Voice of Asia e-paper Newsweekly Sept 22 2017

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Vol. 30 No. 37 Friday, September 22, 2017 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 24 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com

Desperate parents, missing children at quake-hit Mexico City school

by Yemeli ORTEGA

M

EXICO CITY, Mexico | AFP | Wednesday 9/20/2017 - Adriana Fargo nervously bites her lip as she waits for news on the fate of her seven-year-old daughter, feared buried in the earth-

quake-hit remains of a Mexico City elementary and middle school.

At least 21 children died when a three story wing of the Enrique Rebsamen school collapsed after a 7.1 magnitude quake struck Mexico on Tuesday.

Trump offers help after Mexico quake

US President Donald Trump speaks during the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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EW YORK, United States | AFP | 9/20/2017 - US President Donald Trump offered Mexico rescue assistance after a deadly earthquake struck its sprawling capital, the White House said Wednesday.

Trump spoke to President Enrique Pena Nieto “to extend his condolences for the lives lost and damage caused by yesterday’s earthquake in central Mexico.”

“The President offered assistance and search-and-rescue teams, which are being deployed now,” the White House said.

Rescuers are still searching for survivors of the powerful 7.1-magnitude quake that killed more than 200 people.

“The President also pledged to continue close coordination with Mexico as the two countries respond to the recent earthquakes and hurricanes,” the White House said.

Thirty children are missing, and some could still be alive.

“No one can possibly imagine the pain I’m in right now,” said Fargo, wrapped in a blanket as she sat with other anguished parents Wednesday in an improvised shelter near the school.

What is the girl’s name?

Fargo’s fists tighten and she stares at the ground, unable to pronounce her daughter’s name. Her lips strain as she holds back what appears to be a mournful wail of pain.

After sunrise there was a glimmer of hope amid the torture of uncertainty: rescuers confirmed that they located a girl alive and trapped in the rubble.

Rescue teams used picks, shovels and even bare hands as they searchef for survivors at the Rebsamen school in Mexico City (AFP Photo/JOSE GARCIA)

There was a call for absolute silence as the rescuers slid a themal scanner down a narrow crack where they had made contact with the child.

HH Mahant Swami Maharaj meets with former President Obama

“We are very, very close to people who could be alive.

We’re working with thermal cameras and canine units,” said volunteer rescuer Pamela Diaz, a bread baker by profession.

“We keep moments of absolute silence to listen for survivors. They tend to cry out or bang on walls,” she told AFP by telephone.

Another rescuer, 42 year-old Flor Gonzalez, gave a grim description her experience.

“Last night I counted five cadavers that were removed from the school,” said Gonzalez, a dentist who spent the night volunteering at the school.

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is Holiness M a hant Swami Maharaj met with former President Barack Obama in Washington D.C. The meeting was arranged as part of Mahant Swami Maharaj’s efforts in North America to share universal Hindu Continued on Page 4

Mahant Swami Maharaj (3rd from left) meets President Obama

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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What’s in a Name? Thoughts to Ponder

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FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

Dr. Sulekh C. Jain

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hree weeks, one selfstyled seller of Bhagwan (media calls him godman) by the name of Ram Rahim was convicted of rape crime. As soon as the verdict was announced, he and his many lakh followers went on rampage and created an absolute mayhem, anarchy, lawlessness and chaos in the town of Panchkula in Haryana. Private and public properties worth millions of dollars were burnt and looted, more than 40 people died and many hundred injured.

Two years ago, another marketer of bhagwan by the name of Rampal also in Haryana had created similar scenes. Rampal was arrested after a two-week tense standoff between his supporters and the police after close to 15,000 of his followers were evacuated from the sprawling premises. The massive operation to locate and arrest Rampal cost the exchequer over Rs. 26 crore. During the standoff between Rampal’s followers and the police, five women and a child had died, while more than 200 people were injured in the clashes. At both places, Special Investigating Team seized arms, ammunition, Pregnancy kits and petrol bombs.

Another godman by the name of AsaRam is in jail for sex and related charges for the past several years.

Name of Ram is common in all these 3 names. I wonder how many more such godmen with the name of Ram are still roaming in India and selling their wares. Does even one of these swindlers and charlatans with the name Ram imbibe the qualities, character, virtues, peace, aura, bliss and perfection of real bhagwan Ram of Ramayana or they simply exploit his name to cheat people?

In 2009, President Obama went to Ghana in West Africa.

There, near the City of Accra, he was taken to visit a site where, during the African slave trades, the slaves were held in captivity in dungeons prior to the arrival of the ships that will take them to Europe and North and South America. In Ghana and adjoining areas, many slave trade agents would go out and forcibly kidnap men and women, bring them into these warehouses and hold them like cattle waiting for the arrival of the ships. This all took place on the ground floor of a vast building. On the second floor of the same building there was a church where the slave captors and traders (but not the slaves) would go for their daily poojas/ prayers and religious rituals.

After seeing this, President Obama was in tears. He called it “striking that right above one of the dungeons where male captives were kept was a church. And that reminds us that sometimes we can tolerate and stand by a great evil even as we think that we are doing good. What went on downstairs did not bother the consciences of the same people when they worshipped upstairs. The two are inseparable”.

In this example, the captors had full faith and knowledge

of the teachings of their holy book Bible (I suppose) but their actions were completely in violation of those teachings.

There cannot be separate talk and walk; both have to be in sync and harmony.

Fortunately godmen do extraordinarily well in India than in most countries, and that is where the puzzle lies. Is our society more vulnerable? It is hardly surprising then that some of the godmen behave like magicians and their followers like that. Many of the followers who visit them are miracle seekers. People everywhere are prone to mystics, but what makes our godmen seem so powerful is that our politicians use them as baits too to catch votes.

Modern gurus gain mass following through technologies such as the Internet, satellite television and social media...

Some of them initially start out as charismatic orators and then add miracle powers to woo the gullible. All godmen, are flush with funds too.

Asaram, Nithyanand, Ram Rahim, Rampal and so many more own a vast empire of 100s of very lavishly furnished ashrams, thousands of followers, bullet proof enclosures and a large contingent of armed commandos to protect them.

These godmen hold their supporters in thrall, mostly confine them to fortified ashrams and like most cults have deviant sexual practices (rape, incest, polygamy, orgies), miracles and a religious mumbojumbo which is often a variation of known religious texts.

Their half-baked philosophies are then sold to the gullible. In

all such deras and ashrams, the magnetism and healing powers of the leader is basic to its success. But violence is a cult characteristic. Every deviant cult leader displays a streak of violence. Rampal and Ram Rahim are no exception. They have an army of highly-trained commandos at their beck and call and use them to the hilt.

The “commandos” use bullets, stones, acid and petrol to send the police scurrying.

With the ever increasing affluence of people in India, the number and the pomp and show of godmen is significantly increasing not just in direct proportion but may be in geometric proportion too.

My brothers and sisters, how do we remain vigilant and reduce this disease in the society is up to us. It is not entirely possible to completely wipe out fraud and deception by these godmen. It is a fact that as long as greed, a desire to get something for nothing, the increasing richness and affluence of the people coupled with the effective use and power of the media, internet and social sites like face book, this disease and menace will spread even more.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Govt. has started a campaign of Swachchh Bharat by 2019. These self-styled godmen and their exploitation are filth, disease and I call it a cancer in the society. I hope by 2019, when the world will celebrate 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi Ji, India will be cleaned to some extent of this filth and disease in the society as well. Let us all be vigilant, rational and do our best in this regard.

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Texas Ren Fest celebrates 44th yr with new “Heroes and Villians” weekend

- The Publisher

alling all superheroes!

Ren Fest announced a new addition to this season’s themed weekends, declaring the weekend of November 11 and 12 “Heroes and Villians” weekend.

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THE STORY OF MAHATMA GANDHI

Gandhi’s arrest creates sensation worldwide Newspaper reporters from every corner of the world were there to report the progress of the Gandhi’s satyagraha. The march ended on April 5 at Dandi village. Gandhi and his selected followers went to the sea shore and broke the salt law by picking up salt left on the shore by the sea.

Only a few people knew how to make salt, but the people soon found their own ways of making it. All that mattered was the breaking of the salt law Gandhi and other leaders had made arrangements for the continuation of the agitation if they were arrested.

A chain of leaders had been chosen, so that as each leader was arrested another would be ready to take his place.

The government waited for some time before taking any action, and then at last retaliation began. Gandhi was left at liberty, but many other leaders were taken into custody. Jawaharlal, Mahadev Desai, and Gandhi’s son Devadas were the first to pick up salt to break the law be sent to jail.

In dealing with the breakers of the salt law, the police resorted to their usual brutal methods.

The gress Some with

Indian National Conwas declared illegal. newspapers, threatened censorship, suspended

This is the first time the Ren Fest has added a new theme in nearly two decades.

The festival also announced a portion of this season’s proceeds will be donated to Harvey relief.

The Texas Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance fair in Todd Mission, Texas, about 55 miles northwest of Houston.

Since 1974, the festival celebrates ‘ye olde tymes’ this year, it’s 44th annual fall calendar of events most family-friendly.

The festival begins September 30 and runs each weekend until November 26. (-KTRK)

Great Summer Project For children! Enter Mahatma Gandhi Week 2017 Essay, I-Tribute, Poster and Speech contests.

Visit gandhilibrary.org for registration and more information. All school going children can participate! These contests are being organized to create higher awareness of the inspiring life and work of Mahatma Gandhi to promote universal values of Truth, Non-Violence, Love and Service

Gandhi then gave a signal to all Indians to break the salt law and prepare to resist the police action in a nonviolent manner. Now read on: All over India people swarmed to the nearest sea coast to break the salt law.

Great excitement was created everywhere.

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publication. The people held hartaals (strikes) and demonstrations, and mass arrests were made. Soon the jails were filled to overflowing. The people remained nonviolent, lest Gandhi should call off the movement.

some distance away from the fencing. Then a selected group of them advanced towards the barbed-wire fence. Police officials ordered the volunteers to disperse but they ignored the warning. Suddenly the police rushed at them and rained blow after blow on the defenseless men. Not one of the volunteers even raised an arm to stop the blows.

Gandhi then informed the Viceroy that he was going to raid the government salt works at Dharasana.

They fell down, some with broken skulls, some with broken shoulders, arms, or legs.

The waiting crowd groaned.

Lord Irwin decided to act.

When the entire first batch had been knocked down and carried off on stretchers, another batch advanced to meet the same fate. The campaign went on for hours. Finally, as the heat of the day increased, the volunteers stopped their activities for that day.

Two English officers, with pistols, accompanied by many Indian policemen armed with rifles, arrived at Gandhi’s camp in the middle of the night. They woke up Gandhi and said, “You are under arrest.” Gandhi was taken to Yeravda Central Jail. So Gandhi was not there for the raid on the Dharasana salt deposits.

The salt deposits were surrounded by barbed-wire fencing and protected by four hundred

Among the volunteers two had died and 320 were injured.

Gandhi’s arrest had created a great sensation in India and abroad.

Indian policemen armed with steel-toed lathis (canes).

A few British officers were in command of them.

Representations were sent from all parts of the world to the British Prime Minister asking the government to release Gandhi and make peace with India.

Gandhi’s volunteers halted

Even those who were co-

operating with the British demanded the release of Gandhi.

Gandhi proved to be more dangerous inside the jail than outside. While he sat quietly in Yeravda Jail, countrywide outbreaks of civil disobedience were greatly taxing the British. The jails were full to overflowing. The government was in distress and finally, in 1931, had to release Gandhi, Nehru, and other leaders.

on the future of India.

The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was a victory for nonviolent resistance. But some of Gandhi’s Congress followers thought that he had not gained much as a result of the pact.

Gandhi was designated as the sole representative of the Congress to the Round Table Conference. In August 1931 he sailed for London with a small party.

As soon as Gandhi was out of prison he asked for an interview with the Viceroy, Lord Irwin. The interview was immediately given. Gandhi and Irwin met, but the two men seemed to have come from two different worlds.

Gandhi went to England with the object of reaching an agreement with the British on a fair Constitution for India and also of winning the hearts of the British people. In his first object he failed, and in the second he met with great success.

Gandhi did not go to seek any favors. He wanted to negotiate on terms of equality.

The meeting went on for many days and finally the talks culminated in a treaty, the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. It embodied compromises made by both sides. Irwin agreed to release all the political prisoners, and Gandhi promised to suspend civil disobedience and send a Congress representative to the Round Table Conference. For at that time, in London, the British government was holding a Round Table Conference

Gandhi spent 84 days in England and most of the time he was meeting and talking to people. Prime Minister Winston Churchill refused to see him but Gandhi captivated the hearts of many.

He had tea with the King and Queen. When a reporter asked him if he thought he had been dressed well enough for such an august tea party, Gandhi replied, “The King had on enough for both of us.”

At the Round Table Conference nothing was conceded

to India towards her goal of Swaraj.

The Conference played up the differences between Hindus and Muslims, and this only served to worsen communal tension in India.

Gandhi returned with nothing except warm goodwill for India from the hearts of many English people.

At home, Gandhi found that the government had returned to the policy of repression.

There were widespread arrests and seizure of property and bank accounts of people and organizations who were hostile to British interests.

Early in 1932 Gandhi wanted to meet the new Viceroy, Lord Willlingdon, but the Viceroy made it clear that the days of negotiations were over.

Gandhi informed the authorities that he was again starting a civil disobedience movement.

The Viceroy thought it was a threat and had Gandhi arrested and lodged in Yeravada Central Jail. Several other leaders and many followers of Gandhi were also arrested and jailed.

— To be Continued

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FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

Second Front Page

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Harvey Relief efforts at Sri Meenakshi Temple

by Kamala Raghavan

www.voiceofasiaonline.com

Musical Night in aid of Harvey Relief efforts by Sewa USA

by Staff Reporter OUSTON - Local talents rose to the occasion post hurricane Harvey and within a remarkably short period planned a Musical Night to raise funds to support Sewa USA, a non-profit spear-heading the relief efforts in Houston. Mousumi Banerjee played a lead in organizing the entire event that was held on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at the India House on West Bellfort. “The entire event was planned in 3 weeks which was extremely challenging.

But after the success of the event I realized that it was worth the effort. I would like to thank the entire community to pour their support unconditionally. I hope our small ef- Mousumi Banerjee receiving a plaque from Gitesh Desai

H

As part of the Harvey relief efforts to our surrounding Community in Pearland, Sri Meenakshi Temple organized an effort to distribute backpacks to school children in the neighborhood. More than 150 families came and got the backpacks, and it was a very fulfilling and heartwarming experience for the board members who came on a weekday. Chairman Narayanan was joined by Sam Kannappan, Sasidharan Pillai, G.N. Prasad, Kamala Raghavan, and the MTS sraff in distributing the backpacks to the children.

The temple is also collecting funds to be donated to SEWA International, and the Consul General’s fund to be distributed to the Governor’s Fund and Mayor’s fund. The temple board members want to encourage all community members to let us know about any possible ways in which we can assist in the recovery process.

The band ‘Rhythm of Dreams’ lead by Hemanth Thakkar. msanphoto

Earthdance 2017 Houston’s Earthdance 2017 takes place on Saturday, September 23rd at a beautiful new venue, an 8-acre wooded “urban farm” just outside the Heights, at 5415 Wheatley (Ella becomes Wheatley), just 2 miles from the Hare Krishna Temple & Govinda’s.

Under the theme Revolution or Re-Evolution, hundreds of blissful Houstonians will join the resident ahimsa cow, Mangala, as part of the world’s largest simultaneous synchronized global dance for peace. We will honor people who are leading a revolution in consciousness with dance, a drum circle, kirtan, flow artists, live entertainment, a vegan feast, kid’s activities, do-it yourself art, holistic health practitioners, and more…

Headlining entertainers will be popular Activist/Comedian, Kevin Wu (aka KevJumba), Funk/Soul/Jazz fusion band, TIGHTN’ UP, & Hip Hop/bhajan artist Gaura Karuna and friends.

fort will make a difference to the countless people who lost everything in this disaster,” Banerjee said.

The Musical team lead by Hemanth Thakkar with Deep Bhattacharya, Varun Tandon, Nupur Bansu, Padma Iyengar and Lakshmi Peter was a refreshing and enthralling especially after weeks of despair and dejection following the hurricane disaster. Hemanth Thakkar, founder of the band ‘Rhythm of Dreams’ was accompanied by Dishant Thakkar (Drums), Renison Macwan (keyboard), Jagdish

Sheth (Dholak and Congo).

Artists from local dance schools also performed. Bindya Suresh Babu of Taal (a group of like-minded ladies)participated along with Jamie Mathew, Nandita Rajagopalan.

Soumee Choudhury owner and instructor of the Kathak Nitya Kala Kendra performed.

The performers were Karnika Choudhury, Bhavika Chandak, Shabnam Heiramath and Chandana Sharma.

Laxmi Peter, owner and instructor of the Lakshmi Dance and Music Academy had her

students Keerthana, Neesa, Mariah and Julia perform.

Banerjee extended her thanks to sponsors and supporters: Food sponsors Nirmanz Food Boutique, Aling’s Chinese Cuisine, Biryani Pot, Deep Foods, Auction Items donors, photographer Murali Santhana, D.j. Sage, DECO ART, Radio Dabang 105.3FM, Humtumdesi.com Houston, Rhythm of Dreams, Bollywood Shake Houston, FourWay Travel, Sonal Shah, and sponsor Dr. Virendra Mathur of India House where the event was hosted.

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COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 4

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

City to Host Sugar Land Strong Event HMM Ganesh Festival 2017

S

UGAR LAND, TX ¬– Sugar Land will hold a community event called “Sugar Land Strong” on Sept. 23, at 5 p.m., at Sugar Land Town Square, located near U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 6. The event is intended to honor residents, local businesses, community organizations, employees and others in the community who supported hurricane response and recovery efforts.

“Please join us as we celebrate Sugar Land’s strength and resiliency,” said City Manager Allen Bogard. “The City truly came together during and after the storm. While

City employees across our organization were hard at work managing the storm waters and responding to the emergency, neighbors were working hard to help their neighbors, and local businesses, organizations and individuals were supporting the City through opening up their doors as staging areas for displaced residents and providing food for emergency personnel.”

The “Sugar Land Strong” event will include music and booths for community organizations, with a performance

by Mango Punch at 7:30 p.m.

Merchandise will be sold to support relief efforts, and free

Sugar Land Strong bracelets will be available for the first 1,000 people. City officials will speak at 6 p.m. to recognize residents impacted by the storm and thank those who helped throughout Hurricane Harvey.

For more information about the event, contact the Sugar Land Parks and Recreation Department at (281) 275-2825, email parkrec@ sugarlandtx.gov, visit www. sugarlandtx.gov, or follow the Sugar Land Parks and Recreation Department on social media at www.facebook.com/ SugarLandParks or www. twitter.com/SugarLandParks.

HH Mahant Swami Maharaj meets with former President Obama Continued from page 1 messages and foster public dialogue on service and the importance of unity in our communities and in our nation. Joining His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj and President Obama were Pujya Ishwarcharandas Swami and Pujya Viratswarupdas Swami from BAPS as well as Ben Rhodes from the Obama Foundation.

Mahant Swami Maharaj presented President Obama with a garland as part of a traditional Hindu greeting as well as anAmrut Kalash symbolizing ultimate victory of good over evil even in difficult times. Mahant Swami Maharaj also gifted President Obama a sanctified mala (Hindu prayer beads) and a copy of Transcendence, a book written by former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam about his spiritual experiences with Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

The two leaders discussed the role of BAPS mandirs in communities around the United States and the world. President Obama appreciated how BAPS mandirs have served as houses

of worship but also community centers catering to society’s diverse social and humanitarian needs. In particular, President Obama took note of the vibrant children and youth programs that take place in BAPS mandirs. Mahant Swami Maharaj was also pleased to learn that one of President Obama’s priorities in his post-presidency is preparing the next generation of leaders. The two leaders then discussed how they could work collaboratively on this key effort in preparing the next generation of public servants.

With reference to the Indian American community, President Obama spoke about how, like in other immigrant communities, the second generation often engages more fully in civic life, making America theirs. The two leaders agreed that more needed to be done to encourage young South Asians to pursue careers in public service. Mahant Swami Maharaj and President Obama both spoke about how encouraging service requires encouraging individuals to see goodness in one another. Mahant Swami Maharaj specifically explained

Houston Marathi Mandal showcasing Maharashtrian folk theme during the festival.

by Amey Wakde

the Hindu principle that each individual soul is divine, and so service of each individual is a selfless act of devotion.

H

OUSTON (09/09/2017) - Houston Marathi Mandal (HMM) celebrated the most awaited Ganesh Festival at VPSS Haveli on September 9th, 2017. More than 720 devotees dressed in colorful traditional Indian attire attended the event to immerse themselves into a celebration of a new beginning through display of art and culture, song and dance.

HMM celebrates Ganesh Festival on an annual basis and this year was even more important for the Houston community that had just witnessed the wrath of nature. The community utilized the power of collective consciousness and prayed together to Lord Ganesh, the Remover of Obstacle (Vighnaharta) and the God of Beginnings, urging him to restore prosperity and allow people to create a new happy chapter in their life. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

The celebration started at 4PM with an ornate palanquin procession shouldered by two devotees and accompanied by drummers who played percussion instruments, Dhol and Tasha.

Devotees, that also included the

Mahant Swami Maharaj took time to specifically praise President Obama when he learned that President Obama had set aside time, even as President, to have dinner with his family five nights a week. Mahant Swami Maharaj greatly values unity in all of the building blocks of society, including families. Mahant Swami Maharaj was also touched by President Obama’s humility, sharing with the President a verse from a John Bunyan poem, “He that is down, need fear no fall. He that is low, no pride. He that is humble ever shall have God to be his guide.” Mahant Swami Maharaj noted that he saw this humility in President Obama, remarking how it has been noted that the President took the time to look after and care for his staff while in office. As Mahant Swami Maharaj was departing, President Obama respectfully bid him farewell with the greeting: “Jay Swaminarayan.”

young enthusiasts, accompanied the procession with their beautiful Lezim dance. As we entered the event hall one could see the beautiful decoration of mountains that resembled the Mansarovar; under which the Ganesh idol was placed. Hats off to Trupti Nag for her wonderful contribution in making the abode for the festive idol.

Once the devotees gathered inside the hall, people paid their respect to both the nations by singing the US and Indian national anthems. Mandar Phadke gave a welcome speech and the HMM President, Anjou SatheKeller, provided updates on the past and upcoming events. Anjou also shared details on HMM collaboration with the nonprofit organization - Sewa International; an organization that focuses on disaster recovery and rehabilitation (https://www. sewausa.org/chapter/houston/ houston-overview). Gitesh Desai, President of Sewa-Houston talked about Harvey efforts.

Certificates of honor were offered to the students from the Marathi school, the directors of the program Dipti Kanhere and Kalpana Sarode, DholTasha leads Anukool Damle and Swapnil Saraf and comparers Mandar Phadke and Achala

Bapat.

The most awaited dance performances were presented by 100 volunteers including kids and adults, based on the themes of Maharashtrian folk dances.

The preparation for the cultural event started months ago and many of the traditional clothes and jewelry were ordered from India. The cultural event called “Maharashtrachi Lokdhara” was organized by Dipti Kanhere and Kalpana Sarode. Kudos to the cultural committee that created these wonderful memories for us.

Kids chanted the hymn of Atharvasheersha and audince sang to Aarti. Cheering of “Ganapati Bappa Morya” by everyone was followed by palanquin procession and an even grander Lezim and Percussion instruments procession that went on for more than 30 minutes. It was a mesmerizing and immersive experience that coalesced the chaos of the mind into harmonic order as if to achieve higher energy that became evident from the rhythmic nods, taps, and claps of the people listening around. Delicacies of Maharashtra such as Modak and Shreekhanda were offered at the dinner.

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Sewa International plays a major role in Irma relief

Comptroller’s Office Now Accepting Applications for Match the Promise Tuition Grants, Matching Scholarships AUSTIN) — Comptroller Glenn Hegar today reminded Texans applications are now being accepted for 2017-18 Texas Match the Promise Foundation℠ awards.

(

(L to R) Vikram, Hindu Temple Exec Committee Member, Chitra Koti, Sewa volunteer, Sree N. Sreenath, President Sewa International and Fatima student at the University of South Florida.

A

TLANTA, GA (Sept 11, 2017): The “Monster” Hurricane Irma measuring 400 miles wide after wreaking a trail of death and destruction through the Caribbean, moved inwards into Florida prompting mandatory evacuation of over 6.8 Million people.

Sewa International’s chapters in Tampa and Atlanta swung into action as a precaution.

“Sewa International’s recent experience in rescue and relief in Hurricane Harvey where we rescued 687 people working, has been key in fine tuning the plans to deal with Irma,” said Swadesh Katoch, Sewa Director of Disaster Relief, who just returned from Houston where Sewa International has mobilized 800 volunteers. “Sewa is the first Indian American organization that is working at this scale. We are leveraging our vast international experience in rescue, relief and rehab operations during the 2015 Nepal Earthquake and the 2017 Chennai, India floods,” he continued.

for those who prefer homestays.”

Vishwanath Koppaka, Sewa’s Coordinator of Hurricane Irma relief in Atlanta, explained “Sewa is leading a coalition of twenty temples, professional, linguistic and religious IndianAmerican organizations in the Greater Atlanta region. Generous Atlanta host families are providing shelter at their homes

Prof. Sree N. Sreenath, President of Sewa International visiting from Cleveland, OH made a visit to the Hindu Temple of Atlanta and spoke to some of the displaced families personally. “We commend the enlightened Board and the Executive Committee of the Hindu Temple of Atlanta who not only

A 24/7 Helpline 775-ATLSEWA (775-285-7392) has been set up for any one evacuating from Florida and looking for shelter. Social media facilitated to propagate the help that the partners are offering.

An online form for those seeking shelter is available at www. sewausa.org.

Together Sewa and partner organizations have provided shelter to over 2,000 families. A number of Indian and Hispanic families have taken advantage of the service. Sewa team is coordinating with the Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Shakti Mandir, Sai Pariwar, Sanatan Mandir, the Hanuman Temple, and the Art of Living in meeting the needs of the migrating families and ensuring their comfort.

Freshly prepared hot food is being served. Local area Physicians are offering free medical consultation to the displaced families.

threw open the facilities, but are providing fresh cooked healthy meals to the families.

The folks are scared about what will happen to their homes, but are grateful to the larger Indian community that has stepped up to receive them as guests.”

Many of those at the shelters are IT professionals from India working for major organizations on temporary assignments who said that they are on their own, and did not receive any guidance or direction from their employers. They appreciated the Atlanta Indian-American Community’s largesse.

Sewa team is actively monitoring the storm’s progress as it passes through Atlanta. Sewa is also working with FEMA, SBA and other governmental organizations in the relief efforts to help those affected.

Sewa International is a Hindu faith-based 501 (c)(3) humanitarian nonprofit that serves humanity in distress, aids local communities, and promotes volunteerism, through its 41 Chapters across the USA. Sewa serves irrespective of race, color, gender, sex, religion or nationality. Donations to Sewa International are tax-deductible.

People seeking help should call the Sewa Atlanta Helpline: 775-ATL-SEWA (775-2857392).

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

The foundation, in cooperation with the Comptroller’s office, encourages Texas families to save for college by offering competitive matching scholarships and tuition grants to Texas students who are beneficiaries of a Texas Tuition Promise FundSM (TTPF) account, the state’s prepaid college tuition plan.

“During the 2016-17 school year, the foundation approved Match the Promise scholarships for 65 students,” Hegar said. “We’re excited about awarding new scholarships to children who represent this state’s future.”

Fifth- through ninth-graders whose families have an annual income of $100,000 or less and who have a TTPF account may apply for the matching scholarships and tuition grants through Dec. 31, 2017. To be considered for a scholarship, students must write a career essay and meet other requirements.

Complete details can be found at MatchThePromise. org or by calling 800-5315441, ext. 3-7570.

Match the Promise is funded by individuals who have donated the cash value of property held in the state’s unclaimed property program, as well as by donations from individuals, businesses and organizations and state employees through the State Employee Charitable Campaign. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt public charity and is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

Families also can enroll in TTPF during the scholarship application period if they haven’t already done so. TTPF allows families to lock in today’s prices for tomorrow’s tuition and schoolwide required fees at Texas public colleges and universities. Get more information at TuitionPromise.org.

Fort Bend Co. Transit fares waived thru 9/29

State Law Makes Sugar Land Streets Less Safe

S

UGAR LAND, TX – Sugar Land City Council recently repealed a new distracted-driving ordinance after the Texas Legislature approved a less restrictive law that preempts local control.

Sugar Land’s law was approved in February and prohibited the use of portable electronic devices while driving a vehicle in Sugar Land unless the device was in hands-free mode or being used for an emergency.

The law included portable electronic devices including mobile phones, personal digital assistants, MP3s or other hand-held music players, electronic reading devices, laptop computers, pagers, electronic game devices and more.

The new state law preempts

all local distracted-driving ordinances and only prohibits texting while driving. The state’s law is difficult to enforce according to the Sugar Land Police Department.

Sugar Land’s distracted driving ordinance was originally enacted following an extensive education campaign and public review process. The public was presented with the following three options and chose to restricted the use of portable electronic devices while operating a vehicle.

With the state’s requirement for a less restrictive law, Sugar Land police will focus on continued public education to encourage motorists to avoid the use of electronic devices while driving.

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ICHMOND - In an effort to assist residents affected by Hurricane Harvey, on September 12, 2017, Fort Bend County Commissioners Court approved waiving Fort Bend County Transit fares thru Friday, September 29, 2017. All services will be free of charge, including Commuter, Demand Response, and Richmond-Rosenberg Point Deviation routes.

Fort Bend County Public Transportation will also waive all pending suspensions for September 2017. The Transportation Department has reinstated commuter privileges for all passengers with pending service suspensions.

Passengers may contact Transit’s reservations department at 281-633-7433 to schedule services.

Judge Bob Hebert said, “We’re pleased to offer this support to those in need during this initial phase of recovery.

It’s just the right thing to do.”

(--KatyNews)

VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

FORT BE

Sugar Land, Katy, Stafford, Missouri City, R

A to Z Dental Open House OptumRx supports FBISD SUGAR LAND - On Satirday, September 16, A to Z Dental held a an Open House at thier brand new facility located onUS Hwy 90 in Sugar Land.

Dr. Purvi Parikh, general dentist along with her team Dr. Celine Sheng, periodontist and staff grreeted and served over 50 families including dental specialists and medical specialists from 10 AM to 3 PM that day.

All guests received a gift bag

treatment plan, detailing all costs and fees in advance, so there will be no surprises or confusions.

They use state-of-art euipment like digital x-ray to get a much clear image of the targeted tooth and a digital panogram x-ray machine to get a full-mouth image. The benefits of digital radiography includes (1) the image is immediately processed and available for view. (2) there is 70%

less radiation required for digital images than old-fashioned film images. (3) digital images are easier for the doctor to analyze. (4) using digital images is environmentally friendly.

They are located on Hwy 90 in the New Territory area, just west of Hwy 6, at 6514 Hwy90A Suite 202. Sugar Land, TX 77498.

Call A to Z Dental for a consultation visit at (281) 2652869.

students with back to school needs

Pictured (from left) are Scott Miller of OptumRx, Pamela Shaw, Collaborative Communities Director, May Utti of OptumRx and Reba Cook, Collaborative Communities Executive Assistant (Photo: FBISD)

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Dr. Purvi Parikh (center) and Dr. Celine Sheng with staff welcomed all visitors with gifts and refreshments. Photo by Shobana Muratee, VOA filled with dental care products and a voucher for $200 off the regular price of 3-session teeth whitening. Although there is no expiration date on the voucher they prefer that the benefits are used as soon as possible.

While the guests were visiting, some (non-patients) took advantage of Dr. Parikh’s free dental screening. Dr. Celine Sheng was also at the event to offer consultations on dental implants.

A Sugar Land resident for the past 10 years, and a dentist since 1992, Dr. Parikh has experience with many aspects of dentistry allowing her to perform various dental treatments in her dental office.

The staff at A to Z Dental strive to provide the finest dental care to their patients in a state-of-the-art atmosphere.

A to Z Dental, accept all major PPO dental insurance. For those who do not have insurance or do not have sufficient coverage, they provide financing alternatives. They also offer discounts to qualified senior citizens, members of law enforcement, security personnel, social services, leaders of religious organizations, and teachers.And they provide a written

Katy ISD offers help post-Harvey recovery ATY - As with nearly every school district in the Greater Houston area, Katy ISD took a beating from Hurricane Harvey, requiring a lot of adjustments from staff and students.

With 16 campuses affected by floodwaters, including Creech Elementary re-locating students for the remainder of the year, Katy ISD faces a significant road to recovery.

Katy ISD Superintendent Lance Hindt shared an update recently on the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and the impact it had on students and staff.

“Even with the emotional toll that has been brought about by this crisis, we’ve all witnessed tremendous acts of compassion and demonstrations of will and strength regardless of the circumstances,” Hindt said.

It’s estimated at about 75 percent of the city of Katy was flooded, and included 16 school campuses and the district administrative offices, and area neighborhoods and businesses.

K

ORT BEND ISD (September 15, 2017) – For the past five years, OptumRx has supported Fort Bend ISD students with donations of backpacks and school supplies. This year was no exception as OptumRx representatives May Utti and Scott Miller presented FBISD Collaborative Communities staff

with more than 35 backpacks filled with school supplies, as well as six containers of school supplies for the District’s Shared Dreams Program.

The items will be distributed to FBISD Pre-Kindergarten students as needed throughout the school year.

For two weeks during the summer, OptumRx employees

took part in their company’s annual back-to-school supply drive, where the Employee Community Connect Group donated backpacks and other employees donated supplies (including composition books, folders, crayons, pencils, tissue and other items) or made monetary donations to support the drive.

VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

END END VIEW VIEW

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FBISD students and staff “Turn It Gold” to support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

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ORT BEND ISD (September 18, 2017) – September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Fort Bend ISD joins the nation in supporting children and young adults affected with pediatric cancer, while spreading awareness of early warning signs of the disease and available support services. Throughout the month, you will notice gold ribbons placed throughout the community as a reminder that our children are more precious than gold.

According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 70,000 young people (ages 15-39) are diagnosed with cancer each year in the U.S. – accounting for nearly five percent September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month of cancer diagnoses. Additionally, an estimated 10,270 new cases of cancer Cancer and Brave the Shave port from the event will help will be diagnosed among chil- fundraisers, Chalk the Walk find cures and ensure access dren from birth to 14 years in (where students write mes- to the best available treatthe U.S. in 2017. Given these sages of bravery and hope on ments for all blood cancer statistics, it is crucial that we school sidewalks), Turn It Gold patients. help educate people on the im- pep rallies and door decorating The Leukemia & Lymphoportance of early detection and contests, and other activities to ma Society has chosen Austin the warning signs of pediatric support the cause.

High School student, Justin cancer.

Turn it Gold Day – Septem- Stout, as one of the “2017 To help spread awareness of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, FBISD will take part in the following “Turn It Gold” events: Childhood Cancer Awareness Week – September 25-28 Throughout the week, FBISD schools will help spread awareness of pediatric cancer by taking part in various activities.

Students and staff will take part in the following activities: presentations of bravery medals to children battling cancer, morning announcements regarding pediatric cancer facts, Pajama Day (the dress of choice for pediatric patients), Coins for

ber 28 Fort Bend ISD students, staff, parents and community members are encouraged to wear gold attire on Thursday, September 28 to celebrate, honor and remember those who have battled pediatric cancer.

Light the Night Walk – November 17 Fort Bend ISD is forming a team to participate in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s “Light the Night Walk,” which will take place on Friday, November 17 at 6:30 p.m., at Minute Maid Park (501 Crawford Street, Houston 77002). Sup-

Light the Night Heroes” for the event at Minute Maid Park. Diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia as a seventh-grade student, Justin is a shining example of perseverance.

Community members can sign up to walk with Justin by joining our “FBISDTurnItGold” team, led by Captain Lori Sartain. Register for the event (http://pages.lightthenight.org/txg/Houston17/ FBISDTurnItGold) Registration is free.

You can also support children battling cancer by making donations to Turn it Gold.

Like Us www.indiacaregiversupport.com Brian Mertz, M.S. CEO “Helping India Caregivers Help Others” “We are a caregiver information and advocacy website that all Indian Americans could use”

IndiaCSS can provide information to India caregivers regarding the following topics: Caregiver Associations, Caregiver Support Groups, Caregiver Information & Publications, blogs, Caregiver Training, Online Caregiver Certification Programs, Training Centers, Institutes, Councils, Non-Profit Organizations, Medical Supply Companies, Assistive Technologies, Home Health Care Agencies, Caregiver Entrepreneur Assistance and Caregiver Cancer Support, Overseas Caregiver Opportunities and more.

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Aetna donates school supplies for Fort Bend ISD students

Pictured (seated from left) are Aetna Volunteer Council Co-Chairs Julia Mueck and Brenda Foster; and (standing from left): Pamela Shaw, Director of Collaborative Communities; Bobbie Anderson, Shared Dreams Facilitator; and Reba Cook, Collaborative Communities Executive Assistant.

F

ORT BEND ISD (September 19, 2017) – Several Fort Bend ISD students will benefit greatly from the generous donation of school supplies provided by Aetna. To support the District with its back to school needs, Aetna Volunteer Council Co-

Chairs Julia Mueck and Brenda Foster recently presented FBISD with several boxes of school supplies.

Each year, Aetna employees purchase and donate items to support their worksite school supply drive. The employees collect pencils, pens, spiral

notebooks, filler paper, glue, rulers, tissue, hand sanitizer and other school supplies to donate to FBISD’s Shared Dreams Program. The supplies are distributed to campuses to help replenish classroom supplies when needed.

(Photo/Story courtesy FBISD)

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VOICE OF ASIA 8

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

9th Indian Film Festival of Houston welcomes film buffs storytellers - his grandparents, farmers at the country store, the neighborhood barber. John believes that a good story, told well, does more than just entertain, it provokes thought between laughter, healing between tears, and inspires hope.

Director: Vrinda Samarth Synopsis: “Limitless” explores the lives of eight long distance women runners who reached the edge of their bounds, braved against them, pushed, and discovered that the

sky is the limit.

About the Director: “Limitless” is Vrinda Samartha’s first feature documentary as a Director. She is an actor and has worked on many feature films and national and international

campaigns. Vrinda enjoys experimenting and constantly recreating new narrative styles.

Tickets available at iffhinc. org (see site for more details).

More films next week.

The Leftovers - Short Film, 23 minutes, English Friday, October 6, 2017, 7:15 pm Director: Tina Thadani

Sutapa Ghosh, Founder and Festival Director: “It is my distinct honor to present the 9th Indian Film Festival of Houston. The phrase “Houston Great” exemplifies all that we experienced and overcame right here in our own fair city. As they say, this too shall pass, and the show must go on.

“The films submitted this year reflect the historic changes in the world today and illustrate courage, art and a defense of human rights and expression through unique and personal perspectives that touch the heart and soul. I hope you enjoy the films that have been curated for this year’s Festival and look forward to seeing you again next year for our 10th year celebrations.”

FILM SCHEDULE: Mango Dreams - Feature Film, 93 minutes, English Friday, October 6, 2017, 5:15 pm, followed by Q & A session Director: John Upchurch Synopsis: A Hindu doctor with dementia and a Muslim autorickshaw driver form an unlikely friendship as they cross India in search of the doctor’s childhood home.

About the Director: “Mango Dreams” is John Upchurch’s first feature film. He grew up in a small farming town in North Carolina, surrounded by

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Synopsis: The story follows the trials and tribulations of two women who left reputable jobs to open up makeshift schools in the heart of Mumbai’s slums where families know that education is the only way out for their kids.

About the Director: Tina Thadani a TV presenter from Canada. She also is an actor who shot a pilot called “Guru”, recently screened at Cannes. Tina felt a powerful connection to share this story where “you get all these visions from up above, with powerful messages, and you just want to take a camera and shoot”.

Limitless - Documentary Film, 59 minutes, English Friday, October 6, 2017, 7:45 pm

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VOICE OF ASIA 9

Eventguru to co-host Sankara Eye Foundation for Diwali at Times Square

AAPI condemns the brutal murder of Indian American Psychiatrist Chicago, IL: September 165, 2017: “AAPI is heartbroken over the loss of Dr. Achutha Reddy and want to express our hearty condolences and prayers to his family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his dear family. Dr. Reddy’s death is a tragic loss to our medial fraternity,” Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of American Association of Physicians of India Origin (AAPI) said here today.

In a statement issued here Dr. Gautam Samadder condemned the brutal murder of 57-year-old Achutha Reddy. He urged the US administration and the local leadership to bring to justice those behind the cruel murder of the Indian American physician who had dedicated all his life for serving the sick, the disabled and those with mental health issues.

“We at AAPI, the largest ethnic medical organization in the nation, urge the US administration to make all the efforts possible to prevent violence against medical professionals and enable them to continue to serve the country with dignity, pride and security,”

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EW YORK, NY (September 12, 2017) – Eventguru Inc is proud to partner with Sankara Eye Foundation (SEF), an organization committed to eradicating curable blindness in India for this year’s Diwali at Times Square. SEF aims to reach out to the underprivileged communities in India and provides them with quality eye care free of cost by building operationally selfsufficient super specialty eye care hospitals across the country.

Ms. Neeta Bhasin, the founder of Eventguru said, “Diwali is the harbinger of hope and all things good, which is why charitable works are encouraged during this time of the year. To fulfill the most important tenets of Diwali, we are pledging to support Sankara Eye Foundation and I urge everyone to donate and spread the light of sight.”

This year’s Diwali at Times Square’s objective is to stand up with Sankara Eye Foundation’s work, raising awareness on visual impairment that affects almost 55 million people and to facilitate fundraising opportunities. SEF has, to this date performed over 1.6 million free eye surgeries for the needy This Diwali, Diwali at Times Square urges everyone to donate and gift the light of sight. To quote the Founder and CEO of Sankara Eye Foundation, Mr. Murali Krishnamurthy “Sankara Eye Foundation is very happy to partner with Eventguru for “Diwali at Times Square. This partnership will help SEF bring light into the lives of many more visually handicapped people. On the occasion of this grand “Festival of Lights” let us light many many lamps and spread love Jyot se jyot jalate chalo, Prem ki Ganga bahate chalo.”

IndianAmerican wants smart villages

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EW YORK, Sept 20 - Indian-Americans have responded to a clarion call by a leading Indian trade consultant to turn their villages back home smart.

This was the outcome of a 15,452-km-long road journey undertaken by Jagat Shah between June and September, with the sole aim of connecting entrepreneurs for investments and creating jobs.

“Even the former Indian Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, who interacted with us at one of our events in the US, has adopted his native village,” said Shah at the concluding ceremony of his mission here on Tuesday, which was held under the auspices of the US Commercial Service; Startup India, a mission of the Indian Ministry of Commerce; the US-India Importers Council; and Etihad Airways.

Shah’s Mentor on Road (MoR) mission covered 35 cities in 24 US states during the 78-day-long journey held in two legs. He interacted with nearly 4,400 small-and-medium entrepreneurs and start-ups in the US to make them aware of the business opportunitiesin India.

MoR has already submitted quick market research reports to 60 companies in the US that are keen on the project. (-AP)

Organixers and volunteers from Eventguru Inc. and Sankara Eye Foundation are highlighting charity during Diwali For more information please visit.giftofvision.org

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

The Indian American psychiatrist was found dead on September 13 in the alley behind his East Wichita, Kansas office, his body covered with multiple stab wounds. Police arriving at the Holistic Psychiatry Clinic pronounced Dr. Reddy dead at the scene. About 17 minutes after the first call to report Reddy’s death, the department received a call from a security guard at the Wichita Country Club, reporting a young male sitting in a car with blood all over his body.

Police arrived at the country

Dr. Achutha Reddy club and arrested Umar Rashid Dutt, who is also Indian American. Dutt, 21, has been charged with first-degree murder and is currently being held at Sedgwick County Jail in Kansas, on a $1 million surety bond.

The police officer reported that Dr. Reddy was found with multiple stab wounds on his upper body. Dr Reddy a prominent Psychiatrist, was also a specialist in absolute yoga, a type of yoga which connects mind, body and breath and promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Holistic Psychiatric Hospital released a statement Sept. 14.

“Yesterday, we experienced a great loss in our lives,” wrote psychotherapist Brenda Trammel. “Dr. Reddy was an amazing, compassionate man who was kind and loving to anyone he met.”

“He thought of himself as our father and his job was to guide us to do well in our lives,” wrote Trammel, adding: “He expected the best from us, and we gave it to him with the same abandon he

gave to us.”

Hailing from Nalgonda district in Telangana, Reddy graduated from Osmania Medical College in 1986. He later moved to the U.S., where he completed his residency in psychiatry from the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita.

The members of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), an umbrella organization which has nearly 110 local chapters, specialty societies and alumni organizations, with over 35 years of history of dedicated services to their motherland and the adopted land, are appalled at the growing violence against our fellow physicians, Dr. Samadder said. “We strongly condemn this ongoing violence.

And we want immediate action against the culprits, who have been carrying on these criminal acts. We are shocked by the lack of coherent action against such violence and protect members of this noble fraternity.” For more information on AAPI, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

VOA 2017

VOICE OF ASIA 10

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FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

Torrential rain pummels Mumbai; 108 flights cancelled, train services hit

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EW DEHLI, September 20, 2017 (PTI) - Incessant rain pummeled Mumbai and its suburbs for the second day on Wednesday, causing heavy disruption in flight operations, delaying suburban train services and forcing a large number of people to stay indoors, said officials. No deaths or major damage to property were reported.

Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport’s main runway will remain closed till 10 pm today, but flight operations on the secondary runway will continue. Meanwhile, six inter-city trains have already been cancelled for today and six inter-city trains have been cancelled for tomor-

row, said Central Railway.

Colleges and schools were told to shut down due to heavy rainfall. “Several parts of the metropolis, including South Mumbai, Borivali, Kandivili, Andheri and Bhandup, received heavy rainfall. However, no untoward incident has been reported so far from any part of the city,” an official of the BMC, the city’s civic body, told PTI. Mumbai airport’s air services badly hit with at least 108 flights cancelled and 51 diverted to nearby airports till this morning. Earlier in the day, a Spice Jet aircraft had skidded, overshot the runway and got stuck in mud, blocking the runway, an airport official told PTI. Efforts are on to tow the

aircraft away and clear the runway for operations. Following the downpour, several airlines issued travel advisories to passengers. The Mumbai airport, the country’s second busiest after Delhi’s IGI airport, handles 930 flights per day. An average of 48 aircraft land or take off every hour.

Right after the downpour, a clutch of airlines issued travel advisories to passengers. The Mumbai airport, the country’s second busiest after Delhi’s IGI airport, handles 930 flights per day. An average of 48 aircraft land or take off every hour.

Mumbai’s suburban railway network provides service to nearly 70 lakh passengers per day. (-PTI)

Vehicles wade through a flooded road after heavy rains in Mumbai on Tuesday (Photo: PTI)

VOICE OF ASIA 13

VOICE OF ASIA

VOA

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BUSINESS

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Lawsuit accuses Google of paying women less than men

S

AN FRANCISCO | AFP - A trio of former Google employees on Thursday filed a lawsuit accusing the technology giant of paying women less than men for the same work.

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

Plaintiff Kelly Ellis said in a statement released by attorneys that the lawsuit addresses “a pervasive problem of gender bias at Google.”

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maintained

Tel: 713-774-5140

WhatsApp unveils plan to make money from businesses

S

AN FRANCISCO | AFP WhatsApp said Tuesday that it is testing potentially moneymaking ways to be used by businesses to communicate with customers.

A business version of Facebookowned messaging application WhatsApp will be free to use at the outset, with plans to charge big businesses for certain tools in the future, according to the company.

WhatsApp had yet to work out details of what it would charge, saying it was focused now on refining features with companies helping to test the application.

It will be the first move by Facebook to monetize WhatsApp, which has focused primarily on growth.

A lawsuit filed in California state court seeking class-action status accused Google of paying women less than men, an allegation denied by the US technology giant (Afp Photo/Justin Sullivan) The lawsuit filed in a San Francisco state court on behalf of the three women accused Google of “systemic and pervasive pay and promotion discrimination against its female employees” in California.

Lawyers are seeking class-action status for the suit in a bid to represent more women currently or formerly employed at Google.

Responding to the lawsuit, the US technology giant denied any discriminatory policies.

“We work really hard to create a great workplace for everyone, and to give everyone the chance to thrive here,” Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano said in response to an AFP inquiry.

that job levels and promotions at the company were determined through “rigorous” committees and undergo review that includes checking for gender bias.

“If we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them,” she said.

The suit comes with the US Labor Department auditing pay practices into possible gender discrimination.

It also comes as Google deals with the aftermath of a firestorm over sexism and free speech sparked by a “manifesto” published as an internal memo by then-employee James Damore.

“In relation to this particular lawsuit, we’ll review it in detail, but we disagree with the central allegations.”

The memo by a Google engineer defended the Silicon Valley gender gap, claiming that “biological differences” were a key factor in the low percentage of women in technology jobs.

Lawyers for the women accuse Google of violating California equal pay law along with the state labor code.

The memo was leaked outside the company, and triggered outcry from those claiming it perpetuated stereotypes and discrimination.

“We’ve heard stories of shopkeepers who use WhatsApp to stay in touch with hundreds of customers from a single smartphone, and from people who are unsure about whether or not a business on WhatsApp is authentic,” the company said in a blog post.

“In the coming months, we’ll be testing new features that aim to solve some of these challenges, and make it easier for people to communicate with the businesses they want to reach on

File photo/AFP “This is just the beginning of what Features offered in a business ver- we want to offer for businesses and our sion of WhatsApp will include veri- users, and we’’e excited for what’s to fied accounts to assure people they come,” said WhatsApp, which boasts more than a billion daily users. are really dealing with businesses, and Jacob Sanchez Facebook acquired WhatsApp in tools for managing text “chats.”

Diagnosed with autism 2014 in a deal valued at some $19 bilCompanies will also be able to crelion in stock and cash at the time. ate profiles providing descriptions, adWhatsApp.”

dresses, hours of operation and more.

What the IRS does on its website that’s unfair to taxpayers

by Bill Bischoff axpayers can’t rely on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and answers and other “unofficial” guidance that the IRS posts on its website at www.irs.gov, national taxpayer advocate Nina Olson recently explained in a blog post.

While tax professionals already know about this issue, you may find it unsettling. Here’s what you need to understand.

T

IRS guidance comes in three basic categories: IRS regulations

ance in the form of Revenue Rulings, Revenue Procedures, Notices, and Announcements. The IRS is generally required to follow such published guidance. However, taxpayers can try to persuade courts that their own interpretations of underlying tax laws are correct. Occasionally, some published guidance is withdrawn or replaced by more current guidance. If you rely on currently applicable published guidance, you cannot be assessed additional taxes or penalties for failing to “follow the rules.”

Unofficial guidance

The IRS puts out what it calls unGuidance in IRS final and temporary official guidance in many forms. Unregulations is binding on both the IRS official guidance includes IRS tax and taxpayers, except in relatively rare The controversy came with Silicon instances when a court is persuaded to forms and instructions (believe it or The complaint also alleged Google not), press releases, online publicaLack of speech is a sign of autism.

Learn the others at aautismspeaks.org/signs. consistently assigned women to Valley struggling in the face of accu- invalidate regulation. Some proposed “lower tiers” or “job ladders” with sations of rampant sexual harassment regulations are also binding on the IRS tions, website articles, and website lower compensation and fewer op- and discrimination affecting startups and taxpayers. Regulations are subject FAQs and answers. Such unofficial portunities for promotion than their like Uber and venture capital firms to careful internal IRS review and pub- guidance is generally not subject to careful internal review or public commale counterparts. investing in the sector. lic commentary before they are adopt- mentary before being released. Worse ed. If you rely on guidance published yet, the IRS takes the position that in temporary and final regulations (and taxpayers cannot rely on unofficial some proposed guidance even though the IRS has regulations), you put it out there for public consumpcannot be assessed tion. For example, FAQs and answers MBA CPA additional taxes or that are posted at www.irs.gov can be penalties for fail- changed at any time and without any • Tax Preparation for Individuals, partnerships, & corporations ing to “follow the public notice. Ditto for information in rules.”

• Audit, Compilation and Review of Financial Statements IRS publications that are posted on its Other official IRS website. So if you rely on unofficial • Medicare and Medicaid Cost Reports IRS guidance in taking a position on a guidance • IRS Issues-Audit Representation and Tax Collection Matters federal tax return, the IRS can potenIn periodic Inter- tially audit you and assess additional • Offer in Compromise, Installment Agreements, Levies and liens nal Revenue Bul- taxes, interest, and even penalties beletins (IRBs), the cause you did not “follow the rules” IRS issues so-called even though what you did was conTel: 832-668-4770 • 713-349-0273 • Fax: 713-357-4822 published guid- sistent with what the IRS said at the Email: Wadhwa1181@gmail.com • 4212 Sunset Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

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time. Not good!

The taxpayer advocate’s conclusions Ms. Olson concludes that the IRS stance on its own “unofficial” guidance is unfair to taxpayers. The prospect that the IRS can assess additional taxes and even penalties after you’ve filed a tax return that relied on unofficial guidance that the IRS put out there for you to follow before it changed its mind is unacceptable. As far as IRSprovided FAQs and answers go, the taxpayer advocate concludes that they are appropriate in emergency circumstances and when guidance must be issued quickly. As examples, she cited the need for quick guidance on the tax treatment of relief provided to victims of Hurricane Katrina and losses suffered by victims of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme. However, the taxpayer advocate says FAQs and answers should be released as official guidance that taxpayers can rely on (such as in IRS Notices and Announcements) as quickly as possible whenever an issue affects a significant number of taxpayers or will have ongoing relevance. True!

Relying on professional tax advice will shield you from IRS penalties If you hire a competent tax professional and follow his or her advice, you are protected from most IRS penalty assessments as long as you provide the professional with full information about the tax issue in question. So that’s a good reason for seeking professional assistance rather than making your taxes a risky DIY project. (-MarketWatch)

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LIFESTYLE

VOICE OF ASIA 14

4 Outdoor plants you can’t kill

T

ired of watching your garden not grow? These low-maintenance outdoor plants won’t let you down.

Through ignorance, neglect or just plain bad luck, I’ve had my share of gardening failures. But I’ve also been fortunate to discover a few lowmaintenance outdoor plants that even I’ve been able to keep alive. Whether you’ve never planted a thing before in your life, or just want to select some hard-to-kill plants for a troublesome spot in the yard, here are five outdoor plants that can survive almost anything.

NY Fashion Week: top 9 trends

N

ew York Fashion Week wrapped Wednesday in an explosion of glowing colors, greater in-roads into diversity, designers still pondering the point of the runway and younger talent given a chance to shine.

green-leaved perennial will come back every summer.

As the global style bandwagon now flits to Europe, with London Fashion Week kicking off on Friday before moving onto Milan and Paris, here are 10 top trends New York offered this season.

A favorite of butterflies, this lowgrowing herb has a familiar flavor that’s a natural with Greek and Italian food. Use fresh, or cut and dry stalks for your own dried oregano to sprinkle on pizzas all year long.

Chives Tired of buying green onions at the grocery and having half of them turn slimy in the fridge? Growing chives, another hard-to-kill plant, is a great alternative. Just snip off the hollow green

1990s throwback Tom Ford kicked off the week by going back to his Gucci heyday, mining for inspiration the decade that made him famous. There were plenty of low-slung pants, hip-grazing cutout bodysuits and boxy jackets.

Italian label GCDS also went for low-slung and bodysuits, while Oscar de la Renta and Victoria Beckham showed oversized jackets.

From culinary herbs to spring-flowering bulbs, with just a few types of lowmaintenance outdoor plants, you can plant a garden that’s as beautiful as it is reliable. Calvin Riggleman displays an oregano plant at his Bigg Riggs Farm in Hampshire County, West Virginia. (Photo courtesy of Lance Cheung/USDA) Wild Geranium I do nothing for this hardy, low-growing perennial, yet it rewards me with small five-petaled pink blossoms and zig-zag-edged greenery every spring.

Far different from the popular red geranium plant, the wild geranium thrives in partial shade, but adapts to a wide variety of sites.

Not fond of pink? Check out the many hardy geranium varieties, in colors including blue and magenta.

Oregano Whether you pick up a packet of seeds or a Greek oregano plant from a nursery, think about where you will plant oregano, because the bright

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

stems about an inch from the ground as needed and add to a dish at the end of cooking for a mild onion flavor. The purple flowers on a chives plant in the spring are a nice (and edible) bonus.

Their cousin, garlic chives, has flat, grass-like leaves, white flowers and a mild garlic flavor.

Poppies Providing big impact with little care, red poppies are one of my favorite hard-to-kill plants. I find the most difficult thing about this perennial is to remember that it’s not a weed! Until the poppy flower blooms, this scraggly-leaved plant looks like something you’d want to pull out of the garden.

Rainbow colors Collections were a riot of every color from the rainbow -- hot pink paired with red: the color combo of the season for the brave Tom Ford shopper.

Marc Jacobs went orange, green and psychedelic.

Spain’s luxury pret-a-couture label Depolzo luxuriated in green, pale pink and bright yellow. Yellow was a statement color at Carolina Herrera and also Ralph Lauren, in tulle with a black biker jacket.

Check mate Fine check -- or the graph-paper look as Victoria Beckham told AFP -is having a moment. See Rosie Assoulin, Public School, Christian Siriano, Monse, Calvin Klein and rag & bone among others.

Stripe right Traditionally the preserve of old-

(Left above) Boxy jackets, as seen in the 1990s, featured heavily at Tom Ford’s opening show; (Right above) Several models showcased more daring pieces, such as this Vicky Zhang design (AFP Photo/Jewel Samad) fashioned pajamas, blue was the color of choice for vertical stripes. Seen at Rosie Assoulin, Zero + Maria Cornejo, Phillip Lim, Sies Marjan, Monse and Jason Wu. Flamenco With flamenco an ultimate and timeless summer fantasy, there were flounces and ruffles galore for a flirty, sensuous look. See Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, Phillip Lim and Jeremy Scott.

Politics Disgust with Donald Trump continues to bubble over in New York and resonates well with the largely female clientele of luxury fashion labels -- not to mention a Democrat-voting, diverse group of designers.

Tory Burch offered an ode to happiness to escape troubled times. Retailer alice + olivia had a model pose in front of a feminist wall and offered a Super Woman clutch. Raf Simons, whose show for Calvin Klein was the week’s stand out, meditated on the American dream meets American horror.

Diversity Continuing a theme, perhaps snubbing their nose at Trump’s assault on

minorities, the notoriously snooty world of fashion is starting to relax is rules of membership.

Plus-size models are having a moment in the sun, see Ashley Graham walking for Prabal Gurung and Michael Kors, not to mention plus-size only collections from Addition Elle and Chromat.

Giving others a chance One was Mexican-born Victor Barragan, 25, who got a packed house for his third New York show, offering an original take on what it means to be masculine/feminine, the female body and defying conventions.

End of the runway A hot topic of conversation for some time, an increasing number of designers are searching for something different. Ralph Lauren unveiled his collection out of town alongside his collection of racing cars.

Duchess of Cambridge favorite Jenny Packham, who next year celebrates her eponymous evening label’s 30th anniversary, ditched the runway in favor of a photographic and video campaign to be released on Thursday.

(-AFP)

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LEGAL

VOICE OF ASIA 15

Section 2

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

Tel: 713-774-5140

The People’s Lawyer After the cleanup, legal advice being offered to Harvey victims www.peopleslawyer.net Learn your legal rights at the “Harvey People’s Law School” is important and can help you avoid controversy and resolve disputes. When a disaster such as Hurricane Harvey strikes, it is more important than ever to know a little bit about the law.

And a special session of the “People’s Law School,” focusing on legal issues faced by victims of Hurricane Harvey, will convene Sept.

30th at the University of Houston Law Center.

Volunteer judges, lawyers and law professors will teach classes and answer questions about legal rights available to those dealing with storm-related problems. There will be classes on insurance law, consumer and landlord tenant law, dealing with FEMA, bankruptcy, how to find the law on the internet, dealing with an attorney, as well as wills, family law and immigration. There will also be many volunteer lawyers to meet one-on-one with those who attend to discuss specific legal problems.

Presented by the Center for Consumer Law at the University of Houston Law

Richard M. Alderman Interim Dean of the Law Center

Are you in a discussion with your insurance company or FEMA about your coverage or amount of damages? Has your landlord said you must still pay rent even though you can‘t live in your house or apartment? What benefits might you be entitled to now that your employer doesn’t need you until the building is rebuilt—and it could be months? Is bankruptcy a good option when you can no longer afford the mortgage on a house that was destroyed, while paying for a new place to live? And, what are your rights when it comes to the contractor who overcharged you for shoddy repairs to your flooded home, or the customer who says he can’t afford to pay now that he has lost everything in the hurricane?

These are just some examples of situations where knowing your legal rights

Center, with the sponsorship of the Houston Lawyer Referral Service, the free program is the oldest and most successful of its kind in the nation having taught almost 60,000 people over the years. In addition to the opportunity to learn about the law, each participant will receive extensive written materials covering all of the topics taught.

Everyone who comes to the People’s Law School may attend three classes.

But although the program is free you must register to attend. The program begins at 9:00 a.m. and lasts until 12:20 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30th, at Krost Hall, on the main campus of the University of Houston.

Please arrive by 8:45 a.m.

To register and receive directions, visit www. peopleslawyer.net or call 713-825-6068. Arrive a little early and take advantage of our free coffee and donuts.

I look forward to seeing you on the 30th.

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

Read more on LEGAL news Visit us online!

Visit: www. voiceofasiaonline.com

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Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, a nonprofit legal assistance organization funded by the federal government and the Texas State Supreme Court, is offering free legal assistance to low-income residents with problems arising from Harvey.

The nonprofit says it can help with a wide range of problems: Accessing disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies, dealing with insurance and landlordtenant conflicts, replacing lost documents, and addressing consumer protection issues and contractor scams.

The group’s toll-free disaster hotline is 1-866 757 1570.

The TRLA and the Parental Readiness and Empowerment Program (PREP), an initiative of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, have also launched a “post-Harvey hotline for displaced families concerned about enrollment and special education services at their new schools.”

“As children are forced from their homes by Hurricane Harvey, they retain their right to access public schools and their right to receive necessary special education services,” said

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(AP) — Mixed signals from Washington over a possible agreement to preserve protections for young immigrants are increasing anxiety and confusion on college campuses, where the stakes are high.

Amid the uncertainty, colleges and universities are stepping up efforts to protect students enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, telling them to be hopeful but plan for the worst.

Harvard University has opened a round-the-clock emergency hotline for immigrants in the program. The University of Illinois at Chicago has posted advice on what to do if federal agents show up on campus. UC Berkeley, the University of San Francisco and many other campuses are offering free legal advice to immigrant students now facing fears of deportation.

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An estimated 350,000 of the country’s nearly 800,000 DACA recipients are enrolled in school, most at colleges or universities, according to a 46-state survey this year by the advocacy group Center for American Progress. Under the program, they were protected from deportation and allowed to legally work in the United States with two-year permits.

It was the latest in a confusing back-and-forth on the subject that started last week when the Trump administration announced it was rescinding the program, but gave Congress six months to come up with a legislative fix.

“I don’t think anybody can put much faith in the statement that there is a deal, because so much can change,” said John Trasvina, dean of the University of San Francisco School of Law and an immigration expert who worked in Washington un-

der the Clinton and Obama administrations. “I’ve seen tons of times when people think they have an immigration deal, and then it goes away.”

Under the Trump administration plan, those already enrolled in DACA remain covered until their two-year permits expire.

If their permits expire before March, 5, 2018, they can renew them for another two years as long as they apply by Oct. 5.

But the program isn’t accepting new applications.

Immigration attorneys and activists are scrambling to come up with strategies to protect DACA beneficiaries if the program ends. The Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) has set up a hotline, 1-888-6005762, where DACA beneficiaries (and other undocumented immigrants as well) can obtain information and legal advice on their immigration status.

Many immigration attorneys think it would be unlikely to survive in court if the 10 states led by Texas really file suit next week.

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urging congressional leaders to make the program permanent out of “moral imperative and a national necessity.”

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Meanwhile, the Houston Bar Association has expanded the

The HBA says it can answer questions on landlord/tenant matters, insurance, FEMA assistance, property, lost documents and other issues related to the storm, as well as help with applying for legal aid and other resources.

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Natasha Quiroga, director of PREP, in a written statement.

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VOICE OF ASIA 16

Young Life

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

Section 2 Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Elkins High School 2017 Salutatorian Gabrielle Le receives Youth Excellence award

F

ORT BEND ISD (September 15, 2017) – Each year, the Vietnamese Culture and Science Association honors outstanding high school students during its Youth Excellence Recognition Luncheon.

The honorees are Houston-area, Vietnamese-American high school graduates who were either valedictorians or salutatorians of their respective schools. Among this year’s honorees was Elkins High School’s 2017 Salutatorian, Gabrielle Le. Le is a 2017 National Merit Scholarship Finalist, a National AP Scholar and a four-time Academic Excellence award winner (2014-2017). She was also named Sugar Land Exchange Club’s Youth of the Month and received awards in the 2017 Academic Decathlon (Medalist in Essay, Interview, Language/Literature and Art) and 2017 UIL Academics (1st place in Spelling and 4th place in Literary Criticism). Her career goal is to become a medical doctor.

Tel: 713-774-5140

Young India set to replace China as Asia’s superpower

by Shubham Raj

I

n the coming decade, India will come to supply over ‘half of the increase in Asia’s potential workforce’, according to a report by Deloitte LLP. Thanks largely to its young population, who won’t be getting older any time soon, India is set to become an economic superpower.

In the coming decade, India will come to supply over half of the increase in Asia’s potential workforce

For Japan, its peak potential workforce was 87.78 million in 1995. For China, the peak was in 2014 at 1.01 billion. Both the countries are now on a downward slope. Along with these, other Asian giants like Thailand, Sin-

peak in the 1990s, China has recently started reaping its fruits.

gapore, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan are also mirroring China’s story.

(-MoneyControl)

Currently, about one-third of India’s working age population are between 15-64. And this gives India a chance, better than China and Japan, to reap the benefits of its young population.

Photo: Pictured are award recipient Gabrielle Le (left) with Elkins Principal Deidra Lyons-Lewis.

Elkins High School Principal Deidra Lyons-Lewis and AP Physics teacher, Dr. Anthony Lau, accompanied Le to the awards Luncheon on August 6.

Young Houston actor makes TV debut on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’

H

OUSTON - People dream of making it on TV and Monday night, a 10-year-old Houston boy made his big debut on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

Those aged over 65 in Asia will grow from 365 million in 2017 to more than 520 million in 2027 owing largely to China and Japan. Both the economic super houses will see a sharp drop in its working population which will mean a lower growth for these countries.

There have been two waves of growth in Asia giving rise to two economic superpowers — Japan and China. Their success stories were written by their working population.

While Japan saw its “people power”

Student entrepreneurs awarded $1 million to empower refugees In South Asia

N

EW YORK - Four PakistaniAmerican students are one step closer to making their idea for tackling the global refugee crisis into reality.

De’lijah McAlpin was cast as Ben Carson in a political skit on the ABC late night show.

The young entrepreneurs behind Roshni Rides, an envisioned transportation network to empower refugees overseas, on Saturday won the prestigious Hult Prize challenge ― which comes with a $1 million award in seed capital.

De’lijah began modeling last year, and he and his sister moved out to Los Angeles in July.

He has already walked on some runways, but his mom said this was his biggest gig yet.

The Hult Prize Foundation, a nonprofit organization for social enterprise, last year presented students with its eighth annual goal-oriented contest: develop a startup venture to restore the rights and dignity of 1 million refugees by 2022. (Jesselyn Cook/Huffington Post)

De’lijah was also hired to host a cooking show that will premiere later this year. (-KTRKTV)

Photo: AP

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VOICE OF ASIA 17

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD

Section 2

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

‘Sheikh Jackson’ moonwalks into Toronto film festival

SIMRAN SNAP!

Tel: 713-774-5140

Kangana Ranaut

Shah Rukh Khan fans unhappy about dig at him in Kangana Ranaut’s recent video

A

ctress Kangana Ranaut’s video collaboration with with All India Bakchod has gone viral within a few hours of its release, as the promotion of her new film Simran is underway.

Titled ‘The Bollywood Diva’, the song with its catchy lyrics (Cause I Have Vagina Re) set to the tune of Jaqueline Fernandez’s song Chittiyan Kalaiyan Ve, is a takedown of everything that’s wrong with the Bollywood, including nepotism, gender inequality and sexism.

However, the song hasn’t gone down too well with the SRK fans, as it takes a jibe at the actor who places his female co-stars ahead of himself in film credits, but is paid higher than the actresses. Many people are sharing and praising the video on various social media platform. (-NDTV)

‘SIMRAN’ BOLD Kangana Ranaut is never one to shy away from making a statement. In the spirit of experimenting with colour, the star was recently seen in a bright yellow dress

by Delhi-based label Gauri & Nainika (Photo: Instagram/shnoy09)

The bombshell behind ‘Simran’ revealed!

“Sheikh Jackson” a film by Amr Salama, is based loosely on Salama’s own life as a former orthodox Muslim whose obsession with the flamboyant popstar caused him a crisis of faith.

by Michel Comte

T

ORONTO, Canada | AFP Egyptian director Amr Salama pays homage to the late Michael Jackson in his new film “Sheikh Jackson,” a tale of how a young imam struggles to reconcile his desire to be a better Muslim with his love for the King of Pop. The film -- which landed a spot as Egypt’s Oscar bid for best foreign film Tuesday -- is based loosely on Salama’s own life as a former orthodox Muslim whose obsession with the flamboyant popstar caused him a crisis of faith.

It takes audiences back to the day the Gloved One died on June 25, 2009, and shows them how it sent a former devotee into a tailspin.

Jackson’s death stirs childhood memories in the film’s lead character Khaled, making him question what it means to be a man and being true to oneself.

“This film is a turning of the page on so many obstacles in the road (in my life) in terms of identity and faith crises,” Salama said in an interview with AFP ahead of the film’s Friday premiere at the Toronto film festival.

Although many older conservatives and orthodox Muslims in the Middle East may have despised Jackson during his lifetime as “a freak, the guy who changed his color,” Salama said

he was wonderstruck when he first listened to his music.

“He was a poor black kid who grew up to be one of the most famous people in the world, his music crossed borders,” he said.

Salama recalled how the father of a friend who introduced him to Jackson’s music “gave him (the friend) hell for liking Michael Jackson.”

“My own father was also not happy about me listening to Michael Jackson,” he added.

Ignoring their disapproval, Salama said he read and learned everything he could find about Jackson, who influenced his clothes, his hair, and his world outlook (as suggested by song lyrics). Those are Salama’s feet doing the moonwalk in the film.

Later in his twenties, however, “I became religious and overwhelmed by the guilt of not being good enough in the eyes of God,” he said.

- ‘Music of the devil’ -

S

imran has a ‘bombshell’ at its heart too, to be precise a bombshell bandit.

According to reports, the germ of this film’s idea started with a news item about Sandeep Kaur, dubbed Bombshell Bandit by the FBI. She embarked on a one-woman, fiveweek crime spree, robbing banks in Arizona, California, and Utah in the US. Serving a 66-month sentence in an American jail, the nursing student started on a life of crime to pay off her gambling debts.

Sandeep’s story began as a 21-yearold who had just started living alone and was on her first trip to Las Vegas.

Her flirtation with gambling began innocently enough, “With a dizzying

reject pop culture.

An older Khaled, played by Ahmad El-Fishawi, is torn up inside. “I don’t want to be a hypocrite,” he says in the film.

“For Muslims, to not walk the talk is a sin,” Salama explains.

The film stars Ahmed Malek as a young Khaled who worships Jackson, from his Thriller-era haircut and moon walk to his Bad tour bondage pants.

The writer-director said he hoped to reveal devout Muslims’ inner struggle, rather than criticize them as pretenders.

But he is eventually steered away from the Man in the Mirror by a macho father who fears his son becoming soft, and later by religious mentors who encourage him to preach to “those who dance to the music of the devil” to

The character Khaled, he notes, “wants to be devoted but he just can’t” because of his love of Jackson’s music.

How does one juggle these contradictions? “I don’t have an answer for that,” Salama admits. “That’s the ques-

Aziz Ansari Didn’t Speak During His Emmys Acceptance Speech

Aziz Ansari and Lena Waithe at the Emmys.Getty Images

by Perri KONECKY

O

n Sunday night, Master of None writer and actress Lena Waithe made Emmys history.

She became the first black woman to win an award for comedy writing for the show’s “Thanksgiving” episode, and it was incredibly memorable. In her acceptance speech, Lena thanked Netflix, gave her girlfriend a shout-out, and shared some seriously inspiring words for the LGBTQ+ community.

While Lena had the entire crowd applauding and praising her words, Aziz Ansari remained silent. The creator, writer, and actor of the series took two steps back to let Lena have her time, and it was so damn commendable. Aziz cowrote the episode with Lena, but he clearly recognized what a groundbreaking moment this was not only in Emmys history but also in Lena’s life, and she deserved to have the mic.

Although some people on social media were quick to

judge Lena for “not letting Aziz speak,” we believe that was the entire point. He let her have her moment, and that in itself is worthy of its own award. Last year, Aziz took home the same award for the episode “Parents,” when Alan Yang ironically did most of the speaking as well. Read on to see some of the best Twitter reactions to Aziz’s acceptance speech silence, and then check out why Lena is the actress to keep on your radar!

streak of beginner’s luck, Kaur says she won $4,000, and was “instantly hooked”. That first trip lead to a second, then a third, and soon she was flying to Vegas monthly. Then she discovered baccarat, and suddenly nothing else in the world mattered. ‘I can walk past roulette,’ she says. ‘But if I even see baccarat, my heart leaps.’”

And that is where her life of crime began. She would go on to rob four banks, one for less than $2000. She would rob the banks wearing wigs and designer glasses and without even owning a gun. She would simply hand over a typewritten sheet in cashier’s hand: “Tick Tock, I have a bomb.”

She squandered away over $200,000 (Rs 1.2 crore) she had saved over the years and then took debts from casinos.

When she blew that away too, she borrowed money from loan sharks. She tried to vanish and start her life again but all in vain. The casino wanted its money back as did the loan sharks.

Then, her conservative Sikh family got a whiff of her gambling.

As the BBC report says, “It was a spectacle that culminated in Kaur’s arrest on 31 July 2014, after a desperate police pursuit. The 65-mile chase crossed three states and two time zones, reaching speeds of 130 mph.”

tion that the film asks, more than answers.”

and featuring Jackson as a walking dead and a werewolf.

“I think we just need to accept our contradictions and all ourselves,” he then offers.

The original “Making Of” was conceived to help fund the production of “Thriller” and was shot simultaneously and debuted alongside the music video in 1983.

- Thriller in 3D Thirty-five years after Jackson released “Thriller,” which went on to become the world’s bestselling album of all time, the Toronto film festival is also screening a digitally remastered version of John Landis’ original music video in 3D, as well as the documentary “The Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.”

Landis himself oversaw the frameby-frame restoration of short film, with its legendary zombie dance sequence,

Can’t wait to see Kangana in such action scenes! ( -Hindustan Times)

It took audiences behind the scenes, showing them the movie making process from makeup to choreography to filming at a time when such glimpses were rare.

“I can’t tell you how many filmmakers have told me that ‘The Making of Thriller’ was their first window into how movies are made and inspired them to become filmmakers themselves,” Landis said.

VOICE OF ASIA 18

Voice of Asia

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

Section 2

A fifth of global deaths linked to diet: study

HEALTHY Stem Cell Therapy For Regenerative Pain Management

By Marlowe Hood

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ARIS, France | AFP -Fewer children are dying before their fifth birthday and although humans are living longer than ever before, one in five deaths last year were linked to poor diet, researchers said Friday.

Surya Raguthu, M.D, ABIPP, ABPMR, CIME

More than 1.6 million people in poor countries died in 2016 from diarrhoea caused by contaminated water and food, while another 2.4 million succumbed to lung infections that mostly could have been prevented or treated.

Another two million mothers and newborns perished due to complications at birth that rudimentary health care could have largely avoided.

Startlingly, the study finds that -- combining the two extremes of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy eating in richer communities -- poor diet is linked to one in five deaths worldwide

AIDS and tuberculosis each claimed more than a million lives, while malaria killed over 700,000 people, according to half-a-dozen studies published jointly in The Lancet, a leading medical journal.

“Hepatitis deaths can be avoided,” said Raquel Peck, CEO of World Hepatitis Alliance, pointing out that no global facility exists to combat the disease and that most sufferers don’t even know they have it.

But trend lines have declined over the last decade for these communicable diseases.

“Globally, only five percent of people living with viral hepatitis are aware of their condition.”

The same cannot be said for viral hepatitis, which killed 1.34 million people in 2016 -22 percent more than in 2000, according to the World Health Organization.

Nearly 55 million people died in 2016, while 129 million were born, leaving a net gain of 74 humans on the planet.

Global life expectancy last year was 75.3 years for women, and nearly 70 for men.

The Japanese averaged 83.9 years, while citizens of the Central African Republic beat the odds if they make it past 50, a discrepancy of more than three decades between highest and lowest lifespans.

Nearly three quarters of all deaths in 2016 were caused by non-communicable diseases, with heart disease related to restricted blood flow the single biggest killer of all.

Gut bacteria can help you lose weight, reveals study Now we can explain why a high fibre diet ONDON, September 19, 2017 - Accorddoes not always lead to weight loss ing to a recent study, a group of researchers have found that gut bacteria could affect your ability to lose or gain weight. The study has shown that differing proportions of gut bacteria can determine how much weight a person is able to lose the findings suggest that a “one size fits all” approach doesn’t work, reports The Struggling to lose weight? Pay attention to your gut (Photo:Shutterstock) Independent.

Researchers enrolled 62 who had a higher ratio of Pre- much as half of the population.” participants who all had large votella to Bacteroides and fol- The research reinforces the idea waist circumferences. They lowed the New Nordic Diet lost that nutrition should be perwere instructed to follow ei- more body fat than those with sonal, and what works for one ther the New Nordic Diet (dark the same ratio following the person won’t necessarily work greens, berries, wholegrains) or Average Danish Diet. When the for another. “These results are the Average Danish Diet (lean ratio was reversed, there was a breakthrough demonstrating meat, eggs, lettuce, coffee, no no difference in weight loss be- that certain bacterial species grains) and were grouped based tween the two diets. Study’s co- play a decisive role in weight on how much of two different author Mads Hjorth explained, regulation and weight loss,” types of bacteria – Prevotella “People with a high Prevotella/ noted lead researcher Arne Asand Bacteroides – they had in Bacteroides ratio were more trup. The lead researcher consusceptible to body fat loss on a cluded by saying, “Now we can their gut. diet rich in fibre and wholegrain explain why a high fibre diet The two diets vary greatly in compared to an average Danish does not always lead to weight the amount of fibre you condiet.” Read more about Did you loss. sume, with the New Nordic Diet know gut bacteria could affect Human intestinal bacteria being much more fibre-rich. your weight and health? is an important part of the anParticipants followed the diets Adding, “The health promot- swer and will from now on play for 26 weeks, with their body measurements taken before and ing aspects of the New Nordic a role in the treatment of the after. After this initial period, all Diet in terms of body weight overweight.” (-The Indepenparticipants followed the New regulation seem mainly to ap- dent) Nordic Diet for another year. ply to a subset of the populahe researchers found that those tion. This could apply to as

L

by Dr. Surya Raguthu There has been many inventions in medical history to treats diseases and to have a better quality of life but using one’s own body cells to treat and cure human medical conditions is the future as it is not foreign substance but acquired from the patient itself and natural.

It is a tremendous advancement in medical practice to treat patients with Stem cells therapy that means that unlike other cells in the body, they have the potential to develop into a wide variety of other cells. They also carry with them the ability to repair and restore internal systems. So, in theory, it’s possible for stem cells to help repair tissues, muscles, blood, bones and organs, aiding growth and possibly even replacing missing pieces.

Stem cells can be gathered from several locations, including but not limited to bone marrow and adipose (or fat). When it comes to pain management, the most studied and most well-suited type

appears to be that gathered from stem cell-rich bone marrow. For the purposes of pain management, these bone marrow cells are most commonly collected from the back of the hip.

Once they’re collected, they may be conditioned in various ways, like centrifuging, which make the stem cells as potent as possible. They’re then injected at the site of the issue, with the hope of helping the affected tissue or system regenerate itself.

Stem cell therapy and its advantages Due to stem cells’ ability to restore and regenerate, their application toward pain management is a logical step. In particular, stems cells are an exciting treatment solution for conditions such as degenerative disc disease and disc herniation. Disc degeneration, which can occur due to aging or injury, causes the discs to weaken and tear, meaning they no longer provided the needed support for the spine.

This can result in herniation (a rupture of the disc, which then presses painfully against spinal nerves).

Not only do stem cells work to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with these conditions, but they also work to repair and regenerate the damaged regions. So far, research into the application of stem cells for back pain has

been positive, although most of it has taken place utilizing nonhuman subjects. The existing studies do indicate, though, that stem cells can indeed minimize degeneration and start to regenerate disc tissue.

Many organizations and companies including Advanced Pain Management – are currently studying the safety and efficacy of stem cells for the treatment of pain. There are still several aspects that need to be optimized, including at what point in care the treatment is utilized, the time between extraction and implant and the type of conditioning that happens to the cells before transplant, but the preliminary data suggest this is a promising avenue for pain relief.

Dr. Surya Raguthu, M.D, ABIPP, ABPMR, CIME, has 15 years of experience in Pain Management and excels in Sports Medicine, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitative Medicine. His mission is to enhance the health and well-being of seniors, adults, and children in our communities to help them lead a quality life. His motto is “Live Pain Free.”

Please visit www.acepain. com for details. Office phone 832-532-0040

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September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. Who Needs It? If someone will suffer financially when you die, chances are you need life insurance because it provides cash to your family after your death.

This cash, known as the death benefit, replaces your income and can help your family meet many important financial needs like funeral costs, daily living expenses and college funding. What’s more, there is no federal income tax on life insurance benefits.

To help you understand how life insurance might apply to your particular situation, we’ve outlined a number of different scenarios below.

You’re Married Many people mistakenly believe that they don’t need to think about life insurance until they have children. Not true. What it one of you died tomorrow?

Even with your surviving spouse’s income, would that be enough to pay off debts like credit card balances and car loans, let alone cover the monthly rent and utility bills? If you’re planning to have children, you’ll want to buy life insurance now instead of waiting until pregnancy—some companies won’t issue policies to pregnant women.

You’re Married With Kids Most families depend on two incomes to make ends meet. If you died suddenly, could your family continue meet all their financial obligations—from paying rent or the mortgage to daily living expenses? Could your family continue their standard of living on your spouse’s income alone? Would their plans for the future—like college stay intact? Life insurance makes sure that your plans for the future don’t die when you do.

You’re a Single Parent As a single parent, you’re the caregiver, breadwinner, cook, chauffeur and so much more. Yet nearly four in 10 single parents have no life insurance, and many with coverage say they need more than they have. With so much responsibility resting on your shoulders, you need to make doubly sure that you have enough

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

life insurance to safeguard your children’s financial future.

You’re a Stay-At-Home Parent Just because you don’t earn a salary doesn’t mean you don’t make a financial contribution to your family. Childcare, transportation, cleaning cooking, and other household activities are all important tasks, the replacement value of which is often severely underestimated. With life insurance, your family can afford to make the choice that best preserves their quality of life.

You Have Grown Children Just because your kids are through college and the mortgage is paid off doesn’t necessarily mean that you no longer need life insurance. If you died today, your spouse will still be faced with daily living expenses. Would your financial plan, without life insurance, enable your spouse to maintain the lifestyle you’ve worked so hard to achieve now and into retirement?

To understand various Types of Life Insurance and its Planning contact Sudhir Mathuria @ 713-771-2900.

VOICE OF ASIA 19

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

LIVING

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Bound to a 9-5 desk job?

All your exercise is in vain

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EW YORK (ANI), September 19,2017 No matter how much you exercise, you definitely need to take a ‘movement break’ every half an hour.

two hours and 30 minutes every week, plus muscle strengthening activities on two or more days a week.

According to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, sitting for excessively long periods of time is a risk factor for early death.

“We think a more specific guideline could read something like, ‘For every 30 consecutive minutes of sitting, stand up and move/walk for five minutes at brisk pace to reduce the health risks from sitting,’ “ he said, adding the study “puts us a step closer to such guidelines,” but more research is needed to verify the findings.

There’s a direct relationship between time spent sitting and your risk of early mortality of any cause, researchers said, based on a study of nearly 8,000 adults. As your total sitting time increases, so does your risk of an early death.

The positive news: People who sat for less than 30 minutes at a time had the lowest risk of early death.

“Sit less, move more” is what the American Heart Association encourages all of us to do.

But this simplistic guideline doesn’t quite cut it, said Keith Diaz, lead author of the new study and an associate research scientist in the Columbia University Department of Medicine.

“This would be like telling someone to just ‘exercise’ without telling them how,” Diaz wrote in an email.

Exercise guidelines are precise, he explained. For example, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults do moderateintensity aerobic exercise for

“We need similar guidelines for sitting,” said Diaz.

-Aging means more sitting To understand the relationship between sedentary behavior and early death, Diaz and his colleagues at Columbia, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and other institutions turned to the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) project, a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.

“The REGARDS study was originally designed to examine why blacks (and particularly blacks in the Southern US) have a greater risk for stroke than whites,” said Diaz. He and his co-researchers tracked for an average of four years 7,985 black and white adult participants, age 45 or older, who had signed on to participate in the REGARDS project.

To measure sedentary time

for these adults, the research team used hip-mounted accelerometers. During the study period, the team recorded 340 total deaths considered “allcause mortality” -- any death, regardless of cause.

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“As we age, and our physical and mental function declines, we become more and more sedentary,” wrote Diaz.

Previous studies of adults have found daily sitting time to average just nine to 10 hours per day. The higher average in his own study is likely “due to the fact we studied a middleand older-aged population,” Diaz wrote. “It could also be partly due to the fact that we used an activity monitor to track sedentary time rather than using self-report.”

Measuring duration, the researchers clocked participants sitting, on average, for 11.4 minutes at a stretch.

As total sedentary time increased, so did early death by any cause, the results indicated.

And the same was true for longer sitting stretches. Overall then, participants’ risk of death grew in tandem with total sitting time and sitting stretch duration -- no matter their age, sex, race, body mass index or exercise habits.

Economically, teens are dependent on their parents for longer

The findings published in the journal Child Development suggest that today’s teenagers are taking longer to engage in adult activities such as drinking alcohol, working, driving, or having sex.

“The developmental tra-jectory of adolescence has slowed, with teenagers growing up more slowly than they used to,” explained Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University in the US and lead author of the study.

“In terms of adult activities, 18-year-olds now look like 15-year-olds once did,” Twenge said.

The researchers examined how often teenagers engaged in activities that adults do and that children do not, including dating, working for pay, going out without parents, driving and having sex.

They analysed seven large surveys of 8.3 million 13- to 19-year-olds between 1976 and 2016.

The surveys were nationally representative, reflecting the population of US teenagers in terms of gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status and geographic region.

In the surveys, teenagers

The study does not pass judgment on whether delayed adulthood is good or bad (Photo: Shutterstock) were asked how they used their time, including their engagement in one or more adult activities, allowing researchers to compare teens in the 2010s to teenagers in the 2000s, 1990s, 1980s and 1970s.

on homework or extracurricular activities because time doing those activities decreased among eighth and tenth graders and was steady among twelfth graders and college students, the researchers said.

The study found that today’s adolescents are less likely than their predecessors to take part in activities typically undertaken by adults.

The decline may be linked to the time teenagers spend online, which increased markedly, the authors noted.

The researchers also examined how changes in family size, life expectancy, education and the economy may have influenced the speed at which teenagers take on adult activities.

The trend toward engaging in fewer adult activities cannot be explained by time spent

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital celebrates 10 years of excellence in heart and vascular care

Analyzing the data, the team found that sedentary behavior, on average, accounted for about 12.3 hours of an average 16-hour waking day.

Teenagers growing up more slowly today than they used to EW YORK (IANS), September 19,2017 -Contrary to popular perception, today’s teenagers are actually growing up more slowly than their predecessors, with 18-year-olds now behaving like 15-year-olds of yesteryears, suggests new research.

Tel: 713-774-5140

“Our study suggests that teenagers today are taking longer to embrace both adult responsibilities (such as driving and working) and adult pleasures (such as sex and alcohol),” study co-author Heejung Park, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, said.

(L-R) Uttam Tripathy, M.D., B. Keith Ellis, M.D., Mahesh Ramchandani, M.D. Photo credit HMSL

S

UGAR LAND - (Sept.

19, 2017) – In 2007, Leszek Gorski needed heart valve replacement surgery. He consulted with Mahesh Ramchandani, M.D., cardiothoracic surgeon at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “Dr. Ramchandani told me this would be the first open heart surgery at Houston Methodist Sugar Land, and he asked me if I would agree to be patient No. 1,” Gorski recalled. “I said, ‘I’m always No. 1! Definitely, let’s do it!’”

Gorski knew it was time to consult a specialist when he started having difficulty breathing and even lost consciousness several times. Tests revealed that Gorski’s aortic valve was abnormally small, a condition he was likely born with.

Valve disease can affect any of the four heart valves and may be the result of a birth defect, aging or infections. In addition to shortness of breath and fainting, other symptoms of valve disease may include fatigue, chest pain and swelling of the ankles, feet or abdomen.

For Gorski, the best treatment option was to replace his defective aortic valve with a pig valve. Ramchandani and his associate, Uttam Tripathy, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon at Houston Methodist Sugar Land, performed the surgery with Zbigniew Wojciechowski, M.D., the anesthesiologist in charge. The surgery was a success and marked not only a return to health for Gorski, but the beginning of 10 years of leading heart and vascular care at Houston Methodist Sugar Land.

“The Heart & Vascular Center really started in 2006,” said B. Keith Ellis, M.D., medical director of cardiovascular services at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “That’s when we instituted the STEMI program,” Ellis explained. ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attacks involve a complete blockage in a coronary artery and carry a high risk of death or disability. To

handle STEMI heart attacks, a hospital must have a cardiologist and cardiac surgeon on call and must meet the national benchmark of treatment within 90 minutes. “To get that program up and going and deliver good results was a major accomplishment. It helped us solidify our relationships with surgeons and improve outcomes for patients,” Ellis said.

Using its STEMI and openheart surgery programs as a springboard, the Heart & Vascular Center continues its pursuit of excellent care and leading-edge medicine. “We work hard to make sure patients re-

ceive the most technologically innovative care available,” Tripathy added. To that end, the Heart & Vascular Center creates a heart team consisting of a general cardiologist, an interventional cardiologist, a cardiovascular anesthesiologist and a cardiovascular surgeon for every patient who needs open heart surgery.

“The team discusses each case and decides the best treatment strategy, so patients aren’t getting just one doctor’s opinion, but are accessing a collaboration of doctors across various specialties,” Tripathy explained. “It really ensures that patients get the latest and most evidence-based treatment strategy.” Plus, the doctors at the Houston Methodist Heart & Vascular Center at Sugar Land work closely with their colleagues within Houston Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, creating a supportive and collaborative environment that ensures top-

notch patient care.

“We’ve grown our expertise not only by recruiting more surgeons of the highest quality but by adding the intensivist program to deliver the best postoperative care,” said Ramchandani, now vice chair and section chief for cardiovascular surgery at the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center. Intensivists — doctors specializing in critical care in the intensive care unit (ICU) — ensure that postoperative patients and the critically ill get round-the-clock medical care adapted to the unique needs of ICU patients — typically only

found in the largest teaching hospitals.

ADVANCED CARDIOVASCULAR CARE Patients with the following medical conditions receive innovative care at the Heart & Vascular Center: • Acute stroke • Cardiac arrhythmias • Chronic total occlusion • Congenital heart defects • Coronary artery disease • Peripheral arterial disease • Pulmonary embolus To schedule an appointment with a cardiologist at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit houstonmethodist.org/ spg or call 281.274.7500 to find a doctor in your area.

To see Houston Methodist Sugar Land’s world-class team of cardiologists, surgeons, specialists and support staff in action, visit bit.ly/heartvideo-sl.

VOICE OF ASIA 20

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

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VOICE OF ASIA 21

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HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 22

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

Your Horoscope for the Week of September 22, 2017 READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE

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

ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April Someone can appear reasonable and attractive one minute, then just the opposite a moment later. You may receive invitations to learning events. Take the time to express your views & your opinions will become crystal clear. Your appeal will help to make your dreams come true. If you go with the flow & you’ll gain recognition for your sensitivity & down to earth approach. Don’t be afraid to tell your story, you’ll find out who cares and who doesn’t. You will get help from loyal allies.

Take your position, with confidence & others will show their support. Think positive & pieces will fall into place. Focus is on finding a perfection for your style. Your independent spirit should help you find the perfect place for you to enjoy what you do.

An elderly person may teach you to try something new, possibly even adventurous. 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.

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

Scorpio (N,Y) 23 Oct to 21 Nov

Feelings, of being overworked and undervalued. You and your partner can connect and tell each other your troubles. Even though you may feel unusually high-strung, don’t allow your tension to cause you to make a wrong move or a false start. Stick with what you know, both in things and in people. Someone you’ve known a long time may contact you from a long distance. If possible, you should plan a reunion along with mates and partners.

Try to reflect on positive influences rather than the negative ones. Your keen understanding of the direction you’re headed in will enhance your confidence & assist you in achieving your goals. High emotional & spiritual feelings are Your motives & could be challenged by those you love & trust. 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.

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

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Take a risk and reach out for new goals & targets. Get ready for some serious sit-down negotiations now. It’s vital that you know what you want before the discussion begins.

You don’t want to be with some hardheaded person who is going to neglect you. Your best protection is preparation. If possible, rehearse. This allows you to consider all the possibilities, rather than have to deal with them on the spot. Your interactions with the people around you should be free and easy. Your spiritual awareness will be sharp,

You’ll feel a new energy that’s been building up inside you. You need to change with the times, face the challenges at hand. If you aren’t already in control, you soon will be.

An old schedule or budget may no longer be relevant. The world awaits your next move so don’t waste this rare opportunity. Luck is on your side as long as you are reasonable in what you ask for. Confidence and hard work are an excellent combination to get the job done right.

Don’t compound things by being defensive.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Your quick mind, calmness & memory will help you in any creative endeavors you try. Strong friendships that came about by is just you being yourself. It’s hard sometimes for you to be open about yourself, but this week you’ll find yourself feeling confident enough to confide in others. Travel could bring you cultural knowledge that can’t be learned in any other way. Be careful not to put too much trust in relatives who are incapable of comprehending your personal situation. Use your humor to put them in their place.

It’s Time for Spark in your personal and professional relationships. They will grow & blossom beyond your expectations. Utilize your energy to organize, re-build & prepare for upcoming events. Your personal magnetism & appeal will certainly give you an edge in everything you do. Be careful that others are not mislead by mistake, be clear with your approach. Recent changes in your lifestyle could prove to be a positive influence on others.

You may be pleasantly surprised by comments made by higher ups.

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

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August The future is yours if you know what to do with it. First you need to find out how things work, then you will know how to repeat the conditions when necessary. You need to put more effort into achieving your goals. An almost finished project will get an extra creative push. You’ll be able to find exactly who you want to be on your side.

Avoid any new developments that aren’t directly related to what you are doing now. You know where you belong because everyone there knows you too well. Family issues should be re-examined.

Your ability to win others over to your side & Your style alone will make you popular.

You’re at home with a full plate of tasks and a busy room to entertain. You may feel tired of being in the supporting role and be ready to quit. Hesitate on the quitting and focus on your message. Be open about your feelings. Take a bigger slice of the responsibility than usual. By boosting your confidence, you’ll raise the value of your work. A new you is beginning to emerge. With your resources, lucrative people will find you to be indispensable.

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

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Listen to your inner voice, the sound of it may surprise you at first. Let your true feelings come to the surface, deal with little problems before they compound into larger ones. Your positive approach in dealing with others’ problems will help them to heal emotionally, spiritually. You may also have the gift of being able to push others in the direction you want them to go. You understand how to use the energy of the team, and this enables you to stretch a dollar with great success.

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Your ideas will walk you over your future plans. Domestic & personal decisions which will tend to make you feel more secure in who you are. Your confidence has recently been weakened by others trying to pull you down. Don’t allow others to make you feel inferior, make your mark & stick to it. Family & friends will express their genuine gratitude for your honest efforts. Entertaining, attending social events will allow you to network your ideas. If you prepare properly, this could be a great adventure.

You’ll have opportunities to meet interesting people that will help you to broaden your horizons.

Visit: www.voiceofasiaonline.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Accountants

NARESH SETLUR, CPA - Certified, Quickbooks Pro Advisor,Accounting, Tax Returns, Cost Accounting, Sales Tax, Franchise Tax. Retail, Manufacturing, Construction, Franchise Accounting.

Visit our website: www.cypresstxcpa.com Call: (832) 620-4757 • Email: setlurn@gmail.com

BOOK-KEEPING INCOME TAX Personal and Business Tax Returns, Payroll Sales Tax, Income Tax Audits and Representations

S. Ram and Associates

Tel: 832-877-9625 Free Consultation asu2020.com

Real Estate BUY - SELL - INVEST Your REALTOR ® with over 26 years in Real Estate

Ron Aga 832-423-6973

visit us at : www.mdassociatescpas.com

Auto Care & Sales

• 2514 Times Blvd, Rice Village, Ph: 713-523-4753 Visit us online: www.shivarestaurant.com

OUR SERVICES

Residential | Commercial | MIH REALTY New Homes | Re-sale | Investments Luxury Homes | Foreclosure | Short sale Benny George | Realtor | GRI | 832-863-7522 Professional Guidance | Personalized Attention | Customized Plan

Remodeling

A full service CPA firm

3 Locations to serve you

Specializing in North Indian Cuisine, office & Corporate catering

Champions Real Estate Group • 6117 Richmond Ave, Ste # 120 Houston, TX 77057

M.D. Associates LLP Houston 713-774-6533 Spring 281-251-2205 Dallas 214-722-7545

Shiva Indian Restaurant & Catering

Indus Home Remodeling • Kitchen • Bathroom • Painting • Flooring • Countertops • Cabinets • Fence • Sprinklers Ph: 832-298-9852 • indusremodel@gmail.com

Restaurants

B&J Auto Care & Sales Auto repair (Collision repair (all insurance), Mechanical (Brakes, Oil change, • Used Car Sales Engine and Transmission) • Used & New Tires Blessy 281-323-9315 • Great Service • 3242 5th St , Stafford TX - 77477

India’s Restaurant & Catering

Computer Services

Ph: 713-266-0131/ 0805

for special parties and corporate events. Preferred Wine list, Authentic vegetarian & non-vegetarian dishes, finest Indian cuisine with chef’s special dishes

Restaurants

We cater from 10 people to 800 people for all occasions.

We deliver to your venue.

Networking and computer Repair – Home & Business, on site, Microsoft MCSE & A+ certified, low flat rates, free estimates, pickup & delivery, www.PCNetworkGuru.com Call Amit at 832-971-6807

Madhuram Mirch Masala 10758 FM 1960 West Houston, TX 77070 281.955.9878 216.338.3940 (cell)

Amazing Opportunity!

If you invest just $2 a day

Newsweekly 10,000 copies weekly. 520,000 copies annually.

Reach over 2 million readers. Get your business seen. Visit us online: www.voiceofasiaonline.com.

To know more about Print advertising call us.

Medical Magazine Distributed to 500 locations. Get your business seen. To know more about Print Advertising, call us.

Visit us online: www.healthlinemag.com

E-blast Send out Specials, Sales and Promote your Events.

Reach 11,000+ people. We are here to help get your business branded. Call 713-774-5140.

Web / Digital Advertising Reach out locally through Web banners, Video advertisements, classifieds online, product advertorials, news press releases, social media promotions to increase visibility for your business.

Classifieds

Place classifieds of any nature. Employment, Job Wanted, Car for Sale, Garage Sale, Business for Sale. We also offer them online. Call: 713-774-5140.

“Word of mouth has a limited reach”

It’s time to advertise your business cost-effectively.

(Less than the price of a cup of coffee)

in VOICE OF ASIA,

you can reach over 2 million potential customers!

VOICE OF ASIA NEWS GROUP www.voiceofasiaonline.com • www.healthlinemag.com

To advertise, call: Phone: 713-774-5140 ads@voiceofasiagroup.com

CLASSIFIEDS

VOICE OF ASIA 23

Supply Chain/Purchasing Assistants Needed Imports and distribution company is looking to fill (2) Supply Chain/Purchasing Assistant positions. The Supply Chain Assistant is responsible for assisting the coordinator in supply chain/purchasing related work. Job Duties include generating Purchase Orders, Follow up/Expediting Shipments, Assist in inventory planning and evaluation, Prepare and Generate reports, general Data-Entry Work , and also may create and prepare RFQ’s.

Preferred Requirements: • One year supply chain/purchasing experience preferred.

• Mechanical/ Industrial Engineering/ Business Administration degree preferred.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point.

• Strong problem identification and objection resolution skills.

• Strong verbal, listening, and written communication skills.

• Able to perform basic calculations and mathematical figures.

• Ability to work individually and together, as part of a team.

• Dependable, punctual, and demonstrates positive energy and attitude. If interested, please send resume to: wendy@uniqueindl.com

Choose the Right Place to Have a Sensitive Discussion When you’re trying to resolve a conflict with a colleague, the venue will have an effect on whether you both feel able to speak freely, express any emotions, and reach a resolution. Select a location where you’ll both be comfortable. Ideally, you want the conversation to happen face-to-face and in private. Maybe you’ll meet in a neutral conference room or at a nearby coffee shop. Or you might take a walk outside together for a change of scenery. Avoid choosing a place that gives you or your coworker an advantage. Inviting someone into your office puts you in a power position, for example, because it’s your space and you’re the one sitting behind a desk. And when choosing a conference room, think about who’s in the adjacent rooms. Sometimes walls are thinner than you think.

Source: www.hbr.org

Request for Proposals (RFP) 3D Metrology Workstation System Project No. 18-02 Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Tuesday, October 17, 2017.

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

STAFF ACCOUNTANT NEEDED

Experienced Accountant needed for an Engineering office in Stafford, TX. Responsibilities include AP/AR, QuickBooks, reconciliation of bank accounts and be the liaison with our finance department & manufacturing facility in India.

Must be proficient in Excel and QuickBooks. This position is an immediate hire.

We offer a competitive base salary, health/dental/vision/life insurance benefits, 401K and paid time off.

Please email resumes to: rhodges@rodneyhunt.com www.rodneyhunt.com

JOB POSTING – Production Manager/Director The KTRK-TV Programming Department is looking for a Dynamic Production Manager/Director to oversee KTRK’s In-Studio and Remote Productions.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for supervising and scheduling the production staff as well as studio facilities and equipment. Other responsibilities include hands-on director for newscasts and special events as well as coordination of major station productions both inside and outside of the building. Additional duties include assisting in monitoring and managing on-air quality control.

Candidates should have a minimum of five years of television news production supervision and experience with directing. Must be an innovative thinker with excellent leadership and communication skills. This position requires someone that is detail oriented with the ability to multi-task and work under deadlines. We are looking for someone that possess high work ethics and standards with a working knowledge of all studio and remote production equipment. Strong internal candidate.

To be considered interested applicants must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Please reference Job Requisition # 490260BR Equal Opportunity Employer – Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/ Gender Identity. No Telephone Calls.

Non-Linear News Editor (Part Time) KTRK-TV, and ABC owned station in Houston, TX has an opening for a part time Non-Linear News Editor. Candidates should have experience in editing on non-linear systems as well as knowledge of the Digital Newsroom and understanding of the digital workflow for broadcast news, in a deadline intensive environment. Serious candidates should also have a working knowledge of a server based digital media workflow. Candidates should be able to edit in deadline situations, be creative, precise and be able to work fast.

You must be able to take direction, and be a “Team Player” who is not afraid of an intense news environment. Hours will vary depending on the needs of the department, so flexibility to work a varied schedule is required.

To be considered, candidates must apply on-line at www.disneycareers. com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Please Reference Job ID: 409302BR on all materials submitted.

Equal Opportunity Employer – Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity. No Telephone Calls.

PET of the WEEK I need a loving home

CASEY - ID#A007082

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE WEEK

Houston Community College

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017

Shelter staff named me CASEY. I am a male, brown and tan German Shepherd Dog and Black and Tan Coonhound. The shelter staff think I am about 10 weeks old. I have been at the shelter since Sep 15, 2017.

For more information about this pet, call: City of Sugar Land Animal Services at (281) 275-2364

PART-TIME MULTIMEDIA CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR Are you a news junkie who scans the morning headlines before getting out bed each morning? Are you tied to your twitter feed throughout the day? Can’t go to bed before watching the 10pm news?

KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a part-time content contributor for both broadcast and digital.

This is a great opportunity for someone looking to advance their career as a multimedia journalist. In this position, you will work on the assignment desk and contribute to digital platforms, among other duties.

Must be willing to work overnights, weekends, and holidays. The ideal candidate can multi-task in a fast-paced environment and has experience gathering information and writing news stories - along with a good understanding of social media trends and apps.

College degree and some experience in a working newsroom is preferred.

To be considered all interested candidates must apply online at disneycareers.com, ref job # 790303BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. In addition, please mail writing samples to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005 and include the job reference number.

Equal Opportunity Employer – Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/ Gender Identity. No Telephone Calls.

VOICE OF ASIA 24

FRIDAY, September 22, 2017