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70th Indian Independence Day Celebration at India House

Pramukh Swami Maharaj passes away During his lifetime, he created and consecrated 1,100 temples and giant cultural complexes like Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi and Gandhinagar.

EW DELHI | August 13, 2016 - As Pramukh Swami Maharaj, spiritual guru and head of Swaminarayan sect, passed away on Saturday evening, political leaders cutting across party lines and other spiritual heads mourned his death by expressing condolences on Twitter. The spiritual leader who is also the head of Bochasanvasi Akshar Purushottam Sansthan (BAPS) died at 95 in Sarangpur after suffering from a lung infection. The spiritual leader was born as Shantilal Patel in village of Chansad near Vadodara on December 7, 1921. He was just 28 when he was appointed as Pramukh of Bochanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). He became the spiritual guru of BAPS in 1971 after Yogiji Maharaj passed away. During his lifetime, he created and consecrated 1,100 temples and giant

HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj. cultural complexes like Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi and Gandhinagar. In his first overseas tour after becoming guru, consecrated the first BAPS mandir in New York, USA in 1974. At the age of 62, Pramukh Swami suffered a heart attack and later in 1998 he underwent a heart bypass surgery in New York, USA. In 2012, he also got a pacemaker implant at Ahmedabad. Source: Indian Express

Hon. Consul General of India, Houston Dr. Anupam Ray addressing the gathering during India’s 70th Independence Day celebrations held at the India House. Also in picture seated is Dr. Mrs. Amit Goldberg Ray. Photo credit: Bijay Dixit. Read report on Page 8

Jhulan Festival at Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Math

OUSTON - Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha celebrated four day Jhulan (swing) festival starting from Sunday, August 14th and concluding with Sri Baladeva Purnima on August 17th. The Jhulan or the Swing festival commemorates the transcendental swinging pastimes of Sri Radha Krishna in Vrindavan. After the hot summers, as the monsoons bring rains the nature seems to come back to life with lush green grass, blooming flowers and cool breeze. Thick fragrance of flowers, such as, Juhi, Chameli, and Champa fills the air of Vrindavan. Cukoo birds sing in sweet voice while the peacocks dance in ecstasy to please Sri Radha Krishna. The trees, loaded with fruits and flowers, bend down as if they are wanting to touch the lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

During this time, the gopis put swings on branches of large trees. Srimati Radhika comes back from Javat to Her father’s home in Barsana and engages in amorous swinging pastimes with Sri Krishna. Even today all over Vrindavan, this pastime is celebrated with great joy and devotion. The devotees at Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha also celebrated this special festival by erecting a large kunja (grove) with thousands of colorful flowers. A beautiful swing was made inside this kunja. The festivities started on August 14th with bhajans and kirtans. At 6:30 PM, the vijay-vigraha of Sri Radha Govindaji were brought from the altar accompanied with blowing of conch shells and fanning of chamara and peacock fan. The Deities were placed on the swing and offered

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Devotees pulling the string of the swing during the Jhulan festivities held at the Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha.

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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India’s Permanent Ruling Class: A curse for Indian democracy after 70 years of Independence

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Chandra K. Mittal, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., FCP by Chandra K. Mittal As India gets ready to celebrate its 70th Independence Day this year, the recent elections to Rajya Sabha (Council of States) - Upper House of Indian Parliament brought forth yet another reminder as to how shallow and immature Indian democracy continues to be despite 70 years of political freedom. Almost all the so-called “newly” elected members to the Upper House were politicians who have been around for long and were simply recycled from one pre-existing political office or another. Pretty much similar situation exists in the Lok Sabha (the Lower House of Indian Parliament) as well as in the State Houses around India where politicians get into the elected-offices and then continue for a life-time tenure. The members of this permanent ruling class are all basically party-loyalists available for “hire”. They do not necessarily have any vision of their own for India’s future but are willing proxies placed in the political slots by influential State and National Party chiefs to do their bidding to preserve them and their families in the power structure. Less asserting and independent

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.

they are, longer they are likely to serve in these bodies including a stink at a Ministerial birth. This was best exemplified by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who was not elected to Lok Sabha but served as head of national Government for ten years. While India may no longer be under the political control of an alien (foreign) power, for the past 70 years it has been controlled primarily by a permanent ruling class consisting of influential families and former rulers of colonial period who just do not want to let it go. Over the past seven decades, they have simply transferred the political control from one generation to the next, keeping it “all in the family”. The only exception to this is the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). The rest of the political parties both at state and national level have been either the family-owned political enterprises like Indian National Congress (INC), Samajwadi Party (SP) of Uttar Pradesh or various brands of Janata Dal (JD) that have exerted their control in the governance. Such closed political modus operandi in the post-independence India for past 70 years has prevented political parties or the “ruling class” to evolve new ideas or explore new horizons for national progress. It has been severely restrained due to family self-interest and has not allowed political innovation making India politically backward. Further, it has lacked the dynamism of time as it has prevented infusion of new blood or thinking in the Indian politics. The inward-look-

ing party culture has encouraged party loyalty over ideas. And this has kept India behind the times compared to other Western democracies. This has also led to a chaotic governance at all levels of government. For example, most of the regulatory and administrative procedures at the local government offices in cities and small towns still follow the rules of the colonial period causing serious inefficiencies. Despite 70 years of self-rule in India one still needs political patronage to get anything done by the government agencies. Situation is further dire especially in small towns where most residents identify themselves with political affiliations by putting Party flags or symbols on their houses. Furthermore, culture of bribe is a standard feature in all public services provided by the government. Another significantly negative aspects emerging due to permanent ruling class in India, especially at the State level, is the sense of entitlement on part of “political elite”, and alienation and demoralization among the public. This is so because the elite has scant respect or regard for the rule of law and order. This was best revealed recently during a visit by this author to one State capital in India. People, from a scooter driver to the businessman to the bureaucrats were all unanimous in their condemnation of the decaying law and order situation in the State. They blamed it all on the Coterie belonging to ruling political

party. The local Indian vernacular for such situation is “Gunda Raj”, i.e. rule by hooligans. Democracy was born out of the feudal governing system in the 6th Century in Athens, Greece to give people equal representation in the governance of their own affairs. Over the centuries as the institutions of democracy matured and evolved it diluted the power of the “Elite” which resulted in sharing of political power by the common citizen. Indeed, this has been observed throughout the Western Europe. But it has been very slow coming to Indian democracy, which has continued to follow the feudal path. This is partly due to long cultural tradition of monarchies in India which has resisted a change. As India completes 70 years of its political independence from the foreign rule, it is perhaps time for it to evolve towards modernity and adopt the institutional framework that creates democracy to benefit all rather than just the “elite”. Democracy was never meant to enrich a few at the expense of most as is being observed in India today. It is for this reason that general public is turning skeptical of the Permanent Ruling Class and democracy led by them. It is time for political “Elite” to take notice, reverse the course and restore India to its rightful glory. Chandra Mittal is Professor at Houston Community College, and Co-Founder of Indo-American Association, Houston. Contact at drckmittal@yahoo.com or follow on Twitter @DrChandraMittal.

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THE STORY OF MAHATMA GANDHI

India’s dour mood makes British nervous

Gandhi’s report of the atrocities showed that the Government was trying to shield certain per sons. He was never interested in taking revenge on anybody but he was shocked at the way the government sat silent when its own report was published. He was greatly moved by the sufferings of the people in the Punjab. He knew the extent of the atrocities which had been committed on the defenseless people. Gandhi now advised the people to not cooperate with the Government in every possible way. He advised them not to accept any of the honors offered by Britain, and requested those who had already received honors to return them.

Hundreds of men, women, and children were butchered, though the official figures given were only 379 killed and 2000 wounded.

General Dyer also ordered that in certain areas all Indians were to alight from vehicles and salute whenever officer. At certain places men were stripped naked and flogged. Students and children were ordered to walk miles for roll call, to attend parades, and salute the British flag. Then there was the stripping and flogging of marriage parties, the censorship of communications, and cutting of water and electricity supplies to Indian families. The administration of General Dyer’s martial law created a reign of terror in the Punjab. C. F. Andrews, who had already reached the Punjab, wrote to Gandhi and begged him to come at once. Gandhi wanted to go, but his repeated requests for permission to visit the place were turned down by the Government. Finally, in October

drawn to him because of his thoughts and deeds. Nehru saw the scientific accuracy with which Gandhi was con- ducting the enquiry.

It was announced that a meeting was to be held in a garden called Jallianwala Bagh, to protest against the government’s actions. General Dyer took no measures to prevent themeeting. He reached the place soon after the meeting began and he took with him armored cars and troops. Without giving any warning he ordered, “Fire till the bullets are finished.” The soldiers fired 1600 rounds into that unarmed mass of people. Once a park, Jallianwala Bagh was now a scene of the most brutal massacre of hundreds. Now read on:

Leaving the wounded and dying on the ground, the troops marched away. The name Jallianwala Bagh became synonymous with massacre. There were other even more shameful deeds done all over the Punjab. Indians were ordered to crawl on their hands and knees.

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that year, the Viceroy permitted him to visit the Punjab, and Gandhi went. On his arrival at Lahore railway station, Gandhi found that almost the entire population of the city was there waiting for him. The Congress had appointed a committee to enquire into the atrocities committed in the Punjab. On his arrival in Lahore he was requested to join the committee. He started a slow but most methodical investigation of incidents in the Punjab. Gandhi thus had the opportunity to know the Punjab and its people. The people flocked to him. They loved him and respected him. Jawaharlal Nehru, who was also there in the Punjab, realized that Gandhi was the leader of the masses. People were

high taxes they had to pay. The political situation in India grew worse. The Government became nervous. There was tension everywhere and amidst the suppressed people there was the danger of violence. In spite of the hard attitude of the Government, Gandhi believed that England would soon right the wrong before it was too late. Jawaharlal was of the opinion that England would not change her policy unless she was forced to do so. Jawaharlal was right. Soon the Government started arresting the leaders and imprisoning them. The British were afraid to loosen their grip on India. On August 1, 1920, in a letter to Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy, Gandhi gave the signal for a noncooperation campaign. Along with it he returned the Kaiser-i-Hind gold medal which had been awarded to him in 1915. In the columns of

Young India Gandhi wrote in detail in defense of non-violent noncooperation. With other leaders he travelled extensively addressing huge meetings and preaching the essentials of satyagraha. Everywhere the crowds welcomed him with great love and enthusiasm. Again and again he warned the people against violence. He abhorred mass fury. “If India has to get her freedom by violence,” he said, “let it be by the disciplined violence named war.” At the end of August the Gujarat Political Conference passed a noncooperation resolution and a special session of the Congress was held in Calcutta on September 4 to 9. The draft of the noncooperation resolution had been prepared by Gandhi. Gandhi was not sure how much support he would get at the Congress session. When he

moved the resolution he said that he knew the resolution envisaged a policy which was different from the policy hitherto followed. “But,” he declared, “Knowing this, I stand before you in fear of God and with a sense of duty to put this before you for your acceptance.” The special Congress session adopted the noncooperation plan as a means of attaining Swaraj. During the latter part of 1920 Gandhi advocated a triple boycott. He wanted an absolute boycott of the Government and all government institutions, including schools, colleges, and courts. If the people were free of these they could easily have their own schools, colleges, and courts, and the power of the British would collapse at once. There was much laughter and ridicule from the moderates and the supporters of British rule. But Gandhi paid no attention. — To be continued

He wanted people to start a movement to boycott the law courts. He advised people not to buy any foreign goods. He wanted every effort to be made to persuade Indians not to serve the Government in any capacity. He called out students from the educational institutions. Gandhi’s influence on the Indian people was steadily growing. The old leaders, many of them with liberal policies, were vanishing from Indian politics. By the end of 1920 Gandhi was the undisputed leader and head of the Indian National Congress. The Congress was fighting for immediate Home Rule. Its method of fighting was nonviolent noncooperation with the government, and defying carefully selected laws at suitable times. Gandhi was very interested in Jawaharlal Nehru and his socialistic views. He was most impressed with the account given by Jawaharlal of his contacts with the peasants. Jawaharlal explained the difficulties the peasants were experiencing; particularly the

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Indian Americans celebrate India’s 70th Independence Day in Houston and Dallas Independence Day Flag Hoisting Ceremony at India in USA , (Consulate General of India, Houston) . Consul General Anupam Ray and his wife Dr. Amit Goldberg Ray were joined by Honorable MP Suresh Gopi, Chancellor Dr. Renu Khator and Dr. Suresh Khator from University of Houston, Congressman Pete Olson, Jay Guerrero from Sen. John Cornyn’s office and Sam Merchant from Congressman Al Green’s office along with numerous representatives from the Indo-American community. Image on the right. Photo credit: Devender.

MGMNT celebrates India’s 70th Independence Day in Dallas

ALLAS, TX, August 15 - Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas (MGMNT) celebrated “India’s 70th Independence Day” on August 15th in the midst of hundreds of jubilant crowd at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza, Irving, the largest Gandhi Memorial in the USA.

to be held on October 2nd at the same venue. Dr. Prasad Thotakura, MGMNT Chairman hoisted the Tricolor Indian Flag in the midst of cheering, thundering applause of crowd waiving both Indian and US Flags with a lot of joy and enthusiasm. Dr. Thotakura saluting the Indian flag said that we are all very much fortunate and indebted to this great country USA where freedom and democracy prevail and allow to celebrate events like these. He paid rich tribute to all freedom fighters and national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Lala Lajpat Rai, Chandra Sekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and many who sacrificed everything to free India from the British Raj.

The cloudy weather was perfect to attract more than 600 NRIs to attend the celebrations. Mrs. Shabnam Modgil, MGMNT Board of Director, opened the meeting by paying a rich tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on this important occasion. Mr. Rao Kalvala, MGMNT Secretary in his welcome address stated that celebrating this event at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza today is more relevant and significant as Mahatma Gandhi the “Father of the Nation” played a vital role in attaining Independence through the methods of peace and nonviolence. He further stated that Gandhijis’ messages are key to the progress of mankind in peace and harmony and are very much relevant even today. Mr. Kalvala requested all to join the upcoming Annual Gandhi Peace-Walk

Dr. Prasad Thotakura reminded all NRIs to rededicate ourselves on this auspicious day to serve our motherland, India in fighting against evils like Terrorism, Corruption, Female Infanticide, Illiteracy etc., Mr. Taiyab Kundawala, MGMNT Board of Director, recited the favorable Bhajan of Gandhi-

Consul Ravindra Joshi as the Grand Marshal of the parade at the Anand Bazaar during India’s Independence Day event in Dallas, TX.

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Mr. Salman Farshori, MGMNT Board of Director, in his closing remarks thanked the City of Irving, the Electronic and Print media, Suraj Arts for Photography, FunAsiA for promotion and publicity, TV channels such as WFAA Channel 8, TV9, TV5, AINA TV and Saregama Indian Restaurant, all attendees and volunteers for making the event successful.

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Mr. Jack Godhwani, MGMNT Board of Director, extended his best wishes in Hindi language to all on the eve of India’s 70th Independence Day.

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naturalization now? A: In order to apply for naturalization, you should have at least 6 months or more validity on your permanent resident card. In your case, you are advised to go ahead and file for the replacement of your permanent resident card first and then file for your naturalization. Q: Please tell me how the US History and civics portion of the test is administered? If I fail the test, do I have to refile the naturalization application? A: You will be orally asked from a list of 10 questions. In order to pass, you must orally provide the answers and correctly answer at least 6 of the 10 questions. If you fail this portion of the test, USCIS will reschedule you to retake the test. Usually, this takes place in about 60 days. Q: I have some bad debts because I lost my job and I am filing for bankruptcy. Will this affect my naturalization? A: Most likely not. For naturalization, one of the requirements is that the applicant has good moral character during the requisite statutory period. Just by being jobless or having bad debts or declaring bankruptcy will not result in a finding of lack of good moral character. However, be aware that if you have tax debts, or have failed to pay your child support, those will most likely result in the denial of your citizenship application for lack of good moral character. Q: I have a tax debt but I have a payment plan with the IRS to pay the debt and will complete the payments in about 6 months. Can I apply for naturalization? A: Yes, you may try to apply for naturalization if you are eligible otherwise. But be prepared to provide all the details of the tax debt, why this debt occurred and the details of the payment plan. Hopefully by the time the Naturalization interview is scheduled, you would have completed the payment plan and no further taxes are owed. Q: I had an alcohol problem for many years and which resulted in some old convictions for public intoxication and one DUI. I have

fought hard to stay sober for the past 6 years and to lead a normal life. Do I have to check â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yesâ&#x20AC;? the box in the N-400 application which ask â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Have you EVER been a habitual drunkard?â&#x20AC;? Will I be denied citizenship if I do so? A: If you were previously an alcoholic and have several past convictions related to alcohol use and intoxication, it is correct that you will have to check â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;? to the question â&#x20AC;&#x153;Have you EVER been a habitual drunkardâ&#x20AC;?. For purposes of naturalization, one cannot have good moral character if they were a habitual drunkard during the requisite statutory period. In this case, since you have stayed sober for at least 6 years and the requisite statutory period is 5 years, I believe you will be alright even if you checked â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;? to that question. However, be prepared to provide evidence that you have been sober for the past 6 years such as records of attending support programs. Further, proof of consistent and regular employment and no further alcohol related convictions during this 6 year period will also help in this regard. Another word of advice is if you have past convictions, best that you consult with an immigration attorney to ensure that these convictions do not have any serious consequences such as loss of your permanent residence or result in your deportation. Disclaimer: Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case. Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case. My Bio Sharlene Sharmila Richards is a licensed Immigration lawyer practicing in Houston, Texas. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000 and is a member of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of the US Supreme Court. You may contact her at telephone number 713-623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

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FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

National Marrow Donor Program Honors Houston’s Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN)

OUSTON (August 15, 2016) – The Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN) in Houston has been named the 2016 Leadership Award recipient by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match®, which operates the Be The Match Registry®. As the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world, Be The Match® works every day to save lives through transplant. The registry recognizes individuals and groups for outstanding contributions to its mission through an annual award program. Be The Match® recognized IACAN for its exceptional success in promoting bone marrow donor registration and donations through educational outreach and bone marrow drives among the South Asian community in the Greater Houston area. “On behalf of IACAN, I would like to thank all bone marrow donors for their selfless act, all registrants who heeded our call to register, all Indian organizations, groups, individuals and media partners in the Greater Houston for partnering with us to promote bone marrow registration drives. Your support and participation was instrumental in IACAN being recognized with this outstanding award. We look forward to continuing to work together to save and improve the lives of those in need of bone marrow transplants. We thank Gaytri Kapoor, Donor Contact Representative, Be The Match Program, Houston, Texas, for nominating IACAN for this award,” commented Kumari Susarla, current President of IACAN. Founded in August 2009 in Houston, IACAN is an essential cancer resource network that educates and supports the Indian American community. The organization works tirelessly to educate Houston’s South Asian community about

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

Jhulan Festival at Sri Govindaji...

tration drives. In addition, the organization has registered over 4,000 new registrants, thus substantially increasing the number of South Asian bone marrow donor registrants in the national registry. IACAN has increased the national registry’s Houston area South Asian donations by 275 percent. Before IACAN began its work in 2009, the national registry accounted for 12 donations by South Asians, but since IACAN’s involvement the number of donations has grown to 45 in the Houston area, as of June 2016.

the need for life-saving bone marrow transplantation and the importance of increasing the number of South Asian registrants in the NMDP registry. While IACAN primarily provides support to South Asian patients in the Greater Houston area, the organization also supports national and international patients. IACAN helps patients in India navigate the bone marrow transplant (BMT) process, and provides support and guidance for patients in India and other countries, including Singapore and Brunei.

IACAN will receive the 2016 Leadership Award on Friday, November 11th at the opening session of the 2016 NMDP®/ Be The Match® Annual Council Meeting at the Hilton Minneapolis Hotel.

In 1996 before the conception of IACAN, P. G. Parameswaran, MD, a now former board member and joint secretary of IACAN, began hosting bone marrow donor drives for Houston’s South Asian community. IACAN is now responsible for organizing and sponsoring over 100 bone marrow donor regis-

For details contact president@iacannetwork.org or visit www.iacannetwork.org

Four day Jhulan (swing) festival started Sunday, August 14th and concluded with Sri Baladeva Purnima on August 17th. 2016. Continued from Page 1 bhog after which aarti was performed. After that, the devotees started to swing Sri Radha Govindaji along with sweet, ecstatic chanting of ‘Radhe Jhulan Padharo Jhuke Aaye Badara’ as well as several other jhulan songs.

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Hundreds of devotees patiently stood in line for their turns to swing the Transcendental Couple. The devotees spontaneously started dancing and tears flowed from their eyes beholding this beautiful pastime. Many commented that they had never seen such a beautiful swing ever before! Every day for the next three days, the Deities were similarly swung along with the singing of bhajans and chanting of the Hare Krishna mahamantra. On August 14th and 15th, the devotees also observed the ‘Disappearance Day of Sri Rupa Goswami’, who was the most prominent disciple of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu personally instructed Sri Rupa Goswami for ten days in Prayag. He then asked him to go to Vrindavan and unearth all the places

of Krishna’s pastimes as well as write transcendental literature explaining the essence of His teachings. Sri Rupa Goswami wrote several books in which he exquisitely and precisely described the tenets of bhakti or loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord Krishna. These books, such as, Upadeshamrita, Bhakti-Rasamrita Sindhu, Ujjvala Nilamani, are the most valuable jewels of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and even today define the spiritual practices followed by Gaudiya Vaishnavas all over the world. These books are available at the temple gift shop as well as online at www. bhaktistore.com. On August 17th, the final day of Jhulan was celebrated along with Sri Baladeva Purnima, the appearance day of Lord Balarama, the elder brother of Lord Krishna. Lord Baladeva is non-different from Lord Krishna and is the eternal spiritual master (‘akhanda-guru-tattva’). He expands in unlimited ways and forms to render unlimited service to Lord Krishna. He is the source of spiritual strength (‘bala’) for the devotees as un-

flinching faith in the spiritual master is the backbone of spiritual life. These four days of blissful festivities, chanting, kirtan and delicious prasadam surcharged all the devotees who attended the temple at various times. The devotees are now eagerly looking forward to Sri Krishna Janmashtami that will be celebrated on August 25th from 6:00 PM to 12 midnight. The special highlight this year is the “Kirtaniyas” band. This group of young kirtan singers from California is sure to immerse everyone in transcendental ecstasy for hours. Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha invites all Houstonians to come and join the devotees in celebrating Sri Krishna Janmashtami and chanting of the Holy Names. Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha temple is located at 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd, Houston, TX 77084. Every Sunday bhajans and kirtan start 5 PM; Vedic lecture (English) at 6 PM; aarati at 7 PM followed by delicious healthy prasadam. For details visit www.sggm.org

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Dear Devotees, Hari Om..

After the sudden demise of Bramhasri Udayakumar Gullapalli, I, Pandit Sridharkumar Ramayanam, as his torch bearer take the responsibility of serving the Houston community for any kind of Vedic/Hindu poojas at your door step or in the temple. Kindly contact me for all kind of poojas naming few as follows, Gruhapravesham, Sathyanarayana vratham, Namakaram, Upanayanam, marriage, all kinds of homas, new business or shop openings, Shradha karmas, etc.... Feel free to contact me on:

• 713-933-8821/9359 • 832-833-5662 • 720-421-6031 Kindly support the temple and family by giving me the opportunity to serve you all. Hari Om!

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VOICE OF ASIA 7

NNN Media reaches its “ONE Million” views on YouTube channel

OUSTON - NNN Media, which provides local, state, national, and international news and interviews that are of interest to the community, has reached a “Million Views” mark on its YouTube channel, “NIK NIKAM.” NNN media takes this opportunity to thank hundreds of people who have been on NNN Media talk shows and shared their stories, which have made the NNN Media story, today.

India’s PM Narendra Modi pays obeisance to HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj

views, and stories. If you would like to support this channel, you can visit our You Tube channel NIK NIKAM, and donate whatever you can. NNN Media thanks to each one of you for your support.

Dr. Nik Nikam

If you would like to be included in our mailing list, please drop us an email at drniknikam@gmail.com.

It has close to 1000 videos capturing the essence of our community experiences in Houston. Think of it as your PBS.

Prime Minister of India Mr. Modi during India’s Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi.

Stay tuned for an event coming up soon to mark this historic landmark, accenting our India community experience in Houston. We invite you to be a guest on our NNN Media talk show and share your expertise,

Screen crab from one of NNN shows on YouTube.

ARANGPUR, India - On 15 August 2016, after presiding over the Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi, Prime Minister of India Hon. Shri Narendra Modi arrived in Sarangpur at 11.55 a.m. to pay homage to his ‘mentor’ HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj. With folded hands

Akshaya Patra Breaks Ground For New Kitchen Outside Hyderabad STONEHAM, MA–On August 11th, the Akshaya Patra Foundation held a foundation stone laying ceremony on 1.5 acres of land in Narsingi outside Hyderabad. The kitchen was made possible with a grant from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd.

These technological innovations optimize quality and minimize cost, time and labor to ensure that the meals prepared are safe, fresh, and nutritious. All of Akshaya Patra’s kitchens meet the highest standards of safety and efficiency, and ten of Akshaya Patra’s kitchens have already been certified as FSMS ISO 22000:2005 compliant, which means they meet the standards of the International Food Safety Management System (FSMS). The International Organization for Standardization established the ISO 22000 certification to ensure the safety of the global food supply chain. Established in 2000, Akshaya Patra began by serving 1,500 in 5 schools in Bangalore. Today Akshaya Patra is the largest NGO-run school meal programs in the world and serves over 1.5 million children daily in over 11,501 schools through 24 kitchens in ten states in India. In 2016, Akshaya Patra is celebrating its 15th Anniversary and the serving of its 2 billionth meal to children in India. Akshaya Patra USA is the US branch of Akshaya Patra and raises funds and awareness for the school meal program in India. Akshaya Patra USA’s Houston Chapter will hold its 2016 Houston Benefit Event on Friday, October 7th at the Sugar Land Marriott Town Square. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor will be the event’s keynote speaker for the event. Actor and comedian, Omi Vaidya will be the Master of Ceremonies. The event will be held at the Marriott in Sugar Land, Texas, and will begin with a welcome reception. Over 350 business, non-profit, government, and philanthropic

and a melancholy face, the PM bowed before the mortal body of Pramukh Swami and offered flowers in obeisance. He also met HH Mahant Swami Maharaj, the new spiritual head of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, and other senior swamis and expressed his condolences. Shri Modi performed arti and circumambulations in homage to Pramukh Swami. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Modi mourned the demise of Pramukh Swami as ‘many have lost a Guru and I, a father’. Taking pride in his long-standing association with Pramukh Swami, he said that Swamiji has nurtured and nourished him since the time when nobody knew him in public life. As a fatherly figure, Pramukh Swami would often point out to him his mistakes and molded him. The Prime Minister applauded Pramukh Swami’s devotion and his unswerving commitment towards every word that his guru Yogiji Maharaj had uttered. He has set before us an example of how a true shishya should be. “Swamiji, he said, “has brought about a reformation not only in the Swaminarayan Sampradaya but among all sadhus. Though he is not physically with us now, but we all feel his presence through his life, teachings and works.”

The foundation anticipates that the kitchen will begin to serve its first meals to 30,000 government school children in Gandipet, Kokapet, and Poppalguda. “By providing nutritious food, we are not only supporting the children’s education but also making the child a capable citizen who can contribute to the country. We are trying to bridge the gap between rich and poor”, said Akshaya Patra Chairman, Madhu Pandit Dasa. The new kitchen will be the 26th of Akshaya Patra’s stateof-the-art centralized kitchens, which are the hallmark of the program. Akshaya Patra’s founders used their own knowledge of engineering to design immense mechanized kitchen facilities each capable of preparing meals for 100,000 children every day. Akshaya Patra’s custom chapatti machines can bake 60,000 chapattis in five hours and easy-tilt cauldrons can produce 1,200 liters of rice or sambar in just two hours.

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

Children eating Akshaya Pattra meal in Hyderabad. leaders from around the region are expected to attend and support the organization’s dual mission of addressing childhood hunger and malnutrition and to promote education for underserved children in India. For more information about

Akshaya Patra, please visit www.foodforeducation.org. This year’s event will feature an evening of networking, entertainment, and dinner. For more information: Manisha@apusa.org or 832-876-

2142 To register: Piyali@apusa. org or 781-462-8454 To register or purchase tickets: www.foodforeducation. org/houston

Shri Modi recalled an incident that occurred way back during the Shilanyas Vidhi of Swaminarayan Akshardham, New Delhi. Swamiji insisted that he be present in the holy ritual. Big names in the social and political spheres were in attendance to participate. He was a relatively unknown face at that time. While the puja was in progress, Pramukh Swami requested a volunteer to provide him with some coins saying, “He must not be having any money to offer during the ritu-

al. Pramukh Swami knew that my pockets were empty. Such was his oneness with me.” Reminiscing about another incident, the PM said, “Once when Pramukh Swamiji had stopped eating for some time and would not listen to anyone, I had requested him to eat on the phone like a son. An hour later when I enquired, I was greatly pleased to know that such a great sadhu had paid heed to my request and had eaten something.” The Prime Minister commended Pramukh Swami’s great life, morality and saintliness. He concluded his hour-long visit after paying his respects to Pramukh Swami Maharaj and seeking blessings from the new spiritual Head of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, HH Mahant Swami Maharaj, for the progress and prosperity of the nation. About BAPS The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a worldwide socio-spiritual organization in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, is dedicated to community service, peace and harmony. Motivated by Hindu principles, BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, families and individuals. Through a number of social and spiritual activities, BAPS endeavors to produce better citizens of tomorrow who have a high esteem for their roots - their rich Hindu culture. Its 3,300 international centers support these activities of character-building. Under the guidance and leadership of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, BAPS aspires to build a community that is morally, ethically and spiritually pure, and free of addictions.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 8

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

70th Indian Independence Day celebration at India House “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance” - Jawaharlal Nehru (Tryst with Destiny)

OUSTON, August 15, 2016 - Befitting the occasion, the atmosphere was charged with festivity and vibrancy as IndoAmericans celebrated India’s 70th Independence Day on August 15th 2016 at India House. People waved and cheered as Consul General of India, Dr. Anupam Ray hoisted the tricolored Indian National Flag. Indian National Anthem led by the amazing 13year old Chloe Choudhury who was joined in by the gathering. Dr. Durga Agrawal and Mr. Jugal Malani, hoisted the American Flag with Chloe leading the crowds through the American National Anthem. Next

came the Texas Flag which was hoisted by Dr. Virendra Mathur, Dr. Manish Rungta and Mr. Jiten Agarwal. The Slogans “Jai Hind and Bharat Mata Ki Jai” echoed around. All the rain and stormy weather could not keep the 200+ crowd away. The young campers lined the corridors holding up colorful peace signs and banners as the guests made their way to the Brij-Sunita Agrawal Banquet Hall for the short program. Col. Vipin Kumar welcomed the guests. Soon after, Senator John Cornyn’s Regional Director Mr. Jay Guerrero read out his speech and handed over the proclamation on his behalf to India House President, Dr. Manish Rungta. This was followed by a few heartwarming speeches by Dr. Manish Rungta, Counselor General Ray, Dr. Virendra Mathur and Dr. Durga Agrawal. Dr. Agrawal recalled the old days when only a handful of people came to the flag hoisting functions and was extremely happy that today there were more than 200 people present. Mr. Sam Merchant handed

Flag hoisting ceremony at the India House. Consul General Dr.Ray with India House members and community members. Photo by Bijay Dixit. Images on the Left: Dignitaries and Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray Children performing during the celebrations. Maha Lakshmi (left) and Chloe Choudhury rendering the National Anthem of the United States of Ameria and India respectively.

over the proclamation to India House Trustees on behalf of Congressman Al Green. Patriotic songs sung by Maha Lakshmi were emotional and outstanding. The audience were moved to tears when she sang `Aey Mere Watan Ke Logon’. The mood was lightened by the India House summer camp kids who stole the viewers’ hearts with their amazing performance of an Indian folk dance and a

Rap which the kids themselves had composed, called “India OAey O-Aey”. Mrs. Ray handed out the back pack filled with school supplies to the happy campers. The program ended on a happy note with people mingling and enjoying yummy refreshments which were graciously sponsored by Kurrywala, Madras Pavilion and Vishala Grocers.

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 9

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

Cricket: Pakistan begin World Cup bid against Ireland by Ian CALLENDER

World Cup.

31-year-old batsman added.

ALAHIDE, Ireland | AFP | Wednesday 8/17/2016 - Pakistan launch their quest to make sure of an automatic qualifying spot at the 2019 World Cup in England when they face Ireland in two one-day internationals at Malahide, near Dublin, on Thursday and Saturday.

Pakistan are currently seven points behind eighth-placed West Indies.

“The performance of the Test team is an encouragement for the ODI team so we will carry that same momentum and passion. It was a big challenge for the Test team because a lot of people used to say that we are only good in our own conditions.

The fixtures, Pakistan’s lead in to a five-match ODI series against England, come with the 1992 world champions languishing in ninth place in the International Cricket Council’s team rankings for the 50-over format.

For Ireland, currently ranked 12th, a 2-0 series win over Pakistan would see them leapfrog Zimbabwe and Afghanistan into 10th place.

Hosts England and the seven highest-ranked sides in the table come September 30 next year will qualify directly for the World Cup. Meanwhile the bottom four teams in the standings will be joined by six sides from below cricket’s international elite for a 10-team qualifying competition in 2018. The top two sides from that tournament will complete the 10-strong line-up at the 2019

In order to go ahead of the West Indies in the next month, Pakistan will have to win all their matches against non-Test nation Ireland and England, but good results in both series will help them close the gap.

Only six of the Pakistan players who took part in the exciting Test series in England -- which they drew 2-2 with a four-day victory at The Oval on Sunday –- stay on for the ODIs, in a 15-man squad captained by Azhar Ali. “Ireland are always a tough team, more so in their own conditions,” Azhar told AFP. “If you look at their recent performances in World Cup matches they have done very well. But we have new players who are very confident,” the

“But the Test team has done well (in England) and the ODI team will take their lead from that.” - Spin threat Sami Aslam, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar are the only specialist batsmen who keep their places from the Test squad along with bowlers Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah. “We have two very good young spinners in Imad Waseem and Mohammad Nawaz, then we have Yasir and Shoaib Malik so they can be handy,” said Azhar. Pakistan’s one-day squad also features the return of experienced pace bowler Umar Gul. Gul, 32, who played against

Three killed after kites slit throats in India

EW DELHI, India | AFP | Two children and a man have died in the Indian capital after their throats were slit by glass-covered strings used for flying kites during Independence Day celebrations, police said Wednesday. The tragedies prompted the Delhi government to this week issue an immediate ban on the production, sale and storage of the razor sharp strings which are used to try to cut down competitors’ kites. The government said anyone caught with the strings, known locally as manjha, faced a fiveyear jail term and a 100,000-

rupee ($1,500) fine. The children, aged four and six, died in separate incidents in New Delhi on Monday after they looked out of the sunroof of their cars. “The children were looking out of the sunroofs when they entangled in the deadly threads,” Pushpender Kumar, west Delhi’s deputy police commissioner, told AFP. A 22-year-old man also died in the same way while he was riding his motorbike on a flyover in the capital, another officer said. No one has been arrested over the deaths. Another five-year-old child

and a policeman were badly injured in other incidents involving the strings, reports have said. Kite flying is hugely popular on Independence Day, with the sky dotted with ones often painted in the colours of the Indian flag and attached to long strings. The Delhi High Court last week directed the city government to raise awareness of the dangers of the strings, saying there had been a raft of deaths in recent years in Delhi and two neighbouring states. Some states have already banned such strings following accidents.

Ireland in Pakistan’s shock World Cup defeat back in 2007, has not appeared in 50over international cricket for 16 months but his experience of English conditions has seen

him replace the giant Mohammad Irfan. Ireland were dealt a huge blow on Tuesday with the news that former England pace bowl-

er Boyd Rankin has not only been ruled out of the series but the rest of the season, including the ODIs in Benoni at the end of next month against South Africa and Australia.

VOICE OF ASIA 10

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Heart disease epidemic will rise in China: study

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Mediterranean Lifestyle — Not Just Diet — Lowers Depression Risk Exercising and socializing are just as important as what you eat.

People who ate a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, exercised and socialized regularly were less likely to develop depression than those who didn’t, according to a new study. Wundervisuals Via Getty Images

The study analyzed data on 26,000 people in China from 1991 to 2011 and projected how these trends might play out from 2011 to 2031.

IAMI | AFP | 8/15/2016 China is facing an epidemic of heart disease brought on by a shift toward the Western lifestyle, and researchers said Monday the trend shows no sign of slowing down. The findings in the August 15 edition of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology are based on the first large study of its kind to analyze a range of risk factors in China over multiple decades. Heart disease has been on the rise in China over the past 20 years, with more and more people experiencing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood glucose, being overweight, smoking and lack of exercise. The study analyzed data on 26,000 people in China from 1991 to 2011 and projected how these trends might play out from 2011 to 2031. “Our estimates suggest that the continued rise in high blood pressure, an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, increasing obesity, and worsening dietary trends will add millions of new cases of heart attacks and stroke over the next two decades,” said lead author Yanping Li, research scientist in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University’s TH Chan School of Public Health. The study traced most of the heart disease cases in China in 2011 to high

blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar, leading to some five million new cases of heart attack or stroke.

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People in the study who ate a diet rich in fruit and veggies, and who also exercised and socialized a lot were less likely to develop depression than those who didn’t follow this type of lifestyle, the findings showed.

Those people in the group with the closest adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle at the beginning of the study were 50 percent less likely to be diagnosed with depression during the study period than those in the group with the least adherence to this lifestyle.

Previous studies have shown a link between adhering to the Mediterranean diet or other healthy dietary patterns and a lower risk of depression, said lead study author Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, an associate professor of preventive medicine and public health at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in Spain. But the new study is the first to examine the link between the overall Mediterranean lifestyle, beyond the diet itself, and depression, she told Live Science.

High blood pressure was the biggest culprit, linked to about 40 percent of heart attacks or stroke in the most recent year of data, 2011. High blood pressure in China has risen from 7.7 percent of the pop- New Study Encourages Young Athletes to Have Echocardioulation in 1979 grams. Pinterest image. to 33.5 percent worse, with consumption of red meat, in 2010, on par salt and sugary beverages on the rise, with levels seen in the United States. the study found. Of 6.8 million Chinese over age 35 “China is facing a rising epidemic who died in 2011, about three million of cardiovascular disease and it shows of those deaths -- or 44 percent -- were no sign of abating,” said senior aurelated to cardiovascular disease. thor Frank Hu, professor of nutrition Smoking and lack of exercise were and epidemiology at Harvard’s Chan School. also linked to rising heart disease. “It’s imperative to continue to monitor the problem, which has serious social and economic consequences,” he added, saying promoting better eating and exercise habits “should be elevated Every Sunday August 14, 2016 to May 14, 2017 to a national public Intermediate Hindi: 10:00 am to 11:00 am policy priority.”

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t’s not only the Mediterranean diet, but the whole “Mediterranean lifestyle” that can make a difference in your mental health, a new study from Spain found.

In the study, the researchers asked 11,800 people in Spain what they normally ate, how much they exercised and how much time they spent socializing with friends, to measure how closely these individuals adhered to the Mediterranean lifestyle. Scientists then tracked how many of the participants were diagnosed with depression during the next 8.5 years, on average. [7 Ways Depression Differs in Men and Women] The researchers found that, by the end of the study period, 806 people in the study were diagnosed with depression. To look at the relationship between how closely the people adhered to the Mediterranean lifestyle at the beginning of the study and how likely they were to later develop depression, the researchers divided the participants into three groups: those who adhered

The researchers said they don’t know for sure why eating a healthy diet, exercising and socializing may be linked to a lower risk of depression, but several mechanisms may be involved in this link. For example, certain components of the Mediterranean diet — such as olive oil, nuts, legumes, fruit and fish — have beneficial nutrients that have anti-inflammatory properties, Sánchez-Villegas said. These properties may be useful in preventing inflammation, which has previously been linked to a higher risk of depression, she said. Exercise may also help protect people against inflammation and therefore reduce the risk of depression, SánchezVillegas said. Moreover, exercise has been known to stimulate the secretion of feel-good chemicals called endorphins that enhance mood, which may also help prevent depression, she said. In addition, the new findings are in line with previous research that has linked greater social interaction with better psychological well-being, the researchers said in their study, published Aug. 9 in the journal Clinical Psychological Science. The authors of that previous research on depression and social factors have suggested that multiple mechanisms, including having social support during difficult times, may explain this link. Source: Huffington Post Originally published on Live Science.

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New painkiller could replace morphine by Marlowe Hood aris, France | AFP | Scientists on Wednesday unveiled a synthetic drug that appears to neutralise pain as effectively as morphine but without the side-effects that make opioids so dangerous and addictive.

The big-data methods used by the researchers also open up a promising avenue in drug innovation, they reported in the journal Nature. In experiments with mice, the new compound -- identified after screening “trillions” of candidates -- activated a known molecular pathway in the brain that triggers pain suppression. But unlike morphine and prescription drugs such as oxycodone or oxycontin, it did not switch on a second pathway that can slow or block normal breathing. Respiratory suppression caused by opioids results in some 30,000 deaths every year in the United States alone, where opioid use and abuse has taken on epidemic proportions. Nor did the new drug -- dubbed PZM21 -- produce addiction in the lab mice, which get hooked on morphine and pharmaceutical painkillers as easily as humans. In experiments, the rodents showed no preference between a cubicle in which they had been administered PZM21 or one in which they received a neutral saline solution. PZM21, the researchers summed up, offers “long-lasting analgesia coupled to apparent elimination of respiratory depression.” A third advantage of the new compound, they said, is that it does not cause constipation. In the United States, drugs designed to relieve blocked bowels due to opioids are advertised on television. Opium and its derivatives have been used to dull pain (and generate euphoric feelings) for more than 4,000 years. Even in the era of modern medicine, morphine -- derived from the opium poppy -- has remained the painkiller of choice, whether for post-op recovery or on the battlefield. “But it is obviously dangerous too,” said Brian Shoichet, a professor at the University of California’s School of Pharmacy in San Francisco, and one of three senior authors of the study.

“People have been searching for a safer replacement for standard opioids for decades.” Most such efforts have tried to tweak the drug’s chemical structure to get rid of the side-effects. Shoichet and colleagues from Stanford University, the University of North Carolina and Friedrich-Alexander University in Bavaria, Germany took a radically different approach. - Towards ‘the perfect drug’ -They focused instead on the so-called opioid receptor in the brain which triggers a chemical reaction leading to pain suppression when activated. Only a molecule that successfully “docks” with the receptor -- like a key turning a lock -- would work.

Scientists warn anthrax just one threat as Russian permafrost melts by Maria Antonova

OSCOW, Russia | AFP | A recent anthrax outbreak in the far north of Russia left a child dead, 23 people infected and the government scrambling to deploy hundreds of rescue workers and soldiers to stop any further spread.

The source, scientists say, seems likely to have been the long-buried corpses of reindeers on Yamal peninsula uncovered as Russia’s permafrost melts -- and then been passed on to grazing herds. The fear now is that this is not a freak incident and that other diseases -- some dating back to the Ice Age -- could be unleashed as global warming thaws Russia’s icy northern expanses.

But to avoid addiction and respiratory failure, that same molecule must not, as does morphine, dock with a second receptor that provokes those unwanted reactions.

“Most likely the source of the epidemic were the thawing animal burial sites for animals that died of anthrax 70 years ago,” said Boris Kershengoltz, chief of research at the Russian Institute for Biological Problems of Permafrost Zone.

“With traditional forms of drug discovery, you’re locked into a little chemical box,” explained Shoichet.

“Can these processes repeat themselves? Of course they can,” he told a press conference last week.

“But when you start with the structure of the receptor you want to target, you can throw all those constraints away.”

Russia is warming about 2.5 times more rapidly than the world’s average, and the Arctic region is warming quicker than the rest of the country.

Using computer simulations, the researchers tested three million commercially available compounds -- and a million possible configurations for each one -- to see which would fit best with the receptor. In the lab, combing through trillions of options would have been prohibitively expensive and time-consuming. Some 2,500 molecules passed muster.

Yamal, the peninsula straddling the northern Kara Sea and the Gulf of Ob, is sparsely populated by mostly indigenous nomadic reindeer herders. Temperatures there in July were up to eight degrees higher than normal, reaching 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit).

A veterinarian takes a health checkup of deers outside Yar-Sale town at Yamal Peninsula in the far north of Russia, following a recent anthrax outbreak (AFP Photo/-) “Imagine Yamal, we are talking about a place above the Arctic Circle,” said Sergei Semenov, director of Russia’s Institute of Global Climate. “This is a colossal, unprecedented anomaly.” Anthrax is an infection spread by spores of the Beacillus anthracis bacteria which occurs naturally and can be ingested by livestock and passed to humans, usually through skin contact, causing black lesions. If left untreated it can be fatal. - ‘We should be ready’ Besides anthrax, there are plenty of other dangers lurking in shallow Arctic graves which might be unlocked from the ice after centuries, said Vik-

“We had smallpox graves” in the Far North at the end of the 19th century, and scientists are discovering new “giant viruses” in mammoths, he said. “Their pathology has not been proven, we must continue to study them.” “I think climate change will bring us many surprises,” he said. “I don’t want to scare anyone, but we should be ready.” Maleyev added that the anthrax crisis could have been avoided or lessened if reindeer, which were presumably infected by grazing over the anthrax graves, had been vaccinated en masse.

Governor Dmitry Kobylkin of the Yamalo-Nenetsky region, where over 2,000 reindeer died, said vaccinations stopped about a decade ago, possibly after an erroneous decision that the region was safe from anthrax.

After eliminating those resembling opioids too closely, only 23 remained.

He called the decision a “very serious mistake.”

And only one of these, further analysis showed, activated the “good” molecular pathway without triggering the “bad” one. Even then, more custom-engineering was required.

He said Tuesday that the total affected area in the region, together with an established buffer zone, is some 12,650 square kilometres (3.1 million acres). “The process of disinfection will go on until soil analyses say that there is no anthrax in the area,” he said. “It is unlikely that anything will grow there ever again.”

EW YORK, AFP - Millions of Americans will spend the weekend hot under the collar as soaring East Coast temperatures and stifling humidity slapped excessive weather warnings on New York and Philadelphia.

Over 1,500 people have been vaccinated, while 706 are receiving antibiotic treatment, the regional government said Wednesday. All residents are going through sanitation procedures and being moved to new areas. Some 270 Russian troops are still working across the territory, burning the infected animal corpses at high temperatures, Kobylkin said, hoping to finish in one week. “There has never been anything like this in Russia,” he said of the disinfection operation. “Neither in terms of scope, nor in terms of complexity.”

Both cities issued excessive heat warnings, warning the combination of mercury and humidity would make it feel as hot as 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) in New York and Philadelphia over the weekend.

“We never considered such a bacterial threat,” he said, voicing hope that the outbreak leads to legislative changes. - Science overlooked -

Temperatures would stay in the mid 90s from Friday through Sunday, meaning it was the humidity that would push the heat index values higher in New York and Philadelphia, home to around 10 million people combined, meteorologists warned.

Scientists lamented that instead of spending more money on studying the effects of climate change, science budgets are shrinking, and the government only allocates funds after emergencies and tragedies. “There is less and less attention in our country to science, fewer grants for meteorology,” said Valery Malinin, an oceanologist from Russia’s Hydrometeorological Institute.

Authorities warned of heat-related health problems, especially for the elderly and those with chronic health problems, and those working outdoors.

Overall the heatwave stretches from southwest Ohio to west Virginia, Washington DC, Boston, New York and Philadelphia, said David Roth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

tor Maleyev, deputy chief of Russia’s Central Research Institute of Epidemiology.

“Animals have to be vaccinated regularly,” he said.

Excessive heat warnings hit millions of Americans

Americans were advised to stay inside and use air conditioning where possible, check on vulnerable friends and neighbors, drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, and not leave children or pets unattended in vehicles.

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

A man sunbathes in New York City during a heat wave in late July 2016 (AFP Photo/Kena Betancur) Dallas, Washington DC, parts of New Jersey and Long Island might see records on Friday, but only because local databases are shorter, Roth told AFP. Five other spots stretching from Ocean City in Maryland to Connecticut might set similar records on Satur-

day, before the heat fades Sunday and Monday, he added. In the south, heavy rainfall pummelled parts of Louisiana and Mississippi as an area of low pressure moved west along the Gulf Coast. Ten to 15 inches (25.4 to 38.1 cm) of rain fell across parts southern Mis-

sissippi and southeastern and south central Louisiana, Roth said. Another 10 inches were expected in parts of Louisiana over the next two days. “Even for them its very unusual,” he told AFP. US media reported that heavy rain caused flooding and closed schools in some areas on Friday.

He said the government had come up with a climate program in 2010 after deadly smog from peat fires gripped the Russian capital, only to forget about it. The program is now “effectively buried,” he said. “When there are destructive phenomena we think it would be nice to have prevented them, but as soon as the passions die down, everything is forgotten,” he said. “Yamal is just a small alarm bell,” he said. “Nature will continue to challenge us.”

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Section 2

Young Life

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2016 BITSAA Int’l Houston Chapter celebrates ‘BITSian’ Day

young and enthusiastic alumni group of Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani, India who call themselves “BITSians” gathered at the Yard House, City Center Plaza on Friday Aug.16 to celebrate their annual BITSian Day. The old and young alumni came together and reminisced and rejoiced their good old college days at Pilani. Mr. Krishna Vavilala, a senior BITSian of the 1960 class, and a nominee for 2016 BITSAA Distinguished Alumni Award and his wife, Mrs. Lakshmi Vavilala mingled with the youngsters and exchanged about their campus experiences.

Krishna Vavilala, a 1960 Class BITSIAN and his wife, Lakshmi joined a dynamic group of BITSians: that included: Jay, Sap,Supriya, Palak, Akanksha, Nirupam, Kaushik, Mouktik (list incomplete).

Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS) Pilani is an Indian university established more than 70 years ago under the Birla Education Trust, in partnership with MIT, Boston. The university is consistently ranked as the top private university in India and has a worldwide Alumni network. BITS graduates usually enroll in top graduate schools like Stanford and often settle in the US boosting the economy as highly qualified immigrants. A

sprinkling of Bitsians also enrolls in the University of Houston. The Alumni network BITSAA International contributes significantly to the US economy with several entrepreneurs and professionals ranging from Silicon Valley to Energy executives in Houston. The Houston chapter, initiated by Mr. Krishna Vavilala was formally inaugurated in 2013 by the Consular General of India, Parvathaneni Harish and his wife Nandita. The Chapter continues to play a

By Tamyra Walker and Peggy Mcleoda

role in bringing all members of the group together. The Chapter has plans to connect with similar professional groups in the Houston community. BITSAA International is a 501(c3) non-profit organization registered in USA that represents all BITSians irrespective of the campuses they come from. Besides providing a number of communication channels for Alumni members to stay connected with each

rom Snapchat to Tumblr - our young people are naturally conversant with technology and online environments. But comfort with technology isn’t enough to be prepared or get recruited for a job in Northern California. It takes a high-quality education with expectations calibrated to market demands. To date, the deck has been stacked against black and Latino students.

Jiavaennye Green (L) and Taylor Phillips, third grade children from PS 57 James Weldon Johnson Leadership Academy, learn how to code at an Apple Store through Apple’s “Hour of Code” workshop program on December 9, 2015 in New York City. (Photo: Andrew Burton / Getty Images)

Educational inequity is nothing new for black or Latino families. The nature of our localized public school system has always meant that your ZIP code can determine what kind of education you get. Schools in some neighborhoods simply aren’t held to the same standard as schools in other neighborhoods or provided the same exposure to coursework that can prepare them for a career in technology.

Representatives from ExxonMobil and all nine partnering colleges recently met at the main ExxonMobil office in Baytown to present $45,000 in scholarships to 34 selected students. That includes HCC student Cajetan Nwachukwu, a father of four, who is studying process technology at the HCC Global Energy Center of Excellence.

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Records show that fewer than five percent of employees at leading tech giants are persons of color. And while some companies are making important headway—Apple hired 2/3 more Latino workers in 2015 compared to 2014, and black employees now make up nine percent of their workforce—we know there is still much work to be done to ensure all students enter the workforce with the skills they need to succeed. Houston Community College student Cajetan Nwachukwu (pictured second from the left) is one of 34 students across the Gulf Coast Region to receive a portion of a $45,000 scholarship from ExxonMobil through the Community College Petrochemical Initiative (CCPI). Aguiar said. “Because of the ongoing success, I’m proud to announce that ExxonMobil is providing another $300,000 for this important training program.”

“We continue to see great progress as these colleges educate, train and develop candidates to fill the increasing number of jobs in the petrochemical industry,”

ExxonMobil has contributed more than $1.8 million towards training skilled new workers. This is the third consecutive year that the ini-

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tiative and ExxonMobil have brought together new recipients to present scholarships and encourage them in their educational pursuits. The HCC Global Energy Center of Excellence trains and educates technicallyskilled and safety conscious workers for the energy industry supporting the petrochemical, energy corridor, and production companies in our region. For more information, visit hccs.edu/energy.

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doesn’t always equate to success in the classroom. For example, college enrollment among Latino students has tripled since 1993 but less than 1/3 actually make it to graduation. Of course, unequal opportunities in education don’t entirely explain the lack of diversity in Silicon Valley. Unconscious biases, self-reinforcing networks of influence and access, and barriers to obtaining capital for many black and Latino entrepreneurs—among a litany of other reasons—all contribute. We know we have no time to lose, and that’s why the #YesWeCode initiative is working to create a job pipeline to guide youth from introductory coding programs to immersive job-training programs and, eventually, into employment. To achieve real, long-term change, we must unite and work together toward an education system that prepares our kids for college and careers in the jobs of tomorrow, in Silicon Valley and beyond. We’ve seen the big tech companies rally around the need for immigration reform, not just because it was the right thing to do for the industry and the economy, but because it was the right thing to do. Now is the time to throw our weight behind a system that will keep the American Dream alive. By supporting the Common Core, we can support the long-term success of our students and our country. That’s a cause worth fighting for. (NBC Online)

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A few years ago, governors and educators from across the U.S. decided to take that challenge on. They worked together to create a consistent set of academic guidelines in math and English language arts to ensure that an 8th grader in San Jose gains the same skills and knowledge as an 8th grader in Detroit.

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For more information on how to get involved with BITSAA Int’l, please, visit www.bitsaa. org, or, Email: Mr. Nirupam Anand @ nirupam@bitsaa.org.

AYTOWN [August 15, 2016] — With the Gulf Coast area petrochemical industry needing more than 50,000 new workers within the decade, Houston Community College (HCC) is among nine community colleges that have set out to find and train this “next generation” of skilled workers, enabled by a grant from ExxonMobil.

Company Senior Vice President Matt Aguiar congratulated the students and spoke to why ExxonMobil continues to invest in the program.

they’re used. Students are also learning how to think critically, problem solve and analyze - all of which are essential for a career in the tech industry.

other, it engages in charitable and educational activities by raising funds for setting up endowments, creating scholarships, rewarding teaching and research and promoting the development of resources at all of its four campuses at Pilani, Dubai, Goa and Hyderabad.

HCC student receives scholarship from ExxonMobil

Now in its fourth year, the Community College Petrochemical Initiative (CCPI) has spread the word across the region that typical salaries in this expanding industry average nearly $100,000 and opportunities are available with those who possess the necessary skills.

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Can Common Core help close the diversity gap in Silicon Valley?

by Nirupam Anand

“This scholarship will allow me to focus more on my education and put more effort into my studies,” said Nwachukwu, who works part-time for Harris County.

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

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VOICE OF ASIA 15

Section 2

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

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A.R. Rahman enthrals audience at UN concert to celebrate Independence Day

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Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan detained at US airport

eral Late U Thant to perform at the General Assembly in October 1966, becoming the first Indian to perform there. The audience of ambassadors, diplomats and Indian-Americans welcomed Rahman with a thunderous applause and loud cheers as he stepped on stage, dressed in traditional Indian attire. Through the nearly three-hour long concert on Monday, Rahman and his troupe performed Subbulakshmi’s music and compositions.

M S Subbulakshmi and A.R. Rahman EW YORK (PTI) - Oscarwinning composer A.R. Rahman enthralled a packed audience at the iconic UN General Assembly hall with his renditions of Indian Carnatic legend M S Subbulakshmi’s music, Sufi songs and the foottapping ‘Jai Ho’ at a concert to mark India’s 70th Independence Day here.

Rahman (49), became only the second Indian artist after Subbulakshmi to perform in the General Assembly hall, which is the usual platform for global leaders to address the world.

The concert, organised by India’s Permanent Mission to the UN with the support of Sankara Nethralaya, an India-based civil society organisation, on India’s 70th Independence Day, was a tribute by Rahman to Subbulakshmi on the occasion of her birth centenary. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of her performance at the UN. The first ever musician to be awarded India’s highest civilian honour the Bharat Ratna, Subbulakshmi was invited by the then UN Secretary Gen-

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A highlight of the concert was performances by students of Sunshine Orchestra, an initiative by the A.R. Rahman Foundation, that teaches music to underprivileged youngsters. “From today, you are privileged, you are not underprivileged anymore,” Rahman said as a word of encouragement to the students as they geared to perform on the UN stage. Rahman’s two sisters also performed on stage along with noted singers Javed Ali and renowned percussionist Sivamani. Rahman, sitting amid his musical instruments on one side of the UN stage, rendered one soulful number after another as his troupe gave mesmerising performances of Subbulakshmi’s Carnatic music. To loud cheers and applause, Rahman also performed some of his most popular songs including from movies such as ’Dil Se’ and ‘Bombay’ as well as a rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ Towards the end of the concert, Rahman and his group performed Sufi songs, including ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’, ‘Kun Faya Kun’ and ‘Maula, Maula.’

Washington had previously denied allegations that Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan was singled out because his name denotes him as a Muslim (AFP Photo/)

EW DELHI, India | AFP | Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan took to Twitter Friday to express his annoyance at being detained by US airport immigration authorities for the third time, saying the experience “really, really sucks”. The last time Khan, 50, was detained by immigration officials in New York in 2012, it sparked uproar among his Indian fans who accused the US of racial profiling, and led Washington to apologise. “I fully understand &amp; respect security with the way the world is, but to be detained at US immigration every damn time really really sucks,” Khan tweeted after he was pulled aside at Los Angeles airport. “The brighter side is while waiting caught some really nice Pokemons”. As news of Khan’s detention broke on Indian television channels, US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal quickly expressed regret. “Sorry for the hassle at the airport, @iamsrk - even American diplomats

get pulled for extra screening!” Biswal tweeted. Washington had previously denied allegations that Khan was singled out because his name denotes him as a Muslim. Someone with the same name is reportedly on a US no-fly list of 80,000. After the 2012 incident, Khan joked in a speech to Yale University that he was accustomed to such hassles. “Yes, it always happens... Whenever I start feeling arrogant about myself, I always take a trip to America,” he told students. “The immigration guys kick the star out of stardom.” Khan was also detained for more than two hours in 2009 at Newark airport outside New York, prompting a similar Indian outcry and a US apology. In February, a Sikh Indian-American actor and designer, Waris Ahluwalia, was barred from boarding an Aeromexico flight from Mexico City to New York because he refused to remove his turban.

Salman to present Rs 1,01,000 cheque Will begin shooting each to Olympic athletes SRK-starrer in Dec

UMBAI, Aug 17 (PTI) Superstar Salman Khan, the goodwill ambassador of the Indian contingent at this year’s Olympics in Rio, will present a cheque of Rs 1,01,000 to each of the athletes.

EW DELHI, Aug 17 (PTI) Filmmaker Aanand L Rai is hoping to raise the bar with his next directorial venture, starring superstar Shah Rukh Khan, which will go on floors this December.

“As a gesture of appreciation for our Olympic athletes, I will present each one with a cheque of Rs 1,01,000,” Salman, 50, tweeted.

The yet-untitled film will see Shah Rukh playing a dwarf and Rai says the project is an important project . “It is a very important film not only for me but for all of us... because it is one of its kind. It has a unique content. I have a reason to tell this story. I want to raise the bar for myself everytime I make a film,” Rai said in an interview.

The “Sultan” star, whose appointment as the goodwill ambassador had come under scathing criticism, said every citizen of the country should do their bit to encourage sports. “The government is very supportive of sports. Each of us can also do our bit to encourage a sports nation,” he posted. “I admire the work that Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) is doing to shape tomorrow’s champions.

Salman Khan with Rio 2016 bound players in New Delhi before their send-off. (PTI File photo)

Deepika Padukone and Parineeti Chopra are in the fray to join SRK in the film but the 45-year-old director did not confirm his leading lady’s name.

“We start shooting the film in December. I will announce the actress in a month’s time.” Rai is gearing up for the release of his production “Happy Bhag Jayegi”, which stars Abhay Deol, Diana Penty, Ali Fazal and Jimmy Sheirgill. The filmmaker says he is enjoying his stint as a producer. “Producing a film is a tough choice... direction comes naturally... I enjoy telling stories... I am not making movies that quickly so why not I help others tell their stories.” “Happy Bhag Jayegi” is about a girl, who accidentally crosses the border to Pakistan while running away from her wedding. “Happy Bhag Jayegi” will hit theatres this Friday.

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VOICE OF ASIA 16

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

HEALTHY LIVING VOICE OF ASIA

Section 2

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How much exercise will lower chronic disease risk?

ARIS, France | AFP | 8/9/2016 - The daily dose of activity needed to lower the risk of diabetes, stroke and heart disease by at least 20 percent is several times the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization, researchers said Wednesday. The same applies to breast and bowel cancer, they reported in a study reviewing 35 years of research on the link between physical exertion -whether gardening or long-distance running -- and five chronic diseases. The benefits of exercise are well known and beyond dispute. Most health authorities issue guidelines on the bare minimum required to help ward off numerous ailments made worse by a sedentary lifestyle.

One problem has been finding a unit of measure that can be applied to actions as varied as walking one’s dog, jumping rope, or having sex. Enter the MET, or “metabolic equivalent of tasks”, a concept developed in the 1990s and adopted more recently by the WHO. Metabolism is the conversion of food and drink into energy. When we are at rest -- watching television, for example -- we have a metabolic rate of “one”. Using this as a baseline, scientists assign values to different activities depending on how much energy they consume. - Walking vs. running -Strolling at a leisurely pace, for example, burns up twice the energy as sitting still, which gives it a value of MET 2. Vigorous running is a MET 8 activity. This scale makes it possible to compare the two: 10 minutes of running is

A new study has linked physical activity to lower risk of five common diseases—but we have to move more than experts currently recommend. the equivalent of 40 minutes of walking, and both have a value of “80 MET minutes” -- the amount of energy one would consume while watching a couple of episodes of Game of Thrones.

activity levels several times higher than the current recommended minimum level have a significant reduction in the risk of the five diseases studies,” it concluded.

Canvassing nearly 200 studies in half a dozen countries -- including the United States, China, India and South Africa -- the researchers found that sharp reductions in disease risk required at least 3,000 to 4,000 of these “MET minutes” per week.

The additional benefits of even more exercise or exertion dropped off quickly above that threshold, they added.

Compared to a couch-potato existence, that level of physical exertion cut the risk of diabetes and breast cancer by more than 20 percent, they reported. For colon cancer, heart disease and stroke, the risk fell by more than a quarter. But at the level recommended by the WHO -- 600 MET minutes -- there was hardly any impact at all, according to the study, published in the BMJ. “People who achieve total physical

“This study represents an advance in the handling of disparate data on a lifestyle factor that has considerable importance for the prevention of chronic diseases,” said Philippe Autier, a professor the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon, commenting on the study. “The takeaway message here is that the gains linked to physical effort rise sharply between 600 and 4,000 MET minutes per week,” he told AFP. But what we still don’t know, he added, is whether short bursts of intense exercise are better for health than an equivalent expenditure of energy spread over a longer period.

Less toxic bone marrow transplants on horizon: US scientists

IAMI, | AFP | 8/10/2016 Bone marrow transplants that do not require dangerous and often toxic chemotherapy could soon be possible, US researchers said Wednesday after seeing initial success with experiments on mice. The method developed by a team of scientists at Stanford University mimics the approach used in immunotherapy, in which cancer patients undergo a treatment that trains their immune systems to attack tumor cells. If it works in humans, it could help improve treatments for lupus, juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, organ transplants and even cancer. “There is almost no category of disease or organ transplant that is not impacted by this research,” said Irving Weissman, professor of pathology and of developmental biology at Stanford and co-author of the report in the August 10 edition of the journal Science Translational Medicine. Currently, anyone receiving a bone marrow transplant -- also known as a stem cell transplant -- must undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy to kill the patient’s own population of blood stem cells first. That makes the potentially life-sav-

Medicare Enrollment Deadlines You Shouldn’t Miss If you sign up for Medicare late, you could face higher premiums for the rest of your life.

by Marlowe HOOD

But despite a mountain of research, “we still do not definitively know how much the type and quantity of physical activity reduces the risk of common conditions,” a team of scientists led by Hmwe Kyu of the Institue for Health Metrics at the University of Washington in Seattle said in a statement.

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Currently, anyone receiving a bone marrow transplant -- also known as a stem cell transplant -- must undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy to kill the patient’s own population of blood stem cells first (AFP Photo/). ing operation dangerous and even fatal for up to one in five patients. Organ, nerve and brain damage can also result. So researchers devised a new approach that includes an antibody and biologic agents that helped the mice’s own immune systems deplete their blood-forming stem cells, making way for transplanted cells from a donor. “If it works in humans like it did in mice, we would expect that the risk of

death from blood stem cell transplant would drop from 20 percent to effectively zero,” said the paper’s senior author, Judith Shizuru, a professor of medicine at Stanford. More research is planned for studies involving people.

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Most people become eligible for Medicare during the months around their 65th birthday. If you don’t sign up for Medicare during this initial enrollment period, you could be charged higher premiums for the rest of your life. Here’s a look at when you need to sign up for Medicare and the penalties you could be charged for late enrollment. Medicare parts A and B. Retirees who are receiving Social Security benefits are automatically enrolled in Medicare parts A and B, and coverage begins on first of the month they turn 65. But retirees who haven’t claimed Social Security will need to take action to sign up for Medicare. You can first sign up for Medicare Part A hospital insurance and Medicare Part B medical insurance during the seven-month period that begins three months before the month you turn 65. Your coverage can begin as early as the first day of the month you turn 65, or the first day of the prior month if your birthday falls on the first of the month. Medicare Advantage Plans, a private sector alternative to original Medicare, have the same initial enrollment period. If you don’t enroll in Medicare during the initial enrollment period around your 65th birthday, you can sign up between Jan. 1 and March 31 each year for coverage that will begin on July 1. However, you could be charged a late enrollment penalty when your benefit starts. Monthly Part B premiums increase by 10 percent for each 12-month period you delay signing up for Medicare after becoming eligible for benefits. “The idea behind the penalty is to give people a financial incentive to enroll in insurance from the get-go as opposed to waiting until they have some kind of negative health event,” says Mark Duggan, an economics professor at Stanford University. If you or your spouse is still working after age 65 for an employer that provides group health insurance, you need to sign up for Medicare within eight months of leaving the job or the coverage ending to avoid the penalty. “You could [sign up] at anytime after you turn 65 and are actively working, or when you retire they give you eight months to sign up for Medicare Part B without having to pay a premium penalty,” says David Santana, a health insurance specialist for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Retiree health insurance and COBRA coverage are not forms of health insurance that allow you to avoid Medicare’s late enrollment penalty. Medicare Part D. Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage has the same initial enrollment period of the seven months around your 65th birthday as Medicare parts A and B, but the penalty is different. The late enrollment penalty

Sudhir Mathuria Licensed Professional Health Life 360 6776 Southwest Freeway Suite # 178 Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900 www.MyMedicarePlanning.com

is applied if you go 63 or more days without prescription drug coverage after becoming eligible for Medicare. The penalty is calculated by multiplying 1 percent of the “national base beneficiary premium” ($34.10 in 2016) by the number of months you didn’t have prescription drug coverage after Medicare eligibility and rounding to the nearest 10 cents. This amount is added to the Medicare Part D plan you select each year. And as the national base beneficiary premium increases, your penalty also grows. Medigap plans. Medigap policies are private supplemental insurance plans that can be used to pay for some of Medicare’s cost-sharing requirements and sometimes services that traditional Medicare doesn’t cover. The Medigap initial enrollment period is different than the other parts of Medicare. It’s a sixmonth period that begins when you are 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this initial enrollment period private health insurance companies are required by the government to sell retirees a Medigap policy regardless of health conditions. “That’s when you’re entitled to get a Medigap plan without substantial underwriting,” says Ronald Kahan, a medical doctor and author of “Medicare Demystified: A Physician Helps Save You Time, Money, and Frustration.” After this enrollment period, insurance companies are allowed to use medical underwriting to decide how much to charge for the policy and can even reject patients they don’t want to cover. If you miss the initial enrollment period you are no longer guaranteed the ability to buy a Medigap policy or could be charged significantly more if you have any health conditions. You might not be able to switch into a new Medigap plan later, so choose carefully during the initial enrollment period. Once you have been on a supplemental plan for a while, and let’s say you get sick, the plan that you are on must keep you, but another plan does not have to take you, For Medicare planning contact Sudhir Mathuria @ 713771-2900.

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Cisco to lay off about 14,000 employees: tech news site CRN

NITED STATES, Aug 117, 2016 (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc is laying off about 14,000 employees, representing nearly 20 percent of the network equipment maker’s global workforce, technology news site CRN reported, citing sources close to the company.

Tel: 713-774-5140

Aetna CEO To Justice Department: Block Our Deal And We’ll Drop Out Of Obamacare August 17, 2016 - It’s not often in the midst of an antitrust fight that the public gets a look at the gamesmanship that’s happening behind the scenes. But thanks to the Huffington Post’s Jonathan Cohn and Jeff Young, we got a glimpse at how health insurer Aetna is making its case to acquire rival Humana — and new insight into Aetna’s decision announced Tuesday to pull out of Obamcare exchanges in 11 states.

Cisco, which is due to report fourthquarter results later on Wednesday, is expected to announce the cuts within the next few weeks, the report said. (bit.ly/2bEQfa3) “We think it’s true,” Jefferies analysts wrote in a client note, referring to the report.

A visitor walks past a Cisco advertising panel at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona February 27, 2014. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo. comment.

maintained its “buy” rating.

“As we’ve met with investors in recent weeks, we’ve picked up on concerns that Cisco may be looking to reduce headcount in the not-toodistant future.”

The company’s shares were down 1.4 percent at $30.71 on Wednesday on the Nasdaq.

Up to Tuesday’s close, Cisco’s stock had risen about 15 percent this year, compared with a 10.5 percent increase in the Dow Jones U.S. Technology Hardware & Equipment index.

If confirmed, it would be the second big tech industry layoff of a similar scale announced this year. Intel Corp said in April that it would slash up to 12,000 jobs globally, or 11 percent of its workforce.

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

Jefferies raised its price target on the stock to $35 from $30.72 and

US stocks edge up as market eyes low Fed rates

The reporters obtained a copy of a letter from Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini to the Justice Department on July 5. The letter was written while the government was still deciding whether to oppose the insurance companies’ merger on the grounds that it (and another proposed deal between Anthem and Cigna) would hurt consumers and reduce competition. The Bertolini letter was in answer to a Department of Justice request for information about how a decision on the Humana deal would affect Aetna’s participation in the health insurance exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act.

New York | AFP | Wednesday 8/17/2016 - Wall Street stocks edged higher Wednesday as minutes from the Federal Reserve boosted expectations the US central bank was not likely to hike rates in September.

dex advanced less than 0.1 percent to 5,228.66. Big-box retailer Target slumped 6.5 percent as it slashed its forecast for the remainder of 2016, citing a “difficult” retail environment.

The letter is pretty direct: If the government moved to block the merger, then Aetna would begin to pull out of the health insurance exchanges.

The minutes from the July meeting showed policy makers believed risks to the US economy had lessened but wanted to keep their interest rate policy “options open.”

Lowe’s, a home-improvement retailer, dropped 5.7 percent as analysts said same-store sales growth of 2.0 percent in the second quarter lagged expectations.

The Huffington Post reporters calls the letter “a clear threat.”

“I do not think that they are going to be done after this,” Henderson said.

“Market expectations for a rate hike in September are still low, and this committee tends to be cautious,” said Sara Johnson and Ozlem Yaylaci, economists at IHS Markit.

The company has already offered many early retirement packages to employees, the CRN report said.

Youth-oriented apparel retailer Urban Outfitters surged 15.4 percent after reporting that second-quarter net income jumped 15.1 percent to $76.9 million.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.1 percent to 18,573.94.

Cisco Systems dropped 5.7 percent following a report that it planned deep staff layoffs. The networking giant announced after market closed that it plans to eliminate 5,500 positions.

San Jose-based Cisco is facing sluggish spending by telecom carriers and enterprises on network switches and routers, its main business. In response, the company has been beefing up its wireless security and datacenter businesses. These rumored cuts, if they turn out to be true, would be a bit of a catchup the company is doing as it moves away from hardware, Needham & Co analyst Alex Henderson said.

Cisco, which had more than 70,000 employees as of April 30, declined to

The broad-based S&amp;P 500 added 0.2 percent at 2,182.22, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite In-

t hours are Monday thru Friday 8am till 5pm.

A little more than two weeks later, on July 21, the Justice Department said it would sue to block the AetnaHumana deal and the other proposed megamerger between Anthem and Cigna. On Tuesday, Aetna said it would dramatically scale back its participation on the insurance exchanges in 2017. The company move would take it out of 546 counties in 11 states, leaving it

active in 242 counties in four states: Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska and Virginia. Aetna Joins Other Major Insurers In Pulling Back From Obamacare Aug. 16, 2016 Aetna said the pullback was a business decision stemming from a loss in the second quarter on individual plans and uncertainty about the policy outlook for the exchanges. In the company’s statement, Bertolini said, “As a strong supporter of public exchanges as a means to meet the needs of the uninsured, we regret having to make this decision.” The statement made no mention of the company’s pending offer for Humana nor its recent correspondence with the government about how Aetna would likely respond if the feds moved to block the deal. Aetna didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on how to reconcile Tuesday’s announcement with the July 5 letter made public by Huffington Post on Wednesday. The change in tack for Aetna is also noteworthy because Bertolini was talking up the business potential of the exchanges as recently as April, when he said during a call with analysts and investors that the exchanges were “a good investment,” despite the losses incurred. At the time, Bertolini said that Aetna was “committed to working constructively with the administration and lawmakers to find solutions that can improve this program, stabilize the risk pool, and expand product flexibility, all with the goal of creating a sustainable program that makes health care more affordable and accessible for all consumers.” Now, the company appears to be taking its ball and going home.

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HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

Your Horoscope for the Week of August 19, 2016 READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE

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

ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April Issues related to children will demand your attention. Health & education related questions will come to surface about your kids & you will need to devote your time for it. You will start searching new opportunities related to your work, as you are seeing some positive changes in your professional life. Your drive for personal freedom and insistence on your rights is pressing, and a confrontation in which you have to stand up for yourself is likely.

Students will have to deal with education matters. The picture will not be clear initially but have patience & everything will be alright. You will feel the need to be with people and especially giving something of yourself and your talents to others. You want to be seen and noticed. You receive appreciation and a positive response and possibly an opportunity or personal contact which will be quite beneficial. Past disputes will come to an end, as compromise will be need of this time.

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

Scorpio (N,Y) 23 Oct to 21 Nov

Feelings running very hot now, and you are more likely to act on instinct and impulse rather than reason. High-spirited physical play or any activity that really involves you emotionally, such as a cricket or football game, will be very gratifying to you now. You are very bold and adventurous right now and you cannot tolerate delays, restrictions, or any form of authority that prevents you from behaving exactly as you please. Driving will demand proper attention to avoid any consequences.

You feel ambitious and capable of doing a lot and meeting challenges. However, if your will is blocked, it may upset you. You are less willing to accommodate others and meet people halfway. Your ego-drive and competitiveness are very strong. Loving feelings flow between you and the people you meet. Friendships are also strengthened at this time. Also, your creativity and desire to make something beautiful is stimulated now.

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

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Your desire for ease and affection is brought to the fore and may interfere with work or complicated situations in which you need to be acting assertively and on your own behalf. Your mood and attitude is conciliatory, and your need for love and approval heightened. Social gatherings and personal relationships are favored. Your imagination is vivid during this time period and you enjoy fairy tales, mythology, spiritual, religious, and metaphysical topics.

Your luck may not favor you for few days. Some kind of uncertainty will make you upset. Although everything is going smooth but you will not get answers of the waves of questions flowing in your mind. You will devote more of your time to some of the property related works. Handling the issues related with your children will require lot of patience. Be polite & soft spoken while handling any situation. Have some humor it will relax the atmosphere & will bring positive solutions.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July You will feel confident and assertive now. Also less inclined to be patient with otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Needs and Demands. You may become angry if your will is blocked or if you have to adjust your vigorous pace to othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; slower tempo. This is an excellent time to take the initiative or to begin a project that you have been considering. ACTION is the theme for weeks to come. If you tend to be hot-tempered, this is aggravated now, and you can be quite pugnacious.

You will be highly occupied serving all the people around you. Though it will be too much for you but with your ability & talent, you will be able to manage everything in a perfect timely manner. New experiences of your life will train you to think at a different level. Sudden intuition feelings will guide you towards path of success. You will feel your communication skill has been improved & itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marking to the point on your goals.

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

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August

Difference of opinion with spouse may hurt you emotionally. You may feel isolated & drained out of feelings, but wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to find proper solution. You will realize that â&#x20AC;&#x153;sometimes doing nothing is the best solution to some problemsâ&#x20AC;?. Short travel related to work is visible, which will refresh your mind & cheer you up.

Use your wisdom to help make others feel comfortable with new ideas. Invite others to join you while you step into a new realm of learning. Stress your independence, creativity and style. Your personality will be bubbling. Take on the leadership role & make sure you listen your own words. Relax and make yourself feel at home. Be aware of the limits to which a business relationship can be stretched. Be open to new experiences, and remember to say thank you. By weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s end youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have an extra burst of energy.

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

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Listen to your heart when it really matters. Your timing will be perfect & your anger will be counterproductive to your objectives. Others may need to vent their emotions, but it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help your situation at all. You need to use your intellect and philosophy to find your answers. You may be asking a question that has no answer. To you, you are stating the obvious, but for others you will be opening previously locked doors. Dialogue is the first step to understanding more about others.

Remind others of how inventive you can be when you have to be. Enjoy the learning and bring the light to those who share your ideas. Check security issues and viable solutions will come to you. Everything will seem to be going in the opposite direction from what you had anticipated. Instead of letting it get to you, look on the bright side and be dazzled by what you see. Quick thinking could save everything. Strategy will take over once you can no longer accept the way things are.

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VOICE OF ASIA 19

Houston Community College Request for Qualiﬁcations/ Proposals (RFQ/RFP) Two-Step Process Food Services at Alief-Hayes Project No. RFP 17-01 Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Thursday, September 8, 2016. Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs.edu/procurement.

Houston Community College Invitation for Bid (IFB) LED Lighting Retroﬁt / HCC Administration Building Project No. 17-02 Loanstar No.1 Program Sealed bids will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No.11A06, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00 pm (local time) on Wednesday, September14, 2016. A Pre-Bid Conference (Non-Mandatory) for IFB 17-02 will be held at HCCS Administration Building, 3100 Main, (2nd Floor) Houston, Texas 77002, on Thursday, August 25, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. (local time).

Houston Community College Invitation for Bid (IFB) HVAC System Replacement and Renovation West Loop Campus Project No. IFB 17-07 (LOANSTAR No. 1 PROGRAM)

Houston Community College Invitation for Bid (IFB) Chiller Replacement Project 2016 Stafford Fine Arts Building Project No. IFB 17-08 (LOANSTAR No. 1 PROGRAM)

Sealed bids will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No.11A06, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00 pm (local time) on Wednesday, September 21, 2016. A Pre-Bid Conference (Non-Mandatory) for IFB 17-07 will be held at HCCS Administration Building, 3100 Main, (2nd Floor) Houston, Texas 77002, on Wednesday, August 31, 2016, at 9:00 p.m. (local time). Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs.edu/district/departments/procurement.

Sealed bids will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11A06, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00 pm (local time) on Thursday, September 22, 2016.

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016

Houston Community College Invitation for Bid (IFB) LED Lighting Retroﬁt / Multi-Campuses Project No. 17-03 (LOANSTAR No. 1 PROGRAM) Project No. IFB 17-03

Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP) Geology Laboratory Equipment for Petroleum Engineering Technology

Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP) Submersible Pump System for Petroleum Engineering Technology

Houston Community College Invitation for Bid (IFB) AHU-VFD (HVAC) and Control System Replacement – HCC Administration Building

Project No. RFP 17-04

Project No. RFP 17-05

Project No. 17-06 Loanstar No.1 Program

Sealed bids will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11A06, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Tuesday, September 20, 2016. A Pre-Bid Conference (Non-Mandatory) for IFB 17-03 will be held at HCCS Administration Building, 3100 Main, (2nd Floor) Houston, Texas 77002, on Friday, August 26, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. (local time). Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs.edu/ district/departments/procurement.

Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Thursday, September 1, 2016.

Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs.edu/procurement.

A Pre-Bid Conference (NonMandatory) for IFB 17-08 will be held at HCCS Administration Building, 3100 Main, (2nd Floor) Houston, Texas 77002, on Wednesday, August 31, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. (local time).

Sealed bids will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No.11A06, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00 pm (local time) on Thursday, September 15, 2016. A Pre-Bid Conference (Non-Mandatory) for IFB 17-06 will be held at HCCS Administration Building, 3100 Main, (2nd Floor) Houston, Texas 77002, on Thursday, August 25, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. (local time).

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Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs.edu/district/departments/procurement.

For Classified call 713-774-5140 Visit us online www.Voiceofasiaonline.com JOB POSTING – Social Media Manager KTRK-TV, Houston’s leading news organization, is looking for a Social Media Manager responsible for overseeing social media content, strategy, planning and staffing. We are looking for a promotion and content-minded creative leader who can motivate a team, manage our brands across social media and digital platforms, and can implement data-driven social media and digital content strategies. The preferred candidate will have prior social media and digital publishing management experience and fully understand social media and digital analytics. They should be comfortable with social media apps and technology, various digital publishing tools and analytic tools, understand the inner-workings and demands of a broadcast news environment, be able to coordinate multiple projects and understand the vital role social media plays for all of the station’s departments including news, promotions, public affairs, programming and sales. The preferred candidate is nimble, passionate, innovative and not afraid to take on new challenges. We are looking for a problem-solver and someone who can create and implement systems that empower our digital team to handle the 24 hour, 7-days-a-week demands of our station’s social media and digital platforms. The ideal candidate has past experience in broadcast management and digital management, but brings a fresh approach to balancing the needs and workflows of these two worlds. To be considered interested applicants must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Please Reference Job ID: 390639BR. Equal Opportunity Employer –Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity. No Telephone Calls

JOB POSTING – Executive Producer Digital KTRK-TV, Houston’s leading news organization is looking for a Digital Executive Producer responsible for working with all newsroom staff to produce digital content. Ideal candidate must demonstrate the ability to juggle staff, resources, and technology in a fast-paced, ever-changing world. You must know how to put systems in to place and utilize data to evaluative the effectiveness of those systems. Must have a knack for finding unique digital content and the knowledge and experience to get that content produced for digital platforms. This person needs to be an effective communicator. Some hands on producing and publishing required. Will work side by side with other managers in various departments. Needs to be flexible as schedule will change based on needs. Former broadcast managerial experience a plus. To be considered, interested candidates must apply on-line at disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Please Reference Job ID: 390954BR Equal Opportunity Employer –Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/ Gender Identity. No Telephone Calls

Notice of Proposed Goal for the Participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in Department of Transportation Assisted Contracts The Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) Transportation Department has proposed an overall goal for the participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) in its contracts with financial assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT): 23% for FY 2017-2020 contracts with financial assistance provided by USDOT, including through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The proposed goal and its rationale will be available for review until September 30, 2016 and may be inspected at H-GAC Offices between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday at 3555 Timmons Lane, Suite 120, Houston, TX 77027. This material is also available online at www.h-gac. com/taq/plans_programs/dbe. H-GAC is hosting a workshop for DBEs that provide Engineering, Planning, Advertising and Public Relations services on Thursday, August 25, 2016, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. 3555 Timmons Lane, 2nd Floor in Conference Room B, Houston, TX 77027. A public meeting will be held on Thursday, August 25, 2016, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the same location. H-GAC and TxDOT will accept written comments on the goal through September 30, 2016. Written comments can be directed to the agencies below: Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation Department ATTN: Ms. Lydia Abebe Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Liaison Officer (DBELO) P.O. Box 22777, Houston, TX 77227 dbelo@h-gac.com Texas Department of Transportation Civil Rights Division 125 E. 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701-2409.

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Name: __________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ City: ______________ State:___________ Zip:___________

JOB POSTING – Digital Managing Editor KTRK-TV, Houston’s leading news organization is looking for a Digital Managing Editor responsible for overseeing content and staffing. We are looking for a positive, high-energy leader who knows how to motivate a team, give clear directions and set expectations for excellence. We want a manager who is nimble, not afraid to tackle challenges, and who brings an innovative and passionate approach to producing digital content and training employees. The ideal candidate must know the inner-workings of a newsroom, and be able to demonstrate good instincts and excellent news judgment. Candidates should be comfortable with technology and all aspects of digital and social media. This manager will be in charge of scheduling and resources. Will be coordinating all digital projects between other station departments including broadcast, promotions, programming, sales and technology. Will be in charge of hiring, training, and evaluating digital staff therefore must have excellent management, organizational, and budgeting skills. We’re looking for a problem-solver with the ability to put effective systems in to place. You will be required to juggle multiple projects at once. The ideal candidate has past experience in broadcast management and digital management. Will need to be 100% comfortable in both worlds and must have a clear understanding of needs and workflow throughout the station. If you believe you are qualified and up for the challenge in order to be considered you must apply on-line at disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Please Reference Job ID: 390797BR Equal Opportunity Employer –Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity. No Telephone Calls

Ph: ______________ E-mail:_________________________ Credit Card No: ____________________________________ Name on the Card: _________________________________ CVV #: __________ Exp Date:___________ Amount: $______ Signature: __________________________ One Year $30 Two Years $55 Five Years $100 We will mail 52 issues to your home or ofﬁce! 8303 SW Freeway, Suite 350, Houston, TX 77074

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VOICE OF ASIA 20

FRIDAY, August 19, 2016