Voice of Asia E-paper June 1, 2018 by VoiceOf Asia

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VOICE OF ASIA The Largest Asian-American Newsweekly in Texas

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Vol. 32 No. 21 • FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

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Mental health, Governor Abbott unveils school security plan to address school Malisha Patel is the new CEO of Memorial Hermann is focus after safety in Texas Texas mass Health System shooting

alisha Patel, Vice President of Operations at Memorial Hermann Southwest, who will assume the role of SVP and CEO of Memorial Hermann Sugar Land and Southwest Hospitals, where she will be tasked with overseeing the care provided to residents of Southwest Harris and Fort Bend counties.

HICAGO | AFP, 5/30/2018 - Texas Governor Greg Abbott unveiled dozens of recommendations Wednesday focused on mental health and school safety after the latest US mass shooting to claim children's lives. The governor's recommendations came nearly two weeks after a 17-year-old student gunned down eight fellow students and two teachers at Santa Fe High School in rural Southeast Texas, and injured 13 others.

Patel will replace Greg Haralson, Senior Vice President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital and Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, who has been named the new SVP and CEO of Memorial Hermann-TMC. “I’m so grateful to the amazing individuals at Sugar Land and Southwest who allowed me to join them in building a family culture. Their dedication to putting patients at the forefront of everything we do has left an indelible mark on my leadership style, and I look forward to continuing to serve as a champion for our patients and our community at one of Houston’s most iconic medical institutions,” Haralson said. “I’m also pleased to pass the baton to Malisha, who has been a fierce advocate for the people of Southwest Harris and Fort Bend counties. I know that our hospitals will continue to thrive under her guidance.” Patel, who joined Memorial Hermann in 2007, brings to her new role a wealth of experience at both campuses, where she has had operational and business development responsibility for both clinical and

Malisha Patel, Vice President of Operations at Memorial Hermann Southwest. (Photo credit: Memorial Hermann) non-clinical departments. In her tenure serving as a key member of the executive team at both Southwest and Sugar Land hospitals, she also worked in tandem with Haralson on Sugar Land’s $93 million expansion project and its Baldrige achievement. "Greg has been a beloved leader and leaves behind big shoes to fill, but I’m excited about the opportunity to build upon the foundation that he established of providing top-notch service to those who entrust us with their care,” Patel said. “We have an outstanding reputation of serving our communities with pride and distinction, and I look forward to the bright future that I see on the horizon for both campuses.”

Of the 40 recommendations put forth by the Republican governor of the staunchly conservative state, only a few were gun safety measures. The governor mainly focused on increasing armed security on school campuses and more mental health screenings to identify troubled children. But, Abbott also called for requiring gun owners to report lost firearms and for allowing law enforcement to temporarily take away guns from people determined by courts to be "potentially dangerous" to themselves or others. The May 18 shooting in Santa Fe was the latest high-profile instance of gun violence in the US and came just a few months after the February massacre at a high school in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 and sparked a student-led movement for more gun control. In the aftermath of the Texas shooting, there have been only modest calls for tougher gun laws, which in Texas are among the most permissive in the country. Continued on Page 3

Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a roundtable discussion on school safety, May 22, 2018 in Austin. It was the first of several planned discussions following the shooting at Santa Fe High School. (Photo: Office Of The Governor/Flickr)

USTIN | AFP, May 30, 2018 - Governor Greg Abbott today joined state and local leaders to unveil his School and Firearm Safety Action Plan. The Governor’s plan contains 40 recommendations and includes proposals that call for increasing law enforcement presence at schools, strengthening existing campus security programs, enhancing firearm safety, providing mental health evaluations that identify students at risk of harming others, and much more. Today’s announcement, which the Governor unveiled in Dallas, TX and San Marcos, TX, follows a series of roundtable discussions held last week during which the Governor spoke to, and received input from, victims, parents, educators, lawmakers, law enforcement and policy experts to help generate solutions that improve safety and security at Texas schools. “This plan is a starting point, not an ending place,” said Governor Abbott. “It provides strategies that can be used

before the next school year begins to keep our students safe when they return to school. This plan will make our schools safer and our communities safer.” In addition to the actions Governor Abbott is taking today, he will also ask Texas Senate and House leaders to issue an interim charge to consider the merits of adopting a “red flag” law allowing law enforcement, a family member, school employee, or a district attorney to file a petition seeking the removal of firearms from a potentially dangerous person, only after legal due process is provided. The recommendations announced today identify nearly $110 million in total funding, including $70 million that is already or will soon be available to begin this important work. Additionally, the Governor has identified a specific need for $30 million that he will work with the Legislature to fund next session.

Mayor Turner attends the Annual Houston Iftar Ramadan dinner Organized by Sister Cities and ISGH & many collaborating organizations.

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ouston Mayor Sylvester Turner urged for immediate action to protect kids and schools. He was addressing to a diverse crowd at Houston Ramadan Iftar dinner with Mayor organized by Abu Dhabi, Baku, Basrah, Istanbul and Karachi Sister City Association along with The Islamic Society of Greater Hous-

ton and Several Collaborating Organizations at bayou City Event Center. In the keynote address Mayor Turner warned that tragedy at Santa Fe High School is a painful reminder that Bullet never discriminate and it can be target any one whether you Muslim, Christian or Jews. As we care about protecting travelers Continued on Page 3

A group photo of Houston Iftar 2018 organizing Committee members with Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congressman Al Green, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Patron S.Javaid Anwar, President ICNA Javaid Siddiqui, President ISGH M.J.Khan, Coordinator Saeed Sheikh and others.

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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VOICE OF ASIA Publisher: Associate Publisher: Editor-in-Chief: Austin Correspondent: Marketing Director: Office Manager:

Koshy Thomas Sherly Philip Shobana Muratee Sherine Thomas Susan Pothanikat Priyan Mathew

Contributors: Legal: Sharlene Sharmila Richards Mala Sharma

VoiceofAsiaOnline.com Editor Online:

Shobana Muratee

All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the consent of the publisher. Voice of Asia assumes no liability resulting from action taken based on the information included herein. Published weekly by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074. Tel: 713-774-5140. Fax: 713-7745143. Email for editorial submissions: voiceasia@aol. com; Email for advertising inquiries and submissions: ads@voiceofasiagroup.com

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

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by Jeffrey Frankel

n Tuesday, nine days after the Trump administration said the China Trade war was “on hold,” flipped the switch back to “on.” As of now, the White House again plans to move forward with imposing 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion of imports from China in little more than two weeks. To try to ascertain the position of President Trump on trade at any point in time is like trying to ascertain the position of a subatomic particle: It is better viewed as having a probabilistic distribution than as having a true position that could be discovered through sufficiently acute observation and analysis. Even under normal circumstances, it could be hard to keep track of a half dozen or more different China trade issues running simultaneously. Some of the actions that are at stake have a basis in economic or political or legal logic, while some do not. We can begin by noting that when the United States goes against international institutions and deals, for example, by imposing tariffs that violate World Trade Organization or other international agreements, aside from immediate negative economic effects, we give other countries good reason to mistrust the value of our word and to engage in similar behavior themselves. The calculus is that much worse because the United States had the overwhelmingly dominant role in setting up such institutions as the WTO in the first place. We did it because such international agreements and institutions are in our national interest. The least logical of the recurring Trump obsessions is the demand that China reduce the U.S. bilateral trade deficit. The Chinese government has no policy levers that could reduce the bilateral balance by the mooted $100 billion or $200 billion. If China wanted to give Trump a superficial “win,” it could reduce the bilateral trade deficit some by buying more American natural gas or by routing smartphone exports through a third country like South Korea. But the economics would be illusory. There would be virtually no effect on the overall U.S. trade deficit: We would otherwise sell the natural gas to some other country, and in reality those smartphones already get about 95 percent of their value added from South Korea, the United States and other countries anyway. Fo-

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

What does Trump want in his on again, off again China trade war? cusing on the bilateral balance is a waste of time. Regardless what happens with China, the overall U.S. trade deficit will rise this year as a result of the Republican tax cuts, enacted at a time when the economy is already producing at the limit of its capacity. Similarly unmoored from both economic and legal logic are the tariffs that Trump has imposed on imports of steel and aluminum, and threatens to impose on automobiles and other goods. With respect to legal criteria, the national security justification that he has invoked is flimsy in the extreme and will likely inspire other countries to retaliate. With respect to economic criteria, the beneficiaries in the steel industry, for example, are vastly outnumbered by those who will be hurt because they use steel as inputs, they consume the final product, or they produce export goods that will be hit by the repercussions, such as farmers. Much better grounded are the U.S. penalties legally imposed on the Chinese company ZTE for violating international sanctions against Iran and North Korea. But this is precisely the issue on which Trump seems most clearly to have let China off the hook. In between the two extremes are

some grievances that the United States could reasonably pursue in negotiations with China if done intelligently. These include intellectual property rights and a Chinese practice of requiring foreign firms that want to set up in China to share technology. But to pursue such areas effectively, the United States should do it in cooperation with allies like Europe and under international agreements like the WTO and the Trans Pacific Partnership. Trump has been doing the opposite. His approach to China has been so inconsistent that observers have had to stretch to find explanations. Suggested explanations include allegations of quid pro quos for Trump family businesses, divisions between “nationalists” and “business” factions on his staff, his tendency to be persuaded by whomever he last talked to, a desire to preempt Democratic protectionists, and an instinct to do the opposite of whatever President Obama did. It is easier to say what the Trump approach is not. It is not the deliberate or competent application of a coherent strategy informed by a clear set of American policy objectives, an understanding of the incentives of the other side, or

an appreciation of the implications that impulsive tweets can have for the global system over the long term or even for the next move in the tactical game in the short term. The rise of China as a great power over the last three decades has had little to do with the terms of any international trade agreements that were made or could have been made. The bilateral trade issues currently under discussion could all be viewed as low stakes. This is especially true when compared to some larger national security issues. We need help from China with a newly nuclear North Korea more than we need it to give in to any of our on again, off again trade demands, even those that might make some sense. Think how bad it would be if President Trump applied to Kim Jong Un the same pattern of erratic alternation back and forth between inflammatory bluster and inexplicable concession that he has applied to China. Oh, wait… Jeffrey Frankel is the James Harpel professor of capital formation and growth at Harvard University. He served on the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Reagan and President Clinton. - The Hill

To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Tim Holt Another week, another bunch of dead school kids, mowed down in another act of gun violence. Yawn. This week Santa Fe, Texas. Last week Indiana. Next week, who knows where. These shootings have become as commonplace as afternoon pileups on I10 at rush hour and your response is probably is just the same: drive by slowly, stare for a second, shake your head at the carnage, then zoom off to your destination as if nothing happened. “Glad that wasn’t me or someone I know.” Never mind that more students died this year because of gun violence than all the military-related deaths combined. Think about that for a second: Being a student in our schools is more deadly than being a soldier.

Welcome to the NRA’s America. For foreign exchange student Sabika Sheikh, Santa Fe Texas was deadlier than her home of Karachi, Pakistan. Welcome to the United States of Gunmerica. When our monthly student sacrifices to the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturers occur, it is not unusual for “concerned” politicians to jump in front of the nearest camera and offer their “thoughts and prayers” even before the corpses have been piled into the awaiting ambulances and returned to their grieving families. Texas Lt. Governor, Dan Patrick, an NRA cocotte and proud funding recipient, after offering meaningless thoughts and prayers, immediately blamed the number of doors in the school as a root cause of the gun massacre. He added “too many doors” to his ever

growing list of things that are responsible for mass shootings, including abortion, no prayers in schools, violent video games, bad parenting, and poor mental health. Like all good NRA toadies, he skillfully avoided mentioning guns as having anything to do with gun violence. Sabika Sheikh said in a speech at a meeting of foreign exchange students, that she “prayed every night to wake up to a world of peace.” Prayed every night." Like the prayers that come from the parents of the dead babies at Newtown, and the dead teenagers at Parkland and Columbine, and now the dead and maimed in Santa Fe Texas. All those prayers going unanswered. All those scattered bodies. The prayers aren’t working. It is time to change the strategy. (-El Paso Herald)

K. V. Doraiswamy Bhattar 281-489-0464 or 281-948-8368 kvdoraiswamybhattar@yahoo.com kvdoraiswamy60@gmail.com

Rituals Performed: Sreemantham, Punyahavachanam, Namakaranam, Annaprashanam, Vidyarambham, Choulam, Upanayanam, Wedding, Sathya narayana puja, and all kind of Homas (Havans) and more. I can drive to your place.

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Sewa International Houston Chapter receives prestigious Global Seven (G7) Award

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

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Mayor Turner attends the Annual Houston Iftar Ramadan dinner

Gitesh Desai, Sewa International’s Houston Chapter President, pictured third from right, with the award for “Outstanding Nonprofit”, at the Bayou Place, Houston.

OUSTON, (May 25, 2018): The Houston Chapter of Sewa International received the prestigious Global Seven (G7) Award given by the Houston International Trade Development Council (HITDC) in the category of “Outstanding Nonprofit Organization”. The award was given at HITDC’s Fifth Annual Gala at the Ballroom at Bayou Place in downtown Houston on Friday, May 25. Gitesh Desai (Sewa’s Houston Chapter President) received the Congratulatory Recognition Note from the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders, commending Sewa International’s exemplary work in 2017, including during the initial days as Hurricane Harvey struck, and for the unstinting work in the relief and rehabilitation phases. HITDC’s

President

and

CEO, Val Thompson, said: “The purpose of the award is to honor Houston area international businesses who make Houston City a unique player on the world stage. The ‘Outstanding Nonprofit’ award is intended for a special Houston area-based nonprofit that supports meaningful causes, directly solving economic challenges impacting the international community (i.e., families, children, women or other special causes). We are most honored by you accepting our 2018 ‘Outstanding Nonprofit’ award which we believe your life and work profoundly exemplify.” The keynote speaker at the event was Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. At the ceremony a total of seven awards were given: Outstanding Nonprofit, Outstanding Inventor, Outstanding Global Impact, Outstanding Advocate, Excellence in

Importing, Excellence in Exporting, and Excellence in International Business Service. “It is a great honor to receive this award and the certificates of recognition on behalf of all my wonderful, hardworking, dedicated team of volunteers. We believe in selfless service, and the welfare of everyone in the world. This is both a humbling and a celebratory day for us. We did not make the journey here alone. Numerous people and organizations have supported us along the way. This award is a recognition of the selfless service provided by more than 1250 volunteers, and the over 40 Indian community organizations that collaborated with Sewa International, large and small donors, supporters and well-wishers in Houston and throughout the country, for their confidence and trust in Sewa International. We could not have served without them,” said Gitesh Desai.

At the Houston Iftar 2018 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee presenting Congressional Recognition to organizing Committee Honorary Chair Mr. Javaid Siddiqui, Coordinator Saeed Sheikh, Murad Ajani,SCH President Harry Gee & Shah Haleem. Continued from front page

travelers and visitors to federal, state and locally owned buildings, we must also show the same sense of urgency, concern, and compassion toward children and adults in schools, he said and added that Schools must be made to be as safe as airports and government building. Mayor Turner further said that Houston is a big diverse family and the Muslim community is an integral part of it. Congress man Al Green urged Congress to pass comprehensive legislation to reduce gun violence. It is critical that we keep up the pressure on both the Senate and the House to act to address this public health epidemic without further de-

lay, he said and demanded the speaker of the house to bring legislation against gun violence to protect the school and children. On this occasion event coordinator Saeed Shiekh paid rich tribute to all sponsors and guests for their cooperation to make the Houston Iftar dinner successful every year. Earlier Patron S. Javaid Anwar paid special tribute to the Mayor Turner while introducing him. Others who spoke were Member of Congress Sheila Jackson lee, Hononary Chair of the event & President Islamic Circle of North America Javed Siddiqi, ISGH President M J Khan and Afzal Janjua, Imam Tauqeer Shah, Imam Khalis. The program was beautifully moderated by

Eman Arabi Katbi. Texas Governor, Greg Abbott sent a pre-recorded message honoring the event and specially lauded the great services and support of his close friend oil tycoon Javaid Anwar for Iftar dinner since last seven years. On this occasion Congressional certificate from Sheila Jackson And Al Green was also rewarded to Saeed Sheikh and his team. Houston Iftar 2018 was attended by Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Consul Generals of several Countries, City officials and over 1700 Community members & Media. The event is meant to showcase peace, diversity and unity.

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COMMUNITY

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Rally for Our Children #FamiliesBelongTogether

OUSTON - May 30, 2018 - Attorney General Sessions' "zero tolerance policy" means that families of asylum seekers arrested at the border of the United States are being separated. Children who have been separated from their families may be exposed to abuse, neglect, or even human trafficking. This treatment is cruel and inhumane, and does not represent the values of the United States. If you believe that #FamiliesBelongTogether, join us and our partners, Pantsuit

Republic of Texas, ACLU Texas, FIEL, Service Employees International Union, Clinic Access Support Network, Organizing for ActionTX, Domestic Workers in Action, Indivisible Houston, Domestic Workers in Action, as well as numerous elected representatives and candidates who are concerned about keeping families together, at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, June 1 in front of Houston City Hall. Together, we will rally for compassion and justice for these families and at 1 p.m. we will march to the U.S. District Courthouse

at 515 Rusk St., and demand decency from our U.S. Attorneys and the U.S. Attorney General. This event has been organized in conjunction with ACLU People Power’s National Day of Action and the office of Congressman Joaquin Castro, who have been organizing nationwide rallies in support of protecting these children.

Set Reading Goals Just like with any other project in life, it helps to set reachable and measurable goals for your child to achieve. Working towards a concrete goal not only gives your child something to aim for, it can also help keep them motivated. Make their progress visual by creating a fill-in chart that they can color in as they get closer to their goal. You can include the family in this so that it

can turn into a friendly competition. Reading as a Reward Many students may not enjoy reading because it is often used as a punishment. Instead of forcing your child to read during a time-out or because of bad behavior, turn it into something fun. Make time to read together daily and have it turn into your bonding time. You can also give your child books and other reading material as gifts or rewards. These rewards should be focused on something they enjoy, like graphic novels or the next book in a series they're reading. Look for Summer Reading Programs It can be difficult for parents who work to also monitor how much their child is reading. Luckily, many local libraries host summer reading programs

Burton Elementary students create art for litter prevention initiative

We ask that all parents bring empty strollers, if available, to show our solidarity for the many families who have been torn apart under this unjust policy.

The Importance of Summer Reading Practice id you know that not reading over the summer can cause a regression in reading levels? This is one of the dangers of the summer slide caused by not staying academically active during summer break. To help your child hold onto their lessons and continue growing during their break, use these summer reading tips.

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

that help children have a productive summer. These programs encourage students to read by giving them incentives and prizes once they read a certain amount of books. Encourage your child to participate and allow them to pick out the books they read to make it even more enjoyable for them. Reading Tutoring in Friendswood and Sugar Land If your child could use more reading help this summer, enroll them in an academic program at The Tutoring Center, Friendswood and Sugar Land. Learn about how summer turning can help your child have a successful school year by giving their learning center a call at The Tutoring Center Friendswood (281-488-0101) and The Tutoring Center Sugar Land (281-980-1242).

Burton Elementary Interim Principal Dr. Jill B. Gumbs with the winning students

ORT BEND ISD (May 25, 2018) – Burton Elementary recently partnered with the Teal Run GMA Home Owners Association to host the first Litter Prevention Campaign and Art Contest. More than 100 students participated in the art contest, and winners were chosen from two groups, Kindergarten through second grade and third through fifth grade. The winning Sheriffs were: Kinder – 2nd Grade 3rd – 5th Grade 1st Place Bailee Norman Jayton Carroll

2nd Place Chizara Ajuzie Madison Marcelle 3rd Place Aleeyah Barrow Chidmma Ajuzie The contest was held to bring awareness to litter prevention and to build community pride among the students. The students were asked to create posters that would help Teal Run residents avoid littering. Each winning poster would be turned into a road sign that would be posted in the neighborhood. But the students were so creative that even the runner-ups – Tai-ir Bell and Asyia Barnett - will

have their posters turned into permanent signs to be displayed on campus. Each first place winner was given a $50 gift card, second place winners received a $35 gift card, and third place winners were given a $25 gift card. “Our efforts to increase school and community pride was a win-win because this project also made students’ extraordinary proud to be highlighted as artists and creative thinkers,” said Dr. Jill B. Gumbs, Interim Principal of Burton Elementary. “In addition, I was very pleased to collaborate and share this vision with the community leaders that afforded this opportunity, Mr. Steven Gates and Mr. Gregory Linkous.”

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Fort Bend View

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

Sugar Land, Katy, Stafford, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg and Meadows Place

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Fort Bend ISD installs CNG fueling station at Hodges Bend Transportation Facility

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FBISD salutes its 2018 High School Valedictorians and Salutatorians

Fort Bend ISD installs CNG fueling station at Hodges Bend Transportation Facility Fleet of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses traveling 1,700 miles daily, part of District’s effort to reduce emissions Fort Bend ISD (May 29, 2018) – Fort Bend ISD’s new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station is providing fuel for a fleet of buses that are reducing ozone emissions, helping to improve air quality in the community. In November of 2014, the FBISD Board of Trustees passed a resolution that affirmed FBISD’s commitment to implementing actions accepted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to help promote air quality for the citizens of the Fort Bend ISD.

The new CNG buses are part of a pilot program to determine whether this new technology is cost-efficient for the District.

FBISD also participates in an $870,000 grant that places filters in the exhaust systems of

Sharon Zachariah, Valedictorian Hightower High School

Star Ni, Valedictorian: Dulles High School.

FORT BEND ISD (May 24, 2018) – Fort Bend ISD is proud to recognize the 22 graduating high school seniors who have the distinct honor of being named 2018 valedictorians and salutatorians. These outstanding scholars have earned the highest academic achievements among their schools’ graduating class, and we are extremely proud of their success over the years.

“This is a pilot program to determine if costs will be something we can benefit from,” said Michael Brassfield, FBISD Executive Director of Transportation. “With the grant money that was provided for us, and the low-cost station we built here, so far this is very cost productive for us.”

A no-idle bus policy is in place to reduce our carbon footprint. Bus drivers are reminded to turn engines off if they know they will have to sit and wait for longer than five minutes. The District’s GPS technology provides daily monitoring of the vehicles that idle more than five minutes.

Faiz Hirani, Valedictorian: Kempner High School

District officials attended a tour of the CNG fueling station back in April.

The 2014 Bond, approved by voters that same month, allowed FBISD to replace 150 older school buses with new cleaner burning engines. Thirty of these buses were Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, partially funded by a TCEQ-awarded grant of $1.4 million under the Clean Air Act.

In addition to the CNG efforts, FBISD’s Transportation Department has also implemented other measures to reduce emissions:

Bryanna Godfrey,Valedictorian: Elkins High School,

FBISD buses hooked up to the fueling station.

older buses in the FBISD fleet. These Diesel Particulate Filters collect and burn off the black soot produced by buses manufactured prior to 2007.

ity of air inside the bus cabin, protecting students and drivers from outside exhaust from the bus and other traffic that surrounds the buses.

FBISD also plans to continue to replace buses that are 15 years and older, further reducing ozone forming emissions. All replacement buses are airconditioned. Air-conditioning buses helps to control the qual-

During the month of April, Fort Bend ISD invited its Board of Trustees and representatives from other districts to tour the CNG fueling station. This economical, low maintenance portable fueling system

provides fuel to the fleet of 30 buses each day. Together, the buses travel 1,756 miles a day a serve 2,796 students.

As FBISD graduates, these scholars will be well prepared to meet future challenges. Each of them has a rigorous academic foundation, strong character and possesses qualities of FBISD’s Profile of a Graduate. They are equipped with skills for life, servant leaders, effective communicators, critical thinkers, compassionate citizens, col-

Rishabh Parekh, Valedictorian: Austin High School laborative team members and life-long learners. For complete list isit:www.fortbendisd. com

Fort Bend ISD named one of Houston’s healthiest employers 2018 Healthiest Employers & Health Care Heroes Awards

Hightower High School student wins Congressional Student Art Competition

FBISD was awarded the Houston Business Journal’s Healthiest Employer award Photo credit: FBISD.

Nicholi Peters with his self-portrait "Redemption" FORT BEND ISD (May 24, 2018) – Hightower High School senior Nicholi Peters was named the winner of the 2018 Congressional Student Art Competition, sponsored by U.S. Representative Al Green, District 9. He submitted “Redemption,” a self-portrait to the contest.

His work, “Redemption,” will be on display in the Cannon Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol for an entire year, along with the other selected pieces of artwork. He also attended a reception held earlier this month, meeting Congressman Green and seeing his framed piece.

Nicholi and a family member will fly to Washington, D.C. this summer for a reception with other winning students.

“For this to become a reality, it was a dream come true,” said Nicholi. “It will be amazing to go to Washington, D.C.

and to see my story being honored.” Nicholi moved to Texas two years ago from Trinidad and Tobago, but began his art career at seven, often using his art as an escape. Since becoming a student at Hightower, he credits his art teacher, Beth Agar, with inspiring and encouraging him. He will attend the Art Institute of Houston after graduation, and hopes to become a graphic designer.

ORT BEND ISD (May 24, 2018) – Fort Bend ISD was recently named one of Houston’s healthiest employers for the Houston Business Journal’s Healthiest Employer award. The District was honored at the 2018 Healthiest Employers & Health Care Heroes Award breakfast on Thursday, May 17. Fort Bend ISD ranked 9th in the Extra Large Company Category (5,000+ employees). “I often remind our team members that we can’t take care of others if we don’t take care of ourselves first. Our students and colleagues are counting on us to be our best

each day, and a robust wellness program helps us to fulfill their expectations,” said FBISD Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre. Fort Bend ISD’s wellness program, LiveWell, provides employees wellness education, a diverse selection of wellness programs, and an atmosphere that is conducive to health improvements. The program has grown tremendously over the past few years and has incorporated more programs for employees such as free onsite fitness classes and corporate discount to gyms.

About the Healthiest Employers & Health Care Heroes Award The Healthiest Employers & Health Care Heroes Award honors and recognizes companies with outstanding wellness programs and individuals who have made great strides in the Houston health care industry. Companies are ranked in six key categories, which include: culture and leadership commitment, foundational components, strategic planning, communication and marketing, programming and interventions and reporting and analysis.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

Local Law Enforcement, HISD and Food Truck HMAC Work Together On ‘Project Fridays: Party Safe Start’ Again in the Plaza The initiative entails increased patrolling around schools and neighborhoods coinciding with the start of summer vacation for Houston area middle and high school students AL ORTIZ | POSTED ON MAY 29, 2018 Once again, local law enforcement agencies, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and Houston Ministers Against Crime (HMAC) are working together on ‘Project Safe Start’ and this year the recent mass shooting at the Santa Fe High School is in the minds of the people involved in the initiative.

also made a reference to the mass shooting and said that “it is weighing heavy on our hearts and we know how serious this is and we have our full attention on the matter.”

Coinciding with the end of the school year and local students starting their summer vacation, ‘Project Safe Start’ entails increased law enforcement patrolling around schools and neighborhoods, especially near the so-called hot spots where trouble may arise because of, for instance, simmering feuds that some students might want to settle.

The Police Department of Texas Southern University also takes part in ‘Project Safe Start’.

Chief Cordova also commented his department is forming an Emergency Response Team that will be able to be deployed “rapidly,” although he didn’t provide details.

The initiative, which has been going on for more than 20 years, covers mostly HISD’s middle and high schools. “You have some students who may be interested in settling scores or maybe interested in causing problems,” commented HPD Assistant Chief Sheryl Victorian during a press conference held on Tuesday to announce the launch of the 2018 edition of the initiative. “We could not come to this without the burden and the concerns of the Santa Fe situation,” noted Reverend F.N. Williams, II, from the Antioch Baptist Church church and a member of HMAC.

HISD Police Chief Paul Cordova (center at podium) said during the launch of the 2018 edition of ‘Project Safe Start’ that the recent mass shooting at the Santa Fe High School is “weighing heavy on our hearts.” Photo: HISD via Twitter / @HoustonISD

Paul Cordova, Chief of HISD’s Police Department,

Programs & Services

Summer Camp

INDIA HOUSE CHARITY AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM VOLUNTEER CLINIC Monday to Friday Saturday 9:00 am - 12:30 pm 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION Family Law: Tuesday 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Immigration: 1st & 3rd Wednesday 12:30 pm - 2:00pm FREE MEDITATION CLASSES Saturday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm CRICKET- TAPED BALL Saturday & Sunday Full Day FREE VEDANTA STUDY GROUP SAREEN HARRIS Saturday 11:15 am - 12:15 pm HEALTH CLINIC Monday - Friday FREE TECHNOLOGY EVENT HALL RENTALS 8:00 am - 4:00 pm CLASSES FOR SENIORS Banquet Halls, Conference Sunday 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am - 11:00 am FREE YOGA CLASSES Tuesday & Thursday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Saturday 10:00 am - 11:00 am

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HINDI CAMP: $300 per camp $110 per week Camp 1: June 11 - June 29 Camp 2: July 9 to July 27 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ART CAMP: $ 150 per week June 4 to June 29 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ROBOTICS CAMP: $300 per week May 28 to August 17 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar reminds families to start saving for higher education on “529 Education Savings Day”

USTIN — Today is “529 Education Savings Day,” and Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is encouraging families to save for their children’s higher education expenses using the state’s 529 college savings and prepaid tuition plans. “It’s never too late for Texas families to start saving for the future education of a loved one,” Hegar said. “One way to get a head start is by opening a new 529 plan or contributing to an existing one.” Texas offers three taxadvantaged 529 plans: the Texas College Savings Plan® Continued on page 9

Sugar Land, TX – Come enjoy the city of Sugar Land’s Summer Concert and Food Truck Friday Series at the plaza adjacent to the Smart Financial Centre. The series will showcase live entertainment, lawn games, the splash pad and food trucks on selected Friday evenings throughout the summer from 6-8 p.m. June dates include June 8, June 15 and June 29. Additional dates throughout the summer will be added to the lineup as they approach. Party goers are encouraged to check facebook.com/ SugarLandParks for the latest event details including band and food truck information. All activities and entertainment are free and open to the public. Food and beverages will be available for purchase though onsite vendors. Free public parking will be available in the Smart

Financial Centre parking lot, 18111 Lexington Blvd. Funding for the event is supported with tourism funds utilized to encourage travel to destination venues like the plaza adjacent to the Smart Financial Centre. These funds benefit the local economy through the attraction of visitor spending and expanded sales tax revenue that contributes to the city having one of the state’s lowest property tax rates while also funding the high level of services citizens expect. For more information about the event, contact the Sugar Land Parks and Recreation Department at 281-275-2900, visit www.sugarlandtx.gov/ parks or follow Sugar Land Parks and Recreation at facebook.com/SugarLandParks.

FBISD schools named 201718 Texas Honor Roll School by Educational Results Partnership, Institute for Productivity in Education

ORT BEND ISD (May 30, 2018) – Several Fort Bend ISD schools have been recognized as 201718 Honor Roll Schools by the Education Results Partnership (ERP) and the Institute for Productivity Education (IPE). FBISD schools were awarded Scholar and Star designations. The Star campuses include: Barrington Place Elementary Garcia Middle School Lakeview Elementary Meadows Elementary Oyster Creek Elementary The Scholars campuses include: Brazos Bend Elementary Clements High School Colony Meadows Elementary Commonwelath Elementary Cornerstone Elementary First Colony Middle School Fort Settlement Middle School Sartartia Middle School Sullivan Elementary Walker Station Elementary The Honor Roll recognizes public schools at all levels that demonstrate high academic

achievement, improvement in achievement over time and reductions in achievement gaps, as well as college and career readiness. The FBISD schools were among the just 729 schools that were recognized in Texas. The “Scholar” distinction is given to schools that have high academic achievement, but do not have a significant socioeconomically disadvantaged student population. The “Star” distinction is given to schools that have significant socio-economically disadvantaged student populations, and are highperforming and have shown success in closing the achievement gap. “FBISD teachers and administrators are committed to reaching higher levels of academic achievement and progress while continuously improving our practices,” said Dr. Audra Ude, FBISD’s Executive Director of Accountability and Assessment. “We are pleased to see the hard work and dedication translating to positive outcomes for our students.”

For more information and appointments contact: 713-929-1900 | Vipin@indiahouseinc.org | www.indiahouseinc.org | 8888 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, TX 77031

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FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

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New Awami Markaz 5812 Hwy 6.North, Houston 77084 New Desi Discount Grocers 435 FM 1092, Suite Z, Stafford 77477 New India SuperMarket 445 FM 1092, Stafford 77477 Nirmanz Food Boutique 16338 KENSINGTON DR., SUITE # 160, Sugar Land, 77479 • Palm India 732 Murphy Rd, Stafford 77477 • Parivar Grocers 6655 Harwin Suite A-103, Houston 77036 • Patel Brothers 5815 Hillcroft, Houston 77036 • Premier Indian Grocers 12155 Shadow Creek Pkwy #118, Pearland 77584 • Raj Grocers 15210 Hwy 3, #112, Clear Lake 77598 • Raja Sweets & Restaurant 5667 Hillcroft, Houston 77036 • Rani Foods 12821 Duncan Rd., Houston 77066 • Rani’s World Foods 16711 Hollister St, Houston 77066 • Royal Grocers 11919 Bissonnet St., Houston 77099 • Royal Restaurant 11919 Bissonnet St. Houston 77099 • Shahnai Restaurant 5920 Hillcroft, Suite D, Houston 77036 • Sallam Namaste 10732 W Bellfort St, Houston 77099 • Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir 6640 Harwin Dr, Houston 77036 • Saravanaa Bhavan 8350 Westheimer Rd, Houston 77063 • Saree Sapne 5651 Hillcroft, Houston 77036 • Savoy Restaurant 11246 Wilcrest Houston 77099 • Scarsdale Grocers 12415 Scarsdale Blvd. Webster 77089 • Shalamar Sweets 15142 Hwy 3, Clear Lake 77598 • Shahnai Restaurant 5920 Hillcroft St D, Houston 77036 • Sheikh Chilli’s Restaurant 6121 Hillcroft St, Houston 77081 • Shiva Restaurant 2514 Times Blvd., Houston 77005 • Shivangani Rest 14543 Memorial Dr, Houston 77079 • Shiv Sagar Restaurant 6662 SW Freeway, Houston 77074 • Siddhivinayak Temple 5645 Hillcroft, Houston 77036 • Signature India 14800 Westheimer Rd, Houston 77082 • Spice Bazaar 16338 Kensington Dr Ste-150, Sugar Land, TX 77479 • Standard Sweets 5696 Hillcroft, Houston 77036 • Subhlaxmi Grocers 6006 SW Fwy, Houston 77074 • Suprabath 5600 Hillcroft, Houston 77083 • Thai Spice Express 8282 Bellaire Blvd, Houston 77036 • Touch of Asia 2253 Smith Ranch Rd., Pearland 77584 • Udipi Café 5959 Hillcroft, Houston 77036 • Udipi café 3559 Hwy 6 S, Sugar Land 77478 • Victor’s Deli 1425 NASA Rd I, Houston, TX 77058 • Vishala Grocers 9410 TX-6, Houston 77083 • Vishala Grocers 5205 S. Mason Rd., Ste #220 Katy 77450 • Vishala Grocers 13314 Westheimer Rd. Houston 77077 • Vishala Grocers 2881 Dulles Ave, Missouri City 77459 • Voss Halal Meat 11920 S Texas 6 # 100, Sugar Land 77498 • Welcome Food Center 9180 Bellaire Blvd, Houston 77036 • Welfresh Market 4635 Hwy 6, Sugar Land, TX 77478 • World Food Warehouse 14625 Beechnut St, Houston 77083

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VOICE OF ASIA 8

US National Spelling Bee: Atman Balakrishnan,12, hopes to make history in competition dominated by Indian Americans

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

US Capitol to host first-ever gathering of Indian-Americans

Maryland: The domination of the Scripps National Spelling Bee by Indian-Americans has gone on long enough that a second generation has emerged. Last year, Mira Dedhia, whose mother competed in the bee three times, finished third. This year, the first child of a former champion is competing. Dr. Balu Natarajan, a physician from Hinsdale, Illinois, won in 1985 by spelling "milieu," a word that almost certainly wouldn't be used beyond preliminary rounds today. His 12-year-old son, Atman Balakrishnan, is making his debut this year, and his ultimate goal is to equal his father's achievement. No pressure, though. "He does help me and try to make me work harder, because he knows that I want this," Atman said. "If he knew that I did not want this, he would not push me." The bee began Tuesday with 516 spellers, by far the most in its history. The expanded field means three full days of spelling instead of two. The 50 or so spellers who make the finals will be announced Wednesday, then compete Thursday until a champion is crowned. As usual, most of the presumed favorites are Indian-American. Natarajan was the first Indian-American to win. Another followed in 1988. Eighteen of the past 22 champions have been Indian-American, including three years when there were co-champions. Natarajan is on the board of the North South Foundation, a nonprofit that hosts national competitions in spelling and other subjects and has served as a training ground for nearly all the recent champions. That's just one reason among many for the success of IndianAmericans. "It's become now kind of a good cycle where certain Indian-Americans succeed, and I think they've inspired others to do the same," Natarajan said. "I have no idea what my part is in that, if any." This year's bee has 516 spellers, roughly a fourfold increase over Natarajan's first bee. That's not the only thing that has changed. "The word bank of most of the spellers or many of the spellers has just gone up dra-

Sen. Kamala Harris' . AFP/Getty Images Spellingbeewinner_Atman Balakrishnan (left) with his father Balu Natarajan. Photo credit: AP matically," he said. "I think you could win the spelling bee back then by knowing maybe 10,000 words, and now the kids who win have to know somewhere between 40-and80,000 words."

13-year-old Erin Howard of Huntsville, Alabama, who finished seventh last year. "I think at worst I missed five."

Here are some other things to know about Tuesday's first day of spelling:

Longtime bee pronouncer Jacques Bailly, revered by spellers for his gentle manner and meticulous accuracy, had a rare slip-up.

High stakes The bee begins with a written spelling and vocabulary test. It's the biggest factor in determining the roughly 50 spellers who will advance to Thursday's finals, and the consensus was that it was very difficult. The field of spellers expanded by more than 200 this year because Scripps started a wildcard program to give opportunities to more kids from highly competitive regions. As a result, Scripps had to craft a test that would separate the most skilled and prepared spellers. "They made it hard on purpose," said Jacob Williamson, a former speller and a student at Georgetown University who is coaching five spellers this year. The moments after the test are among the most nervewracking for spellers, who spill out into the halls outside the bee stage and frantically Google the answers. "The vocab was kinda hard this year," said 11-year-old Ashrita Gandhari, who made last year's finals. "It was definitely harder than last year." Even some of the most accomplished spellers said they missed a few of the vocabulary words, but they were still reasonably confident they'd get through to the finals. "It was fine, actually. I didn't expect it to be fine," said

Oops

Thirteen-year-old Tara Singh of Louisville, Kentucky, got "Diplodocus" — a massive, herbivorous dinosaur — and when she asked Bailly for the language of origin, he said, "dioecious is made up of Greek elements," using the word that the previous speller had missed. "Um, what was my word?" Tara asked. Question time Spellers know what questions they can ask Bailly and expect to get useful information in response. That doesn't stop some from trying to get more. "Can you, like, repeat it slowly?" asked Annie Huang of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, when she got "menehune," a Hawaiian-derived word for mythological, forestdwelling dwarves. "Is there, like, a root word or something?" she asked, only to be reminded that spellers have to ask for a specific root and define it to receive that information. Annie gave it one more shot before she misspelled the word. "Is the spelling, like, counterintuitive in any way?" "That depends on your intuition," Bailly replied. - FIRSTPOST.

Indian-origin man dies after being shot at in Ohio NEW YORK: PTI | May 27, 2018,A Sikh truck driver, who was fatally wounded after being shot at two weeks ago in Ohio, has succumbed to his injuries, with prosecutors saying they will seek a murder charge against the 20-year-old accused in the case. Jaspreet Singh, 32, of Monroe, Ohio died of injuries he sustained when he was shot at by Broderick Malik Jones Roberts on the night of May 12, a report in the Journal News said. Following the incident, Roberts had been indicted for aggravated robbery, felonious assault and possessing weapons under disability for allegedly firing at Singh. Since Singh died of his injuries, prosecutors said they will now seek a murder indictment against the accused. According to a Hamilton Police report, the victim suffered a gunshot wound to the upper torso. Singh died on May 21,

said Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser. As per court documents, Roberts allegedly shot Singh "while he sat in his vehicle". The police report added that Roberts' attorney David Washington entered a not guilty plea on his client's behalf but acknowledged a murder indictment is expected next week. A native of India, Singh had been living in the US for about eight years. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said no immediate evidence has been released to suggest that any bias was involved in the tragic accident. The group's legal team has been in contact with relevant authorities in Cincinnati and continues to monitor the case. "Our prayers remain with his family during this very difficult time," it said in a Facebook post. Judge Jennifer McElfresh has set a bond of USD 1 million, substantially increasing it

from the initial amount of USD 1,25,000 in Hamilton Municipal Court. Roberts is scheduled to be back in court on May 31. Manjinder Singh, a friend of Singh, said the victim was a devoted father and husband, leaving behind four young children. "He was very well known and well liked in the Sikh community," Manjinder said, noting that his friend helped manage area stores but was recently employed as a truck driver. He was an active at the Guru Nanak Society in the area, he said. "It is just senseless," said Manjinder Singh, adding that "there is no way he would have engaged in any type of wrong activity. He would have just walked away". Roberts has a criminal history and was sent to prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to trespass, unlawful restraint and assault, according to Butler County court records.

Read up on DIASPORA STORIES Visit us online Visit: www. voiceofasiaonline.com

ASHINGTON, PTI | May 29, 2018, For the first time, the US Capitol next week will host Indian American elected officials, leaders, philanthropists and some 80 community members running for elected offices in the November mid-term elections. Senator Kamala Harris from California, the first ever Indian origin to be elected to the US Senate, is scheduled to deliver a keynote address to the oneof-its kind of gathering. We are thrilled to host the first-ever gathering of Indian American elected officials, candidates, philanthropists, community leaders, and political strategists," Gautam Raghavan, a former Obama Administration White House official, told PTI. Organised by recentlyformed Indian American Impact Project, the day-long meeting on June 6 is expected to be attended by nearly 200 Indian American elected officials, candidates, philanthropists, community leaders, and political strategists from across the country, Raghavan said. "It will feature panel discussions about how we can build

political power in the Indian American community," he said. "We are also honoured that Senators Harris and Cory Booker will join us and give keynote remarks. Senator Harris has been a source of great inspiration for the IndianAmerican community, and all immigrant communities and people of colour. Her leadership and commitment to public service are a testament to the talent andand patriotism of the Indian American community," Raghavan said. Senator Booker, who represents the state with the third largest Indian American population in the country, has been a steadfast ally to our community throughout his career," he said. "We look forward to hearing from both of them about the importance of political and civic engagement," he said. "I am particularly excited that we have over 30 Indian American candidates and elected officials attending the Summit. Many of them are eager to connect with one another, to share stories from the campaign trail and lessons learned along the way. We look forward to celebrating their courage to run for office," Raghavan said in

response to a question. The Indian-American Impact Project has endorsed several Indian American candidates running for offices; prominent among them are Sri Preston Kulkarni, Hiral Tipirneni, Aftab Pureval Aruna Miller, Ashwani Jain, Padma Kuppa, Samir Paul and Josh Kaul. The organisation is heavily Democratic in nature. Traditionally, Indian Americans have voted for the Democratic party, but of late a significant number of them have become supporter of the Republican Party. The two Indian American Governors so far - Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley - are Republicans. The current Congress has a record number of five Indian Americans, all of them being from the Democratic Party. The four Indian Americans in the House of Representatives are Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal. Harris is in the Senate. This election a record number of 20 Indian Americans are running for the US House of Representatives.

voiceofasiaonline.com Indian-American becomes first turbaned Sikh Woman in NYPD The 20-year-old said she believes her presence on the force brings visibility to the Sikh community.

n Indian-American woman made history on the New York Police Department this month. Gursoch Kaur, a 20-yearold from Queens, New York, graduated from the New York Police Academy in May, becoming the first turbaned Sikh woman to join the NYPD. Her recent achievement has been widely praised across the Sikh community in the U.S. It’s particularly significant given the statistics around Sikh representation in the department. Around 35,400 full-time uniformed officers work for the NYPD, 190 of whom are Sikh, according to the Sikh Officers Association. Around 10 are women. “Auxiliary Police Officer Kaur’s accomplishment by joining NYPD Auxiliary has been ground breaking. She will be joining the largest Auxiliary Police Program in the United States. Officer Kaur will make all Sikhs around the world proud!” Delare Rathour, NYPD officer and vice president of the Sikh Officers Association, told HuffPost. “By the community seeing officer Kaur wearing a turban and in uniform they will feel nothing but pride, seeing one of their own serving her community.” Kaur is now an Auxiliary Police Officer (APO), an officer who’s trained to assist local police precincts, housing police service areas and tran-

Officer Gursoch Kaur. Photo: Sikh Officers Association sit districts. She is currently a student at Nassau Community College, majoring in accounting. Kaur told Desi Talk that she hopes her position as an APO will help her bring her closer to becoming a full-time, sworn-in police officer one day. Thus far, Kaur feels her presence on the force has helped the area’s residents learn more about her culture and bring visibility to the Sikh community. “I feel blessed. The only reason people are interested is because of my dastar (turban),” she told Desi Talk. “People haven’t seen anything like that. It’s great because it gives me an opportunity to tell them

what’s behind the turban, educate them. That’s how we love one another.” The Sikh turban, which stands for service, compassion and honesty, among other values, was previously banned from officers’ attire. But in December 2016, the rule was nixed and Sikh officers were permitted to wear a blue turban with the NYPD logo on it. “We’re really happy that the higher ups in the NYPD listened to our concerns,” Gurvinder Singh, president of the Sikh Officers Association, previously told HuffPost. “They realized this a diverse city and that a more diverse police force is necessary.” (-HUFFINGTON POST)

US/WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 9

Taliban, Afghan officials in ceasefire talks: US general

ASHINGTON, | AFP | Senior Taliban officials have been secretly negotiating with Afghan officials on a possible ceasefire, the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan disclosed Wednesday. "A lot of the diplomatic activity and dialogue is occurring off the stage, and it's occurring at multiple levels," General John Nicholson said in a teleconference with reporters at the Pentagon. He would not identify the figures involved in the negotiations, except to say that they included mid- and senior-level Taliban officials. "I should point out they met in secret. This is how they were able to advance the talks," he said, adding that the success of the effort depends in part on the "confidentiality of the process." Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in late February proposed peace talks with the Taliban, saying they could be recognized as a political party if they accepted a ceasefire and recognized the country's 2004 constitution. The Taliban have not officially re-

London's Muslims take a green bite out of Ramadan

sponded, but deadly attacks have proliferated since then, particularly in Kabul, which has become the most dangerous place in the country for civilians. On Wednesday, militants launched a gun and bomb attack on the Interior Ministry in Kabul, killing a policeman in another demonstration of their ability to strike at the heart of the Afghan capital. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for a predawn attack on a police station in the capital of Logar province, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) southeast of Kabul. Six police officers were killed and eight civilians were wounded, provincial police spokesman Shapoor Ahmadzai said. But Nicholson, who has sought to drive the Taliban to the negotiating table by bringing to bear increased US military pressure, maintained that violence and progress can coexist. He likened the situation in Afghanistan to that of Colombia where the fighting continued up until the FARC guerrilla group and the government signed a peace accord in 2016.

White House's Sanders chokes up amid question on guns ASHINGTON, | AFP | Press Secretary Sarah Sanders' teared up as she fielded an unexpected question about school shootings from a kid reporter at the White House Wednesday. Sanders' voice wobbled and she became visibly upset after 13-yearold Benje Choucroun asked a question about kids feeling unsafe at school. The cub reporter -- on assignment for "Time for Kids" -- asked what the administration was doing to tackle the scourge of gun violence. "At my school, we recently had a lockdown drill," Choucroun began, describing the practice of training to hide if a shooter gets in the building. The drills are a regular occurrence for US kids as young as three, who are sometimes told they are pretending to hide from "bears" or "bad guys". "One thing that affects mine and other students' mental health is the worry about the fact that we or our friends could get shot at school," Choucroun continued, reading from a written question. "Can you tell me what the administration has done and will do to

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

prevent these senseless tragedies?" Sanders, a mother of three, better known in public for her pugilistic approach to briefings, appeared taken aback by the question. "I think that as a kid, and certainly as a parent, there is nothing that could be more terrifying for a kid to go to school and not feel safe. So I'm sorry that you feel that way," she said. "This administration takes it seriously," Sanders said struggling to continue, before adding that administration was discussing ways to "do every single thing within our power to protect kids in our schools and to make them feel safe and make their parents feel good about dropping them off." Early in his administration Trump vowed to tackle gun control, but has since fallen in line with Republican gun lobby groups, backing more security measures in school and even arming teachers. On Thursday, he is expected to travel to Houston for a campaign event, where he will also meet families involved in the deadly shooting at Santa Fe High School. Earlier this month a 17-year-old student gunned down eight fellow students and two teachers, just one in a litany of US school shootings.

Wherever possible, the food was locally sourced - including the nettles used to make the classic British soup, which grow in the wild, and the home-grown vegetables.PHOTO: FACEBOOK/THE RABBANI PROJECT

LONDON - Sitting in straight rows on the floor, supping on bowls of soup made from foraged nettles and home-grown vegetable stew, a group of London Muslims are breaking with Ramadan tradition. The evening meal known as iftar breaks the fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and is often associated with environmentallyunfriendly excess, with tables groaning under the weight of heavy meat dishes. Here though, the emphasis is on ethically-sourced, seasonal food - no meat and no dairy - while plastic forks and straws and disposable plates are nowhere to be seen. "This ethical iftar is about looking particularly at key issues around meat consumption during Ramadan, food waste during Ramadan and plastic waste ... We wanted to do an iftar plan that had none of those things," said organiser Jumana Moon. "It's about trying to reconnect our responsibility to nature as part of our worship not a separate hobby or interest," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Participants in the event at Rumi's Cave, a London venue that hosts courses for millennial Muslims and open-mic nights, had to bring their own cutlery and crockery, as well as containers for leftovers. Wherever possible, the food was locally sourced - including the nettles used to make the classic British soup, which grow in the wild, and the home-grown vegetables. There were readings from the Quran that focused on the importance

Participants in the event at Rumi's Cave, a London venue that hosts courses for millennial Muslims and open-mic nights, had to bring their own cutlery and crockery, as well as containers for leftovers.PHOTO: FACEBOOK/THE RABBANI PROJECT of caring for the environment, while the seeds from the dates that are traditionally used to break the fast were collected for replanting or composting. Participant Sohaib Elnahla said the green iftar underscored the importance in Islam of eating food that was sustainable and wholesome. "If mosques all did a green iftar it would have a massive impact on the practices," said Elnahla, a prayer leader and teacher. John Parry, a Christian minister who attended the iftar event, said it offered a vital message for people of all faiths. "We have thought of ourselves as human beings that can do what we want with creation when in fact, we're given

Trump keeps up Kardashi- Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar ... on “529 Education an at White House meet Savings Day”

Continued from page 6 (TCSP) and the LoneStar 529 Plan® (LS529), both college savings plans, and the Texas Tuition Promise Fund® (TTPF), a prepaid tuition plan. The plans are known as 529 plans because they are authorized by Internal Revenue Code Section 529. The TTPF is designed to help families and individuals prepay and lock in today’s rates for all or some future undergraduate tuition and schoolwide required fees at any twoor four-year Texas public college or university. The reality star paid a visit to the White House to talk politics.

ASHINGTON | AFP | 5/30/2018 - Days away from a historic summit with North Korea's mercurial leader, US President Donald Trump held a White House meeting Wednesday with another famous Kim -- reality TV star Kardashian -- to discuss prison reform and sentencing. The reality star entered the grounds of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue wearing a black suit and canary yellow stilettoes, an AFP photographer witnessed. Kardashian was expected to meet aide Jared Kushner, who has spearheaded stuttering White House efforts at criminal justice reform. In the end, she met with fellow TV personality, President Donald Trump -- formerly of "The Apprentice" and New York tabloid fame.

"Great meeting with @KimKardashian today, talked about prison reform and sentencing," the president said in a tweet, accompanied by a photograph of the pair in the Oval Office, with Trump flashing a broad grin. Kardashian, 37, is known for her socialite TV persona, but has also called for the release of Alice Marie Johnson, a 62-year-old who has been in prison for more than two decades for a nonviolent drug offense. Fixing tough sentencing laws had been a priority of president Barack Obama's administration, but he failed to win Congressional support, prompting a stream of presidential pardons and clemency actions. Trump has so far taken a more hardline approach, advocating a "lockem-up-and-throw-away-the-key" approach to criminal justice.

The TCSP and LS529 college savings plans allow families to work toward building college savings by investing in one or more professionally managed portfolios, either by enrolling in TCSP directly or in LS529 through a financial advisor. In addition to paying for higher education costs, college savings plans such as TCSP and LS529 now can be used to pay K-12 tuition expenses. The Texas Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board administers all three 529 plans through the Comptroller’s office. To lock in undergraduate tuition and schoolwide required fees at 2017-18 prices, TTPF enrollment for newborns is available through July 31; for 2018-19 prices, open enrollment begins Sept. 1. Texas residency requirements apply. The TCSP and LS529 plans are open for enrollment year-round.

Texas Tuition Promise Fund® purchasers should carefully consider the risks, administrative fees, service and other charges and expenses associated with the contracts, including plan termination and decreased transfer or refund value. Purchasers should read the Texas Tuition Promise Fund Plan Description and Master Agreement carefully before purchasing a contract. Neither a contract nor any return paid with a refund is insured or guaranteed. Before investing in the direct-sold Texas College Savings Plan® or the advisor-sold LoneStar 529 Plan®, investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, administrative fees, service and other charges and expenses associated with municipal fund securities. Investors should read each Plan Description and Savings Trust Agreement carefully before investing. No part of an account, the principal invested, nor any investment return is insured or guaranteed. As stated in the current Plan Description and Savings Trust Agreement for the Texas College Savings Plan, total fees for the Texas College Savings Plan portfolios ranged from 0.60% to 1.00%. As stated in the current Plan Description and Savings Trust Agreement for the LoneStar 529 Plan, total fees for the LoneStar 529 Plan portfolios ranged from 0.68% to 2.47% with a maximum sales charge of 5.75%. Fees are subject to change. Comments or complaints may be forwarded to the Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Program, Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts, P.O. Box 13407, Austin, Texas 787113407 or by calling 512-936-2064.

god-given responsibilities to look after creation and not to abuse it," he said. "It's a message that is absolutely vital in this day and age." Piles of left-over food and plastic plates often spill out of bins at the end of iftar meals, said Moon who organised the event with The Rabbani Project, a creative collective, who hoped the event would also raise awareness about limiting food waste. Traditional practices such as eating from shared plates or with hands to using clay cups and wooden spoons could all be revived, she said. "I'd love to see us as individuals, families and organisations doing a kind of 'green audit' in our personal lives as well as our public lives." -REUTERS

Mental health, school security is focus after Texas mass shooting Continued from page 1 Referring to the wishes of some of the Santa Fe students themselves, Abbott called mainly for increasing armed security in schools -- including employing military veterans, more armed teachers and off-duty police -and expanding mental health options for schools. "This plan is a starting point, not an ending place, to provide strategies that can be used before the next school year begins," Abbott said at a news conference. The $110 million plan came after the governor last week held three days of discussions with students, educators, and experts in various fields. A few Santa Fe students last week publicly called for requiring gun owners to safely lock away their weapons and for stricter background checks. The Santa Fe shooter, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, employed a shotgun and handgun belonging to his father. "We are just trying to make guns safer, and trying to make people treat them as the machines that they are, rather than as toys," Santa Fe High School student Bree Butler told a news conference Friday.

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 10

Myanmar stalling on end to child soldier recruitment: UN

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

Violence against Afghan women carried out with impunity: UN

Nepal leads the way in cutting emissions in brick kilns Redesigned ovens, zig-zag stacking of bricks reduces pollution Below skies darkened by thick black smoke, hundreds of thousands of brick kiln workers endure back-breaking labour and suffocating heat working in almost medieval conditions across South Asia. But in one corner of the region, the need to rebuild after Nepal’s devastating 2015 earthquake has presented an unexpected opportunity.

UN special representative for children and armed conflict Virginia Gamba said that the army was not providing timely evidence that it was discharging child soldiers.PHOTO: EPA-EFE

YANGON, Myanmar | AFP - done enough to fulfil its promise to end the use of child soldiers and underage recruitment may even be on the rise, a top UN official said Tuesday.

it’s too slow,” she told reporters in Yangon at the end of an official trip.

The military and a number of rebel groups have for years drafted underage soldiers to battle in several civil conflicts festering in Myanmar's remote borderlands.

Gamba added the UN was "worried" that some rebel groups battling the army were increasing the number of underage recruits in their ranks.

The army vowed to end its use child soldiers in 2012, the year after it brought decades of junta rule to an end, and has discharged hundreds of underage soldiers in the years since. But experts say children remain at risk as new underage recruits continue to trickle into the ranks of both the military and insurgent groups. Despite her "frank and constructive" discussions with authorities, UN special representative for children and armed conflict Virginia Gamba said that the army was not providing timely evidence that it was discharging child soldiers. “When we ask for information, when we ask for verification of places, when we ask about the detention of children,

“The answers come very slowly. Sometimes months or even years pass.”

Human rights groups have been highly critical of the country's lack of progress in demobilising child soldiers. “Myanmar remains on a watchlist because of the military’s absolute failure to protect children in areas of armed conflict,” said David Baulk from regional watchdog Fortify Rights. Many child recruits have been sent to remote areas near Myanmar's border with China, where a recent upsurge in fighting between rebel groups and the military has displaced thousands of people. There are no concrete figures on how many children are still among the estimated 500,000 troops that serve in Myanmar's military or insurgent armies.

India police investigate AirAsia boss Fernandes

A law protecting women from violence has been in place since 2009, but instead of enforcing it, authorities are allowing and sometimes overseeing informal mediation to resolve criminal cases.PHOTO: AFP Kabul, Afghanistan | AFP | The United Nations issued a blistering report Tuesday accusing the Afghan state of violating women's rights by failing to prosecute criminal violence against them, underscoring widespread gender brutality nearly 17 years after the Taliban's fall. A law protecting women from violence has been in place since 2009, but instead of enforcing it authorities are allowing and sometimes overseeing informal mediation to resolve criminal cases, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in the report. In a country where women are often confined to the home and seen as subordinate to men, access to justice remains "severely inadequate" and promotes impunity for perpetrators, UNAMA added. The report -- titled "Injustice and Impunity" -- documents the experiences of women who survived violence and tried to bring criminal complaints against their male attackers in 237 cases across Afghanistan from August 2015 until December 2017.

Of them, 145 were resolved by mediation, the report said, adding that it documented a "consistent pattern" of women being pressured by authorities as well as their families to withdraw their complaints. The report also examined 280 cases of murder, including many carried out in the name of so-called "honour", in which women are killed -- often by male relatives -- for bringing what is described as "shame" on the family under an outdated, patriarchal social code. Only 50 of them -- or 18 percent -- resulted in the perpetrators being punished under the law. The landmark 2009 Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law criminalises child marriage, forced marriage, forced self-immolation, rape and other violence against women. There is no provision in Afghan law that allows for mediation in such criminal cases. Pressuring a woman to accept mediation therefore "amounted to a direct breach of the EVAW Law, the Penal Code, and constituted a human rights violation

on the part of the State," the report said. "Once mediated, incidents of violence against women are essentially transformed from 'criminal acts' into mere 'family disputes'," Danielle Bell, UNAMA's human rights chief, told AFP. Women "are encouraged to reconcile with the perpetrator as if no actual crime occurred, or to seek a divorce if the parties cannot reach an agreement. Such outcomes directly contradict the spirit and letter of the EVAW Law." It also means that once a complaint is made, the risk of seeing the violence repeated is "quite high", Bell said. The Afghan government had made "concrete" efforts, however, and agreed that "there is no room for forced mediation and informal justice in criminal offences", according to the report. But it said the frequent failures to investigate and prosecute such crimes contributed to "the existing high rate of impunity and strengthened the normalisation of violence against women in the Afghan society".

Naveen got the bullets used to kill Gauri Lankesh: chargesheet He also guided the shooters to her place in Bengaluru: SIT

India's Central Bureau of Investigation said it was probing allegations that Tony Fernandes lobbied officials for favourable treatment regarding licences for AirAsia.PHOTO: AFP

EW DELHI, India | AFP | - India's federal police Tuesday raided local offices of budget carrier AirAsia as investigators accused the airline's boss Tony Fernandes of illegally obtaining operating licences.

of India news agency reported.

The Central Bureau of Investigation said it was probing allegations that Fernandes illicitly lobbied Indian officials for favourable treatment of licences for his Malaysian-based carrier.

Besides Fernandes, investigators also named an AirAsia director, an aviation consultant and unidentified Indian government officials in its preliminary case, PTI reported.

"We have filed a case against Air Asia chief Tony Fernandes, his colleagues and government officers over procuring licences illegally," CBI official R.K. Gaur told AFP. Officers raided AirAsia offices in major Indian cities as part of its investigation, he added. AirAsia denied any wrongdoing and is working with "all regulators and agencies to present the correct facts," Shuva Mandal, director of AirAsia's Indian subsidiary, said in a statement shared with the media. Fernandes was accused by investigators of campaigning to have aviation regulations relaxed in his favour, Press Trust

One of these was the socalled 5/20 rule stipulating that companies must have five years of domestic experience and a fleet of 20 aircraft before being eligible to operate abroad.

AirAsia and its local joint venture partner Tata Sons launched domestic flight operations in India in 2014 by offering eye-catching promotional fares to lure budget travellers. Fernandes, a millionaire exmusic executive, has styled himself as Asia's answer to British tycoon Richard Branson. The company ran into trouble this month when Air Asia India's CEO Amar Abrol stepped down, citing personal reasons. The no-frills airline currently operates flights from its bases in Bengaluru and Delhi to several cities including Goa, Jaipur and Kochi.

he Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh filed its first chargesheet in the case against K.T. Naveen Kumar, 37, who was arrested in March. The chargesheet alleges that Naveen procured the bullets that were used to kill Gauri outside her house on the night of September 5, 2017. He also allegedly provided local logistical support to the shooters and guided them to her house and office in Bengaluru. Though it does not name any organisation in the murder, the SIT alleges that Naveen was part of a bigger conspiracy and had been concealing key details from the police even after his arrest. The SIT also made it clear that the probe into the murder plot was far from over, and this was only the first in a series of chargesheets that would be filed as the probe progressed. Investigators have also sought the custody of Praveen, accused of targeting K.S. Bhagavan, a rationalist from Mysuru. “There are several others involved in the conspiracy, including the people who shot at her that fateful night. A manhunt is on to identify and nab them. We have made some progress in the case with the city police arresting

Along with much of Nepal, the industry was devastated by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit in 2015, killing around 9,000 people and flattening about a third of the country’s brick kilns. There are more than 150,000 kilns in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal belching out thousands of tonnes of soot — known as black carbon — a major air pollutant and the second largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide. The Brick Kiln Initiative, launched by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, found a way to redesign the ovens and stack the bricks differently so that less toxic soot is produced. By stacking the bricks inside the kilns in a zig-zag pattern, the heat snakes through the gaps more efficiently, ensuring coal is completely burned so less soot is produced. Halving coal consumption Emissions are cut by 60%. But more importantly for the kiln owners, it nearly halves coal consumption. “The environmental factor does not necessarily motivate most kiln owners, but the zigzag method has an economic benefit. We are using less coal and getting better bricks faster,” said Mahendra Chitrakar, president of the Federation of Nepal Brick Industries. Most of the 100 brick kilns in the Kathmandu valley have already adopted the new technology, according to Mr. Chitrakar. - AFP

'Don't believe social media rumours,' Indian police urge after lynchings NEW DELHI, India | AFP | - Indian police on Tuesday urged the public against believing rumours on social media after a sixth person falsely accused of being a child trafficker was killed by an angry mob. A transgender woman was lynched and three others seriously injured in Hyderabad city at the weekend by a crowd that linked them to a child exploitation ring that police say does not exist.

Gauri Lankesh

Praveen, who was key to the plot targeting Prof. Bhagavan and in the Gauri case as well,” said M.N. Anucheth, investigating officer, SIT. Sources in SIT said that the 651-page charge sheet with 131 witness statements had a solid body of evidence pointing to Naveen’s role in the plot. Call intercept recordings of Naveen speaking to his associates on the case, a statement by his friend Anil Kumar from Maddur on Naveen boasting about his involvement, his role in procurement of bullets used to kill Gauri are some of the irrefutable evidence against him, the sources said. Naveen has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including sections 118 (concealing

design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life); 114 (an abettor being present when offence is committed); 120 (B) for criminal conspiracy; 35 (when such an act is criminal by reason of its being done with a criminal knowledge or intention) and Sections 3 and 25 of the Indian Arms Act. Sources said that he had also been booked under sections 118 and 35 of the IPC for not cooperating with the police and concealing details even after his arrest. The accused had first given his consent for a narco analysis test and retracted his consent in Ahmedabad where he was taken for the test in April this year. - The Hindu

The 52-year-old's murder was the sixth this month in southern India prompted by false and persistent rumours on social media about a child kidnapping gang, police said. A 42-year-old man was beaten to death last week in Nizamabad district, about 160 kilometres (100 miles) from Hyderabad, after a mob accused him of being a child kidnapper. "There are no kidnapping gangs in Hyderabad," the city's police commissioner Anjani Kumar told AFP on Tuesday. "We warn (the) public... (against) harming anyone based on rumours on social media." Dozens of police officers and locals marched through the southern city on Monday evening with loudspeakers urging people not to take the law into their own hands.

SPORTS

VOICE OF ASIA 11

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

Amir eyes golden memory Supriya Sharma becomes the as Pakistan look to finish off youngest Indian to win Bikini Bodybuilding Championship in US England Supriya Sharma became the youngest Indian to win a gold medal in her category at the IFBB NPC Eastern Seaboard Classic, a bikini bodybuilding championship in Atlanta, Ga., May 12. Along with the medal, Sharma, 23, who made her debut at the recently concluded championship, won the "Overall True Novice Champion," title. Originally from Jammu and Kashmir, Sharma moved to New Delhi in 2012 to pursue her higher studies. A star athlete, Sharma has captained the handball teams at the university level in Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi. She took a break from handball in 2017 and decided to pursue her passion in body building. Sharma now plans to compete in Arnold Classic in Ohio in March 2019. Back home, she conducts an online training program.

ONDON | AFP | Mohammad Amir claims bowling Pakistan to a Test series win in England would be "the best memory" of his life. Fired-up Amir was a key figure in Pakistan's nine-wicket win over England in the first Test at Lord's. The 26-year-old pace bowler took five wickets in a triumph that put Pakistan on course for a series victory. The second Test of the twomatch series begins at Headingley on Friday and Amir has his sights set on completing a success that would ranked as the finest achievement of his career.

Supriya Sharma. Photo credit: India New England

Tall story: Catsuit Serena teams with Venus in doubles win

The 36-year-old American said the suit was inspired by the Black Panther movie blockbuster and made her feel like a 'super hero'.

Little and large: Venus and Serena Williams tower over doubles opponents, Miyu Kato and Shuko Aoyama of Japan (AFP Photo/ Thomas SAMSON) "I was wondering if it was in the rules," the Czech said. "I don't even know what material it is, it looks like neoprene. "They should follow the rules, otherwise play in the nude."

Williams said the catsuit was crucial for her health and wellbeing, claiming it prevented the return of blood clots which left her life in danger after she gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian in September last year. Williams, a three-time singles champion in Paris, will face Australia's Ashleigh Barty in the second round on Thursday.

However, 70th-ranked Pliskova questioned the legality of the outfit when she talked with Czech media.

However, there is no indication that the suit breaks any tournament regulations.

Bribery charge sees FIFA drop Saudi World Cup referee

Love and marriage trump Grand Slam title for Cilic

"Mr. Fahad al-Mirdasi is withdrawn with immediate effect," a FIFA statement said. As referees at the 2018 World Cup were selected in teams of three, Mirdasi's two assistants Mohammed al-Abakry and Abdulah al-Shalwai are also deselected, the FIFA Referees Committee said. Two weeks ago Mirdasi was given a lifetime ban in Saudi Arabia after admitting soliciting a bribe from a Saudi club, according to the Saudi Football Federation. Mirdasi had been scheduled to oversee Saudi's King's Cup final earlier this month but was suddenly replaced a few hours before kick-off.

"Credit goes to all the bowlers, especially Mohammad Abbas. He's bowling very well - and Hasan Ali," Amir said. "But credit goes to Azhar Mahmood as well. He's working hard with us and keeps telling us, 'Pitch the ball up, pitch the ball up'. I think that was the main difference at Lord's. "We are looking for the same here, and I always give the credit to Azhar Mahmood because he is working so hard and he is the man behind this."

Teenager Shapovalov aiming to conquer Roland Garros, French language by Jed Court

The 19-year-old, who lost in Roland Garros qualifying last year but is now the 24th seed, is in no rush to win Grand Slam titles, pointing to 36-yearold Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, 31, as evidence that he has plenty of time to improve. "At their age they are still improving, still getting better. So for me it's kind of calming, in a way," Shapovalov said. "I feel even if I don't have the results right now, you know, this year, next year, I feel like I have such a long way, so much time to improve and to get to where they are right now. "So for me, there is not much pressure. I'm 19. I'm playing freely every tournament. Everything is new for me." The big-hitting left-hander is already being treated as a star attraction in Paris, giving his press conference in the main interview room after playing on the show-court Suzanne Lenglen. Shapovalov

struggled

Teenager Denis Shapovalov eased to victory in his first main-draw match at the French Open (AFP Photo/Thomas SAMSON). clay last season, failing to win a match, but has been muchimproved already this year and reached the Madrid Masters semi-finals.

Slam tournament, after his run in Madrid earlier this month saw him become the youngest player to break into the world's top 30 since 2005.

"It's been a love and hate relationship with me on clay," he smiled.

As well as winning the French Open title, Shapovalov hopes to further endear himself to the home fans by learning the local language.

"Obviously I didn't grow up on the surface. It's been a bit of a struggle for me, especially early on. "But I told my team from the beginning of the season I want to play a lot of clay-court tournaments. It's not for this season, it's not for next season. It was really a goal just to get better, long term. "Winning the Roland Garros, it's a dream of mine. It's something I have always wanted to do." It is the first time Shapovalov has been seeded at a Grand

VOICE OF ASIA

AUSANNE, Switzerland | AFP | A Saudi referee who has admitted soliciting a bribe has been deselected from 2018 World Cup duty, the FIFA Referees Committee confirmed on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Fahad alMirdasi refereed games at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and the 2017 Confederations Cup and had been set to oversee World Cup games in Russia.

creaky batting line-up.

Shapovalov eased to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Australian John Millman in his first ever main-draw French Open match, after a rapid rise in recent months that has taken him to 25 in the world.

The sisters, who were champions in 1999 and 2010, towered over their opponents.

As well as the height difference, it was Serena's black catsuit which caught the eye after she debuted it in her opening 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 singles win over Kristyna Pliskova on Tuesday.

We did well at Lord's, but it's "It's a big achievement win- passed now," he said. ning in Test cricket in England "Everybody knows England against England at home," he are a very good side - I think said on Wednesday. one of the best sides in Test "If we win the series I think it cricket - and they will come will be the best memory of my harder at us here. But we are life." ready for that challenge." Amir was delighted with Mohammad Abbas was Pakistan's dominant display at Pakistan's most potent seamer Lord's but he expects England's at Lord's, with eight wickets, wounded pride will ensure the while Hasan Ali took four in hosts push them much harder in the first innings. Leeds. Amir believes they all have "Winning games at Lord's Pakistan bowling coach Azhar - the home of cricket - it is Mahmood to thank for the damvery hard to win (in England). age they caused to England's

Paris, France | AFP | Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov, widely touted as the next big star of tennis, is already thinking about a future French Open crown after making his Roland Garros debut on Tuesday.

ARIS, France | AFP | Serena Williams brought out her 'Black Panther' catsuit again at the French Open on Wednesday, teaming with sister Venus to beat Japan's Shuko Aoyama and Miyu Kato 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in doubles.

Venus and Serena, at 6ft 1in (1.85m) and 5ft 9in (1.75m) respectively, cut imposing figures standing next to Aoyama and Kato, 5ft 1in (1.54m) and 5ft 2in (1.57m).

Pakistan's Mohammad Amir has set his sights on a memorable win over England

"Yes, I can speak a bit. I studied French at school when I was really young. And I do practice French," he said in French. "Off the menu, I try to practice with my team. It's definitely a goal for me to get fluent in French, but it's a process, you know. I'm learning a bit of Italian, bit of French, a bit of everything." Shapovalov will next take on German world number 70 Maximilian Marterer for a place in the last 32.

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Name: __________________________________________ Moving on: Croatia's Marin Cilic plays a backhand return to Australia's James Duckworth (AFP Photo/CHRISTOPHE SIMON

arin Cilic may have won the 2014 US Open but the giant Croatian said Tuesday that winning a Grand Slam pales into significance when compared to his recent wedding day. The affable 29-year-old married longtime girlfriend Kristina Milovic, an interior designer, in Dubrovnik four weeks ago and he insisted nothing can top that day. "We had a wonderful day with family and friends. Kristina and I have been together for a long time and to find someone like her is very special," said Cilic. "It's very different to being on a tennis court."

Third seed Cilic was speaking after reaching the French Open second round on Tuesday with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win over Australia's James Duckworth. Cilic, the Wimbledon and Australian Open runner-up, will face Polish qualifier Hubert Hurkacz for a place in the third round. Cilic, who made the quarterfinals at Roland Garros last year, fired 47 winners and 13 aces past the 1,072th-ranked Duckworth who was playing his first match since the 2017 Australian Open. Since that time, the 26-yearold has been battling a foot injury which required surgery in January 2017.

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Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in collaboration with the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, Jodhpur, India. Lead Underwriters: Nidhika and Pershant Mehta Additional generous support for this exhibition is provided by Medha and Shashank Karve; Sushila and Dr. Durga D. Agrawal; National Endowment for the Arts; The E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation; Eddie and Chinhui Allen; Milton D. Rosenau, Jr. and Dr. Ellen R. Gritz; Paul and Manmeet Likhari; Mr. and Mrs. H. Bruce Sallee; Vivian L. Smith Foundation; Anne and Albert Chao; Jag and Pinder Gill; Dr. and Mrs. Srinivasa Madhavan; Usha and Kumara Peddamatham; Dr. Mani and Anuradha Subramanian; Rama and Geetha Rau Yelundur; Mr. and Mrs. Sundaresan Bala; Monjula and Ravi Chidambaram; Kathy and Marty Goossen; Shantha Raghuthaman; and Miwa S. Sakashita and Dr. John R. Stroehlein. The accompanying catalogue is generously supported by Furthermore: a program of the J.M. Kaplan Fund.

µ˙The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

VOICE OF ASIA 13

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2018 Southwestern National Bank Scholarship Award

outhwestern National Bank (SNB) proudly sponsored its 13th annual scholarship awards to assist in facilitating the education of deserving high school graduates in our community. We hope that this scholarship will help young talented students achieve their educational goals. SNB received more than 30 applications for the five (5) $1,000 scholarships that are awarded each year. The Directors, Officers and Employees of SNB wish the scholarship recipients the

best as they continue in their educational endeavors. (Member FDIC) Scholarship Recipients: 1. Tseng Kelly : Morton Ranch High School 2. Charlie Zong: Westchester Academy for International Studies 3. Laura Li : Cinco Ranch High School 4. Bowen Mei : Stephen F. Austin High School 5. Michelle Wen: Stepton High School

Tips to create a resume that lands you interviews

AN FRANCISCO -Andersen Global is proud to announce its presence in India with the addition of Nangia Advisors LLP, a tax practice firm with locations in New Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, Gurgaon and Dehradun. Nangia Advisors LLP becomes a collaborating firm of Andersen Global with over 250 professionals and nearly 38 years of experience, kick-starting Andersen’s expansion into India. Founder and Managing Partner Rakesh Nangia commented, “Our collaboration with Ander-

The move, which affected Photo: Olivier Le Moal/stock.Adobe.com

“Remember, your resume is an advertisement of yourself, and if it is flawed, you are seen as flawed.” says Michael McAuliffe, president of Family Credit Management. “The objective is to make you look as good as you can on paper while being honest.”

Beyond typos and formatting, there may be another factor killing your prospects. More than half of job candidates are eliminated from the online job search by an applicant tracking system, which filters out resumes that don’t match the job description. This means if you don’t use the right words and put them in the right order, your resume will never be seen by human eyes.

Perfecting Your Resume Sixty-one percent of recruiters will automatically dismiss a resume because it contains typos, according to CareerBuilder. Start by combing over every line, eliminating typos, inconsistencies, spacing issues and other errors. At some point, put your resume aside and return to it a bit later with a fresh pair of eyes or even ask a trusted friend or family member to take a look at it as well. Be sure your resume is in the right format for your industry. Some industries favor

The Hiring Process

Here is a typical hiring process for a medium-sized company which gets around 100 to 200 applications per position, according to Dr. John Sullivan, an internationally known HR thought-leader in Silicon Valley: 1. The 100 to 200 will get filtered down to around 25 applications and given a 20-30 second view.

Tel: 713-774-5140

sen Global further enhances the strong team we have in India and our ability to provide quality and seamless service in India and globally. The collaboration provides us with an opportunity to closely work with professionals of the highest pedigree located in over 100 locations across the world. We believe that this collaboration will translate into substantial value addition for our clients.” “India’s economy is one of the largest in the world, so our growth here is part of a larger strategy to increase our foot-

print in the region,” said Mark Vorsatz, Global Chairman and Andersen Tax LLC CEO. “Best-in-class, integrity and independence remain our priorities, and we will continue to expand our team in India with this in mind.” Nangia Advisors LLP counsels multinationals doing business in India on a wide range of matters including entry strategy, re-organizations, cross-border taxation, transfer pricing, tax consulting and advisory, tax litigation, mergers & acquisitions, and investment banking

across a range of sectors. This includes both private as well as publicly held businesses and Fortune 500 Companies. Andersen Global is an international association of legally separate, independent member firms comprised of tax and legal professionals around the world. Established in 2013 by U.S. member firm Andersen Tax LLC, Andersen Global now has more than 3,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 100 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms. - Businesswire

Starbucks shuts 8,000 US stores for racial bias training EW YORK - Starbucks closed down more than 8,000 stores across the United States Tuesday to conduct employee training on racial bias, a closely watched exercise that spotlights lingering problems of discrimination nationwide.

a straightforward listing of previous positions, others favor highlighting accomplishments and skills attained. If you aren’t sure about your industry’s resume preferences, you can easily Google this information.

Section 2

Andersen Global announces presence in India

by Jennie Matthew

ave you been applying for jobs and sending your resume out at every opportunity only to be met with total silence? The jobs are out there and you know you are capable, so, what’s the problem?

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

2. Of the 25, they will get a second look and filtered down to about five to 10 applications. 3. These five to 10 are assessed and maybe tested to narrow it down to three to five. 4. Those three to five candidates will get an interview. 5. Only one person will be hired. Cracking the Code “Navigating the job market is never simple, however, smart strategies can help you become more effective in your hunt,” says McAuliffe. (-StatePoint).

175,000 employees, follows the April 12 arrest of two black men in a Philadelphia Starbucks, an incident sparking outrage, protests and anguished soul-searching about racial tensions that have deteriorated during the Donald Trump presidency. “We realize that four hours An exterior view of the Starbucks Center, headquarters for the international coffee of training is not and coffeehouse chain, in Seattle, Washington. (AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON). going to solve racial inequity in America or anyone coming the coffee giant says is designed term process that will integrate into our stores who may have a to make Starbucks “a place further trainings and will take problem,” Starbucks executive where all people feel welcome.” place around the world. The chairman Howard Schultz told The early closing means “our company has 25,000 coffee CNN. team can reconnect with our shops in 70 countries. Starbucks is refusing to grant “But we have to start the con- mission and share ideas about how to make Starbucks even media access to the training sesversation.” more welcoming,” says typed sions, but says it will include As a result frappuccino and notices taped to the front of taped messages from Schultz doubleshot-on-ice lovers need- stores earmarked for closure. and CEO Kevin Johnson, as ed to shop elsewhere starting at well as message from Common, The coffee giant says the ses2:00 pm during a session that sion is the first step in a long- the rapper and activist.

Alibaba shows off automated wine store in Hong Kong

ONG KONG, China | AFP | Tuesday 5/29/2018 - With no shop workers or cash tills and payments made using facial recognition, China’s largest ecommerce platform Alibaba created a fully automated wine store at Hong Kong’s Vinexpo fair Tuesday.

tech to retailers, customers browsed a pop-up shop stacked with bottles, set up inside the city’s convention centre for the annual wine show.

Billed by the company as a way to show off its latest smart

Facial recognition allows customers into an adjoining

All bottles are embedded with a tracking tag, so as soon as a customer picks it up, information about it shows on a nearby screen.

payment room where sensors recognise which bottles they are carrying. Once they have confirmed the purchase a charge is made to their Alipay account -- the online and mobile payment platform is widely used across China. Responses to the wine store were mixed.

“It’s really good to bring out all the information on the screen, the producer, the region, the price and then make the decision whether you want to buy or not,” said Erica Babbage, marketing manager at an Australian wine company. “Face recognition is very good. It’s so convenient,” she added. But others were sceptical.

 .. SHOP BEST PRICES ONLINE !

VOICE OF ASIA 14

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD Section 2

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Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie join Veere Di Wedding: Dev Patel in ‘David Copperfield’ banned in

he actress from “The Chronicles of Narnia” and the inimitable Dr. House are joining “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” an new adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel directed by Armando Iannucci.

Ben Whishaw (“Spectre”, “Paddington”). Dev Patel of “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Lion” had already been cast as budding author David Copperfield himself. Iannucci is directing from a script

Tilda Swinton, an Academy Award winner for her performance in “Michael Clayton” and a three-time Golden Globe nominee, is one of several names now attached to Armando Iannucci’s adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic. Hugh Laurie, who played the acerbic title character in medical drama “House”, for which he collected two Golden Globes -- and then another ten years later for his role in “The Night Manager” -- is also involved. Likewise named by Variety as new additions to the cast were Aneurin Barnard (“Dunkirk”), Morfydd Clark (“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”,) Rosalind Eleazar (“Harlots”,) Anthony Welsh (“Starred Up”), and

ollywood film Veere Di Wedding, touted as “India’s first real chick flick”, is being banned in Pakistan, confirm sources at the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC). “Members of the board have unanimously decided to not the allow the film for public exhibition in the cinemas as per Censorship

Starring Kareena Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, Veere Di Wedding is India’s first major female comedy film

of Film Code 1980,” CBFC Chairman Daniyal Gillani said to Images. Starring Kareena Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor in main roles, Veere Di Wedding follows four friends in Delhi as they navigate the ups and downs of preparing for a big fat desi wedding. Kareena stars as

the bride-to-be, whose last-minute wedding jitters are getting the best of her, while her over-the-top friends carry their own emotional baggage into the messy situation. The trailer made it obvious that the film contains mature themes and profanity and is intended for an older youth audience: - DAWN

Diana Penty: People told me ‘out of sight, out of mind’

Tilda Swinton and Dev Patel (Photos: Getty Images) The director of “The Personal History of David Copperfield” has two more high-profile British actors to work with.

Pakistan over ‘vulgar dialogues’

co-written with his “Veep”, “In the Loop”, and “The Thick of It” collaborator, Simon Blackwell. After 2009’s feature film debut “In the Loop”, Iannucci returned to cinema with satirical comedy “The Death of Stalin”, which collected four accolades from the British Independent Film Awards. Tilda Swinton played Oracle in Wes Anderson’s April 2018 stop-motion animated movie “Isle of Dogs”, and stars alongside Chloë Grace Moretz and Dakota Johnson in fantasy horror “Surpiria,” expected later this year. Hugh Laurie can be seen in crime comedy “Holmes and Watson,” dated for November 2018, as Sherlock Holmes’ brother Mycroft opposite Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, and then in 2019 TV series “Catch-22,” based on the Joseph Heller novel of the same name. (- Relaxnews)

ctor Diana Penty says it is a constant battle for her between giving into the temptation of doing more movies to stay visible or signing projects she genuinely believes in. Diana, who has done four films in her eight-year-old career, began her stint in Bollywood in 2010 with Cocktail, which was commercially successful. After a gap of nearly four years, she went on to star in Anand L Rai’s hit romantic-comedy Happy Bhaag Jayegi. Looking at her Bollywood journey so far, Diana says the four-year gap between her first two films made her feel that the industry had forgotten her. Asked if she ever had the fear of being forgotten, the actor said, “I think it actually happened with me – the time that I took between Cocktail and Happy Bhaag Jayegi, a lot of people told me, ‘out of sight is out of mind’, and I was like ‘Okay, maybe’.

Our pills don’t cause racism, drugmaker Sanofi tells Roseanne

Diana Penty is at present enjoying the success of Parmanu, also starring John Abraham. “And it did happen. Because I wasn’t around, people just assumed I was doing other things and was not interested in films which I thought was unfair. But at the same time, you realise, that’s how it works, it’s human nature. And it is true, there is this fear.” Diana admits that there are times when she is concerned about the slow pace of

her career, but, thankfully, her intention towards choosing a project always takes over. “Sometimes you wake up with mini panic attacks where you feel like ‘Oh my God! I don’t have a film right now! Should I just do something that comes my way because I don’t have another film’? But I feel at the end of the day, your gut takes over.

It’s Alia Bhatt’s world and we are just living in it: Kangana Ranaut

ASHINGTON | AFP | 5/30/2018 - Pulled off air over a racist tweet, US sitcom star Roseanne Barr has blamed her outburst on a sleeping pill -- prompting a swift retort Wednesday from pharma giant Sanofi which stated, deadpan, that its drugs do not cause racism. In a since-deleted overnight tweet, Barr blamed a dose of Ambien for the incendiary tweet in which she likened Valerie Jarrett, an African American former White House aide, to an ape. “It was 2 in the morning and I was ambien tweeting” wrote the 65-yearold actress, whose hit comedy “Roseanne” was axed by ABC over the post that read: “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby = vj.” The French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi was quick to push back -- trolling Barr in an acerbic post that quickly went viral. “People of all races, religions and nationalities work at Sanofi every day to improve the lives of people around the world,” the drugmaker tweeted. “While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.” Barr, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump who has previously used Twitter to voice hard-right and conspiracy theorist views, has been dropped by her talent agency ICM amid a wave of public outrage over the tweet. She called her own actions indefensible, saying: “I made a mistake I wish I hadn’t but...don’t defend it please.”

Alia Bhatt and Kangana Ranaut

Sitcom star Roseanne Barr had apologized for what she called a ‘bad joke’ on Twitter that was widely decried as racist. Barr later deleted this tweet, but in another pointed again to her use of Ambien as a reason for her misconduct. Barr also re-tweeted several people defending her. Born on November 3, 1952, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Barr started out as a stand-up comedian before starring in “Roseanne,” which made her an overnight star. Viewers warmed to her depiction of a wise-cracking, sarcastic working-class mother and she was rewarded with three nominations for Emmys - winning in 1993. She has also starred in several films,

wrote three memoirs and won a second Emmy for “The Roseanne Show,” a talk show which ran from 1998 to 2000. But her various private life exploits have garnered just as much attention as her career achievements -including three marriages, all ending in divorce, and an abortive attempt to get into politics.

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ueen of Bollywood Kangana Ranaut has heaped praises on Alia Bhatt for her performance in ‘Raazi’.”I really liked Raazi. Meghna Gulzar has done a splendid job. And I have no words to express how much I liked Alia’s performance. She is so good,” said the ‘Rangoon’ star. She further said, “I think Alia is most definitely the undisputed queen. It’s

Alia’s world and we are just living in it.” The political thriller has become the ‘Dear Zindagi’ star’s third film to enter the 100 cr-club, after ‘2 States’ and ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya’.The film’s story is set against the backdrop of the Indo-Pak war in 1971, where an Indian girl (played by Alia) marries a Pakistani Army officer (Vicky Kaushal) to spy for her country.

VOICE OF ASIA 15

Young Life

Spiderman’s French fairy tale sparks migrant pride and envy

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

India’s Prakhar Mittal: Mozart, Beethovan and 3 hours study; how this CBSE Class 10 topper aced the exam

Prakhar Mittal

French President Emmanuel Macron met 22-year-old Mamoudou Gassama from Mali at the Elysee Palace in Paris on May 28 (AFP Photo/Thibault Camus) by Myriam Lemetayer

ONTREUIL, France | AFP - At the French migrant workers’ hostel where “Spiderman” Mamoudou Gassama was sleeping on a floor before becoming a folk hero for saving a child, his exploits have triggered a wave of pride tinged with envy. This week television crews swarmed the centre in the eastern Paris suburb of Montreuil to find out more about the 22-year-old Malian who was captured on video scaling an apartment block to bring a child hanging from a balcony to safety. Many residents were unaware the shy youth was living at the hostel and happy to see him hailed for his bravery by President Emmanuel Macron and being placed on a fast track to French citizenship. “He lives here? It’s incredible,” said Adama Kone, a 35-year-old Mauritania native. The all-male facility, which has an official capacity of 430 but houses many more, is part of a network of hostels built to accommodate a wave of migrant workers arriving from Africa starting in the 1960s. On his arrival in France in September 2017 after travelling the Mediterranean migrant route, Gassama was given a mattress on the floor in a room occupied by his 54-year-old brother

Birama and three relatives from his home village of Yaguine in western Mali. The modest room, furnished with just two bunk beds and a television placed on top of a fridge, was once occupied by Mamoudou’s father, according to Birama. He was glued to the television on Monday as footage of Mamoudou meeting Macron in the gilded settings of the Elysee Palace was being played on a loop. “As a foreigner I am really pleased,” he said. “He could have fallen and died. He’s a true hero.” - ‘We should be jealous’ Several residents of the hostel -home to migrants from Mali, Senegal and Mauritania -- described a grim existence in France, under pressure to find work to support families at home who live off remittances. The corridors of the shelter are cluttered with camp beds and cooking stoves, and window ledges act as larders. Illegal migrants live in hope of eventually gaining the right to stay -- hopes nourished by official statistics which show that in 2017 alone 30,000 were given residency. But Macron on Monday reiterated he would abide by his tough stance on immigration.

Presenting his decision to naturalise Gassama as an “exceptional” move to honour an “exceptional act” he warned: “We cannot give (papers) to all those who come from Mali or Burkina Faso” -- two countries from where thousands set out each year across the Mediterranean to Europe.

A student of DPS Gurgaon, Prakhar scored 499 marks out of 500. It was in French that he missed the perfect score by one. His other subjects were English, Social Science, Mathematics and Science.

Prakhar’s mother is a homemaker. The teenager said, “Of course, there was a fear as I was about to appear for my first Board exams. But instead of taking pressure, I tried to be consistent and studied everyday for at least three hours. My parents never put pressure on me.” Prakhar has his eyes set on getting into one of the IITs after finishing his class 12. He has interest in robotics.

The other three students who secured the pole position are Rimzhim Agarwal of RP Public School, Bijnor; Nandini Garg of Scottish International School, Shamli, and Sreelakshmi G of Bhavan’s Vidyalaya, Kochi.

“I feel that the Class 10 Board (exam) helps you gain experience on how one has to prepare for board exams. Even if you don’t do well in class 10 exams, you can always try and do well in your class 12 boards,” he said.

“The president should regularise everyone,” said Mamoudou, a 26-yearold Malian who claimed to be a childhood friend of the “Spiderman”.

Prakhar’s father, who works with a finance firm in Gurgaon, said that his son always studied according to a plan.

For busting exam stress, Prakhar would listen to music or go for a walk.

“We should be jealous of him,” he added, “to motivate ourselves to do something just as brave.”

“He has always been a good student and we expected a good result from him. But it was not expected that he would top the entire country. He would prepare a plan and decide that he would cover this much syllabus,” he told PTI.

An estimated 300,000 immigrants are living illegally in France, according to the government.

But he was not hopeful of a rapid change in policy. Like many young migrants he saw his only hope in pulling off an exceptional feat like that of Gassama or fellow Malian national Lassana Bathily, who was granted French citizenship for helping hide hostages during a jihadist attack in Paris in January 2015. It took Galadio Diakite, a 50-yearold Malian still living in the hostel after three decades in France, 11 years to obtain residency. Were it not for the solidarity in the Malian diaspora, one of the biggest African communities in France, Diakite said, “we’d be in a bad way”.

The endless days of a young doctor battling Ebola by Marc Silver

usic compositions of western classical masters Mozart and Beethoven acted as stress-buster for Prakhar Mittal, one of the four all-India CBSE class 10 toppers, who is also a trained pianist.

“I have been learning piano for many years. I am into classical piano and I like Beethoven and Mozart. But music is more of a passion, something I pursue for relaxation. My real calling is academics,” he said, adding he plans to invite his friends home for a celebration. (-PTI)

Spend, spend, spend: Student arrested after $1mn error

South African student who splurged more than $63,000 of $1.1 million she erroneously received was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in court for alleged theft, police said. Sibongile Mani, 28, was arrested by the police’s serious commercial crime unit after she was asked to turn herself in, Anelisa Feni, spokeswoman for an elite police unit, the Hawks, told AFP. Mani, a student at Walter Sisulu University in Eastern Cape province, appeared before a magistrate court on charges of theft. She qualified last year for 1,400-rand

($110) in monthly food allowances from the National Students Financial Aid Scheme, which aids underprivileged students. Instead, she was accidentally given $1.1 million in June and went on a spending spree, splurging on expensive clothing, a smart phone and partying. It took the scheme three months to detect the error. It recovered the remainder of the funds from her bank account. Mani was released on a warning and ordered to appear again on July 2. (-AFP)

r. Leah Feldman is on Ebola duty — again.

The young Maryland doctor is a veteran of the Ebola wars. She worked on the Doctors Without Borders team in Guinea in 2014 and 2015.

What does the center look like? It’s our standard set-up for an Ebola treatment center. Tents are the most rapid thing we can put up. They are very large, 47-square-meter tents, divided into different zones, with toilets, showers, orange fencing. It’s a very nice structure.

She happened to be in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, working on a cholera vaccination project, when a case of Ebola was reported in a remote part of the northwest in April. So Feldman was drafted into the war against the virus. She is now medical coordinator for the Doctors Without Borders effort in Mbandaka, a city of more than a million, on the banks of the Congo River, where the virus has recently spread. As it did in West Africa, the medical charity is playing a key role in stopping the epidemic. The toll so far: 35 confirmed cases, 19 additional suspected cases and 25 deaths. Feldman not only knows logistics, she knows what it’s like to put on protective gear to treat patients: “It’s quite hot. In full PPE [personal protective equipment] I think you can easily sweat two liters into your boots.” She spoke with NPR about the campaign to stop Ebola. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What’s your day like? I don’t even know if I can tell you what I do on a daily basis. I am the medical focal point for the project, which means all the medical information is centralized with me. I work with the Ebola treatment center as well as our outreach team and epidemiologist and our lab people. What are the hours like? We start at about 6 a.m. and finish

Do you run a test to see if someone who’s sick actually has Ebola before admitting them to the center? Dr. Leah Feldman (Photo: NPR) sometimes around 11 p.m. I don’t how many [hours] that is. It’s bad not even being able to count any more. Sometimes we finish earlier. How does this outbreak compare with the Ebola outbreak in Guinea and its neighbors? Obviously the size is different. It’s much smaller. But the biggest difference is that there’s quite a massive immediate response from the Ministry of Health — and [that kind of local response] was quite delayed during the epidemic of 2014 to 2015. And there are so many groups on the ground, both from the Ministry of Health and international actors. Last week the media reported that two Ebola patients had escaped from the hospital where they were being treated. Yes, there were two patients who did escape. Escape is not really the proper word. It’s a hospital not a prison. It’s not like we’re going to lock the doors.

We can’t force people to stay. So what happened? It’s quite a complicated situation. There were family members who wanted them at home. We did manage to get both of those cases to come back. How do you convey the message that home care is not the right kind of care for Ebola? This is a lot of work by our health promotion team to explain what the disease is and why a person should stay in the treatment center for their own health and the health of their family. Those patients were in a hospital. Is that still where suspected Ebola patients are sent? Our treatment center is open since Sunday afternoon. We do everything we can to make sure the conditions are appropriate for patients, that there are beds and food three times a day, visiting zones, things like that.

We don’t wait for test results. We start treating [suspected Ebola] patients as soon as they enter the treatment center. What kind of treatments? We give anti-malaria treatment, antibiotics and then symptomatic treatment as well as hydration, fever and nausea management. With Ebola you give the maximum you can in terms of supportive care. If the person gets a negative result [from the lab test] and is not an Ebola case and they’re still sick, we send them to the hospital for proper care. Do you have direct contact with patients? I sometimes go into the isolation center [where patients are] and do blood samples because not everyone is experienced in taking blood samples when you’re in full PPE. What’s the strategy? Well, you try to breathe because it’s very hot. And make sure you don’t have fog on your glasses. The taking of the sample is exactly the same as for any nurse who does a blood sample anywhere — but be very, very careful with the needle. Make sure

you have all your materials with you before start, then just take a normal blood sample. What’s different is the way we send it to the lab. What’s the procedure? First when we take the blood [container] and decontaminate it — spray it with chlorine, then put it in another container sprayed with chlorine, then put it in a third container that’s sprayed before it goes to the lab. When it gets to the lab, the lab technician is in the low-risk zone, sitting behind plexiglass. And in the plexiglass are two gloves that go into highrisk zone. So the lab tech’s hands go into the gloves and they’re manipulating [the blood sample] in the high-risk zone. Wow. It’s really amazing. How do the health workers cope with the stress? We have an amazing team. You see many of the people that you worked with three years ago [in the West African outbreak] and haven’t seen since. It’s as though nothing really changed. We’re back together, we know each other and know what we’re doing, we’re all working like crazy. We try to rest as much as we can, try to eat when there’s food to eat, read when there’s time. We do short [in-country] assignments because it’s exhausting. What’s “short”? [An assignment is] several weeks typically. It’s never more than six weeks because it is tiring work. (-NPR)

VOICE OF ASIA 16

Section 2

LEGAL

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

ETHICS: Questions and answers on professional responsibility Q: If I am representing a client for estate planning, can I accept a referral fee from an insurance agent or an investment company I have worked with in the past for referring the estate business?

The other consideration that could create a problem is that perhaps the client ought to get the advantage of the referral. If the insurance broker is willing to pay a referral fee to the lawyer, perhaps the money should go to the client to rebate the fee or be applied to reduce the fee. In other words, the client maybe should benefit, but not the lawyer. It’s hard to understand that opinion because it seems to go against the language of the Rules of Professional Conduct. But, the opinion does caution lawyers to be very careful accepting referral fees from these providers. The opinion notes the client must consent to the payment only after full disclosure and consultation and the lawyer has to make sure that the lawyer’s independent judgment will not be affected. The problem with giving that kind of full disclosure is that the client is going to realize the lawyer is benefitting when perhaps the client should benefit from the arrangement. That may cause the client to want to go elsewhere. In other words, the opinion allows something, but then makes it difficult to do. So, what is the better practice? The best practice is to rely directly on the Rules of Professional Conduct that do not seem to allow this kind of payment. But, although law is a profession, it still has a business aspect. This joint opinion does appear to allow referrals under certain circumstances. These joint opinions are not binding on the Supreme Court, but could be

9 Legal ways to use your retirement savings early

n most cases, your retirement savings is not permitted to be used until you reach, well, “retirement age” as defined by the IRS. However, there are some notable exceptions that can allow you to use your retirement savings penalty-free, even if you’re much younger.

If I am representing a client for estate planning, can I accept a referral fee from an insurance agent or an investment company I have worked with in the past for referring the estate business?

Also, under the Specialized Conflict of Interest Rule 1.8(f), a lawyer cannot accept compensation for representing a client from someone else unless the client gives informed consent, there is no interference with the lawyer’s independence or professional judgment, and the information is protected by confidentiality under Rule 1.6. It could be argued that accepting monies by way of a referral fee could affect the independence of the lawyer’s professional judgment to the client since the client’s interest might better be served by sending the work to someone else as opposed to the lawyer’s friend.

raised as a defense or mitigation. When a lawyer leaves a firm, they must be well aware of their duties to their old firm. Q: I am a partner in a law firm and if I decide to leave the firm, when can I tell my clients that I am leaving and ask them to go with me? Leaving a firm is always a difficult situation both from the firm’s standpoint and from the lawyer who is leaving. But, in this modern world, sometimes lawyers have to move on. Sometimes they need a different firm to handle the clients’ issues. Other times, the firm is just not a good fit. Sometimes an attorney working for a law firm is never going to be made an equity partner. When that reaches a boiling point, the lawyer has to move on. A critical point to remember is that a lawyer who is a partner in a law firm or to a lesser extent, an employee of the law firm, still has a fiduciary duty to the firm until they leave the firm. It is critical then that the lawyer give notice to the firm as soon as possible. But, until the lawyer gives the firm notice, the lawyer cannot be in a position to negotiate with clients about leaving or make arrangements to clients to take their files while the firm still believes the lawyer is working in the firm’s best interest. Doing so would breach the lawyer’s fiduciary duty to the firm or employer. Once the lawyer advises the law firm or the partner they are leaving, usually there is an agreement to send joint letters asking the clients who they wish to have in the future as their lawyer. There is usually two boxes to check off, one saying I want to go with the departing lawyer and the other, I want to remain with the firm. Obviously, before the lawyer gives notice to the firm, they cannot ask their client to make a choice. Sometimes there is no need to send the letters once the firm is notified of the departure since the firm accepts the fact that these clients are the departing partner’s clients and, therefore, they are going to go with the departing partner. The situation gets more dicey with an associate who has been handling cases for years and doing all the work while in a smaller firm the managing partner or owner of the firm still believes all the clients are his. That’s when there is often litigation because the clients usually want to go with the associate who they had contact with and don’t want to stay with the firm because they’ve had no contact with the other members of the firm. That’s why those letters are important, but the timing is critical. If a lawyer violates their fiduciary duty, that could be the basis for an injunction. Therefore, when a lawyer leaves a firm, they must be well aware of their duties to their old firm, particularly the fiduciary duties if they are a partner and the duties an associate owes to the firm. Once the firm is fully advised the lawyer is leaving, then the lawyer can contact the clients either through some joint letter or a letter asking the clients if they want to remain with the lawyer. Once the clients make that choice, then the files have to be given over. There is a right to assert attorney liens if there are fees due by the old firm, but that cannot be asserted if there is going to be prejudice to the clients. The files have to be transferred and then the firms will work out what is owed or not owed after the fact.

Here’s a rundown of some of the common early withdrawal exceptions and what happens if you decide to withdraw your retirement savings early if you don’t qualify for one of them. What is “early” anyway? Generally speaking, if you tap into your retirement savings after you reach the age of 59 1/2, you won’t be assessed a penalty. For all of the major types of retirement plans -- IRA, SEP, SIMPLE IRA, 401(k), 403(b), 457, and others, this is considered to be the acceptable age for withdrawals. It also is important to point out that this age threshold applies regardless of whether you’re working or not. For example, if you’re still working but withdraw $10,000 from your traditional IRA at age 60, it completely is allowable. So an “early” withdrawal from your retirement savings is defined as one that takes place before you turn 59 1/2 years old. Unless you qualify for an exception, taking an early withdrawal from retirement savings is subject to a 10% penalty from the IRS.With that in mind, the exceptions available depend on whether you have your retirement savings in an IRA or in a qualified retirement plan like a 401(k). If your retirement savings are in an IRA The early-withdrawal exception rules for IRAs apply to traditional and Roth IRAs, as well as SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and SARSEP plans. If your retirement savings are in one of these types of accounts, you can use your money penaltyfree for the following reasons: To pay for qualified highereducation expenses -- for you or someone else, such as your child. To pay toward a first-time home purchase either for you or your spouse, child, or grand-

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To pay health insurance premiums while you’re unemployed. In addition, there’s a Rothspecific exception. In a Roth IRA, you have the ability to withdraw your original contributions (but not any investment gains) at any time and for any reason. For example, if you’ve contributed $20,000 to a Roth IRA over the past decade and your account is now worth $35,000, you can withdraw as much as $20,000 penalty-free, even if you don’t qualify for one of the other exceptions. If your retirement savings are in a 401(k) or other “qualified” retirement plan Unfortunately, if your retirement savings are in a 401(k) or other type of qualified retirement plan like a 403(b) or 457, you can’t use the exceptions for college expenses or first-time homebuyers. However, there’s one major exception you can potentially use that IRA owners cannot: If you’re 55 years old or older (50 or older for public safety or political employees) and no longer working for the employer for whatever reason, you qualify for the “separation from service” exception and can access your retirement savings penalty-free. Exceptions that apply to all retirement accounts Finally, there are some early withdrawal exceptions that apply regardless of the type of retirement account. Specifically,

you can withdraw early from your retirement savings: To pay unreimbursed medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of AGI. If you become totally and permanently disabled. If you agree to take the withdrawals as a series of “substantially equal payments” that last for at least five years or until you reach age 59 1/2, whichever comes later. If you’re a military reservist called to active duty. What if you don’t qualify for an exception? To be clear, you have the ability to withdraw your retirement savings whenever you want, provided that your plan allows it. (Note: Qualified plans like 401(k)s aren’t required to allow so-called “hardship” distributions, although most do.) In other words, I’m 36 and have the ability to withdraw money from my traditional IRA right now if I want to. However, I’d have to pay a 10% IRS penalty for the withdrawal, and that’s on top of the income tax I’d have to pay, as well. In rare circumstances, it can certainly make sense to withdraw money from your retirement savings even if you don’t qualify for an exception (say, if you’re behind on your mortgage and are about to lose your home). Just be aware that this option can be quite costly, so it should generally be used as a last resort. (-Fool.com)

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A: Fee sharing with nonlawyers is not allowed under the Rules of Professional Conduct.

The problem with being paid a referral fee by an investment group or insurance agent is that a lawyer’s interest may be different from the client. If the lawyer has a relationship with an investment adviser or an insurance broker or real estate broker then the lawyer might well send the client to that person if the lawyer knows he is getting a referral fee. If the lawyer sent the estate or client to a person they didn’t know, even though the other person might be able to provide better advice, the lawyer wouldn’t necessarily get a fee because the lawyer didn’t have a relationship with that person.

If you qualify for one of these exceptions, you could tap your IRA, 401(k), or other retirement accounts early.

by Samuel Strettan

The answer traditionally would be no. Lawyers are not allowed to share fees with a nonlawyer or receive fees from a nonlawyer, see Rule of Professional Conduct 5.4(a). Another good reason not to enter into such an arrangement is it could create a conflict of interest under Rule 1.7 of the Rules of Professional Conduct. As part of the conflict of interest rules under the concurrent conflict of interest rules, a lawyer cannot represent someone if the representation would be materially limited by the lawyer’s responsibility to a third person or the personal interest of a lawyer. There can be a waiver under certain circumstances, but there has to be full disclosure.

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Many vitamin and mineral supplements show no benefits for health: review

new Canadian review has found that many of the most commonly used vitamin and mineral supplements do not have any benefits for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease or mortality. Led by researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto, the review looked at 179 randomized control trials published between January 2012 and December 2017 which had investigated the effects of the most common supplements on the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, or premature death. Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6, B9 (folic acid), C, D and E, as well as β-carotene, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and selenium were all included in the review, along with multi-vitamins, which were defined in this study as being supplements that include most vitamins and minerals, rather than just a select few. The team found that in general, the popular supplements had no beneficial effect on health outcomes, although they were not found to be harmful to health either. “We were surprised to find so few positive effects of the most common supplements that people consume,” said Dr. David Jenkins, the study’s lead author. “Our review found that if you want to use multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium or vitamin C, it does no harm -- but there is no apparent advantage either.” Only folic acid taken alone and B-

Many of the most commonly consumed vitamin supplements have no benefits for health according to a new review. (Photo: juankphoto / IStock.com) vitamins with folic acid were found to have a potentially preventative effect against cardiovascular disease and stroke, however the team pointed out that the quality of the evidence for this was low to moderate. In addition, the team found that niacin and antioxidants had a very small effect which might actually signify an increased risk of death from any cause. “These findings suggest that people should be conscious of the supplements they’re taking and ensure they’re applicable to the specific vitamin or mineral deficiencies they have been advised of by their healthcare

provider,” Dr. Jenkins said. “In the absence of significant positive data -- apart from folic acid’s potential reduction in the risk of stroke and heart disease -- it’s most beneficial to rely on a healthy diet to get your fill of vitamins and minerals.” “So far, no research on supplements has shown us anything better than healthy servings of less processed plant foods including vegetables, fruits and nuts,” added Dr Jenkins. The results can be found published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. (- Relaxnews)

Seafood diet linked to getting pregnant faster

ouples who eat more fish and seafood tend to have sex more often and may find it easier to conceive a child, reports an American study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Both men and women who are eager to have a baby should increase the amount of fish and seafood in their diet, conclude the authors of the study which monitored 500 couples living in Texas and Michigan in the United States. According to their findings, pub-

lished in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 92 percent of couples who ate seafood more than twice a week conceived a child within a year as opposed to 79 percent who ate seafood less often. For the researchers, the faster time to pregnancy was not just a matter of more frequent sexual activity. Other biological factors are involved: “These could include effects on semen quality, ovulation or embryo quality,” explains one of the study’s author’s, Doctor Audrey Gaskins of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

French and American health authorities recommend eating two or three portions of fish per week, and in particular low mercury fish (bass, anchovies, mackerel, sardines, salmon, haddock, cod, herring, and mullet), however, the study points out that 50 percent of pregnant women consume less than they should. The role of omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in preventing coronary artery disease has gradually been elucidated, and there is evidence that fish oils have a cardioprotective effect. According to another recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Bristol, the health benefits of seafood and fish, notably from nutrients such as vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, selenium and iodine “outweigh the risks from mercury,” and pregnant women should include fish in their diet. (-Relaxnews)

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Don’t eat bitter pumpkin, study warns after women lose hair

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

Indian child dies from mother’s ‘snake bite’ breast milk

EW DELHI, India | AFP | An Indian woman who was bitten by a snake in her sleep and unknowingly breastfed poisoned milk to her daughter has died along with the child, police said Friday. The 35-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh state did not realise she had been bitten when she woke and breastfed her daughter. The three-year-old girl and the mother fell ill on Thursday and both died before they could reach hospital, police inspector Vijay Singh told AFP. The family spotted the snake in another room but the creature escaped. French dermatologist Philippe Assouly described two unusual cases highlighting a previously unknown “toxic association of alopecia (hair loss) with a common plant (family),” which includes squashes, gourds, and pumpkins

ARIS, France | AFP | A doctor warned Friday that bitter-tasting pumpkins and squashes can contain potent toxins, after two women were poisoned by their dinners and lost most of their hair. French dermatologist Philippe Assouly described the two unusual cases in a scientific journal, highlighting a previously unknown “toxic association of alopecia (hair loss) with a common plant”. The plant family in question are cucurbits and include squashes, gourds, and pumpkins. In the first case, a woman in France suffered nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, which started soon after she ate a bitter-tasting pumpkin soup. The symptoms lasted for about a day. Then a week later, she started losing hair from her scalp and pubis. “The meal had been shared with her family, who had eaten less of the soup than she had, and they experienced symptoms of food poisoning but no hair loss,” Assouly wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association Dermatology.

A second woman experienced food poisoning with severe vomiting after a meal that included squash. Other diners had skipped the squash because it tasted bitter. “About three weeks later, the patient experienced substantial hair loss on her head as well as severe alopecia on the armpits and pubic region,” the doctor said. Cucurbits can contain cucurbitacin, a toxic compound that gives off a bitter taste. The bitterness is bred out of domesticated cucurbits. But sometimes insects moving from one field to another cross-pollinate a cultivated plant with a wild or ornamental one. “Bitterness in a squash should serve as a warning,” Assouly told AFP. “One should not force a child to finish it.” Three years ago, a German died of cucurbitacin poisoning after eating a courgette stew, the doctor said. These are the first known cases of hair loss due to cucurbit poisoning.

Lung cancer rates in young US women exceed men, despite fewer smokers: study

ASHINGTON | AFP | Lung cancer rates among young women now exceed those of men in the United States, a trend that has puzzled scientists because the phenomenon cannot be explained by a growing number of smokers, researchers said

sible hypotheses Perhaps the lessening exposure to asbestos, another leading cause of lung cancer, was more beneficial to men than women. Or perhaps the difference came down to various subtypes of cancer, some of which are more common in women.

A post-mortem is to be carried out but police have registered a case of accidental death, the officer added. India is home to some 300 snake species and 60 are highly venomous, including the Indian cobra, krait, Russell’s viper and saw-scaled viper. India accounts for 46,000 of the

India accounts for 46,000 of the 100,000 snakebite deaths around the world each year (AFP/File photo) 100,000 snakebite deaths around the world each year, according to a 2011

study by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Extra weight may boost patient survival by Mariëtte Le Roux

ARIS, France | AFP | Obese hospital patients are more likely to survive an infectious disease than people of normal weight, according to research that pointed Friday to seemingly paradoxical benefits of a condition loaded with health risks. Presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Vienna, a study of more than 18,000 sick people in Denmark showed that the overweight and obese were twice as likely to survive hospitalisation for an infectious disease. Overweight patients, researchers said, “were 40 percent less likely to die, and those who were obese 50 percent less likely to die, than those of normal weight.” The team had looked at hospital admissions from 2011 to 2015 for their study, which has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Research shows obese hospital patients are less likely to die from infectious diseases compared to those of normal weight. (Photo: AFP/File)

Earlier this week, other researchers at the conference projected that a quarter of the global population will be obese by 2045, and warned of a mounting medical bill.

conference on Friday, said obese and overweight people hospitalised with pneumonia were 20-30 percent less likely to die than patients of normal weight.

Obesity has been linked to a higher risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain cancers, but has been suggested to be protective for specific conditions -- the so-called “obesity paradox”.

This study looked at records for

almost 1.7 million pneumonia cases treated at over 1,000 United States hospitals in 2013 and 2014. A person with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more is considered overweight, and 30 or higher obese.

Rare Nipah virus claims another victim in India, death Cockroach milk toll now 13 Another paper presented at the

anyone? It may be the next big superfood

by Chelsea Robinson Researchers say more study is needed to solve the mystery of why lung cancer rates of women born since 1960 now exceed those of men. (Photo: AFP/File) Wednesday. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers focused on the link between lung cancer and tobacco use, analyzing all diagnoses of lung cancer since 1995 and data on the number of smokers since 1970. Scientists hoped to find some link to explain why lung cancer rates among women born since 1960 now exceed men. But they found none. “Overall lung cancer incidence and mortality rates continue to be lower among women than among men,” said the report. But among white and Hispanic women born since the 1960s, “lung cancer rates have exceeded those in men, even though fewer women smoke,” it added. “Future studies are needed to identify reasons for the higher incidence of lung cancer among young women.” Over the past two decades, lung cancers among both men and women have fallen, but they have declined faster among men. - Scientists put forth several pos-

Another controversial hypothesis suggested that women, exposed to the same level of carcinogens as men, were more likely to develop cancer, but this has not been proven, either. Women who do smoke tend to smoke fewer cigarettes per day than men. Secondhand smoke has not been found to be any more potent to women than men. Researchers say they have nevertheless learned some important lessons. For instance, tobacco prevention campaigns must be targeted more to women, to raise awareness of their increased risks. “The historical patterns of higher incidence rates of lung cancer among men than among women have reversed among non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics born since the mid1960s and are not fully explained by sex differences in smoking behaviors,” said the report. “It may foreshadow a higher future burden of overall lung cancer among women than among men as younger cohorts age, which further underscores the need to intensify anti-tobacco measures to decrease smoking among young women.”

ealth freaks will go to extreme lengths in the name of nutrients (and staying one step ahead of the trend). However, the latest “superfood” is just plain gross. Cockroach milk is comprised of the nutrient-rich milk crystals found inside the Pacific Beetle cockroach. This species uses said protein crystals as food for cockroach infants, but new research suggests that it could be beneficial to humans, too, as it’s one of the most nourishing and highly caloric substances on the planet. It boasts four times as much protein as cow’s milk, but also contains essential amino acids that promote cell growth, lipids that keep our bodies healthy, and sugars that fuel energy. The insect milk may also have beauty benefits. “The levels of growth hormone in this particular liquid are unknown, and there is evidence that shows that growth hormones may exacerbate acne in certain individuals,” Rachel Nazarian, M.D. at Schweiger Dermatology Group explains. “The high levels of sugar may also make it a poor choice in terms of skin health and beauty, as we know that high-sugar diets actually accelerate skin aging.” “Protein and fat are vital components of good hair and nails, and this particular liquid may make getting optimal levels of both things much easier,” Dr. Nazarian adds. (-Delish.com)

The rare Nipah virus, which is spread by fruit bats, has killed 11 people in India (AFP Photo/Biju BORO).

EW DELHI, India | AFP | 5/30/2018 - Another patient has died in India from the Nipah virus, taking the number of fatalities from an outbreak of the rare disease to 13, authorities said Sunday. Officials in the southwestern state of Kerala said that in addition to the latest fatality two patients have tested positive for the virus spread by fruit bats, which induces flu-like symptoms that lead to agonising encephalitis and coma. Emergency measures have been imposed across Kerala to curb the spread of the virus, with dozens of patients quarantined since the outbreak was detected this month. Health experts have been flown to Kerala to help contain the virus, which has a mortality rate of 70 percent and no vaccine. “One man died today from Nipah virus, taking the overall death toll to 13,” Sarita R.L., director of Kerala’s health services, told AFP.

since 1998. The World Health Organization has listed it as one of the eight priority diseases that could cause a global epidemic, alongside Ebola and Zika. Nipah is named after the Malaysian village where it first appeared in 1998. It spread to Singapore and more than 100 people were killed. On that occasion, pigs were the virus hosts but they are believed to have caught it from bats. In India the disease was first reported in 2001 and again six years later, with the two outbreaks claiming 50 lives. Both times the disease was reported in West Bengal state bordering Bangladesh. Bangladesh has borne the brunt of the disease in recent years, with more than 100 people dying of Nipah since a first outbreak was reported there in 2001.

“There are two other confirmed Nipah patients undergoing treatment.”

Four victims from the latest outbreak in Kerala hailed from one family. Dead bats were found in a well at their home in Kozhikode district, the epicentre of the viral outbreak.

Nipah has killed more than 260 people in Malaysia, Bangladesh and India

A nurse treating one of the victims also succumbed to the disease.

HEALTH

VOICE OF ASIA 19

Atkins diet may cause heart failure, major new protein study finds

ransitional times of the year mean shifting schedules, which can be particularly challenging for children with autism and their families.

he Atkins diet may raise the risk of fatal heart disease, according to a new study. Analysis of more than 2,440 men found that those with a high protein intake faced a 33 per cent increased risk of developing heart failure, where the organ is unable to pump sufficient blood and oxygen around the body.

But the scientists behind the new study, published in the journal Circulation, said dieters are wrong to assume an abundance of protein is healthy. In fact the results of the study showed that the only proteins not associated with heart failure were those derived from fish and eggs. Those who ate the most protein from animal sources had a 43 per cent higher risk of heart failure compare to those in the study who ate the least. Meanwhile the increased risk for people consuming a high amount of dairy protein was 49 per cent and 17 per cent for those consuming a lot of plant protein More than half a million people in the UK have been diagnosed with heart failure, which occurs most commonly when the heart muscle has been damaged, such as after a heart attack, often as a result of heart disease due to unhealthy living The condition is incurable, meaning most medical effort is devoted to prevention. Professor Jyrki Virtanen, who worked on the study at the University of Eastern Finland, said: “As many people seem to take the health benefits of high-protein diets for granted, it is important to make clear the possible risks and benefits of these diets.” Earlier studies have linked diets high in protein, especially

4 Ways to make summer easier for children with Autism

by Henry Bodkin

The Atkins diet is the best known of a range of popular commercial regimes claiming to help people lose weight by embracing low-carbohydrate, high-protein eating.

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

from animal sources, to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and death. For the new research, scientists examined 2,441 men, age 42 to 60, at the study’s start and followed them for an average 22 years. Overall, they found 334 cases of heart failure were diagnosed during the study and 70 percent of the protein consumed was from animal sources and 27.7 percent from plant sources. Heli Virtanen,

who

also

worked on the study, said: “As this is one of the first studies reporting on the association between dietary protein and heart failure risk, more research is needed before we know whether moderating protein intake may be beneficial in the prevention of heart failure.” Celebrities who have used the Atkins Diet include Kim Kardashian, who reportedly lost 70 pounds after each of her two pregnancies by following the regime. (- The Telegraph UK)

No need for high-dose vitamin D in infants: study

AMPA, Florida | AFP | - Tripling the dose of vitamin D supplementation for babies does not make their bones any stronger by age two, according to a study in Finland published Tuesday. Vitamin D is essential because it helps the body absorb calcium. It is naturally produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight, but as many as 40 percent of Europeans do not get enough of it, according to a 2016 study. Without sufficient Vitamin D, people are at risk of rickets, a weakened bone condition that may result in stunted growth and bowed legs.

Thinking that more vitamin D might be better for babies, researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial of 975 healthy infants in Finland, assigning some to receive the recommended daily dose of 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D and the rest to get 1,200 IU. By the age of 24 months, however, they found “no difference in bone strength or incidence of infections,” said the report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics. “This study involving 975 healthy children is, to our knowledge, the first large ran-

How to find the right sunglasses to protect your eyes this summer

our time outside can quickly lead to an increased risk of exposure to dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause a sun spot on the white of the eye called a pinguecula. These may look yellow in appearance and cause irritation over time. Moreover, long-term exposure to harmful UV rays can cause the formation of cataracts, leading to blurred vision and can ultimately require cataract surgery to correct. Unfortunately, most people aren’t doing enough to protect their eyes from the sun, even if they are aware of the risks. According to The Vision Council, 75 percent of Americans are concerned about UV eye exposure, but only 31 percent wear sunglasses every time they go outside. You’re probably spending a fair amount of time protecting skin by applying sunscreen, so why not make sure that you’re doing the same for your eyes?

Whether you’re just beginning to learn about cognitive special needs, or have many years of experience, gaining insight into what has helped other families cope can be valuable. Holly Robinson Peete, actress and autism advocate whose son RJ was diagnosed with autism at a young age, is sharing her own tips and strategies for a smooth summer break. Discuss Plans Ahead of Time Summer days are often filled with new experiences, which can sometimes be overwhelming for your child. Share a schedule in advance to help your child understand what the day will look like. Of course, plans -- and weather -- may change, so it’s important to provide a backup plan, too. For example, you may want to say, “We’re going to the pool today at noon, but if it rains, we’ll go to the movies instead.”

Holly Robinson Peete, actress and autism advocate and her son RJ. (Photo source: Kwaku Alston)

Maintain a Schedule Routines are important for all children, but especially for those living with autism. In summer, it can feel tempting to be more flexible with daily routines but maintaining the basic structure of your child’s typical school day helps. Start the day by encouraging the same wake-up time each day and following a regular morning routine. Use free resources and easy step-by-step guides to help with everyday activities, like the oral care instructions created by Col-

domized clinical trial evaluating vitamin D supplementation from infancy to early childhood,” said the report. Noting that the majority of infants studied were not vitamin D deficient to begin with, the higher dose “provides no additional benefits for bone strength or for parent-reported incidence of infections during the first two years of life.” Foods are commonly supplemented with vitamin D in Finland and many western countries, therefore “supplementation with 400 IU of vitamin D3 daily seems adequate to ensure vitamin D sufficiency in children younger than two,” the study concluded.

gate on the MagnusCards app. MagnusCards combine proven learning techniques with game design in order to help people with cognitive special needs master life skills. Colgate recently launched five guides on the app to help establish healthy oral care routines, from proper tooth brushing to visiting the dental office. To learn more, visit Colgate.MagnusCards.com. Do Activities Together A family needs to work to-

A separate study in the same issue of JAMA Pediatrics looked at the safety of vitamin D supplements of up to 2,000 IU daily in pregnant women. Researchers did a systematic review and meta-analysis of 24 previously conducted randomized clinical trials that included more than 5,400 women. They found that vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy was associated with a lower risk of infants being small for their gestational age. When a pregnant woman takes Vitamin D, her baby tends to show improved growth during infancy without any higher risks of death or abnormalities, said the report.

gether to thrive. Opt for activities that are exciting for your child but benefit everyone. “A simple picnic on the beach is a good day for the Peetes! We’ve been doing this since RJ was a little boy,” says Peete. “The sounds of the ocean and watching the waves relax him and the whole family.” Focus on the Positive Children with autism respond well to praise. The key is to be specific about what exactly was great about his or her behavior and to provide a little reward, such as an ice cream cone or extra trip to the pool. “Many parents take eye contact for granted, but it’s something that can be difficult for children with autism to do. It’s very hard to describe what it’s like when your child is unable to look at you. You don’t make the connection you need to make, which can be painful and frustrating for everyone,” says Peete. “Whenever RJ would make extended eye contact, we would make sure he got his favorite pizza or the chance to jump longer on his trampoline. These are small wins, but huge for an autism family!” Don’t let summer vacation be overwhelming. Leverage new resources and learn more about others’ experiences to help your family discover winning routines for a great summer. (-StatePoint).

Read up on what’s changing in the world of health

Consider these tips to find the right pair of sunglasses this summer: • Only about half of people who wear sunglasses say they check the UV rating before buying a pair, according to a national Sun Safety Survey conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Make sure your sunglasses provide 100 percent UV protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Look for a sticker or a label on sunglass lenses that indicates 100 percent UV protection. • Consider polarized lenses, which reduce or eliminate glare and reflected sunlight off the surface of water. • It’s especially important that kids and teens wear sunglasses from an early age. By the time you turn 18, you have received 75-80 percent of your lifetime UV exposure, according to the World Health Organization.

Consider your lifestyle before selecting a pair. (Photo source: Jenna Alcala) • No matter your age, go for big frames. Larger frames and wrap-around styles provide extra UV protection by blocking rays that come in from the side. • Think about lens color. Great for aesthetic reasons, different lens colors can help serve different purposes. You may want to go with gray lenses for true color perception or brown/ amber lenses if you want to see more visible contrasts. • Consider your lifestyle before selecting a pair. If you’re active in sports, your optometrist can help you select sunglasses and lenses that can protect your eyes and help opti-

mize your performance. Quality sunglasses that provide maximum UV protection can still be fashionable. You can explore and purchase a variety of brands and styles on eyeconic.com, where you can also connect to a local eye doctor through VSP Vision Care’s network of optometrists. Eyeconic is the only online retailer that allows you to shop for glasses, sunglasses, and contacts using your vision benefits. Give your eyes the treatment they deserve. Be sure your daily sun-wear routine goes beyond a great SPF to include eye protection. (-StatePoint).

Voice of Asia brings you the latest in medicine, medical technology, nutrition, pharmacy, and other health related articles. Also visit www.healthlinemag.com

BEAUTY & FASHION

VOICE OF ASIA 20

Winnie Harlow and Hailey Baldwin named Tommy Hilfiger global brand ambassadors

Tommy Hilfiger has signed up Winnie Harlow and Hailey Baldwin as new global brand ambassadors. (Photo: Tommy Hilfiger / Instagram)

eady-to-wear fashion label Tommy Hilfiger has signed up two high-profile models -- Winnie Harlow and Hailey Baldwin -- as its latest global brand ambassadors. The pair will front one of the American label’s fall 2018 collections. After Gigi Hadid, Rafael Nadal and, more recently, Lewis Hamilton, two internationally renowned models have joined the list of Tommy Hilfiger brand ambassadors. Winnie Harlow and Hailey Baldwin have been named global ambassadors for the brand, and will front the Tommy Icons capsule for fall 2018. The American label announced the news via social media, sharing several pictures on its Instagram page. The pictures feature the two models

showing off the latest Tommy Hilfiger pieces, with chic sporty looks in shades of black, white and gold. Tommy Hilfiger regular Hailey Baldwin often walks the runway for the label during its fashion week shows. Highly in demand among the biggest fashion houses, Stephen Baldwin’s daughter recently starred in advertising campaigns for Fendi, Rag & Bone and Zadig & Voltaire. Winnie Harlow -- who suffers from vitiligo, a skin condition leading to patches of discoloration -- is a model and activist with more than three million Instagram followers. The Canadian model is also very much in demand, both for advertising and runway shows. She recently took to the catwalk for Marc Jacobs, Vionnet and Elie Saab. (- Relaxnews)

Need a facial? Now you can head to Sephora Sephora is offering beauty fans an instant skincare fix, with the launch of a new in-store facial.

Rihanna expands ‘Beach, Please’ beauty collection for summer

ihanna has lifted the lid on her upcoming summer beauty launch.

The superstar sent fans into a spin earlier this month when she filmed a makeup tutorial for Vogue that appeared to feature unreleased products from her Fenty Beauty brand -- and now, all has been revealed.Instagram posts from both RiRi’s personal account and the official Fenty Beauty page reveal that the singer is expanding her “Beach, Please” summer beauty collection on May 21 with an array of new additions. These will include three “Killawatt Foils” duo color compacts, six limited-edition “Lip Luminizers” and two dual-ended “Eye Shimmers” in vivid colors ranging from sunset orange to lavender blue. The new products will join the existing cosmetics in the “Beach, Please” line; namely, a “Fairy Bomb” beauty puff and two “Body Lava” body luminizers. The news comes days after Rihanna, who is fast becoming an entrepreneurial force to be reckoned with, unveiled her debut “Savage X Fenty” lingerie collection to the world. The 90-piece collection of intimates, underwear

he beauty retailer has teamed up with The HydraFacial Company to offer clients “Perk Hydrating Facials” in more than 100 of its stores across the US. The 30-minute skincare treatment (which is complimentary with a $75 minimum product purchase) aims to exfoliate, hydrate and nourish the complexion by using a special device that uses roller-flex technology that acts as a vacuum to suction impurities from the skin, while simultaneously flushing it with nutrients and hydration. The service will be carried out by specially trained Sephora advisors, who will provide customers with a skincare consultation and a personalized “Digital Skincare Guide” covering different products and application methods. “The Sephora Perk Hydrating Facial is our first in-store spa grade treatment, powered by our own talented consultants who celebrate beauty each day with our clients,” said Priya Venkatesh, Vice President of Merchandising for Sephora, in a statement. “By introducing our clients to the right products, based on their own unique skincare concerns and enhanced with a personalized service, we’re able to create an emotional connection, build their trust and celebrate the results with them in one comprehensive offering.” The move is Sephora’s latest interactive beauty initiative -- the retailer already provides a 15-minute “Mini Makeover and Facial” service instore, as well as custom makeovers and beauty classes in a select number of outlets. Immersive beauty experiences are becoming a major trend across the industry, with brands increasingly seeking innovative ways to engage with consumers. Last year saw French beauty giant L’Occitane en Provence unveil a new multi-sensory digital in-

store concept featuring rain shower sinks and ‘fragrance clouds.’ Tom Ford’s inaugural stand-alone London beauty store, which opened its doors in November, features several creative initiatives, such as a dramming bar for customized fragrance services and a dedicated ‘Color room’ where shoppers can virtually try on makeup using augmented reality technology. (- Relaxnews)

“Beach, Please” summer beauty collection will include three “Killawatt Foils” duo color compacts, six limitededition “Lip Luminizers” and two dualended “Eye Shimmers” in vivid colors ranging from sunset orange to lavender blue.

Fenty Beauty Instagram 2018 (Photo: Instagram / @fentybeauty) and accessories is the latest fashion endeavor for the Barbadian star, who also holds the position of Creative Director at Puma and has a longstanding collaborative sock line for Stance. She

ickey Mouse beauty routines are now a reality, thanks to a collaboration between Disney and Target. The entertainment giant has teamed up with the retailer to launch a makeup and skincare series inspired by the lovable cartoon character, which, according to Teen Vogue, went on sale earlier this week. The limited-edition range spans everything from bubble bath to face masks, with standout products including a “L’Oréal Paris Mickey Mouse Collection Infallible Eyeliner” and a “L’Oréal Paris Mickey Mouse Collection Voluminous Extra-Volume Collagen Mascara.” There is also a “L’Oréal Paris Mickey Mouse Collection Color Riche Matte Lipstick” and multiple Junk Food collaborations, such as a shower gel set, bath pouf, lotion duo and bandana. The collection also features three different face masks, a trio of hand creams and a hand sanitizer, all retailing for under $10.

L’Oréal Paris Mickey Mouse Collection Color Riche Matte Lipstick. (Photo courtesy of L’OREAL) ing Ceremony nodded to the occasion back in February with a fashion show at Disneyland California that was replete with classic Disney iconography, while November saw US beauty brand Kiehl’s ring in the holiday season with

Fashion and sport brands clash in luxury sneakers race

ragamo’s designer Paul Andrew said at a conference. “We’re definitely now investing heavily in that category, getting in very specialised people”.

“When I saw sneakers were going to be a thing, I fought it for a bit,” Salvatore Fer-

Photo: Gucci Global sales of sneakers — or trainers — rose 10 percent to €3.5 billion last year, outperforming a 7 percent rise in handbags, according to consultancy Bain & Co. “It’s not really even a trend anymore — it’s become a category,” said Bruce Pask, Men’s Fashion Director at US department store Neiman Marcus. It’s not really even a trend anymore — it’s become a category.

In a study published in Nature Genetics, a multinational team said a fastidious examination of rose DNA has allowed them to compile “one of the most comprehensive plant genomes to date.”

Both luxury groups and sports companies are looking to cash in on a booming market. Premium sneakers can start at around $400 but can easily rise as high as $3,000, for a pair of Christian Louboutin’s leather, crystalembellished sneakers.

A major export product, roses are a favourite for Valentine’s Day, weddings, and anniversaries -- considered by some to be a symbol of love.

Limited editions can sell for well over $10,000, including the Chanel X Pharrell Hu Race Trail or Nike’s Air Jordan 3 Retro DJ Khaled Grateful.

Rose petals are a key ingredient for the multi-billion dollar perfume industry.

The new DNA map was based largely on the genome of a rose known as

To shop Target x Disney, see www. target.com (- Relaxnews)

hat do you get when luxury fashion meets sport? $10,000 sneakers. High-end brands such as Kering’s Gucci, Prada and Balenciaga are increasingly looking to sneakers for growth, putting them in direct competition with sportswear giants like Nike, Puma and Adidas, and giving rise to ever-more striking and expensive designs. Luxury groups say they are now increasing investments and marketing budgets to face down their new opponents.

new, detailed breakdown of the modern rose genome should help growers improve traits such as pest and drought resistance, and boost the vase life of cut stems, researchers said Monday.

The newly-published rose genome will “allow them to considerably accelerate the process of improving different rose varieties,” he told AFP.

a special Mickey Mouse Crème de Corps body moisturizer.

by Giulia Segreti

Researchers unlock thorny secrets of rose DNA

Study co-author Mohammed Bendahmane of France’s CNRS research institute said growers are always on the lookout for “blockbuster” roses that combine captivating colouring and alluring scent with pest resistance and low water consumption.

also hit the headlines earlier this week for her show-stopping appearance at the Met Gala, which she co-hosted alongside Donatella Versace and Amal Clooney. (- Relaxnews)

Target unveils Mickey Mouse beauty collaboration

Mickey Mouse fans can expect the character to turn up in a few places this year, as Disney has reportedly mapped out multiple collaborations to mark the iconic cartoon creature’s 90th anniversary. Fashion label Open-

Sephora now offers the PERK Hydrating Facial, an exclusive skincare treatment in partnership with The HydraFacial Company. (Photo: Getty. Courtesy of BusinessWire)

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

Sneakers are a big driver of the luxury shoe business, which accountancy firm EY says is the fashion industry’s fastest-growing area. Rose petals are a key ingredient for the multi-billion dollar perfume industry. (Photo: yoh4nn/ Istock.com) “Old Blush” or Rosa chinensis, introduced to Europe from Asia in the 18th century. With its 36,377 genes, the Old Blush

it is considered one of the main ancestors of today’s tens of thousands of rose cultivars from some 200 known, wild species.(-AFP)

The rise of luxury sneakers is part of the growing influence of casual and streetwear in high-end fashion, where it is now acceptable to team sneakers with a tailored suit. Analysts also say the intensifying competition is unlikely to erode profit margins because the market is expanding. (-Business of Fashion)

VOICE OF ASIA 21

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

Home&Real Estate Houston’s home market sees increases in sales, prices and inventory in April

nventory reached its highest level since August, while sales and prices also continued to increase.

Meanwhile, sales continued to increase year over year, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ May report. Single-family home sales totaled 6,583 in April, up 3.1 percent from the same month a year earlier, and sales of all property types increased 4.2 percent to 8,014. Total dollar volume for all properties sold last month increased 8.1 percent to more than $2.2 billion. Prices that single-family homes sold for also increased, with both the average and median prices hitting record highs for an April in Houston. The average increased 4.7 percent to $291,770, while the median was $228,000, up 4.6 percent year over year. Sales increased in all pricing segments $150,000 and above, with the biggest boost seen in the luxury segment. The number of homes sold in the $750,000-and-up segment jumped 15.8 percent, marking that segment’s

sixth consecutive month of rising sales. Forward-looking indicators also continue to increase. Total active listings were up 13.5 percent year over year, and single-family pending sales were up 15 percent. Single-family inventory increased to a 4-month supply in April, up from a 3.8-month supply a month earlier and a 3.6-month supply in April 2016. Months of inventory estimates the number of months it would take to sell all the home listings on the market today based on the pace of sales over the past 12 months. Nationwide, inventory stands at a 3.8-month supply. “The Houston real estate market had another strong showing in April among sales and rental properties alike, and as we had hoped, inventory levels got a healthy boost,” HAR Chair Cindy Hamann with Heritage Texas Properties said in a statement. “The latest Texas Workforce Commission employment update states that 13,300 jobs were created throughout greater Houston in March, the most since September 2015, so we remain optimistic about the local economy.” (-HBJ)

How to design your home with Danish furniture

n case you hadn’t noticed, Danish interior design is having something of a moment right now. Naturally, that means all things Danish design related are now at the top of every homeware wish list, particularly Danish furniture. But there’s much more to the country’s design prowess than just what you see on Instagram or what you think constitutes a Scandinavian sofa.

that are designed to reduce the yellow tones of the wood. In addition, metal and plastic are two other materials that are often used in Scandinavian furniture. These materials offer designers more flexibility when it comes to shape and color options. For the upholstery, natural fabrics, such as linen, cotton, wool, and leath-

Menu Black Afteroom Bench

Fringe Benefits: why tassels and trimmings are making an interior design comeback by Elsie Taylor

fter mid-century modernism’s long reign, some drama is making its way back into interior design—like with the resurgence of statement ceilings and chintz, or the return of colors like green and ochre. At first look, fringe fits into this comeback category as well: this spring saw over a 300 percent search uptick for “fringe pillows” and “fringe furniture” on Pinterest—but 2018 fringe is oh-so-different from decades past. While old-fashioned furniture fringe was, at its best, splendorous, at its worst it could be seen as stuffy. But this new wave, Jonathan Adler says, “is fabulous. It used to seem grandmotherly, but that era is over now—now it seems young, modern, and glamorous.” Take Adler’s Topanga Tassel and Topanga Corded Pillows. If this was the fringe of olden days, it would have been placed neatly around the border. But, this fringe is wild, covering the entire surface of the cushion, or in case of the corded pillow, an asymmetrical section. “Almost everything is fair game to be festooned with fringe,” Adler says. As the founder of the design gallery The Future Perfect, David Alhadeff’s job is to do exactly what his company name suggests: champion contemporary design. He’s seen a number of pieces lately with adventurous trimming: like a sleek, structural floor lamp from Dimore Studio or an industrial mirror by Ben and Aja Blanc with natural fiber adornment that gives it a decidedly bohemian feel. “That kind of gendered idea [of fringe] has been displaced,” Alhadeff says. “I think that’s great. That mirror doesn’t feel like feminine object. Nor masculine, particularly. There’s an androgynousness to it.” That sentiment is also echoed in Bottega Veneta’s lat-

Ben & Aja’s Apollo Mirror in a project by Arent and Pyke (Photo: Instagram/ thefutureperfect) est furniture collection from Salone de Mobile, which featured dark grey and dusty pink furniture with a distinctive fray.

he’s also seen it on desks, the seats of chairs, and even a staircase. “People are using it in new and different ways, wanting to make a statement,” he says.

Interior designer Timothy Corrigan has a theory about the new love affair with fringe. “People want more and more things to feel custom and unique, not like they will see it at the neighbor‘s house. Fringe is one of the easiest ways to take a simple lampshade, pillow, whatever it is, and make it uniquely your own,” he says. Recently he’s seen it in the usual places, like on couches, curtains, and pillows. But

So, how does one incorporate fringe into their own home? Adler suggests a gentle touch: “Less is more,” he says. “Mix in light and leggy pieces to avoid recreating a Victorian sitting room.” Corrigan advises a lampshade for a starter fringe, whereas more adventurous design aficionados can opt for a larger statement piece. After all, who doesn’t want to reap some fringe benefits? (-Vogue)

Venice Biennale shows human face of architecture

The Afteroom Bench is an evolution of the celebrated Afternoon Chair, constituting the same concept; a tribute to Bauhaus and functionalism. By reducing the amount of material to a minimum, the aesthetic appearance is enhanced to a maximum. The combination of a side table and bench creates a highly practical and stylish piece of Danish furniture to suit multiple environments. But we think it looks at its best as a reading chair that sits nicely under a window in an open-plan living space.MSRP $1595 (Photo: Opumo.com) With the reintroduction of midcentury design to pop culture in recent years, people began to gain new interest in the furniture designs of the 20th century by designers that have since become internationally renowned. Scandinavian design of the mid-century period is generally understood to be furniture created during the period after World War II through to the end of 1960s. The original mid-century modern movement in the U.S. was heavily influenced by Brazilian and Scandinavian design at the time. Given the sheer number of influential Scandinavian designers, the popularity of Scandinavian design today is not surprising. This growing interest is a spin-off of the world’s ongoing obsession with mid-century design. Although Scandinavian furniture was originally designed with the idea of making it available for everyone to enjoy, it also attracts the elites in the world of art and design collecting. Scandinavian furniture is highly regarded as works of art with rare pieces of original Scandinavian furniture fetching high prices at auction. - Scandinavian Design Principles The design philosophy of Scandinavian design is characterized by simplicity, functionality, and clean lines. Minimalism is an important concept that is echoed through these designs in order to create furniture that contributes to a simple home environment that is designed to improve one’s daily life. - Materials Materials are generally chosen for their beauty and durability. Lightly colored woods are often selected to make Scandinavian furniture, with teak and oak preferred. In some instances, pine may be used. However, it is often treated with special oils

er are key choices for these designs. Scandinavian design places a strong importance on the organic, which has lead to the adoption of sustainability and eco-friendliness as key factors in the selection of the materials to create new furniture. - Craftsmanship Quality craftsmanship is of optimum importance as furniture should be made to last. The designs are often crafted using a 360 degree design methodology to ensure that the furniture looks good from every angle. - Contrast One of the features that is echoed throughout the majority of Scandinavian furniture designs is stark contrast. Designers often choose to emphasize contrast by featuring bold colors alongside natural materials, such as wood, leather, and metal. Scandinavian homes often feature white or off-white interiors as a means of magnifying the natural light that enters the home. As a result, this contrast provides balance in a space that would otherwise look rather sterile without these touches of color. - Shape Abstract shapes are often used to transform everyday interior design elements, such as chairs, sofas, tables, lighting, and accessories. Although the natural finish is often maintained, the resulting shapes of the materials are significantly distinct from those that would occur naturally. In addition, rounded edges are a common feature of Danish furniture. Rounded edges offer modern appeal and are designed to eliminate distractions and to make furniture surfaces easy to move around. Scandinavian furniture designs tend to also feature lighter and more airy frames.

The 16th edition International Architecture Exhibition will take place in Venice as part of the Venice Biennale. (Photo: istock.com) In an era when many countries are putting up border walls and barbed wire fences, the International Architecture Exhibition in Venice aims to showcase a “sense of humanity” through its displays, organisers said ahead of its opening Saturday. The world’s most prestigious architecture festival -- which is part of the Venice Biennale -- has chosen the title “Freespace” for its 16th edition in the picturesque Italian city. “The architect’s creativity must be at the service of the community,” Irish architect Shelley McNamara -- who curated the vast exhibition with colleague Yvonne Farrell -- told AFP. McNamara said “Freespace” aims to highlight collective spaces, “generosity of spirit” and the “sense of humanity” that architecture must place at the heart of its agenda. Sixty-five different countries and one hundred architecture studios have been invited to display their interpretation of the theme in the vast 3000 square metre Venetian Arsenal and gardens. - Vatican newcomer Several instal-

lations are minimalist but intricate, such as “The Dream,” created by studio RCR, winners of the 2017 Pritzker prize -- considered to be the Nobel of architecture. “The Dream” displays a kind of cave with moving lights achieved through the use of 6,000 magnifying glasses. The exhibition which runs until 25 November sees seven countries - Antigua and Barbuda, Saudi Arabia, Guatemala, Lebanon, Mongolia, Pakistan and the Vatican - participate for the first time. The Vatican pavilion displays ten chapels, each one designed by a renowned architect, including the Brit Norman Foster and the Portuguese Eduardo Souto de Moura, both Pritzker prize winners. “Each Biennale focuses on a specific

aspect, in this case common space that is free and for everyone”, said Paolo Baratta, president of the exhibition. - Breaking down barriers Many participants have used the term “Freespace” to reflect on hot political topics such as migration and isolationist policies. The British pavilion named “Island” hosts a huge rooftop platform which looks out over the lagoon. The idea is to reflect on “tomorrow, yesterday, isolation and even our political situation,” architecture firm Caruso St John explained in a description, alluding to the UK’s planned departure from the European Union. Meanwhile the German pavilion chose to focus on the theme of “Unbuilding Walls”.

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VOICE OF ASIA 22

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Friday brings the promise of some lively social events and the chance of an exciting encounter. A warm and deeply spiritual transit could encourage you to listen to someone who may need support.

21 April to 20 May There could be an opportunity for a reunion over Friday and the weekend. Or you might enjoy a special date with your love interest. Either way, it could be a very special occasion. Exercise should be at the top of your to-do list this month.

21 May to 20 June For your health to thrive now you need to listen to your self-talk and how it may contribute to or diminish your well-being. Replace negative thinking with a way of communicating that is much more positive.

21 June to 22 July Involve your partner in your daily exercise routine and dietary habits. Work together to achieve greater health and you’ll soon discover what an asset you can be to one another. You can encourage each other to keep going if one falters.

23 July to 22 August Why try to deny it, Leo? The two of you are hot together! Spend as much time in the spotlight as possible, where others can witness the obvious electricity between you. A sore topic arises over the weekend, but you’re only human after all.

23 August to 22 Sept This is a high-energy time for you. Trust your intuition. Your first impulse will usually be correct. Some people will be operating in a kind of idealistic haze. You may have to keep everyone focused on practical matters.

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Week of JUNE 1, 2018 21 March to 20 April

Book this space TODAY For a quick reference

Astrology.com

23 September to 22 Oct Career matters and authority figures are highlighted this week. If you want the same kind of respect, cash, and admiration your idols enjoy, you’ll have to put in the time and hard work to bring your ideas to their attention.

23 October to 21 Nov It’s time to brainstorm ways to get more daily exercise. It may be a good idea to play a competitive sport that enables you to socialize as well as get fit. The cosmos is encouraging you to make changes at a basic level.

22 November to 21 Dec The current planetary alignment may give both your social life and your love life a much-needed boost. There is nothing like a shocking revelation to keep you on your toes, even if it is a pleasant one.

22 December to 20 Jan There could be struggles over who is boss now. You’re likely to be having conflicts with others even if you don’t show that you are. This is an important time to go slowly and recheck your work. Rushing ahead will work against you.

21 January to 19 Feb This week you have activity in your house of romance, children, and fun. You might be visited by someone from your past, and this person could have important financial information to share. Pay off existing debt or get a plan together.

20 February to 20 Mar It isn’t in your nature to make waves, Pisces. You feel the need to do the right thing no matter what, but your good Samaritan tendencies could cause tension in your relationship. If your partner is feeling ignored, make it up to him or her.

ACROSS

DOWN

1. *Kids’ getaway, pl.

1. Something to chew on

6. School org.

2. Speedy steed

9. Inoffensive manner

3. Like a tennis skirt

13. ____ Heep of “David Copperfield” 14. *Corn unit 15. Cuckoo for what puffs? 16. Charleston, e.g. 17. Genetic info carrier, acr. 18. Bornean ape 19. *Beachwear 21. *Popular U-pick fruit, pl. 23. *Water sport equipment 24. Drug abuser 25. Scholastic aptitude test 28. Fastened with stitches 30. Type of discrimination 35. Tongue-____ 37. Musical finale 39. Slow, musically speaking

4. Puts in a backpack 5. Arabic elders 6. ____meter or ____scope 7. *Limited with SPF 8. Plural of #2 Down 9. Millimeter of mercury 10. Antioxidant-rich berry 11. *Soft-serve server 12. ## 15. Cattle pen 20. Daughter of a sibling 22. Always, in verse 24. Disrobe 25. Spaghetti ____ 26. Garlic mayonnaise 27. Denoting the final purpose

40. Dramatic part

29. Live bait

41. Fielding mistake

31. ____pool

43. Bulgarian, e.g. 44. Richard Bachman to Stephen King

32. Donald Trump to Jared Kushner 33. *Garden bean support

46. Carte du jour

34. *Blockbuster

47. Sushi restaurant libation

36. Kind of principal

48. *Gastronomic outing

38. Popular steak condiment

50. Email folder

42. Relating to runes

52. Like Tom Thumb

45. Train’s “Hey, Soul ____”

53. Bathtime bubbles

49. Pool stick

55. Philosophical system

51. *Warm-weather garb

57. *Chilled brew

54. Israeli statesman Moshe

61. *It’s out for summer

56. Food grinder

64. Monetary worth 65. Kum Ba ____ 67. More ill 69. Tanks and such 70. Nurses’ org. 71. Reason to strike 72. Nessie’s loch

57. Rocky’s nemesis ____ Drago 58. Kind of package 59. Trees of genus Ulmus 60. Sonny and Cher and Abbott and Costello 61. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, e.g.

73. To the ____ degree

62. Hodgepodge

74. Moves like a pony

63. “____ we forget” 66. *Unwelcome guest at #48 Across 68. High ____, as in an image

SOLUTION FOR STATEPOINT SUMMER FUN on PAGE 23

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VOICE OF ASIA 23

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Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Friday, June 29, 2018. Documents can be obtained at: www. hccs.edu/procurement.

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

Job Posting – Part-Time Multimedia Content Contributor Are you a news junkie who scans the morning headlines before getting out bed each morning? Are you tied to your twitter feed throughout the day? Can’t go to bed before watching the 10pm news? KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a part-time content contributor for both broadcast and digital. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to advance their career as a multi-media journalist. In this position, you will work on the assignment desk and contribute to digital platforms, among other duties. Must be willing to work overnights, weekends, and holidays. The ideal candidate can multi-task in a fast-paced environment and has experience gathering information and writing news stories - along with a good understanding of social media trends and apps. College degree and some experience in a working newsroom is preferred. To be considered all interested candidates must apply online at disneycareers.com, ref job # 559242BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. In addition, please mail writing samples to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005 and include the job reference number. Equal Opportunity Employer - Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

STATEPOINT CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Job Posting – P/T Multimedia Graphic Artist ABC-13/KTRK-TV, the ABC/Disney owned station in Houston, TX, has a part-time position for an experienced Graphic Artist. The ideal candidate will have a degree in graphic design, web, marketing or related field; demonstrable expertise in graphic design, and 2-3 years professional experience using Adobe Creative Suite, to create content and graphics for broadcast TV, interactive or multimedia projects, and social media. Experience producing broadcast graphics and 3-d experience is a plus. We offer a collaborative and creative work environment. To be considered for the position you must apply online at disneycareers.com, ref job #559241BR Please upload a cover letter, resume, link to online portfolio, and list of references. Equal Opportunity Employer - Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity No Telephone Calls Please

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Rare bottles of whisky fetch record $1m each at Hong Kong auction

ONG KONG, China | AFP | - Two bottles of rare 60-year-old Macallan whisky fetched a total of more than $2 million under the hammer on Friday in Hong Kong, Bonhams said, with both sales shattering the previous world auction record for the spirit. One bottle, bearing a label designed by British pop artist Peter Blake -- who helped create the sleeve of The Beatles’ album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” -- was sold for HK$7.96 million (US$1.01 million). The other bottle, whose label was designed by Italian artist Valerio Adami, went for HK$8.63 million, a new world record for whisky sold at auction. Both 750-milliliter vintage bottles were distilled in 1926 and matured in a sherry hogshead cask until being bottled in 1986. Only twelve of each Macallan were ever produced. “These two bottles are not meant for sale. They were given to some of the Macallan’s most loyal business partners or clients,” said Daniel Lam, head of wine and whisky at Bonhams in Hong Kong. Whisky prices have soared in recent years, with buyers shifting their attention from bigger names to rare bottles from Scotland and Japan among others, according to Bonhams.

FRIDAY, June 1, 2018

Instant Upgrade! United will offer premium passengers a private terminal

magine having an airport terminal all to yourself. It can actually happen — if you’re willing to pay for the privilege.

The whisky bottles feature specially commissioned labels by the pop artists Valerio Adami, right, and Sir Peter Blake. (Photograph: Dale de la Rey/AFP/Getty Images) In 2014, a bottle of malt whisky -- Macallan ‘M’ Decanter 6-litre Imperiale -- set the last record of HK$4.9 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong. The value of Macallans 18 years and older has doubled in value over the past year, Lam told Bloomberg News in an interview. While new whisky tends to be more industrialised, in the ‘80s and before that it was handcrafted, Lam said, adding that well-kept whisky can last forever. In April, two other 60-yearold Macallans from 1926 were sold at a Dubai airport retailer for $600,000 each, breaking the record for the most expen-

sive whisky sold in retail. There is growing interest in whisky in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, as well as in China, Bonhams said, especially among a younger generation of collectors. “Whisky is more like a young generation drink now, compared to cognac or even red or white wines,” Christopher Pong, wine and whisky specialist at Bonhams, told AFP. Wealthy Asian buyers have shown frenzied interest and deep pockets at art auctions in recent years, with sales of paintings, diamonds and ancient ceramics shattering world records.

To swipe or not to swipe New study on why we use Tinder and other dating apps

United Airlines has announced plans to partner with The Private Suite for high-paying business class passengers at Los Angeles International Airport who want nothing more than to avoid the huge crowds for a totally elite travel experience. The passengers will be driven from the terminal to the tarmac to their planes in a BMW 7-Series sedan and have their own staff of eight assigned to their booking, CNBC reported. This premium offering also includes a custom security screening away from the long lines. Have you ever squeezed yourself into your coach seat, only to sit and wonder how life would be at the front of the plane? “I think this is a very smart move on United’s part to

The Private Suite terminal at LAX for business class travellers to many United destinations. (Graphic: United Airlines) compete,” Henry Harteveldt, founder of travel-industry consulting firm Atmosphere Research Group, told CNBC.

waii, London’s Heathrow, Singapore, Tokyo Narita and Sydney, said United, according to CNBC.

But all this exclusivity and luxury comes at a hefty price. An annual membership at the Private Terminal normally goes for $4,500, but access will be included in some ticket fares on flights to or from LAX, to Newark, Aspen, Ha-

United isn’t the only airline revamping its premium offerings. Other airlines are also reupping their airport lounges, first class cabins and seats to appeal to more customers who are willing to pay more for comfort.

George R.R. Martin’s short story The Ice Dragon is getting an animated adaptation by Sam Barsanti

he end of Game Of Thrones is in sight, even if it won’t come for another year, but that doesn’t mean we’re facing a shortage of George R.R. Martin content. He has Syfy’s adaptation of Nightflyers and that book he’s supposed to be working on, and now Deadline is reporting that an adaptation of his kid-friendly short story The Ice Dragon is now going to be made into an animated film. Despite the title—and what publishers insist on saying—the book isn’t technically connected to A Song Of Ice And Fire (the book series Game Of Thrones is based on). The original story predates A Game Of Thrones (the book), which means it predates the creation of Westeros, as Martin explicitly noted on his LiveJournal page a few years ago.

Photo: Mark Renders (Getty Images) Anyway, The Ice Dragon is about a girl named Adara who was born in a “long winter” and befriends a legendary ice dragon. That may sound very Game Of Thrones, since those stories have long winters and ice dragons, but again, this is totally unrelated. Together, Adara and her ice dragon have to fight an army of fire dragons that come

from the north, which is totally different from how things work in the Game Of Thrones world. (Also, the dragon is a metaphor for the girl’s grief over her dead mother.) Warner Bros. is making the animated adaptation with Martin on board as a producer, but those are pretty much the only details we have at this point.

Save big at hotels by booking connecting rooms instead of suites by Patrick Allen Both men and women reported that their most important reason for using picture-based mobile dating apps such as Tinder was as a diversion from boredom. (Photo mediaphotos/Istock.com)

ew European research has revealed some of the different reasons people use picture-based mobile dating apps such as Tinder, and how men and women’s usage of these apps differs. Carried out by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, the study recruited 641 Norwegian university students aged between 19 and 29 years, and asked them to complete questionnaires on their current and previous use of PictureBased Mobile Dating Apps (PBMDA), including level and type of PBMDA activity, and reasons for PBMDA use. Nearly half of the participants reported former or current PBMDA use, with one in five reporting that they were currently using a PBMDA app. The results also showed that compared to those who have never used PBMDAs, participants who used these types of apps tended to be more unrestricted in their “sociosexuality,” which refers to how open you are to short-term sexual relationships that don’t lead to a committed relationship. However, although users were more open to short-term, casual sexual relationships than the average person, this doesn’t mean that they have more sexual partners than non-users who also prefer casual sex. “Apps have become the new public arena for dating. But to a large extent, the people using them are the same ones you find dating other ways,” says co-author professor Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair.

The responses also showed that the apps were used differently by men and women. Women spend more time on dating apps than men, possibly because they take more time considering each candidate before deciding to move on, whereas men make quicker decisions, and are also more likely to initiate contact. “Women are more discerning. Men are more eager. This has clear evolutionary reasons. Women have more to lose by engaging with low-quality sexual partners than men do. That’s why men swipe right more often than women do,” says Kennair. Both men and women reported that their most important reason for using a PBMDA was as a diversion from boredom or having nothing to do. But that’s where the similarity ended.

ticipants reported being in a relationship. However, perhaps reassuring for those who are in relationships, Kennair added that these new apps are primarily a new arena for short-term sex, and not necessarily a technology development that will lead to a change in sexual behaviour. The results can be found published online in the journal Personality and Individual Differences (- Relaxnews)

multi-room hotel suite gives your party a common area to hang out in, but also allows everyone the privacy of their own room. They’re great for family reunions, weddings, and bachelor or bachelorette parties. Trouble is, these types of suites are often staggeringly expensive. Here’s how you can get a suitelike experience for a lot less. The trick is booking what the hospitality industry calls “connecting suites” or “connecting rooms” instead of traditional suites. These are hotel room configurations where more than one bedroom is connected to one another, either

Disney announces opening season for Star Wars-themed lands

The researchers did not look at whether participants used apps like Tinder to be unfaithful, and only eight of the par-

via a common area, small corridor, or a door that opens up between them. Each room of a connecting suite also has a door that opens out to the main hallway so guests can go in and out without bothering the room they’re connected to. Also, connecting rooms guarantee that each room has their own private bathroom, whereas some suites may only have one. After analyzing data from Suiteness, a site dedicated to booking hotel suites, Priceonomics found that connecting rooms are typically half the price of a traditional two-bedroom suite. For example, a weekend stay in a two-bedroom suite in a major U.S. city costs about $2,665 on average. A connecting room, on the other hand, only averages about $1,484—that’s the same stay for $1,181 less. In some areas, like New York City, you can save a whopping

“Men tend to report a desire for casual sex and short-term relationships as a reason for using dating apps,” explained first author Ernst Olav Botnen, “But it should be noted that the myth that men on dating apps are only looking for casual sex isn’t accurate. Men who use these apps also seek long-term partners, but to a lesser extent than short-term partners.” The responses also revealed that women are more likely than men to use an app to look for confirmation that they are attractive and to feel better about themselves.

Photo: Malmaison Hotels

isney has revealed more details on the opening season for its highly anticipated Star Wars theme parks in the US. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open first at Disneyland

Resort in Anaheim next summer. Come next fall, the highly anticipated attraction -- Disney’s largest single-themed expansion ever -- will make its debut at Walt Disney World Resort.

The Star Wars-themed lands will be anchored by two attractions: one that puts guests in the middle of a battle between the First Order and the Resistance on a Star Destroyer, and

$5,409 on average by booking connecting rooms over suites. Of course, you could also go for a weekend stay at a twobedroom Airbnb if you’d prefer for about $1,300 (not including platform and cleaning fees). But then you miss out on some of the amenities hotels have to offer, especially if you’re staying in a place like Las Vegas, where all the action is centralized at hotels. So how do you book these magic, money-saving connecting rooms? Call the hotel and ask. Almost every hotel has them, but they may not be listed on third-party booking sites, so check with the hotel front desk directly. That said, be sure to call for a connected room far ahead of time. These types of rooms are popular—for obvious reasons—so don’t hesitate to book early if you want to save some money. (-Lifehacker.com)

another in which guests can fly the Millennium Falcon. Popular characters like BB-8, Chewbacca, Rex and Kylo Ren will also roam the lands. (-Relaxnews)