AV 7th December 2019

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POLITICS OVER SAFETY

7 - 13 DECEMBER 2019 - VOL 48 ISSUE 31

inside: Hyderabad rape sparks nationwide outrage SEE PAGE 26

Tackling terror tops ModiGotabaya talks SEE PAGE 26

Swedish Royals arrive in India on Air India flight SEE PAGE 17

Full Story on page 16

2 UK

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7 - 13 December 2019

Chaos at Lord's Taverners' Christmas Former WAG and beauty queen, 21, who married Islamist fighter goes on charity lunch as comedian Nish Kumar trial charged with funding terrorism is booed off for his 'lefty Remain rant' A one-time WAG and former beauty queen whose dream was 'to marry a fighter' has gone on trial accused of funding terrorism. Amaani Noor is accused of providing money to a group called 'The Merciful Hands'.

The 21-year-old, a former Miss Teen Great Britain semi-finalist, is alleged to have given £35.92 to the organisation, which funded anti-government fighters in Syria. Liverpool Crown Court heard how Noor had contacted another woman, Victoria Webster, to arrange a Paypal transfer on May 23, 2018. Diana Wilson, prosecuting, told the court that Noor had sent 'extensive messages showing interest in and support for extremist organisations' and her husband is an Islamist fighter.

Noor, who once dated a Liverpool winger, also showed support for Sharia law and discussed the 'merits' of IS, it's claimed.

Phones seized from her home showed she'd used an app called Telegram, which allows users to engage in encrypted chats, leave voice notes, make calls and send files.

She'd contacted Webster, who used the name @iwouldliketobeun-

Amaani Noor

known, in April, last year, and also followed a Merciful Hands channel using the app, as well as those of other organisations including Insights in Sham.

Ms Wilson said the pair discussed 'the merits of the proscribed organisations HTS (Hay'at Tahrir alSham) and IS (Islamic State) and which group is closest to Haqq (the truth).'

Webster sent Noor two links to a Telegram channel related to extremist preacher Anwar Al-Awlaki as well as a voice note which said 'it is OK to kill apostates [nonbelievers] by the Sharia and they have to be killed and you are obliged to kill them'.

Noor later sent Webster a voice note saying she 'hasn't got a problem with people being killed justly if they refuse to do certain things

according to Islam'.

The pair were also found to have extremist videos showing tortures and executions, the court heard.

One video on Noor's devices showed an ambush on a desert highway, vehicles being shot, and the captured occupants being brutally tortured and executed.

Another showed a man having his throat cut and then being beheaded, while an IS propaganda video showed people in orange jumpsuits apparently about to be executed.

Noor also contacted a man she referred to as 'Hakim my Love' on Telegram and he later sent her a message declaring it his 'first as her husband'.

Noor was arrested in November, last year, and emails on two mobiles seized by anti-terror police showed she had considered travelling to Syria to join her fighter husband but was having second thoughts.

Noor from Wavertree, Liverpool, denies one count of terrorism fundraising.

According to the charge, she gave the money 'knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect it may be used for the purpose of terrorism'. Trial continues.

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views of Boris Johnson and then on imperial British rule. There was praise for one politician though, as he lauded former Speaker John Bercow - who was in the audience before launching into an anti-Brexit rant and demanding a second referendum.

Video footage from the event, shared on social media, showed the extent of the heckling, as Kumar apparently implied the audience were 'thick' for not sharing his views.

The witnesses added that Kumar, who had taken to the stage after a wellreceived question and answer session with Harry Redknapp, reacted defiantly and told the audience he was going nowhere.

Eventually, a quickthinking compere stepped in and persuaded Kumar to exit the stage. At one point, with anger rising, witnesses said a bread roll was thrown.

According to the audience member BBC Radio One DJ Greg James – a huge cricket fan and Lord's Taverners ambassador – then reprimanded the bread

Nish Kumar

thrower. They explained: 'He had a pop and rightly so – that was disgraceful and there was no need for it, regardless of what was going on. At one point there was even a slow hand clap. It was just terrible.'

Despite the controversy, the lunch raised £160,000 for the charity and Kumar later made light of the incident, writing on Twitter: ‘In my defence, it was only one bread roll and it missed me.’

He also posted a video From YouTube of Bob Dylan showing amusement at newspaper reports that people had walked out of one of his concerts after booing him.

Student nurses who laughed as they Rashid A Khan threw stones at dementia patients face jail Solicitor (Principal)

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The Lord's Taverners' Christmas lunch descended into chaos on Monday, with a comedian booed off stage and pelted with a bread roll.

In staggering scenes at Park Lane's Grosvenor House, Nish Kumar was widely heckled and saw his set cut short after sections of the audience failed to take kindly to his left-wing views on politics and politicians.

The charity, which helps give vulnerable children a start in life through sport, had promoted Kumar as 'undoubtedly the UK's hottest comedian' before the event, which cost £149 a head for members.

His routine started innocuously enough. He began with a joke about himself either looking like a terrorist or a Brazilian, depending on the angle.

But stunned witnesses have told Sportsmail that the stand-up, who hosts BBC Two's The Mash Report, was then met with boos, jeers and calls for him to leave when he shared his observations on a number of issues, including Brexit.

The booing started when he shared his scathing

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Two callous care workers mocked and threw stones at dementia sufferers before filming their distress on phones.

Student nurse Abana Arshad, 23, and care assistant Amy Greenhalgh, 24, targeted up to seven pensioners in the ‘happy slap’ attacks. They were caught when a care home colleague spotted them filling their pockets with gravel and heard a distressed resident shouting: ‘Stop doing that!

Don’t throw them at me!’

Stones were also discovered on the resident’s bed-

Student nurse Abana Arshad, 23

room floor in Salford.

Arshad was convicted of ill-treating a person without mental capacity, while

Greenhalgh admitted the charge.

District Judge James Hatton warned them they would be jailed when they are sentenced next month.

Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard several of their victims had died since the attacks in 2018.

The judge was told Arshad and Greenhalgh tried to pin the blame on residents and warned each other to delete incriminating photos.

He said they were ‘laughing at people they should be caring for’.

Coventry man jailed for dangerous driving after killing toddler An uninsured driver, who was speeding at almost twice the limit when he killed a toddler and seriously wounded his mother, has been jailed.

Abid Mohmood, 41, was imprisoned for seven years and two months Friday 29 November at Warwick Crown Court. He was sentenced for causing the death of the two-year-old by dangerous driving and causing serious injury to his mother Hawa Akhalwaya by dangerous driving. He was also jailed for causing death by driving while uninsured and he was disqualified from driving for six years and

seven months.

Mohmood, a married father, was speeding at 59mph in a 30mph road, when he ploughed his car into the toddler and his mother. Hawa and her children had left a relative’s address and were standing on Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry waiting to cross the road to where their car was parked.

As they attempted to cross the road, Hawa and her son were stuck by the Volkswagen Bora driven by Mohmood.

They suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital, where sadly, the toddler died. The other chil-

dren were physically not hurt.

Mohmood, who remained on the scene after the collision, originally denied all three counts against him but later changed his plea and was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court last Friday.

Jason Corden-Bowen from the CPS said: “Despite denying this offence, Mohmood never put forward a case other than to say he did not think his driving was dangerous. He only changed his plea on the day of trial adding to the pain he has already inflicted on Hawa and her family.”

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COMMENTS

UK

3

7 - 13 December 2019

Failure of a democracy with misplaced priorities The Tories and the Labour party are at loggerheads regarding who to blame for the terrorist attack that shook the very heart of London. It is a reminder of a similar incident on London Bridge two years ago. The politicisation of a tragic incident such as this, brings one’s attention inevitably to how it could have been avoided.

This time, two people lost their lives. The number that could have been higher, if not for the heroism of members of the public who pursued the attacker and seized his knife, which included a few who were exconvicts and present at the same conference as the terrorist himself. The swift and brave action from the police and security services was equally crucial.

The debate regarding who should be blamed- is perhaps natural, but the danger of such issues during election campaign is that rather than looking at evidence base and rationally thought out analyses, people are trying to use it for their own personal gains.

The Guardian in a piece wrote, “Priti Patel, the home secretary, tweeted yesterday that the last Labour government introduced legislation that meant ‘dangerous terrorists’ had to be released at the halfway point of their sentence. This is not true.” What happened on Friday was not just the responsibility of a policy that Labour drew up. The policy that the party actually drew up, had a clause of a parole board hearing. That was converted by the court of appeal into an extended term. David Cameron government scrapped the system of early release, but Usman Khan fell under the old policy, where he escaped half way, provided he wore an electronic tag.

Terrorists are unscrupulous. Terrorists are a different type of criminals. They are blinded by a belief that benefits no one. As a society, can we choose to lock up anyone with any proven terrorist connections forever, regardless of whether or not they have committed a serious crime, and throw away the civil liberties we hold dear?

Daily newspapers have repeatedly said that the number of prison officers have fallen by a quarter between 2010 and 2015, leaving an inexperienced and demoralised prison service. Overcrowding has reached unsafe levels.

It is proved in rising rates of deaths, violence and selfharm on the prison estate. Rehabilitation services are desperately underfunded.

Johnson’s cynical focus on sentencing reform is surely a ploy to deflect from the sweeping cuts and botched reforms that have hampered the ability of the police force, and the prison and probation services, to manage the risks of terrorism.

What could have made the difference was the parole board hearing- the first and final step that could have stopped terrorists like Usman Khan. And this was an effect of unthoughtful cost cutting on prison budgetwhile the government spent thousands on three elections, since 2015 and a disaster named Brexitwhere UK still hasn’t left EU, even after three years of negotiations, spreading lies and many thousands of pounds spent on various failed deals. This incident is not the failure of a single political party and their policies. It is the failure of a democracy, run by a broken political system, that simply has misplaced priorities.

New chapter in India-Lanka relations The election of Gotabaya Rajapakse as Sri Lankan President opens the welcome prospect of a strong and steady rule in Colombo,putting an end to the confusion of the Srisena administration. President Gotabaya has mde a promising start, inviting the country’s legendary Tamil cricketer Muttiah Muralitheran to become Governor of the Tamil-dominated province in the Jaffna area in a bid to assuage Tamil anxieties on his victory, based overwhelmingly on the majority Sinhalese community. Following his resounding victory in the polls, President Gotabaya said he was President of the entire nation including those had voted against him.

This was the language and of a statesman determined to address grievances and heal old wounds rather than letting these fester.

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, himself a Tamil, made an early call to the Sri Lankan President, handing over to him a personal letter rom Prime Minister Narendra Modi inviting him to New Delhi for on resetting the button on bilateral ties, in keeping with the Modi doctrine giving precedence to India’s relations with neighbours. President Rajapakse arrived in the Indian capital to a red carpet welcome and a 21 gun salute, evidence of India’s desire to open a new era in bilateral ties. Significantly, this was first his overseas visit on coming to power, a message that he sets high store on his country’s relationship with India.

President Rajapakse’s conversation with Prime Minister Modi were warm, friendly and businesslike. To start with, the India Prime Minister announced $450

million line of credit to Sri Lanka, accompanied by an assurance by the Sri Lankan President that stalled Indian projects worth$100 million in his country would be speeded up to long overdue completion.

Mr Modi said: ‘I am confident the Sri Lankan Government will take forward the national reconciliation process to arrive at a solution that meets the aspiration of the Tamil community for equality, justice, peace and dignity. This includes the implementation of the 13th amendment to the Constitution.’

Turning to another fraught subject, Prime Minister Modi extended India’s unwavering support to Sri Lanka in her struggle against terrorism, making specific reference to the appalling Easter Sunday bombing of the country’s Christian churches in Colombo which left 247 worshippers dead and many maimed. It should be recalled that an intelligence tip-off from India was ignored by former Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sririsena.

For his part, President Rajapakse described India as Sri Lanka’s ‘closest neighbour and longstanding friend,’ declaring that he resolved to work with India toi bring their relations to a new level. The omens are propitious.

President Rajapakse held separate talks with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval underlying mutual security concerns on extremism and need for close cooperation to meet the common threat. Trust and goodwill firmly established, the journey to the future should be memorable.

Pakistan’s rebranding a pipe dream A British panel of academics and international South Asia specialists has called on Pakistan to rebrand itself from jihadi state to one with broad spectrum of acceptability to the international community. Whether such transformation is possible through peaceful, rational means is highly improbable, given its failure to become one in over 73 years of existence as a nation state.

It springs from an acute, debilitating disorder of the mind and spirit. Its genes sprouted a vision of a Subcontinent caliphate to be built on the ruins of an idolatrous neighbour called India. Its rape of Kashmir in 1947 is premised on the argument that this one act would not lead to another. In Bengali-speaking, Muslim majority East Pakistan it embarked on a holocaust to eradicate the Hindu cultural gene of the population,

leading to a war with India, the loss of its province today Bangladesh, which enjoys excellent relations with India.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s lava flow of hysterical vituperation and abuse of India bears a likeness to the rhetoric of the late unlamented ISIIS leader al Baghdadi. Pakistan is a country where vaccination is denounced as un-Islamic, its consuming pride the thidlargest arsenal of nuclear weapons, assembled, it must be said, courtesy the cynically passive acquiescence of the United States and the active indulgence of the country’s all weather friend, China. Pakistan’s economy, such as it is, is based largely on the export of terrorism. As birth control is denounced as un-Islam, Pakistan’s galloping population is assurance of the coming Malthusian dystopia.

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

- Mark Twain

Alpesh Patel

No Time to Stay quiet With a General Election, it is more important than ever that we have hustings with those who would be our MPs. So I was delighted to hear from Sonal Sher, that she had persuaded those in Woking to participate – candidates of all major parties. Let the best person win.

Little did I expect in a British constituency the pressure and venom she would come under for doing so.

The attacks are on Facebook. First, that she had the idea, there was objection, because, she is a Kashmiri Hindu who suffered and has spoken about ‘ISIS style killings in the Valley’. Note that she was not a speaker in the event.

Then Sonal is called a ‘Hindu Extremist’ by Az Har. Says he, “You’re a Hindu extremist who brought (sic) your extreme religious views to our community.

I’ve seen your posts on your profile pages calling Pakistan a ‘terrorist state’ and also vilifying Jeremy Corbyn and Ilhan Omar for supporting ‘jihadi organisation’ just because they have called out India for its human rights abuses. You’re spreading anti-Islamic propaganda in a town with a very high number of Muslims.” Continued Ayesha Tariq, ‘If any politicians were thinking of attending this event I would urge you to rethink associating your name with Sonal Sher. Her views go against British values of tolerance.” Ayesha argues Sonal’s hustings are ‘hate speech’.

Firstly, we live in a divisive time, even more so because of Brexit. So my first responsibility writing in a responsible paper is especially at such a time not to incite even more division.

Second, I do as a Briton, and a Barrister have a duty to explain the moral duties and legal rights.

First, trying to shut down debate among candidates for Parliament from mainstream parties is what is unBritish – regardless of your religious demographic.

I don’t care if all were Hindus, Catholics or Parsees in your town. Since the Magna Carta enshrined such rights of the people to speak, the traffic has been in one direction.

Third, to call out Pakistan’s association with terrorism is what Prime Minister Gordon Brown did as reported in the Guardian when he said 75% of all UK terrorism stems from Pakistan. It is what I worked on in the US Congress for Congressman Eliot Engel (a Democrat) when he was lobbying the White House and State Department to have Pakistan declared a ‘terrorist state’ under US legislation.

That statement was not against any religion. Like you, Sonal would say, true adherents would not say terrorism is your faith. But to stop criticism of Pakistan by claiming it is an attack on your religion reveals you are not willing to accept what a former Labour British Prime Minister and the plain facts are telling you and are trying to shut down debate by playing the religion card. It does not help you, your case or any religion to do so. Sadly, for Britain and Azhar, the terrorist on London Bridge proved the point about Pakistan.

Fourth, this well known ‘trick’ of claiming to be protecting human rights and using words like tolerance in order to stop candidates for Parliament to stop talking does not work anymore.

Continued on page 10

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7 - 13 December 2019

Man avoids jail after sending sex message to underage girl after drinking A man has avoided jail after sending a sex message to a teenager.

Rajinder Chahal contacted his 15-year-old victim over social media site Instagram and went on to send her one message of a sexual nature.

Judge Jonathan Bennett, who presided over the case at Derby Crown Court, decided to impose a suspended sentence for the 39year-old's actions and also made a sexual harm prevention order. In passing punishment, Judge Bennett said: "You are 39-years-of-age.

You entered guilty pleas at this court for sexual communication with a child.

"It was a single message sent to one girl. You were interviewed by police and gave no comment.

"I come to the view that this offence does pass the custody threshold, but nev-

Rajinder Chahal

ertheless I can suspend that sentence. You are not going to prison today.

"You have a very impressive letter telling how sorry you are."

Sarah Allen, prosecuting, told the court the offence took place in January 2018.

She said: "The defendant sent a message about 10pm asking if the victim was still out, she said she wasn't and was in bed at home.

"The defendant then sent her a message which she didn't respond to. At about midnight he sent her another message which she didn't respond to.

"He then sent her a love heart which she replied 'I'm good thanks'. He then sent her a message (which was a sexual communication)."

Ms Allen said the victim blocked the defendant.

Ms Allen said Chahal was arrested in March 2018 and gave no comment during his interview to the police.

Gregor Purcell, mitigating, said he pleaded guilty at his first appearance at Derby Crown Court and said he sent the message while in drink.

He said: "He has sought assistance and been to Alcoholics Anonymous. He has reduced his drinking and is now in control of

that.

"To address the loss of his father, he has been to bereavement counselling since and that has assisted him.

"He is working as a recovery driver and is looking for other work in addition to that. He is a hardworking man.

"He has always worked and he will work to right some of the wrong."

Chahal pleaded guilty to one count of sexual communication with a child.

He was handed a sixmonth sentence suspended for 18 months.

As part of his sentence, he would have to complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 180 hours of unpaid work. He was then ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge.

A sexual harm prevention order was also made.

Car dealer caught with fleet of luxury stolen cars in basement ordered to pay back £1.3m A crooked car dealer who was caught with a fleet of luxury stolen vehicles in his basement has been ordered to pay back more than £1.3 million.

Chirag Patel, 40, was jailed for eight years last October after the discovery of his “off the books” car rental business, hiring out Range Rovers, Mercedes, and a Porsche Cayenne to his associates and friends.

The vehicles had been stolen over the course of three years, and Patel gave them new identities with fake numberplates and registration documents from

vehicles which had been crashed and written-off.

Patel was caught out after calling the police himself to report his Porsche stolen, and officers then discovered the array of cars in the basement car park under his home in Croydon.

He was back at Croydon crown court on Friday when he was ordered to pay back £1,369,661 in proceeds of crime or face an extra ten years in prison.

Patel was found guilty following a trial of conspiracy to handle stolen goods over 19 luxury vehicles taken between October 2012 and

A girl was "passed around like a piece of meat" while being sold for sex with men, a court heard.

Five men are accused of the abuse of the girl in Telford, Shropshire, which began when she was just 12 years old.

In video evidence, the victim said she "lost count" of the number of men she was raped by and went through two years of "hell".

Mohammed Ali Sultan, Amjad Hussain, Shafiq Younas, Nazam Akhtar and Mohammad Rizwan deny wrongdoing.

Prosecutors at Birmingham Crown Court said the girl was raped on a dirty mattress above a takeaway and forced to perform sex acts in a churchyard.

In evidence, the girl, now an adult, said: "I lost count of how many men I was forced to have sex with."

She recounted being picked up "every day, after school" and "passed around" by takeaway delivery driver Tanveer Ahmed and later

Mr Sultan.

She said she had contemplated killing herself.

The court heard she was befriended Mr Ahmed who assaulted her before forcing her to perform sex acts on other men.

He is not among the defendants after being deported to Pakistan for "unrelated offences", the jury was told.

More than once he drove her to a flat above a takeaway and forced her to have sex with older men before she saw "saw money exchange hands", Michelle Heeley QC, prosecuting, said.

Ms Heeley said when the victim tried to refuse, Mr Sultan would make threats against her and her family and claimed he would "burn the house down to the ground".

Mr Sultan, 33, faces four charges of indecent assault and one of rape. The jury was told he already had convictions for "similar offences against young girls".

Chirag Patel

January 2015 and nine car keys stolen from Jaguar Land Rover’s plant in Solihull, West Midlands.

He was also convicted of money laundering over

more than £530,000 of unexplained cash deposits into three bank accounts in his name.

When officers from the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit in Croydon raided Patel’s home they also found 26 sets of car keys, a list of vehicles and registrations, equipment for accessing onboard computers in cars, and a cache of mobile phones, tablets and laptops.

Police recovered stolen vehicles worth £728,000 which Patel had used for his illegal car rental business and stored at homes owned by himself and his family.

in brief FAMILY CALL FOR CHANGE IN BURIAL CHARGES FOR MUSLIMS LIVING OUTSIDE LEICESTER

A family are calling for a change after receiving what they described as an 'unexpected' funeral charge. After his grandmother's death on November 12, 28-year-old Arsalaan and his family prepared for her funeral which would require a Muslim burial. The family from Braunstone Town in Blaby District held the funeral at Saffron Hill cemetery in the city.

Less than a week after the funeral Arsalaan said he and his father, Irfan were "dumbfounded" by a non-resident fee of £1,460 that was included in an invoice sent to him. Arsalaan claimed he was unaware of the charge as were a lot of other friends and family that he spoke to when asking them about it. "Funerals are already so expensive and having to pay this on top is a lot of money - we weren't expecting it," he said. A non-resident fee is for those living outside Leicester as their council tax does not contribute to services within the city.

With the understanding the non-resident fee is standard practice, Arsalaan is now concerned that many other families in the same situation will not be able to afford this.

Because the family needed to have the funeral as soon as possible, Saffron Hill Cemetery was the only place nearby that was able to accommodate them. Although the nonresident fee is standard practice for anyone, Arsalaan is now questioning whether this is fair to families like his own whose religion would require them to use a specific cemetery. Arsalaan is now hoping to speak with Leicestershire County Council about the matter and ask his local MP to consider changes to the current system.

TWO MEN ADMIT OFFERING CRICKETERS BRIBES

Two men have admitted conspiring to offer bribes to professional cricketers. Yousef Anwar, 36, and Mohammed Ijaz, 34, were arrested as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into alleged spot-fixing in Twenty20 tournaments. Both men previously denied the offences, but changed their pleas ahead of a trial at Manchester Crown Court. Ex-Pakistani international Nasir Jamshed, 33, denies being part of a bribery conspiracy. Anwar and Ijaz pleaded guilty to conspiring to offer financial advantages to players in the Bangladesh Premier League between November and December 2016. The pair also admitted the same charge in relation to players taking part in the Pakistan Super League between November 2016 and February 2017. Anwar, of Littlebrook Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, and Ijaz, of Chippingham Road, Sheffield, were bailed ahead of their sentencing next year. Mr Jamshed, of High Street, Walsall, denies being part of a bribery conspiracy in relation to the Pakistan Super League. The case continues.

APPEAL AFTER 80-YEAR-OLD WOMAN'S HANDBAG STOLEN

Telford sex abuse trial: Girl 'passed around like meat'

Defendants (L-R) Nazeem Akhtar, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammed Ali Sultan, Amjad Hussain and Shafiq Younas deny wrongdoing

Mr Hussain, 38, is accused of forcing the victim to perform oral sex on two occasions.

Mr Younas, 35, is accused of the same offence, said to have taken place in the same churchyard.

Mr Akhtar, 35, is accused of raping the girl in a lane, alongside Mr Sultan and Mr Hussain, and is also said to have urinated on her in an act of humiliation.

Mr Rizwan, 37, faces two charges of indecent assault.

The trial continues.

Police have released images of two women they want to speak to after a handbag containing hundreds of pounds was stolen from an 80-year-old woman. The bag, which also contained bankbooks and a passport, was taken from a trolley when it was left unattended "for a very short time" at the Intu centre in Derby on 19 October. Officers said the targeting of the elderly victim was "despicable" and appealed for any witnesses to get in touch.

Arena attack inquiry: Police ordered to hand over evidence Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has been ordered to hand over evidence for the Manchester bomb inquiry by the region's mayor Andy Burnham.

Last month the force was criticised and accused of jeopardising the start of the public inquiry into the

attack in May 2017 which killed 22 people.

GMP had missed a deadline to provide statements from officers in command.

A GMP spokesperson said it was "absolutely committed" to "servicing the requirements" of the inquiry.

Mr Burnham said GMP

should "commit whatever resources are required" to submit information to the inquiry by Friday.

A GMP spokesperson said it was "absolutely committed to servicing the requirements of the Manchester Arena Public inquiry in every way possible".

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7 - 13 December 2019

'Voices from Punjab': Celebrating women's contribution to British culture

Nacropolis' success mantra, proper family succession planning

The book launch was organised by the Hemraj Goyal Foundation and attended by eminent women like MP Seema Malothra, Baroness Sandip Verma, Dr Kamel Hothi OBE, Lady Kishwar Desai, Lady Mohini Kent Noon among others.

Authored by Anita Goyal alongwith co-author Aastha K Singhania, 'Voices from Punjab' features inspiring anecdotes from women of all ages, spanning across the decades of 1920s to 1980s.

The book explores unique and profound insights into shared experiences that have persisted across generations in the South Asian culture, from family dynamics to gender inequality and racial discrimination. Voices from Punjab also explores the lives of everyday women who have made great sacrifices to bestow a wealth of opportunity upon future generations. Each and every

Picture Courtesy: Sofia Yang Martinez

A new book chronicling the journeys of 15 Punjabi women with their roots embedded in India and now settled in the UK was launched on Monday, 2nd December.

Anita Goyal

story illuminates the immeasurable contribution Punjabi women have made to British society.

The evening celebrated a Punjabi folk dance performed by the JJD group and was proceeded by the panel discussion chaired by the presenter Suzi Mann.

Whilst Anita is the CEO of Hemraj Goyal Foundation and a philanthropist, Aastha is an aspiring journalist and presenter.

Anita and Aastha spoke

about how the idea of the book came about and how they have been juggling different roles that they play in their lives. The evening also witnessed a special book signing session wherein 100 percent of the proceeds from the book are being donated for a women’s livelihood project in Punjab, India. The book is available at www.hgf.org.uk or Amazon UK, Waterstones, WHSmiths and Troubador online.

London, most vegan-city in the world, HappyCow World's largest vegan and vegetarian restaurant guide has named London as the most vegan-city in the globe. A latest ranking

by HappyCow has highlighted that increasing number of vegan restaurants have opened up in the capital in the last few years.

Other cities in the HappyCow’s list of world’s top 10 vegan-friendly cities include New York City, Berlin, Los Angeles, Toronto, Warsaw, Portland, Bangkok, Tel Aviv, and Prague. London became the first city on its list to reach 100 veganfriendly restaurants in 2017.

The HappyCow list ranks cities based on three factors, including the number of vegan restaurants in a five-mile radius in the most vegan restaurantdense area in each city, the number of vegan, vegetarian, veg-option restaurants in the same five-mile radius, and vegan restaurant count to population density.

Currently, there are 125 vegan restaurants in a fivemile radius within the city, and there are 152 fully vegan restaurants spread

Manoj, Ravi & Amar Pankhania with Tan Dhesi MP at the launch of their latest development, Hurricane Court, in Langley, Slough A recent study conducted

by Indian School of Business (ISB) highlights that most family businesses have no succession plan even as their founders are nearing retirement.

Whilst the study surveyed 53 family businesses in India, corporate lawyers across the UK highlight a similar problem with Indian businesses operating in this country as well. However, the story of real estate developers, Nacropolis Group defies the current trend.

Manoj Pankhania was raised in Nairobi, Kenya and arrived in Britain in 1964 when he was merely 19 years old. He was one of nine siblings and being the oldest son, he shouldered the duty of leading the way for the rest of his family.

Manoj graduated in 1970 whilst working as a consultant for various multi-national engineering

firms. He progressed to become a Chartered Engineer and towards the end of the 1970’s founded his own consultancy practice where he led on projects in the UK & Middle-East.

Manoj Pankhania set up Parkview Homes in 1983 alongside his two brothers where they started working on smaller projects and converted houses into apartments. By the end of the 1980s the Pankhania brothers were undertaking large residential development projects.

Over the course of 20 years Parkview Homes grew exponentially and this was down to the hard work of all three brothers whose grit and determination pulled them through the recession of the 90’s and on to much lauded success, which included winning the inaugural Evening Standard New Homes award in 1992.

Towards the early 2000’s as the younger

generations moved in, Manoj’s eldest son Ravi joined the firm and decided to take the company in a new direction. Nacropolis was borne out of the success of Parkview Homes and over the course of the next 15 years Ravi took over the reigns and quickly established the Nacropolis Group as specialist boutique high-end developers.

Nacropolis further expanded after Manoj’s youngest son, Amar, joined the firm in 2011 and brought his own skill set to the frame.

Together the Pankhania brothers have created and nurtured a dynamic property development company which caters for today’s discerning market.

This family unit has successfully traversed this turbulent market and achieved huge success. An example of hard work founded on the solid foundation of dad’s expertise.

Trans rights campaigners protest outside the Indian High Commission In London across London.

In its survey, HappyCow noted, "Veganism continues to be one of the UK's fastestgrowing lifestyle movements, and this is certainly reflected in London's massive vegan scene."

Studies have shown that the number of people who follow vegan lifestyle is on rise. According to Vegan Society's larger survey, there were approximately 600,000 vegans in the UK last year, equivalent to 1.16 per cent of the British population.

According to studies, 31 per cent of Indians are vegetarian and India has

more vegetarians than the rest of the world put together. HappyCow said, "New York vegan chain By Chloe continues to expand with two UK branches in Oxford Circus and Covent Garden, offering English classics like shepherd's pie and tofish and chips. Vegan formula one racing champion Lewis Hamilton opened the first location in London of a vegan burger chain called Neat Burger."

Recently, global chain Pizza Hut has also added a full vegan menu, whereas KFC will trial vegan or vegetarian chicken in the UK.

On Monday, 2nd December, a small group of protestors gathered outside the Indian High Commission in London with the aims of holding the Indian government accountable for a controversial transgender rights bill.

“They have written a bill without any understanding of what it means to be trans,” Jo Krishnakumar, a 24-year-old from Mumbai currently studying in London, told HuffPost UK. “We want more people to know about the trans bill and hopefully try to put enough pressure on the government of India and let them know people are watching.”

The current bill’s stated objective is to protect the rights of trans people, but a number of provisions within it actually create a legal system in which they are effectively second-class citizens.

In July of last year, Human Rights Watch asked that the government ensure the bill follows the 2014 Supreme

Court ruling, saying “its language could be interpreted to mean transgender people are required to have certain surgeries before legally changing their gender”.

“What we are trying to do is amplify the voices of the Indian diaspora and trans people outside of India,” said Krishnakumar.

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I OWE SO MUCH TO SO MANY

Confronting the ups, downs and challenges while settling in a new country Now that you are unwitting passengers to my trip down memory lane, I embrace you with open arms. Most of you have at one stage or another, migrated to the UK; our home now.

The process of settling down comes with its own individual priorities, problems and sometimes pain as well.

With the right attitude, you can minimise pain and maximise pleasure.

My first experience when I disembarked at Heathrow Airport, mind you, which was a whole lot smaller than it is now, and yet it was huge as compared to the Dar-es-Salaam airport. Earlier, I had flown to Zanzibar airport in a small 10seater plane. Heathrow even at the time was awe-inspiring. The immigration queue was long and tedious and I could see most of the non-white passengers expressing anxieties. I, for one, had been forewarned. Adding to the 'new country' fever was the race of every immigration officer within the airport- white male.

Battling the prejudice against colour Every non-white person migrating or visiting a predominantly white country for the first time, has this baseless fear or complex from the Caucasian community. While I never understood it, I saw it in the eyes of every brown, black and yellow person standing in line, waiting to be confronted by the 'White Man'. I remember thinking, why this fear?

Before long, it was my turn to address the counter. I was immediately asked – How long do you intend to stay in UK? Instantly vexed, I said I am a citizen of the country. How long am I ALLOWED to stay here? Why this question? Is this the reception received by a returning citizen?

The officer probably understood I am not just any Brown immigrant. As for me, I now realised the cause of anxiety I saw in the other passengers. Racism was prevalent at the time in jobs, housing and several other matters. Which was very substantially tackled in the RaceRelations Act 1968. Navneet Dholakia (now Lord) was one of the senior most Asians in the Race-Relations Board. He, Surendra Kumar and other friends contributed substantially. Let me illustrate with a small example. In those days, to look for jobs, accommodations and other facilities normally, we used to check the notice boards in small stores. Certain flyers, I still remember, would state in bold, “INDIAN, PAKISTANIS, AND IRISH NEED NOT REPLY”. Those were the days, my friends.

Three musketeers and their dignity of labour Moving forward, now five single men living in a “huge” apartment comes with its expected challenges. There were priorities of cleaning, cooking, shopping, laundry, and all the paraphernalia to be

attended. Within the first few days, our triputi (three musketeers) had an unspoken, voluntary, unanimous arrangement.

I was in-charge of cooking every dinner, cleaning room and kitchen and making sure everything was neat and tidy. Three Hanumanjis living on their own with their spouses back home is not an easy transition.

Cleaning the small room and adjoining facilities was a major issue. I was 30 years old, Tak 34, RL 36. Tak ran a steady cold. The house was too small. Tak and RL thought it best to never open the window for fear of winter chills seeping in.

Whereas I had my own philosophy. I just needed some goddamn fresh air to brighten the air in the room. The apartment was towards the main street so the Sun would shine in. All three of us reached a status quo. Draw the curtains so at least the sunlight could help us. The important thing about fighting the cold was that we had lots of citrus fruits, fresh vegetables, cheese etc.

Tak and RL were in-charge of laundry and shopping, and Tak was also our External Relations Manager. He had his own style, voice, he could sing Hindi and some English songs beautifully, he was good at telling jokes and his main mission was to find out willing hosts for our weekend visits. Those three grown up men were reasonably satisfied telling the digs but on a Sunday, something was missing. Children, owner of the house and a smile with tantalising smells of fresh Indian foods. Tak was very good.

We'll elaborate later on.

One pot, and shared responsibilities Let me talk about cooking. Our breakfast was pretty standard. We have 2-3 slices of large bread with tons of butter and cheese- Who cares about cholesterol?!

With mugs of tea. Dinner, we ate at least four times together every week. Zia and Rajender normally had their own arrangements.

Our three course dinner included many varieties. The first course was soup, followed by the second course which would be a special type of sandwich, and the third course was coffee or tea, or occasionally ice cream or a small sweet when we felt like splurging. Now remember, we only had a small gas cooker in the small kitchen- if I could call it that. We had no toaster or any other appliance. So in a saucepan, I would boil water and place a can of soup inside to heat. We of course had the occasional baked beans or ‘bake-d beans' as some of us called it in the beginning.

Our 'special' sandwich? It was two slices of plain bread with plenty of butter and at least 2-3 roasted papad. Our families used to send us parcels of pickles, papad, spices, and whatnot. What a royal feast we had every night! All three of us gained weight steadily and looked prosperous.

Shopping was within Tak and RL's

portfolio. Remember the old lady I wrote about last week? They would drive her to a nearby Greek owned shop and buy canned food, fresh vegetables and fruits.

They would buy Okra, Coriander, Brinjal, Marrow – cousin to our beloved Dudhi, and other vegetables. Also, weekly laundry was their problem. They would go to the nearest laundromat and it would take them altogether 2-3 hours to get all our clothes clean.

On Saturdays, all five Hanumanjis would have dinner together – a grander feast than the weekdays. I had been made to believe that I made fantastic bhat (rice) and mungdal. It was all a hype. I would just put in fistfuls of rice into water and the heat did its job. Sometimes it would char at the bottom. However, mungdal was my pièce de résistance. To be honest, I did not even know the difference between chai masala, garam masala, and curry masala. So I would throw in the beginning I would all together in one big pot. Hell, I even mixed once, ganthoda and soonth once. But it was a homecooked meal, made with lots of love and it never harmed us.

Building relations with the local community In an important event, somebody told Tak that they sold tinned patra in a shop near Euston station. Our excitement knew no bounds. All three of us drove there. And my God, that was Mr Lakhubhai Pathak's shop. There was a section of tinned foods, fresh Indian vegetables, and of course Pathak spices and pickles. Pathak empire grew out of samosas, so there were samosas and bateta vadas. There were also some Indian magazines and newspapers from India. While the store was no bigger than 400 sq ft sales area, the greatest impact on me was the behaviour and warmth of the whole Pathak family.

Sometimes Mrs Pathak, our masibaa (aunt) or one of their daughters or sons would greet us with warmth. Of course, the boys are now multi-millionaires. One of them, Kirit Pathak married Meena from Mumbai, who took the legacy to an advanced level of preparations, packaging and marketing. The last time I met her was at the Prann Prathistha of the Sanatan temple in Preston some 20 years ago. She is an amazing person, from a financially-privileged background minus the arrogance that comes with it. I haven't met them for decades now, may God bless them.

Now, at the shop we frequented every week, one day I met a gentleman, whose name I will not reveal lest somebody feels embarrassed or upset. 20 years or so older than me, the man was the most well-known non-white coaching expert for an important profession. He was very successful and downright arrogant. Sadly, causes and consequences always go together some time sooner sometime little late. Within the next few years his temper and aggression created

CB Patel

this big rupture within his family. His son, another brilliant professional in the same business, moved out. The gentleman was so upset with such sad events in his personal life, he made some mistakes in his statutory professional documents, was caught and found guilty. Eventually, he had a mental breakdown and was moved to a care home where he died poorly and prematurely.

Such sad examples remain with me to this day. This is when I learned that you reap as you sow. Material success is important, no doubt. But so is maturity and appropriate human behaviour. A bit of humility, humour and warmth go a long way to win friends and even influence people. Over the years I met perhaps hundreds of people all of whom have left an impression and impact on me. But those who had so much to offer and reached so far ahead in life; it was their downfall that deeply saddened me.

What a waste!

The joy of celebrating festivals Let's now move on to Christmas 1966. I had a real struggle attending my bookkeeping job and lectures. I worked till 6.00 pm, so I couldn't reach lectures until quarter to 7. My lectures began at 5.00 pm and ended at 8.00 pm. I realised I had to change my job. So I took some back-breaking jobs. Bharatnatyam was becoming much more challenging by the day.

The life was challenging but not all the time over-bearing. In the 2nd week of Dec 66, from Lincoln's Inn I walked over 3 miles to my residence to save money.

Now, the weather was really atrocious. I wore a heavy coat and other paraphernalia. My shoulders ached constantly and my job with the Royal Mail, which was to carry big bags of mails, wasn't making it any better. I was fed up. I remember thinking it's too much. If this is the life here, I better go back to India. What is the future here? I spoke with Tak and RL my go-to people, and they did their best to console me. However, I had made up my mind. There are a couple of anecdotes from when I had nearly given up just weeks after landing in London. Let's talk about it some other time.

Meanwhile, Indian Republic Day was nearing and I was looking around for some celebration. Indian nationalism somehow reared its head and I was keen to attend. Dear readers, no matter where life took me. I have always attended Independence and Republic Day celebrations anywhere in the world, every year, since long. I was informed that there was only one event, at the Commonwealth Institute with support of Indian High Commission. However, arrangements were made by the India League and Indian Journalists’ Association. We will talk about Republic Day 1967, my first ever in London, next week.

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UK

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

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7 - 13 December 2019

Leading British Asian artists attended the annual BritAsia Music Awards held at Wembley's SSE Arena on Saturday, 30th November.

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) invites you to the upcoming Asian Business Association's winter reception which will be hosted in London at Bombay Brasserie on Tuesday, 10 December.

The ABA winter reception is the perfect opportunity for budding entrepreneurs and businessmen to meet industry leaders, including political and bureaucratic figures pivotal in shaping the economic

landscape and fostering increased trade ties between the UK and emerging economies. Connect with up to 100 businesses, whilst enjoying the restaurant's signature drinks and canapés. The event is being held exclusively in the Conservatory of Bombay Brasserie - famed for its authentic Bombay and Indian cuisine.

Tickets include free flowing wine, beer and soft drinks and a generous help-

ing of the restaurant's famous Bombay and Indian canapés. Tickets are from £66 (Inc) VAT. We look forward to welcoming you to the event. For bookings and further information, contact: Harshad Kothari on 07956 334162 or harshad@sasconsultancy.com.

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London Chamber of BritAsia Music Awards: Commerce and Industry open Strengthening culture through music doors to their winter reception

Headline performers and winners of the evening included household names of Sidhu Moose Wala, Mickey Singh, Juggy D and HSidhu Moose Wala with (L-R) Tony Shergill, Kulvinder Shokar, Saraswati Dhami among Tony Shergill Shokar, Hitesh Mehta and Dhiren Bhatt others. While the evening celney in a changing world for ebrated the contributions both countries, ahead lies of culture and diversity, it many opportunities to also encouraged more work with key partners and young BAME individuals to stakeholders. In year 2020 pursue their passion in our priority is to collabosports such as football, and rate and develop services other upcoming industries which will benefit our like mutlimedia, animation international customers; and production. for HSBC it’s about One of the key sponConnecting the Global Nilesh Patel with sors of the event included Indian to Mother India.”

Rima Sengupta HSBC UK Overseas Indian The awards were hostBusiness Development proposition team who ed by Jassa Ahluwalia and Manager and Hitesh found that the awards were Kay Ray! Mehta, India Service a unique gateway to the In the meantime, if you Manager at HSBC UK said, Asian diaspora.

The would like to know more “We were honoured evening allowed HSBC UK about HSBC's International and privileged to have the to engage and amplify it’s Services, please contact: opportunity to present an International Services with Kulvinder Shokar award on the night for Best key movers and shakers in Kulvinder.shokar@hsbc.co Music Producer. As we the community settled in m or Hitesh Mehta hiteshembark on this new jourthe UK. Kulvinder Shokar, mehta@hsbc.com

10 READERS VOICE

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

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7 - 13 December 2019

General Election's negative campaign This general election is becoming a slanging match among the political parties. All of them have embarked on negative campaigning, finger pointing and denigration of opposing political parties and their leaders. They are not focussing on their policies on the economy, education, environment, health, security, social care and technology.

All these issues are taking a back seat and they are wasting time attacking each other.

The other disturbing issues affecting the general election are about anti-semitism and islamophobia, instead of solving these problems, they are being made controversial and divisive to garner votes by some political parties and organisations. This a step backwards and will make the situation worse.

The best way forward would be for the political parties to campaign on their policies, how they will be funded and implemented in a specific time frame, rather than picking up figures from the air to falsely impress the voters. We should have a free, fair and transparent general election without resorting to misinformation, fake news and vilification of opponents. Also unfortunately one see’s main stream media, electronic media and tabloids are biased and favour a particular party which is unfair to the other parties. This should not happen.

There is also outside interference by certain countries, and wealthy persons by providing funding in support of their favourite party. All these factors are mudding the general election which does not augur well for the future. This matter should be exposed to the public, who will then ultimately decide the outcome of the election and not the manipulators.

Baldev Sharma Rayners Lane, Harrow

How to modernize the NHS for better service NHS is political football in every election as far as I could remember. Politicians have brain-washed us that it is free at the point of delivery, yet dental treatment is one of the most expensive in EU under NHS, as patients pay 85% while government contribute only 15%. So is medicine if one has to pay prescription charges except for costly drugs for cancer and other such illnesses.

Yet most dentists are reluctant to take on NHS patients, as many patients prefer to go private. There is not much difference in monetary term between NHS and private patients and the treatment for private patients is much better, appointments available practically on demand.

One may wonder why NHS treatment is much better, no waiting list for operations in countries like France, Germany and many more. The reason is simple. People are not brainwashed and most are willing to contribute towards their medical treatment.

Many countries operate on private insurance scheme whereby patients pay 10 to 20% of treatment cost, rest being paid to NHS under their insurance policy. These insurance companies are approved and governed by strict rules to provide efficient service without delay.

In many countries, patients are allowed, even encouraged to go private, NHS paying the basic cost of the operation and the patient has to pay the difference, thus reducing waiting list on NHS and providing instant treatment, especially for OAPs who may have saved for rainy day!

Our left leaning fossilize politicians insinuate that this will create two tier systems, those with money could jump the queue. In fact it will make NHS treatment available more quickly. In any case why punish those who are thrifty and saved for old age! After all, we all do not live in detached houses or drive Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar, some of us have to do with terraced houses and drive Toyota and Honda!

It is time to ditch political dogma, be practical for the good of everyone, especially OAPs, chronically sick and disable people.

Kumudini Valambia By email

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Any letter longer than the limit may not be published.

Note that all your letters are subject to being edited by our team for valid reasons.

- Asian Voice

Build bridges instead of divisions for our future generations It saddens me that the subcontinent historical rivalry between The Hindu and Muslim Communities is being ignited in the UK, triggered by the Kashmir issue and how this has played out with the major political parties. Leading up to the elections, social media is rife with enforcing the Hindu vote for Conservatives and Labour for Muslims.

In many ways it is encouraging to see the Hindus pulling together. However, the question to ponder on is this. What message are we giving to our children and grandchildren and their future generations?

There is nothing wrong with voting for the Conservatives and preserving our interests for our future generation, but is this coming at a cost? They are inheriting the divisive attitudes and stereotypes of a particular community.

In addition to protecting our interests in the short term we also need to be laying the foundation to build bridges in the long term. Our Sanatam Dharma teaches us to live with compassion and love to all living beings. Common sense says hatred and divisive dynamics only increase problems.

So, while we are pulling together, what are we going to do to build better relationships with all communities regardless of their motives? We have now begun to do so with the Jewish community, but we live in a multicultural society, hence this applies to all communities and humanity at large.

This is our chance to teach our future generation the true meaning of Sanatam Dharma and inject love and compassion into the political processes. How are we going to do this?

Hansa Pankhania By email

UK NEWS

Tories pledge to boost Ofsted The Conservatives are promising to strengthen England's education watchdog Ofsted, as they attack Labour and Liberal Democrat plans to replace the current inspection system.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is announcing plans for longer inspections and an extra £10m funding for Ofsted. There will also be trials of "no-notice inspections", where schools could be visited without any prior warning.

But Labour and the Lib Dems want to replace Ofsted with different bodies.

Head teachers say the idea of no-notice inspections has been proposed and rejected as impractical so many times before that it is "flogging a dead horse".

The Conservatives are setting out a clear dividing line in their policy on schools - calling for a bigger role for Ofsted while opposition parties are moving in the opposite direction and wanting to close it down.

Mr Johnson says there will be an extra day added to inspections of secondary and large primary schools to focus on behaviour, bullying and extra-curricular activities, such as sport.

No Time to Stay quiet Continued from page 3

Mayor Khan had to embarrassingly apologise for defending terrorists in numerous press interviews as a ‘human rights’ lawyer when standing for Mayor. Let alone the libel of calling someone a religious extremist – ‘Hindu extremist’ - the term used for calling for a husting. We are educated. We know the plain meaning of words and their abuse.

It is not ‘hate speech’ under the legislation ‘Freedom of Expression' exception stating that ’nothing prohibits or restricts discussion, criticism or expressions of antipathy, dislike, ridicule, insult or abuse of particular religions’.

And to Azhar, I strongly suggest he read the case of R V Rogers (2007) 2 WLR 280 where a conviction for telling someone to ‘go back to your own country’ was upheld by the House of Lords (now Supreme Court) in a hate speech case.

The words used by Azhar (presumably showing his tolerance in ‘his town’) were as quoted on Facebook ‘Like I said before it’s the UK not India, if you want that mentality then you know what to do…like us Muslims have been told for years.’

Yes, we need less division. But trying to gag our Parliamentary candidates is not less division. By trying to gag anyone critical of Pakistan is not less division. One set of homogenous views, shutting down all others, is not less division – it’s just unBritish and unIndian – just look at India’s demographics and the ‘argumentative Indian’. That’s why British Indians like Sonal like a good debate.

Az, Ayesha, British values of free speech are not hate speech when critical of Pakistan, when critical of terrorists.

We share a common nationality; I want us to share those common values of understanding too. Either way, we will not be shut down or shut up.

Kapil’s Khichadi Vote to Save the UK

Kapil Dudakia Over the past few weeks I have shared with you examples of the gross incompetence of Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party. I have also shown that the Labour Party comes across as racist, antisemitic, anti-India, anti-Hindu and some people are telling me also anti-Sikh (unless you are a Khalistani, then they love you) and anti-Jain. That my friends are a lot of ‘anti’ for one party to have all to itself.

The above alone is more than enough to know that this nation is in serious danger if we ever allow Corbyn and Labour into power. Fortunately, people across the country are now wising up to the threat that he poses to these united nations of this United Kingdom. His open support for extremists and terrorists is not unknown. The Labour party has now become synonymous with antiSemitism. We have got the Jewish community who are rightly terrified of their very existence in the UK should Corbyn ever be elected. If in opposition he can become the conduit for such rampant racism, can you imagine what he would do if he was ever allowed the keys to Number 10?

The Indian community is finally waking up to the threat that is so apparent in the Labour Party. It now seems totally focussed in creating its own Socialist reign. And we know from history, establishing any type of reign always means the butchery of democracy and the rights of the masses.

Our community still has a lot to do. Whilst we excel in business, commerce, professional occupations and so on, when it comes to politics, we have put our collective heads in the sand. We cannot afford to do that any longer. Our indiscretion today could allow a Trotskyist tyrant to destroy the very fabric of this nation.

I commend Labour Councillors in Leicester

for having the guts and the values to denounce their Labour Party membership.

They have taken a stand today that will affect them personally. However, let us ensure that we do not allow these martyrs of General Election 2019 to stand alone. I wait for other Indian Labour councillors across the country to do the right thing and take action to show that they are British Indians.

You now have leading community leaders such as Pt Satish Sharma (BBDS), Smt Truptiben Patel (HFB), Shri Anil Bhanot (HCUK), Lord Rami Ranger (British Sikh Association) and a host of other Indian leaders from local and regional organisations that have expressed their distaste at what Jeremy Corbyn has done and is doing, and for many the only viable option for this election is a vote for the Conservative party.

When Cllr John Thomas (Chairman, Leicester East CLP) said, 'I can no longer follow the clown that leads the Labour Party', he expressed a sentiment that is widely shared not just in the Labour Party, but also across the country.

This will be the last Kapil’s Khichadi before 12/12. So, let me stick my neck out, as I always tend to do, and state that Boris Johnson will be our Prime Minister. I am also confident that he will do so with a majority that will allow him to get Britain moving again. The challenge we face is huge post Brexit, but Brexit must be done quickly and the pathway it clears must be exploited by the nation as quickly as possible.

We have a once in a generation opportunity to restructure our nation for the 21st Century. The ills and errors of the past must be acknowledged, true heritage and history must be taught, and we must enthusiastically embrace opportunities that nations such as India provide. I will vote for the Conservative Party.

(Expressed opinions are personal.)

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Please keep contributing as always.

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EDUCATION

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7 - 13 December 2019

Seven charts on the £73,000 cost of educating a child

UK rises in international school rankings The UK has made "positive" progress in international school rankings, based on tests taken by 15year-olds in 79 countries and regions.

The Pisa tests, run by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, show the UK rising in reading, maths and science.

But the UK lags behind top performers such as China, Singapore and Estonia. The UK's teenagers were also found to have among the lowest levels of "life satisfaction".

Andreas Schleicher, the OECD's education director, said there were "positive signals" from the UK's results for the tests taken in 2018 which he said showed "modest improvements".

In reading, the UK is 14th, up from 22nd in the previous tests three years

ago In science, the UK is 14th, up from 15th In maths, the UK is 18th up from 27th The UK's maths results represent a particular improvement on three years ago, according to an analysis by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).

But it says there has

been no significant change for reading or science, with scores remaining broadly similar in Pisa tests since 2006, despite fluctuations in rankings.

This year's science score has shown a slight fall, in fact, but because other countries' results have also slipped, the UK has climbed upwards in the rankings.

Jewish schools 'pressurise parents to take children out of sex ed lessons' Two Orthodox Jewish secondary schools in London have been accused of pressurising parents into taking their children out of sex education lessons.

The BBC has seen an email and heard a recording of the state-funded schools explaining how to withdraw pupils from mandatory relationships and sex education classes, which begin in 2020.

One school referred to a wish to stop the teaching of LGBT issues.

But it said "accusations of coercion" were "entirely false".

The email, sent to the Victoria Derbyshire programme by a mother who wished to remain anonymous, shows her daughters' school - Lubavitch Senior

Girls' School in north London - asking parents to "prevent" relationships and sex education (RSE) classes.

"The problem is the government is making the subject mandatory in September 2020. However, parents have the right to opt out," it reads.

"Please exercise your right to prevent it being taught by responding to this email and saying that you do not wish your daughters to receive lessons in RSE." The woman told the BBC she was "disgusted".

"I thought that my kids' school was pretty open as Orthodox schools go," she added.

Parents across England will have the right to withdraw their children from the

sex education element of the secondary school lessons, but that decision should not be influenced by pressure from a school.

Pupils cannot be withdrawn from relationships lessons.

In primary schools, only Relationships Education (RE) is to be taught.

The mother believes the email was "designed to put a stop to RSE being taught" as a whole at the school, including the teaching of LGBT issues.

"The fact that people with different sexualities exist in the world is something that they don't want to expose their children to. I don't think they want to expose them to the concept of sex," she said.

The amount spent on schools is a major topic in this year's election campaign. So, where does all the money for educating the country's children go?

Spending on schools in England is much higher than it was 20 years ago. But that's not the full picture in a country which has seen a population boom coincide with a decade-long squeeze on public spending.

This means that in today's prices, spending per pupil in England is lower than it was in 2010.

Education is a devolved issue. The amount the other nations spend on public services, including education, is linked to the amount spent in England via the Barnett Formula.

While school funding varies across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, all parts of the UK

have effectively seen a fall in spending per pupil since 2010.

Spending on schools is not shared out equally. The amount spent on each primary school child in England in 2018-19 was £5,000, compared with £6,200 for secondary school children.

However, priorities have shifted, with per pupil spending on primary schools increasing by 145%

since 1990 after accounting for inflation, compared with 83% for secondaries.

There has been less money for older children, with spending on further education students aged 1618 up only 16% since the early 90s.

All of this money for nurseries, schools and colleges comes from the government, although most of it is spent via local authorities and other bodies.

Young people 'panicky' when denied mobiles Almost a quarter of young people are so dependent on their smartphones that it becomes like an addiction, suggests research by psychiatrists.

The study, from King's College London, says such addictive behaviour means that people become "panicky" or "upset" if they are denied constant access.

The youngsters also cannot control the amount of time they spend on the phone. The study warns that such addictions have "serious consequences" for mental health.

The research, published in BMC Psychiatry, analysed 41 studies involving 42,000 young people in an investigation into "problematic

smartphone usage".

The study found 23% had behaviour that was consistent with an addiction such as anxiety over not being able to use their phone, not being able to moderate the time spent and using mobiles so much that it was detrimental to other activities.

Such addictive behaviour could be linked to other problems, says the study, such as stress, a depressed mood, lack of sleep and reduced achieve-

ment in school.

"Smartphones are here to stay and there is a need to understand the prevalence of problematic smartphone usage," says one of the report's authors, Nicola Kalk, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London.

"We don't know whether it is the smartphone itself that can be addictive or the apps that people use," said Dr Kalk.

"Nevertheless, there is a need for public awareness around smartphone use in children and young people, and parents should be aware of how much time their children spend on their phones."

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12 MEDIA WATCH

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7 - 13 December 2019

SCRUTATOR’S No game is lost until it is won. That surely must be the verdict on the horse trading in Maharashtra in which the Shiv Sena emerged winners following days of pulsating intrigue that did little for the image of Indian democracy. Horse traders often make successful horse thieves. The critical player in the soap opera, Ajit Pawar, nephew of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, initially defected to the BJP, then in a flipflop reversed gears and rejoined the anti-BJP coalition, the recovery of faith lubricated by the promise of a place in the cabinet as deputy to the new Chief Minister Uddhav Thakeray.

Recognising new IT Start-ups

Dedicated AIIMs doctors

India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the government had recognised a total of 24, 940 IT services start-ups, followed by healthcare, in November. ‘The Start-up India Action Plan took-off in January 2016. The recognition of start-ups commenced on November 21, 2019 by the Department for the Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade,’ said the Minister.

Of these 3,443 were in IT, space, followed by 2033 in healthcare and life sciences and 1,766 in education. Among the States, 14,729 were in Maharashtra and 3,612 in Andhra Pradesh (Economic Times November 28).

Contrary to the popular view All India Institute of Medical Sciences is no reserved for high profile VIPs, said Dr Rajeshswari Subramanian, the self-designated ‘dragon’ of the main intensive care. The late Union Minister Arun Jaitley used to swear by the dedication of its doctors, as do thousands of ordinary citizens, including many from poor, deprived backgrounds. ‘Doctors at this august institution in New Delhi are the nearest thing to God for many people from all walks of life, wrote a local columnist (Economic Times November 23).

Muslim teacher lauds Sanskrit

Uddav Thackeray

Ajit Pawar

To be s fair, it was the BJP that initiated the wheeler-dealer melodrama, but in the unfolding script they appeared to lose the plot and hence lost the battle. The happy winners made the headlines accompanied by group photos with their smiling spouses. All’s well that ends well maybe, but no demonstration of plain living and high thinking. A low black comedy it certainly was. – with impolite cynical laughter (Times of India, Hindu et al November 28).

Another space triumph

Sharad Pawar

Cartosat-3 with its 13 nano satellites made up somewhat for the disappointment of the failed moon-shot a few months back.

ISRO’s latest success is the sharpest eye in the sky, its 13 piggyback nano satellites belonging to US companies, confirmation surely of India’s space prowess. Lift-off on a PSLV rocket took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Telangana.

Cartosat-3 is a high resolution imaging satellite designed to aid large-scale urban planning, infrastructure development and costal land use and much else besides.

Students at the Ramkrishna Mission Vidyamandira at Belur, near Kolkata, listened with rapt attention as lecture & Ramzan Ali explained a Sanskrit sloka [verse] from the Upanishads to third-year honours undergraduate students.

Born in Jalpaiguri in north Bengal, he applied for the post with other candidates, and was appointed lecturer, strictly on merit (Times of India November 23).

Remembering Verghese Kurien

ISRO Chairman K. Sivan

Japan for India in RCEP

Launch of Cartosat-3

Japan is keen to have India back in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership , and hence reached out to the Indian government to help address its concerns including its trade deficits. Tokyo’s keenness to get India back is driven by its urge to balance increasing weight in the organisation and its dubious business practices (Economic Times November 28).

The communications blockade in Kashmir has been eased. So says a media report listing the 280 eterminals have been set up in recent weeks. ‘As many as 230, 418 persons used the internet facilities across 10 districts of Kashmir valley. All 93,247 landline phones are functioning normally. Of the 50,76, 359 mobile phones, 20,05,293 are post paid mobile phones, are operating in the valley. The state administration claimed that hospitals and medical centres were open in the valley.

Incidents of stone pelting by jihadi-inspired mobs had declined appreciably. Leading local politicians such as Omar Abdullah, his father Farooq Abdullah, and separatist Hurriyat leadership were still under detention. Kashmir is not normal, near normal but nearer normal, certainly, after years of stone pelting and jihadi killings and bombings (November 23).

OECD ups 2020 GDP forecast

Military purpose Dual use technologies serve civilian and military goals.

Cartosat-3 is set to provide the highest-ever spatial resolution of around a foot. ‘This is India’s highest resolution civilian satellite and most advanced earth observation satellite built by India’s Satellite Research Organisation (ISRO) so far. The Cartosat -3 and all the 13 other satellites were placed in a precise orbit,’said ISRO Chairman K Sivan. Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao lauded ISRO for the feat. ‘It was another triumph of brilliance and hard work of our scientists,’ he said (Hindu, Statesman November 28).

Communicationsin Kashmir eased

Dr Verghese Kurien

National Milk Day was celebrated in Gujarat and across India. How India moved from a milk deficit country to the world’s top milk producer is surely an epic achievement, whose architect was Kerala-born Dr Verghese Kurien , who arriving back in India shortly after Independence with a prized doctorate from New Zealand, known for its outstanding advances in agricultural sciences.

He happened to meet then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who seeing he was at a loose end, advised Dr Kurien to move to Anand, Gujarat and apply his talents there. The rest is the stuff of legend. The state’s cooperative societies joined forces, and under Dr Kurien stellar reached for the stars and, more importantly, got there. He lived there for the rest of his life, his wife Gujarati, and daughters much the same. India’s dairy industry is key to the huge domestic market and is expanding overseas on the basis of excellence. There are, of course, fresh challenges, but meeting them is the surest way to grow, develop and endure. (Economic Times November 23).

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has increased India’s economic growth forecast for the financial year 2020 commencing April 1, 2020 to 6.2 per cent from the 5.9 per cent projected last September. Based on higher domestic demand and private consumption, was the basis for the improved forecast. Overall, India has succeeded in seizing some of the market share lost by other countries, with Indian exports remaining relatively resilient, according to OECD (Economic Times November 22).

Nobel laureate on India lecture tour

British citizen, professor at Cambridge University and President of the prestigious Royal Society in London, is set to embark on a lecture tour of India, addressing audiences in four cities on life sciences. This will be in the tenth edition of the lecture series.

Professor Ramakrishnan’s research revolved around the ribosome, the cell structure necessary for making protein. He is expected to speak about his journey in science (Hindu November 23).

TMC sweep Bengal polls The ruling Trinamul Congress in West Bengal won three byelection Assembly seats, defeating the BJP by comfortable margins.

The result coming in the wake of the BJP’s setback in Maharashtra poses serious questions on its strategy and tactics. India is the sum of its parts. Chastening a culturally and ethnically diverse country into a common shape is unlikely to work. Lessons must be learned – and fast (Statesman November 29).

Godse admirer expelled BJP MP Pragya Thakur was expelled by the BJP leadership from the Lok Sabha anf from all BJP consultative parliamentary bodies, for extolling Nathuram Godse, assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. Her remarks were expunged from the House record.

Opposition parties condemned her words, as did Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (Statesman, Hindu November 29).

RIL ‘s historical landmark Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has become the first Indian company to reach the Rs 10 lakh-crore market capitalisation. This means the doubling of its value in less than two-and-a half years and three years after the company’s entry into India’s telecom services - a truly amazing story of a company founded in the early 1960s by visionary entrepreneur Dhirubhai Ambani, who started off with a polyester production facility, followed by lift-off into oil exploration, petroleum products, refineries, etc (Times of India, Economic Times November 29).

India retains top spot in remittances With earnings of $78 billion, India has retained top spot in the world remittance league, with China and Mexico second and third respectively (Times of India November 28).

Young girl put on her feet

Venkataraman Ramakrishnan

India-Chennai-born Nobel laureate Venkataraman Ramakrisnan, now a knighted

In a world of greed and violence come redemptive examples of hope and charity. Zeba Khatoon dropped out of school as a teenager to help her needy family, cutting stickers for fruit boxes and earning a paltry Rs 7 for 100 items.

She learned to bake and now works at The Cafe & Bakery, set up by in a busy Kolkata locality by the Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre.

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7 - 13 December 2019

Family of Usman Khan 'shocked' Hidden camera captures

by London Bridge attack 94-year-old's care home ordeal The family of London Bridge attacker Usman Khan have said they are "saddened and shocked" by what happened and "totally condemn his actions".

In a statement, they expressed their condolences to the victims' families Khan, who was convicted of a terrorism offence in 2012, killed Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, at a prisoner rehabilitation event on Friday.

Separately, a statement from a kitchen porter who tried to fight Khan said he was coming to terms with the incident.

Lukasz, who works at the Fishmongers' Hall venue where Khan began his attack, said he "acted instinctively" by grabbing a pole to try to stop Khan.

"When the attack happened, I acted instinctively. I am now coming to terms with the whole traumatic incident and would like the space to do this in privacy, with the support of my family," he said.

The statement confirmed he was stabbed in the attack and taken to hospital but has now returned home.

Two women were also injured in the attack before Khan was shot dead by armed officers on London Bridge - the women remain in a stable condition in hospital.

In a statement issued through the Metropolitan Police, Khan's family said: "We are saddened and shocked by what Usman has done. We totally condemn his actions and we wish to express our condolences to the families of the victims that have died and wish a speedy recovery to all of the injured."

Khan, 28, was arrested in

Hate preacher Anjem Choudary

Usman Khan

December 2010 and sentenced in 2012 to indeterminate detention for "public protection" with a minimum jail term of eight years after pleading guilty to preparing terrorist acts.

He had been part of an al-Qaeda inspired group that considered attacks in the UK, including at the London Stock Exchange.

But in 2013 the Court of Appeal quashed the sentence, replacing it with a 16year-fixed term, and ordered Khan to serve at least half this - eight years - behind bars.

Since his subsequent release in December 2018, Khan had been living in Stafford and was required to wear a GPS police tag. He was armed with two knives and was wearing a fake suicide vest during the attack at Fishmongers' Hall last Friday. He was tackled by members of the public, including ex-offenders from the conference, before he was shot dead by police.

Friday's attack sparked a political row over the release of Khan and a debate over the criminal justice system.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was accused of "trying to exploit" the attack "for political gain".

He blamed Khan's release on legislation introduced under "a leftie government", and called for longer sentences and an end to automatic release.

Mr Johnson denied claims he was politicising the attack, saying he had campaigned against early release for some time, having previously raised the issue during his 2012 campaign to be mayor of London. He said he felt "a huge amount of sympathy" for the relatives of the victims.

Meanwhile hate preacher Anjem Choudary could face a recall to jail after he was pictured with the London Bridge terrorist.

Khan was a student and "personal friend" of the radical cleric, who was imprisoned for inviting support for ISIS in 2016.

A photograph from March 2009 shows the pair sharing a platform at the conference in Stoke.

Choudary, 52, was released from jail last year after serving less than half of his sentence subject to fulfilling more than 20 conditions.

But sources claim those conditions are now under urgent review, The Telegraph reports.

Indian restaurant fined for serving dish containing peanuts to girl, 16, with a nut allergy A curry house has been fined after serving a dish containing peanuts to a teenager with a nut allergy - and demanding her family pay for the meal before they rushed her to hospital.

Staff at Gulshan, in Tynemouth, near Newcastle gave the 16-yearold the meal, repeatedly assuring her and her family that it was safe to eat.

However, after just a few mouthfuls, the girl's tongue began to tingle and swell as she suffered the start of an allergic reaction, a court heard. She was taken to North Tyneside General Hospital by her parents before being transferred to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, in Cramlington.

However, shockingly, North Tyneside Magistrates' Court was told that the girl and her family

were made to pay for their meal by staff before they left the restaurant to take her for treatment. The victim was given adrenaline and discharged the following day.

Now, owners of

Gulshan, Sonero Tynemouth Ltd, have been fined £3,767 and ordered to pay £2,744 costs and £1,000 compensation after the company pleaded guilty to breaching section 14 (1) of the Food Safety Act 1990.

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A family set up a hidden camera in a 94-year-old great-grandmother’s nursing home to catch the carers who were abusing her.

Three women who worked at Meera House in Brent were jailed last week and two others received community service orders over the abuse of Paniben Shah.

Mrs Shah’s family placed her in the home in March 2017 after she had a fall and at first thought her claims of staff abuse were a symptom of dementia.

However, after a few months they noticed her health was going “rapidly downhill”. Her son Kirti enlisted the help of grandson Amit to put a hidden camera in a photo frame in her room.

The camera captured carers handling her roughly, verbally abusing her, threatening and hitting Mrs Shah as well as dripping scalding water on her in March 2018.

Amit Shah said: “We couldn’t believe it. The home seemed so professional at first. It’s horrible to think of the horrific cruelty my grandmother suffered at the hands of these women.

She was 94 when she went in there, but she was strong for her age. Then her health went downhill. She was a

broken woman.”

The family said they told care home management about Mrs Shah’s complaints but were dismissed at first.

Mr Shah said: “They acted like we were being difficult because we visited a lot and liked to take her out, get her out of her room. I set the camera up because we knew something was happening.”

Anita Kc Thapa, 46, Anita Bc, 49, Heena Parekh, 55, Dolon Roy, 39, and Moumita Roy, 34, all admitted ill treatment by a care worker. At Harrow crown court on Friday, Thapa was jailed for six months, Bc for five months and Parekh for four. Moumita Roy was sentenced to 240 hours’ community service and Dolan Roy to 200 hours, and both were ordered to pay £200 compensation each.

Judge Lana Wood said: “You deprived Mrs Shah of the dignity and respect she

was entitled to. She should have been treated with care and compassion. But she was treated without humanity and sometimes physically assaulted. There was a culture of accepting ill treatment.”

Meera House, which has declined to comment, is a specialist care home for people of Asian origin. After the family showed Brent council the videos in April last year the home suspended the women. Mrs Shah was moved and the family gave the evidence to police.

The home then received an emergency inspection from the Care Quality Commission in May last year. A spokesman for Meera House said: “We were shocked and devastated by these events and acted immediately to suspend any member of staff that was implicated. We have subsequently worked closely with the police to assist in the prosecutions they have pursued. No member of staff involved in the incident remains at the home.”

About five years ago Meera Nursing Home changed ownership and is currently headed by a new director Nikhail Nayar.

14 COMMUNITY

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7 - 13 December 2019

Exodus of Kashmiri Hindu Pandits similar to that of the Jewish holocaust, says Agnihotri A leading Bollywood Director addressed the diaspora of Kashmiri Hindu Pandits settled in the UK at the Nehru Centre in London. On Sunday, 1st December, Vivek Agnihotri, held a talk on ‘The Past, Present & Future of Kashmir’ where he compared the exodus of Kashmiri minorities’ to that of the Jewish holocaust.

Agnihotri is currently in London interviewing victims of the Kashmiri Hindu Genocide and their families for an upcoming documentary series. This is the first ever attempt by a film maker to document hundreds of first person accounts of the Hindu Genocide victims.

Vivek Agnihotri

His feature film ‘Kashmir Files’ and web series ‘Kashmir Unreported’ is slated for an August 2020 release. Whilst dwelling into the trials and tribulations of Kashmiri Pandit community, Agnihorti was critical of

the previous administrations at the centre. He also blasted the previous local administrations for facilitating unabated radicalisation of the Kashmir Valley.

The writer/director presented his quantitative anal-

Bengali announced as the second most spoken language in London Bengali has been officially named as the second mostspoken language in London, followed by Polish and Turkish - with around 165,311 London residents speaking one of the three as their first language.

Yet less than one in 10 Brits (8%) can fluently speak a second language, which means they’re potentially missing out on friendships, relationships and even partnerships with the many speakers of foreign languages across the capital especially as 311,210 London residents speak a foreign language as their main language at home.

In order to highlight and celebrate London’s cultural diversity, as well as encourage residents to connect with each other, partic-

ularly in the current political climate, adult learning charity, City Lit conducted research to find out the most common foreign languages spoken in boroughs of the capital.

The research identified the main languages that London residents speak in their homes aside from English, allowing City Lit to reveal the l foreign languages spoken most within every London borough.

Bengali is officially the second language of London, with around 71,609 London residents speaking it as their main language. It’s the most common main language people speak, second only to English, across three different boroughs - 3% of Camden residents say Bengali is their main language at home, as do 7% of

Newham residents and 18% of those living in Tower Hamlets.

Despite this being the main language of such a large number of Londoners, only a mere 3% of Brits can speak fluent Bengali meaning 97% of the nation is potentially unable to have an effective, in-depth conversation with people who speak it as their main language Polish is the second most common foreign language spoken by Londoners, with seven boroughs stating this is the second most spoken main language after English. Again, only 3% of Brits can speak fluent Polish - meaning 97% of people in the UK could be missing out on connecting with 48,585 London residents.

ysis of what he called ‘the economy of ethnic cleansing’ and blasted the vote bank politics, which has misguided the Kashmiri Muslim community in the last three decades. His analysis was preceded and backed by some Kashmiri Hindu victims settled here in London who briefly narrated their first hand experiences.

The talk was followed by a Q&A session with questions from the audience.

The event was followed by a book signing session - for Vivek Agnihotri’s bestseller ‘Urban Naxals’. A special screening of ‘Tashkent Files’ is supposed to be held at Westminster Kingsway College London on 4th December at 6:30 pm.

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Star Tours awarded Best Holiday Company A leading travel company has received the award for the Best Holiday Company to Western Europe & Ireland. Star Tours bagged three silver and two bronze awards at this year's British Travel Awards.

The travel company founded by Mr Girish Shah in 1997 has catered to the niche Asian travel and tourism industry in the UK. Founder Mr. Shah was a humble factory worker in Gujarat, India who saw an opportunity for a better life in London, where he moved

with his family. In the meantime, he divulged himself into planning trips for his family and friends, fulfilling his desire to take people to places they had never been before.

Now along with his two sons, he has expanded his business into a global enterprise with seven offices across India, USA and the UK. Over the years, Mr. Shah has donated significant funds worth £200,000 to organsiations such as Big Hug Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Akshay Patra and Oxfam

since 2008.

In 2018, Star Tours was the proud recipient of the Bronze Award from British Travel Awards for the category of Best Holiday Company to Western Europe & Ireland.

Huddersfield unveils statue of a Sikh Soldier

The New India Assurance Co Ltd Annual Reception

Nitin Patel, MD, Goldstar Insurance, Zul Alladina, Head of Wealth, Goldstar Wealth, Paren Patel, The New India Assurance Co Ltd, Shyam Dahal, J B Boda & Co Ltd, Archana Bharati, The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd and Mrs Neerja Kapur, Chief Executive – UK, The New India Assurance Co Ltd

The New India Assurance Co. Ltd hosted its annual evening reception on 14th November St James’ Court

Hotel in the City of London Buckingham Gate. The company is one of India's largest general insurance company.

Operating in the City of London and Ipswich the company's presence in the UK dates back to 1920.

A £65,000 Indian bronze statue of a Sikh soldier was unveiled in a West Yorkshire park to commemorate thousands of Sikhs who fought and died in World War One and Two. Revealed at Greenhead Park, Huddersfield, the Sikh

Soldier Organisation received donations from various members of the Sikh community.

The organisation estimates that more than 83,000 Sikhs were killed and many more wounded during World War One and World

War Two. Kalvinder Bhullar, of the Sikh Soldier Organisation said, "It is a stunning sculpture and an emotional piece.

"We've accomplished our mission to get the statue put in place. The support has been overwhelming."

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TLIGHT

Rosie Kmita Football Forward

many times before.”

Here, Rosie mentioned her twin sister, Mollie, also a Rosie Kmita talented footballer with whom she has played for the Sunetra Senior majority of her life. The girls have played for clubs such as Tottenham, osie has emerged an everyday Spurs, Cambridge, London Bees and icon. Not only is she one of a finally, West Ham. Although Molly did handful of British-Asians to not play for West Ham at the champihave played professional football at a onship, she continued to be by her sishigher league level, but also a ter’s side: “she was there when I needed resounding role model for women in to talk – she’d help me get perspective. the UK for a typically male-dominatWhen I did feel negative, it was a mated sport. “The amount of messages ter of identifying it, and acting on it and interest I get from young women positively: surrounding myself with from different backgrounds is incredgood people and reminding myself of ible,” she told us. good times: from goals I’d scored to great memories with friends and fami“I could not have imagined this sort of buzz when I was growing up.” Playing football recreationally – “kicking the ball while learning to walk” - as a youngster when it was unusual to see women on the pitch, Rosie is now part of the incredible cultural explosion that is women’s football in the mainstream. “The Women’s World Cup has definitely been a big factor in this,” the young pro asserted. The tournament founded in 1991, “it's meant that people can see the coverage over the years.”

R

having Mollie by my side over the last year has been hard, but has shown we are individuals. We rely on each other, but also lead independent lives.” The twins have earlier run their own football coaching academy with an impressive 18 bases across the UK, still recruiting today. Rosie spoke on their new future prospects: “Now, we are both stepping away from playing football, turning to commentary and the media.

Over the last month, for example, I’ve been covering the women’s super league.”

However, the young star finally emphasised how football has created an invaluable emotional foundation.

Often considered an intense and sometimes overly competitive game, Rosie counteracted: “It’s not just been a sport or a profession for me. Football has

*** Indeed, boosted by online engagement, this year the FIFA Women’s World Cup was broadcasted through different media across the nation: from television screens in local pubs to the gleeful headlines of national papers. The Guardian reported the ‘viewing-figures records shattered across continents.’ taught me good habits for life. You go ly.”

More and more people, it seems, want through critical stages when you’re Indeed, the world’s most loved to watch. Rosie further commented on growing up as a girl. As well as selfsport, football is as much about the the unparalleled democratic potential esteem, I think you can really be tested social setting as it is the technical skills. of the sport: “it’s a game that brings by distractions as a teenager. But Rosie summarised: “ultimately, it’s a everyone together – regardless of their Mollie and I always kept close to the mindset. You’ve got to be composed, upbringing.” sport: going for workouts and football present and focussed – that’s what Left-footed, Rosie plays practice, for example, instead of drinklets your talent be. There’s the left-sided central miding and heavy partying.” Now, a warm game, and then there’s the fielder: a powerful posiby-products of what surcertainty in Rosie’s voice, that stable “Playing at tion with a simple rounds it: public speakbase has extended into a mature openrationale. “Within Wembley last ing, the relationship ness towards the changing challenges the front three, you with your team and of life. “I’ve learned so much. It feels year for the FA can create space like the right time to explore somemanager, the enormous Cup Final was ahead of you to drive thing new.” public gaze and, of the ball in. You can And so, embodying such wellcourse, the confidence definitely a afford to tackle anothrounded energy, Rosie doesn’t just within yourself.” This highlight" er player one on one furdemonstrate a unique talent, but also extends to gender diversity ther up the pitch too. You the grass-roots power of her inherently in the sport. Rosie, who has can take risks. The left-side also direct sport. Gradually aligning the played in mixed teams from a young means I can use my speed and persisage, recalls the absence of a social taboo marginalised with traditional authoritence, and cross balls in, which I love. It as pivotal in her connection to the ty, the external environment with suits my frame – I’m smaller so I couldsport: “I was never made to deserving ability, and physical n’t play the position of centre back.” feel uncomfortable playactions with inner convicRosie has notably played for West Ham ing football. It never felt tion, the world of football "I use my United F.C Women, being offered a alien. Our dad was comes to represent the professional contract to stay on with speed and always passionate strength of individualithe team when it phenomenally soared about Mollie and I ty. For that is its core: persistence, and up two divisions to qualify for the playing. It was never “allow yourself to be in women’s super league this summer. can cross balls in, the moment,” Rosie wrong so we felt “Playing at Wembley last year for advised up and coming equal – playing alongwhich I love" the FA Cup Final was definitely a highplayers, “and don’t get side boys simply light. It was the first year I was playing caught up in the context – strengthened that belief.” at such a high level too. Starting out the your future, or what people Having her twin sister year, the West Ham girls and I would think.” Indeed, the structure of to confide in has also helped not have expected to see ourselves Club football itself allows for any team Rosie feel supported interpersonally make it quite like that– it’s been amazover time. “Having someone there has to be able to rise: even those at the very ing.” However, Rosie was just as open really boosted both of us. It’s easier not bottom. “It’s been a matter of changing about the psychological pressure expeto listen to any negative comments and wider social perceptions,” Rosie comrienced in such a high-octane, elevated we always have each other’s backs. It’s mented. “People needing to see differenvironment. “Being the only footgreat to have had someone to partner ent people represented – seeing the baller to come from an ‘amateur’ backup with within and outside the sport.” game itself in a dynamic way.” ground, there were times when I have This young bond of sisterhood has only felt overwhelmed. I’d have mind games evolved into a close female friendship T: @RosieKmita going on, thinking I might not be able in adult years: perhaps more secure #WomeninFootball to kick the ball the way I’d done so because of an unspoken affinity. “Not #FootballForward

UK

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7 - 13 December 2019

SIKH CANDIDATE ACCUSES POLL RIVAL OF INSULTING HIS TURBAN

A Sikh candidate from the Labour party has accused his Tory rival of "insulting" remarks that targeted his turban during a poll hustings in the West Midlands.

Kuldip Sahota, contesting the Ludlow constituency in Shropshire, demanded a Tory party investigation after Conservative candidate Philip Dunne said he was “speaking through his turban” during an exchange over the region's education budgets, prompting gasps from the audience.

“I was shocked and deeply hurt that someone who was an MP for 14 years would make such a derogatory comment about the Sikh faith. This is extremely insulting to the Sikh community,” said Sahota. “These are the kind of offensive comments I remember receiving in the 1970s. They have no place in modern Britain and they certainly have no place in our Parliament. I hope the Conservatives will investigate the matter immediately,” he said. Dunne, a former minister, issued a statement apologising for the remarks as the fallout of the exchange began attracting shocked comments across social media. “I apologised to Kuldip Sahota for my comments last night. I apologise again unreservedly for the offence caused,” said Dunne. Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the UK's first turban-wearing Sikh to be elected as a Labour MP in 2017, took to Twitter to condemn the exchange between the two candidates and demanded that prime minister Boris Johnson take action to prevent “racism festering further” within the Tory party.

“This attack on the turban, which we consider a crown, is an attack on the entire Sikh community, who fought and died for Britain wearing those same turbans,” said Dhesi, a Labour candidate from Slough.

“The Conservatives must suspend him immediately and strip him of his honour. Anything less than that will be condoning blatant racism,” he said.

The Sikh Federation UK issued a statement to brand the incident “nothing less than blatant racism” and called for action by the Conservatives.

Heather Kidd, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Ludlow who was present at the poll hustings on Wednesday (27) night, added: "The audience was obviously shocked. It was the worst kind of unthinking Tory prejudice."

Political parties have been battling claims of religious prejudice, with the Labour Party under attack over alleged anti-semitism within its ranks and the ruling Tories over Islamophobia.

The focus has been on Scotland over the past few days, as Labour was forced to deselect its candidate Safia Ali from contesting from the Falkirk seat in next month's elections over allegations that she made anti-Semitic posts on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives suspended Flora Scarabello, contesting from Glasgow Central, pending a full investigation over alleged anti-Muslim language.

The move came as Johnson apologised for Islamophobia with his party ranks and pledged an inquiry into all forms of prejudice if he wins the election.

CUSTOMS INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS IN LONDON TO CRACK ON MONEYLAUNDERING

Customs sleuths will be posted in London by India in an effort to check trade-based money laundering among others.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the lead agency to check customs frauds and smuggling, has started the process of selecting customs overseas intelligence network (COIN) officers. The officers will be posted as First Secretary at the country's High Commission at London and in Brussels, the officials said.

According to the officials COIN officers play an important role in checking trade-based money laundering and other financial frauds originating from abroad.

They are usually mandated to pass on intelligence gathered from their posting stations overseas to help Indian intelligence agencies - mainly the DRI - to check financial offences. It is, however, not the first time that COIN officers are being appointed in London and other places.

The selection process will involve concurrence by the Ministry of External Affairs and final approval by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-headed Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, the officials said.

Officers with ''outstanding'' annual performance appraisal report will have weightage over other candidates. Those having experience in DRI, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and customs (preventive) charge, involving intelligence gathering and investigation, will be considered for the posting.

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7 - 13 December 2019

7 - 13 December 2019

POLITICS OF SAFETY The British Indian vote As the UK heads to another general election, political parties have now been subject to scrutiny for their attempts at politicising the deaths of two people in the London Bridge terror attack. Boris Johnson was accused of his “distasteful” attempt of manipulating the terror attack that occurred on Friday, 29th November into an election pitch as he cast the blame on Labour Party.

Johnson highlighted that Labour was responsible for the automatic early release scheme under which the attacker Usman Khan was initially sentenced.

Johnson has now claimed that “a lefty government” was responsible for Usman Khan being freed.

Whereas Labour's Richard Burgon, the shadow justice secretary, accused Johnson of going “straight from a tragedy to reheating pre-packaged political lines smearing the Labour party”.

Merritt's family has opposed from his murder being turned into political gain. His father retweeted a post showing the front pages of the Mail and Express, saying that his son “stood against everything you stand for – hatred, division, ignorance”.

Tragedies like the one at London Bridge have reinforced the urgency to the U.K. government to take preventative actions and stop people from becoming extremists before they plan and execute terror attacks.

Since 2003, the Home Office has developed, revised and implemented a strategy to reduce the risk to the U.K. from terrorism. However, PREVENT is also the most controversial strand which aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism such as jihadism or far-right movements.

In 2010, a group of young radical Muslims met in Cardiff's Roath Park to plot an attack to bomb the London Stock Exchange.

Among the nine men, was Usman Khan who carried out the stabbing attack at London Bridge, killing a man and a woman and injuring three others including Jack Merritt.

Khan was out of prison on license at the time of the attack. He was convicted in 2012 after plotting attacks in the U.K. as part of the terror network that used to meet in Welsh parks. Four of his colleagues admitted alliance to the terrorist group al-Qaida.

Now, M15 has started certain inquiry into how a suspect whom they had under “active investigation” could have launched such an attack and Johnson said there were “probably about 74” convicted terrorists who had now been freed.

The attack was followed

17

-Lord Dolar Popat

by a vigil which was held to pay tribute to the victims of the London Bridge terror attack and to honour the emergency services and members of the public who responded to the incident.

Among those present were Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

The remembrance service at Guildhall Yard came as West Midlands Police said a 34-year-old man arrested in Stoke-on-Trent on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts has been recalled to prison due to a suspected breach of his licence condi-

tions.

The family of one of Khan's victims Mr Merritt, from Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, issued a heartfelt tribute released on Sunday.

They said: "He lit up our lives and the lives of his many friends and colleagues, and we will miss him terribly.

"Jack lived his principles; he believed in redemption and rehabilitation, not revenge, and he always took the side of the underdog.

"We know Jack would not want this terrible, isolated incident to be used as a pretext by the government for introducing even more draconian sentences on prisoners, or for detaining people in prison for longer than necessary."

A number of convicts were present at the event at Cambridge University, some of whom helped tackle and disarm the terrorist on London Bridge before police shot him dead. There have been questions surrounding

security at the event, given terrorists and murderers were free to mingle with members of the public. It is thought the hoax suicide vest he was wearing when he was shot dead was strapped to his torso all day and the knives he strapped to his hands are also thought to have been brought into Fishmongers' Hall unchecked.

However, identification of extremists is the greatest challenge. The Home Office has published five versions of its counter-terrorism strategy since its creation 15 years ago. Still, there is no consensus on how to identify potentially radical individuals. In

2017 alone, there were 400 suspects detained and nine terror plots foiled. However, two out of the six perpetrators of the recent attacks in London were referred to PREVENT at some point before. It’s not known if Usman Khan was ever referred to PREVENT.

I have spent my entire adult life trying to bridge the gap between the British Indian and the community Conservative Party. It has been a lifetime’s task and as we approach the upcoming General Elections, whilst the gap may have significantly narrowed – it still exists.

For me, voting Conservative has always been a natural choice. My affiliation began when my family, along with thousands of others were warmly welcomed by the then Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath and his Conservative Government. We will never forget their commitment to support East African Asians at the time.

I joined the Conservative Party in January 1980, following the election of Margaret Thatcher a year earlier in May 1979. I was enthused by her.

My main drive was a desire for a deeper human connection to a country and its politics, mediated through an organisation whose values of hard work, education, enterprise, family and aspiration I shared. The Conservatives were the only fit for that. And still are.

Other factors that made me join the Conservatives were: industrial strikes; the three-day week of winter 1974; nationalised companies including British Airways making huge losses; and the socialist policies of Harold Wilson in the mid-1970s. The Winter of Discontent (1978– 79) and the perceived decline of Britain’s manufacturing sector were also big drivers.

Ironically, 40 years later, I

did not foresee this same decline coming back under a new Labour leader – Jeremy Corbyn. In the twenty-first century, I am shocked and dismayed that any Political Party would even consider revisiting these socialist and nationalist policies having seen the devastation that it caused to our society and country.

In all my years of political activism, I worked in isolation from the Labour Party. We always had to prove that we were different and better than the Labour Party.

However, this General Election is unique. For the first time in over 40 years, it is the Labour Party that is doing our job for us, as thousands of dedicated, long serving British Indian Labour Party voters have been left feeling alienated and coming towards the Conservative Party for the first time.

I have been shocked by the Labour Party’s anti-India stance, particularly around the Kashmir motion that was passed at the Labour Party Conference this year. The motion caused uproar not just within the British Indian community here, but across India.

A first-of-its-kind YouGov opinion poll of British Indian Voters, commissioned by India Inc. and Washington DC data analytics firm 0ptimus, revealed last month a 12 point drop amongst British Indians supporting the Labour Party since the 2017 General Election. This is the largest drop of the British Indian vote ever for the Labour Party.

My greatest ambition has always been to see the British Indian vote come across to the Conservative Party. In 2012, I set up and launched the Conservative Friends of India with my good friend David Cameron. David saw the potential of the British Indian vote – not electorally, but the fact that we were the model community for Great Britain. Our values and success represented the ideals this country aspired for.

Electorally we did begin to see results. With the help

of hundreds of activists and trailblazers the British Indian vote for the Conservatives jumped from just 11% in 2005 to 49% in 2015.

Our campaign of appealing to Conservative Party voters has never been around hate or causing division, it was based on a genuine belief that the Conservative Party and its values is what is truly best for our families and country. It is because of this I hope the gap will close even more in next week’s General Election. However, what I am proud of even more is the sheer strength and dynamism of the British Indian community that pleases me the most.

For the first time in a generation, it is the British Indian community which held the political parties to ransom as opposed to other way round.

You would expect me to say at every election that “it has never been more important to vote for the Conservative Party.”

However, I feel this time we are at a cross roads the likes of which I have never seen before. I believe to my core that the choice we face in 10 days time will change this country's fate irrevocably.

There has never been so much at stake whilst simultaneously having two candidates whose ideologies are as opposing as night and day.

I will continue to work with Conservative colleagues to engage with the British Indian community, but if there is one lesson that is to be learnt from this election – that is never to take the British Indian vote for granted ever again. We must play our part in English electoral history like we have played our parts in its industrial and cultural history. We must continue to play our part to help the UK reach its full and successful potential, and to do that, there is only one party capable of matching our communities drive and determination and that’s the Conservative Party.

I hope you will join me on the 12th and vote Conservative to secure a successful future for all the British Indian generations who follow us.

Labour endorses Jammu and Kashmir Liferation Front (JKLF) In the meantime, the former Mayor of the London Borough of Lambeth, has expressed deep concern over the endorsement of the Labour party by terrorist group Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front in the December 12 General Election.

In a letter addressed to Labour Party General Secretary Jennie Formby, Dr Neeraj Patil, said the JKLF had kidnapped an Indian diplomat Ravindra Mhatre

in February 1984 in Birmingham. Mhatre was then brutally murdered after failing to secure the release of its founding member Maqbool Bhat from Indian prison. He wrote, "This organisation also has a long track record of terror offences in India and is designated as a terrorist organisation there.

"I am a strong advocate of peace between India and Pakistan and have a track record of holding many events to bring both the

communities closer. I have erected a statue of an IndoPakistani philosopher on the bank of River Thames with the support of the Pakistani Muslim community.

"I was very disappointed to note that Luton Labour Party is displaying this letter of endorsement from JKLF on the official Facebook and sending this letter from the JKLF to members of the community via social media."

Dr Patil noted that the Luton Labour party and its

official website is displaying and circulating a letter of endorsement by the JKLF. The letter of endorsement signed by Syed Tahseen Gilani, JKLF President, British Chapter, stated that on behalf of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, they completely supported the Labour Party in the election on December 12.

He has now asked the Labour Party to take remedial measures as a matter of urgency.

Swedish Royals arrive in India on Air India flight The king and queen of Sweden flew to India by taking a schedule commercial nonstop Air India from Stockholm to Delhi. Their down-to-earth behaviour on board the aircraft, where King Carl XVI Gustaf Folke Hubertus relished Indian meal, and then carried his own cabin bags on alighting from the Dreamliner at Delhi airport’s aerobridge instantly endeared the royal couple to everyone.

The flight started as a fairy tale for the cashstrapped AI, which operates its twin class - business and economy - Boeing 787 Dreamliner between Delhi and Stockholm thrice a week.

“Six hours before our scheduled take off from Stockholm our office there got a call from the Royal Palace. They wanted to make a tentative booking for 14 seats, four in business and 10 in economy,” said sources. The reason: the official aircraft of the Swedish royal family had developed a snag. The king and queen Silvia Renate Sommerlath are learnt to have been keen on keeping their official trip to India as per schedule.

The royal couple drove into Stockholm-Arlanda Airport and alighted at the base of the aerobridge on terminal building side. They boarded AI Dreamliner from there and were welcomed by all crew members. The flight took off at its schedule time.

During the flight, the royal couple floored the AI crew with their politeness and down-to-earth behaviour.

India, Sweden to combat terrorism Days after she expressed reservations about India’s

Queen Silvia and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House

actions in Kashmir, Swedish foreign minister Ann Linde met her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar for intensive discussions to ramp up cooperation in international platforms to combat terrorism.

“Wide-ranging conversation with Swedish FM Ann Linde.

Discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in environment, manufacturing, health and smart cities. Urged greater mobility of Indian talent,” Jaishankar tweeted after the talks. “Strong identity of views on multi-lateralism.

We agreed on a new consultation mechanism. Will cooperate closely in the UN,” he added.

Linde tweeted: “Our countries have longstanding relations and we stand united in promoting a rules-based international order, a key for peace and prosperity.” Their talks came during the Swedish Royal's visit who are on a six-day tour of India.

Jaishankar also discussed with Linde the challenge of terrorism, especially cross-

border terrorism.

“Emphasised that right to life is the most basic human right. Agreed to work together in international forums to address this key challenge of terrorism,” he said. This was a response to the Swedish parliament’s statement on Kashmir.

The Royal couple's schedule Their Majesties will visit the Great Mosque of Jama Masjid and the World Heritage Red Fort before ending their first day with a State Banquet at the Presidential Palace. The second day will see a focus on climate, environment, and business issues. The first event of the day will be the India Sweden Business Summit, which will encourage dialogue between Indian and Swedish businesses to discuss collaborations and opportunities.

King Carl XVI Gustaf will participate in a roundtable discussion on Sweden and India’s work for emissions and air pollution. Queen Silvia will visit the All India

Institute for Medial Science to learn about elderly care

attend a lunch hosted by the Swedish Institute before attending the opening of the India Sweden Business Leaders’ Roundtable. In the evening, they will attend a reception at the Swedish Embassy.

On the third day, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia will travel to Mumbai to begin a day of engagements there, including visiting Versova Beach for the world’s largest beach clean-up project.

Their Majesties will visit Doorstep School, which provides free school and homework help to poor children and attend a workshop about inspiring girls to learn about technology. King Carl XVI Gustaf will meet with Swedish and Indian business leaders in

On the fourth day, Their Majesties will travel to the state of Uttarakhand. There, they will visit Rishikesh on the Ganges River to meet with young environmental activists and the Centre for Science and Environment.

Before leaving the Ganges, they will take part in a traditional ceremony.

Afterwards, King Carl XVI Gustaf will join the Indian Minister for Water Affairs to open two water treatment plants in Haridwar. Then, Their Majesties will meet with experts in nature conservation and sustainable forestry for meetings throughout the afternoon and evening.

On their final day in India, their Majesties will continue to meet with experts to dis-

Swedish Royal couple with President Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

and dementia care in the country.

Queen Silvia will also visit the UN in India to hear about how the country is working to prevent human trafficking.

Their Majesties will also

Mumbai that evening before Their Majesties attend a reception hosted by the Swedish Consulate General at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangarahalaya Museum.

cuss environmental protection a nd biodiversity. Their final engagement will be to visit the Van Gujjar village to learn more about traditional farming and animal husbandry in the area.

ly India’s fourth-largest trading partner in ASEAN [Association of South East Asian Nations] with bilateral trade currently worth $14 billion, almost double from $7.8 billion in 2016, and expected to reach $15 billion in 2020 and rising. Oil exploration, agricultural and industrial manufactures are the staple elements of trade. According to the Foreign Investment Agency of Vietnam, during the first six months of 2019, India registered 30 new investment projects worth total capital of $21.74 million in key sectors such as energy, mineral exploration agro-

processing, farm products, IT. Tourism has been boosted by e-visa applications and direct air travel which commenced in October 2019.

During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Hanoi in September 2016, the IndiaVietnam relationship was raised to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. India also contributes river projects in the Mekong.

In sum, the IndiaVietnam relationship is set to grow in every facet of development, agriculture, industry, science, technology education and not least, in defence and security.

Modi’s 'Look East' policy Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Look East’ policy is a vital string to the bow of India’s foreign policy. The momentum of global change brings fresh challenges, opportunities and the occasional pitfall. They have all to be calibrated and factored into a coherent working order, flexible but clear in its averred goal, that of safeguarding and promoting the national interest.

It is on this canvas that India’s outreach to Vietnam needs to be fully understood and appreciated. The building blocks were already in place during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as Indian Prime Minister. Indeed, there was an earlier rapport between her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, and Vietnam’s founding father and first President, the legendary Ho Chi Minh. The Indian masses had followed closely the Vietnamese liberation struggle, first against the occupying remnants of the Japanese Imperial Army,

then the far greater struggle against French colonialism, climaxed by the country’s epic resistance and victory over the United States, previously paymaster of the French. Vietnam’s unity – which America had staunchly opposed - came with its military triumph in April 1975. Vietnam’s victory, in valour, skill and endurance, was second only to the Soviet Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War and its demolition of Hitler’s vaunted Thousand-Year Third Reich.

Ho Chi Minh died in 1969, but his indomitable heirs, were among them, the military architect of victory, Defence Minister General Vo Nguyen Giap, with Prime Minister Pham Van Dong the political guide. Vietnam subsequently entered Cambodia, overthrew the infamous, Chinese backed, monster Pol Pot Khmer Rouge and drove it into the jungle, repelled a Chinese invasion of their country in

1979 – apparently to teach Vietnam a lesson taught to India in 1962, said Beijing.

The humbling of China, the expulsion of Pol Pot, antagonised the West, both, at time, de facto allies of the United States.

During this regional tumult, India had stood firmly behind Vietnam, and hence Premier Pham van Dong arrived in New Delhi to express his country’s gratitude for India’s support in its darkest hours. India, like Vietnam, was poor, but had shared the paucity of its economic possessions. Vietnam, said her visitor would not forget India’s generosity. As a quid pro quo Vietnam expressed total support for India’s territorial dispute with China along the Himalayan border, fact which the slow-witted Indian media are yet to report or recognise after all these years. Jejune reports on President Trump’s latest shenanigans at home and abroad are all that apparently matter.

The vistas of IndiaVietnam relations lend hope and expectation that the best is yet to c o m e , although they have galloped forward in the decades since, with b o t h Congress-led and BJP-led governments cementing ties, particularly in defence and security, where cooperation is intense and deep.

China’s rise reflected in its bullying conduct in the South China Sea has alarmed South East and India, whose unfolding responses are likely to have an enduring regional impact. Vietnam is one the region’s tiger economies, forging ahead in multiple directions, one towards India.

The fact file bulges with promise. Vietnam is current-

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7 - 13 December 2019

POLITICS OF SAFETY The British Indian vote As the UK heads to another general election, political parties have now been subject to scrutiny for their attempts at politicising the deaths of two people in the London Bridge terror attack. Boris Johnson was accused of his “distasteful” attempt of manipulating the terror attack that occurred on Friday, 29th November into an election pitch as he cast the blame on Labour Party.

Johnson highlighted that Labour was responsible for the automatic early release scheme under which the attacker Usman Khan was initially sentenced.

Johnson has now claimed that “a lefty government” was responsible for Usman Khan being freed.

Whereas Labour's Richard Burgon, the shadow justice secretary, accused Johnson of going “straight from a tragedy to reheating pre-packaged political lines smearing the Labour party”.

Merritt's family has opposed from his murder being turned into political gain. His father retweeted a post showing the front pages of the Mail and Express, saying that his son “stood against everything you stand for – hatred, division, ignorance”.

Tragedies like the one at London Bridge have reinforced the urgency to the U.K. government to take preventative actions and stop people from becoming extremists before they plan and execute terror attacks.

Since 2003, the Home Office has developed, revised and implemented a strategy to reduce the risk to the U.K. from terrorism. However, PREVENT is also the most controversial strand which aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism such as jihadism or far-right movements.

In 2010, a group of young radical Muslims met in Cardiff's Roath Park to plot an attack to bomb the London Stock Exchange.

Among the nine men, was Usman Khan who carried out the stabbing attack at London Bridge, killing a man and a woman and injuring three others including Jack Merritt.

Khan was out of prison on license at the time of the attack. He was convicted in 2012 after plotting attacks in the U.K. as part of the terror network that used to meet in Welsh parks. Four of his colleagues admitted alliance to the terrorist group al-Qaida.

Now, M15 has started certain inquiry into how a suspect whom they had under “active investigation” could have launched such an attack and Johnson said there were “probably about 74” convicted terrorists who had now been freed.

The attack was followed

17

-Lord Dolar Popat

by a vigil which was held to pay tribute to the victims of the London Bridge terror attack and to honour the emergency services and members of the public who responded to the incident.

Among those present were Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

The remembrance service at Guildhall Yard came as West Midlands Police said a 34-year-old man arrested in Stoke-on-Trent on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts has been recalled to prison due to a suspected breach of his licence condi-

tions.

The family of one of Khan's victims Mr Merritt, from Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, issued a heartfelt tribute released on Sunday.

They said: "He lit up our lives and the lives of his many friends and colleagues, and we will miss him terribly.

"Jack lived his principles; he believed in redemption and rehabilitation, not revenge, and he always took the side of the underdog.

"We know Jack would not want this terrible, isolated incident to be used as a pretext by the government for introducing even more draconian sentences on prisoners, or for detaining people in prison for longer than necessary."

A number of convicts were present at the event at Cambridge University, some of whom helped tackle and disarm the terrorist on London Bridge before police shot him dead. There have been questions surrounding

security at the event, given terrorists and murderers were free to mingle with members of the public. It is thought the hoax suicide vest he was wearing when he was shot dead was strapped to his torso all day and the knives he strapped to his hands are also thought to have been brought into Fishmongers' Hall unchecked.

However, identification of extremists is the greatest challenge. The Home Office has published five versions of its counter-terrorism strategy since its creation 15 years ago. Still, there is no consensus on how to identify potentially radical individuals. In

2017 alone, there were 400 suspects detained and nine terror plots foiled. However, two out of the six perpetrators of the recent attacks in London were referred to PREVENT at some point before. It’s not known if Usman Khan was ever referred to PREVENT.

I have spent my entire adult life trying to bridge the gap between the British Indian and the community Conservative Party. It has been a lifetime’s task and as we approach the upcoming General Elections, whilst the gap may have significantly narrowed – it still exists.

For me, voting Conservative has always been a natural choice. My affiliation began when my family, along with thousands of others were warmly welcomed by the then Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath and his Conservative Government. We will never forget their commitment to support East African Asians at the time.

I joined the Conservative Party in January 1980, following the election of Margaret Thatcher a year earlier in May 1979. I was enthused by her.

My main drive was a desire for a deeper human connection to a country and its politics, mediated through an organisation whose values of hard work, education, enterprise, family and aspiration I shared. The Conservatives were the only fit for that. And still are.

Other factors that made me join the Conservatives were: industrial strikes; the three-day week of winter 1974; nationalised companies including British Airways making huge losses; and the socialist policies of Harold Wilson in the mid-1970s. The Winter of Discontent (1978– 79) and the perceived decline of Britain’s manufacturing sector were also big drivers.

Ironically, 40 years later, I

did not foresee this same decline coming back under a new Labour leader – Jeremy Corbyn. In the twenty-first century, I am shocked and dismayed that any Political Party would even consider revisiting these socialist and nationalist policies having seen the devastation that it caused to our society and country.

In all my years of political activism, I worked in isolation from the Labour Party. We always had to prove that we were different and better than the Labour Party.

However, this General Election is unique. For the first time in over 40 years, it is the Labour Party that is doing our job for us, as thousands of dedicated, long serving British Indian Labour Party voters have been left feeling alienated and coming towards the Conservative Party for the first time.

I have been shocked by the Labour Party’s anti-India stance, particularly around the Kashmir motion that was passed at the Labour Party Conference this year. The motion caused uproar not just within the British Indian community here, but across India.

A first-of-its-kind YouGov opinion poll of British Indian Voters, commissioned by India Inc. and Washington DC data analytics firm 0ptimus, revealed last month a 12 point drop amongst British Indians supporting the Labour Party since the 2017 General Election. This is the largest drop of the British Indian vote ever for the Labour Party.

My greatest ambition has always been to see the British Indian vote come across to the Conservative Party. In 2012, I set up and launched the Conservative Friends of India with my good friend David Cameron. David saw the potential of the British Indian vote – not electorally, but the fact that we were the model community for Great Britain. Our values and success represented the ideals this country aspired for.

Electorally we did begin to see results. With the help

of hundreds of activists and trailblazers the British Indian vote for the Conservatives jumped from just 11% in 2005 to 49% in 2015.

Our campaign of appealing to Conservative Party voters has never been around hate or causing division, it was based on a genuine belief that the Conservative Party and its values is what is truly best for our families and country. It is because of this I hope the gap will close even more in next week’s General Election. However, what I am proud of even more is the sheer strength and dynamism of the British Indian community that pleases me the most.

For the first time in a generation, it is the British Indian community which held the political parties to ransom as opposed to other way round.

You would expect me to say at every election that “it has never been more important to vote for the Conservative Party.”

However, I feel this time we are at a cross roads the likes of which I have never seen before. I believe to my core that the choice we face in 10 days time will change this country's fate irrevocably.

There has never been so much at stake whilst simultaneously having two candidates whose ideologies are as opposing as night and day.

I will continue to work with Conservative colleagues to engage with the British Indian community, but if there is one lesson that is to be learnt from this election – that is never to take the British Indian vote for granted ever again. We must play our part in English electoral history like we have played our parts in its industrial and cultural history. We must continue to play our part to help the UK reach its full and successful potential, and to do that, there is only one party capable of matching our communities drive and determination and that’s the Conservative Party.

I hope you will join me on the 12th and vote Conservative to secure a successful future for all the British Indian generations who follow us.

Labour endorses Jammu and Kashmir Liferation Front (JKLF) In the meantime, the former Mayor of the London Borough of Lambeth, has expressed deep concern over the endorsement of the Labour party by terrorist group Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front in the December 12 General Election.

In a letter addressed to Labour Party General Secretary Jennie Formby, Dr Neeraj Patil, said the JKLF had kidnapped an Indian diplomat Ravindra Mhatre

in February 1984 in Birmingham. Mhatre was then brutally murdered after failing to secure the release of its founding member Maqbool Bhat from Indian prison. He wrote, "This organisation also has a long track record of terror offences in India and is designated as a terrorist organisation there.

"I am a strong advocate of peace between India and Pakistan and have a track record of holding many events to bring both the

communities closer. I have erected a statue of an IndoPakistani philosopher on the bank of River Thames with the support of the Pakistani Muslim community.

"I was very disappointed to note that Luton Labour Party is displaying this letter of endorsement from JKLF on the official Facebook and sending this letter from the JKLF to members of the community via social media."

Dr Patil noted that the Luton Labour party and its

official website is displaying and circulating a letter of endorsement by the JKLF. The letter of endorsement signed by Syed Tahseen Gilani, JKLF President, British Chapter, stated that on behalf of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, they completely supported the Labour Party in the election on December 12.

He has now asked the Labour Party to take remedial measures as a matter of urgency.

Swedish Royals arrive in India on Air India flight The king and queen of Sweden flew to India by taking a schedule commercial nonstop Air India from Stockholm to Delhi. Their down-to-earth behaviour on board the aircraft, where King Carl XVI Gustaf Folke Hubertus relished Indian meal, and then carried his own cabin bags on alighting from the Dreamliner at Delhi airport’s aerobridge instantly endeared the royal couple to everyone.

The flight started as a fairy tale for the cashstrapped AI, which operates its twin class - business and economy - Boeing 787 Dreamliner between Delhi and Stockholm thrice a week.

“Six hours before our scheduled take off from Stockholm our office there got a call from the Royal Palace. They wanted to make a tentative booking for 14 seats, four in business and 10 in economy,” said sources. The reason: the official aircraft of the Swedish royal family had developed a snag. The king and queen Silvia Renate Sommerlath are learnt to have been keen on keeping their official trip to India as per schedule.

The royal couple drove into Stockholm-Arlanda Airport and alighted at the base of the aerobridge on terminal building side. They boarded AI Dreamliner from there and were welcomed by all crew members. The flight took off at its schedule time.

During the flight, the royal couple floored the AI crew with their politeness and down-to-earth behaviour.

India, Sweden to combat terrorism Days after she expressed reservations about India’s

Queen Silvia and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House

actions in Kashmir, Swedish foreign minister Ann Linde met her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar for intensive discussions to ramp up cooperation in international platforms to combat terrorism.

“Wide-ranging conversation with Swedish FM Ann Linde.

Discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in environment, manufacturing, health and smart cities. Urged greater mobility of Indian talent,” Jaishankar tweeted after the talks. “Strong identity of views on multi-lateralism.

We agreed on a new consultation mechanism. Will cooperate closely in the UN,” he added.

Linde tweeted: “Our countries have longstanding relations and we stand united in promoting a rules-based international order, a key for peace and prosperity.” Their talks came during the Swedish Royal's visit who are on a six-day tour of India.

Jaishankar also discussed with Linde the challenge of terrorism, especially cross-

border terrorism.

“Emphasised that right to life is the most basic human right. Agreed to work together in international forums to address this key challenge of terrorism,” he said. This was a response to the Swedish parliament’s statement on Kashmir.

The Royal couple's schedule Their Majesties will visit the Great Mosque of Jama Masjid and the World Heritage Red Fort before ending their first day with a State Banquet at the Presidential Palace. The second day will see a focus on climate, environment, and business issues. The first event of the day will be the India Sweden Business Summit, which will encourage dialogue between Indian and Swedish businesses to discuss collaborations and opportunities.

King Carl XVI Gustaf will participate in a roundtable discussion on Sweden and India’s work for emissions and air pollution. Queen Silvia will visit the All India

Institute for Medial Science to learn about elderly care

attend a lunch hosted by the Swedish Institute before attending the opening of the India Sweden Business Leaders’ Roundtable. In the evening, they will attend a reception at the Swedish Embassy.

On the third day, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia will travel to Mumbai to begin a day of engagements there, including visiting Versova Beach for the world’s largest beach clean-up project.

Their Majesties will visit Doorstep School, which provides free school and homework help to poor children and attend a workshop about inspiring girls to learn about technology. King Carl XVI Gustaf will meet with Swedish and Indian business leaders in

On the fourth day, Their Majesties will travel to the state of Uttarakhand. There, they will visit Rishikesh on the Ganges River to meet with young environmental activists and the Centre for Science and Environment.

Before leaving the Ganges, they will take part in a traditional ceremony.

Afterwards, King Carl XVI Gustaf will join the Indian Minister for Water Affairs to open two water treatment plants in Haridwar. Then, Their Majesties will meet with experts in nature conservation and sustainable forestry for meetings throughout the afternoon and evening.

On their final day in India, their Majesties will continue to meet with experts to dis-

Swedish Royal couple with President Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

and dementia care in the country.

Queen Silvia will also visit the UN in India to hear about how the country is working to prevent human trafficking.

Their Majesties will also

Mumbai that evening before Their Majesties attend a reception hosted by the Swedish Consulate General at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangarahalaya Museum.

cuss environmental protection a nd biodiversity. Their final engagement will be to visit the Van Gujjar village to learn more about traditional farming and animal husbandry in the area.

ly India’s fourth-largest trading partner in ASEAN [Association of South East Asian Nations] with bilateral trade currently worth $14 billion, almost double from $7.8 billion in 2016, and expected to reach $15 billion in 2020 and rising. Oil exploration, agricultural and industrial manufactures are the staple elements of trade. According to the Foreign Investment Agency of Vietnam, during the first six months of 2019, India registered 30 new investment projects worth total capital of $21.74 million in key sectors such as energy, mineral exploration agro-

processing, farm products, IT. Tourism has been boosted by e-visa applications and direct air travel which commenced in October 2019.

During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Hanoi in September 2016, the IndiaVietnam relationship was raised to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. India also contributes river projects in the Mekong.

In sum, the IndiaVietnam relationship is set to grow in every facet of development, agriculture, industry, science, technology education and not least, in defence and security.

Modi’s 'Look East' policy Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Look East’ policy is a vital string to the bow of India’s foreign policy. The momentum of global change brings fresh challenges, opportunities and the occasional pitfall. They have all to be calibrated and factored into a coherent working order, flexible but clear in its averred goal, that of safeguarding and promoting the national interest.

It is on this canvas that India’s outreach to Vietnam needs to be fully understood and appreciated. The building blocks were already in place during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as Indian Prime Minister. Indeed, there was an earlier rapport between her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, and Vietnam’s founding father and first President, the legendary Ho Chi Minh. The Indian masses had followed closely the Vietnamese liberation struggle, first against the occupying remnants of the Japanese Imperial Army,

then the far greater struggle against French colonialism, climaxed by the country’s epic resistance and victory over the United States, previously paymaster of the French. Vietnam’s unity – which America had staunchly opposed - came with its military triumph in April 1975. Vietnam’s victory, in valour, skill and endurance, was second only to the Soviet Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War and its demolition of Hitler’s vaunted Thousand-Year Third Reich.

Ho Chi Minh died in 1969, but his indomitable heirs, were among them, the military architect of victory, Defence Minister General Vo Nguyen Giap, with Prime Minister Pham Van Dong the political guide. Vietnam subsequently entered Cambodia, overthrew the infamous, Chinese backed, monster Pol Pot Khmer Rouge and drove it into the jungle, repelled a Chinese invasion of their country in

1979 – apparently to teach Vietnam a lesson taught to India in 1962, said Beijing.

The humbling of China, the expulsion of Pol Pot, antagonised the West, both, at time, de facto allies of the United States.

During this regional tumult, India had stood firmly behind Vietnam, and hence Premier Pham van Dong arrived in New Delhi to express his country’s gratitude for India’s support in its darkest hours. India, like Vietnam, was poor, but had shared the paucity of its economic possessions. Vietnam, said her visitor would not forget India’s generosity. As a quid pro quo Vietnam expressed total support for India’s territorial dispute with China along the Himalayan border, fact which the slow-witted Indian media are yet to report or recognise after all these years. Jejune reports on President Trump’s latest shenanigans at home and abroad are all that apparently matter.

The vistas of IndiaVietnam relations lend hope and expectation that the best is yet to c o m e , although they have galloped forward in the decades since, with b o t h Congress-led and BJP-led governments cementing ties, particularly in defence and security, where cooperation is intense and deep.

China’s rise reflected in its bullying conduct in the South China Sea has alarmed South East and India, whose unfolding responses are likely to have an enduring regional impact. Vietnam is one the region’s tiger economies, forging ahead in multiple directions, one towards India.

The fact file bulges with promise. Vietnam is current-

18 FINANCE - UK 7 - 13 December 2019

Paragon Bank launches new Lifetime ISA

Paragon Bank has launched a new Cash Lifetime ISA (LISA) to introduce new competition to the LISA market. Paragon said that their new LISA can be opened by anyone between the ages of 18 and 39 – allowing customers to save up to £4,000 a year tax-free and receive a 25% government bonus until they turn 50.

If savers are willing to lock their cash up for longer, Paragon said they can earn more – as funds cannot be withdrawn without being subject to a 25% government charge, unless they are to be used for the purchase of a first home, or for retirement. If used for retirement, the funds can be withdrawn free of charge once the account holder reaches the age of 60. However the savings will stop earning the 25% government bonus and cannot be added to after the account holder has turned 50.

Paragon savings director, Derek Sprawling, commented, “The LISA is a fantastic opportunity for savers to earn a considerable amount of money on their savings towards their first home or retirement. “If you save the maximum amount into a LISA every year between 18 and 50, you will have earned a £32,000 government bonus alone. “The imminent end of the Help to Buy ISA should increase the appeal of the LISA scheme.”

Paragon’s launch comes just days before Help to Buy ISAs are due to close to new savers, and it’s the first new lifetime ISA account to open in just over four months. But the competition is still limited – with just 14 products in total across cash and stocks & shares options. The Paragon Bank Lifetime Isa measures up to rival offerings from Skipton, Nottingham and Newcastle Building Society and Moneybox.

What does the Paragon Bank cash lifetime ISA offer?

It accepts transfers from other lifetime ISAs, and there are no additional account fees. Up to £85,000 of your savings will be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in case the bank goes bust. This is something to keep an eye on, as if you make the maximum deposit every year, you will exceed this limit in 17 years when you factor in the maximum amount you can save plus the government bonuses – and this is before interest.

How does the new lifetime ISA compare?

Paragon’s new lifetime ISA account brings the total to 14: five cash lifetime ISAs, and nine stocks and shares lifetime ISAs. Paragon Bank’s Lifetime ISA account offers the third-best AER rate. There’s little variation between the accounts, though, so it only falls short of the Moneybox leading rate by 0.25%.

The Paragon account also accepts transfers from other lifetime ISAs. While this feature was set out in the government’s initial lifetime ISA proposal, to make sure savers can switch between products, not all accounts accept transfers. Nutmeg, OneFamily and Hargreaves Lansdown don’t accept lifetime ISA transfers, while the Nottingham Building Society doesn’t accept transfers from any kind of ISA.

Accor and Arora sign pact to bring Fairmont brand to Windsor Leading hospitality group Accor and Arora Group, one of the UK’s leading hotel owner-operators, announced the signing of a an agreement to bring Fairmont brand to Windsor Park. The hotel is currently undergoing redevelopment and is set to open in the second half of 2020.

The hotel will be the third Fairmont property in the United Kingdom, joining The Savoy in London, a Fairmont Managed Hotel, and Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland, and demonstrates the growing partnership with Arora Group.

Located adjacent to Windsor Great Park and Savill Gardens, the Windsor property is located on the former site of Savill Court Hotel and Spa, which was owned and operated by Arora Group.

The site is being completely redeveloped to create a property in line with Fairmont’s globally-recog-

nised standards.

With more than 75 locations around the globe, Fairmont is known for its grand and awe-inspiring properties. The Windsor hotel promises to redefine luxury in the UK hospitality market, embracing the eclectic lifestyle of its location and boasting over 200 bedrooms and opulent suites, as well as a Royal Suite with exclusive access to a private section of the spa and wellness area.

Marc Dardenne, Chief Operating Officer, Accor Europe, said: “Through strategic investment, exceptional brand management and focused operations, Accor has established itself as a leader in the global luxury hotel market with a dedicated portfolio that includes many of the world’s most prestigious brands. We feel Fairmont is an ideal match for this remarkable hotel asset and look forward to showcasing all the brand has to offer in historic Windsor.”

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Tata Steel plans to cut 1,000 jobs in Wales Tata Steel plans to reduce the workforce by around 1,000 in Wales as part of its restructuring plans. The company said that two thirds of the job losses will be management and officebased roles.

In the Netherlands 1,600 positions are also set to go, with 350 others cut elsewhere in the world. Tata Steel's Europe CEO, Henrik Adam, said the company "cannot afford to stand still" as "the world around us is changing fast and we have to adapt".

Speaking in north Wales, Skates said it would probably take until February 2020 for all the details to emerge but it "appears to be the case" 1,000 jobs could be cut from the Welsh workforce. "This will understandably be a worrying time for Tata Steel employees and their families in Wales," he said.

"Tata Steel has previously confirmed that they intend to seek to avoid compulsory redundancies and I will be impressing on the company the importance of standing by this commitment."

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community union which represents workers in the steel industry, said Tata's

proposals had "no credibility" and had been poorly timed. "I think the way the company have handled this has been atrocious, it's never a good time but having this announcement hit us a few weeks before Christmas is absolutely scandalous.

"There was no need for this announcement at all at this stage." He told on a radio that plans had "no credibility" for the unions and Tata had been told to "go away, think again, and come back with a clear strategy, come back with a strategy for the future".

"We want to know about investment, what the future holds and all they've done is come up with this awful proposal just to cut jobs."

Tata has one steelmaking site and five other facilities in Wales. Port Talbot employs 4,000 workers nearly half of Tata's UK workforce - but the firm is yet to specify which UK locations will suffer the cuts.

Rickhuss said he understood most of the jobs at risk would be "white collar and managerial jobs". The firm

first announced plans to cut 3,000 jobs across its European business last week, in a bid to come to terms with a "severe" international steel market.

In a bid to improve financial performance, the company also expects to increase its sales of highervalue steels, optimise production processes and reduce its procurement c o s t s .

Community said the job cuts were "a consequence of management failure to have a Plan B following the collapsed of the joint venture with Thyssenkrupp".

Industry analyst Dr Kath Ringwald said the news was "not unexpected", adding "With current market conditions, it was going to be difficult for Tata to sustain production at current levels. They are taking measures to reduce their cost base in the hope of longer-term survival." She said Tata had to do "something radical" because worldwide demand had "flatlined". “It does not signal the end of

steelmaking in the UK," she said. "But to continue making it at the current rate may be optimistic."

Ringwald added energy prices and business rates were higher in the UK than other steel-producing countries such as France and China, and the next government would face pressure to offer help.

Tata's UK plants were put up for sale in March 2016, leading to months of uncertainty. However, the move was put on hold and a 10-year £1bn investment plan was announced for the UK's biggest steelworks at Port Talbot - if market conditions allowed - along with a commitment to try to avoid compulsory job losses.

Tata explored merger options with Thyssenkrupp over the next two years and a deal was finally agreed in the summer of 2018. But competition concerns emerged over creating what would be Europe's second biggest steelmaker and the deal fell through. The European Commission, which blocked the merger, said the companies "did not offer adequate remedies" to pricing and competition concerns.

Thomas Cook India inks deal with Thomas Cook UK Fairfax's Thomas Cook (India) announced that it has signed an agreement with Thomas Cook United Kingdom (UK) to acquire the rights to the Thomas Cook brand in India, Sri Lanka and Mauritius for a one-time payment of approximately £1.39 million.

The company in a statement said that it signed an agreement with AlixPartners, which is appointed special managers, to acquire the rights.

Two months ago, Thomas Cook UK went bankrupt leaving several of their customers in trouble. TCIL was previously contracted to pay an annual brand licence fee of £200,000 to TCUK until 2024 for usage of the brand. Thomas Cook (India) Limited has operated the Thomas Cook brand name uninterrupted in India since 1881. In 2012 when TCIL was acquired by Fairfax Financial Holdings of Canada, TCIL had entered into a Brand Licence Agreement with Thomas Cook Group UK for exclusive

use of the brand name until 2024 across India, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.

The brand license agreement also gave TCIL the right of first refusal to acquire the brand in the event of the Thomas Cook UK Group going into liquidation before 2024. TCIL’s acquisition of the exclusive ownership of the Thomas Cook brand in these markets means that TCIL can now use the iconic travel services brand name that they have operated for 138 years in India. This agreement ensures brand use rights in perpetuity and means that TCIL can use the brand in perpetuity on a royalty-free basis.

Today, the Thomas Cook India Group, is one of the largest travel service provider networks headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region - spanning 29 countries and 5 continents, a team of over

9,700 and a combined revenue in excess of £ 671.87 million for the financial year ended March 31, 2019. The Thomas Cook India Group also operates leading B2C and B2B travel brands including SOTC, TCI, SITA, Asian Trails, Allied T Pro (ATP), Australian Tours Management (ATM), Desert Adventures, Luxe Asia, Kuoni Hong Kong, TC Travel, Private Safaris East & South Africa, Sterling Holidays and Digiphoto Entertainment Imaging (DEI), with strategic investments in Ithaka by Travel Junkie Solutions.

Brexit, weak global demand to hurt UK in 2020, industry warns The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and a manufacturing trade body, Make UK, have made downward revisions to their 2020 UK growth forecasts amid looming Brexit risks and bleak global economic outlook.

Official figures have shown that Britain’s economy is growing at the weakest annual pace since 2010, and industry leaders see little or no improvement in 2020, even if Prime Minister Boris Johnson

wins re-election and secures a Brexit divorce deal by a Jan 31 deadline.

The CBI predicted economic growth of 1.3% this year and 1.2% in 2020, followed by a pick-up to 1.8% in 2021, assuming Johnson reaches a trade deal with the EU that leads to no tariffs and little divergence from EU rules. “Alongside perennial Brexit uncertainty, (businesses) are also contending with softer global demand,” CBI

chief economist Rain Newton-Smith said. Back in July, the CBI forecast growth of 1.4% this year and 1.5% next.

Make UK halved its forecast for manufacturing growth next year to 0.3% from 0.6%, though it kept its forecast for growth in the overall economy in 2020 unchanged at 1.4%, up from 1.3% this year.

“Export orders have increased slightly this quarter, indicating greater confidence from

foreign customers about purchasing UK goods as concerns about an end of year no-deal Brexit fade,” Make UK’s chief executive Stephen Phipson said.

Britain’s economy has slowed since the June 2016 referendum decision to leave the European Union, with manufacturing especially hard hit due to concerns about disruption to supply chains, on top of pressures from the US-China trade war.

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REAL ESTATE VOICE

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

19

7 - 13 December 2019

WHEN THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES Currently, I’m looking into a commercial property. The environment in many ways is unfavourable to residential investment.

Although of course, residential property investment does have its place. The persecution comes from two angles, one is the amount of legislation surrounding BTL properties. There are 160 pieces of legislation one has to comply with - these also increase constantly. The other is from the onerous and unfair taxation applied to rental property.

Suresh Vagjiani Sow & Reap London Property Investment

For those of you who choose to manage a property, beware, all you need is one tenant who knows the laws better than you. Not hard to find. I remember managing properties in Edgware Road under Westminster Council, most of the tenants were DSS tenants. This was just after the credit crunch. Bankers, traders didn’t have jobs. These would have been the clientele for top end penthouses. The DSS tenants no longer wanted 3 bed ex council houses, they were in the market for and getting top end penthouses. I particularly remember a tenant negotiating for a penthouse in a new development in Paddington’s West End Quay. Many of the tenants I came across seemed to have developed an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of how to manipulate the legal system in their favour. Not difficult, as most of it’s written to protect the innocent tenant from the vicious landlord.

Commercial property, unlike residential, has reduced stamp duty on entry as well as some interesting angles to do with parking pension

funds, not to mention the ease of rent collection, the simplistic eviction process, etc.

So, we have been analysing commercial deals.

The deal we are looking at currently has a ten year tenancy in a strong commuter belt town.

What makes this deal interesting, is not just the deal. It’s the financing which wraps around it. Currently, we have rates which are very low, both on the residential and commercial side.

The deal yields 6% which is strong given the strength of the tenant and the location.

A lender who has been looking at this deal has come up with a 5 year fixed rate at 3.48% on a 50% LTV basis. On these rates, your actual return on capital comes to 9.34%.

This is exceptional given the location of this property. The tenant is unlikely to vacate during this period. The rate won’t move, so at the end of 5 years you have almost 50% of your investment back.

The numbers stand on their own heads. This deal sells itself. It is self evident.

In addition, there is a development angle to this deal. There is potential to add a couple of floors to this property. When this is done you would expect an uplift, and thereby potentially be able to get a large chunk of money back out

of your investment; thereby leaving even less in the deal.

A veteran of the property market explained the situation to me. He said there has never been a time in his experience when both the property market has taken a dip and the interest rates have been so low. This is like a rare astrological occurrence, an alignment of stars.

We have in our possession a valuation report done on a property very close by. It’s an indepth report which sheds light on rents achieved in the locality, and the calibre of the population in the town.

It only serves to reinforce the deal. We are currently seeking investors for this project.

Please call the office if this is of interest to you.

AGONY AGENT IS HERE TO HELP! Q: Should I take out a boiler care agreement for my BTL property?

A: Last year, in the run up to Christmas we had four boiler failures with no heating or hot water. Two boilers had completely given up, and one underfloor heating system was just simply not playing ball. Usually at this time of year it is a real task to get a contractor out to fix such issues, as everyone seems to get them at the same time. If you have a boiler care agreement then you would normally have a visit within 48hrs, without one, you might end up having to wait four to five days!

If you have a new boiler then the chances are you will not need it, as you will have a warranty, and this will be covered as long as you service it regularly.

But if your boiler is an older model then we would recommend it.

Most boiler covers may include the following but please make sure you double check as they will differ from provider to provider: unlimited call outs, labour costs covered in the event of an issue, sometimes parts depending on value, 24hr assistance, same day call out if

BUY TO LET OPPORTUNITY London, NW1 Purchase Price: £470,000

you have someone under 3 or over 65 years old; and on the odd occasion they might even supply alternative heating for a complete breakdown.

Before looking around for cover, perhaps contact your insurance company first, and ask if they offer this type of cover as some insurance companies do.

If you need any other BTL property guidance, please do get in touch.

● Beautiful two bedroom ground floor flat with high ceilings ● Low service charges ● Long lease of more than 100 years ● Well placed to benefit from the regeneration happening in Kings Cross

● Yield of 5% per annum ● Recommend as long term buy and hold opportunity Call us now for more information!

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0207 993 0103 info@sowandreap.co.uk www.sowandreap.co.uk 27 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 8HU SowandReapProperties

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Turning land into cash Get in touch about our land opportunities

20 FINANCE

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7 - 13 December 2019

Govt reaches out to India Inc in its push for $5 tn economy Top Union ministers - Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal - called upon India Inc with a clear message: Tell us your problems and we’ll fix them while pushing reforms. Perhaps, for the first time a high-powered team from the Modi government was talking about the economy amid a slowdown. India Inc was in full attendance at the Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence. Home minister Shah told the gathering, “You represent 60% of India’s GDP. Without your support, the dream of a $5-trillion economy cannot be achieved.” India Inc’s big guns at the awards function included Mukesh Ambani, N Chandrasekaran, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Sunil Mittal, Rahul Bajaj, Uday Kotak and Anil Agarwal.

According to Shah, the government had undertaken “detoxification” of the economy in the

Vedanta Resources chairman Anil Agarwal, Kotak Mahindra Bank MD & CEO Uday Kotak, Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran and RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani

last five years, and the next five will see a series of reforms that would make India one of the most powerful economies in the world. Pointing out the measures taken by the Centre for making India a $5-trillion economy, Shah said that a slew of labour reforms are in the offing.

On ease of doing business, he said India has moved up to the 77th rank this year from 142 in

2014. And by 2024, it would rank in the 30s, Shah added.

Highlighting 10 of the 36 steps that the government had taken to revive the economy, finance minister Sitharaman said that the move to cut the corporate tax rate to 25% has boosted India’s efforts to attract companies that are leaving China. She said 12 such companies have conveyed what would be needed

for them to shift to India.

Union minister for commerce and railway Goyal appealed to the “business spirit of Mumbai”, saying, “The buzzword around the country is that Mumbai dares to dream.”

Quoting legendary value investor Warren Buffett, he added, “Let us not talk ourselves into a recession and lose the ‘mojo’.” Goyal said that he had been meeting businessmen and asking them to identify stress points they face, whether with the Central or state government or even with local bodies.

Sanjiv Mehta, chairman, Hindustan Unilever, was awarded the Business Leader of the Year, while Metro man E Sreedharan was given the Lifetime Achievement award.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was honoured with the Business Reformer Of The Year award.

India's GDP falls to 4.5%, worst in more than six years India's economy grew at its slowest pace in 26 quarters or six-and-a-half years in the July–September period of the current fiscal year, dragged down by contraction in the crucial manufacturing sector, piling pressure on the government to unleash fresh measures to revive growth and lift sentiment.

Data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO showed gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.5% in the September quarter, slower than 5% in the previous quarter and the lowest since the 4.3% expansion in the January-March quarter of 2012-13. The data disappointed many economists who had pinned their hopes on the recently-concluded festive season for a pickup in demand. The economy has been in the grip of a slowdown and several sectors such as automobiles have seen sustained contraction.

The manufacturing sector contracted 1% in the September quarter, the first decline in nine quarters, highlighting the lack of demand in the economy. This is in line with the contraction in other data such as factory

output and core sector numbers. Separate data released showed the eight core sectors spanning coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement, electricity, which account for 40% of the index of industrial production, contracted 5.8% in October.

The government has exuded confidence that economic growth will pick up soon. It has over the past few months announced a series of measures to stimulate the economy, ranging from withdrawal of higher taxes on foreign investors, a mega merger plan for state-run lenders and a reduction in corporate taxes. The Reserve Bank of India has also been lowering the repo rate to push economic expansion. It has so far this year cut the repo rate five times by 135 basis points.

Expect growth in second half of the fiscal: Experts The slowdown also triggered a political slugfest with former prime minister Manmohan Singh terming the 4.5% number as unacceptable. Chief economic adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian said the fun-

Kochhar challenges her termination from ICICI

Air India will have to be closed if privatisation bid fails: Govt

Chanda Kochhar, the former CEO of ICICI Bank, has approached the Bombay high court challenging the validity of the bank’s termination letter issued early this year. She has sought from the court a declaration upholding the validity of an earlier letter in October 2018 wherein ICICI Bank had accepted her early retirement. On October 3, 2018, Kochhar had put in her papers after a controversy over loan disbursement to Videocon Industries. ICICI Bank had accepted her early retirement application and appointed Sandeep Bakshi in her position.

In February this year, however, Kochhar received a letter from the bank saying that she is terminated “for cause, in view of pending inquiry”. The bank also then cancelled all her benefits, right from 2008. The issue before the court is that having accepted her request for the early retirement, she no longer was an employee of the bank for it to be able to terminate her services. Unless she is restored on the rolls of the bank, she cannot be removed again. Her prayer is to declare that the communication of early retirement issued by the bank on October 4 is valid and the later communication of termination be quashed.

Loss-making national carrier Air India will have to cease operations if it is not privatised, minister for civil aviation Hardeep Singh Puri told Rajya Sabha. “Your airlines would have to be closed down if not privatised,” Puri said while replying to a question.

He added that a group of officials, under the chairmanship of home minister Amit Shah, is finalising the process of inviting bids from private sector for the national carrier. The company has lucrative landing slots in India and across the world, but has been a burden on the exchequer for years.

Last year it failed to attract bidders when it tried to sell a 76% stake in the airline and offload about $5 billion of Air India’s debt. It is now re-evaluating some of the terms and is open to selling the airline in its entirety, Puri said in response to another question. It is also significantly reducing its debt to make it more attractive. One of the biggest hurdles, however, is its large number of employees - Air India has about 9,400 permanent staff and 4,200 contract workers.

Puri said 25% salaries of various employees were withheld when the state-owned

damentals of the economy continued to be strong and that GDP growth will pick up in the third quarter.

FM rules out recession Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while defending the state of the economy assured that the government is taking steps in the interest of the country. “Every step being taken is in the interest of the country.

Looking at the economy, you see that growth may have come down but it is not recession yet, it won’t be recession ever,” Sitharaman said in her reply to the short duration discussion on the state of the economy in Rajya Sabha.

The FM said the government has unveiled 32 steps to revive growth since her July budget and those measures were yielding results. Sitharaman compared the economic report card of the UPA and the Narendra Modi-led BJP government since 2014 saying inflation was below the targeted range and economic growth and other macroeconomic indicators under the present government was much better.

in brief

FIN PANEL TO LOOK AT 6-YEAR PLAN FOR CENTRE & STATES The 15th Finance Commission will submit recommendations for six financial years, marking only the second instance of the Constitutionally-mandated panel giving proposals for Centre and state finances for more than five years. The 9th Finance Commission, headed by N K P Salve, had proposed a six-year road map as the government had argued that it coincided with the five-year plan cycle. This time, the bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and their conversion into Union Territories forced an extension in the panel’s tenure with the government arguing that the extension will enable it “to examine various comparable estimates for financial projections in view of reforms and the new realities to finalise its recommendations for the period 2020-2026”.

OLA PLANS TO SLASH JOBS Ride-hailing major Ola is planning to cut its workforce by around 15-20% over the next two quarters in a bid to improve margins and move towards profitability, sources said. Ola is estimated to have around 5,800-6,000 people on its payroll, including group companies - Ola Electric Mobility and Ola Financial Services, where about 8-10% of the employees could be redeployed besides laying off over 350-400 people. The development comes as Ola, run by ANI Technologies, reduced its losses by 57% to £116 million during FY19 from £267.6 million in FY18. The company saw its standalone revenue growing by 26% to £188.5 million at the end of March 2019, according to its filings with MCA. Valued at around $6 billion, Ola plans to go public in around two to three years and being profitable before filing for an IPO is a desirable situation.

HDFC FORMS PANEL TO NAME PURI’S SUCCESSOR HDFC Bank board has constituted a sixmember sub-committee to identify a successor to Aditya Puri current MD of the bank, whose term ends on October 26, 2020. The bank has also elevated as directors two senior executives - Sashidhar Jagdishan and Bhavesh Zaveri. Jagdishan is currently group head of finance, HR, legal & secretarial, administration, and infrastructure. Zaveri is currently group head of operations, IT and cash management.

The search panel comprises the bank’s chairperson Shyamal Gopinath and other directors. A statement issued by the board said that the search committee, over the next few months, will evaluate both internal and external candidates to ensure smooth transition.

GOVT MOPS UP £72.9 MN FROM STAKE SALE IN RITES carrier was in a financial crisis. “There is full intention that before the privatisation or disinvestment is completed, this 25% would be reimbursed to all employees in all segments,” he said. “Issues being related to current employees, their health cover, how many would remain and what would happen, we are committed to secure a favourable deal for all employees. I would go to that extent,” he added. He also rejected recent reports suggesting that several pilots of Air India are leaving the airline as their salaries were not being paid on time. “Air India pilots are very well looked after and their salaries in relation to what other air carriers are offering is very good,” said Puri.

The 10% offer for sale of RITES was fully subscribed with disinvestment proceeds of £72.94 million. “The government undertook offer for sale (OFS) in RITES on November 2225. The base offer was fully subscribed,” said the department of investment and public asset management (DIPAM). Railways consultancy firm RITES was listed on the bourse in July 2018, after it raised about £46.6 million through an initial public offering (IPO). The government has so far garnered £ 1.74 billion from disinvestment, but around 82% (£1.44 billion) of it has been accrued from the ETF funds and not from stake sales, showing that the reliance on funds has worked well for selloff as a strategy. The Bharat 22 ETF under its second offer mopped up £436.9 million and CPSE ETF under FPO sixth tranche collected £1 billion in this financial year, according to the DIPAM data.

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in brief STUDENT FROM KARNATAKA SHOT DEAD IN CALIFORNIA

A 25-year-old student from Mysuru, Karnataka, pursuing a master’s degree in computer science at California State University in San Bernardino was shot dead by an unidentified assailant last week.

The student, identified as Abhishek Sudhesh Bhat, had a part-time job at a motel and was reportedly attacked while he was returning home from work. His family members said they didn’t have any idea about the motive or the attacker’s identity. Son of Sudhesh Chand, a yoga guru and founder of Sri Upanishath Yoga Centre Trust in Mysuru.

Abhishek had studied engineering at Vidhya Vikas Engineering College in Mysuru before leaving for the US two years ago.

PAK PROVINCIAL GOVT TO GIVE LAND FOR LAST RITES OF MINORITIES

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government is in the process of procuring and identifying land for the construction of cremation grounds and graveyards for the minority Hindus and Christians in various districts. The land, nearly 0.3 acres for the cremation ground and 0.6 acres for the graveyard, has been purchased in Buddo Samarbagh area of Peshawar district.

Sources in the province’s department of religious affairs and minorities informed that the land procurement process has been completed in Peshawar, the provincial capital. Similarly, 0.5 acres land has been identified in Nowshera district for Christian graveyard and nearly 0.3 acres land for the cremation ground. Deputy commissioners of Bannu district have been directed to acquire land under provisions of land procurement law for the cremation ground and graveyard.

13 PAKISTANIS KILLED IN JORDAN FARM FIRE

Jordanian officials say that at least 13 people belonging to a farming community along the border with Israel and Syria were killed in a fire. The Jordanian civil defense says in a statement that the fire broke out in a shack where two Pakistani families live in the village of al-Shuna al-Janobia. Three others were injured. It says the dead included eight children, four women and a man - all said to be Pakistani nationals. The officials say an electrical fault caused the fire and an investigation has been launched. The village sits along the Jordan Valley, south of the confluence of the Yarmouk and Jordan rivers.

NO IMPROVEMENT IN SHARIF'S HEALTH

Hussain Nawaz, the son of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif said that there were no signs of improvement in the health of his father and requested the people to pray for him. Hussain said that he wished his father would be treated under one roof. "Have advised my father numerous times to go to the US for treatment," he said. "We can't see any signs of improvement in his health," he added.

Hussain said that Nawaz would have to be taken to the hospital numerous times over the next couple of days. "Diagnosis of the bone marrow is a very sensitive issue, I would like the nation to pray for my father," he was quoted as saying. Sharif family sources confirmed that the former prime minister underwent two therapy sessions at London Bridge Hospital. They revealed that Sharif was being provided with medicines to strengthen his immune system.

Pak SC pulls up Imran govt over extension of tenure to army chief ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan gave the government an ultimatum of six months to justify why it granted a controversial extension to the country’s army chief, an unprecedented move that pits the judiciary against the government and the military.

Prime Minister Imran Khan through an official notification of August 19 granted a three-year extension to Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, citing “regional security environment” over its rivalry with India. But in a surprise ruling, the Supreme Court suspended the extension, citing a series of irregularities and ordering the government and the army to produce legal provisions and detailed arguments on the reasoning behind the move. However, the court granted a temporary six-month extension to Bajwa’s tenure, but said the government must pass legislation through parliament in that time to clarify the section of Pakistan’s constitution governing the armed forces. “We are showing judicial restraint although there is no provision in law to grant an extension,” Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa told the court. “We

Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa

leave this matter to parliament to make law regarding this.”

The unprecedented action by the apex court shook the high echelon of powers as the government scrambled to control the damage. Khan held an emergency Cabinet meeting to deal with the precarious situation, with Gen Bajwa himself attending the deliberations. Farogh Naseem, who resigned from his post as law minister to pursue the case, represented Gen Bajwa in the court.

But despite giving a temporary reprieve over its handling of the extension, the episode could weaken the authority of the coalition government, led by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, that now has to pass what is likely to be complex legislation on the military through parliament. The civilian government has enjoyed good relations with the armed forces, in contrast to the previous government of Nawaz Sharif. It has also led to questions about the future of Bajwa, who has led the military through a period of escalating tensions with India and western neighbour Afghanistan.

The abrupt decision of the court to suspend Bajwa’s extension, and the government’s reaction, has been branded “a comedy of errors” by Pakistan’s media, which is rarely critical of the military. “This is without a doubt the most shambolic episode in the PTI government's tenure so far,” said an editorial in Dawn. “Surely there are other officers more than capable of leading the army.

General Bajwa’s next step will determine whether he is thinking of himself or his institution.”

Indian-American killed Kabul terror attack WASHINGTON: An IndianAmerican expert working for the UNDP in Afghanistan has been killed in a terrorist attack on a UN vehicle in Kabul, according to US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. “I want to confirm with a heavy heart that a US citizen, Anil Raj of California, was killed in a terrorist attack on a UN vehicle in Kabul on November 24. There were five other civilians who were injured, including staff,” Pompeo told reporters.

Raj was working for the Indian-American Anil Raj killed in a terrorist attack in Kabul United Nations Development this act in the strongest possible terms,” Programme (UNDP) in Afghanistan. The Pompeo said. While no further details were UN agency is focused on ending poverty. provided by the state department about “We extend our condolences to the family Raj, US media reports said he hailed from and friends of the victim following this Saratoga, California. No one has claimed tragic incident and send our best wishes responsibility for the November 24 attack for a speedy recovery for those who were in the war-torn country. injured,” he said. “Attacks targeting UN Raj graduated from Saratoga High personnel working to help the Afghan peoSchool in 2002 and earned a bachelor’s ple are unconscionable, and we condemn

Death for seven in Bangladesh cafe attack, Indian among 20 killed DHAKA: A special Bangladeshi tribunal sentenced seven of the eight suspects to death for their involvement in the 2016 Islamist attack on a Dhaka cafe that killed 20 people, including an Indian girl, the worst terror attack in the country’s history.

The convicts were found to have financed, supplied weapons, or assisted those who directly took part in the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka’s diplomatic area on July 1, 2016. The judge acquitted the eighth suspect as the prosecution side could not prove his links to the attack by the outlawed Neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh.

A defence lawyer said the convicted men would appeal. The attack on the restaurant popular with foreigners shocked the nation of 160 million and unnerved businesses. Five young militants, armed with guns, sharp weapons and grenades stormed the Holey Artisan cafe, took diners hostage and killed them over 12 hours. Nine Italians, seven Japanese, an American and Tarishi Jain, an Indian student of University of California, were among the victims.

degree in political science from University of California Riverside and a master’s degree in international human rights from the University of Denver.

He joined the UNDP in 2010 as a disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration reports officer in South Sudan.

He most recently served as a management specialist in Kabul.

UNDP administrator Achim Steiner has strongly condemned the attack. “On behalf of the UNDP, I wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of our colleague who was killed and wish a speedy recovery to all those who were injured in this senseless attack.

UNDP joins the secretary-general in condemning in the strongest possible terms this attack and in calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice,” Steiner said.

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90 more students, mostly from India, held from fake US university WASHINGTON: Federal law enforcement agencies have arrested 90 foreign students, mostly from India, enrolled in a fake university established by the US government to check immigration fraud, a media report has said. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has so far arrested more than 250 students, who were lured to enroll in the now-closed University of Farmington in the Detroit metropolitan area by the Department of Homeland Security. The ICE had in March arrested 161 students from the fake university established by it. When it was closed in March, there were 600 students, mostly Indians, enrolled in it.

The latest news of arrest of additional 90 students in recent months has resulted in outrage with #AbolishICE hashtag gaining ground on Twitter and other social media platforms. According to an ICE spokesperson of the 250 students arrested so far, 'nearly 80 per cent were granted voluntary departure and departed the United States.' Of the remaining 20 per cent, about half of them have received a final order of removal, the official was quoted as saying.

Federal prosecutors claim that the students knew that this was a fake university as there were no classes. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a leading Democratic presidential candidate, described the move as 'cruel'. 'This is cruel and appalling,' she said in a tweet.

'These students simply dreamed of getting

the high-quality higher education America can offer. ICE deceived and entrapped them, just to deport them,' Warren said. ICE had filed criminal charge sheet against eight recruiters. Seven of them have pleaded guilty.

These eight recruiters have been indicted for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and harbouring aliens for profit by the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Students enrolled in the university, a

significant number of whom were from India, came to the US legally on a valid visa issued by the US embassy in India. The US 'trapped the vulnerable people who just wanted to maintain (legal immigration) status,' Rahul Reddy, a Texas attorney who represented or advised some of the students said. 'They prayed upon them,' he alleged.

The fake university charged around USD 2,500 per quarter for graduate programme and the average cost is USD 1,000.

cellphone location pinged to the garage.

Along with police, Ruth's friends and family discovered her in the car, cold and unresponsive with her clothes half off. Drag marks from her shoes and fingers suggested there was a struggle, officials say. They tried CPR, but she was pronounced dead at the scene, Murphy said.

Police identified his face on video, which Ruth George and Donald Thurman prompted them to set up A memorial on campus for Ruth was additional surveillance to see if he returned to adorned with flowers and framed photos the area near a subway stop, Murphy said. He showing her with a wide smile. "She was the was spotted and arrested when he did return, beloved baby of our family," Ruth's family and the white jacket which he had taken from said in a statement. "We grieve with hope. We Ruth was recovered at his home. Thurman hold no hatred towards the perpetrator, but was charged with first-degree murder and our hope is no other girl would be harmed in aggravated sexual assault following a this way and for a mother to never experience confession, university police said in a this type of heartache." She was known statement. Prosecutors said he was being held fondly as "Ruthie" on campus, university with no set bail. Reportedly, Thurman was on chancellor Michael Amiridis said. parole after a robbery conviction in 2016.

Former Maldives president sentenced to 5 years in prison MALE: A court in Maldives convicted former president Abdulla Yameen and sentenced him to five years in prison for money laundering as dozens of his supporters gathered outside the courtroom saying that he is innocent. The fivemember criminal court has also ordered Yameen to pay a $5 million fine.

Yameen, who ran the the Indian Ocean archipelago state from 2013 to 2018, unexpectedly lost an election last year to current President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and has since faced investigations over a number of deals sealed during his tenure. He was accused of receiving $1 million of government money through a private company as part of a deal to lease a number of tropical islands for hotel

BOMBINGS KILL 16 IN AFGHANISTAN Afghan officials said that two separate explosions in the country’s north killed 16 people, almost all of them women and young girls. A roadside bomb struck a civilian vehicle going to a wedding, killing at least 15 people; six women, six girls and two infants, as well as the male driver, according to Nasrat Rahimi, an interior ministry spokesman. He said two other civilians were wounded in the blast in the Kunduz province. Hours later, a gunfight and explosion at a security checkpoint killed a policeman, said Mohammad Nooragha Faizi, a police spokesman in Sari Pul province.

LANKA PRESIDENT INVITES MURALITHARAN TO BE GUV

Indian American girl killed for ignoring man's catcalls CHICAGO: Ruth George, a physical therapy student, wanted to help other people heal, her family said in the wake of her death. The 19-year old student at the University of Illinois at Chicago was at a professional fraternity event and returned with a friend, who parted ways. Ruth walked alone to her her car in a parking garage, authorities said.

She caught the attention of a stranger, Donald Thurman, who tried talking to her after she walked by, said James Murphy, the assistant state's attorney for Cook County.

"The defendant was angry that he was being ignored," Murphy said in a statement.

George's next moments, according to police, bring to bare the nightmarish, harrowing reality for women on any given day, particularly when encountering a man, alone, on a darkened street.

Thurman, 26, pursued Ruth and closed in while he "catcalled" her throughout the garage, Murphy said. Thurman “thought she was pretty” and wanted to talk to Ruth. She arrived at her car, but Thurman choked her from behind and dragged her into the car, where he sexually assaulted her before fleeing. At home, Ruth's sisters grew concerned when she was late, prosecutors said, and they contacted police. Her

in brief

development - charges he has repeatedly dismissed.

Judge Ali Rasheed, who headed a panel of five judges trying the case, told the criminal court it had been established beyond any reasonable doubt that Yameen had taken money that he knew was embezzled from the state. “The judges took over 10 days to deliberate on this and this is the unanimous verdict of the five judges,” Rasheed said.

Yameen drew the Maldives closer to China during his tenure of five years. Opposition critics accused him of giving contracts, including a major bridge and an extension to the international airport, to Chinese companies at inflated prices. He denied any wrongdoing.

Abdulla Yameen

Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan is set to play a different innings as governor of the country’s Tamil-dominated Northern Province after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa “personally invited” him to accept the post, a media report said. The 47-year-old ace spinner is among the three new governors tipped to be appointed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “President Gotabaya Rajapakse had personally invited Muralidharan to accept the post of the governor of the Northern Province,” said a report quoting presidential secretariat sources as saying.

Muralitharan married Madhimalar Ramamurthy, a Chennai native, in March 2005. He was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack in 2002. He retired from Test cricket in 2010.

NEPAL PM OLI PUT ON VENTILATOR

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was admitted to a hospital after he complained of health complications. Oli has been on a regular dialysis for over five weeks. He had undergone an operation and his appendix was removed, said reports. According to a hospital report, the prime minister is on ventilator and that his condition is stable. The 68-year-old politician has struggled with his health in last few years.

However, he is said to have been using steroids recently, said reports. Oli has been in touch with doctors for kidney transplant, said reports. He has been administered a medicine used to normal the heartbeat after operation. The Nepal government in a press statement said that Oli’s condition is normal and stable.

REPORTER CHASED BY PIG DURING LIVE TV BROADCAST

A reporter had to cut short a live broadcast because a pig wouldn’t leave him alone. Lazos Mantikos was in a Greek town to report on flood damage, but his broadcast took a different turn when a sow chased him live on air. Mantikos jumped around as he tried to avoid the pig, who can be seen nudging into his legs, and continue his report on TV channel ANT1. Mantikos said the pig had been following them around all morning and was biting him. He was even chased off camera at one point by the large animal.

82-YEAR-OLD BODYBUILDER CLOBBERS INTRUDER

An intruder didn’t count on an 82-year-old woman living alone being an award-winning bodybuilder with nerves of steel. Willie Murphy was getting ready for bed at her home in Rochester, New York, when a man pounded on the door and said that he needed an ambulance. She called police but wouldn’t open the door. Then, she said, the man broke in. “He picked the wrong house to break into,” Murphy said. She clobbered him with a table, poured shampoo in his face and was beating him with a broom when police arrived. The man was later sent to a hospital, and police tweeted a selfie with Murphy, calling her “tough as nails”.

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Jamiat seeks review of SC's Ayodhya verdict A review petition was filed against the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind announced, stressing that mosque land cannot be given up as per the Sharia. The Board, after a meeting in Lucknow, also said that it was against accepting the five-acre alternative land given for a mosque as it “will neither balance equity nor repair the damage caused” and claimed the verdict had several contradictions.

The Jamiat Ulama-iHind, whose former Uttar Pradesh General Secretary M Siddiq was one of the original petitioners, said it will file the review petition soon as the verdict is “not based on evidence and logic.” However, Iqbal Ansari, a main litigant in the Ayodhya land dispute case, distanced himself from the AIMPLB decision and stuck to his position that he will not go for a review. The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, which has been

awarded the five-acre plot by the apex court, had also welcomed the verdict but was yet to take a decision on “accepting” the alternative land.

Jamiat chief Maulana Arshad Madani said in a statement in Delhi that the apex court accepted most of the arguments and evidence of the Muslim parties, but delivered the judgment against them in favour of the Hindu parties. “It is not a prestige issue. This is a matter of Sharia. We can neither give the mosque, nor take anything in lieu of it,” Madani told reporters in Lucknow. The decision by the Jamiat to review the Ayodhya judgment was taken after its highest decision-making body, the working committee, gave its nod for filing the review petition following extensive deliberations involving lawyers and experts. Sources said Jamiat’s working committee was earlier undecided on whether to file a review petition on the verdict and had formed a five-

member panel headed by Madani to take a call on it after consulting with lawyers and experts.

“The committee (formed by the Jamiat) was of the view that our review petition will be dismissed, but we have to take this step (of filing the review),” Madani told reporters. He was speaking after attending the AIMPLB meeting where

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi was among those present. “The AIMPLB, which is not a direct party to the case, will continue to play the role of guiding force for the litigants and in managing the case. Out of the Muslim petitioners, at least five seem to be backing a review with the Jamiat already announcing that it will do so,” AIMPLB mem-

ber Kamal Farooqui said after the Board’s meeting in Lucknow’s Mumtaz College.

AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani told reporters after the meeting, “The land of the mosque belongs to Allah and under the Sharia, it cannot be given to anybody. The Board has also categorically stated that it was against taking five-acre land in Ayodhya in lieu of

the mosque. The board is of the view that there cannot be any alternative to the mosque,” he said. The installation of a statue of Lord Ram inside the Babri Masjid in the night of December 23, 1949, “was unconstitutional”, Jilani said, adding, “So, how did the Supreme Court consider them as ‘araadhya’ (eligible for worship). They (idols) cannot be considered as ‘araadhya’ (eligible for worship) even as per Hindu religion.”

“The AIMPLB is not doing any politics over the Ayodhya issue, but is fighting for its constitutional rights,” he said, replying to a question during the press conference after the meeting. After the AIMPLB made the announcements, Ansari said in Ayodhya, “My views are different from that of the Board and want an end to the mandir-masjid issue at this very point. There is no use of going for the review as the outcome will remain the same...the move will also vitiate the harmonious atmosphere.”

With $78bn, India still highest overseas remittances’ receiver India continues to retain its position as the world’s top recipient of remittances, with its diaspora sending back $78.61billion in 2018.

Considering that India’s diaspora is the largest in the world, at 17.5 million (as of mid-2019), this ranking in terms of remittances is not surprising.

India’s remittances were 14% of the global remittance figure of $689 billion followed by China with remittances of $67.41 billion which is 5.4% of the global remittance figure. Even in

2010 and 2015, India was the top recipient of remit-

tances. Remittances during 2010 were $53.48 billion, ris-

ing to $68.91 in 2015 - an increase of nearly 29%. The increase in remittance between 2015 and 2018 is 14%. As compared with the remittances in 2010, the latest figure of $78.61 billion shows a rise of nearly 47%.

The statistics were disclosed in the World Migration Report 2020 by International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which is United Nation’s migration unit.

High income countries are almost always the main source of remittances. For

decades, the US has consistently been the top remittance-sending country, with a total outflow of $68 billion, followed by UAE ($44.4 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($36.1 billion), the report states. The number of international migrants is estimated to be almost 272 million globally, with nearly two-thirds being labour migrants. However, this figure is a very small percentage (merely 3.5%) of the world’s population, denoting that 96.5% people reside in the country in which

they were born. That said, the report points out that the number already surpasses some projects made for year 2050, which had forecast the world’s migrant population to be 230 million.

At 17.5 million, India’s diaspora was the largest in the world during 2019, with majority of Indians in UAE (3.4 million), US (2.7 million) and Saudi Arabia (2.4 million). Mexico’s diaspora of 11.8 million was the second largest, followed by China at10.7 million.

Not made CM to shift funds to Delhi: Fadnavis A fresh political row erupted as BJP scrambled to rubbish a claim made by its own MP and former Union minister Anantkumar Hegde that Devendra Fadnavis was made chief minister in Maharashtra for 80 hours despite lacking majority only to “protect” £4 billion of central funds from “misuse” by a Shiv Sena-NCPCongress government.

Even as the opposition flared, Fadnavis and BJP itself pulled up the controversial MP. A senior BJP leader in Delhi called the comments “needless” and added that Hegde will be conveyed the leadership’s “displeasure”. Fadnavis, now leader of the opposition, described his party colleague’s statements as “preposterous and 100% baseless” and refuted it “completely”.

‘Hegde’s claim is incorrect and false’ Anantkumar Hegde had told a gathering in Karnataka’s

Devendra Fadnavis

Uttara Kannada district: “It was entirely planned earlier.

Once we got to know (about three parties forming government) it was decided that a drama would be played out. Adjustments were made and oath was taken, and within 15 hours Fadnavis systematically ensured that it (money) reached where it had to and protected it.”

Sena MP Sanjay Raut called it “backstabbing and treachery with Maharashtra”, and NCP’s Nawab Malik said if Hegde

was to be believed, “it will have serious consequences and result in PM N a r e n d r a Modi’s resignation as the flames of this will spread all over the country”.

A highranking bureaucrat in Mumbai described Hegde’s claim as incorrect. “We have seen the statement of Hegde, it is incorrect and false,” he said.

Although Hegde had not mentioned any particular project, Fadnavis did, saying, “A central government company is implementing the bullet train project, where the Maharashtra government’s role is restricted to land acquisition. Neither did the Centre ask for any funds nor did Maharashtra government send them back…

Not a single rupee of

Maharashtra government has been returned to the Centre from any other pro-

ject.” Hegde, who is known for his controversial statements, had said, “You all

know our man in Maharashtra became CM for 80 hours.

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7 - 13 December 2019

SOUTH INDIA

Rain fury leaves 25 dead in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: As many as 25 people have died in various rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu since November 29, the state government said. This includes 17 who died after a wall collapsed on three houses at Nadur village in Mettupalayam near Coimbatore. As the North-East monsoon intensifies in the state, nearly 1,000 people have been accommodated in relief camps in Tuticorin, Cuddalore and Tirunelveli districts which bore the brunt of rain fury.

Some low-lying areas in Chennai and nearby Chenglepet and Kancheepuram districts were inundated following the downpour. Chief Minister K Palaniswami chaired a review meeting with his deputy O Panneerselvam and other cabinet colleagues and senior officials to take stock of the situation. He issued orders to monitor the reservoirs, many of which are either full or fast filling up. An official release said eight persons died in various rain-related incidents between November 29 and December 1.

Further, 17 people were killed in a wall collapse in Coimbatore on Monday, taking the total to 25. As many as 58 head of cattle perished while over 1,700 thatched and tiled

roof houses s u f f e r e d damage. While the government announced Rs 400,000 each to the families of the 17 victims killed in Mettupalayam, Palaniswami ordered due compensation 17 died after a wall collapsed on three houses at Nadur village in Mettupalayam near Coimbatore to the kin of Redhills and Chembrambakkam - stood at the other deceased, the release said. He asked 4,091 million cubic feet (mcft), double the officials to ensure adequate stocks of level it was on the same day in 2018, which medicines, food, diesel generators and was 1,694 mcft. disinfectants. Rescue teams should be on With forecast of more rains, the water standby with necessary equipment to rush to managers are hopeful of a better situation affected areas while designated officials next summer as Chennai witnessed one of its should monitor the percautionary measures, worst water crises this year following a weak it said quoting the chief minister. monsoon in 2018. In Erode district, a flood The incessant rains in Chennai over the alert has been issued to people living on the weekend brought cheer to the city's water banks of river Bhavani as a dam built across it managers, as the storage in the four was brimming in the wake of copious rains in reservoirs went up. The combined storage in catchment areas. the four reservoirs - Poondi, Cholavaram,

PUNJAB

SGPC condemns references to Sikh Guru in Ayodhya verdict AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at its general house passed a resolution condemning the Supreme Court judgment on the Ayodhya dispute in the context of writings on Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak cited in the court. Sections of the Sikhs are angry that historical texts about Guru Nanak were cited by a Hindu party in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title case to claim that he went to Ayodhya for “darshan” of what Hindus believe is the birthplace of Ram. Sikh intellectuals believe that Guru Nanak went to religious places such as Mecca and Ayodhya to preach and spread the message of one formless god. During the session of the general house of the apex gurdwara body, a member from the opposition, Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, raised a demand that a resolution be passed against

the judgment. His demand was endorsed by some members who are associated with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which controls the gurdwara body due to its majority in the house. During the general house Gobind Singh Longowal was re-elected as the SGPC president for the third time in a row.

Longowal, who was re-elected added this resolution verbally to the list of other resolutions. “As per demand raised by Bhaur, we also condemn Ayodhya judgment and this resolution is passed in this house,” he said. Longowal was elected the chief of the body for the first time in November 2017. He was re-elected unanimously after his name was proposed by former SGPC chief Jagir Kaur. He was a legislator in 1985, 1997, 2002 and 2015, and

became an SGPC member in 2011.

Commenting on the resolution, SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh said it was all about the references to Guru Nanak in the judgment. “After passing this resolution, the SGPC will also take legal action against it, addressing the issue raised by Bhaur. It was passed verbally in the house and will take written shape later on,” he added.

TMC wins all three by-polls in West Bengal

Sabha. Kaliaganj has always been an opposition bastion with the TMC winning it for the first time ever since its formation in 1998. In Nadia's Karimpur assembly seat too, the TMC won by an impressive margin of more than 24,000 votes.

Dedicating the victory to the people of Bengal, the Chief Minister said, "Arrogance of the BJP has been rejected by the people. They have been threatening to bring NRC, drive citizens away and usurp their rights. We are all citizens. Everyone has their right. They have been living in this country for a long

FORMER KARNATAKA CMS BOOKED FOR SEDITION

The Bengaluru city police filed sedition and defamation cases against former Karnataka chief ministers H D Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah besides several others, for allegedly obstructing income tax (IT) officials from discharging their duties during the Lok Sabha elections. Besides these two political leaders, former Bengaluru City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar and his then subordinates were also mentioned in the FIR filed by activist A Mallikarjun, a resident of Tumkur. The complaint also named former Deputy CM G Parameshwara, Kanakapura MLA D K Shivakumar, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, JD(S) MLAs DC Thammanna, Shivalinge Gowda, Sa Ra Mahesh, disqualified MLA Munirathna Naidu, and 10 other politicians from Congress and JD(S).

MALAYALAM POET AKKITHAM WINS JNANPITH AWARD

Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri won the Jnanpith award, one of the biggest literary awards in the country. Once an active advocate of various social reforms, Akkitham was also conscious of the underlying fact that - to quote Panicker - “his vision was not born out of any political philosophy or class war, but the result of deep-rooted learnings from his childhood.”

In his long and fruitful life, the 93-year-old has penned hundreds of poems in addition to bringing out short story collections, essays and plays. He has won many awards and titles including honours from the Kerala Sahitya Academy and the Kendra Sahitya Academy. In 2017, he was bestowed with the Padma Shri.

Akkitham believes in the coexistence of the physical and the metaphysical in a seamless web woven by the universe itself.

ASSISTANCE FOR KARTARPUR PILGRIMS

WEST BENGAL

KOLKATA: The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has swept the assembly by-elections bagging Kaliaganj, Kharagpur-Sadar and Karimpur, and setting the stage for a blockbuster contest with the BJP in 2021. Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has won the Kaliaganj seat in North Dinajpur and has also snatched the prestigious Kharagpur seat from BJP in West Midnapore district. The Kharagpur seat fell vacant after Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh got elected to Lok Sabha from Medinipur earlier this year. Interestingly, TMC has not just won the seat which gave BJP a lead of nearly 40,000 votes in Lok Sabha polls but it has also regained lost ground with a handsome lead of over 18,000 votes in less than six months.

Similarly, TMC seem to have regained some lost ground in north Bengal with the Kaliaganj victory. Kaliaganj comes under the Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency that was won

by BJP's Debasree Chaudhuri in May this year.

The assembly segment had given the BJP a massive lead of nearly 57,000 votes in Lok

in brief

time." Taking a jibe at the LeftCongress alliance in Bengal, Mamata said: "The CPI(M) and the Congress must understand that it will not do them any good to have an understanding with the BJP. They must become self-dependent. We support the Congress at the national level, but here they go along with the BJP. This is sad."

Meanwhile, BJP's Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya questioned the electoral process being held in the state. "If elections are held properly then BJP will surely win but if polling booths are captured then victory will be for those who are in power. We had requested the Election Commission to provide central forces in every booth but they did not and TMC has taken advantage of that.

Vijayvargiya alleged that the TMC workers were involved in capturing polling booths and BJP would have won the elections if it were conducted in fair manner. "TMC workers, goons and police captured the polling booths jointly. So this result was expected. BJP will win if the elections are fair," Vijayvargiya said.

The SGPC has stepped ahead to help people who want to visit the Kartar Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Apart from this, a free bus service is launched to ferry devotees from Dera Baba Nanak to Gurdwara Kartarpur corridor terminal.

SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh said keeping in view the difficulties faced by pilgrims in submitting their forms online, employees who are tech-savvy have been deputed at all help desks. It will help these people in completing online documentation formalities. A special centre was set up at the Golden Temple entrance plaza in addition to dedicated help desks in other. The free bus shuttle service will carry them up to the terminal point from Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur, approximately 4-km apart, during morning hours and will bring them back in the evening.

SC NOTICE TO TOP IPS OFFICER RAJEEV KUMAR The Supreme Court sought response from West Bengal cadre IPS officer Rajeev Kumar on CBI's appeal challenging the anticipatory bail granted to him in the Saradha chit fund scam case. A bench headed by Chief justice S A Bobde told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the agency has to convince the top court why custody of the former Kolkata Police Commissioner was needed in the case. Mehta told the bench that Kumar was earlier absconding for quite some time and he has suppressed relevant materials which were collected by him during the probe. The CBI had filed an appeal in the apex court against the order of the Calcutta High Court which had granted him the relief saying it was not an appropriate case for custodial interrogation.

The Saradha group of companies allegedly duped millions of people to the tune of £250 million, promising higher rates of return on their investments.

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HERITAGE & HISTORY 25

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

7 - 13 December 2019

Sardar Patel involved in Kashmir Affairs

• Patel correspondence from June 1946 to October 1950 is quite vocal • Vallabhbhai arranged to include the Article 370 in the Constitution • The Sardar did not aspire to prime ministership, writes Maniben

C

ontrary to the perception created Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (31 October 1875 - 15 December 1950) was very much actively involved in the Kashmir affairs during June 1946 and October 1950, the most crucial period.

The finalization of the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India and even getting the Article 370 (306-A in the draft Constitution) as “Temporary Provision” incorporated in the Indian Constitution was with the blessings and approval of the Sardar.

He was not only the Deputy Prime Minister of India but was also the Minister for Home and the States Ministry.

Though it is a fashion these days to blame Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, for everything which has gone wrong in Kashmir affairs, the official documents and correspondence of Sardar Patel leads to the Maharaja Hari Singh meets Sardar Patel conclusion that not only clear and pragmatic. He would accept no Patel but even Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee compromise to the principle of and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar unanimously democratization, though he was prepared to supported the Article 370 in the Constituent regulate the pace…While Nehru sought Assembly. open confrontation with the State When Dr. Ambedkar refused to draft the Government and the Maharaja, Sardar was Article, the task was assigned to N. in correspondence with the Prime Minister, Gopalaswami Ayyangar. He was earlier the Ram Chandra Kak. Sardar’s approach was Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir different.” Even when the Maharaja was under Maharaja Hari Singh. The entire “indecisive” about joining the Pakistan Union Cabinet including Patel, Dr. Union or the Indian Union, Sardar through Ambedkar and even Dr. Mookerjee the Viceroy Mountbatten conveyed the supported PM Nehru taking the Kashmir assurance that “even if the Maharaja chose issue to the United Nations Organisations! to accede to Pakistan, India would not Syamababu, even after resigning from create any trouble.” Vallabhbhai did write to Nehru Cabinet and establishing Jan Sangh, Maharaja Hari Singh and his PM Kak on 3 had confessed supporting the said proposal July 1947 to accede to India in in the Cabinet.

Next Column the interest of their State but The authoritative documentation does mention Maharaja Hari Singh he did not press this view overmuch. The Sardar could felt betrayed Sardar Patel’s active convince the Maharaja to participation in the Kashmir appoint Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan of affairs though the popular myth being Punjab High Court as his Prime Minister spread is he was kept out of Kashmir affairs replacing Kak. Later, Justice Mahajan

by Nehru. V.P. Menon, the Secretary of the retired as the Chief Justice of India.

States Ministry headed by Patel, contributes The outlook of the Sardar and of Nehru “the first authoritative account” in his book was vastly different. Even while dealing with “Integration of the Indian States” published Kashmir affairs both differed on the in 1956. Durga Das and V. Shankar were also approach. They agreed to differ, but at the confidents of Patel. Durga Das who was the same time worked together for the common Editor-in-Chief of the Hindustan Times cause of India’s freedom. “The influence of edited the 10 volumes of Sardar Patel’s Mridula Sarabhai and Rafi Ahmad Kidwai correspondence published by Navjivan on Nehru to a large extent responsible for Publishing House, Ahmedabad. Shankar was the rift between my father and Jawaharlal,” Patel’s Private Secretary during 1947-50. He records Maniben in an introduction to the edited two volume “Sardar Patel: Select volumes of Durga Das adding, “The Sardar Correspondence 1945-1950” also published did not aspire to prime ministership or any

by Navjivan in various languages. other high office.” The first volume of The most authoritative biography “Patel Durga Das is devoted to Kashmir affairs : A Life” by Rajmohan Gandhi, an eminent which has the correspondence from June historian and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi 1946 to October 1950 regarding Jammu and as well as the 15 volumes of “The Collected Kashmir.

PM Nehru seeks advice of Patel all Works of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel” edited the time.

by P. N. Chopra and Prabha Chopra, both The Maharaja signed the Accession of editors of the Government Gazetteers, Instrument only 0n 26 October 1947 at reprinted in 2015 with Prime Minister midnight when his State was invaded by Narendra Modi’s Foreword, do have Pakistan inspired raiders. The very next day extensive explanations and correspondence the Governor General Mountbatten gave

by Patel to prove that he was very much a assent and the army planes were dispatched key player in the crucial accession of Jammu to save the State which became the part of and Kashmir as well as one who saw to it India. And when the Prime Minister Sheikh that Article 370 becomes part of the Indian Abdullah who expressed his loyalty to the Constitution.

Maharaja insisted on the Ruler leave his “Sardar and Jawaharlal Nehru were both State, Sardar Patel had to convince Hari taking interest in the affairs of the State (J Singh to issue a Proclamation on 20 June and K). J. Nehru was himself a Kashmiri, 1949 appointing the Yuvraj Karn Singh as his though his ancestors had left the State Regent during his stay outside the several generations back, and was in State. addition emotional in his approach to (The writer is a Socio-political Historian. problems,” records Shankar and adds, E-mail: haridesai@gmail.com) “Sardar’s attitude in regard to the States was Dr. Hari Desai

Diary of a new Canadian Immigrant

Mitul Paniker

Canadian Ismailis: Why the World Needs More Muslim Migration

Dear Readers,

Environment Canada has issued a storm warning over the weekend. I woke up to significant snowfall, and icy wind travelling at 53 km/hr. Even in the cold weather, Toronto feels brighter than ever. This is an experience in itself. I have decided to dedicate this week's column to a special community – the Ismaili Khojas. A group that stands as a stark contradiction of the general representation of Islam. For the uninitiated, the Ismailis are followers of Aga Khan - one of the world's most respected figures and only the fifth person to be named an honorary citizen of Canada.

Who are the Ismailis?

A minority within a minority in the Muslim world, the Ismailis broke out from the Shia minority in the 8th century over disagreement about which of the prophet's descendant should they follow and branched separately. They formerly controlled areas of North Africa and Egypt until the 12th Century, only for their numbers to decline and often persecuted. Ismailis today, accept the Aga Khan as a direct descendant of Muhammad and their 49th Imam.

Who is Aga Khan?

Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini, or His Highness the Aga Khan IV, 80, is the spiritual leader to over 15 million Ismailis around the world. He is a philanthropist and runs one of the world's largest private charities- the Aga Khan Development Network. He was among the world's 10 richest royals in 2010 with a net estimate of $800 million.

Ismaili migration in Canada The history of Ismaili migration to the country began in the early 1970s. The community today, is found in every single aspect of the society and its competence perhaps remains unmatched by most other migrant groups. The jamaat (as they are called) is well represented in business, political and cultural circles. They are also represented by individuals like Rahim Jaffer, Canada's first Muslim MP, Nadir Mohamed, former Rogers CEO, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, and of course, the Giller Prizewinning novelist MG Vassanji. These are just a handful of people who depict the true potential of the jamaat.

The first group of Ismailis landed in Canada in 1972, during the infamous expulsion of 80,000 South Asians in Uganda

by Idi Amin. The Aga Khan secured refuge for approximately 6,000 Ugandan Ismailis in Canada, thanks to his personal friendship with the then prime minister Pierre Trudeau (father to current PM Justin Trudeau). How did he make this happen? Well, there is a popular anecdote which was told to me by a fellow acquaintance. His Highness the Aga Khan was meeting with Canadian

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with the Aga Khan in Ottawa last year

immigration officials. The meet coincided with the 1972 hockey Summit Series and Team Canada was locking heads with USSR. One of the officials had apparently asked a junior to keep him updated on the score. By the end of the evening, when the Aga Khan asked how many Ugandan Ismailis Canada would be willing to take, the official's attention was grabbed by the junior who held up three fingers on each hand indicating a tie of scores.

However, the official misinterpreted the gesture and that is the story of how double the original number of Ugandan Ismailis were allowed refuge. Approximately 3,000 Ismailis initially accepted federal financial assistance for their resettlement and surprisingly less than 150 were still receiving government aid by the end of their first year in the country.

Members of this community were not your normal day refugees. Over half of them had at least a high school education, almost all spoke English and most of them at that time could have easily cleared Canada's regular skillbased immigration points system. Impressive?

To say the least.

High level education and sets of skills that allowed them to enter any sector only boosted the transition of these “refugees” to citizens.

Today, the well-established Canadian Ismaili community accounts for over 120,000 people scattered across Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal, and other regions. The once persecuted community has now become a shelter for other unfortunate people, giving back as much as they had received in their time of need. Under the spiritual leadership of the Aga Khan, the comparatively passive and highly educated community shares a collective commitment to contribute to the broader well-being of other societal groups.

At a time when the West raises eyebrows and harbours a steady level of skepticism towards Muslim immigration, history of the Ismailis is one for the books.

Mahant Swami in Vashi, Mumbai

Mahant Swami was in Bochasan before coming to Mumbai. A satsang sabha was held in Bochasan on Tuesday, November 26.

After Puja Darshan, Mahant Swami had installed the idols of sixteen temples and performed ground breaking ceremony for four temples. Discussions and dance performances were held in the evening of the same day. On 28th, Mahant Swami arrived in Mumbai. He inaugurated the BAPS Art centre in Vashi. 98th Pramukh Swami Janjayanti will be celebrated on December 4 at DY Patil Stadium in Vashi. Vachmamrit had completed 200 years on 30 November according to Indian calender. Mahant Swami gave puja darshan to the saints and Haribhaktas in the morning. Mahant Swami said, 'The life of a virtuous person is just as described by Maharaj. There is no difference at all.' On 1st December Mahant Swami visited the office of campus president of the DY Patil Stadium, Vijay Patil.

26 INDIA

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7 - 13 December 2019

Hyderabad rape sparks nationwide outrage With members suggesting swift death penalty to rape convicts, their public lynching or surgical and physical castration to fasttrack courts and overhaul of the entire criminal justice system, outrage over the Hyderabad rapemurder case boiled over in Parliament. On November 28, a veterinary doctor was brutally raped and murdered in Hyderabad.

Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu suggested a rethink on the practice of allowing convicts in such heinous crimes to go in for mercy appeals because the death sentences of convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya case, which saw major protests and tougher legislation, were still to be carried out.

“What happens even after punishment is given (to convicts). We all are witness... appeal, mercy (petition)... can anybody think of having mercy on such people? This kind of violation of dignity of women cannot go on unchallenged,” Naidu said, summing up the mood of the House. “What is required is not a new bill; what is required is political will, administrative skill and then change of mindset and then go for the kill of the social evil,” Naidu added.

He suggested that photographs of those guilty of crimes against women should be published to instil fear in them. In Lok Sabha, expressing grief over the

Hundreds protested around the country after the body of the veterinarian was found under a bridge in Hyderabad

incident, Speaker Om Birla said we condemn such incidents “in one voice”.

Earlier, Rajya Sabha MPs across party lines condemned the spurt in crime against women and demanded stringent laws to punish the guilty within a fixed time-frame. Leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said society as a

whole must tackle this problem without getting into region, religion or caste. P Wilson of DMK said courts should be empowered to surgically or chemically castrate convicted rapists before release from jails to check repeat offenders, while Jaya Bachchan of Samajwadi Party said such

criminals should be “brought out in public and lynched”. She also wanted security personnel incharge of the area in Hyderabad where the crime took place to be questioned and held accountable.

‘Incident brought shame to India’ In Lok Sabha, condemning

the crime, Apna Dal’s Anupriya Patel said the incident had brought shame to India. “I request the government to not keep quiet. We need to send a strict message,” she said.

Maintaining that there should be “zero tolerance” towards such incidents, Supriya Sule (NCP) said even men deserved security.

New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi said often people who participated in candle marches (protests against such crimes) were the ones who also protested against death sentence to the accused. “This should be made available to the public for them to know what is being said. I also feel that physical training should be made compulsory for girls in all schools,” she added.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said he was falling short of words to condemn the heinous crime.

“We are ready for discussions in the House so that stringent provisions in laws could be explored to give punishment to those involved in such ghastly incidents,” he said, adding that heinous crimes were happening even after strict laws after the Nirbhaya incident.

As soon as the House

met for the day, the Speaker said he would allow members to raise the “serious issue” during zero hour. Terming the rape of the young veterinarian as a “painful” and “inhuman” incident, Uttam Kumar Reddy (Congress) slammed the Telangana home minister for his purported “insensitive” remarks. He also slammed the state police for the delay in lodging a case.

Mohammed Ali Khan of Congress said strict timelines should be set for trial of accused in fasttrack courts, without them being given any religious identity or colour. Veer Singh (BSP) said neither new laws were being implemented, nor the Nirbhaya Fund utilised properly.

Protesters in Delhi demand swift action Members of civil society had gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and demanded justice for the Hyderabad rape victim.

Wearing black bands, around 70 people led by Congress leader Amrita Dhawan took to the streets and carried placards that read "we want justice" and "hang the rapists".

Earlier, the charred body of the woman, working as an assistant veterinarian at a state-run hospital in Hyderabad was found under a culvert in Shadnagar on November 28 morning, a day after she went missing. So far, at least four suspects have been arrested in the case.

Tackling terror tops Modi-Gotabaya talks India announced two separate lines of credit worth $450 million for Sri Lanka - $400 million for development assistance and another $50 million for counter-terror cooperation - as Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the significance India attaches to its immediate maritime neighbour in a meeting with newly-installed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The talks focused on issues like fulfilling aspirations of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, ways to boost security and trade ties and address concerns of the fishermen.

Emphasising relations on the basis of equality and non-interference, Gotabaya said that “Sri Lanka would not be a party to any activity that will be a security concern to India”. In remarks at the state banquet, the Sri Lankan president stated in as many words that he regarded India as “very high in our priority list”. Reflecting the

Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with President Ramnath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi

focus of the bilateral conversation between him and Modi earlier in the day, Gotabaya asserted that he “would not encourage anything that would jeopardise the security of the Indian Ocean”. What he posted in terms of Sri Lanka’s ambitions to become a global shipping hub, the Indian side saw an assurance that Colombo will be sensitive to India’s security concerns. Gotabaya

said the talks were 'fruitful' and that a major focus area of the deliberations was on security cooperation. 'My talks with Prime Minister Modi also focused on economic cooperation,' he said.

India’s $50 million line of credit for combating terrorism was a highlight of Gotabaya’s engagement with Modi with the two, as Modi said, discussing mutual security in detail

Gotabaya with India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar

and looking to further strengthen cooperation against terrorism. Gotabaya said security received priority in the discussions, adding that Sri Lanka was rethinking its national security strategy after the Easter bombings in April and any assistance from India would be most appreciated. Gotabaya is learnt to have expressed interest in training and sharing of intelligence.

“India has always opposed terrorism in all its forms and also expected action from the international community against other forms of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism,” Modi said in a media statement after the talks, while recalling the Easter attacks.

“On the occasion of Easter this year, terrorists in Sri Lanka launched brutal attacks on the

diversity of mankind and the valuable heritage of symbiosis. I went to Sri Lanka immediately after the elections in India to express India’s unwavering support in the Sri Lankan fight against terrorist and extremist forces,” he added.

Gotabaya arrived in India on November 28, on a three-day visit, in his first overseas tour after taking over the reins of Sri Lanka 10 days back in reflection of importance he attaches to ties with India. On the lingering Tamil issue, Modi said he was confident that the Sri Lankan government will carry forward the reconciliation process and fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil community. Modi said a stable Sri Lanka is not only in interest of India but for entire Indian Ocean Gotabaya , a former defence secretary who is credited with ending the country's long civil war, was sworn in as the island nation's new president on November 18, a day after he won the closely fought presidential election in island nation.

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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7 - 13 December 2019

New ultrasound can cuts through the blood-brain barrier to target dementia-linked plaques Scientists have taken a step toward treating Alzheimer's by gaining access to hard-toreach areas of the brain that they believe drugs to repair the disease's damage need to target, a new study reveals.

There is currently no effective cure and only minimally useful treatments for the devastating memoryloss disease. One of the most significant challenges to treating Alzheimer's is the blood-brain barrier, a blockade of dense cells and blood vessels too solid for most drug molecules to pass through.

But using a specialized ultrasound technique, researchers at West Virginia University were able to loosen the weave of the barrier temporarily and safely in three Alzheimer's patients.

Though the researchers aren't yet delivering drugs to the memory areas they can now reach, there's some evidence the ultrasound itself may help to reduce Alzheimer's plaques.

'We were able to open the blood-brain barrier in a very precise manner and document closure of the barrier within 24 hours. The technique was reproduced successfully in the patients, with no adverse effects,' said Dr Rashi Mehta, study coauthor.

Dr Mehta and her team

used an innovative helmet equipped with over 1,000 precisely placed nodes that deliver ultrasound waves into the heads of patients.

They are angled and positioned optimally to target areas of the brain that are critical to memory.

For the trial, the team recruited three women ages 61, 72 and 73 - all of whom had early-onset Alzheimer's, including signs of the disease called amyloid plaques.

Although the exact cause and pathology of Alzheimer's disease, these plaques, made up of abnormal protein buildup, are thought to effectively clog the brain, damaging brain cells by eating away at their protective coating. But the locations where these plaques form in Alzheimer's disease are very difficult to reach.

Ultrasound waves can penetrate far further into tissues without doing damage than can light waves.

The safe, low-intensity waves produce enough gentle heat to manipulate cells in this case loosening the dense blood brain barrier.

The researchers also gave the participants injections of a special contrast dye that contained microscopic bubbles.

While delivering the ultrasound pulses, the

patients were placed in an MRI machine, images from which showed the bubbles reaching the target areas of the brain and changing shape and size, confirming that the ultrasound waves had reached their destination. Within 24 hours, the openings the ultrasound treatment had made in the blood-brain barrier had closed back up, an important element of the procedure's safety.

Eventually, this technique could allow the delivery of Alzheimer's drugs. But already, animal studies have suggested that the ultrasound treatment itself may kick start an immune response that tells the brain to clean up the waste proteins that have built up in amyloid plaques.

It's too soon to say whether the three women reaped any such benefits, but just the demonstration that the procedure and reaches its target is a considerable step in the right direction.

'We'd like to treat more patients and study the longterm effects to see if there are improvements in memory and symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease. As safety is further clarified, the next step would be to use this approach to help deliver clinical drugs,' Dr Mehta said.

New drug combination could end agony of kidney stones A new drug combination could end the agony of kidney stones by relaxing the body, to allow the painful lumps to pass more smoothly. For most of the 500,000 Americans a year who develop kidney stones, the standard treatment plan is to take painkillers and wait for the stones to pass through the urethra, which can be extremely painful and takes up to 10 days.

However, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered a two-drug combination that can relax the ureter, which connects the kidneys to the bladder, allowing the stones more space to pass. The treatment, which was effective in animal models, would be the first new treatment for kidney stone patients in 40 years - a possible game changer as rates keep rising year-on-year. Kidney stones are made from hard crystals that accumulate in the kidneys when there is too much solid waste in the urine and not enough liquid to wash it out.

While surgery is recommended for larger stones, those cases are rare, and

Kidney stones most are prescribed painkillers to wait it out.

But it is becoming a bigger problem for doctors. In the 1970s, less than one in four Americans suffered from the debilitating condition. Today, about one in 10 people will have a kidney stone at some point in their lives. Rates are rising fastest in women and teenagers, which urologists say could be down to poorer, more sugar-laden diets, and the decline of physical activity.

Most of the pain from passing a kidney stone stems from inflammation in the ureter as the stones pass through the narrow tube.

Some doctors prescribe an oral medication that is designed to relax the ureter, but there is limited evidence it works effectively, and it is not FDA-approved.

Dr Cima, his PhD student Christopher Lee, and Dr Brian Eisner, co-director of the Kidney Stone Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, set about designing a muscle relaxant that can be delivered directly to the ureter.

'If you look at how kidney stones are treated today, it hasn't really changed since about 1980, and there's a pretty substantial amount of evidence that the drugs given don't work very well.

The volume of how many people this could potentially help is really exciting,' Lee said.

The team identified 18 drugs used for high blood pressure, glaucoma and other inflammatory conditions, and injected them into nearly 1 billion human ureteral cells in a Petri dish.

Winter remedies the Ayurvedic way Autoimmune conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Crohn’s disease are likely to worsen during the harsh winter months. According to the NHS, many people suffering from arthirits say their joints become more painful and stiff in winter, although there is no clear evidence to suggest that the weather causes or increases joint damages.

Bouts of on and off pain and stiffness start from age 35 and it can get worse. One feels severe pain and swelling in their knee joints, ankles and back. Other symptoms include being unable to walk for more than 10 minutes, difficulty in climbing the stairs or sitting down, and following daily routine becomes restricted owing to limited physical activity.

Whilst, prescribed antibiotics, painkillers and physical exercise help with acute pain; incorporating alternative Ayurvedic therapies in daily routines may also relieve stress and suffering.

According to Dr. Smita Naram, Ayurveda’s approach is to follow a specific plan with diet, home remedies and herbal formulas. The aim is to reduce Vatta and Aama as Vatta causes pain and stiffness.

Whereas, Aama toxins create swelling and metabolic blocks. Once the block is removed and Vatta is controlled a specific plan is given for nourishing the bones and

joints.

Diet: Stop consuming food with gluten, fermented and sour foods.

Stay away from red meat and pickles.Vegetables Dr. Smita Naram like squashes, pumpkin, soft gourds, kale, zucchini are very good. Mung, mung dal, lentils, millets are best for daily consumption.

Home remedy: 1 tsp turmeric 1tsp coriander powder ½ tsp dry ginger powder ¼ ajwain powder ¼ garlic paste 1 tsp Methi powder Consume the above with half a glass of water.

Swimming is also considered ideal as it is easy on the joints. The Ayurvedic approach is about aligning with the infinite organizing power of nature.

For more information contact: info@ayushakti.eu

People who have bad dreams handle stressful situations more efficiently Nightmares help prepare our brains to handle stressful situations, according to a small US government-funded study. Researchers from Switzerland and the US subjected 18 people to a bizarre experiment: they were fitted with electrodes to monitor their brain activity at night, and they were woken multiple times to answer interview questions, such as: 'Did

you dream? And, if so, did you feel scared?'

The researchers found a pattern: during nightmares, there was often heightened activity in regions of the brain that control emotions.

In a second experiment, they gave 89 people a dream diary to fill out for a week.

At the end, each person sat through an MRI scan while being shown negative and

scary images.

They found that, in people who had experienced nightmares, their emotional brain regions responded faster and more efficiently than in those who had not.

However, traumatic and harrowing nightmares that cause sleeplessness and stress are not beneficial, and may be counterproductive, the researchers said.

'Liquid health check' could predict your chances of getting diseases including type 2 diabetes A 'liquid health check' could predict your chances of getting diseases, including type 2 diabetes.

Scientists have created the health MOT, which scours blood for proteins released by damaged cells or the immune system.

Researchers at the universities of Cambridge and California, San Francisco, trialled the experimental test on almost 17,000 people.

Results showed it could spot people with poor kidney function, fat wrapped around their organs, and those at-risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The test, which is still in its early days, was less accurate at predicting the risk of cardiovascular events - such as a heart attack or stroke.

Academics found it was

convenient and inexpensive, and they hope it could be rolled out on the NHS in the next few years.

They say it could be carried out alongside the NHS Health Check, offered to those aged between 40 to 74 every five years.

Around 30,000 proteins exist in the plasma of the blood - the liquid left behind when red and white blood cells are removed.

Proteins in the blood have many different functions, such as transporting hormones and helping the immune system function.

Tests already exist to measure if protein levels are abnormal. If total protein is low, it can suggest a liver or kidney disorder.

The new blood test detects information on an array of health parameters

with just one sample that contains roughly 5,000 proteins.

Proteomics - the analysis of proteins - can reflect what goes on in the body straight away. Looking at DNA is more fixed.

Proteins may change as an individual becomes more obese, less physically active or starts to smoke, for example.

The team say these models are often more accurate at predicting disease, more convenient or cheaper, than current methods.

The traditional way of predicting disease is by looking at a person's risk factors, for example their weight, family history or lifestyle habits.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine.

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Priyanka surprises Nick with a pup named Gino A sleepy Nick Jonas gapes in awe, as he wakes up to see a cute little pooch by his side.

Priyanka Chopra decided to surprise her husband Nick with an "almost anniversary gift." Their family of three (her pet Diana included), swelled by one more as she brought home another fluffball - a German Shepherd puppy named Gino.

Nick shared a video of Gino, all dressed up in a blue collar and a white bow, waking him up with some puppy snuggles and cuddles.

"Good morning," Priyanka, who was filming the video, can be heard saying, who then adds: "Who's that?" Nick wakes up with a start and

Parineeti Chopra back in action after neck injury Parineeti Chopra, who is playing the role of ace shuttler Saina Nehwal in the upcoming biopic titled 'Saina', has made a comeback on the badminton court after suffering a neck injury.

Parineeti had a major spasm in her neck and spine area and was advised by the doctor to not play badminton for at least a week.

"Yes, this is accurate information. I'm 100 per cent fit now and I can't wait to step into the badminton court and play the game again! I thank my entire 'Saina' team for their invaluable support and my medical team for making me heal so quickly and getting me back on court," Parineeti said. She will make a comeback on the badminton court as she shoots a portion that will need her to play the sport for eight long hours.

Parineeti added: "I'm feeling very positive to pull off the intense shooting schedule that lies ahead of me because it will involve me playing badminton for 8-10 hours at a stretch. So, I'm glad I'm back to full fitness."

A source close to the development said: "Pari is feeling 100 per cent fit and she was wanting to get back to playing. She is thrilled that she is healed quickly and can play the game for camera.

Parineeti had a major spasm in her neck and spine area and the doctor had advised her not to play badminton for a week -10 days. The entire team of Saina team has been extremely supportive through her healing process and Pari is ready to give it her all again."

The biopic Saina is directed by Amole Gupte and produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar under the banner of T-Series.

unsuspiciously asks: "Who's this?" It's only when Priyanka says: "Oh, he doesn't have a name yet" that he realises the pup is the newest member of the Chopra-Jonas family.

Priyanka also shared the news on social media,"Happy almost anniversary, babu.

Your face... hilarious." Gino already has a new Instagram page and here's how he was introduced on social media: "Pri came home with the absolute best surprise this morning. Please meet our new pup Gino. I haven't stopped smiling since I woke up this morning and finally realized what was going on.

Thank you, Priyanka."

Priyanka, who re-posted the

video, added: "So much cute in the same frame. Happy almost anniversary baby."

Priyanka also shared a cute photo of Nick and Gino and captioned it: "Back with my boys... welcome home Gino... we still love you mostest Diana." In November 2016, Priyanka brought home a rescue puppy who she named Diana and introduced her to the world with an Instagram page titled 'Diaries Of Diana'. Priyanka and Nick celebrated their first wedding anniversary on December 1.

The couple had a dreamy wedding in Jodhpur with two wedding ceremonies - a Christian wedding and a traditional Indian wedding.

FIR filed against Vaani Kapoor for wearing ‘Hare Ram’ top Vaani Kapoor, who was last seen in YRF‘s blockbuster 'War', got embroiled in a controversy for wearing a top with ‘Hare Ram’ imprinted on it. A police complaint has been filed against Vaani at Mumbai’s NM Joshi Marg Police Station. The complainant Rama Sawant has alleged that she has hurt religious sentiments and that she was called by the cops to record the statement in the case.

Rama’s complaint letter read, “The undersigned is an ardent devotee of Lord Shri Ram. The undersigned has come across a photograph of Bollywood actress by name Ms. Vaani Kapoor on her Instagram, where under, she is found in vulgar cloth in seminude position and over her body and more particularly from her shoulder to breast, she is found to be wearing blouse/brassiere made out a cloth-like Ramnami, in as much as the

names of Lord Shri Ram has been described containing ‘Shri Ram’, which denotes to Lord Shri Ram.” The actress, later deleted the picture after she received flak from netizens who called her uncultured and told her to value the sentiments of the devotees. “Insulting Hindu gods and practices has become a way to tell a specific section in Bollywood we are going to stoop to any lows to get work,” wrote a Twitter user.

The complaint further stated, “In view of the facts set out herein above, and law enunciated by the Honourable Apex Court and so also various high courts of the Country including Hon’ble High Court, Bombay, you are requested to forthwith register an FIR against actress Vaani Kapoor for an offence punishable u/s. 215A of IPC and take further legal action so that she is brought to book/punished in accordance with the law.”

Amitabh pays tribute at special 26/11 concert

Pati Patni Aur Woh

Pati Patni Aur Woh is a Bollywood romance-drama, helmed by Mudassar Aziz. The movie stars Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Pandey in the lead roles.

The movie revolved around a married couple (played by Sanjeev and Vidya) and how things take a hilarious turn when the husband falls for his secretary. Pati Patni Aur Woh is slated to hit the theatrical screens on December 6 this year.

Mis Match Mis Match is a romantic entertainer movie directed by Nirmal Kumar and produced by G Sriram Raju and K Bharat Ram. The movie cast includes Uday Shankar and Aishwarya Rajesh are in the lead roles. Gifton Elias scored music.

On the eleventh anniversary of the ghastly terror attacks that shook Mumbai on November 26, 2008, Bollywood celebrities and prominent members collectively remembered the martyrs and offer condolences to their families. The day was marked with a solemn ceremony to honour the bravehearts who lost their lives and also to pay tribute to the victims of the attacks.

Amitabh Bachchan hit the stage with a moving performance at the event held at the Gateway of India.

Abhishek Bachchan, who was in the audience with wife Aishwarya and sister Shweta, seemed to have been left speechless by the tribute

that he took to s o c i a l media to share a picture of his father saluting t h e martyrs.

Abhishek wrote: "Last night, the concert to honour the martyrs of 26/11 and as for Amitabh Bachchan....

Speechless!

Jai Hind!"

Meanwhile, Big B also posted a photograph from event on his Twitter profile and he wrote: "In the memory of 26/11... Salute."

The terror attacks were one of deadliest attacks in India's history, where 10

heavily-armed terrorists sailed into Mumbai from Karachi. Many celebs took to their social media to remember and salute the martyrs and who lost their lives in the attack that destroyed some of Mumbai's iconic landmarks like Oberoi Trident, Cama Hospital, Nariman House, Hotel Taj Palace & Tower, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

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Farah dreams of making Tom Cruise dance

Choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan has a dream to make Hollywood star Tom Cruise dance on her beats. "I definitely want to make Tom Cruise dance.

That's been a dream," she said. Farah opened up about her journey as a choreographer and then as a director during a session at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. A dance song with the Hollywood star might still be a dream but in Bollywood, she gathered almost every star in her song "Deewangi deewangi".

They were some who couldn't make it.

"I wanted Aamir (Khan) in it. I wanted one shot to have the three Khans together. Aamir drove me crazy for 10 days. He couldn't make it because he was editing 'Taare Zameen Par'," she recalled. Four years later, he told her that he didn't want to do the song. She

also wanted Dilip Kumar in the video of the song and that Shah Rukh Khan was supposed to help her in bringing the

veteran actor shoot for the song. But it didn't work out.

She also talked about the iconic

song "Chaiyya chaiyya". "We couldn't get the permission to shoot at the station, so we managed to shoot it on top of a train. We did it in four days and no one fell," she quipped. The video featured Malaika Arora along with Shah Rukh. "We had approached Shilpa (Shetty) to Raveena (Tandon), a lot of actors but no one did it. Malaika did the song and became a star after that," said the choreographer, who is "fed up of remixes".

"I don't know why they are making them. It's a call the music company has taken. They say they do very well.

Obviously it makes people nostalgic. A retro song, you will always enjoy. A new song takes longer to grow," said Farah, who recently choreographed the recreated version of Govinda and Raveena Tandon's iconic song, "Ankhiyon se goli maare".

Rajkummar Rao is greedy for 'Kota' becomes a problem for challenging roles 'Mardaani 2' Rajkummar Rao's entry brought in a paradigm shift in the film industry. The powerhouse performer’s sole criterion for signing on a film is that his role in it should be challenging and impactful. Being an FTII alumnus, Rajkummar has quite a penchant for compelling narratives.

The actor says: “I really don’t see anything else, and when you do that, it isn’t necessary that you will get the lead role. Yes, I’m a greedy actor too, and would love to do the most impactful part in a story. But I know that it might not happen every time. So, when you don’t get that, you don’t stop working. The idea is to make the character as impactful as possible.”

The 35-year-old began his journey in the field on the sheer strength of his talent. The biggest filmmakers of the country noticed him after he repeatedly proved his acting mettle. He humbly remarks, “I know how I’ve reached where I’m today. So every time I feel otherwise, I go back to my

journey, to my roots, and my heart is immediately filled with gratitude.”

Rao has always been the one to experiment with varied genres, and the film directors vouch for his ability to headline movies that are premised on untried themes. Of late, the actor has also been getting appreciation for the comedy genre. “It’s difficult to make

people laugh, and it’s humbling to have viewers who love my performances in films such as 'Bareilly Ki Barfi', 'Stree' (2018) and 'Newton' (2017), which was a dark comedy, and now the latest slice of life film, 'Made In China'. I will always try to push the envelope, challenge myself as an actor and entertain my audience through my work,” he concludes.

John Abraham back as fierce cop in 'Satyamev Jayate 2'

Rani Mukerji returns as the fearless cop Shivani Shivaji Roy in 'Mardani 2', who is determined to catch the serial rapist within two days. The film has been caught in controversy soon after its trailer launch.

The trailer, which shows a serial rapist and murderer in Kota who targets young girls in the city, declares the film is inspired by true events. The objection has primarily been raised because 'Mardaani 2' is about a psycho-killer who never existed in Kota and yet trailer claims the film is inspired by true events.

Protest against the the film continues in Kota, with local corporator Gopal Manda sending legal notice to Censor Board, the film's producer Aditya Chopra, director Gopi Puthran, and the information and broadcasting ministry, appealing them to remove the name of the city from the film. Gopal Manda claims that the film maligns the name of the city. Unless the name of the city is removed, screenings would be blocked and the matter would be Days after announcing 'Satyameva Jayate 2's' release date, actor John Abraham has dropped the first look poster of the upcoming sequel slated for release on October 2, 2020. Taking to Twitter, John wrote, "The truth prevails AGAIN!!

Returning next Gandhi Jayanti, October 2nd 2020 - #SatyamevaJayate2 (sic)." In the first look poster, John can be seen wearing an intense look on his face as he tears off his police uniform to reveal the Tricolour on his chest. The poster reads, "Tann, mann, dhann se badhkar. Jann, gann, mann."

The film also features Divya Khosla Kumar, the wife of producer Bhushan Kumar. Directed by Milap Zaveri, the movie is produced by T-Series and Emmay Entertainment and Motion Pictures.

"Satyameva Jayate 2 is twice the action, emotion, power, patriotism and punch. Led

by John Abraham back as a

taken to the high court, the notice has warned, according to lawyer Ashwin Garg.

Over three decades, Kota has been identified as an educational city, and connecting the city to crime is unwanted for, Garg said. "Around 250,000 students have been coming here to excel in competitive exams from all parts of India. With such a film been screened all over the nation, who shall send their kids to Kota to study?" he asked.

A few days ago the director had clarified that Kota has been used as the setting for the film and that there was no intention to tarnish the reputation of the city. He said, “Mardaani 2 addresses a huge societal issue of rape and the rise of horrific crimes committed by juveniles in India. One is deeply moved when such shocking incidents happen and as a writer, I wanted to voice this issue and bring to light a terrible reality that today's India and its y o u t h faces."

crusader for justice and with Divya Khosla joining the franchise, I hope next Gandhi Jayanti we provide the audiences with a powerful entertainer that also gives a strong message against corruption," said Zaveri.

Sharing his thought on the film, Nikkhil said, "John and Milap make for a formidable team and we are happy to push the envelope with a project that's not only for the audiences to enjoy but is socially relevant as well."

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Kangana Ranaut transforms into Jayalalithaa TV Listing

* Schedule is subject to change

The first look of 'Thalaivi', the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's biopic, played by ace actor Kangana Ranaut is out. Along with it, the makers have also announced the release date of the movie which is on June 26, 2020.

The first look poster shared by the makers was not taken well by the audience as they felt it as a photoshopped image of Kangana on Jayalalithaa’s original photo. But things get a little better with the 'Thalaivi' first look teaser. In it, we get to see a glimpse of the younger phase of Jayalalithaa’s life when she

was an actor. Later, it moves ahead to show her life as a politician.

Hollywood prosthetics expert Jason Collins of 'Captain Marvel'fame has worked on Kangana’s look in the film. Excited to play the legendary actor and politician onscreen, Kangana had said, “Jayalalithaa ji is one of the biggest female success stories of this century. She was a superstar and went on to become an iconic politician, it’s a great concept for a mainstream film. I am honoured to be a part of this mega project.” Thalaivi was granted the status of an official

biopic, and the team has received a ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the late Chief Minister’s nephew Deepak Jayakumar.

Producer Vishnu Vardhan Induri said, “I am excited to show this story of an actor turn politician, which is based on one of India’s most loved and followed public figures. Thalaivi is a very dear project to all of us as it is a story that needs to be told. And the way, Kangana has slipped into the character, is simply amazing. Can’t wait to present this film to the audience.”

SATURDAY DEC 7, 2019 02:50 FILM: OMKARA 06:00 FILM: PRITHIPAL SINGH... A STORY 08:00 FILM: MANZIL 10:24 FILM: PHOOL AUR KANTE 13:33 FILM: DON - THE CHASE BEGINS AGAIN 17:13 FILM: CHAALBAAZ 20:24 FILM: HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN SUNDAY DEC 08, 2019 00:25 FILM: 1920 LONDON 02:25 FILM: GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN 06:00 FILM: 18.11 - A CODE OFS ECRECY 08:27 FILM: ANDHAA KANOON 11:47 FILM: HONEYMOON TRAVELS PVT. LTD. 14:21 FILM: CHAALBAAZ 17:40 FILM: COMPANY 20:34 FILM: TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS 23:17 FILM: OMKARA MONDAY DEC 09, 2019 01:56 FILM: ISHQ CLICK 06:00 FILM: DAMM 999 08:12 FILM: JAHAN TUM LE CHALO 10:58 FILM: CHINA GATE 14:30 FILM: GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN 17:20 FILM: HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN 21:20 FILM: UDTA PUNJAB

Aditi Rao Hydari takes on a new role Aditi Rao Hydari’s connection with Chennai just got stronger.

The actress, who has been doing a string of movies in Kollywood, has turned entrepreneur and invested in a tennis team that will represent Chennai at the upcoming premier league.

“My father used to play tennis, and he always wanted me to train in and play the sport. But I chose to be a sprinter and pursued dancing as well through my school years. This is my way of remembering him and doing my best for the sport,” says Aditi, adding, “The intention is to make sure

that tennis reaches every home.

I’ve watched videos of supremely talented young players and some of the finest wheelchair players of our country play in the first season, and I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of.”

The actress, who’ll next be seen in Mysskin’s Psycho, adds, “I’ve always respected and loved the spirit and discipline of a sportsperson. I believe tennis deserves that push in our country.

It’ll be exciting to see players who’ve represented India and played Grand Slams playing with other young players.”

* Schedule is subject to change

SATURDAY 7TH DECEMBER 16:30 SUPER DANCER CHAPTER 3 18:00 THE CHEF (SUNDAY ONLY) 18:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW 20:00 INDIAN IDOL 21:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW SUNDAY 8TH DECEMBER 16:30 SUPER DANCER CHAPTER 3 18:00 THE CHEF (SUNDAY ONLY) 18:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW

Thalapathy Vijay gets a wax statue Thalapathy Vijay is one of the favourite actors in Tamil Nadu and other parts of the country. The superstar’s Diwali release ‘Bigil’ had set new records on the box office and the shooting of his next movie tentatively titled ‘Thalapathy 64’ has begun. Now, the actors’ wax statue has been unveiled at the famous museum resembling to his character in his blockbuster movie ‘Theri’.

Vijay's wax statue was recently installed at the Mayapuri Wax Museum in Kanyakumari, which is a major tourist destination. Mayapuri museum has many wax figures, including international icons — Barack Obama, Mother Theresa, Michael Jackson, Charlie Chaplin and other Indian figures — Amitabh Bachchan, MS Subhulakshmi and Rabindranath Tagore. This is the first time a wax figure of a Tamil actor has been displayed at the prestigious museum, which witness good footfalls.

* Schedule is subject to change

MON 9TH - FRI 13TH DEC 2019 13:00: SWARAGINI 13:30: BHARADWAJ BAHUEIN 14:00: TERE NAAL ISHQ 14:30: BEPANNAH 16:30: RASOI SHOW 17:30: CHHUTA CHHEDA 18:00: TUM KAUN PIYA 18:30: DIL KA RISHTA 19:00: JAHAANARA 19:30: BIGG BOSS (SEASON 13)

* Schedule is subject to change

After the statue was unveiled, many tourists have visited the museum and

have taken pictures with the wax figure of the actor.

MON 9TH - FRI 13TH DEC 2019 18:30: VIDYA 19:00: RAM SIYA KE LUV KUSH 19:30: CHOTI SARDAARNI 20:00: SHAKTI ASTITVA KE EHSAAS KI 20:30: SHUBHARAMBH 21:00: BAHU BEGUM 21:30: BIGG BOSS - SEASON 13 22:30: BEPANAH PYAARR

TUESDAY DEC 10 2019 00:17 FILM: TEEN PATTI 02:48 FILM: JISM - 2 06:00 FILM: MUNNA MANGE MEMSAAB 08:30 FILM: BAS EK PAL 11:29 FILM: UTTHAAN 14:23 FILM: TUTAK TUTAK TUTIYA 17:00 FILM: TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS 19:39 LIFESTYLE : STAR STOP 20:13 FILM: DO LAFZON KI KAHANI 22:51 FILM: UDTA PUNJAB WEDNESDAY DEC 11 2019 01:38 FILM: HUFF! ITS TOO MUCH 06:00 FILM: SANTA BANTA PVT LTD 08:10 FILM: LOVE IN NEPAL 11:00 FILM: PHIR HERA PHERI 14:16 FILM: SHAKTI-THE POWER 17:49 FILM: TEEN PATTI 20:48 FILM: COMMANDO 2 23:21 FILM: DO LAFZON KI KAHANI THURSDAY DEC 12, 2019 01:48 FILM: SANTA BANTA PVT LTD 06:00 FILM: BAAT BANN GAYI 08:10 FILM: PYAR KE KABIL 11:15 FILM: TUTAK TUTAK TUTIYA 13:54 FILM: PHIR HERA PHERI 17:03 FILM: DON 2 20:02 FILM: A FLYING JATT 23:09 FILM: PHOBIA FRIDAY DEC 13, 2019 01:20 FILM: SHAKTI-THE POWER 06:00 FILM: GOOD BUDDY GADBADI 08:28 FILM: BANARAS 11:03 FILM: MR. INDIA 14:44 FILM: ANDAAZ 17:52 FILM: COMMANDO 2 20:24 FILM: GADAR- EK PREM KATHA 20:00 INDIAN IDOL 21:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW MON 9TH DECEMBER- FRI 13TH DECEMBER 18:30 VIGHNAHARTA GANESHA 19:00 MERE SAI 19:30 TARA FROM SATARA 20:00 ISHAARON ISHAARON MEIN 20:30 PATIALA BABES 21:00 BEYHADH 2 22:00 MERE DAD KI DULHAN 22:30 TARA FROM SATARA 23:00 CRIME PATROL SONY MAX 2 PRIME TIME 19:00 MONDAY AASHIQ 19:00 TUESDAY MEHNDI 19:00 WEDNESDAY BICHHOO 19:00 THURSDAY SATTE PE SATTA 19:00 FRIDAY YAARANA 20:30: MOHE RANNG DO LAAL 21:00: BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE SAT 14TH DEC 2019 11:00: MAHAKALI 13:30: DADA HO DIKARI 17:00: DHARAM THI GUJARATI 17:30: DIVINE DESTINATION 18:00: BIGG BOSS (SEASON 13) WEEKEND KA VAAR 19:30: DESI BEAT RESET (SEASON 3) 20:00: DANCE DEEWANE (SEASON 2) 21:30: JAAGTE RAHO (SEASON 2) SUN 15TH DEC 2019 11:00: SHRIMAD BHAGWAT 17:00: DHARAM THI GUJARATI 17:30: DIVINE DESTINATION 18:00: BIGG BOSS - SEASON 13 WEEKEND KA VAAR 19:30: DESI BEAT (SEASON 3) 20:00: DANCE DEEWANE (SEASON 2) 21:30:00JAAGTE RAHO (SEASON 2) SAT 14TH DEC 2019 18:30: VIDYA 19:00: CHOTI SARDAARNI 20:00: NAAGIN (SEASON 4) 21:00: FEET UP WITH THE STARS 21:30: BIGG BOSS (SEASON 13) WEEKEND KA VAAR SUN 15TH DEC 2019 11:00: GATTU BATTU 11:30: RUDRA 14:30: AJAB PREM KI GAJAB KAHAANI 19:30: FOOD HIGHWAY 20:00: NAAGIN (SEASON 4) 21:00: DESI BEAT RESET 21:30: BIGG BOSS (SEASON 13) WEEKEND KA VAAR

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TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE

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31

7 - 13 December 2019

Coming Events

From Reindeer sleigh rides to the northern lights why Christmas is ideal in the laps of the Artic The official hometown of the bigbellied Santa Claus is nested behind the thick snow-capped mountains and surrounded by dense forests of Rovaniemi. Perched on the edge of the Arctic circle, the capital of

Whilst those flying from outside Continental Europe will need to transfer in Helsinki. A train from the Central Train Station in Helsinki to Rovaniemi is a 12-hour journey made comfortable with sleeper cabins and private bathrooms.

Where to stay For those wanting to cocoon in the snow-blanketed forests to enjoy the Northern Lights, getting away from the city is the best option. Santa Claus Holiday Village is one of the biggest accommodation areas outside the city- it’s around two miles from the airport and about six miles from Rovaniemi city centre.

The city centre also offers a luxurious range of hotels and holiday rentals. Nestled amidst local antique stores and Finnish restaurants, this is the perfect spot for kids to tinker around with Christmas bells during evening walks.

Things to do, meeting the Jolly Old Elf

Lapland in northern Finland makes for a perfect Christmas getaway with a breath-taking view of the Northern Lights and the reindeer sleigh rides.

How to get to Rovaniemi Rovaniemi is the largest city in Finnish Lapland, a region that crosses much of northern Europe.

Four miles south of the Arctic Circle, flights from within Europe can fly directly to the Rovaniemi airport.

It isn't Christmas without turkey, fairy lights and Santa Claus. Some of the Lapland Christmas attractions in Santa Claus Village include reindeer sleigh rides, children’s snowmobiling (ages four and up), as well as northern lights flights, Aurora hunting tours, and snowmobiling safaris. The village itself has an enigmatic atmosphere transporting you to the fairytale land of Cinderella.

A must-have experience is speeding through the snowy forest behind a team of Siberian Huskies. There are

various lengths of the route that you can take, from a short 500 meters to the one with six miles. You can also visit the Husky Park where you can meet and stroke some of the park’s gorgeous dogs. If you want to see the scenery, a reindeer sleigh ride is a lot more sedate and relaxed, and a chance to get up close to these amazing creatures. Like the husky sledding, there are various lengths of the circuit available so you can decide how far you want to go.

Meeting the Jolly Old Elf himself is an experience like none other. Don't be amused if Santa will go on to ask you direct questions that can make you feel like he truly is watching.

The Northern Lights – or Aurora Borealis – is the primary reason for people to visit Lapland. But there is no guarantee if you will be fortunate in experiencing nature's miracle. You need the right atmospheric conditions, which happen around 150 days a year on average in Rovaniemi. You will also want to visit Arktikum, a museum and science center overlooking the river Ounasjoki.

What to pack for Lapland in Winter Layering with thermals, jumpers, leggings/long johns, a fleece, a pair of waterproof ski trousers, a warm coat, a scarf, hat, and gloves. Add ski socks and snow boots or other warm waterproof boots. Hand warmers are a really good idea. Keep your phone and camera close to your body as the cold will drain the battery fast.

And take tissues, lip balm, and a good moisturiser as the air’s very dry.

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The watch will give you a "Sleep Score" (a figure out of 100 based on your heart rate when sleeping and resting, as well as restlessness, time awake and sleep stages). If you want a more detailed breakdown, you can subscribe to Fitbit Premium which offers in-depth details and tips to help you sleep better, as well as access to guided programs that help you get kick sugar and get more active with video and audio workouts for £7.99 per month or £79.99 a year.

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● Programs at Brahmakumaris Lecture by National Coordinator of Ghana, Dr. Grace LePage Charles on the 'Free From Inner Resistance' -December 5, 7:00 pm - 8.30pm, Candle Light Meditation December 12, 6:45 pm to 8:45 pm, Contact: 020 8727 3350 Venue: Global Co-Operation House, 65-69, Pound Lane, London NW10 2HN ● Pandit Ramgopal Festival, On December 7 at 5:00pm and December 8 at 7:30pm, Art Exhibition and Kathak Extravaganza will be attended by renowned storytellers Venue: The Bhavan – Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan 4A, Castlestown Road, West Kensington, London W14 9HE Contact: 020 7381 3086 ● Cultural program organised on 98th birth anniversary of Pramukh Swami Maharaj by BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Birmingham, Date: December 7, Saturday Venue: Birmingham Pragati Mandal (BPM) 10, Sampson Road, Sparkbrook B11 1JL, Contact: 07767 884 636 ● Shree Sanatan Dharm, Durga Mandir, Programmes and Activities: Maata ji ki Chounki is every Sunday of the month from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. Sundar Kand Path is every 3rd Tues of the month from 11.00 am to 1.00pm Shri Sathya Sai Baba Bhajans is every 3rd Thursday of the month from 7.00pm to 8.00pm Satyanarayan Ki Katha is every monthly Purnima from 6.00pm to 7.30pm. Bhagawat Geeta classes is every Thursday from 7.00 to 8.00pm Yoga classes are on Wednesdays from 10.00am to 11.00am and Fridays from 10.00am to 11.30am.

Address: 3-9 Norman Rd, Ilford IG1 2NH Phone: 020 8514 4781

What’s on ● Come and celebrate International Migrants Day at Migrant Voice on Tuesday 17 December! What’s on?

3.30-6pm: Media Lab where we’ll be creating positive messages on migration through photos and blogs to celebrate International Migrants Day (18 December).

The session will be run by Migrant Voice and media experts.

6-8pm: End of year party with fun, food and funky music! Come to meet old friends and new people, and to celebrate International Migrants Day, Christmas and the end of another year. Feel free to bring some music from your country, or festive drinks/food to share.

Address: Migrant Voice London office: 200a Pentonville Road, London N1 9JP Booking: Book your place by emailing anne@migrantvoice.org – be sure to tell us if you would like to come to the Media Lab OR the party OR both. ● Indian Classical Dance Workshop: This workshop will introduce students to a form of Indian Classical Dance, known as Bharata Natyam. This workshop is open to any students who are curious to learn something new. You do not have to be a performer; you just have to be open to explore another culture through art.

Date: Sunday 8th December Time: 3pm till 5pm Venue: Theatre Delicatessen - Deli Studios, 2 Finsbury Avenue, London, EC2M 2PA Price: Free ● Ajay Srivastav: Ajay Srivastav is a singer/songwriter and guitar player whose music flows from the banks of Delta Blues to the sacred rivers of Indian folk. Lyrically he mixes the personal with the spiritual, forever bouncing between doubt and faith. Ajay's music is raw, passionate and uplifting. As a musician Ajay has worked with a diverse variety of acts such as Jamiroquai, Gregory Isaacs, Zakir Hussain, Sister India and Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan. His song-writing skills have been touted by British music legend Jah Wobble who has produced two of his forthcoming tracks.

Date: Friday 17th January 2020 Time: 7pm Venue: The Farnham Pottery, Pottery Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4SL Tickets: https://www.ajaysrivastav.com/gigs

Disclaimer Asian Business Publications Ltd (ABPL) is not in any way responsible for the goods and services rendered by its advertisers. The ABPL management accepts all advertisements in good faith and it is entirely up to readers to verify advertisers’ products and services, should they feel the need to do so.

32

Sport

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7 - 13 December 2019

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Monty’s Manchester City owners buy majority stake in Mumbai City FC Spin In a landmark deal for Indian football, the City Football Group (CFG), which owns Premier League’s champion club Manchester City, announced that it has acquired 65% stake in Indian Super League side Mumbai City FC. Existing shareholders, actor Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh, will keep the remaining 35%. The deal, which was in the pipeline for more than 11months, was announced by Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and Reliance Foundation chairperson, Nita Ambani, at an event in Mumbai. CFG’s CEO, Ferran Soriano, was also present at the press conference.

CFG agreed to sell a $500 million stake to private equity firm Silver Lake, making it the world’s most valuable football group with a $4.8 billion price tag. Mumbai City FC is the eighth team that CFG has acquired around the globe after Manchester City, New York City FC, Melbourne City FC, Yokohama FMarinos in Japan, Club Atletico Torque in Uruguay, Girona FC in Spain and Sichuan Jiuniu FC in China. “Today we welcome a global football powerhouse to India, to Indian Super League and Indian football. For the first time ever, a European club will be acquiring a majority stake in an Indian club. I am sure Mumbai City FC and Indian football will benefit from this historic partnership,” Anita Ambani said.

Soriano said that his team was convinced about the positive future of Indian football. “We have been looking at this for years. I came myself and

Monty Panesar

Warner, Root strike it big This week was a huge one for England skipper Joe Root. He desperately needed some runs and he did deliver with a double century. I believe that this was one of the most important centuries of his career. His captaincy was questionable and his batting position too.

Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) chairperson Nita Ambani and City Football Group CEO Ferran Soriano at a press conference in Mumbai.

watched many games and we are now convinced of the bright future of football in India. I am sure 10 years from now, we will be here and we will talk about a lot of people playing good football in India,” he said. Despite its riches, Soriano said it is not here to just spend money. “We are not here to lose money. We want to be profitable. It is a challenge like it has been in other places where we have teams but we have done it, mainly through partnerships,” he said.

Asked if the deal will mean big-name players coming to Mumbai, Soriano said the focus will be on grassroots. “We are not here to import anything. We will help good coaches and players. It will mean sharing experience & technology and inspiring players. We see potential in Indian football and we’re here to facilitate that. That said, players will get a chance to interact with teams under our umbrella, maybe even travel to Manchester and use our facilities sometime in the future,” he said.

Karnataka bowler takes five wickets in an over Abhimanyu Mithun, who has been under investigation in connection with the spotfixing scandal in the Karnataka Premier League, took five wickets in an over in Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 against Haryana and helped his side to storm into the final.

His exploits included four dismissals in as many deliveries. Mithun finished with 5 for 39.

With this show, Mithun became the first Indian to have taken a hat-trick in all domestic competitions - Ranji, Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali T20. He had bagged his first-class hat-trick against Uttar Pradesh back in the 2009 season.

The Vijay Hazare final against Tamil Nadu in Bengaluru last month saw Mithun get to a hat-trick in the List A format before repeating this feat in the domestic T20 competition.

Abhimanyu Mithun

“It’s always nice to contribute in your team’s cause,” he said. Before his show, Mithun had only picked 5 wickets from 7 outings in this competition. “The trick in the last over was to vary my pace and not

give them much space to free their arms,” he added.

It was a see-saw game for Mithun.

Haryana’s Himanshu Rana (61) and Chaitanya Bishnoi (55) powered their side to an imposing 194-8 in their 20 overs.

After being hit for 37 runs in his first three overs, Mithun came back in style in the 20th. He began by dismissing Rana in the first ball. In his second ball, Mithun got rid of Rahul Tewatia (32). Sumit Kumar was Mithun’s hat-trick victim. He had four in four when Amit Mishra was caught at covers. The fifth delivery was a wide, then Jitesh Saroha drove him for a single off the next. Mithun bagged his fifth wicket when Jayant Yadav was pouched by keeper in the final delivery. The target of 194 eventually proved too little for Karnataka who chased it down in just 15 overs.

Leander Paes betters Davis Cup record Veteran Leander Paes bettered his own Davis Cup record by winning his 44th doubles match, this time partnering debutant Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, as India blanked Pakistan 4-0 to earn a spot in the 2020 Qualifiers.

Pakistani teenagers Mohammed Shoaib and Hufaiza Abdul Rehman were no match for the Indian combination of the battle-hardened Paes and Jeevan, who needed just 53 minutes to win 6-1 6-3. Last year, Paes became the most successful doubles player in the history of Davis Cup when he won his 43rd match, surpassing Italian great Nicola Pietrangeli during the tie against China.

The 46-year-old had taken 56 ties for his 43rd win while Pietrangeli competed in 66 ties for his 42 victories. “It was fabulous

playing with Jeevan in his first Davis Cup match. Right from the beginning he did everything right. It was being about staying solid today. Jeevan has a big heart, he loves to play for flag. I am proud to share the court with him,” said Paes.

“These guys keep me young, fresh and vibrant. They bring out the best in me. We have got a great mix of different generations and different age groups. It’s lot of fun to be back to playing for India again,” added the winner of 18 Grand Slam titles.

His record of 44 wins in 57 ties is unlikely to be broken anytime soon as except him, none of the active doubles players feature in the top-10 list.

Belarusian Max Mirnyi, at number three, has 36 wins but has not played on Tour

Leander Paes

since 2018.

In the reverse singles, Sumit Nagal trounced Yousaf Khalil 6-1 6-0 for his second straight win. Both the sides opted not to play the dead fifth rubber. The fourth rubber is played even if the outcome of the tie is decided after the first three matches but the rules permit teams to skip playing the dead fifth rubber.

This double century has given the confidence to the England selectors that Joe Root is the right man to lead England until the Ashes in Australia after which they can make a decision on his captaincy.

He has a lot of questions to answer. How can he develop an England team without Jimmy Anderson and still be competitive to take 20 wickets to win an away Test series? I feel England desperately need Jimmy Anderson to be fit for the South African Test series as the development of young fast bowlers isn't to the level of Stuart Broad or Jimmy Anderson. Jofra Archer is an exciting young fast bowler but we will have to wait and see how good he is in South Africa.

Rory Burns has been confirmed as the Test opener for England at least until 2020. The key for any Test batsman is to score a century once in a series to continue to play for England.

Another young Surrey Batsmen Ollie Pope has done extremely well. He scored a vital 70 odd runs to answer questions about his batting. He has the patience and temperament to be a good Test batsman and the ability to keep wicket too. We both played grade cricket for the same club in Australia's Campbelltown. I was even more impressed with his batting. For England to be successful it is not just the tactical knowledge of Joe Root and his captaincy that is key, it's the players around him too. Do we produce good enough English players to play county cricket or are Surrey producing the young talent that is coming through?

If you have been following theAustralia v Paksitan matches, the Pakistan coach had all of us talking about the teenage sensation Naseem Shah.

But it proved that there is no substitute for experience.

Pakistan where outplayed in both Test matches.

You need experienced players in the team. Where have the experienced fast bowlers gone from Paksitani domestic set-up?

And why would you choose young players for such a hard tour like Australia? I was very pleased to see David Warner score a Triple Test century. The mental toughness he has shown since his awful Ashes series in England where Stuart Broad kept getting him out for fun is phenomenal. He must have felt the fans' and public's dismay since his ball tampering ban. By having a brilliant Test series against Pakistan David Warner is back, and I am sure he feels loved by his fans and his nation. Being loved by your fans is important for every cricketer.

Finally, we have the IPL auction taking place with over 900 players registered. Again the dominance of Australian players in the IPL auction list was obvious.

Having a healthy crop of Australian players playing globally is important for the standard of cricket. They seem to dominate most T20 leagues and it is good to see Australia back at their best. We need Australian cricket to be strong for global cricket to be strong.

You can follow Monty Panesar @MontyChannel