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Trump signs executive order to reestablish AAPI commission

“Whatever you do, brand India” says Ambassador Harsh Shringla Meets Texas Governor Abbott and representatives of Indian companies in Houston

President Donald Trump on Monday, May 13 signed executive order “Economic Empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders” in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. (Official White House Photo: Joyce N. Boghosianv)

W

ASHINGTON, DC - President Donald Trump on Monday, May 13 signed an executive order to advance the “economic empowerment” of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI).

White House Initiative on AAPIs, which work to “broaden access by AAPI employers and communities to economic resources and opportunities” and collect data for AAPI populations through all agencies of the federal government.

The order, which comes during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, is intended “to empower Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to improve the quality of their lives, raise the standard of living of their families and communities, and more fully participate in our economy,” the White House announced.

The president’s signing in the Oval Office was witnessed by members of the Advisory Commission, including its co-chairs Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and its commissioners, who include two Filipino Americans: Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes and Herman Martir, a pas-

It re-establishes the president’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs and the

Continued on Page 4

Ambassador Harsh V Shringla receiving a handwritten note from Greg Abbott congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi in anticipation of the results, with Harsh V Shringla, Anupam Ray and Office of the Governor Greg Abbott. (Facebook Photo)

by Shobana Muratee

H

OUSTON –Addressing an elite gathering at the breakfast meeting of nearly 20 executives representing IndianAmerican companies in Houston, Indian Ambassador to the US, Harsh V Shringla, said, “This is the first time we have a comprehensive meeting with Indian companies based in one

particular place. It’s been very useful for me to understand exactly what you are doing and how you are contributing to the relationship.”

The meeting was hosted in honor of the Ambassador’s visit by Consul General in Houston; Dr. Anupam Ray at the Indian Consulate here on Tuesday, May 21.

Hip-hop crew V Unbeatable

take America's Got Talent by storm

A

merica's Got Talent premiered on May 28 on NBC. The popular talent hunt show gives a platform to budding talents. The show might have premiered on Tuesday in the US, but even before the show went on air, Mumbai's dance group V Unbeatable created a lot of buzz online.

The makers of the show shared a video of the V Unbeatable's performance for the audition round in promotional advertisements on TV and online.

The hip-hop dance group danced to 'Malhari' from Bajirao Mastani. Their mind-blowing flips during their dance routine left the judges - Gabrielle Union, Howie Mandel, Julianne Hough and Simon Cowell amazed.

It was "FOUR YESES!" for

Mumbai dance group V Unbeatable got a standing ovation from the judges at the young dancers to return.

America's Got Talent. (Photo capture: NBC)

Earlier, Consul General, Dr. Ray welcomed Ambassador Shringla and accompanying senior Indian diplomat Arunish Chawla, who is head of the economic issues at the Indian Embassy in the U.S, Shambhu Hakki, First Secretary (Press, Information & Culture) and Satwant Khanalia, First Secretary, ((Political & Senate Liaison) and company executives.

Ambassador Shringla's visit to Texas is part of his travelling for the last four months, visiting various Indian Consulates in the US and meeting with US companies that are investing in India.

India –US Relationship “In general terms the economic and commercial aspects of our partnership are perhaps the most import element in the India–US relationship. Of course, the relationship has attained tremendous momentum because of the initiative of the leadership,” he said refereeing to the close contact between the two leaders Prime Minister Modi and President Trump.

“We have close strategic partnership, close synergy on issues of security, counter terrorism, defense, but the underpinnings of the relationship are based on business and that’s where you come in.,” he said.

Continued on Page 5

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS May 30, 2019

P

rime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to invite leaders of the other six BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries to the swearing-in ceremony of his Council of Ministers sends out several messages on his new government’s foreign policy focus. To begin with, as the Foreign Ministry’s announcement notes, the invitation to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand is a continuation of the “neighbourhood first” policy behind Mr. Modi’s invite to leaders of South Asia for his 2014 swearing-in ceremony.

Second, by not inviting leaders of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Maldives on this occasion, the government is underlining that its regional preferences have shifted from the SAARC grouping to BIMSTEC, given the logjam at SAARC because of India-Pakistan tensions. Unlike in 2014, when he invited Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with an element of hope and a desire to turn the page on bitter bilateral ties, Mr. Modi is signalling that

by Steve Israel

T

here is a joke in Washington. How much is two plus two? It is whatever members of Congress want it to be. Facts simply do not matter. Math is interpretative. Science is spun.

Well the joke is on us, particularly as it pertains to the Trump administration approach to climate disruption.

After pulling us out of the Paris climate accord, rolling back bipartisan environmental commitments dating back to the Nixon administration, and even prohibiting the words “climate change” from being written into an international agreement on melting arctic ice caps, it is clear the Trump administration has opened up a new front with climate policy.

The White House is seeking to create an advisory panel to dispute long accepted scientific consensus on the many risks of continued climate disruption.

Meanwhile, the director of the United States Geological Survey, who was appointed by

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

The second coming: on Narendra Modi's upcoming swearing-in The invitation list for the swearing-in signals the Modi government’s foreign policy focus he does not hold the same optimism in 2019. Thailand is not just a member of BIMSTEC but also holds the chair of ASEAN this year, and an invitation is as much about India’s “Act East” initiative and outreach to East Asia. Finally, the separate invitation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation chairperson, President Sooronbay Jeenbekov of Kyrgyzstan, indicates India’s commitment to the Central Asian grouping led

by China and Russia, with Mr. Modi slated to attend the SCO summit in June. The other separate invitation to Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth of Mauritius, who visited India in January this year as chief guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya conference, is an affirmation of the

close affinity between the two countries. It would be unwise, however, to read meanings into Mr. Modi’s choice of international dignitaries beyond this symbolism.

India’s engagement with both BIMSTEC and the SCO, which India joined as an observer in 2005, is at a promising but incipient stage. After its formation in 1997, BIMSTEC made very little progress and didn’t even have a fully working secretariat until recently.

Its deliberations on subregional connectivity have been delayed owing to concerns in Bhutan, while Nepal and Thailand sent only observers to the military exercises last year due to other misgivings. Even so, India sees BIMSTEC as a possible alter-

native to SAARC, which has failed to meet for five years.

The SCO, which inducted India and Pakistan as full members last year, is yet to demonstrate its utility for India, but is seen as a possible balancer at a time when the U.S. is taking a more aggressive position on trade, sanctions against Iran, Venezuela and Russia, all of which are sources of concern for India. As a result, the attendance at Mr. Modi’s swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, and the bilateral meetings that will follow on Friday, may represent little by way of actual outcomes. Rather, it is a statement of intent on new avenues of India’s multilateral engagements.

Courtesy: The Hindu

The joke is on us with climate policy President Trump, has decided that the agency will only run climate models through 2040.

The year 2040 is not arbitrary.

It is about when we will really start seeing a difference in our future from emissions today. It is when all the trends begin going from deeply concerning to potentially catastrophic. By hiding nearly a half century from us, the Trump administration not only sugarcoats the truth, it turns it invisible.

This decision to purge bad news from scientific assessments is like ordering HBO not to show any of the episodes of “Game of Thrones” after season one.

This is one of many ways the Trump administration has been censoring science in more than 300 actions and

India House Houston

counting, according to a tracker kept by Columbia University.

The decision is likely part of a larger strategy that includes the recent move to deploy a science approach that was first developed to help the tobacco industry evade regulation.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration runs headlong into the mountain of scientific evidence proving fossil fuels are causing warming, seeking to upend the consensus of 97 percent of climate scientists with a handful of questionable experts like William Happer, who is advising the White House and sits on the National Security Council. Happer is a Princeton University physicist who has spent the twilight decades of his career claiming that carbon dioxide pollution is good, first for the George

Marshall Institute, which is funded by ExxonMobil, and then its spinoff, the CO2 Coalition.

A few years ago, Happer admitted to being paid by Peabody Energy to provide a losing legal argument against climate action. More recently, an interview from 2014 resurfaced in which Happer made an unbelievable comparison with the Holocaust. He bluntly said, “The demonization of carbon dioxide is just like the demonization of the poor Jews under Hitler. Carbon dioxide is actually a benefit to the world, and so were the Jews.”

The Trump administration wants to meddle with established academic findings and to treat science selectively.

Continued on page 8

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Surangan Music School celebrates 'Basanta Utsav' and 'Bengali New Year'

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

Tel: 713-774-5140

Rish Oberoi announces candidacy for House District 26

Surangan Music School students and teachers perform during the celebrations.

by Abhijit Roy

H

OUSTON The spring festival and the Bengali New Year’s celebration were held in Houston City, organized by the Suragan Music School. The festival is important for those who live in exile who leave their motherland. The founder of Surangan and renowned Rabindranath sangeet singer Rupa Ghosh's unique initiative and tireless hard work, school students and friends gave a gift to a pleasant evening. The purpose of this great ceremony is to introduce new generations who are born and brought up in USA to their own culture, so that new generation can retain Bengali culture on the ground of exile.

The evening started with a brief introduction by Emcee Mila Sengupta and Rupa opened with her melodious rendition of Rabindra Sangeet “Biswabinarobe Biswajon Mohichhe” and captivated the audience’s attention. This festival was covered with the students of Surangan and the local two Bangla’s artists.

The

script-based

program

was narrated by Biplab Samadder and Nurin Benazir Khan. Solo and group songs were interspersed with solo and group dances. The tabla accompaniment was provided

by Houston’s tabla wizard Raja Banga, and also Niranjan Roy. Renowned violinist Biplab Samadder and Bidut Ghosh provided accompaniment on violin and mandira respectively.

Group and solo dances were choreographed by Supradipta Datta, Joyita Dasgupta, Shanta Talapatra and Shawon Sarker.

The dancers ranged from considerably young artistes to more mature and brought some color and life to the music program. Rupa, with the help of her students and friends were successful in putting together this program with the large contingent of 64 participants.

In this program, a series of songs were sung on rituraj Basanta such as ‘Rangiye Diye Jao’ etc, to welcome the spring and spreading the fragrance of the spring. Finally the Bengali new year is celebrated by singing ' Esho Hey Boishakh Esho Esho’ and many more songs. The festival-loving

Rish Oberoi. (Twitter)

S

UGAR LAND - Rish Oberoi, former Democratic campaign staffer for Sri Kulkarni, Mike Collier, and former Group and solo dances were performed by artists ranging from very young to more mature dancers.

Bengali people welcome and celebrate this day with great joy, love and in a colorful manner.

Each individual participant namely Tithi, Amreen, Anyaa, Aditya, Ali, Sharani, Ishaani, Ankita, Rishe, Manavhi, Dev, Shree, Abhishey, Hera, Josh, Binnita, Tinni, Shawon, Shahani, Teresa, Nita, Naiza, Ankita Talukdar etc., and the senior participants were Tutul, Parvin, Shila, Rumki, Roksana, Arghya, Mitra, Runa, Dina,

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Rupa along with her students and friends deserve high accolades for presenting yet another excellent program showcasing the gems of Bengali cultural creativity.

Our expectations are to give them such an amazing event every year. In the unfriendly environment of the exile, the event was recognized as a favorite festival and memorial of the Bengali people. A vote of thanks was offered by Rupa.

Please visit www.surangan.org for further information.

Policy Aide for Speaker Straus proudly announces his candidacy for the Democratic Nomination for Texas House of Representative District 26.

A Houston-Area native, Rish Oberoi, 27, graduated from the University of Houston before becoming a full-time aide for the former Texas Speaker of the House during the 85th Legislative Session. Since 2016, Rish has worked on Democratic Campaigns, most recently in the roles of Director of Operations for Mike Collier for Lt. Governor, and Finance Director for Sri Kulkarni, Democratic Nominee for U.S. Congress District-22, which fully envelops HD-26.

Rish’s experience in the Texas Legislature and high-

profile Texas make this

campaigns

candidacy uniquely suited to flipping one of the Democrats’ most sought after House seats.

Since formally filing less than three weeks ago, Rish Oberoi has raised over $20,000 from individual donors. Additionally, the campaign will not be accepting any Corporate PAC money and is committed to building a grassroots fundraising infrastructure throughout the District.

With a focus on improving Public Education, expanding access to Healthcare, and bringing back Public Integrity to the Texas Legislature, Rish Oberoi will be an honest advocate for Texans everywhere. By building a coalition among younger, more diverse communities, Rish will hopefully be making history as the youngest serving House Representative and the first South Asian ever elected to the Texas State House of Representatives.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 4

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

Indian American Festival in Dallas a huge success

Trump signs executive order to reestablish AAPI...

Continued from Page 1 tor from Fort Worth, Texas.

Left: Dancers skilled in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Oddissi, Folk, Classical and Semi-classical.

Right: American youth from Coppell High School performed.

D

ALLAS - “Indian American Festival” hosted by the Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC), on May 4th in Dallas with a theme of “Merge into the Mainstream” was a grand success that was well attended by over 3,000 people.

It was an evening of family, fun and entertainment comprising many kids’ activities like Petting Zoo, Pony Rides, Mehandi, Face Painting, Bounce House, Stilt Walkers, Balloons giveaway.

Kids enjoyed thoroughly running around with tricolor Indian & US Flag balloons hopping from one booth to the other to enjoy various activities.

More than 500 Indian American youth enthralled audience showcasing their dance skills in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Oddissi, Folk, Classical and Semiclassical dance items.

American youth from Coppell High School band captivated the audience by playing different musical instruments.

US Senator Ted Cruz presented

commendation certificates to all the participants.

Kranthi Kumar, known as “Drillman of India”, who participated in America Got Talent and also stood as a semi-finalist in Spanish Got Talent was a star attraction at this event by exhibiting his adventurous skills like breaking green coconut with index finger, drilling his nose with a drill machine without having any trace of blood, drinking boiling oil with his both hands, inserting 32 long swords into his throat, hitting nail on a wooden plank using only his forehead, and many more scary acts. The audience were stunned by witnessing his high risk-taking acts.

IAFC President Dr. Prasad Thotakura & Board of Directors felicitated Kranthi Kumar and bestowed him with “Saahasa Veera” award for his extraordinary skills. IAFC Board of Director Ranna Jani coordinated cultural events efficiently with the help of MC’s Rajeswari Udayagiri, Aparna Vamsi and Anjana Jayanthi. Tanveer Arora, a

renowned stan-up comedian, entertained audience with his comedy bits.

Senior Democrat, US Congress member Eddie B. Johnson, Chief Guest of Honor, in her message said “USA is a melting pot and a land of opportunity for immigrants.

There is no place for discrimination in this country, I applauded the contributions of the Indian Americans for the economic growth of the USA especially to the state of Texas.

I appreciate the initiative taken

by IAFC to host this important major event.”

Texas State Senator Jane Nelson brought a proclamation from Texas State Senate declaring May 4th as “Indian American Day”. Texas State Congressmember Terry Meza also read a proclamation from the Texas State House of Representatives lauding the efforts of Indian American Friendship Council in building better and stronger relations between the largest and oldest democracies India and USA. Texas State Representatives Julie Johnson and Matt Shaheen

in their remarks encouraged Indian Americans to participate more actively in US policymaking process. Indian descents Jay Chaudhuri, who recently got elected as North Carolina State Senator and Manka Dhingra, Washington State Senator, narrated the process of getting into mainstream political system and the importance of working hand in hand with mainstream to make a difference.

Anurag Kumar, Minister, Community Affairs, Indian Embassy, DC reiterated the pivotal role of Indian Americans to play in strengthening ties between India & USA. Coppell city Councilmember Biju Matthew, Coppell city Police Chief Danny Barton and Coppell city superintendent Mr. Brad Hunt attended as Special Guests of Honor.

Dr. Prasad Thotakura, President of Indian American Friendship Council, emphasized that “the unified voice of millions of Indian Americans makes significant impact in the community. It is important to merge into the mainstream while preserving our cultural heritage with

active involvement and engagement. As the more educated, affluent, law abiding US Citizens, we certainly can make a big difference.”

Rao Kalvala, IAFC Board of Director, oversaw the Voter Registration Drive initiated by IAFC at this event.

Indian descents Raja Krishnamoorthi, US Congress member, Padma Kuppa, Michigan State Representative, US Senator John Cornyn and US Senator Ted Cruz sent video messages appreciating the decades of service of IAFC. IAFC Board thanked all supporters, guests, the Sound management, performers, media, organizations, volunteers who made the event successful. The event ended with a big fanfare of colorful firewroks show.

Under the leadership and guidance of IAFC President Dr. Prasad Thotakura, the Board of Directors – John Hammond, Rao Kalvala, Taiyab Kundawala, Dr. C.R. Rao, Piyush Patel, Murali Vennam, Dr. Sat Gupta, Ranna Jani, Ramki Chebrolu and Prof.

Niranjan Tripathi worked hard to make the event successful.

Reyes, whose father is of Filipino and Spanish descent, has been attorney general of his state since 2013 — during which he became the first ethnic minority to hold that position or any statewide office in Utah. Martir, a pastor at Nations Worship Center, is the president of the Asian Action Network and the Asian Prayer Network and founder of Emerging Leaders International. Both Martir and Reyes were part of Trump’s AAPI advisory committee during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Other commissioners present on Monday were Amata Coleman Radewagen, Delegate for the U.S. House of Representatives, American Samoa; Dr. Paul Hsu of Florida; David B. Cohen of California; Y. Lee of Michigan; George Leing of Colorado; Jan-Ie Low of Nevada; Prem Parameswaran of New York; and Chiling Tong of Maryland. The commissioners were appointed by Trump in January.

The first White House Initiative on AAPIs was established through an executive order by former President Bill Clinton in 1999 and subsequently renewed by former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

AAPIs, which are considered the fastest-growing racial group in the U.S., account for more than 6 percent of the country’s population.

Source: AJPress

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FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

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“Whatever you do, brand India” says Ambassador Harsh Shringla

Indian Officials: Ambassador Shringla (Center) and Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray, Arunish Chawla, Surendra Ambassador Shringla addressing the gathering at the Breakfast Meeting at the Indian ConAdhana, Shambhu Hakki,Satwant Khanalia with representative of Indian companies in Houston and media reps. sulate in Houston on Tuesday, May 21. Photos provided by Consulate office.

Continued from Page 1 Ambassador Shringla said the United States was a major partner in India’s efforts to develop its economy.

India’s flagship schemes such as Make-in India, Digital India, Swachh Bharat, Smart Cities and many of the schemes have the involvement of US companies by way of investments, technology and also in terms of employment relations, he added.

“The good thing for us is that it is not a one way street,” Shringla pointed out as Indian companies are also investing in the United States. IT companies like WIPRO, TCS, Infosys and other are creating assets and values here that are very significant. “We are contributing over $50 billion to the economy.” Indian companies are investing in cutting edge technology development here he observed.

Trade between India and US is also doing very well reaching $142 billion last year. "We are buying more American goods consciously.

This year we want to take it up to $5.5 billion.

“The Energy sector is important area where we have increased our collaboration and also increased our offtake from US,” he said giving the example of commercial aircraft.

“We have placed orders for nearly 300 civilian aircrafts amounting to $39 billion,” he said. Also, India has introduced new items such as poultry to the list of imports from US. Defense is a new equation; 15 years ago India had no defense ties today we are importing worth $18 billion.”

“All this has reduced the adverse state balance from $25 billion to $21billion.

US Investments in India Nearly 2000 US companies (many are Fortune 500) have offices in India. “Our success really lies in ensuring that there is a greater interest and involvement of US industry and businesses in India in line with our own priorities in terms of

development of India,” Shringla said.

The US has some interest in India’s low cost house scheme and has some new innovative designs he mentioned.

Texas is an important state as 10% of the total India – US trade is out of Texas.

On May 20, Ambassador Shringla met with Governor Greg Abbott at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. The two leaders engaged in a productive discussion regarding the strong economic and cultural ties between Texas and India. They spoke on the importance of the oil and gas, healthcare, manufacturing, and IT sectors, as well as the need for skillsbased training opportunities for Texas community colleges in India, the Governor’s office stated.

Ambassador Shringla also had a meeting with Houston Mayor, Turner.

“In all of these interactions, the role of Indian companies in creating employment and adding value is very important factor. I think there is great appreciation.”

Brand India Ambassador Shringla urged that the companies leverage the services of the indo-American Chamber of Commerce and the office of the Consul General. “We would like to see Indian companies not only come together to pool and synergize their requirements substantively but also look at yourselves as a brand.”

“Branding India is important.” It is done at the national level and the Prime Minister he said was, “most successful manifestation of our brand”. It is also incumbent on us to contribute in some ways to the societies we live in do it enhance the image India he said.

“Whatever you do brand India,” was his message.

Fastest growing Economy Ambassador Shringla gave a insight into India’s economy and progress.

“Five years ago India was 11th largest economy in the world; today, it is the seventh largest. “We are trying

to become fifth largest this year.

India is the fastest growing economy contributing to 17% global growth, “Especially at the time when the world seems to heading towards either stagnations or recession,” he pointed out.

Five years ago India’s inflation was over 10% today is down to 4.6%.

Fiscal deficit which was over 6% is down to 3.4%. India has attracted $249billion in investments in the last five years. “We are looking at ourselves as a $5 trillion economy in the next five years and $10 trillion economy in the next 10 years,” he said. Knowing it to be an ambitious target, Shringla said, “We are looking at technology at different levels that will help us leapfrog the processes in India like NITI Aayog,( The National Institution for Transforming India).

India’s $1.5 trillion infrastructure development would need foreign direct investments. The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) is getting support from Japan, UAE, Saudi Arabia Singapore, he said and were looking into US investors as well.

The Indian companies at the Breakfast Meeting included: Oil India USA Inc., GAIL Global USA Inc., ONGC Videsh, Reliance Holdings USA, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra USA, Wipro, Infosys, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Welspun Tubular, Starflex, LT Foods Americas, Sunrise Natural Foods, Sunita Hydrocolloids, SAE Towers, MyInd Makers.

Also participating was the Jagdip Ahluwalia, Executive Director Indo – American Chamber of Commerce and the media.

Ambassador Shringla with Texas Land Commissioner George P Bush. FB Photo.

Ambassador Shringla with Houston Mayor Turner. Facebook Photo.

National Day of Yoga Ambassador Shringla assured that his office would support all efforts get the message out especially reach out to the younger people through social media like Myind Makers were doing. He urged everyone to make a concerted effort to promote the upcoming National Day of Yoga and other events Vegetarian Food Festival.

Ambassador Shringla with Koshy Thomas, Publisher and Satish Philip.FB Photo.

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COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

3rd International Konark Festival An ensemble of Dance, Music, and Cuisine from Eastern & Northeastern India

by Anuranjita Nayak, MD

T

he 3rd Annual 2019 Konark Festival in Houston is a Flagship event, filled to the brim with the best of Eastern and Northeastern Indian Classical Dance, Music, and Food. On Saturday, June 8, 2019, at 2 p.m. at Wisdom High School, 6529 Beverly Hill St., Houston, TX 77057.

East and Northeast part of India is widely considered to be quaint, peaceful and in harmony with nature. Some of the performing arts of this region date back to thousand years or more. Its unlikely that Houston has ever seen such a diverse collection of Indian performing arts all unified on a single platform. A multitude

An Odissi Academy dance presentation. of Eastern and Northeastern Indian Classical dances like Odissi, from the state of Odisha; Manipuri, from the state of Manipur; and Sattriya, from the state of Assam performed by talented dancers from India and regional artists will enthrall the audience.

Along with the classical dances, traditional folk dances from the same region, a fashion show showcasing

A

local costumes, and live instrumentals on Bamboo Flutes and traditional drums, strings are bound to captivate and entice Houstonians in general and serious art lovers alike. The guests will be able to distinct mouthwatering regional cuisine that you won’t be able to find in any restaurant. Local and regional Chefs will be working hard to deliver traditional fare that

both appeases your senses and your heart. You won’t want to miss this for anything!

The event is organized by Odissi Academy. City of Houston supports this effort with a generous grant through the Houston Art Alliance, so do many other organizations and individual donors.

Odissi Academy is a not-for-profit and 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting teaching, coaching, promoting, and performing Indian Classical Dance and Music in the USA. For details: visithoustontexas. com/event/3rd-internationalkonark-festival/61957/

AARP Texas calls on Governor Abbott to sign ‘incredibly good’ bills for older texans, consumers

USTIN, Texas – The 2019 session of the Texas Legislature resulted in passage of bills that AARP Texas is calling on Governor Greg Abbott to sign into law to improve the wellbeing of older Texans and other consumers.

“I am deeply appreciative to the members and leaders of the Texas Legislature for their work on behalf of older Texans,” said AARP Texas Director Bob Jackson.

“Now we look to Governor Abbott to sign into law some incredibly good bills.”

Among the measures approved by the Legislature that AARP Texas is calling on the governor to sign into law are: State Budget House Bill 1: The proposed new state budget includes funding for AARP-backed priorities, including monies to cover needed pay raises for frontline Adult Protective Services caseworkers and investigators, operate the Texas Lifespan Respite Care Program, which provides respite services for family members who care for a person of any age with any chronic health condition or disability, and to expand the Guardianship Compliance Program.

Prescription Drugs House Bill 2536: As one of the nation’s most aggressive drug-price transparency measures, House Bill 2536 requires drug manufacturers to turn over information to the state when the cost of a drug increases more than 15 percent in a year, or more than 40 percent over three years.

Nursing Home Safety House Bill 2050: To improve nursing home safety and stop the overdrugging of nursing home residents, House Bill 2050 requires the written

Your new community news source: voiceofasia.news

consent of nursing home residents or their legally authorized representative before antipsychotics are prescribed.

Prescribers or their designee would also need to inform the resident or designee of the risks and benefits, as well as alternatives, to the antipsychotics.

Guardianship Senate Bill 31: Establishes a Guardianship Abuse Deterrence Program that gives courts the tools to ensure that guardians live up their important duty.

Surprise Medical Bills and Freestanding ERs Senate Bill 1264: This landmark legislation would end surprise medical bills for Texans and establish an arbitration system for health care providers and insurers to resolve billing disputes.

House Bill 1941 would protect Texans from exorbitant charges in emergencies to stop price gouging at freestanding emergency rooms.

House Bill 2041: Reforms various marketing practices of freestanding emergency rooms in Texas by addressing terminology that can confuse consumers, such as whether

they “accept” and “take” patients’ health insurance.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses House Bill 278: Signed by the governor on May 16, House Bill 278 will improve access to health care by ending unnecessary monthly, face-to-face unnecessary meeting requirements that advanced practice registered nurses must currently have with overseeing physicians.

Rural Broadband House Bill 1960: Signed

by the governor on May 25, House Bill 1960 will improve access to high-speed internet to underserved areas. The bill establishes a Broadband Council in the governor’s office.

House Bill 2422: To improve access to high-speed internet, House Bill 2422 would create a so-called “one dig” policy for Texas to help coordinate certain broadband projects at the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Training for Older Workers House Bill 1074: Ensures older workers are able to participate in workplace

trainings. House Bill 1074 extends age-discrimination protections to include workplace trainings for workers age 56+.

ARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age.

With nearly 38 million members, including more than 2.3 million in Texas, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment.

3rd International

Konark Festival in Houston an ensemble of Eastern Indian Dance Music and Food Presented by artists from Assam, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Odisha and West Bengal.

Saturday, June 8, 2019 at 2 p.m.

Auditorium at Wisdom High School, 6529 Beverly Hill St, Houston, TX 77057

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 7

Congresswoman Garcia votes to Strengthen Americans’ retirement security Tax fix for Gold Star families in the provision, "urgently needed"

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ASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia voted to pass H.R. 1994, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) to help Americans save more for a secure retirement and deliver an urgently needed fix for military survivors and families facing drastic tax hikes under the GOP Tax Law, including the GOP’s “kiddie tax” provision.

“Countless Texans are currently facing a retirement income crisis, with too many people in danger of not having enough in retirement to maintain their standard of living and avoid sliding into poverty,” said Rep. Garcia. “According to two recent studies, one-third of American workers believe they will either face significant financial hardship during retirement or will never retire, and almost two-thirds of workers have no retirement account assets whatsoever.

As Members of Congress, it is our responsibility to ensure that, for every American, a lifetime of hard-work will be met with the dignity, respect and economic security they deserve.”

The SECURE Act includes numerous provisions to make it easier for American workers to save for retirement, expand opportunities for them to increase their retirement savings and ensure that all Americans

OP-ED: The joke is on us with climate policy...

Continued from Page 2 A president who so relishes in populism believes you are too ignorant to make your own judgements.

President Trump basically wants two plus two to equal whatever he says.

are paying their fair share in taxes, including: - Making it easier for small businesses to offer retirement plans to employees; - Helping provide retirement benefit opportunities to home care workers; - Allowing long-time, part-time workers to participate in a 401(k) plan; - Providing relief to Cooperative and Small Employer Charity pension plans; and - Closing down the Stretch IRA loophole used by the wealthy to obtain beneficial tax status on inherited income.

The SECURE Act also repeals the GOP Tax Law’s “kiddie tax” provisions, providing urgent tax relief to surviving military families and children across the country.

“One of the most outrageous consequences of the GOP tax scam was the increased tax burden on families of servicemembers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” continued Rep. Garcia.

“Our men and women in uniform should never fear that their children and loved ones will suffer if the worst should happen. I am proud to join my colleagues to repeal this devastating ‘kiddie tax’ provision."

We will survive his tweets. We will get through his loutish behavior. But we may not survive the full scale assault by his administration on the science of climate disruption, an assault designed to enrich polluter profits today at the expense of the health and environment of our children tomorrow.

Steve Israel represented New York in Congress for 16 years and served as the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 2011 to 2015. He is now the director of the Institute of Politics and Global Affairs at Cornell University.

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

State health officials urge families, facilities to prepare for Hurricane Season

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USTIN – With hurricane season officially kicking off June 1, Texas Health and Human Services is preparing resources for the season and offering useful guidance to keep Texans healthy and safe in the event of a natural disaster.

“When it comes to emergencies, we never stop planning. Texas weather is unpredictable and disasters can happen suddenly, but preparation is key,” said Dr. Courtney N. Phillips, Texas Health and Human Services executive commissioner.

Texas HHS is ready to help in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency by providing public health and medical support; shelters for people with medical needs; disaster food assistance; counseling services; water and ice; regulatory support for health care facilities, long-term care facilities, and child care operations; and special waivers for Medicaid providers and clients as needed.

State health officials encourage Texans to prepare for the hurricane season by following three steps: • Make a plan. Decide as a family how you will get in contact with each other if separated, where you will go, and what you will do in an emergency. Know and practice evacuation routes.

• Build an emergency supply kit. Gather food, water, and essential supplies for at least three days. Include medications and important documents.

• Get informed. Sign up for warning alerts, download the FEMA app, and learn about how to prepare for different types of hazards.

“We can’t know exactly when or where hurricanes will hit Texas, but we know for certain they will,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. “If you wait till you see one coming, you missed the opportunity to make the best preparations possible.

Don’t wait. Prepare now.”

For sample plans, disaster supply checklists, and more information on preparing for hurricanes and other emergencies, visit texasprepares.org.

While families need to prepare for the hurricane season, so do facilities that serve sick, older, and medically fragile populations.

Texas HHS requires statelicensed facilities such as hospitals, assisted living facilities, nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, dialysis centers, and in-patient hospice units to review their emergency preparedness and response plans for the hurricane season and ensure staff are fully trained on how to execute those plans. Stateregulated child care operations are required to do the same.

Facilities must be prepared for a possible disruption of electricity or other critical services due to severe weather.

To protect the health and safety of people in their care, licensees must have welldeveloped emergency plans that address evacuation and shelter-in-place procedures,

as well as arrangements for transportation and relocation.

During a large-scale disaster such as Hurricane Harvey, Texas HHS quickly mobilizes staff across the state to assist Texans affected by the storm.

HHSC provides disaster food benefits, temporary cash assistance, crisis counseling, and behavioral health services; distributes bottled water and ice to affected communities; and processes Federal Emergency Management Agency grant applications for funds to help repair damaged property. The commission also works with providers and the federal government to pursue special waivers for Medicaid clients and providers as warranted.

DSHS mobilizes hundreds of employees during a disaster to coordinate public health and medical support services, largely through the agency’s State Medical Operations Center in Austin. DSHS operates shelters for people with medical needs, assists health care facilities with evacuations, and executes emergency pharmacy contracts so displaced people continue to get medications. DSHS also provides necessary immunizations for first responders, helps people continue to receive life-saving dialysis treatments, and advises shelters on food service and other sanitation to prevent foodborne illness.

To learn more about how to prepare for the hurricane season, visit texasprepares. org. Texas residents can dial 2-1-1 to learn about HHSC programs and services or visit yourtexasbenefits.com

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 8

Historical ‘Guru Nanak palace’ demolished in Pakistan

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AHORE | MAY 27, 2019 | PTI The Palace of Guru Nanak sees a number of Sikh visitors from across the globe, including India.

A centuries-old ‘Guru Nanak palace’ was partially demolished by a group of vandals who sold its precious windows and doors in Pakistan’s Punjab province, a media report said on Monday.

The walls of the four-storey building had pictures of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak as well as that of various Hindu rulers and princes, Dawn news reported.

The structure at a village in Narowal city -- about 100 kms from the provincial capital Lahore -- had 16 rooms with each of them having at least three delicate doors and at least four ventilators, it said.

The group of locals not only partially demolished the structure allegedly with the connivance of Auqaf department officials but also sold its precious windows, doors and ventilators, the report said.

A local resident Muhammad Aslam said: “This old building is called the Palace of Baba Guru Nanak and we have

named it Mahalan. A number of Sikhs from across the world, including India, used to visit this building.”

Once a six-member delegation, including a woman carrying a book with information about the historical building, had come from Canada. The delegation was elated upon visiting the site as if they had found a treasure, he said.

“The Auqaf department was informed about the demolition of the building by some influential persons, but no officer or official took any action or even reached here,” he added.

“Three storeys of the building have already been demolished and new houses constructed. The influentials have demolished the building with the connivance of the Auqaf department and sold its costly windows, doors, ventilators and wood,” another local Muhammad Ashraf said.

In an bid to determine its legal status, locate its owners or find out which government agency maintained its record, Dawn news reached out to various authorities from the deputy commissioner, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB)

to the family that lived in the building but to no avail.

Authorities are clueless about its owner. Narowal Deputy Commissioner Waheed Asghar, in charge of the record of all properties in the region said: “There is no mention of this building in the revenue record.

As it seemed to be historical, we are checking the municipal committee’s record.”

ETPB Sialkot zone Rent Collector Rana Waheed said: “Our team is investigating the Guru Nanak Mahal Bathanwala. If this palace was the property of Evacuee Trust Property Board, legal action will be taken against those responsible.”

The Bangladesh police on Wednesday sought the death penalty for 16 people accused of killing a school girl, who was burnt to death by her madrasa principal for reporting a sexual harassment case against him, according to a media report.

The 18-year-old girl was set on fire at her school (madrasa) on April 6 by four burqa-clad assailants, days after she complained against principal Siraj-ud-Daula for inappropriately touching her.

The Police Bureau of Investigation submitted the chargesheet in the court of senior judicial magistrate,

The home side, who have never won one-day cricket's biggest prize despite making three finals, in 1979, 1987 and 1992, open their campaign against South Africa on Thursday at the Oval in London.

Jaitley, 66, a key member of the last government, said in a letter to Modi he released on Twitter that he would “like to keep away from any responsibility” so he could concentrate on his health and treatment.

The people in the area requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to take action against those responsible.

"England, not India, are the favourites for this World Cup," Gavaskar told AFP. "They have been playing outstanding cricket over the last few years and in familiar home conditions will be hard to beat," said the former India captain.

Home advantage has been a big factor in recent editions of the showpiece event, with hosts India winning the 2011 trophy and Australia emerging victorious in Melbourne in 2015.

The winning candidate for Bathinda constituency Harsimrat Kaur Badal (C) pays her respects at the Golden Temple the day after India's general election results, in Amritsar May 24, 2019. (Photo

by Narinder Nanu / AFP). with Auqaf authorities. As #Sikhs are deeply anguished, I urge @narendramodi ji to

seeking death sentence for Siraj-ud-Daula, and 15 others accused of murdering the girl.

“The court has set tomorrow (Thursday) for the hearing of the case. Soon after, it will be transferred to be processed under the Women and Children Prevention Repression Act,” Senior Judicial Magistrate Zakir Hossain was quoted as saying by The Dhaka Tribune.

Earlier, Deputy Inspector General of police, Banaj Kumar Majumder, said that all the 16 accused are already in custody. “It has been primarily proven that eight people who are named in the FIR, and eight others, were found to be involved in the murder. We will seek death penalty for them,” he said.

Police has completed their

strongly take it up with Pak PM @ImranKhanPTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf),” she tweeted.

investigation and confirmed that the accused were directly or indirectly involved in the murder. Of them, 12 made a confessional statement before the court, the report said.

According to police, they have gathered information from 92 witnesses, among whom seven have given their statements before the court.

The deceased was tricked into going to the roof of the madrasa where the perpetrators set her on fire for not withdrawing the sexual assault case against the principal.

Her brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman filed a case on April 8 naming eight persons, including the principal as the main accused. Rafi succumbed to injuries on April 10.

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"The way modern cricket is going, every bowler needs to know that taking wickets is the key," Hasan said. "You take wickets and you win matches."

OTTINGHAM, United Kingdom | AFP | Wednesday 5/29/2019 - Pakistan seamer Hasan Ali says he is not worried about the prospect of flat pitches that are likely to favour batsmen during the World Cup in England and Wales.

But his recent form has been a worry for Pakistan, coinciding with 10 straight ODI losses

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Touted for taking wickets in the middle overs of one-day matches, Hasan rose to the top of the bowler's charts in 2017, taking 45 wickets -- the most in the calendar year. leading into their opening World Cup match against the West Indies in Nottingham on Friday.

Hasan said he knows how to bowl on flat pitches.

EW DELHI: May 29, 2019 AFP - India’s influential but ailing Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced on Wednesday that he would not serve in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new Hindu nationalist government because of poor health.

Modi is set to be sworn in Thursday after winning a second landslide election and should name his new Cabinet shortly after.

Pakistan's Hasan does not fear flat pitches at World Cup

The 24-year-old was Pakistan's star performer in the Champions Trophy win in England two years ago, taking 13 wickets to finish as player of the tournament.

India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. (Reuters)

Top-ranked England recently outplayed Pakistan 4-0 in a one-day series to underline their supremacy in the 50-over format.

Bangladesh police seek death penalty for 16 over girl’s killing

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EW DEHLI, India | AFP | Wednesday 5/29/2019 - Batting great Sunil Gavaskar says Eoin Morgan's England will be the team to beat at the World Cup, with home advantage giving them a vital edge over his native India.

All the rooms were airy and their walls had small lamp enclosures in them. Expensive diyar wood beams of various sizes were used in the roofs, it said.

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HAKA | MAY 29, 2019 | PTI - She was set on fire after complaining of sexual harassment

by Faisal Kamal

Sunil Gavaskar (File photo)

HANDIGARH, May 28 2019 | PTI - Shiromani Akali Dal MP from Bathinda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, on Tuesday, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strongly take up with his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan the issue of partial demolition of Guru Nanak Palace in Pakistan's Punjab province.

"I join the #Sikh community in condemning the demolition of historical #GuruNanakPalace in #Pakistan's #Punjab province by some vandals in connivance

India’s ailing finance minister quits gov't

The construction of the palace comprised of old bricks, sand, clay and limestone. The rooms were constructed with large broad walls with cupboards in them that had wooden doors with flowers carved on them.

Harsimrat wants Modi to take up Guru Nanak palace issue

The centuries-old palace was partially demolished by a group of vandals who also sold its precious windows and doors in Pakistan's Punjab province.

Harsimrat said Sikhs are deeply anguished over the incident and she joins the community in condemning the act.

India great Gavaskar tips England for World Cup glory

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

But he managed just three wickets in four matches against England in a 4-0 loss earlier in May. "I know that I have not taken many wickets since the South Africa tour, but I am doing

Since the start of 2018 England, who switched to a more aggressive brand of cricket after their humiliating firstround exit four years ago, have come out on top in ODI series against Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and India.

Second-ranked India's chances depend to a large extent on captain Virat Kohli.

Kohli, the number one batsman in Test and ODIs, last year defied critics who questioned his poor performance on the 2014 tour of England by hitting 593 runs in the 2018 Test series even though India lost 4-1.

- Kohli criticism But he has often received criticism over his captaincy, with pundits saying the 30-year-old leader often needs the experience of Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps.

Kohli recently scored 464 runs in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament but his side Royal Challengers Bangalore ended bottom of the eight-team table.

"On an individual level he certainly can be as successful (in England) as he was last year for sure," said Gavaskar, who scored more than 10,000 Test runs.

"But a captain is only as good as his team and Dhoni's presence takes a big load off Kohli, especially after the first power play," said Gavaskar, who was part of India's World Cup-winning team in 1983 under Kapil Dev. Gavaskar, 69, also weighed in on the Indian team's muchdebated number four slot, saying Lokesh Rahul should fill the position.

Jaitley underwent a kidney transplant in May last year and in February traveled to the US for surgery after being diagnosed with cancer.

“I am writing to to formally request

you you

that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and therefore not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government,” he added in the letter.

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, who stepped in for Jaitley to present an interim budget in February, and BJP President Amit Shah are in contention for Jaitley’s job, media reports said.

India is the world’s sixth largest economy and although it has been growing at about 7 percent a year, it is showing signs of a slowdown.

Modi, 68, has invited the heads of countries who are in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Maritime and Economic Co-operation (BIMSTEC) to the swearing-in.

India’s archrival neighbor Pakistan is not a part of the alliance and so Modi avoided inviting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Sri Lanka failed to arrest Easter bomber despite warnings

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OLOMBO, Sri Lanka | AFP | 5/29/2019 Sri Lankan authorities failed to arrest the jihadist who led the Easter Sunday attacks that killed 258 people despite mounting evidence against him, the country's top intelligence official said Wednesday.

Sisira Mendis told a parliamentary probe into security lapses leading to the April 21 suicide bombings that the attacks led by Zahran Hashim could have been avoided if he had been detained.

"He was reported for hate speech. He had come to the attention of the authorities before the attacks," said Mendis, who is the Chief of National Intelligence.

"Police could have at least detained him for questioning when there were these reports against him."

Official sources said Hashim came to the attention of the authorities following a violent clash with a moderate Muslim group in his village in eastern Sri Lanka two years ago.

However he was not arrested.

The national parliament Wednesday began investigating the circumstances that allowed a known Islamist group to stage the audacious attack targeting three Christian churches and three luxury hotels.

Mendis, who is tasked with coordinating various state spy operations, said Sri Lanka's main police intelligence unit,

the State Intelligence Service (SIS), had not taken seriously the warnings of an impending assault.

Ten days prior to the attacks, Sri Lanka's police chief Pujith Jayasundara had issued a warning that Hashim's National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) could target churches and other places.

But this was not followed up and no security plan was put in place as a result of further intelligence received from neighbouring India which had questioned a jihadist in their custody, according to official sources.

The government has admitted failure to prevent the attacks that also killed 45 foreign nationals and wounded nearly 500 people in the worst act of violence in Sri Lanka since its civil war ended.

President Maithripala Sirisena subsequently suspended Jayasundara and dismissed his top defence official.

Sri Lanka is under a state of emergency since the attacks, but Sirisena announced on Monday that he will allow the tough laws to lapse within a month because the security situation was "99 percent back to normal".

The mainly Buddhist nation of 21 million people was about to mark a decade since ending a 37-year-long Tamil separatist war when the Islamic extremists struck.

He was unwilling to be drawn into the debate of whether India should boycott their roundrobin match against Pakistan amid political tensions between the two hostile nations.

Doubts were cast over the much-anticipated match in Manchester on June 16 after calls from many former India players and officials to forfeit their match to their arch-rivals.

Relations between the two nuclear-armed South Asian countries nose-dived after a suicide bombing in Indianadministered Kashmir in February killed 40 Indian security personnel and was later claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad.

the hard work with bowling coach (Azhar Mahmood) and once I get my rhythm I am sure wickets will come my way," said Hasan.

is now at full strength," he added.

India has long accused Islamabad of harbouring militants who launch attacks on its soil but Pakistan has denied any role in the Pulwama attack, and Prime Minister Imran Khan offered cooperation in investigations if credible evidence were provided by India.

"We know that our bowling, which has been our strength, is not doing well but with the return of two experienced bowlers in Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir our bowling

Amir missed the last four matches in the England ODI series due to chicken pox before he was included in the World Cup squad.

Riaz was also left out of the Wold Cup preliminary squad but was included after poor form by paceman Junaid Khan.

"In a World Cup there is no option but to play all teams," said a guarded Gavaskar.

US/WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 9

UK opposition calls for election or second referendum on Brexit deal

Ashton Kutcher 'freaked out' after date found killed, Los Angeles court told Actor testifies at trial of ‘Hollywood Ripper’, who is charged with murder of Ashley Ellerin along with two others

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Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed to resign, while her Labor Party opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn (right) wants a new election or second Brexit vote. (Photo: Getty Images)

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ONDON, United Kingdom | AFP | Wednesday 5/29/2019 - The leader of Britain's main opposition Labour party Jeremy Corbyn -- criticised for failing to take a clear position on Brexit -- on Wednesday said the only way out of the political crisis was to hold a general election or a second "public vote on any deal agreed by parliament".

Labour has come under fire for sitting on the fence over Brexit and it remains unclear whether the party would back Leave or Remain in the next general election.

The party's approach to Brexit -- dubbed "constructive ambiguity" -- saw them get hammered at the ballot box during EU elections last week, losing half of their 20 seats in the European Parliament and finishing in third place behind the staunchly anti-Brexit Lib Dems and the newly-formed Brexit Party.

Speaking ahead of meetings with the Irish President and Prime Minister in Dublin, Corbyn said Labour would "work with anyone across party boundaries and do whatever is necessary to stop a disastrous 'No Deal' outcome, which would open the way for a frenzy of deregulation and a race to the bottom in jobs, rights and protections.

"But faced with the threat of 'No Deal' and a Prime Minister

with no mandate, the only way out of the Brexit crisis ripping our country apart is now to go back to the people. Let the people decide the country’s future, either in a general election or through a public vote on any deal agreed by parliament."

Some rival candidates vying to take over from outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May as premier and leader of the Conservative Party including frontrunner Boris Johnson have said Britain must be prepared to leave the EU without a deal if necessary.

Corbyn said the country faced a summer in which "our politics will be paralysed and our country’s future put on hold while the Conservatives are locked in internal conflict over their leadership.

"Jobs and investment will be put at risk in Leave and Remain areas alike."

He added: "The Tory leadership contest will most likely end with a small number of wildly unrepresentative rightwing Conservative activists foisting a 'No Deal' zealot on the country.

"The next Tory leader will be yet another unelected Prime Minister, without the support of the public and with no mandate for whatever form of Brexit he or she supports."

May will quit as Conservative

OS ANGELES - Actor Ashton Kutcher told a Los Angeles jury on Wednesday that he was “freaking out” after learning that a young woman was found dead in Hollywood the day after he called at her home for a date.

he knew his fingerprints would be on the front door of her home.

The former “Two and a Half Men” star was testifying as a witness at the trial of a man dubbed the Hollywood Ripper who is charged with the murder of the young woman and two others.

Gargiulo, 43, was arrested in 2008. He has pleaded not guilty.

Kutcher said he arrived at the Hollywood bungalow of fashion design student Ashley Ellerin on the night of Feb. 22, 2001, after speaking to her by phone earlier that evening to arrange a date, the Los Angeles City News Service reported.

But when he got there two hours after the call, Kutcher said he found the lights on and the door locked. Peering through the window he saw “what I thought was a red wine spilled on the carpet”.

“I didn’t really think anything of it,” Kutcher said, adding that he “figured I screwed up” by showing up late, and he assumed Ellerin had gone out with a friend, City News reported.

Ellerin, 22, was found dead at her home the next morning by a roommate. She had been stabbed 47 times, prosecutors said.

Kutcher, now 41, said when he learned what had happened to Ellerin, he spoke with police and was “freaking out” because

leader on June 7, with the new premier due to be in place before July 20.

Britain is due to leave the bloc on October 31, while the next general election is not due until 2022.

World's tiniest surviving baby born in California

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OS ANGELES | AFP | Thursday 5/29/2019 A California hospital on Wednesday disclosed the birth of the world's smallest baby ever to survive, weighing a mere 245 grams (8.6 ounces) -- the same as a large apple -when she was born.

The girl, nicknamed Saybie by hospital staff, was born 23 weeks and three days into her mother's pregnancy at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Newborns in San Diego.

The father was told by doctors that he would have about an hour with his daughter before she passed away.

"But that hour turned into two hours which turned into a day, which turned into a week," the mother said in a video released by the hospital.

Doctors said Saybie was delivered via emergency cesarean section in December after severe pregnancy complications that put her mother's life at risk.

After nearly five months at the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, she was discharged home earlier this month weighing a healthy five pounds and sporting a graduation cap.

Michael Gargiulo is on trial at Los Angeles Superior Court for the murder of Ellerin and two other women and the attempted murder of another.

Baby Saybie weighing 3 lbs in March 2019. (Photo courtesy Sharp Mary Birch Hospital)

Emma Wiest, another nurse, said Saybie was so tiny at birth that "you could barely see her on the bed."

At birth, she weighed as much as a child's juice box and could fit in the palm of the hands of her caretakers.

"I'd heard that we had such a tiny baby and it sounded unbelievable because I mean she's about half of the weight

as a normal 23-weaker," Wiest said.

Saybie's ranking as the world's tiniest baby ever to survive is according to the Tiniest Babies Registry, maintained by the University of Iowa.

The previous record was held by a baby born in Germany in 2015 who weighed seven grams more than Saybie.

"Every life is a miracle -- those that defy the odds even more so," Edward Bell, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Iowa who oversees the Registry, told AFP.

Ashton Kutcher on the witness stand.(Photo: Fred M. Brown)

Saudi calls on Muslim world to reject Iran 'interference'

by Mohamad Ali Harissi

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EDDAH, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Wednesday 5/29/2019 - Saudi Arabia on Wednesday sought to rally support among Islamic nations against arch-rival Iran, demanding "firmness" over attacks on Gulf oil facilities ahead of three summits as regional tensions soar.

Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf blasted Iranian "interference" in the region, just hours after US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Tehran was almost certainly behind oil tanker attacks.

The tough stance comes on the eve of emergency Arab and Gulf summits called

by US-ally Saudi Arabia to discuss the standoff and ways to isolate Tehran amid fears of a military escalation.

"Tehran's support for Huthi rebels in Yemen is proof of Iranian interference in other nations' affairs and this is something that... Islamic countries should reject," Assaf told a gathering of foreign ministers of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in western Jeddah city.

A representative of Iran attended the gathering of OIC, of which it is a member, an AFP reporter said. But Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was not present.

Assaf added that attacks on oil installations must be addressed with "firmness and determination".

Two Saudi oil tankers, among four vessels, were the targets of mysterious acts of sabotage off the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on May 12, and Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels have stepped up drone attacks on the kingdom --

"She is a miracle, that's for sure," said Kim Norby, one of the nurses who cared for Saybie as she fought to survive with a sign that read "tiny but mighty" posted by her crib.

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

one of which resulted in the temporary shutdown of a major oil pipeline.

- 'Evil desires for chaos' The four ships were attacked using "naval mines almost certainly from Iran", Bolton told a press conference in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

"There's no doubt in anybody's mind in Washington who's responsible for this," he said in a clear reference to Iran.

Bolton however declined to provide specific evidence for Iran's hand in the attacks.

Iran strongly rejected the accusation.

"Making such laughable claims... is not strange" coming from the US, foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.

"Mr Bolton and other warmongers and chaos seekers should know that the strategic patience, high vigilance and complete defensive readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran... will prevent the fulfilment of their evil desires for chaos in the region," Mousavi added.

US experts are part of a fivenation team that is investigating the attacks off the UAE emirate of Fujairah.

The new war of words follows a US military buildup that includes the deployment of an aircraft carrier, B-52 bombers and 1,500 more troops to the region.

Bolton said that additional US forces were sent to the Middle East as a "deterrent" and that Washington's response will be prudent.

- Rallying against Tehran Regional tensions have spiked since US President Donald Trump's administration reimposed sanctions against

Iran after Washington unilaterally pulled out of a multilateral 2015 nuclear accord signed with the Islamic republic.

The Trump administration has ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranianbacked Iraqi armed groups.

But Trump appeared to soften his hawkish tone towards Tehran, saying during a visit to Japan on Monday that his government does not seek "regime change".

Bolton said Washington wants to prevent the Islamic republic from producing nuclear weapons, downplaying differences in the US administration on the issue.

"There's no mistake here," he said.

"That we all have the same objective of keeping Iran from getting deliverable nuclear weapons."

In an apparent bid to present a unified front against Tehran, Saudi Arabia is hosting Islamic, Arab and Gulf summits at the weekend in Mecca, Islam's holiest city.

Qatar's Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Thani will attend talks in Mecca, its foreign ministry said Wednesday, one of the first high-level contacts following a two-year Riyadhled boycott of Doha.

Since June 2017, Saudi Arabia along with the United Arab Emirates and their allies have enforced a boycott of Qatar including bans on shipping, trade, direct flights, overflight and land crossings.

The alliance, which also includes Bahrain and Egypt, accuses Doha of supporting Islamist movements and backing Iran -- claims Qatar rejects.

VOICE OF ASIA 10

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VOICE OF ASIA 11

Fort Bend View

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

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

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

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Early voting begins for runoff elections in Fort Bend County

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esidents in cities around Fort Bend County will return to polling stations for runoff elections on Saturday, June 8, as candidates who failed to get 50 percent of the vote in the May 4 General Election face off.

Early voting begins on Tuesday, May 28, and runs through Tuesday, June 4.

Voters in Sugar Land, Stafford and Rosenberg will be asked to vote one more time for members on their respective city councils.

- Sugar Land In the District 2 seat on the City Council, Nabila Mansoor is facing Naushad Kermally.

In the May 4 election, Kermally led the voting with 39.14% of the vote with Mansoor collecting 34.23%. David Gornet got the remainder of the votes but failed to finish in the top two for the runoff.

Kermally has lived in the Sugar Land area for 23 years and is an executive vice president with Sugar Landbased Prime Communications.

Mansoor is an attorney who has lived in the Sugar Land area since 2002.

- Rosenberg Rosenberg will feature a pair of races on its runoff ballot.

In the race for councilor, at large,

position 1, Alice Stratman Jozwiak is facing Jacob Balderas.

cast. Esther de Ipolyi collected 100 votes in the General Election.

- Early voting -

In the General Election, Jozwiak received 28% of the vote while Balderas got 31.2% in a crowded field of four candidates. Marc Morales and Rudy Cuellar failed to get enough votes to qualify for the runoff.

Early voting begins Tuesday, May 28, and runs daily through Tuesday, June 4. Polling stations will be closed Sunday, June 2.

Balderas is the incumbent candidate, first elected in May 2017. Jozwiak previously served on Rosenberg City Council 2016-2018.

Fort Bend County Rosenberg Annex 4520 Reading Road in Rosenberg.

In the race for Councilor, At Large, Position 2, Kevin Raines is squaring off against Susan Kroll Euton.

Raines was the top vote getter in the May 4 election with 44.5% of the votes cast. Euton received 31.1% of the ballots. Eric Ramirez and Edmund Samora rounded out the field in May. Euton previously served on the Rosenberg City Council 2009-2011 and 2013-2018. Raines is a political newcomer but previously was in the Rosenberg Police Department for 18 years.

- Stafford Alice Chen will face Auturo Jackson in the race for councilmember position 1.

Jackson came just short of collecting enough votes in the May 4 election to avoid a runoff with 49.4% of the votes, just nine votes shy of the number needed. Chen finished second in the race with 44.9% of the ballots

Locations include:

- Election Day Sites for voting on Election Day are scheduled to be at: Museum of Natural Science, 13016 University Blvd. in Sugar Land.

Rosenberg City Hall, 2110 4th St. in Rosenberg.

Sartartia Middle School, 8125 Homeward Way in Sugar Land.

Stafford City Hall, 2610 S. Main St. in Stafford.

Sugar Land City Hall, 2700 Town Center Blvd. North in Sugar Land.

These efforts are part of a larger commitment to exceeding residents’ expectations - both with service levels and value for tax dollar - as well as in response to a recognition that the city’s infrastructure, neighborhood and commercial areas, and population are all aging. A recommitment to the “Sugar Land Way” was the theme throughout City Council’s multi-day planning session last fall - recognizing that the absorption of budget cuts and constraint in recent years has left many increasing operational needs and priority capital projects unfunded.

Priority components of the “Sugar Land Way” were identified and include:

* investing in aging infrastructure and facilities at the high level expected by Sugar Land residents; * retaining and challenging a champion workforce that consistently exceeds the high expectations of the Sugar Land community;

According to court documents, the students reported a conversation they had with Young during which he described himself as a sociopath and talked about his fascination with bombs, shrapnel and what he might do with them.

Clements High School Principal David Yaffie sent the following message about the incident to parents:

Sugar Land City Hall. (Photo: City of Sugar Land)

* ensuring Sugar Land remains safer than ever before by building upon years of investments in facilities and public safety innovations;

* constantly improving the appearance of the community; and * building upon Sugar Land’s position as an economic powerhouse and financial leader (as well as a focus on strengthened resilience) that allows the city to improve its quality of life and minimize the residential tax burden.

Maximillion Young is seen in this mug shot released by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office on May 23, 2019. (Photo: FBCS Office)

“The safety and security of Clements students are always top priorities.

Therefore, I am writing to inform you that a Clements High School student has been arrested on a charge of possession of components of an explosive.

“On the evening of Thursday, May 9, 2019, I was informed about several comments made by a student. These comments suggested the student had access to various combustible mate-

borhoods and commercial areas were developed during the 70s and 80s or earlier. It’s time to reinvest in the infrastructure and services that have contributed to the Sugar Land way of life, and I believe our residents agree that the investment is worth it.”

Sugar Land Fire Station # 7 1301 Chatham Ave. in Sugar Land.

Maximillion Young, 17, was arrested May 13 and charged with possession of components of explosives after authorities said they received a tip from two of Young’s classmates at Clements High School.

Young was released from jail on $25,000 bond.

S

UGAR LAND - Sugar Land City Council recently held its annual spring planning session, a day-long workshop where they formalized strategies to ensure the continuance of the “Sugar Land Way” as the city approaches its 60th anniversary.

Sugar Land City Hall 2700 Town Center Blvd. in Sugar Land.

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Several guns were also found inside a safe at the home, according to the documents.

City Council commits to Sugar Land Way strategies

Sartartia Middle School 8125 Homeward Way in Sugar Land.

UGAR LAND - A Sugar Land teen was arrested last week after authorities said they found materials that could be used to make a bomb at his home.

A search of Young’s bedroom turned up plastic equipment that had been made to look like real military gear, including body armor that had wires hanging out of it, according to the documents.

Tel: 713-774-5140

Stafford City Hall 2610 Main St. in Stafford.

Local teen accused of possessing bombmaking materials

According to the documents, a Fort Bend Independent School District police officer went to Young’s home and found sulfur dust, charcoal and stump remover, which is made of potassium nitrate, a metal pipe and equipment that may have been used to test energetic material in a detached garage.

Some of the materials are the building blocks of black powder, investigators said in the documents.

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Section 2

rials and had spoken about the capabilities of such materials. I notified the Fort Bend ISD Police Department and they immediately began an investigation with the assistance of other agencies. An arrest was made this morning.

“It is important to note that no direct threat was made towards any individual or the school. Nevertheless, FBISD Police Chief David Rider and I believe it is necessary to inform you about this incident.”

City Council expressed a continued desire during the spring workshop to increase Sugar Land’s resiliency and ability to anticipate and respond to new challenges and opportunities.

Additionally, the City Council also recognized the need to prepare strategies to respond to external challenges such as economic uncertainty, sales tax revenue volatility and a number of pending actions from the Texas Legislature that would impact funding and service delivery.

“As we celebrate our city’s 60th anniversary this year, I’m proud to say the proactive investments made in the past have ensured we remain a city unlike any other,” said Mayor Joe Zimmerman. “However, we are at a crossroads as many of our neigh-

To ensure financial resiliency and fund services that citizens have identified as priorities, City Council identified potential strategies to increase and stabilize funding for maintenance and operations and capital projects, as well as help mitigate external challenges, including: * consideration of opportunities to rebalance the tax burden to increase the share paid by commercial properties - recognizing residential revaluation has outpaced commercial value growth in recent years; * consideration of future general obligation bond elections to fund important capital improvement projects such as facilities, mobility and drainage; * completion of a review of fees and rates - as well as collections efforts - to ensure appropriate recovery of such services; and * evaluation of innovative service delivery opportunities to provide the same or higher levels of services at lower costs.

As City Council works through this year’s budget process, potential projects essential to maintaining the Sugar Land Way will include increased investments in infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation - such as streets and sidewalks, as well as landscape and streetscape maintenance; mobility and traffic safety initiatives; drainage improvements; and priority capital projects such as an emergency operations center and expanded dispatch facility, a public safety training facility and a new animal shelter.

“We’ve been very efficient with the use of our tax dollars - even as the services our championship workforce provides every day have expanded,” said City Manager Allen Bogard.

“Compared to similar cities throughout the state, including those in our region, I’m proud to say we have one of the lowest tax rates in the state while still providing the high level of services our citizens expect. Our needs are now exceeding our ability to continue providing the same level of services and inspiring the same level of pride in our community - without increasing funding and further reinvesting into this great city of ours.”

VOICE OF ASIA 12

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD Section 2

•

www.voiceofasia.news

•

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Anil Kapoor, Rakesh Roshan remember acclaimed ‘Fight Master’ Veeru Devgan

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eteran action director Veeru Devgan passed away due to cardiac arrest on Monday in Mumbai. The father of actor Ajay Devgn, the late action director, who is credited with choreographing more than 80 films, passed away at the Surya Hospital, Santa Cruz.

Known across the film industry for his excellent work, Veeru Devgan made his directorial debut with 1999 film Hindustan Ki Kasam, featuring Ajay Devgn, Amitabh Bachchan, Manisha Koirala and Sushmita Sen. This was his only film as director.

Ajay Devgn-Tabu-Rakul Preet Singh starrer ‘De De Pyaar De’

Luv Ranjan talks about ‘De De Pyaar De’, Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor and why he doesn’t read movie reviews to-back. It is not something that comes naturally to me. I am very enamored by directors who are able to do it. We have so much talent within my own people who have been working with me, they are all aspiring to be directors and they are all capable. That is the primary reason I didn’t want to direct the film. Akiv Ali, who has edited my four films, directed it.

After writing the film I felt Ajay was the best choice to play the lead. I discussed with Ajay and convinced him to do it.

In a recent interaction with MidDay, Anil Kapoor, Shakti Kapoor and Rakesh Roshan shared their thoughts regarding the late action director. In a guest column published in Mid-Day, Anil Kapoor recounts that ‘Veeru paaji’ made action sequences look thrilling at a time when there were no special effects or technology.

The actor who has done several

The film has picked up big time but this is one of Ajay’s rare films to get a poor opening..

Luv Ranjan. (Twitter image)

by Seema Sinha Veeru Devgan

Indian Bollywood actors Arjun Kapoor (L) and Anil Kapoor (R) arrive to attend the funeral of Bollywood stunt, action choreographer and film director Veeru Devgan, in Mumbai late on May 27, 2019. (STR / AFP)

movies with the late Devgan including Hum Paanch, Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Mr India, recounted the Charlie Chaplin sequence in Mr India, saying that it became “magical” because of Veeru Devgan, Sridevi and cinematographer Baba Azmi. The actor credited him as being better than VFX and told the newspaper, “In those days, there was no VFX; just hard-core, live action on camera as imagined by Veeru ji. He had his own innovations and they were far ahead of VFX.” Kapoor credited the late action director for Ajay Devgn’s technical know-how, saying that the legacy has been passed down to him by his father.

Rakesh Roshan too spoke of his adoration for the late Devgan. Having worked in films like Khoon Bhari Maang, King Uncle, and Karan Arjun, the senior Roshan recalled that as a fighter Veeru was his stunt double.

Calling him a fine technician, Roshan said they were best of friends.

Bollywood baddie Shakti Kapoor too remembered Veeru Devgan fondly, saying that when it came to fight masters, “Veeru paaji was the only superstar in India.” Likening him to Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar, Shakti Kapoor revealed that people would stand in long queues to get his photograph or watch him execute a stunt.

Shakti remembered Devgan as the highest paid (fight director) of his times who would be given a business class ticket, and would stay in big suites in Chennai and Hyderabad. He recalled Devgan as a family man who loved his son Ajay a lot and someone who made “the best sookha mutton.”

Sonam Kapoor wearing an emerald and diamond necklace by Chopard and a custom tuxedo by Ralph and Russo this past weekend. (Photo: Getty Images)

As for Anil Kapoor, he revealed that the funeral allowed him to connect with all the young fighters whom he had brought into the industry, enabling them to earn a livelihood in the city of dreams.

Sonam Kapoor is attending a rather unconventional wedding in London

S

onam Kapoor might have gone full blown Bollywood with her wedding about a year ago, this wedding she is attending in London is nothing like that. The actress, who recently celebrated one year of her big fat Indian wedding, is currently in London attending her cousin Priya Singh’s nuptials. Sonam, along with the extended family, jetted off to London for the eclectic summer wedding, which had none of the elaborate Indian rituals.

Sonam shared pretty pictures from

the occasion, which give a glimpse into the unique celebrations. The departure from tradition began with the bride’s ensemble — a printed gown worn with a biker jacket to deal with the slight nip in the air - no lehengas and elaborate choodas here. Pretty prints and dainty sunglasses seemed to be the dress code for this day wedding.

But Sonam decided to step away from the busy prints to turn up in a monochrome ensemble - a white dress

by British designer Emilia Wickstead with a mid-length cape, reported

Vogue.

The wedding venue was no regular mandap, it was a public park in Kensington called Holland Park. The wedding was a breezy celebration with no sign of the usual long drawn out baraat or a ceremony that goes on for hours. Seen along with Sonam and husband Anand Ahuja were sister Rhea Kapoor, accompanied by boyfriend Karan Boolani, father Anil Kapoor, mother Sunita Kapoor, her elder sister Kavita Bhambani Singh, her daughters Priya and Nandini Singh,

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

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UMBAI, May 28, 2019 07 - On its second weekend, Ajay Devgn-Tabu-Rakul Preet Singh starrer De De Pyaar De (released on 17 May) gathered momentum at the box office with positive word of mouth.

The film’s writer-producer, Luv Ranjan, whose two productions – Malang (Aditya Roy Kapur-Disha Patani) and Turram Khan (Rajkummar Rao-Nushrat Bharucha) is currently on floors — catapulted to fame with his comedydramas such as Pyaar Ka Punchnama franchise and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety that struck box office gold.

Though these films found a connect with the youth, it was criticised for misogynistic undertones and treatment of female characters. Ranjan has defended his films strongly. His latest, a romantic comedy, talks about a 50-yearold separated father of two falling in love with a woman 24 years his junior.

Once again accused of serving an antiwomen sentiment, Firstpost catches up with the filmmaker, who wonders what the fuss is all about. Excerpts: What do you think has worked for De De Pyaar De? What has been working for most of the films for the last two to three years is a different and fresh concept. When the poster, teaser and trailer came out, everyone thought the film is about a man cheating upon his wife, or it is about an older woman and younger woman, or it is a triangle, but once people went to watch the film they realised that it is not all of that. It is a family film. It is a film about a man who has been separated for 18 years, so there is no young girl, old wife kind of a thing. They are not in a relationship. New story with a dose of entertainment works, and it is not just entertainment, we have driven home certain subtle messages without being preachy And one of the top stars of the country is playing his age that is something never happened before. He is coolly saying it. There are so many 50- yearolds and 60- year- olds who have a swag, you don’t have to be 35 to have one.

This is your first production with a big star..

The idea is not just to work with a star. If it is a 50-year-old character then you can’t pick a newcomer. Besides being a star, the fact is that Ajay has that experience and ability to pull it off. It is not an easy role to play.

Same goes with Tabu’s character. Forget the stardom, her ability as an actor is more important. Not many actresses could have done it.

Why didn’t you direct it yourself?

I am a prolific writer but a lazy director. I can’t direct every year back-

When he did the film, Ajay knew that he is venturing into an uncharted territory. It is a very non-Ajay Devgn film; he has done a rom-com after a very long time. The last film that comes to my mind is Pyaar Toh Hona Hi Tha (1998). He is a very realistic and practical man, he is a producer himself. He knows that it is not a Golmaal or Singham. It is a film which will take off slowly. Everyone knew that it won’t get that kind of opening. But the joy is that if it opens at a certain number but if it doubles up, or multiplies by 1.5 times the next day, at some level it reaffirms your belief. It validates that you have done a good job with the film. Numbers are very tricky. If a film like this does a certain number it is a bigger victory than another film doing a bigger number because that has been happening anyway.

Ajay is happy about the film’s outcome at the box office. The most important thing for any filmmaker or actor is the acceptance of the film and the fact that it has such great word of mouth. He is a very intelligent actor.

In this film he wanted to try something different. There is no point in trying something different and still wanting to cater to the same audience. It is one of the most secure performances of Ajay that I have ever seen. He has made it look so simple, so cool, so suave. It is his simplicity, he is a very down-to-earth person.

You have received consistent flak for being sexist and derogatory towards women in your films.

If the same film was made by another filmmaker, nobody will find anything sexist about the film. Age is the concept of the film. If you are ever in this situation you will end up joking about the age, you can’t be so politically correct all the time. If it is a story about a man who is 50 and a girl who is 26, age will come into play. Are you or anyone telling me that age will never be discussed? That is the plot of the film.

Also, I have never understood it (accusations) because I have never done it with that intent. I have said it again and again that my filmography is very small and you are choosing to concentrate on one side of the filmography just because those are the films that have worked. I have also made Akaash Vani which no one bothers to talk about. I really can’t do anything about how people want to perceive it.

If people want to find something negative, they do that in any case. A lot of times people have these preconceived notions of what cinema is and they are not able to get it out of their heads.

How do you react to reviews?

I am not a big reader of reviews. I learnt that after my first film itself: not to take them too seriously. I make a film, people like it or they don’t like it and that is what eventually maters.

Beyond a point I am not interested in reviews because film reviewing in India is a very tricky thing. Very few understand it but a lot of people write it.

Tell us about your next directorial venture with Ajay Devgn and Ranbir Kapoor.

It is badass entertainment (laughs).

We start rolling in November-December and as of now it will release in Christmas 2020. We haven’t decided the female lead yet. I have always liked Ranbir as an actor and he agreed to be part of it immediately.

- First Post

VOICE OF ASIA 13

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

HOLLYWOOD - BOLLYWOOD

David Beckham pays tribute to wife Victoria Section 2 • www.voiceofasia.news • Email: voiceasia@aol.com Disney’s live-action ‘Aladdin’ ‘Parasite’, South Korean casts a box-office spell comedy about class rage, wins Cannes gold

‘There will only be one POSH SPICE’: David Beckham, 44, husband of former Spice Girls bandmate Victoria, showed his support for the fashion designer by posting a throwback of her in the Say You’ll Be There video, where he memorably first spotted his soulmate.

Bong Joon-Ho celebrates becoming the first Korean director to win the Palme d’Or

by Deborah Cole

C

avid Beckham, husband of former Spice Girls bandmate Victoria, has paid tribute to the fashion designer by declaring ‘there will only be one Posh Spice’ ahead of the group’s hotly-anticipated reunion tour on Friday evening.

ANNES, France | AFP | Saturday 5/25/2019 - “Parasite”, a black comedy about a family of clever scammers from South Korea’s underclass, won the Palme d’Or top prize at Cannes on Saturday, the first time a Korean director has scooped the coveted award in the film festival’s 72-year history.

In the sweet Instagram post, the former footballer, 44, shared a throwback image of his wife — who has declined to take part in the comeback tour — in the 1996 Say You’ll Be There video, where he memorably first spotted his soulmate.

Bong Joon-ho, 49, best known for daring arthouse hits including “Okja” and “Snowpiercer”, won for a satire which critics said powerfully tapped into the tensions caused by the widening gap between rich and poor around the world.

by Rianne Addo and Eve Buckland

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Treating fans to a glimpse at the stage, Spice Girls’ Mel B, Mel C, Geri

Accepting the prize from French movie legend Catherine Deneuve, Bong said winning at Cannes had been a lifelong dream.

“I was a little boy who was crazy about cinema since I was 12 years old,” Bong said, hoisting the palmfrond statuette in the air.

“Parasite” is the second Asian film in a row to triumph at the world’s biggest film festival.

It tapped into similar themes explored by last year’s winner, “Shoplifters” by Hirokazu Kore-eda about a family of small-time crooks, which shone a light on Japan’s hidden poor.

Despite some of his strongest reviews in years, Quentin Tarantino failed to win anything for “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood”, which brought together two of Tinseltown’s most dashing leading men, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, for the first time.

Mena Massoud, who plays Aladdin in the new Disney movie of the same name, and Naomi Scott, who plays Jasmine, pose at the film’s Los Angeles premiere on May 21, 2019 (AFP Photo/Rich Fury) LOS ANGELES | AFP | Sunday 5/26/2019 - “Aladdin” apparently still has the old magic, as the new Disney film took in an estimated $86.1 million in the Friday-to-Sunday period in North America to lead all box-office offerings, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

Williams as the fast-talking genie (and the less well-known actor Scott Weinger as Aladdin).

The film, released on the US’s four-day Memorial Day weekend, is expected to earn $105 million when Monday’s ticket sales are included, well beyond earlier estimates of around $80 million, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Keanu Reaves again stars as retired hitman John Wick, this time being chased by an army of killers after a contract is put on his head. Also starring are Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Anjelica Huston.

The live-action movie, directed by Guy Ritchie, stars Will Smith as the genie and the Egyptian-born Canadian actor Mena Massoud as the wily charmer who pretends to be a prince to catch the attention of the lovely Jasmine (Naomi Scott).

The new version is an adaptation of Disney’s 1992 “Aladdin,” which featured the unforgettable voice of Robin

Hollywood version of ‘Akira’ gets 2021 release date The Spice Girls’ Mel B, Mel C, Geri Horner and Emma Bunton shared their first group shot on stage in Dublin just hours ahead of their first reunion tour performance.

Horner and Emma Bunton shared their first group shot in Dublin’s Croke Park Stadium just hours before their show, which will serve as their first performance in seven years.

When sportsman David saw the music video for the number one single, in which Victoria sizzled in a PVC catsuit, he said to his then Manchester United teammate Gary Neville: ‘That

one there, that’s the girl I’m going to marry.’

In the touching tribute, the smitten sportsman penned: ‘As someone that has lived with POSH SPICE for the last 23 years I know how emotional today is going to be but I just want to wish all the girls good luck with their amazing tour. There will only ever be one POSH SPICE. - Daily Mail

Former manager of Marvel’s Stan Lee arrested for elder abuse

LOS ANGELES, AFP | Sunday 5/26/2019 - Late Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee’s former manager was arrested in Arizona on Saturday in connection with allegations of elder abuse, fraud, theft and false imprisonment, Los Angeles police said.

Keya Morgan “will go before a judge and eventually (be) extradited to Los Angeles to face charges,” according to a statement released by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Lee, who revolutionized pop culture as the co-creator of iconic superheroes such as Spider-Man and Black Panther, died last November at the age of 95 after suffering multiple illnesses over the years, and had been the victim in an elder abuse investigation that

began in March 2018.

His former attorney, Tom Lallas, last year sought a restraining order against Morgan, claiming that the 43-year-old was a “memorabilia collector who inserted himself into Mr. Lee’s life as his caregiver” and isolated him from his loved ones.

Lallas accused Morgan of exploiting Lee, who he said was exhibiting signs of short-term memory loss and impaired judgment, amid a struggle over the comic-book mogul’s fortune, estimated at over $50 million.

In addition to issuing the restraining order, Los Angeles authorities also arrested Morgan last year for making false calls to 911, alleging that Lee’s life was in danger.

In third was Disney blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame,” taking in an estimated $16.8 million for three days ($21.9 million for four).

“Avengers,” with an all-star cast including Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson and Josh Brolin, has broken domestic records but, with a worldwide take of $2.68 billion, is still shy of the $2.79 billion earned by all-time leader “Avatar” in 2009.

Fourth place went to Warner Bros.’

“Pokemon: Detective Pikachu,” at $13.3 million ($17 million).

L

OS ANGELES, Tue, May 28, 2019, AFP - After receiving an $18 million incentive to film the big-screen adaptation of the “Akira” manga, Warner Bros. has set May 21, 2021, as the US release date for the picture. The live-action movie is expected to start filming by the end of 2019, directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok”).

After being on the cards for years, Hollywood’s live-action version of the “Akira” manga will soon be coming to the big screen. The movie, helmed by Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok” director, Taika Waititi, is slated for US theatrical release May 21, 2021. It will land on the same day as the fourth “John Wick” movie, following the current box office hit “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.”

Back in April, the “Akira” project was awarded an $18 million tax credit from California’s incentives program, on the condition of beginning production within 180 days. Warner Bros. has not yet said exactly when Taika Waititi will start filming, although things should logically get underway by the end of 2019.

Produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, “Akira” has been in the pipeline for more than 15 years. A first more Americanized version, sched-

Lee had been the victim in an elder abuse investigation that began in March 2018 (AFP Photo/Frazer Harrison)

Last week’s box-office leader, Lionsgate’s “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum,” slipped to second, taking in $24.4 million for three days ($30.5 million for four).

Police say he made the calls in order to convince Lee to leave his Hollywood Hills residence and move to a secured condo in Beverly Hills last June so he would be isolated and under Morgan’s control.

Police also accuse Morgan of stealing, including by staging autograph signing sessions worth $262,000 -- money that never made it into Lee’s coffers.

Following last year’s restraining order, Morgan told TMZ that he had “taken great care of Stan Lee for the past many years, and... never had a problem directly with Stan.”

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PRO

New Zealand actor Taika Waititi attends the world premiere of ‘Captain Marvel’ in Hollywood, California, on March 4, 2019. (AFP/Robyn Beck) uled to star Garrett Hedlund, was abandoned in 2012. Taika Waititi is expected to opt for a more faithful adaptation of the original work and will reportedly be casting Asian actors in the movie’s roles.

The manga, written and illustrated

by Katsuhiro Otomo from 1982 to 1990, is set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo. The story notably follows Tetsuo, a teen who discovers he has powerful telekinetic abilities that threaten the world. The only person who seems

able to stop the dangerous, all-powerful teen is his childhood friend and former gang leader, Kaneda.

The manga was made into an anime feature in 1988.

“Thor: Ragnarok” director Taika Waititi’s comedy-drama “Jojo Rabbit,” starring Scarlett Johansson and Rebel Wilson, opens October 18, 2019, in the US. He will also be one of the directors working on “The Mandalorian,” a series set in the “Star Wars” universe.

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Young people’s love of cities isn’t a passing fad

Children better off today than 20 years ago: report NITED NATIONS, United States | AFP | Tuesday 5/28/2019 - A report on the state of the world’s children released Tuesday notes major progress in health, education and safety in dozens of countries over the past

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

by Richard Florida

dren over the past two decades.

Globally, child deaths have dropped and there are 49 million fewer stunted children, with China and India accounting for more than half of the global decline.

Of the eight indicators used by

Y

oung people have been a key factor in the back-to-the-city movement—so much so that one study identified “youthification” as a special kind of gentrification.

But some demographic experts (and the conventional wisdom) predicted that young adults’ fascination with urban living would fade as they settled down, got married, and had children, at which point they, too, would follow their parents and grandparents to the suburbs.

New research suggests that younger Americans’ preference for urban living is real and not wearing off.

Perhaps not. A new peer-reviewed study (the article is forthcoming in the Journal of Regional Science) finds that not only have young people been a driving force in the urban resurgence of the past two decades, but they favor living in central urban neighborhoods significantly more than previous generations did at the same stages in life.

Photo: Shutterstock two decades.

Save the Children said in its global childhood report that conditions had improved in 173 out of 176 countries, with Singapore ranking as the country that best provides for children.

The non-governmental organization estimates that 690 million children are being robbed of their childhood because of sickness, deaths, child marriage, early pregnancy, malnutrition or no schooling, down from 970 million in 2000.

Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Ethiopia were cited as countries that had significantly improved the lives of chil-

Save the Children to measure progress for children, only one was on the rise -- the number of displaced children from conflict.

Some 420 million children live in conflict zones -- more than double the number in 1995.

After Singapore, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Slovenia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, South Korea and Belgium were listed as the top 10 countries where children are the most protected.

The Central African Republic ranked last at 176, just below Niger and Chad.

Malaysian teen took own life after Instagram poll

by Patrick Lee

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UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia | AFP - A Malaysian teenager who posted an Instagram poll asking if she should live or die took her own life after a majority of respondents voted for the latter, sparking calls for an investigation.

The unidentified 16-year-old from Kuching in eastern Sarawak state died after posting the poll Monday on the Facebook-owned picture-sharing platform.

Police have classified the case as “sudden death”.

“Really Important, Help Me Choose D/L,” she wrote, according to a report on the news portal Astro Awani, with the letters “D” and “L” apparently referring to “die” or “live” respectively.

Sixty-nine percent of votes cast were in favour of her ending her life, with just 31 percent against, local media quoted police as saying.

Lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh called for a probe into the circumstances of her death.

“Would the girl still be alive today if the majority of netizens on her Instagram account discouraged her from taking her own life?” he asked.

“I urge the authorities... to investigate the social media accounts of the victim and the circumstances that led to her death to prevent further abuse of social media in similar circumstances in the future.”

- Mental health worries Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq tweeted that he was “genuinely worried” about the state of mental health of young people in Malaysia.

“It’s a national issue which must be taken seriously. A national discussion must take place,” he said.

Ching Yee Wong, head of communications for Instagram APAC, said in a statement: “Our thoughts and prayers are with this young woman’s family.

“We have a deep responsibility to make sure people using Instagram feel safe and supported. As part of our own efforts, we urge everyone to use our reporting tools and to contact emergency services if they see any behaviour that puts people’s safety at risk.”

Instagram announced a clampdown on images of self-harm in February after a British teen who went online to read about suicide took her own life.

The death of 14-year-old Molly Russell sparked a debate in Britain about regulating children’s social media use.

Her parents did not directly blame Instagram for the loss of their daughter but they cited the easy access to disturbing content as a contributing

factor, and urged the network to respond.

Instagram has never allowed posts that promote or encourage suicide or self-harm. It also banned hashtags relating to self-harm.

The study, by Yongsung Lee of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Bumsoo Lee and Md Tanvir Hossain Shubho of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, tracks the net migration of young adults in the top 20 urbanized areas in the United States over the three-decade period spanning 1980 to 2010. The researchers contrast the migration and locational choices of four demographic cohorts: youngest adults, aged 20-24; young adults, aged 25-34; and two cohorts of older adults, aged 35-44 and 45-64.

Using census-tract data, they estimate and analyze the net migration of young adults who were 15 to 24 years old in the beginning year of each decade, and turned 25 to 34 years old in the ending year of each decade. The study looks at a complex of factors that bear on migration at the neighborhood or census-tract level: proximity to the center city, density, access to transit, and consumption amenities, as well as control variables for income, education, occupation, race and ethnicity, and housing stock.

Over the three decades, each passing cohort of young adults became progressively more urban. Young adults aged 25-34 have indeed been key movers in the urban revival. But the shift precedes Millennials; it actually began with Gen Xers back in the 1990s. And the youngest cohort, aged 20-24, is the most urban of all. American adults aged 20 to 34 are much more urban, and much less suburban, than the Baby Boomers.

Photo: Shutterstock Boomers and early Gen Xers showed a much stronger preference for the suburbs. Back in the 1980s, young adults at the time—mainly Boomers—were already heading for the suburbs, echoing the pattern of the Greatest Generation, which moved en masse from the city to the suburbs in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. But young adults in the 1990s were much less likely to move to the suburbs, setting in motion a pattern that grew even more pronounced for young adults in the 2000s. The authors note: It is young adults of age 25-34 that show substantial changes in location choice over time. The net migration pattern of young adults in the 1980s— late Boomers in this period—was not much different from that of two older adult groups. However, the same age group who are early Gen Xers in the 1990s and late Gen Xers plus early Millennials in the 2000s shows much weaker preference for suburban locations than the previous generation.

The factors drawing people to the city differ for various cohorts or generations. The youngest group, those aged 20 to 24, consistently show the strongest preference for amenities.

But the role of amenities (proxied by the density of retail, entertainment, recreation, and food-services employment) in attracting slightly older adults, aged 25 to 34, to urban centers has increased significantly over time.

Amenities did not matter in the 1990s, yet came to matter significantly in the

2000s, the study concludes. However, what matters most for those aged 2534 and 35-44 is access to transit. This is likely because transit matters more for how these groups commute to work.

The urban orientation of young adults has come at differing paces, depending on the type of city. Youthification occurred first in the superstar cities of New York and San Francisco.

Those two were followed by Seattle in the 1990s, and Washington, D.C., and Miami in the early 2000s. It has taken less of a hold in Detroit, Cleveland, and Minneapolis. “The recent urban revival by young population may not be present in all cities and regions,” the authors note, “but is more pronounced in certain types of cities that offer neighborhoods with concentrated urban amenities in the central city.”

The locational preferences of young adults hold large consequences. Millennials—those born between the years 1981 and 2000—make up America’s largest generation, bigger even than the Baby Boomers. Where they choose to live will have a lasting impact on which places grow, which stagnate, and which decline.

Ultimately, this study and others like it suggest that the urban preference of younger adults is no passing fad. It’s a great reset—which can be seen in the skyrocketing housing prices and affordability crises of a growing number of American cities. - CityLab.com

Saving for College: Are 529 Plans Worth It? That’s just one question to ask. But there are some other, more pressing, questions to ask first, including am I making a huge retirement mistake by helping my kid out more than I can afford?

by Eric Roberge, Certified Financial Planner (CFP)

pose of higher education is for your kids.

orried about funding your kid’s college education? Then let’s start with the good news: There are many ways to pay for college, so you have a lot of options.

Are they going for practical purposes? Are they (or you) attracted by the name-brand? What does your student really want to do — and what can they realistically expect to earn as an adult out of school?

But the tricky part is the fact that there are a lot of variables and choices to make in the process. That can make finding the best strategy or choosing the best option out of everything available feel overwhelming.

If you’re taking out massive amounts of loans when that student has no chance of earning significant income, you’re setting everyone up for failure. And keep in mind that a “famous school” does not directly translate to a “good school.”

It’s important to create a realistic plan to achieve your specific college funding goals. Here’s what to keep in mind as you think through this major planning challenge.

With college costs growing so fast, you and your kids need to be intentional about choosing the school for them. You need to look at the tangible benefits of attending the school and graduating with a particular degree … and not just be dazzled by the prestige of certain universities. (To get some ideas of colleges that might be worth the money, see Kiplinger’s Best College Values, 2018.)

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In other words, do you feel like you should be paying the entire cost of college for your kids? Do you feel like you’re not obligated to pay any of it, and they need to make it on their own?

As with most things, the majority of my clients fall somewhere in the middle. They want to do what they can (and some parents want to do more than what they can reasonably afford — and we’ll get to that in a minute if you’re feeling this way, too).

If you feel comfortable footing 50% of the bill for your student, we need to know whether that’s 50% of the bill to an in-state school that might cost $30,000 per year … or 50% of the bill to a school like NYU, which could run $70,000 or more per year.

Obviously, those are two very different things — and there may be even more variables to consider, depending on your family and what your children want to do.

Deciding on the type of school is an important part of this, and you need to get clear on what the pur-

If you think it’s ridiculous to buy a high-end sports car just to show off to everyone else, keep in mind that going to a school just for its name can be just another form of status symbol.

The Specific Variables to Consider (and Adjust) When Saving for College When it comes to actually figuring how much to save for college, how to do it, and where to put that cash between now and when your kids go to school, you must know the details of a number of variables to create a plan: Annual cost of college Expected inflation rate of college tuition The year college starts Balance of current savings Amount of additional monthly contributions Targeted rate of return on money saved

A financial planner can help you run projections that use these variables to come up with a very specific amount of money you need to save per year or per month in order to meet your college savings goals.

Getting the answer to “how much should I be saving for college?” is helpful and can give you peace of mind… but most people aren’t saving for college in a vacuum. In real life, we have competing priorities — which is another reason to work with a financial planner on this issue. Their perspective can help you figure out how to deal with all these competing priorities, the biggest of which might be your own retirement.

The biggest mistake I see my own clients make is their desire to do everything they can to give their kids a full ride to the university of their choice — regardless of the cost and the reality that they have more than just that college savings goal to fund.

I can’t stress this enough: DO NOT bankrupt your retirement savings to pay for college. DO NOT sacrifice your own financial security for the sake of paying for college for your kids.

Why? Aren’t your kids the most important thing in a parent’s life? You could argue that, but I’d like to remind you there are lots of ways to fund college. You can pay for tuition and other college costs with: Savings or ongoing cash flow Loans (within reason) Scholarships and grants Other financial aid Your family also has control over a number of variables in the situation, including your student’s ability to attend a cheaper school, stay in-state versus out, choose public instead of private, or work part-time to help cover their expenses.

You have options for college funding. There is only one way to fund

your future retirement, and that’s you and your ability to save and invest for it today. There is no Plan B, so you must prioritize funding your own life after work. If you’re not on track with your own savings, you need to focus there first and figure out if and when you can help out with college later.

Once you determine how much you feel comfortable and able to put toward a child’s college education, the next question is where do you put that money?

If you’re starting when your kids are young, you may have 10 or more years between now and when you need to use the funds — and that means you should consider investing that cash instead of letting it sit in a savings account earning little to no interest.

With a time horizon that could stretch over a decade or more, investing can help you take advantage of compounding returns and put your money to work (so you don’t have to save the entire cost of college, dollar for dollar, on your own).

Many people saving for college choose 529 plans as their investment vehicles, and that’s for good reason. 529 plans offer tax advantages that can help you allocate even more dollars to education expenses.

The Downsides of the 529 Plan Before you start stuffing cash into a 529 plan, know that it might be wise to only invest money that you know will go toward qualified education expenses.

Again, there are tax benefits to using 529s. If you invest $10,000 and it grows to $20,000, for example, that growth is tax-free, so you don’t pay dividends or capital gains taxes like you would on growth in a regular brokerage account.

- Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

VOICE OF ASIA 15

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

May is Older Americans Month

May is American Stroke Awareness Month

Section 2 Tel: 713-774-5140

New 3D technology helps Houston Methodist Sugar Land doctors identify early-stage lung tumors

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UGAR LAND— (May 28, 2019) — Doctors at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital are using innovative 3D mapping technology to identify lung tumors at their earliest stages, increasing the ability to successfully treat the disease.

move the bronchoscope and associated tools through the lung.

Since it can be used for screening, biopsy and tumor location marking can be done in a single procedure, reducing the need for multiple hospital visits and lower patient risks.

The new navigation system, uses electromagnetic sensors – placed on a patient’s chest throughout a regular CT scan — and proprietary software to navigate the bronchoscope through the lungs, even incorporating the patient’s breathing patterns.

The result is an exceptionally detailed pathway to potential lesions.

“In the past, lung cancer often went undetected until it was significantly advanced and difficult to treat,” said Suneesh Nair, M.D., board-certified pulmonologist at Houston Methodist Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine Specialists. “The new navigation system is a major step forward, enabling us to identify, locate and biopsy tumors at their earliest stage.

“Because of the complexity of the bronchial system and movements related to breathing in and out, navigation with a bronchoscope can be a challenge,” said Priya Oolut, M.D., board-certified pulmonologist with Houston Methodist Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine Specialists.

“The navigation system gives us a detailed, 3D roadmap that is in synch with the patient’s breathing movements and even calculates the shortest path to a lesion. This makes it easier to identify and reach potential tumors for biopsy or removal, even the smallest nodules at the periphery of the lungs.”

The SPiN Thoracic Navigation System™, by medical manufacturer Veran Medical also includes sensortipped instruments that give doctors precise location information as they

Medicare Advantage and Part D Drug Pricing Transparency Rule

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he Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule on May 16, 2019 that modernizes and improves the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs. These changes will ensure that patients have greater transparency into the cost of prescription drugs in Part D and will also enable Medicare Advantage plans to negotiate better prices for physician-administered medicines in Part C.

Current Part D policy requires sponsors to include on their formularies all drugs in six categories or classes: 1) antidepressants; 2) antipsychotics; 3) anticonvulsants; 4) immunosuppressants for treatment of transplant rejection; 5) antiretrovirals; and 6) antineoplastics; except in limited circumstances. Under current policy, Part D sponsors (insurance companies) are only permitted to impose prior authorization and step therapy requirements for beneficiaries initiating therapy (i.e., new starts) for 5 of the 6 protected classes, with no prior authorization or step therapy allowed for antiretrovirals. The final regulatory provision codifies this existing policy, which has been in effect since 2006.

Studies show that when lung cancer is found early, the 10-year survival rate is higher than 90%, significantly better than at later stages when the cancer has likely spread. At Houston Methodist Sugar Land, the navigation system is a critical tool in our efforts to screen and diagnose high-risk patients earlier than ever before.”

For more information on this 3D mapping technology, call our oncology nurse navigator at 281.672.8585 or to schedule an appointment with Houston Methodist Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine Specialists call 281.325.0005.

To learn more about Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit houstonmethodist.org/sugarland or

Photo caption: SPiN Thoracic Navigation System™ our Facebook page at fb.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.

Landmark US opioid trial begins in Oklahoma

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This undated handout file photo obtained courtesy of the US Drug Enforcement Administration shows 20 mg pills of the opioid painkiller OxyContin US Drug Enforcement Administration/AFP/File

HICAGO | AFP | Tuesday 5/28/2019 - The first civil trial that could end up holding a drug company responsible for the US opioid epidemic began Tuesday in Oklahoma, in a landmark case that might impact thousands of others like it.

The bench trial pits the state of Oklahoma against Johnson & Johnson. Two other drug companies named in the lawsuit settled ahead of the trial.

Oklahoma has accused the three drug makers of deceptively marketing addictive opioid painkillers, hyping their effectiveness and downplaying the risks of addiction.

The lawsuit is the first of many of its kind to go to trial, and seen as an important test of whether drug companies can be held accountable in court for an addiction epidemic that has killed tens of thousands of Americans.

Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter in opening statements accused Johnson & Johnson of being motivated by greed in embarking on “a cynical, deceitful multimillion-dollar brainwashing campaign” to sell opioids as a “magic drug.”

“It’s time to hold them responsible

for their actions,” Hunter told the presiding judge, who will decide the case in lieu of a jury.

In the Oklahoma lawsuit, Israeli pharmaceutical giant Teva on Sunday settled the case for $85 million.

Johnson & Johnson has denied the charges levied by the state and its attorneys were scheduled to make opening statements later in the afternoon.

Purdue Pharma, maker of the opioid painkiller OxyContin -- a key driver of the crisis -- reached a $270 million settlement with the state in March.

There are some 2,000 lawsuits brought by states, cities and Native American territories across the country, all seeking compensation from makers of the highly addictive prescription painkillers.

Overdoses from prescription painkillers and heroin exploded over the last 20 years, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The lawsuits are being compared to the 1998 cases against Big Tobacco, which ended in a 46-state overarching settlement estimated at $250 billion in annual payments over the first 25 years of it being in force.

Almost 400,000 people have died from an overdose involving prescription or illicit opioids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CMS did not finalize the proposed exceptions that would have allowed Part D sponsors to: 1) exclude a protected class drug from a formulary if the price of the drug increased beyond a certain threshold over a specified look-back period, or 2) exclude a protected class drug from a formulary if the drug represents only a new formulation of an existing single-source drug or biological product, regardless of whether the older formulation remains on the market.

E-Prescribing and the Part D Prescription Drug Program In order to accelerate the use of electronic Real Time Benefit Tools (RTBT) in the Part D program, CMS is requiring that each Part D plan adopt one or more RTBTs that are capable of integrating with at least one prescriber’s e-Prescribing system or electronic health record (EHR), no later than January 1, 2021. RTBTs have the capability to inform prescribers when lower-cost alternative therapies are available under the beneficiary’s prescription drug benefit, which can improve medication adherence, lower prescription drug costs, and minimize beneficiary out-of-pocket costs.

Medicare Advantage and Step Therapy for Part B Drugs CMS is finalizing regulations similar to the policy implemented for 2019, under which MA plans could implement step therapy for Part B drugs as a recognized utilization management tool. We believe that use of step therapy as a utilization management tool will better

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900 enable MA organizations to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries pay less overall or per unit for Part B drugs.

The Part B step therapy regulations include a number of safeguards that protect beneficiaries and ensures timely access to medically necessary Part B drugs. Under the policy being finalized, step therapy may only apply to new starts of medication, must be reviewed and approved by the plan’s pharmacy and therapeutics committee, and when patients request coverage of or appeal a denial of a Part B drug, a plan’s decision-making timeframe will be shorter and mirror current Part D rules.

Part D Explanation of Benefits Effective January 1, 2021, CMS will require the Part D Explanation of Benefits that Part D plans send members to include drug price increases and lower cost therapeutic alternatives. This information will inform Medicare beneficiaries about possible ways to lower their out of pocket costs by considering a lower cost medication.

Prohibition Against Gag Clauses in Pharmacy Contracts This provision implements the statutory requirement that restricts Part D sponsors from prohibiting or penalizing a pharmacy from disclosing a lower cash price to an enrollee. This provision supports the President’s initiative to help lower out-of-pocket costs of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries by helping inform them about lower cost alternatives.

Source: CMS

To choose right Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Supplement Plan and Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Sudhir Mathuria at 713771-2900.

Pop icon Prince and rocker Tom Petty were among the high-profile victims of the epidemic.

Life with MS disease seen through a computer

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ADRID, Spain | AFP | 5/29/2019 Think of the frustration when your computer slows down, watching the little wheel spin round and round, or when your mouse suddenly gets a life of its own and starts jumping around.

Now replace the computer with your body and you get an idea of what it’s like to live with multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurodegenerative disease that can cause slower speech, difficulty in thinking, spasms, and other symptoms.

To raise awareness of this incurable disease, which affects more than two million people worldwide, the Spanish Association for Multiple Sclerosis has made a special kind of computer that recreates the symptoms via equivalent IT glitches.

A person can be using the computer completely normally, and all of a sudden an

error in the operating system appears.

The cursor slowing down and falling down the screen, for instance, is representative of fatigue.

The screen might go completely dark, which would refer to sight loss. And so on.

The computer is designed to echo the daily life of a patient affected by the autoimmune disease that attacks myelin, the fatty substance that surrounds and insulates the nerve, impeding electric signals from travelling to and from the brain.

“My cables are breaking down just like the computer,” says Gerardo Garcia, president of the association who was diagnosed with MS in 1985 and is now in a wheelchair.

He, like many other patients, suffers from “chronic fatigue,” he said Wednesday ahead of World MS Day on May 30.

“If you make the necessary

changes in the (computer’s) operating system to make it slow down, you’re making a pretty good comparison with how your body is working.”

There is treatment available to slow progression of MS, often called “the disease of 1,000 faces” due to the diverse number of symptoms.

But Celia Oreja-Guevara, head of the neurology department at Madrid’s San Carlos Hospital, said that people don’t always know that the disease isn’t immediately fatal.

“What is that, am I going to die?,” she said a patient asked her just last week when diagnosed.

The association wants to take the computer to schools and hospitals to raise general awareness of the illness and possibly auction it off.

With the funds, more computers could be created to raise more awareness, it says.

DIET & EXERCISE

VOICE OF ASIA 16

What is the F-Factor Diet?

Here’s everything you need to know

Mother, daughter sue France over ill health from air pollution

by Tiphaine Le Liboux

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OBIGNY, France | AFP | Tuesday 5/28/2019 - A Paris court on Tuesday began hearing a case brought by a mother and daughter who, in a legal first in France, are suing the state for damages over ill health caused by air pollution.

The mother and the daughter are asking for 160,000 euros ($179,000) in damages from the state at the administrative court of Montreuil in the east of Paris.

They argue the authorities did not take effective measures against atmospheric pollution, in particular during the very high pollution that Paris endured in December 2016.

The pair say this had an effect on their health, especially as they were living at the time in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Ouen, just outside the clogged peripherique ring road.

The peripherique -- opened in 1973 -- takes 1.1 million drivers a day but is also a nightmare for the 100,000 people living around it.

Both say they developed respiratory problems that were accentuated during pollution peaks. The mother, 52, has had to take time off work and the daughter, 16, suffered asthma crises.

They have since moved to the city of Orleans on doctors’ advice and their health has improved considerably, says lawyer Francois Lafforgue.

Their legal team argues that French authorities failed to implement rules to better protect the population, did not use all the measures at their disposal and did not properly enforce measures when agreed.

In total, around 50 people across France are taking similar actions against the French state, said Sebas-

tien Vray, the founder of the NGO Respire, which assists the cases of the plaintiffs.

He said the fact the case has come to court is already a victory. “When I founded Respire eight years ago I had the aim that one day there would be a legal link between pollution heights and an individual’s illness.”

Both Vray and Lafforgue said this is the first time such a case has reached a court in France.

In France, air pollution is responsible for 48,000 premature deaths every year, according to the Public Health France agency.

In December 2016, Paris was smothered in its worst winter pollution in a decade, with authorities ordering odd and even number plate cars off the roads on alternate days.

It was only the fourth time such a measure had been taken following severe pollution episodes in 1997, 2014 and 2015.

As pollution climbs up the political agenda ahead of 2020 municipal elections, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is looking at proposals to limit pollution on the peripherique, including cutting the speed limit to 50 kilometres per hour (30 mph).

Three other similar cases are due to be looked at by the Paris administrative court in June, according to Lafforgue.

It’ll make you reconsider going keto.

by Sarah Weinbern

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ll it takes for a diet to blow up is a few celebrities to start buzzing about it.

That’s exactly what happened with the F-Factor diet after Megyn Kelly, Katie Couric, and Olivia Culpo raved about it. The diet first started getting buzz back in 2006 after dietitian and F-Factor founder Tanya Zuckerbrot published the book, The F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss.

Since then, plenty of people have jumped onto the F-Factor train.

Maybe you’ve heard of it, maybe you haven’t. If you’re at all fuzzy on the details, we’ve got answers to your questions: What’s this all about again? And how does the whole thing actually work?

Here’s everything you need to know.

What is the F-Factor diet?

The diet is based on four principles that sound pretty great: Eat carbs, dine out, drink alcohol, work out less.

Of course, it’s a little more nuanced than that. The diet specifically focuses on combining lean proteins with high-fiber carbohydrates that are low in calories and keep you feeling full.

In May 2018, the European Commission took France and five other countries to the European Court of Justice for failing to apply longsought steps to improve air quality.

The diet was founded by registered dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot, who has been in private practice in NYC for more than 20 years.

In France’s case the move came after 12 years of warnings over fine particles as well as nitrogen dioxide levels, which in some cities were more than double EU limits.

The “F” in F-Factor stands for “fiber,” and the diet is big on that. It recommends that women have at least 35 grams of fiber a day and that men have 38 or more grams of the stuff daily.

‘Burn-out’ is an ‘occupational phenomenon’ not disease

How does it work?

Fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate, and “one of the most important dietary components associated with good health,” says Sonya Angelone, RD, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “For over 40 years, research studies have consistently shown that dietary fiber is associated with healthier cholesterol and blood sugar levels, is associ-

Photo: Instagram/f_factor ated with less constipation and better bowel function, less colon cancer, and helps with weight management,” Angelone says.

Fiber also helps fill you up and stay satisfied, so eating plenty of it can help reduce hunger pangs many people experience on other diets, says New York-based registered dietitian Jessica Cording.

Meals include things like chicken cacciatore, zucchini parmesan waffles, and creamy mushroom asparagus risotto.

Is it healthy?

It definitely has the potential to be healthy if you approach it right. “This diet is most likely healthy if whole minimally processed foods are chosen,” she says. “The benefit comes from eating whole foods.” Cording agrees. Because the diet isn’t restrictive, it makes it more likely that people will stick with it. “Many people find it appealing that they can still enjoy carbohydrates and alcohol,” she says.

Why can it help me lose weight?

er additions, including classification of “compulsive sexual behaviour” as a mental disorder, although it stops short of lumping the condition together with addictive behaviours.

It does however for the first time recognise video gaming as an addiction, listing it alongside gambling and drugs like cocaine.

WHO has now defined burn-out as “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”.

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The updated list removes transgenderism from its list of mental disorders, listing it instead under the chapter on “conditions related to sexual health”.

“Because this diet combines lean proteins with fiber—two nutrients that help you stay full—eating this way can help stave off those feelings of hunger that tend to creep up when someone is on a weight loss diet,” Cording says. And, on a mental level, following a diet that emphasizes adding more fiber instead of restricting what you eat “can help avoid putting forbidden foods on a pedestal that leads to fixation on those foods,” she says.

High fiber foods also tend to be pretty healthy, and filling up on healthy foods can lead to weight loss. “High fiber foods are usu-

World’s rivers loaded with antibiotics waste: study

ENEVA, Switzerland | AFP | Tuesday 5/28/2019 - The World Health Organization said Tuesday that “burn-out” remains an “occupational phenomenon” that could lead someone to seek care but it is not considered a medical condition.

The ICD-11, which is to take effect in January 2022, contains several oth-

Zuckerbrot also sells things on her website like F-Factor protein powder and protein bars, if you want to kick things up a notch. And, if you’re willing to shell out a little more money, you can make an appointment with Zuckerbrot or one of her fellow FFactor dietitians to get one-on-one coaching.

Do dietitians have any concerns about this?

Since the F-Factor diet is a high fiber diet, Cording just recommends stepping up your fiber intake gradually “to avoid digestive discomfort like gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.” It’s also a good idea to drink lots of water to keep things moving through your GI tract, she says.

The diet also doesn’t address portion and appetite control. “Some people are overweight because they eat even when full,” Angelone says.

“They may not have hunger hormones that regulate appetite properly, they may eat mindlessly, and they may eat for emotional reasons.

Just eating more fiber, which fills the stomach a bit more, may not be the answer for everyone’s weight issues.”

- Delish.com

have saved tens of millions of lives from pneumonia, tuberculosis, meningitis and a host of deadly bacteria.

Overuse and misuse of the drugs are thought to be the main causes of antimicrobial resistance.

Safety limits were most frequently exceeded in Asia and Africa, but samples from Europe and the Americas showed that the problem is global in scope.

The countries with the highest levels of antibiotic river pollution were Bangladesh, Kenya, Ghana, Pakistan and Nigeria.

Within Europe, one site in Austria had the biggest concentrations anywhere on the continent.

“The definition has been modified based on existing research,” a WHO spokesperson said in an email.

The updated ICD list was drafted last year following recommendations from health experts around the world.

There are a few different ways you can approach the diet. Plenty of people buy Zuckerbrot’s book and take it from there. There are lots of recipes on the F-Factor Diet’s website that you can use for inspiration, and Pinterest is packed with them, too.

Boxall and his team looked for 14 common antibiotics across six continents.

While burn-out was listed in the previous version, the ICD-10, its definition has been changed in the latest edition of the text.

“Burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life,” according to the definition.

What can I eat?

But the growing presence of antibiotics in the environment may be a key factor too, the new research suggests.

The World Health Assembly, WHO’s main annual meeting which wraps up on Tuesday, approved at the weekend the latest catalogue of diseases and injuries, collectively known as the ICD-11.

It said the syndrome was characterised by: “1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and 3) reduced professional efficacy.”

ally vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes,” Angelone points out.

“Foods with fiber are plants (since fiber gives plants structure) and have fewer calories per volume that fats and proteins.”

- Thames to Tigris -

The clarification came a day after the WHO mistakenly said it had listed burn-out in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD) for the first time.

WHO has now defined burn-out as “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”.

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

Frozen water samples were collected from the Danube, Mekong, Seine, Thames, Tigris, Chao Phraya and dozens of other rivers.

Rivers worldwide are polluted with antibiotics that exceed environmental safety thresholds by up to 300 times. (AFP Photo)

by Marlowe Hood

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ARIS, France | AFP | Monday 5/27/2019 - Rivers worldwide are polluted with antibiotics that exceed environmental safety thresholds by up to 300 times, according to research unveiled at a conference Monday.

Scientists found one or more common antibiotics in two-thirds of 711 samples taken from rivers in 72 countries, they told a meeting of environmental toxicologists in Helsinki.

In dozens of locations, concentrations of the drugs -- used to fight off bacterial infection in people and live-

stock -- exceeded safety levels set by the AMR Industry Alliance, a grouping of more than 100 biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Ciprofloxacin, a frontline treatment for intestinal and urinary tract infections, surpassed the industry threshold at 51 of the sites tested.

At one location in Bangladesh, concentrations of another widely used antibiotic, metronidazole, were 300 times above the limit, the researchers said.

“The results are quite eye opening and worrying, demonstrating the widespread contamination of river

systems around the world with antibiotic compounds,” Alistair Boxall, a scientist at the York environmental Sustainability Institute, said in a statement.

The widespread presence of antibiotics not only impacts wildlife, but likely contributes to the problem of antimicrobial resistance.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the world is running out of antibiotics that still work, and has called on industry and governments to urgently develop a new generation of drugs.

Discovered in the 1920s, antibiotics

“Until now, the majority of environmental monitoring work for antibiotics has been done in Europe, North America and China,” said co-author John Wilkinson, also from the University of York, where the samples were examined.

“Our study helps fill this knowledge gap with data from countries that had never been monitored before.”

River systems around world are coursing with over-the-counter and prescription drugs of all kinds, according to another study from last year.

On current trends, it estimated, the amount of pharmaceutical effluence leaching into waterways could increase by two-thirds before midcentury.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

VOICE OF ASIA 17

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

In Houston, tech and health are cures for the oil ‘curse’ - Going high tech -

by Ali Bekhtaoui

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Station Houston, a 25,000-squarefoot (2,300-square-meter) startup hub that opened downtown three years ago, has become a symbol of this renewal.

OUSTON, Texas | AFP | Tuesday 5/27/2019 - In the heart of Texas oil country, the city of Houston rode high on the oil boom, but then fell hard when the bottom dropped out of crude prices.

Inside, the leaders of 180 budding enterprises gather and receive advice from mentors or talk to investors. The offices are draped in garish colors, feature open-plan workspaces and sit in the middle of the “innovation district,” a neighborhood embodying local authorities’ hopes for the new economy.

But bit by bit America’s fourthlargest city is weaning itself off its dependence on oil, betting instead on industries like healthcare and tech, even though black gold is never far from view in the birthplace of the American petroleum industry.

“Our mission is to transform Houston into a world-leading technology and innovation capital,” said Payal Patel, head of business development at Station Houston.

In the southern part of town, the Texas Medical Center covers two square miles (more than five square kilometers), with glass towers stacked between multiple medical schools, a children’s hospital and a trauma center.

This is far from a done deal, however. Houston, and the other two big cities in Texas -- Austin and Dallas -are far behind major US metropolitan areas, such as San Francisco and New York, in attracting startup capital.

About 10 million patients a year seek specialist treatment at the center, where 110,000 people work, making it Houston’s biggest employer.

And TMC’s rapid expansion has helped to make the health sector the biggest job creator in the state as well, employing more than 11 percent of workers in Texas, compared to only 8.6 percent in energy.

Oil infrastructure in the Port of Houston serves as a reminder of the industry’s importance to the local economy (AFP Photos: Loren Elliott)

Patrick Jankowski, vice president of the Greater Houston Partnership, told AFP the city had “no choice” but to bank on other industries.

And despite its shiny new electronics and modern image, Station Houston is still tied to the old ways: 40 percent of its startups linked to the energy business and oil titan Exxon Mobil supported the creation of the center.

Nevertheless, “Houston has moved away from the oil curse,” said Andy

“To provide jobs for people here, we had to grow healthcare, life sciences, tech,” he said, noting that just 30 years ago, eight in 10 jobs in the city depended on the hydrocarbon industry.

- Blessing or curse The state has always had an embarrassment of oil riches. With 30 million Texans, the state is the second most populous after California and home to the largest oil reserves of the world’s biggest petroleum producer.

But this underground blessing has at times been a “curse.” As many developing countries have experienced, the abundance of one commodity often discourages investment in other industries and linking their fate to a single industry.

The last oil slump was in 2014, when prices for benchmark crude sunk from $107 to $44 in just six months, causing painful layoffs.

The damage was widespread.

“We had to shift. It was not lucrative to work in an industry where there were too many people looking for

The annual CERAweek conference gathers thousands of energy industry professionals from around the world in Houston.

Founded three years ago, Station Houston is home to nearly 200 Texas startups (AFP Photo)

work,” said AJ Mahmoud of the recruiting firm Michael Page.

The company now focuses on construction and real estate.

cent in the second quarter of 2014.

Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates.

Just a few years ago, the energy sector accounted for 95 percent of the positions the company filled in Texas, compared to just five percent globally.

At the same time, energy accounts for a shrinking share of the state economy, slipping to just 8.5 percent in the final quarter of last year from 13.4 per-

And while Silicon Valley is more than 1,500 miles away, greater Houston and its population of about seven million have made a striking foray into the tech sector.

“We have diversified so much over the years. If oil hits $30 again, the Houston economy will be impacted but not as it could have been in the ‘80s and ‘90s.”

Nokia women and some men will get a pay hike to close gender gap

by Niclas Rolander

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ome female Nokia Oyj employees will get a raise this summer, part of the company’s effort to close its gender pay gap.

The Finnish network-equipment vendor will allocate a special budget to eliminate salary differences between men and women who do the same jobs.

A recent pay audit by Mercer found a pay gap at Nokia that could only be explained by the gender of the employee. Most of the underpaid workers are women, but a few men will get raises, too.

“It showed a small but statistically significant unexplained pay gap between men and women,” Chief Executive Officer Rajeev Suri said. “We’re doing this because it doesn’t fit with our values to have a pay gap like this.”

Nokia, which has more than 100,000 employees worldwide, joins a growing number of companies and governments focused on the discrepancies in wages paid to men and women doing the same jobs. The U.K. now requires all companies with more than 250 employees to disclose their gender pay gaps; among its U.K. workforce, Nokia reported a median gender pay gap of 21.1%.

That’s mostly because men hold more higher-paying jobs at the company, but Mercer also found some of Nokia’s female employees weren’t getting paid equally with their male peers, either.

Salesforce.com Inc. is the best-known example of the approach that Nokia’s now taking. In 2015, the San Francisco-based software company spent $3 million to eliminate its gender pay gap. It’s also found that even after spending money to close the gap, a new one

emerges every year. It spent another $3 million to close salary gaps in 2017, as new disparities were uncovered.

Nokia says it will spend more than Salesforce did -- its workforce is triple the size -- but wouldn’t say how much in total. Chief Marketing Officer Barry French called the amount “meaningful,” but “not material.” Nokia had revenues totaling 22.6 billion euros ($25.3 billion) last year.

French said the pay gaps they found were mostly small, but “pretty widespread” with a higher likelihood of appearing among engineering and R&D staff.

“I was sitting in the meeting when Rajeev saw the data and said we have to fix this,” French said. “So we did. It’s a values thing.”

-BLOOMBERG

Virus-packed laptop sells as artwork for over $1.3 million

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ASHINGTON | AFP | 5/28/2019 For Chinese artist Guo O Dong, the simple black Samsung laptop computer, loaded with six potent viruses, symbolizes one of the world’s most frightening threats.

On Tuesday his creation “The Persistence of Chaos” rocked the art world, selling for more than $1.3 million in a New York online auction.

There’s nothing special about the 2008 10-inch Netbook, running Microsoft’s now-outdated Windows XP. But loaded onto its memory chips are the computing world’s equivalents of the most deadly infectious diseases: “I LOVE YOU” from 2000, “Sobig” of 2003, “MyDoom” (2004), “DarkTequila” (2013), “BlackEnergy” (2015), and the most notorious of all, the “WannaCry” ransomware from two years ago.

It is a powerful symbol of the threat on simple laptop can pose to the entire world. The six trojans, worms and malware loaded on it have caused at least $95 billion in damage

around the world, according to Guo. Guo is an internet artist “whose work critiques modern day extremely online culture,” the auction site, organized by cybersecurity group Deep Instinct, said.

The computer, viewed via an online video stream, is harmless in its auction state -- turned on, but not connected to any network or the internet.

Four apps to assist you on your Id-ul-Fitri homecoming journey

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he Idul Fitri holiday is looming and those gearing up to go their hometown may want to consider technology assistance.

Here are four essential apps to make your journey easier as compiled by tempo.co: Google Maps The app that has been downloaded over 1 billion times from Google Play has proven to be one of the most reliable apps to have on your phone. Its simple and easy-to-use interface will help users navigate the routes, check possible traffic jams and amenities along the routes.

Google Maps is also equipped with Google Assistant, which enables users to navigate without having to look at the map and only having to listen to the guidance via the smartphone’s speaker.

Waze Similar to Google Maps, this app is already popular among city commuters. It comes with route choices, estimated time of arrival and a virtual assistant that serves as a guide to your destination.

Aside from traffic jam in-

formation, Waze also informs its users about road accidents, weather conditions, roadworks and police raids.

Info Mudik 2019 Made by thelastprojectdroid, Info Mudik 2019 offers information related to mudik (exodus) for those traveling by personal vehicle and also public transportation. For those taking their own vehicles, traffic conditions and reports are gathered from NTMC Lantas POLRI. Information regarding e-toll tariffs is also available, along with important phone numbers for emergency situations.

Those traveling by public transportation can find updated info regarding airplane, train, ship and bus ticket prices.

JMCARe Created by PT Jasa Marga, the JMCARe app gives info for those traveling on toll roads. Its push notifications and Smart Assistance are able to offer the fastest route alternatives for users, towing services on toll roads and vehicle technical services for those in need. JMCARe can be downloaded for free from Google Play and the App Store.

-The Jakarta Post

The auction site says it is “airgapped” -- its wireless and internet connections physically and electronically plugged.

Apple unveils first new iPod model in four years

But it comes with ominous warning to the buyer not to unleash its pathogenic programs -- possible by unplugging its connection hardware, or by simply inserting a thumb drive.

AN FRANCISCO | AFP | 5/28/2019 - In fifth para, please read it xxx 2001 xxx (sted 2007).

Here is a corrected repetition

The site stresses that the artwork is for research use only, saying that anyone who submitted a bid contractually agreed that they “have no intention of disseminating any malware.”

At the same time, the site appeared to acknowledge that the buyer might not heed the agreement.

S

Apple on Tuesday introduced its first new iPod model in four years, highlighting music and games as it continued to make a priority of serving up digital content.

The new-generation iPod touch, essentially an iPhone without the phone calls, was available in more than two

dozen countries at Apple’s online shop starting at $199.

“We’re making the most affordable iOS device even better with performance that is twice as fast as before, Group FaceTime and augmented reality,” said Apple vice president of product marketing Greg Joswiak.

“The ultra-thin and lightweight design of iPod touch has always made it ideal for enjoying games, music and so much more wherever you go.”

The iPod touch evolved from the original iPod digital music player first launched

by Apple in 2001.

The iPod touch became popular with people, particularly parents of internet-coveting children, who wanted mobile devices for getting online without the cost of telecommunications services.

The mobile devices can connect to the internet using Wi-Fi hotspots.

TRAVEL & LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

Storytelling, games make Iraq comeback on Ramadan nights

Traditional storyteller Abdel Wahed Ismail (on stage), entertains an audience in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul (Photo: AFP)

by Raad al-Jammas with Shwan Nawzad in Kirkuk

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OSUL, Iraq | AFP |

“Once upon a time” tales and folksy games from the pretelevision days are making a comeback in Iraq during the long nights of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Traditional storyteller Abdel Wahed Ismail, a red fez atop his head, yellow scarf draped over his shoulders, in a black gallabia gown, captivates audiences in the northern metropolis of Mosul.

As in other Muslim countries, the annual month of dawn-todusk fasting is a time for evening gatherings in restaurants, coffee shops or homes of family and friends across Iraq.

While many spend the night in prayer at mosques between an evening feast and pre-dawn snacks, others take part in games that in Iraq are reserved for Ramadan-time.

Up until one or two generations ago, Ramadan nights were the preserve of the hakawati, or Arab storytellers, regaling audiences with fables as well as local news and historical stories.

Mosul, now a city of almost two million people, has for centuries been a commercial and intellectual hub of the Middle East.

With the arrival of television and radio in the 1960s, the hakawati vanished from the coffee shops and restaurants where families and friends gathered.

Two years after Mosul -- a city gripped by violence following the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein -- was freed from the stranglehold of the Islamic State jihadist group, Ismail has been leading a revival.

The 70-year-old actor and local celebrity takes his seat each night on a white wooden bench on a platform to tell tales in the unmistakable Moslawi dialect.

“I’ve lived through so many different times, so I try to pass on stories of good things to young people,” said Ismail, who witnessed the bloody overthrow of Iraq’s monarchy as well as a succession of coups and wars.

While tales such as the chivalrous epic “Antar and Abla” put smiles on the faces of older members of the audience as they reminisce, Ismail slips in references to hip online games such as PUBG for the younger ones.

- Tray and ring games In the oil city of Kirkuk, halfway between Baghdad and Mosul in northern Iraq, the game of “Sini wa Zarf” (the tray and the envelope, in Kurdish) has hundreds of Ramadan-time

aficionados among its rival Kurdish, Turkmen and Arab communities.

“It’s also known as the game of the communities because it really brings together all the communities,” said Shano Askar, a Kurd in his 30s, absorbed in an encounter.

Around the city’s citadel and across its historic districts, outdoor coffee and tea shops are packed with enthusiasts, their eyes glued on the metal trays and 11 upturned small gold cups used for the game.

A die is hidden under one of the cups and the players have to work out which one.

Another competition in which players must find a hidden object -- “mheibess” (rings) -- is extremely popular in Baghdad.

A player discreetly slips a ring to a member of his team, and their adversaries have to figure out who, reading their body language and facial expressions.

Such games form part of a wider social phenomenon as Ramadan nights turn once again, often for the first time since the 2013 invasion, into social events rather than a time to be hunkered down at home.

They also serve to show that “technological progress has not got the better of the good things of the past”, said Iraqi sociologist Saad Ahmed.

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

Bananas, peanuts mark Gorontalo’s unique Ramadan tradition

Panoramic view of Gorontalo’s landscape. (Photo: JP/Irene Barlian)

by Defri Sofyan

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ORONTALO, May 22, 2019 - From the 16th night to the end of Ramadan, it is not uncommon to see Muslims in Payungo village in Gorontalo reciting qunut [non-obligatory prayer] while snacking on bananas and peanuts in a ritual known as the qunut evening (malam qunut).

People across Gorontalo can be found making their way from their hometowns to celebrate the qunut evening in Batudaa field with Payungo residents.

Banana and peanut sellers can be seen offering their products to visitors. Prices vary, from Rp 10,000 (less than US$1) to Rp 20,000 for bananas and Rp 15,000 for a kilogram of peanuts.

Husain Ismail, one of the sellers from Payungo village, said he had sold bananas and peanuts for the qunutevening

since 1987.

“I don’t think about the profits, I’m only here to join the festivity,” the 64-yearold man said.

Aside from the aforementioned foods, people can also enjoy traditional dishes such asnasi bulu (steamed rice with coconut milk cooked inside bamboo) and chicken skewers. There is also a children’s playground and tents for raffles.

Sakinah Marukay, a 26-year-old from West Limboto, said she always attended the qunut evening celebration every year.

ed since 1901. During that time, people from around the island came to the village to celebrate the qunut evening.

Before praying, they perform ablution in the mosque’s well. They then purchase bananas and peanuts to eat after praying.

“There were only two sellers at that time, Koro and Sede. When I was a child, I often heard the phrase ‘kaca li Koro’ [Koro’s peanuts],” he said.

Bananas and peanuts are popular snacks among people living in Gorontalo.

“I didn’t come here to eat peanuts and bananas. I can do that at home. I came here because I want to join the festivity and introduce the tradition to my children,” Sakinah said on Monday.

Seeing that the qunut evening in Batudaa always attracts a lot of visitors, Gorontalo Regent Nelson Pomalingo is planning to make the ritual an annual tourist event.

According to local figure Samsuddin Muhammad, this ritual has been celebrat-

“I will propose this idea to the tourism agency,” he said on Monday.

Dubai Sikh temple cooks Ramadan meals for Muslims

Celebrating and Protecting National Parks

W

hen visiting one of the stunningly diverse 419 national park sites nationwide, experts say it is important to recognize the individuals who have spoken up over the decades to protect and enhance these incredible places, as well as the work that is still needed.

“It’s difficult to imagine what the U.S. would be like without the Grand Canyon or the Great Smoky Mountains or the Statue of Liberty. National parks offer more than hiking paths, beachfronts and mountaintops,” says Theresa Photo Source: (c) Ian Shive / TandemStock.com Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). “We Stonewall, thanks to the work Independence Hall and stand find a sense of identity and of conservationists, including in amazement as brown bears inspiration in these treasured NPCA. wade into Brooks Falls searchplaces. They speak to who we ing for fish at Katmai in AlasFor 100 years, NPCA has ka.” are as Americans.” served as a fearless defender Additionally, national parks of national parks. The idea for Unfortunately, national parks offer veterans, active-duty NPCA came at the urging of continue to face threats, inmembers and their families the first National Park Service cluding pollution that is harmplaces of solace, healing and director, Stephen Mather and ing their air and water, climate reflection, while honoring their his colleague, Robert Sterling change, energy development, service. More than a quarter of Yard, who believed that na- inadequate federal funding our national park sites com- tional parks needed a voice, and a list of repair needs that memorate military history, separate from the federal gov- is nearly $12 billion across the from Gettysburg in Pennsylva- ernment, whose sole respon- entire National Park System. nia, to places such as Yosemite sibility was to protect and Experts say that parks are also and Sequoia National Parks, enhance them for present and threatened by attempts to dewhere Buffalo Soldiers were future generations. rail policies and laws meant to the first park rangers. protect these treasured places “The earliest park advocates -- from carving up national National parks don’t exist shared a goal that lives on to- monuments for development to as they do today by accident. day, of ensuring the wonder fast-tracking oil and gas leasing Today, Florida Panthers still of these places is preserved,” in and near some of America’s roam in Florida’s Everglades; says Pierno. Each of us serves last truly wild places. To learn hikers in Joshua Tree don’t as beneficiaries of their vision more, visit npca.org/100. gaze at what would have been and action. Now it’s our turn the country’s largest landfill; to ensure that 100 years from “We need our national parks, and the country’s diverse and now, people will still be able and they need us to stand up shared history is celebrated to watch Old Faithful erupt at and be a voice,” says Pierno. in national parks, from Ce- Yellowstone, learn about the -StatePoint sar Chavez to Birmingham to history of our democracy at

Visitors gather to break their fast at the Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh temple, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 23, 2019. (Reuters)

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UBAI: A Sikh temple in Dubai has opened its doors to Muslims during Islam’s fasting month of Ramadan, offering them room to pray and a free meal to break their daily fast.

The Guru Nanak Darbar gurdwara — a place of worship in the Sikh religion — is building on Sikhism’s core principles of giving and eating together, which sees temples all over the world cook free meals, known as langar, for whoever wants them every day of the year.

“This is the best way to show to the world that we are all one. Whether you are Hindu, Muslim or Christian it doesn’t matter, you are first a human being,” said Bubbles Kandhari, vice chairperson of the gurdwara.

In previous years the gurdwara had offered the Muslim iftar meal on just one day during Ramadan, but as 2019 has been designated the Year of Tolerance by the United Arab Emirates government, the temple is offering the meal for Muslims breaking their fast every evening.

Muslim cousins Shuaib and

Akil, both Indian nationals living in the UAE, brought their families to the gurdwara for iftar after seeing a video on social media.

“Normally we go to our mosque every day, but it is only for our community,” said Akil. “I was very interested to see where all the people come

together and to show my kids.”

While Sikhs and other attendees ate their langar meals on the floor on one side of the room after a worship session, Muslims broke their fast at tables on the other side after their own prayer session inside the temple.

- Reuters

Rude Uber riders could be booted from the app

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AN FRANCISCO, | AFP | 5/29/2019 - Uber riders prone to rude behavior such as leaving trash or urging drivers to speed may be booted from the app under a policy change that took effect here Wednesday.

Uber riders in the US and Canada who have been consistently rated poorly by drivers will soon begin getting notices that they are at risk of losing access to the service.

The policy change was rolled out in Australia and New Zealand last year, and recently in India, according to Uber. It is to be expanded to other Uber markets,

with timing to be determined.

“Respect is a two-way street, and so is accountability,” Uber head of safety brand and initiatives Kate Parker said in an online post.

“While we expect only a small number of riders to ultimately be impacted by ratings-based deactivations, it’s the right thing to do.”

Riders at risk of being left at the curb by Uber will receive tips on how to improve their ratings, with suggestions such as being polite; not leaving behind messes, and refraining from asking drivers to break traffic laws.

SMALL BUSINESSES

VOICE OF ASIA 19

B

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019

D

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Week of May 31, 2019 21 March to 20 April Mercury is in restless Gemini all week, so it’s no wonder you’re having a hard time making up your mind. When being patient isn’t an option, go with the first option that presents itself. The moon ends up in your fiery sign midweek.

21 April to 20 May This can be a very exciting time.

Many areas that have stalled or suffered a lack of resources will at last begin to show progress. If you’re careful about following established procedures, your natural expansiveness is going to win you recognition on Thursday.

21 May to 20 June This week you’re the social center of your world. You’re talking, taking calls, planning get-togethers, and generally being popular. It’s nice to be you! Social groups, politics, and getting your work out to a larger audience are important now.

21 June to 22 July Life is easier, but don’t think that means you have the OK to return to bad health habits. You don’t do it consciously. You just go back into old routine of hurrying to get things done and piling too much on your plate. Make an extra effort now.

23 July to 22 August The moon in kindred fire sign Aries adds some sexiness and passion to your love life in the middle of the week. You might be in a hurry to get things done, but letting the anticipation build is a lot more satisfying in the end.

You never know why people react or respond one way or another; give them the benefit of the doubt.

23 August to 22 Sept Many areas that have stalled will at last receive a welcome dose of forward motion. This is a good week for teamwork and brainstorming to find the group consensus. Tuesday is a high-energy day that supports marketing efforts and work-related travel.

Networking and Computer Repair

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STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: FAMOUS CATS

astrology.com

23 September to 22 Oct Some sweet energy should be coming your way early today, so if you’ve got any messages to return, don’t hesitate. Later, put romance on hold while you catch up with the rest of your life.

23 October to 21 Nov You’re being given an important chance this week. This gives you time to be proactive about what you owe and find an amicable way to pay it off. But your friends and social groups may not be the best place to find reliable financial information.

22 November to 21 Dec You may feel pulled in several directions at once this week.

Your people skills are great, but you may be rather scattered.

Make lists to keep your priorities straight. Be patient and keep your sense of humor if you’re learning something new.

22 December to 20 Jan However you feel, exercise is one way to enhance all aspects of your life. If you can do a full workout, it will help you mentally, emotionally, and physically, and give you extra confidence. If you can’t do that much, just do whatever you can.

21 January to 19 Feb This week you may be thinking about changing where you live and spending more in this area. You want more from your home. It isn’t just your dwelling but also a place to entertain friends and colleagues and express who you are. It isn’t such a bad idea to put some cash into your castle.

20 February to 20 Mar Enjoy the emotional moon traveling through your dreamy sign at the start of the week, Pisces.

Reminiscing about loves gone by is one of your favorite pastimes now, but that doesn’t mean you should look up an ex on social media.

ACROSS 1. Des Moines native 6. *Cool ____ 9. Bid, past tense 13. Tire in the trunk 14. Eastern title 15. Provide food 16. Avian talker 17. Freight weight 18. “____ came a spider...”

19. *Calvin’s best friend 21. *Internet celebrity ____ Cat 23. Urge Spot to attack 24. Not naughty 25. Smoker’s lung residue 28. *Lioness of “Born Free” 30. Sweet dark purple plum 35. Sean Penn’s “____ Am ____” 37. Wrong 39. Hawaiian veranda 40. Be charitable 41. Synagogue read 43. Officer-training program 44. Bodily swelling 46. Skier’s balancer 47. Hiker’s journey 48. Pierre-Auguste of Impressionism

DOWN 1. Philosopher’s study 2. Moonfish 3. Chip and Joanna’s hometown 4. Omani and Yemeni 5. Inexperienced newcomer 6. *Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony winner 7. Before now 8. T in NATO phonetic alphabet 9. *Pain-relieving Tiger ____ 10. At the apex 11. Refuse to accept 12. Energy unit 15. Relating to a tail 20. “Bravo! Bravo!”

22. “Maggie May” singer 24. Strangulating device 25. *Siegfried & Roy feline 26. Comment to the audience 27. Three-Eyed ____ in “Game of Thrones” 29. An equal exchange 31. Kwik-E-____ on “The Simpsons” 32. Accidental laughter accompaniment 33. Cowboy movie 34. *Little ____, famous cat clone

50. Switzerland’s folk hero

36. Boss’ communique

52. Encouraging word

38. New Haven University

53. Choir attire

42. *____ Kitty

55. Actress Thompson

45. Pneumatic weapon

57. *Cat of the Hundred Acre Wood

49. Beluga yield

60. *T. S. Eliot’s “Old ____’s Book of Practical Cats”

54. Soup component

63. Last European colony in China 64. Female reproductive cells 66. Junk yard stuff 68. Oak fruit 69. “____ the season ...”

70. Pigpen sounds 71. Small body of water 72. He is 73. One born to Japanese immigrants

51. Tutor’s offering 56. Binary digits code 57. Meal in a shell 58. Painting in Orthodox Church 59. Pont du ____, ancient Roman aqueduct 60. Flirtatious move 61. Coffee dispensers 62. Manufacture 63. Picture in atlas 65. Contend 67. Tire measurement

SOLUTION: FAMOUS CATS on Page 20

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STATEPOINT CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Theme: FAMOUS CATS from Page 20

Using Technology to Stay Cool in Summer

VOICE OF ASIA

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OR Click a photo of this form, email to: ads@voiceofasiagroup.com

Name: __________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ City: ______________ State:___________ Zip:___________ Ph: ______________ E-mail:_________________________ Credit Card No: ____________________________________ Name on the Card: _________________________________ CVV #: __________ Exp Date:___________ Amount: $______ Signature: __________________________ Choose a smarter climate control system like window air conditioners. (Photo source: StatePoint)

S

taying cool in summer is easier than ever thanks to technological innovations that are making homes smarter and their inhabitants more comfortable.

Beat the heat using the latest tech in the following ways: A Bright Idea LED bulbs are more efficient than their incandescent counterparts for a reason -- less energy is expended in the form of heat. Keep your home illuminated without the side effect of adding warmth to rooms by swapping out traditional bulbs for LEDs. You’ll be happy to discover it will be a long time before they need to be changed again.

Smarter Climate Control A smarter climate control system can keep you more comfortable for less money. In the case of Midea’s SmartCool series of window air conditioners, available now at Sam’s Club and Midea.com, you can control your air conditioning

unit remotely, which can be helpful in more ways than one.

When away from home, users can use the MideaAir app to control their AC from afar.

When at home, they can simply use voice commands with Google Home and Amazon Alexa to set the temperature to their liking. Boasting Energy Star ratings while giving users greater flexibility, you’ll know you’re cooling your home’s spaces efficiently and affordably.

Here are a few ways to get the most out of a Wi-Fi connected unit: • There’s no reason why your home should not be cool and comfortable as you walk through the door, even if you’ve been away for an entire week on vacation. On your way home, use your app to set your AC unit to your preferred temperature so that it is cooled by the time you get home.

• If you forget to turn your AC down or off when you leave for the day, don’t waste

energy or face unnecessarily high energy bills from chilling an empty home. Use your app to set your unit to the desired temperature, let it go into sleep mode or simply turn it off completely.

• Feeling lazy? Still half asleep? Tell your voice assistant to turn the AC on from bed, the couch, or wherever you happen to be.

Smart Shades A room with large windows can quickly feel like a greenhouse. The latest window shades can sense the amount of sun coming in through the window and close themselves automatically in order to keep out heat. Whether you opt to control the shades via an app or let them do their own thing, smart technology around window treatments just makes good sense.

This summer, stay cool. Give your home a few smart updates that will transform the way you control your climate.

- StatePoint

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