Voice of Asia Aug 15 2014

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FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

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Vol. 27 No. 33 Friday, August 15, 2014 Published Weekly from Houston 713-774-5140 28 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

DIL Kicks off its Annual Gala 2014

Mughal Darbar gala – A Royal Evening on Oct 19, 2014

IMAGH 5th Annual Eid Milan instills youth with the spirit of giving

the one we can be proud of, then this is the way,” Abjani said stressing the importance of education as a means to development.

DIL’s Houston Chapter that was started in 2002 has been in the forefront of DIL’s activities and raised about $275K last year according its director Zeba Shah. Over all they had raised about $2m and this year the target is $3m Zeba said. This year the annual fundraiser and gala ‘Mughal Darbar’ – A Royal Evening will be held on Chair Farida Abjani speaks at the Kick Off Sunday, Oct 19, 2014 at the Omni Hotel, Galleria

by Shobana Muratee Houston 4 River. formal media kick off for the Wajid Mirza, DIL’s Vice President upcoming annual gala and fundraiser for Developments gave a detailed account of DIL and its in Literacy (DIL) was hosted by its objectives. “We have 20,000 students Chair Farida Abjani at the Asia Society in 200 different schools in Pakistan,” Texas Center on the evening of Friday, he reported. Most of these students are girls. Pakistan’s girls are the least eduAugust 8, 2014. cated, “By education, women issues DIL is a non-profit organization that like abuse are mitigated, would help started fifteen years ago in California reduce motality rate by 50% and also and operates with US based Directors have fewer children, Mirza said. “Over and Pakistan based Trustees with nine 200,000 children’s lives have changed Chapters in the US and bases in Lon- through DIL,” Mirza mentioned. DIL don and Canada. DIL mission is to help has 68% women in its schools. DIL is empower the underprivileged children, also the best run organization having especially girls in Pakistan, through ed- less than half percent dropout rate and ucation, “If we want a different world, 88% go up to the next level.

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Dr. Basheer Khumawala, receives the Community Service Award from Consul General P Harish as Dr. Saleha, Col. Bhala, Latafath Hussain, and Dr. Maqbool Haq look on. Photos by Quaid Tinwala, SMB Media Productions.

by Shobana Muratee

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till in its infancy, the Indian Muslim Association of Greater Houston (IMAGH) has made remarkable strides these past five years leveraging every one of its events to incorporate dynamic initiatives that are benefiting a wide cross-section of the community, including seniors and

IMAGH president Latafath Hussain, greets one of the senior members of Club 65 at the Eid Milan event. youth. At their 5th annual Eid Milan held on Sunday, August 10th at the Marriott Westchase, the IMAGH once again managed to capture the true fervor of one of India’s grandest festivals – the Eid Milan.

Member of DIL L-R: Wajid Mirza, Saqima Husaini, Uzma Bawkher, Salma Siddiqi, Maha Khan, Farida Abjani, Munir Abraham, Zeba Shah, Janey Rizvi, Rosylyn and Ammar Nomani. Photos by NewsWireHouston.com.

Greeting the gather of over 400 people Eid Mubarak, Abeezar Tyebji, IMAGH’s founding member and a leading entrepreneur and CEO of Shipcom Wireless shared his experiences from his visit to India that described what India meant to him. “In

the world torn by strife India is a shining example of Unity in Diversity,” he said, “as an American we truly get to celebrate diversity.” He elaborated on the IMAGH’s sister organizations Club 65 that engages seniors of the South Asian community in social activities and SAYA (South Asia Youth Alliance), a more recently stared organization that helps the youth understand and promote culture, leadership Continued on Page 3

VOICE OF ASIA 2

OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

The Battle Against Misdiagnosis

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the IOM will issue a report on misdiagnosis.

Koshy Thomas Sherly Philip Shobana Muratee Sherine Thomas Jacob David Susan Pothanikat AR Vadlamani Priyan Mathew

Meantime, the U.S. healthcare community can take steps to reduce the problem.

Columnists: Legal: Richard M. Alderman Legal: Sharlene Sharmila Richards Medical: Kesavan Shan, MD Research: Prof. Meenakshi Bhattacharjee Health Insurance: Sudhir Mathuria Astrology: Hardik Vyas

Dr. Hardeep Singh

by Hardeep Singh

VoiceofAsiaOnline.com Online Editor:

Shobana Muratee

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There are times when a single, unexpected death sparks a change in medical practice. In 2012 a 12-yearold boy named Rory Staunton died after being misdiagnosed in a New York City emergency room. Multiple physicians missed the symptoms, signs and lab results pointing to a streptococcal bacterial infection that led to septic shock and overwhelmed Rory’s body. The tragedy prompted New York state in January 2013 to introduce “Rory’s regulations,” a set of stringent protocols aimed at preventing similar incidents in hospitals.

Comparable initiatives to prevent misdiagnosis have not happened on a national level— but there might be reason to expect change soon.

New research my colleagues and I published in April in the journal BMJ Quality and Safety shows the extent of the problem. Based on previous studies of patients seeking outpatient care, we extrapolated data on diagnostic error to the entire U.S. adult population. Each year an estimated 5% are misdiagnosed based on currently available evidence.

This may sound like a decent track record—95% accuracy— given that doctors are grappling with more than 10,000 diseases in patients who present a staggering array of symptoms. But a 5% error rate means that more than 12 million adults are misdiagnosed every year, and our study may understate the magnitude.

Still, after years of taking a back seat to problems such as medication and treatment errors, misdiagnosis is getting attention. In 2011 my research colleague in projects on misdiagnosis Mark Graber founded the nonprofit Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine, which now holds an annual medical conference on diagnostic error. More recently, the Institute of Medicine, an influential branch of the National Academy of Sciences that advises Congress on health care, is preparing a comprehensive action plan and hosting its second major expert meeting on Thursday and Friday. In 2015

The first is to improve communication between physicians and patients. Patients tend to be the best source of information for making a diagnosis, but often essential doctor-patient interactions such as history and examination are rushed, leading to poor decisions. As new forms of diagnostic and information technologies are implemented, managing large amounts of data will become increasingly complex, and physicians could become more vulnerable to misdiagnosis.

This problem exists in large part because time pressures and paperwork often force physicians to spend more time struggling to get reimbursed than talking with patients. Extra hours spent pursuing a correct diagnosis are not compensated beyond the payment for the visit, an already small sum for primary-care physicians.

Patients can’t solve this problem, but insurers can streamline administrative paperwork and re-examine the logic behind reimbursement policies.

Hospital systems can help by providing high-tech decision support tools and encouraging physicians to collaborate on tough cases and learn from missed opportunities.

Metrics also need work. As the old business adage goes, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Yet most healthcare organizations aren’t tracking misdiagnosis beyond malpractice claims. Doctors need mechanisms to provide and receive timely feedback on the quality and accuracy of our diagnoses, including better patient follow-up and test-result tracking systems.

Electronic health records will help eventually, but slow innovation in this area has frustrated many physicians. And most doctors still lack access to electronic patient data gathered by other physicians. Doctors can make a more informed diagnosis when they can see the dis-

by Christophe Jaffrelot (Express India)

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peaking as the chief guest at a conference at Gujarat University’s convention hall on August 2, Supreme Court judge Justice Anil R. Dave said, “Had I been the dictator of India, I would have introduced Gita and Mahabharata in Class I. That is the way you learn how to live life. I am sorry if somebody says I am secular or I am not secular.But we have to get good things from everywhere.”

These words reflect some of the current misunderstandings about Indian secularism. It is in consonance with Indian secularism to borrow “good things from everywhere”, including the Gita and the Mahabharata.

This “ism” does not imply the secularisation of society. On the contrary, whereas French laïcité involves a clear separation between public and religious spaces, far from excluding religion from the public sphere, Indian secularism officially recognises all faiths, as evident from the Constitution and its implementation in the first decades of the Indian republic.

Jawaharlal Nehru himself wrote in 1961: “We talk about a secular state in India. It is perhaps not very easy even to find a good word in Hindi for ‘secular’. Some people think it means something opposed to religion. That obviously is not

correct. What it means is that it is a state which honours all faiths equally and gives them equal opportunities.” Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, president of India when Nehru was prime minister, expressed a similar vision in these eloquent terms: “When India is said to be a secular state, it does not mean that we as a people reject the reality of an unseen spirit or the relevance of religions to life or that we exalt irreligion. It does not mean that secularism itself becomes a positive religion or that the state assumes divine prerogatives. Though faith in the supreme spirit is the basic principle of the Indian tradition, our state will not identify itself with or be controlled by any particular religion.”

The specificity of Indian secularism transpires clearly in these quoted passages. Far from being areligious, irreligious or anti-religious, this principle is, on the contrary, perfectly compatible with religiosity. But, recognising the importance of religion in the public space, the state intervenes in favour of all religious communities. It thus subsidises all kinds of religious activities, including pilgrimages for Sikhs (to Pakistan) and Hindus (like the one to Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir).

The state also subsidises major religious celebrations such as the Kumbh Melas. The one in 2001, for instance, cost Rs 120 crore. Since 1993, Indian

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Finally, patients must start keeping good records of each meeting with a doctor, bringing the information to subsequent medical appointments and following up with the physician if their condition doesn’t improve. No news from the doctor is not necessarily good news.

There is much we don’t understand about the burden, causes and prevention of misdiagnosis. The IOM report will spur progress, but health-care providers, patients, hospitals and payers can all help. The health outcomes of at least 12 million Americans each year depend on it.

Dr. Singh is chief of Health Policy, Quality and Informatics at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, and an associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine.

(SOURCE: Wall Street Journal. Published on Aug. 7, 2014.)

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pilgrims to Mecca have been largely state-funded, too.

This multicultural approach has been recently illustrated in the way President Pranab Mukherjee hosted an iftar party towards the end of Ramzan, soon after publicly offering prayers at the Padmanabhaswamy temple.

This rather unique configuration is the product of a long history. Its immediate antecedent can be found in the words and deeds of Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated the recognition of religious communities in the public space and their cohabitation as early as 1919, during the Khilafat Movement in which he joined forces with Muslim leaders. Subsequently, he tried to make the Congress party a “parliament” in which all denominations were represented. In Hind Swaraj (1909), he promoted a conception of the Indian nation that ruled out identifying the nation with any religion: “If the Hindus believe that India should be peopled only by Hindus, they are living in dreamland. The Hindus, the Mahomedans, the Parsis and the Christians who have made India their country are fellow countrymen, and they will have to live in unity, if only for their own interest. In no part of the world are one nationality and one religion synonymous terms; nor has it ever been so in India.”

Continued next week

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VOICE OF ASIA 3

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Second Front Page

Friday, August 15, 2014

Page 3

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

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IMAGH 5th Annual Eid Milan instills youth with the spirit of giving ganizations she said that it operated with the help of volunteers most of who are from Bauer College and she also assured that 100% of the donation would go towards the organization and none would be spent galas or such events.

Grand Patron of the event Dr. Mirza Baig a renowned scientist and neurosurgeon from Houston has been active in humanitarian causes throughout his career, beginning in college. He is the founder of Firdous Foundation and Plus One Initiative that aims to empower orphans and children in need to reach their full potential through meaningful and sustainable engagement that will enhance their lives.

Grand Patron of the event Dr. Mirza Baig speaking on the ocassion while Jeremy Andrews looks on. Photos by Quaid Tinwala, SMB Media Productions.

Continued from page 1 and entrepreneurship. IAMGH also wants SAYA to incorporate two elements: Fun and Fellowship into their organization as a mark of observing IAMGH’s core values, Tyebji said.

He announced that IAMGH was planning to piggy back with the Mayor of Houston and the Indo American Chamber of Commerce on their trip of friendship to Washington to meet India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visits US next month.

Tyebji recognized the members of the IMAGH, Club 65 and SAYA commended their leadership and volunteerism.

Eid Milan celebrations for the IMAGH have been more of an outreach event. Every year during this celebration they invite other organizations to show the Greater Houston community who the Muslims are and why they celebrate this event.

Last year the Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston were their guests and this year the Red Hat Society did

the honors. Rahat Kalle, Vice President of Club 65, member of Red Hat Society spoke about the interrelationship of the two organization. Dr. Aaminah Durrani, Professor of Music at U of H, spoke more elaborately and eloquently on Muslims and Eid. This was the IMAGH honored academician couple Dr. Saleha and Dr. Basheer Khumawala, both professors at the C. T. Bauer College of Business, UH with the Community Service Award for making a difference in the lives of women and children through their organizations Pennies for Education and Health. Dr. Dr. Maqbool Haq is a noted Oncologist and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Col. Raj Bhalla is a founding Member of IMAGH did the honors of explaining the significance of the Award that was later presented by the Hon. Consul General of India, Houston, Paravathaneni Harish. “No one is so poor that cannot donate,’ believes Dr. Saleha and she mentioned that there are 1.6 m non-profit organizations in the US. Speaking of her or-

Dr. Baig spoke about the giving back to the Motherland. “It is important to remember our heritage and to give back,” he said “And my efforts are towards education and health care.” Dr. Baig said that giving a donation was not so important as going to India, connecting with the people there and understanding their needs.

That’s when he said one realizes the true meaning f giving back.

Wishing the guests Eid Mubarak Consul General P Harish, instantly connected with the gathering. In his profound message he reiterated the importance of connecting with the people and giving time which he said was more meaningful than just giving money. He spoke of India’s secularism and the way people, even though had a ‘different rhythm’ found a way to connect, “ The entire diversity is represented in one form or the other,” he said.

Reflecting on the success of the vent, Latafath Hussain President and founder of IMAGH said, “It exceeded my expectations and was made possible because we have a great team that works together and we have member who are very supportive.” “ For the first time IAMAG, SAYA and Club 65 worked together and we had

Master of Ceremonies Arif Menon with Latafath Hussain

Members of the Red Hat Society at the Eid Milan event representatives from the Pakistan, Sri Lankan and Naples communities present,” he said.

The event was efficiently emceed jointly by Arif Menon,a well know DJ and event organizer and Lubna Jumshyd also a media professional.

Comic relief was provided by Mulik Sayeedi while Abbas Ali Mirza and Uma Mantrawadi entertained the guest with songs and music. A delightful and sumptuous dinner with Hyderabadi specialties prepared by Mezban was served.

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VOICE OF ASIA 4

YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER

The People’s Lawyer

Answers to your Immigration Questions

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

www.peopleslawyer.net Richard M. Alderman Interim Dean of the Law Center

Sharlene Sharmila Richards

Credit Karma is not a scam Q. I saw an ad for an internet company that advertised it would give me my credit score for free. The company’s name is Credit Karma, and it seems too good to be true. Is this a scam?

Should I avoid dealing them them?

A. I also saw the ad and was similarly concerned. It did seem “too good to be true.” Most companies either charge you to receive your credit score or have you sign up for credit monitoring or something else that requires you provide a credit card number.

So to find out what Credit Karma was all about, I went to the website and checked it out. Although you do have to give some limited personal information, they do not ask for a credit card and you do not have to sign up for any other service. I did some additional research and as far as I can tell, this is not a scam and your score is free. All of the information they provided me about my accounts was accurate and I found the website to be very useful. Of course, no company can stay in business giving things away and the Credit Karma website contains numerous opportunities for you to apply for a credit card or loan.

I should point out, however, that although Credit Karma is a legitimate company, there have been some problems with its website. In March, Credit Karma agreed to settle charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), based on allegations that despite their security promises, Credit Karma failed to take reasonable steps to secure their mobile apps. This left consumers’ sensitive personal information at risk. This was especially dangerous on public Wi-Fi networks such as those at coffee shops, airports and shopping centers. The settlement requires Credit Karma to establish comprehensive security programs designed to address security risks during development of their applications and to undergo independent security assessments every other year for the next 20 years. Fandango also faced and settled similar charges.

My bottom line: use your home computer and Credit Karma can be a useful way to gather information about your credit and credit score.

Q. I saw my neighbor pull into his driveway with a young child sitting the front seat without a safety seat. I made a joke about how it wasn’t really safe, and he said his daughter was large for her age and could wear a seat belt. Is this the law?

A. Under the law, whether a child must be secured in a safety seat when a car is operated depends on both the age and the size of the child. The law says that any child under the age of eight must be secured in a safety seat system, unless the child is taller than four feet, nine inches. Once the child reaches that height the child must wear a safety belt. Basically, the law recognizes that it is the size of the child and not the age that determines when the additional protection of a safety seat system is necessary.

Q. I want to sue my landlord. I know his name because he signed the lease but have no other information. The clerk told me I need an address to serve him with the petition if I want to sue.

How do I find out where he lives?

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT EMPLOYMENT BASED IMMIGRATION (GREEN CARDS) REQUIRING LABOR CERTIFICATION.

Q: I wish to immigrate through my employment. I currently hold H-1B status and my employer is interested in hiring me permanently in the United States. I am confused as there are many categories to choose from.

A: The employment based (EB) categories that at available for immigration are divided into five subcategories. They are: First Preference (EB1) category is for aliens of extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers and professors. Second Preference (EB2) category is for members of the professions holding advanced degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability. Third Preference (EB3) category consists of Skilled Workers, Professionals and other workers. The remaining two categories are EB4 for religious workers and certain special immigrants and EB5 for investment green cards. In your case, depending on your degree and qualifications, your employer will most likely have to file for you under EB2 or EB3.

Your employer will need to consult with an immigration attorney to decide which preference category (EB2 or EB3) will work best for your situation.

Q: What is PERM labor certification?

A: Your petitioning employer will have to first file with the Department of Labor the PERM Labor Certification application (ETA Form 9089). The Department of Labor will have to certify that no qualified U.S workers are available for the specific job with the employer. PERM Labor Certification is required for most employment based second preference (EB2) and all third preference (EB3) immigrant petitions. Your Labor Certification must first be certified before your employer is able to petition for the green card for you.

Q: What is required for PERM labor certification?

A: To file PERM Labor Certification, your petitioning employer must first obtain what is known as a prevailing wage determination for the specific job from the Department of Labor. Once the prevailing wage has been determined, your employer must then perform various recruitment activities to demonstrate that there are no qualified U.S workers available for the job. Once these have been completed, the PERM Labor Certification application can then be filed with the Department of Labor.

Q: What kind of qualifications do I need to have for applying under EB2?

A: Typically, you must first have an approved PERM Labor Certification. You must also have an advance degree or a bachelor’s degree and at least five years progressive experience in the profession.

In addition, the qualification you have must be one that is warranted as a minimum requirement for the designated job. If you are possess ‘exceptional ability; meaning having a degree of expertise significantly above that ordinarily encountered, you may also fall in this category. Your exceptional ability will be determined by factors such as the type of degree you hold, your extensive experience in the particular field, recognition for your achievements including contributions to your industry or field etc.

Q: My employer’s PERM has already been approved. Can I now file for permanent residence?

A: Before you can file for permanent residence (adjustment of status to permanent resident), your employer must first file a Form I-140 Petition to classify you as an Immigrant Worker. You can file the application to adjust status concurrently with the I-140 petition only if your priority date is current at the time. If it is not current, then your employer must only file the I-I40 petition and you have to wait until your priority date becomes current before you can file your adjustment application. For PERM Labor Certification cases, the priority date is the date the PERM Labor Certification was received by the Department of Labor. The waiting period for the priority date to be current depends on your preference classification (whether EB2 or EB3) and your country of charge.

A. You are correct that to sue someone you need to provide the court with a location where the party can be served with notice of the lawsuit. You do not, however, need his address. Under the law, you may serve what is called the “agent for service.” If you were given written notice of the name and address of the management company that manages the property, the management company is the agent for service and may be served. If you were not given such notice, you may serve the management company, the on-premises manager, or rent collector.

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.

Do you want to know more about your legal rights? Check out my website, www.peopleslawyer.net

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.

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FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

A musical tribute to the Tricolor India Culture Center to host

I-Fest 2014 Celebrating India’s 68th Independence Day

by Nikhil Raghavan This week, we celebrate our Independence Day and Saintunes, a creative outfit in the city, headed by R. Kumar Narayanan, has composed a patriotic song in Hindi. The number has been sung by him and playback singer Rita, supported by N. Ramanathan and Harish.

“The lyrics of Hey Hindustan are by Uday Meghani, who is with AIR, and I have composed the song as a tribute to our nation. It reiterates that we, as citizens, should value the freedom obtained thanks to the sacrifice of thousands of freedom fighters. It is also a tribute to the defence forces for safeguarding our nation by keeping awake with watchful eyes thereby helping civilians sleep peacefully,” says Kumar.

The song is supported by a video compiled from stock images, and uploaded on You-

Kumar Narayanan Tube. “The visual starts with children, as they are the future generation, and ends with the

Tricolour flying high against the blue sky,” explains Kumar.

Courtesy: The Hindu.

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E

October 2, 2014 - February 1, 2015

xperiments with Truth: Gandhi and Images of Nonviolence is the first international project to explore the resonance of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s (18671948) ethics of non-violence, or “satyagraha,” in the visual arts. This exhibition presents approximately 130 works spanning several centuries and includes paintings, drawings, photographs, prints, sculptures, rare books, and films by artists from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The exhibition’s themes echo the expansive humanitarian concerns of the Menil Collection’s founders, John and Dominique de Menil. Following their example, we aim to create a platform for international conversation on world-wide issues surrounding human rights, compassion, civil disobedience, and progress through non-violence.

A renowned photograph of Gandhi’s last possessions, a carefully constructed “stilllife” of the few objects he owned at the time of his death (two dinner bowls, wooden fork and spoon, porcelain monkeys, diary, watch, prayer book, spittoon, letter openers, and two pairs of sandals), is the catalyst for the exhibition. The striking simplicity of this photograph, whose author remains unidentified, conveys the deep significance of these items, which serve as incarnations of Gandhi’s ascetic lifestyle and his conviction that the practice of satyagraha must begin “with the individual, at home,” as he once explained.

Among the diverse artworks and artifacts on display will be iconic photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson from the tumultuous time of India’s independence and partition in 1947, along with another group taken just before and immediately after Gandhi’s assassination in 1948. Portraits and documents of Gandhi’s most important predecessors and contemporaries (Ruskin, Thoreau, Tol-

ICC Directors with the participants of ‘Little Champs’ competition during the audition.

Parade, Awards, Cultural program, Fashion show, Little Champs contest and the grand finale is the Musical Concert with group from India. The Dance India Dance (DID) fame star Kamlesh will also be performing at the event.

The event is already sold out on the booths & there Little Champs aspirant during her audition would be plenty of food, shopping and ndia Culture Center Houscommunity outton (ICC) is celebrating reach information too. the 68th Independence The organizers of the India Day Celebrations with major Fest have tirelessly worked Indo American Associations for almost 8 weeks under the of Greater Houston on August leadership of President Char16th Saturday at the Stafford lie Patel. The event chair Rajiv Center. The Signature event Bhavsar requests the communihas been planned with lots of ty to come out in large numbers activities. The day long cel- and enjoy the event. The muebrations commence with the sical program would have pa-

I

Image courtesy Menil stoy, Sojourner Truth), as well as his most eminent followers and leaders of significant movements of social and political reform in the last decades are included. The exhibition will also present major works illustrating the complex artistic visualizations of non-violence throughout world religions including iconography based on themes of asceticism, compassion, abolition of slavery, and racial equality. Finally, artworks by modern and contemporary artists that resonate with Gandhi’s vision and contemplate in a critical way the unfinished conflicts of past and present will appear throughout the exhibition.

The exhibition will include works by living artists such as Mel Chin, Marlene Dumas, Suzan Frecon, Theaster Gates, Robert Gober, Shilpa Gupta, Amar Kanwar, William Kentridge, Kimsooja, Ai Weiwei, and Zarina. Also on display will be examples by Eve Arnold, Margaret Bourke-White, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dan Flavin, Yves Klein, René Magritte, Agnes Martin, Barnett Newman, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark

triotic songs as also evergreen Hindi songs.

ICC held the auditions for the Little Champs (5-13 years) at the India House on Sunday August 10th. There was a great participation from the community kids who sang in various languages. The kids did a phenomenal job and the Judges had a difficult time in selecting the winners. The winners of the Little Champs would be performing on the ICC stage on August 16th. All the participants would be recognized & appreciated at the event.

The Judges for this event were Veena Kaul, Mahalakshmi Krishnan, Alpa Shah and Sanjiv Kumar. The auditions were coordinated by Ajit Patel with assistance from Sangeeta Pasrija & Swapan Dhairyawan.

For more information please call Rajiv 281-2177330 or visit www.icchouston.org

Rothko, Jean Tinguely, Shômei Tômatsu, and Andy Warhol.

The opening events at the Menil Collection will coincide with the 145th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth, October 2, 2014, and the exhibition will remain on view until February 1, 2015, before traveling to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva. In Houston the presentation will activate a citywide initiative at various sites within the Menil campus and many cultural organizations in the city. Curated by Menil Director, Josef Helfenstein, in consultation with Indian artist Amar Kanwar, Experiments with Truth will be accompanied by a publication intended to introduce the exhibition’s significant figures, ideas, historical events and trends to a non-specialist audience.

This exhibition is generously supported by H-E-B; Skadden, Arps; Marilyn Oshman; and the City of Houston.

United Airlines is the Preferred Airline of the Menil Collection.

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VOICE OF ASIA 7

India’s Independence Day Supplement

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Independence Day Speech expectations high – PM Modi must make big moves

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to speak of dramatic changes and developments for India (PTI)

from all of us at Voice of Asia P

by Gautam Mukherjee

public expects from NaMo?

gradual comeback.

rime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to make dramatic announcements and surprises for India and the world for his Independence Day speech. Certainly, the anticipation is high, stoked in no uncertain manner by NaMo himself.

The rump of a Congress presence, with just 44 MPs in the Lok Sabha, has nevertheless found a way to block the Government’s legislative agenda in the Rajya Sabha. There, it has 102 seats, and is successfully making common cause with some of the regional parties too.

Strangely, the BJP seems to want to develop a consensus with the Congress which is impossible if the latter wants to survive and revive after its electoral rout. The Modi Government is also not seen to be putting the Congress leadership under the kind of pressure it deserves for its multiple wrong-doings and scams, thereby emboldening it.

At the same time, everyone can see and appreciate the Governmental efforts to tone up the administration. Indeed it is difficult to proceed fast with the cumbersome inter-Ministerial fiefdom system inherited, renowned for working at cross-purposes, supported by a bureaucracy grown totally unused to hard work and time-bound programmes over the last decade. But wasn’t all this changed rapidly, days after the Modi Government assumed office?

Having said this, results so far are positive, if not dramatic. The GDP is inching up, other economic parameters are improving, the Railways have been rescued from the brink, the functioning of the PSU banks is being overhauled even as the UPA scam liabilities and NPAs are threatening to overwhelm their net worth, the SAARC region regional diplomacy is stirring afresh, foreign investment limits are being raised in multiple sectors, labour laws are being modernised. But why does it still feel like so much spring-cleaning and not what the

So when will the Government call a joint session of parliament to get its laws passed? Why is the NDA Government indulging a very negative Opposition when it does not have to, and particularly when the public wants rapid progress?

Governor Raghuram Rajan at the RBI is being allowed to continue with his obsession with inflation, implying that ‘growth’ is not the central bank’s main priority. And Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is chiming in with calibrated and cautious measures for the real economy that seem much too subdued.

This lack of big announcements and reform measures are causing impatience and disappointment in the public’s perception of this Government.

This can be very dangerous for the upcoming Assembly Elections. The loss of all three seats in recent by-elections in Uttarakhand are being interpreted by the Congress and others as early disaffection with the BJP/NDA and a reason to take heart for a

The young, at 50, Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chief election strategist and possible alter-ego, was formally anointed as President of the BJP on Saturday August 9, 2014. During his speech on the occasion, Shah promptly warned the party cadre against complacence. This, in the presence of over 2,000 BJP delegates. Shah spoke of the need to spread BJP’s electoral dominance to the States holding elections shortly, with special emphasis on Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where he wants to propel his party into winning, and on its own.

He also wants to extend its influence to the entire Eastern seaboard where the BJP has been heretofore weak or absent. Amit Shah also continued Prime Minister Modi’s electoral theme of seeking a Congress Mukt Bharat as the 130 year old Party had grown corrupt and venal. (NitiCentral)

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VOICE OF ASIA 9

India’s Independence Day Supplement

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Masterchef India: Restaurants create patriotic dishes for Independence day

N

EW DELHI: (First Post) Restaurants and hotels are offering gastronomical delights using global cuisines with a desi twist this Independence Week.

dence Day by bringing together a fusion of global cuisine with Indian flavours and taste,” says Vijay Anand Bakshi, Headof Culinary Operations, Barbeque Nation.

Mexican baked potato curry and mushroom and pasta in a spiced Makhani gravy, “Tricolour Tri-Grain Pilaf” flag among others are some signature dishes being offered by city chefs.

The 60 new dishes are replete with innovative fusions on the menu. Signature dishes include the likes of Roasted Lamb in Thai Curry, Grilled Chicken Breast in Potli Gravy, Mexican Baked Potato Curry and Mushroom ‘n Pasta in Spicy Makhni Gravy and many more.

“We are hosting a ‘Global Cuisine Indian Style’ Food Fest to celebrate the global Indian on the occasion of Indepen-

“Customers today seek the thrill of deriving maximum

pleasure for their taste-buds.

This special food festival menu does just that ? offers the best of both worlds to customers by offering never-heard-before delectable dishes. We hope to leave our customers satiated yet longing for more,” says Bakshi.

A concoction of mouth-watering desserts like Red and White Kheer, Rasgulla Litchi Cake, Masala Spice Brownie, Kappi Pie and much more at their nine outlets in Delhi-NCR region.

designed taking desi ingredients like Jamun. The main course comprises grilled prawns in herbs, roasted Tandoor chicken, lamb in thai curry as well as baked manchurian kofta in makhani Gravy. No meal is complete without desserts, so do not miss out on the Red and White Kheer and complete the

want to see my fellow countrymen free themselves from the clutches of unhealthy food and lifestyle options and switch to healthy food and living.

There is no better day to do that than the Independence Day! I believe food is interplay of function and form, which are

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“This recipe celebrates traditional grains, and explores international palates. It is nutritionally balanced, and performs the function food should - nourish and heal you from within.

The international flavors celebrate gastronomy at its best,” says Madhusudhanan.

The five-star hotels in the city are also offering delightful dishes but also at a special price. Taj Vivanta travels back to its roots and is offering vegetarian dishes like Tri Penne Salad and Tri Pepper Soup.

“Meal starters meal include various cocktails and mocktails

Happy Independence Day!

“Tri-colour Tri-Grain Pilaf” which is a must try according to the chef.

Tri-color Rangila Pilaf

meal with our mouth-freshener ‘the pan shot with vodka’,” says Bakshi.

Following the eat healthy mantra and the Tattva Gourmet Organic Kitchen at Hauz Khas Village is offering just that.

“Just like India transformed from a captive country to an independent one on August 15, I

both essential components of functional gastronomy,” says Anuradha Madhusudhanan, Executive Chef, Tattva Gourmet Organic Kitchen.

He has developed a theme titled “Functional Gastronomy? the bridge between Tradition and Modernity”. One of the dishes on their menu is named

“Apart from creating a gastronomic impact, these dishes contain a lot of vegetables, all organic in nature symbolising the new fad of ‘vegetarianism’, yet keeping our roots intact.

Hence keeping it light and healthy yet close to roots for the urban gourmands of today is what we have created for Independence Day,” says Chef Neeraj Chaudhry, Executive Chef, Vivanta by Taj Gurgaon.

Binayak Sen to Irom Sharmila: A look at India’s post-independence social activists

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the most unhurried international holidays packages ever Binayak Sen, a post-independence social activist being taken to jail. He was the first to draw the attention of the public to widespread human rights violations in the wake of the Salwa Judum . Reuters.

Binayak Sen: He has played mutiple roles over the years; academician, pediatrician, public health specialist and human rights activist. For more than 25

years, Sen provided health care to the adivasi people of Chhattisgarh. Sen was among the first to draw public attention to widespread human rights viola-

!

tions in the wake of the Salwa Judum. In 2010, he was convicted of conspiring to commit sedition and other charges and sentenced to life in prison.

India’s Independence Day Supplement

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

This Independence Day artists explore Indian Roots

T

he “Freedom of Life” exhibition presents cultural and traditional heritage of India through paintings At the onset of Independence Day celebration, “Freedom Of Life” a painting exhibition will be held from 16th to 22nd August at Art Gate Gallery, Churchgate. ‘Manas Kala’ and ‘Paintings are us’ are the two branches of art house. As the connoisseurs of art, they shoulder the responsibility of inspiring and representing creativity of artists from India.

Their motto to promote atists instigates from the thought that they (artists) are the historians of our culture and communities. They nurture origins of culture through visual medium and truly signify Indian civilization. They want to continue in this great work of presenting cultural and traditional heritage of India through Painting Art. India is the only unique land which has traditions and customs associated with every element of nature, be it trees, animals or any other geographical feature. Every element is linked to human life, behavior and survival.

The participating artists are: G.K. Laxman: He has painted realistic creations that capture Landscapes

and Portrait in all medium. He is specialized in Oil on canvas and charcoal paintings. In this exhibition he has shown beautiful visual of holy river Ganga during dusk and the rituals that are carried on it. Indians believe that every river is the Goddess and each denotes purity. River are referred to as Mother, which itself means life giver.

Ramesh Kharat: One can feel the artist’s love to express through lavish use of different shades of colors. He is specialized in Abstract and Semi abstract form of art. The intensity reverberated through the mind and thoughts of the observer and one starts relating emotions and feelings in the painting with his own life.

S. Bala: Artist is personally mesmerized by the Buddha and specializes in relentlessly painting different shades of abstract and the Buddha. The paintings in this exhibition are abstract forms, and very close to meditational mood. He is specialized in Abstract and contemporary art works.

Kapil: He adores and expresses his love for culture in folk art style.

He is specialized in Pen and Ink on Paper paintings. He follows Madhubani style of paint-

ing with his own artistic creation. In this exhibition he displays a graceful, emotive, coy Indian rural lady by using sketching style of pen on paper. This kind of fine line sketching is one of the styles in Madhubani called ‘Kachni’.

Bhavna: She is specialized in Acrylic and mix media paintings. She has used the most placid and barren land- the dessert in India and its effect.

The tiring heat and difficult mode of survival show on the faces of the people living there. She deliberately paints faces in black and white and tops them with colorful turban. The black and white faces and colorful turbans hint us that the dry land of Rajasthan seems to raise colorful Ramesh Kharat: Red Buddha hopes of life.

Jacob: India can be simply praised and admired for its variation in landscapes without associating them with virtues and values.

The visual treat of landscapes is presented by artist. He is specialized in Water colour on paper and mix media medium of paintings. His paintings are

realistic landscapes which he paints in day light.

Sunny: His charcoal paintings presents cultural and traditional heritage of India.

Suchit Verma: He is the youngest of all artists

exhibiting in this group show follows the league of representing beauty of India through its landscapes. He is specialized in Acrylic on Canvas.

This exhibition will bring one closer to Indian traditional, contemporary art and realistic artists. Truly, the busy life

schedule has taken away our leisure time and thoughts of appreciating beauty. But you will surely compensate this loss by having blissful experience while watching this vibrant exhibition by artists G.K. Laxman, Ramesh Kharat, S Bala, Kapil, Bhavana, Jacob, Sunny and Sanchit Verma.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 11

India House Annual Youth Explosion

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Offers FREE Flu Shots to benefit Santa’s Exchange

S

U G A R L A N D , (Aug 7, 2014) — With flu season around the corner, it’s time to mark your calendar for our free flu shot clinic and community toy drive event, or see your primary care physician about getting vaccinated.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu can result in serious complications and leads to more than 200,000 hospitalizations each year in the U.S. Dr. Virendra Mathur, Trustee, India House, Congressman Al Greeen, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Vipin Kumar, General Manager of India House with the children at India House

O

n Saturday August 9, 2014 India House conducted its Annual Summer Camp Youth Explosion! It was a day filled with fun, community fellow-ship, cultural diversity, and education. The day started off with the India House summer camp children presenting what they learned throughout the summer in an interactive way that got the crowd involved. Then educational and empowerment break-out sessions were provided for our youth as well as parents attending the event.

Everyone present thoroughly enjoyed talent presentations by the children. Dr. Virendra Mathur, one of the Trustees of India House and a major sponsor of the event, spoke few words to encourage the children.

Vipin Kumar, General Manager of India House welcomed the guests and acknowledged Mr. and Mrs. Bansal for their generous support and sponsorship.

He also thanked everyone present for attending the event and expressed special thanks to all of Sponsors as this event would not have been possible without their kind donation and sup-

port.

The event brought in dignitaries such as Ninth District Congressman Al Green and Eighteenth District Congressw o m a n S h e i l a Children enjoying snacks and goodies during the summer camp.

Jackson Lee! Both House Representatives inter- es from various cultures and acted with the children and backgrounds. The children attendees. They called all chil- and the rest of the community dren, volunteers and staff up to were provided with fun jumps, the stage to take photographs as water slides, food, popcorn, well spoke to provide encour- snow cones, basketball, enteraging words. In Congressman tainment, and school supplies!

Al Green’s own words, “If Ba- Overall the Youth Explosion rack Obama can become Presi- was a very successful and dent of USA, he sees no reason well appreciated event. Apart why one of the kids present from two major sponsors, Dr. here could not emulate his ex- Virendra & Nalini Mathur and ample”. Additionally, Council Mr. Virinder & Mrs. Neena Member Richard Nguyen from Bansal, the event was also District F attended and gave sponsored by Sathish Rao of kind words. The youth explo- Udipi Restaurant , Walmart, sion also presented numerous Chick Fil-A, Fiesta, Target, PF cultural acts and performanc- Chang’s, and Fresh Market.

2013 Flu Shot Clinic & Community Toy Drive

“The best way to flex your health muscles against influenza is to be vaccinated,” says Dr. Adelola Ashaye, primary care physician with Houston Methodist Primary Care Group. “And it’s especially important for certain groups of people like pregnant women, those with chronic health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, lung, heart or kidney disease), people age 50 and older, residents of nursing homes and other long-term facilities, and caregivers of those in a high risk group.”

Take the appropriate precautions to protect yourself from the flu. Test your influenza intelligence below: True or False? December is too late to get a flu shot.

False. A seasonal flu shot is the most important preventive step you can take. While the CDC recommends getting one as soon as the vaccine is available each year, the shot is offered through January and beyond since flu season typically peaks in February.

True or False? The flu vaccine can make me sick with the flu.

False. The flu vaccine cannot cause the flu. According to the CDC, the vaccine is made

with either an inactivated virus, and therefore non-infectious; recombinant vaccine (which has no flu virus at all); or in the form of a nasal spray as a live but weakened vaccine and therefore not able to cause the flu. While a small number of patients may have side effects (which are often mild and short-lived) from the vaccine such as fever, soreness at vaccine site and aches, the flu vaccine does not cause the flu.

True or False? I can spread the flu even if I don’t have symptoms.

True. “Healthy adults can pass the influenza virus to someone else one day before symptoms begin and can infect others up to five days after getting sick,” Dr. Ashaye says. “Practice good prevention such as frequent handwashing, coughing or sneezing into your elbow, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.”

Dr. Ashaye also recommends staying home from work or school if you feel sick, and limiting contact with others to keep from infecting them.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Ashaye, call 281.276.0653 or schedule online at houstonmethodist.org/ primarycare.

Give a Gift & Beat the Flu Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is offering free flu shots on Saturday, November 8 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. to community members who participate in Santa’s Gift Exchange.

Fort Bend and surrounding area residents can bring a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item to the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Main Pavilion lobby in exchange for a free flu shot. Held in collaboration with the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, Fort Bend Exchange Club, Rotary Club of Sugar Land, Rotary Club of Fort Bend and Toys for Tots Fort Bend, all toys and clothing will benefit local children in the Fort Bend area.

The flu vaccine is formulated to provide protection against three different flu viruses— H1N1, H3N2 and influenza B. No appointments necessary.

Call 281.275.0751 with any questions.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital will be distributing a limited supply of the influenza vaccine to persons with no history of egg and/or latex allergy. MUST BE 18 OR OLDER. If you are pregnant, please visit your OB/GYN or primary care physician to have your vaccine administered.

Shri Krishna Vrundavuna, TX 11814 Burlingame Dr, Houston, TX 77099 Phone: 713-589-9183 www.txtemple.org

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10:30 AM - Raghavendra Stotra, Vayustuti, Vishnu Sahasranama, & other Stotra Parayana

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COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 12

by Dr. Venugopal Menon

A

s the Hindus of Greater Houston celebrates the Grand 25th Anniversary of Janmashtami, we look back at the beginning of Hindu presence in this great city, its evolution and its enormous expansion, and proudly revere and rejoice in the birth of Lord Krishna.

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Hindus of Houston – our humble history, our ambitious visions

The Philoshophy Sanatana Dharma’, the Eternal Righteousness is the philosophy of life guiding the third largest section of humanity. Erroneously addressed as ‘Hinduism’ it is the Faith inspired by divine revelations from ancient sages and seers, its basic principles resting on simple yet the Ultimate Truth. The cardinal axiom of Hindu belief is the universal presence of Divinity in everything that exists. It extols virtuous living based on ‘Dharma’, principles of righteousness, and our lives are guided by the doctrine of Karma, the yardstick that evaluates our performance, eventually motivating the souls to earn salvation, merging with the Ultimate Reality.

Beginnings in Houston The earliest records of Hindu gatherings in Houston date back to the early 1960s. Most of us then were focused solely on expanding our education and establishing a career. When those basic desires were met, and we felt comfortable and content with our professional ambitions, we sensed a glaring vacuum, a thirst for our spiritual needs.

Beyond the urge to meet the devout requirements of adults, we were compelled to provide an atmosphere to recreate a religious setting for our children, our next generation.

Being thrust into an alien environment, often facing hostile comments from fellow students, many of our children were subjected to severe emotional strains and identity crises. As we imposed demands on them to speak our language, eat our foods and act our ways, they realized that to be accepted by peers, they required cultivating a different set of habits and exhibiting other patterns of behavior at school. Realizing the urgency of inculcating our value systems and imparting some fundamentals of our heritage to them it was an impending need for us to create places of worship to in-

Enthusiastic participants of the costume competitions held during Janmashtami celebrations each year. (Pic from previous year’s event) troduce them to our ways.

We started gathering in small groups in our own residences on weekends and evenings, having prayers, bhajans and recitations, always including our children.

Some of the stalwarts of the community, like Kumar Krishen, Sen Pathak, Satish Jhingran, Hospeti and Diwan took initiative in arranging such prayer meetings.

Irrespective of the states of our origin or mother tongue, Hindus form all over India assembled in garages and living rooms of many homes and prayed, read Bhagavad Gita, sang bhajans, ate pot luck lunches and developed friendship and camaraderie. We named the group ‘ India Family Circle’. Later on it was changed to Hindu Worship Society, the organization registering with its constitution, purchasing a piece of land on Wirtcrest Road and building the temple in 1975.

Temples in Houston Around that time, there was an offer from Sri Meenakshi Temple in Madurai to assist our community in building a temple as per their traditions and following their Agamas. Devotees from the Southern states of India who were used to those conventions and rituals, accepted that offer and decided to build the temple under the initiative of Sam Kannappan. They bought a piece of land in Pearland in 1977 and Sri Meenakshi Temple

was built in Pearland in 1979.

Even though most members of the community opted to go with either one based on their customs, Raj Syal was unique that he would be mowing and cleaning the yard of Sri Meenakshi Temple on Saturday and working on the roof of Hindu Worship Society on Sunday.

Hare Krishna Temple was the earliest one to be created in 1969

by Vishnujana Swami, a disciple of Sri Prabhupada (ISKCON) at a downtown location, which was recently relocated into a new, splendid temple in the Northwest.

Indian population and Hindu community in Houston began expanding with influx to the southern warmer Houston from the colder areas as well as new migrants arriving.

After the initial hardship and struggles that such ventures had to face, and as our influence along with our affluence improved, several Hindu religious organizations slowly materialized in Houston and cities all over the USA. Chinmaya Mission, Arya Samaj, BAPS Swami Narayan Temple, Sri Radha Krishna Temple, Durga Bari, VPSS, Ashta Lakshmi Temple and several others constructed by devotees who subscribed to their particular needs.

(Please see the attached list).

As the initial temples were being built, and around the time ‘Emergency’ was declared by

Indira Gandhi in 1976, a few Hindus, concerned about democracy and Hindu culture in India assembled and established a monthly Shakha under Bharatiya Swayam Sevak Sangh (BSS).

Under the leadership of Sharad Amin and Ramesh Bhutada, the Shakha had regular meetings and activities including yoga, exercise, games and picnic, as well as inviting speakers to give talks to the members.

Organizations and Activities

community and started performing Vedic Sanskars. His efforts brought forth the founding of Arya Pratinidhi Sabha and later the establishment of Arya Samaj in 1991. His son Dev Mahajan, Rita and Sunil Mehta and several volunteers worked towards the steady growth of Arya Samaj, creating its Dayanand Anglo Vedic Montessori School and the DAV library, the organization placing emphasis on education and community service projects.

The Indian students at the University of Houston had an active social agenda and later the India Culture Center was established to address the many needs of the growing Indian community.

The idea of creating a common facility for all Indians that was initially considered by ICC, finally materialized as an independent entity and organization as India House.

Another milestone was established by Padmakant Khambhati in 1994 as the Voice of Sanatan Hinduism started airing on 1460 AM every Sunday morning from 9 am to 12 noon. The broadcast covers a variety of topics about Hindu Dharma and its interests and invites participation of the various Hindu organizations in Houston.

Bal Vihar was established in the early eighties under the auspices of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and the first Hindu Heritage Youth Camp was held in 1985, Suresh Patel being its first director. Subash Gupta was the first president of VHP Houston and Beth Kulkarni was elected as its first woman President.

In1987,Makar Shankranti Utsav was celebrated by VHP of America Houston Chapter. Shri Ram Chand Ji Mahajan came to Houston in 1979 and became an active Patron in the Hindu

In 1990 , Raj Syal took the initiative along with the help of Hari Kewalramani, PC Sharma, Ravi Goel, GS Gopalakrishna, Garg, Dilip Mehta, Padmakant Khambhati, Beth Kulkarni, Sharad Amin and others to establish the entity of Hindus of Greater Houston. Their desire was to unite all the Hindus of Greater Houston to collectively celebrate Janmashtami and Ram Navami together. The effort has succeeded in the most amazing way, the festivities improving

Hindus of Greater Houston

each year and drawing more attendance and reaching its Silver Anniversary, that we are celebrating this year.

As of last year, an Advisory Board for the Hindus of Greater Houston was created with representative members from different organizations and to function as a link between the various groups. From the very humble beginnings almost half a century ago, the Hindus of greater Houston, through hard work and sheer determination have accomplished an enviable legacy of success and unity of purpose.

The tribute and repute go to the early activists who ventured and persevered against many odds to reach its present status.

As we look into the future, the horizon looks bright, extremely promising. The status that our immigrant generation has established for our faith in the land we domiciled has to be bequeathed to our legitimate followers. It is time that the new generation takes over the reins and marches into the future with a different focus and new set of objectives.

The most encouraging establishment, the Hindu American Foundation is the future of Hinduism here to ensure that we get established and recognized here beyond our temples and festivals. Their agenda is to help our religion step out of the Hindu hive to engage the broader culture, to forge a distinctly American Hindu identity and be tightly woven into the national fabric. Rishi Bhutada, a Houston born, our own active member of HAF along with many American Hindus are involved with promoting pluralism and mutual respect, accurate understanding of Hinduism, human rights issues, policy making and several objectives of our broader interests. Hindu Students Association in various universities are helping to create a better understanding about our faith and expelling misconception in the main stream.

It is our desire to make it known that all our accomplishments are basically founded and nurtured by our rich traditions, the fundamental Vedic principles that are the underlying guidelines of our way of life.

We remain optimistic that ‘Hinduism’ will be understood, accepted and respected precisely for it stands for and who we are, in our new land of domicile.

VOICE OF ASIA 14

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

VOICE OF ASIA 15

LIFESTYLE

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

ONLINE .COM voiceofasiaonline.com

Vol. 27 No. 33

Friday, August 15, 2014 Section 2 Page 15 • Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com • Tel: 713-774-5140

Read all about it: News you can wear

by Rob Lever

Kabaddi in spotlight as ancient Indian game gets makeover

by Abhaya SRIVASTAVA

W

N

ASHINGTON, August 10, 2014 (AFP) - Even if you don’t open a newspaper, turn on a television, log on to a computer or pull out a smartphone, you can get news -- from wearable technology.

EW DELHI, (AFP) - Despite years as one of the India’s top players of kabaddi -- a traditional contact sport that mixes tag and wrestling -- Ajay Thakur was not well known in his homeland. Until now.

As wearables gain traction, news purveyors are eyeing these devices for their potential to deliver headlines and more to people who want to stay up to date.

Some news apps already have the capacity to deliver news notifications, or full articles, to smartwatches or eyewear such as Google Glass.

“We are going full speed on smartwatches,” said Gilles Raymond, the San Franciscobased chief executive of News Republic, a mobile app that delivers news to mobile devices from hundreds of outlets.

Raymond told AFP he expects people will find it useful to get not only headlines but full articles on a smartwatch as the wearable trend revs up.

“When the iPhone came out, people were saying that not one would read news on a phone.

Now nobody is saying that,” said Raymond.

“People will read articles on a watch. They may not read 300 articles, but people adapt quickly to technology.”

Raymond founded News Republic in France and has expanded to other European markets as well as North America and China, aggregating news from hundreds of outlets, including AFP, Al-Jazeera, Reuters and The Associated Press.

Roman Karachinsky, CEO of the news aggregation app News360, also sees a future for wearables, but mainly for quick notifications they might not otherwise see.

“We want to change the formula from one where you go and seek information out to a world where information finds you when it’s relevant and useful,” Karachinsky said.

He said the newly introduced Android Wear plat-

A Samsung employee demonstrates the new SM-R381 Smartwatch, during the Tizen Developer Conference in San Francisco, California, on June 3, 2014 (AFP Photo/Josh Edelson) form for Google allows for News360 alerts to be sent to some smartwatches, and to Google Glass.

These alerts fulfill a need of getting information out quickly -- whether it is a sports score, stock market action or breaking news -- in an unobtrusive way.

“Instead of digging around your pocket for your smartphone, now you can just look at your wrist or glance up to your Google Glass,” said Karachinsky. “It’s a very transformative experience.”

‘Glanceability’ It remains unclear at the moment how fast wearable technologies will catch on, and how people will use the devices.

While News Republic’s Raymond sees a demand for full articles, he differs from News360 on Google Glass.

But he said smartwatches may gain more traction when they become independent of smartphones, allowing people to shed their phones for some of the time.

Roger Kay, analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, said news on smartwatches and Google Glass will probably be limited to short items that can be absorbed in a glance.

“The glanceability of it is important,” Kay said.

“I don’t imagine people squinting at their watches to read articles; they have

enough trouble reading on their phones.”

Still, Kay noted that “a wellwritten headline can encapsulate an entire story.”

For news organizations struggling with the transition to digital, wearables may offer some help, analysts say.

Ken Doctor of the media research firm Outsell said news organizations may be able to bring in more readers with alerts tailored to their interests, by delivering through wearables.

Doctor said that major news organizations are now delivering millions of email alerts on important news for readers who register, and that this drives more traffic to the websites. The same could be true for alerts on wearables.

“The news alerts business, which has been around for 20 years, is having a huge revival,” he said. “This is a technique that works because of mobile and smartphones.”

Important in this effort is getting readers to register, to be able to determine the news they want to see -- essentially tracking their habits using the same techniques as retailers like Amazon or services such as Netflix.

“People are expecting alerts for news that is important to them,” Doctor said.

“And I would think the ability of wearables to deliver alerts is very good and that it could spur news reading.”

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Since the high-profile launch last month of a new Pro Kabaddi League, with live television coverage, corporate sponsors and brightly coloured lycra strips, the 27-year-old has become an overnight sensation.

The new league has given a new lease of life to kabaddi, which has been played in sandy backyards across India for generations.

“It feels great when kids ask me for an autograph,” the player told AFP after a recent game with the Bengaluru Bulls, one of eight teams in the new league.

“It is all new to me, and makes me hungry for more of all this.”

Although the sums involved represent only a fraction of the funding that cricket attracts in India, they are transforming the game’s once dowdy image -- and the lives of its players.

“I never thought sponsors would put money on kabaddi,” said Thakur, who weighs in at 80 kilos (176 pounds), and is now able to afford the food that he needs to perform at his best.

A raider of Delhi Dabang Kashiling Adake (C) attempts to tag one of the players of Bengal Warriors during the match between Dabang Delhi and Bengal Warriors in the Pro Kabaddi League in New Delhi. (AFP photo). and plumes of smoke, while coloured spotlights focus on the players’ tight lycra outfits.

There are no shouts of “kabaddi” -- instead an overhead screen provides a 30-second countdown, turning the sport into a slick show for audiences in the stadium and at home.

Team owners include a media mogul, a top industrialist and a popular Bollywood star.

The league is inspired by the Indian Premier League, cricket’s cash-rich Twenty20 tournament.

However Charu Sharma, the veteran commentator who came up with the new league, says the comparison only goes so far.

Kabaddi features two sevenmember teams facing off on a tennis court-sized pitch.

“We do not have that kind of money. But the IPL did make us realise that sport works well if you package it better,” he told AFP.

A “raider” from each team has to dash into the rival half and touch players from the opposing team without being tackled before escaping back to safety on their side of the court.

The top kabaddi player was sold for about $20,000. By comparison, Delhi Daredevils paid a whopping $1.4 million for England star Kevin Pietersen in the 2014 IPL.

Players traditionally chant “kabaddi” repeatedly to prove they are not breaking the rules by drawing breath during that time.

Sharma got the idea after seeing how popular kabaddi was at the 2006 Doha Asian Games.

But that is the low-tech version of the game. At the Thyagraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi the screaming fans are treated to booming music, pyrotechnics

“The world hasn’t yet woken up to the charms of this game,” he said, adding that it would be a shame for India, the homeland of the sport, to ignore such a cultural gem.

“If we don’t give due respect to it and don’t take pride in our achievements, it’s a shame.”

The game is played in around 35 countries including Pakistan, South Korea and Bangladesh, but India has won all seven gold medals at the Asian Games since it was introduced in 1990.

Confirmed viewing figures for the league are not yet available, but local media say 22 million people tuned in to watch the first day of the season last month.

Radha Kapoor, entrepreneur and owner of the Delhi franchise, said it was time India saw the potential of its indigenous games.

“I am sure a lot of people have doubts, but that is where the opportunity lies,” she said.

“See what the US has done with baseball and American football.”

Later this month a World Kabaddi League will launch, targeting the large Indian diaspora, with a first leg in London followed by stops in the US and Canada among others.

“It is like a kids’ game being played by grown-ups,” 17-yearold American Francis Britschgi, a recent convert, told AFP in Delhi.

“It has all the elements that make for a great spectator sport.”

VOICE OF ASIA 17

LEISURE

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Story Synopsis: Film Review: The Hundred Foot Journey is all “Buno Haansh” - Feature film sugar, no spice in Bengali language Film: The Hundred Foot Journey Direction: Lasse Hallstrom Cast: Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon Rating: 2.5

by Sarit Ray, You know the feeling when you read the ingredients on a menu and think, oh, that sounds exciting.

But when it arrives, it’s underwhelming, and just not an inventive as you’d imagined it’d be.

The Hundred Foot Journey – about India vs France, culinary traditions vs cultural mores and a really good lookthe fairy-tale-ish ing food film. Here’s looking at this Friday’s release -- The Hundred-Foot career of a chef – is Journey. (AP Photo) a lot like that.

On paper, it has a to her sugar. Yes, they represent A scene that’s all knives, serilot going for it. It’s based on a clichés – the uninhibited Orient ous faces and fish heads being cute and popular novel, direc- versus the measured Occident. chopped off has the mood of a tor Lasse Hallstrom has a repu- But they do it so remarkably culinary battlefield, bordering tation for adapting cute and well, you don’t mind it one on pastiche. popular novels, it’s backed by bit. Hallstrom and Spielberg heavyweight producer Steven deserve credit for bringing toIt’s not the elements, but Spielberg, and the casting is a gether such spectacular acting the overall execution where fantasy come true – Om Puri talent. the film suffers. Predictability alongside Helen Mirren. aside, it would have done well But innovation – a word Pretty boy Hassan and his to completely discard, or truncharacters in the movie keeps equally pretty love interest – cate, most of the post-interval stressing on, in context to cook- sous chef Marguerite (Charlotte storyline. ing – is just as important in cin- Le Bon) share a more tepid roema as it is in Michelin-starred mance, in comparison.

Unfortunately, it’s like a meal restaurants. that drags with a few courses The film is spectacularly well too many, with more misses Unfortunately, Chef Hall- shot, as indeed, are most of than hits. (Courtesy: Hindustan strom serves up a dish that’s the director’s previous works. Times) rather predictable. “Food is memory,” the protagonist Hassan (Manish Dayal) says. Hundred Foot…, unfortunately, reminds of an older Hallstrom film – Chocolat.

The setting, again, is a postcard-pretty French village. This time, it’s not chocolate that stirs things up, but the spice-heavy food made by a stereotypically raucous and colourful Indian family.

Amal is a simple man, born into a poor but honest family of Bangladeshi immigrants. He works as a security guard at a mall surrounded by materialism, which is beyond his grasp.

The film shows him at a crossroad of this dichotomy – living the ‘honest’ life and the awareness of a ‘better’ life. His old school friend Robin, entices Amal to explore a lucrative means of livelihood. Seduced by the promise of a better life he becomes a Carrier, finding himself in a glamorous world of lust and greed.

With time he befriends the sensuous, impulsive and confident woman, Rijula, who represents the ‘better’ life, which he is aspiring for. The film follows their dangerous activities from Bangkok to Mumbai as they escape from criminals, developing an unstated relationship.

In sharp contrast to this world is Amal’s close friend Sohag – peaceful and calm. She remains in the dark about his parallel life. But their relationship is so deep that she realizes the truth and suffers silently. They never verbalise their feelings for each other, remaining good friends, as she is a Leukemia patient. Amal wants to earn enough money for her treatment.

Through his actions Amal finds himself alone and trapped. Estranged from his family, Sohag succumbing to her disease and Rijula leaving him to take refuge in Australia, ominous shadows close in on him. The only way out left for Amal, is to pull the trigger and save his life.

Poster of Bano Haansh.

Releasing on Friday, August 15th at the following locations: 1.

AMC Village 7, New York, NY

2.

Regal Commerce Center, North Brunswick, NJ

3.

Big Cinemas Movie City 8, Edison, NJ

4.

Big Cinemas Golf Glen 5 /Moviemax Cinemas, Niles, IL.

5.

Totem Lake Cinema, Kirkland, WA

6.

AMC Mercado 20, Santa Clara, CA

7.

Funasia Richardson, Richardson, TX

Papa Kadam (Puri), after a nomadic drive through Europe with family in tow, sets up a restaurant a hundred feet across the road from Madame Mallory’s (Mirren) one-Michelinstar restaurant.

If the film had focused on the cultural friction, it might have amounted to something. But the conflict is glossed over, or generalised. Hallstrom’s film, as indeed Richard Morais’s bestseller, chooses instead to focus on the meteoric (and incredibly simplistic) rise of Hassan as a chef, from Papa Kadam’s kitchen to that of Mallory’s, to a chic Paris restaurant where food is all molecular gastronomy mumbo-jumbo. Hassan, in effect, is the Sachin Tendulkar of the culinary world, who struggles even less than the Master Blaster.

Yet, The Hundred Foot… is worth watching, if only for the chemistry between Puri and Mirren. He’s the boisterousness to her frigidity, the spice

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VOICE OF ASIA 18

BOLLYWOOD MASALA

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Friday, August 15, 2014

Section 2

Page 18

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Tel: 713-774-5140

Esha Gupta: I owe my Bol- Anjaan, first South Indian film to relywood career to modelling lease worldwide in digital

E

sha Gupta has credited her days in modelling for her stint as an actress in Bollywood.

The Humshakals actress, who started off her career in showbiz as a model, was the showstopper for her designer friend Jyotsna Tiwari on the final day of India Bridal Fashion Week.

“I started my career as a model and if I am standing here as a show-stopper, it is all due to my modelling. It made me an actress and gave me my muchneeded break. I still get nervous when I walk on the ramp and still seek for blessings before starting the catwalk. I owe a lot to it, “ Esha told reporters after the show.

Esha turned a contemporary Christian bride on the ramp.

She completed the look of the bride in a flowy gown and a veil covering her head.

“I am happy to wear such a contemporary wedding gown, which does not make me look sexy. She gave me something which is young and contemporary,” she added.

Asked if she would like to be dressed as a contemporary bride and do a Christian wedding, the 28-year-old actress said, “My mother would kill me if I don’t do Indian traditional wedding and my father wants an Arya Samaj way of wedding. But I have no such plans for next 10

Actor Suriya Sivakumar in a still from Singam 2.

Esha Gupta years.”

shooting in October.

Esha said she is yet to sign something substantial in Bollywood after Sajid Khan’s Humshakals and is currently gearing up for her debut international project which she will start

Jyotsna’s collection was titled Under the Stars, which ranged from pre-draped saris, evening gowns, crafted lehengas to voluminous anarkalis in pastel shades.

Team Singham Returns captured at a promotional event

Anjaan, which is jointly produced by Thiruppathi Brothers and UTV Motion Pictures, is dubbed in Telugu as Sikandar.

“It’s (Anjaan) releasing in about 1,400 screen worldwide.

That’s probably the biggest release for Suriya in his career.

Since the film is releasing in

Tamil as well as Telugu on the same day, it’s opening in maximum number of screens,” said trade analyst Trinath.

Trinath says the film is expected to take the box office by storm.

“Since no other big Tamil or Telugu film is releasing on Friday, Anjaan’ is expected to register record openings.

The film’s trailer and the prebooking have already created enough buzz for audiences to throng to cinemas,” he said Anjaan will also lock horns with Ajay Devgn’s Singham Returns, but it won’t be a battle

to look forward to, says Trinath.

“Suriya’s film will release in maximum number of screens in south India, while Devgn’s Singham Returns will target rest of the country and overseas. I don’t think the two films will compete because they’re focusing on different territories,” he added.

But it’s a coincidence that the real Singam (Suriya) will go head on with Singham.

Suriya’s Anjaan will also be the first south Indian film to release worldwide in digital.

(IANS).

Pay disparity between male, female actors harsh reality: Aditi Rao Hydari

K

areena Kapoor Khan and Ajay Devgn were spotted in Kolkata promoting their forthcoming movie ‘Singham Returns’ on Sunday.

M

UMBAI - Aditi Rao Hydari says the disparity in remuneration of actors and actresses remains a reality in Hindi film industry despite the success of women-oriented films like ‘Queen’ and ‘Bobby Jasoos’.

The actress looked gorgeous as always in an Indian wear she wore for the event. She chose a Myoho by Kiran and Meghna ensemble from their Autumn Winter 2014 collection. The look included a jacket kurta with matching palazzos that she had accessorized with silver jewellery from Aquamarine.

“I don’t really understand why we are paid less than the male actors because we put equal efforts and recent past has shown that actresses can deliver a hit film. We deserve better pay, equal to what actors get,” Aditi told in an interview.

Ajay was his casual self. He chose to go with a brown t-shirt with blue denims.

Kareena, Ajay have previously given hits like ‘Golmaal Returns’, ‘Golmaal 3’, ‘Omkara’ and ‘Satyagraha’, and we are sure ‘Singham Returns’ will be an addition to the list.

CHENNAI - Actor Suriyastarrer Tamil actioner Anjaan, which is releasing Friday, is going to open in a record number of 1,400 cinemas worldwide, making it the biggest release for the actor in his career. The film releases in Tamil as well as Telugu on the same day.

Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor landed in New Delhi for the last leg of their promotions of Singham Returns. (Source: PTI)

Actresses like Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan and Katrina Kaif have been vocal about the issue.

“Hats off to these ladies for speaking about it because I think we need to address this.

I remember in a film of mine, though both my co-star and I were newcomers, he got far better paid than me. I was shocked and appalled. I actually asked him what different are you doing that you are getting better paid!,” the 28-year-old actress said.

Delhi 6 and Rockstar, said it is a refreshing change that more women-oriented films are being made and accepted by the audience.

Aditi, who has been appreciated for her performances in

“Actresses are getting stronger roles but there is a long

Aditi Rao Hydari

way to go before we can say things have improved substantially for female actors. The time is good for us in the industry because people are ready to experiment with subjects and write women-oriented scripts,” Aditi said.

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ENTERTAINMENT

VOICE OF ASIA 19

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Robin Williams’ favorite audience: US soldiers

by Robert MACPHERSON

go, ‘Wow’.”

W

ASHINGTON, August 12, 2014 (AFP) - Few were more stunned and saddened by Robin Williams’ death than the US servicemen and women he loved to entertain, be it on the frontlines or by their hospital beds.

In a way, by performing live before an audience real soldiers, Williams was reprising one of his most memorable characters -- the irreverent US armed forces radio DJ Adrian Cronauer in the 1987 movie “Good Morning, Vietnam.”

The real Cronauer, 75, who lives in southern Virginia, told Washington’s WTOP that director Barry Levinson didn’t want Williams to meet him before the film’s premiere, fearful that it might alter his manic performance.

Williams has taken part in no fewer than six USO entertainment tours since 2002, the military charity said Tuesday, delighting nearly 90,000 troops across 13 countries including Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Robin was a gifted actor and comedian, but he was also a true friend and supporter of our troops,” said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in a statement.

“From entertaining thousands of service men and women in war zones, to his philanthropy that helped veterans struggling with hidden wounds of war, he was a loyal and compassionate advocate for all who serve this nation in uniform.”

His fondness of Americans in uniform was vividly captured in 2012 when an outdoor show at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait was interrupted by the nightly playing of “Retreat” on the base’s sound system.

Up stood the entire audience to solemnly observe the lowering of the US flag. Williams, sporting a ski hat, likewise snapped to attention -- and then, when it was over, he expertly riffed off the moment.

“That’s pretty weird, in the middle of your act, having everybody go ‘ouph!’,” quipped the veteran stand-up comic, spinning 180 degrees on his heels. “It’s like in the middle of sex, going: ‘bye-bye!’.”

“That was after we’d flown all night to Qatar and to Kuwait, hadn’t seen a hotel, really hadn’t

“That was all Robin Williams. All Robin Williams,” he said. “I’m a much more laid back person.”

U.S. troops enjoy Robin Williams’ stand-up comedy during a USO tour stop at Baghdad International Airport in 2003. GETTY IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES.

Following in the footsteps of Bob Hope, whose moralelifting USO shows during the Vietnam War became the stuff of comedy legend, Williams

was among the first USO entertainers to visit American troops in Southwest Asia.

From the 2007 tour, Hanson remembered how Williams -- barely able to speak after a blowing out his voice during an Iraq show -- reluctantly accepted the gift of a St. Christopher medal from a soldier collecting body armor prior to the tour’s departure from Camp Phoenix outside Kabul.

“Robin took it, turned it over in his hands, just studying it,” Hanson told AFP in a telephone interview.

“And Robin said, ‘Wait, you gave me yours, I’ll give you mine,’ and he unbuttoned his shirt and pulled out a large cross,” he said.

“And so they exchanged these bits of protection and each of them felt more powerful than body armor.”

had a chance to clean up,” recalled USO senior vice president John Hanson, who accompanied Williams on that tour.

“Everybody was whipped.

But his good nature was something to watch,” Hanson told AFP in a telephone interview.

Stateside, Williams volunteered for visits to wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed military hospital in Washington. He also shared the bill at a star-studded 2012 Stand Up for Heros gala for disabled veterans in New York.

Humor, he explained backstage at the benefit gig, could be a potent form of therapy for wounded warriors, “part of coming back, of coming home.”

“These guys are incredible -- guys and girls,” he added.

“This is just something that really humbles me, to be in their presence. It kind of makes me

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VOICE OF ASIA 20

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTH

VOICE OF ASIA 21

Friday, August 15, 2014

Section 2

Page 21

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Pioneering new injection to cure heart failure without need for major surgery The technique, which involves a simple injection, could aid the recovery of hundreds of thousands of heart failure patients - and could even consign heart transplants to history.

by Sarah Knapton, Science Correspondent, The Telegraph

cle cells to increase the level of SERCA2a using a harmless engineered virus that will spread in the organ and help repair the damaged muscle so it can pump on its own.

A

pioneering new treatment that allows damaged hearts to recover without the need for major surgery is being trialled by one of Britain’s leading medical institutions.

The technique, which involves a simple injection, could aid the recovery of hundreds of thousands of heart failure patients. Heart transplants could even be consigned to history thanks to a trial by Imperial College, London, which aims to show for the first time that gene therapy could repair failing organs.

Almost 500,000 people in Britain suffer from heart failure, with hundreds of patients requiring new hearts. Around 200 transplants take place in Britain each year. But two out of 10 people will die awaiting an organ due to severe shortages of donors.

The trial involves researchers introducing a gene, created in a laboratory, into heart failure patients to boost the production of a key protein, which they believe will allow the muscle to recover.

Researchers say the treatment could offer a “viable alternative” to transplantation.

The British Heart Foundation, which is funding the trial, said the discovery “offers genuine hope of an effective treatment in the near future”.

Dr Nick Banner, the consultant cardiologist at Harefield Hospital in north London, who carried out the first infusion of the new gene therapy, said: “Advanced heart failure is a progressive condition that results in a poor quality of life

Previous studies have shown that the technique works in animals and on hearts in a laboratory. Now human trials are to begin.

Researchers hope to increase levels of SERCA2a, a protein in heart muscle cells that plays an important role in heart muscle contraction Photo: Alamy and shortened life expectancy.

“The best treatment currently available is a heart transplant but the shortage of donor organs in the UK means that many patients will die on the transplant waiting list. Mechanical pumps can keep some patients alive long enough for a donor heart to become available.

“The rationale for this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a new form of therapy, which might in the future be a viable alternative to transplantation.

“This study will help us better understand whether the concept of repairing a heart with gene therapy might be possible, even in patients with advanced heart failure.” Heart failure usually occurs after damage or disease, and causes the heart to become progressively weaker at pumping blood as its cells become overstressed and begin to malfunction.

It can be brought on by high blood pressure; damage to arteries caused by alcohol or smoking; weak heart muscles

caused by genetic defects; or infections.

In many cases heart failure is caused by damage after a heart attack, where heart muscle and other tissue dies because its blood supply is cut off.

Some patients with advanced heart failure are fitted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), a mechanical pump that supports the failing heart and aims to restore normal blood flow.

The pump moves the blood from the left ventricle into the main artery (the aorta) so it can circulate the oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.

Currently there are about 100 to 150 people in the UK living with a pump but they are heavy and cumbersome and patients struggle to bathe or sleep while wearing the battery packs.

The new therapy is designed to increase levels of SERCA2a, a protein in heart muscle cells that plays an important role in heart muscle contraction.

In the new treatment, genes are pumped into the heart mus-

Two in five Americans at risk from type 2 diabetes: study PARIS, August 12, 2014 (AFP) - Two in five American adults are expected to develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime, according to a study published Tuesday that warned of spiralling health costs as a result.

The risk was even higher for Hispanics and black women, half of whom are expected to develop the disease caused mainly by physical inactivity and excess bodyweight.

The study used data obtained from national population interviews and the death certificates of nearly 600,000 adults.

The lifetime risk of developing type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset or non-insulin dependent diabetes, rose from 20 percent for men and 27 percent for women in 1985-1989 to 40 percent for men and 39 percent for women in 20002011, researchers found.

“The largest increases were

in Hispanic men and women, and non-Hispanic black women, for whom lifetime risk now exceeds 50 percent,” according to the authors of the study in The Lancet medical journal.

Death rates have declined over the same period, however, due to better health care, which meant that people live longer with the disease than before.

“Years spent with diabetes increased by 156 percent in men and 70 percent in women,” said the study.

“As the number of diabetes cases continues to increase and patients live longer, there will be a growing demand for health services and extensive costs,” said author Edward Gregg of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The World Health Organization says 347 million people worldwide have diabetes, which claimed about three mil-

lion lives in 2010.

Ninety percent of those had type 2 diabetes, which the WHO said “is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity”.

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

The team plans to take small biopsy samples of the heart muscle six months after treatment to measure if the gene is present, detectable and functional in the patients’ hearts.

Of the 24 patients enrolled in the study, 16 will be treated with the gene therapy and eight will be treated with a placebo.

“We will be using state-ofthe art methods to gain detailed information on how and where the gene therapy takes effect, which will potentially help us develop and improve the therapy,” said Sian Harding, professor of cardiac pharmacology and head of the British Heart Foundation’s Centre of Regenerative Medicine at Imperial College London.

“It’s important to remember that the therapy is not correcting a gene defect,” Prof Harding added.

“We are working much more downstream, which means that no matter what the cause of the heart failure, the therapy should be equally beneficial for patients whether their heart problems stem from genes, lifestyle or the environment or a mixture of all of these.”

Prof Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the BHF, said: “Heart failure devastates the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the UK. Despite major advances in treating heart attacks, we’re still some way off a treatment that restores function in hearts damaged by one. This cutting-edge trial offers genuine hope of an effective treatment in the near future.” Þ A drug taken by hundreds of thousands of Britons suffering from heart arrhythmia may increase death rates, research

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What is an Annuity?

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n annuity is an insurance product that pays out income, and can be used as part of a retirement strategy. Annuities are a popular choice for investors who want to receive a steady income stream in retirement.

Here’s how an annuity works: you make an investment in the annuity, and it then makes payments to you on a future date or series of dates. The income you receive from an annuity can be doled out monthly, quarterly, annually or even in a lump sum payment.

The size of your payments are determined by a variety of factors, including the length of your payment period.

You can opt to receive payments for the rest of your life, or for a set number of years.

How much you receive depends on whether you opt for a guaranteed payout (fixed annuity) or a payout stream determined by the performance of your annuity’s underlying investments (variable annuity).

While annuities can be useful retirement planning tools, they can also be a not so appropriate investment choice for some people because they may not want to tie up their money for longer term. Anyone who considers an annuity should research it thoroughly first, before deciding whether it’s an appropriate investment for someone in their situation.

Different Types of Annuities: There are two basic types of annuities: deferred and immediate.

With a deferred annuity, your money is invested for a period of time until you are ready to begin taking withdrawals, typically in retirement.

If you opt for an immediate annuity you begin to receive

has suggested. A study of more than 122,000 Americans with atrial fibrillation showed that those given digoxin were 20 per cent more likely to die than patients receiving different treatments.

About 800,000 people in Britain have AF, the most com-

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For example, you might consider purchasing an immediate annuity as you approach retirement age.

The deferred annuity accumulates money while the immediate annuity pays out.

Deferred annuities can also be converted into immediate annuities when the owner wants to start collecting payments.

Within these two categories, annuities can also be either fixed or variable depending on whether the payout is a fixed sum, tied to the performance of the overall market or group of investments, or a combination of the two.

Are There Tax Benefits To Annuities?

Yes. Money that you invest in an annuity grows taxdeferred. When you eventually make withdrawals, the amount you contributed to the annuity is not taxed, but your earnings are taxed at your regular income tax rate.

To Be Continued……

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mon type of arrhythmia and the NHS prescribes around 5 million doses of digoxin each year.

The research, carried out by Stanford University Medical Center, was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves, and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

“Diabetes can be prevented with lifestyle changes,” Lorraine Lipscombe of the University of Toronto wrote in a comment on the study, noting similar trends elsewhere in the developed world.

“Prevention strategies should include optimisation of urban planning, food marketing policies, and work and school environments that enable individuals to make healthier lifestyle choices.”

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VOICE OF ASIA 22

HEALTH, TECH & SCIENCE

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Race on for Ebola drug Apple jobs mostly held by white,

Asian men, diversity report shows

by Brigitte CASTELNAU

P

ARIS, August 11, 2014 (AFP) - As the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history tightens its grip on west Africa, pharmaceutical companies have refocused their quest for a treatment or vaccine.

While several experimental drugs exist, few have moved beyond the stage of animal tests and negotiations are under way to try and fast-track drugs for the haemorrhagic fever that kills up to 90 percent of people it infects.

These are some of the candidate drugs.

VACCINES: A vaccine being developed by British pharma company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) may enter clinical trials to test for safety and efficacy next month, World Health Organisation vaccines head Jean-Marie OkwoBele has told French radio.

He said results may be out by the end of the year, and “since this is an emergency, we can put emergency procedures in place... so that we can have a vaccine available by 2015.”

The GSK vaccine, being developed with backing from the US National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is made of an engineered virus, or vector, containing two non-infectious Ebola genes.

The vector enters individual cells of a patient and stimulate them to create a protein against which the body will mount a defensive immune response.

NIAID director Anthony Fauci told AFP a vaccine “could be available for nursing staff by 2015”.

The NIAID is also supporting the development of another vaccine which its maker, Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Crucell, said “has been shown to completely protect monkeys against the virus with a single dose”.

A Phase I clinical trial with 32 volunteers started in 2006, and showed the drug to be safe at certain doses.

A followup study is planned for late

2015 or early 2016.

American firm Profectus Biosciences has an animal virus-based vaccine in pre-clinical testing, and the Thomas Jefferson University in Pennsylvania is working on a candidate drug based on an established rabies vaccine.

TREATMENTS ZMapp, a cocktail of three antibodies manufactured by Mapp Biopharmaceutical, has been given to two American missionaries and more recently a Spanish priest, all infected with Ebola while working with patients in west Africa.

The Americans were said to have improved, but authorities say it is too early to tell whether this can be ascribed to the experimental drug, which has cured Ebola in mice and primates in tests.

US regulators last week loosened restrictions on another experimental drug, TKM-Ebola from Canadabased Tekmira, which may allow it to be tried on infected patients.

In tests on monkeys the drug, being developed under a $140-million (105-million-euro) contract with the US Department of Defense, provided 100 percent protection against an otherwise lethal dose of Ebola.

Other antiviral candidates include favipiravir, which started out as a flu treatment, and BCX4430 -- a broadspectrum drug whose developers believe it may work against an array of viruses.

Herve Raoul, director of the highsecurity Inserm laboratory in Lyon, said finding an effective antiviral drug was of the highest priority.

A drug that can limit proliferation of the virus within a patient would allow their immune system to recover and make antibodies to fight the infection.

This would reduce the number of people falling severely ill, and create conditions conducive to improving sanitation, which is essential for halting the spread of a virus easily killed by soap and water.

S

AN FRANCISCO - Apple primarily relies on white and Asian men for its top-paying technology jobs, feeding the perception that Silicon Valley’s economic boom is largely excluding women, blacks and Hispanics.

A breakdown released Tuesday

by Apple Inc. showed 54 percent of the company’s technology jobs in the United States are filled by whites and another 23 percent by Asians. Men make up 80 percent of Apple’s technology workforce throughout the world. Apple didn’t provide racial statistics for its global workforce of 98,000 employees.

Apple’s technological tilt toward white and Asian men is similar to situations previously disclosed during the past three months by other major Silicon Valley companies, including Google Inc., Yahoo Inc., Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc. and LinkedIn Corp.

Apple employees walk between buildings on the Apple headquarters campus in Cupertino, Calif. on Aug. 25, 2011. A breakdown released Aug. 12, 2014 by Apple Inc. showed 54 percent of the company’s technology jobs in the U.S. are handled by whites and another 23 percent by Asians. Men make up 80 percent of Apple’s technology workforce worldwide. (Credit: AP / Paul Sakuma)

Apple, the world’s most valuable company, has the largest workforce among that group. A significant chunk of Apple’s $575 billion market value has enriched Apple programmers and other technology workers who received stock options to supplement their salaries, which routinely exceed $100,000 per person annually.

The tech companies have been sharing the demographic data that they compile for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under pressure from the Rev. Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow PUSH coalition.

Jackson has been focusing on the tech companies because the industry has become a catalyst for new jobs and wealth as consumers buy more gadgets and spend more time immersed in digital services.

quite some time to improve them.”

Jackson said he called Cook Tuesday to congratulate him for “stepping up to the plate” to discuss the data.

“It shows his personal commitment and his leadership,” Jackson said in a statement. “I urge him to take further bold steps to make Apple better, and leverage his leadership to make the whole industry better.”

Apple has been an outspoken champion for diversity since Cook succeeded the late Steve Jobs as CEO nearly three years ago. The company has trumpeted the phrase, “Inclusion inspires innovation,” as a rallying cry.

Cook has reinforced that message on his Twitter account during the past two months with periodic posts supporting gay rights in the workplace.

Like its peers, Apple acknowledged its workforce isn’t as diverse as it should be. Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed his disappointment in a letter posted with the company’s data. Lower-level executives of the other tech companies had addressed diversity when they disclosed the compositions of their workforces.

As CEO, Cook also promoted Cuban-American Eddy Cue to Apple’s executive team and hired a woman, Angela Ahrendts, to oversee its stores.

The Cupertino, California-based company also added a second woman, Sue Wagner, to its eight-person board of directors last month. Even with those moves, 72 percent of Apple’s leadership is made up of men.

“Let me say up front: As CEO, I’m not satisfied with the numbers on this page,” Cook wrote. “They’re not new to us, and we’ve been working hard for

Including non-tech jobs, Apple appears to be doing a slightly better job employing blacks and Hispanics than its peers. That may have to do with the

thousands of sales jobs at its 427 stores around the world, including 254 U.S. locations. Overall, 11 percent of the employees in Apple’s U.S. workforce are Hispanic and 7 percent are black.

By comparison, 3 percent of Google’s U.S. workers are Hispanic and 2 percent are black. At Facebook, 4 percent of its U.S. workers are Hispanic and 2 percent are black.

Technology executives generally have traced the scarcity of women, blacks and Hispanics in computer programming and engineering to flaws in the U.S. education system. Apple, Google and others are financing efforts to steer more women and minorities to math and science in high school.

A shortage of qualified women and minority candidates for technology jobs explains some, but not all, of the industry’s bias toward white and Asian men, said Marianne Cooper, a sociologist at Stanford University’s Clayman Institute and author of a new book called “Cut Adrift: Families in Insecure Times.” She thinks most tech companies haven’t done enough to attract women and minorities or make the field more welcoming.

“The tech boom has been something to behold in terms of being an economic engine, but more people need to be brought along that ride,” Cooper said. (AP).

VOICE OF ASIA 23

ONLINE .COM voiceofasiaonline.com

Friday, August 15, 2014

BUSINESS

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Section 2 Page 23

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Tel: 713-774-5140

Donald Trump says optimism With fresh investment, returning to India under Modi BuzzFeed expands anew

M

UMBAI, (AFP) - US property tycoon Donald Trump praised India’s new prime minister on Tuesday, saying foreign investors were returning to the country after years of slowing economic growth.

The developer and television star predicted that “money will pour into India” as he briefed journalists on a new luxury apartment block in Mumbai dubbed “Trump Tower”.

“I have not met him, but your new PM has done a fantastic job of bringing people together,” he told the journalists in India’s financial capital.

Donald Trump AFP News Photo By Punit Paranjpe

Narendra Modi swept to power this year on a pledge to jolt the country from the economic doldrums.

“You can see it in our sales.

We are selling units more than our own expectations.”

He won support from across India and particularly among the young, who were attracted to his record as a businessfriendly administrator during his 13 years running Gujarat as chief minister.

“The perception about India has changed. The optimism is returning,” said Trump.

The building’s promoters say they have sold nearly 100 apartments in the tower, which occupies prime real estate in the city.

“In my opinion, real estate prices in Mumbai are incredibly low because there are so

many other places, cities, countries where you will find prices that are way too high,” said Trump.

With prices that start at 90 million rupees ($1.48 million), the new apartments are way out of the reach of most of the city’s inhabitants, nearly 40 percent of whom live in slums.

Since January, foreign investors have poured $26 billion into Indian debt and equities, more than three times the figure for the same period last year.

The logo of news website BuzzFeed is seen on a computer screen in Washington, DC, on March 25, 2014 (AFP Photo/Nicholas Kamm)

by Rob Lever

W

ASHINGTON, (AFP) - The social news group BuzzFeed unveiled a major new expansion plan, using a fresh infusion of $50 million in venture capital.

Andreessen Horowitz, the big Silicon Valley venture group, announced late Sunday it is investing $50 million in BuzzFeed and that one of its partners, Chris Dixon, will be joining the company’s board.

Details of the investment were not disclosed. But the New York Times reported that the deal values BuzzFeed at some $850 million.

BuzzFeed meanwhile said it would expand in several ways.

Its video division will expand and become “BuzzFeed Motion Pictures,” which will “focus on all moving images from a GIF to feature film and everything in between,” according to a statement Monday.

BuzzFeed’s editorial team will expand to cover more breaking news, and will double the number of foreign correspondents.

BuzzFeed said it will also launch a test kitchen and food lab in Manhattan “to create more original lifestyle content.”

BuzzFeed International will create news sites to India, Germany, Mexico and Japan this year, in addition to the French, Spanish and Portuguese editions announced last year.

“We created BuzzFeed because people still want to be informed, entertained, and inspired but the way they consume media has dramatically shifted,” said BuzzFeed founder and chief executive Jonah Peretti.

“Today we think the time is perfect to grow our company, build our brand and greatly increase the content we are producing so we can be the number one digital media brand.

The investment from Andreessen Horowitz will allow us to double down on our company’s mission by creating a new organization and expand rapidly in all areas.”

- A serious news organization Dixon said on his blog that BuzzFeed is growing into a more serious news organization following its debut focusing on offbeat and oddball coverage.

“BuzzFeed started out focusing on lightweight content like memes, lists, funny photos, etc,” Dixon said.

“This led some industry observers to dismiss BuzzFeed as a ‘toy.’ The company has since moved steadily up mar-

ket, following the typical path of disruptive technologies. It now has an editorial staff of over 200 people covering a wide range of topics -- politics, sports, business, entertainment, travel, etc -- and plans to invest significantly more in highquality content in the coming years.”

Dixon added that BuzzFeed “is a media company in the same sense that Tesla is a car company, Uber is a taxi company, or Netflix is a streaming movie company... The most interesting tech companies aren’t trying to sell software to other companies. They are trying to reshape industries from top to bottom.”

Andreessen Horowitz’s Marc Andreessen also touted the merits of BuzzFeed in a series of tweets.

“BuzzFeed has technology at its core. Its 100+ person tech team has created world-class systems... Engineers are first class citizens,” he wrote.

“And then on top of its technology core, BuzzFeed’s reporting team is now routinely committing breathtaking investigative journalism...”

According to Dixon, “BuzzFeed now reaches over 150 million people per month, is consistently profitable, and will generate triple digit millions in revenues this year.”

US job openings hit 13-year high SYDNEY / MELBOURNE

W

ASHINGTON, (AFP) - The number of US job openings hit a 13-year high in June and more workers quit their jobs, pointing to a tightening labor market, Labor Department data showed Tuesday.

Nonfarm job openings in the private and public sectors rose to 4.7 million on the last business day of June, from 4.6 million in May. That was the largest number of openings since February 2001, and increases were seen across the entire country. Job openings have trended upward since January by an average of 159,000 a month.

In June, the ratio of openings to employment rose a tenth point to 3.3 percent, according to the department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover (JOLTS) report.

A total of 2.53 million people quit a job in June, up from 2.49 million in May. Quits generally indicate workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs, a positive sign for the labor market.

But the quit rate stood at 1.8 percent of total employment for the fifth consecutive month in June.

Total separations, or turnover, which includes quits, layoffs, discharges and other forms of separations, such as retirement and disability, rose to 4.55 million in June from 4.53 million in May. Hiring meanwhile increased by 92,000 jobs to 4.83 million.

“Quits are creeping higher, though like hires, they are not back to where they were prior to the start of the Great Recession,” said Marisa Di Natale of Moody’s Analytics.

The JOLTS report added

fresh evidence of a firming labor market. Initial unemployment claims, a sign of the pace of layoffs, have trended lower, bringing the four-week moving average to its lowest level since February 2006.

The US economy has added more than 200,000 jobs per month from February through July, the first time since 1997 the economy has generated that many for six months straight.

The Federal Reserve says that despite the sharp fall in the unemployment rate to 6.2 percent, there remains significant slack that has left far too many Americans without jobs.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen, in testimony to Congress in midJuly, said the central bank could hike its key interest rate sooner than the current forecast for the second half of 2015 if the job market continues to make solid improvement.

BUSINESS

VOICE OF ASIA 24

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

US says Kerry broke no sanctions on Myanmar hotel you need to do more to reform, I think that makes the case much more clearly than where the secretary sleeps,” she said.

US relations with Myanmar have warmed dramatically since

the former military dictatorship embarked on democratic reforms several years ago.

The United States has lifted most sanctions but keeps in place restrictions aimed at ele-

ments of the powerful army.

Zaw Zaw is considered wellconnected with the military, which abruptly moved the national capital out of Myanmar’s largest city Yangon in 2005 and built the new city.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gestures as he speaks to the media during a press conference at the conclusion of the AUSMIN talks at Admiralty House in Sydney, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2014. Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel are meeting with their Australian counterparts at the annual Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN), which will focus on regional security and enhanced military co-operation. (AP Photo/Dan Himbrechts, Pool)

W

ASHINGTON, August 12, 2014 (AFP) - The United States said Tuesday that Secretary of State John Kerry technically abided his own government’s laws after he stayed in Myanmar at a hotel owned by a sanctioned tycoon.

Myanmar, the host of talks this week among Southeast Asian foreign ministers in its showcase capital Naypyidaw, put up Kerry and his entourage at the Lake Garden hotel, which

is owned by tycoon Zaw Zaw’s Max Myanmar Group.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said that Kerry was assigned the hotel

by Myanmar’s foreign ministry and that, while Zaw Zaw himself was blacklisted, US law does not prohibit Americans from staying at accommodation owned by sanctioned companies.

“You can stay at this hotel no matter who you are, you just

can’t do business with it. So if you wanted to sell them towels, you could not do that. But you could stay there,” Harf explained.

Harf insisted that the choice of hotel did not conflict with the US push for Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, to do more on human rights.

“When the secretary of state and President (Barack) Obama sit in Burma with Burmese leaders directly to their face and say,

India June industry output grows at surprisingly slow 3.4%

N

EW DELHI, - India said Tuesday industrial output expanded by an unexpectedly slow 3.4 percent in June from a year earlier while inflation accelerated, dimming prospects of a quick economic recovery.

The growth in output by India’s mines, factories and utilities marked the third straight month of industrial expansion in Asia’s third-largest economy.

But the 3.4-percent annual growth in June undershot market forecasts of a 5.2-percent rise and was lower than the 4.7 percent increase logged in May. In other bad news for the new right-wing government, hoping to steer the country out of its longest period of sub-five percent growth in a quarter-century,

consumer price inflation also picked up pace.

Consumer prices rose 7.96 percent in July from a year earlier, far above the six-percent target set by the hawkish central bank and exceeding the previous month’s revised 7.46-percent rise.

The higher-than-expected consumer inflation means that the central bank will have less room to ease high interest rates to spur economic growth.

The economy grew by 4.7 percent in the financial year to March 2014, its second consecutive year of sub-five-percent growth.

The Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that took

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power in late May has been hoping to see “green shoots” of recovery.

Modi won the biggest parliamentary majority in three decades after campaigning on a platform to revive the economy.

Some economists have warned that it will take time for companies to ramp up expansion plans and for consumers to regain confidence.

Still, economists are hoping that an upturn in the global economy will create more demand for Indian exports.

Modi also has been seeking to sweep away bureaucratic and other hurdles to foreign investment that is urgently needed to upgrade dilapidated ports, roads and other infrastructure.

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VOICE OF ASIA 25

SOUTH ASIA/US

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

What Can India and Pakistan Returns rhetorical fire after criticism from India Other Not-So-Major Powers Do as China Rises and the U.S. Pivots?

by Qasim Nauman (WSJ)

by Niharika Mandhana That’s the question that Rory Medcalf and C. Raja Mohan ask in a new paper published

by Australia’s Lowy Institute for International Policy.

The answer, they argue, is that the “powers in the middle” – India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and others – can shape their own security future by forging closer defense and strategic ties among themselves.

Their analysis rests on two assumptions. First, China’s rise is inevitable and unlikely to be peaceful, as evidenced by its growing military strength and rash of maritime disputes with its neighbors.

Second, the authors argue, Washington’s commitment to the region is far from reliable.

Despite the U.S.’s planned pivot, it remains distracted by volatility in the Middle East and new challenges by Russia.

Instead of waiting and watching to see how China-U.S. relations evolve, the authors offer a different policy prescription: “middle power coalitions.”

By this, they mean numerous, flexible, overlapping partnerships. What would that look like on the ground? Middle powers getting together more often in combinations of two, three or more for security dialogues, intelligence exchanges, technology sharing, maritime surveillance cooperation, naval exercises and arms deals.

The authors – who are from two middle power nations, Australia and India – say these coalitions could create “regional resilience against the vagaries of US-China relations.”

They draw up a number of possible scenarios including an all-out war between China and the U.S., a Cold War-like situation, or a formula of accommodation between the two. They

also look at the possibility of a Sino-centric Asian order.

Whatever the course, none bodes well for the middle powers, the authors contend. In a Cold War-like situation, for instance, smaller powers would be pressured to pick sides. If the major powers cut a deal, it “would involve Washington ceding additional space and role for Beijing in the management of the regional order,” an arrangement that would irk the middle players.

“It is difficult to imagine a large and workable Chinese sphere of influence in Asia that did not challenge the interests, security and dignity of other substantial countries, such as Japan, India or Vietnam, and was not accordingly resisted by them,” the article says.

So, the authors conclude, middle powers ought to be more proactive. Greater cooperation among them is less likely to raise hackles in China, which is allergic to U.S.-led activities and alliances it sees as efforts to contain Beijing’s rise.

It would also have greater political acceptability in traditionally non-aligned countries like India where closer ties with the U.S. invariably cause a stir.

This is already happening to a degree. In the last decade, India has deepened its strategic partnerships with a number of Asian countries. Last week, an Indian warship exercised with the Vietnamese navy in the South China Sea and IndoJapan defense relations are expected to deepen.

But can this plan work? Middle power coalitions are generally more favorable to the U.S. and are largely complimentary to Washington’s strategies in the region. China could call the bluff and, as the authors acknowledge, see them as an extension of U.S. strategy.

The bigger issue is that in the event of a flashpoint, the middle

Pakistan Wednesday rejected Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s accusation that Islamabad was supporting terrorism as “baseless rhetoric,” signaling a possible cooling of relations between the two nucleararmed neighbors.

“The press reports of Indian accusations, at the highest political level, are most unfortunate, especially as the leadership of Pakistan wishes to establish good neighborly relations with India,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Mr. Modi said on Tuesday that Pakistan was fighting a proxy war in India by supporting terrorism. He was speaking to soldiers in the divided and disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Relations between the two countries hit their lowest point in a decade after the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, in which militants from Pakistan killed over 160 people. India has since linked any improvement in ties to Islamabad trying and punishing members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani militant group accused of carrying out the Mumbai attacks.

This position was reiterated in May by Mr. Modi, on his first day in office, when he met Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in New Delhi. Mr. Sharif was in India to attend Mr. Mo-

players are unlikely to stand up to China or take on major risks to defend their partners. The analysis grants, for instance, that it is difficult to imagine India being willing to assist Japan militarily if Tokyo goes to war with China over disputed islands, given India’s own border tensions and economic ties with China.

Still, the article says, the coalitions could emphasize a multi-polar Asia and help middle powers create more room to influence the bigwigs as they shape the region’s future. (SOURCE: Wall Street Journal)

di’s swearing-in ceremony, and the conciliatory tone of the visit raised hopes that ties will improve. The premiers wrote to each other in June, expressing their hope to work together for better relations.

Indian officials and politicians have accused Pakistan of using militant proxies against India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has denied supporting militant groups and says it is committed to peaceful ties with India.

“It would be in the larger interest of the regional peace that instead of engaging in a blame game, the two countries should focus on resolving all issues through dialogue and work together to promote friendly and cooperative relations,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The foreign ministry also said that Pakistan’s armed forces “remain ready to defend the country’s borders and thwart any threat of aggression.” Mr. Modi said during his Kash-

mir visit on Tuesday that “the neighboring country has lost the strength to fight a conventional war.”

Pakistan and India have fought three wars since becoming independent countries in 1947. They also engaged in a limited conflict in the Kargil area of Jammu and Kashmir in 1999, which left hundreds dead on both sides. Despite a 2003 ceasefire, Pakistani and Indian troops regularly exchange fire along the volatile boundary between their parts of Kashmir.

Youngest Astrologer of North America Astrologer, Vaastu & Gem Stone Consultant

“HARDIK VYAS” Astrologer Hardik Vyas, a famous young face in Vedic Astrology from India is available in Houston. Call for guidance on Health, Wealth, Education, Career, Business, Property, Love & Passion, Marriage & Compatibility, HoroscopeMaking, Child Problem, Luck & Fortune, Peace & Prosperity, Karma & Economical Sources.

Vaastushastra, the ancient science of land.

Fix and appointment for personal visit to your home, plot, business/office, shop, factory, and hotel. To gain peace of mind and prosperity, by doing little changes as per Vaastu Shastra. Simple, Easy, Scientific & Affordable solutions/remedies to overcome problems in your Horoscope and Vaastu.

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5 7 Shani

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9R

4 Mn, Gu

3K 2 1

Su, Bu

10 Mang

12V Kindly Note: Astrology & VaastuShastra are 11

Science of Nature, not related with any religion, caste, or community. It is an Occult Science and gift of nature for the welfare of people to get proper advice.

We Speak in English, Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi languages.

Listen to me live on Sound Asia 10.50AM Radio

E-mail: askfuture@hotmail.com • Ph: 832-298-9950

www.toaskfuture.com

HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 26

FRIDAY, August 15, 2014

Your Horoscope for the Week of August 15, 2014 READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

by Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April You’ll feel unusually popular & could start to feel more comfortable with who you are. Your natural charm & wit will be extremely sharp. Let an assuring tone of voice and sincere facial expressions take the place of a complex vocabulary. You want people to believe you as well as understand you. The facts will speak for themselves. Clashes with others, especially over money, behavior and/or discipline are likely as your nerves may be ‘shot’ and your fuse a bit short, possibly.

New routine that has you completely out of mind. News and gossip fall quickly on hungry ears. Whether you play the hero or the fool, everyone will know about it. It doesn’t matter who started the whole thing. The Golden Rule has never looked more attractive. Don’t make any promises that you can’t deliver. You’ll need to relax yourself with comforting activities. Massages, bubble baths or a good aerobic workout may be just what the doctor ordered.

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May

Scorpio (N,Y)23 Oct to 21 Nov

Positive surge in your social and personal life. Friendships come in many strange flavors. Seek out the company of people who will tolerate you for who and what you are. You’ll accumulate personal power in some unexpected places. You may have been feeling a little down in the dumps lately. Events that happen this week, will now renew your old spirit & confidence, to make you feel on top of the world. Don’t go overboard on the celebrating, you need to get your beauty rest.

You may almost feel as if you are reliving a dream or a past experience. Realize that things go around in a circle, sometimes. You subconscious can open new doors of discovery. Take the time to educate yourself on the fundamentals of meditation & you’ll find more enjoyment in your spiritual side. Speak your mind, especially to people who tend to pick on the weak or sick. You don’t yet have to choose between right and wrong, but that day will come, soon enough. Sleep on it, and listen to your dreams.

Sagittarius (BH,F,DH,TH) 22 Nov to 21 Dec

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Change of pace that will help you to deal with deep matters you have on your mind.

You may have felt a little like a balloon, lately, getting ready to burst. Don’t sweat it!

Delegate some of those tasks to others while maintaining the overall control of things.

Relax and enjoy the scenery, while you contemplate your next move or direction. Feel confident in your ability to organize & get the job done effectively. You know some secrets to getting the job done with a minimum of effort on your part.

You may notice a tendency to lose patience with anyone who distracts you. Rebels would do well to hide behind the rules. The odds of a risky venture are running against you this week. By giving the forbidden a rest, you ensure that it will be even more exciting next time you decide to venture your luck. Love and camaraderie could be enhanced by time spent apart. Team players get to gauge their own worth as solo artists. Spend the latter part of your week acting entirely out of self-interest.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Need for co-operation from co-workers, peers and family. You may find that you’ll gain more respect once you reach over to mend the fence that has been broken. Your sharp tongue can sometimes get you into trouble, tone down your emotions & present the situation a little more objectively. No need to let other walk all over you, but you must acknowledge their perspective. The square peg just can’t fit into the round hole. . If you are unable to obtain the respect you need, you may need to relocate to a place where people will accept you as you are.

Get past the immediate & to visualize your true goals. You shouldn’t bring your job home with you. You may need the time to reflect on events in your personal life. The joke may have gone too far. Either others can’t follow your thinking or they’re just not interested in participating. Be direct about your opinions, but be careful of the impression that you leave behind. Your name could be mentioned for the wrong reasons. Realize that life’s to short to waste on trivialities & gossip.

Aquarius (G,S,SH) 21 Jan to 19 Feb

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August Exciting news or opportunities from far away. If you have been searching for a new job or career, someone may have put in a good word for you. You may receive a fax or email requesting additional information about yourself, your education & your past experiences. Enjoy the attention, be confident in who you are & where you are going.

Be sure to take your time to examine all of your possible options. As they say, “All that glitters is not necessarily gold”.

Sort of sadness of something passing or leaving. Your outburst surprises an associate who has never seen this side of you. Spontaneity drives you careening along a series of existing channels. Now that you know what’s possible, do what’s necessary. Be it in your professional or personal life, you’ll feel a significant loss. Bring with you an optimism in future endeavors. Instead of losing a best friend, you’ll really be gaining new allies. A new network of contacts will provide you with all the work & pleasure you need.

Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 March

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Keen sense of loyalty & true understanding of others. You understand what makes people tick. Speak your mind & don’t back down, you need to make a stand. Friends may not be as forthcoming to your cause as you would like them to be. They may still need your shoulder to lean on. Listen to their excuses or reasons for their behavior, but don’t give into their logic for it. You know how to be supportive but you cannot continue to support everyone. Once you make that clear, you’ll learn a lesson you’ll never forget. People are just people, they are only human & their emotions can sometimes rule their actions.

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Memories of days gone by & hopes for new celebrations of joy. You have family gatherings to plan. Reflect on times when life was simpler & family values were followed. Take the time to include everyone close to you to participate. Your effort will mean a lot to someone special in your life. Others tend to learn from your example. If your actions & habits reflect a healthy lifestyle, you’ll influence & encourage others to take a closer look at their own situation. You’ll be able to accomplish tedious tasks you’ve been putting off, lately. Sometimes simpler is better, especially when it comes to matters of the heart.

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