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FRIDAY, May 22 2020 l Published Weekly From Houston Vol. 34 • No. 21 • 12 Pages • 50 cents • 713-774-5140 • www.voiceofasia.news • E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com
About 2,000 Houston India Culture Center carries Muslims partake in virtual out its COVID-19 initiatives Iftar event during COVID-19
Mayor Sylvester Turner helped place food boxes in the trunks of of the car as families drove through.
H
OUSTON, May 9, 2020 - The spirit we have seen during the Houston Virtual Iftar 2020 means COVID-19 cannot defeat our resolve and efforts by the Grace of
Merciful God: This year’s event is for 2,000 persons; next year our aim will be 2,500 people by the Blessings of Gracious God.”
These were the sentiments ex-
pressed by Honorable Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner, as he together with several community volunteers placed food boxContinued on page 2
167 Indians deported from USA land at Amritsar airport
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MRITSAR, India, May 19, 2020 (PTI) - A special flight carrying 167 Indians, who were deported for illegally trying to enter the United States of America, landed here on Tuesday, officials said.
As many as 67 of them
were from Punjab and the rest belonged to Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Goa, the officials said. The passengers would be sent to their home district for quarantine after the completion of legal
formalities, they said. All of them were trying to enter the USA through illegal means and were arrested by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Before being deported, they exhausted all legal options.
ICC President Jasmeeta Singh (3rd from left), and ICC Board of Directors donating the masks to Tiffany Thomas (center), District F Council Member as part of ICC-COVID 19 efforts.
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OUSTON - In response to COVID-19, the India Culture Center (ICC) Houston, a long serving a non-profit chalked out its initiatives to address the pandemic crisis within the Greater Houston communities. A series of donations of surgical masks and homemade masks were made at various locations. On May 8, 2020 by Tiffany D. Thomas, Houston Council Member, District F received 1000 masks and non-perishable items donated by ICC at the 11360 Bellaire Blvd. location.
50 HPD officers at the District A Northwest location were continuously served lunch for four days by ICC. ICC donated food to 50 HPD officers at the District A Northwest for four days. Continued on page 5
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Page 2 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
VOICE OF ASIA
COMMUNITY Second Front Page
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Tel: 713-774-5140
About 2,000 Houston Muslims partake in virtual Iftar event during COVID-19
On Saturday, May 09, 2020, between 3pm-5pm; pre-registered participants that registered and few others two came to Bayou City Event Center were served with food boxes. Continued front page
es in the trunks of Houstonian families, who came in large numbers in a well-organized drive-thru lanes progression. As every year, this event is being organized by Abu Dhabi, Baku, Basrah, Istanbul &
Karachi Sister City Association along with ISGH and Several Collaborating Organization. “This Virtual Iftar is the largest Event of its kind in the USA, where actual Iftar Food is given to almost 2,000 persons at the traditional location of Bayou City Event Center,
Volunteers package food boxes at the Bayou City Event Center .
and then people go home to see the proceedings on TV & other media before breaking the fast. On behalf of the Muslim Community, I want to thank Mayor of all People of Houston Honorable Sylvester Turner & his Staff Members, especially the Director of Trade and Interna-
tional Affairs Mr. Chris Olson, Ms. Jessica Nego, & many collaborating organizations including volunteers said Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President of the Houston-Karachi Sister City Association (HKSCA), & chief coordinating volunteer of the event. Houston Iftar Dinner has been happening every year since 2000, and there were chances that it will get cancelled due to COVID-19, until this idea of Virtual Iftar came, with good coordination from the City of Houston. People were asked to Pre-Register, so that proper number of food boxes, of South Asian style cuisine from Tempura Restaurant, and Mediterranean Food from Fadis’ Restaurant, can be readied. On the day of the event Saturday, May 09, 2020, between 3pm-5pm; pre-registered participants came plus some were registered on spot to the same location as in the past few years (Bayou City Event Center); community volunteers prepared the boxes of food starting 2pm till 5pm; other volunteers with Mayor placed these boxes in the trunks of drive through cars of families; and then people went home to watch from 7:15pm-to8:10pm Special Iftar TV transmission on City of Houston TV, Pakistani Channel TV One, ABC 13 and Social media; plus at Iftar time when Aadhan was relayed on the same media, people enjoyed the Iftar Dinner; a real amazing effort. Organizing committee of the event especially thank all the media of the Houston community for their positive input, and presence; as well as have thanked community members M. J. Khan, Murad Ajani, Ilyas Choudry, Nasru Rupani, Ruhi Ozgel, Sohail Ali, Imran Ali, Haroon Shaikh, Mian Muhammad Nazir, Dr. Hina Azam, Naheed Ahmed, Cristal Montanez, Muhammad Saad Ansari, Mariya Usmani, Abdul Rahman Badat, Mahmood Ahmed, Farah Iqbal, Kamran Jilani, Shamim Syed, Jameel Siddiqui, Tariq Khan, Najam Shaikh, and 100s of volunteers. This years special Iftar was chiefly sponsored by Patron Syed Javaid Anwar of Midland Energy as a Grand Sponsor along with Murad Ajani President Southwest Ismaili Council of USA, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, Bayou City Event Center, Ibn Sina Foundation, Rupani Foundation, HRSS (LLP), GHRA, Wallis State Bank, Islamic Relief, Sherali Haiderali, Dawoodi Bohra Community, Tajddin Momin, Ahmed Al Yasin, Shah Haleem, Deputy Sherriff Nasir Abbasi, Famous Food Products, MUNA, Sage Productions, Farooq Asmat, HNC Amusement, Asaad Siddiqui, Asim Siddiqui, Jamal Bafagih, Akhtar Abdullah, and others.
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Popular radio DJ, actor's death in fatal crash shocks community
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OUSTON – The baritone voice of Arif Memon, a popular Houston radio DJ for 106.1FM has been silenced following a fatal accident. The crash happened Monday afternoon, as authorities say Memon was driving down the freeway in his Lexus when he veered over and slammed into the back of a broken down 18-wheeler, which had pulled over on the left shoulder along the Southwest Freeway.
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Memon’s was well known for his profound knowledge of Bollywood films, actors, singers, and musicians which he integrated in his program. He was also an actor who won the “Best Acting Debut’ award for the short film The First “Drag” written and directed by Harsh Mahadeshwar. Arif Memon was a husband and father of two girls and was well known in the community. He was 58 years old. It is still unclear how the crash that left Memon's car unrecog-
Arif Memon
Arif Memon with Bollywood celebratiy singer Pankaj Udhas. "Really shocked and saddened by sudden passing of dear friend Arif Memon in a car accident in Houston U S A a passionate music lover actor director RJ so very versatile and a loving father and a wonderful husband has left a major void in our lives may god give him the highest place in Jannat Rest in peace dear friend" - Pankaj Udhas FB post nizable happened, but his attorney says they are looking into it. (Input from KTRK ).
Page 3 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS by Michael Auslin
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ar from correcting course after the revelations of its global propaganda campaign over the coronavirus pandemic that had started in Wuhan, the Chinese Communist Party is doubling down in its attempts to squash any criticism of Beijing. The latest victim of this Chinese government bullying is Brussels, where the European Union planned to release a report calling out the both overt and covert Chinese disinformation campaign.
That was enough to force Chinese censors into action, threatening the European Union that relations between the bloc and Beijing may suffer harm if the report were to be published as drafted. In response, senior European Union officials rewrote passages calling out official Chinese propaganda actions. One analyst who assisted with writing the report proclaimed that the European Union, with a population of 446 million people, had censored itself in the face of Chinese intimidation. A different story is playing out in Australia, where the government calls for an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus and the role of the World Health Organization. The Chinese ambassador threatens trade relations, hinting at a boycott of Australian goods, while the editor of the Global Times writes that Australia was “chewing gum” stuck to the bottom of the Chinese shoe. Beijing halted imports from Australian meat processors, representing over a third of the $2 billion bilateral meat trade. Chinese officials also proposed an 80 percent tariff on Australian barley. Similar Chinese outbursts have been directed at France and the United States. The threats and insults, redolent of the worst Soviet diatribes during the Cold War, illuminate the adversarial attitude that the Chinese Communist Party has adopted toward leading democracies during the coronavirus crisis. For decades, Beijing watched international institutions, liberal nations, and Western businesses overlook its predatory and even subversive behavior, instead further committing themselves to engagement regardless of any action by the Chinese government. Now with the internation-
Texas reopening despite rise in virus cases
Vanessa Zubia-Meza and her mother Margie Zubia in the window of their restaurant called El Paseo in downtown El Paso, Texas (AFP Photo/ Paul Ratje)
by Julia Benarrous
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OUSTON | AFP | Tuesday 5/19/2020 - Restaurants in Texas have been serving diners for more than two weeks, though at just 25 percent of capacity, and bars and many other businesses will open their doors this week.
But some worry that the Lone Star State is playing with fire, given the steady rise in coronavirus cases. Republican governor Greg Abbott lifted stay-at-home orders on May 1 and began a phased reopening, putting him at odds with the Democratic mayors of some of the state's largest cities. "Today, tomorrow, and every day going forward is one step closer to medical discoveries that can treat and protect people from COVID-19," Abbott said Monday in announcing the second phase of his reopening plan. "But until that day comes, our focus is keeping Texans safe while restoring their ability to get back to work, open their businesses, pay their bills, and put food on their tables." Restaurants were allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity on May 1 along with non-essential retail stores, movie theaters, museums and libraries. Barber shops, nail salons and tanning salons were given the
green light to open a week later as long as they enforced social distancing. On Friday, restaurants will be allowed to increase to 50 percent capacity, and bars, craft breweries and wine tasting rooms can open for business at 25 percent capacity. So can bowling alleys, bingo halls and skating rinks. The reopening comes despite a steady rise in the number of coronavirus cases in Texas. A total of 49,215 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Texas and there have been 1,352 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. On Saturday, the state reported 1,801 new cases, a one-day high since the pandemic began, many of them stemming from an outbreak at a meat-packing plant in Amarillo in the northern panhandle. Abbott delayed the reopening measures for a week in Amarillo, El Paso and several other areas but is pushing ahead elsewhere in the sprawling southern state with a population of nearly 30 million. - 'Unacceptable' More than 2.5 million Texans have filed for unemployment since March 14, and Abbott has cited the economic carnage in pushing for a speedy reopening
of the state. "Unemployment numbers are too high and unacceptable," the governor said. "What we intend to do to lower the unemployment rate even more is to continue this process of opening up Texas," he said. "The best thing that we can do is to continue to open up." Anna Tauzin, an executive with the Texas Restaurant Association, welcomed the governor's move to increase restaurant capacity, but warned that it may not be enough to save many establishments. "It wasn't sustainable at 25 percent," Tauzin said. "It's not sustainable at 50. It's not at 75. "Even if we were going to go back to 100 percent right now, there's still a lot of issues," including consumer confidence, she said. "Some guests are not comfortable going out right now," Tauzin said. "A lot of people have lost their jobs and so don't have that disposable income that they had before." "There's a great number of restaurants, especially independent restaurants, that will not survive." Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Abbott's reopening plan, while a "popular thing," may be premature. "We must continue to remain vigilant even as restrictions are being lifted," Turner said. "I probably would choose a different pace than what (Abbott) has chosen," the Houston mayor said. "Now, my only hope and prayer is that several weeks from now we are not going to see a spike occur." Pete Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said an increase in the number of virus cases was all but certain. "The big question is how serious an increase we can expect," Hotez said. "My worry is that potentially we could see a big surge in Texas, including Houston, starting later in the summer.
Can a united front deal with China?
Getty Images
al economy buckling amid the coronavirus, and billions of people locked down in countries across the world, criticism of the misleading statements by Beijing are causing anger among a Chinese leadership accustomed to flattery and accommodation. If it tries to impose costs on countries with whom it is engaged in diplomatic pyrotechnics, Beijing risks weakening itself further than the nearly 10 percent drop in gross domestic product it experienced last quarter. Democracies have leverage against Beijing, more so if they work together, presenting a united front in the face of Chinese intimidation tactics. This goes as much for protecting global governance, ensuring that debacles like that of the World Health Organization are not repeated. A
CARTOON
handbook for democratic nations in dealing with China is needed so a standard set of policies can be mutually reinforcing. Calls in Congress for closer coordination with allies reflect this mindset. Some international organizations have already started on such a project, hoping to create a consensus among democracies, as well as a toolkit so nations do not have to face Beijing alone. The point is not to punish China but rather achieve what liberal nations have avowed as their goal since Deng Xiaoping began modernization of the country by bringing China into the international community so it adopts norms and practices. Unfortunately, the opposite has happened as China has grown stronger with intellectual property theft, endemic espionage
operations, and global influence campaigns. Now as intelligence agencies chart the degree of its culpability for the coronavirus, the dangers of relying on the good will and intentions of the Chinese government are becoming clearer. “All countries benefit from international organizations that work. But the result of integrating China on largely its own terms has been that the international organizations designed to protect us instead protected the Chinese regime,” says the president of the Halifax International Security Forum. Beijing has become adept at picking off needier nations with aid or intimidation tactics. Its One Belt One Road initiative seeks to bind states into the Chinese global trade and investment network. But democracies still have enormous power, wealth, and appeal. If there is to be a democratic united front, it must tackle the pervasive presence of China inside liberal nations, where it uses social media, supportive elites, and Confucius Institutes on university campuses to spread its message of one way cooperation. Part of the toolkit may be demanding reciprocity from China for similar Western access, along with closing the vulnerability gap in critical medicine, technology, and the like. Forging a united front with a handbook of common policies is the first step toward rebalancing the international system in favor of openness and equality. Michael Auslin is a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and is the senior Asia adviser at the Halifax International Security Forum. - The Hill
Page 4 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
Family Health
Section 1
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
US drugmaker reports promising early results from COVID-19 vaccine test by Ivan Couronne
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ASHINGTON | AFP | US biotech firm Moderna reported promising early results on Monday from the first clinical tests of an experimental vaccine against the novel coronavirus performed on a small number of volunteers.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company said the vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273, appeared to produce an immune response in eight people who received it similar to that seen in people convalescing from the virus. “These interim Phase 1 data, while early, demonstrate that vaccination with mRNA-1273 elicits an immune response of the magnitude caused by natural infection,” said Moderna’s chief medical officer Tal Zaks. “These data substantiate our belief that mRNA-1273 has the potential to prevent COVID-19 disease and advance our ability to select a dose for pivotal trials,” Zaks said. Wall Street stocks jumped in early trading on the news, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining around 775 points, or 3.3 percent. “It’s incredible what they can do and I’ve seen results. And the results are staggeringly good. So I’m very happy and the market’s up very big,” President Donald Trump told reporters. Moderna, which was founded nine years ago, said the vaccine “was generally safe and well tolerated” and that patients suffered no more than redness or soreness from the shots. In a conference call, Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said the preliminary tests inspired confidence that mRNA1273 has “a high probability to provide protection” against the virus. “We could not be happier about these interim data,” Bancel said of the Phase 1 test, the first of three in the development of a vaccine. Separate tests performed on mice showed that the vaccine prevented the virus from replicating in their lungs, according
to the company. The US government has invested nearly half a billion dollars in the development of Moderna’s vaccine candidate. It is being developed in a partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease headed by Anthony Fauci and the clinical test was carried out by the National Institutes of Health. Three groups of 15 patients aged 18 to 55 received three different doses of the vaccine in the Phase 1 test, the complete results of which are not yet known. The Phase 2 trial, with 600 subjects, has already received the green light from the US Food and Drug Administration and Moderna said they should begin this quarter. - ‘As fast as safely possible’ A Phase 3 trial, the largest and most important to validate the efficacy of a vaccine, should begin in July. “The Moderna team continues to focus on moving as fast as safely possible to start our pivotal Phase 3 study in July,” said Bancel, Moderna’s CEO. Based on the Phase 1 partial results, Moderna said they would no longer study the highest dose since the lower doses appeared to provide some effect. “The lower the dose, the more people we expect to be able to protect,” said Moderna president Stephen Hoge. Stephen Evans, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said that while it is “very difficult to be sure of the results from a press release” “there are a number of good points that suggest optimism that this vaccine may work.” “It must be noted that this is a Phase 1 study which has an object of showing the vaccine is able to induce an antibody response and that the dose range is appropriate,” Evans said. “It will not be until the Phase 3 trial is completed that it will be known whether the vaccine actually prevents COVID-19 dis-
ease,” he said. Trump has said he wants 300 million vaccine doses by January 2021 to protect the US population and his administration has provided funding to Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and France’s Sanofi. The development of a vaccine usually takes years but the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused more than 315,000 deaths, has given unprecedented urgency to the search. A dozen clinical trials are taking place around the world, half of them in China, according to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. China has said that it is carrying out tests on humans of five experimental vaccines. The challenge is not only finding a safe and efficient vaccine but also producing billions of doses. Several large laboratories, including Moderna, have said they would immediately begin production of an eventual vaccine even before the completion of all of the clinical trials. Moderna recently announced a partnership with the giant drugmaker Lonza to boost its manufacturing capacity to up to one billion doses a year. Moderna shares were up around 25 percent in mid-afternoon trading in New York.
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lar care. “Mounting pressures on our health care system leading up to and including the COVID-19 pandemic add urgency to the need to prioritize value and ensure resources best serve the needs of patients and society,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, and Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, director of Duke-Margolis, former Food and Drug Administration commissioner and former Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator. “Moving from fee-for-service to paying for value in health care—by elevating telehealth and community-based care, making clinical trials more efficient, ensuring health coverage matches care with patient values, focusing on chronic disease prevention, and other efforts—has never been more critical.” Patient Perspectives on Value One goal of the Value in Healthcare Initiative is to inform the development of patient-centered policies and care delivery programs with an understanding of how CVD patients define value. This paper examines how U.S. patients with CVD define value in health care, how they assess the value of a clinical visit and how satisfied they are with the value of their care. The survey, believed to be the
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The standard monthly premium for Part B this year is $144.60, which is what most Medicare beneficiaries pay. (Part A, which is for hospital coverage, typically comes with no premium.) The surcharge for higher earners ranges from $57.80 to $347, depending on income. That results in premiums ranging from $202.40 to $491.60.
More than a third (37%) of Medicare recipients have experienced income loss due to the coronavirus crisis, according to a recent survey from e-health. Younger beneficiaries are more likely to have suffered: 40% of For Part D, the surcharges respondents age 65 to 70 said range from $12.20 to $76.40. they have experienced an income loss, compared with 30% That’s in addition to any premium you pay, whether through of those age 80 or older. a standalone prescription drug Roughly 62 million people plan or through an Advantage are on Medicare, the majority Plan, which typically includes of whom are age 65 or older. In Part D coverage. While the preaddition to premiums for certain miums vary for prescription covparts of the program, beneficia- erage, the average for 2020 is ries pay deductibles and other about $42. out-of-pocket costs. The process to get rid of IRReducing monthly surcharges MAAs (or getting them lowered) involves asking the agency to If you’ve been paying more reconsider. However, local Sothan the standard premium cial Security offices are closed amounts for Part B (outpatient because of the coronavirus pancare coverage) or Part D (pre- demic, and there are long waits scription drugs) through so- to get through on the phone. The called income-related month- alternative is to appeal via an only adjustment amounts, or line form you can download and IRMAAs, a sudden reduction in mail in. income may justify eliminating You’ll also need to provide or reducing those surcharges. supporting documents to justify Of Medicare’s 62 million ben- your appeal. Suitable proof may eficiaries, about 7% — 4.3 mil- include a letter from your former lion people — pay IRMAAs, employer or something similar which kick in if your modified showing evidence that your inadjusted gross income is more come has dropped. than $87,000, for single perThe required form includes son.. For married couples filing a list of “life-changing” events joint tax returns, they start above that qualify as reasons for reduc$174,000. ing or eliminating the IRMAAs,
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US says WHO ‘failure’ on COVID-19 ‘cost many lives’ Elderly immigrant dies
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ENEVA | AFP | 5/18/2020 - The United States on Monday slammed the World Health Organization’s “failure” to obtain and provide vital information on COVID-19 that could have reined in the pandemic and saved many lives. “We must be frank about one of the primary reasons this outbreak spun out of control: there was a failure by this organisation to obtain the information that the world needed, and that failure cost many lives,” US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said
American Heart Association survey shows patients also value communication, trust in health care providers ALLAS, May 19, 2020 — Like many clinicians and policymakers, cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients define value in health care in terms of the quality and cost of care they receive. But patients also emphasize factors including their communication with, and trust in, the doctors and nurses who provide their care as important measures of value. These are the findings of a survey of more than 800 CVD patients and caregivers published in the American Heart Association’s peer-reviewed journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Also published is a call to action for adopting a value-based payment model that focuses on long-term disease management and prevention of heart failure, a leading cause of hospitalizations and readmissions nationwide that is projected to cost the health care system $70 billion by 2030. Both papers are products of the Value in Healthcare Initiative, a collaboration between the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health, and the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy. The initiative was launched in 2018 to convene representatives from across the health care ecosystem to identify and address key opportunities to improve value and transform cardiovascu-
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first to focus on CVD patients and their perspectives on health care value, included patients recruited from the American Heart Association’s Support Network online forums and by a private research firm. More patients surveyed (42 percent) ranked “having knowledgeable and competent practitioners” as the highest measure of value in a health care visit, followed by “financial affordability” (29 percent), “timely access to care” (16 percent) and having “a clear treatment plan” (15 percent). Findings were similar by gender but differed by age. Older patients were more likely than younger patients to rank having competent practitioners as most valuable to them, but younger respondents were significantly more likely to rank financial affordability as most valuable. Responses also differed by race and ethnicity. Respondents identifying as African American, Hispanic/Latino or another minority ethnic group were more likely than self-identified whites to rank financial affordability as most important. African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and Asians also were more likely than whites to rank treatment based on recommendations from a scientific organization as most valuable. The two most important items for determining the value of a
in a video address to the WHO’s main annual meeting. Azar insisted the WHO had to change and become more transparent, as he backed an independent review of “every aspect” of the UN health agency’s response to the pandemic. Washington is locked in an increasingly bitter spat with Beijing over the new coronavirus pandemic, while it has also taken aim at the WHO. The outbreak, which emerged in China late last year, has killed and infected more people in the United States than in any other country by far. Washington has suspended its funding to the WHO, accusing it of being too close to Beijing, and covering up and mismanaging the pandemic. “In an apparent attempt to conceal this outbreak, at least one member state made a mockery of their transparency obligations, with tremendous costs for the entire world,” said Azar. “We saw that the WHO failed at its core mission of information sharing and transparency when member states do not act in good faith. This cannot ever happen again. The status quo is intolerable. WHO must change, and it must become far more transparent and far more accountable.” Azar said that while countries were focused on the immediate response to the pandemic, they needed a “more effective WHO right now” to help win the fight.
health care visit were “communications with healthcare providers” and “trust in my healthcare providers”. African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos were more likely than whites to rank compassion shown by health care providers as most important. “When clinicians and policymakers define value, it is often couched in terms of quality or outcomes over price,” said Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the paper’s lead author. “But while patients include quality and costs in their understanding of value, they also emphasize communication and trust. Improving the patient experience has been linked with better clinical outcomes across a broad range of conditions, suggesting that improving trust and
by suicide in California detention center
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OS ANGELES | AFP | 5/18/2020 - A 74-yearold immigrant who had pleaded to be released from a detention facility in California for fear of contracting COVID-19 died by suicide at the weekend, officials said on Monday.
Choung Won Ahn, who suffered from diabetes, hypertension and heart ailments, was found dead late Sunday at the Mesa Verde Detention Facility located in Bakersfield, some two hours north of Los Angeles. He had been detained there by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since February 21. In March, a group of attorneys had made a plea for Ahn and others with serious health conditions to be released because of the probability they could get infected with the novel coronavirus while in detention. "The risk of contracting COVID-19 in congregate settings is very high," Jordan Wells, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Southern California, wrote in a letter to ICE. "Despite an overwhelming consensus of public health experts... you have failed to release people like a 74-year-old man with chronic respiratory problems." The ACLU said Ahn's appeal was rejected.
"We are processing, and we are very emotionally upset," said Ahn's brother, Young Ahn, in a statement. "We are angry. He did not deserve to be treated this way. He's a human being, but to them, he's just a number. There are other people in the same situation. It shouldn't be happening again." ICE did not immediately reply to an AFP request for details about the case. But in a statement to local media, it said that Ahn was found dead in his cell at 9:52 pm local time on Sunday. "ICE appreciates consideration while details are confirmed and next of kin and other notifications are made," the agency said. "Additional information will be provided as it is available." In recent weeks, a number of detainees with serious health problems have been released from ICE detention facilities in response to a lawsuit filed by rights groups and the public defender's office in San Francisco. "We are deeply saddened by Mr. Ahn's death," said Manohar Raju, the San Francisco public defender. "Mr. Ahn was particularly medically vulnerable and should have been released by ICE to his family, particularly given the grave risks of COVID in ICE detention centers."
communication can lead to tangi- ment arrangement and promoting ble changes in health.” team-based care delivery. Advancing Value-Based Models “Over the past two decades, for Heart Failure spending on cardiovascular care has risen steadily while outDespite tremendous progress in comes for patients have stagnatimproving care for heart failure, ed or worsened,” said Dr. Joynt the quality of heart failure care Maddox, the paper’s lead author. varies greatly. This paper calls “These disturbing trends call for for moving away from the current a rethinking of our current CVD payment system for heart failure payment system. This framework care, which is largely based on is intended to increase value in fee-for-service reimbursement, CVD care by incentivizing risk releading to fragmented, low-quali- duction, improving medication adty care. herence, addressing unmet needs The Value in Healthcare Initia- and discouraging inefficiencies in tive developed a framework for care while improving patient outa heart failure model focusing on comes. Moving from concept to disease management and preven- implementation will require coltion that could be compatible with laborative action across the health existing payment models. The care ecosystem, involving private model’s key elements focus on and public payers, clinicians and longitudinal care, integrating spe- health systems.” cialty care into a value-based pay-
Page 5 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
COMMUNITY
Sewa International & its partner India Culture Center carries out Organizations to hold multiple food and its COVID-19 initiatives... PPE distribution drives
Sewa International spearheaded the food and PPE drive.
A
fter hosting a successful food drive the previous week - Sewa International repeated it outside its office parking space at the West Oaks Mall on Sunday, May 17th.
less distribution, all passengers and the drivers were requested to remain in their cars for everyones’ safety. Alice Lee, Executive Director for the Southwest Management District said, "Sewa International is an invaluable community partner and stakeholder. Sewa International's ASPIRE program has benefited the youth for many years in our Sister Districts in Brays Oaks and International. We have referred PPE sources to Sewa International and have found strength in working together, just like in today's Food Distribution Drive."
Jagruti Sarkar, Sewa’s Proj- ICC team at a location where masks were donated. ect lead for Mission Homemade Mask said “Volunteers made more than 600 masks in the span of 2 weeks which is incredible, especially with their work schedules. These masks were donated during the food drive, helping the needy” Sewa with support from its generous donors and Organization partners has planned similar food distribution events at Temples throughout the greater Houston area. May 23rd it will be at VPSS & Gujarati Samaj, May 30th at Hindu Worship Society, June 6th at ISSO (Swami-
The food distribution event was organized to help the most vulnerable population that are experiencing food insecurity in feeding their families during the COVID-19 crisis. Over 225 food packages, each containing about 20 pounds of food items, were distributed within the one-hour time slot. This event also had a parallel PPE distribution drive to help support Hospitals, Clinics & Organizations with handmade masks, KN95 Masks and Hand Sanitizer bottles. The handmade masks were stitched by Sewa’s volunteers using threads of love and passion. Houstonians began lengthening the queue almost 90 minutes prior to the 11:00am scheduled start. The line grew to be over a mile long, snaking through the parking lot. Sewa received great support from the local police department who ensured smooth traffic flow throughout the process. This food and PPE drive was sponsored and supported by Alice Lee of Southwest District, Hindus for America, Telica (Sugar Land), Vedanta Society of Greater Houston, Sneha Hastham, MMNA (Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America), Umang Mehta of Deep Foods, Pankaj & Rupali Maheshwari, Sant Nirankari Mission of Houston and Mrugesh & Pallavi Parikh. Rashmi Singh & Yash Havalimane, the leads of our Food Drives appreciated the work of all the volunteers and said, “We are thankful to all the organizations who are collaborating with us in our efforts to serve the community. Together we hope to provide those in need, to relieve their hunger as well as anxiety, during these trying times". The preparation for this event had been ongoing for weeks, Donated bags during the drive. (WhatsApp videograb)
Police officers with donated masks.
Continued from Front Page
“During this pandemic, people are worried, but not sure what they can do to help. The problems created by COVID-19 are too big to be tackled but not impossible,” said Jasmeeta Singh, ICC president in her message. “Although our mission is not to raise funds for disaster relief, I believe ICC can and must make an impactful change. The economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic may cause many of us to wonder how we can be of val-
ue to our communities.”
made at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/iaccgh-covid-19-webiAlso, part of its "COVID-19 nar-seriescovid-19-power-diaRESPONSE" initiative, ICC logue-with-commissioner-adriplans to donate 1000 surgical an-garcia-tickets-104795508186 masks on May 20 after meeting with Fire Chief of Stafford CenFurther, on May 29th ICC ter, Larry Dicamillo, Stafford plans to donate 1000 surgical City Mayor Leonardo Scarcella, masks and homemade masks in and Council Members Alice C collaboration with CRY and later Chen, Ken Mathew, and others. donate masks either at the Hillcroft location or at the City Hall On Wednesday, May 20 ICC as situation permits. will host a webinar with Adrian Garcia in collaboration with To be a volunteer to any of Indo-American Chamber of ICC’s initiatives or learn more Commerce of Greater Houston about the organization please (IACCGH) from 2-3 pm. Reg- visit www.icchoustontx.org istration is needed and can be
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital achieves national accreditation as a comprehensive center for bariatric surgery
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UGAR LAND - (May 15, 2020) — Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
Volunteers were out in force for the charity event.
with over 35 volunteers on the day of the event! This took over 200 hours of planning followed by execution, optimizing the process of loading car trunks with packages as soon as they were parked in one of the three loading stations. It was a contact
"It was an extremely humbling experience. Such drives truly illustrate that there is lot of hope and a start to a new beginning in these difficult times" said Rupali & Pankaj Maheshwari, one of the sponsors of the drive
narayan), June 13th at Meenakshi Temple and June 20th at Shiv Shakti Mandir. For more information, visit https://www. facebook.com/sewahouston/
The MBSAQIP standards ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multidisciplinary program, not just a surgical procedure, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. An accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care, designed specifically for their severely obese patients. To earn the MBSAQIP designation, Houston Methodist Sugar Land met essential criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity. The hospital also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement. “Our commitment to unparalleled safety and quality begins with appropriately trained staff and surgical experts who participate in the development of our
Nabil Tariq, MD
program by continuously seeking opportunities to enhance the structure, process and outcomes of the center. I am very proud of the team we have assembled. We are dedicated to delivering superior care for bariatric patients in the Fort Bend and surrounding area,” said Nabil Tariq, M.D., board-certified surgeon and medical director of bariatric surgery at Houston Methodist Sugar Land.
Take the Next Step with Weight Loss Surgery You can start now from the comfort and safety of your own home. We are committed to you, even during these challenging times. Our bariatric surgeon now offers online orientations and virtual visits. Watch the online orientation at houstonmethodist. org/surgicalweightloss or call 832.667.5673 for more information.
Page 6 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
Page 7 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
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Hollywood producer 'ready to testify' against Malaysia ex-PM
Bollywood star Bachchan's new film goes straight to Amazon
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UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia | AFP 5/19/2020 - A producer of Hollywood hit "The Wolf of Wall Street" is willing to testify against his step-father, Malaysia's disgraced ex-leader Najib Razak, over a massive graft scandal, a court heard Tuesday.
The news came just days after charges were unexpectedly dropped against producer Riza Aziz, who was accused of illegally receiving huge sums from Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. Billions of dollars were looted from the fund and spent on everything from a yacht to art in a huge fraud that purportedly involved Najib and his cronies. Najib lost power in 2018 in large part due to public anger at the 1MDB scandal, and has since been put on trial. Riza's charges were shelved in exchange for him agreeing to hand over more than $100 million in assets to Malaysia, but there was widespread anger that he had escaped a jail term. There was a new twist in the
Riza Aziz, one of the producers of 'The Wolf of Wall Street', was accused of receiving massive sums from Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB (AFP Photo/Mohd Rasfan)
drama on Tuesday, however, as one of Najib's trials resumed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court following a lengthy break due to the coronavirus pandemic. "Riza Aziz has indicted his willingness to give evidence for the prosecution in the case," lead
French screen legend Michel Piccoli dead at 94
prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram told the court before proceedings began. The case is the most significant of several that Najib, who denies wrongdoing, is facing. It centres on allegations that he illegally received more than $500 million from 1MDB. Riza's mother Rosmah Mansor, who is married to Najib, became a lightning rod for public anger during her husband's time in office due to her love of overseas shopping trips and vast collection of handbags. She is also on trial for corruption. Riza had been accused of receiving $248.17 million in 2011 and 2012 in illegal proceeds that came from 1MDB, which was sent to bank accounts of his Hollywood production company Red Granite Pictures. Aside from "The Wolf of Wall Street", which was about a huge financial scam and starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Red Granite also produced "Dumb and Dumber To" and "Daddy's Home". Some were suspicious the decision to drop charges against Riza was linked to a recent change in government that saw Najib's party return to power. But the new prime minister has insisted he did not interfere in the case.
UMBAI, India | AFP | 5/14/2020 - Bolly-
wood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, whose films usually open to packed cinemas across India, will see his new movie released on Amazon's streaming service due to the coronavirus lockdown, the US company said Thursday. With nearly 1,800 titles released in 2018, India is the world's biggest film industry in terms of movies made. Film releases in cinemas are usually big events with fans often queueing for hours. Bachchan's new comedy-drama "Gulabo Sitabo", also starring Ayushmann Khurrana and directed by Shoojit Sircar, had been scheduled to open in theBollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan at the 24th Kolkata International atres on April 17. Film Festival in Kolkata on November 10, 2018. (AFP/Dibyangshu But India has been in a strict Sarkar)
Bachchan’s new comedy-drama “Gulabo Sitabo”, also starring Ayushmann Khurrana. Image: Amazon
coronavirus lockdown since late March and cinemas remain shut. Amazon said the movie will now premiere on June 12 and be available in 200 countries and territories worldwide -- in what Sircar called "the dawn of a new era for Indian entertainment". Analyst Akshaye Rathi said the
move reflected "a tectonic shift for Bollywood and how business will be done in the future". "The Indian film industry has to keep the release window alive -- either in theatres or digitally -to survive," Rathi told AFP. "The industry has to stop thinking about the next two quarters
and focus on surviving for the next two decades by embracing technology." Amazon operates in a crowded field in India, alongside not just Netflix but also others such as Hotstar -- partnered with Disney -- in the fight for eyeballs in the market of 1.3 billion people.
Hollywood hype machine plots virus-proof red carpets in future premieres by Andrew Marszal
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OS ANGELES | AFP | Sunday 5/17/2020 Michel Piccoli performs in Peter Brook's staging of "Ta main dans la Red-carpet premieres are mienne" in Paris in 2003, based on the letters of Anton Chekhov (AFP the pinnacle of any new HollyPhoto/Martin Bureau) wood blockbuster's publicity blitz.
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ARIS, France | AFP | 5/18/2020 - Michel Piccoli, one of the most original and versatile French actors of the last half century, has died aged 94, his family said Monday.
He died "in the arms of his wife Ludivine and his children Inord and Missia after a stroke", the family told AFP. Piccoli starred in a string of classics which redefined world cinema, from Luis Bunuel's "Belle de Jour" and "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" to a typically memorable turn opposite Brigitte Bardot in Jean-Luc Godard's "Contempt" in 1963. A masterful performer with a wickedly malicious edge, he managed to carve out a hugely prolific career as both an art house icon and a kind of French Cary Grant. Like Grant and other Hollywood all-rounders Jimmy Stewart and Gary Cooper, Piccoli was able to adapt himself to virtually any kind of material without altering his essential everyman screen persona. With his bald forehead, vast eyebrows and sly grin, he hopped easily from seducer to cop to gangster to pope, with a predilection in the 1970s and 1980s for ambiguous and cynical roles.
- Actor and activist Yet despite his omnipresence, with Bunuel alone casting him in six of his films, Piccoli never won a French Oscar -- the Cesar -- despite being nominated four times including for Louis Malle's "Milou in May" and Jacques Rivette's "La Belle Noiseuse" in 1991. He did, however, win best actor at the Cannes film festival in 1980 for playing a tortured Italian judge in Marco Bellocchio's "A Leap in the Dark" and the following year shared best actor at Berlin for "Une etrange affaire". Piccoli was a life-long left-winger who counted the philosophers Simone de Beauvoir and John-Paul Sartre among his friends, but that did not stop him raging against repression in the old Eastern Bloc and supporting the Polish trade union, Solidarity. One of his best known films outside France was Marco Ferreri's 1973 "La Grande Bouffe" (Blow-Out), in which a group of male friends shut themselves up in a house with prostitutes and try to eat themselves to death. He said the secret to his craft was disguising his own personality. "I do not put on an act... I slip away behind my characters. To
Their A-list entourages, elbow-to-elbow fans and showbiz photographers vying for the perfect snaps of glamorous stars, are also a nightmare for social distancing. But with California coronavirus restrictions easing, and major movies like "Tenet" eyeing July release dates, Tinseltown's marketing gurus are scrambling for ways to safely roll out those carpets once again. "Prior to what we're going through, it was about getting a lot of attention and getting big crowds to come together and sharing with as many people as possible to help spread the excitement," said Elizabeth Tramontozzi, of leading Hollywood event planners 15|40 Productions. "It's going to be massively different moving forward," she told AFP. The company, which built an epic "Game of Thrones" set in New York for last year's series finale and has worked on extravagant premieres for Disney movies on Hollywood Boulevard, has spent the lockdown drawing up new designs. These include plexiglass barriers between journalists, screened-off "pods" for interviews via video link, and dropoff zones where pre-selected fans appear on LED screens to engage with stars.
Actress Emma Watson attends Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' premiere at El Capitan Theatre on March 2, 2017 in Los Angeles, California (AFP Photo/Frazer Harrison)
Actress Sandra Oh attends the premiere of BBC America and AMC's 'Killing Eve' at ArcLight Hollywood on April 01, 2019 in Hollywood, California (AFP Photo/Emma McIntyre)
Entourages will be asked to enter socially-distanced theaters via "bypass lanes" that free up the red carpet for the stars alone. Temperature checks for all guests are being considered, while fans would be physically barred from attending. "We need to enclose ourselves first so that there is no gathering on sidewalks and people watching," said 15|40 president Craig Waldman. With everyone left surrounding the carpet spaced out, "the carpet's just going to be a little wider and the carpet's going to be a little bit longer," he added. - 'Hope it happens' Even so, publicists do not expect lavish Los Angeles after-premiere parties -- and their crowded open bars and buffets -to return for several months, or possibly until a vaccine emerges. Pop-up immersive experiences, a growing part of the Hollywood hype machine, may also need a rethink, with the focus now solely on building awareness rather than drawing crowds. More immediately, with streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon continuing to launch major titles during lockdown, "virtual" press junkets in which interviews are conducted entirely online are growing in popularity. 15|40 has created a mobile studio in a trailer which can be carted between movie stars' homes, fitted out with the branding of whichever film or television show is being launched.
Page 8 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
Section 2
Business
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
www.voiceofasia.news
Local Mercedes-Benz dealership to donates 10,000 face masks across Woodlands
W
OODLANDS, May 15, 2020 - Joe Agresti CEO of Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands and General Manager Joe Drago has spent weeks tirelessly working with multiple companies to supply masks to all their essential employees and frontline workers in their community. Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands has worked with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department to determine where the masks were should be donated. The donation comes at a time when personal protective equipment has depleted due to the high demands during the coronavirus outbreak.
Americans are struggling with 26 million losing their job to the coronavirus pandemic. Texas the largest oil-producing state has taken a huge hit with cost per barrel reaching the negatives for the first time. In the last week, 280,406 Texans have filed for unemployment relief according to the United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. Over 1 million individuals have filed for unemployment in Texas alone. It is safe to say Texas is having its fair share of hardship. Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands saw these troubling numbers and decided to extend a helping hand. Along with donating masks, the luxury dealer announced on April 23 that
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
Tel: 713-774-5140
Uber says cutting 3,000 jobs and trimming invesment
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AN FRANCISCO | AFP | 5/18/2020 - Uber on Monday announced it is cutting a quarter of its global workforce and trimming investment to survive the financial hit to its business from the coronavirus pandemic.
The San Francisco-based company is laying off about 3,000 people and stopping some investments unrelated to its core ride-share and delivery businesses, according to chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi. “Given the dramatic impact of the pandemic, and the unpredictable nature of any eventual recovery, we are concentrating our efforts on our core mobility and delivery platforms and resizing our company to match the realities of our business,” Khosrowshahi said. Overall staff cuts include layoffs earlier this month at Uber recruiting and customer support teams, and are part of an overall reorganization keeping rideshare and Eats restaurant-meal The Woodlands, Texas - May 15, 2020 (From left) Deputy Carlos Tavarez, Captain Tim Holifield, Fred Gal- delivery services priorities at the lucci, Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz of the Woodlands and Deputy Eric Medina picking up 10,000 FDA company. approved masks to utilize in the community. “We are making these hard choices now so that we can move they are offering complimentary “While other dealers are lay- sent them home due to vulnera- forward and begin to build again labor to Mercedes-Benz own- ing off their employees, we are bilities. Most of our team is iners who have been laid off, fur- doing everything in our power tact and ready to serve so we are loughed, or have lost their job to support our team physically, providing the complimentary due to COVID-19. emotionally and financially. Ev- labor!” eryone is getting paid even if we
India's 'superfood' jackfruit goes global
McDonald’s slapped with sexual harassment lawsuit at OECD
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ASHINGTON | AFP | 5/18/2020 - An international group of labor unions said Monday it has filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s for “systemic sexual harassment” down caused a surge in demand at the fast food chain’s restaurants for mature green jackfruit and around the world.
James Joseph quit his job as a director at Microsoft after spotting Western interest in jackfruit gaining momentum as a vegan alternative to meat (AFP Photo/Arun Sankar)
by Abhaya Srivastava
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HRISSUR, India | AFP | Green, spiky and with a strong, sweet smell, the bulky jackfruit has morphed from a backyard nuisance in India's south coast into the meat-substitute darling of vegans and vegetarians in the West.
Part of South Asia's diet for centuries, jackfruit was so abundant that tonnes of it went to waste every year. But now India, the world's biggest producer of jackfruit, is capitalising on its growing popularity as a "superfood" meat alternative -- touted by chefs from San Francisco to London and Delhi for its pork-like texture when unripe. "There are a lot of enquiries from abroad... At the international level, the interest in jackfruit has grown manifold," Varghese Tharakkan tells AFP from his orchard in Kerala's Thrissur district. The fruit, which weighs five kilogrammes (11 pounds) on average, has a waxy yellow flesh when ripe and is eaten fresh, or used to make cakes, juices, ice creams and crisps. When unripe, it is added to
India, the world's biggest producer of jackfruit, is capitalising on its growing popularity as a "superfood" meat alternative -- touted by chefs from San Francisco to London for its pork-like texture when unripe (AFP Photo/Arun Sankar)
curries or fried, minced and sauted. In the West, shredded jackfruit has become a popular alternative to pulled pork and is even used as a pizza topping. "People love it," Anu Bhambri, who owns a chain of restaurants in the US and India, explains. "The jackfruit tacos have been a hit at each and every location. The jackfruit cutlet -- every table orders it, it's one of my favourites!"
James Joseph quit his job as a director at Microsoft after spotting Western interest in jackfruit "gaining momentum as a vegan alternative to meat". - Jack of all fruits The COVID-19 crisis, Joseph says, has created two spikes in consumer interest. "Coronavirus caused a fear for chicken and people switched to tender jackfruit. In Kerala, lock-
seeds due to shortage of vegetables due to border restrictions," he explains. Global interest in veganism was already soaring pre-pandemic, buoyed by movements such as Meat Free Mondays and Veganuary, and with it the business of "alternative meats". Concerns about health and the environment -- a 2019 UN report suggested adopting more of a plant-based diet could help mitigate climate change -- mean consumers are turning to brands such as Impossible and Beyond Meat for plant-based replications of chicken, beef, and pork. But they are also using substitutes long popular in Asia such as soy-based tofu and tempeh, and wheat derivative seitan, as well as jackfruit. This boom has meant more and more jackfruit orchards have sprung up in the coastal state. "You get a hard bite like meat -- that's what is gaining popularity and like meat it absorbs the spices," comments Joseph. His firm sells jackfruit flour which can be mixed with or used as an alternative to wheat and rice flour to make anything from burger patties to local classics such as idli. Joseph worked with Sydney University's Glycemic Index Research Service to establish any health benefits. "When we did a nutritional analysis, we found jackfruit as a meal is better than rice and roti (bread) for an average person who wants to control his blood sugar," he adds. India has one of the highest diabetes rates in the world and is expected to hit around 100 million cases by 2030, according to a study by The Lancet. - 'Secrets of success' As global warming wreaks havoc on agriculture, food researchers say jackfruit could emerge as a nutritious staple crop as it is drought-resistant and requires little maintenance. Tharakkan has not looked back since he switched from growing rubber to jackfruit on his land,
with confidence, Khosrowshahi said. Job cuts are to be spread across Uber operations around the world. Uber planned to provide laidoff workers with at least 10 weeks pay and continue providing health benefits through the end of this year. Uber is closing or consolidating offices at various locations, including merging two facilities in its home base of San Francisco. The company also planned to close its office in Singapore in the coming year and relocate its Asia-Pacific base of operations. Teams at Uber are being reorganized, with Andrew Macdonald to head a “mobility” team that will include transit and Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty taking charge of a “delivery” team. Uber is closing its AI Labs special projects team. “We are taking a hard look at our overall cost structure and our other bets to ensure our core business of Rides and Eats emerges stronger than ever,” Khosrowshahi said on Uber’s recent quarterly earnings call.
The suit, filed at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s offices in the Netherlands, was the first of its kind to target a multinational company, the plaintiffs said. “McDonald’s workers have sounded the alarm about sexual harassment and gender-based violence for years, but a company with a culture rotten from the top has failed to take meaningful action to address the problem,” said Sue Longley, general secretary of the International Union of Foodworkers, in a statement. “Because McDonald’s has neglected to act to create a safe workplace, the Dutch government should make use of this complaint to empower workers to effectively address the rampant harassment they face under the Golden Arches,” she said. The lawsuit also targets two investment banks, APG Asset Management of the Netherlands and Norges Bank of Norway, which together have holdings worth $1.7 billion in the food giant.
and has a variety that he can cultivate year-round. "When I cut down my rubber trees everyone thought I had gone crazy. But the same people now come and ask me the secret of my success," he smiles. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala alone, demand for jackfruit is now 100 metric tonnes every day during the peak season yielding a turnover of $19.8 million a year, says economics professor S. Rajendran of the Gandhigram Rural Institute. But there is rising competition from countries such as Bangladesh and Thailand. Jackfruit's newfound international fame is a massive turnaround for a plant that while used in local dishes, has long been viewed as a poor man's fruit. Each tree can yield as 150-250 fruits a season.
The plaintiffs noted that the OECD’s own guidelines “require due diligence by institutional shareholders in companies to ensure responsible business conduct.” The unions said the suit was the “first-ever complaint brought to the OECD to take aim at systematic sexual harassment at a multinational company.” The legal action cites witness testimony of “attempted rape, indecent exposure, groping, and sexual offers.” It said the victims, some as young as 16, “said they were ignored, mocked, or punished when they reported it. Some had their hours cut back and others were fired.” It also cited cases of “groping, touching, forced kissing and other forms of unwanted bodily contact” in branches of the food chain in numerous countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, and others. In France, it cited a case in which a McDonald’s manager allegedly “installed a cellphone camera in the women’s changing room, and secretly filmed young women changing their clothes.” “Gender-based violence and harassment is part of McDonald’s culture,” the complaint alleged.
In Kerala, where it is believed to have originated, deriving its name from local word "chakka", Tharakkan recalls it was not unusual to see notices in private gardens asking people to take away the fruit for free because they were so plentiful, they would simply rot and attract flies. And while India's jackfruit growers -- like the wider agriculture sector -- have been hit as the nationwide coronavirus lockdown causes a shortage of labour and transport, international demand shows no sign of slowing. Sujan Sarkar, the Palo Alto-based executive chef of Bhambri's restaurants, believes even meat-eaters are becoming jackfruit converts. He adds: "It's not only vegetarians or vegans, even the meat-eaters, they just love it."
Page 9 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
Section 2
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
LEGAL
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
www.voiceofasia.news
Mala Sharma
Businesses across Texas and the United States have been impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19), causing business income losses and more due to all closures. So, what do businesses do now to rise up from such losses? During such a pandemic, businesses review their insurance coverage provisions regarding business losses, specifically those caused by closures due to infectious diseases. There are many types of business insurance coverage, including business interruption insurance coverage which is intended to make an insured 100% whole again as a result of income losses due to covered damages. However, the coverage must specifically include the type of damage covered and further, the business interruption claim must be supported with all facts, evidence, and all other supporting documentation. The next question would be, does my business insurance policy specifically cover income losses due to COVID-19? This is a serious concern for many business owners. On the downside, many policies do not specifically cover infectious disease outbreaks or are ambiguous or no language at all. Policies that do have coverage for certain diseases may still exclude any contamination by virus, air, bacteria, or not specifically reference the disease. The problem with this vague language allows insurance companies to deny claims where they respond that the business premise was not physically damaged by the pathogen or other disease to support a claim under the policy. However, another ar-
Thus, what type of coverage do I need? It is best to review your policy. ‘Contingent business interruption’ coverage protects from losses due to property damage owned by others such as if fire occurred nearby which prevented access to the business. However, it could possibly be an argument where due to COVID-19 created a loss to a major provider in your business supply chain, causing your business loss. Further, many insurance policies also have a ‘civil authority’ provision relating to actions of civil and/or military authorities where damage to your property caused by the civil authority regulations and rules would make your business interruption claim more easily supported for physical damage in order to recover. However, declarations of state emergencies are typically not covered. Further, the ‘civil authority’ provision relates to actual direct physical damages or loss. The argument on what is direct physical loss is unsettled and so is the science behind it at this time. Thus, policyholders and insurance companies will continue to litigate over the specifics of the ‘civil authority’ language in policies and what is considered direct physical loss. Parties will attempt to have experts testify to COVID-19’s lifespan on different surfaces to relate this damage to the direct physical loss of a business to support the business interruption claim and also of re-contamination of buildings to support continued
physical losses. Another argument is simply that the loss of building’s use is sufficient to sustain business interruption claim. However, the insurance companies would still argue specific language or restrictions in the policy. It is always best to get an attorney to review your policy and assist with your claim. About the Author: Mala Sharma has been practicing family law and personal injury with her family at the Law Offices of Sharma & Associates, founded in 1997. Mala has been appointed leadership roles for the American Bar Association GP Solo and GP Solo YLD division, is Board member of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Past President of the Houston Northwest Bar Association, and prior board member of the South Asian Bar Association. She is also a member of the Houston Bar Association. Mala Sharma has been selected to the 2019 Texas Rising Stars by Super Lawyers. Mala has also been selected as 10 Best Attorneys by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorney for 20182019, Top 40 under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers for 2018-2019, and Texas Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney by Attorney and Practice Magazine for 2019.
Disclaimer: This material is available for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. If you require advice on any particular legal question, you may contact Sharma & Associates at 281-893-8644 or by email at mala@sharmalaws.net to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
Tel: 713-774-5140
YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW REGARDING BUSINESS INTERRUPTION CLAIMS DUE TO CORONAVIRUS gument or better argument to support a business interruption claim, would be to argue that the pathogenic disease caused the premises to be nonfunctional and unusable, creating the business loss damages. Although, this argument is not guaranteed depending on the type of policy you have and what the policy specifically says.
by Sharlene Sharmila Richards, Immigration Lawyer Email at srichardslaw@aol.com
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IMMIGRATION DURING THE TIME OF COVID-19 Sharlene Sharmila Richards
Q: My sister came to visit me using her B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa. She was supposed to depart from the US on April 28th, 2020 but her flight got cancelled. Her 6month authorized stay will be expiring on May 28th, 2020. She has been trying to get a return flight home but to date, nothing seems to available. My sister is worried that she will end up overstaying her authorized stay. She also does not know when she will be able to book a flight to return home. What should she do? A: It is advisable to file for extension of her B-2 Visitor status. If she were to file for the extension, please ensure that the extension application is filed prior to the expiration of her current status on May 28th, 2020. Extensions of B-2 Visitor status are permitted for up to a maximum of 6 months. The Form to use is Form I-539 Application for to Extend / Change Nonimmigrant Status. The filing fee is a total of $370.00 with an additional $85.00 for biometrics. She should include a copy of her passport, Visitor Visa, a letter explaining the reason for the extension, evidence that flights to her home country are unavailable and also evidence of ability to support herself during the period of the extension sought. Q: I am a Lawful Permanent Resident. I recently applied for a Re-Entry Permit because I need to travel to my home country as my father does not have a care giver and he is ill with throat cancer. My mother passed away leaving my father to fend for himself. I am his only daughter. The problem is my biometrics appointment scheduled in April 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19. I am waiting for the biometrics office to reopen but was informed that it will remain close until further notice. What do I need to do to provide my biometrics for the Re-Entry Permit so that I can depart the US as soon as possible? A: As of March 18th, USCIS has temporarily suspended all biometrics appointments to avoid contact with the public. The information on the website further states that when USCIS resumes normal operation, USCIS will automatically reschedule Application Support Center appointments due to the temporary office closure and if you do not receive a
new appointment notice by mail within 90 days, call 800375-5283. If you are unable to wait for this because of emergency, please contact USCIS at 800-375-5283 to request for emergency services assistance. In the USCIS website, it states that USCIS will provide services for ‘limited situations on a case by case basis’. To schedule an emergency appointment, it directs applicants to contact the USCIS Contact Center. The USCIS Contact Center information provides that applicants in the US may speak with a USCIS customer representative from Monday through Friday from 8.00 a.m to 8.00 p.m Eastern except on federal holidays. I suggest that you do that and have available the I-131 Application Receipt Number and documentary evidence of your father’s illness. Be prepared to explain why this is an emergency. Q: I filed for renewal of my Employment Authorization Document in April 2020 and I have received a receipt for the filing. However, I have not provided my biometrics and I am concerned that if the biometrics of application support center is closed, not providing my biometrics will delay the issuance of the Employment Authorization Document. Please let me know if I am able to also use the emergency services assistance offered by USCIS to provide my biometrics? A: For extensions or renewals of EAD Document, USCIS states that applicants who had an appointment scheduled with an ASC office after their closure on March 18 or who have filed a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization for extension or renewal, will have their application processed using previously submitted biometrics. This will remain in effect until ASCs resume normal operations. In your case, USCIS will use your previously submitted biometrics to process the renewal of your Employment Authorization Document. You should receive a notice from USCIS indicating re-use of your biometrics. Q: My mother who is a Lawful Permanent Resident returned to her home country. How long can she remain there without encountering too many issues at time of entry to the US? There are not many flights due to COVID-19 and my mother’s health is frail. A: An extended absence outside the US may cause a Permanent Resident to lose their status. A permanent resident
who remains outside the US for more than one year without a valid Re-Entry Permit is deemed to have abandoned his or her residence and the green card is invalidated automatically. If a Permanent Resident remains outside the US for more than 6 months but less than one year, it should be alright to return to US without any issues. The Customs and Border Protection Office at the port of entry could put him or her in secondary inspection to inquire the reasons of their ‘overstay’ over 6 months but still must admit him or her into the US. I advise, if at all possible, not to exceed the 6 months outside of the US. If that cannot be helped, then please have your mom return before her stay abroad exceeds one year. Q: My daughter who is a Lawful Permanent Resident will be absent from the US for more than one year by the end of July 2020. I heard that she can just apply for Re-Entry Permit? A: A permanent resident or green card holder must be physically present in the US to apply for re-entry permit and must have the biometrics (or fingerprinting) done here in the US. Applying for a Re-Entry Permit now is not a viable solution for your daughter. In this COVID-19 crisis, she should try to return to the US as soon as possible and not be absent from the US beyond 365 days.
Disclaimer Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case. Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case. My Bio Sharlene Sharmila Richards is a licensed Immigration Lawyer practicing in Houston, Texas. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000 and is a member of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of the US Supreme Court. If you require advice or assistance, you may contact her at telephone number 713-6238088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
Social distancing is the most effective tool we have for slowing the spread of the coronavirus. And that means staying home, if you can. Work from home. Play at home. Stay at home. If you must go out, keep your social distance—six feet, or two arm-lengths apart. Young. Elderly. In between. It’s going to take every one of us. If home really is where the heart is, listen to yours and do the life-saving thing.
Visit coronavirus.gov for the latest tips and information from the CDC.
#AloneTogether TOGETHER,
WE
CAN
HELP
SLOW
THE
SPREAD.
Page 10 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
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Week of May 22, 2020 21 March to 20 April There are some interesting strands playing out this week as the sun moves into Gemini on Wednesday to light up your social sector. With Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus all retrograde, there are aspects of life that could slow down, but this might encourage reflection and a chance to get your priorities in order.
21 April to 20 May With luscious Venus retrograde in this zone for some weeks yet, it could pay to take extra care with any purchases, especially those big-ticket items. Something that seemed like a fabulous deal at the outset may turn out to be a disappointment, so be careful. Still, with a new moon in the same zone on Friday, there is the opportunity for a fresh start.
21 May to 20 June This week could feel like something of a rebirth as the illuminating sun enters your sign for around a month. You may have more vitality and confidence now, which can be used to initiate new plans and projects. With sultry Venus retrograde in your sign, though, it’s best to avoid closing deals or committing to a partnership or business relationship until this phase is over.
21 June to 22 July The focus on your spiritual sector increases as the sun moves into Gemini on Wednesday. With Mercury already here and sweet Venus retrograde in this zone, buried issues could come to the surface to be resolved. Someone from your past could come back into your life, which might result in a healing.
23 July to 22 August As sobering Saturn moves deeper into your sector of relating, you may become more objective about the relationships in your life. Couple this with sweet Venus in reverse in your social zone, and this could be a time of uncertainty regarding certain associations. A new connection you make over the weekend could bring interesting news
23 August to 22 Sept Be careful around negotiations, business deals, and other major commitments. With tactful Venus rewinding for some weeks and aligning with Mercury and Neptune on Friday, things may not be quite as they seem. You need to look carefully at the paperwork concerning any new deals or projects.
23 September to 22 Oct If the past few weeks have been intense, things could become a little easier from midweek onward as the sun moves into Gemini and a lighter and more upbeat zone. This is your sector of travel and opportunity, so you might be ready to take on ideas that can lead to exciting developments.
23 October to 21 Nov The sun moves into this sector on Wednesday to illuminate hidden areas of your psyche, and it could shine a light on those issues you may have pushed beneath the surface. It’s time for any skeletons to emerge from the closet. Seeing them in broad daylight could relieve any fears associated with them.
22 November to 21 Dec In the days ahead, an inquisitive Venus-Mercury tie could see you initiating discussions with this person with a view toward understanding their motives. It’s probably best not to commit to a deeper partnership or relationship, because your feelings could easily change over the coming weeks.
22 December to 20 Jan this is a good time to rethink any agreements, especially those that have become a bit of a bind. The promises you made a while back may no longer suit you. The coming weeks can be an opportunity to discuss them and come to new arrangements. Friday could be a call to start taking more decisive actions.
21 January to 19 Feb The sun moves into your leisure sector on Wednesday, which could leave you feeling lighter and brighter. The coming four weeks or so can be a good opportunity to indulge in activities that you truly enjoy. Doing so might recharge you in more ways than one. On the romantic front, it would help to consider the cost of a developing romance.
20 February to 20 Mar Luscious Venus and chatty Mercury are in the same sector, so this can be a great time for entertaining. And yet as sweet Venus is currently retrograde, you might feel excited at the thought of a reunion, whether it’s a large gathering or an intimate get-together. Either way, it can be very successful.
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When you find some time, READ!
READ DAILY! 15 - 30 minutes of reading daily helps your brain focus better. Grab a novel! A Community message from Voice of Asia Group
Fort Bend View
Page 11 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
Sugar Land, Katy, Stafford, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg and Meadows Place Email: voiceasia@aol.com
www.voiceofasia.news
Fort Bend ISD focusing on what school will look like in fall by Debrorah Wrigley
F
ORT BEND COUNTY Fort Bend ISD launched its extended learning program, which is designed to keep young students engaged during the summer, at three of its elementary schools this week.
The question is what school will look like when the new semester begins in August. FBISD Superintendent Charles Dupre said these three options are on the table: 1. Traditional classroom instruction, online instruction and teaching, or a combination of both. It's a work in progress on how to accommodate health concerns, social distancing and constant sanitizing of surfaces or continue with teachers working from their home computers and students attending from their own homes. It could also be a hybrid, in which students would have
class online and at home for several days a week, and the remainder of the school week would be in a smaller-sized classroom. "It's been a challenge for this district," said Dupre. "We have some students who do well online with a lot of involvement from their parents. We're also a diverse district and there are families, some of whom work two jobs each, and they don't have the tech connectivity and that's where some of the gaps need to be closed." As the months go on, more parents will swap working at home for returning to workplaces. That would complicate lives for parents whose children are taught online. Educator and parent, Christian Winn, said her children do well with virtual classrooms and online learning. "I wouldn't be comfortable
with them being unsupervised and home all day," Winn said. The emergency switch to virtual classrooms brought more students to Shahin Mamdani, who has a private tutoring business called Study Dorm. "Some students don't absorb the learning from the online classes," Mamdani said. "What I do is use a whiteboard and give them equations and instruct them on how to solve them. "I make sure they absorb and comprehend," Mamdani said. She realizes not all families can afford the tuition, so she said she's going to offer a discount for summer instruction, and in some cases, scholarships for deserving students. The Fort Bend school board continues to study the options for school. A vote on a plan will take place during the summer.\ - KTRK-TV, Channel 13
Tel: 713-774-5140
See how this Katy-area waterpark is preparing for reopening
K
ATY, Monday, May 18 2020 - What will the future of waterparks look like in the middle of a pandemic?
The staff at Katy's Typhoon Texas is strategically planning, while they wait for more guidance on whether the park can open up for the summer season. "We are hoping to get the green light from the state government to open up Memorial Day weekend," said Evan Barnett, General Manager of Typhoon Texas. But until that happens, the park remains closed to the public. The staff at Katy's Typhoon Texas is strategically planning the coming Still, preps are underway right summer season. now to ensure they are ready to
Five Cinco Ranch High students honored for academic excellence in journalism Preps are underway for an imminent reopening of the park.
Esha Nigudkar, Co-Editor for CRHS Panorama Yearbook
Avery Wang, Section Editor for CRHS Panorama Yearbook
K
ATY, May 18, 2020 – They are known as the “Best of the High School Press” and now five Cinco Ranch High School journalism students will be joining approximately 1,300 high school scholars and student journalists into the National Scholastic Press Association 2020 Journalism Honor Roll. Abigail Fosburgh, Celeste Hoover, Donovan Nichols, Esha Nigudkar and Avery Wang were the only students in the entire Katy area to receive the recognition, for their participation in the County Line newspaper and/or the Panorama yearbook publications.
“For these students, their passion and commitment to producing quality journalism in the County Line news magazine, online website, and the Panorama yearbook sets them apart,” said Ed Larsen, Cinco Ranch High School’s Student Publication Advisor and Academic UIL Coordinator. “This group excels in all their academic course work, as well as the newsroom at Cinco Ranch High School,” added Larsen. In addition to serving for at least two years on a student media staff, either in broadcast, newspaper, magazine, online or yearbook, the students have earned a 3.5 or higher grade-point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale. All honor roll inductees will receive a certificate of recognition and will be listed in the associations “Best of the High School Press,” a yearly publication highlighting the winners in the association’s student media competitions. NSPA provides training and recognition programs, which promote junior high and
Celeste Hoover, Co-Editor for CRHS County Line Newspaper
Donovan Nichols, News Editor for CRHS County Line Newspaper
Abigail Fosburgh, Staff Photographer for CRHS County Line Newspaper
open up as soon as possible. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it is safe to swim in chemically treated pools and hot tubs. "Right now, in pool water and
high school students to practice ethical journalism. The organization’s awards program also includes the Pacemaker Award, the nation’s preeminent publication honor. NSPA celebrates 100 years of service in 2021. - Katy ISD News
hot tubs, there is no evidence (COVID-19) can be transmitted this way," said Dr. Jen Ashton, chief medical correspondent for ABC News. The CDC does have these guidelines for public pools that include: Cleaning and disinfecting all shared surfaces, restricting the number of swimmers in the pool area and changing layouts to encourage social distancing. Typhoon Texas is following these guidelines and implementing their own restrictions to ensure the health and safety of staff and guests. "We are definitely going to recommend that when people are
here enjoying the park they wear a mask," Barnett said. This would apply to anyone outside of the water. Masks should never be worn while in the water. The bathrooms here are going to be closed down every hour for cleaning and hand sanitation stations will be added all around the park, locker rooms and dressing rooms. Reminders for social distancing will be on the ground. Chairs and tables will be spaced far apart and lines for rides will be automated and staggered to minimize the wait time. - KTRK-TV, Channel 13
Page 12 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020
Home&Real Estate A soaring atrium with a perforated roof fills this The party was over. How the last oil bust changed Houston Chinese home with dappled light REAL ESTATE
A plunge in oil prices in the 1980s had ramifications across the state — even without landing at the same time as a pandemic and economic crisis. by Abby Livingston
W
hen Kathy Whitmire ran for Houston mayor in 1981, helicopters were among the top sources of municipal strife. Residents of the Memorial neighborhood were irate over the daily noise of west Houston businesspeople who opted to fly over the gridlocked freeways for their morning commutes.
That's just how over the top the Texas economy had become as oil prices skyrocketed in the 1970s and into the early 1980s. Whitmire won the race. But a plunge in oil prices effectively resolved the noise complaints. And about about a year into office, her problems became bigger and more unexpected. "All of the party was over," Whitmire said in a recent interview with The Texas Tribune. "At first, I thought this would be temporary." Instead, the oil bust engulfed the decade. She and other leaders across the state confronted an economic crisis for the ages, at least until the current oil bust and the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the Texas economy this spring. The fallout forever changed Texas, but it also offers warnings and lessons for the anticipated trouble ahead. It all started in 1973, when oil in the United States cost $3.89 per barrel. The state's image was already rooted in oil produced-wealth. But for the most part, oil was a bargain for most Americans. Late that year, the cartel of mostly Middle Eastern oil-producing countries known as OPEC retaliated against the United States for supporting Israel in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war with a whopper of an oil embargo. Americans found themselves waiting in long lines at gas stations for a commodity that they had always taken for granted. Prices jumped, and the U.S. economy suffered. Not so in Texas. Money sloshed around the state as independent oil producers took out millions in loans to buy the equipment needed to drill from Kilgore to Wichita Falls to Midland. Manpower was needed not just in the oil patch but in the search for petroleum. Geologists, landmen and attorneys flocked to the state to find the underground reservoirs and to secure the mineral rights needed to drill. And then there were the banks, jewelers and car dealerships that catered to the overnight millionaires. Real estate soon emerged as the most noteworthy outlet for Texas money. With growth in commerce and in population, it seemed quite logical at the time to invest big in new housing developments, soaring skyscrapers in Dallas and Houston, shopping centers, and vacation condominiums on South Padre Island. Out in the oil nerve center of West Texas oil commerce, locals nicknamed two-seater Mercedes convertibles "Midland Mustangs." In Houston, Rolexes were rechristened as "Texas Timexes." Prominent Houstonians were known to stagger out of business lunches flagrantly intoxicated. The most prominent of Texans shrugged off their lack of business pedigree and leveraged themselves to the hilt in oil and real estate. And one in every 20 commercial Bell helicopters sold on the continent ended up in Houston — forcing the international airport to task an air traffic controller solely to
juggle the chopper traffic, according to a Newsweek article at the time. The only uncertainty in those days was just how high the prices of oil would go.Then, everything fell apart. The bottom hit in 1986. Oil was priced at $12.51, still high compared with 15 years before. But historical context was no help to oil producers who plunged deep into debt buying up rigs amid the frenzy to meet anticipated demand. The economic angel of death for oilmen came in the form of bankers calling in loans. “The Dairy Queen was filled with the usual hardbitten but dejected crowd — noveau riche only a few months earlier, now nouveau bankrupt," Larry McMurtry wrote in his 1987 novel "Texasville," set in a bust-era fictionalized version of Archer City in northwest Texas. And it was not just the small-town guys. Perhaps the most famous bankruptcy happened to a resident of the fashionable River Oaks neighborhood — former Gov. John Connally. Connally, famously, was hit in chest with a bullet while riding in the same car as President John F. Kennedy in 1963. After Connally sold off his Austin home and Houston condominium to pay off debtors, national reporters descended onto Houston in 1988 to cover Connally as he tearfully auctioned off his possessions to pay off only a fraction of his debt. Items up for grabs included artwork, a parade saddle and the desk he used as governor. One attendee described it to the Associated Press as the "Super Bowl of auctions." But he would not be alone in despair. The pain hit prominent Texans across the state. Connally's longtime business and political partner, former Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes of Austin, also declared bankruptcy. So, too, did the energy company owned by Texas Rangers owner and Fort Worth oilman Eddie Chiles. The Dallas-based Hunt oil family went bust as well. Even George W. Bush, the old-moneyed son of the vice president, found his Midland oil company so deep in debt in 1986 that he sold it off. But nowhere in the state bore the brunt like the Bayou City. On the residential front, Houston was bleeding out its tax revenue. With so many newcomers during the boom, once-rural towns like Katy evolved into bedroom communities. Many of these transplants lost their jobs, and their home values plummeted. Without family nearby, many surrendered their homes to the banks and left behind suburban ghost towns. Retired U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, a Republican, came to Congress at the peak of the crash and devoted his career to the oil and gas issue. He warned that a return to past demand will not be immediate, even when the world returns to normalcy. "Long term, the future's very bright for Texas and very bright for the oil sector, I'm guessing," he said. "It's just the next two to three years you just don't know how fast demand for energy will come back." If there is any correlation to that time and what is potentially ahead for Texans now, it is this: Misery has company. - Texas Tribune
by Melissa Dalton
Patterned light falls into the open heart of this alluring Jinhua City residence.
W
hen Mr. Chow, an entrepreneur, bought this four-level home in Jinhua City in China’s Zhejiang Province, there was much to appreciate. For one, at 5,381 square feet, the residence was spacious and ready to be optimized.
“The house has a balcony for each room, with a large courtyard below and a large terrace above,” he says. “The only drawback before the renovation was its [lack of] sunlight.” Chow turned to Liang Architecture Studio, whose work started in the foyer. There, they removed the second- and third-level floor slabs to create a voluminous open core at the center of the building. One side of that central core is now occupied by an atrium. In the soaring expanse above the foyer, structural beams were kept in place as a reminder of the building’s history, and footbridges on the second and
The basement screening room.
drink tea, and so on,” he says.
“A structural beam above the foyer was retained, which witnessed renewal of the space and carries its past memories,” says the firm. “The box beside the beam features a mirror surface, which reflects it and seems to blur...the relationship between the old and new.”
Each floor now benefits from the natural light brought in by the atrium.
third levels connect the two sides of the building. The entire interior volume was topped with a perforated aluminum panel under a glass roof, which creates a play of natural light and shadow throughout the day. The main floor of the home hosts the living spaces and a bedroom, while the second floor is dedicated to the children’s bedroom and bath, a second living room, and a study. The third floor is occupied by an ex-
pansive master suite, study/bedroom suite, and a terrace, and the basement is outfitted with a home theater, home gym, tearoom, and sunken courtyard at the base of the atrium. Chow’s goals for the remodel were to create a more casual, convivial atmosphere for the family, whether they’re spending time together or apart. “The family has more chances to get along with each other. For example, to cook, to watch movies, to
The main floor of the home hosts the living spaces and a bedroom, while the second floor is dedicated to the children’s bedroom and bath, a second living room, and a study. The third floor is occupied by an expansive master suite, study/bedroom suite, and a terrace, and the basement is outfitted with a home theater, home gym, tearoom, and sunken courtyard at the base of the atrium. Chow’s goals for the remodel were to create a more casual, convivial atmosphere for the family, whether they’re spending time together or apart. “The family has more chances to get along with each other. For example, to cook, to watch movies, to drink tea, and so on,” he says. On the main floor, the rhythmic repetition of floor-to-ceiling windows in the kitchen and dining room overlook the courtyard. “The kitchen, dining room, and other public areas are awash in daylight,” says the design firm. “Those public areas are made open, and help to facilitate physical and spiritual interaction among family members.” It’s hard to believe that prior to the renovation, there were only two areas of the building that admitted natural light. Now, says the firm, “the angles of sunlight vary throughout the day and year. Light freely moves within the space [and] generates dappled shadows, which interact with different areas and provide the occupants with surprising and playful experiences.” The remodel has given the family a newfound appreciation for home. “We used to love to go outside, but now we prefer to stay at home and spend time gathering with my family and friends,” says Chow. - Dwell