Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
www.gasiantimes.com September 15-30, 2018
Kusama Infinity Film on legendary Japanese artist opens
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September 15-30, 2018 Georgia Asian Times
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2018
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GAT Calendar of Events GAT welcome submission of announcement pertaining to community related events. Please email event, date, venue, and time to gat@gasiantimes.com. GAT does not guarantee insertion of event announcement and has the right to deny any posting.
Kyogen - Traditional Japanese Comic Theater Presented by Consulate General of Japan Date: Friday, Sept 14, 2018 Time: GSU-Dunwoody (NC-1100) 2101 Womack Road, Dunwoody GA 30338 Belt and Road Initiative - Luncheon on business opportunities for U.S. companies from Asia to Middle East Date: September 19, 2019 Time: 10:00 am - 1:30 pm Venue: The Carter Center, Cypress Room 453 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta GA 30307 Fees: $50 individual, $300 (8) Community Table, $500 (8) Corporate Sponsor Registration: www.hongkongatlanta. com/belt-road-event Atlanta International Night Market Date: Oct 5-7, 2018 Venue: North Point Mall, Alpharetta For more info: tlnightmarket.org
Korean American Friendship Concert In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Korean Community in metro Atlanta Date: Thursday, Oct 11, 2018 Time: 7:00 pm Venue: Infinite Energy Center ARENA For more info: http://overseas.mofa. go.kr/us-atlanta-en/index.do 14th Atlanta Asian Film Festival Date: Oct 12-26, 2018 Venues across metro Atlanta For more info: www.ATLaff.org
Contact: Jennifer Rose and Rose Pak ATLANTA • 770.457.8118 iig-insurance.com
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September 15-30, 2018 Georgia Asian Times
METRO ASIAN NEWS
“Belt and Road Initiative” seminar highlight infrastructures opportunities around the globe Atlanta, September 19, 2018 — Insights to “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) infrastructure business opportunities were presented at a luncheon program organized by the Hong Kong Association of Atlanta (HKAA).
metro Atlanta and Southeast region,” said Gene Hanratty, Senior Consultant to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (New York) and Executive Director of Hong Kong Association of Atlanta.
A business panel comprised of Dr. Yawei Liu, Director of The Carter Center, China Program, John Rice, Vice Chairman of General Electric (ret.), Louis Chan, Principal Economist, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and Henry Yu, COO of Asian Investors Consortium and President of Hong Kong Association of Atlanta, shared their thoughts with over 150 participants from metro Atlanta at the luncheon program.
Several of the panelist described the business risks and political challenges associated with BRI.
Jorge Fernandes, Vice President of Global Commerce Metro Atlanta Chamber and Dr. Jagdish Sheth, Charles H. Kellstadt Professor at Emory University delivered their views on the BIR as luncheon guest speakers. The luncheon program on BRI was the second in series organized by Hong Kong Association Atlanta (HKAA). “We are pleased to highlight the opportunities and challenges of the BIR with the business community in the
Every panelist agreed that BRI arguably highlighted the critical needs for infrastructures development around the globe. Along with it, it also addresses the major challenges in financing and mitigating associated political risks. “The “Belt and Road Initiative” is a masterful strategy and it is here to stay. My message to companies interested in pursuing the infrastructure opportunities should decide what works for them and to decide on their strategies soon,” said John Rice, retired Vice Chairman of General Electric. Panelists also believe that BRI also suffers from a negative public relations perception. It should emphasize on creating more local business opportunities rather than geopolitical influences.
Kusama Infinity – Film on legendary Japanese artist opens at Tara on Sept 21 Atlanta, September 19, 2018 – Now the top-selling female artist in the world, Yayoi Kusama overcame impossible odds to bring her radical artistic vision to the world stage. For decades, her work pushed boundaries that often alienated her from both her peers and those in power in the art world. Kusama was an underdog with everything stacked against her: the trauma of growing up in Japan during World War II, life in a dysfunctional family that discouraged her creative ambitions, sexism and racism in the art establishment, mental illness in a culture where that was particularly shameful and even continuing to pursue and be devoted to her art full time on the cusp of her 90s. In spite of it all, Kusama has endured and has created a legacy of artwork that spans the disciplines of painting, sculpture, installation art, performance art, poetry
and literary fiction. After working as an artist for over six decades, people around the globe are experiencing her installation Infinity Mirrored Rooms in record numbers, as Kusama continues to create new work every day. Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors is opening at the High Museum on Nov. 18. KUSAMA – INFINITY (76 mins) Regal Tara Cinema 4 Screening Premiere: Sept 21, 2018
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2018
WHY EXPERIENCE ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL NIGHT MARKET? Join the newest, largest and most diverse NIGHT MARKET in the United States! With more than 75 nationalities represented in Metro Atlanta, this event showcases one of the greatest international communities in the world! Enjoy delicious food from all over the world, exciting cultural performances, a fun and festive Kids Zone, a vast retail/shopping area with local artisans, a cooking demonstration
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tent, a full bar, an educational International Village, and more! From Japan to Thailand to Germany to Colombia, Atlanta International Night Market will feature a cornucopia of tastes and flavors from different countries. Just like night markets around the world, there will be unique and exciting products from over 50 vendors including clothing,cosmetics, curios and décor. Local makers and craftspeople will present their handmade items at the artisan market. The International Village will feature different countries each day for hands-on educational experiences. Learn about countries, languages, cultural games and travel.
Spend the weekend in Alpharetta to explore all the city has to offer. With over 200 dining options and a multitude of international cuisines throughout the city, there is something to please everyone’s palate. Alpharetta is a shopper’s paradise with 250+ stores in five distinct shopping districts. Find over 60 vendors with fresh produce, meats, homemade desserts and jellies on Saturday morning at the Alpharetta Farmers Market. Head to Topgolf Alpharetta to shoot for a hole-in-one. Score a strike in bowling or get competitive with friends in laser tag at Main Event Entertainment.
Visit awesomealpharetta.com to learn more about what to do in Alpharetta and book yourmore hotelabout stay! Visit awesomealpharetta.com to learn what to do in Alpharetta and book your hotel stay!
#AwesomeAlpharetta
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September 15-30, 2018 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
Coke eyes cannabis-infused drink market Atlanta, Sept 17, 2018 – Coca Cola Co said on Monday it was looking closely at the growing marijuana-infused drinks market, responding to a media report that the world’s largest beverage maker was in talks with Canada’s Aurora Cannabis Inc. The potential product tie-up, reported by Canadian financial channel BNN Bloomberg, could help Coke’s efforts to overcome sluggish demand for its sugar-heavy sodas by diversifying into coffee and health-focused drinks. Big corporate names have inched into the marijuana industry since Canada approved recreational use, seeing the country as a production base and testing ground until U.S. Federal Law changes. “While there are opportunities in certain states in the USA for Coke to develop and sell a product it would put their banking relationships at jeopardy,” said Bruce Campbell, a portfolio manager at Stonecastle Investment Management who has invested in marijuana producers.
“Entry into a legalized Canadian market allows them to develop and build a brand while not breaking any laws.” Both Coke and Aurora, in separate statements, said they were interested in cannabidiol infused beverages but could not comment on any market speculation. Coke and Aurora would likely develop beverages that will ease inflammation, pain and cramping, the BNN report said here, citing sources familiar with the matter. The move would make Coke the first major manufacturer of non-alcoholic beverages to step into the market for cannabis-related products, following announcements by Corona maker Constellation Brands and Molson Coors Brewing Co. The world’s largest spirits maker Diageo is also reportedly in talks with at least three Canadian cannabis producers as it considers a possible investment.
Sales in U.S. legal markets should nearly triple to $16 billion by 2020 from $5.4 billion in 2015, according to market research firm Euromonitor International, and Constellation says cannabis globally could be worth $200 billion in 15 years. Hard on the heels of a $5.1-billion deal to buy Costa Coffee last month, analysts said a move into marijuana-infused drinks fit with Coke’s moves toward a healthier product portfolio. Cannabidiol or CBD is one of hundreds of molecules found in marijuana plants, and contains less than 0.1 percent of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component that makes people high. It does not cause intoxication. “Along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world,” Coke said in its statement on Monday. Aurora’s shares rose 14 percent while U.S-listed shares of fellow Canadian producers Canopy Growth Corp and
Tilray Inc gained respectively 3 and 7 percent. Coca-Cola shares were marginally higher in a U.S. market struggling against expectations of another round of Chinese trade tariffs. Vivien Azer, an analyst with brokerage Cowen, said she would not be surprised to see Pepsi seeking a similar tie-up. “We continue to expect to see more deals between Canadian cannabis companies and the larger players in the global alcohol market who have yet to gain exposure to the category,” she said. – Reuters
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2018
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BUSINESS Japan hit by another cryptocurrency heist, $60 million stolen Tokyo, September 20, 2018 – Japanese cryptocurrency firm Tech Bureau Corp said about $60 million in digital currencies were stolen from its exchange, highlighting the industry’s vulnerability despite recent efforts by authorities to make it more secure. Tech Bureau, which had already been slapped with two business improvement orders by regulators this year, said its Zaif exchange was hacked over a two-hour period on Sept. 14. It detected server problems on Sept. 17, confirmed the hack the following day, and notified authorities, the exchange said on Thursday. Following the hack, Tech Bureau said it had agreed with JASDAQ-listed Fisco Ltd to receive a 5 billion yen ($44.59 million) investment in exchange for majority ownership. The proceeds from the investment would be used to replace the digital currencies stolen from client accounts. However, Fisco said in a statement the 5 billion yen in “financial assistance” may change in value if the amount affected by the heist changes upon further investigation. Documents seen by Reuters on Thursday showed Japan’s Financial Services Agency would conduct emergency checks on cryptocurrency exchange operators’ management of customer assets, following the theft. FSA officials were not immediately available for comment. Japan’s crypto exchanges have been under close regulatory scrutiny after the theft of $530 million in digital coins at Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck Inc. in January. Coincheck has since been acquired by Japanese online brokerage Monex Group Inc . In the industry-wide check that followed the Coincheck theft, FSA said
it found sloppy management at many exchanges, including the lack of proper safeguards for client assets and basic anti-money laundering measures. In the Tech Bureau theft, virtual currencies worth about 6.7 billion yen ($59.67 million), including Bitcoin, Monacoin and Bitcoin Cash, were stolen from the exchange’s “hot wallet”. About 2.2 billion yen worth of the stolen currency was its own while the remaining 4.5 billion yen belonged to customers, it said. Hot wallets are connected to the internet. Industry experts consider them to be more vulnerable to hacks than “cold wallets”, which are not connected to the internet. The latest hack is likely to affect the FSA’s ongoing regulatory review of the industry. Other countries are also grappling with how to regulate crypto market. Japan last year became the first country to regulate cryptocurrency exchanges, as it encourages technological innovation while ensuring consumer protection. Exchanges have to register with FSA and required reporting and other responsibilities. FSA said last week more than 160 entities have expressed interest in entering the cryptocurrency exchange business but FSA has not issued any approval since December last year. Toshihide Endo, FSA commissioner told Reuters in an interview last month that the agency is trying to strike a balance between safeguarding clients and technological innovation. “We have no intention to curb (the crypto industry) excessively,” he said. “We would like to see it grow under appropriate regulation.” – Reuters
China announces fresh import tariff cuts amid brewing trade war Beijing, September 26, 2018 – China on Wednesday unveiled plans to cut tariffs for products including machinery, electrical equipment and textile products beginning on Nov. 1, as the country braces for an escalating trade war with the United States. The cuts on over fifteen hundred industrial products are expected to lower costs for consumers and companies by about 60 billion yuan this year, the state cabinet said in a meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, according to the state radio. The overall tariff level will be reduced to 7.5 percent in 2018 from 9.8 percent in 2017 as a result, the state cabinet said. Beijing has pledged to take steps to increase imports this year amid rising tension with some of its biggest trade partners, such as the United States. Beijing accused Washington of “putting knife to its neck” as U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods kicked in on Monday, prompting Beijing to retaliate with additional tariffs
on $60 billion of U.S. products including liquefied natural gas (LNG). Average tariffs for machinery and electrical equipment – one of China’s biggest imports by value – will be reduced by nearly a third to 8.8 percent from 12.2 percent, the state cabinet said. China imported over $632 billion worth of machinery and electrical equipment in the first eight months of the year, up 19.6 percent year-on-year, official data showed. Tariffs on textile products and construction materials will drop to 8.4 percent from 11.5 percent, while the tariff on paper products will be lowered to 5.4 percent from 6.6 percent. Earlier in July, China reduced import tariffs on a range of consumer items including apparel, cosmetics, home appliances, and fitness products to fulfill pledges to further open China’s consumer market. – Reuters
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September 15-30, 2018 Georgia Asian Times
FASHION
Tiny bags and big shades: Top trends at Paris fashion week PARIS, Sept 29 — As Paris women’s fashion week heads into the final straight, we look at what we have learned so far from the catwalk collections: It’s all about purity, stupid Spring-summer collections are supposed to be about throwing open the windows to a world of colour and floral fancy, but Paris shows have been notably more sober and austere than usual — almost puritanical in fact when it comes to prints. Hedi Slimane went on a voyage to the heart of black in his long-anticipated debut at Celine, as did his successor at Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello. Blink at the Margiela, Guy Laroche, Olivier Theyskens or Hyun Mi Nielsen shows and you might have thought yourself at a funeral there was so much black, while Rick Owens summoned up the Salem witch-hunts, smoking pyre and all. Two tones, black and white, dominated the catwalks.
Even Balmain was uncharacteristically restrained, which is no bad thing. Dior — where flowers are never far away — was utterly lovely but also determinedly unflashy. It was left to the king of prints Dries van Noten, as well as Jour/Ne, Paco Rabanne and India’s jester genius Manish Arora to bring some fizz to the party, with the latter outdoing himself with a technicolour collection that burned itself into memory as well as the retina. Teeny tiny bags Bags are getting smaller, much smaller. We appear in fact to be entering the era of the micro-bag with young guns Ottolinger and Jacquemus introducing handbags you can hold with one finger. Natacha Ramsay-Levi’s new C bag at Chloe might not be quite so teeny tiny but the biggest thing about it is the golden C she has stamped on it, while Maria Grazia Chiuri’s new Dior bag is more of a shoulder purse.
Marine Serre’s spherical bags were cartoon bombs while Arora took the biscuit — or in this case the threetiered cake — with his wedding cake as well as leopard head bags which came with laser eyes. But for pure practical ingenuity, Issey Miyake’s new bag hat is hard to beat. Made with shiny shot fabric, it can be folded into a hat and worn in an almost infinite number of ways. Gigantic shades Summer is as all about sunglasses. And if Paris is any barometer in 2019 they will be as big as picture windows. Dior was first to burst the frame with big boxy skin-tone shades, followed by Gucci’s jet black giants inspired by sleeping masks with Loewe’s equally massive ones a little more modular. Rick Owens and Paris newcomers Marques’Almeida continued the gigantism with almost identical fighter pilot visor shades. Like its collection, Guy Laroche’s were white-rimmed two-tone while Saint Laurent and newbies Each x Other went all hippy dippy with heart and diamond-shaped frames. By gusset, it’s Y-fronts! There has been much gnashing of teeth this week about the relevance/ appropriateness of Saint Laurent’s leather hot pants in the age of #MeToo.
However little brouhaha resulted from Gucci sending out some of the boys in its co-ed show in big baggy Y-fronts with socks and Oxford shoes or in a selection of leather, red-zipped vinyl and crystal codpieces. One diamond-encrusted scallop shell worn over a pair of powder blue slacks drew particularly admiring glances. Never one to be outdone, the American avant-gardist Owens brought out the heavy artillery, with codpiece bags big enough to smuggle an electric guitar. While Saint Laurent’s Vaccarello may be out of synch with the mood of the times, Owens tellingly put his codpieces on women in an impressive show that also included kick-ass women in headscarves and a black Lady Liberty holding the flame of freedom that set fire to his “Tower of Babel”. That it took place on the day of the Senate hearings into Donald Trump’s US Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh gave it a further frisson. Safe to say that Melania Trump will not be wearing Owens anytime soon, unless it’s on her way to the divorce courts.
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2018
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LIFESTYLE
After disastrous 2017, French winemakers cheer ‘incredible’ 2018 New York, September 17, 2018 — In Saint Emilion, at Chateau Corbin, winemaker Anabelle Cruse-Bardinet is exuberant about this year’s harvest. Spring frosts devastated her vineyard last year, as they did to many other chateaux in Bordeaux, and she made no wine at all. “We are going to make an incredible vintage in 2018,” she emailed. “We had a dry and sunny summer, giving grapes good concentration and very ripe tannins.” It was the hottest July since the great vintage of 1947. Fall is wine harvest season in the northern hemisphere. Most vignerons in France are smiling, thrilled that 2018 isn’t a repeat of miserable 2017, when they harvested the smallest crop since World War II, no thanks to massive frosts, violent hailstorms, and scorching heat waves. (Surprisingly, the quality of the grapes that survived was outstanding in many places, including Bordeaux.) This year, besides winning the World Cup, France is also one of the big winners in the global harvest sweepstakes. Over the past 10 days, I’ve emailed winemakers and trade organisations in France’s major regions to get the latest updates. The farther north you go, the better the grapes look. Since harvest won’t finish until next month, everyone is keeping eyes on the sky — and smartphone weather apps. Here’s the outlook from various regions in France: Alsace This cool, northeastern region had one of its earliest harvests in history, and is on track to make great wines. “Vintages like this one can be counted on one hand,” says Jean-Frederic Hugel of well-known Famille Hugel winery, where harvest began on Sept 5. “The wines will be rich, with a lot of concentration, and spells of cooler weather maintained bright acidity. And
it will be a generous vintage with good production.” The sole worry was the very dry conditions during the summer’s heat, but just enough rain fell to keep the vines going. In the past few years, Alsace pinot noir has become “a thing,” and examples from 2018 should be stunning. Bordeaux Twice a day, Château Mouton-Rothschild’s managing director, Philippe Dhalluin, checks in with Meteo-France, the national meteorological service, for details on the local weather forecast in Pauillac. On Sept 10, his pickers began harvesting merlot; for cabernet, Dhalluin estimates a start around the end of the month or the first week of October. “Everything looks perfect so far,” he says. Not all parts of Bordeaux were equally lucky this year. Gavin Quinney of Château Bauduc points out that one of the worst hailstorms in recent memory battered vineyards at the end of May and struck in Sauternes and parts of Graves on the day France won the World Cup. For others, a soggy, warm June encouraged the spread of mildew, which can result in serious grape loss. Still, the overall crop in France is rebounding 25% over 2017, according to the French agricultural ministry. For wine consumers, this is very good news. Just don’t expect prices to go down. This is still Bordeaux we are talking about. Burgundy For many growers here, harvest started three weeks early, thanks to marvellous weather during the growing season that boosted ripening. Picking early is a boon to winemakers who
worry about when the inevitable fall rains will begin. Most winemakers are happy, especially when it comes to the whites, which Laurent Drouhin of Joseph Drouhin says have floral and fruity flavours. The super-hot, dry summer saved the day after a humid spring that threatened mildew, and rain at the end of August kept acidity in the grapes. In Chablis, Julien Brocard of JeanMarc Brocard winery says the taste of the unfermented grape juice is immensely pure. When it comes to reds, says Paul Wasserman, whose family company, Le Serbet, handles dozens of top Burgundy producers, this will be a darker, riper vintage with good structure. The Côte de Beaune had better conditions than the Côte de Nuits, where two hailstorms caused substantial damage. Champagne Enthusiasm is high, with such grower comments as, “I might not see another one like this in my lifetime!” For the fifth time in the last 15 years, picking started in August and is almost finished. Early ripening also reflects the way climate change is altering the growing season. The Taittinger family reports that the ripeness levels mean richness and lush aromas in the wines. Early morning temperatures of only 32F ensured good acidity in the grapes, too. And the quantity is big enough — perhaps 10 million bottles more than last year — to allow vignerons to rebuild their depleted stocks of reserve wine, according to Thibaut Le Mailloux at trade organisation Comité Champagne. These are essential in creating top-quality, non-vintage house blends. Hubert de Billy, the fifth generation to run famous Champagne house Pol Roger, sums up 2018 this way, “After talking with my father Christian, born in 1928, we have never seen such a remarkable harvest in terms of both quality and quantity. After 1988, 1998, and 2008, the years ending in “8” truly keep on rocking.”
Loire Valley Optimism reigns. Wine trade organisation InterLoire collected grape samples from all the region’s various appellations such as Muscadet, and predicts wines of “excellent quality.” The weather tale here is pretty much the same as elsewhere in France: sun, no rain, and high temperatures that accelerated ripening. Best of all, after two difficult years with small crops (and lots of worries), most vignerons will produce significantly more wine. Sadly, because of rainy, humid weather in June, some organic producers that don’t use preventative chemical sprays lost a lot of grapes to virulent mildew. Rhône Valley In a weird turn of events, the harvest in the northern part of the Rhône started before it did in the south. Vignerons began picking reds last week, about seven to 10 days earlier than usual. The region’s trade organisation, Interprofession des Vins Côtes du Rhône and Vallée du Rhône, reports “the vines are in excellent condition.” That’s despite burning sun and super-dry conditions. In 2017, 371 million bottles of Rhône wines were sold; 2018 will produce much more. Quality looks very good, especially in the north. In the latest Rhône hot spot, Crozes-Hermitage, Laurent Combier of Domaine Combier is “anticipating a bright future for the wines.” Provence Don’t worry about the region’s popular rosés. This year is another good vintage, and you’ll have plenty to pick among next summer, though rain (and some hail) hit a few unlucky growers. Harvest started at the end of August, which is early but not a record, explains Patrick Leon, winemaker and manager at Château d’Esclans, the maker of ubiquitous Whispering Angel rosé. Leon predicts that the wines will be fruitier, with less tart acidity and slightly lower alcohol than those of 2017, which means we can just drink more. – Reuters
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EVENT
September 15-30, 2018 Georgia Asian Times Belt and Road Initiative Conference -Hong Kong Association of Atlanta, Carter Center, Sept 18, 2018
Georgia Asian Times
September 15-30, 2018
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ENTERTAINMENT
Spotify to let artists post music without labels NEW YORK, Sept 20 — In a move with the power to shake up the music industry, Spotify said today that it will allow select artists to upload songs directly without record labels or distributors. Spotify, by far the biggest player in the fast-growing format of streaming, said that the feature for now is only in the test phase for select US-based independent artists who have secured their own copyrights. But the feature, if eventually put to scale, could in the long run drastically change the business decisions for artists who would not need to go through a label or one of the batch of new companies, such as TuneCore, that provide uploading services for independent artists. Spotify said artists would simply upload their songs to the platform, first seeing a preview of how it will look, with the Swedish company automatically sending royalties each month. “You’ve told us time and time again that sharing your work with the world should be easier,” Spotify said in a blog post addressed to artists.
The handful of artists who have already been selected for the feature include Noname, the Chicago rapper who has won acclaim for her songs of African American women’s struggles framed as telephone conversations, and Michael Brun, the Haitian-American DJ and producer known for his lively inter-cultural mixes. The new feature will be seen warily by record labels, which have reached licensing deals with Spotify and have increasingly sought close partnerships with the company. But the move could reset Spotify’s relations with artists, many of whom have complained that they see little back even as streaming brings handsome profits to the industry. As streaming quickly becomes the pre-eminent way of listening to music, especially for young consumers, artists have relented with virtually no prominent musicians still boycotting Spotify and its rivals completely.
Korean boy band BTS to address UN New York, Sept 20 — K-Pop sensation BTS will address the United Nations on Monday for the launch of a campaign by the UN children’s agency Unicef as world leaders prepare to open their annual General Assembly debate. BTS will be speaking at the launch of “Generation Unlimited,” a new partnership to promote education, training and employment for the world’s youth, said a Unicef spokesperson. Among South Korea’s best known and most lucrative musical exports, BTS made music history this year by becoming the first K-Pop group to top the Billboard 200 music charts.
The septet will bring its Love Yourself tour to New York for a series of concerts next week including its first-ever stadium performance. World leaders on Tuesday will begin six days of high-level debate at the General Assembly during which the new thaw in relations on the Korean peninsula will be a top agenda item.
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September 15-30, 2018 Georgia Asian Times
LIFESTYLE
Research finds that height and varicose vein risk may be linked NEW YORK, Sept 26 — New US research has found that the taller a person is, the higher their risk may be of developing varicose veins. Led by Stanford University School of Medicine, the new study analysed the genes of 493,519 individuals gathered from UK Biobank — a large, long-term study which looks at conditions such as cardiovascular disease in UK residents and includes genomic data on about a half-million people. The findings, published in the journal Circulation, confirmed that current known risk factors — including being older, female, overweight or pregnant, or having a history of deep vein thrombosis — are all associated with varicose veins.
In addition, the study also identified surgery on the legs, family history of varicose veins, lack of movement, smoking and hormone therapy as new risk factors, with the team surprised to also find a correlation between varicose veins and height, with those who are taller appearing to have a higher risk of the condition.
height and varicose veins and may provide clues for treating the condition,” added another of the study’s lead authors, Nicholas Leeper, MD.
The researchers then conducted further tests to see if height was an actual cause for the disease.
Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that can be seen just under the surface of the skin, usually in the legs. While some believe the problem is a cosmetic one, the condition can cause moderate pain and has been linked to the more serious side effects of deep vein thrombosis, which occurs when a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body.
“Our results strongly suggest height is a cause, not just a correlated factor, but an underlying mechanism leading to varicose veins,” said Erik Ingelsson, co-lead author of the study. “Genes that predict a person’s height may be at the root of this link between
The research also identified 30 genes linked to varicose vein disorder and to a strong genetic correlation with deep vein thrombosis.
Treatment is mainly limited to surgi-
cal procedures, such as laser treatment or vein stripping. “The condition is incredibly prevalent but shockingly little is known about the biology,” said co-lead author Alyssa Flores. “We’re hoping that with this new information, we can create new therapies, as our study highlights several genes that may represent new translational targets.” “By conducting the largest genetic study ever performed for varicose vein disease, we now have a much better understanding of the biology that is altered in people at risk for the disease.”
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2018
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SPORTS
Mayweather says he will fight Pacquiao again this year New York, Sept 16, 2018 — Former heavyweight champion Floyd Mayweather said yesterday he was coming out of retirement for a 2018 rematch with Manny Pacquiao. “I’m coming back to fight Manny Pacquiao this year,” Mayweather, 41, said on his Instagram account. “Another 9 figure pay day on the way.” An accompanying video showed the two fighters at a music festival in Tokyo but it was difficult to hear what they were saying. In a later video obtained by ESPN, Mayweather says, “Tokyo Japan here we go.... I’m coming back in December.” He added, “I’m going to take it (the belt) from him like I did before. We gonna get the payday and I don’t want no shoulder excuses.” A rematch had been speculated for
years after the two met in a ballyhooed 2015 fight. Undefeated Mayweather scored a unanimous decision that earned him an estimated US$220 million (RM910.4 million). Pacquiao later said he was hampered by a right shoulder injury. Mayweather was back in the ring in 2017, winning by a technical knockout over mixed martial arts world champion Conor McGregor to run his boxing record to 50-0. He earned a reported US$300 million and McGregor US$100 million in one of the richest fights in history. Pacquiao (60-7-2) last fought in July, knocking out Argentine Lucas Matthysse. Afterward, when asked about a rematch with Mayweather, the Filipino boxer said: “I have the belt, so it’s up to him. If he wants to come back in boxing let’s do a second one.” — Reuters
Fifa plans to cap player loans and tighten agent rules LAUSANNE, Sept 14 — Fifa plans changes to the international transfers rules that would limit player loans and create a clearing house to handle agents fees, a source told AFP yesterday. Fifa wants to limit to “between six and eight” the number of players one club can lend each season, the source said. The aim would be to “guarantee the sports equality between clubs” and to stop clubs, particularly in England and Italy, signing large numbers of players and loaning them out immediately. Last season, Premier League giants Chelsea had 38 players out on loan. This season, Italian champions Juventus have at least 25 players out on loan. Another Fifa proposal would be to create a clearing house, managed by a bank, to handle the solidarity payments from transfer fees due to clubs that trained players in their youth systems.
This clearing house would also be responsible for handling payments to agents. Fifa, which did away with agent licences in 2015, is planning to reintroduce them with an exam. Fifa made a brief statement yesterday saying it created a “stakeholders commission” to conduct “a comprehensive review of the transfer system”. It said the commission “is currently assessing potential changes to the system in several key areas, including, among others, the regulations on intermediaries, solidarity payments to training clubs, streamlining of transfer payments, protection of minors, loans, squad sizes and transfer widows”. The next commission meeting is scheduled for London on September 24 and could lead to recommendations for the Fifa Council meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, in October 25-26.
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September 15-30, 2018 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS
‘Spent’ Hamilton soaks up special victory in Singapore Singapore, Sept 16 — Lewis Hamilton felt a mixture of elation and exhaustion after converting his stunning pole position into a victory at the Singapore Grand Prix today as the Briton tightened his grip on a fifth Formula One world championship title.
Wu becomes China’s first triple winner on European Tour SPIJK, Sept 17 — Wu Ashun became the first player from China to win three times on the European Tour when he claimed a one-stroke triumph at the KLM Open in the Netherlands yesterday.
“My coach and I were working very hard and he has flown to (Europe) to help me so I think we are getting better and better so that’s why I think last week was top 10 and then this week just win.”
Wu carded a closing four-under-par 67, finishing with a two-putt birdie at the final hole after his aggressive second shot with a hybrid club skirted a water hazard and ended in the heart of the green.
Wu started the week ranked 344th in the world and is now projected to rise inside the top 200.
He finished at 16-under 268 and secured victory when Englishman Chris Wood made a three-putt par on the same hole at The Dutch course in Spijk.
“My putting has been so good all week and it’s just a shame that it let me down at the last,” he said. — Reuters
Wu’s surprise victory came after a poor season and he credited his turnaround to work with his coach. “We just fixed my swing at the beginning of the year and we still trust that we are going the right way,” the 33-year-old said.
Wood lamented his third runner-up finish of the year.
Once Hamilton got a clean start at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, he could control the race from the front and although he stretched his advantage over Sebastian Vettel to 40 points with six races remaining, the Briton admitted he was shattered. “I’m spent! That was a tough race, I have such great support here and we had a great start,” Hamilton said after claiming victory at the 23-turn floodlit circuit for the fourth time in his career. “The team had never given up faith and belief in me and (team mate) Valtteri (Bottas). That was the longest race in my life and its a blessing. I’m just blessed. “It was long, but it was still fun. Driving this track is incredible, especially with these cars.” Mercedes have long regarded Singapore as a “bogey track” and were fearing the worst as Vettel’s Ferrari team and the Red Bulls dominated practice, but Hamilton drove a perfect lap to qualify first and was never really threatened in the race. “I got a great start and was able to control the pack, control the tyres and push where I needed to push,” he said after crossing the line almost nine
seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen with Vettel way off the pace in third. “We knew they (Ferrari) were going to be spectacular here this weekend and we knew it was going to take something quite special to beat them. “It was quite a monumental moment for us as a team. I definitely didn’t think I’d come to Singapore with 10 points more (in the lead of the title), but I’m very grateful. “The Ferraris put a good fight this weekend but I’m not sure where their pace went in the race.” Hamilton did have one minor scare on lap 38 when he got caught up behind some back markers and Verstappen closed right up behind him. He held off a brief challenge from the Dutchman and raced away once he had clear track in front of him. “I was a little but unlucky with the traffic, these guys (Haas’ Romain Grosjean and Williams’ Sergey Sirotkin) were moving and it was difficult to follow,” Hamilton added. “Max was lucky I think, and the guys wouldn’t let me by, my heart was in my mouth but once I got past I could put the pedal down and just had to go.” The next round is in Sochi, Russia on Sept. 30, where Hamilton has won twice before and Mercedes all four races since it was added to the Formula One calendar in 2014. — Reuters
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2018
Page 15
HEALTH
Study: Too much screen time, too little horseplay for kids Paris, Sept 27, 2018 — Only one in 20 kids in the United States meets guidelines on sleep, exercise and screen time, and nearly a third are outside recommendations for all three, according to a study published today. On average, children aged eight to 11 spent 3.6 hours per day glued to a TV, mobile phone, tablet or computer screen, nearly double the suggested limit of two hours, researchers found. Too little sleep and excess screen time were clearly linked to a drop off in cognitive skills, such as language ability, memory, and task completion, they reported in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. “We found that more than two hours of recreational screen time in children was associated with poorer cognitive development,” said lead author Jeremy Walsh, a researcher at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute. “Based on our findings, paediatricians, parents, educators and poli-
cymakers should promote limiting recreation screen time and prioritising healthy sleep routines during childhood and adolescence.”
to meet any of the recommendations, more than 40 per cent met only one, a quarter met two, and only five per cent conformed to all three.
Walsh and his team looked at data — based on detailed questionnaires — for 4,520 children spread across 20 locations in the United States.
Half the kids were getting enough sleep, 37 per cent remained within the screen-time limits, and only 18 per cent met the physical activity recommendation.
They also tested the kids for six kinds of cognitive skills, adjusting the results for household income, puberty development and other factors that might affect performance. The results were measured against the Canadian 24-hour Movement Guidelines for children. For sleep and exercise, the recommendations align with those of the World Health Organisation, but Canada is the first country to propose limits for time spent in front of a back-lit screen. Distraction in the classroom Nearly 30 per cent of children failed
“The more individual recommendations the child met, the better their cognition,” the study concluded, noting that screen time was the most important factor. In contrast to earlier research, lack of exercise did not correlate with poorer performance on the cognition tests. The strong link between time spent staring at a screen and brain function “potentially reflect the interruption of the stress-recovery cycle needed for growth in children,” commented Eduardo Esteban Bustamante, an assistant professor at the University of Illinois’ College of Applied Health Sciences who did not take part in the study.
“Each minute spent on screens necessarily displaces a minute from sleep.” Scientists and educators have grown increasingly concerned that constant use of mobile phones from an early age may lead to problems ranging from addiction to attention deficit disorder. The vast majority of teachers in a recent survey said that smartphones had become a distraction in the classroom, eroding the ability of students to focus. France urges parents not to allow children under three to watch TV, and American paediatricians also favour a total ban on screen time until at least 18 months.
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September 15-30, 2018 Georgia Asian Times
Misc Asia
Portraits of a dynasty: North Korea’s ever-present Kims Pyongyang, Sept 26 , 2016— One of the first things any traveller to North Korea notices is a huge portrait of Kim Il Sung, pictured in front of an airplane and workers alongside the road as you drive out of Pyongyang International Airport. It’s an image that soon becomes very familiar. Millions of portraits, mosaics and paintings of Kim Il Sung, founder of North Korea, and his son Kim Jong Il, the father of current leader Kim Jongun, offer daily reminders to the public of the central role of the Kim dynasty in their nation’s story. Smiling images of the Kims are everywhere you go. Portraits are mandatory not just in public places like train stations, hospitals, schools and facto-
ries, but even in private spaces such as the living rooms of apartments. Portraits must be hung high, so that no one can stand above the leaders, according to government minders who accompany visiting media and tourists. As the night falls over Pyongyang, giant portraits on various buildings get lit up. Portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are seen on the facade of a government building in Pyongyang, North Korea, September 11, 2018. — Reuters pic Portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are seen on the facade of a government building in Pyongyang, North Korea,
September 11, 2018. — Reuters pic North Korea remains one of the most tightly controlled societies on earth, with most of the country closed to outsiders, but groups of tourists are allowed to visit Pyongyang and a few other sites, providing the impoverished country with one of its few remaining sources of foreign currency. For those visitors, another reminder of the all-encompassing influence of the Kim family is the lapel badge, bearing the image of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, worn by all North Korean citizens. The badge is presented to every North Korean when he or she turns 12, and from then on they are required to wear it whenever they leave their
home. The badges are considered sacred and are not for sale, say government minders. “We, all North Koreans, always wear the portrait badge like this. The most important part of a human body is the heart, right?” said An Sol Yong, a music teacher at a teacher training college in Pyongyang, during a government organised visit for foreign reporters. All her students wore the badges pinned to their white shirts. “Being together with our dear leaders through a badge hung on the closest place from our heart means that our belief that we won’t be alive if the great leaders had not existed is kept in all our hearts.” — Reuters
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2018
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Misc Asia
Fad for ‘lucky’ tail hair threatens Vietnam elephants Wooden library lures bookworms outside Beijing Beijing, Sept 27, 2018 — Deep in the heart of a valley surrounded by rocky hills, a wooden library sits just over a creek on the outskirts of Beijing, seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
Bookshelves that double up as walls line the reading area — basically one large room — and readers lounge with tomes on the floor or on elevated platforms.
Every weekend, hundreds of bookworms flock to Liyuan Library in Jiaojiehe village, a book sanctuary surrounded by chestnut, walnut and peach trees whose branches were used to decorate the building.
With space for just 40 people at a time, visitors stand in line to enter the library, which only opens on weekends.
The lush environment is what first drew architect Li Xiaodong to the village — the library has a steel and glass base but its facade is cladded with branches and twigs arranged in vertical rows. Visitors cross a narrow wooden bridge which leads to a bright and airy space, sunlight seeping in through gaps in the uneven wood, a design feature.
The library, which opened in April 2012, draws hundreds of visitors every weekend, many of whom are attracted by the design, which makes for great pictures on social media. “We have now banned taking pictures inside, as some people come here just for taking pictures. They even come in costumes, that’s really disturbing,” said owner Pan Xi. “We still want to give those who love reading a conducive environment.”
BUON MA THUOT (Vietnam), Sept 26 — In a village in Vietnam’s “elephant kingdom”, a vendor holds up a severed, dried tail dotted with coarse hairs she promises will bring good luck — a grim new trade that is endangering the country’s few remaining elephants. “I’ll cut a hair off right in front of you here, so you can be sure it’s not fake,” said the saleswoman in Tri A village in the country’s forested central highlands.
The appetite for elephant parts is a cruel trend familiar to much of the region. In nearby Myanmar elephants are killed to feed a growing demand at home and in China for their skin, believed to cure eczema or acne. Loss of habitat and poaching has also badly dented elephant numbers in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, where they were worshipped for centuries.
A fondness for rings and bracelets embedded with elephant hairs is fuelling a worrying fashion fad in a country notorious for its illicit wildlife trade, from rhino horns to pangolin scales, tiger teeth and bear bile.
In Vietnam too, the M’nong and Ede ethnic minorities in Dak Lak province — dubbed the “elephant kingdom” for the large herds that once roamed its forests — hold a deep spiritual reverence for the animals.
The trend is putting a strain on the few surviving elephants in Vietnam whose hairs are plucked or tails cut off by poachers, leaving the animals without the crucial appendage used to swat flies and keep their backsides clean.
As legend goes, finding a tail hair by chance on the forest floor was considered good luck — local lore that has been peddled in recent years by shop owners selling the strands, along with ivory jewellery and Buddha statues that can fetch up to US$900.
“The tail is very much a part of body hygiene, so by plucking the hairs out... or cutting the entire lower tail off, you’re putting a handicap on your elephant,” said Dionne Slagter, Animal Welfare Manager at Animals Asia. With just 80 elephants left in captivity and about 100 in the wild — down from as many as 2,000 in 1990 — Slagter suspects most of the tails are being smuggled in from neighbouring countries or as far afield as Africa.
But actively cutting off tails or plucking hairs was never part of the tradition. “They loved and considered elephants part of their family so they wouldn’t do anything to hurt them,” according to Linh Nga Nie Kdam, a researcher on Ede culture. “They never sold their hair.”
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September 15-30, 2018 Georgia Asian Times
TRAVEL Lyon and Helsinki named 2019 European Capitals of Smart Tourism London, Sept 28, 2018 — Lyon, France, and Helsinki, Finland, have been named Europe’s top destinations for “Smart Tourism”. Ten cities were shortlisted for the title of European Capital of Smart Tourism in this first edition of the initiative managed by the European Commission.
The Maldives, a tourist haven in peril Male, Sept 25, 2018 ― The Indian Ocean island nation of the Maldives is famed as an upmarket tourist destination of white beaches and turquoise waters but is threatened by rising sea levels and endured stifling political control. After the surprise election win of opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in weekend elections, here is some background about the Muslim nation. Indian Ocean paradise The country is a collection of 1,192 tiny islands scattered 800 kilometres (550 miles) across the equator.
Nasheed was forced to resign in 2012 after a police mutiny and demonstrations that he said were part of a coup plot. In disputed elections the following year, he was defeated by Gayoom’s half brother, Abdulla Yameen, a strongman president who was defeated in elections Sunday. Yameen, whose regime has been bankrolled by China in a departure from the country’s traditional alliance with India, imprisoned or forced into exile all his main rivals while curtailing press freedom and social networks.
Only 200 islands are inhabited with the country’s population put at 340,000 in the last census in 2014.
Nasheed, who became an opposition leader, was jailed in 2015 on a terrorism charge widely criticised as politically motivated.
Tourism is the principal income earner, providing 41 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016 and nearly 20 per cent of jobs, the World Travel and Tourism Council says.
The following year he was granted prison leave for medical treatment in London, where he secured political asylum with the help of high-profile human rights lawyer Amal Clooney.
The archipelago’s beauty drew nearly 1.4 million foreign visitors in 2017, with the destination especially prized among honeymooners.
In February this year judges ordered the release of jailed opponents of Yameen, who hit back with a 45-day state of emergency, suspending the constitution and arresting the Chief Justice and another judge of the Supreme Court.
Politically tense Maumoon Abdul Gayoom ruled with an iron fist for 30 years until 2008 when he lost the first-ever multi-party poll to human rights activist Mohamed Nasheed.
His aged half-brother Gayoom was also jailed for allegedly conspiring with the Supreme Court to topple him.
Following a proposal from the European Parliament, Brussels started working on selecting the inaugural European Capitals of Smart Tourism in the spring and early summer. Smart tourism encompasses criteria such as the use of digital technology to enhance the tourism experience, ensuring accessibility — notably for travellers with reduced mobility — and adopting a sustainable approach to managing natural resources and protecting the environment.
Threatened by rising seas Eighty per cent of the Maldives is less than a metre above sea level, making it one of the countries most threatened by rising sea levels linked to climate warming. In 2009 Nasheed held a cabinet meeting underwater to raise awareness of the risk, also warning his people could become climate refugees. Buddhist turned Muslim Situated along Indian Ocean trading routes and about 650 kilometres southwest of Sri Lanka, the Maldives has been colonised several times. Once a Buddhist kingdom, it converted to Islam around the 12th century. Portuguese explorers occupied the main island of Mahe in the 16th century. The territory then became protec-
A total of 38 cities from 19 EU countries applied to compete for the title. A jury of experts representing the European Parliament and Commission shortlisted 10 cities for the final selection. Among the finalists and aside from the top two, four other cities were announced as the winners in the specific categories of accessibility (Malaga, Spain), Sustainability (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Digitalisation (Copenhagen, Denmark) and Cultural Heritage & Creativity (Linz, Austria). As European Capitals of Smart Tourism, Lyon and Helsinki will enjoy EU-wide visibility in 2019 with expert communication, promotional and branding support.
torates of the Dutch and the British before complete independence in 1965. Sunni Islam today remains the state religion, all other religions being banned. The Maldives follows a moderate version of Islam while banning alcohol, except in tourist hotels, and homosexuality. It also flogs women found guilty of “fornication”, says Amnesty International, which is critical of a human rights situation that it says includes restrictions on peaceful protests and expression. The Maldives left the Commonwealth in 2016 in a row over criticism of its rights record. There are fears of radicalisation with the arrival of Middle East preachers and via radical websites.