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El Paso residents tell Trump to stay away after shooting

Veteran female Indian politician Swaraj is dead: Modi

Shushma Swaraj was India's foreign minister from 2014 to 2019. Photo: Prakash Singh, AFP

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Members of the Soto family embrace beside a makeshift memorial after the shooting that left 22 people dead at the Cielo Vista Mall WalMart in El Paso [Mark Ralston/ AFP]

by Gilles Clarenne with Daniel Woolls in Washington

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L PASO | AFP | Tuesday 8/6/2019 - Residents in majority-Hispanic El Paso told US President Donald Trump Tuesday to stay away amid fury over his antiimmigration rhetoric as he struggles to unite the country in the wake of back-to-back mass shootings that killed 31 people.

Trump is scheduled to stop off in the Texan border city where 22 died in a weekend gun massacre on Wednesday, after first visiting Dayton, Ohio, where another gunman shot nine dead.

The president called on Americans in a nationwide address Monday to condemn bigotry -- but community leaders say his words rang hollow set against a longstanding refusal to call out white supremacy and a history of tweets widely condemned as racist.

"This president, who helped create the hatred that made Saturday's tragedy possible, should not come to El Paso," tweeted Beto O'Rourke, a Democratic presidential hopeful and former congressman who grew up in the city.

"We do not need more division. We need to heal. He has no place here."

Before opening fire at a Walmart superstore in El Paso, the 21-year-old suspected gunman, who is white and

from the Dallas area, reportedly postContinued on Page 10

EW DELHI, India | AFP | Tuesday 8/6/2019 - India's former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, one of her country's best-known female politicians, has died, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday.

Swaraj had been beset by poor health but served as foreign minister for five years until Modi replaced her with S. Jaishankar during a cabinet shuffle in May. "A glorious chapter in Indian politics comes to an end," Modi wrote on Twitter.

"India grieves the demise of a re-

markable leader who devoted her life to public service and bettering lives of the poor. Sushma Swaraj Ji was one of her kind, who was a source of inspiration", he said, calling her death "a personal loss".

The Press Trust of India said Swaraj, 67, died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) late Tuesday after a heart attack.

In 2016 she underwent a kidney transplant.

Swaraj was the most senior female leader of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

India hails 'historic' Kashmir rule as Pakistan, China slam move

by Jalees Andrabi

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EW DELHI, India | AFP | Tuesday 8/6/2019 - India's Hindu nationalist government on Tuesday hailed "historic" legislation to bring Kashmir under its direct control but Pakistan and China challenged the divisive move, sending tensions soaring between the nuclear neighbours.

New Delhi stripped Kashmir of its seven-decade-long autonomous status via a presidential decree on Monday, hours after imposing a massive security lockdown in the state to quell any unrest.

"Together we are, together we shall rise and together we will fulfill the dreams of 130 crore (ten million) Indians," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted late Tuesday after parliament approved the move to turn India's only Muslim-majority state Continued on Page 8

Deserted streets in Srinagar after India's Kashmir move | AFP

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

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

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AAPI condemns gun violence, supports AMA's stance, urging government for measures towards gun control

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American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) condemns the tragic gun violence that took dozens of lives in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio past weekend, Dr. Reddy said in a statement issued here. “As physicians, we see these victims in the hospitals and care for them. Gun violence is a preventable health

By Chandra K. Mittal, Ph.D.

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OpEd: Dr. Chandra Mittal

e at AAPI, the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, urge call for action by policy makers to make common-sense reforms, supported by the American public to protect innocent lives,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) said.

Could Robert Mueller Testimony be a Prelude to Donald Trump’s Impeachment?

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

Contributors:

hazard. Many innocent lives are lost every year for no reason.”

AAPI stands with American Medical Association’s (AMA) recommendations such as research, background checks, and gun buy-back programs, Dr. Reddy added.

AAPI, an umbrella organization representing the interests of the nearly 100,000 Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States, has nearly 90 local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations, with over 37 years of history of dedicated services to millions of Americans in all states of the United States. For more information on AAPI, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

hile July 24th, 2019 testimony of Special Counsel Robert Mueller before the United States Congressional Committees might have not served Democrats all the items on the “Impeachment” menu as they had hoped for, he came awfully close to doing so, but for the technicalities and limitations imposed on him by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) guidelines in the US Department of Justice. He was also restrained by his inherent taste for brevity in communication, which resulted in his cryptic responses. But at no point during the testimony did he ever evade, flinch or mislead the interrogators. Though he was not verbose but came across absolutely confident, firm, and relevant to the context.

Robert Mueller’s responses did not leave any space for ambiguity or confusion as these were crisp and crystal clear to the audience. For example, his exchange with the House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, when asked “Did you actually totally exonerate the president? To that, Mueller responded “No”. Then Nadler’ further queried “in fact your report expressly states that it does not exonerate the president”, and Mueller’s response “it do es”.

Similarly, his exchange with Congressman Ted Lieu (DCalifornia) who said “I’d like to ask you the reason, again, that you did not indict Donald Trump is because of OLC [Office of Legal Counsel] opinion

by Steve Israel Opinion Contributor, The Hill 08/07/19

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he president is visiting El Paso and Dayton today in the aftermath of the mass shootings there.

What he reads from the teleprompter does not really matter. What counts is whether he resorts to old tactics when the pain wears off and we forget what happened, as we usually do after serial murders in America. Count me as deeply skeptical. My doubt is influenced by the statement of the Trump campaign, just after the outrage over yet another example of government fecklessness in reducing gun violence, deploring the Democrats for “politicizing a moment of national grief.”

This despite the bipartisan outrage. This from the people who blatantly politicize race, gender, ethnicity, and nationality and fertilize our terrain with calumnies that allow the flourishing of white nationalists with guns and conspiracy theories. This condescension about grief from all the enablers of a president who could not bring himself to grieve for Heather Heyer, the protester murdered during a neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville, but did manage to equate those neo-Nazis with the counterprotesters.

stating that you cannot indict a sitting president, correct?”. To this Mueller responded by saying, ”that is correct.” Although, he modified his original statement later to …that “he did not make a determination on it”. But, taken in totally, Mueller’s retraction did not change the essence or the intent of his original statement. It was more a matter of semantics than substance.

On the issue of Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential election also the Special Counsel was both certain and firm in his belief that Russians had a systematic and methodical approach to tilt the election in Trump’s favor. His opening statement to the Congressional Judiciary Committee he stated…” our investigation found that the Russian government interfered in our election in sweeping and systematic fashion”. Then later in his testimony he emphasized and implied that Russia wanted to see Donald Trump elected and that Trump was pursuing his business/financial interests in Russia during the election 2016 campaign via real estate deals like Trump Hotel or Moscow Tower etc.

While the Congressional hearing of Robert Mueller confirmed many of the findings in his April 2019 Report, the testimony did contradict several of its conclusions arrived at by the Attorney General William Barr which he conveyed to the American people. Most notable among those were that Robert Mueller’s Report had “exonerated” the President of “Obstruction of Justice” charge as it related to President’s attempts to obstruct Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in

This from a group of operatives who have made the political calculation that vilification brings victory. It has become clear that hate moves the base.

The path to the Electoral College sludges through the deepest, darkest, and most primitive impulses within our minds. A collection of operatives who may have studied the political machinations of the Nazis (yes, I said it) and, while presumably finding the ideology odious, saw instruction in the means to dehumanize your opposition, convince people that they are being threatened by hordes of outsiders, and stoke their survival instincts until they become powerful amplifiers of your agenda.

The strategy is working, I am sorry to say, more effectively than ever. We have had abnormal moments, such as the Civil War and turbulent 1960s, but we have never had echo chambers like Fox News and a leader who sows doubt by calling facts “fake news.” We have never had such a powerful machine systematically wrecking credible institutions and traditions like independent judges, tolerance, and civility. McCarthyism was an abnormal mo-

The date, time and location will be announced later. We once again apologize for the inconvenience caused to everyone involved.

Koshy Thomas, Publisher Voice of Asia, 713 774 5140

Oversight function of the Executive Branch (i.e. the President of the United States) by the Legislative Branch is built in the US Constitution, and is supposed to be a bipartisan exercise.

But as a practical matter it almost always otherwise, with few exceptions in the history, especially when it comes to removing the President. For example, in 1974, President Richard Nixon was found guilty of the impeachable offenses by bipartisan consensus in both Houses of Congress, and was compelled to resign from the office. But in contrast, in the 1990s, President Bill Clinton was found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice by the Republican-dominated House of Representatives, but not by the Democrat-dominated US Senate, which acquitted him of the same charges.

Fact of the matter is that impeachment of the President is not a simple black and white issue as it may appear on the surface. It is indeed a politics-driven process with a very high bar. That is why it has occurred only twice in country’s history. The only other President (except Richard Nixon) was Andrew John-

son in 1868 to face this fate.

While the Robert Mueller’s Investigation of the Russian interference into 2016 election has established several instance of obstruction of justice by the President, he could not indict Trump due to DOJ rule. So, now the responsibility to make that determination falls on the US Congress, which is swayed more by the public opinion and political sentiments rather than letter of the law.

It is exactly for these reasons why Speaker Nancy Pelosy (D-California) is playing it safe. She is acutely aware that Donald Trump carried many of the Democratic Congressional districts in 2016. With next elections being around the corner, she does not want to risk losing Democrat majority in the House and jeopardize her Speakership. Secondly, the Republican majority in the Senate is likely to strongly resist passing articles of impeachment against Donald Trump unless first the US Courts find Trump guilty of law violations. It is because this political “Math” that only a minority of Democrats in the House, so far, support Donald Trump’s impeachment.

Thus, despite Democrats’ wishful thinking and evidence of apparent obstruction of justice by the President, the ultimate verdict on the impeachment of Donald Trump will turn out to be based more on political consideration than the rule of law – truly a sad commentary on American system of government today.

Dr. Chandra Mittal is Professor at Houston Community College, Op-Ed Columnist for Voice of Asia, and Co-Founder of Indo-American Association (IAA) Houston.

Image: The Hill ment cured by, among other influences, the national broadcast by Edward Murrow appealing to decency. Today, he would be slammed on Twitter, pilloried by Fox News, and smeared by Trump supporters.

He would be the latest James Comey or Robert Mueller.

This could be a week of redemption or revanchism for Donald Trump. He is at a red line, soaked and stained by the blood of El Paso and Dayton.

If he tolerates more chants of “send her back,” he is beyond redemption. One more racist tweet puts his finger indelibly on the scale of racist violence.

One more attempt to discredit opponents by dehumanizing them leaves no doubt whether he is an accomplice to the ensuing hate crimes. He is in a zero tolerance zone for presidential intolerance. I hope that he seizes the moment before his moments seize another Walmart.

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.

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2016 US elections. Mueller did not agree with Barr’s conclusions of exoneration, and indeed contradicted it indirectly, albeit, through examples of indictment of Trump’s associates like National Security Michael Flynn, Campaign Chair Paul Manafort, Advisor George Papadopoulos and Rick Gates, who all worked to Donald Trump campaign.

Furthermore, Mueller also asserted that Donald Trump lied to him is his written answers to his questions.

Donald Trump's redeeming moment

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Free Flu Shots to benefit Santa’s Exchange offered at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

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“We are proud to partner again with the local Exchange and Rotary clubs and Toys for Tots to provide this community offering,” said Chris Siebenaler, CEO of Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “This is a great way for the community to stay healthy while also putting smiles on children’s faces during the holiday season.”

In 2018, Santa’s Gift Exchange provided toys and clothing to nearly 5,000 economically disadvantaged children in Fort Bend County. “Everyone's assistance is needed to meet the challenge of providing toys for children who will not have toys this year without our help,” said Brad Porter, chairman of Santa’s Exchange 2019.

“We look forward to partnering with Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital for a ninth year. This is a great collaboration; get a flu shot and in return you are able to give back to the children in your community,” said Porter, a fourth year member of the Exchange Club of Sugar Land.

“Our community is well known for its philanthropic values, so we encourage you to participate by dropping off toys or clothing even if you have already had your flu shot,” Siebenaler said.

If you want to participate in this community event, please bring a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item to the Brazos Pavilion Atrium of Houston Methodist Sugar Land between 8 a.m. and noon on Saturday, Oct. 12. One flu shot per unwrapped toy or clothing item. For more information, please

Tel: 713-774-5140

Pure Vedanta and the joy of Krishna in upcoming Jnana Yajna at Chinmaya Prabha

by Padmashree Rao

UGAR LAND, Aug. 5, 2019 - With fall around the corner and the holiday season not far behind, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is once again offering Fort Bend and surrounding area residents the opportunity to donate a gift and receive a free flu shot.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land, in collaboration with the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, Fort Bend Exchange Club, Rotary Club of Sugar Land, Rotary Club of Fort Bend and Toys for Tots Fort Bend, is offering free flu shots on Saturday, Oct. 12 to community members who participate in Santa’s Gift Exchange. Fort Bend and surrounding area residents can bring a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item in exchange for a free flu shot. The toys and clothing will benefit local children in the Fort Bend area.

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

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oustonians, mark your calendars and make time to reflect and review, infer and imbibe, and also laugh and learn during the wonderful week starting Aug.18 (Sunday) to Aug.23 (Friday)! Come to get immersed in the subtle depths of the Vedantic Truth, and prepare to rejuvenate in the joyous adoration of one of the most beloved avatars of that Truth – Sri Krishna, the most inspiring CEO of the entire creation.

It will be a week to remember with Swami Ramakrishnananda who will grace Chinmaya Prabha with his august presence and transport us into realms of knowledge and devotion.

Flu Shot Toy Drive volunteers 2018. (Image: Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital ) visit events.houstonmethodist.org/ flushot-sl or call 281.274.7976. No appointment is necessary.

The flu kills as many as 20,000 people a year. The vaccine is indicated for active immunization for the prevention of influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes

A and B. Vaccination with the flu vaccine may not protect all people who receive the vaccine. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital will distribute a limited supply of the influenza vaccine to persons age 18 and over with no history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome or rubber latex allergy and who are not pregnant.

Applications open for Fort Bend ISD’s new School Boundary Oversight Committee New committee to provide input and guidance during future modifications of attendance boundaries, applications open now through August 25, 2019

FORT BEND ISD (August 7,2019) – Fort Bend ISD is inviting parents and community members interested in serving on its new School Boundary Oversight Committee (SBOC) to submit online applications that will be accepted through August 25, 2019.

“Through the establishment of the SBOC, our Board is ensuring another level of parent and community engagement following each annual enrollment review. While changing boundaries is difficult, the needs of all students are at the forefront.”

The FBISD Board of Trustees modified its policy that addresses school attendance areas in May 2019 and established the development of the SBOC, which specifies that membership shall include one community member and three parents from each high school feeder pattern (which consists of elementary schools, middle schools, and one high school).

As defined in Board Policy FC (Local), school attendance boundaries are established by the Board upon recommendation of the Superintendent, with oversight for the Board by the SBOC. Policy also states that school attendance boundaries shall change whenever a new school is needed, a need to balance enrollment exists, or when it is determined to be in the best interest of students.

“Modifying and changing attendance boundaries is never something the Board of Trustees takes lightly, and we remain committed to involving the community in this process,” said FBISD Board President Jason Burdine.

As an oversight committee, the SBOC will also be charged with gaining community input on any proposed change by holding community meetings in any areas that could be affected.

Swami Ramakrishnananda will infuse into us the ideals of the Chinmaya Parampara which he gained through the Tamil Vedanta Course at Tamaraipakkam near Chennai, after being inspired by the globally revered Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. Initiated as Brahmachari Gagan Chaitanya, after completing his Vedantic study guided by Swami Sridharananda, he was then blessed with Sannyāsa dīkṣā as Swami Ramakrishnananda in 2010. After that, Swamiji served in various Chinmaya Mission centers.

Presently, he leads Chinmaya Mission, Nagapattinam, and oversees the celebrated Chinmaya Vidyalaya there.

Swamiji tours the world to spread the timeless wisdom of our Vedic scriptures in his witty, memorable style. His hallmark contribution is the Sulabha Samskrtam – the “Easy Sanskrit” course that he designed for Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF). Chinmaya Mission Houston was very fortunate to host Swamiji’s Samskrta yajna in 2014 and cherishes the memories of his unique, endearing, and contemporary teaching style.

The upcoming yajna will feature two treasured topics. In the morning sessions, Swami Ramakrishnanda will guide us to the very essence of Advaita Vedanta with his discourses on Brahma Sutra Adhyasa Bhasya as expounded by Sri Adi Sankaracarya. Brahma Sutras are crisp aph-

Swami Ramakrishnananda orisms that condense the wisdom of the Upanishads which proclaim our spiritual, universal Oneness. This Bhasya or commentary uproots our faulty ways of ignorant superimposition and clears the seemingly endless errors of our misconceptions which seem to bind us to suffering all through life.

While the intellect gains clarity through the morning discourses, Swamiji will purify our minds with the glory of Bhagavan Krishna using great episodes from Srimad Bhagavatha Mahapurana and the Mahabharata to highlight the dharmic values of true leadership and management. Krishna – The CEO promises to be a joyful way to let the Supreme Lord divinely manage our life.

Every seeker and devotee is invited to Chinmaya Prabha Houston to attend this spiritually enriching Jnana Yajna which is sure to enlighten, lighten, and uplift!

The schedule for the pravacanas will be as below: Aug 18-23 - 7:30-9:00 PM - Krishna - The CEO Episodes from Srimad Bhagavatam and Mahabharata Aug 19-23 - 7:00-8:30 AM- Brahma Sutra Adhyasa Bhasyam – the Theory of Superimposition Open To All (Adults Only). Admission is Free.

For more information visit: http:// www.chinmayahouston.org/ Or Contact: Bharati Sutaria 281933-0233 or Jay Deshmukh 832541-0059

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FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

First of its kind - Music for Meditation and Healing Concert

by Datta Yoga Center, Houston

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he morning of Yoga Siddhi Raga Sagara started off splendidly, with Sri Swamiji performing Sri Chakra Puja. Sangeeta Seva consisted of the presentation of Pujya Swamiji’s Swaradevata Krtis, led by Smt. Rajeshwari Bhat of Houston. Between each krti, Smt. Hira Duvvuri briefly introduced and spoke on each krti’s associated deities and particulars. Smt and Sri Srinivas Ganti offered garland to Pujya Swamiji after Sri Chakra Puja. Smt Rajeshwari Bhat and Sri Harish Bhat, Smt. Vijayashree Venkatraman and Sri Venkatraman Subramanian and Smt. And Sri Sastry Vedam who led the rendering, came from Dallas to participate, and helped coordinate the musicians, respectively, were felicitated by Smt and Sri Ram Duvvuri. Sri HV Prasad conveyed that Sri Swamiji, after listening to the Swaradevata Kritis, stated, “The tradition continues” and related that during Pujya Swamiji’s 50thbirthday celebrations in 1992, these same kritis were led by Vidwan Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, accompanied by Vid. Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman on violin, Vid. Sri Umayalpuram Sivaraman on mridangam, and Vid. Sri Vikku Vinayakram on ghatam. Watching this doyen of Carnatic music was Vid. Sri Maharajapuram Santhanam, Vid.K.V.Narayanaswamy, Vid.Karaikkudi Mani amongst others, sitting next to Sri Swamiji, , This is the tradition established in 1992, which was continued by the Houston and Dallas area devotees on this day in 2019. Pujya Swamiji spontaneously materialized a gold bracelet for Smt. Rajeshwari for her efforts in leading the group and having taken a responsibility to propagate Sri Swamiji’s music across the states.

Pujya Swamiji blessed devotees with a discourse entailing how Sri Swamiji’s visit seemed like a dream for local devotees until the day Sri Swamiji arrived, as Sri Swamiji many a times would always promise a visit would happen the following year. His Holiness tied this in to the story of Dhruva, demonstrating that one should never lose hope since the words of God or Sadguru always come true. Pujya Swamiji directed Gayathri, Sanmathi, and Sreekruthi to sing the bhajan “Nav Chal Padi” and much to devotees’ delight, sang along with them. The bhajan illustrates how devotees safely navigate the Ocean of Samsara on Guru Datta’s boat.

Next, Smt. and Sri Siddheshwar Gubba were honored for helping to provide security and escort services throughout Sri Swamiji’s visit. Smt. and Sri Srinivas Mullapudi offered a garland to Pujya Swamiji. Smt. and Sri Murali Babu Chilakapati offered a unique saptaswara birds sari to Sri Swamiji in anticipation of the evening concert. Smt. and Sri Sunil offered

for Datta Yoga Center, Houston for the services rendered to the community. Sri Sam Merchant and Sri Andy Meyers offered the proclamation, certificate and flower garland to Sri Swamiji. Fort Bend County Sheriff Ted Nehls offered the flag flown over the capitol in commemoration of 12 June 2019 – Jyeshtha Shuddha Ekadashi birthday of Sri Swamiji.

The Celestial Troupe that accompanied HH Dr. Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on the meditation and healing concert tour in USA. a memento on the occasion. Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple trustees and Bilva Osmer offered a Gaja mala to Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji kindly blessed devotees with a darshan line after the discourse.

The evening of June 29t hheld the most awaited event of this Houston visit and the first music for meditation and healing concert of Pujya Swamiji’s USA tour. The Jones Hall for Performing Arts was the lucky venue for the free concert, attended by about a stunning 3000 members comprising of music enthusiasts, devotees, and those curious about music therapy. They were given concert souvenirs describing Sri Swamiji’s various activities and brief description of His Holiness’ music, as well as tokens of appreciation for attending the concert. Yogini Kaliji gave the introductory address for the evening, describing her past experiences with Sri Swamiji’s unique music. She introduced onto the stage Pujya Swamiji and members of the Celestial Music troupe: Vidwan Jaitra Varanasi on violin, Vid. Narasimham Mani on keyboard, Vid. Shankar Ramesh on Mirdangam, Vid. Mahesh Bhatt on Tabla, and Sri Jaya Datta on Drum Pad. Smt. Geetha Ravula invited Fort Bend county Commissioner Andy Meyers, and Sri Sam Merchant, representa-

The relaxed audience was woken up from their slumber by the energetic “Dancing Tune” (Shankarabharanam Raga), before Sri Swamiji closed with Raga Ragini Devi Mangalam in Sama Raga. Tani Avarthanam between the percussion instruments mridangam and tabla after Dharmavati Raga was so perfectly coordinated that the audience was mesmerized. For more than 2.5 hours, the audience, a large portion of which was completely new to Sri Swamiji’s music, was enthralled

by Sri Swamiji’s lilting notes and the accompanying musicians’ appropriate support of Sri Swamiji’s melodies.

Sam Merchant, representative, Congressman Al Green’s office (left) and Fort Bend County Commissioner Andy Meyers (right) presenting proclamations to Swamiji tive from Congressman Al Green’s office lit the lamp to inaugurate the concert. Sri Ramesh Bhutada from the Hindu Swayam Sevak Sangh and Smt Kirthi Jain, director at Seva International, offered welcome garland

THE STORY OF MAHATMA GANDHI

First victory for the Satyagraha experiment

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here had been a recent court decision in South Africa holding that Indian marriages were not recognized by law.

The women could not brook this attack on family ties. They openly broke the law and were imprisoned in large numbers. In the coal mines at Newcastle, in Natal, Indian workers went on strike protesting against the repression.

The arrests, the deportation of passive resisters, and the untold sufferings of Indian families angered the people of India. A large amount of money was collected for the relief of the victims. Now read on: Many satyagrahis were beaten and flogged, and some were even killed.

Gandhi, who felt intensely the humiliation his people suffered, took a triple vow of self-suffering. He decided to dress like a poor laborer, to walk barefoot, and to have only one meal a day, till the poll-tax and other injustices were abolished.

Gandhi found the Government relentless. There was no solution in sight. He had to take further measures.

In October 1913, Gandhi organized a march of over 6,000 Indian workers from the Natal mining area into the Transvaal, although crossing into the Transvaal without a permit was not allowed by law Gandhi said, “We are going to march peacefully together across the border into the Transvaal. The Government will arrest us and put us in prison. We are to remain peaceful. This is the nonviolent way of protesting against the polltax, against the Government’s decision not to recognize our marriages, and against all the laws that

are made against us. We are fighting for just causes, we will not harm anyone.” He then cried out to the people, “Are you ready to face arrest and harsh treatment, remaining always nonviolent?” Roars of assent assured him of everyone’s support. They were ready to follow Gandhi anywhere.

And so the march into the Transvaal began. Late in the evening Gandhi was roused from sleep by several uniformed men. “I know,” he said, “you have come to arrest me. I am ready.”

Gandhi and many other Indians were jailed. The mines were cordoned off by barbed wire and converted into temporary jails. The satyagrahis were beaten and flogged to force them to go back to work, but without success.

The authorities could not make them return to work. Gandhi had aroused in them the spirit of quiet, dignified resistance.

Soon the movement of passive resistance, or satyagraha, spread all through Natal and the Transvaal. The Government did not know what to do, because none yielded to their cruel treatment. The prisons were overflowing. At last General Smuts was obliged to act. He appointed a Commission to study the situation.

In December 1913 Gandhi was released, but he would not give up the struggle.

Gandhi threatened Smuts that he would start another march if his de-

Before playing, Sri Swamiji instructed the audience to relax and sleep well during the concert. The stronger the sleep, the stronger the healing, explained His Holiness. As is customary, Sri Swamiji played Rushyaketupriya Raga (Pranava Swarupam) to begin the concert, and went on to play Hindola Raga (Palaya Palaya Sri Lalite). Yoga Siddhi Raga Sagara’s main ragas of the day were Raga Vaasanthi (Gana Gana Mrogedu ), Raga Alankaarapriya (Jaya Jaya Saptambhujavase), and Raga Dharmavathi (Namo Namo Ganapathaye).

Sri Swamiji spoke before commencing Raga Dharmavathi, which heals the entire body, aids in meditation, and helps one fall asleep quickly; Sri Swamiji expounded that He has been experimenting and improvising music therapy with this raga for 18 years. Sri Swamiji gave a brief introduction into Raga Ragini Vidya by explaining that different notes and different sounds influence each nerve in the body, and mentioned the process of how a synthesizer was chosen as the main instrument for His Holiness’ music.

Gandhi with Kasturbai in 1913 Mahatma Gandhi Week in Houston Call 713-785-3900 or visit www.mahatmagandhilibrary.org mands were not met. That march, however, never took place. The European employees of the railways in the Union went on strike, and this made the Government’s position extremely difficult. Gandhi decided to drop the idea of the march at such a critical time as he did not wish to embarrass the Government further. Gandhi ordered every Indian to go back to work, at least for the time being. His decision created a good impression on the Government and even General Smuts recognized this courtesy.

The Inquiry Commission reported in favor of all the essential reforms demanded by the Indian leaders. The Indians’ Relief Bill was at last passed and signed by the Governor. It abolished the polltax on indentured workers, declared absolutely legal all Indian marriages, and removed penalties for crossing from one State to another.

Gandhi had won. And so had the

to Sri Swamiji. The mayor of Houston had announced June 29thas “Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji Day” on the occasion, by the efforts of Smt. Geetha Ravula. Congressman Al Green’s commending certificate

satyagraha movement. Gandhi had been active in South Africa for 21 years and had contributed much to the welfare of the Indians in South Africa. Gandhi now felt that his mission in South Africa was over and he wanted to return to India. At that time Gokhale was in England. He wanted Gandhi to meet him ill London before returning to India. Gandhi promised to do so. Gandhi announced his decision to Kasturbai. “You are going to London with me,” he said. “From England we will go back to India.”

Gandhi, with Kasturbai and Hermann Kallenbach, the white South African farmer sailed for England on July 18, 1914. On August 4, two days before he reached London, the first World War was declared. On arrival in London, Gandhi heard that Gokhale had gone to Paris for reasons of health.

Communications were cut off between London and Paris because of the war.

Gandhi was disappointed. He did not want to return to India without seeing Gokhale, so he stayed on in London.

The war was on. What could Gandhi do in England? At the suggestion of some Indian friends, a meeting was called of the Indians in England. Gandhi expressed the view that Indians residing in England ought to do their bit in the war. English students had volunteered to serve in the army and Indians should do no less.

There were objections to his views and many Indians were of the opinion that the war provided an opportunity to get freedom for India and that Indians should assert themselves and claim their rights.

Gandhi felt that England’s difficulty should not be turned into India’s opportunity. He insisted on rendering all possible help to England. He organized an ambulance corps which, in spite of many difficulties, helped the

As Yogini Kaliji expressed immense gratitude in her closing remarks on behalf of everyone present, all gave a standing ovation with thunderous applause. Sri Ramesh Chikkala and family offered a garland to Sri Swamiji thanking His Holiness for the enchanting concert and Houston visit. Dr. Nandini and Dr. Prakasa Rao Velagapudi offered the crystal concert memento. Artists were honored by Sri Srikar Jonnalagadda and Smt. and Sri Suri Duvvuri.

With this, the gratifying three-day programs concluded, and Houston devotees await Sri Swamiji’s promised return.

British in their time of need.

After some time Gokhale returned to England. Gandhi and Kallenbach went to see him often and they talked together about the war and other matters.

Then Gandhi had an attack of pleurisy and Gokhale and his friends were worried. Dr. Jivraj Mehta treated Gandhi but there was little relief. Gandhi was still ill when Gokhale returned to India.

As the pleurisy still persisted, Gandhi was advised to go back to India as soon as possible. He accepted the advice and returned to India. Gandhi was back in India after 12 long years. A great reception awaited him in Bombay. Gandhi was overwhelmed by the great love shown to him by the people.

Gokhale was in Poona and was in poor health, so Gandhi went to see him.

Gandhi told Gokhale that his plan was to have an ashram where he could settle down with his Phoenix family. They had already reached India and were at Santiniketan.

Gokhale approved of the idea and promised whatever help he could.

Gandhi went to Rajkot and Porbandar to meet his relatives and then went on to Santiniketan. There Gandhi met poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore for the first time, as well as C. F. Andrews who was there too.

During his short stay at Santiniketan Gandhi heard the sad news that Gokhale had passed away. He immediately left for Poona, C. F. Andrews accompanying him as far as Burdwan.

— To be continued..

Sponsored by Houston Arts Alliance in honor of Mahatma Gandhi Sesquicentennial Houston celebrations.

Great Summer Project For children! Enter Mahatma Gandhi Week 2019 citywide contests: Essay, I-Tribute, Poster and Speech contests.

Visit gandhilibrary.org for registration and more information. By participating in these contests not only will the children make good use of their vacation time, they will also learn universal values of Truth, Nonviolence, Love and Service by participating in these contests.

VOICE OF ASIA 5

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Here’s why Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella just showed up on stage at Samsung’s big event

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

Tel: 713-774-5140

Walmart faces backlash over gun sales after shootings

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almart, scene of two recent gun horrors, is under pressure to use its corporate power to help crack down on the sale of weapons in the US. The country's biggest retailer, often cited as the biggest gun seller, has faced criticism before over arms sales.

But after a multiple shooting at a Texas store, and the death of two staff at a Mississippi branch, critics say Walmart has a responsibility to act.

The killings are in addition to another mass shooting, in Ohio, at the weekend.

Igor Volsky, founder and executive director of Guns Down America, said the killings at Walmart put the retailer under an obligation to take a lead.

(L-R) DJ Koh, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics shakes hands with Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft, during a launch event for the new Samsung Galaxy Note 10 smartphone at Barclays Center on August 7, 2019. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images/AFP )

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ROOKLYN, New York - Ac-

tors and musicians usually make special celebrity appearances at big tech press events.

Samsung took a different route on Wednesday at Galaxy Unpacked 2019 as the mobile giant surprised the crowd by inviting Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on stage.

So why was Nadella there? Samsung and Microsoft are cozying up in a big way across various products and services.

Samsung today unveiled its new flagship Note 10 device, which has Windows 10 integration features meant to bridge the gap between PCs and smartphones.

The Verge reported that the Note 10 has “more Microsoft in it than any other Android phone,” including several native apps such as Outlook, OneDrive, and Your Phone, which lets users make and receive calls from their Windows 10 device, among other features.

"The El Paso [Texas] shooting happened in their store. They have a responsibility to go further," he said.

Walmart could use its political and lobbying clout to force change, he added.

Previously, Guns Down led a successful campaign calling on logistics giant FedEx to stop offering discounts to National Rifle Association (NRA) members.

Another organisation, Moms De-

Samsung and Microsoft have partnered in the past but today’s announcements mark a doubling down of sorts. It’s notable given Microsoft’s past struggles with its smartphone business and Samsung’s relationship with other tech giants. And it’s a departure from five years ago, when Microsoft sued Samsung over Android patent licensing deal.

Microsoft will sell the Note 10 in its Microsoft Store locations around the world. Samsung also today unveiled the new Galaxy Book S which was developed in partnership with Microsoft and Qualcomm.

- Geekwire

Walmart boss Doug McMillon is being urged to use his power to help gun control.

(Photo: Getty Images)

mand Action for Gun Sense in America, said Walmart must stop letting shoppers walk into stores with guns. A number of retailers have such policies, including Target and Starbucks.

Backlash Kroger-owned Fred Meyer stopped selling guns in 2018, and the same year, Dick's Sporting Goods ended the sale of assault weapons and raised the minimum age to 21 for gun purchases.

Other pressure groups called on Walmart to use its vast resources to invest more in security, training, and education. These groups have been joined by high profile individuals. Actor and activist Alyssa Milano said it was time for Walmart to show leadership.

And one of America's leading writers on corporate America, the cocreator of the hit TV series Billions, Andrew Ross Sorkin, issued an open letter to Doug McMillon, Walmart's chief executive.

"In the depths of this crisis lies an opportunity: for you to help end this violence "You, singularly, have a greater chance to use your role as the chief executive of the country's largest re-

tailer and largest seller of guns — with greater sway over the entire ecosystem that controls gun sales in the United States than any other individual in corporate America."

He said Mr McMillon should join forces with powerful chief executives who have expressed dismay at America's gun violence, including Apple's Tim Cook.

Walmart has also faced a huge social media backlash from people using such hashtags as #walmartshooting," "#boycottwalmart," and "#guncontrolnow."

It is not the first time that guncontrol campaigners have called on Walmart to act. In 2013, a month after a gunman in Connecticut shot dead more than 20 people at a school, nearly 300,000 people signed a petition urging Walmart to stop selling assault weapons.

It was another two years before Walmart ended such sales.

The retailer has yet to respond to a BBC request for comment.

But according to a spokesman quoted in the Washington Post, Walmart has no plans to change its policies on gun sales and in-store carrying.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

New app & resource offers convenience to Katy ISD parents

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ATY [August 7, 2019] – Just in time for the start of the new school year, Katy Independent School District is launching a new app and an online resource aimed at providing a convenient and easier ways to manage services offered by the District.

Among them includes: 1. Edulog Lite – a school bus tracking app that monitors the location of buses as they travel their route across Katy ISD boundaries. This is done through Global Position Systems (GPS) hardware installed in each Katy ISD bus. By using the app, parents will now be able see how close their child’s bus is to its designated before, or after, school stop, as well as track the bus while it is in route.

2.

A+ Pay N’ Go – an online web store, provides a convenient way for parents to make payments for cafeteria meals, activity fees and a variety of other campus and district related services. Best of all, there are no transaction fees and the system accepts credit cards and eChecks.

Both resources are available

this week. Parents of eligible bus riders will receive a school bus code from their campus by the first week of school that will enable them to use the Edulog Lite app. That app is available through the Google Play Store or iTunes App Store. Parents can obtain additional information by visiting the Katy ISD Transportation Department website. For the new online web store, visit the Katy ISD A+ Pay N’ Go website.

- Dr. Krishna and Michele Dronamraju Foundation for Genetic Research, Houston kdronamraj@aol.com

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Celebrate India’s 73 Independence Day at India House TT BU

E R F OO D IVE DR

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We invite you with your family and friends to come and celebrate the joy & happiness of free India at India House, 8888 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, TX (Light refreshments will be served)

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IBU

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A Brand New Multi-Purpose Facility for Shopping Center, Day Care Facility, Grocery Store, Restaurant, and for Anything You Can Dream About!

Most Convenient Location opposite to Dulles High School at Dulles Ave.

E-Contact: 832-860-0371 or 405-602-9794 Email: Nairplaza525@gmail.com

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Share the joy & contribute, if you can! Please bring a jar of peanut butter to support Houston Food Bank’s Back to School Drive.

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

5400SqFt PRIME SPACE AVAILABLE FOR LEASE - Whole or Part

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Happy Independence Day!

P E AN U T

Thursday, August 15, 2019 | Flag Hoisting at 11:30 am

DIASPORA

VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

Excitement is building for a mega “Howdy, Modi!” event on September 22nd

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OUSTON, Aug. 5, 2019- Houston, the energy capital of the United States, is excited to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A projected crowd of 50,000 is expected to listen to his speech on a resurgent India and a strong US-India partnership at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, Sept. 22. The event “Howdy, Modi!”, hosted by the Texas India Forum, will include a vibrant cultural program that puts a spotlight on Indian-American contributions to the United States before the much-awaited address by the Prime Minister.

Over 25,000 attendees have signed up in the first week alone, and there are more than 1000 volunteers and 650 Welcome Partner organizations.

Planning meetings are going on in full swing across various organizational areas, with communication and publicity ramped up to reach every section of the community and beyond. There has been a spontaneous outpouring of support across the community, with many organizations coming forward to contribute in various ways. Organizers are planning to mobilize over 300 buses to transport attendees from locations around the greater Houston area.

Registration for the event is open to members of Welcome Partner organizations until August 12. On August 12, registration will open to the general public. Everyone can register for free at www.howdymodi. org.

For more information, please visit www.howdymodi.org.

ABOUT THE TEXAS INDIA FORUM The Texas India Forum, Inc. (TIF) is a not-for-profit organization that encourages cooperation between the United States and India, advancing the shared values of democracy, inclusive economic development, and mutual respect. TIF brings together Indian-American organizations and institutions to encourage collaboration within the region and expand opportunities for engagement with India Texas India Forum 1727 Northshore Drive Missouri City, Texas 77459 832.356.MODI info@howdymodi.org www.howdymodi.org For further information: Email: media@howdymodi.org Web: www.howdymodi.org

Community leaders gather together to hear the plans for “Howdy, Modi!”

“The community’s excitement about this event has been palpable, with a very diverse set of volunteers signing up to help and a number of organizations stepping up to host meetings at their facilities. We arepleased to have such widespread involvement from the community as we get prepared for this major event,” said Jugal Malani, convener of the “Howdy, Modi!” organizing committee.

The event, with the tagline ‘Shared Dreams, Bright Futures’, will shine light on the tremendous contribution of Indo-Americans in United States and the strong and lasting partnership between United States and India. The cultural program preceding the Prime Minister's address, showcasing IndianAmerican artists from Texas and elsewhere, will portray how the community is woven into the larger tapestry of American life. It will involve broad-based community participation across the United States.

Indian journalist Ravish Kumar wins 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award NDTV editor hailed for ‘unfaltering commitment to a professional, ethical journalism’

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ANILA: August 02, 2019 PTI -Senior Indian journalist Ravish Kumar on Friday was awarded this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award, regarded as the Asian version of the Nobel Prize.

Kumar, 44, who is NDTV India’s senior executive editor is one of India’s most influential TV journalists, the award citation by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said.

He is among five individuals who were declared winners of the award, which is Asia’s premier prize and highest honour and celebrates greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia.

Kumar, born in Jitwarpur village in Bihar, joined New Delhi Television Network (NDTV) in 1996 and worked his way up from being a field reporter.

After NDTV launched its 24-hour Hindi-language news channel — NDTV India — targeting the country’s 422 million native speakers of Hindi, he was given his own daily show, “Prime Time.”

Kumar’s “Prime Time” programme “deals with real-life, under-reported problems of ordinary people”, it added.

“If you have become the voice of the people, you are a journalist,” the citation added.

As an anchor, Kumar is sober, incisive, and well-informed, it said.

Ravish Kumar. Image Credit: Supplied

His more important distinction, however, comes from the kind of journalism he represents, the citation added.

“In a media environment threatened by an interventionist state, toxic with jingoist partisans, trolls and purveyors of ‘fake news,’ and where the competition for market ratings has put the premium on ‘media personalities,’ ‘tabloidisation,’ and audience-pandering sensationalism, Ravish has been most vocal on insisting that the professional values of sober, balanced, fact-based reporting

be upheld in practice,” it said.

His programme takes up current social issues; does serious background research; and presents issues in well-rounded discussions.

Kumar interacts easily with the poor, travels extensively, and uses social media to stay in touch with the audience, generating from them the stories for the programme.

Striving for a people-based journalism, he calls his news-

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 8

India hails 'historic' Kashmir rule as Pakistan...

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

Pakistan downgrades ties with India in deepening Kashmir row

Continued from Page 1 into administrative territories controlled by his government.

"A momentous occasion in our parliamentary democracy, where landmark bills pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir have been passed with overwhelming support," he added.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947, and the two sides have conflicting claims on the territory, over which they have fought two wars.

Reports emerged Tuesday of sporadic protests in Indianadministered Kashmir, where at least six people were admitted to a hospital in the main city Srinagar with gunshot wounds and other injuries, a source at the facility said on condition of anonymity.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan vowed Tuesday to challenge India's decision at the UN Security Council and accused Modi of violating international law in pursuit of an anti-Muslim agenda in India.

Pakistan's military added that it "firmly stands" by Kashmiris following a meeting of the army's top commanders.

Beijing criticised India's decision to carve out a separate administrative territory in Buddhist-dominated Ladakh region.

"India has continued to undermine China's territorial sovereignty by unilaterally changing its domestic law," foreign ministry spokeswomen Hua Chunying said.

Pakistan and China both have long-running boundary disputes with India.

Indian-administered Kashmir has been in the grip of a rebellion against Indian rule since 1989, and analysts have warned the scrapping of its autonomous status could trigger fresh unrest.

- Security clampdown Earlier, national security adviser Ajit Doval said in a report

Map of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government on Monday rushed through a presidential decree to scrap the territory's special status. (AFP Photo/) to his department that there was "peace and normalcy" and "no agitation" in Kashmir after the announcement, local media reported.

But with mobile and internet services shut down and Kashmir virtually cut off from the outside world since the early hours of Monday, limited news emerged from the region.

A traveller who arrived in India's capital New Delhi on Tuesday from Srinagar told AFP on condition of anonymity that he had heard "intermittent gunfire" and other weapons since Monday.

He said he heard soldiers shouting during the night, while government troops were deployed at "every five steps".

"My car was checked at least 25 times on the way to the airport and it took me almost four hours to cover a distance of hardly 30 minutes," he said.

In Pakistani-administered Kashmir, locals fear a new round of hostilities may be unfolding.

"I can't see the return of normalcy anytime in the near future," said a resident there, Raja Aqeel.

In Muzaffarabad, the largest

city on the Pakistani side, an estimated 500 people protested.

There were also demonstrations against the decision in the Indian city of Kolkata, as well as in Bangladesh.

India detained three Kashmiri political leaders and a court order seen by AFP on Tuesday said they had engaged in activities "likely to cause breach of peace" and lead to a "serious law and order situation".

Initially placed under house arrest at the weekend, former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah along with regional party leader Sajad Lone were reportedly then taken to an official guesthouse on Monday.

The court order also said authorities feared the trio could organise a public rally which is currently banned in Kashmir as part of the emergency lockdown.

Criticism mounted from opposition politicians.

Rahul Gandhi, until recently the head of the main opposition Congress party, said the decision was an "abuse of executive power" that had "grave implications for our national security".

India, Pakistan ex-cricket stars in Twitter spat

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EW DEHLI | AFP | Tuesday 8/6/2019 -Former stars of fierce cricket rivals India and Pakistan traded online barbs Tuesday over New Delhi's explosive decision to strip restive Kashmir of its autonomous status.

"Kashmiris must be given their due rights as per #UN resolution. The rights of Freedom like all of us," Afridi, who announced his retirement from international cricket last year after playing 398 one-day

by Gohar ABBAS

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SLAMABAD, Pakistan | AFP | Wednesday 8/7/2019 Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic ties with nuclear-armed rival India Wednesday, announcing that it will expel the Indian envoy and suspend trade in a deepening row over New Delhi's clampdown on disputed Kashmir.

India stripped the Himalayan region of its seven-decade-long semi-autonomous status on Monday through a contentious presidential decree, just hours after it imposed a crippling curfew on the picturesque valley.

Experts have predicted the move will trigger conflict with Pakistan, which has a competing claim to the Muslim-majority region, and reignite an insurgency that has already cost tens of thousands of lives.

India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir.

Delhi has insisted that the ending of semi-autonomy for the region is an internal matter.

But Islamabad has called for the international community to intervene and vowed to take the matter to the United Nations Security Council.

"We will call back our ambassador from Delhi and send back their" envoy, foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced in televised comments Wednesday.

He spoke as the government released a statement declaring that Pakistan will suspend trade with India, though the bitter rivalry between the two means that such trade remains negligible.

The statement, released after

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a fresh meeting of the National Security Committee, branded Modi's decree "unilateral and illegal" and said there will be a "review of bilateral arrangements".

after a deadly attack in Indianheld Kashmir was claimed by a militant group based in Pakistan, prompting tit-for-tat airstrikes over the mountainous region and igniting brief fears of a nuclear clash.

Khan "directed that all diplomatic channels be activated to expose the brutal Indian racist regime", the statement added.

The Pakistani military said Tuesday that it "firmly stands" with Kashmiris. China, which also claims part of Kashmir, has objected to Delhi's "unacceptable" moves on Kashmir.

He also called on the military to continue its "vigilance".

- US not consulted The Pakistani statements came as Washington refuted reports that it had been consulted by Delhi over the move in Kashmir.

"Contrary to press reporting, the Indian government did not consult or inform the US Government before moving to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status," US acting assistant secretary of state for South Asia Alice Wells tweeted.

Earlier this week the US called for peace and urged respect for rights in Kashmir.

US President Donald Trump last month claimed, during a meeting with Pakistan's Khan, that Modi had asked Trump to help mediate the Kashmir dispute, a claim Delhi strenuously denied.

India has always insisted the Kashmir issue can only be resolved bilaterally with Pakistan.

The region has been divided between the two countries since their independence from Britain in 1947.

Earlier this year they came to the brink of war once more,

An armed rebellion against Indian rule has raged in the valley since 1989, claiming more than 70,000 lives, mostly civilians.

Kashmir was previously a semi-autonomous state with its own flag and constitution, where only local residents could buy land or take government jobs.

Its new status is as a territory directly ruled by New Delhi.

Modi's government insists this will bring peace and prosperity, but experts warned the move is a gamble that could trigger conflict with Pakistan and re-ignite the insurgency.

The summer capital Srinagar, the main city in Indian-administered Kashmir, appeared a ghost town Wednesday as a security lockdown took hold under tens of thousands of additional troops.

Armed soldiers on corners and in front of barbed wire barricades were among the few people to be seen in the streets.

"We know Kashmir is seething, it will explode into violence but we don't know when," a security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Pakistan expels Indian envoy, suspends trade over Kashmir: govt

Indian ex-cricketer Gautam Gambhir took a swipe at Pakistan's Shahid Afridi after he urged the United Nations to intervene in the move to bring the state under the national government's direct rule.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu-nationalist party on Monday rushed through a presidential decree to scrap from the constitution the Indian-ruled part of the disputed territory's special status.

Imran Khan chaired a meeting of Pakistan's National Security Council on Kashmir on Wednesday [Handout from Pakistan Prime Minister's Office via AFP]

Pakistan's Shahid Afridi (left) argues with India's Gautam Gambhir in a 2007 match during their playing days. The pair are now trading barbs on Twitter about Kashmir (AFP Photo/PRAKASH SINGH) matches, wrote on Twitter.

play his role to mediate."

"Why was @UN created & why is it sleeping? The unprovoked aggression & crimes being committed in Kashmir against #Humanity must be noted. The @POTUS must

Afridi has been vocal about his political views online, often getting in to a social media fights with Gambhir, who is now a member of parliament for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.

Pakistani activists from the "Youth Forum for Kashmir" burn a picture of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lahore during a protest, after India ended Kashmir's semi-autonomous status (AFP Photo/ARIF ALI)

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SLAMABAD, Pakistan | AFP | Wednesday 8/7/2019 - Pakistan announced Wednesday that it is expelling the Indian High Commissioner and suspending bilateral trade with its nucleararmed neighbour, days after New Delhi stripped the disputed Kashmir region of its special autonomy.

"We will call back our ambassador from Delhi and send back their" envoy, foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced in televised comments.

He spoke as the government

released a statement declaring that Pakistan will suspend trade with India in a downgrading of diplomatic ties between the arch rivals.

Islamabad also vowed to take the matter to the United Nations Security Council.

Monday's decision by the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tighten control on Muslimmajority Kashmir had been widely expected to trigger conflict with Pakistan and reignite an insurgency that has already cost tens of thousands of lives.

Delhi has insisted that the

move is an internal matter.

Kashmir has been divided between Pakistan and India since independence in 1947.

They have contesting claims on the Himalayan region, and have fought two of their three wars over it.

Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan vowed on Tuesday to fight the issue "on every forum" and demanded the international community take action, accusing Modi of an anti-Muslim agenda.

The Pakistani military has also said it "firmly stands" with Kashmiris.

ASIA/US

VOICE OF ASIA 9

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

Kim sends missile 'warning' to China slams US for 'bullying' Venezuela S.Korea, US as tensions rise

Picture from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (R) after observing the launch of two new-type tactical guided missiles (AFP Photo/ KCNA VIA KNS)

by Claire LEE Seoul, South Korea | AFP | Wednesday 8/6/2019 -North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un says the country's latest missile launches were a warning to Washington and Seoul over their joint war games, state news agency KCNA reported on Wednesday, as tensions rise on the Korean peninsula.

The latest launch by the nuclear-armed North came after the South Korean and US militaries began mainly computersimulated joint exercises on Monday to test Seoul's ability to take operational control in wartime.

Those drills are taking place despite Pyongyang's warnings that the exercises would jeopardise nuclear negotiations between the United States and North Korea.

KCNA said Kim had watched the launches early Tuesday, which verified the "war capacity" of the "new-type tactical guided missiles".

With the launches carried out satisfactorily, "Kim Jong Un noted that the said military action would be an occasion to send an adequate warning to the joint military drill now underway by the US and South Korean authorities," KCNA said.

Pyongyang on Tuesday fired two projectiles that "are assumed to be short-range ballistic missiles" into the sea, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said earlier.

The latest weapons tests were the fourth pair of projectiles fired in less than two weeks, and the North has threatened more.

US President Donald Trump last week downplayed the North's launches, saying Kim would not want to "disappoint" him.

Trump and Kim held a historic summit in Singapore last year, where the North made a vague pledge on denuclearisation.

5.9-magnitude quake jolts Taiwan

The epicentre of the quake, which hit at a depth of 25 km, was located about 110 km east of Kaohsiung (pictured), Taiwan's second largest city and a major port hub, USGS says

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AIPEI, Taiwan | AFP | Wednesday 8/7/2019 - 1 A 5.9-magnitude earthquake rattled Taiwan on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, disrupting traffic and causing power outages although there were no immediate reports of casualties.

The quake struck at 5:28 am (2128 GMT Wednesday) at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles), off Yilan county on the northeastern coast.

Taiwan's central weather bureau put the magnitude at 6.0.

Highrises swayed in the capital Taipei, waking people from their sleep.

Authorities said the quake was felt across Taiwan, causing power outages to more than 1,300 houses in the greater Taipei area while the Taiwan Railways Administration has suspended some services in Yilan.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly hit by quakes.

In April, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the island, disrupting traffic and injuring 17 people.

Taiwan's worst tremor in recent decades was a 7.6-magnitude quake in September 1999 that killed around 2,400 people.

A second summit in Hanoi this February broke up amid disagreements over sanctions relief and what Pyongyang might be willing to give up in return.

The two agreed to resume nuclear talks during their impromptu June meeting in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula, but working-level dialogue has yet to begin.

Analysts say the military manoeuvres on both sides could see discussions pushed back until the autumn, and Pyongyang signalled Tuesday that it was in

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (L) and China's ambassador to Venezuela Li Baorong (C) watch a performance of a Chinese lion during a celebration marking 45 years of ties between the two countries, in June 2019 (AFP Photo/Marcelo Garcia)

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EIJING, China | AFP | 8/7/2019 - China on Wednesday hit back at remarks from a top US official who warned Beijing and Moscow against supporting the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro, and called on Washington to stop "bullying" other countries.

The United States is one of more than 50 countries backing opposition leader Juan Guaido

in Venezuela, whereas China and several other countries, including Russia, support Maduro.

On Tuesday, US National Security Advisor John Bolton urged China and Russia to avoid doing business with the Maduro government, after President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on all Venezuelan government assets in the US and barred transactions

with its authorities.

Bolton's comments are "a wanton interference in Venezuela's internal affairs," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying in an online statement.

"China urges the US to... let the Venezuelan people decide their own future and immediately stop the bullying actions of suppressing other countries at every turn," she said.

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US immigration raids sweep up hundreds of undocumented migrants

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IAMI | AFP | Wednesday 8/7/2019 - US officials said that some 680 undocumented migrants were detained in raids Wednesday at food processing plants in the southeastern United States, part of President Donald Trump's announced crackdown on illegal immigration.

"They have to follow our laws, they have to abide by our rules, they have to come here legally or they shouldn't come here at all," Hurst said at a news conference.

The US attorney did not spare the employers.

"To those who use illegal aliens for competitive advantage or to make a quick buck, we have something to say to you: If we find that you have violated federal criminal law,

Canadian man dials 911 by mistake, arrested on firearms charge

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The 73-year-old resident of Chebogue, a town in Nova Scotia, inadvertently dialed the 911 emergency hotline when he intended to dial 411 for information.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting director Matthew Albence said the Mississippi raids were the result of a year long investigation (AFP Photo/CHIP SOMODEVILLA) we're coming after you," he said.

Matthew Albence, the interim ICE head, said the raids were the result of a year-long investigation.

He said that the children of detained parents will be sent to live with relatives or other families.

Some of the migrants will be released with electronic ankle monitors as they await a court hearing.

ICE agents raided food pro-

cessing plants in the towns of Morton, Carthage, Canton, Pelahatchie, Sebastopol and Bay Springs, all in the state of Mississippi, officials said.

In June, Trump tweeted that ICE "will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States."

Trump has also tweeted several times about an alleged "invasion" of people crossing the southern border into the United States.

The man told operators he had misdialled but police responded anyway to check on him. That's when they found 100 firearms -- 94 long guns and six handguns.

They were legally owned, but improperly secured, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Wednesday.

The firearms were confiscated and the man was arrested on Monday for unsafe storage of a firearm.

"It is unusual for us to discover something completely different when we arrive," Nova Scotia police spokeswoman Jennifer Clarke told AFP.

US formalizes ban on US approves $800 mn in govt contracts to China's helicopters for SKorea Huawei, others ASHINGTON | The Seahawk is made by the

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ASHINGTON, | AFP | 8/7/2019 The United States unveiled rules on Wednesday formally banning technology giant Huawei and other Chinese firms from government contracts in the latest move in the countries' escalating trade war.

The interim rule will preclude any US federal agency from purchasing telecom or technology equipment from the firms "as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as a critical technology as part of any system," starting August 13.

The rules implement a ban included in the defense authorization act Congress approved earlier this year.

Waivers to the rules may be granted "under certain circumstances" by an agency head for up to two years, or by the Director of National Intelligence in other cases, which were not specified.

Huawei said it would press its court challenge to the constitu-

tionality of the ban in federal court.

In a statement, the company said the law "will do nothing to ensure the protection of US telecom networks and systems and rather is (a) trade barrier based on country-of-origin, invoking punitive action without any evidence of wrongdoing."

The new rules are part of a sweeping effort by President Donald Trump's administration to restrict Huawei, which officials claim is linked to Chinese intelligence.

It also comes amid a heated dispute between the two economic powers over international trade rules, which some analysts say could roil the global economic system.

The rules, which require a 60day comment period, also bar contracts to Chinese firms ZTE, Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company and Dahua Technology Company.

US supports direct dialogue between Pakistan, India on Kashmir

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he United States on Wednesday said it supports direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on the disputed Kashmir region and called for calm and restraint as the dispute escalated.

"We continue to support direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on Kashmir and other issues of concern," a US State Department spokeswoman said in a statement.

Kashmiris anxious over food, cash shortages Residents of Indian-administered Kashmir's main city, Srinagar, have expressed concern over food and currency shortages because of the continuing security lockdown.

Muneer Ahmad, who owns a shop at the Jahangir Chowk, said he was running out of essential goods.

"Whatever old stock we had we sold that and now we are running out of stock like milk, flour, and the way security has been placed on roads," he said.

"This seems to be a long curfew where people will starve."

Most ATMs in the city were also not working, residents said.

India 'did not consult US' over Kashmir move The US has denied media

El Paso residents tell Trump to stay away...

ONTREAL, Canada | AFP | Wednesday 8/7/2019 - A Canadian man got more than he bargained for when he tried to call information -- he got arrested.

Most of those detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were Hispanic migrants, officials said.

"Special agents executed administrative and criminal search warrants resulting in the detention of approximately 680 illegal aliens," said Mike Hurst, US Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

reports that New Delhi had consulted Washington before revoking Kashmir's special status.

Alice Wells, acting assistant secretary at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, said in a Twitter post: "Contrary to press reporting, the Indian government did not consult or inform the US government before moving to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status."

UK expresses concern to India over Kashmir

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ritain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he had expressed concern to his Indian counterpart about the situation in the disputed Kashmir region.

"I have spoken to the Indian foreign minister," Raab said.

"We've expressed some of our concerns around the situation and called for calm, but also had a clear readout of the situation from the perspective of the Indian government."

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AFP | Wednesday 8/7/2019 - The US government has approved the sale of $800 million worth of helicopters to South Korea, the Pentagon announced Wednesday, hours after President Donald Trump said Seoul had agreed to pay more for the US military presence in the country.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the State Department had approved the sale of 12 MH60R Multi-Mission Seahawk Helicopters and extensive associated radar, communications and weaponry equipment.

The helicopters bolster antisurface and anti-submarine missions, and handle secondary missions like replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay, the agency said.

"The Republic of Korea will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense," it said.

Sikorsky division of US defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

The sale was approved after Trump tweeted Wednesday that the two countries had entered negotiations on South Korea paying for the defense umbrella the United States provides the country.

"Over the past many decades, the US has been paid very little by South Korea," Trump wrote.

"South Korea is a very wealthy nation that now feels an obligation to contribute to the military defense provided by the United States of America. The relationship between the two countries is a very good one!"

The two countries have been in a security alliance since the 1950-53 Korean war, which ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty -- with more than 28,000 US troops stationed in the South to guard against threats from North Korea.

An August 5 candlelight prayer vigil near the scene of the El Paso mass shooting. Mario Tama/Getty Images Continued from Page 1 ed an online manifesto railing against a "Hispanic invasion of Texas."

Critics pointed out that the language echoed much of Trump's rhetoric on Twitter and at rallies, where he has frequently framed Hispanic migrants as part of an "invasion."

Trump has also characterized Mexicans and Central Americans as criminals, gang members and rapists, and described the communities of African American lawmakers on several occasions as "infested" with crime and filth.

- 'Not welcome' Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, whose district includes the area targeted by the El Paso gunman, urged Trump "to consider the fact that his words and his actions have played a role in this."

"From my perspective, he is not welcome here," Escobar told MSNBC. "He should not come here while we are in mourning."

Presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway accused Democrats of politicizing a moment of acute pain while Trump was trying to "bring the country together, heal a nation."

She was backed by the chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party, Adolpho Telles, who defended Trump's visit but told CNN he needs to be more careful about his language.

In his nationwide address, Trump spoke out against racism but blamed mental illness, video games and the internet for fueling gun violence, sidestepping the fact that other countries with these issues do not have mass shootings.

He had nothing substantial to say about gun control measures, drawing expressions of disappointment from those hoping for a healing moment.

"He mentioned gun issues

one time," said Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, describing the president's comments as "unhelpful."

"I think, watching the president over the past few years on the issue of guns... I don't know if he knows what he believes, frankly."

- 'He has no right' Residents in El Paso, unimpressed by Trump's tightly scripted appeal for unity, told AFP they were fearful of a rise in white nationalism and said the president was part of the problem.

"I do blame our president.

Since the moment he got into office the rhetoric, the hate that he's got towards people that are just different color skin, he has no right," said Silvia Rios.

Adding to the backlash, Washington-based non-profit the Center for Public Integrity questioned Trump's self-professed "unfailing support" to El Paso, pointing to $570,000 in unpaid police and public safety-related bills it said he owed the city dating back to a campaign visit in February.

The president began Tuesday apparently irritated by veiled criticism from former president Barack Obama, who called on Americans to "soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred."

Trump responded with a tweeted quote from Fox News anchor Brian Kilmeade, who said Obama had seen 32 mass shootings during his presidency, yet "not many people said Obama is out of control."

Legislation to overhaul gun control under Obama failed in 2013 when the Republicancontrolled Senate rejected a ban of assault-style weapons and expanding background checks.

He told the BBC that gun control was "the one area where I feel that I've been most frustrated and most stymied."

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

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Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine ‘Miracle patient’ from Victoria walks again

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UGAR LAND - Orthopedic surgeon Jeffrey B. Wood, M.D., calls Marie Simper “remarkable”.

“It started in March of 2018 and just got progressively worse,” said Simper. “I couldn’t move or walk. I couldn’t even feed myself because I couldn’t use my arms and hands.”

Simper believed that her treatment options were limited.

However, in May of last year, a colleague of her granddaughter’s recommended Wood.

“She told us that if anyone could help, it would be Dr. Wood,” said Simper. She was quickly transferred from Citizens Medical Center in Victoria to Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

After an examination and diagnostic imaging, Wood scheduled her surgery immediately.

“Marie’s situation was serious,” recalled Wood. “She was

Last December, the same court of appeals stayed another order issued by Judge Shoemake that appointed a different lawyer to serve as a court master in the case. The District challenged the order and the potential assessment of costs to the District. Again, the District argued to the court of appeals that the district court had no legal authority to appoint a special master in the case. The District expects an opinion from the court of appeals on that issue soon.

The District’s plans for reinterment are ongoing. District officials are in the process of procuring burial vessels and internment services. It is also in the process of transferring DNA samples to the Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin. Curating the DNA samples with the UT archaeological research laboratory will

Demographic shift in Fort Bend County may be accelerating GOP retirements State Representative John Zerwas is the third Fort Bend County Republican officeholder in three weeks to announce plans to step down.

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Marie Simper and Dr. Jeffery B. Wood (Photo: HMHSL) in real danger of permanent paralysis. In fact, I was concerned that even with surgery, she might not walk again because of the damage to her spinal cord and the nerve atrophy from being immobile for so long.”

Simper’s surgery was a success – Wood removed the disc herniation and replaced the disc with a fusion which he connected to the previous surgery.

The patient was able to eat dinner on her own shorty after surgery which she had not been able to do for a long time. She still had a long road to recovery, but the prognosis was good.

In order to regain her strength and mobility, Simper spent one month in a rehabilitation facility in Houston and another six months of challenging physical therapy at home in Victoria.

“I was determined to walk again,” she said. “My first goal

was just to be able to walk to the bathroom, and I kept working until I could.”

But she didn’t stop there.

When she arrived at Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for her oneyear follow-up, she stood up from her electric scooter, and walked into Wood’s office.

“The whole staff stopped,” Simper said. “They said, ‘Oh my goodness … she’s walking!’ And Dr. Wood said, ‘You are my miracle!’ It was a very emotional moment for both of us.”

Looking back, Simper says her experience with Wood, his staff, and everyone at Houston Methodist Sugar Land was exemplary.

“I was so sick and scared, and everyone took such good care of me,” she said. “I am so grateful to Dr. Wood. I am just

F

This is the second time the court of appeals has intervened to stay an order issued by Judge Shoemake. In a motion seeking expedited review of the judge’s most recent order, the District’s lawyers cited authority that the court’s order was void and of no legal effect because it was issued after the District dismissed its lawsuit. The court of appeals granted the order of stay within two hours of the District filing its motion.

Tel: 713-774-5140

state representative has become the third Fort Bend County Republican to announce plans to step down in as many weeks.

The county’s political and demographic shifts may help explain why.

Fort Bend ISD provides update regarding Sugar Land 95; responds after appeals court halts latest court action ort Bend ISD (August 6, 2019) -- For the second time, a Houston court of appeals has issued an expedited order staying an order issued by the judge in the Sugar Land 95 lawsuit. On July 26, 2019, the day after the District dismissed the lawsuit and announced that it would reinter the Sugar Land 95 in the spots from where they were each exhumed, Judge James Shoemake issued an order appointing a lawyer to serve as a guardian ad litem for the remains. On Monday evening, the court of appeals issued an order staying the appointment.

Section 2

by Andrew Schneider

Over the years, Wood – a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon – has seen it all while helping thousands of patients at Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Sugar Land. But when Simper walked into his office in May for her post-surgery follow-up, even he was amazed.

One year earlier, the 76-yearold Simper had made one last attempt to relieve her suffering, making an appointment with Wood. At the time, she was essentially paralyzed – an old neck surgery had led to a massive disc herniation above the previous surgical site.

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FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

State Rep. John Zerwas said Wednesday he’ll resign at the end of September. Earlier in July, both Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls and Congressman Pete Olson announced they would not seek reelection in 2020.

Bob Stein, a professor of political science at Rice University, says President Trump’s immigration policies hurt the GOP in the county in 2018 and could do so again in the contest to replace Zerwas.

“It’s not just that there has been an emergence of Democratic voters, but it’s where those voters have appeared,” Stein said. “There, Asian Americans have been the big force behind the Democrats becoming a majority. Right now, between Asian Americans, African Americans and Hispanics,

amazed at how he was able to help me. I would recommend him to anyone.”

After her triumphant entrance at Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Simper parked her scooter and hasn’t used it since. She is still working on her stamina, and she doesn’t have full feeling in her hands. But she is up and about and living life again.

“From being paralyzed to walking again is amazing,” she said. “To me, Dr. Wood is the miracle!”

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Wood or another specialist at Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Sugar Land, visit houstonmethodist.org/orthopedics-sl or call 281.201.0409.

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

The District and county are also continuing to work on an agreement that would allow the District to transfer the cemetery to the county after the reinterment process is complete. As part of the agreement, the District is committed to conveying 10 acres of District property to the county for a memorial park commemorating the lives of the Sugar Land 95. Finally, the District is developing a student curriculum that teaches students about the District’s discovery of the Sugar Land 95 and the State of Texas's convict leasing program.

"We are very excited about the opening of the James Reese Career and Technical Center and think the community will be thrilled with the state-of-the art learning opportunities it offers our students,” said Jason Burdine, FBISD Board President. “We are also proud of the work our administrators have been doing in creating a curriculum about the discovery of the Sugar Land 95 and the State’s convict leasing program. It’s important for students to know this history.”

“As for the judge's recent action, we don't understand why

the court issued an order appointing a guardian ad litem after the lawsuit was dismissed.

This is the second time the judge has tried to appoint lawyers in this case with the expectation that the District would pay their legal fees, and twice the court of appeals has stepped in to protect the District by suspending the legal effect of the orders. The court of appeals’ rulings give us confidence that the District has correctly determined that the judge was acting without legal authority.

Hopefully now that the lawsuit is dismissed, the District can focus its energies on honoring these individuals and ensuring that they are reinterred in their resting places as soon as possible as the remains have been sitting on trays for a year. The District also looks forward to finalizing an agreement with the county that will provide a permanent memorial."

The remains of the Sugar Land 95 were discovered during the District’s construction of the James Reese Career and Technical Center. The center will offer specialized courses available to all FBISD high school students, offering them a competitive advantage in preparing for their future, whether their plans include college, immediate entry into the workforce, or a combination of both.

the majority of the registered voters in Fort Bend County are non-white.”

Last year, Democrats took control of the county commissioners court and district attorney’s office, as well as giving Congressman Olson his closest reelection contest ever.

“I think [Fort Bend County]

Republicans feel at this point their chances of not just losing in 2020 are great, but if 2022 produces a Democratic majority in the state house, then the redistricting will make it a permanent condition,” Stein said.

Under state law, Governor Greg Abbott must call a special election to fill Zerwas’ seat.

To counter gerrymandering, Texas Democrats aim to recapture State House in 2020

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epublicans have dominated Congress for the better part of a generation. One of the main reasons is they’ve held most of the power when redrawing congressional boundaries. Republicans have focused on winning and holding state legislatures, and in most states, those legislatures steer redistricting. One-party control often leads to partisan gerrymandering, including in Texas.

Matt Angle – director of the Lone Star Project – says you can see that in the statewide vote. “That percentage vote is much higher than the percentage of the districts that Democrats hold, which really throws into relief how grossly gerrymandered the congressional districts in Texas are,” Angle said.

Last year, Republican congressional candidates took 51% of the vote statewide, Democrats 49%. Yet Republicans wound up winning 23 of the state’s 36 congressional seats.

Democrats finally seem to grasp how important the state contests are. Former Attorney General Eric Holder’s group, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, made a big 2018 push at the state level. exas is expected to pick up as many as three congressional seats in the next census, making a total of 39. With that prize on the line, and with Democrats and Republicans from around the country spending millions in pursuit of it, 2020 could prove to be the most expensive contest for control of the State House in Texas history. - NPR

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An earlier rally at Sugar Land City Hall (file photo) allow future DNA testing that may help determine the identities of the Sugar Land 95 and their possible descendants.

State Rep. John Zerwas in June 2017. (Photo: SlackerDelphi)

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BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD Section 2

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Disney sees box office gains, earnings fall short

Known as one of the most liked actresses in Bollywood, Shraddha never fails to capture eyes with her fashion choices ranging from ethnic to stylish and chic; you name it, she nails it with her sartorial picks. (Twitter/@shraddhakapoor)

Walt Disney Co CEO Bob Iger, seen with singer Katy Perry in a 2018 photo, saw higher revenues in the past quarter from big box-office hits but its earnings were below Wall Street forcasts

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OS ANGELES | AFP | Tuesday 8/6/2019 - Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday secondquarter results were lifted by strong box office gains but failed to meet Wall Street forecasts, sending shares sharply lower.

Disney shares tumbled some five percent in after-hours trade after reporting profits fell 51 percent to $1.4 billion while revenues rose 33 percent to $20.2 billion.

The results included the recently acquired film and television assets from 21st Century Fox, which gives Disney a dominant share of the Hollywood box office as it looks to boost its share in on-demand television to compete

with Netflix and Amazon.

"Our third-quarter results reflect our efforts to effectively integrate the 21st Century Fox assets to enhance and advance our strategic transformation," said Disney chief executive Bob Iger.

"I'd like to congratulate The Walt Disney Studios for reaching $8 billion at the global box office so far this year -- a new industry record -- thanks to the stellar performance of our Marvel, Pixar and Disney films."

The latest results were highlighted by box-office hits such as "Avengers: Endgame," "Aladdin," "Captain Marvel" and "Toy Story 4."

The latest "Avengers" film smashed

records this year to become the alltime top grossing film with more than $2.8 billion by July.

Disney also included results from Hulu, the online streaming service in which it acquired a controlling stake with the Fox deal.

Disney, which also operates theme parks and the ABC and ESPN television networks, is focusing on streaming as it gears up for the launch of its Disney+ service.

Its "direct to consumer" revenues rose in the past quarter from $827 million to $3.8 billion, but its operating loss more than tripled to $553 million due to its investments and consolidation of streaming operations.

'Hobbs & Shaw' dethrones 'Lion King' to top N.America box office

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Shraddha Kapoor shares STUNNING still from 'Saaho' song Enni Soni Arjun Kapoor calls it 'hectic sneeze reaction'

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ooks like Arjun Kapoor is on a mission to troll the beautiful pictures of his colleagues from the industry. While earlier it was Katrina Kaif's gorgeous pictures that were targetted by Arjun, now it's the stunning stills of his Half-Girlfriend co-star Shraddha Kapoor that have become the latest target.

Shraddha Kapoor, who is gearing up for the release of Saaho with Prabhas, shared some beautiful pictures of her-

self from the song Enni Soni, which was unveiled a few days back. Finding the perfect opportunity to pull Shraddha Kapoor's leg, Arjun called her picture a 'hectic sneeze reaction'.

This isn't the firs time that Arjun has pulled the leg of one of his earlier co-stars. Recently, when Katrina Kaif was on her Mexico vacation, she had shared a few pictures from her holiday. Arjun was quick to troll her gorgeous pictures too! - DNA

Bollywood rapper sets viewer record YouTube isn’t talking about

UMBAI - Within 24 hours of posting his video “Paagal” to YouTube, Indian rapper Badshah broke a record even Taylor Swift couldn’t touch. The clip, a dancehall romp, was seen 75 million times in one day, eclipsing a mark set

by Korean boy band BTS in April.

But then a funny thing happened: YouTube declined to credit the Sony Music artist. Since introducing a new way to premiere videos last year, the Google-owned site has trumpeted the setting of every new record, from Ariana Grande’s “thank u next” to Blackpink’s “Kill This Love,” culminating in BTS’s “Boy With Luv.” It even said Swift’s “ME!” set a record for “mostviewed female solo debut.” But Badshah’s feat elicited no response from the world’s most popular online video hub.

Dwayne Johnson (L) and Jason Statham star in 'Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,' which dethroned 'The Lion King' (AFP Photo/KEVIN WINTER)

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OS ANGELES | AFP | Monday 8/5/2019 - "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw" dethroned "The Lion King" in North American theaters, opening with $60 million over the weekend, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Monday.

In fourth place "Spider-Man: Far from Home" -- which continues where "Avengers: Endgame" left off and stars Tom Holland as the Marvel superhero -- took $7.9 million.

The latest installment in the longrunning Fast & Furious franchise features Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jason Statham facing off against "cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist" Idris Elba.

The Disney/Pixar animation once again features the voices of Tom Hanks (Woody) and Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), stalwarts of a franchise that began in 1995.

It ended the box office reign of "The Lion King," a remake of the 1994 animated film that employs hyper-realistic computer-generated images with a voice cast including Donald Glover as Simba and Beyonce as Nala, together with Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor and James Earl Jones.

"The Lion King" earned $38.5 million on its third weekend, topping director Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood," which has earned rave reviews and took in $20 million.

"Once Upon a Time" -- the ninth of the 10 movies Tarantino has said he will make before retiring -- is set in Tinseltown in 1969 and features Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Al Pacino.

"Toy Story 4" was fifth, pocketing another $7.3 million on its seventh weekend in theaters.

Rival executives in the Indian music industry began whispering “Paagal” had benefited from server farms and bots—two tools grouped under “fake views.” But in subsequent days, a different explanation emerged: Badshah and his representatives had purchased advertisements from Google and YouTube that embedded the video or directed fans to it in some other way.

The incident has led to scrutiny of what many in the music industry say is a common practice—buying tens of millions of views. When releasing a new single, major record labels will buy an advertisement on YouTube that places their music video in between other clips. If viewers watch the ad for more than few seconds, YouTube counts that as a view, boosting the overall total. Blackpink and Swift, among others, have done it. Badshah just took it a step further, people familiar with the matter say.

The practice creates doubts about

Badshah (Photo: Sujit Jaiswal/AFP via Getty Images) the real popularity of these clips and reveals some of the murky ways in which artists and their labels promote their music—especially in emerging markets. YouTube, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.’s Google, is now reevaluating the way it judges records, according to two people familiar with the company’s thinking.

- Double Standard Badshah suggested the exclusion was a double standard at YouTube, which was happy to trumpet records from global superstars like Swift and Grande but paused when an Indian rapper unknown in the West employed the same strategy to reach the top.

“We worked hard for this, promoted it worldwide,” Badshah said on Instagram. “I don’t want people abroad to see India like it’s shown in a film like ‘Slumdog Millionaire.’ We are at par with the world. And it’s our time

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to shine.” Badshah, whose real name is Aditya Singh, has released dozens of singles over the past few years, including many hits from Bollywood movies, and was ranked by Forbes as one of the 100 wealthiest Indian celebrities.

India is a huge priority for YouTube, which is relying on emerging countries for most of its growth. India is both YouTube’s largest market—some 265 million Indians visit YouTube every month—and home to its most popular channel. T-Series, India’s largest record label, operates the only channel with more than 100 million subscribers.

Dubious view counts are nothing new for Google, which has refunded companies for ads that ran on sites with fake traffic.

- Bloomberg International

VOICE OF ASIA 13

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

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The Hunt: How real-life tragedy can alter the course of films and TV A trailer for a film starring Betty Gilpin (left) and Hilary Swank was pulled after the El Paso shooting

by Steven McIntosh BBC News

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any of us watch movies not just for entertainment, but for escapism. A chance to be distracted from real-life problems for a couple of hours.

So films and TV shows which unintentionally reflect a recent real-life tragedy can feel insensitive or distasteful, and often end up being reshot or rescheduled as a result.

Forthcoming horror movie The Hunt, due to be released at the end of September, stars double Oscar winner Hilary Swank and Glow's Betty Gilpin.

The satirical film tells the story of liberals and conservatives being pitted against each other in a violent and gory race - a storyline intended to reflect the divided nature of politics at the moment.

The movie sounds like an entertaining watch, with star names and a topical plotline - but some trailers for it have reportedly been dropped as a result of the recent shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

One teaser for the film, which was due to air over the weekend, was pulled by ESPN. It was said to open with the sound resembling an emergency broadcast signal.

"In the aftermath of mass shootings within days of one another that shocked and traumatised the nation, Universal is re-evaluating its strategy for the certain-to-be-controversial satire," wrote Kim Masters in The Hollywood Reporter.

But alternative trailers for The Hunt aired on different networks over the weekend as scheduled, and the graphic trailer has had millions of views online.

The movie release will likely go ahead as planned, albeit perhaps with a slightly altered promotional strategy.

But it isn't the first time entertainment products have been affected by reallife events.

Bastille Day, which starred Idris Elba in a story about civilians killed by a bomb explosion in Paris, was pulled from cinemas in France the day after it was released because of the 2016 terror attack in Nice.

pulled out of respect for terror victims, because it's assumed that nobody will be in the mood to see that topic or a little of both," she says.

"I might be in favour of changing television programming in deference to a violent national event," she continues.

"But I find it much harder to grasp why a movie that requires an individual to make the decision to pay to get in should be punished for being about the 'wrong' thing at a particular moment in time."

Perhaps the biggest single event of recent times to affect the film and TV industry was the 9/11 attack in 2001.

A scene in Spider-Man featuring the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center was deleted from the film and the trailers in light of the sombre national mood, and the location was also edited out of Men In Black II and Zoolander.

Friends - one of the most successful TV sitcoms of all time - cut an entire storyline from one episode which saw Chandler detained at an airport after making a joke about a bomb.

It was replaced by a new storyline involving Monica and Chandler, and the already-filmed footage was only released years later as part of a box set.

In the UK, one of the longest delays to a major film came in 2007 when Gone Baby Gone was due to be released.

It came out in the US in October and was set for a UK release in December but was halted by the disappearance of Madeleine McCann as the producers felt the plot, which dealt with a young girl going missing, was distasteful.

Wiseman says that while audiences like to identify with characters and storylines, a story which appears to reflect a real-life horror can be difficult to watch.

"Hollywood studios want and need audience identification in their films, but too much identification can become uncomfortable for some unsus-

Bastille Day, Shooter and Gone Baby Gone have all faced delays because of real-life events pecting viewers who find material too close to real-life tragedy."

He adds that once promotion has begun, films can be more difficult to change or postpone than TV shows.

rorism were shelved around 9/11, a whimsical and sweet film like Amelie unexpectedly took off in the US and in

Sharlene Sharmila Richards Attorney at Law

"Delays can be very costly, especially if they happen after advertising has already been booked and campaigns are under way.

"If a campaign is fragmented or becomes confused in its timing, then audiences are likely to find something else to watch."

However, he says it "can work both ways".

OF

PRO

"While many films about ter-

StudioCanal stopped adverts for the film immediately after the attack and soon cancelled its release altogether, commenting that it was "not in line with the national mood".

many other countries [because] audiences wanted a joyful escape."

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"Studios, like many major corporations, are risk averse," says Andreas Wiseman, international editor at Deadline.

"The performance over its opening weekend can often make or break a film, so distributors spend a long time strategising over an optimum release date.

"If there is a chance a social or political context might turn media or audiences against a film, studios will reroute."

The studio's request to pull Bastille Day out of French cinemas was supported by the film's lead actor. Elba told The Sun that the producers probably thought the film was "insensitive" and did not "feel right to have out there".

Yet some French film fans were disappointed with the studio's decision.

One told Reuters he "didn't make the connection with Nice".

"There are so many differences," said the cinemagoer. "I think it's a coincidence and I find it a shame for the people who made the film."

Producing a film or TV series is a long and laborious process - the whole operation can often take years.

So when a project is thrown into uncertainty as a result of reality, studios often try to just delay (rather than cancel) its release.

In 2017, a remake of Death Wish was pushed back by several months after a mass shooting in Las Vegas.

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And TV series Shooter - a drama about a sniper - was postponed after unrest prompted by the shooting of black men by police.

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USA Network initially delayed the show's debut by a week - and "after further consideration", it was subsequently postponed until the autumn.

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VOICE OF ASIA 14

Section 2

Young Life

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FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

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Meet Ashima Shiraishi, the teenaged climbing Boost in high school students prodigy making headlines ahead of her sport’s taking advanced computer science could change the face of tech olympic debut

New data show more girls and minority students are taking advanced computer science courses in high school. Credit: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

by Christina Gardner-Mccune, The Conversation

to 31,458, the College Board has reported.

ften when I speak with students who are majoring in computer sciences, many of them tell me that they have never taken a computer science course until college. This is especially true for the female, black, and Latino students I've spoken with as a computer science professor.

What do these figures mean? As a professor who studies ways to get more students interested in computer science—and as someone who helped develop and teach an early version of the AP Computer Science Principles course, as well as the exam—I believe these numbers will ultimately result in more students from diverse backgrounds being better positioned to major or minor in computer science.

This in turn will help diversify the tech industry.

O

Ashima Shiraishi competing at the 2019 Sport & Speed Open National Championships finals on March 9, 2019 in Alexandria, Virginia.

by Karen Rosen | Aug. 05, 2019, Team USA , (United States Olympic Committee)

A

shima Shiraishi has the world at her fingertips. And at her feet.

She’s been one of the top American climbers for years, is considered the best teenaged climber on the planet and is still only 18.

As Shiraishi was steadily rising in the sport, the stakes suddenly got higher with the addition of climbing to the program of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Factor in that her parents are from Japan and Shiraishi, who has dual citizenship, has been living in Tokyo for a year, and the scenario becomes even better.

“It’s perfect,” said Shiraishi, who was born in New York City.

When she found out sport climbing had been accepted into the Olympic Games, Shiraishi said, “I was really just shocked about it. There was so much speculation for so long. It was such a big question mark that we weren’t sure it was going to actually be in it, and when it finally was, it was a big deal.”

Shiraishi has been a big deal in climbing since she began “sending,” or completing difficult outdoor ascents as a youngster. How many athletes are the subject of a lengthy profile in The New Yorker when they are only 14 years old? The headline called her a

“Rock-Climbing Prodigy.”

Shiraishi is one of the only climbers with lucrative sponsorships outside the sport and her ascents are documented in numerous short films.

Shiraishi is currently No. 15 in the International Federation of Sport Climbing combined world cup rankings and is the top Team USA female climber. Kyra Condie is ranked No. 17 while Margo Hayes is No. 27. Up to two women per country can make the U.S. Olympic team.

A climb is called a problem, and Shiraishi is superb at solving them. In Japan, they call her “The Spider Girl.”

“You try not to think very much,” Shiraishi said. ‘You try to just focus on the upcoming move. The movement is always different, so that’s something that’s really cool. It’s not just about memorizing things and repetition; it’s about thinking up new strategies and always having something new.”

It doesn’t always work out.

“I fall all the time,” said Shiraishi.

Of course, she knows how to avoid injuring herself.

“It’s important to bend your knees,” Shiraishi said, “so there’s less impact on them.”

At 5-foot-1, Shiraishi is smaller than many of her competitors, who have an advantage when it comes to reach. “If you’re shorter, it’s also good, because you can get your feet into good positions,” she said.

Although an observer noted that she had “fingers of steel,” in The New Yorker article, Shiraishi downplays it.

“My hands are pretty strong, but not like that strong,” she said.

Meg Coyne, a Team USA coach, said Shiraishi has “incredible movement skills and body awareness and body control. She’s also got incredible endurance and ability to rest on the wall. So, it’s not so much that she’s so powerful or even so strong, but she’s quite smart with the way she climbs.”

For casual observers, outdoor rock climbing can be a confusing mix of numbers and letters.

Shiraishi said her greatest achievement so far has been climbing V15, the second-hardest grade level, on Horizon at Mount Hiei, Japan. At 14, she was the first female climber and youngest person to make the grade.

Rock and Ice magazine called her “the new face of climbing.”

A little over a year later, Shiraishi conquered another V15, Sleepy Rave in Australia, just as the news about climbing’s Olympic inclusion was trickling out in August 2016.

The competition will be held on artificial walls at the Aomi Urban Sports Park, next to the Olympic Village with views across Tokyo Bay. Climbers typically specialize in one or two disciplines and compete on the world cup circuit in the discipline(s) of their choice. In Tokyo, the scores from three disciplines will be combined to determine the medalists:

But newly released data from the College Board suggests that things are beginning to change, especially for girls and students from groups that are underrepresented in computer science.

Specifically, the figures show the number of black high school students who have taken Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles— a class that involves both computer programming and the social impact of technology—rose 121 percent since the course launched in 2016, from 2,981 to 6,589. The number of black students who scored a 3 or higher on the AP exam for this course increased 118 percent since 2017, from 1,269 to 2,766 in 2019, according to a College Board representative.

A score of 3 or better often enables exam takers to get college credit and bypass introductory computer science courses in college.

The number of Hispanic/Latino students who have taken AP Computer Science Principles has increased 125 percent, from 8,334 to 18,780, since the course began. The number of Hispanic/Latino students scoring a 3 or higher on the AP CSP exam increased 116 percent since 2017, from 4,742 in 2017 to 10,264 in 2019, according to the College Board.

Finally, in the three years since the launch of AP Computer Science Principles, the number of female students who have taken the course has increased 136 percent, from 13,328

Why diversity in tech matters Diversity in the tech field is important because computing technologies are pervasive in our daily lives— from the GPS we use to get around, to apps we use to bank, make hotel or flight reservations and check the weather. But if the people who design the technology don't include women, minorities, people with disabilities, or other individuals from diverse backgrounds, it could lead to technology that works for some or maybe even most but not all.

For instance, it recently came to light that the body scanners used by the Transportation Security Administration frequently set off false alarms for Afros, braids and other hairstyles worn by black women. This in turn subjects black women to more frequent and invasive screenings at the airport.

Problems like this are why it is important for software development teams to be as diverse and inclusive as possible to ensure technologies address the needs of all. As more students see people who look like them taking computer science courses in high school, more students will take notice and follow in their footsteps.

Ultimately, this will enable them to become the software engineers and tech innovators of the future.

Do video games, mental illness drive US massacres?

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ashington | AFP | Monday 8/5/2019 - President Donald Trump on Monday tied mass shootings that left 31 dead in two US cities over the weekend to hate, violent video games and mental illness.

But with 255 mass shooting events counted so far this year in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive, analysts say those factors don't explain all the violence.

Not all mass shooters show signs of mental health problems, or play violent video games, or have political grudges. But one factor is omnipresent: the ease of acquiring guns.

- Violent video games "We must stop the glorification of violence in our society. This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace," Trump said.

It's true that some recent mass shooters played violent video games obsessively.

Adam Lanza, who killed 26 schoolchildren and school employees at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012, spent hours a day playing some of the most violent video games, including one called "School Shooting."

Nikolas Cruz, who killed 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida in 2018, reportedly played violent video games up to 15 hours a day.

But Chris Ferguson, a psychology professor at Stetson University who has studied the issue, says there is

President Donald Trump and others blame violent video games such as Fortnite for the rash of mass shootings in the United States (AFP Photo/Johannes EISELE)

no causal link with real attacks.

Hundreds of millions of people around the world play first-person shooter games such as "Fortnite" and "Call of Duty," and do not turn into mass murderers.

"Violent video games do not contribute to mass shootings, not in whole, not in part," said Ferguson.

"It's probably actively causing harm to the extent it distracts people from real causes of violence," he said on Twitter.

The American Psychological Association has found a link between violent games and films and increased aggression among children, but says it is only one risk factor.

- Mental illness Trump also tied shootings to

"mentally disturbed individuals" who should not have access to firearms.

"Mental illness and hatred pull the trigger -- not the gun," he said.

There is a link in some cases.

Marine Corps veteran Ian David Long, 28, who killed 12 at a country music bar in California in November last year, was believed to have posttraumatic stress disorder.

Twenty-four-year-old Connor Betts, who killed nine on Sunday at a bar in Ohio, reportedly showed dangerous tendencies while in high school.

And Cruz, the Florida high school attacker, had a history of mental health problems.

"On the face of it, somebody that goes out and massacres a bunch

of strangers, that's not the act of a healthy mind," Jeffrey Swanson, a professor in psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine, told AFP. Yet, he said, there are 10 million Americans with serious mental illnesses "and the overwhelming majority of them do not engage in violent behavior."

Most mass shooters, he said, "do not have the serious identifiable mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, that impairs the brain's ability to reason or see reality, or bipolar disorder."

- Divisive politics and the internet Some attacks are also linked to divisive politics, which play out online, especially on the 8chan website.

Like two earlier mass murderers, the man who killed 22 at a Walmart in Texas on Saturday, identified in media reports as 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, released a "manifesto" on 8chan attacking the "Hispanic invasion" from Mexico, echoing Trump's own political rhetoric.

According to journalist Robert Evans, writing on of Bellingcat, 8chan has turned mass shootings into a video-game-like competition, where body counts are referred to as "high scores."

"The act of massacring innocents has been gamified," he wrote on Sunday.

- Availability of guns Still, one common thread in all the attacks is the ease of obtaining weapons and high-capacity magazines.

Stephen Paddock, who massacred 58 people and wounded hundreds attending a concert in Las Vegas in 2017, was not apparently mentally ill, ideologically motivated, or a video gamer. He launched his attack using two dozen weapons, mostly AR-15-type assault rifles.

Robert Bowers, who killed 11 people at a Pennsylvania synagogue last October, carried four guns in his attack and legally owned 21.

And Betts had an assault rifle he ordered online from Texas, equipped with a 100-round drum magazine.

Read more Young Life stories. Visit us online : voiceofasia.news

VOICE OF ASIA 15

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

August is Suicide Prevention Month

August is Prevention of Underage Drinking and Driving Prevention Month

Section 2 Tel: 713-774-5140

Philippines rejects dengue vaccine as outbreak leaves hundreds dead

Is Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plan F being phased out in 2020?

Is Plan F going away? Yes, BUT only for new Medicare enrollees starting in 2020. People eligible for Medicare prior to 2020 will continue to have Plan C and F options in the future. Here’s some additional situations: • If you are on Plan F already when 2020 rolls around, your coverage will not be affected. In fact, you will continue to be able to purchase Plan F policies from other carriers after 2020 as well.

(Again, the MACRA act only prohibits the sale of Medigap Plans C & F to newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries.

• If you are eligible for Medicare before 2020 but have delayed it because you are still working and have employer insurance, don’t worry. When you leave that insurance and switch to Medicare, you will still have the right to enroll in Medigap Plans C or F. • People eligible for Medicare AFTER 2020 will not have this same right, but they will have a similar right to enroll in Medigap Plans D or G going forward.

Parents of children injected with Dengvaxia vaccine carry pictures of their loved ones as they attend a senate hearing regarding the vaccine at the Senate building in Manila, Philippines, Feb. 21, 2018. File Photo: AFP

M

ANILA, Philippines | AFP | 8/6/2019 - The Philippines stood firm Tuesday on its ban on the world's first dengue vaccine while declaring a nationwide epidemic from the mosquito-borne disease that it said has killed hundreds this year.

Dengue incidence shot up 98 percent from a year earlier to 146,062 cases from January 1 to July 20, causing 662 deaths, Health Secretary Francisco Duque told a news conference in which he announced a "national dengue epidemic".

Manila banned the sale, import and distribution of the Dengvaxia vaccine in February following the deaths of several dozen children who were among more than 700,000 people given shots in 2016 and 2017 in a government immunisation campaign.

Duque said Thursday the government is studying an appeal to allow French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi to put the vaccine back in the Philippine market, but ruled out using the drug to combat the ongoing epidemic which has hit small children hard.

"This vaccine does not squarely address the most vulnerable group which is the 5-9 years of age," Duque said.

The vaccine, now licensed in 20 countries according to the World Health Organization, is approved for use for those aged nine and older.

Duque said the United Nations agency also advised Manila that the vaccine was "not recommended" as a response to an outbreak, and it was anyway "not cost-effective" with one dose costing a thousand pesos (about $20).

Dengue, or haemorrhagic fever, is the world's most common mosquitoborne virus and infects an estimated

390 million people in more than 120 countries each year -- killing more than 25,000 of them, according to the WHO. The Philippines in 2016 became the first nation to use Dengvaxia in a mass immunisation programme.

But controversy arose after Sanofi disclosed a year later that it could worsen symptoms for people not previously infected by the dengue virus.

The disclosure sparked a nationwide

panic, with some parents alleging the vaccine killed their children.

The controversy also triggered a vaccine scare that the government said was a factor behind measles outbreaks that the UN Children's Fund said have killed more than 200 people this year.

Duque on Tuesday called on other government agencies, schools, offices and communities get out of offices, homes and schools every afternoon to take part in efforts to "search and destroy mosquito breeding sites".

1,800 dead as malaria 'epidemic' rages in Burundi: UN

N

AIROBI, Kenya | AFP | Tuesday 8/6/2019 - Malaria has killed more than 1,800 people in Burundi this year, the UN's humanitarian agency says, a death toll rivalling a deadly Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

In its latest situation report, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 5.7 million cases of malaria had been recorded in Burundi in 2019 -- a figure roughly equal to half its entire population.

Of those cases, a total of 1,801 died from the mosquito-born disease in Burundi between January 1 and July 21, OCHA said.

The tiny country of 11 million people in the African Great Lakes region has still not declared a national emergency, despite OCHA saying the outbreak crossed "epidemic proportions" in May.

"The national malaria outbreak response plan, which is currently being validated, has highlighted a lack of human, logistical and financial resources for effective response," OCHA said in its latest weekly bulletin on humanitarian emergencies.

"All stakeholders, including the national authorities and partners are called upon to provide the requisite resources to mount a robust response to this event before it escalates."

A lack of preventative measures like mosquito nets, climatic changes and increased movements of people from mountain areas with low immunity to malaria were driving the crisis, OCHA said.

- 'Many crises' A World Health Organisation (WHO) official told AFP that "the decision to declare an epidemic is the sovereignty of the Burundian state".

The country declared a malaria

Hungarian doctors separate Bangladeshi twins joined at head

D

HAKA, Bangladesh | AFP | Friday 8/2/2019 - Bangladeshi twins who were joined at the head were recovering Friday after Hungarian surgeons performed a marathon 30-hour operation to separate their skulls and brains.

The three-year-old twins, named Rabeya and Rukaya, suffered from a rare embryological disorder affecting an estimated one in every five to six million births.

district of Pabna.

He praised the doctors and added: "I hope my daughters will fully recover and grow up healthy and have a normal life."

Before the surgery doctors had said there was only a 50 percent chance of the twins surviving.

According to ADPF, only a handful of operations to separate twins joined at the head have been successful.

They were "stable after the final separation," said Andras Csokay, a neurosurgeon with the Action for Defenceless People Foundation (ADPF) that organised the 35-strong Hungarian surgical team.

The Hungarian charity was set up in 2002 by Csokay and plastic surgeon Gergely Pataki to provide free surgery to poor people in Hungary and abroad.

After the separation at Dhaka's Combined Military Hospital, Csokay's team began to cover the wound area with soft tissues generated by a tissue expansion process carried out in Hungary.

In the first surgery phase in Bangladesh last year, the shared blood vessels of the twins' brains were separated in a 14-hour operation.

Rafiqul Islam, the father of the twins, was relieved and overjoyed.

"The doctors have separated my babies. I have seen them with my own eyes. They are now fine," said Islam, a teacher from the rural northwestern

Islam and his wife approached the group for help in 2017.

Then in a second six-month-long phase beginning in January, Rabeya and Rukaya moved to Budapest where doctors inserted an implant system to expand the scalp and soft tissue in their heads.

More than 40 plastic surgery interventions took place to fill the ex-

panders, change the bandages and to perform laser and regenerative wound treatment.

ADPF neurosurgeons and plastic surgeons supported by anaesthesiologists, radiologists and pediatricians also used innovative 3D animation software to map the two brains.

"This was one of the biggest most challenging malformations that I have ever seen," Pataki told AFP last month.

The twins and Hungarian medics returned to Bangladesh in late July ahead of the final surgery.

ADPF has performed around 500 reconstructive surgery operations in Asia and Africa, including for Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh.

Other popular Medigap plans like Plan G and Plan N will continue to be available for everyone in their current format. A New High-Deductible Plan G will be created and made available for both newly eligible and previously eligible applicants.

Why is Plan F Going Away?

Changes to Medicare supplement plans are a result of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015. You may have heard it referred to as the “doc fix” law.

Congress passed this legislation last year to ensure that doctors would be paid better for providing Medicare services.

We all want our doctors to be paid fairly for seeing Medicare patients. However, some earlier laws in place would have actually decreased pay for doctors over the next few years.

Doctors, of course, don’t like this.

Many threatened to leave the Medicare program if the cuts continued. Every year, Congress has been voting at the last minute to stall the cuts, but did not work.

This new law ensures doctors will be adequately paid for Medicare services and wants you to have some skin in the game.

They needed a solution to fix the payments for physicians so that they would not bail out of the Medicare program.

As you can imagine, that costs money, around $200 billion over the next 10 years.

Congress had to come up with that money from somewhere. They decided to reform our existing Medigap policies, among other measures. All Medicare Beneficiaries Must Be Subject to a Deductible Currently Medicare Parts A & B both

epidemic in March 2017, when the country had recorded 1.8 million cases and 700 deaths, but was resisting doing the same now.

A senior government official, who declined to be named, said the government did not want to admit weakness with elections set for 2020.

"We are less than a year away from the presidential election. (President

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900 have deductibles. Deductibles are the amount of money that you pay out of pocket before your benefits begin.

Medigap plans can still cover the Part A Hospital deductible, but as of 2020, the plans can no longer cover the Part B deductible for new enrollees. Currently this deductible is $185 per year in 2019.

Since Plan F covers that deductible, it is going to be phased out for new enrollees.

The goal of this measure, in the view of Congress, is to make Medicare beneficiaries put a little more to bear some of the cost.

People with Plan F have “first dollar” coverage. Right from the first day, Medicare covers 80% and their Medigap Plan F covers the deductibles and the other 20%. At the time of service, people currently on Plan F pay no copay for their Medicare-related doctor visits.

No deductible either. Lawmakers fear that this lack of cost-sharing results in people running to the doctor for minor issues that may not really require medical care.

These changes mean that all Medicare beneficiaries will have least $185 in deductible spending out of your own pocket each year. In light of this, they hope you might think twice before seeing a doctor and perhaps causing the Medicare Trust Fund some unnecessary spending.

Will this really work to reduce Medicare’s overall annual expenditures?

We’ll see. Opponents have argued that people may end up waiting to seek medical care for serious issues. This would ultimately cost the Medicare program more money down the road. The end result is something we’ll all be discovering together after 2020. Source: Boomer Benefits To choose right Medicare Supplement plan, Medicare Prescription Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan contact Sudhir Mathuria at 713-771-2900.

Pierre) Nkurunziza, who is facing many crises, does not want to recognise what could be considered a failure of his health policy," the official told AFP. Burundi has been in crisis since 2015, when Nkurunziza ran for a third term and was re-elected in elections boycotted by most of the opposition.

voiceofasia.news For Latest on Health News

VOICE OF ASIA 16

HEALTH - DIET & EXERCISE

US seniors fulfill dreams, fight depression with virtual reality

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M

ASHINGTON | AFP | Friday 8/2/2019 - President Donald Trump has repeatedly hit out at China for failing to curb the export of illegal fentanyl to the United States.

IAMI | AFP | Monday 8/5/2019 - Nidia Silva had never realized her dream of swimming with dolphins until a Miami NGO gave her a pair of virtual reality glasses as part of an experimental treatment for depression and isolation in senior citizens.

The powerful painkiller is the primary synthetic opioid available in the US, a class of drug that was responsible for almost 32,000 overdose deaths last year.

"You're in a world you don't know, but it's very beautiful and very important for me to see," 78-year-old Silva said after taking off the virtual reality (VR) goggles.

But why is fentanyl's threat growing, and can Beijing help America cure its addiction to its deadliest drug?

She was sitting in Domino Park in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood.

It's a popular spot for Cuban residents -- especially older ones -- to meet daily and play dominoes.

"I'm very excited," said Silva, who felt like she had been swimming in the water around Cuba, from which she emigrated 19 years ago.

Around her, the clacking of dominoes and lively conversations sounded loud in Florida's dense, sticky heat, but she paid it no mind.

Less accustomed to the climate was Alexandra Ivanovitch, who offered Silva the chance to try VR goggles.

Ivanovitch, who is French, was giving a VR demonstration to Cuban retirees, transporting them to the Malecon in Havana, to outer space, to the ocean floor or the tops of mountains.

Her project, called "VR Genie," is designed to counteract the "loneliness and social isolation" that often affects the elderly, especially those who live alone or in nursing homes where there are few activities.

"We use virtual reality to fulfill seniors' wishes," said Ivanovitch, a digital humanities doctor.

Through VR, seniors can go places they've never been and check destinations off their bucket lists.

VR Genie, which is run by the nonprofit organization Equality Lab, is funded by Miami-Dade County's Mayor's Age Friendly Initiative through a mini grant. The goal is to provide nursing homes with VR helmets as soon as Ivanovitch, 35, compiles a more extensive "dream library."

- What is fentanyl? -

Nidia Silva samples a virtual reality experience in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, Florida. (Photo: Rhona Wise) "We are really trying to reconnect them with the world," said Ivanovitch.

Many of the seniors she works with are no longer physically or financially able to travel on their own.

"Basically, we bring the world to them," she said.

- VR for mental health Recent studies show that virtual reality can help people deal with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues.

"We know that things like guided imagery and meditation can be very beneficial for cognition and things of that nature, and we also know that direct behavioral interventions can be very helpful for individuals as well," said Aldrich Chan, a neuropsychologist and research associate at the University of Miami.

According to Chan, VR hits the sweet spot between the two courses of action, making its use for elder care "really interesting research."

Chan, who also consults for Equality Lab, is responsible for quantifying the potential effects of VR use in caring for seniors, particularly the effects of virtually granting final wishes.

A team from the University of Cali-

fornia, Los Angeles, studies the use of VR to treat anhedonia, a symptom of depression that creates an inability to experience pleasure or interest in a range of activities.

Psychiatric researcher Michelle Craske and her team are focused on providing patients with positive experiences, such as those produced by VR, and meditation in order to treat anhedonia and increase well-being.

"Most treatments, up until now, have done an OK job at reducing negative (symptoms of depression), but a very poor job at helping patients become more positive," Craske told the scientific journal STAT in April.

According to a study Craske published earlier this year in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, people who participated in the positive experience treatment reported lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress than those who participated in standard treatment, which focuses on addressing negative symptoms.

With her goggles still on, Silva moved her hand gently through the air, caressing non-existent dolphins.

"It takes you to another world, it really calms you down," she explained.

"It's so wonderful!"

The Ketogenic Diet: Promises, Promises

by Carolyn C. Ross M.D.

T

he ketogenic diets (like many diets before this one) has been the new darling of our weight loss, dieting culture. It has been touted as offering significant weight loss as well as having numerous health benefits, particularly for diabetes.

The keto diet is a low-carb, high fat diet that some articles say has been shown to offer health benefits against diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. The premise is that limiting carbohydrates is better than limiting fat in terms of producing better weight loss and good health. Here is a summary of a couple of these studies on limiting carbohydrates: 1. A 2003 study showed that shortterm (3-6 months) weight loss was better on a low carbohydrate diet but the benefit did not hold. At one year, there was no difference between the two groups.

2. In individuals with a BMI of over 43, a low-carbohydrate diet was compared to a low-fat diet. The low-carb dieters lost 12.76 to 31.68 pounds and the low-fat dieters lost 4.18 up to 13.42 pounds. However, the study lasted only six months.

These typify the studies that are being done to “evaluate” different diets.

There are many more but what they all have in common is: · The amount of weight lost in all the studies is very small for both groups of dieters · The length of the studies is very short; most are 12 weeks, with some going for six months and a rare few lasting up to one year.

These points are worth reading again. And if you have been a chronic dieter, you know that while it may be easy to lose weight in the short-term, keeping the weight off is almost impossible, even if you’re highly motivated. In the past you may have blamed yourself. “Why can’t I stay on a diet?” “Why can’t I lose weight when other people can?” There is no reason to blame yourself. But it is time to tell the truth: DIETS DON’T WORK. They never have and they never will.

The recent DIETFITS (Diet Intervention Examining the Factors Interacting with Treatment Success) study also compared low-fat and low-carb diets and found that both diets had the same results for weight loss, lowering blood sugar and lowering cholesterol.

This study had over 600 healthy people who were considered overweight or obese by body mass index (BMI).

In the study dieters were restrict-

Five things to know about fentanyl, America's deadliest drug

by Issam Ahmed

by Leila MACOR

ed to either 20 grams of carbs or 20 grams of fat (both are severe restrictions) but were advised to eat as many vegetables as possible, limit processed foods, cook at home, avoid added sugars, trans fats and refined carbs. The study participants had 22 classes and access to health educators to teach them behavior modification to reduce emotional eating. Both groups were encouraged to get 150 minutes of physical activity a week.

Both groups lost approximately 12 pounds. over the course of one year.

DIETFITS researchers felt that both diets were successful because they were healthy and sustainable and because participants received behavioral support.

The keto diet follows in the footsteps of other low-carb diets, such as the Paleo and Atkins diets. The keto diet differs in that it encourages followers to stop eating almost all carbohydrates and to eat high levels of fat (over 70% of calories consumed) and avoid excess protein. This puts the body into a ketotic state: When the body does not have enough glucose (sugar) to burn for energy, it will burn stored fats instead, and this leads to the build-up of acids (ketones) in the body. Ketosis can be harmful if excessive, as it can cause ketoacidosis, a condition found in diabetics that can be life threatening.

But is the keto diet more effective than other diets—for weight loss or for health? In an analysis of over 13

studies—studies lasting longer than one year—researchers found that the keto diet resulted in less than 2 pounds more of weight loss than high-carb, low-fat diets (HCLD).

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

Fentanyl was first developed in 1959 and introduced to the US market in the 1960s as an intravenous anesthetic.

A hundred times more potent than morphine, it is used to manage severe pain, for example among cancer patients or those receiving end-of-life care.

But it is also produced illegally and trafficked into the US -- primarily from China and Mexico -- in the form of powder or tablets, and sometimes gets mixed with heroin and cocaine.

- Why is it spreading? A report published in December by researchers at University of California San Francisco found that fentanyl use has surged in recent years because of heroin and prescription pill shortages, and because it was cheaper for drug wholesalers to produce than heroin.

"Very little drug slang has developed to describe fentanyl, which lends support to the notion that this is not a demand-driven epidemic," said Sarah Mars, a UCSF researcher.

Users are often unaware the products they are consuming contain the drug, and a key market is people who turn to counterfeit medicines for cost reasons.

"Traffickers are exploiting high consumer demand for illicit prescription painkillers, tranquilizers, and sedatives by producing inexpensive counterfeits containing fentanyl," said a report by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

In 2016, counterfeit prescription painkiller Norco, which actually contained fentanyl, was responsible for at least 14 deaths in California.

- How deadly is it? Fentanyl can be lethal in a dose of as little as two milligrams, equivalent to a few grains of sand.

In 2015, New Jersey law enforcement officers carrying out a narcotics field test on what turned out to be fentanyl experienced shortness of breath, dizziness and respiratory distress, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

- Where does it come from? Powdered fentanyl can be bought on the dark web or even business trading sites like Weiku.com, according to Roger Bate, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute who published a report on the drug this week.

A kilo sourced from China can be purchased in the US for as little as $1700, which is then used to create up to a million pills that when sold for $10 to $20 each generate millions in revenue, according to the DEA. Bate's report found that poorly policed free trade zones in places like Singapore and Dubai help bring the products into the US market.

Mexican gangs also play a large role in producing and distributing the drug, with precursor chemicals first smuggled into Mexico via the southwest US. Some illicit fentanyl products are also brought into the US via Canada, which until 2017 did not allow authorities to open the contents of mail weighing less than 30 grams.

- Can China help? Trump issued his latest missive at China over its alleged inaction Thursday, tweeting: "My friend President Xi said that he would stop the sale of Fentanyl to the United States – this never happened, and many Americans continue to die!"

China has in fact already made some efforts to crack down on suppliers, leading to transshipment via Vietnam, said Bate, but it could apply much more pressure to major players in its chemical industry that would yield some results.

But he warned action by Beijing could be limited because the government may not be fully aware of the activities of the tens of thousands of smaller chemical producers operating throughout the country.

What's more, even if its efforts prove successful, other countries with manufacturing capacity like Russia or India could step in as new suppliers.

"It's quite difficult for a few guys in the garage to make, but not difficult for legitimate chemical plants to make," Bate said.

But it is not just deadly to users and can threaten anyone who intercepts it such as postal workers, law enforcement officers, first responders and even sniffer dogs, according to the DEA.

He advocates instead for measures to fund drug and mental health programs so that fewer people become addicted, and greater availability of the drug naloxone to treat those who have overdosed.

of research have not found that dieting is an effective method to lose weight and keep it off. Current research supports the ability to be healthy no matter what your size. That is not to say that you can't make lifestyle changes to improve your health and wellbeing. But those changes are better when they are not short term, quick fix diets that you can't sustain.

plan that works for every BODY. That is why there are so many diets on the market. If you choose to make lifestyle changes, then, it is best to find a way of eating by that you can maintain over years, not months.

Beyond these points, the keto diet poses specific risks related to chronic ketosis and failure to get enough healthy carbohydrates. Eating whole grains, fruits and legumes are not the cause of weight gain or health problems. In fact, these products are

How much longer are we willing to risk our lives and our health to be thin? Maybe someday little girls and boys will grow up knowing that bodies come in different sizes and shapes and that all are natural and normal.

Maybe we will one day be able to allow people to be the best they can be and recognize that their bodies are none of our business and put an end to weight stigma.

Another analysis of long-term studies on people with Type 2 diabetes did not show that the keto diet improved blood sugar control compared with the HCLD diet. Other studies do not show a significant benefit in lowering cholesterol (especially bad cholesterol, or LDL, and apo-B lipoprotein).

Although the good (HDL) cholesterol may be raised with keto diets, studies have not shown that such an effect translates into lower risk for heart-related diseases.

But why are we still talking about dieting and weight loss at all?! It is very clear that dieting is often the trigger for serious and life-threatening eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. Weight stigma has created a culture in which women and men, children and adults from all backgrounds suffer over how they look, are bullied for their size and spend enormous amounts of their time, money (over $60 billion) and energy worrying how they look and what they weight.

This has created a a culture in which the individuals living in larger bodies are afraid to go to get medical care for fear of medical stigma, with obvious long-term results. Diets have never been shown to be sustainable, especially over the long-term. Nor have they been shown to be effective. Decades

The keto diet is a low-carb, high fat diet that some articles say has been shown to offer health benefits against diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. (File photo) health-promoting. In over 45 studies, consumption of whole grains was associated with reduction in heart disease, stroke, total cancers and death from all causes. Documented side effects of the keto diet include constipation, bad breath, muscle cramps, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, headaches, bone fractures and pancreatitis.

The most important approach to this issue is to understand the facts - that we don't have a "one size fits all" diet

Maybe we can bury dieting in a time capsule along with dial-up internet, rotary phones, cars without seat belts, phone booths—all things that the younger generation doesn't even know about. Wouldn't it be great if diets were something our kids kids had never heard of either? It's time—to make peace with food and with our bodies, eat intuitively and see ourselves as valuable human beings no matter what size we are.

- BioPlus Health News

TRAVEL / LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 17

Libya airliner narrowly avoids airport bombing

T

RIPOLI, Libya | AFP | Monday 8/5/2019 - A Libyan airliner has narrowly escaped being hit by incoming fire as it landed at war-torn capital Tripoli's sole functioning airport, aviation officials said.

quency of attacks" on Mitiga airport, controlled by pro-GNA forces.

"The crew on the flight from Benghazi, which was carrying 124 passengers, avoided being hit by bombing on Mitiga International Airport" on Sunday evening, the airport's management wrote on Facebook.

On Sunday his office condemned the "repeated indiscriminate shelling targeting Mitiga airport, the only indispensable functioning airport available for use by millions of civilians" and aid deliveries in Tripoli.

The incident forced the airport to close to air traffic and re-route flights to Misrata, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) further east, until late Sunday night.

The origin of the bombs was not clear, and no side has yet claimed responsibility.

Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar's forces, who control much of eastern Libya, launched an offensive in April to try to wrest Tripoli from forces backing the Government of National Accord (GNA).

United Nations Libya envoy Ghassan Salame last week warned the Security Council of "the increasing fre-

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

'Iceberg Corridor' sparks tourist boom on Canada's east coast

"Several of these attacks have come perilously close to hitting civilian aircraft with passengers on board," he said.

Mitiga has closed several times since the start of the assault by Haftar, who has accused pro-GNA forces of using the airport for military purposes including as a launch site for Turkish drones to attack his forces.

Located a few kilometres (miles) east of Tripoli, Mitiga is an former military airbase that has been used by civilian traffic since Tripoli's international airport suffered severe damage during fighting in 2014.

The World Health Organization says that fighting since April has left nearly 1,100 people dead and wounded more than 5,750, and forced more than 100,000 civilians to flee their homes.

As iPhone sales sputter, Apple moves toward reinvention, again

Tourists look at icebergs from the seashore of King's Point -- May to July is peak viewing season, bringing thousands of visitors from around the world to this tiny village of just 600 residents (AFP Photo/Johannes EISELE).

by Julien Besset

K

ING'S POINT, Canada | AFP | Friday 8/2/2019 - At dusk, tourists marvel at the sensational collapse of an iceberg at the end of its long journey from Greenland to Canada's east coast, which now has a front row seat to the melting of the Arctic's ice.

While the rest of the world nervously eyes the impact of global warming, the calving of Greenland's glaciers -the breaking off of ice chunks from its edge -- has breathed new life into the remote coastal villages of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Once a hub of cod fishing, the province now plays host to hordes of amateur photographers and tourists hoping to capture the epic ice melt for posterity. As winter ends, iceberg spotting begins.

An illustration of an iPhone held up in front of the Apple Inc. logo taken on Jan. 30, 2015 in Lille. Image: AFP/Philippe Huguen

by Rob Lever

W

ASHINGTON, | AFP | Sunday 8/3/2019 -With its latest financial results, Apple is showing it can move beyond the iPhone with gadgets and services that can help the California tech giant weather the slumping smartphone market.

which the iPhone's share is less than 12 percent.

Daniel Newman of Futurum Research said it was "an impressively unimpressive quarter" for Apple highlighted by weak iPhone sales.

In the just-ended quarter, Apple took in less than half its revenue from the iPhone, the longtime cash and profit driver for the company, representing a milestone for the company.

"I believe the iPhone success is a double-edged sword for Apple, because it has become such a dependency for the company to achieve its growth targets, yet the market is clearly showing a stabilizing or even shrinking demand," Newman said in a research note.

Apple managed to grow its overall revenues, albeit by a modest one percent, to $53.8 billion, even as iPhone revenues plunged nearly 12 percent in the April-June period.

Newman said Apple has no other product as lucrative as the iPhone, which has seen problems in China and has failed to gain traction in lowincome countries.

The company delivered strong growth from digital content and services that include its Apply Pay and Apple Music, along with wearables and accessories like the Apple Watch and Air Pods.

"I believe Apple is floundering a bit more than people want to believe," Newman said.

Apple is preparing to launch its branded credit card in August that ties into its digital wallet, as well as its own streaming television service to compete with Netflix and others, with at least $1 billion invested in original content.

The results show Apple is lessening its dependence on the iPhone, analysts said.

"As the smartphone market matures Apple can no longer rely on iPhones alone to power the company forward," said Avi Greengart of the consultancy Techsponential.

"Apple has been signaling for a while that its plan was to diversify into services and we've seen from the latest results that this strategy is working quite well."

- Apple's roadmap Apple's update should allay investor concerns that the company's growth could be hobbled by a sputtering smartphone market, said a research note from Gene Munster and Will Thompson of the equity firm Loup Ventures.

"We believe the Street is systematically undervaluing Apple's ecosystem by focusing on hardware sales instead of revenue and earnings growth plus optionality," Munster and Thompson wrote.

"We believe this quarter's results and the roadmap for the next two years will prove to be a turning point for investors to begin valuing Apple with a more appropriate multiple."

- Challenges ahead But some analysts warn that Apple still faces challenges as rivals chip away at the smartphone market, in

"The company's strategy seems to be lacking vision. Apple's growth is coming from accessories and services, rather than iPhones and iPads. While diversification is a step forward, the company will need more of it, and fast."

Richard Windsor of the research firm Radio Free Mobile said Apple "is still a one-product company" because its ecosystem revolves around the iPhone.

"I still think that ending its dependence on the iPhone is a very distant dream meaning Apple will continue to live and die with the success of this product," Windsor said in a blog post.

While Apple is showing gains in these new services, Windsor said Apple's trajectory remains somewhat murky.

"If the Apple iPhone suddenly loses its mojo then these businesses which are being dressed up as iPhone independent are also likely to crater."

Greengart said the fears are overblown, pointing out that Apple has a large and loyal base of iPhone users which allows the company to sell more accessories and services.

"They're keeping their existing customers and there's still more switching to iPhone than away from iPhone," he said.

Greengart said Apple has the potential to lead in mobile augmented and virtual reality, health and wellness services through its smartwatch, which has been dominating the segment.

"Satisfaction with the Apple Watch is very high," the analyst said.

"If you want a smartwatch and you have an iPhone the Apple Watch is compelling, and once you have the Apple Watch, you're not going to switch to Android."

"It keeps getting better every year," says Barry Strickland, a 58-year-old former fisherman who now takes tourists in his small boat around King's Point in the north of the province.

"We've got 135, 140 tour buses with older people coming into the town every season so it's great for the economy."

For the past four years, Strickland has taken visitors to bear witness to the death throes of these ice giants, which can measure dozens of meters in height and weigh hundreds of thousands of tons.

Winds and ocean currents bring the icebergs from northwest Greenland, thousands of kilometers (miles) away, to Canada's shores.

In a matter of weeks, ice frozen for thousands of years can quickly melt into the ocean.

- 'Incredible' rise in tourism Strickland's boat excursions are often fully booked during the high season from May to July, with tourists coming from all around the world to King's Point, a village of just 600 inhabitants.

The villagers keep track of the icebergs on an interactive satellite tracking map put online by the provincial government.

"There's not much in these small outport towns anymore to keep people around, so tourism is a big part of our economy," said Devon Chaulk, who works in a souvenir shop in Elliston,

Tour guide and former fisherman Barry Strickland steers his boat near an iceberg at King's Point -- iceberg tourism has been a success for the area on Canada's eastern shores (AFP Photo/Johannes EISELE) a small town of 300 on "Iceberg Corridor," as the coastline is now known.

-- have already seen that business can be unpredictable.

"I've lived here my entire life, and the increase in tourism around here in the past 10 to 15 years has been incredible. It's not surprising to have thousands of people here over the next couple of months," said the 28-yearold.

"We see the difference in the number of tourists from year to year, depending on the amount of icebergs in the area," says Elizabeth Gleason, who works at the winery.

Last year, a total of 500,000 tourists visited Newfoundland and Labrador, a number roughly equivalent to the province's total population.

The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the world. In mid-July, record temperatures were recorded near the North Pole.

Those visitors spent nearly Can $570 million (US $433 million), government figures show.

- Melting ice The tourism boom has helped offset the decline in the region's traditional fishing industry, which is in crisis because of overfishing at the end of the last century.

Some are even marketing "iceberg water" as the purest on Earth -- and selling it as a high-end luxury item.

The melt is also used in vodka, beer and cosmetics.

But beneath the shiny surface of economic success is the dark truth that the area is in part profiting from accelerated global warming in the Arctic, and that the industry is precarious at best.

In the village of Twillingate, employees at the Auk Island Winery -which makes its product from iceberg water and locally picked wild berries

"This year was a good year. Last year, we had almost none."

In recent years, the icebergs have drifted further and further south, posing a threat to shipping on this busy route between Europe and North America.

For now, tourists are enjoying the view and the experience while they can.

"The prevalence of icebergs has good things and bad things about it," says Melissa Axtman, an American traveler.

Laurent Lucazeau, a 34-year-old French tourist, says seeing an iceberg was sobering.

"It is a concrete image of global warming to see icebergs making it to these places where the water is warm," he told AFP. "There's something mysterious and impressive about it, but knowing too that they are not supposed to be here makes you wonder, and it's a little scary."

Paris's first floating art museum just opened — and it’s completely free

T

he Louvre and Musée d'Orsay may be just over a mile away, but this new Parisian art center is already causing a stir in the art community. For starters, it floats.

Fluctuart, an urban art center that opened in July, is located in a threestory, 11,000-square-foot building that’s moored on the iconic Seine river. Located between the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, the floating space couldn’t have a better location to show off its collection of street and graffiti art from artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey.

In addition to showcasing work by street art pioneers and world-famous masters, the free, year-round museum includes emerging artists in their permanent and temporary exhibits.

Fluctuart’s alternative style is only enhanced by the museum’s low-key atmosphere. Seating, a pop-up cocktail bar, and of course, street art on the banks of the Seine draw people in, while expanding the museum’s space.

COURTESY OF FLUCTUART

The small, but efficient museum also includes a bookstore and a space for cultural events and workshops.

the very heart of Paris,” said JeanLouis Missika, the deputy mayor of Paris, on the center’s website.

“Urban art is alive, it inspires us, confronts us, stimulates us, unites us.

It fits everywhere, on the walls of our cities, and today defies the waves, in

Fluctuart’s mission is to connect street artists of all backgrounds while providing the space to showcase their art to the world.

- Travel+Leisure

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Week of August 9, 2019 2121March Marchtoto20 20April April Can you handle all the sexiness in the air Youthe cansun beenters a very good when fiery Leoearner at the start ofas thewell week? a fellow re sign, you as As a saver of fimoney, and defi nitely can. Letbuild your enigmatic percan carefully a portfolio sonality do the talking.

Loving Venus also starts spendof investments over time. Now, ing time in outgoing Leo toward the end of the week, so however, you may be faced with some daunting there’s plenty of drama to go around.

news about your money life. You might be forced to reconsider a job option.

21 April to 20 May 21 April to 20 May This can be a powerful and unsettled

period for you.

There could be unfortunate Tension can be the catalyst for events concerning communications that sore, muscles.

Be especially aren’t yourstiff fault.

Many people simply aren’t careful if you’re working outon- your focused on work. These are the best days to focus take it slowly.

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more quickly than you’re ready to go.

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21 21June Junetoto22 22July July

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23 July to 22 August 23 July to 22 August

You have strong abilities in the

When the sun enters your sign at the money this week.

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23August Augustto to22 22Sept Sept 23 Even you be superYou will though be happiest in can any planning capacity where you can use your imaginaficial sometimes, you’re intense tion and help feel This more is appreciated. about yourothers health. one area Thwhere e energyyou is exciting now.

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23 23September Septembertoto22 22Oct Oct

For you, this week is about your relationship sector.

You’re a social butterfl y Health issues are no longer a major capable of attracting just the right mix priority. All the hard work you’veof business andimprove pleasureyour into your life. Your done to health pursuit of excellence in the mental arena is of primary should To encourage importance. Your family,now kids,pay andoff. romantic partner you to feel even better, get make excellent diversions but shouldn’t keep involved you from in positive, your focus. harmonious relationships that inspire

and support you.

23 October to 21 Nov 23doOctober to 21every Nov How you use your energy day?

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You’re notwell. playing hard to get. You ARE hard you from being

to get!

22 November to 21 Dec 22 November to 21 Dec

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Your perfect match now rid of anything concerning is someone whoorshares your enthusiasm your job workspace that for living a big life full of adventure. doesn’t Sexy Venus enters the Lion’s support confidentyour sign best later interin the ests and long-term goals. These week, so passion is easily stirred up. Short-term flings are preferred especiallyover positive daysromances to work with are long-term now. friends

on the job.

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21 January to 19 Feb 21 January to 19 Feb

You may feel frustrated now, but

This week, you’re considering a new positive changes fisoon. planexpect to ensure your long-term nancial Do your best to orgasecurity. You’re findingcomplete, out who your friends really Someanything may bail when nize, andare. clarify you’re you’re no longer the life of the party, but in charge of. The more preparathat’s OK. Trying to make others happy could only retion you do now, the better position you will be in sult in more debt where there should be less. Meet your later. If you need more training or education, this own needs first and then help others.

is a good time to explore your options.

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FASHION & STYLE

VOICE OF ASIA 20

China's child modelling industry booms amid controversy

FRIDAY, August 9, 2019

Meghan Markle is launching a fashion line with a charitable angle

L

ONDON, Aug 1, (AFP) — Meghan Markle is turning her hand to fashion design for a charitable cause.

The Duchess of Sussex has announced via the September issue of British Vogue — which she guest edited — that she has been secretly working on a fashion collaboration that will benefit her royal patronage, Smart Works, as reported by E! News. The charity kits out women trying to return to the workplace with suitable outfits for interviews, as well as coaching sessions to help boost their success.

The collaboration will see the former actress join forces with the British fashion labels Marks & Spencer, John Lewis & Partners and Jigsaw, as well as the designer Misha Nonoo, on a workwear series.

Some young children after spending years in this ultra-competitive industry and the rise of training schools that specialize in child modeling.

by Xin Liu and Pak Yiu

B

EIJING, China | AFP | Monday 8/5/2019 - Manicured children strut down the catwalk at a Beijing fashion show, one of thousands of events driving huge demand for child models in China that insiders warn leaves minors vulnerable to physical abuse, 12-hour-days and unrelenting pressure from pushy parents.

The kids' apparel market is growing faster than any other clothing sector in the country and was worth more than $40.5 billion in 2018 according to Euromonitor.

This combined with the rise of "kidfluencers" sponsored by brands to promote products on social media is spurring greater demand for young models -- but experts warn of the heavy cost of pursuing such deals.

"If children don't listen to the parents then I think hitting them is quite standard," Lee Ku, founder of Le Show Stars modelling school, told AFP.

pay up to 800 yuan for a private oneon-one lessons.

Four-year-old twins Yumi and Yuki Xiao are not yet professional models but for nearly two years they have been taking classes where they are taught how to pose and pace the catwalk in the hopes that they can break into the industry.

"For some catwalking competitions, they have to be in the makeup room by 6am," their father Xiao Liang said.

"The real competition starts at 2pm, and they finish around 3pm or 4. So the whole thing, takes a whole day. From 6am to 6pm -- 12 hours is pretty standard."

Their parents invest in taking them around the country to compete in hundreds of national child modelling competitions.

"It's a lot of fun I like being on stage," insisted Yumi.

Like many other parents Xiao says he initially enrolled the two in child mod-

“When you walk into a Smart Works space, you’re met with racks of clothing and an array of bags and shoes,” the Duchess reportedly writes in the digital issue of British Vogue. “Sometimes, however, it can be a potpourri of mismatched sizes and colours, not always the right stylistic choices or range of sizes. To help with this, I asked Marks & Spencer, John Lewis & Partners, Jigsaw and my friend, the designer Misha Nonoo, if they were willing to design a capsule collection of more classic options for a workwear wardrobe.”

The move has a charitable angle,

A file picture of Meghan at a Service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration on Anzac Day at Westminster Abbey in London April 25, 2018. — Reuters pic as the Duchess explains, writing: “Taking the idea further, many of the brands agreed to use the one-for-one model: For each item purchased by a customer, one is donated to the charity. Not only does this allow us to be a part of each other’s story, it reminds us we are in it together.”

Of course, this is not the first time

Is this virtual supermodel about to be the next big thing in fashion?

D

aisy Paige is the latest upand-coming fashion hopeful to score a modelling contract with the agency Lipps LA -- but there is something that separates the blue-eyed brunette from the hundreds of other catwalk wannabes: she is 100% computer generated.

The 19-year-old is the brainchild of the LA tech startup Spark CGi, which describes her as a "self-assured, freckled-faced" pixel and polygon creation.

She has been snapped up by Lipps LA, known for working with famous faces such as the supermodel legend Helena Christensen, rapper Cardi B and rocker Courtney Love, and will be marketed by the agency alongside its other talent.

"We are super excited to partner with Spark CGi and be one of the first to merge tech and fashion in the digital space, representing digital CGI models," said Scott Lipps, President and Founder of Lipps LA, in a statement.

"We're moving into a new era where

Daisy Paige - The first 100% computer generated female model to sign to a major international agency. Image credit: Spark CGi

Artificial Intelligence and CGI characters will co-exist with humans in many

Ethical fashion is on the rise Startup fashion brands focus on sustainability and ethical sourcing A video of a mother kicking her three-year-old daughter in fury at her failure to comply during a modelling job went viral earlier this year, causing outrage online.

elling to build their self confidence, but after Yumi and Yuki showed interest they started to invest more time and money into building a possible child modelling career path for them.

And footage emerged in early August online of a young boy modelling thick winter clothes outside as temperatures soared to 37 degrees Celsius, also drawing heavy online criticism.

Occasionally the twins are paid to model seasonal fashion lines for big brands.

But in an industry where minors can earn 10,000 yuan ($1,450)a session, Lee says the clip is the tip of the iceberg and that from his experience, such violent behaviour from parents was not unusual on shoots.

Child models sometimes go through more than 100 outfit changes in a session, often working from morning till night.

But mental health experts warn it is not just physical exhaustion they have to contend with -- there may be long term emotional implications.

"Children from the age of zero to six are mentally developing, they need a lot of exploration and freedom," explained child psychologist Gong Xueping.

"At work, the child model will deliberately show a lot of different expressions... but this is contrary to the child's own feelings of the moment.

This limits the development of both emotional abilities and more complex psychological abilities for children, so I think it's a very bad choice," Gong added.

- Hundreds of competitions But there remains no shortage of parents interested in pushing their children into the profession.

Founded three years ago, Le Show Stars was one of the first modelling schools in Beijing, where customers

"I think they are one of a kind, firstly, they're twins, and they're also boy-girl twins," father Xiao says proudly.

"They also like it, which is why we are giving them this opportunity. I think they have a natural advantage over other kids," he added.

- 'Lost childhoods' China's laws around child labour are complicated and parents of underage models are sometimes paid in secret to sidestep the red tape required to employ them.

Responding to the kicking video, Hangzhou authorities introduced regulations to limit the hours children work and ban children under 10 from being brand spokespeople.

But many feel authorities are doing too little to protect kids from exploitation.

More than 110 child retailers on e-commerce giant Taobao said they would scale back use of young models, and also demanded more regulations.

Thousands have debated the topic online, calling for rules to be tightened to prevent abuse.

"To me, child models are nothing different from child labour. They have to finish their work no matter how tired they are when other children are playing and their short childhoods are lost making money for their parents. I suggest that we step up legislation...to protect their rights and interests," one Weibo user said.

by Brian Kateman

T

he fashion industry has historically relied on exploitative, unsustainable and unethical labor practices in order to sell clothes — but if recent trends are any indication, it won’t for much longer.

Over the last several years, the industry has entered a remarkable period of upheaval, with major and small fashion brands alike ditching traditional methods of production in favor of ecofriendly and cruelty-free alternatives.

It’s a welcome, long-overdue development, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.

Tradition fashion is unethical in almost too many ways to count. There is, of course, the monstrous toll on animal life. Every year, over one billion animals are slaughtered for their fur or pelts, usually after living their lives in horrific factory farms.

Cows, including newborn and even unborn calves, are skinned alive in order to make leather, while animals killed for their fur are executed through anal electrocution, neck-snapping, drowning and other ghastly ways in order to avoid damaging their pelts.

Even wool, traditionally perceived as a more humanely-produced animal product, involves horrors on par with those at a slaughterhouse.

But animals aren’t the only ones who suffer under the traditional fashion industry. In Cambodian garment factories, which export around $5.7 billion in clothes every year, workers earning 50 cents an hour are forced to sit for 11 hours a day straight without using the restroom, according to Human Rights Watch.

Mass faintings in oppressively hot factories are common, and workers are routinely fired for getting sick or pregnant. In Bangladesh — the

world’s second-largest importer of apparel behind China — a poorly-maintained garment factory collapsed in 2013, killing 1,132 people and injuring around 2,000 others. When Cambodian garment workers protested in 2014 for better working conditions, police shot and killed three of them.

Lastly, traditional fashion is killing the planet. Every year, the textile industry alone spits out 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases — more than all marine shipping vessels and international flights combined — and consumes 98 million tons of oil. Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of clean water, and on the whole, the apparel industry accounts for 10 percent of all greenhouse emissions worldwide. Worst of all, the clothes produced by this massive resource consumption produces clothes are rapidly discarded: In 2015, 73 percent of the total material used to make clothes ended up incinerated or landfilled, according to a study by the Ellen MacArthur foundation.

Thankfully, as big and small clothing manufacturers alike are realizing, there are plenty of ways to sell fashionable clothing and accessories that don’t destroy the environment, endanger workers, or cause suffering to animals.

Vegan clothes are becoming increasingly popular, and there’s no shortage of them to choose from. Some brands, like Keep Company and Unicorn Goods, offer an expansive generalized catalogue of vegan shirts, jackets, accessories and more. Other brands are more specialized: Unreal Fur has a beautiful line of vegan faux-fur, Ahisa, Beyond Skin and SUSI Studio all sell stylish vegan shoes, and Le Buns specializes in vegan swimwear. There are upscale vegan clothing retailers, such as Brave Gentleman, as well as more casual budget options, like The Third Estate.

the Duchess has branched out into fashion design: prior to marrying Prince Harry, she had a collaborative line with Canadian-based clothing retailer Reitmans.

The fashion line is tipped for release later in the year, with the Daily Mail reporting that further details will be revealed in the fall.

traditional roles including acting, modeling, presenting and influencing," explained Spark CGi's Lead Artist and Designer, Phillip Jay. "There's so many opportunities for the 'people' we're creating, we're only just beginning to scratch the surface of this technology."

The concept of CGI-influencers has been steadily taking shape over the past few years. Last month, Calvin Klein hit the headlines when it cast the social media sensation Lil Miquela -- an influencer and AI robot -- alongside the supermodel Bella Hadid in a surprising campaign video. However, Spark CGi points out that while Lil Miquela often takes the form of a CGI head superimposed on a human model wearing real clothing, Daisy Paige is 100% computer generated, down to the outfits she wears. The result is a much more flexible model, which the company hopes will appeal to Gen Z and to brands looking to breathe life into their existing mascots.

Daisy has yet to land a major fashion campaign, but she has already begun amassing followers on her Instagram account, laying the foundations for a career in the bright lights. Could we be about to see her impossibly perfect face on billboards?

- AFP

Strict veganism isn’t the only way to manufacture clothing ethically. Hipsters For Sisters’ products are made entirely with recycled, upcycled, or deadstocked materials, earning the approval of PETA. Reformation utilizes a carbon-neutral production process to make its clothes (and offers customers a $100 store credit if they switch to wind energy), while Stella McCartney’s entire product line is vegetarian.

Many vegan clothing companies, such as In The Soulshine and Della, have found ways to sell cruelty-free clothing while also providing humane working conditions to their factories’ workers. Amanda Hearst’s Maison de Mode features a combination of Fair Trade, recycled, cruelty-free, and organic products — as well as a comprehensive labeling system to inform customers which is which.

There are plenty of small, niche companies offering ethical clothing options, but make no mistake: The transition to sustainable and ethical fashion is an industry-wide phenomenon. Well-established brands like Dr. Marten’s, Old Navy, H&M and Zara all now sell vegan clothes. Gap, Gucci, and Hugo Boss have banned fur from their stores, and three of the largest fashion conglomerates — H&M Group, Arcadia Group and Inditex — recently pledged to stop selling mohair products by 2020.

Companies are rapidly investing in new ethical alternatives to traditional clothing as well: Save The Duck’s PLUMTECH jackets feature a crueltyfree alternative to down feathers, while companies like Modern Meadow are developing new biofabricated leather made from collagen protein and other essential building blocks found in animal skin that don’t require the slaughter of any animals.

There are, of course, some holdouts.

Canada Goose still traps and kills coyotes to make its fur jackets, and uses a device that’s been banned in dozens of countries for its cruelty in order to do so. - TechCrunch