Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
www.gasiantimes.com September 15-30, 2019
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September 15-30, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
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GAT Calendar of Events
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Atlanta International Night Market Date: Friday, Saturday, Sunday / Oct 4-6, 2019 Time: Fri-Sat 5:00 pm- 12:00 am; Sunday 3:00 pm-9:00 pm Venue: North Point Mall, Alpharetta 15th Atlanta Asian Film Festival Date: Oct 11-26, 2019 Venues: GSU Dunwoody For more info: www.ATLaff.org 15th Annual Together Empowering Asian Americans (TEA) Walk Date: Saturday, Oct 12, 2019 Time: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Venue: CPACS For more info: www.teawalk.org
2019 Korean American Coalition National Convention Date: Oct 25-27, 2019 Venue: Georgia Tech Hotel For more info: www.kacatl.org
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September 15-30, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
METRO ASIAN NEWS
Atlanta retains title as world’s busiest airport Atlanta, Sept 19, 2019 – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, and Dubai International Airport have held onto the top three spots on the list of busiest airports in the world for passenger traffic volume.
Laotian American Society celebrates annual fund raising with traditional Chamblee, Sept 14, 2019 — The Laotian American Society (LAS Georgia) celebrates its 14th annual fundraising gala with traditional Lao cuisines and cultural performances. Jaesen Khounthalangsy, President of LAS delivers a warm welcoming remark to over 150 guests of the evening. Keynote speaker for the evening is Tina Maharath, the first Asian American woman elected to the Ohio Senate. She shared insights to her upbringing and struggles when she grew up as a refugee in the country. Over 150 guests were treated to traditional Lao cuisine catered by Chef Alex Suwannakood of Lao Street Food. Proceeds from the gala fundraising goes towards education, tutoring class-
es, academic scholarships, traditional dance classes, and entrepreneurial activities benefitting local Laotian community. For more information on LAS, visit www.las-georgia.org
In the latest edition of the “World Airport Traffic Report” for 2018, published by Airports Council International, the top three spots remain unchanged from the year previous. At the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta, more than 107.4 million passengers travelled through its halls last year. Globally, 2018 saw 8.8 billion passengers transit through airports around the world.
Rounding out the podium of fastest-growing airports is Antalya Airport in Turkey and Hyderabad Airport in India. An economic recovery and boost in traffic numbers from the Fifa World Cup also saw passenger traffic spike 18 per cent at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, and place it in fourth spot. Here are the world’s busiest airports by airport city and airport code, according to the ACI: 1. Atlanta, GA, USA (ATL) 2. Beijing, China (PEK) 3. Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DBX)
Meanwhile, the list of the fastest-growing airports in the world is topped by Bangalore Airport India, which saw passenger traffic grow 29 per cent in 2018, compared to 2017.
4. Los Angeles, USA (LAX)
“India’s move towards a more liberalized aviation market and the nation’s strengthening economic fundamentals have helped it become one of the fastest-growing markets with its traffic growing rapidly in a relatively short time,” said ACI World Director General Angela Gittens in a statement.
7. London, UK (LHR)
5. Tokyo, Japan, (HND) 6. Chicago, IL, USA (ORD)
8. Hong Kong, HK (HKG) 9. Shanghai, China (PVG) 10. Paris, France (CDG)
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2019
WHY EXPERIENCE ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL NIGHT MARKET?
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Join the 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 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 dĂŠcor. 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.
Learn more at awesomealpharetta.com!
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September 15-30, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
imports from Brazil and other supplying countries.
China exempts some U.S. goods from retaliatory tariffs as fresh talks loom Washington DC-Beijing, Sept 11, 2019 – President Donald Trump on Wednesday welcomed China’s decision to exempt some U.S. anti-cancer drugs and other goods from its tariffs, days ahead of a planned meeting aimed at defusing a trade war between the world’s two largest economies. That was a “big move” by China and a positive gesture before trade negotiators from both countries meet in Washington, Trump told reporters at the White House. China on Wednesday announced its first batch of tariff exemptions for 16 types of U.S. products, including some anti-cancer drugs and lubricants, as well as animal feed ingredients whey and fish meal, according to a Ministry of Finance statement on its website. Beijing said in May that it would start a waiver program, amid growing worries over the cost of the protracted trade war on its already slowing economy. “They made a couple of moves … that were pretty good,” Trump said at an unrelated event on vaping. “I think it was a gesture, okay? But it was a big move.” Trump said he hoped to reach a trade agreement with China after over a year
of tit-for-tat tariffs that have roiled global markets. “I deal with them and I know them and I like them,” he said. “I hope we can do something.” Deputy trade negotiators are due to meet in Washington in mid-September, with minister-level talks to follow in October. Exact dates for the meetings have not been released. Some analysts view Beijing’s move as a friendly gesture but don’t see it as a signal that both sides are readying a deal. “The exemption could be seen as a gesture of sincerity towards the U.S. ahead of negotiations in October but is probably more a means of supporting the economy,” ING’s Greater China economist Iris Pang wrote in a note. “There are still many uncertainties in the coming trade talks. An exemption list of just 16 items will not change China’s stance,” she said. Indeed, the exempted list pales in comparison to over 5,000 types of U.S. products that are already subject to China’s additional tariffs. Moreover, major U.S. imports, such as soybeans and pork, are still subject to hefty additional duties, as China has ramped up
Beijing has said it would work on exempting some U.S. products from tariffs if they are not easily substituted from elsewhere. The United States is by far China’s largest supplier of whey, which is an important ingredient in piglet feed and difficult to source in large volumes from elsewhere. Analysts say that with its duties on soybeans and U.S.-made cars, China is taking aim at a key political support base of Trump, mainly the factories and farms across the Midwest and South at a time of receding momentum in the world’s top economy. China has imposed several rounds of duties on U.S. goods in retaliation against U.S. Section 301 tariffs, beginning last year in July and August with a 25% levy on about $50 billion of U.S. imports. In all, the United States and China have slapped tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods in a bitter trade war that has raised the specter of a global recession, with further tariffs slated to take effect in coming months. The items on the two tariff exemption lists – posted on the ministry’s website – will not be subject to additional duties imposed by China on U.S. goods “as countermeasures to U.S. Section 301 measures,” the ministry said in its statement. The exemption will take effect on Sept. 17 and be valid for a year through to Sept. 16, 2020, it said. ING’s Pang noted the United States had also exempted imports of 110 Chinese products from tariffs in July,
including high-value items such as medical equipment and parts. TALKS Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are expected to meet in early October in the U.S. capital, but key officials are tamping down expectations for a major accord. For two years, the Trump administration has sought to pressure China to make sweeping changes to its policies on intellectual property protection, forced transfers of technology to Chinese firms, industrial subsidies and market access. Beijing and Washington were close to a deal last spring but U.S. officials said China backed away from an agreed text over a reluctance to change laws to address U.S. complaints. The South China Morning Post reported bit.ly/2manJ5q, citing an unidentified source, that China was expected to buy more agricultural products in hopes of a better trade deal with the United States. Senior White House adviser Peter Navarro this week urged investors, businesses and the public to be patient about the trade dispute. Earlier on Wednesday, a survey by a prominent American business association showed the trade dispute was souring the profit and investment outlook for U.S. companies operating in the world’s second-biggest economy. – Reuters
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2019
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BUSINESS
Apple reveals triple-camera iPhone, undercuts Disney streaming TV price Cupertino, September 10, 2019 – Apple Inc revealed on Tuesday that its streaming TV service will kick off Nov. 1 and cost $4.99 a month and new cameras for the latest iPhones, as the tech giant reaches a turning point where it focuses as much on services as its hardware and software. Apple TV+ will be available in over 100 countries and buyers of an iPhone, iPad or Mac will get a free year of streaming television service, the company announced. Apple revealed that its new iPhone 11 will come with two back cameras, including an ultra wide-angle lens and the next generation of microchips, the A13, but few big apparent changes. Prices start at $699. The iPhone 11 Pro will have three cameras on the back – wide angle, telephoto and ultra-wide. It can create videos with all three back cameras and the front camera at the same time and starts at $999. The iPhone 11 Pro Max with a bigger screen starts at $1,099. The new phones are available to order Friday and will start shipping Sept. 20. Apple is in a “holding pattern” until it rolls out 5G phones with faster mobile data speeds next year, analysts said. Instead, services like the television content featuring the likes of Oprah Winfrey that will compete with Netflix Inc and Walt Disney Co. could take center stage. Apple long boasted about its competitive advantage over rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, which makes handsets, or Alphabet Inc’s Google, which provides the Android operating system for most of the world’s phones. Apple touted controlling both the hardware and software, resulting in polished products that commanded premium prices and captured most of the smart phone industry’s profits. At the fall event in the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California –
typically Apple’s splashiest and dedicated to its flagship devices – Apple is cementing a third element to its focus: hardware, software and services. The new strategy comes as iPhone sales have declined year-over-year for the past two fiscal quarters and investors are fixed on the growth potential for services. Apple also announced its video game service, Apple Arcade, will be a tab in the App Store and available starting Sept. 19 and cost $4.99 a month, with a one-month free trial. “This is the first time we’ll get to see Apple’s strategy with all three parts of the business,” said Ben Bajarin, an analyst with Creative Strategies. With streaming content, Apple is entering a crowded field. Since Apple’s initial television event in March, rivals like Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) have since announced a $6.99 per month service that will contain that firm’s iconic children’s content. With no historic library of television content of its own, Apple will sell its own service – Apple TV+ – even as it already serves as a reseller of other channels like HBO and, analysts believe, takes a cut of sales. Bajarin said Apple’s challenge is to persuade consumers that its family of devices, from its set-top box to phones, are the best one-stop place to watch shows, despite the fact that Netflix has yet to come on board with the integrated viewing system. (Netflix remains available as a standalone app on Apple devices, and its shows appear in search results in the Apple TV app.) “Netflix is sort of gaping void” in the Apple TV app “but they’ve got Amazon and all the channels on board,” Bajarin said. “The vast majority of content providers are playing nice with Apple TV.” Apple also unveiled updates to the Apple Watch and iPad.
New York extends lead over Brexit-hit London in finance center poll London, September 19, 2019 – New York has extended its lead as the world’s top financial center, with London barely holding on to second place ahead of Hong Kong as uncertainty over Brexit takes its toll on the UK capital, a Z/Yen Group survey for 2019 showed on Thursday. New York extended its lead over London to 17 points, while a strong performances from other centers, in particular Paris, put London’s second place in the index at risk, compilers of the Global Financial Centers Index (GFCI) said in a statement. Hong Kong is now just two points behind London where a key issue for finance professional is whether Britain’s departure from the European Union on Oct. 31 will impede the free movement of talent, it added. The GFCI index rated 114 financial centers, combining assessments from finance sector professionals with data. “Respondents consider that New York, Hong Kong, and Singapore will benefit substantially from Brexit. In Europe, Frankfurt is considered likely to benefit most, followed by Paris, Luxembourg, Zurich, and Dublin.”
The Apple Watch Series 5 will have an always-on display, an 18-hour battery life and international emergency calling in over 150 countries. Prices start at $399 or $499 with cellular service and will be available to order Tuesday and in stores Sept. 20. The Series 3 Apple Watch will start at $199. Apple said the seventh generation of the iPad will start at $329 and be available to order starting Tuesday and in stores on Sept. 30. “I believe we are in an incremental holding pattern until 5G. Customers with iPhone X and beyond likely won’t have a reason to upgrade,” said Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy.
Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, Beijing, Dubai, Shenzhen, and Sydney make up the remainder of the top 10 centers. The rise of Shenzhen, Dubai and Sydney eased out Toronto, Zurich and Frankfurt from the top 10. “Competition at the top of the GFCI is intense. London remains second, but the signs for the future are worrying with Asian and other European centers showing strongly,” said Michael Mainelli, executive chairman of Z/Yen. “Policy uncertainty, Brexit, trade wars and geopolitical unrest are causing more volatility in financial center performance.” It also published an index ranking financial centers as competitive places for fintech companies for the first time, with Beijing and Shanghai leading, with New York, London, Singapore, San Francisco and Chicago in the top 10. The survey is being launched on Thursday in London by Z/Yen Group in partnership with the China Development Institute. – Reuters
Apple makes much of its profits on selling memory upgrades to devices with larger storage capacity, and Moorhead said falling memory chip prices could help Apple absorb the cost of tariffs on Chinese-made goods, which are expected to hit mobile phones starting Dec. 15. “Thankfully, storage and memory prices have declined so instead of taking more profit, I see Apple eating the cost and not raising prices,” Moorhead said. “I can also see Apple leaning heavily on its supply chain to eat some of the cost.” – Reuters
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September 15-30, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
FASHION
Dresses flow for Beckham, billow for Goddard: London fashion trends London, Sept 16, 2019 — From Victoria Beckham’s flowing dresses to Molly Goddard’s airy creations in tulle, London Fashion Week, ending Tuesday has rolled out some standout new silhouettes. Goddard’s billowing dresses Jodie Comer, the actor who plays Villanelle, the assassin and “fashion victim” of the hit television series Killing Eve, made a mark when she kicked off Goddard’s show Saturday with a candy-pink tulle dress. Fans of the British designer’s floaty creations were not disappointed with her show, set in an art deco London gym. She sent out her models in voluminous skirts and dresses, with vibrant colours such as canary yellow and coral, worn with flat leather boots. Romantic ribbons garnished the shoulders of a pink knit worn over a black robe with a floral print. After the show Goddard said she did not have a particular theme in mind but was focussed on “individual looks.”
“A lot of this was looking back at the things I’ve done in the last five years that I liked most, and redoing them more and more, bigger and better,” she said. Victoria Beckham’s simple elegance
Androgynous lines by Sharon Wauchob Roomy suits that could be worn by women and men alike were the fare for Irish designer Sharon Wauchob, who said she has “always liked the androgynous style.” The show, held in a church of London’s upmarket Marylebone district, was attended by actor and singer Billy Porter — whose half-DJ, half-skirt designed by Wauchob made a splash at the Oscars.
The show also had a bedroom theme — a duvet serving as a cape and a pillow repurposed as a bag. Models went out in oversize pyjamas or tights with psychedelic colours, while babydoll nightdresses were transformed into evening gowns. Style, not trends: Roland Mouret “The concept of trend is dying. Style is better than trends,” French designer Roland Mouret said after his show in the garden of the Royal Academy of Arts.
Long silky dresses in powder pink or violet, shirts with oversized collars worn with a houndstooth jacket with straight trousers for a 70s look: Victoria Beckham played the chic and simple card for her show in the Foreign Office’s majestic Durbar Court.
“Fashion is all about diversity, inclusion,” Porter told AFP. “I want to be the image I never saw when I was a child: A black queer man.” Fyodor-Golan’s hybrid identities
He said people should be encouraged to set their own styles.
Her watchwords were lightness, freedom and simplicity.
Designer duo Fyodor Podgorny and Golan Frydman drew inspiration from the films Farinelli by Gerard Corbiau and Amadeus by Milos Forman — as well as Queen Marie-Antoinette.
Mouret said he was inspired by the New York of the 1980s when the city was on the verge of bankruptcy — before bouncing back.
Beckham’s front row included her whole family — husband David, the former star Manchester United footballer, and their four children — as well as the grand priestess of fashion Anna Wintour. The show drew around 20 activists of environmental group Extinction Rebellion, who briefly shut the road outside the venue to protest waste created by fast fashion.
Playing with contrasts, they mixed lace with heavy metal T-shirts and paired denim with flimsier materials such as satin and tulle. “We explored the idea of pansexuality — attraction to a person whatever the person’s gender identity,” they wrote.
Mouret, who has lived in Britain for years, warned that going after seasonal trends “means consumerism.”
He went for pastel colours — mauve, pale blue and beige — for his calflength dresses and wide pantsuits. Asymmetrical skirts and dresses, slit up the front, rounded out the show.
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2019
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ENTERTAINMENT ‘Saturday Night Live’ fires comedian over racist Chinese slur NEW YORK, Sept 17 — Saturday Night Live fired comedian Shane Gillis for making racist jokes about Chinese people, the US late night comedy show said yesterday, just four days after he was unveiled as a new cast member. Videos of Gillis using the derogatory term “chinks” and making homophobic comments triggered a rapid backlash and were widely shared following Thursday’s announcement that he had been signed as a new cast member. The language used by Gillis was “offensive, hurtful and unacceptable,” a spokesperson for producer Lorne Michaels said in a statement.
Listen to Snoop Dogg and Migos ‘cover’ the ‘Addams Family’ theme LOS ANGELES, Sept 14 ― Migos, Snoop Dogg, Karol G and producer Rock Mafia have just unveiled My Family, their reinterpretation of the Addams Family theme, which will be included in the upcoming namesake animated movie. The iconic piano riff begins Migos, Snoop Dogg, Karol G and producer Rock Mafia’s My Family, which will be included on the Addams Family soundtrack. The movie, directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, will reprise the adventures of the uncommon family, which debuted in the pages of the New Yorker back in 1930.
Coming to US theatres on October 11, the movie features an all-star voice cast including Chloe Grace Moretz as Wednesday, Charlize Theron as Morticia, Oscar Isaac as Gomez, Finn Wolfhard as Pugsley and Nick Kroll as Uncle Fester.
“We were not aware of his prior remarks that have surfaced over the past few days,” it said, adding: “We are sorry that we did not see these clips earlier, and that our vetting process was not up to our standard.” Gillis said he understood the decision, writing in a statement on Twitter that he “would be too much of a distraction” on the NBC show due to the controversy. “I’m a comedian who was funny enough to get SNL. That can’t be taken away,” he said. The offensive comments were made during the recording of “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast.” The videos have been removed from the podcast’s YouTube channel, but continue to circulate on social media. One clip had been viewed more
than 4 million times Monday. In the conversation, Gillis and co-host Matt McCusker discuss the origins of the Chinatown neighborhood. Gillis repeatedly mispronounces noodles as “nooders” and performs a mocking imitation of a Chinese waitress unable to understand his order. In another, Gillis describes two prominent comedians as “faggot comics.” Gillis, seen as a rising star on the US stand-up comedy circuit, said in an earlier statement that he was “happy to apologize to anyone who’s actually offended” but that he was a “comedian who pushes boundaries.” The clips provoked fury on social media, with many noting that Gillis had been hired at the same time as Bowen Yang, the show’s first fulltime Asian American cast member. Yang is of Chinese heritage and gay.
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EVENTS
September 15-30, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
24th Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival-Atlanta Sept 7, 2019. Photos: Rendy Tendean
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2019
EVENT
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September 15-30, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
LIFESTYLE
Newfound comet likely an ‘interstellar visitor’, scientists say HAWAII, Sept 13 — A newly discovered comet hurtling toward the orbit of Mars has scientists scurrying to confirm whether it came from outside the solar system, a likely prospect that would make it the second such interstellar object observed in our planetary neighbourhood. The trajectory of the comet, first detected by Crimean astronomer Gennady Borisov, follows a highly curved path barrelling in the sun’s direction at unusually high speeds, evidence that it originated beyond the solar system. “On our team we’ve been scrambling here at the Universi-
ty of Hawaii to get observations to make position measurements,” said Karen Meech, an astronomer at the university whose team concluded that the object’s size and tail of gas classify it as a comet. “Every time a new comet is discovered, everybody starts to try and get data so that you can get the orbit,” Meech told Reuters, adding that her researchers “all are 100 per cent convinced that this really, truly is interstellar”. The comet, an apparent amalgam of ice and dust, is expected to make its closest approach to the sun on December 8, putting it 300 million km from Earth,
on a route believed unique to such objects of interstellar origin. Once confirmed interstellar, the comet — dubbed C/2019 Q4 by astronomers — would become only the second such body ever observed by scientists. The first was a cigar-shaped comet dubbed ‘Oumuamua — a name of Hawaiian origin meaning a messenger from afar arriving first — that sailed into our planetary neighbourhood in 2017, prompting initial speculation that it may have been an alien spacecraft. Astronomers soon reached a consensus that it was not.
Unlike ‘Oumuamua, which visited the solar system for only a week, the newfound comet will linger near Mars’ orbit for almost a year, giving scientists ample time to characterise its chemical signatures and seek further clues about its origin. “The high velocity indicates not only that the object likely originated from outside our solar system, but also that it will leave and head back to interstellar space,” said Davide Farnocchia, an astronomer at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. — Reuters
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2019
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SPORTS
Inter president Zhang ready to shake up European football David de Gea signs new deal with Man Utd London, September 16, 2019 -- David de Gea has signed a new long-term contract with Manchester United, the Premier League club announced on Monday, ending months of speculation over his future. The Spaniard, 28, who had been linked with a return to Spain with Real Madrid for several seasons, has put pen to paper on a new four-year deal. “David de Gea has signed a new long-term contract with Manchester United, keeping him at the club until at least June 2023,” United said on their official website. “There is an option to extend for a further year.” De Gea joined United from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and has made 367 appearances for the club. “It has been a privilege to spend eight years at this great club and the opportunity to continue my career at Manchester United is a genuine honour,” said the goalkeeper. “Since I arrived here, I could never have imagined I would play over 350
games for this club. Now my future is fixed, all I want is to help this team achieve what I believe we can and win trophies again, together.” De Gea has won the Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa League since arriving at Old Trafford. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he was delighted the Spaniard had committed his long-term future to the club. “Over recent years, David has proved himself to be the best in the world and a vital part of our plans as we look to take Manchester United back to where it belongs. David is a fantastic person and his outstanding quality provides the perfect base to our defence”
MILAN: Inter Milan president Steven Zhang said on Tuesday he was ready to shake up European football with his youthful energy and enthusiasm after being elected onto the board of the European Club Association (ECA). Zhang, 27, becomes the first Chinese among the 24 board members of the ECA which represents 246 clubs, elected on a four-year mandate until 2023. “I’m young, but age doesn’t matter,” Zhang told journalists in Geneva after his election. “I bring my energy and my enthusiasm, new ideas to European football. I feel ready at my age for the new job.” Zhang – appointed Inter president last October – is the son of Zhang Jindong, chairman of the Chinese Suning Commerce Group, who own a controlling stake in Inter since 2016. “Suning have been in football for five or six years, I have been in charge of Inter for three. I’m still in a learning phase,” continued Zhang. “I can offer my freshness, my competence and even a global vision of football. “I started working very young and I
went ahead step by step. My age is not exceptional at all. In the United States and China many young entrepreneurs hold management positions. The new generation is full of energy and ideas. “Football can no longer be limited to the 90 minutes of the game. Technology, video clips and social networks are increasingly important.” Zhang also believes three-time former European champions Inter can turn back the clock under new coach Antonio Conte as they embark on a second consecutive Champions League campaign. The 18-time Italian league champions last won Serie A in 2010, the year they also won the Champions League, when under Jose Mourinho they became the first Italian team to clinch the treble. “We have a great coach, who only arrived a 100 days ago, and we are supporting him 200%,” he said. “We have bought many young players and even if I know everyone is enthusiastic and would like to win the Scudetto and the Champions League immediately, we must give him time to work. The results will come.”
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September 15-30, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS
Singapore air ‘unhealthy’ ahead of F1 race Singapore, September 14, 2019 -Pollution from forest fires in Indonesia pushed Singapore’s air quality to unhealthy levels for the first time in three years on Saturday, the government said, a week ahead of the Formula One night race in the city. The toxic smoke caused by burning to clear land for plantations is an annual problem for Indonesia’s neighbours but has been worsened this year by particularly dry weather. “There has been a deterioration in the haze conditions in Singapore this afternoon,” the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a statement. “This was due to a confluence of winds over the nearby region that led to more smoke haze from Sumatra being blown toward Singapore,” it said, referring to one of the Indonesian islands where fires are raging.
The NEA said the pollutant standards index (PSI) worsened to 112 in parts of the island Saturday night. An index reading between 101-200 is considered unhealthy, with residents advised against doing prolonged strenuous exercises outdoors. Singapore may continue to experience hazy conditions over the next few days, the agency warned. The city-state of 5.6 million people was shrouded in a thin white haze, with a few residents seen wearing face masks, but there was no major disruption to daily activities. The F1 race is scheduled from Friday to Sunday on a street circuit in the Marina Bay financial district. Singapore GP, the Formula One organisers, said the possibility of haze
is one of the potential issues covered in their contingency plan for this year’s grand prix. “The plan was formulated and refined with stakeholders, government bodies and the Formula One community,” Singapore GP said in an emailed statement. “In the event that the haze causes visibility, public health or operational issues, Singapore GP would work closely with the relevant agencies before making any collective decisions regarding the event.” Neighbouring Malaysia has also been affected by the smoke, with air quality in parts of the country including the capital Kuala Lumpur reaching unhealthy levels over the past few days and triggering a diplomatic row with Jakarta.
In 2015, the index reached “hazardous” levels of more than 300 in Singapore, forcing the closure of schools. Indonesian forest fires were the worst in two decades that year, firing up smog that blanketed large parts of Southeast Asia for weeks.
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2019
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HEALTH
New study links anaemia in early pregnancy to higher autism risk in children LONDON, Sept 20 — New European research has found that women who suffer from anaemia in early pregnancy, a condition which is usually more common in late pregnancy, may give birth to children who have a higher risk of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Carried out by researchers at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, the new study looked at 532,232 Swedish children and their 299,768 mothers to look at what effect the timing of an anaemia diagnosis during pregnancy had on the foetus’ neurodevelopment. In particular, the researchers wanted to investigate if there was an association between an earlier diagnosis of anaemia and a higher risk of intellectual disability (ID), autism, and ADHD in children. The findings, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, showed that children born to mothers who had anaemia diagnosed at the 30th
week of pregnancy or before had a higher risk of developing autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability, compared to children born to mothers diagnosed with anaemia later in pregnancy and mothers who were not diagnosed at all. More specifically, of the children born to mothers who suffered from anaemia at week 30 or earlier, 4.9 per cent were diagnosed with autism, compared to 3.5 per cent of children born to healthy mothers. In addition, 9.3 per cent were diagnosed with ADHD, and 3.1 per cent were diagnosed with intellectual disability, compared to 7.1 per cent and 1.3 per cent, respectively, of children born to non-anaemic mothers. After taking into account potentially influencing factors such as the mother’s age and income level, the researchers concluded that children born to mothers with early anaemia had a 44 per cent higher chance of autism compared to children with
non-anaemic mothers. The risk of ADHD was 37 per cent higher and the risk of intellectual disability was 120 per cent higher. However, the same associations were not found between these health conditions and anaemia diagnosed toward the end of pregnancy, which the researchers say highlights the importance of early screening to determine a woman’s iron status and if she needs to adjust her iron intake. The researchers noted that around 15 to 20 per cent of pregnant women worldwide suffer from iron deficiency anaemia, which is when the blood’s ability to carry oxygen is reduced, often due to a lack of iron. However, the large majority of anaemia diagnoses are made toward the end of pregnancy, as the rapidly growing foetus takes up a lot of iron from the mother. In this study, less than 1 per cent of all mothers were diagnosed with early anaemia.
“A diagnosis of anaemia earlier in pregnancy might represent a more severe and long-lasting nutrition deficiency for the foetus,” says Renee Gardner, the study’s lead researcher. “Different parts of the brain and nervous system develop at different times during pregnancy, so an earlier exposure to anaemia might affect the brain differently compared to a later exposure. “The National Institute of Health in the US recommends 18 mg of iron per day for adult women and 27 mg per day during pregnancy. However, as excessive iron intake can be toxic, pregnant women should discuss their iron intake with their midwife or doctor.
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September 15-30, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
Misc Asia Asia’s beaches go quiet as Chinese tourists stay home BANGKOK: A boom in Chinese outbound travel in recent years that stoked tourism across Southeast Asia is now in reverse gear. The abrupt decline of Chinese travellers is becoming a painful lesson for nations such as Thailand and Indonesia that had become overly dependent on Asia’s top economy. “The slump in Chinese arrivals and tourism spending is being felt throughout the region,” said Kampon Adireksombat, Bangkok-based head of economic and financial market research at Siam Commercial Bank. “There’s always a concentration risk when relying on one market, and many countries may not be able to find a replacement for growth fast enough.” “The slump is expected to continue in 2020 if the trade war continues to weigh down the Chinese economy,”he said. Rising incomes over the past decade fuelled the wanderlust of middle class Chinese consumers, making them the world’s largest outbound travel market, according to a McKinsey report. As Mandarin-speaking tours, Chinese eateries and Chinese mobile payment services mushroomed from Danang to Yogyakarta, these travellers thronged to Southeast Asian hotspots, lured by their proximity and familiar cuisines. The pullback now threatens the tourism industry with pockets of overcapacity, after companies and local governments doubled down and poured millions of dollars into expanding resorts, hotels and travel facilities. Unrealistic expectations The decline is already showing up in some hotel operators’ results. Thailand’s Central Plaza Hotel reported a softening of its hotel business
in the second quarter due to decreasing Chinese demand, Ronnachit Mahattanapruet, the company’s senior vice president, said at an investor briefing last month. Occupancy in its Thai properties dropped 7% in the quarter, and the Bangkok-based operator has 2,040 rooms in the pipeline to add to its existing portfolio of 6,678 rooms. The Thai capital is also expecting a new Ritz Carlton by 2023 as part of a US$3.9 billion development, while Hilton will manage two hotels due for 2022 opening. On Phuket island, a favourite for beachfront weddings and scuba diving, there will be 18% more hotel rooms by 2024, according to consultancy C9 Hotelworks.
became the biggest group of visitors to the region, adding US$403.7 billion to its gross domestic product in 2018. In Thailand and the Philippines, tourism grew to account for over a fifth of their GDP, twice the global average. The boom dissipated in the first half of this year as China’s economy slowed, its yuan weakened to historically low levels, and an ongoing US-China trade war weighed on consumer confidence. The decline is also affecting China’s economy at home, as big-ticket purchases like cars and luxury goods slow. While China’s domestic problems are key, factors in each Southeast Asian country are compounding the decline.
ing a sustained decline. Malaysia’s number of Chinese tourists grew 6.2% in the first half of the year to 1.55 million, according to official data. In the Philippines, tourism infrastructure and facilities are relatively under-developed, so it’s not seeing any pull back in hospitality projects, said Richard Laneda, gaming and property analyst at COL Financial Group. Still, the slowdown in tourism weakens another growth pillar for Southeast Asia at a time when exports are taking a knock from the trade war. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its July outlook pared back its forecast for growth in the region’s top five economies to 5% from 5.1% in its April report, signalling a further slowdown.
International arrivals in Thailand this year so far have grown only 2%, data from Thai tourism ministry show.
The Thai baht has strengthened the most against the yuan this year among emerging-market currencies, making travel more expensive for Chinese tourists.
“The supply was based on people’s unrealistic expectations,” said C9’S managing director Bill Barnett.
A boat accident last year that killed 47 Chinese tourists off the island of Phuket also damaged confidence.
Countries are now trying to diversify their outreach efforts to lure visitors from other nations.
In Singapore, casino operators Las Vegas Sands and Genting Singapore announced a US$9 billion expansion of their resorts earlier this year after the country’s skyline was beamed across cineplexes as the setting of the Hollywood hit “Crazy Rich Asians.”
In Bali, the tourism promotion board’s deputy chairman, Ngurah Wijaya, sees the hotspot as a victim of its own success.
Thailand waived visa fees for Indian tourists earlier this year and airline and hotel operators are trying to boost connections between the two countries.
“Internal problems like traffic jams are among the main causes of the decline of Chinese tourists,” he said, adding that those who are still coming are staying fewer days and spending less.
Vietnam, where Chinese tourists accounted for a third of 15 million foreign visitors last year, is setting up tourism promotion offices in the UK and Australia, while direct flights between India and Vietnam are being planned for October.
Marriott International has 140 hotels in the pipeline across the region, with plans to more than triple its portfolio by 2023 in the Philippines, whose white-sand beaches and turquoise waters are such a draw that the island of Boracay had to close last year for upgrades to its sewage system. Chinese boom Enamoured with the sights made famous in hit movies such as Summer Holiday,a 2000 Chinese romantic comedy film set on Malaysia’s palm-fringed Redang Island, Chinese travellers
“It also seems like they have started to get bored with Bali.” Bilateral tensions after a Chinese ship surveyed underwater oil-and-gas blocks claimed by Vietnam in July may have contributed to the decline in tourists from China, said Vietnamtourism-Vitours’ deputy general director Le Tan Thanh Tung. To be sure, not every country is fac-
Outreach efforts
But in the short to medium term at least, the hole left behind by Chinese travellers seems too large to fill. “Chinese tourists are the largest group of visitors by numbers,” said the Bali Promotion Board’s Wijaya. “Even the rise in holiday makers from other countries cannot compensate for their absence.”
Georgia Asian Times September 15-30, 2019
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Misc Asia
Indonesian pulls strings to revive near-dead puppet art form BOGOR: It’s a warm night in Indonesia and the air is filled with excitement as villagers watch a puppet show accompanied by traditional music. To the rhythmic beat of cymbals, drums and a bamboo harmonica, the hand-held puppets wearing brightly coloured batik headdresses and sarongs fight, and one gets flung off the stage. This vivid performance is the brainchild of Drajat Iskandar, who has been lending a hand to revive the near-extinct art of “wayang bambu,” or bamboo puppetry. Once enjoyed by generations of Sundanese, Indonesia’s second most-populous ethnic group who originate from the central island of Java, the delicate art has almost disappeared from modern stages. Iskandar, 47, has updated his
bamboo puppets by making them three-dimensional, unlike conventional two-dimensional ones. This is done by weaving bamboo strips together to form an intricate head and torso fixed over two perpendicular bamboo sticks. The puppet is then dressed in a headdress and sarong. The narratives Iskandar’s puppet troupe perform are also updated to reflect modern society, instead of the usual stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. “I try to portray local stories and folklore from our community with bamboo puppets,” Iskandar said. “The stories we perform are also inspired by current issues, like brawls between students, drug problems, sexual freedom, and politics.”
Iskandar learned the art of “wayang bambu” from his father, who was also a puppeteer. A former artist, he started developing his own “wayang bambu” style of performance nearly two decades ago. Now he has a full puppet troupe, along with an orchestra of twelve musicians that accompany each show and has been training pupils to preserve the art form. Iskandar and his pupils regularly visit a bamboo grove near his home to gather materials to assemble new puppets and make the minor repairs needed after the sometimes frenetic shows. He says bookings for his troupe’s performances have steadily increased over the years. They’re also a hit since they perform in the Sundanese language.
“Members of the community, from children to the elderly, can understand and enjoy this new form of Sundanese culture, and the storyline is also very interesting,” said Pupung Syaiful Rohman, a resident of Ciapus village, in West Java province, where the recent performance was staged.
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September 15-30, 2019 Georgia Asian Times
TRAVEL
Terracota warriors: The silent sentinels of Xian In 1974, fragments of terracotta statues were discovered by a farmer digging a well in a field outside of the Chinese city of Xian. A discovery that changed the course of the city and unearthed the largest pottery statue collection to be found. While the Terracotta Warriors are the main attraction, Xian too, offers a chance to experience a welcoming and well-run Chinese city. Getting there To take the stress out of travel with kids, a guide is always a good option for excursions in China. Byranbai Private Tour provides a fantastic service and is highly rated on TripAdvisor. While there is some information on the Terracotta Army in English, a good guide is so much more informational, and will always have first-hand experience that can’t be learned without experience, like tips on how to avoid crowds. Your guide will advise a departure time from the hotel at 7.30am. A perfect time to leave as the drive takes under an hour, and more importantly, you arrive just in time to beat the tour buses. This lets you view the warriors before the crowds amass, as opening time is 8.30am. The Terracotta warriors The warriors had all been damaged and were in small pieces when found by archaeologists, so they begun the difficult task of piecing them together.
Individual pits within the site show the different stages of reconstruction, even one called the Terracotta Warrior Hospital. The reconstructed warriors stand in their original rows, many still without their heads. History has it that, Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the unifier of what is now known as China, appeared to be a mad visionary. His plans for the region were eccentric for the times, but what made him even more bizarre was the amount of time and resources he lavished on trying to live forever. Apparently, hundreds of thousands of craftsmen took decades to finish the terracotta army necropolis; and craftsman too familiar with the location of the site were not left alive long enough to reveal its location. The warriors and their horses have been buried underground for over 2,000 years, since the death and burial of the emperor in 210 BC. No two sculptures are alike, with each piece heralding incredible detail: hairstyle, facial features and even clothing depict warriors from the different regions of China and soldiers of varying ranks. This is a surviving testament to how people dressed, looked like and what they did from thousands of years ago. However, the tomb has not been excavated as archaeologists fear doing irreparable damage.
Apparently, the warriors were originally painted, but the unearthing of the warriors has caused oxidisation, fading paint, therefore the archaeologists have decided to leave the warrior fragments in the ground until a time when the technology is available to help preserve the paint. What else can be found at the site? You will find the bronze chariots and horses on display along with some high-ranking officers, however apparently some items in the display are replicas. Practical family tips When travelling with kids, a good guide is invaluable. Things like toilets and interesting kid-friendly facts can help make or break a day and if the guide is any good they will know this. For families, it is a good idea to take a stroller or a backpack for carrying kids. There is a lot of walking, from the entrance, there is about a 10 minute walk to the pits. It is difficult for the kids to appre-
ciate the significance of the site, but kids eight years and older can start to get an understanding of what they are seeing. Getting there early is super important due to the sheer numbers who come to view the warriors. Pit One is the largest and most impressive but also the most crowded, so for any chance of a view arrive before the buses. Apparently, lunch time can be a bit quieter. There are plenty of places to shop and eat around the site, including famous chains like Starbucks. The trick with a guide is that they will know where to find the really authentic and cheap places to eat. It is expensive to shop here, so the better option is to shop for souvenirs in the city. There is public transport available to the warriors, and hotels offer guides and transport, but do your own research on good guides and drivers in the region, it is sometimes cheaper and a better option than what the hotels can offer. It is easy with the terracotta warriors to combine that destination with other sights to make a day of it.