Voice of Asia E Paper January 22 2016 by VoiceOf Asia

VOICE OF ASIA 1

VOICE OF ASIA

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

28 years of dedicated service to the community

Vol. 29 No. 4 Friday, January 22, 2016 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 20 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com

VOICE OF ASIA 2

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

Republic Day Greetings by Consulate General of India in Houston

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

Mahatma Gandhi

Pranab Mukherjee, President of India

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India

Message by the Consul General Consul General, Mr. Harish Parvathaneni extends his greetings and best wishes on the joyous occasion of Republic Day to Indian Citizens, the Indian American community and Friends of India in Texas and other States of USA served by the Consulate General of India, Houston. “The Republic Day is an occasion to rededicate ourselves to the values and ideals of the Indian constitution and the vision of the leaders of our Freedom struggle. These values have helped consolidate our democracy, strengthened our diverse society, nurtured our plural polity and bind our countries and peoples. The framework of our Constitution that has made India a role model in today’s world was constructed on four principles: democracy; freedom of faith; gender equality; and an economic upsurge for those trapped in poverty. In 2014, the Honorable Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi launched the celebrated “Make in India” national program designed to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development, create employment and build best-in-class manufacturing infrastructure. To this end, the Government of India has undertaken several reform initiatives to create an enabling environment for manufacturing, design, innovation and start-ups. In order to provide greater momentum and thrust to the “Make in India” initiative, Government of India is organizing a landmark event called the “Make in India Week” in Mumbai from February 13 - 18, 2016 to be inaugurated by Honorable Prime Minister of India showcasing the people, policies and partnerships that are driving India’s new manufacturing revolution. The Consulate General of India, Houston encourages active participation from top industry leaders, decision makers, potential investors and businessmen to participate in “Make in India Week” to identify investment opportunities for mutual beneﬁt, and forge new linkages in commerce and industry between our two countries. On this joyous occasion of Republic Day, my best wishes to all for peace, progress and prosperity!”

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VOICE OF ASIA 3

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

Greetings to all Indian Americans on India’s 67th Republic Day

VOICE OF ASIA 28 years of dedicated service to the community

January 26th,2016

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Vol. 29 No. 4 Friday, January 22, 2016 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 20 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com

Foundation for India Studies participates Historic collaboration signing event: Rice University to offer in 22nd MLK Grande Parade

regular programs in Jain studies

Held in Midtown, Houston on January 18th, 2016

FIS group participants in 22nd MLK Jr. Grande Parade, on Jan.18,2016. Krishna Vavilala, FIS Chair dressed as Gandhi ji.

OUSTON, TX. (January, 18, 2016) - Under fabulous sunny skies, a group of dedicated Indian adults and children maintained the tradition of participating in the annual MLK Jr. Grande Parade, for the fifth year in a row. Being the winner of the prestigious 2015 Grand Marshal Award, Foundation of India Studies (FIS) was offered a premier spot in the Honors Section of the pa-

rade. The children thoroughly enjoyed the attention they got from the spectators and the fanfare. 12 Years old Shravya said “If I could put into words, It’s like being a celebrity for a day. Every minute seem like a dream. Especially when you walk by the crowds to give out T-shirts. At one point a girl even hugged me for giving her one! Most of all though, you make lots of memories and become a part of

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a really great cause.” Saureesh (12) stated “I am thankful to be part of FIS and the MLK parade because it taught me more about Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi” Apoorv,(11) said,”It was exciting to walk along side many other people and all the amazing sights. I hope more people come next time.” Continued on Page 8

On January 17, 2016, an historic collaboration between Rice University and Jain Society of Houston signing ceremony took place for establishing a Bhagwaan Mahavir Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Jain Studies at Rice University. Read report on page 8

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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

by Vikram Chukka 18/01/2016 . The Wire.

“

What is understood as merit in India’s educational institutions is only another name for the accumulated cultural capital of India’s upper-caste elites.”

PhD scholar Rohith Vemula’s suicide brings to the fore important questions regarding caste-based violence in institutions of higher education in India. While this tragic incident was triggered by the ongoing conflict between two student groups of Hyderabad University and the incompetent fashion in which it was handled by the university administration, there is a need to see Rohith’s death as part of a larger scheme of things in higher education institutions across the country. Rohith’s suicide is not an isolated instance; nine students have taken their lives in the last seven years in the University of Hyderabad alone. All of them were from Dalit or backward castes. In all the cases, the inability of institutions to accommodate socially marginalised groups was the prime motivating factor. Time and again it has been pointed out that educational spaces in India are conceived by design as exclusively upper-caste spaces characterised by an underlining hostility for the official reservation policy — spilling over as outright disgust and hatred for students from marginalised backgrounds, irrespective of their academic achievements or merit. The findings of the Thorat Committee, instituted in 2006 to investigate allegations of discriminatory treatment meted out to SC/ST students at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and the subsequent suicide of a student at that very institution, are a case in point. The report submitted by the then UGC chairman Sukhdeo Thorat noted the manner in which the professors at AIIMS tried to intimidate students and prevent them from deposing before the committee and goes on to trace the social isolation and oppression experienced by Dalit students at the premier educational institution. The ‘Report of the Committee to Enquire into the Al-

OPINION

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

Scholar’s suicide: Discrimination in higher education reflects the violence of a casteist culture legation of Differential Treatment of SC/ST Students in AIIMS, Delhi’ systematically detailed the way the aggressive anti-reservationists of the Mandal era occupied crucial positions at the helm and ensured that entry into the institution was strictly policed, leading to serious illegalities in the appointment of faculty members and implementation of the reservation policy at AIIMS. The report noted aggression against students from lower castes in every aspect of their daily lives – from the classroom to faculty interaction, from the hostel and mess to examinations – making their ostracisation from the community activities of the institute a bitter reality. The committee made many specific and pointed recommendations for the improvement of the administration of educational institutions, but even after a decade there has been no action on any of those pointed suggestions. The University of Hyderabad too has constituted a number of committees to look into the spate of suicides by Dalit students on its campus. Report after report has pointed out the insensitive manner in which students from marginalised communities are treated by the entire university hierarchy, and delineated a clear link between caste-related aggression and suicides. A committee chaired by sociologist Sasheej Hegde in 2014 pointed out that students from marginalised backgrounds experience a strong sense of alienation and disaffection within the university set-up, which needs to be addressed immediately. It is worth noting here that in a meeting of all the faculty members convened to discuss the findings of Prof. Hegde’s report, some faculty members from the natural sciences took strong objection to the committee’s arguments and demanded that ‘scientific proof’ be furnished to prove their casteism. The response of all university administrations to instances of suicide by Dalit students is to pathologise the individuals and blame their

Rohith Vemula. Source: Facebook

personal shortcomings. A typical response has been to psychologise the issue and provide for a psychiatrist on campus, thus demonstrating a reluctance to to acknowledge the social basis of caste-based aggression and violence. In 2013, a significant work, Beyond Inclusion: The Practice of Equal Access in Indian Higher Education (2013), edited by sociologists Satish Deshpande and Usha Zacharias, flagged the crucial issues surrounding the issue of formal inclusion through a policy of reservation. For instance, political scientist N. Sukumar of Delhi University, who studied at the University of Hyderabad, points out how the university has continued to be a de facto Brahmanical space, evident from the manner in which a special well had to be dug for a professor who agreed to take up a position in the mathematics department only if arrangements were made for him to take a ritual bath. On the other hand, he describes with pain the taunts from upper-caste students who complained that the Dalit students were consuming too much food in the mess, which was resulting in increased mess bills. In the same volume, activist Anoop Kumar of InSight Foundation, who has been spearheading a campaign to address caste-related violence in educational institutions for a decade, is of the view that it is important to realise the

Exploding number of associations of Indians in Houston: How to find unity in diversity? by Bhamy V. Shenoy

n late 1960’s there was just one association to represent Indians in Houston. It was India students association (ISA) located in University of Houston. All activities, celebrations, functions, movies, music and dance programs of Indian interests were conducted by ISA. Today there must be more than 100 associations connected with and managed by Indians in Houston. In less than fifty years how did such a big bang explosion take place? As we celebrate India’s 67th Republic day, it may be useful to reflect on this phenomenon. It is an amazing phenomenon since we take pride in ancient Indian culture and claim that it represents unity in diversity. This is not to make a value judgement about the number of associations, but trying to understand how it happened. Let us go back to early 70s. When Idi Amin threw Indians in 1972 and Houston was ready to accept some of those Ugandan refugees, UN agency for refugee settlement sought the help of ISA. As a representative of ISA, I participated in helping to settle several Indian families from Uganda by

getting apartments, and even jobs. When millions of Bangladeshis came as refugees to India in 1971, it was ISA which took the lead to raise funds. It was the first of its kind of fund raising activity in Houston by NRIs to help India on a large scale. Today if there is such a problem affecting Indians, we have so many Indian associations to get help. In one way, it is a good thing. But which is the overarching association which can really be considered as an association which represents Indians? Whom should media contact? Some may suggest it is India Culture Center. However if we go by numbers ICC may be the smallest of several well known Indian associations and size was the deciding factor then ICC will lose the contest. If we go by the assets and ownership of building, India House will be the clear winner. In late 80s, I had posed a provocative question are there Indians in Houston? This was because again at that time, ICC was one of the smallest associations though representing the interests of all Indians. Indian society can legitimately ask the question on the number

of associations needed to represent its diverse interests. Can one association how well organized and representative it may be, represent diverse nature of Indian interests? In some ways, Indian immigrants are no different than the ones from Europe. When European immigrants from different countries arrived like Ireland, Italy, Poland, Russia they lived in their own localities. However in the melting pot of the US, soon these communities lost their identity. India has several states with different languages and different festivities. India has different kinds of musical and dance systems. Indians have different religions, sects and philosophies. Thus with such diversity, is it possible to have one large organization to represent India? That may explain the explosion in number of Indian organizations as number of Indians increased in Houston. In mid 60s, total number of Indians in Houston was less than 500 and it was a closely knit community. Today we have more than 120,000 IndoAmericans. Despite having such a large number of organizations, could we still try for unity in diver-

sity? India House along with ICC can play such a role. It has already taken a step towards it by giving space to ICC, Indian American Charity Clinic and housing a library with books on India, organizing classes in Hindi and Indian philosophy, etc. When it completes its second phase, India House can play even a bigger role. In the above photo, one can see two community centers located close to another - one for India and the other for Turkey. While the latter shows the unique architecture of Turkey, India House does not. Recently, I commented to a Turkish visitor in Turkish Community Center how his center has such a beautiful architecture to represent Turkey and how no outside visitor to India House can get an idea of India. His response was interesting. He said India is represented every where in the city and does not need any unique building. He may be right in his opinion. Or he might have been just being diplomatic. But can we even at this late stage redo the architecture of the second phase to reflect India’s rich architecture? It will cost more money. But it is worth spending.

Many who have visited Madurodam near Hague and Taman Mini near Jakarta must have been impressed with how they are able to give a glimpse of Holland and Indonesia in such a short space. Millions of visitors have been to these two places. Can India House try to achieve the same in the second phase (they may need larger area than they have planned now) by identifying and housing the attractive features of every Indian state. I am sure Tourism department of India would be happy to collaborate on such a project. Such a scheme of mini India in second phase can be a big attraction as has happened with Madurodam and Taman Mini. This can really help India House to convey India’s civilizational message of unity in diversity. But to achieve such a grandiose design we need visionary leaders and support from entire Indian community. I am sure that we have both in Houston. Look at the generosity of Indians in supporting such mega NGOs like Pratham (it was Houston which gave birth to Pratham USA), Akshaya Patra, Ekal, and Shankar Netralaya and also scores of temples, churches, mosques and Gurudwaras.

Proof

character of India’s educational institutions as natural extensions of a violent casteist culture. From this context arises the entire discourse of naturalising Dalit suicides by blaming the reservation policy and the students themselves for their inability to cope with the pressure of a premier institution. As Kumar’s documentation over the years reveals, the truth is just the opposite: a large number of students who take their lives have strong academic achievements, and it is their claim to equal treatment that upsets the academic establishment. In fact as sociologist Satish Deshpande of the Delhi School of Economics argues, a kind of hyper-visibility of lower-caste identity was created in the wake of governments’ compensatory affirmative action, which intensified after the anti-Mandal agitations. Admission into educational institutions, he argues, makes ‘reserved category’ a de facto identity for lower caste students, while the upper-caste identity is subdued and referred to in secular terms as ‘general category’. In another publication social anthropologist Ajantha Subramanian of Harvard University points out that what is understood as merit in India’s educational institutions is only another name for the accumulated cultural capital of India’s upper-caste elites. It is in these circumstances that a young scholar has taken the irrevocable step of ending his life. The most depressing fact about the incident is the utterly callous manner in which our educational institutions have failed a bright youth whose desire to be “a writer of science, like Carl Sagan” could not be realised for as he wrote in his last letter, ‘The value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity.’ Rohith’s death points to an alarming pattern: Senthil Kumar, yet another Dalit scholar who ended his life at the University of Hyderabad, wrote that he aspired to win a Nobel and was inspired by the life and work of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. This is, in Amartya Sen’s words, an intolerable waste of talent. Rohith Vemula was an exceptionally bright and politically vocal student. He was a Junior Research Fellow from two different disciplines and was a socially conscious and articulate scholar. The circumstances that drove him to take his life must make us pause and take cognisance of the violence implicit in India’s educational set-up, as we debate a new education policy for India. Vikram Chukka is a doctoral candidate at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. He studied at the University of Hyderabad from 2006 to 2011.

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COMMUNITY

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

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Indian Americans at the 2016 Houston Marathon

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CITY OF HOUSTON

Sylvester Turner Mayor P.O. Box 1562 Houston, Texas 77251-1562 Telephone – Dial 311 www.houstontx.gov

Greetings, As Mayor of the City of Houston, I extend warm wishes on India’s 67th Republic Day. India’s contributions in technology, economic development and arts and culture have significantly added to the world. With more than 100,000 residents of Indian origin in Houston, India is represented in a number of other ways. These representations include the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Houston, the Indian Culture Center of Houston, the popular annual Indian Film Festival and many others. Houston also firms with major operations in India, including ABS Group of Companies Inc., Baker Hughes Incorporated and BMC Software. Houston highly values its vibrant and thriving Indian community whose many contributions add to the rich cultural diversity of our city and extends best wishes to all celebrating this auspicious occasion.

2016 Houston Marathon. Indo American participants in Half Marathon wearing finisher medals. Left to Right – Pankaj Desai, Sesh Bala, Tushar Dhruv, Riddhi Desai, Lakshmy Natarajan, Nat Natarajan, and Nach Nachiappan. Not in the picture but others who ran were Sahana Rao, Kumara Peddamattam, Suresh Shah, Anita Manoharan and Nagindra Prashad to mention just a few.

t was a cool but crisp 40 degrees at 7 AM at start of the race at Houston Marathon. The temperature stayed in the low 40s for several hours but later the sun came out shining bright making the chill a bit tolerable. It was an ideal morning however to stay home in bed or just lounge around in pajamas sipping coffee or tea, and watching TV or reading the newspaper! However, a determined group of Indo Americans did otherwise; they were out in the open in cold weather, running and walking, and making their presence felt at the 44th anniversary of the Houston Marathon on Sunday, Jan 17, 2016. The Chevron Houston Marathon is a world-class event right at our doorsteps and attracts athletes from over 40 states in the US and many countries around the globe. The 2016 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon featured 27,000 participants, 7,500 volunteers and over 200,000 spectators, making it the largest single-day sporting event in Houston. The 27,000 is split evenly between Full Marathon

(26.2 miles) and Half Marathon (13.1 miles). The 5K race was held the previous day for better crowd control and management. The Marathon starts and ends at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. The guaranteed prize money for the Full Marathon first place is $40,000 and for the Half Marathon $20,000. It is the same amount for men and women. Of the 4 top purses, this year, 3 of the top prizes were won by Ethiopians and the fourth by a Kenyan.

the adventure, in all a very exhilarating experience. Besides, you have earned bragging rights!

Each year the organizers make some changes. This year the route saw some minor changes from the 2015 route that included stretches on W. Gray, Inwood, Kirby, Bissonnet and the museum district. The home stretch was on Lamar Avenue this year instead of Dallas Avenue. The organizers received high praise for the selection of the route from the runners and walkers.

The Houston Marathon is very popular but has limits on how many can sign up. For the Jan 15, 2017 Marathon, the registration is already open. It opened at 3 PM on Jan 17, 2016, but open just for 5 days for first 10,000 registrants. It will open again in May and Jun in stages until sold out. For the last 11 years the marathon has been a sell-out. The details are at the site www. chevronhoustonmarathon.com. Organizations like USA Fit and Fort Bend Fit will help getting trained. Email SeshBala@hotmail.com to learn more about Houston Marathon participation.

The excitement when you complete a marathon is unparalleled. You do not remember the pain or the weather but always cherish how thrilling it was completing the course, the timing,

A casual scanning and observation suggested the participation from the Indian American community at marathons is at best steady, not growing. There were quite a few Indo American volunteers at the water and Gatorade stations on the course. So many more can participate and make a mark not only in running and walking, but volunteering and being spectator cheering squads.

Sincerely,

Sylvester Turner Mayor

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FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

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Every tenant should have renter’s insurance Q. I was renting a house with two of my friends. The house burned down because of the electrical fault of the house. We still have six months more to go on lease. We did not have a renter’s insurance. The fire was not our fault. We lost most of our property. We assume the owner has insurance. Can we file to recover for our damages? Can we get compensation towards rent? A. First, you should not owe rent for the remaining six months. If the fire was an accident, however, not caused by the negligence of the landlord, he and his insurance company have no liability. The insurance company is only liable for damages the landlord would be liable for. You would need to show the landlord didn’t act reasonably in repairing or taking care of the wiring, and that is why the fire occurred. This is why renter’s insurance is so important. Q. What can I do if someone does not pay back money I loaned her? It is almost $6,000. A. This could be a case for justice court. Justice court, the new name for small claims court is the real “people’s court.” It is informal, and easy to use. Before suing, however, you should make a formal demand for payment. You can do this by sending her a letter or email demanding that she pay. Let her know if she doesn’t pay or work out a payment plan, you intend on filing a lawsuit. If she still does not pay, you may file in justice court. Under the law, justice court may hear claims of not more than $10,000. Q. In 2010, my ex-husband was ordered to pay child support. Since that time he has changed jobs several times, and is making much more money. Shouldn’t he be paying me more for support? A. He probably should be paying more, but until you get the order modified he has the legal right to keep paying as originally ordered. Either party may go back to court to have a child support order modified whenever there is a substantial change in circumstances. A new job with a higher salary should entitle you to a larger payment. I suggest you speak with a private attorney or the attorney general’s office about modifying the order. Q. I owe a lot of money and can’t seem to ever catch-up with my payments. Debt collectors constantly harass me. I have been told that even if I file bankruptcy, I will still owe my student loans. Is this true? They are one of my largest debts. A. As you seem to know, when you file bankruptcy, most of your debts are “discharged.” This means that you no longer have any obligation to pay, and all collection efforts must stop. Not all debts, however, are discharged. Student loans are discharged only if paying them would be an “undue hardship” on the debtor. In most cases, it is very difficult to get a student loan discharged in bankruptcy. I suggest you speak with a consumer bankruptcy attorney to see whether bankruptcy would be a good option for you. Q. I recently stop paying on a credit card. I can no longer afford the payments and had to default. I am now concerned that the company will sue me and take my home. Can a credit card company do that? A. In Texas, there are “exemption” laws that protect some of your property from your creditors. Even if a credit card company successfully sues you, the company cannot take “exempt” property. Exempt property in Texas includes your wages, retirement accounts, such as an IRA, most personal property, and your home. For more details about Texas exemption law, take a look at the debt collection section of my website below.

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

Q: I met a lady online and went to visit her in India six months ago. I really like her a lot and we wish to marry in the United States. I am a United States Citizen. How can I bring her here to the United States? A: As a United States Citizen, you can file a petition for a Fiance(e) or K-1 visa for her. The requirements are you intend to marry within 90 days of your fiancé(e) entering the United States; you and your fiancé(e) are both free to marry and any previous marriages must have been legally terminated by divorce, death or annulment; you met each other in person at least once within two years of filing the petition unless you can show that this requirement cannot be satisfied because either this requirement to meet would violate strict and long established customs of your or your fiancé(e)’s foreign culture or social practice or if you prove that the requirement to meet would result in extreme hardship to you. Q: I am a Permanent Resident. Can I petition for a Fiance(e) visa for my husband? A: No. In order to petition for a K-1 fiance(e) visa, you must be a United States Citizen. Q: My fiancé has two children from his previous marriage which resulted in a divorce. Can his children be included in the petition for the fiancé visa? A: If you fiancé has unmarried children under the age of 21 years, they are eligible to receive the K-2 nonimmigrant visa. Please do not forget to include all your fiance’s children in the petition irrespective of their age and marital status. Q: What is the Fiance(e) visa process? A: First the I-129F Petition for Alien Fiance(e)

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is filed and once approved, the fiancé(e) will have to complete a Form DS 160 Nonimmigrant Visa application for a visa issuance interview at the consulate. At the conclusion of the interview, the fiance(e) will then receive the K-1 nonimmigrant fiancé(e) visa which will allow him or her to enter the United States for 90 days to enter into the marriage with the Petitioner. Once the marriage has taken place, the spouse may apply for permanent residence and remain in the United States while the adjustment application is pending with USCIS. It is also worthwhile to note that upon admission on the K-1 visa, the fiancé(e) may immediately apply for work authorization with the USCIS Field Office. The work authorization will be valid for 90 days after entry. Upon the marriage and the filing of the I-485 permanent residence application, the spouse may then apply for an extension of the work authorization at the same time he or she files for the permanent residence. Q: What is the filing fee for the Form I-129F Petition for Alien Fiance(e)? A: The current filing fee is $340.00. Q: I came here to the United States on a Fiance(e) visa. However, I have decided that I am not going to marry my Petitioner fiance. Can I continue to stay in the United States and someday adjust my status to permanent resident through marriage to another US Citizen? A: No, you may not. Your Fiance(e) status expires within 90 days and cannot be extended. If you do not marry the Petitioner within the 90 days of entry, you must depart the United States. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA 245(d)) specifically states that a K-1 visa beneficiary cannot adjust status and become a permanent resident based upon marriage to a person other than the original

K-1 visa petitioner. Q: I am a US Citizen and I wish to petition for a K-1 visa for my same sex partner. Can I do that? A: Yes, you may. Please ensure that the marriage with your partner takes place in a jurisdiction or State which recognizes same sex marriages. Q: I already married my fiancé under our traditional Islamic religion. Can I still apply for my spouse to come to the United States with a K-1 visa? A: No, if you are already legally married, your spouse will not qualify for a Fiance(e) visa. You must use a different procedure to bring your spouse to the United States. You will have to file an I-130 Petition for Alien and bring your spouse to the United States as an Immigrant (or Permanent Resident). 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 713623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

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FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

IACF’s new leadership to work on 3 Es: Energize, Expand and Empower

UGAR LAND, TX – The Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF) held its first Board meeting of 2016 on January 14 at the Madras Pavilion soon after the change in its leadership and Executive Committee members. Outgoing president Dr. Kamala Raghavan who ended her term was recognized for her outstanding contribution to the organization’s overall growth and visibility. Nanda K Vura, IACF’s new president welcomed the Board of Directors including the newly joined director Bela Thacker and thanked outgoing members for their contribution. IACF’s 2016 Executive Committee includes: Outgoing president Dr. Kamala Raghavan, Nanda K Vura, President, Dr. Vanitha Pothuri President-Elect, Alpa Shah, Secretary and Sreeni Nakirekanti, Treasurer. Before presenting his vision for 2016 and beyond, Vura said he was simply inspired by IACF’s mission statement, “We live here, we give here”, “and I can think of so many ways that I could facilitate

this,” and he thanked the Board for giving him the opportunity to do so as its president. During the meeting, Vura made a PP presentation outlining IACF’s programs. Broadly, he said they would fall under 3 Es: Energize, Expand and Empower. Maintaining the Charity’s distinctive areas of interest: EFGH: Education, Family, General and Health as its pillars, the 2016 initiatives would expand its core volunteers base, energize its programs with more involvement of the past presidents, former Board members and partnering organizations, further, empower IACF with effective communication and branding these areas. A major development in IACF’s path to change was the reviewing of its By-Laws and incorporating valuable suggestions and changes. Vura thanked the By-laws committee members: Dr. Sushovan Guha, Prem Cholia, Dr.Kamala Raghavan and Dr. Ramesh Cherivirala for their commitment in getting this done. The Board resumed its meeting for evening and concluded with dinner at MP.

IACF members. Seated Left to Right: Sreeni Nakirekanti, Treasurer, Nanda K Vura, President, Dr. Vanitha Pothuri PresidentElect, and Outgoing president Dr. Kamala Raghavan. (EC member Alpa Shah, Secretary not in picture). Standing: Dr. Ramesh Cherivirala, IACF past president, Board members: Prem Cholia, Bela Thacker, Shobana Muratee, Dr. Ratna Kumar, Dr. Sushovan Guha and Zenith Ellankil.

Sri Meenakshi Temple celebrates Pongal Sankranthi and Anadal Kalyanam

Kummi folk dance during Pongal celebration at MTS. Photo credit : Srini Sudarrajan.

Andal Kalyanam captivated the audience in the main temple. Photo credit : Srini Sudarrajan.

by Nachal Sethuraman and Kamala Raghavan; EARLAND The twin celebration of Pongal and Andal Kalyanam occurs at the end of Dhanur Masa (Marghazi) and this year the events were on the weekend of January 16/17. Sri Meenakshi Temple, celebrated the Pongal – Sankranthi festival on January, 16th. Keeping alive the vibrant harvest festival {Pongal} of Tamil farmers and welcoming the month of Thai by offering Sweet Pongal and other offerings to Sun God, the event happened outdoors in front of the main temple. Sankranthi also signifies the start of Northerly movement of Sun (Uttarayana). The cold weather did not deter the devotee’s enthusiasm, with many cheerfully participating. Sweet Pongal in Brass pots and Clay

Godha, Andal, Choodikodutha Chutarkodi and Kothai are all names used to denote “Andal” one of the Vaishnava “Azhvars”. She is considered to be a form of Bhoodevi who proved that only steadfast devotion is the path for a mere mortal to be accepted by Lord Ranganatha. Like Mata Sabari in Ramayana, Andal would send flower garlands to her lord only after she herself wore them to make sure that they were fit for her lord. Her pure devotion and the 30-day “Pavai-Nonbu” in the month of Margazhi to marry Lord Ranganatha, won his heart. The recital of the 30 songs of

stoves were prepared, using wood sticks for fuel. The air was filled with rural festive songs, greetings and laughter. Invoking the Sun God, Meenakshi Temple’s Vedic heritage school (VHS) children along with the teacher Bhavani Iyer and VHS coordinator Mahesh, offered a beautiful rendition of the Aditya Hridayam slokas. Another group of children and adults offered the Surya Namaskar through Yoga, coordinated by Achalesh Amar from Hindu Swayam Sevak. The festive atmosphere was enhanced with a group of energetic ladies (organized by Mala Gopal) performed Kummi, a popular South Indian dance (Tamil Nadu and Kerala) where the rhythm and beat were maintained with clapping since instruments were not present in these folk dominant regions

of India. The festive atmosphere complemented the Puja led by Priest Manicka Bhattar, with the offering of Pongal Prasadam to the deities led with the devine beat of Chenadi melam (organized by Sujaha Vijayakumar) by the Chenda Melam Youth group. We thank event coordinators, Prema Prasad and Madhavi Ravoori. The following day the celebrations at Sri Meenakshi temple took on a different ambience, inside the newly renovated grand main temple. The beautiful decorations and wedding finery for the deities, pleasant and sunny January weather, and the ardent chants of “Ezhukondala vada, Venkataramana, Govinda, Govinda!” by the more than 300 devotees at the main temple made the first divine wedding event of 2016 an auspicious beginning for many more to come.

2016 Imperial Park Recreation Center

The Sugar Gala – A Father/ Daughter Dance Sugar Land, TX – Dads are invited to bring their sweeties out to enjoy an evening of dancing at the Imperial Park Recreation Center (IPRC) on Feb. 20, from 6-8 p.m. . The Sugar Gala will be a special evening for dads and their sweet little girls to get dressed in their Sunday best and have some fun. The Sugar Gala – A Father/Daughter Dance will include time for father/ daughter dancing as well as a photo area for fun pictures.

There will be appetizers and refreshments served throughout the event as well as desserts. For dads who don’t have the energy to get out and dance with their little princess, a candy station lined with sweet goodies of all sorts will be available to get them energized. The gala is not limited to just dads and daughters. Uncles and grandpas may also bring their special little girls for a fun evening, so don’t hesitate to call and register.

The cost will be $10 per couple for IPRC members or $25 per couple for nonmembers. Each additional young lady is $5. Don’t wait, call and register today! The Imperial Park Recreation Center, 234 Matlage Way, is located next to Imperial Park and the Sugar Land Community Center. For more event information and table reservation, contact the IPRC at (281) 275-2885.

“Thiruppavai” by the devotees was a feast to everyone’s ears. The priests made the event touching and meaningful to all the devotees. Priest Sridharan Raghavan recited his mellifluous “samaveda” hymns and captivated the audience with the story about how Godha was named thus because she removed the curse on river Godhavary for not heeding Sita’s cries for help when Ravana abducted her and took her to Lanka by air. He was ably supported by Priests Pawankumar and Sriman Narayana Charyalu. The final chanting by Sri Manicka Bhattar to complete

the wedding ceremony with a praise of goddess Meenakshi was an icing on the cake. The profusion of mouthwatering sweets offered as “prasadam” and the melodious music by devotees added to make the event a feast all senses of the devotees. All in all, a very auspicious beginning for more wedding events in 2016! We thank event coordinator Chitra Kumar. The RAC committee (Padmini Ranganathan, Sheila Sriram and Sasi Pillai) along with numerous volunteers and staff need to be complemented for bringing these authentic celebrations to Houston for all to enjoy.

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VOICE OF ASIA 8

Historic Collaboration Signing Event.....

Document Signing Ceremony Jan. 17, 2016 : From Left -Right: Prof. Jeffrey Kripal, Mrs. Urvashi Jain, Prof. Sonia Ryang, Dr. Sulekh Jain and Mr. Harish Jajoo, Member City Council, Sugar Land. Continued from Page 3 By Dr. Sulekh C. Jain and Mrs. Payal Kapadia Patani s the world celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day for his commitment, compassion and passion to non-violence, Jain Society of Houston took pride and honor to witness a historic signing ceremony on January 17, 2016 for the establishment of a full-time Bhagwaan Mahavir Post-Doctoral Fellowship for Jain Studies at Rice University. The signing ceremony was held in the main hall of Jain Society of Houston. Prominent individuals of Rice University, Houston Jain Community, officials of Jain Vishwa Bharati Meditation Center, Honorable Harish Jajoo (City of Sugar Council member), Mahatma Gandhi Library and many others were in attendance.

The event itinerary included welcome, Namokar mantra prayer invocation on music, lamp lighting and document signing by Rice University and Jain community officials. Rice University is an elite, prestigious and 104 year old University with a very beautiful campus near the heart of the City of Houston and next door to the world famous Texas Medical Center. Rice University is recognized as a community of curious thinkers, passionate dreamers, and energetic doers who believe that improving the world demands more than bold thought and brave actions. It takes an unconventional wisdom. There are no course offering in Jainism at present at any university in Houston but that is going to change soon with the hiring of a full time Jain scholar with a PhD and proven track record of leadership and publications. This historic collaboration which is cost shared 50:50 % between the Jain Society and Rice University will open its

doors for the Jain Studies course in Jainism’s philosophy, history art, culture and its contribution to the world. The scholar will create a platform for discussion, learning and awareness of Jainism and will offer classes in Jainism each semester. In addition, the scholar will also do research, organize seminars and publish papers and books. Another unique feature is that the scholar will also actively interact with the Jain community in Houston and will facilitate the learning of our own tradition about Ahimsa, Anekant and Aprigraha; the 3 jewels of Jainism. Mrs. Urvashi Jain, President of the Jain Society of Houston welcomed all the guests and then Dr. Sulekh Jain ( Past President of JAINA and Chairman of International School for Jain Studies in USA), Professor Sonya Ryang, ( Director of Chao Center for Asian Studies at Rice University), Professor Jeffrey Kripal (Chair Professor in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University ) in their remarks touched upon the significance of the gift from the Jain community and how the Post-Doctoral fellow will not only do research and teach a course in Jainism each semester but will also share the richness and philosophy of Jainism to many other disciplines, departments and centers within Rice University. Currently Jains in USA have already established Centers for Jain Studies at 10 universities including two fully funded Chairs at Florida International University and at University of California at Irvine. In a message earlier in the day, Dr. Philip Clayton, Dean at Claremont School of Theology at Claremont California very beautifully summed up the uniqueness of this collaboration. He said “the two values of the Jain religion make us brothers and sisters in this endeavor — Rice University, as it commits to study and teach Jainism; and the Jain community, as it supports

the study of this religion by American students. The first is the value of pluralism in today’s world, or what we call anekantavada. For thousands of years, Jains have valued and practiced the pluralistic perspective. The belief that all of the world’s religious traditions are valuable, that each has its unique contributions to make, has now also become a central pillar of Religious Studies at Rice and across the United States. This shared value draws us deeply together. Finally, the value of ahimsa, nonviolence, binds us together. We live in a world wracked by violence. The nations struggle with terrorism, wars expand, armies grow. Also within ourselves we recognize violent tendencies, subtle ways that our thought and practices participate in this same system of violence. The wisdom traditions of the world offer pathways for humans to live with each other and with the natural world in a more peaceful and harmonious way. Among the religions, none has made the striving for peace more central, and none has called its followers to higher standards of ahimsa, than Jainism. We hope and trust that the gift we celebrate today will inaugurate a long and fruitful relationship between Rice University and the Jain community. Both groups believe that the new courses will help to enhance the offerings of the Religion department. Above all else, we hope that, in their own humble way, they will contribute to a more peaceful world and to the growth of ahimsa across the planet”. The historic signing ceremony couldn’t be what it was without the time, dedication, and efforts of our volunteers and sponsors, as well as the generous matching contributions from Chao Center at Rice University. We’d like to wholeheartedly thank all of the individuals who played a role in the establishment of this program.

Katy Tamil Friends host 10th New Year Celebration

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

FIS......MLK Grande Parade

Participants’ names, not in any particular order:Children:Thrayee Sai Saridey (9),Anand Morales (9), Apoorv Nednur (11),Sai Aakarsha Saridey(12), Shravya Aparasu (12), Saureesh Aparasu (12), Adults: Raghavender Nednur, Event Chair, Kranthi Nednur, Dr. Ponnada Narayana, Dr.Sai Kaumudi Saridey, Amanda Vavilala, Satish Saridey, Shankar Perumaalla, Rohan Perumaalla, Raghav Perumaalla, Lakshmi Vavilala, Parul Fernandes,Hiren Sarma, Atul kothari (Gandhi Library) and Krishna Vavilala, FIS Chair dressed as Gandhi ji. Continued from Page 3 Aakarsha,(12 ) said “It was super cool to know that everyone knew how Mahatma Gandhi & MLK Jr. were ‘related’. I definitely want to come back next year!” Thrayee, (9) remarked: “It was fun to walk around.” FIS was committed to connect Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy with MLK Jr. Though the two had never met, MLK Jr. was inspired by Gandhi ji’s philosophy of Peace and Non-violence in his fight against racial dis-

crimination in America. On invitation from Gandhi Memorial Fund, King and his wife Coretta Scott visited India in Feb.1959. King declared that he may go to other countries as tourist, but to India he would go as a pilgrim. King also spoke on All India Radio broadcast when he said, “If this age is to survive, it must follow the way of love and nonviolence that [Gandhi] so nobly illustrated in his life.” Upon his return, he also wrote in Ebony magazine that his visit to India was a revelation as if “the spear of frustration had been transformed into a “shaft of Light”.

In 2009, fifty years after his trip to India, US Congress unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) recognizing Gandhi’s influence on MLK Jr. Here in Houston, Congressman AL Green also declared during his speech at Hilcroft’s Mahatma Gandhi District inauguration that “there is no King without Gandhi.” Names of Gandhi and King are synonymous in the context of Peace and Non-Violence. Foundation for India Studies(FIS) is proud to participate every year in the MLK Parade.

Council Member Himesh Gandhi Files for Re-election to Sugar Land City Council, At-Large Position 1 addressing future development and traffic in our region. Despite the recent struggles of the energy sector, Sugar Land has maintained low tax rates for both homeowners and businesses that have strengthened our city’s economic base.”

Himesh Gandhi SUGAR LAND, TX -- On Wednesday morning, Council Member Himesh Gandhi filed for re-election to the Sugar Land City Council, At-Large Position 1. First elected by a city-wide vote in 2012, Council Member Gandhi remains committed to responsible, transparent city government, superior development, and smart spending to keep the City living within its means. “Since the first day I served on City Council I have focused on improving the lives of the people of Sugar Land,” said Gandhi. “I am proud of the accomplishments our Council has made to address public safety, aging infrastructure, and also for the recent mobility plan

“I am indebted to the residents of Sugar Land for putting their faith in me as their at-large City Council member. I am also grateful and thankful for the support of my wife Farrah, as I seek another term in public service to our city,” said Gandhi. Since his election to Sugar Land City Council in 2012, Councilman Gandhi has put his values into action to help Sugar Land continue its mission to enhance the quality of life in the community while excelling in the delivery of public service. “Sugar Land has been recognized both in Texas and nationally for the quality of live in our community,” said Gandhi. “Much of this success is due to careful long range planning and our Council’s commitment to protect the balance between economic development and the interests of our citizens.” A twenty-four year resident of Sugar Land, Councilman Gandhi is known for his civic

was a great family entertainment and a fun event for all to close out the evening of New Year celebrations. The concert lasted till 11:30 PM with everyone ending up dancing their hearts out.

and community involvement. Himesh and his wife Farrah live in Telfair with their son Jaiden. Gandhi is a graduate of Clements High School, and received a BBA from Houston Baptist University and a J.D. from South Texas College of Law. Gandhi is an Attorney and Partner with the law firm of Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC, and is also board certified in commercial real estate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His duties on Council have included service on the Sugar Land Development Corporation, Economic Development Committee, Finance/Audit Committee, Intergovernmental Relations Committee and on the Smart Finance Centre at Sugar Land’s planning task force. In the local community, Himesh serves as a board member for both the Arc of Texas and The Arc of Fort Bend County. Gandhi has also been active with the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, and has served as past legal counsel for the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce and Fort Bend Global Initiative. Gandhi recently was named a recipient of the Houston Business Journal’s 40 under 40 awards. The campaign website is www.HGSugarLand.com.

sors. Kudos to the team of volunteers without whose care and support the success of this event could not have been possible.

Team of Volunteers Agila Ilam, Anitha Chandrasekar, Anusha Satya, Arief, Balaji Lakshmanan, Chandran Viswanathan, Chandrasekar, Danesh Kumar, Gopal Krishnan, Hari Swaminathan, Ilamparithi, Jagan Annamalai, Jaiprakash, K Chanthirasekar, Kanchana Vijay, Kishore Kandasamy, Kuppusamy, Manix Vasan, Meenakshi Sundaram, Nagaraj Chinnadurai, NarayanKaty Tamil Friends members and organizers at the celebrations on January 2nd, 2016 at The Durgabari Society, Houston. an, Pari, Radhakrishnan, Ramji Ramasubramaniby Shobha Sivakumar. fun time for everyone involved. eties of Vegetarian and Nonam, Roshan, Sangeetha Neelahe Tamil diaspora from The events kicked off about Vegetarian food items and was 4:30 PM and were planned in appreciated by one and all. kandan, Sathish Katy and the Greater Vi j a y a k u m a r, Houston area gathered such a way that both adults and Following dinner was the kids were fully occupied the Satish Arumugam, together to celebrate the New much anticipated light music Sathya Nagarajan, Year with friends and fam- entire time. Kids and Young show by Pinnacle Studios and adults had a blast with magic Shankar Karpagaily at The Durgabari Society, Performing Arts. Composer/ vinayagam, Sheik Houston on January 2nd, 2016. shows, face painting, balloon Vocalist Karthika Mahadev twisting, dance medleys and Hameed, Shoba While demonstrating solidarwas joined by super singers Sivakumar, Shubity with friends and family af- pizza. Barani Krishnan and Krishnaha Varadharajan, fected by floods in Chennai, by In addition, the Katy and murthy L for this concert. The Siva Kumar, Tony collecting clothes and necessi- Greater Houston area kids, concert opened with melodiSesayyan, Venties, it was indeed an occasion youth and adults showcased ous numbers to wide applause kat Ponnusamy, to commemorate the resilience their talents including singing, from the audience. The singVignesh Manix, of Chennai getting back on skits, a flute concert , interac- ers mesmerized the audiences Vijaykumar, Yotrack by celebrating the New tive dance and fashion shows with their voices and their ganand RamamurYear’s Day. and entertained the audience selection of songs from the thy together with till dinner. 80’s and 90’s. As the concert Well over 500 people were in Marimuthu Natattendance, with the 2016 Katy The sumptuous dinner ca- tempo picked up a notch, the arajan made the upbeat music and shoe tapping Tamil Friends (KTF) commit- tered by Annam restaurant was event memorable, tee working around the clock a true feast with buffet dishes numbers brought the kids and Vocalist Karthika Mahadev performing with singers Barani Krishnan and cherish able and a adults to the dance floor. It Krishnamurthy L over the holidays to ensure a including more than 15 varigrand success. Sincere thanks Durgabari Society, for extending their support ,Bombay Bazaar and Vishala Grocery for being one of the main Sponsors for the event. The other sponsors were MetLife who took care of the face painting, balloon twisting and other kids’ activities and also gave away TV, iPad as gifts. Best Brains, Lavanya Arts and Mitzi Piersol (Remax realtor) were also the spon-

DIASPORA

VOICE OF ASIA 9

India has largest diaspora population in world: UN report

NITED NATIONS: India’s diaspora population is the largest in the world with 16 million people from India living outside their country in 2015, according to a latest UN survey on international migrant trends. The survey conducted by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) said the number of international migrants - persons living in a country other than where they were born - reached 244 million in 2015 for the world as a whole, a 41 per cent increase compared to 2000. The 2015 Revision, nearly two thirds of international migrants live in Europe (76 million) or Asia (75 million), according to the Trends in International Migrant Stock. “The rise in the number of international migrants reflects the increasing importance of international migration, which has become an integral part of our economies and societies,” said Wu Hongbo, UN UnderSecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. “Well-managed migration brings important benefits to countries of origin and destination, as well as to migrants and their families,” Hongbo added. India has the largest diaspora in the world, followed by Mexico and Russia. In 2015, 16 million people from India were living outside of their country, a growth from 6.7 million in 1990, the survey stated. Mexico’s diaspora population stood at 12 million.

This figure includes almost 20 million refugees. The survey further said that in 2015, two thirds of all international migrants were living in only 20 countries, starting with the US, which hosted 19 per cent of all migrants at 46.6 million, followed by Germany, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. India ranked 12th out of these 20 countries, hosting 5.2 million migrants in 2015, a drop from 7.5 million in 1990. The UN data shows that the number of international migrants has grown faster than the world’s population. As a result, the share of migrants in the global population reached 3.3 per cent in 2015, up from 2.8 per cent in 2000. Two out of three international migrants in 2015 lived in Europe or Asia, the survey said, adding that nearly half of all international migrants worldwide were born in Asia. Among major regions of the world, Northern America hosts the third largest number of international migrants, followed by Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Oceania. Between 2000 and 2015, Asia added more international migrants than any other major region, or a total of 26 million

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders last September at the United Nations, stresses the multidimensional reality of migration. The Agenda calls on countries to implement planned and well-managed migration policies, eradicate human trafficking, respect the labour rights of migrant workers and reduce the transaction costs of migrant remittances. The Agenda also highlights the vulnerability of migrants, refugees and IDPs and emphasises that forced displacement and related humanitarian crises threaten to reverse much of the development progress made in recent decades. UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said migrants need to be protected. “We need to take greater responsibility for protecting the lives of many thousands of migrants - men, women and children - who are compelled to undertake dangerous and sometimes fatal journeys,” Eliasson said. “Those forced to flee should never be denied safe haven or rescue. Migrants, as all people, deserve protection and empathy,” Eliasson added. Source: PTI | 14 Jan, 2016

She Rocks Awards — 2016 honors Indian American

ujata Murthy is among the The Women’s International Music Network (the WiMN), 2016 She Rocks Awards honorees. Paying tribute to women in the music industry, the 2016 She Rocks Awards at the NAMM show was held on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016 at the Anaheim Hilton Hotel in Anaheim, Calif. Murthy is the Senior Vice President, Public Relations, at Universal Music Enterprises (UME). Leading her team, she is responsible for creating, as well as spearheading, media campaigns across traditional and emerging platforms across UMe’s repertoire. UMe has been recognized as the top Catalog label for 2012, 2013 and 2014, based on performance according to Billboard Magazine. UMe is the centralized U.S. catalog and special markets entity for Universal Music Group. Representing some of the most influential and legendary recording artists of the last 100 years, UMG has the most extensive catalog of music in the industry including: ABBA, Louis Armstrong, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Beastie Boys, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Patsy Cline,

Sujata Murthy, Universal Music Enterprises

John Coltrane, The Commodores, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Marvin Gaye, Guns N’ Roses, KISS, Peggy Lee, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Marley, Nirvana, The Police, Smokey Robinson, Rolling Stones, Rush, Frank Sinatra, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart, The Supremes, The Temptations, U2, Muddy Waters, Barry White, Hank Williams, The Who, and Amy Winehouse. www.universalmusicenterprises.com

President Obama to present national medal of science to Indian-American Dr. Rakesh K Jain

ASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama would present the prestigious National Medal of Science to an IndianAmerican scientist on January 22 for his outstanding contribution to science.

Other countries with large diasporas included Russia, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Ukraine. Of the twenty countries with the largest number of international migrants living abroad, 11 were in Asia, 6 in Europe, and one each in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Northern America, the survey said.

additional migrants.

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

Dr. Rakesh K Jain

Dr. Rakesh K Jain is among 17 scientists, engineers, mathematicians and innovators who will be awarded by Obama at a

Awarded annually, the Medal of Science recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science, engineering, and mathematics.

He has received numerous awards for his work on tumor biology, particularly research on the link between tumor blood vessels and improving the effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

Jain, an IIT-Kanpur alumnus, is professor of tumor biology at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Harvard Medical School.

The National Medal of Science was created by statute in 1959 and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation.

White House ceremony.

The 2016 She Rocks Awards recipients include: • Jennifer Batten, acclaimed guitarist • Amy Heidemann of the chart-topping duo Karmin • Mindy Seegal Abovitzv, drummer and founder of Tom Tom Magazine • Cathy Carter Duncan, cofounder and CEO of Seymour Duncan • Becky Gebhardt and Mona Tavakoli, co-founders of the Rock n’ Roll Camp for Girls L.A. and members of Raining Jane • Leslie Ann Jones, Director of Recording and Scoring at Skywalker Sound • Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of the NAMM Foundation • Leigh Maples and Pamela Cole, founders of Fanny’s House of Music • Crystal Morris, co-founder and President of Gator Cases • Chalise Zolezzi, Director of Brand Communications at Taylor Guitars

Source: Women’s International Music Network

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 10

Greenpeace India appoints new chief amid legal battles

EW DELHI, India | AFP | Wednesday 1/20/2016 - Greenpeace India said Wednesday it had appointed a new director to steer the group forward amid ongoing legal battles with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The campaign group said Ravi Chellam, an environmentalist who has worked with the United Nations Development Programme and wildlife organisations, assumed his role as executive director earlier this month. His predecessor Samit Aich resigned last June together with programme director Divya Raghunandan over their handling of sexual harassment complaints and a rape allegation, although neither was directly implicated in the cases. “Ravi will anchor the NGO, which has been facing a series of challenges from a variety of government agencies, and renew the organisation’s focus on campaigns,” the group said in a statement. Greenpeace, which has been in India for 15 years, has been embroiled in legal battles with the Modi-led government over its funding and local operations, although it has managed successfully to defend itself. In the most recent case, the Madras High Court in November temporarily

At least 21 dead in ‘Taliban’ attack on Pakistan university After a public outcry, the military intensified an offensive in the tribal areas where extremists had previously operated with impunity, and the government launched a crackdown.

halted a government order cancelling the group’s licence in the country, allowing it to continue operating.

The TTP’s condemnation appeared to indicate continued infighting in the Pakistani Taliban, as the Islamic State group seeks to recruit its disaffected fighters.

Earlier in 2015 New Delhi suspended Greenpeace’s foreign funding licence and froze its domestic bank accounts for alleged rule violations.

Bajwa said two cell phones were recovered from the scene and had yielded significant information about the attackers, he said.

The environmental group later succeeded in removing those legal blocks. “Over the last year, Greenpeace India has had to defend itself against a barrage of charges, but has drawn strength from... the judiciary which has upheld our position time and time again,” the group’s new head Chellam said in the statement. Greenpeace says the authorities’ actions are motivated by its criticism of the government, which it accuses of causing environmental degradation by excessive use of coal power, deforestation and nuclear projects. The group has also accused federal authorities of placing its campaigners on suspicious persons list after some were barred exit and entry into the country. Indian media have reported on a secret intelligence document that apparently warned delays to key development projects sought by Greenpeace and other groups could knock three percentage points off India’s annual growth rate.

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

“They were in contact, one mobile phone was receiving calls even after a terrorist’s death,” Bajwa said, adding the perpetrators had Afghan simcards. Rescuers carry an injured man to a hospital following the attack by gunmen in the Bacha Khan university in Charsadda, about 50 kilometres from Peshawar, northern Pakistan on January 20, 2016 (AFP Photo/) by Khurram SHAHZAD / Lehaz Ali

mega-city of Karachi.

Pir Shahab, superintendent of investigations in Charsadda, said the 21 dead included a chemistry lecturer who was later revealed to have died trying to shield his pupils, two gardeners, one caretaker, and 17 students.

HARSADDA, Pakistan | AFP | Wednesday 1/20/2016 - Gunmen armed with grenades and Kalashnikovs stormed a university in northwest Pakistan Wednesday leaving at least 21 dead, in an attack with all the same hallmarks of a 2014 massacre at a nearby Peshawar school. Security forces killed all four attackers in an assault claimed by a Pakistani Taliban faction but branded “un-Islamic” by the umbrella group’s leadership, who vowed to hunt down those responsible. Security forces said the young attackers had hidden in fields surrounding the Bacha Khan university in the northwestern town of Charsadda, taking advantage of fog that severely restricted visibility to enter the premises unnoticed. A university security guard told AFP they had scaled a wall to enter the campus, apparently killing a caretaker in a school guesthouse before moving on to the boys’ hostel. Police, soldiers and special forces swarmed the establishment from the ground and the air to shut down the assault, which also left 30 injured. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif declared a national day of mourning for Thursday and directed the country’s security agencies to hunt those responsible for the attack, his office said. Wednesday’s attack spurred widespread outrage across Pakistan, with a candlelight vigil for the victims held in the southwestern city of Quetta and dozens of people protesting in the port

The four attackers killed by security forces were not included in the toll, he said. Pakistan army spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa told reporters in Peshawar that 18 students and two staff members had been killed, putting the number of deaths at 20.

An anonymous senior security official said the faces of the attackers were recognisable and their fingerprints had been taken, adding: “We hope we will soon identify them.” The official said two of the attackers were teenagers while the others were in their early 20s, and all were heavily armed with Kalashnikovs and grenades. - Teacher hailed -Earlier in the day, Pakistanis were hailing Syed Hamid Husain, a chemistry lecturer who tried to protect his students by opening fire on the militants before being shot himself, as a “martyr” and “gentleman”. Witnesses said the professor had been known as “The Protector” even before he died shielding his students.

An AFP reporter saw pools of blood and overturned furniture at a the male students’ hostel, where security forces had earlier cornered the four gunmen.

Geology student Zahoor Ahmed said the tutor had warned him not to leave the building after the first shots were fired.

Television images earlier showed female students running for their lives and witnesses reported at least two explosions.

“He was holding a pistol in his hand,” he said.

- Taliban infighting -Umar Mansoor, a commander of the Hakimullah Mehsud faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistani (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack, though TTP’s central leadership denied any involvement. “TTP strongly condemns today’s attack and disassociates itself completely from this un-Islamic attack,” spokesman Muhammad Khurasani said on Twitter, vowing that the group would bring those behind it to justice. Security forces believe Mansoor was the mastermind behind a similar attack on an army-run school in nearby Peshawar in 2014 that left more than 150 people dead, most of them children.

“Then I saw a bullet hit him. I saw two militants were firing. I ran inside and then managed to flee by jumping over the back wall.” “He would always help the students and he was the one who knew all their secrets... He was referred to by students as ‘The Protector’,” geology student Waqar Ali told AFP. Another student told reporters he was in class when he heard gunshots. “We saw three terrorists shouting, ‘Allah is great!’ and rushing towards the stairs of our department,” he said. The gunmen’s assault, which Amnesty International said could be branded a war crime, was also condemned globally, including by India, the EU and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

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The sub-acute rehabilitation setting offers multiple benefits in terms of the quality and type of services offered over a traditional nursing home or assisted living center. • Customized treatment plans by a physical therapist and occupational therapist within 24 hours of admission and completely managed by orthopedic specialized doctors and a medical director

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

View of the Private suites of The Medical Resort Sugar Land. Photo credit: The Medical Resort Sugar Land.

Photos credit: The Medical Resort Sugar Land.

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Patient undergoing treatment at The Medical Resort Sugar Land gives two thumbs up.

Dr. Archana Thotta, Chief Operations Manager with The Medical Resort Sugar Land team.

Pakistani child sex abuse victims struggle to rebuild lives by Caroline Nelly PERROT USSAIN KHAN WALA, Pakistan | AFP - “I don’t regret speaking out, but since then, people have looked at me with strange eyes,” laments 16-year-old village boy Irfan.

He was one of 20 children sexually abused by a gang who sold videos of the acts and used them for blackmail purposes, in a scandal that shocked Pakistan. The police, who had conspicuously failed to act despite pleas from some parents, eventually arrested 37 men after clashes between relatives and authorities brought the issue into the media spotlight last summer, years after the abuse began. Six months after one of the country’s biggest paedophilia scandal broke, police now confirm 17 of the accused remain in prison awaiting trial, while three more are out on bail. But the young survivors who defied taboos to seek justice say they have little hope for rebuilding their lives. In recent years, more and more fami-

lies in this socially conservative Muslim country of 200 million have dared to speak out against sexual abuse of their children. But the fight against predators remains in its infancy. Powerful taboos, gaps in legislation and a lack of awareness continue to fuel a phenomenon that remains hidden, yet deeply embedded within society. - Media glare -Irfan drags his feet listlessly in the narrow winding streets of Hussain Khan Wala, a large village in rural Punjab. Like the other abused teens, he feels stigmatised and without any kind of support after five years of abuse. “I feel terrible when my friends stare at me. I know what they are thinking,” he mutters. “My classmates and teachers look down on me, so I stopped going to school.” Though the scandal finally made it to the national news media in July, the local police were found to have turned a blind eye to the crimes for several months “which amounts not only to criminal negligence, rather it was connivance,” according to a report by the National Commission for Human Rights.

Several of the accused belong to locally influential families. It took a series of clashes between the survivors’ families and police, in which dozens were injured, for politicians to act and demand arrests. The families and survivors were then served up to the media, with some local leaders placing the number of abused children at 280 -- though that figure is believed to have been inflated as a result of attempts to leverage the tragedy for business and political gain. Authorities established that 20 youths were raped and sodomised, the only two sex crimes recognised under Pakistani law. The country’s penal code does not prohibit sexual abuse that does not involve penetration, nor child pornography. “This scandal shows there are no institutional structures to tackle sexual abuse or to protect children,” says Valerie Khan, the director of Group Development Pakistan, a local NGO which advocates legal reforms. A law criminalising sexual abuse of

A Pakistani child abuse victim conceals his face during an interview with AFP (AFP Photo/Arif Ali). children is currently being debated by Pakistan’s Senate.

2014, a rise it said “reflects an increase in social awareness of the problem”.

These reforms are all the more urgent given the growing number of cases being reported, according to child rights’ group Sahil, which records statistics based on press reports in the absence of official data.

Veteran human rights activist Hina Jilani said that while increased reporting was welcome, cases must be handled sensitively -- noting that activists, judges and police were not trained in how to question child victims.

The group recorded fewer than 2,000 cases in 2008, but more than 3,500 in

Continued on Page 14

LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 12

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

Indian state’s ‘luxury tax’ on samosas sparks row

Superstitions: Where did they come from? develop personal superstitions: a student writes a good form of literary piece with a certain pen, and from that moment the pen is lucky; a horse player may be convinced that black horses run well for him.

Prof. Meenakshi Bhattacharjee, by Prof. Meenakshi Bhattacharjee, Rice University, Houston TX.

uperstitions have come a long way in history and have been evolved in this process. Every known civilization that ever existed on the planet had something common in them; these were the myths and superstitions that were a crucial part of their cultures. The word superstition is designated to those beliefs that result from ignorance and fear of the unknown. Many superstitious practices are due to the false interpretations of the natural events. Curiosity also with regard to things that are hidden or are still in the future plays a considerable part, example, in the various kinds of divination. With this qualification in mind, superstitions may be classified roughly as religious, cultural and personal. All religious beliefs and practices may seem superstitious to the person without religion. Superstitions that belong to the cultural tradition are enormous in their variety. Nearly all persons, in nearly all times, have held, seriously, irrational beliefs concerning methods of warding off ill or bringing good, foretelling the future, and healing and preventing sickness and accidents. Even people who claim they have no superstitions are likely to do a few things they cannot explain. Finally, people

Whether founded on myth or not, we may not always believe in these old wives tales, but it exists in our subconscious mind and still is a part of our society. Superstitions are more common than we think. So for all those who do enjoy debunking superstitious beliefs, here’s a list of some of the origin stories behind them. Black Cat crossing. Back in the days of witchcraft and witches, people believed that black cats contained the soul of Satan. So it was feared that if you come across a black cat in your path it meant that the devil was watching. Eerie. Opening umbrellas indoors. Ancient Egyptian umbrellas were often crafted to help block out the sun. Opening these indoors was considered an insult to the sun God and therefore quickly became a strict no-no. But you shouldn’t do it anyway as you’ll probably ruin the umbrella or potentially take someone’s eye out. Broken mirrors give you seven years of bad luck. Ancient Roman physicians and mystics believed that it took seven years for a human body to completely renew itself. When diagnosing patients, they would fill mirrored glass with water and observe the reflection of his patient. If distorted, they were ill. If the glass cracked they said the patient would be sick for seven years. But, no, it doesn’t give you bad luck. Unlucky 13. Twelve is accepted as being the “perfect” number. Everything had been split 12 ways, from the disciples to the months of the year. The world’s first legal document unintentionally omitted the 13th law, hence creating the “unluckiness” of the number. Historically, any 13th

member was considered bad luck and leading to a form of discomfort or evil. In the US today, 80+% of skyscrapers do not acknowledge the 13th floor. Knocking on wood. An ancient pagan belief was that good spirits lived in the barks of trees. In order to make a successful wish, one had to whisper it to a tree and knock twice in order to awaken the spirit to accept the wish. Nowadays, this is instinctively used to ward off evil that may cause a wish to not come true. Itchy palms mean money. As the tale goes, an itch in your right palm means you could be expecting money coming in. Alternatively, an itchy left palm means money is going to leave your possession. Based on science, an itchy right palm is usually associated with energy moving through your body. It is said that rubbing wood gets rid of it, in essence, transferring it out your body. It could also just be an adverse reaction to something you touched. Spilling salt equals bad luck. Initially used as a way to curb the wastage of salt, a relatively expensive commodity back in the day, it found its way into Christian belief. Throwing salt over your left shoulder was used to undo the work of the devil, believed to sit atop your left shoulder waiting for an opportunity to invade. The last supper depicts Judas spilling the salt. There are some things that bring good luck too. Some much believed one are: A rabbit’s foot brings good luck; To find a four-leaf clover is to find good luck;To find a horseshoe brings good luck; Clothes worn inside out will bring good luck; Wearing your birthstone will bring you good luck; If you blow out all of the candles on your birthday cake with the first breath you will get whatever you wish for. Wishing all readers lots of good luck in 2016.

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state’s precarious financial situation, a luxury tax on popular snacks like samosas and kachoris also exposes a lack of ideas,” he said. The row recalls the 2012 controversy over Britain’s plan to extend levies on takeaway food to Cornish pasties and other hot snacks. The government was forced to back down after a public outcry over what became known as the “pasty tax”.

Salman Ahmed: Mr Musclemania remains an unknown hero in Pakistan

Pakistani bodybuilder Salman Ahmed poses for a photograph at his gym, the Body Shape Fitness Centre, in Lahore (AFP Photo/Arif Ali).

AHORE: Salman Ahmed was alone in the crowd when he became the first Pakistani to win the Musclemania world bodybuilding title in Las Vegas last year, unable to afford an entourage of managers, coaches, promoters like his fellow competitors. Now the 25-year-old is back in Pakistan and facing a choice: with no financial support from the government of his cricketobsessed country and potential sponsors made skittish by its security issues, he must decide between giving up his glittering career or leaving home. “A bodybuilder has no future in Pakistan,” he tells AFP during a workout at his gym in a low-income neighbourhood of the eastern city of Lahore. The US Consulate has congratulated him on his historic win in the lightweight category at Musclemania, the world’s premier natural bodybuilding contest. Even Pakistan’s archrival India has been courting him by inviting him to speak at seminars in various cities. But from Pakistani officials, he says, he has not heard a word. “Cricket players get all the limelight, while other sportsmen suffer due to lack of attention and financial support,” Ahmed tells AFP. “Nobody in the government cared to even send me a congratulatory message. “He says he has had “some very lucrative offers” from European countries and the US to compete for them instead.

Mn, Gu

NEW DELHI, India - One of India’s poorest states has said it will impose a “luxury tax” on samosas -- one of the country’s most popular snacks -sparking widespread outrage. The Bihar government announced plans this week for the new levy to offset an anticipated plunge in the state’s revenues when a ban on alcohol sales Samosas are India’s most popular snacks comes into force in April. Cosmetics, perfumes #samosa alone.” and some sweets were also Opposition politicians in among the “luxury” items to the eastern state, which is also be taxed at 13.5 percent, but one of India’s most populous, the decision to include the warned the tax would hurt ormuch-loved pastry snack was dinary people. met with bafflement on social “This is a foolish, antimedia. people idea that will hurt “Weird tax alert! Ready the masses,” Devesh Kumar, for samosa politics?” Twitter spokesman for the Bharatiya user Shruti Malhotra wrote, Janata Party in Bihar, told while Azeem Shaikh posted: AFP. “Eh? Please leave the humble “Besides exposing the

“But then I would have to leave my home and my country, and I would not be able to wave the Pakistani flag when I win.” Selfies bulk up bodybuilding Music pumps at the shabby, worn Body Shape Fitness Centre as mirrors reflect Ahmed and his protege, 21-year-old Hassan Butt, straining to lift weights so heavy that other gym-goers pause to gawk at them.

admits. Bodybuilding is not a widely-practiced sport in Pakistan, though Butt -- himself a national champion who vows to follow Ahmed’s path -- says its popularity is growing in the era of the selfie because young people like to post pictures of their muscles on Facebook. He admits, however, that for some the motivations are shallow: many young men pay their $5 a month to come to the gym and take a selfie of their “workout” to send to female friends, then leave without lifting a single weight. The sport’s unpopularity has previously worked in Ahmed’s favour: he initially applied for university as a cricket player but the competition was too stiff. Unable to afford the fees on his own, he tried his luck in bodybuilding -- even then he was initially rejected, but after begging for a chance college authorities relented, warning he would have to bulk up. Now he has a Masters in Human Resource Management from the University of Central Punjab but says starting salaries would pay only around $160 a month, while the proteins alone that he says he needs cost about $180. He cannot count on financial support from his family -- his father became ill during his time in university and often he found himself working three jobs while studying to support relatives. And sponsors, he says, run away when they hear the word “Pakistan” -- fearful of the country’s security situation. “They are too afraid to come here,” he says. “I tell them that Lahore is safe... but they do not believe.” Currently he manages the gym, once owned by his late brother -- but the income it generates is hardly enough to pay the rent, much less support his training regime. “It is a huge challenge,” he

Raising the barbell Ahmed began competing in local competitions through college and by 2014 was competing in Miami and Las Vegas. After months of rigorous training, he took on some 600 bodybuilders from around the world at Musclemania last year with nothing but his own determination behind him. “Koreans, Americans and European bodybuilders were in teams, they had managers and coaches and media promoters with them,” he says. “I was alone there, a one-man team, and beat them all.” His mother Sajida Yasin -who, Ahmed says, can predict which bodybuilders will win just by looking at them, and knows all the details of his diet and exercise regime -- told AFP that she wept for joy after watching online from Lahore as her son lifted the trophy. Now he has his sights set on winning the Musclemania Pro category, to be held in Miami in June. There may yet be hope. Usman Anwar, head of the Punjab Sports Board, says the government had simply not been aware of Ahmed’s achievement. “Had we known that he was going to participate in the event we would not only have supported him, we would have encouraged him and provided him training and technical expertise and all the logistics also,” Anwar tells AFP. The PSB has now called Ahmed and will meet him soon, he says, to hear his story and recommend financial support -- though the extent of that is yet unclear. For Ahmed, decision time is approaching. “I want to be on top of this field,” he says. “Ultimately, I have to make a choice... But it is with a very heavy heart.”

VOICE OF ASIA 13

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Section 2

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

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Students design ‘plant backpack’ to combat air pollution THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Five Dutch students have hit on a unique idea to replace face masks used against air pollution, and are developing a “plant backpack” to give wearers instant fresh air. “The bag allows fine particles to be filtered out and cleans the air,” said Marnix de Kroon, the leader of the team. “The Plant Bag” is fitted with a filter which takes in the outside air and sifts it through the roots of a plant housed inside the backpack before allowing the wearer to breathe it in. Even though the idea is still in early stages, it won a Dutch design competition, and the students at TU Delft University have moved to the next stage of making a prototype. A woman wears “The Plant Bag”, a backpack fitted with a breathing mask connected to the pack which contains a plant on January 18, 2016 in Delft (AFP Photo/).

“We are testing which plant will work the best, and it seems that aloe vera may be a possibility,” De Kroon told AFP.

However, an expert from the Netherlands weather institute said such a design would not be very useful. “The filter alone will sift out 99.9 percent of the fine particles,” the Dutch daily Trouw quoted the expert as saying. De Kroon however insists that the plant will catch the smallest of the microscopic particles which can penetrate deep into the lungs and trigger varying health problems. “This product may not take off very quickly in Europe, but cities like Beijing and Tehran, cities with serious pollution problems, will be our main market,” he said. In December, Beijing issued its first red pollution alert when levels of PM2.5 particles reached 350 micrograms per cubic metres. The World Health Organisation’s recommended maximum exposure is 25.

Home School Day

Children’s Museum of Houston invites home school students to go crazy for chemistry! Monday, January 25

he Children’s Museum of Houston is bringing on the pHun for Home School Day. The Museum will be open exclusively for home school families to have unlimited access to all 14-galleries of non-stop, action-packed fun and explore our STEM-based educational programming centered on this week’s Crazy for Chemistry celebration. Pre-registration is required. SPECIAL EVENTS: BASF Kids’ Lab – The pHun Factor: Explore how color extracted from vegetables, fruits or flowers vary according to their pH values. Event Times: 11 a.m. to noon, and 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Tree Top. ON-GOING ACTIVITIES: • Science Experiments: Play the role of a scientist with experiments in Power Science Lab. • Longest Polymer Paper Chain: Make a polymer paper chain at Junktion. • Scientist ID Badge: Become an official scientist with your very own badge at Junktion. • Natural vs. Synthetic: Examine fabrics under a microscope at EcoStation. • Paper Chain Creations: Create your own chain decorations at Alexander Art Academy. • Animal Tapestries: Weave colorful animal pictures on a loom at EcoStation. • 100 Puzzles: Discover the many ways to make 100 at ExxonMobil Math Cart. • Color Sorting Blocks: Practice sorting and counting in a block game at ExxonMobil Math Cart. Children play the role of a scientist with experiments in Power Science Lab.

Pakistan removes school massacre video game after uproar

SLAMABAD, Pakistan - A Pakistani video game based on a Taliban school massacre of more than 150 people, mostly children, in the country’s northwest was removed Monday after triggering a social media uproar, with critics blasting it as tasteless. The game, called “Pakistan Army Retribution”, was released by the Punjab IT board on Google Play, and invites the player to step into the shoes of a soldier shooting extremists in the hallways of a school. It is inspired by Pakistan’s deadliest ever insurgent attack that saw nine Taliban gunmen storm a school in Peshawar city, shooting students and teachers in cold blood and occupying the school for hours until they were killed by the army. The December 16, 2014 assault shocked Pakistan, already scarred by a decade of attacks, and emotional ceremonies marking the anniversary were held across the country last month. But after an article lampooning the game in Pakistan’s most

WHEN: Home School Day, Jan. 25, 2016 ***Activities, events and times subject to change. WHERE: Children’s Museum of Houston, 1500 Binz St., Houston, TX 77004 HOURS/COST: • HOME SCHOOL DAY SPECIAL HOURS: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. • Special Home School Day Admission: $8 per person. Children under one and Museum Members receive free admission. • Pre-registration required. Please contact Lydia Dungus at ldungus@cmhouston.org or call (713) 535-7238 to make a reservation. • For more information, visit www.cmhouston.org or call (713) 522-1138.

Pakistani child sex abuse victims struggle.... Continued from page 11 PHOTO: An image advertising the Pakistan Army Retribution game. (Google Play Store). widely read English language newspaper Dawn on Monday, social media users lambasted its makers for exploiting the tragedy. “Bizarre and distasteful,” user Shaheryar Mirza wrote. “Play the APS game on Android, kill the bad guys, empathy and good taste in one go,” wrote Fasi Zaka, referring to the Army Public School that was targeted in the grisly attack. The

Punjab

Information

Technology Board, a government body aggressively promoting digital innovation in the central Pakistan province, offered a mea culpa on Twitter. “The APS game has been removed. It was in poor taste,” its head Dr Umar Saif wrote. “Thank you for highlighting this mistake. We have made the amends.” By Monday afternoon, the game was no longer available on Google Play.

Another obstacle to greater reporting of crimes are the families themselves, who are often reluctant to intervene when they feel their “honour” is at stake, according to Jilani. - Loss of self-worth Eighteen-year-old Sonia says it was unreported childhood abuse, and the subsequent loss of her honour that drove her toward prostitution. Forced to abandon her studies to work following the death of her father at the age

of 16, she found herself at the mercy of an employer who she says raped her. “If I would tell my family, they would not go to the police station,” says the frail young woman, because of the shame it would bring. It was difficult for her to make her complaint herself because “there (are) no lady police” at the station, she said, and she quit her job fearing more attacks. Having lost her sense of worth, she turned to an intermediary at a beauty salon who guided her toward prostitution, which she now uses to support her family.

Wearing light make-up and modern but modest clothing, she has all the airs of a carefree high-schooler -- apart from the fact she walks the streets alone at night. Back in Hussain Khan Wala, the parents of abused children are waiting for the government to help them rebuild their lives anew elsewhere. Muhammad, a labourer whose 17 year old son was among those abused, said “(They) should be sent to Islamabad or abroad because they can not study here, you must remove them from the atmosphere.”

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Filmfare 2016: Bajirao Mastani wins Aamir Khan tried to destroy India’s big, Piku gets its due at India’s biggest brand identity: DIPP Secretary awards show

Amitabh Kant and actor Aamir Khan Ranveer Singh wins Best Actor for Bajirao Mastani, while Deepika Padukone picked up the same for Piku

UMBAI - Bajirao Mastani was the biggest winner of the night. The film won Best Film, while its team swept up the rest of the coveted awards. Best Director went to Sanjay Leela Bhansali), while Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) was awarded to Ranveer Singh. Bajirao Mastani heroine Deepika Padukone won Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female) for her performance in Piku. Priyanka Chopra’s win of the Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female) for Bajirao Mastani made it a sweet victory for the Bajirao Mastani team. Deepika accepted the award on Priyanka’s behalf; the actress sent a shout-out to her team on Twitter: The Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) went to Anil Kapoor for Dil Dhadakne Do. The biggest winner in the Music category was Roy, which won Best Music (awarded to Ankit Tiwari, Meet Bros. Anjjan and Amaal Mallik) and Best Playback Singer (Male) (awarded to ‘Sooraj Dooba’

singer Arijit Singh, who beat Pakistani singer Atif Aslam nominated for Badlapur’s ‘Jeena Jeena’). Best Lyrics went to Tamasha’s ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’ and Best Playback Singer (Female) went to Shreya Ghoshal for ‘Deewani Mastani’ from Bajirao Mastani. The Critics’ Choice awards brought into the winner’s fold some of the talent sidelined by Bajirao Mastani’s sweeping victory. Piku won Best Film, its lead actor Amitabh Bachchan won Best Actor (Male), while Kangana Ranaut bagged a well-deserved Best Actor (Female) for Tanu Weds Manu Returns. For her decades of contribution to the industry, veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee (last seen in Piku as Deepika Padukone’s happening aunt) was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Young singer Armaan Mallik was recognised for his musical potential with the RD Burman Award. Debut Awards The debut awards were

dominated by the newest newsmakers from Bollywood. Sooraj Pancholi won Best Debut (Male) for his performance in Hero, while Bhumi Pednekar won Best Debut (Female) for Dum Laga Ke Haisha. The Best Debut Director award went to Masaan director Neeraj Ghaywan. Bajirao Mastani also picked up the Filmfare for Best Action, Best Choreography (for the song ‘Mohe Rang Do Laal), Best Costume (awarded to Anju Modi and Maxima Basu) and Best Production Design. Piku picked up further awards for Best Background Score and Best Screenplay (awarded to Anupam Roy and Juhi Chaturvedi respectively). Tanu Weds Manu Returns also won Best Dialogue, while Bajrangi Bhaijaan was honoured with the Best Story award. Other winners of the technical awards include Dum Laga Ke Haisha for Best Cinematography, Talvar for Best Editing and Best Sound Design, and Bombay Velvet for Best VFX.

HMEDABAD, PTI, January 19, 2016 Actor Aamir Khan damaged the “brand India” while being the brand ambassador of the celebrated ‘Incredible India’ campaign, a top official has said. Defending the exit of Khan from the campaign, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Amitabh Kant said the actor, by terming India an ‘intolerant country’, worked against his role as that of a brand ambassador. “A brand ambassador promotes a brand. People will come to India and tourist flow will increase only if the brand ambassador of ‘Incredible India’ promotes the country as ‘incredible’,” Kant told report-

ers on the sidelines of a convocation here last night. “But if the brand ambassador says India is intolerant, he surely is not working as brand ambassador,” Kant said. “The brand ambassador must be the best brand ambassador for promoting and marketing India, he cannot be the destroyer of the brand,” he said while replying to a query on removal of Khan from the campaign, without taking the actor’s name. Khan had late last year stirred a controversy after he expressed “alarm and despondency” over rising instances of intolerance in the country in the past few months and said that his wife (Kiran Rao) even asked if they should move out of India as she feared for the safety of their

children. Kant, who was involved in conceptualising Incredible India campaign in 2002 in his capacity as joint secretary, Ministry of Tourism, today tweeted, “Being a Brand Ambassador imposes responsibilities. U can’t run down what you’re promoting. That’s damaging d brand.” Khan actively promoted Indian tourism for a decade as the brand ambassador. Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma had said Aamir had a contract with advertising firm McCann Erickson and not the government for the campaign. “Since the contract with the agency is no more, automatically the arrangement with the actor no longer exists,” Sharma had said.

Kabir Bedi slams daughter Pooja over ‘venomous comments’ Mumbai, Jan 19 (PTI) Bollywood Actor Kabir Bedi has lashed out at daughter Pooja Bedi for calling his newly married wife “wicked and evil”, saying he is “deeply disappointed” with the comments. Bedi, who tied the knot for the fourth time with Parveen Dusanj on his 70th birthday, took to Twitter to share his displeasure over the unwelcoming remarks made by Pooja. “DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED by venomous comments by my daughter Pooja against @ parveendusanj just after we married. NO excuse for bad behaviour (sic),” he wrote. Pooja, who is the daughter of Bedi and his first wife Protima, was not happy with the marriage. “Every fairy tale has a wicked witch or an evil step~mother! Mine just arrived! @iKabirBedi just married @parveendusanj,” she had tweeted on January 17 immediately after the wedding.

Kabir Bedi and Parveen Dusanjh photographed at a party in Mumbai. Lets keep things positive. I Wish him the best!,” she posted recently but Bedi is in no mood to let bygones be bygones.

She later deleted the tweet and wished her father the best for his fourth marriage. “Deleted the last tweet on my dad @iKabirBedi 4th marriage.

Bedi’s first marriage was to model-turned-Odissi dancer Protima, with whom he had two children Pooja and Siddharth.

Pooja Bedi

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He later married British-born fashion designer Susan Humphreys and the couple had son Adam. Bedi divorced Humphreys and tied the knot with TV and radio presenter Nikki Bedi. They had no children and divorced in 2005.

Bedi and daughter Pooja have been estranged for over a year. Pooja had apparently asked father Kabir and his partner Parveen to move out of the house that she said belonged to her mother, Protima.

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Physical therapy no help for Parkinson’s patients: study

IAMI, AFP - Routinely assigning people with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease to physical or occupational therapy offers no improvement to their quality of life, said a British study out Tuesday. The findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Neurology, suggest that the current standard of care for early-stage patients may be a waste of time and money. Parkinson’s disease attacks the central nervous system, and affects about seven million people across the world, including about four percent of those over age 80. The randomized trial involved 762 patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease, recruited from 38 sites in Britain. All the patients were experiencing some difficulties with daily activities such as buttoning shirts or brushing teeth. Half were assigned to physical therapy and the other half to occupational therapy -- both practiced in hour-long sessions

that took place several times over the course of the study.

they were unlikely to benefit from such therapies.

Physical therapy tends to focus on diagnosing and treating injuries, while occupational therapy aims to help patients adapt to injury and improve life skills.

“Thus, one may conclude from this investigation that blanket referrals of all patients with earlier-stage PD for routine physical or occupation therapy appears to be cost-ineffective,” he wrote.

After three months, researchers at the University of Birmingham found “no difference between the groups” in their ability to perform daily tasks or in their answers on a healthrelated quality of life questionnaire. Furthermore, there were “no clinically meaningful short- or medium-term benefits” from either therapy for those in the study, the researchers added. Therefore, more time should be spent on exploring “the development and testing of more structured and intensive physical therapy programs in patients with all stages of Parkinson’s disease,” the study said. An accompanying editorial by J. Eric Ahlskog, a doctor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, pointed out that doctors for all the patients in the study had already decided

But more targeted physical therapies to help exercise immobilized limbs or improve balance can benefit patients, and these were not the focus of this particular study, Ahlskog said. Currently in Britain, all patients with Parkinson’s are allowed access to both types of therapy. “This shows that there is an urgent requirement to review current guidelines for patients with Parkinson’s disease,” said lead author Carl Clarke, a professor at the University of Birmingham. “The resource that is committed towards these therapies, that do not appear to be effective, could be better used in patients with more severe problems with their Parkinson’s disease.”

Cost of cutting corners: US kids with lead poisoning by Mira OBERMAN

HICAGO, AFP, 1/8/2016 - The children of Flint, Michigan, are paying the price for a costcutting measure that poisoned their water supply after state authorities ignored months of health warnings about the foulsmelling water. Accused of turning a blind eye to local residents who complained the discolored water was making them sick, the governor of Michigan has finally declared a state of emergency and promised swift action to help. “This is an unfortunate situation that I do apologize for with respect to our responsibility,” Governor Rick Snyder said Thursday after meeting with the city’s mayor. The US Justice Department this week launched an investigation into the handling of the crisis which has seen in a sharp spike in lead poisoning among Flint’s children. Filmmaker Michael Moore, who was born in the northeastern city of 100,000 people, has launched an online petition to have Snyder arrested for what he termed “callous,” “reckless” actions. “To poison all the children in an historic American city is no small feat,” he wrote. “Even international terrorist organizations haven’t figured out yet how to do something on a magnitude like this,” said Moore, who made his hometown famous in the 1989 documentary “Roger and Me” about the devastation wrought by the closure of General Motors’ auto plants there. - Hair loss, rashes -Four years ago, Snyder named a state-appointed manager to take control of Flint’s troubled finances -- effectively wresting control from elected officials under a controversial law.

The children of Flint, Michigan, are paying the price for a cost-cutting measure that poisoned their water supply after state authorities ignored months of health warnings about the foulsmelling water (AFP Photo/Fred Tanneau) even though the city’s treatment plant was not able to produce water that met state and federal standards, according to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Natural Resource Defense Council.

one, but it can have devastating impacts on young children by irreversibly harming brain development. It has been shown to lower intelligence, stunt growth and lead to aggressive and antisocial behaviors.

Residents soon began complaining that the foul, cloudy water was making them vomit, break out in rashes and lose their hair.

But despite pressure from the federal environment agency, and water tests showing dangerous levels of lead in homes across Flint, it was months before city and state officials moved to fix the problem.

A few months later the city had to issue several boil-water advisories after tests discovered harmful bacteria in the tap water. The treatment used to kill the bacteria ended up leaving cancer-causing contaminants behind. State health officials continued to insist the water was safe to drink even after General Motors said in October 2014 that it would no longer use the city’s water in its engine plant because it was too corrosive. The corrosive water did more than damage engine parts. It also started to leach lead out of the old pipes that distribute the city’s water.

As part of a cost-cutting drive, the city began drawing water from the Flint River in April 2014 rather than continue to buy it from Detroit.

One concerned mother contacted the Environmental Protection Agency in January after being rebuffed by city and state officials when she complained that her son would break out in a rash after a bath. She soon found he also had elevated lead levels in his blood.

The state’s environment department approved the switch

- ‘Manmade disaster’ -Lead exposure is harmful to every-

The state’s environment ministry is also accused of using “flawed testing methods that appear to have been designed to underreport the lead content of residents’ drinking water,” according to the lawsuit filed by the ACLU and NRDC. Snyder eventually sought $6 million from the state legislature to cover the cost of reconnecting Flint to Detroit’s water supply and the switch was completed in October. That was after elevated lead levels were found in the water of four Flint schools and a local pediatrician released a study showing that the number of children with elevated blood-lead levels had doubled from 2.1 to four percent. Mayor Karen Weaver welcomed the news that federal prosecutors were investigating Flint’s water crisis, saying Tuesday “people need to be held accountable.” Weaver -- who is currently powerless to act without approv-

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Study Washington has Big Hopes, quantifies but Little Power, To Negotiate faulty gene’s Drug Prices role in ovary t sounds simple enough: Let Medicare negotiate cancer risk drug prices and help bring

ARIS, | AFP | 1/19/2016 - Women who carry an inherited fault in the BRIP1 gene are three times more likely to develop ovarian cancer than those without it, researchers said Tuesday. The gene variant had already been linked to cancer of the ovaries, but the size of the additional risk has now been quantified in a study in the Journal of the US National Cancer Institute. “Around 18 women in every 1,000 develop ovarian cancer, but this risk increases to around 58 women in every 1,000 for women with a fault in the BRIP1 gene,” said a statement from Cancer Research UK, whose researchers led the research. The fault inhibited tissue cells from properly repairing their own DNA, causing genetic damage to build up over time, and leading to cancer, said the team. The rare but deadly disease, with few early symptoms, is often diagnosed at a very advanced stage, hence its reputation as a silent killer. About 60 percent of patients die within five years. There is no standard or routine test for early detection of ovarian cancer -- a process known as “screening” to boost survival chances by allowing for treatment to begin as soon as possible after disease onset. The study compared the genes of over 8,000 European women -- including a group diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a healthy group, and a third with a family history of the disease. They found that women who carried the BRIP1 mutation were more likely to be diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, at a later stage and at an older age. “Our work has found a valuable piece of the puzzle behind ovarian cancer and we hope that our work could eventually form the basis of a genetic test to identify women at greatest risk,” said Paul Pharaoh, a cancer epidemiology professor at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. “Finding these women will help us prevent more cancers and save lives. This would be important in a disease like ovarian cancer, which tends to be diagnosed at a later stage when the chances of survival are worse.” Women with a mutation on the BRCA1 gene, for example, carry a very high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Those diagnosed with the variant is found, can opt to surgically remove their breasts and ovaries in order to lower their risk.

down prices for consumers. With growing public frustration over the price of prescription drugs, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have made that idea a centerpiece of their campaigns, and congressional Democrats have been kicking the notion around in broad terms for years. But policy experts say the candidates and lawmakers are exaggerating how much power the government actually has to drive down drug prices on a large scale. The reality is that any attempt to negotiate with drug makers would be challenging, without any guarantees of an outcome that would make a significant difference to most consumers’ bottom line. It also would almost certainly not involve Medicare officials sitting around a table, haggling with drug company executives over the price of every medication. “There’s a huge gulf between the political talking points and the practical execution,” said Dan Mendelson, president of the Avalere Health consulting firm and a former health care official in President Bill Clinton’s budget office. “It’s extremely difficult to structure the program so the negotiations desired by Congress would be productive.” The idea of negotiating with drug makers dates back to the creation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2003, when Republicans — who controlled Congress at the time — wrote a section into the law that banned the Department of Health and Human Services from getting involved in talks over prices. Individual, private drug plans that provide the coverage for Medicare can negotiate — with some significant restrictions. Ever since then, Democrats in Congress have floated proposals that would lift the ban. President Obama called for letting Medicare negotiate the prices of biologics (which are often made from living cells) and high-cost drugs in his budget proposal to Congress last year. And Sanders has introduced a bill that would get rid of the restriction, and says HHS “shall negotiate” drug prices for people with Medicare drug coverage. These proposals have made good political sense. About three-quarters of the public believe the prices of brand-name prescription drugs are unreasonable, according to a poll last year by STAT and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. About 7 out of 10 Americans, in-

al from the state-appointed manager -- declared a state of emergency at city level last month in an effort to sound the alarm.

learning disabilities and the need for special education and mental health services and an increase in the juvenile justice system.”

The “manmade disaster,” the text warned, will “result in

She discussed the need for additional social services with

Sudhir Mathuria Contact: Sudhir Mathuria Licensed Professional Health Life 360 6650 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900 www.MyMedicarePlanning.com cluding two-thirds of Republicans, said Medicare should be able to negotiate lower prices for all prescription drugs. But none of the proposals to empower Medicare to begin negotiations has spelled out how that would work. he Clinton campaign declined to provide more details on its plan. A Sanders aide said details would be left to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is part of HHS, and any legislation would just broadly define the federal government’s authority. That could be a problem. “I don’t know of anyone who has thought this through as a realistic policy innovation because it has never been even close to happening,” said John McDonough, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and a former aide to Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Still, some Democrats are quietly working through the mechanics of drug price negotiations — aided by the work of researchers who have written about the subject for health care journals. It’s not practical to expect the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to negotiate every drug in the program, a process that would be unwieldy and time-consuming, Democratic health care experts say. It’s better, they say, to focus the effort on the most expensive treatments — and to allow the government to insist that they prove an added value over the drugs the program already covers. Read the complete report @ www.voiceofasiaonline.com To choose right health plan for individual, family or business contact Sudhir Mathuria @ 713-771-2900.

Snyder, who agreed during their meeting to transition power back to local authorities. The infrastructure repair bill could run as high as $1.5 billion, Weaver told reporters.

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New Yorkers say city not doing Oil dives to fresh 12-year enough to help homeless low under $27 by Roland JACKSON

ONDON, | AFP | 1/20/2016 - Oil plunged to fresh 12-year lows under $27 on Wednesday, slammed by gloomy economic forecasts, China’s slowdown and abundant crude supplies. In late afternoon deals, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for February delivery tanked to $26.30 per barrel, a level last seen in early May 2003. The contract later stood at $26.50, down $1.96 from Tuesday’s closing level.

A homeless man sleeps in the warmth of a church in midtown Manhattan on January 5, 2016 in New York City (AFP Photo/Spencer Platt).

EW YORK - More than 70 percent of New Yorkers believe America’s financial capital is not doing enough to help the homeless, an opinion poll revealed Wednesday. New York has more billionaires than any other city in the world and yet, according to US government figures, 75,000 people are homeless. Seventy-three percent of city voters questioned in the survey by Quinnipiac University said the city is doing too little to help homeless people. Around one fifth -- 19 percent -- said the city is doing the right amount and just two percent say the city was doing too much, the poll found.

The overwhelming majority of city voters, 93 percent, agreed that homelessness is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem, the poll found. Fifty-five percent of all respondents said they disapproved of the way Mayor Bill de Blasio is handling poverty and homelessness, although black voters gave him a 52 percent approval rating. “New Yorkers are seeing more homeless people on the street and they don’t like it,” said Quinnipiac University Poll Assistant Director Maurice Carroll. “They say the quality of life is not so good and that it’s getting worse. They say homelessness is a big problem and

they don’t think Mayor Bill de Blasio is on top of it,” Carroll added. The findings will come as a further embarrassment to the progressive Democrat, who has been on the job two years and campaigned to redress the city’s colossal inequality and skyrocketing rents. Qunnipiac University said the poll interviewed 1,143 city voters between January 11-17 and carries a margin of error of 2.9 percent. Non-profit organization Coalition for the Homeless says nearly 60,000 people are sleeping in New York shelters each night and that in recent years homelessness in the city has hit highs not seen since the 1930s Great Depression.

The global oil market has collapsed further since the International Energy Agency warned Tuesday that the oil market could “drown in oversupply”. Prices have crashed about 75 percent since mid-2014, hit by a perfect storm of a stubborn supply glut, the slowing global economy and the rebounding US dollar. “A stronger dollar continues to present significant headwinds and supply increases show little sign of letting up any time soon,” Sucden analyst Kash Kamal told AFP. “This is very much a supply issue, as global demand has on the whole been quite healthy -but it is likely we will see additional price declines and tighter margins before producers are prompted to cut output.” The strong dollar meanwhile makes dollar-priced crude more expensive for buyers using weaker currencies. In turn, that dents demand and prices. In London meanwhile, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in March tumbled to $27.11, a low last witnessed in early November 2003.

down $1.42 from the close on Tuesday. Crude futures are also in freefall with the supply glut set to worsen, as Iran pumps out extra barrels after the lifting of Western sanctions on Tehran. The IEA predicted Tuesday that prices would fall further this year as supply vastly exceeds demand, with major oil exporter Iran’s return to the market offsetting any production cuts from other countries. - Supply glut -The market has been awash with supplies owing to high production levels by the United States and the OPEC cartel, which last year refused to slash output as it looks to maintain market share. Iran on Monday ordered a boost to crude production a day after the West lifted sanctions on the country in response to Tehran’s compliance with a deal on curbing its nuclear programme. Iran’s National Iranian Oil Company said it had ordered an increase in output of 500,000 barrels per day (bpd). The country currently produces 2.8 million bpd and exports just over a million. “The market is already awash with the stuff and now Iran is

adding to the mix, so we may witness even lower oil prices and for longer,” predicted analyst Fawad Razaqzada at traders Gain Capital. Kamal added that the 12-nation OPEC cartel has continued to pump above its official output target, adding to the supply glut. “Prices are forecast to remain under pressure and will likely fall further as crude output from OPEC remained well above its 30 million bpd production quota in December, estimated at 32.89 million bpd,” he said. “The cartel lacks production discipline and we expect this production glut to persist at the start of 2016. “With Iranian crude set to hit the market imminently, to the tune of 500,000 bpd, we could see the (oil) price come under additional pressure in the short term.” WTI is currently down more than 20 percent from its value from the start of 2016 after dropping by 30 percent last year. Brent is down about 22 percent from the start of the year, in addition to the almost 35percent plunge it suffered in 2015.

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Brent later stood at $27.34,

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HOROSCOPE

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Your Horoscope for the Week of January 22, 2016 READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE

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Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April

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.

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. At your work place, you need to oversee everything of any importance. Prepare yourself so that you don’t get too tired or run down.

Scorpio (N,Y) 23 Oct to 21 Nov

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May You’ll have many options 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.

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.

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

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June It’s time to Choose the honorable road. You may need to go out slowly, 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. Some commitments which 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.

It seems that whatever you try to do goes nowhere or gets lost in a haze of misunderstanding. This is not a good time, which can give you 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.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July You will concentrate and focus on your work is which very good now. This is a time tSimple 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 sensitive areas. 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.

Focus yourself on saving money, You may have to speak your mind in a way that challenges some of your past decisions. 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.

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

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August Think twice before you give any kind of commitment, as it could get you in 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.

Your focus will be on voluntary activity at some social, welfare or religious organization. You may be asked to take responsibility or even a leadership role or to contribute and participate more fully than you have in the past. You will enjoy being part of a team or group effort now. Being part of a community or circle of friends and building your social network is important to you at this time. By the end of the week, you should have a much clearer sense of where you stand.

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

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September 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.

YThis is a 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 long-range 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.

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HOUSING

The oil crash is crushing Houston’s housing market Posted by Akin Oyedele Business Insider, Markets, Jan. 19, 2016

JOB POSTING- ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Are you a newscast producer who’s ready to move up to a top 10 market? Here is your chance to work for one of the nation’s best broadcasting companies that is dedicated to covering local news. KTRK-TV, the ABC O&O station in Houston, TX is accepting applications for an Associate Producer. The person hired for this position will line produce a section of our weekend morning newscasts and have opportunity to ﬁll in on other newscasts as well. Applicants must have experience working as a line producer. This is a newsroom that embraces new technology. ENPS /Aurora/Ignite experience a plus – as is good understanding of social media and how it can be used to reach viewers and create content. Candidates must be able and willing to learn both non-linear editing and writing for our digital platforms. Applicants must be willing to work overnights, weekends and holidays. To be considered interested applicants must apply online at disneycareers.com, Ref Job #338862BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references.

he oil crash has hit Houston, Texas so hard that virtually nobody wants to buy a house there anymore.

In addition, please mail writing samples and a DVD of or link to your latest newscast to: Robin Freese, Executive Producer, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. Reference job #338862BR Equal Opportunity Employer - Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity. No Telephone Calls Please.

A report from Wall Street Journal on Monday examined how sellers are cutting home prices to make them more attractive to now-scarce buyers. This is happening as housing affordability remains a huge issue in several other metro areas, with the hottest markets

FRIDAY, January 22, 2016

Flickr/Patrick Feller

like New York and San Francisco seeing home prices going through the roof.

priced at $400,000 and above in Houston, according to the Journal.

But few states have been hit by the oil crash quite like Texas.

And while the price of homes in the Houston area is still increasing according to the latest data from the FHFA, the appreciation has been at a declining pace throughout 2015.

The monthly survey of business owners conducted by the Dallas Fed has for several months chronicled how even businesses not directly linked to the oil industry are buckling under the price crash. The Wall Street Journal notes that Texas’ economy is obviously more than just oil and gas, and the state has tried to diversify. But the most expensive houses for people with the strongest spending power aren’t attracting many willing buyers. One analyst estimates that it will take up to four years to clear the supply of houses

And things have gotten so bad that there’s literally a ghost town near the epicenter of the oil-price crash. “Few neighborhoods illustrate Houston’s slowdown as dramatically as the communities that sprouted since 2011 around the site of Exxon Mobil Corp.’s 385-acre campus just north of Houston. Roughly 10,000 workers, most already living in Houston, moved to the campus as it opened in phases in 2014 and 2015. Developers readied thousands of lots for upscale houses in anticipa-

tion of a flood of oil executives moving to the area. Now, unsold homes sit near the Exxon Mobil campus, with the supply of so-called speculative houses there exceeding the metropolitan area’s average since the second quarter of 2014, according to housing market researcher Metrostudy, part of Hanley Wood LLC.” From The Journal. Read Full story at The Wall Street Journal.

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FRIDAY, January 22, 2016