Tag Archives: East Asia

Hong Kong is criminalizing CBD as a ‘dangerous drug’ alongside heroin

February 1, 2023 Admin Leave a comment

Hong Kong
CNN
—

Two years ago, cannabidiol was booming in Hong Kong. The compound, known as CBD, was popping up in cafes, restaurants and stores, with businesses eager to join an exciting new market already well-established in countries around the world.

That all came to an end on Wednesday, when CBD was criminalized in the city and declared a “dangerous drug” on the same level as heroin and fentanyl.

CBD is a chemical found in hemp and marijuana plants. It’s non-psychoactive, meaning it won’t get you high; instead, CBD is often marketed for everything from helping to relieve pain and inflammation to reducing stress and anxiety.

It has surged in global popularity in recent years, with brands adding it to shampoos, drinks, body oils, gummy bears and dog treats. In the United States and Europe, you might find it sold in coffee shops and farmers’ markets, mom-and-pop and high-end department stores, and even drugstore chain CVS.

But last June, draft legislation banning CBD was introduced to Hong Kong lawmakers, and went into effect February 1.

Under the new legislation, possession and consumption of any amount of CBD is punishable by seven years in prison and a fine of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,607). Manufacturing, importing or exporting CBD is punishable by life imprisonment.

Even travelers could face penalties, with the government warning people not to risk “buying these products or bringing them back to Hong Kong.”

The same penalties and conditions apply for cannabis, also known as marijuana.

The ban has forced CBD-focused businesses to close, while other brands have had to roll back or get rid of CBD products.

“It’s a shame because there’s a missed opportunity for sure,” said Luke Yardley, founder of Yardley Brothers Craft Brewery, which had previously sold four products containing CBD – a lager and three nonalcoholic drinks. “I think that anything that you can’t get intoxicated from, and helps you to relax, is probably a good thing.”

The health benefits and risks of CBD have long been debated. In the US, most CBD products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means that people can purchase items off the shelf.

Some research has found that the compound can ease pain and may be useful for those who have trouble sleeping. The FDA has approved one drug with CBD to treat rare, severe forms of epilepsy.

But concerns have also been raised, with some experts saying there isn’t enough scientific research into how CBD works or its potential effects.

In January, the FDA announced CBD products will require a new regulatory pathway in the US, saying: “We have not found adequate evidence to determine how much CBD can be consumed, and for how long, before causing harm.”

In Hong Kong, which has strict cannabis laws, the government’s concern revolves around the possible presence of its sister compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in CBD products. THC is also found in cannabis plants and is responsible for the “high.”

In the US and Europe, CBD products can carry up to 0.3% – a trace amount – of THC, but even that is not acceptable in Hong Kong. And while CBD products could avoid this trace amount by using a pure form of CBD, most manufacturers mix other compounds for higher potency.

From 2019 to early 2022, Hong Kong authorities launched nearly 120 “operations” seizing and testing CBD products from restaurants and shops to warehouses, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said last year. He added that more than 3,800 products were found to contain THC, though did not give further detail on the proportion or percentage of THC in those products.

In a written response to questions raised in the Legislative Council, Tang suggested the government’s traditionally tough stance on THC should be applied to CBD “to protect public heath.”

“We have adopted ‘zero tolerance’ towards drugs and we understand that it is a matter of public concern,” he said. “Therefore, the government plans to control CBD.”

The Action Committee Against Narcotics, a group of representatives from “the fields of social work, education, medical and community service” that advises the government on anti-drug policy, said in a statement last November that it supported the CBD ban and the government’s goal of “a drug-free Hong Kong.”

Many businesses began bracing themselves for regulatory changes in 2022, ahead of the government’s official announcement this January.

Yardley Brothers Craft Brewery stopped making its CBD beverages late last year in anticipation of the ban, and all its leftover products had sold out by December, said Yardley.

He said the CBD drinks had been “very popular,” amounting to roughly 8% of the business, as they offered adults a nonalcoholic option to enjoy when out with friends. At some bars, regulars “come in every weekend for a glass of CBD lemonade,” he said.

Now “there’s less choice for consumers in Hong Kong. That’s not necessarily a step in the right direction,” he said.

Some companies have been forced to shut down completely.

Med Chef, a restaurant that opened in 2021, once boasted of offering Hong Kong’s “first full menu of CBD-infused cocktails, appetizers and entrees.” In a news release during its launch, the restaurant founder emphasized the health and wellness benefits of CBD.

But by early November 2022, it had closed its doors. “We have worked hard in the past to present CBD in its most acceptable form and integrate our food and beverage concepts,” the restaurant wrote in a farewell post on Instagram. “It’s a pity that things didn’t go the way we hoped. Under the latest policies of those in power, we ultimately aren’t able to continue forward with everyone.”

Hong Kong’s first CBD cafe, Found, had also made headlines when it opened in 2020. It sold a variety of CBD products including infused coffee and beers, oils to help sleep, powder to sprinkle into food and pet products to help ease stiff joints.

It closed at the end of September 2022, telling patrons on Instagram that their positive feedback had shown that “CBD could help to cope with the stresses of daily life.”

“Sadly, in spite of the demonstrable positive impact, it has now become apparent that the Hong Kong government intends to adopt new legislation to prohibit the sale and possession of CBD,” it wrote.

Yardley said the government’s concerns about THC were valid – but argued they could have implemented better regulations, such as requiring certifications or standards of safety around CBD samples.

“It’s quite an extreme response to just fully ban it,” he said.

And while the brewery will continue operating, with plans for alternative nonalcoholic beverages to fill the gap, Yardley hopes CBD will be back on the menu. “I hope for the future that it might become legal again,” he said.

This story has been updated to include details of the draft legislation and its introduction.

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Technology

In Japan, pet fish playing Nintendo Switch run up bill on owner’s credit card

January 29, 2023 Admin Leave a comment

CNN
—

Here’s something you don’t see everyday. Pet fish playing a video game in Japan managed to log on to the Nintendo Switch store, change their owner’s avatar, set up a Pay Pal account and rack up a credit card bill.

And it was all seemingly livestreamed, in real time, on the internet.

The fish in question belong to a YouTuber known as Mutekimaru, whose channel is popular with the gaming community for its videos featuring groups of tetra fish that “play” video games.

Mutekimaru had previously installed sophisticated motion detection tracking software in fish tanks, enabling the fish to remotely control a Nintendo Switch console.

But the technology, and the fishes’ apparent mastery of it, led to an unexpected turn of events earlier this month while Mutekimaru was live-streaming a game of Pokémon.

Mutekimaru had stepped away for a break when the game crashed due to a system error and the console returned to the home screen.

But the fish carried on swimming, like fish tend to do, and seemingly continued to control the console remotely from their tank.

During the next seven hours, the fish reportedly managed to change the name of their owner’s Switch account before twice logging into the Nintendo store, where users can purchase games and other downloadable content.

They also managed to “check” legal terms and conditions, downloaded a new avatar and even set up a PayPal account from the Switch – sending an email out to their owner in the process, video from the livestream appeared to show.

But things didn’t end there. The fish were also seen adding 500 yen ($4) to Mutekimaru’s Switch account from his credit card during the livestream – exposing his credit card details in the process, the YouTuber revealed in a follow-up video about the episode.

By this point, thousands of comments were streaming in as viewers watched the unintended takeover being livestreamed on the channel, and the incident went viral on Twitter, where thousands of Japanese users shared their amusement.

Mutekimaru later said that he had contacted Nintendo to explain what happened and asked for a refund of his 500 yen.

Nintendo declined to comment to CNN, citing customer confidentiality.

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World

From China to Japan, deadly cold is gripping East Asia. Experts say it’s the ‘new norm’

January 26, 2023 Admin Leave a comment

Hong Kong
CNN
—

A deadly cold snap that is gripping East Asia has killed at least four people in Japan after subzero temperatures and heavy snow brought travel chaos during the Lunar New Year holiday, with climate experts warning that such extreme weather events had become the “new norm.”

Japanese officials said all four of those who died on Wednesday and Thursday had been working to clear snow amid what Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno has called a “once-in-a-decade cold snap.”

Two of the deaths were reported in the western Niigata prefecture, with one in southwestern Oita prefecture and one in southern Okayama prefecture – where the victim had a heart attack.

In neighboring South Korea, heavy snow warnings were issued this week as temperatures in the capital Seoul fell as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) and plummeted to record lows in other cities, officials said. Residents said it began snowing heavily overnight late Wednesday into Thursday.

On the popular tourist island of Jeju, harsh weather this week led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights while passenger ships were forced to stay in port due to huge waves, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.

“Cold air from the North Pole has reached South Korea directly,” after traveling through Russia and China, Korea Meteorological Administration spokesperson Woo Jin-kyu told CNN.

– Source:
CNN
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See what life is like inside one of the world’s coldest places

Woo said that while scientists took a long-term view of climate change, “we can consider this extreme weather – extremely hot weather in summer and extremely cold weather in winter – as one of the signals of climate change.”

Across the border in Pyongyang, North Korean authorities warned of extreme weather conditions as the cold wave swept through the Korean Peninsula. Temperatures in parts of North Korea were expected to dip below minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit), state media reported.

In Japan, hundreds of domestic flights were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday due to heavy snow and strong winds that hampered visibility. Major carriers Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways canceled a combined total of 229 flights.

Meanwhile, high-speed trains were suspended between the northern Fukushima and Shinjo stations, Japan Railway Group said.

China’s meteorological authority has also forecast big temperature drops in parts of the country and on Monday issued a blue alert for a cold wave – the lowest level in a four-tier warning system.

Mohe, China’s northernmost city, on Sunday saw temperatures drop to minus 53 degrees Celsius (minus 63.4 degrees Fahrenheit) – its coldest ever recorded, meteorologists said. Ice fog – a weather phenomenon that occurs only in extreme cold when water droplets in air remain in liquid form – is also expected in the city this week, local authorities said.

Other parts of Asia also felt the impacts of harsh cold weather.

Earlier this month in Russian Siberia, temperatures in the city of Yakutsk stood at minus 62.7 degrees Celsius (minus 80.9 degrees Fahrenheit) – a record for a place widely known as the world’s coldest city.

The cold was also felt in Afghanistan, where Taliban officials reported the deaths of at least 157 people as the country experiences one of its coldest ever winters with minimal humanitarian aid. Officials said temperatures in early January had plummeted to as low as minus 28 degrees Celsius (minus 18 Fahrenheit).

Yeh Sang-wook, a climate professor at Hanyang University in Seoul, attributed the extreme cold wave on the Korean Peninsula to Arctic winds from Siberia, adding that the cold wave in South Korea this year was partly due to the melting of Arctic ice caps from a warming climate.

“There has been a record melting last year and this year,” he said. “When sea ice is melted, the sea opens up, sending up more vapor into air, leading to more snow in the north.”

As climate change worsens, the region would face more severe cold weather in the future, he said.

“There is no other (explanation),” he said. “Climate change is indeed deepening and there is a consensus among global scientists that this kind of cold phenomenon will worsen going forward.”

Kevin Trenberth, from the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), agreed that “extreme weather events are the new norm,” adding, “we certainly can expect that weather extremes are going to be worse than they were before.”

He also pointed to the El Niño and La Niña climate pattern cycles in the Pacific Ocean that affect weather worldwide.

La Niña, which typically has a cooling effect on global temperatures, is one of the reasons for the current cold snap, he said.

“There’s certainly a large natural variability that occurs in the weather but … we often hear about the El Nino phenomenon and at the moment we’re in the La Niña phase. And that certainly influences the kinds of patterns that tend to occur. And so that’s a player as well,” he said.

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Technology

Blizzard China: Millions of players lose access to ‘World of Warcraft’ and other games as it goes dark

January 24, 2023 Admin Leave a comment

Hong Kong
CNN
—

Millions of players in China have lost access to the iconic “World of Warcraft” franchise and other popular video games, as Blizzard Entertainment’s servers in the country went offline after two decades.

The company’s services in China were suspended at midnight local time on Tuesday, marking the end of an era for fans, after a licensing agreement with longtime local partner NetEase

(NTES) expired.

“World of Warcraft,” also known as “WoW,” is a hugely popular online multiplayer game that allows users to fight monsters and journey through expeditions in the medieval world of Azeroth.

Many gamers around the world have grown up with the smash hit, including in China. That was underscored in recent days, as Chinese fans expressed their disbelief over the loss of their longtime pastime in social media posts.

“When I woke up, I still didn’t want to accept [it],” one user said on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, on Tuesday. “I cried all night in my sleep because the game went offline. I dreamed that I was crying in the middle of the class.”

Another player described “World of Warcraft” as “my first love.”

“I really can’t forget it,” they wrote.

The suspension follows a bitter dispute between Blizzard, a unit of Activision Blizzard

(ATVI), and NetEase.

Foreign publishers must work with local partners to offer video games in China. Last November, however, Blizzard and NetEase announced they would not renew licensing agreements that were set to expire this month.

Those deals had covered the publication of several popular Blizzard titles in mainland China, including “World of Warcraft,” “Hearthstone,” and “Diablo III,” since 2008. In separate statements at the time, both sides said they were unable to reach a new agreement on key terms, without giving further details.

Now, the discussions appear to have gotten more acrimonious.

In a statement last Tuesday, Blizzard said it had reached out to NetEase to seek “their help in exploring a six-month extension to the current agreement.”

The US company said it had appealed to NetEase to let fans continue playing uninterrupted, “based on our personal feelings as gamers, and the frustration expressed to us by Chinese players.”

“Unfortunately, after renewed discussions last week, NetEase did not accept our proposal for an extension,” Blizzard said.

NetEase hit back with its own statement last week.

In unusually terse comments, the Chinese tech and gaming giant accused Blizzard of blindsiding it with its “sudden statement” and called the US company’s proposal “outrageous, inappropriate, and not in line with business logic.”

NetEase also pointed out that Blizzard had already “started the work of finding new partners” in China, putting the Hangzhou-based company in an “unfair” position.

The public spat marked an unexpected twist in the companies’ 14-year partnership.

Under a separate agreement, the companies are working together on the joint development and publishing of “Diablo Immortal,” another widely followed multiplayer game that allows users to slay demons in an ancient world. NetEase said in a statement in November that this collaboration would continue.

Blizzard said in December that “World of Warcraft” fans would be able to back up their playing history and ensure all progress was saved as it wound down its agreement and looked for a new partner.

This week’s shutdown has been emotional, even for senior leadership at NetEase.

In a LinkedIn post Monday, Simon Zhu, president of global investments and partnerships of NetEase Games, detailed how he grew up with Blizzard games in China, including older “Warcraft” and “Diablo” titles.

“Only [a] few hours before Blizzard Games servers shut down in China, and that is a very very big deal for players in China,” he wrote.

“Today is such a sad moment to witness the server shutdown, and we don’t know how things will play out in the future. The biggest victim would be players in China who live and breathe in those worlds.”

Activision Blizzard, which previously had another Chinese partner before teaming up with NetEase, said it is continuing its search for a new distribution partner.

“Our commitment to players on mainland China remains strong as we continue to work with Tencent to distribute ‘Call of Duty: Mobile,’ as well as continue active talks with potential partners to resume gameplay for Blizzard’s iconic franchises,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson told CNN.

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World

Japan must save its falling birth rate ‘now or never,’ PM Kishida says

January 24, 2023 Admin Leave a comment

Tokyo
CNN
—

Japan’s prime minister issued a dire warning about the country’s population crisis on Monday, saying it was “on the brink of not being able to maintain social functions” due to the falling birth rate.

In a policy address to lawmakers, Fumio Kishida said it was a case of solving the issue “now or never,” and that it “simply cannot wait any longer.”

“In thinking of the sustainability and inclusiveness of our nation’s economy and society, we place child-rearing support as our most important policy,” the prime minister said.

Kishida added that he wants the government to double its spending on child-related programs, and that a new government agency would be set up in April to focus on the issue.

Japan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, with the Ministry of Health predicting it will record fewer than 800,000 births in 2022 for the first time since records began in 1899.

The country also has one of the highest life expectancies in the world; in 2020, nearly one in 1,500 people in Japan were age 100 or older, according to government data.

These trends have driven a growing demographic crisis, with a rapidly aging society, a shrinking workforce and not enough young people to fill the gaps in the stagnating economy.

Experts point to several factors behind the low birth rate. The country’s high cost of living, limited space and lack of child care support in cities make it difficult to raise children, meaning fewer couples are having kids. Urban couples are also often far from extended family who could help provide support.

Attitudes toward marriage and starting families have also shifted in recent years, with more couples putting off both during the pandemic.

Some point to the pessimism young people in Japan hold toward the future, many frustrated with work pressure and economic stagnation.

Japan’s economy has stalled since its asset bubble burst in the early 1990s. The country’s GDP growth slowed from 4.9% in 1990 to 0.3% in 2019, according to the World Bank. Meanwhile, the average real annual household income declined from 6.59 million yen ($50,600) in 1995 to 5.64 million yen ($43,300) in 2020, according to 2021 data from the country’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

The government has launched various initiatives to address the population decline over the past few decades, including new policies to enhance child care services and improve housing facilities for families with children. Some rural towns have even begun paying couples who live there to have children.

Shifting demographics are a concern across other parts of East Asia, too.

South Korea recently broke its own record for the world’s lowest fertility rate, with data from November 2022 showing a South Korean woman will have an average of 0.79 children in her lifetime – far below the 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population. Japan’s fertility rate stands at 1.3, while the United States is at 1.6.

Meanwhile, China’s population shrank in 2022 for the first time since the 1960s, adding to its woes as it struggles to recover from the pandemic. The last time its population fell was in 1961, during a famine that killed tens of millions of people across the country.

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Entertainment

Chinese zodiac fortune predictions for 2023

January 22, 2023 Admin Leave a comment

CNN
—

Say goodbye to the Tiger; it’s time to hop into the Year of the Rabbit.

For many people, Lunar New Year, which falls on January 22 this year, is a time to consult the stars to find out what lies ahead in the coming months.

Most people know the basics: The 12-year Chinese zodiac calendar cycle is represented by 12 different animals – the Chinese zodiac signs. Your zodiac animal is determined by your year of birth.

But that’s only the start. For faithful followers of the system, a year isn’t just categorized by its animal. There’s also a complex sexagenary cycle made up of 10 heavenly stems and 12 earthly branches.

Every year, a heavenly stem (one of five elements, which fall into the yin or yang category) is paired with an earthly branch (one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals).

Gui Mao is the 40th element of the Chinese sexagenary cycle – the Heavenly Stem “Gui” represents water, whereas the earthly branch “Mao” represents Rabbit. That makes 2023 the Year of the Water Rabbit.

“Gui Mao Rabbit Year is quite a special year – when all the elements in a year are yin,” says Thierry Chow, a Hong Kong-based geomancy consultant known for blending traditional Chinese geomancy with modern design elements.

“It’s also uncommon to have the combination of water and rabbit. The rabbit represents wood. Water nurtures wood (according to Chinese geomancy).”

She says industries with wood as their main element – like culture, publishing, agriculture and furniture – would benefit. Fire industries, on the other hand, including digital and technology businesses, may suffer as fire is afraid of Water.

“The Year of Water Rabbit is going to be a gentler year. We’ll have time to take a breather. We’ve been in the tunnel for the last few years, and the light is getting bigger now,” says Chow.

Followers believe that for each Chinese zodiac sign, luck will depend largely on the positions of the Tai Sui – the stellar deities thought to rotate parallel to and in the opposite direction of Jupiter.

To calculate how each person will be affected in a particular year, a Chinese geomancy consultant will look at one’s birth chart, which is composed of a wide range of elements – such as the day and time of their birth – to see how they may interact with the year’s elements.

These combinations play an important role for those who follow them, helping them make huge life decisions for the year ahead, such as whether they should get married or start a business.

Different geomancy masters may interpret the data differently. Still, there is a general consensus on what the year means for each zodiac animal based on the positions of the stars, especially Tai Sui.

– Source:
CNN
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Longevity noodles: the lucky Lunar New Year dish

If your zodiac sign clashes with Tai Sui – aka the Grand Duke of Jupiter – in a particular year, the experts say you might find yourself dealing with disruptions.

For those who may be in conflict with Tai Sui this year, Chow says they should remember the calendar is a rotating cycle.

“It’s like playing musical chairs – whoever sits in the spot gets Tai Sui. You’ll change your position next round,” says Chow, whose zodiac sign will also be in an unfavorable position with Tai Sui this year.

To resolve clashes, one could go to a Chinese temple and make offerings to representations of Tai Sui.

“Even if you don’t believe in it 100%, I feel like it gives you a nice kickstart to the year psychologically,” says Chow. “When things happen along the way, you’ll remember you did that, and it will give you a little cushion.”

Now, it’s time to get specific.

To determine what the Year of the Rabbit could mean for you, find your year of birth and the corresponding animal in the above gallery before reading Chow’s predictions below.

People born in the Year of the Rabbit will be facing their “Ben Ming Nian” – their own zodiac year – in 2023. Followers believe there will be more disruptions and instabilities in the year to come as a result.

“People born in the Rabbit year have to expect big changes health-wise, career-wise and relationship-wise. It could be a bit nerve-wracking, especially for those whose birth charts don’t favor Water,” says Chow.

“But do remember it never is all bad. It may mean an opportunity to grow.”

Rabbits should try to attract positive energy and join happy events when possible.

They should also travel to destinations to their south – doesn’t matter if these southern destinations are within their city or outside their country – says Chow.

It’s set to be a pretty good year for Dragons out there. No unlucky stars are affecting their year.

“There are no outstanding concerns, except maybe health for those born in the summer and autumn. They could easily feel stressed,” says Chow.

But the geomancy expert urges Dragons not to make rash decisions at work.

“It doesn’t mean overthinking. Just let things sit longer before you make a decision,” says Chow.

Single Dragons could meet potential romantic partners this year. Their lucky colors are metallic, such as gold or silver.

As for traveling, head west for better fortunes, says Chow.

People born in Snake years will enjoy good news and abundance as the travel star, Yi Ma Xing, and the fortune star, Cai Xing, will reign over them this year.

“Opportunities, new directions and advancements will come to you at work,” says Chow. “But Snakes need to find balance in life and take a break when needed.”

Romantically, Snakes may find love while out traveling this year. Chow advises them to wear blue or gold and travel to the west or north.

“This year, Horses will have the Peach Blossom Star (Taohua Xing) shining over them. That’s always good news,” says Chow.

Professionally, they’ll find new opportunities and meet a lot of guardians who will assist them.

They’ll enjoy good relationships. She says this might be the right year for those wanting to get engaged or married.

But Chow issues one reminder for Horses: Pay attention to their family’s physical and mental health.

“They can wear colorful clothes like pink, orange and a bit of yellow. In terms of traveling, they can head to their south,” says Chow.

This year, Goats will greet Tai Sui.

It’s generally a positive influence on their luck, but at the same time, it could also mean that the year will be exhausting too. That’s why Goats need to care for themselves and rest when needed.

“Save some time to get to know yourself better. Career-wise, you need to stay humble and keep a low profile. Observe more. Opportunities will present themselves at the right moment,” says Chow.

On the relationship front, people born in Goat years will enjoy a smooth year.

“They’re more likely to meet new people, new friends, and even new loves this year,” says Chow, adding that a bit of gold and a visit to the west could add to their luck.

Good news for Monkeys: they will be in harmonious union with Tai Sui this year.

Chow says they will be showered with admiration from those around them at work.

But that doesn’t mean they should live recklessly. Instead, the geomancer says, “they should play safe this year, especially those who love extreme sports.”

In terms of relationships, they are prone to arguments and drama, which could be avoided by improving communication this year.

Yellow and beige are the color palette for Monkeys in 2023, and they could look towards the west for travel inspiration, says Chow.

Roosters need to brace themselves – they will be clashing with Tai Sui this year, meaning the coming months could be unstable and present plenty of changes.

Advice from Chow: Embrace the chaos and travel more.

“Muster as much positive energy as you could and be more aware that you may be easier to attract conflicts this year,” she says. “But understand that these changes are for the better.”

To alleviate the blow, they could wear more yellow and brown and visit places in the west or north.

Being in union with Tai Sui, people born under the sign of the Dog will likely enjoy a pleasant year with significant advancements in career and finance.

But Dogs must remind themselves to be humble and listen to others, especially friends and people they trust, says Chow. They’ll tell you important things that will greatly benefit you this year.

“Their lucky colors are silver and blue, and their lucky place is to their north,” says Chow.

Pigs will be greeting Tai Sui, meaning it should generally be a positive year.

But, on the flip side, greeting Tai Sui could also affect one’s health because of the extra workload.

“You have to balance your work and play time equally,” Chow says.

People born during Pig years may enjoy professional success if they are willing to focus on teamwork.

“Relationship-wise, it’ll be a very good year for you. You will meet new friends and potential new love,” says Chow.

To enhance fortune, Pigs could wear pink and purple more often and plan a trip to the south, she adds.

People born in the years of the Rat will be in conflicts with Tai Sui, also known as Xing (torturing) Tai Sui, next year.

“Generally, it means a tougher year,” says Chow. “But when there is yin, there is always yang, too. So remember, it never really is all bad.”

Rats should be more cautious about health and work. They could be prone to minor injuries and miscommunication this year.

Chow urges them to wear cheerful colors – like pink and orange – and visit warmer places.

Oxen will enjoy an exciting year with the travel star and fortune star shining over them.

“They will find new opportunities and their finances will reach a new level. They’ll probably travel more for work and personal reasons. But since they’re traveling and working more, they need to be aware of their health,” says Chow.

Those who are single and looking for love may have some good luck this year.

Meanwhile, when choosing a travel destination, they could journey to the north, says Chow.

For those born in Tiger years, their “Ben Ming Nian” is over.

“That means, whatever tough times and instabilities they’re experiencing, it’s going to get better soon,” says Chow. “But patience is key because changes won’t be immediate.”

Tigers, especially those born in spring and summer, should take time to recover in the first half of the year and only make big decisions in the second half of the year, she says.

They should take things slowly in relationships and “save themselves some me-time.”

Wearing yellow, blue and brown could cheer them up. They could also travel to their north and west, concludes Chow.