Voice of Asia E-paper December 28, 2018

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Vol. 32 No. 51 • FRIDAY, December 28, 2018 Published Weekly from Houston 24 Pages (2 sections) 50 cents 713-774-5140 • E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com

US-India ties described in glowing terms at farewell for Indian Ambassador Navtej Sarna

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t a farewell gala held Dec. 13, for the outgoing Indian Ambassador to India Navtej Sarna, diplomats from both countries praised the Trump administration and the state of bilateral relations.

In an extraordinary move and to showcase the strength of the ties that bind the two countries, the farewell was hosted by the State Department at Blair House, opposite the White House, a residence reserved for heads of state during visits to this country.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice Wells told the gathering President Trump calls India a “true friend,” and pointed to the two years during which the “IndoPacific” region was renamed, And Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “has characterized the U.S.-India bilateral relationship as one deeply bound

India's Ambassador to the U.S. Navtej Singh Sarna, right, his wife Dr. Avina Sarna, center, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Alice Wells, at a farewell reception hosted in Ambassador Sarna's honor at the historic Blair House, the President's official guest house, in Washington, D.C., Dec. 13. (Photo credit: Embassy of India)

Ambassador Navtej Sarna invited his Consuls General to attend his Farewell Reception and the traditional farewell reception for departing Ambassadors, hosted by US Chief of Protocol at Blair House, the US President's Guest House. (Photo: Tweeter/@cgihou) by our shared values,” Wells is quoted saying in news reports, at the event attended by top White House and State Department officials.

Sarna, who took over as Ambassador November 2016, ends an illustrious 38-year foreign service career with his posting in Washington.

Both Wells and Sarna dwelt on the accomplishments of the past two years, the highlight of which was the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi; as well as the inauguration of the new 2+2 Dialogue on security and strategic priorities.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla appointed Ambassador of India to USA

Continued on Page 4

3 teen siblings from Telangana die in fire at US home, 2 days before Christmas The Indian teens were studying at the French Camp Academy in Mississippi.

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ASHINGTON — (PTI) Three Indian teenaged siblings were among four people killed in a fire during Christmas celebrations at a house in the US state of Tennessee, according to media reports.

Christmas with three teenagers attending an Academy here in the States. The Naik family are missionaries in India that our church supports,” the church said.

The Coudriets were hosting the Naik family for the holidays.

The fire killed a woman and three Indian teens from Telangana who were staying with her family through the holidays in a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, the USA Today reported.

“Kari Coudriet - of Collierville, Tennessee - as well as Sharron, 17, Joy, 15, and Aaron, 14 - teen siblings of the Naik family from India all died in the fire,” the paper reported, citing a statement issued by the Coudriet’s church, Collierville Bible Church.

“A fire started around 11

Kari’s husband Danny and their son Cole were able to make it out of the home. Both are expected to survive, the paper said.

Collierville fire: Sharron, Joy and Aaron, 14 are siblings from Telangana. (Photo: Town Of French Camp, MS/Facebook) o’clock pm at the Coudriet home (on December 23). The

Coudriet family was hosting, housing, and celebrating

Harsh V Shringla. (Photo: Facebook)

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hringla, a 1984-batch IFS officer, will succeed Navtej Sarna who is retiring. In the course of his long diplomatic career, Shringla has served the country in various capacities, including as the Indian Ambassador to Thailand.

“At this time, we are asking for privacy and discretion regarding the Missionary children. The family is in route from India and many of the details of the events are still being communicated to the family, the church said.

Statesman News Service | New Delhi | December 20, 2018- In key appointments in the External Affairs Ministry, seasoned diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who is currently India’s envoy to Bangladesh, was on Thursday appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the United States.

Continued on Page 4

Shringla, a 1984-batch IFS officer, will succeed Navtej

Sarna who is retiring. In the course of his long diplomatic career, Shringla has served the country in various capacities, including as the Indian Ambassador to Thailand.

Another senior diplomat Riva Ganguly Das, presently Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), will replace Shringla in Dhaka as India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Tanmaya Lal was appointed as the High Commissioner to Mauritius and Mohinder Pratap Singh as the envoy to Mongolia.

Ashok Kumar was named as the envoy to Djibouti and TC Barupal as the Ambassador to Guinea.

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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by Sreeram Chaulia

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

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

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resident Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to withdraw all US troops from Syria and pare them down by half in Afghanistan is a double whammy by a populist politician who could not care less for America’s superpower status or its global alliance systems.

Visit www.

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The post-American world is here, this is what countries must do now curity forces are suffering record casualties, cannot hang on to its shrinking territorial control, leave along reverse the Taliban’s momentum. President Ashraf Ghani will find the terms of a peace settlement with the Taliban loaded in the latter’s favour, which essentially means a Pakistani-dictated future for Afghanistan.

It is a wake-up call to partners around the world who used to depend on the US to fend for themselves and find new means of protecting their interests.

Politics over Policy Only a radical isolationalist like Trump could have rebuffed the long-held consensus within the US establishment in favour of sustained American military presence in hotspots.

By calling it quits in Syria and winding down forces in Afghanistan, Trump is channelling the average American Joe and Jane. White working-class voters, to whom Trump feels answerable, do not see sense in the liberal American approach of maintaining costly overseas military commitments, bases and security alliances.

Massive American geopolitical power projection to prevent the rise of regional hegemons in the Middle East, East Asia or Europe is a bewildering phenomenon to ordinary Americans. Western strategic pundits and allies tout a globally engaged US posture as necessary for maintaining international stability. But Trump and his upstart base believe it is a wasteful and elitist pursuit which diverts precious resources from economic problems at home.

The US president’s remark that America cannot afford to remain the “policeman of the Middle East” sums up his disdain for mainstream establishment thinking represented by figures like Defence Secretary Jim Mattis. His ignominious resignation marks the exit of the “system” that failed to tame Trump’s prioritising of shortterm politics over longhorizon

Getty Images/Ringer illustration

policy.

The clash between strategic globalists like Mattis and Trump’s iconoclastic nativism reflects a broader polarisation and breakdown within American society. Democracies are to some extent always internally conflicted on foreign policy.

But the degree of disorganisation and lack of basic consensus on what constitutes core US national interests are so full-blown under Trump that he is overseeing a veritable civil war.

Positioning the Winners If Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are exulting at the divided and chaotic condition the US has descended into since Trump’s advent, they have good reasons. The anarchy in Washington enables the preservation of their own spheres of influence in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Putin’s comment that Trump has “done the right thing” in Syria reveals who the real winner is in the endgame there.

Likewise, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan, which chafed at US military presences in their backyards as hindrances to

their expansion, are breathing easier. These countries have small imperialistic ambitions in their immediate neighbourhoods and are delighted at Trump’s “bring back the troops come what way” swagger.

If all 2,000 American soldiers depart Syria, the main gainers will be Turkey and Iran. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can contain the USallied but oft-jilted Kurds, and Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran can extend a “land corridor” to the Mediterranean Sea via Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. The Islamic State or ISIS might regain a toehold after the US withdrawal and amid the melee among regional actors.

But Trump is adamant that the resurgence of ISIS can be left to its “local enemies” and that US cannot be “doing their work”.

Trump’s “come home and rebuild” message is also good news for Pakistan in the Afghan context. If American forces in Afghanistan are cut from 14,000 to 7,000, the Pakistan-sponsored Taliban will encounter less resistance on the battlefield.

The Afghan state, whose se-

Countries that welcome refugees and immigrants are happier

by Megan A. Carney

Voice of Asia (USPS 010-215) (ISSN#10705058) is published every Friday (for a subscription rate of $50 per year) by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074.

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FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

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he Department of Health and Human Services recently reported that nearly 15,000 children are being held in immigrant detention centers across the United States. Most, if not all of these children are asylum-seekers, fleeing conditions of abject violence and poverty in their home countries. Regardless of one’s outlook on immigration, it is hard not to feel extremely saddened at the thought of so many children locked up, away from their loved ones and dur-

ing the holiday season no less.

It is even harder to fathom how this present scenario is making anyone happy. Imagine being separated from your family this holiday season.

Recent research shows that societies more open and welcoming to refugees and immigrants experience much higher happiness gains. Based on the findings of their research, the Migration Policy Institute concluded that “policies that contribute to migrant happiness are likely to create a win-win situation for both immigrants

and natives.” In other words, both native- and foreign-born populations fare better in terms of overall happiness — also referred to as subjective wellbeing in the social sciences — when given a policy and social environment that accepts and promotes immigration.

Conversely, oppressive or negative attitudes toward immigrants and refugees are associated with declines in subjective well-being. Findings from a recent survey of 27 nations by the Pew Research Center suggest that many people

In light of the cascading effects of Trump’s abandonment of the historic American role as an arbiter, the onus is on negatively affected countries to regroup. India cannot expect a Trump-led US to be the ultimate backstop against the collapse of the Afghan state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi should enter into a deep huddle with Putin and Xi to try and save Afghanistan from complete Talibanisation using all means, including a possible military force through the Russia-India-China (RIC) mechanism or via the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

If Trump is leaving South and Central Asia high and dry, we have to find substitute regional arrangements for their stabilisation.

The same holds for Israel, which is finding itself alone and forsaken by Trump in Syria. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no choice but to look for novel understandings with Turkey or even do a deal with Iran itself, which he has thus far painted as a demonic threat.

Trump’s mercurial populism is removing the US as a factor in crucial conflict zones. The ensuing power vacuums have to be filled. We are truly entering a “post-American world” and astute players must restrategise to take advantage of it.

The writer is the Dean at Jindal School of International Affairs. (-Economic Times)

worldwide oppose immigration. That’s (potentially) a lot of unhappy people.

As the end of the year draws to a close, many of us exchange gifts because we think it will bring some shred of happiness.

In our quest to spread this joy and bring more of it into our lives, perhaps this year more of us can act more humanely and compassionately toward refugees, asylum-seekers, immigrants, and other displaced persons who comprise an evergrowing segment of the global population.

The writer is assistant professor in the School of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. (-TheHill.com)

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VOICE OF ASIA 3

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Community Email: voiceasia@aol.com

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Tel: 713-774-5140

Sri Ayyappa Mandala Pooja at Sri Meenakshi Temple

Sri Ayyappa adorned or the puja st Sri Meenakshi temple.

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s the very first Shakthi Temple outside India, and the earliest one to install an Ayyappa Sannidhi, Sri Meenakshi temple has also gained the privilege of building the Holy Eighteen Steps – the sacred Pathinettampadi - offering its Sri Sastha devotees a hallowed opportunity to observe all the authentic Pooja traditions of Sabarimala, without even leaving the city of Houston.

Perhaps no other concept of Divinity exemplifies the ‘Tattwamasi’ or ‘Thou Art That’’ hypothesis of ‘Advaita’ philosophy, that everything is an infinitesimal extension of the Ultimate Consciousness. Even Sri Ayyappa devotees are elevated to

the level of divinity, calling each other ‘Ayyappa’, transcending the notion of ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, ‘I am the Ultimate Reality’.

Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, is situated on a 3000 feet hilltop in the state of Kerala. Millions of devotees undertake their pilgrimage during the Makaravilakku in the month of January, making it one of the most active pilgrimage sites in the world. Sri Ayyappa of Sabarimala is consecrated and invoked as a Naishtika Brahmachari, a celibate forever, in total control of his senses and detached from worldly life, utilizing all his power to a higher level.

The devotees observe

Devotees gather around the priest offering aarti during the puja. the obligatory penance, ‘Vritham’ for 41 days, during the Mandala Pooja time, starting from around mid-November, the day on which Sri Ayyappa was born, and lasting till the end of December. The devotees wear a garland, the mala, made of Tulsi or Rudraksham beads guided by the Guru in the environs of a temple. During the Vritham, the devotees surrender to Sri Ayyappa, leading the life of an ascetic, taking bath early in the morning, praying and offering poojas, following strict sattvic vegetarianism, avoiding sensual pleasures and offering themselves to the service of others. At the conclusion of the 41-day Vritham, under the guidance of the Guru, they

perform the Kettunira, preparing the sanctified travel kit termed Irumudi Kettu, a twin pack, the front one, munmudi containing offerings to Sri Ayyappa and the Pinmudi with items for the devotee’s personal needs.

Every Ayyappa devotee, before he reaches the Sanctum Sanctorum, has to lay his footsteps over and climb the sacred 18 steps, the Pathinettampadi. The 18 Holy steps in Sabarimala symbolize the five sense organs or Panchenrdriyas, the eight passions, the three Gunas and the last two being Vidya or knowledge and Avidya or ignorance.

By climbing the eighteen steps the devotee is getting detached from all the

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above-mentioned worldly ties and ego, thus qualifying to attain the divine premise.

Sri Meenakshi Temple inaugurated this year’s Mandala Pooja with the Sapta Sudhi Pooja on November 16th and would culminate on December 27th. On the fourteenth of January, the festival of Makaravilakku Pooja on Makar Sankranthi would be performed, coinciding with the major annual celebration at Sabarimala.

All devotees are invited to attend the Mandala Pooja performed by priest Sri Parameswaran adhering to all the authentic traditions of Sabarimala and let the blessings of Sri Ayyappa be showered upon you.

The 18 Holy steps in Sabarimala.

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VOICE OF ASIA 4

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

"India, My Sacred Land" – Where Balavihar students and saints came together!

by Radhika Nair

‘awesome,’or simply judging India by its outward gildings, struck a chord and often won plenty of laughs from the audience.

Photo Credits: Jay Mistry and Nilesh Shah

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rom apprehension to appreciation, an Indian American teenager’s gradual change of heart towards India was the premise of a captivating play performed on December 8th 2018, at Chinmaya Prabha Houston. In a compelling narrative of a few of India’s saints, 115 Balavihar children worked in harmony with live orchestra, modern technology, and visual effects to fly us across space and time to “India, My Sacred Land."

The play draws inspiration from Acharya Darshana Nanavaty's sixth grade curriculum book, "India, The Sacred Land.” The common notion that saints are only ascetics living in solitude was systematically corrected as each act unfolded the story of a special saint who influenced the society of that time. After paying

An IT-focused audio-visual team tied everything together brilliantly.

Awe-inspiring, larger-than-life images and animations burst out from the massive LED-lit backdrop.

It drew the audience into the inner sanctum of temples, allowed access into the most important of Shivaji’s courtrooms and even took viewers to the Chicago Parliament of World Religions assembly of 1893.

The most impressive achievement is the diverse age range of the performers from as little as pre-K to twelfth grade.

These artists kept the packed hall riveted to their seats. To come across an occasion where people from age two to ninety two can all thoroughly enjoy an evening together is rare.

“India, My Sacred Land” is a true testimony to the devoted teamwork of all the volunteer

Balavihar children enacting lives of saints.

Brilliant IT graphics adding color to the talented Balavihar children.

Raising the consciousness of India's sacred past. homage to the Chinmaya Guru Parampara, children embodied the spirits of Samartha Ramdas, the inspirational guru of Emperor Chatrapathi Shivaji and of the melodiously devotional Mirabai, the princess saint of Mewad. They portrayed Purandaradasa, the miserly diamond merchant who turned into a devoted musical saint; they made us revere the

values that Kabirdas lived and mesmerized us with the power of the faith of Soordas, the blind poet-saint. They highlighted the great humility of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and the missionary zeal of his disciple Swami Vivekananda–well remembered for his revolutionary address at the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago. For the duration

of the play, those performing were not just children but truly a representation of the saints themselves, worthy of respect and attention.

The bhajans and musical accompaniment of the live orchestra trained by Smt. Jamuna Murali and her team elevated the performance. Singers, tabla players, cellists, violin-

3 teen siblings from Telangana die in US fire...

Continued from page 1 The Indian teens were studying at the French Camp Academy in Mississippi.

The academy said it was “deeply saddened by the tragic event” in Collierville. “We are fervently praying for the families involved,” it added.

Keith Potts, who has known the Coudriet family for about four years, said the Naik teens were attending school in Mississippi. When the school closed for winter break, the students could not go home to India so the Coudriets invited them to stay in their home.

Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner said the tragedy is still under investigation.

went up really, really fast,” localmemphis.com quoted a neighbour as saying.

“They’re still looking at what the cause of it (fire) was,” he said. “I was told when they arrived they did not hear any smoke alarms going off... so you just never know.”

“It was just frantic trying to figure out how many people were in the house; I knew there were multiple kids there,” Symons said.

Collierville Fire Chief Mark King said the first floor of the house had no working smoke detectors. The second floor, which is where all four rooms were, only had one smoke detector that went off.

“It was chaotic The house

As he tried to assist before fire trucks arrived, Symons saw two people make it out: 13-year-old Cole - who jumped out of a window - and his father, Danny.

“He was covered head to toe in black,” Symons was quoted by the website as saying.

U.S.-India ties 'glowing'...

Continued from Page 1 “Under your leadership in our countries have negotiated and finalized a landmark communications compatibility and security agreement, which makes our military cooperation more profound and advanced. We have also taken significant steps to build on India’s status as a US major defense partner, including elevating India to strategic trade

authorization, tier one status,” Wells is quoted saying in a Financial Express news report.

She also praised Sarna for engaging the 3-million strong Indian-American community in the U.S., to strengthen relations.

Sarna noted that the “personal chemistry” between Modi and President Donald Trump “were so strong” and “so, so evident,” resulting in the joint statement which would set the chart for bilateral relations in coming months

“We have found a huge amount of understanding for our political space, for our strategic autonomy, for the needs of our economy, for our role, for our taking into account our art history and our regional position vis a vis several other countries,” Sarna is quoted saying, adding that the two countries had found ways to serve their own national interests and still grow the relationship.

-News India Times

ists, and pianists musically showcased the mood in every scene. Characters like the naughty mice, the perplexed disciple, and the enlightened masters were enlivened by creative sound effects that were mischievous, amusing, and deeply soulful respectively.

Make-up and costumes for the 115 performers – for royalty, saints, peasants and devotees who all spanned different cen-

turies, were breathtakingly realistic and true to character.

groups of Chinmaya Mission Houston.

While the play was written entirely in English, the clever script by the Balavihar play coordinators moved seamlessly between traditional and contemporary styles of speech.

Relatable snippets of a young boy complaining about bedtime, referring to a saint as

For more information on Chinmaya Mission Houston and its activities visit www. chinmayahouston.org or reach Jay Deshmukh 832-541-0059 or or Bharati Sutaria 281933-0233 or better still, stop

by Chinmaya Prabha, 10353, Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX77498.

Dr. Syamal Poddar 2018 Elected Chair of AIChE Fellows Council New Chair invites upcoming generation of chemical engineers to join path of future leaders of the institute

by Pramod Kulkarni

H

OUSTON – A 40year member of the AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers), Dr. Syamal Poddar has been elected Chair of AIChE’s Fellows Council for 2018. Dr. Poddar served as the Chair Elect in 2017.

Dr. Poddar has progressed through the ranks of AiChE during his 40-year career as a chemical engineer from regular member to Senior Member to, most recently, as an Emeritus Member. Along the way, through his recognized contributions to the chemical engineering profession via industrial and academic engagements, Dr. Poddar was elected a Fellow of the institute about 20 years ago. Based on his commitments and passion to closely work with his peers as a team, he was elected to the Fellows Council of the Institute a few years ago.

Dr. Poddar has demonstrated a keen interest to create a pool of young professionals with the potential to become future leaders of the Institute which is over 60,000-strong.

It is the global home of chemical engineers. As the institute celebrates its 110 years of prolonged and effective existence, Dr. Poddar has steered the Fellows Council to create diversity and inclusion by nominating and encouraging new Fellows to be proactive in impacting society at large.

“I’ve been involved with AiChE’s Doing A World of Good since its inception about five years ago,” revealed Dr. Poddar. Together with his wife, Dr. Susmita Poddar, Dr. Syamal Poddar has made and continues to make donations to the institute’s Foundation. Jointly,

Dr. Syamal Poddar with the plaque presented to him in appreciation of his contributions as the 2018 Chair of Fellows Council. they have reached the highest level of recognized donor.

He is an active member of the Foundation Board of Trustees of the Institute. This husband wife team has also been recognized by the Institute as Philanthropist of the year for two consecutive years, 2016 and 2017. His volunteer contribution touched the Institute’s largest local section, South Texas section, as the elected Chairman for 2016.

“I believe it is essential to attract a new generation of chemical engineer volunteers to the Institute to continue the process of positively impacting society at large and help the underprivileged by opening the door for them via mentoring with passion and en-

couragement,” said Dr. Poddar.

Dr. Poddar believes in the true meaning of volunteerism whereby one does volunteer projects without expecting anything in return. Besides the professional organizations, he has all along been engaged with social organizations as well. He was the elected Chair of Indian Culture Center of Clearlake (ICCL Clear Lake) in 1991and later as the Chief Trustee of its Board of Trustees. During his tenure as the Chair, ICCL organization achieved phenomenal, growth-oriented transformation.

With a patron status, Dr. Poddar supports two key organizations: Asia Society of Texas and Space Center of Houston.

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Fort Bend View

VOICE OF ASIA 5

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

Section 1

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

FBISD seeks community feedback regarding attendance boundary options for Elementary 51 Balancing of HS enrollment in the SE portion of the District needed?

F

ORT BEND – Fort Bend ISD appreciates the response received from community members who have participated in the attendance boundary planning process to date – whether through attendance boundary focus groups or by attending recent community information meetings. The District is currently in the feedback stage of the process and invites the community to weigh in on the options that that were presented to the community during the week of December 10.

about the boundary planning process.

You will find presentations regarding: Boundary options for Elementary 51 (in the northwest portion of the District) Boundary options for balancing high school enrollment in the southeast portion of the District (which involves Elkins, Hightower, Marshall, Ridge Point, Willowridge and associated feeder schools) - Provide feedback through online surveys -

District to accept community feedback through January 5, 2019 If you missed the opportunity to hear attendance boundary presentations during the recent information meetings, you can visit the FBISD website at www.fortbendisd.com/ boundaryplanning to view online presentations that were shared during community meetings and learn more

After viewing the attendance boundary presentations, please take a moment to complete the online surveys regarding the boundary options.

The District is looking for detailed feedback regarding the attendance boundary options.

The surveys will ask community

T

FBISD filed a motion asking a judge to overturn his November order appointing Richmond attorney Michael Elliott as a special independent investigator to the oversee the case.

The district claims his role is not necessary.

FBISD wants the judge to allow the district to rebury the remains elsewhere so construction can continue on the new technical center at Chatham Avenue and University Boulevard in Sugar Land. The district is constructing the James Reese Career and Technical Center, a $58 million state-ofthe-art career and technology center that was approved by voters as part of a 2014 bond program.

"The center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2019. It will offer advanced courses providing career opportunities in agriculture and natural resources, architecture and construction, arts and audio video communications, culinary arts, cosmetology, education and training, information technology, law and public safety, manufacturing, transportation and logistics. Students will have access to dual credit courses and multiple opportunities to earn industry certifications while completing coursework at the center," the district said.

Associate Judge John Hawkins ordered the remains to be exhumed

Texas law requires that the remains be reburied in a county, municipal or perpetual care cemetery.

"In October, the district and the city of Sugar Land agreed to a final resting place for the remains at the Old Imperial Prison Farm Cemetery, an existing city-owned and maintained cemetery that has a shared history with the land where the remains were discovered.

Both the Texas Historical and Fort Bend County Historical commissions participated in the planning discussion and supported the District’s plan," the district said.

"I'm going to try to see that justice gets done in this case, whatever that may be," Elliott said after the hearing.

Community activists who attended today's hearing said they believe FBISD is trying to silence its critics.

"They want to maintain that masterslave relationship from 150 years ago and deny what the judge has ordered, allowing people to have a say, so who have an interest in this case," said Kofi

Sugar Land Police warn shoppers of 'juggers' The crime of jugging doesn't just involve banks.

Police warn shoppers after Christmas to be watchful.

- Presentations to the School Board During the January Board meeting, District staff will present recommendations regarding ES 51 and an update on balancing of high school enrollment to the Board. At the February meeting, staff will provide an update and present recommendations regarding boundary options for balancing of high school enrollment in the southeast portion of the District.

The judge is expected to rule on the motion in the next few days.

this past June. A team of archaeologists hired by the district exhumed the remains of 95 individuals over a four-month period. The remains are currently being kept in storage boxes awaiting reburial.

Tel: 713-774-5140

The boundary presentations and feedback surveys will be available online at www.fortbendisd.com/boundaryplanning through January 5, 2019.

FBISD staff will study and consider the feedback from the community and possibly refine options further based on community feedback.

Taharka, of the National Black United Front.

he legal battle over the remains of former slaves forced into convict labor camps that were discovered last February on a Fort Bend Independent School District construction site headed back to court Tuesday morning.

members to provide their level of support for each option as a package, as well as its component parts. Staff will study and consider all feedback to further refine options for presentation to the Board for consideration in early 2019.

Court hearing held over remains of former slaves on Fort Bend ISD construction site

by Syan Rhodes

"If the court does not allow the bodies to be reburied at the cityowned cemetery, the center would have to be redesigned to a different area of the property. The cost to construct the redesigned center would add an additional estimated $18 million in costs to the $58 million bond project, which could push the project an estimated $25 million over budget," the district said.

Fort Bend ISD released the following response to last Tuesday's hearing: "Our District has a responsibility to our students, taxpayers, and the citizens who voted in support of this project to avoid the continuing delay and economic harm being caused to the taxpayers,” said FBISD Board President Jason Burdine. “The District and the City of Sugar Land reached an agreement to bury the remains in a city-owned cemetery in October.

"The only hold up now is that we need approval from the court. Further delay will leave the remains without a final resting place and will add millions of dollars of unbudgeted costs to the project. The District’s mission is to educate students. It is legally prohibited from operating a cemetery and we need the court to approve the plan to rebury the remains at the city cemetery without further delay.”

- KPRC Houston

Many times a thief will watch parking lots and then follow their victim to another location to steal the valuables from their car.

S

UGAR LAND — Sugar Land Police are warning last minute shoppers to keep a watchful eye when they are on the road to make sure they are not being followed. In recent months, police agencies have reported a spike in a type of thievery known as jugging.

The crime of jugging is usually committed by more than one person, and is common after a customer leave a bank with a large amount of cash, only to be robbed at gunpoint or have their vehicle broken into for the cash.

However, jugging doesn't just happen at banks. Thieves watch parking

lots for large purchases too.

Police warn if you are planning on making a large purchase , such as electronics, phones, computers, etc, to please consider making it the last stop on your shopping trip and taking that purchase directly home.

Many times a thief will watch parking lots and then follow their victim to another location to steal the from their car.

Pay attention and keep your head on a swivel. If you see something or someone suspicious, call SLPD immediately via the non-emergency line: 281-275-2020.

Brawner to seek re-election for Katy Mayor

by George Slaughter

K

ATY - Mayor Chuck Brawner announced Thursday that he would be seeking a second term as mayor.

“Serving Katy has been a distinct honor and I would be humbled to serve one more term to complete the work we have begun together,” Brawner said in a news release. “The families of Katy were at the center of my campaign when I ran for mayor and our Katy families remain the center of my re-election campaign to keep Katy on the right track.”

Brawner, a former mayor pro tem and Ward A city council member, will face retiring Police Chief Bill Hastings for the seat. Hastings on Thursday announced his intentions to run for mayor.

Brawner defeated Hill Adams, an insurance executive and former council member, to win the seat in 2017.

A significant part of the progress made since Brawner’s election has been in fighting flooding. Plans were in the works when Hurricane Harvey hit in the fall of 2017. Brawner worked with emergency management crews, police and fire, the Texas National Guard and elected officials from around the area to rescue and protect as many Katy citizens as possible.

Brawner has worked with U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, whose district in-

cludes much of Katy, and others to work to protect Katy for the long term in Harvey’s aftermath, such as exploring solutions to secure the Cypress Watershed and calling for more efforts to unite in the region to prevent flooding of Katy.

The work to fix the drainage challenges for the city of Katy continues and Brawner has instituted more accountability with the contractors to get the job done on time or pay penalties.

“Katy families and residents have suffered from flooding for far too long,” Brawner said in the news release. “When I was elected, fighting flooding was one of my top priorities and will continue to be. We are finding solutions with our neighboring counties to work together to protect families from devastating floods. We are pushing for improved drainage and street repair for our neighborhoods.

We have brought more life-saving equipment into Katy should we get hit again and we have helped folks across Katy rebuild after Harvey.”

In addition to the mayor’s race, a Ward A and Ward B council seat are also up for election. The Ward A incumbent, Frank Carroll, was appointed to the seat earlier this year and is expected to run. The Ward B incumbent, Jimmy Mendez, will step down due to term limits.

The election is in May 2019.

- Katy News

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2019

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VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Simple Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season

Dr. Meenakshi Bhattacharjee Rice University, Houston TX Dr. Meenakshi Bhattacharjee

F

or many people, that festive season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day represents fun, family, friends, and gifts. There’s much to love about this time of year, but let’s face it: The holidays can really wreak havoc on our well-being. Stress can lower the immune system, caloriefilled treats can challenge the waistline, and slippery sidewalks can lead to nasty falls.

Not to worry: With a little navigation you can slide through the next few weeks unscathed and with holiday spirit intact..

But with so much to celebrate and so many things to do, you may find yourself making unhealthy choices. Over indulging in meals, skipping physical activity, and letting stress get out of control can put a strain on your heart, sometimes leading to serious problems.

Let shopping at Malls be like a workout. Got some athleisure in your closet? Put it on, dressy sneaks included. Then, instead of cruising the parking lot, looking for a place that’s close to the store, go to the back, that way you’ll get more activity, and your car is less likely to get dinged. Once inside, purposely walk to the anchor stores at both ends. You’ll get where you’re going twice as fast.

Back away from the Cinnabons. Food courts are filled with all kinds of calorie-laden stuff. How to resist temptation? For starters, don’t go to the mall on an empty stomach.

“And have a few snacks in your purse or pocket to munch on along the way, eat it along with a piece of fruit, such as a juicy apple, for hydration.

When Outdoors Embrace the brisk temps!

Exposure to natural light can increase levels of the chemical serotonin to lift your mood and ward off depression.

Find time to exercise. Pressed for time? Studies show that 10 to 15 even five-minute spurts of exercise throughout the day will have health benefits, especially if it adds up to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommendation of 75 to 150 minutes a week. And yes, you can go at a moderate pace. Brisk walking around your neighborhood in,

say, two 15-minute segments a day still cuts things like your risk of high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.

Walk vertically. Falls, especially on icy surfaces in the winter season, are the most frequent cause of injury for seniors. Simple falls that may cause a knee bruise in a 20-year-old can easily result in a broken wrist or hip in older adults. When you have to walk across slippery surfaces, a waddling gait can help to improve stability by keeping your center of gravity over your front leg.

Take shorter, shuffling steps with a flat foot, keep the feet pointed slightly outward.

Building up your core strength will also help improve your balance

Stars of vegan duo Bosh! share their tips on how to adopt a plant-based lifestyle in 2019

slow down alcohol consumption and helps rehydrate the body. In addition, it provides a respite from the constant onslaught of incoming calories.

Carefully asses the buffet table. Before putting anything on your plate, survey all of the options. Choose one or two completely worth-it splurge foods and try to balance them with other light, healthy choices, like cut veggies and shrimp cocktail.

While at Home Eating a rainbow of veggies?

Getting enough snooze time?

D r e s s s m a r t l y.

The right clothes will add an extra layer of protection. Smart drink choices, calorie wise Consider a Nice start. Now add this advice thick, puffy down coat that will help cush- to your feel-good list of things ion potential falls. Keep your to do at home this time of year. hands free: If you start to fall, Pop a prebiotic. Seventy you’ll need them to brace yourself. Invest in a toasty pair of percent of our immune system gloves, so you don’t have to is in our gut. Studies suggest shove your hands in your pock- prebiotics, found in fiber-rich ets to keep them warm. The foods, feed the different strains shoes you wear can also make of good bacteria in your gut to a big difference in improv- maintain a healthy and diverse ing friction with the ground. bacterial balance. Foods that Choose shoes with rubber, slip- will give you the right mix of microbes: veggies (artichokes, resistant soles. asparagus, leeks, and onions), fruit (berries and bananas), While attending a party whole grains (oatmeal and Eat before the party. Fast- flaxseed), and legumes (lentils, ing before a holiday dinner chickpeas, or just about any can backfire. Do not save up kind of bean). calories as that’s a recipe for Take time to relax. weight gain. Eat regular, or smaller, meals before any feast.

Holiday stress can put a At dinner, start with a salad or a broth-based soup, or a few strain on your body, causing glasses of water. All have been your heart to beat faster and shown to naturally help reduce making your blood pressure go up. Remember that it’s overall calorie intake. okay to skip a party or activity Drink wisely. Smart drink if you already have something choices, calorie wise, include planned or need to get some champagne, a light beer, a rest. Take 20 minutes each day single serving of wine, or a to do something you enjoy, mixed drink that doesn't have a like reading, knitting, or just bunch of added sugar Alternate sitting in a quiet room. And, between an alcoholic beverage it’s hard to enjoy the holidays and a tall glass of water, spar- if you’re exhausted, so make kling or otherwise. This helps sure you get plenty of sleep.

Vegan mushroom Wellington by Bosh! (© BOSH! by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby)

C

hickpeas, cashew nuts, and "magic dust." Those are some of the must-have staples beginner vegans should always have on hand, according to the duo behind Bosh! who run the largest plant-based recipe channel on Facebook.

Just a few years ago, veganism was seen by many as a fringe dietary lifestyle. But the environmental, health -- and for some, the moral -- imperative for reducing the world's meat intake is inspiring more and more carnivores to wean themselves off resource-intensive red meat, and adopt a plant-based lifestyle.

And thanks to the growing movement of vegan influencers and social media stars like Henry Firth and Ian Theasby of Bosh.TV, veganism is no longer as daunting as it perhaps once was.

Several days a week, Bosh.

TV's 1.8 million Facebook fans tune in for new vegan recipe videos -- short one-totwo-minute instructional videos shot overhead, BuzzFeed Tasty-style.

The British duo have been called the "Vegan Jamie Olivers" of the UK and their first cookbook "BOSH!: Simple Recipes. Amazing Food. All Plants" became the fastest-selling and first-ever vegan cookbook to top the bestseller charts in the UK following its release this past spring.

For consumers looking to cut their meat intake or go meatfree in 2019, Firth and Theasby offer a few tips on how to make a smooth transition.

Q: What are some of your top tips on adopting a plant-based lifestyle?

A: Do your research There are so many amazing vegan recipes out there.

Chances are, whatever your favorite meaty dish is, there is a vegan alternative. In our BOSH! cookbook, we have a tofu fish & chips, a portobello mushroom burger, buffalo cauliflower wings, fish pie...You definitely won't feel like you're missing out on anything with

Vegan stars Ian Theasby (L) and Henry Firth (R) of Bosh! (© Bosh!) meals like ours!

- Eat the rainbow It's surprisingly easy to lead an unhealthy vegan lifestyle, consisting of chips and pasta!

That's why we always say to eat the rainbow. Make your dishes as colorful as possible by filing them with lots of different veggies so you're getting all the right nutrients.

- Preparation You can pick up ingredients for our recipes from your corner shop, but it's always good to have a well-stocked cupboard.

Whether you're a meat eater, a flexitarian, vegetarian or a vegan, our recipes are for everyone. We want to make simple, tasty food that everyone enjoys.

Q: What are some common myths you'd like to debunk about going vegan?

A: One of the biggest misconceptions about being vegan is that you only eat salads and veggies. There are loads of brilliant resources out there to help you make great food.

People are often surprised at how hearty and satisfying our dishes are, so don't be afraid to experiment with new ingredients...Once you've tasted how good they are, you won't want any meat to go with it. Whereas if you are eating salads or pasta every day, you are going to get bored pretty quick.

Q: What are the pantry and fridge staples you should always have on hand?

Chickpeas are a definite!

They are incredibly versatile.

You can pop them in a curry or make falafel. But you may be surprised to know that the liquid in the can (called aquafaba) is a brilliant alternative to egg whites. You can use it to make meringues or mousse.

Cashew nuts. Cashews can be used for so many different things. You can make a ranch sauce to go with some cauliflower buffalo wings, or you can soak them, whizz them up and make cashew cream.

Mushrooms! They are so versatile and a brilliant alternative to meat. We use them to make our Ultimate Chilli and Bolognese. But what may be slightly out of the usual is that we use portobello mushrooms to make burgers, king oyster mushrooms to make mushroom scallops, a mix of different mushrooms to make a Creamy Seaside Pie. They soak up all the flavor and add a nice, meaty texture for all the people out there that miss meat.

Nutritional Yeast. We call this "magic dust." It's amazing.

It can add a nutty, cheesy taste and is also a great source of vitamin B12.

Q: What are some of the changes people can expect after going vegan?

A: When we went vegan, we saw so many health benefits.

We found our hair grew thicker, we lost excess weight, we were sleeping better and woke up feeling fresher.

- Relaxnews

On behalf of Sarah and Commissioner - Elect Ken DeMerchant, we would like to thank you for your continuous support.

Happy Holidays!

I want to wish everybody a Happy Holiday Season!

Harry Patel

Mediator - Harris County DRC CBA CTRS CFE CFLC CCFA EA ATP-TAX Fellow-NTPI & ABFA - Forensic Expert

Houston, Texas

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

VOICE OF ASIA 7

Americans flock to find roots under the Christmas tree

T

his Christmas, many Americans will find the gifts under their tree may lead to a longlost relative or a map of ancestral migrations. Or perhaps the discovery that their father is not who they think he is.

Sales of DNA testing kits are booming, as citizens in a country founded by immigrants explore their genetic origins in record numbers.

"There were definitely surprises," said Flora Bertrand, 40, who gave her husband one of the kits, ordered online for under $100.

The kits contain a plastic tube which the user spits into and ships back to the company lab. About a month later, the results are available online at a personalized site.

That normally features a map of the world showing the customer the regions of the world their ancestors hail from, and what percentage of their DNA comes from there.

Flora's husband, who lives in Brooklyn but is originally from Trinidad and Tobago, was unable to trace his family ancestry back more than a few generations because they had been victims of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

"The biggest shock was how much European he had," she said. "Eighteen percent British and one percent Irish."

- Booming business Millions of Americans have joined the search for their ancestors.

The market for DNA tests "has exponentially grown since 2017 and I would not be surprised if the market has doubled over the past year," said Heather Zierhut, assistant professor of genetics at the University of Minnesota.

This Christmas, the dozen or so companies offering test kits are redoubling their efforts with promotions and marketing drives that feature heartwarming tales of people finding unknown relatives or unexpected roots.

One example is a 69-year-old woman who found her 88-year-old biological mother, who had always thought her daughter had died shortly after being born.

"Genetic testing for ancestry looks at hundreds of thousands of our three

Regularly weighing yourself at home is one way to avoid weight gain over the holiday period according to new research. (Š stevecoleimages/Istock.com) This illustrative photograph shows a saliva collection kit for DNA testing displayed in the arms of a Santa Claus doll in Washington, DC on December 19, 2018. Sales of DNA testing kits are booming in the United States. (Š ERIC BARADAT / AFP) billion DNA 'letters' and compares an individual's genetic data to that of databases of populations of people from different parts of the world," said Zierhut.

"The companies can also compare overall how much of your DNA is shared with other people who have taken the test," she said.

The two leading companies in the field, AncestryDNA and 23andMe, have carried out tests on 15 million people between them.

"In the 2017 holiday season, we sold 400,000 DNA kits," said Rafi Mendelsohn, spokesman for MyHeritage, whose sales leapt from $60 million in 2016 to $133 million a year later.

"We're planning on doubling our sales in Christmas 2018 versus 2017," said David Nicholson, co-founder of Living DNA, which offers its services in 90 countries.

- Stocking shockers Nevertheless, "DNA tests are absolutely not always the best gift for Christmas," warned Maarten Larmu-

seau, a researcher in genetic genealogy at University of Leuven in Belgium.

First of all, the results can be disappointing and vary from one test to the next because they depend so heavily on the database used for comparisons.

Secondly, participants are often "totally unaware that unexpected or sensitive results are always possible and might be delivered just by the click of a button," he said.

"I often receive emails or phone calls from people who found out that their father or grandfather is not their biological father or grandfather, or that they have unexpectedly a half-brother or half-sister," he said.

"These persons receive these lifechanging and often traumatic results without any psychological assistance," said Larmuseau, noting with disapproval that the tests can also be carried out on children and babies.

He warned that an ancestry DNA test can become "a paternity test in disguise."

- AFP

New study reveals simple ways to avoid weight gain this holiday season

N

ew UK research has revealed some simple tips to help prevent weight gain over the festive period, including regular weighing and being aware of how much activity is needed to burn off those extra Christmas calories.

Carried out by researchers at the University of Birmingham's Institute of Applied Health Research and the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, the new trial study recruited 272 adults with an average age of 44 and within a range of different weight categories, as measured by body mass index (BMI).

Participants were randomly divided into two groups and took part in the study for an average of 45 days.

The weight gain intervention group was encouraged to take note of their weight at least twice a week and received tips on weight management and a list of "activity equivalent"

calorie information of festive foods and drinks. For example, the calories in a mince pie require 21 minutes of running, and a small glass of mulled wine requires 33 minutes of walking to expend.

Participants in this group were also set a goal to gain no more than 0.5 kg of their weight at the start of the study.

The other participants were placed in a control group which received a healthy living leaflet with no dietary advice.

Assessments were carried out at the start of the study, before Christmas in 2016 and 2017, with follow-up assessments carried out in January.

The findings, published in the Christmas issue of The BMJ, showed that on average, while participants in the comparison group gained some weight over Christmas period, participants in the weight gain intervention group did not.

- Relaxnews

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VOICE OF ASIA 8

From U.S. suburbs, 'friends of Modi' set to blitz India with calls in re-election drive

by Alexandra Ulmer

C

LARKSBURG, Maryland - On a chilly Sunday morning in this quiet American suburb, IT consultant Madhu Bellam scoured a spreadsheet with contact details for over 1,500 Indian voters. He punched numbers into his phone and rang his hometown of Hyderabad, a tech hub in southern India about 8,800 miles away.

Bellam emigrated to the United States around two decades ago, and then renounced his Indian passport to became an American in 2011. He now runs his own tech consultancy.

But the 47 year-old, convinced that the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will unlock India’s economic potential, is part of an army of activists seeking to propel Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a second term in next year’s general election, due to be held by May. “I am requesting you to vote for BJP and spread the word in the constituency,” Bellam says in his phone calls to people in India whose numbers were provided to him by the party.

He then extols Modi’s policies, including his flagship “Make in India” plan.

Bellam and fellow BJP supporters also lobby their own networks in India, calling acquaintances, cousins and old schoolmates with the same message.

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The U.S. chapter of the Overseas Friends of the BJP has some 4,000 members, although its president Krishna Reddy estimates the broader network includes up to 300,000 supporters. Many cannot travel home to vote, so ardent BJP backers

Madhu Bellam, a member of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), calls potential voters in Hyderabad, India, from his home in Clarksburg, Maryland, U.S., December 2, 2018. (Photo: REUTERS/ Alexandra Ulmer) are channeling their energy into phone campaigns and a blitz of social media messages to people in India.

To be sure, this kind of campaigning may only have a modest impact on the nearly 900 million voters in India, where hot-button issues center on a lack of jobs for young people and distress in heartland farming states because of low crop prices.

Vijay Chauthaiwale, the head of the BJP’s foreign affairs cell, said Modi supporters in 20 countries will be helping out in the campaign. Besides the United States, these include Britain, Canada, Australia and parts of Africa, where there are large Indian communities.

But Indian-Americans, who number around four million, have perhaps the most influence. As one of the most educated and prosperous minorities in the United States, the community is admired in India - an asset the BJP has seized on.

“They are shocked to be getting a call from the United States,” Bellam said of the people he phones. “We call some

rural people too. They look at us as very successful people, so that’s the good thing for us to convince them. They think that we speak the truth.”

U.S.-based BJP supporters said they back Modi because they believe he is ushering in policies that will turn India, already the world’s fastestgrowing large economy, into a powerhouse.

But identity politics also help explain BJP success overseas.

U.S.-based supporters often have roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist group that is the ideological parent of the BJP. Also helping Modi, who governed the western state of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, is the large Gujarati community in the United States.

Modi moved to the federal government after winning the general election in 2014 with a thumping majority, when he was widely supported by the Indian diaspora overseas.

Although he remains popular and is largely expected to win another five-year term, the 2019 election will likely be

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Kavita Devi ready to become first female WWE champion from India

K

avita Devi became the first Indian woman to sign up for the WWE last year. But a lot has changed since then for the 32-year-old from Haryana, who underwent training to become a professional wrestler under the guidance of ‘The Great Khali’ at his training academy in Punjab.

Last year, Devi scripted history when she became the first Indian women to step into the WWE ring in her debut at the inaugural Mae Young Classic.

In 2018, she also competed on WWE’s biggest stage during the Women’s Battle Royal at WrestleMania in New Orleans.

Now Devi is ready to make the big leap and become the first champion from India.

“Ever since I joined the WWE’s Performance Center it has a been a big learning curve. From taking part in the Mae Young Classic to meeting other athletes from around the world, it has helped me evolve as a person and an athlete at the same time. Things are definitely looking up and this year

tougher, with some voters feeling let down by his campaign promise of “development for all.”

But there is no indication that the enthusiasm of Modi’s overseas supporters has waned.

From his sofa in Maryland, Bellam was trying to woo voters ahead of local elections this month, in which the BJP lost control of three major heartland states to the opposition Congress party. But he and other Modi supporters already have their sights set on the general election.

U.S. supporters will likely make around 500,000 calls next year, according to Reddy, the president of the group.

Members will target India’s biggest states and their own hometowns, given they can campaign in the local language

Kavita Devi's road to the top has been fraught with several obstacles and overcoming the language barrier is something that the mother of two had to deal with from the start. (Photo: WWE) has been a step forward,” Devi says.

However, the road to the top has been fraught with several obstacles and overcoming the language barrier is something that the mother of two had to deal with from the start. “At the start when I went to USA it was a big problem. For example, if I had to buy a thing from the grocery store I would hesitate to talk, thinking what to say. But

later on, I started taking English classes and slowly got acclimatized to the surroundings and picked up the language. I was afraid that I would speak wrong English and felt shy. But those around me gave me confidence and encouraged me to keep trying.”

So come 2019, Devi is all set to take her game to the next level.

- Indian Express

and have a good grasp of community issues.

emigres as the “backbone” of India.

Devesh Kapur, a political scientist at John Hopkins University who has written two books on Indian-Americans, said calls from the United States are unlikely to change voters’ minds but they could help rally support.

For the 2019 election, members are asked to support Congress on social media and speak to friends and family back home - but not to call voters, said Sam Pitroda, the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress Department.

“My impression is that their effect is at the margin, and more on turnout rather than changing voting preferences per se,” said Kapur.

“I am not going to force you.

I am not going to tell you: ‘I’m great and successful, listen to me.’... How can I tell some poor little farmer that I am successful?” said Pitroda, who was an adviser to then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the 1980s and now lives in Chicago.

Amid the buzz around the BJP abroad, the Congress party, which ruled India for most of its post-independence era after 1947, is trying to drum up support from the diaspora, too.

During a tour of the United States last year, Congress president Rahul Gandhi praised

“All you can tell them is: Do you believe in freedom? Do you believe in inclusion? Then the Congress party is the party you want to vote for.”

- Reuters

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VOICE OF ASIA 9

ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 10

Prayers, fear in tsunamistruck Indonesian towns as toll tops 400

by Harry Pearl

C

ARITA, Indonesia | AFP | Tuesday 12/25/2018 - A small Christmas service was held near a stretch of Indonesia's tsunami-struck coastline Tuesday, as panicked residents in one coastal town tried to flee after rumours spread that another deadly wave was about to smash into the coast. man inspects his house damage at a tsunami-ravaged village in Sumur, Indonesia. The Christmas holiday was somber with prayers for tsunami victims in the Indonesian region hit by waves that struck without warning Saturday night. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Thousands more have been displaced, with many left homeless after houses were flattened by the killer wave.

"I'm scared because my home is right near the beach."

"We have less medicine than usual ... It's not healthy here for evacuees."

The powerful tsunami struck at night and without warning, sweeping over popular beaches on southern Sumatra and the western edge of Java and inundating tourist hotels and coastal settlements.

The latest death toll stood at 429, with 1,485 people injured and another 154 still missing.

Indonesia is a Muslim majority nation but has a Christian minority, with services held Tuesday to celebrate Christmas -- and pray for those affected by the deadly tsunami.

Dozens attended a sombre service at the Rahmat Carita Pentecostal church near one of the worst-hit areas.

"This Christmas is different because we're celebrating it during a disaster," congregant Eliza told AFP. "For me, it's a chance to contemplate."

- Scared to go home Experts have warned that more deadly waves could slam the stricken region now covered by mountains of overturned cars, boats, furniture and other debris.

Many evacuees are too afraid to go home.

"I've been here three days," said Neng Sumarni, 40, who was sleeping with her three children and husband on the

school's floor with some three dozen others.

Authorities are using sniffer dogs to try to find any survivors and victims' bodies, while they have turned to drones to survey the devastated coastlines.

Abu Salim, with volunteer disaster aid group Tagana, said aid workers were scrambling to stabilise the situation by setting up public kitchens and tents for shelter. "(People) still don't have access to running water," he told AFP. "There are many evacuees who fled to higher ground and we still can't reach them."

In shattered Way Muli village on Sumatra, Udin Ahok was coming to grips with the horrible choice he was forced to make: save his wife or his mother and baby.

When the tsunami slammed into his house, the panicked Ahok fought to reach his sleeping 70-year-old mother and one-year-old son but then he saw his wife about to drown in the swirling waters. He plucked her to safety.

His mother and baby were found dead under mountains of debris.

"I didn't have time to save my mother and son," the weeping 46-year-old told AFP from a shelter in one of the stricken region's hardest-hit areas.

"I regret it so much. I can only hope they've been given a place in God's hands."

- 'I can't rebuild' Across the Sunda Strait in Java island, Saki stood amid the rubble of what was once Sumber Jaya village and wondered aloud how he would get his life back on track.

"I can't rebuild, everything is gone -- my clothes, my mon-

ey," said the 60-year-old, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

Officials say the evidence suggested that an eruption of the rumbling Anak Krakatoa volcano, which sits in the middle of the Strait, caused a section of the crater to collapse and slide into the ocean, triggering the tsunami.

Anak Krakatoa is an island that emerged around 1928 in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people.

Unlike those caused by earthquakes, which usually trigger alert systems, volcano-triggered tsunamis give authorities very little time to warn residents of the impending threat.

Indonesia's disaster agency initially said there was no tsunami threat at all, even as the killer wave crashed ashore.

It was later forced to issue a correction and an apology as it pointed to a lack of early warning systems for the high death toll.

"The lack of a tsunami early warning system caused a lot of victims because people did not have the time to evacuate," agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said Monday.

The Krakatoa Observatory, which is monitoring the crater, warned that volcanic activity was still high.

"There is still a strong chance of an eruption," said observatory official Kristianto.

The tsunami was Indonesia's third major natural disaster in six months, following a series of powerful earthquakes on the island of Lombok in July and August and a quake-tsunami in September that killed around 2,200 people in Palu on Sulawesi island, with thousands more missing and presumed dead.

Japanese emperor stresses his peaceful reign ahead of abdication

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"I have believed it is important not to forget that countless lives were lost in World War II and that the peace and prosperity of post-war Japan was built upon the numerous sacrifices and tireless efforts made by the Japanese people, and to pass on this history accurately to those born after the war," he said.

"It gives me deep comfort that the Heisei Era (his reign) is coming to an end, free of war in Japan," he said.

The incident happened at about 3:20 pm (0720 GMT) in the city of Longyan, the local Minxi Ribao newspaper reported. A policeman was among those confirmed dead.

In a video posted by Duowei news, a Chinese media outlet based in the US, several injured people were shown lying on the street near a crashed bus, its front badly damaged.

It also showed police wrestling a person to the ground.

Blood could also be seen on the steps of the bus, which had been stopped in the middle of a road.

State-run news agency Xinhua reported the suspect was a 48-year-old local man surnamed Qiu. He had attacked a female passenger before taking control of the bus, Duowei reported.

Police said that on the day of the attack the suspect had quarrelled with a local official who had visited his home, adding that the pair had a long history of conflict, according to the Xinhua report.

The 22 wounded in the attack were taken to local hospitals, with one person being treated for "serious injures", Xinhua said.

Longyan public security bureau declined to comment when contacted by AFP. - Spate of attacks China has suffered a spate of similar incidents this year.

In late November, a car ploughed into a group of children crossing a street in front

by Ezzedine Said

I

STANBUL, Turkey | AFP | Tuesday 12/25/2018 - A withdrawal of American ground forces in Syria will give Turkey freer rein to target Washington's Kurdish partners in the fight against jihadists but analysts doubt Ankara's capacity to "eradicate" the Islamic State extremist group.

Turkish officials have said that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan heavily weighed in the decision by his US counterpart Donald Trump to pull all 2,000 American troops from Syria.

But Erdogan's main objective in Syria is actually to target the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, which the US has trained to spearhead the fight against IS.

Japanese Emperor Akihito (File photo) During his reign, the softspoken Akihito has used his speeches and travels to express his strong pacifist views, which are sharply at odds with the aggressive expansionism Japan pursued under his father's rule.

His insistence on remembering history is in sharp contrast with conservative ideologues who have attempted to gloss over Japan's wartime record.

The widely adored emperor will next year become the first Japanese royal to abdicate in more than two centuries.

His eldest son Crown Prince Naruhito will ascend the Chrysanthemum throne on May 1.

Akihito said his reign had

been a quest to determine the role of the emperor as a "symbol of the state" under Japan's pacifist post-war constitution, in contrast to his father Hirohito who was regarded as semidivine.

And he thanked Empress Michiko for standing by his side.

"As I come to the end of my journey as emperor, I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart the many people who accepted and continued to support me as the symbol of the state," he said, his voice quavering.

"I am also truly grateful to the empress, who herself was once one of the people, but

Five killed in China as hijacked bus crashes into pedestrians. (Image: Twitter) of an elementary school in the northeastern Liaoning province, killing five people and injuring at least 19.

The driver said he "chose his victims at random" and had reportedly been contemplating suicide due to domestic troubles before the tragedy occurred.

In October, three people were killed when a man fleeing after committing a stabbing drove into a crowd and attacked onlookers in the eastern province of Zhejiang.

The month before, a man ploughed a truck into a crowd in Hunan province and went on a rampage, attacking onlookers with knives and a shovel. Eleven died and 44 were injured.

Grisly car accidents are common in China, where transportation authorities have struggled to uphold safety regulations -- which are often

flouted or go unenforced.

According to authorities 58,000 people were killed in accidents across the country in 2015 alone.

Last month, at least 13 people died when a bus plunged off a bridge in Chongqing municipality, after the driver got into a fist fight with a passenger who had missed her bus stop.

Search and rescue teams dispatched more than 70 boats, as well as a team of scuba divers and underwater robots, to find the wreckage and retrieve bodies from the water.

Violent crime has also been on the rise in recent decades as the gap between rich and poor has widened rapidly.

Studies also show a rise in the prevalence of mental disorders, some of them linked to stress as the pace of life becomes faster and support systems wither.

Doubts over Turkey ability to 'eradicate' IS after US pull-out

"We have the strength to neutralise (IS) by ourselves," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu insisted on Tuesday.

Akihito, in a pre-recorded speech to mark his 85th birthday Sunday, also paid tribute to the Japanese people and Empress Michiko, the first commoner to join the traditionbound imperial family who has been at his side for 60 years.

Akihito also reiterated the importance of "accurately" teaching history to young people.

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EIJING, China | AFP | Tuesday 12/25/2018 - Eight people were killed and 22 injured after a hijacked bus crashed into pedestrians in east China's Fujian province on Tuesday afternoon, state media reported.

Trump's shock order came after Erdogan convinced him that Turkey could eliminate the last remaining pockets of IS after the jihadists suffered a series of military defeats.

OKYO, Japan | AFP | Sunday 12/22/2018 - In a rare emotional address ahead of his abdication next year, Japanese Emperor Akihito said he took "deep comfort" that his long reign had been one of peace as he remembered the "countless lives" lost in World War II.

His voice trembling as he discussed the legacy of World War II, the emperor pointed to the "countless lives" lost in the conflict, which was fought under the name of his father Hirohito, who died in 1989.

Eight killed in China as hijacked bus crashes into pedestrians

A hijacker carrying a knife has been detained and is being investigated by local police, state television CGTN said.

It turned out to be a false alarm, but widespread fears about a repeat disaster -- and warnings that clean water and medicine supplies were running low -- rippled across the region as the death toll from Saturday's volcano-triggered disaster topped 400.

"A lot of the children are sick with fevers, headaches and they haven't had enough water," said Rizal Alimin, a doctor working for NGO Aksi Cepat Tanggap, at a local school that was turned into a temporary shelter.

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Turkey is vehemently opposed to a Kurdish entity on its border, fearing it will strengthen the separatist ambitions of the Kurdish minority inside the country, and says the YPG is a Syrian "terrorist" offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The PKK, which has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984, is blacklisted as a

who chose to walk this path with me, and over 60 long years continued to serve with great devotion both the imperial family and the people of Japan."

Akihito has worked to bring the royal household closer to the people and frequently visited the disadvantaged and families hit by natural disasters.

terrorist organisation by Ankara and its Western allies.

- 'Victim of own success' Trump said on Sunday after a telephone conversation with Erdogan that he counted on him to "eradicate" IS which he said was now "largely defeated".

Turkey has repeatedly called on the US to stop training and providing armed weapons to the YPG in the fight against IS, claiming that Turkish military forces would be more effective in eliminating the jihadist threat.

"Erdogan is a victim of his own success in selling Trump on the idea that Turkey is ready to assume control over the counter-IS mission in Syria indefinitely," Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, said.

"Turkey does not currently have a Syrian rebel force that is large enough, experienced enough, or legitimate enough to hold eastern Syria, and it would take many months, even with US support, for Turkey to amass such a force," he added.

The last pockets of IS are in fact in eastern and central Syria, hundreds of kilometres away from the northern areas of the country which the Turkish military and Syrian rebels are accustomed to and where they led two offensives in 2016 and 2018.

"IS is close to Boukamal, more than 400km (250 miles) from Turkey, impossible for Turkey to go so far. The Syrian army and Iraqi Shiite militias will handle it after the US withdrawal," said Syria expert Fabrice Balanche.

"Turkey is not even able to eliminate Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), ie al-Qaeda, from its border in Idlib, I cannot see how it can eliminate IS with the help of Arab militia," he said.

Idlib is Syria's last major rebel and jihadist stronghold in the country's north.

- 'Real problem: logistics' -

According to Balanche, Turkey could at most "prevent" an IS resurgence by closing its border with Syria to the jihadists and carrying out targeted operations like in the al-Bab region of northern Syria in 2016.

Between August 2016 and March 2017, Turkish troops supported Syrian opposition fighters capture territory from IS in northern Syria.

Sinan Ulgen, chairman of the Istanbul-based Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, said that the distance between the last IS pockets and the Turkish border posed a "real problem" of logistics.

"So it is not clear how Turkey would orchestrate a military campaign at such long distances from its border in hostile territory," he told AFP. Lina Khatib, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at London-based Chatham House, said Erdogan gave assurances to Trump about his ability to eradicate IS without having a "plan" for doing so.

She said that Turkey's real aim was to "use this opportunity (US withdrawal) to crack down on the YPG".

"Eradicating IS can only happen through a comprehensive strategy that even the current international anti-IS coalition -- which is limited to military action without adequate attention to the needed socioeconomic and political aspects of fighting IS -- does not possess," she added.

If Turkey were to fight IS alone and then left the battles to Syrian Arab proxies, "militarily weaker" than the extremists, it would not be very effective, Khatib said. "This would also make Turkey vulnerable to revenge attacks by IS." Turkey was hit by a series of terror attacks blamed on IS in recent years including the last in January 2017 when a gunman killed 39 people in an Istanbul nightclub.

SOUTH ASIA

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Mystery Indian spinner stuns at IPL auction

VOICE OF ASIA 11

Fear grips 'stateless' millions in India's Assam

Varun Chakravarthy was snared for $1.2 million by Kings XI Punjab.

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AIPUR, India | AFP | Little-known Indian mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy hit the jackpot at the Indian Premier League auction Tuesday after he was snared for $1.2 million by Kings XI Punjab.

The price tag surprised pundits gathered at Jaipur for the 2019 Twenty20 tournament auction, where the 27-year-old only had a base price of two million rupees ($28,400).

After a fierce bidding war, the bowler emerged as the most expensive player in this year's sell-off along with Indian left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, bagged by Rajasthan Royals for the same price.

"What a bid! Varun Chakaravarthy joins us for the new season of IPL!" the Punjab franchise tweeted.

Chakravarthy began playing cricket when he was 13 but took up architecture after several rejections in age-group cricket.

He later returned to the game,

honing his skills as a spinner able to bowl both off and leg breaks, with quite a few tricks under his hat.

More than 350 players went under the hammer Tuesday, including 120 international cricketers, in what is the world's wealthiest cricket league.

West Indies players proved to be the top draw among the foreigners, with big-hitter Carlos Brathwaite going for $707,150 to the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

"What a fantastic buy. We all know what Carlos did at Eden back in 2016! Everyone remembers the name!" KKR said on Twitter.

That year, Brathwaite slammed four consecutive sixes to help West Indies win the World T20 final against England at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

KKR, led by India's Dinesh Karthik, finished third in the IPL 2018. They have won the

lucrative championship twice, in 2012 and 2014.

Another West Indies heavy hitter Shimron Hetmyer was lapped up for $594,195 by Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The 21-year-old, who impressed during the recent West Indies tour of India, will be making his IPL debut.

England's rising star Sam Curran was sold for one million dollars to Kings XI Punjab. His base price was $283,460.

Fellow Brit Jonny Bairstow won his first IPL contract, picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad for $311,982. The wicketkeeper-batsman had gone unsold in last year's auction.

"Delighted to be joining @ SunRisers for #IPL2019! Can't wait to get started for the #OrangeArmy," he wrote on Twitter There were no takers though for New Zealand stars Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill as well as Chris Woakes of England in the first round.

Sri Lanka averts $1.5bn foreign debt default

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OLOMBO, Sri Lanka | AFP | Friday 12/21/2018 - The Sri Lankan government Friday secured parliamentary approval to avert a debt default of $1.5 billion after the annual budget was blocked by a seven-week political crisis.

During the last day of the legislature for 2018, MPs voted 102 to six to approve an interim budget to pay for urgent government expenditure in the first four months of 2019.

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said he was finalising an appropriation bill for next year when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked the government on October 26, plunging the country into a

constitutional crisis.

"We don't have time to present a new budget, but we need to meet our (debt and salary) obligations," Samaraweera told parliament to introduce the vote on the interim budget. Legislators approved four months of government spending pending a full budget around February.

Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister but he refused to quit and parliament and Sri Lanka's courts blocked Sirisena's candidate Mahinda Rajapakse, a fervent nationalist former president.

During the power struggle, three international credit rating agencies downgraded Sri Lanka making foreign borrowings more expensive.

There were fears that Sri Lanka could default on $1.5 billion sovereign bonds maturing on January 10.

Sirisena finally gave in and reinstated Wickremesinghe as prime minister on Sunday. He named a 30-member cabinet on Thursday.

While UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres led the international welcome for the end to the power struggle, Sirisena has made it clear it will be difficult to work with Wickremesinghe.

Sirisena came to power in 2015 with the help of Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP), but personal and political clashes came to a head with the October sacking.

People whose names were left off a register of citizens have less than two weeks to submit the right documents, and could face being stripped of their citizenship if they fail to do so (AFP Photo/Biju BORO).

by Anup Sharma

I

ndian farmer Nur Mohammed can barely sleep for worrying that his wife might soon be made stateless, put in a detention camp and deported.

She is one of four million people left off a draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) published in July in the northeastern state of Assam -- provoking accusations of discrimination against Muslim residents and of stoking ethnic tensions.

Those not on the list, who could now face being effectively stripped of their Indian citizenship and rights, can challenge their omission by providing certain documents to prove they are legal residents -- but many lack the necessary paperwork, and the December 31 deadline is looming.

"We are genuine Indian citizens," said Mohammed, 66, his voice low and quivering.

"While my name, the names of my two sons and daughter appeared in the list, the name of my wife is not there," he told AFP. The draft list excludes all those unable to prove they were in the state before 1971, when millions fled Bangladesh's war of independence and sought refuge in Assam and elsewhere.

Those born in Assam after 1971 have to prove that their parents or grandparents entered India before that.

But getting hold of documents in a state where many are illiterate and lack even basic papers is a challenge.

Less than two weeks before the deadline, only around 1.5 million people left off the draft list have submitted claims to be included, the Assam government says.

"There is large-scale illit-

eracy in our area, people don't have access even to basic education," said Akram Hussain, an activist helping people file claims.

"They have been living like this for ages but now all of a sudden they are being asked to bring documents to prove their identity."

Mohammed's wife Yarjan Nesa submitted a certificate issued by the head of her village in the rural district of Kamrup to establish her link with her mother, but it was rejected.

"I do not have any other document as I have never been to school or never had a bank account anywhere," she said.

- British tea Assam has seen many major influxes in India's turbulent history, beginning when the British colonial rulers brought in Bengalis to work on tea plantations.

Immigration continued after independence in 1947, and today Bengali speakers make up around 30 percent of Assam's 31 million people.

Tensions in the ethnic and religious melting pot have at times boiled over into violence -- 2,000 Bengalis were butchered in one day in 1983 -- and have increased pressure for a lasting political solution.

The first, failed, attempt at screening in Assam was made in 1951.

In 2008, a prominent Assamese campaigner lobbied India's Supreme Court -- six years later the court ordered the federal government to update its citizens register.

Critics say the process is being used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist BJP party -- which runs Assam -- to stoke anti-Muslim feelings ahead of elections in

I

He was acquitted on the third charge, relating to business in Britain.

Sharif, a three-time prime minister, has denied all the charges against him and claims he is being targeted by the country's powerful security establishment.

Monday's conviction, centred on family businesses in the Middle East, is his second stemming from a corruption investigation spurred by the Panama Papers leak, and comes as new Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed to tackle endemic graft in Pakistan.

He was taken into custody and will be sent to a prison in Lahore, and was also fined 1.5 billion rupees ($10.8 million), according to state-run Pakistan Television.

Security was tight at the court, with some scuffles breaking out between Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters and security forces, who responded with tear gas.

Sharif has been prime minister three times but power has been a rough ride.

He was first expelled from office in 1993 on suspicion of

Some two-thirds of the Bengalis are Muslim, the rest Hindu. Assamese speakers, the largest community, are mostly Hindu.

- 'Termites' UN special rapporteurs expressed "serious concerns" in a recent letter to the Indian government about the process "stoking ethnic tensions".

Abdul Kalam Azad, a local researcher and activist, says he has recorded at least 26 related suicides since the NRC process began in 2015. The impact on mental health is set to be a "huge problem," he told AFP. Modi's government has said no "genuine" Indian would be left off the register but Amit Shah, Modi's right-hand man, has said India must act against "infiltrators who were eating the country like termites".

Activists say claims get rejected due to minor errors and that even some officials are confused.

Bengali-speaker Baharjan Nesa, 88, said she was left off with her son and daughter-inlaw even though she has a copy of a 1954 Indian electoral roll featuring her father's name.

Others omitted include Hajong people who arrived in the 1960s from what is now Bangladesh and were given refugee status.

Once the December 31 deadline has passed, a "verification" process begins in February.

What will happen to those who still don't make the cut remains to be seen -- with some hardliners calling for mass deportations.

Ominously, 1,037 people including 31 minors have already been put in six cramped detention camps. Reports say a seventh camp with capacity for 3,000 people is being built.

Bangladesh has stated that it will not accept any deportees and Modi has reportedly told Dhaka that this is not on the cards.

Former Pakistan PM Sharif sentenced to seven years jail for graft SLAMABAD, Pakistan | AFP | Monday 12/24/2018 - Former Pakistani leader Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to seven years in prison for corruption Monday, state media reported, the latest conviction in a series of allegations which saw him ousted from power last year.

2019.

corruption. He won an election in 1997, only to be ousted and exiled after a military coup in 1999.

He returned to Pakistan in 2007 and took power once more in 2013 until his ousting last year.

But even if people are not moved en masse to camps or ejected, becoming effectively stateless could make normal life -- accessing healthcare or education -- much tougher.

"Am I also going to be detained?" said Baharjan Nea. "I don't know what to do. Where do I get another document from?"

Greater Heights Family Medical Clinic Healthcare For All Ages

Former Pakistani leader Nawaz Sharif (File photo) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who succeeded Sharif as prime minister last year, said the PML-N would appeal the verdict but would "not resort to violence".

"The people of Pakistan and history will not accept this decision," he told reporters in Islamabad.

The Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from politics for life over the allegations last year, and directed an anti-corruption body to investigate three different charges regarding his family's properties and businesses.

The months-long saga has seen him appear before accountability courts 165 times

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since September 2017, according to the English-language Dawn newspaper.

In July this year, he was convicted in one case revolving around family properties in London, and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

He was in London at the time as his wife received cancer treatment, but returned to Pakistan days ahead of the election, only to be arrested and imprisoned on arrival.

He was released in September after a court suspended his sentence pending an appeal hearing.

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VOICE OF ASIA 12

Second Guatemalan migrant child dies in US custody

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ASHINGTON | AFP | Tuesday 12/25/2018 - An eight-year-old migrant from Guatemala died in government custody on Tuesday, US Customs and Border Protection said, the second child fatality in US detention this month.

The boy, who was with his apprehended father, had been transferred to a New Mexico medical center showing signs of sickness on Monday, the agency said.

Staff diagnosed him with a cold but later discovered a fever. He was released midday, given prescriptions for ibuprofen and the amoxicillin antibiotic.

The child was later transferred back to the hospital after showing signs of nausea and vomiting, dying just after midnight.

The CBP said it had not established the cause of death but would "ensure an independent and thorough review of the circumstances."

The news triggered outrage on social media, days after the body of a Guatemalan migrant girl who died in similar circumstances was returned

home.

Her death reignited debate in the United States over immigration policy and the treatment of migrants.

"Another child dies under this Administration's watch," tweeted Democratic Congressman Marc Veasey of Texas.

"Such a devastating story to hear on Christmas Day." President Donald Trump has made hardline immigration policies a central plank of his presidency, drawing fire from critics who accuse him of demonizing migrants for political gain.

He is locked in a battle with Congress over funding for his planned border wall, which he claims will stem migration from Latin American countries plagued by gang violence and poverty.

"Heartbroken to hear of a second child's death in CBP custody," tweeted Nydia Velazquez, a Democratic congresswoman from New York.

"We must demand accountability, find answers and put an end to this Administration's hateful, dangerous

Baltimore buys back nearly 2,000 weapons from the streets

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ASHINGTON | AFP | Tuesday 12/25/2018 Baltimore police have collected nearly 2,000 weapons including a rocket launcher as part of a buy-back program aimed at reducing violence in the eastern US city.

The three-day operation last week was announced in a bid to rid the streets of illegal weapons in a city where the number of homicides has surpassed 300 for the fourth year in a row.

Officers collected 1,860 weapons, a police spokesman told AFP. The city's mayor tweeted that a rocket launcher was among the haul.

Authorities offered $25 for large magazines, $100 for handguns and rifles, $200 for semi-automatic rifles and $500 for automatic rifles, promised anonymity to those who took part in the amnesty.

Home to 600,000 people, Baltimore allocated $250,000 for the operation,

according to the city council -- as the Baltimore Sun's editorial board said the program was "likely to be a large waste of time, money and resources."

The daily newspaper said such buyback schemes "do little to reduce the number of shootings or to get guns out of the hands of criminals intent on settling a score, defending their drug territory or protecting themselves from rival gangs and retaliatory shootings."

But police chief Gary Guttle told the Sun that if guns are "not in existence, they're not in the home, they can't be used, they can't be stolen."

"They won't contribute to our violence," he said.

The right to bear arms is guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution, and there are weapons in one third of American homes.

According to health authorities, nearly 40,000 people died in the United States as a result of firearms in 2017, a figure that includes suicides.

Queen warns of 'tribalism' in Christmas address

by Dmitry Zaks

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ONDON, UK | AFP | Tuesday 12/25/2018 - Queen Elizabeth II warned of religious "tribalism" in a Christmas message on Tuesday delivered against a backdrop of Britain bickering over its impending exit from the EU. The 92-year-old monarch's tone reflected a sombre mood sweeping the island nation as it ponders the perils of leaving the European project after 46 years in March.

British royalty traditionally steer well clear of politics -- a unifying position that puts them above the daily fray of Westminster and Downing Street.

But the queen came close to breaking that mould during a five-minute appearance recorded earlier this month and played simultaneously on Britain's main TV stations.

"Some cultures believe a long life brings wisdom. I'd like to think so.

Perhaps part of that wisdom is to recognise some of life's baffling paradoxes, such as the way human beings have a huge propensity for good, and yet a capacity for evil," the queen said while seated in front of a fireplace and Christmas tree.

"Even the power of faith, which frequently inspires great generosity and self-sacrifice, can fall victim to tribalism," the queen said.

- 'Respect' The queen's address crowns a stormy month that saw Prime Minister Theresa May survive a leadership challenge staged by her party's most hardened opponents of Brussels.

out a trade agreement would threaten to unleash economic doom over the short term.

Those who back Brexit say it is a price worth paying for regaining sovereignty from officials in Brussels who they say subject London to their own rules.

The debate over the whole process is as emotional and personal for many as it was the day Brexit was backed by a 52-48 majority in a 2016 vote.

The queen appeared to be scolding both sides of the widening political divide.

"Even with the most deeply held differences, treating the other person with respect and as a fellow human being is always a good first step towards greater understanding," the queen said.

She concluded by noting that the message of peace carried by the birth of Jesus in the Christmas story is as relevant as ever.

"I believe his message of peace on earth and goodwill to all is never out of date," she said.

"It can be heeded by everyone; it's needed as much as ever."

- 'Dutchess Difficult' The queen's speech was recorded around the time last week when newly minted royal Meghan Markle's honeymoon with the British tabloids appeared to be coming to an end.

The former US actress has come under almost daily criticism from the papers for allegedly being a tough boss whose demands forced several senior courtiers to quit.

May's entire strategy for a negotiated exit from the European Union -- or Brexit -- is in danger of falling apart at the finish line.

The widely read Daily Mail even asked whether Markle -- the wife of Prince Harry whose formal title is the dutchess of Sussex -- was being "Dutchess Difficult".

The prime minister this month pulled a scheduled vote on a deal she had reached with the EU in November after admitting that it would overwhelmingly lose.

But top members of the royal family smiled warmly for the cameras while attending a traditional Christmas Day church service near one of their residences in the northeast of England.

London's split from Brussels with-

- Relaxnews

US/WORLD

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Pope urges 'fraternity' in Christmas message

by Catherine Marciano

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ATICAN CITY, Holy See | AFP | Tuesday 12/25/2018 - Pope Francis called for peace and "fraternity" and Queen Elizabeth II warned against "tribalism", as millions across the world celebrated Christmas on Tuesday -- and US President Donald Trump caused a festive furore by asking a child whether he still believed in Santa Claus.

Some 50,000 worshippers gathered at the Vatican to hear the pontiff's sixth "Urbi et Orbi" (To the City and the World) message appealing for peace in conflict zones such as Syria and Yemen, which face humanitarian crises.

"My wish for a happy Christmas is a wish for fraternity," he told pilgrims in Saint Peter's Square on Tuesday, when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

"Fraternity among individuals of every nation and culture. Fraternity among people with different ideas...

Fraternity among persons of different religions."

Francis, the head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics, had used his mass on Monday night to urge people to curb "insatiable greed".

The pontiff said he hoped a truce in conflict-ravaged Yemen would end a devastating war that has killed around 10,000 people since 2015 and pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of famine.

The pope also spoke of the war in Syria, which has forced millions from their homes and reduced swathes of the country to rubble.

He called for a "political solution" to the conflict "so that the Syrian people, especially all those who were forced to leave their own lands and seek refuge elsewhere, can return to live in peace in their own country".

Francis also said he hoped for renewed peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians "that can put an end to a conflict that for over 70 years has rent the land chosen by the Lord to show his face of love."

- 'Little town' celebrations Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, located near Jerusalem but cut off from the city by Israel's separation barrier, has seen an increase in visitors this season after several down years because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinian tourism officials and hotel operators have reported their strongest season in years.

"This year is much more calm, much better than last year," said Abeer Nasser, a Palestinian from the nearby town of Beit Sahour celebrating in Bethlehem with her son and daughter.

Beyond Bethlehem, Christians worldwide were marking Christmas,

Pope Francis delivers his message as he celebrates the Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) with services held from Indonesia to Iraq.

gling with unforeseen events and hardships.

This year's celebrations come after a year of tumult, much of it coming from Washington, where the festive spirit was dampened when the national Christmas tree went dark due to a US government shutdown -- though it ultimately reopened thanks to private donations.

At a little church just outside Indonesia's tsunami disaster zone, a few dozen congregants gathered on Christmas day to pray for the victims.

One festive service not affected was the military's annual Santa Claus "tracker", which sees North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) deliver live updates on his international gift delivery route.

Fielding calls from children anxious to know if their presents would arrive on time, Trump risked a spell on Santa's naughty list by telling one boy that believing in the jolly man in red at age seven was "marginal".

Entrenching the unfestive tone on Christmas morning, Trump used a news conference following his annual holiday call to US troops to reel off a laundry list of complaints, including his disdain for the US Federal Reserve and the opposition Democrats, whom he blames for the shutdown.

"It's a disgrace what's happening in our country. But other than that, I wish everybody a very Merry Christmas," the president said.

- Celebrations despite conflicts In Bethlehem, visitors were able to view the Church of the Nativity's newly restored mosaics dating to the Crusader era after a major renovation.

Visitors from across the world gathered in the "little town" on Christmas Eve for midnight mass, queueing to see the grotto where Jesus is believed to have been born and taking in a festive parade.

While for many who celebrate the festival Christmas is a time to gather with loved ones, many were strug-

The tsunami, triggered by a volcanic eruption, left more than 400 people dead when it smashed into popular beaches on southern Sumatra and the western edge of Java, inundating tourist hotels and coastal settlements.

"This Christmas is different because we're celebrating it during a disaster," Rahmat Carita congregant Eliza told AFP. "For me, it's a chance to contemplate. God's love is real, we must not forget that."

Queen Elizabeth II warned of religious "tribalism" in a Christmas message delivered against a backdrop of Britain bickering over its impending exit from the EU. The tone of the 92-year-old monarch's annual TV appearances reflected a sombre mood sweeping the island nation as it ponders the perils of leaving the European project after 46 years.

"Even the power of faith, which frequently inspires great generosity and self-sacrifice, can fall victim to tribalism," Elizabeth said.

Spain's second-largest city Barcelona was meanwhile on alert after the US State Department warned of the risk of a terrorist attack during the Christmas holidays.

And in France, groups of "yellow vest" anti-government demonstrators are spending Christmas day at makeshift protest camps on roundabouts across the country, eating devilled eggs and foie gras with new friends they have made in weeks of rallies against the policies of President Emmanuel Macron.

US approves $3.5 billion Patriot missile sale to Turkey

by Shaun Tandon

W

ASHINGTON | AFP | 12/26/2018 - The United States said Wednesday it approved the sale of $3.5 billion in missiles to Turkey, offering an ultimatum after US outrage over the NATO ally's plans to buy from Russia.

The announcement came as President Donald Trump said that US forces would withdraw from neighboring Syria, a decision likely to please Turkey as it pursues Kurdish fighters.

The State Department said it had informed Congress of plans to sell Turkey a package that includes 80 Patriot missiles, 60 PAC-3 missile interceptors and related equipment.

"The proposed sale will increase the defensive capabilities of the Turkey military to guard against hostile aggression and shield NATO allies who might train and operate within Turkey's borders," a statement said.

A year ago, Ankara announced a deal to purchase rival S-400 missiles from Russia, drawing a rebuke from its allies in NATO -- a group originally formed as a bulwark against the Soviet Union.

A State Department official said that Turkey was jeopardizing participation in another US military program, the coveted F-35 fighter jets, if Turkey still went ahead with the S-400 sale.

Turkey could also face sanctions on defense purchases under US law if it goes ahead, the official said on condition of anonymity.

A purchase from Russia "would have serious ramifications for US ability to do business with Turkey across the de-

VOICE OF ASIA

fense trade spectrum," the official said.

"It is important that NATO countries procure military equipment that is interoperable with NATO systems.

A Russian system would not meet that standard."

The announcement came as Trump said that the United States had defeated the Islamic State group in neighboring Syria -- leading to the withdrawal of US troops, who had effectively protected Kurdish fighters against Turkey.

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Trump blasts US central bank again over rate hikes

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Section 2

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Suits For Hire: This Indian online fashion rental company for men was bootstrapped to profitability

by Anu Raghunathan

B

uy Less. Wear More. Be You.” That’s the tag line for Candid Knots, an online fashion wear rental outfit for men. It was started in Bengaluru by Shweta Poddar with the hope of tapping young millennials who prefer to rent rather than own expensive clothing.

The 2-year-old company has grown without the benefit of capital from outside investors, and is said to be profitable already. Poddar says it’s now doing 100 to 150 orders a week.

President Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnunchin. (File photo)

W

ASHINGTON | AFP | Tuesday 12/25/2018 - US President Donald Trump on Tuesday renewed his attack on the US Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, blaming the central bank’s interest rate hikes for a tanking market.

able.

With stocks on track for their worst December since the Great Depression, Trump has regularly berated the Fed for its stewardship of the economy.

Trump last week called the Fed a greater economic threat to the United States than China, and on Monday compared the central bank to a sloppy golfer.

“They’re raising rates too fast because they think the economy is so good,” Trump told reporters in a Q&A following his annual Christmas teleconference with US troops.

“But I think they will get it pretty soon,” added the president, who has dubbed the supposedly independent central bank “crazy” and “out of control.”

Trump’s comments came after Asian markets suffered a holiday rout on fears about the US economy and a government shutdown in Washington, now in its fourth day.

Closed on Monday for a national holiday, Tokyo plummeted at the open on Tuesday, suffering its worst finish since April 2017 after a brutal holiday-shortened session on Wall Street that saw US stocks sink for a fourth straight session.

Markets have been roiled by ongoing uncertainty in the United States, with Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin berated for holding a call with the six biggest US banks and then reporting on Twitter that the six CEOs have “ample liquidity” avail-

Investors were also unnerved by weekend news reports that Trump had asked about the possibility of firing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, accounts that Mnuchin said Trump has denied.

Asked by reporters whether he had confidence in Mnuchin, Trump answered “yes I do,” calling the treasury chief “very talented, very smart person.”

Trump said he also remained confident in American companies and urged investors to stay calm over the nosediving markets.

“I have great confidence in our companies. They’re doing very well,” he said. “I think it’s a tremendous opportunity to buy.”

The stock market malaise comes with Trump refusing to sign a budget bill to keep the government funded as he demands money for a US-Mexico border wall.

Stephen Innes, head of APAC trading at OANDA, said Trump’s spat with the Fed and Mnuchin’s call with the banks had “markets running for cover.”

Investors “have no confidence in the administration,” he told AFP. “Markets are driven by perception and it is flat-out bad.”

Losses on Wall Street deepen amid Washington turmoil

N

EW YORK | AFP | Monday 12/24/2018 - Wall Street was heading for another rout early Monday amid turmoil in Washington, with the Dow losing as much as two percent after its worst week since the 2008 financial crisis.

At 1525 GMT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 22,124.44, down 1.4 percent after earlier sliding two percent.

The broad-based S&P 500 fell 1.3 percent to 2,384.14, while the techrich Nasdaq Composite Index shed 1.0 percent to 6,270.13.

The declines came as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnunchin was set to hold a telephone conference with top US market regulators, another effort to reassure market that analysts say may be backfiring.

On Sunday, the Treasury leader announced that he phoned top executives of the nation’s six largest banks and confirmed they have adequate liquidity.

But the statement “was not especially comforting however, given that investors had not generally been questioning market functioning in recent

days, despite large declines,” said a note from Wells Fargo.

CNBC called the session the “worst Christmas Eve error” in terms of losses.

“There’s simply no buyers out there,” said Manulife AM senior portfolio manager Nate Thooft. “Nobody is really willing to step in and take a stand that this is the bottom.”

The Treasury Secretary on Saturday released a statement on Twitter quoting US President Donald Trump as denying any plans to fire Fed Chairman Jay Powell following media reports that Trump had privately asked cabinet members if he has the authority to dismiss the Fed chief.

“It might be more reassuring if Trump himself tweeted these comments, but then again Trump has demonstrated his propensity to flip-flop on issues as he did with his stance on the current government shutdown,” said a note from Oxford Economics.

“If Trump tries to remove Powell, it could throw the financial markets into deep chaos that makes the current market turmoil look tame.”

Candid Knots rents out suits, blazers, tuxedos and ethnic men’s wear that are suitable for special events like weddings, graduations, corporate parties and photoshoots. The rental charge is 10% of the retail cost for three days, and the company offers free delivery and pick up. It does 60% of its business online, but also has a brick-and-mortar store in Bengaluru for trials. Customers can try the clothes offline, and then order online.

“Fashion on rent is a relatively new field in India,” explains Poddar. “The previous generations have always preferred owning things. With the millennial generation, we are moving toward a more experience rich lifestyle. But the market is at a very nascent stage.

There’s a lot of scope to grow. We’ve seen good growth in the last two years and the best part is the young crowd is able to relate to the concept. We get a lot of calls from customers appreciating the business concept.”

It’s been a momentous journey for Poddar, 29, who hails from the small town of Erode in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Armed with a degree in computer engineering from the Vellore Institute of Technology, she had stints at a software company, a bank and food-delivery service Swiggy, before striking out on her own. She currently leads a team of 12 employees, but isn’t losing sight of the bottom line. With projected revenues of $430,000 for fiscal 2019, she says Candid Knots’ growth won’t come at the expense of the company’s profitability. These are edited excerpts from my conversation with Poddar.

What is the collection that you have on offer? Do customers order from a pre-existing collection or do you source outfits as well?

PODDAR: We currently serve only men. We have on offer a full-blown wedding collection, plus suits, tuxedos, blazers, ethnic jackets as well as accessories like ties and bows. All the customers order from our pre-existing collection. But we definitely take feedback from our existing customers for any new additions that we could do.

What are the primary challenges of running this business?

It’s an inventory-heavy business.

Last week was the Dow and Nasdaq’s worst since the 2008 financial crisis.

Key drivers included upset at the Federal Reserve’s latest interest rate hike, the shock resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, the ongoing USChina trade war and a US government shutdown triggered Friday at midnight following unsuccessful budget negotiations between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats.

Monday’s session closed at midday ahead of Tuesday’s Christmas holiday when markets will be closed. Volume was expected to be light, which could sharpen trading moves.

Bengaluru-based Candid Knots rents out premium clothing for special occasions.

It rents out suits, blazers, wedding outfits and accessories like ties. (Source: Candid Knots) Cash flow is sometimes a challenge.

Also, the market is at a very nascent stage. Consumers are slowly moving from owning to a more experience based lifestyle. But it’ll take more time for the idea to become mainstream.

How are you popularizing the business?

We mainly do online marketing.

Google, Facebook, Instagram and Justdial are our primary marketing sources. We get a lot of referral business as well. Good service always makes customers come back. Our google reviews are a testimony to this.

Who are your competitors?

Our major competitor is Fly Robe.

There are many other players as well, like Stage3 and DateTheRamp.

How often do you get complaints from clients with unrealistic expectations, particularly when it comes to fit or quality or color? How do you address such issues?

We actually don’t get many complaints because we do a few things proactively to prevent them. For instance, in order to maintain quality, we use an outfit a certain number of times and then we weed it out. With regard to color, we ensure that our photos look close to the actual product. And to avoid any fitting issues, we always send the item booked by the customer in two to three sizes. If there’s confusion, it mostly comes between the fittings of two sizes for people. So we send those two or three sizes along with the delivery executive, and the customer can try and pick the one that fits the best. If the same product is not available in another extra size, then we send a similar product after evaluating what kind of event the customer is renting this for. (Every attire is

matched to standard branded fitting).

What are your expansions plans for the coming year?

For 2019, our focus is to expand within Bangalore. We also want to expand our range. Right now, 95% of our portfolio is western wear, mostly suits and blazers. We also want to open an experiential center in Bangalore, as wedding customers prefer to try before booking online. Right now, one part of our operations office is used as a trial room.

What kinds of orders do you typically receive? Is it mostly for weddings? Could you give a breakdown of the different categories?

Wedding hires make up 40% of our business. This includes people renting for their own weddings in addition to those attending the weddings of others. We also provide clothing for prewedding photoshoots and matrimonial shoots. College students and new graduates contribute to about 35% of revenues. This includes fresher parties, farewell parties and graduation events. Another 20% comes from corporate events. This includes meetings, interviews, annual parties and corporate fashion shows. The remaining 5% comes from brand photoshkoots, modeling companies, event speakers and those shooting for TV sitcoms or movies.

- The writer is a contributing editor of Forbes Asia. I cover Indian entrepreneurs and their struggles and successes in their journey to wealthcreation. Previously, I worked as a business reporter for The Dallas Morning News where I revitalized the financial services beat for their award-winning business section.

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Hero or Zero? Bollywood’s Khan eyes hit as dwarf

2018 box office revenue hits new record in North America

A well-received crop of movies that appealed to a diverse audience fueled the boom, with Black Panther in the lead. (Image courtesy Marvel Studios)

Indian Bollywood actors Katrina Kaif (L), Shah Rukh Khan (C) and Anushka Sharma (R) pose for photographs during the promotion of the Hindi film ‘Zero’. (© Sujit Jaiswal / AFP)

by Udita Jhunjhunwala

M

UMBAI, India | AFP | Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s latest film releases this week with the acclaimed actor, who plays a dwarf, seeking a hit after an underwhelming run at the box office.

“Zero”, hitting cinemas on Friday, sees the Hindi movie icon, miniaturised with special effects, caught up in a love triangle alongside a wheelchaired Anushka Sharma.

Director Aanand L. Rai believes he brought the larger than life actor, nicknamed “King Khan”, out of his comfort zone to play a character three feet (90 centimetres) tall.

“This kind of story about a man’s journey and his love story needed someone like him. By casting him, we challenged Mr. Khan to show us what he could do,” Rai told AFP. “Zero” -- which is heavy on special effects -- sees Sharma play a NASA scientist with cerebral palsy and Katrina Kaif portray a Bollywood actress with a drink problem.

Bauua Singh, played by Khan, is struggling to find a wife because of his height but develops close bonds with both women as he searches for his true love.

It is Khan’s first movie since “Jab Harry Met Sejal” bombed last year.

The actor’s “Raees” (2017) and “Fan” (2016) also didn’t do as well

as hoped.

The 53-year-old’s last undisputed blockbuster was “Dilwale” (The Big Hearted) in 2015 and with “Zero” reported to cost a hefty two billion rupees ($26.5 million) it may be starting to prey on his mind.

“If people feel that ‘Zero’ is very important for me, it’s their feeling,” Khan told the Hindustan Times in a recent interview.

“God forbid, if this film doesn’t work, what will happen? Maybe, I won’t get work for six months or 10 months, but if I believe that my craft and art is good, I will continue to get work,” he added.

Khan shot to fame in the mid-90s as the romantic hero of hits like “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” (The Brave-hearted Will Take The Bride) and “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” (Something Happens).

- Win-win? Critics say Khan -- a ubiquitous presence in advertising -- has struggled to transition away from those roles and find a new niche for himself as he has gotten older.

They point out that playing the romantic hero alongside much younger actresses can jar with audiences.

His “Zero” co-stars Sharma and Kaif are 30 and 35 respectively.

Some industry watchers have tipped “Zero” for success, though.

Vajir Singh, editor of Bollywood

Actor Kevin Spacey to be charged with sexual assault

N

EW YORK | AFP | Monday 12/24/2018 - Oscar-winning US actor Kevin Spacey is facing a felony charge for alleged sexual assault of a teenager in a bar in 2016, US media reported Monday.

The film also includes a cameo role by legendary actress Sridevi Kapoor who died from accidental drowning in a Dubai hotel room bathtub in February aged 54.

Khan will have just one week to woo cinema-goers, however, with the Rohit Shetty-directed “Simmba” set to release in theatres on December 28.

The action movie stars Ranveer Singh, one of several bankable younger stars who are challenging the hegemony of the Khans of Bollywood at the box office.

For over two decades the triumvirate of Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan have dominated film receipts.

But with Aamir’s “Thugs of Hindostan” and Salman’s “Race 3” both rated among the worst films of 2018, the jury is still out whether Shah Rukh will record a dud or a hit.

“Just because two Khans had flops, doesn’t mean the third one will too,” Hindi film trade analyst Komal Nahta told AFP.

Bollywood celebrates Christmas 2018

I

ing on December 20, the newspaper reported, citing DA Michael O’Keefe.

The new benchmark won’t be finalized until Monday when final weekend grosses are calculated, but an early read shows that combined ticket sales for the year have hit $11.383 billion, compared to $11.392 billion for all of 2016. A crop of new yearend movies opening over the weekend, including Aquaman, Mary Poppins Returns and Bumblebee, aided in closing the gap.

At this pace, there’s a good chance 2018 domestic revenue could hit $11.8 billion by the end of New Year’s Eve. Attendance is also up year-over-year by between 5 percent and 7 percent.

Disney once again led all studios and on Sunday celebrated its own milestone: Its 2018 slate, led by Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War and Incredibles 2, has generated north of $3 billion domestically to top the industry mark Disney set in 2016 when it hit $3 billion, a first for any distributor.

Overall, a well-received crop of tentpoles and other event pics appealing to a diverse audience helped to fuel the boom.

Following Black Panther ($700 million), Avengers: Infinity War ($678.8 million) and Incredibles 2 ($608.6 million), the No. 4 and No. 5 topgrossing domestic titles to date are Universal’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom ($416.8 million) and Fox’s Deadpool 2 ($318.5 million).

Disney, which is on the verge of acquiring 20th Century Fox, commands an unprecedented 27 percent of domestic market share. Put another way, Disney is more than $1 billion ahead of the next nearest studio, Universal, in North America. And its global ticket sales have already crossed $7 billion for the year, only the second time that any studio has done so (Disney was the first).

There’s no stats yet for the 2018 international box office, but overseas revenue is running about 5 percent ahead of last year. Part of the reason is foreign currency fluctuations.

In recent years, offshore ticket sales have usually driven the growth at the worldwide box office. This year is the rare exception.

- The Hollywood Reporter

Vidyut Jammwal spends his Christmas with underprivileged children

“Audiences are not tired of the Khans. They are just looking for fresh and good content,” he added.

t is Christmas time and all of Bollywood is in the mood to party. Looks like Christmas Eve was particularly busy with three parties being hosted across Mumbai, which saw celebrities in attendance.

The Cape and Islands, Massachusetts, district attorney said Spacey was due to be arraigned at Nantucket District Court on January 7 on a charge of indecent assault and battery, according to the Boston Globe.

Clerk Magistrate Ryan Kearney issued a criminal complaint for the charge “against Kevin S. Fowler, also known as Kevin Spacey,” at a hear-

website “Box Office India”, told AFP that Khan and Rai, known for romantic flicks “Raanjhanaa” (Beloved One) and “Tanu Weds Manu”, are a “win-win combination”.

H

ollywood and theater owners got an early Christmas present on Sunday when 2018’s domestic box office revenue surpassed the record set in 2016, with this year’s lucrative ChristmasNew Year corridor still to come.

Kapil Sharma held a wedding reception for his industry friends and Anil Kapoor threw a bash to celebrate his birthday. Actor Kartrina Kaif and socialite Anu Dewan too hosted Christmas parties which saw many celebs in attendance.

Big names like Karan Johar, Malaika Arora (who also made time to attend mid-night mass), Amrita, Karisma Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor among others went from one party to another, making appearances everywhere.

A n u D i w a n ’s Christmas party

B

ollywood is busy celebrating Christmas in its own way.

While some stars are partying till the Sun comes up, some others are celebrating it inimately with close loved ones and family. On the other hand, there are those choosing to spend the joyful holiday for different causes that they believe in.

Star of films like ‘Commando’ and ‘Baadshaho’, known for his immense physical prowess and tremendous physique, Vidyut Jammwal decided to spend his day with underprivileged kids- teaching them art of mind and

saw Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Zoya Akhtar, Karan, Kareena Kapoor with husband Saif, Malaika and Arjun come in to spread the Christmas cheer.

Bollywood actress Asin Thottumkal left the acting industry post her marriage with businessman Rahul Sharma.

However, while she is away from the limelight, the actress has never shied away from sharing her personal life on

body balance. The actor was seen imparting lessons to the children. Vidyut donned a Santa hat, just like the kids around him.

Earlier this year, Vidyut was named among the top six martial artists around the globe by a US agency.

The actor is looking forward to his next film ‘Junglee’. Besides martial arts, Vidyut has also trained as an elephant wwhisperer and a mahout to communicate and interact with the elephants in future films.

- Times of India social media. She has kept her fans updated about her life and her munchkin daughter Arin.

On Christmas eve, Asin gave us a sneak peek of her daughter Arin celebrating the festival of joy. Arin is with her daddy cool Rahul and is clearly bewildered with the Christmas tree. Not just that, Asin shared a series of pictures as her daughter turned 14 months old.

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Trump’s crackdown hits legal immigrants

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President Trump signs criminal justice reform First Step Act into law

The president’s posture on illegal immigration has had a chilling effect on legal migrant flows.

by Ted Hesson

P

resident Donald Trump’s immigration legacy so far isn’t a border wall or fewer migrants crossing the border illegally into the U.S. It’s a reduction in how many people enter the U.S. by entirely legal means.

State Department data show visa issuances have slumped under Trump, according to government information reviewed and analyzed by POLITICO. The number of visas for temporary stays in the U.S. fell 13 percent in fiscal year 2018 compared with two years earlier, the last full year under President Barack Obama. Immigrant visas, which allow a person to apply for a green card, dropped by 14 percent over the same period. And for people with visas, such as H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers, there is less certainty about whether they will be renewed because of changes in policy.

“That’s been a bit of a nightmare,” said Sarah Pitney, an immigration attorney with the D.C.-based firm Benach Collopy. “A lot of employers have just started looking for options other than H-1Bs, because H1Bs have been such an issue in the last year or so.”

The State Department doesn’t provide detailed information about how many visa applications it receives or denies, so it’s impossible to determine how much the decline is attributable to tougher screening and how much to dwindling interest in traveling to the U.S. Either explanation would suggest that Trump’s posture had a chilling effect on legal immigration flows.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, under Director Francis Cissna, has rained down policy memos and directives aimed at rooting out fraudulent and non-meritorious visa applications, but critics say they’ve had the effect of slowing down or blocking legitimate visa applications.

The changes amount to “reform by a lot of trimming and shaping,” according to Jessica Vaughan, a policy director with the Center for Immigration Studies, which backs lower levels of immigration. “It’s really a lot of small changes that in the aggregate make a big difference.”

By contrast, arrests by Border Patrol — a proxy for illegal crossings — rose in recent months to the highest levels of the Trump presidency. Border Patrol nabbed 51,856 migrants at the southwest border in November, a 78 percent increase from a year earlier. The arrest levels resemble the higher months of the Obama presidency, a sign that Trump’s attempts to limit illegal immigration haven’t worked.

Despite the surge, illegal immigration remains low compared with the late 1980s through the early 2000s, when border arrests numbered about twice what they do today. But this past year’s increase was enough to prompt Trump to fume about a migrant “invasion.” Administration officials implemented a succession of border policies, including the deployment of nearly 6,000 military troops, intended to end the perceived crisis. None of these deterred rising numbers of migrants, principally from Central America, from trekking north.

And deportations under Trump remain far below levels under Obama: In fiscal year 2018, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed 256,058 people. By comparison, ICE removed 409,849 people in fiscal year 2012, a high-water mark during the Obama administration.

The border wall itself remains unbuilt, despite Trump’s frequent threats to force a federal government shutdown over what he estimates would be a $20 billion project and the current budget stalemate over the wall in Congress. A spending bill passed in March devoted

just $1.4 billion to an estimated 84 miles of new and replacement barriers along the southwest border. During Trump’s first year in office, Congress provided only $341 million for 40 miles of replacement fence.

- H-1B visas When it comes to legal immigration, however, the Trump administration has taken steps that could reshape who enters the country for years to come.

Employers are particularly worried about changes to the H-1B visa program, a popular vehicle for tech companies to import foreign talent to the U.S. The program grants 65,000 employment visas each year, plus an additional 20,000 for U.S. master’s degree holders.

Under Trump, the program — which has come under bipartisan criticism for displacing American workers through a contractor loophole — has been peppered with low-profile reforms that have disrupted the existing process.

A separate memo issued earlier that year declared being a computer programmer in itself didn’t qualify as a “specialty occupation” eligible for an H-1B visa — a blow to tech firms seeking foreign workers for such roles.

The agency also announced a policy over the summer that allowed visa officers to deny a petition without first requesting additional evidence from the applicant or filing an advance notice of intent to deny.

“The net effect of these policies make it much more challenging and expensive for U.S. employers to bring in foreign professional talent,” said Andrew Greenfield, managing partner of the Fragomen law firm’s Washington office. “I think that this was the easiest thing for the administration to do to demonstrate its tough stance on immigration, because it just couldn’t get Congress to act.” - Politico

President Donald J. Trump signs an EO on Iran Sanctions in the Green Room at Trump National Golf Club Sunday, August 5, 2018, in Bedminster Township, New Jersey. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

by Erin McCarthy Holliday

W

ASHINGTON, December 21, 2018 - President Donald Trump signed on Friday the First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill aimed at reducing recidivism and refining sentencing laws and harsh penalties.

The US Senate approved the Act Tuesday with a vote of 87 to 12, and the House signed it Thursday 358-36.

The bill expands in-prison

and post-release employment programming, includes components related to alternatives to prison for low-risk prisoners such as home confinement, prohibits restraints on pregnant prisoners, and mandates evidence-based treatment for opioid and heroin abuse, among others.

The bill revises the Controlled Substances Act’s harsh drug penalties, including a lowering of the “three strikes” rule for drug felons that had sent them

to life in prison, now down to 25 years, and it changes the two or more felonies within the rule from any “felony drug offense” to “a serious drug felony or serious violent felony,” defined in the text of the bill.

“The First Step Act will help prepare inmates to successfully rejoin society and enact commonsense sentencing reforms to make our justice system fairer for all Americans,” said a White House statement.

- The Jurist

Senate unanimously votes to make lynching a federal crime

by Carrie Thompson

W

ASHINGTON - December 20, 2018 - The US Senate unanimously passed a bill on Wednesday to make lynching a federal hate crime.

The “Justice for the Victims of Lynching” bill is a bipartisan effort sponsored by three senators: Democrats Kamala Harris and Cory Booker and Republican Tim Scott. The bill defines lynching as “2 or more persons willfully caus[ing] bodily injury to any other per-

son, because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin […] sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person.” If death results from lynching, the bill provides that those involved could be sentenced to life in prison, on top of any charges that may be brought for murder.

In its findings, the bill stated that “at least 4,742 people, predominantly African Americans, were reported lynched in the United States between 1882 and 1968” and that “[n]inetynine percent of all perpetrators

of lynching escaped from punishment by State or local officials.” The bill further noted that the legislature considered but failed to pass nearly 200 anti-lynching bills throughout the 20th century. Senator Harris stated that by passing the bill, she hoped the Senate had offered “some long overdue justice and recognition to the victims of lynching crimes.”

The Senate bill has a companion bill in the House, which remains in committee.

- The Jurist

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‘Smart’ uniforms track Chinese students in truancy fight

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EIJING, China | AFP | Friday 12/21/2018 Schools in southern China are using chip-powered “smart” school uniforms to track their students in a bid to tackle truancy and boost attendance, according to state media.

Paired with facial recognition devices installed on school doors, the smart uniforms can also sense if students swap uniforms.

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Dave Ghosh named to Vanderbilt University Dean’s List

“We choose not to check the accurate location of students after school, but when the student is missing and skipping classes, the uniforms help locate them,” Guizhou province school principal Lin Zongwu told the Global Times.

The uniforms use chips to monitor the location of students and can record their exit and entry into school, according to the tech firm behind the tracking devices.

“When students enter The uniforms use chips to monitor the location of students and can But so far, it’s not the school, the smart uni- record their exit and entry into school. (Photo: AFP) clear how effective forms help take a photo or smart uniforms are at video of them,” explained preventing students At least 10 schools in Guizhou and from playing hooky. principal Ran Ruxiang, whose elementary school in Guizhou province neighbouring Guangxi have adopted The high-tech uniforms have helped started rolling out smart uniforms last the technology, according to a Thurs- increase the attendance rate, “but not day report by the Global Times.

November. much”, according to Ran, who added More than half of the school’s 1,400 students were wearing the smart uniforms, he told AFP.

If students walk out of the school without permission, an automatic voice alarm will activate, the report said.

that the school chose the uniforms mainly as a way to send notifications and homework to students through an app connected to the uniform chips.

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Medical miracle: Texas girl’s inoperable brain tumor disappears

ave Ghosh, a Houston resident, made the Dean’s List for the Fall 2018 semester as a Freshman at Vanderbilt University. Along with being an Economics and Computer Science double major, Vanderbilt’s core requirements proved to be rigorous throughout the semester. As quoted

by Ghosh, “Vanderbilt hopes to expose students to a variety of fields, thereby preparing them to enter the workforce with a better sense of what it means to be a member in today’s complex society.” His learnings this semester focused on macroeconomics and expanding his knowledge in calculus, foreign language, and analyzing writings dating back to the fifteenth century.

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AYS COUNTY, Texas A little girl’s inoperable brain tumor has miraculously disappeared.

Roxli Doss was diagnosed with an brain tumor in June called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, 12NewsNow reported.

“It is very rare, but when we see it, it is a devastating disease,” Dr. Virginia Harrod with Dell Children’s Medical Center. “You have decreased ability to swallow, sometimes vision loss, decreased ability to talk, eventually difficulty with breathing.”

Roxli went through weeks of radiation even though there isn’t a cure.

Her parents said the only other thing they could do was pray for a miracle.

And it looks like they got one.

“When I first saw Roxli’s MRI scan, it was actually unbelievable,” Dr. Harrod told 12NewsNow. “The tumor is undetectable on the MRI scan, which is really unusual.”

Roxli Doss was diagnosed in June with cancer that is presented in the brain.

Doctors can’t explain why the tumor disappeared, but it did.

mom said. “It’s kind of our family thing that God healed Roxli.”

The family said they only have God to thank.

The girl is being monitored closely and will continue to undergo treatments.

“Everyday we still say it,” Roxli’s

Dave Ghosh

While Ghosh worked tirelessly to receive this academic accomplishment, he credits Vanderbilt’s friendly atmosphere and Houston’s competitive nature for his success.

Arriving in Nashville after eighteen years of living in the same city, he

was not sure what to expect. Once classes started, however, everything instantly clicked. His study habits from high school came in handy, and Vanderbilt connected him with incredible professors and open-minded students that pushed him to be the best version of himself. Because of this, making the Dean’s List does not serve as his lone accomplishment.

He also serves as Editor-in-Chief for the Vanderbilt Economic Review, publishing articles pertaining to current economic issues. He is the Vice President of Internal Relations for the Vanderbilt Innovation and Entrepreneurship Society, promoting students’ entrepreneurship efforts and gaining knowledge to possibly pursue a path of his own.

Additionally, he serves as an Economics Research Assistant.

He hopes to maintain this level of achievement throughout the rest of college.

- WTHR News

How parents can help their young children develop healthy social skills

by Laurien Beane

After reading this table, if you feel your child is developmentally at risk or vulnerable, there may be several reasons for this.

Be guided by the educator at your preschool or early childhood education and care centre centre when deciding which service might best support your child to develop healthy social skills.

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s the new year dawns, parents likely turn their thoughts to their child and new beginnings they may experience as they enter an early childhood education and care centre or preschool. Naturally, it’s a time of reflection on the previous year, and excitement about the possibilities for the new year to come.

Parents might reflect on friendships their child makes in the coming year.

Making friends is not always instinctive for a young child. Learning to make friends is part of the social development curriculum in early childhood.

Social development skills are just as important as cognitive skills when learning. In recent studies, positive social skills are highlighted as key predictors for better outcomes in adulthood. It’s important for parents to be aware of ways to ensure positive social development skills in their young child.

Parents can begin by looking for interpersonal people skills, such as empathy, listening and communication skills. This will help your child transition into the next stage of their educational journey.

- Is your child’s social development on track, at risk or vulnerable? The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) researches longitudinal data about the five important

Learning to make friends is part of the social development in childhood. (Photo: iStock) learning domains for a young child.

The domains are: - social development - physical health and well-being - emotional maturity - language and cognitive skills - communication skills and general knowledge.

Each domain is essential for learning how to build friendships, though social development is the central one.

The following table outlines what is considered developmentally on track, at risk or vulnerable in the social competence domain.

To help you, there are a broad range of services available. These include art and music therapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, speech therapists, physiotherapists, audiologists, and child counsellors.

Making through the stages of play -

friends

There is a range of research about stages of play a young child engages in when they’re learning to make friends. According to brain development research, a young child begins to develop pathways in their brain for social skills from birth.

Social development skills are just as important as cognitive skills when learning. (Photo: iStock)

ability. Take time to observe your young child’s social interactions in a range of settings. Watch them at home, with family and friends, as well as in their preschool or early childhood education and care centre. This may help you determine if your child is engaging socially during play to make friends.

- What’s next? -

According to research, there are six stages of play with associated social skills. These are assessed in the early childhood curriculum.

When a child moves from one educational setting to another, we call this movement a transition. Positive social development skills are an asset for your child during this time. Educators at both educational settings will work in partnership with you, and each other, to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible.

Understanding some of these key indicators of social skills required to for play will help you consider their

Essentially there are some key indicators which will help children during transitions: self-care, separating from

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parents, growing independence, and readiness to learn. As parents you can: - familiarise your child with the new environment - engage in active listening as your child expresses their thoughts and feelings about starting in a new learning environment - ensure children start the new year with all required equipment recommended by the centre or school - arrange to meet other people starting in the new year and practice turn taking, listening, asking questions and asking for help before the new year begins.

This will support development of social skills for your young child and help them make new friends more readily.

- The Conversation

VOICE OF ASIA 17

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

December is ‘End Hunger’ Month

Section 2

December is Type 2 Diabetes Awareness Month

Tel: 713-774-5140

Understanding Medicare Saving Program

Wellness trends 2019: how you’ll be looking after your health next year

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he Medicare Savings Programs use Medicaid funds to help eligible persons pay for all or some of their out-of-pocket Medicare expenses, such as premiums, deductibles or coinsurance.

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new year is often the time when many of us aim to set new healthy resolutions. As looking after our wellbeing is becoming an increasingly holistic experience, including not only diet and fitness but also mental health, use of natural and eco-friendly products, and time for rest and relaxation, here we round up the variety of wellness trends that look set to be big in 2019.

Making the switch from plastic to eco-friendly options As we become more aware of the dangers of plastic for the environment, going plastic-free will be one of the main trends of 2019. And it could also benefit our health as well as that of the planet, with many studies published in the past year linking exposure to phthalates, which are found in plastic packaging and containers, with fertility problems, pregnancy complications and other health issues due to their hormone-disrupting properties. Some of us have already started to switch from plastic bottles to reusable options, with companies such as Whole Foods announcing that next year a main focus will be to reduce their plastic packaging in store in preference of more eco-friendly options. The UK is also planning to ban plastic straws, cotton buds, and single-use plastic across the country from as early as 2019.

- Growing interest in marijuanabased products With marijuana laws relaxing in states across the USA, the UK legalizing medical marijuana, and of course Canada legalizing recreational marijuana, more and more people are turning to cannabis and hemp-derived products, which is the name given to the cannabis plant, to boost their health. Those with conditions such

HHSC manages the Medicare Savings Programs, which consists of the following: • Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program • Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program • Qualifying Individual (QI) Program The use of marijuana-based products looks set to increase in 2019. (© eskymaks / Istock.com) as multiple sclerosis and epilepsy are trying products such as cannabidiol oil, or CBD oil for short, a chemical in marijuana that does not have the intoxicating effects of THC, the active ingredient which causes the “high.”

It can be massaged into skin to benefit from its pain-relieving properties or for certain conditions taken orally.

For those who don’t want to smoke, the marijuana herb can also be brewed in water to make a tea. Many beauty products are also adding hemp to their ingredients as it is known for its antiinflammatory and deeply moisturizing properties.

- Increasing consumption of more sustainable alternatives to meat Plant-based eating has been one of the biggest diet trends for the last couple of years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. While many continue to give up meat due to animal cruelty, this year has also seen many studies showing that plant-based diets can

not only boost our health but possibly even help the worrying problem of climate change, driving the trend even further. Next year it looks more likely that not only will we avoid meat as we know it in favor of more plant-based alternatives, but we also might be ready to try other alternative sources such as lab-grown faux meat.

The Impossible Burger is made entirely from plant-based ingredients and designed to cook, smell, and taste like real beef, and is now available in restaurants throughout the US, while another brand’s meatless patties, Beyond Burger arrived recently in UK Tesco supermarkets.

Meanwhile creepy crawlies may also work their way into our daily diets, with UK supermarket Sainsbury’s becoming the country’s first to start selling edible insects, which are being touted as a more sustainable and protein-packed meat.

- Relaxnews

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital offers new high-resolution imaging

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“The PET/CT uses innovative software to produce highly accurate scans rapidly, a critical advantage because longer scans increase the chance of patient movement which can interfere with image quality,” said Chiekezi Ekechi, Director of Imaging and Diagnostic Services at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “In addition, the PET/

the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program pays Medicare premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance for a person who meets the requirements of this section. A person receiving Medicaid may also receive QMB benefits if the person meets the requirements of this section.

To be eligible for QMB coverage, a person must: (1) be entitled to benefits under Medicare Part A; and (2) meet income and resources requirements.

Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary Program. the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program pays only Medicare Part B premiums for a person who meets the requirements of this section. A person receiving Medicaid may also receive SLMB benefits if the person meets the requirements of this section.

(d) A person’s SLMB eligibility may begin with the month of application.

The PET/CT produces crisper, more detailed images than older machines – and does so with reduced rates of radiation exposure.

The PET/CT is faster and smoother than traditional scanning technology, which provides a number of important benefits.

Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program.

(b) To be eligible for SLMB coverage, a person must meet the eligibility criteria for QMB coverage. Beneficiary Program), except the person must have an income that is greater than 100% but less than 120% of the federal poverty level.

UGAR LAND— (December 21, 2018) — Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is the first in Fort Bend to offer a new high-resolution PET/CT imaging machine – called the Biograph mCT – that improves physicians’ abilities to make diagnoses.

“This is a valuable investment in patient care because imaging plays such a critical role in diagnosis,” said Eric Longo, M.D., Chair of the Department of Radiology at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “With the new PET/CT, our oncologists will be able to characterize the tiniest cancer lesions more precisely, which allows for better staging and monitoring of changes in activity over time. The PET/CT will aid our neurologists in the evaluation of neurological disorders and dementia. Cardiologists will be able to more accurately assess multi-vessel disease.”

• Qualified Disabled and Working Individual (QDWI) Program

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900 (e) A person with SLMB coverage is eligible for three months prior medical coverage, if all criteria are met.

Qualifying Individual Program.

The Qualifying Individual (QI) Program pays only Medicare Part B premiums to a person who meets the requirements of this section. A person cannot be eligible for regular Medicaid and QI coverage at the same time.

To be eligible for QI coverage, a person must meet the eligibility criteria for Qualified Medicare Beneficiary coverage except the person must have income that is at least 120% but less than 135% of the federal poverty level. (c) Eligibility for QI coverage is determined for each calendar year. (d) A person’s QI eligibility may begin with the month of application. (e) A person with QI coverage is eligible for three months prior medical coverage if all criteria are met.

The three-month prior period cannot extend back into the previous calendar year. (To be continued) To enroll in any Medicare-Medicaid Dual plan, Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Supplement Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan contact Sudhir Mathuria at 713771-2900.

NY sues Walmart, Target for selling toys with high lead levels Biograph mCT CT table moves in a single continuous motion through the scan, which reduces patient movement compared to the stop-and-start motion of traditional scanners. All of that means less exposure to radiation and fewer retakes – important benefits for patients who require frequent follow-up exams.”

The PET/CT is also more comfortable than older machines, with a wide table for patients and a large-diameter opening. It can even be used for fullbody scans. The short tunnel also allows many scans to be performed with the patient’s head outside of the machine, which improves patient comfort and reduces feelings of anxiety or claustrophobia.

PET-CT systems were initially proposed by David Townsend (at the University of Geneva at the time) and Ronald Nutt (at CPS Innovations in Knoxville, TN) with help from colleagues. The first PET-CT prototype for clinical evaluation was funded by the NCI and installed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 1998.

The first commercial system reached the market by 2001, with over 400 systems had been installed worldwide.

For uses in image-guided radiation therapy of cancer, special fiducial markers are placed in the patient’s body before acquiring the PET-CT images. The slices thus acquired may be transferred digitally to a linear accelerator which is used to perform precise bombardment of the target areas using high energy photons.

To schedule an imaging appointment with Houston Methodist Sugar Land, call (281) 274-7170.

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

Walmart said it removed the toys from store shelves as soon as it was notified they had been recalled. (© Saul Loeb / AFP)

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ew York state authorities on Thursday announced a lawsuit against retail giants Walmart and Target for selling Chinese-made toys that had up to 10 times the legal limit of lead.

The lawsuit seeks up to $6,000 in penalties for each of the thousands of Cra-Z-Jewelz jewelry kits the retailers and importer LaRose Industries sold from 2015 to 2016 before they were recalled. Authorities also are asking the three companies to take steps to prevent dangerous toys from reaching store shelves.

“No parent should have to worry that their child’s toy may be toxic. As we allege, these companies imported and sold toys with dangerous levels of toxic lead,” New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood said in a statement.

She said the jewelry kits had parts that contained 120 to 980 parts per million of lead, exceeding the legal limit of 100 ppm.

LaRose Industries and Target im-

ported the kits from China from August 2015 until April 2016. The toys also were sold by now bankrupt chains Kmart and Toys R Us. The suit alleges that the companies violated multiple New York state laws, including those related to selling hazardous toys, as well as deceptive acts and false advertising.

Walmart said it removed the toys from store shelves as soon as it was notified they had been recalled.

“We take our customers’ safety seriously and require our suppliers to meet all safety standards,” the company said in a statement. Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

LaRose already adopted a number of measures to ensure imported toys do not contain dangerous amounts of lead. Underwood said the suit seeks additional measures from the three companies including testing requirements, unannounced audits of manufacturers and tighter rules on sourcing of dangerous material. - AFP

HEALTH

VOICE OF ASIA 18

Americans have grown fatter, shorter since 1999: US data

The average American man weighs 197.9 pounds (89.8 kilograms), according to the most recent year for which data is available, 2015-2016 -- eight pounds more than in 1999-2000, when the average male body weight was 189 pounds (86 kg). (© tomzilaze / IStock.com)

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mericans have grown fatter in the past two decades, adding girth to their bellies and in some cases, even growing shorter, according to federal health data released Thursday.

The report gave no specific reasons for the trends, which come as no surprise as the nation battles with an ongoing obesity epidemic.

Average weight, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) in adults have increased over the past 18 years, said the report by the National Center for Health Statistics.

“A significant linear increase in body weight was seen over time for both men and women,”

said the report, based on data from physical exams on more than 47,000 people nationwide over the age of 20.

The average American man weighs 197.9 pounds (89.8 kilograms), according to the most recent year for which data is available, 2015-2016.

That’s up eight pounds from 1999-2000, when the average male body weight was 189 (86 kg).

Women have packed on the pounds too, going from an average of 164 lbs (74 kg) in 1999-2000 to 171 lb (77 kg) in 2015-2016.

Men’s average waist size has crept from 39 to 40 inches (99 cm to 102 cm), while women’s

waists grew three inches -- 36 to 39 inches (92 to 98 cm) -- in that time span.

American men today are slightly shorter than two decades ago: 69.2 inches (175.6 cm) then, and 69.1 inches (175.4 cm) now.

Women’s average height also fell one tenth of an inch since 1999, but not enough to be statistically significant.

BMI, a key health indicator which is calculated as ratio of height and weight, showed rises men climbed from an average of 27.8 in 1999 to 29.1 in 2015.

Women went from 27.8 on average to 28.2.

- Relaxnews

New study links negative mood with higher levels of inflammation New US research has found that a negative mood, such as feeling sad or angry, may be linked with higher levels of inflammation and may be a sign of poor health.

The findings, published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, showed that participants who reported a negative mood several times a day during the study had higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers.

The team also found among the men surveyed in this study, experiencing a positive mood was associated with lower levels of inflammation.

Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response to problems such as infections, wounds, and damage to tissues.

Chronic inflammation has been identified as a contributing factor to various diseases

Children whose older siblings have autism or ADHD may have increased risk for both disorders

Younger children whose siblings have ADHD or ASD may also have a higher risk of both conditions, according to new research. (© PeopleImages / IStock.com)

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OS ANGLES, Califorian - New US research has found that children whose older siblings have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are also at an increased risk for both disorders.

condition.

study.

Led by researchers at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and University of California, Davis, the new study looked at the medical records of 730 younger siblings of children with ADHD, 158 younger siblings of children with ASD, and 14,287 younger siblings of children with no diagnosis of either condition to investigate the risk for later-born siblings of children with either disorder.

Later-born children whose sibling had ADHD had a 13 times higher risk of being diagnosed with ADHD and a 4.4 times higher risk of ASD, compared to later-born siblings of non-diagnosed children.

With a worldwide prevalence of 5 percent, ADHD is the most common childhood behavioral disorder. Symptoms include difficulty focusing, non-stop talking or blurting things out, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity which can interfere with a child’s development and academic performance.

“We’ve known for a long time that younger siblings of children with autism are at higher-thanaverage risk for autism, but the field didn’t have adequate data to tell whether they were at increased risk for ADHD,” said lead author Meghan Miller.

“Despite the fact that autism and ADHD appear very different in their descriptions, this work highlights the overlapping risk; younger siblings of children with ASD are at elevated risk of both ADHD and autism, and younger siblings of children with ADHD are at elevated risk not only for ADHD, but also for autism.”

The findings, published online in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, showed that later-born children whose siblings had ASD also had a 30 times higher risk of ASD, as well as a 3.7 times higher risk of ADHD, compared to later-born siblings of children without either

Firearm deaths was the No. 2 cause of death among youth, claiming the lives of more than 3,140 children and teens in 2016, according to the research

- Relaxnews

T

Study participants who reported a negative mood several times a day had higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers. (© diego_cervo / Istock.com) and health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers, with previous research also suggesting that higher inflammation is linked to clinical depression and hostility.

The researchers believe that the study is the first to investigate how mood may affect measures of inflammation.

Principal investigator Jennifer Graham-Engeland noted that the research is unique as it not only used questionnaires to ask participants to recall their feelings over a period of time, but also asked participants how

A new report in the New England Journal of Medicine analyzed fatalities among young people in 2016

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However, both conditions are thought to share some genetic risk factors, a theory supported by the findings of the new

The findings are significant as being able to diagnose ASD and ADHD earlier could improve both treatment and quality of life for those affected, with the researchers suggesting that families who already have a child diagnosed with ASD or ADHD should look out for symptoms of both conditions in younger siblings.

they were feeling in the moment.

Graham-Engeland hopes further research will be carried out looking into how interventions in daily life can improve mood and help individuals cope with stress.

“Because affect is modifiable, we are excited about these findings and hope that they will spur additional research to understand the connection between affect and inflammation, which in turn may promote novel psychosocial interventions that promote health broadly and help break a cycle that

he US journal Science on Thursday coined as “Breakthrough of the Year” for 2018 new technologies that reveal how DNA cues individual cells to grow through time.

Experts say these methods will transform science over the coming decades, allowing an ever clearer picture of the processes behind aging, healing, and disease. Experts say new methods that reveal how DNA cues individual cells to grow “Just as a music through time will transform science over the coming decades, allowing an ever score indicates when clearer picture of the processes behind aging, healing, and disease. (© from2015 / Istock.com) strings, brass, percussion, and woodwinds chime in to create a symphony, a combination of technologies Among the projects underis revealing when genes in in- way is an international consordividual cells switch on, cueing tium called the Human Cell Atthe cells to play their special- las, which is identifying “every human cell type, where each can lead to chronic inflamma- ized parts,” said the report. tion, disability, and disease,” “The result is the ability to type is located in the body, and she added. track development of organ- how the cells work together to isms and organs in stunning form tissues and organs,” said - Relaxnews detail, cell by cell and through the report.

The No. 1 cause of death among children (and 60% of them are avoidable) ome 20,360 children and teenagers died in the U.S. in 2016 and 60% of those fatalities were preventable injuries, according new study published in the peer-reviewed New England Journal of Medicine. The No. 1 cause: Motor vehicle accidents, which claimed the lives of more than 4,000 teenagers and children. Safety experts say that prevention efforts, awareness campaigns, more sophisticated cars designed to help prevent fatalities and better trauma care have cut the death rate of young people from such crashes in half in less than two decades.

Individuals with ASD experience a different set of symptoms, including challenges with social interaction and communication, unusual interests, or repetitive behaviors such as hand flapping or lining up objects.

Cell-by-cell DNA science is ‘Breakthrough of 2018’

Carried out by researchers at Penn State University, the new study recruited 220 participants, and asked them to complete questionnaires recalling their mood over the past month as well as report on their positive and negative moods five times a day for 14 days.

Blood samples were also taken to measure concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and seven inflammatory cytokines which indicate the level of inflammation in the body.

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

compiled by a team from a University of Michigan. That equates to approximately eight children dying per day due to preventable deaths related to firearms. The rate of firearmrelated death for those aged 1 to 19 years has stayed around the same for nearly the past two decades, the analysis said, although that rate is still more than 36 times as high as the average rate across 12 other highincome countries.

Cancer was the No. 3 cause of death and accounted for 1,853 deaths of those age 1 to 19, although its death rate has dropped over the last 17 years, and suffocation — mainly suicides by hanging and other means — was No. 4. Suicide, however, is on the rise. Those causes were followed by drowning, drug overdoses/poi-

sonings and birth defects, each with just under 1,000 deaths in each of those categories. (The study used publicly available data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s database of information from death certificates.)

Fatal road accidents are still at epidemic proportions, safety experts say. For all age groups, deaths on the road reached 40,000 last year, down 1% from 2016, according to the National Safety Council. These figures remain high despite automatic emergency breaks, plus nationwide seat belt and sober driving and anti-texting campaigns.

Traffic deaths exceeded 40,000 in 2016 for the first time since 2006. Some 4.57 million people were seriously injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2017, and costs to society reached nearly $414 billion, also down 1% on the year.

- Gun-related deaths are on the rise The No. 2 reason for fatalities among teenagers and chil-

dren also continues to frustrate lawmakers and campaigners.

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 39,773 deaths related to firearms in 2017. That’s about 12 deaths per 100,000 people and is also up from the 28,874 deaths by firearms in 1999. CDC statisticians told CNN last week that gun deaths have reached a near 40-year record-high. A recent nationwide Gallup poll concluded that one-third of K-12 teachers said gun control was the answer to reduce shootings while, 22% advocated banning assault rifles and certain types of guns, Approximately 19% of teachers in that poll suggested funding for better mental health care, 15% want more security at schools, including bulletproof windows and doors, and armed guards, and 10% want stricter background checks.

Only 7% of teachers said they wanted guns in classrooms.

- MarketWatch

time.”

Modern methods build on the 2002 Nobel Prize–winning work of John Sulston and colleagues, “who mapped the development of the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans by painstakingly watching larvae mature cell by cell through microscopes,” said Jeremy Berg, editor-in-chief of the Science family of journals.

Other scientists are studying kidney cell types, including ones that become cancerous, as well as the interplay between maternal and fetal cells in pregnancy.

A group of 53 institutions and 60 companies across Europe, called the LifeTime consortium, is studying cell by cell how tissues develop cancer, diabetes, and other diseases.

“With today’s technologies, especially massively parallel DNA sequencing and advanced fluorescence microscopy, the cells that comprise C. elegans have been mapped again using tag-analyze-assemble methods based on gene expression patterns within each cell.”

“The single-cell revolution is just starting,” said the report in Science, which is published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

- ‘Revolution is just starting’ -

Of some 12,000 votes cast, the “clear winner” was techniques that enable scientists to track development at the cellular level, it said.

Scientific papers have been published this year on how a flatworm, a fish, a frog, and other organisms begin to make organs and appendages.

International researchers are hard at work, looking for ways to apply these techniques to human cells -- how they mature, regenerate, and what goes wrong when cancer, diabetes or even physical malformations occur.

The winner was picked after online readers were invited to vote on a dozen pre-picked breakthroughs for the year.

“These technologies create some of the most extraordinary movies ever made, showing how a single cell grows into the intricate tissues and organs of a mature animal,” said Tim Appenzeller, Science’s news editor.

- AFP

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

VOICE OF ASIA 19

NASA spacecraft hurtles toward historic New Year’s flyby

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atent disputes come with the territory in tech, with companies often taking each other to the court to figure out who has the rights to what technology — and who needs to pay for using it. This kind of legal wrangling usually doesn’t draw much attention unless you’re a new junkie or patent attorney. But every so often, a patent feud spills out of the courtroom and into the public view.

AMPA, Florida | AFP | Monday 12/23/2018 - A NASA spacecraft is hurtling toward a historic New Year’s Day flyby of the most distant planetary object ever studied, a frozen relic of the early solar system called Ultima Thule.

Four billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers) away, the unmanned spaceship, New Horizons, is poised to zoom by at 12:33 am (0533 GMT) on January 1, at a distance of just 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) from Ultima Thule.

That’s more than three times closer than New Horizons came to Pluto when it zipped by the dwarf planet in 2015.

An artist’s conception of the New Horizons Spacecraft. (Courtesy NASA)

So what is this strange object, which is named after a mythical, far-northern island in medieval literature and has its own rock anthem performed

by Queen guitarist Brian May?

-- a handful of dwarf planets the size of continents, like Pluto,” said Alan Stern, principal investigator on New Horizons.

Relatively small, scientists aren’t sure about its exact size.

But they believe it is about 100 times tinier than Pluto which measures almost 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) in diameter.

Ultima Thule is also in a freezing area of space, suggesting it may remain well preserved.

“Really, it is a relic from the formation of the solar system,” said Weaver.

- ‘Attic’ of the solar system Ultima Thule (pronounced TOO-lee) lies in the Kuiper Belt, a vast cosmic disc left over from the days when planets first formed.

Astronomers sometimes call it the “attic” of the solar system.

Scientists didn’t even know the Kuiper Belt existed until the 1990s.

The Kuiper Belt begins some three billion miles (4.8 billion kilometers) beyond the Sun, past the orbit of Neptune which is the furthest planet from the Sun. “It is teeming with literally billions of comets, millions of objects like Ultima which are called planetesimals, the building blocks out of which planets were formed, and a smattering

“It is important to us in planetary science because this region of the solar system, being so far from the Sun, preserves the original conditions from four and a half billion years ago,” Stern added.

“So when we fly by Ultima, we are going to be able to see the way things were back at the beginning.”

- High-speed, close encounter The New Horizons spacecraft is speeding through space at 32,000 miles (51,500 kilometers) per hour, traveling almost a million miles per day.

At that pace, if it strikes a piece of debris as small as a rice pellet, the spacecraft could be destroyed instantly.

“We don’t want that to happen,” said Stern.

If New Horizon survives this flyby, it will do so while furiously snapping hundreds of pictures of Ultima Thule, in the hopes of revealing its shape and geology for the first time.

New Horizons sent back stunning images of Pluto -including a never before seen heart shape on its surface -- in 2015.

This time, “at closest approach we are going to try to image Ultima at three times the resolution we had for Pluto,” Stern said.

But the flyby “requires extremely precise navigation.

Much more precise than we have ever tried before. We might get it, and we might not,” Stern added.

- Answers to come? Ultima Thule was first discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2014.

Scientists figured out in 2017 that Ultima Thule is not spherical but possibly elongated in shape. It may even be two objects.

It does not project the repeated, pulsing light scientists expect to see from a rotating cosmic object, raising puzzling questions.

Could it be surrounded by cosmic dust? Enveloped by many tiny moons? Oriented in such a way that its pole is facing the approaching spacecraft?

NASA hopes the flyby will reveal the answers.

The first images are expected by the evening of January 1, with release planned for January 2.

More, higher resolution shots should follow.

Though no live images are possible at this distance, NASA plans to broadcast online during the flyby, featuring an animated video and music by Queen guitarist Brian May, who holds a degree in astrophysics and is releasing a musical tribute to accompany the event.

“I was inspired by the idea that this is the furthest that the Hand of Man has ever reached,” May said.

And Stern hopes this won’t be the end for New Horizons, which launched in 2006 and is powered by plutonium.

“We hope to hunt down one more KPO (Kuiper Belt Object), making an even more distant flyby in the 2020s,” Stern said.

Rumbling Indonesia volcano could trigger more tsunamis, experts warn

by Laurence Coustal

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ARIS, France | AFP | Monday 12/24/2018 Another tsunami could strike Indonesia, experts have warned, after a powerful wave caused by a volcanic eruption killed hundreds when it swallowed coastal settlements, taking earthquake-focused disaster monitors by surprise.

The tsunami “appears to have been caused by an underwater collapse” of part of the volcano, said David Rothery, a professor of planetary geosciences at Britain’s Open University.

Anak Krakatoa is an island that emerged around 1928 in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people.

The tsunami that struck on Saturday was the third natural disaster to hit Indonesia in six months.

The country has 127 active volcanoes and lies on the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire” where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent.

- Why was it so deadly? Anak Krakatoa, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, is close to

Such is the case with Apple and Qualcomm, who find themselves fighting on multiple fronts over the patents covering how your mobile connects to the rest of the world when you’re out and about.

This patent feud has spilled out of the courtroom and into the public view. (File photo)

“This is exactly the type of intellectual property fight that we have seen before in the smartphone era between Qualcomm and Nokia and Apple and Samsung and Huawei and Google/Motorola,” said Avi Greengart, research director for consumer devices at GlobalData. “Just because it is not unusual does not mean it doesn’t have big implications for the industry.”

For now, though, keep an eye peeled on that FTC-Qualcomm case in January and on the upcoming Qualcomm-Apple trial.

Both sides have indicated a settlement isn’t imminent, so expect this dispute to continue to play out in courtrooms around the world in 2019.

Indeed, with Qualcomm scoring a couple legal wins in recent weeks — including rulings that could block iPhone sales in some countries — the chip maker’s ongoing legal battle with Apple is drawing more attention. Here’s what you need to know about the Apple-Qualcomm dispute and how it might impact you and your next smartphone.

The current dispute dates back to January 2017, when Apple sued Qualcomm for $1 billion. Apple contends that Qualcomm charges royalties for “technologies they have nothing to do with” and has accused the chip maker of withholding rebates as punishment for cooperating with Korean regulators looking into antitrust allegations against Qualcomm.

Qualcomm holds patents for some of the technology that phones use to connect to cellular networks. It licenses that to phone makers who pay Qualcomm royalties for using its intellectual property even if they aren’t using chips supplied by Qualcomm. Even with Apple using Intel-built modems on some of its devices, the iPhone maker still has to pay Qualcomm a licensing fee — the dispute seems to be over just how much.

Qualcomm countersued Apple, and the dispute has spread to other courts and countries, culminating in another lawsuit this fall in which Qualcomm accused Apple of handing over information and trade secrets to Intel to boost the performance of the latter’s chips.

Here in the U.S., though, consumers aren’t really feeling any consequence from the ongoing court fights between Qualcomm and Apple.

That may not always be the case, though, especially with those two big court cases coming up in 2019.

As of Monday evening, the death toll stood at 373 people (Fauzy Chaniago/AP Photo) densely populated areas.

The volcano has been particularly active since June, noted Jacques-Marie Bardintzeff at the University of Paris-South.

“We were helpless given how sudden” the event took place, Bardintzeff said. “The time between cause and effect was a few dozen minutes, which was too short to warn the population.”

The killer wave struck at night, sweeping across tourist beaches and low-lying settlements on both sides of the Sunda Strait and catching both residents and disaster monitors totally unawares.

“Signs that a tsunami was coming weren’t detected and so people did not have time to evacuate,” said Indonesia’s disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, who blamed vandalism, technical problems and limited budgets for the lack of warning buoys.

But the Open University’s Rothry said such buoys, nor-

mally positioned to monitor earthquakes at underwater tectonic plate boundaries, would still have had limited efficacy.

“Even if there had been such a buoy right next to Anak Krakatoa, this is so close to the affected shorelines that warning time would have been minimal given the high speeds at which tsunami waves travel.”

Simon Boxall of Southampton University said the region was in spring tide, “and it would appear that the wave hit some of the coastal areas at the highest point of this high tide, exacerbating the damage done”.

While the tsunami was relatively small, Richard Teeuw, a disaster risk reduction expert at the University of Portsmouth in England said: “Such waves -- laden with debris -- can be deadly for coastal communities, especially if there is no warning.”

- Could more tsunamis be coming? -

lawyers and fees comes free and you could make the argument that innovation is harmed when companies are focused on fighting about IP rather than licensing it broadly and inventing new things.”

What’s the outlook?

It’s impossible to say right now, pending any further injunctions or court rulings.

“You would have thought that this would have been resolved a while ago. It hasn’t been,”

Greengart said. “So I make no predictions on whether Apple and Qualcomm will come to terms in the near future.”

- Tom’s Guide

Smell and stress sensors a smash at Tokyo tech fair

- What are Apple and Qualcomm fighting over? -

- What impact will this have on consumers? -

- What caused the tsunami? While tsunamis are often triggered by earthquakes, in this case experts believe the deadly waves were generated by an eruption of the Anak (or “child of”) Krakatoa volcano, which could have caused a large undersea landslide or flow of molten rock into the water.

iPhone banned? Here’s what’s going on in Apple-Qualcomm feud

by Philip Michaels

by Kerry Sheridan

“This is truly the most primitive object ever encountered by a spacecraft,” said Hal Weaver, project scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

“Obviously, when there are sales injunctions, these fights impact consumers in those jurisdictions, but mostly the impact to consumers is indirect,” Greengart said. “There are embedded costs that get passed along - no fight with

“Devastating tsunami caused by volcanic eruptions are rare; one of the most famous (and deadly) was caused by the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883,” Teeuw said.

“The likelihood of further tsunamis in the Sunda Strait will remain high while Anak Krakatoa volcano is going through its current active phase because that might trigger further submarine landslides,” he said.

Sonar surveys would now be needed to map the seafloor around the volcano, but “unfortunately submarine surveys typically take many months to organise and carry out,” he added.

Bardintzeff warned “we must be wary now that the volcano has been destabilised”.

The sensors are not just for humans. (AFP Photo)

by Karyn Nishimura-Poupee

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AKUHARI, Japan | AFP - State-of-theart sensors that can measure stress levels, mood, posture, performance and even smell took centre stage at Asia’s top high-tech fair in Tokyo.

The big-screen TVs and entertainment systems that were all the rage 10 years ago at the CEATEC fair have gradually been replaced by tiny sensors that accurately measure the minutest facet of the human body -- a Japanese speciality.

Electronics giant Panasonic showcased a prototype of an armchair that measures how much the user’s hands sweat along with the seating position and facial expressions via a camera, all to determine stress levels.

This could be useful for an airline pilot or long-distance truck driver for example but could also one day find its way into the workplace.

“You could imagine such a chair in the office and by combining the results with air conditioning and lighting levels, you could adjust the ambiance of the office to enable people to relax if necessary,” a Panasonic demonstrator said.

Components manufacturer Murata Manufacturing has pioneered a small device that is held for a minute between the thumb and forefinger to measure pulse rates and the nervous system.

“We are going to start selling this very soon to companies, so they can measure how stressed their employees are. Transport and taxi companies are especially interested,” said Takashi Hayashida, a spokesman for the firm.

Staff equipped with sensors could be under permanent surveillance to “improve their posture and productivity,” according to Japanese electronics firm TDK. This also extends to the field of play, with Fujitsu demonstrating a 3D analytical system based on sensors to improve the performance of gymnasts.

- Stress smells like onions Sensors are also being put to work to improve healthcare --

especially for the elderly, with nearly 28 percent of the Japanese population over 65.

Using a device created by hygiene firm Lion, patients worried about their teeth can flash a smile at a smartphone and send it to a specialised server that returns data on oral hygiene.

Housing equipment firm Lixil has developed a sensor for the bathtub that measures water temperature and key vital signs like pulse and body temperature in an attempt to reduce sudden bath deaths, which afflict more than 5,000 people annually in the country, 90 percent of them over 65.

At the other end of the age scale, sensors are being deployed in a bid to ease labour shortages in kindergartens and creches.

Japan’s public New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization has developed a super-fine and sensitive film that can perform a host of functions related to childcare.

For example, placed in a cot, it can upload data to a computer showing whether a baby rolls onto its stomach or its temperature spikes -- alerting an adult if necessary.

“There is a staff shortage in creches. We need solutions to ease their task and enable them to watch over more children at a time,” said a demonstrator.

The same film can be used to determine how much and at what speed a meal is eaten -- in a hospital or retirement home for example -- by measuring the pressure applied on a table by a bowl or plate.

Of course, much effort is also devoted to matters that are less life and death, especially body odour, to which the Japanese are especially sensitive.

Cosmetics giant Shiseido recently commissioned a study to demonstrate that the odour given off by a person under stress smells like... onions.

And the sensors are not just for humans. Sharp has developed a cat litter tray equipped with monitors to measure kitty’s urine volume and frequency.

TRAVEL

VOICE OF ASIA 20

Luxury train ride and solstice cruising part of 2019 “must-have” experiences list

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

You can now place food delivery orders on TripAdvisor

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ripAdvisor has integrated food delivery service DoorDash into its platform, which will allow travelers to place an order to their home-stay or hotel after a long day of sightseeing.

cake Factory and Wendy’s.

Customers can place an order by clicking on the “Order Online” button found on the TripAdvisor app or website, which will take them directly to DoorDash’s platform.

Chipotle is a restaurant partner of a new service offered by TripAdvisor and DoorDash. (© AFP Photo/Nicholas Kamm)

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, luxury train ride. (© Venice Simplon-Orient-Express)

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umping out of a plane over New Zealand, cruising the Norwegian fjords during the summer solstice and traveling from Paris to Istanbul on a luxury train are some of the “must-have” experiences of 2019, from advisors at a luxury travel network.

A new year on the horizon brings with it a blank calendar of travel possibilities.

For thrill seekers, intrepid globetrotters and those with generous travel budgets, luxury travel network Virtuoso has compiled a list of nine “musthave” experiences for 2019, based on the feedback of their 17,500 travel advisors around the world.

Here are a few of their suggestions: Skydiving over New Zealand This one’s for thrill seekers and nature lovers. Consistently named one of the world’s top skydiving places, jumpers will be privy to bird-eye views of the country’s stunning natu-

ral landscape: glaciers, mountains, rainforests, rivers and lakes.

Cruise summer solstice Mark your calendar for June 21 and ring in the longest day of the year, in the land of the midnight sun, while cruising the Norwegian fjords. In the Southern Hemisphere, the longest day of the year will be Dec. 21, and could be enjoyed cruising the Chilean fjords to the South Cape.

Luxury train ride The vintage Venice Simplon-Orient Express is a journey back in time that harkens back to the Golden Age of luxury travel. The 10-night journey from Paris to Istanbul is an exercise in slow travel, taking guests through some of Europe’s most beautiful cities aboard an Art Deco train.

Gastronomic nirvana There’s a reason Tickets restaurant in Barcelona has a two-month waiting list. It’s one of the most exciting

avant-garde dining destinations in the world, where chef Albert Adria (younger brother to the famous Ferran Adria) harnesses the power of science to create culinary wizardry.

Historic travel Next year the world will honor the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, when American, British and Canadian soldiers stormed the shores of Normandy. History buffs may want to visit the beaches where the Allied forces landed during World War II, eventually leading to the liberation of German-occupied France.

by Andrew Parks

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hen Han Wang moved to Bangkok eight years ago, one of the first things he noticed was the coffee.

Unlike the delicate light roasts and well-balanced flat whites Wang learned to appreciate while attending college in Australia, everything seemed “too sweet or bitter to even consider swallowing.” Starbucks had been a major player since opening its first shops in the country in 1998; its robust dark roasts and cloying Frappuccinos were as ubiquitous as the equally strong, sugary iced coffee (a.k.a. oliang) that had long been a staple of Thailand’s shophouses and market stalls.

So how to decide? What’s newly (or still) safe or newly uncovered? What’s hovering between charming sleepiness and overdeveloped soullessness?

What must we see before it changes forever? What will transform us?

Boabab Alley in Madagascar. (iStock)

The Azores, Portugal

Eastern Bhutan “International tourist numbers to Bhutan are creeping up every year but the majority of travelers visit the wellknown areas of Western and Central Bhutan,” explains Brent Olson a destination specialist for the luxury adventure travel company GeoEx. “Eastern Bhutan is opening up, and there is quite a bit that is truly off the beaten track. I’m organizing a trip focusing on these more remote regions for November, including a short trek in Merak Sakten and a visit to the ancestral village of the Royal Family.

We will also be looking at some of the many worthwhile projects funded by the Bhutan Foundation and meeting the Bhutanese involved in facilitating them.”

Bangkok is quietly becoming the craft coffee capital of Asia

And northern Thailand, one of Asia’s top-producing regions, is the world’s next big single origin star. (Photo: Phil Coffee Company)

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Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico This longtime weekend escape for Los Angelenos is no stranger to luxury resorts, with dozens of five-star properties, including the new Montage Los Cabos and Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos,” says Biggs Bradley. “But over the next two years, the destination will welcome new properties, including the Nobu Hotel and the 1 Hotel, that will secure its place on the luxury travelers’ map. Perhaps the two most exciting openings are the Four Seasons Costa Palmas, which recently welcomed Gwyneth Paltrow and her friends, and Amanvari, set to debut in 2020.”

on to the world’s stage as a crucible of ancient culture, where travelers have the opportunity to experience the intersection of Christianity, Judaism and Islam through unparalleled cultural immersion,” says Biggs Bradley. “The country is home to rock-hewn churches built into incredible landscapes, rare 4th- and 5th-century antiquities and tribal villages that have lived the same way for centuries. In the past two years, new lodges (such as Limalimo Lodge and Lale’s Camp) have opened and flight connections are being added to previously out-of-reach locations like the Omo Valley.”

Madagascar

Colombia In 2017, the president received the Nobel Peace Prize, and the country has “quickly gone from one of the most dangerous places on the planet to a nation on the verge of discovery,” says Biggs Bradley. “Tourists have not yet arrived en masse, and the guarded optimism of the Colombian people is palpable. Bogotá doesn’t have the breezy appeal of Cartagena or the financial might of Medellín, but it has been home to artists and creative sorts for decades. You see a spirit of celebrating life in the street art, the weekend cycling parades and frequent family celebrations. Bogotá is also one of the most exciting culinary destinations in South America.”

Ethiopia “This East African nation is stepping

- Relaxnews

- Relaxnews

he world keeps getting bigger.

Every traveler I know says their wish list grows longer, not shorter, every time they dip into a new region or even hear about one.

“Resembling the otherworldly landscapes of Avatar, the Azores islands, an archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, are topping the lists of adventure travelers for 2019,” says Melissa Biggs Bradley, the founder of the members-only travel company Indagare. “With new direct flights from New York—the journey takes just five hours—the islands have volcanic crater lakes, natural hot springs and black-sand beaches. The high-thrill activities include scuba diving, kayaking, hiking, whale watching, birding, surfing and more. And while five-star luxury isn’t easy to find, there are some lovely hotels such as the contemporary-chic Furnas Boutique Hotel, urban Azor and minimalist White Exclusive Suites & Villas.”

The partnership will add online ordering capabilities to 24,000 TripAdvisor restaurant listings which previously had no online ordering links.

Other travel experiences for 2019 include the Rugby World Cup in Japan; a visit to the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru where guests can explore the undersea world by submarine; a glamping experience in Northern Chile during the solar eclipse; and a tour of Croatia’s coastal communities by yacht.

The 10 coolest places to go in 2019

I put those questions to experts at several high-end travel companies.

These super-agents knows what they’re talking about, keeping their ears on their clients’ interests and their eyes on the adventures they themselves have in every corner of the world. Here (in alphabetical order) is what on their radar for next year.

The new feature is available in 1,800 cities throughout North America. Chain restaurant partners include Chipotle, IHOP, Chick-fil-A, Red Lobster, White Castle, The Cheese-

“The world’s fourth largest island feels more like an unexplored planet than an unchecked item on your bucket list,” says Norman Howe, president and CEO of the luxury walking and biking company Butterfield & Robinson, which has recently begun offering bespoke trips to the country. “This wondrous world has so much biodiversity to discover, both in terms of natural beauty and unique terrains. For flora and fauna, with more than 90% of the wildlife endemic to Madagascar, it’s unbeatable.” The famous lemur is only the beginning of the weird and wonderful biodiversity.

Mongolia “With its wide-open spaces, dramatic landscapes, and warm nomadic cul Continued on page 23

Wang wasn’t about to give up on finding a truly great cup, though.

Having recently witnessed the rise of third-wave coffee in Taiwan — Wang did a stint in Taipei before relocating to Bangkok — the Malaysian-born entrepreneur was convinced he could spark a similar movement in one of Southeast Asia’s most progressive cities. So he set his psychology degree aside and launched Phil Coffee Co. in an industrial neighborhood, with the help of his father and two sisters.

Wang didn’t rush into running a cafe, instead focusing on his roasting techniques and wholesale accounts for the first three years. Eventually, the team set up Phil’s flagship shop in Bangkok’s fashionable Ekkamai neighborhood.

He wasn’t alone. Around the same time, other influential Bangkok outposts like One Ounce For Onion, Rocket Coffeebar, and Casa Lapin began attracting hip locals with elaborate pour-over setups, Western-style small plates, and bottles of cold brew for beating the heat and humidity. One leading figure during these early days was Roots, a heavyweight roaster that also happens to run one of the hottest brunch spots in town, Roast.

“A lot has changed in recent years,” says Roots founder Varatt Vichit-Vadakan. “Thailand is probably the only country in the world that has a welldeveloped consumer market — loads of specialty coffee shops in its big cities — while also being a coffee-producing country.”

That’s the other welcome development that’s driven Bangkok’s desire for craft coffee: forward-thinking farms in Northern Thailand, putting the country on a path to becoming a world-renowned single origin region.

It’s got a ways to go before it starts

exporting the good stuff, however, so local roasteries like Brave Roasters, Gallery Drip, and Factory Coffee are still the best place to sample and score Thai beans that are produced and packaged in-house. “A lot of local players are seeing what they can do to improve the quality,” explains VichitVadakan, “and experiment with different flavor profiles. It’s quite an exciting time — it won’t be long before the world turns its attention to specialty grade Asian coffee.”

“Our beans from [the village of] Baan Mai Pattana are carefully handpicked at peak ripeness to maximize their natural sweetness,” Wang tells me, when asked about his favorite Thai farms. “And our processing is as simple as it gets, so people can taste coffee in its purest form.”

Roast Runner is another Bangkokbased small business determined to bring Thailand on par with coffee producers like Colombia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Founded by three highschool friends — including one (Waruth Tangsuriyapaisan) who competed in last month’s World Cup Tasters Championship — it roasts high quality beans from the lush region around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai for a devoted cult following and cafes, restaurants, and hotels throughout the city.

Partner Tanatat Sombutphanich, who designs all of the company’s brightly colored bags himself, says he particularly likes the beans grown near the Laos border by Gem Forest Coffee. “The owner, Kaleb Jordan, is a nice American guy who knows everything about processing,” says Sombutphanich. “Southeast Asian coffee often tastes very similar to Brazil’s — nutty and chocolatey, with notes of spices or herbs. But some exceptional coffee, like Kaleb’s Java, are more complex and have floral and fruity aromas.”

Despite this groundswell of determined startups, coffee-nerd culture is still a few years away from becoming a mainstream commodity. A quick scan of Facebook and Instagram reveals a more stylized market, on par with trend-chasers in Tokyo, L.A., and New York. There are still spaces for purists, though, with laid-back spots like Ekkamai’s Kaizen Coffee Co. “I am not a fan of fancy drinks,” he says. “I don’t serve them. To me, they’re a distraction.

May they never have to make a triple-venti-half-sweet-non-fat-caramel macchiato again.

- Travel + Leisure.com

VOICE OF ASIA 21

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Home&Real Estate Houston home sales down in November but on pace to hit full-year record

A modern farmhouse in the Colorado mountains teems with art

by Amy Dvorak

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he owners of V-Plan Residence are avid readers, writers, world travelers, and art collectors whose influences have been infused into one very well-designed corner in Aspen, Colorado.

by Olivia Pulsinelli

S

ingle-family home sales and total property sales in Houston last month were down slightly compared to November 2017, but all other major metrics continued to increase.

According to the Houston Association of Realtors, single-family home sales totaled 6,159 in November, down 2 percent year over year. However, home sales year to date are still 4.6 percent ahead of the first 11 months of 2017, HAR notes.

Sales of all property types totaled 7,400, a 0.3 percent year-over-year decline, or statistically flat, per HAR. Meanwhile, total dollar volume increased 3.9 percent to more than $2.1 billion.

Both the average and median price for a single-family home hit records for a November in Houston. The average was up 4.3 percent to $295,084, and the median increased 4.4 percent to $235,000. That’s thanks in part to sales increases in all housing segments priced at or above $150,000. Once again, the largest increase was seen in the luxury market — homes priced at $750,000 and above — which saw sales jump 12.3 percent year over year.

The most expensive home sold in November was 4 Remington, which is in Houston’s Shadyside in the Rice/Museum District area. It’s in the

The home at 4 Remington in Houston’s Shadyside in the Rice/Museum District area was the most expensive home sold in Houston in November. It was listed for $4.95 million and was on the market for 64 days. (Photo: TK Images/Martha Turner Sotheby) 77005 ZIP code, which has a median home value of more than $1 million — the highest in Houston — as of December 2018, according to a recent analysis.

The home was listed by Dee Dee Guggenheim Howes with Martha Turner Sotheby’s. It was listed for $4.95 million and was on the market for 64 days, according to HAR. Among all homes that sold in November, the average days on market was 60, an improvement from 62 a year earlier.

Looking ahead, active listings and single-family pending sales are up 8.9 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively, compared to the same time a year earlier. Inventory reached a 3.9-month supply, up from 3.6 months in November 2017.

Months of inventory estimates

the number of months it would take to sell all the home listings on the market today based on the pace of sales over the past 12 months. For comparison, housing inventory nationwide stands at a 4.3-months supply.

“The Houston housing market remains on track for another record year, which was an almost unimaginable concept when the year began, on the heels of so much devastation from Hurricane Harvey,” HAR Chair Kenya BurrellVanWormer with JPMorgan Chase said in a press release.

“As 2018 draws to a close, we see slow but steady growth in the supply of housing as well as a strong job market, which together make for a healthy real estate climate.”

Studio B Architecture + Interiors allow one couple’s art and artifacts to take center stage in this modern farmhouse in Aspen.

But a new home wasn’t the initial intent. It all began while mowing the lawn, when a passerby made an offer on the owners’ former home. It wasn’t for sale, but the couple embraced the opportunity, sold the home, and embarked on a new journey to build anew with Studio B Architecture + Interiors.

To understand the couple’s needs, and more importantly, how they live, Studio B explored the program via 13 pages of homework. What side of the bed do they sleep on? How do they want the rooms linked?

Do they prefer a dark bedroom or one flooded with light? The results of these answers plus a design charrette led to four radically different designs.

“They were extremely open to exploring design concepts,” says Scott Lindenau, FAIA, principal at Studio B Architects. “They were highly engaged clients.”

Studio B repurposed and reupholstered much of the existing owners’ furniture. Wire-brushed, white oak flooring, cabinetry, and millwork provide cohesiveness throughout the space. kept the ends open with large spans of glass to maximize views and natural light. “Inside offers a bright and airy, light feeling,” says Lindenau. “They wanted an interior that was warm.”

To achieve that effect, fin-

family travels to Africa and Indonesia to take center stage, an important aspect Lindenau was able to appreciate. Both the designer and owners take big trips every year, and those experiences were something Lindenau thoughtfully incorporated

- Houston Business Journal

Golfweek names Tiger Woods-designed resort north of Houston best in Texas

by Fauzeya Rahman

B

luejack National, a resort-style residential community surrounding a golf course designed

by Tiger Woods, ranked first among Texas residential golf courses on national magazine Golfweek’s annual list of the top 200 courses in the country.

It ranked eighth nationally, after courses in North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona and Colorado. Bluejack National is 50 miles north of downtown Houston. Membership initiation fees will be $95,000 in 2019 with dues of $1,000 per month for equity memberships.

Out of the 787-acre community, about 65 percent has been developed so far. Construction will start sometime in 2019 on Bluejack’s next amenity, The Porch, which will include a pro shop, courtyard, guest suites and dining areas.

The community started selling lots for custom homes this year, the Houston Business Journal reported in April. Other residential options include member suites, cottages and

Four bedrooms and four bathrooms span two structures, with a guest wing and main residence. The Aspen, Colorado home is 4,300 square feet.

This house is located in Tiger Wood’s first golf course community, Bluejack National, in Montgomery. (Photo: Morningstar Homes) Sunday homes. So far the community has released 130 lots for custom homes, and 75 have been sold or are under contract, according to a Bluejack National spokesman.

Andy Mitchell, founder and CEO of Lantern Capital Partners, the developer of Bluejack National. Current available spec homes start at $1.4 million, a spokesman said.

However, as the community grows beyond weekend residents to more of a fulltime population, there’s been increasing demand for spec homes.

Builders include Tipler Design & Build LLC, Jeff Paul Custom Homes, Morning Star Builders, Dream Works Properties, K&C Classic Homes and Robert Elliott Homes.

“We found more people would rather buy a prebuilt, predesigned home than go through the long process,” said

Earlier this year, housing research firm Metrostudy found the Far North area to be the fastest-growing in Houston. The area, which includes Montgomery County and The Woodlands, Conroe, Shenandoah and Willis, saw a 35.8 percent increase in new home starts between April 2017 and March 2018 compared to the same period a year earlier.

voiceofasia.news is your home and real estate news source

How Metrostudy defines the Far North market area has changed over time, as new homes and subdivisions keep populating farther and farther north.

- Houston Business Journal

Ultimately, they opted for the V-Plan, a modern take on a farmhouse, with views for days and understated materials and finishes.

“The house is about two volumes with a dialogue between them, mediated through this family room, which you see between both,” says Lindenau.

Deliberate consideration was given to the siting to provide both privacy from the adjacent neighbors, yet generous views of the courtyard and gardens.

“The view right through the pubic space through the golf course was important to them.”

Given that the volumes are tall and few windows flank the length of the home, Studio B

ishes were kept to a minimum. The same wood is used throughout the entire home, as is a level-five plaster. Built-in reading nooks hug the perimeter, adding to the warmth and lifestyle of the owners, who are involved with Aspen Words, the local literary foundation. “They like to read, and the window seats allow them perch into the gardens,” says Lindenau. Additional built-ins around the fireplace enhance reading storage, and they each have offices filled with books, some even authored by the owner.

The design falls to the background of the rich, cultured life they lead. Warm and minimalist interiors allow artifacts from

into the design. In the living room, inherited 8-foot wooden sculptures play a dominant role in the space, along with a significant collection of basketry from around the world and Native American art, including pieces by R.C. Gorman.

The warm interior complements the collection with an abundance of natural light. The wire-brushed, white oak floor, millwork, and cabinetry are quite the contrast to the sleek, solid black façade. “We pursued kind of a cloak effect,” says Lindenau. The roof is made of non-reflective metal, and the siding is cedar treated with a patina stain that raises the grain.

- Dwell.com

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FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

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Full speed ahead, Aries! As far as you’re concerned, that’s the only way to approach a new year (or any new adventure). And with ruling planet Mars charging into your sign just a few hours before midnight on New Year’s Eve, you’ll be fired up and ready to tackle 2019.

21 April to 20 May Fasten your seatbelt, Taurus, it’s going to be a bumpy ride! On March 6, Uranus charges into your sign like a bull in a china shop—and he’ll be there shaking things up for the next seven years. Chaos, upheaval, radical change—we know these aren’t your favorite words to hear. But in a way, Taurus, you’re better equipped than anyone to ride out this transit with ease.

21 May to 20 June Relationships are mirrors, Gemini—and with Jupiter transiting your opposite sign for most of 2019, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for self-reflection! This is especially true between May 5 and June 23, when four planets in your sign (Mars, Mercury, the sun, and Venus) face off with retrograde Jupiter in Sagittarius.

21 June to 22 July We love the way you love us, Cancer. But in 2019, it’s time to put our needs on the back burner for a while and focus on your own. After all, with the North Node in your sign, self-care can be a path to spiritual growth—especially around the Cancer new moon and total solar eclipse on July 2.

23 July to 22 August You’ll always be our shining star, Leo. But in 2019, you may want to spend some time out of the spotlight. After all, with a total lunar eclipse in your sign at the start of the year (January 21), you’re releasing an old identity and setting the stage for a new one—and that’s definitely a behindthe-scenes process. You’ll need plenty of privacy to nurture the growth happening on a deep, subconscious level.

23 August to 22 Sept Home is where the heart is, Virgo. But with Jupiter spending most of 2019 in Sagittarius (your fourth house), this year you’ll be at home wherever you go! After all, for you, home is more a state of mind than a specific place. And the same goes for family—this year family ties are tighter than ever.

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23 September to 22 Oct Your vibe attracts your tribe, Libra! So what does your social network say about you? With a total lunar eclipse in Leo (January 21), and two full moons in your sign (March 20 and April 19), the first half of 2019 offers plenty of opportunities for self-reflection. Take an honest look at the groups you associate with.

23 October to 21 Nov Words have power, Scorpio. And that’s especially true for you in 2019, with Saturn and Pluto standing their ground in Capricorn (your third house of communication). You’ve never been the most talkative sign. But Pluto just keeps digging up truths that demand to be expressed! Fortunately, disciplined Saturn helps you collect your thoughts.

22 November to 21 Dec One thing’s for sure, Sag, you’ve got a lust for life. And with Jupiter spending most of 2019 in your sign, this year you’re living large! Jupiter (your ruling planet) brings out the best and worst of whatever sign he’s in. Still, his two conjunctions with Venus this year (January 22 and November 24) meaning you’ll be playing up the positives!

22 December to 20 Jan It’s not easy carrying the weight of the world, is it, Capricorn? But with Saturn and Pluto staying put in your sign, the load won’t get any lighter in 2019… unless, that is, you learn to honor your own limits. Some burdens are rightfully yours, but if you’ve taken on responsibilities that don’t belong to you, it’s time to take them off your plate.

21 January to 19 Feb You’ve got to learn the rules before you can break them, Aquarius. But with Saturn and Pluto cracking down in Capricorn this year, you’ve had just about enough of rules. After all, you’ve got to uphold your reputation as the “rebel” of the zodiac! Still, your best kept secret is that you actually crave structure.

20 February to 20 Mar To know you is to love you, Pisces—but with Neptune in your sign, it’s been a little harder to figure you out. And with Jupiter square Neptune all year (January 13, June 16, and September 21), your mystique is only growing in 2019!

Jupiter in Sagittarius raises your profile, and his two conjunctions with Venus meanng most of the attention is positive.

ACROSS 1. Bundle of wheat 6. ____-been 9. Urban apartment 13. Peter, South of the border 14. In the manner of, French 15. Photo-editing color option 16. Chieftain 17. Not well 18. Lively 19. *Late McCain 21. *American Duchess 23. “Some Kind of Wonderful” actress Thompson 24. Your majesty 25. Floor cleaner 28. Greek portico 30. *Super Bowl champs 35. Swear, not curse 37. Place for an ace?

39. Type of newspaper 40. Bar order neither red nor white 41. *Halfpipe winner 43. Toothy wheel 44. Be needy 46. Hindu dress 47. Unfavorable prefix 48. Ballpark grub 50. Lion’s share 52. It can be red or black 53. Burden 55. Break bread 57. *First North Korean to cross Demilitarized Zone 60. *October disaster 64. Acoustic output 65. In the past 67. Tanzania’s neighbor 68. Coral reef island 69. First off sinking ship?

70. Type of closet 71. Not there 72. Dashboard unit 73. Clear the board

DOWN 1. R&R destinations 2. Part of hemoglobin 3. “I Dream of Jeannie” star 4. “He’s ____ ____ nowhere man,” Beatles 5. Strong suit, pl.

6. Age of Aquarius flick 7. Nothing alternative 8. Game ragout 9. Onion’s kin 10. October stone 11. *CA’s Camp ____ 12. “Tit for ____” 15. Schmear 20. Often taken with a bible, pl.

22. Aretha’s first three 24. Arabic greetings 25. *”____ For Our Lives” 26. Convex molding 27. Suggest 29. Sounds of amazement 31. *Cooper’s leading lady 32. Property claims 33. Fill with spirits 34. *April missile strikes target 36. Make one’s way 38. EU unit 42. One born to Japanese immigrants 45. 10 to the power of 100 49. Bearded antelope 51. Take on, as in a project 54. Take gun away 56. Not our 57. Burlap fiber 58. Airy emanation 59. Cairo’s waterway 60. “Like a ____ to a flame” 61. *Starred with Blake in “A Simple Favor” 62. Some have them on the back of their head?

63. Swimmer’s row 64. Follows #29 Down, sing.

66. Year off

SOLUTION: YEAR-IN-REVIEW page 23

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The 10 Coolest Places to Go in 2019...

Continued from page 20 ture, Mongolia has long held a special place in our hearts,” says Tina Liadis, an Asia specialist with GeoEx. “Traveling there still feels like visiting the ends of the earth! Our custom journeys provide ample opportunities to hike, bike, rock climb and stay in welcoming, comfortable ger camps.

We love arranging remarkable Mongolia adventures for our travelers, lining up access to authentic experiences, such as time with nomads, outings with Kazakh eagle hunters and visits with local shamans.”

Pakistan “Explore the valleys of Hunza, Shigar and Khaplu via the renowned Karakoram Highway,” suggests Sara Barbieri, another specialist with GeoEx. “This little-visited region in the far northeast of the country offers the kind of startlingly striking scenery that compels you to gaze from the window

of your 4WD without blinking, for fear of missing a moment of the majesty of the landscape— or one of the astounding suspension bridges that cross the surging rivers filled with snow melt. Add to this the warm welcome of the people, the glacial blue of Attabad lake, the centuries of history, the juxtaposition of granite to greenery, the chance to walk through an age old-apricot orchard along water channels cut by hand, and the blazing snow-covered glory of Rakiposhi, and you must acknowledge there is a grand adventure to be had.”

Rwanda “This East African country has emerged as a leader in conservation in recent years, notes Biggs Bradley. “In addition to intimate wildlife experiences, including gorilla trekking and tracking golden monkeys in Virunga, the luxury lodge offerings are impressive: Wilderness Safaris’ Bisate Lodge has views of Volcanoes National

FRIDAY, December 28, 2018

Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP) SystemWide Space Utilization Study and Best Practice Evaluation Project No. 19-35

Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, R o o m N o . 11 B 0 1 , Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Thursday, January 17, 2019.

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Park; One & Only Nyungwe House, on the edge of Nyungwe Forest National Park, opened recently; and Magashi, another Wilderness Safaris lodge, will open soon in northeastern Akagera.”

The Turkish Riviera “Open-minded travelers are slowly returning to Turkey, parts of which had been no-go zones for the past few years,” explains Biggs Bradley. “The chic beach resort of Bodrum has been enjoying a moment in the spotlight, with the recent opening of the Six Senses Kaplankaya and the Bodrum Edition. These stylish properties are situated on the beautiful Aegean coastline—which has been likened to that of the South of France—and days here are best spent sailing, visiting ruins and scuba diving.

Plus, you can fly directly to Bodrum from Berlin and London.”

-Forbes

3 Easy Ways to Illuminate Your Home for the Holidays

Theme:YEAR-IN-REVIEW from Page 22

Indian American Nurses Legacy Award (IANLA) Presented by

Celebrating and honoring the services of the 1st generation Indian immigrant nurses who came to North America from 1965-1975.

For more on-trend lighting collections, visit progresslighting.com.

‘Tis the season of friends, family and entertaining! If you’re planning on hosting guests -- whether for an entire week of family fun or a one-night celebration -- now’s the time to get your home in the holiday spirit.

“Preparing a home for the holidays doesn’t have to require adding extensive decorations or undergoing a total remodel to update favorite spaces,” says Jennifer Kis, director of marketing communications for Progress Lighting. “Small changes through lighting can create a festive and comfortable environment with minimal effort and investment.”

Here are three easy tips to try: Update Entryways and Foyers. Your entryway is your opportunity to make an exceptional first impression and set the tone for the rest of the interior. Add drama to your foyer with a grouping of striking, oversized pendant lights in lieu of a traditional chandelier.

Pay Attention to Shared Spaces. Popular spaces where friends and family

are likely to gather most during the holidays include great rooms, living rooms and dining areas. A large statement chandelier in a common living space creates a focal point and also ensures there is enough illumination for card games, movies and coffee and cocoa by the fireside.

Illuminate Walkways to Enhance Curb Appeal. Simple outdoor lighting techniques can improve a home’s appearance and also offer functional features during the holidays and beyond. Added illumination will improve safety and enhance security, while bringing a new bold look to the front of your home. To create instant curb appeal, hang a large lantern on either side of your front door, or install a post lantern at the front of your walkway.

For more design inspiration and to view on-trend lighting collections, visit progresslighting.com.

In a few easy steps, you can light up your home for a warm and welcoming holiday season.

(StatePoint)

“Save the Date” October 26, 2019

Supported by :

Indian American Nurses Association of Greater Houston (IANAGH)

Your best opportunity to leave a legacy for generations to come.

Be a part of the Commemorative Publication.

A great opportunity for sponsors & advertisers to be recognized.

We request every Nurse who came till the end of 1975 to register.

(Need not be present to receive award) Send form to: nursesawards@gmail.com or register online at voiceofasia.news For more information, please call: 713-774-5140.

Submit form by December 31, 2018.

Please forward this form to all your nurses contacts.

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