Voice of April 24 2015 by VoiceOf Asia

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HCC to assist in developing framework for training workforce of India Houston Community College (HCC) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to explore opportunities to assist the nation of India in meeting its government mandate to train 150+ million people by 2020.

quality workers in the middle skills areas such as construction, manufacturing, energy, and health care are in short supply. HCC is well suited to provide the education to fill those gaps.”

“India is a classic example of what is happening not only in Houston and across the country, but in many nations,” said Dr. Cesar Maldonado, chancellor at HCC. “Well trained,

HCC Trustee Neeta Sane served as the facilitator in linking HCC, the government agency National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) in India, and Cambridge Edu-

cation Development to create a program that will train workers in her country of origin. HCC hosted the initial meeting this week to develop a framework for HCC to begin negotiations with India in exploring the opportunity to provide workforce training and educational opportunities including train the trainer, distance education, and curriculum development. Continued on pg 4

Farmer’s ‘suicide’ at AAP rally ups stakes for Modi government

Under attack for carrying on with their speeches after Gajendra had hung himself, Kejriwal’s colleagues responded with trademark aggression.

(Left to Right) Harjit S Galhotra, Gurbir Singh Boparai, Ikrambir Singh, Sumer Singh Pinglia, Gurmeet Singh Saini, Dr. Hardam Singh Azad, Manohar Singh Mann, NPS Saini (Consul), Hitpal Singh, Narinder Singh Nagra, Satbir Singh Rana, Aman Singh Sidhu, Daljit Singh, Charanjit Singh Sandhu, Sukhwinder Singh Shahji, and Bhupinder Singh. by Somdatta Gangopadhyay

EW DELHI - Gajendra Singh, who committed suicide at Arvind Kejriwal’s rally here, has raised the bar for the Modi government to be seen as sensitive to farmers as it seeks to provide succour to those hit by unseasonal rain and push through the contentious land acquisition bill. The central government could have found itself in a tougher spot had it not been for the AAP leadership’s seemingly insensitive response. The Rajasthan farmer’s extreme step dramatically amplified the problems created by unseasonal rains, making it imperative for the government to take the extra step to rebut the “anti-farmer” insinuations. While it was already having to deal with the ferocious offensive of political opponents, the afternoon suicide has further shrunk the room for political missteps. But the political optics of government’s keenness on land acquisition could have been irreparably damaged if the Delhi CM and his colleagues had acted more tactfully and showed sensitivity.

Vaisakhi Day with the Sikh National Center

aisakhi Day was celebrated with pomp and grandeur by the Sikh National Center (SNC) on Sunday April 19th, 2015. The Chairman of the Sikh National Center, Dr.Hardam Singh Azad inaugurated the event. Turning to the pages of history, Vaisakhi Day commemorates the birth

of the Sikh nation, which dates back to 1699. About 2500-3000 people formed the crowd at the Vaisakhi Mela which hosted a variety of events like sports, free food and snacks, along with many other fun-filled activities. A 50 meter race, sack race, spoon race, tug-of-war, shot put, volleyball, basketball, musical chairs and

As it was a carnival in the sun - meant especially for kids some other activities like moonwalks, an inflatable slide, kiddie train and football were also there. Mouth-watering food and snack items like gol gappay, pakoras, choley bhaturay, pizzas, popccorns, jalebis, cotton candy and many others catered to the taste of many food lovers. Snowcones and cold drinks gave momentary relief to many who were tired as a consequence of continuous exposure to the sun.

Indian farmer Gajendra Singh stands on a tree before committing suicide during a rally on April 22. (Photo: AFP) Ashutosh mocked the suggestion that AAP leaders should have stopped their speeches and got the distressed farmer down, saying Kejriwal would from now on climb trees if there were similar instances. Underprivileged voters — who traditionally supported the left-leaning Congress party — gave Mr. Modi their backing in national elections last May. Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is counting of their continued support to win state-level elections in the coming years in order to gain control of Parliament’s upper house, where

opposition parties form the majority and are obstructing the government’s policies. So far, Mr. Modi has struggled to persuade farmers that his changes to the land-acquisition law will benefit them. He has said his moves will accelerate infrastructure-building in rural areas and increase employment opportunities. In a speech on Sunday, Mr. Modi responded to accusations that his government was prioritizing the interests of industrialists, saying, “Ours is a government of the poor.” -TNN

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many other games were a part of the sports activities. Cheering crowds could be heard as the football players kicked the ball at the right moments. For children searching for something different, there were pony rides for free too. The event was an opportunity for children to experience unlimited adventures through a wide range of other events as well.

Lunch (langar) was served by he owners of Bawa Jewelers, Jasbir Singh Bawa and Mrs. Bhupinder Kaur Bawa . They were very happy they could serve about 2,000 devotees gathered there.

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The event was a fund-raising one with the sole purpose to raise fund for the new Gurudwara which is under construction, built by the Sikh National Center. ‘We are going to celebrate next Vaisakhi at our new Gurudwara.’ said Manohar Mann, Board Member, SNC, when he was asked about the goal. Continued on pg 10

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rms manufacturers of the world, rejoice. The government of India is your loyal friend. Not just this government, but the previous government too - the UPA as well as the NDA. According to a study conducted by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India topped the list of weapons importers and accounted for some 15 per cent of worldwide arms imports from 2010 to 2014. Five of the 10 biggest arms importers in this period were in Asia, including China (5%), Pakistan (4%), South Korea 3%), and Singapore (3%). Imports are only part of the picture of the global arms industry, of course, and the countries that had the highest levels of military expenditure in 2014 were the USA, China, and Russia. India was placed seventh on that list, with spending at $50 billion or 2.4 per cent of GDP, an increase of 39% between 2005 and 2014. Signs of the government’s thirst for arms acquisitions were evident when Narendra Modi declared during his visit to France that India would purchase a number of Rafaele jets for roughly $4.3 billion. On the heels of that development came the disclosure that the US Secretary of Defence, Ashton Carter, would be flying in to New Delhi in May to close the sale of Apache and Chinook helicopters, worth some $2.5 billion. The figures are staggering, though not by the standards of military expenditure, and there will be other such announcements in the months and years ahead since India cannot manufacture the weapons that its leaders insist upon. The current government wants to cut defence imports, but not reduce military spending. The Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, announced in his budget speech that defence spending would actually increase by 11% to Rs. 246,727 crore in 2015-2016. The defence share accounts for almost 14% per cent of the overall central government budget for the year 2015-16. With so much

Competition with India remains the overriding consideration in Pakistan’s foreign and domestic policies. By aiding Pakistan over the years—some $40 billion since 1950, according to the Congressional Research Service—the U.S. has fed Pakistan’s delusion of being India’s regional military equal. Seeking security against a much larger neighbor is a rational objective but seeking parity with it on a constant basis is not. Instead of selling more military equipment to Pakistan,

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India’s obsessive spending on defence to play for, it’s no wonder that Anil Ambani said in March that he wanted to make Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering the nation’s largest defence manufacturer. “This is a unique opportunity for Reliance Group to participate in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ programme for the high growth defence sector,” he added, just in case the message had not come through. You may think of the military-industrial complex as an embarrassment, but for business tycoons it’s an “opportunity” to embrace openly. The question is: should India devote such a large part of its budget to the military? The issue is not only financial, but moral and political. While spending on defence increased, the budgetary allocation for health was reduced by 5.7 per cent to Rs. 33,152 crore. Would the money given to defence not be better spent on the development of public healthcare, education, affordable housing, and infrastructure projects? What’s surprising is how little discussion there appears to be in the national media about these levels of defence spending. In fact, you’re far more likely to read editorials claiming that the Indian army needs to spend crores on “modernization” and newer technology than articles arguing for a reduction of the military budget. Modern hardware adds to the spectacle on Republic Day in front of guests such as Barack Obama (who presides over a country that has by far the largest military budget in the world), but perhaps it’s time to set aside these archaic displays of military might and ask whether it’s necessary to spend so lavishly on machines of death in the first place. Increased levels of military spending have not made India a safer place to live. The greater

the levels of militarization in the region, the more likely it is that countries will go to war with each other, as countless experts have pointed out. The more habitually the armed services are pressed into service within India’s boundaries, the more often will they take the lives of Indian citizens. We do not need a government that is going to invade or bomb another country. Nor do I think we have one. What we need is a government that tries to engage in constructive dialogue with others, builds up links through political and cultural diplomacy, understands the reasons for dissent within India, and seeks to learn why people remain unequal and in poverty. You cannot bomb into submission Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka, Kashmiri insurgents, terrorists, and Maoists. North America and western Europe are in no position to offer lessons to others on the subject of military spending, but defence spending actually fell in 2014 in these parts of the world. Italy cut its defence budget by 27% between 2005 and 2014, France by 3.2%. Even in the USA, military spending has decreased annually since 2011. In the UK, where a national election is scheduled to be held in early May, some political parties have openly called for an end to the continuous nuclear deterrent known as Trident, and the subject is fiercely debated in the public sphere. Both the incumbent, David Cameron, and the leader of the opposition, Ed Miliband, say they are committed to Trident, the replacement of which is likely to cost 15 billion pounds to 20 billion pounds and which the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament refers to as “immoral, potentially genocidal and strategically irrelevant”. Yet, it is interesting that the UK figure of military spending in 2014 is a reduction of 5.5% in the period

from 2005. Also significant is that both the Conservatives and Labour give evasive answers when they are pressed about the cuts they will make to the military after the election: their evasiveness on the issue means that cuts in defence spending are certain. It is almost assured that regardless of which party or coalition of parties comes into power after the election, Britain will not meet NATO’s guidelines and will not commit to spending 2% or more on defence. In the late fourth or early fifth century, Vegetius, a functionary in the Roman imperial bureaucracy, composed a treatise in Latin on military matters that became widely influential in the European Middle Ages and the Renaissance. His most famous sentiment, and the one that is quoted more often than anything else he wrote, is that those who want peace should prepare for war. The phrase is popularly rendered as “If you want peace, prepare for war” (si vis pacem, para bellum), and versions of this have been adapted as a slogan by military outfits all around the world from the Royal Navy, to battalions in the US Marine Corps, to training schools in South Africa. Yet, in its context, the statement by Vegetius reads more as a justification for his work than an exhortation to strategists and generals. In relation to India and Pakistan, economists who seek an opening up of trading relations have reformulated Vegetius’ phrase to say: “If you want peace, prepare for trade.” How about the following? If you want peace, prepare for peace. Phiroze Vasunia is Professor of Greek at University College London and the author, most recently, of ‘The Classics and Colonial India’ (Oxford, 2013).

Why sell an attack helicopter to Pakistan? he Obama administration’s decision this month to sell almost $1 billion in U.S.-made attack helicopters, missiles and other equipment to Pakistan will fuel conflict in South Asia without fulfilling the objective of helping the country fight Islamist extremists. Pakistan’s failure to tackle its jihadist challenge is not the result of a lack of arms but reflects an absence of will. Unless Pakistan changes its worldview, American weapons will end up being used to fight or menace India and perceived domestic enemies instead of being deployed against jihadists.

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U.S. officials should convince Pakistan that its ambitions of rivaling India are akin to Belgium trying to rival France or Germany. India’s population is six times as large as Pakistan’s while India’s economy is 10 times bigger, and India’s $2 trillion economy has managed consistent growth whereas

Pakistan’s $245 billion economy has grown sporadically and is undermined by jihadist terrorism and domestic political chaos. Pakistan also continues to depend on Islamist ideology—through its school curricula, propaganda and Islamic legislation—to maintain internal nationalist cohesion, which

inevitably encourages extremism and religious intolerance. Clearly, with the latest military package, the Obama administration expects to continue the same policies adopted by several of its predecessors— and somehow get different reContinued on pg 6

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C OMMUNITY VOICE OF ASIA

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Second Front Page

Friday, April 24, 2015 • www.voiceofasiaonline.com • Page 3 • Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com • Tel: 713-774-5140

A power-packed Sunday at Sri Meenakshi Temple by Al Alagappan, Mahsh Iyer and P. Vaduganathan

fter two weeks of heavy showers it was a glorious Sunday at

Sri Meenakshi Temple. The day started with stretches and Surya Namasakar directed by Dr. Alagappan. After an aarthi at Ganesh temple, the newly laid Permanent walkway was inaugurated by Honorary President of MTS , Mr. Sam Kannappan , Meena Kannppan and Honorary Trustee Dr. S.G. Appan and Rajam Appan. About 150 children and adults enthusiastically participated in the 5k Third annual walkathon. The Permanent walkways construction was coordinated by Padma Golla, Vinod Kaila and Dr. Alagappan. The walkathon was successfully organized by Saro and Alagappan. The team raised 12 k which is half the cost of the permanent walkways. The temple is very proud to support this annual health awareness event with the newly inaugurated walking trail which is sure to benefit the devotees and the temple staff. The new basketball court was also inaugurated today by Coach Duane Berry. The kids and adults were excited to start shooting the ball down the hoop. Mahesh Iyer and Srikanth coordinated this small porject and raised 12 k which fully covers the cost the court. In his inaugural address, coach Berry reiterated the importance of team spirit, in the sustained growth of our young adults. Coach Berry then threw a per-

fect 3-pointer and declared the court open!! This was followed by a friendly match between parents and children; the children won!! The basketball court is part of a fitness initiative at

on Bhakthi Yoga by. Dr. Arun Mukhopadyay. During special lunch Kumbakonam degree coffee was authentically served by Sheila and Sriram with help of many ladies. After lunch the first Book club was initiated. The highlights of the Pulitzer award winning book “The Emperor of all Maladies” by Dr. P. Vaduganathan. Overall it was a power packed Sunday and kids and adults had some activity to participate. There were several interesting aspects to the events of the day and definitely it was an uplifting experience for the devotees of our temple. The Chairman Dr. Vaduganathan thanked all the donors,

Photos by Bhargavi Golla the temple, which encourages physical well-being along with spiritual well-being. After a hot breakfast, the Golden group’s second meeting coordinated by Ramsunder was held with a discourse

MTS staff, Board members and volunteers for making all of these happen and above all thank Goddess Meenakshi for blessing us and for bringing us together to enjoy this wonderful day.

Houston Airports Director takes “international growth” message to India

he Houston Airport System’s recordsetting international growth and how it can help enhance and cultivate business and cultural exchange opportunities is part of the focus during this week’s trade mission to India.

Houston Aviation Director Mario C. Diaz is part of a 30-member delegation led by Houston Mayor Annise Parker, the Greater Houston Partnership and the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston. Representatives from the Houston compa-

Good news for Punjabi language learners! by Somdatta Gangopadhyay

unday, the 19th day of April, locals experienced the auspicious event of the inauguration of the Punjabi School of GSSWH, a Punjabi language school by the Gurudwara Sahib of South West Houston (GSSWH). Over 150 people attended the inauguration, making it a grand event for the GSSWH. Shabads (hymns) were recited by children comprising of the school students. Some of the students were as young as six while others were older, with some reaching up to 18 years old. The Head Priest recited the ardas (prayers for thanking the Almighty) which was followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony by the donors, including Prithvipal Likhari and Manmeet Likhari, who were the highest donors, and Parshant and Nidhika Mehta, Jaideep and Deepa Dodhi, Harvinder and Rajinder Bedi, Ajit and Gogi Dugal, Jasvinder and Trepanjeet Sidhu, Avinder and Madhu Arora, Tarseem and Ravinder Dulai, Swatantra and Bimla Jain, Jasbir and Darshan Singh, Rick and Tanya Pal among others. “We are very excited about our school because this is like a dream come true. Kids had to drive for about 40-45 minutes to learn the Gurumukhi script. This makes it easier for the parents too.” said Prithvipal Likhari, Chairman, Gurudwara Sahib of Southwest Houston.

of the school which is to help children stay connected with their mother tongue, the school is aiming to focus on helping children learn Punjabi. For those who have been waiting to learn Punjabi and had been wishing for a school close to their neighborhood, the wait is perhaps over. Classes will start from August, and will be held once a week on Sunday. Hours for the classes are 11-12:45 PM. ‘It’s cool to be in Punjabi

The sangat of the Gurudwara consists of people from varied communities like Sikhs, Punjabis and Sindhis, and boasts of a crowd like 450 people on Sunday congregation. Keeping in mind about the main purpose

would shave hours off the length of time it takes to get from one city to the other.

nies ranging from energy and aviation to engineering and international trade and foreign investment as well as elected officials are in India to increase trade and investment between the Houston region and India.

“The sheer number of business and tourism possibilities international carries find in Houston is very enticing,” Diaz said. “Our region’s dynamic economy, culture and growth Continued on pg 4

Diaz hopes to one day secure a direct flight between Houston and Mumbai. A direct flight

school.’ is the slogan of the school. “The curriculum is structured in a student friendly manner and it also incorporates electronical devices. Classes have been divided not based on age but also on knowledge level.” said Manmeet Likhari, Director of the school. The day before the inauguration saw some eventful moments through a picnic which again let the kids do all the things that their previous generation has done while growing up in Punjab. A sack race, spoon race and many other similar sporting activities were a part of the picnic. The langar (dining area) catered to the taste of the visitors and devotees with some mouth watering and delicious items like aloo tikki, pakoda, gulab jamun, tea, juice and many other stuff.

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FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Doctors’ Reception The People’s Lawyer by IACCGH www.peopleslawyer.net Richard M. Alderman Interim Dean of the Law Center

by Manu Shah Visiting delegate physicians from India were welcomed and honored by the IACCGH at a reception hosted on 16th April at the Hess Club. The del-

Legal tussles over a frying pan, money and a hanging plant Q. I owned a home with my boyfriend for a year. We broke up and sold the property. I moved out before our closing date (and before him) and when packing my things, I accidentally took his frying pan. He asked for it back and I gladly gave it back to him. He is now claiming that there was another pan that I “took.” I do not have this pan. I do not even remember seeing this pan when I lived there. He is now threatening to take me to small claims court for this pan that apparently cost him $55. I don’t really know how to “prove” I do not have this pan. It seems a little childish to me, but is this a legitimate reason to take me to small claims court? A. Although this may not be the type of dispute most people would take to court, it is what justice court (the new name for small claims court) is all about. If someone feels that you owe him money, that person has the right to file a claim in justice court and let a judge decide. In court, however, he will have to prove you wrongfully retained his pan. You do not have to prove you did not. If it is just your word against his, my opinion is you should win. I suggest you make it clear to him that you did not take the pan, have not seen it, and of course would return it if you had it. The next step is up to him. Q. I have a friend who says I owe him money. He gave me money to help me, but as a gift not loan. Now he is threatening that he will file a claim in justice court. What can I do? A. This seems to be justice court day. At this point, all you can do is remind him that it was not a loan, that you greatly appreciated him helping you out and that you assume he will stop trying to collect. If he wants to file a lawsuit in justice court he may, but he will have to prove it was a loan and not a gift. Q. My neighbor built a six-foot high fence between our properties. I would like to hang a few planters on my side of the fence. My neighbor says it is his fence and I can’t attach anything to it. It is on my side. Don’t I have the right to use it? A. Assuming the fence is built on his property, he is correct—it is his fence, and you will be trespassing if you added anything to the fence. I suggest you talk to the neighbor and see if he will give you permission to add something to your side. You may want to consider offering to reimburse him for some of the costs of installing the fence. Q. I want to fill out a living will directing that I not be kept alive by lifesupport. A friend gave me the form. Where do I file it? A. As you seem to know, a living will, formally called an “Advanced Directive,” is the document you complete if you do not want to kept alive by artificial means once you are found to be terminally ill. The document must be signed and witnessed by two people, but it does not have to filed. The document should be give to your physician or hospital when you undergo treatment. You also should prepare a second document and give it is to a family member or close friend. In the event you cannot give a directive to your physician, your friend or family member can insure your wishes are followed. If you would like a free copy of a living will, visit my website below. Do you want to know more about your legal rights? Visit my website, www.peopleslawyer.net

Delegation Continued from pg 3

opportunity for expanding Indian firms looking to do business overseas. The goal of the Houston Airport System is to connect the people, business, cultures and economies of the world to Houston and the growth prospects this trade mission will bring for both our region and a global economic

powerhouse like India is a strong step forward in that mission.” On Thursday, the Houston delegation is hosting a “Doing Business with Houston” seminar for Indian business people and investors. In addition, the group will meet with high-level government officials and corporate decision-makers. “More than 700 Houston companies report business or trade

ties with India,” said Mayor Parker. “I believe the potential exists to grow that number, especially if the city is successful in one day securing a non-stop flight. These trade missions are always about strengthening existing relationships and forging new connections that will help grow our economy.” The trade mission concludes April 25.

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egates also had an opportunity to interact with the medical faculty from MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), Houston’s leading doctors and IACCGH members. The evening was hosted by President and CEO of Southside Pharmacy, Harish Katharani and attended by 60 people. IACCGH President Elect Joya Shukla welcomed the gathering and gave a brief outline of how the relationship between the Chamber and leading cancer institutions in India came about. IACCGH Founding President Durga Agrawal convinced

Dr. John Mendelsohn, the then President of MDACC and his wife Ann to visit the Tata Cancer Center in Mumbai. In 2003, a delegation was led by then IACCGH President Deepa Thakur along with Dr. John

Mendelsohn, IACCGH Past President Ashoke Nath, Vijay Goradia, Ajit Thakur, Pankaj Dhume and IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia who coordinated the efforts with Karen Francis of MDACC. The delegation met with doctors at the Tata Memorial Cancer Center leading to a historic MOU between the two institutions. A decade later in 2013, “the magic was repeated” and another MOU was signed which encouraged the two way exchange of information and knowledge on cancer prevention and treatment. Since then MDACC has partnered with several premier medical insti-

tutions across India and every year MDACC’s partners fly to Houston to attend its annual Global Academic Program (GAP). IACCGH Board Member, Karen Francis who heads the Global Academic Programs at MD Anderson and works closely with cancer centers round the world also welcomed the physicians from Tata Memorial and the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Center. In her address, she re-

ferred to MD Anderson’s global network which has expanded to the African continent and recognized the visiting delegate doctors from Zambia. She also thanked Founder member and first President of IACCGH, Dr. Durga Agrawal “for being the reason we are here tonight.” Guest of Honor, Dr. Devinder Bhatia is one of Houston’s leading cardiovascular surgeons and the first Indo American to be appointed to the Texas Medical Board. He and wife Gina are well known for their philanthropic involvement with over 20 nonprofit organizations and have raised over $10 milContinued on pg 10

HCC

Continued from front page NSDC has developed the model for the skills initiative. They have identified over three dozen industry clusters in which skills development is needed. Many of those clusters are aligned with the new Centers of Excellence concept that is being deployed within the Houston Community College System. “HCC is being considered for this partnership because we are known as the leader of workforce education. Our model was developed using standards that are mandated by international industries,” said Dr. Madeline Burillo, HCC associate vice chancellor of Workforce Instruction and Division of Extended Learning. “We already have industry- approved workforce education that can translate easily to their Academies of Excellence model.” Over the next ten years, Houston Community College would help educate some of the 50,000 trainers needed to educate future workers in India. Providing instruction to so many people is not possible through the traditional brick and mortar model, so online learning will be a major com-

HCC Trustees Neeta Sane and Robert Glaser welcoming India’s National Skill Development Corporation Chair Dilip Chenoy and congratulating him for signing the MOU with HCC. ponent of the learning. Once trained, employees of various government vocational colleges across India will go to even the most remote locations to train students. HCC will provide expertise in leadership education programs in several of the areas defined by the government. The college will assist with curriculum development, teaching and learning resources development, occupational standards, testing and certification; labor marker information

systems, etc. Articulated arrangements or joint programming will be developed, either on-site or through an e-learning platform. “The goal of the program is for the trainers to be able to provide a robust education for millions of potential workers who can then contribute to a meaningful workforce that will bolster the economy of India and form partnerships to bring future opportunities to HCC and the Houston community.” said Dr. Maldonado.

DIASPORA

VOICE OF ASIA 5

Why India’s net neutrality activists hate Facebook Mark Zuckerberg’s Internet.org philanthropy finds itself cast as the villain in India’s fight over Internet rules by Joshua Brustein

s the fight over net neutrality in the U.S. reaches the litigation phase, India’s version of the battle over Internet rules is just heating up. The situation on the subcontinent shares some similarities with its American counterpart: a backlash against a regulator who seems to favor telecommunications companies over Web-based rivals, an activist-led campaign to flood the government with public comments, and even a viral video produced by comedians.

however, activists have found a foil in Facebook’s Internet. org project, which launched in the country in February. Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to expand Internet access in developing countries wraps itself in philanthropic language while also clearly pursuing Facebook’s interest in expanding the pool of potential Facebook users. One of the ways it does that is

is useful to offer some services for free. If you can’t afford to pay for connectivity, it is always better to have some access and voice than none at all,” he wrote. “Internet.org doesn’t block or throttle any other services, or create fast lanes. We will never prevent people accessing other services, and we will not use fast lanes.” In the U.S., the rules recently

The issue came to the forefront after India’s telecom companies spent months complaining to regulators about unfair competition from Internet companies. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and voice services like Skype compete directly with telecom-provided text messaging and phone services but aren’t subject to the same regulations. Last month the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India launched the formal consideration of Internet rules with the release of a “consultation paper.” Regulators also raised the prospect of implementing some form of net neutrality on the telecoms at the same time. The initial comment period for the paper ends this week, and activists have used the predictable unpopularity of local telecoms to generate attention. So far, campaigners claim to have sent more than 800,000 letters to the regulatory body. In the U.S., Internet companies either supported activists or stood aside during the longrunning policy debate. In India,

2016 Elections: Why this year is the time to focus on Asian American voter power Analysis by Jennie Ilustre

ext year, the country will elect a new president. But next year is already here. Notice how candidates are already positioning themselves for the primaries and caucuses? It is urgent that now–not next year–is when all candidates must realize that American voters of Asian and Pacific heritage will play a major role in the 2016 elections. Republican Jeb Bush was first at the gate, albeit unofficially, in next year’s presidential elections. Bush is of course, former Florida governor and son and brother of two former presidents. In a crowded Republican field, Senator Ted Cruz was the first to officially launch his candidacy in March.

But India’s net neutrality activists are focusing on a practice that U.S. rules barely addressed, and they’ve set themselves against an enemy that’s been pretty quiet on the topic at home: Facebook.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the Internet.org summit in New Delhi last year. through a concept known as zero-rating, where certain services are provided without charge to Internet subscribers. Activists say this gives Internet.org participants an unfair advantage over competing services. If Facebook is free but an upstart social network isn’t, people will likely go with the incumbent. The activists have begun targeting companies that cooperate with Facebook, and in the last week several partners have publicly broken away. The Internet.org exodus includes e-commerce company Flipkart, travel site Cleartrip, and the Times Group, a news organization. Zuckerberg wrote an opinion piece in an Indian business newspaper last week defending zero-rating. “To give more people access to the Internet, it

passed by the Federal Communications Commission don’t explicitly address zero-rating, and the agency says it will handle the issue on a case-by-case basis. AT&T and T-Mobile offer zero-rating programs in the U.S. now. Even among U.S. advocates there seemed to be disagreement about how important it was that Internet rules cover the practice. In India, however, zero-rating has become the major point of contention. In addition to Facebook, local telecom Bharti Airtel has been pilloried for a plan to offer free access to certain apps. The Indian regulatory authority acknowledges in its report that these actions could give a significant advantage to those services that participate in the plans. Local activists accuse Face-

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

In the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton is expected to formally announce her candidacy this month. The likely theme: The country already elected its first-ever black president– why not the first woman president? Supporters tout her experience as an elected and appointive official. Hillary is book of abandoning principles it supports when it does business abroad. “The stance that ‘we stand for full net neutrality in the U.S., but we act differently elsewhere’ is problematic,” says Raman Chima of Access, one of the groups pushing for new rules in India. For its part, Facebook says it supports net neutrality in India—under a definition of the term that deems zero-rating an acceptable practice.That’s a reminder that in every net neutrality debate, a major part of the disagreement is what the phrase even means. -Bloomberg News

a former senator and former secretary of state. She is also a former First Lady. The Mainstream Media report that the Democratic Party does not seem inclined to have a Plan B Candidate. Yet the party’s progressive wing is trying to urge Senator Elizabeth Warren to throw her hat in the ring. At this point, Warren has demurred from taking up the challenge. The media, such as it is, view a Hillary coronation as boring. They relish a messy fight in the primaries for both parties. One thing, however, is clear. American voters of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage must let both political parties recognize their rising Voter Power. They must use this advantage in insuring that every candidate understands their issues and concerns have grown more urgent with each passing year. For statistical purposes, the Census defines an Asian as someone “having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent.” In the 2010 Census, this nation’s fastest-growing minority population grew from Year 2000 by 43 per cent (or nearly doubled) to 14.7 million, due to migration and birth. Today, Americans of Asian origin are estimated to be over 18 million. This figure is 6 per cent of the country’s total population of more than 300 million. Behind the Numbers: PostElection Survey of Asian American and Pacific Islander Voters in 2012 reported: “Although states with historically high concentrations of Asian Americans, such as California and New York, continue to see their communities grow, Asian Americans are fanning out and becoming increasing shares of the populations of

other states, such as Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, and Georgia. In these four states, Asian American communities grew the fastest in the nation over the last decade. Florida and Virginia—which were presidential battlegrounds— also saw their Asian American populations grow faster than the national average.” These two have gained importance as swing states. That is, in 2016 they will be crucial in deciding the nation’s next president. In the 2012 presidential elections, 72 per cent of this ever-growing population voted for Democratic Party’s President Obama. This translates to some 2.5 million out of a total of 3.6 million Asian American voters, according to an estimate of “Behind the Numbers.” The survey was a collaborative effort of Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, and National Asian American Survey. International Leadership Foundation Founder & CEO Chiling Tong pointed out: “Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) focus on both the present and future, and want presidential candidates to prove that they have the ability to improve the APA community and Mainstream American society in general.” For the 2016 presidential elections, which party will win the Asian Pacific American vote? The time for candidates, parties and organizations to get ready for voter education and outreach is this year. American voters of Asian and Pacific heritage should realize their strength. Indeed, they have the opportunity to be a major player in electing the nation’s next president. -Asian Fortune News

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Mob attacks Bangladesh opposition leader during election rally

Opposition protests bribery allegations against Sri Lanka’s former president

HAKA - Police in Bangladesh are investigating a mob attack on the car of Bangladesh’s main opposition leader on Monday, during which gun shots were reportedly fired.

OLOMBO -- A group of opposition parliamentarians staged a protest at Sri Lanka’s parliament on Monday against the move to question former President Mahinda Rajapakse over bribery allegations.

Attackers armed with iron rods surrounded the car of Khaleda Zia during an election rally and then shot at it as the vehicle sped away, officials said. Footage and photographs from local media showed a group of men striking vehicles in Zia’s motorcade with rods and wooden staves. The 69-year-old former prime minister was unhurt but the attack highlighted tensions in the politically unstable south Asian country where Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has intensified protests aimed at forcing the prime minister, sheikh Hasina, to quit and hold a new national election after a disputed 2014 poll. Mohammad Shamsuddin, a BNP spokesman, told Reuters news agency Zia had been addressing a rally for a mayoral election in the capital, Dhaka, from her car when the men tried to attack it. Shots were fired at the bulletproof vehicle as it drove off, Shamsuddin said. Khaleda’s bodyguard and at least five other people were injured in the attack and had to receive hospital treatment, he added. Zia “survived because it was a bullet-proof car”, her private secretary, Shimul Biswas, who was with her during the attack, said. Police said they were looking into the claim of gunfire. “Some people said they heard gunshots during the clashes. We’re investigating the matter,” a spokesman, Jahangir Alam, said.

Government officials said the attack had been provoked by Zia’s security detail, and had involved businessmen angry at losses resulting from recent unrest blamed on the BNP. After the attack, the BNP called for a nationwide general strike on Wednesday to protest against the attack on its leader, except in Dhaka and the city of Chittagong, which both hold mayoral elections next week. More than 120 people have been killed and hundreds injured in months of political violence, which has seen a campaign of petrol bomb attacks on vehicles, transport blockades and strikes by the opposition aimed at toppling the government. Police have tried to quell the unrest by firing live rounds. There are also reports of widespread detentions without trial by security forces. The BNP refused to take part in last year’s general election, saying it was rigged. The protests are intended to force Hasina to resign and call a new general election under a neutral administration. Hasina, leader of the Awami League, has refused the BNP demands she step down, instead tightening her grip by arresting key opposition leaders and clamping down on media critical of her government. The feuding in Bangladesh can be traced back over decades. The country has been ruled by either Hasina or Zia , both from powerful political families, for nearly 23 years. Tensions have been heightened by death sentences passed on leading Islamists over their role in the 1971 independence war in which Bangladesh broke away from Pakistan. Hasina is the daughter of the wartime leader sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Zia is the widow of

Ziaur Rahman, the conflict’s best-known Bangladeshi military commander, who later became president. The unrest, estimated to have cost Bangladesh the equivalent of 0.55% of its national output, will cause further problems for the country’s garment manufacturers. The industry has been rocked by a series of disasters, including a factory collapse in April 2013 that killed more than 1,100 workers. The deaths revealed the harsh working conditions in an industry that employs 4m Bangladeshis and provides clothing to major western retailers. - Guardian

Continued from pg 2 sults. It’s a mystery why the president suddenly trusts Pakistan’s military—after mistrusting it at the time of the Navy SEAL operation in May 2011 that found and killed Osama bin Laden living safely until then in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad. One explanation is that selling helicopters and missiles is easier than thinking of alternative strategies to compel an errant ally to change its behavior. This is a pattern in U.S.-Pakistan relations going back to the 1950s. Between 1950 and 1969, the U.S. gave $4.5 billion in aid to Pakistan partly in the hope of using Pakistani troops in anticommunist wars, according to declassified U.S. government documents. Pakistan did not contribute a single soldier for the wars in Korea or Vietnam but went to war with India over the disputed border state of Kashmir instead in 1965. During the 1980s, Pakistan served as the staging ground for the jihad against the Soviet

Is Your Child Losing Interest in Studies? Don’t Worry, Vastu Can Help! Basically, the West-South-West (WSW) is the Zone of Studies. This zone prompts one to practise repeatedly whatever one is pursuing, so that the results improve with each attempt and one attains perfection. If this zone is balanced, it ensures greater returns and improved performance with less efforts. Chetan Patel The West-South-West Zone also equips you with the power, energy and capacity for the retention of knowledge. Vastu Shastra clearly states that it is important that children study well, train themselves and acquire skills and learning, according to their fields of interests to grow properly for a better future. Childhood is as much a time for acquiring knowledge, as for fun and frolic. The influence of anything placed in the West-South-West Zone can be seen easily—if a television set is kept here, it will definitely distract the child from his studies. He/She will think of various entertainment programmes or cartoons when he/she should be studying. In a recent research conducted by one of our MahaVastu Experts, on ‘child education’, found that children were not able to memorise their lessons properly, if the washing machines in their respective homes were placed in the Zone of Studies. With a washing machine there, the child may study as hard as he/she can, but will always feel drained out. In the examination hall, the mind may become totally blank. In another MahaVastu case study, the child used to cry whenever his parents asked him to study. Can you guess where his study table was lying? It was in the Zone of Depression and Low Moods, i.e., the West-North-West. If you know the logics of Vastu Shastra, or learn them in a two-day or four-day MahaVastu Course, you can yourself ensure the right placement of activities and objects in your home and programme your space to facilitate better concentration, memory and excellent grades for your children.

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Rajapakse has been summoned before the Bribery or Corruption Commission on Friday over a fraudulent document filed by former Health Minister Tissa Attanayake in an attempt to criticize President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the run-up to the Jan. 8 presidential election. Rajapakse is also expected to be questioned over allegations occupation of Afghanistan and received another $4.5 billion in aid, as reported by the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations to Congress. Pakistan diverted U.S. assistance again toward its obsessive rivalry with India, and trained insurgents to fight in the Indian part of Kashmir as well as in India’s Punjab state. It also violated promises to the U.S. and its own public statements not to acquire nuclear weapons, which it first tested openly in 1998—arguing that it could not afford to remain nonnuclear while India’s nuclear program surged ahead. Since the 1990s, Pakistan has supported various jihadist groups, including the Afghan Taliban. After 9/11, the country’s military dictator, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, promised to end support for the Islamic radicals. Based on that promise, Pakistan received $15.1 billion in civil and military aid from the U.S. until 2009. In February, Gen. Musharraf admitted in an interview with the U.K.’s Guardian newspaper that he continued to support the Afghan Taliban even after 9/11 because of concerns over close

that he bribed Attanayake, who was a former member of the ruling United National Party but resigned to support then president Rajapakse before the vote. Rajapakse’s brother and former defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse has also been summoned to the Commission. The opposition parliamentarians, who disrupted Monday’s parliamentary proceedings, complained that it was “not proper” for the Bribery and Corruption Commission to question the former president and his brother in such a manner.

provided for Rajapakse and he had been summoned only to a record a statement. Rajapakse’s spokesman Rohan Walivita said on Monday that the former president was seeking legal advice prior to his appearance before the Bribery and Corruption Commission this week. Several complaints have been lodged against Rajapakse and his family at the Bribery and Corruption Commission over allegations of mass financial frauds during their decade-long tenure in office.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe assured the protesters that adequate security would be

Rajapakse was defeated in the January polls by his one time aide and health minister Sirisena. -Xinhua

relations between Afghanistan and India. Thus the U.S. was effectively arming a country that was, in turn, arming insurgents fighting and killing American troops in Afghanistan.

in southwest Baluchistan province, bordering Iran, and along the disputed border in Kashmir rather than against the jihadists in the northwest bordering Afghanistan.

After the Dec. 16, 2014, attack on a Peshawar school, where the Taliban massacred 160 people, including many schoolchildren, Pakistan claimed it had changed its policy toward terrorist groups and would no longer distinguish between “good” and “bad” Taliban. The Pakistani military has since sped up military action against terrorist groups responsible for mayhem inside Pakistan. But the destruction, demobilization, disarmament or dismantling of Afghan Taliban and other radical groups is clearly not on the Pakistani state’s agenda. There has been no move against Kashmir-oriented jihadist groups.

If the Obama administration believes Pakistan’s military has really changed its priorities, it should consider leasing helicopters to Pakistan and verify where they are deployed before going through with outright sales.

Given Pakistan’s history, it is likely that the 15 AH-1Z Viper helicopters and 1,000 Hellfire missiles—as well as communications and training equipment being offered to it—will be used against secular insurgents

With nuclear weapons, Pakistan no longer has any reason to feel insecure about being overrun by a larger Indian conventional force. For the U.S. to continue supplying a Pakistani military that is much larger than the country can afford will only invigorate Pakistani militancy and militarism at the expense of its 200 million people, one-third of whom continue to live at less than a dollar a day per household. (-WSJ) Mr. Haqqani, the director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C., was Pakistan’s ambassador to the U.S., 2008-11.

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

China’s Xi Jinping launches investment India’s anticordeal in Pakistan ruption ‘Common Man’ Party expels senior leaders Chinese president on visit to Islamabad green-lights $28 billion for infrastructure projects by Saeed Shah

ISLAMABAD - Chinese President Xi Jinping kickstarted $28 billion in infrastructure projects in Pakistan, in a visit meant to showcase deepening ties between the two countries. Mr. Xi arrived Monday on his first state visit to Pakistan, where his government unveiled a massive infrastructure development program known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

out the work, which will be financed through either Chinese investment or concessional loans.

“I feel satisfied with the rich deliverables of the visit,” Mr. Xi said, according to a translation provided by Pakistani state television. “The building of the China-Pakistan corridor concerns, and has a bearing on, the national strategy [and] livelihoods of the two countries and their long-term

without economic development and stabilization, Pakistan and Afghanistan would undermine security on China’s northwest flank. The economic corridor also aims to help economically develop the predominantly Muslim northwest region of China, by connecting it with Gwadar, a closer outlet than any Chinese coastal port. A joint statement Monday said that the two sides will “continue working together to

Islamabad and Beijing have been close strategic allies for decades, based on their mutual antagonism toward India, but their economic ties had lagged behind. On Monday, Mr. Xi finalized agreements or broke ground on $28 billion of advance projects out of the total $46 billion, ranging from upgrading Pakistan’s railways to building power plants, said Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan’s planning minister. “This is to show the seriousness—the reality—of the economic corridor,” Mr. Iqbal said. At a ceremony in Islamabad, the two sides signed 51 agreements. From the capital, Mr. Xi and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also performed a remote grounding breaking, via video link to the sites, on five projects, including a $1.4 billion dam close to Islamabad that will deliver 720 megawatts of electricity, and adding 900 megawatts to a solar power park at Bahawalpur, in the center of the country, for $1.5 billion. “Friendship with China is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy,” Mr. Sharif said after the ceremony. “Today, we have planned for the future.” The program isn’t structured as traditional development aid. Chinese companies will carry

An agreement to build a natural-gas pipeline connected to Iran was also signed Monday. The Chinese-built power plants, if completed in time, would be enough to plug Pakistan’s existing electricity shortfall ahead of its next election, due in 2018. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif won office in 2013, partially on his promise to solve the country’s electricity crisis. The Chinese transport projects include a $1.6 billion elevated mass transit railway for the eastern city of Lahore, Mr. Sharif’s hometown.

Mr. Xi will address a special joint sitting of both houses of Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, shaking hands with his Pakistani counterpart Pakistan’s Mamnoon Hussain at the Islamabad airport in Pakistan on Monday. parliament - Photo: European Pressphoto Agency Tuesday. development.” The proposed economic corridor will connect the northwestern Chinese province of Xinjiang with the Pakistani port of Gwadar through a network of roads, and provide Pakistan with much-needed economic infrastructure, especially power-generation plants. Pakistan’s acute electricity shortage leads to hours of daily scheduled power cuts to homes and businesses, holding back economic growth. Beijing is concerned that

resolutely combat the terrorist organization, ETIM”, referring to the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, a militant Chinese Islamist group that has a refuge in Pakistan. Of the $28 billion in advanced projects, most are expected to be completed by 2018, said Mr. Iqbal, the planning minister. These include a project to provide 1,320 megawatts of power at Port Qasim, in Karachi, 200 megawatts of wind farms in the southern province of Sindh, and coalmining and coal-fired power plants at Thar, in Sindh.

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In total, the economic corridor project aims to add some 17,000 megawatts of electricity generation, at a cost of around $34 billion. The rest of the money will be spent on transport infrastructure, including upgrading the railway line between the port megacity of Karachi and the northwest city of Peshawar. The plan calls for the completion of all the projects by 2030. Pakistan will establish a special security force of several thousand personnel to guard the Chinese projects against attacks by militants. -WSJ

Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav had spoken out against party chief Arvind Kejriwal

Dissident AAP leaders, from left, Prashant Bhushan, Anand Kumar and Yogendra Yadav addressing a press conference at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on April 15, 2015 by Rishi Iyengar

EW DEHLI - India’s perennially tumultuous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) found itself embroiled in controversy yet again this week, expelling four members including two co-founders late Monday night. The populist anticorruption party said in a statement that founding members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav had been ejected for “gross indiscipline and antiparty activities,” the BBC reported. Two other senior politicians, Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha, were also banned. The AAP, created on the back of a path-breaking national movement against graft in government, has swung between dramatic highs and unfortunate lows ever since its inception. Its leader Arvind Kejriwal resigned as New Delhi’s chief minister in February 2014 after just 49 days at the helm,

staging a bizarre sit-in in the process, but roared back into power a year later after a nearwhitewash of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The internal discord that culminated in Bhushan and Yadav’s expulsion began soon after the February elections; both leaders were systematically removed from various decisionmaking bodies over the past few months after speaking out against Kejriwal’s reported authoritarian tendencies. “All dreams of a movement have been shattered by a small coterie and a dictator,” Bhushan, a lawyer by profession, told news channel NDTV. He added that he didn’t feel a sense of personal loss, but expressed deep regret. “How would you feel if someone drags you and throws you out of your own house?” Yadav asked reporters. -TIME

WORLD/US

VOICE OF ASIA 8

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Google to help search for Scotland’s Loch Ness monster

hose keen to search for Scotland’s mythical Loch Ness monster can do so from anywhere in the world after Google launched a cache of underwater and surface images of the lake. The Street View series includes the ancient Urquhart Castle seen from the water, Fort Augustus Abbey and the lake seen “from Nessie’s perspective” under the peaty waters. When searching Google Maps in the area, the usual yellow “Pegman” changes to a green Loch Ness monster icon, which can be dropped anywhere on the lake to see the view from there. “The Google project was so cloaked in secrecy, when people asked about the ripples in

the loch during the special diving expeditions, for once I had no opinion,” said Adrian Shine, a Loch Ness expert who helped realise the project. Its launch coincides with the publication date of the “Loch Ness Monster” photograph that helped make the myth famous. The so-called “Surgeon’s Photograph”, published in the Daily Mail newspaper on April 21, 1934, purported to show the monster’s head and neck emerging from the water, later accused of being a hoax. The legend has been credited with bringing significant sums to Scotland’s economy, and Scottish tourism body Visit Scotland called the project “hugely exciting”. “I hope people worldwide

Boston marathon bombing survivor crosses finish line

OSTON - Returning to the race that caused her to become an amputee, Boston Marathon bombing victim Rebekah Gregory has crossed the finish line. After running the final 3.2

She said the experience was “absolutely surreal,” but the weather was working against her. Halfway through, with a swollen leg and a twisted knee after an encounter with a pothole, Gregory wondered

“This is the day....I take my life back,” Rebekah Gregory wrote on a post published to Facebook ahead of the race, along with this photo. miles of the course on her good leg and a prosthetic, she fell to her knees, “overcome with emotion,” she told ABC News. “Just to know that I was crossing the finish line on my own foot and I wasn’t in a wheelchair like last year and I wasn’t laying on the pavement fighting for my life like the year before,” Gregory told ABC News after crossing the finish line. “I’ve come a long way and I’m just going to keep going because there’s no stopping me.” Gregory was at the finish line of the Boston Marathon when a bomb exploded two years ago, and she wrote that she thought she would die on the pavement. After undergoing several operations, doctors amputated her leg in November. Gregory became one of 16 marathon victims to lose a limb.

whether she could finish. “When I was able to see the finish line I knew I had to finish,” she said. “I had made a promise to myself and that’s what I did.” “This is the day....I take my life back,” she wrote on Facebook before the race started, posting a photo of herself decked out in race gear. Gregory wrote in an email that she started strength training one week before her leg was amputated last November. Since her surgery, she has tried to train five days a week for at least an hour, focusing on both strength and endurance. “Running has been a huge release to me with all of the craziness going on,” she wrote in a recent email to this reporter. -ABC News

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enjoy exploring Street View to have a look and then be inspired to travel to Scotland to discover this area of magical beauty and natural intrigue,” Shine added. -AFP

Google reportedly spent a week at Loch Ness collecting imagery with one of their street view “trekker” cameras. So far, Nessie has as remained elusive as always.

VOICE OF ASIA 9

Japanese robot receptionist greets amused shoppers

OKYO - She can smile, she can sing and this robot receptionist who started work in Tokyo on Monday never gets bored of welcoming customers to her upmarket shop. “My name is ChihiraAico. How do you do?” she says in Japanese, blinking and nodding to customers in the foyer of Mitsukoshi, Japan’s oldest department store chain.

tomers to shops like this, ChihiraAico cannot answer questions, but simply runs through her pre-recorded spiel. The android, with lifelike skin and almost (but not quite) natural-looking movements, was developed by microwaves-topower stations conglomerate Toshiba, and unveiled at a tech fair in Japan last year. “We are aiming to develop

A department store employee poses with humanoid ChihiraAico (L), clad in a traditional Japanese kimono. (AFP Photo) Clad in an elegant traditional kimono, ChihiraAico -- a name that sounds similar to a regular Japanese woman’s name -- breaks into a rosy-lipped smile as would-be shoppers approach. Unlike her real-life counterparts -- almost always young women -- who welcome cus-

a robot that can gradually do what a human does,” said Hitoshi Tokuda, chief specialist at Toshiba. “The standard of customer service in this Mitsukoshi flagship store is top quality and this is a great opportunity to see what role our humanoid can play in this kind of environment.” -AFP

INNOVATION

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Apple Watch to boost ‘glance journalism’

ASHINGTON With the Apple Watch expected to sell in the millions, news organizations refocusing their efforts to become part of that tiny screen. In the news business, this is now called “glance journalism.” The Apple Watch, expected to catapult to the leading item in wearable technology, opens up new possibilities to a news industry seeking to connect with audiences in the digital era. The New York Times says its app for the Apple Watch will be “a new form of storytelling” and that “editors on three continents” will update notifications. Readers will be able to “hand off” an article to view on an iPhone or iPad. Yahoo will have four apps for the Apple device, including a news digest updated hourly with “microsummaries” of major stories, as well as apps for fantasy sports, weather and one specifically for Hong Kong news. CNN and National Public Radio also have apps for the Apple Watch, and others are expected to follow. The new technology means more bite-size news being directed at consumers, say media analysts. “We are about to enter the era of ‘at a glance journalism’,” says Mario Garcia, a consultant with Garcia Media and faculty member at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, in a blog post. Garcia, who is also participating in a research project on news for smartphones with Arhus University of Denmark, said he is

“fascinated” with the possibilities. “It is more difficult to pull an iPhone out of one’s pocket or a purse in a crowded New York City subway that it would be to glance at one’s watch,” he said. “So, I predict that we will be doing a lot of glancing, as in reading seductive headlines and deciding if we read or not.” The emergence of wearables offers a new platform for the news media -- one that is fast, personal and always on, says Robert Hernandez, who teaches mobile journalism at the University of Southern California. “The ability to access knowledge will be quicker with the watch,” Hernandez told AFP. For newsrooms, it is “a new opportunity to be part of this person’s body,” Hernandez said. And journalism will find a way to use the smartwatch, he said: “When Twitter came out people were saying ‘you can’t do journalism in 140 characters,’ but it has now become an essential tool.” Gilles Raymond, founder and chief executive of the News Republic application, says he believes the smartwatch will be an important source for news and that the Apple Watch will be an important test. “When there is breaking news you want access to it immediately, so the watch is the ideal tool to do that,” said Raymond, who is based in San Francisco for the French-based firm which offers smartphone and tablet news apps. He said smartphone users now glance at their handsets

Cartoon courtesy of O’Collins (flicker/ca_ocollins)

more than 100 times a day, and with the smartwatch that could become 300 or 500 times: “It will be very addictive,” he said. Raymond said there is only limited experience with news on smartwatches now but that news organizations and apps are prepared for the possible widespread adoption of Apple Watch. “The question is will you read only the first line and then take your phone out or will you read the full article on the watch?” he said. “Both scenarios are credible but I think people will want to read the article on their watch. They can adapt.” News organizations will need to adapt as well, Raymond said, by developing content easily viewed on the small screen but could be rewarded with “a new way to build a relationship” with readers. But media organizations need to find the right formula for delivering short news alerts and notifications without being obtrusive or annoying. Wears of the watch are likely to fine-tune these systems to their liking. Alan Mutter, a former Chicago newspaper editor who is now a digital media consultant, says news organiza-

tions need to think creatively about how to use new devices like the smartwatch. “The insanely small screen cannot be just an extension of what’s on the mobile phone,” Mutter said. “You have to think about how consumer uses the device and how can you do something that’s valuable.” Mutter said smartwatch users may not want to feel “pecked to death” by vibrating alerts and that news publishers must strike the right balance on these notifications. “Maybe it will be news at the top of the hour, in a spurt of headlines, or maybe it will be a summary you can listen to,” he said. “You have to create the content that works for the medium.” Mutter said most traditional news organizations failed to successfully navigate to the Web, but now have an opportunity with mobile and smartwatches. “They need to develop their mobile presence, they need to understand it’s not just a passive device,” Mutter said. “If they do mobile right, they will be able to do Apple Watch.” -AFP

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 10

Vaisakhi

Continued from front page A three-hour religious program was also being held, which was powerful enough to attract a huge throng of crowds. A musical ambience was created by well-known singer Surinder Shinda as he performed the songs accompanied by cheers and a huge round of applause. The musical program was made

possible by the Punjab Sports Club, Houston. The sun being merciful, most of the activities including the religious program took place outdoors. Loud chants like Bole So Nihal (Blessed by the Almighty), which is actually the slogan of the SNC, was announced by the host on stage, while the crowd reciprocated by saying Sat Sri Akal (God is immortal).

“Vaisakhi in India means more focus on religious ceremonies. A lot of people take amrit (become baptized Sikkhs) on this day as well. We are giving good attention to the religious part here in the USA as well, and at the same time we are making this day a family and children event,” said Harjit Singh Galhotra, General Secretary, SNC.

2015 Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Winners named in Fort Bend ISD

UGAR LAND - the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) released the names of the first group of winners in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, and 14 Fort Bend ISD students are among those named in the scholarship program.

hey are among more than 1,000 distinguished high school seniors who have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards financed by approximately 200 corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations. FBISD’s 2015 CorporateSponsored Merit Scholarship Winners, listed by schools, include: Austin High School Yuthika Gundamaraju – Occidental Petroleum Corporation Scholarship Clements High School

Chung Cheng – Macy’s Inc. Scholarship Pranay Nakirekanti – Nextera Energy Inc. Scholarship David Nie – Emerson Electric Co. Scholarship Arjun Talpallikar – Chevron Scholarship Aadity Venkateswaran Chevron Scholarship

–

Dulles High School Megan Bates – Chevron Scholarship Sushain Cherivirala – New York Life Family Scholarship Don Dao – BASF Corporation Scholarship Aalap Diwanji – The PWC Charitable Foundation Scholarship Michelle Huang – Fluor Scholarship Carl Marth – CBS Corporation Scholarship Rishiprotim Nag – Jerry R. Junkins Memorial Scholarship

Kempner High School Anupriya Gupta – Dow Chemical Company Scholarship These scholars were selected from students who advanced to the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met criteria of their scholarship sponsors. Corporate sponsors provide National Merit Scholarships for Finalists who are children of their employees, residents of communities the company serves, or who plan to pursue college majors or careers the sponsor wishes to encourage. Most of the awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $500 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Club 24 Plus members make a difference in the community chance to have made a small difference in their lives at least for one afternoon”. According to Kiran Gupta, Chair for Social committee “We should thank God for making us his instruments to be able to serve the less fortunate. A very humbling experience”. Club 24 Plus is a social club that was started in 2007 by likeminded individu-

dedicated team of Club 24 Plus members visited the Turning Point Center on Sunday, April 19th as part of the outreach program of the club. They bought the groceries and cooked a hot meal for 90 residents for lunch. It was a very gratifying and a bonding experience for the members as they spent their time cooking the meal together. At the request of the director of the center, the team prepared a light & healthy meal with an Indian twist keeping the residents health restrictions in mind and later served it to them. The Turning Point Center is a non-profit organization which offers food, shelter and other rehabilitative services to meet the physical and emotional needs of a neglected segment of society:

Doctors Continued from pg 4 lion for various causes.

Describing himself as “the epitome of a true Indo American” as his father is Indian and mother, American, Dr. Bhatia

underprivileged individuals aged 50 and older who are unable to provide safe and adequate living conditions for themselves. For volunteering information at this facility check out http://www.turningpointcenter.org In words of Laxmi Murthy who was the main coordinator for this activity “It was a fulfilling experience and I am feeling blessed that we got a

als in Houston. It is a social club with a difference. In addition to hosting fun activities the underlying principles of the club are Philanthropy and outreach to the community that we live in. The organization’s President is Asha Dhume and the outreach committee: Manisha Gandhi (Chair), Nat Krishnamurthy & Laxmi Murthy are Club 24 Plus.

stressed the importance of giving back to the community. He also urged the gathering to “get involved” because according to him if you don’t get involved, you cannot bring about change – “change for the better.”

ship and described it as “one of the galvanizing organizations which brings together not only businesses but also the medical community.” He also presented a plaque to Vishal Patel from Southside Pharmacy who received it on behalf of Harish Katharani, in appreciation for hosting the reception.

Dr. Bhatia also commended IACCGH for its great leader-

Lifestyle VOICE OF ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 11

ONLINE .COM voiceofasiaonline.com

Vol. 28 No. 17 Friday, April 24, 2015 Section 2 Page 11

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com Tel: 713-774-5140

She became an overnight The balancing act of sensation for wearing living with chronic pain the same outfit every day by Jade Hamnett

Matilda Kahl on the power of the work uniform by Katie Richards

atilda Kahl, an art director at Saatchi & Saatchi, was launched into viral stardom this week. But it wasn’t for her creative work, exactly—it was for the single outfit she wears to the office every day. In her recent Harper’s Bazaar article, which has racked up more than 64,000 shares in just one week, Kahl recalled the day she showed up to an important meeting feeling overwhelmed, unprepared and hating her outfit. It didn’t help that the men in attendance appeared casual and confident, while she felt like a sweaty mess. At that moment, she decided to adopt what she calls a work uniform: a signature white blouse, black trousers, a black leather rosette, and a black blazer if it’s cold out. It’s been three years, and she’s never looked back. We caught up with the New York creative to learn more about her work uniform, the feedback she’s received about her story, and why it’s so empowering to wear the same thing every day. What was your main motivation behind adopting a work uniform of a white blouse, black trousers and a black blazer? Kahl: The main motivation was that I understood how much time and energy I’d save if I could just take out the clothing aspect of my working days. We have so many great creative challenges at Saatchi that I’d rather spend my time on that, not picking out a new outfit every morning. Would you say the work uniform has changed your productivity at work? Absolutely. It’s not until you don’t have to care about clothing anymore that you realize how much energy it actually took up before. Before I had a uniform, I reevaluated my outfit throughout the day, wondering if what I was wearing really did a good job of reflecting me as the creative I want to be. Now, when I have an outfit

Kahl wears a simple black and white outfit to work daily. that I once picked out and that I’m happy with, I can lay all my good energy on my work instead. To only be judged on my creative ability at work and not how well I dress really is a real confidence boost. What sort of reactions have you gotten since writing the piece for Harper’s Bazaar? The response has been overwhelming. I’m very surprised but very happy that people think this is an interesting topic. I could never have imagined it would take off the way it has. I’ve received tons of emails from people with questions, high fives and stories about their own uniforms. The overall tone has been positive, which I’m of course very happy about. The media has been interested in hearing if this is a feminist movement, and that is a good question. It certainly wasn’t the intention when I started with the outfit. It was simply a choice I made for myself. But if it does spark some kind of movement, I hope it will inspire people, men and women, to opt out of obeying expectations they feel like they don’t want to be a part of their lives anymore. Earlier this week during an Adweek Chat, we asked about subtle ways male-dominated

offices can make women feel unwelcome. How would you respond to that question, looking at the advertising industry? I would start by asking the question the other way around. Instead of asking “What are some of the subtle ways a maleheavy office can make women feel unwelcome or unsupported?” I’m more interested in answering the question, “What are the ways we can make everyone at the office feel like they’re accepted no matter their gender, skin color or sexual orientation?” My answer to that is simply: be curious. You have no idea where great ideas will come from. And there’s a great chance you will understand the world better if you get to know people who are different from you. Women seem to be constantly critiqued and criticized for how they look and what they wear, especially in a professional setting. What would you say to women who feel pressure to look a certain way? I would like to remind women (and men) who feel pressure about their appearance at work that this is something they don’t have to take into the equation when it comes to how good they are at their job,

ave you ever had pain?

I don’t mean a headache, or even a broken leg. I mean long-term, unrelenting chronic pain. ‘Chronic’ typically means pain that lasts more than six months, and is generally past the point you’d have expected to heal. It doesn’t mean it’s psychosomatic. It could be an injury that keeps recurring, something that has healed incorrectly, or you have a condition that causes constant pain. Acute pain doesn’t mean the pain is worse, it simply means that the pain has lasted a short period of time. You can have pain at different levels of intensity - whether chronic or acute. Before I had chronic pain myself, and for a long time after, I believed there were painkillers that could stop it. However, for the vast majority of people this isn’t the case. I won’t say there isn’t anyone who has found a painkiller that takes all their pain away, but for most people the best they can hope for is a reduction in pain levels. Something that turns down the dial, as it were. Pain medication is a complicated area with no one-size-fitsall approach. There are lots of different types of painkillers, such as those that reduce inflammation, medications that work on nerves, antidepressants that also help with pain, and opioids which bind to specific receptors in the body. Further within the types of medications are even more options. It can have an immediate or slow release effect. You can take it by pills, patches, topical application, liquid, under your tongue, injection, and so on. Once someone has exhausted the over-the-counter options, it can be a difficult decision to go to the doctor to ask for something different. It shouldn’t be. Pain deserves to be managed as well as any other symptom of a condition, but there seems to be far more judgement intrinsically linked. Perhaps it’s due to the fact pain is invisible, or maybe because it’s hard to comprehend the impact of when pain becomes chronic. Those feel-

even if it feels that way many times. Remember that you are in charge of your life, and that you’re simply awesome just as you are. Has there ever been a time where you wanted to break from your go-to outfit? Nope. I still feel like it does a good job for me so I see no reason for stopping wearing the

ings of judgement can also be internalised - that you’re not the type of person to pop a pill. That other people manage without. That it’s not healthy.

I remember once having an assessment by a physiotherapist. In my area, they have something called a Spinal Pathway, so anyone wanting to see a doctor to have treatment for back pain has to be assessed by a physiotherapist first. My GP had referred me as she felt an appropriate course of action was to see a consultant to discuss having some joint injections into my spine. After talking to me for a couple of minutes, the physiotherapist declined my request. I asked why, and he responded, “You don’t seem to be screaming out in pain for them.”

point. We look at medications and their dosages and side effects. She’s never asked me, ‘How does your pain impact you? What help do you need? What does a normal day feel like for you?’ It’s likely because those 10 minutes are ticking past, she’s already an hour late and has a room full of patients waiting. I understand the reasons why, but it’s hard for her to then build a true picture of my life. It would be very easy for her to see me sitting next to her, dressed and holding it together and wonder if it’s as bad as I say without that vital background of how long it took to dress, what help I needed and how long I will need to sleep when I’ve got home from the appointment to recover. If someone has asthma, diabetes or a high blood pressure there are tests to back-up what they’re saying. An asthmatic can blow into a peak flow meter to show their inhalers aren’t strong enough, but chronic pain patients only have their words, their actions and the hope that the doctor will understand. It’s so easy to say the wrong thing that stops the doctor from understanding, and make them doubt you. But would a doctor judge an asthmatic who needs a stronger inhaler? Would their character or appearance even come into it?

‘pain relief can be one step forward, and a marathon back’

I could only sit there in disbelief. Pain is subjective, and very often when you have chronic pain, the amount of pain you’re in doesn’t show on the outside. If someone healthy woke up with the level of pain I live with on a daily basis, they’d be straight into Accident & Emergency begging for help. The fact that I’m not crying or screaming, and may even be upbeat and smiling is not because I’m brave, or special, or have amazing pain tolerance it’s just that I’ve been in pain for 13 years straight this July. You have to learn to live with it to some degree, as there’s no other choice. A certain amount of pain becomes normal. Seeking help for pain relief with medical professionals always carries some risk, that somehow you may receive the dreaded drug seeker label. It happens all the time, to completely innocent people who are just trying their best to manage their pain, and have no interest in abusing the medication. The problem is your GP sees you for around 10 minutes at a time, and for me I often have telephone appointments as I don’t have the energy to get to the surgery - so she can’t even see me. My GP is very nice, but she’s perfunctory and to the

uniform. But if I would wake up one day and feel like spending time picking out an outfit every morning, I’d have no problem with giving it up. The uniform is here for me, I’m not here for the uniform. Would you recommend the work uniform to other women in this industry? If you think it would be a good

Living with chronic pain can feel like you have multiple spinning plates that you have to keep in the air. One falls, and the medication isn’t any good. Then, when you finally get a level of pain relief you can live with, someone throws a spanner in the works, such as this morning when my GP phoned me to say the new pain medication I have been put on has just been ‘red-listed’ meaning only secondary-care (consultants) can now prescribe it. It’s frustrating and exhausting trying to keep all those plates up. It’s important to remember however, that this is not a sprint or a marathon, it’s a long-term balancing act. - ChronicChronicles.co.uk

time saver and if you think you’d have an easier time focusing on your job, then sure. Why not? Go for it if you think it’s something that would make your life easier. It certainly has for me. If you feel like ripping off the look of my personal uniform, I’d have no problem with that either. May the force be with you. - Credit and photo: Adweek

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HEALTH, SCIENCE & TECH

The look of love is in the Divorce may dog’s eyes be bad for the heart, especially for women T by Jan Hoffman

by Nicholas Bakalar

ivorce may be linked to a higher risk for heart attack, especially in women. Researchers used a nationally representative sample of 15,827 adults ages 45 to 80, all of whom were married or had been previously. The study, published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, began in 1992, and the participants were interviewed every two years through 2010. About one-third of the people in the study were divorced at least once in their lives. During the follow-up, 1,211 of the participants — about 8 percent — had a heart attack. After controlling for age, race and ethnicity, obesity, hypertension, smoking, alcohol consumption and other health and lifestyle factors, the research-

ers found that compared with a woman who was continuously married, a woman who had been divorced once had a 24 percent increased risk of heart attack. Those who had been divorced twice had a 77 percent increased risk, and remarried a 35 percent increased risk.

In men, only those who had divorced more than once had an increased risk of about 30 percent. Men who stayed married or who remarried had no increased risk. “Divorce isn’t a classical risk factor, like smoking or high blood pressure,” said the lead author, Matthew E. Dupre, an associate professor of sociology at Duke. “But we hope that caretakers and the general public will have a greater understanding of how the stress of divorce can affect their lives.” -NYTimes.com

Maple syrup could cut use of antibiotics by Jessica Firger

aple syrup is one of nature’s sweetest treats. But it turns out syrup could do much more than make your pancakes taste great. The sticky sap from maple trees may also make antibiotics more effective. A new study published Thursday in the journal Applied Environmental Microbiology suggests that adding maple syrup extract to certain common antibiotics may help kill off disease-causing bacteria. While this finding is still preliminary and has not yet been tested on animals or humans, researchers at McGill University in Quebec, Canada, say using maple syrup extract may be one way to address the growing worldwide problem of antibiotic resistance. “Potentially by combining an extract from maple syrup with antibiotics you might actually need to use less antibiotics to get the same treatment,” Nathalie Tufenkji, an associate professor in the department of engineering at McGill University, said in a video press release. For the study, Tufenkji and her team purchased maple syrup from a local market in Montreal. They created an extract by strictly isolating phenolic compounds found in the syrup. Phenols are a similar chemical to alcohol but also have their own set of unique properties, such as higher levels of acidity. The team first added maple syrup exctract to a number of infection-causing bacteria, including e. coli and proteus mirabilis. The extract on its own was partially effective for stopping the spread of the bacteria. However, it was especially effective when used on bacteria in combination with antibiotics. “Bacteria have this skin around them that protects them; it’s called a membrane. What’s interesting is that when you expose bacteria to this maple syrup extract it actually makes the skin more permeable to the antibiotic,” said Tufenkji. “The antibiotic can kind of permeate through the skin. Potentially by combining an extract from maple syrup with antibiotics you might actually need to use less antibiotics to get the same treatment,” she said. - CBS Interactive News

hose big brown eyes gaze at you, deeply. Your heart leaps. You caress, murmuring sweet nothings. And as those big browns remain fixed on you, the tail wags.

Devoted dog. Besotted owner. That continuous loop of loving reinforcement may begin with the dog’s gaze, according to a new report in Science. Japanese researchers found that dogs who trained a long gaze on their owners had elevated levels of oxytocin, a hormone produced in the brain that is associated with nurturing and attachment, similar to the feelgood feedback that bolsters bonding between parent and child. After receiving those long gazes, the owners’ levels of oxytocin increased, too. The dog’s gaze cues connection and response in the owner, who will reward the dog by gazing, talking and touching, all of which helps solder the two, the researchers said. They suggest that dogs became domesticated in part by adapting to a primary human means of contact: eyeto-eye communication. And when researchers gave dogs extra oxytocin through a nasal spray, the female dogs (though not the males) gazed at their owners even longer, which in turn boosted the owners’ oxytocin levels. “What’s unique about this study is that it demonstrates that oxytocin can boost social gaze interaction between two very different species,” said Steve Chang, an assistant professor of psychology and neurobiology at Yale who was not involved in this latest research. Dr. Chang, who studies oxytocin in animals, noted that through domestication, dogs came to regard humans as their “key social partners,” while humans also came to view dogs as social partners. “In a way, domesticated dogs

by Zachary Hannaford ccording to a new study, walking at an easy pace for about three hours every week may be just enough physical activity to help prostate cancer survivors reduce damaging side effects of their treatment.

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questions: about long and short gazes; why only female dogs reacted to the oxytocin dose; whether other breeds would yield different results. But pointing to the small size of the sample, she added, “I don’t know how it proves the domestication thesis.”

And then there is the meaning of a dog’s “gaze.” The human gaze is layered with nuance. Dog owners may ascribe similar complexity to their The re- Oxytocin may hold the key to the sweetness in a canine’s gaze. dog’s gaze, cersearchers tain that they, also tested rier, and two mixed breed. They wolves raised by humans to see also measured oxytocin in five like parents, can interpret it. (A view endorsed by this owner of whether a wolf-to-owner gaze wolves and their owners. a Havanese, whose eager, soulwould raise oxytocin levels in The changes in oxytocin ful gaze is both long and exeither or both. But compared with dogs, the wolves scarcely were most pronounced in dogs pressive, punctuated by cockgazed at their owners, and the who fixed longer gazes on their ing his head, and fluttering his owners’ oxytocin levels barely owners, which researchers de- ears forward. Speaks volumes.) fined as 100 seconds in the first “If your dog’s gaze helps you budged. five minutes of the encounter. think your dog understands Unlike dogs, wolves tend to They saw no significant differ- you,” said Dr. Horowitz, “that use eye contact as a threat and ence in oxytocin levels among produces bonding.” are inclined to “avoid human the breeds or sex of the dogs. But Evan L. MacLean, coeye contact,” wrote Miho NaIn the second experiment, director of the Duke Canine gasawa, a study author and research fellow at Jichi Medical researchers administered nasal Cognition Center and a co-ausprays of either saline or oxy- thor of a commentary accomUniversity. tocin to dogs. This time, each panying the study, said, “We In an email, Dr. Takefumi Ki- dog entered a room with three don’t know what the dog’s gaze kusui, a professor in the School humans: its owner and two means. When you look at a huof Veterinary Medicine at Aza- strangers. But now, only the fe- man baby, it feels good. Maybe bu University, wrote that he male dogs who were given the dogs gaze at you because it believes that the differences in oxytocin displayed an even lon- feels good. Maybe the dogs are gaze between dogs and wolves ger gaze at their owners, who in hugging you with their eyes?” means that dogs have acquired turn had spikes in their oxytoBut Dr. MacLean, an evothis superior ability during the cin levels. Researchers could lutionary anthropologist, said evolutionary and domestica- not say why the sex of the dog tion process of living with hu- mattered. But they speculated that fundamentally, for dogs, human behavior is “the telltale mans.” that vigilance in male dogs, set of everything that is about to He continued: “There is a off by the presence of the two happen.” Are we going to stand possibility that dogs cleverly strangers, may have moderated or sit? Leave the room? Bring and unknowingly utilized a nat- the effects of oxytocin. food? ural system meant for bonding Other experts on canine beAnd so they stare at us, fixeda parent with his or her child.” havior expressed caution about ly. In the first experiment, re- overstating the implications of “If I was dropped on Mars,” searchers measured oxytocin this study. Dr. MacLean said, “and everylevels in the urine of 30 owners Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, di- one was speaking a language I and dogs before and after they rector of the Dog Cognition interacted for 30 minutes. The Lab at Barnard College, called didn’t understand, and I knew dogs were males and females, the study “a fascinating direc- I could never acquire their lanspayed, neutered and intact. tion of research, because it guage, I’d just give up. But The breeds included Golden re- looks at connections between dogs don’t. They’re not reluctrievers, standard poodles, min- behavioral measures and hor- tant to tune in to us at every iature Dachshunds, miniature monal components.” She noted moment.” -NYTimes Schnauzers, a Jack Russell Ter- that it raised many intriguing

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could hijack our social circuits, and we can hijack their social circuits,” he said in an email, as each species learned how to raise the other’s oxytocin levels, facilitating connection.

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

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The study, which was conducted by the researchers from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and published in the ‘Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice’, states that something as simple as walking three hours per week can make a significant difference. Siobhan Phillips, a kinesiologist and an assistant professor in the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and the lead author of the study, said, “Non-vigorous walking for three hours per week seems to improve the fatigue, depression and body weight issues that affect many men post-treatment. If you walk even more briskly, for only 90 minutes a week, you could also see similar benefits in these areas.” For their study, the researchers analyzed data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, which includes self-reported data since 1986 on 51,529 men in health professions and is based at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The research-

Walking 3 hours per week can make a significant difference ers focused on prostate cancer survivors who were diagnosed with non-advanced disease prior to 2008 and responded to a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaire. Common HRQOL symptoms included urinary and bowel problems, sexual function issues, fatigue, depression, increased body weight and erectile dysfunction. The men from the data had reported the average time spent during a week walking to work or for exercise as well as time spent jogging, running, cycling, swimming and playing sports. They also reported their usual outdoor walking pace as easy, average, brisk or very brisk. The researchers found

these men were more likely to have an improved healthrelated quality of life if they walked at a casual pace for at least three hours each week. However, walking was only shown to be beneficial to hormone-related HRQOL symptoms like fatigue, depression and body weight. Walking was not shown to have any bearing on bowel, urinary, or sexual functioning. “This study shows that you don’t have to engage in highimpact, vigorous activities to improve your quality of life after a prostate cancer diagnosis. The good news is that simply focusing on walking more may be enough to make them feel better,” added Phillips. - VoiceChronicle.com

LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Travel to-do list

Pack your most present self

10 money-saving travel hacks from the ‘Man Who Flies For Free’ by Megan Willett

cott Keyes, a reporter for Think Progress and author of the e-books “How To Fly For Free” and “How To Find Cheap Flights,” is an expert at finding affordable airfare. Keyes has become so gifted at landing super cheap tickets and getting the most out of his frequent flyer miles that he has booked an epic world trip that spans 13 countries, 20,000 miles, and 21 flights — all free. He told Business Insider his process is a “labor of love,” and after spending five years dedicated to finding airline deals, Keyes now knows the best websites, tricks, and tips for getting tickets for dirt cheap prices. By Steve Mariani

icture this: You’re in Paris and you’re about to visit one of the most iconic museums in the world, The Louvre. Rather than taking in all of its celebrated artwork and discussing each piece with friends, you walk quickly to the “Mona Lisa,” snap a selfie and, just like that, you’re on your way. I’m pretty ashamed to admit to it, but this isn’t a hypothetical situation - this was me. A younger, more immature version of myself, but me nonetheless. I have the picture to prove it. But the experience? The memories? No, none of that. Who needs that anyway? In the age of instant gratification in the form of Instagram and Facebook “likes,” what you remember tends to shift from the physical moment to the digital reception of that moment captured through the lens of your iPhone. Think about it: When was the last time you visited a foreign

place and simply took it all in? Too often, we don’t truly experience the never-before-seen places we visit. Instead, we’re busy pulling out our phone to scope out the best angle for a photo. Once we snap the shot, we spend the rest of our time debating the Instagram filter or accompanying caption. This is now our generation’s version of “experience” and “memory” as it relates to travel. So, years after my visit (or lack thereof) to The Louvre, I vow to not make that same mistake twice as I embark on my next adventure, Australia. In this spirit, I pledge to do these three things, which I hope will help me live more in the moment on my trip. A friend told me that on her recent trip to India a number of fellow travelers rushed back to a spot with Wi-Fi access, so I’m guessing that these could be used pretty universally. 1. Pause before I post. It’s unrealistic for me to say something so strict as “don’t post to social media,” so I’m pledging to not post to my social media

network until after I leave a certain travel experience. For instance, I will post my favorite photo well after an attraction, so I can be present in the moment. 2. Share only a few highlights on social. I will limit the number of times I post while vacationing. In addition to taking time away from enjoying my travels, I’m positive it annoys the crap out of my friends. Though, it’s going to be hard not to rub it in! 3. Discuss what I see with the people I’m with. When I really think about it, it’s downright embarrassing that I’m busy checking comments and likes from people thousands of miles from where I am. Who really cares what Jim from high school chemistry class has to say? Instead, I’m going to talk about the experiences of traveling with the people I’m with. In this case, my family. Now, pack your bags and ditch your social network. It’ll be there when you return. -Huffington Post

6 relaxing colors and how they affect your mood! BLUE This color stands true to its appearance. Peaceful, calm and gentle, blue has tremendous power to manage stress. It’s a very soothing color that helps calm your mind, slow down your heart rate, lower your blood pressure and reduce anxiety. Blue is believed to have a cooling and astringent effect. When choosing the right shade of blue, it’s best advised to go for a soft and neutral shade (eg bedroom wall) for a calming effect. GREEN Green is a restful and quiet color. Because it symbolizes nature, green is one of the most beautiful and comforting colors that attracts harmonious feelings that can diffuse anxiety and helps us stay calm and refreshed. Beige greens and pale yellowgreens are the most stressreducing shades in the green family. PINK Pink is another color that promotes tranquility and peace. In fact, Feng Shui believes pink soothes various energies in a room and keep

them understated. It’s peacefulness promotes balance of your energies. Although pink is considered a feminine color, commonly seen in a baby girl’s nursery room, the right shade of pink can look beautiful in just about any room. WHITE White symbolizes clarity and freshness. It is the right color to be surrounded with in times of stress, to get clarity of your thoughts. A white painted room is considered to be the most ideal for a pregnant woman. But remember that white needs to be a clean, bright white but not too stark because if it looks dirty and dull, your emotions can mirror the same dullness. VIOLET Violet signifies strength, peace and wisdom. It has the capacity to bring balance and make you feel inner peace. Many consider decorating their space with violet to create a peaceful environment. Also violet is said to be good for bone growth, maintaining the potassium and sodium balance of the body. Studies even suggest that the power of meditation can be ten times greater under violet light. So now you know the se-

cret to powerful meditation. In case you don’t want to opt for all-violet look, try placing a violet flower in a visual place in the living room or use a violet-colored decoration item. GREY Many of us think of grey as a dull, boring and a bit depressing color. But the truth is grey has a very soothing and cooling presence. Grey, when paired with blue or white elements, can create a relaxing atmosphere. -Times of India

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FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Set up a Tweet deck and email alerts If you’re truly dedicated to finding cheap flights, it has to be a lifestyle. Keyes has alerts and a Tweet deck filled with airlines and websites that he follows to discover affordable tickets. Your odds of scoring bargain tickets will also skyrocket if you set up newsletter alerts from travel websites like Airfarewatchdog and The Flight Deal. You can even sign up to get emails from Keyes himself when he stumbles across a deal.

Throwaway tickets are flights you purchase to an unpopular destination. Let’s say you’re traveling from New York to Chicago — those tickets are going to be quite expensive. But New York to Milwaukee will be less expensive since fewer people will be traveling there. A throwaway ticket would be if you found a flight from New York to Milwaukee with a layover in Chicago. Then instead of getting on the plane to go to Milwaukee, you would throw away that leg of the ticket and exit the Chicago airport. “This one can be a huge mon-

ey saver,” Keyes said of the hack. If you want to find throwaway tickets, check one of Keyes’s favorite websites Skiplagged that specifically searches for them (though due to a lawsuit, you currently can’t buy the tickets through Skiplagged, but through a third party site). Book at the right time “A big mistake that people make is buying either too early or too close to the departure,” Keyes told us. “Wait until between three months to a month out because that’s when you tend to get the best prices for Continued on pg 14

Mellow pastimes can be good for your health, too by Patti Neighmond

his makes total sense: When you’re engaged in an activity you truly enjoy, you’re happy. And, when you’re happy you’re not dwelling on all the negative things in life, nor are you stressed about obligations or problems. Certainly this is a good thing from an emotional point of view, but it also has

percent less stressed, 18 percent less sad and their heart rate dropped, on average, by 3 percent. The positive benefits of leisure activities even appeared to persist for hours after the activity itself ended. “We’re still talking about the short term, but there was a definite carryover effect later

Search for flights from all nearby airports This one might seem obvious, but if you’re flying from a hub like New York City, make sure you’re not only searching flights leaving from JFK or LaGuardia and include the nearby Newark airport, too. “If you live in an area or are flying somewhere where there are a lot of airports, search them all,” Keyes advised. This could save you hundreds of dollars, even if the airport is a little out of your way. Do a ‘month search’ on your itinerary Websites like Kayak and ITA Matrix allow travelers to search their itinerary and destination for an entire month’s worth of travel so you can discover the cheapest possible airfare. “I flew to Costa Rica once a couple years ago and I did a month search on ITA Matrix,” Keyes told us. “Instead of going in the first week of April, I realized I could go in the second week of April and save over $100.” If it doesn’t make a difference when you get to your destination (even if it’s a matter of getting in Thursday instead of Friday), searching for an entire month can save you a significant chunk of cash. Compare prices on Southwest separately Affordable airline Southwest will not show up in aggregate search engines such as Kayak or Orbitz. It’s annoying, but always worth it once you find a decentpriced domestic flight to see if Southwest has something even cheaper. This goes for all budget airlines that may not be showing up in search engines, too. Always check for “throwaway tickets”

physical benefits. We know exercise reduces stress, but it turns out that more simple stationary things, like doing puzzles, painting or sewing can help, too. To find that out, Matthew Zawadzki, an assistant professor of psychology with the University of California, Merced, looked at how the body reacts to leisure activities, defined as anything a person does in his or her free time. In the study, 115 men and women from different racial groups, ages 20 to 80, were asked to wear little electrodes attached to their chest which measured heart rate throughout the experiment. They were then monitored over the course of three consecutive days, taking surveys at random times throughout the day. The survey questions included what they were doing at that very moment and how they felt about it. Virtually all the participants reported reduced stress and had a lower heart rate during leisure activities, as compared to parts of the day when they weren’t involved in leisure. Leisure could include exercise and socializing, but in many cases it was simple stationary things like listening to music, doing puzzles, sewing, even watching movies or TV. The people said they were 34

in the day,” says Zawadzki, “and if we start thinking about that beneficial carryover effect day after day, year after year, it starts to make sense how leisure can help improve health in the long term.” When a person is stressed, “their body is worked up – heart rate, blood pressure, hormones – so the more we can prevent this overworked state, the less of a load it builds up,” he says. You could think of this as a sort of mental escape. When you’re totally engaged in and enjoying what you’re doing, you don’t have time to ruminate and worry. You also don’t have time to get bored. And boredom, says Zawadzki, can be dangerous. “There’s something called ‘boredom eating’,” he says, “where people just binge on junk food as a way to distract themselves. We’ll often watch TV passively for hours at a time, rather than actively engage or really think about it. People smoke, drink, do drugs when they’re bored.” So the next time you’re absorbed in a good book or a good movie, or even just listening to your favorite music, remember you’re not only enjoying yourself. You’re helping your health. -National Public Radio news

Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Friday, April 24, 2015

Section 2

Page 14

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Cyber bullying a bitter reality in India for lack of laws

EW DEHLI - Trishna Saikia (name changed) could not believe it when her best friend created a fake profile of her on a social networking site and sent derogatory messages to common friends in a bid to get back at Saikia for dating a boy she liked. “She used my personal images and insulted me on a public forum,” the victim related.

ed), out of which one-third (36 percent) have themselves been cyber-bullied. It added that of the 33 percent said they have witnessed cyberbullying of others, 46 percent said the victims deleted their social media accounts and 42 percent said the victims became less social, underscoring its significant emotional impact.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing) Rajneesh Garg “we have yet to get any complaint regarding cyber bullying”. “If a teenager or a juvenile puts any defamatory writing or pornographic picture on others on Facebook page, this can be dealt with under the relevant

Like Saikia, many young girls and boys fall prey to online abuse and cyber bullying, which experts describe as “the intentional use of harmful words to put another person down.” “Cyber bullying is a typical type of online harassment, which can be defined as hurling harsh, rude, insulting, teasing remarks through the message box or in open forums targeting one’s body shape and structure, educational qualifications, professional qualifications, family, gender orientation, personal habits and outlook,” Debarati Halder, advocate and managing director, Centre for Cyber Victim Counselling, told IANS. Online abuse was a larger term that may include cyber bullying, stalking, revenge, online defamation, leaking of private information and hacking. “It is that sort of abuse which is carried out with the aid of cyber space,” she said. According to the ‘Tweens, Teens and Technology 2014 Report’ by McAfee, 50 percent of Indian youth have had some experience with cyber-bullying (been cyber-bullied online or witnessed others being so treat-

bursts, disturbed sleep-wake schedule, paranoia and a feeling of insecurity. So, are there no laws that deal with children affected with cyber bullying and online abuse? “There is no law that deals with cyber-bullying and online abuse specifically directed at children, nor should there be. The criminalization of speech is only acceptable in a very narrow set of cases, as the Supreme Court has again stressed in its recent judgment on the Shreya Singhal case (striking down section 66A of the IT Act). Bullying, as well as verbal online abuse of women in fact, in many cases does not fall within those parameters,” Kovacs explained. Because the law “doesn’t and shouldn’t apply in so many cases of abuse”, non-legal measures to address the problem should be looked at, she added.

Delhi-based Anja Kovacs, project director of the Internet Democracy Project, said that the increase seems to mostly have kept pace with the growth of internet penetration. “As more and more people have come online, more and more abuse can be seen as well,” Kovacs told IANS. “Bullying in general, not simply online, is something that schools should take up. It is important to discuss with young people the harmful effects of bullying. Even bullies have often been the victim of bullying at some point in time. Bringing out those experiences can be a valuable starting point for a conversation about this with children,” Kovacs said.

sections of the IT Act,” Garg, who also handles cyber crime cases, told IANS. “In such a case, a minor is sent to a reformatory home, while a major will have to face a term of around five years,” he added. Sameer Malhotra, director, Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Max Hospitals, who treats approximately two to three such cases in a month, said that the effects on the victim include low self-esteem, depression, feelings of loneliness/emptiness, anxiety related symptoms and psychosomatic problems. One can even be driven to acts of self harm, anger out-

Stressing that sensitisation was a must, Halder said: “NGOpolice and NGO-stakeholders or expert-stakeholder partnerships are a must. Above all, government should consider creating good laws regulating bad speech on the internet.” Noting that 13+ is the age most complaints come from, Rakshit Tandon, advisor to the cyber crime cell of the Gurgaon police said many such cases go unreported.

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Tel: 713-774-5140

College as a firstgeneration student

oing to college is often considered to be an accomplishment, but for first-generation students the excitement can come with mixed emotions.

“I was never proud of it,” says Alicia Brissett, a sophomore at George Mason University. “Being a black first-generation college student, female … that’s something that I didn’t want to wear on my chest.” Shame, guilt and inadequacy are just a few feelings that first-generation college students commonly struggle with. First-gens are commonly described as students whose parents either have no college experience or didn’t earn a bachelor’s degree. They tend to have limited knowledge about applying to, paying for and researching colleges. They’re also less likely to enroll in four-year institutions and complete a bachelor’s degree in six years.Ill-prepared, they often feel out-of-place on college campuses, experts say. Colleges are working to help first-gen students succeed, but families will have to pursue opportunities in their communities, high schools and prospective colleges to increase the likelihood of student success, experts say. Many colleges, like George Mason University, offer summer programs that aim to ease the transition for first-gen students. Brissett says the school’s six-week Student Transition Empowerment Programmade her a stronger student and taught her to feel proud ofbeing a first-gen student. STEP students stay on the Virginia campus and take two three-creditclasses for free the summer before their freshman year. Students have mandatory study hall and learn about campus services. These programs can help students get used to the campus and help parents understand the financial, academic and social aspects of college. But the duration, cost and structure of these programs vary by school. Many summer bridge programsaren’t an option for most teens because of limited enrollment. George Mason’s program only seats between 20 to 30 students. Prospective students should find out what kind of support institutions offer first-gens throughout their college experience. That includes internship and career assistance, experts say. Brissett still has weekly initiatives, such as study hall, tied to the STEP program, but she wanted to help close the gap for the other first-gen students. As a freshman, she created F1rst Gen Mason, a student organization dedicated to increasing the retention and graduation of first-gen students. -US News & World Report

“...or we can say people are not aware of how and where to report; and many other factors also stop them from reporting. Awareness, education and

cyber law should be taught to children. (It should be taught) right from the basic classes as a subject, as we learn moral science which prepares us for

moral values in life same way cyber hygiene/netiquette and digital moral science should be taught to netizens,” Tandon stated. -IANS

Continued from pg 13

for it and I’ve gotten money for it.”

him fly for free. He monitors his credit score, always pays off his credit cards in full each month, and keeps track of his miles and cards at websites like AwardWallet.

domestic flights.” That’s for off-peak flights. If you’re hoping to fly home during the holidays, book a trip to Europe, or fly during a time period where a lot of other people will be booking (like for spring break), Keyes suggests looking at flights about six months out. Buy the cheapest ticket, no matter when it is “The way most people approach airfare, they do it backwards: They decide where they want to go and then try to find the cheapest flight to get there,” Keyes told us. “But if your ultimate goal is to be able to find as cheap a flight as possible and go somewhere cool for not much money, then starting with an open, blank slate and going wherever there’s a cheap flight right now is going to be your best bet.” That’s how Keyes wound up flying to Milan for $130, going to Galapagos for $45, and visiting Norway and Belgium for around $350 instead of the typical $1,000. None of these destinations were necessarily on his ideal travel list, but because Keyes found deals on Twitter or through websites, he decided to buy them right away and ended up saving thousands for being flexible. Fly on the cheapest possible days Keyes told us the cheapest days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. If you’re going home to visit your parents over a long weekend and were planning to fly in Friday and leave on Sunday, search Thursday to Saturday or even Friday to Monday instead to see if there’s a cheaper alternative. “If you have any flexibility in being able to fly on those days, that’s usually when you’re going to find the best fares,” Keyes said. Don’t be afraid to complain (politely) “One of the things I’ve been able to employ rather effectively is when things go wrong on your flight, you can get compensation for those errors,” Keyes said. “I’ve gotten miles

If something goes wrong — say the TV in your seat isn’t working or there are mechanical issues with the plane — it will never hurt to send an email to the airline politely informing them of the problem. Keyes even created special email templates in his book “How To Fly For Free” that he’ll use if something happens. The key is to be polite, give the airline all of your information (what seat you were in, the flight number, etc.), and inform them that usually you love flying with them, which is why you were so surprised by the inconvenience. “As long as your grievance is somewhat legitimate (and not outside the airline’s control like the weather), most of the time you’ll actually get some sort of compensation,” Keyes said. Be open to getting bumped One of the most dreaded travel experiences is being bumped from a plane or having a delay. But Keyes insists that this is a fantastic way to earn free money or frequent flyer miles. If a flight is full and you’re not under any tight timeline, take advantage of being bumped and ask the ticketing agent if you can get money or frequent flyer miles instead of flight vouchers for your inconvenience (they’ll usually honor your request). “I was once given a $500 voucher and a confirmed seat on the next flight — an hour and a half later,” Keyes wrote in his e-book “How To Fly For Free.” “In other words, I earned $333/ hour. Like me, if your goal is to fly for free, you probably don’t make $333/hour. Plus, unlike flights you book using miles, you actually earn miles when you pay using a voucher.” Open credit cards (smartly) to get lots of miles “If you’re financially smart and responsible, there’s so much opportunity for you,” Keyes told us. Keyes currently had 25 credit cards that he uses to get hundreds of thousands of miles and points, which ultimately helps

Though that sounds like a lot of work, it’s a lifestyle that Keyes has built up to. “Over time, you start to ramp up your credit cards slowly but surely,” Keyes said. “Don’t go open six cards right off the bat, but go at your own comfort level and slowly work your way up.” Choose credit cards that give you the best perks “I enjoy flying because I can get into these lounges and that just makes the experience a whole lot more pleasurable,” Keyes said. “You can have free beer and free WiFi and get out of the hustle and bustle. They even have perks like showers in here and free spas.” To access the luxurious world of airport lounges, Keyes uses his credit card perks. “Every airport has different lounges and it just depends on the credit card whether it will give you access,” he told us. Do some research about what lounges are at your most frequented airports and see if there is a travel credit card you can sign up for to access them. Get a free stopover trip with your frequent flyer miles Airlines charge a set number of frequent flyer miles for certain places around the world, no matter where you go. For instance, an economy ticket from the US to Eastern Asia on United will cost you 65,000 miles, whether you’re traveling to Taipei or Tokyo. But Keyes said that airlines will let you have a free stopover with your frequent flyer miles – something many people don’t realize. That means you can book a flight from the US to Tokyo, but fly back to the US from Taipei. You’ll need to book separate travel accommodations to get from Tokyo to Taipei, but the ticket will likely be pretty affordable. “You can add a whole other destination to your trip for almost nothing extra,” Keyes said.

VOICE OF ASIA 15

Bollywood Masala

Friday, April 24, 2015

Section 2

Page 15

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Why reality TV shows are more lucrative than Bollywood Thanks to the obscene amount of money that reality shows are offering, many seem to prefer them over films by Sonali Joshi Pitale

UMBAI - According to a recent report, the television industry has been consistently clocking a year-on-year growth of about 15 per cent, luring advertisers to pour money into the general entertainment channels. At the same time, networks are pulling out all stops, splurging big money on the star cast, elaborate sets, and stunning locations. And reality shows, remuneration of those involved in them, can make your jaws drop.

the upcoming season of celebrity dance show Nach Baliye — Rs 2 crore for five episodes. With changes in the format this time round, the show requires participating couples to not only flaunt their dancing skills, but also stay together until elimination. It is said that Upen was apparently getting Rs 1.25 crore to do a film, apparently a Sunny Deol production, but opted out of it when the ‘Nach Baliye’ offer came his way. Upen’s manager confirms that he gave up the film offer to be a part of the reality show.

Costly affair This year, ‘Nach Baliye’ will be made on a bumper budget with Ekta Kapoor taking on the production reins. The contestants are said to be getting anywhere between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 15 lakh a week depending on their popularity. “For example, Payal Rohtagi and her wrestler beau Sangram Singh, who are also participating in the show, are paid lesser, say, around Rs 2 lakh per week. Star value Bollywood celebrities and sports personalities like Navjot Singh Sidhu get a bigger

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‘Lover boy’ Zayn Malik reveals watching Bollywood movies taught him about love The classic Bollywood movie Bombay taught the former One Direction member the meaning of real love

ONDON - Zayn Malik has admitted that he’s aways known about love since the tender age of ten. The 22-year-old singer - who spectacularly quit chart-topping boy band One Direction last month - has admitted he’s always been able to charm the ladies thanks to Bollywood movie ‘Bombay’, his favourite as a child. The 1D hunk’s comments come after he revealed that he was ‘doing alight’ after leaving his band mates back in March. “I was a lover boy around the age of ten. I always had an idea from an early age what it was like to be in love - it was only later I figured it out!”He

Zayn is now working with producer Naughty Boy (Shahid Khan) explained. And Zayn - who is engaged to Little Mix star Perrie Edwards - also insisted he was doing “alright” since leaving the group with whom he found fame on the 2010 series of the ‘X Factor’. He added: “All is good. I’m doing alright.” The Steal My Girl hitmaker announced last month he would be exiting the group to lead a “normal” life and his pal Naughty Boy - real name: Shahid Khan - revealed the pair usually head to the studio to relax. The ‘La La La’ hitmaker told The Sun on Sunday newspaper:

“He just wants to get out of the house and comes here. He’s doing things that he hasn’t done for years. “Coming to the studio is his way of chilling and he’s here with his friends.” Meanwhile, Zayn’s former bandmates - Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles - have reportedly been offered a hefty sum for a world tour next year. An insider told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: “It has been an exhausting few years of touring and recording - but it is the chance of a lifetime and the deals on offer just look too good to refuse.” -Daily Mail

Shah Rukh Khan honored for Outstanding Contribution to Cinema

Weekly earnings of Drashti Dhami on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’s previous seasons - Rs 2 lakh Buzz is that Upen Patel and Karishma Tanna, who “fell in love” during Bigg Boss’ last season, have been offered a big, fat pay cheque to take part in

Rs 4-15 lakh The range of money that Nach Baliye participants are getting this year as per their popularity.

paycheque to appear on reality shows as judges or special guests - around Rs 8 to 10 lakh per week -Mid-day.com

ollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been awarded the prestigious ‘Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award’ at the fifth annual The Asian Awards held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

achievers, whether it was Dr Amar Bose, the Hinduja Brothers or Zayn Malik.

SRK said, “I am extremely humbled and honoured to receive this award. I say this very often that my stardom belongs to most South East Asians who reside abroad who have made Indian cinema and me known around the world. I congratulate all the winners at the Asian Awards as well.

Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara won the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sport’ award; Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee bagged the ‘Outstanding Achievement in Science & Technology’.

“There is so much talent around Asia and so many

“I am glad to have been a part of such a wonderful celebration of hard work by people in different field but similar passion.”

‘Outstanding Achievement in Television’ award went to comedian, actor and broadcaster, Sanjeev Bhaskar, while the Hinduja brothers were awarded

‘Business Leaders of the Year’. Launched in 2010 by Paul Sagoo, founder of Lemon Group, The Asian Awards celebrates outstanding achievements of individuals born in or with direct origin from across PanAsia in all disciplines of life – from business and the arts, to sport and public service. Hosted by fashion icon, Gok Wan, Asian Awards dazzled with an array of global celebrities, dignitaries and influencers, including Zayn Malik, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, John Rocha, Preeya Kalidas, Anita Rani, Tasmin Lucia Khan, Colin Jackson, among others. -Emirates 24/7

Cult Bollywood classic Sholay releases in Pakistan

ARACHI - Bollywood classic Sholay released in theatres across Pakistan for the first time on Friday, 40 years after its release in India. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra as Jai and Veeru respectively. The Ramesh Sippy-directed action film, considered as an all-time blockbuster of Indian cinema, was released across the country by Geo films and Mandviwalla entertainment with a grand premiere in Karachi at the Neuplex, which was attended by several celebrities. “Sholay has its legion of fans in Pakistan including that generation which grew old watch-

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good business. “Even though we have some top releases on May 1 including Avengers: Age of Ultron but Sholay will continue to draw its audiences because of its evergreen effect,” he said. Adnan Baig, a well-known actor and stylist, said watching Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan), Veeru (Dharmendra) and Jai (Bachchan) in 3D was an exciting experience. ing Indian movies on VCRs when it was illegal to screen them in Pakistan,” said film critic Omair Alavi. “We have heard so much about the movie from our parents and older relatives so for

them to watch the movie for the first time on the big screen in 3D and 2D is an unforgettable experience,” he said. Nadeem Mandviwalla, the exporter and distributor of the film in Pakistan, said he was expecting Sholay to generate

At one cineplex, where Sholay is being screened, the owners have erected huge cut outs of Gabbar Singh, Jai and Veeru in a village like environment and film goers can get photographed with their favourite characters. -PTI

HEALTHY LIVING VOICE OF AHEALTH SIA

VOICE OF ASIA 16

Friday, April 24, 2015

Section 2

Page 16

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Mind training as effective as anti-depressants by Richard Ingham

ARIS - A form of mental training which helps people recognise the onset of depression, and control it, works as well as anti-depressants in preventing relapse, researchers said. Dubbed Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), the method may offer a welcome alternative for people wishing to avoid long-term use of anti-depressants, which can have unpleasant side effects like insomnia, constipa-

choice for the millions of people with recurrent depression on repeat prescriptions,” said study leader Willem Kuyken, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Oxford. Depression is often a recurring disorder, and people with a history of the ailment are frequently placed on a long-term course, typically about two years, of anti-depressants. Previous research had shown that anti-depressants can reduce the risk of relapse by up

tion and sexual problems, said a study in The Lancet medical journal.

to two-thirds when taken correctly, but dosage adherence is hugely variable.

In a two-year trial with 424 depression sufferers in England, researchers found that MBCT users faced a “similar” risk of relapse to those on antidepressants.

Without treatment, as many as four out of five people relapse at some point, Kuyken said in a statement.

The method was not more effective than drugs, as many had hoped, but the findings nevertheless suggested “a new

The side effects, however, have fuelled interest in alternative methods like MBCT. It entails training depression sufferers to accept that nega-

All 424 volunteers were assessed for a period of two years with a diagnostic tool called the “structured clinical interview”, which measures mental state.

The new study claims to be the first-ever, large-scale comparison between the efficacy of MBCT and anti-depressants.

The MBCT group had a 44percent relapse rate, the researchers found, compared to 47 percent in the group taking anti-depressants.

The trial volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. Half continued taking their medication while the rest phased out the drugs in favour of MBCT.

“As a group intervention, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy was relatively low cost compared to therapies provided on an individual basis,” study co-author Sarah Byford from King’s College London said. -AFP

“Fat Yoga” Tailors Yoga Classes to Plus Size Women by Charlotte Hilton Andersen

xercise may be good for everybody, but most classes aren’t actually good for every body. “I practiced yoga for almost a decade and no teacher ever helped me make the practice work for my curvy body,” says Anna Guest-Jelley, founder and CEO (that’s Curvy Executive Officer) of Nashville-based Curvy Yoga. “I just kept assuming the problem was my body

R E V O C S I D R U O Y ER POW 2015 3 0 Y A M

and that once I lost x amount of weight, I’d finally ‘get it.’ Then one day it dawned on me that the problem was never my body. It was just that my teachers didn’t know how to teach bodies like mine.” This epiphany motivated Guest-Jelley to open her own studio, one specifically designed for real women like her. And the classes were an immediate success, which encouraged her to train others to teach “fat yoga.” Now, studios for bigger bodies are popping up all over the country, changing the idea of fitness being exclusive for the fit. (See 30 Reasons Why We Love Yoga.) The type of modifications Guest-Jelley incorporates into her classes include instructing students to move their stomach flesh out of their hip crease when bending forward, or using a wider-than-hip-width stance in standing poses— small tweaks the stereotypical lilthe teacher may not think are inhibiting the students to start with. And the popularity of fat yoga across the nation is proof that these are all real problems for curvaceous yogis. But the goal of these studios, the instructors say, isn’t just to make yoga accessible to people of all shapes and sizes. It’s also to help them learn to love their bodies in the form they’re already in, which is why teachers have embraced the uncomfortable-for-some label of “fat yoga.”

N O T S HOU IN FRONT OF MINUTE MAID PARK

ly home practice. Participants were given the option of four follow-up sessions over the following 12 months.

tive feelings and thoughts are likely to recur, to recognise them when they do, and deal with them effectively rather than trigger a depressive spiral by dwelling on the gloomy.

The training involved eight group sessions of two hours and 15 minutes each, with dai-

People with a history of the ailment are frequently placed on a long-term course, typically about two years, of anti-depressants.

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Understanding Gifting Strategy of Life Insurance Life insurance can be used both during a policy owner’s lifetime and at death to make meaningful gifts to charity. For example, an existing life insurance policy on the policy owner’s life can be donated to a qualified charity or a new policy can be initiated on the life of a policy owner or spouse. As an alternative to an outright sale of a business, a business owner can use a deferred charitable gifting strategy. Under this financial planning strategy, the business owner establishes an irrevocable trust, known as a charitable remainder trust, to which the business is transferred. Under the terms of the trust, the trustee must sell the business and invest the sales proceeds. Because the trust is a charitable trust, no tax liability is created as a result of the sale. The trust terms generally also provide that the business owner is the income beneficiary of the trust and that a qualified charity is the remainder beneficiary of the trust. In simpler terms, the business owner receives the income from the sales proceeds invested by the trustee, and the qualified charity receives the corpus of the trust—whatever remains in the charitable remainder trust, in other words—when the income beneficiary dies. Because the proceeds resulting from the sale of the business are not reduced by taxes, the entire proceeds are invested to produce income for the business-owner income beneficiary. Because of that greater investment amount, it is reasonable to expect that the business owner’s annual income from the trust is likely to be 20 percent to 25 percent greater than it would have been if the business had been sold outright and the after-tax funds were invested for income. To protect the value of the inheritance for the heirs of the business owner, the business owner normally establishes a second trust known as an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT). When the trust is created, the trustee purchases life insurance on the business owner’s life equal to the net after-tax value of the business. The business owner makes annual transfers of cash to the ILIT each year to pay the annual premium on the trust-owned or lazy,” Anna Ipox, the owner of Fat Yoga in Portland said in a recent New York Times piece on the trend. “It doesn’t.” Guest-Jelley agrees, but adds that yoga teachers need to meet their students—regardless of size—wherever they’re at. “While I’m comfortable referring to my own body as fat, and do because I think it’s im-

Sudhir Mathuria Contact: Sudhir Mathuria Licensed Professional Health Life 360 6650 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900 www.MyMedicarePlanning.com life insurance policy. The amount transferred each year should generally not exceed the annual gift tax exclusion amount, resulting in the noncharitable gift being gift-taxfree. The life insurance is owned by and its death benefit is payable to the ILIT, whose beneficiaries are the business owner’s heirs. Upon the business owner’s death, the heirs receive from the trust the value they would have received if the business had never been gifted to the charity. The qualified charity receives the entire value of the charitable remainder trust at the business owner’s death. The tax implications are many and varied when a life insurance policy is the subject of a charitable gift. To be deductible as a charitable gift, the gift must be total and absolute. In other words, it must generally be an outright gift of all incidents of ownership in the policy. The donor’s cost basis in the policy is deductible as a charitable gift up to the allowable percentage of the donor’s income. Gifts of life insurance that are made at death to a qualified charity (in contrast to those that are made during the donor’s lifetime) receive a federal estate tax charitable deduction. Although this deduction is unlimited, the deduction is disallowed if less than the entire interest in the gifted property is transferred to the charity. To purchase the right life insurance from any major company contact Sudhir Mathuria @ 713-771-2900. portant to reclaim it as a neutral descriptor, I know that because of the negative bias it has unfairly gotten in society that not everyone is ready or wants to do that right away,” she says, adding that there will never be one word universally loved by everyone, even “curvy.” Continued on pg 17

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What’s in a name?

India’s e-visa is actually a smart program by Shelly Walia

ast week, the Indian government changed the name of its new tourist visa scheme to e-tourist visa—roughly four-and-a-half months after it was launched on Nov. 27, 2014. The earlier name—tourist visa on arrival

However, this is how India’s ETA works: A tourist should apply for a visa online at least three days in advance, pay the fee, and carry a print of the travel authorisation to get the necessary stamp at the immigration checkpoint to enter the country. Right now, 44 countries can avail of a visa

No waiting with online.(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) enabled by electronic travel authorisation (ETA)—had set tongues wagging as it was creating confusion among tourists. For its new entry permit programme, the government had inappropriately used the phrase “visa on arrival”— which typically means that the tourist is authorised a visa at the airport of the foreign country being visited.

through ETA. The incorrect nomenclature prompted tourists to travel without having undergone the online process in advance. As a result, tourists couldn’t check in, as the Wall Street Journal reported, and were turned back, leading to complaints on social media from travellers, as well as “some Indian embassies,” asking for a change of name.

But despite all the criticism, here is why India should not opt for a regular visa on arrival programme. Building infrastructure Natasha Agarwal, a consultant at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, told Quartz that visa on arrival can be “an infrastructure hurdle for the government, especially at the immigration checkpoints.” In November, the government launched the ETA for 43 countries. Before that, citizens of 12 countries could avail a visa on arrival (not electronically) in India. Had the government extended the same programme—instead of building an online system—for the additional 31 countries, it would have had to build human infrastructure four times its existing capacity, said Agarwal. Now the government is set to allow e-tourist visas to 150 countries soon, the Indian tourism ministry’s Usha Sharma said on April 20. Through ETA, “a lot of work is done before you (a traveller) actually get there,” Tanvi Madan, a fellow in the foreign policy programme at the think tank Brookings Institution, said. “And you don’t need number of immigration officers sitting at the airport.” For the traveller There’s no language barrier when the the major part of visa application is carried online. “At the immigration checkpoint, it is a problem if a traveller doesn’t know the (local) language, or doesn’t know how to make the pay-

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ment,” Agarwal said. So for a traveller, it’s easy to process the visa online, as it is in English. Security concerns But it’s not only about the logistics. Security is not compromised with an e-visa, as any possible security threat can be kept in check when the due diligence is carried on before the traveller arrives in India. “How do you send a person back if found nefarious?” Madan said. “Visa on arrival could mean you can’t do due diligence onsite because the person is already there.” Digital India Collecting data online works for better policy formulation. “What you are trying to do is collect data immediately through the ETA system, and have a readymade database that can help further analysis

Continued from pg 16 She also points out that the modifications she teaches can help people of all sizes. “Just because the classes are useful for curvy people doesn’t mean they’re only useful for curvy people!” she says. Still, there is a reason the name exists. People should know that this yoga class is going to be different than the traditional, starting the moment they walk through the door, Guest-Jelley says. Students in her classes are greeted with open-ended questions to get to know them, rather than assuming they’re beginners just because they’re curvy (as she says too often happens in traditional classes). Before the practice begins, everyone is given all the props they might need so no one

and formulate better policies,” Agarwal said. Limitations A major defeating factor is India’s obsession with the number of countries that ETA has been extended to—and not with the countries themselves. “What is the contribution of the one quarter countries (that India hands out ETA to) to the percent in India’s GDP? It’s hardly anything,” Agarwal told Quartz. “So what is the economic benefit of the

has to leave the room to get something, which she explains people are often reluctant to do if they feel they’re the only one who “can’t do” something. Then each class starts with body affirming quotes, poems, or meditations. The biggest change is the way the yoga itself is done, with an acknowledgment that more than just muscles and bones are involved. “We sequence both poses and the overall class to move from the most supported version of a pose to the least,” she says. “Many traditional classes do the opposite, so while options may be offered, they’re sometimes cast as less-than or ‘if you can’t do it,’ even if implicitly. This can make it harder for students to choose what’s right for them because no one wants to feel like they’re the only one who can’t do something.”

policy?” India recorded negligible trade with countries like Micronesia, Palau, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and Tonga, between 2010 and 2013. In that sense, opening up to the Chinese will certainly be a smarter choice. Moreover, ETA is not beneficial for countries with low penetration of internet. In Cambodia, for instance, average internet access for the period 2010-2013 was roughly four out of 100 people. -AFP

Regardless of what you call it, yoga—fat, skinny, or otherwise—is about how to best help people to be wherever they are right now in their relationship with their body, she says. “Our students often report that our classes not only give them the information they need to make the poses work for them, but also the permission to do it. That permission piece is crucial!” she says. “Because our classes are often more body diverse than others, and everyone is doing something slightly different from the person next to them, people can relax and focus more without worrying about if their body can make the same shape as everyone else in the class—because let’s be honest, that’s not possible anyway!” -Shapemagazine.com

HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

Your Horoscope for the Week of April 24, 2015 READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE

by Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950

ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Recent events have put your emotional and physical well being out of whack. Static energy will only cause you to short out your battery. Simple pleasures will be needed in order to help you to relax. Strong words will only bring strong re-actions. Realize that tempers may be short in those sensitive areas. You need a break from away from extreme solutions to dealing with simple problems. Stay confident in who you are and you’ll be ensured a smoother ride.

Your need to find new ways to succeed. Before moving ahead on your own, think about ways to unite others. Human emotions cannot rule you, this time. You must try to look at things on an a more intellectual plane. Try your best to stay clear of those who try to bring you down to their level. You need to look beyond the immediate to understand how the bigger picture works. Everyone needs to feel secure, some may rely on luck but you have your own strategy in place.

Scorpio (N,Y)23 Oct to 21 Nov

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May Get back to your basic needs and wants. Your dilemma is that everybody wants a piece of you. There’s usually a reason for everything that you do, but your creativity may be driven more out of necessity than talent. If you want to try to turn this situation around, you’d better start now. Use the raw materials you have on hand to demonstrate your idea of art and beauty. You’ll have no choice but to be yourself when you journey on this new adventure.

Act on your emotions. Sometimes, you may be too quick to re-act, but this week, you’re right to take a stance. Others are the same as always, but your perception of them will change radically. Be aware that your words and your actions will affect them greatly. You can probably talk your way out it, but everybody is watching to see the outcome. Stay calm and your confidence level will rise. Everybody wants security, but their concepts may be different than yours.

Sagittarius (BH,F,DH,TH) 22 Nov to 21 Dec

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Your motivation and positive reinforcement, will feel moved into proclaiming an alliance between yourself and your peers. Your message will come across in a way that encourages others want to join in. You know just which emotions to draw out of others and when to do it. You could combine valid points of view to provide a dynamic effort. Supporters will rally for your cause. Look upward and forward. Doubts should not be considered an option. Teamwork is easy for you and it could prove to be very profitable.

Your positive flow has actually put you in a better position than you were before. You may have to act before you think you are ready to do so. Trust your intuition and don’t allow others to intimidate you. Friendships and love relationships will flourish once you decide to speak strongly from your heart. Your wishes and dreams will thrive on the new secure place you’ve found within yourself. We may SEE the Archer shell out ‘like it or not’ and then “normal expense” would be the ‘mean line’.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Bide your time, Others want answers right away, but you should take some time to analyze the whole picture. If you try to push the process faster, something will hit the fan. Unfounded suspicions and accusations will only make others more uncomfortable. It’s better to keep quiet than to be negative. A surprise will shake things up and provide you with some answers. Try to be as discreet as possible. You’re ready to accept the news but not everybody is.

Someone who you’ve recently pushed away will try to return into your life. Everybody will want to be your friend, but your words may hurt your cause. You’ll have to work on being more understanding without losing your winning edge. The week end’s activities will provide you with food, friends and good conversations. The rest you get will help you to replenish your energy and improve your perspective. Get as much done early in the week as you can since cooperation is poor.

Aquarius (G,S,SH) 21 Jan to 19 Feb

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August Get ready for knowing your goals, which should be solid. All eyes will be on your recent actions. Although you usually work hard, lately you’ve been very lax in matters of importance. Everyone is a specialist or is in need of one. Prove that you know more than your history suggests. Save time and money by drawing on the resources that you already possess. If this strategy has worked for you in the past, then it will probably work again.

Put your ideas into motion. In order to accomplish your immediate goals, you must reach out and try new ways to get the job done. If you want to see results, you should know who can help. Maybe there really is a way to benefit from this power surge you feel. You have a great network of allies that can provide you with some solid support. Several unreasonable requests may be brought to you. Try to hide any displeasure or disapproval. The week appears dotted with demands and duties, especially expense and emotional needs.

Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 March

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Passion, excitement and the start of new ventures. The warmth you feel inside will spark your professional life. Get out there and enjoy all that life has to give. Look past others misgivings in order to take advantage of their expertise. You may not understand all the workings of a new technology, but you can figure out how to use it for your own purpose. Check your list and make sure you cover all the bases. Others will be ready to open up to you and to share all of what they have, both spiritually and physically. Duty may demand both attention/ time and finance/costly choices!

Partnerships, which will bring you more resources than if you try to go it alone. Listen to reason rather than emotion. If you start to promote your own ideas others will find it hard to deny your requests. By week’s end, you should try to slow down your pace a little so you don’t forget certain details that are important to you. You’ll need a cool and level head while others are losing theirs. A secret will be revealed in time, so you’d better learn to wait. Know your limits and try to work within them. Open the pressure valve in your head and try to relax. Emotions are rich and rewarding and humor is there with it.

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Let Your Employees Nap at 3 PM If you want to maximize your employees’ performance, consider circadian rhythms when setting assignments, deadlines, and expectations. The most important tasks should be done when people are at their peaks in alertness (around noon and 6 PM). The least important should be scheduled for when alertness dips (very early in the workday and around 3 PM). But we often flood employees with low-level tasks (e.g., emailing) in the morning, so they can only get to important tasks later in the afternoon, when they have to power through to meet an endof-day deadline. Instead, consider letting your team schedule naps around 3 PM. Naps can be a good way to regulate energy and increase alertness, and evidence even links them to increased performance. This way, employees can recharge at a time when they’re less useful for important tasks anyway, and they’ll be more alert during the next high point in their circadian rhythms.

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VOICE OF ASIA 20

FRIDAY, April 24, 2015

The most comprehensive health magazine Our next issue to focus on women’s health

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• Articles written by experts on Disease Prevention, Management and Treatment. • Easy tips to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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