Daily Dose: 10/23/08
October 23, 2008
» AsianWeek Market Report
» Flue Shots Important for API Seniors
» National Wholesale Liquidators to Pay $255,000 to Abused South Asian Employees
» Saigon Grill Workers Win Suit for Fair Wages
» Chinese Christians Rally to Support Prop 8
» Arcadia APA Teen is Queen of 120th Rose Parade
» 10th Annual Sister of Fire Awards: Rooted and Rising
» Kulintang Stateside
» 15th Annual Filipino American Cinefest
» China Dismisses Yao ‘Retirement’ Rumors
» Microsoft Turning Pirated Copies of Windows XP Black in Chin
» Calif. Rep. Lieu Receives ‘Outstanding Chinese American’ Award
» Jailed Chinese Activist Wins EU Human Rights Award
» Poisoned ‘Cup Noodle’ Snack Makes Japanese Woman Ill
Compiled by Ellis Song and Andrew Lee
AsianWeek Market Report
| AsianWeek Market Report | ||||
| Asian Stock Indexes | ||||
| NIKKEI 225 | Tokyo | 8,460.98 | -213.71 | -2.46% |
| HANG SENG | Hong Kong | 13,760.49 | -506.11 | -3.55% |
| KRX | Busan | 2,233.13 | -168.54 | -7.02% |
| SSE IX | Shanghai | 6,325.31 | 47.26 | 0.75% |
| BSE | Bombay | 9,771.70 | -398.20 | -3.92% |
| HOSE | Ho Chi Minh | 360.43 | -14.48 | -3.86% |
| SET | Bangkok | 323.44 | -11.41 | -3.41% |
| Asian American Market Report | ||||
| Yahoo! | YHOO | 11.75 | -0.63 | (-5.08%) |
| Citigroup | C | 12.62 | -0.68 | (-5.18%) |
| Amkor Technology, Inc | AMKR | 3.60 | -0.39 | (-9.77%) |
| Sybase | SY | 24.58 | -1.10 | (-4.01%) |
| UnionBancal Corp | UB | 73.42 | 0.05 | (0.07%) |
| East West Bank corp,Inc | EWBC | 12.30 | -1.61 | (-11.79%) |
NATION
Flue Shots Important for API Seniors
As the leaves fall from the trees, the days get shorter and the temperatures get colder, now is the time for Asian Pacific Islander (API) seniors to get their flu shots.
Researchers from the National Institute of Health say that seniors (as well as children and those with medical conditions) have the highest risk for potentially life-threatening complications from the flu. That, coupled with statistics showing nearly half of all API seniors 65 and older do not get flu shots, makes getting the message out all the more important.
“There are many reasons why an API senior may choose not to get a flu shot, ranging from fear to cost,” says Clayton Fong, President and C.E.O. of the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA). “We need to make sure that they and everyone else knows a person cannot get the flu from a flu shot, and that if they are covered by Medicare Part B, the flu shots will be given free.”
National Wholesale Liquidators to Pay $255,000 to Abused South Asian Employees
NEW YORK — A Hempstead, N.Y.-based chain of retail discount stores, National Wholesale Liquidators, Inc., will pay $255,000 and agree to injunctive relief to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC had charged that the company subjected employees to a hostile work environment based on their race, national origin and religion and sexually harassed an employee.
In its lawsuit, the EEOC said a National Wholesale Liquidators store manager subjected South Asian workers to taunts about their national origin and religion. The EEOC also charged that the store manager sexually harassed a female employee. The woman, a Sikh, was told by the manager to remove her turban because she “would appear sexier without it.”
“The EEOC hopes this settlement encourages employers to take steps to educate their managers and employees,” said Margaret A. Malloy, the EEOC trial attorney assigned to the case. “Harassing employees based on national origin, sex or religion is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
EEOC New York District Director Spencer H. Lewis said, “This case should remind employers to take seriously allegations of harassment, especially where managers in positions of authority are involved in the misconduct.”
Saigon Grill Workers Win Suit for Fair Wages
NEW YORK — A crowd carrying signs reading “Justice is Served for Saigon Grill Delivery Workers” gathered Wednesday afternoon outside the restaurant on the corner of W. 90th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, proclaiming the end of a long spat between workers and employees over unfair wages.
For two years, members of the Chinese Staff and Workers’ Association stood on that same corner weekly, demanding fair wages for restaurant employees. When the restaurant fired 36 employees last March after they refused to sign an affidavit stating that they received minimum wage, the group filed a lawsuit against the restaurant owners, Simon and Michelle Nget, alleging payment far below the state minimum wage of $4.85 for delivery workers. Some workers say they received as little as $1.65 an hour.
The gathering marked the end of a trying period that resulted in the Ngets being charged with federal and state labor law violations. They were ordered to pay their workers $4.6 million in compensation.
— CU Columbia Spectator
BAY/CALIFORNIA
Chinese Christians Rally to Support Prop 8
CUPERTINO, Calif. — More than 4,000 Chinese Christians from about 100 churches across the San Francisco Bay Area gathered Oct. 19 in Cupertino’s Memorial Park to support Proposition 8 that would overturn the legality of same-sex marriage in California.
The Sing Tao Daily reports that the Chinese Christians were all wearing red T-shirts with “marriage, one man and one woman” printed in both English and Chinese, and were waving yellow boards that said “Yes on 8.”
Rev. Thomas Wang told the gathering that the next generation needs role models of “father” and “mother.” He said the traditional concept of marriage, which is between one man and one woman, must be protected in order to make a healthy environment for the next generation, protect social stability and reduce the chance of people getting AIDS.
Three other Chinese Christian gatherings were held in Los Angeles and San Diego the same day.
— Sing Tao Daily
Arcadia APA Teen is Queen of 120th Rose Parade
Seventeen-year-old Courtney Chou Lee of Arcadia, Calif., was chosen to be the queen of the 120th Tournament of Roses.
Lee and six princesses will ride a float at the New Year’s Day parade.
Lee was chosen from approximately 1,000 women in a three-week process.
— Associated Press
10th Annual Sister of Fire Awards: Rooted and Rising
EVENT: Women of Color Resource Center’s 10th Annual Sisters of Fire Awards: Rooted and Rising
DESCRIPTION: Each year WCRC celebrates the achievements of women who provide exemplary leadership in community organizing, political advocacy, the arts, and social analysis.
DETAILS: Free, Oct. 26, 11 AM to 2 PM, 2 Broadway, Oakland, Calif.
CONTACT: (510) 444-2700, www.coloredgirls.org
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT
Kulintang Stateside
EVENT: Kularts Presents Kulintang Stateside
DESCRIPTION: Kularts presents a weekend melding traditional Philippine gong music with the industrial sounds of electronica and jazz.
DETAILS: $13 advance; $15-20 sliding scale at the door, Nov. 1: 8 PM, Nov. 2: 7 PM, Bayanihan Community Center, 1010 Mission St., San Francisco
CONTACT: Info: (415)239-0249, www.kularts.org. Tickets: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/42648
15th Annual Filipino American Cinefest
EVENT: 15th Annual Filipino American Cinefest
DESCRIPTION: Filipino American artists will celebrate their own cinema with the premiere of at least nine new works.
DETAILS: Free, Oct. 31, 1-5 PM, Nov. 1, 3-6 PM, 100 Larkin St., San Francisco.
CONTACT: (415) 756-7331, mftworks@hotmail.com
SPORTS
China Dismisses Yao ‘Retirement’ Rumors
Chinese basketball officials have denied local media reports that NBA All-Star Yao Ming is set to retire from international basketball.
The 2.286-meter (7 feet 6 inches) tall Houston Rockets center has always insisted on representing his country as well as playing in the NBA, a year-round schedule which critics say makes him vulnerable to the injuries that have hampered his career.
The 28-year-old said before the Olympics in August that Beijing would be his last Games. A report in a Shanghai newspaper this week said he no longer felt able to commit his time to the national team.
“We do not know anything about this,” Hu Jiashi, deputy director of the Chinese Basketball Association, told the China Daily newspaper. “He has never told us of his intention of retiring. Never.” Yao’s China agent said the report was irresponsible.
A six-time All-Star and China’s most popular and wealthiest sportsman, Yao led his country to eighth place at the Olympics.
— Reuters
COMMERCE
Microsoft Turning Pirated Copies of Windows XP Black in China
The latest update to Windows XP detects unauthorized copies and turns the desktop black. It also sends intermittent messages to the user to go legal.
While the update is happening worldwide, it seems to be part of a plan to address Chinese piracy, The Wall Street Journal reports. As part of the Chinese initiative, Microsoft has radically dropped the price of XP to less than $30 for the home version.
“We do not stand up for piracy, but against your company for not thinking how the users feel,” wrote one blogger, called Ling Ge, in an open letter to Microsoft.
— ZDnet
Calif. Rep. Lieu Receives ‘Outstanding Chinese American’ Award
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) has been recognized by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and the Chinese Consolidated Women’s Association as one of their “Outstanding Chinese Americans of the Year” for his success as a Chinese American legislator and for his leadership as Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus in the California Legislature.
“I am proud to receive this distinguished award from these esteemed organizations that have protected the rights of Chinese Americans since 1854,” Lieu said. “It is an honor to earn this recognition.”
Lieu will receive his award at the “56th Annual Overseas Chinese Day Celebration” to be held on Friday, Oct. 17, at 6:00 p.m., at the Far East Restaurant of San Francisco.
“Each year, we acknowledge significant contributions of distinguished Chinese Americans who have achieved excellence in their fields, and whose work has greatly impacted their counterparts in the United States,” said Jayne Leon, president of the Chinese Consolidated Women’s Association.
Lieu represents the 53rd Assembly District, which includes El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Marina Del Rey, and portions of the City of Los Angeles.
GLOBAL
Jailed Chinese Activist Wins EU Human Rights Award
In a move designed to shine a spotlight on Beijing’s poor human rights record, the European Union today awarded a prestigious human rights award to an outspoken Chinese activist currently languishing in a Chinese jail.
The awarding of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to 35-year-old Hu Jia represents a challenge to the Communist regime’s often heavy-handed approach to social control. It also comes shortly after the Beijing Olympics, when China’s pledge to improve its human rights record fell short in some people’s eyes.
Hu was sentenced in April for “incitement to subvert state power,” a broadly worded charge the regime often uses against critics and dissidents. The activist has angered Beijing by campaigning for political prisoners, spotlighting torture and aiding victims of injustice, including those hurt by industrial pollution, repressive medical policies and violation of civil rights.
— Los Angeles Times
China Envoy’s Trip to Taiwan Still On Despite Attack
BEIJING — China’s top negotiator on Taiwan policy said a trip to the island was still on despite this week’s attack on a visiting Chinese official, and Taiwan suggested that the visit will start in two weeks.
Zhang Mingqing, vice chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, was pushed to the ground on Tuesday by anti-China activists during a visit to southern Taiwan. A day earlier, he was heckled by about 200 demonstrators, telling him to go back to China.
China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Beijing has vowed to bring the island back under mainland rule, by force if necessary.
Zhang cut his trip short by one day, flying back to China on Wednesday, and throwing into doubt the timing of a visit by China’s top negotiator, Chen Yunlin.
In Taipei, government officials said on Thursday they had recommended that Chen visit for five days from Nov. 3.
Chen and his Taiwan counterpart, P.K. Chiang, will negotiate on additional direct flights, direct cargo routes and food safety in light of the recent tainted milk powder scandal in China.
Taiwan’s top negotiator visited Beijing in June for the first round of formal talks since China-friendly Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May, easing decades of hostility.
— Reuters
Poisoned ‘Cup Noodle’ Snack Makes Japanese Woman Ill
A Japanese woman was made ill after eating instant noodles laced with the chemical used in mothballs, a health official said on Thursday, in the latest food scare to hit the country.
The woman, 67, vomited on Monday after eating the popular “Cup Noodle” snack, made by Nissin Food Products Co Ltd, said an official at a public health center in Kanagawa prefecture, near Tokyo. The woman has since recovered.
The case follows a string of food safety scandals in Japan, most recently involving products made in China.
The instant noodles, however, came from a factory in Japan, a Nissin Food spokesman said.
— Reuters
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