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Mumbai’s group V Unbeatable gets Candlelight Vigil of Kashmiri golden buzzer on ‘AGT:Champions’ Pandit Exodus Recognition Day

India’s dance group react after getting the golden buzzer for their performance. Image: Pinterest

J

udge Howie Mandel on “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” gave the coveted golden buzzer to Mumbai’s dance group V.Unbeatable after their spectacular acrobatic dance performance on the show on Monday, January 20. The 30-member

group had the name ‘Vikas’ on their shirts honoring their founder member Vikas Gupta who was injured during rehearsals and died a few weeks later in died in 2014.

The ‘V’ in V.Unbeatable denotes his initials. The group per-

formed to the hit song “Dhoom Machale Dhoom” that got them a standing ovation. The January 20 episode had some dull moments and some exceptionally good. V.Unbeatable was undoubtedly deserving of the golden buzzer.

Kashmir Exodus 1990 candle light vigil held in Sugar Land on January 19, 2020. Image credit:Biyani Photo

SUGAR LAND - Jan.19, 2020 - Close to 250 people gathered this evening at the steps of City Hall in Sugar Land, TX to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Kash-

miri Hindu Pandit community’s exodus from their homeland in Kashmir, India. This tragic event was recognized by a candlelight vigil jointly organized by the Hindu American Foun-

dation, Indo-American Kashmir Forum, and the Hindus of Greater Houston, as part of a series of vigils done around the U.S. to mark the infamous day.

Carrying banners calling for the citizenship law and proposed nationwide “register of citizens” to be ditched, the demonstrators marched for several kilometres (miles) from a church to a lifesized statue of Indian independence hero Mahatma Gandhi.

One of the protest organisers, Herod Mullick from the Bangiya Christiya Pariseba, said the new legislation was “divisive”.

“We want to express our solidarity with the people who are protesting against CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and

NRC (National Register of Citizens) in different parts of India.”

Police estimated that more than 8,000 people took part in the march.

The new law makes it easier for persecuted religious minorities from three neighbouring countries to obtain citizenship, but not if they are Muslim.

Combined with a mooted national register of citizens, it has stoked fears that India’s 200 million Muslims will be marginalised.

Makar Sankranti and Lohri celebrations at Arya Samaj Indian Christians protest against ‘anti-Muslim’ law

K

The The Sanskriti School teachers and parents performed the Gidda (dance).REPORT ON PAGE 6

KAUSHAL PATEL A SSOCIATES

F ORENSIC D ATA C ONSULTANT

OLKATA, India | AFP | 1/20/2020 - More than 8,000 people from the Christian community took to the streets in eastern India Monday to protest against a citizenship law that critics say discriminates against Muslims.

Hindu-majority India has been gripped by widespread street demonstrations that have sometimes turned deadly, with the march in West Bengal state’s capital Kolkata believed to be one of the biggest rallies by Christians.

Continued on Page 7

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s world leaders from business, government and non-governmental organizations gather in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, the quiet, stoic grandeur of the mountain tops belies the crumbling foundation of the international economic and political order that the U.S. built in the aftermath of World War II.

The results of the recently released Edelman Trust Barometer set the stage for the opening of the forum. It found that a majority of people around the world believe capitalism is doing more harm than good. This is a stunning turn of opinion for the economic system that has been the basis of post war prosperity and stability.

In the U.S. slightly less than a majority of people, 47 percent, believe that capitalism does more harm than good. That’s a troubling percentage for the word’s most prosperous nation built on free markets and democracy. Millions of Americans are losing faith in the American dream of upward mobility and American-style capitalism itself. And among millennials, our next generation of leaders, capitalism has plunged in popularity, mainly due to the widening divide between the haves and have nots. Only one out of two millennials support capitalism, according to a November 2019 poll.

This crisis of confidence has contributed to the great divide infecting American politics. It has put the need for reasoned solutions that could provide prosperity for all Americans and make capitalism sustainable for generations to come front and center in the 2020 election.

But the 2020 election cycle is falling far short of providing informative debates and workable solutions. To date, the discus-

by Heather R. Higgins and Jennifer C. Braceras

P

resident Trump recently tweeted that allowing a full-blown impeachment trial would lend legitimacy to an unfair and partisan process. Numerous conservative pundits have pushed for outright dismissal or the briefest of proceedings.

The Kavanaugh hearings, in which the left overstepped and inadvertently mobilized an army of conservative voters, educated the public about the politicization of the court; and filled initially sympathetic women with concern about due process and the implications of the believe-all-accusers standard, suggest an alternative course.

A Senate impeachment trial is both an opportunity conservatives should embrace, and a firecracker the left should fear.

Smart operatives on the left have understood from the beginning that this impeachment case will not result in the removal from office of President Trump. Instead, it is a form of political theater — an opening argument in the 2020 presiden-

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Capitalism must meet the challenge: Prosperity for all Americans

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sion by political leaders in both parties in the world’s greatest democracy is stuck in a roundabout of expedient partisan and populist rhetoric that only stirs resentment and anger.

While leadership is needed from all sectors of American society, American business leaders can and must help carve a path forward on the most critical issues. For starters, they have credibility. The Trust Survey found that trust in business outweighs trust in government.

Their experience also brings a strong understanding of fiscal responsibility, the importance of free markets to ensure competition, innovation, economic growth and transparency, and the need for solutions not just talking points. These are all qualities very much needed in the public square.

American business leaders

are not new to this challenge.

A prime historical example occurred in 1942, when America’s leading CEOs took on the challenge of creating a rulesbased, post war economic order to ensure peace and prosperity.

They formed the Committee for Economic Development (CED), and they have been referred to “as the capitalists who cared enough about the system to save it.” Their efforts to provide non-partisan public policy solutions helped give the United States and the world the Marshall Plan, the Bretton Woods Agreement and the Employment Act of 1946, which created the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) and established the Joint Economic Committee.

Today’s challenges to our economic principles and democratic institutions are equally as important. America’s top CEOs

must not only provide leadership individually but also come together collectively and collaboratively to forge a prosperous path forward for all Americans by developing practical, real solutions in the nation’s interest.

The private and the public sector need to work together to restore confidence in our economic and democratic principles. Business leaders can play a unique role in bridging the deep divide on public policy. Once again, it is incumbent upon them “to care enough about the system to save it.”

Lori Esposito Murray is president of the Committee for Economic Development (CED) of The Conference Board. She is a former adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, previously held the national security chair at the U.S. Naval Academy.

- The Hill

Conservatives should be open to a trial in the Senate

tial campaign and in the campaign to control the Senate.

By making the process seem predetermined, and thus insincere, they seek to embarrass and tar vulnerable Republican Senators. Hence the push for an unlimited number of witnesses, an attempt to force GOP Senators to cast votes that their Democratic challengers can use against them on the campaign trail.

Leader Mitch McConnell (RKy.) knows all this, and Senate Republicans have been able to thread that needle — rejecting the idea of summarily dismissing Articles of Impeachment but also waiting to make decisions about witnesses until the evidence requires it. They plan to move forward with a trial complete with arguments and possible witness testimony.

The president should welcome this approach. And conservative pundits should stop trying to secure a commitment not to call any witnesses at all — something that, as far as moderates and swing voters are concerned, can only reasonably be determined on a case by case basis.

For swing voters, fairness will be essential. Supporters of the president may firmly believe that hearings with witness testimony will legitimize a thin and baseless case. But the critical

swing constituency is watching to see if the Senate handles the matter fairly and without bias.

A transparent and deliberative process — where decisions about subpoenas and testimony are determined as needed — will allow Americans to hear the best arguments that each side can muster.

It also provides an essential opportunity for Republicans to demonstrate—as they did during the Kavanaugh hearings—that it is they (not the Democrats) who are the guardians of due process and, concerned with what is fair.

Moreover, hearings will provide quite an education. Hearings will allow the Trump defense team to put forward a coherent narrative as to why the president might legitimately have been concerned about Ukrainian corruption and what sort of latitude an administration properly has over such fund dispersals.

After months of one-sided spin from the mainstream media, a trial will provide Americans their first full opportunity to consider the evidence and should come to their own conclusions about these matters — and about the worthiness of the impeachment effort.

It will also prove a salutary civics lesson. A functioning democracy, where power is peace-

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fully transferred back and forth between parties, requires a commitment to this starting premise: that the rules will be sufficiently fair and respected by both sides that neither will try to alter them to subvert elections results.

Our founders warned against using impeachment to resolve policy and political disagreements — that’s what elections are for.

Full impeachment hearings will likely reveal that much of the Democrats’ concerns boil down to just such differences — and a consequent attempt to circumvent resolution by-election.

A full exposition and defense on not only the merits of the charges, but whether impeachment is the appropriate remedy, and the precedent that all of this sets, deserve to be fully fleshed out before the public.

There are opportunities here for everyone: Alan Dershowitz will get to give the nation a civics lesson. GOP senators, like Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) during the Kavanaugh hearings, can show that they are the good stewards of the public’s trust — proceeding deliberately and with fairness and taking the charges and the precedents that the proceedings set seriously.

Those who truly believe that impeachment is both frivolous and abusive should welcome the opportunity to show the public why this is so and should appreciate the national attention to their case. And those of us at home can stock up on popcorn and sit back — it’s going to be quite a show.

Heather R. Higgins is the CEO of Independent Women’s Voice; Jennifer C. Braceras is director of Independent Women’s Law Center.

- The Hill

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India Culture Center, Houston elects its 2020 Board

Jasmeeta Singh, ICC President for 2020

T

he India Culture Center (ICC), Houston, held its first Board of Director’s meeting of the year on January 5, 2020 at the India House and elected its new Executive Committee for 2020. The unanimously elected Executive Committee for 2020 included: President, Mrs. Jasmeeta Singh, a long-standing member of ICC who served as a Board of Trustee, and earlier as Executive Secretary and Director during 2009-2015.

At ICC, Mrs. Singh will focus on promoting Indian cultures, strengthening relationships between American and Indian cultures and values, women empowerment and bringing the Indian non-profit organizations together and closer. She has held several prominent positions in other organizations in the Houston area: Interfaith Ministries – Board of Directors, Women Helping Women – Member, Active member of Houston Punjabi Community and CEO of Jaz CreationZ – an

India Culture Center, Houston Board of Directors, Executive Committee with heads of partnering organizations and Elections official.

Photo credit: Voice of Asia International Fashion Entertainment Production Company.

Vice-President, Mr. Pramod Bengani is a member of the past Board of Directors and was also the Vice-President from 20182019. He is also serving on Board of JVB Preksha Center

E

in Houston. Dr. Santosh Verma was reelected as the Executive Secretary from his 2019 position. He is a former President of Bihar Association of North America (BANA) and is currently in the BANA Board of Directors. Mr. Hemant Patel was also reinstated as Trea-

surer from his 2019 position.

He is a very active member of BAPS, Houston. The Executive Committee also includes Mrs. Nisha Mirani as the immediate past-President of ICC. Hasu Patel who officiated the Executive Committee election.

Earlier, ICC held its Annual

General Body meeting held on 1st December 2019 at the India House and had a low turnout of only 25 members. The year 2020 had eight Board of Director positions and two Trustee positions that were open. The current Board now includes: Jasmeeta Singh, Pra-

mod Bengani, Santosh Verma, Hemant Patel, Nisha Mirani, Col. Raj Bhalla, Nimish Sheth, Kiran Shah, Dr. K. D. Upadhyaya, Nirmala Patel, Nagraj Eleswarapu, Dr. Sarita Mehta, Parul Fernandes, Lachhman Das, Sapna Shah, and Shobana Muratee. Newly elected Trustees include: Praful Gandhi, Girish Pandya and Ajit Patel.

Initially, a 3-member Election Committee with Hasu Patel, Meera Kapur and Vale Subrmanium was formed. Hasu Patel conducted election smoothly.

India Culture Center (ICC) was founded in June 1973. ICC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) and secular organization. It serves as a coordinating link among all major Indian Organizations and Individuals of Indian origin living in the Greater Houston and surrounding areas, on issues of common interest and concern. It organizes several events during the year celebrating India and its people. Some of the organized events include Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti Celebrations.

ICC upcoming signature event I-Fair 2020 celebrating India’s 71st Republic Day will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at the Stafford Center on Cash road on Stafford. The free evet will feature cultural programs, Antakshari, Mom & Me Talent Show, dance and music by local artists and booths to shop at. Mark your calendar for a great day with family. For details visit www.icchoustontx. org or call Ajit Patel 713-5572536 Nisha Mirani 832-7559365.

Commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s 71st “Shraddhanjali”, Memorial Service

ternal Gandhi Museum Houston, Unity of Houston, Arya Samaj Greater Houston, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, The Ismaili Jamatkhana Center, Mind Body and Spirit Institute and Bahai’s of Houston will

observe Memorial Service and pay Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on Saturday, February 8, 2020 from 3 pm to 5 pm at the Main Sanctuary of Unity of Houston located at 2929 Unity Drive, Houston, TX 77057. Mahatma

Gandhi was assassinated on

January 30, 1948. In observance of the passing away of this great soul, Mahatma, the above annual memorial service will take place. Please mark your calendar and come pay your respects to Apostle of Peace. We will be honored

with your presence. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Light snacks will be served.

For more information visit www.egmh.org or call Atul Kothari at 713-962-0952

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FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

Family Health Email: voiceasia@aol.com

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What we know so far about How Social Security and Medicare work together the new China virus

S

ocial Security and Medicare are social safety programs that Americans pay into during their working years through taxes. Both are designed to assist older Americans and distribute benefits to the disabled and their families.

Social Security provides financial support, and Medicare is a health insurance program that helps cover doctor visits, hospital stays and other medical treatments.

While the programs are separate, Social Security and Medicare are intertwined in several ways. Here, we look at the connections between the two programs as well as what to expect when applying for benefits.

Wuhan’s mayor Zhou Xianwang urged residents to not leave the city and visitors to avoid it so that the possibility of transmission can be reduced. AFP Photo.

by Helen ROXBURGH

C

HINA | AFP | 1/22/2020 -A new SARS-like virus has killed 17 people in China, infected hundreds and reached as far as the United States, with fears mounting about its spread as hundreds of millions travel for Lunar New Year celebrations, which start Friday.

Many countries have stepped up screening of passengers from Wuhan, the Chinese city identified as the epicentre, and the World Health Organization has called an emergency meeting.

Here’s what we know so far about the virus: - It’s entirely new The pathogen appears to be a never-before-seen strain of coronavirus -- a large family of viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed 349 people in mainland China and another 299 in Hong Kong between 2002 and 2003.

Arnaud Fontanet, head of the department of epidemiology at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, told AFP the current virus strain was 80 percent genetically identical to SARS. China has already shared the genome sequencing of this novel coronavirus with the international scientific community.

It has been named “2019nCoV”.

- It’s being passed between humans The WHO said Monday it believed an animal source was the “primary source” of the outbreak, and Wuhan authorities identified a seafood market as the centre of the epidemic.

But China has since confirmed that there was evidence the virus is now passing from person to person, without any contact with the now-closed market.

The virus has infected more than 400 people across the country, with most cases in Wuhan, according to officials. Li Bin of China’s National Health Commission on Wednesday said 1,394 people were still under medical observation.

Doctor Nathalie MacDermott of King’s College London said it seems likely that the virus is spread through droplets in the air from sneezing or coughing.

Doctors at the University of Hong Kong published an initial paper on Tuesday modelling the spread of the virus which estimated that there have been some 1,343 cases in Wuhan -- similar to a projection of 1,700 last week by scientists at Imperial College, London.

Both are much higher than official figures.

- It is milder than SARS Compared with SARS, the symptoms appear to be less aggressive, and experts say the death toll is still relatively low.

“It’s difficult to compare this disease with SARS,” said Zhong Nanshan, a renowned scientist at China’s National Health Commission at a press conference this week. “It’s mild. The condition of the lung is not like SARS.”

However, the milder nature of the virus can also cause alarm.

The outbreak comes as China prepares for the Lunar New Year Holiday, with hundreds of millions travelling across the country to see family.

Professor Antoine Flahault, director of the Institute of Global Health at the University of Geneva, told AFP that the fact that the virus seems milder in the majority of people is “paradoxically more worrying” as it allows people to travel further before their symptoms are detected.

“Wuhan is a major hub and with travel being a huge part of the fast approaching Chinese New Year, the concern level must remain high,” said Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust.

- International public health emergency? The WHO will hold a meeting on Wednesday to determine

whether the outbreak constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern” and if so, what should be done to manage it.

Cases have so far been confirmed in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Macau and the United States.

The WHO has only used the rare label a handful of times, including during the H1N1 -- or swine flu -pandemic of 2009 and the Ebola epidemic that devastated parts of West Africa from 2014 to 2016.

The Chinese government announced Tuesday it was classifying the outbreak in the same category as the SARS outbreak, meaning compulsory isolation for those diagnosed with the disease and the potential to implement quarantine measures on travel.

But if the WHO decides to take this step, it would put the Wuhan virus in the same category as a handful of very serious epidemics.

Both Social Security and Medicare are national programs managed by different organizations within the federal government. Social Security is run by the Social Security Administration, whereas Medicare is run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services The Social Security Administration determines who is eligible to receive Social Security benefits as well as which individuals qualify for Medicare. Additionally, the Social Security Administration carries out a lot of the administrative functions for Medicare, To be eligible for Social Security, workers must earn enough credits while they are employed. The minimum number of credits for most workers is 40 credits. The amount of earnings needed for one credit is $1,360 in 2019, and individuals can earn up to four credits per year.

To receive Medicare, in-

dividuals usually need to be age 65 or older. Medicare is also available to some younger Americans with disabilities and those with permanent kidney failure which requires dialysis or a transplant. The Medicare program consists of different parts, including Part A for stays in a hospital or nursing home and some home health care, Part B for doctor services, outpatient care and medical supplies, and Part D for prescription drugs. Medicare does not provide coverage for certain health expenses, including long-term care, dental visits, eye exams and hearing aids.

Workers who are eligible for Social Security can begin their benefits any time between ages 62 and 70. The longer they wait, the higher the benefit they are locking in for the rest of their life.

Those who begin their benefits before their full retirement age, which is set by the Social Security Administration and determined by birth year, will received a reduced amount in benefits. Seniors who enroll when they reach full retirement age can expect 100% of their benefit. Individuals who apply after their full retirement age will receive an increased benefit, which can be as much as 8% more a year, until age 70.

Medicare Costs Deducted From Social Security Individuals enrolled in Medicare need to pay for the coverage. The exact amount owed can vary, depending on a person’s retirement income and the health plans they select.

Most people don’t have to pay a premium for Medicare Part A. Medicare Part B premiums are income-dependent and they

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900

range from $144.60 on the low end to $500 plus monthly. Prescription drug coverage premiums for Part D are also based on income.

To determine the amount owed for Medicare, Social Security looks at the income listed on tax returns from two years ago. If someone has higher income, say $170,00 plus married filing jointly, in 2017 and retired in early 2019, their Medicare premium in 2019 will be higher than the normal.

For those receiving Social Security benefits and enrolled in Medicare, the premiums for Medicare are usually automatically deducted from Social Security payments. For most people, having their Medicare premiums taken out of their Social Security check is easy and convenient, Individuals who are enrolled in Medicare but are not receiving Social Security will receive monthly or quarterly bills for Medicare premiums. Source Medicare and US News To lean more about Medicare Long Term Care and Retirement Plans contact Sudhir Mathuria at 713-771-2900.

5 Tips to Help Older Adults Be Healthier in 2020

F

or many, the new year is about establishing goals for the year ahead. But where should you start? As we age, an increasing number of us link our emotional and physical well-being to our overall health.

After all, you can’t do the things you’d like if you aren’t healthy.

mind and body are connected, and stress takes its toll on physical health.

4. Get social. According to a 2018 Cigna survey, loneliness in America has reached epidemic levels. Nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone (46 percent) or left out (47 percent). Loneliness has been shown to negatively impact physical and mental health. Alleviate loneliness by taking one proactive step each week. For example, call or get coffee with friends or family, join a club or volunteer. You can also connect with other active adults on social media. Check out the inspirational health and fitness posts on the @SilverandFit Facebook page and join in the conversations.

With that in mind, Cigna and its Medicare Advantage (MA) fitness partner, the Silver&Fit Healthy Aging and Exercise Program, share these five tips to help older adults get fitter and stronger and be less stressed and happier in 2020: 1. Hit the gym. Exercise is a proven way to help you get fitter and stronger, improve balance, lose weight, reduce blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, manage pain and even be more social. Many gyms offer such options as free weights, machines, pools, classes, private instructors and other amenities that can inspire you to try new things.

Prefer working out with others?

Group classes can help you discover a new exercise, stick to a schedule and find exercise buddies. If you’re new to exercise, remember that slow and steady is the way to build good habits, avoid injury and achieve health goals. It’s always a good idea to consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program.

Can’t afford a gym membership? You may be surprised to learn that many MA plans offer exercise programs at top fitness centers and YMCAs for no extra cost. Check your plan for details.

2. Nourish your body. For optimal health, nourish your body with healthy, energizing foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, fish and healthy oils, such as olive oil and sesame oil. Limit pre-packaged, processed foods.

Set an achievable goal. Try cutting out one unhealthy food each month, such as sugary soft drinks

5. Practice gratitude. Happiness comes with thankfulness. Think about people and things you feel grateful for, and start a gratitude journal.

PHOTO SOURCE: (c) LightFieldStudios / iStock via Getty Images Plus or chips. Your body will love you for it! Also, stay hydrated, especially when exercising.

At the same time, eliminate unhealthy habits, such as smoking or drinking alcohol in excess.

With an MA plan, you may be able to get help with smoking cessation products or alcohol counseling at no extra cost.

3. Stress less. Stress can be toxic and debilitating. Develop a “PLAN” to deal with it. According to Cigna’s Dr. Stuart L. Lustig, this includes identifying a Period of time to unwind, a Location to de-stress, an Activity to enjoy and the Name of someone with whom you can talk. Yoga, tai chi and meditation may help you cope with stress, as well as going for walks, listening to

music, comedy or audio books -- or even coloring. If you’re ex-

periencing extreme stress, talk to your doctor. Remember, the

By doing your best to incorporate these five tips into your life, you’ll kick-start your journey toward a healthier 2020.

- StatePoint

VOICE OF ASIA 5

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

Science & Medicine

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Coronavirus: new disease spreading in Asia revives SARS fears

by Paul Ricard

P

ARIS, France | AFP | Friday 1/17/2020 - After Thailand detected its second case of a mysterious SARSlinked virus this week following confirmed cases in China and Japan, here are a few key points about coronavirus.

- What is coronavirus? The UN’s health agency says that the outbreak of the disease in the Chinese city of Wuhan is a never-before-seen strain belonging to a broad family of viruses ranging from the common cold to more serious illnesses such as SARS. According to Arnaud Fontanet, head of Paris’ Institut Paster department of epidemiology, the new strain is the seventh known type of coronavirus that humans can contract.

“We think that the source may have been animals sold at market and from there it passed to the human population,” he told AFP. There is so far no indication of human-to-human transmission of the virus.

The outbreak has caused alarm because of the link with SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed 349 people in mainland China and another 299 in Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

Fontanet said the current virus strain was 80 percent genetically identical to SARS. At least 40 cases have been reported in Wuhan this year, and the outbreak has already claimed two lives.

- Time to panic? -

A military doctor takes a thermal image of a traveler to assess body temperature. (Screengrab: CNN)

Fontanet said that the coronavirus appears to be “weaker” than SARS in its current form, but cautioned that it could mutate into a more virulent strain.

“We don’t have evidence that says this virus is going to mutate, but that’s what happened with SARS,” he said.

“The virus has only been circulating a short time, so it’s too early to say.”

As for person-to-person transmission -- a key hallmark of pandemics -- it may also be too early to tell.

Investigations carried out into the 700 or so people in Wuhan who came into contact with quarantined cases showed no one had passed on the virus, with the possible exception of one woman who claims she never went to the seafood market where the outbreak is thought to have started.

Authorities have pronounced the risk of human transmission “weak” but not impossible.

Fontanet said the fact that the virus had spread beyond China was “starting to make us fear that interhuman transmission is possible.”

WHO has not recommended any specific measures for travellers or restrictions on trade with China but believes that new coronavirus cases in other countries are likely.

The best way of containing any disease outbreak is to rapidly confirm the source, according to Raina MacIntyre, from the University of New South Wales in Sydney.

“Tests are being done on animals in the Wuhan region and they should provide some insight,” she said.

Experts said authorities must be vigilant and monitor travel-

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Advances in Medical Technology: What will 2020 bring?

by Susan Hoffman, Contributor

W

ASHINGTON, Tuesday, 1/21/2020 - Over the years, advances in medical technology have proven beneficial for thousands of patients. For instance, All3DP notes that 3D printers can create customized prosthetic limbs, dentures, tissues and organs.

In addition, the National Institutes of Health says that 3D printer technology has made it possible to create “polypills.”

These pills have multiple compartments; each compartment contains a different medication that is released at a different interval. For patients who have to take multiple medications, this type of pill provides greater convenience and also helps to ensure that the patient gets the right dose of medication at the right time.

Telehealth has also made great strides. According to Healthline, there are several free mobile apps available that provide access to healthcare providers for non-emergency health issues. These apps are available for both iPhones and Android phones.

Similarly, DocWire notes that the use of virtual reality (VR) devices is growing in medicine.

lers coming to and from Wuhan for signs of breathing problems.

- Lessons learned? Fontanet said health workers in China had responded admirably by rapidly carrying out testing among patients and linking the cases to the market in question.

VR is helpful for planning surgeries, giving patients physical therapy and training medical students in anatomy.

Forbes writer Bernard Marr observes that medical technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics and wearable tech devices are gearing up to meet 21st-century challenges. He says, “Technology can help healthcare organizations meet growing demand and efficiently operate to deliver better patient care.”

The Consumer Electronics Show, opening this week in Las Vegas, will feature some intriguing innovations in medical technology. Some of these medical innovations include: - Aerbetic’s wearable, non-in-

vasive diabetes alert system to warn diabetics if their glucose levels are moving outside desired ranges - Grapheal’s electronic wound patch that continuously monitors chronic wounds and warns of early-stage infections - Nightwatch’s epilepsy detection watch and monitoring system to warn caregivers of nighttime seizures In time, it seems likely that even more beneficial technological devices will be created and adapted for everyday use. These devices could be used for various medical purposes, including patient diagnosis, therapy and surgery. Their usefulness is limited only by the human imagination. - Incyberdefense.com

“We’ve learned some lessons from SARS. We’re better armed and more reactive,” he said.

Adam Kamradt-Scott, an expert in the spread and control of infectious diseases the University of Sydney, said China had “has been quick to share the genome sequencing of this novel coronavirus.

“This has enabled the identification of this new case in Japan,” he said.

Fontanet said that such transparency was different to the start of the SARS epidemic, when China “hid the story for two or three months” at the start of the outbreak.

Growing our team of experts in

OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY Houston Methodist Welcomes Dr. Elizabeth Mosier Elizabeth Mosier, MD, joins Rosalyn Miller, DO, at Houston Methodist Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates in Sugar Land. Together, these board-certified OB-GYNs provide the full range of care, including: • Adolescent and adult gynecology • Low- and high-risk obstetric care • Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery • Well-woman exams Backed by the advanced technology of Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, both doctors are committed to providing comprehensive care to women of all ages so they can live full and healthy lives.

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VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

Candlelight Vigil and of Kashmiri Pandit Exodus Recognition Day

Vigil attendees gather together to show their support for the Kashmiri Hindu Pandit community. Photo credit: Satish Narayan up high in the air as they heard a traditional Kashmiri bhajan (devotional song). Neel thanked all in attendance for coming and said “it means the world for the community to be recognized after so many years of struggle and invalidation.” He concluded by thanking the Houston community and asking everyone to support the Kashmir Pandit community in their struggle to keep their identity alive and “garner a presence back in the Valley of our homeland.”

Continued from Page 1

Also joining were Congressman Pete Olson (R-TX) and Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George (D), who heard from members of the Kashmiri Pandit community tell the stories of what happened on January 19th in 1990.

After the program started with a prayer, emcee Dr. Neel Bhan, a second generation Kashmiri Pandit, introduced Suraj Pandit, a third generation Kashmiri Pandit and local high school junior, who told the assembled crowd the history of what happened to the Kashmiri Pandit community.

Suraj stated that on January 19, 1990, “terrorist-driven violence, rape, torture, and murder led to the forced exodus of my relatives and 350,000 other Hindu Pandits from our homeland in our former ‘Paradise on Earth’.”

The next two speakers, Anjali Raina and Sunita Ticku, lived through the events of that fateful day, and told their stories.

Anjali bravely recounted “the tortuous death of my father at the hands of terrorists” and the severe effect his passing had on her family. Sunita Ticku told the

by Acharya Dr. Harish Chandra Ved-Ratna

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OUSTON - DAV Sanskriti School, the Sunday School of Arya Samaj Houston celebrated Makar Sankranti & Lohri last Sunday, 12th January in traditional ways.

It began with the customary sermon by Acharyaji, highlighting the astronomical feature of the event that the festival coincides with the sun’s journey southward.

It is a joyous occasion for one and all to bid adieu to the harsh winter. The sunlight is mild and so enthusing that children can fly kites for the entire day, picking Vitamin D to their plenty. It is nature’s design that the body can store Vitamin D for its full year’s requirement. As children return home, their mothers are ready with special preparations from sesame seed, rich in calcium for their bones.

Second and third generation Kashmiri Pandits Bhaanu Kaul (left), Suraj Pandit, Rhea Raina, Drew Kaul hold signs at the candlelight vigil. Photo credit: Vijay Pallod

Congressman Pete Olson looks on as County Judge K.P. George (right) presents a proclamation to vigil speakers Sunita Ticku and Anjali Raina Photo credit: Satish Narayan

story of how terrorists barged into her family’s house, looking for her father, a government official, and ended up “shooting everybody they could find in the house.” Her grandmother survived that assault after being shot three times in the abdomen - Sunita and her siblings survived only because they had been sent away earlier in response to constant threats by

their homes due to radical terrorists was equal to three Sugar Land, Texases.” Olson concluded by saying that the community should “never stop fighting” to go back home. County Judge K.P. George recounted how he heard of the events of January 1990 as an American of Indian descent. He himself had not realized the depths of what

terrorists inciting the “infidels” to “convert, die, or flee”.

Congressman Olson then came up to speak. He gave an impassioned speech about the Kashmiri Pandits and the horrors that happened to them, and validated the government of India’s revocation of the oppressive Article 370. He noted that the “amount of people that fled

After the speeches, the assembled crowd held their candles

Rahul Pandit, past president of Indo-American Kashmir Forum, said, ““We truly appreciate the support from the large group of attendees and elected officials in recognizing this day and somber anniversary of our community’s exile from our homeland.

We feel the world is finally listening to our story.”

Makar Sankranti and Lohri celebrations at Arya Samaj

Children performing Bhangra during the celebrations.

Arya Samaj views the Mother Nature as manifestation of God’s design. All natural events are perfectly designed for the good of all beings. Their precise timing points to the absolute authority God has on matter. Fire of the Havan is an agent that vaporizes wholesome substances and let everyone inhale them with greater efficiency. The first Aahuti was offered by Dev Mahajan, followed by the school children, their parents and the attendees of the Sunday Satsang of Arya Samaj, taking turn to offer mix of peanuts, rewari, corn, etc. into the fire. The sweet melody of the Gayatri mantra played in the background. They also received a packet for their mouthful consumption as they exited from the Yajnya Vatika that provided the perfect setting for the event under the sun. Discipline was in plenty to be seen.

Soon after the Havan offerings, a mere turning around the head brought the non-stop spectacle of dance performances.

The Sanskriti School children, age 4 to 14 played the Bhangra

had happened, and said he was grateful for this vigil to be organized, so that he and others could learn what had happened.

He also presented a proclamation recognizing January 19th, 2020 as “Kashmiri Pandit Exodus Recognition Day” in Fort Bend County.

Rishi Bhutada, HAF Houston Chapter coordinator, said, “I was proud to see so many people come out on a cold Houston evening to participate in the vigil and hear these first-person stories of suffering. We will continue with our advocacy, because this is history that must not be ignored by the world at large.”

Children and adults revel in Kite festival in perfect harmony followed by their parents and teachers’ Gidda. There were two duets with male and female dancers entering into hilarious poetic conversation giving rise to bursts of laughter from the audience, particularly those fluent with Punjabi rural dialect. The perfect sunny weather added to the gaiety mood. The larger than the expected crowd was in tune to the dances. No sooner the last duet ended, the entire crowd rushed to the open-air zone that functioned as the stage and began dancing to the tune of live Dhol.

Dev Mahajan Ji and DAV Sanskriti school children offering Aahuti of rewri, peanut into the fire.

The Sanskriti School director Dr. Kavita Vachaknavee was the emcee. The largest number of dances ever present in such an event were creations of the dance teacher Ms. Dolly Goyal

with assistance from Ms. Shilpa Thacker. Noteworthy was the fact that the training was imparted in the last couple of Sundays. The food committee of Arya Samaj reciprocated perfectly by providing Sarson da Saag and Makki di Roti, topped with Til Laddoo. As people began to enjoy food, several children began kite flying, made available at the site. It’s amazing the Sanskrit School children can play one event after another, the next is World Hindi Day on 19th, to be attended by the Indian consulate officials. If you too are amazed with the speed young children learn about our ancient culture in mere two hours a week then visit the website www.davss.aryasamajhouston. org. Enrollment for the spring term is open.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 7

Indo Americans in the 2020 Houston Marathon

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

Flag hoisting ceremony at the Indian Consulate, Houston on India’s 71st Republic Day

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OUSTON - The Consulate General of India in Houston located on 4300 Scotland St, Houston Texas, 77007 will hold the flag hoisting ceremony on the occasion of India’s 71st Republic Day on Sunday, 26 January 2020 at 09:30 AM. This will be followed by singing of the National Anthem, reading the address of the President of India and light refreshments.

Indian nationals, members of the Indian American community, friends of India and their families including children are invited to the function.

Participants are requested to assemble at the Consulate General of India. Participants are also requested bring their photo ID.

The Consulate General of India in Houston where the flag hoisting ceremony will be held on January 26, 2020. File Photo

Participating team at the 48th Chevron Houston Marathon

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he 48th Chevron Houston Marathon and 18th Aramco Houston Half Marathon held on Jan 19 again lived up to their reputation for being flat and fast, a qualifier for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials.

A sellout, a total of 13,500 were registered for each of the full marathon (26.2 miles) and the half marathon (13.1 miles). At start the temperature was 45 degrees with a windchill of 41 degrees. It got better and moved up to 51 degrees by 11 AM. Fortunately there was no rain. A determined group of Indo Americans were out in open space, running and walking, and making their presence felt at the 2020 Chevron Houston Marathon.

The Marathon is the largest sporting event in Houston and accommodates runners with a broad range of abilities. The Marathon starts and ends at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown. The prize money for the Full Marathon first place was $45,000 and for the Half Marathon $20,000.

It is the same amount for men and women. The following are the 2020 winners and their running times. Kelkile Gezahegn and Askale Merachi, both of Ethiopia, finished at 2:08:36 and 2:23:29 to take the men’s and women’s races, respectively. Jemal Yimer Mekonnen of Ethiopia won the men’s half-marathon title at 59:25, and Hitomi Niiya of Japan finished at 1:06:38 to win the women’s half-marathon. The Marathon is also a charitable event; the runners and the organization raised money for many area charities.

The route has been essentially the same since 2017. The flow of some 27,000 runners through a common start gate can be challenging. It can take up to an hour for the last person waiting to cross the start line!

The organizers had assigned the runners into four corrals based on running ability. They announced staggered start times to line up in the corrals, so the outside wait time is minimized.

The cheering squads at the hoopla stations along the route were entertaining as usual. The finish line at the Convention Center is always handled extremely well with spectators cheering you on as you finish. Security precautions were very visible. The organizers deserve much praise for the management of such a large race.

A casual scanning and observation suggested that the Indian American community participation is steadily growing yearly; there is room for greater presence as runners, walkers, volunteers and spectators.

The Houston Marathon has been a sell-out each year for many years. The next Houston Marathon is on Jan 17, 2021.

There is also a 5K race the previous day. The registration is already open! The details are at the site chevronhoustonmarathon. com. Organizations like HoustonFit, Fort Bend Fit and KatyFit can help with getting trained.

Indian Consulate General New York Launched “Chalo Consulate” Initiative

members of Indian Consulate in New York and community leaders during the launch of ‘Chalo Consulate’

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EW YORK, NY– January 17, 2020 The Consulate General of India, New York has launched a new initiative called “Chalo Consulate”.

Through this initiative, the Consulate intends to deepen and expand the relationship between community organizations and Team Consulate by discussing issues of the community and also to create transparency and understanding about the working of Consulate’s various wings and initiatives that can benefit the community.

Each month the Consulate will invite a community organization for an informal interaction with its officials. Under ‘Chalo Consulate’, the first informal meeting was organized with Global Organization for People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) on January 13, 2020.

Around 30 members of GOPIO office bearers visited the

Consulate and discussed various works and initiatives of the Consulate.

In his opening remarks, Consul General described the workings of various wings of Consulate as well informed them about PRAMIT (Pravasi Mitra), a web application launched to strengthen response management system of Consulate.

PRAMIT is an e-Governance solution, which is designed in house by CGI, New York.

PRAMIT is a dashboard based centralized monitoring and response system for calls as well as messages form users.

At present consulate is able to monitor/reply each and every Call/Queries received within one business day, it is very simple and user-friendly web application.

On an average, the Consulate handles 800-1000 applications/ applicants per day. In last one year, through PRAMIT, the Consulate has handled around

16,000+ message queries as well as processed around 4,000+ miscellaneous service applications (Aug-Dec 2019) and answered/replied around 32,000+ calls (April-Dec 2019).

Mr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman (GOPIO), thanked the Consul General for the opportunity to interact with him and his officials and also appreciated the Q&A session on PRAMIT. At the end of the meeting, GOPIO officials presented Consul General with two First Day Covers released by the US Postal Service at the First Convention of People of Indian Origin in New York in 1989. This was followed by dinner and networking followed.

Requests are invited from Community Organizations to participate in “Chalo Consulate”. Please send your request to madad.newyork@mea.gov. in .

www.voiceofasia.news st

Celebrate India’s 71 Republic Day at India House

Sunday, January 26, 2020 | Flag Hoisting at 11:30 am

Happy Republic Day! We invite you with your family and friends to come and celebrate the joy & happiness of India’s transition toward becoming an independent republic.

O. P. Jindal Center, India House, 8888 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, TX 77031 (Light refreshments will be served)

For more information contact: 713-929-1900 | vipin@indiahouseinc.org | www.indiahouseinc.org

VOICE OF ASIA 8

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

VOICE OF ASIA 9

Fort Bend View

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

Section 2

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

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

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www.voiceofasia.news

Tompkins High School coach named Texans High School Coach of the Year

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ATY – The new year is off to a great start for Katy Independent School District’s Tompkins High School (OTHS) Head Football Coach Todd McVey after finishing a record breaking season. McVey was presented with two prestigious recognitions from the Houston Texans. He was selected as the Houston Texans Coach of the Year and will represent the NFL team nationally at the end of this month.

It all began in October 2019 when the OTHS head football coach and campus athletic coordinator was named Houston Texans Coach of the Week. The recognition included a $2,500 check for the OTHS football program. Recently, McVey learned that he was named the Texans High School Coach of the Year, a coveted honor that comes with an additional $5,000 for the school’s football program.

Now just one week into the new year, the 2019 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award nominees have officially been announced and McVey will represent the Houston Texans during the 2020 Pro Bowl on Sunday, January 26 in Orlando, Florida.

“These recognitions are a rep-

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Olga Leonard, the school’s namesake, was a shining example of the Olga Leonard Elementary (OLE) culture during her career in education. She took

Tel: 713-774-5140

Pete Olson backs Bush in GOP primary

S

UGAR LAND - U.S. Rep. Pete Olson on Monday endorsed Pierce Bush in the race to fill his congressional seat, framing the Republican nonprofit executive as the candidate best equipped to keep the district from flipping to Democratic control.

“After the filing ended and things were getting really to where the rubber meets the road, it was pretty clear that one person came across as the person who can win this district in November. That man is Pierce Bush,” said Olson, a Republican from Sugar Land who is not seeking re-election after

Pierce Bush, a candidate for the 22nd Congressional District.

six terms in Congress. 15 candidates are seeking Republican

nomination. Voting begins next month.

- KTRK Channel 13

Surveillance shows fatal hit-and-run

by Jessica Willey

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ORT BEND, Saturday, January 18, 2020 -- An elderly woman was hit and killed as she was crossing the street near Missouri City, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

Coach Todd McVey

resentation of the great things taking place on the field, in the classroom and in the community,” said OTHS Coach Todd McVey. “Showcasing Katy ISD and Falcon pride with coaches

from across the country is an honor I will truly cherish.”

In early 2017, McVey was named the new OTHS head football coach/campus athletic coordinator.

- FBISD News

Katy ISD dedicates Leonard Elementary ATY – The Leonard Leopards showcased their SPOTS during last night’s dedication ceremony of Katy Independent School District’s newest campus. The resonating beats of the fifth-grade drumline were the perfect touch to kick off the event. Students, staff and living legacy Olga Leonard greeted community members to their new campus located in the northwest quadrant of Katy ISD.

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in every moment of the evening with her presence and remarks of gratitude to the audience.

“What an incredible honor to be standing before you today as we dedicate a Katy ISD campus bearing my name!” Leonard said. “After a 30-year career in education, of which 26 years were in Katy ISD, one gets to know a lot of people! The phone calls and texts that followed the news that there would indeed be an Olga Leonard Elementary, only validated that this was going to be the cherry on top for me!” she added.

The school carries the name of a former educator who, on any given day, can be found walking the halls of the elementary school. Leonard is known for her accomplishments as an elementary, junior high and high school classroom teacher, an instructional specialist and as an elementary campus administrator at several schools in Katy ISD. She first came to the District in 1985 as a first-grade teacher at Bear Creek Elementary, and ended it by leading campuses as part of the administration team.

- FBISD

It happened around 6 p.m. on Friday at FM 1092 and Stafford Run Road.

Deputies say the woman was crossing the street when the driver of a red 1997 Honda CRV hit her.

In surveillance video obtained

by ABC13, the driver is seen pulling into a nearby parking lot shortly after the impact.

Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Ryan Skelton told ABC13 the driver took off moments later.

“There was a car that followed the Honda to the parking lot and was able to get us a license plate,” said Skelton.

The fatality occured in the early evening on Friday. (Twitter/Jessica Willey)

The victim was described as an elderly white female. Skelton believes the woman lives in the area and may not have been walking on a cross walk.

Deputies located the driver of the Honda around 9:45 p.m.

Skelton said this is the second deadly crash in about a week.

“We had one right down the road,” he said. “It’s dark and it’s busy, this particular stretch, it’s pretty dark.”

- KTRK Channel 13

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VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

HOLLYWOOD - BOLLYWOOD

Section 2

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www.voiceofasia.news

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Email: voiceasia@aol.com

‘Parasite’ invades Oscars race with stunning SAG award win

“Parasite” shocked the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday by landing the night’s top prize, a historic win which thrusts the South Korean black comedy into Oscars contention.

by Andrew Marszal

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OS ANGELES | AFP | “Parasite” shocked the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday by landing the night’s top prize, a historic win which thrusts the South Korean black comedy into Oscars contention.

The critical smash hit film overcame the language barrier to win outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture, the SAG equivalent of a best film Academy Award.

“I’m a little embarrassed feeling like we’re the parasites of Hollywood now,” joked actor Lee Sun-Kyun.

Director Bong Joon-Ho admitted that “it is true that the momentum is building” for the Oscars.

The film, which merges comedy, drama and horror genres, follows a poor family as it infiltrates a wealthier household, and tackles the widening class gulf.

‘Joker’ leads Oscar nods as women, minorities miss out

“Although the title is ‘Parasite,’ I think the film is about coexistence and how we can all live together,” said star Song Kang-ho, collecting the award.

The much-hyped movie had missed out on main prizes at the Golden Globes and Saturday’s Producers Guild Awards.

But Sunday’s win underlines the breakout movie’s extraordinary popularity in Hollywood.

It beat “Bombshell”, “The Irishman”, “Jojo Rabbit” and “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” at the star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles.

In contrast to the stunning victory for “Parasite”, the four Oscars acting favorites all cemented their frontrunner statuses by piling on further trophies.

Joaquin Phoenix won best actor for “Joker”, a dark origin story of the Batman villain, adding to his Golden Globe win.

He said he was “standing here on the shoulders of my favorite actor Heath Ledger,” who posthumously won an Oscar playing the same character in 2008’s “The Dark Knight”.

Renee Zellweger compounded her relentless awards sweep playing Judy Garland in “Judy”, which recounts the showbiz legend’s difficult final days.

Zellweger praised her “extraordinary sisters” in the acting community -- in a year during which controversy over Hollywood’s female representation has raged.

- ‘A big stretch’ Oscar favorite Brad Pitt added another supporting actor gong for playing an ageing stuntman in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood”.

“Let’s be honest, it was a difficult part -- a guy who gets high, takes his shirt off and doesn’t get along with his

Shilpa Shetty poses for photographs as she arrives to attend the annual ‘Umang Mumbai Police Show’ in Mumbai. (Image Credit: AFP)

Bollywood stars dazzle at the ‘Umang’, a Mumbai Police show

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he 2020 edition of the annual cultural festival dedicated to Mumbai Police, Umang, was held on 19 January. Several Bollywood stars made their presence felt, with many of them putting up stunning performances.

Bollywood star slams Uber after ‘scariest experience’

A still from ‘The Joker.’ (Warner Bros./File)

by Andrew Marszal

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OS ANGELES | AFP Dark comic book tale “Joker” topped the Oscar nominations Monday, picking up 11 nods including best picture and best director, as women and ethnic minorities were largely shut out once again.

The pre-dawn Academy Award announcement capped months of ceaseless campaigning by A-listers and studios, revealing which stars and movies have a shot at Hollywood’s ultimate

prize next month.

Todd Phillips’s “Joker,” a bleak, arthouse origin story about Batman’s nemesis starring Joaquin Phoenix, was just ahead of three films.

Quentin Tarantino’s 1960s Tinseltown homage “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood,” Sam Mendes’s World War I odyssey “1917” and Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” each earned 10 nominations, including best picture and director.

Disney will rename 20th Century Fox to distance itself from the assets of Rupert Murdoch

Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor Ahuja said she had ‘the scariest experience’ with an Uber driver in London (AFP Photo/Loic Venance)

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UMBAI, India | AFP | - Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor Ahuja has warned Uber users against the ride-hailing app in London after suffering “the scariest experience” with a driver in the British capital.

The award-winning actress, 34, daughter of “Slumdog Millionaire” star Anil Kapoor, said her driver was apparently “unstable and was yelling and shouting” during the journey.

“I was shaking by the end of it,” she

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The entertainment conglomerate last year acquired most of the assets of 21st Century Fox group, including the film house, while former owner Murdoch and his shareholders kept several TV channels, including Fox News.

Variety magazine reported that the entertainment giant decided to rename its subsidiary to remove all links with Fox due to the ultra-conservative image of Murdoch and his Fox News channel -- the preferred news source of President Donald Trump.

Disney’s decision is a symbolic step

she suggested.

Hours later, an Uber spokeswoman in London said the incident was “regrettable and concerning”.

“What’s been described has no place on the Uber app and we’re reviewing the matter,” she said.

Ride-hailing giant Uber has come under a storm of global criticism over its passenger safety record.

The company lost its license in London after transport authorities said it had failed to fix a litany of safety issues -- including at least 14,000 cases of drivers handing their permits to unlicensed friends or relatives.

It continues to operate in the city pending an appeal.

In 2017, a woman raped by an Uber driver in India filed a US lawsuit accusing the service of invading her privacy and defaming her character.

Last month, Uber released a report saying it had tallied nearly 6,000 sexual assaults in the United States -- its biggest market -- over the past couple of years. That included more than 450 cases of rape.

In France, the firm is under pressure from a viral campaign detailing sexual assault involving its drivers, under the hashtag #UberCestOver (Uber it’s over).

Ahuja’s Uber incident comes a week after she criticised British Airways on social media for allegedly losing her luggage for the second time this month.

Dwayne Johnson opens up about his dad’s ‘quick’ death and thanks supporters

Disney drops ‘Fox’ name from 20th Century film studio: reports EW YORK | AFP | Saturday 1/17/2020 - Disney will rename 20th Century Fox to distance its legendary film studio from the assets of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, US media reported Friday.

tweeted to her 12.8 million followers late Wednesday in London, tagging Uber, which responded with an apparently automated message.

“I tried complaining on your app, and just got multiple disconnected replies by bots. You guys need to update your system. The damage is done. There is nothing more you can do.”

“The best and safest is just to use the local public transportation or cabs,”

This star-studded affair witnessed the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Hrithik Roshan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Sara Ali Khan, Bhumi Pednekar, and Kartik Aaryan among many others.

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OS ANGELES - Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says he is “full of gratitude” for the love and support he’s received in the wake of his father’s death.

for one of Hollywood’s founding studios, which began production in 1914 and merged with 20th Century Pictures in 1935.

The Fox Searchlight studio, 20th Century Fox’s younger sibling, will also be rebranded as Searchlight Pictures.

Disney has yet to decide on the fate of television studios 20th Century Fox Television and Fox 21

The actor’s legendary pro-wrestling father, Rocky Johnson, passed away last week at age 75.

HE posted an almost 8 minute video Sunday on his Instagram account in which he expressed his appreciation.

“Hard to express how deeply grateful I am for all your love, mana & support,” the caption read. “My family and I thank you. Go hug your loved ones hard, while you still can. I love you. DJ #ripsoulman.”

Television, according to Variety.

Disney did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.

The wrestler-turned-actor said during the video, “My heart is so full of gratitude. As you know, I lost my old man a few days ago, I lost him just like that, didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to him,” Johnson said. “I’d give anything right now to give him a big ol’ hug and a big ol’ kiss before he crossed over and just say thank you and I love you and I respect you. But I didn’t get a chance to say that. But such is life, as many of you know, based on the messages that you have shared with me, that many of you understand this pain when you lose a parent.”

Johnson acknowledged people were curious about how his dad died. He said his father’s death was “quick.”

“He had not been feeling well, had been battling a cold and infection, and on Tuesday he had what’s called a deep vein thrombosis, which is essentially a blood clot in the leg,” Johnson said. “It was a big ol’ blood clot that broke free.

[H]e died very quickly from a massive heart attack, just like that.”

- CNN

VOICE OF ASIA 11

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 12

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

FBISD Student Sahana Gade appears on Kids Baking Championship Season 8

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Tel: 713-774-5140

Hong Kong protest shoppers show their true colors

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ONG KONG, China | AFP | Wednesday 1/15/2020 - Seven months of unrest have taken a heavy toll on many Hong Kong businesses, but pro-democracy protesters are now seeking to reward shops and restaurants that support their cause by building a “yellow” economy.

Sahana Gade shown as a contestant on Season 8 of the Food Network’s Kids Baking Championship.

Fort Bend ISD, she was named the 2019 District Spelling Bee Champion. As the winner, she joined 10 other Houston-area students in advancing to the 92nd Scripps National Spelling Bee, held in Maryland. Her accomplishments earned her rec-

named a finalist in the District Science Fair, as well as the Gifted and Talented Showcase.

She is also active in Taekwondo and is currently training for her black belt. To top it off, Sahana, recently launched her own business, Sweet Treats de Sahana,

In contrast, “blue” pro-government and pro-China businesses are frequent targets for vandalism or boycotts.

At Fu Kee Noodles in Wan Chai, diners slurp wonton under the watchful gaze of a gas mask-wearing Pepe the Frog, which has become a mascot of the pro-democracy movement.

“This is a yellow shop, the boss supports the protesters, so we decided to come,” said a 47-year-old advertising employee calling himself Gilbert.

“The most important thing in Hong Kong now is that we need to help each other, especially when the government does not help us.”

Posters and post-it notes with pro-democracy messages cover the wall by the cashier.

Owner Kwong Chun-hin, 30, told AFP he hopes the yellow-blue tagging will become a trend “because this is good for us. I mean not just my shop, I mean all shops”.

- Showing support Some businesses openly advertise their sympathies, unde-

With retail sales down and tourist numbers plunging, Hong Kong’s economy appears headed for its first annual contraction since 2009.

terred by the possible loss of revenues. Apps and websites advise users on which way shops and restaurants sway.

At her bakery in Sai Wan district, Naomi Suen sells cookies and mooncakes decorated with protest slogans.

“I don’t know the exact definition of the yellow economy.

I am just doing what I can to support Hong Kong people,” Suen told AFP. In Hung Hom, site of some of the most violent clashes of the movement in November when students barricaded themselves inside a university, diners queuing outside Lung Mun Cafe expressed a similar sentiment.

“We want to support this restaurant because it sup-

ports the whole movement... supports democracy,” said a 26-year-old man named Justin.

Eateries, shops and other properties branded “blue”, meanwhile, have been attacked by black-clad vandals wielding petrol bombs. Many Chinese bank branches are boarded up or protected by metal shutters after their windows were smashed.

Dozens of restaurants belonging to local catering giant Maxim’s were ransacked after the daughter of the group’s founder labelled protesters “rioters” and said she had given up on Hong Kong’s young.

Starbucks, which in Hong Kong is operated by Maxim’s, has seen its shops trashed.

Continued on page 15

UK psychiatric group cites social media dangers to the young There is a move to force tech giants like Facebook and Twitter to turn over data about the possible dangers their social media products cause Courtesy of Food Network Channel

ognition by the FBISD Board of Trustees and Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre.

As a 5th grader, Sahana was

that specializes in custom cakes, cupcakes and macarons.

Sahana lives in Sugar Land with her proud parents, Surya and Sudhaa Gade.

Whitney Houston, Biggie among Rock Hall of Fame inductees

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EW YORK | AFP | Wednesday 1/15/2020 - Pop icon Whitney Houston and rapper The Notorious B.I.G. are among this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, the institution announced Wednesday.

The late legends are joined by the synth-pop act Depeche Mode and the industrial experimental group Nine Inch Nails, along with the 1970s rockers The Doobie Brothers and English glam rock band T-Rex. The 2020 class is marked by legendary artists who died young.

The Notorious B.I.G. -- a pride of New York, widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time -- was inducted in his first year of eligibility, which comes 25 years after the release of an act’s first commercial recording.

The artist born Christopher Wallace and colloquially known as Biggie was murdered in 1997 in Los Angeles at age 24, in a still-murky shooting that some speculated was part of a feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers.

Houston, the most awarded female artist of all time, died at 48 years old in 2012 after a public struggle with drugs, following a decade that saw her go from America’s sweetheart to tabloid drama queen.

The induction of Houston and Biggie mark a continuation of the institution’s broadening acceptance of genres into its ranks. Recent classes have included the rapper Tupac Shakur, Radiohead and Janet Jackson.

by Xinqi SU and Ayaka MCGILL

ORT BEND ISD (January 17, 2020) – Fort Bend ISD is proud to have one of our very own middle school students, Sahana Gade, selected for Season 8 of the Food Network’s Kids Baking Championship. Sahana, a sixth grader at Quail Valley Middle School’s Gifted and Talented Academy, was one of 12 young bakers from across America selected for the competition that in the end will award one lucky winner $25,000 and the title of Kids Baking Champion.

Bakers selected for the show must range in age from 10 to 13.

At age 11, Sahana is the youngest among this season’s 12 contestants and is self-taught. While many contestants audition for the show more than once before being selected, Sahana was chosen on her first attempt.

Sahana was excited to be selected. During the first challenge, she can be heard saying, “I’m so glad to be here. If somebody gave me the opportunity to go to Disney World or come to the Kids Baking Show, I would choose the Kids Baking Show cause it’s awesome!”

On the show, hosts and judges Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman guide the bakers through 10 weeks of challenges that highlight their creativity and baking skills. The kids create various desserts, such as 3D dinosaur cookies, ice cream cone cupcakes and trifles.

The first week’s challenge required bakers to prepare a shag cake. Sahana made a vanilla cake with peanut butter chips, layered with vanilla butter cream and mandarin oranges. After presenting her cake to the judges, they commented, “This is really, really good” and “I love this cake!” She then advanced to the second week’s challenge that asked the bakers to make a Neapolitan dessert. After presenting her dessert, the judges deemed it a little too sweet and, unfortunately, the competition ended for Sahana.

Appearing on the Kids Baking Championship is just one of many successes Sahana has experienced. After competing among students throughout

www.voiceofasia.news

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

A promotional shot from Depeche Mode’s last tour.

The organization founded in the early 1980s has faced criticism over the years, however, for its lack of diversity and limited recognition of women.

During last year’s gala, Jackson brought up the issue in her acceptance speech, saying “2020 -- please induct more women.”

But just three women were among the short-list of potentials this year: Houston, who made the cut, along with Pat

Benatar and Rufus, featuring Chaka Khan.

The new class of inductees will be celebrated with the annual star-powered ceremony set for May 2 in the Hall of Fame’s home city of Cleveland, Ohio.

Inductees are chosen following a survey of more than 1,000 musicians, historians and industry members, who consider an act’s career work, innovation, skill and influence in voting in new members.

L

ONDON -- Britain’s Royal College of Psychiatrists is urging that mammoth tech companies like Facebook and Twitter turn over research about possible dangers caused to young people by excessive social media use.

The group also calls for higher rates of taxation on these companies, with some of the revenue to be used to fund more research into how some young people are being put at risk of self-harm, suicide and other severe mental health issues.

Dr. Bernadka Dubicka, leader of the group’s faculty on adolescence, said Friday that she has seen in her practice an increase in self-harm among young people “as a result of their social media use and online discussions.”

She said it will be impossible for researchers to understand the risks and benefits of social media use unless the major companies share their research data and help fund more inquiries.

The group of psychiatrists wants big tech companies taxed on their international turnover, with some of the money earmarked for mental health research. It said a proposed 2%

Illustration: The Guardian Online

tax on UK revenues is insufficient.

The father of Molly Russell, a 14-year-old girl who ended her life in 2017 in a case that attracted wide attention, said he supports the proposals. Ian Russell said there is an “urgent need” for action to protect young peo-

ple.

He said he had “no doubt that social medial helped kill my daughter,” after finding “bleak depressive material, graphic self-harm content and suicide-encouraging memes” in her computer.

- The Guardian

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Section 2

Business

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Chinese economic growth hits three-decade low

by Beiyi Seow

B

An employee works on an assembly line at a robot vacuum cleaner factory in Shenzhen. (Photo: Jason Lee)

NBS pointing to a particularly strong showing in consumer spending.

“The latest ... data provides a very positive start to the Chinese New Year for China’s economy,” Rajiv Biswas, of IHS Markit, said. “The outlook for 2020 is for continued robust growth, boosted by the phase one trade deal with the US and the continued positive impact of government monetary and fiscal policy stimulus measures.”

But analysts note that China’s slowdown is structural, as it becomes a more developed economy and faces demographic challenges such as a shrinking number of people of working age.

The NBS said China’s birthrate fell to 10.48 per 1,000 people last year -- the lowest since the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949.

Faced with an ageing population, Beijing relaxed its onechild policy in 2016 to allow people to have two children, but it has not led to more births.

Still, Louis Kuijs, head of Asia economics at Oxford Economics, told AFP that Beijing considers the slowdown part of a “new normal” and that major easing is unlikely, given the improving global outlook and the US trade deal.

He noted policymakers likely want to keep their powder dry, aiming for a stabilisation rather than reigniting growth, adding: “What they don’t want to see is a too-rapid slowdown.”

- Stabilisation in 2020 Analysts and officials are ex-

pecting the economy to level out this year.

Kuijs noted the trade deal bodes well for exports, as well as sentiment on business investment and consumption. It also reduces the risk of escalation and “severe decoupling” in other dimensions such as restrictions on companies and finance.

But UOB economists Ho Woei Chen and Peter Chia said in a recent note that the deal is unlikely to catalyse a strong rebound in growth for China as the bulk of US tariffs remain in place.

Tommy Xie, head of Greater China Research at OCBC Bank, said more supportive state policies such as tax incentives have helped stabilise national growth.

But he noted a tailing off in the growth of infrastructure investment, which could prove problematic. With property investment slowing, the strength of China’s growth this year will depend on whether infrastructure investment is able to offset this decline, he said.

Last month, the NBS said China would revise its historical regional GDP data under a unified accounting mechanism to be introduced early 2020.

This is expected to close a discrepancy between national and regional figures and enhance the credibility of government statistics, according to state media.

Economists have long suspected that Chinese economic data is massaged upward, often noting that full-year gross domestic product hits Beijing’s targets with suspicious regularity.

US stocks fall as virus fears hit travel shares

N

EW YORK | AFP | Tuesday 1/21/2020 Wall Street stocks retreated from records Tuesday, with tourism stocks falling due to worries about a new virus from China, and Boeing shares hammered by the latest 737 MAX delay.

Asian countries on Tuesday ramped up measures to block the spread of the new virus as the death toll in China rose to six, while US authorities confirmed the first case on American soil.

Boeing was the biggest loser in the Dow, dropping 3.4 percent after it announced it now does not expect the 737 MAX

Tel: 713-774-5140

India’s Reliance claims record quarterly profits

M

UMBAI, India | AFP | Friday 1/17/2020 Indian oil-to-telecoms giant Reliance Industries reported record quarterly net profits on Friday, boosted by strong growth in its retail businesses despite falling refining margins.

EIJING, China | AFP | Friday 1/16/2020 - China’s economy grew last year at its slowest pace in three decades, hit by weak domestic demand and trade tensions, but while officials warned of further headwinds, separate figures Friday suggest the downward trend is bottoming out.

The 6.1 percent rate is a sharp drop from the 6.6 percent the year before and marks the third straight drop, though it met the government’s target and analysts said leaders were unlikely to open up the stimulus taps just yet.

The reading was also in line with AFP analyst forecasts.

And while the world’s number two economy had been gradually losing steam over the first three quarters, growth held steady at 6.0 percent in October-December -- the same as the previous quarter, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Ning Jizhe, commissioner of the NBS, said momentum remained generally stable through the year and said the same could be expected in 2020.

“However, we should also be aware that the global economic and trade growth is slowing down,” he said at a news conference, adding that there were more sources of instability and risk, with the economy facing “mounting downward pressure”.

The figures were released days after Vice Premier Liu He and Donald Trump signed a much-vaunted “phase one” pact that marks a truce in their nearly two-year-old trade war.

The agreement will see the US slash import duties on Chinese goods worth billions of dollars, though levies remain in place on two-thirds of more than $500 billion of products.

- ‘New normal’ The World Bank said in a report this month that weakening exports from China had compounded the impact of a slowdown in domestic demand. Policy uncertainty and higher tariffs on exports to the US also cast a pall on manufacturing activity and investor sentiment, it added.

Other data released Friday showed while industrial production and retail sales slowed over the year, both indicators outperformed in December, with the

www.voiceofasia.news

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

to return to the skies until mid2020, later than some analysts expected. The news halted trading in Boeing shares for a time, but it ended off the low point.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished the session at 29,196.04, a loss of 0.5 percent.

The broad-based S&P 500 shed 0.3 percent to finish at 3,320.79, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index lost 0.2 percent at 9,370.81.

Major US indices finished last week at all-time highs following the signing of a partial US-China trade agreement.

But stocks spent much of Tuesday in the red in the first

session of the week following Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

The International Monetary Fund announced Monday it had cut the latest global growth estimate for 2020 to 3.3 percent, 0.1 percentage point lower than in the prior report released in October, noting an improvement in the US-China trade picture but pointing to weakness in India.

Besides Boeing, other weak companies included American Airlines, down 4.2 percent, the travel service company Booking Holding, down 3.1 percent and Wynn Resorts, down 6.1 percent.

The Mumbai-based company owned by Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani said its consolidated net profit for the quarter-ended December rose 13.5 percent to 116 billion rupees ($1.63 billion) from 102 billion rupees reported for the same quarter a year earlier.

“The third quarter results for our energy business reflects the weak global economic environment and volatility in energy markets,” Reliance chairman Ambani said in a statement.

The company said its gross refining margin, the profit earned from each barrel of crude, was down to $9.2 in the December quarter from $9.4 in the previous quarter.

Refining margins are a key profitability gauge for Reliance, which operates the world’s biggest refining complex in India’s Gujarat state.

The company said profits for its telecom arm Jio jumped 62 percent to 13.5 billion rupees for the quarter, with a total 370 million subscribers.

On Thursday Jio became India’s top operator in terms of

A woman walks past a poster of Reliance Industries installed outside the venue of the company’s annual general meeting in Mumbai June 7, 2012. (Photo: Vivek Prakash)

subscribers and revenue, three years after its launch, official data showed.

The announcement came as Jio’s chief competitors, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, lost an appeal against paying a combined $7 billion in past spectrum and licence fees as ordered by the Supreme Court last year.

Jio, which escaped with a relatively light $1.8 billion bill, is seen as the only beneficiary of the November decision.

Ambani had launched Jio with much fanfare in September 2016, offering free services up to March 2017 and sparking

intense price wars that saw consolidation in the Indian telecom sector.

Reliance is expected to roll out its e-commerce initiative later this year and has been conducting trials with mom-and-pop stores to test its payment devices, with the aim of connecting small shops with consumers.

Reliance is India’s most valuable company with a market capitalisation of over 10 trillion rupees.

Shares of Reliance Industries were up almost 3 percent in Mumbai as the markets closed Friday ahead of the announcement.

Tough love for Amazon’s Jeff Bezos in India

N

EW DELHI, India | AFP | Friday 1/17/2020 Amazon boss Jeff Bezos on Friday promised to create a million new jobs in India in a farewell love letter to the country, after ending a tough visit that reportedly included a snub by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hundreds of small traders staged protests during his visit to the giant South Asian market this week, which came as anti-trust authorities launched a probe into the e-commerce behemoth and its main rival Walmart-owned Flipkart.

A government minister dismissed Bezos’s announcement that Amazon would invest $1 billion, and a leading ruling party member hit out at his ownership of the critical Washington Post.

“I fall more in love with India every time I return here. The boundless energy, innovation, and grit of the Indian people always inspire me,” Bezos said in a farewell love letter to the country posted on Amazon’s local website on Friday.

The $1-billion investment will “digitize micro and small businesses in cities, towns, and villages across India”, he said, vowing Amazon would export $10 billion of Indian-made products annually and create one million new jobs by 2025.

Amazon has invested heavily in India offering goods and entertainment to its 1.3 billion consumers, with monthly subscription to Amazon Prime costing just 999 rupees (around $14) a year.

But it and Walmart -- which

Amazon president Jeff Bezos lights a flame at the SMB Summit at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. (Photo: Bob Miller/Redux)

bought Flipkart for $16 billion in 2018 -- have been accused of driving small firms out of business by selling heavily discounted goods at a loss to win market share.

Small traders are seen as important trading bloc for Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won a second term in a landslide election victory last year.

Bezos reportedly wanted a meeting with Prime Minister Modi during his visit -- which also saw him hobnob with Bollywood stars in Mumbai -- but it was unclear whether he met any leading government member.

“They may have put in a billion dollars but then if they make a loss of a billion dollars every year then they jolly well

have to finance that bill,” Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said Thursday.

“Where did the loss come from? How can a market place make such a loss unless they are engaging in predatory pricing or some unfair trade practices,” Goyal said at a New Delhi conference.

The Indian government has also been angered by the editorial stance of the Washington Post, which is owned by Bezos, the world’s richest man, particularly over New Delhi’s actions in disputed Kashmir.

Vijay Chauthaiwale, the head of the BJP’s foreign affairs department, was quoted by local media as saying that he was “definitely against what the Washington Post is writing”.

LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 14

FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

How to budget better before a big trip, according to a financial expert

by Christine Burroni

H

OUSTON - Friday, January 17 - 2020 is well underway, and it already seem like quite a while ago you set a New Year’s resolution to travel to a dreamy destination (and save the funds to get there).

However, as the motivation to keep those promises we made on Jan. 1 starts to dwindle — Jan. 17 is known as National Quitters Day for a reason — it can be hard to maintain, even when “it” could lead to Eiffel Tower views.

Cue financial expert and author Nicole Lapin, who is a firm believer in indulging in fancy coffee all while keeping your spending habits in check, even after the first month of the year is over.

“I think the first thing is to remember that it’s not sustainable to cut something out cold turkey,” she told Travel + Leisure. “You want the long gain where something is not just for a couple of weeks.”

Lapin says keeping yourself

focused on a goal, such as a big trip ahead — like one she took right before Christmas to Sumba Island in Indonesia — can help you change your mindset around money.

“I like to rethink saying the word ‘budget’ and saying a ‘spending plan’ because just like you’ll hear advice about creating an eating plan that’s sustainable, a spending plan feels like something that allows your indulgence so you don’t end up binging later.”

Considering that 85 percent of millennials had to cut back after spending during the holidays — with over a fifth having exceeded their budget by $500 or more — according to findings from an American Express holiday survey, Lapin’s tips are coming at a great time.

Lapin says that when it comes to financial prep for a big trip, it’s important to factor in every step of your trip and to not fall for seemingly cheaper options.

“A lot of folks could look at alternative airports and maybe those are less expensive, but

what a lot people forget, [is] it takes longer to travel from that airport, so what you’re saving on flight fares you’re going to spend for checked baggage or ground transportation.”

“Trying to skimp may cost you longer in the long run,” she added. “If you’re trying to go to Midway instead of O’Hare, you may end up spending more money on an Uber.”

And when it comes to more day-to-day spending, like online shopping, Lapin recommends a 24-hour “cooling off” period.

“When you’re stressed or in a bad mood it’s easy to get very trigger happy,” she explained.

“I say give it 24 hours and if you still want it, then make sure it’s in your budget; if you forgot about it you didn’t even want it in the first place.”

As a partner with American Express’ Pay It Plan It program, which lets participants split up large payments over time with no interest, Lapin is precise in her planning.

Traveling can cost so much money, most people give up before they start planning. If you want to save as much as humanly possible, here are a few ways you can save money on your next trip — wherever it may be. (Photo: iStock)

She advises people to divide their finances into “The three E’s”: endgame, extras and essentials. She says 15 percent of income should be going towards retirement or savings, 75 percent going to essential living needs including food and housing, and the remaining 10 percent is for the fun,

or what Lapin describes as, “whatever it is that will keep you going.”

“I really do love planning ahead and breaking things down into baby steps that make it feel less overwhelm-

ing,” she said.

Nicole Lapin’s latest book, “Becoming Super Woman: A Simple 12-Step Plan to Go from Burnout to Balance,” was released in September.

- Travel + Leisure

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: THE OSCARS

Week of January 24, 2020 HOROSCOPE.COM

21 March to 20 April As the sun moves into Aquarius and your social zone on Monday for a fourweek stay, it encourages you to enjoy mixing and mingling. Although there is still a powerful focus on your sector of career, and you may be still in the process of working through key issues, it’s time to give yourself a break.

21 April to 20 May It’s your turn in the spotlight with the sun moving into your sector of career and ambition on Monday for a four-week stay. This is a chance to take stock and set your priorities. What do you want to accomplish?

Having clear goals can be half the battle, and persevering despite obstacles can see you doing very well. This week’s new moon can help.

21 May to 20 June With the sun moving into your sector of far horizons on Monday, this week could see you ready for travel adventures. The coming four weeks are a chance to enjoy a short trip or even an early vacation. But this is also a time when you may be reaching out for more in terms of opportunities and experiences. You might also feel restless and eager to ditch your regular routines and do something different.

Resist the urge to act on impulse, though.

21 June to 22 July

The emphasis on your sector of shared resources could encourage you to take stock of financial matters and think about how you might improve on them. And with a new moon this week, this can be the ideal time for a fresh start, whether you want to consolidate debts or get your money working harder for you in general. Even so, it might be tempting to splurge when you’re with friends, especially midweek.

23 July to 22 August The sun glides into your relationship sector on Monday to light up this area and bring more opportunities for socializing and generally enjoying life. While you may still be busy getting out and about, this influence can help you relax and be just the tonic you need. And with the new moon in this same zone on Friday, this is a perfect opportunity to kickstart a romantic bond.

23 August to 22 Sept After an intense focus on your sector of creativity, things could feel a little easier in this sector. And while you may be continuing to process through a key issue, there could be signs of progress that give you confidence and spur you on. Lifestyle issues may be more emphasized this week as the radiant sun enters this zone for four weeks.

23 September to 22 Oct If past weeks have been a little intense, the focus on your leisure zone could be just the tonic. You really deserve to get out and enjoy life and indulge in those things that recharge you. Even so, midweek could be a tad disruptive as a restless sun-Uranus angle suggests an event may not go ahead as planned. Be flexible and you’ll find something else to take its place.

23 October to 21 Nov You’ve likely had a hectic few weeks, and with the sun moving into your domestic sector, it’s time to step back from life.

This can give you a chance to reflect on all that’s happened and come to some conclusions. It’s also a chance to enjoy some self-care and nurturing and spend time with your nearest and dearest. The new moon on Friday is the perfect time to kick-start any household or family projects.

22 November to 21 Dec While financial issues may still be on your mind, the presence of upbeat Jupiter can assist by connecting you with the right people and advice. However, there is a positive focus on your sector of communication with the sun moving in on Monday and joining chatty Mercury. This can be helpful for negotiating and sorting out issues and finding a compromise. Still, it helps to be careful midweek.

22 December to 20 Jan You enjoy a few treats, and with the sun and thoughtful Mercury in your money zone, this is the time to go in search of a bargain. The sun’s presence in your financial sector as of Monday can shine the light of awareness on money matters. This can be a call to take stock and sort out anything that’s bothering you. If you’re ready to commit to a budget, the new moon on Friday is the perfect time to do so.

21 January to 19 Feb With the sun easing into your sign on Monday after spending some time in a more private zone, you could feel back in control. Your vitality and confidence can increase, and this can leave you more upbeat, especially if events have left you a tad drained over recent weeks. Are you ready for a new beginning? The new moon in your sign on Friday is the best of the year for you. It’s a chance to write down your intentions.

20 February to 20 Mar You are entering a phase this week when the cosmos encourages you to slow down and make time for reflection. This is an opportunity to clear away emotional baggage, tie up loose ends, and find closure on situations that have been dragging on for too long. And if you need a chance to rest, this is the ideal time to do so.

ACROSS 1. Cracked open 5. Protrude 8. *”Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” supporting nominee 12. Eggnog time, traditionally 13. Pol request 14. Capital of Senegal 15. *Jo Van Fleet won for her role in “East of ____” 16. Augmented 17. Shoemaker without shoes, e.g.

18. Ones full of desire 20. VSCO girl’s shoes 21. New Zealand native 22. “The Nutcracker” step 23. Boiled bread product, pl.

26. Guarapo de jagua fruit 30. Edith Wharton’s “The ____ of Innocence” 31. “____ ‘er ____!”

34. *1935 Best Picture nominee “A ____ of Two Cities” 35. Plant a.k.a. golden buttons 37. *Dustin Hoffman was nominated for role in “____ the Dog” 38. Does like Matryoshka 39. Narrative poem 40. Brunch drink 42. Gumshoe 43. 10-sided polygon 45. Qatar native 47. Greek R 48. “Friends” favorite spot?

50. Fodder holder 52. *Oscar winner for “The Revenant” and 2020 nominee 55. Uses a paring knife 56. Twelfth month of Jewish civil year 57. Whirlpool 59. *The first to refuse his award, for “Patton” 60. *He was nominated for “Lost in Translation” 61. Sunburn aid 62. Negative contraction 63. Chi precursor 64. *”The Marriage Story” nominee

SOLUTION:

DOWN 1. Reply to a captain 2. *Renée Zellweger’s role 3. Away from wind 4. Dub again 5. *Movie with most 2020 Oscar nominations 6. First cradles 7. *Oscar-winners Gore, Fonda and Cameron did this talk, pl.

8. *South Korean black comedy thriller 9. Image in an Orthodox church 10. Soaks in rays 11. The old college one 13. With numerous veins 14. Backless sofa 19. Campaign trail gathering 22. Coach’s talk 23. Diminished 24. Open-mouthed 25. Relating to a gene 26. Garbage in, garbage out 27. Primo, on Italian menu 28. What tailor shops do 29. *He won an Oscar for role in a Scorsese movie 32. *Oscar-winning writer Julius Epstein to Oscar-winning writer Philip Epstein 33. Ewe’s mate 36. *She’s nominated in 2020... twice 38. Civil rights org.

40. Jersey call 41. Sudden increase in wind 44. *Whoopi Goldberg scored an Oscar for this movie

46. *”Phantom ____,” 2018 nominee 48. Locomotive hair 49. Round openings 50. Cul de ____, pl.

51. *Meryl Streep won for “____ Lady” 52. Mortgage, e.g.

53. Not in action 54. Skunk’s defense 55. Tire measurement 58. Japanese capital

THE OSCARS on Page 15

VOICE OF ASIA 15

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Hong Kong protest shoppers show their true colors...

Continued from page 12

With retail sales down and tourist numbers plunging, the economy appears headed for its first annual contraction since 2009.

- ‘Driven by strong belief’ The government has blamed the protests but the US-China trade war has also had an impact.

Despite growing polarisation, divisions between yellow and blue are not always so clear-cut.

The founders of HKongs Mall, an online shopping platform launched after the protests erupted, say they are trying to ease the city’s reliance on goods from mainland China.

The site has seen orders rise more than 20-fold since its October debut and now employs 15 protesters.

But it still has to buy from “blue” suppliers, who remain a majority in the market, conceded a volunteer e-commerce manager at the firm who requested anonymity.

“Our first step is to provide choices for people. If the consumers agree with your ideology then they will buy goods from you,” she told AFP. “If we don’t have to rely on Chinese merchants and their capital, then we will be successful.”

But analysts say the protest movement is unlikely to reshape the city’s economic landscape.

“The economic pillars of Hong Kong -- finance, logistics and real estate -- are controlled by one or a few companies, which means it’s largely impossible for consumers to rock the boat,” said Andrew Yuen Chi-lok of the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s business school.

However, Jacky Fung, a researcher at the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute, said “yellow” shoppers are adding fresh impetus to the protests and challenging the idea that civil rights activism always incurs economic consequences from Beijing.

“In a general downturn, such consumption, particularly consumption driven by a strong belief in human rights, can be very powerful,” Fung said.

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FRIDAY, January 24, 2020

Home&Real Estate Houston area real estate This colorful, “Mad Men”–style ranch deals of note in Houston seeks $220K

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114,474-square-foot office building in northwest Houston was sold to a subsidiary of Houston-based Interra Capital Group.

Harris County Appraisal District records show the seller was Sun Life Assurance Co. Canada. York Centre is a four-story, multitenant office building located at 10235 West Little York Road. The building is situated on 5.35 acres at the corner of Hempstead Highway and West Little York Road. David Carter of Colliers International (NYSE: CIGI) represented the seller in the transaction. The buyer, Interra York Centre, represented itself.

Houston’s Hilltop Residential acquired a 291-unit multifamily complex in Katy called Grand Reserve. The community is situated on 14.44 acres along the Grand Parkway and consists of a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes averaging 933 square feet. Chicago-based JLL (NYSE: JLL) helped Hilltop Residential secure acquisition financing, which consisted of a four-year, floating rate loan provided by an undisclosed bank. The JLL Capital Markets debt placement team representing the borrower was led by Managing Director Cortney Cole.

California-based private investment fund Redwood Property Investors III LLC bought the former Exterran Energy Solutions campus in northwest Houston. The nearly 32-acre property, at 12001 N. Houston Rosslyn Road, includes 301,127 square feet of industrial office and manufacturing buildings.

Clay Pritchett and Zane Carman of NAI Partners represented Redwood, and Claude Anello with Hughes Watters Askanase LLP provided legal services to Redwood. JLL’s Mark Nicholas and Richard Quarles represented the seller, Exterran Energy Solutions LP. Redwood retained NAI Partners to market the property, which can accommodate tenants ranging from 13,000 square feet up to 301,000 square feet.

Switzerland-based Rhone Brittmoore Logistics purchased an industrial building formerly owned by Hamilton, Bermuda-based Nabors Drilling in northwest Houston. The building, which is located at 11330 Brittmoore Park Drive, comprises a total of 111,530 square feet of industrial office and manufacturing space, sitting on a 7.93-acre plot of land.

Clay Pritchett and Zane Carman of NAI Partners represented Rhone Brittmoore Logistics in the transaction.

Cushman & Wakefield’s Jeff Peden, Scott Miller and David Cook represented Nabors Drilling Technologies USA Inc. Additionally, Rone Brittmoore Logistics retained NAI Partners to market the property for lease. Spaces in the building range from 16,000 square feet to the entire building.

Houston-based Griffin Partners Inc. purchased the 130,223-square-foot Concourse at Westway, a two-story office building at 4700 West Sam Houston Parkway North in the West Belt Corridor. The 56 percent-leased building fronts Beltway 8.

The seller, Denver-based EverWest, was represented by a team from JLL Capital Markets led by Managing Director Trent Agnew along with Kevin McConn and Marty Hogan, both of whom are senior directors at JLL. JLL Vice President Jack Russo and Executive Vice President Chrissy Wilson have been retained to lease the property. Janie Snider and Lee Moreland, executive vice presidents with Griffin Partners, will direct asset and property management for the property’s tenants.

Bay Area Plaza, a 72,569-squarefoot retail center with flex industrial space, has sold to an undisclosed Houston-based buyer. The building was previously owned by Houston-based Orr Commercial Inc. Bay Area Plaza comprises 45,269 square feet of retail and 27,300 square feet of flex industrial space that includes research and development, as well as storage.

The 98 percent-leased property’s tenants include Total Body Work, Samurai Steak & Sushi, Laser Booking Contouring Center, Lenny’s Sub Shop, Dapper Doughnuts, Pizza Hut and Amy’s Nails. JLL advised Orr Commercial on the deal. The JLL Retail Capital Markets team representing the seller was led by Senior Managing Director Ryan West, Director John Indelli and Ethan Goldberg, an analyst with JLL.

A four-story office building at 397 N. Sam Houston Parkway has sold to an undisclosed buyer. The Class B property includes 68,000 square feet of rentable office space. The property sits on a 3.1-acre plot of land and also includes a three-story parking structure.

The property is located near the interchange of Beltway 8 and Interstate 45.

HCAD records show the building was previously owned by Alhambra, California-based Omni Bank. Houston’s LandPark Advisers was hired to position the building for sale by providing both property management and leasing services on behalf of the seller.

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On Friday, Texas Monthly published an article with the provocative headline, “Houston is now less affordable than New York City.” The piece argues that once the costs of transportation are factored into the equation, auto-dependent Bayou City becomes much less of a bargain.

“While the seemingly endless suburban growth has traditionally offered the city the veneer of affordability, the sprawl has also spiked transportation costs, so much so that the city’s combined transportation and living costs now place it on par with New York City,” writes Texas Monthly’s Peter Holley.

“When considering housing and transportation costs as a percentage of income,” Holley continues, Houston, with its lower median income, appears “significantly less affordable than cities with much more expensive housing, including New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston.”

Holley is relying on a new report from the Citizens Budget Commission, a New York-based non-profit. Its January-released “Rent and Ride” report used data

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A light pink entryway leads to an open great room, featuring vaulted ceilings and a brick fireplace. In addition to sliding glass doors, the area is brightly illuminated by a skylight.

The home also includes a home office, easily converted into another bedroom.

A great selection of design suggestions for 2020

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f there is one way to describe the interior design trends we will see more of in 2020, it’s anything goes.

While signature the looks of 2019 and the early aughts like accent walls and all-white kitchens won’t be going away entirely, they will certainly evolve in the upcoming years.

when it comes to design in the next decade, individuality will be extremely important. Those into crafting, DIY design, or commissioning custom pieces, will likely have lots of projects to take on in the New Year.

Houston-based KM Realty Investment Trust paid an undisclosed amount to acquire Morton & Fry Business Center from Reliant Commercial, which is also based in Houston. The 36,150-square-foot property is located at 19909, 19911 and 19915 Morton Road, near the intersection of Morton Road and Fry Road in West Houston.

The fully occupied business park currently has 17 tenants.

- HBJ.com

Is our city’s living affordability just a myth? ouston has been held up as a rare example of an American city that is both large, thriving, and cheap, thanks to the minimal restrictions it places on building new housing. But is this affordability just a myth?

by Kathryn M. OUSTON - Decked out in vintage fixtures and furniture, the 1957 residence is like a midcentury time capsule.

These days, it can be quite common to come across midcentury homes with price-tags well into the millions. That’s why we have a hunch this 1950s Texan gem won’t stay on the market for long. Located in Houston’s Glenbrook Valley Historic District, the 1,844-square-foot residence sits in good company with other ranch and midcentury homes.

Yet, it’s when you step inside that the real time travel begins.

Spread across one level, the meticulously maintained dwelling features a free-flowing open layout that’s chock-full of charm and period details. A large living area, perfect for parties, seamlessly connects to the bright kitchen. Vaulted ceilings enhance the home’s sense of space, while expansive sliding doors create an instant indoor-outdoor connection.

The home features three bedrooms, all with original hardwood floors, as well as two full bathrooms.

An attached two-car garage is also included.

The 9,000-square-foot corner lot provides plenty of outdoor space, all while being conveniently located close to downtown. Scroll ahead to see more of the classic abode, currently listed for $219,900.

- Dwell

from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to compare the affordability of 20 large American cities. It found that when median housing and transportation costs are added up, Houston is just barely more affordable than New York City. When median income is taken into account, Houston becomes much less affordable.

This counterintuitive conclusion was polarizing, to say the least. Public transit advocates felt their complaints about “auto-dependency” were vindicated.

Indeed, a closer look at how affordability is measured by HUD reveals some serious problems with the Texas Monthly article’s analysis, suggesting that the traditional view of Houston as a big, affordable place to live still holds up.

That’s largely because the way HUD calculates transportation costs actually understates the costs of taking public transit, biasing its affordability measurements against auto-heavy cities like Houston.

HUD measures a city’s cost of living by using a Location Affordability Index (LAI), which estimates median household housing and transportation costs down to the census block group level.

To calculate transportation costs, the LAI adds up the costs paid by motorists to own and operate their vehicles, as well as the fares that transit riders pay.

Left: Look at this vintage chest used as a coffee table! The Houston area has great secondhand stores filled with hidden treasures! What’s your fav thrift store? Be sure and visit them with your ‘designer eye’ open creatively.

(Photo: Twitter/livinglavishlymag)

Right: Think out of the box with an inviting cove for relaxing. Think red wine, classic rock and old friends discussing blackand-white films. Design-wise, we are talking a mature realization. Dark maroon walls, a modest fireplace with ornate ironwork and matching chandelier provide a deep reflection on classic Pop Art portraits by Andy Warhol.

On Twitter, user deltawright portfolio writes: “Collaborations with dynamic artists and their art collections - make my heart sing #grateful #bringsoulhome Besides creating this theatrical environment, I especially loved designing the mirrored, upholstered coffee table” (Photo: Twitter/deltawright_ portfolio)

The trouble is that while it does a good job of capturing most of the costs commuters pay to get around by car, HUD’s LAI does a bad job of calculating the costs that transit users pay for their transit trips.

With the exception of tolls and parking fees (which obviously can be substantial in some cities), HUD’s calculation of auto ownership is pretty comprehensive, including the costs of fuel, “drivability” or maintenance, financing, and depreciation.

However, when measuring transit costs, HUD only looks at the fares commuters pay. Right away, that presents a problem, as fares cover only a portion (and sometimes a tiny portion) of the cost of each transit trip.

In New York City—which has one of the best farebox recovery ratios in the country—fares only cover about 40 percent of the subway’s operating costs, and less than 30 percent of the operating costs of the city’s bus service.

The difference is made up by taxes, including a special payroll tax, real estate transfer tax, and a surcharge on taxi and rideshare rides. The city and state also chip in additional tax-funded subsidies.

These taxes are ultimately part of the transportation costs riders pay, but they are missed by HUD’s affordability index.

So despite what a cursory look at HUD’s LAI might have one believe, Houston in all likelihood still deserves its reputation as a success story of urban affordability.