VOA E- Paper 05-24-19 by VoiceOf Asia

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Indian American Krithik Ramesh top prize at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

India awaits results from world's biggest election In 2014 Narendra Modi and his party swept to power with 282 seats in the 545-seat parliament

Krithik Ramesh, 16, of of Greenwood Village, Colorado, received top honors with the Gordon E. Moore Award of $75,000 on Friday, May 17, 2019, at the 2019 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, a program of Society for Science & the Public and the world’s largest international pre-college science competition. He used augmented reality, machine learning and computer vision to help orthopedic surgeons achieve greater accuracy for screw placement during spinal surgery. (Credit: Chris Ayers/Society for Science & the Public)

HOENIX, May 17, 2019 – Krithik Ramesh, 16, of Greenwood Village, Colorado, was awarded first place for developing a machine learning technology for orthopedic surgeons at this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), a program of Society for Science & the Public. Intel ISEF is the world’s largest international precollege science competition. The competition featured over 1,800 young scientists selected from 423 affiliate fairs in more than 80 countries, regions and territories.

Using machine learning and computer vision, the project helps orthopedic surgeons achieve greater accuracy for screw placement during spinal surgery. Based on Ramesh’s tests, this method has the potential to decrease operating time by at least 30 minutes, reduce physical therapy recovery time by four weeks and diminish the negative side effects associated with traditional medical imaging. Ramesh received the $75,000 Gordon E. Moore Award, named in honor of Continued on Page 9

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, who leads the Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigning in Varanasi last month. Exit polls suggest he will return to power for five more years. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images) by Simon Sturdee

EW DELHI, India | AFP | 5/22/2019 - Results were due Thursday from India's acrimonious election, with exit polls pointing to a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the opposition clinging to hopes of a surprise win. After an exercise not short of

staggering statistics, the roughly 600 million votes cast in the world's biggest and purportedly most expensive election were set to be counted in just one day. If there is a clear trend, this should be evident by around midday (0630 GMT). But if the result is close India's 1.3 billion people may have to wait a lot longer to know the outcome.

In 2014 Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power with 282 seats in the 545-seat parliament, the first time a single party had won a majority in 30 years. It then cobbled together an alliance with 334 seats, and exit polls suggested the coalition this Continued on Page 2

India claims new first for world's fastest cruise missile

EW DELHI, India | AFP | 5/22/2019 - India said the world's fastest cruise missile passed another key test Wednesday when it successfully hit a land target after being fired from a fighter jet. India is developing the supersonic BrahMos missile -- which has a top speed of 3,450 kilometres (2,140 miles) per hour -- with Russia, and according to media reports wants to soon start selling it abroad. The missile is one-and-a-half times faster than the old Concorde supersonic jet.

The Indian defence ministry said a specially converted Su-30 MKI fighter jet successfully fired the 2.5-tonne missile, which has a range of about 300 kilometres (185 miles). "The launch from the aircraft was smooth and the missile followed the desired trajectory before directly hitting the land target," a ministry statement said. It did not say where the test was staged or give other details apart from saying "very complex" mechanical, electrical and software modifications were made to the Russian-origin

fighter jet. The first test on a sea target was staged in November 2017. India said then it was the first country "to have successfully fired an air launched 2.8 Mach surface attack missile of this category on a sea target". "The BrahMos missile provides Indian Air Force a much desired capability to strike from large standoff ranges on any target at sea or on land with pinpoint accuracy by day or night and in all weather conditions," the ministry said.

The Indian Air Force released this picture taken at an undisclosed location in 2017 showing a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft carrying a BrahMos air to surface cruise missile The Indian Air Force released this picture taken at an undisclosed location in 2017 showing a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft carrying a BrahMos air to surface cruise missile. (AFP Photo) Continued on Page 11

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS by Bhuvan Bagga

ndia's mammoth election, the biggest in the world, was a frequently bad-tempered affair and awash with insults. Ahead of the vote counting and results due on Thursday, AFP looks back at the worst of the mudslinging during almost six weeks of campaigning. - Thief vs prince Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his main challenger, the Congress Party's Rahul Gandhi, led the way. Modi, 68, dismissed Gandhi -- scion of the hugely influential Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty -- as a privileged "shehzada" (prince) in contrast with his own humble origins. Gandhi, 48, called Modi a "liar" over an allegedly corrupt French defence deal, and coined the slogan "chowkidar chor hai" (the watchman is the thief). But Modi deftly turned the tables by changing his Twitter handle to "Chowkidar" (watchman) Narendra Modi, using it to bolster his image as the only candidate who can defend India. - Dig at dad For many, Modi went below the belt when he attacked Gandhi's father -- former premier Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991 -- as "corrupt number 1". "Narendra Modi used hate and we used love and I think love is about to win (this election)," Gandhi responded. However, some of Modi's other opponents showed no such restraint. Mamata Banerjee, the formidable leader of the key eastern battleground state of West Bengal, called Modi and the president of the BJP, Amit Shah, "top goons". She then compared the duo to Duryodhan and Dushshasan, the main villain and his young-

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

India's election: an insulting affair er brother in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, before threatening Modi with a "slap... of democracy".

Yogi Adityanath, the Hindu monk and firebrand BJP chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was briefly banned when he compared the election to a battle between Ali, a figure in Islam,

Vaiko, the head of a regional party in Tamil Nadu in the south, added another World War II dictator to the mix: "Why is Modi talking in the language of Hitler and Mussolini?"

Shah, who compared illegal immigrants in parts of India to "termites", had Former Bihar vowed: "We chief minister will remove evRabri Devi called ery single infilModi an "executrator from the tioner" and one country, except of the "insects of Between 11 April and 19 May, nearly 900 million Buddha, Hindus the gutter". Indian citizens turned out to vote for 542 members of and Sikhs." And Satpal the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament. Live D e r e k Singh Satti, head results are expected to commence at 8:00 local time. O'Brian, an of the BJP in HiVotes counted on 23 May will show if the alliance Anglo-Indian machal Pradesh led by the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party colleague state, called Gancan hold its majority or whether the Indian National of Banerjee, dhi a "motherCongress (INC) and its opposition allies can improve went further. fucker" at a pubon their dismal 2014 showing. He called Shah lic rally. "puke-worthy" In a small number of states, the main contest is - Karma killer and a "lowlife". between regional parties - and not the BJP or ConBut perhaps gress. These include the DMK and AIADMK in Tamil And Maythe election's Nadu, the TDP and YSR in Andhra Pradesh, the TRS awati, the chartop prize in this in Telangana and a regional alliance led by the SP ismatic head of category goes and BSP in Uttar Pradesh. a key regional to Pragya Singh party in India's Thakur who -Uttar Pradesh despite facing state, took a dig terrorism charges over a deadly and the Hindu god Hanuman. at Modi separating from his 2008 bomb attack outside a Twitter reportedly also rewife decades ago. mosque -- is the BJP candidate moved a tweet by Adityanath "How can he (Modi) respect in Bhopal. saying Congress was infected others' sisters and wives when Thakur said the former antiwith a "green virus", the colour he left his own innocent wife associated with Muslims in terrorist squad chief who arfor political gains," she asked. rested her deserved to die in the South Asia. - Khaki underwear 2008 Mumbai attacks. Maneka Gandhi, widow of The Election Commission Gandhi's uncle Sanjay, received "He falsely implicated me attempted to make matters a 48-hour ban for appearing to and treated me very badly. I more civilised. tell Muslims not to expect any told him that his entire dynasty Azam Khan, a party leader favours if they didn't vote for will be wiped out and he died of karma," she said. in Uttar Pradesh, was banned her.

India general election results 2019

from campaigning for three days after he claimed his rival -- BJP candidate and former Bollywood actress Jaya Prada -- wore khaki underwear.

Khaki is the colour associated with the uniform of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), a hardline Hindu group from which the BJP originated.

- Enter Adolf -

There was worse. Raj Thackerey, a fiery local politician in the western state of Maharashtra, likened Modi to Hitler. "What Adolf Hitler did to Germany in 1930s is going to be replicated in India if Modi and Shah return to power," he told a rally.

Last week she went too far even for Modi. She said the killer of independence hero Mahatma Gandhi "was, is, and will remain a patriot".

"People who call him a terrorist should search their soul. They will get the answers this election," she added. She later apologised. - AFP

Alabama abortion law has uncanny resemblance to Bangladesh's by Rachel Avraham

nightmares that constantly remind them of the rape until the day they die. Rape victims often struggle to have normal sexual relations post-trauma.

n recent days, American women are up in arms over the abortion laws in Alabama, Georgia and Missouri. The abortion law in Alabama is especially disturbing because it does not even grant a 14-year-girl who was raped and got pregnant the right to get an abortion. Anyone who helps a rape victim to get an abortion under the Alabama law is a felon.

India awaits results... Continued on Page 1 time will win anywhere between 282 and 313, enough to remain in power even at the lower end. However Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party, hoping to become the fourth member of the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty to lead India, on Wednesday dismissed the projections. "Don't get disappointed by the propaganda of fake exit polls," Gandhi, 48, told the party faithful on Twitter. Indian exit polls are notoriously unreliable. In 2004 they pointed to a BJP victory but the results told a different story, bringing a Congressled government to power. Results in several regions such as Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state which formed the core of Modi's support in 2014, and West Bengal in the east, will be key. - Insults and fake news The vast size of India stretching from the Himalayas to the Tropics, taking in polluted megacities, deserts and jungles, meant the election stretched over six weeks. The campaign was awash with insults -- Modi was likened to Hitler and a "gutter insect" -- as well as fake news disseminated on social media in Facebook and WhatsApp's biggest markets. Gandhi, 48, tried several lines of attack against Modi, in particular over alleged corruption in a French defence deal and over the desperate

plight of farmers and the lacklustre economy. Unemployment is reported to be at a 45-year-high with Asia's third-biggest economy growing too slowly to create jobs for the million Indians entering the labour market every month. Modi's shock cash ban in 2016 -- not even his cabinet were informed before his televised address to the nation -- disrupted livelihoods. Foreign investment has however increased. Lynchings of Muslims and low-caste Dalits for eating beef, slaughtering and trading in cattle have risen, leaving some of the country's 170 million Muslims anxious for their future. Vinod Bansal, a spokesman for the Hindu nationalist Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), told AFP he wants a "complete ban" on the slaughter of cows, sacred to most Hindus. - 56-inch chest But Modi, 68, managed deftly to turn the election into a referendum on his rule while depicting himself, often in the third person, as the only one able to defend India. In this he was given a major boost when a suicide bombing, claimed by a Pakistanbased militant group, killed 40 Indian paratroopers in Indian-administered Kashmir on February 14. Doubts abound about the efficacy of India's subsequent air strikes on Pakistan, but the action enabled Modi to

At times like this, when such horrendous laws are being proposed, it is of critical importance to recall that the Alabama law that will go into effect is six months is very similar to Bangladesh’s, a non-democratic third world country that I am sure most Americans don’t want to model themselves after. According to Bangladeshi law, abortion is only permitted to save the life of the mother, and anyone who helps a pregnant woman to have an abortion for any other reason, including rape, faces three to five years imprisonment as well as a fine. The only difference between the Bangladeshi law and the Alabama law is that in Bangladesh, the pregnant woman who seeks an abortion can also face charges, while this is not the case with the Alabama law. Nevertheless, both laws share the notion that a woman who becomes pregnant due to rape should not be given the right to get an abortion, and anyone who assists such women who seek an abortion belong behind bars. The Bangladeshi law is very damaging to women’s rights, especially given the high rate of rape within the country. According to a recent petition that was created by Muslims Facing Tomorrow, “Bangladesh has emerged as a safe haven

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for rapists in epidemic proportions. The numbers of rape cases have exploded like wildfire. Not a day passes where someone is not raped, gang-raped or murdered after rape or gang rape. The victims include babies and older women. Rapists come from all levels of the society, including from madrassas and educational institutions. The whole nation exploded with rage against this horror, but hardly any rapists have been punished. Often, the victim is from a poor family that submits to the threat of the powerful and/or politically connected rapists to keep silent or withdraw the case. This is the same of the nation, law enforcement agencies and the government.” In recent days, a nurse who worked in a Dhaka hospital was raped and murdered. Afterwards, her body was thrown off a bus. This incident occurred weeks after a 19-year-old student had kerosene thrown on her and was set on fire after she reported the fact that a madrassa principal attempted to rape her. She succumbed to her wounds. In recent days, according to the World Hindu Struggle Committee, it was revealed that the murderers

style himself the "chowkidar" ("watchman") with the 56inch chest. "Wherever the terror groups and perpetrators may hide, our security forces will flush them out and punish them," he thundered. "Every drop of blood of our slain soldiers shall be avenged."

were paid to kill her so that she would not proceed with the attempted rape allegations against the madrassa principal. They claim that all of the murderers were reportedly relatives of the principle and involved in local Awami League politics. And not too long before that, a 10-year-old girl was strangled to death in Bangladesh for resisting being raped by her private tutor. These incidents are not isolated occurrences. Within the last four months, Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) reported a 20 percent increase in the rape of children within the country since last year. Shipan Kumer Basu, the president of the World Hindu Struggle Committee, reported: “Madrassa teachers are constantly raping girl children. Many of them are murdered after being raped. But sadly, there is no justice. The local Awami League leaders harass, intimidate and murder anyone seeking justice. Bangladesh has become a sanctuary for criminals.” Rape is a crime that affects victims for the rest of their lives. Rape victims frequently suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, which causes them to have flashbacks and

In many instances, rape victims turn to drugs or attempt suicide due to the pain that the rape caused them. In other instances, rape victims can become mentally ill and spend many years recovering from that condition inside of hospitals. Judaism teaches that the moral degradation and mental anguish that rape causes is equivalent to murder. It literally murders the soul of the woman or girl. However, when a rape victim suffers such an indignity and witnesses her rapists walk free, it eats the soul of the victim alive. And when the victim is forced to give birth to her rapists’ child because she legally lost control over her own destiny, it makes life for the rape victim unbearable. For this reason, an increasing number of Bangladeshi women are fighting against the present situation in their country, and American women should fight in order to prevent their country from following in the footsteps of Bangladesh. American women should do everything in their power to ensure that their nation does not become another third world country, which oppresses rape victims and robs them of the ability to control their bodies. Rachel Avraham is a political analyst working at the Safadi Center for International Diplomacy, Research, Public Relations and Human Rights. She is also the author of “Women and Jihad: Debating Palestinian Female Suicide Bombings in the American, Israeli and Arab Media.”

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On May 5th, 2019, Chinmaya Mission Houston held their annual Gita Chanting Competition to commemorate the birthday of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. It was well-known that Gurudev loved two things the most children and the Bhagavad Gita. He also felt that children would be more inclined to do their best if it was posed as a competitive event. And hence, the annual event.

Tel: 713-774-5140 grades). The 2nd place winners were Cira Parikh (KG - 2nd grades), Diya Parikh (3rd - 5th grades), Aditi Chaubal (6th - 8th grades), and Disha Udtha (9th - 12th grades). They were followed by the 3rd place winners: Hariharan Jayant (KG-2nd grades), Sree Shodasi Veruva (3rd - 5th grades), Veda Suresh (6th - 8th grades), and Varun Wunnava (9th - 12th grades). In the chapter 17 chosen this year, the central idea was about Lord Krishna’s guidance to Arjuna about the process to identify the texture of one’s own faith. The Lord says that faith can be classified into three separate groups. Sattvic faith is filled with pure goodness. Rajasic faith is that which is filled with passion, and Tamasic faith is born from ignorance. This was in response to the question posed by Arjuna - when one does not have access to scriptural guidance, would it be okay to use one’s own faith to guide them in making decisions? Gurudev spent a lifetime spreading this beautiful knowledge to seekers all over the world. Inspired by

Over 83 children from ages 4 to 18 participated . Photos by Rajesh Thatte

CMH Annual Gita Chanting Competition to commemorate the birthday of Gurudev opportunity for us, regardless of the depth of our understanding at this time. We are planting the seeds for the sweet fruits of practical wisdom later. She

Bala Vihar children chant the Bhagavad Gita with utmost faith

by Disha Udtha

This year, over 83 children from ages 4 to 18 participated in the event. The competition began promptly at 9 am on that Saturday with bhajans and an aarti to the Guru. All participants, parents, judges, and volunteers were welcomed to the competition with a beautiful and encouraging address by Brahmacharini Shweta Chaitanya. She said that the knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita taught Arjuna, the great warrior and hero of the epic Mahabharata, how to be free from stress, anxiety and uncertainty - not just in his current situation but in all situations. Learning this sacred teaching is a rare and valuable

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mentioned that it doesn’t matter who won in the competition. All participants had already won, because they won the heart of Bhagavan Sri Krishna

and Pujya Gurudev by learning these shlokas. This year, the Houston Bala Vihar children were to memorize and recite verses

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Children who were most distinguished in each age group were awarded 1st through 3rd place. from the 17th chapter of the Gita. Grouped according to their ages, they needed to also give age-appropriate explanations. Older children were expected to conduct a deep study of the teachings to present application of this Vedantic philosophy to real-life situations. The judges were given the daunting task of evaluating the scholarly performances, scoring the wellprepared children based on pronunciation, diction, tune,

posture, and understanding of the verses. The children who were most distinguished in each age group were awarded 1st through 3rd place. Contestants who clinched the first place with their near perfect renditions were Vashi Banavalikar and Shyam Jayant (KG - 2nd grades); Ahana Rao and Pranav Sriram (3rd - 5th grades); Meghana Prabhakaran (6th - 8th grades), and Bhavya Kethireddipalli (9th - 12th

their Guru’s tireless spirit, a special event team of over 50 Gita volunteers came together this year to make this event a memorable success. For more information about Chinmaya Mission Houston, Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya and its activities visit www. chinmayahouston.org, www. saumyakasi.org or call temple 281 568 1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233

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FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

Sri Vasavi Kanyakaparameswari Jayanthi celebrations at Sri Meenakshi Temple

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital earns ninth “A” in a row for patient safety

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. Image provided by HMSLH

UGAR LAND - (May 21, 2019) – The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization committed to driving quality, safety and transparency in the U.S. health care system, recently released the Spring 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital was one of 855 hospitals to receive an “A” for its commitment to reducing errors, infections and accidents that can harm patients.

Vasavi Vanithas dancing Kolattam on MTS Raja Veedhi by Dr. Seshu Pabbisetty

EARLAND - Sri Meenakshi Temple celebrated Vasavi Kanyakaparameswari Jayanthi on Sunday, May 19th,, 2019. It couldn’t have been a better festive day with a picture-perfect weather and ecstatic devotional kolattam dance by Vasavi Vanithas for Sri Vasavi Kanyakaparameswari in the Raja Veedhi of Meenakshi Temple. The festivities are a part of Sri Vasavi Jayanthi Celebrations — an Annual Celebration to worship Sri Vasavi as an incarnation of Adi Parasakthi and to commemorate Her birth as well as the legacy She left behind: An oldest Apostle of Love, Peace and Non-violence besides being an upholder of women’s freedom of choice. Bharath Ratna Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Past President of India, has indeed very rightly described Goddess VASAVI as the first ever known embodiment of nonviolence in the world. Her path of non-violence was later tread by Jesus Christ, Goutam Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King. She taught the world harming oneself or others isn't the way forward but bringing a change of heart is what matters in averting wars. Her incarnation was really to help a cursed gandharva prince (A Shapa Grastha Gandharva) who takes birth as King Vishnuvardhana attain salvation. According to Vasavi Puranam written by Sri Bhattacharya She was born into the royal vysya couple, Kusuma Shreshti and Kusumamba after Her parents performed the Yagna for children. From a young age, Vasavi was interested in fine arts, philosophical and spiritual subjects. She had no interest in the material world but did

“Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Grades recognizes hospitals like Houston Methodist Sugar Land that focus on advancing patient safety. This ranking provides an important resource for patients, and a benchmark for hospitals, to determine how care at one hospital compares to others in a region,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Hospitals that earn an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade deserve to be recognized for their efforts in preventing medical harm and errors.”

Sri Vasavi Homam show human empathy and served the needy. She devoted Her life to be in the service of Lord Shiva and vowed to remain celibate as Gowrabalika. In quite contrast to Her virtuous desire King Vishnuvardhana, who was served by Her father as a tributary king, was captivated by Her beauty and desired to marry Her. Much against Her fierce resistance to his desire, he decides to marry Her even if that necessitated waging a war against Her father. To prevent blood-shed and uphold the dignity and Honor of Women Goddess Vasavi condemned his desire and decided to sacrifice Herself into the sacred fire (Atmahuthi or Atmarpanam). She performed agnipravesham along with elderly couples from the 102 Gotraja families. At that time she was only 10+ years and hence

Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to

regarded as Kanyaka. From this sacrificial fire, she revealed Her Vishwa Roopam as the Mother Goddess Adi Parasakthi to the 102 families gathered and gave Her message. She advised them to lead a life of non-violence and to practice agriculture, commerce and gau (Go) Raksha and blessed the community with prosperity and abundance. From there on she was worshipped as Sri Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari Devi.

“Patient safety is central to our mission, and we are proud of our results,” said Chris Siebenaler, regional senior vice president and chief executive officer at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “Our success depends on the daily actions of our physicians, nurses, technicians and other staff members. Receiving our ninth consecutive ‘A’ grade since 2014 shows that we are making a significant difference in keeping our patients safe while under our care.” Visit hospitalsafetygrade.org to see Houston Methodist Sugar Land’s full grade, and to access consumer-friendly patient tips for staying safe in the hosp For more information about Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit houstonmethodist.org/sugarland or call 281.274.7500 to find a doctor in your area. Visit our Facebook page at fb.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.

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At the MTS Temple all the Vasavi Devotees gathered as annually done, to do homam followed by Shodasa Upachara pooja ably conducted by our learned priests. After Aarathi Her Pallaki with Her Utsav Vigraham was carried in a procession around the temple as the enchanted devotees sing Bhajan and dance in ecstatic mood. Overall it had been another memorable holy event at our temple.

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assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice a year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.

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US tech firms to take hit from Huawei sanctions by Rob Lever

Trump's executive order could effectively ban makers of US hardware and software from selling to Huawei by requiring a special license from Washington. Bloomberg News reported that US-based chipmakers Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom and Xilinx have indicated they would halt shipments to the Chinese firm which is the world's number two smartphone maker and a leader in telecom infrastructure and super-fast 5G networks. Google said it would comply with the US order, leaving Huawei without access to critical services for the Android operating system such as Gmail and Google Maps. Microsoft, which supplies the Windows operating system for many Huawei devices, did not respond to an AFP query on how the order might impact the Redmond, Washington-based firm. Bob O'Donnell of the consultancy Technalysis Research said any ban would almost certainly affect Microsoft. "If it affects Google I don't see why it wouldn't affect Microsoft," O'Donnell said. "Any version of Windows comes from Microsoft, since there is no open-source version." - Moving toward independence Roger Kay, founder and analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, said the ban is likely to accelerate efforts by Huawei and other Chinese firms to develop their own sources of microprocessors and other components.

The sanctions on Huawei are likely to impact US firms selling billions of dollars of components to the Chinese tech giant (AFP Photo/WANG ZHAO) the Huawei executive order. But one, California-based Lumentum Holdings, a maker of optical and laser applications, said it would comply with the executive order and that Huawei accounted for 15 percent of its revenue so far in the current fiscal year. - Risks to Apple Greengart said Apple could also suffer from any protracted crisis over Huawei, estimating the iPhone maker gets about 17 percent of its revenues from China. Even though Apple might benefit in the premium smartphone market in Europe, "I think the risks are higher than the rewards for Apple," Greengart said. "If there is a backlash against Apple in China, that could have damaging longterm effects." Greengart said that Google might not see a major impact for the moment. "Ironically (the ban) won't affect Google much because

Google doesn't make money selling Android." Patrick Moorhead, of Moor Insights & Strategy, said he sees a limited impact on US firms in the short run. "The impact to the US companies depends on the length of the ban but also how indexed they are in sales to Huawei," Moorhead said. "Neither Intel, Google or Nvidia do more than three percent of their business with Huawei, so short-term, it shouldn't be an issue." O'Donnell said a bigger risk is that Huawei and other Chinese firms step up efforts to develop software and hardware that allows them to break free from Silicon Valley. "The longer-term question is: does this drive Huawei to develop a third mobile platform?" O'Donnell said. "China is already developing its own technology infrastructure, and this plays into the whole notion of a separate internet in China, which would be a big deal."

Panasonic suspends some component shipments to Huawei amid U.S. blacklist

"When you think about all the software and hardware components you get a pretty big list," Greengart said. "The US is a big part of the global supply chain." Few firms offered public comments on their response to

The downsizing will involve some layoffs and reassignments of white-collar staff and should be complete by the end of August, a Ford spokeswoman said. Ford has been phasing out most sedan models in the United States as more consumers have opted for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. The move, which began last year and follows some job cuts announced earlier in other regions, will lead to 800 layoffs in North America in total, including about 500 this week, said Ford spokeswoman Marisa Bradley. The company has yet to determine all of the specifics in other regions, she said. The actions, expected to save about $600 million a year, come as Ford ramps up investment in electric cars and autonomous driving technology, eyeing future growth in those businesses even as current profitability is tied closely to sales of conventional vehicles in North America, including its best-selling F-150 pickup trucks. Ford's downsizing also comes as car sales cool in key markets, including the United States and China. "To succeed in our competitive industry, and position Ford to win in a fast-changing future, we must reduce bureaucracy, empower managers,

Ford announced plans to 7,000 jobs globally, about 10 percent of its workforce (AFP Photo/JUSTIN SULLIVAN). speed decision making, focus on the most valuable work and cut costs," Chief Executive Jim Hackett said in an email to employees. Ford had 199,000 employees, including its unionized workforce, at the end of 2018, down from 202,000 a year earlier, according to securities filings. - Earlier moves Ford in March announced it would eliminate more than 5,000 jobs in Germany. Bradley said Monday's figures included salaried staff in Germany affected by that move but that some of the figures in the German announcement related to hourly staff. Ford also previously announced moves to exit the commercial heavy truck business in Brazil, restructure its Russia operations and cease production at two plants in that country while ending production at a plant in Bordeaux, France. Ford had signaled it expected significant job cuts in April 2018 when it announced it

would phase out several small models in North America. "As we have said, Ford is undergoing an organizational redesign process helping us create a more dynamic, agile and empowered workforce, while becoming more fit as a business," Bradley said. "We understand this is a challenging time for our team but these steps are necessary to position Ford for success today and yet preparing to thrive in the future." General Motors has also undertaken job cuts over the last year for similar reasons, announcing plans to shutter seven plants worldwide, including five in North America. The GM announcement drew heavy criticism from US and Canadian politicians, including US President Donald Trump. Earlier this month, GM said it was in talks to sell an Ohio plant to Workhorse, a Cincinnati-based company that focuses on producing electric delivery vehicles. Shares of Ford ended down 0.1 percent at $10.28.

Amazon nears victory in battle over domain name

AN FRANCISCO | AFP | 5/21/2019 - In 2012, Amazon applied for ".amazon" and two internationalized versions of the name. Brazil and several other countries put the U.S. company on notice that they were opposed to the idea. E-commerce giant Amazon was on its way to running its own online neighbourhood on May 20 after the internet's address keeper granted the ".amazon" domain to the company.

"The longer-term effect is that Huawei and other Chinese companies turn away more sharply from American suppliers."

Avi Greengart, founder of the research firm Techsponential, said a ban on sales to Huawei could hit a wide range of large and small US firms including Corning, which makes the popular Gorilla Glass for smartphones, and Dolby, a producer of video and audio software for handsets.

Ford to cut 7,000 jobs, 10% of global salaried staff EW YORK | AFP | 5/20/2019 - Ford plans to cut 7,000 jobs, or 10 percent of its global salaried workforce, as part of a reorganization as it revamps its vehicle offerings, the company said Monday.

"The short-term effect on both American and Chinese companies are inevitably negative," Kay said.

Neither Intel nor Qualcomm responded to queries on how they would respond to the order on Huawei.

Tel: 713-774-5140

by John Biers

ASHINGTON | AFP | Monday 5/20/2019 - The tough sanctions imposed on Huawei by President Donald Trump could deal a blow to the many US firms that make up the Chinese tech giant's supply chain. American firms last year sold an estimated $11 billion worth of components to Huawei, which was put on a blacklist last week by Washington over national security concerns as trade frictions grow between the US and China.

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo

OKYO, May 22, 2019 - Japan's Panasonic Corp said on Thursday it has stopped shipments of certain components to Huawei Technologies to comply with U.S. restrictions on the Chinese company. "Panasonic has instructed employees to halt transactions with Huawei and its 68 affiliates covered by the U.S. ban," the company said in a statement. The Osaka-based company does not have a major production site for components in the United States, but it said the ban applies to goods having 25% or more of U.S.-originat-

ed technologies or materials. The company, which makes a wide range of devices for smartphones, cars and factory automation equipment, declined to comment on which components are subject to the ban and where they are produced. The U.S. Commerce Department blocked Huawei from buying U.S. goods last week, saying the firm was involved in activities contrary to national security. The United States temporarily eased the restrictions on Huawei on Monday, to minimize disruption for customers.

After waiting in vain for years for the US online retail colossus and an alliance of South American countries to resolve their battle over the right to web addresses ending with ".amazon," the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) this month sided with the Seattle-based company. In 2012, Amazon applied for ".amazon" and two internationalized versions of the name. Brazil and several other countries put the U.S. company on notice that they were opposed to the idea. "Due to its inseparable semantic relation to the Amazon forest, that domain should not be, in any way, the monopoly of a company," the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued on its website. "On the contrary, it is imperative that

The logo of Amazon. (Photo Credit: Reuters) the States concerned be able to participate in the management and use of the name in order to defend and promote the natural, cultural and symbolic heritage of the Amazon region, as well as foster the regional economy and the digital inclusion of the populations living there." ICANN said it balanced concerns of all involved and stalled the company's application for the domain in hopes the internet firm and member states of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization would work out a solution. "ACTO and the Amazon corporation have been unable to come to a mutually accept-

able solution or agree on an extension of time for continued discussions," ICANN said. "In light of this, the board is now moving forward with the next steps laid out... and is directing ICANN org to continue processing the .AMAZON applications toward delegation." There will be a public comment period as per procedures established for granting new domain names. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry said it feared the ICANN decision did not sufficiently take into account the interests of the South American governments involved and undermined the rights of sovereign states.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

Vaggeyakarothsavam - 2019 at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple

OUSTON - May 5th 2019 - Telugu Cultural Association, Bharatheeya Vahini and Swarabharathi, has created a platform to celebrate various Vaggeyakaras every year, in the form of an eponymous Vaggeyakarothsavam. The whole day event started with lighting a lamp and a brief invocation puja by Acharya at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple followed by a welcome address by Sri Sitaram Ayyagari. The first musical event of the day was a soulful group rendition of Sapthagiri Sankeerthanas, led by Smt Sridevi Josyula. Dr.Sastry Vedam on Veena, Mukund Josyula on Violin and Maheshwar Ajaykumar on Mridangam, provided wonderful instrumental support.

by Kum. Kruthi Bhat on the Violin and Ch Maheshwar Ajaykumar on Mridangam (2) vocal presentation by Kum Amrithavarshini Kamarsu, accompanied by Ch Pranav Praveen on Violin and Ch Maheshwar Ajaykumar on Mridangam and (3) a vocal presentation by Ch Siddharth Ayyagari, accompanied by Ch Mukund Josyula on Violin and Ch Vishal Settlur on Mridangam. The finale for the day’s festivities was a Vadya Vrinda performance conceptualized and led by Sri Abhishek Balakrishnan on the Violin. Ch Mukund Josyula, Ch Kishore Iyer complimented Abhishek on the Violin. Sastry Vedam on the Veena completed a string quartet for the evening, while Ch Aditya Srivatsan on Tabla, Ch Nagasrinidhi Kuruvada and Ch Vishal Settlur on Mridangam completed the percussion ensemble.

Young musicians displayed immense talent and dedication

Secondly, students of several renowned music schools in the Greater Houston area and their teachers such as Smt Sridevi Josyula, Smt Sarvani Dhulipala, Smt Rajarajeshwari Bhat, Smt Madhura Shankar, Smt Manjula Kamarsu, Sri Sitaram Ayyagari, Smt Jothi Venkatesan, Smt Aparna Ganti and others participated and presented various thematic compositions of several Vaggeyakaras, with great fervor and sincerity. A special highlight of these presentations were mini concerts by upcoming and promising local youth talents. These included: (1) a vocal presentation by.Sanjay Shivakumar, accompanied

The program concluded with Vedic chanting by Sri Sitaram Ayyagari and felicitation of artists by Sri Ravi Thimirisa and Sri Vanguri Chitten Raju. Sri Sudhesh Pillutla and Sri Kanth Josyula extended a Vote of thanks on behalf of the organizers. The evening’s proceedings concluded with dinner.

Students from music schools in the Greater Houston area and their teachers participated

Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple,is located at 10098 Synott Rd, Sugar Land TX 77498

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VOICE OF ASIA 8

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

SAVE A MOTHER Annual Gala - May 5, 2019

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Photos by Bijay Dixit, Unique Photo Images

DIASPORA

VOICE OF ASIA 9

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

GOPIO-CT hosts Indian Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty at Public Forum and Elected Officials

Ambassador Chakravorty presenting a book on India to Mayor Harry Rilling.

Ambassador Chakravorty with GOPIO-CT officials in Stamford.

ONNECTICUT- Indian Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty and Deputy Consul General Shatrugna Sinha were hosted by the Connecticut chapter of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO-CT) on May 3rd in Stamford and Norwalk, Connecticut. Arriving at 2.30 p.m.. Consul General Chakravorty called on to Stamford Mayor David Martin at the Govt. Center in Stamford, along with GOPIO-CT President Anita Bhat, Past Presidents Shailesh Naik and Shelly Nichani and Treasurer Biru Sharma. Later in the afternoon, both called on to Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling

along with GOPIO-CT officials and Norwalk’s Indian community leaders including Raj Misra and Anna Duleep as well as representatives of Norwalk’s Sikh Gurudwara. The discussions were very cordial with both mayors and there were agreements on many new initiatives. Consul General Chakravorty very graciously offered to send various artists and performers from India visiting the USA to come and do shows in both the cities Stamford and Norwalk. Both the Mayors offered full help and cooperation to facilitate such performances. Both mayors and the Consul General are interested

in student exchange programs and the Consul General will further work in the same. Most importantly the Consul General made an offer to the Norwalk Mayor Rilling and the Sikh community to hold a grand 550th Anniversary of Guru Nanakjis birth anniversary. He will contact some eminent academician to come and give a talk on the life of the Guru. This was a major accomplishment and a tribute to our Sikh community. Mayor Rilling offered his full support. GOPIO-CT also proposed an India section at the Norwalk public Library which Mayor Rilling agreed

and the Consul General has offered to provide books. On the economic front, both mayors would like to invite Indian companies to consider Stamford and Norwalk to open their US destination. In this regard, Stamford Mayor Martin will take assistance from the Indian Consulate to invite Indian companies to business expo and investment seminars in Stamford. GOPIO-CT will facilitate such efforts. Consul General Chakravorty also had a very good discussion with Congressman Jim Himes who is a leading member of the House Per-

manent Select Committee on Intelligence. Congressman Himes is very supportive of India’s interests and values.

menthal was very appreciative of the contribution by the Indian American community in Connecticut.

In the evening a reception was held at Hampton Inn for the many leaders of Indian diaspora in Connecticut to meet and greet Consul General Chakravorty and Deputy Consul General Sinha. GOPIO-CT President Anita Bhat welcomed the guests. GOPIO-CT Treasurer Biru Sharma moderated the session. Connecticut House Representative Matt Blumenthal, who represents Stamford, also joined the dinner meeting. Rep. Blu-

Consul General Chakravorty gave a very descriptive talk on the election in India and how the country is a well-established democracy. A Q&A session followed where the participants asked questions and expressed their concerns. A donation of $2000 was made to Future 5, an organization in Stamford that takes underprivileged students from local high schools and tutor them in the hours after school.

Indian-origin doctor pre- Indian American Krithik Ramesh top prize... scribed illegal narcotics, research, including 22 “Best of Continued from Page 1 propulsion device that mimtions to global challenges that Category” winners, who each jailed in US for fraud ics the way jellyfish move are critical today. The work received a $5,000 prize in adthrough the water. This could the Intel co-founder and fellow scientist.

Allison Jia, 17, of San Jose, California, received one of two Intel Foundation Young Scientist Awards of $50,000 for her investigation into toxic tau protein aggregates, which spread in neurons in the human brain and are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Pawan Kumar Jain, 66, was sentenced in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico. (Representational image)

EW YORK | PTI | May 11, 2019, ) - An Indian-origin doctor has been sentenced to nine years in prison by a US court for committing health care fraud and illegally distributing prescription painkillers. Pawankumar Jain, 66, a former physician, was sentenced in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release for unlawfully dispensing controlled substances and health care fraud, US Attorney John Anderson said. Pawankumar Jain previously entered guilty pleas in February 2016 to one count of unlawfully dispensing a controlled substance and one count of health care fraud. In his plea agreement, Pawankumar Jain admitted that he previously was licensed to practice medicine in the State of New Mexico and was registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to prescribe controlled substances, including pain medication. He admitted that for several years he operated a highvolume "pain management" practice in Las Cruces, and frequently performed only "cursory" examinations of his patients before prescribing narcotics to them without documenting any therapeutic benefit for those drugs in his records. He specifically admitted examining one patient in November 2009 and that he conducted only a superficial examination of the patient before writing him two prescriptions for methadone that were outside the usual course of medical practice and not for any legitimate medical purpose. Each prescription was for

270 tablets of 10 mg methadone. Mr Jain further admitted that he committed health care fraud because he knew these unlawful prescriptions would be submitted to federal health insurance Medicare for payment and that he intended for Medicare to pay for the prescriptions. Pawankumar Jain also acknowledged that the patient died two days after filling the second methadone prescription. According to evidence at the sentencing hearing, the patient died of respiratory depression due to the methadone Jain prescribed. The New Mexico Medical Board suspended Jain's license in June 2012, and revoked his license in December 2012. Anderson said US law enforcement agencies are committed to working to aggressively target and hold drug traffickers accountable - both those who distribute on the street, and those who traffic as physicians writing prescriptions for no legitimate medical purpose. "Doctors who betray our trust and put their own financial gain ahead of the wellbeing of their patients by prescribing narcotics without medical justification are directly fueling our nation's opioid crisis," he said. Special Agent in Charge Kyle Williamson of the DEA's El Paso Division said that Jain ignored the oath they take to treat and care for patients who come to them for help, and continued to overprescribe, which eventually resulted in the deaths of four patients. "His sentencing today will send a message to other doctors that they are not above the law and DEA will continue to forcefully pursue and hold them accountable."

Rachel Seevers, 17, of Lexington, Kentucky, received the other Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award of $50,000 for designing, building and testing a rigid, energy-efficient prototype of an underwater

allow for greater access to the world’s unexplored oceans.

Shriya Reddy, 15, of Northville, Michigan, received the newly announced $10,000 Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation, funded through Society for Science and the Public, for her novel, noninvasive approach for rapidly diagnosing melanoma lesions. “Intel is proud to honor Krithik Ramesh, Rachel Seevers, Allison Jia, Shriya Reddy and all of the ISEF finalists on their innovative work, which is helping to advance key research areas and provide solu-

they are doing has the potential to make a better tomorrow for all of us,” said Pia WilsonBody, president of the Intel Foundation. “And I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight the communities of support surrounding these students every day: parents, teachers, mentors, administrators, supporters and organizations like SSP who provide opportunities for students to engage and explore the world of STEM, and ultimately reach their full potential.” In addition to the top winners, approximately 600 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative

dition to their $3,000 first-place award. The Intel Foundation also awarded a $1,000 grant to each winner’s school and to the affiliated fair they represent.

“The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair is the world’s most powerful STEM talent pipeline and I am inspired by all of the ingenuity on display this week,” said Maya Ajmera, president and CEO of Society for Science & the Public and publisher of Science News. “Congratulations to our winners and all our finalists who are demonstrating that world-changing ideas can come from anywhere in the world.”

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 10

How Pakistani expats will benefit from weakening rupee by Waheed Abbas

Analysts expect that the rupee will test the next barrier of 45 against the UAE dirham in the near future, which will result in increased remittances from the UAE. It is believed that the weaker rupee will benefit overseas Pakistanis working in the UAE and other countries as they will be able to remit more money. In addition, a weaker rupee will also increase the buying power of overseas Pakistanis when it comes to investing or buying properties back home.

Asif Malik, a businessman, said the rupee's decline is good for UAE-based businessmen because its weakness will make imports cheaper from Pakistan.

The rupee's decline would make imports cheaper from Pakistan. (AFP) "The upee is now trading at 41.10 versus the dirham or 151 against the greenback, and during the second half of 2019 it is expected to decline further to 42.50 per dirham," said Rajiv Raipancholia, CEO of Orient Exchange. "The State Bank of Pakistan has allowed free movement of the currency against US dollar. The value of the rupee will be decided according to its fundamentals. This was one of the IMF bailout conditions to have a market-based exchange rate

mechanism," he said. "The depreciation of the rupee would increase the country's competitiveness and exports from Pakistan would become cheaper. But the pace at which the rupee is depreciating will have a major effect on inflation levels in Pakistan. No doubt you will be remitting more rupees for the same amount of dirhams. Would this be a real benefit for overseas Pakistani expatriates? I doubt very much as here we need to compare the rate of inflation

Farishta: Outrage over Pakistan child murder by Usman Zahid.

he family of a 10-yearold Pakistani girl who was abducted and murdered have said they were ignored by police when they tried to report her missing. They say police told them the child might have eloped, and they were made to carry out errands for officers Farishta vanished in Islamabad on 15 May and a body believed to be hers was found on 20 May. Police are investigating if she was raped and tortured, and protests are being held to demand justice. The individual police officers involved deny wrongdoing. Hundreds protested in central Islamabad on Tuesday calling for justice. The case has been compared to the rape and murder of sixyear-old Zainab Ansari in January 2018 - which sparked outrage and protests across the country. Calls for action are being made on social media, under the hashtag #JusticeFor Farishta. What do the family say? "The police didn't help us at all," Farishta's father Ghulam Nabi told the BBC at Tuesday's protest, which blocked a major intersection. "They would ask me to clean their office, to move their furniture, and to go get fruit for their Iftar [fastbreaking] dinner from the market. "I was so distressed during those [four] days that I couldn't tell night from day." On Wednesday, a case was formally registered against several police officials, alleging negligence. The chief of Shahzad Town police station, Muhammad Abbas Rana, has been suspended. But he defended his and his officers' conduct, saying they had pursued the case and interviewed the family and neighbours on 16 May. He said the family were responsible for the delays in registering the case and that they did not follow it up properly. He denied they had been made to clean the police station. Separately three people have been arrested in connection with Farishta's disappearance, Dawn newspaper reports. A formal investigation was only launched on Sunday after a politician raised the case with the inspector general of Islamabad police. The mutilated body of Farishta was found the following evening, triggering complaints that her life could have been saved had the police acted promptly. Mr Nabi said that Mr Abbas Rana had initially refused to register a case - known as an FIR - telling him that his daughter might have "eloped with someone of her own free will". Mr Rana denied this.

India gender-row sprinter Chand says she is gay

against the depreciation of the currency."

UBAI: May 22, 2019 - Analysts expect currency will test next barrier of 45 against UAE dirham in near future The Pakistani rupee, which has been consistently on a downward trend and has lost nearly 7 per cent his month, will weaken further in the second half of 2019 and test new lows due to weaker exporters, non-intervention of the central bank and a weakening ability of Islamabad to repay debts.

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

Farishta went missing on 15 May but police did not formally register a case until 19 May. Hand out/BBC Farishta went missing on Wednesday 15 May after she went out to play in the eastern Islamabad neighbourhood where her family lives. She did not return as expected when the evening call for prayer began at the local mosque - signalling the breaking of the daily fast. At that time, families gather for a meal known as Iftar - and Farishta's absence triggered a panic. After scouring the neighbourhood and checking with friends, her family went to the police to file a missing person report. Farishta went missing on Wednesday 15 May after she went out to play in the eastern Islamabad neighbourhood where her family lives. She did

not return as expected when the evening call for prayer began at the local mosque - signalling the breaking of the daily fast. At that time, families gather for a meal known as Iftar - and Farishta's absence triggered a panic. After scouring the neighbourhood and checking with friends, her family went to the police to file a missing person report. They come from Mohmand, in north-west Pakistan, and are among tens of thousands of families displaced by Pakistan's war on terror in that region. "The dead body lying in this coffin is not just mine but everybody's daughter," said Mr Nabi. -BBC

"We import vegetables and fruits and other food items from some of the major cities in Pakistan. Even after inflation adjustment, prices are almost still the same but we are sending less dirhams now to purchase stuff from there," said Malik. Tanvir Usman, a Sharjah resident for over 10 years, said though the devaluation of the rupee will increase inflation in Pakistan, at the same time it is good news for the expats residing in the UAE. "There are reports in the media that it may further go up to Rs46 againt the UAE dirham, which means if one remits Dh1,000, a decent amount of Rs46,000 will be received there. That amount is enough to run a middle-class household in Pakistan," Usman said.

Last year, Dhaka denied visa to the Pakistan High Commissioner. The Foreign Office in Dhaka, however, is yet to make any formal confirmation and no official notification has been issued on the halting of visas to the Pakistani nationals. But an official, on condition of anonymity, said the Bangladeshi diplomat in charge of issuing visas has stopped processing the applications from Pakistanis as Pakistani authorities had been sitting on his own official visa renewal application for the past four months. Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka is not processing his family members’ visa applications, barring Bangladesh High Commission’s press and visa affairs councillor Iqbal Hossain from meeting his family, the official said. According to officials, Mr. Hossain lives in Islamabad with

his daughter while his wife and son stays in Dhaka. “Issuance of any visa to Pakistanis remains suspended as the visa counter in Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad has been closed since May 13,” Dhaka Tribune quoted Mr. Hossain as saying. Mr. Hossain said that the South Asia wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan has been informed. According to the officials, Hossain is living in Islamabad with his daughter while his wife and son were in Dhaka. No official in the Pakistani high commission was immediately available for comments over the impasse. Pakistan apparently has delayed the renewal of the visa after Dhaka refused to accept the nomination of the new high commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh for over a year. In March 2018, Pakistan Foreign Ministry proposed Saqlain Syedah as its new high commissioner to Bangladesh. Bangladesh refused to accept Syedah’s “agreement” (documents related to proposal of nomination) as Pakistan high Commissioner. Six months later, Bangladesh verbally notified Pakistan that it cannot accept Syedah’s nomina-

EW DELHI, India | AFP | 5/19/2019 Top Indian sprinter Dutee Chand revealed Sunday that she is gay, becoming the first athlete from the socially conservative country to do so, and adding she feared being ostracised by her family after the admission. Chand, who was at the centre of a lengthy international gender row, told AFP she had been in a relationship with a 19-yearold woman from her village for four years.

"Even an amount of Dh500 [which is equivalent to over Rs20,000] can be enough for a families residing in rural areas. In my view, expats will get the chance to save more and their buying power will improve," he added.

"I am in a same-sex relationship and I don't think there is anything wrong in it," the 23-year-old said.

Adeeb Ahamed, managing director of Lulu Financial Group, noted that unless some concrete steps are taken to gear up exports and concrete plans are drawn to repay debts, the fall is inevitable. "We feel that the rupee might test 162 against the US dollar, thereby testing 44 against the UAE dirham in the second half of 2019," he said.

"In future after the end of my sporting career, if my heart says that I should stay with her then I will."

"High-volume transactions are prevalent when the rupee goes down with remittances being done by people who hold back their money looking for better returns. Furthermore, we could witness a surge in remittances in the run-up to Eid, as a lot of people send money home to celebrate the festival. In fact, we expect a surge towards Pakistan and its neighbouring countries over the coming days, preferably at the end of the month, as it nears Eid," said Ahamed.

"Recently my sister said something to my mother that got her against this relationship and she scolded me and threatened to malign me in public,"

Jameel Ahmed, global head of currency strategy and market research at FXTM, said the run of problems that stretch across the finances of Pakistan are endless, and there truly is no ceiling when it comes to speculating how much lower the Pakistani rupee could fall.

"For the moment my focus will be on my career with the world championships and Olympics coming up.

The athlete said she feared social ostracism -- including at the hands of her family -- but added that a recent Supreme Court judgement decriminalising gay sex had given her the courage to speak out.

she said. Chand, who was born in a poor village in the eastern state of Odisha, was forced to undergo humiliating gender testing as a teenager. After being diagnosed in 2014 with hyperandrogenism, a condition which produces high male sex hormones, Chand was barred from competing under International Association of Athletics Federation rules. She took her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport which ruled in her favour last year, allowing her to compete in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, where she won silver medals in the 100m and 200m women's races. Social media users lavished praise on the athlete following her announcement on Sunday, with many singling out her bravery. "It takes tremendous strength to come out in public. More strength to you #DuteeChand! You are and will always be a champion," one user said on Twitter. India's Supreme Court scrapped a colonial-era ban on homosexuality in September, ruling that it was against the constitution. The 1861 law was often used to harass the country's gay community.

Dalai Lama counters book's claim about Xi meeting in Delhi

"The currency has been reaching milestone record-lows against the dollar throughout the past year and the slide in the currency close to seven per cent this month is nothing new for the rupee," he said.

Bangladesh halts visas for Pakistani nationals HAKA/ISLAMABAD, MAY 21, 2019, PTI -The Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad has stopped issuing visas to Pakistani nationals for one week over a fresh diplomatic row, a Bangladeshi official said on Tuesday, amid strained bilateral ties since 2013 when Dhaka decided to hang several of the 1971 war criminals.

India's top sprinter Dutee Chand

tion, and asked for an alternative nomination. Pakistan has not come up with any alternative nominations yet. The row over the 1971 war criminals’ trials visibly prompted Bangladesh not to clear the credentials of the proposed Pakistani high commissioner to Dhaka. Syedah is now appointed as high commissioner to Kenya, according to an announcement by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday. According to a report in Pakistani media, the foreign ministry made a suggestion to Prime Minister Imran Khan to downgrade Bangladeshi mission in Islamabad as Pakistani mission in Dhaka was being run by a consular level officer. Pakistan’s national and provincial assemblies in recent years passed several resolutions while several of their ministers too issued statements protesting trial of the top 1971 collaborators of Pakistani troops in Bangladesh. The move prompted the foreign office in Dhaka to summon repeatedly Islamabad’s envoy to be handed down protest notes. Five top collaborators of the Pakistani army, four being leaders of fundamentalist Jamaat-

The Dalai Lama. File Photo.

EW DELHI, India | AFP | 5/21/2019 - The Dalai Lama on Tuesday sought to defuse a diplomatic controversy caused by a new book which said the Tibetan spiritual leader and China's President Xi Jinping had agreed to meet in 2014 but India refused to host the event. In "Defining India - Through Their Eyes", author Sonia Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government scuttled a proposed meeting between the Buddhist leader and Xi in New Delhi out of concern for its relations with China. The author said that in a 2014 interview, the Dalai Lama explained that Xi had agreed to a meeting but "the Indian government... was a little cautious". But on Tuesday, the Dalai Lama's office rejected that version of events. "Although we had proposed a meeting between His Holiness and President Xi Jinping dur-

e-Islami which opposed the country’s 1971 independence from Pakistan, have so far been executed after their trial in Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal. The strained bilateral relations worsened in 2016 when Bangladesh forced Islamabad to take back three of its officials, including a woman diplomat, alleging

ing his visit to India in 2014, the Chinese authorities had not given a definite response," said Chhime R. Chhoekyapa, secretary in the office of the Dalai Lama. "Therefore, there was no basis for the government of India being cautious of the initiative," he said in a statement. The 83-year-old Dalai Lama has made India his home since fleeing Tibet in 1959, and has been a thorn in Beijing's side ever since. India, which gave the Dalai Lama asylum in 1959, has supported the Tibetan leader but has recently been more distant, citing diplomatic sensitivities. The Dalai Lama no longer advocates independence for Tibet but calls for more autonomy instead. He has drawn the fury of an increasingly assertive Beijing, which brands him a "wolf in a monk's robe" and accuses him of trying to split China.

their links to Islamist militants. Diplomatic negotiations between the two countries are at a standstill for a few years now over Dhaka alleging Pakistani high commission of financing terrorist activities in the country. Foreign secretary-level talks have not taken place between the two countries in the past four years now.

ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 11

Illegal ozone-depleting gases traced to China: study

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

Launch ceremony of Asian Film and TV Week held during CDAC

by Marlowe HOOD

ARIS, France | AFP | 5/22/2019 - Industries in northeastern China have spewed large quantities of an ozone-depleting gas into the atmosphere in violation of an international treaty, scientists said Wednesday. Since 2013, annual emissions from northeastern China of the banned chemical CFC-11 have increased by about 7,000 tonnes, they reported in the peer-reviewed journal Nature.

A combination of two images released by the Nasa Earth Observatory on December 1, 2009 showing the size and shape of the ozone hole in 1979 (L) and in 2009 (AFP Photo/Handout)

"CFCs are the main culprit in depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects us from the Sun's ultra-violet radiation," said lead author Matt Rigby, an atmospheric chemist at the University of Bristol. Chlorofluorocarbon-11 was widely used in the 1970s and 1980s as a refrigerant and to make foam insulation. The 1987 Montreal Protocol banned CFCs and other industrial aerosols that chemically dissolve protective ozone 10-to-40 kilometres (625 miles) above Earth's surface, especially over Antarctica and Australia. Following the ban's entry into force, global concentrations of CFC-11 declined steadily until about 2012. But last year startled scientists discovered that the pace of that slowdown dropped by half from 2013 to 2017. Because the chemical does not occur in Nature, the change could only have been produced by new emissions. Evidence pointed to East Asia, but could not nail down the exact origin. "Our monitoring stations were set up in remote locations far from potential sources," explained co-author Ron Prinn, a professor at MIT. Reports last year from the Environmental Investigation Agency fingered Chinese foam factories in the coastal province of Shandong and the inland province of Hebei, which surrounds Beijing. Suspicions were strengthened when authorities subsequently shut down some of these facilities without explanation. To probe further, an international team of atmospheric scientists gathered additional data from monitoring stations in Japan and Taiwan. "Our measurements showed 'spikes' in pollution when air arrived from industrialised areas" in China, said another lead author, Sunyoung Park from Kyungpook National University. - Rogue factories The team also ran computer simulations that confirmed the origin of the CFC-11 molecules. "We didn't find evidence of increased emissions from

India claims new first .... Continued from page 1 India has already ordered sea-launched versions of the missile for its navy, and specialist defence media reports have said the BrahMos could start being introduced to the air force from 2020. BrahMos is a joint venture between India and Russia and officials from the enterprise have said at recent international air shows that discussions on sales are being held with a number of countries. Media reports have said Southeast Asian countries have expressed particular interest, which could worry China. India and Russia are reported to be preparing plans for a longer range version of the missile which could fly at up to Mach 5, or 6,125 kilometres (3,800 miles) per hour. BrahMos is named for the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers of India and Russia respectively.

Actors perform during the launch ceremony of the Asian Film and TV Week at the Working People's Cultural Palace in Beijing, capital of China, May 16, 2019. The Asian Film and TV Week, part of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC), would be held from May 16 to 23 in China. A total of 60 Asian films would be shown in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an and Guangzhou. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei). Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-17

Explanation of the destruction of the ozone layer (AFP Photo/ Laurence Saubadu, Alain Bommenel) Japan, the Korean peninsula or any other country," added Luke Western, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Bristol.

lived greenhouse gases," Joanna Haigh, a professor at Imperial College London, noted last year in reaction to the initial report.

The findings also has implications for the fight against climate change.

Two decades ago, CFCs -- more potent by far as greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide or methane -- accounted for around 10 percent of human-

"Perhaps even more serious is the role of CFCs as long-

induced global warming. Pouring more CFC-11 into the air could also prevent ozone from returning to normal levels, scientists warn. "If emissions do not decline, it will delay the recovery of the Antarctic ozone hole, possibly for decades," said Paul Fraser, an honorary fellow the CSIRO Climate Science Centre in Australia. CFC-11 persists in the atmosphere for about half a

century, and still contributes about a quarter of all chlorine -- the chemical that triggers the breakdown of ozone -- reaching the stratosphere. At its most depleted, around the turn of the 21st century, the ozone layer had declined by about five percent. Today, the "hole in the ozone" over the South Pole is showing clear signs of recovery. But a study last year found that the ozone layer is

unexpectedly declining in the lower stratosphere over the planet's populated tropical and mid-latitude regions. Up to now, CFCs and other molecules have mainly eroded ozone in the upper stratosphere, and over the poles. That study identified two possible culprits: industrial chemicals not covered by the Montreal Protocol called "very short-lived substances" (VSLSs), and climate change.

US/WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 12

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

UAE offers Rashida Tlaib becomes Iran warns of 'painful consevisas the first Muslim womquences' if US escalates tensions golden to investors,

an to preside over the 'exceptional House floor in US talents'

TEHRAN, Iran | AFP | 5/21/2019 - Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has warned the United States of "painful consequences for everybody" if there is an escalation in tensions with the Islamic republic.

UBAI, United Arab Emirates | AFP | 5/21/2019 - he United Arab Emirates said Tuesday it has launched a permanent residency scheme to attract wealthy individuals and highly skilled workers to the oil-rich Gulf country.

Zarif also accused the US of "playing a very, very dangerous game" in an interview with CNN aired on Tuesday. "There will be painful consequences for everybody (if) there is an escalation against Iran, that's for sure," he said. Tensions have risen between Washington and Tehran as the US has deployed a naval carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over unspecified alleged Iranian "threats". "Having all these military assets in a small waterway is in itself prone to accident particularly when you have people who are interested in accidents. So extreme prudence is required and we believe the US is playing a very, very dangerous game," Zarif said. US President Donald Trump further stoked the fire in a tweet on Sunday that suggested

Zarif accuses US of playing a very, very dangerous game Iran would be destroyed if it attacked US interests. On Monday Trump appeared to play down the immediate threat posed by Iran and said he was ready to talk if Tehran takes the first step. But Zarif said that Iran is "not going to talk to people who have broken their promises." He was referring to Washington's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal last year and reimposition of sanctions that had been lifted in exchange for Iran scaling back its nuclear

programme. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech Tuesday that whenever Trump's administration threatens Iran, international and domestic pressure means "they regret it in less than two hours". "All those with the responsibility of the world on their shoulders tell the White House that this was a very dangerous thing to say ... (and) the Pentagon's pressure makes the president apologise and say we don't mean to wage war or attack," he added.

Omani writer wins Man Booker literature prize Awafi in Oman where we encounter three sisters: Mayya, who marries Abdallah after a heartbreak; Asma, who marries from a sense of duty; and Khawla, who is waiting for her beloved who has emigrated to Canada. The three sisters witness Oman’s evolution from a traditional, slave-owning society. “It touches the subject of slavery. I think literature is the best platform to have this dialogue,” Alharthi said. The prize is divided equally between Alharthi and her translator, US academic Marilyn Booth (AFP Photo/Isabel INFANTES)

ONDON, United Kingdom | AFP | Tuesday 5/21/2019 - Jokha Alharthi on Tuesday became the first Arabic author to win the Man Booker International prize for her novel “Celestial Bodies” which reveals her Omani homeland’s post-colonial transformation. “I am thrilled that a window has been opened to the rich Arabic culture,” Alharthi, 40, told reporters after the ceremony at the Roundhouse in London. Alharthi is the author of two previous collections of short fiction, a children’s book and three novels in Arabic. She studied classical Arabic poetry at Edinburgh University and teaches at Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat.

“Oman inspired me but I think international readers can relate to the human values in the book -- freedom and love,” she said. The prestigious 50,000-pound (57,000 euro, $64,000) prize, which celebrates translated fiction from around the world, is divided equally between the author and the translator. Alharthi’s translator was US academic Marilyn Booth, who teaches Arabic literature at Oxford University. The judges said Celestial Bodies was “a richly imagined, engaging and poetic insight into a society in transition and into lives previously obscured”. It is set in the village of al-

The jury said: “Elegantly structured and taut, it tells of Oman’s coming-of-age through the prism of one family’s losses and loves”. The Guardian said it offers “glimpses into a culture relatively little known in the west” and The National said it signalled “the arrival of a major literary talent”, calling the book “a densely woven, deeply imagined tour de force”. Jury chair Bettany Hughes said the novel showed “delicate artistry and disturbing aspects of our shared history”. “The style is a metaphor for the subject, subtly resisting cliches of race, slavery and gender,” she said. Alharthi was up against five other shortlisted authors: France’s Annie Ernaux, Germany’s Marion Poschmann, Poland’s Olga Tokarczuk, Colombia’s Juan Gabriel Vasquez and Chile’s Alia Trabucco Zeran.

The "Golden Card" programme is open to investors and "exceptional talents" such as doctors, engineers, scientists and artists, said UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, who is also Dubai's ruler. "We want them to be permanent partners in our journey. Residents are an indispensable part of our country," he said in a statement. A first group of 6,800 investors with investments totalling 100 billion dirhams ($27 billion, 24 billion euros) were being given permanent residency, he said. It is the first such scheme in the Gulf, where foreigners are generally only given limited duration residence permits under the "kafala" sponsorship system.

US (D) Representative Rashida Tlaib.Image credit:Dawn Michigan Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib made history on Wednesday when she became the first Muslim woman to preside over the floor of the US House of Representatives.

ment on Twitter:

This is not Tlaib's only historic first as the politician has previously made headlines for being the first Palestinian American woman to join Congress. Along with Ilhan Omar, she is also one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. Makes sense for her to keep making monumental feats, eh?

She added, "This was a proud moment & it sank in just a little more that I am serving in Congress."

Tlaib shared the achieve-

Said her post, "Not bad for a girl from Detroit that didn't speak English when I started school & first in my family to graduate high school & college."

Rashida Tlaib's milestone happened merely days after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez presided for the first time on Friday, becoming the youngest woman ever to do so. The future is female, y'all!

Facebook 'American Taliban' shuts dozens Lindh to be released as of fake-news pages ahead Afghan war still boils of EU vote: NGO

ARIS, France | AFP | 5/22/2019 - Facebook has taken down nearly 80 pages spreading fake news or using tactics that appeared aimed at unfairly influencing the European Parliament vote this weekend, an NGO reported Wednesday. The US-based Avaaz online activist group said it had alerted Facebook to more than 500 pages and accounts suspected of fuelling disinformation campaigns. "Together, they were followed by 32 million people and generated 67 million 'interactions' (comments, likes, shares) in the last three months alone," Avaaz said. As a result, Facebook shut 77 pages and 230 accounts, mainly spreading inflammatory farright fake news, in Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Poland, it said. The pages alone had a total of six million followers, which Avaaz said was nearly three times the number of followers for all the main far-right and euroskeptic parties in Europe combined, including Italy's League, Germany's AfD and France's National Rally.

A police file photograph of "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh (E) from 2002, and a picture from when he was a student at a madrassa in Pakistan before he was captured in Afghanistan in 2001 (AFP Photo/TARIQ MAHMOOD, ---, Tariq MAHMOOD) by Paul HANDLEY

ASHINGTON | AFP | 5/22/2019 John Walker Lindh, dubbed the "American Taliban" after he was captured fighting for the Islamist insurgents in November 2001, will be freed from prison Thursday amid concerns he has not forsaken the ideology that took him to Afghanistan. Known as "Detainee 001" in the US War on Terror, Lindh's release after 17 years in prison is resurrecting memories of the September 11 attacks and underscores the fact that, almost two decades later, the US

continues to battle the Taliban with no end in sight. Images of Lindh -- bearded, dirty and disheveled and strapped to stretcher after his capture -- came to symbolize the country's enemy. While Lindh's family and supporters say he never took up arms against his own country, others say he remains a committed jihadist and danger to society. In a letter this week to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, two senators asked how his alleged threat would be contained, citing unproven allegations that he "openly" supports extremist violence.

6565 West Loop South, Suite 850, Bellaire, TX 77401 6565 West Loop South, Suite 850, Bellaire, TX 77401

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Fort Bend View

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

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

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

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Fort Bend ISD seniors among 2019 Men for Change scholarship award recipients

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Section 2

Tel: 713-774-5140

FB County Judge KP George holds another listening tour Judge KP George kicked off 4th countywide listening tour in Pct. 2 at Willowridge High School

Judge KP George and Mayor Sylvester Turner. (File photos)

Shown (seated, from left) are: Mashal Zaidi, Stafford High School; Maria del Pilar Ibarra Noriega, Dulles High School; Jessica Anthony, Hightower High School; Calah Alexis Burros, Austin High School; and (standing, from left) Tony LaBarre, Billy Polk, Will Willis, William Wallace, Reginald Clay, Marshall High School; Kenneth Johnson, Ron Griffin, Dr. Diarra Blue, Rodney Toussaint, Will Ross, Jason McDonald, Fulshear High School; Laymon Humes Jr., James C. Poore III, and Leon Jenkins. Not pictured is Myles Nobles, Elkins High School.

ORT BEND ISD (May 22, 2019) – Five Fort Bend ISD graduating seniors are among Fort Bend County students to receive $2,000 scholarships from Men for Change, Incorporated (MFC). The honorees include: Jessica Anthony, Hightower High School; Calah Alexis Burros, Austin High School; Reginald Clay, Marshall High School; Myles Nobles, Elkins High School; and Maria del Pilar Ibarra Noriega, Dulles High School. MFC honored the students, along with others from Fulshear and Stafford high schools, during the organization’s 25th annual Gala and Scholarship Banquet, held at Quail Valley City Centre. Guest speaker for this event was Dr. Diarra Blue, veterinarian and TV personality on “The Vet Life.” He encour-

aged the students to engage in community service to gain opportunities for personal and professional growth, continue learning to acquire skills and knowledge and to become active and significant members of their community. Other awards presented during the gala included the Benson Award, given to the founder of Men for Change, and an award recognizing Charlie Woodson as the first MFC Director of Education. About Men for Change, Inc. Men for Change (MFC) was established in 1994, when 15 men were compelled to respond to a need in the community. The group reached out to local high school graduates, who

were financially and economically challenged, and awarded them scholarships. MFC has dedicated itself to promoting Education, Community, Brotherhood and Family within the Fort Bend County for 25 years and has donated more than $200,000 toward scholarships for high school students. Because of the selflessness of this caring group of men, many of students are afforded privileges they might not otherwise have. MFC welcomes membership from men who have a heart for serving our Fort Bend County youth and want to elicit change and make a difference in their lives. To learn more about membership and how to make financial contributions (all gifts/donations are tax deductible), please visit the MFC website at www.menforchange.org

FBISD to hold public hearing June 3 regarding tax rate Notice of public meeting to discuss proposed tax rate for residents

UGAR LAND - The Fort Bend Independent School District will hold a public meeting at 5:30 PM, June 3, 2019 in the Board Room of the Administration Building, 16431 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the school district’s tax rate that will be adopted. Public participation in the discussion is invited. The school district has elected to adopt a tax rate before receiving the certified appraisal roll from the chief appraiser(s) of the appraisal district(s) and before adopting a budget. In accordance with Texas Tax Code, Section 26.05(g), the chief appraiser(s) of the appraisal district(s) in which the school district participates has (have) certified to the assessor for the school district an estimate of the taxable value of property in the

Image: Thinkstock

school district as provided by the Texas Tax Code, Section 26.01(e). In accordance with the Texas Education Code, Section 44.004(j), following adoption of the tax rate, the school district will publish notice and hold another public meeting before the school district adopts a budget. The tax rate that is ultimately adopted at this meeting or at a separate

meeting at a later date may not exceed the proposed rate shown below unless the district publishes a revised notice containing the same information and comparisons set out below and holds another public meeting to discuss the revised notice. Visit fortbendisd.com for details, taxable property values and the proposed new tax rate.

ORT BEND COUNTY - On Wednesday, May 22, 2019, Fort Bend County Judge KP George hosted the forth in a series of county-wide meetings, dubbed the Listening Tour to engage Fort Bend County residents in constructive dialogue about Fort Bend County services and hear their concerns. The third of the series was held on April 01, 2019 at Creekside Fellowship Church in Precinct 1. The forth meeting on May 22nd will be held at Willowridge High School located at 16301 Chimney Rock Rd., Houston, Texas 77053 beginning at 6:00 p.m. in partnership with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Pct. 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage, District Attorney Brian Middleton, Pct. 2 Constable Daryl Smith, and State Representative HD 27 Ron Reynolds. “Our more urban communities such as Missouri City, Stafford, Meadows

Place, Houston, and Mission Bend to name a few are important to my Administration. While they are served by various municipalities, I want them to know of and utilize the full array of County resources available to these communities. This is a great opportunity for residents on the North Eastern side of Fort Bend County to learn about all the County offers and ask questions of their elected officials and department heads. Bringing the government to the people is my top priority.” stated Fort Bend County Judge KP George. Representatives from Animal Services, Road & Bridge, Human Resources, Parks, Clinical Health, Drainage, Office of Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, Health & Human Services, Public Transportation, Sheriffs & Pct. 2 Constable Office, Environmental Health, Engineering, and other departments are also expected to be in attendance.

Non-emergency city offices to close on Memorial Day (May 27); Municipal solid waste pickup as scheduled

ISSOURI CITY - All non-emergency City Offices will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. This includes: • City Hall, 1522 Texas Pkwy. • Inspections & Permits, 1522 Texas Pkwy. • Visitors Center, 1522 Texas Pkwy. • Animal Shelter, 1923 Scanlin Rd. • Municipal Court, 3845 Cartwright Rd. The Recreation & Tennis Center, 2701 Cypress Point Dr., will only be open on May 27 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Quail Valley Golf Course and the City Centre at Quail Valley, 2880 La Quinta Dr., will be open and maintain regular business hours on May 27. For tee times and other information, call 281.403.5910. Residents who participate in the

Municipal Solid Waste and Recycling Program will receive regular service. To ensure pickup, citizens are encouraged to set garbage and recyclable materials out by 7 a.m. For assistance, residents may contact WCA at 281.403.5800. Residents who have questions about City services and programs should call 281.403.8500 and leave a voicemail message. Residents and businesses with questions about inspections and permits should call 281.403.8600 and leave a message. City staff will promptly return all calls. For emergencies, please call 911. For updates, please watch the City website: www.missouricitytx. gov, like us on Facebook—fb/MissouriCityTX, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat—@MissouriCityTX and Nextdoor, watch Missouri City Television (Ch. 16 on Comcast and Ch. 99 on AT&T U-verse). One can also download the MCTX Mobile app (available for free in Google Play and the Apple app store).

VOICE OF ASIA 14

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD Section 2

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www.voiceofasia.news

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Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Camila Morrone: From doubling up with dad to Hollywood’s next big thing by Fiachra Gibbons

ANNES, France | AFP | Monday 5/20/2019 - Unless you are a battle-hardened follower of Leonardo DiCaprio’s love life, or you spend your life on catwalk model feeds on Instagram, you will not have heard of Camila Morrone.

Emilia Clarke plays ‘Mother of Dragons’ Daenerys Targaryen in the epic television show (AFP Photo/Angela Weiss)

Fire and ice: Chinese fans love, loathe GoT finale

But not for long. The Argentinian model-turned-actress is one of the big discoveries of the Cannes film festival, lighting up a small US indie film about a 17-year-old girl looking after her traumatised, opioid-addicted Iraq veteran father. “Mickey and the Bear” has already had the Hollywood Reporter comparing the triple talents that the film reveals -- Morrone, debut director Annabelle Attanasio and James Badge Dale, who plays the father -- to “Leave No Trace” and “Lean on Pete”, “the two finest films of 2018”. Morrone, who is 21, regards Al Pacino -- who dated her actress mother Lucila Sola for years -- as her “stepfather”, and went to the most famous high school in the world, Beverly Hills 90210. She might not seem the obvious candidate to play a slightly chubby girl living on the breadline in a trailer in a beautiful but polluted former mining town in Montana. Yet the actress -- whose warmth and smouldering catwalk self drew comparisons with Sophia Loren -- pulled it off, putting on weight and bringing an earthy groundedness and strength to the part of a teenager who also had to be mother, wife and nurse. Their lives might be worlds apart, but Morrone said she could identify with Mickey. “I could relate to being a 17-yearold girl and taking on more than I could handle,” she told AFP in Cannes

Camila Morrone, 21, says she regards Al Pacino -- who dated her actress mother Lucila Sola for years -- as her “stepfather” AFP where the film is showing in its ACID section.

around all of that stuff. Nobody on the planet has what I grew up around.”

“I didn’t grow up overly privileged,” she insisted.

But getting under the skin of a small-town girl was harder, she said.

“My parents were struggling actors who had a hard time getting work. That’s why I hesitated about getting into acting, I had seen them going through that.”

“Once I got to Anaconda (where the film was shot) that fear went away. Meeting people there and getting to understand their lives” when there are so few jobs, opened her eyes.

She was the odd one out in a class of rich kids.

With so little work many locals join the military. “The amount of veterans in the US is wild, and Montana has the second-most per capita, after Alaska,” Morrone said.

“I was able to tap into that” to play Mickey, scrabbling to make ends meet while dreaming of escaping her trailer for college in California. - ‘My dad and I shared a bed’ “I lived in a studio apartment with my dad for many years when he was struggling... so I understand that relationship. My dad and I shared a bed until I was 15 because I had no other room to sleep in.” Yet fame and wealth were all around her. “I was born in Hollywood, I went to Beverly Hills 90210, so I grew up

“There are lots of people in Anaconda with missing limbs having come back from war,” she said. “Heroes like Hank in the film come back as a broken shell of a man with physical and emotional damage. People’s families suffer, home life is different and we show this reality.” Director Attanasio said she knew immediately Marrone had the chops for the role when she turned up to the audition dressed in jeans and a jumper.

Whitney Houston estate working on hologram tour, new album

EW YORK | AFP | Monday 5/20/2019 - The estate of Whitney Houston has struck a deal aiming to revive the late superstar’s brand, potentially launching a touring hologram and album of unreleased music.

“With Primary Wave’s global appeal and wealth of contacts, the partnership will advance the artistry and integrity of Whitney’s legacy to a stratosphere that she herself left us all to enjoy for a lifetime,” Pat Houston, the late artist’s sister-in-law and executor of the estate, said in a statement. “Before she passed, there was so much negativity around the name; it wasn’t about the music anymore,” Pat Houston told The New York Times.

A single judge bench of Justice Manoj Garg issued the notices to the actors following an appeal by the Rajasthan government against their acquittal by a Chief Judicial Magistrate’s

A group of 150 people gathered at a screening in Beijing’s trendy “798” art district to see the final episode late Monday, hours after it aired in the United States. “To be honest, I’m not very satisfied with (the finale) and a bit disappointed,” said Ji Yuan, who stopped reading the news and China’s Twitter-like Weibo site to avoid spoilers before joining the group at the 798 district. Another fan, Liu Maodi, read all the books by “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin and said he was “really disappointed” about the ending. Easily dominating the discussion on Weibo was the death of top character Daenerys Targaryen, which generated the hashtag “#DragonMotherDies#” that briefly was the platform’s mostviewed topic. It was viewed more than 350 million times and generated nearly 80,000 comments, with many mourning the loss of the dragon-riding, slave-emancipating “Breaker of Chains” whose quest for the Iron Throne drove much of the plot. “This kind of junk scriptwriter should be killed by a dragon,” said one comment, echoing disappointment expressed by fans worldwide over the final season.

“#DragonMotherDies# 2011-2019, I’ve been following the show for eight years, now this is what you got to show me?” said one angry commentator. “Game of Thrones” has been hugely popular in China, spawning online fan organisations and group screenings. This despite much of the show’s notorious sex and gore being relegated to the cutting room floor by China’s censors, prompting many to download pirated, uncensored versions. “I think (censorship) is acceptable since we don’t have a rating system here in China, so some of the bloody and violent scenes are not very suitable for young audiences,” fan Jia Wang told AFP. “The deleted scenes in general don’t have much influence on the plot,” she added. Speaking before viewing the finale, she expected to “be very emotional” when the show ends. “It has been accompanying me for so many years,” Jia said. Chinese Internet giant Tencent, which has shown censored versions online, announced Monday morning just before it was expected to air the finale that it would instead be delayed. “Dear users, we are very sorry to notify you that Game of Thrones season 8 episode 6 will not be online on time due to media transmission problems,” it said on Weibo. It said a new broadcast time would be announced later, giving no further details.

The late American singer Whitney Houston performing onstage during the 2011 Pre-Grammy Gala & Salute to Industry Icons AFP/File “People had forgotten how great she was. They let all the personal things about her life outweigh why they fell in love with her in the first place.” She told the paper a hologram tour featuring the artist’s laser-generated likeness is the first priority of the new contract, which could be followed by branding deals and a potential Broadway musical. “Whitney Houston is an incompa-

Indian court issues fresh notices to four Bollywood actors in 1998 case he Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court on Monday issued fresh notices to actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari and Tabu in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case.

EIJING, China | AFP | 5/20/2019 - Chinese fans faced their own battles to watch the “Game of Thrones” finale, scrambling for ways to see it after a delayed stream by rights-holder Tencent and staying off social media for hours to avoid spoilers of the popular show.

Season eight has been widely panned as rushing to a climactic conclusion, with fans particularly objecting to the Mother of Dragons’ rapid descent into madness and tyranny.

BBC to make series of Indian epic ‘A Suitable Boy’

New York-based company Primary Wave Music Publishing announced Monday it penned an agreement with megacelebrity Houston’s estate, acquiring 50 percent of its assets including royalties from her music, films and merchandising. The most awarded female artist of all time, Houston died at 48 years old in 2012 after a public struggle with drugs, following a decade that saw her go from America’s sweetheart to tabloid drama queen.

by Lillian Ding with Dan Martin in Shanghai

court on April 5 last year. Notice was also issued to Dushyant Singh who was allegedly accompanying the actors when the poaching took place. Justice Garg directed that the case be listed for hearing after eight weeks. The high court had on March 11 issued notices to the five respondents on the state government’s appeal chal-

rable artist whose voice resonates in people’s lives to this day,” said Lawrence Mestel, head of Primary Wave, which focuses on marketing classic catalogues of megawatt names including Bob Marley, Smokey Robinson and Def Leppard. “She is the definition of an icon and we are thrilled to partner with Pat Houston and the entire Houston family to further the legacy of this legendary artist.” Life of Pi” actress Tabu. (File photo) lenging their acquittal in the case. Bollywood star Salman Khan was, however, convicted under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act by the CJM’s court and was awarded a fiveyear prison term along with a fine of Rs 10,000 after being found guilty of killing two blackbucks in Jodhpur during the shooting of his 1998 blockbuster ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’. The appeal of Salman Khan, who is on bail, is pending before the high court. The trial court had acquitted his

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ANNES, France | AFP - Indian director Mira Nair is to shoot a television version of Vikram Seth’s epic bestselling novel, “A Suitable Boy”, she told reporters at the Cannes film festival. The series for the BBC has been scripted by Andrew Davies, the doyen of literary adaptations for the small screen, who has turned books like

co-stars -- Saif, Sonali, Neelam and Tabu, besides Dushyant Singh due to lack of evidence. - ANI

“The House of Cards”, “Pride and Prejudice” and “War and Peace” into TV classics. Nair said shooting will start in September on the story of post-independence India, one of the longest -- and most loved -- novels ever published in the English language. The director of “Monsoon Wedding” and “Salaam Bombay!” said she has already cast all of the 110 characters she is taking from the book, which runs to nearly 1,500 pages in paperback. The big-budget $20-million production will star “Life of Pi” actress Tabu as well as Nair stalwart Naseeruddin Shah. “I love this book so much,” the director told Screen Daily on Friday. “Andrew Davies has delivered a wonderful script. We have been working on this for a year and we got the green light yesterday.” Nair claimed the six-part series, which she has long dreamt of making, “is the first South Asian epic on mainstream BBC TV... It has not been easy. “I like to say, ‘It’s crown and brown’.”

LEGAL

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When both parents, during a divorce or separation, cannot reach an agreement as to who will be designated the primary conservator of the child(ren) with the right to choose the primary residence, then a custody trial is necessary. Custody matters can be tried before a judge (bench trial) or jury. Although, bench trials may be least expensive and faster than a jury, a trial by jury may provide the best outcome for you and your child. Trials involving custody battles typically are highly stressful, time-consuming, emotionally, and financially exhausting. Custody battles are usually driven by one parent wanting more or all rights, possession, and access than the other parent. However, courts generally do not award one parent more rights and possession than the other. The determining factor to what is decided is what is in the “best interest of the child”. Courts also justify unequal division of possession and access to the child(ren) if the evidence is compelling and shows that the other parent cannot provide a safe environment for the child(ren) and it would endanger the emotional and physical health and wellbeing of the children if they are with the other parent. If one parent feels strongly they should continue with trial, are able to afford it, it will be in the best interest of the child, and feel they

Custody trials begin with filing the lawsuit, serving the petition on the spouse, and awaiting a response within a specified time period. Often, petitions include requests for temporary restraining orders and a hearing for temporary orders is set. At this hearing, a judge can order which parent remains at the residence, who moves out, who gets temporary custody of the children, who pays child support and how much, as well as division of other property and debts. Further, both parties exchange discovery requests to gather information, documents, and more to help in the determination of division of custody, child support, property, and debts. If relevant, the division of business assets and debts are also considered. Discovery also includes depositions by written or oral questions. Prior to trial, courts require both parties to mediate in attempts to settle the dispute prior to trial. If no agreement has been reached at this time, the parties proceed to trial. Trial may be set within 12 months from the time of filing the petition. It is imperative to hire a skilled attorney to represent you on your custody trial as it not only is months of legal fighting but also exhausting. A good attorney will fight aggressively to protect your rights and your children’s in the best interest of the child. About the Author: Mala Sharma has been practicing family law and personal injury with her family at the Law Offices of Sharma & Associates, founded in 1997 with over 42 years of com-

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Attorney at Law

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WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR A CHILD CUSTODY TRIAL AND IS IT PROPER?

Mala Sharma

Sharlene Sharmila Richards

FAMILY LAW:

have a high chance of winning, then a custody trial may be the best option.

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

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

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

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Mala Sharma has been practicing family law and personal injury with her family at the Law Offices of Sharma & Associates, founded in 1997. Mala is President Emeritus of the Houston Northwest Bar Association, Board member of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association and South Asian Bar Association. She is also a member of the Houston Bar Association. Disclaimer: This material is available for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. If you require advice on any particular legal question, you may contact Sharma & Associates at 281-893-8644 or by email at mala@sharmalaws.net to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

US abortion rights activists protest ‘attack’ on access by Charlotte Plantive

ASHINGTON | AFP | Tuesday 5/21/2019 - Abortion rights activists protested across the country Tuesday against Republican-led efforts to restrict access to the procedure -- a drive they fear will end with a challenge to the 1973 US Supreme Court ruling legalizing the practice. The rallies come nearly a week after the southern state of Alabama passed the country’s toughest ban, prohibiting abortion in all cases -- even rape and incest -- unless the mother’s life is at risk. Alabama is among more than a dozen states which have adopted laws banning or drastically curtailing access to abortion. Even some of the lawmakers in those states have admitted that their end goal is to put the issue -- one of the most divisive in the United States -- back before the nation’s high court. “I feel there is a real war on women in this country,” said 63-year-old Danna Ives-Kimpel, who was one of hundreds of protesters who gathered outside the Supreme Court in Washington. They urged the nine justices inside to protect the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, which enshrined the right to abortion up to the point that the fetus is viable outside the womb, about 24 weeks. “It would be absolutely devastating” if the ruling were overturned, said Michaela Masson, a 25-year-old working in government affairs in the US capital. Highlighting the key role the issue could play in the 2020 presidential elections, several Democrats vying to take on President Donald Trump including Pete Buttigieg and

Photo: Julie Bennett/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Amy Klobuchar appeared at the rally. Protests also were held in New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, Georgia. Others were planned in the South, the conservative “Bible Belt” that includes Alabama. “Abortion access is under attack,” said the powerful American Civil Liberties Union, an organizer of Tuesday’s demonstrations. “Today’s the day we take to the streets to defend reproductive freedom. Our dissent is powerful. Our voices are powerful,” the group said on Twit-

ter. Zak Butterfield, a 45-yearold father attending the rally in Washington, said: “I am not going to stay quiet.” - Restrictive laws enacted For years, the doorsteps of abortion clinics nationwide have been the scene of neardaily standoffs between proand anti-abortion rights activists. That battle is now front and center in Alabama, which has three clinics. The Alabama law is to take effect in November. It seeks jail

What did Alabama do? The bill that the Republican-controlled Legislature overwhelmingly passed sought to prohibit abortions at every stage of pregnancy. It includes an exception for cases where a woman’s health is at “serious” risk, but lawmakers rejected a proposal to add exceptions for cases of rape or incest. Women who have abortions will not be prosecuted under the measure, but, if the courts allow the law to stand, doctors could be charged with a felony and face up to 99 years in prison for performing the procedure. Supporters of abortion rights have promised to challenge the measure in court. The expected legal battle could stop the restrictions entirely, or at least substantially delay them. “Alabama politicians will forever live in infamy for this vote, and we will make sure that every woman knows who to hold accountable,” said Staci Fox, the president of Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates. “In the coming days, we will be mounting the fight of our lives — we will take this to court and ensure abortion remains safe and legal.”

terms of between 10 and 99 years for doctors performing abortions, which are counted as homicides. It does not, however, penalize the mother. Earlier this month, the governor of Georgia signed into law a ban on abortion from the moment a fetal heartbeat is detected. Georgia became the sixth US state to outlaw abortion after roughly six weeks of gestation. Missouri’s legislature on Friday made the procedure illegal from eight weeks of pregnancy, and did not make exceptions for rape or incest either. Ohio, Mississippi, Kentucky, Iowa and North Dakota have enacted restrictive laws, while Florida and Texas are consid-

ering doing the same. All of the state bans have either been blocked by a judge or are headed for the courts. But there is no guarantee that any of the laws recently passed, including the one in Alabama, will be taken up by the high court. Each law would first have to make its way through the lower courts and then be chosen by the justices as a case to be heard. - The Trump factor The hopes of anti-abortion activists have been lifted since President Donald Trump took office more than two years ago. The Republican leader had promised to appoint only judg-

es opposed to abortion, and has already named two conservatives to the highest bench, tipping the balance to a conservative-leaning majority. “After Trump got elected, we knew they would chip away at our reproductive freedom,” said Washington protester Robin Pereira. Although Trump himself has given impetus to the antiabortion side with his Supreme Court appointments and declarations that he is “strongly ProLife,” he said late Saturday that exceptions should be made for “rape, incest and protecting the life of the mother.” Around two thirds of Americans say abortion should be legal, a Pew Center poll found last year.

Young Life

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he night that Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut novel won the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the author celebrated by retreating into a familiar comfort. She headed straight uptown to her mother’s apartment that crisp November evening and treated herself to the aromatic meal that had been a hallmark of her New York City upbringing. “It was like midnight at that point. And I ate a bowl of sancocho while [my family] passed around the award and took pictures,” she said when we spoke recently. Pointing to an imaginary serving of the traditional, meatand-vegetable-heavy stew her family eats in Harlem and on each trip back to her parents’ native Dominican Republic, she added: “I was like, ‘This is winning.’”

The Poet X, Acevedo’s prizeearning work, is narrated by a Dominican American teenager named Xiomara Batista. As she notices her changing body drawing unwanted attention from boys and men, Xiomara starts to feel isolated from the community around her—and clashes often with her devout Catholic mother. Simmering with adolescent angst, the 15-year-old Harlemite begins to find solace in poems. At turns meditative and forceful, much of the book’s propulsive energy is culled from Acevedo’s own background in slam poetry. Fittingly, The Poet X is written entirely in verse. Of the urgent inspiration that follows Xiomara’s first time attending an open-mic night at New York City’s famed Nuyorican Poets Cafe, for example, the text reads: Late into the night I write and the pages of my notebook swell from all the words I’ve pressed onto them. It almost feels like the more I bruise the page the quicker something inside me heals. The Poet X mapped a young woman’s circuitous journey to self-actualization through her affinity for language. Acevedo’s second novel finds its protagonist delighting in—and growing through—a different form of expression: culinary homecomings similar to the one the author experienced the night of her National Book Award win. With the Fire on High, which was released earlier this month, is a comingof-age story told in prose by Emoni Santiago, a teen mother living in the Fairhill neighborhood of Philadelphia. Emoni is a preternaturally talented cook, and With the Fire on High unfurls her complex family history partly through hybridized recipes from Puerto Rico and the American South as it raises the stakes of her culinary ambitions. In one early scene, the 17-year-old relays an experience of walking into her grandmother’s kitchen after a long day of school. With the music of the salsa legend Marc Anthony blasting through the radio, “’Buela pulls out the herbs that she gets directly from el campo in Puerto Rico and sets them on the counter. The sweet-smelling yerba buena, the Caribbean oregano. She hands me the knives before I ask for them, cleans the cutting board before I realize I need it rinsed.” For Acevedo, the kitchen functions similarly to the stage—as a site for self-expression and communal connec-

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Young urbanites help revive Poland’s mazurka folk dance

Elizabeth Acevedo’s work is a welcome rarity in young-adult fiction

For many writers of color, including Acevedo, the past several years have ushered in a long-overdue cultural renaissance within publishing. In an industry, and genre, that has rarely elevated the work of people of color, Acevedo’s National Book Award win isn’t just a personal milestone. As one of remarkably few authors of color to earn the honor, Acevedo is also helping to shift the broader literary landscape. For readers of all backgrounds, books like Acevedo’s that focus on the everyday experiences of young people of color are their own reward.

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by Stanislaw Waszak

ARSAW, Poland | AFP | Monday 5/20/2019 - Couples spin to the lively tempo of Poland’s mazurka folk dance in scenes reminiscent of peasant life from centuries past. To rhythmic violin and accordion, they could almost be back in the simple cottages of Mazovia, the region around the Polish capital, Warsaw, for which the dance and music were named. Taken across Europe and beyond by Polish soldiers and migrants some 200 years ago, the traditional mazurka evolved, before later almost vanishing. But now it is making a comeback and not only in Poland, putting a spring in the step of urban youngsters and getting pulses racing and hearts pumping. Photo courtesy the author Elizabeth Acevedo. tions. These scenes marry both possibilities. “A lot of my stories are about family and how families disappoint us and how we build families and what we need from family,” the 31-yearold author noted. “And what else gathers you in the same way that a meal does?” Acevedo, who traced her Dominican family’s African heritage in her poetry before she began experimenting with fiction, writes books that explore the interiority of young AfroLatinas. This focus is a natural one for the author, whose work feels both meticulous and livedin even when it diverges from autobiographical elements. And readers have noticed the interplay between her skillful craft and narrative investment: In addition to winning the National Book Award, The Poet X was a New York Times best seller. It also accrued a series of accolades, including a Michael Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature and the Association for Library Service to Children’s 2019 Pura Belpré Award, which is given to a Latino author “whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience.” Acevedo’s ascent, like that of several prominent new authors, has also signaled a slow shift in a notoriously homogeneous industry. Angie Thomas’s 2017 The Hate U Give, which has since been adapted into an Amandla Stenberg–led film, followed a young black teenager wrestling with the police killing of her best friend; it was joined later that year by Nic Stone’s Dear Martin, which tells the story of a teenager who writes letters to the late Dr. King. The Nigerian American author Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone fused speculative fantasy with West African spiritual traditions. The prolific poet and author Jason Reynolds has written several books depicting catalytic experiences of black teenagers across the country, including the Marvel young-adult novel Miles Morales: Spider-Man. This is an expansion that Acevedo finds heartening. “For a long time, there was this [notion] that depictions of characters of color would not sell the book. And I’m so happy to see more black girls, more brown girls, more black boys—their faces on books and reshaping what we think will make readers ‘afraid’ to buy a book versus how compelling it can be to see yourself,” she said. “But also to see someone different than yourself as a hero. Imagine how much would be undone if we saw depictions of heroes who were black.” Still, Acevedo’s variety of work remains a statistical rarity in her genre. And she is careful to note that even the perceived groundswell is not entirely new: the window from 2012 to 2014 brought a notable push for diversity in children’s literature. Five years ago, the late author Walter Dean Myers wrote an essay for The New York Times decrying

the glaring discrepancy in the number of stories with white protagonists and those with protagonists of color. Myers’s Times piece led with a jarring statistic: “Of 3,200 children’s books published in 2013, just 93 were about black people.” A social-media campaign titled We Need Diverse Books soon followed, and has since become a nonprofit organization that advocates for systemic change within the publishing industry and celebrates the work of authors from varied backgrounds. The effects of centuries’ worth of literary erasure have been far-reaching. If it follows that literature helps shape the worldview—and capacity for empathy—of those who consume it, then the comparative lack of meaningful stories featuring people of color has contributed to broader social chasms. “I think of the state of the country right now and I’m like, I can tell who reads fiction. I can tell which of our politicians read fiction,” Acevedo said. “I can tell which of them have read things that don’t look like them or sound like them or depict who they come from. You know.” Acevedo’s work thrills partly because of the diligence and specificity with which she captures their responses to the ground shifting beneath them. Or, as she put it, “I am interested in a character that is not a caricature, that is tender and ferocious pretty much across the board—typically a young woman of color, different than depictions that we have seen.” - The Atlantic

“It was forgotten, but when I see all these young people who come to learn from me, I forget I’m old,” says fiddle player Jan Kmita, 83, one of the last surviving masters of the mazurka. He has spent hours teaching youngsters the up-tempo rhythms and steps at workshops in Warsaw. The Polish mazurka, also known as the mazur, mazurek or oberek, “doesn’t really have much to do with the ones we know in France”, says Nicolas Roche, a French violinist keen to learn from Kmita. “It has a very specific sound, rhythmic subtleties and a manner of conveying rhythm that is completely different, with slowdowns, accelerations, a whole swing, a feeling that’s very different,” Roche told AFP. -

- ‘Like discovering Atlantis’

Choreographer Piotr Zgorzelski, who specialises in Polish folk dances, describes the dance steps of Polish mazurka as “minimalist, with no jumps”. Couples stay very close, twirling “like a whirling dervish, but they do it together... a good dancer can even spin with a full glass on their head without spilling a drop,” he says. Zgorzelski also said that he had seen interest in mazurkas burgeon among young urbanites keen to reconnect with the rural origins of their ancestors. Among the mazurka’s ardent new fans, Agata Kotlicka, a 27-year-old professional speech therapist, says: “We enter a trance, we can forget ourselves, we don’t need alcohol to feel it.”

Taken across Europe and beyond by Polish soldiers and migrants some 200 years ago, the traditional mazurka evolved, before later almost vanishing. (AFP Photo) Self-taught Kmita received his first violin at age six and played his first wedding when he was 12. Forgotten about over the years, his talent was re-discovered by a group of folk enthusiasts, who have spent 30 years crisscrossing Poland in a quest to find and preserve traditional music. Janusz Prusinowski, a 50-year-old singer and multiinstrumentalist, is one of those who stumbled across Kmita nearly three decades ago. “We came across these old musicians, it was like discovering Atlantis, a Poland doomed to disappear,” he told AFP, of his first encounters with elderly mazurka masters. It turned out that “Poland wasn’t a land of musical illiterates but a people able to speak with an original musical language that (Frederic) Chopin himself drew on,” says Prusinowski. He co-founded Warsaw’s annual Mazurkas of the World festival that has been leading the mazurka revival for 10 years, now also in evidence in dance halls and other organised events. - Soldiers and refugees Mazurkas are dynamic and bold, with accents often placed on the second or third beat and tempo changes that can take dancers by surprise. Some experts believe that their earliest traces can be found in transcriptions of religious music dating to the 15th century. According to Warsaw University musicologist Tomasz Nowak, the term itself first appears in 1708 in a musical notation at a Bernardine cloister in Lowicz, central Poland, where a Catholic nun suggests interpreting a passage like “a real mazur”. Around the beginning of the 19th century, Polish soldiers fighting for French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte took their

music wherever they were deployed, even to the Caribbean. Similarly, a couple of decades later, Polish insurgents who lost the struggle against the army of the Russian tsar fled to France, taking the mazurka. In France, the dance became fashionable, changing and evolving as it was adapted to local tastes. Meanwhile, back in the Polish countryside, the mazurka could be heard at wedding parties until the 1950s. But it was all but forgotten with the advent of radio and the new music it broadcast into villages. - From shame to pride Poland’s communist authorities tried to transform folk dances like the mazurka into “national dances”, making them elaborate stage shows to tour at home and abroad. The 2018 film, “Cold War” by the Polish-born Oscarnominated director Pawel Pawlikowski, focuses in part on how these stage shows were developed. The last vestiges of the mazurka survived until the 1980s in the depths of the Mazovian region, despite the indifference and even contempt of locals. After the 1989 collapse of communism, Poles embraced synthesiser-based pop music, turning their backs on some of the music of the past. “We started to be ashamed to play these old tunes,” Kmita told AFP. But shame has turned to pride, as young mazurka enthusiasts have begun flocking to dance halls giving a new lease of life to the music and dances of their heritage. “It’s only just beginning, the mazurkas are going to survive, they were nearly dead and now they’re coming back,” Kmita says. “They must like it, I think,” he adds, modestly.

Don’t give up on radicalised Muslim youths, say Cannes directors by Sophie Laubie / Deborah Cole

challenges his obsession with “purity”.

ANNES, France | AFP | Tuesday 5/21/2019 When is it too late to save a radicalised Muslim teenager?

“Young Ahmed” is set like the Dardennes’ previous gritty slices of working-class life in their native French-speaking Wallonia, an area that served as a base for the Islamist terrorist cell that carried out the November 2015 Paris attacks.

Two-time Cannes winners the Dardenne brothers said Tuesday their new film is a call not to give up on these “lost” youths. “Young Ahmed”, which premiered at the world’s top film festival, tells the story of the son of a single mother who falls under the influence of an Islamist hate preacher. Ahmed attends a public school where a dedicated teacher, a secular Muslim, tries to take him under her wing. The imam sees her as a threat to Ahmed’s indoctrination and tells him she is an apostate, leading the boy to try to stab her in her home. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, often called Belgium’s kitchen-sink answer to the Coen brothers, said deadly Islamist attacks in recent years including in 2016 in their own

A scene from Young Ahmed. (Facebook) country drove them to explore how young people can be led so far astray. “We start the film with a boy who’s been radicalised and try to tell how he can or cannot leave this kind of enchantment and come back to earth,” JeanPierre, 68, told AFP. - Obsessed with ‘purity’ The sweet-faced bespectacled Ahmed, who has barely lost his baby fat, seems an unlikely jihadist and draws the sympathy of the educators and

authorities who try to help him turn his young life around. Jean-Pierre said the brothers spent six months interviewing experts in the field about the types of intervention used to counteract brainwashing among young radicals. In the film, Ahmed (first-time actor Idir Ben Addi) is sent on day-release to a farm that works with delinquent youths where he meets a spirited blonde girl named Louise. Their instant attraction confuses him and

“Our film looks at religion, how it can attract or take possession of you completely,” Luc, 65, told AFP, noting that it was less concerned with the economic and social factors that usually dominate their other movies. - ‘Not stupidly naive’ Although some critics questioned the film’s hopeful ending, Jean-Pierre told reporters that the brothers’ optimism was rooted in Ahmed’s still impressionable age. “It’s not a stupidly naive -it’s a film about peace because we believe that life is always stronger, it prevails,” he said. “Totalitarianism, fanaticism are always overcome by life -- they always lose out in the end.”

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How to talk to your kids about their mental health Having the right conversations with your children opens the lines of communication and helps you keep an eye out for the warning signs of anxiety, depression and bullying. by Nicole Spector

here’s a mental health crisis in America, and it’s not limited to the some 20 percent of U.S adults that experience anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses in a given year; it’s also impacting our children. According to the CDC, 7.1 percent of children aged three to 17 (approximately 4.4 million) have diagnosed anxiety, while 3.2 percent of children aged three to 17 (approximately 1.9 million) have diagnosed depression. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that one in five teenagers between 13 and 18 will experience at least one “severe mental disorder” during their life, as will roughly 13 percent of kids aged between five and 15 years. For parents, paying attention to our children’s mental health is paramount. “The presence of a caring adult can make a big difference,” says Dr. Donald Mordecai, MD, national leader for mental health and wellness at Kaiser Permanente. “Studies show that even one safe, stable and nurturing relationship can be a major protective factor in the face of traumatic events.” The first step, says Mordecai (and every other mental health clinician I consulted for this piece), is to talk about mental health with our kids. Easier said than done, as “how you approach the topic is critical,” notes Mordecai.

Photo: Bruce Ayres/Getty Images

to portray that I have no assumptions,” says Lynn R. Zakeri, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois and mother of two teens. “‘How was the test?’ can sound 10 different ways depending on how it is asked.” Offer a bit about your day first “Starting our talk with something interesting about my day that is short and entertaining (whether vulnerable, self-deprecating or full of pride) — can make them feel safer to be honest about their day,” adds Zakeri. “We are trading stories rather than in a power struggle.” No screens of distractions Zakeri stresses devoting your full attention during these check-ins.

So how do we have these conversations and when? What warning signs should we look for, and how can we get our kids the help they need if red flags are waving?

“Have those talks with no distractions [so] you can remember names and experiences better for the next story,” she says. “‘Oh wasn’t Danny the one who you said was good at basketball?’ Our kids love to be heard by us.”

Model positive sharing about emotions and challenges

Emojis can help really little kids communicate

Children, especially when young, will model the behaviors parental figures demonstrate. By being consistently open about the existence and importance of mental health, you can lead by example.

For very little kids who may not be super verbal yet, Koch suggests having them identify “emotion words” using emojis.

“Show your child it’s okay to acknowledge feelings by talking about your own,” says Dr. Eli Lebowitz, Ph.D., director of the Program for Anxiety Disorders at the Yale Child Study Center. Have mental health issues? Disclose it (appropriately) Part of talking about mental health means being transparent (as appropriate) about how you maintain yours. If you take as prescribed medication for depression, or see a therapist, or even if you just do yoga to stay sane — share that you do this with your kids to stay mentally fit. “Part of the stigma around mental health can be broken by us about being more matter of fact about it,” says Dr. Alexandra Hamlet, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in the Mood Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute. “We should talk about it like we talk about physical illnesses. I do think it depends on your kid ( if they’re already anxious, they may catastrophize it, so think about the impact) but otherwise, I think information helps. Perhaps you can say, ‘Mom has to take a pill so that she’s not as sad and it helps her brain stay more positive.’ If you don’t have the answer, or feel put on the spot if they ask you a question about it, it’s totally fine to say ‘Great question. I am going to write that down and think about/research it.’ But if you’re doing something [like taking medication], don’t assume your kid isn’t noticing.” Ask questions even when nothing is wrong While you’ll certainly want to up the ante if your child is showing any of the mental health warning signs listed below, you should be asking your kids questions about their lives every day. The more specific the better. Opt for open-ended inquiries. “Open-ended questions help to avoid the response of ‘I’m fine,’”, says Melissa Koch, a Licensed Professional Counselor and Assistant Lead Therapist at Alsana. “[Instead], Ask questions like, “What was your favorite part of the day?,” “What was difficult for you today?,” “What would you like me to know about today?”

Here are 14 questions to ask your child about their mental health Neutralize your tone “Each day I use my tone/inflection

“Using a chart that shows emoji faces for them to point to, can be helpful,”says Koch. “If an emotion fits ([as in] ‘It looks like you might be angry.’) If the emotion doesn’t fit, continue to explore. Open conversation about emotions normalizes them. This can help prevent children from feeling as if something is wrong with them if they have a feeling.” If they don’t want to talk with you, enlist someone else “If your child has difficulty sharing things with you they may still be willing to speak with another adult they know,” says Lebowitz. “Before asking a lot of questions, ask your child if they are comfortable talking to you or would prefer to talk with someone else.” Know the warning signs “You know your child best: If you notice behaviors that are not typical for your child, be curious about it,” say Koch. More broadly though, Dr. Mordecai says to look out for the following behavioral changes, which could be warning signs of a mental health issue: • Restlessness and agitation • Acting out • Lack of enthusiasm, energy or motivation • Forgetfulness and lack of concentration • Withdrawing from friends and activities • Dropping grades school absences

frequent

• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns • Frequent headaches and body aches • Substance abuse • Self-harm Don’t shrug off seemingly minor problems We’ve all been kids, but it’s tough to recall just how intense our feelings were back then. All the stuff we can often better handle as adults (like a dispute with a friend, or negative feedback from an authority) can feel impossible to cope with. “It’s easy to be dismissive of kids when they’re struggling because we don’t always know that say, a fight with a friend is so negatively impacting them,” says Hamlet, adding that we may also not understand why such

a seemingly minor event is really that important. “We might brush it off and say, ‘It will work itself out.” While we mean the best, it’s important to take them seriously and validate the pain by acknowledging it — even if we don’t agree with it.” Resist the urge to fix it “One situation I experience regularly when doing joint sessions with parents and their children is that they jump to offering solutions,” says Dr. Viola Drancoli, a clinical psychologist. “They want their kids to know that they are eager to help, but in my experience, kids are more committed to a solution if they come up with it themselves.” Kids also want to be heard in full, returning to Hamlet’s point about validation. “They want us to take what they say seriously and not be judgmental,” Hamlet says. “Parents often want to rush into problem solving which can be invalidating.” Bob Cunningham, Ed.M., senior advisor on learning and attention issues for Understood.org, adds that if you jump right to advice, “you’ll shut down the conversation. Using the phrase ‘Yes, and…’ can help parents acknowledge their child’s issues and encourage them to be open about their challenges. Ask if [your child] has done anything to improve her situation and compliment her on her effort. Follow that with a few questions that put her in control, such as ‘What else can you try?’. Remind her you’re there to help her manage her mental health, and can always speak to her teacher or doctor about the situation.” How to get help — even if therapy isn’t readily available If something is wrong, talk to your child’s pediatrician, who should be able to refer you to the appropriate mental health clinician, says Dr. Mordecai. From there, their clinician will “seek a diagnosis and discuss an appropriate care plan,” says Mordecai. “Treatment can vary based on severity of symptoms, but can include counseling, behavioral therapy, support groups and/ or medication.” If resources are scarce, start by talking with your school counselor, or if they’re not available, talk with a local youth group leader, pastor or other trusted community figure.

Medicare is a federal health insurance program created to provide a safety net for America’s senior citizens. Now expanded to cover seniors plus disabled enrollees who meet specific criteria, the program is the largest single health care payer in the nation. On the other hand, Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal government and each state and Medicare is truly a single-payer system. Although Medicare’s costs and outcomes are the subject of ongoing debate in the overall health care reform discussion, Medicare remains a wildly popular program with Americans approaching the age of eligibility. As of 2018, there were more than 59 million Americans covered by Medicare. There are several changes for Medicare enrollees in 2019: • The standard Part B Premium is $135.50/month. • But about 3.5% of enrollees pay less for Part B in 2019. • A new high-income bracket applies to enrollees with income above $500,000. • The Part B deductible increased to $185 for 2019. • Part A premiums, deductible, and coinsurance are higher in 2019. • Average Medicare Advantage premiums decreased; the number of plans increased; enrollment projected to continue to increase. • Average Part D basic premiums decreased; more part D plans are available; and the donut hole closed early for brand-name drugs. How much is Part B Premium ? The standard premium for Medicare Part B is $135.50/month for 2019, up from $134/month in 2018. But while the standard premium for Part B was $134/month in 2018, more than two-thirds of Medicare enrollees (ie, those “held harmless” from having a reduction in their Social Security checks) paid an average of $130/month. The exact amount of their premiums depended on the exact amount of their Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2018. For 2019, the new standard premium ($135.50/month) applies to nearly all enrollees, although CMS estimated that 2 million enrollees (about 3.5 percent of the Medicare population) would pay less than $135.50/month because their Social Security COLA wouldn’t be enough to cover the full increase to $135.50/ month. Since Medicare Part B premiums are deducted from Social Security checks for those receiving Social Security, if the dollar amount of the COLA isn’t as much as the dollar amount of the Part B increase, the Part B increase for that particular enrollee is limited to the amount of the COLA. That ensures that a person’s Social Security check won’t

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900 decrease from one year to the next. For high-income Part B enrollees (income over $85,000 for a single individual, or $170,000 for a married couple), premiums in 2019 range from $189.60/month to $460.50/month, depending on income. But as part of the Medicare payment solution that Congress enacted in 2015 to solve the “doc fix” problem, new income brackets were created to determine Part B premiums for high-income Medicare enrollees, and they took effect in 2018, bumping some high-income enrollees into higher premium brackets. Part B deductible The Part B deductible was $183 in 2017 and it remained at that level in 2018. For 2019, however, it increased to $185. Some enrollees have supplemental coverage that pays their Part B deductible. This includes Medicaid, employer-sponsored plans, and Medigap plans C and F. Medigap plans that cover the Part B deductible can only be sold to newly-eligible enrollees through 2019 — after that, people can keep Plans C and F if they already have them, but newlyeligible Medicare beneficiaries will no longer be able to buy plans that cover the Part B deductible Many Medicare Advantage plans have low copays and deductibles that don’t necessarily increase with the Part B deductible, so their benefits designs have had different fluctuations over the last few years. Medicare Advantage enrollees pay the Part B premium, but their Medicare Advantage plan wraps Part A, Part B, and various supplemental coverage together into one plan, with out-of-pocket costs that are different from Original Medicare.

To choose suitable Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Supplement Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, (Part D) contact Sudhir Mathuria at 713771-2900.

“Look at your family and other healthy adults in kids lives: teachers and coaches, too,” says Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, child psychologist and mother of two, and founder of the Campaign to Change Direction and Give an Hour. While professional therapy is ideal, Van Dahlen notes that presently, there are simply not enough mental health clinicians to treat every person in need. Don’t relent if you can’t find the perfect help; for now, focus on the

help that is available. “There is a lot parents can feel hopeful about just by knowing the information and using the networks around them,” says Van Dahlen.

You might also consider joining a support group for parents going through similar struggles — just be mindful to not leap to a diagnosis before your child is properly evaluated. - NBC News

voiceofasia.news For Latest on Health News

VOICE OF ASIA 18

DIET & EXERCISE

Calories, carbs, fat, fiber: Unraveling the links between breast cancer and diet

Low-Fat Diet Helps Reduce The Risk of Death From Breast Cancer.” Did a headline like this catch your eye this week? Dozens of news organizations, including NPR, reported on a new study that found that a low-fat diet helped women reduce their risk of dying from breast cancer.

A new study finds that women who ate a low-fat diet and more fruits, vegetables and grains, lowered their risk of dying from breast cancer. But which of those factors provided the protective effect? (Photo: Cavan Images/Getty Images) bles and whole grains that are full of healthy micronutrients and fiber? The answer is: The researchers don’t know.

“Now, there’s much more evidence that, especially for [preventing] cardiovascular disease, the type of fat really matters,” says Manson, who is the chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. When it comes to preventing cancer, she says, the role of dietary fat has been less clear.

So, was it really an overall reduction in fat that helped protect against death from breast cancer? Or did the benefit come from eating more fruits, vegeta-

• Create a safe and comfortable place to sleep.

• Don’t drink beverages with caffeine late in the day.

“This is significant, because this is the first intervention study targeting breast cancer where a reduction in deaths from breast cancer has been seen,” Chlebowski told us.

“There’s been a lot that we’ve learned in the time since the study started about healthy fats and unhealthy fats,” Ligibel says. We’ve also learned more about the effects of refined carbohydrates and sugar.

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This will keep you in sync with your body’s internal rhythm, which is affected by sunlight.

• Exercise daily, but finish your workout at least three hours before bedtime.

“It is very difficult to disentangle the individual components,” says JoAnn Manson, a study co-author. “The trial was designed to test reduction in total fat because the evidence at that time was ... that reducing total fat could lower risk.” That was the working hypothesis.

Well, when this study was conceived in the early 1990s, it was the height of the low-fat era. Back then, the fat-free boom — with its poster child, SnackWell’s cookies — even made it into a Seinfeld episode. “We really regarded fat as something we shouldn’t be eating,” says Jennifer Ligibel, a medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

• Don’t drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes to help you sleep.

• Don’t nap too much.

The strength of this study is twofold: its size, nearly 50,000 women in all, and its long-term follow-up, nearly 20 years. During the study, some women in both groups were diagnosed with breast cancer, but those who had changed their diets had a 21 percent lower risk of dying from the disease.

But, hold on a minute: Doesn’t this “low-fat” finding conflict with the current message we hear to eat plenty of healthy fats from sources such as fish, avocados, olive oil and other plant-based oils? (In fact, NPR gives this very advice in our recent Life Kit healthy eating guide.)

ere are some pointers to help you get better sleep:

• Try to get some natural light in the afternoon each day.

The findings stem from the federally funded Women’s Health Initiative, a huge, long-term, national health study launched back in 1993. At the time the study began, women who enrolled were in their 50s, 60s and 70s.

True, these findings are significant.

Getting enough nods?: Tips for better sleep, safer exercise

by Allison Aubrey

As part of the study, about 20,000 women were coached to change their diets in a number of ways for at least eight years. “We asked women to reduce their total fat intake,” explains Rowan Chlebowski of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. In addition, the women were asked to eat more fruits, vegetables and grains. A comparison group of nearly 30,000 women continued to follow their normal diet.

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

“Lentils and lollipops are both lowfat,” says Christopher Gardner, director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center and a professor of medicine at Stanford University. He was not involved in the new study. “Avocados and butter are both high fat.” Fat content alone does not determine whether a food is healthy or unhealthy. “When the women [in the Women’s Health Initiative study] were counseled to achieve a lower-fat diet by eating more fruits, veggies and whole grains, they were doing more than lowering fat, they were increasing fiber and nutrients,” Gardner wrote via email. In other words, they were adding good things to their diets. Gardner says he’s less concerned about confusion regarding the amount and type of fat “and more interested in focusing on the overall shifts in foods and food patterns that would explain

the observed 20-year health benefits, which once again, was a more plantbased diet.” Another point to consider: The women in the study who modified their diets did lose weight, on average about 3 percent of their body weight. It’s possible that the reduced risk of death from breast cancer documented in the study is explained by this. It’s clear that obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer, so shedding weight may be a way to reduce risk. “The percentage of the benefit that is due to weight loss is not entirely clear,” says Manson. She doesn’t think it explains the whole effect. Bottom line: The new study doesn’t prove that simply lowering the amount of fat in your diet helps protect against death from breast cancer. But it fits with a growing body of evidence that a diet full of lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can be beneficial. “I see it as another piece of information,” Ligibel says of the new study. She says it’s more evidence that diet matters. “Anytime we see that there’s something people can do for themselves to lower the risk of developing cancer, or dying from cancer, that’s important.”

• Try not to worry about your sleep. Some people find that playing mental games is helpful. For example, tell yourself it’s five minutes before you have to get up and you’re just trying to get a few extra winks.

Difficulty with balance: A sign of old age?

: Can I attribute my balance problems to advancing age?

A: About one in ten people over 65 experience difficulty with balance. Getting older is only part of the problem. Not all balance problems have the same cause. Here are several major ones: • Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which is one of the most common causes of balance problems. With BPPV, you get vertigo when you change the position of your head.

feeling of fullness in the ear. • Blood-pressure medications and some antibiotics. Q: I know I should exercise, but I’m afraid I might hurt myself. What should I do? - Here are 10 tips to make any exercise program safe Always warm up before stretching exercises. Don’t hold your breath during strength exercises. This could affect your blood pressure.

• Labyrinthitis, an infection or inflammation of the inner ear. The labyrinth is the organ in your inner ear that enables you to maintain balance.

When lifting weights, use smooth, steady movements. Breathe out as you lift or push a weight, and breathe in as you relax.

• Ménière’s disease, which also can give you intermittent hearing loss, a ringing or roaring in the ears, and a

Avoid jerking or thrusting movements. Don’t put joints of your arms and legs into a strained position.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver serves time on restaurants

In the meantime, Ligibel and her colleagues are enrolling women who already have breast cancer in a trial called BWEL. The study will evaluate whether a weight-loss program can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence or dying from the disease. - NPR

by Isabel Malsang

Oliver’s group has officially fallen into administration (AFP Photo/Valery Hache)

ARIS, France | AFP | 5/20/2019 - In a cruel irony in the Chinese Year of the Pig, outbreaks of African Swine Fever are forcing huge culls that could send pork prices to levels never seen before.

ONDON, United Kingdom | AFP | Tuesday 5/21/2019 British celebrity TV chef Jamie Oliver said Tuesday that he was “devastated” to announce that his restaurant group had collapsed, placing 1,300 jobs under threat.

According to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization, pork prices “have begun to soar”, rising by up to 50 percent both in China and on the Chicago futures exchange.

The group, which includes the chains Jamie’s Italian and Barbecoa steakhouse, has appointed administrators KPMG. The international division is unaffected.

In Europe, the rise has been 18 percent since the beginning of March as Japan and South Korea, two major importing nations, have started to build up reserves in cases of disruptions to supplies, according to commodities markets research firm Cyclope.

Oliver expressed deep sadness at the move, which comes amid fierce competition in the sector in Britain. “I’m devastated that our muchloved UK restaurants have gone into administration,” he tweeted.

In France and Germany, pork prices have “risen by 30 percent since the start of year due to China,” said JeanPaul Simier, an agricultural market analyst at French bank Credit Agricole who authored the meat section of the latest Cyclope annual report.

Oliver’s group has officially fallen into administration -- the process

Home to nearly half of the world’s pigs, China is both the world’s largest consumer and producer of pork, which is a staple of its cuisine.

approaching the border with Laos in the south of the country and to the tropical island of Hainan, according to a map produced by the FAO.

African Swine Fever, a virus that is not dangerous to humans but fatal to pigs and wild boar, began sweeping across China last year.

Cambodia, Mongolia and Vietnam have also been hit, with nearly 100,000 pigs culled in the three countries. The culls mean that China must now begin importing pork massively to compensate for lost production, said Jean-Paul Simier.

Chinese officials have said hundreds of thousands of pigs were culled in a bid to stop its spread -- an effort that has also seen restrictions placed on moving pigs from affected areas.

“China is the decisive market for pork, you need to understand that 700 million pigs live in China, compared to 20 million in France for example,” he said.

Despite the measures, African Swine Fever continued to spread, eventually hitting China’s major pig farming area in Sichuan province. - Record prices? -

It has continued to spread further,

• Develop a bedtime routine to tell your body that it’s time to wind down.

The findings of the Women’s Health Initiative study on breast cancer and low-fat diets have not yet been published. Researchers will present their findings at an upcoming meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Swine fever sending pork prices higher

Cyclope said that since the start of the year 20 Chinese provinces have been hit, leading authorities to cull one million pigs, and removing them from the food chain.

• Use your bedroom only for sleeping.

This little piggy may not be going to market (AFP Photo/Kin Cheung)

“The outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in East Asia is likely to have a noticeable impact on meat and feed markets worldwide,” said the FAO in its latest semi-annual report on food markets that came out earlier this month. It warned of “challenges to main-

whereby a troubled company calls in outside expertise to try and minimise job losses. “I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the staff and our suppliers who have put their hearts and souls into this business for over a decade,” he added in a separate statement. “I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected.” The news follows a string of closures at the group’s restaurants over the last two years, including 12 of its 37 Jamie’s Italian outlets in 2018. Louisa Bull, national officer at trade union Unite, said that the high street was suffering “dark” times from ongoing economic turmoil in Britain, adding that Oliver’s group had also expanded too fast.

taining adequate meat supplies in affected countries,” saying that based on reports by government officials, industry sources and news media that the extent of the cull may have reached 20 percent of China’s pig herd. Simier has a more conservative forecast of a drop in Chinese pork production of 10 percent this year, or nearly 6 million tonnes. “That is already enormous, because the international meat trade is only some 10 million tonnes per year,” he said. “If the disease situation gets out of control, pork could hit prices never seen before,” he added. While that is bad news for consumers, it means good business ahead for pig farmers in regions that haven’t been touched by African Swine Fever. But farmers who raise feed grains for pigs, particularly soybeans, could be hurt by a drop in Chinese demand.

VOICE OF ASIA 19

ART & CULTURE

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

Gardens of the future spring up at Chelsea Flower Show by Pauline Froissart

sprayed on the roots.

ONDON | AFP | 5/20/2019 - Gardens of the future are being unveiled at the Chelsea Flower Show in London, where greenfingered designers have imagined innovative solutions to help combat climate change.

Hydroponics -- growing plants in mineral nutrient solutions rather than soil -- has been embraced in cities such as New York and Paris, and is effective in tunnels and warehouses, said Dixon. “This is an increasing trend that people do not really see because it is hidden,” he explained.

“If we don’t have plants, we are going to be in trouble,” said designer Tom Dixon, who teamed up with Swedish furniture giant IKEA to create a “Gardening Will Save The World” exhibit.

A few years ago, a vegetable garden was installed in a World War II bomb shelter in south London, where salads and green vegetables grow under artificial light for use in local restaurants.

“You only have to switch on the news every day to see the changes that we have got for the environment, desertification, food security and deforestation and the rest of it, to realise that.” The five-day annual event, which opens to the public on Tuesday, is one of the world’s biggest horticultural festivals, with 168,000 visitors expected.

With his two-tier garden’s ambitious title, Dixon hopes to strike a chord with flower show visitors. The five-day event is one of the world’s biggest horticultural festivals and is held annually in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea .(AFP Photos/Daniel Leal-Olivas)

Surrounded by striking exhibitions of delicate peonies, splendid lilies and bunches of roses bursting with colour, Dixon’s two-tiered functional exhibit seems a little out of place.

- Edible wall The show is set in the exclusive surroundings of the grounds of the 17thcentury Royal Hospital Chelsea.

A walkable oasis of trees, flowers and plants forms the roof over a laboratory in which edible plants grow without soil and with very little water.

The quintessentially British event, in a country obsessed with gardening,

“Obviously the food aspect, but also ecology, medicine and therapy.”

by Edouard Guihaire

The laboratory section shows off growing techniques such as hydroponics and aeroponics, using less water than traditional methods. A visitor takes a picture of vegetables growing under artificial light on a Grow Stack vertical farm at the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London.

Frugal fare for Ramadan in Damascus as war saps spending

RISTOL, United Kingdom | AFP | 5/21/2019 - Five years ago, British street artist Banksy adorned the side of a once uninspiring white brick building in Bristol with the familiar image of a girl gazing out solemnly. The dank courtyard beneath the stencil has, like many other spots the mysterious artist has decorated in his purported home city in southwest England, become one of Britain’s most photographed places. A parody pastiche of “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer, it bears all the hallmarks of Banksy’s cheekily irreverent style. The elusive Briton, whose identity is said to be known to only a handful of friends, has positioned the work so that a hexagonal security alarm box sits in place of the earring. The creation, now one of his most famous, is known as “The Girl with a Pierced Eardrum”. It attracts admirers daily, many of them tourists on a well-trodden trail heavily documented on social media. “Well Hung Lover”, around 15 minutes walk away, is another popular stop. Depicting a naked man hanging from the ledge of a window, below a lingerie-clad woman and a suited man looking out, it has graced the wall of a former sexual health clinic since 2006. Standing on the street transfixed by the image, a group of French schoolchildren listen attentively to a guide narrating the remarkable backstory of the king of street art. - ‘Nobody ever listened to me’ -

Business is slow this Ramadan in the markets of the Syrian capital Damascus (AFP Photo/Louai Beshara) by Maher al-Mounes

AMASCUS, Syria | AFP | Tuesday 5/21/2019 - Abu Anas al-Hijazi scanned the stalls in the Syrian capital’s Bab Srija market but bought nothing. For the cash-strapped 45-year-old wedding singer, this Ramadan is a frugal one. “We used to lay out a large spread and invite relatives and friends for a feast around six or seven times at least” during the Muslim holy month, he told AFP.

For Rabbah Ammar, the economic slowdown means she must take measures to rein in the family’s Ramadan’s expenses.

“Today, since meat is expensive, we stuff courgettes with rice instead,” she said, clutching a bag of fruits and vegetables under her arm.

The 52-year-old said she set aside some savings months ago to spend on food during the fasting month.

Nearby, Abu Imad sprayed water on the plump tomatoes he had put on display, hoping to attract customers.

She said she buys most of her produce from the Bab Srija market because “prices here are lower than in others”.

He said vegetable prices had dropped sharply this year. “The price of one kilo of cucumbers last year was 700 Syria pounds... and today it is

“But now, I invite them once or twice at most.”

But for many in Syria, where eight years of war have devastated the economy and unemployment is rife, sumptuous Ramadan feasts are no longer an option.

“Nothing is the same.” Abu Anas is among the many Syrians whose standard of living has plummeted since the conflict started in 2011. “Almost 80 percent of the households across the country are struggling to cope with the lack of food or money to buy it,” according to the World Food Programme. - Not enough money -

Banksy’s most famous, or perhaps infamous, work is now called “Love is in the Bin”. Moments after the painting “Girl with Balloon” sold for £1,042,000 ($1.4 million, 1.2 million euros) last year -- a joint record for the maverick artist -- it literally went through the shredder, which was hidden in the frame. The buyer went through with the purchase, and some art experts say it is now worth more than it had been before the stunt. Despite years in the international spotlight as he became one of the most famous artists of his generation, remarkably little is known about Banksy. “Nobody ever listened to me until they didn’t know who I was,” he has

Throughout Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours and sit down to a feast -- known as iftar -- once the sun goes down.

“We have swapped meat for chicken this year, and we have started to offer small meals, rather than large spreads,” said the performer who earns less during Ramadan -- an unpopular month for weddings.

To grow your own vegetables, “you don’t need to have an allotment”, said Jody Lidgard, who designed The Montessori Centenary Children’s Garden. In the colourful garden aimed at children, lettuce, herbs, strawberries and mushrooms grow on an edible wall, while tomatoes, chard and spinach grow elsewhere through hydroponics. “If you eat one or two meals a year that you’ve grown yourself, you make a difference,” Lidgard told AFP, citing the impact on animals and nutrients in the soil. Barbara Isaacs, global ambassador for the Montessori St Nicholas charity promoting child-centred education, said the challenge was to get children to make the link between the food they see growing and the greens they eat. Children are less likely to be wasteful with food if they appreciate the time and effort it takes to create it, she added. “Many children seem to think they come from the supermarket because they never had the experience of actually planting things or harvesting fruit or vegetables,” she said.

British artist Banksy’s home city an urban canvas for elusive artist

“It’s about plants being fundamental to our existence and having many possibilities and uses beyond decoration,” said Dixon.

Aeroponics sees plants grown vertically around a space-saving central stem, where nutrient-rich water is

“Everybody can get involved in gardening” with minimal know-how and materials, he said, recalling his schoolboy memories of growing mustard seeds on cotton.

started in 1913.

He attended an educational project offering young graffiti artists the chance to practise their art without breaking the law, according to John Nation, sometimes nicknamed the “godfather” of Bristol street art. “As a young boy, he’d come to the centre and watch people paint,” he told the Huffington Post. “He was heavily into hip hop culture, graffiti.” Banksy then purportedly joined the DryBreadZ Crew (DBZ), a gang of street artists formed in the early 1990s. It was a time of cultural blossoming for the city, which included the so-called Bristol Sound of Massive Attack and Portishead, pioneers of trip hop music. - ‘Accepted’ In 2001, the artist reportedly accompanied Bristol amateur football club Easton Cowboys on a tour of Mexico, playing as a goalkeeper and producing several stencilled works while there. His notoriety mushroomed as his politically pointed murals -- denouncing consumerism, the fate of refugees in Europe and other issues -- began to appear around the world, from Calais to Gaza. But Banksy appears to have never forgotten Bristol, regularly returning to erect new works. Over the last two decades he has helped to make this city of 460,000 inhabitants on the Avon River one of the world capitals of street art, laying the ground for the 150 or so artists who work there today. “Banksy has led the charge and his popularity and his rise have allowed street art to be accepted,” said Jody Thomas, a local street artist. Walking around the city, the unique relationship it has forged with this art form is ubiquitous. The Bedminster neighbourhood has become an open-air museum studded with urban frescoes. In Stokes Croft, between DJ shops and falafel restaurants, Banksy’s “Mild Mild West” mural -- depicting a teddy bear ready to fight with anti-riot police -- looms large. What Banksy has given to Bristol, the city has returned to him, by helping to preserve his anonymity as if there is a secret pact with its inhabitants. “He’s like Santa Claus,” he added, noting: “People don’t want to ruin the illusion”, said Steve Hayles, of the Upfest Gallery.

places the smaller pieces at the front, and the larger ones at the back.

Demand had not kept up, he said. “People don’t have enough money to buy.”

The 60-year-old, who has been working in the market for half a century, says the financial slowdown has altered people’s purchasing habits.

He says demand is higher for the former, mainly because they are cheaper.

Mohammad Imad Kobeissi, a frail 60-year-old man, has for years earned a living carrying people’s shopping from the market to the taxi rank on the main road.

“This year is the first time I have customers asking to buy a single vegetable,” he said.

about 200.”

But “today, I have to wait for a long time before a customer requests my help,” he said.

Sitting near boxes of fresh vegetables, Talal Shawkal’s eyes flit back and forth, as potential customers walk past.

With fewer sales, most people now only “fill one or two bags at most, which they can easily carry without my help.”

The man, whose home in Eastern Ghouta was destroyed in the war, said he understands that times are difficult.

He said prices had fallen because of an increase in supply, with produce

Arranging cucumbers and courgettes on a large wooden cart, Abu Ammar

The produce is available and some is cheaper than in recent years but the price is still beyond the reach of many Syrians impoverished by the long years of war (AFP Photo/Louai Beshara)

“When the price of green peas spiked, we replaced it with fava beans, which were cheaper,” said the resident of the Sayyida Zeinab neighbourhood outside Damascus.

Legend has it he was born in Bristol in 1974.

now available from the farms of Eastern Ghouta, just outside Damascus, after the government took the area from rebels last year.

- ‘A single vegetable’-

She also chooses which dishes to prepare based on the price of the ingredients.

said with characteristic irony.

“This is not something we were used to in Syria,” he added.

“I had to sell my car so I could afford everyday expenses. “When I have customers who ask for three courgettes, I give it to them and ask for their prayers instead of money.”

VOICE OF ASIA 20

TRAVEL & LEISURE

Denmark’s fabulous food journey, from hearty fare to haute cuisine

Memorial Day weekend to see increase in travelers, travel times by Staff Reporter

hose planning trips out of town for Memorial Day weekend should factor in some extra time for travel this year. AAA expects travel times could be three times longer than usual in some areas. Nearly 43 million Americans are expected to travel over the Memorial Day weekend, an increase of 1.5 million from 2018. This is the secondhighest travel volume since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000, trailing only the record in 2005. Orlando, Fla.; New York City; and Las Vegas are predicted to be the top travel destinations.

other ways to save for their trip as gas prices have increased by more than 30 cents in the past two months. The national average has been $2.85 to $2.89 in the past week, comparable to this time last year, which saw an average of $2.87 on May 14. Georgia has recently seen a dip in gas prices. Drivers are paying an average of $2.68, 4 cents less than a week ago. More than 3 million people will fly, with air travel expected to see a 4.7 percent increase in travelers from last year. The average round-trip airfare is $171, also comparable to last year’s prices.

by Camille Bas-Wohlert

ARHUS, Denmark | AFP | Sunday 5/18/2019 -Long known for their hearty meatand-potatoes fare, Danish chefs have now carved out a name for themselves in the culinary world with trailblazing dishes at star-studded restaurants. With cold winters and sandy fields battered by winds from the North Sea and Baltic, Denmark is worlds away from the sun-drenched orchards of France and Italy, whose bountiful crops have served up gastronomic feasts for centuries. Heavily dependent on its pork industry and known for its beer and aquavit, the Scandinavian country has traditionally had little to boast about in the kitchen. So when Copenhagen hotspot Noma opened 15 years ago -- it has since been voted the world’s best eatery repeatedly by British magazine Restaurant -- it was seen as the herald of “New Danish Cuisine”: inventive dishes using high-quality organic, local and seasonal ingredients.

Photo: iStock

Air travel will also see its second-highest volume in the past two decades with 3.25 million fliers, a 4.8% increase over last year. The volume of people traveling by other modes of transportation, like train, bus and cruise ship, is expected to rise 3.8% to 1.9 million. Despite these predicted record highs, there’s at least one indication that appetite for leisure travel this year could subside. A “travel sentiment index” last month by the travel and tourism marketing agency MMGY showed eight straight quarters of decline in demand, “suggesting that American intent for leisure travel has softened considerably.” The most common method of travel will be by automobile, with 37.6 million Americans on the road. Slightly over 1 million of those travelers will be from Georgia. Those going through Atlanta could experience double the drive time compared to normal. Traffic across the country is expected to be highest Thursday and Friday. Road travelers might have to find

AAA spokeswoman Montrae Waiters credits the increase in this year’s travel with solid job and income growth. “Families continue to prioritize spending their disposable incomes on travel, and near-record numbers of them are looking forward to doing just that for Memorial Day,” she said in a statement.

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

Noma paved the way for a new generation of chefs raring to break new ground such as those at gourmet restaurant Geranium, the only Danish eatery to boast three Michelin stars. - ‘New story of Nordic cuisine’ Noma, started by acclaimed chef Rene Redzepi, took cuisine “to a new level”, says chef Wassim Hallal, whose Restaurant Frederikshoj in Aarhus also has a Michelin star. “That’s how the new story about Nordic cuisine started.” Fully booked months in advance and popular with celebrities, Noma has not only elevated Danish cuisine to new heights, it has also given the country a lot of very valuable publicity. According to VisitDenmark, some 1.3 million gastro-tourists visited the nation in 2017, accounting for 28 percent of foreign visitors. And topping it all off, Denmark, now home to 27 restaurants with Michelin stars, in January won the prestigious Bocuse d’Or, the gastronomy equivalent of the World Cup, nudging out its Scandinavian neighbours Sweden and Norway. It was a French chef, Daniel Letz, who earned Denmark its first Michelin star in 1983.

Photo: iStock Seasonal ingredients. Organic. Innovative. These are just some of the words describing the Danish and New Nordic cuisine today. In the past, Danish food was not on anybody’s lips, and certainly no one would travel to eat it. This has changed drastically with the manifesto for the New Nordic Kitchen. Nowadays, Copenhagen is one of the leading gastronomic destinations in the world. Dig in! recent years. - Starting from scratch Denmark’s culinary successes have been attributed paradoxically to the country having no gastronomic traditions to speak of. “When you have traditional dishes, it’s difficult to reinvent them,” says Szilvia Gyimothy, associate professor in tourism research at the University of Aalborg-Copenhagen. As a result, Danish chefs have learned to make do with what they have at hand and tend to have an interest in organic foods. They’ve invented new dishes far from the traditional heavy peasant fare of pork with potatoes and gravy. Creating refined, delicately flavoured meals, chefs favour local specialities, honouring the country’s environmental mindset. “Instead of looking (at) what is happening in the world, it helps to follow nature and see what is fresh now and what’s happening in the season. That’s what inspires us,” says William Jorgensen, one of the chefs and owners of Gastrome. At his establishment in Aarhus’ Latin Quarter, customers dine on halibut with lemon confit and watercress, blood oranges with buckwheat, garlic and verbena, or potatoes with birch syrup and spruce. - Danish terroir The late culinary awakening has seen the new chefs make it their trademark to use in-season, locally-grown

products and the maritime diversity of the country’s shores, defining a Danish terroir for the first time. And it’s mostly all organic, with a sharp focus on responsible consumerism: more than half of Danes buy organic foods at least once a week, according to Organic Denmark. “Sustainability is earning a lot of focus in Scandinavia but it’s not something that concerns others, for instance American chefs,” Gyimothy says. Denmark is considered a pioneer in recycling and sorting of waste. In Copenhagen, each household is encouraged to compost its own kitchen waste, and the goal is to recycle 50 percent of household trash by 2022. At his vegetarian eatery, Moment, bathed in light and backing onto a permaculture farm, Morten Storm Overgaard, a geologist and professor at the University of Aarhus, is pushing the culinary experience to the extreme. He insists people “should use every opportunity to make as ethical choices as possible”, covering everything from the building to the dishes and drinks served, the interior design and dishware. Here, everything is sustainable and eco-friendly. “All dishes have to take their point of departure in our garden,” he says. And many end up back in the garden: at Moment, like at Gastrome, almost nothing gets thrown away.

Google’s combining all its travel planning features under a site Thai artist dishes out communal curry at US museum called Trips A lot has happened since then, with awards raining down on the country in

“We use the bread and the peel for the chickens and they fertilise the ground in our garden,” Jorgensen says.

by Olivia Hampton

ASHINGTON | AFP | Saturday 5/17/2019 - Rich or poor, liberal or conservative, from one corner of the globe to another, we all sit down to share a meal. Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija is betting that this communal experience can break down artificial divides as he serves curry to visitors at the Hirshhorn Museum in an installation that opened Friday. The feast is part of the art. Visitors fill their bellies with red, yellow and green curries while watching local artists cover the once white gallery walls with photorealistic drawings of protests in Thailand and the United States. “There are people who would have never sat next to each other sitting next to each other, discovering each other or themselves in a different way,” Tiravanija told AFP. In a 2010 presentation in Bangkok, Tiravanija did the cooking himself with open fires and boiling pots of curry alongside fresh ingredients -- an impossible task in security-minded US museums. At the Hirshhorn, area restaurant Beau Thai is catering the food.

oogle is combining its travel-related products — the mobile Google Trips app, Google Flights, Google hotels search, and more — under a singular landing page aptly called Trips. Now when you visit google.com/ travel, you’ll first find Trips which lets users plan their travel by searching a destination to find options for flights, hotels, travel guides, or vacation packages. And once you’ve booked your trip, whether through the Google tool or not, you can use Trips to see all the booking receipts to outline your itinerary, confirmation codes, and travel information and present them alongside weather reports on your travel dates. Breadcrumbs of Trips had been scattered through various Google products over the past months but can now be found under a unified site. For example, when you have a reservation for a hotel or a restaurant, looking that busi-

ness up on Google Maps will display your reservation time and date, and clicking it displays your confirmation receipt. Maps also offers an Explore tool to show you things to do nearby, and this will also get incorporated into the Trips landing page when you’re planning your travel. Additionally, if you track flight prices on a Google search, the Trips page will also display updates for any changes that occur. According to Google, Trips will soon show hotels you’ve viewed in case you still need to make booking arrangements. The new Trips landing page is live now on the web, the company did not specify how this will impact the Google Trips mobile app which is currently used as a competitor to TripIt for displaying travel itineraries offline. It did say, however, that these Trips features will be accessible through Google Maps in the coming months.

“It’s not every day that we have heating elements -- otherwise known as fire to our fire wardens -- and food,” quipped museum director Melissa Chiu. Even when the daily servings of curry are gone, the spiced fragrances linger, and the installation encourages people to meet, gather and discuss in a joyous cacophony enhanced by the steel flooring in the 150-person capacity room. Tiravanija, who had participants make friends while washing dishes at the posh Art Basel fair in 2015, is part of a group of artists including Pierre Huyghe, Liam Gillick and Jorge Pardo concerned with “relational aesthetics,” whose works are defined by the interaction and collaboration they elicit. “It’s experiential, it’s about art that socializes ideas and sets open discussion spaces,” said curator Mark Beasley.

Photo AFP

- ‘Irony of color’ -

tions that lie just beneath the surface.

The title of the installation, “(who’s afraid of red, yellow and green),” is a wink to American artist Barnett Newman’s “Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue?” (1966-1970) provocative series of four large-scale paintings, two of which were vandalized in museums.

They include reproductions of photographs taken from the 2010 Thai political protests and crackdown, the US civil rights movement, the Women’s March in Washington and the 1976 Thammasat University massacre, when Thai state forces and paramilitary groups killed dozens of students.

Tiravanija’s use of parentheses and lowercase suggests the questions here are more of a “subtext.”

The sketches will be drawn on top of one another in thick layers.

The colors in the title of Tiravanija’s piece represent the military (green) and the two main factions of antigovernment protesters in Thailand at their peak in 2010: the “red shirt” rural farmers and “yellow shirt” royalists. “For me, it’s the irony of the idea of the color,” said Tiravanija. “I wanted to show that may be this color or that color but you still eat the same curries, you still live in the same place.” Societies have become more sophisticated and technologically advanced, but, the work recalls, a primal tendency to destroy one another remains.

“It will get dense enough that it will cancel itself out. But in that sense, I would like to say, ‘don’t forget that it is still there,’” the artist said. “With machines that remember everything for us, we are going to lose our memory much faster than we realize.” The ephemeral experience, which the Hirshhorn has added to its collection and runs through July 24, is participatory, so museumgoers are encouraged to lend their hand to the mural.

“We should have a better world now,” Tiravanija said. “The terrible thing about it is that it keeps cycling back -- violence or the fear of the other -- and it’s being used. It’s not just inane, it’s manipulation.”

To supplement the experience, six films by emerging Thai filmmakers curated by independent director and Palme d’Or winner Apichatpong Weerasethakul are screened in one room, with Tiravanija’s feature “Lung Neaw Visits His Neighbors” (2011) in another.

Breaking down barriers over a meal may sound utopian, but the murals serve as a reminder of societal fric-

The latter film follows a retired Thai rice farmer living off the land in his native northern Chiang Mai.

FASHION & STYLE

VOICE OF ASIA 21

8 bridal beauty hacks that will help you deal with every makeup emergency

mudged lipstick, clumpy eyelashes or puffy eyes, you don’t want any bridal makeup mishaps to ruin your big day Best case scenario, you wake up with an outer-worldly glow on your wedding day. Your complexion retains that dewy, freshness all day. You don’t get that dreaded uni-lash or land up looking cakey after a touchup.

1) You woke up with puffy eyes It’s only natural to wake up looking tired after all the back-to-back wedding festivities. Pop two teaspoons in the freezer for 15-20 minutes and place them on your eyes for a few minutes to dramatically reduce puffiness. If you’d rather take a scientific approach, apply a small dab of haemorrhoid cream under your eyes to instantly tighten up the skin and reduce swelling in under a minute.

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja’s yellow off-shoulder dress isn’t for shy girls

Worst case scenario, all your bridal beauty nightmares play out on your big day. Truth is, no matter how wellscripted your wedding day is, the chances of your best laid plans going south are fairly high. While unpredicted makeup blunders can’t really be prevented, they can surely be remedied. Scroll ahead for our list of eight beauty emergencies you might potentially be up against, and simple hacks on how to fix them.

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

ithout a doubt, you can always count on Sonam Kapoor Ahuja to keep the fashion stakes high, and her most recent outfit is a testimony to that. Image: Errikos Andreou

3) Your mascara smudges or gets clumpy If your waterproof mascara hasn’t proven to be effective against the sweat and tears from your function, aim to stop it from ruining the rest of your makeup first. Start by using a small concealer brush, Q-tip or cloth dipped in a mild makeup remover to clean the rouge mascara from under the eyes. Then, take a little foundation to cover up any leftover smears. If you’re facing a clumpy situation, apply a very small amount of siliconebased makeup remover on a clean mascara wand and wiggle the brush across the base of the lashes to soften the dried mascara, and then roll up to

came with a romantic off-shoulder neckline, ruffle details and a voluminous skirt for some added drama. For her latest Cannes appearance, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja made sure her

ders, as they tend to make you look more cakey than flawless. 5) You chip or break a nail The best way to take care of this situation is to cautiously file the fractured nail without removing the polish. We suggest doing it from underneath the nails for optimum results. If it is severely chipped, trim the nail down a bit before buffing it out, and apply a dab a similar coloured polish to cover the mishap. 6) Your lipstick smears or fades off To cover up a smudged lipstick, lightly clean the area with a Q-tip dipped in micellar water. Then, meticulously blend a little concealer around the edges of your lips. Reapply the lipstick if you think it’s necessary. 7) Your teeth are stained, courtesy red wine or food-colouring Nobody wants to flash a stained smile in their wedding pictures. Just keep some tooth cleaning wipes on hand to prevent a situation like this, or rub the inside of a lemon peel on your teeth to brighten them up. 8) You OD-ed on your favourite perfume

2) You get a pimple From stress and improper diet during the festivities (too much dairy, oil, sugar and spice) to an insufficient sleep pattern, there are several catalysts that can cause you to break out on the day of your wedding. Resist picking at the pimple and ice it for a few minutes to reduce the redness instead. Apply an acne cream or a mild anti-inflammatory spot treatment with salicylic acid after this, and follow it up with a waterproof concealer.

separate the clumps. 4) You cried your makeup off Considering you’re only expected to shed a few tears on your wedding day, it pays to have a light hydrating liquid foundation handy. We recommend using a mild micellar water and re-applying a small dab of foundation over the smeared areas to clean up the makeup mess. Blend to finish, and avoid touch-ups with compact pow-

The current perfume trends point you towards lighter fragrances that don’t overpower your senses. If you’ve spritzed on a little more than you originally intended, our advice is to use rubbing alcohol to bring the scent under control. Douse a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and swab it over the areas you applied the perfume to for a quick fix that will instantly dilute the smell. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol handy, nonscented lotions or baby wipes can help you here too. - Vogue

Best Men’s Jewelry – 2019 winner: The judges comment WINNER : Tavannes Watch Co. La Captiva Belt Watch with removable watch unit inside belt buckle made of titanium and leather (Retail: $5,750)

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja stepped out a sculpted yellow number you’ve got to check out. (Photo: Instagram/rheakapoor) The actor stepped out in an offshoulder canary yellow gown by Ashi Studio to attend the launch of Chopard’s Garden of The Kings perfumes by the French Riviera. Not one to do things half-heartedly, Kapoor Ahuja paired the bright number with matching yellow heels. What made her look stand out further? Sonam Kapoor Ahuja’s electric dress

dress didn’t look OTT by her choice of accessories. Instead of loud jewellery, the star opted for pretty drop-down diamond earrings that added an elegant touch to her look. With her hair swept back in a looped ponytail, the actor accentuated her ensemble with bold makeup: a red lip, blushed cheeks and a sharp cat eye. - Vogue India

Actress Priyanka Chopra promotes refugee education on Ethiopia visit

JSIA MARAVELIAS: The uniqueness of this belt watch bears the unmistakable markers of meticulous master-craftsmanship that went into the creation and design of this mini-masterpiece. MATTHEW ROSENHEIM: Want to see something you’ve never seen before? How fun is this? Captivate a cocktail party with this unique timepiece. ELIZABETH GIBSON: This is a sleek and practical integration of two universal accessories — the timepiece and belt. Actress Priyanka Chopra attends the Vineyard Vines for Target launch event at Brookfield Place on May 9, 2019, in New York. (AP/File photo)

2ND PLACE : 925Suneera Neil link bracelet with vintage finish sterling silver and one 3-row black diamond link (1.00 TCW); features tongue clasp and safety closure. (Retail: $2,255)

3RD PLACE : Thorsten RUNNER-UP: The Tutima Sky 2019 (below) The Tutima Sky with mesh bracelet, 41-millimeter stainless steel case, date, day of the week, automatic Tutima Calibre 330. Rotor with gold seal. 25 jewels. Polished screws. 38-hour power reserve after full winding. (Retail: $1619)

Black titanium wedding band with meteorite strips. (Retail: $299)

SSOSA, Ethiopia - Actress Priyanka Chopra is in Ethiopia to promote access to education for refugee children.

school director, Yetinayet Girma, told Chopra they have shortages of teachers, classrooms and textbooks for over 6,000 students.

Chopra is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations children’s agency. She spoke with The Associated Press after visiting a school for refugees from neighboring Sudan.

UNICEF says Ethiopia has 906,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers mainly from neighboring South Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia.

She says “if we don’t care about these children, I feel that they will be extremely vulnerable to extremism and violence.” The

Bambusi

camp’s

primary

The new jewelry reality

he phrase “fine jewelry” makes me think of super-wealthy women draped head-to-toe in diamonds or over-the-top family heirlooms. But sometimes, you want a really special piece, whether it’s to commemorate a special occasion or simply to stand up to daily wear and look good with everything in your closet. Well, the internet is disrupting every-

thing, the fine jewelry market included. Not only are there many affordable fine jewelry brands cropping up, to offer quality pieces in cool silhouettes, but the products are also often made with an emphasis on sustainable materials. The ethical concerns when buying real jewels, especially diamonds, are very real. Many newer brands claim to have made responsible sourcing a top priority and focus on transparency in their business

Chopra calls that “incredible, given that Ethiopia itself is not such a wellto-do country.” She says the world should learn from the government’s commitment to refugee children’s welfare. - AP

models. Of course, “affordable” is relative, but it’s absolutely possible to get quality gold and silver jewelry for less than $1,000 these days, as well as sustainable diamonds that are reasonably priced. You just have to know where to look. These direct-to-consumer brands minimize markup to keep prices down and pay close attention to design. Many of them have pieces that cost less than $100, if you’re willing to skip the fancy stones. Happy jewelry shopping!

SMALL BUSINESSES

VOICE OF ASIA 22

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ACCOUNTANTS BOOK-KEEPING

INCOME TAX

Personal and Business Tax Returns, Payroll Sales Tax, Income Tax Audits and Representations.

S. Ram and Associates

Tel: 832-877-9625 Free Consultation asu2020.com

COMPUTER SERVICES

RESTAURANTS India’s Restaurant & Catering

For special parties and corporate events. Preferred Wine list, authentic vegetarian & nonvegetarian dishes, finest Indian cuisine with chef’s special dishes Ph: 713-266-0131/0805

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2 Locations to serve you Houston 713-774-6533 Spring 281-251-2205

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STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: U.S. TRIVIA

Email Obituaries to us at: voiceasia@aol.com Deadline for publication: Tuesdays by 5pm.

Week of May 24, 2019 21 March to 20 April Have some fun under the adventurous Sagittarius moon in the first part of the week. Have you lost your enthusiasm for dating? This thrill-seeking energy should help to restore it. You have the upper hand when it comes to meeting new people.

21 April to 20 May You may be feeling particularly emotional this week. There could be frustrations if your freedom of movement is restricted. More serious and detail-oriented types can be demanding this week. Keep your sense of humor.

21 May to 20 June You’re coming into your own now. There’s a kind of gravitas to you, and others can’t help but notice the difference. But it’s your home that may require you to spend more than you’d anticipated or budgeted for.

21 June to 22 July

battle.

No matter what happens to you, you’re convinced that you can get over it. This is perhaps your greatest gift. You have such faith in your own powers of recovery that this seems to be half the

23 July to 22 August It’s a good thing you’re single at the beginning of the week, Leo. You’re feeling restless, and you aren’t in the mood to be tied down. You aren’t regretting any decisions you made that led to your current uncommitted status! It isn’t too early to think about your options and make some plans.

23 August to 22 Sept You may feel a certain level of frustration this week as everything could take longer or be more work than expected. All the same, your relationships with superiors and co-workers are likely to be pleasant and rewarding.

astrology.com

23 September to 22 Oct You may find that your communication skills need some work this week. While you feel your points are clear, others may need clarification. Don’t take it personally. They (or you) may be acting out of subconscious rather than actual needs.

23 October to 21 Nov Frustration could be your main problem, so be good to yourself. Perhaps you’ve had to deal with many issues in a short space of time. Things are getting easier. Acknowledge how well you did. Schedule a relaxing massage or get pampered.

22 November to 21 Dec Dating is a lot of fun when the moon passes through your adventurous sign at the beginning of the week. If you’re planning a date, pack in as many adrenaline-pumping activities as possible. You’re very good at getting your point across.

22 December to 20 Jan You may be feeling particularly optimistic. This can have an energizing effect on co-workers. You might think about bringing in some sort of tasty treat or flowers to help boost office morale. The middle of the week is a powerful time to apply for a job or start any new project.

21 January to 19 Feb For you, this week is about the fact that part of you wants to immerse yourself in beauty and creativity, but forces want you to spend some time taking care of any debt you may have accumulated. It does no good to panic or berate yourself for overspending.

20 February to 20 Mar Once again your imagination is going to have a powerful effect on the way you feel. If you think you have a cold coming on, you may just make it manifest. Imagine your body as filled with energy and this, too, will become true for you.

ACROSS 1. First notation on musical staff 5. Took a load off 8. Wharton degree 11. *Skylab ____ to Earth in 1979 12. Delhi wrap 13. Same as vial 15. FBI assignment 16. Campus hangout 17. More than one iamb 18. *Location of longest cave system in the world 20. *First Nation nation 21. What a spooked horse does, with away 22. *.____ domain 23. Post-graduate “journey” 26. *Military College of South Carolina, with The 30. *Beehive State native 31. Expect to be true 34. *RBG’s garb 35. Tax of one tenth 37. *Rockefeller’s industry 38. Type of digital storage 39. Pelvic bones 40. Caribbean rattle 42. *Anna Jarvis’ honoree 43. Reusable pattern painting device 45. *State with longest coastline

DOWN 1. Olden-day aerosol can propellant 2. Julian Assange’s announcement? 3. Other than what’s implied 4. Strip fat like a whaler 5. Impertinence 6. Middle Eastern vodka, pl. 7. Not a slob, adj. 8. Play charades 9. *George Herman Ruth’s nickname 10. *Boxer and conscientious objector 12. Knight in training 13. Lace loop 14. *First university in the U.S. 19. “And Then ____ Were None” 22. What Tom Collins and Gibson have in common 23. Skin, anatomically speaking 24. Like Tower of Pisa 25. Change shoelace knot, e.g. 26. Soda jerk’s offering 27. Boarding school dwellings 28. Book on a NOOK 29. Helping theorem 32. *U.S. has the world’s largest reserves of this 33. ____ Royale

47. Popular white fish

36. *First to sign Declaration of Independence

48. Winchester 30-30, e.g.

38. Type of lily

50. Country alliance

40. Prefix for central

52. *World’s largest office building

41. Type of tunic

55. The Commodores’ “____ House”

46. Thessaloniki sea

56. Indian music 57. Enthusiasm 59. “____ Business,” movie 60. In Tiger’s bag 61. Aquarium organism 62. Electric guitar hookup 63. Greenwich time 64. Tandoori bread

44. Overly self-confident 48. Give new guns 49. Gold bar 50. Panama part 51. Pronounce s sound like th 52. Arrogant snob 53. Paella pot 54. Half human, half cobra in Hinduism 55. Lingerie staple 58. A Bobbsey twin

SOLUTION: U.S. TRIVIA on Page 22

CLASSIFIED

VOICE OF ASIA 23

HOME & GARDEN

What to know before any home project involving digging

FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

When you find some time, READ!

READ DAILY!

Houston Community College

Request for Proposals (RFP)

CHILDCARE SERVICES

Environmental Services

(DROP-OFF SERVICES)

(Janitorial Cleaning Services)

Project No. 19-53

Project No. 19-54

Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on June 11, 2019. Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs.edu/ about-hcc/procurement/

Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on June 18, 2019. Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs.edu/ about-hcc/procurement/

15 - 30 minutes of reading daily helps your brain focus better. Grab a novel! Most states require you to call 811 two to three days in advance of your dig. Image StatePoint.

hen you look down at the ground you may not realize the millions of miles of buried utility infrastructure that keeps society clothed, fed, powered, connected, and a whole lot more. Unfortunately, many of us are on an out-of-sight, outof-mind basis with the pipes, wires, and cables situated right under our feet, and this can have disastrous consequences when we try to dig without doing our homework first. Having recently connected with several experts in the field as part of the National Excavator Initiative, Mike Rowe, CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation and best known from the hit shows “Dirty Jobs,” “Deadliest Catch,” and “Returning the Favor,” is urging everyone who digs, whether it be a professional excavator or homeowner, to call 811 before starting their projects, as well as to learn more about excava-

tion safety and why it matters. “Isn’t it funny that the things we rely on the most – our water, electricity, gas, cable – we ultimately take for granted and, in many ways, wind up resenting?” muses Rowe, who points out that many people are surprised and even annoyed to learn that they can’t just start digging on their own property without first calling 811. “What I learned is that calling 811 in advance of a dig is the single most important way excavators can ensure safety and prevent damage.” One such expert Rowe spoke to, put it in no uncertain terms. “The message I like to give is ‘call 811 so you don’t have to call 911’,” says Erica Fink, Energy Business Continuity Consultant of Xcel Energy. Fink is one of a series of underground

damage prevention experts interviewed by Rowe. A new expert video is being released each month and focuses on key steps of the 811 process. Four videos have been released to date and highlight what’s underground, the importance of the issue, safety, and the notification process. Check them out at www.safeexcavator.com/ meet-the-experts. If you are planning a project that requires digging, know that digging laws vary by state, and finding the specific information you’re looking for can be a challenge. Get in the know by downloading the free Safe Excavator app from Apple or Google stores. The app outlines state-specific requirements for excavation, connects to one call (811) notification centers so users can make a locate request, and provides a safe digging checklist to help your project go smoothly.

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD SOLUTION

A Community message from Voice of Asia Group

Most states require you to call 811 two to three days in advance of your dig. Pipeline and utility representatives will be sent to mark the approximate location of underground utilities and cables using color-coded paint, flags, or stakes so you (or your contractor) can safely dig around them. Not only is calling 811 the law, it can protect you, and those around you, from injury, save your community from disruption of the vital utilities it relies on, and help you avoid potential fines and repair costs. Always dig with care. Doing so is a simple process and will protect you, your community and the environment.

More on Home & Garden @ voiceofasia.news

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FRIDAY, May 24, 2019

Home&Real Estate Rockets’ Chris Paul’s former home among the most expensive homes sold last month

he former home of the Houston Rockets player Chris Paul was one of the city’s most expensive residential properties to sell last month, according to data provided by the Houston Association of Realtors. Spanning 18,717 square feet, the stunning Woodlands mansion looks more like a resort hotel with nine-bed-

rooms and 10-and-a-half bathrooms. The home’s jaw-dropping amenities include an indoor basketball court and golf simulator, home theater and extensive wine cellar. The home was listed for $6.5 million as of January 2019 and sold this month between $5 to $6 million, making it the second most expensive home that sold in the city in April. -MySA.com

There’s a jungle inside this wild apartment just outside Mumbai by Kate Reggev

his sculptural, plant-filled apartment blows our minds— just wait until you see the bathroom. Nitin Barchha and Disney Davis of the architecture firm The White Room are known for designing organic, curvaceous homes and private gardens. They were approached by a couple seeking to renovate their onebedroom apartment in the charming suburb of Pali Hill, just outside the bustling city of Mumbai. Barchha and Davis’s resulting design is marked by organic, sculptural forms that mimic the curves and undulating shapes found in nature. Door and window openings are curved and asymmetrical; continuous curves form light fixtures, furniture, and even shelving. The walls are bright white, contrasting with the bold green of the plants and vines that hang throughout the indoor and outdoor spaces. The White Room used natural materials like moss and stone to create texture and

The lush spaces of The White Room’s Garden Room are inspired by and incorporate plants and other organic forms. (Photos courtesy Kate Reggev) give the apartment an otherworldly feeling. Mosaic tile climbs partway up the walls in the bedroom, and it completely covers the serpentine curves of the

bathroom. The turquoise tile is reminiscent of Antoni Gaudi’s mosaics, and it gives the bathroom a glamorous yet inviting feeling. - Dwell

The $6.5 million mega-mansion located at 93 W. Grand Regency Circle in the Woodlands looks more like a resort than a home. The nine-bedroom luxury residence features a breathtaking outdoor pool area with an elevated spa, as well as an extensive wine cellar, a home theater, golf simulator and a one bedroom apartment that is attached to the property. (Photos courtesy HAR/Holley Madden of Beth Wolf Realtors, Real Living)

One of the custom walk-in closets located near the nine bedrooms.

Seven states, including Texas, receive disaster relief funding

o relieve economic burden caused by recent flooding and hurricanes in Texas, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded over $46 million to the state as part of a $1.5 billion grant package. These funds have been allocated to repair infrastructure, businesses, and personal residences damaged by natural disasters.

Over one-third of residents struggle to pay for housing

new report released by the Kinder Institute found that 35 percent of Houstonians had trouble paying for housing in the last year. This number can be attributed to the city’s stabilizing economy paired with rising housing costs. As rental and real estate prices increase, the Houston economy, growing at a much slower pace than in earlier decades, is struggling to keep up, leaving many residents unable to cover housing expenses.

Houston home values decline in April

illow data shows Houston’s median home value declined 0.3 percent in April from March. This figure accompanies a report noting that overall home values in the U.S. depreciated for the first time in seven years. It’s clear the housing market is slowing, but time will tell how much the softening prices will impact Houston home buyers and sellers.

NAR advises members on pending class-action lawsuits

ast week, the National Association of Realtors released a series of FAQs related to Moehrl v. NAR et al., one of three similar classaction lawsuits pending in U.S. Federal court that have received considerable media attention. In it, NAR acknowledges that the lawsuit and other related cases are only expanding in scope, most recently having grown to encompass four MLSs in Missouri. The FAQ also advises Realtors on the key issues at hand in the lawsuits, as well as how agents can address the situation with clients. “Brokers and agents are encouraged to have transparent conversations with current and prospective clients about the services they will provide and how they will get paid for those services. This lawsuit doesn’t change that,” NAR wrote in the FAQ. The original complaint in the case was filed by Minnesota resident

The small size of the teal mosaic tile allows it to hug the curves of the bathroom.

The curves of the bedroom and outdoor space continue into the rest of the apartment, with arched ceilings and door openings. The stone flooring is found throughout the apartment as well.

Architect I. M. Pei has died at the age of 102 The Pritzker Prize winner was known for designing the National Gallery of Art’s East Building, the Louvre Pyramid, and the Bank of China Tower.

hinese-born American architect I.M. Pei has died at the age of 102. Pei was credited for designs including the National Gallery of Art’s East Building in Washington, the Louvre’s controversial Glass Pyramid in Paris, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Pei’s love of architecture began in 1935, when he made the decision to study the subject in the United States. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from MIT as well as a master’s from Harvard University, where he then served as an assistant professor of architecture. His wife, Eileen Pei, along with their sons, Chien Chung (Didi) Pei and Li Chung (Sandi) Pei, also studied at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Pei worked briefly for the U.S. National Defense Research Committee near the end of the second World War. He honed his craft working for American real estate developer William Zeckendorf and in 1955, Pei went on to found his own his architecture firm, I. M. Pei & Associates, which is currently known as Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Pei won the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 1983, and he was also the recipient of the Royal Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects and the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal.

Christopher Moehrl and names multiple defendants including Realogy, HomeServices of America, RE/MAX and Keller Williams, in addition to NAR and numerous MLSs throughout the U.S. - Houston Realtor Magazine

I.M. Pei (Photo: Thierry OrbanGetty Images)

He once told The Guardian: “As a young man, of course I had been looking for something new, even revolutionary. I knew what Le Corbusier was doing. I wanted to go his way. But, after some years, I began to think differ-

ently. I became interested in a modern architecture that made connections to place, history and nature. Modern architecture needed to be part of an evolutionary, not a revolutionary, process.” - Elle Decor

Glass Pyramid in Paris at The Louvre, completed in 1989 (Photo: Thierry Orban/ Getty Images)