Voice of Asia E-paper March 1, 2019

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Prayer meeting for fallen soldiers in India held at India House

INDIA-PAKISTAN TENSIONS:

India says Pakistan fighter jet shot down, one India jet lost

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EW DELHI, India | AFP | Wednesday 2/27/2019 - Indian forces shot down a Pakistani fighter jet but one of its own warplanes was also shot down in air battles on Wednesday, a foreign ministry spokesman said.

Patriotic songs were sung at the prayer meeting by Smriti Srivastava accompanied by Govind Shetty on the tabla.

READ REPORT ON PAGE 3

The Pakistani fighter jet was hit as it took part in an operation "to target military installations on the Indian side", spokesman Rajeesh Kumar told a briefing, adding that the attack was "foiled".

The action marked a new escalation a day after Indian jets hit a militant camp inside Pakistan territory.

Kim, Trump get down to business over N. Korean nukes

by Richard Carter / Sebastien Berger

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ANOI, Vietnam | AFP | 2/27/2019 - After warm greetings and a "social dinner", US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un get down to business Thursday, with formal summit talks aimed at breaking the deadlock over Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

Continued on Page 4

"In this engagement, we have unfortunately lost one Mig-21. The pilot is missing in action. Pakistan has claimed that he is in their custody."

The group claimed responsibility for a February 14 suicide attack in Indian Kashmir in which 40 Indian paramilitaries were killed. "Pakistan has responded this morning by using its air force to target military installations on the Indian side," said Kumar.

The spokesman did not say where the battles took place, but media reports said Pakistan jets entered Indian Kashmir airspace early Wednesday. Many civilian airports in the region were closed for several hours after.

Pakistan had vowed to retaliate for

He said the Pakistani jet was shot down in an "aerial engagement" by an MiG 21 Bison.

Pakistan said earlier it had shot down two Indian planes.

Pakistan publishes video of captured Indian pilot

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SLAMABAD, Pakistan | AFP | Wednesday 2/27/2019 - Pakistan's state media Wednesday published a video showing an Indian fighter pilot who was captured after his jet was shot down when it entered Pakistani airspace in Kashmir.

It shows a blindfolded man in an Indian Air Force uniform, his face bloodied, with his hands tied behind him, as a soldier interrogates him.

He gives his name, rank and serial number and when pressed for further information says, "I am not supposed to tell you that."

US President Donald Trump (left) shakes hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un before a meeting at the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel in Hanoi on Feb 27, 2019. (Photo: AFP / Saul Loeb)

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In a photograph, which has also been confirmed by security sources, the pilot can be seen flanked by Pakistani military personnel.

The Pakistani military released a second video hours later showing the

This photograph released by Pakistan's Inter Services Public Relations shows captured Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. (AFP) same man sitting in a room in an unknown location drinking a cup of tea.

"The tea is fantastic," he says in English, adding that he is married and being treated well, but politely declining to answer further questions.

Continued on Page 4

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an attack Tuesday at Balakot which India said was to hit a Jaish-e-Mohammed militant camp.

Two Pakistani security sources told AFP the video was authentic.

The two men who once traded personal insults and threats of destruction are holding their second meeting in eight months, with analysts warning it needs to produce more substance than their initial historic get-together in Singapore.

That summit resulted in warm images but only a vague commitment from Kim to "work toward complete

"The Pakistani aircraft was seen by ground forces falling from the sky on the Pakistan side," Kumar added.

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n Feb. 14, 2019 — coincidentally, Language Advocacy Day — the ACLU filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. Customs and Border Protection on behalf of Ana Suda and Martha Hernandez. The two U.S. citizens were detained on May 16, 2018, by a Border Patrol agent who overheard them speaking in Spanish in a convenience store in Havre, Montana. When asked why he needed to see their ID, the agent responded that “it has to do with you guys speaking Spanish in the store, in a state where it’s predominantly English-speaking.”

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

This is America: Speak whatever language you want

The episode gained notoriety after Ms. Suda posted a video of their interaction with the agent on Facebook. Her motivation to go public with the story at the time was to instill pride in her daughter for being bilingual—to show her that, in spite of what had happened to her mother, she should not be afraid of using Spanish in public.

The story is a painful reminder of the language choices that multilingual families face for the sake of integration. As the ACLU complaint alleges, “America is a multi-lingual, multi-racial, and multi-ethnic country. Many United States citizens speak languages other than English. So do many noncitizens who have a right or permission to be in this country under our laws.” And yet for many language minorities — largely Native Americans and first- and second-generation immigrants — speaking languages other than English in public is still seen as suspect.

On the surface, public attitudes towards bilingualism have changed from previous generations. Schools no longer slap kids for speaking Spanish.

However, not all forms of bilingualism are equally valued.

Elite bilingualism and multiculturalism enjoy a fair amount of cultural cachet. But for racialized linguistic minorities, the pressure to assimilate at all costs, starting with language, is still all too present.

Sometimes, like in Montana, the message comes from overzealous law enforcement agents. We have all seen its most hateful manifestation in viral videos of deli customers, Walmart shoppers, restaurant patrons, or road-raged drivers.

More often, these messages come from well-intentioned but misinformed neighbors concerned about kids getting confused between languages or suffering speech delays;

from an educational system that hides its language ideology behind terms such as language gap or skill deficit; from professors chiding foreign students for not speaking English.

And sometimes the message comes from people in positions of power such as the previous White House Chief of Staff, or the President. Their cumulative effect is the same — they demoralize linguistic minorities and chip away at the will to preserve linguistic heritage.

To be sure, Border Patrol agents do have the authority to question individuals, and they can even operate immigration checkpoints within 100 miles of the border. At the time, some reasoned that the agent’s initial impulse to check their IDs was justified given the proximity of the town of Havre to the Canadian border and the recent spike in migratory border crossings of the U.S.Canada border. After all, they argued, the two were never arrested, and they were free to go after everything was cleared.

No harm done.

What the CBP agent did not have, however, was reasonable suspicion of an immigration violation or crime, which is needed for CBP to stop or search anybody.

In his own words, the only probable “crime” was speaking Spanish while waiting in line to pay for milk and eggs.

Mind you, not any other language, just Spanish — a point the agent pretty much conceded by acknowledging on camera he would not have asked for ID if they had been speaking French. In addition to the Fourth Amendment, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act protects everybody from discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin. If a border patrol agent detains you with no probable cause other than speaking Spanish, that is a violation of your civil rights.

It is true that compared with the heinous policy of family separation at the Southern border or the detention centers for undocumented minors, this encounter was relatively uneventful. But language harassment does harm. It further intimidates and marginalizes the most fragile among language minorities who, unlike Ms. Suda and Ms. Hernandez — safe in the relative protection awarded by their citizenship status — have neither the awareness nor the means to take legal action.

How many families stick to English in public to avoid harassment? How many choose not to report hate incidents when law enforcement agencies engage in this kind of discrimination? The answer is that countless cases go unnoticed or under-reported.

For Spanish speakers who

fear what might happen to their immigration status, who have limited English proficiency, or who are working multiple jobs, exercising their language rights can be quite costly. Nearly 40 percent of Latinxs have experienced some form of harassment. Hate crimes are up by over 10 percent in the 10 largest cities. In spite of these figures, only about half of hate-crime victims choose to report, in part because the odds of the crime being prosecuted are low, and in part because of risks involved.

While few cases are as blatantly discriminatory as this episode in Montana, instances of language harassment are not isolated incidents. Close to one in five Latinxs, regardless of citizen status, has heard a variation of “This is America! Speak English!” But it is never about us speaking English, because most of us do already — it is about us not speaking Spanish. And as Ana Suda astutely points out, it is about kids not learning it.

Good for Ana Suda for refusing to pass along that lesson to her daughter. No amount of lobbying in Washington is as powerful an example of language advocacy as hers.

Roberto Rey Agudo is Language Program Director in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Dartmouth College and a 2018 Public Voices Fellow with The Op-Ed Project.

The US is finally moving towards an AI strategy

by Daniel Castro

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any have called on Washington to develop a national strategy for artificial intelligence (AI). On Feb. 11, the Trump administration showed that it was listening. President Trump issued an executive order to establish the “American AI Initiative,” which seeks to improve AI R&D, workforce development, and international engagement. The American AI Initiative is a welcome step towards boosting U.S. competitiveness in AI, but it does not go far enough. Without more substantial efforts from the Trump administration and Congress, the United States will struggle to compete with other countries that have developed aggressive national AI strategies, and the economy will be worse off for it.

The American AI initiative directs federal agencies to take five important steps to increase U.S. leadership in AI: prioritize AI in their R&D missions; make resources critical to AI development, including data and computing resources, available to researchers and industry; establish guidance and standards for AI in various sectors; prioritize worker training programs to help American workers develop skills necessary to work with AI; and the administration commits to ensuring that international markets are open and competitive, as well as conducive to AI R&D. However, what the American AI Initiative does not do is noteworthy. Despite its heavy emphasis on R&D, computing resources, and skills development, Trump’s executive order simply reprograms existing funds for these efforts, rather than significantly increasing investment. Instead of taking direct action, in most cases the executive order simply directs

various agencies to develop recommendations for action within 180 days. Neither does the executive order encourage public sector adoption of AI or call for light-touch regulation of AI, both of which would be a major boon to U.S. leadership in AI. In contrast, Canada, China, France, the United Kingdom,

and many other nations already have comprehensive national AI strategies that take much more decisive action to support AI and support these initiatives with generous funding.

The American AI Initiative is proof that the administration recognizes the importance of the government’s role to play in advancing U.S. leadership

in AI, and thus should be met with cautious optimism. Policymakers on both sides of the aisle should start building on this by crafting a more detailed national AI strategy designed to maximize the social and economic value of AI. Daniel Castro (@castrotech) is director of the Center for Data Innovation

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Prayer meeting for fallen soldiers in India held at India House

by Manu Shah “Too many lives have been lost. Enough is enough.”

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ith these words, Col. Raj Bhalla summed up the sentiment at the prayer service held at India House on February 20 for the 42 CRPF personnel killed in a terror attack in Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir. The names of the martyred soldiers were read out during a somber candlelight service while the gathering observed a minute silence in prayer for their souls.

“Shahido ko Shat Naman.”

President of India Culture Center Nisha Mirani saluted the brave sons of India and in a voice tight with emotion stated “India can fight back and will fight back.”

India’s Deputy Consul General of Houston Surendra Adhana read out Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on the terror attack and the message of condolence from the White House.

Col. Bhalla, who served in the Indian army for 20 years before moving to the US, clearly touched a nerve when he spoke of the “fire that was burning in every Indian’s heart” at this “evil dastardly act.” An admirer of Mahatma Gandhi, Col. Bhalla disagreed with his quote “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” in this case, because “when tyranny crosses all limits, stern action must be taken whether the world becomes blind or not.”

Composing himself as tears fell, he highlighted the need for abolition of Article 370 of the Indian constitution and stated that it “is about time J & K should be open like any other state… new industries and employment will come to the state and there will be progress and development in every field.”

He also called for a media source to counter the misinformation and fake news being perpetuated by radio stations run by Pakistani Americans.

The prayer service drew over 300 Indian Americans and representatives of elected officials like Jay Guerrero from Senator John Cornyn’s office, Sam Merchant from Congressman Al Green’s office, Jason Fuller from Senator Ted Cruz’s office, Xavier Herrera from County Judge K.P George’s office and Regina Recino from Congressman Dan Crenshaw’s office who all expressed their “solidarity with India.”

Leaders of various Indo American organizations also voiced their abhorrence at this act of terrorism. IAPAC President Hasu Patel, spoke of “not allowing our resolve to weak-

Nisha Mirani ICC President addresing prayer meeting at India House.

Col Raj Bhalla delivering his message at the prayer meeting. en.” IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia drew attention to the names of the jawans on the banner where you “realize the diversity of India… the prosperous India that these terrorists cannot accept.”

Somansh Agarwal of HGH observed that the soldiers demonstrated the highest level of

the selflessness that the Bhagwat Gita speaks of, IMAGH representative Latafath Hussain called for India to “give such a reply that every wouldbe terrorist would think a 100 times before committing such an act.” IACF’s representative also spoke of “rising above just condemning the act and taking a strong stance.’

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Speaking from a personal perspective having served in Kashmir for three years, Executive Director of India House

Col. Vipin Kumar cited a chronology of recent terror attacks and concluded with the question on everyone’s mind -“When will this stop?”

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VOICE OF ASIA 4

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Pakistan envoy says US 'emboldened' India

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ASHINGTON | AFP 2/27/2019 Pakistan's ambassador to Washington voiced regret Wednesday that the United States has not condemned India's air incursion, saying the stance "emboldened" New Delhi.

With the nuclear-armed rivals shooting down each other's warplanes in their worst crisis in years, Pakistani Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan said the United States should have pinned blame on India.

"It is construed and understood as an endorsement of the Indian position and that is what emboldened them even more," Khan told reporters when asked about the US statement.

But Khan said that Pakistan -- which has an increasingly close relationship with China and rising friction with Washington -- was eager for greater US diplomacy between Islamabad and New Delhi.

"There is perhaps no other country better placed than the United States to be able to play some role," he said, pointing to the US relationship with both countries.

India said on Tuesday its air force conducted strikes on a militant camp inside Pakistan -- the first time since 1971 it hit territory beyond divided Kashmir -- after a Pakistan-based Islamist extremist group claimed responsibility for a suicide

bombing on the Indian side of Kashmir that killed 40 troops.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a statement after talking to his counterparts in both countries, described the Indian strikes as "counterterrorism actions."

While urging both sides to avoid escalation, he urged Pakistan to take "meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil."

President Donald Trump's administration last year cut off $300 million in military aid to Pakistan, saying Islamabad had not done enough to fight extremists at home or close safe havens for militants in neighboring Afghanistan.

Indian demonstrators shout slogans against Pakistan during a protest at India Gate in New Delhi

Kim, Trump get down to business..

Continued from Page 1 denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". Diplomacy has since stalled amid disagreements on what that actually means.

In Hanoi, the two again displayed outward signs of an unlikely diplomatic bromance, clasping hands and appearing to share jokes as reporters shouted questions.

Trump described Kim as a "great leader" and said his country had "tremendous economic potential, unbelievable, unlimited" as he vowed to "help" North Korea achieve those goals.

In return, Kim appeared to have been counting the days until he saw Trump again.

"We came all the way to Hanoi to meet again, 261 days later," he told the US president, vowing to do his best to ensure a "great outcome" from the talks.

cember 2017, when we were literally on the brink of potential war... we're moving in the direction of peace and nobody's even talking about war right now."

"That by itself is a major victory," he told AFP. In the event, scandal back home in Washington threatens to distract Trump with his former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen calling him a "racist" and a "conman" during a congressional hearing.

The president already showed he had the testimony at the back of his mind when he tweeted a reaction before his first meeting with Kim,

The pair then enjoyed an intimate dinner with just their closest aides and again beamed for the camera, Trump touting their "special relationship".

- 'Korean war? We'll see' But on Thursday, the leaders have to dig into the detail of denuclearisation and put flesh on the bones of the vague Singapore declaration.

Kim is looking for relief from biting sanctions for his deeply impoverished country, as well as security guarantees for him and his regime.

One carrot could be a declaration to end the Korean War, which ended in 1953 with an armistice not a formal peace treaty. Asked about that before

dinner, Trump merely replied: "We'll see."

Also mooted is the possibility of opening liaison offices, the first step on the road to normalising diplomatic relations.

In return, Kim might pledge to destroy North Korea's decades-old Yongbyon nuclear complex, which has long been at the heart of Pyongyang's atomic development but remains shrouded in secrecy -and North Korea has promised to mothball it twice before.

In the run-up to the Hanoi summit, however, Trump appeared to lower expectations for the outcome, saying he was in "no rush" to rid the North of

its nuclear arsenal and was content if the pause in nuclear and missile testing continued.

University. "This is fantasy."

Since arriving in Vietnam, Trump has frequently pointed to the recent history of the country -- once a war-torn foe of the United States, now enjoying an economic boom with growth of more than seven percent.

"I hope North Korea will be in a better economic situation so that people there suffer less," office worker Nguyen Thi Hong told AFP. "North Korea should learn from Vietnam."

Hailing Kim as a "friend", he said North Korea could enjoy an "AWESOME" future if it gave up its nukes, but most analysts say that outcome is extremely unlikely.

"N Korea won't denuclearise.

Everyone knows this," tweeted Robert Kelly of Pusan National

Flag-waving crowds have welcomed the leaders in Hanoi.

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It was a far cry from the height of missile testing tensions in 2017 when Trump slammed Kim as "rocket man" and the younger man branded the US president a "mentally deranged US dotard".

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Pakistan publishes video of captured Indian pilot

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Continued from Page 1 Both Pakistan and India Wednesday claimed they had shot down each others warplanes, in a dramatic escalation of the dangerous confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Islamabad said it downed two Indian jets in its airspace and captured two pilots, but insisted it does not "want to go towards war" with its neighbour.

Pakistani military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said one of the downed Indian planes had fallen in Pakistaniheld Kashmir, while the other came down on the Indian side of the heavily militarised de facto border dividing the territory.

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He said one of the captured pilots was in custody and the other was in hospital.

The Indian foreign ministry said only one of its planes had been shot down.

"In this engagement, we have unfortunately lost one Mig-21.

The pilot is missing in action.

Pakistan has claimed that he is in their custody," said Indian foreign ministry spokesman Rajeesh Kumar.

He also said a Pakistani jet had been shot down by Indian forces. Pakistan denied that any of its planes have been downed.

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TiE Houston's Networking event with The Cannon

I

t’s a new year and that means new events being hosted by TiE Houston. This past week they hosted their first networking social at the new Post Oak location for The Cannon Houston which just opened up earlier this year. Drinks were sponsored by Roxor. ROXOR Gin is Curated by James Beard awarded Chef Robert Del Grande, owner of Cafe Annie and The Grove in Houston. TiE Houston always looks for opportunities to promote and support local Houston entrepreneurs.

The special guest for the evening was Russ Capper, CEO of Houston Exponential (HX). The nonprofit HX which launched in October 2017 was created by combining the

Houston Technology Center with the Mayor’s Technology and Innovation Task Force and the Greater Houston Partnership’s Innovation Roundtable.

TiE is proud to be an HX ecosystem partner. Russ shared the tremendous progress since then and shared some ways we can help the Houston startup ecosystem grow: 1.

Get the word out! The easiest way is to like, follow, comment, and share on HX’s social media channels.

2.

Check out HX TV! A YouTube channel dedicated to highlighting Houston entrepreneurs.

3.

Attend events. HX has programming scheduled all around the

Russ Capper (HX, CEO) discussing Houston Exponential city. For more information go to http:// houstonexponential.org/.

TiE is the largest not-for-profit entrepreneurship group in the world, with 12,000 members in 60 Chapters across 17 countries with the mission of fostering entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking, and education and funding. Charter Members, who are successful entrepreneurs and/or business executives, are the pillars of each chapters. They commit their time and resources to help next generation of entrepreneurs - a “leveraged give back” which creates jobs, economic activities and wealth in the community. Houston chapter has a strong and vibrant charter member community helping meet’s TiE’s mission and making it a meaningful part of Houston’s start up eco system.

Their next event, on March 28th , is be a panel discussion on Energy with Jean-Francois Poupeau (VP Corporate Engagement, Schulberger) and Hossam Elbadawy (Managing Director of SCF Ventures and Technology Partner at SCF Partners).

The Cannon from Left to Right: Ben Griffin, Matthew Bikovicky, and Ana Rojas Bastidas (TiE Houston member)

For more information on TiE upcoming events: TiE Houston: www. houston.tie.org

The Bellaire Business Association launches “Stay Loyal to Local” Campaign

The Bellaire Business Association recently launched the “Stay Loyal to Local” Campaign in conjunction with West University and Southside Place businesses.

The goals of the campaign are trifold: - To inform local residents about the wealth of goods and services available nearby - To encourage local residents to spend locally, leading to increased sales tax revenues that supply residents with police, fire, and city-wide services

- To educate local residents about the fact that approximately 56% of money spent at local businesses stays in the community The campaign was launched with presentations to the City of Bellaire, City of West University, and City of Southside Place with proclamations made by each of the aforementioned city governments. Supporting local businesses has so many benefits…

When you support a local business, you are buying products and services from your family, friends, and neighbors.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

Enchanting Tamil Valentine

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Thara Narasimhan takes charge as HGH President

T

hara Narasimhan has built her roots in Houston since 1981. Bringing with her traditional family and Hindu values, she served the Board of Hindus of Greater Houston ever since its incorporation as Non-Profit organization in 2005, first as Joint Secretary and later as Secretary.

Tamil Nadu Foundation - Houston Chapter honored senior couples for thier leadership and service.

by Dr. Venugopal Menon

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amil Nadu Foundation’s Houston Chapter celebrated Valentine’s Day during an afternoon of camaraderie among friends, highlighted by an artistic extravaganza of dances, interludes of music by Sargam Melodies, fashion show of hidden talents by local artists, and gestures of appreciation to service and seniority, over delicious treats of coffee, tea and snacks. The event was held at the San Jacinto South Campus on Sunday, February 24th.

The highlight of the evening was the scintillating performance by Eyakkam Dance Company from Dallas, under the title ‘Konjum Salangai’ (Enticing Anklets), who, as claimed by their title, treated the audience with an array of ‘enticing medley’ of dances. The endowed group of young and younger

artists presented a most nostalgic collage of memorable masterpieces of yester years, from an era before any of them were even born. Some of the exceptional pieces were the ‘dance duel’

by Annam and Lavanya, that offered us glimpses of the ever-memorable filmatic contest between Padmini and Vyjayanthimala for the movie Vanchicot Valiban, the Eyakkam Medley and the grand finale of Thillana by all the dancers of the troupe. The choreography was brilliant, the costumes were exquisite and the discipline and balance of the artists, impeccable. The dancing guests from Dallas presented the audience a treat that would be remembered for quite a while.

The professional musicians of Sargam Melodies rendered some pleasing songs that are always the audience’s favorites. Many wished that the music items alone could have been amply

entertaining for an evening. But the surprising finale of the evening entertainment was the dance and music ensemble presented by about sixteen couples from TNF community, who mesmerized the gathering with an assortment of visually glamorous to enchanting display of talent as they performed to chosen cinematic songs most appropriate for an evening of Valentine love theme.

The evening of festivities was introduced by Mala Gopal with a brief explanation of the Tamil Nadu Foundation (TNF) activities along with some video clippings. The Houston Chapter has been helping the ABC project of TNF, towards ‘Achieving grade level proficiency, Boosting the morale and Championing for higher aspirations’, and thus promoting the education of underprivileged rural students, especially of government

Thara was born and raised in Madras (Chennai), India and schooled at Besant Theosophical High School/ Kalakshetra, Adyar. She graduated BS degree from Queen Mary’s College and Masters in Microbiology from Madras Medical College. She currently works Thara Narasimhan at an Urgent Care Clinic in Houston for the past 35 years. The foundations for learning recognition in our Annual Youth the core principles Sanatan Dharma, Awards. We encourage Youth leadwas strongly emphasized by her ership and activities. We now have family to recognize its greatness under our banner the Annual Hindu and values. She was also exposed to Youth Camp and Young Hindus of multi cultural activities and fine arts Houston (YHGH). Hindus of Greater being raised in a city, Chennai that is Houston partnership with Interfaith rich with vibrant traditions. The fam- Ministry is another important task ily always had affinity for all sports we have undertaken. With the guidespecially Tennis, starting from her ance of Advisory Board Members, grandparents. Thara and her son both enthusiastic volunteers and dynamic played competitive Tennis for school Board members who interact as one and college. family, I am truly blessed to be part After moving to Houston, Thara of this unique and only organization has been involved in various cultural in the USA established by its foundorganizations in Houston and held ers, especially Raj Syal, Padmakant offices in few of the Non-profit Or- Khambhati and Beth Kulkarni who ganizations. She served as a Board have particularly inspired me to take member and President of Bharathi active part in this organization. I look Kalai Manram, served on the Board forward to serving as its President and as President of “Samskriti So- and do my best along with a new ciety of Indian Performing Arts”. admirable team of Board members She worked along with Padmakant who join me to build a harmonious Khambhati, who was a pioneer in successful year. establishing a Radio Program first of I learnt from both my parents how its kind in USA, the Voice of Sana- to put “Service above self.” tan Hinduism. Thara joined as Radio Thara is married to Dr. N.D. NaraHost compering the segment for Sri simhan, Ph.D. and their son Kirthi Meenakshi Temple, Pearland, Texas Narasimhan born and raised in Texas for over 20 years. is married to Dr. Rashmi Narayan.

“Hindus of Greater Houston has As family we support early childbeen another inspiring organization hood and youth education programs for me to serve”, Thara remarks.” in India for the less privileged also We celebrate our Youth who do self- support “Adopt a child program” in less service to the community with remote villages in India. schools, providing them with resources, programs and tools being the objectives of TNF. Some of the initial leaders of TNF Houston chapter were acknowledged for their service and leadership, a few senior elderly mentor couples of the community were brought on the stage and offered flowers, the dear departed community member Meena Vairavan was honored by adorning a ponnada on husband Vairavan Subramanian, and a short presentation by the Tamil Chair followed. The visiting Eyak-

Performers with the organizers

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kam artists were appropriately felicitated with mementoes and the enjoyable evening concluded with some lilting songs from the melody group.

Mala Gopal was the charismatic organizer of the event, who was ably assisted by other members of TNF introducing the items and performers, as Dr. Vaduganathan filled in as the MC with his inimitable style. The audience left contented with an evening of delightful entertainment and with compassionate hearts motivated by the charitable deeds of TNF.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 7

SEWA Family Services workshop Women’s Health Issues’ interactive session with women physicians

M

eera Kapur, organizer of this program, is a volunteer with Sewa International Houston Chapter and an active Yoga teacher welcomed the participants and introduced Arun Kankani, the national Vice President of Sewa International USA. She presented a slide show and talked about five Sewa’s Key Focus Projects; Disaster Relief and Rehab, Family Services, Local Development (ASPIRE), Volunteer Development & Sponsor a Child. Meera introduced Dr. Sushma Mahajan the Moderator & Emcee of the event. Sushma is a founding member of the management committee of the Arya Samaj, Houston founded in 1988.

rial Herman Medical Center Bellaire, in her presentation, ‘How to Stay Happy and Eat Healthy’, explained very important symptoms of some common problems like Diabetes, Cholesterol, blood sugar, and their treatment, and how early preventive measures can help to save future problems.

Dr. Deepali Patni, board certified physician, practices both obstetrics and gynecology with interests in minimally invasive surgery at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic appealed, “Ladies, make your health a priority.” In her presentation, she explained different stages of development of disease like cancer at various stages of life, and how to overcome them with proper diet and regular exercise.

Dr. Sushma Mahajan introduced the panelist doctors and informed the attendees that they would be able to ask anonymous written questions from the doctors after their presentations.

Dr. Hina Pandya, board certified in Internal Medicine and practices General Internal Medicine at Memo-

“Women’s Health Issues” interactive session was led by Dr. Sushma Mahajan (left), Dr. Deepali Patni, Dr. Reena Jogi, Dr. Hina Pandya and Meera Kapur.

Dr. Reena Jogi, board-certified in both internal medicine and dermatology, whose primary focus is dermatology, treats a wide range of skin diseases, and she is also a national trainer in plateletrich plasma treatments for hair loss, as private practitioner in the Memorial area at Village Dermatology. In her presentation, “Seven decades in seven minutes”, she gave the tips and tricks for all ages to protect the texture of the skin, how to save it from hyper pigmentation, and also explained about hair loss and its treatment.

The most important part came after all the three presentation was more than a half-hour long question-answer session in which participants were very excited, arose many questions, which panelists answered effectively.

Attendees signing at the Registration desk

Fort Bend County Judge KP George appoints Interim Chief Engineer

F

ORT BEND COUNTY, TX- In addition to recent changes made to the leadership at the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and the restructuring of the Fire Marshall’s Office under the OEM, both of which are fueled by the Judge’s vision for a more effective, efficient and engaging County government, County Judge KP George and the Commissioners Court have appointed a new Interim Chief Engineer.

“By appointing Mr. Slawinski to his respective role, Fort Bend County Engineering will strive to be one of the best departments of their kind in the country. He brings a diverse set of experiences, excitement to grow the department with new ideas, and, most impor-

tantly, serve Fort Bend County residents at the highest possible level.” stated Fort Bend County Judge KP George.

Fort Bend County Judge KP George and the Commissioners Court have appointed Mr. Stacy Slawinski, P.E. as Interim County Engineer. Mr. Slawinski is a highly respected engineer with 24 years of experience managing multi-milliondollar capital projects across the Greater Houston Area. The Engineering Department provides comprehensive planning, design, mapping, and management services to facilitate quality construction of private development, public roads, and public infrastructure to enhance public safety and quality of life in the County.

March at Asia Society

FREE Spring Break Activities and Films + Super Sarap Opens —Asia Society’s First Filipino American Exhibition

H

OUSTON, TX — Asia Society Texas Center (ASTC) invites families to celebrate Spring Break by learning about Japan’s beautiful spring season and enjoying kid-friendly Japanese traditions on March 11–15.

Each day during the week, Houstonians can participate in a different come-and-go activity and enjoy daily film screenings of fun anime movies.

Admission is FREE for all activities, which range from origami to craft dolls to Japanese food workshops.

And in mid-March, ASTC

opens its first-ever exhibition by Filipino American artists, Super Sarap, which is also Asia Society’s first foodfocused exhibition. In Super Sarap, the artists utilize routine kitchen items such as rice cookers, decorative forks and spoons, and balikbayan (care packages), plus ingredients and dishes familiar in Filipino cooking, such as ube (purple yam), langka (jackfruit), avocado, banana, guava, tapioca, and halo-halo (an ice creambased dessert), to elicit personal and collective memories and offer cultural connections that go beyond the Philippine diaspora.

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www.Voiceofasia.News

Meera Kapur concluded the workshop with a vote of thanks and suggestions on Yoga exercises. For additional information & to volunteer visit SEWA website: www. sewausa.org

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

An introduction to Tibetan meditation A free workshop brought to you by the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies

Friday, March 1, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

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xplore the fundamentals of Tibetan meditation in this free workshop with tools to help you build a meditation practice. No experience necessary.

This workshop is hosted by the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies and held at Rice University’s Anderson-Clarke Center.

CO-SPONSORS: Department of Religion, Rice University; Ligmincha Texas Institute for the Tibetan Meditative and Healing Arts; Rice University Chao Center for Asian Studies

INSTRUCTOR: Alejandro Chaoul, Ph.D., is the founding director of the Mind, Body, Spirit Institute at the Jung Center and assistant professor and director of education in the integrative medicine program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Please note that space is limited for this event and RSVP is required. If you have any questions, please email cpcoord@ rice.edu.

To learn about our community programs offerings, visit glasscock.rice.edu/community.

Japanese bookbinding craft class for teens at Sugar Land branch library

A

rea teens who are interested in exploring new crafts are invited to a special program for Young Adults in grades 9 through 12 at Fort Bend County Libraries’ Sugar Land Branch Library.

The class “Japanese Bookbinding” will take place on Tuesday, March 19, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, in the Conference Room of the library, located at 550 Eldridge.

Library staff will demonstrate the basic techniques of Japanese Bookbinding, a method of binding a book together without the need for glue or special equipment. The method of “stab binding” (or sewing) paper together with a needle and string began about

2,000 years ago and was primarily used by the Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian countries. Its simplicity, effectiveness and cost make it a popular bookbinding method for small projects even today.

Since the binding takes place after the content is written and individual pages are compiled, this technique is beneficial for group projects in which different people contribute separate pieces of an essay. It is also a beautiful way for book artists to express their creativity.

The program is free and open to the public. Sugar Land Branch Library at 281-2382140 or the library system’s Communications Office at 281-633-4734.

For more community stories Visit us online - voiceofasia.news

VOICE OF ASIA 8

TAXES & PERSONAL FINANCE

Still waiting on your tax refund?

Here's when to expect yours

Warren Buffett just revealed what he learned from his first investment - at age 11

by Ian Salisbury

W

by Jeff Rose

A

arren Buffett bought his first shares of company stock when he was 11 — but credits his incredible success to “the American tailwind.”

bout 75% of American taxpayers get refunds in a typical year, even though the number is expected to be down somewhat in 2019 due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed in December, 2017.

That's a lot of people waiting on tax refunds, and most understandably want them as quickly as possible. After all, the overpayment of taxes has the effect of giving the government a taxfree loan.

So when should you expect your tax refund, especially if it's particularly large?

The answer is it depends.

But the good news is refunds are going out much more quickly now with e-filing and direct deposits. The IRS issued refunds to more than nine out of 10 taxpayers in less than 21 days last year.

The entire process is happening much more quickly all the time. For example, while the IRS normally says to wait 24 to 48 hours for your return to be accepted by the agency after e-filing, a confirmation of acceptance often comes in less than an hour. The whole process seems to have accelerated.

Factors that affect the speed of your tax refund The IRS doesn't put out a specific schedule detailing exactly when taxpayers can expect their refunds. But there are general guidelines that can offer a clue.

For example, we know when you receive your tax refund depends largely on two major factors: Taking those variables into account, refunds are generally expected to be received within the following timelines: - E-file with direct deposit, 1 – 3 weeks - E-file with paper check refund, 4 weeks - Paper file with direct deposit, 6 - 8 weeks - Paper file with paper check refund, up to 8 weeks It's important to understand these timelines are estimates only. For example, if you e-file with direct deposit, the IRS generally says you'll receive your refund in about two weeks. But many taxpayers receive theirs in just one week.

There are also certain factors that can make it take a little bit longer. For example, certain tax

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Getty Image

credits, like the earned income tax credit and the additional child tax credit can delay a refund.

Another variable is filing early. Early in January the IRS confirmed it would begin processing returns on January 28.

The technically speaking, you can file your return any time after January 1. There's been a trend of people filing early in January when they expect large refunds. Various tax preparation services have been promoting the practice.

But if you filed your tax return on January 5, it wasn't going to be processed for another 23 days. Most likely, the clock on your refund began running on January 28, which may have pushed your refund into the middle of February even if you e-file for direct deposit.

Filing traffic is usually heaviest in late March and early April, and even right up to the deadline. This is most likely because taxpayers who owe will prefer to wait as long as possible, slowing the refund process as they do.

Tracking Your Refund If you're not content to simply wait for your return, you always have the option to track its progress directly with the IRS. You can do this through the online 'Where’s My Refund Tool' (just Google it).

You'll have to wait at least 24 hours after e-filing your return to begin tracking your refund.

But in another example of how e-filing is the superior strategy, you'll need to wait four weeks to begin tracking it if you mail in your return.

To begin tracking your refund, you'll need to enter your Social Security number, filing status (single, head of household, married filing jointly, etc.), and the exact amount of your expected refund.

If you're anxious, and want to

stay on top of the process on a day-to-day basis, the IRS even offers its mobile app, IRS2Go. It can be downloaded for free at Google Play, the App Store, and Amazon.com, for iOS (9.0 or later) and Android (4.0 and up) devices.

The IRS recommends calling to follow up only if it's been more than 21 days since you efiled your return, or six weeks since mailing your return.

Factors that can slow your refund Before filing your return, be sure to check carefully for errors. Even minor ones can delay your refund. A good strategy is to prepare your tax return, then let it sit for a couple of days.

When doing your review, do it with the assumption there may be errors. Check all entries against the source documents, and make sure they're all an exact match.

Factors that can delay your refund include: - An error in your Social Security number, even if it's only by one digit.

- An incomplete or incorrect address.

- Incorrect income or withholding numbers.

- Incomplete information, such as not providing your children’s Social Security numbers.

- Math errors (though these are unlikely with tax preparation software).

- Entering incorrect or incomplete direct deposit information.

If you prepare your return with tax software, most of these errors will be caught by the program. Generally speaking, your e-file attempt will be rejected if your return is found to be either incomplete or contain incorrect information. You’ll be forced to make the corrections before even filing.

- Forbes

The investing legend known as the Oracle of Omaha said Saturday in his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders that March 11 will mark the 77th anniversary of his first investment, a $114.75 purchase of preferred shares in a company known as Cities Service made in 1942. Buffett added that he had been saving the sum, equivalent to about $1,790 today since age 6, before deciding to go “all in.”

“I had become a capitalist, and it felt good,” he wrote.

Buffett calculated that that initial investment would be worth $606,811 today if he had invested it in a hypothetical no-fee S&P 500 index fund (although only half that amount if he’d paid the equivalent of an annual 1% fee to investment mangers or consultants.)

Still, Buffett credits the immense fortune he’s earned not any precocious foresight, but the resilience of the American economy. “Much of Berkshire’s success has simply been a product of what I think should be called The American Tailwind,” he wrote.

Among the lessons he imparts: Buffett cautions those

Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett speaks during an interview in Omaha, Neb., Monday, May 7, 2018, with Liz Claman on Fox Business Network's "Countdown to the Closing Bell". (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) overly worried about the U.S. ballooning national debt, noting that during his 77-year investing career, the national debt has already grown 400-fold.

Nonetheless, the stock market has remained a greater engine of wealth than other supposed stores of value like gold.

Buffett also asserted that U.S. economic success has been bipartisan, noting that, over the past eight decades, the nation has had seven Democratic presidents and seven Republican ones, while overcoming various economic calamities ranging from runaway inflation in the late 1970s to a collapse of home values in the late

2000s.

Indeed, Buffett’s unabashed cheerleading for the U.S.’s capitalist economic system may seem out of step with the far left of the U.S. political spectrum today, as politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez embrace the label of socialist.

But Buffett offers his sharpest criticism for investors and businesspeople who might be tempted to take all the credit for their own successes. “It is beyond arrogance for American businesses or individuals to boast that they have ‘done it alone,'” he wrote. - Money.com

Consolidate your retirement accounts carefully

I

f you’ve worked for multiple companies in your lifetime, you probably have accumulated several 401(k) accounts, a couple of IRAs and a brokerage account or two.

As you near retirement, you might consider consolidating some of the accounts to help you organize and track your investments and perhaps save some money with fewer account fees.

Consolidating your employer plans into one IRA “retains the tax-advantaged status of the assets, allows more choice of investments and ensures you remain in touch with your assets,” said Terry Dunne, senior vice president at Millennium Trust Co. But while consolidation may

result in “simplification and convenience,” it’s not as easy as it sounds, said Ajay Kaisth, a certified financial planner in Princeton Junction, N.J. And there are some good reasons for maintaining separate accounts, so you “need to be sure that the benefits outweigh the costs,” he says.

You might, for instance, want to keep a 401(k) plan that has lower-cost institutional shares of mutual funds and access to commission-free trading instead of rolling it into an account without those features.

Or if you want to make a qualified charitable distribution someday, you can do that only through an IRA. Before you make any moves, review the rollover chart at IRS.gov to learn which ac-

counts can be rolled over into another. Study the specific rules of each of your plans; custodians can vary in whether rollovers are allowed and what kind of fees are involved, said Joyce Streithorst, a certified financial planner in Melville, N.Y. Next, weigh the pros and cons of consolidating. Combining accounts makes it easier to manage your money and “to see the big picture,” Streithorst said. Fewer accounts mean fewer monthly or quarterly statements and possibly lower costs.

Consolidating also makes it easier to calculate and take required minimum distributions after age 70½, Kaisth said.

Continued on page 9

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VOICE OF ASIA 9

Indian Americans protest at Pakistan Consulate in wake of Kashmir terror attack

Seattle forms a human chain - a silent protest against global terrorism

S

N

EW JERSEY/NEW YORK, Feb 22, 2019: About 600 people from Indian American community protested against Pakistan outside Pakistan Consulate, New York for its cross border terrorism in India and Afghanistan and sponsorship of Global Terrorism that affected many countries around the world..

They condemn the dastardly attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir state on Feb 14th, 2018. Forty lives were lost in the cowardly act by Pakistan based Jaish-eMohammad headed by Masood Azhar .

People joined the protest from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Many men and women from across different organizations, seniors and professionals, students from universities have joined to express their pain for the families of soldiers who lost their lives and disgust at the continued state sponsorship of terrorism

by Pakistan across the world.

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Indian Americans protest attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama.

EATTLE, Washington - 40 Organizations, 300 plus Indian - Americans, more than 400 Candles gather at the Bellevue area of Seattle to condemn the 2019 Pulwama Attack which took place on 14th Feb, killing nearly 40 soldiers.

The Seattle Community Solidarity candlelight Vigil was a Parade in memory of the soldiers who lost their lives, yet the Vigil was a protest against all Acts of Global Terrorism.

They raised slogans about all major terrorist attacks originating from Pakistan such as Mumbai 26/11 attacks, Pulwama and URI attacks, 2001 Indian Parliament attack, 9/11 US attacks, Kabul US Embassy attacks, London bus and subway bombings, Germany embassy attack among the many terrorist attacks that are perpetrated by those who are nurtured, protected and funded by Pakistani establishment. Slogans and posters threw light on the many terrorist Organizations that grew out of Pakistan soil with active support of Pakistan establishment such as Al-Qaeda, Lakshar-e-Taiba, Jaish-eMohammed, Haqqani network, Taliban, Laskshar-e-Omar, Sipah-e-Sahaba, JKLF.

plicity of seeking financial aid to curtail terrorist activities which is largely siphoned off my military establishment and at the same time stoking it and sponsoring it with active support. Billions of dollars of US aid to Pakistan (18 billion since 2001) has done little to curb the terror outfits to Pakistan.

The United States has lost thousands of army personnel in Afghanistan. India and the US are the biggest victims of the proxy war perpetrated by Pakistan’s army and its intelligence wing ISI with its du-

The Vigil lead by the NFIA Executive VP Lavanya Reddy, also a Women’s Rights and

Pakistan has become a safe haven to agents of terror such as Osama Bin Laden, Masood Azhar, Rashid Rauf, Hafiz Saeed, Jalaluddin Haqqani. It is a factory of terrorists produced in the largest number of extremist madrassas that are funded by Saudi Arabia. These terrorists were trained, nurtured and protected by Pakistan military establishment to create havoc in many countries, including US, UK, Germany, Afghanistan, and India.

Protestors highlighted the many statements made by leading American leaders such as Mike Mullen, former Chair-

Spiritual activist, philanthropist, brought together American Telangana Association, Bhartiyam, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Hindu Temple & Cultural Center-Bothell, Kannada Koota, Kerala Association of Washington, National Federation of Indian american Associations, Sai Baba Temple, Sanatan Dharma Temple & Cultural Center, Seattle Gujarati Cultural Society, Seattle Maharashtra Mandal, Seattle Tamil Sangam, Telangana America Telugu Association, VEDA Sri Venkateswara Temple, VT Seva, (WATG)-Washington Telangana Association, Washington Telugu Samithi, Hopes & Smiles, Telangana Development forum, American Telugu Association, Asha-Jyothi, Brahma Kumaris, Seattle, Seattle SKY Society, Lakshmi, Venkateswara Temple, Washington Telangana Association (WATA), Mana Samskriti, and Sahyadri Kannada Sangha.

Although a protest, protestors made sure the idea was to draw condemnation to the severity of the Act of Global Terrorism and refrained from any negative remarks against any community.

Following the Vigil there is a Fundraiser on 16th March 2019, where the collections would be donated go to the Indian Army Fund for the families of the departed Soldiers.

Consolidate your retirement accounts carefully...

Continued from page 8 For each 401(k) you own, you must take separate required minimum distributions. But if you consolidate old 401(k)s into one rollover IRA, you can take a single distribution.

But there are some drawbacks, and many of them affect early retirees who might lose options to access money penalty-free if accounts are consolidated.

For instance, if you leave your job at age 55 and your

Indian Americans protest outside Pakistan Consulate, New York.

401(k) allows partial withdrawals, you’d want to keep that account separate, said Tiffany Beard, a certified financial planner in Jacksonville, Fla.

This involves using the 72(t) strategy, in which you withdraw the money in substantially equal periodic payments, Beard said.

This would allow you to take out money before age 59½ without paying the 10 percent penalty for early withdrawals that you would usually face if you rolled the 401(k) into an IRA.

Say you have $1 million in your IRA but don’t want to take distributions based on that large balance. You could split off $500,000 into a separate IRA and take withdrawals penalty-free using the 72(t) rules on the new, smaller IRA.

You can still take penaltyfree withdrawals from an IRA if you’re younger than 59½, although it may take a few financial steps.

Once you finish the distributions from that IRA, you’d still have the other IRA to use later in life.

- Kiplinger Finance

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VOICE OF ASIA 10

Pakistan, India say shot down each other's warplanes

by Sarah Titterton with Jalees Andrabi in New Delhi

Calling for talks with India to defuse the situation, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan warned of the potentially catastrophic consequences should "better sense" not prevail.

While both sides have sought to play down the threat of war, the rare aerial engagement over the divided and disputed territory of Kashmir significantly raises the stakes in a standoff sparked by a suicide attack on the Indian-controlled side earlier this month.

Pakistan initially said it downed two Indian jets in its airspace and captured two pilots, but later its military spokesman tweeted that there was "only one pilot" in Pakistani custody.

India's foreign ministry demanded the "immediate and safe return" of the pilot, calling on Pakistan to ensure no harm comes to him.

The pilot "gives Islamabad a key bargaining chip that may affect just how muscular Delhi's next move could be," tweeted US analyst Michael Kugelman.

New Delhi also confirmed the loss of one of its planes and said it had shot down a Pakistani fighter jet.

In a sign of the deepening crisis, Pakistan closed its airspace "until further notice".

At least six airports were shuttered in India, and a vast area

Bangladesh shuts down popular blogging site in crackdown

D

I

SLAMABAD, Pakistan | AFP | Wednesday 2/27/2019 - Pakistan and India said Wednesday they had shot down each other's warplanes, in a dramatically escalating confrontation that has fuelled concerns of an all-out conflict between the nucleararmed rivals.

"Can we afford any miscalculation with the kind of weapons that we have and you have?" he said in a televised statement.

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Tensions rose between Pakistan and India on Wednesday after Pakistan said it shot down two Indian jets, while India claimed that it had downed a Pakistani fighter plane. (Photo: Zuma Press) north of New Delhi was closed to civilian flights.

"We do not want to go towards war," Pakistan's military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told a press conference.

Ghafoor said the jets had been shot down after Pakistani planes earlier flew across the Line of Control, the de facto border in Kashmir, to the Indian side in a show of strength, hitting non-military targets including supply depots.

Afterwards, he said, the two Indian planes crossed the LoC into Pakistani airspace. One fell into Pakistani-held Kashmir, while the second crashed on the other side, he said.

He denied initial reports that a Pakistan plane had been shot down, saying accounts an F-16 had been lost were incorrect.

- 'Unfortunate loss' Later, Indian foreign ministry spokesman Rajeesh Kumar said a Pakistani jet was hit as it took part in an operation "to target military installations on the Indian side".

He said the Indian plane flown by the captured pilot -- a Mig-21 -- was lost in that operation.

Pakistan state media published a video purportedly showing the captured pilot being interrogated.

It shows a blindfolded man in an Indian Air Force uniform, his face bloodied, with his hands tied behind him, giving his name, rank and serial number as a soldier interrogates him.

The military later released a second video showing the man without a blindfold and drinking a cup of tea.

The incidents are the latest in a dangerous sequence of events between the two countries, whose ties have been under intense strain since the February 14 suicide bombing in Indian Kashmir that killed 40 troops.

New Delhi had promised to act, and on Tuesday its warplanes flew into Pakistani airspace and struck what it said was a camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), the militant group that claimed the Kashmir bombing.

It was India's first air strike on Pakistani soil since the neighbours fought a war in 1971 -- when neither had nuclear weapons.

Islamabad, while denying the Indian strike caused any major damage or casualties, quickly vowed to retaliate, fuelling fears of a disastrous confrontation in South Asia.

- Appeal against 'escalation' Earlier Wednesday, India's foreign minister sought to ease the situation by downplaying Tuesday's strike, repeating Indian claims that it had been a pre-emptive attack on JeM. "India does not wish to see further escalation of this situation," Sushma Swaraj said during a visit to China.

The US, along with China, Britain, Germany and the European Union, have called for cooler heads to prevail.

"We encourage India and Pakistan to ... avoid escalation at any cost," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

China Wednesday again urged the two sides to "exercise restraint". Britain said it was

HAKA, Bangladesh | AFP | Wednesday 2/27/2019 - Bangladesh's most popular Bengali blog platform has been blocked by telecom regulators in what critics Wednesday denounced as an assault on freedom of expression.

Books as well as popular social media apps such as TikTok and Bigo.

The somewhereinblog.net platform was among more than 20,000 websites that internet service providers were ordered to shut down as part of a crackdown on online pornography and gambling.

"Our platform, in no way, supports or spreads pornographic or obscene material and we always stay on a high alert regarding content that might hamper national security or sovereignty."

But the platform, which hosts more than 250,000 registered bloggers, said it does not allow any obscene content, adding the crackdown was a clear attempt at censorship.

The sweep also blocked the Bengali version of Google

"deeply concerned" and working with partners including the UN Security Council to defuse tensions.

- Crisis for Khan The confrontation represents the first major foreign policy crisis for Pakistan's leader, who is believed to be close to the powerful military and who came to power last year vowing to seek dialogue with New Delhi.

Pakistan has denied involvement in the Kashmir bombing on February 14.

While India has consistently accused its neighbour of supporting extremist groups, Pakistan has equally vehemently denied any role in attacks in India and its only Muslim-majority state, Kashmir.

The Himalayan region has been divided between India and Pakistan since independence in 1947. They have fought two of their three wars over the territory.

"We were stunned after discovering our blog was blacklisted and blocked," said Mozaddid Al Fasani, a moderator and spokesman for somewhereinblog.net

The spokesman described reported allegations by the telecoms minister that the site promotes atheism as "disheartening".

"We ... believe in the freedom of speech. As long as someone doesn't cross the boundary (of inciting hatred) and expresses his or her opinion about social issues and religion, we see no reason to censor them," Al Fasani told AFP. Telecoms Minister Mustafa Jabbar, who ordered the crackdown, told the Dhaka Tribune newspaper that somewhereinblog.net was closed due to objectionable content.

"Have you ever gone through the content that blogging websites publish? After verifying reports on all the websites, we made the move," Jabbar said.

Rights groups have accused the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which has just started a fourth term, of undermining free speech.

Last September the government passed a controversial digital security act that journalists said severely curbs media freedom.

Dozens of social media activists including celebrated photographer Shahidul Alam were detained for several months last year for social media comments about student protests in Dhaka.

VOICE OF ASIA 11

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

US/WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 12

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

TikTok app fined in US for illegally gathering children's data

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ASHINGTON | AFP | 2/27/2019 The fast-growing, Chinese-owned video sharing network TikTok agreed to pay a $5.7 million fine to US authorities to settle charges that it illegally collected personal information from children, officials said Wednesday.

dresses, and other personal information from users under the age of 13," said FTC chairman Joe Simons.

"This record penalty should be a reminder to all online services and websites that target children: We take enforcement of COPPA very seriously, and we will not tolerate companies that flagrantly ignore the law."

The Federal Trade Commission said the penalty by the social network which had been known as Musical.ly was the largest in a children's privacy investigation.

The social network, which has been surging in popularity with young smartphone users and taking over from rivals like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, failed to obtain parental consent from its underage users as required by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, FTC officials said.

"The operators of Musical. ly -- now known as TikTok -knew many children were using

TikTok claimed some 500 million users worldwide last year, making it one of the most popular worldwide apps.

Owned by China's ByteDance, it expanded its reach in the US with the merger with Musical.ly.

Teens have been flocking to the service, which allows them to create and share videos of 15 seconds.

TikTok, video sharing app that has become wildly popular with teens, paid a record fine in the United States for illegally collecting personal information from children. (AFP/File photo) the app but they still failed to

seek parental consent before

collecting names, email ad-

According to the FTC, the company required users to provide an email address, phone number, username, first and last name, a short biogra-

phy, and a profile picture.

The consumer protection regulator said 65 million accounts have been registered in the United States.

Officials said the company knew that many of its users were under 13 and should have taken greater precautions.

"In our view, these practices reflected the company's willingness to pursue growth even at the expense of endangering children," said a statement from FTC commissioners Rohit Chopra and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter.

"The agency secured a record-setting civil penalty and deletion of ill-gotten data, as well as other remedies to stop this egregious conduct. This is a big win in the fight to protect children's privacy."

TikTok has faced criticism around the world for featuring sexually suggestive content inappropriate for children.

Much to be done on China trade: US Trade Rep Lighthizer

by Douglas Gillison

apparent eagerness on both sides to bring their eightmonth trade war to an end.

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ASHINGTON | AFP | 2/27/2019 Washington's chief trade negotiator on Wednesday said there remained much to do before reaching a new trade agreement with China, even though both sides signal their talks are nearing the finish line.

Citing "substantial progress," President Donald Trump on Sunday said he would postpone a sharp increase in US duties on $200 billion in Chinese imports while the two sides worked to reach an agreement.

After months of negotiating with Beijing, "now we are making real progress," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in congressional testimony.

Final details would be hashed out before a "signing summit" with Chinese President Xi Jinping at an unspecified future date, Trump said.

However, "much still needs to be done both before an agreement is reached, and more importantly after it is reached if one is reached."

Lighthizer's remarks underscored the remaining hurdles facing negotiators despite the

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said there is a ways to go in trade negotiations with Beijing. (AFP/File photo)

Along with Japanese and European officials, the United States accuses China of entrenched unfair trade practices, including massive state intervention in markets, subsidies and the theft of foreign technology.

Chinese officials have offered to increase purchases of American farm goods and energy exports but it remains unclear whether Beijing will give in to US demands for fundamental changes in industrial policy, which analysts say could weaken the communist party's power.

Lighthizer's testimony coincided with other headlinegrabbing appearances on Capitol Hill, with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen also appearing.

But Lighthizer's remark about the remaining work needed in the China negotiations helped send Wall Street lower, although stock prices had recovered some of those losses by mid-afternoon.

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Fort Bend View

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

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

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

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Sienna Plantation to gain 600 new homesites

by Cari Zwolinski

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ISSOURI CITY, Monday, Feb 25, 2019 - Johnson development has announced the addition of 600 homesites to its Sienna Plantation masterplanned community. The new section of the sprawling development will be dubbed Heritage Park. This new neighborhood will offer nine new home models as well as a new series of home designs.

Chesmar Homes is one of eight builders who will contribute floor plans to Heritage Park. Home plans by builders such as M/I Homes, Newmark Homes, Westin Homes and others will be featured in the expansion of the community. Popular existing floor plans from other Sienna Plantation neighborhoods will also be built.

Two parks, including a dog park, will also be built in Heritage Park. Alvin San Miguel, the general Manager of Sienna Plantation, said in the press release, “These two gathering spaces will complement the more than 100 acres of parks residents already enjoy in Sienna Plantation.” The community currently offers a range of activities

and hotspots for residents, including more than 35 miles of trails and 75 social events per year. Branching beyond simple parks, Sienna Plantation boasts multiple waterparks, the Sienna Plantation Golf Club and the Sienna Stables. It is also home to a 160 acre sports park equipped with baseball, Tball, soccer and softball fields.

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“I am proud of the decision the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees made

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Tel: 713-774-5140

Shahs of Sugar Land host luncheon for Jain Society of Houston - senior citizens, promote local artists

While pricing for the Heritage Park development has not yet been released, San Miguel said, “we expect that base pricing will be very attractive for entry-level buyers and others.” Current pricing of the 27 model homes within the community have ranged from $250,000 to more than $1 million. According to a report by HAR.com, the average home cost is about $450,000 with the average home containing 4 beds and 3 baths over about 3,400 square feet. As of Feb. 18, 356 homes are for sale within Sienna Plantation.

Missouri City was ranked as one of the top 5 suburbs in Houston by niche. com for its racial and economic diversity last year. It also ranked no. 16 on 24/7 Wall Street’s list of ‘America’s 50 Best Cities to Live.’

- Houston Agent Magazine

Fort Bend ISD ends legal action to move historic remains ort Bend ISD Board of Trustees President Jason Burdine announced today that FBISD will halt further legal actions related to the historic cemetery discovered at the site of the James Reese Career and Technical Center. The announcement comes after a meeting on February 18, in which the FBISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to authorize the superintendent to negotiate an interlocal agreement with Fort Bend County. The vote Monday mirrored action taken by the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court last week.

www.voiceofasia.news

Section 2

during Monday’s Board meeting to authorize the District to begin negotiations with Fort Bend County to find a solution on how best to memorialize the Sugar Land 95.

Fort Bend ISD agrees that the Sugar Land 95 need to be memorialized at the site of discovery.

We have embraced the offer made

by Fort Bend County to work with us to create an appropriate memorial for the victims of the convict leasing system. We are hopeful and optimistic that by working together with the County these bodies can be reinterred so they can rest in peace. authorized entity.

- FBISD News

A section of the senior guests at the luncheon hosted by Upma and Mukulesh Shah (seated 4th & 5th from left) in Sugar Land.

by Shobana Muratee

S

UGAR LAND –Saturday, February 23, was a day away from the routine for the 72 senior citizens of the Jain Society of Houston who gathered at the residence of Upma and Mukulesh Shah in Sugar Land. The couple hosted luncheon for the seniors and entertained them with great music by local artists, most of them seniors who were gradually shifting away from the limelight. Singer couple Meena and Bharat Contractor sang solos and duets from Bollywood’s golden hits of the 50s and 60s. They were accompanied Jayendra Prabhukhot on Tabla, Altaf bhai on the keyboard,

Successful session empowering lives by The Women’s Voice

Upma and Mukulesh Shah with guets and singers Meena and Bharat Contractor, Mahendra Mehta, Jigna Shah and Manisha Gandhi (far right).

The network of The Women’s Voice 2019.

One-line drawings by artist Kumud Nilekani were showcased.

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ORT BEND - February 24, 2019 - The Women’s Voice, an all-volunteer community network of women from all walks of life, held a remarkably successful house-full session on ‘Life Coaching and Relationships in Workplace, Marriage and Family’ to encourage and empower the attendees on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at Ismaili Jamatkhana Center, Sugar Land.

This session provided valuable and resourceful information to all attendees to enable them to utilize their talents to the fullest whether in workplace, marriage or family. “We are glad to provide effective tools and techniques to help women have good health, satisfying careers, better financial stability and a fulfilling life.”, said Neeta Sane, the Founder of The Women’s Voice. The presentations by speakers Mahtab Moradi, Neeta Sane, Daysi Marin, and Parvin Bagherpour encouraged women to further their goals in life. This was followed by enjoyable and heart-warming roundtable discussions among the attendees about job satisfaction and careers.

Considering that women face a wide range of emotional, social & financial

and Syed bhai on the audio system.

The ensemble presented a perfect harmony in music and style that had the audience captivated and noticeably lip-syncing to every hit song.

Singers Mahendra Mehta, Manisha Gandhi, Jigna Shah and Upma Shah heightened the mood and infused a variety with their collection of songs.

It was so enthralling that the seniors had no issues delaying their lunch by a couple of hours. A great spread of vegetarian lunch catered by Chef Nirman Shah, of Nirmaz Food Boutique in Sugar Land was all worth the wait.

Neeta Sane, Founder of The Women’s Voice with speakers Mahtab Moradi, Daysi Marin, and Parvin Bagherpour and members. pressures as they go through many struggles to advance in life, The Women’s Voice will be offering monthly sessions on various topics that impact women’s lives significantly. The Women’s Voice thanks all its partners, supporters and sponsors for joining in for this cause.

The next session to be offered by The

Women’s Voice will be on ‘Financial Wellness for Women’ on Saturday, March 16, 2019 from 10:00 AM to Noon. To register, please contact Neeta Sane at 832-279-8601 or Mandy Randhwa at 818-681-2468.

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/ TheWomensVoice2019/

The event also showcased a unique exhibition, a collection of One-line drawings by Mrs. Kumud Nilekani, a self-taught artist now in her 80s, had started drawing in her 60s and managed to create an impressive number of pieces of diverse themes. She is the mother of Kanchan Kabad, past president of the Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN) and a prominent volunteer who has been helping cancer survivors cope.

Mukulesh Shah is a leading businessman, a franchise owner of Subway stores, some of which are in the Sugar Land area. Upma said support-

ing and spotlighting artists was their calling in life. It was also an opportunity to utilize their magnificent home with water view to host such events: promoting local talents like musicians, singers and artists of Indian origin and help them get recognized.

Typically, they host four to five events of the same scale each year. “It our way of giving back to the community that has given us so much,” she told the guest as she spoke of her passion. The couple have two children: son Neerav is married to Noopur and they have a daughter named Suneri and daughter Ronak is still studying and is yet to be married. They also plan to host a fundraiser for world renowned L. Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurthy on April 23, 2019 at their home.

Mona Shah and Bharti Shah, volunteers of the Jain Society of Houston who organized the trip for seniors as part of their monthly tour. Mona had coordinated with Upma to ensure the music was of their time and taste. The program started at 10:30 AM and concluded by 4 PM. Even as the seniors boarded the bus that morning, Mona and Bharti knew that the group would have a blast!

VOICE OF ASIA 14

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD Section 2

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www.voiceofasia.news

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Email: voiceasia@aol.com

The Oscars 2019

Academy goes ‘gaga’ for Lady Gaga’s song

Oscars: what they said

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OLLYWOOD - The 91st Academy Awards gala on Sunday was full of moving speeches and pithy jokes.

Here are some of the most memorable quotes from Hollywood’s biggest night: - In bed with Oscar “I am putting my Oscar statuette in bed with me, between me and my husband.”

-- Best Actress winner Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”) - Opening doors “To have an Oscar for ‘Moonlight’ ... gets you into other rooms. I have been wanting to stretch my legs for a very long time and this is the first time I get to stretch my legs.”

-- Mahershala Ali, best supporting actor Oscar winner for “Green Book,” on how his first Academy Award for “Moonlight” created new career opportunities

Best Supporting Actress winner for ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ Regina King.

(Photo © Robyn Beck / AFP)

Regina King: Oscar win makes LA native the toast of Tinseltown

- Big dreams “I think about what it would have been like to tell little bubba Rami that one day this might happen to him.

And I think his curly-haired little mind would have been blown.”

by Laurent Banguet

H

-- Rami Malek, best actor winner for his portrayal of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody” - The power of love “I’m an example of what it looks like when support and love is poured into someone.”

-- Regina King, best supporting actress winner for “If Beale Street Could Talk” - One ocean “I grew up watching foreign language films, learning so much from them, being inspired -- films like ‘Citizen Kane,’ ‘Jaws.’ And there are no waves, there’s only the ocean.

I think the nominees tonight have proven that we are part of the same ocean.”

-- Alfonso Cuaron, whose “Roma” won three Oscars, including his second for best director - Oscars not so white -

Best Original Song winners for “Shallow” from “A Star is Born” Lady Gaga poses in the press room with the Oscar during the 91st Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California on February 24, 2019. (Photo © Frederic J. Brown / AFP)

OLLYWOOD | AFP - Regina King has been an actress for more than three decades, but her recent focus on roles in dramas examining racism and black America have catapulted her to the A-list, and now, to Oscars glory.

First-time nominee King, 48, took home an Academy Award on Sunday for her emotional performance as a mother defending her daughter’s boyfriend, wrongfully accused of rape, in “If Beale Street Could Talk.”

light”) is an adaptation of a James Baldwin novel about a young couple, Tish and Fonny, whose lives are torn apart by the accusations against Fonny.

“To be standing here, representing one of the greatest artists of our time, James Baldwin -- it’s a little surreal,” King told the audience.

Her upcoming acting projects include HBO’s super-secret adaptation of “Watchmen,” a present-day reimagining of the dark 1980s cult graphic novel about retired superheroes turned masked vigilantes.

Oscar win seen ending shame about menstruation that puts Delhi Crime to premiere women at risk exclusively on Netflix globally on March 22 The film by Barry Jenkins (“Moon-

“Without April Reign, #OscarsSoWhite, and the former president of the Academy [of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences], Cheryl Isaacs, I wouldn’t be here tonight.

They opened up the Academy to make the Academy look more like America, more diverse.”

-- Veteran director Spike Lee, a winner for best adapted screenplay for race drama “BlacKkKlansman” - Wakanda forever “Marvel may have created the first black superhero, but through costume design, we turned him into an African king.”

-- “Black Panther” costume designer Ruth Carter, accepting her award - Driving is bad “I’m snakebit. I mean, every time somebody is driving somebody, I lose.”

-- Spike Lee, drawing a parallel between how his film “Do The Right Thing” was snubbed in favor of “Driving Miss Daisy” in 1990, and then how “Green Book” bested “BlacKkKlansman” for best picture this year - No host, no wall “Just a quick update, in case you’re confused: there is no host tonight, there won’t be a popular movie category, and Mexico is not paying for the wall.”

-- Actress-comedian Maya Rudolph poking fun at some of the controversies confronted by the Academy ahead of the Oscars, and a jab at Donald Trump for good measure.

Rayka Zehtabchi and Melissa Berton pose backstage with their award for Best Documentary Short Subject award for the film “Period. End Of Sentence.”

(Photo: Reuters)

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EW DELHI, Giving an Academy Award to a documentary about periods set in India will help shatter the monthly shame that impacts millions of women globally, with some even dying in isolation while menstruating, health campaigners said on Monday.

The Netflix film “Period. End of Sentence.”, set in a village in northern India, clinched the Oscar for best short documentary on Sunday, shining a spotlight on a topic rarely discussed openly in the country.

For many women in South Asia, especially adolescent girls, menstruation is shameful and uncomfortable.

From being barred from religious shrines to dietary restrictions to a lack of toilets and sanitary products that prevent them from going to school and work, they face many challenges

when they have their periods, health experts say.

“Although this film shows a negative side of India, it will help trigger more conversation about periods – a natural bodily process that is usually talked about in hushed tones, if at all,” said Surbhi Singh, founder of Delhibased Sachhi Saheli, a charity that raises menstrual health awareness.

“This will help people look deep within themselves and, hopefully, make them realise how they treat menstruation. Now, the whole world will turn up and see what is happening. This will help more people to understand the perfect menstrual health hygiene.”

- Reuters

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Delhi Crime Officer Vartika Chaturvedi (Shefali Shah) – Photo courtesy of Netflix.

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UMBAI, UPI – Delhi Crime, a seven-part series written and directed by award-winning Indo-Canadian filmmaker Richie Mehta, will be available to Netflix members worldwide from March 22, 2019.

India and the world. Throughout seven hour-long episodes, Delhi Crime captures the complexities of the scrutiny, the emotional toll on the investigating team, and their determination to bring the perpetrators to justice in a fraught environment.

The police-procedural thriller, produced by Golden Karavan and Ivanhoe Pictures, will premiere worldwide at Sundance Film Festival on January 29 in the Indie Episodic category.

The police officer (Vartika Chaturvedi in the series) is sensitively portrayed

by Shefali Shah (Monsoon Wedding, Juice), who leads a critically-lauded cast that includes Adil Hussain (Life of Pi, Hotel Salvation), Denzil Smith (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Rasika Dugal (Qissa, Manto), Rajesh Tailang (Siddharth, Selection Day) and Yashaswini Dayama.

Season 1 of Delhi Crime is inspired by and follows the notorious December 2012 investigation by the Delhi Police into a devastating rape of a young woman that reverberated across

LEGAL

VOICE OF ASIA 15

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

www.voiceofasia.news

Tel: 713-774-5140

YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER

PERSONAL INJURY

HERNIATED DISC DAMAGES AND LAWSUITS

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

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT H-1B VISA

Mala Sharma

I

f you or a dear one has been involved in a traumatic auto or trucking accident or slip and fall, you may have developed spinal injuries including a bulging or herniated disc. These injuries cause tremendous neck and back pain. It is imperative that those suffering from these serious injuries get compensated for their damages if caused by the negligence of another!

Not only is it important to recover all costs for these injuries to make the injured party “whole” again, it is also important to hold those negligent parties responsible and accountable for the harm they have caused so they do not continue to harm the community.

TYPES OF DAMAGES AWARDED: Medical Expenses (Past and Future): All medical expenses for treatment received by the injured party, including past and future expenses, for spinal cord injuries are fully recoverable.

Lost Income: If the bulging disc also prevented the Plaintiff from working now or in the future, he or she may receive lost income or loss of earning capacity.

Lost income is proven with a doctor’s report or workexcuse letter indicating how many days missed, Plain-

tiff’s W-2 or tax returns, and letter from employer stating how much is earned on average.

Property Damage: A Plaintiff may also recover damages to their vehicle in an auto or trucking accident. If the vehicle is a total loss, the fair market value of the vehicle is recoverable.

Pain and Suffering: Physical pain and mental anguish is the correct legal term explaining “pain and suffering” and is recoverable for all the hardship and burden.

Loss of enjoyment of life: If the herniated or bulging disc also caused difficulty with daily activities, the injured Plaintiff may recover for this loss.

Loss of Consortium: Texas law offers damages for injuries affecting a personal relationship.

Emotional distress: For very traumatic and serious accidents, an injured party may also recover damages for their fears, anxiety, loss of sleep, and other psychological effects caused by the accident.

Punitive Damages: Additionally, if the negligent party acted with extreme negligence, intentional, or egregious behavior, a Court will also award punitive damages as well as compensatory damages, to punish the negligent party for their outrageous behavior.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a herniated or bulging disc from a negligent party, don’t hesitate to contact an experienced attorney to make sure the negligent driver does not escape and is held accountable for all damages suffered! Herniated disc lawsuits are most often settled outside of Court and are on average valued at $300,000.00. Don’t settle for less and get representation!

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.

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.

Is the Trump administration making it more difficult for migrants to access legal services?

by Laura Murray-Tjan

A

s an immigration lawyer, I have long viewed Tijuana, Mexico, as a pitiless last stop for migrants seeking refuge in the United States. A cartel-plagued, homicide-heavy metropolis, Tijuana presents a serious risk of violence to migrants trekking towards one of San Diego’s ports of entry -- which itself often results in arrest or rejection by border officers.

My learned shudder towards Tijuana means I never envisioned the opposite scenario: U.S. citizens being detained and turned away at the Mexican border.

Yet on February 1, 2019, immigration attorney Erika Pinheiro was detained by Mexican authorities while attempting to cross into Tijuana by foot and forced to return to the United States. On the same day, her colleague Nora Phillips was detained in Guadalajara, Mexico, after flying from the United States for vacation. Phillips and her 7-year-old daughter were held for nine hours, without food, before being forced onto a flight back to Los Angeles.

News of the attorneys’ removals spread like wildfire through the immigration law community, as their tireless assistance to migrants in Tijuana has lent them an almost folk-hero status.

The Migrant Protection Pro-

tocols’ (MPP) has already come under attack for violating U.S. statutes and human rights law ... Discouraging free legal services makes matters worse.

To date, there has been no explanation from either the U.S. or the Mexican government as to what triggered the rejections.

Neither attorney has been accused of any legal violation.

Thus far, the public is left with no explanation other than the one Mexican officials gave to Phillips and Pinheiro: Interpol flagged their passports.

Accounts from photojournalists working at the border provide some context. The journalists report that Mexican officials have photographed their passports; that Mexico has rejected their entry at both its U.S. and Guatemalan borders; and that some Mexican officials said “the Americans” had directed this treatment.

News coverage is only beginning to plumb these accounts — with the most extensive reporting coming from the Intercept -- and the available information raises more questions than it answers. Is there deliberate coordination between the governments of the United States and Mexico aimed at discouraging the journalists’ work? And if so, who should be held accountable?

It isn’t a stretch to suspect that

this suppression is part of the Trump administration’s ongoing attack on the First Amendment. It’s also easy to see how the administration might put Phillips and Pinheiro in the same truth-seeking category as journalists who recorded the tear-gassing of migrants at the U.S. border — and thus, why they met the same fate.

Sharlene Sharmila Richards

Q: Visa?

What is the H-1B

A: The H-1B Visa is a visa for foreign skilled professionals to work in the US on a temporary basis in a ‘specialty occupation’. A specialty occupation requires theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge along with at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. As such, the foreign national must have at least a US bachelor’s degree or a foreign equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. In some cases, work experience may be used as a substitute for the required bachelor’s degree.

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- WBUR.com

O O R P

Q: I do not have any kind of degree qualification but I have worked in a related professional position in India for 15 years. A company in the US wishes to hire me on the H-1B visa. Is this possible?

A: Any related professional work experience may be substituted for years of education. The general rule is three years of professional work experience is equivalent to one year of the required bachelor’s degree. As such, a minimum of twelve years work experience will generally equate to a 4 years bachelor’s degree. An evaluation of your professional experience is needed to determine if your work experience will be a sufficient equivalent to the bachelor’s degree required to work in the intended occupation.

Q: Where can I find additional information about what constitutes a specialty occupation?

A: It is generally understood that professions such as engineers, IT specialists, lawyers, architects, accountants and the like are specialty occupations as these professions clearly require a bachelor’s degree. However, there are some professions that appear to be not so straightforward at first glance. You can check the Occupation Outlook Handbook published by the Department of Labor to properly understand if your intended occupation qualifies as a specialty occupation.

Q: What is the H-1B visa cap? I am applying for the H-1B visa for this first time this year.

A: The H-1B cap refers to the yearly numerical limitation set by Congress for the number of workers that can be granted H-1B visas. For each fiscal year, the quota for H-1B visas has been set at 65,000. Another 20,000 visas are set aside for foreign nationals who possess an advanced degree which includes a US Master’s degree or higher. If you are applying for the H-1B visa for the first time, generally you will be subject to this cap. You will be subject to this numerical limitation of 65,000 visas unless you come within the advanced degree exemption or your petitioning employer is a cap exempt organization.

Q: How long can I work if I have the H-1B Visa?

A: This visa is typically granted for an initial period of three years up to a maximum of six years.

Q: I have a Bachelor’s Degree from India. Will this be sufficient to apply for H-1B visa?

Q: Please explain the current changes to the H-1B visa program for this Fiscal Year 2020.

A: All foreign degrees have to be first evaluated to determine whether it is equivalent to the undergraduate degree offered by an accredited university or institution of higher learning in the United States. This degree evaluation is typically done by a third-party credential evaluation service. In addition to that, the Bachelor’s degree you possess must be in the field related to your intended H-1B occupation. So, for ex-

The attorneys are directors at a nonprofit, Al Otro Lado, that sued the Trump administration in 2017 claiming human rights abuses at the border. (The suit remains pending.) In December 2018, Phillips brought members of Congress to a U.S. port of entry so they could observe border agents turning asylumseekers away. Such endeavors threaten to reveal the administration’s efforts to trample on migrants’ legal rights; and neither was flattering to Trump.

The catch for the Trump administration is that it needs Phillips, Pinheiro and likeminded attorneys for its stated policy to achieve any measure of credibility. It is exceedingly difficult to present an asylum claim without legal assistance.

Cutting the head off of free legal services that could not meet the need anyhow is unnecessary vindictiveness that may ultimately backfire in current litigation over the MPP’s constitutionality.

ample, if you are looking at employment in the engineering related field, it will be helpful if your degree was in engineering or some other closely related field.

A: There are many changes to the H-1B visa classification to reflect the Buy American Hire American (BAHA) policy of our current administration.

H-1B visa petitions have also become very highly scrutinized in terms of the prevailing wages offered and whether the particular occupation is a specialty occupation. For the Fiscal Year

2020, the major change to note is in the way the H-1B petitions will be selected for cap cases. USCIS will now reverse the order by which they select H-1B petitions under the H-1B cap and the advanced degree exemption.

This proposed rule would involve running the lottery for the 65,000 visas from the entire pool of H-1B petitions and for those petitions with Beneficiaries who have the US master degree which were not selected will then go into the lottery for the additional 20,000 visas set aside for that category. This is predicted to have the effect of increasing the number of selected H-1B beneficiaries with a master’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution of higher education and thus reducing the number of petitions with H-1B applicants with non-US masters or higher degrees. The other rule proposed by USCIS which requires petitioning employers to first electronically register with USCIS will not be implemented for this 2020 Fiscal Year but is expected to be take effect for the next fiscal year. Another trend to note is regarding premium processing – USCIS is expected to soon announce that premium processing will not be available for cap case filings for the 2020 Fiscal Year.

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

www.richardsimmigration.com E-mail: srichardslaw@aol.com

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Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 16

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

www.voiceofasia.news

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Tel: 713-774-5140

Swedish teenager brings climate action campaign to France

British ISIS teen calls for ‘mercy’

by Camille Bouissou and Joseph Schmid

Ran away from home at 15 years old

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ARIS, France | AFP | Friday 2/22/2019 Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg brought her class-boycott campaign to Paris on Friday, hoping to encourage more French students to hit the streets with demands for bold efforts to combat global warming.

The Friday protests that the 16-year-old Swede launched in August have gained little traction so far in France, where the landmark COP21 international accord on cutting emissions was signed in 2015.

After urging the EU in Brussels to move more aggressively on greenhouse gas cuts on Thursday, Thunberg then travelled to Paris where she met up with young activists from France, Belgium and Germany for a march which was also joined by French actress Juliette Binoche.

“I never thought it would get so big and I think it’s amazing,” she said of her campaign, speaking to journalists ahead of the march. “We, children, we should not have to do this, adults should be taking responsibility.”

A crowd of around 1,000 people took part in the protest in central Paris, one of dozens planned in cities across Europe as part of her “Fridays For Future” movement.

But outside Paris, only two other class-cutting marches have been organised -- one in Beauvais just north of Paris and one in the southwestern city of Dax. Last Friday, only around 200 students protested outside the environment ministry in Paris.

- ‘It takes time to mobilise’ “I don’t know why young people mobilise massively in some countries and not others,” Thunberg said in an interview with Le Parisien which was published on Friday.

Shamima Begum said she would like British authorities “to reevaluate [her] case with a bit more mercy in their hearts” after her British citizenship was revoked (AFP Photo)

Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, seen here in Brussels, began skipping classes in Stockholm six months ago to hold weekly Friday protests (AFP Photo/Emmanuel Dunand)

“France, the country of COP21, needs to do what it says it will,” she added.

it takes time to mobilise, but we feel a shift.”

Under the 2015 Paris deal to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the 28-nation EU has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030, compared to 1990.

Thunberg’s determined campaign to hold adults accountable for looming climate change consequences has gained global resonance since she began skipping class for weekly Friday protests in Stockholm six months ago.

Still, France’s climate efforts have come increasingly under the spotlight since August when high-profile green activist Nicolas Hulot resigned abruptly as environment minister saying the government was not making enough progress.

“There have been other social movements which were very active” in France, said 22-year-old Romaric Thurel, one of the coordinators of Youth For Climate France.

“France is a big country and

- ‘Any concrete promise’ -

She made global headlines in December with a strong-willed speech at a UN climate meeting in Poland, and last month took her message to the top corporate echelons at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

In the last six months, tens of thousands of high school students -- in Sydney, Brussels, Berlin, The Hague, London and other cities -- have followed her lead.

On Thursday, she joined around 7,500 Belgian student

Houston-area students and families meet with state representatives, showcase latest projects at ‘Harmony on the Hill’

Students and families from Harmony Public Schools across Texas take over the capitol for a day of fun and politics, as they meet with their elected officials, show off their latest school projects, and share their stories about attending Texas charter public schools. (Photo from the last Harmony on the Hill event in 2017)

H

OUSTON (Feburary 26, 2019) - ‘Harmony on the Hill’ allows students and parents from across Texas to meet one-onone with the elected officials from their hometown.

Students and their families from across Greater Houston will have a rare opportunity Thursday to meet their elected officials in Austin, showcase their latest school projects and share their stories about attending charter schools in their community.

Every two years, “Harmony on the Hill” brings Harmony

Public School students from Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Cypress and other campuses across Texas for a day of fun and civics at the state capitol in Austin. Harmony students will begin the day with a takeover of the rotunda, where they will demonstrate some of their latest STEM-focused projects, including 3D prosthetic hands, heart dissections and a variety of robots. Then, throughout the day, students and their families will have sit-down office visits with their hometown officials.

Select students will also serve as official House and Senate pages throughout the

day. The school system will also be recognized in four separate resolutions read on the House floor.

Harmony Public Schools is a Texas-born, Texas-wide charter public school system offering a free public education focused on STEM and Character Education to PreK-Grade 12 students at 56 campuses statewide. In August, the TEA awarded the Harmony Public School system six “A” ratings in its annual Accountability Ratings. For more about Harmony or to find a campus near you, visit https://www.HarmonyTX.org.

Visit us online : voiceofasia.news

activists who staged a march in Brussels, their seventh such protest.

“I think it is very good that the young protest in the streets of Europe to defend the environment,” European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said on Thursday, urging adults to join them.

But despite the enthusiastic reception, Thunberg said she had received little indication on Thursday that EU leaders were ready to heed her call for faster action.

“I didn’t hear any concrete promise by political leaders and officials; they only say that they are going to try their best,” she said.

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ONDON | AFP | 2/21/2019 - A London teenager who joined the Islamic State group in Syria called on the British authorities on Thursday to reconsider their decision to revoke her citizenship, calling for “mercy”.

“I would like them to re-evaluate my case with a bit more mercy in their heart,” Shamima Begum told Sky News from a refugee camp in eastern Syria.

Begum was 15 when she ran away to join the jihadists with two school friends from Bethnal Green in east London in 2015.

Now a 19-year-old mother, she has become a refugee after the group’s proto-state collapsed.

Separated from her Dutch IS fighter husband, and after giving birth to a son in the camp last weekend, she now wants to come home.

Her family’s lawyer, Tasnime

Akunjee, is looking at challenging Britain’s decision to revoke her citizenship, which risks leaving Begum stateless.

The Guardian newspaper reported that he plans to travel to the camp to seek Begum’s consent to bring her newborn son back to Britain while the case plays out.

“I would hope that I would be able to outline the options for her, explain things to her. We would want her agreement and consent of course,” he said.

But Begum told Sky News she would not allow her son -her third child, after the other two died in recent months while living under IS -- to leave Syria without her.

Asked if she can change or be rehabilitated, she replied: “I am willing to change.”

Begum’s family are from Bangladesh but the country said Wednesday she had no claim to citizenship there.

VOICE OF ASIA 17

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

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

Roundup weed killer contributed to March is National Colorectal man’s cancer, 1st US federal trial told Cancer Awareness Month

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by Julie Charpentrat

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et us learn more about it.

What is colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the rectum or colon. Both of these organs are in the lower portion of your digestive system. The colon is also known as the large intestine. The rectum is at the end of the colon. The American Cancer Society estimates 1 in 22 men and 1 in 24 women will develop colorectal cancer during their lifetime.

AN FRANCISCO | AFP | Monday 2/25/2019 -The controversial weed killer Roundup was a “substantial factor” in the cancer of a US man who woke up one day with a lump in his throat and was soon diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, his lawyer said Monday, opening the first US federal trial of its kind.

Edwin Hardeman, of Sonoma County north of San Francisco, filed a complaint against Roundup’s manufacturer Monsanto in early 2016, a year after being diagnosed with the cancer.

His is the first case to be heard in a US District Court but follows the groundbreaking case last year of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson.

Jurors in a California State Court last August unanimously found that Monsanto acted with “malice” and that its weed killers Roundup and Ranger Pro contributed “substantially” to Johnson’s terminal illness.

Roundup, a brand owned by German chemical and pharmaceutical giant Bayer after its purchase of US-based Monsanto last year, contains glyphosate that environmentalists and other critics have long maintained leads to cancer.

Glyphosate is used in weed killers made by several companies, and is currently the most used herbicide around the world.

Hardeman used Roundup extensively to treat his property from the 1980s until 2012. One of his lawyers, Aimee Wagstaff, told the court he would put the concentrate into a two-gallon (7.5-liter) pump, dilute it with water and then spray.

“On Christmas Day 2014 he wakes up and feels this lump in his throat,” Wagstaff said. “He goes to the doctor the next day.”

He was diagnosed in February 2015 with the cancer, the same type as that of Johnson.

Beside the lawyer sat Hardeman, 70, his features drawn and wrinkled, with brushed chestnut hair and a sparse

Monsanto has argued the products are not dangerous if the conditions of use are followed, and says hundreds of scientific studies prove this. (AFP/File photo)

white beard.

A screen in the courtroom showed a picture of Hardeman’s throat, with the tumor visible. In another photo he is smiling with his wife Mary in front of the ocean.

- Hundreds of similar cases Another image showed a Monsanto factory.

The first phase of the four-to-five week trial is to determine “whether the Roundup caused the plaintiff’s cancer,” District Judge Vince Chhabria said.

Wagstaff argued that “the more you are exposed to Roundup, your risk increases,” and that other components of the herbicide “are more toxic than glyphosate alone.”

If the jury later agrees that Roundup contributed to Hardeman’s illness, the next step will be to decide whether or not Monsanto has a liability.

The plaintiff’s lawyers argue that the company concealed the risks.

Monsanto, which has sold Roundup worldwide for more than 40 years, contends the products are not dangerous if the conditions of use are followed, as proven by hundreds of scientific studies.

Jurors in the earlier Johnson case

last August ordered Monsanto to pay $250 million in punitive damages along with compensatory damages and other costs, bringing the total award to nearly $290 million.

Judge Suzanne Bolanos later denied Monsanto’s request for a new trial but cut the damages to $78 million to comply with a law regarding how such awards must be calculated.

The ruling sent Bayer shares tumbling on fears that a wave of costly litigation could be about to break on the firm.

In November, Bayer said it would slash 12,000 jobs in a restructuring after the takeover of Monsanto, which asked a US appeals court to toss out the Johnson verdict.

Hardeman’s is the leading case in a multi-district litigation of hundreds of similar cases which are legally linked, but will be heard separately.

Although not a class action lawsuit, the outcome of the Hardeman case will provide a signal for the other jurisdictions.

Praised by farmers for its effectiveness and low cost, glyphosate is under particular scrutiny in Europe and especially in France, where authorities in January banned a form of the herbicide, Roundup Pro 360.

US doctors overprescribed deadly drug fentanyl to patients

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ASHINGTON | AFP | 2/19/2019 - Fentanyl, a highly dangerous painkiller at the heart of the US opioid epidemic, has been overprescribed by doctors, according to a report Tuesday that accused health authorities and manufacturers of being too lax in their oversight.

The drug is a synthetic opioid up to 100 times more powerful than morphine and which is largely sold on the black market.

But it is prescribed in certain cases of cancer under what are supposed to be very tight restrictions, in the form of lozenges, lollipops or sprays under the tongue. It is supposed to be used only on cancer patients for whom other opioid painkillers have been insufficent.

tween a third and half of them should never have received the drug.

One doctor in five did not know that fentanyl was only supposed to be used by opioid-tolerant cancer patients, the researchers found.

As a result, it has been wrongly prescribed for far less serious conditions like lower back pain or chronic headaches.

“The drug can kill you,” said one of the authors of the report Caleb Alexander, co-director at the Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness at Johns Hopkins.

“There’s no question that individuals have died from inappropriate prescribing of these products,” he said.

The report in Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, said that this was not the case, however.

“The whole point of this program was to prevent exactly the use that commonly occurs,” he said of fentanyl, which has become the deadliest drug in an epidemic that killed 70,000 people in the United States in 2016.

The investigation, carried out by experts from Johns Hopkins University, said that of the thousands of patients who had been prescribed fentanyl, be-

The team of researchers battled for four and a half years to get 5,000 pages of documents on the fentanyl program from the FDA.

Legally, doctors are allowed to prescribe a drug for an ailment other than the one it is indicated for. The role of the FDA is to regulate the laboratories that make the drugs, not the doctors.

But as part of their oversight responsibility, manufacturers “were supposed to monitor and potentially disenroll prescribers who violated the terms of the program. And yet not a single prescriber was identified and disenrolled,” said Alexander.

An FDA spokesperson said the agency shared the concerns raised in the report.

“The FDA will soon be sharing planned next steps ... to make sure the program is working to mitigate the risks of these medicines and that they’re prescribed only to opioid-tolerant patients,” the spokesperson said.

What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer? Colorectal cancer may not present any symptoms, especially in the early stages. If you do experience symptoms during the early stages, they may include: constipation, diarrhea, changes in stool color, changes in stool shape, such as narrowed stool blood in the stool, bleeding from the rectum, excessive gas, abdominal cramps, abdominal pain.

If you notice any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss getting a colon cancer screening.

Federal law requires Insurance companies to cover screening tests.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires both private insurers and Medicare to cover the costs of colorectal cancer screening tests, because these tests are recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The law stipulates that there should be no out-of-pocket costs for patients, such as co-pays or deductibles, for these screening tests. But the definition of a “screening” test can sometimes be confusing.

Medicare covers an initial preventive physical exam for all new Medicare beneficiaries. It must be done within one year of enrolling in Medicare. The “Welcome to Medicare” physical includes referrals for preventive services already covered under Medicare, including colon cancer screening tests.

If you’ve had Medicare Part B for longer than 12 months, a yearly “wellness” visit is covered without any cost. This visit is used to develop or update a personalized prevention plan to prevent disease and disability. Your provider should discuss a screening schedule (like a checklist) with you for preventive services you should have, including colon cancer screening.

What would someone on Medi-

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900

care expect to pay for a colorectal cancer screening test?

• FOBT/FIT: Covered at no cost* (no co-insurance or Part B deductible).

• Stool DNA test (Cologuard): Covered at no cost* for those age 50 to 85 as long as they are not at increased risk of colorectal cancer and don’t have symptoms of colorectal cancer (no co-insurance or Part B deductible).

• Flexible sigmoidoscopy: Covered at no cost* (no co-insurance, co-payment, or Part B deductible) when the test is done for screening. Note: If the test results in the biopsy or removal of a growth, it’s no longer a “screening” test, and you will be charged the 20% co-insurance and/or a copay (but you don’t have to pay the Part B deductible).

• Colonoscopy: Covered at no cost* at any age (no coinsurance, co-payment, or Part B deductible) when the test is done for screening. Note: If the test results in the biopsy or removal of a growth, it’s no longer a “screening” test, and you will be charged the 20% co-insurance and/or a copay (but you don’t have to pay the deductible).

• Double-contrast barium enema: You pay 20% of the Medicare approved amount for the doctor services. If the test is done in an outpatient hospital department or ambulatory surgical center, you also pay the hospital co-payment.

To select suitable Health Insurance plan for anyone under or over 65 (under Medicare) contact Sudhir Mathuria at 713-771-2900.

DIET & EXERCISE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

Logging what you eat is an effective-loss approach and takes less time than you think

Including garlic and onions in your diet may lower your colorectal cancer risk

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

World’s largest Nutella factory reopens after ‘quality defect’

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AEN, France | AFP | Monday 2/25/2019 - The world’s largest Nutella factory restarted production on Monday after it stopped work for five days as a precautionary measure over a “quality defect”, owner Ferrero’s French branch said.

The factory in Normandy, France stopped making the chocolate-andhazelnut spread due to a “suspected quality defect strictly limited to the production stage,” Ferrero France’s communications service told AFP. It added that the problem was “very early in the process, at the stage of grinding and roasting hazelnuts.”

Eating plenty of allium vegetables, such as onions, may have a protective effect against colon cancer. (Photo © ehaurylik / IStock.com)

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ew Chinese research has found that eating allium vegetables, such as garlic, leeks, and onions, appear to be linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

If you want to lose weight then logging your calorie and fat intake each day could help you succeed. (Photo © stevecoleimages/Istock.com)

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ew US research has found that although keeping a record of your calorie and fat intake throughout the day might sound tedious, it is an effective way to lose weight which doesn’t actually take a long as many people think.

Carried out by researchers at the University of Vermont and the University of South Carolina, the new study looked at 142 adults and asked them to participate in a weekly online behavioral weight control group session led by a trained dietician.

The participants were asked to log their daily food intake online, including calories and fat for all foods and beverages they consumed, the portion sizes and the preparation methods, and record how much time they spent doing it every week for a period of 24 weeks.

The findings, published in the journal Obesity, showed that the most successful members of the weight loss group -- those who lost 10 percent of their body weight -- spent an average of 23.2 minutes per day on logging their food and drink intake in the first month of the program.

However, after six months of monitoring their dietary intake, this number dropped to just 14.6 minutes per day.

The study is the first to measure the amount of time that dietary self-monitoring actually takes for those who

successfully lose weight, and suggests that following the rule of “write it when you bite it” could be a simple and effective method which takes less time than many people think.

“People hate it; they think it’s onerous and awful, but the question we had was: How much time does dietary self-monitoring really take?” said lead author Jean Harvey. “The answer is, not very much.”

The team also found that the time spent monitoring was not what was most predictive of weight-loss success. Although those who took more time to log their intake and in greater detail were more successful at losing wait, the frequency of log-ins was actually better at predicting who would lose weight.

“Those who self-monitored three or more time per day, and were consistent day after day, were the most successful,” Harvey said. “It seems to be the act of self-monitoring itself that makes the difference -- not the time spent or the details included.”

Harvey now hopes the findings will encourage those looking to lose weight to try the method, especially with a range of apps now available designed especially for monitoring dietary intake.

“It’s highly effective, and it’s not as hard as people think,” she said.

- Relaxnews

‘Beat The Pack’ program to help people quit smoking

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UGAR LAND – (February 22, 2019) — Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital continues to offer the community a proven program to help people quit smoking.

The complimentary program, called Beat the Pack®, was developed by Pfizer Inc. and is sponsored by Houston Methodist Cancer Center and Respiratory Therapy Department at Sugar Land.

can greatly increase those odds and make it easier to give up cigarettes for good.”

Even long-term smokers can benefit from quitting. “The health benefits of quitting begin almost immediately and continue indefinitely,” said Sindhu Nair, M.D., board-certified hematologist oncologist with Houston Methodist Oncology Partners at Sugar Land. “Within months, former smok-

Carried out by researchers at the First Hospital of China Medical University, the new study looked at 833 men and women with colorectal cancer who were matched to 833 healthy controls by age, sex and whether they lived in a rural or urban area.

The researchers carried out interviews in person with the participants, recording demographic and dietary information, which was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire.

The findings, published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, showed that those who consumed high

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UWAHATI, India | AFP | Sunday 2/24/2019 - At least 58 more workers have died in northeastern India after drinking toxic liquor, police said Sunday, taking the death toll from the latest mass alcohol poisoning beyond 150.

The deaths in Assam state came less than two weeks after tainted liquor killed around 100 people in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

At least 200 others were still receiving treatment in hospitals across Assam.

“A total of 85 people have died in Golaghat district due to consumption (of toxic alcohol),” Dhiren Hazarika, deputy commissioner of the worst affected region, told AFP. “Another 100 are undergoing treatment... The rush of new patients has (only) slowed down today afternoon,” he added.

Samir Sinha, Assam’s principal health secretary, told AFP 71 deaths had been confirmed in neighbouring Jorhat district by Sunday afternoon.

“131 people, including 13 critical patients, are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Jorhat,” he said.

“What is happening is also a kind of fear psychosis. Many locals, even if they took (illegal alcohol) four or five days back, are worried and reporting (for check-ups) at the local medical facilities,” he added.

The pegan diet has spiked people’s interest a couple of times over the past few years but with the rise in vegan diets.

“Studies show that close to 70 percent of smokers in the U.S. want to quit,” said Amy Sebastian-Deutsch, director of oncology and infusion therapy services. “But it typically takes a smoker between six and 11 attempts at quitting to finally succeed.

Beat the Pack is a proven program that

ers will have improved circulation and reduced blood pressure, enhanced oxygen flow, the return of taste and smell and less coughing and colds. After a year, their risk of heart disease will be reduced by half. And after 10 years of living without cigarettes, the risk of heart attack or cancer is similar to that of someone who never smoked.”

In 2015, a thorough compilation of more than 50 smoking cessation studies that included more than 25,000 participants found that combining behavior support in a group setting with medication provides the best results.

“It is worth noting that in our research, there seems to be a trend: the greater the amount of allium vegetables, the better the protection,” said senior author Dr. Zhi Li. “In general, the present findings shed light on the primary prevention of colorectal cancer through lifestyle intervention, which deserves further in-depth explorations.”

- Relaxnews

Nutella’s Italian owner Ferrero, whose products also include Ferrero Rocher chocolates, first announced production had been suspended on Wednesday.

“All concerns have been fully lifted,” Ferrero France said on Friday.

“We can say that no products currently on the market are impacted by the situation and that the supply to our customers continues without interruption.”

The Ferrero group, with 30,000 employees and 22 production sites around the globe, also makes Kinder surprise eggs and chocolate bars as well as Tic Tac mints.

Sinha said that additional teams of medical personnel and supplies had been rushed to the affected districts.

Police said people started falling sick after consuming a batch of illegally produced liquor late Thursday.

The victims, who include many women, worked at local tea estates in the region.

Doctors said those rushed to hospital in critical condition were suffering from severe vomiting, extreme chest pain and breathlessness.

“A total of ten people have been arrested. We have sent the samples of the liquor... to a forensic laboratory. The report is awaited,” Mukesh Agarwala, additional director general of state police, told AFP on Sunday.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has ordered an inquiry into the deaths.

Apart from the arrests, two excise department officials were suspended for failing to take adequate precautions over the sale of the alcohol.

Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma vowed those responsible for the tainted liquor would be brought to justice.

- Methanol Hundreds of mainly poor people die each year in India from tainted liquor, which normally costs just a few US cents a bottle.

Cheap, locally made booze is com-

mon in rural parts and bootleggers often add methanol -- a highly toxic form of alcohol sometimes used as an antifreeze -- to their product to increase its strength.

If ingested in large quantities, methanol can cause blindness, liver damage and death.

Many drinkers in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand were taken to hospital earlier this month in writhing pain after drinking illicit alcohol.

About 100 people died after consuming the tainted moonshine.

In 2015, more than 100 people died in a Mumbai slum after drinking illegal liquor.

Of the estimated five billion litres of alcohol drunk every year in India, around 40 percent is illegally produced, according to the International Spirits and Wine Association of India.

Many Indian states have implemented or pushed for prohibition, which, according to critics, further increases the unsupervised manufacture and sale of alcohol.

Bihar, one of India’s poorest states, banned alcohol in 2016. But just months after prohibition took effect, 16 people died after consuming toxic liquor.

The entire staff of a local police station in the eastern state were suspended for “dereliction of duty” and failure to stop bootlegging.

What is the Pegan Diet & is it actually good for you?

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Participants will meet once a week for four weeks with a trained facilitator from Houston Methodist Sugar Land who will provide tools, tips and support to help smokers create and follow through with a personalized “quit plan.”

However, garlic intake was not associated with a lower risk of distal colon cancer.

The Villers-Ecalles site in Normandy produces around 600,000 jars a day, or about a quarter of all the Nutella made worldwide.

India toxic alcohol deaths jump to 156: police

ou’ve heard of paleo, you’ve heard of veganism – now, put your hands together and what have you got? The ‘pegan’ diet.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land offers ‘Beat the Pack’ program. (Photo: HMSL)

amounts of allium vegetables, including garlic, garlic stalks, leek, onion, and spring onion, appeared to have a 79 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer compared with those who consumed low amounts, regardless of the tumor location in the colon.

“The factory started up again this morning at 6:00 am (0500 GMT). We are at 100 percent production capacity.”

“It isn’t easy to quit, and certainly it is even more difficult to do so by yourself,” said Sebastian-Deutsch.

“Beat the Pack provides all the tools and support needed, and it does so in an informative, friendly atmosphere that offers encouragement and camaraderie.”

The next four-week series is scheduled to start on April 2, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Houston Methodist Sugar Land’s Main Pavilion Conference Rooms A & D. Sessions will also be offered beginning in July and November. Registration is required and space is limited. For more information or to register, visit houstonmethodist.org/ events and search for Beat the Pack, or call 281.205.4514.

Visit our Facebook page at fb.com/ methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.

So what is it? Well, the first half – the paleo diet – has been knocking about since 1985 but really came to prominence in 2013, when it became the most searched-for weight-loss diet on Google. It was adopted in some form by everyone from Blake Lively to Kanye West to, um, Jeb Bush.

from modern agriculture are harmful and not the best way to fuel our bodies, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables. The name can be a bit misleading: the pegan diet actually does not eliminate meats, but rather puts emphasis on the fruit and vegetable element of the diet.

You may also have heard paleo called the ‘caveman diet’ because it’s supposed to emulate what our early ancestors would have eaten – you know, before Wagamama and Nando’s were around.

Mark Hyman, the author and medical expert behind the pegan diet, recommends that you eat foods that keep the blood levels stable, by putting emphasis on omega-3 fats from, for example, nuts, avocado and olive oil, as well as some sustainably raised animals. Vegetables and fruit should also make up 75% of daily dietary intake.

In my opinion, the reason that the diet is so attractive is because it helps people that want to cut down on their meat consumption while increasing their intake of fibre. It is also a more environmentally friendly approach to food, focusing on sustainably sourced food and drink.

The diet (which has been modified and adapted in countless ways for hundreds of different purposes) was originally supposed to see your daily calorie intake consist of 55% seafood and lean meat and 15% each of fruits, vegetables, and nuts and seeds. You eliminate sugar, grain, cereal, dairy and legumes, as well as processed foods.

Veganism, you’ve heard a lot about recently. It involves abstaining from animal products and is very popular right now because of a) people hoping to have less of an impact on Mother Earth, b) the aforementioned Beyoncé, and c) people hoping it’s the answer to a healthy diet.

It combines the paleo belief that processed food and products stemming

Make sure that you don’t rush your transition from your existing diet to a vegan one. Not only can it be difficult to get your head around all the things that you can and can’t eat, but your body will also need to adjust. Start by adding more plant-based foods into your diet, while also reducing the amount of animal products you eat.

- Refinery29.com

ART & CULTURE

VOICE OF ASIA 19

Lovesick on Valentine’s? Museum of broken hearts has the antidote

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Thota Vaikuntam : Evolution of a master artist After a warm reception at the India Art Fair, early works of Thota Vaikuntam were feted in Hyderabad

by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

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Visitors look at exhibits at the Museum of Broken Relationships in the Croatian capital Zagreb.

(Photo © Denis Lovrovic / AFP)

by Sally Mairs

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AGREB, Croatia | AFP | Thursday 2/14/2019 1Forget romantic dinners and roses, the place to be on Valentine’s Day is Zagreb’s Museum of Broken Relationships, a paean to personal objects and stories of heartbreak.

From a toaster to an exercise bike and a pair of lacy bras, the small museum imbues seemingly ordinary objects with meaning through captions that detail their role in the unravelling of relationships around the world.

The stories swerve from humourous to heart-wrenching.

The museum was buzzing Thursday, Valentine’s Day, with groups of friends and also some couples seeking out an unorthodox way to celebrate love.

“Today being Valentine’s Day, it’s beautiful to read these small little stories,” said Kriti Pandey, who came with her husband Pathak.

One of the lighter rooms, called “Take the bitter with the sweet,” showcases objects like a box of pizza-making ingredients -- a love letter to one woman’s break-up with gluten -- and a diet book with the caption: “This was a present from my ex-fiance... Need I really continue?”

But the mood is heavier in “Love in the trenches,” an exhibit with items like a wedding dress from Turkey, never worn because of the groom’s unexpected death.

Nearby is a prosthetic leg from a veteran from Croatia’s 1990s war.

“The prosthesis endured longer than our love,” the caption reads.

The unusual idea was born from heartbreak itself.

After a break-up, the museum’s two Croatian founders, artists Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic, both turning 50 this year, didn’t know what to do with their shared belongings and wanted to create an option other than the garbage bin.

More than a decade later, they have taken the museum on tours to 50 cities around the globe, collecting new objects and stories along the way.

“When we started with the project I had no idea what (kind of donations) we were going to get... but it turns out that people are so interesting, everybody has a story to tell,” co-founder Grubisic told AFP, adding that they receive around 200 objects by mail per year.

Jon Turner, a 33-year-old British tourist travelling solo in Zagreb, agreed the authentic

Decades after a volatile life and a brutal death, a Japanese writer is back in the spotlight

by Andrew Ervin

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ukio Mishima’s 1961 novel “The Frolic of the Beasts,” a compelling tale of love and violence, has only now appeared in English for the first time. Admirers of the enigmatic Japanese master have reason to rejoice.

Those still unfamiliar with his work might very well have a new entryway to one of the most vital — and troubling — literary voices of the 20th century. Of course, it’s impossible to discuss Mishima’s extraordinary life and work without also noting his extreme politics and the circumstances surrounding his gruesome death.

Born in Tokyo in 1925, Mishima published his first book in 1944, shortly before the cataclysmic end of Japan’s involvement in World War II. His 1949 novel “Confessions of a Mask” established him as a leading voice in that nation’s literary life, alongside Kenzaburo Oe, Taeko Kono, Kobo Abe and others. Remarkable novels followed, including “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion” and “The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea.” For the short remainder of his life, Mishima also wrote the stories and drama (including traditional Noh plays) that defined postwar literature — and not only in Japan.

His “Sea of Fertility” tetralogy stands as one of the epic achievements of 20th-century letters. The day Mishima finished writing the fourth volume, in 1970, he led a nationalistic plot intended to return power to the imperial throne. His group of far-right extremists visited a military base and took the commandant hostage. Unable to persuade the resident soldiers to join him, he committed ritual

suicide by disemboweling himself. And he knew what he was doing. The samurai practice of seppuku, or hara-kiri, was something he had described in gory detail a decade earlier in his short story “Patriotism”: “Despite the effort he had himself put into the blow, the lieutenant had the impression that someone else had struck the side of his stomach agonizingly with a thick rod of iron. For a second or so his head reeled and he had no idea what had happened. The five or six inches of naked point had vanished completely into his flesh, and the white bandage, gripped in his clenched fist, pressed directly against his stomach.”

The pain of that story — not to mention the nihilistic selfrighteousness — remains palpable with every rereading.

The same year Mishima published that memento mori, he also wrote “The Frolic of the Beasts.” Andrew Clare’s translation provides a ripe opportunity to revisit Mishima’s mind-set at that time.

“The Frolic of the Beasts” comes to us in the midst of a Mishima moment. In addition to the welcome publication of this novel, Hiroaki Sato’s tremendous new book “On Haiku” includes some of Mishima’s earliest poems.

By my thinking, Mishima is a magnificent and important storyteller whose implicit value system just happens to make me ever so leery. Perhaps today’s rekindled interest in his work can be chalked up to coincidence. Or maybe there exists another reason some historical examples of far-right extremism and political violence and nihilism elsewhere now resonate so loudly here.

- The Washington Post

portrayal of love was a fitting occasion for any visitor on February 14.

“It’s really beautiful, some things have made me laugh out loud, some things have made me cry, but yeah I think it’s really nice you get a snapshot of people’s lives,” he said.

The theme of the museum’s next overseas stop, the city of York, will revolve around a different kind of break-up: Brexit.

Organisers have put out a local call for donations that will put a personal spin on the political drama.

“Recently ended a relationship? Wish to unburden the emotional load by erasing everything that reminds you of that painful experience?” the call of submissions asks.

“Don’t,” it advises, “one day you might regret it.”

t the India Art Fair (IAF) 2019 held in New Delhi in January, among the many things that drew attention were 99 art works of Thota Vaikuntam, presented by Kalakriti art gallery. The spectrum of exhibits at the IAF Kalakriti booth showcased charcoal drawings, paintings (still-life, abstracts, and portraiture) and sculptures

by Vaikuntam circa 1981 to 86. Some of these works have never been showcased in Hyderabad, until now.

At the request of the artist, the gallery is showcasing these exhibits in the city. “The exhibits are unique and were well received at the art fair. We will be displaying his sculptures cast at the Bronze Age Sculpture Casting Foundry, London. These have never been displayed in Hyderabad,” says Rekha Lahoti of Kalakriti. Though some of the 99 works were sold at IAF, the gallery convinced buyers to allow them to display the art works in Hyderabad.

The mention of Thota Vaikuntam conjure up images of men and women from rural Telangana, dressed in bright-hued clothes, along with traditional instruments, utility items, and jewellery that’s characteristic of the region. However, before the master artist was widely hailed for these iconic images in deep colours, there was the early formative phase

Artist Thota Vaikuntam at his residence. (Photo: K Ramesh Babu) when his charcoal drawings were in monotones of sombre browns.

Growing up in Burugupalli, a village known for folk arts and weaving, Thota Vaikuntam began drawing by observing all that was unfolding around him. He drew mythological characters portrayed by folk artists, like Bheema and Anjaneya, and was later influenced by calendar art and cinema posters of yore that

I

n the hours leading up to the release of their sophomore album, Five Stars, Higher Brothers reflected on their sudden rise to fame via Twitter, looking back at how much has changed in just two short years. In their post, the Chinese quartet reveal how they were all living together in one room “with nothing at all” and now, they’re leading a whole new wave of Asian hip-hop into global territory.

Jumping from the underground Chengdu rap scene to starring in American ads for adidas Originals is a leap by any measure, let alone in such a short space of time. So far, they have proved they have what it takes to smash through both language and cultural barriers, bringing their unique brand of Chinese rap across to international markets. Buoyed by both their association with the 88rising label and the rise of homegrown hip-hop in China, Higher Brothers now have plenty riding on this second full-length record; and for the most part, it works.

Comparisons with Migos undoubtedly helped secure the kind of guest list that plenty of US rappers would kill for, featuring the likes of ScHoolboy Q, JID and even Soulja Boy, as well as label mates such as Rich Brian and NIKI. However, there’s a reason why Pitchfork singled the Higher Brothers out as a clear highlight among all of the acts featured on Head in the Clouds, last year’s 88rising compilation.

Most of the collaborations impress, but as they’ve shown before, Higher Brothers don’t really need anyone else – their own distinct personalities shine on every track. Just a quick glance at the madcap album cover reinforces this, drawing equal inspiration from both the Beatles and the Persona video game series. Although Masiei is clearly the leader, DZknow, Psy.P, and Melo all bring their A-game across a record that barely lets up from the spitfire raps and heavy trap beats the group have become known for.

One key exception to this is the standout single, “Open It Up.” Inspired in part by Playboi Carti, the song trades in the group’s signature beats for

In the book Bhaavanaatharangam - a retrospective published by India Fine Art, Thota Vaikuntam is interviewed by his daughter Sowbhagya and by fellow master artist Surya Prakash in which he dwells on his early years as an artist.

He states that 1979 proved to be a turning point when he travelled to his native village to attend to his ailing mother. He made sketches of people in the village and internalised a statement he had heard from the fraternity that art stems from an artist’s roots.

The few years saw him focus more deeply on rural folk and lifestyles, using primary colours of red, green, blue and browns. He emphasises how he used colours worn by people than go by the diktats of an artist’s colour palette. Turmeric yellows and the large vermilion on the forehead also become his signature style.

A sculpture by Thota Vaikuntam

Higher Brothers smash all kinds of barriers with ‘Five Stars’ Review by David Opie

had large portraiture of actors.

Once he began to study art in Hyderabad and later in Baroda, Vaikuntam explored a gamut of styles and techniques.

something remarkably old school, acting as a perfect introduction to each member’s unique flow. It’s only been two years since the Higher Brothers first started learning English, and yet they effortlessly switch back and forth from their native Sichuanese.

The heavy distortions, including the heart-shaped faces, made an appearance in his early drawings. - The Hindu

Indonesian singer NIKI channels the best of contemporary R&B in her vocals for “No More,” another album highlight that proves swag isn’t the group’s only concern. This would have been a perfectly adept album closer, ending the project on a more reflective, somber note.

Overall, Five Stars doesn’t quite live up to what that ambitious title might suggest. In particular, some of the energy drops off two thirds in, and if you don’t understand what’s being said, it might be easier for some listeners to zone out at this point. However, the linguistic barrier shouldn’t be too much of an issue 3.5 stars

- High Snobiety

TRAVEL & LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 20

US airlines to offer non-binary gender options

British Airways told ‘do better’ as maternity pay policy emerges

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Louis Vuitton releases new illustrated travel guides for LA and Seoul

Airline’s offer of six weeks’ pay raises questions over aim to attract female pilots

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ritish Airways’ stated commitment to recruiting more female pilots has been called into question after it emerged that the flag carrier offers only a “scandalous” six weeks’ maternity pay to its staff.

Beginning June 1, members of Airlines for America, a trade group that represents most leading US carriers, will allow consumers to pick “unspecified” and “undisclosed” in addition to the traditional two options for gender. (Photo: © andresr/Istock.com)

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EW YORK | AFP | Tuesday 2/19/2019 US carriers will soon offer passengers additional options besides “male” and “female” when they buy tickets, an airlines trade association said Tuesday.

The shift comes as a handful of US states permit citizens to identify by non-binary genders and as a minority of countries within the European Union permit citizens to self-identify by their gender preference.

Beginning June 1, members of Airlines for America, a trade group that represents most leading US carriers, will allow consumers to pick “unspecified” and “undisclosed” in addition to the traditional two options.

“US airlines value a culture of diversity and inclusion, both in the workplace and for our passengers and we work hard each day to accommodate the needs of all travelers, while delivering a safe, secure and enjoyable flight experience,” the group said.

Implementation of the shift will be up to members of the group, which is also known as A4A. Members of the association include American Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

United Airlines, another member, said on Twitter, that “In the coming weeks, customers will be able to select the gender with which they most closely identify during the booking process.”

Delta Air Lines, which is not in A4A, also plans nonbinary gender options during the booking process, a spokeswoman said.

Seven states in the US and the District of Columbia allow citizens to define as “X” gender, in addition to male and female, said Gillian Branstetter, media relations manager at the National Center of Transgender Equality.

The group applauded the airline announcement.

“Non-binary people face unnecessary, invasive, and discriminatory scrutiny by airlines, airports and security

services alike,” said Arli Christian, state policy director for the National Center for Transgender Equality.

“A4A’s work is in line with other states who offer gender neutral designations on IDs and is an important step toward ensuring safe and smooth travel for all passengers regardless of their gender.”

Among the 28 EU member states and three European Free Trade Association states, seven countries currently have or will soon have a model that lets adults self-define their gender, according to a November 2018 European Commission report on trans and intersex equality.

However, only one jurisdiction -- Malta -- permits non-binary recognition.

EU countries, as well as the EU itself, “are firmly grounded in a binary conception of sex,” said the report.

“While public awareness if improving, trans and intersex people continue to suffer disproportionate social and legal burdens,” the report said.

Southwest accuses mechanics of deliberately causing flight cancellations and delays

by Andrea Romano

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ALLAS - After a slew of cancellations and delays over the past week, Southwest Airlines is pointing the finger at a number of union mechanics.

The airline suspects a small group of about 100 mechanics of deliberately orchestrating an effort to effectively slow operations, according to CBS News.

An investigation by Southwest reveals that more than 60 Southwest 737s were “needlessly” taken out of service for “unscheduled maintenance,” CBS News reported. The average daily UAD, or unscheduled aircraft downtime (hours a scheduled aircraft is removed from its flight to perform unscheduled maintenance), have skyrocketed in several locations, including a jump from around 10 clocked hours to 60 hours per day in Orlando and from around 18 hours to 127 hours in Houston.

The company has gone directly to the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) following its investigation, in order to stop the surge of needless unscheduled maintenance, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Southwest executive vice president and chief legal and regulatory officer Mark Shaw wrote in a letter to the AMFA, “This concentration of [an increase in UAD hours] in a discernible pattern makes clear that the source of the increase… is an unlawful concerted activity.”

However, AMFA national director Bret Oestreich denied all accusations in a statement to members, saying, “Members are unequivocally instructed to refrain from any collective actions to withhold their services from the company, or to diminish their services, or to disrupt operations for illegal reasons.

Doing your job as a licensed Technician is not illegal.”

As contract negotiations are scheduled for March, the latest accusations could cast a dark shadow on both the union and Southwest if an amicable

File photo agreement is not met.

It seems, though, that Southwest chief executive officer Gary Kelly is willing to extend an olive branch.

“We suddenly find ourselves in a period of tension and turmoil,” Kelly said in a statement to employees. “Our Mechanics are extraordinary. I am proud of them, and they have been especially heroic in getting aircraft returned to service over the last two weeks. They deserve all of our thanks. They also deserve a new labor contract.”

Reps for AMFA claim the airline is using this investigation to divert attention from real safety issues, according to the Dallas Morning News. Some of Southwest’s aircraft have made headlines for mechanical issues in the last few months, including a flight that ended with a few passengers with bleeding ears due to malfunctioning cabin pressure. The airline is also in the midst of testing flights to Hawaii as part of its expansion efforts.

Although BA has launched a recruitment drive to get more women in the cockpit for its centenary year, and employs about 300 female pilots, any who become pregnant face a 90% pay cut. This leads some to choose between financial hardship or terminations, according to unions The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said the current level of maternity pay across the aviation industry was a scandal and an obstacle to women joining the profession.

Pilots are often the sole or main earner in families, it said, while younger pilots may still be paying off training costs which can typically exceed £100,000.

Lilian Greenwood, the chair of the Commons transport select committee, said BA needed to do better, adding that there was a big difference between observing the legal minimum and standard practice.

She said: “BA is better than the average for female pilot recruitment, but a long way from where it should be.

“If they are serious about change and improving that balance they have do better – not just professional development but supporting women during their career, if they want to combine that with being a mother.”

Balpa’s general secretary, Brian Strutton, said: “Many of the hardships associated with an 80-90% reduction in pay are obvious. Increasingly, women pilots are also servicing debt from the costs of higher education and flight training, along with saving for the costs of buying a first house.

Louis Vuitton Travel Book, Seoul by Icinori. (© LVMH)

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ouis Vuitton has tapped global, contemporary artists to produce limited edition illustrated travel books for Los Angeles and Seoul.

For Los Angeles, Spanish artist Javier Mariscal painted his interpretation of the city of angels, while French design duo Icinori brought Seoul to the pages of leather-bound books in the Louis Vuitton Travel Book series.

For the books, LV enlisted artists unfamiliar with their respective destinations, a deliberate strategy aimed at drawing out fresh, sharp contemporary viewpoints of

the cities and their architecture, light, and locals.

Artists were free to choose the medium -- be it drawing, painting, collage, cartoon or manga.

Only 30 copies have been printed for each title which contain 100 to 120 original drawings. Each book has been numbered and signed by the artist.

The books are bound in leather, printed on Freelife Vellum paper and come in a protective slipcase.

The copies will be sold in select Louis Vuitton stores for €45 and are being released in English, French and for Seoul, Korean in May. - Relaxnews

“For some it means delaying having children, taking shorter maternity leave or giving up on having a family altogether.”

One pilot, speaking anonymously, said she and her partner were excited by an unplanned pregnancy – until they realised they would not be able to keep their rented home: “Fortunately, the scan proved it was a false alarm. Nevertheless, many tears were shed, and I still don’t know what the best thing to do would be: lose our home and deal with a 90% pay cut or terminate the pregnancy.”

The union is calling on airlines to move to 26 weeks’ full parental pay. - The Guardian

- Travel + Leisure

Woman finds python hiding in shoe after flying 9,000 miles

T

he worst passenger on your flight is actually not the person who keeps kicking your seat.

In fact, there’s a slightly more slithery traveler out there that you never want to encounter on your journey. Especially when you’re not expecting it.

According to CNN, a Scottish woman named Moira Boxall, traveling from Queensland, Australia to Glasgow, Scotland, was surprised (read: horrified) to find a small python curled up in her shoe inside her suitcase when she landed after the long journey.

Over the course of the 9,300 mile journey, the snake had actually began to shed its skin inside the shoe, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Boxall’s son-

in-law Paul Airlie, who lives in Australia, told ABC that she thought she saw a snake in her room before her trip home, but she and her family couldn’t find it.

Turns out, it was just hiding in a very unexpected place.“She actually thought that Sarah and I had put a fake snake in her shoe to wind her up, so at first she thought it was a joke until she touched it and it moved,” Airlie told ABC. Once she discovered the snake, Boxall called the Scottish SPCA to come remove it.

“I responded to a call from a woman who had just returned from a holiday in Australia who had found a small snake inside her shoe in her suitcase,” said animal rescue officer Taylor Johnstone to CNN.

voiceofasia.news is your TRAVEL news source

VOICE OF ASIA 21

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

SMALL BUSINESSES

VOICE OF ASIA 22

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FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

D

BUSINESS DIRECTORY RESTAURANTS

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STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: MARCH MADNESS

List Your Business Today!

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CALL NOW

346-232-0359

Week of March 1, 2019 21 March to 20 April Be patient and finish all you can to prepare for opportunities soon to come.

This week begins a monthlong period that’s wonderfully supportive for all you do. If you want to change jobs, this is the time to start networking.

21 April to 20 May Your plans for saving and investing money may have temporarily come to a halt. You might need to wait until later in the month to make any substantial plans for your cash. Activity in your house of self-employment sparks a business idea.

21 May to 20 June Your focus on health issues seems quite intense. You may have a lot going on and feel more pressured than usual.

Be careful - you may be more prone to catching a minor but irritating infection. Take some vitamin C, zinc, or echinacea.

21 June to 22 July It can be stressful when the different areas of your life don’t match up. If work is rolling along just fine, a friendship goes south. Or when all is well with family, your love life is in pieces.

Smile away the tears.

23 July to 22 August Do you have a secret admirer at the start of the week? Are you getting anonymous DMs or flattering texts from an unknown number? Enjoy the attention but proceed with caution until you unravel the mystery. It’s no secret you enjoy the spotlight, but you don’t mind sharing it.

23 August to 22 Sept You may see everything as a competition early this week. You’ll be able to approach work with great energy and enthusiasm. The weeks ahead promise a enhanced creativity and fun. This is also an ideal time for a vacation or short getaway. anticipate problems before they escalate.

The longer you wait the more you loose on the opportunity to reach your potential clients.

Call 713-774-5140.

astrology.com

23 September to 22 Oct An emphasis on self-employment gives you many reasons to form that new business that’s been at the back of your mind for so long. Since your social segment is expanding, you can assemble a proper team to promote your ideas to a larger audience.

23 October to 21 Nov Some interesting changes are about to happen. They could assist you in more realistically facing up to health issues.

If you’ve been trying to ignore certain symptoms, you will now take a more proactive approach.

22 November to 21 Dec Are you feeling optimistic at the start of the week? You should be. It looks like the universe has some awesome things in store for you if you can be patient a little while longer! Why not get a special outfit or new haircut before a first date?

22 December to 20 Jan Expect slow and steady progress early this week. Frustrations have a way of making you feel like a victim, or worse, inadequate. Tolerate what you can’t change. Look for solutions rather than target your own or other people’s faults.

21 January to 19 Feb For you, this week is about your relationship sector. You’re a social butterfly capable of attracting just the right mix of business and pleasure into your life.

Your pursuit of excellence in the mental arena is of primary importance. Your family, kids, and romantic partner make excellent diversions.

20 February to 20 Mar Your urge to improve your quality of life and health is admirable. Use this added motivation to help you soar. Another factor that may help you feel more expansive is letting go of anything to which you cling too tightly. Hold lightly those things you cherish most.

ACROSS 1. Trunk extension 5. Dojo pad 8. *Villanova ____ at end of each half in ‘18 championship 11. Away from port 12. Windmill blade 13. Key material 15. Hefty competitor 16. European sea eagle 17. Walnut ____, MN 18. *____ Sunday 20. Smelling tainted, as in meat 21. Soft and sticky 22. Giant bird of “One Thousand and One Nights” 23. *____-elimination 26. Making sounds like Babe 30. Beatle wife 31. Not absorb, nor repel 34. Twelfth month of Jewish year 35. Batman to Bruce Wayne 37. Elizabeth Gilbert’s “____ Pray Love” 38. Cubic meter 39. Ghost of Christmas ____ 40. P in POI 42. Make work 43. Puffed up 45. ____ and effects 47. Mont Blanc, e.g.

48. Oddball’s attempt?

50. Tropical tuber 52. *Penultimate NCAA round 56. Like cornflakes leftovers 57. Slavic version of John 58. Tangerine plus grapefruit 59. Chased up an elm 60. Blow off steam 61. Tear violently 62. Da in Russia 63. Before of yore 64. Pasturelands

DOWN 1. Falls behind 2. Archipelago unit 3. Square one?

4. Good-for-nothing 5. Nobel Prize winner Curie 6. Bug 7. High school student 8. Rumpelstiltskin’s weaver 9. Green-eyed monster 10. Tie ___ 12. Ruled against, as President can 13. Prod 14. *Fill-in-the-blanks 19. Pepsi and Coke 22. Part of human cage 23. Daytime entertainment, pl.

24. Spouse’s parent 25. Neil Diamond’s “Beautiful ____” 26. Tiny leftovers 27. Intestinal obstruction 28. N in RN 29. Mirths 32. *1 or 68, e.g.

33. Crew tool 36. *Automatic vs. ____ 38. Creepy one 40. *Coach’s locker room talk 41. Similar to sextant 44. Andrew ____ Webber 46. *Hang a banner, e.g.

48. Abraham Lincoln bill, slangily 49. Lacking sense 50. Ruptured 51. Ice, dark, and middle 52. *Twelve’s opponent 53. Type of molding 54. Forearm bone 55. Purges 56. Slovenly abode55. *”Oh girls just want to have ____” 58. NYC time

SOLUTION: MARCH MADNESS page 23

CLASSIFIEDS

VOICE OF ASIA 23

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Job Posting - Programming/Production Intern KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMMING/PRODUCTION INTERN for the upcoming semester. Internships are available to currently enrolled college students in their junior or senior year pursuing careers in the television/ media field and must receive college credit for the internship. The intern will assist Producers, Directors and Photojournalists with executing all aspects of the broadcast and digital story-telling process and will be expected to assist producers and directors with original content weekly for broadcast and digital platforms. Applicants must be comfortable juggling multiple projects at once and needs to be a strong researcher, writer, and communicator. Responsibilities will include working on a variety of programming, and digital projects. Opportunity to assist on producing/shootinglive and taped field stories, studio newscast production, and live special event programs.To be considered you must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Job Req.#636674BR. Please upload a cover letter, your resume outlining expected graduationdate, current major course of study, other internships, work experience, related clubsand organizations and extracurricular activities and please include Links to samples ofany previous on air or production work. Links can be emailed to KTRK.HR@abc.com.Applicants must be currently enrolled in college and will be required to supply writtenverification of eligibility to receive academic credit for the internship at the start of theinternship. Equal Opportunity Employer - Female/ Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.

Job Posting - News/Digital Producer Intern KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications fora paid NEWS/ DIGITAL PRODUCER INTERN for the upcoming semester. Internshipsare available to undergrads currently enrolled college students in their junior or senioryear pursuing careers in the television/media field and must receive college credit forthe internship. The internship program is designed to provide students with an on-siteeducational experience that complements their academic studies. Interns will have anopportunity to observe and participate in the daily work and operations of a majormarket, television station.

As an intern you will gain valuable experience in all areas related to producing a television newscast – including the important relationship between our broadcast and digital platforms. Interested candidates should have a strong desire to pursue a career as a multi-platform producer and willing to receive continual feedback. Will have an opportunity to attend production meetings, research news topics, and learn how to prioritize assignments. Applicants must be currently enrolled in college and supply written verification of eligibility to receive academic credit for the internship at the start ofthe internship. Additionally, applicants must be able to work at least more than one day per week and the hours may vary depending on scheduling and will include some weekend and early morning and evening hours.All interested applicants must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Req 636670BR.Please upload a cover letter, your resume outlining other internships, degrees earned,work experience, related clubs and organizations, current major course of study,expected graduation date and extracurricular activities.Equal Opportunity Employer - Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

Job Posting - Community Affairs Intern KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications fora paid COMMUNITY AFFAIRS INTERNSHIP for the upcoming semester. Internshipsare available to currently enrolled undergraduate college students in their junior or senior year pursuing careers in the television/media field and must receive collegecredit for the internship. The internship program is designed to provide students with anon-site educational experience that complements their academic studies. Interns willhave an opportunity to observe and participate in the daily work and operations of amajor market, television station.

As an intern you will help in the production of community affairs shows, including scheduling of guests, help gathering and editing video, assist with community drives, forums and outreach. Each area requires significant planning, scheduling and execution. Applicants must be currently enrolled in college and supply written verification of eligibility to receive academic credit for the internship at the start of theinternship. Additionally, applicants must be able to work on a daily basis and the hoursmay vary depending on scheduling and may include some weekend and early morningand evening hours.To be considered you must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Job Req.#636671BR. Please upload a cover letter, your resume outlining expected graduationdate, current major course of study, other internships, work experience, related clubsand organizations and extracurricular activities. Applicants must be currently enrolled in college and will be required to supply written verification of eligibility to receive academic credit for the internship at the start of the internship. Equal Opportunity Employer - Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/ Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

Job Posting - Assignment Desk Intern

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD SOLUTION

KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for an ASSIGNMENT DESK INTERN for the upcoming semester. Internships are availableto currently enrolled college students in their junior or senior year pursuing careers in the television/media field and students must receive college credit for the internship. The successful applicant will be responsible for assisting the assignment desk, which includes but is not limited to making beat-checks, answering phones, monitoring police and fire radios, getting information and developing stories.

The candidate should be detail-oriented and able to handle many different responsibilities at the same time.The ideal intern knows how to multi-task and set priorities. Good news judgment and strong communication skills are essential, along with strong writing skills. The candidate should have a good working knowledge with theuse of social media for news gathering. Must be willing to work evenings and weekends.To be considered you must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Job Req.#636672BR. Please upload a cover letter, your resume outlining expected graduationdate, current major course of study, other internships, work experience, related clubsand organizations and extracurricular activities. Applicants must be currently enrolled incollege and will be required to supply written verification of eligibility to receiveacademic credit for the internship at the start of the internship. Equal Opportunity Employer - Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

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VOICE OF ASIA 24

FRIDAY, March 1, 2019

Home&Real Estate For-sale inventory snaps 5-year losing streak

by Andrew Morrell

A pristine townhouse deftly harmonizes old with new

check. Price growth continues to be cited as the primary barrier to homeownership in the U.S., but inventory gains haven’t yet tamped this down.

C

hanging tides in the national real estate market are leading to the most widespread inventory increases seen in at least five years.

Zillow’s national Home Value Index showed a median home price increase of 7.5 percent in January 2019, unchanged from the same rate a year ago. However, in-demand markets like Atlanta are seeing price growth nearly double the national rate: 12.2 percent last month, compared to 8.7 percent the prior year. On the other hand, the most recent median price in Atlanta was just $217,500, still lower than the national figure of $225,300.

According to data collected by Zillow, for the first time since 2014, the U.S. housing market posted an annual increase in the number of homes available for sale. While the 1.2 percent annual increase in active listings is a drop in the bucket of more than 1.6 million total for-sale units counted by Zillow, it was symbolic of a substantial shift.

On a month-to-month basis, national inventory levels have declined for 44 consecutive months, starting in January 2015. That losing streak wasn’t snapped until September 2018, and for-sale inventory has now grown on an annual basis during four of the last five months,.

The push and pull between prices and inventory will only grow more complex as other factors, like future interest rate movement, exert their own effects on the market. Terrazas wrote that “buyers should not mistake a few more options for a sudden bounty,” because “this latest growth spurt in inventory has done little to cool rapid home value appreciation that has been driven in large part by high demand from buyers and limited availability of homes for sale.”

The latest inventory gains are welcome news for prospective homebuyers, and bode well for early-year home sales.

“The 1,618,058 U.S. homes for sale in January is down more than 20 percent from the recent high of more than 2 million set in July 2014,” he wrote. “Inventory remains below peaks reached in the past five years in all 35 of the nation’s largest markets for which we have adequate inventory data – in many cases far below.”

A key indicator for the market’s reaction to lower rates and rising inventory will come later this week: On Feb. 21, the National Association of Realtors will release its first monthly existing home sales report of 2019. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expect sales to rebound after a weak end to 2018, with a forecast increase of 2.2%. - Houston Agent Magazine

In theory, growth in the number of homes for sale should keep prices in

by Melissa Dalton

H

atchet Design Build restored this home’s historic details—and then brought in modern treatments to sow stylistic tension.

It’s the stated mission of Brooklyn– based Hatchet Design Build to “work within the preexisting and contingent fabric of New York.” They did just that for the 2017 gut renovation of this 19th-century townhouse, which had seen a lot of wear over the years.

The firm, which consists of an inhouse design team, licensed contractors, and a custom fabrication studio, removed and repaired many of the historic decorative elements, then painstakingly reinstalled them. Modern rugs and furnishings provided by Cold Picnic, Coil + Drift, and Home Union complete the picture. he original wood floors were too far gone and had to be replaced. The designers opted for a classic chevron pattern in white oak.

It was “an exercise in tactical restoration,” said Hatchet’s principal Zach Rockhill. “Preserving the most striking historical details that give the home its undeniable character, while introducing contemporary design intent as well as infrastructure and amenities that will ensure that that same character will endure for another century more.”

- Dwell.com Above: A bay window brings drama, while the designer has widened the room and raised the ceilings. A coat of bright white paint modernizes the historic details.

Top-selling Houston real estate team shifts to KW Platinum

H

OUSTON - KW Platinum has announced the acquisition of a top-selling local real estate team: The Lippincott Team.

Left: A drop-down door in Coil + Drift’s Rex credenza reveals a mirrored compartment ideal for barware display and storage.

and Gardens Gary Greene and has been named a Top 25 Real Estate Team by the Houston Business Journal consecutively since 2015. Their team’s expertise and dedication to the Northwest Houston area is apparent, as their service satisfaction ratings are above 98%.

The Lippincott Team was the number one team of agents under Better Homes

(Photographer: Nicholas Calcott)

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