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FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Over 27 years of dedicated service to the community Vol. 28 No. 46 Friday, November 13, 2015 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 24 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com
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FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
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FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
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Over 27 years of dedicated service to the community Vol. 28 No. 46 Friday, November 13, 2015 • Page 3 .\Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 24 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com
India’s Ruling Party Loses Key Elections In Bihar Report by Raghuraman (TNN)
Shankar
hroughout the five phases of polling in Bihar, two questions were repeatedly raised. First, does the consistently higher turnout than in 2010 mean an advantage for either side and if so which one? Second, whom does the higher turnout among women than men help? An analysis of the results suggests the answer to the first question is not clear, but the higher female turnout seems to have worked for JD(U) in particular.
T
We looked at the 20 constituencies where the gap between female and male turnout was highest and the 20 in which the reverse was true. In the 20 seats with female turnouts higher than those of men by 17 percentage points or more, the JD(U) won 11 or more than half,
compared to its overall share of under 30% of the 243 seats. In these 11 seats, it chalked up margins of between 14,000 and 54,000. The next biggest share was of the RJD, which won four of the 20 seats with margings ranging between 800-odd and nearly 38,000. The Congress picked up another two, one by about 14,000 votes and the other by close to 52,000 votes. In all, therefore, the Mahagathbandhan won the overwhelming majority of these seats and by comfortable margins. In contrast, the BJP won just two seats, both by between 4,000 and 5,000 votes, while its ally the RLSP got one by under 4,000 votes. Thus, the NDA won three of the 20 seats, a much lower share than its nearly one-fourth share in all 243 seats.
More reporting on page 8
Setback for Modi in Tamil Nadu, Kerala
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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad greet each other after Mahagathbandhan’s (Grand Alliance) victory in Bihar assembly elections at RJD office in Patna. (Photo: PTI)
he sweet taste of setting a new record in the Kerala local body polls would have likely turned bitter in the mouths of BJP leaders in the southern state on Sunday as Bihar gave a thumbs down to the ruling party at the Centre in a decisive verdict. Patna might well be 2,800 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram, but the trouncing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) up north has soured the mood in God’s own country, a state in which BJP president Amit Shah has taken a keen interest. Story continued on page 8
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Barack Obama greets Hospital earns top grade for Narendra Modi on Diwali patient safety
H
ouston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital once again earned an “A” for patient safety in the Fall 2015 Hospital Safety Score ratings program. The Hospital Safety Score uses performance measures from a broad range of government and industry organizations – including the American Hospital Association, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others – to grade hospitals on how well they protect patients from errors, injuries, accidents and infections while in the hospital. More than 2,500 U.S. hospitals are rated twice each year on 28 measures of publicly available safety data. The survey is overseen by a panel of leading physicians and hospital safety experts from around the
country. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital was one of 773 hospitals nationwide – less than one-third of those surveyed – to earn an A grade in survey results released this month. “Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s A grade is a powerful reminder of its commitment to putting patient safety above all else, and we are pleased to recognize the persistent efforts of your clinicians and staff to protect your patients,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, which administers the Hospital Safety Score. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s ongoing patient safety effort includes the development of detailed protocols and best practices focusing on a wide range of safety risks, along with in-depth training, ongoing
communication and regularly scheduled audits to ensure that staff members are aware of and are following proper safety processes. “Patient safety is central to our mission, and we are proud of our results,” says Chris Siebenaler, CEO at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “Our success depends on the daily actions of our physicians, nurses, technicians and other staff members, and our A grade from the Hospital Safety Score survey shows that we are making a very real difference in keeping our patients safe while they are under our care.” For more information about Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit houstonmethodist. org/sugarland or call 281.274.7500 for a physician referral. Visit our Facebook page at fb.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.
by Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, Economic Times
N
EW DELHI - US President Barack Obama on Tuesday night telephoned Prime Minister Narendra Modi to greet him on Diwali and they agreed to meet in Turkey on the sidelines of the G20 Summit to be held early next week. “A short while ago @ POTUS (President of the United States) called. We exchanged Diwali greetings. This was our first conversation through the newly-established hotline,” Modi tweeted on Tuesday night. “President
Obama
&
I look forward to meeting in Turkey during the G20 Summit,” he said. Modi said President Obama and he “discussed a wide range of other issues as well. It was good knowing how @WhiteHouse is marking Diwali.” Obama-Modi meeting in Turkey, coming within two months of their last meeting in New York, will be key before the Climate Change meeting in Paris end November-early December. The September meeting devoted considerable time to India’s adoption of renewable energy methods to fight climate change. Modi will travel to Turkey to attend the G20 Summit to be held on November 15-16.
The Summit is being held at a critical juncture after the adoption of Sustainable Development Goals agenda at the United Nations and ahead of the climate change Summit in Paris on November 30 to December 1.
“During the Summit (in Turkey), we will review the progress on decisions taken at the Brisbane Summit and take up issues of climate change, terrorism, refugees, weak growth in global economy, strategies for growth and employment, investment strategies, trade, energy and financial sector resilience,” the prime minister had said in a Twitter post a few days ago.
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VOICE OF ASIA Publisher: Associate Publisher: Editor-in-Chief: Austin Correspondent: Print & Media Marketing: Marketing: Production: Office Manager:
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Rising spectre of diminishing values in India by Tariq A. Al-Maeena A decade ago, I decided to surprise my teenage children with the announcement that I would be taking them to India for a short holiday. My distinct memories from having visited the country with my parents when I was a child left me with impressions of cultures and civilisations that one reads in history books. And then there was the Taj Mahal, one of the seven Wonders of the World, a beacon of global attraction. At the time, there were a few objections from my family members and friends, who were somewhat alarmed and they peppered me with the question: “But why India?� Why not, I would reply. Their answers were somewhat patronising. India, they would say, is dirty, crowded and backward and we’d be sure to catch one of many diseases. I would be exposing my children to viruses and bacteria of gargantuan proportions. Malaria, diarrhoea, cholera and the plague were commonplace they said, and how could I be so insensitive or naive to expose my children to such deadly threats, all for the sake of seeing some old monuments? I explained to them that I wanted my children to see India first-hand and not to have the impression that, unfortunately, a lot of us Saudi
nationals and others in Saudi Arabia have about the country. I wanted to expose my family to a diverse culture that they had not experienced before. I thanked them for their concerns over health-related issues, but assured them that we would be taking all the necessary precautions. However, with such a steady stream of warnings, doubts began to creep within me, creating some unsettling feelings. Was I being rash, expecting to be in India without getting into some debilitating medical condition? What about my children? Was I foolishly exposing them to transmittable diseases and possible harm? Going to a country with a population of more than a billion people, was I being immature and stubborn in not paying attention to my friends’ and family members’concerns? Those were soon put to rest by a friendly official at the Indian diplomatic mission in Jeddah, who reassuringly advised me to “Drink only bottled water and eat only in the hotels you would be staying in�. As we spun through Chennai, Delhi, Agra and Mumbai, my children were amazed. And they loved it. The hustle and bustle of Chennai, with its serene shorelines dotted with resorts and retreats offering world-class services; the grandeur of the Rashtrapati
Bhavan (presidential palace) in New Delhi; the beauty of Marine Drive in Mumbai; topped with our visit to the majestic Taj Mahal in Agra had my children chirping in unison that this was indeed a trip of a lifetime. And from our observations, we were pleasantly surprised to find parts of India cleaner than our own city in Saudi Arabia! The roads in India, although crowded, were not run-down as some in Saudi Arabia are, and the Indians seemed more prosperous than we could imagine. Yes, we drank only bottled water, but also ate at local restaurants. We witnessed wealth and we saw poverty. We learned about their great history and we observed massive new projects being built — designed to make life easier for an average Indian. We came back, truly enlightened with our Indian experience. In spite of their diverse cultures and religions, India seemed to be tolerant at the time and moving forward and did not seem to be bogged down by what people in the Saudi Kingdom were suffering from: Fanaticism and intolerance on the part of a few who wanted to impose their vision on the rest of the people. In a country that prides
It is the policy of Voice of Asia to publish letters to the editor which evidence a variety of viewpoints. The opinions expressed in any particular letter to the editor are not necessarily those of the management. Voice of Asia welcomes letters in reply to issues raised in letters to editor. In as much letters to the editor are not articles written or researched by members of Voice of Asia, it is not the policy of the Voice of Asia to perform any investigation or confirmation of any facts or allegations contained in letters to the editor. Moreover, Voice of Asia reserves the right to edit letters to the editor as necessary to correct errors of fact, punctuation, spelling and to comply with space constraints. Although paid advertisements may appear in Voice of Asia Group Publications in print, online, or in other electronic formats, the Voice of Asia Group does not endorse the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement. - The Publisher
The Pakistan nuclear nightmare
W
ith as many as 120 warheads, Pakistan could in a decade become the world’s third-ranked nuclear power, behind the United States and Russia, but ahead of China, France and Britain. Its arsenal is growing faster than any other country’s, and it has become even more lethal in recent years with the addition of small tactical nuclear weapons that can hit India and longerrange nuclear missiles that can reach farther. These are unsettling truths. The fact that Pakistan is also home to a slew of extremist groups, some of which are backed by a paranoid security establishment obsessed with India, only adds to the dangers
it presents for South Asia and, indeed, the entire world. Persuading Pakistan to rein in its nuclear weapons program should be an international priority. The major world powers spent two years negotiating an agreement to restrain the nuclear ambitions of Iran, which doesn’t have a single nuclear weapon. Yet there has been no comparable investment of effort in Pakistan, which, along with India, has so far refused to consider any limits at all. The Obama administration has begun to address this complicated issue with greater urgency and imagination, even though the odds of success
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Every day millions of Americans lose their hard earned money to identity theft, investment fraud, and other types of scams. Join AARP Texas for a Fraud Watch Network event, and learn how to help protect yourself from the most common scams. We will feature a short workshop and a shred truck on site so bring your unwanted documents and shred with confidence.
itself on its secularism, it is shocking to see and hear some of India’s lawmakers revealing their intolerance through comments on racial, religious and ethnic lines that are meant to pander to a section of the Hindu masses in the country. Some states in India adopted the ‘no-beef’ policy — in clear violation of the nation’s secular ethos. A Muslim male suspected of having eaten beef was dragged out of his home by a frenzied mob and lynched. Two children from the minority Dalit (backward class) community were burned alive in the state of Haryana.
For a country with a sizeable Muslim minority as well as Christians, Sikhs and others of different faiths, these incidents do not augur well for its future. The masses in the towns and villages of a vast country like India do not seem to be very well-informed about the need for the country to safeguard its secular credentials. Instead, they fall prey to divisive oratories delivered by some members of the ruling BJP and other rightist forces who are intent on stamping their own brand on the country’s identity. Politicians in India have historically been the driving force behind the discord between communities. India should, under no circumstances, allow a divisive agenda — based on caste, creed, religion or ethnicity — to spread its roots in a soil that is known to have anchored plurality and tolerance in every sphere of life for centuries.
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seem small. The recent meeting at the White House on Oct. 22 between President Obama and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan Continued on page 12
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Chinese Community Center holds Annual Health Fair by Susan Pothanikat
H
OUSTON - On November 7, 2015, The Chinese Community Center held their annual health fair at their community center on 9800 Town Park Dr. Over 100 people attend-
and Rehabilitation, Medical Insights & Care Unlimited, United Healthcare, Houston Hospice, Medco Medical Supplies, MD Anderson, Hope Clinic, Mental Health America, Harris County Area Agency on Aging and Voice of Asia.
school program is limited to 80 students per semester with up to 40 students on a waiting list. Their early learning center has a capacity of 93 children, with over 100 on the waiting list. With the New Horizons Expansion Project, the Chinese Community Center will be able to help serve more youth, seniors and families. The expansion project will include an 18,000 square-foot, brand new 2-story facility, redesigned parking layout and renovated recreation center. Some features of the expansion project include: state-licensed adult day care center, fully-equipped auditorium, full-sized commercial kitchen, spacious conference & activity venues, open courtyard and new playground and new recreational center for youth. The second floor of the new facility will feature a fullyequipped, state of the art auditorium, larger pre-function hall, more activity rooms, and a spacious multi-purpose conference suite for both corporate and community events.
Photos by Jacob David
ed to take advantage of free flu shots sponsored by Walgreens. Other organizations were also on hand to educate families with resources to address aging and mental health awareness. Other organizations that were present were: Westchase Health
For the last 36 years, the Chinese Community Center’s capacity to serve youth has been severely limited by program space. Their free youth after-
With the new facility, the Chinese Community Center can truly pull the community together by connecting students, parents, clients, partner organizations and sponsors in a space designed for and welcome to all. For more details on how you can help make a financial contribution to the New Horizons Expansion Project, contact John Stuart at john@ ccchouston.org or call 713271-6100 x102.
Shri Krishna Vrundavana moving to a new location
H
ouston is fortunate to be home for Udupi Shri Krishna. The Krishna Vrundavana of Houston was established by Shri Sugunendhra Theertha Swamji of Puthige Mutt. Puthige Mutt is one of the eight Mutts setup by Shri Madhwacharya who introduced Dwaitha philosophy in the 14th century. In addition to daily pujas Shri Krishna Vrundavana has maintained the Udupi tradition of Theerta prasada distribution.
Due to the overwhelming response of the devotees, the Vrundavana has purchased a larger facility located at 10233, Synott Rd, Sugarland TX 77498.
Praveshotsava: This new Temple facility would be inaugurated by Shri Sugunendhra Theertha Swamji on Monday, 23-Nov-2015.
In addition to Lord Shri Krishna, there will be of Mukhyaprana (Anjeneya) and Mruthika Vrundavana of Shri Raghavendra Swami. The temple will be fully functional from 1st January 2016.
Program Details: Vaastu Pooja followed by vedic rituals starting from 4:30AM. Evening programs: Tulasi Pooja & Shri Krishna cradle Pooja starting from 6:30 PM CST. All are welcome to attend this grand Praveshotsava!
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YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER Answers to your Immigration Questions by Sharlene Sharmila Richards, Immigration Lawyer:email at srichardslaw@aol.com
ANSWERS TO YOUR CITIZENSHIP QUESTIONS Sharlene Sharmila Richards
ject to the two year foreign residence requirement?
Q: I am interested in obtaining a J-1 visa. Please can you explain what this visa is for and how do I apply for it?
A: Typically, you will be subject to the two year foreign residency requirements if your Exchange Visitor Program was funded by the United States Government or your own country’s government and which is one which involved skills or specialized knowledge which is considered necessary by your home country or the if the program is one in which you received graduate medical training. On most cases, there will be a notation on your J-1 visa that the two year foreign residence applies.
A: The Exchange Visitor J-1 non-immigrant visa is issued to individuals to participate in work and study based exchange visitor programs. These exchange visitor programs are sponsored by Department of State designated sponsors. In order to apply for this kind of visa, you have to first have a sponsor. The program sponsor will provide a Certificate of Eligibility on Form DS-2019 (generated by SEVIS). The DS2019 shows your acceptance into the designated exchange program. Like all other visas, you then apply for the J-1 visa at the US consulate in your home country. Q: I understand that some programs do not permit for dependents to accompany the J-1 visa holder. I am married with two young children and I wish for them to accompany me to the United States. A: Yes, that is correct. For some programs, the spouse and children under 21 years of age can apply for exchange visitor dependent visa (J-2) to accompany or to join the principle J-1 visa holder. Certain sponsors and various designated programs such as those in the categories of Secondary School Student, Camp Counselor, Summer Work / Travel and Au Pair do not permit dependents on J-2. If you wish for your dependents accompany you to the United States on J-2 visas, you will need to check that your sponsor and the program is one that permits accompanying dependents. The sponsor will issue the accompanying dependents their own Form DS-2019 for visa issuance. Q: Can J-2 Visa holder work while in the United States? A: Yes, but only if the J-2 visa holder obtains employment authorization from U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services. Q: How do I know if I am sub-
Q: What does it mean to be subject to the two year foreign residence requirement? A: It means that at the end of your exchange visitor program, you must return to your home country for a period of two years. This two year requirement must take place in your home country and not elsewhere and it can be satisfied cumulatively. If you are subject to this requirement, it must be satisfied or waived before you can adjust your status to permanent residence here in the United States Q: I am a J-2 visa holder. If my J-1 principal receives the waiver of the two year foreign residence requirement, do I need to file my own waiver separately? A: No. If the J-1 principal holder has already been granted the waiver, then you will also be exempt from the two year foreign residence requirement. Q: What waivers are there to waive this two year foreign residence requirement? A: The five different statutory waivers available to a foreign exchange visitor subject to the two year foreign residence requirement are “No Objection’ statement from the J-1 visa holder’s home country; Request from an Interested U.S Government Agency; claim of persecution in home country; claim of exceptional hardship to a U.S Citizen or Permanent Resident spouse or child if J-1 visa holder returns to home country and Request from a designated State Health Agency. All these waivers have different requirements and different appli-
cation methods. Q: I was a J-2 visa holder and I accompanied my father who held a J-1 visa many years ago. He attended a program at a university. We both overstayed in the US and he has just returned home to his home country. I am still living in the United States and now married to a US Citizen. I just found out that my father’s J-1 visa was subject to the two year foreign residence requirement. I like to adjust my status to a permanent resident. How do I go about doing this? A: Even though you father has returned to his home country, you are still subject to the two year foreign residence requirement. As such, you will need to apply for a waiver in order to adjust your status to permanent resident. It may be best to first try to obtain the ‘no objection’ statement from your home country. In order to do this, you will need to submit Form DS 30-35 with the Department of State and also contact your country’s Embassy to obtain a ‘no objection’ statement (to you securing US Permanent Residence) from your home country. It is best to have an immigration attorney assist you in the process. Disclaimer: Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case. Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case. Bio: Sharlene Sharmila Richards is a licensed Immigration Lawyer practicing in Houston, Texas. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000 and is a member of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of the US Supreme Court. If you require immigration advice or assistance, you may contact her at telephone number 713623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
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COMMUNITY
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Richard M. Alderman Interim Dean of the Law Center
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Sling International sponsors inaugural ‘Cricket All- S tars’ The People’s Lawyer Series, helps bring live cricket www.peopleslawyer.net to the U.S.
The lease you sign is the one that binds you. Q. I signed a lease with my friend that does not end until February. She is now getting married and wants to move out and have her name removed from the lease. Even though my credit is good and I can afford the rent, the landlord will not remove her name. What can we do to get her name off the lease? She is having trouble renting another apartment. A. A lease is a contract between the landlord and the tenants. In this case, the three of you have entered into a contract for the lease of the apartment. That lease cannot be changed unless all of the parties agree. If the landlord does not want to change the lease, there is no way you can force him to do so. I suggest you speak with him and try to work things out. Maybe if you agree to a larger security deposit, he will allow you to sign a new lease with just your name Q. I live with my fiancé. We have decided not to get married and split up. Do I have the right to sell the engagement ring and use the money to get a new place to live? A. As a general rule in Texas, an engagement ring is considered a conditional gift. The gift is given on the condition that you get married. Whether the ring must be returned, however, usually depends on who breaks off the engagement. If the man calls it off, most courts say the woman may keep the ring. If the woman calls off the wedding, or the decision is mutual, the ring probably must be returned. Based on what you say, you have mutually agreed to end your relationship. If that is the case, my opinion is that you must return the ring, or get him to agree to allow you to sell it.
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NGLEWOOD, CO, - Cricket icons from around the world are facing off on U.S. soil as part of the inaugural ‘Cricket All-Stars,’ a three-game series sponsored in part by Sling International. The first match took place November 7 at Citi Field in New York, and will be followed by matches on November 11 at Minute Maid Park in Houston and November 14 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Legendary cricket players Sachin Tendulkar of India and Shane Warne of Australia are headlining their respective teams, “Sachin’s Blasters” and “Warne’s Warriors.” The two teams feature former all-star players from eight different countries. Fans attending the Cricket All-Stars matches can visit the Sling International booth to learn more about the product and snap a
picture in the photo booth. “Our goal is to bring the excitement of cricket to fans living in the U.S., and we wanted to show our support for this rare opportunity to see some of the game’s greatest players live and in–person,” said Chris Kuelling, senior vice president of International Programming for Sling TV. “Not only is the Cricket All-Stars series a mustsee event for lifelong cricket fans, it’s an opportunity to engage a whole new audience who may never before have experiencedthe game.” Sling International’s sponsorship of the Cricket All-Stars stems from the brand’s support of the game and commitment to entertainment that connects viewers with their culture. A leading provider of global content to viewers in the U.S.,
Sling International delivers over 200 international channels including many top rated South Asian channels such as Willow Cricket, Sony, Aapka Colors, ZeeTV, Star Plus, Aaj Tak, TV Asia, ARY Digital, Geo TV, Maa TV, Sun TV and ETV. Customers of Sling TV who have the “Best of Live TV” package can watch the Cricket All-Stars matches on ESPN3 for no extra cost by entering their Sling TV username and password on WatchESPN.com or within the WatchESPN app. Sling customers who wish to subscribe to “Best of Live TV” and receive access to ESPN3 can do so by logging into their account at www.sling.com and adding the “Best of Live TV” package. For more information regarding the Cricket All-Stars series please visit www.cricketallstars2015.com.
Q. A credit card company is threatening me with a lawsuit. If they sue and win, do they have the right to take the money I have saved in my IRA? It is the only savings I have. A. Even if you are sued and lose, the money in your IRA cannot be taken. Under Texas law, an IRA, including a ROTH IRA, is “exempt.” This means that even if you are sued and a judgment is entered against you, your creditors may not take the funds in your account. Q. My sister and I are named as beneficiaries in our father’s will. The will says we divide everything equally. My father also had an insurance policy that named only my sister as the beneficiary. Is her share of his property reduced by the amount she recovers from the insurance policy? Do we split the proceeds of the insurance policy? A. A will determines how the estate of the deceased person is divided after his or her death. In your case, your father directed that his estate should be divided equally between his two children. The “estate,” however, is what your father owned at the time of death. It does not include property that automatically goes to another at the time of death, such as the proceeds of a life insurance policy. In other words, your sister receives the money from the insurance, you are not entitled to any of the proceeds of the policy, and your sister is still entitled to half of all the other property in your father’s estate. Q. How do I get a copy of my credit report? How much should it cost? A. Under federal law, you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus, once a year. I suggest you stagger your requests, and get one every four months. This way you will always get current information. To obtain a copy of your free report, go to the website set up the government, https:// www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action. Be careful of all the other “free” credit report sites, which often have hidden fees or costs.
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VOICE OF ASIA 7
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
What Is Diwali 2015? The Festival of Light Celebrates Good Defeating Evil
Deepavali Delights (A Poem) by: Shyam Phatak Deepavali is here, Deepavali is here That grand festival of Lights That ends evil after a protracted fight When good with all its might Leads us from darkness to Light. Deepavali is here, Deepavali is here That great festival of sound When crackers and laughter abound When crackers and sparklers light up the sky When delighted children jump with joy.
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illions of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs around the globe will celebrate the holiday of Diwali, also known as Deepavali, beginning Wednesday. The festival highlights the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness. Here’s a look at the holiday and where and how it is celebrated around the world.
Deepavali is here, Deepavali is here That gorgeous festival of snacks and sweets Where everyone enjoys a royal feast When old and young with delight meet With love and affection all hearts beat. Diwali is here, Diwali is here That gracious festival which celebrates victory The ancient festival of myth and mystery That is mentioned in both mythology and history The festival that signals Triumph over Tragedy. Taken from: http://www.diwalifestival.org/diwali-poems.html
An Indian artist checks Kundan decorated earthenware oil pots or ‘diyas’ at her workshop on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Nov. 6, 2015, ahead of the Diwali. (NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)
How is Diwali celebrated?
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o celebrate the holiday, families clean and decorate their homes with lights, candles and colorful decorations. Fireworks displays are also common and date back to the welcome Lord Rama received when he arrived back home. Earthen lamps, or diyas, are also lit in celebration, and colorful rangoli artwork is made using powders and rice and created on floors. Traditional artisans have complained this year that cheaper imported goods are choking their livelihoods, Channel News Asia reported.
Food, especially sweets, and presents are part of the holiday. Prayers and greetings are exchanged between family and friends.
What Is The Origin Of Diwali? The five-day holiday is known as the festival of lights and aligns with the Hindu New Year, which falls between the middle of October and the middle November. Diwali means row of lanterns and the holiday also marks the start of the new financial year in India. The day of Diwali falls on the third day of the festival, which is Wednesday this year. Individual faiths celebrate the holiday for different reasons. The history of the holiday dates to the 15th century and the legend of Lord Rama and his wife Sita who return home after defeating the demon king Ravanna. The days leading up to Diwali have different significance and vary across regions and beliefs with many Indians also honoring the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, during the celebrations. For Sikhs, Diwali marks the release of Guru Hargobind Ji from imprisonment, for Jains the holiday marks the liberation of the soul from death and rebirth and for Buddhists the day marks the decision of Emperor Ashoka to embark on a path to peace.
Left: Widows, who have been abandoned by their families, light sparklers after offering prayers on the banks of the river Yamuna as part of Diwali celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International in Vrindavan, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Oct. 21, 2014. (Photo: Reuters/Ahmad Masood)
VOICE OF ASIA 8
ELECTIONS IN INDIA
Prime Minister Modi faces revolt within party
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EW DELHI (AP) — India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is dealing with a revolt within his Hindu nationalist party by senior leaders questioning his management fashion after the current debacle in state elections.
A assertion by Modi’s supporters stated that the party would welcome any steerage of the senior leaders. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari stated the BJP had gained the national and a few state elections underneath the present management.
Modi’s proper-wing Bharatiya Janata Party misplaced the election in japanese Bihar state final Sunday to a coalition of socialist teams, led by Nitish Kumar, in a serious blow seen as an indication that many in India are alarmed by a rising tide of spiritual intolerance and violence. A assertion issued late Tuesday by 4 former ministers not directly accused Modi and party President Amit Shah of concentrating an excessive amount of energy of their arms. “A thorough evaluate have to be executed of the explanations for the defeat in addition to of the best way the party is being pressured to kowtow to a handful, and the way its consensual character has been destroyed,” the assertion stated. It added that a evaluation “should not be accomplished by the very individuals who’ve managed and who’ve been chargeable for the marketing campaign in Bihar.”
The election for management of Bihar, India’s second most populous state, was seen as a referendum on Modi’s reputation, and he had crisscrossed the state addressing dozens of excessive-profile rallies. No different BJP leaders have been as seen by way of the election as Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will spend his time with the jawans on the auspicious occasion of Diwali. “Today on the auspicious occasion of Diwali, I am visiting the border areas to spend time with our Jawans,” he tweeted. In another tweet, Prime Minister Modi also wished the people of the country and the people living across the world on the occasion of Diwali.
How the market reacted to Bihar election result
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EW DEHLI - Indian stocks opened lower Monday, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party suffered a surprise defeat in a key state election. Results announced Sunday showed an alliance led by Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party lost heavily in the state of Bihar,
Modi had sidelined the 4 leaders — Lal Krishna Advani, Yashwant Sinha, Murli Manohar Joshi and Shanta Kumar — after turning into prime minister in May final yr.
catching analysts, who had predicted a tight race, off guard. India’s S&P BSE Sensex opened 2.3% lower Monday, at 25,659.31. The Sensex has fallen around 4.5% since Jan 1 through Friday. The Indian rupee weakened on the news, trading at 66.41
for one U.S. dollar early Monday, down from Friday’s close of 65.76. “The election results have come as a shock to the market,” said Vivek Mahajan, head of research at Aditya Birla Money, a Mumbai-based broker. The loss “might be perceived
The dramatic loss in Bihar was the second main defeat for the BJP, which was trounced in Delhi state elections earlier this year. State elections determine who controls the higher home of India’s Parliament. While the decrease home, which the BJP controls, is considerably extra highly effective, the higher home is essential for passing the laws wanted for the financial reforms Modi’s authorities. as an additional stumbling block to the central government’s reform agenda,” economists at Barclays Bank said in a research note. Analysts fear that the defeat will embolden opposing political parties, and slow Mr. Modi’s planned economic overhaul. Analysts at Citigroup Global Markets India Pvt. Ltd. see the Bihar results as “a bump that you usually ride out of with some temporary discomfort.” (Wall Street Journal)
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Setback in Tamil Nadu, Kerala where BJP has little presence, but big ambitions
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n a stunner of sorts, the BJP pulled off a coup in the state capital taking 34 of the 100 divisions of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, although it could not outdo the Marxist Communist-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) which won 42 seats out of 100. The BJP also managed to push the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to third place in six constituencies in the state. In what has been touted as a “semi-finals” to the Assembly polls in 2016, the BJP has done quite well for itself — a four-fold jump over its performance in the 2010 local body polls. But that was preBihar. Analysts feel the mood is likely to change now that the Bihar verdict is out. “The gung-ho mood about the BJP and Modi has vanished,” said MG Radhakrishnan, political analyst and senior journalist in Thiruvananthapuram. “The mood that these are the forces of tomorrow — that mood is gone. The best time for the BJP was pre-Bihar. If that can create only this much interest for the BJP in Kerala, how do you expect them to do any better now in the post-Bihar scenario? They were expected to do two or three percent better, but not much more than that. After Bihar it will only become worse,” he said. The ruling Congress party is all smiles. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told Firstpost that the people of Kerala will never accept the BJP. “This is a correct answer to the intolerance of the BJP leadership,” said Chandy. “We are now not following the tradition of our great country. Our country’s main tradition is tolerance towards everybody
and every belief. But the BJP is very arrogant towards those who are against their views. This is a setback for the BJP no doubt, and I believe that this is the beginning of the end of BJP rule,” he said. Chandy scoffs at the idea of any impact by the BJP in the state elections in 2016. “There is no impact at all,” he said. “BJP has contested more seats this time (in the local body elections) and to say they have made an improvement is not completely correct. Their best performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation was to win 34 seats. In the 2014 Parliamentary elections, the BJP got a lead in 52 divisions, but this election (local body polls) they won only 34 divisions. They have succeeded in showing their presence a little more this time. Only a very slight improvement is seen,” he said. Radhakrishnan feels the interpretation of the BJP’s performance in the local body polls cannot be done simply by looking at the numbers. He says the BJP’s alliance with the SNDP (Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, an influential Ezhava caste affiliated organisation) has not made much of a dent in places like Aleppey and Kollam, both of which are Ezhava dominated constituencies. “The BJP’s strategy is to target Ezhavas and Dalits,” said Radhakrishnan. “Ezhavas are the backbone of the Left party. People expected BJP and SNDP to destroy the Communists. But this did not work with the rank and file of the people. BJP did gain, but not very much,” he said. - Reporting by Sandhya Ravishankar in Kerala
VOICE OF ASIA 9
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
INDIA
VOICE OF ASIA 10
India could push world into climate change danger zone, warn scientists As Narendra Modi visits UK for talks, academics warn if nation grows at expected rate without emission controls, Earth will breach critical two degree rise
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Bangladesh ‘hands over’ rebel leader India says Bangladesh has handed over a jailed separatist rebel leader whose group has been fighting Indian rule in the north-eastern state of Assam.
India’s growth in emissions could tip the world over the threshold to dangerous climate change, experts have said.
Anup Chetia in custody
The alert comes as the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, prepares to visit the UK on Thursday for talks on issues including the environment. India is due to ask the UK and other rich nations to share breakthroughs in renewable energy and other “clean” technology, and for help financing a huge expansion in efficiency and solar and wind power. It is unclear whether British officials will pressure Modi to consider a tougher emissions target. Before the UN climate summit in Paris in December, India has pledged to increase carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions more slowly than the economy grows. The latest analysis of India’s plan calculates that if it expands as it hopes – by more than 8.5% a year – emissions will reach 9bn megatonnes by the end of the next decade. This is about one-fifth of the total annual emissions that scientists calculate the world can emit in 2030 and still have a more than a 50% chance of avoiding the global temperature rising more than 2C, considered a dangerous threshold. Although India would rank second behind China for total emissions, unlike China and other large emitters it has not set a date by which they would peak, while new coal-fired power and other new infrastructure would commit the country to relatively high pollution levels for decades. “If India’s plans to burn coal go ahead, it will make it hard for us to make the two degree target,” said Bob Ward, policy director of the Grantham institute on climate change and the environment, at the London School of Economics, which carried out the study. “The chances are growth will be lower, but it’s hard to imagine we’ll get down to a pattern
A diesel locomotive carrying loaded lorries on Shashtri bridge near Sangmeshwar, in Maharastra. If Indian industry grows at its current rate it could singlehandedly push the planet into a temperature rise scientists warn would be dangerous. (Photo: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images)
consistent with two degrees.” Further pressure has been put on India by the International Energy Agency, which on Tuesday published it’s annual report on global energy use, and considered the Indian case to be so critical that it devoted several chapters to the country’s rapidly rising use of coal and oil in particular. “Meeting India’s energy needs requires … constant vigilance as to the implications for energy security and the environment,” the IEA said. Although India has so far failed to meet its hopes for growth, its population is expected to rise from 1.2 billion to 1.5 billion by the middle of this century – overtaking China as the world’s largest – and it is pursuing aggressive expansion of industry and energy production to lift an estimated 300 million people out of poverty. “It is estimated that more than half of [the] India of 2030 is yet to be built,” the government has said, citing “exponential” growth in demand for housing, energy, transport, water and waste disposal. The risks posed by India’s rapid growth are at the heart of ongoing tension between rich and poor nations, with developing
and emerging economies arguing that countries that have already become rich on fossil fuel energy should make deeper cuts in emissions rather than curb poorer countries’ growth. India’s emissions per person are 1.7 metric tons a year, compared with nearly 17t in the US and more than 7t in both China and the European Union. “India’s argument is that they have development challenges which must take priority, and currently the cheapest route to development is through high-carbon infrastructure,” said Diarmuid Torney, author of a new book on China and India’s climate policies. “They don’t have time to wait for the cost of renewable energy to fall “But if India’s emissions increase at the projected rate and developed country emissions don’t decline rapidly over the short to medium term, then the maths does get us into trouble.” Climate Action Tracker, which has analysed 131 emissions pledg-
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unior home minister Kiren Rijiju said Anup Chetia, a leader of the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa), was being brought to India from Dhaka.
Chetia was jailed in 1997 for illegal entry into Bangladesh and possessing huge amounts of foreign currency. The rebels have fought for a separate Assamese homeland since 1979. Mr Rijiju told reporters on Wednesday that a team of Indian federal investigators were bringing back Chetia. However, according to the AFP news agency, Bangladesh’s Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said he had no information that Chetia was being handed over to India. The Press Trust of India news agency reported that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina to thank her for handing Chetia over to the Indian government. In 2009, the government in Bangladesh launched a crackdown on Indian separatists operating out of its territory. More than 50 rebel leaders and activists have been handed over to India since then, while others have been arrested while trying to enter Bangladesh to avoid capture in India. (BBC India) es covering 158 countries (including the EU) ahead of the UN-hosted Paris meeting, estimates that India’s emissions would reach about 5bn megatonnes, based on lower external forecasts of the country’s growth. India has made a potentially more ambitious promise to generate 40% of electricity from renewable sources
– including nuclear power – by 2030, but this depends on external help. Alongside the US, EU and China, Cat ranks India’s plans as “medium”. It adds: “It is not consistent with limiting warming to below 2C, unless other countries make much deeper reductions and comparably greater effort.” (The Guardian)
PUBLIC NOTICE India Culture Center Houston (ICC) will be holding its Annual General Body Meeting on December 6th 2015 at 2pm at India House, 8888 West Bellfort Houston TX 77031. All Life Members & Annual (2015) Members are requested to attend the same. For any details reach President Charlie Patel 832-423-7979 or visit www.icchouston.org
VOICE OF ASIA 11
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
SOUTH ASIA
VOICE OF ASIA 12
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Pakistan says it won’t take Nepal earthquake: Six back migrants with ‘criminal months on, hardships abound record’ In a bid to solve the ongoing migrant crisis, the EU has been seeking ways to stem the stream of asylum seekers coming from countries like Pakistan. by Aasim Saleem
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akistan has temporarily suspended a 2010 agreement with European Union countries that allows them to deport Pakistani citizens entering the continent illegally, citing “blatant misuse.” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said last week that the South Asian nation was pulling out of the accord with all European nations except Britain because they often deport Pakistani immigrants labeling them as terrorists. “Pakistanis travelling illegally to any Western country are to be deported after proper verification,” he said. “But most of these countries are deporting people without that.” Each year, thousands of Pakistanis undertake perilous journeys attempting to reach European shores via land and sea, transiting countries such as Iran, Turkey and Greece. While some flee the South Asian nation seeking refuge from terrorism, sectarian conflicts and religious intolerance, others have purely economic objectives. Surging migrant flows The number of Pakistanis filing asylum requests in the European Union between December 2014 and September 2015 was estimated to be about 32,000, according to Eurostat, the EU’s statistics agency. Around 13,000 applications were filed in Hungary, while Germany received over 5,000 petitions and the corresponding number in Italy stood at around 4,000. At the same time, more than 6,000 Pakistanis sought asylum in Britain, France, Austria and Greece. A majority of these asylum seekers are men aged between 18 and 34. Nevertheless, Pakistani na-
tionals heading to Europe in a bid to seek asylum is not a new phenomenon. Eurostat data point out that some 14,000 Pakistanis, on average, entered the EU illegally every year between 2010 and 2014. In total, over 68,000 Pakistani citizens applied for political asylum in various countries across the 28-nation bloc during this period.
In an attempt to stem the stream of migrants, the EU member states recently agreed to certain short-term measures such as - quickly deporting unsuccessful applicants, creating hotspots across the migrants’ route, tightening rules for asylum and providing financial aid to Middle Eastern countries hosting Syrian refugees.
However, around 82 percent of these requests were rejected.
Furthermore, there are strong voices within the EU advocating for an increased surveillance on the bloc’s external borders.
In case of rejection, the applicants are given a specific time period to return to their homeland, though this differs from country to country within the EU.
More recently, efforts are also being pursued to involve governments of countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan to curtail the flow of refugees from these nations.
In the midst of a crisis But data show that in the past five years only 40 percent of unsuccessful applicants have returned - a source of concern for Europe, particularly at a time when the continent is confronting the biggest refugee influx it has faced since World War II. For instance, Europe’s largest economy, Germany, is expecting about a million asylum seekers this year alone, more than four times as many as last year. The swelling numbers of new arrivals have posed economic and logistical challenges - involving the provision of housing, health and schooling of migrants, among other things, and the question of who bears the costs of hosting the people. The migrant influx has also sparked debates on cultural and social integration, emboldening far-right outfits in a host of European nations, including Germany and Sweden. Analysts warn a failure to effectively tackle the migrant crisis could pose a threat to the very existence of the EU.
Tackling migrant smuggling In this context, Pakistani authorities have launched a crackdown against migrant smugglers, although experts say their efforts are too little against what seem to be formidable global networks. Human smuggling is a transnational crime and it is not possible to minimize it without collaboration of all the stakeholders, said Inam Ghani, Director of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency. Ghani told DW that the security agency had arrested 1,185 human smugglers between 2013 and 2014, while the corresponding number for this year so far stood at around 800. He also noted that the government had created a special task force involving a number of the country’s security agencies to deal with the issue. Experts in Pakistan are of the opinion that to discourage the outflow of Pakistani nationals, steps such as information campaigns, loan schemes and vocational training for the youth are required. (dw.com)
Children are among those facing a winter without shelter in Nepal. (Photo/report: James Bennett)
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housands of earthquakeaffected communities in Nepal’s mountains are facing up to the grim prospect of a Himalayan winter under a tarpaulin.
Earthquake and landslidedamaged roads have meant the village of Bigu, north-east of the capital Kathmandu, has not seen a vehicle since April.
As if the challenge of rebuilding lives and homes was not enough, their country has been enduring a political upheaval which has compounded their difficulties, delaying aid and denying them essential supplies.
The quake aftermath generated a rush of political activity in Nepal, with the country passing a new constitution in September that required the government to be dissolved and a replacement formed.
Editorial
and greater compliance with international rules for halting the spread of nuclear technology. For Pakistan, that means some acceptance in the family of nuclear powers and access to technology.
Continued from page 4 appears to have gone nowhere. Yet it would be wrong not to keep trying, especially at a time of heightened tensions between Pakistan and India over Kashmir and terrorism. What’s new about the administration’s approach is that instead of treating the situation as essentially hopeless, it is now casting about for the elements of a possible deal in which each side would get something it wants. For the West, that means restraint by Pakistan
At the moment, Pakistan is a pariah in the nuclear sphere to all but China; it has been punished internationally ever since it followed India’s example and tested a weapon in 1998. Pakistan has done itself no favors by refusing to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and by giving nuclear knowhow to bad actors like North Korea. Yet, it is seeking
That has come at a cost for quake victims awaiting assistance, as the new administration is yet to re-establish a reconstruction taskforce with the authority to distribute money promised to help pay for new homes. “We’re still waiting for government to help us and give us directions,” elder Nima Chuiri Sherpa said.
treatment equal to that given to India by the West. The competition with India, which is adding to its own nuclear arsenal, is a losing game, and countries like China, a Pakistan ally, should be pushing Pakistan to accept that. Meanwhile, Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, has done nothing to engage Islamabad on security issues, and he also bears responsibility for current tensions. The nuclear arms race in South Asia, which is growing more intense, demands far greater international attention. (NYT Editorial Board)
ONLINE .COM voiceofasiaonline.com
Vol. 28 No. 46
Lifestyle VOICE OF ASIA
VOICE OF ASIA 13
Section 2
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
Fashion giants race to dress India’s sari-shunning youth
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Tel: 713-774-5140
The 2016 Lexus RX 350
Generation gap in style as younger Indians opt for Western fashions
An act of madness, or a masterstroke? by John McCormick
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Customers at a multinational clothing store in New Delhi. (Photo: AFP) by Emily Ford Rifling through sweaters in India’s first Gap store in a glitzy New Delhi mall, 21year-old Ridhi Goel says her grandmother doesn’t mind how she dresses, as long as it’s not too revealing. “She’s fine with me wearing Western clothes like a shirt but not jeans and a crop top,” said the journalism student, her grey leggings contrasting sharply with her mother’s colourful kurta.
retailer Zara and British highstreet staple Marks & Spencer, which in October opened its 50th shop in India, its biggest market outside the UK. Urbanisation, a growing middle class, rising disposable incomes and one of the youngest populations in the world make India hard to ignore. “The time has come for Western wear to have exponential growth,” says J. Suresh, the managing director of textile group Arvind
says. Gap had a head start in India thanks to Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, whose ubiquitous orange hoodie in 1990s hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Something Happens) gave the brand a ready-made following. But it is young Indian women, increasingly affluent and joining the workforce in expanding numbers, who are driving change, with data showing sales of womenswear growing faster than men’s.
exus rivals love to point out that without the RX crossover the Japanese brand would be a junior player in the luxury car market. But at the same time, privately they all wish they had a success story like the RX, introduced to the U.S. in 1998 and a consistent best seller since then.
It’s not just the grille that stretches the design envelope. The profile of the new model is full of drama, with angled forms, multiple character lines, plus a trendy ‘floating’ roof effect for good measure.
Lexus says F Sport versions of its various other models have been successful in attracting customers who were growing tired of the brand’s milquetoast image.
“All my family wears Indian clothes, but I find them too uncomfortable. I think maybe there is a generational divide.” Most women in India still wear traditional dress such as saris or shalwar kameez - but things are changing, and on city streets, dazzling silks mingle with T-shirts and jeans. Young people’s appetite for Western clothes has led to a flurry of foreign brands opening up in India in the past few months, including US chain Gap and Sweden’s H&M. Others are expanding fast, including popular Spanish
Lifestyle Brands, Gap’s partner in India,. “If you look at any girl born after 1990 she will be wearing Western wear. That is the generation coming into college, their first job,” he says. “They will be completely in Western wear.” While women are the biggest shoppers, in India men’s clothing dominates, taking 42 per cent of the US38 billion market in 2014, according to consultancy Technopak. The average customer targeted by Gap in its US stores is 35, but their Indian counterpart is five to 10 years their junior, Suresh
And while Western clothes currently make up only about a quarter of Indian womenswear, their sales are outpacing traditional dress. A Marks & Spencer spokesperson cites its Indigo denim range and lingerie as two of its best-performing lines in the country, with more than 300,000 bras sold in 2014-15. “As an increasing number of women move into white collar and blue-collar roles, they are also adopting Western attire,” says Devangshu Dutta, chief executive of Third Eyesight, a
Continued on page 16
Aside from its avant-garde exterior design, the new RX has built on the solid strengths of the existing model. The familiar 3.5-liter V-6 engine has more power in standard and hybrid engine forms, a slick shifting eight-speed transmission takes power to the front or all four wheels
Inside the RX is all about craftsmanship, with inspired choices of different trim materials and finishes. Unusually in this day and age, the stitching on the dashboard and other areas of the RX cabin is done by hand, on $60,000 sewing machines in the company’s Ontario, Canada factory. Hand sewn interiors are
So what on earth is Lexus, Toyota’s luxury car division, doing with the new 2016 RX 350? Compared to the outgoing 2015 model, the new car looks like a crazed roadcleaning machine, with an outsized, pinched-waisted grille that appears ready to devour anything in its path.
Adding a sporty flavor to an admittedly tame design is one thing, but the new look, especially in the F Sport versions, is surely likely to scare off Lexus’s famously conservative customer base. Or is it?
Indian shoppers are increasingly turning to Western styles of clothing. (Photo: AFP)
in the market; it’s safe to add edge.
It’s one thing, however, to play with the showroom appeal of relatively low volume models like the GS sedan, by adding F Sport spice. Messing with the RX is like tampering with the company crown jewels. “It would have been very easy to play it safe with the styling,” admits Yuval Steinman, national manager of Lexus marketing. “But customers asked us to turn it up.” Mark Templin, executive vice president of Lexus, acknowledges just how valuable the RX has been to the brand. “It has played a vital role in the growth of the company, with 2.1 million sold since 1998.” Early on the RX had five rivals in its market segment; now it has 16, yet it still holds down 15% of the market. The only other model in the luxury market to consistently sell over 100,000 units per year is BMW’s 3 Series sedan. “The RX is a re-imagining of Lexus’s most popular model,” adds Templin. “It is sophistication with an edge.” Consumers will notice just how edgy Lexus is making the RX from its new billboard campaign, which sums up the car in two words: ‘Brute luxury.’ Note to other luxury brands struggling for traction
The new interior, shown here in an unavailable red-dyed leather, is both sharp and sophisticated. For North America, the choices are a safe combination of black, brown, gray or a shade of beige. Matador Mica Red is available as the exterior color though. (All photos courtesy Lexus) and the interior sees a host of detailed enhancements.
normally the preserve of brands like Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
Clever touches abound. For example, one would think the humble cup holder could hardly be improved upon. Not so. In the RX, the bottom of the cup holder can be depressed further to hold taller bottles or drinks. A button returns the cup holder bottom to its original position.
The new RX may be brutish on the outside, but for the driver and passengers, it’s even smoother, more comfortable and refined than ever. Lexus may have gone out on a limb with the latest RX but it’s a strong limb. (Forbes)
The stats at a glance The redesigned 2016 Lexus RX 350 luxury midsize SUV starts at $42,840 for the front-wheel-drive model, reflecting a $930 price increase over the base 2015 RX 350. Pricing includes a $940 destination charge. The 2016 RX 350 and companion 2016 Lexus RX 450h hybrid are bound for Lexus dealerships in November. The all-wheel-drive 2016 RX 350 starts at $44,240, while the top-of-the-line 2016 Lexus RX 350 F Sport with all-wheel drive is priced at $50,065. Prices include shipping. The 2016 RX 450h ranges in price from $53,175 for the base front-wheel-drive model to $57,985 for the 2016 RX 450h F Sport. The fourth-generation Lexus RX is longer than the vehicle it replaces, with about 2 extra inches of wheelbase and nearly 5 extra inches of overall length. Much of the extra size has gone into providing more space for rear passengers. To go along with this added space, rear passengers will be treated to newly available luxury features like heated outboard seats and a panoramic sunroof. The RX 350 is equipped with an improved 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 295 horsepower. The engine is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Key competitors to the RX 350 include the Acura MDX, BMW X5 and Volvo XC90. Edmunds says: This is one of the most popular luxury SUVs on the market. The price increase reflects the complete redesign and the upgrades. (Edmunds.com)
LEISURE
VOICE OF ASIA 14
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Want a surprise vacation? Inside the new River Oaks District deluxe movie theater Try these sites by Stephanie Rosenbloom
I
nstead of choosing your next vacation destination, what if it were a surprise?
In its 2015 “travel vanguard” feature, Afar, the travel magazine and trip-planning site, called surprise travel “the
privately, not until you arrive. And while travelers don’t know where they’re going, Brown & Hudson ensures they know what to bring.
Travel agencies, tour companies and airlines — Priceline, Hotwire, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, Germanwings — have long offered discounted hotel rooms, car rentals and flights to travelers willing to roll the dice and learn what they’re getting only after they pay, like slipping a quarter into a vending machine for a mystery toy in a capsule. That list has grown over the last year thanks to a new crop of “surprise” services from travel companies as varied as CheapCaribbean.com, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Brown & Hudson, a Londonbased agency. In some cases, travelers are allowed to pick their destination, but the hotel is a surprise. In others, the destination is a surprise until a few days before departure, then travelers can choose a hotel. The most elaborate services ask clients questions about their passions and then design personalized surprise itineraries including flights, hotels and activities, based on their responses. CheapCaribbean.com, which specializes in bargains to Mexico and the Bahamas, as well as the Caribbean, last year introduced a program — Seas the Deal, since renamed Deal of Fortune — that allows travelers to book rooms in upscale, all-inclusive properties for less. Travelers can choose the place they wish to go (such as Jamaica, Mexico, the Dominican Republic), but the hotel is a surprise (it’s revealed a week before the trip). For instance, a recent search turned up a four-night trip to the Riviera Maya in Mexico, including airfare and lodging, starting at $699 a person based on double occupancy. For each Deal of Fortune search result, CheapCaribbean.com provides a short list of potential hotels, one of which will end up being yours. For the $699 Mexico deal, possible hotels included Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa; Iberostar Paraiso Lindo; Azul Beach Hotel, by Karisma; or Barcelo Maya Palace Deluxe.
by Laura Furr
F
lorida-based iPic-Gold Class Entertainment LLC isn’t slated to open its first Houston location until next month, but the upscale movie theater is in the final phases of preparation. The theater, located within the newly opened River Oaks District, will officially open ed its doors on Nov. 6, with a soft opening and charity week in the week prior.
Travel companies are offering a new crop of “surprise” services for the adventurous. (Illustration: Robert Neubecker) new luxury” (although it’s not a new practice) and highlighted the Brown & Hudson travel agency. Last year the company posted details on its website about “a journey where even you will not know where you are going.” “When we first started exploring this idea and talking about it with clients, we didn’t talk about surprise travel because it felt too faddy,” Philippe Brown, a founder of Brown & Hudson, said in an email. Instead, he calls his concept “A Journey With No Destination.” The tagline: “Sometimes you’re better off not knowing where you’re going.” Brown said that often the only thing clients talk about is how they hope to feel after a trip. “They tell us about family challenges, or exhaustion, a need for inspiration, relationship issues,” he said. To determine what sort of vacation might accomplish that, Brown & Hudson asks big-picture questions about your personal development goals and how you want to feel when you return home. Additionally, the company asks where you’ve already traveled and, as the website put it: “anywhere or anything you definitely don’t want to do and how risky or intrepid you dare to be.” The destination may be revealed when you check in at the airport or, if you’re flying
VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM
There’s a nonrefundable trip-planning fee, usually a minimum of about $2,300. But the total price varies greatly depending on factors including where you’re going and for how long, and what you’ll be doing. Travelers can establish a budget in advance, though, so there are no surprises in that regard. Also last year, KLM, the Dutch airline, joined the ranks of carriers offering blind getaways with its Monday’s Mystery tickets starting at 99 euros (about $106) round-trip. Each Monday, for a period of three weeks, the airline featured five destinations on its website, one of which would end up being your weekend trip. So you would buy a blind ticket Monday, find out where you’re going Tuesday and fly there Friday. If you would prefer to choose your own vacation, you can still inject an element of surprise into the planning process with websites and apps like Google Flights and Booking.com. Rather than pick your destination and then look for flights, you can let your destination reveal itself by searching Google Flights for desirable criteria such as affordable business class fares to Europe, or select the “places travelers love” link on Booking.com and then discover destinations by interest such as “nature” or “friendly people.” Or you can simply do what travelers have done for ages: Spin a globe. (The New York Times)
With luxurious seating, restaurant dining and drinks and the innovative iPic Pods, the dine-in movie experience has reached a new level of luxury.
Currently, about 200 people work in the theater and venue’s full-service restaurant and bar, which help take iPic’s luxe dine-in movie-watching strategy a little further than similar venues. Within iPic’s eight theaters, servers attend to “premium plus” visitors at the press of the button. The Houston location will also be the first to include iPic Pods, which group two fully reclinable seats together in an enclosed space equipped with blankets, pillows and storage. In addition to the luxe theaters, which hold about 50 to 90 people each, iPic’s fullservice bar and restaurant are open during theater hours to moviegoers and nonmoviegoers alike. The restaurant, led by Sherry Yard, features shareable plates, as well as burgers and salads. The bar, led by Adam Segar, features traditional cocktails, wines, champagnes and a liquid nitrogen cocktail. The Houston location will be iPic’s 12th in the U.S. and third in the Lone Star State. It currently has Texas theaters in Austin and Fairview and plans to open a fourth in Irving. Meanwhile, a number of new dine-in theaters have announced plans to expand in Houston. In May, plans to build a 42,000-square-foot Star Cinema Grill in Katy were announced. The theater’s flagship location in the expanding Baybrook Mall is also slated to open this fall. Dallas-based ShowBiz Cinemas announced plans last year to double the number of its theater/bowling alley locations in Houston, while fellow Dallas company Studio Movie Grill also announced plans to open another Houston location.
iPic Entertainment president and CEO Hamid Hashemi tries out his first venture into Houston at River Oaks District. (Photos: Shelby Hodge)
Irving, Missouri City - great cities to live in
I
rving is one of two Texas cities listed in America’s 50 best cities to live, according to 24/7 Wall Street.
The city of just over 232,400 people landed at No. 49 on the list. Missouri City, just southwest of Houston, was listed at No. 46. 24/7 Wall Street, a site offering financial news and commentary, used “data on the 550 U.S. cities with populations of 65,000 or more as measured by the U.S. Census Bureau” to compile the list. “Data were collected in nine major categories: crime, demography, economy, education, environment, health, housing, infrastructure, and leisure,” the site said of its methodology. Irving’s median income of $146,500 and 178.6 amenities per 1,000 residents helped it find a spot in the top 50. “The city has also undergone a recent economic boom,” writes 24/7 Wall Street. “Employment grew by 5.9% between 2012 and 2014, significantly higher than the national growth rate of 1.8%.” “Also, with a violent crime rate of 221 incidents per 100,000 people, the city is significantly safer than the state as whole, where the rate is nearly double at about 406 incidents per 100,000 residents.” The myriad of businesses, parks and amenities in the Las Colinas area of Irving were also mentioned. Irving could be poised for another economic boost if a proposed plan for the Old Texas Stadium site come to fruition.
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VOICE OF ASIA 15
HEALTH, SC & TECH
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Culture wars drove some Electronic skin feels the states to fund stem cell heat, hears the sound research New materials show promise for covering prosthetic limbs, other medical devices
by Guy Gugliotta
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t wasn’t what President George W. Bush had in mind. In 2001, Bush restricted the use of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, giving conservatives what looked like a major victory in the nation’s culture wars. Three years later California thumbed its nose at the ban by starting its own multi-billion dollar stem cell program, and several states followed suit. Even though the restrictions were lifted in 2009, the insurgent movement survived and grew. Today at least seven states offer stem cell research funding or other incentives to local scientists and industry. These initiatives have not yet produced the eagerly anticipated “cures” for conditions such as melanoma or Parkinson’s disease. But early public disappointment has yielded to the realization that years of research lie ahead before treatments can routinely enter the marketplace. Still, as an engine for generating economic development and jobs, and as a mechanism for enhancing local scientific prestige, stem cell research for many states appears to be worth the investment. “We want to show what we have,” said Dan Gincel, executive director of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund. He pointed to a sophisticated science community and easy access to the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. The Maryland fund during the past eight years has used between $9 million and $12 million annually in stateappropriated funds to write grants to “incentivize the industry,” Gincel said. The money must be spent in Maryland, and grantees must be Maryland-based
researchers, institutions or firms. “We’re still in the early stages of the technology—mostly basic research,” Gincel said. And although the political and social tumult that retarded embryonic stem cell research early in the century still smolders, as the current debate over funding for Planned Parenthood can attest, the use of stem cells from adults has blunted much of the controversy. “There was no extreme pushback,” said pediatrician Jakub Tolar, head of the University of Minnesota’s Stem Cell Institute and co-chairman of Regenerative Medicine Minnesota, a $50 million stem cell research program created last year by the state’s Republicancontrolled legislature and signed into law by its Democratic governor. “My experience is that most parents or people with a particular condition could not care less about the politics.” Stem cells are unspecialized cells that develop and grow into the tissue- or organ-specific cells that make up the body of a living organism, everything from muscle and bone, to lungs and brain. Stem cells have many uses, but public attention for several years has focused on “cellbased therapies,” also known as “regenerative medicine,” in which stem cells are induced to form a particular type of adult cell to rebuild damaged or diseased parts of the body: a heart wall scarred by heart attacks; an injured spinal cord; burn damage; the effects of diabetes or Parkinson’s disease. Controversy arose early in the century over the use of embryonic stem cells, which can differentiate into any cells in the body, but which are obtained by destroying unneeded human embryos created through in vitro fertilization.Anti-abortion groups and religious conservatives opposed embryonic stem cell
research, and Bush in 2001 barred the use of federal funds to finance research with lines of embryonic cells created after his order because of concerns over the sanctity of life. Three years later California voters approved ballot Proposition 71, creating the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to make grants and loans for stem cell research, funding it with a $3 billion bond issue— which is generating a total of $6 billion with interest and is expected to last until 2020. “Without George Bush, this agency would not exist,” said David Jensen, publisher of California Stem Cell Report, a blog focused on the California institute. “The campaign raised expectations that therapies were right around the corner. The federal government wasn’t funding it, and the voters said that since we want to save lives, we’ll fund it.” The institute in the past decade has become one of the most important and perhaps the biggest nonfederal dedicated stem cell research center in the world, spending about $180 million per year. Different parts of the National Institutes of Health spent a combined $1.4 billion on stem cell research in 2014. Over the years the California institute has endured sharp criticism for failing to deliver cures and spending around 90 percent of its funds on basic research while ignoring drug development. An Institute of Medicine study in 2012 also warned of cronyism, noting that the vast majority of CIRM grants were going to academic institutions whose members sat on the board of directors. (medscape.com)
by Meghan Rosen
A
new electronic skin can feel the grain of sand paper, the heat and beat of a person’s pulse and listen to Richard Feynman’s voice, too. Rubbery plastic-andgraphene film mimicking the structure of human skin can detect texture, temperature, pressure and sound, Hyunhyub Ko and colleagues report October 30 in Science Advances. It’s the first time anyone has demonstrated an e-skin that can sense so many different kinds of stimuli, says Stanford University materials scientist Alex Chortos. “That’s the innovative and impressive part of this work.” Chortos and colleagues recently developed another pressure-detecting e-skin that sends signals directly to mouse brain cells. The cells got the message, too - they dialed activity up or down depending on how hard researchers pushed on the skin, Chortos’ team reported in the Oct. 16 Science. That work offers a blueprint for scientists to actually “bridge electronics with biology,” says Wenlong Cheng, a chemical engineer at Monash University Both Chortos’ skin-to-cellcommunication system and Ko’s super-sensing e-skin bring lifelike artificial skins even closer to practical use. “In the future, we could combine these techniques for real, operational electronic skin,” says Ko, a materials scientist at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea. One day, such an e-skin could cover prosthetic limbs and plug directly into people’s nerve cells, he says, letting people
The ultra-sensitive skin of people’s fingertips relies on a ridged surface and interlocking layers to detect different kinds of stimuli. (Science News)
know if they were touching something hot or rough or sharp — just like real skin does. The artificial skin could also form the basis for soft, wearable medical devices. Over the last several years, scientists have invented an assortment of electronic-skin elements, from different soft materials to new kinds of sensors. Some sensors can recognize more than one type of stimuli, Cheng says, but only under just the right conditions. E-skins are still “far from having the capabilities that human skin has,” he says - but the new work brings the technology closer. Ko and colleagues designed their e-skin to detect many kinds of signals by mimicking the ultrasensitive skin of human fingertips. The researchers placed a soft ridged film over bumpy plastic-and-graphene sheets about the thickness of a few layers of Saran Wrap. Touching the e-skin pressed electrodes on the bumpy sheets together, causing current to flow through the device, which was hooked up to a machine that measures electrical signals. The
amount of current depended on how much the bumps squished together, giving the researchers a sensitive way to gauge pressure. Heating the e-skin also generated a current, showing that it could sense temperature, too. A strip of the e-skin placed on a person’s wrist let the researchers simultaneously measure skin temperature and blood pressure. The e-skin’s ridges help it detect texture.When researchers skimmed the skin over glass or sandpaper, the ridges vibrated in different patterns detectable by the skin’s sensors. Sound waves also made the e-skin vibrate, so that it could “hear” noise from a speaker playing one of Richard Feynman’s famous physics lectures. The e-skin converted his words into electrical signals, and sent them to a machine that let researchers judge how well the e-skin sensed sounds. It worked even better than an iPhone’s microphone, Ko says. Cheng thinks the e-skin could serve in soft, wearable hearing aids. (Science News)
VOICE OF ASIA 16
Section 2
Young Life
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Tel: 713-774-5140
Historic visit to Singapore Extinct antelope species identified in India by young Rice University anthropologist seaside Gopnath site could also help reshape scientists’ understanding on how humans first colonized South Asia. “For a very long time, researchers have had one idea of how early modern humans dispersed, and this challenges that,” Costa said. “This helps support the theory that ancient peoples used the coastline as a highway to move rapidly across southern Asia.” University students gather during a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the National University of Singapore, November 7, 2015. The presidents of China and Taiwan met November 7 for the first time in more than six decades. Xi and his Taiwanese counterpart Ma Ying-jeou shook hands in front of the media at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, before holding talks. The two sides made it clear before the meeting that they would not sign any deals and would not issue a joint statement. (Photo: EPA/Fazry Ismail)
Young Indian dads want more paternity leaves by Srishti Ghosh Shinde
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Enjoy the feeling The fully-paid paternity leave will enable the father to give all his time to his spouse and newborn. Since, new moms need a lot of rest as their body undergoes a great deal of change, fathers can be of great
Finally, they would be able to enjoy fatherhood. The feeling that you now have a small one to look after definitely takes time to sink in. Being around would help them get involved in
As a revolutionary step, some Indian companies are now opening up to male employees taking a short but paid paternity break to experience parenthood with their spouses. Share struggle
the
new
Do the running around From getting medicines and various medical requirements to sorting the insurance formalities, and from seeing the baby through his first few days to manning the mom and taking care of her diet; there’s a lot of running around to be done. This is exactly where fathers can lend a helping hand, and a good amount of paternity leave will help them sort a lot of responsibilities that come along with a newborn. In cases, where the newborn’s health is unstable, the father’s presence is all the more needed to help the new mom cope with her constant visits to the NICU and more.
August Costa, adjunct lecturer in anthropology and principal investigator of the study, and his colleagues at Yale University and the American Museum of Natural History discovered Sivacobus sankaliai, a member of an extinct family of Asian antelopes related to modern waterbucks. The finding was published in the June issue of the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. The researchers found that antelope — whose fossils have never been unearthed in the area before — persisted for more than a million years than previously thought and were of an Asiatic variety, unlike waterbucks, which today are found only in Africa.
parent
New parents have a lot to deal with, right from getting used to the fact there’s an added member of the family to understanding the way parenthood functions. The first few days are extremely crucial for new parents, since both the child and mother undergo several health changes which need to be monitored. Also, considering the fact that there will be friends and relatives coming in for see the baby and the mother, makes it even more important for the father to be around to handle the madness and help the mother-child duo to get back to normalcy. Young fathers are willing to be a part of the struggle, and the new policy will help them support their family.
A
Rice anthropologist has identified a new species of extinct antelope that once roamed what is present-day India during the late ice age 10,000 to 100,000 years ago, reports Rice News
understanding of things. Give the spouse some rest
hile government employees already enjoy a six-month long fully paid maternity leave and many private organizations joining the revolution with the five-month plan, it’s now time for the fathers. Young men want to play a bigger role in childcare than their dads did, and wish to spend more time taking care of their new born and their spouse.
August Costa, adjunct lecturer in anthropology, has discovered Sivacobus sankaliai, a member of an extinct family of Asian antelopes related to modern waterbucks. (Photo: Rice News)
“The fossil postdates the last known waterbucklike antelope in Asia by nearly a million years and demonstrates how little is known of late ice-age animal community in southern Asia,”
Retail
the nitty-gritties of parenthood in every way. Fathers usually watch their babies carefully, while their spouse is resting; and a good amount of paternity leave and flexible work hours can give them all the time to enjoy the feeling of being a father.
Learn the routine Paternity leave doesn’t just help dads bond with the baby it’s also good for the child. Similarly, it also helps them learn the routine from the nurses and doctors. They can make a note of the medicines that their spouse and child need to take from time to time, as well understand their timetable in terms of the number of times the baby passes urine or stool. This can help them understand the heath and behaviour of their child, which will help them, be better fathers with great
Sadhana Patil, relationship counsellor and family court advocate, says, “Children with `more involved’ fathers fare better during their early years. Well-designed paternity leaves with flexible work policies facilitate such participation. Early bonding will ensure a softer, sensitive father-child relationship going forward.” Similar, Ranjita Mohapatra, a clinical psychologist, who deals with women with post-partum depression, says, “Since the joint family system is on the
The antelope fossil was discovered by Costa’s team after a large piece of boulder broke free from a cliff above Gopnath Beach and fell to the beach. A horn was protruding from the cementlike sediment, and Costa was struck by the uniqueness of such a find. This was unlike anything they had come across in the area. “New species are often identified when various characteristics observed in a specimen are judged as unique,” Costa said. “In this case, the anatomy of the skull we found was different from what had been found in much older fossils in northern India.” Time and space also play an inherent role in many species determinations within the field of paleontology, Costa said. “In this case, the skull was similar enough to be grouped within the known Indian genus Sivacobus, but different enough to designate a new species,” he said. While the discovery of a new species is exciting in its own right, the new fossils recovered at the
retail consultancy in Delhi.
change from sluggish markets like Britain, and a loosening of foreign direct investment laws has made it easier to open shops.
More negatively, media stereotypes of overseas fashion as a proxy for “a modern thought process” and conversely, Indian clothing as “backward or repressive, certainly are an important influencer”, he says.
Yet the retail landscape in India - geographically about as large and diverse as the European Union - is hard to navigate, leading some entrants, including British department store Debenhams, to pull out.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is famous for wearing a short-sleeved kurta, he is in the minority among India’s men.
“Tackling the Indian market successfully requires a different mind-set,” Dutta says.
Continued from page 13
help, by warding off unwanted guests, or constant lingering relatives and also take care of the child’s needs from time to time. This will ensure the mom enough time to rest and save her energy for her baby, and cope with her post-partum blues.
Costa said.
They already dress predominantly in Western clothes, as do children, whose parents see it as a practical choice for school.
Foreign newcomers also face competition from Indianowned, Western-style brands such as Allen Solly or Louis Philippe, which are more familiar with the nuances of the market.
Artifacts found at the site, including various animal bones, fossils and stone tools, help paint a very different picture of what the environment looked like thousands of years ago. Land that ancient people and animals would have traversed is now underwater, and the excavation area is now a desert region bordering the Gulf of Khambhat. “The fossil comes from a unique site setting representing a lost world, now a mostly submerged landscape,” Costa said. “It is correlated with stone artifacts, indicating human presence nearby.” Costa said this is significant because the fossil site has a high potential to yield early human remains, which would put him one step closer to his ultimate goal. “This work will hopefully illuminate the origins of modern people in a nation, which constitutes a geographical missing link to the story of human evolution,” he said. “If confirmed, this research would show that early humans settled India tens of thousands of years before their arrival in Europe and help support an emerging picture of the earliest settlement of Eurasia.” The research was supported by a Fulbright Scholar Program, the National Science Foundation and the Leakey Foundation. for the long Indian summer and offers polo shirts in four times as many colours as in Britain. Others prices.
aggressively
cut
In a country where the average monthly wage is US$215, according to 2012 figures from the International Labour Organisation, brands that are mid-market in Europe or the United States become much higher end in India. Dressed in a pink polo shirt and jeans in the capital’s new H&M store, airline officer Sunil Bassi, 49, says he is “not fussy” about his clothes and came to shop for his wife.
For foreign brands, fastgrowing India is a welcome
The successful ones adapt their ranges - Marks & Spencer “stretches” its seasons to cater
“Obviously Western fashion is very popular. How many people in here do you see wearing Indian clothes?” he says. (South China Evening Post)
decline, fathers need to pitch in to help with newborns. Also, if it’s the second child, the father’s presence helps deal with sibling
anxiety. They can help the new moms cope with a lot of their added responsibilities. This can also help them enhance their
relationship, which usually gets hampered since the father is unable to spare enough time.” (TNN)
VOICE OF ASIA 17
Section 2
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Bollywood Masala
Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com
Bajirao Mastani: Meet Priyanka Chopra as ‘Kashibai’!
Tel: 713-774-5140
Shahrukh Khan, Kajol starer Dilwale climax shoot in Hyderabad ohit Shetty’s “Dilwale” has been making a huge buzz, especially as the film brings Bollywood’s iconic couple Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol back on-screen after a gap of five years.
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Recently, a video of the making of “Dilwale” climax surfaced that showed the entire team all dressed up for a wedding.
According to the latest buzz, “Dilwale” will have a grand dance number featuring the ensemble cast of the film -SRK, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Boman Irani and others. “The team will be finishing the shoot in Hyderabad by the first week of November. Few more scenes are left and one song is left to be shot. Otherwise the film is complete,” a source told DNA. When asked about the song, the source added: “The big dance number that will feature the terrific Dilwale ensemble. From SRK to Kajol, Varun to Kriti, the song will also have Varun Sharma, Boman Irani and others dancing to it. It’s a fun track.”
M
UMBAI: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has released the first look of her much awaited character, ‘Kashibai’ from the upcoming film ‘Bajirao Mastani’ on Sunday. While revealing her character, Priyanka said that it depicts many emotions including “simple, devoted and poetic”. “#KashiBaiPoster Simple… Poignant… Poetic… Sanguine… Devoted #somanyemotions,” Priyanka tweeted on Sunday. The actress, who made her international TV debut with “Quantico” this year, went on
to add that “Early Happy Diwali from cold Montreal. I miss home! Here is the first look of #KashiBaiPoster”. Priyanka also thanked her fans for liking the Kashibai poster. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bollywood film ‘Bajirao Mastani’ narrates the love story of Maratha Peshwa Bajirao I (played by Ranveer Singh) and Mastani (Deepika Padukone). Priyanka plays Bajirao’s first wife Kashibai. The film is scheduled to release internationally on December 18. (pardaphash.com)
Deepika trying to follow Priyanka Chopra?
Besides this dance number, “Dilwale” has a romantic number picturised on Shah Rukh and Kajol that has been shot in Iceland. Even Varun and Kriti will be grooving to a sexy salsa number in the film.
Shahrukh-Kajol’s romantic dance sequence from Dilwale. No wonder why their chemistry sets fire on the screen.
SRK will reportedly play the role of a charming car modifier in the film. He will be seen re-modelling automobiles to make them look attractive.
“Dilwale” will clash with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Bajirao Mastani” at the box office on 18 December, 2015.
Bollywood Gossip: Yuvraj Singh, Hazel ready for marriage? ricketer Yuvraj Singh and actress Hazel Keech’s marriage rumours is creating a buzz in the gossip columns.
C
It is an open secret that Yuvraj and Hazel are a couple and the two attended Harbhajan’s wedding together. Indian media also reported that the couple will be formally engaged by the end of November.
Deepika has completed work for Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha, a romantic drama opposite Ranbir Kapoor releasing in November. She is currently filming Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s historical romance Bajirao Mastani, in which she plays Mastani opposite Ranveer Singh.
D
eepika Padukone is keen on doing Hollywood films and wants to explore to work in the West.
As she gears up for two back-to-back releases, Deepika said if something interesting comes her way she will definitely take it up.
During the ongoing Jio MAMI festival the actress said that she is interested in doing Hollywood films and is ready to explore work opportunities.
Actors like Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have made appearances in Hollywood projects.
Deepika was earlier offered a role in ‘Furious 7’ which she had to decline due to her commitment to ‘Ram Leela’ promotions.
Priyanka is the first female actor from India to play lead in a US TV series. The actor is playing the role of Alex Parrish, a rookie FBI recruit with a mysterious past in ‘Quantico’.
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The cricketer’s tongue-incheek reply to these rumours has put all speculations to an end. The all-rounder took to Twitter to deny reports about his ‘impending wedding’. He wrote, “So now my dear media has decided the venue and month of my marriage can u also tell me the dates so I can get ready well in time!”
VOICE OF ASIA 18
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
HEALTHY LIVING VOICE OF ASIA
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6 Healthy living techniques for even the busiest people by Sophie Gray ur society thrives on busyness. A collective obsession with the time and stress of every task we undertake has become the ongoing cultural norm. Between working one (or maybe two or three) jobs, commuting, paying bills, running errands and social obligations, where could we possibly squeeze in time to eat well, workout and take care of ourselves? Even kids today are busy-with each waking halfhour filled by classes and extracurricular activities. In a world where there’s always something to be doing, we neglect the very thing that allows us to do those things ourselves.
O
Our active and demanding schedules catch up to us sooner or later, and if you don’t decide to make your well-being a priority, health complications can bring your steamroller agenda to a screeching halt. Responsibilities, resources and circumstances may never be equal, but we all have the same seven days each week, 24 hours apiece and at the end of the day, we must make time for what we truly want. The great news is that leading a healthy life does not have to be time consuming. Following these six tips below requires little time, but can make a significant impact on your overall wellbeing.
1. Keep drinking water in plain sight. We all know water is good for us. But when your mind is occupied, hydration is easily forgotten. The standby recommendation to consume eight glasses a day is merely an approximate guideline, so how can you be sure if you’re drinking enough? The color of your urine is a good gauge -light yellow usually indicates proper hydration. Need an easy way to keep on track? Leave a large jug of water out on your counter so it’s regularly within view. If plain water is just not enticing enough, try my favorite and simple trick of squeezing a few lemons into the pitcher! 2. Portion snacks ahead of time. Two simple words that make all the difference: be prepared. “Moments of weakness” are not what typically drives us to ditch a healthy eating regimen; it’s moments when we are ill prepared. Plan and pack your snacks (ones that are both healthy and you will want to eat) in advance. A grab-and-go lifestyle and a nourishing one are not mutually exclusive. 3. Make breakfast the night before. I know I’m not the first one to tell you this: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Busy mornings? Overnight oats are a lifesaver -- perfect for
those who have busy mornings or simply love to hit the snooze button. Sophie’s Favorite Overnight Oats Ingredients: • 1/3 cup rolled oats • ¼ cup pumpkin puree • 1/2 cup almond milk • 2 tablespoons cinnamon • 1 tablespoon chia seeds • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Directions: Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Store in airtight container (like a mason jar) and refrigerate overnight. Chia seeds have a gelatinous quality that will create a porridge consistency by morning. No need to heat; overnight oats are delicious cold! 4. Schedule (literally) your workouts. If you had a dentist or doctor’s appointment on your calendar, you’d make sure to show up, right? Start thinking about your workouts the same way. To help stay dedicated, try scheduling each workout session on your phone’s calendar. Remember, you must make time for what you want. This doesn’t have to takeover your whole life -- by committing to a workout even 2 or 3 times a week, you will see and feel a difference.
2016 PART B INCREASES - PREMIUM & DEDUCTIBLE
5. Try HIIT routines. Daily two-hour sessions at the gym are not necessary to reach your goals when it comes to getting fit. High-intensity interval training (aka HIIT) can boost your endurance and strength, overhauling your physical fitness in mere minutes each day. HIIT exercises utilize the weight of your own body to build strength, allowing you to do your workouts from home with little to no equipment. HIIT routines only require an investment of your time, and a minimal one at that! 6. Get electronics out of your bedroom. Your electronics may be to blame for disrupting healthy sleep cycles. Weight gain, irritability, digestive upset and poor focus are only a handful of the negative effects associated with too little sleep. Try shutting your electronics off at least 30 minutes before bed and charge phones, tablets and other devices in a separate room. This simple change requires little effort, though it can have huge impact--allowing time for mental stress to subside, combatting potential insomnia and in turn, giving you prime energy for the days ahead. Healthy living can fit into a life ruled by busyness, and it is within everyone’s power to take the simple steps toward living a healthier, happier life! Sophie Gray is a Certified Personal Trainer www. wayofgray.com
Seniors and others on Medicare, including those getting coverage through Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement (or Medigap) plans, will see increases in their Part B deductible and possibly their monthly Part B premiums as well for 2016. As the Social Security Administration previously announced, there will no Social Security cost of living increase for 2016. As a result, by law, most people with Medicare Part B will be “held harmless” from any increase in premiums in 2016 and will pay the same monthly premium as last year, which is $104.90. Beneficiaries not subject to the “hold harmless” provision will pay $121.80, as calculated reflecting the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act signed into law by President Obama last week. Medicare Part B beneficiaries not subject to the “hold-harmless” provision are those not collecting Social Security benefits, those who will enroll in Part B for the first time in 2016, dual eligible beneficiaries who have their premiums paid by Medicaid, and beneficiaries who pay an additional income-related premium. These groups account for about 30 percent of the 52 million Americans expected to be enrolled in Medicare Part B in 2016. The Part B deductible and premiums, which pay for health care services provided by doctors and other outpatient services, are set based on program spending and are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Although the Part B premiums will still increase, the impact has been dramatically reduced. Congress proposes the basic premium increase (for the beneficiaries not held harmless) be set at the amount the Part B premium would otherwise be for all beneficiaries in 2016 if the hold harmless provision in current law did not apply. Congress proposal dramatically reduces the impact of the previously anticipated increase.
(Illustration: Getty Images)
Preventing diabetes
W
e all want to get in shape and live an all-around healthier lifestyle. The problem is that just the thought of all the time and energy it seems to take can be
exhausting, let alone getting up off the couch and actually doing something about it. Instead of focusing on the long haul, it can help to think of actions and steps you can take
right now -- today -- to start living and being healthier. The first step to eating better is not to think of it as a diet. A diet suggests a finite plan, a temporary adjustment to eating habits with a short-term goal
of losing five or 10 pounds. Instead, simply think of it as a commitment to eat better and healthier one day at a time. A quick trip to the grocery story today can put healthy food in the fridge that can be prepared in under 15 minutes. AHealthyMe.com suggests some simple breakfast tips that can put you on a healthier morning track, such as drinking your breakfast -- in the form of a yogurt, fruit and berry smoothie -- and adding more
To pay for these provisions, there would be a loan from the Federal Treasury to the Supplemental Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund. To repay the loan, starting in 2016, beneficiaries not subject to the hold harmless would pay an additional $3 in their monthly Part B premium until the loan is repaid. It is estimated that approxigrapefruit to your diet. Lunch tips, such using avocado instead of mayonnaise and eating natural peanut butter, can also be habits you start today. Dinner can be the biggest
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Turning 65 OR Already 65 Call 713-7712900 for Help Choose Right Medicare Plan that Meets Your Needs mately 30% of all Medicare beneficiaries will be impacted by increase to the Part B premiums. High income and new-to-Medicare individuals will be most impacted Medicare beneficiaries who fall below the $85k single/$170k married income levels will not be subject to the Part B premium increase. However, all beneficiaries are impacted by the deductible increase. Beneficiaries who are concerned about income guidelines and the potential impact of these Part B increases should contact the Social Security Administration. Most Medicare Advantage plans do not have a deductible, even for higher income seniors n Texas market. Those who switch coverage to Medicare Advantage are given the opportunity of switching back within 12 months to traditional Medicare and the Medigap policy they had. When this happens, they are not subject to underwriting, which means they don’t have to worry about being rejected or charged more due to health.
To choose the right plan from any major insurance companies either Obamacare or Medicare contact Sudhir Mathuria 713-771-2900. pain of the day because it can take so much time and energy to prepare a meal, let alone a healthy one. And if you have a family and children, Hamburger Helper can be an all-to-easy option. (AHealthyMe.com)
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US India Business Council to pitch for raising FII limit; Ease of doing business
M
UMBI: To mobilise overseas fund flows in Indian capital markets, a delegation of the US India Business Council (USIBC) will meet government officials this week to suggest streamlining procedures for foreign investors as well as increase their investment limits in listed companies. The delegation which includes US treasury officials, would also pitch for relaxing the cap on foreign investors on buying government of India securities and discuss ways to improve the country’s debt markets. They would be meeting markets regulator Sebi officials today to discuss the issues. “Today, it is very hard to invest in India, it’s a nightmare, too much paper
work, too many rules, bureaucracy,” USIBC capital markets working group chairperson Sumir Chadha told reporters here. “This government has taken lot of positive steps to improve that so we are going to give lot of concrete suggestions on how to achieve ease of doing business in the capital markets,” he added. The delegation also plans to discuss ease of doing business with government officials and Reserve Bank of India in next couple of days. It will pitch for raising the single 10 per cent FII limit to at least 15-20 per cent. “Increase the FII limit in listed companies from 10 per cent to 15-20 per cent. That would overnight attract a lot of capital,” Chadha said. “Other things could include
requiring less paperwork for the investors,” he added. Noting that the government needs to have lesser restriction in foreign investment in the bond market, Chadha said that offshore investors want to buy a lot more government of India bonds but can not because there is a cap. “They have increased the limit but it is still very small. In the long run, it would be better not to have any cap… the cap can be done away with in phases,” he said. In an address, US Treasury assistant secretary for international finance Ramin Toloui said, “this week we will also be sharing the lessons that the US has learnt in building up our own capital markets including a robust corporate bond and municipal debt market”. (PTI)
Pakistan, China and Turkey ink 150 business deals
L
AHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that it is a great opportunity to build economic ties with Turkey and China which will lead to a tremendous economic
cooperation between Pakistan, China and Turkey. Addressing on the last day of the “International Seminar on Business Opportunities in Punjab” at a local hotel on
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Saturday, the chief minister said that during this two-day seminar over 150 agreements had been signed between investment companies of China and Turkey and Punjab government. The agreements
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SBI Chief tops Fortune India list of most powerful women in business
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EW DELHI: A r u n d h a t i Bhattacharya, chairperson of State Bank of India (SBI), remains the most powerful woman in the Indian business sector, according to Fortune India. ICICI Bank’s Chanda Kochhar and Shikha Sharma of Axis Bank follow Ms Bhattacharya at the second and third positions, respectively. Besides, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) chairperson and managing director Nishi Vasudeva has bagged the fourth position, while AZB & Partners co-founder Zia Mody and Capgemini India chief executive Aruna Jayanthi shared the fifth rank. Interestingly, all the topfive rank holders retained their positions from the previous year barring Ms Jayanthi who was at seventh position last year. Moreover, there are only two debutantes in the Fortune India list of 50 most-powerful businesswomen for 2015. Portea managing director
State Bank of India’s financials tell the story of its chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharyas successful tenure, says Fortune India. (Photo: PTI) and CEO Meena Ganesh and Eros International group managing director and CEO Jyoti Deshpande have made their debuts at 43rd and 50th positions, respectively. On SBI chief, the magazine said, “SBI’s financials tell the story of her successful tenure, but it is Bhattacharya’s drive that has strengthened her position at the top.” “In her short career as first woman heading one of the oldest commercial banks in the region, Bhattacharya was instrumental in pushing several reforms, including revision of terms for infrastructure loan,” Fortune India noted. These powerful women represent various sectors such
as banking, finance, energy, healthcare, media, fashion and entertainment. The other women who figure in the top 10 are Apollo Hospital Enterprise MD Preetha Reddy (7th position), TAFE CEO Mallika Srinivasan (8th), Shell India chairperson Yasmin Hilton (9th), and NSE MD and CEO Chitra Ramkrishna (10th). Among others who made to the list are Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, chairperson and MD of Biocon, Renu Sud Karnad, MD at HDFC, Anita Dongre, founder of House of Anita Dongre, Ekta Kapoor, joint MD of Balaji Telefilms, and Ritu Kumar, founder of Ritu Kumar Designs. (PTI)
were signed in the fields of transport, infrastructure, industrial estate development, energy, housing and mines and minerals. He said that China and Turkey had been extending wholehearted cooperation to various development sectors in Pakistan during the last many decades while this economic cooperation was increasing with the passage of time. He said that with the implementation of these agreements, close economic ties between Pakistani businessmen and Chinese and Turkish investors would be further strengthen. The chief minister vowed that no stone will be left unturned to give practical shape to these agreements. He said that it was a matter of great pride and satisfaction that such a huge number of Chinese and Turkish investors had decided to invest in Punjab. Shehbaz said that Turkey and China had shown great trust in the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) led government, people of Pakistan and a transparent mechanism of the government. He said that such opportunities came rarely which should be utilised in a way to have maximum benefits. The CM said that the projects of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) were being speedily implemented, proving the fact that the CPEC was a great gift of China for the people of Pakistan. He said that Pakistan was facing various challenges including terrorism
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and electricity load shedding, and it was essential for progress and prosperity to overcome these problems. “The day is not far when with the grace of Almighty Allah our sincere efforts will prove to be highly fruitful,” he said. The chief minister said that these agreements would prove to be a historic trend-setting step which would show to the world that business conditions in Pakistan were getting better with the passage of time. He also thanked Chinese and Turkish investors for expressing such powerful trust on Pakistan’s destiny and economy. Provincial Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha said that the objective of the seminar was to show the tremendous potential for business in Punjab. She said that during the international seminar serious business interactions were held. Pakistan offered business friendly policies and investment agreements were signed in various sectors, the provincial finance minister said. Addressing on the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to
Pakistan Sun Weidong congratulated the Punjab chief minister and people of Punjab over successful holding international seminar on “Business Opportunities in Punjab”. He said that all development projects being envisioned by the CPEC were being completed expeditiously. “I wish that more Chinese investors and companies invest in Pakistan because great business opportunities exist in Pakistan and Punjab”, the Chinese envoy said. Sun said that they saw a bright future of development in Pakistan especially in Punjab. He hoped that all projects under the CPEC would complete in quick and a transparent manner. He said that economic relations between China and Pakistan would further strengthen the friendly relations existing between the two countries. At the end of the concluding session of the seminar, mutual agreements between Chinese and Turkish companies and the Punjab government were signed. (APP)
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In historic China-Taiwan meeting, attempt to affirm legacy
FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Free Burmese election celebration
People take part of the rally outside the National League for Democracy (NLD) office after Myanmar’s first free and fair election on November 8, 2015 in Yangon. (Photo: Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images)
B
Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Taiwan’s President Ma Yingjeou during a summit in Singapore on November 7. (Photo:REUTERS) by Alexander B. Pevzner
I
n a historic meeting Saturday between top leaders of China and Taiwan, the first since the two split at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, the two sides attempted to affirm their own legacy of developing the cross-strait relations, seizing upon the opportunity of an adhoc convergence of domestic political interests. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou met in Singapore to defend a record of progress toward closer ties and to lay the political basis for future exchanges. Both stressed the historic importance of the meeting and each stressed the so-called “1992 consensus,” a formula created to skirt the issue of mutual recognition between China and the selfruled Taiwan, that were both part of the same Republic of China (ROC) before 1949. The meeting comes at a delicate time for the two leaders as the ruling Nationalist Party of Taiwan, which advocates closer relations with China, faces a likely defeat in the January 16 general elections by the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The summit is an attempt to present the DPP candidate, Tsai Ing-wen, the likely future Taiwan president, with a fait accompli of regular highlevel political contacts. In remarks to the media before the closed-door meeting, China’s Xi said that Chinese on both sides of the strait are one family because “blood is thicker than water.” “We are sitting together today to prevent the historical tragedy from repeating itself,” said Xi. Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou said that he hoped China would use peace and not force to resolve crossstrait issues. The elaborately choreographed diplomatic dance, exemplified by the location of the summit in Singapore, seen as neutral ground yet on good terms with both sides, the agreed formula of how to address each other (‘Mister’ rather than ‘President’), even the color of their ties (Ma wore blue and Xi red), all were the focus of intense interest by the media and attest to the sensitivity of China-Taiwan relations. “A handshake across the strait” For Ma, the mere fact of a long-denied meeting with China’s Xi is an affirmation of the main legacy of his eightyear tenure – closer ties with China. On Wednesday, Ma said that the historic meeting with Xi “will be an important start for direct communication between leaders.” Xinhua, China’s official news agency concurred, reporting the meeting “will be crucial to high-level political exchanges across the Taiwan Strait and will steer future cross-Strait relations.” China is concerned that following the January elections in Taiwan, the DPP,
whose base of support is far more skeptical of closer ties with China, will move to do away with the current status quo. That is why Xi agreed to a meeting with Ma two months before the general elections. China also welcomed Taiwan to join the Chinaled Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) “in an appropriate manner,” Zhang Zhijun, head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, told a media briefing after the meeting. China had previously withheld its consent for Taiwan joining the newly created organization. Zhang also said that Xi agreed to Ma’s proposal of establishing a crossstrait hot line. Why Taiwan is important for China After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on October 1, 1949, which ended the Chinese Civil War, the Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang government, led by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, retreated to the island of Taiwan, about 160 km from Mainland China. Since then, Taiwan has enjoyed de facto, though not de jure, independence, though it was the stated aim of the Nationalists to retake China. For Beijing, Taiwan was a renegade province separated from the mainland by foreign forces and the most blatant example of China’s “century of humiliation.” The “1992 consensus,” reached between mid-level officials from Taiwan and China in a meeting that year in Hong Kong, laid the ground rules of exchanges – that both agree there is but one China, but agree to different interpretations of the term.
The challenges forward
going
While the summit between Xi and Ma demonstrated an ad-hoc convergence of political interests between the two parties, this does not mean that China and Taiwan fully agree on how to resolve their differences. The separate press conferences held after the meeting by the two sides made amply clear their respective emphasis. While Xi emphasized the common destiny of Chinese on both sides of the strait, Ma raised with Xi the missiles China has deployed in order to signal the huge power gap between the two sides. Ma said that Xi assured him “the missiles were not against Taiwan,” a statement unlikely to fly well with Taiwanese voters. China’s state-owned television did not broadcast live Ma’s press conference, and made only an oblique reference to the issue by saying Ma proposed maintaining peaceful crossstrait relations. The Taiwanese media took Ma to task due for not protesting to Xi that China seems to interpret the meaning of the 1992 consensus in a way that allows less international space for Taiwan. Ma denied it, saying, “Some say the 1992 consensus is a masterpiece of ambiguity.
urmese voted Sunday in their most open election in more than half a century, in a test of whether democratic forces can wrest a share of political power from the army that has ruled since 1962. Whether enough parties accept the vote as legitimate will determine whether this country of so much potential can emerge from decades of backwardness. An estimated 30 million Burmese went to the polls, and the biggest question is whether they will hand the legislative reins of power to the opposition National League for Democracy,
The polls consistently give the DPP a solid lead not only in the presidential race but also in the elections for the Taiwanese legislature. The possibility of the independence-leaning DPP gaining for the first time control of the island’s legislature is causing China’s leaders to lose sleep. But the biggest challenge to China’s objective of regaining the island lies in the fact that Taiwan has changed greatly since the end of martial law in 1987 and the transition toward democracy. With the rise of local Taiwanese identity, polls show very low appetite for any sort of political union with the mainland.
which is led by former political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi. The issue isn’t as simple as the vote because the ruling generals have embedded obstacles in the constitution that guarantee them significant power. Ms. Suu Kyi can’t serve as President because the constitution, which the military junta imposed in 2008, bars anyone with close foreign relatives. Ms. Suu Kyi’s sons are British citizens, as was her late husband. The constitution also gives the military freedom from civilian oversight, control of all security ministries and 25% of the seats in Parliament, which is enough to veto constitutional change. (WSJ)
As voters feel Ma has gone too far in his efforts to move closer to China, the Nationalists lag behind the DPP in the coming elections. The summit is a gambit to force DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen to accept the 1992 consensus as the basis of future crossstrait relations. After news of the meeting broke late Tuesday, Tsai criticized Ma for “boxing in Taiwan’s future for personal political gain.” The triangle
China-Taiwan-US
The issue of Taiwan remains a flashpoint in USChina relations. After the US switched its recognition from Taiwan to the People’s
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Yes, but it allowed us to meet.” Ma also showed his frustration noting “cross-strait relations have developed thus far, isn’t it weird the leaders haven’t met until now?” It is too early to say whether the meeting will influence the coming elections in Taiwan.
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Republic of China, US Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979. The act requires the US president to view any Chinese use of force against Taiwan as a threat to the peace and security of the region and to consult with Congress on how to react. For China, the issue of Taiwan remains an extremely emotional as China views the question of Taiwan as an internal affair in which no foreign power has the right to interfere. But China faces an uphill battle to win hearts and minds of the Taiwanese, and the future Taiwanese administration will be tested both in its relations with China and with the US. (The Jerusalem Post)
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HOROSCOPE
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FRIDAY, November 13, 2015
Your Horoscope for the Week of November 13, 2015 READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM
by Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950
Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct
Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April Once you feel more in control of the situation, you’ll be able to get past the negative influence you’ve been feeling. Be cautious with who you trust with your financial matters. Time is on your side, don’t make any rush decisions. Accent is on using your personality to open new doors of opportunity. Your cycle is high. You’ll be at the right place at the right time. When it comes to the technical end, listen to others who have the knowledge & experience. Make sure you insist on having creative control. Try to get you priorities straight.
A sense of getting yourself organized. Your life has been far too busy lately. Try not to sweep your problems under the rug. Expect disagreements with your partner if financial irresponsibility has left you in a tight spot. The key might be to set limitations on each other’s spending habits. Perhaps you were supposed to take care of this situation long time ago. Slow down and deal with it now. Then you’ll get this problem behind you forever. Ask direct questions if you have any doubts.
Scorpio (N,Y) 23 Oct to 21 Nov
Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May You may feel as if there are too many things to decide on. Take the time to read, write & express your thoughts on paper. By doing so, you may feel an awakening of ideas, you shared with someone, long ago. That person may remind you of something very important that you forgot. Stress that seemed so intense, lately, may lessen, as the week goes by. Take the time to enjoy all of those favorite things, that you really like to do. Don’t be afraid to express yourself. You need to open your mind & your heart to someone who shares your goals.
Don’t let colleagues back you into a corner. You will have excellent ideas for getting work done more efficiently. Don’t allow anyone stand in your way. You aren’t really a follower, so it’s time you made yourself heard. Use your skills to get things accomplished. You may not please everyone, but that’s to be expected. Don’t take others for granted or promise more than you can deliver. Love will beckon you if you join in a group that helps you to develop your creative talents.
Sagittarius (BH,F,DH,TH) 22 Nov to 21 Dec
Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Miscommunications or misunderstandings may occur, if you don’t choose your words carefully. What solution that had long gone by the wayside, may now become a viable one. Listen to others with expertise to overcome distance & language problems. Your ability to communicate on many levels will help others to understand your motivations. Be sensitive to those who are affected by your acts. Let your flair for communications guide you through important negotiations & decisions.
Bask in your share of the group’s recognition when it comes and humbly accept your role in the success. Your efforts will not go unnoticed and someone could make you an offer in the near future because of your actions now. Celebrate with loved ones. Other’s energies support your efforts at making changes, especially those that will help you to let go of an unhealthy habit. You have the inner resources to go it alone if necessary, but someone close to you could benefit from your example and encouragement.
Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan
Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Look over your personal papers, make budgets and write everything down. You can get your point across and make valuable connections. Your personal life will stabilize. Don’t be confrontational. You’ll meet opposition if you try to push your ideas too much. Be observant and save your comments for a better time. You need to focus on your career. You’ll accomplish the most if you travel for business. If you have an idea, present it. Don’t take on too strenuous a task. Minor injury or exhaustion will result if you do.
Your life seems to have gone completely off kilter, lately. You seem to have been pushed off track of your interests and goals. Other situations have taken over & become a real priority to you. You will be exposed to information and data and will be able to transform it into a valuable opportunity. Try to streamline procedures, improve techniques & you’ll be able to reap rewards beyond your expectations. Gather together with others who share your passion to succeed. Your ability to encourage others will pay off.
Aquarius (G,S,SH) 21 Jan to 19 Feb
Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August Stay focused on bringing your greatest asset to the forefront, your confidence. Once you feel confident in yourself, you will be able to influence others. Peers may try to question your authority, reply with positive financial feedback. Collect & study facts & faces, you may be tested to remember, later. You are due to receive a gift or a bonus. Perform your heart out, enjoy the limelight. Offers you receive may be exciting, but you will need time to digest all of the information you have received.
You can enhance business, career & prestige in the community. Higher ups may request your time. Listen to other’s ideas on how to handle the situation & plan your strategy, accordingly. Sometimes you may feel as if you can conquer anything and maybe you can, but remember to thank those who have helped you on your way. They need to feel your respect & your love. They’ll feel it best if you show it through your actions, not just your words. Make sure to keep your positive flow going.
Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 March
Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Focus your energy full force. You’ll seem to have a keener understanding of how things work. Look behind the scene & you’ll see all of your options. Play your cards right & you may be celebrating true success. Bring people together by showing them interesting new lifestyle or way to work. Personal relationships will feel more positive than ever. Invest time with family members & you’ll be creating great memories for everybody. Express your ideas with passion & you’ll learn new ways to impress your style.
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You’ll be able to achieve your immediate goals if you learn to listen to others. You need to focus your energy into a new plan or project to reach your goals. Don’t go looking for anything in particular but something will certainly present itself to you. Express your appreciation to those who have helped you, on your way. Learn to try to let things come to you, rather than chasing rainbows. If you find something that tickles your fancy, discuss it with your mate & their perspective may just give you the spark you need. Verify your information by obtaining written reference material.
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CLASSIFIEDS
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BUSINESS FOR SALE
Team Player
Importer / Retailer of unique, one-of-akind Furniture and Accent Pieces. Established and proďŹ table. Annual revenues in excess of $850,000, with strong margins. Contact:
Seeking a Motivated Team Player who can work well in a small, fast paced company environment. Responsibilities can include order taking, order dispatch, data entry, invoicing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and providing support to other roles. A 4 year college degree preferred. Please send your resume to:
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FRIDAY, November 13, 2015