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Houston’s Indian Muslims rise above divisive politics

“We need the Sewa spirit everywhere including in Washington DC,” says Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Sewa International gala raises $300,000

By Shobana Muratee

S

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi was the Chief Guest at the Sewa International gala.

TAFFORD – The mood was genuinely benevolent as the donations poured in at the Sewa International, Houston Gala held on Sunday, September 8, at the Stafford Center. Awe

inspiring speeches, videos and testimonials from those touched by the service of Sewa International continued throughout the event. About 625 guests attended the gala and helped reach its goal of raising $300,000 that night.

Chief Guest, Congressman Raja

From L to R, Col. Raj Bhalla (founding member of IMAGH), Dr. Anupam Ray (Consul General of India in Houston), Munir Ibrahim (President, IMAGH), Latafath Hussain (Past President, IMAGH). Picture taken at the IMAGH Annual Eid Milan Gala 2019.

by Haider Kazim

H

OUSTON: The decision by the Indian Muslims Association of Greater Houston to become a Welcome Partner for the community reception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi is another step by IMAGH to rise above divisive politics in solidarity with other Indian-American organizations.

It was a unanimous decision by the IMAGH Board of Directors and the Executive Committee to be part of the organizing committee. Some 50,000 people have registered to hear Prime Minister Modi in what will be the largest audience in the US for a visiting foreign leader other than the Pope.

Some 612 organizations have registered so far to be the Welcome Partner and the online registration is still open on howdymodi.org. Over 1,000 volunteers are working tirelessly to make the event a grand spectacle for the Houston community.

“The mission of IMAGH is to foster unity across cultures, communi-

ties and religion. We can only work toward this goal by engaging with all groups. We may not agree with their beliefs, practices or ideas but unless we interact with them in a cordial and friendly atmosphere, we cannot get our point of view across to them,” said Dr. Maqbool Haq, Chairman of the IMAGH Board of Directors.

Alluding to plans by a section of the people to stage a protest at NRG Stadium where Prime Minister Modi will be addressing the community on September 22, Dr Haq said,” we feel, we should try to have a seat at the table to present our views rather than not be at the table.”

Latafath Hussain, founding president of IMAGH, said “I am very proud to be both an Indian and a Muslim. Growing up in Varanasi, (Modiji's constituency) I always felt that I had the same opportunities as everyone else. So when the duly elected leader of mother India, comes visiting my adopted home town, it is my duty Continued on Page 7

Jugal Malani (far right) was honored by Sewa International for his service to the Houston Community. Chairman, Ramesh Bhutada delivering his message while Sewa International President Gitesh Desai looks on, Photos by Navin Mediwala Krishnamoorthi enlivened the mood with his witty remarks of how he was ‘affectionately’ referred to as 'Samosa Caucus' being one of four desis in the US Congress. On a serious note, he spoke of the principals that Sewa

International was founded on specifically three that stood out for him being: service above self, dharmic principal of ‘serving humanity is serving divinity’, and considering all of humanity as one family ‘Vasudhaiva

Kutumbakam.”

Congressman Krishnamoorthi lauded Sewa’s efforts during HurriContinued on Page 3

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by Daniel Griswold

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The Trump administration and China plan to resume highlevel talks in October on the dispute over Chinese interests’ use of American intellectual property, but no one is optimistic that the escalating trade war will end anytime soon. According to President Trump, that would be just fine.

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Only Congress can end the China trade war quagmire ley (R-Iowa), plans to consider legislation this fall that would curb the president’s power to impose tariffs by executive fiat.

Proposals from Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) seek curbs on presidential use of Section 232, the 1962 trade law designed for national security purposes but abused by this administration to protect domestic steel makers.

By all accounts China is feeling the pain of U.S. tariffs, and Trump points to the tens of billions of dollars in extra revenue that his tariffs are raising for the U.S. Treasury. “We don’t need China and, frankly, would be far … better off without them,” the president tweeted in August. But a growing number of Americans beg to differ, and members of Congress have already introduced legislation to curb the president’s use and abuse of current trade laws.

If this were a real war, we would call it a quagmire with mounting casualties. U.S. manufacturing output and employment growth have slowed sharply in recent months, while business investment slumped in the second quarter. A new U.S. Chamber of Commerce analysis found that 43 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs expressed concerns about tariffs or trade uncertainty in recent earnings calls.

First in the line of fire in the tariff war have been American importers and consumers. Trump tariffs will soon hit the clothing, shoes, furniture, household appliances and consumer electronics imported from China that make life better every day for tens of millions of American households, especially lower-income families that spend a higher share of their budgets on tradable goods.

A study by the New York Federal Reserve estimates the Trump tariffs will soon be costing U.S. households more than $800 a year.

For U.S. companies, the tariffs on imported materials and components from China are disrupting long-established supply chains, raising production costs, and making their final products less competitive in global markets, with no quick or obvious alternatives available.

The trade war is also costing American exporters market share in the world’s secondlargest consumer market. Last year, China was the fourthlargest market for U.S. exports of goods and services, behind only the European Union, Canada and Mexico. China is (or at least was until recently) a major

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Illustration: Craig Stephens

purchaser of U.S.-made passenger vehicles, aircraft, semiconductors and chemicals, as well as U.S. farm products.

American companies are also at risk of losing market share for their operations inside China. In 2017, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. multinational companies sold $375 billion worth of U.S.-branded goods and services through their affiliates in China, returning $25.9 billion to the United States in profits.

The next phase of the trade war could see China turning the screws on those companies with discriminatory regulations, forcing U.S. firms to cede further market share to their international rivals.

Another toll from the trade war could be higher interest rates as Chinese investment in

the United States falls. The flip side of the bilateral trade deficit with China has been a steady inflow of Chinese capital that helps to finance the U.S. government’s insatiable appetite for debt. Whatever dollars the Chinese don’t spend on U.S. exports, they’ve spent buying U.S. Treasury bonds. That investment has reduced longterm interest rates in the United States, lowering the federal government’s borrowing costs while also reducing mortgage rates for millions of U.S. homeowners.

Congress needs to reassert its authority over trade policy before the Trump administration’s commercial war with China can inflict further damage on the U.S. economy. The Senate Finance Committee, under Chairman Chuck Grass-

The committee’s work is timely and important. The Constitution gives Congress, not the president, authority to impose duties on imports and “to regulate commerce with foreign nations.” As it considers legislation to reclaim that rightful authority, the Finance Committee should also incorporate limits on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which the Trump administration has also abused to impose its escalating tariffs on imports from China.

It should also reign in the scope of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, which the president has threatened to use to “order” U.S. companies out of China.

Any legislation should more clearly define the emergencies or national security threats the laws are intended to address, and should include a requirement that Congress approve any trade actions. As our Constitution and Founding Fathers fully intended, trade policy is too important to be left solely to the discretion of the president.

Daniel Griswold is a senior research fellow and co-director of the Trade and Immigration project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

- The Hill

Medicare For All: A winning Bernie formula for Texas?

by Krystal Ball

T

imes are dark. The world is troubled.

Something called "black rod" is destroying our greatest ally. Let’s indulge if you will join me in a plausible fantasy of sorts. You ready?

What if Bernie Sanders won Texas?

Yes. Yes. I know it’s a bit irresponsible. Usually, I chalk Democratic dreams of a blue Texas to the same sort of thinking that brought us the inevitability of the coalition of the ascendant and 100% certainty that Donald Trump was going to lose. But a new poll has got my heart beating and mind racing and I just can’t resist.

Univision just did a big poll of Texas including those general election hypothetical matchups that all of the pollsters have warned you about and here’s what they found. None other than the O.G democratic socialist, Medicare For All championing, class warfare waging Bernie frickin’ Sanders beating Trump by 6 points. That margin was better than any of the other candidates including Mr. “electable” Joe Biden and Mr. Texas-is-my-home-state Julian Castro. Remember, not only is Sanders a self-described democratic socialist but he is also calling to end all subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, ban fracking, and ultimately eliminate fossil fuel use altogether.

And this is Texas!

The same poll also looked at the dem primary. Here they found Sanders in 3rd trailing Biden and Beto *but* a deep dive into the demographics revealed why Sanders may be running so surprisingly well in

the general election in Texas.

He has a secret strength with Latinos. Looking at Latinos nationwide, Sanders has the highest favorability rating of any candidate at an impressive 67%. So it all begs the question: can Bernie Sanders mess with Texas? Sorry. Couldn’t resist.

to bury deep down what we actually think about things. That “being responsible” means allowing millions to languish with low wages and inadequate health care. That we can get away with ignoring or actively screwing working people if we just engage in the right woke virtue signaling.

If there is any state that typifies prototypical “’Murica” where the trucks and the guns are big and the social safety net is oh so small, it’s Texas. And that is precisely the place where we are told Sanders brand of politics should be a complete utter disaster. After all, chamber of commerce type conservatives love nothing more than to opine on the great virtues of Texas. The low taxes, the low regulation, delightfully paired with a low investment in education, health care and really anything else that might be of use to their working-class citizens. Texas is the Reagan republicans dream come alive in America…I mean minus Austin. Ya know, let’s just not talk about those pinko commies in Austin.

So I’ve made a list of demands. Just a few things that I believe must happen out of fair play if Bernie does in fact go on to win Texas. Consider this a living document to be amended and expanded between now and 2020. Feel free to leave your own ideas in the comments of course. Ok here’s what I’ve got.

Paul Ryan weeps?

I’m not saying that Paul Ryan would weep if Bernie Sanders won Texas but it’s definitely possible. I don’t care whether you love him or hate him if you are a democrat the thought of Sanders and his democratic socialism winning in Texas should absolutely delight you.

I mean honestly, the fact that this poll is even remotely plausible should destroy every Clintonian, third way, DCCC myth about who is “electable.”

This whole notion that to win back rural America we’ve got

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Now, this is just a start and frankly, it seems like the absolute bare minimum that should be required of the establishment. Because in reality, the fact Sanders could win Texas is proof that FDR style class centric-economic populism is not only just it’s also a winning strategy. And y’all have been standing in the way of progress for far too long.

- The Hill

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“We need the Sewa spirit everywhere including in Washington DC,” says Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Sewa International gala raises $300,000 Continued from Page 1 cane Harvey mentioning how the organization raised $1.5m and helped 2000 family. Sewa received and administered $1 million on behalf of the government as well as red cross and other charities. “When disaster struck you responded not with rhetoric but with action, not with judgement but kindness and not by pointing fingers but with spirit of unity.

That is a Sewa spirit.” “We need the Sewa spirit everywhere including in Washington DC”, he said.

Houston Chapter president Gitesh Desai, quoting from Rig Veda said: “Krinvanto VishwamAryam - Let us make this world a noble place to live in.” He appealed, “let us join together and donate our time, talent and treasure as means of service, a pathway to evolve our better self which in turn will realize a more productive and progressive, hopeful and peaceful world.”

Keynote Speaker, Ann Scott, HISD Foundation Executive Director, detailed the disastrous impact of Hurricane Harvey on schools. Out of 286 school campuses, not one campus in HISD was spared of the water intrusion, she said. “Every single HISD school district was impacted.” Seven schools were extensively impacted and “Sewa International reached out to us and that accentuates your motto ‘together we serve better,’ she said. Thousand students of Braeburn Elementary School, located on the SW side of Houston were left without a school. Sewa provided funds, community space, food and other services for “Braeburn Elementary will see the kindness of this organization”, she said.

Jugal Malani, a leading entrepreneur, President of India House and ardent supporter of Sewa International was honored for his services to community in Houston. “He is a supporter of all dharmic causes,” said Chairman of the Board Ramesh Bhutada about Malani. He then presented Malani with a shawl as mark of respect and was joined by Gitesh Desai on stage.

With the gala’s focus on “No

child should be deprived of education,” Surender Trehan, put in perspective the role of Sewa International’s objectives. He gave an overview of the “Mobile School Program” and how buses were converted to classroom to serve children of construction workers.

Abby Olivia did and excellent job as the gala Emcee.

Nikil Jain Chapter Jt. Coordinator proposed a vote of thanks and recognized Sustained Partners: S-VYASA, Star Pipes / Keshav Smruti, HISD, Good 360, Heart Grant, Bharathi Kalai Manram, Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America, Kannada Vrinda, Floodplain and Building Permit Office Brazoria County. He thanked his team Chapter Coordinator, Achalesh Amar, Kavita Tewary, Executive Director, Jagruti Sarkar Project Corordinator, Executive members: Anita Ravat, Dinesh Shah, and Vasudev Singh.

A host of organizations were Awarded Recognition for their service to SEWA International.

They included: Alings Chinese Bistro: Sponsoring food for volunteers in the Rebuild Project in Rosharon Texas.

American Red Cross: Partner for Rosharon relief and rehabilitation project. Recently they gave grant of $500,000 to Sewa for building 35 houses in Rosharon.

Keynote speaker HISD Foundation Executive Director Ann Scott with Sewa members. Photos by Navin Mediwala and helped Sewa complete 8 homes in Phase I at Rosharon.

Gayatri Consciousness Center: Partnered with Sewa to conduct the SDM camps .Godavari: Godavari Indian Restaurant: helped Sewa with their catering services multiple times this year.

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh: partners with Sewa locally & Internationally .

International Mangement District: IMD sponsors the Sewa Houston after school Language Academy Program at Young blood Intermediary since the last 2 years . Till date,they have donated $5000 towards this program Jain Society of Houston: JSH has been supporting Sewa for years supporting Sewa events Mardi Gras Group-Marquette University: These kids live in the community and put in 8-10 hours per day for almost a week , every time they visit.

Arya Samaj: Conducted free community workshop on Health & Wellness and Education & Information with Seewa.

Mosaic In Action: They are also helping with the livelihood project by committing resources towards purchase of Green houses.

Ascend Performance Materials: support communities they serve including one in Rosharon, Texas, where they support rebuilding of 2 green houses with Sewa.

Sage Productions: Emcee Abby Olivia, Sage volunteered with Sewa International over last 3 years

Attack Poverty: helping us complete the homes from Phase I of Sewa’s Repair & Rebuild project.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha: facilitated Sewa by providing generous amount of Mandir’s blessed satvik food to be delivered on daily basis to patients and their families .

Brazoria County Emergency Management Office: Were also part of the Unmet need Team

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi with Sewa International President Gitesh Desai, past president Saroj Gupta, Chairman of the Board Ramesh Bhutada, CFO Venkat Santharaman and Houston Chapter Executive Director Kavita Tewary.

Sathya Sai International Organization: They are the most consistent partner in Rosharon helping with providing materials for the houses and bringing volunteers regularly.

United Way of Brazoria: they are in process of disbursing funds for 2 more homes (PHASE II of the project) and are patiently reviewing 2 pending cases with the Unmet need committee.

Sunanda Nair's dance students gave a brilliant performance

For more details visit www. sewausa.org

A lively Turkish dance performance.

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Rehan Aslam named Vice President-News Director, KTRK-TV

What is Dosha?

by Sunita Tarkunde

C

ountless functions are going in a human system at any given time simultaneously with an incredible synchronicity. Such as digesting previously consumed food, at the same time beating the heart, continuing the respiration, working on killing microorganisms, producing urine, maintaining the body temperature, just to name a few of those functions. This is going on inside our bodies without a break continuously for entire lifetime. We do not have get involved or even know about any of these functions.

If I know that ‘my heart is beating’, it becomes a medical problem. These functions are considered ‘involuntary functions’ and we do not know much beyond this in medicine.

This is the case about the body. And what about the mind then?

Rehan Aslam September 6, 2019

K

TRK-TV announced today Rehan Aslam has been named the station’s Vice President, News Director overseeing Broadcast and Digital content.

“When Rehan joined KTRK 5 years ago as Assistant News Director, I knew we had found the kind of leader who believes in total motivation and achieving excellence by lifting people up, not tearing them down.” said Wendy Granato, KTRK President & General Manager. “ Rehan leads teams by listening, including, and settling for nothing less than our very best. Rehan also knows what it means to be a fighter. How to fight to stay on top. Fighting to find ways to do things better. Fighting to serve our diverse audience and com-

munity. I am confident that Rehan’s plans for the future will help us solidify our place as Houston’s News Leader and I look forward to this great new era at ABC/13."

Rehan began his television news career in Cleveland, Ohio, working at both WJW Fox 8 and WEWS as a producer. Rehan was also Executive Producer at Fox 32/WFLD in Chicago before moving to Houston in 2014 to join KTRK as Assistant News Director.

“Houston is home and KTRK ABC13 is the city’s news leader. I am so honored for this new role and responsibility. I am very excited to work alongside my colleagues in one of the country’s top newsrooms. We will continue seeking and creating innovative ways to serve Houston’s diverse communities with content on all of our platforms.

We have a responsibility to provide stories that are relevant and meaningful, while also providing information that keeps our viewers safe.

I am very excited for the direction we are going and what we collectively will come up with next.”

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

If we have anxious thoughts, then we will secrete anxious chemicals in the body to change it’s chemistry and eventually biology changes. If we keep secreting anxious chemicals for a period of time, then actual physical body will change. This is proven by science. Mind can

have a “full on effect” on each physiological function that instant with the specific chemical secretion. This can complicate the matter.

into three categories. And each category is believed to be governed by a Dosha.

Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the names of three Doshas.

Have you ever thought, who makes this happen? Why and how the body and the mind works? We are so close to it and yet we have no clue, what happens within. It is intriguing and interesting to explore Ayurvedic Dosha concept that can shade some light and help us understand better about ourselves.

Vata is responsible for movement at the body and mind level.

Dosha can be translated as ‘energy’ in slang English.

Energy that is responsible for all physiological and psychological functions is called as Dosha. All functions that are going on within are divided

Pitta is responsible for processing at the body and mind level.

Kapha is responsible for nourishment at the body and mind level.

Balanced Doshas yields balanced individual. Balanced individual is a happy individual. If you go to Ayurveda, it will teach you “how to” balance your own Doshas with practical application.

Rehan is a member of the Disney Owned Television Station’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. He is a 2009 Peabody Award winner for his work on the Derrion Albert story in Chicago.

A native of Northwest Pennsylvania, Rehan and his wife Sadaf are the proud parents of 7 year old son, Rafae. In his spare time, Rehan loves golfing and spending time with his family and friends. Rehan is also a diehard Marvel movie fan and is counting down the days until the launch of Disney+.

Visit us @ voiceofasia.news THE STORY OF MAHATMA GANDHI

ment was trying to shield certain per sons. He was never interested in taking revenge on anybody but he was shocked at the way the government sat silent when its own report was published.

India’s dour mood makes British nervous It was announced that a meeting was to be held in a garden called Jallianwala Bagh, to protest against the government’s actions. General Dyer took no measures to prevent themeeting. He reached the place soon after the meeting began and he took with him armored cars and troops. Without giving any warning he ordered, “Fire till the bullets are finished.” The soldiers fired 1600 rounds into that unarmed mass of people. Once a park, Jallianwala Bagh was now a scene of the most brutal massacre of hundreds.

Now read on: Hundreds of men, women, and children were butchered, though the official figures given were only 379 killed and 2000 wounded.

Leaving the wounded and dying on the ground, the troops marched away. The name Jallianwala Bagh became synonymous with massacre. There were other even more shameful deeds done all over the Punjab. Indians were ordered to crawl on their hands and knees.

General Dyer also ordered that in certain areas all Indians were to alight from vehicles and salute whenever officer.

At certain places men were stripped naked and flogged.

Students and children were ordered to walk miles for roll call, to attend parades, and salute the British flag.

Then there was the strip-

He was greatly moved by the sufferings of the people in the Punjab. He knew the extent of the atrocities which had been committed on the defenseless people.

ping and flogging of marriage parties, the censorship of communications, and cutting of water and electricity supplies to Indian families.

The administration of General Dyer’s martial law created a reign of terror in the Punjab. C. F. Andrews, who had already reached the Punjab, wrote to Gandhi and begged him to come at once. Gandhi wanted to go, but his repeated requests for permission to visit the place were turned down by the Government. Finally, in October that year, the Viceroy permitted him to visit the Punjab, and Gandhi went.

On his arrival at Lahore railway station, Gandhi found that almost the entire population of the city was there waiting for him.

The Congress had appointed a committee to enquire into the atrocities committed in the Punjab.

On his arrival in Lahore he was requested to join the committee. He started a slow but most methodical investigation of incidents in the Punjab.

Gandhi thus had the opportunity to know the Punjab and its people. The people flocked

Gandhi now advised the people to not cooperate with the Government in every possible way. He advised them not to accept any of the honors offered by Britain, and requested those who had already received honors to return them.

Mahatma Gandhi Week in Houston Call 713785-3900 or visit www. mahatmagandhilibrary.org to him.

They loved him and respected him.

Jawaharlal Nehru, who was also there in the Punjab, realized that Gandhi was the leader of the masses. People were drawn to him because of his thoughts and deeds.

Nehru saw the scientific accuracy with which Gandhi was con- ducting the enquiry.

Gandhi’s report of the atrocities showed that the Govern-

He wanted people to start a movement to boycott the law courts. He advised people not to buy any foreign goods.

He wanted every effort to be made to persuade Indians not to serve the Government in any capacity. He called out students from the educational institutions.

Gandhi’s influence on the Indian people was steadily growing. The old leaders, many of them with liberal policies, were vanishing from Indian politics.

By the end of 1920 Gandhi was the undisputed leader and head of the Indian National Congress.

The Congress was fighting for immediate Home Rule. Its method of fighting was nonviolent noncooperation with the government, and defying carefully selected laws at suit-

able times. Gandhi was very interested in Jawaharlal Nehru and his socialistic views. He was most impressed with the account given by Jawaharlal of his contacts with the peasants.

Jawaharlal explained the difficulties the peasants were experiencing; particularly the high taxes they had to pay.

The political situation in India grew worse. The Government became nervous. There was tension everywhere and amidst the suppressed people there was the danger of violence.

In spite of the hard attitude of the Government, Gandhi believed that England would soon right the wrong before it was too late. Jawaharlal was of the opinion that England would not change her policy unless she was forced to do so.

Jawaharlal was right. Soon the Government started arresting the leaders and imprisoning them. The British were afraid to loosen their grip on India.

On August 1, 1920, in a letter to Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy, Gandhi gave the signal for a noncooperation campaign.

Along with it he returned the Kaiser-i-Hind gold medal which had been awarded to him in 1915. In the columns of Young India Gandhi wrote in detail in defense of non-violent noncooperation.

With other leaders he travelled extensively addressing huge meetings and preaching the essentials of satyagraha.

Everywhere the crowds welcomed him with great love and enthusiasm. Again and again he warned the people against

violence. He abhorred mass fury. “If India has to get her freedom by violence,” he said, “let it be by the disciplined violence named war.”

At the end of August the Gujarat Political Conference passed a noncooperation resolution and a special session of the Congress was held in Calcutta on September 4 to 9.

The draft of the noncooperation resolution had been prepared by Gandhi.

Gandhi was not sure how much support he would get at the Congress session.

When he moved the resolution he said that he knew the resolution envisaged a policy which was different from the policy hitherto followed.

“But,” he declared, “Knowing this, I stand before you in fear of God and with a sense of duty to put this before you for your acceptance.”

The special Congress session adopted the noncooperation plan as a means of attaining Swaraj. During the latter part of 1920 Gandhi advocated a triple boycott.

He wanted an absolute boycott of the Government and all government institutions, including schools, colleges, and courts. If the people were free of these they could easily have their own schools, colleges, and courts, and the power of the British would collapse at once. There was much laughter and ridicule from the moderates and the supporters of British rule.

But Gandhi paid no attention.

— To be continued

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Medinet Family Care Clinic Opens its Second Location in Sugar Land

Medinet Clinic Grand Opening: Sugar Land Councilman Himesh Gandhi seen ribbon cutting ceremony. Photo credit Navin Mediwala

Dr. Bharat Gandhi with his wife Falguni and daughters Dr. Priya and Dr. Puja (far right). (Photo by Shobana Muratee, VOA.)

by Shobana Muratee

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UGAR LAND - Medinet Family Care Clinic, a thriving medical practice of Bharat Gandhi, MD with over 30 years of experience in the field of internal medicine, had a Grand Opening of its second location in Sugar Land on Sunday, September 8, 2019. It was a most auspicious moment for Dr. Gandhi and his wife Falguni Gandhi, as their older daughter Priya Gandhi, MD MPH was now joining her father at Medinet. Younger daughter Dr.

Puja, now in her second year internal medicine residency at UT Houston, McGovern, is not far behind and plans on joining her father and sister when she completes her studies. For the Gandhis, their hard work and dedication had come full circle with their two daughters deciding to work alongside their father.

“We are very close knit family; I think it came very naturally that I would be part of their family business and be able to serve community needs,” Dr. Priya shared. “I think primary care is something that we need

here in this area in Texas. In general, there’s a big shortage of primary care physicians. I was always interested in public health and did my Masters in Primary Health, so it was the choice for me and I didn’t think about other specialties,” she asserted.

Dr. Priya Gandhi began her professional education at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in both human biology and anthropology. After graduation, Dr. Gandhi moved to Texas and enrolled at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Continued on Page 6

Sugar Land Councilman Himesh Gandhi presenting the Proclamation to Bharat Gandhi, MD and Priya Gandhi, MD MPH at the Grand Opening of the Medinet Clinic in Sugar Land on September 8, 2019.

Photo credit: Navin Mediwala

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Medinet Family Care Clinic Opens its Second Location in Sugar Land

From left to right: Supreet Kaur, PA, Priya Gandhi, MD MPH and Bllgha Noor, NP.

Medinet team with thier friends. Photos by Shobana Muratee, Voice of Asia

Continued from Page 5

Dr. Gandhi excelled in the program and completed a dual degree, earning her Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health (MPH) simultaneously.

She also completed training in internal medicine at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Together, the doctors will be treating patients of all ages, from children to senior citizens along with their Medinet team.

The sprawling, new facility is strategically located on Grand Parkway near Hwy 59 Southwest Freeway, and is similar in its layout and services to its first location on Hwy 6 North and Bissonnet.

Both clinics provide urgent care: X-rays, lab work, bone density, ABI, 2D Echo, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, well-woman exams, along with everything related to internal medicine and urgent care, and for more urgent issues that require treatment within 24 hours. Even minor emergencies like burns, suturing, burns, immigration physicals, vaccinations, pediatrics and much more are provided at these two locations.

Falguni Gandhi is an Ayurveda expert, graduated from Bombay University, and has been the backbone of the Gandhi family and their business.

She is an active community leader and served as the President of India Culture Center.

Family is the cornerstone, she explained, and stated that they always planned vacations together. “Preventive medicine is the way to go. I’m glad that both our daughters have chosen Internal care,” she said.

Falguni is detailed oriented and brings much experience from managing two clinics for nine years: one Hwy 6 N and one on Hwy 529 (for a few years) before opening the one in Sugar Land, where they live. She gave a short talk on

Falguni Gandhi with her staff

Dr.Gandhi with one of patiens Meghji Shah

the basics of Ayurveda followed by a quick questionnaire by the participants.

Although the clinic was opened five weeks prior, the Grand Opening was meticulously planned with the ribboncutting ceremony led by Sugar Land Councilman Himesh Gandhi, who later presented a Proclamation. The entire place wore a festive look with balloons and colorful tents, auto rickshaws in the parking area, where music organized

by Masala Radio boomed, as guests treated themselves to popular Indian street foods; bhel puri and pani puri catered

by Chaupati Chat Sugar Land.

Besides that, free flu shots, free mini consultations and free bone density testing were conducted. About 50 flu shot vouchers were given to attendees on the occasion. Sudhir

Mathuria of Health Life 360 and Voice of Asia weekly columnist was also available to provide information on medical insurance.

Medinet Family Care Clinic was founded in 1997 on the premise that everyone deserves quality, comprehensive, and compassionate medical care. Dr. Bharat Gandhi and Dr. Priya Gandhi are both committed to serving the community. Equally dedicated is their staff that includes Physician’s Assistant Supreet Kaur, Nurse Practitioners Bllgha Noor and Tina George and a team of admin staff who will be serving alongside the doctors at the facilities.

To learn more about the Medinet Family Care Clinic visit https://www.medinetcareclinic.com/

Sudhir Mathuria of Health Life 360 with Falguni and Dr. Bharat Gandhi at his booth

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Houston Methodist surgeon performs a Fort Bend first for cardiac valve patient

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UGAR LAND — (Sept. 5, 2019) — A cardiovascular surgeon and interventional cardiologist at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital recently completed the first transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure in Fort Bend County.

Board-certified cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon Marvin D. Atkins, Jr., M.D., and board-certified interventional cardiologist Michael H. Koo, M.D., performed the successful minimally invasive surgery on a 74-year-old patient suffering from aortic valve stenosis, a narrowing of the valve that obstructs blood flow.

“TAVR offers significant benefits over traditional valve replacement surgery,” Atkins said. “With TAVR, we don’t have to open the chest; we access the aortic valve via a catheter – either through the femoral artery or sometimes through a small incision in the arm – and replace it with a specially designed artificial valve. That means shorter hospital stays, less trauma to chest muscles and heart tissue, greatly reduced complications and a much quicker recovery time. It’s a major step forward for our patients.”

valve trials under way at Houston Methodist and our patients from Fort Bend and surrounding areas can participate, if eligible,” said Atkins. “We are working hard to grow our involvement in these trials so that more local patients can benefit.”

Atkins said that TAVR may soon be approved in the United States for use with patients who suffer from aortic valve stenosis but are considered low risk for open heart surgery.

Marvin D. Atkins Jr., MD and Michael H. Koo, MD Houston Methodist Valve Clinic at Sugar Land, which opened in April to bring the latest and most sophisticated valve therapies and clinical trials close to home. Atkins and Koo have long performed the TAVR at Houston Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, but a recent decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made it possible for the procedure to be done at a broader range of institutions.

“In the past, we would perform all the pre-TAVR work in Sugar Land then travel with the patient to Houston Methodist in the medical center to perform the procedure,” said Atkins. “Now, we can handle everything right here because

we have the sophisticated imaging capabilities and hybrid operating rooms that these types of procedures require.

Most TAVR patients are very ill, with multiple comorbidities, and being able to offer this valuable service of having a valve replacement close to home, with less time in the hospital, can make a big difference in recovery.”

Because of the Valve Clinic’s affiliation with Houston Methodist Hospital, patients at the clinic in Sugar Land also have access to clinical trials for a variety of heart valve therapies, expanding opportunities for new procedures and technologies close to home.

“That is the next step for us,” said Atkins. “TAVR can potentially benefit many more people who suffer from valve stenosis and require a replacement. The data on low-risk patients involved in TAVR clinical trials has been very good and it makes sense to move toward less-invasive procedures whenever possible.”

The Houston Methodist Valve Clinic at Sugar Land is located on the Houston Methodist Sugar Land campus in Medical Office Building 3, Suite 560. To make an appointment with Dr. Koo, call 713.776.9500. To make an appointment with Dr. Atkins, call 713.352.1820.

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Houston’s Indian Muslims rise above divisive politics Continued from Page 1 to give him a warm welcome.”

In a major outreach effort three months ago, IMAGH invited Ramesh Bhutada, national vice president of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in America to be the chief guest at the organization’s signature event to celebrate Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr, opening a new door for Hindu-Muslim cooperation in Houston and beyond.

Bhutada was forthcoming in his speech and received standing ovation by over 500 people at the event. He introduced himself as vice president of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, which is an independent US organization that takes inspiration from RSS in India and declared: “The RSS and the HSS would like communal harmony and unity amongst all religions.”

He quoted RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat as telling an interviewer in Houston that “India’s development cannot be complete without the development and progress of the minorities.”

To learn more about Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit houstonmethodist.org/sugarland or our Facebook page at fb.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.

Bhutada said: “We all have historical baggage - let’s acknowledge that - but we cannot look backwards. We have to look forward and that is the only way we can lead a peaceful life in this world.”

District 4 Town Hall Meeting set for Sept. 26

Hussain thinks that in order to move forward we must understand that we may be Hindus or Muslims or Christians but we are primarily Indian and are “part and parcel” of the Indian community in Houston. “in the community, there are, as there should be, political differences, but that's for private debate. In front of the larger Houston and American community, we have to stand as one.”

The successful completion of the TAVR marked the first major achievement of the new

S

“There are always multiple

UGAR LAND, TX – City Council Member Carol McCutcheon will host a District 4 Town Hall meeting on Thursday, Sept.

26, from 6-8 p.m., in Meeting Room 1 of the University Branch Library at the University of Houston at Sugar Land, 14010 University Blvd.

Residents are invited to attend a meet and greet from 6-6:30 p.m. to speak with McCutcheon.

Presentations will begin at 6:30 p.m., and a question-and-answer session will follow. Topics planned include: • crime statistics; • the upcoming Nov. 5 general obligation bond election; and • engineering project updates.

Visit www.sugarlandtx.gov/myneighborhood to verify residential addresses in each City Council district and other information specific to neighborhoods.

Vijay Pallod, who is on the boards of IMAGH and Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH), says that both the organizations are unique in their role to carry out their missions with respect and understanding for each other.

The close cooperation between Hindu and Muslim organizations dates back to September 2010 when India Culture Center, an umbrella organization of various Indian groups, decided to host an Eid Milan party in collaboration with Indian Muslim groups.

The joint event was an instant success and led to creation of IMAGH to foster amity across cultures, communities, and religions.

“We, in Houston, are proud to have a united happy community that respects interfaith customs and traditions by participating and celebrating Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas and Baisakhi,” said Col. Raj Bhalla who was the Event Chair of the Eid Milan party in 2010.

Talking about the joint event, Swapan Dhairyawan, president of ICC in 2010, said “this interaction and pollination has led to several positive and healthy relationships not only among individuals but also between organizations.”

India’s present Consul General in Houston, Dr. Anupam Ray, also helped in promoting cooperation by hosting an Iftar party in the fasting month of Ramadan for the past four years where people professing different faiths and nationalities were invited to break the fast with Muslims at the end of the day.

Although these efforts may appear to be the feeble first steps, the Houston community is showing its determination to move forward as ONE.

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 8

India loses contact with Moon lander

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) employees react as they listen to an announcement by organizations's chief Kailasavadivoo Sivan at its Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network facility in Bangalore, India, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019. India's space agency said it lost touch Saturday with its Vikram lunar lander as it aimed to land on the south pole of the moon and deploy a rover to search for signs of water. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

by Manjunath Kiran with Bhuvan Bagga in New Delhi

nar orbit", the ISRO said.

ANGALORE, India | AFP | Saturday 9/7/2019 - India's space programme suffered a huge setback Saturday after losing contact with an unmanned spacecraft moments before it was due to make a historic soft landing on the Moon.

Freshly re-elected Modi had hoped to bask in the glory of a successful mission, but on Saturday he deftly turned consoler-in-chief in a speech at mission control broadcast live on television and to his 50 million Twitter followers.

B

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to comfort glum scientists and a stunned nation from mission control in Bangalore, saying India was still "proud" and clasping the visibly emotional space agency head in a lengthy hug.

Blasting off in July, the emerging Asian giant had hoped to become just the fourth country after the United States, Russia and regional rival China to make a successful Moon landing, and the first on the lunar South Pole.

But in the early hours of Saturday local time, as Modi looked on and millions watched nationwide with bated breath, the Vikram lander -- named after the father of India's space programme -- went silent just 2.1 kilometres (1.3 miles) above the lunar surface.

Its descent had been going "as planned and normal performance was observed", Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan said.

"Subsequently the communication from the lander to the ground station was lost," he said after initial applause turned to bewilderment at the operations room. "The data is being analysed."

The Chandrayaan-2 ("Moon Vehicle 2") orbiter, which will circle and study the Moon remotely for a year, is however "healthy, intact, functioning normally and safely in the lu-

- Consoler-in-chief -

"Sisters and brothers of India, resilience and tenacity are central to India's ethos. In our glorious history of thousands of years, we have faced moments that may have slowed us, but they have never crushed our spirit," he said.

"We have again," he it comes to gramme, the come."

bounced back added. "When our space probest is yet to

The register, feared to be a cover for the ruling Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party to expel Muslims, has ensnared many Muslims as well as the Hindus who are a vote bank for the party.

In March Modi hailed India as a "space superpower" after it shot down a low-orbiting satellite, a move prompting criticism for the amount of "space junk" created.

Asia's third-largest economy also hopes to tap into the commercial possibilities of space.

Indian media offered succour by quoting a NASA factsheet that said out of 109 lunar missions in the past six decades, 48 have failed.

India is also preparing Gaganyaan, its first manned space mission, and wants to land a probe on Mars.

It was carrying rover Pragyan -- "wisdom" in Sanskrit -- which was due to emerge several hours after touchdown to scour the Moon's surface, including for water.

In 2014, it became only the fourth nation to put a satellite into orbit around the Red Planet, and in 2017 India's space agency launched 104 satellites in a single mission.

The country's principal scientific adviser, K Vijay Raghavan, described Chandrayaan-2 as "very complex, and a significant technological leap from previous missions of ISRO" in a series of tweets on Saturday.

Raghavan said the orbiter will help India better understand the Moon's evolution, mapping minerals and water molecules "using its eight state-of-the-art scientific instruments".

Flies overwhelm Pakistan's Karachi in monsoon 'hell'

by Ashraf KHAN

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ARACHI, Pakistan | AFP | Saturday 9/6/2019 - Swarms of flies are descending on Pakistan's commercial capital in what residents say are record numbers this rainy season, adding to the misery of Karachi's monsoon "hell".

Heavy rains have inundated the sprawling port city of nearly 20 million people for weeks, overwhelming shoddy drainage systems clogged with mountains of uncollected garbage and flooding neighbourhoods with raw sewage.

"I have never seen such a fierce presence of flies in my life," Karachi resident Abdul Aziz, 45, told AFP. "Clouds of flies keep covering the food at the market. It's repulsive -- they cover the fruit so much that you can't see beneath them."

At a market in Surjani town, meat trader Zahid Ali looked on as flies engulfed the area.

"If the customers come, they impulsively leave after seeing the swarms of flies," said Ali, adding that an increasing num-

In this picture taken on September 2, 2019 a vendor arranges grapes as flies swarm around his cart in a slum area in Karachi. — AFP pic ber of people working in the market had fallen ill.

Shershah Syed, a health rights activist and prominent surgeon in Karachi, said many illnesses were on the rise because of flies and mosquitoes.

"This time (the flies are) the worst ever as rain water is unable to drain and the garbage heaps are not dealt with," Syed said.

"The number of children entering hospitals for diarrhea or

I

That would mean the Moon being used one day as a pitstop on the way to Mars -- the next objective of governments and private spacefaring programmes such as Elon Musk's Space X.

China in January became the first to land a rover on the far side of the Moon. In April, Israel's attempt failed at the last minute when its craft apparently crashed onto the lunar surface.

ISRO had acknowledged before the soft landing that it was a complex manoeuvre, which Sivan called "15 minutes of terror".

India's Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah (C) gestures during his visit to the northeastern state of Assam, which is largely surrounded by Bangladesh and has long seen influxes of migrants. (AFP Photo/Biju Boro)

According to Mathieu Weiss, a representative in India for France's space agency CNES, this is vital to determining whether humans could spend extended periods on the Moon.

Other Indians also took to Twitter to offer words of encouragement. "The important thing is we took off and had the Hope and Belief we can," said Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

Chandrayaan-2 took off on July 22 carrying an orbiter, lander and rover almost entirely designed and made in India -- the mission cost a relatively modest $140 million -- a week after an initial launch was halted just before blast-off.

'No illegal immigrants allowed to stay' in India: govt

ndia's home affairs minister on Sunday said his government "will not allow a single illegal immigrant to stay", as he visited Assam state where a controversial citizenship register sparked uproar from the almost two million people excluded.

- 'Space superpower' -

dysentery has jumped several fold this year. The number of children -- who are the most vulnerable to the fly-borne diseases -- has increased by about 10 times."

While Karachi is responsible for 60 percent of Pakistan's economic output, the city has long endured creaky infrastructure, illegal construction and failing municipal services.

"We live in hell," tweeted Farooq Afridi.

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Senior figures in the party had shied away from commenting on the list, published on August 30 and which sparked an outcry from local BJP leaders over Hindus who were omitted.

The home affairs ministry, paraphrasing a speech by Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah in the northeastern state, said he was satisfied with the "timely completion of the process".

"Shah... also added that the government will not allow a single illegal immigrant to stay back in the country," the statement said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government had backed the National Register of Citizens (NRC), saying it was aimed at weeding out "foreign infiltrators".

Shah, Modi's right-hand man, previously said India must act against "infiltrators who were eating the country like termites".

During his visit, Shah was expected to be pressed by the local BJP leadership for his government to pass legislation to protect the rights of what it says are genuine citizens excluded from the list.

While there are no clear answers as to how or why individuals have been included or excluded, bureaucratic bungling

amid the mountains of paperwork appears to be one factor.

Assam, a poor and isolated state of 33 million, is largely surrounded by Bangladesh and has long seen influxes of migrants.

But under the NRC, only those who can demonstrate they or their forebears were in India before 1971 can be included in the list.

Shah did not make further comments about the NRC. Those left off the register have 120 days to appeal at Foreigners Tribunals, and if they fail, they can appeal that decision through the courts.

The national government has stressed that those omitted will not become stateless.

The Article 371 clause, which also covers Assam, is aimed at preserving the local culture of those states.

WORLD/US

VOICE OF ASIA 9

Trump issues new executive order to combat terrorism ous one by adding clauses that allow the departments of state and treasury to directly target leaders of terrorist groups and their associated entities without having to tie terrorist leaders to specific acts.

File photo

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ASHINGTON, September 11, 2019, PTI - US President Donald Trump has issued a new executive order that would enhance the country’s ability to target terrorists and those who finance their activities, as well as identify, sanction and deter perpetrators of terrorism worldwide.

Utilising the new order, issued on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary on Tuesday, the Treasury sanctioned over two dozen individuals and entities from 11 terrorist groups, including Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.

It allows the US government to better target terror group leaders and provides new tools to pursue individuals who participate in terrorist training, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

The executive order also authorises secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions that have knowingly conducted or facilitated significant transactions with sanctioned persons, Mnuchin said. He added that the order targets those actors for and behalf of specially-designated global terrorists.

“Specifically, we have leaders, operative and financiers from over 11 terrorist organisations, including Iran’s Quds Forces, Hamas, ISIS, Al Qaeda, and their affiliates,” Mnuchin told White House reporters at a joint news conference with the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

“The government has taken more action than we ever have before,” the treasury secretary said, asserting that his department was enhancing efforts to deny terrorist access to the fi-

Influential Tx singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston dead at 58

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USTIN | AFP | Wednesday 9/11/2019 - Daniel Johnston, one of rock's ultimate loners beloved for his earnest if haunting lyricism, died Wednesday of natural causes. He was 58 years old.

The enigmatic singer-songwriter and visual artist had been in and out of the hospital in recent months for issues linked to his kidneys, his brother and manager Dick Johnston told AFP. But the death was "unexpected," his brother said, saying "just yesterday his spirits were great and his ankles were swollen and he was looking and feeling really good."

In between stints in psychiatric care for severe manic depression, Johnston gave new meaning to lo-fi with decades' worth of homemade recordings in which he pours out stories of personal pain and unrequited love set to classic, Beatles-inspired pop.

In recent years, he had largely been under his family's care in the small town of Waller in eastern Texas.

Two years ago, the artist, who composes on piano and has traditionally performed on guitar, embarked on a tour that would be his last.

He put aside instruments to sing with bands like Fugazi that have taken inspiration from him and picked out set lists from Johnston's vast repertoire.

nancial system.

Pompeo, meanwhile, described the executive order as the “most-significant update” to counterterrorism sanctions authority since September 2001.

According to Pompeo, the new order amends the previ-

“Second, it is more effectively and efficiently targets individuals and entities who participate in terrorist training and provides new authorities to impose sanctions on foreign financial institutions that knowingly do business with terrorists,” the secretary of state said.

“As these actions show, today’s executive order by President Trump adds further muscle to the US counterterrorism efforts,” Pompeo said.

“It will help us to ensure that the deadly attacks of September 11 that occurred 18 years ago this week are never repeated on American soil.

Never.”

2,500 unaccounted for in hurricane-hit Bahamas: official

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ASSAU, Bahamas | AFP | Wednesday 9/11/2019 - Some 2,500 people are unaccounted for in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian, the archipelago's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said Wednesday.

NEMA spokesman Carl Smith told reporters that some of the missing people may eventually be located.

"At this point, there are approximately 2,500 individuals registered on the Bahamian government register (of missing people)," Smith said.

"This list has not yet been checked against government records of who is staying in shelters or who have been evacuated," he said.

"Some individuals who have been evacuated from Abaco and Grand Bahama have not yet registered with social ser-

Chinese woman guilty of trespassing at Trump's Mar-a-Lago

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IAMI | AFP | Wednesday 9/11/2019 - A Chinese woman who stirred fears of espionage when she entered President Donald Trump's Mara-Lago resort carrying multiple mobile phones and a malwarespiked thumb drive was found guilty of trespassing and lying in a Florida court Wednesday.

Zhang Yujing, 33, was arrested on March 30 at Mar-aLago in Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump was on one of his

frequent visits, first presenting herself as a club member and saying she was headed to the pool -- despite not having a swimsuit.

The Shanghai native then claimed to be attending a nonexistent Chinese-American friendship event. She carried two passports from the People's Republic of China, according to the US Secret Service which arrested her.

Secret Service agents at the

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

scene found four cell phones, a laptop computer, an external hard drive and a thumb drive that "contained malicious software," according to charging documents.

She was charged with one count of making false statements to a federal officer and one count of entering a restricted building.

The case raised a scare amid a series of arrests of Chinese charged in the United States in

vices," Smith said. "As we are able to cross reference our data sets we will be able to inform family members and reunite survivors with loved ones."

At least 50 people died in the hurricane, which slammed into the northern Bahamas as a Category 5 storm, and officials have said they expect the number to rise significantly.

"We're not going to speculate on what the final numbers will be," Smith said. "We understand that people are concerned and so are we."

The NEMA spokesman said more than 5,500 people have been evacuated so far from the northern Bahamas islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco, which were devastated by the storm.

He said that over the past day

or so there had been a "significant reduction," however, in the numbers of people seeking to leave.

Smith also said that permission was being given to resume commercial flights to Abaco on a "limited basis," but priority would be given to relief and evacuation flights.

The NEMA spokesman said Abaco's power grid had suffered extensive damage.

"Marsh Harbour power station was completely destroyed," he said of the largest town on the island of more than 15,000 people.

An official with Bahamas Power and Light Ltd said electricity to the south of Abaco could be restored in about three weeks but it may be a few months before the rest of the island gets power.

VoiceofAsia.News For the Latest Community News recent years for alleged spying and commercial secrets theft.

A federal judge said at her arraignment that she seemed to be "up to something nefarious."

And shortly after the arrest, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo echoed that thought.

"I think this tells the American people the threat that China poses, the efforts that they're making here inside the United States not only against government officials, but more broad-

ly," he said.

But she was not charged with espionage, and no evidence in the case was presented suggesting she was a spy.

Zhang, who despite her weak English insisted on acting as her own attorney in the trial, was found guilty on both counts, which could bring up to a five-year sentence and a $250,000 fine.

Zhang will be sentenced on November 22.

DIASPORA/INDIA

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Unique Cultural Program Set for “Howdy, Modi!”

Close to 400 performers and 27 groups; 2 original songs

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OUSTON - September 10, 2019 – Attendees to “Howdy, Modi!” will be in for a once in a lifetime cultural program at the start of the event on Sunday, September 22 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. They will get to see “Woven: The IndianAmerican Story”, a 90 minute cultural program that is a celebration of Indian-Americans and their contributions to the cultural, intellectual, and social landscape of the United States.

The over 50,000 attendees and those watching at home will experience the vibrant expressions of a people empowered by their identity and driven to enrich the communities around them. The program will start at 10:00 am before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the stadium.

Presented by the Texas India Forum, Woven is a 90-minute music, dance, and multimedia show featuring close to 400 artists and community members from Texas and across the nation. There are 27 groups performing in a seamless live and multimedia experience that will showcase the diversity in the Indian-American community. 2 original songs have been written for the program, which will trace the journey of IndianAmerican youth learning their roots to understanding how to put that together with the contemporary world.

“A challenge that many second and third generation Indian-Americans go through is navigating the complexity of having a hyphenated identity as an Indian and an American.

Woven showcases the multiplicity of Indian-American experience. Our hope is that each person sees themselves in at least one form of expression and recognizes that whatever mix of Indian and American they are, it is just right,” said Heena Patel, CEO of MELA Arts Connect and co-producer of the program.

The show will also shine a light on unsung heroes in the Indian-American community who have undertaken selfless acts benefiting the broader American community without any need of recognition. From the classical and folk traditions passed on in basements across America to the creative exchange between Eastern and Western arts and ideas, Woven illuminates the stories of generations of Indian Americans and snapshots of home, and builds on the theme of “Shared Dreams, Bright Futures” that is the foundation of the event.

“We really look forward to presenting this unique and interesting cultural show at the event, which will tell the story of our community in a way that’s never really been done before. We want all the

Jaitley's life inspires us to work harder for nation: Modi

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ew Delhi, Sep 10 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid glowing tributes to former Union minister Arun Jaitley, who passed away last month, saying his life "inspires us to work harder for the nation".

Describing Jaitley as a "very close friend", Modi said he was a "stalwart blessed with so much talent".

"He was a multi-faceted personality. I miss his presence," Modi said at a 'Shradhanjali Sabha' held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here.

"Jaitley ji had health ailments but if one spoke to him, he was more concerned about the nation. Serving the nation energised him," he said.

Modi said whatever work Jaitley got, he added tremendous value to that.

"We will all remember so many memories with Arun ji.

His life inspires us to work harder for the nation," the prime minister said.

attendees and those watching from home to connect with a program that shows the IndianAmerican community and understand what drives our community to be part of the larger American experience,” said Gitesh Desai, spokesperson for the event.

For more information about the “Howdy, Modi!” community summit, please visit www.howdymodi.org. Texas India Forum 12600 Cardinal Meadow Dr. Sugar Land, Texas 77478 832.356.MODI info@ howdymodi.org www.howdymodi.org The Texas India Forum, Inc. (TIF) is a not-for-profit organization that encourages cooperation between the United States and India, advancing the shared values of democracy, inclusive economic development, and mutual respect.

TIF brings together IndianAmerican organizations and institutions to encourage collaboration within the region and expand opportunities for engagement with India.

“Howdy, Modi!” volunteers gather at BAPS Swaminarayan Temple to plan for the event. (Photo Credit: Texas India Forum)

VOICE OF ASIA 11

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Fort Bend View

Sugar Land, Katy, Stafford, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg and Meadows Place

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

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NonLegal battle brewing emergency in neighborhood in city offices effort to save trees to close 9/13 for employee R training

by Syan Rhodes

ICHMOND - A legal battle is brewing in one Fort Bend County neighborhood over an effort to save trees.

The trees are along Four Figure Lake in Waterside Estates.

she said.

Rohatgi said that, when she first learned about the project, the trees were going to be spared. But suddenly, she said, several were marked for removal.

In all, 18 trees are set to be

M

issouri City will be hosting its Third Annual Employee Training Conference on Friday, Sept. 13 from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• City Hall, 1522 Texas Pkwy.

• Inspections & Permits, 1522 Texas Pkwy.

• Visitors Center, 1522 Texas Pkwy.

• Municipal Court, 3845 Cartwright Rd. • Animal Shelter, 1923 Scanlin Rd. During this timeframe, residents who have questions about City services and programs should call 281.403.8500 and leave a voicemail message. Residents and businesses with questions about inspections and permits should call 281.403.8600 and leave a message.

For more information about Missouri City, visit the City website: www.missouricitytx. gov.

They sit on property belonging to Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District 118 which has begun cutting some of them to clear a path for a jogging trail.

"We actually paid a premium to be on this lot, to be on the lake and to have the view of the beautiful trees so, to us, it's a very valuable thing and the fact that we're losing these trees is just a tragedy," said Irma Rohatgi, who has lived in the neighborhood since 2006.

She said one of the trees that make up her backyard view, a bald cypress, holds a particularly special meaning.

"I sat in my home after my chemo sessions and looked at this tree to give me strength,"

cut down.

Rohatgi hired an attorney to send a cease and desist letter to Municipal Utility District 118's attorney, Taylor Goodall.

In a statement to Channel 2 News, Goodall wrote: "The District’s trail construction is part of an extensive amenity project for neighborhood enhancement and public enjoyment. The construction is not yet complete. The District’s Board of Directors, all of whom live within the District, are committed to completing the project in a responsible manner and intend to undertake additional landscaping measures and plantings upon completion of construction. " - KPRC

Fort Bend County adds protections for LGBTQ workers Sexual orientation, gender identity and expression now listed in its equal employment opportunity policy.

by Lourdes Zavaleta

F

ort Bend, one of the most diverse counties in the nation, now has a worker non-discrimination policy that ensures protections for all employees and applicants.

In a unanimous vote on September 10, the Fort Bend Commissioners Court approved revisions to explicitly add LGBTQ protections, in addition to at least 10 other characteristics to its Equal Employment Opportunity policy. County judge KP George (D), along with commissioners Vincent Morales (R), Grady Prestage (D), Andy Meyers (R), and Ken DeMerchant (D), all voted in favor of the pro-equality measure.

DeMerchant, who was elected last November to Fort Bend’s racially diverse county of over 750,000 (24.7 percent of the population is Hispanic, 21.1 percent is African American, 20.8 percent is Asian, and 32.5 percent is white non-Hispanic, according

to the U.S. Census Bureau), first proposed revisions to the county’s human resource policy.

“This is a huge step in the right direction,” DeMerchant said in a statement. “I hope this will trickle down and be a model for the great State of Texas, because a more inclusive Fort Bend County is a stronger Fort Bend County.”

DeMerchant took to Facebook to credit attorney Fran Watson and GLBT Political Caucus president Mike Webb for their work in assisting DeMerchant propose the revisions. Watson thanked DeMerchant and Webb, along with Pride Houston president Lo Roberts for helping the measure pass in Fort Bend.

In a GLBT Political caucus statement, Webb said Harris County commissioner Rodney Ellis—who recently helped Harris County add LGBTQ employee protections—provided the model for the policy revisions.

“Houston and the metro area

is truly progressive, welcoming, and inclusive of all our communities,” Webb said. “The fact that this was a unanimous vote proves that equality is a nonpartisan issue.”

Section 103 of the employee information manual now reads: “Fort Bend County applies positive employment practices designed to ensure the full realization of equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion or creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy status (including childbirth and related medical conditions), national origin, ethnicity, citizenship status, age (40 and over), physical or mental disability, genetic information, protected military and veteran status, political affiliation or beliefs, or any other classification protected by state, federal and local laws unless such classification is a bona fide occupational qualification.”

Tel: 713-774-5140

Mo Nehad running for Pct 3 Constable

F

ORT BEND - Mo Nehad is running as a Conservative Democrat while been in law enforcement for the last 5 years beginning in 2014 with HARRIS County Sheriff Office in Patrol Bureau. Mo currently works for the third largest State Police Agency, The University of Texas System Police in Houston. Mo is a Mental Health Officer, Field Training Officer, Classroom Instructor, and OC Instructor. Mo has also completed the Supervisor Course for State Certified Law Enforcement Officers. Mo currently is the #1 Police Officer in regards to performance.

Mo worked for companies like Convergys supporting Gateway Computers, Mattel Products and Compaq Computers. Mo also worked for Verizon for 10 yrs in call center management with the last 5 yrs in management. Mo worked for International FMCG organization in Kuwait as a Sr. Call Center Manager and finally for family business Lisle Violin beginning in 2011 as a Director for Business Operations.

To ensure that staff may participate in the event luncheon featuring a presentation on employee safety and customer service, non-emergency City offices will be closed from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. These include:

•

Section 2

Mo has managed up to 200 employees in his teams while at Verizon Wireless, Kout Food Group - Kuwait and Lisle Violin.

Most recently he has expanded his family business retail stores to Katy in Pct. 3 and Tomball in Harris County.

Mo indirectly manages 76 employees, 4 retail locations, two warehouses, a fleet of business vehicles and all business operations non sales related (Asset Management, Human Resources, Real Estate and Payroll Benefits).

Mo is also responsible for the oversight of his family real

Mo Nehad is running for the position PCT 3 Constable, Fort Bend County. estate investment properties in Harris County and Fort Bend County.

Mo is promising to introduce proactive policing to all neighborhoods of Pct 3 which is currently is offered to the contract neighborhoods only. Proactive Policing will include traffic enforcement, walk and talk with the businesses and community engagement which will include all of Pct. 3.

Mo promises to advise and keep citizens informed of the performance of the agency’s key performance indicators on a quarterly basis versus only

every two years right now. Mo will lead by example as he has done with his current agency and past assignments with other organizations.

Mo believes in promoting employees based on performance and seniority within the organization.

Promises currently have not been kept with the current administration such as not promoting within the agency and hiring other Deputies externally. Currently, we will not go into those discussions.

- The Nehad2020 campaign

VoiceofAsia.News

For the Latest Community News

Sugar Land’s first ever virtual district town hall meeting set for Sept. 23

D

istrict 2 City Council Member Naushad Kermally will host the city’s first ever completely virtual District Town Hall meeting on Monday, Sept. 23, from 6-7:30 p.m., on the city of Sugar Land’s Facebook page at www.

facebook.com/SugarLandTXgov/.

Residents are invited to join the live, interactive discussion with Kermally and city staff.

Presentations will begin at 6

p.m., and a question-and-answer session will follow. Topics planned include: • crime statistics; • the upcoming Nov. 5 general obligation bond election; and • engineering project updates.

VOICE OF ASIA 12

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD Section 2

•

www.voiceofasia.news

•

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Akshay Kumar to play Prithviraj Chauhan in biopic titled ‘Prithviraj' The film, to be produced by Yash Raj Films, is set to release on Diwali 2020

M

UMBAI, Sep 9 (PTI) - On his 52nd birthday, actor Akshay Kumar announced his new project, a biopic on Samrat Prithiviraj Chauhan. Titled Prithviraj, the movie will be directed by filmmaker Chandraparaksh Dwivedi.

by Komal Panchamatia

M

UMBAI, Sep 8 (PTI) It took Manoj Bajpayee a while to enter the ever growing digital space, considered to be a boon for storytellers today, and the actor says the desperation to get viewership by serving overdose of "violence and sex" kept him away from the web world.

Yash Raj Films is producing the project.

Akshay said playing “one of the most fearless and courageous kings of India, Prithviraj Chauhan” is an honour for him.

“As a nation, we should always celebrate our heroes and immortalize what they did to propagate the values that Indians lived by. Prithviraj is our attempt to bring to light his valour and daredevilry,” he said in a statement.

The 50-year-old actor, who is making his digital debut with Amazon Prime Video's "The Family Man", said he always wanted to start with a unique concept which had "integrity" in its narrative.

“Prithviraj was the only person standing in front of a merciless nemesis and the bravery he showed, made him a true Indian hero, an inspiration for generations and a legend. So this announcement coming on my birthday has indeed made it more special for me,” the actor said.

Prithviraj will release worldwide on Diwali 2020.

Akshay had earlier featured in Kesari, a period drama revolving around Battle of Saragarhi, which chronicled

"I realised, there is a pattern that most of the shows were following.

There was a pattern that was forming in front of me and that was quite scary.

All the shows, no matter how different the story was, they were trying to please the audience desperately and were trying to grab the eyeballs by showing too much violence and sex.

Akshay Kumar a battle between 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikhs of the British Indian Army

and 6,000-10,000 Afridi and Orakzai Pashtun tribesmen in 1897.

Actor-dancer Veeru Krishnan dead, Bollywood celebrities pay tributes

M

UMBAI, Sep 8 (PTI) Actor-Kathak dancer Veeru Krishnan, known for his work in films such as "Ishq", "Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke" and "Raja Hindustani", has passed away.

The actor died on Saturday. His final rites were performed at a crematorium in suburban Santacruz.

Krishnan mostly appeared in supporting roles in the films in 1990s. He was a regular in Aamir Khan's movies.

Besides, acting in films Krishnan used to teach Kathak. Several film and TV actors like Katrina Kaif, Athiya Shetty, Karanvir Bohra and others were trained in Kathak by him.

A host of celebrities took to social media to express their grief and offer condolences to the departed soul.

Global star Priyanka Chopra took to Twitter to mourn the demise of Krishnan.

"You taught me to dance when I was two left feet. Your patience and passion for dance was so infectious that each

Lara Dutta said, "This is a very sad news indeed.

Prayers and heartfelt condolences to Guruji's family. He really was an institution & his passion for kathak and patience with his students made him an exemplary teacher. #RIP #panditveerukrishnan."

Actor Athiya Shetty wrote, "So sad and shocked to hear this. RIP guruji.

Thank you for teaching us- hard work, discipline and to truly love the form of Kathak."

Sharing an old video featuring him with Krishnan, Karanvir said, "I'm really sad to state that my darling Gu-

ruji #panditvirukrishnan has left for his heavenly abode... I was going to put up a post on teachers day thanking him and other teachers, little did I know that this angel will leave his body and I will never get to see him."

"We have learnt so much from him.

Teachers like him were very few. @ bombaysunshine and I were just talking today in the morning that we would @twinbabydiaries for Kathak next time they were in India. This is a great loss for all of us. But I know he is in a happier place," he added.

mi Baba, a hermit spotted in Uttar Pradesh’s Faizabad in the 1970s, as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

“Senior AIFB leaders have seen the trailer and have agreed to see the premier of the film. A 20-member AIFB delegation will decide whether Gumnaami hurt the sentiments of the people and followers of Netaji,” Mukherji said.

D

irector Srijit Mukherji has screened the trailer of his upcoming film Gumnaami, that has already stirred controversies for delving on theories over Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s ‘disappearance’, before leaders of All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), a party founded by Bose.

Mukherji, who has faced flak from several members of the Bose family over the film, told reporters he explained to the AIFB leaders that he

"I realised, right now, since this medium is at an infant stage and also they (makers) don't know what to do with this freedom, I was sure I was not going to be part of this desperation. I wanted to be part of something that was very unique and something that is not compromising and still having its integrity intact in terms of its narrative," Bajpayee told PTI in an interview.

The critically-acclaimed performer said he was trying to "run away from that clutter" and asserted he is not against violence and sex if they are essential to the story.

one of us not only learned Kathak, but so much more from you.

You will always be remembered Guruji. #panditveerukrishnan," she tweeted.

'Gumnaami' trailer screened before Forward Bloc leaders

The film, which got the CBFC clearance in the last week of August, will hit the screens on October 2.

Desperation not part of my personality: Manoj Bajpayee like. That desperation is not even there in my personality. 'The Family Man' goes very well with as a creative person for me," he added.

"The Family Man", an action-drama series, tells the story of a middle-class man who works for a special cell of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). While he tries to protect the nation from terrorists, he also has to protect his family from the impact of his secretive, high-pressure, and low paying job.

Bajpayee has made a mark for himself as one of the most versatile performers in Hindi film indsutry and the actor said switching between mediums is not a struggle.

"Your acting will never change.

You will always be an actor no matter which platform you are acting on.

It gives you the freedom in terms of length, in cinema it is about two-andhalf-hours of time frame.

"There is no chance of being indulgent or there is no opportunity to explore your character in great detail in cinema, no matter how great the character is. But in a web-series, there is time to explore so many other facets of a character and scenes and that is so flattering for an actor like me," he said.

The National Award-winner added all he craves for is creative satisfaction and exploring new dimensions as a performer.

"It is all about staying true to the story. For me, that is very important. I am not averse to intimate sequence or showing violence. I am averse to banning anything in life.

"An actors job is not to look at the platform. If the web platform is giving you an opportunity to explore new dimension as a performer and giving you the freedom to work on your skill you should do it. I have done short films because of that despite they not paying a single penny but I have done that."

"But being desperate to get some eyeballs is something that I do not

"The Family Man" will premiere on September 20.

The Sky Is Pink:

Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar's love story finds a 'villain' in Zaira Wasim The Sky Is Pink is the love story of Aditi (Priyanka Chopra) and Niren (Farhan Akhtar), as told by their daughter Aisha (Zaira Wasim).

by Divya Goyal

N

EW DELHI: The muchawaited trailer of The Sky Is Pink is out and it will make you smile and cry at the same time. The Shonali Bose-directed film features Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar in lead roles while Zaira Wasim, the narrator of the film, plays their onscreen daughter Aisha, who is dying because of Busulfan Lung Damage. For Aisha, her parents' (whom she

loving calls Panda and Moose) love story is like no other and her all-time favourite. But she describes herself as the 'villain' in their love story. Aditi (Priyanka Chopra) and Niren (Farhan) are truly madly deeply in love and they are living happily with their two children until Aisha is diagnosed with the deadly disease. They fall apart and reunite many times during the testing times and that forms the plot of The Sky Is Pink.

Priyanka Chopra, who is married to

Senior AIFB leaders Naren Dey, Haripada Biswas, Debabarata Biswas, Naren Chatterjee were present at the screening on Sunday at the State party headquarters. has sought to project all three theories over Netaji’s ‘disappearance’ in a balanced manner.

The director said he did not portray Gumnaa-

“We have watched the trailer but everything can’t be understood in the preview of a film,” Mr. Chatterjee told PTI. Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar in a still from The Sky is Pink.

www. voiceofasia.news Read the latest articles and news on BOLLYWOOD /HOLLYWOOD & ENTERTAINMENT Visit : www. voiceofasia.news

singer Nick Jonas, shifted to the US after she got the lead role in American television series Quantico in 2015. She has also featured in a string of Hollywood films including Baywatch, Isn't It Romantic? and A Kid Like Jake.

Meanwhile, The Sky Is Pink is also actress Zaira Wasim's farewell film as the National Award-winning actress announced her retirement from films in July this year. Zaira debuted in Bollywood with Dangal and she also featured in Secret Superstar.

The Sky Is Pink is jointly produced

by Priyanka (through Purple Pebble Pictures) and Siddharth Roy Kapur and Ronnie Screwvala's RSVP Films.

Actor Rohit Saraf plays Priyanka and Farhan's onscreen son in the movie.

LEGAL

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

www.voiceofasia.news

WHAT TO SAY AND NOT TO SAY TO AN INSURNCE COMPANY AFTER AN INJURY Mala Sharma

A

fter an accident, how you speak to the insurance adjuster will determine how your claim is valued and ultimately, settled or denied.

This is because anything you say to the adjuster can be used negatively against you and the adjusters will use any and all tactics to make you say anything needed to lower the value of your case. Thus, it is in your best interest to always consult with a trusted and qualified personal injury lawyer before speaking to the insurance company. Here is a list of what to watch out for and what you should say, so that the amount of compensation you receive will not be reduced:

1. DO REMAIN CLAIM AND POLITE – Always remain calm and be polite with the insurance company while providing just simple facts that you can remember. Do not give too much information regarding the injury or treatment. Just state you were injured as a result of the accident, caused by the negligence of another, and that you are seeking treatment for the injuries suffered.

2.

DO NOT SPEAK TO THE ADJUSTER WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY – The adjuster will

3.

DO STATE WHAT YOU CLEARLY KNOW: Never state anything that you are not 100% confident about what happened during the accident. If you are not sure what happened or do not remember. Only state what you remember on what may have occurred.

4.

DO NOT APOLOGIZE: apologize to the other driver or let an insurance company force you to accept fault as this can cause your claim to be denied.

5.

DO NOT ACCEPT THE FIRST OFFER: Never accept the first offer as the insurance company will always attempt to settle any claim quickly without you realizing the total value of your claim.

The first offer is most always lowest and doesn’t cover all costs.

Never underestimate the total value of your claim or try to handle your personal injury case on your own. A qualified personal injury attorney will explain the total

value of your claim, so you do not fall for any trick by the insurance company, and your attorney will also send a demand letter to the insurance company in order to recover all damages.

These include: all present and future medical treatment, lost wages, physical pain, and mental anguish.

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 with over 42 years of combined experience.

Mala is a Board of Advocates for the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, ViceChair of the American Bar Association GP Solo YLD, member of the Houston Bar Association, President Emeritus of the Houston Northwest Bar Association, and prior board member of the South Asian Bar Association.

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.

The legal risks of living together when you’re over 50 An estate planning lawyer’s cautionary advice for unmarried couples

by Brad Weiwel

the medical facility’s decision.

F

or couples over 50, living together has a lot of appeal and is on the rise. In fact, the number of unmarried couples who are 50+ shot up 75% between 2007 and 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. One likely reason: many have experienced at least one difficult divorce, so they’re gun-shy about remarrying and potential legal entanglements if things don’t work out.

Unfortunately, however, as with many things in life, what seems simple — living together — is often quite complex. Unmarried couples, of all sexual orientations, can face a variety of problematic and emotionally difficult issues because estate planning laws are written to favor married couples.

Living strangers’

together:

‘legal

Consider for example, what will happen if an unmarried couple doesn’t plan for the possibility that one partner will no longer be able to manage his or her health care due to a serious medical issue. At that point, the law will treat the other partner very harshly.

For example, if a married person is rushed to the hospital unconscious and hadn’t prepared a health care power of attorney giving the other spouse the right to make medical decisions on his or her behalf, that husband or wife will probably be allowed to make them anyway. But if an unmarried couple is in this same situation, the law will consider them to be “legal strangers.” Therefore, the partner who is not incapacitated will have no right to make medical decisions on behalf of the other.

Now, certainly there might be a hospital willing to bend the rules in this situation, but it’s unlikely. By doing so, the hospital would expose itself to liability issues should a blood relative of the incapacitated person — a sibling or an adult child, for example — challenge

When money is unbalanced Another serious financial problem could arise when an unmarried partner becomes incapacitated without proper estate planning. Say the couple consists of an older, wealthier partner and someone substantially younger and they have an understanding that the older partner will support their lifestyle. Then, suddenly, the older partner becomes ill and can no longer manage the couple’s finances.

Under such a scenario, unless the older partner had given the younger one financial power of attorney, that older partner’s assets will probably be frozen by his or her financial institutions; the younger partner won’t be able to access them. Furthermore, a court action might be necessary to unfreeze the assets, which would take time and money.

Without appropriate advance planning on the part of the ill partner, courts are generally forced to rely on blood kin to fill financial and medical decision-making roles. The younger partner would lose control of those assets and could even be evicted if the couple’s home is owned solely by the partner who is ill and no longer able to manage their finances.

Both of those scenarios could have been avoided if the unmarried partners had executed key estate-planning documents while they were healthy and competent, including a durable power of attorney, a medical power of attorney and a living will (which applies to end-oflife decisions). Many states call the latter two documents advanced health care directives or health care proxies. A living trust could also have helped avoid the problematic financial issues.

The need for a HIPAA release Unmarried couples also need to get signed HIPAA releases.

HIPAA is a federal health privacy law that prevents medi-

cal facilities and health care professionals from sharing a patient’s medical information with anyone not designated on the person’s HIPAA release form. You can find HIPAA release forms online, but it’s best to get them from estate planning attorneys to ensure they’re up-to-date and correct.

Unmarried couples can also face difficult legal situations when one of them dies. Without the proper legal documents, the surviving partner won’t be entitled to make decisions regarding the donation of the deceased’s organs or arrange for the person’s burial or cremation. These problems can be avoided either by preplanning through a funeral provider or — if their state allows — by signing a document giving the other partner the right to make final arrangements on behalf of the deceased.

Living together and then dying without a will Here’s another potential problem for unmarried couples: If the deceased failed to write a will or set up a living trust, the state will distribute his or her assets and what are known as intestate laws (for people who die without wills) don’t recognize a surviving unmarried partner. Therefore, he or she won’t be legally entitled to inherit any of the assets. Instead, they’ll go to the deceased’s blood relatives, such as his or her children or siblings.

By contrast, if a married partner dies without a will or a living trust in a community property state, the surviving spouse is automatically entitled to inherit as much as half the value of the deceased’s assets. (Those states are Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.) In other states, the surviving spouse would be entitled to receive an “elective share,” a part of the estate that the surviving spouse can “elect” or choose to receive.

F

O O R P

Tel: 713-774-5140

YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER

Personal Injury:

ask you to complete a recorded statement of the accident and injuries. However, always consult with a qualified attorney to understand how and what you should say, as your recorded statement may preclude any claim for damages.

by Sharlene Sharmila Richards, Immigration Lawyer Email at srichardslaw@aol.com

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT APPLYING FOR ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES

Sharlene Sharmila Richards

Q: My asylum application is currently pending at the Asylum Office and it has been almost two years and I have not heard anything and not had my interview. I am very worried about my wife and child in my home country as they could be arrested at any time. What can I do about this?

Q: I was granted asylum by the asylum office and I like to know how I can bring my wife and three minor children who are still in my home country.

A: You will need to complete Form I-730 Refugee / Asylee Relative Petition for each family member whom you need to bring to the United States. You will not be eligible to file this petition if you were granted status in the US as an asylee more than 2 years ago or if you became a naturalized U.S. Citizen prior to filing Form I-730. If you are already a US Citizen, you must file Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative to petition for your spouse or children at any time.

A: You can check at the USCIS website at www. uscis.gov for a status update.

Go to ‘Check Case Status’ and type your case number in the box. To find your case number, you will see this on the Filing Receipt under ‘Receipt Number’. Also, please write to the asylum office which has jurisdiction over your case and request that they expedite your case. You will need to provide them with evidence that there is danger to your spouse and your child back home and you are worried about the possible harm to them - the asylum office has the discretion to expedite your case for humanitarian reasons and to schedule you for the asylum interview as soon as they can.

Q: Is it true that once granted asylum, as an asylee I should not travel back to my home country?

A: Yes, that is correct.

You have informed the US Government that you cannot return to your home country for fear of persecution there or that you have already been persecuted there and your asylum application was granted to give you the protection you sought from persecution in your home country. It is thus advisable to avoid all travel to your home country while you are holding asylee status or even once you have adjusted status to a permanent resident. Any travel to your home country could also be called into question when you apply to naturalize to become a US Citizen.

Q: I wish to file for asylum and have completed the Form I-589 Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal. Do I just complete the Form I-589 and sign it or do I need to include other documentation? I do not know what other documents to include with this application.

A: You may wish to include a sworn statement explaining in detail what happened in your home country which now makes you afraid to return to; you will also need to include copy of all your passport pages including visa and I-94, your birth certificate, your marriage certificate (if married), your children’s birth certificates (if you have children), an any other evidences in support of your application such as articles about the situation in your home country, recent country reports about conditions in your home country; any letters or affidavits which support your claim and also a passport photo for yourself and any other family member applying with you.

Q: I already have an asylum case pending with the asylum office. This is still pending. However, I wish to now adjust status through my US Citizen son who has already turned 21 years of age. Is it possible for me to go ahead and file for the adjustment?

A: Yes, you should go ahead and file for the adjustment of status to a permanent resident if you are now eligible to adjust. This means you can show legal entry to the United States, you have an immediate relative (in this case your US Citizens son over the age of 21 years old is your immediate relative) and there are no bars to your adjustment. You may request to withdraw your asylum application at any time if you no longer wish to proceed

The lesson for couples living together: protect your finances and your emotional health by getting your estate-planning documents in order.

Brad Wiewel is a Texas estate planning attorney who teaches in the University of Texas CFP training program, and has taught continuing education

with the asylum application.

Q: I received asylee status one year ago and I wish to travel abroad for my honeymoon. The country I intend to travel is not my home country. However, I do not have a Passport as my passport was cancelled because I was persecuted for political reasons and my country’s Government cancelled my passport. I do not know what I need to do to be able to travel. Is there any particular Form which I need to complete?

Q: The asylum office did not grant my asylum application and they informed me that it will be referred to an immigration judge. What does this mean? Do I need to file for asylum again?

A: This means that your claim for asylum will be adjudicated by an immigration judge. You will get one more chance to present your case for asylum but it will be heard by the immigration judge at the immigration court. You will not be filing for asylum again but the judge will hear your present case. You may add new facts to your asylum case if circumstances have changed regarding your claim.

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 713-623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

classes to CPAs at St. Edward’s University.

This article is reprinted by permission from NextAvenue.

Read more articles on legal issues by our columnists Visit : www. voiceofasiaonline.com

Sharlene Sharmila Richards Attorney at Law

www.richardsimmigration.com E-mail: srichardslaw@aol.com

CALL US today at: 713-623-8088 OUR OFFICE:

4151 Southwest Freeway, Ste: 600, Houston, Texas 77027

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Other types of cases such as removal of conditions on residence, E, H-1B, L, O, P visas, PERM Labor, Appeals, Waivers etc.

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VOICE OF ASIA 14

Section 2

Young Life

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Pass The Mic brings music education to immigrant youth

www.voiceofasia.news

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Tel: 713-774-5140

Hong Kong school students form human chain after weekend of protests

H

ONG KONG, Sept 9 — Hundreds of secondary school students, many wearing masks with their uniforms, formed human chains in districts across Hong Kong today in support of anti-government protesters after another weekend of clashes in the Chinese-ruled city.

Metro stations which had closed yesterday amid sometimes violent confrontations reopened, although the mood in the Asian financial hub remained tense.

The Hong Kong government warned foreign lawmakers not to interfere in the internal affairs of the former British colony after thousands of protesters called on US President Donald Trump to “liberate” the city.

Chinese state media today said Hong Kong was an inseparable part of China and any form of secessionism “will be crushed.”

Pass the Mic is a free weeklong music camp that connects experienced local musicians to immigrant and refugee youth in Portland, mentoring them into learning instruments and writing original songs.

by Donald Orr

P

ORTLAND, Oregon - Living in a different country as a teenager can be daunting.

Young immigrants and refugees living in metro Portland face pressures to learn English, keep their grades up and make friends — all compounded by the often-traumatic experiences that brought them here. With balancing multiple responsibilities, the time for artistic and creative endeavors can easily fall by the wayside.

But this summer, a group of Portland musicians came together to help give these young students the chance to tell their truth through music education.

Pass the Mic is a free weeklong music camp that connects experienced local musicians to immigrant and refugee youth, mentoring them into learning instruments and writing original songs. Many of the youth bring little to no music experience at all, yet by the end of the week they’re in fully formed bands, capping off camp with a concert showcasing their songs.

The camp set up shop at Hosford Middle School this year. The halls echoed with drum beats and basslines as students workshopped the kinds of music they wanted to learn.

The campers were from all over the world, from Vietnam to Guatemala.

Language could be a barrier, but the camp founders said that music could overcome the differences.

“We’re working with a lot of youth where English is not even a second language, it’s not a language at all in the equation,” said Wilson Vediner, the program director for Pass the Mic. “Music really is its own kind of universal language. There’s a lot of laughter involved,” he said.

The camp’s roots began in eastern Oregon. When he wasn’t playing guitar in bands like Months and Point Juncture, WA, Vediner was spending his summers helping with Pendleton’s Rock Camp. Vediner was contacted

by Ben Moorad, Pass the Mic’s program manager and co-founder, with the idea of providing a music camp for immigrants and refugees with zero barriers.

The camp is now in its second year, and the co-founders were overflowing with excitement. Moorad said it all comes from a place of cultural respon-

siveness and youth empowerment.

“There was a moment this week where a Vietnamese student invited a Guatemalan student to be in her band — it was really beautiful,” Moorad said.

“People want to build those bridges and break out of the group that they’ve been defined by.”

Some of the students at the camp are unaccompanied minors with no legal status, coming from child and family services in Portland. Others are a part of second language programs through Portland Public Schools. While their lives present a slew of responsibilities and difficulties, the camp offers a creative outlet.

Three months of protests over a now withdrawn extradition bill have evolved into a broader backlash against the government. Many activists are angry over Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam's refusal to grant an independent inquiry into accusations of police brutality during demonstrations.

The protesters' other demands include the retraction of the word “riot” to describe demonstrations, the release of all those arrested and the right for Hong Kong people to choose their own leaders.

rinceton University took the No. 1 title as the top national university — for the ninth consecutive year — in an annual list compiled by U.S. News & World Report.

Through the week of music workshops, the positivity and encouragement from mentors was tangible and offered moments for cultural exchange.

The private New Jersey school wasn’t the only Ivy League institution to occupy a top slot on the list unveiled Monday — Harvard University came in second place.

“I’ve noticed kids will try an instrument for a little bit, and then they get kind of curious about something else, so they’ll switch to that. It’s almost like the Sorting Hat [in Harry Potter],” said Lisa Adams of the Portland rock band Sama Dams.

The Big Apple’s own Ivy, Columbia University, as well as Connecticut’s Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — which is not an Ivy but known for its selectivity — tied for third.

At the end of the week the young musicians shared their original songs to a packed school auditorium, with genres ranging from hip-hop to cumbia.

When they walked off stage, all of the students were able to take their instruments home with them for free, thanks to instrument drives from community supporters like the Rock ‘N’ Roll Camp for Girls and Food Fight!

Grocery.

The folks behind Pass the Mic are aiming to continue zero barrier arts education with Let’s Make an Album!, an after-school program in the fall where youth will collaborate to produce a full record in 10 weeks. Pass the Mic will return next summer. -PBS

Joshua Wong, one of the leaders of the pro-democracy “Umbrella” movement five years ago, was due to appear in court today for breaching bail conditions following his arrest in August when he was charged with inciting and participating in an unauthorised assembly.

internal affair. It has denounced the protests, accusing the United States and Britain of fomenting unrest, and warned of the damage to the economy.

Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland.

Many Hong Kong residents fear Beijing is eroding that autonomy.

“The freedoms of expression and assembly are core values that we share with the people of Hong Kong, and those freedoms must be vigorously protected. As the president has said: ‘they’re looking for democracy and I think most people want democracy.’”

— Reuters

China denies the accusation of meddling and says Hong Kong is an

by Amanda Woods

P

Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. took the top spot among national liberal arts colleges for the 17th year in a row, followed by Amherst College, also in the Bay State. Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and Wellesley College in Massachusetts tied for third.

The University of California—Los Angeles occupies the No. 1 spot as the top public university, followed by the University of California–Berkeley and the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Three California state schools — Riverside, Santa Cruz and Irvine — took the first second and third spots, respectively, for social mobility — a new ranking that “evaluates which schools best serve underrepresented students.”

Elon University in North Carolina was ranked No. 1 for its study abroad program, Agnes Scott College in

Young man caught posing as senior citizen to fly to US

1. Princeton University (pictured above) 2. Harvard University 3. Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University (tie) 6. Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania (tie) 9. Northwestern University 10. Duke University and Johns Hopkins University (tie) 12. California Institute of Technology and Dartmouth College (tie) 14. Brown University 15. University of Notre Dame and Vanderbilt University (tie)

Georgia for its first-year experience and Northeastern University in Massachusetts for its co-ops and internships.

The latest compilation is the 35th annual list by U.S. News and World Report, which ranked 1,400 colleges and universities based on their graduation rates, retention rates, social mobility and outcomes.

“For more than three decades, we’ve collected and analyzed data

by Maureen O'Hare and Swati Gupta

"Our screener asked the person in the wheelchair to stand. He said that he cannot stand. Our screener asked if he would stand with support. He reluctantly stood up."

I

That's when the officer noticed that while the passenger's beard and hair were white, the roots were black. He also was working hard to avoid the officer's eyes.

t was an impressive disguise: the snow-white beard, the oversized glasses, the wheelchair.

But it was when the seemingly frail and elderly passenger reached security at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport -- India's busiest airport -- that he caught the attention of staff.

At around 10.45 p.m. on the evening of September 8, the individual was hoping to get on an overnight flight to New York.

"He posed as if he was very old and incapacitated," Shrikant Kishore, a senior official with the Central Industrial Security Force, told CNN. Dressed in a white tunic and trousers, with a white turban and black slippers, the passenger proved reluctant to be frisked.

“The United States continues to monitor events in Hong Kong,” said a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

US News College Rankings: Princeton ranked top national university

“I’ve had a couple moments where youth shared stories with me — personal stories,” said Emiko Badillo, drummer for punk band Puppy Breath.

“They’ve gone through so much, like most people would not even believe.

To still be even alive, it’s kind of a miracle in a lot of cases.”

“I think the exposure is the biggest part. You just have to have a chance to try it and figure out what you like the most.”

Students form a human chain in Hong Kong’s Sha Tin district. (Photo: Reuters)

When asked for his passport, the individual handed over documentation claiming that he was Amrick Singh, born in Delhi in February 1938, making him 81 years old.

"He was definitely not 80 years old. His skin was of a younger person," Kishore told CNN.

on thousands of colleges and universities across the country and helped put schools on the map,” Kim Castro, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News, said in a statement.

“We’ve found the best institutions to be ones committed to academically and financially supporting their students through graduation. They draw in high-quality professors and set students up for postgraduate success.”

- New York Post

Upon further questioning, the man told security staff that he was, in fact, 32-year-old Jayesh Patel, a resident of Gujarat state.

As he was holding a fake passport, he was detailed by security and handed over to immigration authorities.

Kishore told CNN that he doesn't know what the current status of the case is or the reason behind the impersonation.

Indira Gandhi International Airport, commonly known as Delhi Airport, is the 12th busiest airport in the world, with close to 70 million passengers traveling through it in 2018.

Read more Young Life stories.

Visit: voiceofasia.news

VOICE OF ASIA 15

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

September is Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month

September is Hunger Action Month

Section 2 Tel: 713-774-5140

With one suicide every 40 seconds, WHO urges action

What is MBIs? Understanding Your Medicare Card

by Nina Larson

G

ENEVA, Switzerland | AFP | Monday 9/9/2019 - Nearly 800,000 people commit suicide each year -- more than those killed by war and homicide or breast cancer, the World Health Organization said Monday, urging action to avert the tragedies.

MBI means Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs)

B

y now every eligible Medicare recipient must have received his or her new Medicare card. The new Medicare card shows new number that identifies each beneficiary is known as MBIs. Each number is unique and consists of 11 random characters.

In a fresh report, the UN health agency said that the global suicide rate had fallen somewhat between 2010 and 2016, but the number of deaths has remained stable because of a growing global population.

"Despite progress, one person still dies every 40 seconds from suicide," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement, insisting that "every death is a tragedy for family, friends and colleagues."

The global suicide rate in 2016 -- the last year for which data was available -- stood at 10.5 per 100,000 people.

But rates varied widely, with suicides in some countries as low as five per 100,000, while Guyana, which topped the scales, registered a rate of over 30 per 100,000.

Overall, the global suicide rate fell by nearly 10 percent from 2010 to 2016, with the western Pacific showing declines of nearly 20 percent and Southeast Asia registering a decline of only 4.2 percent.

The Americas meanwhile was the only region that showed an uptick in suicides, with a six percent hike over the six-year period.

"We know that in the region of the Americas, access to firearms and guns is an important means of suicide," Alexandra Fleischmann of WHO's mental health division, told reporters in Geneva in answer to a question.

The overall decline is explained by the fact that a number of countries -- 38 in total -- have put in place suicide prevention strategies, WHO said, stressing however that many more countries must follow suit.

- 'Preventable' "Suicides are preventable," Tedros said, calling "on all countries to incorporate proven suicide prevention strategies into national health and education programmes in a sustainable way."

n a fresh report, the UN health agency said that the global suicide rate had fallen somewhat between 2010 and 2016, but the number of deaths has remained stable because of a growing global population. (Shutterstock/vasara) pecially in rural areas -- the ingestion of poisonous pesticides.

Most suicides happen in low- and middle-income countries, where most of the global population lives, but rates are higher in wealthier countries, the WHO report found.

After Guyana, Russia registered the world's second-highest rate, with 26.5 suicides per 100,000 people.

Also figuring high on the list were Lithuania, Lesotho, Uganda, Sri Lanka, South Korea, India and Japan, as well as the United States, which registered 13.7 suicides per 100,000 people.

- 'Vulnerable' It will warn of the dangers of graphic descriptions or depictions of suicide, which have been shown to trigger copycat suicides among people struggling with mental health issues.

In July, Netflix said it had removed a graphic suicide scene from the first season of hit show "13 Reasons Why", following concern from mental health experts who feared it glorified suicide.

Two studies published in May found that suicides among US youths rose significantly in the months following the popular show's release in 2017.

In almost every country, men are more likely than women to commit suicide.

"The reasearch has shown over many years... that there are people who imitate, who are vulnerable," Fleischmann said.

Only in five countries -- Bangladesh, China, Lesotho, Morocco, and Myanmar -- do women commit suicide at a higher rate than men.

The WHO report also said countries could make a significant dent in suicide numbers by limiting access to pesticides.

Young people are especially vulnerable: More than half of all those who commit suicide are under the age of 45.

Pesticides are often so toxic that suicide attempts using them tend to succeed.

And among 15-29-year-olds, suicide is in fact second only to road accidents as the leading cause of death.

In Sri Lanka, regulations and bans on pesticides led to a 70 percent fall in suicides between 1995 and 2015, resulting in 93,000 lives saved, the report said.

CMS removed Social Security Number (SSN)-based Health Insurance Claim Numbers (HICNs) from Medicare cards and are now using Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs) for Medicare transactions like billing, eligibility status, and claim status. Until 12/31/19 when the transition period ends, CMS will keep using the HICN with business partners such as: • The Social Security Administration (SSA) • The United States Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) • Health care providers • Health plans Every person with Medicare has been assigned an MBI. The MBI is confidential like the SSN and should be protected as Personally Identifiable Information.

Transition period Starting January 1, 2020, one MUST submit claims using MBIs (with a few exceptions), no matter what date you performed the service.

What do MBIs look like?

The MBIs are clearly different than the HICN and RRB number.

ASHINGTON | AFP | Tuesday 9/10/2019 - More than a million Americans rose out of poverty last year but household incomes stagnated and -- for the first time in nine years -- the share of people with no health insurance crept higher, officials reported Tuesday.

How many characters will the MBI have? The MBI has 11 characters, like the Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN), which can have up to 11. Will the MBI’s characters have any meaning? Each MBI is randomly generated. This makes MBIs different than HICNs, which are based on the Social Security Numbers (SSNs) of people with Medicare. The MBI’s characters are “non-intelligent” so they don’t have any hidden or special meaning.

What kinds of characters will used in the MBI? MBIs are numbers and upper-case letters. We’ll use numbers 0-9 and all letters from A to Z, except for S, L, O, I, B, and Z. This will help the characters be easier to read. If you use lowercase letters, our system will convert them to uppercase letters. How will the MBI look on the new card? The MBI will contain letters and numbers. Here’s an example: 1EG4-TE5-MK73 • The MBI’s 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 9th

The annual snapshot offered a mixed portrait of prosperity in the year after US Republicans slashed income taxes and as President Donald Trump moved to undermine the health insurance system created by his predecessor Barack Obama.

ings were most stinging on health insurance.

The most common methods of suicide are hanging, gunshots and -- es-

The WHO said it was launching a one-month campaign starting on World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, including the launch of a resource booklet for filmmakers.

And in South Korea, a ban on the herbicide paraquat in 2011 and 2012 lead to the halving of suicides by pesticide poisoning between 2011 and 2013, it said.

American poverty fell in 2018 but more lack health insurance: US Census

by Douglas Gillison

W

The numbers showed Americans are at last recouping painful losses from the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009, but improvements may have stalled.

Individual worker wages are up and poverty is down but, after three years of growth, households overall did not bring in higher incomes in 2018.

Meanwhile, government health coverage intended for the poorest Americans weakened, notably affecting large numbers of children.

With unemployment holding near historic lows and wages rising, Trump has hailed his economic agenda as a blessing for American workers even though data suggests his trade wars are weighing on growth.

Republicans in last year's mid-term elections faced angry waves of voters who denounced attempts to dismantle the health coverage system known as Obamacare.

Democrats seized on the report's conclusions that coverage in public health care had shrunk.

"President Trump's cruel health care sabotage has left two million more people without health insurance, forced to live in constant fear of an accident or injury that could spell financial ruin for their families," Nancy Pelosi of California, speaker of the

Photo: iStock

House of Representatives, said in a statement.

found full-time, year-round work and risen out of poverty than did men.

Health care is again a dominant issue among Democratic presidential candidates this year, with several calling for universal, state-run health coverage.

But median household incomes stood at $63,200, meaning that in statistical terms they were no higher than in 2007 or 1999, both years that immediately preceded recessions.

According to the Census Bureau, the poverty rate fell in 2018 to 11.8 percent, or 38.1 million people, down 0.5 percent from 2017.

Incomes for households headed by Asian-Americans, when adjusted for inflation, rose, but were stagnant for non-Hispanic whites, blacks and Hispanics, according to the Census Bureau.

As a result, for the first time in 11 years, poverty was significantly lower than 2007, the year before the Great Recession.

- More kids without insurance Officials define poverty on scale of income thresholds for individuals and families. In 2018, a family of four with two children and an income greater than $25,465 would not be considered poor.

The American south was the only region not to see declining poverty last year.

While American men continued to out-earn women, Trudi Renwick, a Census Bureau economist, told reporters that 2018 had been a "fairly good year for women," noting that more had

Ya w n i n g wealth inequalities persisted but were largely unchanged from the prior year: the top five percent of earners took in 23.1 percent of all income on aggregate. More than half of all income went to the top 20 percent.

But the find-

The share of Americans with no health coverage -- which has fallen sharply since Obamacare took effect in 2013 -- rose to 8.5 percent, up 0.5 percentage point over 2017.

The largest declines were under Medicaid -- a government health insurance program intended for the poorest Americans that has been central to extending Obamacare benefits.

Trump, who failed in an effort to

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900 characters will always be a letter. • Characters 1, 4, 7, 10, and 11 will always be a number. • The 3rd and 6th characters will be a letter or a number. • The dashes aren’t used as part of the MBI. They won’t be entered into computer systems or used in file formats.

• Made up only of numbers and uppercase letters (no special characters); if you use lowercase letters, our system will convert them to uppercase letters.

The MBI doesn’t use the letters S, L, O, I, B, and Z to avoid confusion between some letters and numbers (e.g., between “0” and “O”).

Do the MBI's characters have any meaning?

Each MBI is unique, randomly generated, and the characters are "non-intelligent," which means they don't have any hidden or special meaning.

What do MBIs mean for people with Medicare?

The MBI doesn't change Medicare benefits. People with Medicare may start using their MBIs right away.

Starting on January 1, 2020 when the transition period is over, we'll no longer accept HICNs. People with Medicare who belong to a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare drug plan (Part D) should keep using their Medicare Advantage and/or Medicare drug plan cards like they always have when they get health care services or fill a prescription. People with Medicare will also need their MBIs when they change plans or are admitted to the hospital. Source: CMS To choose right Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare Supplement or Medicare Prescription Drug plan contact Sudhir Mathuria at 713771-2900.

push through legislation that would have gutted Obamacare, has since cut enrollment, advertising and outreach programs.

The share of children without coverage rose, as it did for adults between the ages of 35 to 64. There were also notable increases in the uninsured rate for Hispanics of any race.

The Census Bureau found no apparent decline in the health coverage that Americans receive through their employers, which is how most are insured.

VOICE OF ASIA 16

Section 2

Senior Living

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

www.voiceofasia.news

Tips for Seniors to ensure a healthy, fun road trip

Tel: 713-774-5140

Meat-free champions lick their lips as market booms

A woman cooks plant-based bacon produced by Hooray Foods on a stand at the Good Food Institute’s conference promoting plant-based and cell-based meat in San Francisco September 5, 2019. — AFP pic

by Juliette Michel

S

Photo Source: (c) monkeybusinessimages / iStock via Getty Images Plus

W

AN FRANCISCO | AFP | Friday 9/6/2019 - Beef-free burgers, egg-free omelettes and milk-free ice cream -- meat and dairy alternatives have shot to the top of the menu, and producers are facing up to the challenges of going mainstream.

new technology that produces texture and flavor far closer to real meat -pushing aside often-derided vegetarian alternatives such as nut cutlets and soy sausages that have been around for decades.

Kellogg's Morningstar Farms vegetarian brand this week announced a new product range to keep up with the latest advances.

hen thinking about road trips, you might envision college kids heading on adventures, but older adults take road trips, too, according to a recent survey

by Cigna.

deep vein thrombosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though you should talk to your doctor if you feel you’re at risk, it’s a good idea for everyone to take breaks to stretch and walk around.

• Pack prescriptions. According to the Cigna survey, 96 percent of senior travelers get a large enough prescription supply to last the entire trip. One way to do this is by getting a 90-day fill.

"Progress has been stunning," said Bruce Friedrich, director of the Good Food Institute, which hosted a conference this week in San Francisco for an industry abuzz with ambition and technological advances.

Travel is a top priority for 37 percent of older adult respondents in the survey. In fact, more than 30 percent said they take three or more trips annually.

• Keep eyes healthy. Good eyesight is critical to safe driving. Before long trips, make sure you’ve had an eye exam and your prescription is up-todate. Many Medicare Advantage plans cover annual eye exams and glasses.

Write down your medication schedule and the names and numbers of your doctors and pharmacy in case you need them. If you have questions about changing time zones, talk to your pharmacist before leaving.

Always carry medications in their original labeled containers to prevent anyone from mistaking them for other substances.

A new generation of vegetarian products has re-invigorated the sector, with fast-food giant Burger King now offering the meat-free "Impossible Whopper" and McDonald's working with Nestle on its own plant-based burgers.

The latest innovations in the race to mimic meat were showcased at the conference, including a 3D printer, ground-breaking mushroom cultivation and a new method to ferment tempeh, a traditional Indonesian soy product.

Eyeing the booming market, major meat processors such as Smithfield, JBS and Perdue have all launched new brands using plants and are investing heavily to tap into changing consumer demand.

The sector is still in its infancy in the US, at less than one percent of the conventional meat sector, but the potential for growth looks strong.

With automobiles topping the list of older adults’ favorite ways to travel, Cigna is offering helpful tips for heading out on the highway.

• Get shut-eye. The National Sleep Foundation recommends people 65 years and older get seven to eight hours sleep nightly. Unfortunately, 17 percent of older adults responding to the survey indicated they have trouble maintaining sleep schedules when traveling. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 91,000 crashes occurred in 2017 due to drowsy driving, resulting in 50,000 injuries and nearly 800 deaths.

Repeated yawning is the first warning sign that it’s time to pull over and rest.

• Stretch your legs. Some longdistance travelers are at risk of a potentially dangerous condition called

• Prioritize safety. Twelve percent of older adults responding to the survey said they travel alone. Solo travelers should prioritize safety. Tell friends and family your route, destination and when to expect you. Also, check in occasionally so they know your trip is progressing well.

• Eat healthfully. Twenty-six percent of traveling seniors have difficulty eating healthfully while traveling, according to the survey. Avoid stocking the car with junk food. Instead, pack nutritious snacks, like fruits and vegetables. Plan ahead, finding restaurants with healthy fare along your route. If you have to eat fast food, make healthy choices like salads. Finally, drink water instead of soda. It’s healthier and will better hydrate you.

• Act quickly. For health-related emergencies, time is of the essence, so go to the nearest emergency room or hospital or call 911 as quickly as possible and then notify your insurance plan as soon as you reasonably can.

“Travel is an important part of older adults’ independence,” says Shannon Adams, who leads the Cigna customer experience team that completed the travel survey. “With a little planning and by knowing their limits, they can reach their destinations in good health.”

- StatePoint

Years later, cancer cases linger over 9/11 anniversary

by Catherine TRIOMPHE

N

- Texture and taste Delegates credited recent success to

"I was there (on) 9/11... For years I have been working down there every day since 9/11. We were never told that something could happen," she says.

Febrillet and Fahrer represent a growing category of patient who were living or working close to the World Trade Center in the wake of the attacks, which killed almost 3,000 people.

They were not among the thousands of emergency personnel who rushed to the site or who spent months clearing debris at Ground Zero, but their health is being similarly affected.

As the 18th anniversary of the attacks approaches, New York continues to count the number of people who have developed cancer or other

Beyond Meat, the best-known of the new plant-based ventures, made a major splash when shares soared on its first day of trading on Wall Street in May.

At the three-day Good Food Conference in San Francisco, officials from Japan and Singapore were among government representatives mixing with producers, scientists, entrepreneurs and investors.

Fifteen years after the attacks that day, Febrillet, by then a mother of three, was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. The likely cause: a cloud of toxic ash that engulfed her.

Eighteen months ago, the young father, now 37, was diagnosed with aggressive colon cancer -- a disease that usually affects older men and which there is no history of in his family.

Kroger, the second largest supermarket chain in the United States, also announced on Thursday that it was launching a new line of meat-free products to be sold under the brand name "Simple Truth" ranging from burgers to Bolognese sauce.

Globally, the sector has also attracted government interest, with India now funding scientific research into products created from meat cells.

EW YORK | AFP | Monday 9/9/2019 - Jacquelin Febrillet was 26 years old on September 11, 2001 when jihadist hijackers flew two passenger jets into the World Trade Center just two blocks from where she worked.

Unlike Febrillet, Richard Fahrer, then 19, wasn't in the area on 9/11, but he regularly worked as a land surveyor between 2001 and 2003 in south Manhattan, where the Twin Towers came crashing down.

The latest example is Arkansasbased Tyson, which on Thursday announced it had taken a stake in New Wave Foods, a San Francisco start-up developing a shrimp substitute made from seaweed and soy protein -- with crab and lobster next on the target list.

One World Trade Center towers over the September 11 Memorial and Museum New York September 5, 2019. — AFP pic serious illnesses related to the toxic cloud that hovered over Manhattan for several weeks.

- 'People are dying' The 9/11 attacks released unprecedented amounts of chemicals into the air, including dioxins, asbestos and other carcinogenic substances.

Firefighters, other first responders and volunteers who helped with the months-long clean-up were the first to be affected. Studies found they faced an increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Ten thousand of them have been diagnosed with cancer by the World Trade Center Health Program, a federal treatment program helping survivors.

At the end of June this year, 21,000 people not considered first respond-

www.voiceofasia.news

ers were also in the program -- twice as many as in June 2016. Of these, almost 4,000 have cancer, the most common being prostate, breast and skin.

Febrillet, now 44, is one of them.

She recalls that the message at the time was to get the city back to normal as quickly as possible.

"People were just going about their business a few days later. But look at what happened a few years later, people are dying," says Febrillet, who also lived close to Ground Zero.

Fahrer, too, laments that city officials did not do more to protect residents and office staff in the vicinity.

"My wife asks me, 'Did terrorists cause your cancer?' I can't say 100 percent, but I do know there could have been better efforts to limit the exposure of healthy adults from entering into the disaster area," he says.

Health experts say it is impossible to pinpoint exactly the cause of cancer in every patient, but note that there is a clear correlation between the rate and exposure to toxic debris.

"Consumers want meat," said Friedrich. "Screaming 'eat lentils' is not going to be effective. But changing the way meat is made can be."

Conference speakers hammered home the message that products had to become even closer to real meat, while other challenges include pricing and the problem of simply getting products into stores and onto restaurant menus.

Another major obstacle is criticism that plant-based burgers are not actually a healthy option as they are highly "processed" -- often containing more than 20 ingredients -- and can have high levels of salt.

Several US states have also passed laws to stop retailers of animal protein alternatives from using labels like "meat" or even "sausage" -- a push often driven by local farmers.

"Many efforts come from grassroot producers, not the meat industry," said US former agriculture minister Ann Veneman.

For Tom Mastrobuoni, the chief financial officer of Tyson's investment subsidiary, the key to propelling further global consumption of meat alternatives is to promote them in parallel to traditional products.

"It's not a 'binary' choice," he said.

"The population continue to grow -- in some cultures a sign of wealth is eating meat. Consumers want options so you are going to have to supply both."

The 3 ‘D’s of determining your Medicare Part D plan

E

nrollment in Medicare Part D is on the rise. Having increased 12 percent since 2017, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the popularity of this prescription drug benefit may be due to the decline in the cost of basic premiums, projected to drop for the third year in a row.

Part D plans help people save on the costs of prescriptions and knowing these three Ds will help you maximize those savings in 2020.

1. Drug Coverage: While Part D plans are approved by CMS, they’re offered through private companies.

So, as with any other type of insurance purchase, plans will vary in coverage and cost, allowing you to choose one that best fits your needs.

It’s important to know that plans change year-to-year, so one that covered your prescriptions in 2019, may not necessarily in 2020. Making sure the medications you take are covered by the plan you choose at a price you can afford will avoid costly surprises in 2020.

This includes checking not only if medications are covered, but how.

Each plan places covered drugs into tiers that are assigned a different copay; that’s the out-of-pocket cost you pay when you fill a prescription.

Check the tier in which your medication is covered.

2. Deductible: Don’t rule out plans on deductibles alone. That’s just one factor to consider. For example, a $0 deductible deal may sound good until you realize your medication is not covered. When comparing plans, consider what experts call the “overall cost,” which includes the premium you pay monthly, the deductible you’ll need to pay before your plan starts covering medication, and the copay. To estimate “overall cost,” make a list of your medications.

Then, check how each is covered by the plans available to you.

3. Due Diligence: If you’re enrolled in a Part D plan, you’ll receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). All plans are required to mail the ANOC

by September 30 and also post it to their website by October 15. That notice will inform you of the changes your plan will make starting January of 2020. Review this carefully.

- StatePoint

SCIENCE &TECHNOLOGY

VOICE OF ASIA 17

Apple unveils iPhone 11 models, with price cut

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Largest flying animal in history identified: study

C

UPERTINO, California | AFP | Tuesday 9/10/2019 - Apple unveiled its iPhone 11 models Tuesday, touting upgraded, ultrawide cameras as it updated its popular smartphone lineup and cut its entry price to $699.

The newest handsets come as Apple seeks to spur new upgrades in a slumping global smartphone market.

The new iPhones are "jam packed with new capabilities and an incredible new design," Apple chief executive Tim Cook told a launch event in Cupertino, California.

The surprise from Apple was the reduction in the entry-level price at $699, down from the starting level of $749 for the iPhone XR a year ago even as many premium devices are being priced around $1,000.

Apple additionally unveiled a more expensive "Pro" model of the iPhone 11.

It also set launch dates for its original video offering, Apple TV+, and its game subscription service as part of efforts to reduce its dependence on the iPhone.

The TV+ service will launch November 1 in more than 100 countries at $4.99 per month and will include a "powerful and inspiring lineup of original shows, movies and documentaries."

Apple is featuring scripted dramas, comedies and movies as well as children's programs in the service, which

Weighing 250 kilos, Cryodrakon boreas rivals another pterosaur as the largest flying animal of all time, researchers reported. AFP Photo iPhone 11, 11 Max and 11R (Image: Mobile Fun) will compete against streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon.

"With Apple TV+, we are presenting all-original stories from the best, brightest and most creative minds, and we know viewers will find their new favorite show or movie on our service," said Zack Van Amburg, Apple's head of video.

Apple said customers who purchase an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch or Mac will get the first year of the service for free.

The company's online gaming subscription service, Apple Arcade, will launch next week, offering exclusive

titles for mobile and desktop users.

The new service, which will also cost $4.99 per month, will include more than 100 game titles made for Apple devices.

"You can't find these games on any other mobile platform or subscription service, no games service ever launched as many games, and we can't wait for you to play all of that," product manager Ann Thai told the Apple media event.

Apple also unveiled updates to its iPad tablet and Apple Watch smartwatch.

World must adapt to 'inevitable' climate change, warns report

by Marlowe Hood and Sijia Li in Beijing

a massive effort to adapt to conditions that are now inevitable."

ARIS, France | AFP | Tuesday 9/10/2019 - Nations rich and poor must invest now to protect against the effects of climate change or pay an even heavier price later, a global commission warned Tuesday.

Without action by 2030, climate change could push more than 100 million people in developing countries below the poverty line, said the report.

P

Spending $1.8 trillion across five key areas over the next decade would not only help buffer the worst impacts of global warming but could generate more than $7 trillion in net benefits, the report from the Global Commission on Adaptation argued.

"We are the last generation that can change the course of climate change, and we are the first generation that then has to live with the consequences," former UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who chairs the commission, said at the report's launch in Beijing.

"Delay and pay, or plan and prosper," he said, sharing a catchphrase from the commission, which is cochaired by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva.

Investing now in early warning systems, climate-resistant infrastructure, mangrove protection, better agriculture and improving fresh water resources would pay for itself several times over, the report said.

Mangroves -- tropical tidal water forests -- protect, for example, against storm surges and act as nurseries for commercial fisheries, but at least a third of them globally have been uprooted for tourism or aquaculture.

"Global actions to slow climate change are promising but insufficient," the report stated. "We must invest in

At the launch, Chinese environment minister Li Ganjie -- whose country is the world's top carbon polluter -called adaptation practices "an inherent requirement of China's sustainable development".

In the 25-year history of UN climate negotiations, adaptation has trailed far down the agenda compared with "mitigation", or the reduction of carbon emissions.

It was long seen as an issue only affecting poor and developing nations.

But recent massive inland flooding and a string of record-breaking hurricanes in the United States, along with ferocious heatwaves in Europe and Japan, have shown that wealth is not an adequate shield.

Dominic Molloy, a co-author of the report and a researcher at the Global Centre for Adaptation, said the new focus should not detract from the need to slash carbon pollution.

"We absolutely need to do both, reduce emissions and adapt," Molloy told AFP. "The purpose of this commission was to raise the visibility of adaptation, not shift away from mitigation."

Bob Ward, policy director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change noted that the two are inextricably linked.

"A failure to reduce emissions will mean mounting costs of adaptation," he told AFP.

- Cost of failure Failure to curb the greenhouse gas emissions slow-roasting the planet has already unleashed a crescendo of deadly heat waves, water shortages and superstorms made more destructive by rising seas.

The Bahamas was devastated this month by one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record.

S

cientists say they have spotted evidence of what it was like on the first day after the dinosaur-killing impact event, thanks to an analysis of rock taken from the famous Chixculub crater.

An asteroid slammed into Earth around 66 million years ago, causing catastrophic events that changed the course of life on this planet. Rock cores recently taken from the resulting crater show evidence of hills, tsunamis, fires, and atmosphere-altering gases, all produced in the first day after the impact.

“It’s so rare in geology that we get to look at the rocks and read a story on

the timescale of hours,” Sean Guelick, the study’s first author from the University of Texas at Austin, told Gizmodo.

The impact probably went as follows, based on the rock samples and what we already know about the area surrounding the crater. Initially, the site of the impact was shallow ocean, less than 100 feet deep. An enormous rock, perhaps a few miles wide, struck and immediately created a large crater.

The meteorite would have welled up rock that then collapsed outward, creating a hilly ring. Soon, the ring would have been covered by more than a hundred feet of so-called shocked rock, deformed by the high heat and pressure. The ocean would then have

P

ARIS, France | AFP | Tuesday 9/10/2019 - Scientists on Tuesday unveiled a new species pterosaur, the plane-sized reptiles that lorded over primeval skies above T-rex, Triceratops and other dinosaurs of the late Cretaceous.

With a wingspan of ten metres and weighing 250 kilos, Cryodrakon boreas rivals another pterosaur as the largest flying animal of all time, researchers reported in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

"This is a cool discovery," said David Hone, lead author of the study and a researcher at Queen Mary University in London.

"It is great that we can identify Cryodrakon as being distinct from Quetzalcoatlus," the other giant pterosaur for which it was initially mistaken, he said in a statement.

- C. boreas was hiding in plain sight Its remains were first discovered

more than 30 years ago in Alberta, Canada, yet elicited scant excitement because of the misclassification.

But a closer look at the fossil remains of a juvenile and the intact giant neck bone of a full-grown specimen left no doubt that a new species had been discovered.

Like other winged reptiles living at the same time, about 77 million years ago, C. boreas was carnivorous and probably fed on lizards, small mammals and even baby dinosaurs.

Despite a likely capacity to cross large bodies of water, the location of fossil remains and the animal's features point to an inland habitat, Hone said.

There are more than 100 known species of pterosaurs.

Despite their large size and wide distribution -- across North and South America, Asia, Africa and Europe -only fragmentary remains have been unearthed, making the new find especially important.

Japan still weighing dump of Fukushima radioactive water into ocean

Earth's average surface temperature has gone up 1C since the late 19th century, and is on track -- at current rates of CO2 emissions -- to warm another two or three degrees by the century's end.

The 2015 Paris Agreement calls for capping global warming at "well below" 2C, and 1.5C if possible, but it was given a hit when US President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact in 2017.

"I sincerely hope that President Trump will return to Paris climate agreement and do something good for humanity," Ban said.

The report's $1.8 trillion adaptation price tag for the period 2020-2030 is not an estimate of global needs, covering only warning systems and the four other areas identified.

The $7.1 trillion dividend is based on the World Bank calculation that the value of damage caused by climate change is increasing, averaged across the globe, at about 1.5 percent per year.

Patrick Verkooijen, the CEO of the centre that commissioned the report, described the proposal as a "global Marshall Plan" -- the US aid programme that rebuilt Western Europe after World War II.

Ancient rock reveals shocking first day after dinosaur-killing asteroid impact

by Ryan F. Mandelbaum

by Marlowe HOOD

filled the crater, depositing any debris it was carrying. Finally, the wave that flooded the land would return, depositing soil and other material it picked up from the shore. The process would have taken just hours, according to the paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“You look at a meter of core, and typically you’re looking at millions of years of time. In this case, you instantly made a hole with the impact and buried it with all these dynamic processes,” Guelick said.

A large team of researchers collected the cylindrical rock samples from hundreds of feet below the seafloor and analyzed them as part of a mission with the International Ocean Discovery Program, an organization that funds various seafloor research projects.

Guelick explained that analysis happened onboard the ship, in Houston, Germany, and elsewhere, using

voiceofasia.news is your science & tech news source

Tanks containing contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear plant. (Image: AP)

T

OKYO, Japan | AFP | Tuesday 9/10/2019 - Japan's top government spokesman slapped down the environment minister on Tuesday after he said there was "no other option" but to release radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean.

"It is not true that we have decided on the disposal method," Chief Cabinet Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters after Environment Minister Yoshiaki Harada's comments earlier in the day.

The operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), is storing more than one million tonnes of contaminated water in tanks at the site of Fukushima Daiichi Plant that was wrecked by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown.

Besides water used to cool meltdown fuel, underground water flows into the complex daily and storage capacity will be full by mid-2022, leaving the operator with the huge problem of disposing of it safely.

Harada, who is expected to leave the cabinet in a reshuffle Wednesday, said "there is no other option than to

medical and chemistry equipment to determine the makeup of the rock.

The researchers carefully handled the samples to avoid contaminating them with modern material.

Perhaps most surprising were the soil and charcoal particles they found in the rock, evidence that a tsunami returned to the site of the impact from shore. “It speaks to the energy of the impact,” Katherine Freeman, one of the study’s authors and a professor at Penn State, told Gizmodo. She explained that the patterns in the charcoal were complex, so it’s not as easy as simply saying there were forest fires, but the charcoal was suggestive of high-energy heating that took place hundreds of miles away.

release it (into the sea) and dilute it."

The minister had stressed that this was "just one opinion" and Suga emphasised that it was not the policy of the government, which has not yet given a timeframe for its final decision on what to do with the water.

Suga, seen as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's right-hand man, noted that an expert panel was still working on what to do with the water and was taking into account concerns from local fishermen, who fear it could destroy their livelihood.

A mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency had earlier recommended that Japan release the treated water into the ocean.

Radioactive water from the plant has been filtered through the Advanced Liquid Processing System, which removes highly radioactive substances like strontium and caesium but leaves in the less dangerous tritium, according to TEPCO. Water treated in earlier years has relatively higher radioactivity and needs to be treated again to bring down the levels of radioactive substances.

This research doesn’t immediately offer an explanation to how the impact led to a mass extinction. However, the core seemed to be missing sulfur, Guelick said. This could mean that the impact released the sulfur into the atmosphere. A mass extinction would require planetwide catastrophe, and a quick addition of sulfur and other molecules to the atmosphere could have caused global cooling and darkness.

“It’s a really important episode in the evolution of life on the Earth,” H. Jay Melosh, a professor at Purdue University who has collaborated with this team but was not part of this specific paper, told Gizmodo. He said the work was an important documentation of the events that immediately followed the impact. - Gizmodo.com

SMALL BUSINESSES

VOICE OF ASIA 18

B

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BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ACCOUNTANTS BOOK-KEEPING

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

INCOME TAX

Personal and Business Tax Returns, Payroll Sales Tax, Income Tax Audits and Representations.

S. Ram and Associates

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Madhuram Mirch Masala 10758 FM 1960 West Houston, TX 77070

281.955.9878 216.338.3940 (cell)

Shiva Indian Restaurant & Catering Specializing in North Indian Cuisine, office & Corporate catering 2514 Times Blvd, Rice Village Ph: 713-523-4753 Visit us online: www.shivarestaurant.com

COMPUTER SERVICES Networking and Computer Repair

Home & Business, on site, Microsoft MCSE & A+ certified, low flat rates, free estimates, pickup & delivery, www.PCNetworkGuru.com Call Amit at 832-971-6807

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STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: FOOTBALL

List Your Business CALL TODAY 713-774-5140

Week of September 13, 2019

Horoscope.com

21 March to 20 April You may have a lot on your plate this week, much as you did last week. However, this week there is a shift in the air, and you’ll be eager to consider options that are a departure from the norm. You do best when you can get out of your own way.

21 April to 20 May Outings can be fun but also have a serious note, particularly if you’re learning something through the process of discovery. There is potential for romance, particularly if you meet someone who shares your ideas and with whom you have a lot in common.

21 May to 20 June The theme of organizing your home and getting it shipshape continues this week. However, you don’t have to do it all yourself. Ask for support and delegate a few of those key tasks and the household chores can get done much more quickly.

21 June to 22 July You may be busy in an intellectual sense and have a lot of writing, studying, or research to do. If you’re a student, this could be an intense time when you have deadlines, or you’re perhaps getting used to a new curriculum. Planning is the key to an easier life.

23 July to 22 August This can be a great time to market your goods and services, start a side hustle, or let others know about a skill of yours that may be underused. This is an excellent opportunity to get your money to work for you and perhaps find ways to enhance your income. Have too much stuff?

Selling it could give you more space.

23 August to 22 Sept It’s game, set, and match to you as the planets in your sign give you a certain advantage. Lingering aspects early in the week can see you moving ahead with a creative project or perhaps honing a skill. Either way, this can be a productive time.

23 September to 22 Oct How happy are you with your current lifestyle? If you have any issues, it could be because you aren’t following your heart. What is your passion? Your purpose?

Introducing more of them into your everyday life can bring you the satisfaction you desire.

23 October to 21 Nov Social events and group or club meetings could keep you busy this week. If you’re involved in any committees, you may have more than your fair share of work to do.

And if other people see how eager you are, they could add to your workload unless you speak up.

22 November to 21 Dec Your time in the spotlight continues this week, bringing opportunities to showcase your best skills and abilities to the world. Make the most this time, because within a couple of weeks the emphasis will shift to your social sector.

22 December to 20 Jan If you have opportunities to travel for work or pleasure, go for it. This is very much a time to move out of your comfort zone and explore options you might never have considered before. If you have a desire to study, this is the perfect time to start.

21 January to 19 Feb The focus on finances and business affairs continues this week, and you could be eager to get on board with new ideas and opportunities. The only thing that might stop you is your own hesitation. This could come down to past experiences that have left their mark.

20 February to 20 Mar You could have your work cut out for you because you’ll likely be a lot busier than usual. Your social life could ramp up with more invitations and potential dates. And if you’re in a long-term relationship, you and your partner might decide to get out and about more.

ACROSS 1. Tax evader's fear 6. "You betcha!"

9. Fill to satisfaction 13. Crocus, pl.

14. Reef dweller 15. Freeze off 16. Buzz Aldrin's first name 17. Wildebeest 18. Reduced, often paired with down 19. *____ back 21. *#1 NFL pick in 2019 23. Precedes whiz 24. Bald eagle's nest 25. Summer sandwich?

28. Past tense of reave 30. Bee's favorite drink 35. German currency 37. Shower with affection 39. Africa's horned herbivore 40. Battery fluid 41. Bad-tempered 43. All over again 44. Ticked off 46. Cut with a beam 47. Rip or pull 48. Pico de gallo and such 50. Abe's coin 52. Hog haven 53. Refuses to 55. Likewise 57. *Team gathering 60. *Common play on 3rd and long 64. Committee of judges 65. One of the five W's 67. Ranee's wrap 68. Sheep-like 69. Auction set 70. Romanov's edict 71. Type of message 72. Aye-aye 73. *Worn atop thigh pads

DOWN 1. Maple tree and laptop brand 2. Pakistani language 3. *First ____!

4. Cupcake topper 5. Smaller than tiny 6. Safecracker 7. Poetic "even" 8. On D'Artagnan's hat 9. Practice in the ring 10. Certain sensation 11. *NFL Primetime and NFL Draft host Wingo 12. *Type of zone 15. More spry 20. Must-haves 22. Funerary vase 24. What opposites do?

25. *Soldier Field's team 26. "____ di Lammermoor" 27. Do-re-do-re-do-re-dore, e.g.

29. *Blindside block, e.g.

31. Burn to a crisp 32. Fork prongs 33. Beside, archaic 34. *"All my ____ friends are coming over tonight..."

36. Words from Wordsworth, pl.

38. Other than what is 42. Gossipmonger 45. Waste time 49. La precursor 51. *A game that could go either way 54. Very recently 56. Port city in Japan 57. Possess 58. Windows alternative 59. *Football Hall of Famer Richard 60. Cooking vessels 61. Turkmenistan's neighbor 62. Egg holder 63. #23 Across, pl.

64. Winner's take 66. Gardening tool

SOLUTION: FOOTBALL on Page 19

VOICE OF ASIA 19

voiceofasia.news

CLASSIFIED

FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP-C) NCLEX Testing Project No. 19-62

Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on September 30, 2019 Documents can be o b t a i n e d a t : w w w. hccs.edu/about-hcc/ procurement/

Harris County Health Department investigates case of student who became ill after vaping Health Department urges residents to avoid vaping

H

OUSTON– Harris County Public Health (HCPH) was notified about a high school student in Northwest Harris County who became ill after vaping and is actively investigating the situation. HCPH will provide further updates as the situation unfolds.

Consistent with recently released Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, HCPH recommends community members not use ecigarette products, especially if they are at a higher risk; such as youth, young adults, as well as pregnant women.

Parents should talk to their children about the dangers of e-cigarettes. E-cigarette products are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco.

People who have trouble breathing, cough, chest pain, nausea, fatigue or other symptoms in the days or months after vaping should seek immediate medical attention.

HCPH remains committed to working with partners and healthcare providers to ensure the health and safety of the Harris County community.

Email Obituaries to us at: voiceasia@aol.com Deadline for publication: Tuesdays by 5pm.

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FRIDAY, September 13, 2019

Home&Real Estate Houston Modern Home Tour set for Sept. 21

F

ans of modern design look forward to the annual Houston Modern Home Tour held by the Modern Architecture + Design Society each year.

This year’s tour, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 21, includes eight homes spread out in a number of neighborhoods: Bellaire, University Place, Shady Acres, Galleria area, Garden Oaks, Memorial Park, Southside Place and another just a block from Emancipation Park.

Architects whose work is featured are Origin Architects, refuGe De-

sign Studio, studioMET, Charles Todd Helton Architect, Collaborative Design Group, 2Scale Architects, MASA Studio Architects and Intexure Architects. BEC Engineers and Consultants is the presenting sponsor.

The event will benefit the University of Houston American Institute of Architects student chapter, and its members will help staff the event.

Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 on the day of the tour. Purchase tickets online at www.houstonmodernhometour.com.

Houston real estate market is going gangbusters

by Nikki Courtney

S

ummer has been good to home sellers in the Houston area.

Lily Jang of Lily Jang Real Estate says August figures aren’t in yet, but July was red hot. “In fact July was the greatest one-month volume of single family home sales of all time.

The Houston Association of Realtors says the average price of a house also set a record of $313,000 for a home,” she tells KTRH News. There has been a lot of talk lately about millennials moving into the home-buying market.

“What I’m seeing with millennials is that they’re really savvy and they know they’ll get more for their money if they leave the Loop. So they’re buying homes where they can afford.”

And Jang says they’re not looking for the staleness of typical suburbia.

“They don’t want cookie-cutter homes. They want unique older homes that they can update themselves and make it their own.”

Home prices in the U.S. are projected to continue to rise through 2020.

- KTRH News

Happiness is a Scandinavian-inspired tiny house with a greenhouse and a porch swing

by Laura Mauk

M

ary Susan Hanson, Randy Hanson, and their daughter Melodie Aho launched Olive Nest Tiny Homes because "we love the idea of simplifying life," says Aho.

Elsa is a 323-square-foot tiny house complete with a pergola-covered porch, a swing, and a greenhouse that’s sure to make plant lovers swoon.

In 2017, Randy developed a piece of property in Greer, South Carolina, that became a tiny home community.

Shortly after the development was completed, Aho suggested to her parents that the three of them design and build their first tiny home.

"We’re a small company and we do about one house a year," she says.

"We sell only what’s already built, and we think of each design as a piece of art that you can live in."

Elsa, the company’s latest home, comprises 323 square feet of living space on wheels. Randy added another 85 square feet of exterior space by attaching a smaller trailer— which he outfitted with a swing beneath a pergola and a greenhouse— that expands the home and ties it to nature and the outdoors. "We wanted to soften the look and the experience and extend the living space with something useful," Aho says.

Olive Nest Tiny Homes outfitted Elsa with cedar shiplap, standingseam metal exterior siding, and a standing-seam metal pitched roof.

"The look is simple and earthy," Aho says. "We’re of Scandinavian heritage and are drawn to Scandinavian style and design."

Elsa is clad with standing-seam metal and cedar shiplap and features an attached greenhouse and porch with a pergola and a swing. derstated aesthetic—the walls and ceiling are clad in white-painted shiplap. Fourteen windows flood the living areas with sunlight— including the sleeping loft, which accommodates a queen-size bed and is tall enough for standing.

"We used lots of windows and kept the ceiling high for an open, airy look," Aho says. Double-sided art-

sofa pulls out to sleep two people.

"We put storage everywhere we could," Aho says.

The designers used live-edge wood slabs to craft the stair treads, a pivoting bar, and the counter in the bath. "We included the bar for more seating or to use as a work-

The interior also displays an un-

How to update home lighting to be easy on the eyes

Sunlight bounces off white-painted shiplap walls in the kitchen and the sleeping loft; the flooring is from Pergo.

Improving the comfort of your eyes could be as simple as changing a light bulb. Photo source: Signify

I

f you ever experience eyestrain, tired itchy eyes, blurry vision or headaches, it may be time to give your home a lighting makeover.

Problems caused by bad lighting can be intensified by using it for longer, something most households should keep in mind, as 74 percent of Americans in a recent survey, commissioned by lighting manufacturer, Signify, say they spend eight hours or more a day under artificial light.

The World Health Organization predicts that 50 percent of people will be short sighted by 2050.

Unfortunately, there’s a disconnect between people’s concerns about eye health and the steps they are taking to support eye comfort at home. While 80 percent of U.S. consumers in the same Signify survey say they believe good lighting is beneficial for eye health, a 2017 Signify study found only 21 percent take that into account when purchasing light bulbs, and only 29 percent consider light quality.

For many consumers, the disconnect may stem from overwhelming choice when it comes to home lighting and from not having enough information to make an informed decision. Luckily, manufacturers are taking steps to improve lighting quality and help guide consumers in their search for comfortable light that’s easy on the eyes.

For example, Signify has defined specific lighting quality parameters, which take into account factors such

as flicker, strobe, glare and dimming effects that can affect one’s eye comfort. Consumers can look for an EyeComfort label on product packaging to identify the Philips LED light bulbs that meet the standards for quality lighting that’s easy on the eyes.

To further protect your eyes and avoid discomfort, try the following: • If you are in front of screens (computers, smartphones, televisions) for extended periods of time, close your eyes for 20 seconds or more, every 20 minutes, to allow them to relax.

• If outdoors, wear sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection to help protect your eyes from the sun. It’s helpful to keep a pair in your bag or car, so they are always nearby. Also

consider spending a bit more time in natural light and less in artificial light.

• Exercise and strengthen your eyes by incorporating simple, yet effective eye yoga exercises into your daily routine for a few minutes daily.

• Schedule regular check-ups with an eye specialist, who will be able to detect the first signs of any eye condition or disease.

While certain eye conditions are beyond one’s control, why not do what’s in your power to protect your family from eyestrain and related discomfort? The simple DIY project of upgrading your home lighting can mean happier, healthier eyes and better quality of life. (StatePoint)

E

yestrain occurs when your eyes get tired from intense use, such as while driving long distances or staring at computer screens and other digital devices.

Eyestrain doesn't have serious or long-term consequences, but it can be aggravating and unpleasant. It can make you tired and reduce your ability to concentrate. It usually goes away once you rest your eyes or take other steps to reduce your eye discomfort. But in some cases, signs and symptoms of eyestrain can indicate an underlying eye condition that needs treatment.

Signs and symptoms of eyestrain include: Sore, tired, burning or itching eyes, Watery or dry eyes, blurred or double vision, Headache, Sore neck, shoulders or back, Increased sensitivity to light, Difficulty concentrating, and feeling that you cannot keep your eyes open Common causes of eyestrain include: Looking at digital device screens, Reading without pausing to rest your eyes, Driving long distances and doing other activities involving extended focus. -WebMD

works by MSusan hang in the sleeping loft, providing privacy and separation from the rest of the house.

space," Aho says. "The live edge is natural and gives a relaxed, homey feeling."

In the kitchen, quartz counters and white cabinetry are paired with unpainted floating shelves and a bookcase made of maple. Shelving beneath the stair treads provides additional storage, and the living room

But for however homey the interior is, we can’t stop thinking about swinging under the shade of a pergola beside a greenhouse teeming with flowers and lush plantings.

- Dwell.com

Local home price growth showed no signs of slowing this summer

by Hank Klocksin

G

rowth in home prices this summer maintained a robust pace, thanks to persistently low inventory and, according to a new report, a new interest in buying homes among older millennials.

The CoreLogic Home Price Index for July shows a 3.6 percent rise over a year earlier. Prices rose or stayed the same in 48 states, and slipped year-over-year in only two states: Connecticut and South Dakota.

The report notes that older millennials—those in their 30s—are indicating a desire to get into the housing market after hesitating longer than previous generations.

“Sales of new and existing homes this July were up from a year ago, supported by low mortgage rates and rising family income,” CoreLogic chief economist Dr. Frank Nothaft said in a press release about the new numbers. “With the for-sale inventory remaining low in many markets, the pick-up in buying has nudged price growth up. If low interest rates and rising income continue, then we expect home-price growth will strengthen over the coming year.”

On a monthly basis, prices in July notched a slight rise of 0.5 percent over June levels. Last year, the same index showed a 6.2 percent increase in home prices over the previous year across the country in July.

In metro Houston, prices were

up 2.4 percent this July from 2018.

Statewide, the number was considerably better, with a 3.2 percent climb in prices over the same period throughout Florida. CoreLogic rated Boston’s market “overvalued” in July, meaning prices are climbing within a range that is above historical norms for the area, and a price reckoning may be on the horizon.

CoreLogic estimates that 37 percent of the country’s 100 largest metropolitan areas had an overvalued housing market as of this July. That’s compared to 23 percent that were considered undervalued, and 40 percent where home prices were valued within a range considered to be about normal.

Looking toward next year, CoreLogic forecasts that by July, 2020, annual home price growth will quicken, rising to 5.4 percent over the next 11 months or so, due to continuing low inventory and a dearth of potential sellers willing to list their homes.

“A growing number of millennials are expressing an interest in buying homes, reinforcing the theory that this cohort is continuing to engage within the housing market,” said Frank Martell, president and CEO of CoreLogic. “But, with so few homes available for sale, the imbalance has created an affordability crisis that is getting worse every day. Demand exceeds supply and we’re unsure of when the two will balance out.”

- Houston Agent Magazine