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South Korean Olympic champion suspended for “marred the dignity of athletes”

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South Korean Olympic champion suspended for “marred the dignity of athletes”

According to AP, two-time Olympic short-track champion Shim Suk-hee has been suspended for two months over her text messages that authorities say “marred the dignity of athletes,” a decision that could bar her from attending the Beijing Winter Olympics.

After the 2018 Olympics, Shim garnered headlines by accusing another former coach of raping her amid a growing #MeToo movement in South Korea. Her revelation encouraged other female athletes to speak up about the alleged abuse they suffered from their coaches.

The Korea Staking Union said Wednesday it decided to suspend Shim from the national team during a disciplinary meeting held Tuesday.

Shim can appeal the ruling to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee or file for an injunction with a local court. Even if either of them accepts her appeal, the Korea Staking Union isn’t obliged to overturn or lessen its penalty immediately and can hold another internal meeting to discuss whether to include her in the national team, according to the skating union.

This possible lengthy process suggests it’s difficult for Shim to go to Beijing as the Olympics are to open on Feb. 4 and South Korea’s Olympic committee plans to submit its short-track entry list on Jan. 24.

In October, Shim was cut from the team after a local media reported what it described as text messages exchanged between her and her coach that insulted two teammates and suggested she might have deliberately tripped one of them, Choi Min-jeong, during 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games.

After the messages were exchanged, Shim and Choi indeed did take each other out amid a desperate late charge in the 1,000-meter race. Shim was later disqualified and Choi was ranked fourth.

The Korea Staking Union said it hasn’t found evidence proving Shim intentionally tripped Choi.

Kim Seong-cheol, head of a Korea Skating Union committee that determined Shim’s two-month suspension, said she received the penalty because her messages invited public criticism and undermined the dignity of other athletes, according to the union.

Cho Hang-min, the coach who exchanged the messages with Shim, was suspended for six months.

Shim’s agency couldn’t immediately respond to a request for comments on the suspension. The 24-year-old previously apologized to Choi but denied she deliberately tripped her.

Choi and Shim are both top South Korean short track skaters. Shim won Olympic gold medals in the 3,000-meter relay in 2014 and 2018. Choi won gold medals in the 3,000-meter relay and the 1,500-meter race at Pyeongchang.

Hong Kong’s famous ‘Pillar of Shame’ statue removed from university

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Hong Kong’s famous ‘Pillar of Shame’ statue removed from university

For more than 20 years the “Pillar of Shame” sculpture stood as a memorial to the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, in which the Chinese military crushed protests led by college students in Beijing with deadly force.

Atop a podium in the University of Hong Kong‘s (HKU) campus, the 26-foot-tall (8 meter) statue of contorted human torsos was one of the last iconic memorials to victims of the bloody crackdown remaining on Hong Kong soil.

But around midnight on Thursday, yellow construction barriers were erected around the statue and the sounds of cracking and demolition were heard as the sculpture was removed under the cover of darkness.

Images taken during the removal process show workers wrapping the statue in protective film and lifting it out of the campus on a crane in two distinct parts. The HKU Council, the university’s governing body, said in a statement the sculpture will be held in storage.

A witness said Thursday morning the site of the sculpture is now empty and students have been seen crying on campus following the removal. CNN agreed to not disclose the name of this witness because the person feared retribution from authorities.That fear of retribution is common among those who speak out against authorities in Hong Kong since Beijing imposed the National Security Law on the city in 2020, punishing offenses such as subversion and secession with sentences of up to life in prison.The HKU Council said in a statement the removal “was based on external legal advice and risk assessment for the best interest of the university.”

The sculpture, which stood in the Haking Wong Building of the university, was part of a series of works by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt created in 1997 — the year Hong Kong was returned to China after more than 150 years of British rule. The sculpture includes the inscription: “The old cannot kill the young forever,” and was built to serve “as a warning and a reminder to people of a shameful event which must never reoccur,” according to the description on Galschiøt’s website.

For three decades, Hong Kong has been the only place on Chinese-controlled soil where an annual mass vigil has been held to mark the events in and around Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.The clampdown remains one of the most tightly censored topics in mainland China, with discussions of it scrubbed from mass media.

Chinese authorities have not released an official death toll, but estimates range from several hundred to thousands.

Efforts to preserve the memory of the sculpture are already underway, with art-activist group Lady Liberty Hong Kong creating a 3-D model made using more than 900 photos.

“The idea is that everyone can print a copy it and place it wherever they want,” said Alex Lee, the founder of the group.

“In the digital age, there’s no limitation of what you can do with virtual or physical objects — (the hope is) for everyone to try to preserve this symbol.”

According to Lee, the statue represented something of the fundamental difference between Hong Kong and mainland China. “It (the statue) symbolized that Hong Kong still has room for the freedom of speech and it really means that Hong Kong is still a different part from China,” said Lee. “But then I think right now, that last really small space is gone.”

On Sunday, Hong Kong’s first “China patriots only” legislative election witnessed a record low turnout, reflecting a steep decline in civic and political engagement following Beijing’s overhaul of the city’s electoral processes earlier this year.

Israel announced the discovery of treasures in ancient shipwrecks

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Israel announced the discovery of treasures in ancient shipwrecks

“On the gemstone is engraved an image of the ‘Good Shepherd,’ which is really one of the earliest symbols of Christianity,”

the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Wednesday the discovery of remnants of two shipwrecks off the Mediterranean coast, replete with a sunken trove of hundreds Roman and medieval silver coins.

The finds made near the ancient city of Caesarea were dated to the Roman and Mamluk periods, around 1,700 and 600 years ago, archaeologists said. They include hundreds of Roman silver and bronze coins dating to the mid-third century, as well as more than 500 silver coins from the Middle Ages found amid the sediment.

They were found during an underwater survey conducted by the IAA’s Marine Archaeology Unit in the past two months, said Jacob Sharvit, head of the unit.

Among the other artifacts recovered from the site near the ancient city of Caesarea were figurines, bells, ceramics, and metal artifacts that once belonged to the ships, such as nails and a shattered iron anchor.

The IAA made its announcement just days ahead of Christmas, and underscored the discovery of a Roman gold ring, its green gemstone carved with the figure of a shepherd carrying a sheep on his shoulders.

Robert Cole, head of the authority’s coin department, called the item “exceptional.”

Nearly $100B stolen in pandemic relief funds

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Nearly $100B stolen in pandemic relief funds

“Can we stop fraud? Will we? No, but I think we can definitely prosecute those that need to be prosecuted and we can do our best to recover as much fraudulent pandemic funds that we can,” said Dotson, who is the Secret Service’s assistant special agent in charge of the agency’s field office in Jacksonville, Florida.

According to AP, nearly $100 billion at minimum has been stolen from COVID-19 relief programs set up to help businesses and people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, the U.S. Secret Service said Tuesday.

The estimate is based on Secret Service cases and data from the Labor Department and the Small Business Administration, said Roy Dotson, the agency’s national pandemic fraud recovery coordinator, in an interview. The Secret Service didn’t include COVID-19 fraud cases prosecuted by the Justice Department.

While roughly 3% of the $3.4 trillion dispersed, the amount stolen from pandemic benefits programs shows “the sheer size of the pot is enticing to the criminals,” Dotson said.

Most of that figure comes from unemployment fraud. The Labor Department reported about $87 billion in unemployment benefits could have been paid improperly, with a significant portion attributable to fraud.

The Secret Service said it has seized more than $1.2 billion while investigating unemployment insurance and loan fraud and has returned more than $2.3 billion of fraudulently obtained funds by working with financial partners and states to reverse transactions. The Secret Service says it has more than 900 active criminal investigations into pandemic fraud, with cases in every state, and 100 people have been arrested so far.

The Justice Department said last week that its fraud section had prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and had seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with the proceeds.

NY K-BBQ restaurant plans two Atlanta locations

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NY K-BBQ restaurant plans two Atlanta locations

A rapidly growing Korean barbecue brand has two metro Atlanta restaurants in the works.

KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot will open an intown restaurant at 1715 Howell Mill Rd., within the Howell Mill Square shopping center. KPot will take residence in a roughly 5,000-square-foot space, according to a leasing flyer for the shopping center.

KPot is based in Flushing, N.Y., and first opened in 2018. It currently has six restaurants operating in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The company is planning significant expansion through a franchise program and has at least 17 more locations in development, per its website.

The Kroger-anchored development sits in a part of Atlanta that, with its proximity to Interstate 75, Howell Mill Road and Northside Drive, is primed for growth. In August, Alpharetta-based Songy Highroads and Atlanta-based Healey Weatherholtz Properties bought the 2.6-acre Atlanta Food Truck Park property that sits on the northwest corner of Howell Mill Road and I-75. That property, which is less than a half-mile from Howell Mill Square, will become a mixed-use development.

KPot also intends to open a Cobb County outpost, at 2967 Cobb Pkwy, according to its website. This location is in the heart of an enclave of Perimeter development that includes Cumberland Mall; the Atlanta Galleria office park; and the Battery Atlanta, which is home to offices, residences, restaurants and the Atlanta Braves’ Truist Park.

BTS’s V reached 26.7 million followers on Instagram

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BTS’s V reached 26.7 million followers on Instagram

In just 13 days, V reached 26.7 million followers on Instagram, surpassing Jackson Wang and becoming the most followed male k-pop idol.

While breaking records each day, V‘s Instagram account is still a hot topic among celebrities.

Famous director Baz Luhrmann, who directed Romeo & Juliet (1996), Moulin Rogue! (2001) and The Great Gatsby (2013) followed Taehyung on instagram making fans buzz with the expectation of actor Taehyung comeback.

Atta Halilintar, a famous Indonesian YouTuber, singer, and businessman, followed Taehyung. Additionally, American magazine Seventeen is following only V‘s account.

V is still exploring his account, sharing snippets of his music, selfies, and videos of yeontan making fans think that these Instagram accounts are the best thing in 2021

Covid cases rise across Asia as South Korea sees record numbers, Thailand restarts quarantine

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Covid cases rise across Asia as South Korea sees record numbers, Thailand restarts quarantine

South Korea is struggling to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases, reporting 7,456 infections on Wednesday and a record number of people with serious symptoms, as countries across Asia face a similar battle.

The new infections bring South Korea’s total to 583,065, while the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said the number of critically ill patients rose to a new high of 1,063.

It is placing intense pressure on medical services, prompting the prime minister, Kim Boo-kyum, to commit to securing an additional 10,000 hospital beds for patients with moderate to serious symptoms by the middle of next month, the Yonhap news agency reported.

South Korea now requires citizens over 18 to present a quarantine pass, proof of Covid vaccination or negative PCR test to access indoor sports events, cinemas and concert halls. Other new restrictions include social distancing measures that will last until at least 2 January, limiting gatherings to no more than four people and forcing restaurants, cafes and bars to close by 9pm.

Thailand reported 2,532 new coronavirus cases and 31 deaths on Wednesday, according to the ministry of health. It will reinstate mandatory Covid quarantine for foreign visitors and scrap a quarantine waiver from Tuesday, Reuters reported. The move was confirmed by the government, which said the action was being taken due to concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant.

The Philippines has halved the waiting time for a Covid-19 vaccine booster to three months after a second vaccination, in an attempt to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant. “We are exploring all possible options to safely mitigate the effects of more transmissible variants of Covid-19,” said the health secretary, Francisco Duque.

The Philippines has received more than 192m doses of Covid-19 vaccines and fully inoculated about 44.2 million of its 110 million population, according to the government. Covid-19 cases have fallen to an average of 378 a day in December, from a peak of 18,579 daily in September, and the country has so far detected three imported cases of the Omicron variant.

Israel plans to give fourth dose of vaccine to over-60s

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Israel plans to give fourth dose of vaccine to over-60s

According to BBC, a government panel of experts in Israel has recommended a fourth dose of a Covid-19 vaccine for all people aged over 60 and healthcare workers.

The move was welcomed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who said it would help the country get through a potential wave of the Omicron variant.

“This is wonderful news that will assist us in getting through the Omicron wave that is engulfing the world,” Mr Bennett said.

“The citizens of Israel were the first in the world to receive the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and we are continuing to pioneer with the fourth dose as well,” the prime minister added.

The Israeli health ministry has so far confirmed 341 cases of Omicron.

The overall Covid-19 infection rate is also back on the rise, with 903 new cases recorded on Tuesday.

Four deaths have also been reported in the past seven days, including that of a 68-year-old man who doctors suspected was infected with Omicron. The health ministry said on Wednesday that he actually had the Delta variant.

On Tuesday night, Israel’s Pandemic Expert Committee recommended a fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for over-60s, medics, and those with compromised immunity, at least four months after their third jab.

The move is set to receive final approval by the health ministry in the coming days.

Atlanta mayor issued citywide indoor mask mandate

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Atlanta mayor issued citywide indoor mask mandate

“The CDC has designated Fulton and DeKalb counties as areas of high transmission for the COVID-19 virus. Given this recent surge across the Atlanta area, and based upon the counsel from public health professionals, I am reinstating the citywide mask mandate,” 

According to AJC, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has issued an executive order to reinstate the citywide indoor mask mandate.

The order is in response to the rising number of COVID-19 infections and the impact of the Omicron variant. Masks must be worn in all public buildings, including inside private businesses.

The mayor’s office announced on Twitter Tuesday afternoon that the city will back to the Yellow Zone. The “COVID-19 Resilience Plan” tracks the pandemic’s status in the city — from worst to best — by referring to red, yellow, green and blue zones.

But Katie Byrd, Gov. Brian Kemp’s spokeswoman, criticized the mayor’s order in a statement.

”These mandates only create division and unnecessarily divert critical resources. Governor Kemp is fully vaccinated and boosted, and he will continue to urge Georgians to talk with their doctor about the benefits of getting the vaccine or receiving their booster shot. Ultimately, he feels that we must trust our citizens to do what’s right for themselves and their families,” said Byrd.

If someone violating the order refuses or fails to comply after being given a warning by a city officer, the person may be subject to a $25 fine and $50 fines for subsequent offenses, according to the order signed off by Bottoms.

On This Day: “Gangnam Style” became the first video to surpass a billion views online

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On This Day: “Gangnam Style” became the first video to surpass a billion views online

AP’s On This Day: 21 December 2012

“Gangnam Style” by South Korean singer PSY, became the first video in the history of the internet to surpass a billion views online.

The song’s success was partly due to PSY’s memorable dance moves which were copied by numerous people around the globe.

Despite being viewed over four billion times to date, “Gangnam Style” has been roundly defeated by “Baby Shark Dance” with nearly ten billion clicks on Youtube.

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