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Joyous Janmashtami celebrations at ISKCON of Houston

TOP: Consul General of India, Dr. Anupam Ray being given a tour at the ISKCON of Houston temple during Janmashtami by Saranga Thakur Das Also seen is Jugal Malani, HGH Board of Advisor on the right.

H

OUSTON, August 23, 2019Krishna Janmashtami- Lord Krishna’s Appearance Day was celebrated at ISKCON of Houston on Friday, August 23rd with a grand celebration marked with special guests, spiritually charged sacred sounds and packed cultural performances.

Thousands crowded into the temple to take part in this very special and auspicious celebration. Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appeared over 5,000 years ago and enacted many pastimes to satisfy the hearts of His devotees and reestablish the principles of righteousness.

As this day is one of the most celebrated festivals for the Vaishnavas, it is celebrated worldwide as a testament of love, life, happiness and devotion to the Supreme Lord, Krishna. Widely acknowledged as the hindu christmas, Janmashtami is observed by fasts and

Participants of the Costume Competition, a colorful segment of Janmashtami celebrations at the ISKCON of Houston temple. Photo credit: Biyani feasts, sacred chants and personal prayers and above all, the glorification of His holy name in the form of musical mantra meditation, kirtan.

This year, ISKCON of Houston was joined by Hindus of Greater Houston

IACF donates $50,000 to local charities at 2019 Grants Distribution Event

Continued on Page 3

Also read "Janmashtami Festival at Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Math' on Page 6

India's central bank unveils $24 bn windfall for govt.

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EW DELHI | AFP | 8/27/2019 India's central bank has announced a $24-billion windfall for the cash-strapped government, giving a much-needed boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he seeks to kickstart growth in Asia's third-biggest economy.

The Reserve Bank of India payout will give a huge boost But the payout to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (AFP Photo) will likely stoke fresh concerns ing pressure to fire up the economy, about the Reserve Bank of India's in- which has slowed in each of the past dependence following a standoff that three quarters -- losing its status as the has seen top officials quit amid accu- world's fastest-growing -- with unemsations of government interference. ployment at its highest since the 1970s.

Modi has come under increasThe auto sector has been particular-

IACF Directors: Joseph Ellankil, Nanda Vura, Sridhar Iyer, Shobana Muratee, Rajesh Dikonda, Dr. Prasan Jalal, Venkat Iyer, Lakshmi Peter, Dr. Purvi Parikh, Neetu Khantani (guest) and Mahesh Wadwa with the check for $50,000 that was donated to various charities on August 22, 2019.Photo credit Roy Photography.

Read report on Page 7 ly badly hit, with car sales plunging in July for the ninth month running, while weak consumer spending and high taxes have hit demand for everything from biscuits to hair oil.

The RBI said it had approved a

transfer of 1.76 trillion rupees ($24.4 billion) to government coffers, including a dividend of 1.23 trillion rupees and 526 billion rupees in excess reserves following the adoption of a new methodology for assessing mar-

ket risk.

Monday's announcement came days after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of Continued on Page 9

OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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by Peter HUTCHISON

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Publisher: Associate Publisher: Editor-in-Chief: Austin Correspondent: Director Marketing: Office Accountant: Data Entry:

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

Contributors: OpEd: Dr. Chandra Mittal Legal: Sharlene Sharmila Richards Mala Sharma Health: Sudhir Mathuria Research: Dr. Meenakshi Bhattacharjee

EW YORk | AFP | Wednesday 8/28/2019 - Teenage climate campaigner Greta Thunberg said the "war on nature must end" and called on Donald Trump to listen to science after she sailed into New York on a zero-emissions yacht Wednesday.

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

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

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'War on nature must end,' says activist Greta Thunberg in New York cramped and rudimentary conditions onboard, eating freezedried food and using a bucket as a toilet.

The 16-year-old completed a 15-day journey across the Atlantic shortly after 4:00 pm (2000 GMT), stepping off the boat onto a Manhattan dock to cheering crowds chanting her name.

Thunberg said earlier in the week that she expected to arrive in New York on Tuesday, but rough seas south of Nova Scotia slowed their progress.

"It is devastating and so horrible. It's hard to imagine. They are a clear sign that we need to stop destroying nature," she told waiting reporters when asked how she felt about raging fires in the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest.

The Swede also rebuked Trump, a notorious climate change skeptic.

"My message for him is listen to the science and he obviously doesn't do that," she said.

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FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

A few hundred well-wishers and activists clapped and chanted "Greta, Greta, Greta" as she completed her 3,000-nauticalmile (5,550 kilometers) trip under overcast skies.

She passed the Statue of Liberty and headed up the Hudson River before docking at North Cove Marina near the World Trade Center.

Her yacht earlier anchored off the entertainment district of Coney Island in Brooklyn to clear customs and immigration.

The United Nations sent a flotilla of 17 sailboats, one for each of its sustainable development goals for 2030, to meet her for the last short leg of her journey.

by Tom Campbell

O

n Wednesday, the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office updated its estimates for the federal budget deficit. CBO now estimates deficits in excess of $1 trillion for next year, and every year thereafter for the next decade. Twenty-one cents of every dollar the federal government spends is borrowed, and that will remain true for the next 10 years (the outer boundary of the CBO estimate).

These annual deficits add to the total debt the federal government owes. As a nation, we owe $22 trillion today, of which $6 trillion is owed to

The teenager has become a symbol for climate action with her stark warnings of catastrophe if the world does not act now to cut carbon emissions and curb global warming.

Greta Thunberg sails into New York City. BBC News Photo.

She is sailing to New York to attend a UN summit on zero emissions next month after refusing to fly there because of the carbon emissions caused by planes.

The visit sees her bring her environmental message to the United States for the first time.

Thunberg was offered a ride on the Malizia II racing yacht skippered by Pierre Casiraghi, the son of Monaco's Princess Caroline, and German roundthe-world sailor Boris Herrmann.

The yacht left Plymouth in southern England on August 14, and the teenager marked the first anniversary of the start of her school strike on August 20.

nosed with Asperger syndrome at the age of 12, began sitting outside the Swedish parliament in August 2018 to get members to act on climate change.

She was quickly joined by other students around the world, as word of her strike spread through the media, and the "Fridays for future" movement was born.

The 18-meter yacht features state-of-the-art solar panels on its deck and sides, and two hydro-generators provide the vessel's electricity.

- Controversy It can travel at speeds of around 35 knots (70 kilometers an hour).

Thunberg, who was diag-

The

Swede

has

endured

She has also received criticism and abuse for her uncompromising attitude.

Her voyage sparked controversy after a spokesman for co-skipper Herrmann told Berlin newspaper TAZ that several people would fly into New York to help take the yacht back to Europe.

Hermann himself will also return by plane, according to the spokesman.

Team Malizia's manager insisted, however, that the young activist's journey would be climate neutral, as the flights would "be offset."

Thunberg has said that she does not yet know how she will return to Europe.

Ahead of the UN summit on September 23, Thunberg will take part in youth demonstrations, before heading to Canada, Mexico and then to Chile for another UN conference in December.

The perils of our $1-trillion deficit federal trust funds, like Social Security. At the end of the next decade, we’ll have added another $12 trillion. The debt owed to the public is now 79% of our nation’s annual gross domestic product. In 10 years, CBO estimates, it will hit 95%, the highest percentage of GDP it has been since World War II. Why does the national debt matter? For one thing, it is increasingly owed to China. Of the $16-trillion federal government debt not owed to the federal trust funds, China owns

$1.2 trillion. China could crash the U.S. economy if it chose to dump all $1.2 trillion of U.S. bonds on the market at one time.

The federal government will need to find another buyer for the bonds that China is currently purchasing. Without such a large buyer, bond prices will have to fall — and that means the U.S. would have to pay higher interest on its bonds, causing higher interest rates throughout our economy.

riously because China would lose so much in taking this step. But an autocracy can manage domestic consequences better than a democracy. If something vital to China were at stake — like the status of Taiwan — there is no reason to doubt they would use this weapon we have placed in their hands.

The national debt also matters if America were faced with a national crisis

This threat is not taken se-

Continued on page 5

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Joyous Janmashtami celebrations at ISKCON of Houston ple president, Dr. Ray appreciated the program and Iskcon of Houston and Hindu’s of Greater Houston’s efforts to establish and spread the culture and richness of India’s heritage.

Continued from Page 1 to elevate the festival and bring about a more wholesome experience for all the attendees.

Working together for many months, both organizations saw their handwork pay off as more than 6,000 people experienced a cultural revolution of the heart as they took part in the programs in the temple, saw the various cultural performances in Gauranga hall and milled about the various tents, eating scrumptious meals by Govinda’s, Houston’s primer vegetarian restaurant, and swinging and bathing Lord Krishna (in His baby form, known as Baal Gopal).

This year was made especially wonderful with the visit of the Council General of India, Dr. Anupam Ray, who took part in every aspect of the celebration from the temple room to the Gauranga Hall stage. After being honored by Iskcon of Houston’s tem-

As one of the only days in the year where Darshan, or viewing of the deities, is open all day, persons were able to see the beautifully decorated Lords, Sri Sri Radha Nilamadhava, take part in Kirtan and hear enlightening discourses by HH Rtadhvaja Swami and HG Syamasundara Das. The biggest birthday party of the year culminated in a spiritually charged and inspiring midnight aarti and Kirtan as the devotees welcomed their Lords into their hearts.

Priests perform Abhishek at the ISKCON of Houston temple as part of the Janmashtami festival. Photo: Thejas Rajaram.

Winners of the Costume Contest. Photo: Pavan Mangipudi.

Mridangam Performance. Photo: Pavan Mangipudi.

Devotees sing kirtans at ISKCON of Houston. Photo: Nawal Sharma

L-R: Bharat Patel, Shyam Sunder Das, President, ISKCON of Houston, Sharad Amin , Dr. Anupam Ray Consul General of India, Houston, Jugal Malani, Vijay Pallod and Gopal Aggarwal. Photo credit: Biyani.

The Welcome Booth, with servant leaders Rajesh Gupta and Prema Vinodini Devi Dasi (center), at the festival entrance. Photo: Nawal Sharma

The celebrations continued in ISKCON of Houston’s auditorium, Gauranga Hall, with cultural presentations by the local talent. These performances included dances, vocal and instrumental concerts.

Amala Rajaram, a contestant, decked in flowers with her mother Rashmi. Photo: Thejas Rajaram

Many of Houston’s elite dance and music schools as well as ISKCON of Houston’s very own Sunday School took part in the cultural program with various artistes presenting Kathak, Oddissi, Bharathnatyam, vocal and Mrdanga performances. One of the highlights of the entire evening were the special contests put together by Hindus of Greater Houston and Goswami Academy. The Costume Contest saw more than 125 children of various ages dressed up as characters from Krishna lila to the delight of many festival goers. The coloring contest conducted by Goswami Academy – saw 70+ children with creative and unique artwork depicting the various stories of the sacred epic, Srimad Bhagavatham.

Jugal Malani, HGH Board of Advisor with his grandson Kiaan Malani and daughter-in-law Avnie. Photo credit: Biyani.

The festival at ISKCON Houston included sumptuous feast. A perfect ending to a perfect Friday Evening!

Krishna Kannaiya Lal ki jay!

For more information on the temple and the Sunday Feasts, Goswami Academy, Sunday School and other various programs, please visit www. iskconhouston.org or come see us: ISKCON of Houston | 1320 W 34th St., Houston TX 77018 | 713.686.GITA

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Vibha Antakshari 2019 host Bollywood trivia fund-raiser

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

Marma Healing- Fast Pain Relief

by Sunita Tarkunde

W

hen it comes to Ayurveda, it’s believed that the results are slow to come. People may follow Ayurveda for weeks or even months waiting for positive outcome and may lose patience while waiting in this fast paced life. Ayurveda for sure is not a quick fix or pill oriented approach.

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very Indian knows, loves, and plays Antakshari! In traditional Antakshari a player sings a song, and the next competitor starts another song with the syllable that the first song ends.

For the past two years, the melodious young team of Global Desis has partnered with Vibha and India House and conceptualized an innovative and edge-of-the-seat version of, ‘Antakshari’ for our fellow ‘Antakshari’ participants.

Houstonians.

Global Desis and their troupe, Sankalp Srivastava, Soumyadeep Ghosh, Krishnamurty Karra, and Tanushree Mishra awed us with their foot-tapping, fun and patriotic performance, followed by enthralling dance performances by four to fortyyear-old dancers of Khushboo Dance Troupe.

The participants of Antakshari got an Answer sheet, and the Preliminary round of Antakshari started by Sankalp announcing the question and showing it on the three projector screens. The

thirty questions itself were entertaining as it consisted of movie dialogues, songs, pictures, actors and actresses. More than 25 participant teams (a group of two) participated in the Antakshari Prelims round.

While the answers were marked, the audience was entertained by SSadia Ahmed, of Munaari Fashions, and her team of models who showcased the traditional outfits from different regions of India and the love for the country that brings them together as one. A performance by Bud Patel, Houston’s Bappi Lahiri followed the fashion show, and there was also a kids’ fancy dress competition which was won by Jhansi Ki Rani enacted

by Saanvi Ghosh.

The sixteen winners of the preliminary rounds were eight teams separated into two semifinals rounds of four teams each leading to one final round. The judges of the rounds were Uma Mantravadi and Bud Patel. Each round of the competition consisted of nail-biting dumb cha-

What is Marma?

Ancient Ayurvedic scripture called ‘Sushruta Samhita’ has dedicated an entire chapter on Marma.

Sushruta is considered as a father of surgery and in this text different methods of performing surgical procedures are explained in great detail. Many procedures along with the instruments that we use today, have a remarkable similarity to what Susruta used in ancient times.

rades, entertaining songs with theme and words and the original Antakshari. The winners of the show were Sejal and Dhiren Ghadia.

One morning he called the workers and said, “Unless the strikers rally and continue the strike till a settlement is reached, I will not touch any food.” The workers were shocked. “Not you, but we shall fast,” they said. “Please forgive us for our lapse; we shall remain faithful to our pledge.”

Gandhi did not want anybody else to fast. His fast was not against the mill owners, but against the lack of coordination and unity among the workers. The fast lasted only three days. It influenced the mill owners so much that they came to an agreement with the workers.

Gandhi had supported going to war! Many of his friends were taken aback. Some said, “You are a votary of ahimsa, how can you ask us to take up arms?” Others said, “What good has the government done to India to deserve our cooperation?” Even some of his best friends could not understand how he could reconcile his war effort with his campaign for ahimsa. But Gandhi stuck to the belief he held at that time that “absolutely unconditional and wholehearted cooperation with the government by the educated Indians will bring India within sight of our goal of Swaraj as nothing else will.”

Hardly was the mill workers’ strike over, when Gandhi had to plunge into the Kheda satyagraha struggle. The Kheda district of Gujarat was on the verge of a severe famine. Crop yield had been so low that the cultivators, especially the poor farmers, were unable to pay the revenue.

But the government insisted that the yield had not been so bad and that the cultivators should pay the tax.

Leaders, like Vallabhbhai Patel, Shankarlal Banker, Mahadev Desai and others took an active part in this struggle.

There had been signs that the campaign might fizzle out, but after four months’ struggle there was an honorable settlement. The government asked rich farmers to pay and granted relief to poor farmers.

During this time the war had entered a critical phase. Britain and France were in a difficult position. In the spring of 1917 Germvy had inflicted crushing defeats on both the British and French troops in France.

Russia’s war effort had broken down and the Revolution was threatening its Government.

Though America had entered the war, no American troops had yet reached the battle-front.

The Viceroy of India, Lord Chelmsford, invited various Indian leaders to attend a War

Stimulating Marma through touch can improve blood supply in that Marma instantly. As a result Prana will be released which in turn can harmonize that entire area served by that particular Marma. Done properly, this technique offers pain relief without any harm quickly. Marma touch holds the potential to change the chemistry required for the healing in human system fast. This is “healing touch.”

For more information about Vibha and volunteering opportunities, visit www.vibha.org or https://www.facebook.com/vibhahou/.

Gandhi saw the injustice advised the farmers to offer satyagraha by not paying their taxes.

The Kheda satyagraha marked the beginning of an awakening among the peasants of Gujarat, the beginning of their true political education. In addition it gave to the educated public workers the chance to establish contact with the actual life of the peasants.

When there is a blockage in Marma, flow of Prana is disturbed and can lead to various compromised body functions, pain being the most common one. ‘Cry for oxygen’ can be the definition of pain in simple terms.

Ayurvedic principle says, that Prana along with blood (carrying oxygen) reaches each and every cell to provide nourishment. Basically, oxygen and Prana go hand in hand as far as pain is concerned.

The volunteers of Vibha take pride in organizing the four-hour of pure entertainment. Vibha is a non-profit, non-religious, nonpolitical, and a volunteer-driven organization with the mission to educate, empower, and enable every individual who wishes to make a positive difference in the life of underprivileged children.

Gandhi backs resolution on war recruiting

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Sushruta has mentioned Marma Points. Image provided by that Marmas to be avoided Houston Ayurveda Center

ment, nerve, vessel, bone along with joint meet and he called these points as ‘Marma.’ According to the Master, Marma is the seat of Prana where three doshas and Sattva, Rajas, Tamas reside.

Vibha Houston appreciates the support received from Divyendu Singh of New York Life Insurance, Sarah Bhaskaran from Grace Fashions, Aditi Gudidevuni of The Purple Carriage, Darshak Thacker of Krishna Sound, Vanshika Vipin of Namaste Radio, and Godavari Restaurant for sumptuous food on the event day.

THE STORY OF MAHATMA GANDHI

ays passed. The mill owners were adamant. The strikers were getting impatient for they were faced with starvation. Their discipline became weak. Gandhi feared that some workers would break their pledge and go back to work. That would be a great moral defeat.

Sushruta has described 107 areas/points on skin, where muscle, tendon, liga-

Marma healing is for an individual who is looking for natural way to relieve pain that is faster, noninvasive, easy and time tested.

Vibha members and organizers of Antakshari at India House

On August 17th, 2019, India House opened its doors to celebrate the Indian Independence Day with Antakshari. The smiling faces of the volunteers greeted the guests as they made their way to the tables in the huge hall. Peter Lakshmi graciously welcomed the guests and started the program. The chief guest of the event Col. Vipin Kumar addressed the audience and congratulated everyone on the eve of 73rd Independence Day celebration.

during surgical procedures because injury to these areas can compromise recovery, produce deformity or even be fatal.

Mahatma Gandhi Week in Houston Call 713785-3900 or visit www. mahatmagandhilibrary.org Conference. Gandhi was also invited. He accepted the invitation and went to Delhi. Gandhi was not happy that leaders like Tilak or the Ali brothers had not been invited to the conference, so he was un- willing to attend. After meeting the Viceroy, however, he went to the conference. The Viceroy was keen to get Gandhi’s support on military recruiting. Gandhi spoke only one sentence: “With a full sense of my responsibility I beg to support the resolution.”

Gandhi had made his decision and he now set out to implement it. The response to recruit went was not in any way encouraging, but Gandhi was determined to carry out his mission. He held meetings. He issued leaflets asking people to enlist in the forces. His steady work began to bear fruit. Many men were recruited and he hoped to get a bigger response as soon as the first batch had been sent.

Gandhi nearly ruined his health during the recruiting campaign. He worked very hard. He could not take his food at regular times, nor could he take enough nourishment to keep up his energy. He had an attack of dysentery. He refused to take medicine and his condition became worse and worse.

Friends tried their best to advise him but he was beyond all advice. He passed restless days and nights and he himself felt at times that he was near death’s door.

It took him a long time to regain his health, but before then news came that the war (World War I) was over. Germany had been completely defeated.

Friends and doctors advised him to go away for a change and recover his health. He went to Matheran, but the place did not suit him. He went to Poona, where a doctor was consulted. He advised him to take milk to rebuild his body, and prescribed some medicine.

Gandhi took the medicine but he would not agree to take milk, for he had given up milk years before.

But Kasturbai said, “You gave up cow’s milk and buffalo’s milk. You cannot object to taking goat’s milk.” The doctor agreed. “If you will take goat’s milk it will be good enough,” he said and Gandhi agreed to take goat’s milk.

Gandhi returned to Ahmedabad. He was recouping his health there when he read in the papers the Rowlatt Committee’s report which had just been published.

The committee recommended that for the maintenance of peace, the government could arrest any person without a warrant and detain him for any length of time without any trial or right to appeal. Thus, the law was a direct attack on the ordinary civil liberties of the people and a clear indication of the autocratic and barbarous tendencies of the British rule in India.

These recommendations startled Gandhi. He described them as “unjust, subversive of the principles of liberty

and justice, and destructive of the elementary rights of individuals.” Friends approached him for guidance.

“Something must be done,” he said to them. “If the proposed measures are passed into law, we ought to offer satyagraha.”

Gandhi lamented the fact that he was in poor health; otherwise he would have given battle against the amendments alone. From his sickbed he wrote articles for the Indian papers explaining that the proposed bill was an act of tyranny which no self-respecting people could submit to it.

The only possible step against the government’s proposal, Gandhi thought, would be to launch a satyagraha movement in right earnest. A meeting of some of the leaders was called at the ashram and a satyagraha pledge was drafted. It was signed by everybody present.

Gandhi did not believe that the existing institutions could handle such a noble weapon, so a separate institution named Satyagraha Sabha was formed with headquarters in Bombay. There were agitations everywhere against the Rowlatt Committee’s report.

But the government was determined to implement the Rowlatt recommendations and in 1919, the Rowlatt Bill was introduced. When the bill was debated in India’s Legislative Chamber, Gandhi attended as a visitor.

— To be continued

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

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

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

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India eases foreign investment rules to aid economic growth

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EW DELHI, India | AFP | Wednesday 8/28/2019 - India's cabinet announced Wednesday that it would ease restrictions on foreign investment in four key sectors in a bid to shore up support for the flagging economy.

Asia's third-largest economy has slowed in each of the past three quarters -- losing its status as the world's fastestgrowing and piling pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government has unveiled a slew of measures in recent weeks to kickstart growth.

On Wednesday, the government approved 100 percent foreign direct investment in the coal mining and contract manufacturing sectors and allowed FDI of up to 26 percent in digital media. It also loosened sourcing requirements for single-brand retailers.

India's commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said the measures would "boost exports... and create massive job opportunities".

The announcements came two days after India's central bank announced a $24-billion windfall for the cash-strapped government, which is also facing a jobs crisis -- with unemployment at its highest since the 1970s.

The auto sector has been particularly badly hit, with car sales plunging in July for the ninth month running, while weak consumer spending and high taxes have hit demand for everything from biscuits to hair oil.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently revealed

several measures to help the economy, including bringing forward a $10-billion liquidity lifeline for credit-shy banks and rolling back an extra levy on equity sales that had spooked foreign investors.

Sitharaman and other senior officials have hinted that more

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ASHINGTON | AFP | Wednesday 8/28/2019 - Amazon said Wednesday more than 400 US police departments had joined its "Ring Neighbors" network, a program aimed at steps could soon be announced curbing crime using video from to tackle economic woes. the company's smart doorbell "The changes in FDI policy that has raised civil liberties will result in making India a concerns. more attractive FDI destination, The program represents an leading to benefits of increased unusual partnership between investments, employment and the US technology giant and growth," the government said law enforcement agencies, in a statement.

required more federal spending. If we hadn’t sold so many bonds already, there would be more room to sell bonds, without pushing up the interest costs that America has to pay.

There is a moral dimension to America’s growing debt as well, though it receives less attention. The debt exists because we have chosen to consume now and make our children pay the interest bill for years to come. The next generation will have emergencies of their own to pay for — possibly related to climate change that escalated on our watch but will have the most serious repercussions on theirs.

If the debt were incurred to create structures of permanent value to the next generation — great public universities, better roads and airports, a military to keep international lines of commerce open — it could be justified. Instead, the soaring deficits have come about not from lasting investments, but

from tax cuts, higher entitlement payments and military expenditures in Iraq and Afghanistan.

From past and recent behavior, it is unrealistic to believe that the nation’s leaders will pay any attention to these dangers.

The agreement between President Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on July 22 was one reason for the higher debt estimate by CBO. That agreement lifted caps on spending that had been set by formula in 2011. Over the last eight years, every time the 2011 caps threatened to come into effect, Congress voted to waive them.

“Reagan proved that deficits don’t matter,” Vice President Dick Cheney said in 2003.

From all indications over the intervening 16 years, leaders of both major parties agree.

There used to be at least some head wagging by fiscally conservative Republicans when deficits were reported to have grown. Now, there is not even

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400 US police agencies partner with Amazon on smart doorbell

The perils of our $1-trillion deficit...

Continued from page 2

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

that. Because it averted a government shutdown, the lifting of the expenditure caps in July was applauded by President Trump and Speaker Pelosi, as well as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. None of these politicians have complained about the consequences for America’s debt.

If there’s any bipartisanship left in Washington, it appears to be a joint willingness to ignore the economic and national security risk created by growing deficits and debt as far into the future as we can see.

Tom Campbell is a professor of economics and a professor of law at Chapman University.

He served five terms in Congress and was finance director of California. He left the Republican Party in 2016 and is now active registering voters in the Common Sense Party of California, a new political party that advocates for fiscal responsibility and is socially moderate.

safeguards on how videos and other data are collected and stored.

Jay Stanley, a policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union, said the program risks leading to vast amounts of

which have offered discounted or free Ring devices to residents as part of crime prevention efforts.

data delivered to the Amazon cloud that may be accessed by law enforcement without privacy protection.

Ring, the device maker purchased by Amazon for $839 million, said the video-enabled smart doorbell and its associated Neighbors applications help improve communication between residents and their police departments.

"You have two powerful institutions, Amazon and the police, cooperating to push for increased surveillance in American communities, and that's kind of spooky and disconcerting," Stanley said.

"Today, 405 agencies use the Neighbors portal, which is an extension of the Neighbors app that allow law enforcement to engage with their local community," Ring chief executive Jamie Siminoff said in a blog post.

This includes "posting important information about crime and safety events in their neighborhoods" and "viewing and commenting on public posts as a verified law enforcement officer," as well as "asking for help on active investigations by submitting requests for video recordings," Siminoff said.

"Neighbors and local law enforcement have achieved amazing results by working together through the Neighbors app, from getting stolen guns off the streets to helping families keep their children safe, and even recovering stolen medical supplies for a diabetic child."

But the program has also raised fears of expanded surveillance by police without

"And Amazon has gotten police officers to promote Ring, serving as publicly funded sales agents."

Matthew Guariglia of the Electronic Frontier Foundation said the system appears to prey on people's fears of crime.

"By sending photos and alerts every time the camera detects motion or someone rings the doorbell, the app can create an illusion of a household under siege," Guariglia said in a recent blog post.

"This creates a vicious cycle in which police promote the adoption of Ring, Ring terrifies people into thinking their homes are in danger, and then Amazon sells more cameras."

The Ring doorbell may also be used to thwart package thefts or view visitors. The company says it does not view or share videos "without the user's express permission or a valid and binding legal demand properly served on us."

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

Janmashtami Festival at Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Math

His Holiness Sri Bhaktivedanta Siddhanti Maharaja delivering Bhagavat Katha at Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha in Houston. Photo credit Bijay Dixit

O

n August 23rd, Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha, located in Northwest part of Houston celebrated Sri Krishna Janmashtami, the Divine Appearance Day of Lord Sri Krishna.

The festivities started a week earlier with Srimad Bhagavat Katha saptah (7 days of discourses on Srimad Bhagavatam) on August 17th. The saptah was organized as part of the worldwide celebrations in preparation for the Centennial year (2021) of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja. Srila Narayana Maharaja is the founder of International Pure Bhakti Yoga Society, a global Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization that the Houston Gaudiya Math is part of. Of the several Centennial initiatives planned, one is organizing Bhagavat Katha Saptahs in 108 cities worldwide. The katha in Houston was conducted by His Holiness Sri Bhaktivedanta Siddhanti Maharaja. He spoke about the fifty transcendental qualities of Lord Sri Krishna by providing many pastimes and examples from Srimad Bhagavatam.

On the day of Janmashtami, devotees started by attending Mangal Aarti at 5:30 AM. Everyone was enchanted by the once-a-year special adhivaas darshan of the Deities of Sri Radha Govindaji, Sri Gaur Nitai and Sri Sita Rama Laxman Hanuman in beige and white cotton dhotis and saris. After the Mangal Aarti, the Deities were dressed in a beautiful new dress that had just arrived from Vrindavan. The Deities on the altar, decorated with colorful flowers, looked transcendentally resplendent in Their red and blue new dress. It was hard to take once eyes off from Their pristine beauty.

Throughout the day the devotees were engaged in chanting of Hare Krishna mahamantra, singing bhajans and performing various services in preparation for the main celebration in the evening. Dozens of ladies worked in the kitchen for hours preparing prasadam for everyone who would visit the Temple. The entire Temple was beautifully decorated with colorful lights and

flowers to welcome the Lord on His Divine Appearance Day. And through the day people kept streaming into the Temple to take darshans of Their Lordships.

The main program started in the evening at 6:30 PM with chanting of Mangalacharan and prayers to the spiritual masters. The main attraction of the evening was the world famous bhajan group, ‘The Kirtaniyas’. Sandhya (evening) Aarti was performed at 7:00 PM with Vijay Krishna prabhu from the Kirtaniyas leading the singing.

Aarti being performed by the priest before the deities on the altar, Photos credit Bijay Dixit

Over 500 devotees gathered in the large Temple room sang and danced with great devotion. After the aarti, Vishnu prabhu explained about the Centennial celebrations and then Srila Bhaktivedanta Siddhanti Maharaja spoke about Lord Krishna’s quality of loving reciprocation with His devotees. He said that Krishna recognizes even a small service done to Him and reciprocates by ensuring that His devotees are always protected. Later he also explained the deep esoteric secrets behind the appearance of Sri Krishna in Mathura as well as in Gokula.

The Kirtaniyas performed ecstatic kirtan for several hours and many times everyone stood up and started to dance enchanted by the enlivening kirtan. Malini Dasi from the Kirtaniyas group performed an exquisite Bharat Natyam dance on Jayadeva Gosami’s Mangal-Gitam. Also, there were dance performances by Vedic Sunday School children.

Around 11 pm, a grand abhishek was performed of the vijay-vigraha Deities of Sri Sri Radha Govindaji and Yahoda Gopal. Several devotees had brought their Laddu Gopal deities also and abhishek was performed for Them as well. After abhishek the Deities were taken inside closed curtains for dressing and offering of Bhoga while devotees continued to chant ecstatically eagerly waiting for the Lord’s Appearance at midnight. Sharp at 12 AM, the curtains opened with blowing of the conchshells and the temple room packed with hundreds of devotees burst into a rapturous chanting

Devotees partake in aarti, of the Holy Names. After welcoming the Lord with the final ecstatic kirtan that nobody really wanted to stop, everyone broke their fast with caranamritam and partook of the sumptuous feast.

Over 2,000 Houstonians visited the Temple and enthralled by the di-

vine experience everyone is already looking forward to another ecstatic Janmashtami celebration next year as well as the Radhashtami celebration on September 6th at 6:30 PM. Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha temple is located at 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd, Houston, TX 77084. Every Sunday

bhajans and kirtan start 5 PM; Vedic lecture (English) at 5:40 PM; arati at 6:30 PM followed by prasadam. Vedic and Hindi classes are conducted for children age 5 -16. The registration for the new session is currently underway. For more information, please visit our website: www.sggm.org or call (832) 464-4686.

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COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

IACF donates $50,000 to local charities at 2019 Grants Distribution Event

Presenters at the Grants Distribution Event. Photos by Roy Photography.

Venkat Iyer, IACF President, addressing the gathering.

by Shobana Muratee

H

OUSTON – Staying true to its motto, “We live here, we give here,” the Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF) distributed $50,000 in grants to 21 charitable organizations in the greater Houston areas on Thursday, August 22 at the India House. For over 30 years, since its founding in 1993, IACF has been awarding grants to struggling and committed non-profit organizations that uphold similar objectives.

Inc -Parent Child Education and Adult Education Programs 3.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston 4. Family Network

to

Family

5.

Foundation for Education and Research in Vision (FERV) at University of Houston College of Optometry 6.

Houston Tamil Studies Chair 7. Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN)

Welcoming the august gathering of representatives of various organizations, IACF Board of Directors, community leaders and guests, IACF President Venkat Iyer said, “It is important for all of us to understand and comprehend that IACF is the single Indo American charitable entity in Houston.

It believes in giving 100% of its proceeds to the community where we live in and where our future generations are most likely to establish themselves.”

Further, he added, “IACF’s efforts can be summed up as EFGH (Education, Family, General and Healthcare) and have been promoting this as our mission at every platform we have been on.

8.

Indian Doctor's Charity Clinic (IDCC)

This year, nearly half of the 21 grant recipients were firsttimers and were joined by others to speak a few minutes about their organization’s objectives and services. Listed below are the organizations that received grants from IACF:

17. Indian Sr Citizens.

Assn (in kind)

1.

Asians Against Domestic Abuse (AADA) 2. AVANCE

Houston

9.

PEACE - Parent Engagement for Active Child Enrichment 10. Prevent Texas 11.

Blindness

Santa Maria Hostel

12. SEARCH - Homeless Services (in kind) 13. Second Servings Of Houston 14. St. Mary of the Purification Catholic School 15. YLDP of Houston: Leadership course for High School students, juniors and seniors 16.

iEducate USA

18. Literacy Advance of Houston 19. Mahatma Gandhi Library Inc 20.

Turning Point Center

21. Hindu Charities for America (HC4A) IACF Director Lakshmi Peter did an outstanding job as an

Emcee, executing with precision the names of the organizations, their respective representatives and the presenters.

Each representative then gave a brief introduction about their organization and objectives.

Joseph "Zenith" Ellankil, IACF President Elect in his concluding remarks thanked the IACF Directors for their time and effort for raising funds for distribution. He thanked the presenter, many of who were past presidents and donors for their continued support. He urged the recipient to stay connected with IACF and with each other so that the common goals could be received effectively. He extended special thanks to the volunteers who helped with the event.

He later reminded guests to mark their calendars of the upcoming IACF annual gala on September 13, 2019 at Stafford Center. The theme for 2019 is “Share Your Hearts the Texan Way. Live Life Texan-Size.’

Representatives of the 21 organizations that received IACF grants.

Guests were served sumptuous dinner catered by Bombay To Beijing - Indian Chinese Cuisine in Sugar Land .

The Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF), a nonprofit organization in Houston, dedicated its October 7, 2017 annual Gala to raising funds in support of Hurricane Harvey victims following which the organization donated $200,000 to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Harvey Relief Fund.

IACF’s other signature fundraising and distribution events include 5k Walk-a-Thon “I Walk – I Care” and Scholarships to Senior HS Students held in the early part of the year.

To learn more about IACF and to be a volunteer please visit iacfhouston.org

Representatives of the Indian Doctors Charity Clinic KC Mehta and Dr. Kiran Gandhi accepting the grant on the occasion. looking on are Emcee Lakshmi Peter, (far left) and Venkat Iyer, Joseph Ellankil

Rajesh Dikonda on the right.

Blissful Maha Rudram at Sri Meenakshi Temple

by M.K.Sriram

Kailasa Nathan’s divine presence and blessings were most definitely felt.

T

his is the eleventh consecutive year that Sri Meenakshi Temple has conducted the most divine and powerful Sri Rudra Japam and Homam, for the benefit of the entire Houston community.

Hundreds of devotees participated in this two day festival.

More than 50 ‘ritwiks’ from different parts of Houston and some from as far away as Dallas, chanted this very sacred Vedic mantra over three sessions on Saturday Aug 17th and Sunday Aug 18th at the Main temple.

The event started on Saturday, Aug 17th at 9 AM. The preliminary pujas started with Vigneshwara puja, Punyahavachanam (purification) and Kalasa stapanam (invocation).

This year, the Kalasam was filled with the holy waters of lake Manasarovar at the foothills of the Kailas Mountain in Tibet, that had been specially brought by devotees who travelled there in June 2019.

Next, the all powerful Mahanyasam chanting was led by the priests to invoke Lord Rudra in every part of their body and mind. The ritwiks for the next 3 hours went on the intense chanting of Sri Rudram, eleven times, each time followed by an anuvakam of Chamakam. Hundreds of devotees

An assembly of priests perform the Sri Rudra Japam and Homam at Sri Meenakshi temple. were held in a trance while the vedic mantra was chanted in unison. The whole atmosphere was filled with the strength and power of Sri Rudram.

The second session started at 5 PM, with the continuation of the Rudram chanting. The priests and ritwiks performed this divine prayer with utter concentration and devotion, and the temple resonated with this vedic mantra. The evening session concluded with Rudra Trishati archana , a spectacular arathi and upacharam.

The devotees and ritwiks gathered again on Sunday, Aug 18th morning to continue with

the chanting of Sri Rudram, the greatest Vedic offering to Lord Shiva. Goddess Meenakshi being the Veda Matha was surely smiling with happiness when she heard all the Veda ghosham in the temple. The great Rudra Homam was then performed with meticulous detail with the priests making the offerings to the Fire with the chanting of Sri Rudram. The final part of the Homam was the Vasodhara which was performed to the chant of the Chamakam. This was followed by Purnahuthi.

The priests then led a procession with the holy kalasams on their heads, around the deities in the Main temple. An

elaborate Abhishekam was performed for Lord Sundarewara that was witnessed by over 400 devotees. The curtains were drawn briefly for Alankaram, and when they opened up again, Lord Sundareswara in His most majestic form gave darshan to the devotees. The devotees were engulfed by the power of the Lord, and this was the greatest reward that the devotees could ever imagine they would receive. The final Arathi and Upacharam were very remarkable. Quite miraculously, while the abhishekam with waters from Manasarovar was in progress, the heavens opened up and the rains poured.

It was amazing to see the wide variety of prasadams (offerings) that were so lovingly prepared by the devotees in their homes.

More than 400 people had a sumptuous lunch.

All in all, this was a most divine and blissful event that was well Aarti being offered by the priest organized and conwork and co-ordination. Speducted by the Temple under cial mention is to be made that the leadership of the Chair- the Shankaracharya of Kanchi man of the Board Dr Padmini personally blessed this event Nathan, the Religious Activity and sent prasadams to be disCommittee led by Sheila Sri- tributed to the devotees. Many ram, Priests Manicka Bhattar, devotees and ritwiks could not Kalyana Sundaram, Balaji and help thinking if this was actuParameshwaran ably supported ally happening in the US, or by other priests, silpis (arti- was this all happening in India. sans) and staff of the temple. The prayer “Om Namo BhagaThe event co-cordinator Sri vathe Rudraya” still reverberMuthukumar and other volun- ates in their hearts. teers put in countless hours of

DIASPORA

VOICE OF ASIA 8

Eddie Huang to direct film about Chinese American hoops phenom from immigrant family

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

A record crowd gets ready to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate Indian-American success at “Howdy, Modi!”

Over 50,000 registered; Free parking onsite at the stadium

“Boogie” will be the restaurateur’s directorial debut.

Event day volunteers meet at NRG Center to go over plans for “Howdy, Modi!” Photo Credit: Texas India Forum

A

record crowd gets ready to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate Indian-American success at “Howdy, Modi!”

Eddie Huang (Photo: Kevin Mazur Via Getty Images)

by Kimberly Yam

E

ddie Huang’s headed for the director’s chair.

The successful restaurateur and celebrity chef is slated to helm his first film with “Boogie,” telling the story of a Chinese-American basketball phenom who navigates his immigrant family’s expectations while balancing his own NBA hoop dreams.

Huang, whose autobiography “Fresh Off The Boat” was turned into the hit ABC sitcom of the same name, said his upcoming project reflects the newest stage of his relationship with identity.

“A lot of my work to date has been about the “Asian-American Experience” presented like a triumphal arch because that’s how I’ve felt since the Dipset Anthem dropped,” he said in a statement, referring to the iconic song by The Diplomats. “Planet Asia needed me to stand out here with my two arms up ‘TOUCHDOWN,’ but I’m in my Purple Phase now.

Boogie is the reflection of my

ancestor’s spirit and values as I’ve always felt them navigating me through this American life.”

While the film will be Huang’s first experience as a director, he’s done plenty of work in front of the camera, previously starring in Viceland’s “Huang’s World,” in which he explored cultures through food.

The restaurateur’s big announcement comes on the heels of other personal news.

Huang declared on social media last Friday that he is going vegan for environmental reasons, especially because of the tens of thousands of fires that have blazed through the Amazon rainforest this year. Going vegan, Huang argued, would contribute to environmental conservation efforts.

“Take a moment, think about it, and reexamine your relationship with food because it’ll make the Earth and ourselves very very sick if we keep abusing it,” he said.

- Huffington Post

Project led by Indian-American gets $2.8M grant

Over 50,000 registered; Free parking onsite at the stadium A history-making audience of over 50,000 Indian-Americans has registered to turn up at NRG Stadium for the “Howdy Modi” community summit on Sep 22 to see the visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Filling the giant stadium to capacity, they will come to celebrate the tremendous success of Indian-Americans in the US and the deepening US-India economic and political ties.

The crowd turnout is expected to be the largest for any Indian Prime Minister to address in North America and the largest for a democratically elected foreign leader in America. In expectation for this, the Texas India Forum will be providing free parking onsite at the stadium for all attendees. New registrants are now on a waiting list for the event, although registration for university students will be open till August 29th.

The event, titled “Shared Dreams, Bright Future”, will showcase the strength and clout of the Indian-American community, dubbed as “model” immigrants in the US as they are considered by policy experts to be the most highly educated and successful community in America.

"The Indian-Americans are not simply just an educated and wealthy community today but have fast become an organized, powerful voting bloc with a unified voice, with national political and policy aspirations. The impact of the community today is palpable in American politics and business," said Gitesh Desai, spokesperson for the event.

According to Pew Research, median annual household income for Indian Americans in 2010 was $88,000, much higher than for all Asian Americans ($66,000) and all U.S. households ($49,800).

68% of India-born immi-

Kansas State University electrical and computer engineering faculty who received $2.8 million U.S. Department of Energy research award, standing from left: Mohammad Shadmand, Bala Natarajan and Hongyu Wu; seated from left: Behrooz Mirafzal and Anil Pahwa. (Photo Courtesy: k-state.edu)

by Staff Writer

K

ANSAS CITY, Kansas - Kansas State University announced in early August that its research team led by an Indian-American, received a three-year, $2.8 million research award from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. The grant is meant to advance solar energy’s role in strengthening electricity grids.

The KSU team’s project led

by Bala Natarajan, the Clair N. Palmer and Sara M. Palmer professor, for which the grant is meant, is expected to enhance utility operators’ awareness of and resilience to cyberattacks, a press release from the University said.

The project is one of 10 selected nationwide in the Ad-

vanced Systems Integration for Solar Technologies program to develop grid management tools and models that show how solar situational awareness will enhance power system resilience, especially at critical infrastructure sites, the University said.

The existing U.S. power grid was designed to deliver power to customers from a central generator. As more solar and other distributed energy resources are added to the grid, operators need new tools to deal with keeping the systems stable and meet threats. The need for data sharing between the photovoltaic system, operational tools and the electric grid has led to increased vulnerability to cyberattack, the press release noted.

Natarajan, who is in the Mike

Wiegers Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and his team will develop cyber-smart photovoltaic inverter technologies, system-level coordinated cyberattack detection methods, robust state estimation strategies, and unique modeling and control capabilities, according to KSU. “Taken together, these technologies combine to enable measurements from solar inverters and grid sensors to be gathered and processed into actionable and visualized status updates for grid operators,” Natarajan is quoted saying in the press release. “These tools and algorithms will enable utilities to better manage and use data from distributed energy devices and enhance operations,” he added.

The research team includes co-investigators Anil Pahwa, university distinguished professor; Hongyu Wu and Mohammad Shadmand, both assistant professors; Behrooz Mirafzal, associate professor.

grants have college degrees.

Indian-Americans also form the second largest group of physicians after non-Hispanic whites (3.9%) according to the 1990 survey of Pew Research.

icans are also playing vital roles in medicine, philanthropy, arts, media, education, and space. The rise of IndianAmericans today is intricately woven into the rise of America," said Desai.

"The Indian-American community has arrived," according to Devesh Kapur, the director of the Center for the Advanced Study of India at the University of Pennsylvania.

And this is what will be celebrated at the "Howdy Modi" event which reflects an extraordinary strong community involvement with more than 1000 volunteers and 650 Welcome Partner organizations from across the United States.

The “Howdy, Modi!” event has been broadly supported by organizations representing various communities in India as well as leading social service organizations, charities, university alumni groups, professional societies, and religious organizations.

“There’s a part of it which is about Modi, the rock-star politician. But it’s also a signal by the community to the politicians here in the U.S. to take them seriously,” according to his interview to Time magazine.

"The economic impact of Indian-Americans has grown considerably in the last few decades as they have become a major force in technology and innovation, financial services, banking, oil & gas, energy, chemicals, and pipelines. In addition to being leading business leaders and job creators, Indian-Amer-

"It is a testament for their passion for India, their success in the United States, the power of the community to come together, and their contribution and hopes for the US-India bond to continue to prosper in future," said Rishi Bhutada, spokesperson for the

event.

LOGISTICS Free parking will be provided on-site at NRG Stadium’s Blue Lot. In addition to free parking, buses will be provided to transport attendees from various locations around the greater Houston area.

Doors for the event will open at 7:00 a.m. and the program will begin at 10:00 a.m. sharp.

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

ABOUT THE TEXAS INDIA FORUM The Texas India Forum, Inc. (TIF) is a not-for-profit organization that encourages cooperation between the United States and India, advancing the shared values of democracy, inclusive economic development, and mutual respect.

TIF brings together IndianAmerican organizations and institutions to encourage collaboration within the region and expand opportunities for engagement with India.

ASIA/US

VOICE OF ASIA 9

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

500 protests, hundreds injured in US-Taliban deal 'close', Kashmir lockdown: govt source insurgents claim

by Parvaiz Bukhari

S

RINAGAR, India | AFP | 8/28/2019 - At least 500 incidents of protest have broken out in Indian Kashmir since New Delhi revoked its autonomy more than three weeks ago, a senior government source told AFP Wednesday, as authorities promised to create 50,000 jobs in the restive region.

The Himalayan valley is under a strict lockdown, imposed hours before India's decision to bring Kashmir under its direct rule. Movement is restricted and phone and internet services have been cut.

The lockdown, as well as the deployment of tens of thousands of extra troops to reinforce the 500,000 based in Kashmir, was ordered amid fears of unrest in a region where separatists have waged an armed rebellion against Indian rule since 1989.

But protests have broken out, including in the main city of Srinagar, with police using pellet guns and tear gas to disperse the crowds.

A senior government source told AFP at least 500 protests and incidents of stone throwing have occurred since August 5, with more than half taking place in Srinagar.

Nearly 100 civilians have been injured so far, with a further 300 police and more than 100 paramilitary troopers hurt, the official added.

"The number of protests could be much higher and bigger without the blockade in force," the official told AFP, adding that "anger and public

Kashmir is under a strict lockdown -- with movement restricted and phone and internet services cut since August 5 (AFP Photo/ Tauseef MUSTAFA) defiance is constantly rising".

"Efforts for easing the conditions are made all the time but nothing seems to be working for now. There is nervousness spreading in the security establishment."

- 'Every life is valuable' Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik said Wednesday the lockdown was necessary because "every Kashmiri life is valuable to us".

"There has been no civilian casualty, only the few who got violent were injured, these also have below the waist (non-fatal) injuries."

AFP has spoken to relatives of three people they alleged died due to violence from the security forces, including a man and woman who died in separate incidents after tear gas was released near them, and a teenager who drowned while being chased by police.

Malik added that the decision to revoke autonomy -- which will allow non-residents to buy land and apply for government jobs in the region -- would "change the face of Kashmir in six months".

He vowed to preserve the "identity, language, culture and heritage of Kashmir", which locals fear will be diluted if there is an influx of migrants from other parts of India, and create 50,000 jobs in the next few months.

The lockdown would be eased gradually, although internet services will continue to be suspended for some time, he said, stressing that the web was being used by agitators.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the government one week to respond to a legal challenge calling for an end to the communications blackout to allow for media reporting.

The apparent final phase of talks between the US and the Taliban brings into view the end of an excruciating few months for Afghans (AFP Photo/WAKIL KOHSAR)

by Thomas Watkins with Paul Handley in Washington

K

ABUL, Afghanistan | AFP | Wednesday 8/28/2019 - The US and the Taliban are "close" to a deal that would see the Pentagon slash troop numbers in Afghanistan, the insurgents said Wednesday, although the US military insisted that the country must not become a sanctuary for extremists.

The foes have been meeting in Doha to put the final touches on a historic deal that would see the Taliban make various security guarantees in return for a sharp reduction in the 13,000 or so US troops based in Afghanistan.

India's central bank New China tariffs a 'job killer,' US indus- unveils $24 bn ... try tells Trump Continued from Page 1

W

ASHINGTON, AFP | 8/28/2019 - President Donald Trump's new tariffs on Chinese goods are a "job killer" that will slam consumers and could make a recession more likely, industry groups said Wednesday.

The latest cry for peace in Trump's year-long trade war came just days before the first in series of tariff increases is due to go into effect -- potentially raising prices ahead of the crucial holiday shopping period.

In a sharp deterioration in the US-China trade war, Trump last week ramped up the punitive duties for the vast majority of US imports from China.

The five percent increases, which will take the tariffs to 15 percent and 30 percent, are due to roll out in stages through December and target some popular items, such as laptops, mobile phones and some shoes.

More than 200 footwear manufacturers and retailers, including major brands such as Nike and Foot Locker, signed onto the letter alerting that the new tariffs could cost US consumers an additional $4 billion a year and increase the chances of an economic downturn.

A broad array of 160 other trade groups -- including software and electronics manufacturers, as well as retailers, liquor producers and others -also warned Trump of higher prices and damaged consumer confidence and urged him to abandon the tariff strategy.

"We've been telling the White House since the beginning that tariffs will be paid

by Americans in the form of higher prices, and that due to our already high import taxes, this will be a job killer," Matt Priest, president of the FootContinued on page 10

measures to help the economy, including bringing forward a $10-billion liquidity lifeline for credit-shy banks and rolling back an extra levy on equity sales that had spooked foreign investors.

Sujan Hajra, an economist at Anand Rathi Securities, said that the latest announcement is a "positive move" for the economy and for public finances.

"As the RBI said, despite this fund transfer, India will still have one of the best capitalisations of the central banks globally and it does not reflect poorly on either the government or the central bank," Hajra told AFP. Ashutosh Datar, an independent economist from Mumbai, agreed, telling AFP: "The amount looks huge but it is not and there is no raid on RBI reserves."

However, the bank's independence has already been called into question after it cut interest rates four times this year to a nine-year low, report-

edly under government pressure.

Governor Urjit Patel resigned in December following a public spat with the Modi government -- which was re-elected earlier this year -- accusing it of trying to undermine it.

He was followed in June by deputy governor Viral Acharaya citing the same reasons, although the bank insisted this was unrelated and he had left for personal reasons.

The government is "clueless about how to solve their self created economic disaster", tweeted Rahul Gandhi, the outgoing head of the opposition Congress party.

"Stealing from RBI won't work - it's like stealing a Band-Aid from the dispensary & sticking it on a gunshot wound. #RBILooted".

Indian stocks rose on Tuesday, with the Sensex up half a percent, adding to a 2.2-percent rise on Monday on the back of Friday's stimulus measures, traders said.

"We are close to an agreement. We hope to bring good news for our Muslim and freedom seeking nation soon," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted.

In Washington, General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and America's most senior uniformed officer, sounded a note of caution, telling reporters he was not yet using the word "withdrawal" to describe the deal.

"I'm using 'we're going to make sure that Afghanistan is not a sanctuary, and we're going to try to have an effort to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan,'" he said.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, standing next to Dunford, also said a deal with the Taliban must guarantee that Afghanistan "is no longer a safe haven for terrorists to attack the United States."

US troops were first sent to Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on US soil carried out by Al-Qaeda, which was sheltered by the former Taliban regime.

Washington now wants to end its military involvement and has been talking to the Taliban since at least 2018.

The agreement will centre on the US withdrawing troops in exchange for a Taliban guarantee that Afghanistan will not be used as a jihadist safe haven, talks with the Afghan government, and an eventual ceasefire.

Any agreement is going to be "conditions-based," Dunford said, adding that it was premature to talk about how a US counter-terrorism force in Afghanistan might look.

- Afghan government sidelined Insurgent leaders were meeting at an undisclosed location along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to review the proposed agreement, a senior Taliban commander in Pakistan told AFP. "All the Shura (consultation) members have received the draft and they are reading it

carefully, yet no go-ahead signal has been given to the Taliban negotiating team in Doha," the Taliban official said.

"It may take a day or two, as Taliban leadership has to take all the commanders into confidence".

The apparent final phase of talks heaves into view the end of an excruciating few months for Afghans, who have watched on largely voiceless as US negotiators cut a deal with the Taliban while largely sidelining the government of President Ashraf Ghani.

However US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad will come to Kabul in "one or two" days to brief Ghani on the deal, said Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Afghan leader.

- 'Remaining points' Most of the US negotiating was led by Afghan-born Khalilzad, a fluent Pashto and Dari speaker who has spent recent months shuttling between world capitals in a bid to build support for a deal with the Islamist hardliners known for their extreme interpretations of Sharia law.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told reporters in Doha on Tuesday that a deal could be expected "as soon as the remaining points are finalised", as negotiators wrangled over individual words and phrases in the draft.

Meanwhile Amnesty International called on the United States and the Taliban to also consider human rights.

"Any peace agreement must not ignore (Afghans') voices, the voices of the victims," Omar Waraich, Amnesty's deputy South Asia director, told reporters in Kabul.

"They must not ignore their calls for justice and accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious human rights violations."

While the Taliban are notorious for numerous human rights abuses, violations have also been perpetrated by pro-government forces.

US/WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

French researcher Toll rises to 28 in Mexico bar fire attack hacks into Moscow's new e-voting system C

Veracruz is one of the most violent states in the country.

by Ignacio Carvajal

S

TRASBOURG, France | AFP | 8/28/2019 - A French researcher has exposed a security breach in an electronic voting system to be used in next month's municipal elections in Moscow, potentially giving hackers access to voters' choices.

The University of Lorraine and France's CNRS research institute said this week the cryptographer had taken up a challenge set by Echo of Moscow radio to test the system being rolled out for the vote.

"Less than a month before Moscow tries online voting for electing the city's new parliament, a French cryptographer has just exposed a security breach for the protocol being tested," the two institutions said in a statement.

The researcher, Pierrick Gaudry, was able to crack into the source code being published daily as part of a public test since late July.

Gaudry needed only 20 minutes to break the encryption code, or "private key", that is supposed to protect voters' identities and choices. He used a standard computer and widely available free software.

"According to him, a hacker would have been able to get this private key in just 10 minutes," they said.

"In the worst-case scenario, the votes of all the voters using this system would be revealed

New China tariffs a 'job killer,' ...

Continued from Page 9 wear Distributors and Retailers of America, said in a statement.

The footwear group directly disputed Trump's claim that China is bearing the cost of the tariffs.

"There is no doubt that tariffs act as hidden taxes paid

by American individuals and families," its letter said.

Long a powerful voice in Washington, US industrial lobbies have been unable to persuade Trump to avoid escalating his year-old trade war with China.

The Information Technology Industry Council agreed China needs to change its unfair trade practices, but said in a statement Wednesday that "the current tool of tariffs has simply not worked, and we’re continuing to see the negative results."

- Recession risk The companies agreed with economists that recession risks are rising, warning Wednesday that uncertainty caused by the confrontation with Beijing was rattling the wider economy -a sensitive subject as Trump seeks reelection next year.

"An economic downturn will take away disposable income from US consumers, even as they have to pay more for products," they said.

Already high US import duties on footwear have continued to rise in recent years even as shoe prices have eased, according to the letter, meaning new tariffs almost certainly will be passed onto consumers.

US officials have delayed or canceled tariffs on some popular items until December, including some shoes, preventing price hikes from hitting just before the holiday shopping period.

But, even before they take effect, the tariffs threaten to drive up prices by straining manufacturers outside China to meet a sudden rush of demand, the letter said.

Trump has blown by turns hot and cold this month, thundering last week that US companies should withdraw from China but optimistically predicting a deal on Monday.

Trump's recent, more moderate tone helped stanch bleeding on Wall Street but was quickly met with skepticism by investors since Beijing did not seem to share that optimism.

to anyone as soon as they cast their vote," Gaudry wrote of his findings in a research paper posted online.

Since mid-July, Moscow has seen a wave of rallies drawing tens of thousands onto the streets after opposition figures were barred from standing in the elections to Moscow's city parliament on September 8.

The online voting system, available through the City Hall website, requires passport information, home address and other sensitive information, and uses text message verification.

Officials say the system testing won't be complete until next week, just days ahead of the election.

Since the publication of Gaudry's paper on August 14, Moscow authorities have said the encryption code has been made more complex, and will be divided into seven distinct parts kept separate until voting ends.

The editor-in-chief of Echo of Moscow, Alexey Venediktov, announced on his Telegram channel Tuesday that he had given Gaudry a prize of one million rubles ($15,000).

Other awards would be offered to anyone else who exposed breaches in the system.

O AT Z A C O A L COS, Mexico | AFP | 8/28/2019 - Gunmen burst into a Mexican strip club in a hail of bullets and killed at least 28 people as they trapped revelers inside and started a raging fire, officials said Wednesday.

Its location on the Gulf of Mexico makes it a strategic route for drug cartels and for human traffickers bringing undocumented migrants to the United States.

Coatzacoalcos, a port city of 235,000 people, has been among those hardest hit by the resulting violence.

Many of the dead were dancers who worked there, according to managers.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the "shameful" attack in the city of Coatzacoalcos, and said federal authorities would investigate evidence it may have stemmed from collusion between local authorities and organized crime.

The Tuesday night attack, which also left nine people badly wounded, is the latest to rock the state of Veracruz, a flashpoint in turf wars between Mexico's rival drug cartels and a hotbed of political corruption.

Survivors said gunmen sprayed bullets when they descended on the bar, the Caballo Blanco (White Horse), then blocked the exits and set the club alight.

Because of the loud reggaeton music pounding inside, many patrons and dancers did not notice the attack until the bar was in flames, they said.

Authorities said many of the victims died of smoke inhalation. It was not immediately

Families of victims consoling each other. AFP screen grab. clear whether some died of gunshot wounds.

"They arrived in several vehicles, with rifles and pistols.

They threatened the security guards at the door and took control of the entrance," one survivor told an AFP reporter, speaking on condition of anonymity, as frantic relatives gathered at the bar looking for their loved ones.

Veracruz Governor Cuitlahuac Garcia tweeted that authorities had identified one of the attackers as Ricardo "N" -- Mexican law bars the release of suspects' full names -- adding that he was a repeat offender known as "La Loca" ("The Crazy One").

The suspect was previously arrested last month, but was released by state prosecutors within 48 hours, Garcia said.

President Lopez Obrador said federal authorities would investigate why.

"There's a problem there that needs to be investigated regarding the actions of the Veracruz prosecutor's office," said Lopez Obrador, a leftist elected last year on an anticorruption platform.

"There are two things going on here: one is this shameful act by organized crime, the most inhuman thing possible; the other, which is also reprehensible, is a possible conspiracy with the authorities," he told a news conference.

The Veracruz prosecutor's office denied wrongdoing, and said in a statement it was in fact the federal prosecutor's office that released Ricardo "N." - Attackers blocked emergency exits -

The governor told reporters the group that attacked the White Horse was vying for control of the drug trade there.

The interior of the bar was left wrecked and charred. The naked body of a woman who had been mid-routine was sprawled on the dance floor next to the striptease poles.

Ten of the club's 25 dancers were killed, managers said.

"My niece starting dancing here a few months ago. She was a single mom, and she wanted to give her daughter a better life and go back to school," said Maria Vazquez, whose 22-year-old niece Sugedy was among the dead.

Local media reported two sailors from the Philippines were also killed. The Philippine embassy in Mexico City said it was investigating the report.

- Hit squads, corruption Mexico, the chief supplier of narcotics to the United States, has been hit by a wave of violence since declaring war on

VOICE OF ASIA 11

Fort Bend View

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

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

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

•

www.voiceofasia.news

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital receives Primary Stroke Center certification

S

UGAR LAND, August 27, 2019 - Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital has received certification from DNV GL - Healthcare as a Primary Stroke Center, affirming the hospital’s readiness to handle a full range of strokerelated medical problems.

“This certification let’s our community know we have the resources and commitment to provide the best possible stroke care,” said Maureen Lall, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, SCRN, COHN-S, director of the Neuroscience & Spine Center. “It’s a combination of the right personnel, training and equipment to quickly assess and treat strokes. Achieving certification ensures the health and safety of our patients.”

The DNV GL - Healthcare Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on standards set forth by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association, and affirms that the hospital addresses the full spectrum of stroke care – diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and education – and establishes clear metrics to evaluate outcomes.

“Achieving this certification shows commitment to excellence,” said Patrick Horine, CEO of DNV GL - Healthcare.

“And it helps demonstrate to your community that you are performing at the highest level.”

According to the National Stroke Association, stroke is a leading cause of death, killing nearly 130,000 people each year, and is a leading cause

S

The enforcement period covers the Labor Day weekend and is funded by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) through a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant. The STEP grant provides overtime funds for enhanced DWI enforcement during holiday weekends when there have been more alcoholrelated traffic incidents.

“Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs is not worth the risk,” said Sgt. Daryl Stroud, of SLPD’s traffic division. “You are putting your life and the lives of others on the line.”

Convicted first-time DWI offenders face penalties that include fines up to $2,000, six months in jail and loss of driver’s licenses for up to a year.

The STEP grant also provides overtime for year-round speed compliance in targeted areas, an extra resource that does not affect SLPD’s normal operations. As part of this effort, SLPD also conducts a commercial motor vehicle enforcement.

Speeding continues to be the number one factor contributing to accidents within Sugar Land. The police department

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Quality Team: Back row – Brooke Taylor, Janan Sackllah, Ada Akogun, Jo Gilbert, Anna Floyd, Jackie Trotter, Damon Smith Front row – Tanuja Parmar, Diane McGraw, Ann Prather, Monica Salinas. (Photo source: HMSLH ) of serious, long-term adult disability. Because stroke or “brain attack” effects blood flow to the brain, rapid and effective treatment can save lives and provide the best chance of limiting the extent of long-term damage.

DNV GL is a world-leading certification body that helps businesses assure the performance of their organizations, products, people, facilities and supply chains through certification, verification, assessment and training services.

For more information on Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit houstonmethodist.org/sugarland or call 281.274.7500 to find a doctor in your area. Facebook: fb.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.

BOTOX BANDIT: Woman leaves salon without paying for $2,000 worth of treatment

F

ORT BEND, Aug. 22, 2019 - Fort Bend County Judge KP George today launched a task force to position the county as a major hub for technology companies.

The task force is being led by Tom Webb, Vice President of Products for HCSS, a software company based in Sugar Land.

Webb said Fort Bend County offers the perfect mix for large and small tech companies and is keen on moving forward quickly.

“I’ve had this vision for years and believe that Fort Bend has all the components and more to be a regional technology hub,” Webb said. “I met with Judge George, and he shares the same passion for growing the technology and innovation footprint in Fort Bend County.”

George says several factors make Fort Bend attractive to technology companies.

“I’m launching the Fort Bend County Technology Task Force with Tom Webb at the head to let the world know that Fort Bend is a prime location for tech and innovation companies.

Our unparalleled workforce, strategic location, high quality master-planne communities and excellent schools stand out among the region as a top destination for 21st century businesses.”

Inside the clinic. (Screen grab courtesy KTRK)

H

OUSTON, Texas (KTRK), Wednesday, August 28, 2019 -A woman is accused of going into a plastic surgeon's office, getting $2,000 in services and then leaving without paying.

Police say the incident happened at Houston Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery on Binz Street in the Museum District.

Dr. Clayton Moliver says everything was normal when he met with the woman on Monday.

"I went in and I took care of her. It took maybe 20 minutes, and we put some filler in and some Botox in," Moliver said.

After the service was done, the woman allegedly asked to use the restroom before completing her payment.

"She seemed as smooth as can be, like this is something she does every day. She was joking and kidding," Moliver said.

After about 10 minutes, the doctor's staff realized the woman had left the building. They attempted to call her, but realized all of the information she

provided was false.

Moliver then thought about the picture he had taken of the woman prior to the procedure, and posted it on Facebook.

"I took it upon myself and put it out on social media, and we've got quite a following and email list. It blew up and people were saying 'We're going to find this person,'" Moliver said.

This incident comes just after another woman used a power tool to break into a med spa in Sugar Land.

Authorities said the woman cut the glass and walked inside the store, stealing products.

"Maybe people will think about it more. Maybe there will be less ladies driving up to stores and cutting their way in for Botox," Moliver said.

After sharing the woman's picture on Facebook, Moliver said he received a message from someone who could possibly identify the woman. He passed the information along to police.

"It's the principle of it. I think people have to have more per-

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Fort Bend County Judge launches technology task force

“As one of the most diverse and educated communities in the state situated with a strategic geographic advantage in the Houston area, Fort Bend County is a natural fit for tech and innovation companies,” he said.

Banking With

Rajiv B. Bhavsar SVP Commercial Lending Officer

Tel: 713-774-5140

From left to right are Jeff Wiley, Andrew Van Chau, Fort Bend County Judge KP George, Tom Webb and Jay Neal. (Contributed photo)

SLPD targeting impaired driving during Labor Day Holiday UGAR LAND – Sugar Land police will conduct a special drunk driving enforcement initiative from Aug. 31 through Sept. 8.

•

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Aziz A. Rahim SVP Commercial Lending Officer

(281) 224-2523

Zafar Khan AVP Business Development

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(713) 715-9983

sonal responsibility. There's got to be more consequences," Moliver said.

Webb says a proper workforce is the biggest issue for most software companies.

However, Fort Bend has an

overabundance of employable technology workers.

“Fort Bend has a highly educated workforce with a strong background in IT,” he said.

“Plus, we have one of the most diverse workforces in the entire country. That is important for a technology company that wants to go global.”

Having the support of a “flexible and creative” education institution such as the University of Houston also is important. The school’s Sugar Land campus is a Tier One university with a heavy focus on technology. Sixty percent of the school’s undergraduate programs are within the College of Technology and 30 percent of its master’s programs are within the technology college.

Webb says he plans to keep the core task force relatively small, although various subcommittees may involve more people.

“I want us to focus on getting things done,” he said. “With that in mind, the task force will probably number eight to 10.”

“Our first tasks will be to capitalize on our assets, which also includes being close to oil and gas companies and int ernational shipping channels,” Webb said. “Then we want t aggressively recruit other technology companies.

We want quick wins and then put together a long-term vision for Fort Bend. Every tech hub in the world has a specialty, so that’s something we have to consider.”

More information about Fort Bend County, including how the county is “tech ready” can be found at www.fortbendcounty.com.

Fort Bend County ranked #5 in the nation for purchasing power

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ICHMOND, August 21, 2019 - Smart Asset once again did a study to determine counties with the most favorable cost of living.

Fort Bend County ranked 5th in the nation and 1st in Greater

Houston, based on cost of living and median household income. The rankings were based on data from the US Census Bureau 2017 5-Year American Community Survey, MIT Living Wage Study, and the Bu-

reau of Labor Statistics 2017 Consumer Expenditure Survey.

Please click here to see an interactive map which highlights the places in the US with the most favorable cost of living.

VOICE OF ASIA 12

BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD Section 2

•

www.voiceofasia.news

•

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

Katrina in a warm, summer mood

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Sunny Leone talks Bollywood, beauty and life choices in Dubai

by Manjusha Radhakrishnan

W

hat’s the appropriate etiquette when someone has lipstick on their teeth? Do you tell them or do you ignore it, hoping it would go away magically?

Such a tricky predicament presented itself on August 22 when Bollywood actress Sunny Leone visited our Gulf News headquarters for a photo shoot and a sit-down interaction, organised

by Parallel Lines.

The ironical part? The interviewer and the glamorous subject Leone were wondering the same thing as we both had lipstick stains on our pearly whites.

Fortunately, Leone — who was in Dubai to promote her own beauty range Star Struck By Sunny Leone stocked at Brands4U — decided to point it out first, giving this journalist enough rope to do the same.

We both burst out laughing as we scrubbed our teeth vigorously, cribbing about how her dozen or more handlers hadn’t bothered to point it out before the cameras rolled.

“They really don’t care about us now, do they?” said Leone in a mock admonishing tone, looking over at her sizeable entourage.

As far as ice-breakers go, it was an unusual but highly effective one. During the next 30 minutes, the fascinating former adult star, who was reticent in the beginning, warmed up to us considerably.

Born as Karenjit Kaur to a Sikh family in Cananda, Leone has mastered the art of re-invention. The 38-yearold began her career in the adult film industry and then ventured into Bollywood with director Pooja Bhatt’s erotic thriller ‘Jism 2’.

She’s now looking to expand her beauty empire and the mother of three toddlers has already been the subject of two biopics including ‘Karenjit Kaur — The Untold Story of Sunny Leone’ and ‘Mostly Sunny’.

“They [her biopics] gave everyone a sense of my upbringing and I don’t think that the things that happened in my life are extraordinarily different than other anything that has happened to anyone in this room… Sure, some of my decisions were not like anyone else in this room. But the core of my growing up and struggles are relatable,” said Leone looking at a roomful of journalists.

“The decision [to join the adult film industry] itself is not relatable. But the things that happened in my family — about a first generation who went to a foreign country… that stuff is relat-

Sunny Leone visit at the Gulf News HQ, Dubai. (Photo: Antonin Kélian Kallouche/Gulf News) able,” said Leone.

Just because she's now into makeup and beauty, it doesn't mean @SunnyLeone has stopped working in films.

Leone, who has a horror comedy, ‘Coco Cola’, up for release at the end of this year, spoke exclusively to Gulf News tabloid! about expanding her beauty empire, the quest for perfection and more ...

“This is something that Daniel [Weber, her husband] and I started a year ago. It has grown leaps and bounds.

People have loved Star Struck and that’s important to me. I am the one who’s looking at the formulas and testing them personally.

The reason why I want to create this five minute kit is because I only have 30 minutes in the morning to pull myself together. I need to shower, change, do my hair and put on my make-up within 30 minutes because I have to drop my kids to school and we can’t be late.

So I want to create products that are quick to apply and look amazing.

That’s what matters to any working mothers on the go. They should be able to look at themselves at lunch time and feel that they still look put together without any make-up being smeared or coming off.”

On her go-to lipstick shade:

I have said ‘no’ to so many things, asking my team to make it a certain way or to add a few things to improve it. Though they don’t like me when I am pulling apart our make-up, it’s about whether I am going to love it if I were to use them.

“I am wearing it right now. It’s a shade called Baby Doll. It’s light and perfect for day wear. I mixed it with a shade called Star Dust, it has an orange-peachy tone. And I love mixing shades.”

I want my make-up to last all day once I put it on in the morning... I come up with most of the names for lipsticks since the names that come my way get rejected. Sorry. I either simplify them or use different words that I like that represent [the brand].

For instance, I was particular that ‘Baby Doll’ be the name of the first five products I release. It’s a name that says you love dolling up.”

“I believe in the idea of make-up that’s applied to look naturally beautiful. It takes a lot of work. Your daytime look takes as much time as your night time make-up. Make-up is all about knowing what goes with your skin tones and what’s going to happen when you step out? Dubai is bright and outdoors.”

On launching her new five-minute make-up kit for women on the go: “We are going good on that front.

We just launched an eye kit — mascara, liner and eyebrow pencil and it comes in black and brown.

On her beauty mantra:

On a make-up trick up her sleeve:

B

ollywood beauty Katrina Kaif added a little sunshine to everyone’s timeline with a breathtakingly beautiful photo of herself. Casually posing for a picture on a rooftop, the beauty rocked a minimal makeup look as she posed casually for the click in a floral printed dress with a plunging neckline. (Photo courtesy Instagram) Work has been keeping Kat on her toes. She apart from pursuing other work commitments, she has also been shooting for ‘Sooryavanshi’ that will see her share screen space with Akshay Kumar after almost a decade. This film will also mark her first collaboration with director Rohit Shetty.

While much about her character has been kept under wraps, one thing for sure is that fans will see her show off her moves in the remake of the hit song ‘Tip Tip Barsa Paani’ that will feature in the film.

‘Sooryavanshi’ that was originally scheduled for a release on Eid 2020, advanced their date to 27 March to avoid a clash with the Salman Khan starrer ‘Inshallah’. However, as confirmed by director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the film has been shelved for now.

-Times of India

Soccer glory and despair in teaser for Asif Kapadia's 'Diego Maradona' doc The film about the life and times of arguably the world's greatest ever footballer is set to bow in October on HBO.

“To prevent lipstick transferring on your teeth, make sure you blot it and don’t wear excess product. While that technique [of sucking on your finger] might look odd in public, if you are with your girlfriends or your husband/ boyfriend, then it’s fine.” - Gulf News

Viola Davis to star as Michelle Obama in ‘First Ladies’ drama series in works at Showtime

V

iola Davis is set to portray Michelle Obama in First Ladies, a one-hour White House drama that has been put on fast-track development at Showtime with a three-script commitment. Davis will executive produce the project, which hails from writer Aaron Cooley (novels Four Seats: A Thriller of the Supreme Court, The Guns of Ridgewood), Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions, Cathy Schulman’s Welle Entertainment (Otherhood), Jeff Gaspin’s Gaspin Media (LA’s Finest) and Brad Kaplan (The Intruder).

Showtime and Lionsgate TV co-produce.

Written by Cooley, First Ladies is set in the East Wing of the White House, where many of history’s most impactful and world-changing decisions have been hidden from view, made by America’s charismatic, complex and dynamic first ladies. The series will peel back the curtain on the personal and political lives of our most enigmatic heroes, with Season 1 focusing on Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford and Michelle Obama.

The idea for the series originated with Schulman, who was inspired by a spec script Cooley had written about Lady Bird Johnson. In line with the mission of Schulman’s company Welle Entertainment, which is dedicated to making female facing content, the series will look at American history presidencies through a female lens — the first ladies.

Ms. Davis Having has won an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards, she is the first black actress to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2017 Cooley executive produces along with Davis and Tennon via their JuVee Productions, Schulman via Welle Entertainment, Gaspin via Gaspin Media

A

glimpse into the chaotic world of arguably the world's greatest soccer player ever is offered in the teaser for Asif Kapadia's upcoming documentary Diego Maradona, which is set to premiere in the U.S. on HBO in October.

Viloa Davis (Photo:: Brian Bowen Smith), Michelle Obama (Shutterstock) and Kaplan via LINK Entertainment.

tive produce.

Material for First Ladies comes entirely from the public domain. Several years ago, Reese Witherspoon and Anonymous Content teamed to produce a TV series based on Kate Andersen Brower’s bestseller First Women: The Grace & Power of America’s Modern First Ladies, with Robin Wright attached to direct and execu-

Davis stars in How to Get Away with Murder, which begins its sixth and final season this fall on ABC. She and Tennon most recently executive produced with Steph Curry the documentary Emanuel, about the mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015. - Hollywood Reporter

The film — Kapadia's first doc after winning the Oscar for 2016's Amy — first bowed in Cannes to solid reviews and draws on more than 500 hours of never-before-seen footage from Maradona's personal archives, spotlighting the life of the iconic Argentinian sportsman who enthralled onlookers across the globe and incited widespread controversy.

Diego Maradona, which has already been released in the U.K., focuses primarily on Maradona's time at the Italian soccer club Napoli from 1984-

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

1992. Although this period would see him at the height of his powers — elevating the team to its most successful era, alongside winning the World Cup for Argentina (with the help of an infamous hand ball against England) — Maradona would also become involved with the local Neapolitan mafia and develop a major drug addiction that would eventually end with him serving a 15-month ban and leaving in disgrace.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the film's premiere in Cannes, Kapadia said he hoped the fact that Maradona's story wasn't so widely known in the U.S. would make it "much more powerful" to viewers.

HBO will premiere Diego Maradona on Oct. 1. - Hollywood Reporter

LEGAL

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

www.voiceofasia.news

How Property Is Divided In A Divorce

Mala Sharma

In a divorce, if both spouses cannot agree to how property is divided, Texas family laws must be followed to determine a fair and equitable solution, the ‘just and right’ division. This process can be very complicated, highly contested, and an emotional roller coaster ride.

In Texas, property is categorized as community or separate property during a marriage. Community property is all property acquired during the marriage, that is not separate property, including income and retirement. Community property is subject to an equal split during a divorce. Exceptions to this 50/50 division include awarding a disproportionate share or larger share to one spouse, if that spouse has a lower earning capacity or if a spouse had any fault in the marriage relationship. Concealing, hiding, or moving assets may also be considered.

Further, separate property will be kept by the spouse who owned it prior to marriage. Separate property is defined under the Texas Family Code as: (1) property owned

tions escalating, and can be highly complex. It is best to always seek a qualified attorney to help you through this process, ease your burden, and to protect all assets, in your best interest.

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

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

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

Medical versus legal malpractice: What's the differences and similarities

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imon D. Murray, MD: Welcome to this HCPLive® Peers & Perspective® presentation titled, “Issues and Trends in Medical Malpractice.” I’m Dr Simon Murray, an internist from Princeton, New Jersey. I’m joined today by Glenn Bergenfield, a civil trial attorney certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court.

cases. Doctors win the overwhelming majority of cases that go to a jury trial in New Jersey, and lawyers lose the overwhelming majority. It may be because people don’t like lawyers and they like doctors. I think people want to think that their doctor is smart and honest and doing a good job. They’re not so sure about lawyers.

That’s 1 difference.

Only 5% of attorneys receive such designation. In the last 25 years, Glenn has concentrated his law practice on malpractice, principally legal malpractice, but he has a great deal of experience with medical malpractice. Many lawyers are reluctant to sue other attorneys, or at least admit they would do that, but Glenn obviously doesn’t share that bashfulness.

One of the others, I think, is money. When you come into a lawyer’s office, they say, “OK, I can help you. I’ll take your case. Here’s how much it’s going to cost. If you don’t pay me, I can get rid of you.”

The fact that he sues lawyers, I hope, will make him somewhat more likeable to our audience as well. Welcome, Glenn.

Let’s begin.

Glenn Bergenfield: Thank you for having me.

Simon

D.

Murray,

MD:

If you look at a lawyer’s retainer agreement, it’s full of things about money—how you’ve got to pay, when you’re going to pay me, how much you’re going to pay me, and how much everything is going to cost—and the client’s on guard.

By contrast, I think people come into the doctor’s office and the doctor says, “We could do this test,” and the patient doesn’t say, “How much does

Both doctors and lawyers make mistakes when they deal with citizens. However, there is a dramatic difference when the person who suffers from these mistakes sues for malpractice.

Doctors are required to be financially responsible for their mistakes, lawyers are not.

Unlike doctors, lawyers in general have no obligation to maintain malpractice insurance or provide any disclosure to clients that they do not have insurance. Although no exact data is available, it is estimated that approximately forty percent of attorneys do not carry malpractice insurance.

There are numerous documented cases in which consumers have suffered disastrous consequences due to the errors of their attorney.

These errors include missing deadlines, un-

lawyers I’ve sued, I don’t think. They know they can be sued. I think lawyers can be arrogant, certainly. You’re being trusted with intimate secrets that people tell you. I think that’s true of doctors, as well.

There’s a lot of pride in accomplishment, and it’s a powerful position for someone to come in and say, “I’ve got this problem,” whether they’re saying it to a lawyer or a doctor.

I think, in certain people, that breeds arrogance. Sure.

Simon D. Murray, MD: In terms of targets of malpractice, I think doctors are acutely aware that there’s always a possibility of being sued. Do you think lawyers are less acutely aware that they could be sued and, therefore, are less careful about how they operate?

Doctors are required to be financially accountable for their errors. The Florida legislature has passed laws requiring doctors to satisfy financial responsibility requirements. Essentially, a doctor who does not have hospital staff privileges must provide an escrow account, insurance or a letter of credit of not less than $100,000 per claim with a minimum annual aggregate of not less than $300,000. A doctor who has hospital privileges must establish an escrow account, insurance or a letter of credit in the amount of $250,000 per claim and a minimum annual aggregate of not less than $750,000.

OF

PRO

Glenn, what is your experience with medical malpractice, and how does that differ from legal malpractice?

that cost?” When you take money out of the relationship, I think you have a more trusting, harmonious relationship.

thinking about all the time.

Glenn Bergenfield: I think the primary difference is that juries don’t like lawyers particularly, so those cases are won by plaintiffs pretty regularly.

Simon D. Murray, MD: Yes. Do you think perhaps arrogance has anything to do with it too? Lawyers don’t believe they’re capable of being sued, or they think they can get away with things?

Glenn Bergenfield: I didn’t ask most of them. I’m not sure. I hope they like me. I try. If a lawyer’s lying, I try to prove they’re a liar. Otherwise, I don’t. We all make mistakes, and we stand behind our work—doctors or

The cases are also a little more understandable to a jury than medical malpractice

Glenn Bergenfield: Not the

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

Simon D. Murray, MD: How are you viewed by your peers in the legal community?

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT APPLYING FOR ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES

Sharlene Sharmila Richards

Q: What do I need to show to be able to qualify for asylum?

Look for Form I-589 and there is a separate link to click for ‘filing address’.

A: In order to be eligible for asylum, the applicant must demonstrate that he or she meets the definition of a refugee. The individual must be unable or unwilling to return to his country of nationality because of persecution or he or she has a well-founded fear of persecution on account of at least one of the five protected grounds: race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. The applicant must show that the persecution is by the country’s government of by agents or individuals for whom the Government is unable to control.

Q: If I file for asylum, what about my spouse and minor children under the age of 21 years?

A: You must list them in your asylum application regardless of their age and marital status, whether they are in the US or not. You may also ask to have your spouse and any children under the age of 21 years of age and unmarried to be included in your asylum decision if they are in the US. If they are not in the US, you may separately petition for their immigration using Form I-730 Refugee / Asylee Relative Petition once you have been granted asylum.

Q: Is there a timeframe to file an application for asylum?

Q: I have been placed in immigration court for removal because of overstay. I am not married to a US Citizen. I have been here in the United States for about 5 years and I am afraid to return to my home country. Can I ask the court to give me asylum?

A: The timeframe to file an asylum application is within one year of your arrival in the United States. There are some exceptions whereby an applicant may still file an asylum application beyond the one year period. The exceptions for the one year filing include changed circumstances which materially affect eligibility for asylum; change in country conditions; change in the applicant’s circumstances, extraordinary circumstances which prevented filing within the one year deadline (such as serious illness or mental/ physical disability; ineffective assistance of counsel, etc); unaccompanied minor who arrived in the US as a child under the age of 18 years; filing within a reasonable time after lawful status has expired or ended. For most of these exceptions to properly apply, it is advisable to file for asylum within a reasonable period when the change in circumstances have occurred.

A: If you have a wellfounded fear of persecution on account of one or more of the five protected grounds: race, religion, political opinion, nationality or membership in a particular social group, you may file with the immigration court Form I-589 Application for Asylum or Withholding or Removal to seek relief from removal. Since you have been here for more than 5 years, your application under form I-589 will probably be for Withholding of Removal only and not for asylum, unless you can show that you fall within one of the exceptions which will excuse the requirement that you file your asylum application within one year of your arrival in the United States.

Q: What are the notable differences between asylum and withholding of removal?

Q: What is the filing fee for asylum? Where do I obtain the form and where must the form be mailed to?

A: The standard of proof required to be granted asylum is lower than for withholding or removal. Technically it is easier to be granted asylum than withholding of removal.

In addition to that if you received asylum, you will be able to apply for permanent resident status after one year of holding asylee status and your

A: There is no filing fee for an asylum application.

The Form to use is Form I-589 Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal. The Form can be obtained from the USCIS website at www. uscis.gov under “Forms”. For the mailing address, you will also find that under ‘Forms’.

family members included in your asylum application and who live in the US may also be granted asylum. If they are not in the US, you may petition for them to join you in the US as family members of an asylee. On the other hand, those who receive withholding of removal will not be eligible for permanent residence and his or her family members will not be able to benefit from that grant of withholding of removal.

Q: Can I travel after I have applied for asylum?

A: If your asylum application is still pending and you wish to travel, you need to obtain advance parole prior to the travel. The advance parole will allow you to return to the United States without a visa after foreign travel.

Q: I was granted asylum several months ago and my passport had been cancelled as part of my claimed persecution. I need to travel.

How can I travel without a passport?

A: Those who hold asylee status may apply for a Refugee Travel Document which will permit re-entry to the US as an asylee.

Disclaimer: Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case. Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case.

My Bio Sharlene Sharmila Richards is a licensed Immigration Lawyer practicing in Houston, Texas. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000 and is a member of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of the US Supreme Court. If you require advice or assistance, you may contact her at telephone number 713-623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

Sharlene Sharmila Richards Attorney at Law

www.richardsimmigration.com

Glenn Bergenfield: They don’t think about it as much as doctors. In doctors, it’s very heightened, and I would say, almost a paranoia, at this point—institutional paranoia—whereas with lawyers, it’s not something that they’re

familiarity with the law, conflict of interest and failing to obtain client consent. Clients who have suffered damages at the hands of their lawyers have no practical recourse whatsoever when the attorney has no malpractice insurance.

Tel: 713-774-5140

YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER

FAMILY LAW:

by one before the marriage, (2) property acquired by a spouse by gift, devise, or descent during the marriage, and (3) any compensation or settlement from a personal injury damages during the marriage. That is, all property one spouse had before the marriage, including vehicles, property, businesses, are yours to keep after the divorce. However, if the other spouses name is added to the title, given possession during the marriage, or helped pay for the property, then it may have become community property. Additionally, any income from separate property, during the marriage, is community property. If separate and community property are commingled in one bank account, the money will be traced back to its origination in order to determine the true nature of the property.

The standard to prove separate property is by ‘clear and convincing evidence’.

Thus, it is always important to keep all documentation, for any and all property and debt, so there is no question as to whose asset or liability it is. Retirement accounts are also very complex to divide and may include both separate and community amounts that must be calculated. One should never have to handle a divorce on their own as divorces are difficult to deal with especially with emo-

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4151 Southwest Freeway, Ste: 600, Houston, Texas 77027 lawyers. If it’s just a mistake, then a lawyer’s entitled to go to the jury and say, “The lawyer made a mistake here. He or she may not think so, but that’s what we think.” You don’t try to paint them to be a monster but as somebody who made a mistake.

Simon D. Murray, MD: Do you think judges would view a case of legal malpractice differently from a case of medical malpractice?

Glenn Bergenfield: When I was younger, I would take a tremendous beating from the

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judges about suing lawyers. I think the judges were thinking, “First of all, I like lawyers. I’m like the best lawyer there is because I got to be a judge,” so that’s 1 problem.

The second is that I think they thought, “I did things that like when I was a lawyer, and I don’t want to get sued for that.” They’re sympathetic to the lawyers.

Now that I’m older, and older than a lot of the judges, I don’t get as much pushback in the cases. The judges generally handle them fairly.

Simon D. Murray, MD: Yes. There’s a general story that says: If you graduate last in your medical school class, what are you called? The answer is: doctor. What are you called if you graduate last in your legal class? You’re called Your Honor.

Glenn Bergenfield: Right.

You said that, so I’ll leave it there. That’s what’s been said, yes.

Simon D. Murray, MD: I don’t know how true that is.

- Interview by MD Magazine

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Section 2

Young Life

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

www.voiceofasia.news

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

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Houston Methodist Sugar Land employees donate school supplies to children in need

The scientific debate over teens, screens and mental health

by Anya Kamanetz

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ore teens and young adults — particularly girls and young women — are reporting being depressed and anxious, compared with comparable numbers from the mid-2000s. Suicides are up too in that time period, most noticeably among girls ages 10 to 14.

One hypothesis that has gotten a lot of traction is that with nearly every teen using a smartphone these days, digital media must take some of the blame for worsening mental health.

But some researchers argue that this theory isn't well supported by existing evidence and that it repeats a "moral panic" argument made many times in the past about video games, rap lyrics, television and even radio, back in its early days.

To understand both sides of the debate, I talked in detail to three researchers: one who argues that teens' use of tech is a big problem, one who thinks the danger is exaggerated and an expert in research methodology who suggests the connection may not be so simple.

Very concerned about smartphones Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, may be the researcher most associated with the idea that smartphones are dangerous to teens. She's the author of the book iGen, whose 27-word subtitle states her thesis: Why Today's SuperConnected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy — and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood — and What That Means for the Rest of Us. "At first, when I saw these trends in loneliness and unhappiness and depression starting to spike around 2011 or 2012, I really had no idea what could possibly be causing that. It was a real mystery," she tells NPR. Then, she says, she took note of Pew research that showed 2012 was the first year that most cell phone owners had switched to smartphones.

Not only do these two trend lines seem to coincide in time, but Twenge also notes that young people who report spending the most time on smartphones — five to seven hours a day — are twice as likely to report being depressed as those who use their phones for one to two hours a day.

Twenge isn't claiming to have proved that smartphones cause depression. The data sets she works with — essentially large surveys — don't allow for that.

"It is impossible to do a random controlled trial on generations because you can't randomly assign people to be born at different times. So we cannot prove causation given that limitation," she explains. "So we have to go on the data that we have — which is obviously not going to be a true experiment — but it adds up to a lot of evidence pointing toward technology possibly playing a role in this increase in mental health issues."

Evidence — with caveats Given that all teens use media, I asked Twenge, why would the worsening trend in mental health be more pronounced in girls than in boys?

She responded with one possible explanation: Social media, which girls tend to spend more time on, may be the culprit.

"Social media invites comparison," Twenge says. "It's not in real time. It invites anxiety over the likes and responses that you're going to get."

Given that adults use media even more than teenagers, why does this trend crop up in teens? Twenge says it's because their brains are still vulnerable and developing. Plus, they haven't had as much time to make social connections in real life as older people have, so they are even more dependent on their phones for social validation.

Twenge even thinks that the availability of smartphones could help explain the rise in suicide rates among the youngest girls. "They have more access to information online — potentially harmful information about how to harm yourself."

My final question for Twenge: She, personally, made a very similar argument about young people before smartphones existed. She previously published a book, Generation Me, that looked at similar data sets and labeled the millennial generation as "miserable," "narcissistic" and "anxious." That book came out in 2006; the iPhone was introduced in 2007. Is she putting old wine in new bottles?

Twenge says that comparing then with now, mental health trends are even more negative for what she calls iGen and, in retrospect, "more of a mixed bag" for millennials.

Illustration: iStock

Not worth the time Parents are concerned. Detox programs have sprung up to treat teen tech addiction. But some researchers are skeptical of the hypothesis that smartphones cause problems.

One team has published three papers that analyzed the same data Twenge is looking at — over 350,000 participants in three nationwide surveys in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

Amy Orben, the lead author of each paper and a psychologist at Oxford University, says the team found that the actual negative relationship between teens' mental health and technology use is tiny.

"A teenagers' technology use can only explain less than 1% of variation in well-being," Orben says. "It's so small that it's surpassed by whether a teenager wears glasses to school," or rides a bicycle, or eats potatoes — all comparisons made by Orben and her Oxford co-author Andrew K. Przybylski.

How can this be? Well, smartphone use is almost ubiquitous among teenagers today, while only a small minority report mental health problems. So, knowing that a teenager uses a smartphone, even for many hours a day, won't reliably predict that the teenager will become depressed. It tells you far, far less than factors like genetics or the presence of childhood trauma, for example.

Orben has been researching the history of people making dire claims about young people and new forms of media. For example, she says, "In the 1940s, people were already talking about 'radio addiction.' One study found that fully 57% of children ages 6 to 16 were severely 'addicted to radio programs and needed them like an alcoholic does their drink.' " She thinks the negative trends in mental health could be explained by a wide range of factors: economic anxiety or political upheaval, to name two. And, she adds, there's a chance that young people today may simply be more open in surveys when asked about mental health challenges. "A lot of teenagers are a lot more OK to say they're not OK." Ironically, this openness may in fact be partly due to social media.

Twenge responds that a forthcoming paper she has written, currently under review, will challenge the conclusions of Orben's team. She says that just because the impact of smartphone use appears small, that doesn't mean it's insignificant, especially since, unlike genetics, it may be controllable.

Statistically problematic As a sort of referee on this debate, I called up Katherine Keyes, an epidemiologist at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

Her focus is on explaining populationwide trends, particularly in adolescent mental health.

She too is a critic of Twenge's work, saying it has a tendency to "skew the data" by zooming in on screen use to the exclusion of other factors in the lives of adolescents.

And, she says, there are lots of numbers that don't necessarily fit Twenge's theory. The uptick in suicides started in 1999. The downturn in teen mental health started in 2005. The iPhone was introduced in 2007 and wasn't accessible to most teenagers for several years.

Not all the news is bad when it comes to teens. High school graduation rates are up, for example. Drug and alcohol use is down, as are car crashes and teen pregnancy.

Adolescent mental health isn't in "free-fall," says Keyes, but seems to have leveled off since a dip in 2012.

We're not seeing the same negative trends in every country, even in those where teens are just as glued to their screens as they are in the United States.

There isn't a linear relationship between screen use and mental health.

On most surveys, teens who use their phones up to two hours a day appear healthier than those who don't use them at all. This doesn't count other reasons for technology use, such as homework or listening to music.

In the case of heavy users, Keyes says, smartphone use may be more a symptom than a cause of mental health problems. Or there may be a third variable that is driving both — like a lack of parental support or health issues.

The explanation that Keyes finds most compelling is that there is a "bidirectional" relationship among teens, screens and mental health. In other words, as argued in this paper by Candice Odgers in the journal Nature, teens who are already struggling may be more drawn to screens and more likely to form unhealthy relationships with media, for example by seeking out information on self-harm or encountering cyberbullies. The time they spend online might in turn make them feel worse.

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Photo courtesy Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospitial

UGAR LAND — (August 26, 2019) — Employees at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital “adopted” 29 local students during Fort Bend Rainbow Room’s annual school supplies drive – donating new clothing, backpacks and supplies to help those less fortunate start the school year off right.

Fort Bend Rainbow Room provides a wide range of emergency resources for caseworkers assisting families in crisis. Snack items, diapers, toiletries, clothes, toys and more are all new and available 24/7.

“Receiving new clothes and supplies can make a significant positive impact on children in need,” said Tonya Lewis, executive director of Fort Bend Rainbow Room. “Through their generosity, the employees at Houston Methodist Sugar Land helped elementary, middle and high school students feel like they fit in with their peers and that someone cares. We are so grateful to the hospital for its partnership.”

Houston Methodist Sugar Land is a long-time supporter of Fort Bend Rainbow Room and its annual school supplies drive.

“Our mission to care for our community extends beyond the hospital’s walls,” said Chris Siebenaler, senior regional vice president and CEO of Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “Our involvement with Fort Bend Rainbow Room gives our employees an opportunity to come together and support our neighbors in need. It’s such a rewarding project because we know we are helping young people feel better by giving them a fresh start to a new school year.”

The adopted students attend schools in Fort Bend, Lamar, Needville and other local districts. In total, more than 300 students were helped by the annual school supplies drive.

“I’m extremely proud of our employees for once again demonstrating their commitment to our community,” said Siebenaler.

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

Young Texas couple weds, then dies in car crash just minutes later

by Scott Mcdonald

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RANGE, Texas, Friday, 8/23/19 - A young couple who had dated off and on since they were in eighth grade got married in the southeast Texas town of Orange on Friday afternoon. Five minutes after Harley Morgan, 19, and Rhiannon Morgan, 20, said their vows in a courtroom, their vehicle was struck by another, killing the newlyweds instantly.

babies die," LaShawna Morgan said in The Enterprise. "That is an image I will have for the rest of my life.

I still have his blood on my hands from trying to pull him out of there.

Please go home and hug your loved ones tonight. Do not go to bed angry."

LaShawna said that after the couple's vehicle was struck, their car flipped multiple times before coming to a stop in a nearby ditch.

Twenge agrees with the general idea that "social media invites comparisons and anxiety."

What's a parent to do?

Although their conclusions are different, no researcher I've spoken with thinks it's a great idea to let teens scroll through TikTok or play Fortnite all day and night.

Twenge, Orben and Keyes are supportive of similar common-sense rules, like making sure teens don't have their phones in their bedrooms late at night and trying to ensure that their lives are balanced with outdoor exercise, school and face-to-face time with friends and family.

So why should the average parent worry about this scientific controversy? Because, Keyes says, when parents simply demonize phones, "there's less of a communications channel" about what teens are encountering online. A parent's opportunity to mentor or support positive uses of media is replaced by "confrontation on a dayto-day basis." Well-meaning parents, wrongly believing the phone to be as risky as a cigarette or a beer, may actually be making their children's lives harder by fighting with them about it.

- NPR

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

Harley Joe Morgan, 19, and Rhiannon Boudreaux Morgan, 20, died just minutes after they said their vows (Picture: Christina Fontenot/Facebook/KFDM) Orange County's Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Joy Dubose-Simonton, who presided over the wedding for the young couple from Vidor, Texas, on Friday afternoon, was ultimately the same official who pronounced them dead at the scene just five minutes after the short wedding.

One family member told NBC 12 News in Beaumont that, "The two of them had so many dreams, and all they wanted was to have their family surrounding them."

The family told the Beaumont Enterprise that Harley and Rhiannon had been a couple off and on since junior high.

The driver of the truck that struck them was not injured. He was driving a Ford F-250 pickup truck and was hauling a tractor that was on top of a trailer he was towing, according to NBC 12 News. There was no indication if charges would be filed in this case.

LaShawna Morgan, Harley's mother, was traveling close to the young couple's 2004 Chevrolet when it was hit by a Ford pickup truck on Highway 87 South in Orange. She described trying to pull her son from the wreckage, and that it's a lasting memory she's unlikely to ever forget.

"I had to sit there and watch my two

The Orange Police Department said they received a call about the wreck around 3 p.m. Friday.

Police were still on the scene of the wreck Friday afternoon, and the cause of the collision has not been released.

- Newsweek

More news: voiceofasia.news

VOICE OF ASIA 15

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

August is Suicide Prevention Month

August is Prevention of Underage Drinking and Driving Prevention Month

Section 2 Tel: 713-774-5140

'Vaccines Save Lives': An urgent public appeal

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accines are a remarkable tool for public health.

What is HRA?:

They can protect against a range of potentially dangerous illnesses, like measles, flu, whooping cough, meningitis, polio, and cancer-causing HPV (to name a few!). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that vaccination prevents between 2 and 3 million deaths every year. And the really special thing about them is that they don’t just offer protection to the person getting vaccinated. That’s because when enough people get vaccinated it creates herd immunity, making it significantly harder for a vaccine-preventable illness to spread within a community. Herd immunity is amazing because it helps protect those who can’t get vaccinated or who don’t have vaccine protection, like very young babies and people with compromised immune systems.

Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 105(h) allows employers to contribute tax-free funds to Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) so employees can pay for certain medical expenses that are not covered by any other source. HRAs can be designed by an employer to fit a variety of needs and program designs.

To understand how your HRA is set up, you will have to review your plan documents or other plan information provided by your employer. Source: Benefit Resource Inc. Here are some HRA Basics: • HRAs are funded entirely through employer contributions. Your employer will indicate what contributions will be made and at what frequency.

This is, unfortunately, a timely and important topic. The WHO listed vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten threats to global health in 2019.

And this growing trend is becoming increasingly dangerous, with certain vaccine-preventable diseases on the rise—something we’ve witnessed here in the United States with this year’s measles outbreaks.

People who are vaccine hesitant aren't necessarily completely anti-vaccine—instead for a variety of reasons they're reluctant to vaccinate themselves or their kids because they aren't convinced that the benefits outweigh the risks. As a parent, I can relate to the feeling of anxiety about wanting to make sure that everything that goes on, around, near, or in my child is actually safe and in her best interest. I understand why parents have questions, and they should feel empowered to ask those questions. The key is making sure that anyone with questions is getting evidence-based information from trustworthy sources.

Because unfortunately there's a ton of misinformation out there—and it's putting people at risk.

Which is why today we’re launching SELF magazine’s latest project: Vaccines Save Lives. Our mission with this project is to use storytelling, reporting, and creative imagery to show just how necessary and important vaccines are—for your health, your family’s health, and the health of your whole community.

As one component of this project, we partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to create a series of immunization stock photos that we’ve published on Flickr and on the AAP website under a Cre-

• Your employer will determine the eligibility requirements for receiving HRA contributions. Generally, you must be enrolled in a specific health plan through the employer to receive the funds.

Photo: Heather Hazzan. ative Commons license, which means they’re free for anyone—media outlets, brands, bloggers, hospitals, and so on—to download and use with proper attribution. We’ve seen health reporters and physicians griping on social media that typical vaccine stock photography is pretty awful: It’s often inaccurate, fearmongering, or both.

So we worked with the AAP to create medically accurate pictures that better convey the importance and usefulness of vaccines. We shot the photos at a One Medical doctor’s office in Brooklyn, New York, and the pictures feature actual physicians from the practice administering the vaccines (and doing it correctly!). You can read more about the partnership and photo project here.

In addition to the photo project, we’ve also published an editorial package all about vaccines. The package includes first-person stories— from raising a kid who can’t be vaccinated, to what it’s like to rely on herd immunity to live your life, to one mother’s story about what happened when her four-month-old contracted

measles at Disneyland. We also spoke with health-care providers about their experiences treating patients with vaccine-preventable illnesses or speaking with vaccine-hesitant parents. And if you’re looking for information, we published several deeply reported pieces covering topics such as herd immunity, medical exemptions, the childhood immunization schedule, vaccines you need as an adult, and more. Check out the entire editorial package here.

Taking my health-editor hat off and putting my mom-hat on, I want to add that I’m not particularly fond of needles, I love my daughter, and taking her to the doctor to get her shots isn’t my favorite bonding activity.

But knowing that those shots give her better protection against some really nasty bugs out there gives me a sense of relief so much bigger than whatever feelings of discomfort or anxiety I may have during the appointment.

My hope is that this project will help others feel that same confidence and peace of mind.

-Editors, Self Magazine

Man has 25% of his skin removed to treat 'flesh-eating' infection

by Rachel Rattner

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IAMI - A man in Florida has lost 25% of his skin after developing a lifethreatening infection with flesh-eating bacteria, according to news reports.

The 50-year-old-man, David Ireland, first showed signs of illness on Aug. 16, when he developed flu-like symptoms, including aches and fever, according to Fox News. His symptoms quickly worsened, and by Aug. 20, he was in extreme pain and was rushed to the emergency room.

"He was fine one minute and sick the next," Jody Ireland, David's wife, told Fox News.

David Ireland was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, more commonly known as "flesh-eating" bacteria, which can destroy skin and muscle tissue. He is now in critical condition and has undergone three surgeries that removed about 25% of his skin, from his ankle to his torso, according to Newsweek.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a serious infection that spreads quickly in the body and can result in the loss of limbs and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Several types of bacteria can cause necrotizing fasciitis, but the most common cause is a bacterium called group A Streptococcus, or group A strep. It's this bacterium that's causing Ireland's infection, his family said.

Most commonly, people get necrotizing fasciitis when the bacteria enter the body through breaks in the skin, including cuts, scrapes, burns and surgical wounds, the CDC said.

In Ireland's case, the bacteria may have entered his body through an open wound on his leg, Fox News reported.

Health Reimursement Account (HRA) Basics

He also has diabetes, which puts him at greater risk for developing this infection.

Still, necrotizing fasciitis is rare, with about about 4 cases per 100,000 people occurring each year in the United States, Live Science previously reported.

Ireland's family has created a Go-

FundMe page to help cover his medical expenses. He is still in the intensive care unit and is expected to have another operation soon.

"David is still in a life-threatening situation, but there are some small victories every day," Jody Ireland wrote on the GoFund Me page. "My life isn't the same without him, so really praying for a miracle." - LiveScience.com

• Your employer may limit the expense types that can be reimbursed through the HRA. Potential eligible medical expenses are defined by IRC Section 213(d) and may include: copayments, co-insurance, deductible, dental, vision, chiropractic and more.

Please see your plan documents for specifics on eligible expenses for your plan.

• Your employer will determine when claims must be submitted and for how long contributed funds will remain available. Some plans work like an FSA (Flexible Spending Account) and the HRA funds must be spent by the end of the plan year. Other plans will roll over from year to year. A Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) is an employer-funded account that helps employees pay for qualified medical expenses not covered by their health plans. HRAs are compatible with all types of health insurance plans and they are owned by the employer.

Pay for out-of-pocket expenses You can use an HRA to reimburse yourself for many common health care expenses, including over the counter items.

1. An HRA is solely employer funded.

While FSAs and HSAs allow employees to contribute pre-tax dollars through payroll, an HRA is solely funded by the employer (or plan sponsor). This is a fundamental component of HRA rules.

C

New research in the journal Cell Metabolism outlines a novel way to intermittently restrict calorie intake, a method that achieves the same health benefits while possibly being more manageable than constantly restricting calories.

In a paper published on Tuesday, an international team of researchers presented the results of a clinical trial in which “alternate day fasting” resulted in reduced calorie intake, reduced body mass index, and improved torso fat composition. Known as “ADF,” it is a diet regimen in which adherents avoid all food and caloric beverages for 36 hours, then eating whatever they want for 12 hours — donuts,

cookies, dumpster pizza, whatever.

In this randomized controlled trial, 30 non-obese volunteers who had done ADF for at least six months were compared over a 4-week period to 60 healthy control subjects. While the results of this clinical trial show that ADF had similar health benefits to caloric restriction, even though the “feast days” could include a lot of unhealthy calories. The researchers also write that ADF has some distinct advantages over CR. Mainly, they say it may be easier to maintain the habit.

“Here, we show in a clinical trial that a related intervention, alternate day fasting (ADF), also leads to striking reduction in overall calorie intake over the course of the study but is more easily tolerated than continuous CR and provokes similar beneficial changes on the cardiovascular system and on body composition while being safe for a period of >6 months,” write the study’s authors, led by first author Slaven Stekovic, Ph.D., a postdoctoral

3. An HRA may not automatically cover your dependents An HRA can be designed to cover just an employee or an employee and their dependents. Every HRA plan will have Plan Documents that define its specific HRA rules. If dependents are to be covered by an employee’s HRA, they must also be enrolled in a group health plan.

From a practical perspective, it means dependents must be identified on claims and they, too, must be eligible.

4. The expenses covered by an HRA can vary While Publication 502 can often be used as a guide to determine if an expense is likely eligible under an HRA, it will not always be the determining authority. Employers have the ability to place additional restrictions on what is considered an eligible expense for HRA reimbursement purposes. HRA participants should always refer to their plan documentation for additional guidance on what expenses are covered.

5. Employers set many of the rules for HRAs If you haven’t gathered by now, HRAs are not always black and white. HRA rules can be complicated. And, there are pros and cons to HRAs. The most common factors determined by the employer, include: • How much will be allocated to employees and what causes the amount to vary • What categories of expenses are eligible for reimbursement

An HRA must typically be offered alongside a comprehensive health plan.

This is what is referred to as an “Integrated HRA”. But, why is an “Integrated HRA” necessary? An HRA is currently defined as a group health plan. The Affordable Care Act (commonly referred to as Health Care Reform) placed certain restrictions on group health plans.

Specifically, benefits paid out of group health plans cannot have annual limits.

When an HRA is integrated, the underlying health plan solves the requirement

• What happens to funds at the end of the plan year when an employee is no longer eligible, is terminated and/ or retires

It may be even easier than caloric restriction, but with all the benefits aloric restriction is a welldocumented way to lose weight, improve heart health, and potentially even slow aging, but scientists still don’t agree on the best way to … not eat.

regarding annual limits. However, a stand-alone HRA with a specific contribution amount is viewed as being in violation of the annual limit rule.

2. HRAs generally need to be integrated (at least for now)

Not eating for 36 hours is shown to be a surprisingly sustainable diet, study shows

by Peter Hess

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900

researcher at the University of Graz in Austria.

“We also found positive alterations in cardiovascular disease risk factors and in fat mass after only 4 weeks of ADF. In the future, this practice, which is already growing in use as a lifestyle intervention, could eventually accommodate modern healthcare in various settings.”

Previous work on intermittent fasting has shown that restricting an animal’s calories — without depriving them of adequate nutrition, of course — can increase their lifespan, though much of the work has been limited to monkeys and other non-human animals.

This latest study builds on that existing research by following a mid-sized human cohort for enough time to show not just significant benefits but also no negative side effects.

And while intermittent fasting and caloric restriction are hot topics these

• When claims need to be incurred and submitted for reimbursement For Group or Individual health insurance, Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare Supplement plan or Medicare Drug plan contact Sudhir Mathuria at 713771-2900.

days among biohackers and fitness enthusiasts, the researchers behind the study are careful to note that anyone who’s interested in trying out ADF should consult their physician before embarking on this rather drastic change in lifestyle and diet. They note that most people could probably achieve similar benefits by just adjusting their lifestyle a bit.

“Importantly, although not directly assessed in this study, a wholesome and balanced diet is likely crucial to foster the beneficial effects caused by ADF,” they write.

“Thus, appreciable clinical support and a generally healthy lifestyle should be considered before starting ADF.” Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting are known to prolong life- and healthspan in model organisms, while their effects on humans are less well studied. In a randomized controlled trial study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02673515), we show that 4 weeks of strict alternate day fasting (ADF) improved markers of general health in healthy, middle-aged humans while causing a 37% calorie reduction on average.

No adverse effects occurred even after >6 months. (Full abstact online) - Inverse.com

VOICE OF ASIA 16

Section 2

Senior Living

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Local centers may be unprepared for senior population boom, study finds

www.voiceofasia.news

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

Tel: 713-774-5140

Heart attacks halved by daily 'polypill', strokes reduced too: study

by Marlowe HOood

P

ARIS, France | AFP | Friday 8/23/2019 - A cheap, oncea-day pill combining aspirin with drugs that lower blood pressure and cholesterol cuts cardiovascular disease as a whole by a third, and heart attacks by more than half, researchers said Friday.

In clinical trials, the so-called "polypill" was especially effective among people with no history of cardiovascular disease, reducing the number of severe events by 40 percent, the researchers reported in The Lancet, a medical journal.

For those with a history of heart problems and strokes, the drug combo was only half as effective compared to the control group, who received advice on healthy living but no drugs.

File photo/AFP

A

report released Monday by the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation found that the network of senior centers in the county may be unprepared for the growth of the region’s senior population over the next decade.

The foundation visited and analyzed data from the 28 senior centers around the county and seven community centers that serve seniors to prepare the report, which is intended to identify challenges facing local senior centers and how to fix them before the county’s senior population explodes.

Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, people over age 65 number nearly 470,000 and make up nearly 14% of the county’s population of 3.3 million. By 2030, county residents aged 60 or older could number more than one million.

“This influx will strain the already fragile network of existing services for seniors, increasing the risk of social isolation and many other concerns,” said SDSCF Board Chair Ted Chan. “Society is not ready to deal with the reality that the national and local infrastructure is inadequate and ill-equipped to effectively serve a burgeoning senior population.”

The report found that a majority of senior centers and in need of repairs and many are underfunded. According to the report, 21 of the 28 senior centers surveyed were built at least 30 years ago. In addition, many senior centers are understaffed, six have no

full-time staff members and 20 are overseen by only one or two full-time employees.

Various external factors like housing affordability and language barriers have also hampered senior centers’ ability to serve older residents. Seniors often have difficulty arranging transportation to and from their local senior center and the facilities themselves are often unable to provide transportation due to shoestring budgets, according to the report.

“The objective of this report is to call out and inspire community leaders, politicians and philanthropists to take action now and create solutions to improve and enrich the lives of San Diego’s older adults,” said foundation President and CEO Bob Kelly.

One potential solution to accommodate the growing senior population is an emphasis on philanthropy, according to the foundation. Nationally, roughly 2% of philanthropic money is donated to senior programs, a rate that has stayed stagnant for the last two decades, according to the report.

The foundation also recommends partnerships with local healthcare foundations and hospital systems as potential funding sources, and the formation of a conference of local senior center leaders to discuss local strategies to accommodate the senior population.

The SDSCF published the report with grant funding from the Gary and Mary West Foundation.

Want to live longer?

Be an optimist, study says

by Sandee Lamotte

F

ocusing on the upside of life could easily be the theme song for research focusing on a key component of longevity: optimism.

Optimism doesn't mean ignoring life's stressors. But when negative things happen, optimistic people are less likely to blame themselves and more likely to see the obstacle as temporary or even positive. They also believe they have control over their fate and can create opportunities for good things to happen in the future.

A new study published Monday finds men and women with the highest levels of optimism had an 11% to 15% longer life span on average than those who practiced little positive thinking.

The highest-scoring optimists also had the greatest odds of living to age 85 or beyond.

The results held true, the study found, even when socioeconomic status, health conditions, depression, smoking, social engagement, poor diet and alcohol use were considered.

"This was the first study to look at the impact of optimism on exceptional longevity, which is defined as living to age 85 or more," said lead author Lewina Lee, assistant professor of psychiatry at Boston University's School of Medicine. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study found women with the highest levels of optimism had 1.5 greater odds of living to 85 or beyond, compared to those with the lowest levels of optimism. Highly optimistic men had 1.7 greater odds of living to that age over the more pessimistic.

Again, those relationships remained true even after adjusting for health behaviors.

How would an optimistic attitude help you live a much longer life?

"Optimistic individuals tend to have goals and the confidence to reach them," Lee said. "Those goals could include healthy habits that contribute to a longer life."

Prior research has found a direct link between optimism and healthier diet and exercise behaviors, as well as better cardiac health, a stronger immune system, better lung function, and lower mortality risk, among others.

"Optimism is one important psychological dimension that has emerged as showing some really interesting associations with health," said neuroscientist Richard Davidson, professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds.

"And I would add other positive attributes, such as mindfulness, compassion, kindness, and having a strong sense of purpose in life," Davidson added.

Want to be more optimistic?

Studies of twins finds only about 25% of our optimism is programmed by our genes. The rest is up to us and how we respond to life's lemons.

If you tend to be a sour puss about the stresses in your life, don't worry.

It turns out you can actually train your brain to be more positive.

"There is research which indicates that optimism can actually be enhanced or nurtured through certain kinds of training," Davidson said.

"So, it does open the possibility that cultivating optimism and other positive attributes may lead to significant improvements in health-related outcomes, including longevity."

At Davidson's Center for Healthy Minds, researchers studied the brains of Tibetan Buddhist monks recruited by the Dali Lama and found startling results: Tens of thousands of hours of meditation had permanently altered the structure and function of the monks' brains.

But you don't have to devote your life to meditation to see change, Davidson said. He pointed to the results of a randomized controlled trial of people who've never meditated before.

Using direct measures of brain function and structure, Davidson found it

Among participants who took the pill as directed -- at least 70 percent of the time -- heart attack incidence declined by 57 percent.

The polypill concept was first proposed more than 20 years ago as a simpler, cost-effective approach to treating cardiovascular disease, which often requires taking several medications.

Currently, patients are typically prescribed one or more drugs to lower blood pressure along with a statin, which holds lipids such as fatty acids in check. Aspirin, an analgesic, has blood thinning properties.

"The more tablets people have to take, the less they comply in the longterm," noted Kausik Ray, a professor in public health and Imperial College London not involved in the study.

"For chronic diseases, this is a challenge as you are asking people to take multiple medications every day for 30 or 40 years."

About a third of patients stop taking their meds as early as 90 days after a heart attack, according to earlier research.

But despite its obvious potential, the polypill had yet to be tested on a large number of people over a long period

only took 30 minutes a day of meditation practice over the course of two weeks to produce a measurable change in the brain.

"When these kinds of mental exercises taught to people, it actually changes the function and the structure of their brain in ways that we think support these kinds of positive qualities," Davidson said. "And that may be key in producing the downstream impact on the body."

Training a more positive brain There are simple mental exercises that any person can do to nurture an optimistic outlook.

Imagine your best possible self One of the most effective ways to increase optimism, according to a metaanalysis of existing studies, is called the "Best Possible Self" method. Interventions using this approach will ask you to imagine yourself in a future in which you have achieved all your life goals and all of your problems have been resolved.

One technique, for example, is to write for 15 minutes about a future day in your life in which you have accomplished everything you wish.

Then spent five minutes imaging that reality. Practicing this daily can significantly improve your positive feelings.

Keep a journal of positives Many of us can easily recite a litany of negative things that have happened to us each day. But ask what went well, and we might stumble. That's why keeping a daily journal in which you list the positive experiences you had that day can help shape your outlook.

Be grateful Taking a few minutes each day to write down what makes you thankful can improve your outlook on life.

A number of studies have shown that practicing gratefulness improves positive coping skills by breaking the typical negative thinking style and substituting optimism. Counting blessings even lessened problem behavior in adolescents.

Practice mindfulness One of Davidson's favorite mindfulness exercises cultivates appreciation.

"Simply to bring to mind people that are in our lives from whom we have received some kind of help," Davidson said. "Bring them to mind and appreciate the care and support or whatever it might be that these individuals have provided." \ - CNN

File photo/AFP

of time.

Scientists led by Reza Malekzadeh from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences recruited nearly 7,000 men and women, aged 50 to 75, living in rural Golestan, a province in Iran.

- Take your meds About one in 10 had previously had heart attacks, strokes or other cardiovascular episodes.

The participants were divided into two groups of roughly the same size.

One was given "lifestyle advice" only, while the other also got a daily polypill from 2011 to 2013.

Doctors monitored compliance with the drug regimen, and then tallied the number of strokes and heart attacks across each cohort over the next five years.

Crucially, adherence was significantly higher with the all-in-one pill.

"Drugs do not work if they are not taken," noted Amitava Banerjee, a consultant cardiologist at University College London.

Compared with the lifestyle group, the polypill cohort had 34 percent fewer adverse events. Results were similar for men and women.

Blood pressure did not differ much, but "bad" (LDL) cholesterol levels were lower in the group taking meds.

"Now we know that a fixed-dose polypill can achieve clinical benefits in practice," Malekzadeh said in a statement.

"But the polypill is not an alternative to a healthy lifestyle and should be combined with physical activity, a healthy diet, and smoking cessation."

Other researchers not involved in the study said the findings could be a game changer, especially in developing nations.

"Given the polypill's affordability, there is considerable potential to improve cardiovascular health and to prevent the world's leading cause of death," noted co-author Nizal Sarrafzadegan, a researcher at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

"Over three-quarters of the people of the 18 million people who die from cardiovascular diseases each year live in low and middle-income countries."

Some experts -- including the authors themselves -- said further trials were needed to see of the polypill would prove effective among other populations.

Physical activity at any intensity will help you live longer

H

igh levels of physical activity of any intensity, whether washing dishes or jogging, can lower the risk of an early death for middle-aged and older people, a new study suggests.

Conversely, being sedentary for 9½ hours a day or more (not counting sleeping) can increase your risk of dying early.

Researchers led by professor Ulf Ekelund at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo analyzed studies assessing physical activity and sedentary time with death ("all cause mortality").

Data from eight high quality studies involving 36,383 adults at least 40 years old (average age 62) were included. Activity levels were categorized into quarters, from least to most active, and participants were tracked for an average of 5.8 years, Science

News reported.

Past guidelines have recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week.

Examples of light intensity activity are walking slowly or light tasks such as cooking or washing dishes. Moderate activity is brisk walking, vacuuming or mowing the lawn, while vigorous activity includes jogging, carrying heavy loads or digging.

The researchers noted that deaths fell sharply as activity increased — 300 minutes of light activity or 24 minutes of moderate intensity a day.

But the lowest activity levels experienced the most deaths.

The researchers say this outcome “strengthens the view that any physical activity is beneficial and likely achievable for large segments of the population.”

- AJC.com

THIS IS FOR YOU! Voice of Asia, has dedicated senior readers. This section on Senior Living is dedicated to health and overall wellbeing of all senior members as every day hundreds of men and women are retiring from active life due to age, sickness, disability and so on. Each week we will bring you latest information on ways to cope aging and problems related to it.

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

VOICE OF ASIA 17

How to get the most out of your smartphone battery

Scientists reproduce coral in lab, offering hope for reefs

by David Nield

T

he battery is the most important component in your smartphone, because if the battery isn't working, nothing else can. With the right sort of care and attention, you can make sure your battery stays charged for longer— and lasts longer overall, as well.

There is good news, which is the lithium-ion batteries inside today's phones are more reliable, longer-lasting, and safer—well, mostly—than ever before.

That said, we've got some tips for keeping them healthy and happy.

Top It Off The chemical reactions inside lithiumion batteries are more comfortable with shorter charges and discharges, rather than being drained all the way down and then topped all the way up.

Pillar corals in a water tank at the Florida Aquarium Conservation Center labs, where scientists were able to reproduce the endangered coral species. (Photo: © Gianrigo Marletta)

M

IAMI | AFP | Monday 8/26/2019 - A team of scientists in the US have managed to reproduce coral in a lab setting for the first time ever, an encouraging step in the race to save "America's Great Barrier Reef" off the coast of Florida.

The researchers from Florida Aquarium's Center for Conservation were able to reproduce endangered Atlantic Pillar coral through induced spawning, a development that could ultimately prevent the extinction of the Florida Reef tract.

"This amazing breakthrough was the first time that we spawned Atlantic corals in a laboratory setting that we've had for over a year in our greenhouses," Amber Whittle, the aquarium's director for conservation, told AFP Monday.

"It's been done before at the Horniman Museum in London with Pacific corals, never with Atlantic corals, and the Pillar coral that we spawned is a highly endangered species."

The Florida Aquarium and the Horniman Museum began working together in 2015 on induced reproduction techniques.

Reproduction was achieved by mimicking the conditions of the corals' natural environment, including sunrises, sunsets, moon phases, water temperature and quality.

Florida's corals are deteriorating rapidly due to climate change and a destructive tissue disease that appeared in the waters of the southeastern state in 2014.

Scientists hope to reproduce healthy corals and repopulate the reefs through this technique.

Stability of Earth's climate depends on Amazonia

P

ARIS, France | AFP | Monday 8/26/2019 - The Amazon basin cradles the largest rainforest in the world, and plays an essential role in regulating regional and even global climates.

Here are some facts about the region: - Deforestation Continued destruction of its tropical forests -- measured in tens of thousands of square kilometres per year -- could transform much of the Amazon into dry savannah, with massive impacts on climate and biodiversity worldwide, experts warn.

zon, and more than a quarter in Brazil, according to the World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental policy think tank.

"The world's tropical forests are now in the emergency room," Frances Seymour, a distinguished senior fellow at the WRI, told AFP earlier this year.

"The health of the planet is at stake.

With every hectare lost, we are that much closer to the scary scenario of runaway climate change."

- 'Lungs of the Earth?' Besides Brazil, seven nations strad-

Managing battery life is a delicate operation.

You're not going to seriously damage your phone if you wait for it to die every time before plugging it in again, but you do run the risk of shortening the battery's life. Keeping your phone between 50 percent and 80 percent seems to be the sweet spot. And whenever possible, try not to let it dip below 20 percent.

On a related note, you're fine to leave your phone fully charged and connected to power overnight, or in the office during the day. Smartphones and chargers today can recognize when they've hit

B

IARRITZ, France | AFP | Monday 8/26/2019 - President Donald Trump said Monday that American and French negotiators were "getting close" to reaching agreement on the taxation of US tech giants following a dispute between the two nations.

"They want to make a deal and we'll see if we can make a deal. We're getting close," Trump told journalists at the G7 summit in Biarritz, following threats to slap tariffs on French wine after Paris voted through a digital tax he has described as "very unfair".

The French parliament passed its new levy in July amid frustration at the slow pace of negotiations to reach a global accord to ensure tech multinationals like Facebook and Google pay a larger share of taxes on their operations.

Under EU law, American tax giants can declare their revenues

File photo/AFP

About 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest has disappeared over the last half-century.

Vast tracts of tree cover have been cleared, mostly for the production of lumber, soy, palm oil, biofuels or beef.

- Carbon sink When a tree is cut, its stored carbon will leak into the atmosphere gradually; when it is burned, the CO2 escapes all at once. Either way, it contributes to global warming.

At the same time, global forests -and especially the tropics -- soak up 25 to 30 percent of the carbon dioxide that humanity spews into the atmosphere. (Oceans absorb another 20 percent.)

Without these CO2 "sinks", Earth's surface temperature would already be hotter, and the risk of runaway global warming that much higher.

Of the approximately 160,000 km2 of tropical tree cover lost worldwide in 2017, 35 percent was in the Ama-

dle the Amazon basin: Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and the overseas territory of French Guiana.

In addition to capturing and storing carbon, forests also affect wind speed, rainfall patterns and the mix of chemicals in the atmosphere.

Amazonia is often described as the "lungs of the planet" and as producing a significant percentage world's oxygen, but this is inaccurate.

"There are numerous reasons to be worried about recent spikes in Amazonian deforestation -- carbon, climate, water, biodiversity and people," noted environmental scientist Jonathan Foley, executive director of Project Drawdown.

"But oxygen, thank God, is not an issue we need to worry about."

- Fire season The huge number of fires across southeastern Brazil that have jolted world leaders into an emergency response have, in fact, become typical at this time of year over the last several decades.

The nearly 150,000 fires in Brazil so far in 2019 is fewer than in 2016.

From 2002 to 2010, there were five years when the number of August fires

100 percent, and accordingly reduce the flow of electricity to a trickle.

Check the Temp The lithium-ion batteries inside your phone really don't like extreme temperatures, as you might have found on the ski slopes or the beach, when your phone has simply shut off in response to the chill or the heat.

It's perhaps not reasonable to expect you to carry your phone around in a temperature-controlled vacuum chamber, but you can make sure it's well insulated in the cold, and not exposed to temperatures that are too high. Even simple precautions, like not leaving it in a warm car, can help.

These temperature extremes won't necessarily kill your phone's battery for good, but they can hasten the natural degradation that all batteries suffer over time, meaning you'll need to replace it— or your phone—sooner than you otherwise would.

Slow and Steady Wireless charging is very convenient.

The various fast-charging technologies out there are very handy when you're pushed for time. But for battery longevity, consider using a standard charger, or charging via a laptop USB port, when you can.

It's not that wireless charging or fast charging are inherently bad or that they're going to send your phone up in

flames. But lithium-ion batteries definitely prefer a slow and steady input.

Consider using the slow and steady approach whenever it's available.

If you do rely on wireless charging or fast charging, make sure you're using the official charger that came with your phone, or an officially approved thirdparty accessory. These chargers will be configured to keep your phone battery as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Meet in the Middle If you're not going to be using your phone for a while, storing it with half a charge is preferable to leaving it fully charged or fully drained. Even if the idea of stashing your phone away for a while seems preposterous, some people do keep spares around just in case. The advice applies to tablets as well, which you may use less frequently.

Remember what we said earlier about temperatures as well; you want phones to be stored at room temperature if at all possible. Bear in mind that certain less well-engineered phone cases might have the knock-on effect of increasing the warmth your device feels, especially while charging.

Again, these are best practices for maximizing battery longevity. You're not going to come back to a broken phone just because it was left in a drawer on a full charge.

- Wired

Trump says US, France 'getting close' to tech firm tax deal

Britain has also announced plans for a similar tax as criticism grows over tech giants of exploiting fiscal rules to sharply cut their tax bills despite soaring profits.

Covering more than five million square kilometres (two million square miles), the Amazon's dense tropical canopy store a huge amount of carbon, roughly equivalent to 10 times the amount humanity discharges into the atmosphere every year.

FRIDAY, August 30, 2019

topped 200,000.

The height of the "fire season" is September, when the number spikes even higher.

"It appears that many of the fires in the Amazon are happening on land that was previously deforested," Mikaela Weisse and Sarah Ruiz of Global Forest Watch, based in Washington DC noted in a blog post this week.

The Amazon is also home to one of Earth's most concentrated and extensive collections of biological diversity, including hundreds of plants used in traditional and modern medicines.

from across the bloc in a single jurisdiction -- in most cases low-tax jurisdictions such as Ireland or the Netherlands.

But the French move drew accusations of discrimination by Google, Amazon and Facebook -- along with Apple the so-called GAFA companies -- and threats of retaliation by Trump.

The US wants an over-arching agreement on taxation of digital commerce through the Group of 20 economic forum, under the auspices of

the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

In July, G7 finance ministers met for talks at which they reached a consensus on the next steps to take to reach a comprehensive deal by 2020.

Speaking alongside Trump, Merkel reiterated: "We have the intention within the OECD to find a solution for each and everyone by 2020."

"That would be an enormous breakthrough to the benefit of everyone," she said.

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21 March to 20 April If you’ve been wondering when things were going to change, this week could see plenty of progress.

If you’ve been working toward certain goals for a while, new opportunities, clients, or offers could show up out of the blue. You just need to be in the right place to grab them.

21 April to 20 May The coming weeks could see you indulging your creative and expressive side, showcasing your skills, and relishing romantic opportunities. With a full house in your leisure zone, this is a chance to explore hobbies and pastimes that leave you recharged and refreshed.

21 May to 20 June This is a great opportunity to sell items you no longer need. If you do, you may find that some of them are worth more than you realized. The new moon on Friday is perfect for taking another look at a project that you’ve been putting off for some while.

21 June to 22 July You may have a lot to say over the week ahead, and some of it could be a surprise to others. You may find yourself coming up with fascinating information, pieces of gossip, golden opportunities, and fresh perspectives with which to dazzle your friends.

23 July to 22 August There could be many moneymaking opportunities open to you this week if you’re prepared to grab them. This is all about taking calculated risks rather than making any impulsive moves. If you’ve been working steadily toward enhancing your career or business profile, then things can take off over the days ahead.

23 August to 22 Sept This is a week of discovery. Sterling angles to electric Uranus in your sector of far horizons and travel, study, and learning can lead you along exciting paths. You might be invited to go on a trip, take part in a course, or explore ideas that can enhance self-confidence.

23 September to 22 Oct You might be in a quieter, more restful phase at this time, with a strong focus on a subtle and spiritual sector of your chart. With a powerful line-up of planets here and stirring up your psyche, dreams could be vivid, and some may bring guidance.

23 October to 21 Nov This week and coming weeks can be very sociable and fast-paced.

With the sun, lively Mars, sweet Venus, and chatty Mercury in your social sector, you might not have time to be bored. Plus, expect invitations and dates to come out of the blue.

22 November to 21 Dec Have you been waiting for your turn in the limelight? If so, the coming week could see you dazzling your audience. This is an excellent time to promote yourself, your business, and your talents. Attention to detail can be the key to greater success.

22 December to 20 Jan An urge for excitement and fresh experiences can push you to try things that are different from the usual. This a great opportunity to experiment by traveling and learning as you go. There is potential for romance, exciting connections, and worthwhile encounters.

21 January to 19 Feb Desires may be stronger than usual, and yet ideas on how to fulfill them can help you see a way forward. Expect the unexpected, in a positive way, especially where business and finance are concerned.

Ideas and opportunities can come out of the blue this coming week.

20 February to 20 Mar You’ll be busy with all kinds of interactions, whether business, romantic, or the many other types that take place daily. This is a great time to share ideas and team up with others to collaborate on various projects that you can’t manage alone.

ACROSS 1. Say without thinking 6. Abscess contents 9. Fictional Griffin and actual Ryan 13. Witty one-____ 14. ____ Khan 15. Swan of the "Twilight" series 16. Carl Jung's inner self 17. What is the reason?

18. Painter's support 19. *Six-sided polygon 21. *Type of triangle 23. Appetizer in a blanket 24. Brooding 25. *___pendicular lines 28. Ghana monetary unit 30. Star of Raffi's song 35. Instead of written 37. "Formerly," formerly 39. Archeologist's find 40. Cusco valley dweller, once 41. *Plane to 2D is like ____ to 3D 43. Shade of beige 44. Daughter of a sibling 46. ____ dream 47. Same as Celt 48. Mother of Calcutta 50. Capital of Ukraine 52. Robert Burns' "Comin' Thro' the ____" 53. Classic board game 55. Unruly bunch 57. *Pythagoras' ____ 61. Archipelago constituents 65. Donkey in Mexico 66. Auction proposal 68. Seize a throne 69. Scatter 70. The day before 71. "Prepare to meet your ____!"

72. Boot-wearing feline 73. Swedish shag rug 74. Lament for the dead

DOWN 1. Ho-hum 2. *Straight and infinitely extended 3. Type of operating system 4. Remake a map 5. Opposite of comic 6. Weakest in chess 7. "Gross!"

8. One's assertion 9. Square one?

10. Additional 11. Campbell of "Rhinestone Cowboy" fame 12. White one at Macy's 15. Bringer of news, e.g.

20. S-shaped moldings 22. Mowgli to Raksha in "The Jungle Book" 24. Feeling of aversion 25. *It has no dimensions, only position 26. "Sesame Street" regular 27. Mario Andretti or Niki Lauda 29. Between stop and roll 31. Potato's soup mate 32. H. pylori consequence 33. Like a stereotypical girl 34. *Not right or obtuse 36. Spike punch, e.g.

38. Cone-shaped quarters 42. Regards 45. Real estate sale agreement 49. Type of brew 51. *Length x width x height 54. Earthy color 56. Primary 57. Cookbook amt.

58. Rwanda's majority 59. Does something wrong 60. Loads from lodes 61. Brainchild 62. Heat in a microwave 63. Fortune-telling coffee stuff 64. Light on one's feet 67. Like Brown league

SOLUTION: GEOMETRY 101 Page 19

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Home&Real Estate A 400-year-old oak tree shades a revitalized midcentury ranch home in Austin A 1955 home is brightened up and reimagined by Austin-based Lemmo Architecture and Design.

by Lauren Jones

A

fter a year of searching, San Francisco transplants Liz Armistead and Bill Broome found their dream home—a 1,400-square-foot ranch house in Austin’s Travis Heights neighborhood.

The residence was outdated, but the 400-year-old live oak tree on the back of the property was just too enticing to pass up. They fell in love with its potential and reached out to Stephanie and Ryan Lemmo, the principals of Lemmo Architecture and Design, for a full remodel and contemporary master suite addition.

"The house was in pretty good shape and had been renovated not too long ago, but was very dark and closed off," Ryan Lemmo explains. "The spaces were chopped up, there was no real master bedroom, and they had few closets and little natural light."

For the homeowners, it was all about being able to live in their very own oasis—one that was light, bright, and airy and that provided shelter from the sweltering Texas summers. Thus, they also requested a pool inspired by their favorite Austin hangout: Hotel San Jose.

The first task the husband-and-wife architects tackled was the lack of natural light. They added more windows and removed the grey paint covering the entire interior, replacing it with a clean and crisp white.

"We opened up the big wall in the living room, which makes the entire space pop, and we punched in a bunch of skylights that allow the homeowners to look up into the tree canopy," Ryan Lemmo says.

To make the existing layout more open concept, they took down a large

The existing patio was updated and stained. Neutral furniture matches the interiors and plays against the black-framed windows. (Photos: Chase Daniel) supporting wall that separated the kitchen, dining, and living areas and replaced it with a 40-foot steel beam to support the roof.

dining area features a wooden tamboured buffet from Anthropologie and a Landala table by Swedish designer Emma Olbers for Tre Sekel.

In the adjacent kitchen area, the architects left the layout as is while adding cabinetry, extending the island, redoing the counters, and stripping and painting the existing cabinetry. Because the house was in decent shape, the homeowners performed a light kitchen remodel to help keep the overall costs in check.

"What was so fun for us with the project was that there wasn’t an interior designer," Ryan Lemmo says.

"The homeowners [took on that role] and were excited to get involved with everything from the colors to the furniture to the art. The home is relatively simple, but it’s their enthusiasm and interest that brought it all together."

For this area, the homeowners looked to playful, spring-inspired pastels from one of their favorite Austin boutiques, Nanny Inez. They brought the idea to the Lemmos, which sparked the entire home’s palette. "When clients have incredible taste it just makes our job easier," Stephanie Lemmo says.

The modern master suite addition lies toward the back of the home.

Floor-to-ceiling windows frame beautiful views of the landscape—the reason why the couple bought the home in the first place. To further connect the interior with the exterior, the architects incorporated black-framed windows, and they brought wooden cladding from the outside in to cover the ceiling, adding more warmth to the room.

The kitchen cabinetry is painted a light salmon pink, which pops against the blacks and whites in the main space. Neutral furnishings, lots of greenery, a marbled coffee table, and a painting by local artist Patrick Puckett finish the look in the living room. The

In the master en suite, the homeowners had the exciting idea to create their own custom

'Not there yet:' Two years later, Houston, county lag behind state in Harvey recovery efforts

H

OUSTON -- Nettie King was in second grade when her family moved into a newly-built one-story house in the 1950s.

They took good care of the La Marque home, using old newspapers to clean the windows and screens before eventually replacing them with white storm blinds. It was rare for water to get in but when it did, she and her siblings did what kids do.

"We played in it," she recalled.

Decades later, King said she remembers the house rattling amid relentless rain and thunder on Aug. 25, 2017. Still, she went to bed and woke up the next morning to a phone call from her neighbor who wanted to know if her home flooded.

It did. The water was up to her knees and with electric cords submerged, she was afraid to move. Her furniture started soaking up the water as the wooden floor began buckling and her whole house started to smell.

"I did a lot of praying during that time," King told 13 Investigates. "I kept praying and asking God to bless me with a house because I couldn't afford to take care of that myself, even though I had homeowner's insurance."

In December 2018, when the Texas General Land Office started accepting applications for its Homeowner Assistance Program, King's caseworker made sure she was among the first in line to officially apply.

Within six weeks, her application was approved and on April 12 she moved into her newly built home.

On Thursday, the GLO celebrated its 100th home built for Hurricane Harvey storm victims across the state.

In Houston, the city is operating its own $1.2 billion federally-funded program, but so far only one Harvey victim has received keys to a rebuilt house. That homeowner told 13 Investigates she received the keys Friday, but that the city won't move her furniture until early September.

Heather Lagrone, the head of GLO's disaster recovery program, said the time to help victims is now.

"The further and further we get out from a storm, folks do move on to other things," Lagrone said. "They either take care of their own business or they relocate elsewhere or they give up on the house (and) you will see applications naturally start to taper off."

Statewide, more than 900 homes are under construction or approved to start building through the GLO's program, which is designed to help victims in 48 counties impacted

by Harvey.

The GLO granted Houston and Harris County the ability to run their own disaster recovery programs to help storm victims locally, but hundreds of Houstonians say they're still waiting for aid.

In late July, the city's housing department said its goal was to help 75 families by the end of August. But as the two-year anniversary of Harvey nears, Houston has only approved 36 applications.

When 13 Investigates' Ted Oberg asked about the progress, Tom McCasland, director of the city's Housing and Community Development Department, acknowledged, "we're not there yet."

For months, 13 investigates has asked the city for updates regarding the number of people they've helped and if ICF Incorporated, the group hired to do outreach and case management for the city's recovery program, is meeting its benchmarks. Through our own crowdsourcing efforts, we've heard from hundreds of residents wondering where their applications stand. Now, the city says it is making changes to help speed up the process.

"There was some pace and quality concerns in May and June that we have addressed," he said. "One of the ways we've addressed that is by hiring our own staff directly, making sure that we are taking advantage of the resources that we've had over the last year and moving that pipeline."

On Monday, seven new housing specialists joined the city's team. In June, the city got rid of the deputy director specifically hired to run the disaster recovery program.

13 Investigates reached out to her, but neither she nor the city will say why.

McCasland told city council Tuesday that he is also ending the contract with APTIM, the private company hired to be the program manager, saying that its contract ran out.

APTIM has already been paid $4.6 million and has invoiced the city up to $14 million for their role in the slow-moving program.

The city will review APTIM's work prior to paying those invoices and will not issue checks for any work that was not completed to standards, McCasland said.

"They don't get paid unless we can get reimbursed," he told council.

Longtime South Park resident Emma Wood looked on as a large construction vehicle clawed into the roof of her home on July 31.

"Bye, house," Wood says in a video the city posted on social media. "Sad that it's gone.

Just looking at it ... it kinda makes you feel funny. It ain't gonna be there no more after all these years."

Wood has lived in that house for decades. On Friday, just shy of Harvey's anniversary, the city said Wood was the first program recipient to move into a rebuilt home.

Although Harris County and Houston are running their own recovery programs, all of their applications go through the GLO for final approval, which has proved difficult to get as applications are sent back due to missing or incomplete information. Both Houston and Harris County have contracts with ICF, who is helping manage their programs. We reached out to ICF to ask why applications are being kicked back as incomplete, but they didn't respond.

- KTRK TV13

The homeowners chose this large, richly colored painting by Austin-based artist Patrick Puckett to be the focal point of the master bedroom. tile pattern using Clé tile. The blackwhite-and-blue crescent moon–shaped tile plays off the Tiffany blue–painted double vanity.

Lemmo says. But it was great how they were excited to take things on themselves, much like with the interiors."

The lot provided plenty of inspiration for the backyard, and the architects preserved the existing bamboo, trees, and gravel while incorporating the pool. Just as there was no interior designer for this Rebel Road remodel, there was also no landscape architect, so the homeowners took it upon themselves to make DIY planters.

The revitalized backyard—complete with the existing deck and PalmSprings-meets-Austin pool—ended up being the perfect sanctuary and enhancing the interior design.

"With such a large project, the budget is always an issue," Stephanie

In the end, Lemmo Architecture renovated close to 1,000 square feet of this Austin home and added approximately 600 square feet.

- Dwell.com