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HAPPY NEW YEAR

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Bollywood star Kushal Punjabi found dead by suicide

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Greta’s father says activism makes her happy: interview

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Texas gun laws saved lives in church attack: Trump

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Southwestern National Bank hosts Christmas celebrations

OUSTON | AFP | 12/30/2019 - President Donald Trump on Monday said gun laws in the state of Texas saved lives when a church security officer shot dead a gunman who killed two during a service.

The Sunday shooting at a church service in the Fort Worth Suburb of White Settlement was the latest attack on a house of worship in the US. “It was over in 6 seconds thanks to the brave parishioners who acted to protect 242 fellow worshippers. Lives were saved by these heroes, and Texas laws allowing them to carry arms!”

Trump tweeted.

Jack Wilson, a volunteer church security member, told reporters he returned fire inside West Free-

A gunman killed two people before being shot by a security officer at a church in White Settlement, Texas on December 29, 2019 (AFP Photo/ Stewart F. House)

way Church of Christ after the gunman had already shot the two parishioners.

“After he shot Richard and

Tony, he went and started toward the front of the sanctuary and that’s when I was able to engage Continued on Page 8

Washington says Baghdad failed to ‘protect’ Americans

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ASHINGTON, AFP | 12/30/2019 - Washington on Monday accused Iraqi authorities of having failed to “protect” US interests, the day after deadly American air strikes against a pro-Iran group sparked anger.

At least 25 fighters were killed in Sunday night’s attacks, which were in retaliation for the death last week of a US civilian contractor.

“We have warned the Iraqi government many times, and we’ve shared information with them to try to work with them to carry out their responsibility to protect us as their invited guests,” a senior US State Department official told reporters in Washington.

Iraqis burn a US flag on December 30, 2019, during a demonstration in Najaf to denounce the previous night’s attacks by US planes on several bases belonging to the Hezbollah brigades near Al-Qaim, an Iraqi district bordering Syria (AFP Photo/Haidar HAMDANI).

He noted that the US military and diplomats are in the country

“upon the invitation of the Iraqi government.”

“So it’s their responsibility and Continued on Page 8

Senior Chairman C.K. LEE (right row), Chairlady Jody Lee (right 1) with VIP guest

S

outhwestern National Bank sprinkles some Christmas magic at its Christmas Party on Saturday, December 14, 2019, at Omni Hotel Galleria. The Board of Directors, employees, and VIP guests gathered together for a fun night.

Pierce Bush, the grandson of late President George H.W. Bush, and Katherine Wu, 2019 Miss Chinatown also attended the magical party.

Bank President Mohammed Younus delivered opening remarks and congratulated the Bank and employees for their hard work. 2019 has been one of the best years for Southwestern National Bank. With the continued support from our customers and community, the Bank has grown to $580 million in total assets. The Bank’s California Anaheim Branch also opened in November 2019. While enjoying healthy growth in 2019, the

Chairwomen Jody Lee (left 1), President Mohammed Younus (right1) 15th-year service award recipients Patricia Chou Bank will strategically position the growth moderately in 2020 due to the uncertainties in the financial market. The Bank will focus on customer relations and technology and strive to provide

premium services to our customers. A Loan Production Office in the City of Industry, California, will open in March 2020.

Continued on Page 6

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by David Balat, Opinion Contributor, The Hill

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bamacare was supposed to fix all of this — so why are so many Americans still uninsured, even when they qualify for subsidized and even free insurance?

According to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, “28 percent of uninsured individuals who could shop on the Marketplace, or 4.7 million people nationwide, are eligible to purchase a bronze plan with $0 premiums after subsidies in 2020. This figure is similar to 2019, when 27 percent of uninsured individuals, or 4.2 million people, could purchase a no-premium bronze plan.”

More than half sured who could bronze plan live (Texas, Georgia, na, and Florida).

of these uninget the “free” in four states North Caroli-

Clearly these people are uninsured by choice rather than circumstance, and it is important to understand why. Obamacare sought to increase insurance coverage for some Americans — and this goal was accomplished in the short term. But at the same time, it contributed to increasing the overall costs of health care for the rest of the nation while simultaneously reducing access.

In the first four years of the ACA, premiums rose approximately 60 percent, according to a study conducted by eHealth.

They also found that, “Premiums for the more common

by Jessica Tarlov, Opinion Contributor, The Hill

N

ew Year’s Eve is all about reflection. What do we want for ourselves in the next year? For our family and friends? For our country?

It’s also a time for political junkies to reflect on the events of the past year and declare some “winners and losers.”

At this time last year, thenHouse Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was on everyone’s winners list, having just overseen a “blue wave” that brought more than 40 new Democrats into office. The naysayers were already backing off and it was clear that the gavel would be back in her hands.

Let’s see how 2020 looks: Winners: Democratic House leadership: Pelosi and House Democratic leadership had a banner year in 2019. Fresh off delivering those big election victories, they focused on passing legislation to make the lives of everyday Americans better by lowering the price of prescription drugs, raising wages, addressing climate change and funding Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as well as holding the Trump administration to account. They outmaneuvered President Trump on everything from opening the government to blocking his border wall to impeaching him.

 IMMIGRATION LAW  PERSONAL INJURY/ ACCIDENT  CRIMINAL DEFENCE  FAMILY LAW Mala Sharma has received “10 Best Attorneys” by American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys and “Top 40 Under 40” for Civil Plaintiff Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers. Sharda Sharma, JD, CPA has received “Top 40 Under 40” by the National Advocates. Mr. Sharma has received the Client’s Choice Award by AVVO. Anjali Sharma has been selected Immigration Law “10 Best Atto Attorneys” by the American Institute of Legal Counsel Immigration.

Licensed in both Texas State and Federal Court

Over 45 Years of Combined Experience

President Trump: Despite his impeachment by the House, the president heads into an election year with some serious achievements to boast about on the campaign trail. The economy is doing well, with rising wages, low unemployment and impressive job growth. Americans are taking notice and feeling good about their finances. Trump or-

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

There is no free lunch — even in health care Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans increased 15 percent in the four years before the ACA, and 66.2 percent afterwards.”

But higher premiums wouldn’t deter Americans eligible for those “free” bronze plans (with $0 premiums). What might?

Sky-high deductibles — which have also risen in the years since Obamacare became law. Those bronze plans have an average deductible of $6,506, at a time when the average American has less than $1,000 in his or her bank account.

According to Gallup, 25 percent of the respondents say they have gone without receiving care for a serious condition for fear of the financial impact: “Americans are more likely to name health care costs than any other issue when asked to say what is the most important financial problem facing their family.”

Higher and higher deductibles are causing individuals to ask their health care providers for cash rates. Transparency in prices for cash payers is creating more competition but the hospitals are less inclined to post these prices unless patients seek them out.

This increase in the real cost of health care has created an

invisible barrier to access. “A third of U.S. adults say their family couldn’t afford care in the last year — and the problem doesn’t appear to be tied to being uninsured,” according to a Gallup report. Contrary to what lawmakers on both sides of the aisle claim, coverage does not equate to care. Regardless of whether you have an insurance card in your wallet, the costs of healthcare have created an obstacle for many Americans to get the care they may need.

was faced with too many choices. Her solution, of course, is Medicare-for-All, as if a complete government takeover of health care will somehow result in less bureaucracy, less red tape and less complexity.

Another kind of barrier to access comes in the form of insurance networks. These networks give the illusion of choice while keeping the patients from controlling their own care through making informed decisions. In reality, their choices are very limited.

The promise of free health care being pushed in today’s healthcare debate is a lie, and it’s also a distraction. Americans are concerned about two things: affordability and agency.

They want to know that they can afford their health care, and they want to be able to make health care decisions for themselves and their families.

For example, the most renowned cancer centers in the world are found in the U.S. — but not on the ACA exchanges.

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Sloan Kettering and the Mayo Clinic are outside of the networks and are therefore not accessible to Americans on these plans — unless they pay out-ofpocket.

The illusion of choice also creates the reality of complexity; U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) recently lamented on Twitter that she

Even in the current system, top-heavy networks are contributing to bottlenecks that increase wait times for doctor visits and certain surgical procedures. That, too, would only get worse.

Millions of Americans remain uninsured — by choice — because the ACA doesn’t meet their needs or their budgets.

We know that Obamacare on steroids, Medicare-for-All, will similarly fall short.

David Balat is the Director of the Right on Healthcare initiative with Texas Public Policy Foundation. Follow him on Twitter @DavidBalatHC.

2019’s political winners and losers — on both sides of the aisle dered the operation that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. He got the First Step Act passed, and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is soon to come. Perhaps most importantly, he appointed conservative judges at record rates, though part of that credit goes to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Democratic Governors Association (DGA) and Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC): Democrats are faring well in elections in the Trump era and we have the DGA and DLCC to thank for major wins such as Govs. Andy Beshear in Kentucky and John Bel Edwards in Louisiana and majority control in the Virginia state legislature. From funding candidates to mobilizing voters to honing messaging strategies that work, these organizations made sure Democrats have big win-percentages, even in traditionally purple and red territories.

Health care: Democrats are trusted to handle this pivotal issue by more than 10 points nationally and have used it to win critical races all over the country. Whether a candidate is focused on improving ObamaCare, lowering prescription drug prices, expanding access to Medicaid or protecting a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions, when Democrats talk about health care, they’re winning.

It’s a great formula heading into 2020.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Gov. Jay Inslee: One would

think that running for president and dropping out before the first ballots are cast would be a marker of a bad year, but not so for Harris and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Harris elevated her position within the party and on the national stage. She raised the profile of black women, Democrats’ core voting bloc, and brought significant attention to issues affecting minorities.

She has positioned herself to be considered as vice president once the Democratic primaries are over. Inslee entered the race to talk about the existential threat of climate change and he got everyone else talking about it, too. His platform influenced the other candidates’ programs and played a role in making climate change a household topic.

Losers: Election security: Trump’s impeachment is about a lot of things, including election security. The intelligence community and both houses of Congress concluded that the Russians hacked our 2016 election and we’ve done little to stop it from happening again. While Trump apparently welcomes interference, election officials across America are being trained to defend our elections from foreign threats. At the same time, election security legislation was a low priority for McConnell, even though 21 states’ election systems were targeted in 2016.

The courts: With close to 200 conservative appointments completed in the first three years of the Trump presidency, the future of the American courts looks bleak to non-conservatives. What was created to serve as a fair arbiter of the law now risks evolving into an

incubator for right-wing policy.

Voting rights, gerrymandering, abortion and climate are just some of the issues that these judges will consider, and Americans could suffer as a result.

Legislation graveyard: Throughout the year, McConnell ignored legislation that Democrats passed. Pelosi oversaw the passage of more than 400 bills — nearly 300 of them bipartisan — and McConnell seemed dedicated to letting them languish on his desk. The big losers from his ploy were the American people, especially the working poor who need better wages, health care access, relief from gun violence and climate change protection.

International alliances: President Trump campaigned on an “America first” agenda and has followed through — but increasingly, America appears isolated from the international community and, all too often, the butt of their jokes. His foreign policy decisions in 2019 further alienated U.S. allies.

Sure, NATO countries may be paying more for defense, but we have fewer friends than we should. Trump has done considerable damage to our standing.

Minorities: Republicans blather on about low black unemployment as a catch-all for minority success in America, but the reality is much bleaker.

African American and Native American women die of pregnancy-related causes at three times the rate of white women.

At least 18 transgender women, many of them people of color, were murdered in 2019. Trump slashed funding to Planned Parenthood, an important institution for many low-income and minority women. House Democrats acted to block Trump’s ban on transgender military service.

The administration’s prioritization of religious freedom threatens LGBTQ gains. And horrific anti-Semitic attacks increased in 2019, including one this past weekend when a knife-wielding man attacked Orthodox Jews on the seventh night of Hanukkah in a rabbi’s home in Monsey, N.Y. There are many important issues worth highlighting, but these are my most prominent winners and losers from 2019.

Each side has plenty to smile and frown about, so I guess my personal New Year’s resolution to be more bipartisan is already panning out. Happy 2020!

Jessica Tarlov is head of research at Bustle Digital Group and a Fox News contributor.

She earned her Ph.D. at the London School of Economics in political science. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaTarlov.

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FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

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Gopio-Ct Hosts Youth And Young Professionals Annual Meeting

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1000 songs in 1000 days: Swapna Abraham setting new world record

has 18+ years of industry experience in multiple software development, technology leadership, strategist role with Amaranth, UBS, Citi, Credit Suisse, JP Morgan & Bear Stearns.

Mr. Chavan described his career trajectory and how he ended up being an entrepreneur. He stressed that one should find what one is good at and stick with it.

He finished by saying that the coming years are the best for someone deciding to start a company with a good idea.

Beena Ramachandran as Moderator copnducting the seminar

I

ndian American High School students from Southern Connecticut joined young professionals at a networking luncheon event in Stamford on December 24th. Organized by the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin-Connecticut Chapter (GOPIO-CT) at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Stamford,it was a house full event. GOPIO-CT has been organizing this event for the last twelve years. The program brings together an opportunity for the high school students to interact with college students and young professionals.

The program was put together by Dr. Beena Ramachandran, a teacher at Greenwich High School and who also teaches at

GOPIO team

University Connecticut Stamford Campus. The networking event started with greetings from GOPIO-CT youth leader Vedant Gannu followed by a formal welcome

by GOPIO-CT’s newly elected President Ashok Nichani. The keynote address was delivered by Mrs. Rama Ramachandran, Chief Technology Officer at Black Diamond Capital, a $12 billion financial services firm in Greenwich, CT. At Black Diamond, Rama is responsible for all Technology initiatives.

Rama has over 25+ years of experience in the Financial Services Industry and has authored several books on computer science. He has also spoken at several industry conferences and been on panels.

He teaches Math and Statistics for the MBA Program at Uconn Stamford.

As the keynote speaker, Mr. Ramachandran gave the audience an overview of the world of finance and how technology permeates every aspect of it. He provided insights into what companies look for when choosing candidates for jobs in finance. He also gave tips on how to network and what resources to use. Finally, he laid out 7 life skills that students need to learn and master in college - chief among them being time management, teamwork and collaboration.

The first panelist was Anand Chavan, Founder and CEO of GuardX, a profitable company running for 4 years. Mr. Chavan

The second panelist was Ms. Nami Kaur, a former Analyst Relations Manager at IBM in Marketing and Public Relations. She currently volunteers for GOPIO international and Children’s Hope in India.

Ms. Kaur explained how, over the years, she has reinvented herself by going back to school several times and updating her skills and education. She stressed on the importance of contributing back to society as a way of moving forward in life.

A third panelist, Ms. Serena Iyer, a Sr. Manager in Strategy & Operations at Dreamworks Animation, recounted her life-path and how she ended up at Dreamworks after Goldman Sachs & an MBA from Harvard Business School. Some of the advice Serena gave to students were: Be good to everybody – above and below you in the company. You never know when you will need them.

She also said you should form a good support group of friends so you can lean on them during times of stress.

Swapna Abraham

A

young Indian girl has created history by the first ever to write the lyrics for 1,000 songs, composing music for them, singing them and publishing a new video of 1,000 melodies songs in a record 1,000 consecutive days. Making a new world record, Swapna Abraham from Kottayam, India has shown her talents, skills, creativity, endurance, and dedication through this new collection of songs.

Swapna has become the first individual in the world to create and publish a video of 1,000 songs in as many days, fulfilling her dreams to reality on the dawn of the new year 2020.

Panelist Curren Iyer, a Multi-Solution Consultant at Adobe who graduated from Harvard College said students get hired because of their skill set and not because they went to a good school.

The Dubai-based singer and songwriter Swapna Abraham, became equally passionate about creating a world record, having read the Guinness Book voraciously throughout her youth.

Lately, she prayerfully became a competitive marathoner to set a new world record: writing and singing 1000 songs in 1000 days.

The program ended with GOPIO-CT Advisor and Trustee Dr. Thomas Abraham calling on youth and young professionals to get involved in various activities including volunteering at the soup kitchen with GOPIO-CT sponsors seven times in a year and other social service activities. Lunch was served after the seminar and panel discussion where the participants had opportunity to network. GOPIO-CT plans more such program for the youth and young professionals.

Swapna has released one new song every day since April 8, 2017, and is on track to reach her 1,000 songs goal on January 2, 2020; her experience, of course has been exhausting and fulfilling.

Her album “1000 Songs In 1000 Days” will qualify to be considered as the record for “most songs on a digital album” with the Guinness Book of World Records. Her final composition will coincide with the launch of Dubai’s EXPO 2020, a timing Swapna Abraham

chose to make the record special for Dubai.

While I watched Swapna Abraham from Kottayam singing to record a few English devotional songs for the Album ‘Believe’ by Adonai Musics during 1992 in the cubicles of Pyramid Studio, Kottayam, I was amazed at her brilliant performance with her intense emotion and the depth of her singing. When jokingly commented that she sings like Amy Grant, she told she would like to be like Amy one day if God blesses her.

Swapna has shown her talents all along her school days, attending a boarding school for 12 years. She wrote poems, danced and sang at several school events from the very young age She was always the ‘Best All Rounder’ in the school. Later on, Swapna attended School in Music from Trinity College of Music, London.

During the subsequent years, I was fortunate to watch with amazement her various stage performances. I was part of Swapna releasing her music albums in cassettes and in digital discs.

Swapna had used her talents in music to share her devotion and love for God, and was a regular singer along with her ex-husband Abey Abraham, performing deContinued on Page 7

VOICE OF ASIA 4

Section 2

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

Family Health Email: voiceasia@aol.com

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Tel: 713-774-5140

Houston boy died of flu, becoming city’s first flu-related pediatric death of season

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OUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A young boy died of the flu in Houston, marking the city’s first flu-related pediatric death of the 2019-2020 season, health officials confirmed Tuesday.

bring comfort to parents coping with the death of a child, this tragic situation serves as a reminder to all parents about the importance of flu vaccination,” said Dr. David Persse, local health authority for the Houston Health Department.

The Houston Health Department said the boy, who had a pre-existing health condition, died in November. A specific age for the child wasn’t given, only that he was between six and 10 years old.

The Houston Health Department said for the week ending Dec. 21, 2019, 3.88% of Houston emergency room visits were for flu-like illnesses, compared to 3.53% the previous week.

The department could not verify if the child had a flu shot for the current season.

This is the second announcement in a little over a week about a child dying from the flu.

“While there is little that can

Last Monday, a boy under age

1 died of the flu in northwest Harris County, which experts said was the county’s first flu-related pediatric death for the flu season beginning Oct. 1, 2019.

Doctors are urging residents to get a flu shot to protect themselves and their families.

The agency recommends anyone six months of age and older get a flu shot every year.

Flu season can last as late as May. Symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle or body aches and fatigue, though doctors warn not everyone who has the flu will have a fever.

China jails scientist who gene-edited babies

He Jiankui shocked the scientific community last year by announcing the birth of twins whose genes had allegedly been altered to confer immunity to HIV (AFP Photo/ Anthony WALLACE)

by Patrick BAERT

been confirmed, it said.

Beijing, China | AFP | Monday 12/30/2019 - A Chinese court on Monday sentenced the scientist who claimed to be behind the world’s first gene-edited babies to three years in prison for illegal medical practice, state media reported.

He announced in November last year that the world’s first gene-edited babies -- the twins -- had been born that month after he altered their DNA to prevent them from contracting HIV by deleting a certain gene under a technique known as CRISPR.

He Jiankui, who shocked the scientific community last year by announcing the birth of twin girls whose genes had allegedly been altered to confer immunity to HIV, was also fined three million yuan ($430,000), Xinhua news agency said.

Days later, He, a former associate professor at the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, told a biomedical conference in Hong Kong he was “proud” of his gene-editing work.

He, who was educated at Stanford University, was sentenced by a court in Shenzhen for “illegally carrying out the human embryo gene-editing intended for reproduction”, Xinhua said.

Two of his fellow researchers were also sentenced. Zhang Renli was handed a two-year jail term and fined one million yuan while Qin Jinzhou was given 18 months, suspended for two years, and fined 500,000 yuan.

The trio had not obtained qualifications to work as doctors and had knowingly violated China’s regulations and ethical principles, according to the court verdict, Xinhua said.

They had acted “in the pursuit of personal fame and gain” and seriously “disrupted medical order”, it said.

The researchers had forged ethical review materials and recruited couples where the husband was HIV positive for their gene-editing experiments.

The trial was held behind closed doors as the case related to “personal privacy”, Xinhua said.

He’s gene-editing experiments resulted in two pregnancies -- the twin girls and third baby which had not previously

The claim shocked scientists worldwide, raising questions about bioethics and putting a spotlight on China’s lax oversight of scientific research.

“That technology is not safe,” said Kiran Musunuru, a genetics professor at the University of Pennsylvania, explaining that the CRISPR molecular “scissors” often cut next to the targeted gene, causing unexpected mutations.

“It’s very easy to do if you don’t care about the consequences,” Musunuru said.

Amid the outcry, He was placed under police investigation, the government ordered a halt to his research work and he was fired by his Chinese university.

While He’s actions “went well beyond what was ethically acceptable”, the lack of transparency while his case was ongoing was also concerning, said Julian Hitchcock, a lawyer at Bristows LLP, which specializes in human gene editing.

“News of the court’s treatment of He Jiankui and his associates therefore appears to be something of a relief,” Hitchcock said in a statement, while calling for China to publish the full details of the judgment.

Gene-editing for reproductive

purposes is illegal in most countries. China’s health ministry issued regulations in 2003 prohibiting gene-editing of human embryos, though the procedure is allowed for “non-reproductive purposes”.

Bangladesh closes breast milk bank after Islamist protests

He’s gene editing meant to immunise the twins against HIV may have failed in its purpose and created unintended mutations, scientists said earlier this month after the original research was published for the first time.

He claimed a medical breakthrough that could “control the HIV epidemic”, but it was not clear whether he had even been successful in immunising the babies against the virus because the team did not reproduce the gene mutation that confers this resistance, scientists told the MIT Technology Review.

While the team targeted the right gene, they did not replicate the “Delta 32” variation required, instead creating novel edits whose effects are not clear.

Moreover, CRISPR remains an imperfect tool because it can lead to unwanted or “off-target” edits, making its use in humans hugely controversial.

In 2015, a UN bioethics committee called for a stop to human embryo gene editing for fears it could be used to modify the human race.

But a year later Britain granted scientists permission to edit embryo DNA in research on the causes of infertility and miscarriages.

And in 2017, a US science advisory committee said such modification should be allowed in future to eliminate disease.

In November this year the World Health Organization said it would create a global registry to track research into human genetic manipulation following the backlash to He’s announcement.

This photograph taken on Jul 23, 2019, shows a mother helping to weigh her newborn baby who is suffering various physical problems. (File photo: AFP/Munir Uz Zaman)

D

HAKA, Bangladesh | AFP | 12/30/2019 - A Bangladesh hospital has suspended plans to give donated breast milk to babies after a backlash by Muslim clerics who said the scheme violated Islamic law.

“It would go against Islam,” he said, suggesting that the authorities should have discussed this “very sensitive issue” beforehand with clerics.

The programme aimed to feed up to 500 orphans and infants of working mothers in the Muslim-majority country, which has high rates of child malnutrition and stunted growth.

Prominent Islamic cleric Fariduddin Masoud struck a conciliatory note, however, saying authorities should find out if and how Muslim majority nations such as Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Malaysia have set up human milk banks.

Bangladesh’s top Islamic leadership has not yet made a ruling on the milk bank, but it was halted after critics said the plan could lead to breaches of Sharia law if two babies drank milk from the same mother and later married.

“Their entire marriage and lineage would become illegal,” said Gazi Ataur Rahman, a spokesman of the influential Islami Andolan Bangladesh political party.

Another Islamist, Ahmed Abdul Kaiyum, said Sharia law did not allow for milk banks.

- Strict safeguards -

“We should see how they have solved the issue. We should sit together to find a solution,” he said.

The milk bank in Dhaka was slated to start this month, but project co-ordinator Mojibur Rahman said it had been delayed indefinitely because of the “widespread criticism”.

He added that the hospital had set up strict safeguards for the scheme.

“We collect and preserve milk separately and rigorously record (donor) identities,” he told AFP on Monday, a day after the milk bank’s suspension was announced.

Top child specialists had backed the milk bank, saying it was needed to help save child lives as well as aid their growth.

“Human milk banks are essential for orphans and critically ill children, especially to save the lives of the babies who are being treated at the hospital’s intensive care unit and whose mothers are not available,” said Mahbubul Haque, a top doctor at Dhaka’s main children’s hospital.

“Milk banks are established in major hospitals in the West. We should set up more such banks in all our top hospitals for children,” he told AFP. Some 90 percent of Bangladesh’s 168 million people are Muslim.

VOICE OF ASIA 5

Section 2

Senior Living

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

10 Doctor-Recommended Health Tips for the New Year

www.voiceofasia.news

Tel: 713-774-5140

Single Chinese woman sues over egg freezing

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EIJING | AFP | 12/25/2019 - A single woman in China has gone to court challenging rules that forbid unmarried women from freezing their eggs in the first case of its kind in the country.

Teresa Xu said she was prompted to take legal action after a top hospital in Beijing declined to freeze her eggs last year, and instead told her to “get married, and have a child soon”.

“There is a huge demand among young women in China -- whether married or single -to freeze their eggs as they delay the decision to have a child,” Xu told AFP. “But clinics refuse single women, because of unfair laws.”

Photo source: (c) LightFieldStudios / iStock via Getty Images Plus

F

our in 10 adults in the U.S. have two or more chronic diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While certain conditions and risk factors are beyond one’s control, the new year is the perfect time to consider the many lifestyle choices you can make for improved health.

“With too many holiday sweets and not enough exercise likely in the rearview mirror, now is the perfect time to consider your personal goals and how you can make positive health choices in the coming year,” says American Medical Association (AMA) President Patrice A. Harris, M.D. “The good news is that there are a few easy steps you can take that will set you on the right track for a healthier 2020.”

To get you started, the AMA is offering 10 wellness tips for the new year: 1. Steps you take now can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Learn your risk by taking the self-screening test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org.

2. Be more physically active.

Adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activ-

ity.

legal drinking age.

3. Visit LowerYourHBP.org to better understand blood pressure numbers and take necessary steps to get high blood pressure – also known as hypertension -- under control. Doing so will reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.

7. Talk with your doctor about tobacco and e-cigarette use (or vaping) and how to quit. Declare your home and car smoke- and aerosol-free to eliminate secondhand exposure.

4. Reduce your intake of processed foods, especially those with added sodium and sugar.

Eat less red meat and processed meats, and add more plant-based foods, such as olive oil, nuts and seeds to your diet. Also reduce your consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and drink more water instead. Drinking sugary beverages -- even 100% fruit juices -- is associated with a higher all-cause mortality risk, a new study published in JAMA Network Open suggests.

5. If your health care professional determines that you need antibiotics, take them exactly as prescribed. Antibiotic resistance is a serious public health problem and antibiotics will not make you feel better if you have a virus, such as a cold or flu.

6. If consuming alcohol, do so in moderation as defined by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans -- up to one drink daily for women and two drinks daily for men, and only by adults of

8. Pain medication is personal.

If you’re taking prescription opioids or other medications, follow your doctor’s instructions. Store them safely to prevent misuse and properly dispose of any leftover medication.

9. Make sure your family is upto-date on vaccines, including the annual influenza vaccine for everyone age six months or older. If you’re pregnant, you can receive the flu vaccine during any trimester, but should receive the Tdap vaccine early in the third trimester to protect yourself against flu and whooping cough.

10. Manage stress. A good diet, sufficient sleep (at least 7.5 hours per night), daily exercise and wellness activities, like yoga and meditation, are key ingredients to maintaining and improving your mental health, but don’t hesitate to ask for help from a mental health professional when you need it.

(StatePoint)

www.voiceofasia.news

Chinese regulations forbid unmarried women from freezing their eggs unless they have a health reason, such as cancer.

A Beijing court on Monday agreed to hear Xu’s case against the hospital, nearly six months after it was filed.

The 31-year old, who works as a freelance editor, said she had also written to a member of China’s parliament, hoping that the issue of reproductive restrictions faced by unmarried women could be raised when the legislature meets in March.

Unmarried women in China are also largely barred from accessing assisted reproductive technologies including in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment or sperm banks.

The restrictions hark back to a

Teresa Xu said she felt she was representing many other single women too. Photo credit:Reuters.

time when the Communist party attempted to strictly control population growth with its one-child policy.

The Chinese government has attempted to boost birth rates in recent years, allowing all couples to have two children from 2016, but single mothers still face discrimination and legal hurdles when attempting to register a birth.

- ‘Immense pressure’ Xu said many of her peers were postponing marriage and seeking options abroad to freeze their eggs.

“Many women in their 30s are under immense pressure to get married and have a child.

But many don’t want to do so because they are afraid their careers will stagnate or (they will) face discrimination in the workplace,” she said.

“It costs about 100,000 yuan ($14,000) in Thailand and about 200,000 in the US, compared to

just 20,000 yuan if done in China.”

The marriage rate in China has been in decline over the last five years, and the country is grappling with one of the lowest fertility rates in the world.

Monday’s closed-door hearing lasted for about an hour, according to a statement on the official social media account of Beijing Chaoyang People’s Court.

Xu said the next hearing will be in January, although a date hasn’t been announced.

“I am still hopeful about this case,” she said. “Even if I lose I feel the process is more important than the result.”

Xu said she hasn’t decided to have a child or get married.

“I don’t want to have a child for the time being, but I will think about it in the future,” she said.

“I just hope that I leave myself the right to choose.”

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER

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

ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT NATURALIZATION Sharlene Sharmila Richards

Q: Do I have to be a lawful permanent resident first before I can apply for naturalization?

A: In order to be eligible to apply for naturalization, you must first be a lawful permanent resident. If you are married to a US citizen and your spouse has been a US Citizen for three years and you have been living in marital union with him or her for three years, you are eligible for naturalization three years after becoming a permanent resident. Otherwise, typically, the requirement is you have to be a permanent resident for five years.

Q: What is the minimum age to apply for naturalization?

A: Generally, to apply for naturalization, the applicant must be at least 18 years of age unless the age requirement is waived for example such as due to military involvement.

Q: What is the current Filing Fee for Naturalization?

A: The current USCIS Filing Fee is $725.00, This includes the $85.00 for the Biometrics Fee. Q: I stayed overseas for more than 6 months but less than one year in the last five years. The reason was illness and I was hospitalized resulting in my inability to return within the six month period.

How will this affect my application for naturalization?

A: For naturalization, there is a requirement that the applicant demonstrate continuous residence for 5 years subsequent to obtaining permanent residence. Generally, any single absence between 6 months and a year within the requisite 5 year statutory period creates a rebuttable presumption that continuous residence has been interrupted. Because this presumption is rebuttable, you can present evidence to show that your continuous residence was not interrupted. For example, evidence that you had maintained your employment in the US, you did not obtain employment abroad, you retained full access to your home in the US and that your close family members continued to remain here during the

period of your absence will be helpful. It will also be useful to provide evidence of your hospitalization showing that your inability to return to the United States within the 6 months period was due to illness.

Q: I had a re-entry permit and stayed abroad for more than one year during the required statutory period. I intend to apply for naturalization. Will it be denied?

A: Your naturalization application will be most likely be denied because any absence of more than one year during the period which continuous residence is required interrupts the continuous residence requirement. As such, you may be able to reapply for naturalization at least four years and one day after your return from that trip or two years and one day under the rules for spouse of a U.S. citizen. However, if the individual had filed N-470 Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes and such application was granted, then the individual’s absence from the United States for a period of one year of more (for certain employment purposes) would preserve his or her status as an immigrant to pursue Naturalization.

Q: What are the exceptions and exemptions to the English Language requirement for naturalization?

A: The English Language requirement shall not apply to those who are at least 50 years and older at the time of filing and been a permanent resident for at least 20 years or at least 55 years and older and lived in the US as permanent resident for at least 15 years. In addition, those who can show that they are suffering from a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment which impairs their ability to learn English are exempt.

Q: My father is not fluent in English. Can he still pass the naturalization test as he does not qualify for the English Language exemptions and does not suffer from any disability or impairment which prohibits him from learning English?

A: For naturalization, the applicant must possess elementary level reading, writing and understanding of the English Language. The applicant must also have knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of US history and gov-

W

As per the new temporary rules, which they were unaware of, these passengers were required to carry their old cancelled passport whose number is mentioned in their Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card.

Under the provisions of the OCI card, which gives the cardholder lifelong visa to India, those below 20 years and above 50 years need to renew their OCI card every time they have their passport renewed.

Early this month, the provision has been relaxed till June 30, 2020, but the concerned OCI cardholders have been asked to carry their old passport with them to fly to India.

However, not many OCI cardholders are aware of these new rules, officials said.

While all of these Indian-American passengers were carrying a valid OCI card, they did not have along with them their old passports.

Among the 16 Indian-Americans briefly stranded at the airport included Somesh Khanna, who co-leads McKinsey’s global banking and securities practice, who was flying First-Class OnAir India along with his family.

With less than 30 minutes for the Air India counter at the JFK airport to close down, these 16 passengers through Milliendrid Thivalapali, an Air India employee, reached out to Prem Bhandari, a community activist and also the head of Jaipur Foot USA since he is active in the area for quite some time now.

“All these 16 Indian Americans would have been stranded at the airport today (Sunday) and would have been forced to go back home or rebook their tickets at an additional expense, but for the high-level interventions

by Indian Ambassador to the US, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Consul General New York, Sandeep Chakravorty and Air India (North America) head Kamal Roul,” said Bhandari.

Houston Tamil Studies Chair (HTSC) at the University of Houston receives rupees 1crore from Tamil Nadu Government

ernment. If your father is at least 65 years old and has been a permanent resident for at least 20 years, he can take the easier test of US History and Government.

Q: My sister has been a permanent resident for 6 years and is eligible to naturalize. However, she suffers from dementia and is unable to learn the English Language and US History and Government part of the naturalization test. Can she apply for naturalization?

A: Your sister can file her N-400 Application for Naturalization together with the N-648 Application for Medical Disability Waiver. The Form N-648 must be certified by a physician and contain a full and complete description of the medical diagnosis including the DSM-IV Code (Diagnosis Statistical Code); an explanation of how the disability or impairment affects her ability to learn or demonstrate knowledge of the English Language and or US History and Government and the physician’s conclusion whether your sister is able to learn and demonstrate knowledge of English and/or U.S history and government. The Form N-648 does not require a Filing Fee. Disclaimer Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case. Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case.

My Bio Sharlene Sharmila Richards is a licensed Immigration Lawyer practicing in Houston, Texas. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000 and is a member of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of the US Supreme Court.

If you require advice or assistance, you may contact her at telephone number 713-623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

16 Indian-Americans briefly stranded at JFK airport for not carrying old cancelled passports ASHINGTON: PTI - At least 16 Indian-Americans with valid OCI cards headed to New Delhi from the US experienced some anxious moments at the John F Kennedy airport on Sunday as the national carrier Air India was unable to process their boarding passes since they were not carrying their old cancelled passports, officials said.

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (right) seen presenting a check to Sam Kannappan (President HTSC) in Chennai.

by Tupil Narasiman

T

amil Nadu Chief Minister Hon. Edappadi K Palaniswami and Dep. Chief Minister Hon. O. Panneerselvam, handed over a cheque for Rs. One crore (~ $141,000) to Sam Kannappan (President HTSC) on Monday December 23, 2019, towards Tamil Nadu government’s contribution for setting up of a Tamil Studies Chair in the University of Houston. Minister for Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture, K Pandiarajan and senior officials were present on the occasion. Also present were HTSC Advisor Dr. VG Santhosam from Tamil Nadu and Dr. Vijay Prabhakar Global Ambassador HTSC from Chicago.

Deputy Chief Minister Hon. O Panneerselvam, who visited Houston at the invitation of HTSC Board in November 2019, also presented a cheque for Rs. 10 lakhs (~ $14,100) as his personal contribution for this

noble cause.

HTSC was formed as a non-profit Texas Corporation in June 2018 with the express purpose of setting up a Tamil Chair at the University of Houston. In December, HTSC got its 501(c) (3) tax exemption from the Internal Revenue Service. The fund raising was started by the HTSC Board consisting of Sam Kannappan (President), Perumal Annamalai (Secretary), N. Ganesan (Treasurer), Tupil Narasiman (Vice President Finance), A. Thiruvengadam (Vice president Grants), S.G. Appan (Director) and S. Narayanan (Director).

The fundraising effort for HTSC was started in Jan 2019, focusing on Houston & Dallas Texas, USA nationwide, India, and global. A total of about $550,000 has been raised so far, towards the Phase-1 One million commitment to University of Houston by 2021. On October 1, 2019 HTSC has formally signed an agreement with

the University of Houston to establish a Tamil Studies Chair at the esteemed University for research in the Tamil language, literature, cultural and economic eminence. The key point of the agreement is that HTSC provides funding for a total of two Million Dollars by 2026 to set up the Tamil studies Chair at the University of Houston. This is one of the most favorable terms of agreements to set up a Tamil studies Chair in the United states.

In addition, the Texas Government could match up to 75% of the funding by HTSC which can be used for Tamil Research. The university will fund a full professorship for Tamil at the university and our funding will only be for research in Tamil language, literature, cultural and economic eminence.

HTSC expects to have the continued support of the Tamil Nadu Government in this endeavor.

(The HTSC donor names are recognized at our donor wall. )

Southwestern National Bank hosts Christmas celebrations Continued from Page 1 Chairwoman Jody Lee said the Bank just finished enhancing its core system. The new system allows Southwestern National Bank to provide up-to-date banking products that tailored to the communities we serve.

Under the new leadership, Chairwoman Lee strives to provide not only a good work environment but cultivate a happy work environment. She congratulated the 10th and 15thyear service award recipients, Becky Nguyen, Patricia Chou, and Julia Wu. Chairwoman Lee said there will be many milestones for Southwestern National Bank and its employees. Investment in technology and employ-

From left: Board director ED Malmgren, Chairwomen Jody Lee, Katherine Wu ( 2019 Miss Chinatown) host cash prizes program

The airlines’ officials were not able to process the boarding passes of these 16 passengers as they were not carrying old passport along with a valid OCI card. Officials told them they must get their old cancelled passport back.

The passengers were allowed to board Air India only after Chakravorty wrote an email to Air India at JFK Airport, minutes before it was scheduled to take off.

“I believe there are 16 Air India passengers who are not carrying their old passports. However, they are carrying valid US passports and valid OCI cards. You may please allow for boarding the aircraft. Indian immigration will allow them to enter the country,” Chakravorty wrote in the email.

Bhandari said that following the email all the 16 passengers were allowed to board the flight.

He rued that after recent relaxation in the OCI card rules, Indian-Americans continue to face problems for their journey towards India.

This has increased in last weeks because of the holiday season and people are not fully aware of the provisions of the OCI card.

Five employees win cash prizes ees allow the Bank to stay competitive in the market and provide the best services to our customers. Employees are the heart and soul of Southwestern National Bank. With our strong management team, she is confident that the Bank will cross the $1 billion mark in the next few years.

This year, the Christmas party was full of magic and Christmas spirits. Santa Claus posed for pictures with our guests and delivered gifts to the party. A side-table magician brought magic and laughers to our employees and VIP guests. Christmas music was played by our live band.

Our employees and VIP guests were dancing happily. All these wonderful memories were documented and captured in our hearts. The party ended with a raffle of 16 “Golden Rat” to our VIP guests and cash prizes to our employees. It was a talk in the city and a big night to remember.

(Member FDIC)

READ MORE COMMUNITY NEWS ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIA.NEWS

ASIA/SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

Anti-Asian assaults a ‘neglected’ Cover-up at Bangladesh’s first body-building contest for women plight in France

The death of tailor Zhang Chaolin after an attack in northern Paris in 2016 sparked protests. (Photo: AFP/ Bertrand Guay)

by Alexandra DEL PERAL Vitry-sur-Seine, France | AFP 12/26/2019 - Ming was getting off the bus in the Paris suburbs when a masked man attempted to rip her handbag from her. When she resisted, the attacker threw her to the ground and beat her unconscious.

The ordeal left her with two fractures and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

She could not work for three weeks. Campaigners fear such attacks are part of an under-reported wave of racially-targeted violence against French people of Asian origin, fuelled by racist stereotypes and mistaken beliefs about “rich” tourists.

Ming, who gave a pseudonym because she continues to fear for her safety, lost her bag, containing a few dozen euros and her ID cards in the attack in the southeastern Paris suburb of Val-deMarne.

But it is the sense of helplessness and anger that the 41-yearold says she has struggled to get over.

“Why me? I didn’t have any money on me, no jewellery, nothing. Why such violence?” she said.

It was the death of tailor Zhang Chaolin in northern Paris in 2016 that first brought to light assaults on members of the Asian community.

The 49-year-old father-of-two was on his way to a restaurant in a Paris suburb when he was violently mugged by two teenagers, who came away with just a phone charger and some sweets. They were jailed in 2018.

That attack, which followed a string of robberies targeting Chinese tourists and small-business owners in France’s gritty highrise suburbs, sparked mass protests against what demonstrators called a rise in anti-Asian racism in poorer French communities.

“We realised that there was a problem with the death of Chaolin but not its scale,” said SunLay Tan, spokesman of Security for Everyone, a community group based in Val-de-Marne.

Because France bans statistics on ethnicity, there is no official data on these assaults, but campaigners said they have begun to see a pattern.

The victim, often a woman or an elderly person, is spotted in the street, followed into a deserted area and attacked.

“The victims are targeted because they are Asian,” said Tan. He said he has “no doubt” that the attacks are rooted in racism. “’They are weak’, ‘they always have cash on them’, ‘they don’t know how to defend themselves’... these are the stereotypes behind the attacks.”

- Fighting a ‘taboo’ Without an ethnicity breakdown in the police assault figures, only the broader number of complaints filed is available.

Police recorded 114 assaults between May 2018 and May 2019, the equivalent of an attack every three days, most of them in the Val-de-Marne area.

But campaigners fear the issue is more widespread and accuse the authorities of “neglecting” this form of racism.

Many people who have been attacked do not file a complaint, either fearing retaliation, because they are ashamed or because they do not have a valid residency permit.

“Getting into contact with people who have been assaulted isn’t easy because victims feel isolated and are not aware that other people are being attacked,” said Laetitia Chhiv, head of Association for Young Chinese in France (AJCF). Robert Na Champassak said he joined Security for Everyone, which supports victims

in their legal battles to bring the While skimpy bikinis are the norm at international body-building contests contestants in Bangladesh attackers to justice, to “lift the ta- covered up (AFP Photo/STR) boo” surrounding these attacks.

His 64-year-old mother died landmark women’s competifrom a stroke 18 days after being HAKA | AFP | capital Dhaka. tion which aimed to encourage assaulted on her way to a dance 12/30/2019 - Banglaclass in 2017.

“I am really happy, I really health and fitness. desh’s first women’s While the doctors did not draw a causal link between the attack and the stroke, Robert is convinced the assault precipitated the deterioration of her health.

“My mother loved living. But after the attack she didn’t want to put a foot outside. She wasn’t the same,” he said. ‘Gang ‘rite of passage’? Approached for comment, police and the town halls all said they were closely following the issue.

D

bodybuilding championship was won by a 19-year-old student in a contest where most of her muscle was covered up to prevent controversy in the Muslim-majority nation.

While skimpy bikinis are the norm at international body-building contests, Awhona Rahman and her 29 rivals kept their brawn under wraps in front of the crowd of hundreds.

votional musical extravaganzas in several countries including USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Philippines, and Kenya , in addition to performing in numerous cities in India.

Her music has also travelled all the way from Dubai to the Kensington Palace in London and the singer is overjoyed on hearing back from the royal couple. “The exhaustion is something I cannot even start to describe. Having said that, this has been a very fulfilling experience, musically and personally, I certainly feel at a zenith of sorts,” said Swapna Abraham recently.

During her saga of composing and singing, she received many prominent awards. In 2012, Swapna was awarded with the Maestro Award – LAMP-ICONGO Karmaveer Chakra for gospel music.

On May 27, 2019, Swapna she was accorded the 31st Global Women’s Empowerment Summit 2019 Award, and was asked to write a song over the Iftar surrounded by beautiful women just before receiving the award.

She celebrated her half way marathon on Aug 18, 2018 .

With VIP Witness on Day 500, Mr. Yasser Al Gargawi, Director of Cultural Events, Ministry of

“God surely works everything for the good of those who love Him, in spite of our mistakes and wrong choices. My wish now remains just this – that I will see the fruit of my hard work as a singer-songwriter and that my children will do something very real about their dreams. I hope to still be of service to God for He has remained real, true, constant and faithful and I also believe that He desires that of me.” Says Swapna while graciously accomplishing her desire and mission, indeed.

As per Swapna her bright days are yet to come!

“We were told there would be proper dress code and the outfit provided was perfect from a Bangladeshi perspective.”

Islam predicted the competition would help create jobs for women in the growing number of gymnasiums in Bangladesh where women now have memberships.

Rahman and the other competitors struck poses on stage wearing tight leggings and body-hugging outfits during the three-day event that finished on Sunday and was held in the

One police official said that assaulting people of Asian origin may be a “rite of passage” to join a gang.

Asia’s first LGBT-focused streaming service tackles taboos

“We have youth that are pumped up because they are convinced that Asians always have a lot of money on them,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

“For them, it’s a game, a bet.

Which explains the often extreme level of violence,” he said.

The AJCF’s Chhiv said “matters are improving”. A pilot project organised with the association SOS Racism and aimed at deconstructing harmful stereotypes is shortly to be launched in schools across the Parisian region in order to raise awareness.

But campaigners are pushing local authorities to install surveillance cameras and to pursue offenders.

“Prevention is essential, but arresting and sentencing the attackers is just as important for the victims,” said Sun-Lay Tan.

Bangladesh Bodybuilding Federation general secretary Nazrul Islam said there had been a huge response to the

S

INGAPORE, Singapore | AFP | 12/29/2019 - A rom-com about a lesbian flight attendant and a romance in a gay spa are among the shows featured on Asia’s first LGBT-focused streaming service, which is pushing boundaries in an often highly conservative region.

GagaOOLala brings more than 1,000 feature films, shorts, web series, and documentaries to people across Asia, where censorship and traditional attitudes mean there has been little in the way of gay content in the mainstream media.

After launching in 2017 in Taiwan, a beacon for gay rights since

GagaOOLala brings more than 1,000 feature films. AFP becoming the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, it has expanded to 21 territories including several that still criminalise homosexuality.

legalise same-sex unions in May, India’s Supreme Court last year struck down a colonial-era ban on gay sex.

“One of the main impetuses for me to create GagaOOlala, (is) to kind of dispel a lot of the myths and misconceptions that a lot of people might have about LGBT people,” said Jay Lin, a prominent LGBT rights activist in Taiwan who founded the platform.

But the gay rights situation remains dire in other countries where the platform operates -making its presence in those markets all the more important, supporters say.

“We’re not all living really tragic lives -- we’re entrepreneurs, we’re fathers,” the 46-year-old, who is raising twin boys with his partner in Taipei, told AFP. With about 280,000 members, made up mainly of gay people but also including a significant number of straight women, its success comes as some progress is made on LGBT rights in parts of the region.

Huawei will take part in 5G trials in the huge Indian market, a major boost for the Chinese firm as it battles US sanctions (AFP Photo/STEFAN WERMUTH)

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EW DELHI, India | AFP | 12/31/2019 New Delhi has said it will let Chinese telecoms giant Huawei take part in trials for the rollout of 5G services in the huge Indian market, giving the firm a major boost as it battles US sanctions.

The US government has banned Huawei from working with US firms, calling it a security threat because of alleged close ties to the Chinese government.

The company denies the accusation.

Washington, which also banned US companies from selling equipment to Huawei, had lobbied hard for India to freeze Huawei out of its 5G communi-

Nearly 90 per cent of Bangladesh’s population is Muslim and women are making a growing impact in sport including cricket, football and archery.

by Catherine Lai

Culture and Knowledge Development, Government of Dubai, now in the Ministry of Tolerance. The song for the day “This Blessed Land” was written based on his theme suggestion.

Her interviews with so many from Asianet news, La Chelle Adkins to Steve Kuban are so incredible, demonstrating her intense passion to accomplish her mission.

Our relationship with God is deeply personal; and God hears and answers your earnest prayers. But sometimes we all need a little help recognizing what God is saying to us. Swapna Abraham is a living witness to the abundant blessing she is receiving, in spite of intricate challenges she faced later on in life. She has released 23 albums.

After her MBA, she worked in executive levels in various organizations in India and abroad.

“It never entered my mind that someone might criticise me for showing my body. My brother, who runs a fitness centre, has always encouraged me,” she added.

“We were very careful about the dress code because of our religious and social culture. We selected long sleeve crop tops and leggings for the girls,” he added.

Prosecutors from Val-de-Marne explained that they add the aggravating circumstance of racism “as often as they can” to the case, which they did in 19 out of 22 attacks recorded in May.

1000 songs in 1000 days: India to let Huawei Swapna Abraham... take part in 5G trials Continued from Page 3

worked hard for this,” Rahman told AFP.

cations network.

“We have taken the decision to give 5G spectrum for trial to all the players,” India’s telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said late Monday.

He acknowledged that Huawei, the global leader in telecom networking equipment and a major player in India’s smartphone market, would be among the companies taking part in the trials expected to start next month.

With 451 million monthly active mobile internet users, India is second behind China in the world internet users rankings, according to the Internet and Mobile Association of India.

The Indian move comes after European telecommunications

As well as Taiwan’s move to

operators including Norway’s Telenor and Sweden’s Telia passed over Huawei as a supplier for their 5G networks as intelligence agencies warned against working with the company.

Australia and Japan have also taken steps to block or restrict the firm’s participation in their 5G networks.

Britain has yet to take a decision on Huawei but the company has provisionally secured 5G deals in countries such as Germany.

India’s announcement came as Huawei said “survival” was its top priority after announcing 2019 sales were expected to fall short of projections as a result of US sanctions.

- Dire rights situation -

Gay sex is still banned in Singapore as it is in Malaysia, where in the past year women and men have been caned under Islamic laws for having same-sex relations.

The tiny, oil-rich sultanate of Brunei introduced death by stoning for gay sex as part of a harsh new sharia penal code earlier this year –- but later rolled it back following a storm of criticism.

Censorship also persists in some countries, with Malaysia’s film board this year cutting gay sex scenes from “Rocketman”, the movie-musical based on the life of British singer Elton John.

The platform -- which is planning a global launch next year -- has not run into any regulatory hurdles so far, according to Lin, but he acknowledged the need to tread carefully in more conservative places.

The service often relies on closed chat groups, social media and LGBT influencers for promotion instead of advertising openly.

Lin’s team started by building up GagaOOlala’s library with Western content, but has since branched out, making an effort to find content from across Asia.

Earlier this year GOL Studios, a sister platform, was launched to help LGBT filmmakers find talent and funding, as well as distribute and market their work.

US/WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 8

US-China ‘Phase One’ trade deal to be signed January 15

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

All eyes on ‘new way’ in Kim Jong Un’s New Year speech

by Claire LEE

S

EOUL | AFP | 12/30/2019 -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for “offensive measures” to strengthen security ahead of a New Year speech that could flesh out the nuclear-armed nation’s threat to seek a “new way” forward after the expiration of its year-end deadline for US sanctions relief.

Kim’s latest comments, made during a meeting of top ruling party officials in Pyongyang, came amid concerns that the North could formally close down dialogue with Washington and resume nuclear and long-range missile tests.

US President Donald Trump, pictured in June 2019 with China’s President Xi Jinping, announced he will sign a partial US-China trade deal in January 2020

W

ASHINGTON, AFP | 12/31/2019 - A partial new US-China trade agreement will be signed in the middle of next month, US President Donald Trump said Tuesday, announcing that he will also then travel to China for continued talks.

celing and reducing some tariffs in exchange for Chinese pledges to increase purchases of US exports and adopt trade reforms.

“I will be signing our very large and comprehensive Phase One Trade Deal with China on January 15,” Trump tweeted moments before Wall Street was due to open.

US and Chinese officials have said the agreement includes protections for intellectual property, food and farm goods, financial services and foreign exchange, and a provision for dispute resolution.

“The ceremony will take place at the White House. High level representatives of China will be present.”

Trump said he would then travel to Beijing to continue negotiations “at a later date.”

Word of the deal, and the de-escalation of the trade conflict, has driven a Wall Street rally this month but US stocks were little changed at the open early Tuesday.

The two sides earlier this month announced a “Phase One” deal in their nearly two-year trade confrontation, with Washington can-

The text of the agreement has not yet been made public pending legal and translation reviews, US officials say, and details remain scant.

Other apparent US-China agreements have evaporated before, but US officials have said this time both sides are really on the same page.

The two economic powers have been locked in a bruising trade war since the first half of 2018 that has roiled the global economy.

In 2017, before the US-China trade war was unleashed, the United States exported some $130 billion in goods to the Asian giant.

Under the new deal, China has committed to a minimum of $200 billion in increased purchases over the next two years from US manufacturers, farmers, energy producers and service providers, according to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

US officials announced the truce with much fanfare, but economists and trade experts call it largely a victory for Beijing.

Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, said agreeing to remove tariffs amounted to “giving away much of our leverage, while kicking the can down the road on the most meaningful trade issues with China.”

The truce also offers Chinese President Xi Jinping breathing space as he faces a slowing economy and political trouble in Hong Kong.

Washington’s decision to back the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement and to criticize China’s mass detention of mostly Muslim minorities had previously cast a shadow over the trade negotiations.

Washington says Baghdad failed to ‘protect’ Americans Continued from Page 1

coalition.

lah Brigades rocket attack.

duty to protect us. And they have not taken the appropriate steps to do so,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The strikes “killed 25 and wounded 51,” according to the Hashed, which holds major sway in Iraq.

Iraq’s government denounced Sunday’s strikes and warned they could affect ties with Washington.

Multiple attacks have in recent weeks targeted Iraq bases where Americans are present. The United States has blamed the attacks on pro-Iran factions.

The attack was in retaliation for the death Friday of a US civilian contractor in Kirkuk in a Hezbol-

On Sunday, the US-led air strikes targeted several bases belonging to the Hezbollah Brigades, one of the most radical factions of Hashed al-Shaabi, a Tehran-backed Iraqi paramilitary

The attacks “force Iraq to review its relations and its security, political and legal framework to protect its sovereignty,” the government said in a statement.

Iran blasts ‘audacity’ of US to blame it for Iraq violence

Texas gun laws saved lives ...

Continued from Page 1

him, and I fired one round,” Wilson said.

Police had said “a couple” of church members returned fire.

In a country where critics say guns are too readily available, the laws in Texas are among the most permissible.

The United States has lived through a sharp rise in mass shootings in recent years, alarming the public and triggering new debate on how to control this epidemic of violence.

Democrats demanded at the fall session of Congress that Trump and his Republicans take action to restrict guns.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would only bring a gun bill to the floor if it had presidential backing, but Trump has given no clear preference.

The Dallas Morning News reported that the church attacker, Keith Thomas Kinnunen, 43, had a history of assault and other charges.

It said his ex-wife, who filed a protective order against him in 2012, called him a “religious fanatic” who claimed to be “battling a demon.”

Members the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network smash windows at the US embassy compound in Baghdad (AFP Photo.

T

ehran, Iran | AFP | Tuesday 12/31/2019 - Tehran hit out Tuesday at the “audacity” of Washington to blame it for violent anti-US demonstrations in Iraq, warning the United States to review its policies in the region.

“The surprising audacity of American officials is so much that after killing at least 25... and violating the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, that now... they attribute the Iraqi people’s protest against their cruel acts to the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi.

His statement came after US President Donald Trump accused Iran of killing an American civilian contractor and “orchestrating” the storming of the US embassy in Baghdad earlier on Tuesday.

Mousavi said the claim was an

insult to the people of Iraq.

“How and based on what logic do you expect the nation of Iraq to be silent in the face of all these atrocities?” he asked.

In response to rocket attacks that killed the contractor in northern Iraq, the US launched air strikes Sunday on an Iran-backed militant group that killed 25 people in western Iraq.

“The Americans ignore the Iraqi nation’s liberty and drive for independence on one hand, and on the other forget their own role in supporting Saddam and Daesh,” Mousavi said, referring to former dictator Saddam Hussein and the Islamic State group.

The statement rejected US charges against Iran, warned against any “reckless and wrong reaction” and urged the White House to “reconsider its destructive policies in the region”.

Addressing the officials, Kim stressed the need “to take positive and offensive measures for fully ensuring the sovereignty and security of the country,” the state news agency KCNA reported Monday.

Nuclear talks between the North and the US have been largely stalled since the collapse of a February summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi.

Pyongyang has been demanding the easing of international sanctions imposed over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, while Washington is insisting it takes more tangible steps towards giving them up.

The North has not so far specified the “new way” it would adopt if the US does not offer fresh concessions by the end of the year, and Kim is expected to make it clearer on Wednesday.

This month China and Russia -- the North’s biggest economic partners -- proposed loosening UN sanctions against Pyongyang, and analysts say Kim is likely to seek to exploit rivalries between Washington, Beijing and Moscow.

The “new way” was more likely to be an old way with denuclearisation firmly off the table, said Henri Feron, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy in the US.

Kim told a meeting of top ruling party officials that ‘positive and offensive measures for fully ensuring the sovereignty and security of the country’ (AFP Photo/KCNA VIA KNS) “What North Korea refers to as a new path is new in the sense that it will differ from its relatively engaging posture the past two years, but will actually be a return to the posture it maintained notably in the Obama era,” he told AFP. “It will focus on developing its military leverage and economic resistance to sanctions, while demanding unconditional peace and normalisation before there can be any talk on denuclearisation.”

Speculation has mounted that Pyongyang could abandon its moratorium on intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests -- although its ominous threat of a “Christmas gift” to the US appears to have fizzled.

US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said that Washington would be “extraordinarily disappointed and we’ll demonstrate that disappointment” if Pyongyang carries out a longrange missile test.

“But we have a lot of tools in our toolkit, and additional pressure can be brought to bear on the North Koreans.”

- ‘Fire and Fury 2.0’? Wednesday’s speech will be Kim’s eighth New Year address, after he revived the tradition started by his grandfather -- North Ko-

rea’s founding leader Kim Il Sung -- but discontinued during his father’s rule.

It is a key moment in the North Korean political calendar, reviewing the past and setting out goals for the future, and printed in full in the Rodong Sinmun mouthpiece newspaper.

“Kim’s delivery of New Year’s speeches has evolved over time, from standing before a pulpit in a party uniform in his early years, to sitting in an office in a Western-style suit and tie in 2019,” said Rachel Minyoung Lee, senior analyst at specialist site NK News.

Pyongyang has been ramping up the pressure with static tests at its Sohae rocket facility and a series of weapons launches, some described as ballistic missiles

by Japan and others -- which are banned under UN resolutions.

Lee told AFP North Korea was likely to resume testing longer-range missiles including ICBMs in 2020, and potentially even nuclear blasts, and could also carry out “military provocations against South Korea”.

But an ICBM launch would represent a rapid escalation and risks angering China -- which always stresses stability in a region it regards as its own back yard.

VOICE OF ASIA 9

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

Fort Bend View

Section 2

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

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

•

www.voiceofasia.news

Chief Communications Officer Veronica Sopher has been named the 2020–2021 President-Elect Of TSPRA

F

ORT BEND ISD – Fort Bend ISD Chief Communications Officer Veronica Sopher has been named the 2020–2021 President-Elect of the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA). TSPRA is comprised of more than 900 public information and communications professionals who serve the public school districts and education associations, foundations, and organizations of Texas.

Free Heart Health Screenings set for Feb 20, 2020 in Sugar Land A guide to managing arrhythmias

S

The event is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., in the Brazos Pavilion Conference Center on the Houston Methodist Sugar Land campus.

Restrictions apply and registration is required.

For more information or to register, visit events.houstonmethodist.org/heart-sl or call 281.274.7500.

She has also earned numerous professional awards and has led national award-winning communications teams.

Since she joined the district in February 2017, Fort Bend ISD has expanded its communications to include in-house video production and a monthly podcast.

Veronica Sopher (Photo: Twitter)

The Communications Department has also won numerous TSPRA, National School Public Relations Association

(NSPRA), and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) awards under her guidance.

67 rabbits and 3 dogs were ‘living in filth’ inside Katy home, officials say

K

ATY -- Deputies rescued dozens of rabbits and several dogs from a Katy home Monday night.

A total of 67 rabbits and three dogs were found in the home in the 600 block of S. Fry Road. Authorities say they were suffering from neglect and medical issues, many living in filth with little or no access to food and water.

They obtained a court order to remove the animals and place them in temporary custody of the Houston Humane Society, where they will receive medical evaluation and care.

Tel: 713-774-5140

UGAR LAND - Schedule an appointment to learn more about your 10-year risk for heart disease and receive cholesterol and blood pressure screenings.

A strong advocate for public schools, Sopher serves as a mentor to several school communications professionals throughout the state and has held various leadership positions for TSPRA.

Deputies from Constable Ted Heap’s Office were responding to a disturbance call at the home when they discovered the animals.

•

Almost everyone has at some time experienced an odd heartbeat — feeling your heart race, pound, flutter, pause or skip a beat. These episodes of an unusual heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, caused by abnormal electrical impulses in the heart, are often minor and harmless. Sustained or more serious irregular rhythms, however, can pose a danger and lead to cardiac arrest.

Some people don’t notice any symptoms. Others feel palpitations or a galloping or sluggish heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, fatigue or weakness, dizziness or unexplained falls or fainting. If you experience any of these symptoms suddenly or frequently, seek urgent care.

WHAT’S GOING ON?

(Screengrab: KTRK Channel 13 News) The investigation is being turned over to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for potential criminal charges.

If you suspect animal abuse, ne-

glect, hoarding or torture, report it to the Harris County Animal Cruelty Taskforce at www.927PAWS. org or 832-927-PAWS. - KTRK

voiceofasia.news is your Fort Bend news source

A normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats a minute and fluctuates during the day and in response to anxiety, excitement or some medications. Heart rate speeds up during exercise and slows during sleep.

“Physicians classify the many types of arrhythmias by where they originate and the type of heart rate they cause. A rate faster than 100 beats a minute is called tachycardia and slower than 60 beats a minute is called bradycardia,” said Apoor Patel, M.D., board-certified electrophysiologist at Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiology Associates at

Apoor Patel, M.D., at Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiology Associates at Sugar Land. (Photo courtesy HMSL) Sugar Land.

For example, in atrial fibrillation, abnormal impulses in one of the heart’s upper chamber, or atria, cause the heart to beat too fast. Atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common arrhythmia, affecting millions of Americans, refers to very fast and chaotic contracting of the heart’s atrial chambers. The uncoordinated impulses cause the atria to beat so fast — 300 to 400 beats a minute — they quiver. Supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT, is another example of a fast heartbeat from the upper chamber due to a short circuit in the heart that can present with a rapid and sustained heartbeat. When patients get rapid heartbeats from the bottom chamber of the heart, or the ventricles, they have ventricular tachycardia which can often be dangerous.

Slow heart rates, or bradycardia, can be due to degeneration of the conduction system of the heart. “Sinus node dysfunction occurs in the area of the heart that serves as a natural pacemaker and causes the heart to beat slowly. In

some instances, when the heart’s normal electrical pathways shut down or allow only intermittent signals, heart block (also called conduction block) occurs, which can slow down the heart rate at varying degrees of severity,” Patel explained.

TREATING RHYTHMIA

YOUR

AR-

Not all arrhythmias require treatment, but patients need to manage arrhythmias that cause significant symptoms, increase risk for a more serious condition or impair the heart’s efficiency and circulation. Treatment depends on the type and degree of the arrhythmia, and may include: • Lifestyle measures. Because many arrhythmias arise from underlying heart disease, doctors may recommend more exercise, an improved diet, better stress management, not smoking and limiting caffeine and alcohol as ways to reduce episodes.

• Vagal maneuvers. Some types Continued on page 15

VOICE OF ASIA 10

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

LEGAL

Personal Injury:

Child custody determination and who gets the dog Mala Sharma

Each state has different rules governing personal injury lawsuits and how much you may recover for all damages incurred ranging from a commercial vehicle accident to even a dog bite case.

First, there are different deadlines on when you must file a civil lawsuit. Texas has a two year statute of limitations to file a lawsuit for a personal injury claim. That is, you must file a lawsuit two years from the date of the injury in order to recover in a Texas Civil Court at Law for all damages suffered as prescribed under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code, Title 2 section 16.003. If you don’t file your lawsuit within this timeframe, a Court will not hear your case and you essentially have waived your right to recover from the atfault party. It is imperative to not miss this deadline in order to protect all your interests.

Second, each state follows different standards of liability to determine who is at fault and for what percentage of liability. This standard affects total compensation from the negligent party. Texas, unlike other states, follows a “modified comparative negligence” standard to determine percentage of responsibility.

This means that you may only recover from an at-fault party

if you are not to blame for the incident or are found less than 50 percent at fault. Additionally, any compensation received will be reduced by your percentage of fault, if there is any.

However, if you are held accountable for more than 50 percent, then you may not recover any damages. For example, if you are found at fault for 10% of an accident with damages of $100,000.00, then you may recover $90,0000.00.

Third, Texas implemented a cap on medical malpractice cases where a claimant may only claim up to $250,000.00 in damages per individual and no more than $500,000.00.

Medical malpractice cases are very complex to comprehend.

Further wrongful death cases have an even more complex statute to adhere to.

Fourth, although there is no specific statute or rule in Texas regulating dog bite cases, there is the “one bite” rule. Under this rule, owners will be found and held liable for all injuries caused by their pet animal if the owner “should have known” the animal had a propensity to be dangerous and did not proceed with caution to prevent injuries to others. This standard must be proven by the injured person in order to prevail on a dog bite case.

Thus, don’t let an insurance adjuster for the negligent party escape paying all your damages from a missed deadline to file

your lawsuit! Don’t let that at-fault party argue and claim you are at fault for all injurie caused solely by their negligence! It is important and essential that you get the help of a competent attorney to fight for your best interests, to receive total compensation, and to not let that negligent party off the hook for the wrong they committed.

About the Author: Mala Sharma has been practicing family law and personal injury with her family at the Law Offices of Sharma & Associates, founded in 1997 with over 42 years of combined experience.

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

Disclaimer: This material is available for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. If you require advice on any particular legal question, you may contact Sharma & Associates at 281-893-8644 or by email at mala@sharmalaws.net to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

Holiday wish list for the legal industry

by Mark E. Cohen

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he Stones intoned, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” That’s certainly true for the legal industry.

Here’s my holiday wish list for its key stakeholders.

1. Law Schools: · Align with the marketplace, cut cost · Prepare students for the profession/industry as it is, not as it was. This requires practice skills and broader business of law exposure including: customer service, business and data analytics basics, digital principles, project management, application of tech to legal delivery, and “people skills,” among others beyond the present curriculum. · Become learning centers for life. · Reevaluate faculty hiring criteria to include practice/ business/tech expertise and practical experience. · Integrate with the University’s other professional programs. · Embrace differentiation and stop pretending all law schools prepare grads for identical career paths. · Recognize that doctrinal knowledge alone will not cut it for grads in the marketplace. · Learn from leading law schools internationally (IE, Bucerius, National University of Singapore, etc.). · Capture the potential of online learning. · Expose students to marketplace dynamics and trends. · Law operates at the intersection of legal, business, and technological expertise. It should be taught that way. · Instill intellectual agility and problem solving, not mistake paralysis and risk aversion (why something cannot work rather than how it could).

2. Regulators: · Regulate the legal industry to foster the best possible outcomes for customers/clients. · Reregulate to reconcile legal practice and the delivery of legal services. That will encourage new delivery paradigms, holistic, scalable, multidisciplinary solutions,

investment, and accessible, affordable, competent, ethical legal services delivery for all. It will also put an end to anachronistic regulatory constraints that necessitate a “two-model workaround” of practice and business of delivering legal services. · Recognize the current regulatory scheme may insulate lawyers from competition but fails to protect the public. Most individuals and businesses cannot afford legal services because of current regulations. · The ABA should acknowledge that law is no longer solely about lawyers and that law firms are not the sole delivery model.

They should embrace all legal professionals and work to advance legal delivery for the benefit of customers/clients and society rather than cow-tow to dues paying lawyer members.

3. Legal Service Providers · This is the age of the customer—act accordingly. · Data is the new oil—use it and recognize this is how business makes decisions. · The legal industry is unprepared to represent digital companies. This is a challenge and an opportunity. · Law has shifted from practice to skill. Deliver legal services accordingly. · Models, customer alignment, net promoter score, technology, process, capital and competence matter more than provider category (e.g. law firm vs. law company) · Invest in your workforce/ upskill. · Legal practice is governed by precedent; legal delivery is not. · Technology is not a panacea; it is an enabler. Tech, like data, is not monolithic—some is more material than others. Both have an enormous potential to improve the bases of decision making and the democratization of legal service delivery. · Competency is dynamic; diplomas are static. We are living in a competency-based world that is fluid and requires intellectual agility. Don’t be a slave to traditional hiring criteria. · Culture is critical and often overlooked and/or under-

estimated. Foster a culture that compensates its workforce fairly and invests in its ongoing professional development and personal well-being. That will produce better results for customers/clients. · Diversity—in the broadest sense of the term—is core to problem solving in the digital age. “It takes a village”—and a collaborative, adaptive one. · Law is not a zero sum industry—learn to collaborate. · Differentiation is an imperative. All providers should ask: “What are we now? What should we be? And how do we bridge the gap? · Innovation is not a buzzword. It is a cultural commitment to be open to doing things differently for the benefit of customers/ clients. It involves change management, investment in people, processes, and technology, buy-in throughout the organization, and adapting to new ways of doing things calculated to produce impactful results for customers. It is tough yards. · Recognize that with all the awards, self-proclaimed “legal visionaries,” “innovators,” “disruptors,” and “legal gurus,” law’s report card should be much better than it is. Focus on measurable improvement from the legal consumer perspective, not hype. · Excellence in legal practice does not necessarily equate to excellence in delivering legal services. · Deliver services that satisfy customers, not billing quotas. · View legal delivery through the customer lens, not what your organization sells.

4. Corporate Legal Departments · You are on the front line of industry change. One key to survival is to ask: “Who is doing what and who should be doing it? · Taking more work in-house (“insourcing”) may be better than the traditional alternative of sourcing it to law firms. There are other options now—consider them. This is a footnote to the survival question raised above. · Recognize the importance not only of practice excellence but also of delivery capability.

-Forbes

www.voiceofasia.news

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

Tel: 713-774-5140

William F. Lee and Viet Thanh Nguyen to receive AALDEF 2020 Justice in Action Awards

T

he Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) will hold its Lunar New Year Gala and Justice in Action Awards Ceremony on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers in New York City. The recipients of the 2020 Justice in Action Awards are William F. Lee, partner at WilmerHale, and Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist.

The co-emcees for the evening are Juju Chang, Emmy Award-winning co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline”, and Sree Sreenivasan, Marshall R. Loeb Visiting Professor of Digital Innovation at Stony Brook University School of Journalism.

The AALDEF Justice in Action Awards recognize exceptional individuals for their outstanding achievements and efforts to advance social justice. Past award recipients include Congressman John Lewis, Yoko Ono, Preet Bharara, George Takei, David Henry Hwang, Neal Katyal, Aasif Mandvi, Mari Matsuda, Jessica Hagedorn, Mira Nair, BD Wong, and Fareed Zakaria, to name just a few.

Over 700 leaders of the civil rights, legal, business, and arts communities across the country

William F. Lee, partner at WilmerHale, and Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist are to be honored. (Photos: Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard News Office/Wikipedia) are expected to attend AALDEF’s lunar new year gala. The evening begins with a 6 p.m. cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by the Justice in Action Awards ceremony and a banquet dinner. Tables of ten, available at $25,000, $20,000, and $15,000, include a VIP reception. Individual tickets start at $1,500. To reserve tickets, please contact Shirley Ng at 212.966.5932 ext. 208 or sng@aaldef.org.

Since 1974, AALDEF has protected and promoted the civil rights of Asian Americans across the nation through litigation, advocacy, community education, and organizing. All proceeds from the gala support AALDEF’s programs in immigrant rights, economic justice, educational equity, housing and environmental justice, and voting rights and democracy.

VOICE OF ASIA 11

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

HOLLYWOOD - BOLLYWOOD

Section 2

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www.voiceofasia.news

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Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Bollywood star Kushal Punjabi found dead Raveena by suicide: report Ends life at his Bandra flat; leaves note saying ‘no one should be held responsible for my death’

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UMBAI - Television actor Kushal Punjabi (42) was found dead in a flat at his Pali Hill residence in Bandra (west) on Thursday.

The incident was observed by his friends who found him hanged himself from the ceiling when they entered the flat at around 11.30pm. Bandra police has found a suicide note from Punjabi’s flat in which he has mentioned no one should held responsible for his extreme step.

The incident was observed after Punjabi’s parents repeatedly was trying to contact him on his mobile since Thursday afternoon.

“The parents then informed Punjabi’s friends, when he didnot responded to their calls. They entered the flat using a duplicate key late night. They found him hanging. They then informed the police. A suicide note was found in which the actor held no one responsible. A case of suicide has been registered,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IX) Paramjit Singh Dahiya.

Punjabi stayed alone in the flat while his wife, who is a foreign national, is employed in a shipping firm in Shanghai. She stays with their three year old Child there. Police and the deceased family members have informed his wife about the incident.

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aveena Tandon, director Farah Khan and comedian Bharti Singh (Bharati Singh) have been booked in Amritsar, Punjab for inciting religious sentiments.

A suicide note was found in which the actor held no one responsible.

TV show Ishq Mein Marjawan.

His close friend Karanvir Bohra, took to social media to share the news. Bohra in a series of pictures left a heartfelt note, “Ur demise has shocked the hell out of me.

I’m still in denial. I know you are in a happier place, but this is unfathomable.”

A case of suicide has been registered.

Punjabi played the role of Rajeev in Hrithik Roshan starrer ‘Lakshya’. He essayed a close friend of Preity Zinta and eventually the two get engaged. However when Preity Zinta decides to go to Kargil for war reporting, as her future husband, Kushal stops her from going there and that’s when she calls off their engagement.

Punjabi was last seen in popular

He also had a small part to play

in one of the love stories of ‘Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love’.

Gia, played by Ayesha Takia, is supposed to get married to Shiven, played by Akshaye Khanna.

However Akshaye gets cold feet before the nuptials and Gia’s family decides to get her married to Rohit Chhada, essayed by Kushal.

‘Andaaz’ featured Kushal Punjabi in a cameo, wherein he was a part of Priyanka Chopra’s initial scenes. He played PeeCee’s father’s business partner’s son in ‘Andaaz’ and the duo shot for a scene in a club, where Priyanka meets Akshay. Kushal also shot separately with Priyanka and Akshay for another scene in the film.- Times of India

U.K. mistakenly publishes home addresses of Elton John, Sam Mendes and more stars The list included Oscar-winning film directors, senior politicians and diplomats, popular athletes and people in sensitive defense roles.

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ONDON - British officials have apologized after mistakenly publishing the home addresses of more than 1,000 people who received special honors including singers Elton John and Olivia Newton-John.

The list also included Oscar-winning film directors, senior politicians and diplomats, popular athletes and people in sensitive defense roles.

The addresses were published online for about an hour late Friday when the Cabinet Office posted the recipients of New Year’s Honors, including knighthoods.

“The information was removed as soon as possible,” the Cabinet Office said in a statement. “We apologize to all those affected and are looking into how this happened.” Officials said the individuals will be contacted about the error.

The Information Commissioner’s Office said it was investigat-

Sam Mendes and Sir Elton John (Getty Images) ing “in response to reports of a data breach involving the Cabinet Office and the New Year’s Honors list.” It can impose fines for privacy violations.

Britain’s Cabinet Office publishes a list of the people receiving honors for merit, service or bravery twice a year: shortly before New Year’s Eve and on the Saturday in June when Queen

Elizabeth II’s birthday is officially observed.

The list included Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes of American Beauty and James Bond fame, who was made a knight along Steve McQueen, director of 12 Years a Slave, winner of the Oscar for best picture.

- Hollywood Reporter

Asia’s first LGBT-focused streaming service tackles taboos

by Catherine Lai

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INGAPORE | AFP | Monday 12/29/2019 - A romcom about a lesbian flight attendant and a romance in a gay spa are among the shows featured on Asia’s first LGBT-focused streaming service, which is pushing boundaries in an often highly conservative region.

GagaOOLala brings more than 1,000 feature films, shorts, web series, and documentaries to people across Asia, where censorship and traditional attitudes mean there has been little in the way of gay content in the mainstream media.

After launching in 2017 in Taiwan, a beacon for gay rights since becoming the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, it has expanded to 21 territories including several that still criminalise homosexuality.

“One of the main impetuses for me to create GagaOOlala, (is) to kind of dispel a lot of the myths and misconceptions that a lot of people might have about LGBT people,” said Jay Lin, a promi-

Tandon offers explanation, apology on hurting religious sentiments

nent LGBT rights activist in Taiwan who founded the platform.

laws for having same-sex relations.

“We’re not all living really tragic lives -- we’re entrepreneurs, we’re fathers,” the 46-year-old, who is raising twin boys with his partner in Taipei, told AFP.

The tiny, oil-rich sultanate of Brunei introduced death by stoning for gay sex as part of a harsh new sharia penal code earlier this year –- but later rolled it back following a storm of criticism.

With about 280,000 members, made up mainly of gay people but also including a significant number of straight women, its success comes as some progress is made on LGBT rights in parts of the region.

As well as Taiwan’s move to legalise same-sex unions in May, India’s Supreme Court last year struck down a colonial-era ban on gay sex.

- Dire rights situation But the gay rights situation remains dire in other countries where the platform operates -making its presence in those markets all the more important, supporters say.

Gay sex is still banned in Singapore as it is in Malaysia, where in the past year women and men have been caned under Islamic

Censorship also persists in some countries, with Malaysia’s film board this year cutting gay sex scenes from “Rocketman”, the movie-musical based on the life of British singer Elton John.

The platform -- which is planning a global launch next year -- has not run into any regulatory hurdles so far, according to Lin, but he acknowledged the need to tread carefully in more conservative places.

The service often relies on closed chat groups, social media and LGBT influencers for promotion instead of advertising openly.

Lin’s team started by building up GagaOOlala’s library with Western content, but has since branched out, making an effort to find content from across Asia.

All three are accused of making fun of a biblical word that has hurt the sentiments of people associated with Christianity. After this, in Ajnala, Amritsar, people belonging to Christian community demonstrated against these three. After which the police investigated and registered an FIR against the three. After which

now actress Raveena Tandon has broken her silence in this matter.

Ravina Tandon wrote that while doing her part on social media, ‘Please do check this link. I did not say anything that hurt anyone’s feelings. The three of us did not do all this with the intention of offending anyone.

But if someone is hurt by doing this, then we apologize to him.’

Let me tell you that in this video Raveena, Farah and Bharti are seen discussing a word of the Bible ‘halleluya’ which means thank God. Due to which

the Christian Front president Sonu Jafar lodged a complaint in Ajnala town of Amritsar district, alleging that the stars, while uttering the word ‘Haleluya’, made him insignificant, which has hurt the sentiments of the Christian community.

After which a case has been registered under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for acting intentionally or maliciously for the purpose of offending religion or religious beliefs.

- DNA India, Entertainment

2019 a Bollywood hit as collections top 4,000 INR crore

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EW DELHI - Revenue from Bollywood films jumped more than 30% to cross the ₹4,000 crore-mark this year, notching up a surprise first in the middle of an economic slowdown that has hit multiple bellwether sectors such as automobiles and retail.

Trade experts said this is the first time the box office collections in a calendar year have crossed the ₹4,000 crore-mark for Bollywood, clearly making for a milestone.

Atul Mohan, editor of trade magazine Complete Cinema estimated the final net domestic box office collection for Hindi films in 2019 at ₹4,350 crore, several notches above the ₹3,300 crore collected in 2018 and the ₹3,000 crore in 2017.

“We’ve seen a lot of successes in 2019 thanks to a variety of content, from mindless comedies to patriotic and slice-of-life, realistic films,” Mohan said.

Bollywood’s highest grosser of the year, at ₹292.71 crore, was Yash Raj Films’ action thriller War. It is followed by Kabir Singh ( ₹276.34 cr), Uri-The Surgical Strike ( ₹244 cr), Housefull 4 ( ₹205.60 cr), Bharat ( ₹197.34 cr), Mission Mangal ( ₹192.67 cr), Kesari ( ₹151.87 cr), Total Dhamaal ( ₹150.07 cr), the Hindi version of Saaho ( ₹148.84 cr) and Chhichhore ( ₹147.32 cr).

A cut in entertainment tax

Graphic: Santosh Sharma/Mint

helped boost revenue. Last December, the tax rate for movie tickets priced above ₹100 was brought down to 18% from 28%.

In contrast, some big-budget spectacles like Kalank and Panipat failed to recover their production costs.

However, content deserves credit for the numbers. “We realize that streaming services are a big option for audiences but they will still come to theatres provided they get the right cinematic experience backed by good storytelling,” said Film trade and exhibition expert Girish Johar.

Going to the movies is seen as an impulsive decision families make at least four to six times a year. Industry experts say that is probably the main reason showbiz has trumped the broader slowdown in the economy.

“Earlier, there were only five to six faces you could rely on to open films but now even smaller budget films and names are doing fantastic business.” These include films like Chhichhore, Badla, Luka Chuppi and, most importantly, Uri, all of which have strong stories.

“Cinema is the only way to escape the mundane, stressful reality of life especially with the pressures of other businesses not doing well, particularly for the working population,” said Saurabh Uboweja, founder and managing partner at management consulting firm Brands of Desire.

-Livemint

‘Star Wars’ stays aloft to again top N.America box office

H

OLLYWOOD | AFP | Sunday 12/29/2019 “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” stayed on a strong glide path in North American theaters, taking in an estimated $73.6 million for the three-day weekend, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

The Disney film, marketed as a grand finale of the nine-film “Skywalker Saga,” has had mixed reviews and was down consider-

ably from last weekend’s lofty $177.4 million opening.

But it has compiled a strong domestic total of $364.5 million.

It again maintained a big lead over the No. 2 film, Sony’s “Jumanji: The Next Level,” an action sequel starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kevin Hart, which had $34.4 million in North American ticket sales for the Friday-through-Sunday period.

In third for the second straight week was Disney’s “Frozen II,” at $17 million. The animated musical film has Broadway star Idina Menzel voicing Queen Elsa in her latest adventures.

Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel “Little Women” has been brought to the screen many times but the new version from director Greta Gerwig has drawn strong reviews and netted $16.2 million to place fourth in its debut.

Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 12

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Young American drinkers hopped up for India Pale Ales

www.voiceofasia.news

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

Tel: 713-774-5140

Greta’s father says activism makes her happy: interview

by Leo Mouren

W

ASHINGTON | AFP | Saturday 12/27/2019 - In bars across the United States, one product -whether in bottles or on tap -- has become an absolute necessity for maintaining “cool” status: India Pale Ales (IPAs).

Over the past 10 years, Gene Barnett has worked in no fewer than seven bars in the nation’s capital and the surrounding region. Like many bartenders, he noticed an almost excessive thirst for IPAs, easily recognized by their marked bitterness, the result of a high hops concentration.

In his bar in the trendy U Street area in Washington, the most popular beer is an IPA. In a beer hall where he used to work, “we had 12 taps, and we would have three, four or five IPAs on tap, because there was such a huge demand for it,” he said, sitting at a bar table.

In the massive beer family tree, IPAs make up only one small branch.

But “nobody was looking for your Pilsner; nobody was looking for your stout; they were looking for your IPA, because that was what was moving at the time,” said the chatty 40-year-old bartender.

Although consumption has become so widespread that the beers can be found in any grocery store, IPAs are still particularly popular with one group: “Hipsters,” laughs Barnett, who has seen many pass through his bar.

These trendy young people can afford to pay a few dollars more for an often more alcoholic pint, and appreciate the vast selection available to them.

“They want to be the first to put other people on to the IPAs,” said Barnett, who has even noticed a “collector” mentality among IPA fans.

- Counter-culture IPAs were created in Great Britain at the end of the 18th century, gaining popularity as they were

Photo: Odell Brewing Co.

one of the few beers that could survive the trip to the Indian colonies, and arrived in the United States during the 1970s due to the rise of craft breweries.

“American beer drinkers were used to a beer that was very light and easy drinking, watery even,” such as Budweiser or Coors, explained Theresa McCulla, a beer historian at the National Museum of American History in Washington.

It was a time of counter-culture, even in the consumption of daily goods.

“Some people were trying to eat and drink differently in a way that would signal a kind of independence from big businesses,” McCulla said.

And some of that came through by drinking “hoppy beers produced very locally by small producers.”

Though drinkers initially rejected IPAs as “just radically too bitter,” they grew increasingly popular over the next several decades,

reaching their peak in the 2010s.

“If there was a defining style of craft beer in the last 40 years, for sure it’s been the IPA,” said McCulla, though she added the drink can be considered “not very subtle” due to its strong bitterness, and can sometimes be viewed as “elitist” by new drinkers.

“You might feel a little bewildered and at a disadvantage if you don’t know what to pick or how to drink it,” she said.

Currently, McCulla estimated there are about 8,000 breweries in the US, a number that will no doubt increase.

- ‘Good introduction’ Atlas Brew Works is one such brewery. Based in Washington, it was founded in 2013, when micro-breweries were sprouting up everywhere.

In the middle of work, standing between the 16 fermenters where production takes place, head brewer Daniel Vilarrubi said he made five IPAs in 2019 -- their

Why indigenous youth were 2019’s climate warriors

Greta Thunberg and her father Svante arrive in the US in August after a 15-day journey crossing the Atlantic on a zero-carbon yacht. (Getty Images)

S

TOCKHOLM, Sweden | AFP | Monday 12/30/2019Svante Thunberg, father of eco-warrior Greta Thunberg, thinks his daughter is happier being an activist but admitted in an interview he at first had reservations about her taking up the struggle.

The 50-year-old actor-turned-producer told the BBC he and Greta’s mother -- opera singer Malena Ernman -- originally objected to their daughter’s decision to become a climate activist.

“Obviously we thought it was a bad idea, putting herself out there with all the hate on social media,” he said.

Greta, described as a shy 16-year-old, has found herself in the role of spokesperson for a generation haunted by climate change after she started sitting outside the Swedish parliament in August

2018 with her “School Strike for the Climate” sign.

Instantly recognisable with long braids and impish looks, she has become the face of youth concerns over climate change, inspiring millions and being invited to address the United Nations climate summit.

Greta’s family realised just how much the existential threat of climate change weighed on her when she became depressed at age 11.

She stopped eating, started missing school and even stopped talking.

Despite his initial apprehension Svante Thunberg -- who has accompanied Greta on two sail trips over the Atlantic -- also said he thought it was clear his daughter was much happier since taking up activism.

“She changed and she could

do things that she could never have done before,” he said.

Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, Greta used to be able to eat only in her own home and “didn’t speak to a single person”.

She is now “an ordinary child”, her father added.

Greta has also faced severe criticism and been subjected to a swarm of online conspiracy theory.

Some have claimed she is a puppet of doomsayers, or paid by the “green lobby”.

But her father said she was prepared for the “hate” she would receive even before she started her protest.

“She knew exactly what she was doing and I think quite frankly she’s very surprised that she has been so well received,” Svante Thunberg told the BBC.

Cellphone injuries on the rise, especially among teens, young adults, data shows

by Denise Dador ellphones can help kids stay safe, but a new study finds they can also be a danger. Cellphone related injuries are on the rise.

Doctors highlight what can happen when people use their cellphones irresponsibly.

So many kids now have wireless ear buds, tablets and smartphones.

“I think as we give them to our kids - that’s part of the conversation. Just like if we give them something that could potentially be dangerous. We have to teach them,” said Dr. Baruch Fertel with the Cleveland Clinic.

Fertel said the latest research reveals what most people have been suspecting. In the past 20 years, cellphone related injuries have increased steadily and significantly.

A new study looks at the data on more than 2,500 people with injuries to the head and neck as a result of cellphone use. Many involved cuts, bruises, concussions and even internal organ injuries.

“In today’s world, where everything is so instant, we always want to multitask, we always want to save time, get so many things done; it could

C

by Yessenia Funes

I

f there was any year to honor the youth, 2019 sure as hell would be it. Around the world this year, young people took to the streets and demanded their governments take action to address climate change. Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg has been held up as the face of the new youth movement, but even she’s admitted she’s new to this fight. You know who aren’t?

Indigenous youth.

In the harsh climate of Alaska, the people of the Gwich’in Nation are doing all they can to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from the Trump administration and oil companies looking to exploit it. In the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Kichwa peoples are at the forefront of efforts to protect the world’s largest rainforest from further deforestation. In Central America, the Cabécar people are gaining access to power through solar, turning away from the fossil fuel energy that powered the last century.

And at the heart of all this are youth. Earther spoke with three young adults leading the new wave

of the climate movement. This is what they’re doing and why they’re in this fight, in their own words.

These interviews have been lightly condensed and edited for clarity.

Why do you fight for the planet?

I fight to protect the wildlife and people in Alaska from drilling and oil and gas exploration because, in doing so, they will hurt the environment, the animals, and the caribou.

It’ll be really bad for the Native lifestyle.

Why should indigenous youth be at the center of this fight?

I think we should be at the center of the fight because we’re the next generation of Native leaders who are going to continue to fight for the cause. The elders, who also fight for the cause, help the youth learn more about the land, the animals, the lifestyle, and how to protect it.

What was the biggest victory you saw in 2019?

The biggest victory is that some youth have joined together to hold governments accountable and make drilling companies realize how going out to drill gas and oil

can hurt the environment, especially with climate change. A bill was introduced in Congress to stop drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

What do you want to see happen in 2020?

I’d like to continue seeing no drilling in the refuge, as well as less oil and gas drilling exploration in Alaska. Doing so is going to cause more harm than good.

What role will you play in ensuring that happens?

I’ll help voice the mission and get more support and followers with the Gwich’in Steering Committee.

In the past 20 years, cellphone related injuries have increased steadily and significantly. (File photo)

be harmful,” Fertel said.

More than 700 of the injuries occurred in young people between the ages of 13 to 29.

Fertel said we often hear about the dangers of distracted driving, but there are people who step out to cross the street with their heads buried in their phones, which is just as dangerous.

“It really highlights the importance of paying attention, connecting, coming back and focusing on what we’re doing,” Fertel said.

He added it’s important for parents to not only model good

cellphone behavior in front of their children, but to also educate them about the dangers of distraction.

“It can have social impacts on relationships, it can have an impact on distraction,” he said.

Fertel said as we become more reliant on texting, we have to remember that looking at our screens requires more focus that just talking on the phone. He said folks should never look at their screens while performing tasks that require coordination such as driving, cycling or even walking.

- KTRK Channel 13 News

For hardcore fans, as bartender Barnett pointed out, it can be hard to go back. Drinkers quickly adjust to a more pronounced taste, and basic beers end up tasting “like water.”

around and do some other, maybe less popular styles,” he said.

Why do you fight for the planet?

What got me involved was that an oil company began to target my community. They wanted to come there and drill without my community’s consent. The Ecuadorian government supported that. That got me involved in climate issues because I felt connected to how these industries are in our territories but, at the same time, contributing to climate change.

- Slate/Earther

most popular product -- out of more than 20 beers produced.

“IPA is a good marketing term,” he said, because it’s a “good introduction to craft beer” for people who want more taste than just a Budweiser. “Some people stick with IPAs and some people kind of expand from there.”

But as a brewer, Vilarrubi would like to expand his repertoire. “It would be fun to kind of mess

In the ruthless race for “cool” status, as IPAs become more commonplace throughout the world, experts have already set their sights on a new, even bolder style: sour beers, which taste much more sour.

VOICE OF ASIA 13

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Business

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5 Reasons to rethink your retirement strategy in the new year

5 Things to do to prepare for a recession

In 2020, a new law will shake up how you save for your later years.

xperts agree that periods of economic downturn, or recessions, are unavoidable and often follow a period of market growth. However, experts also acknowledge that it is difficult to predict exactly when the next recession will begin.

J

ust when you thought you understood all that retirement savings mumbo jumbo, along comes something called the SECURE Act. SECURE is short for Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement. That’s a mouthful, and the law’s numerous provisions are sure to befuddle even career financial advisers.

The legislation, signed into law on Dec. 20, was designed to help Americans boost their retirement savings. Hardly anyone is socking away enough money for the golden years, and more than a quarter of U.S. adults have nothing saved at all, according to the Federal Reserve.

When most parts of SECURE take effect on Jan. 1, will you be affected for better or for worse?

That’s anyone’s guess right now, but here are five things we do know.

1. You’ll be able to leave money in a retirement account longer Retirees will feel free to let their savings grow for an extra year and a half.

Required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement plans — the mandatory withdrawals that allow the IRS to start collecting taxes on your savings — currently kick in at age 70 ½.

That’s being bumped up to age 72.

The longer you postpone tapping into your traditional IRA or employer-sponsored 401(k) plan, the more money you’ll have in the account when you do start taking funds out.

A financial planner can help you find the best use of the cash you withdraw. CFP professionals are conveniently available online now, through services such as Facet Wealth.

2. You won’t have a time limit on IRA contributions More and more Americans are working into their 70s. In 1998, 17.7% of Americans between ages 65 and 74 were in the workforce. That’s expected to grow to 32.5% — almost double — by 2028, says the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As you stay in the workforce, you should be able to keep putting money into a retirement plan, says Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio.

“We have to ensure that there is longer lifetime savings as people are living longer and health-

Photo: Shutterstock

ier lives,” Portman told his colleagues during a speech on the Senate floor.

So, SECURE eliminates the maximum age, 70 ½, for contributing to a traditional IRA — provided that you have earned income. Roth IRAs and 401(k)s plans have never had similar age limits.

3. Inherited IRAs will be taxed sooner Starting in 2020, “stretch” IRAs — which have allowed anyone inheriting a retirement account to potentially stretch out withdrawals and tax payments for decades — will cease to exist. Beneficiaries will have to withdraw the funds and pony up for the taxes within 10 years.

The law doesn’t apply to spouses, the disabled or people with chronic illnesses, nor will it affect people who inherited an IRA prior to 2020.

For anyone who planned to pass down a traditional or Roth IRA to someone other than a spouse, estate planning just got more complicated.

4. If you have a 401(k), you’ll have new options When it comes to saving for retirement, having too many choices is a good thing.

Employers have been nervous about offering annuities in their 401(k)s, for fear they’d get sued if the insurer went belly-up. The new law offers protection against those sorts of lawsuits, so theoretically it will be easier for plan sponsors to offer annuities and other options that promise guaranteed income in retirement.

SECURE also will require 401(k) administrators to provide annual disclosure statements that will show how much you might earn each month if you bought an annuity with part of your 401(k) balance.

However, the statements won’t start appearing until the IRS does

its work, and that’s too convoluted to go into here.

5. You may get access to a retirement plan for the first time Around 31% of U.S. workers don’t have the chance to sign up for a work-sponsored retirement plan, typically because they’re part-timers or employees of small businesses. The SECURE Act aims to change that.

Employers will have to open their retirement plans to part-timer workers who put in 1,000 hours in a single year or 500 hours per year for three consecutive years.

The law also provides financial incentives to small businesses that offer plans. There’s a tax credit, for example, to offset startup costs, and yet another credit for plans that offer automatic enrollment.

What people are saying about SECURE The SECURE Act was three years in the making and had bipartisan support, but reactions to it have ranged from enthusiastic to scathing.

Some financial experts and consumer advocates worry that employees will be misled into buying pricey annuities they may not need. And Ed Slott, a well-regarded retirement expert, tells Barron’s that wiping out the stretch IRA makes the individual retirement account a “lousy estate-planning vehicle.”

There are even those who shrug and say, “Meh,” insisting that SECURE won’t have a dramatic impact one way or another. Those in that camp call on lawmakers to tackle bigger issues like the ailing Social Security system and the federal corporation that guarantees pensions.

One thing’s for sure: Any action taken to avert financial crises for aging Americans is a step in the right direction.

- Moneywise

Chinese Alzheimer’s drug to launch global trials amid skepticism

B

EIJING, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019 - A newly approved Chinese drug for Alzheimer’s will start clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe next year as the country’s first novel therapy for the incurable disease seeks global legitimacy.

Shanghai Green Valley Pharmaceutical Co. plans to recruit around 2,046 patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s for trials at 200 sites across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific for 18 months, the company’s Vice President Li Jinhe said on Sunday.

The drug, called Oligomannate, was granted conditional approval in China last month. It comes in a 150mg capsule and went on sale in the country on Dec. 29.

Patients will need take three capsules twice a day, according to the drug’s package insert. A week’s treatment costs 895 yuan ($128).

Green Valley announced these plans in a press conference in Beijing on Sunday, nearly two months after making global headlines for saying it got approval from China’s regulator for the first new Alzheimer’s drug in 17 years. The neuro-degenerative disease has baffled global drug makers, who have invested billions of dollars into more than 190 experimental drugs with little to show for it.

The Shanghai-based firm, unknown outside of China, is facing skepticism that it could have so quickly achieved something that’s eluded western pharmaceutical giants for decades.

“It’s totally understandable for our drug to be questioned,” said Green Valley Chairman Lyu Songtao. “We are confident because we see clear benefits from patients in the clinical trials.”

The conditional approval requires the drugmaker to conduct further studies on how the drug works and its long-term safety and efficacy. The company also said it plans to invest $3 billion in the next 10 years for such investigations -- including on global trials -- to understand its working mechanism and expand its use in treating diseases such as Parkinson’s and vascular dementia.

Rapid Approval In its mission to get its vast patient pool access to top-quality health care, China’s drug regulator has been granting rapid approval to novel, experimental treatments, sometimes faster than its counterparts in the U.S and Europe. Beijing is also nurturing its biotech sector in China’s quest to become a global leader in medical and scientific research.

Alzheimer’s affects 10 million people in China and 5.8 million

in the U.S. Researchers estimate there are 50 million people worldwide living with dementia, with Alzheimer’s the cause in as many as 70% of cases -- implying a big addressable market for Green Valley if it manages to take the drug global. Drugs that halt the debilitating disease could be a market worth as much as $30 billion in the U.S. alone, according to an estimate by analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Global pharmaceutical giants including AstraZeneca Plc, Eli Lilly & Co. and Roche Holding AG have invested billions of dollars over the years but failed to develop therapies for this disease.

In October, Biogen Inc. said it plans to resume abandoned studies of its experimental therapy after new analysis of data showed promising results.

Green Valley plans to file an application for clinical trials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February 2020. It also wants to secure the Fast Track designation, said Green Valley’s Li. This tag helps expedite regulatory review of drugs that treat serious conditions or fill an unmet medical need. The company is also exploring partnerships with global drugmakers to speed up clinical trials and help launch the product outside China, Li said.

- Bloomberg News

E

It is important to manage the pieces of your financial life knowing that a market decline is possible, regardless of the exact timing. A Certified Financial Planner (CFP) can provide you with competent, ethical advice on how to financially prepare to weather a down market.

Here are five steps you can take today to get ready for a possible recession: • Create or revisit your financial plan. Now is a good time to update your financial plan, including your savings strategy for retirement, to ensure it can withstand a market decline. If you do not yet have a financial plan, start working to put one in place ahead of a recession.

• Develop a cash flow. The simple technique of identifying how much money is coming in and how much is going out can help you develop a short-, intermediate- and long-term plan that keeps you in control of your finances.

• Maintain a healthy emer-

Photo source: (c) gguy44 / iStock via Getty Images Plus

gency reserve fund. If you are still working, maintain six to 12 months of expenses in a safe, liquid account. Retirees should aim to keep 12 to 24 months’ worth of expenses in reserve.

balance periodically by trading up assets to maintain your desired level of asset allocation.

Be sure that your allocation is tied to your long-term financial goals, instead of basing it on the market’s ups and downs.

• Pay down your debt. While incurring debt can be a smart financial choice, carrying too much of it -- particularly high-interest debt -- can be dangerous, especially during a recession. Prioritize paying off your highest interest consumer-related loans (credit card and auto) and then work your way down to the lower interest ones. Try to avoid taking on any new debt.

A CFP professional can provide you with guidance on navigating any of these financial moves to prepare for a recession. To find a CFP professional near you, visit letsmakeaplan.org.

• Maintain a diversified portfolio. Creating and adhering to a diversified portfolio spreads your risk across different asset classes. You may need to re-

The good news is that recessions do not last forever. Taking these proactive steps now will help protect you from significant financial damage and quickly recover from potential losses.

(StatePoint)

LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 14

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

7 Stress-free holiday travel tips from an Emirates flight attendant

by Stacey Leasca

T

he holiday travel season is here. Though it will undoubtedly bring you plenty of joy, it could come with just a dash of stress too.

Long haul flights can mean fatigue, grogginess, and poor blood circulation (Graphic: Flexathletics)

After all, millions of people are about to hit the friendly skies, making airports around the world a pretty crowded place to be.

But, fear not, as Santa’s helpers are here to ensure you have a smooth holiday ride. And those helpers include people like Emirates Cabin Crew member Lauren Guilfoyle, who gave us a few tips and tricks to ensure you have a smooth holiday ride.

1. Download ahead of time

entertainment

Heading into the travel scenario that is the holiday season can be tough. So it’s key to be prepared.

“Before heading to the airport, I like to download a few hours of shows, movies, and podcasts to take my mind off the airport chaos,” Guilfoyle said. “Emirates actually allows passengers to create their in-flight playlist before heading onboard. All they have to do is log in to The Emirates App and create a playlist from Emirates’ 4,500 channels of movies,

We get it, sitting at the airport isn’t super fun. However, the holidays mean more travelers, which means it’s crucial to get to the airport early for once.

Photo: Getty Images

shows, podcasts, and music. Once onboard, simply sync the playlist to the seatback TV and enjoy hours of non-stop entertainment.”

to avoid drained batteries or wandering through the airport searching for an outlet,” Guilfoyle said.

Make sure to check your airline’s website before heading to the airport to see what entertainment options are available to you.

3. Try to exercise or at least stretch before departure

This may be the most important travel tip of all: Always be charging.

“Long haul flights can mean fatigue, grogginess, and poor blood circulation,” she said. “If possible, try to exercise before a flight.” If you don’t have time you could always try doing a few pushups in the air too.

“What’s worse than losing luggage? A dead phone. I recommend packing a portable charger

4. Leave earlier than you think you need to

2. Pack an Extra Charger

“Time is a major stress factor for travelers. Do what you can to get ahead — whether it’s packing the day before, leaving your office early, or getting a head start on traffic,” Guilfoyle explained. “If you’re traveling with other people, don’t be afraid to tell them to show up earlier than you plan on leaving to give yourselves a cushion.”

5. Make some time for yourself The holidays may be all about spending time with your friends and family, however, a major key to keeping your stress levels down is to find a little alone time.

noted. “Whether its meditation, putting on a facemask or treating yourself to a nice dinner, give yourself time to take a breath and recalibrate your emotions.”

6. Dress for Comfort It’s okay to be comfortable while traveling. In fact, Guilfoyle, who flies thousands of miles a year, highly recommends it.

“Over the years, I’ve come to realize how important it is to dress for comfort when traveling.

I recommend wearing comfortable shoes for rushing through the airport or walking to and from your car, wear layers to prepare for any temperature, and making sure your outfit is one you can relax in for a 16-plus hour flight,” she said. “When you’re rushing to catch a flight, the last thing you want to worry about is a broken heel or itchy top.”

7. Catch up on sleep There’s no better time to catch up on your rest than up in the air.

Because really, what else do you need to be doing? As Guilfoyle explained, “My top recommendation? Snag noise-cancelling headphones and flip up your ‘do not disturb’ sign to make sure your zzz’s are uninterrupted.”

- Travel+Leisure

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: BEST-SELLING AUTHORS

“In between the chaos of a crowded airport during the holidays, be sure to take some time for yourself,” Guilfoyle astutely

Week of January 3, 2020 HOROSCOPE.COM

21 March to 20 April There have been some exciting aspects recently. However, this Monday can bring fresh encounters and lively conversations that might result in new opportunities to enhance your income. As chatty Mercury aligns with liberated Uranus, you might get a surprise in this regard.

21 April to 20 May The past week or so may have had a very exciting quality, encouraging you to take the plunge and make those important changes. Rather than feel fearful about doing so, you may be enjoying the prospect of taking a bold step forward and embracing new options. If you need to travel abroad for business or work, an encounter or opportunity could make it all worthwhile.

21 May to 20 June As the old year turns into the new, the cosmos rewards you with a sparkling Mercury-Uranus aspect to celebrate the start of 2020. This could see you enjoying a party atmosphere and celebrating with old friends and new. There is also the potential for a reunion that could be quite emotional and very rewarding. If it brings an opportunity for closure or healing, that would be an added benefit.

21 June to 22 July Your social life may have brought some fascinating encounters and pleasant surprises recently. And this New Year’s Eve could bring more of the same. Someone from the past could turn up, encouraging scintillating conversations. Equally, you could make a new friend who becomes very supportive of you over the weeks and months ahead.

23 July to 22 August If recent events coincided with a promotion or other promising development, you might now be ready to step up to the plate. Rather than feel overwhelmed by any extra work, you could be eager to get started. Your work and lifestyle sector continues to be in focus for quite some time yet, so you’ll have the opportunity to build from the ground up and see tangible results.

23 August to 22 Sept There is more good news as the planet of talk and thought embraces jovial Jupiter, which could be perfect for a friendly date and an opportunity to get to know each other. Or you could enjoy a great evening with a good friend. Your creative zone sizzles with promise, and with hard work and determination, you can go far.

Give away or sell whatever you no longer need, .

23 September to 22 Oct There’s plenty of activity in the more soulful and psychic sectors of your chart.

Therefore, don’t be surprised if you think about someone special and they call you.

This might be even more amazing if you haven’t seen them in some time. With lively Mercury forging a tie to emancipated Uranus on Monday, you might feel as though your connection has been revitalized.

23 October to 21 Nov With a lively aspect showing up, this can be a great time for some fascinating discussions and encounters that open your mind. Be willing to embrace cutting-edge ideas, because they could have great relevance for you. In fact, you could pick up a lot of information over the coming days that works to your benefit and inspires you to take a leap of faith. Studying books can arm you with everything you need.

22 November to 21 Dec A generous gesture this week may not go unnoticed, even though you expect nothing. A few days down the line, you might get a touching gift that you deeply appreciate. This focus on your money zone could tie you down to certain commitments, but sticking with your financial goals can be very rewarding.

22 December to 20 Jan With a major focus on your sign, your goals and ambitions won’t be very far from your mind. And even as you’re mixing and mingling, you’ll be very aware of who can be helpful to you.

This can seem a tad self-serving, but it can be a very practical arrangement that saves time and energy and works well. One new connection could prove this point by bringing an abundance of new information.

21 January to 19 Feb The focus on a more private sector means you might prefer to hold a gathering at your place or somewhere very quiet rather than go out to a club or restaurant.

Your conversations could be significant in a very positive way. An intuitive nudge is worth following up; it could see you connecting with someone who might be valuable to you in the future. Their ideas and suggestions could be the key to future success.

20 February to 20 Mar The dynamic focus on your social sector continues, and this could see you putting a lot of effort into committees, groups, and community projects. Thursday could be especially rewarding because you could be invited out for a meal or offered an equally enticing treat for all your hard work, which could be very pleasing.

You really do deserve it, though.

CROSS 1. Fresh talk 5. Jet follower 8. Sherlock Holmes’ assignment 12. U in I.C.U. 13. Tiny river 14. Fires 15. Weather ____ 16. *”How to Make an American Quilt” author 17. Distinguishing feature 18. *Master of legal thriller 20. “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” singer 21. Keyboard key 22. G, in solfa 23. *Master of Western fiction 26. Flavorful rice dish, pl.

30. Former name of Tokyo 31. Broadcasting devices 34. Whiskey without water 35. Dried fruit and spices, in a pie 37. Member of Shoshonean people 38. Discombobulate 39. Drawn to light 40. Young traveler’s inn 42. “____ it or lose it!”

43. Hindu spiritual retreat, pl.

45. Chase away 47. Philosophical system 48. Single-cell protozoan 50. Home on a limb 52. *James Bond creator 54. Cafe option 55. Site of Taj Mahal 56. First queen of Carthage 59. Goes up or down 60. Jiffs 61. What accomplices do 62. 2 aspirin, e.g.

63. Old college one 64. Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday

SOLUTION:

DOWN 1. Blazer or Explorer 2. Baptist leader?

3. *”I ____ The Body Electric” by Whitman or Bradbury 4. Sound setup 5. Like a ballerina 6. “I do” spot 7. Thieve 8. *Master of romance and particularly prolific 9. Palm tree berry 10. Sleigh runners 11. Is, in Paris 13. Podium 14. Counter seat 19. Habituate 22. Female sib 23. Helping theorem 24. Bye, in Castile 25. Calendar unit of time 26. *William Shakespeare or Dr. Seuss 27. Sick and tired 28. Wrong answer adjective 29. *Her every novel was a best-seller 32. Abbott and Costello, Rocky and Bullwinkle, etc.

33. “____ all fun and games...”

36. *Master of detective novel 38. “My wife can vouch for me,” e.g.

40. Expression of doubt 41. Swellings 44. Daisy-like bloom 46. Summer shoe 48. *Master of the dime novel 49. Bryan Stevenson’s “Just ____” 50. Brussels’ org.

51. JFK or ORD postings 52. Like Usain Bolt 53. Hurtful remark 54. Dropped drug 57. Bear’s hibernation place 58. Pro baseball’s “Master Melvin”

BEST-SELLING AUTHORS on Page 15

VOICE OF ASIA 15

CLASSIFIED /SMALL BUSINESSES

FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

A guide to managing arrhythmias Continued from page 9 of tachycardia, especially SVT, can be treated by stimulating your vagal nerves — the part of the nervous system that regulates your heart rate — which respond by slowing your heart rate. These “maneuvers” include holding your breath and straining, coughing and dunking your face in ice water.

• Medications.

Beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, sodium and potassium channel blockers, and digitalis may slow or suppress tachycardia. However, these medications may produce unwanted side effects, cause an arrhythmia to occur more frequently, or produce a new arrhythmia.

• Implantable devices.

Surgery to implant an artificial pacemaker is a common treatment for bradycardia. This device, implanted under the skin and attached to the heart, sends an electrical impulse whenever the heart rhythm slows or becomes erratic. Another device, the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, can be placed in the

chest to correct an abnormally fast heartbeat usually in patients with a weak heart.

• Cardioversion.

This treatment uses drugs or an electrical shock to reset the heart to its regular rhythm.

• Catheter ablation.

“Catheters are threaded through blood vessels to the heart and deliver radiofrequency energy to carefully destroy (ablate) the abnormal portions of the heart causing the arrhythmia. This method is highly successful in treating many arrhythmias,” Patel said.

For the latest news, events and information visit our Facebook page at fb.com/ methodistsugarland.

When you find some time, READ!

THE BOTTOM LINE It’s important to tell your doctor about any symptoms of arrhythmia you experience. Even if symptoms pass quickly, your heart’s ability to work may be compromised. Over time, a seemingly harmless arrhythmia could lead to a more serious condition.

To schedule an appointment with Apoor Patel, M.D., at Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiology Associates at Sugar Land, call 346.901.2070.

READ DAILY! 15 - 30 minutes of reading daily helps your brain focus better. Grab a novel!

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FRIDAY, January 3, 2020

Home&Real Estate John Daugherty Realtors acquired by Douglas Elliman in ground-shaking Houston real estate deal

A dome-shaped Austin home gets a kitchen worthy of its history

Storied real estate firm becomes part of a national trend

by Shelby Hodge

H

OUSTON - It’s been a topsy turvy period in the Houston residential real estate market of late with national firms moving in and disrupting the long-established status quo. The latest shocker is John Daugherty Realtors is selling to New Yorkbased Douglas Elliman.

Text messages and emails were buzzing throughout the city on Friday night as word spread that the deal had been sealed by 6 pm, an unexpected transaction that has many in the industry reeling.

Earlier this month, two of Daugherty’s top sales people, Laura Sweeney, the city’s leading residential real estate agent with $130 million in sales last year, and Lisa Kornhauser, the city’s No. 4 top selling agent, joined Compass, bolting from the firm after two decades at the local institution in the luxury property market. Compass has been on a mission of sweeping up Houston’s best talent in real estate since November of last year.

Elliman, the nation’s second largest independent residential real estate brokerage by sales volume, entered the Houston market in August in a high-profile joint venture with Houston-based real estate marketing and sales company Sudhoff Companies. It was widely known that Elliman’s plan from the beginning was to

acquire local firms. But to take over such an iconic firm as John Daugherty Realtors is nonetheless a surprise.

“Like Los Angeles, Houston is experiencing a vertical living phenomenon, and because many of our clients in Colorado, California and Florida hail from Houston, we felt the time was right for a strategic move to Texas,” Howard M.

Lorber, executive chairman of Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC., said in a statement at the time of the Sudhoff team up. “It was important to find a company whose integrated approach to real estate development mirrored that of Douglas Elliman, and we have found a true partner in Sudhoff Companies.”

While no one was available for comment Friday night, the acquisition comes two years after John Daugherty celebrated the 50th anniversary of his namesake firm. In many ways, John Daugherty Realtors changed luxury real estate in Houston, creating a lasting legacy.

Seizing residential real estate business from legacy agencies has become the unanticipated norm in Houston, where some have responded by consolidating or affiliating with national brands to retain their competitive edge. In advance of the trend, Martha Turner Properties sold to Sotheby’s International in 2014.

- Culture Map Houston

After record year for local home sales, what’s ahead in 2020?

Hint: The regional economy is expected to slow down

T

his year will be another record year for home sales in Greater Houston, according to the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR).

Through November, sales have been up 4.1% over 2018.

Shannon Cobb Evans, chair of HAR, attributes this to strong employment growth and low mortgage interest rates.

“That [low interest rates] brings a lot of people to the market that may not have been able to afford a home before and that are paying higher rent prices, they could buy a home,” Cobb Evans said.

Area home sales have increased every

A long-awaited renovation flips the script for a historic dome home with an awkward and outdated kitchen.

The dome’s shape is immediately apparent upon viewing the surrounding walls.

In this instance, a circular entrance leads to a living area. The kitchen is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Atrium White to match the existing walls. (Photos: Dwell)

by Kelly Dawson

A

USTIN - Haley Rushing’s home has always been a showpiece.

It was built in the 1970s by architect John Watson, who studied under Frank Lloyd Wright. The structure is shaped like a dome and situated on a slope in Westlake Hills, Texas, giving precedent to views of Hill Country.

“John was a big believer in harmoniously blending homes into their surrounding environments so that both are better off for having met each other, as Wright would say,” Haley notes.

The property was initially a triplex, with two loft units on the second level and a third unit on the ground floor. But in the 1980s, a renovation turned it all into a single-family unit—and the results tarnished this showpiece, to say the least.

“It was previously two mini kitchens that were superficially opened up to be one long kitchen,” says Haley, who co-founded The Purpose Institute. “It still had a major wall running down the middle, a very low ceiling height to accommodate old air conditioning units, minimal cabinet space, and no pantry.”

year since 2015.

“We knew that if we wanted to increase the ceiling height, we needed to keep these column locations.”

And when that time came, she decided to join forces with CG&S Design-Build to take on the task.

“A couple of years back, my colleague Mark designed a new cupola for Haley’s

For the coming year, the Greater Houston Partnership is predicting slower job growth and Cobb Evans said that’s just one of many factors to consider.

“Because it was actually two identical, tiny kitchens that were opened to each other, the duplicate appliances were deleted,” Hartman continues. “This made for a strange layout that was at once cramped and too spread out. The primary goals for the renovation were to create functional storage, open the kitchen to the living room, provide true ventilation for the cooktop, and increase the ceiling height.”

“There are so many things that can affect the market,” she said, “like a Harvey or a disaster incident like that, a hike in interest rates, any kind of tax law changes.”

Cobb Evans expects 2020 to be another strong year for home sales, while the Greater Houston Partnership forecasts moderate growth in the real estate sector.

Hartman, Haley, and the team also wished to honor as much of the original dome structure as possible, so they designed the kitchen around three weight-supporting columns while increasing the ceiling’s height. They chose a minimal aesthetic that would underscore the footprint’s impressive shape, and they selected wood as a standout natural material to artfully complement the manmade finish of the dome.

- NPR

2019 mortgage rate one of the lowest on record

T

he average mortgage rate in 2019 was one of the lowest on record, according to the mortgage-finance company Freddie Mac.

At 3.9 percent for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, 2019 saw the fourth-lowest annual average since 1971.

Freddie Mac predicted 2020 and 2021 would also experience historically low rates, but warned that even with low mortgage rates reducing the amount of interest homebuyers owe, the lack of af-

fordable homes could hurt home sales.

“While the outlook for the housing market is bright, worsening housing affordability is no longer a coastal phenomenon and is spreading to many interior markets and is a threat to the continued recovery in housing and the economy,” wrote Freddie Mac in its most recent mortgage survey.

as one that was “functional on a basic level,” but that couldn’t meet the cooking needs of the family. She envisioned the kitchen as a unifying setting for Haley’s boyfriend’s delicious meals and the girls’ budding culinary skills, as well as a comfortable hub for homework and entertaining alike.

“The house is so well-articulated—a piece of art in its own right—that I wanted the kitchen to flow and complement it as gracefully as possible” Haley knew that the existing kitchen wouldn’t be a permanent solution for her boyfriend and her two twin daughters, but she also knew that an overhaul would be a big undertaking. So she spent years updating other aspects of the home until this room, which she calls “the last holdout,” was the only thing left on her list.

house, and the project went well. So when Haley felt ready to tackle her kitchen, she came back to CG&S,” architect Joanna Hartman says. “After all, we did have the strongest working knowledge of her home at that point.”

Hartman describes the original kitchen

“When it was built, this house was very modern for its time, and we wanted an equally modern kitchen. I love living in a creative, highly unusual home, but that also comes with major challenges whenever you want to change anything,” she says. “The kitchen serves as our connective center, where we all routinely gather for all sorts of reasons. It’s hard to imagine how we tolerated the old kitchen for so long.”

- Dwell.com

“The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate saw little change again this week and averaged just 3.9% during 2019, the fourth lowest annual average since 1971 when Freddie Mac started its weekly survey.

Why everyone will soon be clamoring to live in Houston’s Midtown

“Heading into 2020, low mortgage rates and the improving economy will be the major drivers of the housing market with steady increases in home sales, construction and home prices”

It’s also where you’ll find Drewery Place, the sleek new high-rise from Australian developer Caydon. Packed with such perks as European-inspired design, a yoga studio, private dog park, and Houston’s largest pool deck, the apartment homes exemplify urban living.

- Market Watch

R

ight outside downtown Houston lies Midtown, one of the city’s hottest neighborhoods. With a bevy of bars, restaurants, retail, and entertainment, as well as plenty of parks and free community events, the area is a vibrant, cosmopolitan part of town.

But first and foremost is Drewery Place’s unique status as the first residential tower in Midtown. Read on to discover why you’ll want to be among the first to move to this bustling neighborhood.

Talk about accessibility: Midtown is just five minutes from all major freeways and main roads. But being so close to downtown, Montrose, and other key areas means you can ditch the car and embrace Midtown’s walkable lifestyle. The area has a Walk Score of 86, the highest in all of Houston. It also boasts Houston’s second-highest transit score with

the METRORail Red Line connecting residents to the city’s two largest employment centers: downtown and the Texas Medical Center.

Speaking of METRORail, it’s easy to acknowledge Midtown’s light rail transport system as one of the main draws.

The McGowen METRORail stop is right across the road, making for an easy commute. And just think about how nice it would be not to have to deal with traffic when heading to the Houston Rodeo or a Texans game at NRG Stadium.

- Culture Map Houston