Voice of Asia Newsweekly e paper Sept 08 2017 by VoiceOf Asia

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‘Total devastation’ as Irma hits Caribbean island Barbuda Speaking later on CNN, Browne said 95 percent of properties in Barbuda were damaged, with up to 30 percent demolished. “It is absolutely heart-wrenching,” he said. One person is known to have died, Browne said, apparently to be child

This satellite image obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Irma (L) and Hurricane Jose (R). © NOAA/RAMMB/AFP . T. JOHN’S (ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA) (AFP) - Hurricane Irma killed one person and left behind “total devastation” as the monster storm smashed into the tiny Caribbean is-

whose mother was taking him or her to safety after the building they were in was damaged. The airport was damaged and flights were unable to land. Badlyneeded aid will have to be flown in by helicopter from Antigua, he added.

“We have estimated the rebuilding efforts to be no less than $100 million. That is conservative, because we’re talking about rebuilding everything, all of the institutions, the infrastructure, the telecommunications, the roads... Even the hotels on the island, those are totally demolished, as well. It is terrible.”

Outpour of Indian community volunteers for Harvey rescue, recovery and rebuilding

land of Barbuda on Wednesday, the prime minister said. “It is just total devastation, Barbuda now is literally rubble,” Prime Minister Gaston Browne said in the aftermath of the Category Five storm.

Alert to Flood Victims: Insurance Fraud Robo-Calls

OUSTON - The City of Houston Office of Emergency Management has received reports of flood victims being told (via robo-call) their flood insurance premiums are past due and in order to have coverage for Hurricane Harvey they need to submit a payment to a website. Insurance companies and agents selling flood insurance policies do NOT use this process to communicate with customers about their flood insurance policies. In fact, if your payment is past due, your insurance company will notify you by mail 30, 60, and 90 days before the policy expires.

If you receive this type of call regarding your flood insurance policy: Hang up the phone. Don’t press 1 to speak to a live operator or any other key to take your number off the list. Just hang up. Immediately contact your insurance company or insurance agent to verify the information. Or call 1-800-638-6620 if you have a policy with National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Direct. Visit www.fema.gov/nfip-fileyour-claim for information on how to file your flood insurance claim.

Geetha Ravula, (far right) founder of Ashirwad A Blessing , a non-profit organizaton in Houston delivering household supplies to Harvey effected families in Houston’s Fifth Ward. Read Report on Pages 4 and 5

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS Let’s reform the flood C VOICE OF ASIA

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THE STORY OF MAHATMA GANDHI

Dandi Salt Satyagraha stirs nation

So for nearly six years Gandhi had little to do with politics. But he wrote, he lectured, and he prayed. He travelled all over India. His influence among the people was steadily growing. Gandhi had not given up the idea of nonviolent resistance to British rule. He was merely waiting for the right moment. Jawaharlal Nehru joined Gandhi in many of his travels. Everywhere they were greeted with great enthusiasm. Nehru was the hope of the younger generation. In 1928 the Viceroy invited Gandhi to see him. He informed Gandhi of the appointment of an official British Commission, led by Sir John Simon, which would study Indian conditions and recommend political reforms. “Will there be any Indians on the Commission?” asked

Congress must also reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program due to expire at the end of this month. In the short term it has no choice but to extend it. In the long run, however, the program should not be reauthorized unless serious reforms are made. The current system, in place since the 1960s and now $23 billion in debt, wastes money, puts lives needlessly at risk, damages the environment and guarantees ever bigger losses. Why? Because by using taxpayer money to repeatedly rebuild structures that are doomed to flood again and again, the program encourages development in places that are an invitation to disaster – barrier islands, flood plains, bottom lands and shorelines a few feet above sea level. Houston, the only major U.S. city that lacks zoning laws, is sinking as more and more groundwater is pumped from

urricane Harvey has exposed the weakness of the three shibboleths that have been the guiding political philosophy for two generations of Republicans. Those three shaky imperatives are that 1) lowering taxes is always a good idea, 2) government programs can always be cut and 3) economic growth must always be given priority over environmental concerns.go toward buying President Trump’s border wall — the wall that Mexico, no matter what Trump claims, will never pay for. Now, reality has set in and the GOP

“We must boycott it.” Gandhi advised the people to boycott the Simon Commission, and when it arrived in Bombay a hartal (strike) was observed all over India. On its tour through the Indian cities the Commission was greeted with blackflag demonstrations. The people shouted, “Simon, go back!” At many places there were cane charges and shooting. The same year the peasants of Bardoli, in Gujarat, were agitated by the enhancement of land taxes. Gandhi studied their grievances and advised them to resort to satyagraha and not pay taxes. But they must be nonviolent, he insisted. Vallabhbhai Patel took charge of organizing the resistance. The government tried all its usual measures to terrorize the people, but had to climb down. An enquiry into the grievances was ordered. Vallabhbhai demanded certain concessions. Negotiations were going on when Gandhi arrived in Bardoli. Within a short period the

restoring marshes and wetlands that slow and absorb floodwaters, and minimizing paved surfaces. Rates should be lowered when communities adopt zoning and building codes that minimize damage from high winds, water, or, as is happening across the West again this year, wildfires.

Felipe Landin removes flood damaged drywall from his home in Houston (Photo: AFP) beneath it while sea levels are rising. According to a column in USA Today, the flood insurance program has paid to rebuild one Houston home 16 times in the past 18 years. According to the Washington Post, taxpayers have paid to rebuild a home near Baton Rouge, La., valued at $56,000 40 times for a total cost of more than $428,000. A Mississippi home was inundated 32 times in 34 years. Rebuilding costs topped $660,000. That’s madness. It would cost far less if the Federal Emergency Management Agency and flood in-

surance program bought homes at high risk of flooding and demolished them. The rates charged by the flood insurance program should reflect the risk each structure presents with lower rates for property owners and municipalities that take steps to mitigate that risk. According to the National Institute of Building Sciences, every dollar spent to make structures more disaster resistant saves $4 in rebuilding costs. The impact of disasters can be reduced by elevating homes,

congressmen realize there is a reason government needs to set money aside for disaster relief: Disasters always happen. It is wishful thinking, I know, but this moment really should provide a broader object lesson to Republicans. There is a deep flaw in the way they put together budgets both at the national and state levels. They start with the premise that any governmental function can get by on less — that national parks, for instance, will not be hurt by continuous reductions in funds for basic maintenance or that quality educators can be attracted to public schools

even if salaries are kept so low that teachers become eligible for poverty programs (as has happened in Republican-ruled Oklahoma). Then, after trimming money for vital services, they cut taxes for big corporations and wealthy individuals on the theory that the economy will thereby be stimulated and eventually more tax revenue will pour in. As folks in places like superred-state Kansas have learned, when you budget this way, the government begins to run out of money, government services grow shabby, the economy actually suffers and legislators are left with the choice of

Congress passed a series of common-sense reforms and adjusted the flood insurance program’s rates a bit to reflect risk five years ago. It soon undid most of them when property owners screamed about the loss of cheap flood insurance that no private insurer would consider offering at an affordable price. Lawmakers must not give in this time. The price of rebuilding the Houston area must be paid, and more promptly than in previous disasters. But climate change means rising seas, wilder, more destructive weather and, if nothing changes, ever bigger bills to reimburse people who willingly live in paths of predictable disaster. It’s time to say “enough is enough.” (-Concord Monitor Editorial Board) raising taxes or making even more draconian cuts. Or, on the national level, the federal debt keeps going up because even the deepest reductions to programs like food stamps and environmental protection and diplomacy and disaster relief will not be enough to balance the books as long as trillions of dollars are still being spent on the military, Social Security and Medicare. The certain result is that, when the Gulf of Mexico warms even more in the years to come, the temperature rise will multiply the destructive power of future hurricanes and taxpayers will be stuck paying for yet another disaster that could have been mitigated if common sense, prudence and science had been followed. - Bob Horsey (LA Times)

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 government came to terms with the organizers and a settlement was reached. Now political tension again gained momentum. People everywhere were preparing for a mass struggle.

Everybody then realized that England was still marking time and was not really willing to part with power. A new determination to force the government to act filled the minds of the people.

Gandhi. “No,” replied the Viceroy. “That is absurd,” said Gandhi.

insurance program

Harvey offers lessons Republicans will probably ignore

The Viceroy called a meeting of the Indian leaders. He made the announcement that India would get dominion status, similar to that of Canada. Gandhi wanted an immediate plan for the framing of the Constitution. “Gentlemen,” the Viceroy said, “I have no power to promise such things.”

In 1924, Gandhi fell ill. He was suffering from appendicitis and was in great pain. The government was alarmed. What would happen if Gandhi died in prison? An urgent operation was arranged, and Gandhi agreed. The operation was successful, but his recovery was very slow. The government thought it best to release him, so he was set free. He went to Juhu, near Bombay, for recovery. Read on: Gandhi’s activities made the BriCongress leaders were thinking of participating in the Municipal and Provincial Councils which Gandhi had advised them to boycott. Gandhi was not dismayed or discouraged. He decided to leave politics for the time being and spend his time in bringing about Hindu-Muslim unity and the removal of untouchability.

ongress reconvened on Monday with another, perhaps more powerful hurricane than Harvey bearing down on Puerto Rico and the Florida coast. The badly riven body must address a host of ills and a handful of opportunities in quick order. None are more pressing than providing billions of dollars in federal aid to rebuild Houston and other Texas communities still drowning under last month’s unprecedented deluge.

Jawaharlal Nehru was elected President of the Congress at the instance of Gandhi. A Congress session was held in Lahore on December 31, 1929. A resolution announcing that full independence was India’s goal was passed at this session of the Congress. Disappointed at her failure to get dominion status, India now demanded full independence. The whole country was excited. Everybody was waiting for the lead from Gandhi. After two months of suspense, a Salt Satyagraha was announced by Gandhi. This would be the beginning of a civil disobedience campaign in which laws made by the State would be broken. Civil disobedience would begin by breaking the salt law. “Salt suddenly became a mysterious word, a word of power,” Nehru said. The government had put an excise tax on salt which brought an enormous amount of money to the treasury . Moreover, the government had the monopoly of manufacturing salt. The salt tax was to be attacked and the salt laws were to be broken. The very simplic-

ity of Gandhi’s choice made the issue more dramatic. On March 2, 1930, Gandhi wrote a long letter to the new Viceroy, Lord Irwin, about the deplorable condition of India under British rule. “British rule,” he said, has impoverished the dumb millions by a system of progressive exploitation, and by a ruinously expensive military and civil administration which the country can never afford. It has reduced us politically to serfdom. It has sapped the foundations of our culture.”

the sea. The government did not take the risk of arresting Gandhi. With each passing day the campaign grew. Hundreds and thousands of people joined the procession. Men, women, and children lined the route, offering flowers and shouting slogans for the victory of the march. Newspaper reporters from every corner of the world were there to report the prog-

ress of Gandhi’s march. The salt march ended on April 5 at Dandi village. Gandhi and his selected followers went to the sea shore and broke the salt law by picking up salt left on the shore by the sea. Gandhi then gave a signal to all Indians to break the salt law and prepare to resist the police action in a nonviolent manner. — To be Continued

He requested the Viceroy to see him and discuss the matter with him in person. “But if you cannot see your way to deal with these evils,” he went on, “and my letter makes no appeal to your heart, on the eleventh day of this month I shall proceed, with such co-workers of the ashram as I can take, to disregard the provisions of the salt laws. “It is, I know, open to you to frustrate my design by arresting me. I hope there will be tens of thousands ready, in a disciplined manner, to take up the work after me.” Lord Irwin did not answer Gandhi but sent a message through his secretary expressing regret that Gandhi had chosen a course which involved breaking the law of the land and which would be a danger to public peace. The whole of India was agitated over Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha. On March 12, at 6.30 in the morning, thousands of people watched as Gandhi started from his ashrama with 78 volunteers on a march to Dandi, a village on the sea coast 241 miles away. There, it was announced, the salt law would be broken. Gandhi led the march through village after village, stopping at each place to talk to the peasants and advise them on the necessity of social reforms. For twenty-four days the eyes of India and the world followed Gandhi as he marched towards

Read previous stories on Ghandhi

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ISKCON Hosts Interfaith Day of Prayer for Harvey Victims

Rev. Greg Han, Director, Interfaith Relations at IMGH with ISKCON’s Dr.Hansa Bhakti Medley and others at Interfaith Prayer.

n the wake of Hurricane Harvey’s unprecedented flooding and devastation, Texas Governor Greg Abbott proclaimed Sunday, Sept 3rd as a Day of Prayer in Texas—which happened to coincide with the birth anniversary of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, a 19th century Vaishnava Hindu saint and theologian who envisioned people from all nations coming together harmoniously through the blissful chanting of the holy names of God. Prior to Harvey, ISKCON of Houston had planned Kirtanfest, a weekend of kirtan or devotional call-and-response prayerful chanting, over Labor Day weekend. After nearly canceling the event due to safety concerns, ISKCON decided it was vital to carry on with Kirtanfest in a shortened format, dedicating it for the healing and recovery of the people of Texas. In addition, to make it all-inclusive, they added an interfaith prayer segment in the spirit of Bhaktivinoda, who wrote in his Shri Chaitanya Shikshamritam 8-9: When we may have an occasion to be present at the place of worship of other religionists at the time of their worship, we should be staying there in a respectful mood contemplating thus: “Here is being worshipped my adorable Highest Entity (God in a different form than

that of mine). Due to my practice of a different kind, I cannot thoroughly comprehend this system of theirs; but seeing it, I am feeling a greater attachment for my own system. The Highest Entity (ie. God) is not more than one. I bow down with prostration before His emblem as I see here and I offer my Lord, Who has adopted this different emblem that He may increase my love towards Him in the form as acceptable for me.” Dhiralalita Dasi, a social worker from ISKCON Dallas, set the tone for the interfaith prayer and asked esteemed guests of different faiths to offers prayers to God in their traditions. Dr Zahra Jamal, Associate Director of the Boniuk Center for Religious Tolerance at Rice University, recited the first non-denominational prayer. She was followed by the Rev. Gregory Han, Director of Interfaith Relations at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston,

which is Houston’s oldest interfaith service organization. He said the prayer he had spoken earlier that morning at the George Brown Convention Center representing the Presbyterian Church. After each prayer, everyone observed a minute of silence to reflect on & internalize the prayer. The Islamic faith, represented by four adherents of the Aga Khan Council for Southwestern United States, recited a beautiful song, Allah, a hamd which is a devotional song in praise of God Almighty. Mrs. Jila Hemmati represented the Bahai faith and the Vaisnava Hindu prayer was sung by Gaura Mani Devi Ji, coming from Vrindavan, India. The prayers concluded with the offering of pusphpanjali by the 200 people in attendance, followed by an aarti to Thakur Bhaktivinoda.

ahatma Gandhi Library in association with communitywide partnering organizations will be celebrating 148th birthday of Apostle of Peace on Sunday, October 1, 2017 at The Miller Outdoor Theatre from 6 PM to 8 PM. Please see the attached

flyer. The program will be preceded by a 5K “Walk For Peace’ beginning at 5 PM in the beautiful Herman Park and pay respect at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Herman Park. To reregister or learn more, please visit www. gandhilibrary.org. Please mark your calendar and come

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vote for peace with your feet. It will be an evening filled with multicultural international dance and music show representing many ethnic communities of Houston. Winners of Mahatma Gandhi Week 2017 contests will be awarded their prizes. Please

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Outpour of Indian community volunteers for Harvey Rescue, Recovery and Rebuilding Within no time Houston Harvey WhatsApp group was created, people started joining the group to help and rescue people who were stranded and the group currently has 171 members. Volunteers reached out to help in rescue and recovery phase of Harvey. They sent out boats and trucks to rescue families who were stranded in katy, sugar land and cypress areas. About 300 people were rescued through boats and trucks. List of a few active members of the group are Kishore Ramaraju, Umang Mehta, Amir Ali Dhodiya, Abhiya Malhotra, Sridhar Dadi, Achalesh Amar, Madukar Adi, Shankar Tangirala, Gaurav Tripathi, Velma, Achalesh Amar, Geetha Ravula, Raj Anandeshi, Bangar Alloori, Nisha Mirani, Yogina Patel, Ratna Prasad Gummadi and many more Organizations that joined in the Hurricane Harvey to rescue, recovery and rebuild houston are Sewa International, Desi Friends Group, VT Seva, ISKCON Houston, Shiv Shakti Mandir, Sage Productions, Telugu Radio Hungama, Ashtalakshmi Temple, Ashirwad A Blessing, Graduate Indian Students Organization, Andhra Pradesh Non Resident Telugu, iEducate, NATA Houston Chapter, TANA , Telugu cultural association, ITServ Restaurants who rushed with generosity and provided hot meals to Houstonians at various shelters, to Cajun Navy, USCG, First Responders, Policer Officers, Firefighters, Fire stations, Churches, Temples and to volunteers groups are BNG - Biryani and Grill, Biryani Pot, Biryani Factory, Bawarchi, Hyderabad House, Shiv Shakthi Mandir, VT Seva, ISKCON Govinda’s, Vishala, Mayuri, Universal Bakery, Amaravati, Cafe India, Nirmanz, Chowpatty Chaat, Deep Foods, Tandoori Night Dhaba, Madras Pavillion and more. Close to 20,000 hot meals were provided by Indian Community. List of a few places where meals was served Fellowship Church Katy, Life Church Katy, Fire Station (Kingsland and Mason) Katy, Apostle Church Katy, Fulshear Church, First responders Katy Mills (Katy), First responders Memorial Mall, Fire Station 6 on Washington Ave (Houston Heights), Memorial Hermann Hospital (Katy), Katy Elks Lodge, Don Coleman Coliseum, Linc Mission - Immigration and Rufegee service, Linc Ministries international Downtown, St Theresa church sugarland, Houston’s Historic Fifth Ward, Lamar Indian students at Beaumont and several temples/locations in Port Arthur and Beaumont such as the Chinmaya Mission in Beaumont and many more Supplies such as bedding, comforters, pillows and toiletries were collected rapidly and sent to many shelters and schools across Houston to provide Harvey Evacuees a comfortable stay. A few places where supplies were dropped off by Indian community are Cinco Ranch High School, Thurgood Marshall High School, church st faustian @ fulshear, COTHA-Church of the Holy Apostles, Pasadena Link Mission, Houston’s Historic The Fifth Ward and other shelters.

VT SEVA members prepare hot meals to be delivered by volunteers. Also seen are Dr. Chary Tamarisa and Geetha Ravula (far right) founder of Ashirwad. Young volunteers helping in the Riverstone subdivision. Picture taken by Sanjay Philip (13yrs).

ISKCON of Houston president Shyam Sundar Das and Adhvaita Chandra Das loading food packages at the temple for delivery to the shelters. make it to Dallas for a flight to India. They have been working with local volunteer groups to distribute food to hospitals and individuals and have distributed food for over 400 people and are currently assisting people in registering for FEMA, insurance claims, apartment re-settlement and asset management. They are also asking people to reach out to them if they have lost their jobs so they may assist them in getting employed asap and get them transitioned into the new normal. www.sageproductions.biz. Team members at Sage production are Sajawal Dass, Raman Jain, Ahmed Kamal, Adil Dass, Yuvraj Malhotra, Abiya Olivia Malhotra VT SEVA Delivered hot meals to various shelters, they catered more than 4000 sandwiches for kids and 800 hot meals to shelters and people effected by Harvey. They donated bedding and toiletries to shelters. VT Seva is actively participating in rebuilding phase and providing cleanup service to Riverstone, Meyerland and Katy subdivisions. To volunteer or need help visit vtsworld.org Shiv Shakthi mandir Actively participated in rescue and recovery phase of Harvey, served close to 5000 meals and donated supplies to many shelters. Ashirwad A Blessing : Ashirwad volunteers worked

with Shiv Shakti Mandir, Desi Friends WhatsApp group, American Hindu Coalition, ISKCON Houston, VTSEVA (Ashta Lakshmi Temple), SEWA International, iEducate, ITSERVE, Biryani Factory, Sage Productions, Telugu Radio Hungama, Raj Anandeshi & Team Simeon Mesa, Pearland Group, Riverstone Neighbors and Voice of Sanatan Hinduism Radio and all volunteers who came forward to help. Ashirwad A Blessing is delivering household supplies, hot meals and coordinating rebuild efforts with volunteer organizations to help Harvey effected families. They havedelivered and distributed 750 hot meals to various shelters in Katy, Missouri City, Houston, Pasadena. Distributed 200 hot meals and basic household supplies door to door to low income families in Houston’s Historic Fifth Ward. Coordinated Rescue boats to save families. Distributed funds raised and small donations by individual and groups to low income families. Donated and delivered bedding, comforters, pillows, canned food, snacks, water, cereals, toiletries to shelters at Cinco Ranch High School, Katy, Thurgood Marshall High School, Missouri City, Pasadena Link Mission, Elks Lodge, Church at Fulshear, COTHA Church of Holy Apostles, ISGH – Brand Lane Islamic Center Masjid Sabi-

reen. Coordinating Rebuild efforts with Sewa International in Katy, TX KPRC Channel 2 covered our distribution & hot meals live. https://www.click2houston. com/news/volunteers-helpclean-mold-from-residentshomes-in-fifth-ward Ashirwad A Blessing Wingz Team who reached out to

Harvey effected families and shleters : Geetha Ravula, Vidya Satish, Manisha Halapeti, Prasad Kella, Sri Ravula, Ashutosh Sapru, Sachin Joshi,

Sumathi, Jyothi Rao, Saanika Halepeti and collaborated efforts with Raj Ananddesi, Team Simeon Mesa, Surya Prakash and Sridhar Kyatha.

Volunteers and residents take a break from relief work to celebrate Onam festival. rovided by Mr. Joyce Thonniyamala

ISKCON Houston has been serving 250- 300 hot meals daily, they are Collecting donations & items for shelters & people affected by Harvey. Provided 260 vegetarian meals for UH volunteers who needed vegetarian food and low income community in downtown.

Relief work at at Trini Mendenhall Community Center When Munir Ibrahim, his sons Umar and Aamir and their good friends the Jain’s, Ajay, Manish, Audra and Belle, heard about the Red Cross Center being established at Trini Mendenhall Community Center located on 1414 Wirt Rd., they jumped into action

Sewa International in rescue operations helped rescue of 673 people, they sourced and served 10000 hot food meals, donated 10 truck load of supplies and over 18000 hours of direct community service by the volunteers. Sage Productions dispatched boats to over 100 families by working with the Cajun Navy and Red Cross. Their team used our trucks as SUV’s to get to people where there was less than 4ft of water and beyond that, they asked the Cajun Navy to dispatch boats. Sage productions team rescued families with little babies and recently took a family back to their apartment to get their passports so that they could

Nanda Vura, IACF (past president) helping out the residents at Millwood, a Riverstone subdivision in Sugar Land.

“We all assisted in various capacities in setting up the center. Including kitchen preparation with all the food and drinks for evacuees and first responders. Receiving organizing and distributing the various necessities everyone needed. Manning the center through out the day and evening in shifts. Dr. Ajay Jain assisted with the medical needs of the evacuees,” Munir said. “It was a tremendous effort by the community, what started in the morning by the evening was one of the best established centers receiving evacuees. Well organized with shifts for volunteers and meals prepared for everyone throughout the day and night. Information was readily available too all with manned booths in the front of the center and the outpouring of support from the community was overwhelming.” Munir Ibrahim,IMAGH president,with his sons Umar and Aamir with Dr. Ajay Jain and family.

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Indian organizations plan to coordinate fundraising efforts for Harvey victims coordinated funding effort from the Indian American community, to show our commitment to, and support of, the greater Houston community. To that end, we would like to organize a fundraising effort to support (a) Mayor’s Fund for Hurricane Harvey Relief and (b) Rebuild Texas Fund by Governor Consul General Dr. Anupan Ray addressing Abbott the gathering on Sep. 5th. Facebook pic. Our goal is to raise On Tuesday, September 5, $ 1 Million in domembers of the Indian Ameri- nations to the funds distributed can community in Houston met equally to both funds. at the Indian Consulate office on account of an appeal that a) Mayor’s Fund for HurriConsul General Dr. Anupam cane Harvey Relief Ray stated that received from Rather than write one large several ‘prominent Indians and check, which could prove time Indian entities to coordinate a consuming to organize, or dofund-raising effort by the Indian nate through a crowdfunding American community following site, which would result in addiHurricane Harvey. tional fees, we have worked with the administrators of the MayThe appeal reads: or’s Fund (the Greater Houston Community Foundation) to creAPPEAL ate a code that will allow them to track and aggregate credit After the devastation of Hurri- card donations & wire transfers cane Harvey, many have reached from the Indian American comout with the idea of organizing a munity. Simply go to their web-

site (https://ghcf.org/), click the link to ‘donate now’, and enter the code DIASPORA in the box for Fundraising Code. For ACH/wire transfer instructions, click the link for Other Options, and include ‘Fundraising Code: DIASPORA’ in your transfer information.

Helping Disaster Victims – Real And Personal part of your LIFE. If you are able to set aside $10,000+ you can create your own Private Foundation and or Employee Assistance Fund (PF / EAF ) that will allow you to directly help your employees, friends and coworkers. You can help these people (and not your direct family members) only in situations like Hurricane Harvey – which is declared as a Disaster by Federal and State authorities.

b) Rebuild Texas Fund by Governor Abbott We have similarly worked with the Governor’s Rebuild Texas Fund (https://www.rebuildtx.org/). Please write the code “INDIAN DIASPORA – Rebuild Texas Fund” on your check or Wire Transfer. Mail Checks to: OneStar Foundation 9011 Mountain Ridge Drive, Suite 100 Austin, TX 78759 Wire or ACH: Bank name: Plains Capital Bank Bank address: 5010 University Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79413 Account holder: OneStar Foundation, Inc. Routing Number: 111322994 Account Number: 4100005760 Several prominent Indians have committed to match smaller individual contributions.

by Ajit Thakur CPA

atural Disasters are inevitable and unavoidable. Hurricane Harvey inflicted untold misery on millions of people staying in the southeast part of Texas. People lost their homes, their belongings and all their worldly possessions. What they did not lose is their HOPE. Generally human beings are resilient to natural calamities. These disasters and calamities also bring out the best side of people – people who did not suffer in these calamities, stand up and help those people who are the victims of these disasters. The help is both material and emotional. There is another side of each disaster that is real and personal. You may be ok but your neighbor suffers damages. You are an employer; your business is ok but some of your employees suffer damages. You may be working in a hospital, engineering or manufacturing or software company where your colleagues have suffered losses. These are the people who are not your family but they are

Attendees at the meeting held at the Indian Consulate on Sep 5. Facebook photo.

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

Large organizations and charities like the Red Cross and JJ Watts Charities are the backbone of any relief effort. However in flooded neighborhoods small kayaks provide direct help. In such situations, your PF / EAF can be more direct help to disaster victims- and can avoid delays and excess paperwork. Your PF / EAF organizations may provide assistance in the form of funds, services, or goods to ensure that victims have the necessities, such as food, clothing, housing (including repairs), transportation, and medical assistance (including psychological counseling). The type of aid that is appropriate depends on the individual’s needs and resources. Disaster relief organizations are generally in the best position to determine the type of assistance that is appropriate. For example, immediately following a devastating flood, a family may need food, clothing, and shelter, regardless of their financial resources. However, they may not require long-term assistance if they have adequate financial resources. These flood victims may be entitled to and

may receive help from other sources and charities like FEMA, Red Cross. Individuals who are financially needy or otherwise distressed are appropriate recipients of charity. Financial need and/or distress may arise through a variety of circumstances. Please also keep in mind your neighbors, co-workers, employees and close friends can donate to your private foundation / employee assistance fund, and get the same tax deductions as donating funds to Red Cross and such big charities. You can encourage younger members of family to contribute their ‘piggy banks’ to your private foundation and teach them a lifetime lesson about ‘Doing Good and Feeling Good’ – the importance of giving, the importance of helping. Helping millions is a very noble thought but start with one person at a time and encourage your friends and co-workers to join your journey. God Bless Houston, God Bless Texas and God Bless USA You may send your comments to Ajit Thakur CPA: ajit@ajitthakur.com 713668-8007 Disclaimer: Author is not offering any tax or legal advice in above article. This article is to provoke thoughts about reaction towards helping people who have touched our lives and hence a personal tragedy.

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FORT BE

Sugar Land, Katy, Stafford, Missouri City, Local priests volunteer in the Harvey disaster areas of Fort Bend

City of Stafford Councilman Ken Mathews with Fr. Issac of St. Peters Orthodox Church, Rev. Philip Philip of Trinity Mar Thoma Church and other volunteers.

Rev. Johnson Unnithan and Rev. Abraham Varughese of Immanuel MarThoma chufrch and Rev. Philip Philip of Trinity Mar Thoma Church and others members volunteering at Riverstone.

WCA Waste to Resume Regular Solid Waste Friday, Sept. 1; Storm Debris Serviced On Separate Schedule

issouri City - WCA/ VF Waste Services will resume regular service for solid waste that is placed in the blue cart. Please place your cart out at the curb in the same manner as you normally do. Recycling services will be suspended until Monday, Sept. 11, when they will resume as normal for all customers citywide. Regular service will also take place on Monday, Sept. 4, for all customers on Labor Day. Please note, suspended WCA/

VF Waste Services due to this storm event will not be made up or pushed to another service day. Safety is WCA/VF Waste Services’ number one concern; they hope everyone is safe during this time. WCA/VF Waste Services commercial collection service is operating on a limited basis. They are only collecting trash from hospitals, apartments, restaurants, and convenience stores. Normal operations will begin very soon.

All storm debris, including hazardous waste and construction debris, will be serviced on a separate schedule to be determined on a later date; details will be shared with residents when finalized. Please reference the above FEMA graphic for clarification regarding different debris types. City staff are finalizing details with the County and will notify residents of proper procedures when an announcement is ready regarding storm debris pickup.

WCA/VF Waste Services were suspended the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 25, due to the severe weather and flooding caused from Harvey. WCA/ VF Waste has been continuing to assess serviceability of the roadways and communities on a day-to-day basis and have been updating customers via their website and email announcement blasts. If you would like to receive updates, please register by sending an email to awilhite@wcamerica. com.

WCA/VF Waste Services mission is to provide the best service possible to communities, and during times like this, it is their goal to first collect putrescible waste, which is the material that begins to breakdown and, if left uncollected, would begin to decompose in the Houston heat. WCA/VF Waste Services asks that residents separate their putrescible waste from their bulk waste to ensure proper and timely collection (a four bag maximum, per

home, will be picked up each service day). WCA/VF Waste Services will not be collecting carpet or construction materials as regular collection related to this storm event. More details will be published at a later date. WCA/VF Waste Services customer service line is 281.403.5800; due to the storm, residents may experience a delay in service while calling the line, but all questions and concerns will be addressed.

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Richmond, Rosenberg and Meadows Place FB schools reschedule openings Now that Hurricane Harvey has passed and the flooding is subsiding, area school districts and colleges have set dates for opening or re-opening. FORT BEND ISD Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre announced that classes will not resume until at least Tuesday, Sept. 12, with teachers returning on Monday, due to the continued effects of Hurricane Harvey. Central Office staff will return on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Lamar CISD Lamar CISD will resume classes on Monday, Sept. 11. All central office staff, auxiliary staff, front office staff and campus administration are scheduled to return to work on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Buildings will be open and available for teachers on a voluntary basis beginning on Thursday, Sept. 7. Stafford MSD Stafford Municipal School District students will return on Thursday, Sept. 7. Teachers will return on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Campus and district administrators will return on Tuesday, Sept. 5, as will maintenance and operations workers. We will also have counselors at the school available for our students and staff. The status of the volleyball tournament (Sept. 7-9) is uncertain at this point. The Stafford High Athletic Director spoke with the athletic director at Port Lavaca Calhoun, and it is likely that the two teams will play football at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, in Stafford. Katy ISD Due to limited personnel as a result of the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, it is projected that Katy ISD schools will reopen on Monday, Sept. 11. Staff who can safely commute to work are

Thief steals donations from Sugar Land temple serving as storm shelter

asked to return to their campuses or office on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Only two Katy ISD campuses, Creech Elementary and Beck Junior High, sustained severe water damage that will require a significant amount of time to repair and restore. Fourteen Katy ISD campuses are located within neighborhoods directly impacted by flooding, though the school buildings remain intact. Texas State Technical College As a Texas State Technical College family, the safety and welfare of employees and students are the focus of relief efforts at this time. The conditions needed to reactivate the Fort Bend campus are changing daily so at this time it’s impossible to set a definite date for reopening. The TSTC team will monitor the situation by the hour and, as soon as both reasonable and practical, it will announce a date for opening for the fall semester. In no case will the Fort Bend County campus restart operations prior to Sept. 11. The next update will be provided on Friday, Sept. 8. Houston Community College The Houston Community College fall semester will start Monday, Sept. 11. In-person registration will run from Sept. 6-9. University of Houston The University of Houston, including UH Katy and UH Sugar Land, will remain closed through Labor Day, Monday, Sept 4. During that time, only UH Rideout Team personnel will be permitted on campus. We are continuously assessing facilities and our ability to resume operations. The university will make further adjustments to the schedule as conditions warrant. Updates will be posted at www.uh.edu/ emergency.

Read latest on Harvey Relief and Safety Visit us online Visit: www. voiceofasiaonline.com

UGAR LAND - Police are looking for a thief who was caught on camera stealing donation pots in the middle of Hurricane Harvey.

It happened at the Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple on Aug. 29 at 10080 Synott Rd. Surveillance video from inside the temple shows the man getting away with pots filled with money. He appears to bring an orange rug to the altar, shift the donation boxes onto the rug and drag them outside. The outside surveillance camera captures him loading them into the truck he arrived in. The temple had opened its doors as a shelter just hours before. In these video-grabs, the thief can be seen placing the donation pots, on what appears to Temple leaders said $4,000 to $5,000 in be a bedspread, inside the temple. In the second camera shot outside, he has drug them donations were stolen, which was about a to a truck, into which he loads the pots into before driving away. (Video: KTRK-TV) week’s worth of collections. (-KTRK-TV)

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital offering free flu shots to benefit Santa’s Exchange

UGAR LAND—(September 1, 2017)—With fall around the corner and the holiday season not far behind, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is once again offering Fort Bend and surrounding area residents the opportunity to “give a gift and beat the flu.” Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, in collaboration with the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, Fort Bend Exchange Club, Rotary Club of Sugar Land, Rotary Club of Fort Bend and Toys for Tots Fort Bend, is offering free flu shots on Saturday, Oct. 21 to community members who participate in Santa’s Gift Exchange. Fort Bend and surrounding area residents can bring a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item to Houston Methodist Sugar Land from 8 a.m. to noon in exchange for a free flu shot. The toys and clothing will benefit local children in the Fort Bend area. “We are proud to partner again with the local exchange and rotary clubs and Toys for Tots to provide this community offering,” said Chris Siebenaler, CEO of Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “This is a great way for the community to stay healthy while also putting smiles on children’s faces during the holiday season.” In 2016, Santa’s Gift Exchange provided toys and clothing to more than 5,000 economically disadvantaged chil-

2016 Flu Shot Toy Drive volunteers dren in Fort Bend County. “Everyone’s assistance is needed to meet the challenge of providing toys for children who will not have toys this year without our help,” said Rick Bell, chairman of Santa’s Exchange 2017.

known for its philanthropic values, so we encourage you to participate by dropping off toys or clothing even if you have already had your flu shot,” Siebenaler said.

“We are looking forward to partnering with Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital for an eighth year. This is a great collaboration; get a flu shot and in return you are able to give back to the children in your community,” said Bell, a second year member of the Exchange Club of Sugar Land.

If you would like to participate in this community event, please bring a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item to the Main Pavilion lobby of Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital between 8 a.m. and noon Saturday, Oct. 21. For more information, please visit events. houstonmethodist.org/flushotsl or call 281.275.0751.

“Our community is well

The flu vaccine is indicated

for active immunization for the prevention of influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and B. Vaccination with the flu vaccine may not protect all people who receive the vaccine. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital will be distributing a limited supply of the influenza vaccine to persons age 18 and over with no history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome or rubber latex allergy. If you are pregnant, please visit your obstetrician-gynecologist or primary care physician to have your vaccine administered.

Post-Harvey city proactively prepared to “Fight the Bite” Officials adding mosquito spraying days

n response to the heavy rains and high waterway levels from Hurricane Harvey, Missouri City will be performing additional mosquito spraying for the next six weeks. Due to the temperature change, mosquitoes are on the rise and, starting Tuesday, Sept. 12, the City contractor will be conducting one additional spray per week. Spraying will take place in all communities every Tuesday and

Thursday between the hours of 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Spraying covers all streets and neighborhoods within City limits, including the private streets of communities that have provided a gate code for accessibility by the spraying contractor. Also, in addition to the contractor’s cycle, City staff sprays common areas like parks, green spaces, and the Quail Valley Golf Course as the need arises. An environmentally friendly

pesticide, Kontrol 30-30, will be used and special attention will be given to locations where mosquitoes swarm, including public drainage areas. “The City will continuously monitor this issue, as is done in all major water events, and may increase sprayings if necessary,” said City Manager Anthony J. Snipes. “Mosquitoes can be a health hazard and the spraying program is a key prevention measure we have in place to keep the populations low.” Staff also encourages all residents to prepare themselves to

Proof

“Fight the Bite” by following the 4 D’s: Ø DUSK/DAWN are the times of day you should try to stay indoors. This is when infected mosquitoes are most active. Ø DRESS in long sleeves, pants, loose and light-colored clothing when outside. For extra protection, you may want to spray thin clothing with repellent. Ø DEFEND yourself by using an insect repellent that contains DEET, Picaridin or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Follow label instructions and

reapply as you would with sunscreen, after sweating and swimming. Ø DRAIN standing water in your backyard and neighborhood. Make sure that flower pots, water dishes, bird baths and wading pools are properly drained. In the event you get a mosquito bite, experts recommend the first-aid procedures below: Ø Wash the bite with soap and water Ø Apply anti-itch cream or use calamine lotion or oatmeal bath for itching

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FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

Milestone achieved at Rice University: KTRU’s Golden Jubilee and Navrang completes 25yrs by Sreyas Menon and Christian Capo

ice University’s student and community-operated radio station began in 1967 as just that – a venture started by students noticing a need across campus, and a way for students to explore music together. In 2000, KTRU DJs were thrown into fire for playing punk rock music concurrently with University sport broadcasts, leading to disagreements between DJs and administration, eventually reaching station shut down, major protests, and press coverage. After 8 days, the station resumed function, with joint oversight from administration and students. The broadcast-center was, much to the dismay of the Houston community, sold in 2011 to the University of Houston System. KTRU lived on through various means until 2015 when it returned to the air, where it remains today as 96.1fm. Despite this uncertainty laden adventure, KTRU reached the monument of 50 years in 2017.

Artists from the Indian Experimental Film Festival at Rice University

KTRU’s DJ Varsha Vikil with the band ‘The Mayapuris.’ cert, Swar Yatra – A Musical Journey, on Sunday, September 10, 5 to 7 PM. Embark on a musical journey across the Indian subcontinent with Fusion, classical instrumental and Hindustani vocal. The concert is at the Grand Hall, Rice University. Doors open at 4 PM with free henna, cookies and tea until the concert starts at 5 PM. At 7 PM post-concert, the audience can enjoy free Indian vegetarian cuisine and meet the artists.

In 1992 KTRU’s most popular specialty show Navrang “nine colors” of Indian music was established and aired every Saturday 10 - 12noon. Nick Schlossman, ktru’s station manager, was passionate about Navrang and invited the newly joined Varsha Vakil, to maintain ktru ethics on the show. Varsha has been the charm of Navrang since 2008 and fluently changed Navrang dynamics with her charisma, enthusiasm and innovative vision. Utilizing the KTRU platform Varsha featured several prominent artists within the vast South Asian music realm.

KTRU sincerely thanks concert sponsors: Hindus of Greater Houston, South Asian Youth Alliance, Daya, Indian American Cancer Network, India Culture Center, ISKCON, Maharaja Bhog, Udipi Cafe, Govinda’s, and Deep Foods. KTRU conveys its heartfelt gratitude to media partners: Masala Radio, KPFT and GenerAsian Radio.

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VOICE OF ASIA 9

Indian American man, Nearly 8000 Indian American youth in peril as Trump ends DACA parents arrested for abusing wife W

AMPA, Florida - Indian American Devbir Kalsi was arrested along with his parents Jasbir and Bhupinder Kalsi, after police found his wife Silky Gaind, “badly beaten and bruised over her entire body” from beatings by her husband and his parents that they say had “been ongoing for an extended period of time,” at their Riverview, Florida residence.

However, no one came to the door when a deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office came by, even though they had confirmed the family was at home. At one point, Gaind tried to open the door and “screamed for the deputy to save her and her child,” but her husband tried to shut it, though the deputy eventually forced his way in and arrested him and his parents.

ASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday scrapped an Obama-era amnesty programme that granted work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children, a move likely to impact 800,000 undocumented workers including more than 7,000 IndianAmericans. “I am here today to announce that the programme known as DACA (Deferred Action for Children Arrival) that was effectuated under the Obama Administration is being rescinded,” US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. The announcement, which was anticipated for the past few days, was greeted with protests from across the country. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the White House demonstrating against Trump. “The Department of Justice has advised the President and the Department of Homeland Security that DHS should begin an orderly, lawful wind down, including the cancellation of the memo that authorised this programme,” Sessions told reporters.

Devbir Kalsi, Jasbir Kalsi and Bhupinder Kalsi were arrested Saturday after Hillsborough authorities say Devbir Kalsi’s wife was beaten and held inside her home against her will (Photo: HCSO) According to an arrest report, Kalsi and his wife got into an argument on Friday night, during which he struck her “repeatedly and forcefully.” The report further stated that when the woman tried to defend herself, Kalsi’s parents began hitting her; too, causing bruises on her face, neck and torso before Jasbir Kalsi threatened to stab her with a kitchen knife, accidently hitting Kalsi and Gaind’s 1-year-old baby at one point during the fight. Gaind was eventually dragged into another room and held against her will and when she called her own parents in India to tell them what had happened, they notified the police, who showed up at the home at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Defending the move, he said that to have a lawful system of immigration that serves the national interest, one cannot admit everyone who would like to come here.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, an investigation by the agency found that the parents had traveled from India to “counsel and discipline” Gaind at their son’s request as Kalsi told them that his wife was being disobedient.

“That is an open border policy and the American people have rightly rejected it. Therefore, the nation must set and enforce a limit on how many immigrants we admit each year and that means all cannot be accepted,” he said.

According to a NYDailyNews report Kalsi faces charges of felony battery, false imprisonment, child abuse and denying access to 911 while his father faces multiple charges including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and his mother faces charges of battery domestic violence and failure to report child abuse.

“This does not mean they are bad people or that our nation disrespects or demeans them in any way. It means we are properly enforcing our laws as Congress has passed them.”

Gaind and her child have been moved out of the home and into a safe place.

Five Indian Americans on Politico 50 list of 2017 These Indian Americans have been the brains behind pushing or blocking some of the most important political decisions of the year 2017.

Sessions said that collective wisdom is that the policy is vulnerable to the same legal and constitutional challenges that the courts recognised with respect to the DAPA programme, which was enjoined on a nationwide basis in a decision affirmed by the Fifth Circuit. He said ending the previous administration’s “disrespect for the legislative process” is an important first step. All immigration policies should serve the interests of the people of the US-lawful immigrant and native born alike, he asserted. India ranks 11th among countries of

by Jayshal Sood

Seema Verma Seema Verma heads the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a $1 trillion agency that monitors health programs that insure at least 130 million Americans. Politico calls her “The GOP’s Medicaid Rollback Engineer.” Seen as one of the leading experts on state-based health care solutions, Verma’s work goes back over 20 years. She graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a master’s degree in public health. Thereafter she went to work in the state of Indiana for the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County. In Indiana, Verma was the architect of the much-heralded healthy Indiana Plan 2.0 in 2015. Indiana’s program has been seen as a leading plan that emphasizes on personal responsibility. It helped to grant a waiver for the state and enabled it

US billions in GDP over a decade.

“Congress should carefully and thoughtfully pursue the types of reforms that are right for the American people. Our nation is comprised of good and decent people who want their government’s leaders to fulfill their promises and advance an immigration policy that serves the national interest,” the attorney general said.

“President Trump’s action on DACA is cruel - it threatens to tear families apart, puts our economy at risk, and will do nothing to unify America or make us more secure,” he said.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said now that DACA has been rescinded, there is more to do, and the president has called on Congress to act. “The president’s announcement does not revoke permits immediately, and it is important that those affected have clarity on how this interim period will be carried out. At the heart of this issue are young people who came to this country through no fault of their own, and for many of them it’s the only country they know,” he said. But the Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez said that by rescinding DACA Trump has secured his legacy as “a champion for cruelty”. First, he took away protections for immigrant parents. Now he’s going after their children, he alleged. “Rescinding DACA is the latest tactic in the Republican playbook to promote hate and discrimination. Because of the Republican Party, DREAMers will lose their ability to go to work and contribute to their communities,” Perez said. He said deportations will tear families apart and drive immigrants back into the shadows, and the economy will face a devastating blow, costing

Chicago-born Neal Katyal, a former Acting Solicitor General of the United States, is a partner in Washington, DC,-based law firm Hogal Lovells. While including him on the list, Politico called him “The travel ban’s legal nemesis.” He is the main force behind blocking Trump’s “Muslim Ban” in the state of Hawaii. Katyal, who is a law professor at Georgetown University, was principal deputy solicitor general in the Obama administration.

Nikki Haley

“There is some value in the administration to having some members of the team be more forceful than others,” Haley’s aide said, Politico reported. “But that doesn’t mean they’re not on the same page.” Politico added that though Haley was not an experienced hand in foreign policy when she joined the office, she has fast emerged as a force at the United Nations and has made her presence felt.

origin for DACA students, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services statistics available till March 31, 2017.

Neal Katyal

he Politico Magazine has released its list of 50 most notable individuals who have played a vital role in the policy making in American’s political arena. Branded “50 Ideas Blowing Up American Politics [and the People Behind Them], the list contains five Indian Americans. In other words, 10 percent of the people named are Indian Americans. Here are the five figured on the list: Nikki Haley, who serves as the US Ambassador to UN, was termed “Trump’s foreign policy “Good Cop” by the magazine. Haley, who moved to New York after spending about 12 years in South Carolina politics, is viewed as a perfect Republican presidential candidate. She has emerged as a security blanket for Republicans on Trump administration’s stand on global affairs. Reportedly, the White House sees her role as good cop to Trump’s bad cop.

India ranks 11th among countries of origin for DACA students (Photo: Free Press Journal)

Pictured (clockwise from top left): Nikki Haley, Neal Katyal, Aparna Mathur, Neomi Rao and Seema Verma (Photos: AFP/Getty/AP) to experiment its own type of Medicaid expansion. With her program, the administration plans to give states more control and choice to run Medicaid. Her program in Indiana has become a model plan for the country. Aparna Mathur Aparna Mathur is an economic policy scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Her research papers are quoted widely in media and her work is cited in reports to Congress. One of her research areas, Labor Market Outcomes, played a vital role in pushing a six week gender-neutral paid leave. The US is the only developed country with a federal paid parental leave. However, with Ivanka Trump’s push and research from Mathur and Brookings’ Isabel Sawhill, the paid leave was included in the 2018 budget that Trump released in May. Ivanka Trump praised Mathur and Sawhill for their work, in which Mathur ar-

gued that the paid leave would propel the economy by letting women stay in the workforce and would be cost-effective, too.

When Trump issued the revised version of his executive order that aimed to ban six predominantlyMuslim countries, Katyal’s arguments convinced a federal judge to block the order nationwide. The 47-year-old Indian American had argued that the administration cannot select people to be excluded from the country because of their religion. Katyal has been unequivocal in expressing his personal view on the ban. “Regardless of all the argu-

Los Angels Mayor Eric Garcetti said the decision is a “giant setback” for America.

In a statement, he urged Congress to act as quickly as possible to pass legislation to protect the beneficiaries of DACA. “Today is a cruel day for Dreamers, our families, and all Americans. President Trump’s decision to end DACA is a manufactured crisis in response to an artificial deadline from anti-immigrant leaders,” said Lorella Praeli, director of immigration policy and campaigns at the American Civil Liberties Union. “President Trump just threw the lives and futures of 800,000 Dreamers and their families, including my own, into fearful disarray, and injected chaos and uncertainty into thousands of workplaces and communities across America. He is using the lives of 800,000 people as pawn,” Praeli said. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said Trump’s action is an affront to who “we are” as Americans. Trump is needlessly targeting children who know no other country as home than America, she said. “This does not make our communities safer or our economy stronger. In fact, it does just the opposite. Congress must lead where the President won’t and pass the DREAM Act. America does not merely tolerate immigration - we thrive on it, and we are better than needlessly targeting hardworking young adults to score crass partisan points,” she added.

ments that are dancing around in the executive branch right now to try to justify it, it has got its roots in the ugliest parts of human nature,” he said, Politico reported. Katyal has criticized the president over his “Muslim ban” order. Neomi Rao Neomi Rao serves as the director of Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). Politico called her the “Washington’s new regulatory czar”. Many of Trump’s core agendas, for instance, Obamacare repeal, travel ban and border wall with Mexico have been blocked. However, there have been instances where Trump has been successful, for example, in rolling back several of Obama-era rules. A law professor on leave from George Mason University, Rao has been the main force behind these successful deconstructions. Rao has argued that the president should have the ability to remove the heads of independent agencies. (-The American Bazaar)

ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 10

Chinese woman charged over fatal Australia breast implant

YDNEY, Australia | AFP | Tuesday 9/5/2017 - A Chinese national was charged with manslaughter Tuesday over an alleged botched attempt at breast augmentation surgery at a Sydney beauty clinic led to the death of the salon’s manager. Jean Huang, 35, was rushed to hospital last week after she went into cardiac arrest during a breast implant procedure. Attempts to revive her failed and she died a few days later. Prosecutors allege Jie Shao, 33, administered an incorrect dose of anaesthetic while performing the surgery. She reportedly had no medical qualifications in Australia. Court documents listed the drugs involved as tramadol and lidocaine, both pain relievers, and restricted substance hyal-

hat are we going to fight over today?” a journalist friend of Gauri Lankesh would usually ask her whenever she made an early morning call to him. “What’s your grudge?”

Jean Huang died following a botched breast surgery procedure allegedly performed by an unlicensed practitioner in Sydney (Photo: Facebook) uronic acid, which is often used in cosmetic surgery, including lip and breast procedures. Shao, who was visiting Australia on a tourist visa, was reportedly known to Huang through mutual friends.

She also faces charges relating to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm and using poison to endanger life. Shao was refused bail with the matter due back in court next month.

tecting radioactive particles. Fears of a leak from North Korea’s detonation of what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb

could be due to a “collapse (cave in)”, suggesting the rock over the underground blast had given way.

Japan’s top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters there was “nothing special detected from monitoring posts across the country”, nor from air samples taken by the Air SelfDefense Force after Sunday’s blast. China’s environment ministry said Monday that radiation levels near its Korean border were also normal. “Results of monitoring make clear that this North Korean nuclear test as of now has produced no effect on our nation’s environment or the public,” the ministry wrote on its official website. Japanese defence minister Itsunori Onodera said Sunday that Tokyo had deployed “sniffer” planes capable of de-

South Korea’s Hyunmu-2 ballistic missile is fired during an exercise aimed to counter North Korea’s testing (Photo: Getty /AFP) came after Chinese monitors detected a second tremor shortly after the initial earthquake triggered by the blast. The monitors said the second tremor, of 4.6 magnitude,

The resulting explosion was considerably larger than previous tests and was felt by residents in Chinese cities hundreds of kilometres (miles) from the North’s border.

UN says 87,000 refugees arrive in Bangladesh from Myanmar by Sam Jahan

OX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh | AFP | Monday 9/4/2017 - A total of 87,000 mostly Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since violence erupted in neighbouring Myanmar on August 25, the United Nations said Monday, amid growing international criticism of Aung San Suu Kyi. Thousands of the stateless Muslim minority have fled mainly Buddhist Myanmar and poured over the border since the latest round of fighting broke out. Their arrival has piled yet more pressure on already overcrowded camps in Bangladesh and raised fears of a humanitarian crisis as aid agencies struggle to cope with the influx of mainly women and children. Around 20,000 more were massed on the border waiting to enter, the UN said in a report. Dhaka stepped up border controls after the latest round of violence, but one Bangladeshi border guard told AFP the sheer number of people desperate to enter the country from Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine had made it impossible to keep them out. “It is bigger than the last time,” said the guard, who asked not to be named, referring to the influx of refugees that followed an outbreak of violence last October. “If it continues then we will face serious problems. But it’s impossible to stop the flow: these people are everywhere.” Many of the new arrivals lacked shelter from the heavy monsoon rains, and an AFP reporter said hundreds of new makeshift shelters had sprung

Obituary: The fearless journalist- activist Gauri Lankesh by Soutik Biswas

Japan, China say no radiation detected after NK nuke test OKYO, Japan | AFP | Wednesday 9/6/2017 - Japan and China said Monday they had not yet detected any atmospheric radiation from North Korea’s nuclear test, amid fears of a leak from a “cave in” during the underground blast.

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

Oma Salema, 12, held her undernourished brother Ayub Khan, 1, at a camp for Rohingya in Sittwe, Myanmar. Some 140,000 Rohingya live here in rows of flimsy bamboo huts without electricity. Raw sewage flows through open concrete drains, and children are commonly undernourished. (Credit: Tomas Munita) up on the outskirts of the existing camps in recent days. “It has been raining frequently since last week. We have to keep our children safe from being sick,” said Amena Begum, a newly arrived mother of five. Rakhine has been a crucible of religious violence since 2012, when riots erupted. Scores of Rohingya were killed and tens of thousands of people -- most of them from the Muslim minority -were forced into displacement camps. But the current round of fighting, which broke out when Rohingya militants ambushed security installations, is the worst yet. Myanmar’s army has said nearly 400 people have died

in the fighting that ensued, including 370 Rohingya militants. - ‘Shameful treatment’ On Monday the office of Myanmar’s de facto leader Suu Kyi said the military had fought 90 separate clashes with Rohingya militants since the ambushes. In a statement it said more than 2,600 homes had been destroyed in Rohingya villages and 138 houses had been destroyed in non-Muslim villages -- blaming the fires and other damage entirely on the militants. Suu Kyi is under increasing fire over her perceived unwillingness to speak out against the treatment of the Rohingya, who are viewed as interlopers in Myanmar.

In her breathless, highpitched voice, Lankesh would usually ask her editor friend why his newspaper hadn’t taken a stronger stand on an issue close to her heart. “If you big guys can’t take a more robust stand, how are we going to do it?” In the southern Indian city of Bangalore where she lived, Lankesh edited an eponymous weekly tabloid she inherited from her father in the local Kannada language. Financed entirely by subscriptions part of an activist tabloid culture in the state of Karnataka, which shunned adverts - Gauri Lankesh Patrike was known for its feisty leftist views. It also reflected the editor’s view and ideology.

Lankesh was a feisty social activist and inherited a newspaper from her father (Photo: Facebook)

Lankesh was a trenchant critic of the Hindu right-wing. She believed religious and ma- attracted a raft of defama- a career in journalism early joritarian politics would tear tion cases. Last year she was on. She went to a journalism school in Delhi, India apart. When where a classmate Malleshappa Kalburgi, a leading Senior Indian journalist Gauri Lankesh was found her “tough, Indian scholar and shot dead by unidentified attackers in southern u n c o m p r o m i s a well-known ra- Karnataka state, its chief minister said Tuesday, ing and radical”. tionalist thinker, confirming the country as Asia’s deadliest for She worked with a leading newspawas shot dead reporters. per, a now-defunct at his Bangalore “Absolutely shocked to learn about the mur- magazine and a home following der of renowned journalist Gauri Lankesh. I fledgling English death threats from have no words to condemn this heinous crime,” news channel. right-wing Hindu chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Twitter late groups two years When her father Tuesday. ago, she told a died in 2000, she Lankesh, who edited a tabloid newspaper, was initially relucfriend: “I don’t care what happens was an outspoken critic of right-wing Hindu na- tant to take over to me, they even tionalist politics. his 20-year-old called me a slut. A Press Trust of India (PTI) report said that newspaper. KanBut I really worry Lankesh was opening the entry gate to her resi- nada, her friends for the country. dence when she was shot dead by the “motor- said, was not her These guys will cycle-borne assailants” in the state capital Ban- strongest point. break it up.” But when she figalore. She had othThe report said that Lankesh died “instanta- nally decided to er causes too. neously” after two bullets hit her chest and one take it over, she turned completely Lankesh was her forehead. political and began openly sympa“I have spoken with the DGP (Director General taking radical pothetic to Maoist rebels who have of Police), and instructed him to ensure prompt litical positions. long waged war and thorough investigation to bring the perpeFriends found against the Indian trators to justice,” Siddaramaiah said on Twitter. Lankesh at once government and India’s otherwise progressive southern state a belligerent and she fought hard to has seen some targeted killings of political ac- loving personalbring them into the tivists and scholars in the recent past. ity. She fought and mainstream. She made up easily. In 2015, India was rated as the deadliest counalso campaigned She “adopted” two for the rights of try in Asia for journalists by Paris-based Report- student leaders ers Without Borders. (-AFP) Dalits, formerly one who belonged known as untouchto the Dalit comables. convicted of defamation for a munity, the other charged with She made no bones about report she published on local sedition - and invited them her dislike for Prime Minister BJP leaders. The chief of the home. When she wanted to Narendra Modi and his ruling BJP’s information technology gift them T-shirts, she called a Hindu nationalist BJP either. cell then sent out an ominous- male friend and asked: “What Her Facebook posts often con- sounding tweet hoping “other colours would they like, you tained unflattering memes of journalists take note” of her think?” the prime minister. In a recent conviction, prompting accusaIn recent months, Lankesh post she lauded India’s stand- tions of dog-whistle politics. wrote on rising attacks on the up comics for “successfully do- This had not daunted Lankesh. freedom of press, local politics ing more than most to destroy Despite falling circulation and and how her city and India’s inthe Modi myth”. Typically, she revenues, her tabloid continued fo-tech capital had become unlent her support to them, saying to take on formidable adversar- safe for women. She wrote she “We are all with you together ies. was appalled by rising domesand we shall reclaim our secutic violence, dowry murders ‘Uncompromising’ lar India.” and acid attacks on women in Along with the tabloid, what was once a genteel penDiscarding impartiality, Lankesh possibly inherited her sioners paradise. Lankesh’s newspaper was ofgrit from her father P Lankesh, ten shrill and bristling with “What can women of Bangaa versatile cultural icon from rhetoric. Sometimes the stoKarnataka. He ran a lively, lore do to reclaim their rights to ries would give short shrift to high-circulation tabloid, wrote live the way they used to?” she facts, discomforting many of award-winning novels and wrote in January. her friends. To be fair, Lankesh made films, all infused with a In a way, it was a chillingly never concealed her choices: vibrant cosmopolitan favour. prescient thought. The motorshe introduced herself as “jourHe was also a fearless activist. cycle-borne gunmen who shot nalist-activist” in her Twitter Gauri Lankesh, the oldest of Lankesh outside her home on profile. three siblings, had decided on Monday night probably killed Not surprisingly, her paper her for her work.

The Nobel peace laureate, a former political prisoner of Myanmar’s junta, has made no public comment since the latest fighting broke out. “Over the last several years I have repeatedly condemned this tragic and shameful treatment,” Pakistani activist and fellow Nobel peace prize laureate Malala Yousafzai said in a statement about the Rohingya crisis on Twitter. “I am still waiting for my fellow Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to do the same.” The crisis threatens Myanmar’s diplomatic relations, particularly with Muslim-majority countries in Southeast Asia where there is profound public anger at the treatment of the Rohingya. Indonesia’s foreign minister Retno Marsudi met Suu Kyi as well as Myanmar’s army chief General Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw on Monday to press for greater efforts to alleviate the crisis.

Bangladesh, already home to an estimated 400,000 Rohingya before the latest influx, has also come in for international criticism for pushing people back to Myanmar. Rights groups say this is a contravention of its international obligations. On Monday officials on the small island of St Martin’s nine kilometres (around six miles) off Bangladesh’s coast said authorities had forced 2,011 Rohingya seeking refuge there to leave. Elected official Farid Ahmed said children were among the refugees who were rounded up on Sunday evening before being taken back to Myanmar by boat. “Rohingya children were crying. But it is the government order. What can we do?” Ahmed told AFP. “They (Rohingya) said, where should we go? They (Myanmar forces) were kill-

ing us there. Our houses were burnt. They were firing at us.” Scores of people have drowned while attempting to flee the violence, which also killed or displaced ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and other tribal groups allegedly targeted by Rohingya militants. The refugees say that many young Rohingya men have stayed behind to fight. The Rohingya are denied citizenship, though many say their families have lived in Myanmar since before there was a border between what was then Burma and the rest of Britain’s empire in southern Asia. Until the government’s official policy of discrimination took hold in the early 1990s and extremist Buddhist teachings espousing hatred of Muslims swept the country, many Rohingya worked for the government as schoolteachers, firefighters and clerks.

WORLD/US

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

ANALYSIS: What happens to ‘Dreamers’ after Trump revokes their residence rights?

ASHINGTON DC | AFP | Tuesday 9/5/2017 - The Trump administration on Tuesday ordered the end of the “Dreamers” program that allowed illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children to remain in the country. That move threatens the futures of some 800,000 people, many now in schools, with jobs and families in the United States. - What is the ‘Dreamers’ program? In a presidential order in June 2012,

gal immigrants, those who came as adults, to gain legal status, but was blocked from implementation by legal challenges. Recently Texas led other states in a threatened action to similarly seek to block DACA. Faced with legal challenges, the Trump administration said it falls to Congress to fix the problem, not the executive branch. But legal experts say Obama’s DACA order was constitutionally sound and would survive court challenges. “The least disruptive alterna-

Harminder’s Story

Irma is ‘extremely dangerous’ Category Five hurricane: US monitors

IAMI| AFP | Tuesday 9/5/2017 - Irma picked up strength and has become an “extremely dangerous” Category Five hurricane as it approached the Caribbean on Tuesday, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center reported.

Harminder Saini was in high school, at the Academy of American Studies, when he discovered he was unable to secure working papers or apply for a driver’s license because he did not have a Social Security number. “So my parents told me I was undocumented,” Saini would recall. “I didn’t have the same stuff Americans have.” But in June 2012, the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program allowed “DREAMers” who arrived in America as minors to secure a work permit and at least temporary protection from deportation. Saini was enrolled as a history major at Hunter College when his mother heard on television that DREAMers had become eligible to apply to Stock’s MAVNI as a way to get citizenship. Saini went to an Army recruiting station in Queens. The qualifying languages included his native Punjabi, and he was given a proficiency exam. “Obviously, I passed that,” he later told The Daily Beast. On Feb. 23, 2016, he enlisted. He signed a standard DD Form 4/1 enlistment contract. He took the standard oath: “I, Harminder Saini, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.” A photo from his enlistment ceremony shows him standing soldier tall and proud before an array of flags of the armed services. Saini was slated to ship out to basic training once he passed a background check, so he saw no sense in continuing to pay college tuition. He left Hunter and began watching documentaries about the military. He gleaned a reading list from an interview in which Defense Secretary James Mattis recommended a number of books for leaders. “I’ve looked into Mattis,” Saini later said. “I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about him.”

The Category Five hurricane has “blown the roofs” off of buildings, caused flooding and cut communications between Paris and the Frenchrun islands of Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin, she said after a cabinet meeting in Paris. Irma slammed into the islands after first making landfall on the island of Barbuda to the southeast, with the French weather office saying: “These islands are suffering major impacts.”

Irma has ‘caused major damage’ on Caribbean islands and continues towards the Florida coastline (Photo: NBC News)

“Preparations should be rushed to completion in the hurricane warning area,” the NHC said in its 1200 GMT bulletin.

The plane carrying Pope Francis to Colombia has been forced to change its flight plan to avoid a run-in with monster Hurricane Irma, which is barrelling its way across the Caribbean.

Irma is expected to make landfall along the string of French islands that includes Guadeloupe late Tuesday before heading to Haiti and Florida.

“It’s like a bridge,” Saini said. (-The Daily Beast)

president Barack Obama launched DACA -- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals -- that aimed to provide a stable future for people who arrived in the country illegally as children and stayed. Dubbed “Dreamers”, they were granted under presidential order the right to remain and study or work legally, renewing their status regularly. The program was devised after Congress failed to pass legislation to address the status of millions of illegal immigrants who had lived in the country for decades, many with families, permanent homes and businesses. DACA applied to people who were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012, and had been continually present in the US since 2007. It covered anyone in school or who had a graduate certificate, who was serving in the armed forces, and who had never been convicted of a serious crime. - Why end DACA? But Trump argued that DACA protected people who broke US laws, was unfair to legal immigrants, and encroached Congress’s power to make immigration laws. The government also argued that legal challenges by a number of states made DACA and a 2014 sister program, DAPA, untenable. DAPA was a proposed Obama program to open the way for other ille-

tive would have been to let the DACA program continue,” said Stephen YaleLoehr of Cornell University. - What happens to the Dreamers? Encouraged by Obama’s move, about 800,000 people registered under DACA, confident that they would be safe from expulsion. Now the government has access to all their personal data, making it hard for most to hide. About 200,000 of them will see their resident permits expire by the end of 2017. Another 275,000 expire in 2018, and the rest between January and August 2019. Under Trump’s order, those with permits are safe until their expiry. People with permits that expire within the next six months -- before March 5, 2018 -- can apply to renew them before October 5. But new applications will not be accepted. Once their DACA permits expire, individuals will not have the legal right to work, and theoretically could be deported any time -- though current policy only threatens illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes. The White House has indicated that the six month grace period gives Congress an opportunity, if it wants, to come up with legislation that could replace DACA and strengthen its legal foundations.

Irma, which has triggered alarm and alerts from the French West Indies to Florida, comes after of Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas and Louisiana late last month.

Officials at the Home Office, the UK government department that has responsibility for immigration, outlined a series of stringent measures aimed at making immigration from the EU harder after Britain leaves the bloc in 2019. They include ending the free movement of labor on the day that Britain leaves the EU, and making it harder for lower-skilled workers to enter. Opponents of Brexit criticized the measures as unnecessarily harsh, and some commentators said they were at odds with the government’s stated aim of achieving a transition deal with the EU after Brexit.

Accoriding to the draft paper, which ministers have yet to approve, the UK would attempt to ensure that businesses give priority to “resident labor.”

Saini joined John in speaking of the power that comes from connecting with others despite seeming differences, be it within the military or between the military and other cultures with other languages. Here was the true greatness of America, best symbolized as neither a tower nor a wall.

The storm is also is expected to “cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”

ONDON (CNN) - The UK government has drawn up plans aimed at slashing the levels of migration from the European Union immediately after Brexit, according to a document obtained by the Guardian.

“Who knows what’s going to happen?” he said. “It’s like 50/50, can they get it done?”

“She helps us out,” Saini said.

The storm was moving towards the west at 14 miles (22 kilometers) per

“These rainfall amounts may cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides,” the NHC warned.

by James Masters

But government ministers said voters expected to see a reduction in immigration.

Sixteen years this month after the officer at West Point and the little immigrant boy in Queens watched smoke rise from the World Trade Center, Stock is now retired from the Army. But she stays busy on Facebook assisting Saini and John and the DREAMers who joined the program she conceived to help make America safe and are now in some danger of being deported.

“Because of a hurricane, the Holy Father’s flight will take a more southern route and will enter the airspaces of three other countries,” Barbados, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, the Vatican said in a statement Wednesday.

hour, and is expected to drop between four and eight inches (10 and 20 centimeters) of rain when it hits land.

Britain to slash EU migration after Brexit, leaked paper says

As Saini continued his own wait in New York, staying fit and reading from the Mattis book list, he watched the Durbin and Graham press conference. He came away more hopeful than he might have been.

He also spoke of someday becoming an officer, but for now he had a prime ambition. “All I want to do is serve,” he said. “Do my part give back to this country because it allowed me to stay here.”

Hurricane Irma packing 110 MPH winds, barreling towards US coastline

Hurricane Irma has already caused “major damage” on several Caribbean islands, French Overseas Territories Minister Annick Girardin said on Wednesday.

The monster hurricane, the most powerful of the five-level Saffir-Simpson scale, is about 270 miles (440 kilometers) east of the island of Antigua packing maximum sustained winds of 175 miles (280 kilometers) per hour.

An undocumented immigrant from Queens is Harminder Saini, whose family had brought him from India to America when he was 6. He wishes to enter the US Army, if he is allowed under the new DACA guidelines. (Photo: Facebook)

VOICE OF ASIA 11

EU citizens who come to the UK for lower-skilled jobs could be awarded a two-year residency, while those in higher-skilled occupations would be given five years. The changes would come in at the end of the transition period after Britain’s departure, which could last up to three years. Other changes that could be introduced include a minimum salary for low-skilled workers coming to the UK and a temporary program for seasonal workers. The document also says the government would place new restrictions on the rights of EU migrants to bring in family members. “Put plainly, this means that, to be considered valuable to the country as a whole, immigration should benefit not

A crowded boat of immigrants during one of the rescue operations off the coast of Sicily Photo: (EPA) just the migrants themselves but also make existing residents better off,” the draft document says. ‘Strangle our economy’ The leak of the paper, which is marked “draft, official, sensitive,” comes just a day before the House of Commons debates a major piece of legislation meant to pave the way for the withdrawal. London Mayor Sadiq Khan slammed the memo, saying it read “like a blueprint on how to strangle London’s economy.” Khan, a vociferous opponent of Brexit, said the proposals would be “devastating not just for our city but for the whole country.”He warned that “thousands” of families could be split up.

But Defense Minister Michael Fallon said the government must strike a balance to control immigration. “We’re not closing the door on all future immigration but it has to be managed properly and people do expect to see the numbers coming down,” he told the BBC. While the document suggests longterm net migration from the EU has fallen over the past year to 133,000, the government says it is committed to cutting overall net migration to the tens of thousands. One of the more contentious areas of the document centers on the rights of EU migrant workers to bring family members to the UK.

“I respect the outcome of the EU referendum, but the British people did not vote to make our country and future generations poorer,” he said in a statement..

According to the document, the government intends to place restrictions on “extended family members” and tighten the definition of who qualifies as a family member. “We propose to define family members as direct family members only, plus durable partners,” it reads.

“An extreme hard Brexit -- which was rejected just a few months ago at the general election -- would be terrible for London and Britain alike.”

In addition, those EU nationals who wish to be joined by non-EU family members would need to earn at least £18,600 ($24,000) a year.

Plastic fibres found in tap water around the world, study reveals Tests show billions of people globally are drinking water contaminated by plastic particles, with 83% of samples found to be polluted

EW YORK, Tuesday, Sept. 6 - Microplastic contamination has been found in tap water in countries around the world, leading to calls from scientists for urgent research on the implications for health. Scores of tap water samples from more than a dozen nations were analysed by scientists for an investigation by Orb Media.

found in each 500ml sample ranged from 4.8 in the US to 1.9 in Europe. The new analyses indicate the ubiquitous extent of microplastic contamination in the global environment. Previous work has been largely focused on plastic pollution in the oceans, which suggests people are eating microplastics via contaminated seafood.

The US had the highest contamination rate, at 94%, with plastic fibres found in tap water sampled at sites including Congress buildings, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters, and Trump Tower in New York. Lebanon and India had the next highest rates.

“We have enough data from looking at wildlife, and the impacts that it’s having on wildlife, to be concerned,” said Dr Sherri Mason, a microplastic expert at the State University of New York in Fredonia, who supervised the analyses for Orb. “If it’s impacting [wildlife], then how do we think that it’s not going to somehow impact us?”

European nations including the UK, Germany and France had the lowest contamination rate, but this was still 72%. The average number of fibres

A separate small study in the Republic of Ireland released in June also found microplastic contamination in a handful of tap water and well samples.

“We don’t know what the [health] impact is and for that reason we should follow the precautionary principle and put enough effort into it now, immediately, so we can find out what the real risks are,” said Dr Anne Marie Mahon at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, who conducted the research. Mahon said there were two principal concerns: very small plastic particles and the chemicals or pathogens that microplastics can harbour. “If the fibres are there, it is possible that the nanoparticles are there too that we can’t measure,” she said. “Once they are in the nanometre range they can really penetrate a cell and that means they can penetrate organs, and that would be worrying. Some studies have shown there are more harmful pathogens on microplastics downstream of wastewater treatment plants.” (-The Guardian)

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 12

India court allows abortion for 13-year-old rape victim

A Pakistani court on Thursday pronounced Musharraf a fugitive in the murder trial but acquitted five men accused of involvement in the 2007 assassination of Bhutto, the first female prime minister of a Muslim country.

The girl is 32 weeks pregnant, well beyond India’s 20-week legal limit after which terminations are only allowed where there is a danger to the life of the mother or the baby.

In a statement issued to the media Sunday, Musharraf said the verdict of the Rawalpindi Anti Terrorism Court was not against him.

In his submission before the court Wednesday, the state counsel said the girl would “undergo trauma and agony” if she was not allowed to terminate her pregnancy.

Nikhil Datar, a Mumbai-based doctor, said the teenager was already 27-weeks pregnant when he saw her. The parents immediately approached the Supreme Court and also lodged a police complaint, he said. “It has been emotionally draining for the girl’s parents as their child is pregnant and they are unable to cope up with this fact,” the child’s lawyer Sneha Mukherjee told AFP ahead of the verdict.

“I will certainly come back to Pakistan and face the trial, as and when I am medically fit,” he said. India has a gruesome record of sexual assaults on minors, with 20,000 cases reported in 2015 (Photo: AFP) The case comes on the heels of another plea by a 10-year-old rape victim for abortion which was rejected by the court after doctors said it would pose a threat to her life.

beyond 20 weeks.

In recent months courts have received a number of petitions from women -- including young rape survivors and trafficking victims -- seeking abortions where pregnancies had gone

India has a gruesome record of sexual assaults on minors, with 20,000 cases reported in 2015, according to government data.

Modi appoints India’s first female defence minister train accident in August that killed 10.

Nine junior ministers were sworn in and four promoted to the cabinet in the reshuffle, the third shake-up since Modi was elected in 2014.

Nirmala Sitharaman’s appointment in a cabinet reshuffle will ease the burden on Arun Jaitley, who had been juggling finance and defence throughout a months-long impasse with China over a strategic Himalayan plateau. Modi also dropped Suresh Prabhu as railways minister, less than a week after he offered to resign following a

Activists say the restriction should be extended to 24 weeks as victims of rape are often late to report their pregnancies.

security having two women and decisions on security-related matters being taken at par with men by the women,” Sitharaman told Indian broadcaster News18.

by Annie Banerji EW DEHLI | AFP - Prime Minister Narendra Modi named a female legislator as India’s new defence minister Sunday, the first time a woman has been appointed to the key portfolio overseeing border tensions with China and Pakistan.

Musharraf says will face Bhutto murder trial SLAMABAD, Pakistan | AFP - Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf said he would return to Pakistan to face trial in the murder case of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

UMBAI, India | AFP | Wednesday 9/6/2017 - India’s top court on Wednesday allowed a 13-year-old rape survivor to have a late abortion after lawyers said carrying the baby to full term would cause her trauma and agony.

Local media reports say one of her father’s colleagues has been arrested on charges of raping her.

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

“I congratulate all those who have taken oath today. Their experience and wisdom will add immense value to the Council of Ministers,” Modi said after the swearing-in ceremony at the presidential palace. Sitharaman, a junior minister who oversaw the commerce and trade portfolio, joins five other women in India’s cabinet. The prestigious foreign affairs portfolio is also held by a woman, Sushma Swaraj. “Imagine, the cabinet committee on

“There is a big message to all the countries that look up to India or look at India, saying ‘What is happening to women in India?’” Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also acted as defence minister on two occasions between the mid-1970s and early 1980s. She was assassinated in 1984. Sitharaman’s appointment comes just days after India and China agreed to end a months-long military standoff at a strategically important disputed area in the Himalayas. New Delhi said both sides agreed to withdraw troops from an area near the Indian border that is claimed by both China and India’s ally Bhutan. Her appointment will allow Jaitley to focus on his finance portfolio.

“I have been framed in the Benazir Bhutto murder case by way of political victimization, while I had nothing to do with her untimely and tragic death,” he said. “I have not been the beneficiary of prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s murder and the entire case as pitched against me is materially false, ficti-

tious, fabricated and is a result of political intrigue,” the former army chief said. The anti-terrorism court branded Musharraf as an absconder and ordered the confiscation of his property. The verdicts are the first to be issued since Bhutto was killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack nearly a decade ago, sparking street violence and plunging Pakistan into months of political turmoil. Former president and military ruler Musharraf is alleged to have been part of a broad conspiracy to have his political rival killed before elections. He has denied the allegation. He was charged with murder, criminal conspiracy for murder, and facilitation for murder in 2013, in an unprecedented move against an exarmy chief, challenging beliefs the military is immune from prosecution. But he has been in self-imposed exile in Dubai ever since a travel ban was lifted three years later.

Eight killed in clashes with Pakistan militants

UETTA, Pakistan | AFP | Tuesday 9/5/2017 - Eight people including four security personnel have been killed in three separate clashes with militants in southwest Pakistan and Karachi, officials said on Tuesday. In a major attack on Monday, militants ambushed a Frontier Corps convoy in Panjgoor district of Balochistan province, killing three personnel including a lieutenant colonel and wounding three others. Nobody has so far claimed the attack in Panjgoor, 520 kilometres (320 miles) southwest of Quetta, but a security official said it was presumably carried out by Baloch separatists. In a separate incident, police in the southern city of Karachi killed four suspected Pakistani Taliban militants in a shootout.

“We have killed four militants including a cousin of the chief of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Maulvi Fazlullah in an exchange of fire,” Rao Anwar Ahmed, a senior police official in Karachi, told AFP. “We had raided a hideout in Malir area but it led to the shootout,” he said. In another incident in Karachi, suspected militants killed a police official and wounded another when they raided a house to detain a suspect for an assassination attempt on an MP, which took place on Saturday. Two people --- a 10-year-old boy and a security guard -- were killed in that attack. Pakistan has been battling Islamist, ethnic and political insurgencies for decades but violence has been reduced in recent years following military operations across the country.

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BUSINESS

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

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Section 2

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After the US ramped up the rhetoric over North Korea’s nuclear activities, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of a global catastrophe unless a diplomatic solution is reached. But Putin rejected US calls for more sanctions as “useless,” widening a split among major powers over how to rein in Pyongyang. Meanwhile, Irma, a dangerous, monster-sized hurricane was moving towards the Caribbean islands at about 270 miles from east of the island of Antigua. Less than two weeks after Hurricane

Harvey inundated Houston and the US Gulf Coast, forecasters warn the storm could hit Florida and other Atlantic coast states. Analysts said seasonal factors are also working against stocks, with September traditionally one of the worst months for equity performance. About 15 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 21,892.15, down 0.4 percent. The broad-based S&P 500 also lost 0.4 percent to 2,467.30, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 0.5 percent to 6,403.85. Airplane parts supplier Rockwell Collins rose 1.0 percent following the announcement it agreed to be bought by conglomerate United Technologies for $30 billion. Dow member United Technologies fell 2.8 percent.

Lilium raises $90M Series B for allelectric flying taxi

Businesses and cars flooded near the Addicks Reservoir in Houston as floodwaters continue to rise. It will be weeks before all the water has completely receded, authorities have said. (Photo: David J. Phillip/Associated Press) by Michael Graczyk (AP)

ouston’s mayor insists that America’s fourth-largest city is “open for business,” but with areas under water, people not yet in their homes, and billions in damage to repair, major disasters that Harvey created are by no means resolved. Mayor Sylvester Turner said much of the city was hoping to get back on track after Labor Day. SA’s Waste Management Department to help Houston with Harvey cleanup “Anyone who was planning on a conference or a convention or a sporting event or a concert coming to this city, you can still come,” he told CBS. “We can do multiple things at the same time.” One worry, of further explosions at a damaged chemical plant, lessened after officials carried out a controlled burn Sunday evening of highly unstable compounds at the Arkema plant in Crosby. Three trailers had previously

“If you look closely at the aircraft you’ll see there is no tail, because the tail adds drag and adds weight to an aircraft”

magine some time in the notso-distant future. After making your way to the nearest comLackstrip, of you’ll speech is a munity landing pull out your phone, and, with a single tap, hail the closest air taxi to take you to your chosen destination. The experience will have Uber-like convenience but the mode of transport couldn’t be any more different. Never again will you need to ask your taxi driver to take the scenic route as you’re flown from one location to another, much faster than by car and with significantly less environmental impact. That’s the promise of the five-seater Lilium jet, a new kind of all-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) device being developed by a startup based in Munich, Germany, which, until just a few years ago, had yet to come into existence. “The founding mission of the company was to enable everyone to use this kind of transportation system

Tel: 713-774-5140

Houston ‘open for business’ despite huge hurdles: Mayor

US stocks fall on worries about N. Korea, Irma EW YORK, WALL STREET | AFP, Tuesday September 5 - Wall Street stocks fell early Tuesday on worries about North Korea and as another major hurricane approached the United States.

VOICE OF ASIA 13

caught fire after Harvey’s floodwaters knocked out generators.

story ranch her parents built and have lived in for 56 years, which backs up to Buffalo Bayou.

Authorities said they would keep Jacob Sanchez Diagnosed “It came up fast. They had to get monitoring the air, and people living with autism within a mile and a half of the site out by canoe,” Mace said, adding they outside Houston are still evacuated. thought the home would have to be But floodwaters also have inundated demolished. at least five toxic waste Superfund Harvey slammed into Texas on Aug. sites near Houston and some may be 25 as a Category 4 hurricane, but damaged, though Environmental Pro- brought the worst flooding to Houstection Agency officials have yet to as- ton and other areas as a tropical storm. sess the full extent of what occurred. The rain totaled nearly 52 inches (1.3

Harvey likely to weigh on Houston’s commercial property market for months Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told CNN the EPA is “working on some of them already,” but “they have restraints on their ability to check out some of them just simply because of the water.” Turner said Houston’s drinking water hadn’t been affected by the storm, but told CBS, “We would hope that the EPA would be on the ground now to take a look at those Superfund sites, to make sure that contamination is contained and limited.”

ries A Lilium raised a year ago. Backing the round are Tencent; LGT, the in their everyday lives,” Lilium co- international private banking and founder and CEO Daniel Wiegand asset management group; Atomico, Utility crews went door-to-door tells TechCrunch. “We want to be the Lilium’s Series A backer founded by Sunday shutting off power and warnsign autism. Learn autismspeaks.org/signs. leadingof company enabling everythe per-others Skype at co-founder Niklas Zennström; ing those still in some waterlogged son to take a jet instead of using the and Obvious Ventures, the early-stage homes in western parts of the city car and be five times faster to their VC fund co-founded by Twitter’s Ev that more flooding was possible - not destination… There’s going to be an Williams. from rain, but from releases of water app and from day one you’ll be able to from overtaxed reservoirs. Thousands “When we had the Series A investbook this airplane as a service”. ment, we had an idea and a smart Despite what you may have read founding team and a promise, basielsewhere, however, day one is still cally. In April we delivered that: we “several years” off, with Wiegand de- have shown a full-scale airplane flyscribing the Lilium jet as following a ing, even in transition from hover classic development timeline for any flight, so we could really demonstrate new aircraft of its size. That’s not to this is the best technology in that field say that the startup hasn’t made sig- and it works. That was probably the nificant headway to date, including key difference”. of Houston dwellings were under a first public and successful flight in mandatory evacuation orders, though In addition to a successful test flight, April for a two-seater and remote opabout 300 people were thought to be Wiegand says Lilium has “built up erated version of the jet, which, says refusing to leave. a lot on the company side,” in terms the Lilium CEO, didn’t go unnoticed of hiring and processes and growing People briefly returned Sunday to by investors. the engineering team. Headcount now some homes in the area, which includToday the company is announcing stands at more than 75 people, around ed brick two-story and ranch homes it has closed $90 million in Series B half of which are non-German. And bordering Buffalo Bayou, to try to salfunding, up from the $10 million Sejust last month, vage valuables. Lilium added a More than a week since the storm number of key hit, the 4 feet of water in her parhires from notable companies in the ents’ home had receded just a foot, t r a n s p o r t a t i o n said Karen Mace. She was trying to space, including retrieve family photos from the oneDr. Remo Gerber, former MD for Western Europe at was one year before,” Wiegand says. Gett, who joined Neither a conventional airplane nor as chief commercial officer. “It’s helicopter — but, to some extent, caa totally different pable of doing the job of both — there company than it are a number of other startups that are

meters) in some spots, and the storm is blamed for at least 44 deaths. In other storm-ravaged neighborhoods, people worried about thefts. Police in the southwest Bellaire neighborhood received reports of scavengers picking through waterdamaged possessions and urged those cleaning up to keep anything left outside to dry closer to their homes and separate from what was considered a total loss. In the suburb of Dickinson, one homeowner used orange spray paint on a sheet of dirty plywood to warn: “Looters Will B Shot.” Meanwhile, repairs continued on the water treatment plant in Beaumont, about 85 miles from Houston,

The city’s office market was already hurting from a slump in the energy sector

It’s your promise. We just help you keep it.

which failed after the swollen Neches River inundated the main intake system and backup pumps halted. And outside the town of Liberty, about 45 miles from Houston, dozens of people were still cut off by the swollen Trinity River. A Texas National Guard helicopter landed at the local fire department with pallets of drinking water. President Donald Trump has asked Congress for a $7.9 billion down payment toward Harvey relief and recovery efforts. Abbott suggested the cost of recovery could be as much as $180 billion.

focused on the electric aircraft market, including Kitty Hawk and Zee. aero, both backed by Larry Page; and Vahana, backed by Airbus. (-TechCrunch)

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LIFESTYLE

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Mooncakes from heaven: Hong Kong’s sweet obsession

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

US ban on North Korea travel comes into force

EOUL, South Korea | AFP - Washington’s ban on US citizens travelling to North Korea came into force on Friday, with the two countries at loggerheads over Pyongyang’s weapons ambitions. The measure was imposed following the death of student Otto Warmbier in June, a few days after the 22-year-old was sent home in a mysterious coma following more than a year in prison in the North.

Chef Yip Wing-wah displays his freshly oven-baked signature “spring moon mini egg custard mooncakes” at Hong Kong’s famous colonial era Peninsula Hotel (Photo: AFP/ Anthony Wallace)

ONG KONG, China | AFP | Monday 9/3/2017 - It is one of Hong Kong’s most treasured food traditions: the buying, giving and eating of “mooncakes” to mark mid-autumn festival, celebrated in Chinese communities around the world next month. Bakeries and supermarkets are already packed with boxes of the dense pastries, traditionally filled with a heavy sweet concoction of lotus seed and egg yolks. But not all mooncakes are made equal. Picky customers will queue outside the most popular stores to ensure they bag their favourite brand.

started to work in Hong Kong restaurant kitchens aged 13. Deep in the Peninsula’s basement, Yip kneads elastic golden dough to show how he and his team will make this year’s new lychee-flavoured spin on his original classic. Rolling it out into lengths he plucks small pieces off and flattens them between his hands before using them to encase sweet filling. Each dough ball is then pressed individually into a mooncake-shaped hole in a heavy wooden holder, which Yip bangs three times on a worktop to pop out a perfect pastry.

Mooncakes by chef Yip Wing-wah of Hong Kong’s famous colonial era Peninsula Hotel are among the most in demand -- and the priciest.

Those who get hold of a box will share them with friends, family and business associates as part of the festival, which is the second largest in Hong Kong after lunar new year.

Boxes of eight of his Spring Moon mini egg custard mooncakes cost HK$520 ($66) and are only available in a three-day pre-order sale online, to avoid previous unseemly queues at the hotel.

The legend behind it revolves around a beautiful woman called Chang E, who drank an elixir of immortal life to keep it out of the hands of a rival of her husband.

This year’s sale took place in August and sold out, weeks ahead of the festival. Now 65, Yip invented what has become his signature mooncake 30 years ago when he worked as a dim sum chef at the hotel’s Spring Moon restaurant.

It caused her to ascend to the moon, leaving her distraught husband on earth. He took her favourite foods to an altar and offered them as a sacrifice to her, a ritual then adopted by local people.

It was inspired by gooey egg custard buns, a classic dim sum dish, and is smaller and lighter than traditional mooncakes, although it still packs a sugary buttery punch.

“Mid-autumn festival is about coming together as a family to eat mooncakes and fruit and to admire the moon,” says Lam Mei Yu, 40, biting into one on Hong Kong’s harbourfront during a visit from her home in the southern mainland Chinese province of Guangdong.

“I have an emotional attachment to it, really I do -- because I would never have guessed that it would grow more popular every year,” says Yip, who

For his part, Yip vows to continue to bake them as long as he is able. “As I make more I become happier,” he said.

He had been convicted of offences against the state for trying to steal a propaganda poster from a Pyongyang hotel and sentenced to 15 years’ hard labour, with President Donald Trump blaming Pyongyang’s “brutal regime” for his plight.

Subway selfie: One of the first stops on most tourist itineraries is the Pyongyang subway (Photos: AFP/Ed Jones/Getty Images)

On its website the State Department said it took the decision due to “the serious and mounting risk of arrest and long-term detention of US citizens”. Three Americans accused of various crimes against the state are behind bars in the North, which is engaged in a tense standoff with the Trump administration over its banned missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

of market leader Koryo Tours, said the ban would remove all Americans from the tourism industry but have no effect on the North itself. “It will do nothing other than surrender the opportunity of presenting to even a few local Koreans a more balanced and rounded portrayal of Americans counter to the official portrayal

in July: “If the US government says Americans cannot come to this country, we don’t care a bit.” Other curious foreigners still travel to the North, and an art symposium in Pyongyang this week saw foreign artists, most of them European, working together with North Koreans.

Earlier this week Pyongyang launched a missile over Japan, in a major escalation, and it has threatened to fire rockets towards the US Pacific territory of Guam. In July it carried out its first two successful tests of an intercontinentalrange missile, apparently bringing much of the US mainland into range. Exemptions to the travel ban are available for journalists, Red Cross representatives, those travelling for humanitarian purposes, or journeys the State Department deems to be in the national interest of the United States. But NGOs working in the North privately express concerns about how the process will function and the potential impact on their work.

Travelers visiting North Korea must follow local laws and guidelines. They may not wander off on their own -- it’s advised that they stick with their tour guides at all times.

A few remaining US citizens in the country left on Thursday, reports said.

of Americans in national media - of demonic, rapacious wolves,” he told AFP from Pyongyang.

- ‘Demonic, rapacious wolves’ Americans represent around 20 percent of the 5,000 or so Western tourists who visit the North annually -- although that is expected to fall significantly this year because of the wider tensions as well as the ban -- with standard one-week trips costing about $2,000 and budget journeys about half that. Simon Cockerell, general manager

“Any soft power advantage the US enjoyed through the decency of its citizens who travelled here has now been removed in a paternalistic and somewhat un-American act.” The vast majority of tourists visiting the country are Chinese, and North Korean tourism development officials have said the ban will not affect the economy, with one telling AFP

Norwegian artist Marius Engan Johansen and his North Korean counterpart Ri Pak sculpted clay busts of each other on either side of the same stand. DMZ Academy organiser Morten Traavik told AFP that one of the events’ aims was “to show the wider world in this special critical time that communication is possible”. “By working together and by trying to understand each other... it is possible to communicate when both sides have a will and wish to do so,” he said.

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FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

Section 2

LEGAL

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VOICE OF ASIA 15

The People’s Lawyer

Texas Laws Protect Nurses from Wrongful Termination and Other Adverse Employment Actions

www.peopleslawyer.net

A Debt Collector Cannot Harass You Richard M. Alderman Interim Dean of the Law Center

Q. A debt collector is harassing my mother for her brother’s credit card debt. The last call scared her because they threatened to take her house. How can I stop the collector from harassing her? She never signed anything agreeing to pay his debts. He is getting her very upset, and she even missed work one day because she couldn’t sleep. A. There is a federal law, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act that strictly regulates debt collectors. Based on what you say, the debt collector has violated this law in several ways. First, this law prohibits a debt collector from contacting anyone other than the debtor, except in very limited circumstances. A debt collector may not call anyone except the debtor unless it is to get location information about the debtor. In other words, merely talking to your grandmother about paying her brother’s debt is unlawful. A debt collector is also violates the law by harassing or threatening anyone. In your case, your mother does not owe the debt, and any attempts to collect can be viewed as harassment. Additionally, even if she owed the debt, the debt collector could not take her house and the treat to do so

is unlawful. I suggest your grandmother make it clear to the debt collector she knows the law and expects he will immediately stop contacting her. My guess is that this will resolve the problem. If it doesn’t, this sounds like the type of case a consumer attorney would be willing to assist her with. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, your mother’s attorney would recover his or her fees if your mother won the lawsuit. For more information about this law, take a look at “Debt Collection” in the “Legal Topics” section n my website listed below. Q. My neighbor is building a house. The contractor backed into my fence and knocked down a large section. Who is liable for the damage, the neighbor or the builder? A. The fact that your neighbor is building the house does not make the neighbor responsible for acts of the builder. Your neighbor did not engage in any wrongful conduct and Texas law does not make an owner liable for acts of contractors. On the other hand, the builder owes you an obligation to not damage your property. By backing into your fence the builder was negligent and should be responsible for the cost of replacing the fence. I suggest you talk with the builder and ask for compensation or a new fence. If he refuses, this

sounds like a good case for justice court. Q. Will my son be responsible for my outstanding balance of my student loan in the event of my death? A. As you may know, government backed student loans are the most “collectable” type of debt. There is no limitation period, wages may be garnished, and they generally are not discharged in bankruptcy. The debt, however, does not pass to your heirs. After your death your estate will be responsible for the debt. If there is not enough money in your estate the debt will remain unpaid. Q. In 2013, my ex-husband was ordered to pay child support. Since that time he has changed jobs, and is making much more money. Shouldn’t he be paying me more for support? A. He probably should be paying more for child support, but until you get the order modified, he has the legal right to keep paying as originally ordered. Either party may go back to court to have a child support order modified whenever there is a substantial change in circumstances. A new job with a higher salary should entitle you to a larger payment. I suggest you speak with a family law attorney about modifying the order.

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

YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER by Sharlene Sharmila Richards, Immigration Lawyer Email at srichardslaw@aol.com

Sharlene Sharmila Richards

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXAS SB4 AND KNOW YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THIS LAW –PART II

Q: When SB4 is implemented on September 1st, 2017, please can you advise what we should do when arrested by the police, in particular if the individual does not have any papers? What about for those with valid nonimmigrant visas? A: Upon a lawful arrest, SB4 will require the local law enforcement agency to inquire about the individual’s immigration status and to share the information with immigration authorities. As such, if you do not have any papers or are undocumented, try to remain calm and ask for a lawyer. Also do not sign anything or discuss your immigration status unless you have a lawyer present. You still have the right to remain silent. For individuals who are legally in the US and have valid nonimmigrant status such as employment based or student and tourists visas, please remember that you are required to disclose you immigration status if asked by federal immigration officers. It will be in their best interest to do so. Q: Under SB4, how are rights of crime victims and witnesses affected? A: For victims and witnesses of crimes, they will need to be aware that during the course of reporting the crime, the local law enforcement has broad discretion to inquire into the immigration status of the victim or witness of the crime if they have probable cause to believe the individual has committed another crime and to further the investigation into the crime or related crimes. Entering the US illegally is a crime. As such, for those victims and witnesses who are undocu-

mented and have immigration issues, if possible, it is best to consult with an immigration lawyer first before reporting the crime. The immigration lawyer may be able to determine if the victim and or witness qualifies for possible protections under our Immigration Law such as battered or abused spouse protection under the Violence Against The Women’s Act or as a victim of a qualifying crime and will be helpful in the prosecution of the offender (U visa) or if there are other available forms of relief from removal. Q: When SB4 is implemented, will the school authorities report to immigration that my children and I are illegal? My children have been attending school without any problems for the past 3 years but now I am worried and I think I may have to keep them home. A: Under SB4, all public and charter schools are deemed safe places. The police are not permitted to go into the school to ask about the immigration status of children in attendance and their parents. If the school official asks about your immigration status or that of your children, you should contact an attorney to help safeguard your interest. Q: Under SB4, apart from public and charter schools, are there other safe places? A: Yes, there are. All Community Centers, federal, state and local hospitals, mental health facilities and places of worship are safe places. Security guards and locally contracted police personnel in such places are not permitted to inquire into the immigration status of people who

attend these places to seek medical treatment, to pray and attend religious service or to access community support services. College campuses and universities are not safe places. It is important to note under SB4, police officers including university or campus police can ask about your immigration status if detained or arrested.

Nitin Sud, Board Certified Labor and Employment Attorney

Nurses are obligated to protect patients and report potential violations or misconduct. A nurse’s license could be at risk if he/she fails to act appropriately. Therefore, the Texas legislature has created laws to protect nurses in their employment so that they should not fear retaliation for complying with the Nursing Practice Act and other laws. The following are a few key laws that all nurses should be aware of: • Section 301.352 of the Texas Occupations Code prevents an employer from suspending, terminating, or otherwise disciplining, discriminating against, or retaliating against a nurse who refuses to engage in an act/omission relating to patient care that would result in a violation of the Nurse Practices Act or a board rule (as long as the nurse notifies the person at the time of refusal the reason for the refusal).

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.

My Bio Sharlene Sharmila Richards is a licensed Immigration lawyer practicing in Houston, Texas. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000 and is a member of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of the US Supreme Court. You may contact her at telephone number 713-623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

Act; b) requesting a nursing peer review committee determination; c) refusing to engage in conduct under 301.352; or d) advising another nurse of any of these rights.

A violation of this section could also result in substantial damages, including actual damages, exemplary damages (for a private employer), and court costs and attorney’s fees.

• Section 301.4025 of the Texas Occupations Code allows for optional reporting by a nurse. Specifically, a nurse may report to his/her employer or another appropriate entity any situation that the nurse has reasonable cause to believe exposes a patient to substantial risk of harm as a result of a failure to provide patient care that conforms to minimum standards of acceptable and prevailing professional practice or statutory, regulatory, or accreditation standards.

• Section 161.134 of the Texas Health and Safety Code prevents a hospital from suspending, terminating, disciplining, or otherwise discriminating against an employee for reporting a violation of law or agency rule. A violation of this section could result in actual damages, mental anguish damages, exemplary damages, attorney’s fees, compensation for lost wages and benefits, and reinstatement (or front pay).

A violation of any of the above three sections could result in significant liability to an employer, specifically: o The greater of either a) actual damages, including mental anguish, or b) $5,000; o Compensation for lost wages during any period of suspension or termination; o Reinstatement (or three month’s severance pay); o Exemplary (punitive) damages; and o Court costs and attorney’s fees.

• Section 301.413 of the Texas Occupations Code prevents an employer from suspending, terminating, or otherwise disciplining or retaliating a nurse for: a) making a good faith report under the Nurse Practices

• Section 261.110 of the Texas Family Code prevents an employer from suspending, terminating, or otherwise discriminating against a nurse (or other professional) who reports child abuse or neglect.

As shown by the above laws, nurses have significant protection to ensure compliance with their licenses, and primarily to protect patients. Disclaimer This article is for general information purposes and is not to be construed as specific legal advice. Bio Board Certified Labor and Employment Attorney Nitin Sud represents employees, executives, and small businesses in a variety of labor and employment matters, including litigation in state and federal courts. For more information, visit www.sudemploymentlaw. com

Houston lawyers worked as first responders after Harvey

ith much of the Houston area still underwater, levees in surrounding counties breached, and stormwater reservoirs overflowing, it might seem an odd time for victims of Hurricane Harvey to think about legal services. But as first responders try to save lives in the middle of an increasingly deadly storm, legal-aid organizations along the Gulf Coast of Texas are already working to assist victims with a process that can be almost as stressful as a natural disaster itself: rebuilding.

Q: If one is arrested and taken to the police station for questioning and it has been determined that the individual is undocumented, what actually happens to the individual? A: In such a situation, the law enforcement authorities will contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to surrender the individual to their custody for further action.

Tel: 713-774-5140

Disasters like Harvey can create legal crises for families that last long after the waters recede. Long-term evacuees from neighborhoods like those near the Addicks Reservoir’s spillways, which might be flooded for months, are at risk of having their homes auctioned off if they can’t move back in soon enough. People who flee can lose track of their mortgage payments and face foreclosure when they return. Evacuees from rental properties and apartments can face evictions, rising rents, and other challenges from unscrupulous landlords.

In addition, people often lose vital documents in floods, and without them might not be able to enroll their children in school or receive medical care. Those with few resources can face personal bankruptcies or even unlawful job terminations if they can’t make it back into work. And every property owner will likely face months of dealing with insurers, contractors, small-business-loan authorities, the National Flood Insurance Program, FEMA programs, or some combination of them. Visit: www.LSC.gov for legal aid resources. (-The Atlantic)

Sharlene Sharmila Richards Attorney at Law

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Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 16

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

Section 2 Email: voiceasia@aol.com

Trump to phase out program protecting young immigrants

Tel: 713-774-5140

Graduation day!

White House moves to end DACA and calls on Congress to act ASHINGTON — President Trump on Tuesday ordered an end to the Obama-era executive action that shields young undocumented immigrants from deportation and called on Congress to replace the policy with legislation before it fully expires on March 5, 2018.

term while working with Congress to pass legislation.” The announcement was an effort by Mr. Trump to honor his campaign pledge to end Mr. Obama’s immigra-

gram’s protection, the immigrants are considered subject to removal from the United States and would no longer be able to work legally. Homeland Security officials said no

The government will no longer accept new applications from undocumented immigrants to shield them from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, administration officials announced Tuesday. But officials said about 800,000 current beneficiaries of the program will not be immediately affected by what they called an “orderly wind down” of former President Barack Obama’s policy. President Trump signaled the move early Tuesday morning in a tweet, then Attorney General Jeff Sessions formally announced the move to shift the responsibility for the immigration issue to lawmakers. “The program known as DACA that was effectuated under the Obama administration is being rescinded,” Mr. Sessions told reporters, adding that “The policy was implemented unilaterally, to great controversy and legal concern.” Mr. Sessions called the Obama-era policy an “open-ended circumvention of immigration laws” and an unconstitutional use of executive authority. “The executive branch through DACA deliberately sought to achieve what the legislative branch specifically refused to authorize on multiple occasions,” he said. “The nation must set and enforce a limit on how many immigrants we accept each year, and that means all cannot be accepted.” Elaine Duke, the acting Homeland Security secretary, said in a statement that Mr. Trump chose to “wind the program down in an orderly fashion that protects beneficiaries in the near-

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform a fly-over as graduates from the Air Force Academy toss their hats in the air at the conclusion of their commencement ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado (Photo: AJ Lee)

Serafina Ha (right) embraces Becky Belcore of the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium during a demonstration in favor of immigration reform in front of the White House (Photo: Chip Somodevilla) tion policy, while avoiding an immediate termination of protections and work permits for the so-called “dreamers,” many of whom have lived in the United States since they were small children. But the announcement formally started the clock on revoking legal status from those protected under the five-year-old program. Officials said some of the current immigrants already receiving protection under the Obama-era plan will be able to renew their two-year period of legal status until October 5. But the announcement means that if Congress fails to act, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children could face deportation as early as March to countries where many of them have never lived. Immigration officials said that they do not intend to actively target the young immigrants as priorities for deportation, though without the pro-

specific guidance would be issued to agents to shield the young undocumented immigrants from deportation. It would be up to Congress to extend such protection, they said. Still, the president was conflicted until the end about how to address the plight of dreamers, waffling repeatedly in recent days about how to phase out the program. As late as one hour before the decision was to be announced, administration officials privately expressed concern that Mr. Trump might not fully grasp the details of the steps he was about to take, and when he discovered their full impact, would change his mind, according to a person familiar with their thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity without authorization to comment on it. Mr. Trump’s action is certain to be met with condemnation from immigration advocacy groups, who have

Houston Community College classes start Sept. 11

OUSTON – During these past difficult days, Houston Community College (HCC) administrators and the emergency management team have evaluated the effects of Hurricane Harvey with an emphasis on the personal toll it has taken on students, faculty and staff. While we know that many in our HCC family were impacted, we also understand that part of the process of rebuilding begins by resuming our regular activities, as we all start to regain a sense or normalcy. “The scenes of resilience and perseverance we have all witnessed since Harvey hit have been inspiring for all of us who call the Houston area home,” says HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado.” “Our community’s response to the storm is our biggest motivation to expedite the opening of all campuses at HCC.” characterized it as a coldhearted move that would yield no benefit to the nation while endangering nearly

For HCC students, classes at all HCC campuses will resume on Sept. 11. Inperson registration will be available Wednesday, Sept. 6 - Saturday, Sept. 9. Online registration continues. Chancellor Maldonado says, “My message to our HCC family is that we remain sensitive to the needs of our students, faculty and staff as our operations resume.” a million young people raised in the United States who are seeking to work and pay taxes. (-AP News)

Applications for Sugar Land Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council now online

Young professionals celebrate Houston Grand Opera opening

UGAR LAND - Applications for the 20172018 Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) are now available at https://volunteer.sugarlandtx.gov. Interested students should submit completed applications by Sept. 19 at 5 p.m.

A fashion fete for Houston Grand Opera Young Partners Circle and Opening Night Young Professionals

The council empowers youth to become active community members by providing students with an overview of opportunities to impact the future of Sugar Land through local government public service. Students share newly gained knowledge

to influence the community and make a difference in the city. As part of MYAC, students tour City facilities, participate in a forum and mock council meetings, work with other Sugar Land students and make a lasting impact on the City’s future. Now in its thirteenth year, MYAC needs motivated and passionate Sugar Land youth to learn more about their community and serve as young ambassadors. Last year’s students were “inspired by the work being done in the city and want to

become more involved.” Eligible students must be high school juniors for the 20172018 school year. Students must also live in Sugar Land or communities in the City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction that have adopted strategic partnership agreements with the City, including Greatwood, New Territory and portions of Riverstone. For more information or questions, visit http://www.sugarlandtx.gov/myac, email myac@ sugarlandtx.gov, or call (281) 275-2329.

by Shelby Hodge Photos by Priscilla Dickson HE WEBSTER HOTEL, Houston - HGO YPC members Carrie and Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl welcomed more than 150 fresh faced opera fans to the swank emporium at The Galleria for an evening of shopping, socializing and singing.

What would an opera soiree be without a few high notes? The delightful musical element was provided by HGO Studio artists bass Anthony Robin Schneider and pianist Peter Walsh, performing “Il Lacerato Spirito” from Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra.

Ishwaria and Vivek Subbia

HGO assistant artistic director Paul Hopper enticed the potential audience with a preview of the 2017/18 season, which launches on October 20 with a new production of Verdi’s La Traviata. As might be expected at the hip Webster, the musical scene was played out against a colorful backdrop of luxury looks from Christian Dior, Dries Van Notten, Saint Laurent, Gucci, Dior and more. Befitting the luxe fashion and tony entertainment, bubbly flowed and guests feasted on a yummy assortment of Frenchflavored party foods from Artisans‘ chef Jacques Fox. (Paper City)

Ann Malcolm, Sandra Manela, Ruchi Mukerjee, Raquel Lewis

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

VOICE OF ASIA 17

BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD

Section 2

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

The real story of how Deepika Padukone became a Bollywood star

‘Downsizing’ breakout Hong Chau on growing up in N.Orleans

any of us remember Deepika Padukone from the success that was Om Shanti Om—the 2007 movie that debuted the star and also won her the Best Female Debut award at Flimfare—but only a few of us would remember that the actress was actually a ramp model first. It’s not shocking that an attractive, tall Deepika was a ramp model, nor is it shocking that a ramp model would stand out enough to become Bollywood’s next big A-lister, but the fact of the matter is Deepika Padukone had ‘it’.

“I showed a collection called Isadora at Lakmé Fashion Week...it was a game changer for Deepika,” Wendell recalls in a Facebook post. “Director Farah Khan asked my friend Malaika to suggest a new model to star opposite Shah Rukh Khan for her new film. Om Shanti Om did not have a working title at the time. I suggested Deepika who was barely

Hollywood’s Next Big Thing

orn in Thailand to Vietnamese immigrant parents and raised in New Orleans, Chau has a respect for the darker side of seductive places. Though she’s now based in L.A., she retains a glimmer of a Southern accent and still considers the Big Easy — where she lived until heading to Boston University to study film — home.

by Swathi Gandhi

Fashion designer Wendell Rodricks spotted the star power in her when he chose her to walk the ramp in his designs. The same star power was recognised by Farah Khan when Wendell recommended her for the role in Om Shanti Om. Walking for fashion events like Lakmé Fashion Week, Deepika was merely two years into modelling when she got her break—which was nothing less than serendipity.

Tel: 713-774-5140

“I appreciate having grown up there now because it’s such a melting pot,” says Chau, who starred on HBO’s New Orleans-set Treme. “Yes, there are racial tensions, but if you have good food and good music, then those things can be overlooked, and it can bring people together.” Downsizing is Chau’s second film. (-Hollywood Reporter) Photo: Ramona Rosales

The former model has come a long way (Photo: L’Oreal Paris) two years into modelling. I made her open the show and told Malaika that the first girl I was sending out was the one I recommend. Malaika liked her, conveyed the same to Farah and a screen test was done. The rest is history.” The show opener for Isadora would be the last runway Deepika walked as a model. Her next time on the ramp and

every time since has been nothing short of a showstopping.

Bollywood’s newest subject erectile dysfunction!

It’s been 10 years since Deepika entered the Bollywood industry, and today, the former model is one of the highest paying actresses in the country. This year saw her enter international terroritries with her first Hollywood film xXx: Return of Xander Cage where she starred opposite Vin Diesel. (-Elle)

Meghan Markle, Wild about Harry! OS ANGELES - For almost a year, rumors have flown about the romance between the 36-yearold actress and Britain’s 33-year-old Prince Harry—the redheaded hell-raiser, former army captain who had completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan, and all-around favorite royal. If Markle and Prince Harry are indeed headed to the altar, she will become the first American to marry into the royal family since Wallis Simpson famously wed King Edward VIII, forcing his abdication from the throne, almost 81 years ago.

Markle is the calm in the center of the media storm inspired by her year-long relationship with the prince. The couple met in London through friends in July 2016, Markle says. Since then, media coverage of their romance has been so intense— and much of it so unpleasant— that Prince Harry was moved to issue a statement asking the press and public, essentially, to back off. They haven’t. Even Bogart and Guy have become Instagram stars. Markle, new to fame, has handled the hoopla with surprising aplomb. “It has its challenges, and it comes in waves—some days it can feel more challenging than others,” she says. “And right out of the gate it was surprising the way things changed. But I still have this support system all around me, and, of course, my boyfriend’s support.” arkle’s friends, family, and fellow actors on Suits are respectful of her relationship with Prince Harry, which has come under harsh criticism in the U.K. Tabloids report that Queen Elizabeth will be hesitant to sanction such a match for her grandson, following the ancient rule barring Catholics, commoners, and divorcées. Though not raised Catholic, Markle graduated from a Catholic high school and was married for almost two years to producer Trevor Engelson, and she adds a new wrinkle: her mother is black, her father white. Criticism of Markle has been snob-ridden, racist, and uninformed. The trolls have really gone after her. How does Markle handle the tabloid nonsense about her and Harry? “I can tell you that at the end of the day I think

A scene from ‘Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (AFP Photo) by Udita Jhunjhunwala UMBAI (AFP) Virile male heroes have long been a feature of Bollywood films, but a new movie that hit screens Friday tackles a rarely talked about issue in patriarchal India -- erectile dysfunction. “Shubh Mangal Saavdhan” is the latest Hindi-language movie to centre on serious health subjects not normally associated with the glamour of the industry’s flashy song and dance routines.

Battered by the tabloids—to the point where her boyfriend, Prince Harry, issued a statement defending her—actress and activist Meghan Markle has largely ignored the media storm. it’s really simple,” she says. “We’re two people who are really happy and in love. We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people’s perception. Nothing about me changed. I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.” Markle credits the rock-solid support from her close friends for helping to sustain her. The international tennis great Serena Williams (who recently graced the cover of V.F.) is one of those friends. The two met about seven years ago at the Super Bowl. “Her personality just shines,” Serena said about Markle, who asked her advice on how to handle some of the more extreme results of fame, such as paparazzi showing up at her house and chasing her. “I told her, ‘You’ve got to be who you are, Meghan. You can’t hide.’ ” Another close friend is the Bahrain-born fashion designer Misha Nonoo. “Her greatest strength is her compassion for others,” says Nonoo. (-Vanity Fair)

A film released last month spotlighted India’s chronic lack of toilets, while an upcoming movie tells the story of a man who invents a machine that produces cheap sanitary towels.

Analysts say they are part of a trend making male protagonists appear more human, in contrast to older Bollywood films where it was common for ultra-macho men to punch rivals through brick walls during elaborate fight scenes. “Shubh Mangal Saavdhan” director R.S Prasanna said he wanted to use the taboo subject of impotence to tackle wider issues of patriarchy and conservative values that dominate Indian society. “I was interested in making a wedding film in which the love story happens in an arranged marriage,” Prasanna told AFP. “Then I began to explore the

idea that if a conservative couple in an arranged match starts getting naughty with each other before marriage, what would happen if he couldn’t get it up in the bedroom? “Erectile dysfunction became a starting point for larger issues,” he added. “Shubh Mangal Saavdhan” is the story of a couple who find love despite being in an arranged marriage. It stars Ayushmann Khurrana as a young man who suffers from performance anxiety in the bedroom. The movie is a remake of the 2013 Tamil-language comedy “Kalyana Samayal Sadham” (“Wedding Feast”).

VOICE OF ASIA 18

Voice of Asia

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

Section 2

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital announces new cancer survivorship program

HEALTHY My pain is invisible and hurdles invincible!

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

Photo courtesy HMSLH

UGAR LAND, (September 1, 2017) — Thanks to a generous grant from the George Foundation, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is unveiling a new program designed to promote healing, discussion and camaraderie among local cancer survivors. Texas Department of State Health Services data shows that approximately 2,500 Fort Bend County residents are diagnosed with cancer each year, and many of these individuals have needs that extend outside of their treatment and care. The oncology team at Houston Methodist Cancer Center at Sugar Land recognized the lack of local support services designed specifically for cancer survivors. With help from the Houston Methodist Foundation, they approached The George Foundation for funding support to develop a comprehensive program, resulting in a $40,000 grant. “With the tremendous strides made in cancer care, we are seeing more and more survivors live long and productive lives after their treatment ends,” said Amy SebastianDeutsch, director of oncology and infusion therapy services. “But these survivors, most over the age of 50, often require specialized services to overcome

the physical and emotional impacts of their disease and treatment. There really was nothing comprehensive offered in Fort Bend, so we decided to create our own program – one that provides a range of services centered around art, music, exercise, massage and nutrition. All are designed to improve physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual health, and are free of charge.” The first program, Thriving Through Creative Arts, debuted in May 2017 and offers survivors a chance to relax and express themselves through art — a proven approach to help cope with the aftermath of cancer and cancer treatment. Beginning in November, Houston Methodist Sugar Land will offer survivors a monthly creative movement program. “Survivors will find that these sessions help improve their balance, coordination and agility, all of which are important in our daily lives,” said Sebastian-Deutsch. In December, the hospital will add music therapy to its offerings. This program is designed to improve muscle relaxation, mood management and expression of emotion. “Music has a way of tapping into our emotions and enabling

us to reflect and acknowledge how we feel,” said SebastianDeutsch. “There are health benefits, too -- for example, music can have a positive impact on both heart rate and blood pressure, and can even help the body release natural painkilling chemicals.” Other services in the program include massage and aromatherapy to help alleviate stress, pain and other side effects from cancer treatment. Massage services are offered through the Houston Methodist Wellness Services. Local cancer survivors and their caregivers are encouraged to attend an introductory evening to sample each of the program’s offerings in our Brazos Pavilion Conference Center from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m Thursday, Oct. 19. A number of local vendors will be present, including Kendra Scott jewelry, who will donate 20 percent of proceeds from the evening to the survivorship program. There will also be complimentary snacks and mocktails. Registration is required. We kindly request those registering be 18 years or older. Go to events.houstonmethodist.org/survivorship-sl or call 281.274.7500 to register. (-HMSLH)

Missouri mom donates breast milk to families in Houston by Rachel Menitoff

T. LOUIS - An Owensville mom donated more than 1,000 ounces of breast milk to families in Houston impacted by the flooding.

“I know there are mothers who want to feed their babies breastmilk who can’t. And it’s better than ruining or tossing [the milk] out. So, at least, Truett and I can share some love in that aspect.” Palmer’s speech therapist and her midwife took the breast milk to Texas. They said everything remained frozen and intact. “If I can help alleviate some stress from those moms, then my job has been done,” Palmer said.

Most people have their primary care doctor address most of their problems. You could start there letting him know your condition and researching on the internet to know what your options can be useful when your doctor recommends something that you might be looking for second opinion. Another way

Doctor’s attitude to listen to your problems and understand your pain to treat it with humility to comfort you and win your trust is the key factor in this specialty. So the doctors previous or existing patients reviews or even trying to contact them to hear the words they have to say about a particular doctor can be comforting to choose a doctor. It is also important hoe many different procedure the doctor does this can show the wide range of expertise the doctor has and understanding of human anatomy. This shows that the doctor can examine and analyze your problem better and how many years of experience to master those treatments. Ultimately no one needs to go through the silent struggle your invisible problems should be visible to your doctor this will build a bond of trust to give you the gift of living pain free. Last but not the least doctor is as good as a happy patient. Pain unattended and its dangers “In fact, it’s often the most debilitating component of many diseases,”

f your plan decides against your reconsideration, they must send you a notice that gives you the specific reason(s) for any full or partial denial.

You may send an Independent Review Entity (IRE) information about your case. They must get this information within 10 days after the date you get the notice telling you your case file has been sent to the IRE. The IRE’s address is on the notice. How long it takes for the IRE to send you its decision in a written Reconsideration Determination depends on the type of request: • Expedited (fast) request—72 hours • Standard service request—30 days • Payment request—60 days You’ll get a fast decision if the IRE determines that your life or health may be at risk by waiting for a standard service decision

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the risk of infection from a single bottle of breast milk is extremely small.

Voice of Asia urges our readers to donate what you can for relief RedCross.org

1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669)

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 wellbeing of seniors, adults, and children in our communities to help them lead a quality life. His motto is “Live Pain Free.” Please visit www.acepain.com for details. Office phone 832532-0040

Appeals - Level 2: Independent Review Entity (IRE)

To get an ALJ hearing, the amount of your case must meet a minimum dollar amount. For 2017, the required minimum amount is $160. The ALJ will decide if your case meets the minimum dollar amount. You may be able to combine claims to meet the minimum dollar amount.

For mom’s considering breast milk donor, though, it is

As erratic and unpredictable symptoms can alter and affect friendships and relationships, you may see your friends and family far less, or when you do, feel disconnected — lonely in a crowded room — and quite unlike how things once were, which leads to a different kind of loneliness. “Live Pain Free” it’s your right to lead a quality life.

Appeal Level 2 & 3: Medicare Advantage Plan

A Missouri woman with an over supply over breast milk has donated it to families in need in Houston (Photo: KSDK-TV) important to do your research. Be sure to know who your donor is and that she is a healthy mom. Also, if your baby has sensitivities or allergies, you’ll want to be sure to ask her about her diet. (-KSDK-TV)

People can find a way to live with the other challenges of painful conditions like arthritis, cancer, even paralysis but if you actually ask the patient, their number-one concern, the one thing that they want us to cure, is the pain.” When isolated and in pain, our mind is often our own worst enemy, especially when bottling up how we really are feeling both physically and mentally. When pain becomes chronic, with no clear end in sight, it is immensely psychologically debilitating in way that few other conditions are, while being entirely unsharable.

A hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) allows you to present your appeal to a next level. The ALJ will review the facts of your appeal independently and listen to your testimony before making a new and impartial decision. An ALJ hearing is usually held by phone or video-teleconference, or in some cases, in person. You can also ask the ALJ to make a decision without a hearing. The ALJ may also issue a decision without holding a hearing if evidence in the hearing record supports a decision that’s fully in your favor.

“For the first month or so, all of the milk that I pumped went straight to the freezer,” explained Palmer.

“We’re very blessed and grateful that we have an opportunity to share,” said Palmer.

How to find a pain specialist?

How to decide on a doctor?

Appeals - Level 3: Request for Medicare Hearing

Danielle Palmer had an oversupply of breast milk. Her youngest son, Truett was born with a congenital heart defect. So, for a while, he was getting his nutrition through an IV.

Palmer was approached by Truett’s speech therapist, who asked whether she would be open to donating her oversupply of milk to families affected by the devastation in Houston.

he quality of life is as good as your health and functionality of one’s physical and mental state. Some health struggles are not visible for people to see and the trauma inflicted due to misunderstanding or not believing an individual’s pain can be very saddening. The most important aspect is, not to neglect the care your body deserves and opinions from friends and family for a solution can sometimes be a hit and miss. What you need is an expert’s assessment to know the reasons for your pain and its origin to monitor its symptoms and treat it with utmost precision to start a treatment plan specially tailored according to patient needs.

to find the best pain specialist is finding patients with similar problems around your area and their reviews of how their treatment with a particular doctor has been. It can boost your confidence towards the doctor you may want to approach. Few verified websites like zocdoc or healthgrades could be a good start to look at the reviews.

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

2. Submit a written request to the OMHA office that will handle your ALJ hearing that includes: • Your name, address, and Medicare number. If you’ve appointed a representative, include your representative’s name and address. • The appeal number included on the QIC reconsideration notice, if any. • The dates of service for the items or services you’re appealing. See your MSN or reconsideration notice for this information. • An explanation of why you disagree with the reconsideration decision being appealed. • Any information that may help your case. If you can’t include this information with your request, include a statement explaining what you plan to submit and when you’ll submit it

If you have Original Medicare, follow the directions on the “Medicare Reconsideration Notice” you got from the QIC in level 2 to request a hearing before an ALJ. You must send your request to the appropriate Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA) Central Operations. The address is listed in the QIC’s reconsideration notice.

3. If the ALJ doesn’t issue a timely decision, you may ask the ALJ to move your case to the next level of appeal.

If you have Original Medicare, a Medicare Advantage plan, other Medicare health plan, or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, you can request a hearing in one of these ways:

1. Fill out a “Request for Medicare Hearing by an Administrative Law Judge” form

4. If you disagree with the ALJ’s decision in level 3, you have 60 days after you get the decision to request a review by the Medicare Appeals Council (Appeals Council).

(-To Be Continued)

To choose right Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Supplement Plan or Medicare Prescription plan contact Sudhir Mathuria @ 713-771-2900.

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

VOICE OF ASIA 19

LIVING

Email: voiceasia@aol.com

TED: Phones and drones transforming healthcare

First cancer gene therapy gets US go-ahead by Kerry Sheridan

IAMI | AFP - US regulators on Wednesday approved the first gene therapy against cancer -- a treatment that uses a patient’s own immune cells to fight leukemia -- opening a new era in the fight against one of the world’s top killers. The treatment is made by Novartis and is called Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel). This type of anti-cancer immunotherapy, known as a CAR-T cell therapy, was known by CTL019 until now. “This marks the first-ever CAR-T cell therapy to be approved anywhere in the world,” Novartis CEO Joseph Jimenez told reporters on a conference call. “It uses a new approach that is wholly personalized by using a patient’s own T-cells.”

moved with a special blood filtration process, sent to a lab, and genetically encoded to be able to hunt down cancer cells. These re-engineered T-cells are then transfused back into the patient, where they can begin attacking leukemia. Studies have shown that 83 percent of patients responded to the treatment, achieving remission within three months, Novartis said. An application with the European Medicines Agency is expected to be filed by the end of the year. - $475,000 a dose The price of Kymriah -- which is delivered to a patient just once -- is $475,000, said Bruno Strigini, CEO of Oncology at Novartis. Patients who do not respond to the treatment within the first month would not be expected to pay, he told reporters.

by Fran Blandy RUSHA, Tanzania | AFP | Thursday 8/30/2017 In the developing world, basic healthcare is often a challenge -- let alone expensive medical screening or tests for easily treatable, preventable illnesses.

TEDGlobal, an annual conference devoted to “ideas worth spreading” taking place in Tanzania this week, heard of new technologies that could revolutionise healthcare for the poor. - Algorithms to detect diseases Infectious diseases are fast being overtaken by afflictions such as cancer as the biggest health problem in Africa, where some countries have only one pathologist per one million people. Sierra Leonean roboticist David Sengeh believes training more specialists is not enough, and is working with his team at IBM Africa on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that can predict a cancer’s progression. AI software can be trained with a database of images to detect colour changes inside the cervix that point to patients at high risk for cervical cancer, which can be treated if caught in time, but which kills 60,000 women in Africa a year. Addressing a similar problem, Pratik Shah of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a system to use simple cellphone or camera pictures -- instead of expensive MRI or CT scans -- to identify biomarkers that point to oral cancer. He told AFP that while AI systems typically need tens of thousands of data points to function, he has found a way to use only 50 images to train algorithms to identify a specific disease.

Shutterstock

“We believe our approach could be used to massively reduce the amount of data an AI algorithm currently consumes, and empower physicians to diagnose patients using simple images,” he said.

Kymriah was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for children and young adult patients up to age 25 with a form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

The more common treatment for leukemia -- bone marrow transplants -- can cost between $540,000 and $800,000 the first year in the United States, Strigini said.

To qualify for treatment, patients must have B-cell precursor ALL that is refractory, or the patient has relapsed at least twice.

Meanwhile, outside analyses have set a cost-effective price for Kymriah between $600,000 and $750,000, he added.

The FDA described the approval as “a historic action” and a “new approach to the treatment of cancer and other serious and life-threatening diseases,” said a statement.

“Recognizing our responsibility we set the price below that level,” said Strigini.

- How it works The treatment is not a pill or a form of chemotherapy, which can weaken the body’s natural defenses. Instead, it harnesses a patient’s own immune cells, called T-cells and white blood cells, and trains them to recognize and fight cancer. The patient’s immune cells are re-

Most patients who fit the criteria for treatment would likely be covered by insurance, since they are under 25 and would either be on their parents’ insurance or covered by government-sponsored Medicaid, a Novartis spokesman said. It was the first cancer immunotherapy to receive the breakthrough designation. More are expected to follow in the coming years as the field of immunotherapy grows.

US nurse arrested for not giving police patient’s blood

OS ANGELES | AFP - Saturday 9/2/2017 - Police in the US state of Utah have launched an investigation after video footage showed an officer forcibly arresting a nurse for refusing to draw blood from an unconscious patient. At least two police department employees, including the officer involved, have been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation, the department said. The images captured by police body cameras and the University Hospital in Salt Lake City show Alex Wubbels screaming for help as she is manhandled out of the medical center and handcuffed. The nurse was detained for around

Tel: 713-774-5140

20 minutes in a police car before being released after administrative staff intervened, according to Suzanne Winchester, a spokeswoman for hospital.

Both Shah and Sengeh are new members of the TED Fellows Programme which aims to spread the ideas of young innovators. - ‘Eye-phones’ and mobile hearing -

Zipline CEO Keller Rinaudo (back) watches the World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim collecting the blood package released by a drone in a drone port project run by Zipline Inc. at Muhanga District, southern Rwanda (Photo: AFP) lutions, involves noise-isolating headphones and an adaptor attached to a mobile phone used to examine a patient’s ears. Another speaker, Kyle DeCarlo, who is deaf, wishes the world would be more concerned with giving the deaf access to language rather than sound. He has developed a semi-transparent surgical mask so that deaf patients can read the lips of their doctors in hospitals. The audience was also shown a video by eye surgeon Andrew Bastawrous who won a Rolex Award in 2016 for Peek, an “eye-phone”, or smartphone app he developed for use in Kenya, which uses a low-cost clip-on device to take images of the back of the eye to test sight. - Drone blood delivery In Rwanda, a system launched last year to fly blood via drones from a central distribution centre to hospitals around the hilly nation has saved numerous lives, said robotics entrepreneur Keller Rinaudo, whose company Zipline runs the system.

More than 1.1 billion people worldwide live with hearing loss -- half of which is preventable, according to the World Health Organization.

The drones, which drop boxed packs of blood slowly to the earth via a paper parachute, now deliver 20 percent of blood supply outside the capital Kigali.

American ear surgeon Susan Emmett said most of these are in low and middle-income countries where traditional hearing tests are a challenge. Malawi, for example, has only two ear surgeons and 11 audiologists.

In one case a 24-year old woman bleeding out after childbirth was saved after several emergency flights in a row delivered more blood than is contained in one human body -- which was all transfused into her.

Emmett is currently testing South African-developed mobile screening technology in rural Alaskan communities that has replaced the need for an audiologist, permanent equipment and a soundproof room.

Last week, Tanzania’s health ministry announced they would use the same technology to deliver a variety of medical products from four distribution centres via drone in what is set to be the largest autonomous delivery system anywhere in the world.

The technology, costing 10 times less than traditional so-

Scientists zap ‘voices’ from schizophrenia sufferers ARIS, France | AFP | Monday 9/4/2017 - Scientists have pinpointed a part of the brain where “voices” torment schizophrenia sufferers, and partially muted them with magnetic pulse treatment, a team reported on Tuesday. More than a third of sufferers treated with magnetic pulses in a patient trial experienced “significant” relief, the scientists said in a statement.

“We can now say with some certainty that we have found a specific anatomical area of the brain associated with auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia,” the team said. “Secondly, we have shown that treatment with high frequency TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) makes a difference to at least some sufferers.” Further research must be done to confirm the usefulness of TMS as a treatment in the longer term. The results of the trial, not yet published in a scientific

journal, were presented in Paris at a conference of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology. The trial compared 26 schizophrenic patients who received active TMS to 33 patients who received dummy or placebo treatment. The first group was given a series of magnetic pulses over two sessions a day for two days to the part of the brain’s temporal lobe associated with language. Two weeks later, participants were evaluated on the voices they were hearing. Nearly 35 percent of the TMS patients reported a “significant” improvement. “Hearing voices” can be one of the most disturbing symptoms for people with schizophrenia and those close to them. According to the World Health Organization, schizophrenia affects more than 21 million people worldwide.

Winchester told AFP blood samples could be handed over to the police only if the patient had given consent, was under arrest or there was a warrant.

“Stop, stop -- I’ve done nothing wrong... This is crazy, please sir, you’re hurting me,” she is seen pleading as she is frogmarched to a police car.

beyond what I could have imagined,” she said. “Since the incident, the city has taken this matter seriously, and I believe that positive change will occur.”

None of these conditions was met, said Winchester, who added that Wubbels had correctly followed protocol.

Wubbels told journalists she felt betrayed and angry at her treatment when she was only trying to keep her patient safe.

Salt Lake City police chief Mike Brown said he was “alarmed” by the footage and that an internal affairs investigation had been launched.

In a subsequent statement, she said the city’s mayor and police chief had both extended personal apologies for her treatment. “I have accepted those apologies,” she said.

“To date, we have suspended the officer from the blood draw program. We have already replaced our blood draw policy with a new policy,” he added.

“The outpouring of support has been

In an update on Twitter, the police

“This is very out of the ordinary. Everybody was very shocked -- it was upsetting for our staff,” she added. The incident unfolded on July 26, but the video was only made public on Thursday at a news conference held by Wubbels.

department said two employees have been put on administrative leave pending the investigation. “All remaining officers on the blood draw program have reviewed, and are operating under, the new policy and protocol.” District attorney Sim Gill issued a statement on Facebook calling for a full criminal investigation, however. “Injustice against one is an injustice against all. Everyone deserves a fair process and institutional accountability is our collective responsibility,” he said.

FASHION & STYLE

VOICE OF ASIA 20

Diana: fashionista who shook up the royal dress code by Clement Boutin

ONDON, United Kingdom | AFP - Princess Diana revolutionised the royal dress code with the help of some of the world’s greatest designers during a glamorous life that came to a tragic end 20 years ago on Thursday.

national colours, such as the white dress with red spots she wore on the trip to Japan in 1986. She chose not to wear gloves “because she liked to make contact with the people she was meeting”, said Lynn. Pictures of the princess shaking hands with AIDS patients

White House in 1985 is one of her most famous. It was in this dress that the princess danced with US actor John Travolta, to the hit “You Should Be Dancing” from the film “Saturday Night Fever” in which he starred. Nicknamed the Travolta dress, it even has its own Wikipedia page and sold for £240,000 ($318,000, 268,000 euros) at auction in 2013. After her divorce from Charles in 1996, Diana switched up her style once again, abandoning the British designers she had relied upon in favour of international fash-

Topless activists parade through New York

EW YORK | AFP Activists paraded shirtless through the streets of New York on Saturday, flashing their chests to celebrate the 10th annual GoTopless Day Parade. Walking to the beat of drums in a carnival-style atmosphere, dozens of men and women embarked on one-mile (1.6-kilometer) march from Columbus Circle to Bryant Park for the event, which this year falls on Women’s Equality Day. Participants of all shapes and sizes held up placards proclaiming “Equal Topless Rights For All” and “War Is Obscene Not My Nipples, Meditate 4 Peace Topless.” “I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” said Rebecca Barwick, 35, who traveled up from Virginia and works in the federal government. “It’s important to send a message. These are our bodies. They should not be policed any other way than men’s. Men walk around like this all the time, so why is it such a big

A selection of Diana’s looks as she represented the royal family around the world (File photos) “Diana has become a fashion icon in the same way as Jackie Kennedy or Audrey Hepburn -- timeless, elegant, and still so relevant,” said Eleri Lynn, curator of “Diana: Her Fashion Story”, an exhibition at her Kensington Palace home in London. Nicknamed “Shy Di” ahead of her 1981 marriage to Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, Diana came out of her shell and realised how her clothes could be used as a powerful communication tool.

in 1987 helped to break down myths surrounding the disease, including the unfounded fear of being able to catch it through touching sufferers. The most photographed woman of the age, Diana understood the rules of royal dressing but was not afraid of twisting them. She breached royal protocol by wearing a black ballgown, a colour worn formally by royal women only during mourning. Her outfits included androgy-

ion houses such as Dior, Lacroix or Chanel. Diana ditched the frills, taffeta and giant ball gowns and adopted more daring outfits, like the figure-hugging sky blue Jacques Azagury dress that went as far above the knee as the designer felt he could go at the time with a princess. “For so many years, the princess of Wales was the world’s one and only fashion obsession, and the forerunner of modern glamour as we know it. She had to make it all up for

“The princess learned to make her wardrobe say what she could not, and worked closely with designers like Catherine Walker to curate her personality through clothes,” Sophie Goodwin, fashion director of Tatler magazine, told The New York Times newspaper in February. Diana mastered the art of wearing the right dress for the right occasion. She wore bright clothes when visiting hospices, in order to appear warm and accessible. On foreign visits, she would chose clothes inspired by the

nous gear, such as a tuxedo and a bow tie.

herself,” wrote Sarah Mower in the Daily Mail newspaper.

“That’s quite the bold, fun look that you don’t necessarily expect of a princess,” said Lynn.

Diana’s look was widely copied and still inspires catwalks and designers to this day.

She said Diana was the first woman in the royal family to wear trousers to an evening event. - Daring outfits She also helped to modernise the royal wardrobe, with outfits that made a lasting impression. The midnight blue Victor Edelstein velvet evening gown she wore for a dinner at the

SPOTLIGHT

Bipasha Basu looking lovely in a creation by Anita Dongre while attending Ganpati celebrations at Nita and Mukesh Ambani’s residence (Photo: Vogue India)

The online clothing site ASOS launched a Diana-inspired collection in October 2016, playing on her off-duty look.

Participants and onlookers gather for GoTopless Day, celebrating its 10th anniversary (Photo: AFP) deal?” Many inked “Go Topless” across their chests and wore hair bands with breasts popping up from the scalp on springs. One woman wore a blue Wonder Woman cape, and a couple of men wore bras. Heavily out-numbered by spectators, the march was organized by US-based rights group GoTopless, which has spent 10

years campaigning for women to be able to go shirtless. It is already legal for women to bare their breasts in public in New York, America’s fourth most populous state. Parallel events were scheduled in other US cities, which this year fell on the 97th anniversary of Women’s Equality Day, when American women were given the vote.

Payal Singhal’s latest collaboration is all for a good cause

f you ever want to unravel the mystery of where your clothes or accessories come from, all you have to do is glance at the grassroots level. And that’s exactly what designer Payal Singhal wants you to do with her latest collaboration. Joining hands with Desai Foundation—which empowers women and children through community programs in the U.S. and India—the designer has launched an exclusive Payal Singhal x Desai Foundation collection. The highlight of this range are the soft bags—overnight bags, totes and make up kits, all in her signature prints— which have been hand embroidered, sewn and finished by rural women in Valsad, Gujarat. These women are part of the Desai Foundation Vocational Sewing Program, and have been specially trained to create high quality products.

Dancing with John Travolta of Saturday Night Fever fame (File photo)

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

“For years, I’ve been wanting to work with a charity I believed in and who worked with women. When I met Megha Desai, President of the Desai Foundation, I knew instantly that this was the project I had to get involved with,”

says Payal. The designer, who wanted to do more than simply donate money, is now happy that is working directly with the rural women. “The Desai Foundation tailor-made this programme for us wherein we create jobs for the women by having them manufacture the bags and travel pouches we are selling,” she explains. For every bag that is sold, part of the proceeds go towards the foundation. This means that not only are these women finding financial indepen-

dence, but they are also being empowered with livelihoods. Looks like a win-win to us. Her new collection also sees

the launch of a kid’s wear line, occasion wear, men’s wear accessories and stationery. (-Elle India/Photos: Payal Singh)

Fashion blogger Juhi Godambe broke down in tears after completing her first 10K run

Her style even has a presence in the social media age. An Instagram account called Princess Diana Forever, which has over 170,000 followers, posts a daily picture of her in various outfits, bringing her to a new generation.

by Mumta Mody

ast year, when fashion blogger Juhi Godambe nailed her first long-distance run with little effort, she couldn’t have guessed the life-changing impact it would have. The 24-year-old who had favoured gyms and treadmills until then, finished a 10k run at Aamby Valley, Lonavala in tears. “I usually don’t cry, but I couldn’t stop myself. I didn’t care about the time I took to complete it, I was just so happy I finished the first time I tried it,” she says. The next day she decided to start her mornings an hour early to squeeze in a run. And a few weeks later, Juhi signed up with the Nike Running Club to prepare for the half-marathon in Mumbai. “While training, every facet of my body and personality were put to test. Chasing goals and striving to improve myself on the track taught me about perseverance, patience and discipline,” she says of the life lessons she learnt along the way. Juhi also started planning her days better, pre-planned her meals, and began pushing herself to perform better. Two months later, she faced her next

“There’s been no looking back since”

challenge: tackling 21kms at the Standard Chartered Marathon. Like any first-timer, her biggest fear was being unable to complete the race. But she stuck to her strategy, started slow and finished the race in a very good 2.39

hours. “That is when I really understood that giving up should never be an option. Now I’ve become that person who sets goals for herself, in running and even in my work life.” (-Elle India/Photo: Manasi Sawant)

SPORT

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

VOICE OF ASIA 21

Tennis: Teen star Rublev breaks FEATURE: down door to US Open glory Usain Bolt says his world records

could last ‘at least 15 to 20 yrs’

by Jim Slater

EW YORK | AFP Russian teen Andrey Rublev spent years beating his head on the walls of success before finding the door this year and smashing it down Thursday at the US Open.

by Tim Daniels

amaican sprinter Usain Bolt predicted Tuesday during an appearance in Japan that the world records he set during his illustrious track career could last for two decades.

The 19-year-old from Moscow advanced to a Grand Slam third round for the first time by shocking Bulgarian seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. Rublev, ranked 53rd, advanced to a last-32 date with Bosnian Damir Dzumhur after dispatching a solid contender in Dimitrov, who was coming off his biggest career title two weeks ago at Cincinnati, for his first win over a top-10 rival. It’s a far cry from the kid who struggled in the junior ranks last year until tossing out his coach and support staff and starting over. “The way I was working, it was not the way to be pro tennis player,” Rublev said. “I change the team completely. In that moment starts the real work. And now I improve in this year. I improve much more than in all my tennis career.” Rublev compared his efforts to finding a door to unlock progress after banging on walls in frustration. “When I was junior, I was working hard. I was not doing some bad things. It’s just this work was not for the pro,” he said.

Andrey Rublev has leaped to the next-gen front line (Photo:AFP) “Let’s say you have a door and you can open the door and I was trying to open this door from the wall, you know? It was hitting the wall. You can work so hard like this, but you going to only get worse and worse.” “It was not that I was not working or I was lazy. It’s just with this work is not going to come results. You going to only be worse and worse.” Rublev won his first ATP title in July at Umag, becoming the first lucky loser to capture a tour crown since Rajeev Ram in 2009 at Newport. The Russian had lucky rituals in Croatia during his breakthrough week and has one this week in New York, eating at the same Japanese restaurant ahead of matches. “We went to the same restaurant for dinner before first match and before this match. So two days in a row I went in

the same restaurant,” Rublev said. “Tomorrow I’m not playing, so I can go somewhere else.” Rublev was down a break in each of the first two sets against Dimitrov but battled back to claim both. “I was just thinking to try to focus, try to fight no matter even if I am losing with a break,” Rublev said. “And in the end, I was little bit lucky. I make a good few returns. I hit maybe few points close to the line. “My style is just to play aggressive, try to play my rhythm because I have quite well rhythm that I can play, compete with many good guys.” He might just get his chance to find out with Belgian ninth seed David Goffin a possible fourth-round foe and topranked Rafael Nadal a potential quarter-final opponent.

Cricket: England to host

India in 2018 Test series

Jim Armstrong of the Associated Press passed along comments from Bolt, who said he went up against the “best era” of competition, which should allow his marks to stand the test of time. “I think [they’re] going to last a while,” he said. “I think our era with Yohan Blake, Justin Gatlin and Asafa Powell and all these guys was the best era of athletes. If it was going to be broken, it would have been broken in this era, so I think I have at least 15 to 20 more years.” Bolt retired last month following the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London. He finished third in the 100 meters behind the American duo of Gatlin and Christian Coleman and suffered a hamstring injury while trying to run the 4x100meter relay for Jamaica. It represented a mundane end for the fastest man in history.

He won eight Olympic gold medals, highlighted by winning both the 100 and 200 in each of the Beijing, London and Rio Games. He added 14 more medals, including 11 golds, in World Championship races.

“This is always a much-anticipated contest which attracts a huge following across the globe for the five-day game. “Test match cricket has a strong, consistent and passionate following across England and Wales and the seven sum-

ATTORNEY AND COUNSELORS AT LAW mer Tests, starting with the Pakistan matches, are sure to attract good crowds. “Alongside these, England’s white-ball contests against India, Australia and Scotland will give a fascinating guide to form ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup, to be staged here in 2019.” It will be only the second time India, the world’s number

one Test side, play a five-Test series in England since 1959. England’s summer will begin in May with two Tests against Pakistan at Lord’s and Headingley. ca one-off one-day game against Scotland in Edinburgh on June 10, followed by five one-day internationals and a T20 match against Australia later that month.

OUSTON | AFP | The Houston Rockets have been bought by US restaurant tycoon Tilman Fertitta in a record-breaking $2.2 billion (1.85 billion euro) deal, the highest amount ever paid for an NBA franchise, a statement said Tuesday. Fertitta, a Houston-based billionaire, was one of several potential buyers circling the Rockets, who had been put up for sale by owner Leslie Alexander.

Alexander, 73, bought the franchise for just $85 million in 1993.

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Leslie Alexander has agreed to sell the Houston Rockets to Tilman Fertitta, who will reportedly pay a record $2.2billion. through the players and coaches who have won championships for the city, been named to AllStar and All-NBA teams, enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and done so much for our franchise and our fans.”

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Alexander, whose reign included NBA title triumphs in

• Houston • Canada • Ahmedabad, India

“I’ve had the incredible opportunity to witness true greatness

“I’ve made this decision after much deliberation with my family and friends, and do so knowing the franchise is in great shape with the players, coaches and management team in place,” added Alexander, who last week donated $4 million towards the Hurricane Harvey relief effort.

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Attorneys at the Firm

“It’s been my great joy and honor to own the Houston Rockets for the past 24 years,” Alexander said in a statement.

He was forced to sell a stake in the Houston Texans NFL team when he completed a purchase of the Golden Nugget casinos in Las Vegas.

“The Houston community has been home to me,” Alexander said. “I will continue to support the charities I have made commitments to throughout the years. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the fans, partners, city officials and employees who care so deeply for this team.

Jimmie Benton

Roger Piper

Fertitta, the head of Landry’s Inc, a company which includes restaurants, casinos and hotels in its portfolio, has dabbled in sports ownership before.

1994 and 1995, said he planned to remain active in Houston.

Thomas P.Fischer

Forbes had valued the franchise in February at $1.65 billion, making it the eighth mostvaluable in the league, with revenues of $244 million.

Member - American Immigration Lawyer’s Association since 1989.

India in 2018 Test series (File photo)

sold for $2.2 billion

“This is a life-long dream come true. Leslie Alexander has been one of the best owners in all of sports, and I thank him immensely for this opportunity. He has the heart of a champion.”

Bolt added he walked away from the track because he had “nothing to prove,” and his focus has shifted toward his personal life and potentially playing soccer. (-AP)

Willy, Nanayakkara & Associates

NBA: Houston Rockets

“I am truly honored to have been chosen as the next owner of the Houston Rockets,” Fertitta said in a release from the team.

these young guys are going to be hungry and want to be great, and if we get those guys we will be OK, but so far it is not looking good.”

Immigration Law

The teams will play three Twenty20 matches in July, followed by three one-day internationals and then Tests at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Trent Bridge, the Rose Bowl and The Oval.

“A five-Test series against India is at the heart of next summer’s international programme,” said ECB chief executive officer Tom Harrison in a press release.

“I’ve noticed a lot of the young athletes, as soon as they get their first contract and start making money, they really just don’t care as much anymore,” Bolt said. “A lot of them are satisfied with getting their first contract, going out and making their first team. If they are satisfied with that, then we’re in trouble. Hopefully, a few of

Looking toward the future, Bolt has been discouraged by the lack of competitive fire shown by the next wave of potential track superstars once the money starts to roll in, according to the AP.

ONDON, United Kingdom | AFP | Tuesday 9/5/2017 England will host India in a five-match Test series in 2018, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Tuesday.

England’s schedule for the year also includes meetings with Pakistan, Australia and Scotland.

Usain Bolt isn’t resting on his laurels following his retirement from athletics. The Jamaican sprinter, who holds the world records for both 100m and 200m, is launching 15 restaurants across the UK, with the first one set to open within the next few months. Called Tracks and Records, the restaurants promise to offer “real Jamaica vibes” and authentic Jamaican cuisine including rum barbeque wings, jerk pork and a dish that is Usain’s speciality – “burgers à la Usain”

The 31-year-old fan favorite is the world-record holder in both the 100 meters (9.58 seconds) and 200 meters (19.19 seconds) along with assorted other marks in relays and agebased races.

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HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 22

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

Your Horoscope for the Week of September 8, 2017 READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE

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

ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April Your intuition will benefit you for any creative or artistic work you may do. However, your practical reasoning ability and your ability to focus on the here and now are diminished. Your judgment regarding concrete matters is a bit fuzzy at this time, so you may wish to delay making important decisions. Your desire for love and affection, as well as beauty and pleasure, is strong now and you act on feelings and creative impulses more readily than usual.

An enthusiastic or wholehearted approach to your partnership is one way in which you will express your feelings to a mate or lover. You may give the impression now that you are seeking more fulfillment, commitment, stability, and teamwork in love relationships. You will go that extra mile to insure that you can be relied upon to deliver any promises, pledges, or obligations in the partnership. If you are unattached at the present time, you may attract a new love interest or search earnestly for a meaningful relationship.

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

Scorpio (N,Y) 23 Oct to 21 Nov

This is a good time to open up with others, share ideas, and come to a group consensus. Thoughts turn to parenting, nurturing, and providing assistance to those you love and care about. You may have a great deal of contact and communication with family members, relatives, and siblings at this time, in greater part because they need guidance, advice, or help. This is a good period to make schedules or arrangements with those who live with you as to the handling of domestic or personal responsibilities.

Inspiration from elders will key issues for coming days. You are likely to feel the urge to do something completely out of character now. Don’t fight the urge. Let yourself be a little “crazy”; this is a good time to break out of your accustomed ways of acting and be more humorous or eccentric. Your imagination is charged now. Any artistic endeavors are imbued with a new spirit of originality and inspiration. Your thinking is much less conservative and cautious now, and you can tap intuitive and creative resources that will surprise even yourself.

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

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Clear away any imperfections in your work routines and endeavors. You may need a work environment free of distractions and chaos in order to work with more productivity and efficiency. If your creative energy and imagination is given room to flourish, then you will truly feel dedicated to your job responsibilities and duties. You may envision greater possibilities or yearn for idyllic work conditions where your dreams are automatically fulfilled. Since you are highly susceptible to the influence of others, you may be swayed by their ideas.

Your imagination will be dynamic and you are able to find picturesque words and images to convey your thoughts. This is an excellent time for creative writing. It is also a good time for receiving counseling or consultation for issues of personal concern. This is also a good time for any work of an artistic kind because your imagination and sensitivity are high. Philosophical, spiritual, psychic, and religious topics also appeal to you now, and you can become much clearer about philosophical issues.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Feeling less competitive and ambitious about practical matters. The world of art, music, or mysticism is very appealing to you now, and if you have talent in any of these areas, this can be a creative and fruitful time for you. However, the negative possibilities for you now are being undisciplined, slack, indefinite, or wasting time and energy. This is a time for getting a little wild with friends, going dancing, or doing something out of the ordinary that is fun. You meet interesting new people and are more open to people who are quite different.

You being more sympathetic and understanding of others now & You are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, and you are not as strong as usual. Even if you are normally very understanding and tolerant of other people’s foibles, you are able to reach a better rapport with others and be less resistant and defensive when others disagree with you or act in ways that are not agreeable with you. This is an excellent time to openly talk with anyone that you do not feel comfortable with and do not have a good rapport with.

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

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August Pleasant interactions with anyone you meet this time . This helps strengthen bonds of affection at this time. Others will like to talk & listen to you. You will be able to pour sweetness in your wordings, not for your selfish motive but for happiness of others. You may be doing a lot of thinking about your relationship and may even feel inclined to discuss issues of commitment and trustworthiness with your mate. The activities you share with your spouse or loved one may center around intellectual interests and pursuits as well.

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Conversations and sharing plans and ideas with others are very fruitful now. You understand what others are telling you, and you make yourself clearly understood also. This is a favorable time for getting your message across to others via writing, speaking, or advertising. Your mental processes are speeded up now. You grasp new concepts very easily, but you tend to be impatient with slower minds or the usual, predictable routine. Nervous restlessness, impulsive or erratic behavior or speech, or coming to a conclusion too quickly are likely.

Greater dedication and commitment toward your work and occupation. If you balance this with your personal goals in life, you can achieve an enormous sense of satisfaction and higher prestige at work. This can be a time when career matters take major precedence over your personal affairs. However, no matter how strong your ambitions are there may be a price to pay in your primary relationships. Caution should be exercised if loved ones are feeling alienated and ignored. Also, a new job could begin during this period.

Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 March The circle of your close friends will be important to you. This is not a time for solitary activity. Sharing, harmonizing are the themes now. However, if you are not happy in your personal life, your problems may seem especially pressing at this time. Children’s education drive is quite strong, and you may be more concerned with satisfying your caring desires being sensitive parent. All interactions with coworkers of the opposite sex are inclined to be tense right now.

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Shiva Indian Restaurant & Catering

Pro Advisor,Accounting, Tax Returns, Cost Accounting, Sales Tax, Franchise Tax. Retail, Manufacturing, Construction, Franchise Accounting. Visit our website: www.cypresstxcpa.com Call: (832) 620-4757 • Email: setlurn@gmail.com

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

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

BOOK-KEEPING INCOME TAX

Real Estate

NARESH SETLUR, CPA - Certified, Quickbooks

Personal and Business Tax Returns, Payroll Sales Tax, Income Tax Audits and Representations

S. Ram and Associates

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

M.D. Associates LLP A full service CPA firm

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

Ron Aga 832-423-6973 Champions Real Estate Group • 6117 Richmond Ave, Ste # 120 Houston, TX 77057

Remodeling

3 Locations to serve you Houston 713-774-6533 Spring 281-251-2205 Dallas 214-722-7545

visit us at : www.mdassociatescpas.com

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.

“Word of mouth has a limited reach”

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

(Less than the price of a cup of coffee)

in VOICE OF ASIA,

you can reach over 2 million potential customers!

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

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

CLASSIFIEDS

VOICE OF ASIA 23

PET of the WEEK

Houston Community College

Project No. 17-73 Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Tuesday, September 26, 2017. Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs. edu/procurement.

I need a loving home

PUMPKIN - ID#A005304

Request for Proposals (RFP) Market Research

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

Shelter staff named me PUMPKIN. I am a neutered male, orange tabby Manx and Domestic Shorthair. The shelter staff think I am about 3 years old. I have been at the shelter since Aug 12, 2017. For more information about this pet, call: City of Sugar Land Animal Services at (281) 275-2364

VOICE OF ASIA

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Best Value!!!

Jacob Sanchez Diagnosed with autism

Lack of speech is a sign of autism. Learn the others at autismspeaks.org/signs.

VOICE OF ASIA 24

FRIDAY, September 8, 2017

THANK YOU HOUSTON! We would like to thank everyone who have been and are involved in rescue and restoration efforts, helping families in their time of crisis, caused by Hurricane Harvey: • First responders, medical, and evacuation teams. • Restaurants, caterers, grocery stores who fed families. • Organizations - private and faith based, who provided shelter. • Individuals who have donated generously. • Neighbors who came together with feeling of oneness and community. • Teams involved in pet transport and rescues. • Handymen who provided free repair and restoration services. • Professionals who provided free consultation and advice. We are here to provide FREE Public Service Announcements for Non-profits, Charities, and Government offices, through our newsweekly, online, and through e-blast services. To help families in 5 counties, please call us at 713-774-5140 | ads@voiceofasiagroup.com