 50% of them had died.

The team then worked with another form of physcion that they tested on mice injected with human cancer cells for the needs of this new experiment.

Past university research has demonstrated that rhubarb, like many red-colored vegetables and fruit, particularly when cooked, is rich in polyphenols, a family of organic molecules known for its anti-cancer proprieties.

Here too, they noted a reduction in cancer cell growth.

without 6PGD, cell proliferation and tumor growth is slowed.

The researchers said the pigments blocked a protein called 6PGD, which is involved in tumor cell growth, a process that scientists are familiar with and has been given the name pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). 6PGD is thought to make a key contribution to this process. The scientists said that

To come up with these findings, which were published in the October 19 edition of the journal Nature Cell Biology, the team first tested nearly 2,000 chemicals to see which ones were likely to have an impact on the protein 6PGD and stop tumor growth without attacking other cells.

Processed meat can cause cancer, according to WHO Paris, October 26, 2015 — Eating processed meat can lead to bowel cancer in humans while red meat is a likely cause of the disease, World Health Organization (WHO) experts said on Monday in findings that could sharpen debate over the merits of a meat-based diet.

The France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the WHO, put processed meat such as hot dogs and ham in its group 1 list, which already includes tobacco, asbestos and diesel fumes, for which there is “sufficient evidence” of cancer links.

“For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this

risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” Dr Kurt Straif of the IARC said in a statement.

ed each 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.

Red meat, under which the IARC includes beef, lamb and pork, was classified as a “probable” carcinogen in its group 2A list that also contains glyphosate, the active ingredient in many weedkillers.

The IARC, which was assessing meat for the first time and reviewed some 800 studies, does not compare the level of cancer risk associated with products in a given category, so does not suggest eating meat is as dangerous as smoking, for example.

The lower classification for red meat reflected “limited evidence” that it causes cancer. The IARC found links mainly with bowel cancer, as was the case for processed meat, but it also observed associations with pancreatic and prostate cancer.

Health policy in some countries already calls for consumers to limit intake of red and processed meat, but the IARC said such advice to consumers was in certain cases focused on heart disease and obesity.

The agency, whose findings on meat followed a meeting of health experts in France earlier this month, estimat-

The preparation of the IARC’s report has already prompted vigorous reactions from meat industry

groups, which argue meat forms part of a balanced diet and that cancer risk assessments need to be set in a broader context of environmental and lifestyle factors.

The IARC, which does not make specific policy recommendations, cited an estimate from the Global Burden of Disease Project - an international consortium of more than 1,000 researchers - that 34,000 cancer deaths per year worldwide are attributable to diets high in processed meat.

This compares with about 1 million cancer deaths per year globally due to tobacco smoking, 600,000 a year due to alcohol consumption, and more than 200,000 each year due to air pollution, it said.

Page 16

November 1-15, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

Misc Asia

Park vows to strengthen defense against North Korea Seoul, October 26, 2015 — President Park Geun-Hye vowed on Tuesday to strengthen South Korea’s defense capabilities – backed by a defense budget hike – to guard against future provocations from North Korea.

At the same time, she said Seoul would try and work with Pyongyang to increase the frequency of family reunions for those separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. In an annual budget address at the National Assembly, Park outlined plans to increase defense spending by four percent next year to 39 trillion won – higher than the overall budget growth of 3%.

“We will drastically beef up our defense capability ... in order to effectively respond to potential provocations by the North and other security threats around the Korean peninsula,” she said.

The President specifically cited a recent escalation in cross-border military tensions that was triggered by a landmine explosion that maimed two Seoul soldiers.

Seoul took a hard line with Pyongyang over the incident as both sides put their militaries on high alert and warned of a possible armed conflict.

In the end, North Korea appeared to blink first, approaching the South with a proposal for talks.

“The provocation was another reminder that we can open the door to normal dialogue and cooperation

only when we ... maintain a watertight defense posture,” Park said.

The talks that eventually took place reached an agreement in late August to defuse tensions and hold a rare reunion for divided families.

The week-long reunion event, held in a North Korean mountain resort, wrapped up on Monday after allowing nearly 1,000 people to meet long-lost relatives for the first time in more than six decades.

The emotional gathering was only “small progress,” Park said, noting the complaints about the frequency of the reunions and the limited time alloted for each one.

“The government will make all possible efforts to hold the reunions on a regular basis and allow the separated families to check whether their relatives are alive,” she said.

Millions of people were displaced by the sweep of the Korean conflict that sealed the division on the peninsula.

Most died without meeting or hearing from their relatives on the other side of the border across which all civilian exchanges are banned.

North Korea has long manipulated the reunion issue as a tool for extracting concessions from the South, and has rejected proposals to increase their frequency.

Obama traveling to Turkey, Philippines, Malaysia Washington DC, October 27, 2015 -President Barack Obama will travel to Turkey for a G20 summit, followed by stops in the Philippines and Malaysia for meetings with world leaders next month, the White House said Monday.

At the G20 summit, leaders from the world’s major economies are due to give final approval to a new plan to crack down on tax evasion by multinational corporations that costs countries at least $100 billion a year.

The 15-point plan aims to tackle low tax bills for the likes of Google, Apple and McDonald’s, which have managed to sharply reduce their taxes while remaining within the law, provoking public outrage in recent years.

Obama “will spur international efforts to ensure strong, sustainable and balanced global economic growth” during the talks, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement.

During the foreign travels November 14-22, Obama will also “emphasize the importance of reaching an ambitious and durable global climate change agreement in Paris.”

The aim of the Paris conference is to ink an agreement to limit global warming to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (two Celsius) over pre-Industrial Revolution levels.

The meeting marks the culmination of six years of work since the ill-fated 2009 Copenhagen climate summit, which failed to lock down significant agreements.

Obama will also stop in the Philippines for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit and in Malaysia for the US-ASEAN and East Asia summits.

Meetings there “underscore America’s support for Asia’s regional institutions, which enhance security and prosperity, while also advancing the US strategy to rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region in all of its dimensions,” Earnest said.

“These visits also will support the president’s efforts to expand opportunities for American businesses and workers to sell their products in some of the world’s fastest-growing markets.”

Georgia Asian Times November 1-15, 2015

Page 17

Misc Asia Hague court agrees to take up South China Sea row The Hague, October 29, 2015 — An international tribunal ruled Thursday it had the power to hear a case brought by the Philippines over disputed islands in the South China Sea, in a move likely to trigger fury in Beijing.

Manila has insisted the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the Philippines and China have both ratified, should be used to resolve the bitter territorial row over isolated reefs and islets, which has triggered growing international alarm.

But China has refused to participate in the proceedings, arguing the Permanent Court of Arbitration — which is more than a century old and based in The Hague — had no jurisdiction over the case.

“Reviewing the claims submitted by the Philippines, the tribunal has rejected the argument” by China that the “dispute is actually about sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and therefore beyond the tribunal’s jurisdiction,” the court said in a statement.

Instead, the court ruled the case reflects “disputes between the two states concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention” — something which falls within its remit.

China insists it has sovereign rights to nearly all of the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which about a third of all the world’s traded oil passes.

The disputed waters — claimed in part by Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Brunei — have also become the stage for a tussle for regional dominance between Beijing and Washington, the world’s two largest economic and military powers.

Following a stand-off between Chinese ships and the weak Filipino Navy in 2012, China took control of a rich fishing ground called Scarborough

Shoal that is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

China has also undertaken giant reclamation activities, raising fears it will use artificial islands to build new military outposts close to the Philippines and other claimants.

Ruling in 2016 The tribunal — set up in 1899 to resolve international disputes between countries — stressed Thursday its ruling did not yet go to the heart of the merits of Manila’s case, which was first filed in 2013.

A new hearing will now be held behind closed doors in The Hague, and a final ruling is not expected until next year.

The tribunal agreed it would take up seven of the 15 submissions made by Manila, in particular whether Scarborough Shoal and low-tide areas like Mischief Reef can be considered islands, as China contends.

It will also mull whether China has interfered with Philippine fishing activities at Scarborough Shoal.

But it set aside seven more pointed claims, mainly accusing Beijing of acting unlawfully, to be considered at the next hearing on the actual merits of Manila’s case.

In a July hearing in the Hague, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario warned the integrity of UN maritime laws was at stake.

China’s behavior had become increasingly “aggressive” and negotiations had proved futile, del Rosario said.

But the court on Thursday also directed Manila to narrow down the scope of its final request that it should order that “China shall desist from further unlawful claims and activities.”

In Washington, a senior US defense

official hailed the tribunal’s decision as victory for international law.

“We of course welcome the decision of the panel. This demonstrates the relevance of international law to the territorial conflicts in the South China Sea,” the defense official said.

claims are not necessarily indisputable and it shows that judging issues like this on the basis of international law and international practice are a viable way of at a minimum managing territorial conflicts, if not resolving them. We strongly welcome the activities of the panel.”

“It demonstrates that sovereign

China ends one-child policy Beijing, October 29, 2015 — China announced the end of its hugely controversial one-child policy on Thursday, with the official Xinhua news agency saying that all couples would be allowed two children.

Known as the fifth plenum, the conclave discussed the next Five-Year Plan for China – the 13th since the People’s Republic was founded in 1949.

It cited a communique issued by the ruling Communist Party after a fourday meeting in Beijing to chart the course of the world’s second-largest economy over the next five years.

Over four days of meetings the 205 members of the Central Committee, plus around 170 alternates, examined the specifics of the plan, which was largely worked out through a process of national consultations before the leaders even set foot in the capital.

China is “abandoning its decades-long one-child policy”, Xinhua reported.

The country’s rubber-stamp legislature will officially approve the resulting document next year.

The policy restricted most couples to only a single offspring, and for years authorities argued that it was a key contributor to China’s economic boom.

The world’s most populous country has enjoyed a decades-long boom since the ruling party embraced market economics and opened up to the rest of the world from the late 1970s.

But after years of strict, sometimes brutal enforcement by a dedicated government commission, China’s population – the world’s largest – is now aging rapidly, gender imbalances are severe, and its workforce is shrinking.

The process has transformed the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people and propelled the country to global prominence.

The concerns led to limited reforms in 2013, including allowing a second child for some couples in urban areas, but relatively few have taken up the opportunity.

But growth has been slowing for several years, and analysts say the party needs to embrace further liberalization to avoid falling into the stagnation of the “middle income trap”, when developing countries fail to fulfill their full potential.

The Communist leadership met in Beijing to discuss ways to put the country’s stuttering economy back on a smooth growth path as it struggles with structural inefficiencies and social policies left over from an era before it embraced market reforms.

The meeting reiterated the Communist Party’s goal to double 2010 GDP by 2020, as part of its aim to achieve a “moderately prosperous society” by the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding.

Page 18

November 1-15, 2015 Georgia Asian Times

TRAVEL

Uruguay: Heaven for meat eaters, hell for vegetarians Montevideo, Nov 1, 2015 — It is not easy being a vegetarian in Uruguay — one of the largest exporters of meat in the world.

“In Uruguay, they laugh at vegetarians, they think we are weird,” says Laura Lacurcia, with a sigh.

The South American country has a peculiar claim to fame — it has three times more cows (10 million) than people (three million) — and is proud of its reputation as a carnivore’s paradise.

So when the UN warned Monday that red meat “probably” poses a cancer risk, many Uruguayans merely shrugged.

“If someone wants to eat Uruguayan food and they are vegetarian, they are in trouble,” joked Gustavo Laborde, an anthropologist and author of a book on the “ritual” that is the barbecue.

Non-meat eaters like Lacurcia have a tough time in the capital, which has a

population of 1.5 million but is almost devoid of vegetarian or vegan restaurants.

Titina Nunez, of gourmet magazine Placer, says there are a mere handful of vegetarian restaurants in the city.

Her choice certainly sets her apart from the average Uruguayan, who chomps through nearly 60 kilos (130 pounds) of beef a year — over 20 kilos more than the average French person, for example.

Baby food and meat juice The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) alarmed many around the world with its findings.

It released a report analysing 800 studies from around the world, concluding that processed meats such as sausages, ham and hot dogs aggravate the risk of bowel cancer, and red meat “probably” does too.

“It is very hard for Uruguayans to avoid pizza or barbecue and there is a long way to go for us to get to gourmet levels,” she said.

But many in Uruguay gave the findings short shrift.

“When a Mexican or Japanese restaurant opens, they end up adding local meat dishes to their menu because if they don’t, they close down.”

Without meat on the menu every day, “Uruguay would not exist,” said one diner at a typical restaurant in Mercado del Puerto, in the heart of Montevideo, where the fare revolves entirely around grilled meat.

Lacurcia became a vegan out of concern for animal welfare. She brushes of the incredulous reaction she invariably draws.

“You have to be very tolerant and laugh it off or ignore it,” she said, smiling. “People regard us as strange beasts.”

When a Uruguayan real estate agent takes prospective buyers to an apartment, first on his list of amenities to point out is the barbecue on the terrace.

Only after that will talk turn to other, secondary matters, such as the size of the place.

Nor can you mistake the smell of barbecue on the sidewalks, where workers set up improvised grills at lunch time.

Even on the online dating network Tinder, having a barbecue is a personal selling point — or so it seems from the profile pictures of the many men posing with a barbecue peeking out in the background.

Back at Mercado del Puerto, Jose Fernandez remembers how until the 1970s Uruguayan mothers would add meat juice to babies’ meals.

“They would mix the blood of the meat with mashed potatoes,” said the 66-year-old.

Even local nutritionists are skeptical of the cancer claims.

Rosana Viera branded the WHO findings “very alarmist.”

Another diner feasting on meat saw a conspiracy in the findings: “Let’s find out what the hidden interests are behind this information.”

“Uruguayan meat is very different from that produced in other countries,” she said.

An unmistakable smell wafts through the capital every Sunday: that of the barbecue, which is central to family gatherings.

“Here, the cows are raised outdoors and this is what makes the quality — not just quantity — of their flesh different.”