Voice of Asia E Paper February 19 2016

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op 10 Tax Tips for the Affordable Care Act for 2016 Tax Season (2015 coverage) Read on Page 16 or Call 832-806-1000

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Colorado House Joint Dr. Khator, Chair, Dallas Fed featured Resolution (HJR) 16-1008 at the IACCGH Distinguished Lecture concerning honoring the life of Mahatma Gandhi

Consul General of India Mr. P Harish presented a book on Gandhi to the Speaker of the House, Ms. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst. Representatives Dr. Joshi and Dr. Ginal to the right.

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OUSTON (February 12, 20160 - A joint resolution to honor the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi who dedicated his life to fighting injustice with nonviolence and peaceful resistance was adopted by the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate on Friday, 12 February 2016 at the Colorado State Capitol, Denver, Colorado.

State Representative Dr. Janak Joshi, House District 16, who is the first Indo American legislator in the Colorado General Assembly, prime sponsored the bill with backing and co-prime sponsorship of State Representative Dr. Joann Ginal, and most members of the Colorado House of Representatives, including the sponsorship of Speaker of the House Ms. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst. The resolution was unanimously passed with bipartisan support. The Colorado Senate also separately passed a similar resolution at the sponsorship of State Senator Mr. Kent Lambert.

Mr. Harish Parvathaneni, Consul General of India in Houston joined several members of the House of Representatives, Indo American members of the cabinet of Governor Mr. John Hickenlooper and prominent leaders of the Indian American community in reading the resolution.

Consul General Harish said he was deeply humbled to see the numerous ways in which the life, writings and political approaches of Mahatma Gandhi fundamentally motivated and changed people around the world, including so many of the elected representatives of the State of Colorado.

Consul General said that this is an important initiative to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi and his message that has far greater relevance today. Consul General thanked members of the Colorado House of Representatives, Senator Kent Lambert, Rep. Janak Joshi, Prof. Ved Nanda and the entire Indian American community for their support and commitment to the Gandhi Resolution Day.

L to R: President Joya Shukla, Dr. Renu Khator, Debra Stewart (Shell) and Alyssa Holmes Henderson (Shell). Photo credit: Bijay Dixit, Unique Photo Images.

by Manu Shah

ary 10th at the Federal Reserve Bank building on Allen Parkway.

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ACCGH Advisor Dr Renu Khator gave an illuminating talk to a packed room on “Chairing the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas” at the IACCGH Distinguished Lecture. The Event was hosted on Febru-

Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia welcomed the gathering and acknowledged the presence and contribution of Founding President and UH Regent Dr. Durga Agrawal.

Describing India as the fastest growing major economy, Head of the Houston Branch, Daron Peschel stated that Continued on Page 5

Nikki Haley to endorse Marco Rubio: Report ASHINGTON (PTI) : Indian-American South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley would endorse Marco Rubio, in what would give a major boost to the Florida Senator’s presidential ambition ahead of the state’s pivotal Republican primary, a media report said today.

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Indian-American South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley would endorse Marco Rubio, in what would give a major boost to Rubio.

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by Michael Grothaus Fast Company, 2.17.16.

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ast week FBI Director James Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the encryption found on smartphones like the iPhone was “overwhelmingly affecting” law enforcement investigations and operations.

Case in point: Comey revealed that because of the encryption built into the OS on the phone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook, the FBI had still not been able to unlock his phone to search for critical clues in the case. On December 2, 2015, Farook and his wife opened fire at an event for the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health in a domestic terror attack that killed 14 and seriously wounded over 20 others. Both Farook and his wife were killed in a shootout with police, leaving only their personal items—including their smartphones—as clues to their motives and possible connections with other terrorist organizations or plots.

Yesterday it was revealed that Farook’s phone was an iPhone 5c running iOS 8 or above when a U.S. Federal judge ordered Apple to help the FBI recover data from the device. Within hours of the ruling, Apple CEO Tim Cook posted an open letter on the company’s website stating that Apple opposes the judge’s order. The order and Apple’s opposal of it sets the stage for a fight over one of the most critical issues of our times: the right to individual privacy provided by encryption versus the needs of security organizations to access an individual’s data under extreme circumstances for the good of national security.

The encryption versus law enforcement access debate didn’t just start after the San Bernardino shooting. It’s been boiling for years, ever since Edward Snowden revealed the scale of mass surveillance perpetrated by the NSA and other government agencies, revealing that security and law enforcement agencies had either negotiated or hacked their way into the servers and devices of some of the largest technology companies in the world. Besides raising alarms from privacy advocates, the tech industry was also not pleased with the government’s actions. After all, if their customers thought they were working in conjunction with government agencies, or if their software was weak enough to be hacked, why would their increasingly privacy-conscious customers continue to use their services?

One of the most vocal critics of the government’s actions was Apple. And with the introduction of iOS 8, the company built in and enabled encryption

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

Tim Cook Opposes Court Order That Apple Must Help FBI Unlock iPhone How a law enforcement request to one of the world’s biggest tech companies highlights one of the most important issues of our time.

Apple CEO Tim Cook [Photo: Stephen Lam/ Getty Images] on all iOS devices (as well as Macs). The encryption was created to be so tight and secure that even Apple could not crack it if the user lost his password.

It was designed this way on purpose, to limit Apple’s ability to hack into a user’s phone even if ordered to by a security agency.

The encryption built into iOS 8 and subsequent versions of the operating system has since been a major point of consternation between the federal government and Apple. Speaking at the WSJ.D Live conference last October, Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed his and Apple’s ethos as the reason why it incorporates encryption even Apple can’t break.

When asked about a what-if scenario involving the ability to foil 9/11 with the help of backdoors built into iOS software, Cook said, “No one should have to decide [between] privacy or security. We should be smart enough to do both. What we’ve said is that one of the key tenets that we feel very strongly about is that you can’t have a backdoor in the software. Because you can’t have a backdoor that’s only for the good guys.

Any backdoor is something the bad guys can exploit.”

“We feel a significant obligation to help our customers protect their information, and the only way we know how to do that is to encrypt,” Cook added.

The level of obligation Apple feels to protect customer privacy was demonstrated yesterday after Apple opposed a U.S.

Federal judge’s order that said the company needed to now provide “reasonable technical assistance” to recover data from the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone 5c. The order said Apple must help the government bypass iOS’s auto-erase function if a certain number of incorrect passcodes are entered in an attempt to unlock the device.

Apple’s opposal of the court order wasn’t made only through legal channels. The company posted a lengthy open letter from CEO Tim Cook stating why Apple opposed the decision. In the letter, Cook called the order an “unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers” and added that the issues are bigger than just Apple or the law enforcement agencies involved.

“This moment calls for public discussion, and we want our customers and people around the country to understand what is at stake,” Cook wrote.

Cook cited the fact that smartphones now contain a massive amount of our personal data.

Not only emails and photos, but financial information, location information, and even our health data.

“Compromising the security of our personal information can ultimately put our personal safety at risk. That is why encryption has become so important to all of us,” wrote Cook.

“For many years, we have used encryption to protect our customers’ personal data because we believe it’s the only way to keep their information safe.

We have even put that data out of our own reach, because we believe the contents of your iPhone are none of our business.”

Cook also noted that Apple has complied with valid subpoenas and search warrants in the San Bernardino and other cases, but says “now the U.S. government has asked us for something we simply do not have, and something we consider too dangerous to create.

They have asked us to build a backdoor to the iPhone.”

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He goes on to drop the bombshell that the FBI is requesting Apple makes a new version of iOS for them, which would allow the agency to install it on

confiscated phones and bypass the security features built into the public iOS. Cook says that building such software, which he stresses does not exist today, would undermine decades of security advances and have serious ramifications for tens of millions of American citizens’ privacy if it fell into the wrong hands.

“The FBI may use different words to describe this tool, but make no mistake: Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor,” Cook says. “And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control.”

In the end, Cook says the judge’s order sets a “dangerous precedent” with “chilling” ramifications.

“Opposing this order is not something we take lightly. We feel we must speak up in the face of what we see as an overreach by the U.S. government,” he says. “We are challenging the FBI’s demands with the deepest respect for American democracy and a love of our country. We believe it would be in the best interest of everyone to step back and consider the implications.”

With Apple’s opposal, the stage is now set for what will undoubtedly be one of the biggest and most important public debates ever over civil liberties, national security, and the role encryption technology is increasingly playing in our lives.

Should the public be willing to give up the privacy and security afforded by encryption in order to advance national security and public safety? And should the government be able to force technology companies to do so? Apple’s stance is clear. What remains to be seen is how the government and security agencies will respond to the company’s opposal to complying.

“While we believe the FBI’s intentions are good, it would be wrong for the government to force us to build a backdoor into our products,” said Cook, ending his letter. “And ultimately, we fear that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect.”

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Exciting Cricket League Finals at India House!

by Ravi Ozarker

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ouston Sunday Cricket League Tournament (HSCLT2015) held their finals at India House grounds on February, 7th 2016. Brave Hearts Cricket Club (BHCC) won the tournament against mighty Grady Cricket Club (GCC) team by 10 runs, Pradeep of BHCC was declared Man of the Match for scoring a half century. It was a nervewracking match for both teams who had fought throughout this tournament to be the toppers amongst six participating teams. India House Executive Director Colonel Vipin Kumar handed over the trophies to the winning team and the Man of the Match awards of the league.

Organizers knew that BHCC would put a big fight against any team and as expected remained undefeated throughout the tournament. BHCC had scored 140 runs in 20 overs after losing only 4 wickets. Captain Ashok of BHCC commented that they enjoyed playing with GCC and thought at one point that they were losing the game when Vipul from GCC was undefeated with his brilliant knock of 50 and was on the path of taking GCC to victory.

The turning point was Rahul Boga’s 18th over which was almost a maiden over, and GCC lost the match by only 10 runs. GCC Captain Gopi Krishna and Vice-Captain Aditya Damera had nothing but extremely good words for BHCC which showed their sportsman spirit. They both jokingly said that they wish to defeat BHCC in the future and will do it one day.

HSCLT was possible thanks to the generosity of India House and the cricketing passion of Sanjay Aggarwal.

Hats off to the dedication of all the participating teams in this tournament being played since November 2015!

Brave Hearts team receiving HSCLT Winning Trophy from India House Executive Director Colonel Vipin Kumar

Participating Teams and their captains ROARING LIONS Capt. Hetal Patel & Snehal Shah ROLLINGWOODS Capt. Rajesh Dhanwade & Vijay Ahire NEXTGEN Capt. Amit Sahasrabudhe, Chalapthy, & Rakesh Naik BRAVE HEARTS Capt. Ashok, Rahul Bhoga, & Hirak Mehta GCC Capt. Gopi Krishna & Aditya Damera ALIANA – Capt. Vijai Venkata & Sriram Maddula

GCC batting against Brave Hearts team

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FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER

The People’s Lawyer

Answers to your Immigration Questions

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

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ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT H-1B VISA

Richard M. Alderman Interim Dean of the Law Center

Sharlene Sharmila Richards

Winning in Justice Court does not guarantee you get your money Q. I am set to go to justice court. I think I have a good case and I am very comfortable representing myself. If I win will he be forced to pay me? Does he have to pay court costs if I win?

A. If you win in justice court, the judge will award a judgment in your favor that includes the court costs. Unfortunately, winning and getting your money are two very different things. Although most people who lose in Justice Court pay the amount of the judgment, a court cannot “force” the defendant to pay. If the defendant does not voluntarily pay, you must take steps to collect your judgment.

The first thing to do is file an “abstract of judgment.” This makes your judgment public record, but you must take additional steps to recover your money. You enforce your judgment by getting a court order to take and sell “non-exempt” property. In Texas, most of what the average person owns is “exempt” and cannot be taken. For example, wages, a homestead, and most personal property are exempt. If the person owns rental property, you can get a lien on that property and force its sale. You also can get a “writ of garnishment” and take money in a bank account, if you know where he banks. The bottom line is that getting paid can be difficult. As I said, however, most people voluntarily pay the amount of the judgment, but if they do not, it may be a while until you see any money. For a discussion of collecting a judgment, look at the debt collection and small claims court material on my website, www. peopleslawyer.net Q. I received an inheritance last year. Do I have to report it as income? Is there a tax on this?

A. It may seem like an inheritance is income and should be reported as such, but that is not the way the money is treated. Taxes are levied on the estate of the deceased, and paid by the estate. There is a federal estate tax, but there also is a $5.43 million exclusion for 2015.

If the total value of the estate in question exceeds this amount, the estate itself would be subject to the estate tax. After the estate is taxed, any money distributed to the beneficiaries is not taxed again. Bottom line, you do not have to report your inheritance and you do not owe any taxes.

Q. I went to pay for something and the clerk said, “cash only.” Is it legal for a store to refuse to accept a check or take a credit card? I know not many people use checks anymore, but I always thought a check was just like cash?

A. When you buy something at a store, you are entering into a contract. The terms of that contract are what you and the store agree to. If the store wants to accept cash only, it may make that a term of your agreement. While most businesses will take a check or credit card, there are business reasons for accepting only cash, especially for a small business. Credit cards cost the store money and checks can bounce. Merchants who accept checks or credit cards do so voluntarily. There is no legal obligation to do so.

Q. I own a dog who sometimes snaps at people. He has never bitten anyone, but I am always very careful when I walk him to keep him on a leash. I don’t have any children, but the neighborhood kids sometimes play around my yard. Am I responsible if a kid climbs over my fence and is bitten? I don’t know what the dog would do if a stranger came into my yard.

A. As a general rule, the owner of a dog is responsible for a dog bite only if the owner was “negligent” in protecting people from the dog. Negligence means not acting as a reasonable person would. You seem to take reasonable steps to protect people when you walk your dog, and you have a fence to prevent the dog from roaming the neighborhood. In my opinion, you would have no responsibility if a child were to climb over your fence and trespass on your property.

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Q: My organization will be filing several H-1B petitions this April. Does choosing to premium process the petitions increase the chances of those H-1B petitions being selected under the quota or cap?

A: To premium process, the H-1B petition must be filed with Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service. The filing fee is an additional $1225 on top of the H-1B petition regular processing fee of $325. Under premium processing, USCIS will either issue a Notice of Approval or Request for Evidence within 15 calendar days. It is a myth that requesting for Premium processing will increase the chances of the petition being selected under the quota or cap. Every petition whether filed by regular processing or premium processing stands an equal chance of being randomly selected so long as those petitions were filed before the filing cut off ‘deadline’ set by USCIS. Q: What are the current filing fees for new H-1B petitions?

A: To file a new H-1B petition, there are several different fees to be paid. The fees are as follows: Base filing fee of $325; Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee of $500 (does not apply for Chile/ Singapore H-1B1 petitions) and American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act 1998 (ACWIA) fee of either $750 for employers with 1 to 25 full time equivalent employees (unless exempt) or $1500 for employers with 26 or more full time equivalent employees (unless exempt). The various exemptions from the ACWIA fee can be found in the H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement, Part B. For example, certain categories of institutions of higher learning and non-profit organizations are exempt from ACWIA fees. A Public Law Fee is also payable by employers with 50 or more employees in the US, if more than 50% of those employees are in H-1B or L-1 nonimmigrant status. This fee of $2000 has now been increased by an additional $4000 (thus totaling $6000) under The Consolidated Appropriations Act,

2016 (Public Law 114-113) which became effective on December 18th, 2015. Also, if premium processing is needed, the fee is an additional $1225 on top of the regular processing fee.

Q: My employer wishes to file the H-1B petition for me this year. I was informed that I will have to pay for the attorney fees, filing fees and premium processing fees myself. Can I ask my employer to pay these fees first and for them to recoup from my salary at a later date?

A: No, you may not do that. All H-1B attorney fees and filing fees associated with the filing and preparation of the H-1B petition on your behalf must be borne by the employer as that is part of the employer’s business expense. In the case of premium processing, if that option is preferred by yourself and not your employer, then you may bear that cost yourself.

If on the other hand, it is your employer who is requesting for that option, then that cost must also be borne by the employer as well.

Q: I am married and I have one child under the age of 21 years. I am here in the US and will be the beneficiary of an H-1B petition. Can my wife and child who currently live abroad get H-4 status if I was approved for the H-1B? A: Yes, your wife and child under 21 years old will be issued H-4 visas. They can apply for this visa at the US Consulate in India.

Q: If my wife gets the H-4 visa, can she work or attend school in the US? A: No, she will not be permitted to work. But she will be allowed to attend school on a full time or part time basis.

However, the Department of Homeland Security had announced effective May 26th, 2015, H-4 spouses of H-1B holders who are either the beneficiary of an approved I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker or who are holding H-1B status under AC21 sections 106(a) and (b) may apply for employment authorization. These are nonimmigrant H-1B holders who intend to seek permanent residence status and 365 days or more have elapsed since their labor certification application or I-140 Immigrant Petition (whichever applicable) was filed. Once the

H-4 spouse’s Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is approved, the he or she may begin working in the US. Q: I am presently in the US on a B2 visa. My stay expires in May 2016.

My prospective employer wishes to petition for the H-1B visa for me. Do I have to return home to my home country while the petition is processing or can I just stay here and then begin work with them in October 1st, 2016?

A: To qualify for the H-1B, you must first satisfy all the requirements for the H-1B visa. In addition to that, you will have to ensure that you either continue to maintain valid nonimmigrant status from the time of expiry of your B2 status until the time you can commence H—1B employment on October 1st, 2016 or return to your home country prior to the expiry of your present authorized stay in May 2016 and obtain the H-1B visa from the appropriate US consulate abroad after the petition has been approved.

In most cases such as yours, the latter option would most likely be the easier one to take.

Disclaimer: Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case.

Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case.

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. If you require immigration advice or assistance, 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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VOICE OF ASIA 5 Continued from page 1

the most successful Gala in the history of the Chamber.

the “Houston Fed deeply valued its relationship with the international community.” He also lauded Dr. Khator for taking the University of Houston to a new level in research, brain power and developing Houston’s workforce and revealed that of the employees at the Bank, “every sixth person was a UH graduate or a student.”

Dr. Khator has been a Board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas since 2011 and assumed the position of Chair in 2015.

Board Member Narayan Bhargava gave a brief presentation of the IACCGH Student Internship Program which will be launched this summer. The program will partner with corporations to allow local business graduates intern in Houston and India to “gain a unique international internship experience of how the (business) system works.”

Describing Dr. Khator as “inspirational” President Joya Shukla emphasized Dr. Khator’s tremendous contribution in not only making the University of Houston excellent in academics, sports and the arts but also impacting the city of Houston in a very positive manner.

Past President Ashok Garg was presented a plaque for “moving mountains and making miracles happen” during his tenure as President in 2015 which culminated in executing

COMMUNITY

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

IACCGH Distinguished Lecture....

In her address, Dr. Khator set out by describing her initial reservations about joining the Bank due to the less than flattering charges against the Bank, namely, the Fed is under the control of Congress, it is not transparent, works for Wall Street and not Main Street and is a government agency supported by tax dollars.

Dr. Khator through her association first as a Board member and then as Chair stated that she gained a “different appreciation for the bank and the work it does.” According to Dr. Khator, the charges were mythical as the Bank was audited by an independent agency, its balance sheet is published every week, it is a semi government entity that is not supported by tax dollars and it works to balance employment and inflation to maintain the financial stability of the system.

She also outlined the history and structure of the Federal Reserve Bank and the crucial role it plays in formulating monetary policies, supervision of

President Joya Shukla welcoming the gathering. Photo credit : Bijay Dixit of Unique Photo Images banks and being the “banker of the banks” which in turn maintains the economic stability of the market and nation.

research by economists at the Federal Bank of Dallas carried a lot of weight and is highly valued throughout the country.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas which covers Texas, and parts of Louisiana and New Mexico is very engaged and carries its “Texas size voice” at the Central and State levels.

Dr. Khator also pointed out that

Debra Stewart from Shell presented a plaque to Dr. Khator and stated that Shell was a proud sponsor of inspiring events such as this. The event concluded with a tour of the facility.

there isn’t a time when she, Martin or Logan do not reflect on Logan’s memorable birth whenever they drive by or visit Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

born 30 weeks or later. The center has grown year after year to meet the needs of the growing Fort Bend community, and is expanding for the third time. The one floor unit, which has 26 post-partum rooms, 12 well-baby beds, 12 birthing rooms, nine level two nursery beds and two C-section rooms, is being expanded to two floors in the hospital’s Sweetwater Pavilion to ensure Fort Bend mothers and babies continue to receive personalized care in a

The Chamber’s next event to be held on February 28th at India House is a free tax seminar by the city’s renowned CPA’s and tax consultants. The seminar will cover IRS regulations with regard to overseas/foreign assets, retirement planning, contract labor issues and nonprofit organization compliance.

To register, please visit www. iaccgh.com

hair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Dr. Renu Khator addressing the gathering

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital commemorates the 18th birthday of the first baby born at its hospital

Martin, Logan and Pam Pate with Ginger Qualls, LBV, and Dr. Gene Huebner

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UGAR LAND (February 12, 2016) — Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s landmark 20th anniversary isn’t until 2018, but the hospital is celebrating a sweet milestone in 2016: The first baby that was born at the hospital is graduating high school, preparing for college and turning 18 this year.

As one of the original services offered at the hospital when it officially opened on March 2, 1998, the Birthing Center delivered its first baby less than a week after opening. On March 8 at 6:15 p.m., Logan Chase Pate was born to Martin and Pam Pate, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces and measuring 21 inches. His mother, Pam, credits nurse Ginger Qualls, LVN, who helped her through her pregnancy, and her longtime obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Gene Huebner, with keeping her focused on delivering a healthy baby. Huebner deliv-

ered Logan two weeks before his due date and had previously delivered one of Pam’s daughters.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital delivers an average of 300 babies every month, which correlates to 3,600 babies per year. Since Logan’s birth, more than 60,000 babies have been born at the hospital, but Pam had a one-of-a-kind experience as the first patient in labor to be admitted. Pam compares her experience at the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Birthing Center to being the inaugural guest at a gleaming new hotel, complete with room service and a jacuzzi in her delivery suite. Such amenities were things she and her husband, Martin, had never seen before at a hospital.

“The time arrives, Logan was ready, and to my surprise I did not have to change rooms as the beds transformed into a deliv-

ery table with just the touch of a button,” said Pam. “This was a brand new hospital, everyone was excited, and we were part of its beginning — we are forever part of its history.”

Eighteen years later, Logan is a senior at Fort Bend ISD’s Travis High School and has a passion for golf. He’s been playing competitively for seven years, winning or placing across the state, and has earned numerous awards for his success in the sport. Logan has been the District Champion for two years for Travis High School and played at the State Tournament in 2015. In addition to these accomplishments, Logan helps young athletes reach their goals by volunteering as an instructor for the First Tee of Greater Houston. Logan is considering attending The University of Arkansas, Little Rock, or McClennan Community College in Waco to play golf and study Criminal Justice. Pam claims

The Birthing Center is a full-service childbirth facility and provides prenatal care, labor, delivery, postpartum and neonatal care, as well as an advanced Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to care for high-risk newborns

comfortable setting with stateof-the-art technology for years to come.

While Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital continues to grow and prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary, it is the milestones reached with patients like the Pate family that hold the most merit. For more information about the Birthing Center, visit houstonmethodist. org/sugarland.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

land enhances resources to address call TiE to Host Mentoring Break- Sugar volume, ensure quality service fast on Friday, Feb. 19 25 Seats Only! Register now!

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UGAR LAND, TX ¬– The Sugar Land Fire-EMS Department responded to 8,118 call for service during 2015, an increase of almost 800 over 2014. Emergency Medical Service (EMS) represented more than 64 percent of SLFD’s call volume, while structure fires were about .4 percent. Firefighters responded to 36 structure fires in 2015.

The results were included in the Sugar Land Fire Department’s 2015 Annual Report.

A focus on strong code enforcement, public education and relatively new infrastructure contributes toward a low number of structure fires in Sugar Land.

Ambulance service was launched last year after years of rapid growth in Sugar Land necessitated a change in EMS delivery. Prior to last year, City leaders -- including Sugar Land’s medical director -- identified a need to: • improve response times for advanced life support calls;

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Aatma Shanti Pooja (Hindu prayer for departed soul) is planned for Dr. A.P. Raghuthaman Dr. Raghuthman passed away in Coimbatore, India on Feb 8, 2016. The last rites and cremation were held on Feb 11, 2016 in Palakkad (hometown of his older brother Mr. Purushothaman), about 2 hours away by road from Coimbatore in the presence of relatives and close friends.

The Pooja is planned for Sunday, Feb 21 at 10 AM at Sri Meenakshi Temple inside the main temple that will be followed by a remembrance and lunch at about 11:30 AM in the adjacent Youth Center. Sri Meenakshi Temple is located at 17130 McLean Rd, Pearland, TX 77584.

If you will be attending, kindly send a note to seshbala@ hotmail.com to help plan for the lunch.

• create a patient care reporting system that can be used by EMS personnel in the field to ensure local hospitals have access to information prior to the arrival of patients; • build on a network of assets that provide flexibility, speed and efficiency in fire and medical response; and •

build an emergency medical

dispatch capacity that will send appropriate personnel and equipment to medical calls.

The department’s average response time in 2015 was 5 minutes, 32 seconds. For EMS calls, the average response time for the first unit was 5 minutes, 19 seconds. Five state-of-theart ambulances, increased paramedic certifications and expanded dispatch operations implemented in 2015 contributed to improved response times.

Just under 30 percent of EMS calls were handled without fire trucks, an operational savings that also increased the availability of trucks for fire-related calls.

Data showed that more than 94 percent of patients transported by SLFD were sent to Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital and Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital.

The planned implementation in August of controlled substances on Sugar Land ambulances was completed on schedule. Prior to launching ambulance transport service, SLFD worked closely with the Drug Enforcement Agency, Texas Department of State Health Services and Texas Department of Public Safety to ensure proper procedures were followed to obtain necessary licenses and approvals to carry certain medications. Per direction from these agencies, this required setting up an operational ambulance transport system to ensure safety pro-

tocols were in place.

Work continues to receive approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to bill patients covered under the federal programs. A current moratorium on the issuance of billing numbers has so far prevented Sugar Land’s ability to bill for Medicare and Medicaid.

U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, RTexas, are assisting SLFD through the federal appropriations process. At the same time, senior CMS officials are working with Sugar Land to provide a pathway for an exemption.

Other accomplishments during 2015 included the following: • lished.

EMS protocol were estab-

• RescueNet Link, an electronic patient care system and hospital interface was completed.

• A full-scale active-shooter exercise with Fire, Police, Fort Bend County EMS and Sugar Land Methodist Hospital was developed and implemented.

• The emergency operations center was activated to coordinate an inter-agency response to flooding from the Brazos River. This included measures to protect citizens and ensure effective communications with the public.

• The department responded to 55 requests for free smoke alarms.

EGGStravaganza set for March 19

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UGAR LAND, TX – Hop on over to Eldridge Park on Saturday, March 19 for a chance to meet the legendary Easter bunny!

The City of Sugar Land will be hosting its 32nd Annual EGGStravaganza from noon to 3 p.m. Don’t miss the chance to participate in this EGGcellent event!

Be sure to arrive in plenty of time for the not-so-traditional egg scrambles where kids scramble to collect as many eggs as possible in a short amount of time. Each scramble is broken down by age group and lasts approximately 2 minutes.

There will be an egg hunt area for children with special needs, and beeping eggs will be available for children with vision impairments.

When not scrambling for eggs, be sure to check out the carnival games, petting zoo and the many photo opp stations. Make sure to visit the newest addition to EGGStravaganza, the Sugar Land Express Trackless Train ride!

This fun ride is perfect for all ages.

Also, don’t forget to visit the Easter bunny for a chance to take a traditional bunny photo! The first 200 families will receive free printed pictures with

the Easter bunny.

Parking and activities are free and open to the public. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

For more information about the event or to become an event sponsor, contact the Sugar Land Parks and Recreation Department at (281) 275-2885 or visit sugarlandtx.gov/parks for a complete listing of events. Don’t forget to LIKE the Sugar Land Parks and Recreation Facebook page at www. facebook.com/SugarLandParks or follow the department on twitter at www. twitter.com/SugarLandParks.

Tiger Ball 2016 featuring Contemporary Korea on Mar. 9th - Sold Out! Tiger Ball 2016 highlights the dynamism and creative of contemporary Korea. Gala patrons will honor Asia Society Texas Center Chair Edward R. Allen III and wife Chinhui Juhn. With limited seating, the festive evening event will once again take place inside the Asia Society Museum District location.

Chairs: Lou Ann and Alexander C. Chae and Susan and Michael K. Jhin For additional information, contact Jordan Witherspoon at 713.496.9909 or JWitherspoon@AsiaSociety.org.

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VOICE OF ASIA 7

Mumbai teacher of sex workers’ daughters shortlisted for $1m prize LONDON: An Indian teacher who runs a not-for-profit school in Mumbai for girls from the city’s red light areas was today named in the top 10 short-list for a global prize for teachers.

Robin Chaurasiya, founder of Kranti, will compete with teachers from the UK, US, Nairobi, Palestine, Japan, Finland, Australia and Pakistan to win the USD 1-million Global Teacher Prize 2016.

“There was a teacher behind every great artist, every great philosopher, every great scientist. However difficult life can be, teachers have always been there, behind the scenes, showing us the way forward,” said renowned scientist Prof Stephen Hawking as he announced the top 10 in London.

“I wasn’t the easiest person to teach. I was slow to learn to read, and my handwriting was untidy. But, at the age of fourteen, my teacher, Dikran Tahta, showed me how to harness my energy, and encouraged me to think creatively about maths.

He made me wonder. He made me curious. He opened up new worlds to me. That is what a great teacher can do,” he said.

In reference to the founder of the prize, Kerala-born entrepreneur Sunny Varkey, he added: “Thanks to Sunny Varkey, and the Varkey Foundation. We need great teachers to grow great minds, or we will never solve the world’s most pressing problems.”

The prize was created last year as a kind of Oscars for the teaching profession by the UK-based Varkey Foundation.

The Indian nominee, Chaurasiya, refers to his students as “Krantikaries” (Revolutionaries), who are aged 12-20 and include victims of trafficking and daughters of sex workers.

They go on to become peer teachers and community leaders.

Varkey said: “I want to congratulate Robin Chaurasiya for being selected as a top ten finalist from such a huge number of talented and dedicated teachers.”

“I hope her story will inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession by the UK-based Varkey Foundation.

The Indian nominee, Chaurasiya, refers to his students as “Krantikaries” (Revolutionaries), who are aged 12-20 and include victims of trafficking and daughters of sex workers.

They go on to become peer teachers and community leaders.

Varkey said: “I want to congratulate Robin Chaurasiya for being selected as a top ten finalist from such a huge number of talented and dedicated teachers.”

“I hope her story will inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession and also shine a powerful spotlight on the incredible work teachers do all over India and throughout the world every day,” Varkey said.

“The thousands of nominations and applications we received from every corner of the planet is testimony to the achievements of teachers and the enormous impact they have on all of our lives,” said Varkey.

The top ten have been narrowed down from 8,000 nominations and applications from 148 countries from around the world.

The prize will be announced at a ceremony in Dubai on March 13.

Nikki Haley to endorse Marco ......

Continued from Page 1 “Haley, the state’s most popular GOP politician in polls, has decided to back the establishment candidate considered to be in best position to challenge Republican front-runners Donald Trump and Ted Cruz,” the local State newspaper said.

In 2012 elections, she had endorsed Mitt Romney, the party’s eventual nominee.

Quoting an advisor of Haley in this regard, a TV channel said the 44-year-old South Carolina Governor’s endorsement gives Rubio a huge a huge boost just days before the crucial Saturday primary.

Haley is considered to be a favourite vice presidential pick.

Earlier Bobby Jindal, the Indian-American former Governor of Louisiana had also endorsed Rubio.

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

Indian-American judge Sri Srinivasan on US Supreme Court?

Judge J Harvie Wilkinson on the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 1995 to 1996.

W

ASHINGTON, PTI | 14 Feb, 2016 - Sri Srinivasan could become the first IndianAmerican to be on the bench of the US Supreme Court after conservative icon Justice Antonin Scalia’s sudden death gave rise to speculation that President Barack Obama may nominate the judge who enjoys impeccable bipartisan support.

He then spent a year as a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General before clerking for O’Connor during the Supreme Court’s 1997-98 term.

Chandigarh-born Srikanth ‘Sri’ Srinivasan, 48, tops the list of prospective justice to the country’s highest judicial body as Obama said he plans to fulfill his “constitutional responsibilities to nominate a successor” to Scalia.

Srinivasan, an Indian-American, was a high school basketball star in Kansas before attending Stanford University, which he graduated from in 1989.

“Any list begins with Sri Srinivasan, a member of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit a traditional launching pad for Supreme Court nominees,” the CNN reported today.

perts pointed that Srinivasan’s nomination as a federal judge was confirmed by the Senate with a record 97-0 votes including the two Republican presidential aspirants - Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio.

“There’s always a short-list of potential justices that court experts and watchers have in their heads; Obama will be cognisant that he is replacing a conservative icon and that might temper his choices, leading him to try to find someone that at least some Republicans in Congress might find acceptable,” it said.

Srinivasan, whom Obama had first nominated to the post in 2012, was a high school basketball star in Kansas before attending Stanford University, which he graduated from in 1989.

At a time of bitter political divide when it would be tough for Obama to get through his nomination, Congressional ex-

Sam Kannappan’s letter to president Obama As reported by the sender Dear President Obama: Please nominate Justice Sri Srinivasan to fill the vacancy in US Supreme Court.

He received 97 to 0 vote in US Senate when you nominated Sri Srinivasan for US Court of appeals. This time also, he will be a consensus nominee.

Thanks, Sam Kannappan, www.samkannappan. com,281 425-8743 Reply received: Thank you for contacting the White House!

Thank you again for your message, The Office of Presidential Correspondence 10.13 a.m. EST, Feb. 14 2016

He was Obama’s principal deputy solicitor general, most notably working on the successful fight against the Defence of Marriage Act, but also has experience on the other side of the aisle - serving as an assistant to the solicitor general during the George W Bush administration and as a clerk to retired Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Past reports have also labelled Srinivasan as Obama’s “Supreme Court nominee in waiting”.

Srinivasan, whose mother is from Chennai and father was from Tirunelveli, is considered to have a bipartisan support in the Congress and is

popular among lawmakers of both the parties.

His parents had migrated to the US in the 1960s.

Reflecting a bitter political divide, top Republican leadership including its presidential aspirants urged the president to leave the nomination to the new president.

However, Obama said he has no such intention.

Trailblazer Srinivasan was sworn in as judge of the second most powerful court of the US in 2013, making him the first Indian-American to be on the bench of the US Courts of Appeal for the District of Columbia Circuit.

O’Connor, who had administered the oath of office, called Srinivasan “fair, faultless and fabulous”.

Srinivasan is a highly-respected appellate advocate who has spent a distinguished career litigating before the US Supreme Court and the US Courts of Appeals, both on behalf of the United States and in private practice.

He began his legal career by serving as a law clerk for

He was an associate at the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers LLP in Washington DC from 1998 until 2002, when he returned to the Solicitor General’s Office as an Assistant to the Solicitor General, representing the US in litigation before the Supreme Court.

For his work, he received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering US National Security in 2003 and the Office of the Secretary of Defence Award for Excellence in 2005.

In 2007, Srinivasan became a partner with O’Melveny & Myers LLP and in 2011, he was named the Chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice Group.

He was named as the Principal Deputy Solicitor General in August, 2011.

Srinivasan has also served as a lecturer at Harvard Law School, where he taught a class on appellate advocacy.

He grew up in Lawrence, Kansas and received his BA with Honours and distinction in 1989 from Stanford University and his Juris Doctor degree with distinction in 1995 from Stanford Law School, where he was elected to Order of the Coif and served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review.

He also holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, which he received along with his Juris Doctor in 1995.

Gayatri Consciousness Center, Houston Invitation for Vasant Panchami Celebrations

Agarwal firm to invest $10 bn on LCD manufacturing ta Group, said.

The firm will try to make India a significant export hub of display units with the setting up of Panel FAB, he added.

Panel FAB is expected to begin production by 2018, with full production over next 10 years subjected to external environment. Upon completion, the project will provide direct and indirect employment to over 30,000 people, the firm said.

Anil Agarwal

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EW DELHI, Feb 13 (PTI) - NRI billionaire Anil Agarwal today announced that it will set up India’s first LCD manufacturing facility, which will see an investment of USD 10 billion (about 68,000 crore) in five phases.

Agarwal-led firm Twinstar Display Technologies will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Maharashtra government to set up the facility. The pact will be inked as part of the Make in India Week, which commences in Mumbai today.

In July last year, Agarwalled firm had announced an investment of Rs 40,000 crore to set up a LCD panel plant in the country, generating about 50,000 jobs.

“Twinstar Display Technologies promoted by Volcan Investments will sign a MoU

with the Government of Maharashtra to set up India’s first LCD Manufacturing Unit, known as Panel FAB. Under the agreement, Twinstar Display Technologies will invest USD 10 billion over five phases in setting up India’s first and one of the world’s largest LCD fab units,” Twinstar Display said in a statement.

Volcan Investments -- the parent company of Twinstar, Vedanta Group and Sterlite Technologies -- will sign an MoU with Government of Maharashtra during the ‘Make in India’ week, it added.

“We have made good of the promise we made to the nation during the Digital India Summit in July 2015. We are happy to participate in two of the Government’s key initiatives the ‘Make in India’ campaign as well as ‘Net Zero Electronics import by 2020’,” Agarwal, who is Chairman of the Vedan-

It will also contribute 7-10 per cent to Maharashtra s Industrial Gross Domestic Product. The project requires about 300 acres of land and two locations have been shortlisted so far, it added.

India’s is one of the fastest growing markets for LCD Panel based products such as TV, smartphones, tablets, desktops and Laptops.

At present, all LCD panels are imported. By 2020, India’s LCD Panel import bill is expected touch USD 10 Billion.

Panel FAB will not only significantly reduce this, but also earn foreign exchange through exports.

“A FAB unit can only be successful if the whole ecosystem around it develops and Twinstar Display Technologies is confident of bringing many ancillary partners to the country and make India a leading Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (EDSM) destination,” the firm said.

Vasant Panchami is “Avataran Divas” of Devi Saraswati, the Divine Mother of art & knowledge

Join in Shri Saraswati Pujan and “Maha Yagya” with the sacred Gayatri Mantra Come with your family and friends to be part of a Joyous Spiritual Celebration.

Sunday, February 21, 2016 4:00pm – 6:30pm

24 kundi Maha Yagya followed by Aarti & Maha Prasad

RSVP @ 281-954-4275 / awgp.houston@gmail.com to sponsor & participate in Yagya

Gayatri Consciousness Center गाय�ी चेतना क�� 20914 Park Row, Katy, TX 77449 Tel: 281.717.4895 Email: awgp.houston@gmail.com http://texas.awgp.org/

Inspired & mentored - All World Gayatri Pariwar, Shantikunj, Haridwar, India

VOICE OF ASIA 8

COMMUNITY

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

Sri Vasavi Agni Pravesam and Thai Sukravara Deepa Puja celebrations at Sri Meenakshi Temple

by M.K. Sriram and Seshagiri Pabbisetty Sri Meenakshi Temple celebrated Sri Vasavi Agni Pravesam on Wednesday the February 10th and Thai Sukravara Deepa puja on Friday, February 12th in a grand manner. Both pujas were celebrated with the participation of several ardent devotees and their families and friends.

Vasavi Agni Pravesham: MTS is perhaps the only temple in North America where a deity of Sri Kanyaka Parameswari, an avatar of Goddess Parvathy has been consecrated for worship. The event is held to spread her message of the three core values, Dharmam, Seelam (Chastity) and Ahimsa (Nonviolence). She was born into a royal family that ruled a kingdom including the city of Penugonda on the banks of the river Godavari and was named Vasavamba, but later became known as Sri Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari or Sri Vasavi in short.

She decided to dedicate her life to Lord Siva by remaining unmarried as “Gowrabalika (Virgin)” and refused King Vishnu Vardhana’s marriage offer even under the threat of war and destruction. To prevent massive bloodshed and uphold the dignity and honor of the woman, she decided to end her Avatar and re-unite with Parvati by offering herself to the God of Fire, Agni.

The puranas say that 102 gotra couples who were her staunchest devotees also plunged into the fire and ultimately gained Moksha along with her. This event was celebrated at MTS beginning with Ganesha homam and ending with

they performed the puja with great devotion. The highlight of the puja was the kumkum archana with the chanting of Sri Lalitha Sahasranama Naamavali, followed by Devi Stuthi and the Meenakshi Pancharathna composed by Adi Shankara. The large gathering of devotees were absolutely enthralled to witness the grand finale event of Deepa Aradhana. The priests thrilled the audience by reciting melodious verses in both Sanskit and Tamil. Overall, it was a very well organized event, performed most authentically and was well attended and well appreciated. The wonderfully organized events were coordinated by Vinay Kumar, Sheila Sriram, Nachal Sethuraman and led by the MTS Chair, Mr. Narayanan and Vice Chair, Dr. Padmini Nathan, Om Parah Sakthaicha Vidhmahey; Adi Sakthaicha Dheemahi; Thanno Kanyakamba Prachodayat Swaha.

Devotees (ladies) preparing to perform the puja at Sri Meenakshi Temple.

sanctifications of Sri Vasavi Devi as Adiparasakthi and Ashtothra Namavali. Worship of Goddess Kanyaka Parameswari instills the qualities of courage, strong adherence to Dharma, spirit of sacrifice and compassion to all. May we all join in the prayers and elevate ourselves spiritually.

Thai Sukravara Deepa Puja: The last Friday of the month “Thai” during Utharayana (when the Sun moves to the Northern hemisphere), is considered very auspicious for Devi Sri Meenakshi. Three beautifully decorated traditional lamps symbolizing Goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathy were lit by

the priests invoking Sri Meenakshi in the three forms. This puja is very unique because it is performed by the individual sponsor family, who are given the opportunity to perform the puja themselves under the guidance of the priests. MTS provided the lamps and all the puja materials.

The individual lighting of the lamps symbolizes the invoking of the Goddess in our hearts and signifies that the Light of bhakti, peace, knowledge and prosperity engulfs us and destroys the darkness of ignorance and weakness. Ladies clad in colorful sarees were seated in neatly laid out rows in the newly renovated and expanded Main Temple, where

MTS priests invoking Sri Meenakshi in the three forms.

VKC Refreshment LP’s Great American Cookies® and Pretzelmaker® locations in Houston raise more than $175,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

H

OUSTON (Feb. 16, 2016) – Since 2013, VKC Refreshment LP (VKC), a Houston area franchise group of Great American Cookies®, and Pretzelmaker® locations, has raised more than $175,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Through customer, employee and corporate participation, VKC has helped LLS stomp out blood cancer while raising funds and awareness for LLS’ Light The Night® (LTN) Walk.

The walk is a powerful fundraising event, which brings together families and communities to honor blood cancer survivors, as well as those that lost their battle. The walks take place locally in Houston and Montgomery County. All customers who donated to VKC’s campaign had their named displayed on balloon pin-ups at Great American Cookies and Pretzelmaker locations throughout Houston. This year alone, through the sale of the paper balloons, as well as hosting Super Cookie for the Cure parties at 8 Great American Cookies locations, VKC raised more than $53,000 in support of the cause.

“VKC believes in the importance of serving and giving back to the Houston community and our partnership with

Hilltop Murugan Hindu Temple opens in Malaysian island

A

new Arulmigu Balathandayuthabani Devasthanam in Batu Kawan (Penang, Malaysia), situated amidst lush greenery on a hill and adjoining a lotus pond, will be reportedly consecrated on February 19.

Besides main sanctuary; it also includes 11-meters tall statue of Lord Murugan, a 25-meters high Lord Murugan’s vel at the entrance, and various other Lord Murugan statues on a 1.6 acres plot costing 1.8 million Malaysian Ringgit, reports suggest.

The pond houses a gopuram and six statues displaying women who raised Lord Murugan are installed at its bank. Temple complex is home to many peacocks.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended efforts of temple leaders and area community for realizing this wonderful Hindu temple complex.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this new temple would help in this direction.

of sharing the fun of cookies and pretzels, but we are also able to make a difference while we are at it!”

Locally, the Houston and Montgomery County LNT walks raised more than $1.6 million in 2015. Thanks to nationwide participation in these walks, LLS has been able to invest more than $1 billion in research to advance breakthrough cancer treatments that are saving lives today.

Global Franchise Group (GFG), the international and national franchisor of Great American Cookies® and Pretzelmaker®, has partnered with LLS nationally as a Special Friend in the fight against cancer for the past

four years and has proudly raised more than $1.4 million.

“We are extremely grateful for our partnership with VKC and its parent company, Global Franchise Group,” said Ashley Valavala, Senior Campaign Manager at LLS. “Great American Cookies and Pretzelmaker are very popular treat spots in Houston and thanks to our balloon pin-up program and VKC, we are able to reach thousands of people. Great American Cookies and Pretzelmaker serves not only smiles, but hope.”

For more information, go to www.

LightTheNight.org/txg and www.

LLS.org.

Funds were raised through customer, employee and corporate donations to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Walks LLS is one of the ways we help our neighbors,” said Rajiv Grover, at VKC Group. “The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society helps save lives and spreads hope to those affected by blood cancers. When you see all of the balloon pin-ups that cover our Great American Cookies and Pretzelmaker locations, it is extremely uplifting. With the help

of our customers, we are able to bake fresh cookies and pretzels while fighting cancer.” Sven Verbeet, Director of Operations for VKC Refreshment LP adds, “Our partnership with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society allows us to give back to the community that has supported us in the Houston market for over 30 years. Not only are we able to accomplish our daily mission

Produced by Freemu and Rachel Varghese, releasing world wide 12 feb 2016

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 9

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

Indian activists slam Vatican US based Inovio and India’s for revoking priest’s ban Biotech sees human trials of Zika vaccine in 2016 N

EW DELHI, India , Children’s activists in India on Wednesday criticised the Vatican for revoking the suspension of a Catholic priest who was convicted by a US court of sexually abusing a minor.

Indian priest Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, 61, was suspended by his local diocese in India five years ago after being accused of sexually abusing two girls during a posting to Minnesota.

He was later convicted of assaulting one of them, a 16-yearold, and served time in jail.

But the Vatican lifted his suspension in January following a recommendation by an Indian bishop.

“The lifting of the suspension amounts to the Church condoning his actions,” Ranjana Kumari, director of the Centre for Social Research, an NGO

working on women’s and girls’ rights, told AFP. The decision was “totally unacceptable”, coming as the Vatican undertook to root out sexual abuse by the Church, she said.

Jeyapaul was accused of sexually abusing two girls while serving as a priest in Crookston Diocese in Minnesota between 2004 and 2005, but one victim dropped the charges against him.

The Diocese of Ooty in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state suspended him in 2010 before he was arrested by Interpol in 2012 and extradited to the US to face trial.

Following a plea deal, Roseau County district court sentenced him to a year in jail but he was released and deported to India in June 2015 on account of time served while awaiting

trial.

Sebastian Selvanathan, a spokesman for Ooty diocese, said that while the Vatican had lifted Jeyapaul’s suspension, the priest would not return to service.

“We have provided him accommodation but he will not have any active role in the Church,” Selvanathan told AFP. The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, a US group, has urged the Church to warn the public about Jeyapaul’s past and expressed concern over his presence in India.

“We worry now about the safety of girls in India near Fr Jeyapaul,” the group said on its website.

Local police said they would collect more information on the disgraced priest but said he was not under watch.

New York, AFP | 2/17/2016 - US biotech company Inovio Pharmaceuticals said Wednesday it has had promising test results on a Zika virus vaccine in mice and plans to launch clinical trials on humans this year.

Inovio’s SynCon vaccine technology “shows promise as a preventive and treatment” for Zika viral infections, said Inovio chief executive Joseph Kim. Tests on mice offered promise in developing antibodies and “killer” T cells for countering the Zika virus.

“We will next test the vaccine in non-human primates and initiate clinical product manufacturing,” Kim said. “We plan to initiate phase I human testing of our Zika vaccine before the end of 2016.”

About 15 pharmaceutical companies are working to develop vaccines for the previously obscure virus that has been linked to microcephaly, a birth defect that results in an abnormally small head and incomplete brain development, and Guillain-Barre syndrome, an immune system disorder.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Zika outbreak an international health emergency on February 1 and said infections were reported in more than two dozen countries in South and Central America and the Caribbean, with Brazil the hardest hit.

Inovio, based in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, said Wednesday it would ask US regulatory authorities to accelerate the process for approving the vaccine with an eye to-

wards marketing the medicine as quickly as possible.

Shares of Inovio rose 6.2 percent to $6.98 in late-morning trade.

A senior WHO official, Marie-Paule Kieny, said on February 12 there were two candidate vaccines that appear most promising: one being developed by the US National Institutes of Health and another by India-based Bharat Biotech.

However, large-scale trials of these vaccines are still at least 18 months away, Kieny said.

The Zika virus, which is mainly carried by mosquitos, has spread rapidly through Latin America and the Caribbean, with multiple governments in the most affected areas urging women to avoid getting pregnant for the time being.

Indian student attacked in court as sedition row boils over Nissan to build cars in Myanmar for first time

Y

ANGON, Myanmar | AFP | Japanese auto giant Nissan will start assembling cars in Myanmar for the first time this year, the company said Wednesday, as it expands its presence in one of Asia’s final economic frontiers.

Foreign companies have piled into the Southeast Asian nation since reforms began in 2011, eager to tap into a 51.5 million-strong pool of potential customers.

Indian student union leader Kanhaiya Kumar (C) is escorted by police into Patiala Court for a hearing in New Delhi on February 17, 2016 (AFP Photo/Chandan Khanna).

by Abhaya SRIVASTAVA

although convictions are rare.

riot shields.

N

Kumar denies he was among those chanting anti-India slogans at last Tuesday’s rally to mark the 2013 hanging of Kashmiri separatist Mohammed Afzal Guru over a deadly 2001 attack on the Indian parliament.

A large group of men outside the court, who appeared to be lawyers and some of whom were carrying Indian flags, chanted slogans including “Down with Kanhaiya Kumar”. Some threw stones at journalists who were there to cover the hearing.

The student leader was sent to judicial custody until March 2.

Kumar had to be confined to the courtroom for nearly three hours because of the crowds outside, the Press Trust of India said.

EW DELHI, India | AFP | 2/17/2016 - An Indian student leader arrested on a controversial sedition charge was attacked on Wednesday when police brought him into court, as anger over a case that has sparked mass protests boiled over.

An AFP correspondent saw men inside the court set upon Kanhaiya Kumar, who was arrested on Friday over a rally at Delhi’s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University where antiIndia slogans were chanted.

India’s Supreme Court, which had directed Delhi police to ensure the safety of all inside the lower court following an earlier outbreak of violence, dispatched a team of lawyers to assess the situation.

“We have informed the Supreme Court about the atmosphere of terror in Patiala House,” said one of the lawyers, A.D.N. Rao. “The accused was beaten up.

The panel members were also heckled.”

The 32-year-old student union leader’s arrest has sparked a major row over freedom of expression in India, where some rights campaigners say the Hindu nationalist government is using the British-era sedition law to clamp down on dissent.

Sedition carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment

Amnesty International called for the immediate release of Kumar and S.A.R Geelani, a former Delhi University lecturer arrested Tuesday on the same charge in connection with another event marking Guru’s death.

“The sedition law was used by the British to curb free expression during India’s independence struggle,” said Tara Rao, programmes director at Amnesty International India.

“It’s unfortunate that the government is using it now to silence and harass those with divergent opinions.”

- Chaotic scenes -Hundreds of police were deployed at the Patiala House court in Delhi ahead of Kumar’s appearance, after students, academics and journalists were attacked when they turned out to see him on Monday.

Television footage showed chaotic scenes as a frightenedlooking Kumar was dragged inside by police, some carrying

Delhi police commissioner B. S. Bassi, who has come under fire over Kumar’s arrest, defended his officers’ handling of the situation.

“There was jostling, there was pushing and pulling. Notwithstanding the excitement of the crowd, our officers protected the accused,” he told reporters.

Bassi also said three lawyers and a state-level lawmaker with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had been summoned over Monday’s violence.

The opposition Congress party had earlier blamed supporters of the BJP for that unrest, which provoked outrage among journalists and academics.

for a Myanmar assembly line that aims to turn out 10,000 units, according to a Nissan statement.

It was not immediately clear if all the vehicles would be destined for the domestic market or whether some were intended for export.

“Nissan is pleased to have the opportunity to be part of new motoring growth in Myanmar,” said company vice-president Toru Hasegawa.

Nissan said production will start in a factory run with a Malaysian partner, Tan Chong Motor Group, before eventually moving to a new facility in Bago, 80 kilometres (50 miles) northeast of the commercial hub Yangon.

Huge import taxes and international sanctions aimed at the previous regime meant vehicles were too expensive for most people, but recent changes have seen a sharp increase in demand for four wheels.

The Japanese company announced its plan to build the largest automobile manufacturing site in Myanmar three years ago.

Evidence of the former pariah state’s exploding car market lies on its once-sleepy streets, which are now choked with cars.

Two hundred employees will receive training in Malaysia

Nissan began selling cars in Myanmar in 2013, two years

Investors are hoping that Myanmar’s economy keeps growing under a new government set to be formed by Aung San Suu Kyi’s pro-democracy party next month.

The carmaker’s Myanmar expansion comes after the company reported weakening demand last week in Thailand and Indonesia -- its two major Southeast Asian manufacturing hubs.

But the company’s profits still surged last year following strong North American sales and signs of a pick up in China.

Japan’s Suzuki already produces in Myanmar while US giant Ford Motor has opened a showroom in Yangon.

Pakistan province passes landmark Hindu marriage bill

K

ARACHI, Pakistan Lawmakers in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province have passed a bill allowing the Hindu community to register their marriages, officials said, marking the first time the Muslim majority nation has enacted a law safeguarding the matrimonial rights of the religious minority.

Since the country’s independence in 1947, Pakistani Hindus have not been able to acquire the legal documentation needed to register their marriages and annulments.

The bill, which was passed on Monday, will also allow the province’s Hindu community to file for divorce.

Nand Kumar, a Hindu mem-

ber of parliament in Sindh’s assembly, praised the passage of the legislation.

“This is a very welcoming act, since 1947 we have had no law governing our marriages and related issues,” Kumar told AFP on Tuesday.

“We did not have any documentary evidence of our marriages or even separation. Now at least we can register the marriages at official forums,” Kumar added.

Dr Ramesh Winkwani, the chairman of Pakistan’s Hindu council, told AFP that a similar bill would be tabled soon in the country’s federal parliament that would allow Hindus nationwide to acquire marriage certificates.

Proof

“(The) system must prevail.

Obviously it is a matter of concern for everybody when a person who is in police custody, if he is manhandled,” junior home minister Kiren Rijiju told NDTV.

after a stream of political and economic reforms saw Western sanctions lifted, opening the impoverished country up to trade and foreign investment following nearly five decades of military rule.

- Police hunt ‘ringleaders’ -The latest violence came as police mounted raids in several Indian cities to hunt for other students accused of involvement in the rally to protest against Guru’s execution three

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years ago.

“We have identified the ringleaders and a search is on to find them. I am confident they will be arrested soon,” said Bassi.

Pakistan’s Hindu community numbers around 8.2 million in the Muslim majority nation of 180 million people, with the vast majority residing in the south.

Following the end of British rule in South Asia in 1947, the sub-continent was partitioned into mainly Hindu India and the Muslim majority state of Pakistan, triggering widespread religious bloodshed in which hundreds of thousands were killed and millions displaced.

Discrimination and violence against religious minorities is commonplace in Pakistan, where Muslims account for more than 90 percent of the population.

Police sources told AFP raids were taking place across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and the Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir, where separatist violence has simmered for decades.

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

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Vol. 29 No. 8

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VOICE OF ASIA 11

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FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

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Vera Wang brings Modigliani, Giacometti to NY runway in black and white cut out suits -- almost apron style -- adorned with straps and buckles on the hip.

tion inspired by her childhood love of horseback riding -- and a scene from a French movie about marital fidelity.

and her childhood love of horseback riding -- a refined take on sportswear classics.

The strap and buckle accessory was dominant, stretching across the back of blazers and sitting on hips. She presented shorts, hemmed with delicate lace, paired with sharp blazers and knee-high boots, floaty barely-there chiffon print dresses and pleated skirts slit to the thigh.

Burch offered a respite of color, optimism and sunny good nature for her fall/winter 2016 collection as rain poured down beyond the floor-toceiling windows at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall.

“I’ve been designing sport now with our sport collection, and I’ve wanted to do that maybe seven years, and we launched six months ago, and it’s really informed the main collection too,” she told AFP.

The show opened with a vibrant jockey pattern used in patchwork effect. There were colorful woolen coats, crisp white shirts livened up with jockey-print satin sleeves, and a diamond-patterned sequin and satin dress.

“I love the combination. I mean the tomboy in me really loves it,” she said.

“I think it’s how I want to dress,” she added, wearing an orange and navy silk dress from the collection with a horse print.

“The precision, the elegance and the control of fencing and the beauty of fencing, see the way those plastrons are cut and how it shapes the arm hole and the body,” Wang explained.

The models were kitted out in high platform shoes with giant soles, which Wang called sock shoes. “You put them on, they’re almost like a sock and it’s half platform, half heel,” she said.

Wang also made ample use of fur -multi-colored racoon coats, gray mink and chartreuse racoon vests -- and for evening nude tulle camisole gowns with long rectangular panels of metallic sequins.

- Hot to trot -Uptown, newly minted billionaire and newly engaged Tory Burch launched day six of Fashion Week with a bright, preppy collec-

Delicate blue and white paisley looked like Chinese porcelain, and lame silk in a tunic and a peplum dress shimmered in the light. Colors were dusty pink, green, orange and plaid check.

The entrepreneur who has forged a global empire -- and who Forbes says is worth $1 billion -- recently got engaged to Pierre-Yves Roussel, CEO of LVMH Fashion Group, and was sporting an enormous rock on her finger.

She said she was inspired by the cafe scene in 1972 film “L’amour l’apresmidi” by French director Eric Rohmer

Fashion Week has seen designers start to shift focus as social media means customers no longer want to wait six months between first seeing catwalk presentations and being able to buy the clothes in a store.

Burch said select pieces from her latest collection -- such as the track pants and track suit -- would be available to buy immediately as a test run in what she called a “work in progress.”

“I think the customer is in charge at the moment, so we’re trying to do things, but not too quickly. We want to do things in the right time for us,” she told AFP. “We want to test it and see.”

‘Coworking’ grows amid search for new office lifestyle

by Rob Lever

The Vera Wang Fall 2016 collection is modeled during Fashion Week in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

by Brigitte DUSSEAU

D

esigner to the stars Vera Wang shored up her artistic clout Tuesday by sending models down the New York runway in towering platforms and elongated cuts inspired by Modigliani and Giacometti.

The designer, best known for designing wedding gowns for the rich and famous, presented a collection steeped in the long, lean, sculptural image of

the European artists, whose 20th century masterpieces are fetching record prices.

“I wanted to find my own new proportion and my own new silhouette,” Wang told AFP backstage as New York stood shrouded in thick gray skies and heavy rain.

The show opened with a Schubert piano impromptu rippling out of loudspeakers as models strode the catwalk

Men face higher risk of cancers linked to oral sex the risk.

“Comparing men and women with the same number of sexual partners, a man is much more likely to become infected with oral HPV than a woman.”

Furthermore, women who have a greater Middle aged white men are at particularly high risk comnumber of vagipared to other races. Photo Conrado /shutterstock.com nal sex partners appear to face ASHINGTON: Men are a lower risk of twice as likely as women oral HPV infection, she said. to get cancer of the mouth and throat linked to the human papilThe reason may be that when womlomavirus, or HPV, one of the most en are first exposed to HPV vaginally, common sexually transmitted infec- they mount an immune response that tions, researchers say. prevents them from getting an oral HPV infection, she said.

For men, the risk of HPV-driven cancers of the head and neck rise along But men do not seem to have equally with the number of oral sex partners, robust immune responses. researchers said Friday at the American Association for the Advancement “Men are not only more likely to be of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in infected with oral HPV infection than the US capital. women, but our research shows that once you become infected, men are Nearly two out of three of these oral less likely to clear this infection than cancers in the United States and most women, further contributing for the western nations are caused by infec- cancer risk.” tion with the HPV 16 strain of the virus, and incidence of cancer is on the HPV infection is quite common, and rise in recent years, said Gypsyamber most people clear the virus within a D’Souza, who teaches epidemiology year or two, she said. at Johns Hopkins University in BaltiIn some cases, however, HPV does more, Maryland. not go away and can lead to cellular changes in the mouth and throat, Middle aged white men are at par- which eventually become cancerous. ticularly high risk compared to other races.

Oral sex may raise the risk of head and neck cancer by 22 percent, acShe said her research shows that cording to a study published January youths are engaging in oral sex at in- in the Journal of the American Medicreasingly young ages, compared to cal Association (JAMA). past generations.

This type of cancer has risen 225 “Our research shows that for men, percent in the last two decades. the number of oral sex partners -- as that number increases, the risk of an The US Centers for Disease Control oral HPV infection increases,” she and Prevention (CDC) urges HPV vactold reporters. cination for all pre-teen boys and girls so they can be protected against the But with women, the number of sex- infection before they become sexually ual partners does not appear to raise active. AFP RELAXNEWS

W

W

ASHINGTON - When Lance Macon started his real estate consulting firm, he did not want a traditional office. But he wasn’t going to work out of his home or a coffee shop either.

Macon instead signed on with the “coworking” space Cove, where he gets an available desk and conference room, along with coffee, Wi-Fi, copier access, soft drinks and a professional work environment.

“I have to be in the field every day, so it doesn’t make sense for me to have a regular office,” Macon said at the workplace in the Columbia Heights neighborhood in Washington, a short walk from his home.

“Here, I have the comfort of the office, but I don’t have the expense and hassle of being trapped in the office.”

In Washington and in communities around the world, growing numbers are turning to this new kind of work environment, sharing office space with people from various fields and using their smartphones and laptops as portable offices.

A survey by the website Deskmag, which tracks the trend, found 7,800 coworking spaces worldwide as of October 2015, up from 3,400 in 2013 and just 75 in 2007.

These workspaces had more than 500,000 members, tenfold growth since 2011.

The survey projected the number of coworking spaces to grow to more than 10,000 in 2016, in dozens of counties, with a strong growth trajectory in Canada, Italy, France, Thailand, Australia and India.

While informal office sharing has always existed, the emergence of coworking spaces with low-cost memberships has become appealing to new startups as well as individual entrepreneurs, consultants and others who want a flexible but professional work environment.

“These spaces fill a need for people seeking a work community who don’t necessarily have a work organization,” said Gretchen Spreitzer, a University of Michigan professor of management who leads the school’s coworking research project.

Spreitzer said the coworking movement is a natural extension of the “sharing economy” which draws on unused resources like vehicles or apartments.

“People are used to the idea of sharing a car, or sharing tools, so it makes sense to be part of a coworking community,” she said.

Spreitzer said coworking helps provide “a sense of belonging” that allows independent workers to thrive, while also making more efficient use of real estate.

She sees ongoing growth in coworking because “we have more people freely choosing independent careers and more people working remotely, helped by collaborative technologies like cloud computing and strong Wi-Fi.” - ‘Evolution of the workspace’ -Coworking spaces offer plans similar to gym memberships without a long-term commitment -- some

A man works on a laptop at the “Casaco” co-working space in Malakoff on September 23, 2015 (AFP Photo/Florian David). as low as $60 a month for part-time use of a desk, while others offer dedicated or locked offices.

“We view this as an evolution of the workspace,” said Adam Segal, a cofounder of Cove, which has nine locations in the US capital and two in Boston, with plans to expand to other American cities.

“This is part of a decoupling of the organization and the individual. It’s a lifestyle change.”

The culture change is reflected in a “coworking manifesto” signed by nearly 2,000 members of these workplaces, stating “We envision a new economic engine composed of collaboration and community, in contrast to the silos and secrecy of the 19th/20th century economy.”

Amid the rapid expansion, some coworking spaces are focusing on scale, like New York-based WeWork, which has 58 locations in the United States, Britain, Netherlands and Israel. A broad network enables participants to use multiple locations when they are in different parts of a city or traveling.

WeWork last year announced it had raised $400 million from investors, boosting its valuation to $10 billion, to fuel expansion in the US and abroad.

- Sheetrock and Facebook -”Having a nice office is not just something for cool tech companies like Google,” said Miguel McKelvey, co-founder and chief creative officer of WeWork.

“People like to connect with other people, there is a loneliness sitting in a sheetrock box on Facebook.”

The origin of the new coworking trend is debatable. Some trace it to a “hacker space” which opened in Berlin in 1995 or the 1999 opening of a collaborative workspace in New York.

The first “official” coworking space opened in 2005 in San Francisco, according to Deskmag, followed by hubs in London and Berlin, and the field has

been on an upward trajectory ever since.

Coworking has been a staple for techfocused startups but has grown to attract independent professionals such as lawyers and consultants, as well as employees who work away from their headquarters.

“Coworking isn’t just for startup teams and millennials any more,” says John Arenas of Serendipity Labs, which has eight locations in the eastern United States.

“Although 20 percent of our members are start-ups, 35 percent are independent and about 45 percent are trusted employees of established companies.”

Jacqueline Sloane, an executive coach and consultant who works out of Creative Coworking outside Chicago, said using the space is better than a coffeehouse.

“It’s a pleasant environment, and you meet other professionals, and they sometimes send business to me or I send business to them, so it works out well,” she said.

Moving to a coworking space has advantages over coffee shops, many of which are becoming less welcoming to those who want to park their computers for the day to use free Wi-Fi. “You get the conversations around the water cooler, but it’s nice to feel you have an office where you can come and go as you please,” said Laura Doody, who works out of Cove for the District Communications Group.

WeWork, McKelvey points out, helps members find health insurance or connect with legal professionals as well as find experts or partners for projects.

“This is a global shift, and we hope the real estate market shifts to be more thoughtful about human beings,” he said.

“It would be great if every building in the world becomes more like WeWork.”

HEALTH, SC & TECH

VOICE OF ASIA 12

Visions of the future unleashed at TED

by Glenn CHAPMAN

The rich roster of speakers ranged from the founders of ride-sharing service Uber and home-sharing startup Airbnb to France’s “Lady Gaga of mathematics” Cedric Villani and Wanda Diaz Merced, a blind astrophysicist who uses sound to study the stars.

V

ANCOUVER, Canada | AFP - Dreams and nightmares that could shape the future took center stage Monday at the TED gathering known for brilliant minds exploring potentially world-changing ideas.

Television producer and free-speech champion Norman Lear also plans an on-stage chat.

Astro Teller of the boundary-pushing X lab run by Google parent company Alphabet, and television producer and writer Shonda Rhimes were among those who took to the intimate stage during the opening session of the fiveday event.

Video of the talks, released free online, have won a global following.

In a first, the opening session of the conference was streamed live to select movie theaters in North America where people could watch for the price of a ticket.

“This year’s TED program includes speakers with truly extraordinary visions of the future,” said Chris Anderson, curator of the Technology, Entertainment, Design Conference.

“We’ll hear ideas -- some hopeful, some frightening -- that will jolt us awake.”

Teller, playfully nicknamed “captain of moonshots,” shared insight on the inner workings of the lab known for projects including self-driving cars and wireless Internet streamed from high-altitude balloons.

Google has long sponsored TED, and its founders have spoken at the conference.

Teller predicted that efforts by X and others would eventually see billions of people in remote or rural areas getting life-changing Internet access within the coming decade.

The X team’s high-speed Internet service known as “Project Loon” began its first tests in Sri Lanka on Monday ahead of a planned joint venture with the government there, the country’s top IT official told AFP. Teller said he expected Project Loon balloons to be tested over Indonesia

The prestigious TED Conference began in Vancouver on February 15, 2016, with speakings including Astro Teller of the boundary-pushing X lab run by Google parent company Alphabet, and television producer and writer Shonda Rhimes (AFP Photo/). this year.

The project, he quipped, might be the craziest to date at the X lab, which was once part of Google but became a separate unit with a restructuring that created parent company Alphabet.

“Our balloons today do everything we need,” Teller said. “So we are going to keep going.”

TED is known for trademark “talks” during which the brilliant, innovative, artistic or accomplished deliver thought-sparking presentations in 18 minutes or less.

“Western European diets are recognised as being too low in these fatty acids, and the European Food Safety Authority recommends we should double our intake,” said co-author Chris Seal, also from Newcastle University.

In 2006, TED began to record talks and post them online.

Twin births almost double in rich countries: study fragile than single ones.

Twins are more likely to be born prematurely, have a lower birth weight and die in childhood.

The use of IVF and other assisted reproduction techniques has soared as first-time mothers have become older, waiting until they are financially secure or have built a career to have a child, the authors pointed out.

They found similar trends in Britain (from 9.9 per 1,000 to 16.1), Germany (9.2 to 17.2), France (9.3 to 17.4), Denmark (9.6 to 21.2) and South Korea (5.0 to 14.6).

The researchers attributed the surge to an increase in “medically-assisted reproduction” (MAR) since the 1970s when scientific advances produced techniques such as ovarian stimulation and in vitro fertilisation.

Both methods are associated with

Twin births have almost doubled in developed countries in four decades higher odds of producing multiple foetuses in a single pregnancy.

“We’re not sure if the rate will continue to increase, but the data is increasingly seen as a public health cri-

sis,” said Gilles Pison of France’s Ined demographic research institute, who co-authored the study.

Not only is it more dangerous for the mother, but twin babies are also more

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“Our study suggests that switching to organic would go some way towards improving intakes of these important nutrients.”

Half a litre (one US pint) of organic, full-fat milk or its equivalent in other dairy products, for example, was found to provide 16 percent of the recommended daily dose of so-called long chain omega-3, while conventional milk provides 11 percent.

There are no additional calories in equivalent organic dairy or meat products.

Most people choose organic products for one or more of three reasons: animal welfare, the environment, and health.

“But much less is known about impacts on nutritional quality,” Leifert said in a statement.

Scientists not involved in the research suggested that the health gains identified were minimal.

They also pointed out that the higher omega-3 levels were not directly related to the fact that the products were organic.

The mean age of first-time motherhood has moved up to 26 in the United States from 22.7 in 1980, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It is the choice of feed, not the organic farming method, which makes the difference,” said Ian Givens of the University of Reading. Organic animals are generally grass-fed.

In 1970, only 1.7 out of 1,000 women between the ages of 35-39 years gave birth to their first child. By 2012, the rate had gone up to 11 out of 1,000.

Modest gains in omega-3 from going organic must also be weighed against the potentially negative impact of saturated and trans fats also found in dairy and meat, others pointed out.

Measures to stem the rise in twin births could include implanting fewer embryos per pregnancy, the researchers suggested.

No need for blanket autism screening, says US task force

W

Previous research has linked omega-3 with reduced rates of cardiovascular disease, improved neurological development, and better immune function.

They found clear differences between organic and non-organic products, especially when it came to omega-3.

Richard Saul Wurman, who started the gatherings that Anderson’s nonprofit Sapling Foundation transformed into the TED of today, has described the gathering as a dinner party that has turned into “a banquet for the whole world.”

In a study published in the US journal Population and Development Review, scientists said the rate of twin births nearly doubled in the United States from 9.5 twins per 1,000 deliveries in 1975, to 16.9 in 2011.

Organic milk and meat contain about 50 percent more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally produced equivalents, according to a pair of large-scale studies published Tuesday.

The conference born in Northern California in 1984 during what was supposed to be a one-off event has grown into a global forum for heady “ideas worth spreading.”

“Speakers will explore some of the greatest ideas we’re capable of dreaming up today, as well as a few nightmares worthy of our attention,” TED organizers promised.

P

Paris, France | AFP | Tuesday 2/16/2016 - 00:09 GMT | 445 words

Recorded versions of the session will be shown in theaters in Europe on February 16 and in Australia on March 2.

As TED talks were posted in more languages, traffic to the website soared.

Talks have spread to television and radio. Captivating TED speakers have become Internet stars.

ARIS,| AFP | 2/8/2016 - Twin births have almost doubled in developed countries in four decades, said researchers Monday who cautioned about the associated health risks.

Organic milk, meat richer in omega-3: study

A team of two dozen researchers led

by Carlo Leifert, a professor at Newcastle University in England, combed through nearly 200 peer-reviewed studies on milk, and 67 on meat.

1,400 people from 58 countries are expected to attend the annual TED event at which more than 70 speakers or artists will deliver compact, powerful talks or performances centered on a “Dream” theme.

- ‘Banquet for whole world’ -Some

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

ASHINGTON - A leading US advisory panel concluded Tuesday there is no need to screen all children aged 18 to 30 months for autism, a disorder that has become more common in recent years.

one in 150 children were diagnosed with the disorder which can involve difficulty in social settings, increased sensitivity to certain stimuli, and either learning disabilities or above-average intelligence.

“Oily fish and eggs are more important sources of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids,” said Tom Sanders, a emeritus professor at King’s College London.

In addition, organic foods also have less iodine, an essential element found in seafood but missing in most other foods. Conventional dairy products have more because it is added to cattle feed.

Iodine is especially important for pregnant women, which means that a “switch to organic milk may exacerbate this deficiency unless consumers include other sources of iodine in their diet,” cautioned Margaret Rayman, a professor of nutritional medicine at the University of Surrey.

Nutrition experts disagree on the extent to which organic foods confer Some autism advocates health advantages, whether through The US Preventive Servic- said they were disappointed the avoidance of pesticides and other es Task Force -- an indepen- that universal screening had chemicals, or differences in the edibles themselves. dent group of experts -- said not been recommended. more research is needed to “These recommendations determine if the benefits of universal screening might may harm children whose symptoms are not immedi- prove their lives down the line. outweigh any harms. ately obvious to parents or “The current evidence is clinicians,” said Alycia Hal- “Although there are studies suggestinsufficient to assess the bal- laday, chief science officer of ing treatment benefit in older children ance of benefits and harms the Autism Science Founda- identified through family, clinician or of screening for autism tion. teacher concerns, the USPSTF found spectrum disorder (ASD) in inadequate evidence on the efficacy “Scientific studies prove of treatment of cases of ASD detectchildren 18 to 30 months of age for whom no concerns that earlier identification and ed through screening or among very of ASD have been raised by intervention leads to better young children.” their parents or a clinician,” outcomes,” she added. said the USPSTF in the JourAccording to an accompanying ediThe American Academy of torial in JAMA by Michael Silverstein nal of the American Medical Pediatrics is among the pro- of the Boston University School of Association (JAMA). fessional organizations that Medicine and Jenny Radesky of the Autism spectrum disorder support universal screen- University of Michigan School of affects as many as one in 68 ing for ASD at 18 and 30 Medicine, the task force “embraced children in the United States, months. this issue in all its complexity. Physiaccording to 2010 data from cians, other health professionals, polBut the USPSTF said “there icy makers, insurers and other stakethe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are no studies that focus holders should do the same.” on the clinical outcomes of (CDC). children identified with ASD The findings “should spur more reSome studies show the through screening,” so it was search and enhance the knowledge rate of autism has risen sig- impossible to tell if screening base around universal ASD screennificantly since 2000, when all children would help im- ing,” they wrote. AFP

VOICE OF ASIA 13

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

VOICE OF ASIA 14

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Young Life

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Samyuktha’s “Dance4 Chennai” flood relief effort raises $18000

by Michael S. Rosenwald, eenagers, a historically wily demographic, are increasingly moving their digital social lives from public sites where their parents hang out to smartphone messaging apps, giving them nearly complete privacy in their online social lives.

T

Apps such as Kik, Line, WhatsApp, Ask. fm and Whisper can often be used anonymously, without parental controls, and in Snapchat’s case even automatically erase inappropriate pictures. The popularity of these apps is showing up in surveys and focus groups. Kik’s use has soared to 40 percent of teens.

To parents, many of whom are so clueless about technology that they rely on their children for tech support, the danger is obvious. To advertisers, the opportunity is enormous. They are butting in on the discussions, figuratively and literally.

by Thara Narasimhan

Line, a messaging app started in Japan in response to a devastating earthquake, is trying to make inroads in the United States selling animated digital stickers of pop culture characters ranging from Snoopy to Darth Vader. “At a loss for words?” says Line’s website. “Spice up your chats with animated and talking stickers!”

On Kik, advertisers are texting with teens — the next part of this sentence is not fiction — using bots. MTV, Under Armour, Funny or Die, Amazon, fashion blogs, movies, the Indianapolis Colts and The Washington Post are using artificial intelligence to push their brands with quirky conversations.

S

amyuktha Hari was on a mission while performing to benefit a noble cause. “Dance4 Chennai” was held on Feb. 6th, 2016 at the McCullough Junior High School auditorium in The Woodlands.

Her mother Rajee Hari had earlier pioneered to collect funds, clothing, household and non-perishable items and shipped two container loads of donation to help victims of Chennai flood disaster.

This reporter to the MTV bot: “Hi!” MTV bot: “Why hello there! I know we just met, but you should check this out . . . ” This is a link to MTV.com.

Krishna Hari and Rajee Hari are among those that have imbibed in their children the values that are important in life. These are learning, caring, sharing and dancing. Most of us teach our kids to give what little they can to help those who do not have anything. This deed of sharing when young gave rise to blossoming of a young girl like Samyuktha who performed to collect money for “Helping Hands - “Udavaum karangal” rightfully named, is more than merely helping. It transforms lives of many old and young.

Blynk Style, a fashion-adviser bot: “Lets get started. Tell me what you want to see.”

Recent floods affected the institution that needs much support and which will reach them directly in a timely manner and make a difference in their rehabilitation work. Samyuktha Hari raised a total of $18000/ for Udavum karangal through generous donation from the community. Guru Rathna Kumar who emceed the evening performance has also shaped Samyuktha’s artistic abilities that enhanced her performance as full-fledged Bharatanatyam dancer.

For Kik executives, the endgame is not just advertisements. It’s what they call conversational commerce. The company is modeling itself after WeChat, a Chinese messaging app with nearly 700 million users who buy things and pay bills through the service. Kik executives imagine a day when users can chat with bots that help them buy clothes or other products without leaving the app.

Petite, pretty, and perfect as a performing artist Samyuktha executed the intricate rhythmic sequences with general ease and grace. The repertoire for Samyu’s dance was chosen ideally by her dance guru Rathna Kumar with five unique pieces, each one included for its aesthetic appeal and spiritual and celestial significance. Samyuktha’s performance was par excellence, as always an added ability of the teacher is reflected in the fine performances of her pupils.

Celebrating the three divine forms of Sri Ganesha, Sri Hanuman and Sri Krishna was the first invocatory piece seeking the blessings in “Trideva Sthuthi”. This was followed by a beautiful piece in Raga Shanmugapriya, “Murugan Kavuthuvam”. The Varnam, the elaborate centerpiece in

This reporter clicks “Men’s fashion.”

A picture pops up of a man in an outfit this reporter would never wear.

“It’s fascinating,” said Catherine Boyle, an analyst with eMarketer. “These messaging apps present very different ways for brands to engage with younger consumers. Banner ads are never going to work.

Branded bots are a really clever way to let brands offer a more natural presence of themselves.”

Samyuktha Hari a Bharatanatyam recital was a composition of Dr. Balamuralikrishna “Amma Anandadayini” in Gambhira Nattai raga. Samyuktha’s rendition of Abhinaya (expression) and Nritya (body movements to portray emotions and footwork) was outstanding bringing out the attributes of Mother Goddess in her many forms. The Shiva Panchakshara Stotram was brilliantly presented in a Ragamalika of five ragas set to Khanda Chapu Thalam.

The grand finale came with a vibrant Thillana in Kannada raga by Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer that was stimulating with soaring steps of a ballerina.

Samyu’s friend Caroline Courtney talked about Samyuktha’s involvement and dedication in presenting a program to support a good cause.

Dr. Padmini Ranganathan, President of Udavum Karangal commended on the admirable dance performance and efforts she took to fulfill her philanthropic commitment. Aditya Hari

welcomed the gathering and Vibhan K.Emmi rendered a short prayer.

Rajee Hari was indeed the proud mother who announced that the target they set multiplied three fold and thanked all the donors who contributed their time, support and donation.

She thanked The Hindu Temple of the Woodlands and Anjali Center for performing arts for their help. She also acknowledged thanks to Venu Josyula, dance teacher at the Anjali Center for expertly handling lighting effects to the program and to Krishna Kumar for the audio.

The Woodlands Indo-American group is closely knit who helped make the event a grand success. Samyuktha Hari thanked all her friends who enthusiastically helped her in the cause as well. She acknowledged a whole lot of volunteers that helped them bring an exceedingly exclusive entertaining evening.

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In messaging apps for teens, talk of danger and dollars Washington Post, February 14.

Dr. Padmini Ranganathan, President of Udavum Karangal and other organizers with performer Samyuktha Hari, a student of Anjali Center for Performing Arts seen presenting the check. Far right is Dr. Rathna Kumar looking on.

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

Like this: “I really need a pair of black shoes.”

“If I could speak like that to a chat bot and it came back with ideas, that’s a lot easier than browsing around,” said Paul Gray, Kik’s director of platform services.

“I think this generation is keen for that.”

New shoes, teen drama, and selfie after selfie — sounds like pure fun. But teens have followed dark paths on messaging apps, bullying kids, sending nude photos, meeting up with strangers who turn out to be pedophiles.

Experts say that handled correctly, these new social malls can be treated by parents the same way as the offline malls. That is, by putting limits on what is allowed to happen there, building enough trust and understanding that teens aren’t afraid to seek help.

Parents should make clear, experts say, that they can and will monitor what happens on their children’s phones, either by looking or using an app that reports activity back to them.

“They have to know that safety is important,” said Leticia Barr, a parent of a middle-schooler and former Maryland elementary school teacher who blogs about technology at TechSavvyMama.com. “It’s just like when we used to hold their hands crossing the street.”

In many ways, the teenage desire to stay ahead of parents digitally is no different than wanting free rein at the mall — to

hang out with friends, drum up drama, trade zingers, and even meet strangers.

“What happens on these apps isn’t public, which is why the kids like them,” said Catherine Steiner-Adair, a Boston-area psychologist and author of “The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age.” “There are no parents around. There are no teachers around.”

That’s positive, in some ways. Like hanging out in the basement while their parents watch television upstairs, teens experiment with their identity, goof off, learn what they value in friends. Kik pushes that idea by not requiring phone numbers or other real identifiers — just user names, however many someone wants.

“Your relationship with your mom is different to your relationship with your BFF,” the company says in a list of reasons why user names are better than phone numbers.

“Your relationship with your friend from Clash of Clans is different to your relationship with that person you met on Tumblr.

So why have one identifier for them all?

You can have multiple usernames, so you can be who you want with whoever you want.”

That kind of autonomy is exhilarating to teens and their not-fully-formed frontal lobes.

“It represents ‘their’ space, visible to the peer group more than to adult surveillance,” Sonia Livingstone, a London School of Economics professor and digital media expert, wrote in a paper on teens and online risks. The problem: “What, for an adult observer, may seem risky is, for a teenager, often precisely the opportunity they seek.”

It’s a tricky spot for parents.

“You have to balance between being a helicopter parent and free-range kids,” said Hilary Barker, a Montgomery County, Md., mother of a 12-year-old girl. “From a parenting perspective, once you open the door it’s like Pandora’s box.”

Kik wasn’t familiar to many parents until the killing of 13-year-old Nicole Lovell, allegedly by a Virginia Tech student who chatted with her on the app.

“Our kids are always one step ahead of us,” said Barr, the Tech Savvy Mama blogger. “The next hot app is out there and we have no idea about it.” It is not known exactly what transpired on Kik between Nicole and David Eisenhauer, the student accused of killing her. She described him to a friend as “funny and really nice.” Deonte Carraway, a volunteer at a Prince George’s County, Md., school who allegedly made pornographic videos of students, also used the app.

For parents, it’s difficult to know when they need to step in.

About half of teens don’t tell anyone about online sexual solicitations or pornography, according to studies by the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire.

Why? Some teens don’t think the situations were serious enough. Others fear being cut off from the services, which is seen as roughly equivalent to being sent to an isolation island.

The angst is not all that surprising given what smartphones have become in society, for adults and teens. They aren’t just transmitting gossip about friends and pictures of fancy meals.

“These exchanges are banal and mundane,” Richard Ling, a mobile communication scholar at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, wrote in a recent paper. “This does not mean, however, that they are not important. It is through these seemingly prosaic exchanges, which are most likely only entertaining to the immediate participants, that we weave the threads of social cohesion.”

Kik has a bot that teens can chat with if they’re bored.

This reporter: “Why do teenagers love Kik?” Kik bot: “Because.”

This reporter: “Can you please answer my question?”

Kik bot: “Unfortunately I’m a bot and not smart enough to help you.”

Michael Rosenwald is a reporter on the Post’s local enterprise team. He writes about the intersection of technology, business and culture.

VOICE OF ASIA 15

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FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

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Anoushka Shankar loses, Asif Fitoor Movie Review Kapadia wins at Grammys

L

OS ANGELES, Feb 16 2016, (PTI) - Sitarist Anoushka Shankar once again lost in the World Music category at the 58th Grammy awards while IndoBritish director Asif Kapadia registered a win in Best Music Film section for his documentary “Amy”.

Anoushka, 34, was nominated in the Best World Music Album category for her solo album ‘Home’, a pure Indian classical album. A tribute to her late father Ravi Shankar, the song featured two ragas.

Anoushka, who was nominated in the category for the fifth time, lost it out to Angelique Kidjo for “Sings”.

The Indian sitarist appeared in great spirits as she took to present at the Grammy stage in a blue Manish Arora dress.

“And I didn’t even say anyone’s names wrong! Such an honour to be part of this. Me and my bestie enjoying our third #grammys together,” she tweeted with pictures from the stage and ceremony.

Kapadia’s Grammy win comes close to the heels of his

Aditya Roy Kapur and Katrina Kaif in Fitoor

Spoilers Ahead Genre: Romance, Drama Cast: Katrina Kaif, Aditya Roy Kapur Director:Abhishek Kapoor

Anoushka Shankar triumph at the Bafta awards recently. The 44-year-old director’s documentary on late

singer Amy Winehouse is also nominated at the Oscars

Pakistani film ‘Bachaana’ to release in India

A visual tour de force, Abhishek Kapoor’s exquisitely crafted Fitoor holds on to the soul of Great Expectations and imbues it with the spirit of Bollywood without letting the essence of one dilute that of the other.

But that is not to say that Fitoor is an unblemished miracle.

It isn’t.

Halfway into the first half, an impressed art impresario lauds the male protagonist’s work, but she hastens to tell him that it needs “presentation, scale and context”.

Fitoor ticks the first two boxes emphatically. It is packaged brilliantly. It also has epic sweep. But in respect of context, it falls well shy of perfection.

The screenplay sets the classic Dickensian tale in captivating Kashmir but is unable to justify the choice of location beyond projecting the hauntingly desirable heroine as a metaphor for a paradise torn between conflicting forces.

Sanam Saeed starrer will hit screens on both sides of the border on the same release date. PHOTO: INSTAGRAM Lahore, Feb 14, 2016 (PTI) - Pakistani romantic thriller “Bachaana”, starring actress Sanam Saeed of “Zindagi Gulzar Hai” fame, is set to arrive in Indian theatres on February 26.

The movie, about a crossborder connection akin to Bollywood blockbuster “Bajrangi Bhaijaan”, will release in Pakistan on the same date.

“The distributors in India have shown interest primarily because the film’s trailer evoked social media discussions comparing ‘Bachaana’ with Bollywood hit ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’,” Director Nasir Khan told PTI. “The Pakistan-India angle has intrigued and created a lot of buzz for the film and I am positive that that cine goers will not be disappointed. Things have been finalised (with distributors) and I am excited to see

‘Bachaana’ release in India,” he added.

Shot across the beautiful Island of Mauritius, Bachaana chronicles the adventures of a sweet and bubbly Indian girl, Aalia (Saeed).

She undergoes a series of unfortunate events and is forced to place her faith in a man she hardly knows. That man, Vicky, played by Mohib Mirza, is a Pakistani taxi driver in Mauritius.

“Bachaana” follows the couple’s adventurous journey culminating in love as what is said ‘love knows no boundaries’.

The director does not see Bachaana’s fate like that of “Bin Roye”, Mahira Khan-starrer Pakistani film, which was banned by the Indian state of Maharashtra last July.

“Bachaana is a positive film there is nothing political about

it,” Khan said.

He said Bachaana’s OST (songs) is also a cross-border collaboration, pairing the crème of Pakistani and Indian music fraternity, Bollywood music director, Prasad Sashte and Pakistan’s celebrated singer Shafqat Amanat Ali. The title track is composed

by Pakistani musician Ali Sher and sung by Bollywood playback singer Benny Dayal. The OST is being picked up in India by a major music label and being released in the country shortly.

Despite that failing, Fitoor succeeds in turning a literary classic into a contemporary cinematic feast for the eyes and the senses.

It alternates between the dark and shadowy and the bright and painterly as it captures the many moods of nature in Kashmir.

The timeless plot of an orphan who makes it big thanks to a mysterious benefactor is, of course, too well known to deliver surprises. It is the treatment that holds the key.

humble background to the imposing mansion, and thence to the pinnacle of the art world, is just as much about his growing obsession with the Begum’s daughter Firdaus (Katrina Kaif).

An air of foreboding hangs over the story right from the outset. In the very first line of Noor’s narration invokes doomsday.

This figure is a reworking, and elaborate extension, of Charles Dickens’ Miss Havisham, a character that has been played on the big screen by the likes of Anne Bancroft and Helena Bonham Carter.

“Qayamat bhi kya cheez hai,” he declares and takes the audience back a decade and a half to reveal the circumstances in which he met Firdaus.

Tabu makes the moody Begum her very own, interpreting the volatile character’s gradual descent into insanity with a superb sense of balance.

Noor loses a dear one in a bomb blast – and this is by far the most disturbing sequence in the film. It is bound to catch the audience by surprise.

Not a step she takes nor a gesture she makes is out of place.

At one point in the film, the hero admits to the girl he loves that he felt an explosion of bombs over his head the first time he set eyes on her.

Violence is all around Noor.

Both the physical space he inhabits – it is often in the grip of severe winter – and the analogies he uses reflect his preoccupation with the harsh realities of his life.

Ruddy chinar leaves become the leitmotif of his art and his unattainable beloved turns into his muse. It is her life-affirming face that begin to dominate his canvases.

Noor is hopelessly smitten

by Firdaus, but the latter has other ideas. It is her own sense of where she belongs and the exhortations of her antsy ammi that stop her from reciprocating the hero’s love.

Fitoor is much more an ode to love, longing and loss than just another boy-meets-girl romance propped up by routine narrative tropes.

The script (Supratik Sen and Abhishek Kapoor) puts just enough spin on the familiar tale, especially in the second half, to keep the audience guessing.

Its stress is squarely on the toll that time and destiny take on lives. It offers views of the past and present, and even stray allusions to the future, in its portrayal of desire and rejection.

“Bachaana” is Saeed’s feature debut film. She is popular with Indian audience for her lead role in Pakistani drama “Zindagi Gulzar Hai”.

Like the book that it is loosely based on, Fitoor is a firstperson narrative by the male protagonist, Noor (Aditya Roy Kapur).

The Valley’s woes only tangentially mirror the turmoil inherent in the meetings and partings of the lovers.

While Mirza, an established actor in Pakistani drama and film scene. He will also be seen in the Pakistani sequel to Mahesh Bhatt’s 1982 Bollywood movie “Arth”.

He is an impoverished, artistically inclined Kashmiri boy whose life takes a dramatic turn when an aristocratic spinster Begum Hazrat Jaan (Tabu), who has scores to settle with the world, employs him in her household.

But Noor’s journey from his

The director extracts a dazzling performance from the star of the show – Tabu as Begum Hazrat Jaan.

Fitoor benefits immensely from its strong literary feel enhanced by solid, assured storytelling.

What is most admirable is the manner in which the film sticks to its chosen tenor – marked by controlled and effective drama – right until the very end.

The lead pair of Aditya Roy Kapur and Katrina Kaif might seem at times to pale a touch in comparison.

But overall, both Aditya and Katrina stay within their limitations and match Tabu’s intensity in the crucial scenes of the film.

Do not expect great momentum from Fitoor. It has its share of slow-moving passages.

Instead of taking anything away from the drama, these sluggish moments, more often than not, are mood-enhancing.

Fitoor gives Firdaus a Pakistani suitor (played by Rahul Bhat, in a special appearance), and “doodh maangoge toh kheer denge/Kashmir maangoge toh cheer denge” creeps into the story without much apparent logic.

In another scene, Noor declares that politics and art can never be separated. But the film shows no further inclination to take the story beyond the particular and into the universal.

But these are but minor hiccups in what is a highly watchable film shot with impressive flair by cinematographer Anay Goswamy.

Both the editing (Deepa Bhatia) and the production design are also of the highest order.

Lyricist Swanand Kirkire and music composer Amit Trivedi combine to deliver wonderful numbers. The director uses the songs imaginatively to heighten emotions, and not as routine set pieces.

There is so much to admire in Fitoor that it is easy not to be put off by its ponderous pace and lack of contextual detailing.

Go for it because there might not be too many better films than Fitoor this year.

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Solving the evolutionary puzzle of menopause

by Marlowe HOOD

or PRLS.

life beyond its “natural” limits.

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The “grandmother hypothesis” suggests women outlive their fertility in order to help raise grandchildren, thereby strengthening the likelihood that their own genes will survive.

To find out who might be right, Nichols and colleagues examined data from 26 different mammal species, including three tribal or historial human populations.

In this scenario, “grandmothers... encouraging their sons to have more children” are driven by a biological imperative, Nichols told AFP.

In each case, they tested for the effects of lifespan, group size, and the tendency of post-menopause females to stay within either a male- or femaledominated group.

aris, | AFP | 2/17/2016 - Menopause in women and females from a few other “higher” species is probably a fluke of nature rather than evolution at work, according to a study published Wednesday.

Biologists have long puzzled over why women lose the capacity to reproduce during roughly the last third of their lives.

Another, less polite, way scientists frame the question is this: why do females from a handful of species -- including killer whales -- continue to live well beyond the age when they can bear offspring?

“Menopause is an evolutionary paradox,” said Hazel Nichols, a biologist at Liverpool John Moores University and lead author of the study.

“An early end to reproduction seems contrary to the laws of natural selection, where passing on genes to the next generation is the main purpose of life.”

Even among orcas, scientists have shown that females remain with their male offspring, and probably teach them hunting techniques and where to apply them.

- Evolutionary tinkering -Another theory says that menopause does not, in fact, confer any advantage in the Darwinian struggle to pass on genes from one generation to the next, but is just an accident resulting in a “mismatch” in the ageing process.

What they found is that neither school of thought could adequately explain the menopause puzzle, but that when combined, a coherent picture began to emerge.

“Post-reproductive lifespan appears to arise by chance,” Nichols said by email.

“But then evolutionary ‘tinkering’ comes into play to extend PRLS in species that benefit from females caring for their sons and grandchildren.”

In most mammals, she pointed out, females reproduce until a ripe old age.

“Different parts of the body are likely to age at different rates, in the same way that some part of a car wear out before others,” Nichols said.

Among orcas the bond is so strong that “many killer whale sons die in the year after their mother’s death,” she said.

Evolutionary biologists have put forward competing explanations for this extended “post-reproductive lifespan,”

In this argument, modern medicine and nutrition has helped outpace the evolutionary process, extending human

The findings were published in Biology Letters, a journal of Britain’s Royal Society.

Zika: profile of an enigmatic virus

P

ARIS, | AFP | 2/3/2016 - The world’s latest health scare is Zika: a tropical, mosquitoborne virus that holds little danger for most people, but could completely derail the lives of some.

Most often, the virus which is sweeping Latin America causes only mild symptoms -- with many people never even realising they have it.

But health officials suspect it may be behind a surge in cases of microcephaly, a condition which causes babies to develop abnormally small brains and skulls -- leading to permanent disability or death.

The outbreak has seen some countries urging couples not to get pregnant, while the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has warned pregnant women to avoid travelling to 22 affected nations.

On Tuesday, US health authorities confirmed the virus had been transmitted by sexual contact -- by someone infected in Venezuela who came home to a partner in Texas.

Here’s what we know about the virus.

- What is Zika? -The virus gets its name comes from a forest in Uganda where it was first discovered in infected rhesus monkeys in 1947. Within years, the virus had spread to humans in Uganda and Tanzania, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Like dengue fever and chikungunya, two similar diseases, Zika is transmitted by mosquito species found in tropical and sub-tropical regions: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, or tiger mosquitoes.

- How do I know if I have it? -In 70 to 80 percent of cases, the disease goes unnoticed. The symptoms resemble those of a mild case of the flu -- headache, muscle and joint pain, and mild fever -- plus a rash.

Symptoms last about two to seven days.

- Why are experts worried? -The virus is suspected of causing two serious complications, though it has not been scientifically linked to either: microcephaly in babies, and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

A surge in microcephaly and other brain deformities in newborns has been reported in areas hit by the current Zika outbreak, particularly in Brazil.

Microcephaly cases in the South American country surged from 163 live births on average per year, to more than 4,000 in the current outbreak. Forty-nine babies have died.

Many foetuses die in the womb.

Guillain-Barre is a disorder in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.

Most patients recover, but the syndrome can sometimes be deadly. Cases believed to be linked to Zika have been reported in Brazil and French Polynesia.

- What to do? -There is no vaccine

Parents tend their two-month-old son, suffering from microcephaly, in Salvador, Brazil on January 27, 2016 (AFP Photo/Christophe Simon). for Zika, and no treatment -- patients can take pain-killers and other medication to relieve the symptoms.

The virus is transmitted mainly through mosquito bites, so killing mosquitoes and avoiding contact with them is key. Health officials recommend covering up, using insect repellant and keeping windows closed or screened.

Authorities have responded to the outbreak by fumigating and getting rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed.

And officials in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador and Jamaica have advised couples not to fall pregnant at this time.

Brazil has announced a crackdown on mosquito breeding grounds ahead of the Olympics, which will bring hundreds of thousands of travellers from around the world to Rio de Janeiro in August.

- Where is Zika now? -The virus was first reported in Africa, Asia and the Pacific before leaping to the Americas last year.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito’s habi-

tat, mainly in tropical zones, stretches as far as the southern United States and into southern Europe.

On Monday, the WHO said Zika constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern”.

It is now present in some 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Brazil has been the hardest hit, with almost 1.5 million infections.

Travellers have brought it back to the US states of Florida, Hawaii, New York, and Texas.

In Hawaii, a woman who had contracted Zika in Brazil gave birth to a baby with microcephaly.

Cape Verde, Indonesia, Thailand and islands in the French Caribbean have also reported Zika infections.

FURTHER INFORMATION: - http://www.cdc.gov/zika/ - http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/zika_virus_infection/Pages/index. aspx http://www.paho.org/hq/index. php?option=com_topics&view= article&id=427&Itemid=41 484

WHO launches $56 million Zika response plan

G

ENEVA | AFP | 2/17/2016 The World Health Organization on Wednesday released its initial response plan to the Zika virus outbreak, launching a funding appeal for the $56 million (50 million euros) operation.

The unprecedented outbreak of the virus, first discovered in Uganda in 1947, has become a global concern, with Zika now strongly suspected of causing two serious neurological disorders, microcephaly and GuillainBarre syndrome.

The UN’s health agency said it needed $25 million to fund its own response plan, while an additional $31 million would support the work of key partners.

“The strategy focuses on mobilising and coordinating partners, experts and

resources to help countries enhance surveillance of the Zika virus and disorders that could be linked to it,” a WHO statement said.

Other priorities are to control the populations of the mosquito species that carries Zika, as well as “communicate risks, guidance and protection measures, provide medical care to those affected and fasttrack research and development of

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Top 10 Tax Tips for the Affordable Care Act for 2016 Tax Season (2015 coverage) 1.

Don’t panic over your 1095.

You can’t self file a 1095 as a general rule. If you have marketplace coverage, it’ll help you to claim tax credits and exemptions. If you didn’t the form doesn’t do much of anything.

Since it’s someone else’s job to file the form, there isn’t much you can do. If you need to follow up with the form try healthcare.gov and then try the IRS. 2.

Line 61 of your 1040 requires you to attest that you had “minimum essential coverage” or an exemption for each month of the calendar year (if you were above the tax filing threshold).

3.

All tax credits, many exemptions, and more are all based on household income compared to the Federal Poverty Level. That is the Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) of the head of household and spouse, and the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of tax dependents as compared to family size.

4.

You only need to “pay the fee” for months you are a TAX dependent didn’t have coverage or an exemption. You can’t get tax credits for someone who isn’t in your “tax family”. Your “coverage family” should only include those in your “tax family”. This means you’ll owe the fee for anyone you claim if they didn’t have coverage or an exemption for at least one month.

5.

Many people will have missed a full month of coverage, or will want to file taxes despite being below the tax filing limit, or had coverage options that were “not affordable”, or will have been out of the country. There are over 20 exemptions to take that replace having coverage for one or more months. All exemptions are taken on form 8965. So unless you had coverage for at least one day every month of the year, you need to file 8965.

6.

Some exemptions need an ECN number. The 8965 instructions explain this. In some cases you will need to apply to the marketplace for an ECN. If your ECN is pending, just write pending on the 8965 form instead of the ECN. 7.

If you got tax credits you must adjust your tax credits on form 8962.

8.

If you estimated too much household income, and claimed too many advanced tax credits, you may owe back money on 8962 (based on income). Luckily, this also works the other way around. If you had a marketplace plan you can also claim the full amount of tax credits you are owed based on your actual income.

So if you didn’t claim the full amount, or even if you did, file 8962 if you got tax credits.

9.

If you didn’t use an HSA last year, consider one this year. As you’ll see when you fill out the related form, it can actually drop your household income and save you tax money.

10.

Double check “free file” options. Whether it’s those for-profit tax company with a free product, the local tax people, or the IRS free file, you may want to double check the work yourself. Getting the ACA related

vaccines,” testing and treatment, the statement added.

The outbreak has predominantly affected the Americas, with Brazil the hardest-hit country by far.

While Zika itself typically involves

Sudhir Mathuria Contact: Sudhir Mathuria Licensed Professional Health Life 360 6650 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900 www.MyMedicarePlanning.com forms even a little wrong can mean less money in your pocket.

There are a few taxes related to Obama Care that require the attention of most tax- paying Americans.

Below we review the most important tax tips for 2016.

In a nutshell, you’ll likely want to: Have your 1095 form filed on your behalf (by your insurer, employer, or the Marketplace) on hand.

• Get Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit (PTC) • Get Form 8965, Health Coverage Exemptions (the instructions include the worksheet for paying the fee, learn more here: the Shared Responsibility Payment, including lineby-line calculations).

• Get Form 1040 You may also need Second Lowest Cost Silver Plan (SLCSP) Tax Tool, Health Savings Accounts info, Federal Poverty Guideline info, and Modified Adjusted Gross Income. There are more forms that could be needed, get the full breakdown of all our tax tips and all the forms here.

NOTE: Nothing on this page should be taken is professional tax advice.

For professional tax advice: • You can also use the IRS Tax Help Line for help: (800) 8291040 • If you make less than $60,000 a year, you can use the IRS’ Free File option.

• If you make less than $53,000 a year, you can use the IRS’ free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

• The IRS’ Tax Counseling for the Elderly program is free for those 60 and over.

• Enroll America will offer no-cost local help using Intuit TurboTax. • You can use any major tax assistance software.

For Medicare, Long Term Care or Retirement planning contact Sudhir Mathuria @ 713-771-2900.

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FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

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Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Tel: 713-774-5140

IACCGH Free Seminar on Sunday February 28 to ease the stress in tax filing Why is it crucial for Indo Americans to disclose their foreign assets?

Is the 401(k) plan better than Roth IRA for a tension free retirement?

What are the major changes in the tax laws in 2016?

These questions and many more will be answered by six of the city’s renowned CPA’s and Tax consultants at India House on February 28, 2016 from 2 pm to 5 pm. They will also be available after the seminar to answer concerns and questions from the attendees.

Organized by the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH), this free seminar is being held for the fifth year in a row to enable Houstonians who have overseas assets to learn and comply with IRS regulations.

According to Event coordinator and well known CPA Swapan Dhairyawan, concerns about overseas assets have gotten more pressing in the last few years. This seminar aims to educate the Indo American community and other Houstonians about laws that affect them directly as well as protect their wealth during their working and retirement years. The Amnesty scheme on Overseas Assets still continues under a

N

Panel of local CPA’s that spoke at the free seminar on tax filing at the India House on Feb. 28. Photo by Bijay Dixit. different framework and the same will be explained.

The focus of last year’s seminar was the FBAR and its implications. US Laws impose an obligation on the US citizen or Green Card holder to file an FBAR FinCEN Form 114 (if you have controlling/ signatory interest for over aggregate $10,000 in an overseas bank) through the BSA efiling system and Form 8938 which is a Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets with the Person-

al tax returns. Foreign mutual funds and equity funds need to be reported on the above forms along with your tax returns.

Noncompliance may result in criminal penalties.

share information about their client’s accounts with the IRS. This also effectively answers the question “How will the IRS know I have a bank account or mutual funds in India.”

According to tax advisors, as of last year more than 60,000 people have availed the Amnesty OVDP scheme which generated over $6.5 billion to the Treasury. The implementation of FATCA treaty signed between the US and Indian government requires financial institutions to

Some of the other topics that will be delved into are contract labor issues, retirement planning and non-profit organization compliance. The growth of nonprofit organizations and the issues related to responsibility and duties will be discussed as well. The seminar attracts

a sizeable gathering and it’s a good idea to pre-register to ensure a seat. Registration can be done by logging on to www. iaccgh.com IACCGH, a not for profit established in 1999, has been actively working to foster Indo US bilateral trade, promote the economic interests of the Greater Houston region and educate the community on relevant matters. Members include corporations, professionals and small business owners.

Neel Kashkari calls Google makes fresh push into for breaking up big grocery delivery banks

S

AN FRANCISCO Google said Wednesday it was adding fresh foods to its grocery delivery service, ramping up its challenge to Amazon and a long list of delivery startups.

The US online giant said its Google Express service -which launched in 2013 by offering non-perishable goods -would include a range of fresh items in test markets in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas.

Neel Kashkari (Courtesy: Minneapolis Fed)

W

ASHINGTON, | AFP | Tuesday 2/16/2016 - A Federal Reserve regional president called Tuesday for the dismantlement of big banks whose failure could pose serious risk to the global financial system.

Neel Kashkari, who took office as president of the Minneapolis Fed on January 1 and was a top Treasury official during the 2008 financial crisis, said in a speech that “bolder, transformational options” must be considered to reform the banking sector.

“We must acknowledge that the largest banks are still too big to fail,” Kashkari said at the Brooking Institution in Washington, according to his prepared remarks.

And if they fail amid a stressed economic environment, the government “will be forced to bail out failing institutions -- as we were.”

Kashkari was one of the architects of the government’s massive bailout of banks and automakers in the 2008 financial meltdown.

The largest banks “continue to pose a significant, ongoing risk to our economy,” Kashkari said, and the Dodd-Frank Act reforming banking regulation

China’s yuan eases after strong surge vs dollar

was a step in the right direction but it “did not go far enough.”

Kashkari likened the largest banks to the potential destructiveness of a nuclear reactor.

“The cost to society of letting a reactor melt down is astronomical,” he said.

One option could be “breaking up large banks into smaller, less connected, less important entities,” he said.

“Everyone wants milk delivered with their cookies -- that’s why we’re excited to start adding fresh groceries to Google Express,” said product manager Prabhu Balasubramanian.

He said consumers liked the service but that “we’ve also heard your feedback that you’d love for Express to help you check off your entire grocery list, including fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy, and fro-

Photo by Kevork Djansezian — Getty Images zen foods.”

“Whether you need to restock your pantry, get some ingredients for tonight’s dinner, or just need some help carrying the heavier stuff -- all you have to do is place your order, and we’ll take care of the rest,” he said in a blog post.

Google Express, which is offered in a handful of US cities, takes a delivery charge of $3

NEW YORK, | AFP | 2/17/2016 - Shares of oil and metals producers surged Wednesday behind higher commodities prices as US stocks notched gains for the third straight session.

“When the Dodd-Frank Act was passed, the economic outlook was perhaps too uncertain to take truly bold action. But the economy is stronger now, and the time has come to move past parochial interests and solve this problem,” he said.

At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 16,450.96, up 254.55 points (1.57 percent).

Sentiment was boosted by a 2.1 percent rise in US oil prices after Iran met with other major producers to discuss limiting output in response to crashing prices.

The broad-based S&P

Petroleum producers Chev-

Read latest on Business Visit www. voiceofasiaonline.com

Google has ramped up the service as Amazon has expanded its grocery delivery program to include fresh items.

Both online giants are competing against a wave of startups in the US and around the world that offer fast grocery delivery, with the help of mobile applications.

Shares of oil, metal producers lift US stocks

Another would be to turn them into “public utilities by forcing them to hold so much capital that they virtually can’t fail,” and placed under tough regulation akin to that of a nuclear power plant.

Kashkari said that almost by definition, financial regulators will not see the next crisis coming. He recalled that when he first joined the Treasury in 2006 it was evaluating what might trigger the next crisis. “We didn’t consider a nationwide housing downturn. It seems so obvious now, but we didn’t see it, and we were looking.”

for members and $5 for nonmembers.

500 rose 30.99 (1.63 percent) to 1,926.57 while the techrich Nasdaq Composite Index gained 98.11 (2.21 percent) at 4,534.06.

ron and ConocoPhillips jumped a respective 4.1 percent and 3.5 percent. Copper producer Freeport McMoRan surged 12.4 percent, while aluminum producer Alcoa gained 4.9 percent.

“It’s a great rally today,” said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank.

“Looks like investors are certainly celebrating higher oil prices.”

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EW YORK, AFP | 2/16/2016 - China’s yuan eased slightly against the dollar on Tuesday, a day after its biggest surge in more than a decade on the Chinese central bank’s move to underpin the currency.

Against the greenback, the yuan, also known as the renminbi, was trading at 6.5169 per dollar around 2200 GMT, up from 6.4962 on Monday.

On Monday, the unit surged more than one percent against the dollar after the head of the People’s Bank of China, Zhou Xiaochuan, said there was no reason the currency should fall further after a six month slide.

The Chinese economy grew 6.9 percent in 2015 -the slowest rate since 1990 -- and capital has been flowing out of the country due to worries over flagging growth and a sharper fall in the currency.

In an interview with Caixin magazine published over the weekend, PBoC head Zhou blamed foreign speculators for volatility in the yuan and said there was “no foundation for continued depreciation.”

Analysts expect further PBoC monetary loosening after six interest rate cuts in the 12 months to November and several cuts in the amount of funds banks keep in reserve.

“Looking ahead, we expect credit growth to remain strong given that the PBoC has kept monetary conditions loose,” Julian EvansPritchard, China economist at Capital Economics, said in a research note.

Forex traders awaited publication Wednesday of the Federal Reserve’s minutes of the Federal Market Open Committee policy meeting in January.

In December the US central bank projected four quarterpoint interest rate increases this year, after December’s first hike in more than nine years.

But since then Fed officials have clearly taken note of weaker growth conditions and markets are now pricing in no increase until 2017, and perhaps a cut at the March meeting.

“We expect the FOMC minutes to remind investors that a rate hike next month is extremely unlikely, which could be just the excuse that FX traders need to sell the dollar again,” said Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management.

2200 GMT Monday

Tuesday

EUR/USD 1.1155

1.1143

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EUR/CHF 1.1011

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GBP/USD 1.4435

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713-496-3174 shah.paul@principal.com www.principal.com/houston ©2015 Principal Financial Services, Inc. “The Principal,” “Principal Financial Group,” the Edge design, “We’ll Give You an Edge” and the illustrated character are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services,Inc. Insurance products from the Principal Financial Group® are issued by Principal National Life Insurance Company (except in New York) Principal Life Insurance Company and the companies available through the Preferred Product Network, Inc. Securities and advisory products offered through Princor Financial Services Corporation, 800/24-1737, member SIPC. Principal National and Principal Life, the Preferred Product Network, and Princor® are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392. AD2953 | t508210mv

HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

FRIDAY, February 19, 2016

Your Horoscope for the Week of February 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 You’ll have many options from which to pick from. A show of strength will improve your standing in the community. People with attitude problems shouldn’t even come into the equation, stay clear of them. Your dilemma is that everybody wants a piece of you. There’s usually a reason for everything that you do, but your creativity may be driven more out of necessity than talent. If you want to try to turn this situation around, you’d better start now.

Focus your energy, exhibit your generous nature & understand other’s feelings. Your rewards will far outweigh the effort. You’ll be able to achieve success, if you trust your gut feelings & remain loyal to your friends & family. Be sure to spend some quality time with those who really matter to you. Your alliances need strengthening, spread your positive influence. If you join forces with others, you’ll be able to produce great results.

Scorpio (N,Y) 23 Oct to 21 Nov

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May Use your time wisely and spend it with children who need your guidance. It’ll really help you to feel the magic again. Your impeccable charm will help you to handle your responsibilities with strong authority and creative style. Important details may be overlooked by those who do not care. You need to oversee everything of any importance.

Pace yourself so that you don’t get too tired or run down.

Your independent spirit should help you find the perfect place for you to enjoy what you do. A little risk-taking could be good for you. Open the doors & be yourself. Take pride in how you handle your time with organization & confidence. Secrets will be revealed & your views and ideas should be brought out into the open. You have the ability to listen, as well as help others to see things clearer. We all need feedback sometimes.

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

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Simple pleasures will be needed in order to help you to relax. Strong words will only bring strong re-actions. Realize that tempers may be short in those near to you.

You need a break from away from extreme solutions to dealing with simple problems.

Stay confident in who you are and you’ll be ensured a smoother ride. Being in between jobs or relationships can make you feel very isolated. A compromise on your part will restart stalled talks.

You may have to speak your mind in a way that challenges or unnerves someone else.

However, your mind is very active and sharp, and your reasoning power is good, so this is a good time to do mental work. It is easy for you to talk about your feelings now and also to listen sensitively to not only what others are saying but also what they are feeling. This is an excellent time to discuss your feelings and clear the air of any grievances you may be holding on to from the past.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July You may need to go out on a limb, but you’ll have strong support from those in authority. You may need to fulfill a family obligation that you almost forgot about. You’ll realize that your personal relationships need more attention than you’re giving them.

Someone who you’ve recently pushed away will try to return into your life. Everybody will want to be your friend, but your words may hurt your cause. You’ll have to work on being more understanding without losing your winning edge.

It seems that whatever you try to do goes nowhere or gets lost in a haze of misunderstanding. This is not a good time to try to toot your own horn or attempt to get personal recognition for your efforts. Taking time off, working quietly, or doing something primarily for the benefit of others without concern for personal gain is favored at this time.

At this time, you’re likely to feel that you cannot make your desires or influence felt, and that things go awry when you try to assert yourself, make an impact, or get things done in a forthright way.

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

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August Your timing will be perfect, your style impeccable, but your anger will be counterproductive to your objectives. Others may need to vent their emotions, but it won’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.

You are hypersensitive and need much affection, tenderness, and love, but are not actively asking for it. Others’ callousness, clumsiness, or heartlessness affect you more than usual, and you are rather unrealistic in your hopes and expectations of them. You may also be overly adaptable and accommodating in your relationships at this time, enabling others to continue in their bad habits or to take advantage of your unconditional support.

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

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Don’t be optspoken, as a smart answer could get you into big trouble. Use your head for thinking instead of feeling sorry for yourself. Love speaks to you and through you, you just have to listen. Mixed emotions are the starting point for a moving experience.

Try to be more productive, stay focused and ignore the words of those who are jealous of you. Even though there are many things that you can’t control, you need to show your courage and begin to have more fun.

QR

Time to attend to details, take care of practical business, and to make your life more stable and secure. It would be beneficial to consult advisors on investments and longrange plans and to put your affairs in order. Eliminating waste and inefficiency is important to you now. There is much activity; you move rapidly from one thing to another and a hectic, somewhat stressful pace is likely. Many errands, phone calls, letters which require a response, and other “busywork” is on the agenda.

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Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP) Website Redesign Services Project No. 16-28

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INTERESTING NEWS! Massive $14 million diamond found in Angola: company block 8 at Lulo, which has already produced more than 60 large special diamonds since mining commenced in this area in August 2015,” the company said.

Miles Kennedy, chairman of Perth-based Lucapa, told Australian media that the white diamond was worth more than 20 million Australian dollars (US$ 14.3 million).

Lulo, in northeast Angola, is part of Catoca, the world’s fourth biggest diamond mine.

The Sydney Morning Herald noted that this diamond’s debut comes months after another company found a 1,111-carat stone in Botswana, second only to a 3,106-carat diamond found in South Africa in 1905.

LUANDA, Angola | AFP | 2/16/2016 - A 404-carat diamond measuring more than seven centimetres in length and valued at more than $14.3 million has been unearthed in Angola, an Australian mining company has announced.

The Lucapa diamond company said in a statement on Monday that the diamond was the largest ever found in Angola and was believed to be the 27th largest in the world.

“The 404.2 carat diamond was recovered from mining

Endiama, Angola’s national diamond company, said it was “a significant day for our country, our diamond industry and for the Lulo diamond project.”

A 1,111 carat diamond was discovered at a mine in Botswana last year in the biggest find for more than a century.

That gem is only second in size to the Cullinan diamond which was unearthed in South Africa in 1905.

January 2016 hottest since records began: US agency Washington, | AFP | 2/17/2016 - Last month was the hottest January in modern times, US data showed on Wednesday, the latest in a string of heat records fuelling concerns over the pace of climate change.

The

average

temperature

across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.87 degrees Fahrenheit (1.04 Celsius) above the 20th century average for January, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

This was the highest January

average since records began in 1880, NOAA said in a statement, surpassing the previous record of 2007 by 0.29 degrees Fahrenheit.

January marked the ninth consecutive month to break a monthly global

X Prize aims to show AI is friend not foe

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X Prize founder Peter Diamandis speaks during a presentation at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show on January 10, 2012 in Las Vegas ©Kevork Djansezian (Getty/AFP/File)

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Vancouver, | AFP | 2/17/2016 -An X Prize unveiled on Wednesday promised millions of dollars to a team that could best show that artificial intelligence is humanity’s friend, not its enemy.

X Prize founder Peter Diamandis and the newly-appointed head of Watson at US technology veteran IBM David Kenny challenged software savants to demonstrate “how humans can collaborate with powerful cognitive and AI technologies capable of solving some of the world’s grand challenges.”

Diamandis and Kenny announced a $5 million X Prize on the stage of a prestigious annual TED Conference here, telling the audience it would be here that the ultimate winner would be picked by the audience in the year 2020.

“Personally, I am sick and tired of the dystopian conversation around artificial intelligence,” Diamandis said, referring to high-profile public debate whether self-aware and

smart machines would annihilate humanity or help it thrive.

Diamandis weighed in on the side of AI being vital to surmounting huge problems in the world and hoped that would be made clear when three finalists for the new prize take to the TED stage in four years.

Competing teams will be free to define challenges their AI creations are designed to tackle.

A half-million dollars in prize money will be awarded during an elimination process at IBM World of Watson conferences intended to whittle the field down to three teams that will use AI to deliver “jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring” TED talks.

Conference attendees will pick the one they think is best.

The winning team will get $4.5 million in Watson X Prize money.

“X PRIZE and IBM believe that the partnership between humans and technology has

produced some of society’s most groundbreaking modern advancements, from landing a man on the moon to addressing climate change to mapping the human genome,” the AI prize partners said in a joint release.

“We believe there’s an opportunity today for others to push the boundaries yet again.”

Teaching machines to think the way people do has been a hot topic in technology, with companies such as Facebook, Google,Microsoft, and Apple working to build smarts into services or products.

Watson, which gained fame in 2011 for defeating human opponents on the “Jeopardy” quiz show, has been reaching into its computing power since then for an array of other services.

The quest to build real brains into machines has caused some to fear it could turn on humanity in terrifying ways depicted in science fiction films along the lines of “The Terminator.”

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FRIDAY, February 19, 2016