Voice of Asia E-paper March 15, 2019 by VoiceOf Asia

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India House celebrates 16 glorious years of service to Houston communities Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s rich tributes to Indian Americans by Shobana Muratee

UGAR LAND – On Saturday, February 23, India House showcased its success as a well-rounded community center when it celebrated its 16th Annual gala at the Sugar Land Marriot Town Square. Lt. Governor of Texas Dan Patrick delivered his keynote address and touched on policies, trade, economics and growing population of the state. “We are the America where all Americans want to be,” Patrick said. “Since 2000, a thousand people a day moved to Texas, growing to 18 million. Today, it’s 28 million. And by 204045, another 15 million more will be added,” he said. “In 40 years it would touch an 80 million mark if the growth rate continues.” The reasons why people move to Texas is because, “there’s no income tax, more businesses, and we are working on bring down property tax,” Patrick said. “Texas has 48 Fortune 500 companies Continued on Page 3

India House President Jugal Malani seen presenting a scarf to Lt. Governor of Texas Dan Patrick, keynote speaker at the gala. Also seen is India House Executive Director Col. Vipin Kumar (Retd.).

Chowdary and Angela Yellamanchalli recipients of ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at the gala. (Picture taken at the Asia Society Tiger Ball 2017.) Photo credit: Jenny Antill. Courtesy: Asia Society.

Nations, airlines grounding Boeing's 737 MAX

ARIS | AFP | 3/13/2019 The United States on Wednesday became the latest nation to bar flights of Boeing's 737 MAX medium-haul jets in response to Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 people on board.

Some airlines have also grounded their 737 MAX jets pending the outcome of investigation into the crash and possible guidance from Boeing itself. The Nairobi-bound Flight ET302 was the same type as the Indonesian Lion Air jet that crashed in October, killing 189

passengers and crew -- and officials, including the US Federal Aviation Administration, say they have detected similarities between the two accidents.

Here is a round-up of countries and airlines that have banned the 737 MAX:

Nearly 390 of the 737 MAX jets are in service around the world for 59 airlines, with nearly 5,000 on order.

Asia-Pacific: Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, New Zealand

Africa: Namibia, Nigeria

Continued on Page 7

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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by Myra Jones-Taylor

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Editor Online: Shobana Muratee Marketing Director: Susan Pothanikat 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 in Voice of Asia Group Publications in print, online, or in other electronic formats, the Voice of Asia Group does not endorse the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement. — The Publisher

our million babies will be born in the U.S. this year, each one a bundle of infinite potential. They’re the next generation of doctors, scientists, artists, parents, educators and leaders. Science tells us that their early life experiences, from how they are nurtured and the food they eat, to the quality of early learning opportunities and health care they receive, will lay the foundation for lifelong health and well-being. In fact, our brains develop faster in this time than at any later point in our lives.

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Let's make our babies a national priority

New data from ZERO TO THREE and Child Trends, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, also tells us that where you’re born matters and can make a big difference in your chance for a strong start in life. The new data provide an indepth look at national and stateby-state progress and compare and rank states based on how they support the youngest in America. While all states have room to grow, the disparities between them reflect different levels of investment in services and systems for babies that can help buffer the effects of poverty and other adverse experiences. For example, infant mortality rates range from 0.0 in Vermont to 9.1 in Alabama and a national average of 5.9. Overall, the new data show we have a way to go in providing the best possible starts for our babies. The U.S. ranks 31st in child poverty among 38 economically advanced countries, with young children and particularly babies, the group most likely to be poor in America. Money to cover gas or the electric bill can mean the difference between stability or chaos for families in poverty. Yet, states vary wildly in their reach of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), with a range from 2.6 percent of families with babies that receive TANF benefits in Wyo-

ming to 69.7 percent in Maryland and a national average of 20.6 percent. For infants and toddlers of color this can be particularly trying — nearly 40 percent of black babies and 30 percent of Hispanic babies live in poverty. During a time of astonishing growth, these babies are more likely to live in inadequate housing and have families that struggle to cover basic expenses. Good nutrition, nurturing relationships, high quality medical care and early learning experiences support sound bodies and minds and influence all areas of our development. But when families have limited access to social and economic resources, they struggle to provide their babies with the nurturing experiences and basic needs required to thrive. Persistent hardships such as food insecurity, unstable housing, unsafe neighborhoods and

exposure to violence pervade many babies’ lives. Negative or inadequate early life experiences can translate into lower academic achievement, higher disease rates, criminal activity and other challenges that prevent adults from fully contributing to society. When we ignore the critical first few months and years of development, we all pay for it in the long run.

dren.

To do better for our babies and our nation’s future, we need Congress and state leaders to make babies a priority, through policies built on the science of brain development and budgets that put babies and families first. This includes providing child care for lowand moderate-income families; ensuring paid family leave and sick leave for all working families; expanding Medicaid; and ensuring that plans cover maternal depression screening and other services that support the emotional development and well-being of parents and chil-

Myra Jones-Taylor is chief policy officer at ZERO to THREE, a Washington, D.C.based nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of better outcomes for babies and their families. The State of Babies Yearbook: 2019 is an initiative of ZERO TO THREE’s Think Babies campaign. Funding partners for Think Babies include the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which supports the campaign’s public education, and the Perigee Fund, which supports the campaign’s public education and advocacy.

The college bribery scandal is all about a myth by Molly Roberts

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FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

eritocracy may be a myth, but that means someone is keeping the fiction alive. The multimillion-dollar college admissions scandal the Justice Department announced this week gives us a sense of who — and why. Prosecutors alleged Tuesday that wealthy parents paid a high-powered consultant pretending to operate a charity for disadvantaged children to help their extraordinarily advantaged children get into top-tier schools including Yale, Stanford and UCLA, among others. Sometimes, that allegedly involved engineering elaborate schemes to cheat on college entrance exams. Other times, it was reportedly bribing coaches to say students were tennis stars when they barely knew their way around the baseline. The plot has prompted a mix of outrage and cynicism. On the one hand, the level of deceit is appalling. On the other, parents pay for their children to attend elite educational institutions, albeit in ways that are legal, all the time — by making a major donation, say, or simply by hiring an SAT tutor. But it is in part because there are alternate routes the rich can take to the tip of the ivory tower that these parents’ alleged decision to fork over hundreds of thousands of dollars in secret is so perplexing. Then there’s the strangeness of the logic behind paying for it at all: Children whose parents can throw around that sort of money as if it’s nothing are going to be okay. They can live off their family’s largesse without a bachelor’s degree, or at least without an Ivy League diploma, and they can capitalize on connections they already have from growing up alongside the powerful. So why college? And why these highly selective schools? The answers go back to the myth of meritocracy and how these parents prop it up — even as they undermine meritocracy itself. Why college? Many Americans fetishize the attendance of four-year institutions. Going to college, we think, is what smart and successful people do — especially people like the financiers who made up a siz-

able chunk of the now-indicted parents. Living a life of luxury looks a lot less questionable if there’s some indication you made it there on merit. A degree is society’s stamp of supposed deservingness. Sure, there’s a more innocent explanation for our collective appreciation for college, too. College might not be what’s best for everyone, but it’s invaluable for many young people seeking to learn critical thinking and independence and to form friendships they’d have been unlikely to develop anywhere else. But that’s where the second question comes in. The sorts of children whose parents reportedly sneaked them into Yale already went to private schools, or exemplary public ones. They could go to college somewhere,

even if it didn’t show up on the first page of U.S. News and World Report rankings, without the “side door” the architect of the fraud reportedly promised. So why these colleges? It’s because the societal stamp of deservingness from a place on page one is extra shiny. Parents who care whether their children attend one of America’s “best” schools are buying into the idea of being the best. There are material advantages to attending one of these colleges, yes, from plush employment to social connections. But most of the children implicated in this scandal don’t need those advantages. They already have them. Parents allegedly committed fraud to send their children to these schools because they believe those schools are supe-

Today’s babies will someday be the workers who build a strong economy, the scientists who cure disease and the leaders who provide a vision for the next century. With more babies being welcomed every day, there are 4 million reasons to seize the potential and ensure a brighter future for all of them and for our nation.

rior. That image of superiority depends on the perception of the schools as places for smart and successful people to study. But by allegedly buying admission for students who are neither especially smart nor especially successful, these parents are guaranteeing that the Stanfords of the country aren’t actually only for smart and successful people, after all. They’re for people who can pay. Then, the schools churn out kids positioned to be rich — many of whom were rich to start with — and the cycle continues. “The way the world works these days is unbelievable,” one parent, a senior executive at a private-equity firm who has advocated ethical investing, said as he arranged to trick admissions officials into thinking his son was a football kicker, according to court documents. But it’s people like that who keep it working that way. - The New York Times

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India House celebrates 16 glorious years of service to Houston Communities Continued from Page 1 and we are number one in CEO magazine for the last decade; this is where CEOs like to do business.” he said. “It’s not the policy we created, but what really attract people to Texas are the people, the work ethics, family ethics and belief in God.” “This community is symbolic of who we are as a state,” Patrick said about Indian Americans. He also, mentioned about how the people of Texas came together during Hurricane Harvey and during the two mass shootings. “We have been exceptional over the last year and a half,” he said. Patrick reflected on his early radio broadcasting days in Houston and his acquaintance with Indian music through Meena Datt’s program. Because of that, he said his popularity grew within the Indian American community. US Congressional Representative Pete Olson spoke of the increasing Indian American population in the Greater Houston area, which stands at 140,000. “After the 2020 census, we expect that Fort Bend County would be 25% Caucasian, 25% African Americans, 25% Asian Americans and 25% Hispanic Americans” he said. However, he expects Asian Americans to be the bigger group in Fort Bend County, “bigger the better.” Olson mentioned how the Indian Americans here have impacted the economic growth like the export of LNG, from Texas to India, and their contribution in US and India rela-

tionship overall. Earlier, Jugal Malani, President of India House welcomed the gathering and introduced Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. In his address, he highlighted the vision and scope of the India House spanning from education, health, a center for events, and overall wellness. India House Executive Director, Col. Vipin Kumar (Retd.) expanded on the vison with a video presentation of the programs at the center that included free food distribution, dance and music, cricket, after-school programs, yoga, free language classes for Hindi and Sanskrit, and timely seminars on legal and financial matters. He made special mention of Manav and Manasi who taught tech classes to seniors. India House Trustee Chowdary Yellamanchalli and wife Angela Yellamanchalli were honored with a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’. ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Award’ was presented to restaurateur Kiran Verma, and the ‘Community Service Award’ was presented to Gitesh Desai, President of Sewa International - Houston Chapter.

the new medical college that is under construction, and how once opened it will be collaborating with the health clinic at India House. A spectacular segment of entertainment was emceed by DJ Dholi Deep and co-ordinated by Vanshika Vipin Verma. A rich blend of fabrics and jewelry created a wedding mood. The fashion show, sponsored by designer Manyavar Mohey, displayed bridal and wedding outfits. Fashion Show Makeup as done by Wajeeha Rashid. Jewelry was sponsored by Amy’s Jewelry that added to the glitz and glam. Infused Performing Arts group performed Bollywood-style dances. A Silent Auction by Manyavar Mohey and Amy's Jewels followed. Emcee Pooja Lodia, ABC news anchor, added vibrancy to the event. Earlier, Jiya Ghei sang the American National Anthem while Malikka Ghei presented the Indian National Anthem. She later presented a few songs for the audience.

Fashion Show Sponsored by Manyavar Mohey. Photo credit: Karthik Photography

Dance performance by Infused Performing Arts group. Photo credit: Karthik Photography

On the occasion was introduced the new Trustee of India House Hersh Kumar, CEO, A.K Shipra Group. Kumar shared his success story and stresses on the need for social entrepreneurs for the success of any non-profit organization. “Because they get the job done and manage more strongly,” he said in his remarks. Dr. Stephen J. Spann, Dean, University of Houston, College of Medicine also spoke of

Gitesh Desai receiving the award.

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COMMUNITY

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FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Memorable Appreciation Luncheon with Masonic Fraternity by Shobana Muratee

ICHMOND, TX – A group of guests gathered in the Rajinder Bhalla Hall on the first floor of the historic Morton Masonic Hall Lodge No. 72, where Worshipful Master Chip Entz was narrating the history of the majestic monument. Nearly 70 guests, mainly friends, supporters and the Lodge Brethren attended the appreciation luncheon here on Saturday, February 16. Hosted by Dr. Raj Bhalla, a freemason who was raised a Master Mason in North Star Lodge No. 21 in India in 1964, and served as Master of Paumanok-Port Washington Lodge No. 855 in New York. He was awarded the Golden Trowel by Morton Lodge in 2015, the highest honor a Texas lodge can bestow on one of its members. In June 2017, the Lodge surprised Dr. Bhalla when they presented a shadow box with a kirpan, an antique Masonic plaque recognizing his ‘dedication to the Craft’ and his ‘generous spirit’.

The Lodge Brethren with Dr. Raj Bhalla. Photos by Shobana Muratee, VOA Worshipful Master Tom Cassidy presented a shadow box with a kirpan, an antique Masonic plaque to Dr. Raj Bhalla in June 2017.

“I was indeed touched, not by their gesture but the way they studied the philosophy of our tenth Guru and put that into their thinking for choosing an appropriate memento for me,” Dr. Bhalla commented. Furthermore, they named the Masonic Lodge Hall, where regular meetings were held, as Rajinder Bhalla Hall. “This is not a fundraiser,” Brother Bill told the guests and thanked Dr. Bhalla for the opportunity to appreciate donors. “Maintaining and preserving the 106-year-old, two-story brick building is a challenge,” he said. “A building of this vintage is a blessing and a curse.” He also mentioned that only three days prior to Hurricane Harvey they were able to repair the roof with the support of generous donors, stressing the need for continued support. Dr. Raj Bhalla, a highly re-

Indian American community leaders and friends of Dr. Bhalla with Brothers of the Lodge.

Worshipful Master Chip Entz with guests in Rajinder Bhalla Hall at Morton Masonic Hall Lodge No. 72.

spected community leader and philanthropist serving on board several charitable organizations, has been a true follower of the masonic order. As Worshipful Master Chip rightly put it, “Masonry is all about brotherhood and God. But charity is the cornerstone of masonry: charity to each other, charity to community.” The masonic organization donates nearly $3 million a day to charity worldwide, supporting Scottish Rite Hospitals, Shriners Hospitals for Children, the Shriners Burns Hospital – Galveston; all are free hospitals for children that are brought for treatment from all over the world. The organization will host its main fundraisers in May – the 6th annual Gumbo & Chili Cook Off to

benefit first responders, which they have been doing for the last five years. In October they plan a golf tournament to support a scholarship fund, as education is another cornerstone of the masonic custom. Giving a ‘Reader’s Digest’ version of the organization, Worshipful Master Chip explained, “Anyone can aspire to become a mason. The only requirement is that you believe in God – a higher being.” Membership is for men, 18 years of age or older, who meet the qualifications and standards of character and reputation, who are of good moral character, and who believe in the existence of a supreme being. To learn more visit www. mortonmasons.com

Ladies join Mrs.Kanwal Bhalla, wife of Dr. Raj Bhalla during the luncheon at the Lodge.

Zoroastrian Temple Opens in Houston VOICE OF ASIA Get it mailed to you! Call to Subscribe to our newsweekly: 713-774-5140

acred Space offers place to practice 4,000-year-old religion Houston, Texas (March 11, 2019) - Those who practice the 4,000-year-old faith of Zoroastrian will now have a place to worship in the Bayou City.

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On March 23, the Atash Kadeh Temple will open on West Airport Blvd. and will be the first in North America to facilitate a full range of traditional Zoroastrian religious practices, including performance of higher liturgical rituals and ordainment of priests. The religion, a monotheistic faith with roots in the Persian Empire, operates on the ideals of “good thoughts, good words and good deeds” and “there is only one path – the path of truth.” A life-affirming religion, it has seen a resurgence in recent years as there are now 26 associations and one North American federation (FEZANA), providing a strong communal structure. “It made sense to build this temple in Houston – one of the most diverse cities in the country – that embraces a wide range of cultures, ethnicities and religions,” said Fred Bhandara, whose fi-

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nancial donations made the construction of the temple possible. “It will provide the approximately 1,000 Zoroastrians residing in Houston with a sacred and quiet place for worship and meditation.”

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Worldwide it is estimated that 200,000 individuals practice the faith, one that has survived despite many devastations, destructions of scriptures, annihilation of priests and persecution of believers. “The goal was to create a practical and contemporary

building that fulfills the needs of the present-day community, while still referencing and perpetuating the rich religious and liturgical heritage of the faith,” said Aban Rustomji, spokesperson for the Atash Kadeh Temple. Located at 8787 West Airport Blvd., the temple features ornamental stone columns. The interior of the building provides a peaceful environment with a glass walk that overlooks a garden. The prayer area, with its simplis-

tic design, has marble walls, which help those worshiping focus without distraction. A quiet garden provides space for outdoor worship and reflection. The temple will officially open on March 23rd with a grand opening celebration, which will include prayer ceremonies, social events, lectures and a gala dinner. For more information about the practice of Zoroastrian, visit http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/.

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IACCGH celebrates President's Day with Neil Bush lies and renew communities. Neil chairs the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, dedicated to helping all Houstonians realize their fullest potential through literacy. In his professional life, Neil develops international business opportunities. Renowned Houston artist Gopaal "Neal" Sen presented Neil Bush with a special portrait he had created when he had heard of the passing of the President.

Neil Mallon Bush helped celebrate the life and work of his late father George H. W. Bush, (Photos Credit: Biyani Photography)

n Monday February 18, 2019 Neil Mallon Bush helped celebrate the life and work of his late father George H. W. Bush, the 41st President (1989-1993) who he said brought to the White House a dedication to traditional American values and a determination to direct them towards making the United States “a kinder and gentler nation” in the face of a dramatically changing world. Addressing the packed gathering at the IACCGH Distinguished lecture with personal insights of the life of his father and in a very emotional speech, Neil Bush shared his personal experience of the late Presidents’

funeral. Neil reminded us that in the Inaugural Address President Bush had pledged in “a moment rich with promise” to use American strength as “a force for good.” Feeling a responsibility to make his contribution both in time of war and in peace on his 18th birthday President Bush enlisted in the armed forces. The youngest pilot in the Navy he flew 58 combat missions during World War II. He was shot down by Japanese antiaircraft fire and was rescued by a U. S. submarine & was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action. The President next turned

From left to right: Acting Consul General Surender Adhana Deputy, Keynote Speaker Neil Bush, IACCGH President Swapan Dhairyawan, Shell's representative Ms Ana Kopf and IACCGH Executive Director, Jagdip Ahluwalia seen presenting a plaque to Neil Bush.

his energies toward completing his education and raising a family. In January 1945 he married Barbara Pierce. Excelling both in his studies and sports, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and captain of his sports team at Yale, then pursued a career in the Oil Industry in Texas. Interested in public service he served two terms as a Representative to Congress from Texas, as Ambassador to the United Nations, Chief of the U. S. Liaison Office in the People’s Republic of China and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

IACCGH President Swapan Dhairyawan presented Neil Bush and Acting Consul General Surender Adhana with mementos. The series sponsor Shell's representative Ms Ana Kopf proposed the vote of thanks. For additional information visit www.iaccgh.com

In 1988 he was elected President of the United States and saw the end of the cold war, the breakdown of the communist empire and the fall of the Berlin Wall. His greatest test was during the Iraq invasion of Kuwait. Neil Bush, an international businessman, serves as Chairman of the Points of Light Board of Directors, where Neil expands his father’s vision of inspiring, equipping and mobilizing volunteers to increase capacity for vital social services and for finding innovative solutions that lift individuals, strengthen fami-

Artist Gopaal "Neal" Sen seen presenting Neil Bush a special portrait of he late President George H. W. Bush, (Photo Credit: Biyani Photography)

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

MIST lives up to expectations again with Ron by Sanchali Basu

IST (Masks, Issues, & Stages Traversed) came through one more time with their much awaited latest production “Ron,” at the MATCHBOX, the weekend of March 2-3. Incidentally, Ron means war in Bengali, which was the theme of the play. The entire play revolves around the conflict and emotions created by war in a subsection of the Bengali immigrant community in the US, touched by war in some form or the other. The main protagonist of the play is Ron (Abhishek) Mitra, a US Army soldier deployed in Iraq after the 9/11 attack on the US. He has grown up in the US in an immigrant Bengali family, father Animesh (Jaydip) being a professor, and mother Shanti, (Santasri) which means peace in Sanskrit, a housewife. Being raised in a conventional, non violent, sedate environment in Bengal, the parents have not come to terms with Ron joining the army, and are in a constant state of anxiety and tension.

The dynamics between Bidisha and Tanmoy are interesting to watch, where Tanmoy is constantly suspicious of his wife having an affair with Ron. He thinks army personnel are losers, and reminds Bidisha that she was able to come to the US only because of him and that she should remain submissive and be forever grateful for that.

an Francisco: Tech titan Google agreed to pay its former India-born top executive Amit Singhal a whopping USD 45 million as an exit package when he resigned from the company in 2016 after being accused of sexual harassment, according to a media report. The previously undisclosed amount was in the separation agreement for Singhal, a senior vice president who ran Google's search operations until early 2016.

The MIST group.

The amount was revealed on Monday in a shareholder lawsuit accusing the board of directors of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, of shirking their responsibilities by agreeing to pay executives accused of misconduct instead of firing them for cause, the New York Times reported. A scene from the play Ron. Pragya has commissioned Surojit, to write about Ron, his experiences and the circumstances that led him to take the decision to join the army. Surojit reminded Pragya that she had misunderstood him regarding the events from the past and he still had feelings for her. He comes across as a loud, blunt, no nonsense, in your face character. As all the characters convene, the party rapidly goes into a tailspin with each character exposing the secret wars they have been fighting all along. Nanda, who excels every time with his impeccable powerful

acting, conveyed the anguish that he underwent when his family was killed and brutalized during the Bangladesh war. The fact that Surojit, being an ex army man was also ordered to carry out a wrongful act, leading to him being court martialed, also came out in the open dramatically. Pragya’s daughter, being diagnosed HIV positive was food for thought for the audience. The climax was the news of Ron’s death, but his last wish that Bidisha’s bridal shower must go on under any circumstance, was honored. What added to the flavor of the play, was some gut wrenching vo-

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The play builds up nicely, with flashes from the past, to acquaint the audience with the parent son equation. What hits a raw nerve with the audience is the fact that parents cannot dictate what the child chooses to do in life, since they themselves did not listen to their parents while choosing a career path. Gradually the other characters namely Nanda (Subhodip), a friend of the Mitras, Bidisha (Nupur), pregnant friend of Ron, Tanmoy (Anirban), Bidisha’s husband, Pragya (Pubali), a friend of the Mitra family and Surojit (Tareque), a writer-journalist friend of Pragya visiting from India, are introduced. The Mitras are getting ready to host a baby shower for Bidisha, when they are unnerved by the sad news of the untimely death of a close friend of Ron’s who was also deployed and was the one who had inspired Ron to join the army.

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

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cals by Chandrani, during the interludes and Nupur and Pubali during the course of the play. Playwright Sudipta Bhawmik, through his writing demonstrates his prowess in playing with human emotions and keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The very powerful and well enacted play was supported by some brilliant acting and volunteers Aayush, Anindita, Rahul, Balaka, Rajat, Swati, Piyal, Sailaja, Priya, Suchetana, Saurabh, Partha, Sujoy, Kausik, Arani and Nahid. Manas Saha as director was par excellence. The play ran to sold out audiences for all 3 enactments.

The lawsuit was part of the fallout over how Google has handled sexual harassment cases, it said. The lawsuit was filed in January in California Superior Court with redactions in the passages referring to board discussions. An amended version was filed on Monday without the redactions. According to the amended suit, Google agreed to pay Singhal USD 15 million a year for two years and between USD 5 million and USD 15 million in the third year as long as he was not employed by a competitor. He agreed to take a job at Uber about a year after his de-

parture, then resigned from the ride-hailing company a few weeks later when the sexual harassment claim at Google became public, the report said. Frank Bottini, an attorney for the shareholders, said the board-approved payments were an "abdication of responsibility". A Google spokeswoman said Monday that the company had "made many changes to our workplace and taken an increasingly hard line on inappropriate conduct by people in positions of authority". "There are serious consequences for anyone who behaves inappropriately at Google," she said. Singhal left Google after an employee said he had groped her at an off-site event. Google investigated the allegation and found that Singhal had been inebriated. The company also concluded that the employee's account was credible. At the time, Singhal said he wanted to spend more time with his family and focus on his philanthropy, the report said. Singhal did not respond to a request for comment, it said. Born in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, Singhal received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in computer science from IIT Roorkee. He received an MS degree from University of Minnesota Duluth and was head of Google's core search team for 15 years.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 7

Raj Salhotra, son of Indian Immigrants, announces run for Houston City Council by Pooja Salhotra

hen I entered Chapman & Kirby on Wednesday evening, it felt like high school all over again. I didn’t recognize many people, and upon introducing myself to anyone in the room, I was met with the same reaction: wide eyes, a broad grin and immediate reverence. Similar to when I was a freshman in high school, strangers gave me an underserved level of admiration, simply because I was Raj’s younger sister. Only this time, people’s respect stemmed not from my brother’s popularity, good grades or side business as a DJ, but from his passion to create a better Houston for everyone. Raj, who graduated from Harvard Law School last year, deferred a corporate firm job at Baker Botts and instead committed to public service in Houston. On Wednesday evening, in a room full of over 200 supporters, Raj officially announced his candidacy for Houston City Council At-Large Position 1. “I am running for Houston City Council to build one Houston,” Raj said. “To build a Houston where we can all reach our dreams. I fundamentally believe that starts with economic opportunity, improving our quality of life and building a resilient city.” Raj is challenging incumbent Mike Knox, vying for one of the five atlarge seats on the Council. Unlike the district seats representing a specific geographic area, at-large positions represent the entire city of over 640 square miles and more than 2 million people. At 28 years old, Raj will likely be the youngest candidate on the ballot this November. The son of Atul and Poonam Salhotra, Raj grew up in Bellaire, Texas and attended St. John’s School. He grew up Hindu and currently serves as the president of the Young Hindus of Greater Houston (YHGH). After graduating cum laude in 2012, he went on to Rice University where he studied economics and public policy and tutored low-income high school and middle school students. While in college, Raj spent a semester interning in the Obama White House, an experience that he says shaped his political aspirations. Upon graduating from Rice in 2013, Raj joined Teach for America as a high school calculus and statistics teacher at YES Prep Southwest, a

charter school serving predominantly low-income, minority students. As a teacher, Raj saw students struggle to achieve academic success because of problems they faced outside of the classroom – crippling poverty, even homelessness in some cases. This experience inspired Raj to create SWAG to College, a mentorship organization helping 600 underserved students get into and thrive in college. Raj’s experience as a teacher, coupled with his upbringing as the child of Indian immigrants, together motivated his decision to run for office. “The city of Houston, and this country more broadly, has helped my family live the American Dream,” he said. “As a teacher and non-profit leader, I have worked with hundreds of students who have the exact same aspirations as I do, whose parents work just as hard as my parents do, […] but unfortunately, because of policy issues and structural inequalities, they are trapped in poverty.” Raj’s campaign promise is to serve as an advocate for all Houstonians. He referenced one of his former students who wanted to attend Lone Star Community College but did not have a car. That student takes the bus every day, spending three hours on a commute that would take thirty minutes by car. Raj intends push for a stronger public transit system and to work with METRO to increase bus services to underserved areas.

He also referenced a Rice student who was injured in a bike accident. It is unacceptable that 2000 Houstonians have been injured or killed from a bike accident in the last four years, he said, advocating for Vision Zero, the elimination of all traffic fatalities and injuries.

Middle East : Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, United Arab Emirates -- including major hub Dubai. North America: Canada and United States -

USA UNICEF CEO encouraged all to put children first at Interfaith Ministries’ Gershenson lecture

Caryl Stern, CEO of UNICEF USA, speaking at Annual Gershenson Lecture

Over the next several months, Raj plans to listen to concerns from Houstonians; he even gave out his personal cell phone number – “the same number my mom uses to call me.” “You all are the employer and the boss, and I am the public servant and employee,” he said. “Ultimately, the job of a public servant is an advocate. It’s an advocate for folks who have traditionally been left out. It’s an advocate for folks who don’t necessarily have the time or the wherewithal to go speak out on their causes, but their causes are important.” On Wednesday, Raj used his platform to advocate for Liyna, a 29-year-old South Asian journalist in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. Volunteers from Be the Match Registry set up a table so that attendees of Raj’s campaign kick-off could sign up to determine if they are a blood match with Liyna. To find out more about Raj’s campaign, visit his website here: https:// www.rajforhouston.com/

Nations, airlines grounding Boeing's 737 MAX

Continued from Page 1

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

OUSTON – Caryl Stern, CEO of UNICEF USA, discussed the challenges of children in today’s world and encouraged the need to prioritize their needs at the March 5 annual Gershenson Lecture hosted by Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (IM) at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. The evening also featured a special fireside chat with Stern and Lisa Falkenberg of the Houston Chronicle. Sharing stories from her book, “I Believe in Zero,” Stern discussed the needs of children from around the globe, and shared emotional experiences, such as a time spent in Africa when she shared a biscuit with a malnourished boy, only to see him break it into smaller pieces to share with his family and friends. Stern’s work takes her to all corners of the world and allows her to see the various conditions in which children live. This is the most important aspect of her work, she said, as it enables her to promote much-needed awareness and assistance to this vulnerable population. The evening ended with a moving rendition of “We are the World” by the children’s choir of Brentwood Baptist

Church, who waved flags representing many countries. Stern was named one of "25 Women Changing the World in 2017" by People Magazine, “20 Most Influential Moms of 2017” by Family Circle, “25 Moms We Love” by Working Mother Magazine and “Ten Women to Watch” by Jewish Women International. She is a dynamic changemaker, author, executive, public speaker, mother of three and grandmother of two. Stern has a deep understanding of the challenges of refugees and the need to help children throughout our world. She has traveled to over 30 countries in support of UNICEF’s work and has spearheaded the organization’s emergency relief efforts for children affected by disasters, including the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2011 East Africa drought, the Ebola and Zika epidemics and the ongoing global refugee and migrant crisis. The Gershenson Lecture series was founded in honor of Elliot Gershenson, IM’s President Emeritus. The series features speakers on topics related to respect and understanding. This year’s lecture was hosted by IMpulse, IM’s women’s initiative.

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Europe: All European Union Aeromexico, Cayman countries, Serbia Airways, Comair (South Airlines:In addition to coun- Africa), Eastar Jet (South tries whose authorities have Korea), Ethiopian Airlines, banned flights of 737 MAX Gol Airlines (Brazil), Icejets, here is a list of individual landair, MIAT Mongolian airlines that have grounded Airlines, Norwegian Air them: Aerolineas Argentinas, Shuttle, S7 (Russia)

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VOICE OF ASIA 8

TAXES & PERSONAL FINANCE

This is the best way to recession-proof your retirement, according to experts by Alix Langone

n estimated $2.4 trillion disappeared almost overnight from Americans’ 401(k)s and IRAs when the market crashed in 2008, devastating many Americans’ retirement prospects. Stocks have since recovered spectacularly, and last weekend the bull market celebrated its 10th birthday. Still, there’s a growing sense that this rally is on borrowed time, and as economists warn that another recession is likely to happen in the next two to three years, many people are asking themselves what they can do to prepare for the next financial disaster. Those who are near retirement are especially vulnerable to drops in the stock market, due to the lack of time they have to recover and the fact that– in the case of those already retired– they’re drawing down savings instead of working and adding to it. But if you plan ahead, you can build a financial buffer to help ensure you survive the passing storm and enjoy your hardearned retirement. “A recession will happen,” says Patti Black, certified financial planner and partner at Bridgeworth, a wealth management firm located in the Birmingham, Al. area, citing research that there have been 33 recessions since 1854. “I don’t have a crystal ball to know when it will happen, but it will happen again. So it is super important to be prepared, especially for people who are closer to retirement age.” This message isn’t a scare tactic. In fact, it’s just the opposite: Acknowledging a recession is inevitable at some point allows you to take control of your own retirement even when markets spin out of control. On average, recessions tend to last about 18 months. To protect your retirement nest egg, here are a few basic steps you should take: “If you commit to an emergency fund, it protects the rest of the financial plan,” says Sharon Allen, CEO and co-founder of Sterling Wealth Management based in Champaign, Ill. She suggests a minimum of three to six months’ expenses for this fund. It doesn’t matter how solid your retirement plan is if you break it by taking your money out of the market prematurely. Once you’ve filled that emergency savings bucket, aim to pay down as much debt as possible. That’s key to feeling secure once you leave the workforce, because it means that less of your retirement funds are tied up in fixed expenses, Black says. It’s much

simpler to adjust your discretionary expenses as needed. “It’s easier to say, ‘I’m not going to take a vacation or I’m not going to go out to eat as much,” says Black. “Those are the variable expenses where you can make changes more easily than saying ‘Hey, I’ve decided I’m not going to pay my mortgage this month.’ That doesn’t work out so well.” Generally, it’s a good idea to tackle your highest interest-rate debt first. Financial advisors are divided on whether you should pay off your mortgage before retiring. Black’s opinion? “If the only choice of funds to pay down the mortgage is a retirement account (IRA or 401k), I don’t recommend proceeding with paying off the loan.” The money you withdraw from your traditional retirement accounts will be counted in your taxable income for the year, and, if you’re on Medicare, could affect what you pay in premiums. Tweak Your Asset Allocation If you’re on the cusp of retirement or have just retired, consider diversifying and rebalancing your portfolio to limit your exposure to market volatility. “It’s really important that people scrub their portfolios of unnecessary risk,” Teresa Ghilarducci, labor economist and expert on retirement security, tells MONEY. “If you’re going to need your money within five years, I recommend putting it into a much safer portfolio.” That means putting the money that you’ll need for the next few years in cash or cash equivalents, such as savings accounts, CDs, and short-term bond funds. “In a recession, if you’re pulling money out of investment accounts that you need to live on, you want to be pulling from the bond side,” so you can leave your stocks alone and allow them to recover, says Black. Consider Part-Time Work & Hiring an Advisor Finding part-time work also helps protect you if a recession catches you off guard. If you’re earning enough income to live on, you can leave your portfolio alone instead of withdrawing funds on a declining balance–a surefire way to drain your savings quickly. Just be aware of how this extra income could affect the taxation of your Social Security benefits, if you’ve already claimed. Tax considerations aside, the advantages of working in retirement aren’t just financial. “I met a retiree a few weeks ago who was working

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

The IRS now says people are getting bigger tax refunds in 2019. Here’s why by Brad Tuttle

ow big will your tax refund be in 2019? The outcome is always somewhat of a guessing game at tax time, but this year taxpayers have encountered an extra mystery when filing. After hearing for weeks that income-tax refunds are lower than 2018, you may be pleasantly surprised — and simultaneously confused — to learn that the IRS now says that average federal tax refunds are higher than last year. The most recent IRS data shows that the average tax refund, for returns filed through February 22, 2019, is $3,143. That’s slightly higher than the average refund filed by roughly the same time in 2018: $3,013. As of February 1, 2019, however, the average income-tax refund among returns filed was only $1,865, according to the IRS, versus $2,035 for the comparable time frame one year ago. We’ll try to explain why tax refunds are bigger lately, why refunds were smaller earlier in the 2019 tax season — and why these trends do not necessarily mean that your personal tax burden is bigger or smaller compared to previous years. How Big Will My Tax Refund Be? The current tax season marks the first year that the 2017 tax cuts are fully in effect, and it’s been difficult for many taxpayers to tell how the changes impact their tax returns — and potential tax refunds. Most people are indeed enjoying a tax cut, but not everyone will wind up paying less in taxes. In early 2018, the federal govern-

as a school bus driver,” Black says. “It gave him summers off, it wasn’t a time commitment for him and it’s just a little cash that can come in handy when the markets are going crazy and you don’t want to pull out your normal withdrawals. You want to let that money continue to stay in and rebound.” Lastly, consider finding someone you trust. While it may feel as if you’re wasting money paying a financial advisor, one key to surviving a recession is to avoid reacting emotionally to the ups and downs of the market, something that can be especially fraught for retirees who know they have less leeway to make up their losses. A professional can prevent you from making any rash moves. “Part of the benefit that we provide is helping people stay in the market when it does go down,” Black explains. “It’s that person in your life telling you, hang in, stay in your seat on the rollercoaster, we’re about to get over this hump, you can do this.” - Money.com

A tax refund is actually just an indication that you’ve been overpaying taxes and are owed some of your own money back.(File photo) ment instructed employers to adjust the withholdings on worker paychecks, to reflect the new rates and changes instituted by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in 2017. If withholdings were changed correctly, the typical worker has been enjoying a bigger paycheck throughout 2018 — because less was being taken out in federal taxes every two weeks. For most middle and upper-middle income earners receiving a large refund means you paid too much in taxes during the course of the year. So, while some people love getting tax refunds because it feels like free money from the government, a tax refund is actually just an indication that you’ve been overpaying taxes and are owed some of your own money back. It may feel great to get a big tax refund, and you should indeed try to get the biggest refund possible when filing. But if you want to grasp the true impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, you must focus on how much you pay overall in taxes — not just at tax filing time, but throughout the year in your paycheck. According to the nonprofit Tax Foundation, 80% of American taxpayers will be paying less in federal taxes overall compared to last year. Why Am I Getting Such a Small Tax Refund? If you’ve been frustrated about the prospect of getting a smaller tax refund, or you’ve been mystified about why you owe more or less in taxes compared to previous years, you’re not alone. The IRS says visits to its website are up 9% compared to this same time last year, indicating that many people are hunting for clues. At the same time, the number of people actually filing

returns is down so far, with the total number of tax returns received by the IRS down 3.5% as of February 22. This too could be an indication that taxpayers are confused: People have been hesitant to file until they have all their questions answered, and are therefore more likely to wait closer to the date that 2019 taxes are due. As for why your 2019 tax refund could be lower (or bigger), that’s a reflection of your withholdings and whether you paid too much or too little in taxes in 2018, according the rates and rules established by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Generally speaking, freelancers and parents are among those most likely to receive bigger refunds this year, according to tax policy experts, while people who live in high-tax states — who have gotten the benefits of large deductions on property and other local taxes in the past — could get smaller refunds. A small percentage of filers accustomed to getting refunds every will actually owe more money in taxes this year. What’s most important is that you view the week-to-week IRS data about average tax refunds with the right perspective. Just because the average tax refund is higher at one point or lower at another does not indicate that you personally will get a bigger or smaller tax refund. The IRS itself says that taxpayers should not read much into this weekly data. In a statement released recently to Business Insider, the IRS stated, “Despite the higher refund average, we remind taxpayers that weekly filing season data is variable and will continue to fluctuate. We caution against drawing broad conclusions on refunds overall this early in the filing season.” - Money.com

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VOICE OF ASIA 9

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Nation honors “Ekal Foundation” with iconic ‘Gandhi Peace Prize’ by Prakash Waghmare

kal Vidyalaya Foundation (EVF)”, the largest global organization dedicated to integrated village development in rural India was recently honored with the most prestigious National Award in India for social work. On February 26, "Ekal Abhiyan Trust" (Ekal’s umbrella Orgz) was bestowed with 'Mahatma Gandhi Peace Prize’ for Yr. 2017 for its contributions in providing Education to rural & tribal children and for providing Empowerment with gender social equality in remote parts of India. This prize is conferred by the Govt of India under the Chairmanship of Hon. Prime Minister, Chief Justice, leader of the largest opposition party and many others. The ceremony took place at the ‘Rashtrapati

Gandhi Peace Prize To EKAL - M. Jain.

Shyamji Gupta Getting 'Goyal Peace Prize.

Bhavan’ in New Delhi and was grace by the Hon. President of India, Ram Nath Kovind as well as Hon Prime Minister N. Modi. On behalf of ‘Ekal’ the award from the Hon. President was received by M.L. Jain, a senior trustee of ‘Ekal Abhiyan’. This unique Honor carries a grant of Rs 1 Crore, a Citation and a Plaque to commemorate the distinction. This prize was instituted in 1995 on 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi to highlight his concept of ‘Gram Swaraj Model’. In his laudatory message to “Ekal”, PM Modi commended its efforts to give educational opportunity to children in tribal areas and empowering rural women-folks. Currently, “EVF” has been supporting 82,000 Ekalschools across Rural-tribal pockets of India and grooming almost 2.2 Million Children – more than half of which are girls. “Ekal” is empowering village folks, not only through adult education classes related to healthcare and environmental-issues, but also, by preparing them for cottage-industries

with skill-development training. At this year’s “Pravasi Bharatiya Divas” in Varanasi (India), Ekal Founder in Australia - Nihal Singh Agar - was honored with ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Sanman’ Award by Hon President Ram Nath Kovind. Nihal Singh-ji has also been a recipient of prestigious “Order of Australia Award” in 2015. During ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’, Ekal’s Renu Gupta, who had been a Board Member & Chairperson of “Ekal-USA” and Dr Sudha Parikh, who had been ardent supporter of “Ekal Foundation” received ‘She The Change - Nari Udyami Award’ for their exemplary service to the community. The honor was given by ‘Beti Shiksha Foundation’ at an event presided over by the Governor of Uttarakhand. On March 1, EVF ‘Founding Member’, Ma. Shaymji Gupta was felicitated by “Kurukshetra University” with ‘Goyal Peace Prize’ for spreading education in remote

Standees from Left -- 4th. Renu Gupta and 5th. Dr Sudha Parikh.

areas (of India). It must also be noted that Ekal serves people without any credence to caste, creed, religion and regions and has presence even in conflictridden patches. In the past, Ekal had been recipient of several distinguished awards for its transparency of administration and innovativeness in its operation. One outstanding among them is the ‘Hewlett Packard & India Today’ “Trailblazer Award” for its digital initiative for the villages. Ekal’s progress and its innovative ‘model’ have astonished not only the communities and Donors alike, but also, the entrepreneurs and social power-that-be. Last year, Hon PM N. Modi gave a goal to “Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation” to establish 100,000 schools by year 2022 – the 75th Year Celebration of India’s Independence.

THE TWICE-BORN: Life and Death on the Ganges Nonfiction by Aatish Taseer

he “twice-born” in Aatish Taseer’s title are the Brahmins who are “reborn” when they undergo initiation as young men into India’s highest caste. But the word could refer equally well to Taseer himself. His story is a variant of the muchtold tale of the American man (or Englishman or European man, seldom a woman) who revolts against the shallowness of Western materialism and goes to India to find his soul, to reinvent himself, to be spiritually reborn. Cross this genre — epitomized by W. Somerset Maugham’s 1944 novel, “The Razor’s Edge” — with the equally shopworn story of the American in search of his ethnic identity and you get a man of Pakistani and Indian heritage who (re)turns to India to find his roots (and/or soul). But Taseer’s is a far more convo-

luted authorial voice: Born in 1980 in London to a Muslim father (the governor of Pakistan’s Punjab Province, assassinated by an Islamist fanatic in 2011) and a Sikh mother (a famous Indian journalist), Taseer was educated at a posh international school in India and then in America, where he graduated from Amherst College. A successful, often controversial, journalist, he was much praised for his first book, a blend of memoir and travelogue called “Stranger to History: A Son’s Journey Through Islamic Lands,” and for his three novels, which deal with a young Indian who returns to his country after some years abroad. It’s not very hard to see an obsessive pattern here, in which “The Twice-Born” forms the final element, since it aims to do for Hinduism (and India) what Taseer’s first book did for Islam (and Pakistan). It was a difficult re-entry. Taseer describes his own cultural schizophrenia in India:

by Rajkamal Rao

he United States (US) National Centre for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest), which believes that standardised testing is flawed, says that over 1,000 four-year colleges do not require students to submit their SAT/ACT scores to be considered for admission.

The accomplishments of these young achievers are as inspirational as their adaptability standardised tests but also in just about anything academic. Many of them take 8-12 college-level Advanced Placement classes when still in high school. They routinely win spelling bees, geography bees,

brilliant!

debate, science and robotic competitions, and quiz bowls. Many make it to state and even national contests.

Bharatanatyam dance classes on her mother’s whim when she was six years old. The family spoke no South Indian language and didn’t have a strong appreciation of the culture or legacy of the art form. Yet, she stayed with this teacher for nearly 10 years and went to Delhi for her Arangetram. When the family approached Doordarshan to cover a short clip for the station’s weekly culture program, Doordarshan was so impressed with the girl’s skills that they covered the event live, broadcasting it to the entire country.

Acing it in arts and sciences Karvi Bhatnagar, a Coppell, TX student, born and raised in Nebraska to a North Indian family, happened to take up

The way Ekal is rapidly marching, it is likely to reach that target way ahead of time in Yr.2020. For more information and to support EVF, please reach out to www.ekal.org

A Pakistani-Indian journalist attempts to rediscover his roots by Wendy Doniger

Indian-American high school students continue pushing the envelope

“I saw everything as an Anglicized Indian watching an imaginary European or American visitor watch India, and I had my heart in my mouth as I tried to guess what he would make of it. It was an embarrassment twice removed.” Part of the problem was that he had chosen to view his rediscovered country through the lens of Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, which he had studied for a decade. Taseer is rightly enthralled by the great richness of Sanskrit literature and by its amazing survival over thousands of years in the minds and lives of Indian scholars, primarily in one community: the Brahmins. He loves the Brahmins for both their knowledge and their disdain for materialism. And his admiration for these unworldly intellectuals, who seem at first to be his kind of people, inspires his appreciation of traditional India, which for him is Hindu India. But this of Continued on next page

The latest to join this list is the most prestigious of them all, the University of Chicago, home to such eminent academics as former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan. America, which spearheaded standardised testing through it world-class assessments at the 12th-grade level (SAT, ACT) and at the higher education level (GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT), appears to be going the other way, with many institutions declaring that they are test-optional. A big reason is that nearly 150 years after the Civil War, and 50 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act and various reforms aimed at helping minorities (Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans), America is still struggling with problems of racial inequity. There’s a collective sense of guilt in the hallways of the most elite colleges and universities. In this narrative, whites and Asian Americans have a leg-up in college admissions because students from these demographic groups post disproportionately high scores on standardised tests. High achievers Indian American students, in particular, not only excel in

But assessing Indian American student performance only through the lens of nerdy academics is inherently unfair to them. Many high-school students of Indian origin, whom I meet regularly as part of our counselling practice, stand tall as an inspiration, serving the community and honing their interests. They are remarkable in their commitment, passion and work ethic to do what they do outside of school. One girl, Abirami Elangovan, born and raised in Detroit, reluctantly moved with her family to Chennai for her ninth grade. The Chennai school would only admit her if she agreed to learn Tamil, a language alien to her although spoken by her parents. She put in nearly 4 hours of effort each day for nearly one-and-a-half years, after school, using a private tutor who could barely understand her American-accented English, mastered the language enough to read poetry and classics in Tamil, and passed the 10th boards. Now she has fallen in love with the language and wants to start a Tamil club when she attends college back in the US. How

Last week I met Adith Gangalakunta, who is at Jasper High School, in Plano, Texas. When he was in the 8th grade, he learned about Melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone in the human body that helps people sleep better. Intrigued by its properties, he tried to research if it can be an effective blocker of UV radiation. A professor at a university 300 miles away, a Melatonin expert, began to mentor him by email. The two communicated for over three months while Adith conducted his research, which he used to compete at the Regional Science Fair in Dallas. Now, Adith is in the 9th grade. Continued on next page

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 10

India captain Kohli slams inconsistent DRS after Australia defeat

EW DELHI, India | AFP | Monday 3/11/2019 - Skipper Virat Kohli has slammed the decision review system (DRS) as "not consistent" after India had a referral turned down by the TV umpire and went on to lose the fourth one-day international to a record Australia chase in Mohali.

Although replays suggested a gap between the ball and the bottom edge of the bat, the "snickometer" showed a spike at the moment the ball passed the bat but the third umpire chose not to overturn the onfield call. Kohli was not pleased with the decision but accepted his team's inadequacies against a superior Australia in the postmatch presentation. "We were sloppy in the field and should've grabbed our chances," Kohli said of his team's fielding lapses. "But the DRS call was a bit of surprise for all of us and it's becoming a more of a talking

Shelters and flood walls have been constructed on Bhashan Char, a muddy silt islet that only rose from the Bay of Bengal in 2006, in the hope of shifting 100,000 Rohingya refugees there. Bangladesh has been talking about the island for years and the plan to relocate some of the nearly one million Rohingya refugees living along its border with Myanmar has stalled many times. The proposal to uproot the refugees remains unpopular among the Rohingya community and critics have raised concerns about the island's ability to withstand violent storms during the monsoon. But Mozammel Huq, the head of Bangladesh's cabinet committee on law and order and a senior government minister, said the relocation would proceed as planned. "We plan to start the pro-

Virat Kohli was not pleased with the decision. (Photo Credit: AP) point every game. It's just not consistent at all. That was a game-changing moment," said Kohli.

stump but ball-tracking technology then showed the ball pitching on the line of leg stump and hitting leg stump.

It was the second straight time in the series that DRS had been questioned after a review by Australia skipper Aaron Finch in the third ODI in Ranchi could have had an outcome on the game that the tourists finally won.

The on-field call was upheld and Australia lost Finch and their sole review.

Finch was trapped leg before on 93 by India's left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav and the umpire raised his finger. The opener called for a review which showed Yadav's delivery pitching on middle

However Finch said overall that DRS was a "pretty good system". DRS is used by match officials to check umpires' decisions, using slow-motion replays, microphones and thermal imaging. India resisted using the technology for years but finally adopted it in 2016, becoming the last Test nation to do so.

cess next month, as construction at Bhashan Char is now complete," he told AFP. Kamal Hossain, the government administrator of Cox's Bazar district where the vast Rohingya camps are located, told AFP they were "preparing a list of refugees who would voluntarily go to the island". - "New crisis" The island is one hour by boat from the nearest land and experts said it was too risky to house the refugees on the island as it is prone to flooding during storm surge. Hundreds of thousands have died in Bangladesh from cyclones in the last 50 years, mostly in coastal areas. Local officials have pointed to a newly-constructed threemetre (nine-feet) high embankment around the island they say will keep out tidal surges in the event of a cyclone. But a top UN rights expert in January warned moving the refugees there could spark a "new crisis" for the persecuted Muslim minority. Huq said the UN "should concentrate on the welfare of the Rohingya instead". "It is up to Bangladesh to

decide where we will keep the refugees," he said. Aid groups have warned the refugees crammed into the world's largest refugee camp in Cox's Bazar are at risk of landslides, disease and floods. The Rohingya fled Myanmar by droves in 2017 into Bangladesh, escaping a military-led crackdown the UN has said could amount to genocide. An official from the International Criminal Court who visited the Rohingya camps this week said those responsible for their persecution would be held to account, despite Myanmar not being a signatory to the Hague-based court. US ambassador Earl Miller met with Bangladesh government officials on Tuesday in Cox’s Bazar to "learn more" about the island relocation. "He welcomed assurances that any movements to the island will be fully voluntary, based on informed consent, and those who choose to go will have free movement off the island to maintain connections with the rest of the Rohingya community in Cox’s Bazar," a statement from the US embassy said.

Indian American high school students... Continued from page 9 Along with a classmate, he is trying to run simulations to see if they can come up with an efficient inhibitor of Melanoma, a form of skin cancer that arises when pigment-producing cells mutate and become cancerous. To simulate the drug’s effects, they contacted a company that makes a tool used for interactive, visual compound evolution, and were able to get a trial licence to do their research. Later this month, Adith, who has won several science fair contests, will present his findings at the Texas State Science Fair at Texas A&M University in College Station. Socially relevant innovation Another genius-in-themaking is Ishaan Javali, from Murphy, TX. When in the 8th grade, he created an Android app which alerts those who are hard-of-hearing when a fire alarm goes off. His app detects the alarm and vibrates the user’s phone violently and

ARIS, France | AFP | Monday 3/11/2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi warned Monday about "war-mongering" by Indian journalists during the latest confrontation with Pakistan.

Discussing the crisis, Satyarthi expressed relief that the worst confrontation between the countries since they went to war in 1999 had "calmed down", but he warned about the dangers of ultra-nationalism.

Bangladesh to move Rohingya to island next month: minister HAKA, Bangladesh | AFP | Wednesday 3/13/2019 - Bangladesh said Wednesday it would start relocating tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims from overcrowded camps to a remote island vulnerable to extreme weather, despite the plan attracting considerable controversy.

Nobel winner Satyarthi warns of media 'war-mongering' in India

The Indian activist, who won the Nobel in 2014 with Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai, has organised a joint statement signed by 71 other laureates calling for nuclear-armed India and Pakistan to defuse tensions after skirmishes at their border.

Ashton Turner hit an unbeaten 43-ball 84 to lead Australia's 359-run chase on Sunday -- their highest ever in ODI cricket -- to level the fivematch series at 2-2 on Sunday. The final match is in Delhi on Wednesday. Turner, on 41, was on the receiving end of a caught behind appeal off Yuzvendra Chahal in the 44th over that was turned down by the on-field umpire but reviewed by the home team.

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

flashes lights on the phone on and off, indicating to the user that the alarm has just activated. He shared the third prize for 8th-grade innovations at the Science fair, which means that there were two other inventions which were even more innovative. (I’m guessing those too were also Asian American!) Now in the 9th grade, Ishaan has been independently working on a system of three Android apps for Alzheimer’s/ dementia patients. He demonstrated his app and I was blown away by its design, simplicity, and features. Ishaan told me that it contains 25,000 lines of code in Java, C#, and Python all self-taught outside of a oneweek primer he took in a coding class. Yes, Ishaan is just in the 9th grade. The app assumes that a visitor intends to call on an Alzheimer patient who has a caregiver in attendance, such as at a hospital. The visitor logs in to the central system at the front door using facial recognition

or a traditional username and password. Once the visitor’s profile details are entered, the caregiver has the authority to grant a visit. Should the visit be granted, the patient can review the visitor’s profile, repeatedly if necessary, so that the visit is pleasant. Alzheimer patients, after all, suffer from memory loss and a decline in cognitive abilities. This app allows them to better understand who is visiting them. The caregiver’s version has additional features, such as analyze the patient’s emotions using facial recognition, track the patient using GPS if the patient wanders, and view a list of events that have taken place. Ishaan plans to release this app on Google Play this summer. Adapting, working harder I have been privileged to mentor other outstanding achievers: Pranav Sastry, a 12th grade student who also pursued Taekwondo for 10 years and won the prestigious Eagle Scout badge; Utkarsh Nigam, a

"Many people, not only ordinary people who are patriots and nationalists, but also the media suddenly crossed that line and started demanding fully fledged war," Satyarthi told AFP in an interview in Paris. "Sometimes they enjoy these kind of situations. It is very unfortunate," he added. "Luckily there are well-meaning people in journalism and

Indian rights activist Kailash Satyarthi has begun a new campaign, to protect children from sexual exploitation. (AFP Photo/ Manjunath Kiran) politics who are working hard to de-escalate it, but there are a large number of people who crossed the line from patriotism to war-mongering." An attack planned by a Pakistan-based militant group on a convoy of Indian paramilitaries on February 14 provoked air strikes from New Delhi on Pakistani territory. Pakistan, which denies supporting the JeM militant group, responded by shooting down an Indian warplane and captur-

ing the pilot, whose return two days later pulled the nucleararmed rivals back from the brink. "It has calmed down, and the tensions de-escalated, but a real problem of violent extremism and terrorism still exists (in Pakistan), and sometimes I feel that this is beyond the control of the Pakistani government as well because there are such powerful outfits no Pakistani government can easily function without them," Satyarthi said.

Journalist rediscovers his roots... Continued from page 9 Hinduism and India, which he views en saffron, the color of the robes of ascetics and hence originally a symbol of ascetic Hinduism — but nowadays an emblem of right-wing, nationalist Hinduism. He therefore decides to live in the holiest city of Hindu India, Varanasi. Actually, Taseer calls it Benares, the British name Indians have replaced with the original Sanskrit. Elsewhere he comments obliquely on this choice: “One forms an idea of India by balancing what India knows about herself with what outsiders, from Megasthenes and Fa Hsien to Al-Biruni and Niccolo de Conti, have written about her. It makes the country ripe for being defined from the outside.” Yet he largely ignores the many Indian writers who, pace Taseer, have managed to define it quite well from the inside. Taseer’s discovery of India results in a detailed, learned and highly readable tour of Hindu history, noting many of the positive contributions of the centuries of Muslim rule and dwelling at some length on the degrading and demoralizing effects of the British Raj. But along the way, the saffron scales seem to fall from his eyes as he describes the rise of Hindu nationalism, with its anti-Muslim violence, and the failure of liberal Hinduism to apply more than an ineffectual Band-Aid to the deep, septic wound of the people once called Untouchables, now known as Dalits. He excoriates the rise of the present ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and its prime minister, Narendra Modi, charting the way they have exploited both anti-Muslim passions and the wounded pride inflicted by British rule, riding to power on a wave of

student who was uprooted from 8th-grade-life in Bengaluru to migrate to the US and has competed in university-level computer hackathon competitions; and a 9th grade student, who requested that he not be named, who has created an Android app to help better report vitals to medical professionals, winning first prize in the Dallas Science Fair. These are extraordinary individuals and, while they do what they do because they like the challenge, the harsh truth also is that they do so because they feel that they have to differentiate themselves from the competition. Top US colleges are known to artificially limit access to Asian Americans arguing that these students are already over-represented compared to their populations: Asian Americans constitute about 4 per cent of the US population but nearly 25 per cent of the first-year class at elite colleges. The intense contest, how-

religious bigotry. He watches Modi manipulating precisely those high-minded Hindu values that he, Taseer, has so admired. He is particularly eloquent when he bemoans the weird claims that have been made for Indian (that is, Hindu) science, including the assertion that ancient Indians used nuclear weapons and mastered air travel. By this time, Taseer has realized that a much-admired Brahmin friend named Tripathi is speaking “a cut-rate version of the banalities one hears every day on American college campuses,” and Taseer fears that his former awe of this man may have been “an extension of my romantic idea of Tripathi.” Finally, near the very end of his narrative, Taseer comes up against the issue of caste. After a seemingly jolly dinner at a Brahmin home, he is shocked, shocked, to see his friends insist that a nonBrahmin dinner companion must wash his own plates and utensils. At that moment, “a deep shame came up in me, as if from the recesses of childhood, like the shame of wetting one’s pants.” Despite his sharp-eyed condemnation of the evils of Hindu nationalism and caste, Taseer manages to salvage his admiration for the Brahmin world by making a rather artificial, though quite common, distinction between two aspects of religion, spirituality and magic. Spirituality — love of the gods, of ancient texts, of uplifting and comforting ceremonies and magnificent architecture — is high-minded, moral, inspiring, and Taseer praises the Brahmins for their spirituality. However, magic — the superstitious belief in the efficacy of rituals and astrology, along with the measures taken to avoid pollution from

ever, has made standing out even more difficult. One study showed that Asian American students have to score 150 points more on the SAT simply to compete with students from other demographic groups. It is this narrative that is now the thrust of a closely-watched lawsuit against Harvard University, a case brought by Asian Americans and joined at the hip by the US Department of Justice. The outcome of the case could have ramifications nationwide about admissions to selective colleges. In the meantime, as more elite institutions consider going test-optional and relying exclusively on human interest stories of applicants to determine their potential and college readiness, Indian American students are beginning to excel here too. Not only are their accomplishments inspirational, but their attitudes are too: If the rules change, no problem; we will simply adapt and work harder. - Business Line / The Hindu

contact with lower castes — is stupid, destructive, cruel. Taseer’s damning critique of Modi’s “pseudoscientific impulse” culminates in his dismissal of Hindu magical thinking, which he sees as opposed not only to science but to religion. Though he admits that “I had tried to sidestep the subject of magic until now, even though it had encroached many times,” it is magic that finally drives Taseer out of India. After months spent hanging out in ashrams, he realizes, as he is about to visit yet another, that “I did not want to enter its crowded spaces where religious feeling was at a fevered pitch. I made some excuse about not wanting to remove my shoes.” He had undergone a kind of reverse enlightenment, from the purified life of the mind to a realization of the material tragedy of present-day India. He puts it well: “Maybe all my questing after India had been the precursor to my moving more honestly away from it.” As he encounters more anti-Muslim violence, more anti-Dalit violence, as well as the “vigilantes” falsely proclaiming the sanctity of cows, he recoils from the sort of fanaticism that killed his father. But he salvages some of his original idealism by remarking, “It was an age that spelled the destruction of the very ideal of the Brahmin.” And what of his own ideals? “After Amherst,” he writes, “I had planned to come back to India forever, but I was unable to fit back in.” He returns to New York, to the man to whom he is married (as he tells us, though he sometimes lies about it in Benares). All that he has been able to salvage from the saffron days is his love of Sanskrit, which he continues to study, now at Columbia University. There he encounters a “leftwing Indian intellectual” who insists, “I am not a Brahmin. … For me that word is the same as Nazi.” This encounter makes Taseer recall the horrors of “castebound” India and Modi’s manipulation of “the old Indian disease of symbolic action.” Two more deaths rekindle his grief over his father. In mourning all three, he explains, “I was also mourning the end of my life in India.” And that death was his rebirth. Wendy Doniger is the author of “The Hindus: An Alternative History.” Her latest book, “The Donigers of Great Neck: A Mythologized Memoir,” has just been published. THE TWICE-BORN Life and Death on the Ganges By Aatish Taseer Published 2019, 242 pp. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $26 - New York Times

ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 11

Clean-cut K-pop embroiled in S. Korean sex scandal by Claire LEE

EOUL, South Korea | AFP | Wednesday 3/13/2019 - With wholesome looks and increasingly global fanbases, K-pop has sold its stars as the ultimate squeaky clean pin-ups. But a burgeoning sex scandal in the industry shows how pervasive discrimination and abuse are in South Korean society, activists say. In the space of just two days, singer-songwriter Jung Joonyoung and BIGBANG boyband member Seungri have announced their retirements from showbusiness. Jung, 30, admitted filming himself having sex and sharing the footage without his partners' consent, while Seungri -- real name Lee Seung-hyun -- is embroiled in a sex-forinvestment criminal investigation.

Both were members of the same chatroom where Jung and others shared illicit content of at least 10 women, according to broadcaster SBS.

most by being embroiled in a scandal, even after a wave of #MeToo accusations in the still socially conservative South over the past year.

The South has been battling a growing epidemic of so-called "molka", or spycam videos -- mostly of women, secretly filmed by men.

Lee Moon-won, a popular culture critic in Seoul, said the multilingual Seungri -- who has multiple business interests -- was popularly seen as "ideal cultural export".

But K-pop stars generally cultivate clean-cut images -and are actively promoted by the South Korean government as a key cultural export.

"Most of his fans would agree that Seungri is an exceptionally hard working star," Lee told AFP.

Many face tremendous pressure to look and behave perfectly in an industry powered by so-called "fandoms" -- groups of well-organised admirers at home and abroad who spend enormous amounts of time and money to help their favoured stars climb up the charts and attack their perceived rivals.

"On top of his singing career, he somehow mastered Japanese and Chinese, which made him a very useful member whenever BIGBANG visited those countries.

With fortunes at stake they would have more to lose than

Seungri was interviewed by police at the weekend over ac-

"Learning two foreign languages while being a K-pop star is definitely not an easy thing."

Japan says won't submit new UN rights motion against N. Korea

OKYO, Japan | AFP | Wednesday 3/13/2019 - Japan said Wednesday it will not submit a motion against North Korea's human rights record at a UN panel for the first time in more than a decade. The decision comes as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe explores ways to engage North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in an effort to resolve a row over past kidnappings of Japanese nationals by Pyongyang agents. Abe, who rose to national political fame with his hardline stance against North Korea, has toned down his rhetoric against Pyongyang as US President Donald Trump actively courts Kim, holding their second meeting earlier this month in Vietnam.

"Having reviewed the outcome of the US-North Korea summit meeting as well as various conditions surrounding the abduction and other issues, we have decided not to submit a draft resolution on the situation of human rights in the DPRK at the current Human Rights Council being held in Geneva," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular briefing. For the past 11 years, Japan has joined the European Union to jointly issue a motion to con-

demn human rights conditions in North Korea. Tokyo believes North Korean agents kidnapped at least 17 Japanese nationals to train its spies in language and customs in the 1970s and 80s. After years of denial, North Korea admitted in 2002 that it had taken 13 Japanese civilians. Campaigners, however, believe the disappearance of up to 470 Japanese may be linked to North Korea.

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

cusations he lobbied potential investors by offering them the services of prostitutes at nightclubs in Seoul's posh Gangnam district. The 29-year-old is also linked to a police investigation into Burning Sun, a nightclub where he was a public relations director, where staff are alleged to have filmed women with hidden cameras and used alcohol and drugs to sexually assault them. Before the scandal, Seungri had been nicknamed the "Great Seungsby" after the protagonist of the Scott Fitzgerald novel the Great Gatsby, for his good looks, his seemingly successful business and the lavish parties he had thrown. "It's ironic how Seungri and Gatsby turned out to have more things in common after the scandal broke," Lee said. "Both have engaged in illicit

Jung Joon-young and BIGBANG boyband member Seungri. (File) and corrupt activities to gain fame and wealth." Last year, Seoul several times witnessed thousands of women protesting against spycam vidoes as part of the country's ongoing #MeToo movement.

"This case just shows that male K-pop stars are no exception when it comes to being part of this very disturbing reality that exploits women," women's rights activist Bae Bok-ju told AFP.

Malaysia Airlines could be sold or shut down: PM

UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia | AFP | Tuesday 3/12/2019 - Malaysia Airlines may be sold or shut down, Malaysia's leader said Tuesday, the latest bad news for a carrier that has been in crisis since suffering the loss of two planes. The 71-year-old airline has been on the ropes since 2014 when Flight MH370 disappeared and MH17 was shot down by a Russian-made missile over war-torn Ukraine. With the carrier teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, sovereign wealth fund Khazanah stepped in to take it over several years ago and major reforms were instituted, including cutting thousands of staff.

But it has continued to fare poorly and its performance was blamed in large part for a set of poor financial results released by Khazanah last week. Responding to questions about the airline's future, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told reporters in parliament: "I think it is a very serious matter, to shut down the national airline. "We will nevertheless be studying and investigating as to whether we should shut it down or we should sell it off or we should refinance it." Official news agency Bernama reported that Khazanah last week posted a pre-tax loss

of 6.3 billion ringgit ($1.54 billion) for 2018, compared with a pre-tax profit of 2.9 billion ringgit the year before. Mahathir, 93 and in his second stint as premier, is seeking to reduce a mammoth national debt inherited from the previous, corruption-plagued regime. Malaysia Airlines said in a statement it had been "working closely" with Khazanah on the next phase of its turnaround plan since September. The disappearance of Flight MH370, which was carrying 239 people, remains one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries, and successive searches have failed to find the plane.

Abe is now putting more effort into meeting Kim to resolve the abduction issue.

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China offers Venezuela help to restore power

EIJING, China | AFP | Wednesday 3/13/2019 - China on Wednesday offered to help Venezuela as it faces a crippling multi-day power blackout that President Nicolas Maduro has blamed on the United States.

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"China hopes that Venezuela can quickly find the cause of this accident and restore normal power and social order," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular briefing. "China is willing to offer assistance and technical support to Venezuela to restore the power system," Lu said. Power has been restored to some areas in Venezuela since the weekend, but the supply has been intermittent and often drops out. Maduro called for support from allies including Russia and China as well as the United Nations in investigating the US "cyber attack" he said was responsible for the blackout. Lu said China was "very concerned" about reports of a cyber attack, but declined to directly blame the US. "This I'm afraid can only be clarified and explained by the party accused by President Maduro," Lu said. Businesses and schools remained shuttered on Maduro's orders, as they have been since the blackout began. While Maduro pointed the finger at Washington, critics have long blamed the government for failing to maintain the power grid. Opposition leader Juan Guaido, 35, is seeking to capitalise on public anger over the blackout, which has piled misery on a population suffering years of economic crisis and shortages of food and medicine under Maduro.

At: Immanuel Center, 12801 Sugar Ridge Blvd, Stafford, TX 77477 Join us to Celebrate and Honor the first wave of immigrant Nurses from the Indian subcontinent A great opportunity for event Sponsorship and Advertisement in the Souvenir -A coffee table publication for generations to keep DO NOT MISS THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY!

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FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

College student falls to his death from hotel balcony while vacationing in Cancun, Mexico

Trump proposes to end student loan forgiveness program

Police are determining what led to the Michigan teenager's fall.

ASHGTON President Trump plans some major changes to your student loans, according to his 2020 budget.

By Minyvonne Burke

college student on spring break died after he fell from the balcony of his seventh-floor hotel room in Cancun, authorities in Mexico said.

"I miss him so much," she said. "We were so happy. He was the love of my life. I wish he was here right now. We all do."

Trump Loans

Ahmed Altaii, 19, fell from a hotel balcony in Cancun while on spring break. (Photo: Facebook)

Police are determining what led the teenager to fall to his death.

at Henry Ford College in Dearborn, a spokesperson for the school said. He enrolled in the program in 2018 after taking classes at the college while still attending Dearborn Fordson High School.

Altaii was a business student

"Ahmed’s passing is a terri-

ble loss for our community. All of us at Henry Ford College send our deepest condolences and sympathy to the family and friends who are suffering from this tragedy," the spokesperson said. - MSNBC News

Brexit: MPs reject Theresa May's deal for a second time

ONDON - Theresa May's EU withdrawal deal has been rejected by MPs by an overwhelming majority for a second time, with just 17 days to go to Brexit. MPs voted down the prime minister's deal by 149 - a smaller margin than when they rejected it in January. Mrs May said MPs will now get a vote on whether the UK should leave the EU without a deal and, if that fails, on whether Brexit should be delayed. She said Tory MPs will get a free vote on a no-deal Brexit. That means they can vote with their conscience rather than following the orders of party managers - an unusual move for a vote on a major policy, with Labour saying it showed she had "given up any pretence of leading the country". The PM had made a last minute plea to MPs to back her deal after she had secured legal assurances on the Irish backstop from the EU. But although she managed to convince about 40 Tory MPs to change their mind, it was not nearly enough to overturn the historic 230 vote defeat she suffered in January, throwing her Brexit strategy into fresh disarray. - BBC News

Apple sets March 25 event, hints at streaming

AN FRANCISO | AFP - Apple announced plans Monday for a March 25 media event, hinting at a widely expected plan to unveil its own Netflix-style streaming service with original video. An invitation sent to journalists included a movie reel countdown video and the message "It's show time." The event at Apple's Silicon Valley headquarters is expected to reveal details of its efforts in original video and its reported investment of at least $1 billion. The iPhone maker is seeking to diversify its revenue base and move more into services with the smartphone market declining. Some reports said actresses Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon and "Star Wars" director J.J. Abrams would join Apple at the event. Apple is also believed to be working on a subscription news service aimed at shaking up the world of journalism. "We will participate in the original content world," Apple spokesman said while discussing plans for video content.

Here's what you need to know and how it can affect you.

Ahmed Altaii, 19, of Dearborn, Michigan, was vacationing with his girlfriend, Heidi Newman, when he fell Saturday night, the Mexican Municipal Secretariat of Public Security and Transit told NBCaffiliate WDIV. Newman told The Detroit Free Press at a vigil Sunday that Altaii had talked about returning to Cancun with friends.

by Zack Friedman

Budget:

Student

The White House released Trump's 2020 budget proposal, which contains important implications for higher education and student loans. The budget includes $64.0 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Education, a $7.1 billion, or 10%, decrease compared to the 2019 funding. The budget, as it relates to student loans, is built on several stated goals, among others: • Strike a balance between students' needs and taxpayer interests • Ensure fiscal discipline in discretionary spending • Reduce the role for the federal government in education • Reduce student loan debt • Increase accountability for institutions of higher education • Make higher education more affordable • Invest in technical and career education

Here are some specific proposals, among others, which could affect your ability to pay off student loans faster: 1. End Public Service Loan Forgiveness Under Trump's proposed budget, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program would be eliminated. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is a federal program created by President George W. Bush that forgives federal student loans for borrowers who are employed fulltime (more than 30 hours per week) in an eligible federal, state or local public service job or 501(c)(3) nonprofit job who make 120 eligible on-time payments over ten years. The proposal would impact borrowers who borrow a new student loan starting July 1, 2020, excluding borrowers who are completing their current course study. Therefore, if you borrow or have borrowed a student loan prior to that date, you would presumably still be eligible for this student loan forgiveness program. 2. Change Federal Student Loan Repayment According to the Trump administration, there are too many income-driven repayment plans for federal student loans, which causes confusion for student loan borrowers. In-

come-driven repayment plans such as PAYE and REPAYE enable borrowers to repay their federal student loans based on income, family size and other factors, and can result in student loan forgiveness. Trump's repayment plan would reduce the number of income-driven repayment plans to one, and offer student loan forgiveness for both undergraduate and graduate federal student loans. 3. End Subsidized Student Loans The president's budget also would eliminate subsidized student loans, which traditionally has meant that the federal government pays the interest costs on federal student loans while borrowers are enrolled in school. Will this budget become law? The president's budget will face legislative review and does not automatically become law. While the president proposes a budget, only Congress passes appropriation bills. The White House has introduced many of these proposals in prior budgets, but they were not implemented. Now that the Democrats control the U.S. House of Representatives, the White House may face further roadblocks. Stay tuned. - Forbes

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Fort Bend View

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

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

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Fort Bend County Judge KP George launches his Global Initiative to increase economic growth and development in Fort Bend county

Fort Bend County Judge KP George addresing the guests on building relationships Consular Corps.

ORT BEND - Since January 1st and before, Fort Bend County Judge KP George has been working tirelessly on increasing the level of economic development in Fort Bend County. He is proud to launch the Fort Bend Global Initiative. The mission of the Global Initiative is to work with international companies and organizations to attract, foster, and grow businesses, and in the process, create new, well-paying jobs for Fort Bend County residents. In that spirit, Judge George recently met with Consul Generals from the United Kingdom, France, China, Taiwan, Russia, Switzerland, Norway, Germany, and India with the goal of identifying opportunities to advance international

County Judge KP George, members of the IACCGH and other chambers meet at Madras Pavilion in Sugar Land.

relations with an emphasis on economic and commercial results. “It is crucial that Fort Bend build strong relationships with our Consular Corps and international economic development partners so that we can encourage job growth and attract private investment, for the benefit of residents across Fort Bend County. I am grateful that we have a Consular Corps that is willing to collaborate and help improve the economic fabric of our community,” stated Fort Bend County Judge KP George. With its 92 consulates, the Consular Corps of Houston is the third-largest consular corps in the nation, serving as a link between the Houston region and the world.

Fort Bend County Judge KP George addressing the guests at the residence of Consul General of India, Dr. Anupan Ray.

More on Fort Bend visit

A ‘sad’ dad’s doughnut shop sells out of sweets after son’s viral tweet Billy’s Donuts in Missouri City was flooded with visitors after a tweet plea by Amy McCarthy

hen his father’s newly-opened doughnut shop wasn’t seeing much foot traffic, Billy By took to Twitter to ask people to visit Billy’s Donuts in Missouri City, and the

tweet went viral. After that tweet, the shop at 7022 Highway 6 in Missouri City was swarmed with visitors. “We completely sold out of donuts and kolaches!,” Billy By posted to his Twitter account on Sunday. “You are all

amazing. I can’t thank everyone enough for coming out and supporting local businesses. This means so much to my family.” Just two days after By first posted his father’s brightlycolored doughnut destination, the tweet has already racked up

more than 250,000 retweets and over half a million likes. Even celebrities tweeted their support of By and his father’s doughnut shop, including actor Ryan Phillippe. Other Twitter users shared photos of the lengthy lines, or raved about the boudin kolaches at Billy’s Donuts. If anything, this story is proof that social media isn’t always terrible. - Eater.com

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March 11 marks 311 milestone

UGAR LAND – The city of Sugar Land will celebrate the oneyear anniversary of its 311 Contact Center on March 11 or “3/11.” “During our inaugural year, we have been hard at work answering phone calls from residents, responding to questions on our MySugarLand smartphone app and promptly returning e-mails,” said Contact Center Manager Michelle Manukonda, whose team of customer service ambassadors manages about 5,000 inquiries each month. The 311 Contact Center has been a central component of Sugar Land’s organizational focus on communication and customer service during the past two years. This focus has resulted in some of the largest percentage increases in satisfaction levels above the national average in the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey. Sugar Land has found that directing general inquiry questions to one location is a more efficient use of city resources, and the data collected

assists the city in being more strategic with the allocation of resources, ensures timely responses to citizen concerns and helps form proactive public education on topics such as garbage collection, water bills and city events. The contact center is a single, one-stop point of contact designed to make it easy for residents to know who to contact for assistance with non-emergency, city-related questions, and requests for services. Residents can call 3-1-1 or 281-275-2900 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding city holidays to reach a city staff member. After normal business hours and during holidays an after-hours answering service is available to take messages and contact on-call staff for emergencies, allowing staff to reach a live person 24/7. Requests may also be submitted through the city’s website using the “Report a Concern” icon on the homepage, using the MySugarLand smartphone app or through 311@sugarlandtx.gov.

VOICE OF ASIA 14

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD Section 2

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‘Captain Marvel’ holds her own in N. American opening

Yet another Ambani wedding bash! Akash Ambani to wed Shloka Mehta

kash Ambani, son of India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, is getting married to his childhood friend and fiancée Shloka Mehta, daughter of Mona and Russell Mehta, in Mumbai on Saturday. The invitee list is much similar to the one for Akash’s twin sister Isha’s wedding to Piramal Group scion Anand Piramal last December. - Business Line / The Hindu

Photo: The Independent UK

OS ANGELES | AFP | Monday 3/11/2019 - “Captain Marvel,” the first Marvel superhero film with a female character in top billing, soared atop North American box offices in its debut weekend, with ticket sales of $153.4 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said on Monday. Added to the $302 million taken in internationally, the film’s total of $455 million for the three-day weekend makes it the biggest opening ever for a female-fronted superhero film, the Hollywood Reporter said. It is also the sixth highest global debut ever and the best domestic start for a superhero film since Marvel’s “Black Panther” opened last year with $202 million, trade magazines said. The film stars Brie Larson, winner of a 2016 Best Actress Oscar for “Room,” as Carol Danvers, a former fighter pilot who gains superpowers in an accident and finds herself in the middle of a galactic conflict. Also starring are Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Annette Bening and Jude Law.

ond place, at $14.7 million, was Universal’s “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” which had topped the North American box office for two straight weekends. The final installment in the “Dragon” trilogy, voiced by Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett and F. Murray Abraham, tells the story of young Hiccup and his dragon Toothless on their quest to find a reputed dragon utopia.

And in fifth was Fox’s “Alita: Battle Angel” at $3.2 million. The sci-fi fantasy stars Rosa Salazar as a nearly human cyborg who has lost her memory.

It soared to the top of ticket sales despite online misogynistic trolls who launched a coordinated attack against the film over the weekend by posting negative reviews.

“Isn’t It Romantic” ($2.3 million)

“Green Book” ($2.5 million) “Greta” ($2.2 million) “Fighting With My Family” ($2.2 million) “Apollo 11” ($1.3 million)

Actor’s case hurt by ‘misinformation’: defense attorney

Akash Ambani (center) dances with guest Shahrukh Khan (in white).

Bollywood and Hollywood set to unite for emotional Mother Teresa biopic

Fourth spot went to Warner Bros.’ “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,” at $3.9 million. Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks and Will Arnett voice the animated toys in a story of love and apocalypse in a plastic universe.

Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:

HICAGO | AFP | Tuesday 3/12/2019 - An attorney representing US television actor Jussie Smollett, accused of staging a false hate-motivated attack, said Tuesday the case was mired in “misinformation” and “demonstrably false” evidence.

Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin among dozens charged in college entrance exam scandal

In third, down one spot, was Lionsgate’s “A Madea Family Funeral” from actor/director Tyler Perry. The latest comic chapter about the irreverent but caring elderly title character (played by Perry) earned $12.5 million.

The film, which opened on International Women’s Day, was co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

Trailing light-years behind in sec-

SHOCKER!

sented as fact and evidence against Mr Smollett, which is demonstrably false,” Glandian said. “We welcome cameras in the courtroom so that the public and the media can see the actual evidence and what we believe is actually going to be the lack of evidence against Mr. Smol-

ctresses Felicity Huffman (pictured above) and Lori Loughlin are among 40 charged in a nationwide college entrance exam scandal, according to court documents filed Tuesday in Boston and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. Several NCAA D-1 college coaches, company CEOs and one college administrator have also been implicated in the scandal, named “Operation Varsity Blues.” Two-hundred FBI agents worked the case. Documents show those indicted allegedly paid millions in bribes to get their children into elite colleges. Those colleges include Yale, Stanford and the University of Southern California. “It remains to be seen if we charge any students,” Andrew Lelling with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston said during a media conference. “The schools are not considered co-conspirators.” Arrest warrants have been issued. Thirteen of the accused were taken into custody Tuesday morning in the Los Angeles area, including Huffman and Loughlin, according to Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the United States Attorney’s Office, District of California. “Those 13 defendants will be making their initial court appearances this afternoon beginning sometime after 2 p.m.” Feds are basing the case on interviews with witnesses, bank records, flight records, emails, cell site data and wiretaps. The charges were authorized by a grand jury. The scheme, in some instances, involved parents paying William “Rick” Singer, of Newport Beach, California, the founder of a college prep business, to have someone take the SAT or ACT for their children, according to authorities. Prosecutors alleged that Singer also paid around $25 million in bribes to coaches and administrators to pretend client’s children were athletic recruits, thereby guaranteeing admission. Singer pleaded guilty in Boston federal court around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday to charges including racketeering conspiracy and obstruction of justice, according to the AP.

Police say Smollett -- who gained fame on Fox musical drama “Empire” -- staged the attack in a bid to gain publicity and a bigger paycheck. Attorney Tina Glandian, appearing Tuesday before the chief criminal judge in Chicago on whether to allow news cameras in the courtroom during a hearing scheduled for later this week, said the defense welcomed the cameras. “There has been a lot of misinformation in this case that has been pre-

lett.” The 36-year-old actor -- who is black and gay -- has been charged with 16 felony counts for allegedly hiring two acquaintances to stage a street attack in downtown Chicago, complete with homophobic and racial slurs, while invoking Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. He has been dropped from the last two episodes of the show’s current season, and his future is now in the hands of the court.

Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, are accused of paying $500,000 to USC, through Singer’s operation, in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the college’s crew team — even though they did not participate in crew — thereby guaranteeing their admission in the college, according to documents. The couple faces charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.

Producer Girish Johar gave the first glimpse at the Mother Teresa biopic. (Picture: Twitter)

UMBAI - Bollywood producers are working on a Mother Teresa biopic, in a bid to ‘pay tribute to the noble soul’. The film, focusing on the incredible life of the nun, will feature ‘top talent’ from around the world, with Pradeep Sharma, Nitin Manmohan, Girish Johar and Prachi Manmohan set to produce. Speaking about the upcoming project, Seema Upadhyay said: ‘We visited the Missionaries of Charity in “The federal government has alleged that USC is a victim in a scheme perpetrated against the university by a long-time athletics department employee, one current coach and three former coaching staff, who were allegedly involved in a college admissions scheme and have been charged by the government on multiple charges,” USC president Wanda M. Austin said Huffman and her spouse, William H. Macy, are accused of disguising a $15,000 charitable payment in the bribery scheme. The charging papers refer to Macy as “spouse.” He hasn’t been indicted. She also faces the charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. - The Hollywood Reporter

Kolkata and the experience was surreal.’ ‘She is a global icon and we will ensure to leave no stone unturned to meet her international stature and pay our tribute to the noble soul,’ the producers added in a statement. ‘We hope we will do justice and will be able to spread the message for peace, love and humanity that Mother Teresa stood for.’ Girish also gave his Twitter fans a look at the artwork for the film, showing a close-up image of her praying hands. ‘Proud NEW journey……,’ he wrote alongside the upload. ‘Official biopic on Nobel laureate #MotherTeresa launched, produced by Pradeep Sharma, Nitin Manmohan, Girish Johar & @Prachinm. ‘Written-Directed by Seema Upadhyay. Cast-Crew comprises top talent pools of Bollywood & Hollywood. @ OneUpEntertain @seems_u.’ So far, it is not yet known who will be playing the part of the icon – aka no word if Scarlett Johansson is free. The film is set to be released in 2020. This isn’t the first time the life of Mother Teresa has been depicted on screen, with Richard Attenborough narrating a documentary back in 1986. And The Letters, released in 2014, explored her life through notes she wrote to confidant Father Celeste. - Metro.co.uk

LEGAL

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TEMPORARY ORDERS DURING A DIVORCE issue may be raised upon final divorce negotiations. Also, temporary orders may be favored for final disposition and argued as such in order to maintain the status quo or stable environment for all involved, especially children. About Mala Sharma Mala Sharma has been practicing family law and personal injury with her family at the Law Offices of Sharma & Associates, founded in 1997. Mala is President Emeritus of the Houston Northwest Bar Association, Board member of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association and South Asian Bar Association. She is also a member of the Houston Bar Association.

The evidentiary hearing often feels like a trial, as it involves the presentation of testimony and evidence through witnesses and exhibits. As such, all testimony is recorded by the court reporter and this record can be used later on during trial in order to prove any conflicting statements by witnesses. The reason behind this method is to disprove any witness argument or tarnish their credibility and therefore their testimony. Further, contested temporary orders hearings become expensive and emotions run high. It is important to keep emotions at bay in order to have an effective evidentiary hearing. Also, it is necessary to keep in mind that these orders are only temporary and not always worth the cost. However, temporary orders may affect the final resolution of a case. For example, if one side is favored by the judge, this

A hearing on temporary orders, to be granted by the Judge, is called an “evidentiary” hearing. At the evidentiary hearing both facts and evidence are presented to the judge by the parties, witness testimony, pictures, documents, and any other evidence. The goal is to determine what is in the best interest of the children, if children are involved, and maintain the present circumstances. If both parties live together, a temporary order can also award the house to be exclusively used by one party

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.

Read previous articles on LEGAL issues by our columnist Visit Visit us us online online : www. : www. voiceofasiaonline.com voiceofasia.news To contribute articles, email voiceasia@aol.com

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Q: Some employers are exempt from the annual 65,000 H-1B visa cap. Which employers are these?

A: No, you may not do that. All H-1B attorney fees and filing fees associated with the filing and preparation of the H-1B petition on your behalf must be borne by the employer as that is part of the employer’s business expense. In the case of premium processing, if that option is preferred by you for personal reasons, then you may pay that yourself. If on the other hand, it is your employer who is requesting for that option, then that cost must also be borne by the employer as well.

A: If you already have the H-1B non-immigrant visa and you are just applying to extend the period of validity for the visa, you are exempt from the quota. Institutions of higher education or those that are related or affiliated nonprofit entities as well as nonprofit research organizations or governmental research organizations are all cap exempt. Q: What are the filing fees for new H-1B petitions for Fiscal Year 2020?

Q: I am married and three children under the age of 21 years. I am here in the US and will be the beneficiary of an H-1B petition. Can my wife and children who currently live abroad come to live with me in the US if I was approved for the H-1B?

A: To file a new H-1B petition, there are several different fees to be paid: Base filing fee of $460; Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee of $500 (does not apply for Chile/Singapore H-1B1 petitions) and American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act 1998 (ACWIA) fee of either $750 for employers with 1 to 25 full time equivalent employees (unless exempt) or $1500 for employers with 26 or more full time equivalent employees (unless exempt). The various exemptions from the ACWIA fee can be found in the H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement, Part B. For example, certain categories of institutions of higher learning and non-profit organizations are exempt from ACWIA fees. In addition, a Public Law Fee is also payable by employers with 50 or more employees in the US and more than 50% of those employees are in H-1B or L-1 nonimmigrant status. This fee is $4000.00 Also, if premium processing is needed, the fee is an additional $1410 on top of the regular processing fee.

A: Yes, your wife and children under 21 years old will be issued H-4 (dependent) visas. They can apply for this visa at the US Consulate in their country of residence. Q: If my wife receives the H-4 visa, can she work or attend school in the US? A: No, she will not be permitted to work. But she will be allowed to attend school on a full time or part time basis. Effective May 26th, 2015, H-4 spouses of H-1B holders who are either the beneficiary of an approved I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker or who are holding H-1B status under AC21 sections 106(a) and (b) may apply for employment authorization. These are nonimmigrant H-1B holders who intend to seek permanent residence status and 365 days or more have elapsed since their labor certification application or I-140 Immigrant Petition (whichever applicable) was filed. Once the H-4 spouse’s Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is approved, the he or she may begin working in the US. But please note that at present, USCIS has already submitted its proposed

regulation to remove this H-4 spouse work authorization and it is expected to take effect in the summer of 2019. Q: I am presently in the US on a B2 visa. My stay expires in July 2019. My prospective employer wishes to petition for the H-1B visa for me. Do I have to return home to my home country while the petition is processing or can I just stay here and then begin work with them in October 1st, 2019? A: You will have to ensure that you either continue to maintain valid nonimmigrant status from the time of expiry of your B2 visitor status until the time you can commence H—1B employment on October 1st, 2019 or return to your home country prior to the expiry of your present authorized stay in July 2019 and obtain the H-1B visa from the appropriate US consulate abroad after the petition has been approved. In most cases such as yours, the latter option would most likely be the easier one to take.

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. 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

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myself. Can I ask my employer to pay these fees first and for them to recoup from my salary at a later date?

Q: My employer wants to file the H-1B petition for me this year. I was informed that I will have to pay for the attorney fees, filing fees and premium processing fees

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ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT H-1B VISA

and not the other. Further, the court can also order how bills are split between parties, who pays child support, who is primary custodian of children with the exclusive right to dictate children’s geographic residence, and set a visitation or ‘possession and access schedule’. A judge has broad discretion in these temporary order hearings.

emporary orders address issues during a divorce, including division of assets and liabilities, child custody, possession and access, child support, and more until there is a final order of divorce or suit affecting the parent child relationship. Both parties may agree voluntarily to the terms of the temporary orders or a Court will after a temporary orders hearing over the facts and evidence presented.

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Spoorthi Cherivirala among Top Ten Winners of CelebratingArt.com

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Tel: 713-774-5140

Southwestern National Bank Scholarship 2019 $1,000 Scholarship Awards About The Southwestern National Bank Scholarship Program Southwestern National Bank Scholarship Program is funded by Southwestern National Bank (Member FDIC) to recognize and assist outstanding high school graduates reduce the financial burden for college. Southwestern National Bank Scholars are selected on the basis of their financial need, academic achievement, and community involvement. Each year a total of $5,000.00 will be awarded to five selected scholars. Each scholar will be awarded $1,000.00.

dation from a teacher, counselor, and/or other advisors 5. A two-page typed essay stating why you should be awarded a scholarship. Please include: • Financial need for this scholarship for educational purposes • Personal and academic achievements. Give specific examples. areer goals. Give specific examples. • Past and current involvement, as well as future plans, towards making a difference in your community

Eligibility

Spoorthi Cherivirala, Grade 11, Dulles High School in Sugar Land. by Shobana Muratee

rt comes naturally to Spoorthi Cherivrala, a junior at the Math and Science Academy in Dulles High School in Sugar Land.. She is equally passionate about volunteering her time to serve other children. Last fall, Spoorthi entered a contest that was held by CelebratingArt.com for student artists throughout the United States and Canada. Spoorthi’s art, “Just a Typical Day” was selected from thousands of entries as one of the ten best in his/her grade division. The contest was held for students in grades K-12. CelebratingArt.com stated, the top ten artists in each division (grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9, 1012) are each receiving special

recognition in the art anthology Celebrating Art. Each Top Ten Winner receives a complimentary copy of the anthology and a $25 award. Art pieces are selected for their creativity, originality, self-expression, craftsmanship, and skill. Spoorthi’s comments: “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a fan of drawing, the ability to bring something to life from simply a pencil and paper has always transpired like magic. I aspire to incorporate my art skills into my volunteering and service, teaching younger children, creating new artwork in my free time, and hopefully apply to my future career. In the future, I hope to broaden my art knowledge, expand to other branches of media, and just be able to animate my love for design as a whole.

‘Just A Typical Day’ by artist Spoorthi Cherivirala. Concurrently, my passion for math has corroborated my interest to pursue both of these fields in the future.

has a older brother Sushain Cherivirala, an alumnus of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University.

“I’ve always enjoyed the power that art can have in terms of invoking emotions and nostalgia as well as helping people relax and express their ideas and creativity. My piece, ‘Just a Typical Day’ reflects the modern everyday New York City culture and captures this moment. From this perspective of a New Yorker, the bustling street view with pedestrians sprawled across the road, traffic piling up, and shops lining the block, is just a typical day.”

About CelebratingArt.com:

Last year Spoorthi was named the winner of an art contest held for the Fort Bend Education Foundation. Spoorthi is the daughter of Dr. Ramesh and Anuradha Cherivirala. She

CelebratingArt.com and Blick Art Materials sponsor this contest to offer a creative outlet that honors our youth. Too often the efforts of young artists are unrecognized, and they lose their motivation to express themselves. CelebratingArt.com has awarded over $50,000 to students and teachers since 2010. The upcoming art contest deadline is April 4, 2019. If you would like further information about the contest, please contact Tom Worthen, Ph.D. at CelebratingArt.com, (435) 755-8126. You can also email Dr. Worthen at casupport@celebratingart.com

1. Demonstrates financial need for college tuition, book & supplies and expenses 2. U.S. high school graduating seniors 3. Has a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (un-weighted) 4. Will enroll in an accredited U.S. college full-time for the entire academic year 2019/2020 Documents Required (To be considered, all of the following documents must be submitted) 1. A completed Southwestern National Bank Scholarship Application Form 2. An official high school transcript 3. Copies of the most recent document(s) demonstrating the financial need (Family’s 1040 Federal Income Tax Return Form, qualification for School Free/Reduced Lunch Program, etc.) 4. Two letters of recommen-

Application Process Award Announcement

1. Please send your application package to Southwestern National Bank, Attention Scholarship Program-Ling Chuang, 6901 Corporate Drive, Houston, Texas 77036. 2. Applications and all supporting documents must be received by April 30, 2019 for application to be considered. 3. An interview may be part of the application process for all semi-finalists. 4. Scholarships for the 2019 Scholarship program will be announced by mail in May 2019. Please Contact Us For scholarship application and information will be at Southwestern National Bank all the branch, or please contact the Scholarship Coordinator by e-mail at ling.chuang@swnbk. com , 713-272-5045

Protect children of IS jihadis, Nobel winner urges Europe by Adam Plowright

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ARIS | AFP Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi on Monday urged European governments to protect the children of their citizens who went to live under the Islamic State group, days after the death of a baby born to a London teenager in a Syrian refugee camp. Britain’s conserva- Indian children’s right’s activist and 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate tive government has Kailash Satyarthi has urged European governments to protect the children faced criticism from of citizens who went to live under the Islamic State group. (Photo: AFP) human rights campaigners and leftwing opponents after the two-week-old son of jideal with their children. to save child labourers thanks to hadi bride Shamima Begum perhis global notoriety. According to UN children’s ished in a camp in northeastern charity UNICEF, around 3,000 In a world dominated by bad Syria last week. foreign children from 43 coun- news, the activist from India’s British Home Secretary Sa- tries are housed at the Al-Hol central Madhya Pradesh state jid Javid had revoked Begum’s camp alone, which has taken in says good news globally for British citizenship in February, most of the people fleeing the child rights are a bright spot -a move designed to show the collapsed IS “caliphate” in re- but more can be done. government’s uncompromising cent weeks. He cites figures showing that stance on those who joined the “Maybe they are the children in the last 18 years the number extremists. of jihadis or suicide bombers of child labourers has fallen to “These children are not ji- or terrorists. They are born into 150 million from 260 million, hadis,” said Satyarthi, a lifetime that family, but it is not their while the number of children Indian campaigner for child fault,” Satyarthi added. not in primary school has more rights who won the Nobel Prize Some countries, notably Rus- than halved to 60 million. in 2014 along with Pakistan’s sia, have repatriated children “Progress has been made, but Malala Yousafzai. and placed them with family neither the Indian government “If we are not able to give members or foster parents, but nor the international community them proper care and proper France, Belgium and Britain has yet prioritised the issues of protection and love and respect have been reluctant to bring children,” he said. and recognition as human be- back their minors. “In many places of the world, ings, then there are more chancA lawyer working for the fam- we have more soldiers than es that they could be misused and manipulated,” he told AFP ilies of French jihadists, Marie teachers, more weapons and Dose, recently accused the Paris guns than books and toys for in Paris. government of “leaving them to our children.” “It is better to embrace them.” die”. Satyarthi expressed disapAs IS faces defeat on the - Progress, but not enough pointment with the record on battlefield, thousands of women Satyarthi’s comments are in child rights of India’s Hindu naand children have been streamkeeping with the 65-year-old’s tionalist Prime Minister Narening out of Baghouz, the group’s dra Modi, who will be seeking last redoubt in Syria, which has drive to promote child rights, re-election at elections schedfirstly through his own charfaced a military onslaught by ity in India, and since his 2014 uled from April 11 to May 19. Kurdish-led forces. Nobel prize as a global camMore public spending on eduThe mass exodus has in- paigner. cation, health and child proteccreased the dilemmas faced by He continues to lead his In- tion was needed, as well as a many countries which must new law on child trafficking decide whether to allow jihad- dian organisation, Bachpan which has been stuck in the upists and IS sympathisers home Bachao Andolan, which has per house of parliament, he said. to face prosecution, and how to been able to scale up operations

VOICE OF ASIA 17

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

March is Women’s History Month Section 2 Tel: 713-774-5140

Why HPV-related cancers are on the rise and how a simple screening can save your life

ach day in the United States, about 10,000 baby boomers celebrate their 65thbirthday. Their gift from good old Uncle Sam is Medicare.

UGAR LAND— (March 8, 2019) — Doctors at Houston Methodist Cancer Center at Sugar Land are urging men and women to take precautions against cancers caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV.

After years of paying payroll taxes at work to help fund this government program, these older Americans finally get their turn to sign up and have health insurance for the rest of their lives.

HPV refers to a group of more than 150 related viruses that can affect the human body, including the virus that causes simple warts on the hand or feet. Because they are so common, experts believe that as many as 80 percent of Americans have an HPV infection at some point in their lives. “HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact,” said Sindhu Nair, M.D., board-certified hematologist oncologist with Houston Methodist Oncology Partners at Sugar Land. “The good news is that most of the time, HPV goes away on its own without causing any lasting problems. However, sometimes – especially when the virus is spread by intimate contact, such as vaginal, anal or oral sex – it can lead to genital warts or even cancer.” HPV-related cancers are growing rapidly in the U.S. Researchers estimate that more than 42,000 cases of HPV-associated cancers are diagnosed each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV causes: • 91-99 percent of cervical cancers • • cers

91 percent of anal cancers 75 percent of vaginal can-

• 72 percent of oropharyngeal cancers

Yet many new enrollees are surprised to discover that basic Medicare does not cover a variety of health-care expenses that can hit retirees pretty hard.

A physician speaking to a patient. Stock photo tologist oncologist; Alexander Wong, M.D., board-certified oncologist; and L.T. Johnson, D.D.S., board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, for a free oral, head and neck cancer screening with appointments starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 at the Houston Methodist Cancer Center at Sugar Land, 16675 Southwest Fwy., Sugar Land, TX, 77479. Limited appointments are available for this event. For full details, restrictions and to schedule an appointment for a screening, visit events.houstonmethodist.org/cancerscreening-sl or call 281.205.4514. We ask that attendees arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment to complete the appropriate paperwork.

MANAGING FINANCIAL TOXICITY AFTER A CANCER DIAGNOSIS Join us for a free class on managing the financial toxicity of cancer and its treatment at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7 in Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Main Pavilion Conference Rooms A & D. For more information or to register, visit events.houstonmethodist.org/financial-sl or call 281.205.4514. 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.

• 69 percent of vulvar cancers

“Many HPV-associated cancers are actually preventable, thanks to the vaccine and to safe sexual practices,” said Nair. “People with questions about HPV or the vaccine should talk with their doctor.” UPCOMING CANCER SURVIVORSHIP EVENTS FREE ORAL, HEAD AND NECK CANCER SCREENING In partnership with the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance, join Sindhu Nair, M.D., board-certified hema-

Fidelity Investments estimates that the average couple retiring today at age 65 will spend a whopping $280,000 on health care during the remainder of their lives. Some people with low incomes qualify for programs that reduce their Medicare-related costs. There’s extra help for prescription drug coverage, and some state-run savings programs that can help with copays, coinsurance, deductibles and premiums. For those who don’t qualify, end up paying out of pocket expense or buying additional insurance.

Basic, or original, Medicare consists of two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A provides coverage for hospital stays, skilled nursing, hospice and some home health services. As long as you have at least a 10-year work history, you pay nothing for Part A. However, it comes with a deductible of $1,340 per benefit period and has annual caps on benefits.

“Understanding the prevalence of HPV and how it impacts your cancer risk is critical,” said Nair. “Ideally, boys and girls at age 11 or 12, should receive the HPV vaccine series. However, girls ages 13-26 and boys ages 13-21 who have not been vaccinated should get vaccinated.”

In addition, you should make certain you are regularly screened for cervical cancer and/or head and neck cancer, including oral cancer. Women should receive annual Pap tests beginning at age 21 and continuing through age 65. Men and women should be screened annually for oral, head and neck cancers.

About 48 million Americans age 65 and older are enrolled in Medicare, as well as another 9 million or so younger people with disabilities.

The ABCs (and D) of Medicare

Two common cancers caused by HPV are cervical cancer in women and head and neck cancers in men and women.

“HPV vaccines are approved by the FDA and there have been no serious safety concerns identified,” said Nair. “The American Cancer Society, the Center for Disease Control and the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices all recommend HPV vaccination.”

A lot of people go into it thinking they’ll be covered for everything. The three big ones are dental, vision and hearing. You will be surprised by how many people think that’s covered.

Here are some common things basic Medicare does and does not cover and how to prepare.

• 63 percent of penile cancers

The HPV vaccine has been in use for more than a decade, and over 200 million people around the world have received the vaccination series.

Medicare doesn’t cover everything-Learn More

Part B coverage kicks in when you visit a doctor or receive other outpatient services, like a flu shot. It also covers medical equipment, like crutches or blood-sugar monitors. This year the monthly premium for Part B is $135.50 for people with an income up to $85,000 filing as a single person or up to $170,000 married filing jointly. If you earn more than that, you’ll pay more. It also comes with a $185 part B deductible. After it’s met, you typically pay 20 percent of covered services. Part A has $1364 deductible for 60 days.

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900 and B) does not cover prescription drugs, although you have the option of getting coverage when you first sign up for Medicare. If you choose not to and change your mind later, you’ll pay a life-lasting penalty unless you meet certain exclusions (i.e., you receive acceptable coverage through a union or employer). You can get this coverage either through a standalone prescription drug plan (Medicare Part D) or through a Part C plan, which is also called a Medicare Advantage Plan. If you go with the latter, which often includes some extra benefits above basic Medicare, your Part A and Part B coverage also will be delivered via the insurance company offering the plan. Teeth, eyes and ears Generally speaking, original Medicare does not cover dental work and routine vision or hearing care. This means it does not cover dentures, which can run anywhere from about $1,000 to north of $5,000 for a complete set. And while a routine cleaning and X-ray could set you back about $200 and a filling runs about $150 or $200, a single tooth implant can be upward of $4,000. However, if a dental condition involves an emergency or complicated procedure, it could be covered. Same goes for routine vision checks. If you need glasses, it’s generally not covered. Yet if you have an eye condition like glaucoma or cataracts, basic Medicare will cover your care. In general, Medicare does not cover long-term care. There are insurance policies that cover it, although they can be pricey. And the older you are, the more they cost.

To select suitable Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Supplement Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug plan contact Sudhir Mathuria Basic Medicare (again, parts A at 713-771-2900.

WHO launches strategy to fight ‘inevitable’ flu pandemics by Nina Larson

ENEVA, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization on Monday launched a strategy to protect people worldwide over the next decade against the threat of influenza, warning- that new pandemics are “inevitable”.

around 18,500 lives in 214 countries. “Another influenza pandemic is inevitable,” the UN health agency said, adding that “in this interconnected world, the question is not if we will have another pandemic, but when.”

Launching the new strategy, the WHO chief stressed the need for vigiInfluenza epidemics, largely season- lance and preparation. al, affect around one billion people and “The cost of a major influenza outkill hundreds of thousands annually, break will far outweigh the price of according to WHO, which describes prevention,” he said. it as one of the world’s greatest public While pandemic preparedness is eshealth challenges. timated to cost less than $1 per person WHO’s new strategy, for 2019 per year, WHO said responding to a through 2030, aims to prevent seasonal pandemic costs roughly 100 times that influenza, control the virus’s spread amount. from animals to humans and prepare The new strategy called for every for the next pandemic, WHO said. country to strengthen routine health “The threat of pandemic influenza is programmes and to develop tailorever-present,” WHO chief Tedros Adh- made influenza programmes that anom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. strengthen disease surveillance, reThe world has suffered through a sponse, prevention, control, and prenumber of devastating influenzas pan- paredness. demics, including the Spanish Flu, - Not prepared enough which in 1918 killed tens of millions of WHO recommends annual flu vacpeople globally. cines as the most effective way to Three pandemics have occurred since prevent the spread of the disease, es-- in 1957, 1968 and in 2009 -- when pecially for healthcare workers and the H1N1 swine flue pandemic claimed people at higher risk of influenza com-

New research has found that despite concerns, there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism. plications.

rently.

It also called for the development of more effective and more accessible vaccines and antiviral treatments.

But Martin Friede, WHO’s vaccines coordinator, urged broader use of seasonal vaccines, which help protect vulnerable populations but also help prepare countries to rapidly deploy vaccines in the case of a pandemic.

Due to its mutating strains, vaccine formulas must be regularly updated and only offer limited protection cur-

DIET & EXERCISE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

Having a moderate level of muscle strength linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Could the brain-boosting MIND diet reduce the risk of dementia?

ew Australian research has found that following the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet, more commonly known as the MIND diet, does appear to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in older adults. Carried out by researchers at the Australian National University, the University of New South Wales, and Neuroscience Research Australia, the new study looked at 1,220 adults age 60 and above to assess the effect of the MIND diet, which was designed specifically to boost brain health, and the traditional Mediterranean diet, on the chance of development cognitive impairment and disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

ew US research has found that building muscle strength through resistance training could help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Led by researchers at Iowa State University, the new study looked at 4,681 adults aged 20 to 100 years who were free of type 2 diabetes at the start of the study. The participants were asked to complete treadmill exercise tests to measure cardiorespiratory fitness and leg and chest presses to measure muscular strength, with each participant’s level of strength categorized according to their age group, sex and combined strength score. Participants were then followed for an average of 8.3 years. The findings, published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, showed that compared with those with the lower level of muscular strength, moderate muscle mass appeared to reduce the risk of developing

type 2 diabetes by 32 percent. The benefits of muscle strength were also independent of cardiorespiratory fitness, as well as unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking and drinking, or health conditions such as obesity and high blood pressure. However, a higher level of muscular strength appeared to offer no additional protection against type 2 diabetes. DC (Duck-chul) Lee, corresponding author of the study, described the results as encouraging, as even small amounts of strength training could help to prevent type 2 diabetes. The researchers added that the findings do not offer any insight into how much muscle mass a person needs, or how often they need to lift weights, as there are no standardized measurements for muscle strength. However, study study coauthor Angelique Brellenthin added that it is easy to get

started with a resistance exercise regime, and individuals can work out at home without the need for an expensive gym membership. “We want to encourage small amounts of resistance training and it doesn’t need to be complicated,” Brellenthin said. “You can get a good resistance workout with squats, planks or lunges. Then, as you build strength, you can consider adding free weights or weight machines.” “You’re not necessarily going to see the results of resistance training on your bathroom scale, but there are several health benefits,” Brellenthin said. “It may help lower your risk for type 2 diabetes even though you do not lose body weight, and we know maintaining muscle mass helps us stay functional and independent throughout life.”

The participants were asked about their dietary habits using a food frequency questionnaire at the start of the study and given a score to show how closely they followed the MIND or Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fish, fruits, nuts, vegetables, beans, and olive oil and lower in meat, dairy, and processed foods, has already been linked in numerous studies to a range of health benefits including a lower risk of stroke and cardiovascular diseases and a longer life. The MIND diet is partially based on the Mediterranean diet, but includes foods associated with brain health. There are 15 components to follow, with ten encouraging

Following the MIND diet, which encourages plenty of brain-boosting foods such as berries, could help reduce the risk of dementia according to new research. (Photo © Victor_69/Istock.com)

followers to eat green leafy vegetables and other vegetables, berries, whole grains, nuts, beans, fish, poultry, olive oil, as well as enjoy a little red wine, and five which advise limiting butter and margarine, cheese, red meat, fried food, and cakes and pastries. The participants were then followed for a period of 12 years, during which the researchers assessed their cognitive abilities and any cognitive impairment. The findings, published last week in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, showed that following the MIND diet was linked to a 19 percent reduced

risk of developing clinically diagnosed mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Perhaps surprising, no benefit was found for sticking to a Mediterranean diet. “This study has shown for the first time, outside of the United States, that the MIND diet reduces the risk of dementia,” says lead author Professor Kaarin Anstey. Professor Anstey added that further research is now need, but hopes that finding will help develop recommendations for reducing the risk of dementia.

International Women’s Day 2019: four ways women can look after their health

Of the 30 million Americans with diabetes, 90 to 95 percent have type 2, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. - Relaxnews

Fitbit launches four new wearables to make fitness tracking more affordable

Sedentary lifestyles increase women’s risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke, so keeping moving is one of the ways women can look after their health. (Photo © Susan Chiang/ Istock.com)

itbit announced the launch of four new wearables on Wednesday: the Fitbit Versa Lite EditionTM, Fitbit Inspire HRTM, Fitbit InspireTM and Fitbit Ace 2TM, all designed to be more affordable and make fitness available to all.

The Fitbit Versa Lite EditionTM is another addition to the Fitbit VersaTM collection and the brand’s most affordable smartwatch to date. Designed to be worn as an everyday smartwatch, the device comes with all of the core features that you would expect from the Versa range, including automatic activity, PurePulse® 24/7 heart rate and Sleep Stages tracking, connected GPS, smartphone notifications, and more. It can also help track new health indicators about health, such as sleep apnea. The Fitbit Inspire HRTM is the brand’s most affordable 24/7 heart rate tracking device, and also comes with exercise and Sleep Stages tracking, more than 15 goalbased exercise modes, connected GPS, and Relax guid-

ed breathing. For an even more affordable option Fitbit is also releasing the Fitbit InspireTM at an even lower price point, but with all of the essential health and fitness features such as automatic activity, exercise and sleep tracking, goal celebrations, and Reminders to Move. For kids, there’s the Fitbit Ace 2TM, designed to help those aged six and up learn good habits at an early age to set them up on a healthier path later in life. It comes with child-friendly features such as a swimproof design and a bumper to protect the screen, as well as challenges to keep help motivate kids to keep moving, and bright and colorful avatars to personalize their profiles within the Fitbit app. Fitbit will also be redesigning its app to make it easier for users to connect with others on Fitbit’s social community, log data and understand their stats, see their progress in Challenges, and

make their dashboard even more personalized. The update will also include a new section, Fitbit Focus, which will provides users with messages and tips to keep them informed and motivated. The Versa Lite Edition is available for $159.95 in white, lilac, mulberry and marina blue. The Inspire HR is available for $99.95 in black, lilac and two-tone black and white, while the Inspire is available for $69.95 USD in black and sangria. Ace 2 is available for $69.95 in watermelon with teal clasp or night sky with neon yellow clasp. Fitbit Versa Lite Edition, Inspire HR and Inspire devices will be available in stores and online starting in March 2019. Ace 2 will be available in stores and online beginning summer 2019. - Relaxnews

riday , March 8th celebrated International Women’s Day 2019, and to mark the occassion, here we round up some of the findings from recent research on women’s health, and some steps all women can take to look after themselves. Cut out the junk food New findings from the longterm Women’s Health Initiative study have linked fried food and sugary drinks to a higher risk of death in postmenopausal women. Back in January researchers found that women who ate one or more servings of fried food a day showed an 8 percent higher risk of death from all causes of cardiovascular disease, compared with those who did not eat fried food. Results published just weeks later showed that women who consumed two or more artificially sweetened beverages each day were more likely to have a stroke, develop heart disease, and experience a fatal or nonfatal heart attack, compared to women who drank diet drinks less than once a week or not at all. Don’t work too many long hours

A recent large-scale UK study which analyzed data on 11,215 men and 12,188 women found that women who work long hours may have a higher risk of depression. The researchers used a standard working week of 35 to 40 hours as a reference for categorizing working hours into less than 35 hours a week, 41 to 55 hours a week, defined as long working hours, and 55 hours a week or more, defined as extra-long working hours. They found that women who worked extra long hours and/ or who worked most weekends or every weekend had the worst mental health of all the participants, with significantly more depressive symptoms than women who worked standard hours. Be aware of your heart attack risk A European study published at the end of 2018 found that women wait longer than men to get help for a heart attack, and urged women who experience symptoms to seek medical attention immediately. The researchers said that despite the belief that more men experience heart attacks, they are just as common in women, with ischemic heart disease the leading cause of death in

both males and females. They also pointed out that although women and men have a similar amount of pain during a heart attack, the location may be different. Whereas men usually have pain in the chest and left arm, meaning they are likely to think it’s a heart attack, women are more likely to have back, shoulder, or stomach pain. However, both men and women benefit equally from fast treatment. Try and keep moving According to a study published just last month, older women who spend most of their day sitting down may be at a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke. After following 5,638 women aged 63 to 97 for a period of five years, the researchers found that women who had the highest level of sedentary time, equal to 11 hours a day or more, also had the highest risk for cardiovascular disease when compared to those with the lowest level of sedentary time, equal to nine hours a day or less. However, the good news is that cutting this sedentary time down by just an hour each day appeared to reduce this risk. - Relaxnews

VOICE OF ASIA 19

FASHION & LIFESTYLE

Small-town India is splurging on luxury—and here’s what it’s buying

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Liposuction, breast augmentation and Botox use up in US

by Aria Thaker

ndia’s luxury market is getting a boost from the country’s tier II cities.

High end spending in these towns grew at a rate 30 times greater than in tier I cities between 2013 and 2018, according to an analysis by credit card company American Express. Overall luxury spending in India itself grew by 4% in this period, the data showed. The firm analysed transaction-related data from around 600 luxury goods merchants across the country for the study. This spike in the growth in luxury spending in tier II cities came amidst “some strict measures by the Indian government in 2016 such as demonetisation, increased excise duty on gold and diamond jewellery, and increased tax on other luxury goods to curb ‘black money,’” the American Express report reads. Many analysts believe the luxury market was hit hard by the 2016 rule that customers must submit their permanent account numbers (PAN) for transactions of over Rs2 lakh (around $3,000), according to a November 2018 report in the Economic Times newspaper.

The finer things in life. (Photo: Reuters/Tim Wimborne) 2013, we have seen other segments, including electronic and high-end fashion, grow in share and even surpass jewellery spends in certain markets,” said Manoj Adalakha, CEO of American Express India. Tier I India also spends on luxury goods in very different ways than tier II India does.

Men were shown to account for 78% of luxury spending, mostly on hotels and cars. (Photo: Daimler-Benz) India’s luxury market is expected to touch $30 billion in overall value in 2018-19, compared to $23.8 billion in 201718, according to a Kotak report. - What they’re buying The types of luxury purchases being made have also changed dramatically since 2013. “While jewellery spending dominated the category till

For example, luxury merchants in tier I cities—major metro areas like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad—recorded over twice as much spend per merchant on jewellery in 2018 (26%) as in 2013 (11%). But in tier II cities like Chandigarh, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Meerut, jewellery spending stayed quite small at 4% of the total in 2018.

Tier II India was much more likely to spend at high-end fashion boutiques and shops. - Crazy rich Asians American Express also studied travellers visiting India. While around 58% of the spending in this category came from people flying in from the US and UK, big spenders seem to be increasingly arriving from east Asian countries. Travellers from Hong Kong were the third-largest luxury spenders in India in 2018. Vietnam, which took the fourth position, catapulted up from the 31st position the previous year. Taiwan, taking the 10th position, rose from 24th, while Bahrain and Australia both fell in rank, displaced by Asian countries. - Gender gap American Express’s data also shows the differences in how women and men spend on luxury purchases. Overall, men were shown to account for 78% of luxury spending, mostly on hotels and cars.

Cosmetic nose, chin, ear, eyelids and forehead procedures have lost some popularity. Liposuctions are also less popular, but remain much used (258,000 operations in 2018). (Photo © altafulla /shutterstock.com)

ASHINGTON | AFP | 3/11/2019 - The number of surgical or minimally invasive cosmetic procedures are up in the United States, but trends are changing towards scalpel-free techniques such as the use of Botox, according to figures out Monday. There were more than 17.7 million such procedures in 2018, according to figures from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Long-term trends show that the number of cosmetic surgical operations are down -- a decrease of five percent from 2018 compared to 2000. There were around 1.8 million last year, 100,000 fewer

than at the turn of the century. Cosmetic nose, chin, ear, eyelids and forehead procedures have lost some popularity. Liposuctions are also less popular, but remain much used (258,000 operations in 2018), and has seen a revival in recent years, with a five percent annual increase in each of the last two years. Breast augmentations are still the most popular plastic surgery operation, with more than 300,000 each year and a four percent increase last year. But in total there is almost ten times more minimally-

invasive interventions than surgical operations: 15.9 million last year, a two percent growth over the previous year. The most common procedure by far is an injection of the Botulinum toxin to hide wrinkles, with 7.4 million such procedures in 2018. Also popular: soft tissue fillers like lip plumping with hyaluronic acid injections, with 2.68 million such procedures. These figures are reported by the 8,000 certified physicians and members of the Society, and do not include data on complications or incidents related to these interventions.

Besides these, they were likely to spend on electronics, while women were more likely to patronise high-end boutiques. - Quartz India

Paris Fashion Week 2019: Adaa Mallikk represents India at global fashion platform

ARIS, March 12 - Paris Fashion Week recently came to an end, and representing India at the global fashion platform was Adaa Mallikk, daughter of Anu Malik, who showcased her collection ‘Metal Armour’ at the iconic Champs Elysees Paris.

This new women’s watch from MB&F is unlike anything you’ve ever seen

Adaa was a part of Flying Solo’s presentation during Paris Fashion Week, which featured collections of clothing, accessories, jewellery, and shoes amid a packed house of top media, influencers, stylists, and industry mavens. “I was invited by Elizabeth Solomeina, the show director of Flying Solo, shared Adaa. “My collection “Metal Armour’ was inspired by a heartbreak. It fo-

The independent watchmaker, known for wildly creative timepieces, unveils its first ladies’ watch. by Paige Reddinger

The collection diffuses from soft romantic hues, to strong and powerful metallic silhouettes . Photos courtesy Adaa Mallikk (Instagram/ adamalikworld) cuses on the transformation of the female protagonist. “The collection diffuses from soft romantic hues, to strong and powerful metallic silhouettes”. Adaa, who graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York City, states on her Instagram page “Yes... I’m a hopeless romantic.” Adaa’s couture designs were worn by gorgeous models- Kiara Simons, Lea, Victoria, Ksenia Ocheredko, Kira Kalcheva, Courtney Price, Heloisa Suarez, and Lara. Commenting on her work, Silvia D’Avila, jewellery designer with Elizabeth Solomeina said, “Our youngest designer Adaa Malik brings that edgy vibe with a futuristic collection that is extremely wearable! We are so proud to have her!”

Photo courtesy Adaa Mallikk (Instagram/adamalikworld)

In a short duration, Flying Solo has proved to be one of the biggest fashion platforms launching careers of many independent designers; Adaa’s debut there, makes a statement, amidst shows by celebrated Indian designers like Manish Arora and Rahul Mishra. - Latestly.com

en don’t understand women, so I thought, ‘How am I going to do this?’” said MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser when he showed Robb Report a sneak peek of his first women’s timepiece last year. The independent watchmaking company is known for turning out technologically advanced and wildly unconventional timepieces that sit like spaceships on the wrist. They draw serious male watch enthusiasts that want something outside the mainstream. But after 14 years of business, Büsser decided to step outside of his comfort zone. “I’ve been creating pieces only for myself the last 15 years,” said Busser. “It’s been great, but at some point I thought, ‘How am I going to create for somebody else?’ I’m surrounded by women in so many ways —my mom, my wife, my two daughters— I wanted to do something that they would be proud of so I decided to take an enormous risk and create my first timepiece for a woman.” Turns out Büsser understands women better than he thinks. Set within domed sapphire crystal glass and a white gold case set with diamonds is flying tourbillon beating at 2.5Hz at the heart of the timepiece. It sits perched high above the “engine” of the watch, which has

The ladies MB&F LM Flying T (Courtesy of MB&F)

100 hours of power reserve, in a column that stops just sort of its glass ceiling. A single large diamond rotates simultaneously with the flying tourbillon. The actual dial, which comes in either black or white lacquer, sits at a 50-degree tilt at 7 o’clock and features blued gold serpentine hands for the hours and minutes. That position has a purpose other than a cool design—it’s placed at an angle so

that only its wearer can read the time. Büsser describes the 3D construction as “a little city” and, indeed, it looks like a tiny metropolis for the wrist. The little city rests on a dial plate that can come in either a black lacquer ($115,000), brilliant-cut diamonds ($145,000), or baguette-cut diamonds ($315,000). The latter version comes with baguette-cut diamonds on the case as well.

TRAVEL & LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 20

Americans will need to register to visit Europe starting in 2021 by Caily Rizzo

n two years, Americans will need to apply for something called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) in order to visit the majority countries in the European Union. The European Commission says the new system will be enforced as an effort to upgrade international security, effective Jan. 1, 2021. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)this link opens in a new tab will apply only to 26 countries in the Schengen Zonethis link opens in a new tab, including France, Germany

and Italy. If you’re visiting the U.K., you will not need to apply for this authorization. At the moment, Americans traveling to Europe for less than 90 days don’t need any sort of authorization or visa. ETIAS is not a visa, but will be a change to the current system. The authorization will be valid for three years and Americans won’t have to apply every time they want to visit. It will be valid for multiple entries. In early 2017, the European Union went back and forth over whether or not to pass new visa laws for Americans. In May 2017, the European Commis-

sion decided against reinstating visas for Americans, but stated that the decision was contingent upon the U.S. reciprocating visa-free travel for Europeans. At the time, then-secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) John Kelly said that the U.S. needed to reexamine its visa-waiver agreement with Europe, citing potential terrorism risks. The current agreement between Europe and the U.S. allows citizens of 38 countriesthis link opens in a new tab to enter the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa. Changes to the program were passed at the end of 2017. - Travel+Leisure

Sleeping in on the weekend may not be good for your health, study says by Andrea Romano

f you’re planning on pressing snooze this weekend, you might want to reconsider.

This conflicts with previous studies that suggest sleeping in on the weekend in order to make up for sleep deprivation during the week can actually help you live longer. Some people have even called in their vacation days just to catch up on much-needed sleep.

two days, and then return to a five hour sleep schedule for another two days.

But researchers Christopher Depner and Kenneth Wright claim that trying to catch up on your sleep debt, and then returning to a sleep-deprived schedule during the week, can hurt your metabolism and negatively affect your health, Science Daily reported.

Researchers found that those who were in the sleep restricted groups were more likely to snack after dinner. As for those two were in the “weekend recovery” group, they were able to sleep longer, but the study showed that their “circadian body clock” was timed later, leading to more late night snacking.

In the study, participants (listed as healthy young adults) were randomly assigned to three groups. The first group was tasked to sleep a glorious nine hours every night for nine straight nights. The second group was restricted to five hours a night for nine nights. And the third group was told to sleep 5 hours for five days, sleep in as long as they like for

“Our findings show that muscle- and liver-specific insulin sensitivity were worse in subjects who had weekend recovery sleep,” said Depner, according to Science Daily. “This finding was not anticipated and further shows that weekend recovery sleep is not likely [to be] an effective sleep-loss countermeasure regarding metabolic health when

sleep loss is chronic.” Insulin is particularly important for maintaining stable and healthy glucose levels, according to Bustle. Those with lower sensitivity to insulin need larger amounts, which can also lead to heart disease or diabetes. According to the NHS, the recommended amount of sleep each night for adults is about eight hours. If you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, putting a higher priority on sleep every night seem to be better than burning the candle at both ends Monday through Friday. And, on the bright side, as long as you’re getting good sleep during the week, you can still sleep in on the weekends anyway. - Yahoo! News

75% of business travelers extend their stay for leisure: survey

ISBON, Portugal— According to a new survey by Great Hotels of the World (GHOTW), bleisure is a rapidly growing trend, especially among frequent travelers who take five or more trips a year. One key takeaway: 75% of respondents extended business trips for leisure purposes in the past year, in most cases multiple times. “Business travelers are drawn to extend their stay when they can find properties that offer both excellent business amenities in addition to perks not found in smaller, boutique hotels—this is the best of both worlds,” said GHOTW CEO Pedro Colaco, noting that perks bleisure travelers are looking for include late-night room service, on-property gyms, meeting space, and extended breakfast catering options. Highlights from the survey include the following: • Despite technology, there is nothing quite like human interaction: Business travel as a whole just keeps on growing. More than half of the travelers polled travel five or more times a year (making them frequent travelers).

Safety fears about Boeing 737 MAX grip US passengers by Luc Olinga with Delphine Touitou in Washington

EW YORK, United States | AFP - US airlines are standing behind Boeing despite the wave of countries and carriers that have grounded the 737 MAX, but fear has gripped crews and passengers, and many are refusing to fly on the plane. Following the second deadly crash of one of its aircraft, some US politicians also have called for the plane to be grounded while the investigation continues, but regulators so far have not taken that step. “Two brand new Boeing 737 Max 8 airplanes crashed in 5 months. If China has grounded all 96 of its 737 Max 8s, then Southwest, American, and United Airlines should really do something to reassure the American people that its 737 Max 8 airplanes are airworthy or ground them too,” Maryland resident Eugene Gu said on Twitter. A growing number of Americans are expressing similar doubts on social media, and some are cancelling or rebooking flights on this singleaisle aircraft, which accounted for one-third of Boeing’s profits in 2018.

According to a new study published in Current Biology, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder found that sleeping in on the weekend could actually have a detrimental effect on your health.

The European Union, Britain, Germany, France and China are among the governments that have banned the plane from their airspace, and the Twitter hashtag #GroundBoeing737max8 was created to urge the US authorities to do the same. The company’s share price continued to lose ground, dropping more than 6 percent on Tuesday after the 5 percent loss on Monday.

• Business travel is pushing the borders of countries and continents: Nearly 70% of all travelers took trips to destinations with flights of four hours duration or more. However, only 30% of business travelers polled take this type of trip frequently (three or more times a year). • Upscale and luxury hotels are favored by frequent travelers: 50% of frequent business travelers (five or more trips per year) choose upscale hotels,while less than 20% of infrequent business travelers (three to four times a year) choose them, and only 10% that travel occasionally (one to two times a

year) stay at upscale hotels. • Some 44% of travelers feel that bleisure has been on the riseand will increase further in the future. • The overwhelming majority of bleisure travelers (59%) booked the leisure part of the trip directly with the accommodation provider. However, 22% of frequent travelers booked the leisure part of the trip through the corporate travel agent. • While a majority of travelers (56%) have family or friends joining them,43% are solo travelers on bleisure trips.

China has grounded its 7373 Max 8 since the crash of a second Boeing jet in Ethiopia March 10, 2019. (AFP Photo/Greg Baker) ated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8,” Southwest spokeswoman Michelle Agnew said, adding that, as usual, the airline allowed re-booking at no charge.

(APFA), which represents American Airlines employees, has told its members not to board a 737 MAX 8 if they do not feel safe.

That is not the case at American Airlines, which charges a fee for any change or cancellation, a spokesman said. The cost ranges from $200 for domestic flights to $750 for international flights.

The Association of Flight Attendants formally called for an investigation by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

And “fear” is not recognized by travel insurance as a reason to reimburse passengers for a flight cancellation. - Fear of flying Pilots and flight crew also have grown increasingly cautious. The Airline Personnel Union

“In the wake of a second accident, regulators, manufacturers, and airlines must take steps to address concerns immediately,” it said. Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg lamented the latest tragedy but had no doubts about the safety of the plane. “We are confident in the safety of the 737 MAX,” he said in an email to Boeing workers.

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State Department warns US citizens traveling to India could fall victim to terrorism or sexual assault

he US State Department updated a travel warning to India during violent escalation in fighting along the border between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan. The State Department warned women against a trou-

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FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

• When business travelers are joined by family or friends for the leisure part of the trip, a vast majority (72%) are joined by only one person, i.e. one double room. However, 29% of respondents indicated that the leisure part of their trip involves three or more people, showing even greater potential for more business. • Some 72% of survey respondents stayed in the same accommodation for the leisure part of their trip. For those who did change their accommodation, budget was clearly an issue, with 42% opting for a cheaper hotel and 38% choosing a short-rental, such as an Airbnb-type apartment or house. - HotelBusiness.com

bling rise in sexual violence and all travelers against potential terror attacks. India and Pakistan, bitter rivals for decades, have been fighting inside Kashmir, a disputed border region which each country administers in part. The fighting kicked off after a Feb-

ruary 16 terror attack killed 40 Indian security forces. Air battles, shelling, and ground fighting have followed sporadically since that attack, with planes being shot down and Pakistan temporarily closing its airspace - Business Insider

How meditation can improve your travels

hen it comes to mindfulness and meditation, you may think it takes years of training or a spiritual journey - to derive any benefits. But the essence of the practice is actually quite simple, and its techniques can bring a little relief to many stressful situations, including travel. “We’re talking about a sort of a slightly more sophisticated version of the advice that your mom gave you, when you were a kid, of ‘take a deep breath,’ ” said Dan Harris, who has authored two books about mindfulness and meditation. “You don’t have to believe in anything. It’s a really simple, secular exercise for your brain.” Meditation can help us learn

to be more present, see ourselves and others from a new perspective, and approach life in a more engaged and peaceful way. This can all be really helpful during any part of our lives and especially during travel. First, focusing on your breathing can go a long way. If flying is a particularly stressful experience for you, Mr. Harris suggests putting aside a few minutes for this before takeoff, whether you’re waiting to board or buckled in your seat. “Just tuning into your breathing or even taking a few deep breaths has physiological benefits, sending messages to your parasympathetic nervous system like, ‘O.K., relax, everything’s O.K.,” he said.

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The week isn’t without its share of challenges, but when has that ever stopped you?! A midweek Mars-Saturn trine helps you stay focused on your longterm romantic goals. Even if you get shot down in the moment, you’re ready to get up and try again.

21 April to 20 May It’s especially important to treat everyone in a fair and respectful manner early this week. The best work will offer social support and recognition. If this isn’t happening by midweek, shift your focus to personally rewarding solutions.

21 May to 20 June Even though you may feel in the grip of huge forces beyond your control, this is a powerful time to find support for your interests. Be alert for any signs a person may be stressed and having trouble on the job. Do what you can to help.

21 June to 22 July For you, this week is about new energy in your home sector, where a hunger for creativity may have you wanting to spend more than you have on restoring and redecorating. It’s not about how much you spend, though.

23 July to 22 August You could be tempted to try to do too much too quickly. You might feel energized, inspired, and motivated as well as frustrated that everything seems to take too long. Watch out for this, as it could lead you to feel run down later. Pace yourself and relax. Rome wasn’t built in a day!

23 August to 22 Sept Unfortunately, love can be fuzzy sometimes, like now. Your power planet Mercury is retrograde in Pisces this week, causing romantic confusion and misunderstandings. You don’t always know the right thing to say, but stumbling over your words can be costly. You uncover more details about someone late in the week.

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23 September to 22 Oct Other people’s interests and points of view will need to be carefully considered. This is a lucky day for partnerships. It can be stressful if you have to cope with highly opinionated or demanding people. Things settle down by the end of the week.

23 October to 21 Nov You’re getting your career goals into gear in a big way this week. Your visibility on the job increases and you have the tools you need to construct strong, clear messages. Meanwhile, you have the ability to make your case convincingly.

22 November to 21 Dec Temptation might be too difficult to resist, especially since you could be facing one or two challenges. The urge to snack on comfort foods could be stronger than ever. Don’t let your temper get to you out of frustration.

22 December to 20 Jan Love is fluid this week. Power player Mars trines your home planet of Saturn early in the week, making you feel invincible. Despite your best efforts, however, you can’t make something happen before it’s ready to. Love takes time and patience.

21 January to 19 Feb This could be a very intense time. You may be coping with the bad behavior of co-workers this week. Not everyone is as competent as you. If these issues don’t affect you personally, you may wisely choose to ignore them. Events early in the week are likely to demand a change of plans.

20 February to 20 Mar This week you have a new focus in your house of home and inner emotions. If you’ve been thinking about the concept of home and what it means to you, you may want to put down roots, perhaps for the first time in your life. Make sure you also mindfully budget projected living expenses for the year.

ACROSS 1. *Japanese attack locale 5. *Chairman of the Communist Party of China 8. Parent group 11. Horsefly 12. Voldemort’s title 13. Ohio city 15. Saintly glow 16. Never a UK currency 17. Disapproved by audience 18. *American concentration camp 20. Peters out 21. *Harry Truman to Margaret 22. Feedbag morsel 23. Mountain climber’s tool 26. Overplay in front of audience 30. Negative conjunction 31. Within a building 34. Leafy green 35. Captain America actor 37. Party bowlful 38. Dictum, pl. 39. Network of nerves 40. Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest 42. “To ____ is human” 43. *#23 Across victim 45. Like a human 47. “Never ____ never” 48. Raccoon’s South American cousin 50. Mount Olympus’ famous dweller 52. *Manhattan Project site 55. Does like a sponge 56. Horizontal wall beam 57. Pelvic parts 59. Actress Parker 60. Geologic time divisions 61. Steve Urkel, e.g. 62. Eat, past tense 63. Lt.’s subordinate 64. “____ Louise”

DOWN 1. Mozart’s “L’___ del Cairo” 2. Homecoming guest 3. #50 Across wife 4. Kenya’s neighbor 5. Native American earthen structure 6. Orderly arrangement 7. Shoe emanation 8. Circus trainer’s poker 9. Zac Brown Band’s body part hit 10. A in FANBOYS 12. Like weighed down with metal 13. At right angle to a ship 14. *Thor Heyerdahl’s raft 19. Third axis 22. Dinghy propeller 23. Unable to move 24. Don’t judge a book by it 25. Muse of love poetry 26. Shoshonean people 27. “It is silent” in sheet music 28. U in UV 29. *____ Harbor 32. *a.k.a. Operation Neptune 33. Black gold 36. Miniature Japanese carving 38. Hindu garment 40. Blue overhead 41. Intelligence 44. Impudent 46. Horse-involved activity 48. Man-made stone pile 49. Ladies’ fingers 50. *Popular 1940s suit 51. “Ill at ____” 52. Type of molding 53. High school club 54. Ireland’s previous name 55. Hot springs 58. Wood-shaping tool

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It’s EASY to advertise your business or event in our newsletter Simply call 713-774-5140 or email request to: voiceasia@aol.com Job Posting – Sr. Producer - Marketing KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station located in Houston, TX is looking for an Innovative, Hands-on, Sr. Producer – Marketing. This individual’s primary role will be to help createand oversee the Digital promotion of our station’s Marketing content. We need a content optimization strategy champion who knows how to grow a brand through compelling promotional content creation and getting it in front of the right audiences.Our Marketing (Non-News) content includes: Network, Syndicated and Locally Produced Programs, Owned Station Group Content including “Localish”, OTT Content, Locally Sponsored Marketing & Community Campaigns, Specials, Live Events, and “Own the Moment” opportunities. We need a strong leader with excellent communications skills who has the ability to work with all departments to help plan, create, publish and manage the digital presence of this content. Additionally, someone who will provide ongoing feedback and training todepartment producers/photogs/editors/graphic artists to create SEO-focused productionworkflows and the most compelling promotional content possible. We need a Brilliant Ideas Person with the ability to conceptualize and create clean, contemporary, yet attention-grabbing work using their strong promotional writing/editing and graphic skills. Someone with hands-on experience posting, promoting, engaging and performance tracking both written and visual digital content, including launch pages, native ads and all elements of an integrated marketing content campaign. Qualifications: Minimum 5 years in Television Promotion/Digital Content Production with hands-on experience in creating, publishing and optimizing content on both linear and non-linear platform. Highly organized and detail-oriented Intimate understanding of Digital Analytics and is comfortable providing strategic recommendations based on deep dives into the data. Strong understanding of all digital platforms and SEO principlesAdvanced knowledge of Microsoft Office and Adobe products, including PowerPoint, Excel, Photoshop, Illustrator, Outlook, Word Adobe Creative Suite, Adobe Premiere, online publishing tools. Understands this is a 24-7 business and has the ability and desire to work with a sense of urgency whenever needed within a deadline oriented fast paced environment. To be considered interested applicants must apply on-line at www.disneycareers. com by uploading a resume file and cover letter. Please reference Job Requisition # 646579BREqual Opportunity Employer –Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

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FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Home&Real Estate Houston program offering $15K grant for home buying

he city of Houston has announced the return of a program to help homebuyers with their down payment. The multi-million dollar NeighborhoodLIFT program is an effort to boost home ownership. Qualified homebuyers could receive $15,000 toward a down payment and closing costs.

Active military, veterans, first responders or teachers may be eligible for an additional $2,500. Those interested in the program can register to attend a free event at www. wellsfargo.com/mortgage/lift. The events will take place March 22-23. The city is partnering with Wells Fargo for the program. - KTRK

New-home sales look weak by Paul Farrel

he end of the 2007-09 bear market saw its 10th anniversary on Wednesday, March 6, with a -0.65% decline in the S&P 500, or SPX, index. This by itself hardly suggests that sustained liquidation has taken hold, but it is the first anniversary in which we have been forced to consider whether the bull market continues to exist or in fact peaked almost six months ago at 2940.9. Our gut feeling is that the latter will prove to be the case, with much of what we have seen in the intervening period consistent with the initial decline and recovery that mark a transition from bull to bear market. We would still allow some possibility for an upside resolution, particularly for the equal-weighted version of the SPX index, the SPW, which managed to clear the October/November/ December “triple top” before rolling over this week. We remain more concerned about the Nasdaq 100, or NDX, and Russell 2000, or RTY, indexes. The former has an unhelpful concentration on megacap technology, much of which remains well below its 2018 peak, and the latter is very sensitive to any deterioration in the structure of credit markets. The RTY certainly suffered the most on Wednesday, declining 2%, its largest since the late-De-

cember rout. It is now quite important that the RTY index manages to stay above key support at 1500, a little more than -2% below Wednesday’s close at 1536. The SPX remains under rather less pressure, and would need to decline below 2750 to indicate that its dramafree recovery has run its course, and then drop below 2680 (the Feb. 8 low) to suggest that liquidation pressure is starting to overwhelm the index.

14 Shipping containers were upcycled for this Dallas home by Esha Chhabra

att and Barbara Mooney worked with Michael Gooden of M Gooden Design, a boutique design firm in Dallas, to build a home out of 14 shipping containers. Matt Mooney, an architect himself, and his wife, Barbara, had lived in the Old Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas for over 20 years. But when they decided to repurpose shipping containers for a new, 3,700-squarefoot home on an empty plot of land, they caused a stir. More than 200 neighbors showed up to see the containers delivered by crane. The container doors are used as barn-style sliding doors that open up to the bedrooms. The house has a “see-through nature,” according to Gooden. It features a 66-foot unobstructed view along the window wall from one end to the other.

The 40-foot-long containers hang 16 feet over the ground. The deep balcony, Gooden says, offers solar protection, keeping strong sunlight out but letting natural light in. The home has three bedrooms, a den, and three and half baths. (Photos by Wade Griffith)

A straightforward breakout above the key 2800-2820 resistance zone certainly looks less likely, but whether this will result in a choppy consolidation or a more damaging rollover and retest remains to be seen. In the market’s favor is the fact that most U.S. economic data continue to point to a strong domestic economy with no obvious weakness being imported from elsewhere. The Federal Reserve has clearly shifted to a more patient stance, and the trade negotiations with China look more likely to lead to a settlement than not. Given the strength of consensus expectations, this does not indicate a weak or even weakening economy, but it does suggest that recent data reports have not been quite as strong as were expected. - The Weekly Speculator

Above: Contemporary, bright accents contrast with the dark concrete floors in the entertainment area. Right: A 40 foot by 10 foot pool is designed to echo the house’s tower with an almost reflection-like alignment. Corrugated steel ceilings are left exposed—a reminder that this is, after all, a container converted

into a home. Spray foam insulation keeps the space from experiencing extreme temperature shifts. - Dwell

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