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FRIDAY, May 1, 2020 l Published Weekly From Houston Vol. 34 • No. 18 • 16 Pages • 2 Sections • 50 cents • 713-774-5140 • www.voiceofasia.news • E-mail: voiceasia@aol.com
US panel wants India on religious freedom blacklist
USA tops one million coronavirus cases
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ASHINGTON | AFP | 4/28/2020 - The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the United States topped one million on Tuesday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. A file photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP)
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ommends but does not set policy, not improve their records. and there is virtually no chance the State Department will follow “In 2019, religious freedom its lead on India, an increasingly conditions in India experienced close US ally. a drastic turn downward, with religious minorities under inIn an annual report, the bipar- creasing assault,” the report said. tisan panel said that India should join the ranks of “countries of It called on the United States particular concern” that would The US Commission on Inter- be subject to sanctions if they do national Religious Freedom recContinued on Page 3 ASHINGTON | AFP | 4/28/2020 - A US government panel on Tuesday called for India to be put on a religious freedom blacklist over a “drastic” downturn under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering an sharp rebuttal from New Delhi.
Continued on page 5
Sewa International Houston Chapter distributes 30,000 masks to first responders
Asia virus latest: Ramadan begins; Pompeo targets China
S
INGAPORE | AFP 4/24/2020 - Here are the latest developments in Asia related to the novel coronavirus pandemic:
- Muslims mark Ramadan with virus lockdowns Muslims around the world began marking Ramadan under coronavirus lockdowns with unprecedented bans on family gatherings and mass prayers, while a pushback in some countries has sparked fears of a surge in infections. Widespread rules have been imposed banning praying in mosques or meeting relatives and friends for large “iftar” Continued on Page 5
India’s Consul General in Houston, Aseem Mahajan (third from left-), and Councilwoman Martha Castex-Tatum (first from left), were present when protective gear was distributed to San Jacinto Sheriff officials.
Read report on Page 5
A Muslim man and a child offer prayers during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at the Jami mosque, in Herat, Afghanistan. (Image Credit: AFP)
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Page 2 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
VOICE OF ASIA
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
COMMUNITY Second Front Page
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
Tel: 713-774-5140
“Meenakshi is our Saviour” - MTS stays strong serving the devotees
Sri Meenakshi
by M.K.Sriram
P
EARLAND “Sri Meenakshi is always with us, she always protects us” - this is the one strong feeling that the devotees of Sri Meenakshi Temple have, that has given them the strength to face great adversities in their lives in the past, now
Tamil New Year Puja
steps to comply with the State and County regulations, for the safety of the devotees as well as the safety of its staff. The temple has been closed for the public. But, it is a matter of great pride that the daily or Nithya pujas as well as pujas specific to the Hindu calendar are being
DhanvanthariHomam in the present Covid-19 calamity conducted without the slightest that is engulfing the whole world. interruption. All the pujas are
witness the pujas live, or view (the Lord of Healing and Medithem later at their convenience. cine). This most potent mantra helps to overcome the fear of Additionally, it is very re- suffering, sickness and death. markable that during the whole While this homam is conducted month of April, special and pow- on one day, the divine Dhanvanerful homams are conducted and tari Homam is conducted the follivestreamed every day at 10 lowing day. Lord Dhanvantari is AM for the health and welfare
Maha Mrityunjaya Homam
of the entire community. The Maha Mrutunjaya Homam is livestreamed giving the devotees dedicated to Lord Shiva, who MTS took prompt and quick to be virtually at the temple and is also known as Vaidhyanathan
an avatar of Maha Vishnu and is considered the God of Ayurveda. According to the Hindu Puranas, He emerged from the milky ocean as it was churned by the Devas and Asuras, with a pot of the Amrita elixir. Kudos to the MTS Chairman Dhani Kannan, the Religious Activities Committee led by Vinod Kaila and the entire Board members for working very well together in organizing these pujas. The priests have been conducting the daily and special pujas with utmost dedication and bhakti. It is felt by everybody that all these activities significantly contribute to keep us and the entire community and region safe. Devotees are encouraged to sponsor the pujas and homams and obtain the blessings of the deities, while at the same time supporting the temple in these challenging times. The bottom line is that even though the temple is physically closed for the public for now, it is virtually open, welcoming all devotees to attend and participate from their homes. Plans are being worked out to systematically and gradually re-open in a phased manner with utmost emphasis on the safety and health of the people, as and when the governing authorities give the green light.
www.voiceofasiaonline.com
Page 3 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS by Ruth Ellen Wasem
I
n a late-night tweet on April 20, President Trump said he would sign an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration to the United States, saying he was taking this action “In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens… .”
US panel wants India on religious freedom blacklist...
Muslim men check the interiors of a partially burnt mosque on March 1, 2020 after communal riots in New Delhi (AFP Photo/Sajjad Hussain ) Continued from Front Page
to impose punitive measures, including visa bans, on Indian officials believed responsible and grant funding to civil society groups that monitor hate speech.
ly rejected the report.
“Its biased and tendentious comments against India are not new. But on this new occasion, its misrepresentation has reached new levels,” foreign ministry spokesman Anurag SriThe commission said that Mo- vastava said. di’s Hindu nationalist government, which won a convincing “We regard it as an organizaelection victory last year, “al- tion of particular concern and lowed violence against minori- will treat it accordingly,” he said ties and their houses of worship in a statement. to continue with impunity, and also engaged in and tolerated The State Department deshate speech and incitement to ignates nine “countries of parviolence.” ticular concern” on religious freedom -- China, Eritrea, Iran, It pointed to comments by Myanmar, North Korea, PakiHome Minister Amit Shah, who stan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan notoriously referred to mostly and Turkmenistan. Muslim migrants as “termites,” and to a citizenship law that has Pakistan, India’s historic rival, triggered nationwide protests. was added by the State Department in 2018 after years of apIt also highlighted the revoca- peals by the commission, which tion of the autonomy of Kash- was appalled by attacks on mimir, which was India’s only norities and abuse of blasphemy Muslim-majority state, and alle- laws. gations that Delhi police turned a blind eye to mobs who attacked In its latest report, the commisMuslim neighborhoods in Feb- sion asked that all nine countries ruary this year. remain on the list. In addition to India, it sought the inclusion The Indian government, which of four more -- Nigeria, Russia, has long been irritated by the Syria and Vietnam. commission’s comments, quick-
This drastic policy shift aimed at immigrants is not supported by the substantial body of empirical research that maintains immigration can have a positive impact on U.S. workers. Ryan Edwards and Mao-Mei Liu published a research study in 2018 that examined trends in employment rates of native U.S. workers compared to trends in foreign-born shares of the local labor force between 2005 and 2016. They found that “employment rates for native workers actually rose by a small amount when more immigrants arrived.” Economist Madeline Zavodny’s research drawn from labor force data spanning 2005 to 2013 concluded that immigration did not increase unemployment or reduce labor force participation of native-born workers. “Instead, having more immigrants reduces the unemployment rate and raises the labor force participation rate of U.S. natives within the same sex and education group,” she reported. When the president signed the proclamation on April 22, it read much differently than his earlier statements. The suspension is much narrower than early reports suggested. It is in force for 60 days with the proviso that it may be continued if warranted. The proclamation exempts several significant categories of immigrants from the suspension, most notably the spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens, health care professionals, and investors in U.S. businesses. The proclamation also excludes immigrants who are in the United States adjusting their status from a temporary one to lawful permanent residence. The proclamation left the door open for agricultural guest worker programs and other temporary employment-based migrants. In recent years, over 1 million visas were issued annually to foreign nationals coming to work temporarily in the United States, well over half of whom are not subject to labor market tests to ensure that U.S. workers are not adversely affected. It looks like what we in my adopted state of Texas call “all hat
T
he pandemic is putting America’s deepening class divide into stark relief. Four classes are emerging.
The Remotes: These are professional, managerial, and technical workers – an estimated 35 percent of the workforce – who are putting in long hours at their laptops, Zooming into conferences, scanning electronic documents, and collecting about the same pay as before the crisis. Many are bored or anxious, but they’re well off compared to the three other classes. The Essentials. They’re about 30 percent of workers, including nurses, homecare and childcare workers, group home workers, farm workers, food processors, truck drivers, warehouse and transit workers, drug store employees, sanitation workers, police officers, fire fighters, and the military. Too many essentials lack adequate protective gear, paid sick leave, health insurance, and childcare, which is especially important now that schools are shuttered. They also deserve hazard pay. Their vulnerability is generating a wave of worker activism at businesses such as Instacart, Amazon, Walmart, and Whole Foods. Mass-transit workers are organizing work stoppages. Trump’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has the legal authority to require private employers provide essential workers with protective gear. Don’t hold your breath. The Unpaid. They’re an even larger group that the unemployed – whose ranks could soon reach 25 percent, the same as in the Great Depression. Some of the unpaid are furloughed or have used up their paid leave. So far in this crisis, 43 percent of adults report they or someone in their household has lost jobs or pay, according to the Pew Research Center.
Immigration suspension: All hat and no cattle?
Illustration: Lynn Scurfield
and no cattle” — much bravado with little substance to support it. Before dismissing the ban as just a political stunt — that is, to throw a piece of red meat to the xenophobic among Trump’s base — it warrants closer study and analysis of the underlying data. Foremost, the proclamation does directly impact U.S. citizens who have parents, adult children and siblings waiting abroad for visas and U.S. lawful permanent residents who have spouses and children waiting abroad for visas. Turning to the Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, I analyzed immigrant admissions abroad from these categories, and found that about 80 percent of immigrants arriving in these categories from fiscal year 2009 through fiscal year 2018 would have been excluded if the suspension had been in place during those years. U.S. citizens and lawful resident families who have family members with approved pending petitions indeed could be hard hit by the proclamation. Employers who petitioned to hire foreign nationals who are outstanding in their fields, professionals with advanced degrees or bachelor degrees, or skilled workers in short supply — except for physicians, medical professionals and other health care
workers — also are affected if they were bringing these workers from abroad. When I analyzed immigrant admissions for these categories from FY 2009 through FY 2018, however, only about 10 percent had come from abroad. The overwhelming number of employment-based immigrants would have been exempted from the suspension because they were already in the United States. Employers come out well because the temporary workers’ pathways to lawful permanent residence appear to remain intact. Even before this proclamation, the State Department’s consular offices virtually shut down their processing of immigration visas as a nonessential function on March 20. The number of visas issued in March 2020 were down 35 percent from February, and down 35 percent from March 2019. The proclamation seems to stamp a policy imprimatur on a managerial decision. Using FY2018 immigrant admissions for the suspended categories as a benchmark, the proclamation will put about 58,000 people with approved pending petitions in immigration purgatory for at least 60 days. Most of these people are family members of U.S. workers. If extended, the suspension could place hundreds of thousands of family members
of U.S. workers in limbo. Trump’s commitment to American workers is belied by his lack of support for existing programs that would improve their situation, e.g., opposing increases to the federal minimum wage and a stronger unemployment insurance system. His budget proposals have pushed drastic cuts to the enforcement arms of the Department of Labor that protect the wages, hours, health and safety of U.S. workers. Last summer, the Economic Policy Institute published an analysis by Daniel Costa that found “spending on immigration enforcement in 2018 was an astonishing 11 times greater than spending to enforce labor standards — despite the mandate labor agencies have to protect 146 million workers employed at 10 million workplaces.” It’s a hat, all right. Not “all hat and no cattle,” but rather, a hat trick. And the trick is being played on those who think the proclamation would be good for U.S. workers. Ruth Ellen Wasem is a professor of policy practice at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and the University of Texas. -The Hill
The COVID-19 class divide
An estimated 9.2 million have lost their employer-provided health insurance. Many of these jobs had been in personal services that can’t be done remotely, such as retail, restaurant, and hospitality work. But as consumers rein in spending, layoffs are spreading to news organizations, tech companies, consumer-goods manufacturers. The unpaid most need cash to feed their families and pay the rent. Fewer than half say they have enough emergency funds to cover three months of expenses, according to a survey conducted this month Pew. So far, government has failed them, too. Checks mailed out by the Treasury last week are a pittance. Extra benefits could help, but unemployment offices are so overwhelmed with claims that they can’t get money out the door. Loans to small businesses have gone largely to big, well-connected businesses, with banks collecting fat fees. On Wednesday, Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said he opposed to any further federal aid to state and local governments, suggesting states declare bankruptcy instead. Which means even less money for unemployment insurance, Medicaid, and everything
else the unpaid need. The resulting desperation is fueling demands to “reopen the economy” long before it’s safe. If it comes down to a choice between risking one’s health and putting food on the table, many will take latter. The Forgotten. This group includes everyone for whom social distancing is nearly impossible because they’re packed tightly into places most Americans don’t see – prisons, jails for undocumented immigrants, group homes for the severely disabled, camps for migrant farmworkers, Native American reservations, homeless shelters, and nursing homes. While much of New York City is sheltering at home, for example, more than 17,000 men and women, many already in poor health, are sleeping in roughly 100 shelters for single adults. All such places are becoming hot spots for the virus. These people need safe spaces with proper medical care, adequate social distancing, testing for the virus and isolation of those who have contracted it. Few are getting any of this. Not surprisingly, the Essentials, the Unpaid, and the Forgotten are disproportionately poor, black, and Latino. And they are disproportionately becoming in-
fected. An Associated Press breakdown of available state and local data showed close to 33 percent of coronavirus deaths so far are African-American, despite representing only 14 percent of the total population in areas surveyed. The Navajo Nation already has lost more to coronavirus than have 13 states. Four of the 10 largest-known sources of infection in the United States have been correctional facilities. These three groups aren’t getting what they need to survive this crisis because they don’t have lobbyists and political action committees to do their bidding in Washington or state capitals. The Remotes among us should be concerned, and not just because of the unfairness of the Covid-19 class divide. If the Essentials aren’t sufficiently protected, the Unpaid are forced back to work earlier than is safe, and the Forgotten remain forgotten, no one can be secure. Covid-19 will continue to spread sickness and death for months, if not years to come. Robert B. Reich is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. He served as Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, for which Time Magazine named him one of the ten most effective cabinet secretaries of the twentieth century. He has written fifteen books, including the best sellers “Aftershock”, “The Work of Nations,” and, his most recent, “The Common Good,” which is available in bookstores now. He’s co-creator of the Netflix original documentary “Saving Capitalism,” which is streaming now. - eurasiareview.com
Page 4 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
Family Health
Section 1
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
Mysterious blood clots are COVID-19’s lethal surprise by Issam Ahmed and Ivan Couronne
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igna’s 2020 Loneliness Index, released in January 2020, reported that Americans experience loneliness at a chronic level. Over 60 percent of American adults said they feel lonely and half of the Baby Boomer generation reported feelings of loneliness.
An image taken with a scanning electron microscope shows SARS-CoV-2 (yellow) — also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19 (AFP Photo/Handout)
What exactly is causing it? The reasons aren’t fully understood, but he offered several possible explanations. People with severe forms of COVID-19 often have underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease -- which are themselves linked to higher rates of clotting. Next, being in intensive care makes a person likelier to develop a clot because they are staying still for so long. That’s why for example people are encouraged to stretch and move around on long haul flights. It’s also now clear the COVID-19 illness is associated with an abnormal immune reaction called “cytokine storm” -and some research has indicated this too is linked to higher rates of clotting. There could also be something about the virus itself that is causing coagulation, which has some precedent in other viral illnesses. A paper in the journal The Lancet last week showed that the virus can infect the inner cell layer of organs and of blood vessels, called the endothelium. This, in theory, could interfere with the clotting process. - Microclots According to Brosnahan, while thinners like Heparin are effective in some patients, they don’t work for all patients because the clots are at times too small. “There are too many microclots,” she said. “We’re not sure exactly where they are.”
Autopsies have in fact shown some people’s lungs filled with hundreds of microclots. The arrival of a new mystery however helps solve a slightly older one. Cecilia Mirant-Borde, an intensive care doctor at a military veterans hospital in Manhattan, told AFP that lungs filled with microclots helped explain why ventilators work poorly for patients with low blood oxygen. Earlier in the pandemic doctors were treating these patients according to protocols developed for acute respiratory distress syndrome, sometimes known as “wet lung.” But in some cases, “it’s not because the lungs are occupied with water” -- rather, it’s that the microclotting is blocking circulation and blood is leaving the lungs with less oxygen than it should. It has just been a little under five months since the virus emerged in Wuhan, China, and researchers are learning more about its impact every day. “While we react surprised, we shouldn’t be as surprised as we were. Viruses tend to do weird things,” said Brosnahan. While the dizzying array of complications may seem daunting, “it’s possible there’ll be one or a couple of unifying mechanisms that describe how this damage happens,” she said. “It’s possible it’s all the same thing, and that there’ll be the same solution.”
Arthritis drug shows ‘significant’ promise in severe COVID-19 cases: study by Issam Ahmed and Ivan Cou- tremity could drop off by itself. ronne Blood clots aren’t just dangerASHINGTON | AFP ous for our limbs, but can make | 4/27/2020 - After their way to the lungs, heart or nearly three weeks in brain, where they may cause lean intensive care unit in Los An- thal pulmonary embolisms, heart geles, doctors treating 41-year-old attacks, and strokes. Broadway actor Nick Cordero for A recent paper from the NethCOVID-19 were forced to ampuerlands in the journal Thromtate his right leg. bosis Research found that 31 The flow of blood had been im- percent of 184 patients suffered peded by a blood clot: yet anoth- thrombotic complications, a figer dangerous complication of the ure that the researchers called disease that has been bubbling up “remarkably high” -- even if exin frontline reports from China, treme consequences like amputaEurope and the United States. tion are rare. To be sure, so-called “throm- Why is it happening? botic events” occur for a variety Behnood Bikdeli, a doctor at of reasons among intensive care New York–Presbyterian Hospipatients, but the rates among COVID-19 patients are far high- tal, assembled an international er than would be otherwise ex- consortium of experts to study the issue. Their findings were pected. published in the Journal of The “I have had 40-year-olds in American College of Cardiology. my ICU who have clots in their The experts found the risks fingers that look like they’ll lose were so great that COVID-19 pathe finger, but there’s no other reason to lose the finger than the tients “may need to receive blood virus,” Shari Brosnahan, a criti- thinners, preventively, prophycal care doctor at NYU Langone lactically,” even before imaging tests are ordered, said Bikdeli. told AFP. What exactly is causing it? The One of these patients is suffering from a lack of blood flow to reasons aren’t fully understood, both feet and both hands, and she but he offered several possible predicts an amputation may be explanations. necessary, or the blood vessels People with severe forms of may get so damaged that an ex- COVID-19 often have under-
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lying medical conditions like heart or lung disease -- which are themselves linked to higher rates of clotting. Next, being in intensive care makes a person likelier to develop a clot because they are staying still for so long. That’s why for example people are encouraged to stretch and move around on long haul flights. It’s also now clear the COVID-19 illness is associated with an abnormal immune reaction called “cytokine storm” -and some research has indicated this too is linked to higher rates of clotting. There could also be something about the virus itself that is causing coagulation, which has some precedent in other viral illnesses. A paper in the journal The Lancet last week showed that the virus can infect the inner cell layer of organs and of blood vessels, called the endothelium. This, in theory, could interfere with the clotting process. According to Brosnahan, while thinners like Heparin are effective in some patients, they don’t work for all patients because the clots are at times too small. “There are too many microclots,” she said. “We’re not sure
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Medicare advantage plans focused on decreasing senior social isolation during the coronavirus pandemic
C
ASHINGTON | AFP | Monday 4/27/2020 -After nearly three weeks in an intensive care unit in Los Angeles, doctors treating 41-year-old Broadway actor Nick Cordero for COVID-19 were forced to amputate his right leg.
The flow of blood had been impeded by a blood clot: yet another dangerous complication of the disease that has been bubbling up in frontline reports from China, Europe and the United States. To be sure, so-called “thrombotic events” occur for a variety of reasons among intensive care patients, but the rates among COVID-19 patients are far higher than would be otherwise expected. “I have had 40-year-olds in my ICU who have clots in their fingers that look like they’ll lose the finger, but there’s no other reason to lose the finger than the virus,” Shari Brosnahan, a critical care doctor at NYU Langone told AFP. One of these patients is suffering from a lack of blood flow to both feet and both hands, and she predicts an amputation may be necessary, or the blood vessels may get so damaged that an extremity could drop off by itself. Blood clots aren’t just dangerous for our limbs, but can make their way to the lungs, heart or brain, where they may cause lethal pulmonary embolisms, heart attacks, and strokes. A recent paper from the Netherlands in the journal Thrombosis Research found that 31 percent of 184 patients suffered thrombotic complications, a figure that the researchers called “remarkably high” -- even if extreme consequences like amputation are rare. - Why is it happening? Behnood Bikdeli, a doctor at New York–Presbyterian Hospital, assembled an international consortium of experts to study the issue. Their findings were published in the Journal of The American College of Cardiology. The experts found the risks were so great that COVID-19 patients “may need to receive blood thinners, preventively, prophylactically,” even before imaging tests are ordered, said Bikdeli.
www.voiceofasia.news
Cigna employees and their families are also getting involved in serving seniors’ social needs. Through a partnership with Bring Smiles to Seniors, Cigna distributed 2,500 cards, handmade by Cigna employees and families, to senior communities.
The partnership with Bring Smiles Motivators of loneliness included lack of regular, meaningful social to Seniors also involves a grant from Cigna Foundation to help support sointeraction and poor quality health. cially isolated seniors. To support seniors who are being The announcement comes after isolated to protect them from the coronavirus, Cigna is starting a pilot Cigna eliminated all coronavirus program for Medicare Advantage treatment out-of-pocket costs. customers. SCAN Health Plan, one of the largThe pilot serves 24,000 custom- est nonprofit Medicare Advantage ers in Cigna’s Medicare Advantage plans in the nation, is also recognizprogram, but the payer said it sees it ing the threat that loneliness poses to growing in the future. While seniors its members during the coronavirus are restricted to home, the payer is outbreak and taking action. providing for their social determinants of health needs. The Cigna Like Cigna, SCAN Health Plan is representative that provides these also leveraging its employee populaservices is also watching for any po- tion to reach members. tential health risks. The health plan’s employees are But the payer wants these rela- calling on seniors, starting with the tionships to be more than medical or most at-risk and isolated. During transactional. their birthday and welcome calls, SCAN’s Senior Advocates—indiSeniors have the option to receive viduals who are both members and a follow up call from the same Cigna SCAN Health Plan employees—lisrepresentative, for the purpose of ex- ten for potential social determinants panding on that relationship to meet of health needs. seniors’ social needs, as well as their physical and clinical ones. A study conducted by Humana last year found that loneliness is also tied The program specifically targets to poorer health. Lonely and isolated Medicare Advantage members who Medicare Advantage members who are at high risk for health compli- had been discharged from the hospications. These members receive in- tal were four times more likely to be dividualized calls that allow them readmitted within a year. Over six in to ask any questions they may have ten were likely to develop dementia. about coronavirus. The payer will also focus on providing ready mediAside from volunteer programs, cal support for these individuals.
Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900 payers are also using telehealth to overcome these dire statistics, with some temporarily eliminating cost-sharing for members who have been affected by coronavirus to ensure access to mental healthcare resources. Health plans realize that it will take a concerted effort by their representatives as well as volunteers and community organizations to ensure that seniors are well-supported and to limit the effects of loneliness on members’ health. Source: Healthpayer To select right Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Supplement plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan contact Sudhir Mathuria 713-
771-2900
5 Tips on how to combat loneliness during social distancing As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, many people are staying in their homes to help prevent the spread of the disease. Feeling lonely from time to time is natural, but this unprecedented time of social distancing could lead to increased loneliness. There are some easy ways to feel connected to others, even when you aren’t seeing them in person. Consider these tips from Dr. Doug Nemecek, Cigna chief medical officer for be-
exactly where they are.” Autopsies have in fact shown some people’s lungs filled with hundreds of microclots. The arrival of a new mystery however helps solve a slightly older one. Cecilia Mirant-Borde, an intensive care doctor at a military veterans hospital in Manhattan, told AFP that lungs filled with microclots helped explain why ventilators work poorly for patients with low blood oxygen. Earlier in the pandemic doctors were treating these patients according to protocols developed for acute respiratory distress syndrome, sometimes known as “wet lung.” But in some cases, “it’s not because the lungs are occupied with water” -- rather, it’s that the microclotting is blocking circulation and blood is leaving the lungs with less oxygen than it should. It has just been a little under five months since the virus emerged in Wuhan, China, and researchers are learning more about its impact every day. “While we react surprised, we shouldn’t be as surprised as we were. Viruses tend to do weird things,” said Brosnahan. While the dizzying array of complications may seem daunting, “it’s possible there’ll be one or a couple of unifying mechanisms that describe how this damage happens,” she said. “It’s possible it’s all the same thing, and that there’ll be the same solution.”
Photo source: (c) gorodenkoff / iStock via Getty Images Plus
havioral health.
how they’re really doing. How you connect with those in your network makes a significant difference in how lonely you feel. People tend to feel less lonely when connecting on a deeper level. Cigna’s study found that those who do not feel they have close relationships that give them emotional security and well-being have an average loneliness score of nearly 15 points higher than those that do. When video chatting with friends, ask them for their most honest response when you ask how they’re doing. Everyone will likely feel better for it.
• Use technology… but not too much. Social media is a favorite and easy way to stay connected to family and friends, but too much use can leave you feeling lonely. Cigna’s 2020 U.S. Loneliness Index found that 72 percent of very heavy social media users identify themselves as lonely. Balance technology use with disconnecting and taking time for yourself. Use real-time interactions with others, like video chats, to build meaningful connections and limit time spent passively scrolling social media. Read a book, take a walk or do a • Rethink working hours. We puzzle after screen time. It may help you feel more connected spend approximately 90,000 hours at work over our lifetime, when you spend time online. so how we spend that time will play an important role in how • Join a virtual club or group. we feel overall. Improving your There are plenty of resources work-life balance and connectavailable to find virtual book ing with colleagues can reduce clubs, craft communities or even loneliness. Your employer may fitness challenges. You can start also benefit from you feeling less a new hobby, learn a skill or find lonely. Lonely employees are others who are interested in the less productive, produce lowsame things as you, remotely. er quality work and miss more Once the guidelines for social days of work. So, talk to your distancing are lifted, you’ll have boss about slight changes you new friends you can meet in per- can make to how you spend your son. working hours. This could help you feel less lonely and benefit your company. • Spend time outdoors. Simply leaving your house to take a jog around your neighborhood or Being unable to spend time to walk your dog a few blocks with others in-person will likely could improve your spirits, re- cause many of us to feel lonely, freshing you for the next time but there are ways to help lessen you virtually connect with oth- those feelings during this chalers. lenging time. • Ask those you reach out to
- StatePoint
Page 5 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES Sewa International Houston Chapter distributes 30,000 masks to first responders
Asia virus latest: Ramadan begins; Pompeo targets China...
H
OUSTON - April 26. 2020 - Sewa International’s Houston Chapter donated 30,000 N95, KN95 and 3ply masks and 20,000 ounces of hand sanitizer on Saturday, April 25 to first responders such as healthcare workers, police officers, fire fighters, and hospital staff in an invitation-only drive-through event as part of its COVID-19 relief efforts. The PPE distribution drive was from 11 am but vehicles started lining up from 9 am itself, stretching for more than half-amile long in two lanes by the time distribution started at 11 am, indicating the dire need of PPE’s in the Houston area.
Dr Randeep Suneja was one of the doctors who acknowledged this effort: “Thanks to Sewa International for providing free masks and sanitizers to physicians in the Houston area including our practice. Sewa is doing an incredible job! Keep up the good work!” Amity Home Health, a Houston area home health agency was there too, and expressed their thanks to Sewa: “We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sewa International USA for their much needed distribution of masks and sanitizers to healthcare professionals in the Houston area. Kudos to your humanitarian efforts and tireless volunteers who helped make this project a reality. Thank you!” “Not all angels have wings. Thank you Sewa International,” posted Health Choice Clinic folks on social media. “It is our mission to support people on the frontline in our fight against COVID-19 pandemic by providing them with personal protection gear (PPE) to stay safe. Our physicians, nurses, healthcare workers, fire fighters and police officers are putting their lives on the line to protect our country against the pandemic and we thank them,” said Sewa International Houston Chapter
A health worker drives an auto-rickshaw decorated as a coronavirus model to raise awareness about the pandemic in Chennai, India (AFP Photo/Arun Sankar ) Continued from Front Page
Sewa volunteers help distribute masks and sanitizers
President Gitesh Desai. “We distributed the protective gear to about 100 agencies including county officials and the Sheriff’s Department from the Houston area and received a tremendous response to and appreciation of the drive. About 20 volunteers and a few key donors made this event possible. We plan to continue this drive every week until the situation improves,” said Mr. Desai. India’s Consul General in Houston Aseem Mahajan, Houston City Council Members, Councilwoman Martha
Castex-Tatum from District K, and Councilman Edward Pollard from District J were present during the drive and helped distribute masks. In another event, Sewa volunteers also distributed meals to Harris County’s Public Health Department’s Katy Testing Center located in Katy. Sewa International operates one of its eight COVID-19 helplines from Houston and provides non-medical advice and information to the people to address COVID-19 related issues.
‘Mission Dharavi’: Virus battleground in India’s biggest slum by Ammu Kannampilly / A state-run school, a sports Vishal Manve complex and a formerly deUMBAI, India | AFP funct hospital are being used to | Thursday 4/22/2020 house patients and as quaranThe 125,000 tine facilities. slum-dwellers living under a Around 40,000 people have lockdown so strict that drones undergone thermal screening monitor their moves and alert over the past week at so-called police if they attempt to leave fever camps. home are at the heart of India’s And Dharavi’s 225 public push to contain coronavirus. toilets -- a lifeline for its resBut with only a handful of idents -- are disinfected daily, people tested so far in the he said. country’s biggest slum, fears - ‘In a panic’ are growing that “Mission Dharavi” -- a term coined by Mumbai is even considering officials working there -- may handing out hydroxychloronot prevent the virus from rag- quine -- an anti-malarial drug ing across the densely packed touted by US President Donneighbourhood. ald Trump -- “as a preventive Dharavi is home to an es- measure” to Dharavi residents timated one million people, in quarantine facilities, said who eke out a living as fac- Daksha Shah, a senior health tory workers or maids and official with the city authorchauffeurs to the financial ity. capital Mumbai’s well-heeled “Right now the community residents. Around an eighth of is in a panic... so we have to them live in hotspots where se- be a bit careful,” she told AFP, vere containment measures are adding that they were awaiting being enforced. approval from New Delhi. Its narrow alleys, crowded Officials have partnered housing and poor sanitation of- with non-profits to distribute fer the perfect breeding ground food and medicine in the area, for the virus. also home to thousands of mi“The biggest challenge is grant workers left jobless by a Dharavi itself... 10 to 15 peo- weeks-long nationwide lockple stay in one room. How is down. it possible to enforce social Although the restrictions distancing?” asked city official ordered across India are less Kiran Dighavkar. severe than those imposed in He is overseeing an effort Dharavi’s hotspots, they have involving some 2,500 people, had a lethal impact on the poor. including medical workers, The Roti Bank Foundation’s cleaners and volunteers, who operations manager Jayandrath are fighting to keep cases -- at Tambe told AFP the non-profit nearly 200, with 12 deaths -- organised 4,500 meals daily for from spiralling out of control Dharavi’s confined residents and overwhelming hospitals. and was feeding 32,000 people The severe lockdown im- across Mumbai with the help of posed in five virus hotspots in local hotels. the slum since the first cases Social worker Imran Idris were reported in early April is Khan turned to YouTube to a key part of that undertaking. upload videos explaining re“No-one is allowed to go in lief efforts in Dharavi and used or out,” Dighavkar told AFP, WhatsApp to inform residents adding that “everything, in- about where to find food. cluding grocery shops, is shut”. “Many families are still sitting at home or people are “Police are using drones to make sure people obey the stuck in factories without any idea about food-packet distrirules,” he said. bution drives and therefore go-
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ing hungry,” he told AFP. “This should not be happening.” - ‘I feel helpless’ The capital of Maharashtra state, which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in India, Mumbai has recorded over 3,000 infections among its 18-million-strong population. The central government has reported more than 20,000 cases so far in the nation of 1.3 billion people. Maharashtra’s chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday tweeted that around 70-75 percent of coronavirus cases in the state “have very mild symptoms or are asymptomatic”. Officials in Dharavi tried to ramp up testing by including residents without symptoms, but Mumbai city authority spokesman Vijay Khabale-Patil told AFP New Delhi rejected the move. Under the central government’s guidelines, asymptomatic people are tested only if they are high-risk or have come into direct contact with an infected person. Just 657 people have been tested in the slum, raising fears that hospitals -- reportedly already at full capacity -- might struggle to cope if there’s an unexpected spike in severe cases. One Dharavi resident receiving treatment for coronavirus said he had no symptoms for three weeks spent almost entirely indoors, before developing a sore throat and fever which refused to subside. He has now been in hospital for nine days. “I feel helpless at times and worry about my family and neighbourhood,” the 24-yearold told AFP on condition of anonymity as he fears being stigmatised for being sick. “Looking at so many people losing lives due to infections makes me feel terrible. Will we ever recover from this?”
meals at dusk -- a Ramadan centrepiece. - Pompeo says China may have known of virus in November US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo charged that China may have known of the new coronavirus as early as November, renewing accusations that Beijing has not been transparent and again drawing ire from China. “You’ll recall that the first cases of this were known by the Chinese government maybe as early as November, but certainly by mid-December,” Pompeo said in an interview. - Philippines extends curbs The Philippines extended to May 15 the quarantine covering the capital Manila and surrounding areas, but ordered restrictions be loosened in places with fewer coronavirus cases. The lockdown covering Manila’s 12 million people was due to expire at the end of April, but President Rodrigo Duterte announced an extension as the nation battles a growing number of infections and deaths. - Japan cruise ship cases near 100 At least 91 crew members on a cruise ship docked in Nagasaki have the coronavirus, Japanese officials said, after another 43 tested positive. The Italy-flagged Costa Atlantica has no passengers and arrived in the southern Japanese port for repairs in January. Meanwhile, Japan added 14 more countries to its list of places that Japanese nationals should not go. The new countries include Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and the total number of nations on the list is now 87, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said. - Airport seizes Virgin Australia planes to recoup debt -
USA tops 1 million... Continued from Front Page
The pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 57,000 people in the US, which leads the world in the number of confirmed infections with 1,002,498, according to the Baltimore-based school’s latest count. The latest numbers come as the COVID-19 epidemic appears to be easing in hotspots like New York while other states move to reopen their economies -- even though case and death rates continue to rise in some places. New York remains the hardest hit US state with 22, 668 deaths -- and over 17,500 in New York City alone. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said 335 people had died in the state over the previous 24hour period, a decline but still staggering. “This number is basically reducing but not at a tremendous rate and the only thing tremendous is the number of New Yorkers who still pass away,” he said.
Several Virgin Australia planes were seized in what an airport operator said was an attempt to recoup debt from the carrier, which collapsed under the strain of the pandemic this week. News footage from above Perth Airport on Australia’s west coast showed heavy machinery, a car and stair trucks blocking the aircraft near terminal gates to prevent them from taking off. - Hong Kong holds virus-delayed exams with health checks Students in Hong Kong wore mandatory face masks and had their temperatures checked as they filed into exam halls to take delayed university entrance tests. Tens of thousands of pupils will sit the Diploma of Secondary Education exams across hundreds of centres over the next month in the financial hub, which on Friday reported no new virus cases. - You’ve got mail: Tom Hanks writes to bullied boy called ‘Corona’ -
Hollywood megastar and coronavirus survivor Tom Hanks has written a comforting letter to a bullied Australian boy called Corona and gifted him a cherished typewriter bearing the same name. Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson contracted COVID-19 in March and spent two weeks recovering in a Queensland hospital, before returning home to the United States. - Japan mayor under fire for ‘women dawdle at shops’ remark Osaka’s mayor has come under fire for suggesting men should do grocery shopping during the outbreak because women are indecisive and “take a long time”. Japan is under a state of emergency over the pandemic, and residents in some areas have been asked to shop less frequently and only send one family member out to get supplies to limit contact.
New York doctor who treated COVID-19 patients kills herself
Dr. Lorna M. Breen, the medical director of the emergency department at NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, died in Charlottesville, Virginia on Sunday. Image: Twitter
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ew York | AFP | 4/28/2020 - A New York emergency doctor who treated coronavirus patients has killed herself, with family, police and physicians linking her death to trauma faced by health care workers battling the outbreak.
Lorna Breen, 49, died on Sunday from self-inflicted injuries in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she had been staying with her family, police said in a statement. Breen ran the emergency department of New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital in Manhattan, a facility that has seen a huge influx of COVID-19 patients. While it is not clear why she took her own life, her family, police and doctors suggested stress caused by the outbreak had contributed to her death. “She tried to do her job and it killed her,” her father Philip Breen told The New York Times. He said she had no history of mental illness and had contracted coronavirus herself before re-
turning to work and then being sent home. “Frontline healthcare professionals and first responders are not immune to the mental or physical effects of the current pandemic,” said Charlottesville police chief RaShall Brackney. The president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, of which Breen was a member, said her death was a tragic reminder of the suffering that many health care workers are going through. “The impossibility of the situation in many of our hospitals leaves us deeply wounded. “I can only imagine for Dr. Breen it was more than she could bear -- not out of weakness, but out of the strength of her compassion,” William Jaquis said in a statement on the group’s website. The hospital where she worked described her as “a hero who brought the highest ideals of medicine to the challenging front lines of the emergency department.”
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FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
Page 7 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
Section 2
LIFESTYLE
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
Safer to eat in restaurants than at home, claims top French chef
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FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
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Backyard cinema lights up lockdown for Berliners
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ARIS | AFP | 4/25/2020 - French superstar chef Alain Ducasse insists that it is safer to eat in restaurants than at home during the coronavirus epidemic.
With restaurants shuttered by lockdowns across the world, Ducasse claimed that it was far riskier to shop and cook at home. “It’s better to eat in a restaurant that takes all the precautions than at home where you have to go to your little local supermarket where people are bumping into each other, touching the fruit and not everybody is wearing masks,” he told AFP. Ducasse, whose restaurants have 17 Michelin stars -- the most of any chef in the world -- claimed it made more sanitary sense to eat out. Restaurants were closed on scientific advice to halt the spread the of the virus and to enforce social distancing. However, thousands of takeaways in France and elsewhere have remained open, with sev-
Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse has 34 restaurants in seven countries. He has warned the coronavirus lockdown will be ‘disastrous’ for the sector if it continues beyond a few weeks. (AFP/Getty Images)
eral top French chefs including Ducasse providing haute cuisine to go. Ducasse made the safety comments after making the case for a “gradual and responsible” reopening of restaurants in France to President Emmanuel Macron Friday.
Facebook takes aim at Zoom with video chat
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AN FRANCISCO | AFP | 4/24/2020 - Facebook on Friday unveiled a new video chat service with virtual “rooms” where people can pop in to visit friends, aiming at users turning to the popular Zoom platform during the pandemic.
Through the Facebook Messenger application, users will be able to start video call sessions that as many as 50 friends can join and linger in as long as they wish, even if they don’t have Facebook accounts. Unlike work video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, “Messenger Rooms” is tailored for socializing with friends and family whether it be birthdays, happy hours, book clubs or parent groups. “This is designed to be more serendipitous and spontaneous,” chief executive Mark Zucker-
berg said while briefing AFP on Rooms. “I just keep a window open on my computer or phone and people who I normally wouldn’t go out of my way to call just sort of drop by.” “I feel like we are missing that in our lives right now,” he added. The launch comes amid surging use of Zoom, which was designed as a business video platform, and other online chat services. Facebook users will be able to create virtual rooms and decide who to invite to join, according to Zuckerberg. “I could be hanging out on a couch on the weekend and send out an invite to all my friends to come to a ‘hanging-out-on-thecouch room,’” Zuckerberg said.
Ducasse said that Macron had taken his arguments on board, adding that cafes and restaurants could start reopening “between June 2 and 20” if the death toll from the virus continues to fall. The chef represented the country’s hard-hit hospitality sector in a video meeting with the French leader. The French government said that it would decide when cafes, restaurants and hotels could open at the end of May. France is the most visited country in the world, with some one million people employed in its hospitality sector. Cafes and restaurants are at the heart of French culture and identity, but have been shuttered since the country went into lockdown nearly six weeks ago. As well as a partial reopening, the hospitality industry are demanding tax and rent breaks to help the hard-pressed sector. The government instead promised to extend an aid scheme to establishments that employed up to 20 people. “We are going in the right direction,” Ducasse told AFP. He described the lockdown as “catastrophic” for the sector, which is dominated by small family businesses, and said “this can only last for a few more weeks”.
Berlin residents watch ‘Loving Vincent’ as it is projected on the wall of a neighbouring building. (Photo: Odd Andersen AFP)
by Lara Bommers
“After all these weeks people are feeling fragile, and I thought ERLIN | AFP | After it would be good for them to have weeks of coronavirus something positive, enlivening.”
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lockdown in the German capital Berlin with bars, restaurants, shops and cinemas all closed, movies are coming to the people with projections on bare walls in the courtyards of apartment buildings.
“We’ve got this blank wall here, and we’ve always thought, we should get a film up on there,” says Carola Lauter, who successfully applied to the “Windowflicks” organisation behind the backyard sessions.
had been pledged according to their fundraising website, with an average donation of more than 44 euros.
In little clusters at balconies and windows, people sit around by candlelight with takeaway food or snacks brought by workers from a local popcorn maker.
“We said to ourselves, people want to experience something, so let’s get them outside onto their balconies, into their windows,” says Olaf Karkhoff, who picked the name “Windowflicks” as a “Since we haven’t been able to play on “the well-known streamgo to the cinema for weeks, the ing service”. cinema is coming to us,” says building resident Undine Zeibig. On top of recreating some “We think it’s a really good neighbourhood sense of comidea.” munity, “we wanted to support the To Be Continued campaign,” “We just hope that lots of peo- Karkhoff adds. ple donate too,” says her husband Uwe. “That will do some And beyond simply showing good for the artists, and they re- films, the group has other amally need it desperately in these bitions, like “a concert, or sevtimes.” eral concerts, in 100 courtyards simultaneously,” Karkhoff says - ‘To Be Continued’ with a smile.
The project backed by the local Yorck cinema group accepted her request to show “Loving Vincent”, a fully-painted feature film about the life of artist Vincent Van Gogh, and as dusk gathers people in the block settle in to With ticket sales at zero, Berenjoy the movie’s bright colours projected onto a neighbouring lin’s cinemas got together to launch an appeal for donations building. dubbed “Fortsetzung Folgt” (To “There’s a certain lethargy, Be Continued), aiming to raise fear, uncertainty you can feel over 700,000 euros ($755,000). around here,” says Lauter. By Friday, over 100,000 euros
But his personal pet project is convincing (French travel writer) Sylvain Tesson to let us show his photo montages. “We could shoot them up onto the wall with a classical music backing track.”
Page 8 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section A)
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
Oscar de la Renta Evening Ensemble
Page 9 VOICE OF ASIA
Fort Bend View
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
Section 2
Sugar Land, Katy, Stafford, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg and Meadows Place Email: voiceasia@aol.com
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FBISD to offer African American studies course Calling all students to submit artwork for Mother’s with history of convict leasing, Sugar Land 95 Day Contest by Wednesday, May 6 Fort Bend ISD planning to offer elective course beginning in 2020-21 school year
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ORT BEND ISD (April 24, 2020) - The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) has approved an African American studies course for high school students, to be first offered in the 2020-21 school year. The elective course was unanimously approved by the SBOE last week, and will be the second ethnic studies course available to all Texas high school students.
The course curriculum and its corresponding TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) will include information regarding convict leasing in the state and the Sugar Land 95. Chassidy OlainuAlade, FBISD Curriculum Coordinator, developed the state TEKS for the important piece of history after presenting research on the discovery of the historic cemetery to SBOE Representative Pat Hardy. She was also asked to provide guidance on a draft amendment for the course by SBOE Representative Aicha Davis. The standard reads, “Students will explain the impact of the convict leasing system on African Americans, including the Sugar Land 95.” “This journey has been a truly exciting and honorable experience. I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of the memorialization and education efforts of the District for the past two years,” says Olainu-Alade. “As I’ve stated many times, this is only the beginning. We are committed to ensuring that the Sugar Land 95 and others impacted by the convict leasing system earn their rightful place in history.”
Olainu-Alade has also presented to social studies educators across the state, sharing more about the convict leasing system and its impact on local, state and national history. FBISD will be creating and providing instructional resources related to the Sugar Land 95 to other state districts, as part of the coursework. “I am proud to say that the Sugar Land 95 will be appropriately recognized and honored as students across Texas learn this important part of history,” said Fort Bend ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Charles Dupre.
“This has been an unexpected journey for Fort Bend ISD, and we have remained committed to honoring the Sugar Land 95 by ensuring that future generations are aware of this important piece of local history. Now, the approval of this course will benefit not only our students, but students across the state.” Olainu-Alade and FBISD staff will develop a local curriculum for the course, with the intention to offer the course to District students during the next school year. The course will be offered as an elective for .5 credits.
Sugar Land opens free coronavirus testing site
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ort Bend County announced the opening of a second county-run coronavirus testing site in a press release Monday. The county continues to operate its testing location in Rosenberg.
in testing capabilities will help everyone better protect themselves and their families and flatten the curve here.”
This drive-thru testing location in Sugar Land is free to residents, as the county is paying all fees related to the tests, according to the release. The testing facility is open Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Residents do not need to be experiencing symptoms to be tested. However, they must first sign up online to be prescreened by a representative. Prescreening is also available to residents without internet access over the phone Mon.-Fri 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat. 8 a.m.-noon at 281-238-2363.
“I am pleased that we now have two community testing sites available for county residents,” County Judge KP George said in the release. “We expect that the increase
Once residents complete prescreening, they will be provided with an identification code, an appointment date and time and the physical address of the testing site.
Special MCTX drive-through event scheduled for May 9
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espite the given circumstances and the guidelines regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Missouri City is finding innovative ways to revamp the annual Mother’s Day Cake Decorating Event. With the social distancing guidelines in place around the world, the 2020 Mother’s Day will be celebrated in a different style.
Instead of decorating a cake this year, staff is requesting kids to showcase their creativity virtually by submitting their artwork for a chance to win prizes for their loved ones. Then on Saturday, May 9 from 10 a.m. to noon, there will be a Mother’s Day Drive-Through Event where winners will be recognized; and all individuals could drive-up to City Hall, 1522 Texas Pkwy. to receive special tokens. To participate in the contest, please see details below: • Create a card for a loved one and a take a picture of it • Take a picture of the artist along with the artwork • Write a short summary (50 words or less) with details on who the card is for and what they mean to the artist • Email above items to kelly. matte@missouricitytx.gov and remember to: - State “Mother’s Day Event” in the email subject line - Include the artist’s name, age, grade level in the body of the email - Include a contact phone num-
ber to be notified if you are a winner • All items must be submitted by Wednesday, May 6 at 5 p.m. All participants will be grouped based on their grade level into elementary, middle school and high school categories; each group will have three winners. The elementary category will be further divided to the following groups and one winner will be picked from each: - Kindergarten – First Grade - Second – Third Grade - Fourth – Fifth Grade Then on Saturday, May 9 from 10 a.m. to noon, individuals may drive-up to City Hall to receive special gifts for their loved ones. Social distancing guidelines and safety measures will be enforced
at the drive-through event, where attendees will also meet MCTX Mayor Yolanda Ford. The contest winners will receive a dozen red roses, a glass flute and a commemorative card; all participants will receive a red rose, a glass flute and a commemorative card; and other attendees who drive-up for the May 9, event will receive a red rose and a commemorative card for their loved one. First come first served until supplies last. “The annual Mother’s Day Cake Decorating event is a popular family oriented event and we had several inquiries about it this year.” said HOA Liaison and Event Coordinator Kelly Matte. “We really hope this contest provides a fun way for our children to showcase their talents and also share how much their loved ones mean to them.”
Page 10 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section B)
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
BOLLYWOOD - HOLLYWOOD Section 2
•
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Email: voiceasia@aol.com
Bollywood dance scene in ‘Never Have I Ever’ is a Hollywood milestone by Proma Khosla
Indian actress Rani Mukherjee poses for the shutterbug during a photoshoot with Bombay Times at her residence in Mumbai. (Photo: The OLLYWOOD - In the Times of India via AFP) episode (Never Have I Ever, Episode 4), Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and her family celebrate Ganesh Puja, in honor of the Hindu elephant god and remover of obstacles.
H The
dance
sequence
lasts
US actor Bill Murray at the 2019 edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which will contribute entries to “We roughly 30 seconds, but its sigAre One: A Global Film Festival” nificance is monumental. The
Virtual film festival to feature work from Cannes, Venice
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EW YORK | AFP | Monday 4/27/2020 - The globe’s top film festivals including Cannes, Venice, Toronto and Berlin will participate in a free 10-day virtual cinema program starting next month, New York’s Tribeca festival announced Monday.
YouTube will host screenings for “We Are One: A Global Film Festival” beginning May 29 and including feature films, shorts, documentaries and round tables. The festival will benefit the World Health Organization, and encourage viewers to donate to COVID-19 relief efforts, organizers said. They have not yet announced a precise program for the digital event. Earlier this month organizers
of Cannes, the premier festival held each year on the French Riviera, indicated that glittering event would be difficult to put on “in original form” due to the coronavirus pandemic. Initially planned for May 1223, the festival was postponed to late June, but the French government then banned all large festivals until mid-July at the earliest in a bid to stem the outbreak. The highly contagious and potentially fatal novel coronavirus has stalled cultural events worldwide, shuttering theaters and museums and forcing the cancellation of spring programming as much of the globe’s population is urged to stay home. “We often talk about film’s uniquely powerful role in inspiring and uniting people across
borders and differences to help heal the world,” said Tribeca festival CEO Jane Rosenthal in a statement. “All of the world needs healing right now.” Cannes is coming off a banner year, having hosted movies including eventual Oscar Best Picture winner Parasite and eventual Oscar-nominated films Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Pain and Glory and Les Miserables. The confab remains one of the most lucrative, well-attended and buzzy platforms for launching movies. The festival hasn’t had to cancel an edition since socioeconomic protests hampered the 1968 festival, and that was only halfway through the event. In 2003, SARS resulted in lighter attendance from Asia.
dancers are dressed in gorgeous, authentic Indian formalwear — not just the recognizable sari, but lehengas and cholis and other outfits that make more sense for dancing. There are beautiful, well-executed movements and mudras, or hand gestures — because Indian dance choreographs down to the finger movement and it’s painfully obvious when a dancer hasn’t put in the work. After American TV’s numerous embarrassing attempts to depict Indian dance, Never Have I Ever does so not only successfully, but respectfully. For starters, Kaling and Lang Fisher’s production team put in the effort, seeking out Indian dance choreographers in the Los Angeles area. They came across the work of Joya Kazi. “It was really refreshing, because it’s probably one of the first times where people just let go,” Kazi tells Mashable via phone. “They said, ‘You’re the expert. We will defer to you on all the decisions that have to do with making sure this is more appreciation than appropriation.’”
Rani Mukerji’s huge reveal after 6 years of marriage by Rupali Jaiswal
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ani Mukerji and Aditya Chopra are a kind of Bollywood couples who aren’t energetic on social media. Aditya and Rani prefer to get pleasure from their private lives and regardless of being within the business, each of them are couples who imagine in personal life greater than look.
Rani Mukherjee stated in a new interview that after dwelling within the business for thus a few years, Aditya was an individual whom Rani really revered. According to Rani, it is extremely tough to respect folks in the identical business as a result of you recognizing every thing from inside and out of doors. Therefore, Aditya is a kind of folks whom I used to actually respect and do as from his work example and his character. Not solely this, Rani Mukherjee stated that she likes one factor about Aditya Chopra that he’s a totally household man. This factor appears very particular to Rani herself and that’s the reason
they’re very pleasant with one another, and that is what makes the married lifetime of each profitable. Everybody is aware of that this couple had achieved it very secretly. The Bollywood stars had been shocked by the followers as nicely. Rani and Aditya had been married 6 years in the past, the information of their affair had been coming slowly. But nonetheless the followers had been undoubtedly shocked by their secret marriage ceremony. Rani and Aditya took 7 days honeymoon in Italy. Rani Mukherjee and Aditya Chopra first met in a thriving restaurant. It was a hit celebration for Aditya Chopra’s banner Yash Raj Films’ movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. But Rani Mukherjee within the celebration was hesitating to satisfy Aditya. Impressed by this, Aditya requested Karan Johar to take him to the following movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Aditya was additionally impressed together with her work in Rani’s debut movie. - Saiwal.tv
Page 11 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section B)
Young Life
Section 2
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India Nobel winner urges rescue for child workers trapped in virus lockdown
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Tap youth talent to tackle COVID-19 crisis and beyond, UN chief tells Security Council
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EW DELHI, India | AFP | Friday 4/24/2020 - Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi urged India on Friday to help rescue child labourers caught in the country’s coronavirus lockdown after a young girl died of exhaustion while walking back to her village.
Satyarthi shared the 2014 Peace Prize with Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai for his lifelong campaign against illegal child labour. But he said the risks to millions of vulnerable youngsters, pressed into work in India’s factories and plantations, were now so desperate that employers should be offered a temporary amnesty if they immediately release their underage workforce. “Extraordinary situations call for extraordinary steps,” he wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I strongly feel that in order to save the lives of... children trapped in slavery and child labour across the country, this step is the only option left.” India has more than 10 million child labourers, according to the country’s 2011 census. Many are trafficked into their jobs and kept confined to their workplace by their employers. Underage labourers are among
www.voiceofasia.news
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
EW YORK - Even amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries must do more to harness the talents of young people to address the crisis and its aftermath, the UN Secretary-General told the Security Council on Monday during a videoconference meeting to review the five years since its adoption of a landmark resolution on youth, peace and security.
Many child labourers in India are trafficked into their jobs and kept confined to their workplace by their employers. (AFP Photo/Roberto Schmidt)
the millions of migrant workers who lost their jobs overnight last month after India imposed the world’s biggest lockdown, prompting vast numbers of people to make arduous treks home with little money or food. Satyarthi said he had been “deeply anguished” by the story of Jamlo Makdam, 12, who was one of at least 20 people that media reports said had died making that journey. She had been trafficked to work at a chilli plantation in Telangana state but last week decided to return to her village around
150 kilometres (95 miles) away. With transport halted by the lockdown, she walked for three days before collapsing, officials told local media. Satyarthi said that in businesses around the country, owners had retreated to the safety of their homes after the lockdown was announced, while child labourers were kept on site and were not being provided food. The strict lockdown was also preventing anti-child labour activists from attempts to check on their welfare, he said.
António Guterres said despite youth engagement during this period – including in the 2016 peace process in Colombia and in shaping the Global Compact on Refugees two years later – opportunities for them to contribute remain inadequate. “The world cannot afford a lost generation of youth, their lives set back by COVID-19 and their voices stifled by a lack of participation”, he said. “Let us do far more to tap their talents as we tackle the pandemic and chart a recovery that leads to a more peaceful, sustainable and equitable future for all”. - Pressing forward amid the pandemic In presenting his first report on Security Council Resolution 2250, the UN chief listed how COVID-19 has impacted the world’s young people, with more than 1.5 billion of them now out of the classroom.
Young people pose questions to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a UN75 event in Geneva. (UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferre)
Youth were already confronting numerous challenges even before the pandemic, including in accessing education, or through being affected by violence and conflict. Those pressing for peace or upholding human rights have been threatened. Despite these obstacles, young people across the world have joined the common fight against the coronavirus disease, supporting both frontline workers and people in need. And they continue to push for change. Gatwal Augustine Gatkuoth Yul, from South Sudan, spent his formative years in a refugee camp in Uganda. He founded the Young-adult Empowerment Initiative (YEI), which supports young refugees in building peace and “unlearning” violence.
Mr. Yul said despite relative peace in his homeland, inter-clan violence, cattle raids and child abductions are among the security issues that persist. “South Sudan’s youth are not asking for more policy documents and resolutions. We are asking for proactive involvement of youth in all levels of decision-making,” he told ambassadors. UN Youth Envoy, Jayathma Wickramanayake, spoke of the need for more meaningful partnerships between young people and the civil society organizations and government institutions that work on the youth, peace and security (YPS) agenda. - UN.org
Lockdown inspires Italian boy to create coronavirus video game ly typical ‘seek and destroy’ with lasers, except in this case, the player is in the captain’s chair of the Cerba-20 spacecraft and the enemy is, that’s right, COVID-19. Lupo explains that he plays with his friends and that he now intends to set up a project to teach them how to programme.
Fourth grade pupil 9-year-old boy Lupo Daturi displays ‘Cerba-20’, an online video game to virtually combat COVID-19 that he built from scratch during lockdown, on April 24, 2020 in his room at home in Binasco, south of Milan, during the country’s lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. (AFP/Miguel Medina).
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ILAN, Italy | AFP | 4/25/2020 While most nine-year-olds have been battling during lockdown with the vagaries of home schooling, Lupo Daturi has been waging war on COVID-19 itself. Virtually.
The fourth-grade pupil from the outskirts of Milan, where inhabitants have been living in lockdown since March 8, has used his time to create a video game to play with his friends. “I had to stop all the sports I did because of COVID-19,” he
says. “I can’t even go to the pond with my dog. Instead of playing sports -- skiing, swimming and karate -- I have to make do with an exercise bike.”
“He also receives requests from his teachers to programme something useful, not just games,” says his father.
Many parents with children who have been gorging themselves on video games during lockdown might be concerned by Lupo’s new interest..But his mother, a lawyer, dismisses such anxieties.
“I’m not worried because my son is not a ‘nerd’,” says That led Lupo to turn his attention to progamming, a passion 44-year-old Francesca Zambothat he shares with his father nin, who is just “happy because he is passionate about something Marco, a business manager. that can help him.” He took some online tutorials “The fact that he invented a and set to work on building his game that has gone viral makes game -- Cerba-20. me happy because it motivates The aim of the game is a fair- him to do even more.”
Trump says he expects to see a ‘lot of schools’ open up
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ASHINGTON | AFP | 4/27/2020 - President Donald Trump said Monday he expects to see a “lot” of US schools reopen after being shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Many (state governors) are thinking about their school system,” Trump said at a daily White House briefing. “Not a long way to go in the school system right now, for this season, for this year, but I think you’ll see a lot of schools
open up,” he said. “Even if it’s for a very short period of time, I think it would be a good thing,” Trump told reporters. “Young people seem to do very well,” he added in an apparent reference to studies showing that children do not get as sick from the virus as older people. “So I know that there are some governors that aren’t necessarily ready to open up their states,
but they may be ready to open up their school systems,” Trump said. “That’s their choice, but the word is safety,” he said. “Rapid -- but safety.” Schools around the country have closed because of the coronavirus pandemic and many have switched to online instruction. The outbreak has left more than 55,000 people dead in the United States.
Social distancing is the most effective tool we have for slowing the spread of the coronavirus. And that means staying home, if you can. Work from home. Play at home. Stay at home. If you must go out, keep your social distance—six feet, or two arm-lengths apart. Young. Elderly. In between. It’s going to take every one of us. If home really is where the heart is, listen to yours and do the life-saving thing.
Visit coronavirus.gov for the latest tips and information from the CDC.
#AloneTogether TOGETHER, WE CAN HELP SLOW THE SPREAD.
Page 12 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section B)
Section 2
Business
Email: voiceasia@aol.com
BP announces $4.4B quarterly loss as oil prices crash
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ONDON, United Kingdom | AFP | Tuesday 4/28/2020 - British energy giant BP on Tuesday said it slumped into a $4.4-billion net loss in the first quarter as the coronavirus pandemic crushed demand for oil, triggering a price crash.
“Our industry has been hit by supply and demand shocks on a scale never seen before,” BP’s new chief executive Bernard Looney said in an earnings statement, having seen crude prices plunge from around $70 per barrel at the start of the year to close to $10 currently. He confirmed there would be job losses. “The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with pre-existing supply and demand factors have resulted in an exceptionally challenged commodity environment,” BP said, having reported profit after tax of $2.9 billion in the first-quarter of 2019. BP said it planned to reduce cash costs by $2.5 billion by the end of 2021 relative to 2019. “Some of these cost savings may have associated restructuring charges,” the company added.
Looney later told the Financial Times that “there will be job cuts globally towards the end of this year”. It expects also to produce less oil in the second quarter, with companies unable to store the excess crude. BP’s first-quarter output dropped 2.8 percent to 3.7 million barrels per day. “BP’s warning about the second quarter being difficult should not be ignored... especially on a day when oil has fallen sharply yet again,” said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG trading group. BP’s share price rallied 1.2 percent to 317.7 pence in midday deals on the rising London stock market. Crude futures plunged to record lows this month, with US prices sinking briefly into negative territory, also following a vicious price-war between major oil producers Saudi Arabia and Russia. BP on Tuesday added that its underlying replacement cost profit -- a widely-watched measure stripping out exceptional items and changes in the value of oil inventories -- stood at
Nokia clinches $1B deal with India’s Airtel
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ELSINKI, Finland | AFP | Tuesday 4/27/2020 Finnish network equipment maker Nokia has secured a multi-year contract to boost the capacity of one of India’s largest mobile operators, the firm announced on Tuesday.
The deal, which an industry source told AFP is valued at almost $1 billion (924 million euros), will see Nokia deploy 300,000 new radio units across the country by 2022, boosting network capacity and preparing the ground for the move to next-generation 5G, Nokia said in a statement. “This is an important agreement for the future of connectivity in one of the world’s largest telecoms markets and solidifies our position in India,” outgoing CEO Rajeev Suri said. With a population of 1.3 billion, India is the world’s second largest telecoms market, which Nokia predicts will grow to 920 million unique mobile customers within five years as online demand soars. The deal comes after a punishing six months for the Finnish networks giant after it downgraded its 2020 earnings forecast
last October as attempts to break into the 5G equipment market faltered in the face of fierce competition from Huawei and Ericsson. Nokia went on to beat expectations in a “challenging” 2019
and in February posted its first full-year net profit since 2015 of 7 million euros, before announcing a change of CEO in March. Earlier this month Nokia’s share price surged 12.5% on the basis of media reports that the firm was raising finance against a hostile takeover bid, a claim the equipment maker refused to comment on.
Japan’s ANA net profit dives 75%
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OKYO, Japan | AFP | Tuesday 4/28/2020 - Japanese airline ANA Holdings said Tuesday its annual net profit dived 75 percent, hit by massive falls in demand and cancellations caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
For the fiscal year to March 2020, the firm logged a net profit of 27.6 billion yen ($258 million), while operating profit tumbled 63.2 percent to 60.8 billion yen, on sales of 1,974 billion yen, which were down 4.1 percent. The carrier said it suffered a “dramatic decrease” in air transportation business.
UAE tells iPhone, iPad users to delete Apple mail app Earlier, TRA had alerted Apple device users about the vulnerability.
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UBAI, April 27, 2020 The Abu Dhabi Digital Authority has put out a warning advising iPhone and iPad users to delete the pre-installed Mail app on their devices.
The notice has been issued due to the discovery of vulnerabilities in the app that a security researcher claims expose users’ data to hackers. Reports noted that the bugs in question enable attackers to send malicious email to users, who unwittingly give the hackers Screengrab of a how-to video control of the device by clicking posted online. on the emails. The UAE authority recommended that users opt for alternative mail apps till such time Apple puts out a patch to fix the security concerns raised.
$800 million in the first quarter, compared with $2.4 billion for the same period a year earlier. “The result reflected lower prices, demand destruction in the downstream particularly in March, a lower estimated result from (Russian partner) Rosneft and a lower contribution from oil trading.” BP on Monday said that crashing oil prices had prompted it to tweak the terms of a gigantic deal to sell off its Alaska operations. Hilcorp Alaska in August agreed to purchase the assets, including operations in the mammoth Prudhoe Bay oilfield, for $5.6 billion in a move that sees BP exit the US state after a 60-year presence. The overall price tag remains the same but the structuring and phasing of payments has been modified. The first quarter meanwhile saw the departure of long-time chief executive Bob Dudley, with the American leaving after a decade at the helm. Soon after starting, Irish national Looney set BP a target to achieve “net zero” carbon emissions by 2050.
the UAE, detailing how users could block the app on their phones and download alternate options from their App store.
On Friday, the tech giant reA how-to video was also post- sponded to reports, saying they ed online by the Telecommuni- did not believe the issues raised cations Regulatory Authority in posed an immediate risk to users.
“While ANA sought to reduce costs and combat the increase in expenses... the number of scheduled flights were significantly reduced to match the sudden decline in demand in the fourth quarter,” it said in a statement.
www.voiceofasia.news
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
Tel: 713-774-5140
Stock markets rise on virus hopes as oil tanks
Governments are looking to lift some lockdown restrictions (AFP Photo/Kena Betancur)
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had seen the slowest pace of in- the rally can continue. fections and deaths since March “Ultimately the stock market 29. is in a mode of blocking out bad In Italy, wholesale stores and news right now and is squeezing restaurants will be allowed to re- the ‘worst is behind us’ narrasume business on May 4, Spain tive for all it is worth,” Briefing. on Sunday let children play com analyst Patrick O’Hare said, outside, and Swiss hairdressers, warning that the market had beUS markets followed Asia and massage parlors, florists and gar- come “divorced from fundamenEurope higher after virus figures den centers are reopening. tal reality.” from some of the worst-hit countries provided hope that the peak Meanwhile, New York Gover- ‘Better than doing nothing’ of the crisis may have passed. nor Andrew Cuomo said that a The Bank of Japan on Monday first stage of a reopening would Stocks kicked off the week “in start on May 15 if hospitaliza- ramped up its emergency monoptimistic fashion,” said Joshua tions decreased. etary easing, and forecast the Mahony, senior market analyst economy could contract by up to at IG trading group. British Prime Minister Boris five percent in the year to March Johnson said Britain was begin- 2021. Ending lockdowns means one ning to “turn the tide” but it was step towards the resumption of too early to ease the lockdown. The stimulus move was “largeeconomic activity. ly symbolic, but it’s better than Despite the gains, plenty of doing nothing”, Taro Saito, seGermany on Monday said it commentators are skeptical that nior economist at NLI Research Institute, told AFP. EW YORK | AFP | 4/27/2020 - Equity markets rallied Monday as governments across the world started to ease coronavirus lockdown measures, but oil prices tumbled as a supply glut overwhelmed output cuts.
The company did not release earnings forecasts for the current financial year, citing uncertainty over the pandemic. ANA had been expecting strong sales but also higher costs as it prepared to expand services in the greater Tokyo region ahead of the 2020 Olympics. But the pandemic has forced the Games to be delayed by a year and battered Japan’s tour-
ism sector, while many countries have cancelled or limited international and domestic travel. The results were largely in line with its profit warning last week. ANA has suspended and reduced the number of flights by some 90 percent on international routes and 70 percent on domestic routes from its initial scheduled plans.
New York cautious as more US states ease virus lockdowns by Peter Hutchison
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EW YORK | AFP | Monday 4/27/2020 - More US states began lifting coronavirus lockdown orders on Monday but New York -- America’s economic engine and coronavirus epicenter -- is in no hurry, with hospitalization rates still high.
As Colorado, Minnesota, Mississippi and Tennessee were among the latest states to loosen restrictions, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he was preparing to lengthen confinement measures for badly-hit areas. “May 15 is when the pause regulations expire statewide. I will extend them in many parts of the state,” he told reporters. New York is America’s worsthit state, with more than 17,300 COVID-19 deaths out of almost 292,000 confirmed infections. Cuomo plans to allow manufacturing and construction to restart in some of the state’s least-affected areas after May 15 as part of a phased reopening. But for now that seems about it for New York, which has been shut down since mid-March. “We have to be smart because if you are not smart, you will see that infection rate go right back to where it was. (We) will be right back to where we were 58 days ago and nobody wants that,” he said. Cuomo said cases were not falling as quickly as he would
Ambulances park toward the Manhattan skyline during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, U.S., April 27, 2020. (Photo: Reuters)
like, with more than 1,000 new hospitalizations and 337 deaths from the disease in the past 24 hours. The most affected part of the state, New York City, is likely to be one of the last areas of the country to reopen. A poll out Monday showed residents overwhelmingly backed the shutdown. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that at least 40 miles of streets would close to traffic to give the city’s 8.6 million residents more space to exercise outdoors, in a further sign that the end is far from in sight. Also Monday, New York’s elections board canceled the Democratic Party primary on June 23, citing the risk of spreading coronavirus, a move heavily criticized by leftist Bernie Sand-
ers. - Georgia’s restaurants reopen As New Jersey, the second-worst affected state with 6,000 deaths, California and the Washington DC region stay committed to continuing confinement measures for now, more than half a dozen states have started a partial reopening of their economies. Restaurants in Georgia opened open their doors Monday after beaches reopened over the weekend, despite criticism from health experts who say social distancing is still needed to stop the spread. “We need human touch, human contact,” 64-year-old Kim Kaseta told AFP, delighted to be at her local breakfast spot in At-
The Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank meet this week, with announcements due on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. The Fed on Monday expanded its crisis lending facility for states and cities to include dozens more smaller cities and counties across the country. In the US, the calendar also includes the government’s first assessment of US growth in the first quarter and earnings from Amazon, Boeing, Pfizer and other US giants. On oil markets, WTI lost 25 percent, having already endured a hammering last week. Worries about a lack of storage amid plunging demand for crude overshadowed signs that some countries -- including Kuwait and Algeria -- are starting to slash production in line with a deal hammered out this month.
lanta, where waiters and cooks wore masks. Tennessee also permitted restaurants to reopen Monday and Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that all retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, malls, museums and libraries would be allowed to reopen on Friday with 25 percent capacity. Alaska, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Mississippi, Colorado and South Carolina have started to allow certain activities as well. The moves come despite Harvard researchers and the health news site Stat warning that the majority of US states don’t yet have sufficient testing capacity to consider relaxing the stay-athome orders after May 1. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia are well behind, they said, with New York needing to perform between 130,000 to 155,000 tests every day, compared to the average of 20,000 per day around mid April. Cuomo also said an antibody test of 7,500 people found that a quarter of New York City residents may have already survived the virus, although that doesn’t mean they are immune.
Page 13 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section B)
Airbnb secures new $1 billion loan on top of $1B bond deal
TRAVEL
Tourism collapse threatens second virus blow to Med
Airbnb said in September it planned to list its shares in 2020
by Céline Le Prioux
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RUSSELS, Belgium | AFP | Monday 4/27/2020 - Northern Europeans may not be able to decamp to the beaches of the Mediterranean this summer because of the coronavirus, but will their governments support the devastated tourism sector?
EW YORK/BOSTON, April 15, 2020 - Airbnb, whose home rental business is suffering as the coronavirus pandemic freezes global travel, has secured a new $1 billion loan just days after closing a $1 billion debt deal, the company said on Tuesday.
Parties to the new loan deal included private equity firms Silver Lake, Apollo Global Management, Sixth Street Partners, Oaktree Capital Management and Owl Rock, several sources with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters. Silver Lake, one of the two investors in the debt deal days ago, is “one of the biggest players” in this new deal, said one of the sources. The terms of the new deal are first lien debt, meaning these creditors would be paid first if Airbnb were to default, the sources said. The loan is for five years, with an interest rate of 750 basis points over the Libor benchmark, they
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
Beach destinations like Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal are already among the EU mem-
A woman talks on the phone at the Airbnb office headquarters in the SOMA district of San Francisco. (Image Credit: Reuters)
said, adding that it was sold at a slight discount to the loan’s par value which would see investors earn a rate of around 12%. The sources requested anonymity as the matter is pri-
vate. Airbnb, Apollo, Oaktree, Silver Lake, Owl Rock and Sixth Street declined to comment. Last week’s $1 billion bond deal with Silver Lake and Sixth Street included warrants
for the two private equity firms that can be exercised at an $18 billion valuation. That figure is below the $26 billion Airbnb cited as an internal valuation in early March and well below the $31 billion valuation it gained in its 2017 Series F fundraising round. Airbnb said in September it planned to list its shares in 2020. It has not commented publicly whether the turmoil in the travel industry will impact those plans.
bers facing a daunting struggle with debt -- and now their vital travel and leisure industries are on the line. Together with five more southern allies -- France, Malta, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania -- on Monday they urged the 27-member EU to help save this “strategic” economic resource. The European Union is seeking to put together a trillion-euro economic stimulus package, to kickstart the economy as a whole when the coronavirus lockdowns come to an end. But, already rebuffed once, when they asked to share debt with their northern neighbours, southern countries are now sounding the alarm about the lost summer season. The European Commission has been tasked with agreeing the rules of the relaunch, and on Monday 27 tourism ministers from member states held a video conference. Afterwards, the nine southern members released a statement.
In our countries, tourism constitutes a strategic industry,” they said. “We would like the EU Recovery Plan to include strong support for tourism and to recognise the existence of certain territories with specificities that must be met.” The southern friends also urged “homogenous” travel rules, fearing that a piecemeal withdrawal of lockdown measures will distort the tourism market and isolate needy areas. - Destination Europe Brussels attempted in vain to coordinate the lockdown and keep the EU’s internal borders open, but many national capitals imposed unilateral restrictions on unnecessary visits. EU member states have now begun setting a variety of target dates and criteria for a return to normal, and some expect to urge or require their citizens to stay at home this year. “Public health makes the law these days,” said French minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.
STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: ACTORS AND ACTRESSES
Week of May 1, 2020 HOROSCOPE.COM
21 March to 20 April Chatty Mercury moves into earthy Taurus, which can put a focus on the practicalities of life. It’s a good time to get organized, especially when it comes to those things that encourage nurturing and growth. For instance, planning and shopping for nutritious meals can help you to eat better and save money, too.
21 April to 20 May Articulate Mercury joins the sun and electric Uranus in your sign on Monday, which could initiate plenty of activity. You may be truly in your element and eager to express your unique qualities through plans and projects with personal relevance. Do you have a bold plan in mind? Don’t doubt yourself.
21 May to 20 June You could get some intuitive nudges and prompts that encourage you to call someone, go somewhere, or seek information. If so, following through can lead to some wonderful discoveries and friendships. Don’t doubt these gut feelings. Have faith. Thursday could bring a powerful insight or perhaps a dream that highlights the solution to a problem.
21 June to 22 July Your connection with others seems to sparkle, and it could become even busier as inquisitive Mercury joins the sun and energizing Uranus in Taurus on Monday. You may find yourself connecting with people who are like a breath of fresh air.
23 July to 22 August The focus on your sector of goals and ambition is further enhanced when lively Mercury moves in on Monday. With the sun and energizing Uranus here already, this is the time to make your mark and stand out from the crowd. It’s an opportunity to promote your skills and abilities, especially those that are unique to you.
23 August to 22 Sept Your curiosity could peak on Monday as lively Mercury moves into your sector of far horizons. What do you want to learn next? The possibilitites are endless, and with the sun and energetic Uranus in the same zone, you seem set for some amazing experiences. This is your chance to reach for golden opportunities.
23 September to 22 Oct If you feel hemmed in and you’re growing tired of certain situations and circumstances, know that you don’t have to deal with them alone. Getting help from a therapist or counselor, or connecting with a life coach, can enable you to dive deep and understand what you truly want from life. This is a time to be honest with yourself.
23 October to 21 Nov Your relationships can act as a catalyst for major changes in your life. As talkative Mercury moves into Taurus on Monday, it encourages you to reach out and communicate. The more you can talk things through, the more you can resolve issues whether big or small.
22 November to 21 Dec While it’s good to get organized, the present focus encourages you to do so in a way that allows you more freedom. Inquisitive Mercury moves into your lifestyle sector on Monday and encourages you to find a routine that suits your unique situation. Introduce a few new challenges into your daily life.
22 December to 20 Jan The sun is in your leisure zone, and chatty Mercury moves in on Monday, so you’re in a peak time to enjoy life and generally have fun. Don’t feel bad if you let some of your responsibilities slide a little, because you need this chance to recharge and connect with your playful side.
21 January to 19 Feb The planet of talk and thought joins restless Uranus and the illuminating sun in Taurus and your home zone on Monday. As this logical planet moves into your family sector, it can encourage all sorts of conversations, prompting you to reach out to promote healing and understanding.
20 February to 20 Mar Talkative Mercury moves into your sector of communication on Monday, which could encourage you to connect with those who share your unique interests. This can be a very proactive time when you’re eager to absorb knowledge that can revolutionize your life. Don’t be afraid to experiment with social media.
ACROSS 1. “Flowers in the ____” 6. Emergency responders 9. Peacock’s pride 13. Life force in Sanskrit 14. Doctor Dolittle, e.g. 15. The Beast’s problem 16. Happen again 17. Freudian topic 18. In a fitting way 19. *Hopkins’ Lecter to ____’s Starling 21. *McGillis’ Charlie to ____’s Maverick 23. Unagi 24. Undesirable row 25. Stuff in a tray? 28. The Tramp’s love interest 30. Hairy vertebrate 35. “Best ____ schemes o’ mice an’ men” 37. Be inclined 39. City in Belgium 40. Debussy’s “Clair de ____” 41. D’Artagnan’s weapon, pl. 43. Speed on water 44. “This ____ ____,” on a box 46. The Chapin School, e.g. 47. € 48. Post-roller coaster ride state 50. The Coen brothers’ “True ____” 52. ____ Diego 53. Deuce topper 55. Lamb’s mother 57. *Clark’s Rhett to ____’s Scarlett 60. *John’s Danny to ____’s Sandy 63. Continually annoy 64. Matterhorn, e.g. 66. Cooler clime conifer 68. Do like phoenix 69. Tiger’s peg 70. “My Own Private _____” 71. Thou ____, or you have 72. Bajillion years 73. Article of faith
DOWN 1. 2020 Easter mo. 2. Not kosher 3. Meal in a shell 4. Occupied, two words 5. El Chapo’s organization 6. “What ____ Happened to Baby Jane?” 7. *Billy’s Harry to ____’s Sally 8. Investor’s asset 9. ____-Guarani languages 10. Liberal pursuits 11. Archipelago unit 12. Bovine hangout 15. Posterior, anatomically speaking 20. Fill with optimism 22. Basketball target 24. Two heads are better than one, e.g. 25. *Keaton’s Annie to ____’s Alvy 26. Sweating room 27. Hinduism follower 29. *Knightley’s Swann to ____’s Sparrow 31. *Cameron’s Fiona to ____’s Shrek 32. List of options, pl. 33. Ancient Greeks’ assembly area 34. Pretend, two words 36. ____ ex machina 38. Doe, e.g. 42. Sales pitch 45. Smallest at the clothing store 49. Second person of be 51. Lighted by twilight 54. Related on mother’s side 56. Avoid, as in taxes 57. Designer Bradley 58. Osiris’ wife 59. One third of a three-piece suit 60. Welcoming sign 61. A Flock of Seagulls’ hit, 2 words 62. Soreness 63. “____, humbug!” 65. *Kate’s Rose to ____’s Jack 67. “Some Like It ____”
SOLUTION: ACTORS AND ACTRESSES on Page 14
Page 14 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section B)
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
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Accounting Assistant
Suspect arrested, charged in 2019 fatal shooting at 10122 Wild Hollow Lane
T
H
OUSTON - A suspect He is accused in the death of charged in the fatal his wife, Tiereney Anderson, 34. shooting of a woman at HPD Homicide Division De10122 Wild Hollow Lane about 6:10 p.m. on August 4, 2019, is in tectives C. Lamont and A. Locustody. pez reported:
The suspect, Mark Anderson (b/m, 33), is charged with murder in the 176th State District Court. A booking photo of Anderson is attached to this news release.
Mark Anderson had an altercation with his wife inside the residence at the above address. Both were shot multiple times. Tiereney was pronounced dead at the scene. Paramedics transported her husband to an area
ax Consulting Firm’s accepting resumes from qualified entry level accounting graduate for “Accounting Assistant” Position. The position challenge to all aggressive accounting graduates who would like to apply their accounting knowledge.
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Notice from TDLR
Cosmetology salons, nail salons, estheticians, mini-salons, laser hair removal and massage therapy establishments remain closed
A
USTIN – Under Executive Order GA-18 (https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/EOGA-18_expanded_reopening_of_services_COVID-19.pdf) issued by Gov. Greg Abbott on April 27, all cosmetology salons (including nail salons, estheticians, and mini-salons), laser hair removal, barber shops and massage establishments shall continue to remain closed. Executive Order GA-18 overrides all local and county orders.
Whether a salon or shop is a sole proprietorship or not, they are to remain closed until Executive Order GA-18 is amended or rescinded.
STATEPOINT CROSSWORD SOLUTION
Answers:
ACTORS AND ACTRESSES from Page 13
Page 15 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section B)
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
DIFFERENT NATIONAL ORIGINS.
SAME FAIR HOUSING RIGHTS.
It is illegal for landlords and real estate agents to deny you housing opportunities because of your ethnicity. The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on national origin. If you believe you have experienced a violation of your rights, file a complaint.
Go to hud.gov/fairhousing or call 1-800-669-9777 Federal Relay Service 1-800-877-8339
FAIR HOUSING: THE LAW IS ON YOUR SIDE. A public service message from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in cooperation with the National Fair Housing Alliance. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability.
"Willy, Nanayakkara and Associates remains in full operation during this global health event. Attorneys, legal assistants and support staff will be available via phone and / or video conferencing between 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM CST. Thursday free consultations can also be scheduled by phone and video. Please contact us at (281)265-2522 or visit our website at www.grwpc.com for more information."
Page 16 • VOICE OF ASIA (Section B)
FRIDAY, May 1, 2020
AN ER VISIT RESULTS IN A SHOCKING DIAGNOSIS When Elaine Delira’s legs began to swell, the 44-yearold would never have guessed the cause. After checking in at the Emergency Center at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, Delira underwent a full workup. Her blood work came back indicating she was anemic. A CT scan revealed a possible tumor. The gastroenterologist on call ordered a colonoscopy. “I was shocked,” says Delira. “As I was waking up from the colonoscopy, I overheard the nurse speaking to my son, who was 19, saying they had found cancer. I was terrified. I had no idea. I had not noticed any blood in my stool. No i nd ic at ion of c a nc e r whatsoever.” Delira was diagnosed with aggressive stage III colorectal cancer. The colonoscopy revealed a cancerous mass and cancerous cells also were found in the nearby lymph nodes.
removing it,” says Dr. Agarwal. Because of the cancer’s location, Delira’s first surgery included rectum removal, hysterectomy and a temporary ileostomy. “To allow her intestine to rest and heal, I performed a temporary procedure called a diverting loop ileostomy, through which stool could pass into her ileostomy bag,” said Dr. Agarwal.
“I overheard the nurse... saying they had found cancer.”
After being admitted to Memorial Hermann Sugar Land, Delira was treated by a multidisciplinary team that included Memorial Hermann affiliated medical oncologist Sanjay Sethi, MD, and colon and rectal surgeon Amit Agarwal, MD. The specialists developed a treatment plan that included chemoradiation, a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, followed by two surgeries. “We started Elaine on six weeks of chemoradiation therapy, to try to shrink the tumor before surgically
After her first surgery, Delira had two more rounds of chemot herapy before returning to the hospital for a reversal of her ileostomy and a biopsyto check for the presence of cancer cells. The biopsies came back benign with no signs of cancer. Delira was back at work two weeks later.
Delira appreciated the care and support she received throughout her cancer journey. “When something like this happens, you are so scared. But everyone in the hospital was so supportive. They helped put my mind at ease. I would have never made it without God, my family and my doctors,” she says.
rate among younger adults, leading the ACS, in 2018, to lower their recommended initial screening age from 50 to 45.* According to Dr. Agarwal, many in the medical community believe unhealthy eating and sedentary lifestyles are contributing to earlier development of colorectal cancers. Check with your doctor to see if you should be screened for colorectal cancer. If you don’t have a doctor, we can help you find one.
Recommended Screening for Colorectal Cancer Lowered to Age 45
Schedule your screening online today. With just a few clicks, you can schedule and confirm your colonscopy at a Memorial Hermann location that is convenient to you.
American Cancer Society (ACS) research shows that colon and rectal cancer is occurring at an increasing
Go to cancer.memorialhermann.org/colon to select your location and choose your time.
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land 17500 West Grand Parkway South Sugar Land, TX 77479 281.725.5000 memorialhermann.org/sugarland
Due to recent changes in screening recommendations, please consult your insurance provider to confirm coverage if you are under the age of 50.
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Amit Agarwal, MD