VOA Epaper July 12, 2019 by VoiceOf Asia

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India's World Cup exit 'breaks a billion hearts'

Tour de Impossible?

EW DELHI | AFP | Wednesday 7/10/2019 - Indians reacted with shock and dismay on Wednesday after their stunning World Cup exit, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the team's "fighting spirit" and his main rival saying a billion hearts were broken. Near the end of the semifinal against New Zealand, with India still in with a chance, a crowd of some 400500 fans cheered and danced at every big hit on a big screen at an amphitheatre surrounded by offices in Gurgaon outside Delhi. But when MS Dhoni, India's warhorse, was spectacularly run out by Martin Guptill's direct hit to follow Ravindra Jadeja back to the pavilion, the fans knew the game was as good as over and most walked out, devastated. "We are feeling sad, and you can see me, I feel like crying," said office worker Neeraj Singh, sobbing, after New Zealand's dramatic 18run win. "We love Team India, we

India fans react at the end of play during the Cricket World Cup first semi-final against New Zealand at Old Trafford in Manchester. (AFP Photo) love Kohli, we love Mahi (MS Dhoni) and forever we will love cricket. And like our boss Kohli has said, Dhoni will

forever be our captain in our hearts," he told AFP. Fellow fan Prabhdeep Singh said that after India lost early

wickets, including that of captain Virat Kohli to reduce the two-time champions to 24 for Continued on Page 8

UN blasts India, Pakistan over Kashmir inaction

Pakistan hosts 'world's toughest cycle race'

inishing nearly 5,000 metres above sea level after hundreds of kilometres winding past blackened glaciers and snow-capped peaks: a new Pakistani race presents a world-class challenge for cyclists -- climbing towards the "Roof of the World".

ENEVA, Switzerland | AFP | Monday 7/8/2019 - The UN rights office hammered India and Pakistan on Monday for failing to improve the situation in Kashmir, while renewing calls for an international probe into violations in the disputed Himalayan region.

The Khunjerab Tour must become an attraction for the most daring and adventurous cyclists in the world. The cyclists' tyres swallow up

Kashmir, ruled in part but claimed in full by both countries, has suffered decades of unrest with rebel groups fighting for independence from Indian rule or a merger of Kashmir with Pakistan, in bloodshed that has left tens of thousands dead, mostly civilians. Last year, the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released its firstever report on Kashmir, documenting wrongdoing by both sides and urging action to reduce long-standing tensions.

The race was held in Pakistan's northern Gilgit region, home to some of the planet's tallest peaks. (AFP Photo/Aamir Qureshi)

In a follow up report, the rights office said "neither India nor Pakistan have taken any concrete steps to address the numerous concerns raised." "In Indian-Administered Kashmir, accountability for violations committed by members of the Indian security forces remains virtually non-existent," the report said. Kashmir, ruled in part but claimed in full by both countries, has suffered decades of unrest (AFP Photo/Tauseef Mustafa)

The groundbreaking 2018 findings were particularly hard on India, highlighting "chronic impunity" for mis-

the asphalt of the Karakoram Highway, one of the highest paved roads in the world. Named after the Karakoram mountain range, the road passes through an extraordinary landscape. Soaring, jagged peaks contrast with vertiginous ravines, glaciers driving a chill wind, and tumbling aquamarine rivers. Landslides are common.

Read on Page 8 conduct by troops. Pakistan welcomed the 2018 findings even though the UN said obtaining information about Pakistan-administered Kashmir was difficult given restrictions on freedom of expression and information. "No steps have been taken to resolve the main issues, including a number of highly problematic legal restrictions," the rights office said Monday. Continued on Page 8

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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by The Editorial Board, The New York Times, July 8, 2019

Publisher: Associate Publisher: Editor-in-Chief: Austin Correspondent: Office Accountant: Marketing Manager: Data Entry:

Koshy Thomas Sherly Philip Shobana Muratee Sherine Thomas Priyan Mathew Giril Edakkunnath Satish Philip

Contributors: OpEd: Dr. Chandra Mittal Legal: Sharlene Sharmila Richards Mala Sharma Research: Dr. Meenakshi Bhattacharjee Health: Sudhir Mathuria

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Editor Online: Shobana Muratee

t is difficult to understand the argument that the United States women’s national soccer team should get paid just as much as the men’s national soccer team.

During the celebrations, fans chanted “equal pay,” highlighting the fact that the United States Soccer Federation, which employs the members of the men’s and women’s national teams, has long paid larger sums to the men. Megan Rapinoe, honored as the World Cup’s top scorer and best player, used her moment in the spotlight to call on United States Soccer to “set things right for the future”by giving the women’s team a raise.

It is the policy of Voice of Asia to publish letters to the editor which evidence a variety of viewpoints. The opinions expressed in any particular letter to the editor are not necessarily those of the management. Voice of Asia welcomes letters in reply to issues raised in letters to editor. In as much letters to the editor are not articles written or researched by members of Voice of Asia, it is not the policy of the Voice of Asia to perform any investigation or confirmation of any facts or allegations contained in letters to the editor. Moreover, Voice of Asia reserves the right to edit letters to the editor as necessary to correct errors of fact, punctuation, spelling and to comply with space constraints. Although paid advertisements may appear inVoice of Asia Group Publications in print, online, or in other electronic formats, theVoice of Asia Group does not endorse the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement.

It is an embarrassment that United States Soccer has failed to address this injustice, allowing the joy of Sunday’s celebrations to be tainted by the reality of unfair treatment. Pay comparisons are complicated because the men’s and women’s teams have separately negotiated contracts. Members of the women’s team are paid by the federation to play in the National Women’s Soccer League, on top of which they receive payments for playing for the national team. The men just get national team payments. Under the current contract for the women’s team, which took effect in April 2017, the women and the men would earn the same amount if both national teams played 20 games — and lost all 20 games. With each victory, however, the men’s team would enjoy a larger advantage. The women can earn more in a given year, as they are likely to do this year. But that is only because they achieved

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The United States women’s national soccer team has earned a parade. The players also earned a payday at least equal to their male counterparts’.

On Sunday, the 23 women selected to represent the United States at the 2019 World Cup triumphed over the Netherlands to complete a dominating run to victory. It is the second straight time the United States has won the quadrennial tournament.

Ms. Rapinoe and her teammates have also gone to court, suing the federation in March for gender discrimination. The allegations extend beyond pay. The suit says United States Soccer also invests less in the team’s practice facilities, travel arrangements and medical care.

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Show Them the Money

The women are much more successful. They should earn more.

All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the consent of the publisher. Voice of Asia assumes no liability resulting from action taken based on the information included herein. Published weekly by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074. Tel: 713774-5140. Fax: 713-774-5143. Email for editorial submissions: voiceasia@aol.com; Email for advertising inquiries and submissions: ads@voiceofasiagroup.com.

— The Publisher

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

By Madison Gesiotto

or years, we were told as women that we “cannot have it all.” We were told that you cannot be a successful career professional, a devoted wife, a good mother, a woman of God, and a principled member of society at the same time. The notion that you have to choose one over another has been ingrained into the minds of millions of women, but that notion is wrong. Today, thanks to cultural shifts and policy changes, the reality is women can absolutely have it all. This is a new era and the numbers clearly reflect this. There are now more college educated women in the workforce than college educated men, and mothers are now the primary breadwinners in four out of 10 families in the United States. Over the past five decades, we have seen major societal shifts and policy changes that have made this one time dream a reality for American women across our great nation. From the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, significant changes in federal law have been made that make it easier for working women to have it all. More recently, we saw the child tax credit doubled from $1,000 to $2,000 per child under the age of 17 under the leadership of President Trump, which has been a significant benefit for middle class American mothers and families with children. We have also seen a rise in female entrepreneurship. From 1997 to 2017, there was a 114 percent increase in the number of businesses owned by women. In 2018, there were more than 12 million

The United States women’s team members celebrating their World Cup victory. (Credit: Alex Grimm/ Getty Images)

so much. For comparable success, the women get less. Much of the debate about the pay gap has focused on revenue. Officials have argued that the men’s team should simply be regarded as a more successful business. Even by this measure, there is a case that the women are being wronged. It is not clear, for example, how United States Soccer treats sponsorships that cover both teams. But revenue is the wrong measuring stick. United States Soccer is a nonprofit, exempted from taxation because it serves a social purpose: “To make soccer, in all its forms, a pre-eminent sport in the United States.” It should be obvious to the people who run the federation that the women’s team is fulfilling that mission at least as well as the men’s team. The women’s soccer team, like other national teams, also represents the United States. The women who wear the nation’s colors are ambassadors on an international stage. Their performances inform perceptions of the United States. Millions of people around the world watched on Sunday as a team of strong and skillful women played a

game with determination and sportsmanship, and then celebrated freely. The federation is making a statement about America by treating those women as second-class citizens. It has an opportunity to make a very different statement by rectifying the situation. Players should get the same rewards for the same achievements, without regard to gender. The World Cup presents a special challenge because much of the money comes from FIFA, the international organization that stages the tournament and disburses the proceeds of its television deals and corporate sponsorships to the national federations. The pot of money for the men’s World Cup is larger than the women’s pot. The women earned bonuses of $37,500 for making the 2019 World Cup team, while the men could have earned $68,750 for making the 2018 World Cup Team — if the team had qualified. FIFA, too, should be held accountable for moving toward gender equity. But there is no need to wait. United States Soccer could make a powerful statement by equalizing these

payments, too. And the men’s national team wants to help. In 2017, Norway agreed to equalize pay for its men’s and women’s national soccer teams. To make the deal possible, the men’s team agreed to share its sponsorship revenues. Admirably, it agreed to earn less as a matter of principle. The union representing the American men’s national team has endorsed this concept. Pay gaps are a persistent problem in American society. The case of the national soccer teams is merely an unusually clear and public example of the issue. United States Soccer and its 28 female players suing for gender discrimination have agreed to enter mediation in the hopes of resolving the players’ lawsuit. The federation now has the opportunity to create its own clear and public example — by finally doing the right thing.

The editorial board represents the opinions of the board, its editor and the publisher. It is separate from the newsroom and the Op-Ed section.

American women can have it all businesses owned by women, who now comprise four out of 10 entrepreneurs in the United States. There are millions of women across the country who are setting the stage for a new era of working women who can have it all. Look at former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who as the daughter of immigrants went on to become the first woman to serve as the governor of South Carolina while also raising two children alongside her husband. Look at Laura Mills, an Ohio attorney, wife, mother and business owner who became known as a “champion for battered women,” all while raising her three children. Look at Nusha Pelicano, the owner of five Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt stores and a single mother

of six children who wakes up to train at 4 a.m. each morning to be an Ironman competitor before taking her children to school. These women are the epitome of what it means to have it all. While much work has been done and women across the United States are thriving more than ever before, the fight is clearly not over yet. Efforts for policy changes that support women and families continue to garner bipartisan support. Ivanka Trump, who focuses on the education and economic empowerment of women, has said, “It is encouraging to see members on both sides of the aisle putting forward paid family leave proposals,” adding that more than 25 years since the Family and Medical Leave Act was passed by Congress, “we finally have

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FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

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AAPI’s Women’s Forum discusses changes in women’s career and it’s impact by Ajay Ghosh

fighting. Women need to support each other and applaud each other’s victory. If you are not doing it no one is going to do it for yourself,” she told the audience.

TLANTA, Georgia: July 6th, 2019) “I have to work double hard in Bollywood. Men had lots of freedom and can have their way. Women had to be confined to line always,” recalled Bollywood actor Preity Zinta, in her keynote address at the Women’s Forum to a packed audience during the 37th annual Convention of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) at the world famous World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA on July 5th, 2019. Organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) the Women’s Forum had a galaxy of successful women, who shared with the AAPI delegates their own stories of growing up and facing challenges with conviction and courage, and have today become role models for other women around the world. Dr. Naresh Parikh welcomed the panelists to the Forum with a warm note. Dr. Naresh Parikh, in his opening remarks, highlighted the importance of Women’s Forum, which has come to be a much sought after event at ever Convention and GHS. In her welcome remarks, Dr. Asha Parikh, Chairwoman of the Women’s Forum, said, “There is a need for empowerment of women, which means women should be respected at home, at work and in the larger society.” Dr. Parikh underscored the importance of the Women’s Forum in AAPI convention and Global Healthcare Summit, and how it has evolved and today it’s one of the much sought after event, with distinguished panelists on the Forum. “The Women’s Forum is where successful and powerful women come and share their life’s dreams, challenges and this empower and inspire other women. Today’s Forum is about how career changes by women affect t them and the larger society.” Dr. Parikh, who is a renowned physician and the First Lady of AAPI, is described to be the power behind Dr. Naresh Parikh, the president of AAPI. Dr. Asha Parikh introduced the Panelists to the audience. The Women’s Forum had Bollywwood actor Preity Zinta, Archana kochar. International designer, who promotes India and Indian-ness through fashion. Consul General of India in Atlanta, Ambassador Swati Kulkarni; Aparna Bhattacharya. Founder and President of Raksha, who has won awards for her relentless community service; Malini Moorthy, Vice President of Medtroics, and Dr. Ila Shah, a Physician and AAPI Leader. Dr. Udaya Shivangi, Vice Chair, AAPI Women’s Forum, led the panel-

Panelists on the podium: Preity Zinta, Archana Kochar, Ambassador Swati Kulkarni,Aparna Bhattacharya, Malini Moorthy, Dr. Ila Shah, Dr. Asha Parikh, and Dr. Udaya Shivangi. ists to a lively discussion on ways how career changes affect women and the inspiration for leading successful career lives. She introduced Dr. Asha Parikh to the audience and welcomed the panelists. Through insightful short questions, DR. Shivangi, a veteran at the Forum since its inception, was able to bring out the best from member of the panel through pointed questions. Priety Zinta, an Indian film actress and entrepreneur, has earned a name for herself as a popular actress in Hindi, Telugu, Punjabi, and English language films. In her free flowing spontaneous speech, now an actor turned entrepreneur, owning several Cricket Teams, said, in a developing country like hours, “Women have come to be successful and they have to be working really hard.” She stressed on the need for equal wages. Respect women and have them walk shoulder to shoulder with men is the biggest challenge, she said. Zinta said, education of women is critical and the need of the hour. “In fact, education helps to highlight a woman’s strength and how much she can do to better the life of her children.” According to her, great emphasis should be given to every woman to empower her financially and socially, educationally, so that she can be independent. “I believe that woman empowerment means financial independence and self-reliance for women.” Preity Zinta said, today, I feel proud that women have achieved so much. But we still have a long way to go.

Malini Moorthy, another panelist, while acknowledging that there is discrimination in the business world, said, in choosing lead positions and when it comes to payments, men are always preferred over women. “We have come a long way. Changes are taking place,” she said. “There are questions raised when such practices are seen happening.” She called upon “more people to speak out against any type of discrimination.” Stressing the need for equality, she said, “I strongly believe in promoting equality. You are the role models for all of us here. Keep fighting and support one another.” In terms of women’s empowerment, “Medtronic has a policy and program for empowering and ensuring recruitment of women from each community, ensuring equal representation to all. We look

Woman has to realize her own potential and strength as an equal member of society. Empowerment is also about women realizing that they should embrace change. Creating awareness is so important, drawing public attention to instances of injustices towards women. “My biggest change in life is being married and I love it and that's the best change that has ever happened in my life,” the young and talented actor told the AAPI delegates. Aparna Bhattacharya shared with the audience about her own advocacy role she and RAKSHA, her noble organization working with women are doing in the state of Georgia and other southern states. Describing violence against women as “most shameful,” Bhattacharya stated, the prevalence of violence against women is a global phenomenon. She called for the need for education towards gender sensitization. “I started as a volunteer and was working with survivors and wanted to help victims of crime in my community,” she recalled. “Breaking the silence of talking about violence and able to talk about it and empower those silently suffering has been the biggest challenge,” she said. “Getting to communicate become aware of working with the Administration to get the resources and help someone get services and break the barriers, some of the initiatives she and RAKSHA are committed to work on. According to her, “The biggest challenge is to keep

Preity Zinta felicitated by Dr. Ila Shah, Dr. Asha Parikh, and Dr. Udaya Shivangi

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Former India cricketer Robin Singh coaches kids in Houston

Thieves go on shopping spree with stolen cards

ormer India Cricketing All rounder and Present Batting Coach of IPL Winners 2019 Mumbai Indians – Robin Singh conducted a 3 Day Special Coaching Camp exclusively in Htown.

UGAR LAND, TX - Sugar Land police are looking for two people who used fraudulent credit cards to purchase more than $20,000 worth of merchandise at Sam's Club stores in the region. Detectives believe mail stolen during February and April from at least four residential mailboxes in Sugar Land was used to order credits cards. A man and a woman used the fraudulent cards to purchase a Sam's Club membership and merchandise that included electronics, groceries and gift cards. Two suspects were identified from surveillance video inside the stores, and a suspect vehicle was seen on cameras at one of the homes targeted by the thieves in the Sugar Creek subdivision. The man was black, 2535 years old, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and

Robin Singh was in Houston on behalf of US based cricket agency network – Cricket Huddle to conduct high performance coaching camp on June 29, 30 and July 1st for kids and adults from ages of 8-32. - About Robin Singh Surveillance image. weighed approximately 175200 pounds. The woman was black, 25-35 years old, 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed about 120 to 140 pounds. The vehicle appears to be a grey or silver

2015-2017 Nissan Rogue. Anyone with information should call the Sugar Land Police Department at (281) 275-2540 or Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers at (281) 342-TIPS (8477).

FBI seeks bulky bank robber

OUSTON - The FBI Violent Crime Task Force needs the public’s help identifying and locating an armed man who robbed a BBVA Compass Bank on Monday in west Houston. Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information which leads to the identification and arrest of the robber.

The suspect entered the bank, approached a teller, and threatened the teller while demanding cash. As the teller was organizing the cash, the robber lifted up his shirt and displayed a black pistol. He fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was physically hurt during the robbery.

Images: FBIHouston. The robber is described as a black male in his late 20s to early 30s, approximately 5’9” tall, with a heavy build. During the robbery, he wore silver sunglasses, a tan bucket hat, a maroon sweatshirt, tan cargo pants, and black boots. Photographs of the bank robbery suspect are attached. They can also be found on Twitter @ FBIHouston. Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the

Robin Singh was not only a player who played at the highest level for India – but he was the fielding coach of Indian Men’s cricket team coaching the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh to name a few. He has an exemplary record of most Robin Singh has coached cricket for one of the highest valued teams in the world Mumbai Indians and has been with them for the last 10 years. Besides IPL, he has vast experience coaching in other T20 leagues around the world.

identification and arrest of this robber. If you have any information, please call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 713222-TIPS (8477) or the FBI Houston Field Office at (713) 693-5000. Tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers through their website, www. crime-stoppers.org, or the Houston Crime Stoppers mobile phone app which can be downloaded for both iPhone and Android devices. All tipsters remain anonymous.

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The Special Camp and Masterclass was focused on skill assessment of each players individually, then playing a game of cricket in front of Robin and eventually he worked with participants individually to passing tricks and tips to help improve their batting, bowling and fielding skills. What was surprising was that - this camp was attended not only by kids in Houston Texas but also by enthusiastic kids and their parents who came all the way from other states like Arizona, North Carolina and Dallas just to name a few. In fact it was attended by a women cricketer Nina Rowalla. When asked about her experience, she said “ I can’t thank Cricket Huddle enough. This was a great opportunity for kids and adults like myself to interact with someone of the caliber of Robin Singh. I just wish this camp was going to go on for a few more days. Another parent of one of the kids who attended the camp said “ The kids have learnt some good skills and will treasure the golden nuggets they received from Robin in form of his experience and knowledge”. One day before the camp

THE STORY OF MAHATMA GANDHI

“Something wrong? Any bad news?” he asked. The brother nodded and told him of the death of their mother. “It was during your exams a few weeks ago. We did not want to disturb you,” said the brother. The news was a terrible shock for Gandhi who wanted to let Putlibai know of how he had kept his vows to not drink alcohol or eat meat. Gandhi started practice as a lawyer in Rajkot, but he was deeply disgusted at the greed and honesty of many of his fellow professionals. After some time, he got an offer to work in South Africa from Dada Abdulla & Co who owned big business concerns there. He was to be a legal adviser to the firm which had filed a lawsuit against another company seeking damages of 400,000 dollars. Gandhi was hired because he spoke English well and knew English law well. His services were required for one year and the company promised him a handsome salary and first class return fare. The opportunity to see a new country and new people was indeed very exciting and Gandhi accepted the offer. It was painful to part from Kasturbai and Harilal, but he was keen to go. In April 1893 he left Bombay for South Africa. He

started - a meet and greet event was organized for Robin hosted by Cricket Huddle and Pepon Digital that was attended by close to 150 people. The banquet hall was overfull and it was an evening - where fans asked questions, took autographs and selfies and had a great time interacting with

After a week in Durban, he left for Pretoria to attend to the case for which he was engaged. With a first class ticket, he boarded the train. At the next stop, an Englishman got into the compartment. He was travelling in a train to Pretoria, in a first class compartment.

reached the port of Natal at the end of May 1893. In South Africa, he noticed that Indians were treated with little respect. They were called ‘Coolies’. Within a week of his arrival, he visited the court with Abdulla Seth of Dada Abdulla & Co. No sooner had he sat down that the magistrate pointed his plump finger at him. “You must remove your turban,” he said sternly. Gandhi was surprised. He looked around. There were several Muslim and Parsi men wearing turbans. He could not understand why he was being singled out. “Sir,” he replied. “I see no reason why I should remove my turban. I refuse to do so.” When the magistrate insisted that he remove his turban, Gandhi walked out of the court. Abdulla Seth ran after him and caught him by the arm. “You don’t understand,” he said. “These white people consider Indians inferior and address them as “coolie” or “sami.” Parsis and Muslims are allowed to wear turbans as the turban is thought to have religious significance.” “The magistrate insulted me,” Gandhi said angrily. “Any such rule is an insult to a free man. I shall write at once to the Durban Press to protest such insulting rules.” And Gandhi did write. The letter was published and it led to

Robin Singh with an aspiring cricket youth.

unexpected debate and discussion. At the same time, some other papers described Gandhi as a troublemaker and unwelcome visitor.

Gandhi suffers racial insults in South Africa s the ship streamed into Bombay harbor, he saw his brother waiting to receive him. After exchanging pleasantries with the brother Gandhi noticed that his brother was very reticent.

Robin Singh showing proper ball technique.

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The robbery occurred at approximately 4:24 p.m. on Monday, July 8, 2019, at the BBVA Compass Bank located at 1575 Eldridge Parkway.

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

He looked at Gandhi with contempt and called the conductor. “Take this coolie out and put him in a lower class!” he said. The conductor turned to gandhi and said, “Hey Sami, Come along with me to the next compartment.” “No I will not,” said Gandhi. “I was sold a first class ticket and I have every right to be here.” The conductor called a policeman who pushed him out with his bag and baggage. The train left. Gandhi spent the night shivering in the cold, but he did not touch his luggage. This incident changed the whole course of his life. He decided to fight all such injustices. He sent a note of protest to the general manager of the railways, but the official only supported the rail employees.

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More trouble was still in store for him. Next morning, he went to Charlestown by train. He had now to travel by a stagecoach to Johannesburg, but he was not allowed to sit inside the coach with white passengers. To avoid confrontation Gandhi sat outside on the coach-box

Robin. With Houston being one of the cricketing hubs in the US – we really do hope – that more of such cricket events and programs are conducted in Houston and the whole of US so that kids can represent USA in cricket at the highest level.

behind the coachman. After some time the conductor asked him to sit on a dirty sack on the step below. Gandhi refused. The conductor began to pull him down and beat him up. At this time, some of the passengers came to Gandhi’s rescue and he was allowed to sit with them. Gandhi reached Johannesburg the next night, quite shaken by the experiences on the way. He had the address of a Muslim merchant’s house, where he spent the night. The next day he bought a first class ticket and continued his train journey to Pretoria. The only other passenger in the compartment was a well-dressed Englishman. A little later, a conductor entered and Gandhi quickly showed him the ticket. “Your ticket does not matter,” growled the conductor. “Go to the third class at once.” Before Gandhi could reply, the Englishman flung down the newspaper and said, “Why are you harassing this gentleman? His ticket gives him a right to be here.” And then turning to Gandhi, he said, “Make yourself comfortable just where you are, young man.” Thanking him warmly, Gandhi settled down with a book. It was late in the evening when the train pulled into Pretoria. He stayed at a hotel that night and moved into a lodge the next day. There he began to study the Abdulla lawsuit. Even while he was working on it, he found time to call a meeting of the Indians in Pretoria. — To be Continued

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Door open to US rate cut as Fed's Powell flags economic uncertainties

In his highly-anticipated testimony to Congress, Powell also reiterated that he would not step down should President Donald Trump attempt to fire him. And in remarks welcomed by Wall Street, Powell said many central bankers believed the case for lower rates "had strengthened" last month given the rising "crosscurrents" in the economy.

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell says that in the view of many central bankers the case for lower interest rates has strengthened (AFP Photo/NICHOLAS KAMM)

Investors took this as a clear signal a cut in the benchmark lending rate will be announced at the Fed's next meeting July 30-31. The broad-based S&P 500 stock index on Wednesday hit 3,000 for the first time before pairing gains somewhat.

After raising the key borrowing rate nine times since 2015 as the economy expanded, most recently in December, the Fed last month opened the door to a rate cut amid signs of slowing.

edly criticizing Powell on Twitter and in public comments.

Powell repeated that sentiment in his prepared statement to the House Financial Services Committee, saying the central bank "would act as appropriate to sustain the expansion."

US media sector braces for brutal year for jobs

The struggling US media industry is facing its worst year for job layoffs in a decade as news organizations continue to cut staff and close shop, according to a new survey. The consultancy Challenger Gray & Christmas reported this week that media companies, which include movies, television, publishing, music, and broadcast and print news, announced plans to cut 15,474 jobs so far this year, of which 11,878 of which were from news organizations. That is nearly three times more than the 4,062 cuts announced in the media sector in 2017 and the highest total since the economic crisis in 2009. "Members of the media, especially journalists, have had a tough few years," said Andrew Challenger, vice president of the Chicago-based firm. "Many jobs were already in jeopardy due to a business model that tried to meet consumer demand for free news with ad revenue. As media outlets attempted to put news behind pay walls, in many markets, consumers opted not to pay."

Some of the notable events this year included the closing of the Youngstown Vindicator, the only daily in the Ohio city, with 144 jobs lost, and the sale of the New Orleans Times-Picayune resulting in the loss of some 160 positions including 65 in the newsroom. But the troubles have also impacted the digital sector with BuzzFeed cutting 200 employees in January and Verizon eliminating 800 jobs in its media division, which includes Yahoo, AOL, and HuffPost, the Challenger report noted. The report noted that media companies have been unable to keep pace with Facebook and Google in tailoring ads for customers based on their interests, making it hard to generate online revenue. It also noted that a rise in browser ad blocking extensions has made it increasingly difficult to monetize online news. "Job cuts and consolidations are likely to continue until these companies are able to find ways to create growth in revenue streams," Andrew Challenger said. He added that subscriptionbased models will only work if news organizations can convince consumers of the importance and value of their news.

US-China trade talks resume: US officials

ASHINGTON | AFP | 7/9/2019 -US officials held a phone call on Tuesday with their Chinese counterparts to discuss the ongoing trade conflict between the countries, US officials said. It was the first official contact since President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to resume talks just over a week ago. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer "spoke with Vice Premier Liu He and Minister Zhong Shan today to continue negotiations aimed at resolving the outstanding trade disputes between the United States and China," the official said in a statement. "Both sides will continue these talks as appropriate." After talks nearly collapsed in May, Trump and Xi met on June 29 on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Japan and agreed to resume negotia-

Mohammad Tariq, Hanmi Bank executive expands his marketing efforts

ASHINGTON | AFP | 7/10/2019 Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday left the door open to an interest rate cut this month, pointing to uncertainty about trade frictions and global growth.

ASHINGTON | AFP | Friday 7/5/2019 CORRECTS story originally filed July 3 to fix 6th para on jobs lost in New Orleans

Tel: 713-774-5140

ohammad Tariq, Executive Vice President & Regional Chief Banking Officer at Hanmi Bank has been appointed to actively grow the South Asian market in Hanmi’s geographical footprints across the U.S. Tariq joined the bank in 2014 to manage Texas market’s overall operations, loan production and deposit generation. He recently led the effort to open a new branch in Houston Chinatown area, an important initiative for the Hanmi’s growth strategy.

by Heather Scott

For the moment, a rate cut also should satisfy Trump, who has been putting intense and constant pressure on the Fed to cut the benchmark interest rate and boost the economy, repeat-

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

tions toward ending their yearlong trade war and to refrain from imposing any new tariffs. The talks that seemed to be nearing conclusion stalled in May after Trump accused the Chinese side of reneging on commitments. He then jacked up duty rates on $200 billion in Chinese imports. Washington and Beijing have hit each other with punitive tariffs covering more than $360 billion in two-way trade and those duties remain in place. Trump triggered a backlash on Capitol Hill by agreeing to soften some US export restrictions on components to China's telecom giant Huawei. The United States had imposed tough sanctions on the company, which American officials say Beijing exploits for espionage. However, Trump stipulated that officials would take care to avoid creating new risks to US national security.

And he said that in the weeks since the June policy meeting "it appears that uncertainties around trade tensions and concerns about the strength of the global economy continue to weigh on the US economic outlook." At the same time, price measures watched closely by the Fed continue to run well below its two percent target. - 'I would not do that' "Inflation pressures remain muted," he said. "And there is a risk that weak inflation will be even more persistent than we currently anticipate." Powell has brushed off Trump's attacks, saying the Fed does not pay attention to politics. Under questioning from committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, Powell said he would rebuff a demand from Trump that he resign. "Of course I would not do that," Powell said. "The law clearly gives me a four-year term and I fully intend to serve it." And in his prepared remarks, Powell said that, in the wake of Trump's aggressive trade policies, especially with China, businesses and farmers now "report heightened concerns" about the US economy. Meanwhile, disappointing growth in China and Europe raised fears a weak global economy could affect US growth and this has contributed to slowing business investment and waning confidence, he said. Although the US economy expanded by a solid 3.1 percent in the first three months of the year, the Fed chief said that growth was based on factors, like exports, "that are not generally reliable indicators of ongoing momentum." Kathy Bostjancic of Oxford Economics is looking for three rate cuts by January, which would reverse most of the increases in 2018 but she said the Fed would not adopt the 0.5 point cut financial markets were hoping for. "The overall tenor of his comments lend support to our view that following a 25 bps rate cut in July, another rate cut is likely in September as global crosscurrents continue to exert downside risks," she said in research note. The Fed still believes the US economy will post solid growth, as labor markets remain healthy. But Powell pointed to other domestic concerns that need to be addressed, including "high and rising federal debt." In addition, he said, the "relative stagnation of middle and lower incomes and low levels of upward mobility for lowerincome families are also ongoing concerns." But Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics said a rate cut, though likely, would be a "bad idea" since economic prospects should improve once Washington and Beijing settle their trade dispute. The Fed chief is required to testify before Congress twice a year and Powell will respond to questions from legislators, before appearing Thursday before the Senate Banking Committee.

Tariq’s ability to generate a profitable growth has opened a door of opportunity for him to expand his management and leadership capabilities beyond Texas. “Tariq has extensive lending background serving the South Asian, Middle Eastern, Korean, Chinese and the mainstream communities. He is well qualified to strengthen our relationship with the South Asian communities while growing our markets”, said Bonnie Lee, President & CEO of Hanmi Bank. “My team and I will focus our initial efforts on meeting the needs of our customers in markets such as Illinois, New Jersey and Virginia where we already have established presence. We will be exploring opportunities to further strengthen our reach into multi-ethnic communities”, said Tariq. Prior to joining Hanmi Bank, Tariq served as the Chief Lending Officer at MetroBank, N.A., and Executive Vice President and Chief Loan Officer at Golden Bank, N.A. He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania’s Stonier School

Mohammad Tariq, Executive Vice President & Regional Chief Banking Officer at Hanmi Bank of Banking and holds a Leadership certification from the Wharton School of Business. Hanmi Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: HAFC, or “Hanmi”), the parent company of Hanmi Bank (the “Bank”), serves multiethnic communities through its network of 35

full-service branches and 9 loan production offices in California, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Colorado, Washington and Georgia. Hanmi Bank specializes in real estate, commercial, SBA and trade finance lending to small and middle market businesses.

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FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

TNF Houston Chapter celebrates Father’s Day

Father's Day celebrations were held at the Sugar Land Memorial Park- South Meadow Pavilion. by Dr. P. Stalin

amil Nadu Foundation (TNF) – Houston Chapter conducted its Fathers’ Day Celebration on Sunday, 30th June, 2019 at Sugar Land Memorial ParkSouth Meadow Pavilion. The TNF office bearers and members of Advisory Board along with family arrived at 10.00 AM and started the function arrangements. Some of those who participated brought food, audio-visuals and other needed items for celebrating the event. The President of the Houston Chapter, Mrs. Mala Gopalakrishnan did the welcome address and gave a brief introduction of the TNF- Chapter activities and introduced the officers namely Secretary Dr. Nalini Balachandran and Treasurer Mrs. Punitha Thangaraj. Also, she introduced the Advisory Board members. Among the TNF Board members who

anchor the tree to the ground. This tree symbolizes longevity which means offering continuous care and guidance to the upcoming generation in a family. The Father’s Day started in a pleasant manner with a prayer song sung by Mr. Anathakrishnan, followed by Karaoke-songs offered by Ganesh Rajamani, Uma Shankar, Kishore Thangaraj, Nalini Balachandran, Thenmozhi Ganesh, Anitha Chandrashekar and Priya Senthil. Also Aadhi Gopalakrishnan and Aakash Srikanth sang a very popular Tamil song. After that, a debate (Patti Mandram) on the “Future of Children’s Career is Self driven or under Father’s guidance” was conducted. There were three participants in each group. For those who supported ‘Self driven” were Dr. Jeevaraj, Dr.P. Stalin and Dr. Vaduganathan. And those who supported the group “Fa-

to-day activities. On the other hand, the ‘Father’s guidance group” presented the view on the significance of abiding the continuous guidance and mentorship of parents for leading their children’s bright future career. The discussions were very hilarious that made the audience quite lively. On hearing both sides of the debate, the judges narrated with specific examples from their own personal lives and concluded that the future of children’s carrier can be advanced both by Self driven as well as by close monitoring and guidance of parents. This combined effort will only provide a healthy atmosphere for the well being of the entire family. The president of the Houston Chapter congratulated the speakers of the both groups of the debate for their valuable contributions. With joy and humility, the organizers of the Houston Chapter served a sumptuous lunch

AAPI’s Women’s Forum ... Continued from Page 3 at leadership as coming from all forms women bring in their unique talents and leadership,” she said. Regarding her personal life, Moorthy said, while she wants to use her talents and skills for serving larger society, but not sure if she wants to fight for any political office.

and snacks to all the participants. Amid much cheers, the program continued with some more pleasant songs offered by attendees. The weather was very pleasant throughout the day. There were about 80 persons that included kids and adults who equally enjoyed the event.

Archana Kochhar, an Indian fashion designer, who designs have been featured by celebrities like Prabhu Deva, Shriya Saran, Amrita Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bipasha Basu and Vijender Singh among others, spoke about guiding our children to make career choices in the highly competitive fashion world. If one wants to make fashion his or her career, one needs to be prepared to have hard work, right attitude, creativity, how you deal with people, especially being humble and open attitude, she said. “We should work hard on building our brand, Be able to recognize one’s uniqueness inonselfu and build on it and pursue your career.

Finally, Dr. Nalini Balachandran offered the vote of thanks. She thanked the office bearers, advisory board members and other participants of the event for their involvement and making the function a grand success.

Sharing her personal experiences with SMILE and ther inspiration to start SMILE, Kochar said, “My journey with SMILE happened accidentally after seeing an acid victim.” In her efforts to help acid victims and help with their treatment,

Senior fathers Dr.S.G.Appan, Mr. Anantha Krishnan and Mr. C. Jegadeesan were recognized on the occasion attended the function were Dr. Vaduganathan, Mr. Srikanth Venugopal and Mr. Bala J. Balachandran along with family members. In her welcome address, she mentioned that the TNF took a lead in organizing the Fathers’ day celebration this year. Among the senior fathers who attended the event were Dr.S.G.Appan, Mr. Anantha Krishnan and Mr. C. Jegadeesan. They were recognized as Banyan tree (Alamaram Appa) which means sturdy and characterized by aerial prop roots that mature into thick woody trunks and

ther’s guidance” were Mr. Chokkalingam, Mr. Govindan and Mr. Thangaraj. The above three senior fathers volunteered to be the judges for the debate. The speakers of the” Self driven group “stressed the importance of allowing the children to take self-decisions in building their future carrier namely education, job and life style. In the contemporary world, the children are well aware about good and bad things in their lives and some time they help the parents in routine day-

she had an acid victim walk on a New York Fashion Show, which made headlines across the world media. She was able to raise money to help victims of acid victim. Ever since, it has been a passion for this talented fashion designer to be associated with and support acid victims, she said. “When we share our platform for a noble cause, we can create magic for all,” she said. Dr. Kulkarni, who has changed career from being a Physician to a Career Diplomat shared with the audience her won story of how she happened to change her career. She have credit to her uncle from Mumbai, who “dragged” her into career diplomacy, which she has come to enjoy in life. Stating that she misses being with patients and caring for their health, Dr. KUlkani, who has risen to heights through hard work and dedication said, “My Medical career gave me the rigorous discipline which has made me successful in my present career. I miss my OPD, but I love my new career and work,” she said. In her message to women, Dr. Kulkarni stressed the need for women’s education. “Education is the keyword, which will empower women socially, emotionally, and economically. Financial independence will

give one self respect and she can become a key rolemodel for others.” The three-day historic event, the 37th Annual AAPI Convention & Scientific Assembly being held from July 3rd to July 7th, 2019 at the fabulous and world famous Omni Atlanta at CNN Center and Georgia World Congress Center, and inaugurated by Sadhguru, offers an intimate setting that facilitates the exchange of cutting-edge research through CMEs, promotes business relationships, and displays and promotes ethnic culture and traditions. The 37th annual AAPI Convention, while providing physicians of Indian origin an opportunity to come together in an atmosphere of collegiality, it enables them to retrace and appreciate their common roots, culture and the bond that unites them as members of this large professional community. Giving them a platform to celebrate their accomplishments, the annual convention to be attended by nearly 2,000 physicians of Indian origin, it provides a forum to renew their professional commitment through continuing medical educations activities. For more details, please visit: https://aapisummit.org/www. aapiusa.org

When life throws you a financial challenge, you’ve proven you have what it takes to ace it. Now it’s time to tackle your retirement savings at AceYourRetirement.org

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VOICE OF ASIA 7

Congressman Al Green brings deported constituent Jose Escobar home

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

Four Indian-Americans arrested in US for H1B visa fraud The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

our Indian-American executives from two IT staffing companies have been arrested on charges of fraudulently using the H-1B visa programme to gain an unfair advantage over their competitors, the US Justice Department has said. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Vijay Mane, 39, Venkataramana Mannam, 47, and Fernando Silva, 53, from New Jersey while Sateesh Vemuri, 52, from California were each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday. Congressman Green with Jose Escobar and his family. Photos from Rep. Al Green's Facebook posts

OUSTON, TX (July 1, 2019) – On July 1, 2019, Congressman Al Green returned to Houston with his repatriated constituent Jose Escobar and his family. Congressman Green fought tirelessly for two years to reunite Jose with his family by advocating for him in Congress as well as through his visits to El Salvador. Mr. Escobar came to the United States when he was 15 years old. He worked, married, became a father and contributed to American society. However, he was deported to El Salvador in 2017 and given a 10-year ban from re-entering the United States. Congressman Green took up his case and worked in both the United States and in El Salvador for Mr. Escobar’s return. Today that hard work has paid off and Mr. Escobar is now home to continue life in the United States with his wife and their two children. “On Thursday, June 6, 2019, I had the bittersweet opportunity of visiting my constituent Jose Escobar in El Salvador for the second time,” said Congressman Green. “It was bittersweet because Mr. Escobar should have been at home in Houston with his family, not separated from them in a country he left 18 years ago. “Jose Escobar came to the United States in 2001 and registered for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) due to an earthquake that hit El Salvador that same year. For numerous years, he was a law-abiding resident who was complying with his Order of Supervision; yet, after reporting to federal immigration offices in Houston, he was detained and deported to El Salvador. Since 2017, Mr. Escobar has been living in El Salvador away from his family. His U.S. native wife Rose Escobar remained in Houston trying to be strong for their children, who would constantly ask her when their father would be back home – to which she typically responded ‘soon.’ I felt it necessary to travel to El Salvador three times for my constituent and intervene to help reunite Jose with his family. Mr. Escobar’s ban from the United States for 10 years would have denied him the opportunity to rear his children. His son Walter would be an adult and his daughter Carmen would be a teenager upon his return after 10 years. “Today, I am proud and honored to witness this family’s dream become a reality,” declared Congressman Green. “I must thank U.S. Embassy officials in San Salvador, the lawyers for the Escobars, the media, and the activist community for their assistance, as well as every person and entity that aided the Escobar family and me. I am grateful that this day is finally here.

“While, Mr. Escobar has now been afforded the opportunity to rejoin his family, there is still work to be done to reunite the other ‘Escobars’ of our country. Therefore, I am proud to announce that on January 3, 2019 I re-introduced H.R. 168 – the Reentry and Reunification Act. This bill aims to reunite deserving families by providing a verified pathway to U.S. citizen-

ship for individuals who have no criminal history, who were deported, and who have a spouse or children who are currently U.S. citizens. This bill would also provide lawful permanent resident status to previously removed nonU.S. citizen individuals who are the parents and/or spouses of U.S. citizens. Let us continue to work to ensure that families like the Escobars can no longer be separated.”

Vemuri made his initial appearance on July 1 before the US Magistrate Judge Steven C Mannion in Newark federal court while Mannam and Silva appeared before the US Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wet-

tre in Newark federal court on June 25. Mane appeared before Judge Wettre on June 27. All accused were released on USD 250,000 bond, the Department of Justice said. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a USD 250,000 fine. According to the Department of Justice, Mane, Mannam, and Vemuri controlled two IT staffing companies-- Procure Professionals Inc and Krypto IT Solutions Inc-- located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Similarly, Silva and Mannam also controlled another New Jersey staffing company, referred to in the complaint as 'Client A'. They used Procure and Krypto to recruit foreign nationals and sponsor them for H-1B visas, which allow recipients to live and work temporarily in the US in positions requiring specialised skills.

To expedite their visa applications, the defendants caused Procure and Krypto to file H-1B applications falsely asserting that the foreign worker/ beneficiaries had already secured positions at Client A, when, in reality, no such positions existed, federal prosecutors alleged. Instead, they used these fraudulent applications to build a “bench” of job candidates already admitted to the United States, who could then be hired out immediately to client companies without the need to wait through the visa application process, giving the defendants an advantage over their competitors in the staffing industry. The charges against the four comes amid a crackdown on the H-1B programme by the administration of President Donald Trump, aim at outsourcers and IT staffing companies, and dramatically increased the rate of rejection for H-1B visas. - PTI

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Tour de Impossible? Pakistan hosts 'world's toughest cycle race' by Gohar ABBAS

HUNJERAB , Pakistan | AFP | Sunday 7/7/2019 - Finishing nearly 5,000 metres above sea level after hundreds of kilometres winding past blackened glaciers and snow-capped peaks: a new Pakistani race presents a world-class challenge for cyclists -- climbing towards the "Roof of the World". The Tour de Khunjerab -- its name a homage to its more famous French counterpart, which began on Saturday -- is still many years away from being another Big Loop, but with a solid claim to being the highest cycling race in the world, it has a lot to offer a certain type of athlete. In the last week of June, some 88 cyclists, including two teams from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka as well as solo participants from Spain and Switzerland, took part in its second edition. Less than half completed it within the allotted time. The four stages -- three ranging from 68 to 94 kilometres (42 to 58 miles) plus a shorter time trial -- are much shorter

than many other cycling events. But there is one fundamental difference: the Pakistani Tour starts at 1,500 metres above sea level, and never stops climbing.

Starting at 2,800 metres -higher than the Iseran Pass, the summit of the Tour de France -- it ends at 4,700 metres, just over 100 metres short of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain.

The cyclists' tyres swallow up the asphalt of the Karakoram Highway, one of the highest paved roads in the world. Named after the Karakoram mountain range -- just one of the ranges in Gilgit -- the road passes through an extraordinary landscape. Soaring, jagged peaks con-

Some 88 cyclists, including two teams from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka as well as solo participants from Spain and Switzerland, took part in Pakistan's Tour de Khunjerab (AFP Photo/AAMIR QURESHI) trast with vertiginous ravines, glaciers driving a chill wind, and tumbling aquamarine rivers. Landslides are common.

aiming to make it our trademark," said Haroon General, president of the Pakistan Cycling Federation.

Guardrails are a flimsy suggestion of protection from steep falls of hundreds of feet.

"The most difficult part of the race is the final stage where cyclists face shortage of oxygen and there is risk of heart issues... At such an altitude a person falls down (faints) after running for 200 metres, but our Continued on Page 9

"There is no place in the world that offers all these things," said Ahmed. "No doubt it is the toughest cycle race in the world. We are

Saravana Bhavan chain founder seeks delay to life sentence for love-saga murder

EW DELHI | AFP 7/8/2019 The founder of a trailblazing Indian restaurant chain sentenced to life for murder launched a Supreme Court appeal to delay the beginning of his term Monday, citing illhealth.

time. His request will be taken up for consideration on Tuesday. Rajagopal, always dressed in white with a strip of sandalwood paste on his forehead, is the son of a low-caste onion trader from a village in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

P. Rajagopal, the wealthy founder of the Saravana Bhavan chain of eateries popular across India and beyond was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in 2004 over the killing of a love rival. Reports say Rajagopal, 71 and known as the "Dosa King" was obsessed with the daughter of an employee and wanted to marry her. Unable to take a no for an answer, he ordered the killing of her husband. Rajagopal was meant to surrender to authorities by July

In 1981, he opened his first restaurant at a time when eating out was unusual for most Indians. The chain now has outlets worldwide from New York to London to Dubai.

P. Rajagopal has been battling for 15 years to avoid prison since being convicted over the killing of the husband of a woman he wanted to make his third wife (AFP Photo/ARUN SANKAR)

The winning formula was, and remains, that the southern Indian vegetarian delights on offer -- dosa pancakes, deepfried vadas and idli rice cakes -- taste homemade, and are affordable.

7 after his life conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court in March.

Reports say he wanted to make the woman his third wife because an astrologer had advised him to do so.

But he moved the top court again Monday, saying he was hospitalised and needed more

India's World Cup ... UN blasts India, Pakistan... Continued from Page 1

four, Dhoni and Jadeja had given them hope of victory.

"We were thinking we will get the World Cup, but how can I say, we are feeling very bad and sad now," he said. Jayati Arora, another office worker, agreed. "At the start (of the match) I didn’t think India would win but then our hopes were increasing. But at the last we lost the match, so I feel very low and sad." Modi said he was still proud. "A disappointing result, but good to see #TeamIndia’s fighting spirit till the very end," the prime minister said on Twitter. "India batted, bowled, fielded well throughout the tournament, of which we are very proud. "Wins and losses are a part of life." Cricketing great VVS Lax-

man tweeted his congratulations to New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and the Black Caps for making it to a second successive World Cup final. "Ravindra Jadeja along with Dhoni fought brilliantly and got India so close but NZ were brilliant with the new ball and that was decisive," he said.

Rahul Gandhi, until recently the head of the main opposition Congress party, said: "Though they’re a billion broken hearts tonight, Team India, you put up a great fight and are deserving of our love & respect." The Times of its website that had "stunned" side, calling the "modest".

India said on New Zealand the national victory target

The Hindustan Times said that Jadeja's "heroics" were "in vain" while the Indian Express ran with "Heartbreak" and a photo of Kohli trudging up the stairs at Old Trafford, bat under his arm, after his early dismissal.

Dozens of boat people found stranded in Myanmar's Rakhine: official

The final day of this year's event sums up the challenge.

The Khunjerab Tour must become "an attraction... for the most daring and adventurous cyclists in the world", said Usman Ahmed, the top official for the northern Gilgit region, home to some of the planet's tallest peaks and where the race was held.

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

Continued from Page 1 It also noted that four major armed groups in Kashmir "are believed to be based on the Pakistan side of the Line of Control," and that civil society organisations blame Pakistani security forces for a series of "enforced disappearances," in the region. - New probe call Given the failure of both states to address the issues raised, the report calls on the UN Human Rights Council to again consider creating "a comprehensive independent international investigation into allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir". The rights office shared the report with both countries last month. According to the UN, India requested the report not be published and dismissed the findings as "fallacious, ten-

dentious and [politically] motivated" -- similar wording to New Delhi's rejection of the 2018 report. Pakistan again "welcomed the report," the rights office said.

ANGON, Myanmar | AFP | Monday 7/8/2019 - More than 60 people were found stranded near a boat in Myanmar's Rakhine state, an official said Monday, as a trafficking route for persecuted Rohingya Muslims appears open for business despite a crackdown.

people smuggling route in 2015 after the discovery of mass graves in southern Thailand.

Each year thousands of Rohingya and stateless Bangladeshis try to reach Malaysia or Indonesia by sea.

Many have been confined to camps for years, are denied citizenship and lack access to work, healthcare and schools.

But boatloads commonly wash up on the shores of Myanmar or Thailand, especially in the treacherous conditions brought by the monsoon season.

Most people escaping by sea attempt the journey before March, but some are also ready to risk rougher waters.

Sixty-three "Muslims" were found early Sunday and taken to a nearby police outpost, district administrator Soe Aung told AFP from northern Rakhine's Maungdaw township. "We found four men on the boat and the rest nearby. In total there were 63 people," he said by phone, adding it was not yet clear if they were Bangladeshi or Rohingya. Myanmar officials do not recognise the Rohingya as an ethnic group and refer to them as Bengalis or Muslims from Rakhine state. Authorities tried to close down the multi-million dollar

Rohingya remaining in Myanmar also fall prey to human smugglers.

A Thai boat captain was charged last month for smuggling a group of 65 Rohingya. On Saturday almost twodozen Rohingya Muslims were among a larger group of migrants found hiding in a Thai jungle after being abandoned by traffickers, police said. Myanmar's army drove 740,000 of the stateless minority into Bangladesh in a bloody crackdown in 2017, where they joined some 300,000 more from previous expulsions. United Nations investigators have called for the prosecution of top generals for "genocide". Myanmar says it was defending itself against Rohingya militants.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan to meet Trump in US July 22: Pakistan ministry

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan (Photo: VOA)

SLAMABAD | AFP | Thursday 7/4/2019 Prime Minister Imran Khan will travel to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump on July 22, the Pakistani foreign ministry said Thursday, a rare visit between leaders of the sometimes prickly allies.

Kashmir has been divided since the end of British colonial rule in 1947 and both New Delhi and Islamabad claim the former Himalayan kingdom in full.

The visit -- Khan's first to the US since coming to power last year -- came at Trump's invitation, a Pakistani foreign office spokesman said at a weekly briefing, adding: "The focus will be to refresh the bilateral relationship".

The arch-rivals barely escaped a war in February when they launched cross-border air strikes at each other, sending tensions to the highest they have been since both gained nuclear weapons.

The announcement comes as the US is seeking Pakistan's help in finding a way out of neighbouring Afghanistan, where American forces are now in their 18th year of war.

Since then they have stepped back from the brink, with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Indian rival Narendra Modi exchanging warm messages after Modi's hawkish party won a new term in May.

But many still spend their life savings to embark on the risky sea voyages.

He gave no further details.

Ostensibly allies, the US and Pakistan relationship has always been bumpy. The White House believes that the shadowy Pakistani military establishment has long helped fund and arm the Tali-

ban, both for ideological reasons and to counter rising Indian influence in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies the claims and says it has paid the price for its alliance with the US in the so-called "war on terror", with thousands of its citizens killed in its long struggle with militancy. Washington has long believed that a Pakistani crackdown on militancy could be pivotal in deciding the outcome of the war. Trump and Khan -- both celebrities-turned-politicians whose love lives once made regular tabloid fare in the US and UK -- have already clashed. Trump declared last year that he had cancelled assistance worth hundreds of millions of dollars because Islamabad does not do "a damn thing" for the US. At the time, Khan hit back at the criticism on Twitter, calling on the US president to name an ally that has sacrificed more against militancy.

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VOICE OF ASIA 9

China demands US cancel arms sale to Taiwan

EIJING | AFP | 7/9/2019 - China demanded Tuesday that the United States "immediately cancel" a potential sale of $2.2 billion in arms to self-ruled Taiwan, including battle tanks and anti-aircraft missiles, adding fuel to tensions between the two powers.

China has lodged formal complaints through diplomatic channels expressing "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the move, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing. The deal includes 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks, 250 Stinger portable anti-aircraft missiles, related equipment and support at an estimated cost of just over $2.2 billion, according

Taiwan has sought to upgrade much of its increasingly obsolete military equipment, especially in its air force. (AFP Photo/Chris Stowers) to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The proposed sale "will contribute to the modernization of the recipient's main battle tank fleet", improve its air defense system and "support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security and defensive capability (of Taiwan)," DSCA said. It would not alter the "basic military balance in the region," the agency added, and Congress has been notified. US

lawmakers have 30 days to object to the sale but are unlikely to do so. Geng said the proposed deal "seriously violates the oneChina principle" and "grossly interferes" in the country's internal affairs. "China urges the US to... immediately cancel the planned arms sale and stop military relations with Taipei to avoid damaging Sino-US relations and harming peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," he said.

Tour de About $94 billion Impossiworth NRI deposits ble? Paki- come up for maturity stan hosts 'world's toughest...' by Gayatri Nayak

Continued from Page 8 cyclists travelled for almost 59 kilometres," he said. Five ambulances were on standby in case of emergencies in the final stage, he said, adding: "A majority of the cyclists made it but the support staff needed ambulances." - 'Breathless' The winner of the event, Najeeb Ullah -- a Pakistani from a hilltop village in the southwestern province of Balochistan who won three of the four stages -- told AFP that breathing was a "problem" for him in the final climb. "I had to face a lot of difficulties while reaching the finishing line," located at the Khunjerab Pass, the border between Pakistan and China, he said. Especially since altitude was not the only obstacle: On the final day, fierce winds drove snowflakes into the cyclists' faces, forcing some already struggling to catch their breath to dismount. "Our entire training is reduced to nothing when we reach the final stage," lamented Abdullah Aslam, a participant who could not finish the race. "I could barely pedal and was feeling breathless," he admitted.

Manila says first Filipino 'suicide bomber' behind last month's attack ANILA | AFP | 7/10/2019 - Philippine security forces confirmed Wednesday the first Filipino "suicide bomber" attack in the Asian country, warning Islamic militants were grooming other local prospects for more such actions in the future.

The US later shrugged off China's complaints, responding that the equipment would contribute to "peace and stability" in Asia. The sale would be the first transfer of big-ticket US military gear to the democraticallygoverned island in decades, and comes as ties between Washington and Beijing are already strained by their trade war.

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

he Indian Rupee is staring at a shaky year ahead as nearly $94 billion of Non Resident Indians' deposits mature. While all deposits may not leave the shores, some could go back given the narrowing of interest advantage that India had over the West. Given that short term deposits of NRI have been gaining over long term deposits, the fall in interest rates may play a significant role.

According to the latest external debt figures released by the Reserve Bank of India for FY’19, of the total NRI deposits worth $130.4 billion, deposits worth $94 billion are going to come up for maturity in the current fiscal year. The figure looks alarmists, but about 90 per cent of such deposits gets rolled over, according to currency market analysts at both banks and other authorised dealers of foreign currency. But what could be a cause of concern is the share of such of such short-term NRI deposits in total NRI deposits is slowly rising. The share of NRI deposits maturing within a year has gone up from 51 per cent in March 2015 to 72 per cent in March 2019. Experts attribute this trend to higher returns on short-term deposits in the Indian markets. “ This is largely attributed to the inverted yield curve that has emerged in India for over a year now “ said K N De, managing partner at United Financial Consultants. “ As a result, short-term inter-

est rates are higher than long term rates and this has made short-term rates more attractive for the global Indians.” Also, the Indian diaspora could be looking at more attractive opportunities with more reforms expected by the new government, according to a senior treasury official with a local bank. NRIs have been parking their funds in Indian banks largely due to the wide interest rate differential between their country of residence and their country of origin and enjoying on the interest rate advantage. They have option of parking in two kinds of repatriable deposits. FCNR (B) or foreign currency non-resident (banks), where the currency risk is borne by the bank and NRE (RA) or non-resident external -rupee account, where the foreign currency risk is borne by the depositer. The mix of these kind of deposits as far the investment preference is concerned often depends on the trend in currency movements. Investments in NRE deposits tend to spurt whenever, investors take a view that the rupee will appreciate over the term of the deposits so that the investors also gains on currency movement in addition to the interest rate he earns on the deposit. But interest rates are expected to fall in future with the Indian central bank signalling an accommodative monetary policy and hence interest differential for the NRI may not remain as attractive in the past. - Economic Times

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Norman Lasuca and one other yet to be identified suspect blew themselves up outside a military camp on the remote southern island of Jolo on June 28 in explosions that also killed three soldiers and two civilians, au-

The attack last month also killed three soldiers and two civilians .(AFP/File Photo) thorities said.

The State Department responded by saying the transaction doesn't change US recognition of Beijing as China's sole government. "Our interest in Taiwan, especially as it relates to these military sales, is to promote peace and stability across the strait, across the region," spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters. "So there is no change of course in our longstanding oneChina policy," she said. Taiwan has been ruled separately from China since the end of a civil war in 1949, but Beijing considers it a part of its territory to be retaken -- by force if necessary. China has significantly stepped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taipei since the election in 2016 of President Tsai Ing-wen, whose Democratic Progressive Party refuses to acknowledge that the island is part of "One China". It has staged military exercises near the island, and steadily reduced the already small number of nations that recognise Taiwan.

"We can now confirm... the incidence of the first suicide bombing in the Philippines, perpetrated by a Filipino in the person of Norman Lasuca," military spokesman BrigadierGeneral Edgard Arevalo told a news conference. The Islamic State group claimed the attack that marked a serious escalation of militancy driven by the influence of IS in Southeast Asia. A decades-old Islamist insurgency in the southern Philippines has killed tens of thousands, but suicide attacks have been used extremely rarely, with foreign fighters blamed for the few that have been carried out. The region's military commander gave a sombre outlook. "Based on our monitoring, they (IS militants) are training others," Lieutenant-General Cirilito Sobejana told reporters. "The probability is high," Sobejana said when asked about the likelihood of future suicide attacks by local militants. He said suicide bomber recruits were training in the south of the mainly Catholic country where IS-linked outfits operate.

Police spokesman Bernard Banac said the Jolo bombing was "organised by the Abu Sayyaf group" -- Filipino militants engaged in kidnappings and bombings and who look to IS as a "model". A local woman and member of Jolo's dominant Tausug ethnic group claimed one of the attackers was her son, allowing the authorities to match their DNA samples. "The security environment in our country has changed," Arevalo said, requiring military and police "adjustments in techniques, tactics and procedures". "Before, we only heard of IED (improvised explosive device) attacks, remote-controlled attacks but this time an individual blew himself up as a full-fledged suicide bomber." The June 28 attack came months after explosions described by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as a "suicide bombing" killed 21 people in Jolo's Catholic cathedral in January. Banac, the police spokesman, said authorities had no way of knowing whether the feet of a man and a woman recovered after that attack belonged to Filipinos or foreigners.

US/WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

Dramatic warming projected in US launches investigation into France's planned tax on world's major cities by 2050 tech giants

ASHINGTON | AFP | 7/10/2019 US President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into France's planned tax on internet services that will hit American tech giants especially hard, officials said Wednesday. The investigation into unfair trade practices could pave the way for Washington to impose punitive tariffs, something Trump has done repeatedly since taking office. "The United States is very concerned that the digital services tax which is expected to pass the French Senate tomorrow unfairly targets American companies," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement. The proposed three percent tax on total annual revenues of companies providing services to French consumers only applies to the largest tech companies, "where US firms are global leaders," the trade representative's office said. The so-called Section 301 investigation is the primary tool the Trump administration has used in the trade war with China to justify tariffs against what the United States says are unfair trade practices. USTR will hold hearings to allow for public comment on the issue over several weeks before issuing a final report

French President Emmanuel Macron has voiced support for new taxes on large tech companies. (Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images) with a recommendation on what actions to take. Despite the objections to the French tax proposal however, the statement said the United States will continue to work with other advanced economies to address the conundrum of how to tax tech companies. The Group of 20 has tasked the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development with finding a fix in the international tax system that has allowed some internet heavyweights to take advantage of low-tax jurisdictions in places like Ireland and pay next to nothing in other countries where they make huge profits. The Computer & Commu-

nications Industry Association on Wednesday applauded the US Trade Representative's move, saying the tax would retroactively require US internet giants operating in France to turn over a percentage of their revenues from the beginning of this year and violates international trade commitments. "This is a critical step toward preventing protectionist taxes on global trade," CCIA official Matt Schruers said in a statement. "CCIA encourages France to lead the effort toward more ambitious global tax reform, instead of the discriminatory national tax measures that harm global trade."

Migrant whose daughter died slams 'cruelty' of US detention

ASHINGTON | AFP | 7/10/2019 - A Guatemalan woman whose infant daughter died after being held by US immigration authorities denounced the "cruelty" of the country's migrant detention centers on Wednesday. Yazmin Juarez spoke out at "Kids in Cages: Inhumane Treatment at the Border," a congressional hearing staged amid a series of scandals over poor conditions suffered by detained migrants that has rocked Washington. "If today I can make a change, if I can make a difference by telling you what is happening with the ICE detentions, the cruelty... it is extremely unfair," a tearful Juarez told reporters before the hearing, referring to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Juarez told the House Civil Rights and Civil Liberties subcommittee she fled to the United States last year with her 19-month-old Mariee "because I feared for our lives in Guatemala." She crossed the border and claimed asylum but says she and Mariee were "locked in a freezing cold cage for a few days," then moved to an ICE detention center, when her daughter became ill. "I begged the doctors and medical staff to give her the care I knew she needed but

An aerial picture shows a labyrinth in a corn field with a portrait of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and test reading "Fridays for Future" at the "Hof Luenemann" in Selm, western Germany, on Wednesday. (Photo: AFP-JIJI)

ASHINGTON | AFP | 7/10/2019 - By the year 2050, London's climate will resemble Madrid's today; Paris will be more like Canberra; Stockholm like Budapest and Moscow like Sofia, according to a new analysis published Wednesday that relied on optimistic projections.

carbon dioxide emissions would stabilize by the middle of the century through the implementation of green policies, with a mean global temperature increase of 1.4 Celsius.

While the modeling used in the analysis is not new, the purpose of the paper was to organize that information in a way that will inspire policy makers to act.

The changes will be even more dramatic for the world's major tropical cities like Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Singapore which will experience unprecedented climate conditions, resulting in extreme weather events and intense droughts.

The team then compared climate similarity of current and future cities to one another, and the results make for dire reading. Across the northern hemisphere, cities in 2050 will resemble places that are over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) further south towards the equator.

"The point of this paper is to try to allow everyone to get a better grasp on what's happening with climate change," lead author Jean-Francois Bastin told AFP.

The study was carried out by scientists from ETH Zurich and published in PLOS ONE on Wednesday. Researchers examined the climate of the world's 520 major cities using 19 variables that reflect variability in temperature and precipitation. Future projections were estimated using established modeling that was intentionally optimistic, meaning it assumed

Those closer to the equator won't see drastic warming but will likely have more extremes of drought and rainfall. Overall, 77 percent of the world's cities will experience a "striking change" in climate conditions, while 22 percent will experience "novel" conditions -- ie something that has never before been encountered. In Europe, summers and winters will get warmer, with average increases of 3.5 celsius and 4.7 celsius, respectively.

Bastin, who is from Belgium, added it was not certain that by 2060 his country would experience sub-zero temperatures in winter, a necessary condition for wheat seeds to become activated. As summer temperatures surge, more people in northern Europe will purchase air conditioners, adding to the strain on electric grids and possibly creating a vicious cycle, he added. "It's been more than 30 years that most of us have agreed that there is a climate change which is caused by human activity, but still we fail to really transform that in to global actions," he said.

Last ever VW Beetle model rolls off Mexican production line by German CAMPOS Yazmin Juarez, whose 19-month-old daughter Mariee died after detention by ICE, testifies during a House Oversight and Reform subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties hearing discussing migrant detention centers' treatment of children on Capitol Hill on July 10, 2019 in Washington, DC. Zach Gibson, (Getty Images/AFP Photo) they didn't," Juarez said. "When ICE finally released us, I took Mariee to a doctor right away, to a doctor and then to the emergency room. But it was too late. Mariee never left the hospital," she said. Representative Elijah Cummings, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, denounced what he termed "governmentsponsored child abuse on a grand scale." "There must be greater accountability," said Representative Joaquin Castro, the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Castro called for a "long-

term Marshall Plan for Central America," referring to massive US investment that helped Europe rebuild following World War II. On Monday, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said she was "deeply shocked" by conditions under which migrants and refugees are held at US detention centers. The Department of Homeland Security's watchdog released a report last week that warned of "dangerous overcrowding" in multiple centers holding thousands of migrants seeking to remain in the United States. Most are fleeing violence and poverty in Central America.

UEBLA, Mexico | AFP | Wednesday 7/10/2019 - German auto giant Volkswagen launched the final edition of its iconic "Beetle" car from its Mexican factory on Wednesday at a ceremony accompanied by a Mariachi band. The bug-shaped sedan rolled off the production line to rapturous applause, the last iteration of a model first manufactured in the late 1930s in Germany and 1954 in Puebla, central Mexico. "The loss of the Beetle after three generations and almost seven decades should provoke a wide variety of emotions," said Steffen Reiche, the CEO of Volkswagen Mexico. The limited, 65-unit run of the "Beetle Final Edition" will be sold in Mexico on the internet for a base price of $21,000 per vehicle, and can be reserved with a $1,000 payment. Each car includes a com-

Volkswagen launched the final edition of its iconic "Beetle" car from its Mexican factory in Puebla (AFP Photo/Justin Sullivan) memorative plaque on its left side, numbered from one to 65. It will be available in metallic blue, black, white and beige. Dozens of factory workers had turned up from early morning to put the final touches on the car, which was

unveiled after seven hours of work. The employees wore bright yellow tops bearing the words: Thanks Beetle, as the unveiling proceeded in a festive atmosphere tinged with nostalgia for a car that has generated a loyal following like almost no other.

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FBISD’s Dr. Charles Dupre among regional winners of TASB’s 2019 Superintendent of the Year award

ORT BEND ISD (July 9, 2019) – Fort Bend ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Charles Dupre is among 19 superintendents named regional winners of the 2019 Superintendent of the Year award, sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). Dr. Dupre is the 2019 Region 4 Superintendent of the Year. Region 4 comprises 48 public school districts, 37 open-enrollment charter schools, and represents more than 1.2 million students, 97,000 educators and 1,500 campuses. The awards program has recognized exemplary superintendents for excellence and achievement in educational leadership since 1984. Candidates are chosen for their strong leadership skills, dedication to improving educational quality, ability to build effective employee relations, student performance, and commitment to public involvement in education. Local nominees are submitted to a regional selection committee, which chooses one nominee to send to the state selection committee. “Throughout Dr. Dupre’s six years as superintendent, Fort Bend ISD has developed a solid foundation for success,

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New cricket field in Sugar Land opens with ribbon cutting

staff, and exemplifies what we work to instill in our students – the attributes of our Profile of a Graduate.” The state committee will interview regional winners in Austin on August 23-24 and select five state finalists. The Superintendent of the Year will be announced September 21 at the 2019 Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Dr. Charles Dupre, Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Association of School Boards of Schools. (Photo courtesy FBISD) convention in Dallas. with a clear focus on educating TASB is a nonprofit assothe whole child,” said FBISD ciation established in 1949 Board President Jason Bur- to serve local public school dine. “The District has seen boards. School board members significant growth in student are the largest group of publicachievement and has signifi- ly elected officials in the state. cantly increased opportunities The districts they represent for all our students, including serve more than 5.34 million traditionally underrepresented students. groups. Dr. Dupre is a great -FBISD News supporter of our students and

County Commissioner Ken DeMerchant (above, in white pants) participated in the opening ceremony at the Four Corners Community, along with officials, community members and SL Youth Cricket Club.

UGAR LAND - Fort Bend witnessed an amazing show of support and diversity at the Ribbon Cutting of the new Four Corners Cricked Field, held on Monday July 8th, 2019. The cricket field was a much awaited dream for the Four Corners community in Sugar Land and its neighbor-

ing cities in Fort Bend County. County Commissioner Ken R. DeMerchant hosted the ribbon cutting, which was attended by Fort Bend County elected officials, county staff, Sugar Land Youth Cricket Club, and community members. Commissioner DeMerchant addressed the gathering stating that he “saw a huge op-

portunity to make better use of this park, and made it happen without touching property tax dollars.” This is an example of commissioner DeMerchant’s initiative towards positive impact through diversity and community involvement. It was a memorable and historic moment of bringing people together through sports!

Arrests in Fort Bend burglary ring targeting Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern residents by Staff Reporter

ICHMOND - Local officials with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office have arrested six male suspects believed to be connected to approximately 70 burglaries targeting Indian, Asian, and Middle Eastern communities since mid-2018, according to a release. Over 70 burglaries were reported in the the unincorporated areas of Fort Bend County and allegedly trace back to a group of six Honduran men. Those arrested include Marvin Manuel Menjivar-Mejia, 32; Denis Ariel HernandezCruz, 28; Marlon Rivera-Hernandez, 41; Selvin Rivera-Hernandez, 33; Elvin Ayala Lopez, 19; and Yoandris Miro, 25. The robvery and assault investigation, which was first launched in January of this year, involved multiple agencies including the Houston Po-

City official Ken DeMerchant cuts the ribbon at the Four Corners Community in Sugar Land, which opened its first cricket field.

Photo: Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office lice Department, Sugar Land Police Department and Pearland Police Department.

was taken through the same burglary tactic each time, according to the release.

The six suspects were arrested July 2 during another alleged burglary attempt, the release stated. Police said detectives noticed the burglaries usually involved stolen highend jewelry and money that

"It came to light during interviews that the majority of the suspects had been deported previously and came back into the country illegally to commit crimes," police said in the release.

Sugar Land's Tramontina closes plant, 245 jobs eliminated in total

2 dead, 3 wounded in shooting at Katy-area home

INCO RANCH, Katy, Thursday, July 4, 2019 - Two people are dead and three are recovering in Houston-area hospitals after a house-warming party erupted into gunfire near Katy late Wednesday night. John Wright allegedly opened fire during the gathering around 11:30 p.m. inside a newly rented home in the 5500 block of Everhart Manor Lane, fatally wounding his sister and injuring three others inside the home, according to Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls. Wright then turned the firearm on himself. His sister, who died on scene, was identified as Julianna Carr. A woman inside the home escaped as Wright was shooting, according to Nehls. She hopped a backyard fence and called 911 for help.

Overhead photos of Tramontina's office comples in Sugar Land. (Photo: Tramontina)

ANITOWOC, Wisconsin, July 9, 2019 — An aluminum cookware company has closed its Manitowoc plant, eliminating 145 jobs. The Sugar Land, Texas-based company also will cut its workforce in Texas by 100. Tramontina USA Inc. says

it is looking for a company to buy the shuttered Wisconsin facility. Tramontina cites increasing production costs, higher tariffs and consolidation as factors in the closing. WLUK-TV reports the Manitowoc plant closing took effect Monday.

Tramontina says all affected employees will get 60 days of pay and current benefits coverage. The company has been manufacturing aluminum cookware vessels in Manitowoc since 2005. - Associated Press

Photo: Google Maps

Sheriff's deputies who rushed to the house ran inside and found five people with gunshot wounds. Paramedics pronounced Carr dead inside the home, while the suspected gunman later died at an area hospital. Two women who were shot were both airlifted to Houston hospitals in serious condition. One was shot in the chest while the other had a gunshot wound in the face, Nehls said. The fifth victim, a man, was shot in the hand. All three are expected to survive.

Deputies also found two young girls locked inside a bathroom, who were unharmed, Nehls said. "It's going to take some time now to process this scene," Nehls said early Thursday morning. "It's just a tragic, tragic situation." Detectives said the rental house was filled with unpacked boxes and that the occupants had moved in July 1. It was not immediately clear if the shooter was a tenant or visiting. - KHOU

VOICE OF ASIA 12

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‘House Owner’ review: Kishore, Sriranjini in a poignant love story by Mythily Ramachandran

n the movie ‘House Owner’, Vasu (Kishore) and Radha (Sriranjini) have been married for several years. In the sunset of their lives, Vasu, a retired army man, suffers from Alzheimer’s. The only memories that linger in his mind are of the early years of their marriage: his first meeting with Radha, their wedding and subsequently their life together.

Meezaan Jafri and Sharmin Segal in a still from Malaal.

'Malaal' review: Debutantes Sharmin and Meezaan steal the show

Of the present Vasu has no clue, so much so that when he wakes up one morning and stares at his reflection in the mirror, he does not recognise the old man there and shouts angrily, ‘Who are you?’ or ‘Get out of my house’. Vasu is strongly possessive of his house, having bought it early in life with his savings. He refuses to leave even on a rainy night when the city is lashed by a heavy downpour and a flood situation imminent. With power shut down and food running out, Radha is caught inside her home with Vasu, who has changed from the man she looked up to into a stubborn child refusing to follow her instructions. Lakshmy Ramakrishnan’s script has been inspired by the life of a couple she has known. It is no mean task to hold viewers’ attention within the space of a house and only two characters holding centre stage. Ramakrishnan is brilliant with her writing and her narration in Tamil is typical of a Palakkad Brahmin community. She juggles between the past and the present to lead viewers into the life of Vasu and Radha and their enduring love for each other. We hear of other characters through conversations over the phone without invading the space of this elderly couple. ‘House Owner’s’ strength lies in the balance of casting Kishore oppo-

Jaffrey is charming and holds his ground in tough scenes, and Segal looks comfortable in her girl-nextdoor avatar.

Sriranjini and Kishore in the movie House Owner. site Sriranjini and their carefully controlled performances. Kishore, known for portraying versatile characters, is terrific. Sriranjini, an actress who has been in the industry for several years is the surprise; her Radha is real and if you have been in the shoes of a caregiver, you will instantly connect with her. Radha is on her toes and maternal in the way she keeps an eye on Vasu, who is likely to venture out in the rain. While putting up with his stubbornness, coaxing him like a child into a board game, patting his self-esteem by asking him for help in bringing down a container kept on the top rack, Sriranjini is not visible — only Radha and her unconditional love. Of course, there are times when Radha gets annoyed with Vasu, but never for a moment does she lose hope. I

loved the tiny details director Ramakrishnan has inserted. On Vasu’s cap Radha has written in white his name and contact number. What if he forgets his way home? Radha is practical and not bogged down by self-pity. As the rain intensifies and water seeps inside, she is the head of the house rushing out and switching off the mains. What followed was a beautiful scene, the rains beating on the windows, the house plunged in darkness and Radha and Vasu walking around placing electric lights in the rooms. Kishore of ‘Pasanga’ fame plays young Vasu while Lovelyn Chandrasekhar marks her debut as the young Radha. Their subtle on-screen chemistry sets rolling the beautiful relationship.

Nigeria's Nollywood film industry reels in foreign investors

remake of a 2004 Tamil film '7G Rainbow Colony', 'Malaal' is a love story between Shiva (Jaffrey) and Aastha (Segal) against the backdrop of Mumbai chawls. Shiva is a roadside rowdy, who gets into street fights and whiles away his time drinking and gambling.

Alzheimer’s can be cruel to the patient and caregivers. Poignant is the scene where Vasu in a rare moment of clarity leads Radha into a dance while she is in the kitchen making dough. But after a few steps, he remembers his wife of younger days and Radha, who is savouring the moment, is rudely brushed off. ‘House Owner’ is a beautiful love story that remains afloat, despite the torrential rains outside and the washing away of memories in Vasu’s head. Clearly we don’t get such stories any more. - Gulf News

by Sophie Bouillon

AGOS, Nigeria | AFP | Sunday 7/6/2019 - Nigeria's film industry, dubbed Nollywood, has long kept viewers entertained with tales of romance and riches, and now foreign investors are increasingly looking for a part of the action. US giant Netflix, France's Canal+ and China's StarTimes are among those making moves in the globe's second most-prolific film industry, which churns out more than 2,500 films each year and is topped only by India's Bollywood. At an event in Nigeria's economic capital Lagos this week potential investors from France mingled with local directors and politicians as they heard about the possibilities on offer. "The revenues from the box office rose by 36 percent between 2017 and

2018 from $17.3 million to $23.6 million," Chijioke Uwaegbute, an expert on the industry at PwC Nigeria, told those gathered.

Wedding Party 2 released by director Kemi Adetiba in 2016 and 2017 generated over $2 million, beating out US blockbusters for the first time.

"Nowhere in the world will you see this kind of opportunities and growth."

Following up on that success the comedy Chief Daddy by Niyi Akinmolayan brought in some $600,000 last year.

Traditionally, Nollywood films have been low-budget productions, often shot in just a couple of days at a cost of several thousand dollars and marred by poor sound and image quality. Rampant piracy and the widespread circulation of unlicensed copies has eaten into profits and put off investors from increasing funding. But higher quality Nigerian-made films have in recent years been having far more impact at the box office in a nation with a potential market of almost 200 million people. The Wedding Party and its sequel

The figures remain miniscule compared to the vast sums grossed by Hollywood hits, and the Oscars are a distant dream, but increasingly upper and middle class Nigerians who can afford the tickets seem willing to pay to go see local productions. And it is these films with higher production value that are attracting the investors from overseas. - 'Real appetite' Canal Olympia, a subsidiary of French media giant Vivendi, runs cin-

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'Malaal' may seem to have a cliched plot, but director Hadawale weaves some rustic moments of Mumbai beautifully with the narrative. The film has a vibrant soundtrack, with a melancholic title number which lingers on long after you have left the theatre. The music elevates the film to a different level. The film lags pace in the second half but recovers soon with its twisted climax. The debutantes steal the show. Jaffrey is charming and holds his ground in tough scenes. He will also impress you with his dancing skills. Segal looks comfortable in her girlnext-door avatar. Their chemistry is impressive, and they carry the story forward effortlessly. If you’ve been craving to watch a simmering love story, you should not miss this one. - Courtesy: ET Bureau

Sussanne Khan praises Hrithik Roshan's Super 30, 'His best ever'

UMBAI - Hrithik Roshan's film Super 30 is all set to hit theaters this Friday. The film is based on the life of Patna-based scholar Anand Kumar, who trains 30 deserving, economically backward students for IIT-JEE entrance exams every year with commendable success rate.

A man passes by Nigerian movie billboards at a cinema in Lagos on February 19, 2019. With its turncoats, crimes, cash and even the occasional touch of black magic, the theatrical twists and turns of Nigeria's colorful politics are inspiring directors from the country's Nollywood movie industry. (AFP/Christina Aldehuela)

After a fair share of spats and fights, Shiva soon finds himself falling in love with Aastha, who has recently shifted to his chawl. Their friction and love shapes the narrative of the film.

For the role, the actor underwent a huge transformation, both in terms of appearance and dialect. Ahead of the film's release, Hrithik took to social media to post new selfies. "It’s a new day. Super30 copy out today. Today I let go," he captioned the pictures. Soon after, his ex-wife Sussanne Khan dropped a note in praise of the actor in the comment section. Overwhelmed by Hrithik's performance in Super 30, she reviews the film as one of his best works. "It’s one of your best ever... so so proud of you," she wrote. His co-star Mrunal Thakur also commented on the pictures and wrote, "That feeling."

emas and entertainment venues across the continent and includes at least one Nollywood film in its programming each week. The group will next year open two cinemas in Nigeria, a country with only one screen per million people where power shortages and high land-costs have made such ventures complicated. "It is very important for us to be close

Hrithik Roshan in 'Super 30' Hrithik also shared a fun trivia from Anand Kumar's life and wrote how the latter used to travel for six hours a day to access BHU's library and study foreign journals. He wrote, "Anand would travel every week for 6 hours by train with no money just to access the library at BHU into which he used to sneak in bec outside students weren’t allowed. Only so he could access the foreign journals which they stocked. It is the sneaking into BHU but that got me." (sic) Also, Hrithik took to Twitter to inform that he'll be cheering for team India during the ongoing India vs New Zealand semi-final of Cricket World Cup 2019. He tweeted, "It's a big day for #TeamIndia, and I can't wait for the action. That's why I've decided to go straight to the Star Sports studio! Watch me cheer on the #MenInBlue on #PhilipsHue #CricketLIVE today, only on Star Sports. #Super30." (sic) - News18

to Nollywood," Simon Minkowski, development director at Canal Olympia, told AFP. "But beyond just distribution, there is a real appetite to produce the content made by Africans in Africa." Laurent Sicouri, head of acquisitions at Canal+, said he was in Lagos to "evaluate the production" of Nigerian cinema. The chain has already upped its interest in films from the country and offers Nollywood TV to its subscribers in Francophone Africa. While there is interest from Europe, most of the attention for directors and producers in Nigeria is focused on trying to attract Netflix. The online entertainment provider has already acquired the rights to a string of Nollywood productions and in January released the first Netflix Nigerian original film, Lionheart by actor-director Genevieve Nnaji. Those involved in the industry are hoping that the influx of foreign interest will help push their output to a new level.

VOICE OF ASIA 13

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

'Spider-Man' swings to top of North America box office

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Woody Allen says Trump has sparked 'best' satire in years

Director Woody Allen says he plans to keep working, despite a shadow cast over his career by allegations of historic sex abuse. (AFP Photo) "Spider-Man: Far From Home" explores how Spider-Man (Tom Holland) confronts a world without Iron Man (AFP/File)

OS ANGELES| AFP | 7/8/2019 - Once again SpiderMan is trapping everything that flies by: "Spider-Man: Far From Home" took an impressive $185.1 million in North America over the long US holiday weekend period, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Monday.

Disney live-action 'Little Mermaid' to star a black Ariel

The latest smash hit in the SpiderMan franchise, made by Sony and Disney-owned Marvel, has already passed the half-billion-dollar mark worldwide.

Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal and Zendaya also star. Released in domestic theaters Tuesday ahead of Independence Day, "Far From Home" collected $92.6 million over the regular Friday-Sunday weekend.

The film again features the voices of Tom Hanks as cowboy doll Woody and Tim Allen as space toy Buzz Lightyear. In third, at $10.1 million, was Universal's alternate-universe romantic comedy "Yesterday." Himesh Patel stars as a struggling musician who, after a mysterious global blackout, is the only person in the world to remember the Beatles and their music -- and takes full advantage of it. Danny Boyle, of "Trainspotting" and "Slumdog Millionaire" fame, directs. Fourth spot went to Warner Bros. horror film "Annabelle Comes Home," at $9.5 million.

In this file photo taken on February 10, 2019 Singer Halle Bailey of Chloe x Halle performs onstage during the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (AFP/Kevin Winter) Los Angeles | AFP | Wednesday 7/3/2019 - 1 R&B singer Halle Bailey is to play Ariel in a live-action version of "The Little Mermaid," she said Wednesday, in a rare casting of a black actress as a Disney princess. Bailey, 19, who rose to fame under the wing of pop queen Beyonce, said it was a "dream come true" to play the lead role. She tweeted a cartoon image of the princess in which the traditionally red-headed Ariel has dark skin, brown eyes and black hair. Director Rob Marshall said Bailey had been cast after an extensive

US accuser drops civil suit against Kevin Spacey

search, and praised her "rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance -- plus a glorious singing voice." News of the casting was trending on Twitter late Wednesday, with many fans overjoyed by the decision.

Bailey's casting comes more than two decades after Disney cast singer Brandy, who is also black, as Cinderella in a live-action 1997 film.

Former first lady Michelle Obama is a fan of the duo, turned on to their music by daughters Sasha and Malia.

A motion for "voluntary dismissal" of the civil complaint against the former "House of Cards" star was filed in Superior Court in Nantucket, Massachusetts, with no reason given. Possible motives for the dismissal this week include a private settlement or the accuser's desire not to risk damaging his odds in a separate criminal case with the civil suit, which was filed just six days ago. William Little's lawyer, Mitchell Garabedian, who made a name for himself defending victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests, gave no comment.

Little has said he took a smartphone video of the incident, which he says took place when he was an 18-year-old busboy in a Nantucket bar/restaurant. The smartphone images, which Little has said he shared with a then-girlfriend, allegedly show Spacey shoving his hand into the teen's pants and fondling him. But the plaintiff's lawyers say they have been unable to find the smartphone, which Spacey's defense team has demanded to see. Little has said he has not seen the phone since handing it over to police investigators in December 2017.

Amazon put Allen's latest film "A Rainy Day in New York" on ice over the sex abuse allegations, but another distributor will release the film in Europe later this year. In February, the US director filed a $68 million (60 million euros) suit against Amazon for breach of contract, accusing the streaming giant of cancelling the film because of a "baseless" accusation that he sexually abused his adopted daughter. "My philosophy has always been that no matter what... you just keep focused on the work and keep working no matter what is happening in your life, family, children, current events, politics," he told the San Sebastian news conference when asked if he planned to retire because of allegations. "I will probably die in the midst of a film shoot on a set making a movie," he added.

Cameron Boyce, Disney Channel star, dead at 20

Disney came under criticism last year for "whitewashing" Princess Tiana in cartoon movie "Ralph Breaks the Internet," hastily redrawing the character with darker features just months before the film's release.

They were signed to her label soon after, and Beyonce took them on her tour in 2016.

A hearing on the criminal charges against Spacey is set for Monday in the District Court in Nantucket, the posh island community where the alleged aggression took place in July 2016.

Allen's career has taken a hit in recent years due to lingering accusations

He was cleared of the charges, first levelled by his then-partner Mia Farrow, after two separate months-long investigations, and has steadfastly denied the abuse. But Dylan, now an adult, maintains she was molested.

Like most Disney princesses, Ariel has been portrayed as pale-skinned in previous cartoon films, in which she was voiced by white actress Jodi Benson.

Beyonce became a mentor of sorts to them after seeing the pair cover her song "Pretty Hurts" in 2013.

This file photo taken on February 23, 2016 shows actor Kevin Spacey arriving for the season 4 premiere screening of the Netflix show 'House of Cards' in Washington, DC. (AFP/Nicholas Kamm)

The director of "Annie Hall" and "Match Point" will start filming a romantic comedy in San Sebastian on Wednesday about an American couple that visits the city's famous film festival. It features Austrian actor Christoph Waltz and US actress Gina Gershon.

that he molested Dylan Farrow, his adopted daughter, when she was seven years old in the early 1990s.

"If your Egyptian adaptations (actually historical) can be white people, Ariel (a fictional character) can be black," wrote one Twitter user, @ NiceNurse22.

Bailey is part of Atlanta-based sister duo Chloe x Halle, who received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist last year.

EW YORK | AFP | Friday 7/5/2019 - A young man who accused Kevin Spacey of a sexual assault in a Massachusetts bar has dropped his lawsuit against the award-winning actor.

"Because there has been so much criticism of it and so much complaining about it, it has sparked the most imaginative and the best satirical humour in years in the US," Allen told a news conference in San Sebastian in northern Spain where he is about to begin filming his latest movie. "Sometimes the nervous tension of difficult current events makes (people) laugh more easily. Comedy works every place and under any circumstances practically, whether the laughter is full-throated or nervous," the 83-yearold added.

Its story line follows on from blockbuster "Avengers: Endgame" to focus on how Spider-Man (Tom Holland) confronts a world without Iron Man.

Coming in second over the same period was Disney/Pixar film "Toy Story 4," taking $33.9 million on its third weekend.

AN SEBASTIAN, Spain | AFP | Tuesday 7/9/2019 - Oscarwinning director Woody Allen, who is known for his intellectual comedies, said Tuesday that President Donald Trump has generated the best satirical humour in the United States in years.

Actor Cameron Boyce GETTY/AFP

OS ANGELES | AFP | 7/7/2019 - Cameron Boyce, a young Disney Channel star, has died at age 20 in Los Angeles, Disney CEO Robert Iger confirmed Sunday.

"The Walt Disney Company mourns the loss of #CameronBoyce, who was a friend to so many of us, and filled with so much talent, heart and life, and far too young to die," Iger tweeted.

Boyce was known for his starring role in the Disney series and movie "Descendants," the comedy series "Jessie," and Disney XD se-

"Our prayers go out to his family and his friends," he said.

Sharlene Sharmila Richards Attorney at Law

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Filming is slated to begin next year.

Police say they turned it over to the young man's father, but he says he has "no memory" of it.

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If the phone is not located by Monday, the District Court judge has said he will call on Little to testify about it.

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He also had parts in the feature films "Mirrors," "Eagle Eye," "Grown Ups" and "Grown Ups 2."

Boyce died in his sleep Saturday from an ongoing medical condition, his family told celebrity news outlet TMZ.

"The Little Mermaid" will be the latest in a crop of liveaction remakes of classic Disney movies, including the recent "Aladdin."

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Young Life

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Girls must be protected from sexual violence at school: UNICEF chief

EIJING, China | AFP | 7/7/2019 - Caught in the crossfire of the US-China trade war, Chinese students are looking for alternative study destinations -- threatening to turn off an important source of revenue for American universities.

Speaking to AFP on the sidelines of a G7 ministerial summit in Paris, UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore said keeping young girls safe was crucial to ensuring their education.

China accounts for nearly a third of foreign students on US campuses who pour billions of dollars into the economy, but in March their numbers dropped for the first time in a decade.

"We have a real responsibility to keep violence out of schools... by other students but also by their teachers," she told AFP in an interview last week.

"In some countries in Africa, like South Africa where I was recently, some girls.. (suffer) sexual violence on their way to and from school," she said. And it is not an isolated phenomenon, with Human Rights Watch last year flagging up "high levels of sexual and gender-based violence" in Senegal where teachers were coercing girls into sex for money, gifts or good grades. In 2015, the UN set targets aimed at ensuring equal opportunities and ending violence against women and girls by 2030, but last month, gender equality charity "Equal Measures 2030" said it was "failing to deliver". - 'Girls can do anything' Fore also stressed the importance of

"We have a real responsibility to keep violence out of schools," UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore says (AFP Photo/JOEL SAGET) "a strong commitment" to the education of girls, particularly in places like the African Sahel, a vast area encompassing Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Nigeria which has been hit by jihadist violence. "I am hoping they will stand up and make strong commitment (to) backing girls' education, especially in places that are very hard, like in the Sahel: if girls get a chance there, they will get a chance everywhere." Girls, she said, were an enormous asset for the world at large. "Often countries think it's a lesser asset, but the power of young women in an economy is unmeasurable," she said. Some countries didn't see the value

in educating girls, but the numbers told a different story, she said. "Girls can do anything. "When women are streaming into the workplace, they are very good at their profession," she said. "If a government sees that women can become these brilliant innovators in their society, they will want more women to have a chance." The Paris summit grouped education and development ministers from wealthy G7 nations -- Britain, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Italy and the US -- alongside their counterparts from the Sahel. Argentina, Estonia, Singapore and Senegal also sent delegates.

Tougher for teen to win men's Slam than women, says Federer by Dave James

ONDON | AFP | Saturday 7/6/2019 - Roger Federer believes there's no reason why 15-year-old Coco Gauff can't win a Grand Slam but doesn't expect to see a similar breakout teenage performance at the majors for the men. Eight-time champion Federer reached the Wimbledon fourth round for the 17th time on Saturday, becoming the first player, man or woman, to record 350 Grand Slam match wins. In the second week, he will be joined by longtime rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Gauff will also be there in the women's event -- the youngest to progress this far since US compatriot Jennifer Capriati in 1991. Federer sees no reason why world number 313 Gauff cannot take the title. "I don't see a reason why younger women players should run into physical issues or not win tournaments young," said Federer. "I think it's possible. She seems developed. She's moving great. I think it's one of her great strengths. "And her mind. I was terrible at

15. Couldn't be on a court for longer than an hour and a half. I would walk away." Nadal was the last teenage man to win a Slam title when he defeated Federer on his 19th birthday in the final of the 2005 French Open. Federer was 21 when he captured his maiden Slam at Wimbledon in 2003 while Djokovic was 20 when he claimed his first major at the 2008 Australian Open. "I think on the men's side, maybe at 15 it's not possible, I don't think, to go through a Slam," added Federer. "At 17 and 18, what Rafa did or (Boris) Becker did or (Bjorn) Borg did, I think it's possible. "I do believe the depth is bigger on the men's... side, so you need to beat better players every round, whereas maybe in the past I don't think the depth was as great." On Saturday, Swiss second seed Federer eased past French 27th seed Lucas Pouille 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) and will face Italy's 17th seed Matteo Berrettini for a place in the quarter-finals. Federer's 17th appearance in the fourth round at Wimbledon takes him ahead of Jimmy Connors on the all-

Malaysian children in practice run for Muslim hajj by Patrick Lee

UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia | AFP | Thursday 7/4/2019 - Thousands of Malaysian children took part in a practice run Thursday of the Muslim hajj pilgrimage, marching around a model of the holy Kaaba, Islam's most sacred site. Dressed in white robes, the youngsters circled the black cuboid in the compound of a convention centre just outside Kuala Lumpur. The Kaaba sits inside the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and Muslims around the world turn towards it to pray. Part of the hajj involves walking around the Kaaba. "We are learning how to do the hajj," six-year-old Aqra Izz told AFP, as nearly 6,000 boys and girls took a break after marching under the tropical sun. "I want to do this when I get older... like my mother and father." The hajj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims must perform the hajj at least once in their

lives, if able, and it marks the spiritual peak of their lives. Millions of devotees from around the world travel to Saudi Arabia annually for the pilgrimage. For Thursday's event, called the "Little Hajj", buses dropped off the children at the compound as loudspeakers played Muslim-themed songs and prayer chants in Arabic. Guided by female teachers, the children also took part in a practice of a ritual known as "The Stoning of the Devil", picking up mock stones before throwing them at makeshift pillars. Organisers said the gathering was aimed at helping Islamic kindergarten students get a better understanding of performing the hajj. "We do this so the children can understand and easily memorise the various aspects of the pilgrimage," said Roslan Nordin, chief executive of Little Caliphs International, which organised the event. "When they go through it, they can comprehend many things that can't be

time list. "The records mean something to me, but not everything just because I am very much aware that not everybody for the last hundred years played all the Slams," admitted the 20-time major winner of his 350-win landmark. "It's really only the last 20 years that that's been going on," he said, explaining that not all players could travel to all four majors in the past. "I'm sure that's going to keep happening from now on, most of the players will keep playing." Berrettini saved three match points to see off Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. The 23-year-old Italian will be playing in his first last-16 at the Slams.

Visa delays, concerns over being shut out of research projects and safety fears have turned off Chinese students, according to several admissions consultancies and nearly a dozen parents and students interviewed by AFP. Rival education powerhouses such as Britain, Australia and Canada are the biggest beneficiaries, a survey by New Oriental China's biggest private education provider said. Japan and South Korea -- traditional study abroad destinations for the Chinese elite -- and parts of Europe, especially Germany and Scandinavian countries with strong engineering programmes, have also seen an uptick in applications, the survey found. The chilling effect started mid-last year, after President Donald Trump's administration slashed the visa duration of students in science and technology fields from five years to one in some cases. "Now there's a lot of uncertainty on whether they can even finish their studies," said Gu Huini, founder of boutique college consultancy Zoom In. Over one third of the roughly 360,000 Chinese students in the US study in "STEM fields" -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- according to the Institute of International Education in New York. But the number of Chinese students in the US dipped by two percent in March compared to the previous year, the first drop since 2009, data from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows. Melissa Zhang, a high school senior in Beijing, said she has abandoned plans to go to the US and was instead taking German lessons, in the hope of getting into a robotics programme in Dresden. "I've already wasted a year preparing for my SATs," the 17-year-old said, referring to the standardised test needed to enter a US university. "But what's the point in going to the US if I might be shut out of a research lab, just because I am Chinese." Her mother, Mingyue, said "the American dream is losing its shine" to many Chinese students. "If America makes them feel unwel-

Instagram rolls out new features to counter bullying with AI

ASHINGTON | AFP | Tuesday 7/9/2019 - Instagram will introduce new features aimed at curbing online bullying, the Facebook-owned platform announced Monday, as social media giants face increased scrutiny over the harassment faced by many users. There have been growing calls around the world for greater oversight of platforms like Facebook and Twitter, amid widespread criticism over bullying, as well as the spread of hate speech and fake news.

taught in a classroom, read in books or learnt from their parents." Roslan said that other Islamic kindergartens around the country have also been teaching children how to perform the hajj. "These children are the future leaders," said Sumarti Samsuddin, from an Islamic kindergarten group that took part in Thursday's event. "We hope that with this programme, what they learn will stay with them," she said. More than 60 percent of Malaysia's population of 32 million people is Muslim, although the country also has sizeable Buddhist and Christian minorities. The country sends some 30,000 pilgrims to perform the hajj every year, and Malaysia's government is seeking to increase this number.

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Put off by US, Chinese students eye other universities by Poornima Weerasekara

ARIS | AFP | 7/8/2019 Girls in developing countries must be protected from sexual violence in and around schools, the head of the UN's children fund has said, urging governments to make it a top priority.

But sexual assault and violence was also affecting girls on their route to school and when they were going home, she said.

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

Instagram, which has more than a billion users worldwide, is a platform focused on images, allowing users to post photos and videos, which can then be commented on by other users. The company said it has used artificial intelligence to monitor bullying and harmful content for years, and will now use the technology to detect when a user is about to post something offensive and issue a warning. "This intervention gives people a chance to reflect and undo their comment," Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, said in a statement. "From early tests of the feature, we have found that it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect." The other new feature -- "Restrict" -is aimed at limiting abusive comments on a user's feed. "We've heard from young people in our community that they're reluctant to block, unfollow, or report their bully because it could escalate the situation, especially if they interact with

come, they'll go elsewhere... this generation feels the whole world is open to them." - 'Unfairly scrutinised' Chinese students contributed $13 billion to the US economy last year, a figure that includes tuition fees and living expenses, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Top US universities including Yale and Stanford have complained that the trade war has affected campus recruitment. Rafael Reif, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in an open letter on June 25 that students and faculty felt "unfairly scrutinised, stigmatised and on edge â&#x20AC;&#x201C;- because of their Chinese ethnicity alone". The State Department has said the increased scrutiny was prompted by a rising number of students who were co-opted by foreign intelligence while in the United States. Eric Wang, 25, a doctoral student at Purdue university in Indiana, said he was nervous about having to renew his visa every year. "It's difficult to plan long-term research projects or even think about going steady with your girlfriend," said Wang. Trump attempted to allay Chinese students' fears after reaching a trade war truce with President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit last week, saying they would be treated "just like anybody else". He also proposed a "smart person's waiver" that would make it easier for the brightest minds to get a Green Card allowing permanent residency. - 'America isn't safe' A Chinese government travel warning last month citing "gun violence and robberies" in the US has also given Chinese high school students and parents cold feet. "State media have been pumping up reports about crime in the US and families, especially from smaller Chinese cities, feel America isn't safe," said Li Shaowen, who organises foreign college tours. "We have over 250 families visiting universities in Europe and the UK during this summer break, while only 75 families are going to the US," he said. "The numbers were reverse last year." Chinese students and parents start hunting for prospective colleges two to three years before application deadlines. "The pipeline is drying up," said Dorothy Mae, an independent college consultant in Beijing. "US universities will see fewer students from China for several years."

their bully in real life," Mosseri said. Now they will be able to make posts from an offending person visible only to that person. "Restricted people won't be able to see when you're active on Instagram or when you've read their direct messages," Mosseri added. Instagram's move is the latest in a series of steps taken by social networks to protect users, especially from younger segments of society. According to a survey published by the Pew Research Center last year, 72 percent of US teenagers said they used Instagram. Bullying is just one of the many fronts on which social media titans have faced scrutiny in recent years. There have been growing calls for regulation of such platforms over the spread of hate speech and fake news -- including allegations of states using social media to try and influence elections in rival countries -- as well as more oversight of how they collect and use customer data. Firms like Facebook, in response, have rolled out policy changes and features aimed at increasing transparency and safety.

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US couple sues fertility clinic after embryo mix-up

US court to decide future of Obamacare

ASHINGTON | AFP | 7/9/2019 - Former US president Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, which has insured tens of millions of Americans, went before a federal appeals court Tuesday in a high-stakes case whose outcome could play a major role in the 2020 presidential campaign. A three-judge panel of the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans was considering a lower court decision that found the bitterly contested law unconstitutional. If they uphold the lower court decision, millions of Americans, many of them sickly or lower income individuals, would be in danger of losing their health care coverage.

Worker in a fertility lab. (Photo: Michael Dalder/Reuters)

EW YORK | AFP | Tuesday 7/9/2019 - A New York couple is suing a fertility clinic after the woman gave birth to two babies that were actually other people's children -- because the wrong embryos were implanted in her uterus. The couple filed suit early this month in a federal court in Brooklyn, seeking compensation after suffering what they say are "significant and permanent emotional injuries from which they will not recover." The man and woman, who are only identified by their initials in the court documents, began in-vitro fertilization treatment at the CHA Fertility Center in Los Angeles in January 2018. They had been married for six years but failed to conceive. Eight embryos were created on their behalf. A first implantation in July 2018 was unsuccessful, but a second effort the following month worked, and the woman became pregnant with what she believed to be twin girls. But doubts arose after the first sonograms, which showed the fetuses were boys. The couple were confused, as only one of the eight embryos was male. Doctors at the clinic "assured them they were girls and that there was nothing wrong," according to the court complaint. In March this year, the woman gave

birth via cesarean section to two boys, "neither of which was of Asian descent," as the parents are. Genetic testing confirmed that neither the man nor the woman "was genetically related to the babies... and that the two male babies were not genetically related to each other," the complaint says. It turns out that the two babies were the offspring of two other couples who had sought treatment at the clinic. Those couples have since taken custody of the children. The plaintiffs still do not know what became of their embryos. "Defendants are concealing the whereabouts of the plaintiffs' two embryos ... They believe they were never thawed and/or lost or destroyed by defendants," the complaint says. The couple is suing the clinic and two of their doctors, Joshua Berger and Simon Hong, alleging professional error, negligence, breach of contract and false advertising. They are asking to be reimbursed the more than $100,000 they paid for treatment, their future medical expenses, lost wages and punitive damages. The clinic, which says on its website that it offers "the highest degree of personal care" and has "fulfilled the dreams of tens of thousands of aspiring parents," did not comment when contacted by AFP.

Whatever happens, the case is likely to end up before the Supreme Court sometime next year -- dropping a politically radioactive issue into the middle of a heated presidential campaign. Obamacare, formally called the Affordable Care Act, was one of the most consequential healthcare measures in US history. At the heart of the law was a mandate requiring Americans to buy health insurance if they did not already have it, or face a tax penalty. Under President Donald Trump's 2017 tax overhaul, however, Congress eliminated the penalty for people who failed to sign up, and the three judges must decide whether that change invalidates the whole law. Overturning the Affordable Care Act would be a dream come true for Trump, who campaigned on the promise to repeal the law but has so far failed to deliver. The Texas federal court that declared the law unconstitutional in December, based its decision on a 2012 US Supreme Court ruling that found that the penalty was legal. The judge in Texas said the mandate was "the keystone" and that in its absence entire law should be struck down. The case pits 18 Republican-led states, backed by Trump, against 20 Democrat-led states, supported by the Democrat-majority US House of Representatives. The New Orleans court's decision is not expected for several months. The outcome will apply to all states, but is expected to be appealed to the US Supreme Court.

Latin America faces obesity-food insecurity paradox: report

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Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900 the gain in the value of the contract, between the time that it is established and it begins making income payments. There is some risk in taking this rider. The benefit will only occur if the value of the annuity falls below the guaranteed value. If it never does, the annuity owner will have paid for a benefit that will never be received. Some insurance companies have provisions within the rider that the cumulative costs of the rider is returned to the annuity owner, if the value of the annuity is higher than the guaranteed value. That is a stipulation that you will want to be certain is in place before adding this rider to your annuity.

Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit Rider A guaranteed minimum income benefit rider (GMIB) ensures a specific income payment regardless of the performance of your annuity since the contract is put in place. Under a guaranteed minimum income benefit rider, your income payments are typically based on several essential calculations. For example, some of the calculations include: • A payout based on a percentage of the annuity value • The actual value of the annuity at the time that income payments begin, or • The highest contract anniversary value of the annuity Adding a guaranteed minimum income benefit rider is an important reason why an investor might choose an annuity over simply investing in a mutual fund. It means that the investor has an opportunity to have a higher value than what a mutual fund can provide, particularly in a poorly performing market. Source: Good financial cent. Annuity Investment that can provide additional income and or benefit such as long-term care or to enroll in appropriate Medicare plan contact Sudhir Mathuria at 713-771-2900.

voiceofasia.news For Latest on Health News consumers ... rather than the physical availability of food...". The report pointed to a shift to animal-based proteins from a traditional diet rich in cereals, roots, tubers and pulses. The percent of fat-based calories in diets has also been rising across the region, although it is still just below the recommended level. The OECD and FAO call obesity an "epidemic" in Latin America and the Caribbean. (Photo: AFP)

ARIS | AFP | 7/8/2019 - Latin America and the Caribbean is facing an obesity epidemic while paradoxically the number of people facing food insecurity in the region continues to rise, the OECD and FAO warned in a report on Monday. "In Latin America and the Caribbean ... obesity currently affects around one quarter of the population, while about 60 percent of the population is overweight," the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization said in a joint report. It called the rapid development in the number of people who are overweight and obese an "epidemic" and a "growing public health problem".

The report, an overview of developments expected in the food and agricultural sectors over the coming decade, found that a combination of excessive calorie consumption, unbalanced diets and declining activity levels were fuelling a growing burden of overweight and obesity in various countries across the world. It said that in many low and middle-income countries, obesity exists alongside undernourishment and micronutrient deficiencies, calling it "a 'triple burden' of malnutrition". In Latin America and the Caribbean "obesity seems to remain on the rise, particularly affecting lower-income sectors of the population, women, indigenous peoples, Afrodescendants and, in some cases, children", said the report.

"Paradoxically, being an agricultural and food surplus region, Latin America witnessed the number of food insecure population increase for the third consecutive year," it added. Latin America is one of the world's major food exporting regions, and the OECD and FAO said the rising food insecurity was likely driven by "the affordability of food to poor

It noted that the share of added sug-

ars in the diet also exceeds the recommended level, although this is dropping. The report pointed to government policies in several countries to encourage healthier food choices, including controls on advertising of processed foods and beverages to children in Chile, and a health-related tax on food in Mexico.

HEALTH - DIET & EXERCISE

VOICE OF ASIA 16

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

The Zero Carb Diet may be a simple way to lose weight—but is it safe?

Tax alcohol, tobacco, to tackle cancer: African Union first ladies

by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD

Both drink and cigarettes are cheaper in most African countries than in western countries. (AFP)

IAMEY, Niger | AFP | 7/6/2019 - First ladies attending the African Union summit in Niger on Saturday called for a rise in taxes for cancer-causing products such as tobacco and alcohol. Speaking on the sidelines of the summit at Niamey, Sika Bella Kabore, the first lady of Burkina Faso, read out a joint appeal for more effective measures to tackle cancer. As well as calling for cancer to be included in strategic planning, they called for higher taxes on tobacco, alcohol and other carcinogenic products. Both drink and cigarettes are cheaper in most African countries than in western countries, where a tax on such products tends to be incorporated into health policies. Cancer specialist Alain Toledano of the Rafael Institute in Paris welcomed the initiative.

"Africa is rightly concerned most of all with contagious diseases," said Toledano, who is also president of the Franco-African Cancerology Association. But he added the major issue they had forgotten was cancer. "Nineteen million people will die in a year from cancer, 70 percent of them in the poorest countries," he said. "So there will be millions of deaths in Africa. "If we want to succeed in our objective of raising life expectancy from 60 to 75 by 2063, we have to fight cancer," he added. It is important to invest not just in treatment but in testing to catch the disease early, he said -- adding that investment in this area would pay off. "Healthier populations are people who work more, who consume more and who cost less," he argued.

China says pork production recovering as swine fever cases decline

Swine fever -- fatal to wild boar and pigs but harmless to humans -- has cut a swathe through Mongolia, Vietnam, North Korea and China AFP/File

EIJING | AFP | 7/4/2019 New cases of African swine fever have declined and pork production is returning to normal, Chinese officials said Thursday, after millions of pigs were culled because of the deadly disease.

osecurity standards for pig farms to ensure that the virus is contained, he said, as well as increased scrutiny of meat processing and transporting facilities to guarantee contaminated supplies don't end up on shop shelves.

The virus -- fatal to wild boar and pigs but harmless to humans -- has cut a swathe through Mongolia, Vietnam, North Korea and China.

But there were still challenges in controlling the spread of the virus because China's small farmers were ill-equipped to prevent the disease, he said.

The world's top pork producer and consumer has seen prices and imports continue to rise since the August outbreak spread across the country.

"Feeding kitchen waste to pigs is banned but its still taking place because pigs were traditionally used as a family's garbage bin," he said.

Around 1.16 million pigs have been killed over the past 10 months, according to official Beijing statistics, but the true figure is widely considered to be much higher.

Yu declined to comment on a timeline for conducting field trials for a vaccine to prevent swine fever, saying the research was still at an early stage.

However, China has recorded only 44 new incidences of African swine fever over the past seven months compared with 99 cases from August to December last year, according to Yu Kangzhen, vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs. "Pork production is slowly recovering, but there are challenges to containing the virus," he told reporters at a press briefing. But live pig prices have increased around 40 percent since May last year, pushing inflation to a 15-month high. The country's pork imports also surged 63 percent in May compared with 2018, according to customs data. Despite government claims that the epidemic was "under control" analysts say the damage is being underreported. Christine McCracken, senior animal protein analyst at Rabobank, estimates that 200 million pigs could be culled in China -- more than half the stock of the country, which supplies around 50 percent of the world's pork. Yu said the government has adopted a "zero tolerance policy" to deal with local officials who failed to inspect or report outbreaks. The government has tightened bi-

An eating plan for tummy trouble

or some people, even healthy foods—such as cauliflower, cashews, lentils, onions, peaches, and wheat—can cause gas, bloating, and discomfort. That's because foods like these contain hard-todigest carbohydrates called fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols, aka FODMAPs. A 2016 study published in Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology found that a low-FODMAP diet may help irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and may be particularly beneficial for people who have abdominal pain along with constipation or diarrhea. Following a low-FODMAP diet, which involves eliminating these foods for two to six weeks, then slowly adding them back in small amounts, may help but should be done in consultation with a dietitian, says Melissa Phillips, R.D.N., of the University of Wisconsin Health System’s Digestive Health Center. “It’s meant to be a learning diet, not a permanent one. - Consumer Reports

ow carb diets have been popular for years. But lately I’ve been hearing about a zero carb diet, and it has me worried. Depending on what you choose to eat, a no carb diet may be even more restrictive than a keto diet. While there’s no precise limit to the grams allowed per day, this approach essentially involves eliminating as much carbohydrate as possible. Considering that vegetables typically contain 3 to 4 grams of net carb (that's grams of total carb minus grams of fiber) per cup, and an ounce of nuts provides about the same, a truly zero carb goal eliminates more health-protective foods than any other diet. This approach reminds me of the fat free fad I encountered when I first became a dietitian, in that it pushes a trending philosophy to the extreme. Several years ago, when fat was vilified, I saw clients who became obsessed with avoiding fat at all costs. If something contained even half a gram of fat per serving, they would banish it, fearing that those half grams would add up to too many full grams by the end of the day. This mentality led to filling the fat void with carbs and sugar, which ultimately led to weight gain and a host of fat deficiency side effects, from dry skin to hormone imbalances. As with fat, the focus with carbohydrates should be quality and balance, not banishment. It’s absolutely true that there are some bad carbs, such as processed grains and refined sugar; but that’s just part of the carb story. Here’s an analogy I use with my clients: Some types of workouts can lead to injury. But that being true, it doesn’t mean you should avoid working out completely. The goal with exercise is to engage in the right type and amount in order to gain benefits. And the same is true for carbs. Losing and maintaining a healthy weight and preventing diseases like diabetes doesn’t require such extreme carb limits. In fact, the side effects of attempting to eliminate all carbs are very impactful for both quality of life and health. Here are four to consider. You could miss important nutrients Slashing carbs severely reduces the intake of many key nutrients found in foods that are shunned or limited, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and prebiotics (more on this below), and even healthful fats. There is no multivitamin or powdered supplement capable of replacing the myriad health-protective nutrients that stop showing up for work in the body. This shortfall can potentially affect immune function, cognitive health, and up the risk of chronic illnesses, including heart disease and Alzheimer’s. In fact, in Blue Zones—areas in the world where people live the longest, healthiest lives—diets are predominantly plant-based and relatively high

Plant-based diets, which are moderate to high in carbohydrates, have been shown to generate weight loss and other benefits. (File photo) in carbs. Carb avoidance could lead to poor digestive health The daily recommended target for fiber is at least 25 grams per day. And this important nutrient is only found in foods that contain carbohydrates. A high fiber diet is linked to a significantly lower risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and some digestive diseases. Certain types of fiber also act as prebiotics, which serve as food for the beneficial gut bacteria that support immunity, anti-inflammation, and mental health. Fiber supplements are available, but research shows that they don’t offer the same benefits as fiber derived from whole foods. You could experience low carb flu You’ve probably heard about the keto flu. It happens when someone first adopts a keto diet, with symptoms that may include headaches, brain fog, irritability, dizziness, nausea, and muscle soreness. This occurs as your brain, which typically uses up to 60% of all the carbs you eat, must adapt to a different fuel source. But just because your body can adapt doesn’t mean it’s ideal. The same is true of renouncing carbs. Again, it’s not necessary for weight loss or optimal health, so why put yourself through the torture? There may be social and psychological side effects Any extreme diet makes social eating a challenge. I’ve heard many stories from clients about how their strict diet led to avoiding get togethers with friends and family or caused them to become obsessive or fearful about food. Others who are unable to maintain the restrictions, and thus fall off the wagon, often experience extreme guilt and even depression. Going on and off strict diets is a pattern that can morph into seriously disordered eating and crush people’s quality of life and mental health. In addition, a systematic review of 11 studies concluded that plant-based diets that include healthful carbs are associated with signifi-

cant improvements in emotional wellbeing, including depression. Bottom line: a zero carb diet is not necessary or recommended for either long-term weight loss or optimal health. In fact, recent research shows that a plant-based diet that includes whole, fiber-rich foods; monounsaturated fats, like avocado, olive oil and nuts; and plant-based proteins, like lentils and beans, plays a major role in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. Plant-based diets, which are moderate to high in carbohydrates, have been shown to generate weight loss, improve insulin resistance, support a healthy gut microbiome, and reduce the formation of advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, compounds associated with aging. How to include carbs in your diet Wiping out an entire macro—meaning no carb at all; only fat and protein—may be an easier way to lose weight because it’s simple, but it’s not better. And for most, it’s not sustainable. Instead, up your intake of a wide variety of non-starchy veggies, making them the core of your eating pattern. Include portions of fruit, whole grains, and starchy veggies that are in line with your body’s fuel needs, based on your age, gender, ideal weight, and activity level. In other words, a petite, 40-year-old woman with a desk job and 20 pounds to lose shouldn’t be eating the same amount of carbs as a tall, 25-year-old, lean male athlete. Also include anti-inflammatory, satiety-inducing fats that are good for circulation, like avocado and avocado oil; extra virgin olive oil and olives; nuts; seeds; and nut/seed butters. And eat more meatless meals that include lentils, beans, and chickpeas as the protein source. This pattern provides a much broader spectrum of the nutrients needed for wellness, and it’s an approach you can stick with long term, which is one of the most important factors for not only shedding pounds but keeping them off for good. - Yahoo! News

How to solve your digestive problems bt Janet Lee

ust about everyone experiences digestive problems on occasion. They’re some of the most common complaints in doctors’ offices. But for more than 10 million people, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or heartburn are a regular occurrence. When your doctor can’t find an underlying reason for the problem, it’s dubbed a “functional” gastrointestinal disorder, meaning there’s no specific cause, which makes it even more frustrating to deal with. In many cases, though, there's a way to get some relief. “There can be many causes of these problems, but often, if we can’t point to one thing, altering the diet might help,” says Robert Hirten, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine and gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Though chronic digestive disruptions warrant a doctor’s attention (see “Is It Time to Call the Doctor?” below), “generally about 80 percent of patients will benefit from doing some sort of diet intervention,” says Melissa Phillips, R.D.N., a clinical nutritionist at the University of Wisconsin Health System’s Digestive Health Center. Strategies for what, when, and how you eat can keep your gastrointestinal tract in good working order. Go Mediterranean Your digestive system is teeming with healthy bacteria (think probiotics) and other microorganisms that aid in digestion as well as bolster your immunity and provide overall health benefits. A Mediterranean-style diet—rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, and nuts, with some fish, dairy, and lean meat—supplies fiber to feed beneficial bacteria. And olive oil contains antioxidant polyphenols that may help control inflammation.

“At this stage we aren’t able to recommend a specific diet to alter the microbiome in such a way that it directly prevents or helps a specific disease,” says Hirten. “But the food you eat can impact the inflammatory bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.” A Mediterranean-style diet is also low in added sugars and processed foods, two factors that are important for a healthy gut, he says. Increase Your Fiber Even if you don’t switch to a Mediterranean diet, you should get plenty of fiber-rich foods—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Eating 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day can help normalize diarrhea and constipation, Hirten says. There are two forms of fiber. Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol and possibly blood sugar; sources include apples, oats, and legumes. Insoluble fiber helps bulk up stool and promotes the contractions in the intestines that propel it through your system; sources include whole wheat, popcorn, and green vegetables. “If you’re constipated, add more insoluble fiber,” says Phillips. “If you have diarrhea, opt for more soluble fiber.” But incorporate fiber gradually into your diet. If you try to do it all at once, you might exacerbate your symptoms. Drink Enough Water Fiber absorbs water, making stool softer and easier to pass. If you’re dehydrated, fiber will be less effective and may cause more digestive symptoms. (Without adequate fluid intake, more fiber can actually be constipating.) There’s no set guideline for how much fluid to drink, but 8 cups a day is a safe goal for most people to aim for. Water, sparkling water, milk, juice, and noncaffeinated beverages count toward your daily intake amount, Phil-

lips says, but water is the best. Sparkling water, milk, and juice can sometimes trigger bloating. Add Natural Probiotics Yogurt and other fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, and miso may help populate your gut with healthy bacteria. There are no guidelines for how often to eat probiotic foods, but trying to incorporate them as part of an overall healthy diet could help. Supplements that contain “live cultures” and strains of bacteria haven’t been shown to benefit digestion. (Some may not even make it past the stomach’s acidic environment.) “I rarely recommend people start taking probiotic supplements, simply because we just don’t have enough evidence to suggest it helps or hurts,” says Meagan Bridges, R.D., a clinical dietitian and nutrition support specialist at the University of Virginia Health System. “A lot of times, though, patients will have already been taking probiotic supplements, and some people find they do help their symptoms. If that’s the case, then I usually tell them to keep going. It’s patientspecific.” Eat on a Schedule Your digestive system prefers a routine. “It likes to know when you’re going to be eating and how much, so it knows when to work and when to rest,” says Bridges. “I tell my patients to try to eat at about the same time each day and the same amount of food.” Constant grazing or an erratic schedule can result in constipation. In addition, avoid eating right before bed, which can lead to heartburn or indigestion. “Digestion slows down at night, and it takes longer for food to be absorbed,” says Bridges. “In my experience, those people who are consuming a lot at night aren’t eating much during the day, and that irregularity can contribute to irregular bowel movements.” - Consumer Reports

TRAVEL & LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 17

As families flee Paris, fingers point at Airbnb

Cruise ship in Venice near-miss weeks after dock incident

OME, Italy | AFP | Monday 7/8/2019 - A cruise ship narrowly missed a yacht while being towed out of Venice late Sunday, just a month after a collision there renewed the controversy over the giant vessels.

The crew of the 50-metre yacht rushed from their ship to the quayside as the cruise ship brushed by, the AGI news agency reported. The incident happened not far from the famous Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark's Square).

The 12-deck Costa Deliziosa, which is nearly 300 metres (1,000 feet) long and carries more than 3,800 passengers and crew, was being towed out in stormy conditions when the near-miss happened.

The lead tug managed to pull the cruise ship away from yacht and lead it safely out of the lagoon.

A video posted by a Venetian writer and artist, Roberto Ferrucci, on his website www. robertoferrucci.com showed the massive cruise ship passing very close to a moored yacht.

This picture taken on June 27, 2019 shows the Vaugirard elementary school in Paris. (AFP/Philippe Lopez)

by Joseph Schmid

ARIS, France | AFP | Thursday 7/4/2019 - The bells will ring for the last time this week at Vaugirard elementary school in central Paris, the latest school in the city to close as spiralling property prices drive families out of the capital. Just 51 students were enrolled this year at Vaugirard, a stark illustration of the steady decline in numbers at many schools in central Paris which some parents and teachers blame on the surge of homerenting giant Airbnb. "The centre of Paris is basically becoming a vast Airbnb hotel, and there are fewer and fewer residents," Jean-Jacques Renard, vice president of the FCPE parents' association, told AFP. Real estate prices in Paris and most Western capitals have soared in recent years, making it harder for middle-class couples to find family-sized apartments in a city already known for its cramped living conditions. While record low interest rates and a shortage of housing have fuelled the boom, fingers are increasingly being pointed at Airbnb. Its popularity has encouraged thousands of property owners to turn Paris flats or commercial spaces into short-term rentals that are far more profitable than traditional leases. The number of Paris lodgings that are not permanently occupied jumped by nearly 30,000 in the five years to 2017, "likely due to the development of short-term rentals," according to a report by the Paris Urbanism Institute last year. This trend has exacerbated

the spike in rental and property prices, prompting a growing number of parents to head for the cheaper suburbs or even farther afield. Vaugirard, a short walk from the tourist hotspot of Luxembourg gardens, will be the fourth school in four years to close, according to city hall data. Ten more have shut after being merged with other schools because of dwindling student numbers and a dozen more are at risk of closure or "merger". And while three new schools are set to open in September, student levels have fallen every year since 2012 -- a decline of nine percent, or nearly 13,000 pupils overall -- after growing since the early 2000s. "Instead of hearing the cries of children going to school in the morning, you have the clickety-clack of suitcase wheels," the principal of a primary school in the residential 16th arrondissement, which is close to the Champs-Elysees, told AFP. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak to the press without permission from the education ministry. - 65,000 listings The fall in the number of children in Paris is inversely proportional to Airbnb's spectacular growth since 2013. With 65,000 listings for a population of 2.2 million in the 20 districts that fall within the city's limits, compared with 50,000 for the 8.5 million people spread across New York's five boroughs, Paris is Airbnb's single biggest market. By contrast with Berlin, where many Airbnb offerings are for a room in an apartment,

nearly 90 percent of the Paris listings are for an entire home, according to the Paris Urbanism Institute. City officials accuse Airbnb of effectively siphoning thousands of apartments off the market. "We don't have a problem with vacation rentals, but we do when we lose an apartment that's turned into an Airbnb rental," said Maxime Cochard, an advisor to Ian Brossat, the deputy mayor in charge of housing. Flats owned as second homes cannot be legally offered as vacation rentals in Paris, and the city has successfully sued several property owners for renting out almost entire buildings on Airbnb and also taken legal action against Airbnb itself. Cochard said Airbnb was flouting a law requiring all listings to have a registration number proving that the apartment is a primary residence. "We know perfectly well it is not always the case," Cochard said. - 'Changes the neighbourhood' Experts caution that other factors are at play behind the fall in school enrolments in Paris. These include a shortage of new housing projects and falling birth rates in one of the EU's most fecund countries, down from around two children per woman between 2006 and 2014 to 1.87 children per woman in 2018. Laws that offer a high level of protection to renters have long put off many wealthy Parisians from renting out their homes in Paris out of fear of being stuck with a non-paying tenant. Airbnb says it works to en-

British Airways fined ÂŁ183m over computer theft of passenger data

ONDON | AFP | 7/8/2019 - The UK's data privacy watchdog has fined British Airways more than ÂŁ183 million after computer hackers last year stole bank details from hundreds of thousands of passengers, the pair said on Monday. The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said it had issued a notice of its intention to fine BA ÂŁ183.39 million ($229.7 million, 205 million euros) for infringements of EU data protection rules, or GDPR. "People's personal data is just that -- personal," Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said in a statement. "When an organisation fails to protect it from loss, damage or theft it is more than an inconvenience. That's why the law is clear -- when you are entrusted with personal data you must look after it," she added. In a separate statement, BA's parent group IAG said the fine was equivalent to 1.5 percent of British Airways' turnover in 2017. Companies can be fined up to four percent of annual global turnover for breaching EU data protection rules. The fine is equivalent to more than 7 percent of IAG's net prof-

it last year. IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said it would consider appealing the penalty as it seeks "to take all appropriate steps to defend the airline's position vigorously". BA's CEO Alex Cruz said the airline was "surprised and disappointed" by the punishment. "British Airways responded quickly to a criminal act to steal customers' data," he said in the statement. "We have found no evidence of fraud/fraudulent activity on accounts linked to the theft. We apologise to our customers for any inconvenience this event caused," Cruz added. Shares in IAG were down 1.0 percent following the announcement and in early trading on London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, which was down 0.25 percent overall. Personal data of approximately 500,000 customers were compromised, beginning in June 2018, the ICO said Monday. This was shortly after the European Union introduced its tighter data protection law, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

BA meanwhile publicly revealed the hack in September. The stolen data comprised customer names, postal addresses, email addresses and credit card information. However the 15-day breach, which was fixed on discovery, did not involve travel or passport details. Following disclosure of the hack, BA promised to compensate affected customers and took out full-page adverts in the UK newspapers to apologise to passengers. It had meanwhile described the mass theft as "a very sophisticated, malicious, criminal attack on our website". IAG is the owner of five airlines, including also Aer Lingus, Iberia, Level and Vueling, none of which were affected by the hack. GDPR establishes the key principle that individuals must explicitly grant permission for their data to be used. The case for the new rules had been boosted by a scandal over the harvesting of Facebook users' data by Cambridge Analytica, a US-British political research firm, for the 2016 US presidential election.

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

But the near-miss comes only weeks after a June 2 incident in which when another cruise ship, the 13-deck MSC Opera, scraped the dockside and knocked a small tourist boat, injuring four people. That accident reignited a long-running row over the

damage caused to the city and its fragile ecosystem by cruise ships that sail exceptionally close to the shore. Critics say the waves the ships create are eroding the foundations of the lagoon city, which regularly floods, leaving sites such as Saint Mark's Square underwater. The port city, with its famous lagoons and canals, enjoys UNESCO World Heritage site status. Two years ago the government announced that larger ships would be diverted away from the historic centre -- but failed to follow through on the pledge.

Sri Lanka tourism limps back after bombings, figures show

OLOMBO, Sri Lanka | AFP | Wednesday 7/3/2019 - Tourism in Sri Lanka suffered a huge blow after the Easter bombings that killed 258 people including 45 foreigners, but official figures Wednesday showed a modest recovery.

sure its services don't distort local housing markets, for example by automatically limiting a listing to 120 nights per year -- the legal limit in many French cities. "Official data show the Paris population has been declining since the 1950s, and the housing issues in Paris go back several decades before the creation of Airbnb," the company told AFP in a statement. Real estate prices in the city have jumped nearly 25 percent since 2015.

The industry, which before the April attacks had expected a record number of foreign holidaymakers in 2019 on the back of rave reviews in international travel magazines, saw arrivals plummet in May.

Samaraweera had initially predicted that Sri Lanka could lose 30 percent of its tourism revenues, or about $1.5 billion, this year.

The number of tourists dived to just 37,800 in May, down from 166,975 in the previous month, and 129,500 a year earlier, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority figures showed.

The total number of holiday makers hit a record 2.33 million in 2018, up 10.3 percent compared to 2017.

But the figures also showed an uptick since, with some 63,000 visitors arriving in June, a 66-percent increase compared to May, but still way below the June 2018 figure of 146,828. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said last week that the damage to tourism from the April 21 attacks was less than intially feared. Even in the aftermath of the attacks, domestic tourists filled hotels which were able to retain staff and remain in business.

But now he believes the loss will be less than $1 billion.

This year was expected to be another record high with arrivals jumping five percent in the first quarter before the Easter attacks devastated three churches and three luxury hotels. Sri Lanka topped the Best in Travel 2019 rankings of Lonely Planet, and this week the travel guide said the country remained its top pick. Many countries have softened their travel warnings on Sri Lanka which is, however, under a state of emergency since the attacks that also left nearly 500 people wounded.

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FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

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Week of July 12, 2019 21 March to 20 April It will be easy to express your feelings in a practical manner now. This can help in any creative or people-oriented profession. These are excellent days for research or a careful review of any reports or documents. Talk to co-workers for good ideas. This period can bring surprising and positive changes.

21 April to 20 May Your money situation may not be quite what you want it to be now, but a helpful aspect boosts your morale this week. An emphasis on past lives and karma urges you to be careful about how you conduct yourself, especially when it comes to your words, which can seriously wound. Meanwhile, cash comes in when you exploit shared investments and properties.

21 May to 20 June Think about going on a short detox. Remove all the junk food and have fresh juices, vegetables, and salads. After a couple days you’ll feel more energized and refreshed. Remember that dark emotions can have a powerful effect on your body, too. Make a regular effort to release past issues that can drain your energy. Your health will improve.

21 June to 22 July The sun is in your imaginative sign when it opposes hardworking Saturn at the start of the week. These two energies don’t exactly flow together seamlessly, and the result can be unwanted stress. The sun-Neptune trine happens close to the same time, which can lighten your mood and give you a more optimistic romantic outlook. Look forward to something good happening soon.

23 July to 22 August You may want to hide under your desk about now. Things could be emotionally intense. Simply do your best and avoid taking anything personally. There are much larger forces at work. Things lighten up soon. This is a good time for any sort of team effort. Work that focuses on improving the lives of others will see you shine. Slow down and keep things simple.

23 August to 22 Sept You must feel pretty special this week. This is a very good week for exploring how to better your financial situation. The planets ask that you find a new way to use your creativity, and that you spend on family, children, and romantic partners. You’ve worked hard enough. It’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

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astrology.com

23 September to 22 Oct You should begin to thrive now. If you can apply yourself, you’ll see how valuable it can be to stick with your health routine. Good health is the best gift you can give yourself and the main ingredient in all levels of success. A slight touch of nerves could bring mild headaches, but chamomile tea may help. Look after your feet, too.

23 October to 21 Nov Are you feeling romantically ambitious? Your ruler Mars travels through confident Leo this week, giving you the ability to do something you’ve only dreamed of doing until now. The moon is on fire with the Archer’s energy later in the week, so dates should have an adventurous twist. Introducing someone new to one of your favorite adrenaline-inducing activities is a rush in more ways than one.

22 November to 21 Dec You could be feeling especially touchy and unsure of yourself now. It’s possible to be easily hurt or insulted by someone you must be polite around. This can be a lonely time, but you may be happiest working by yourself. These are positive days for a careful review of budgets, contracts, and human resources concerns.

22 December to 20 Jan With an emphasis on past lives, karma, and institutions, it’s best to be patient. Your subconscious may receive signs from your spirit guides and guardian angels, and not all of them will make sense. The anti-establishment is encouraged, so don’t be surprised if the same old, same old isn’t doing it for you anymore. You have the power to communicate what you see for fun and profit.

21 January to 19 Feb The cosmos might bring certain health issues to the fore. Don’t just hope they’ll disappear. See a health professional for peace of mind. If you notice that your energy isn’t great, lighten your schedule and relax. A massage would ease muscle tension and do wonders for your mindset. You’re more tense than usual, and you don’t want to burn out.

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Undesirable row

1. Between Fa and La

5. *Genetic stuff

2. Door opener

8. *Public health org.

3. International Civil Aviation Org.

11. Fairytale start 12. Aphrodite's son 13. Once more 15. Bakery unit 16. *Blood component, pl. 17. Like plum turned to prune 18. *Type of fitness class 20. Type of hot sandwich 21. Not taken and taken 22. M in rpm, abbr. 23. *Beginning of a workout 26. *A, B or C 30. ____ Khan 31. Not wholesale 34. Russian governmental agency 35. *Juice cleanses, e.g. 37. Michael Jackson's early hit 38. *Green entrée 39. Never without n 40. Remove from political office 42. Computer-generated imagery 43. Gets ready for publication 45. *An apple a day keeps this one away 47. Boiling blood 48. Fire in one's soul 50. Spanish lady 52. *End of workout 55. ____ de la Frontera, Spain 56. What pep talkers do 57. Bye in Palermo 59. *Estrogen producer 60. Spot to hang a heavy picture

20 February to 20 Mar There’s a gentle sun-Neptune trine at the beginning of the week that blurs the lines of reality and makes your daydreams a little more vivid. Your perfect match is someone who’s willing to look at the clouds with you and see more than what’s there. The sultry Scorpio moon brings out passion over the weekend, but only if you trust someone.

61. Grams, e.g. 62. 4 qts. 63. Greek letters on campus 64. Like baby's bottom

4. Twist out of shape 5. Scary movie consequence 6. Socially acceptable behaviors 7. Make haste, in a letter 8. Be unsuccessful 9. *Prescribed food selection 10. Common conjunction 12. "The Shawshank Redemption" theme 13. "____ One" on a ticket 14. Lesser Antilles island 19. What band does 22. A cool one, as in money 23. Nilla ____, sing. 24. Tequila source 25. Torn down 26. Cheney or Pence 27. Defraud 28. Idealized image 29. Rock bottom 32. *Soaks in D 33. *Traverse and oblique muscles 36. *Personal helper 38. "The Day the World ____ Still" 40. Beehive State native 41. Befuddled 44. Has bats in the belfry 46. Croci, sing. 48. *Largest artery in human body 49. Scallywag 50. Deity in Sanskrit 51. *Like dental exam 52. Spew profanities 53. Drunkard 54. Lack of guile 55. *Not a walk in the park 58. Baseball Giant and hall-offamer

SOLUTION: FAMOUS DOGS on Page 19

CLASSIFIED

VOICE OF ASIA 19

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

IMMEDIATE JOB OPENING “Domestic Sales Director” Consulate General of India in Houston invites application from suitable candidates for likely vacancy of clerks. Nature of Job: Clerical job involving issue of Consular documents and related works. Required Qualifications: Graduate, proficient in computer applications, excellent written and oral communication skills in English with good mental and physical health. Age: preferably 20-35 yrs. Pay: Minimum pay of $ 2886/- per month on a pay scale of 2886-87-4191-126-5451164-7091. Interested candidates may send their resume by Post with copies of educational qualifications, work experience and valid residence visa and work permit to the ‘Head of Chancery, Consulate General of India, 4300 Scotland Street, Houston, TX 77007’ by 19th July, 2019. Email: enquiriescgi@swbell.net or/and admn.houston@mea.gov.in

JOB OPENINGS TDK Construction Company has an immediate opening for the following 3 positions: 1) Project Manager/Estimator 2) Administrative Assistant 3) Construction Intern If interested, please email your resume to:Tina@tdkco.com I will also provide you more information on the roles & answer any of your questions. About us: Commercial Construction Company in business for over 25 years. Our specialties include Hotels, C-Stores, Gas Stations, Shopping Centers, Apartment Buildings, Office Buildings, Warehouses, Restaurants, Banks, etc.

Immediate opportunity at a renowned rice milling and rice ingredients company

Responsible for ethnic and “US broadline” retail and foodservice sales development 50% Travel required This is new business development position Salary and benefits very competitive! We are looking for energetic, self -motivated applicants. This is not a desk job Please send resume to cbrenck@gulfpac.com

When you find some time, READ!

RESTAURANT FOR SALE This is a rare opportunity to run a successful authentic restaurant in a prime location of Houston. Full service with turnkey operation near Eldridge Parkway surrounded by Corporate Offices, Strip Mall & Apartment Complex . Current seating for 62 guests, full kitchen, walk-in cooler and freezer, ice machine, stove, deep fryer, dishwasher etc. Four TV stations with sound system in the dining room, private office with security system ADA bathroom. Any operator interested to run please contact: admin@sierrassetsgroup.com

READ DAILY! 15 - 30 minutes of reading daily helps your brain focus better. Grab a novel! A Community message from Voice of Asia Group

Accounting Assistant

ax Consulting Firm’s accepting resumes from qualified entry level accounting graduate for “Accounting Assistant” Position. The position challenge to all aggressive accounting graduates who would like to apply their accounting knowledge. Please forward your resume for review to: P. O. Box 36770, Houston, TX 77236-6770.

E-mail: HarryTax@aol.com

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Theme: FAMOUS DOGS from Page 18

Interested in working over the Summer? Voice of Asia is looking to hire a Marketing Director full-time.

We are also open to Internship parttime in marketing and reporting.

Send resume to: voiceasia@aol.com

VOICE OF ASIA 20

FRIDAY, July 12, 2019

Home&Real Estate Large new coworking space opens for business in downtown Houston

This otherworldly museum in China is buried beneath the Earth Hidden between the sea and the sand, the UCCA Dune Art Museum is a sanctuary for nature and art. by Katherine M.

imple, pure, and touching, the UCCA Dune Art Museum is a fascinating network of subterranean concrete galleries carved into the sand of a quiet beach along the coast of northern China’s Bohai Bay in Qinhuangdao. Designed by Beijing–based OPEN Architecture, the 10,000-square-foot space is programed and operated by the country's leading independent institution of contemporary art, the UCCA Foundation. Inspired by the way sand dunes are organically created by countless years of wind, the architects proposed to create a museum underneath the sand that would protect both the land and the vulnerable coastal ecosystem. WeWork is coming to 609 Main. (Photo: Nick Tortajada)

OUSTON - WeWork has decided to open yet another coworking location in Houston — this time, the new office is just down the street from an existing location. The New York City-based company has opened three locations across Houston — one in downtown's The Jones Building, one in the Galleria Office Tower I, and one in Hughes Landing in The Woodlands, which was recently announced in May. The new location will occupy 56,000 square feet of the 25th and 26th floors of 609 Main, Houston-based Hines' 48-story trophy tower that joined the Houston skyline in early 2017. The building now has tenants to the tune of United Airlines, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Orrick, and Hogan Lovells, to name a few. "The modern office is evolving, and providing a coworking component is essential to a building's long-term viability," says Philip Croker, Hines senior managing director, in a release. "Adding a tenant of WeWork's caliber further reinforces the strength of 609 Main and will deliver an outstanding amenity for the building and its future occupants." In addition to the usual WeWork perks — like 24/7 building access, coffee, community events, and business resources — members will also have access to a 7,000-square-foot, high-performance fitness center in the building and the lobby coffee shop. Michael Anderson and Damon Thames with Colvill Office Proper-

More room to recover The trend is largely rooted in the fact that prices of inexpensive houses fell the steepest during the real estate crash and so had more room to recover, says economist Kwame Donaldson of Moody’s Analytics. Also, affordable, entry-level homes have been in short supply, driving up their price tags, says Issi Romem, chief economist of Trulia, a real estate research firm. The unusual dynamic is allowing homeowners like the Bluths to move up to their "forever homes" more rapidly. It’s also helping many low- and moderate-income Americans amass wealth that can improve their lifestyles or bolster their nest eggs. But first-time buyers looking to get into the market now may be squeezed out. In 204 of the nation’s most populous counties, the bottom 10% of neighborhoods with the lowest median household income posted the largest average annual home price increases from 2011 to 2018 – 7.6%, according to a Moody’s analysis. The top 10% of neighborhoods with the highest median income notched the lowest annual price gains at 5.2%. Trulia found similar results in a

Along with the museum's doors and windows, the reception desk, bar counter, and bathroom sinks have also been custom-designed and created by hand. (Photos: Tian Fangfang)

ties represented Hines in the transaction, and Mark O'Donnell with Savills Commercial Real Estate negotiated on behalf of WeWork.

museumgoers to intimately connect with nature, while also observing and contemplating the ever-changing expressions of the sky and sea throughout the day.

"Houston is a thriving business hub and innovative city," says Nathan Lenahan, general manager of WeWork, in a release. "We are excited to expand our footprint with a second location downtown and continue to strengthen the WeWork network with the opening of 609 Main Street." In May, WeWork announced that it would be opening 1,000 desks in its new Woodlands location, but the company also disclosed that 775 desks will be added to the Galleria location in 2019, too. In the same release, an additional 1,000 desks were noted to be in the works, pending new leases. This figure could have been referring to the then-unannounced downtown location. "In 2018, WeWork grew its footprint in a very big way in Houston. Now, in 2019, we're growing even more, but in a way that's as much about desks as it is impact," says Roniel Bencosme, WeWork Houston's community director, in the news release. "In this next year, WeWork will build a constellation of opportunity through new spaces spread across Houston, and opening in the Woodlands is key to that effort." Regionally, WeWork has a presence in five cities in Texas — Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and Plano — but will launch in its sixth Texas city, San Antonio, in early 2020. - InnovationMap

In boon for many homeowners, the least expensive houses have risen sharply in price ince the U.S. housing recovery began in 2012, affordable homes in modest neighborhoods have notched the sharpest price increases while luxury houses in wealthy neighborhoods have had the smallest percentage gains. In other words, on average, the lower the home-price tier, the more dramatic the price increase, with mid-range homes appreciating moderately.

"Because of the museum, these sand dunes will be preserved instead of leveled to make space for oceanview real estate developments, as has

study based on home prices rather than a neighborhood’s median income. From 2012 to February 2019, the bottom third of homes with the lowest prices appreciated an average 8.03% a year, compared with 6.39% for mid-level homes and 5.01% for the most expensive units, the analysis found. Affordable homes hurt in downturn A big reason for the disparity is that home prices in the lowest-income neighborhoods tumbled the most during the housing crash – an average 7.4% a year – while values in the wealthiest areas fell the least – 4.3%, according to Moody’s. That’s likely because low-wage workers lost their jobs in greater numbers during the 2007-09 recession, and many couldn’t make their monthly mortgage payments, Donaldson says. Many also had subprime mortgages they couldn’t repay as home prices began spiraling downward. As a result, houses in those neighborhoods experienced more foreclosures and were resold by lenders at bargain prices, lowering average values in those zip codes and setting the stage for a bigger rebound. Another factor is that while the number of homes on the market remains historically low, affordable, entry-level units are especially in short supply and so their prices have climbed more rapidly, Trulia’s Romem says. Builders are putting up few starter houses because they can’t make a profit amid high labor, material and land costs, he says. -USA Today

Sustainability was another key aspect in the design. "The building’s many skylights, each with a different orientation and size, provide natural lighting for the museum’s spaces at all times of the year; its sand-covered roof greatly reduces the building’s summer heat load; and a low-energy, zero-emission ground-source heat pump system replaces traditional air conditioning," states the firm.

Blending into its surroundings, the museum is a stunning, secluded refuge for nature and art. happened to many other dunes along the shore," explains the firm. Gently carved into the sand, the structure contains a series of cavernous rooms, including 10 galleries of

different shapes and sizes, a cafe, and a space for reading. Skylights above silently yet powerfully fill the museum with natural light. Openings of various sizes allow

Recently recognized as the best building under 1,000 square meters by the 2019 AZ Awards, the UCCA Dune Art Museum will soon be expanded to include a long walkway that extends into the ocean. This path will allow guests to visit another smaller art gallery, also to be designed by OPEN, which will be partially submerged by water and only accessible during low tide. - Dwell.com

Apartment rental demand soars as more millennials believe it’s cheaper than owning a home by Diana Olick

n the D.C. suburb of Chevy Chase, Maryland, a massive apartment rental and condominium complex is going up, and apparently it can’t happen fast enough. Demand for rental apartments in and near cities across America is soaring, just when most thought it wouldn’t be. The expectation was that rental demand would fall as millennials aged into their homebuying years. Apartment demand in the second quarter of 2019 spiked 11% from a year ago. That, in turn, pushed rents up an average 3% nationally to $1,390 per month, according to RealPage, a real estate software and analytics company. “Demand is proving especially strong in this year’s primary leasing season,” according to RealPage’s chief economist, Greg Willett. “Solid economic growth is encouraging new household formation, and rentals are capturing a sizable share of the resulting housing demand. At the same time, loss of existing renters to home purchase remains limited relative to historical levels.” Despite the increase, a record 82% of renters say renting is more affordable than owning, according to a new survey from Freddie Mac, up from 67% just a year ago. “Affordability remains the essential factor when it comes to determining whether to rent or purchase a home, and the cost of housing is having a significant impact on households of every age, size and location,” said David Brickman, president and CEO of Freddie Mac. “For millennials and many Gen Xers, buying a home is no longer just a decision based on housing and housing costs — increasing pressure from student loans and the rising cost of child care are having a significant impact.” Rental demand is currently highest in the nation’s largest cities, with Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Houston, New York City and Washington, D.C., leading. “The metrics that we’ve seen this year have been off the charts,” said

Rent nationwide is up an average 3% nationally to $1,390 per month, according to RealPage, a real estate software and analytics company. Toby Bozzuto, CEO of The Bozzuto Group, which currently has over a billion dollars worth of residential, Class A construction in the works across the North and Southeast. Bozzuto’s Chevy Chase development will offer 530 residential units comprised of 466 apartments, 64 condominiums and over 100,000 square feet of retail and restaurants. It is also connected to a metro rail line, which is exactly what today’s renters — both millennials and downsizing baby boomers—want.

in the pipeline, which does pose a risk to developers, especially as construction costs rise and a slowing economy makes it harder to raise rents.

“I think millennials ultimately aspire to have homes. I think it’s still the American dream, but I call it the dream deferred and it’s deferred because of student loans, the lack of having a large amount of equity, and they also enjoy flexibility versus fixity,” said Bozzuto. “This is a generation that likes a sharing economy. They use Uber instead of their own car, so apartments appeal to their needs, flexibility and their desires.”

The shortage began to ease slightly in the past year, but seems to be worsening again. The inventory of homes for sale fell in June annually, the first such drop in 10 months, according to Redfin. That may be because a sharp decline in mortgage rates caused homebuying to surge in the late spring.

Apartment construction began booming in 2014, and hasn’t pulled back much despite concern that lower mortgage rates would push renters to buy. There is still a lot of new product

While apartment construction is booming, single-family home construction is not. Homebuilders are still underbuilding for the amount of demand, blaming high costs for land, labor, materials and regulation compliance. A shortage of affordable existing homes for sale in the last several years has pushed prices into the overheated range.

“The only issue is that as rates go down you still have low inventory and that’s going to limit sales, so prices are going to go up, sales will not be as strong,” said Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin, in a recent interview on CNBC. - CNBC