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VOICE OF ASIA
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
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FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
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VOICE OF ASIA
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
voiceofasiaonline.com
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voiceofasiaonline.com
28 years dedicated service toCounties the community Serving Harris,ofFort Bend and Surrounding for 30 years
Vol. 30 No. 30 Friday, August 4, 2017 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 24 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com
Pakistan’s parliament elects Sharif loyalist Abbasi as new PM by Gohar ABBAS
ultimately see a Sharif once again as Pakistan’s premier.
I
SLAMABAD, Pakistan | AFP | 8/1/2017 - Pakistan’s parliament elected ruling party loyalist Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister on Tuesday, after Nawaz Sharif’s ouster by the Supreme Court following a corruption probe. Abbasi is seen as a placeholder for Sharif’s designated successor, his younger brother Shahbaz, who must first be elected to the 342-member National Assembly before taking the top office. Nominated by Sharif’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), Abbasi secured 221 votes, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced on live television. He was sworn in at the presidency later Tuesday by President Mamnoon Hussain. Despite his election minutes before, the new premier used his maiden speech in parliament to declare Nawaz Sharif “the prime minister of the people of Pakistan”. “Inshallah (God willing) one day the real prime minister of this country will come back and sit on this chair,” he said. Sharif supporters in the assembly chanted slogans and waved placards bearing larger-than-life images of the
“Whether it’s 45 days or 45 hours, I am the prime minister of Pakistan and I am here to work, not keep the seat warm,” Abbasi continued, referring to the time limit on a by-election for Sharif’s old seat, which Shahbaz Sharif is expected to fill. Listing PML-N trademark issues such as infrastructure projects, he also vowed to crack down on tax evaders and private ownership of automatic weapons.
The ruling party has named Nawaz Sharif’s (R) younger brother Shahbaz (L) as his successor, but he holds only a provincial seat, so must first enter parliament by contesting the seat left vacant by his elder sibling. AFP Photo. deposed premier. Absent from the assembly was opposition leader Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician who spearheaded the push against Sharif. Abbasi, a long-time ally of Sharif, easily won the majority required to become prime minister in the PMLN dominated parliament, putting into motion a process that is expected to
Nawaz Sharif was the 15th prime minister in Pakistan’s 70-year history -- roughly half of which has been spent under military rule -- to be ousted before completing a full term. The top court sacked him Friday after an investigation into corruption
allegations against him and his family, bringing his historic third term in power to an unceremonious end and briefly plunging the nuclear-armed nation into political uncertainty. Observers have said it is unclear whether the court’s ruling will allow the ousted Sharif to run for office again in the future. - Placeholder PM Abbasi is the former federal minister for petroleum and natural resources, and a businessman who launched the country’s most successful private airline, Air Blue. Educated in the United States at George Washington University, he worked overseas as an electrical engineer before joining politics and being elected to the National Assembly six times.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez’s ‘Distinguished Lecture’ on Keeping Houston Safe
Karun Sreerama steps down as Houston’s public works director
Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray, Shell representative Terry Garland, Keynote Speaker Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, Joya Shukla, Allen Richards, Jagdip Ahluwalia. Photo credit: Bijay Dixit. by Manu Shah heriff Ed Gonzalez, who took office in January, met with IACCGH members and guests to describe the “pretty daunting task” of keeping Houston safe. He was the Keynote speaker at the Chamber’s Distinguished Lecture Series with Chief Guest Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray. The event was held on July 26th at the Consulate of India and sponsored by Shell.
S
Karun Sreerama speaks to the media during a press conference Friday evening outside the federal courthouse in Houston. (Photo: KHOU 11 News).
H
OUSTON - Karun Sreerama, was asked to step down from his position as the city’s public works director following his involvement with HCC trustee Chris Oliver came to light. Oliver agreed to plead guilty in a May 15 arraignment to federal bribery charges. Mayor Sylvester Turner in a statement on July 28, said, “Karun Sreerama has accomplished much in Houston as a businessman and involved citizen. I am sure he will continue to be an asset to our com-
munity. However he and I have agreed that it would be best for the city for him to step down as director of the city Public Works and Engineering Department. “Carol Haddock will continue to serve as acting director until I choose a new director.” Sreerama held a press conference outside the federal courthouse Friday, where he strongly denied giving Oliver bribes but insisted he was the victim, working in conjunction with the FBI. Continued on page 12
Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia thanked Dr. Ray for his efforts in making the Consulate “people friendly” and his graciousness in opening the doors of the Consulate for community events. When distinguished speakers such as Sheriff Gonzalez address the community, he added, the message gets “disseminated to a wider array of people.” Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray highlighted India’s growth
potential and its huge strides in “making business in India a seamless experience.” He also spoke of the possibility of a direct flight between Houston and New Delhi. President Allen Richards reminded the gathering about the Chamber’s upcoming Gala which brings together Houston’s top business leaders. He encouraged them to attend the event which is to be held on August 26th at the Hilton Americas in downtown. Sheriff Gonzalez commenced his address by recounting how his father could not read or write and needed assistance with simple acts such as reading the menu or a sign. Growing up, this had a profound impact on him and taught him that people sometimes need assistance which should be given without “judgement or prejudice.” It was this conviction that carried him to a career in the police force. One of his first tasks as Sheriff, he stated, was to bring the budget under control, make the dollar go far and still
be effective in combating crime. The investigative department, he conceded, needed to be improved and efforts have been ramped up to redeploy resources better to prevent DWI fatalities – a leading cause of death on Houston’s highways. The penalty for intoxication in a public place (not driving intoxication) is a trip to jail. The Sheriff suggested alternatives such as a center where intoxicated people can be taken to sleep it off and sober up before getting on the road. Additionally, the department has partnered with the District Attorney in a program that will not incarcerate people for possession of marijuana but instead encourage them to sign up for a program that’s akin to a Defensive driving program. According to him, these are much “smarter approaches” and would save the department money and help deploy Continued on page 9
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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS
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by Christine Flowers
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henever I write about immigration, I prepare to please absolutely no one, least of all myself. My personal curse is that I am a conservative who understands the feelings of people who are fed up with the broken immigration system and who do not want to see our borders become irrelevant. This has always been a keystone of the conservative platform: sovereignty, order, states rights. I get it. But I am an immigration lawyer, as you know, if you’ve ever read anything I’ve written, and I also understand the feelings of immigrants who have paid in blood, sweat, tears and sometimes even actual currency to become legal in this country. Many of them have already contributed mightily to this society, albeit through back channels and from the depths of restaurant kitchens, sweltering construction sites or dingy offices. So I see both sides, and I try to be fair when I look at the competing interests of pro- and anti-immigration constituencies. I also don’t like the people who separate out the “legal” from the “illegal,” because it’s a bit too simplistic to tell someone to get in line and do it the right way when there are no lines. The person here illegally today will, under our current system, likely have to wait over a decade before becoming
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Deaths in Texas force us to confront broken system other side of the border to come here freely, honestly and with dignity. You have to take your chances, and, believe me, if your child is starving or your brother was just killed by gang members from Mara Salvatrucha, you don’t care about dignity. You just come.
the legal resident of tomorrow. And the conservatives really don’t care about that, just as the progressive immigration advocates think anyone who has a problem with loosening the restrictions on our laws and regulations (and de facto quotas) is a bigot. So as I was saying, it’s a recipe for disaster and really spicy comments at the end of the column when I choose to write about immigration. But I couldn’t avoid the topic this week. The deaths of 12 people in Texas, victims of a botched human trafficking expedition, force me to confront the screwed-up way we
We need to fix our system, so that the tragedies that occurred last week don’t repeat themElizabeth Brockway selves. Unfortunately, instead of fixing the problem, our legislators deal with foreigners who want put their heads in the sand and to come to this country and our executive decides to go aflive, work and flourish. Anyter the low-hanging fruit. one who thinks that men and women will cram themselves But instead of worrying into an airless truck, along about stupid tweets from Presiwith their babies, for hundreds dent Trump and trying to figure of sweltering miles, only to out which thin-skinned jourend up dead or dying because nalist he’s offended this week, they want to bring mayhem to instead of jockeying for moral this country should probably superiority (Democrats) and stop reading now. You’re on an pie-in-the-sky repeals of laws entirely different, cruel waveyou’ll never erase (GOP) we length. Go read the comics should demand that our legissection. lators do their job and fix the immigration system. Those people came here the way that they did because Now, dammit. We can’t afthere were few other options. ford more bodies in parking There are no laws that allow lots. people who are starving or (-Philadelphia Daily News) fleeing persecution from the
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THE STORY OF MAHATMA GANDHI
In Champaran, “face-to-face with God, ahimsa, truth”
T
he annual meeting of the Congress was held in December 1916 in Lucknow. The Congress was divided. There were the moderates and there were the extremists, but at Lucknow the Congress met without tension between the two wings. The President, Ambika Charan Mazumdar, spoke in terms of Swaraj, which previous leaders had demanded. A resolution was passed appealing to His Majesty’s Government and demanding that a definite step should be taken towards Indian self-government by granting the reforms contained in the scheme prepared by the AllIndia Congress Committee and adopted by the All-India Muslim League. In Lucknow the Congress and the Muslim League came to an agreement. This was later known as the Lucknow Pact. For the sake of the unity of India the Congress conceded many points demanded by the Muslims. For two years Gandhi had travelled extensively in India and had talked at different places. He now wanted to start some work connected with la-
went to Bombay and consulted all the Indian leaders there. They fixed May 31, 1917 as the last date for the abolition of indentured labor. He then went around the country to get support for this view.
fering villagers in Champaran. Gandhi at last promised to visit the place after he had visited Calcutta.
the police looked nervous.
When Gandhi was in Calcutta, Rajkumar was there too, to take him to Bihar.
Meetings were held in all important places. Everywhere there was a great response. Even Gandhi said that he had not expected so much public support.
Gandhi went to Champaran with Rajkumar early in 1917. On his arrival the District Magistrate served him with a notice saying that he was not to remain in the district of Champaran but must leave the place by the first available train.
Gandhi appeared before the crowd and said, “You must show your faith in me and in my work by remaining quiet. The magistrate had the right to arrest me, because I disobeyed his order. If I am sent to jail, you must accept that as just. We must work peacefully. Any violent act will harm our cause.”
As a result of the agitation, the Government announced that the system of indentured labor would be stopped before July 31,1917. Gandhi had heard about an obnoxious system of agricultural labor prevailing in Bihar. In the Champaran district of Bihar, the cultivators were forced by Europeans to grow indigo, a blue dye, and this imposed on them untold sufferings. They could not grow the food they needed, nor did they receive adequate payment for the indigo. Gandhi was unaware of this
Gandhi travels back to India bor. His interest first centered on the problem of indentured labor, the system under which poor, ignorant laborers were enticed away from India to work in the British colonies. He had fought this system in South Africa and he wanted to see it abolished. The Viceroy, Lord Hardinge, announced that His Majesty’s Government had agreed to abolish the system’ in due course. Gandhi, however, wanted a definite date before which the system would go. So now Gandhi started a great agitation on this issue. He
A large crowd of peasants was outside the court shouting slogans. The magistrate and
The crowd dispersed peacefully. The police stared at Gandhi in admiration as he went inside the court. “That day in Champaran was an unforgettable event in my life ..... It is no exaggeration, but the literal truth, to say that in this meeting with the peasants, I was face to face with God, ahimsa and truth,” Gandhi wrote later. The Government withdrew the case against Gandhi and allowed him to remain in the district. Gandhi stayed there to study
the grievances of the peasants. He visited many villages. He cross-examined about 8,000 cultivators and recorded their statements. In this way he arrived at an exact understanding of their plight and the causes. He came to the conclusion that the ignorance of the cultivators was one of the main reasons why the European planters could exploit them. Gandhi set up voluntary organizations to improve the economic and educational conditions of the people. They opened schools and taught the people how to improve sanitation. The Government realized Gandhi’s strength and devotion to his causes. They themselves then set up a committee to enquire into the grievances of the cultivators. They invited Gandhi to serve on that committee, and he agreed. The result was that within a few months the Champaran Agrarian Bill was passed. It gave great relief to the cultivators and land tenants. - To be continued
Great Summer Project For children! Enter Mahatma Gandhi Week 2017 Essay, I-Tribute, Poster and Speech contests. Visit gandhilibrary.org for registration and more information. All school going children can participate! These contests are being organized to create higher awareness of the inspiring life and work of Mahatma Gandhi to promote universal values of Truth, Non-Violence, Love and Service
until an agriculturist from Bihar, Rajkumar Shukla, met him and told him of the woes of the people of Champaran. He requested Gandhi to go to the place and see for himself the state of affairs there. Gandhi was then attending the Congress meeting at Lucknow and he did not have time to go there. Rajkumar Shukla followed him about, begging him to come and help the suf-
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Gandhi disobeyed this order. He was summoned to appear before the court. The magistrate said, “If you leave the district now and promise not to return, the case against you will be withdrawn: “This cannot be,” said Gandhi. “I came here to render humanitarian and national service. I shall make Champaran my home and work for the suffering people.’
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FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
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Ashka Patel striking Arangetram performance
Ashka Patel during her Arangetram. Photos credit Ghanshayam Patel.
Ashka Patel in Bharatnatyam dance pose
by Sanchali Basu
S
aturday, July 22 was a momentous evening for Ashka Patel and she owned it one hundred percent with her outstanding debut performance as a Bharatnatyam classical dancer at her Arangetram. Dr. Vipul and Sheetal Patel spared nothing in making their daughter Ashka’s Arangetram as grandiose as possible. Starting from the stage decorations to the food spread, both at the beginning and at the end of the event, the choice of venue, the program card and warmest hospitality, the Patel family made all attendees feel very welcome. At the time of her performance, Ashka received her Guru Smt. Dipti Dave’s blessing and guidance and made her way to the stage. The audience was in awe when the curtains to the stage opened after the brief introductory remarks by mother Sheela Patel. The stage was very beautifully decorated with peacock feather props mimicking the main entrance of a Haveli, and two side doors mimicking the entrances to a temple with huge bells decorated with flowers. A gigantic Nataraj sculpture adorned
the right side of the stage. A very luxurious dais with lavish bright yellow and gold silk sheets, cushions and pillows for the musicians adorned the left side. Ashka began her repertoire with the Vinayakakantuvam where she offered flowers to Lord Ganesha, the god of beginnings, and the Lord of Dance, Nataraja. Nritta based dance of rhythmic movements of the head, arms and feet, Jatiswaram followed, where the dancer drew a visual picture of the sounds. As is the norm in a Arangetram performance, the Shabdam followed, where Ashka playing the role of a lover, pled to the lord to not fall in love with another woman. Interestingly, several Gods and Goddesses were portrayed through this dance including Brahma, Vishnu in all his Dasavatar forms, Goddess Saraswati and some others. It combined both the Nritta and Nritya aspects of Bharatnatyam. The Varnam, the longest, most important and demanding dance of the repertoire, “Main Giridhar ke ghar jaoon” was a Krishna Vandana performed effortlessly by Ashka with tremendous poise and grace, reflecting her long hours of practice. She portrayed Mira-
bai, who despite facing various obstacles as a queen, worships Lord Krishna through Shringar Bhakti and becomes one with God. A Kirtanam followed which was a eulogy to Tridev – Brahma Vishnu, Maheswara, the creator, sustainer and the destroyer respectively. Of special mention is the fact that Hinduism, the 3rd largest, oldest, polytheistic religion is in fact monotheistic since it believes in the oneness of the universal Brahman. Chief guest Congressman Randy Weber, accompanied by wife Brandy flew in from Washington DC just for the day of the event to grace the occasion. He lauded Ashka’s commitment, discipline and huge amount of training and commended her on her dance skills and hand gestures. He remarked that with such performances, the rich heritage of India was being woven into American culture. Arya Patel, brother of Ashka mentioned how Ashka proved to be his role model though she is younger. She maintained her academic excellence as she is enrolled in the WAVE program for gifted and talented students in school and also continued to play the violin in the school orchestra in spite of her rigorous dance training schedule. The Padam depicted the child Lord Krishna saving countless
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lives from drowning in the Yamuna river. Javeli was a beautiful narration in Gujarati, Pag Dhova Do Ne Raghurai from the epic Ramayana. It told the story of a devotee boatman and his feelings while carrying Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana across in his boat. They are all in the same profession in the sense that, while the boatman helps passengers cross the river, the Gods help mankind to cross Bhavsagar. The Tillana that ensued had a beautiful blend of grace and pace, with sculputuresque poses and the brisk footwork that a climactic number demands. The Mangalam, the concluding piece was a final salutation to God, the Guru and the audience expressing the dancer’s gratitude for their blessings and encouragement. Guru Dipti Dave and her team of musicians did an incredible job with the music. It was amazing to see how Guru Dipti Dave kept it all in the family, with herself on the Nattuvangam, husband Hemant Dave and celebrity daughter Mauli Dave on the vocals, son Dr. Omkar Dave on the Mridangam, son-in-law Mukul Majmudar as singer and on the keyboard, daughter-in-law Lopa Dave as stage coordinator and Damini Dave helped with the costume hair. The only 2 outsiders were Biplab Samadder on the violin and make-up
Ashka Patel showering rose petals.
artist Beth Hardin, and they were both excellent in their own right. Ashka was presented with her graduation certificate by Guru
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Dipti Dave. Ashka then came on to the stage followed by father Vipul Patel and they offered their vote of thanks. All in all, it was quite a memorable ceremony.
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YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER
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You cannot “directly” sue an insurance company
Richard M. Alderman Interim Dean of the Law Center
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT F-1 STUDENT VISA
Sharlene Sharmila Richards
Q: What is an F-1 visa?
Q. My husband has a small construction company. He recently did some remodeling work. While working, he fell and injured his foot. The homeowner won’t pay for his medical expenses. Can he sue the owner’s homeowner’s insurance company? A. First, whether a person has insurance does not change liability. Insurance simply pays claims that the insured person would have to pay. Second, if you feel someone is responsible and they refuse to pay, under Texas law you cannot directly sue his or her insurance company. You need to file a claim against the individual, who then brings the insurance company into the lawsuit. For example, if someone causes an automobile accident, the automobile insurance company will pay the mount of money that personowes. If the person who caused the accident refuses to pay the injured party would have no right to directly sue the insurance company. He or she would need to sue the person who caused the accident, and then the insurance company would pay on behalf of the person who caused the accident. The first question in your case is whether the homeowner is liable for your husband’s injuries? Based on what you say, is does not sounds like there is any legal basis for the homeowner to be liable for your husband’s injury. It sounds like you hus-
band simply had an accident while working at the house. Unless the owner was negligent or in some way caused your husband to fall, the homeowner has no liability. Because the homeowner has no responsibility, there is no basis to file a claim against the homeowner, and you have no right to directly sue the insurance company. This is why it is so important that we all have medical insurance to cover our medical bills when they are caused due to illness, disease or accident. Q. My daughter was having financial troubles after her divorce. To help her out, her ex-husband agreed to pay her car note. He paid for about six months and then stopped. The car was repossessed and sold and now my daughter owes over $12,000. Can she sue her ex for not paying as he promised? A. This question raises an interesting legal question. Under the law, not all promises are enforceable. A promise is enforceable when it is given in exchange for something. For example, if I say, “I promise to pay you $100 if you fix my car,” or, “if you will let me drive your car, I will pay half the car note,” the promise would be enforceable. On the other hand, a promise that is not given in exchange for anything is generally considered a promise to make a gift and is not enforceable. For example, if someone says, “because you did well in school last
semester, I promise to give you $100, “ or “I know you need money so I promise to give you $100 the first of next month,” the promise is not enforceable. Based on what you say, it sounds like her ex was just trying to help out and his promise was a promise to make a gift. If that is the case, the promise is not enforceable. Q. A short time ago I purchased a box of snacks. While I waseating the snack I pulled something out of the box that did not feel right. It was not popcorn, peanut, pretzel or a cracker; it was a caramel covered bone—no joke, not a hoax. I tried to contact the manufacturer but I have not received a response. What can I do? How much money should I be entitled to? Do I need a lawyer? A. In my opinion, your best remedy is to continue to try to contact the manufacturer, but to also return to the store where you purchase the product. The store that sells a product is also responsible when it contains a defect such as this. I don’t see any reason you should contact a lawyer. In my opinion, your damages are just the return of the purchase price or a new box of snacks. Fortunately, you were not injured and discovered the bone before you bit into it. As far as the law is concerned, the only loss you incurred was the price you paid for a defective box of snacks. This is not a situation that should involve a lawsuit.
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A: An F-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa which a foreign national obtains from the US Consulate abroad to enable him or her to pursue a full course of study at an academic institution or institution of higher learning in the United States. Q: My cousin who lives in Pakistan is interested in applying for an F-1 visa. What does she need to do in order to apply for this visa? A: To apply for the F-1 visa, she must first be admitted by an academic institution in the US which issues a SEVIS Form I-20 to her. She then applies for her nonimmigrant visa by submitting the appropriate nonimmigrant visa application (DS-160) and be prepared to submit the SEVIS Form I-20 to the consulate. She must also provide evidence that she has sufficient funds to cover her expenses and tuition for the academic program. In addition to that, she must show that she does intend to return to her home country after completion of the program (i.e. have nonimmigrant intent) and is English proficient unless she is applying to attend an ESL course. If the consular officer is satisfied with her application, she will be issued with the F-1 visa. Q: How do I go about obtaining SEVIS Form I-20 from the school I am interested in attending? A: The academic institution must first accept you into their program. Generally, you are accepted once you can show that you have the sufficient funds to cover living expenses and the tuition costs for at least the first year of your academic program. Most academic institutions which issue SEVIS Form I-20 have a DSO (Designated School Official) who can provide advice as to what is neces-
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sary for the institution to issue the SEVIS Form I-20. Please contact the school directly to inquire about this. Q: I arrived in the US as a B-2 Visitor and applied to change my status to F-1 student. The school issued my I-20 to begin the program in mid-January 2017. I applied for this change of status before my B-2 authorized stay had expired at end of January 2017. The case was processing and suddenly, I received a request for further evidence asking me for proof of having applied for extension of my B-2 status because according to USCIS, I needed to have done that. Please can you advise what I need to do about this situation? A: A change of status to F-1 from B-2 should be approvable as long as the applicant’s B-2 status at the time of filing was within 30 days of the program start date listed on the I-20. You may wish to point this out to them that your change of status request is approvable when filed. Here, USCIS is attempting to impose their new policy to apply to your case. USCIS updated their policy in April 2017 to now require an applicant who is changing from B-1/B-2 visitor status to F-1 status to file a separate I-539 ‘bridging’ application so that the B-2 status expires no later than 30 days before the program start date, including circumstances where the program start date had to be deferred to prevent the service record from canceling while the change of status application is still being adjudicated. In your case, your program may have to been deferred anyway because of the delay in USCIS processing which is through no fault of your own. So with that, you will need to file at least one more I-539 to extend your B-2 status for a further 6 months so as to bridge the gap in time between your present status expiry date (end of January 2017) and the 30 days
period before your deferred F-1 program start date. Depending on when your actual deferred program start date is and if there is a further gap of 30 days from the date of the first B-2 extension intended expiry date, you may have to file an additional I-539 to request for a further 6 months extension so that the requirement that the B-2 status expires no later than 30 days before the program start date is satisfied. For the response to the request for evidence, you will then need to submit the I-797 receipts as evidence that these I-539 applications to extend you B-2 status have been done. Q: My wife is on F-2 status. Can she work or study in the US? A: An F-2 status holder cannot work in the US unless he or she is has valid employment authorization. He or she is also not permitted to study full time or part time at an academic institution unless he or she is approved for a change of status to F-1, M-1 or J-1. Disclaimer: Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case. Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case.
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VOICE OF ASIA 7
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
FORT BEND VIEW
Sugar Land, Katy, Stafford, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg and Meadows Place
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
Tel: 713-774-5140
Families may begin applying online beginning Monday
F
ORT BEND ISD (August 1, 2017) - In preparation for the 2017-18 school year, Fort Bend ISD’s Child Nutrition Department is encouraging families to take advantage of the online process to complete the Free & Reduced Meal application. Families will not receive printed applications this year. “Patients who suffer an injury often go straight to the emergency room even when it’s clear they need an orthopedist,” said Dewan. “Then they have to make a second appointment to see us. This clinic will eliminate that first step and give patients a same-day option for orthopedic and musculoskeletal injuries. It will save patients time and money and ensure they are treated quickly and appropriately.” The walk-in clinic for orthopedic injuries will accept most forms of insurance, and no appointments are necessary. For more information on Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine at Sugar Land, go to houstonmethodist.org/orthopedics-sl or call 281.275.0555. Visit our Facebook page at fb.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.
Beginning Monday, August 7, 2017, families may complete an online application from any device with internet access at www.fortbendisd. heartlandapps.com. During the first 2 weeks of school, all households will receive a letter about eligibility benefits and how to apply. Families will need the following information available when completing the online application: • Student’s legal name (first and last), birth date, and assigned student ID number (if known) • Student’s school name • All household gross income and/or SNAP (formerly food stamps) or TANF eligibility determination group number EDG# (not Case #)’ • Last four digits of the parent’s/ guardian’s social security number
SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
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UGAR LAND – Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine at Sugar Land is expanding its walk-in orthopedic injury clinic services for residents of Fort Bend and surrounding areas who need to see an orthopedic specialist right away. As of August 1, the orthopedic injury clinic is open Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., inside Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine’s state-of-the-art patient care facility on Dr. Ashvin Dewan and patient. the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital campus, 16811 Southwest Frwy., thopedist right away,” said Ashvin Suite 200. K. Dewan, M.D., fellowship-trained The clinic will be staffed by ortho- orthopedic surgeon at Houston Methpedists, primary care sports medicine odist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine physicians and physician assistants at Sugar Land. “It’s not intended to who evaluate and treat patients suf- be an emergency room for issues that fering from acute orthopedic injuries go beyond orthopedics or an urgent such as sprains or strains, minor dis- care clinic for minor problems. It is locations, fractures or broken bones, designed to help us meet the needs sports injuries, torn ligaments, injured of patients whose injuries fall sometendons, painful or swollen joints or where in between those categories – possible concussions. However, in- and do so quickly and efficiently to juries covered under worker’s com- ensure they receive the proper care pensation plans or those suffered in right away. It improves our patients’ automobile accidents, as well as all access and avoids the busy emergency spine and back problems, will require room — all at the cost of a standard scheduling an appointment with a physician office visit.” physician. The board-certified orthopedists at Houston Methodist Orthopedics & “The walk-in clinic is ideal for patients of all ages who have suffered an Sports Medicine have full access to injury – maybe playing sports, work- the hospital’s top-quality imaging and ing out or just doing chores around diagnostic tools and casting/bracing the house – who need to see an or- will be available on-site if needed.
Apply now for FB school free/ reduced meal plan FBISD 2017 - 2018
Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine at Sugar Land plans new walk-in orthopedics injury clinic
www.voiceofasiaonline.com
Families who do not have internet access may: Visit their child’s school and complete the application on a school computer Visit FBISD’s Child Nutrition Department (555 Julie Rivers Drive, Sugar Land, TX 77478) for computer access. The department’s office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Request an application from their child’s campus Families have the ability to check their eligibility status online and print their eligibility letters by going to fortbendisd.schoollunchstatus.com and entering their application confirmation number or the student’s last name and student ID number. Eligibility letters will be sent to the email address on record at the school. Applicants who do not have a valid email address will receive their eligibility letters by mail. For more information regarding the Free and Reduced Price School Meals program, visit the FBISD Child Nutrition Department or call (281) 634-1855.
COMMUNITY
VOICE OF ASIA 8
Hindu Heritage Youth Camp led by dedicated counselors by Abhimanyu Aggarwal – Junior at University of Texas, Austin
Hindu Camp Directors Akash Dhingra and Namita Pallod
Hindu Heritage Youth Camp counselors Established in 1984, HHYC was founded with the goal of promoting Hindu dharma. However, the shared friendships and laughter play a big part in bringing these counselors back to camp every year, many of whom were campers themselves. When asked about his motivation behind returning to camp, third year counselor (and lifetime camper) Shyam Mishra said that it’s “the lifelong friendships I’ve formed and the chance to form new ones every year. You get to enjoy a week of home cooked meals, connect with people, play and strengthen your mind and body (through exercises and yoga) with kids that are the same age and have the same interests. Fun activities are planned and you’re learning about your culture and strengthening your identity. Behind all the relationships and fun, the founding goals have clearly not been forgotten. First time Director Namita Pallod, states her goal for the camp is for “kids to feel proud of their Hindu identity and instill them with curiosity about their own faith so they explore it further on their own, even after departing camp.” In a similar sentiment, Akash Dhingra, adds that he hopes the camp helps kids in “being united in peace with all of God’s creation” as it did for him. President Girish Naik stated that within four hours of opening the registration, over 400 campers registered. Several repeat campers could not register because of the high demand prompting “us to build a bigger Hindu camp site so we can ac-
commodate more campers” The lifelong relationships that the camp nurtures feeds into the goal of HHYC itself. The friendships that counselors form with campers builds a unique bond between the two and encourages campers to actively participate in daily 3 hour counselor-taught educations such as the 4 Yugas of Hinduism or learning about the Hindu Identity. The campers also form friendships among themselves and build a support system that understands and shares the Hindu American identity. For me, as for many others, attending camp allowed me to connect with others my age that shared my culture, as I grew up in a northern Houston suburb and was probably 1 of 2 Hindu kids at school. The camp continues to provide the platform to discuss and share experiences faced by Hindu American youth and facilitates the realization of being comfortable in your own skin, outside of camp. Namita Pallod speaks for all of us when she says “camp is truly home because that is where my family is.” Executing this vision requires a lot of help. Apart from 2 Directors and 50 Counselors, there are camp doctors who volunteer, “aunties” who graciously prepare meals and “uncles” who ensure that the kids are not having too much fun. Many community members generously sponsor the camp to ensure the fees are low and all necessary food and sup-
Sugar Land Branch Library To Demonstrate LanguageLearning Resource
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re you planning to visit a foreign country? Would you like to make yourself more marketable to an employer by being bilingual? Do you want to have an advantage on an international business trip by speaking the language of the country? Learning another language can have many benefits, and Fort Bend County Libraries’ “Transparent Language® Online” resource makes learning a new language easier than ever – and it’s free! The Adult Services staff at the Sugar Land Branch Library will demonstrate how to use the Transparent Language Online resource on Thursday, August 24, beginning at 10:15 am, in the Tech Center of the library, located at 550 Eldridge. The Transparent Languages resource offers online courses for people who would like to learn a new language. The database includes more than 80 languages – from Afrikaans to
John Healey announces that he will not seek re-election
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t’s a warm Sunday afternoon and the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp (HHYC) is in the midst of its weekly camp training meeting. Rohan Chaudhary, a third year counselor, is leading a group of 50 counselors in teaching “Ram, Ravan” – an activity that puts a twist on the game of tag while humorously incorporating the story of the Ramayana. Halfway through the game, the counselors cannot contain their laughter and the game is halted briefly so they can catch their breath.
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Zulu – as well as ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for non-English speaking people who would like to learn English. The English-language-assistance courses are available for people who speak Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Farsi, Hindi, Czech, Indonesian, Malay, Norwegian, Romanian, Swahili, Tagalog, Thai, Urdu, Russian, German, French, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Greek, Arabic, or Italian. By using the libraries’ subscription to the service, library patrons are able to have free access to a resource for which they would otherwise have to pay. The demonstration is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Sugar Land Branch Library at 281-238-2140, or the library system’s Public Information Office at 281-633-4734.
plies are obtained. As Akash Dhingra puts it “That’s the true beauty of this camp, we are all one family and we want to keep it living and growing for generations to come.” In recent years, HHYC has seen tremendous growth and it is disheartening to turn parents and children away as spots fill up quickly within days of opening. HHYC hopes to have its own campsite, which would help increase our capacity and grow our camp community. We hope that our community continues to support the mission of camp and invests in future generations in retaining their Vedic values.
n Friday afternoon, July 28, 2017, Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey announced to his staff that he will not be seeking re-election. Healey has been doing the job of District Attorney since November 18, 1992, and thereafter won election to six consecutive terms as District Attorney. Healey indicated to the somber assembly that he still very much enjoyed the challenges of being District Attorney and the he knew that could continue to be a positive influence on the Fort Bend County criminal justice system. He further mentioned that he felt comfortable in his decision to retire as of December 31, 2018, the end of his current term. “In the book of Ecclesiastes, we are told that “to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”; Healey noted that there was a season to work, and a season to turn from work. “I have no other plans than to spend more time in retirement with Theo, my wife of 39 years. Public service has come with the price of sacrificing too much family time. In addition to traveling together, we intend to visit with our brothers and sisters and their children and grandchildren. Having never had children of our own, it makes turning our attention to our extended family that much easier”, Healey commented. In addition to travelling,
ERRATUM Due to software setting, the title of the story on page 3 that was part Sanskrit read as “IkOnkaarand Japji Sahib: A Chinmaya summer
John Healey, FB District Attorney
Healey plans to continue to be active in the Exchange Club of Fort Bend. Healey would also like to become a mentor to children and a baseball coach, “if a non-profit organization and a youth baseball program will have me”, a smiling Healey told his staff. Healey’s tenure as District Attorney has been a reflection of the growth in Fort Bend County’s population, and the services expected by it. Healey inherited an office of sixteen prosecutors in 1992. Through Healey’s stewardship, sixty-four prosecutors now work for the County, many of whom specialize in delivering more expert service in the prosecution of
cases involving child abuse, domestic violence, narcotics and gangs, juvenile law, defendants with mental health issues, economic crimes, class A, B, and C misdemeanors, and appellate issues. “I’m proud of the difference that we have made to enhance the quality of life for our families, friends and neighbors”, Healey said. “The greatest adaptation to retirement will be missing the daily interaction with some of the most decent, hardworking and talented public servants in the great State of Texas. I am grateful to the public that has entrusted me with the privilege of serving them”.
meditative yajna’ instead of ‘Ik Onkaar and Japji Sahib: A Chinmaya summer meditative yajna.” The text in the body was also corrupt in a few places where the words were clamped together. We
are extremely sorry for not detecting it and would like our readers to go online www.voiceofasiaonline.com to read the corrected report. Editor.
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VOICE OF ASIA 9
India House electes its new Executive Committee Unanimously elected during the elections held at O.P. Jindal Center, India House, it welcomes their newest and confident Executive Committee led by Jugal Malani - President; Mohit Agrawal - VP Operations; Anil Aggarwal - VP Finance; Vikie Agrawal - Treasurer; Manu Gupta- Secretary; Rajinder SoniJoint Treasurer, Manish Jiten Agarwal, Ambassador of India Rungta-Immediate Past House. Photo Courtesy: Bijay Dixit. President and Sam Merchant, Council Chairman. In the first meeting OUSTON - India of the Executive Committee, House is delighted Jiten Agarwal was appointed with the election of as Ambassador of India House. their new Executive Committee, full of experience, energy The new Executive Comand vibrancy, that promises to mittee with highly qualified take India House to even great- individuals brings in vast exer heights.
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FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Kavya: Poetry in Motion On Saturday, August 19 at the MATCH at 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
perience to India House. As an accomplished businessman, Jugal Malani brings in his proactive and productive skills to the committee, along with Mohit’s effective business operation skills, Anil’s vast global experience and Vikie’s financial expertise; together they form an effective team. Bringing in their business acumen, planning and financial strategy Manu and Rajinder form an ideal support system. Manish’s experience and Jiten’s tech skills and market savviness will be helpful for the newly elected committee, Sam’s outreach will strengthen the organization. India House would like to thank their outgoing Executive Committee for an impressive tenure and for showcasing India House at the fore-front of community-building.
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ilambam Houston Dance Company is pleased to announce two shows of Kāvya: Poetry in Motion on Saturday, August 19 at the MATCH at 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
Sitting left to right: Manish Rungta, Mohit Agrawal, Jugal Malani, Manu Gupta, Rajinder Soni Standing, left to right: Sam Merchant, Vikie Agrawal, Anil Aggarwal. (Photo Credit: Bijay Dixit)
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez’s ..... Lecture’ on continued from Page 1 resources more effectively. Jails, he emphasized, are there to keep people who are a danger to society and not for those making a “mistake” or a
low level offence. Efforts are on to improve the criminal system and make it more “effective and compassionate.” The Sheriff also underscored the need for working with the
community to bring about closer ties and “fight crime.” The city, he stated, needs “more tools in the toolbox” but assured the gathering that Houston is still “a safe region.”
This original dance production celebrates the human experience in a beautiful confluence of global poetry, music, and dance. Kāvya: Poetry in Motion aims to convey that, across divisions of culture, language, and time, basic sentiments remain unchanged and unite the human race at its very core. Some of the themes explored in the production include new beginnings, wanderlust, bittersweet nostalgia, woman, loss, and inclusion. The production weaves together poetry ranging from 13th century Sufi works and
17th century Japanese Haiku to 19th and 21st century Gaelic, Estonian, Dutch, Spanish, Indian, and English literature, set to classical and contemporary music and interpreted through Indian classical and Western contemporary dance.
by Mahalakshmi Krishnan’s mellifluous voice and compositions. Revathi Sellapan, trained in Western classical and Eastern percussion, draws on her multicultural background as inspiration for her music.
This modern interpretation is conceptualized and choreographed by Dr. Lavanya Rajagopalan, Executive Artistic Director of Silambam Houston, with choreographic input from Silambam faculty member and Kathak dancer Kalpana Subbarao, and Odissi dancer Supradipta Datta, Artistic Director of Kalaangan. Acclaimed dancer with credits including Houston Grand Opera and NBC Chicago Emmies, Keith Cross, is a guest choreographer.
Fran Sanders, Artistic Director of Public Poetry, Auritro Majumder, Professor of English at University of Houston, and Varsha Saraiya-Shah, Houston-area writer whose work is featured in the production served as consultants on this project. Jacey Little, Artistic Director, Horse Head Theater Company, assisted with casting voice talents to bring the script to life.
Sandeep Kumrouth brings vast experience in creating music scapes, which are enhanced
Kāvya: Poetry in Motion is a family-friendly and deeply connective performance that will run approximately 65 minutes.
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VOICE OF ASIA 10
ASIE joins “Professional Engineers Day” celebrations held national and global by Dinesh D. Shah, PE, MBA, RAS, PTC
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ouston based American Society of Professional Engineers and Architects (ASIE), joins nationwide and around the world Professional Engineers Day or PE Day celebration on August 8, 2017. On this day, about 110 years ago, in 1907, the first professional engineering license was issued to Charles Bellamy in Wyoming. Since that time, licensure has expanded and professional engineers across the U.S. have made the commitment to protect the public by applying the knowledge of science and mathematics. The Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE), established in 1937, is celebrating 80 years of “Engineering a better Texas” with a mission to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of Texas by regulating and advancing the practice of engineering through licensure of qualified individuals, compliance with the laws and rules, and education about professional engineering. Currently, in Texas more than 60,000 licensed engineers offer engineering services in 27 engineering disciplines. Locally, in Greater Houston Area, with a population of 150,000 Indian-Americans, has created a large hub for the engineering community. Just about 35 years back, many Indian Engineers had come to Houston, and worked for largest engineering companies like Bechtel, Flour, formerly Brown & Root and
now KBR, and NASA’s Johnson Space Center. But many engineers became entrepreneurs by setting up different ventures, including those in manufacturing and energy and petrochemicals. The most successful story is of Durga Agrawal, who owns Piping Technology & Products, known as PT&P. He started his company in 1978 in a garage size space. The company specializes in a wide industrial product range, including pipe supports, pipe hangers, expansion joints and shock control devices and many more. PT & P has over 600 employees, its own research and development processes and has grown through acquisitions of Sweco Fab, US Bellows and few more. Similarly, there are many design engineering successful companies in Houston area owned by Indo-Americans. Many of them are long time Corporate members of ASIE, since its inception in 1994. Today ASIE has 40 Corporate Members and almost 300 members of Indian origin professionals. The membership is open to all Indian origin engineers, architects, and designers. ASIE remains focused on inspiring younger generations of Indian origin to become Engineers and Architects while supporting the working professionals in various branches of engineering and Architecture. Today, India is set to produce world’s largest number of engineers. During the year 2013, there were almost one million Indian Origin Scientist and Engineers working in USA, which is highest in Asian origin with a low scoring of
China and Philippines. Between 2007 and 2017, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reported that 318,670 applied for H-1B visa in architecture, engineering and surveying occupation category. About 80 % or majority were Indians and in the age of 25-34 years. There is an increase in the average salary also from $ 68,159 in 2007 to $ 92,317 in 2017. Today, ASIE plays an important role in engineering and architectural community. ASIE President Dinesh D. Shah in his congratulatory messages urges all professional engineers to help create awareness of the role of engineers in the growth and economy of the State of Texas. As a part of the celebration, Shah asked the question to few ASIE Members that Why I become a professional engineer? “Professional Engineer Licensure is the mark of a professional. Ethical standards, continuing education, and professional competency are expected. P.E. after you name indicates have reached a high level of competence in the field of engineering and can be respected as a professional and opens up countless opportunities,” says Chaitanya Gampa, a young professional engineer who works as an Associate / Project Manager with Huitt-Zollars. “Enhanced stature, higher levels of authority and responsibility! You are in charge of the engineering work! Growth in company!”, replies Madhu Kilambi, one of the principal of ARKK Engineers. Visit www.asiehouston.org
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Houston’s prominent businessman and community leader passes away the end and wanted his family to do the same. Khan was a doting father to his three daughters: Samar (22), Mehek (21), and Inaya (7) who is a special needs child with Down Syndrome. “It was during the counselling for our daughter Inaya that, we, together learnt a lot and got so close as husband and wife, which cannot be explained,” Mehreen Khan said in a distraught voice. Mehreen wanted to thank some of the Khans’ friends, particularly naming Arif Rehmatulla, Rizwan Mohiuddin, Bombaywala and Tasleem Siddequi for their unconditional support during their critical times. Khalid Khan Born: November 17. 1961 Died: July 29, 2017 by Shobana Muratee
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halid Khan, a well-known businessman and community leader of the Houston Pakistani-American community, passed away on July 29, 2017 at midnight after a year-long battle with cancer at the age of 55. “People did not know of his condition,” his wife Mehreen Khan said during a brief conversation over the phone, “because he didn’t want anyone to be worried.” Khan, she said, maintained a very positive attitude until
ASIE was established in 1994 and its membership include technical professionals of Indian origin in Engineering, Architecture, Sciences, Construction, and Information Technology in the Greater Houston Area. ASIE remains focused on inspiring younger generations of Indian origin to become Engineers and Architects while supporting the working professionals in various branches of engineering and Architecture. ASIE provides a forum for career advancement, business development, networking and voicing their opinions to impact public policies by interacting with governmental agencies. The membership is open to all Indian origin engineers, architects, and designers. Today, ASIE has 40 Corporate Members and almost 300 members Indian Origin Professionals. ASIE provide scholarships to Undergraduate and Graduate students of Indian origin in assisting them Unde and motivating them to pursue their future career goals of becoming an engineer or an architect. For members, ASIE Organizes multiple PDH seminars in topics related to engineers and architects for project management, project design, new product knowledge as well as field trips to local manufacturing facilities in addition to an ethics seminar by TBPE Outreach Program. The membership is open to all Indian origin engineers, architects, and designers. ASIE Upcoming Seminars: • Aug. 5 - Transform Yourself from Business Stress & Engineering VS. Human Body Parts • Aug 17 - Gatobar FRP Rebar • Sept. 7 - Ethics and Technical Seminar • Sept 21 Accessibility Design Standards • October – Panel Discussion • November – Student Scholarships, Awards to Senior Professional, and Holiday Event • December – General Body Meeting and Election The Proclamation on the left presented by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and copy provided by TBPE. Also read the article in this newspaper - Professional Engineers Day. For more information about ASIE Visit the website at www.asiehouston.org or Send us an email - asiehouston@gmail.com.
Khan was the owner of Capricorn Travel and a community activist who served as president of the PakistaniAmerican Association of Greater Houston in 2009. He also ran for position City Councilman for District F, where has been doing business for many years in the hope to make a difference by improving services to the community. Mr. Khan will be deeply missed by fellow members of the community apart from his family and friends. Khalid Khan is survived by his wife, Mehreen Khan, and have three beautiful daughters: Samar, Mahek and Inaya Khan. His funeral was held on July 29.
DIASPORA
VOICE OF ASIA 11
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Indian-American woman gets anti-child Has Donald Trump Settled abduction bill named after her in US Congress OP-ED
in the US Presidency?
by Chandra K. Mittal, Ph.D.
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ast week proved to be one of the most chaotic, tumultuous, and dysfunctional so far in the Presidency of Donald J. Trump. The week observed the most profane and unprofessional language from a senior-level public official, Mr. Anthony Scaramucci, the White House Communications Director, resignations of the White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus and his replacement by Gen. John Kelly, public shamming and humiliation of cabinet member Attorney General Jeff Sessions by President Trump for following the US laws, and defeat of the Republican Healthcare Bill in the US Senate despite Republican majority. All this made President trump look weak, shaky and not-in-control of affairs at the White House, seat of US government’s Executive branch. Unfortunately, as sad and exceptional as it might appear, past week indeed represented the continued adhocism, disorder and chaos that has reined in the White House during the entire six-month of Donald Trump’s presidency. It has been marked by reported infighting among various prominent White House functionaries to include Reince Preibus, Steve Bannon, Kellyane Convey, President’s daughter Ivanka Trump, sonin-law Jared Kushner, etc. to get President’s ear on national policy matters in place of experienced cabinet members, professionals, congressional leaders, and academics as has been the practice in the past. Short six-month term of President Trump has also seen an exceptionally high turnover of high-level personnel so far, including National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Press Secretary Sean Spicer, FBI Director James Comey, Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, US Attorney Preet Bharara, Communication Director Mike Dubke, etc. In addition, the President has either threatened or joked about firing UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Health & Human Services Secretary Tom Price. There are also media reports of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson having difference with the President that might compel him to quit Trump’s cabinet. And then, there is President himself who has been obsessed with direct communication with the public (indeed the world) via Twitter. There is almost no day when he does not put out Tweets that will create some confusion or controversy for his team on the policy front. His verbal statements on controversial national matters are also often abrasive and apolitical, which can be easily interpreted as naïve, impractical or even illegal. Complicating the Donald
Trump’s presidency since its inception is also the issue of potential Russian involvement and interference in the 2016 Presidential election. Perhaps, this is mother source of all the turmoil and chaos that has followed his term so far, as it is alleged that Trump campaign team got help from Russian government to win the US Presidency. Because of crucial political and national security implications of the Russian interference, the issue has become the centerpiece of several investigations by United States Congress and the US Department of Justice. Confluence of all the aforementioned factors have caused significant disruption, incoherence, instability in the normal functioning of the Executive branch, creating the public perception that President Donald Trump is really not in control of the institution of the US Presidency that has long legacy of more than two-hundred and forty years. This also feeds into the impression that he may not be quite able lead and fulfill the promise of America in the future. There are, however, some partisans who try to rationalize and/or justify the Executive Branch chaos and dysfunction, and minimize it in its significance. They say that Donald Trump, the business executive is used to working in somewhat “chaotic” manner by design. They also say, “let Trump be Trump”. But such voices ignore the fact that US Presidency is an institution to serve the cause of public interest, and not enhance the shareholder value in a business enterprise. The US President is a public servant not a King. So, Donald Trump has to defend the dignity, sanctity and prestige of the institution and office of the US President within the rule of law. Last week also witnessed the appointment of General John Kelly, a retired four-star General from US Marines, as the new White House Chief of White House, with the hope of bringing order and discipline there. Given the importance and centrality of the White House in national governance, it is essential that it runs in a disciplined and orderly manner. However, it will also require a change in the culture and habits of the present occupiers there, including the President, to make General Kelly’s job easier. If president Donald Trump is to achieve the goals for which he sought US Presidency, he will have to get complete control of the Executive Branch, have active and aggressive liaison with US Congress, and win the respect and trust of the public as a decent, kind and sophisticated leader. Only then President Donald Trump will find mention of significance in the history of US Presidents that stretches for more than two-hundred and forty years. Dr. Chandra Mittal is Professor at Houston Community College and Co-Founder of Indo-American Association (IAA). Contact: drckmittal@yahoo.com: Twitter: @ drchandramittal
London doctor of Indian origin charged with over 100 sexual offences LONDON | AFP | 8/2/2017 - A London doctor was on Wednesday charged with over 100 sexual offences, with a preteen child among the alleged victims, police announced. Manish Shah, 47, is accused of 118 crimes including one charge of sexual assault on a child under 13 years old. The doctor from the east London area of Romford was additionally charged with 65 counts of “assault by penetration” and 52 allegations of sexual assault, the Metropolitan
Police said. The force was unable to confirm whether the case was part of a wider investigation into sexual crimes. Britain’s National Health Service has set up a dedicated phone line for anyone “who may have concerns or questions” about the case to call. The location of the alleged assaults and the number of victims cannot be published due to reporting restrictions. Shah is due to appear in court on August 31.
by Garima Kapil
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RENTON, New Jersey - An Indian-American woman’s determined fight to get custody of her abducted twin sons from India has resulted in a bill named after her to be introduced in the US Congress, with financial repercussions for India if it does become law. The Republican representative from New Jersey, Chris Smith, author of the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (P.L 113-150), introduced a new bill in Congress on July 28, named after Bindu Philips who is fighting to regain custody of her twins abducted by her ex-husband. The bill “Bindu Philips and Devon Davenport International Child Abduction Return Act of 2017” is named after two parents – an Indian-American woman and Brazilian-American man. According to them, their children were abducted and taken to their respective countries and, despite US court orders, the two countries are not doing much to help them get their children back. The legislation seeks to repeal tariff benefits for countries who were found to be non-compliant in returning American children abducted and taken to another country by one parent. “Bindu Philips fought valiantly in India for over eight years for the return of her abducted twin sons, only to be given incessant delays in India’s courts and little support from the Obama Administration,” said Smith, Chair of the House panel on global human rights, in a statement. “Just recently, she was finally granted a short visit with her children in India, but the children’s father marred the time with harassment and monitoring, refusing to let the children and mother leave a hotel for seven days.” According to reports, Bindu Philips of Plainsboro, New Jersey, 46, went to India with her twin boys and her thenhusband in December 2008 on what was supposed to be a family vacation. She hasn’t seen them since.
Rep. Chris Smith (left) with Indian-American Bindu Philips (Photo courtesy: chrissmith.house.gov) In India, she said, she was abused by her husband, Sunii Jacobs, and family, and then separated from her sons. She was forced to return to the US empty-handed, according to nj.com. “Every day I awaken to the heart-wrenching reality that I’m separated from the children that I love more than anything in this world,” Philips told a US House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing more than two years ago. “I am here because I can no longer fight the good fight on my own.” Her sons, Albert and Alfred, are now 16 years old. In 2016, 629 American children were taken from the United States by one parent without the consent of the other, often in Bindu Philips and her twin sons (Photo: Facebook) direct violation of valid United States court orders, of no penalty for ripping their named as non-compliant in the United States criminal law and child from home and family in prompted resolutions of abducthe Hague Convention on the the United States. It is my hope tions would lose trade benefits Civil Aspects of International and expectation that this year, granted by the United States. Child Abduction. The Obama the State Department will begin The new legislation ensures Administration’s refusal to ap- to act more decisively on behalf that the loss of trade preferply sanctions against countries of American families so that ence would be automatic and that fail to return abducted chil- more children come home.” not dependent on the Executive dren has led to a rate of return The new bill amends the Gen- Branch applying sanctions. of only 16%. Abducted children in a foreralised System of Preferences, “For years, the US govern- a trade programme designed to eign country are often blocked ment response to abductions promote economic growth in from any contact with the has been an engraved invitation the developing world through American parent, losing half of to abductors,” said Smith. “Ab- the duty-free entry for some their family and heritage, said ductors have an 84% chance products so that any country Smith. (-Connected to India)
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VOICE OF ASIA 12
Spectacular Sri Krishna Janmashtami 2017 Hosted by Hindus of Greater Houston & ISKCON of Houston on Tues., Aug. 15th
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Karun Sreerama steps down as Houston’s ..... Continued from Page 1
Janmashtami: Costume contest group Houston, TX. – Hindus of Greater Houston(HGH)& ISKCON celebrate this year’s auspicious Krishna Janmashtami (birthday of Lord Krishna) at ISKCON’s temple at 1320 West 34th St., Houston, on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 from 6pm till midnight. For the first time in years the HGH-sponsored event will be held at a venue other than the George Brown Convention Center bringing the best from 28 years of celebration from HGH and 39 years for ISKCON. The premiere communitywide festival—observed on the actual divine astrological evening—is free and open to all, a perfect event to invite neighbors and colleagues to showcase the rich Hindu culture which contributes to Houston’s diversity. The evening runs on two simultaneous tracks: cultural programs in the Gauranga Community Hall, and continuous kirtan (chanting of the Holy Names of God in calland-response fashion) in the temple. In the temple, traditionally decorated with a multitude of fresh flowers, will be kirtan, spectacular darshan (audience) of the Lord, 3 aratis (worship ceremonies) at 7:00, 9:00 & midnight, and a discourse on the importance of Janmashtami. A special attraction will be Gau-puja—honoring Mangala, the cow—recently acquired and cared for by ISKCON, demonstrating Hindus’ reverence for all life. The cow is particularly revered as a mother, since she supplies sustenance in the early years of one’s life. The cultural festivities commence with a children’s costume contest, followed by Odissi dance, a fusion number by Gaura Klein & friends, and a drama by ISKCON youth. “The joint celebration of its signature event Janmashtami with ISKCON clearly demonstrates Hindus of Greater Houston’s commitment to its motto of “Bringing Hindus together”. We are confident that multitudes of Houston Hindus will gather at the temple to rejoice at this sacred occasion,” says Partha Krishnaswamy, President of HGH. “Serving on the advisory board of the both HGH and ISKCON, I feel very fortunate to be able serve on this initiative for the greater good of not only these two organizations but for Houstonians at large ,” says Dr Hansa Medley. There will be opportunities to perform abhishek (ceremonial bathing of the Deity), jhulan (swinging the Lord), guided mantra meditation around the sacred basil (tulsi) plant,
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anointing with tilak (sacred clay) and children’s activities. Vendors will offer literature & other items. Nila Madhava’s Boutique in the temple building offers Indian musical instruments & CDs, art, clothing, jewelry, books & a variety of snacks.
Although the delicious free vegetarian dinner is always a crowd favorite, attendees also have the option to dine at Govinda’s, ISKCON’s popular new vegetarian restaurant, right on the temple property. Parking is not available at the temple. Free and convenient parking and shuttle service will be available
from Northwest Mall. Please visit www.hindusofhouston.org or www.iskconhouston.org/janmastami For further information, please contact Vijay Pallod at 713-562-1920.
“I am paying the price for doing a good deed,” Sreerama said. “I never made any unlawful payments,” he said. “What I did do was I assisted the FBI catch a criminal, catch a crooked official and bring him to jail.” In the May 15 arraignment, federal prosecutor Andrew Leuchtmann outlined how Oliver began taking money from Karun Sreerama. At the time, Sreerama was the owner of ESPA Corp., a company that provided engineering and consulting services to HCC. In one of those encounters, Oliver told Sreerama he could make him a millionaire, according to the federal prosecutor. According to court records released Thursday, Sreerama began working with the FBI in 2015 to catch Oliver red-handed. (The payments he made to Oliver in 2010 to 2013 were not while he
worked with law enforcement.) The FBI had given him a wire and the $12,000, which he would pay Oliver in small sums each month while pretending to be gunning for certain contracts with HCC that Oliver promised to help him win, particularly a pestcontrol contract. “I am not a bad person. I didn’t do anything wrong,” Sreerama said. “The FBI will tell you, if it was not for me, this person would still be out there.” Sreerama sold his business in 2012. The last contract he got with the company was before that, he said. Karun Sreerama was named in the case as a victim of Oliver’s and his attorney maintains Sreerama fully cooperated with law enforcement. “I hope you go out there, I wish you go out there and set the record straight, and tell the people that I am not a bad person,” Sreerama said, making an appeal directly to reporters.
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
voiceofasiaonline.com Section 2
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Bitcoin dispute Houston energy, business results in split-coin leaders oppose Bathroom Bill
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ARIS, France | AFP | Tuesday 8/1/2017 - A dispute among developers of virtual currency Bitcoin gave birth Tuesday to a new version of the crypto coin after they failed to agree on software changes.
currency break away and create a new variant -- Bitcoin Cash. Bitcoin’s value has been extremely volatile but recent months have seen the peer-to-peer traded virtual commodity close in on the $3,000 mark.
by Jenny Jarvie n a significant blow to Texas cultural conservatives, some of the nation’s most powerful oil and gas companies on Monday joined the chorus of business voices opposing Republican lawmakers’ contentious “bathroom bill” targeting transgender people.
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Leaders of more than 50 Houstonbased businesses, including BP America, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell and Halliburton, signed a letter to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott urging him not to sign a so-called bathroom bill that would harm their ability to attract and retain talent from around the world.
Bitcoin, which is created or “mined” from computer code and not regulated or backed by nation’s central bank, can be used to pay for a variety of products and services online and increasingly in real shops. Miners run a digital ledger, known as the blockchain, which keeps a theoretically unhackable record of transactions. But some developers have grown impatient with the original technical protocols for the currency since its 2009 launch that limit the number of transactions. Tuesday saw a group backing a new protocol allowing for an increase in the volume of transactions that can be processed by the increasingly popular
Following Tuesday’s announcement its market value was almost unchanged at $2,775.03 (2,347.37) according to data compiled by Bloomberg, which collates readings from the crypto unit’s largest exchanges. That compares to an all-time high on June 12 of $2,999.97 -- that equating to a 222 percent rise on the start of the year. By contrast the new unit was trading on the futures market at around $300. Among a flood of other virtual coins to come into being in recent years are ethereum, launched in July 2015, and zcash, launched last October.
Vietnam targets 16 bankers in latest crackdown
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ANOI, Vietnam | AFP | Tuesday 8/1/2017 - Vietnam issued arrest warrants for 14 bankers and took two more into custody on Tuesday after accusing them of causing losses totalling hundreds of millions of dollars in the scandaltainted sector.
The communist Lack ofgovernment speech has is a been on the warpath against wrongdoers in an industry plagued by favouritism and dodgy loans -- part of
a broader drive against corruption in the country. A total of 16 people from various private and government-owned banks are accused of deliberate misconduct, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said on its website without elaborating.
“We support diversity and inclusion, and we believe that any such bill risks harming Texas’ reputation and impacting the state’s economic growth and ability to create new jobs,” they wrote in a letter organized by the Greater Houston Partnership, an economic development group serving the Houston metropolitan area. “Any bill that harms our ability to attract top talent to Houston will inhibit our growth and continued success — and ultimately the success of our great state.” The state’s staunchly conservative Senate passed controversial legislation, Senate Bill 3, last week. It would restrict access to bathrooms, showers and changing facilities in government buildings and public schools based on the sex listed on a person’s birth certificate. It would also ban cities, counties and schools from adopting nondiscrim-
ination ordinances that allow transgender people to use public restrooms of their choice or participate in athletic events that match their gender identity. The legislation faces an uphill battle in the House, where Speaker Joe Straus, a centrist Republican, has signaled he has little interest in passing a bill he deems unnecessary and discriminatory.
Already, a string of Fortune 500 corporations, including AT&T, American Airlines, Facebook and Apple, has condemned the legislation. But companies such as ExxonMobil and Halliburton — more traditionally associated with conservative values— have more clout in the state’s Republican circles.
Patrick into a corner, Jones said. Ultimately, he said, the letter from the oil Jacob Sanchez “This is one more nail in the bath- companies might be read as a warning the governor not to call a second speroom bill’s coffin,” said Mark Diagnosed Jones, a withtoautism cial session if the House failed to pass a fellow in political science at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Pol- bathroom bill. icy. “What we have here are not only a “This isn’t Facebook or Apple, which group of very powerful and important many Texas Republicans would see companies, but energy companies that as tied to the global elite that comes are generally assumed to be among the from the coasts of California and New most reliable allies of the Republican York,” he said. “They can’t dismiss this Party. They generally don’t get in- as the Austin tech industry. Republican volved in these types of fights, and here primary voters aren’t going to dismiss they are sending a shot across the bow complaints by Halliburton as simply that this legislation is bad for business.” the coastal elite trying to impose their Abbott included a bathroom bill on cultural values on us.” (-Los Angeles Times)
punished.
The group “deliberately violated state regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences”, MPS said.
In September last year 36 former Vietnam Construction Bank employees were given jail terms of up to 30 years, after they were accused of secretly withdrawing millions of dollars from clients’ accounts to use for loans or keep for themselves. Vietnam has achieved several years of solid economic growth of five percent or higher, making it one of the best performing economies in Southeast Asia.
Be is the former bank deputy chairman and belongs to one of Vietnam’s richest families, who earned much of its fortune in logging, real estate, But soaring public debts, bloated farmingat and jewelry. state-owned enterprises and rampant sign of autism. Learn the others autismspeaks.org/signs. The bankers allegedly colluded Khang was CEO from 2012 until he official corruption have threatened with the private Vietnam Construction progress. Bank to skirt the law to secure mil- was sacked last month along with Be. Several high-profile bankers are curlions in loans, causing $660 million in Several people have already been
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Opposition from a slew of Texas companies would help Straus block the law and push Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan
“I’m disgusted by all this,” Straus told New Yorker magazine in a recent interview. “Tell the lieutenant governor I don’t want the suicide of a single Texan on my hands.”
losses, state media reported.
The two most senior bankers named are Tram Be and Phan Huy Khang from Sacombank, one of the country’s leading private banks. Both were arrested Tuesday.
his list of conservative priorities when he called lawmakers back to Austin this month for a special session.
rently awaiting trial or serving lengthy prison terms. Authorities have also targeted other sectors in their anti-corruption drive. Former state oil executive Trinh Xuan Thanh handed himself into police Monday after an 11-month manhunt. Also on Monday officials proposed that deputy trade minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa be stripped of her post for suspected wrongdoing at a state-owned lamp factory. Despite Vietnam’s vow to crack down on corruption, analysts have said prosecutions and punishments are often spurred by political infighting rather than a genuine commitment to reform.
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LIFESTYLE
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India blesses its snakes as charmers face the venom of modern life
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Puppet float for Festival
by Sanjay Kanojia
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LLAHABAD, India | AFP Officially the snake charmers’ profession is banned in India, but its devotees were at the centre of prayers and milk blessings offered to cobras and other deadly serpents in an annual tribute Friday. The country’s 800,000 charmers and their young apprentices come to the fore each year for the centuries-old Nag Panchami festival, celebrated in honour of a serpent god prominent in Hindu mythology. Children sat cross legged at temples in Allahabad and other cities around the country with elongated cobras and pythons wrapped around their necks. Many play with the snakes as though they are toys -- in traditional snake charmer villages, like Kapari in Uttar Pradesh state, children are taught the art from a young age to avoid fear. Milk -- a traditional tribute -- is poured on the snakes’ faces, as the charmers play music. Rice and flowers are also offered to the reptiles.
The Takayama Spring Festival celebrates the beginning of spring with the festival featuring a beautiful karakuri (puppets) performance, mikoshi procession and festival floats. The man is prepping one of 12 floats with lanterns for the procession as the sun set over the city. (Photo: Rosanna U.)
The charmers who pretend to hypnotise their animals for tourists outside monuments and in the streets say they earn as little as 200 rupees ($3) a day -- not enough to keep their family, or feed their snakes.
Malaysia sparks anger with ban on moderate Islam book
In doing so, they are risking arrest. The practice was banned under wildlife legislation implemented in 2002. Animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has called for an end to the “cruel” practice. PETA says snakes are captured in suffocating bags, kept in tiny boxes and forced to drink milk. The group says snakes’ fangs are often violently torn out, and many snakes’ mouths are sewn shut to avoid
Photo: Ravi Patel) bites. But while authorities have tried to discourage the shows, the charmers say it is impossible to completely stop them.
“There is nothing else for us to do,” said Vikas Penna, a charmer in his 30s. “What do you want me to do, become a rickshaw driver?”
Ancient statue unearthed at Cambodia’s Angkor complex
The book, “Breaking The Silence: Voices Of Moderation -- Islam In A Constitutional Democracy”, is a collection of essays whose publication was organised by a group of prominent Muslim Malaysians pushing a more tolerant form of Islam. The ban, signed by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said that printing or possessing the book was “likely to be prejudicial to public order” and “likely to alarm public opinion”.
HNOM PENH, Cambodia | AFP - Archaeologists have unearthed a large, centuriesold statue that is believed to have once stood guard over an ancient hospital at Cambodia’s world-famous Angkor temple complex.
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Anyone breaching the ban on the book -- which was published in neighbouring Singapore -- can be jailed for up to three years.
The nearly two-metre-tall artwork, which is thought to date from the late 12th to the early 13th century, was discovered during a dig on Saturday, said Long Kosal, a spokesman for Apsara Authority -- the state agency charged with managing the complex.
Malaysia routinely bans books, movies and songs that may contain sensitive material regarding religion or sex, but critics say the government has been clamping down harder in recent times.
The new find is the most significant statue discovery at Angkor since two giant Buddha carvings were unearthed in 2011, he added. The Angkor Archeological Park, a world heritage site, contains the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, dating from the 9th to the 15th centuries, and is Cambodia’s most popular tourist destination.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia | AFP | Tuesday 8/1/2017 - Activists and authors in Muslim-majority Malaysia reacted with outrage Tuesday after authorities banned a book aimed at promoting moderate Islam, as concerns mount about growing conservatism.
Archaeologists excavating a site at Cambodia’s sprawling Angkor Wat temple complex have unearthed a massive statue (Photo: AFP)
At the height of its power the city and its hundreds of temples boasted more than a million inhabitants, making it one of the world’s most populous pre-industrial centres. Huge swathes of the park have been excavated over the decades, creating a walkable ar-
Archaeologists every year discover fresh data on the remarkable site. New recent research based on aerial laser scans has confirmed the existence of Mahendraparvata, an ancient temple city near Angkor Wat that has barely been excavated. Updated scans published last year have un-
The book was the brainchild of a group of high-ranking former civil servants and diplomats known as the “G25” -- for the number of its founding members -- which was formed to push back against intolerance, and some of the essays were written by its members. Chandra Muzaffar, one of the au-
thors featured in the collection, said the ban showed the government’s “authoritarian approach to Islam”. “It’s a collection of essays which is intended to show that extremists and bigoted thinking on matters pertaining to the practice of Islam in the country should be combated in an intellectual manner,” he told AFP. Marina Mahathir, a rights activist and daughter of former long-serving premier Mahathir Mohamad, said the ban -- signed last week -- was aimed at silencing government critics. “It is about silencing anybody who has a different view,” she said.
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Photo: YouTube chaeological wonder that attracts more than two million visitors a year. But the complex continues to yield new finds. Cambodian archaeologists and experts from Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies found the statue buried 40 centimetres (16 inches) underground during an excavation of an Angkor-era hospital built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. The Apsara agency said the sandstone statue’s arms and legs had broken off but the carving on the body and head remain beautiful despite the passage of time. They said the statue was likely to have been a symbolic guardian of the hospital. Visitors to the Angkor complex encounter a dizzying array of temples, the earlier ones from when Hinduism was the dominant religion of the Khmer Empire and later ones after Buddhism had taken hold.
covered iron smelting sites and complex waterways as well as temple foundations that are still to be explored. The same year archaeologists also uncovered the remains of a 42-foot-long boat from the Angkor era which had been carved from a single tree trunk. Archaeologists are particularly excited by the discovery of Mahendraparvata because they believe much of what remains of the jungle-covered ancient city has not been looted. During French colonial rule and the brutal Khmer Rouge regime (1975-79) many of Cambodia’s most priceless statues and archaeological treasures were looted, including those from Angkor. The Cambodian government has spent years trying to trace the missing items, some of which have since been returned from museums in Europe and the United States.
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FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
New York’s 9/11 museum draws 10 million visitors
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EW YORK CITY | AFP - New York’s museum dedicated to the Al-Qaeda attacks of September 11, 2001 has drawn more than 10 million visitors in just over three years, staff said Friday. The museum, which opened on the World Trade Center site in May 2014, averages 9,000 visitors a day, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum announced. The accompanying memorial in an outdoor public plaza has been visited by more than 33 million people since opening in September 2011, it added. “Reaching this monumental milestone demonstrates the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s commitment to providing an educational and meaningful experience for thousands of people every
day,” said board chairman and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg. Americans from all 50 US states have visited, together with people from more than 160 countries -- primarily Britain, Germany, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Spain and Australia. The memorial, which consists of two reflecting pools in the footprints of the original Twin Towers, and the museum honor the 2,983 people who were killed in the 2001 attacks and the February 26, 1993 World Trade Center bombing. More than 2,750 people were killed in 2001 when two passenger jets destroyed the Twin Towers, the symbol of New York’s financial wealth and confidence. The remains of only 1,640 people have been identified.
A monsoon state of mind: Kerala plays the perfect host during this season by Priyadershini S.
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n his popular travelogue Chasing the Monsoon,Alexander Frater writes: “In Thiruvananthapuram, you actually see this entity coming. At least 40-50 people make a chain, holding hands and welcoming the monsoon! It is sent to nourish India. The sheer joy of watching the advancing monsoon! It is an event.”
Monsoon tourism is an offshoot of a successful tourism campaign that began in 1992. In a master-stroke, Kerala packaged the scenic charm of its land — a criss-cross of backwaters, smooth hills, valleys, forests rich with wild life, deep beaches — and opened wide its doors to the world. It offered these hitherto unseen parts as one from ‘God’s Own Country’. A catchy tag line, it caught the imagination, especially, of the western world, bringing travellers from faraway countries to these shores. Kerala became one of the top destinations in the world. Since then, season after season, from October to April, guests came and returned before the onset of the rains.
Setting up your own home garden
But things changed with smart packaging of the beauty of the rains in God’s Own Country. What seemed a wet blanket so far, the monsoons, was recast as an unmissable experience. Traditionally, monsoon is also Karikkadam, a time for internal detoxification and rejuvenation, a time for Ayurveda. The beauty of the rains, the dropping of temperature, the intake of medicinal cuisine and a time to cut off from the routine could be sold as a package to attract travellers. And it has paid off.
T
here are a few important things that need to be understood about plants ‑ that every plant has a life cycle, which includes a flowering period and a hibernation period, a down time for it. But the good thing about Bengaluru is that almost everything grows here except for a few plants like tulips etc. There are a lot of native plants that flourish very well here. It is ideal to consider beginning with a mix of fruits, vegetables and flowers, of course, based on personal choices, space and time for maintenance. Considering the landscape of the city, there as some options: the open terrace or balcony gardens of apartment complexes and homes designed to have terraces. And the second being the ground based gardens, common to standalone homes in older residential localities and plotted developments. What you grow begins with what facilities you have. “I decided what to grow based on the amount of sunlight on my terrace, which was quite a lot as it was a fully open one,” says Aparna George, a homemaker and nurturer of a fairly large edible garden. “As mine was mainly a terrace garden, the few ornamentals I had were flowers (some for pest control like marigold) and some succulents.”
She points out that the main thing to take care of is the water drainage, and generally, nothing special needs to be done when growing in pots, as the usual waterproofing for a terrace is sufficient in that case. But if you are finicky about keeping the ground clean, then you can plan platform structures for the plants. When it came to planning a ground-based garden around her home in Marathahalli, Monika Manchanda, a food consultant and blogger had two spaces to work with - the backyard and the front area. “I typically use the backyard and the sides for vegetables and the front area for ornamental plants. Sometimes, it also depends on which area gets more sun. For example, I have a pepper creeper that I planted right in front of my house since I needed the support of the wall and a mix of sun and shade to grow,” she explains. (-Ruth Prabhu, Deccan Herald)
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Suresh Mathews, who introduced Kerala Monsoon Packages seven years ago, in his itinerary for holidayers, says monsoons are the most beautiful time to be in the State. He lists out three top spots: Athirappilly waterfalls, the hills of Munnar and the houseboat cruise in Vembanad lake, as
Riyadh, have been coming down to Kerala “only to experience the rains” for the last eight years. In their latest report, Monsoon 2017, the Green Season of India, Australian travel agency, Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), announced an overall increase of 41% in monsoon tourism, that includes
The entity that Frater describes so eloquently is the magnificent landfall of the South West monsoon. This aweinspiring spectacle was offered to the world only 10 years ago when Kerala Tourism packaged the beauty of the rainy season, now monsoon tourism, throwing open an entirely new panorama for holidayers. Since then, the drama of the clouds and the rain, the dance of the drizzle and the downpour, have been attracting travellers, if only, to savour the intense beauty of this natural phenomenon.
The September 11 Museum in New York, which features exhibits such as the last pillar to stand at Ground Zero, receives an average of 9,000 visitors a day (Photo: AFP)
VOICE OF ASIA 15
From watching the rains advance to soaking in the greenery with elephants, Kerala plays the perfect host during this season (Photo: Priyadershini S.) most preferred rain-time experiences. The Athirappilly waterfalls, called the Niagara of India, two hours away from Kochi, he says, is most popular, with the river cascading around rocks and falling in three plumes. The falls attract visitors round the year, but during the monsoons, from June to September, they acquire an ineffable beauty — falling rains on falling waters. “Standing above the waterfalls, or below them, you get a fine spray on you. It is quite simply an unforgettable experience,” he says. “How many people have seen the beauty of such rains?” asks Shakzil Khan, a tour guide, who says that West Asian holidayers book themselves in hotels for the entire season just to experience the rains. “They are not frustrated that they cannot venture out, as on a bright sunny day. They just want to see and feel the rains.” A walk in the rain is all that his clients desire, says Jihad Hussain, MD, Gateway Malabar, a travel company that receives a steady group of travellers to soak in the beauty of the season. His guest, Abu Sami and family from
30% of domestic tourists. Principal Secretary of Kerala Tourism, V Venu, is pleased that the monsoons have caught the fancy of the holidayer, the most conspicuous among them being the Arab. Despite a slowdown in arrivals due to factors outside tourism, June 2015 had a footfall of over eight lakh, that went up by another lakh in 2016. Noticing the popularity of Wayanad as a monsoon destination, Kerala Tourism started Splash, a monsoon carnival, last year. The festivities combine outdoor activities like mud football, bamboo rafting, monsoon cycle splash and cultural activities. Sejoe Jose, MD, Marvel Tours, says monsoon is also low season, when compared to the months from October to March. To counter the off season, hotels offer attractive deals that draw travellers. “We get honeymooners and domestic tourists. West Asia is a new market and a strong one, but what ties all these different markets and holidayers, at this time, is definitely the charm and beauty of the rains in Kerala. It is one of its kind.” (Report: The Hindu)
VOICE OF ASIA 16
Young Life
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Section 2 Email: voiceasia@aol.com
Talented Hong Kongbased violinist has many bows to her string Violinist Yao Jue considers herself to be Hongkonger after spending more time in city than her native Shanghai; she is also married to son of late Chinese negotiator Lu Ping by Oliver Chau
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ith her performance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China, Yao Jue set a record as the only violinist to play for three Chinese presidents in Hong Kong.
after having lived here longer than in native Shanghai or as a student in the United States. “Hong Kong is my home where I started my family and career. For that I am grateful and feel obliged to do something in return,” she says.
up additional roles as a school principal, music director, arts institution board member and mother of two, has her own observations and advice for Hong Kong. Mainland China’s phenomenal growth means the country
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rom shopping for school supplies to lunch meal prep, getting ready for the first day of school can be overwhelming. To help relieve some of the stress, the discount experts at Dollar General are offering a few money and time-saving tips. Start with the Supply List When deciding what school supplies to purchase for the new school year, start with the list provided by the student’s teacher. Begin attacking the list by determining what is reusable from the last school year. Some states offer tax-free incentive weekends or periods, so check before purchasing the remaining supplies, for additional backto-school savings. New Year, New Style Purchasing new clothes can be an additional back-toschool expense that doesn’t have to break the bank. Just like some school supplies, many clothes from the last school year can be reused. Consider donating gently used clothes to a local charity and purchasing new ones, by shopping out-of-season to
Photo credit: (c) Brocreative - Fotolia.com take full advantage of clearance sales. Lunch Prep Made Easy Preparing lunch and snacks for students can be time consuming. Instead, spend more time with family by setting aside one day each week to prepare meals for the week ahead. For quick and easy lunchtime recipes, check out free online resources like Dollar General Easy Meals. Discounts and Deals For additional savings on back-to-school items and
clothes, discover if your favorite stores offer digital coupons and in-store discounts. For example, Dollar General Digital Coupons allow customers to save both in-stores and online. You can download Dollar General Digital Coupons and upload coupons through the online account or the Dollar General coupon app. Back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a few easy strategies, families are sure to have a smooth transition at the start of the new school year. (-Source: StatePoint)
Yao Jue has played violin for three Chinese presidents in Hong Kong, most recently Xi Jinping. (Photo: David Wong) A resident of Hong Kong since the handover, Yao played in the presence of Jiang Zemin in 1997, Hu Jintao in 2012 and, on June 30 this year, Xi Jinping – all at official anniversary functions. Though a member of the Shanghai People’s Political Consultative Conference, the Juilliard-educated violinist considers herself a Hongkonger
She was referring to her marriage to Lu Gong, son of the late director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Lu Ping, who was heavily involved in Hong Kong’s transition arrangements, and their wedding banquet in the city just a week after the 1997 handover. As the city reflects on its past 20 years as a special administrative region, Yao, having picked
is fast catching up economically with Hong Kong, but Yao continues to see the city’s strengths, such as the institutional mechanism in place for charities and arts bodies, which she has introduced to Shanghai over the years. During my student days in America, when I was unsuccessful, I would not complain or find something to blame. That
Indian court rejects abortion for 10-year-old rape victim
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ndia’s Supreme Court has refused to allow an abortion for a 10-year-old girl, allegedly raped by her uncle, on the grounds that she is too far into her pregnancy. A doctors’ panel told the court that, at 32 weeks, termination of the pregnancy would be “too risky”. Her pregnancy was discovered two weeks ago when she complained of stomach ache and her parents took her to hospital. A lower court had earlier turned down her plea on similar grounds. Without disclosing the details of the medical report, the judges on Friday ruled that termination was “not good for the girl”. They have asked the government-run Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research hospital in the northern city of Chandigarh to ensure that proper medical care is provided to her. The top court has also suggested that the Indian government set up a permanent medical board in each state to take prompt decisions in such cases. On Monday, the Supreme Court had ordered doctors to evaluate whether the girl could undergo abortion safely. The court order came after lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava filed a public interest petition saying doctors who had already
would not have done me any good. Instead I looked for solutions. I had only US$45 when I arrived in America, and we poor Chinese were looked down upon by others. With the country getting strong, I can walk with my head held high. That’s why I feel very proud to be Chinese. Maybe Hong Kong people did not go through the same emotions from having nothing to something as we did. That’s perhaps the fundamental difference between us. (-South China Morning News)
Air France unveils Joon - the ‘millenials’ airline
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ARIS, France | AFP Air France on Thursday unveiled a new lowercost subsidiary called Joon that will specifically target welltravelled millenials. A new medium-haul ser-
examined the girl found her pelvic bones had not fully developed because of her age and the life of both mother and baby were at “very serious risk”.
The name was chosen “to illustrate a positive state of mind”, it added. Joon is aimed at helping Air France compete with the increasingly intense competition from budget European carriers such as Easyjet and Gulf airlines such as Emirates.
The girl belongs to an extremely poor family, her father is a government employee and mother works as a domestic helper. The girl alleges she was raped several times in the past seven months by her uncle, who has been arrested.
Indian law does not allow terminations after 20 weeks unless doctors confirm the mother’s life is in danger. - The scale of abuse in India A child under 16 is raped every 155 minutes, a child under 10 every 13 hours More than 10,000 children were raped in 2015 240 million women living in India were married before they turned 18 53.22% of children who participated in a government study
The French carrier unveiled details of its new service after resolving a lengthy dispute between the management and pilots over the establishment of the subsidiary. Joon is “especially aimed at a young working clientele, the millennials (18 to 35 yearolds), whose lifestyles revolve around digital technology”, Air France said in a statement, without elaborating on what new technology would be deployed.
“Medical experts have categorically opined that if the 10-year-old is forced to give birth, either through normal delivery or even through caesarean-section, it may be fatal to the life of the rape survivor as well as to her child,” the petition said.
Her pregnancy was only recently discovered because she herself was unaware of her condition.
vice will begin operating from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris later this year, with longhaul flights to follow in summer 2018.
reported some form of sexual abuse
undergoing foetal gender testing.
50% of abusers are known to the child or are “persons in trust and care-givers” (Sources: Indian government, Unicef)
In recent years, Indian courts have received several petitions, many from child rape survivors, seeking to terminate pregnancies after 20 weeks, the BBC’s Geeta Pandey in Delhi says.
The tough law against abortion was introduced in 1971 to prevent illegal and unsafe abortions and curb maternal mortality. The restrictions remain an important weapon in India’s fight against a skewed gender ratio which has resulted from a deep-seated cultural preference for sons. Millions of female foetuses have been aborted over the years by pregnant women after
In most such cases, the pregnancy is not even discovered until after the 20-week period is over because the children are themselves unaware of their condition, our correspondent adds. In May, a court in Haryana state asked medical experts to comment on a similar plea and a panel of doctors decided to carry out a termination.
Medical experts say girls can start menstruating and ovulating at nine, but their bodies are not mature enough for pregnancy at that age. India is home to the largest number of sexually abused children globally, with some campaigners saying it has reached epidemic proportions. But there is a general reluctance to talk about the problem and it is rarely discussed in public. Studies have shown that in large numbers of cases the abusers are known to the children and include caregivers like parents, relatives and teachers. (- Source: BBC News)
However, the airline said: “Joon will not be a low-cost airline as it will offer original products and services that reflect those of Air France.” While Air France’s pilots have agreed to support the new subsidiary on condition they will receive the same pay and conditions as on the main airline, the hiring of stewards, hostesses and part of the ground personnel for the new service will be outsourced. The pilots were initially hostile to the plan, fearing they would be forced to accept lower wages. In September 2014, they striked for two weeks over the expansion of Air France’s low-cost European subsidiary Transavia, grounding thousands of flights.
VOICE OF ASIA 17
Section 2
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
BOLLYWOOD MASALA
Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com
Tel: 713-774-5140
Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Bollywood mourns the death Sharma promote ‘Jab Harry of actor Inder Kumar Met Sejal’ in Varanasi
From Anupam Kher to his ex-flame Isha Koppikar:
The sudden demise of Inder Kumar has shocked b-town!
I
nder Kumar’s death at the age of 44 has shocked his fans and friends in the film fraternity. The actor succumbed to cardiace arrest at 2 am on Friday morning. And reactions have been pouring in since. Raveena Tandon who had worked with him on Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi prayed for his family, while Riteish Deshmukh tweeted ‘too young to go. He is perhaps best remembered as Salman Khan’s brother, Ajay, in the 2009 hit Want-
At the time of his death, he was working on his upcoming film, Phati Padi Hai Yaar. (Photo: India Today) ed. Inder Kumar has starred in over 20 films, and worked with Salman in films like Wanted and Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge.
The actor was also briefly seen in Ekta Kapoor’s Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi with Smriti Irani. (-Sources: TOI/India Today)
Salman Khan signs deal with Amazon Prime Video
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UMBAI (PTI) Bollywood star Salman Khan has signed an exclusive deal with Amazon Prime Video giving them the worldwide streaming rights to all his future titles, starting with Tubelight. The online streaming service will also have rights to films produced by Salman Khan Ventures.
Salman Khan
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hah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma visited Varanasi to promote their upcoming movie Jab Harry Met Sejal. Shah Rukh enthralled the crowd that had gathered to cheer for both the actors. Shah Rukh and Anushka indulged in some fun activities while promoting the movie. SRK’s production house Red Chillies Entertainment shared some pictures and videos on Twitter that suggest that the duo enjoyed their Varanasi trip. Both the stars tasted some betel leaves as their
legions of fans watched. Shah Rukh entertained the audience when he mouthed dialogues from Raees and Devdas too. The actor also took to Twitter to share some pictures and wrote,”Harry, Sejal & Imtiaz had a great time in Varanasi… thank u all for coming & big thanks to @ManojTiwariMP #JHMSInVaranasi.” Shah Rukh and Anushka recently went to Dubai to promote the movie too. The team also promoted it in London and Australia. (-Source, photo: The Hindu)
After their theatrical release, the actor’s films will first première on the streaming service, which will be two months before Satellite/Television broadcast or any other form of distribution.
“Imitate, interrogate, educate” - Aditi Mittal
The service will also have access to Salman’s older titles such as Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Kick, Jai Ho and Hero along with upcoming new releases.
ot to beat around the bush, but I would be scared shitless if I came across Aditi Mittal in a badly-lit street. I’ve seen her imitating creepy (male) cat callers, and it’s one of those imitations that feel like an improvement on the original. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? Performers like Mittal have the ability to engage with gender stereotypes through imitations that go one step beyond the original, lived ‘performance’, into darker, more problematic territory. In that sense, stand-up comedy does the exact same thing through humour that academic theorists do through their books and their research: busting mythologies through faithful — and ironic — documentation.
“Amazon Prime Video reaches over 200 countries and territories and I am happy to collaborate with Amazon Prime Video and expand the reach of Indian cinema. Fans of Indian cinema will discover my movies on a new platform and the platform will also help new fans discover our cinema,” Salman said in a statement. Nitesh Kripalani, Director and Country Head, Amazon Video India, said Salman is not only the biggest star in India
N
but also has a massive worldwide appeal. “We, at Amazon Prime Video are elated to announce this epic, ground-breaking global deal with Salman. This is another big step to change the way how Indian customers consume entertainment with Salman’s movies coming first to Prime Video customers, before their television broadcast,” he said. “India is a top priority market
for Amazon and we believe that this love India has for films, the passion, the energy and the talent of India needs to be on a worldwide stage for global audiences to see,” he said. India is emerging as a crucial market for streaming services, driving competition for local talent and content. Netflix has already inked a deal with the other Khan in Bollywood — Shah Rukh — for his films.
The Khans share a family holiday viral pic!
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aif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and their little prince, Taimur Ali Khan recently took off on their first family trip to Switzerland. This is the season where almost all the Khans have been spotted vacationing with their families. So why should Saif, Taimur and Kareena give it a miss? The star couple took their 7-monthold baby along for his first trip abroad. Cradled comfortably in his parent’s arms, a really innocent Taimur was spotted gleefully smiling at the camera. Saif was the only member who seemed to be a bit distracted. Or is looking away from the camera to be much more cooler? (-Instagram/kareenakapoorupdates)
Mittal’s hour-long special, Things They Wouldn’t Let Me Say, was recently released on Netflix. First things first: longtime Mittal fans will be both enthralled and slightly disap-
Aditi Mittal pointed. Enthralled because like most hour-long specials, TTWLMS is a bit of a greatest hits package. To sum up, I enjoyed TTWLMS because it’s very well-thought out comedy -
and conversely, it’s comedy that makes you think as well. It isn’t however, a rollicking, LOL-filled hour that builds up a ‘laughter momentum’ in the first half-hour and then steps on the gas. (-Aditya Mani Jha, The Hindu)
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VOICE OF ASIA 18
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Voice of Asia
Section 2
Finish your antibiotics course? Maybe not, experts say
HEALTHY Expert solution for Chronic Neck pain and Headaches
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ARIS, France | AFP | 7/26/2017 - British disease experts on Thursday suggested doing away with the “incorrect” advice to always finish a course of antibiotics, saying the approach was fuelling the spread of drug resistance.
Surya Raguthu, M.D, ABIPP, ABPMR, CIME
Rather than stopping antibiotics too early, the cause of resistance was “unnecessary” drug use, a team wrote in The BMJ medical journal. “We encourage policy makers, educators and doctors to stop advocating ‘complete the course’ when communicating with the public,” wrote the team, led by infectious diseases expert Martin Llewelyn of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School. “Further, they should publicly and actively state that this was not evidence-based and is incorrect.” The team said further research is needed to work out the best alternative guidelines, but “patients might be best advised to stop treatment when they feel better.” The UN’s World Health Organization says that if treatment is stopped early, there is a risk that antibiotics would not have killed all the disease-causing bacteria, which can mutate and become resistant to the treatment.
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treatment duration and effectiveness, and drug resistance, said there was no evidence for the idea that shorter treatment is inferior, or will trigger antibiotic resistance. “When a patient takes antibiotics for any reason, antibiotic sensitive species and strains among (microorganisms) on their skin or gut or in the environment are replaced by resistant species and strains ready to cause infection in the future,” the team explained. The longer the antibiotic exposure, the bigger the foothold resistant species will gain. These resistant strains can be transmitted directly between people who have no symptoms of illness.
It advises patients to “take the full prescription” given by their doctor.
Yet the idea of completing an antibiotics course is “deeply embedded” in both doctors and patients, said the team.
The US Food and Drug Administration, too, advises taking “the full course of the drug”.
Experts not involved in the analysis welcomed its conclusions.
But the new paper, which analysed established links between
by Dr. Surya Raguthu he most common pain that many patients suffer is neck pain and headaches. The cause for these pains is usually caused in atlantooccipital joint, these joints connect the vertebrae, the bone of your spine when you move. The neck area of the spine is called the cervical region which consists of seven joints . The uppermost of these joints connects the skull (also called the occiput) to the first cervical vertebra (also called atlas). Its called AO (Atlanto-Occipital). Half of total neck forward bending and backward bending comes from AO joint. How to determine AO joint pain or detect joint injury. The symptoms are muscle tension but other times the pain may be severe. Sometimes the cartilage inside the joint is injured. Other times it is the connecting ligaments surrounding the joint that are injured. The pain occurs in upper neck area or it can cause headaches.
Prescriptions
‘need
to
change’ In comments via the Science Media Centre in London, Peter Openshaw, president of the British Society for Immunology, agreed that shortening antibiotics courses may help tackle the resistance problem. “It could be that antibiotics should be used only to reduce the bacterial burden to a level that can be coped with by the person’s own immune system,” he said. There are, however, cases which call for extended treatment courses -- when a patient has a compromised immune system, for example, or if the bacteria is a slow-growing kind or can lie dormant before striking, such as tuberculosis. “It is very clear that prescribing practices do need to change,” added Mark Woolhouse, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh. “Current volumes of antibiotic usage are too high to be sustainable.”
To determine the cause of pain the common tests such as X-ray or MRIs scan is prescribed, but sometimes further procedure like AO injection is needs to detect the exact location of pain if not found through X-ray or MRIs scan. AO injection, a local anesthetic (numbing medicine) are injected into the joint. And the steroid helps reduce the inflammation. This injection is used to diagnose or treat your pain. If it temporarily lessens your pain, and if it helps you move better, it tells the doctor which joint is causing the pain. The procedure is simple and very effective . A local anesthetic will be used to numb your skin. The doctor will then insert a thin needle directly into the AO joint. Fluoroscopy, a type of X-ray, must be used to ensure the safe and proper position of the needle. A dye may also be injected to make sure the needle is at the correct spot. When the doctor is sure the needle is at the correct place, the anesthetic and steroid will be injected. It takes skilled hands to attain precision of this procedure to be successful. What happens after the procedure is you will monitored for 30 minutes. When you are ready to leave, the staff will give discharge instructions and a pain diary because
it helps your doctor know how the injection is working. It may help to move your neck in ways that hurt before the injection, to see if the pain is still there, but don’t over do it. The extent and duration of pain relief may depend on the amount of the inflammation and how many areas are involved. Other coexisting factors may be involved. Some time the injection can bring several weeks to months of pain relief, and then more treatment is needed. The procedure is simple and less complicated the key is to spend enough time during the whole process to get the best results and Dr.Raguthu from Ace Pain Management, Sugar Land, has been doing procedures like this very for a long time with the best results. Dr. Surya Raguthu, M.D, ABIPP, ABPMR, CIME, has 15 years of experience in Pain Management and excels in Sports Medicine, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitative Medicine. His mission is to enhance the health and well-being of seniors, adults, and children in our communities to help them lead a quality life. His motto is “Live Pain Free.” Please visit www.acepain.com for details.
Heat in S Asia could exceed survivable levels by 2100: study the survivability threshold over most of South Asia, and exceed it at a few locations, by the end of the century,” said the report.
M
IAMI | AFP 8/2/2017 - South Asia, home to onefifth of the world’s population, could see humid heat rise to unsurvivable levels by century’s end if nothing is done to halt global warming, researchers said Wednesday. The study in the journal Science Advances warned of “summer heat waves with levels of heat and humidity that exceed what humans can survive without protection.” The research is based on two climate models. One is a “business-as-usual” scenario in which little is done to contain climate change, and the second is aimed at limiting temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius, as pledged by more than 190 nations under the 2015 Paris climate accord. The study is the first of its kind to look not just at temperatures, but at the forecast of “wet-bulb temperature,” which combines temperature, humidi-
About 30 percent of the population in the region would be exposed to these harmful temperatures, up from zero percent at present, said the report. The densely populated farming regions of South Asia could fare the worst, because workers are exposed to heat with little opportunity for escape into airconditioned environments.
People cool themselves off in a water channel during a heat wave on June 4, 2017 in Lahore, Pakistan. AFP Photo. ty and the human body’s ability to cool down in response.
The survivability threshold is considered to be 35 degrees Celsius, or 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Under a business-as-usual scenario, “wet-bulb temperatures are projected to approach
“Deadly heat waves could begin within as little as a few decades to strike regions of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, including the fertile Indus and Ganges river basins that produce much of the region’s food supply,” said the report. Indian is home to 1.25 billion people, while another 350 million live in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Already in 2015, the fifth deadliest heat wave in modern
history swept over large parts of India and Pakistan, killing some 3,500 people. But researchers said their models gave cause for hope, too. Under the scenario in which steps are taken to limit warming over the coming decades, the population exposed to harmful wet-bulb temperatures would increase from zero to just two percent. Temperatures would still reach dangerous levels (over 31 Celsius), but would not be quite so close to the fatal threshold. “There is value in mitigation, as far as public health and reducing heat waves,” said lead author Elfatih Eltahirhe, professor of environmental engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). “With mitigation, we hope we will be able to avoid these severe projections. This is not something that is unavoidable.”
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
VOICE OF ASIA 19
LIVING
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
Tel: 713-774-5140
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease because we use medications to treat it
John Poothullil, MD, FRCP
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ccording to the World Health Organization, the incidence of diabetes is growing throughout the world: 422 million (2014) compared to 108 million (1980), with an estimated 1.5 million deaths (2012) directly caused by diabetes and another 2.2 million deaths attributable to high blood glucose. Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks and lower limb amputations. Experts tell us that insulin resistance causes it. It is com-
mon to withhold an antibiotic or a chemotherapeutic agent from a patient resistant to one or the other. However, when it comes to Type 2 diabetes, endocrinologists prescribe insulin to “overcome” the resistance, without clarifying the mechanism. In addition, there aren’t any tests to measure the degree of insulin resistance at any of the affected sites, before and after insulin administration. I suggest that insulin administration may be the actual reason for Type 2 diabetes being a progressive condition. First, in response to the sensation of hunger you experience as a result of insulin administration, if you eat, you are likely to prolong your diabetes as you create a constant
loop of eating, hunger and eating. Secondly, current insulin administrations can’t match the body’s natural rhythmic insulin release mechanism because they cannot be counterbalanced by thebody’s release of glucagon into the bloodstream, which happens naturally to raise blood sugar. The presence of stress and illness, and the variability of absorption of insulin into the bloodstream from the site of injection are other confounding factors that make insulin administration a guessing game. Third, taking insulin leads you to believe you are in control and need not make any dietary changes. Fourth, even maintaining
blood sugar levels with insulin can’t guarantee avoidance of the complications of Type 2 diabetes mentioned above. And finally, insulin is a known promoter of cancercell growth. This means that today’s pandemic of diabetes will become the next epidemic of cancer that the world will face, unless we treat Type 2 diabetes differently, such as by avoiding the consumption of grains. John Poothullil, MD, FRCP received his medical degree from the University of Kerala and during his medical practice became interested in understanding the causes of and interconnections between hunger, satiation, weight gain, and type 2 diabetes.
Woman with milkshake. Photo credit: Fotolia.com
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For People Wanting to Prevent Diabetes
EAT CHEW LIVE: 4 Revolutionary Ideas to Prevent Diabetes, Lose Weight and Enjoy Food Do you have high blood sugar? Do you have a family history of diabetes? Eat Chew Live will show you a comprehensive approach to lowering blood sugar and preventing diabetes, based on new scientific insight that insulin resistance is not the cause of diabetes.
India: The Book People, 850 INR, see www.olivepublication.com US: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and bookstores
For People with Cancer And Diabetes
SURVIVING CANCER: A New Perspective on Why Cancer Happens and Your Key Strategies to Return to a Healthy Life According to The New England Journal of Medicine (2011), diabetes is associated with substantial premature death from several cancers. Why? This book will explain the linkage between cancer and diabetes and show you what you can do to avoid being a victim. Coming in October 2017 in the US and India
For more information, visit drjohnondiabetes.com
VOICE OF ASIA 20
Photographs that address sociocultural themes by Jyoti Kalsi
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ew York-based Moroccan artist, Lalla Essaydi is presenting her first solo exhibition in the region, Still in Progress, at Leila Heller Gallery Dubai. The show features photographic works from various series created by the artist between 2003 and 2013. It offers visitors a rare opportunity to see very large size works from her major series in one place, illustrating the evolution of her distinct vocabulary, and her unique way of addressing sociocultural themes. Essaydi’s beautiful and thought pro-
ARTS & CULTURE
dows of the palace. With their faces, feet and hands covered with calligraphic texts, and their clothes matching the background, the women just blend into their environment. “Odalisque is a Turkish word, which means ‘to belong to a place’. The women in these pictures have become literal odalisques, ‘caged’ amongst other acquisitions in the ‘cabinet of curiosities’ of the male dominion, the harem,” the artist says. Later in 2012, for the Harem Revisited series, Essaydi created dresses for her models and drapes for the back-
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Hair for the Gods ends up on thinning heads in Europe, Africa
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HIRUTHANI, India | AFP For Hindu followers it is an act of devotion, but at the Thiruthani Murugan temple and others across India there are millions to be made from heads that are shaved and smothered with tumeric paste. Some days there are hundreds of disciples waiting before dawn at the hilltop shrine west of Chennai to take part in the centuries-old traditional offering to the gods. As they ask the deities for good fortune and health, temple attendants collect the locks for sale to be used for wigs or fashion industry hair extensions. India has long been the world’s biggest exporter of human hair -- in money terms -- and businesses say the country earns several hundred million dollars a year from its high quality locks. China and Russia are serious rivals in terms of volume. European countries are the biggest customers, but a lot is also sold in the rest of Asia, the United States and even Africa. There are about 10 major temples, and other smaller ones, in India with a cut of the market. Some villages also collect their inhabitants’ hair. The most expensive type -- capturing a quarter of the overall market -is hair shaved directly from the scalp of one donor. The rest -- cheaper cuts sourced from comb waste -- fetches a lower price. Some temples make pilgrims braid their hair before it is cut so that the locks all face the same direction. The hair collected at Thiruthani
28 year old Rupa has hair shaved to donate to the Gods at the Thiruthani Murugan Temple (Photo: AFP/Getty Images) Murugan is auctioned to processing plants which sell the finished product as all-human wigs or hair extensions. Business has to move quickly at the temple, one among the six holy shrines of deity Lord Murugan. From four in the morning to sundown barbers clip away. Pilgrims queue for hours, sometimes much longer on festival days, to make their
sacrifice. Tens of thousands, including women and children, shave their heads here every year, applying a bright yellow paste of tumeric powder before offering their prayers. Pilgrims climb 365 steps to reach the shrine, which is open year round. The profits from the sale of their hair goes towards the upkeep of the temple.
Transgender Americans: numbers, rights and backlash Moroccan artist Lalla Essaydi’s images are the result of a complex performancebased process comprised of painting, calligraphy, interior design, costume design and stage directing (Photo: Instagram/LailaEssaydi) voking photographs, all featuring oriental women in oriental settings, are created by a complex process that includes painting, calligraphy, elaborate costumes and interiors, and carefully staged performances. The women are placed in traditional surroundings, but they look strong and confident, defiantly returning the viewers’ gaze. In a signature touch, the artist covers their bodies, and their surroundings with calligraphy-like writing, using henna instead of ink, making a powerful statement about the conflicts faced by women, and their position in society. Essaydi uses an analogue camera and she deliberately includes the uncropped white borders of the film in her prints to highlight the fact that her settings and characters are fabricated, yet they are based on historical, social and cultural facts, thus mocking the imaginary scenes of oriental women in harems portrayed by Western artists in well-known Orientalist paintings. The earliest works in the show are from the Converging Territories series from 2002, where Essaydi began to use henna to write calligraphic texts in Kufic style on the faces, bodies, clothes and surroundings of the women in her photographs. The illegible writing represents the unheard voices of women, their individual and collective stories. Later, in the Les Femmes du Maroc series, from 2005 -2007, she arranged her models in poses directly inspired by 19th century Orientalist paintings by artists such as Ingres, Delacroix and Gerome. Once again, she used henna to cover everything from the walls, curtains and sheets to the bodies and diaphanous garments of her ‘Odalisques’ with layers and layers of calligraphic text, concealing their bare skin. “By reclaiming the rich tradition of calligraphy and interweaving it with the traditionally female art of henna, I have been able to express, and dissolve the contradictions I have encountered in my culture between hierarchy and fluidity, public and private space, and the richness and confining aspects of Islamic traditions,” Essaydi says. In the Harem series from 2009, Essaydi has playfully explored the function of women as decorative features within the context of local architecture, and the physical and psychological environment of the home and harem. The series was shot in the harem quarters of the magnificent Dar al Basha palace in Marrakesh, and Essaydi designed clothes for her models that matched with the geometric ceramic mosaics on the floor and walls and the intricate carving on the wooden doors and win-
ground from vintage textiles, loaned to her by the Nour and Boubker Temli col-
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EW YORK | AFP - Transgender rights are a hotbutton issue in the United States, a pioneer in carving out greater social and cultural acceptance for gender non-conformists despite a bitter conservative backlash and lag in federal laws.
Transgender Americans live in every state, but only 16 percent of Americans say they personally know someone who is transgender, according to a poll for LGBTQ support group GLAAD.
From Olympic sports hero Bruce Jenner turned transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner, to the NBA league and rock legend Bruce Springsteen standing up for protections -- acceptance is a mainstream liberal rallying cry in a sharply polarized America.
Transgender people are nearly four times more likely to have an annual household income of less than $10,000 and suffer an unemployment rate twice the rate of the general population, a report by the National LGBTQ Task Force found in 2011.
Poverty, mental health and discrimination
Presidential In January 2015, the word “transgender” was spoken in a State of the Union address for the first time. Barack Obama said the United States would “defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.” “We do these things not only because they’re right, but because they make us safer,” he said. Laws But when it comes to federal protections, Congress has been slow to pass laws that clearly protect people against discrimination based on gender identity. A string of states including California, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada and the District of Columbia offer transgender people varying legal protections. The governors of Kentucky, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania have banned discrimination against transgender state workers. At least 200 cities and counties have banned gender identity discrimination, including Dallas, New Orleans and New York.
lection. The rich, luxurious Moroccan fabrics, dating from the 17th to the early 20th century, were meant to be used for weddings, and to decorate palaces and the harem area. By making her models wear the kind of clothes women would have worn during the period when the famous Orientalist paintings by European artists were executed, Essaydi further highlights the false narratives these artists depicted. But she also subtly draws parallels between women and precious objects that are restricted to special spaces. The show also includes works from the Bullets, and Bullets Revisited series, which she created between 2009 and 2014. The images look quite similar to the Harem series, but a closer look reveals that every item, from the glittering clothes and jewellery of the models to the mosaics on the walls are made from carefully cut and polished bullet casings. For some pictures Essaydi meticulously sewed together thousands of bullet casings to create a shiny golden mantle, draped from ceiling to floor. This series marks a shift in her work as she takes her veiled Odalisques out from the confines of their traditional environment into the contemporary world, and puts the focus firmly on them. However, the shiny bullets are a reminder of the perils that await the women in a world ravaged by war and destruction. “Beauty is quite dangerous, as it lures the viewer into accepting fantasy,” the artist says. In some of Essaydi’s photographs, the women are seen holding a henna cone in their hand, suggesting that the act of writing their stories is still in progress, as the title of the show indicates. “I want my work to be as vividly present, and yet as elusive as ‘woman’ herself, not just because she is veiled or turns away, but because she is still in progress,” Essaydi says. (-GulfNews)
Bathroom backlash In February, the Trump administration overturned rules requiring public schools to let transgender students use bathrooms matching the gender with which they identify, rather than the one on their birth certificate. In March, activists got an additional setback when the Supreme Court sent a rights case back to a lower court for reconsideration. A transgender Virginia high school boy was suing to use the boys’ restroom. Fewer than half of all states currently ban public accommodation discrimination based on gender identity.
In 2007 Candis Cayne became the first openly transgender actor to play a recurring role on primetime television (Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Images) But conservative Republicans and the Trump administration are out of step with Hollywood and a celebrity elite. On Wednesday, Trump said transgender people could not serve in the US military “in any capacity.” In February he came under a deluge of protest for reversing Obama-era federal protections that allowed transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice. Here are facts and figures about transgender Americans. Numbers Around 0.6 percent of US adults or 1.4 million identify as transgender people, according to the Williams Institute think tank at the University of California, Los Angeles -- double an estimate based on data from a decade earlier.
Transgender people are also at higher risk of suicide. Forty-one percent of respondents reported attempting suicide compared to 1.6 percent of the general population, according to the 2011 survey, with rates rising for those who lost a job, suffered harassment or assault or who lived on low incomes. Seventy-eight percent of transgender or gender non-conforming students from kindergarten through high school experienced harassment, 35 percent physical assault and 12 percent sexual violence, found a national survey. It also said 26 percent of respondents lost a job due to being transgender and 20 percent reported being evicted or denied housing for being transgender.
Republican-run North Carolina this year repealed much of a restrictive 2016 bathroom law under enormous political pressure and boycotts from the likes of Springsteen, Pearl Jam and the Cirque du Soleil circus. Celebrity clout It was considered a seminal moment when Jenner, former Olympic hero and divorced member of the Kardashian clan, came out as Caitlyn in a Vanity Fair cover shot by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz in 2015. Hilary Swank won an Oscar for best actress in 2000 for her role in “Boys Don’t Cry” which tells the true story of an American trans man. In 2007 Candis Cayne became the first openly transgender actor to play a recurring role on primetime television, in ABC’s “Dirty Sexy Money.” Laverne Cox is the first trans woman of color with a leading role on a mainstream scripted show, awardwinning “Orange is the New Black,” which has run since 2013.
SPORT
VOICE OF ASIA 21
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
CRICKET
SOCCER
Chandimal returns to lead against India
Real Madrid expected to give MLS stars intense match HICAGO | AFP | Tuesday 7/31/2017 - Veteran goalkeeper Tim Howard says top North American club players should expect “cut-throat” competition from Spanish giants Real Madrid in Wednesday’s Major League Soccer All-Star Game.
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The All-Star match at Soldier Field, home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears, marks the end of a four-match, 11-day pre-season US tour for Real Madrid that included a 3-2 loss to rival Barcelona in a Clasico matchup at Miami. But Howard expects Real Madrid to bring their best as they prepare for the upcoming La Liga campaign.
New Test skipper Dinesh Chandimal is expected to return to lead the hosts in the second Test (Photo: AFP)
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OLOMBO, Sri Lanka | AFP | Tuesday 8/1/2017 - Sri Lanka on Tuesday named a 16-man squad led by Dinesh Chandimal for the second Test in Colombo against India starting Thursday. Chandimal has recovered from a bout of pneumonia which forced him to sit out the first Test in Galle. Sri Lanka lost to India by 304 runs. He was given the top slot last month after Angelo Mathews stepped down
following a 3-2 defeat to Zimbabwe in a five-match one-day international series played at home. Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Dananjaya de Silva, Danushka Gunathilaka, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Malinda Pushpakumara, Lakshan Sandakan and Lahiru Thirimanne.
No tour to Bangladesh without MOU deal, reiterates Smith
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ELBOURNE - Australia captain Steve Smith has once again stressed that this month’s scheduled tour of Bangladesh will only go ahead if an agreement on a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is reached. Australia are scheduled to play a two-Test away series against the Asian nation, starting August 22.
yet to be reached. However, Smith remained hopeful of the two parties reaching to an agreement soon, stating that “some really good progress” has been made and “some key elements” in the negotiations were left to be finalised. “CA know this, they’ve been told this,” Smith added. “I told (CA’s Executive General Manager Team
“When you get to play for a team like Real Madrid, there’s no days off,” Howard said. “There are no easy games. They have a world-class coach that they are trying to impress. “They have got to play well to earn a spot coming up for the La Liga season. World football is intense and it’s cut-throat. There aren’t any days when guys just take it easy. When you put your jersey on and cross the line -whether it’s a tournament, a regularseason game, a pre-season game, an All-Star Game -- these guys are going to be up for it.” Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Howard will start in goal for Chicago Fire coach Veljiko Paunovic in the midseason exhibition. In 2001, Howard represented the East in a conference versus conference All-Star Game and in the following year he was part of an MLS AllStar squad that took on US national
The club trained in South Florida on Monday morning (Photo: AFP) team. He played against the MLS AllStars when he returned with English Premiership side Everton in 2009 in the current format that pits the AllStars against top-flight European competition. “I’m not sure which one’s better,” he said of the various permutations of the All-Star Game he has experienced. “But it will be certainly exciting to play Real Madrid -- there’s no question about that.”
Schweinsteiger, who launched his MLS career this season and will captain the All-Stars by popular vote. “We will look to have a good game, to be competitive against Real Madrid and if we can win, we will go for the match,” Schweinsteiger told the Chicago Tribune. “We know that it is a very strong team and that we are playing together for the first time. It is not going to be easy at all, but we will try and have a good game and enjoy it a little.”
The All-Stars feature plenty of heavyweights with marquee match experience, including World Cup winners Bastian Schweinsteiger, David Villa and Kaka.
Orlando City’s Brazilian star Kaka, who helped Real Madrid to the 201112 La Liga title, said facing his former team will be “a very emotional experience.”
“It’s an honor to play for the MLS All-Star team, especially here in Chicago,” said the Fire’s German import
“I do not know how the game will go, but we have a great team to play a very even game with Real Madrid,” he said.
Neymar in Dubai after China, but where next?
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ARIS, France | AFP | Tuesday 8/1/2017 - Brazil’s Neymar triggered a guessing game on his return from China on Tuesday, posting a video on social media apparently from Dubai but leaving his final destination -- Paris or Barcelona -- a mystery. As speculation mounts of an imminent record-busting transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar’s video appeared to be from the first class lounge at Dubai airport. The 25-year-old forward, who was in Shanghai on Monday fulfilling a sponsor’s engagement, also posted a photo with the caption in Portuguese: “Lunch at half-way”. In another video posted from an aeroplane, Neymar jokes around with an image messaging app that superimposed a Spanish flag and a small plane on his tee-shirt.
Australia’s two-Test tour of Bangladesh is due to start on August 22 but a fresh MoU is yet to be signed. Photo: © Getty) “I’d like to [play], but as we’ve said for a long time we need to get the deal done first,” Smith told Fox Sports on Tuesday (August 1) about the prospects of the impending tour going ahead as per schedule. The Australia A side had pulled out of the ongoing South Africa tour, also involving India A, and Smith felt it would be unfair on them if the national Test side went ahead to Bangladesh despite there being no resolution to the ongoing pay dispute. “I don’t think it would be fair for us to go away after the (Australia) A guys were very strong on not going away on their tour, for us to then go away I don’t think that’s fair.” Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association are believed to be intensely negotiating a deal and while both sides have indicated that some progress is being made on the matter, an outcome is
Performance) Pat Howard personally that this was how things were going to be if there wasn’t a deal done.” Smith also shed light on the difficulties he’s faced all through, having to take a stand on the behalf of the players while also ensuring healthy relationship with the board and the management. “It’s had some difficult moments,” Smith said. “When this is all over with, I have to deal with Pat Howard, I have to deal with the (CA) Board and speak to James Sutherland so I have to be careful with what sort of lines I tread. Some guys have been really vocal on social media and I think the way for me to lead in this dispute is to be able to talk to guys behind the scenes that are at the table and doing the job. “Talking to the two parties and trying to figure out what each of them want and the best way forward. I’ve been talking to Alistair (Nicholson,
Intrigue surrounds his final destination amid initial reports that he was headed from China to Doha, to meet PSG’s Qatari owners and pass a medical before his reported 222-millioneuro ($260 million) move from Barca. But that stop was considered highly unlikely given the diplomatic crisis between Qatar and its Gulf neighbours. Other reports said that the Barcelona forward could be headed directly to Paris after deciding to quit
ACA Chief Executive) and Pat Howard on the phone most days so it’s been a long process and hopefully it comes to a close soon.”
FOOTBALL
NFL to support study of marijuana as pain aid ASHINGTON - The NFL has made a clear indication that it may be willing to work with the NFL Players Association to study the use of marijuana as pain management, a source has confirmed.
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The league wrote a letter to the NFLPA, offering to work with it to study the potential use by players as a pain management tool, the source confirmed. The letter was first reported Tuesday by The Washington Post. The NFLPA has not yet responded to the offer and did not immediately respond to the Post
for comment. It is conducting its own study. “We look forward to working with the players’ association on all issues involving the health and safety of our players,” said Joe Lockhart, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications. The NFL’s letter pointed out a few areas for potential research, including pain management for acute and chronic conditions. The league has previously indicated that it is studying marijuana as a pain management tool on its own.
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith told The Wa s h i n g t o n Post in January that the union was working on a proposal on a “less punitive” approach to recreational marijuana use. (-ESPN News Onine)
Neymar’s desire to leave Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain is seemingly due to better chance of winning Ballon d’Or (Photo: AFP)
the Spanish club. BeIN Sport, like PSG backed by Qatar, said in a tweet in Arabic on Monday that Neymar had decided to leave the Catalan club, citing a club management source at Barcelona. However, following his latest social media postings, some Spanish media
were reporting that Neymar is headed home to Barcelona and is expected to arrive on a flight from Dubai at 8.55pm (1855 GMT). While Neymar has studiously remained silent about his future, Barca coach Ernesto Valverde is expecting him back at the club on Wednesday for the resumption of training.
HOROSCOPE
VOICE OF ASIA 22
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Your Horoscope for the Week of August 4, 2017 READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE
by Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950
ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM
Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April
Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct
Something important & beneficial will come across in your work area. You will be very much focused on all areas of your life. You are eager to defend your convictions or fight for a cause you believe in. You may encounter others who are aggressively promoting their philosophy, as well. Also, the desire for action and adventure may impel you to travel or to undertake an enterprise that is physically or mentally challenging, and possibly unproductive. You may just find they really need more than you imagined.
You will take more responsibilities & you will also fulfill all of it with great success. Your mind will be sharp, your actions will be right on time. You are more aware of beauty and may want to rearrange your decor or buy something to beautify your surroundings. You strongly believe that life is colorful & you need everything colorful around you. Your weekend mood will be, just lay down & watch TV, that will be great pleasure for you this week.
Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May
Scorpio (N,Y) 23 Oct to 21 Nov
Some questions in your mind And your questions will occupy your attention and you may be drawn to study philosophy, religion or other areas which open up new worlds for you. Mind-expanding studies or travel are likely and different cultures have a strong appeal to you now. You seek new vistas and broader horizons through traveling, studying, or reading about foreign cultures or by seeking out people with greater experience, insight, and knowledge than your own.
Worries about your carrier should be avoided because everything will remain positive. You come across clearly and present yourself articulately. Public speaking, interviews, and other transactions with the public are favored. Conversations you have at this time go smoothly, and an agreement can be reached. You are feeling sober and realistic about love at this time, and are interested in being with people you respect and can depend upon - your oldest, true-blue friends. Try hard not to instigate unnecessary friction with anyone.
Sagittarius (BH,F,DH,TH) 22 Nov to 21 Dec
Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June You will get unexpected help from your knowledge & good sense. Competition could help you other in your team, especially if you approach it in a positive manner. Your career, social standing or reputation is favored at this time, especially by making personal contact with superiors or by socializing and making friendly contacts at work. You may make a good friend or meet someone intelligent and charming through your work. This time will enhance your public image and you will gain goodwill in the community.
Some actions with brave & courage will be taken, this will help you to finish your long pending works. Extra hard work, will be your mantra to finish all pending work. Short trips & travels will happen for here & there. Now is a good time to make a presentation, go for an interview, or meet the public in some way; the response is positive. So, don’t under estimate yourself, just face the challenge & get success. Therefore, you have more energy and more fun at this time.
Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan
Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Hard work and concentrated effort and are the key issues for this time period. You are faced with tasks that are tedious and difficult works, but which must be completed at this time. Fortunately, you have the mental concentration and stamina to tackle the tasks now but the demands are still more than you would like to cope with. This is a difficult time period, but at least your work is cut out for you. You are likely to discover flaws in your creative projects, neglected aspects of projects and tediouswork that you have been putting off.
Your intuitive insights will be favorable to others, more than you self. A nonstop flow of communication between yourself and the people in your immediate environment is likely. You may engage in interesting and informative discussions or fritter your time away in inconsequential chatter and gossip. Mental curiosity or restlessness may also impel you to take a short trip or visit. If you want to make long term plans, make sure you share them with those who will be affected. They’ll appreciate your consideration.
Aquarius (G,S,SH) 21 Jan to 19 Feb
Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August You may plan or take a journey to a distant land. Travel and exposure to new ideas and ways of thinking about the world interest you now. You may meet and learn from someone from another culture or with vastly different beliefs and experiences than your own. Philosophical discussions or studies are also on the agenda. You’re thinking about the “big picture” rather than the mundane circumstances and details of your life. Your imagination can help you come up with some high profit ideas. Even you still have things to learn.
Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Your feeling that hard work is only little rewarding for what you are experiencing, and the obstacles you face may be very frustrating. Try not to become emotionally depressed or angry because of the demands. It is best to take a positive attitude toward the work that needs to be done and realize that there will be other times for more expansive, pleasurable activity. This time period is not necessarily difficult, although it is for most people. Some people, particularly workaholics with an ascetic streak in them, enjoy the undistracted dedication, perseverance, and effort needed.
BD
Try to keep your workload to a normal level, avoid working for long hours. You need your rest, even if you see yourself as too tough to quit. Your feelings, friends, and female relatives figure prominently in your life now. You realize how much you appreciate and need their love and support, and you are particularly affectionate now. You may also initiate a partnership in which you take care of, support someone else. Business relationships also work well now.
Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 March You will take time for certain decision making that may create uncertainty in your work. Your ability to work through complex situations can come in very handy. Your reliability, consistency and dedicated work will be appreciated and you may receive recognition or a promotion now. This is a positive time for you when other people and situations assist you in accomplishing the tasks that are really important to you. Big breakthroughs and celebrations are not indicated; the effects are more subtle, but still very important. This is a time of quiet and deep, purposeful activity.
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You need this space! Get your business seen for as low as $2.14 a day, that’s the price of a cup of coffee. To learn more, give us a call: 713-774-5140 Place JOB CLASSIFIEDS for $30/weekly Find Qualified Candidates today for your company www.voiceofasiaonline.com
Auto Care & Sales
Indus Home Remodeling • Kitchen • Bathroom • Painting • Flooring • Countertops • Cabinets • Fence • Sprinklers Ph: 832-298-9852 • indusremodel@gmail.com
Restaurants India’s Restaurant & Catering for special parties and corporate events. Preferred Wine list, Authentic vegetarian & non-vegetarian dishes, finest Indian cuisine with chef’s special dishes
Restaurants
Ph: 713-266-0131/ 0805
B&J Auto Care & Sales
We cater from 10 people to 800 people for all occasions. We deliver to your venue.
Auto repair (Collision repair (all insurance), Mechanical (Brakes, Oil change, • Used Car Sales Engine and Transmission) • Used & New Tires Blessy 281-323-9315 • Great Service • 3242 5th St , Stafford TX - 77477
Madhuram Mirch Masala 10758 FM 1960 West Houston, TX 77070 281.955.9878 216.338.3940 (cell)
Amazing Opportunity!
If you invest just $2 a day
Specializing in North Indian Cuisine, office & Corporate catering
OUR SERVICES
Newsweekly 10,000 copies weekly. 520,000 copies annually. Reach over 2 million readers. Get your business seen. Visit us online: www.voiceofasiaonline.com. To know more about Print advertising call us.
Medical Magazine Distributed to 500 locations. Get your business seen. To know more about Print Advertising, call us. Visit us online: www.healthlinemag.com
E-blast Send out Specials, Sales and Promote your Events. Reach 11,000+ people. We are here to help get your business branded. Call 713-774-5140.
Web / Digital Advertising Reach out locally through Web banners, Video advertisements, classifieds online, product advertorials, news press releases, social media promotions to increase visibility for your business.
Classifieds
Place classifieds of any nature. Employment, Job Wanted, Car for Sale, Garage Sale, Business for Sale. We also offer them online. Call: 713-774-5140.
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in VOICE OF ASIA,
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VOICE OF ASIA NEWS GROUP www.voiceofasiaonline.com • www.healthlinemag.com
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CLASSIFIEDS
VOICE OF ASIA 23
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017
Office Supervisor
For Classified Advertising Call 713-774-5140
Mature, dependable person needed to handle the Rent Receipts received for an Apartment complex, located in the North near Greenspoint mall. Immediate hire. No experience needed. Will train.
www.voiceofasiaonline.com Ask about our Website Advertising opportunities
Call Aruna at: 832-282-3914
PET of the WEEK
BLUE - ID#A006868
I need a loving home
Shelter staff named me BLUE. I am a female, blue and tan Australian Cattle Dog and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The shelter staff think I am about 7 months old. I have been at the shelter since Jul 19, 2017. For more information about this pet, call: City of Sugar Land Animal Services at (281) 275-2364
Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP) Financial Advisory Services Project No. 17-63
Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Thursday, August 31, 2017. Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs.edu/
procurement.
MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE WEEK To improve your focus, stop responding to client emails right away When an email from a client or customer comes in, it’s easy to put aside whatever you’re working on to respond right away. But although being responsive to customers is important, constantly checking and sending emails can hurt your productivity. If it’s not possible to divert these kinds of emails to a customer service rep, set up a realistic response window for yourself. Try replying to emails once every four hours or at the end of the business day. If you’re worried that your clients will feel ignored, put up an auto-response to tell them when you’ll be checking email and to instruct them to call if they have an urgent issue. That way, you can use your largely uninterrupted workday to focus on getting projects done, not managing your inbox.
Source: www.hbr.org
ANNOUNCEMENT
READ OUR HEALTHY LIVING SECTION We are very happy to see that our effort since the last 4 years, to educate
and empower Seniors, Women and Children has made an impact on the community. Due to its popularity and demand we are now expanding our section on HEALTHY LIVING to include timely articles by medical professionals and introduce new product and services. Our upcoming issues will cover safe living for our Seniors in their own dream houses, by upgrading them to be senior friendly, or find help at Assisted Living and other Senior care facilities.
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VOICE OF ASIA 24
FRIDAY, August 4, 2017