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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 2016)
Page 2 n THE ASIAN REPORTER ASIA / PACIFIC September 19, 2016 WHO certifies Sri Lanka a malaria-free nation COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Sri Lanka as a malaria-free nation, in what it called a “truly remarkable” achievement. WHO regional director Poonam Khetrapal Singh said in a statement that Sri Lanka was among the most malaria-affected countries in the mid-20th century. WHO said Sri Lanka began an anti-malaria campaign that successfully targeted the mosquito-borne parasite that causes the disease, not just mosquitoes. Health education and effective surveillance also helped the campaign. “Sri Lanka’s achievement is truly remarkable,” the WHO statement said. “The change in strategy was unorthodox, but highly effective. Mobile malaria clinics in high transmission areas meant that prompt and effective treatment could reduce the parasite reservoir and the possibility of further transmission.” It said no locally transmitted cases of malaria have been recorded in the country for three-and-a-half years. To prevent parasites re-entering the country, the anti-malaria campaign is working with local and international partners to maintain surveillance and screening, it said. WELL-ROUNDED CONTESTANT. Newly crowned Miss World Japan, Priyanka Yoshikawa, left, rides an elephant in the Mekong River in Luang Prabang, Laos, in this March 8, 2016 file photo. Yoshikawa is hardly a typical Japanese woman. Being half-Indian is only a part of that. Yoshikawa, who was crowned September 5, has a certificate in elephant training, teaches English to children, enjoys kickboxing, and volunteers as a translator at medical meetings. (Prianka Yoshikawa via AP, File) Newly crowned Miss Japan is proud of Indian roots Police shut 800 clothes shops for ‘inappropriate’ goods By Mari Yamaguchi TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s state television says police have shut down more than 800 clothing stores across the country for selling “unconventional and inappropriate” attire — believed to mean western-style outfits and women’s clothing that do not meet strict Islamic requirements. The report said the raids took place over a 10-day span after authorities first sent official warnings to merchants in more than 3,600 shops. Iranian police and state TV have in recent weeks campaigned against selling secondhand clothes, which are considered “unhygienic,” as well as clothes with the English language printed on them. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution brought Islamists to power in Iran, women are required to cover from head-to-toe in loose-fitting, simple overcoats that hide the feminine shape. They are also required to cover their head with a scarf. The Associated Press Samsung quick fix for the Note 7: no full recharge SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Reports say Samsung plans to issue a software update for its recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphones that will prevent them from overheating by limiting battery recharges to under 60 percent. Yonhap News and other South Korean media reported, citing Samsung Electronics, that the company will issue a software update for any users of the Note 7 who may be disregarding its recall notice and continuing to use the smartphone. The company plans to begin issuing new Note 7s with batteries it says will not be prone to overheating beginning September 19. Earlier this month, Samsung recalled 2.5 million Note 7s, citing fire risks from the smartphone’s battery. It said the problem stemmed from a manufacturing error. Samsung did not answer e-mails and calls seeking confirmation of the reports. Animal sacrifices turn streets into rivers of blood DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Large-scale animal sacrifices marking the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha combined with heavy rains have turned the streets of Bangladesh’s capital into rivers of blood. Authorities in Dhaka desig- nated several places in the city where residents could slaughter animals, but heavy downpours meant few people could use those areas. Muslims tradition- ally mark Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, by slaughtering livestock. Usually a goat, sheep, or a cow is killed to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s test of faith. The meat of the sacrificed animals is shared among family and friends and poor people who cannot afford to sacrifice animals as a gesture of generosity to promote social harmony. Dhaka residents used parking lots, garages, and alleys to kill the animals and the blood flowed into the flooded streets, turning them into rivers of blood. Flooding is common in Dhaka, an overcrowded city of more than 10 million people, because of poor drainage systems. China’s electric vehicle industry shaken by scandal BEIJING (AP) — China’s electric vehicle industry, a flagship for Beijing’s technology ambitions, has been rocked by scandal after five companies were caught collecting millions of dollars in subsidies for busses they never made. The affair of the phantom busses has prompted questions about whether the ruling Communist Party’s financial support to an industry it is spending heavily to promote might be disrupted. The Finance Ministry announced that five manufacturers were fined for fraudulently collecting a total of more than 1 billion yuan ($120 million) in subsidies. Chinese news reports, citing unidentified industry sources, say as many as 20 others might be in trouble. The government gave no indication whether managers at the companies might be prosecuted. The Finance Ministry said 90 companies were investigated but didn’t identify any of the others. Sony promises VR music video, other entertainment content TOKYO (AP) — The head of Sony Corp.’s video game division says the Japa- nese electronics and entertainment company is readying not just games but also music, movies, and other kinds of entertainment for its Virtual Reality (VR) headgear, set to go on sale next month. Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia president Atsushi Morita appeared at a Tokyo event ahead of the opening of the Tokyo Game Show annual exhibition. The latest in video games, including VR, was on display at the show. One of the VR experiences being promised is a music video that’s a collaboration between the “Biohazard” horror game, called “Resident Evil” in the U.S., from Japanese game maker Capcom, and L’Arc-en-Ciel, a Japanese rock band, that takes advantage of VR technology’s illusion of 3-D and 360-degree surround imagery. OKYO — The newly crowned Miss World Japan is hardly a typical Japa- nese woman. Being half-Indian is only part of it. Priyanka Yoshikawa, crowned after out- shining more than 6,900 other applicants, has a certificate in elephant training, teaches Eng- lish to children, enjoys kickboxing, and volun- teers as a translator at medical meetings. The 22-year-old is preparing for the worldwide pageant in Washington, D.C. in November. Being fitted for a couture gown for the event is part of the program, but fashion plays a small role in Yoshikawa’s life. And she doesn’t want to fit into any stereotype. She told The Associated Press that being in a beauty contest is a way to achieve her ambitions: Go to Bollywood, while pursuing her goal of building a children’s home in India. A national debate was sparked in largely homogeneous Japan last year when Ariana Miyamoto, a half-American of African descent, was chosen Miss Universe Japan, another international beauty contest. Miyamoto faced criticism that she doesn’t look Japanese enough, even though she mostly grew up in Japan and speaks the language perfectly. So far, Yoshikawa has faced less criticism. She said her victory is perhaps a sign that Japan is becoming more tolerant of diversity. “I think (being mixed race) is getting more acceptable,” she said, citing her victory as the second in a row. It’s a matter of “who can represent your country (best) and I think that’s the answer,” she said after a fitting at a Tokyo dressmaker’s office and discussing the T design of her gown for the November event. She did think about her identity at length, but being called hafu, or half, a term in Japanese for people of mixed race, doesn’t bother her, though it sometimes has negative connotations. Her roots have expanded her cultural experiences and perspective, she said. While travelling in other parts of Asia, she is often mistaken as a local, while in Japan she is constantly scrutinized, Yoshikawa said. Japanese people seem to have stereotypes of how Japanese, Asians, or Americans should look. “I just let it go ... you can be anything now. We are all the same human beings.” Japanese with foreign roots or cultural backgrounds have faced discrimination, though less so as global exchanges prompt more international marriages. Mixed-race Japanese Olympians earned medals for Japan at the Rio Games. Yoshikawa, who has an Indian father and a Japanese mother, grew up mostly in Japan but spent one year in India and three years in America. She says living overseas gave her a broader perspective, but that she still calls Japan home. What struck her the most was a year in Kolkata. As a nine-year-old girl, she saw her peers living in poverty, up close. “That totally changed my life. If I didn’t live in India, or India was not inside me or part of me, I don’t think I would have been here talking as Miss World Japan,” she said. “Living in India has changed everything, how I see the world, how I want to live, my vision.” After returning to Japan with her family, cleanliness and safety struck her again. She said the stark difference inspired her to work for a change — to improve the lives of children Continued on page 16 Asian Currency Exchange Rates Units per U.S. dollar as of 9/16 Tu Phan Call for: Refinances Purchases Offering: FHA/VA/Conventional Mortgages NMLS # 1071 MLO # 7916 12550 S.E. 93rd Avenue Suite 350 Clackamas, OR 97015 (503) 496-5718 <tphan@financeofamerica.com> <www.financeofamerica.com> Bangladesh Taka· · Cambodian Riel · · China Renminbi · · Fijian Dollar · · · · Hong Kong Dollar · Indian Rupee · · · · Indonesian Rupiah · Iranian Rial · · · · Japanese Yen · · · Laos New Kip · · · Malaysian Ringgit · Nepal Rupee · · · · Pakistani Rupee · · Papua N.G. Kina · · Philippine Peso· · · Russian Ruble · · · Saudi Riyal· · · · · Singapore Dollar · · South Korean Won · Sri Lankan Rupee · Taiwan Dollar · · · Thai Baht · · · · · Vietnam Dong · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 78.31 4053.0 6.6721 2.0595 7.7586 66.985 13155 30080 102.29 8076.0 4.1305 107.22 104.39 3.1683 47.845 65.285 3.7513 1.3681 1126.5 145.63 31.634 34.93 22301