AV 22nd June 2019

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

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Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

22 - 28 JUNE 2019 - VOL 48 ISSUE 8

GAME OF THRONE

inside: International Widows Day The Loomba Foundation: Empowering widows SEE PAGE 15

Michael Gove

Boris Johnson

Rupanjana Dutta

The Conservative party website regularly conducts surveys of its members, including covering the question of who they would like as their next leader and potentially as the UK's next Prime Minister.

According to the latest figures on Tuesday, as we went to print, 55% of the members wanted Boris Johnson to be their leader. In the second round of voting on Tuesday 18th, by Tory MPs at Westminster, Mr Johnson scored 126 votes, up from 114 in last week's first

Sajid Javid

Jeremy Hunt

round. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt secured the second place, with 46 votes, ahead of Michael Gove on 41. Rory Stewart is up by 18 votes to remain in the contest with 37. Home Secretary Sajid Javid barely made it by 33, which is the minimum threshold for remaining in the contest. Dominic Raab failed to reach 33 votes, securing just 30.

Most of the Tories want a leader who can deliver Brexit right away and Stewart in this survey has been getting a lot of his support from Lib Dem and Labour backers. Clearly the issue isn't who Tories want as the leader, the key question is if their chosen leader, will actually be good for the country, in the current political chaos gripping the UK? The contest lacks diversity and looks increasingly unrepre-

Rory Stewart

sentative. There are no women left and MPs are now seriously discussing whether it would be acceptable to put two Etonians and Oxford Graduates (Balliol College) into the final shortlist!

The Times reported that an ICM Poll for a British Future report, to be published later this month found that Johnson is the least trusted of all the leadership candidates among ethnic minority voters. He is symbolic of what the Tory party has become- allegedly 'Islamophobic', calling women in burkha, 'letter boxes'. It's one thing to have British humour, but someone with Turkish heritage, is almost at denial of his own roots to ridicule a culture so close to his own belonging.

Continued on page 6

India vs Pakistan: Star studded Old Trafford rallies for world’s greatest sports match SEE PAGE 16-17

Modi slams supporters of terror at SCO SEE PAGE 26

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22 - 28 June 2019

onetoone WITH KEITH VAZ, MP

Alexander Baharani Alexander Baharani is French speaking, Tunisian born with a deep rooted Indian heritage. His brother, Kumar Baharani and he cofounded Kinetic, one of the European leading companies in the natural products industry. He put my passion for organic and respect for nature down to his childhood environment.

Even before Kinetic, he had an illustrious and varied career, including dj-ing on national radio in Tunisia as a teenager. At 20, he flew to England where he enjoyed a life of leisure, before gaining a degree in PR and Marketing. This led to a stint in fashion PR, which whilst exciting and fast-moving was also very cut-throat so he soon found himself looking for an industry that resonated with him.

Travelling often to California, he saw the buzz around natural products there and was inspired to bring them to England. The first US brand Kinetic launched in the UK, JASON, remains one of the best performers in the Kinetic portfolio.

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Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in? (50 words response) I feel exhilarated by cities, be it the virbrancy of Barcelona or the electricity of New York, however ultimately I feel most comfortable and grounded when, like my childhood, I am surrounded by nature. In the UK, I love the lush green rolling hills of Gloucestershire, but I am also an intrepid traveler and love escaping to exotic islands to be close to the water.

Africa, not born here, my brother and I are very proud to have contributed to the massive expansion of the UK health food business. We were visionaries and pioneers of clean beauty and healthy living long before it became mainstream or fashionable!

Today Kinetic acts as a growth engine for the European Natural Health Market. It has always been our wish to run a mission led business , to be kind to people and the planet whilst also having a ball!

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What are your proudest achievements?

As two Asian guys coming from North

What inspires you?

"Despite my business head, I am a creative

at heart. All forms of art inspire me; whether it is an art fair at the Venice Bienale or a ballet production by Matthew Bourne, these forms of expression move and motivate me.

We have also drawn inspiration from our Asian background. India is known for its ancient tradition in wellness and wellbeing.

This influence added to the Mediterranean and naturally focused environment where we grew up has reinforced the importance of natural and holistic health in my interactions with the world. "

I don't think there is a “worst”, but when you are so passionate about your business it becomes a way of life and you never switch off. You are in it 24/7, eating, living, breathing it. It is a privilege to help people with all sorts of issues (health, skin, mental wellbeing).

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What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

Always the optimist, I instead consider obstacles to be challenges and opportunities. That said, nothing is easy when are launching a new business, particularly if it is revolutionary . You need to knock on many doors, and learn to greet rejection with a smile. We did not have many contacts in this country initially, business or social, which made matters even more difficult. However, with my personality, sense of humour, perseverance, and can-do attitude, those obstacles were overcome.

5 Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?

"My mother for her amazing energy, sense of humour and determination, my grandparents for teaching us the wisdom of life and strong business ethics.

Watching the genius of the businesswoman Estee Lauder was inspirational for me, and her motto ""I have never worked a day in my life without selling. If I believe in something, I sell it, and I sell it hard."" Is one I carry with me each day.

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What is the best aspect about your current role?

I love the diversity of my role; no two days are the same. The dynamism we are seeing in the natural products industry means it is a very exciting time. We are known to bring innovative, ethical, niche products from

British Indian Mental health campaigner is running for Miss England perils of being in such a mental state. I was experiencing suicidal thoughts myself and I was even attempting suicide.

Thankfully I recovered but it was a very long journey given the fact I did not think I would overcome such a dark period,” she says.

While the Tory Government is critised for not deploying enough funds to tackle mental health, Ashlyn Matthews Theresa May has and I know this for a fact called for the teacher trainthat I suffered with mental ing sessions to include health and self-esteem lessons in identifying chilissues. dren who might have men“I decided to direct this tal health problems and to movie because I know that a address issues such as selflot of people in our commuharm. At university level, nity don't understand the there will be £1m for a competition to come up with innovative ideas to tackle Solace for the unloved. Cozy as a bird's nest, mental health problems among students. NHS staff An honest place worthy of your donations. will be encouraged to take suicide prevention training.

Mahavir Vrudhashram, Nr. Vishramgruh, Post: Bilimora (West) But, Ashlyn believes that District: Gandevi, Navsari – 396321, Gujarat, India little is being done to bridge (M) : +91 99256 73021, Tel : +91 2634 – 285121

A 19-year-old medical recruitment advisor for the Barts Health, NHS Trust has currently qualified as a Miss England Semi-Finalist on the back of her mental health awareness campaign especially among young Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community.

Ashlyn Matthews, was only 14 years old when she was diagnosed with clinical depression and is now a HR recuritment coordinator born and bought up in London. Originally from Kollam in Kerala, India, she is born and brought up in London. A self-taught Bollywood and Kathak dancer, her dream is to pursue a career as a film director and producer.

“I am currently directing my own short film called Suicide Prevention. Mental health and suicide is a major issue among young people

MAHAVIR VRUDHASHRAM

the gap created due to cultural differences and stigma associated with mental health. Through, the campaign Ashlyn aims to work at the community level and help those like her who are suffering through depression and consequently maybe directed to substance abuse or be influenced by social media posts.

“I don't necessarily think that blocking content on social media would help with the on-going situation and in some cases may even fuel further curiosity to explore such content. I myself saw depressive quotes whilst I was suffering depression and it depends on the time of the daysometimes I felt more depressed but on other times it virtually had no influence. I believe more interaction with the community is the way to move forward,” she says.

You can support Ashlyn for the Miss England contest by sending: Text MISS SE05 to 63333. Votes cost 50p and standard network charge. voters can only vote up to 30 times a day and you should be voting only in the UK.

around the world, and discovering sciencebacked products that actually work always sparks joy.

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And the worst?

What are your long term goals?

"Like most entrepreneurs, I would like to leave a legacy. I have dedicated years and made significant sacrifices in the name of my business, and I want to make sure that my mission is passed on and means something to the next generation.

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If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?

I'd massively clean up the UK's act environmentally, increasing pedestrianised areas in city and town centres, whilst improving our public transport systems to make them aware of the impact plastics and packaging have on the environment. I would bring in a policy which made the arts more accessible to all by increasing funding and offering all citizens free tickets for theatres and museums. I believe this would make for a happier population, rule Britannia!

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If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why.

Hmm it would either be Albert Einstein for his encyclopedic knowledge, as there is so much more I want to learn, or as I love history, Louis XIV le Roi Soleil, to tell me everything that took place in the Château de Versailles. If only the walls could talk.

Sister Shivani's medicine for mental health: Self-care and meditation On 23rd June at 6:00 p.m. at Wembley SSE Arena, BK Shivani, who hosts the TV programme 'Awakening with the Brahma Kumaris', will be sharing her insights on issues affecting people today including situations that disturb mental and emotional health.

Speaking about the importance of quality content consumption and the habit of devoting an hour's time for self-care for meditation to help establish a positive outlook towards life Sister Shivani said“Happiness is about one's soul and the regular tendency has been to blame situations and people for all the negativity. But if you wake up by reading news stories about destruction around the world then that only brings negativity.

Instead, devoting the morning hour for contemplation and protecting oneself from over-consumption of negative content can help in reducing stress,” she explains.

Brahma Kumaris (UK), based in Pound Lane, teach-

es Raja Yoga meditation as a way of experiencing peace of mind and a positive approach to life.

Discussing the significance of yoga which has been embraced across cultures and international countries such as France, America and even in the Middle-East, Sister Shivani has emphasised about the achievement of spiritual and mental health through yoga.

“Yoga is often perceived as a physical exercise but it can help bring balance by imporving concentration abilities and reduce stress in one's life. This would in turn reduce dependence on substances and help in improved lifestyle,” she concluded.

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22 - 28 June 2019

Modi helmsman of foreign relations India’s new Minister of External Affairs may be S. Jaishankar, once head of its bureaucracy, and hence an experienced hand in international diplomacy. A specialist on the United States, China and Japan, he has the required skills to keep India’s ties with Washington and Beijing on an even keel – separately defined, one from the other. The US belongs to a category better understood; China, on the other hand, fits Winston Churchill’s description of Russia in an earlier age, as a ‘riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.’ China’s political autism represents a challenge for India that is likely to extend well into the future.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the controller of Indian foreign policy, the guiding star of its initiatives .

His first visits abroad were to the neighbourhood states of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, both emerging from existential domestic crises.

The Maldives survived a year-long Yameen dictatorship, which tilted heavily towards China and Pakistan. Relations with India were fraught, but New Delhi weathered the strain with admirable patience. The reward arrived when the Yameen government called fresh elections, confident of a further mandate in office.

The result was its demolition as a new India-friendly regime swept to power. Prime Minister Modi spoke of India’s desire for a warm, equitable debt-free relationship with the Maldives – an oblique reference to the crippling debt the country had run up in free-wheeling Chinese infrastructure aid.

Mr Modi’s next stop was Sri Lanka, where his welcome was especially warm. The country had recently endured the shattering experience of Islamist bombings of Christian churches, masterminded by a local Muslim businessman, Zahran Hashim, whose factories manufactured the bombs. Some 258 innocent civilians perished in the blasts; foreign tourism – a source of valuable foreign exchange – was severely affected.

President Maitripala Sirisena, noted previously for his pro-China sympathies had pitted himself against Prime Minister Ranil Wickeringsinghe, who was more kindly disposed to India. The financial burden arising from Chinese infrastructure aid entered the public space. A divided administration took little heed of Indian intelligence warnings of a possible, looming disaster. Mr Modi visited the bombed churches, offering condolences and promising intensified Indian cooperation in

combating Jihadi terrorism. The arrests of seven jihadi suspects in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, believed to be in league with the Sri Lankan bombers, underscored the need for a closer alignment between the two governments on national security.

Farther afield, India received a warm message of thanks from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for voting against UN observer status for a Palestinian group with proven Hamas links. Prime Minister Netanyahu assured Mr Modi of Israel’s fullest support to India in fighting jihadi terror. The door to India’s free lunches for the Arab League and the ritual condemnations of Indian policy on Kashmir by the Organization of Islamic Conference, has been slammed shut.

Finally, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, was inaugurated by host President Sooronbai Jeenbelov. Indian broadsheets gave pride of place to the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping – a formal handshake, pleasant banalities on the Premier’s election victory, the need for closer Sino-Indian ties, including closure to their territorial dispute: all these easier said than done. China has the interests of its ‘all weather friend,’ Pakistan to consider, as well as it own on the broader chessboard of international relations, where India’s role is perceived by Beijing to be permanently subordinate to that of China.

Indian broadsheet reports were a melange of platitudes culled from press handouts, or from well thumbed filed clichés, incapable or unwilling to unable to break the mould of borrowed wisdom. Serious reading in history is a low premium undertaking.

The Hindu newspaper gave front-page co verage to Modi-Xi meeting, reams that were carried over to an inside page. The Hindu is the only English-language Indian newspaper to publish full-page Chinese advertising copy the financial rewards apparently returned in its size of the Modi-Xi parleys.

Not a line was reserved for the Modi-Putin talks and its far-reaching outcomes, including a summit in Moscow, followed by an invitation to Mr Modi t o be Chief Guest at the Vladivostok Economic Forum.

Where the Modi-Xi began and ended with a formal handshake, the Modi-Putin meeting opened with a long, warm bear hug. The camera rarely lies, but the message was lost on The Hindu, for which this was a non-event.

When only money talks, what price is press freedom?

Cricket will unite people One of the most important benefits of a cricket match is that it will unite people from different parts of the world.

All cricket fans will gather at the ground and enjoy the game. It will create a comradeship among the fans. It will also be an outing for the families. Another important aspect is the financial reward. The organisers will be able to collect much needed funds which will be spent for the betterment of the game. Funds are needed for the upgradation of the game. The England and Wales Cricket Board is lately struggling to meet its expenses. The World Cup will boost its coffers and it will augur will for the future of the game. It will also imbibe sportsmanship among the people.

The Indian Captain Virat Kohli and his team are treating the clash against Pakistan in Manchester as just another game. In their mind or in their practice sessions, they're doing nothing out of the ordinary. According to him, the team has 'literally' not discussed anything different from what they have since arriving in England.

The Indian Captain explained that India will purely focus on their own game irrespective of the opposition. "As cricketers who have been selected to play for their country, our responsibility is to treat every game equally because you have to be committed to play for your country every game that you play regardless of the opposition," he said.

"We can't get too emotional or too over excited with any occasion that we play in. So obviously, the mindset of the player is always going to be different from that of the fans. You can't mix the two.

"You can't expect the fans to think in a professional manner, focusing on each ball. Our attention span has to be very precise on the field because we have that split second to make a decision.

"But from the fans' point of view, looking at the atmosphere and frenzy around the game, I wouldn't say it's easy to think like a player. For the players, it's very, very crucial to be absolutely professional and beat any team you're up against,” he concluded.

Indian-led US team Alzheimer cure A team led by Dr Kiran Bhaskar, an Indian American scientist at the University of New Mexico, is reported to have made a key breakthrough in the drive to make a vaccine for the cure of the Alzheimer disease, a brain affliction that results in serious memory loss. Around 50 million of the world’s population are struck down by Alzheimer.

In a recent paper published in NPJ Vaccines, Dr Bhaskar, an Associate Professor at the university, and his team at the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, reported that it had engineered virus-like particles that eliminate the ‘tau tangles’ in mice, bred to develop symptoms similar to those affecting patients with Alzheimer. Dr Bhaskar and his team discovered that when they when the vaccine was administered to Alzheimerstricken mice, they developed antibodies that eliminated

the tau protein from their brains – the response lasting for months. MRI scans revealed that the vaccinated rodents had diminished brain shrinkage proving the vaccine had prevented the protective neurons from dying.

‘We’re excited by these findings, because they seem to suggest that we can use the body’s own immune system to make antibodies against the tangles, and that these antibodies actually bind and clear these tau tangles,’ said Nicole Maphis, a PhD candidate and member of the Bhaskar team.

However, Dr Kiran Bhaskar was cautious about the timeline for the vaccine to market. “We’ve got to make sure that we have a clinical version of the vaccine s that we can test in people,’ he said. At least there is the first glimmer of light at the end of this horrifically dark tunnel.

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore - André Gide (1869-1951)

Virendra Sharma MP Labour MP for Ealing & Southall

Refugee Week This week marks the annual awareness-raising Refugee Week, a week which celebrates the incredible contribution made by refugees and their families to the social, cultural and economic fabric of the UK. A whole host of artistic, cultural and educational events are being held across the country this week to help improve our understanding of refugees and asylum seekers, and I would strongly recommend that you take the time to attend one in your local community. I thought I would use this month’s column to reflect on the situation experienced by refugees here in the UK and internationally.

After decades of decline, the number of refugees has escalated in recent years, with over 68 million people displaced around the world today. Tragically, the global number of refugees is larger than the entire population of the UK. Within Asia and the Pacific alone, there are 7.7 million people of concern to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), a figure fuelled by the ethnic cleansing and genocide perpetrated within Myanmar by its military.

After decades of discrimination and religious persecution, the Rohingya people were forcibly removed from an area they have called home for generations. Thankfully, Bangladesh has stepped up to the task with great determination and decisiveness, offering shelter and aid to well over a million refugees as part of its humanitarian response.

Having travelled to Cox’s Bazar to see the refugee camps during the initial crisis, I have seen how they live and the great strength they have shown in the face of overwhelming adversity.

The UK and intergovernmental organisations such as the UN Refugee Agency have also displayed remarkable leadership and generosity to the Rohingya people, though we must now hold the military of Myanmar to account. The international community must bring greater pressure to bear on the Myanmar government, led by the de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, for the crimes against humanity which have been committed under her watch.

Successive UK governments have often proven to be among the world’s most generous in providing emergency aid to refugees, and the Department for International Development (DFID) is one of the most respected and ambitious in its field. As a member of the International Development Committee in Parliament, our role is to scrutinise DFID and the aid industry, ensuring that international aid is spent effectively. While we believe that DFID is performing well, the UK’s response to refugee crises is often too piecemeal and short-sighted and we must do much more to alleviate their plight in the longerterm. When refugees such as Rohingya are unable to return home, countries such as ours must take the lead and grant more refugees the right to live here.

We must lead by example. We cannot ask poor or middle-income host countries to give asylum seekers the right to work when we ourselves prohibit this basic right. Tens of thousands of asylum seekers living in the UK receive just £37.75 a week in which to survive. After all that they have gone through, this paltry sum forces even greater indignity upon people who have fought tremendous adversity just to make it here. Suffering must not be allowed to continue in their sanctuary.

Continued on page 6

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Rochdale sex grooming gang 'urgent' deportation call Home Secretary Sajid Javid has been asked to take "urgent action" and deport four members of a grooming gang who abused girls in Rochdale. Tony Lloyd, the town's MP, said "victims deserve better".

Shabir Ahmed, 66, Abdul Rauf, 50, Abdul Aziz, 48 and Adil Khan, 49, who have dual UK-Pakistani citizenship, were among nine men jailed in 2012 for exploiting girls as young as 12.

The Home Office will not say whether a decision has been made to deport them.

Ahmed, who was known as "Daddy" in the gang, is still serving a 22-year jail term for rape.

In August 2018, Aziz, Khan and Rauf lost an appeal against being

(Clockwise from top left) Shabir Ahmed, Abdul Aziz, Adil Khan, Abdul Rauf face deportation to Pakistan

stripped of their British citizenship. Ahmed, Rauf, Aziz, and Khan, lost a previous battle to keep British citizenship in February 2017.

Mr Lloyd is calling on Mr Javid to explain why the four have not yet been deported and has tabled a motion in parliament. He

said: "These crimes were at the most serious level and victims deserve better.

"I would ask Sajid Javid to take urgent action. I want them to be deported."

He said the public would be "bewildered" and added: "People are still angry."

Maggie Oliver, who quit

Greater Manchester Police and turned whistleblower, said victims had been "failed again and again and again" but they expected "very, very little from the authorities".

She said they saw their abusers on a "fairly regular basis" and it was "really distressing" and "disgraceful".

Police said as many as 47 girls were groomed for two years from 2008. They were plied with alcohol and drugs, and gang-raped in rooms above takeaways, and taken by taxis to different flats where cash was paid to use the girls.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We do not routinely comment on individual cases."

The Home Office has been approached for comment.

Temple wheelchair row taxi driver 'suspended' A taxi driver has been suspended after he refused to help an elderly wheelchair user to the car "in case she fell out".

Saroj Seth MBE, 78, who had her right leg amputated three years ago, asked for help down a ramp at the Shree Geeta Bhavan Temple in Clarendon Park Road, Leicester.

However she said the driver refused, leaving her "humiliated and insulted".

ADT Taxis said the driver has been "suspended indefinitely".

Mrs Seth said: "Most of the drivers are very good but this driver came and just sat there in the car. There was

no compassion, no kindness."

"He said 'no, it is a liability to take a disabled person' and said he was not going to touch the wheelchair. He didn't want to come near me and stood by his car."

Mrs Seth, a former magistrate who was awarded an MBE for services to community cohesion in Leicester in 2011, said she is a regular ADT Taxis customer and on booking warns them she needs assistance But she added: "That incident left me very angry that with all my hard work, people still haven't understood [about equality], and there is no compassion

Mrs Seth needed help from the door of the temple down the ramp

whatsoever for people who are not able and are dependent on others."

ADT manager Nigel Ord said the firm had "suspended the driver indefinitely" and informed the council's licensing authority.

"The fault lies with us

somewhere and we are investigating the incident. It is an unfortunate situation and we will learn from this," he said.

A woman who witnessed the conversation said she was "shocked and sickened" by it.

'Loyal' bookkeeper stole Beatle 'Ringo' reveals he saved Jihadi John's life £660k from firm and before the killer went on to put it into liquidation behead Western hostages Image: Leicestershire Police

A bookkeeper stole more than £660,000 from the family firm he had served for 30 years - causing it to go bust.

Bharat Suchak transferred the money from the Belgrave firm into his own bank account.

The 65-year-old, of Silverstone Drive, Rushey Mead, Leicester appeared at Leicester Crown Court today to be sentenced. He had admitted three counts of fraud by abuse of position at a hearing earlier this year.

Leicestershire Police released details of the case.

The force said its investigation established that large sums of money were transferred into Suchak’s bank account from accounts owned by the firm.

It said Suchak was employed by the family business as a bookkeeper for around 30 years and during that time he moved approximately £662,000 into his own bank accounts.

Financial Investigator Nicole McIntyre, of the force's economic crime unit, led the investigation.

She said the victims had been in business for 40

Bharat Suchak

years.

She said: "Following the incident the business has gone into liquidation due to the financial loss it’s suffered at the hands of Suchak.

“The victims trusted Suchak and felt he was a loyal employee. He abused his position and the victims’ good nature. This was a lengthy and complex investigation, money was transferred over a period of time using fraudulent transactions so it didn’t arouse suspicion.

“We are pleased that he has pleaded guilty to the offences and we hope the time he will now spend in prison will give him the time to reflect on his crimes and the consequences his actions had had on him, his family, the victims and the wider community.”

innocent victims, A member of the ISIS but that it didn't Beatles gang has change his opinion revealed he saved on him because the Jihadi John's life killings actually only before he went on to made up 'two minexecute Western utes of his life'. hostages. Alexanda During the Kotey, also known as interview he is said to Ringo, had allowed Alexanda Kotey have got extremely fellow Brit Jihadi John emotional, admitting he to rise in the ISIS ranks, wept when his friend was becoming the caliphate's killed by a drone strike in executioner, by saving his life on the battle field.

November 2015. He highKotey, 35, has now lighted how he had originally saved Emwazi after he was revealed all about his friendshot by the Free Syrian Army ship with fellow Londoner in Aleppo in 2014. Kotey said Mohammed Emwazi, in a he held him in his lap and shocking jail confession. thought he was about to Kotey also admitted to havbreath his last breath. Then ing a family living in Syria months later, and back to full with whom he wants to live health, Emwazi caused terror in the UK, despite having when he appeared in a series been stripped of his citizenof internet videos beheading ship. He has a wife, and three Western hostages. girls, aged five, three and one Kotey is currently and is hopeful of one day seeimprisoned outside Raqqa, ing them again. and restrictions were put in Both Kotey and Emwazi had been in a terror cell place during the interview as dubbed The Beatles by their to what could be revealed.

The 35-year-old also revealed prisoners in Syria, Emwazi he abused Western prisoners had been nicknamed John before they were beheaded and Kotey, Ringo. Speaking and that he regrets joining to The Mirror, Kotey recalled ISIS. how Emwazi killed a host of

in brief QUEER EYE STAR 'BLEACHED SKIN AS A CHILD' Queer Eye star Tan France says he bleached his skin as a child so he could be seen as "more attractive".

"When I was five, I remember thinking, 'God, I'd give anything to be white," he writes in his new book Naturally Tan. The 36-year-old, who grew up in Doncaster and is of Pakistani heritage, says that he "worried constantly" that "bad things would happen" to him because of his skin. He says he now knows it is "beautiful".

Tan is Queer Eye's fashion expert and, like his Queer Eye friends, spends the majority of his time each episode sharing messages of self-love and body positivity with the show's guests - although admittedly with more tough love than the rest of the crew.

But as a child Tan says he wasn't as confident in his own skin as he is now. That's why as a 10-year-old he stole his cousin's bleaching cream.

AMJAD KHAN DIES AFTER 'TARGETED' ATTACK A man has died almost a week after he suffered serious head injuries in a "targeted attack".

Amjad Khan was found by police in a property in Yardley Close, Oldbury, West Midlands, at about 01:00 BST on 8 June. He died in hospital on 13 June.

Derek Brennan, 31, from Smethwick, and Daman Sehra, 22, from Netherton in Dudley, have been charged with attempted murder.

They are due to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 8 July.

Mr Brennan, of Halesowen Road, and Mr Sehra, of Arden Road, were remanded in custody by magistrates in Dudley on 10 June.

West Midlands Police said officers were working to understand the motive and circumstances surrounding the death.

Det Ch Insp Gill Davenport, said: "While we have arrested and charged two people in connection with this attack, I'd still like to hear from anyone who has information relating to this or was in the vicinity of Yardley Close between midnight and 1am on Saturday 8 June to get in touch."

STAR'S 'AMAZING' TIME ON YESTERDAY WITH ED SHEERAN AND DANNY BOYLE The star of the new film Yesterday has spoken of his "amazing" time working with the director Danny Boyle and singer Ed Sheeran.

Ex-EastEnders actor Himesh Patel, from Cambridgeshire, plays a singer-songwriter who is the only person who can remember The Beatles.

He said it was a "privilege" to work with Boyle and writer Richard Curtis.

"It's an amazing part of the job to get to work with such incredible film makers," he said.

The Beatles-inspired movie, filmed in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, included a scene with 6,000 extras in Gorleston-onSea. Patel, who is from Huntingdon, appears opposite Downton Abbey actress Lily James, and the movie has cameos from Sheeran and James Corden.

The film imagines a world without the Beatles in which Patel's character claims the Fab Four's hits are his own.

Patel said his involvement with the Key Youth Theatre in Peterborough and the Actors Theatre Company in Cambridge helped him secure his part in EastEnders.

He said he enjoyed meeting Framlingham singer-songwriter Sheeran: "He was great, very generous with a great sense of humour.

"He was really inquisitive about what we do and he was very relaxed as a performer."

The movie, which is officially released on 28 June, saw filming in Clacton, at the Latitude Festival near Southwold and at Ormiston Denes Academy in Lowestoft.

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Labour exploitation: National Minimum Wage campaign A recent poll has revealed that many workers are unaware of their rights and do not know that their time spent travelling between assignments for their job should be counted as working time. As part of renewed focus on National Minimum Wage (NMW), the Government has launched a campaign to create awareness around paid travel time following the introduction of the new payslip legislation in April this year.

As of April 2019, the UK National Minimum Wage stands at £8.21/hour in comparison to £7.81 per hour for people aged 25 recording an increase of about 5%. NWM mandates the least amount of wages a worker could be paid for an hour's work. There are four minimum wages below this amount for younger workers and apprentices: Year

complaint to HMRC. Only last year reports had emerged about Leicester's manufacturing industry being rife with so-called sweatshops that which do not employment laws and in turn recruit workers who are paid as little

National Minimum Wage as of April 2019

April 2019

25 and over 21 to 24 18 to 20 £8.21

£7.70

As part of a wider move to end low pay, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is encouraging workers who may be at risk of not being paid correctly to speak to their employer or make a

£6.15

Under 18 £4.35

Apprentice £3.90

as £3.50 an hour. Leicester has the second highest concentration of textile manufacturers in the country with 700 factories employing 10,000 textile workers according to a Hansard report “The social cost of

our clothes”.

Legislation clearly states that the time spent travelling for the purpose of working qualifies for the national minimum wage.

However, travelling time between home and work does not qualify. HMRC has identified £24.4 million in back pay for more than 220,000 workers who did not receive the minimum wage, up from £15.6 million last year, and issued £17m in financial penalties to employers who breached the rules.

“We are leaving no stone unturned and are cracking down on employers who fail to pay the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage.

“Through our modern Industrial Strategy, we are determined to end low pay and boost the earning power of people right across the country,” said Kelly Tolhurst, Business Minister.

Worker’s concerned about under payment can fill in the online pay and work rights complaints form on GOV.UK or can call the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100.

Continued from page 1

Rachel Sylvester in The Times wrote, an analysis by the think tank British Future found that if the Tories closed the ethnic minority voting gap, they would have won an extra 28 seats and secured a majority of 42.

Responding to the latest ballot in the Tory leadership race, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable told Asian Voice,“Boris Johnson continues to be a danger to Britain and to our relationships around the world.

Conservatives in the Commons and the country must surely realise that in this deadly serious contest, the Johnson candidature is no longer a jolly joke.

“The Tories are moving to a coronation with people rallying around Johnson who have no trust or confidence in him, but are looking for jobs. This would mean a few weeks of unity with months and years of acrimony to follow. Boris Johnson's platform must be subjected to the harsh light of public scrutiny before, not after, he is handed the keys to Number 10.”

Hypothetically, if Boris Johnson becomes the Prime Minister next month, he perhaps will have to remember his days as the London's Mayor in 2008, when the city was affected by the crash. Though he claims he won twice in multicultural London, and his ex-wife was half Indian, he cannot deny that his 2012 victory was primarily based on white voters. There is no denial, under his watch, London grew at an astonishing rate,

GAME OF THRONE turning it to a giant economic success story- perhaps something the country needs at the moment. But global investors are naturally nervous as Johnson will potentially trigger a 'no deal' Brexit, and then an early election, which could give the Labour party a chance to win and under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn that's of no use either. Lib Dem party has perhaps been the only consistent party in this rat race, and under the newly joined Chuka Umunna, it may see a new light.

While Jeremy Hunt is raising brows, after supporting a scathing Donald Trump on London Mayor Sadiq Khan's policies, Rory Stewart is perhaps the only Etonian in this contest who the Remainers can hope, to deliver a balanced Brexit, but it is unnatural for people not to see the magic web that Sajid Javid is capable of spinning. It is astonishing to find the son of an immigrant in the Tory bandwagon, but then the Asian community has always strived to achieve new heights, and break that economic impasse. When the Windrush scandal threatened the party of its integrity and Amber Rudd her job, it was this son of an 'immigrant' who changed the disadvantage to the his own advantage, and what followed was a constructive

rebuilding of faith. He has looked into the issues of the highly-skilled migrants and not too far away from solving the TOEIC 'cheating scandal' as the Home Secretary. He is backing the drive to bring back two year post-study scheme for non EU students- many think these are the correct steps in the right direction. He is undoing Theresa May's mistakes as the Home Secretary, and may do the same as the Prime Minister too. Most definitely he would remove the party's image as Islamophobe, a very crucial

step to prove likes of Donald Trump wrong.

The video of Rory Stewart speaking Dari in Barking was refreshingly different, but there is absolutely no denial that the Tory party has become a party of old white men. Javid who was not invited to the State banquet for Donald Trump this month, is not wrong to still feel an 'outsider'. It is not paranoia.

One must realise that this is not the true representation of the Britain we live in today- where the richest man is of Indian-origin- GP and SP Hinduja.

Sajid Javid, like London's Mayor Sadiq Khan is the right face for modern Britain and this is our only chance to give our own 'Kamala Harris' his rightful opportunity to be our 'true' state representative.

Refugee Week Continued from page 3

The admirable work of DFID must not be undone by the inequities of the Home Office. In my view asylum seekers need to be given the right to work, which will give them the chance to prosper in this country and stand on their own two feet.

With global temperatures on the rise, we can expect the situation to become much worse for refugees and asylum seekers. Naturally, it will be the least developed countries and its most vulnerable which will be the worst hit by the devastating floods, fires, drought and resulting

conflict caused by climate change. The UK needs to ensure that its asylum system is ready for climate migrants, and we must do all we can prevent the environmental catastrophe that awaits us.

Even while others attempt to build walls and burn bridges, we must continue with our British internationalist tradition, and remain outwardly facing and empathetic towards the poorest in our global community. If you can, please consider supporting a charity that supports refugees and get involved with some of the fun and informative events hosted during this year’s Refugee Week.

'Posh white men' should not be the default on TV: Anita Rani Ethnic minority presenters have to justify the presence of "posh white men" who are now "default" on TV, said broadcaster Anita Rani, while opening Channel 4’s diversity festival in Bradford on Monday, 17th June.

The Countryfile presenter born in Bradford to Indian parents had fronted a BBC programme about Bollywood last year and has recently said that executives were less keen when she had suggested a followup about Hollywood.

'Why you, Anita? We can understand why you'd make a programme about Bollywood "'But Hollywood? What's that got to do with you?,'" she said while speaking at Channel 4's Diverse Festival in

Anita Rani

Bradford.

She said: "I feel like I have to justify why I should present things more than anyone else because I'm an Asian woman. And on top of that, I'm blooming northern.

Blind Indian musicians denied visa to the UK Hundreds of people have signed an online petition addressed to UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid where they have urged him to grant visitor visas to two blind musicians from India, who were due to perform in Scotland later this month as part of a UK-India cultural exchange programme.

Prem Bhagavan Nagaraju, and Jyothi Kalaiselvi, were scheduled to travel to the UK with a group of people from the disability organisation Devasitham Charitable Foundation (DCF) based in Chennai. However, the organisers say that while their non-disabled colleagues who were supporting them on the trip were granted entry, their own visa application was declined by the UK Home Office.

“The Home Office refused the visa applica-

tions of these two young disabled people due to their economic and family circumstances, stating that it is ‘not satisfied that you have sufficient ties in India that will act as an incentive for you to leave the UK at the end of your trip’,” reads the petition, started by Ninian Perry, Creative Director of Paragon Music, the Scottish charity behind the tour.

The exchange programme, supported by the British Council, Creative Scotland and the Scottish government, was designed to address the barriers faced by disabled people when trying to participate in cultural activities. The UK Home Office said that it does not comment on individual cases but said that all applications were considered on their “individual merits” and in line with the immigration rules.

Seminar for exploring opportunities and risks in India A flagship seminar titled "India: What are the opportunities and risks ahead?” was held in London on 11 June 2019 at Guildhall, London with over 200 bookings.

The audience, included members with an interest in India, and saw senior persons from global investment and private banks, family offices, private equity firms, hedge funds, asset managers, pension funds, an international credit agency, high net worth

investors, accountancy and legal firms, trust companies, Indian High Commission, UK Parliament, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, HM Treasury and Department of International Trade.

The opening address was from Alderman and Sheriff Vincent Keaveny, City of London while other speakers included Lord Bilimoria CBE DL, James Crabtree, Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Robin Griffiths, Alan Rosling CBE, and Deepak Lalwani.

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As I See It CB Patel

Sajid Javid knows how to shape our modern Britain Sadiq Khan defended policing in London after first of the victims from the three fatal attacks over the weekend has been named. Mr Khan, who is a dear friend and an inspiration, shared an online post from the Met Police, and explained how the police cuts by the Tory government has adversely affected the safety of the city. It is actually painful to see one of the major daily newspapers defending Donald Trump's thoughts and words against London's first ever Muslim Mayor. It is even more disturbing to learn Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Britain's first ever Muslim Home Secretary was not invited to the State dinner organised at the Buckingham Palace in honour of Donald Trump.

UK and the US have shared a close bond for years. The two nations are bound together by shared history, an overlap in religion and a common language and legal system, and kinship ties that reach back hundreds of years, including ancestral lines. Today, large numbers of expatriates live in both countries.

Through times of war and rebellion, peace and estrangement, as well as becoming friends and allies, Britain and the US cemented these deeply rooted links during World War II to what is known as the 'Special Relationship'. In longterm perspective, the historian Paul Johnson has called it the "cornerstone of the modern, democratic world order”. In the early 20th century, the UK affirmed its relationship with the US as its "most important bilateral partnership" in the current British bilateral relationship and the American foreign poli-

19

Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP being presented with the Cabinet Minister of the Year Award by CB at the 12th Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards on 1 March 2018

cy also affirms its relationship with Britain as its most important one.

US got its first ever ethnic minority President before London got it's first ever Mayor from the same background, but no one can deny that today's Britain is any less multicultural than the United States. Donald Trump's constant criticism of Sadiq Khan is becoming increasingly unsavoury and it is

CB with London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan at Asian Voice Charity Awards this year

shame to see MPs like Jeremy Hunt actually sharing Trump's sentiments.

Though Mr Johnson has been sometimes critical of Mr Trump,

there is no denial that Tory party's attitude towards the ethnic minority has made Boris Johnson its leading contestant in this leadership contest. Mr Johnson whom I have known well and for long, as the Mayor of London in 2008, undeniably changed the fate of London after the fatal financial crash. He brought in some key reforms, but he also sold the city to the Chinese and Middle Easterns. Today we face the consequences- lack of decent, buyable homes for average city dwellers. There is a generation of Londoners who will never ever be able to afford even a one bedroom flat in this city. Sajid Javid on the other hand, son of an immigrant father, who came to England with £1 in his pocket, knows what it takes to survive and shape a modern nation.

Mr Johnson will perhaps try to undo the policy paralysis that Brexit has created, worryingly with a 'no-deal'. The country has wasted 3 years of its precious time already.

One should not forget the EU referendum was won on false promises and projections about non existent funds, and today we are just metres away from sinking with wobbly pounds. In my 52 years of living in this country, I have never witnessed such a situation where the ruling party and the opposition are both lacking right leadership or possibility of one. It is about time we admit that who the Tories elect as their leader may be right for the party's 'white' sentiment but definitely not the right for the Britain we live in and represent today.

There is still time to change it, and I am hoping better sense will prevail.

Indian Journalists' Association elects new committee

Naresh Kaushik

Radhika Iyer

The Indian Journalists' Association has elected it's new office bearers on Friday 14 June 2019. Indian-origin and senior BBC journalist Naresh Kaushik has been elected as the President, with NDTV's Radhika Iyer as the Secretary and Sanjay Suri from CNN News 18 as the new Treasurer.

The 72 year old organisation, that was established in May 1947, represents journalists based in the UK, representing Indian media or covering Indian affairs.

Kaushik told the PTI, “The Association is meant for members and, if you all agree, we could focus on being there for the welfare of journalists more than raising funds and would attempt to revive the IJA to its past glory.”

Kaushik has replaced past president Ashis Ray, who in January 2019 had triggered a controversy by hosting a press conference for Syed Shuja, an Indian cyber expert, who sought political asylum in the US, and

Sanjay Suri

claimed that the 2014 general election was “rigged” through the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which, he said, could be hacked.

This controversy led to a series of resignations from the IJA committee members, and a letter was circulated widely signed by fellow IJA journalists saying, “To our astonishment, it turned out to be a press conference via Skype by a masked man, with nothing to back up his claims.

“With Brexit and the forthcoming election in India there are many important debates to be had and issues to be investigated, but providing a platform for such serious and unsubstantiated claims merely sullies the discourse and adds to divisions.”

Kaushik and his team plans to revive the organisation and foster amicable relationship with major government organisations. It also wants to incorporate the use of technology as per the needs of a 21st century journalist body.

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Ed Davey's Modi connection The Liberal Democrat leadership candidate speaks on climate change, broken immigration system, Brexit divide and working with Narendra Modi for stronger India-UK trade relations.

Priyanka Mehta The Liberal Democrats are hoping to appear bigger than an alliance party in the Brexit driven political chaos that has crippled British politics in the last three years of its divorce from the EU. The Centrist party had been languishing in single digits up until last year and has seen a massive surge with a record 20% vote share polled on average in the recently conducted local and European elections. But, to crack through the two-party system of the UK, it needs to drive policy discussions on subjects beyond Brexit, issues that Liberal Democrat hopeful Ed Davey has been actively campaigning for.

Decarbonising capitalism: Focus on consumption of solar energy “For me, climate change is and should be the the most pressing concern that needs to be addressed immediately,” said Davey in an exclusive interview to Asian Voice.

The former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change had the opportunity of travelling to India after Prime Minister Modi had just assumed office in 2014.

Being part of the UK's trade delegation, Davey had the opportunity of discussing policy frameworks around consumption of renewable resources, harnessing solar energy and “Namami Gange- India's drive

to clean river Ganges.

Generation of electricity from coal in the UK has decreased from 124 TWh in 2008 to 17 TWh in 2018, a sharp decline of 86 per cent as disclosed in a report published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

“The main learning that I had from Modi's climate change policy was his focus on consumption of solar, greener and cleaner energy. And as a former Chief Minister of Gujarat he had attracted heavy investment into the state owing to the establishment of a more secure energy supply system.

“His pamphlet, 'Convene Action' where he had rooted his strong intent of establishing a clean environment to his core Hindu beliefs which I had found to be an extremely powerful campaign,” said the Member of Parliament for Kingston and Surbiton.

Discussing Modi's rural electrification programme and the micro-solar sights, has formulated a new economic plan with the aim of “decarbonising capitalism” to “radically reduce the UK's reliance

on fossil fuels”. Earlier in 2014, in his speech to Autumn Conference he had proposed to to ban the generation of electricity by coal from 2025, if they were to form the Government- which they did in 2010.

Home Office's mishandling of immigration and India-EU Free Trade Agreement Today, there have been countless occasions when Davey has defended his party's time in coalition with the Tories during David Cameron's premiership. However, he has also been on record to state that they were wrong to agree with

harsh immigration measures such as minimum income thresholds for families.

Attacking Theresa May's Hostile Environment policy, Davey has now launched a fresh charge against Mrs May both in the context of handling the subject of International Students' Visa Scandal and Highly Skilled Migrants. Discussing about facilitating stronger UKIndia trade ties through the Indian diaspora present in the UK, the former Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry today, gives an insight into the publication of his white paper “Trade and Investment”.

“At the EU summit, I remember we were trying to promote India-EU Free Trade Agreement.

But when it came to the Cabinet Committee, Theresa May, then Home Secretary, was the strongest voice of opposition as she feared that it would undermine her efforts to control immigration.Both Vince [Cable] and I argued against her policy knowing the contribution of some of the Indian students and professionals to our economy.

“We could have achieved a great trade deal with the EU and India but we had to back track

because of her and now outside of the EU we would be in a less advantageous position for achieving a deal with India as we would have less to offer from our end,” he discloses.

The Party's current policy paper on immigration does not address any form of post-Brexit immigration system as the Party is actively advocating against the UK's departure from the EU. The paper proposes taking away immigration policy from the Home Office’s remit, and instead dividing the brief between departments where BEIS would make policy on work permits, the Department for Education for student visas, and the Department for International Development for asylum policy.

Addressing the current leadership race in the Conservative Party, he has spoken about Sajid Javid’s failure to address issues around immigration and political asylum.

“The Home Secretary falls far short of the 10,000 refugees a year that the Liberal Democrats have been calling to be resettled here, and there is nothing in it for the unaccompanied refugee children still sleeping rough in northern France,” he said.

Davey is contesting against Jo Swinson for the Liberal Democrat leadership and the new leader leader will be announced on 23 July.

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10 READERS VOICE

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Tackling reoffending Tackling re-offending is a key facet in our fight against rising violent crime. This is why it has been very positive to see City Hall recently increase its investment in this area.

The Mayor of London is expanding upon a pilot scheme which has been operating in Lewisham, Croydon, Southwark and Lambeth, making it a requirement for knife crime offenders, deemed to be the most at-risk of re-offending, to wear a GPS tag after their release from prison as part of strict licence conditions.

I welcome the decision to roll this out to our borough and believe it will help to improve the rehabilitation of persistent offenders and protect victims. It should also enable the police to more effectively detect and prevent violent crime.

It is vital that we continue to come together as a community and cultivate a strong relationship with our local police teams. In this way, we will be playing our part in stopping more tragedies from occurring on our streets by sharing with officers any relevant intelligence and information that we might have.

Navin Shah AM London Assembly Member for Brent & Harrow

Rama Rajya The word 'India' does not define and identify the culture and the country of the majority population, as the development of the word 'India' is quite ambiguous due to foreigners' assumptions based on lack of full knowledge about the culture of the indigenous people of the land.

The land is truly identified in modern age by the nations' great leader- Mahatma Gandhi's noble and ambitious life, who had continuously struggled for independent country assumed to be called "Rama Rajya" to remind the nation to see that Sanatan Dharma - ageless religion with different offshoots remain survived all the time.

As such the word 'Bharat' for the country as stated in the Indian constitution should be changed to "Rama Rajya" in real sense to fulfil the main wish of Mahatma Gandhi whose last repeated words were 'Hey Rama, hey Rama ' at the end of his pious life in Delhi,the capital of India,for the envisaged peaceful 'Rama Rajya'.

R. N. Patel By email

The practice of yoga The practice of yoga is something that has the power to heal your entire body. It is the best medicine that any doctor can ever give you and that for any kind of disease that you are suffering from.

Yoga day is celebrated every year on June 21, which came into being in the year 2015 with the genuine effort made by Shri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India.

To promote this important day and to help people know the significance of this day, every school and college organizes for essay-writing competitions on Yoga Day. Students prepare for the best essay on their part and it also help in a way to spread awareness about the significance of including yoga in your everyday life.

Yoga is more than just burning your calories and toning your muscles. It is a mind-body workout where you have strengthening and stretching poses along with deep breathing techniques to relax your mind and body.

There are more than a hundred different forms of yoga.

Some are fast paced and intense. Others are gentle and relaxing. Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being.

The word ‘yoga’ literally means ‘union’. Through yoga you can explore profoundly the very mechanics of life.

Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai, India

Boris syndrome If Boris Johnson is chosen as Prime Minister by the Tory Party he will play havoc in the country and will be a disaster for the ordinary people of Britain. His track record as a Foreign Secretary shows clearly he does not deserve to be Prime Minister. He messed-up the case of British-Iranian lady Nazinin Zaghari Radcliffe’s in Iran. She is still languishing in the Iranian jail.

Boris had ridiculed Muslim women calling them letterboxes. He did not keep his promises as the lead campaigner of Brexit about allocating NHS with £350.00 million per week. He had no policies in place about Brexit to negotiate with EU. Everything was in the air. He did not tell the people the current pitfalls we are facing today in getting Brexit through.

Leaving European Union was not a walk in the park thing. It was much more complicated and complex. Yet surprisingly the majority of Tory MPs are supporting him and have made him the front runner to succeed Theresa May in July.

One can only dread where he is going to lead the country

Hinduphobia

Make America great again

I write to you after reading the article by Sri Alpesh Patel AV 48/4 - Why are people embarrassed to be Hindu?

I am glad to see that he is using the word Bharat instead of India. PM Modi should look to start a debate in changing the name and am glad that he has added that in his letter to the PM. I can understand why the term Hindu(s) is used. It is vocally convenient to do so. The trouble is that we have therefore been put into a 'box' where we can be ticked off.

We have a multi faceted faith called Sanatan Dharma.

We as a dharmic group are however quite placid. We do not understand why our deities have so many hands and carry so many weapons; we cannot or choose not to explain to people around us.

This is quite sad as we do not seem to have 'gaurav' (pride) in our dharma and culture and need to stand up to the institutions like the BBC and other media.

Talking about the media, our Editorji in his article AV 48/2 expected the British media to be fair in its reporting. I assume he has been writing to the Press Council.

The BBC and also others are not, nor have been fair. I have complained to the BBC about their India Correspondent.

Can I ask you and others in 'powerful places/positions' to challenge the media and politicians, especially a certain Mr J Corbyn why Mr Modi is divisive.

The Dharmic community in the UK and elsewhere, need protection just like the Jewish community who are fearing the banality of this particular JC! We should be 'scared, very scared' as he seems to be favouring one particular faith group.

Actually we need to be as brave and bold as Sri Modi in our daily life. We do the right things, behave responsibly and add to the values of this country which gave us shelter some 4 decades and more, ago. We have gone through the hardships then and now we have to do it all over again.

Yogi Pandya By email

“Make America Great Again” was the slogan under which President Trump was elected. True to his slogan as soon as he grabbed the power, he started to dismantle or threatened to do so for most alliances and agreements which in his view were disadvantageous to the USA. Trump declared that climate change is a hoax and withdrew from the climate change agreement which was reached during COP 21 at Paris in 2015. He also signed two Executive Orders in April 2019 to speed up the construction of pipelines and other projects to enhance the production and transport of oil and natural gas between states and across international borders.

This is done to increase the production and sale of oil and gas using new technique of fracking. Fortunately, the effect of climate change will not selectively spare the USA. Trump also withdrew from NAFTA, TPP, the Nuclear Agreement between Iran and the P5+1, imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum and cancelled Generalised System of Preferences programme for countries like India. Handling of border wall and migrants from the border with Mexico shows his strong arm tactics disregarding other’s welfare.

He is wielding tariffs and sanctions as weapons on many countries all over the world. It is all to make “America Great Again” –read “Richer”. These tactics has made many UN organizations like the WTO irrelevant.

Petroleum products related sanctions on Venezuela and Iran are creating misery for the innocent people. Venezuela has the world’s highest reserve of these products but the common people cannot get the basic necessities of life and hence are leaving the country in droves.

Iran is situated at a pivotal location and hence created a state of affair which may adversely affect the whole world.

Let us hope the present oil tanker attacks do not get out of control.

The USA is a superpower the like of which the world has never seen, especially with an egoistic and uncaring man at the helm. It seems international organizations and other prominent countries have not figured out how to react to this new phenomenon.

Yes, he will make America richer and will get re-elected in 2020 but civility values developed after World War II will be pushed back by decades. It seems, human rights, equality, decency, diplomacy, fairness, free trade, etc. have no place in Trump Administration.

Narsibhai Patel, New Malden

ISRO’s ambitious space programme Although India entered “Space Race” much later than America, Russia and even China, India’s space industry is booming, considering that India did not receive any technological help from any country. In a way that proved to be an advantage, as India’s Space success is all home-grown, modern and most efficient.

No wonder Western nations, including America, turns to India to put their communication satellites in orbit, as India can launch as many as twenty satellites on one rocket. Not only it is the cheapest but Western nations trust India more than China or Russia.

With stunning victory of BJP, under sterling leadership of most loyal and nationalist, corruption-free leader Modiji, India is readying to soar into deep space, targeting not only the Moon, but Mars and Venus as well, two nearest planets to Earth with a programme of seven launches in the next ten years.

China is eying Moon as its colony to dominate space exploration, unlike America who landed astronauts on the Moon fifty years back, then abandoned the programme.

In sharp contrast, China aims to establish Moon colony with permanent settlement, as water has been found on the Moon by Indian spaceship that landed on the Moon near North Pole, turning Moon into a military base to dominate the world, following China’s success to turn entire South China Sea (SCS) as its own backwater, building artificial islands in shallow international waters, threatening free passage to Japan for whom it is a lifeline, as some 90% of Japan’s export passes through SCS. The gullible West still unable to realize the threat China possess to the world, instead concentrating on Russia, as if it is still Soviet Union!

If America had continued its Moon success, then by now America could have built a huge self-sustaining, permanent settlement on the Moon, colonize the Moon for the good of humanity at large and used it as a launching pad for the exploration and exploitation of Mars and Venus.

India is the only nation that can thwart China’s evil intention of first economically colonizing the world and then expanding its borders, threatening bordering nations like India, Bhutan, Vietnam, Japan and few more.

It is high time West wake-up and support India, its space programme, as a counter-weight to Chinese domination that could change the world map for ever!

Bhupendra M. Gandhi By email and its economy. Looks like it will be down the slippery slope. He is a dishevelled entertainer and is not a mature and serious leader.

Boris can provide laughter to the people and his supporters but later -on they will end up in tears. So it is time now for concrete action to be taken by all the democratic forces and parties to stop him from damaging the country before it is too late to retrieve the situation.

Baldev Sharma Rayners lane, Harrow

Is NHS fit for the 21st Century?

At one time, not so long ago, our NHS was a rock of safe and sound health care other nations wanted to emulate!

Unfortunately this high standard has been slowly but surely eroded so much during the last decade or two that many elderly people are reluctant to be admitted, many considering it melancholy choice, one way ticket to hell!

Recent outbreak of listeria in Manchester NHS hospitals has been branded as national scandal, resulting in death of five patients, salads and sandwiches being responsible for food poisoning.

Although listeria may cause mild stomach upset in healthy people, it is more serious in hospital patients whose immune system may already be down due to illness, especially for elderly patients.

No wonder Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered urgent review of hospital food standard, root and branch investigation, to make it as safe as possible.

While it happened way back in April, Public Health authority in England has been accused of keeping public in dark, refusing to pinpoint which hospitals have been affected, holding back details of the outbreak.

One way to keep hospital patients safe is not to give them cold food, such as salads and sandwiches which needs to be kept at low temperature but piping hot food such as tea, coffee and hot milk with cereals, toasts for breakfast and soups, hot food and sweet dishes for lunch and dinner.

One case of consolation for British Indian community is that meat is by far the most likely food to be contaminated rather than vegetarian food. So being a vegetarian is distinct advantage!

Unfortunately food and hygiene is not the only cause of concern. The staff shortages of nurses, Junior Doctors and Consultants have also played a part in lowering of health care standard, as well as life longevity with ever rising elderly population.

Even occasional rogue nurses, as well as surgeons who carried out unnecessary mastectomy have also contributed in the increase of mistrust in NHS, as well as culture of silence, covering up scandals and punishing whistle blowers.

It is indeed a cause of concern when comparing safety, reliability and standard of our NHS with that of France, Germany and Scandinavian countries where there is no waiting list for operations such as hip replacement, as their NHS is partly funded by patients and they spend higher proportion of national GDP on health.

Kumudini Valambia By email

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

EDUCATION

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

11

22 - 28 June 2019

'£3.8bn needed to reverse school cuts' A one-off increase of £3.8bn would be needed to reverse 8% cuts in per pupil school spending, new analysis shows.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) says a further £1.1bn would be needed each year up until 2023 to maintain spending in real terms, once rising costs were taken into account. Candidates for the Conservative leadership have been making competing promises on education spending.

The government says funding for schools has been at its highest level ever.

School budgets have moved up the political agenda, partly as a result of campaigning by parents and head teachers across England.

IFS analysis says since 2009, spending has fallen by 8% per pupil once rising costs such as pay and pen-

sion contributions are taken into account.

In a new analysis published on Tuesday, the IFS says to reverse that real terms fall for 5 to 16-yearolds would take a one-off increase of £3.8bn. That includes all spending in schools, including that by local authorities, and is more than any candidate has promised so far.

To keep up with rising pupil numbers, the IFS says £1.1bn a year would be need-

ed to avoid future real terms cuts. A similar 8% increase for 16 to 19-year-olds would cost around £480m as a oneoff uplift. Sixth form and further education colleges have faced the sharpest squeeze in budgets in recent years.

But with some Conservative leadership contenders also suggesting tax cuts, it's not clear where the money would be found.

Mr Sibieta says making education a priority would

deepen the squeeze elsewhere, unless the government increased borrowing.

There is also a subtle rebuke for Boris Johnson from the IFS, after he described variation in funding per pupil in different parts of England as a "postcode lottery".

A new funding formula for schools is being gradually introduced, based a combination of measures of need in different local authorities.

However, many in the lowest funded areas, which include many conservative heartlands in the counties and shires, remain disappointed that the formula will not lead to substantial increases for all. The government has argued that school spending in England is at its highest level ever in cash terms.

May calls for mental health to be priority Every new teacher in England will be trained in how to spot early warning signs of mental illness, under a plan being unveiled

by Theresa May later.

Mrs May, using some of her remaining political authority before leaving office, has called for improvements in preventing problems.

"Too many of us have seen first-hand the devastating consequences of mental illness," says Mrs May. Labour's Barbara Keeley said the prime minister only offered "warm words".

The shadow minister for mental health said the "reality" was support services being "stretched to breaking point".

Mrs May, having stepped away from debates about Brexit, is using her

last days in office to focus on what she sees as key domestic issues.

She wants teacher training to include lessons in identifying children who might have mental health problems and to address issues such as self-harm.

At university level, there will be £1m for a competition to come up with innovative ideas to tackle mental health problems among students.

NHS staff will be encouraged to take suicide prevention training.

The prime minister also promised the publication of a White Paper setting out the government's response to Sir Simon Wessely's review of the Mental Health Act. Sir Simon will be among those attending a

roundtable discussion of his review on Monday, along with Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England.

The prime minister's efforts were praised by Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, the mental health charity.

But Labour's shadow minister for mental health, Barbara Keeley, accused the prime minister of ignoring the "reality" of overstretched budgets and delays in treatment.

Mrs May, although having stepped down as Conservative party leader, remains as prime minister and is said to still want to push ahead with ideas and policies that had been held back by Brexit.

Last month she

launched the findings of a review into university and further education college funding.

She backed the report's call for a cut in fees to £7,500 in England and an increase in support for further education colleges.

There are believed to be plans for further announcements on education, with suggestions that funding plans to address school and college budget shortages could be brought forward.

Implementation will depend on her successor and the agreement of the Treasury, but Mrs May could still set out her plans for spending more on schools and colleges.

A Number 10 source said suggestions over the prime minister's education spending plans were "speculation".

School places change for domestic abuse The school admissions code in England is to be changed to make it easier for families escaping domestic abuse to switch schools, says the Education Secretary Damian Hinds.

He wants vulnerable children to get a school place "as quickly as possible".

Mr Hinds says more needs to be done for 1.6 million children who have needed support from social workers.

But the children's commissioner Anne Longfield warned of political "paralysis" in delivering such changes.

In a speech on tackling disadvantage at the Reform think tank, Mr Hinds highlighted that there was no "simplistic" stereotype about who was likely to underachieve in school.

White British pupils were among the lowest achievers, while those who spoke English as a second

language were likely to get above-average results.

Mr Hinds showed the scale of the success of disadvantaged pupils in London, who were twice as likely to get into top universities than their counterparts in other parts of England.

Young people in big cities were more likely to get good results - while those in coastal areas were particularly likely to underachieve.

He called for attention for 1.6 million children who were not in care, but who were classified as being "children in need" and whose families had been supported by social workers during the past three years.

These pupils had high levels of absenteeism and exclusion, and were likely to get much lower exam grades.

"We need to improve the visibility of this group, both in schools and in the system as a whole," said Mr Hinds.

Students 'demand change' to sex complaint policy Students are demanding "urgent" changes to the way sexual harassment complaints are handled at a university. The University of Essex has taken a year to deal with some cases of sexual assault complaints, the BBC found.

The students' union has started a petition calling for improvements to be made to the system which it said was "seriously failing students". A spokesman for the university said it "will have changes in place for the beginning of the new academic year".

The university previous-

ly apologised for delays in handling complaints. The University of Essex set up a new complaints system last year in an effort to tackle sexual harassment.

In May, it was revealed 46 students had made complaints under the new system. The BBC found a male student had been named in four separate complaints lodged between May and November last year.

One student told the BBC she felt her complaint had been "silenced" after it took the university a year to set a misconduct hearing date.

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12 MEDIA WATCH

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

22 - 28 June 2019

SCRUTATOR’S Political leaders in India are frequently out of step with the grammar and spirit of the Indian Constitution, which Heaven help us, remains the rock of our liberties. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath had the effrontery to arrest someone who had tweeted his disapproval of him in inappropriate language.

Justice Indira Banerjee said: ‘We are not appreciative of the manner of his [Prashant Supreme Court’s Justice Indira Banerjee Kanojia] tweets, but we are bothered by his arrest and incarceration. We live in a Missing AN -32 located country where there is a Constitution. Proceed against him The wreckage of the Indian Air in accordance with law, but Force AN-32 transport aircraft should he be behind bars?’ In all, that went missing a week ago with four people were arrested for 13 persons on board in Arunachal allegedly defaming the Chief Pradesh was located in the State.

Minister (Hindu June 11, 12).

‘The wreckage was spotted 16km north of Lipo, north east of Tat at Erring ministers an approximate elevation of 12,000 ft in the expanded zone,’ A few years ago, West Bengal said an IAF spokesman. The 13 Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee people, members on board are called upon the police to arrest a believed to have died. The plane’s university academic for circulating black box was recovered (Hindu a cartoon lampooning her. He was June 12, 13). released the next day following a public outcry. In a number of BJPHysterical Mamata ruled States, bans on films and a busted flush books were instituted on the ground that they ‘hurt’ public Violence in West Bengal has sentiment [read prejudice], all of become the norm, with Chief which were thrown out by the Minister Mamata Banerjee unable Supreme Court as violations of to stem the tide. Trinamool thugs free speech and thought enshrined are almost in daily confrontation in the Constitution. with their BJP peers across the state. Doctors in government Triple talaque hospitals, set upon by irate

Six of the seven accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year old in Kathua were convicted by a special court in Pathankot, Jammu. The court sentenced the mastermind Sanji Ram, a retired government official and local priest, special police officer Deepak Khajuria and Ram’s nephew Parvesh Kumar to life imprisonment. Special Police Officer (SPO) Surender Verma, Head Constable Tiak Raj, and Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta were given five-year sentences for destroying evidence. District and Sessions Judge Tejwinder Singh said: The court underlined that life imprisonment meant till life [death] in this case.’

The seventh accused Vishal Jangotra, son of Sanji Ram, was acquitted for lack of conclusive evidence (Hindu June 11).

Global rank

India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) have arrested a number of men in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, on evidence of their links to Sri Lankan terror mastermind Zahran Hashim, responsible for the bombings of churches on the island resulting in 257 deaths. NIA sleuths tracked down and arrested Mohammed Azharudheen, 32, and his associates, who were recruiting vulnerable youth across Tamil Nadu and Kerala to carry out terrorist attacks there.

Azharudheen’s associates, Akram Sindhaa, 25, Shiek Hidaythullah, 38, Abubacker, 29, Sadham Hussain 26, and Ibrahim Shah, 28, are all residents of Coimbatore.

Analysts say TCS has become global competitor as its growth is backed up by a slew of mega deals over the last couple of years. It has not only left its domestic rivals, such as Infosys Technologies and HCL Tech way behind, but has also emerged as a new leader amiong all listed companies on BSE and NSE. (Statesman June 12).

NIA searches NIA operatives conducted searches of seven places in Coimbatore, including the houses of the accused. Fourteen mobile phones, 29 SIM cards, 10 pen drive, three laptops, six memory cards, one internet dongle and 13 CDs/DVDs, plus 300 air gun pellets and a ‘large number of incriminating documents’ were seized (Hindu June 13).

relatives of patients, have gone on strike, seniors have resigned in masses in support of their junior brethren. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stoked the embers into a seemingly uncontrolled blaze with her inflammatory rhetoric. She points to BJP conspiracies orchestrated from the centre in New Delhi. Her days are numbered (Times of India, Statesman June 14,15).

Governor steps in State Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi eventually stepped in with invitations to all parties, Trinamool, BJP, Congress, Communist Party, to participate on ways and means to restore peace and normalcy. Party representatives have agreed to

Chandrayaan -2 launch on July 15 An extensive report in the Hindu newspaper on the imminent launch of India’s Chandraayan-2 Moon mission underscored the venture as an Indian achievement rather than a partnership with the US space agency NASA, as the Times of India cravenly projected it. Having tasted success with the low budget Mars orbiter Mission, the Indian Space Research & Organization (ISRO), is taking a leap forward with the costlier Rs 1,000 crore to land on the Moon.

space...stimulate the advancemewnt of technology and growing commercial opportunity in India and inspirefuture generations.’

Women to the fore For the first time in ISRO annals, Chandrayaan-2 two women, Ritu Kridhal and M. Vanitha are in leading positions as Project and Mission Directors, said Dr Sivan.

‘We have about 10 per cent women working in our organization,’ he said in response to a question. Hopefully, the gender gap will be reduced going forward (Business Line June 13).

Indo-German steel project An Indo-German project has been launched to develop advanced, high –strength spring steel to further reduce the overall body weight of automobiles and increase the efficiency of their suspensions. The light weight suspension springs to be manufactured during the next three years will lead to extensive use in the automotive sector. The

CRPF jawans killed in Kashmir Five soldiers of the paramilitary CRPF were killed and four injured in a jihadi attack on security forces in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir. One of the attackers was killed, while the other escaped (Hindu June 13).

Industrial output in six-month high

FDI flow rises 6 per cent

Mamata Banerjee

against $79 billion. Accenture is the mid-cap leader.

Tentacles of Lankan terrorism

Data released by the National Statistical Office last week revealed that retail inflation rose 3.1 per cent, while industrial output rose in April rose 3.4 per cent. The Reserve Bank of India cut the interest rate for the third successive time to a nine-year low of 5.75 per cent in a bid to stimulate demand and revive growth (Times of India June 13).

The obnoxious triple talaque, under which Muslim husbands and fathers thrice pronounced against their wives before absconding with another woman deemed a wife, was outlawed by the Supreme Court as a violation of the Indian Constitution. A group of courageous Muslim wives and mothers has brought the case to the court, when previous Congress governments refused to do so in the interests of their Muslim vote banks.

Life sentences for rape, murder

parley to that end – a hopeful start (Times of India June 13).

Foreign Direct Investment into India rose 6 per cent to $42 billion in 2018, with strong inflows in manufacturing, communications, financial services and cross-border merger and acquisitions, making India the subcontinent’s largest recipient, according to a UN report on world investment flows.

India ranks 10th amongst the top recipients of FDI in 2018 (Business Line June 13).

India’s Test captain Virat Kohli

ISRO Chairman K. Sivan elucidated: ‘After launch in midJuly, the Chandrayaan-2 is expected to travel for a month and a half for a soft landing on September 6or 7 on the south pole of the moon.’ The technologies involved are a far cry from those of Chandrayaan-1 launched a decade ago. Dr Sivan said: ‘This mission is completely an indigenous one with heavy private sector participation....Nearly 620 organizations (500 universities and 120 companies) have pitched in with their tech-might and manpower.’ He acknowledged the US contribution of a laser to measure the distance from the earth to the landing site. Asked how this venture would of benefit to the country,Dr Sivan replied: ‘It will foster a new age of discovery, increase an understanding of

School of Engineering Sciences and Technology University of Hyderabad has been awarded the bilateral collaborative research. Its partner will be Germany’s Siegel University (Hindu June 13).

Kohli gesture Indian cricket captain and superstar Virat Kohli walked over to one of stands at the Oval and admonished an Indian crowd for subjecting former Australian Test captain Steve Smith, fielding on the boundary, to raucous abuse during an ODI World cup match.

He turned to Smith and apologised for the unruly behaviour – a gesture widely lauded, most of all by former Australian stars and media. The spirit of cricket is clearly alive and well.

TCS mid-cap in record high Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)India’s largest IT company, having surpassed Reliance Industries Ltd in market capitalization on the Bombay and New York Stock Exchanges respectively, has now gone passed the US International Business Machine or IBM, according to data received by analysts.

However, TCS is way behind IBM in revenue earnings: $20.9 billion

PM Modi in bear hug with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Caption, See page 3

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

UK

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

13

22 - 28 June 2019

WIN A MEAL FOR TWO Making education world class: From India to Parliament Imagine cricket, coconuts and Koh-i-Noor! I was immensely proud to present certificates of excellence to 45 of India's top educational institutions, in Palace of Westminster this week - and proudly tell them that the statue of Mahatma Gandhi looking at Parliament, could have inscribed on it. "I told you so" and were he alive today, he would be looking at these educational centres from India and be immensely proud - because each of them had a focus not just on grades, but on character, nation-building, leadership, environment, shaping and helping make a better world, improving the body and the mind.

Our schools should be temples. These institutions have got it right.

I invited them to see the Memorial Gates outside Buckingham Palace commemorating the service of Indian soldiers and others from the Commonwealth in the two World Wars, who fought for British Independence and gained it for Britain too.

Well done ‘Skilltree' and 'Great Places to Study' for showing them where they need to improve further and sharing best practice.

Shekhar Bhattacharjee and Arvina and your team make us proud with the work you are doing for strengthening UK-India relations.

I use the term 'coconut' to express to one recipient who is a retired High Court Judge, that I would in my days as a Barrister have been terrified to appear before him. He replied he is like a coconut - hard on the outside, soft on the inside. I quipped, I too am often called a coconut, but in the UK it

means something different.

I bring Koh-I-Noor to this discussion primarily because during the UK-India roundtable, I advised the UK Prime Minister to build closer ties by returning the diamond! I suggested the audience may wish to steal it back on their visit.

And Cricket because - I felt the Baroness who had missed the India-Pakistan game as she was hosting a Swami, may have overdone the prayers - given the humiliation the Indian cricket team inflicted on their opponents. 'Bichara (poor) Pakistan' we all agreed.

What all of these institutions have in common, is that they saw a role for themselves in nation-building. This is not the norm in our schools. Also, their role was to form tomorrow’s leaders. That in the UK is something the Etons think of themselves, not your average school.

This is typical of the awardees.

“Anubhuti’s mission is to create a learning environment conducive to nurturing the learners and the educators to be creative, capable, compassionate and equanimous citizens of character with global outlook.

Anubhuti shall achieve this mission with a rational commitment to the time-tested, multifaceted Indian culture, the spirit of mutual dependence, enlightened entrepreneurship and global outlook, leading them to be socially aligned, environmentally conscious and sensitive human beings.”

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Since taking the helm at Zaman restaurant last year, Mumbai born Kamat has not only been named ‘Asian Chef of the Year’ at the 8th Asian Curry Awards, but he also scooped ‘Best International Restaurant’ title at the same ceremony.

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£5mn Hindu Temple promises to be a new ‘landmark’ for the North West England Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Oldham has secured planning permission from Oldham Council on 5 June for a state of the art purpose built community and religious facilities in Oldham.

The new Mandir will be constructed on the site of the former Copster Hill Road Depot, on Copster Hill Road near the current Temple on Lee Street, which has been open since 1977, but is now too small for its growing Hindu congregation and activities

offered. Alongside the Temple prayer hall, there will be a multi-function hall, teaching and community spaces as well as a landscaped garden and up to 60 parking spaces.

Suresh Gorasia, a spokesman of the Temple, told the newsweekly that they had been looking for the right new site for 20 years.

“We are investing up to £5m in this investment through pure community funds,” he said. We have a

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desire to create a modern facility that will be a landmark facility for Oldham and the North of England. We’re a proud community of Oldham and really want to contribute to its fabric, we want the new Temple to provide services for the people of Oldham especially the youth and the elderly”.

Mr Gorasia added that the Temple and community facilities will greatly benefit the whole community. He told Asian Voice, “We are grateful for the support of Mahant Swami of Bhuj Swaminarayan Mandir and other swamis who are involved in the project. We have been receiving congratulatory messages and

goodwill from the local Hindu community as well as our sister Swaminarayan Mandirs around the world.

The local Hindu community especially the youth have been involved in the design and have given their input throughout the design stage. This is going to be a unique landmark Hindu Temple not seen outside London. We are going to create a unique garden facility for the community to enjoy just to support their

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mental wellbeing, because it’s a densely populated area and a lot of people don’t have access to the desired green space.”

Councillor Ateeque Ur-Rehman, who spoke in support of the application, said all three councillors in Medlock Vale ward support the proposal. “It was very much needed that the community had a bigger facility,” he said. I’m confident that a large number of people will be walking to this Temple. I think it will be a great addition to the ward.”

Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Oldham is under

the spiritual guidance of Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Bhuj. Mahant Sadguru Purani Swami Dharmanandandasji, the Mahant Swami for Bhuj Swaminarayan Mandir said, “I convey my heartiest congratulations to the Oldham devotees. I would like to request that both men and women, young and old come together and serve in anyway that they can in building this temple. There is no doubt in my mind, with the grace of Lord Swaminarayan, the new temple will be beautiful and will continue to provide spiritual enlightenment and many exciting opportunities for everyone.”

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14 COMMUNITY

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

22 - 28 June 2019

Book Therapy Bedford celebrates Birth Book Therapy: 5 Books on Finding Connection to People and Life

Bijal Shah As a mother of two children under three, devoting 17–20 hours a day to childcare, it’s easy to feel isolated and shut off from the rest of the world. I find myself craving connection. As a mother, I often feel disconnected to the outside world and to anything meaningful.

We’re plugged into every moment of our children’s lives, meeting their needs unconditionally. Whilst that can be fulfilling, when it’s all you’re doing, the loss of connection to the adult world can dwarf that sweet fulfilment.

How do we momentarily connect with the outside world? Pause for a few minutes to re-energise so that we can be our best selves around our children. Personally, the following books helped me find connection and meaning again.

Listening to the audio book or reading the kindle version whenever an opportunity arises makes a world of difference. I’m engaging with characters and people worlds away, whether fictional or non-fictional.

Our need to feel connected to something greater than our everyday existence is an important one and a need that is often overlooked. We all have stories of moments where we’ve felt disengaged — be that the early stages of motherhood, a relationship break-up, a health setback, a dead-end job or the loss of a loved one.

The next time you feel this way, pick up one of these books.

They’ll re-affirm your faith in life, in others and most importantly, in yourself.

The Overstory (Fiction) by Richard Powers Richard Powers’ The Overstory narrates the tale of two very different worlds — of trees and of humans caught up in the timber wars of the Pacific Northwest. A beautiful novel about humans reconnecting with nature in a fascinatingly, inventive world with colourful, rich characters, it will rekindle your love for nature.

Man’s Search for Meaning (Non-fiction) by Viktor Frankl This book is great for coming to terms with suffering, making sense of tough situations and finding our purpose in life. The author, an Auschwitz Nazi death camp survivor, illustrates, that through suffering, we find

meaning. Our goal in life is not to attain pleasure or power but to ‘discover meaning’. It’s the pursuit of this meaning that provides the purpose of life.

The book advocates finding meaning in three different ways: by making ourselves useful to others, unconditionally loving others and through suffering.

The Hero With a Thousand Faces (Non-fiction) by Joseph Campbell A captivating perspective on mythology, the book examines how myths and stories act as metaphors for human psychology and behaviour. We all ultimately have one story, a monomyth, with elements of creation and destruction. For example, there are many parallels between Greek and Hindu myths centred on similar story lines. The Hero With A Thousand Facesbrings together mythology across the full spectrum of human cultures, ancient and modern, ranging from Hindu, Greek, Jewish, Maori, Buddhist, Romans amongst others. It examines our natural desire to explain our inner world through the power of stories.

Anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar The Dr. Ambedkar Mission Society, Bedford recently celebrated the 128th birth anniversary of the founder of the constitution of India in the presence of Dr. Muktesh Chander, Director General of Police.

Dr. Muktesh Chander graduated in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Delhi University and after a brief stint at Bharat Heavy Engineering Limited, as Quality Control Engineer, he joined Indian Police Service in 1988. He has occupied several positions in police department including Additional Commissioner of Crime Branch, Delhi, Chief of Traffic Police of Delhi, Chief of Police of Union Territories of Daman Diu and Dadra Nagar Haveli, Director General of Goa Police etc. He has also served as Centre Director of Cyber Division of National Technical Research Centre and National Critical Information Protection Centre under Prime Minister’s Office. He participated in United Nation peacekeeping operations as Police Observer in Bosnia and Herzegovina for one year.

He has been instrumental in induction of several new innovations and technology induction in police in India. He has just completed prestigious Chevening

L to R: Devider Chander, Bakshi Birdi, C Gautam, Dr Muktesh Chander, Arun Kumar & Dhupat Rattu

Cybersecurity Fellowship program Cranfield University. His papers on ‘Cyber Terrorism’, ‘Social Media: Analysis of New Challenges and Opportunities for Indian Law Enforcement Agencies’, and ‘Information Security’ were selected for the 35th , 44th and 46th All India Police Science Congresses in 2004, 2015 and 2018 respectively.

He was member secretary of the Joint Working Group which formulated “Guidelines for Protection of National Critical Information Infrastructure in India”. In 2016, he had addressed International Symposium on Cyber Crime Response, jointly organized by

Interpol and Korean National Police Agency in Seoul and on Cyber Security of Smart Cities in UK. He is a resource person for several premier institutes like Rajasthan Police Academy, Gujarat Police Academy, Gujarat Forensic Science University, National Crime Records Bureau, Bureau of Police Research and Development, National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science, CBI, Indian Law Institute, Delhi Judicial Academy etc.

Our Editor C B Patel, consulting Editor Jyotsna Shah & Marketing Manager Mr Surendra Patel attended the Mela.

Oshwal Health and Care Awareness Fair

Beyond Religion (Non-fiction)

by Dalai Lama One of the greatest political philosophers, the Dalai Lama makes the case for living an ethical life based on a universal set of human values that transcends religious borders. As humans evolve to become spiritual beings, it an ethical framework for living peacefully.

Autobiography of a Yogi (Non-fiction) by Paramahansa Yogananda A spiritual masterpiece, this is Yogananda’s journey to ‘selfrealisation’ or ‘enlightenment’.

A childhood filled with strong mentors and teachers, Yogananda, through the study of yoga and meditation, achieves feats unheard of for humans. Observing regular miracles, he sheds light on a new type of spiritual existence that’s far removed from everyday life. Intense and detailed, it may require a few re-reads.

What books have helped you find connection and meaning?

Email me at aveditorial@abplgroup.com.

(Bijal is an investment banker and a book therapist prescribing literature for both personal interest and therapy. www.booktherapy.io)

The organising team at the Oshwal Health & Care Awareness Fair

The Oshwal Health & care Awareness Fair was held on Sunday 2 June 2019 at the Oshwal Centre in Potters Bar. The event included talks, diagnostic checks, first aid & holistic workshops, cookery demonstrations, a market place and a food court. There were some 500 volunteers including some 200 medical professionals and with about 2800 people turning out for the event.

The day opened with a diva lighting ceremony by Richard Harrington MP, Lord Dolar Popat, Mayor of Harrow, Nitin Parekh, the sponsors (including Sigma Pharmaceuticals, Aprirose Real Property Investment and Motor

Parts Direct). The organising team spent over six months putting together the Fair.

More than 1200 people had basic diagnostic tests, oral and eye checks, physiotheraphy, chiropractor check or alternative theraphy including pranic healing, Reiki, reflexology, acupressure and message. The cookery demonstrations by professional chefs including Chef B S Rao of Noon Products, Kajal Mehta, Chef Waseem Khan and Lavniben Shah were popular among the crowd. So were the 14 talks in two auditoriums by many of the top consultants and specialists in the field.

The market place which had

stalls selling organic flours, sugar free items, nutrition ideas to vegan bread was heaving with people.

There were special basic first aid workshops for children and holistic workshops. The people loved the beautiful food freshly prepared by an army of catering volunteers.

A 140 page brochure for the Fair full of articles and information on various ailments and alternative therapies was produced specially for the Fair. The organising team was Hitesh Shah, Arvind Shah, Rumit Shah, Nirmal Shah, Meena Shah, Minesh Shah, Mukesh Shah, Ashwin Shah, Nilesh Shah, Ninna Shah and Kunjal Haria.

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

UK

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

15

22 - 28 June 2019

LIVING BRIDGE Leicestershire CCC renews naming rights INDIA IS EMERGING AS A NEW GLOBAL STARTUP HUB with Morningside Pharmaceuticals Rohit Vadhwana, First Secretary (Economic), High Commission of India

Leicestershire County Cricket Club’s medical centre will continue to be at the forefront of sports science and medicine after renewing the naming rights with Morningside Pharmaceuticals.

Prior to the creation of the Morningside Medical Centre at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road, players and visitors were treated offsite for injuries or if they fell ill, which put added pressure on the club and emergency services when treatment was urgently needed.

Since Morningside Pharmaceuticals’ sponsorship began in 2016, LCCC has continued tomake advancements in sports science and medicine. This has enabled the club to remain at the forefront of using innovative new technology and systems to ensure players, staff and the local community’s health and wellbeing are given the best support possible.

One player to have benefitted from the state-of-the-art medical facilities is Club Captain, Paul Horton, who said: “As a player it’s crucial we have the facilities onsite to treat and rehabilitate us, as we need to stay on the field as much as possible.

According to LCCC’s Head of Sports Science and Medicine, Will Garvey, the medical centre has enabled the club to deliver improvements in the physical development of young cricketers and the rehabilitation of the professionals.

Mr Garvey said: “Morningside Pharmaceuticals’ continued support over recent years has enabled us to develop the facilities and equipment allowing the Sport Science and Medicine (SS&M) Team to deliver high standards of care for the first team, our

Karen Rothery CEO of LCCC, Dr Nik Kotecha OBE CEO of Morningside Pharmaceuticals and Paul Nixon Head Coach

academy and supporters.

For Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, Chief Executive of Morningside Pharmaceuticals and an active member of the club, the medical centre aligns well with his company’s values.

Dr Kotecha said: “Morningside Pharmaceuticals has been built upon the mission of making quality healthcare an affordable and accessible reality throughout the world.

“For this reason we’re a passionate supporter of a wide range of good causes connected to community, education, health and sport. We’re also committed to working with communities to bring

them together and improving the quality of life of the people living there.”

LCCC Chief Executive Karen Rothery added: “We are delighted to extend our long-standing partnership with Morningside Pharmaceuticals.

For over 25 years, Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd has supplied quality pharmaceuticals and medical device products both in the UK and internationally. The company is a key provider of licensed pharmaceuticals to the NHS and retail pharmacy sector. It is also a leading UK supplier to aid agencies including the United Nations, charities and NGOs.

As London remains a gravitational force for Startups and Fintech industry, a number of Indian companies are visiting the ongoing London Tech Week. With the changing time, more experienced professionals are taking an entrepreneurial route. There is a growing hunger for innovation and expansion in the youth of the world.

Passionate entrepreneurs are more than eager to tap the existing potential through Startups. They set eyes to a suitable ecosystem for growth and investment.In that context, the good news is that India has been ranked the 3rd biggest startup hub in the world. In October 2018, NASSCOM-Zinnov launched its 4th report titled “Indian Start-up Ecosystem 2018: Approaching Escape Velocity."

As per the report, while USA and China hold 1st and 2nd positions ahead of India, UK and Germany follow at 4th and 5th places respectively.

This is encouraging news for the investors and innovators who aspire to expand in the Indian market. India provides an advantage of 1.3 billion people's laboratory for innovations and a market for new and established Startups. Even Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently remarked that the scale of the Indian market is allowing Google to develop new products.

Various factors are positively playing their roles to make India a global startup hub. These include: growth in investor sentiment, local market success, optimism in the growth of revenue, valuation increase and aspirations of becoming a global company.It is also interesting to note that the size and scale of Indian Startups are on an upward trajectory. Resultantly, Indian startups (both B2B and B2C) are expanding to other markets, and at the same time, global giants are attracted towards India.

Bangalore, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai are the top three cities in India registering tremendous growth in Startups.

But at the same time, more of Tier 2/Tier 3 cities are emerging as startup hubs. Bangalore is the fastest growing tech startup hub with a total of 1,200 tech-startups added to its list in 2018 alone. In total, the city boasts of 7200-7700 registered startups. Startups have accounted for over 40,000 direct jobs in 2018, bringing it to a total number of over 1,60,000-1,70,000 jobs creation in India.

(Expressed opinions are personal).

International Widows Day The Loomba Foundation: Empowering widows Priyanka Mehta The United Nations marks 23rd June of every year as International Widows Day to highlight the abuse of millions of widows and their children across the world who endure extreme poverty, ostracism, violence, ill health and discrimination due to local laws and customs. The Loomba Foundation under the pioneering leadership of Lord Raj Loomba CBE has been helping widows achieve financial, social and emotional security across developing countries such as India and in SubSaharan Africa.

“When my father passed away, he left plenty of financial resources behind which my mother used to fund the education for me and my six siblings,” he recalls.

Having witnessed a complete change in his mother’s social and cultural life when she was widowed at the mere age of 37 years, Raj became increasingly aware of the conservative perceptions towards widows and their treatment. Following the death of his

Lord Raj Loomba CBE

mother in 1992, he resolved to raise international visibility to injustices to the widows on the global front and established The Loomba Foundation in the UK on 26 June 1997 together with his wife Lady Veena Loomba. It has been over two decades since the charity was founded. From running innumerable workshops to lobbying governments both on the national and international scale, The Loomba Foundation

has been at the forefront of campaigningfor widows’ empowerment.

“We started with a small programme where we educated about 100 children of widows in Delhi and the programme was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Over the years, we have educated over 10,000 such children across India,” he explains.

Through this project Lord Loomba provided, for a minimum period of five years, a monthly scholarship of Rupees 500 to each child which ensured that every child would not only be able to pay for his school fees but also pay for their day-to-day expenses.

However, Lord Loomba quickly realised that he wanted to empower these widows beyond providing monetary support and ventured into the idea of providing sewing machines.

“My friend Max Mongia, had collected about £2,300 from his local Lions club which he had donated to my charity and he proposed that I buy sewing machine

kits for these widows. Eventually we bought about 90 of such kits so, that these widows especially in rural villages can earn their everyday livelihood by tailoring clothes for their community,” he explains.

The programme extended to a three month extensive training workshop after tying up with Barry Palmer, the then President of Lions Club International where about 2,600 widows were trained in the skill of sewing. The charity’s work has in the past extended beyond India and into African countries where widows are often marginalised owing to deaths of their husbands due to HIV, but also in Middle-Eastern and Central Asian countries such as Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan where he has extended his support to “half widows”.

“Half-widows are the women whose husbands may have been buried in mass graves or when they are not aware of the circumstances under which their husbands went missing,” he explains.

However, his most recent and ambitious project is his partnership with the Rotary India Literacy Mission (RILM) where he

is aiming to empower 30,000 widows in India by providing them training and getting them industry-ready in about eight key sectors including hospitality and hair and beauty care.

“We have identified agencies across states which would provide a six-month training workshop for all widows between the age of 20-45 years old with a pre-condition that 80% of them are equipped to find a job,” he explains.

These agencies include Emporium Training and Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. in Kolkata and Lok Bharti in Delhi among others.

The Loomba Foundation is currently seeking donations to help fund this project and help 30,000 widows in India over the next five years.

To make a donation please visit: http://bit.ly/LoombaAV

Read more about the Loomba Foundation in the brochure accompanying this week's Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar. Pledge form is in the brochure.

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18 FINANCE - UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

22 - 28 June 2019

Consultant Editor Financial Voice Alpesh Patel Dear Financial Voice Reader, Despite conflict in the Middle East, Brexit, trade tariffs, this is why it will be a good 6 months to year end for stocks: Reasons why it will be a good year for stocks: 1. Our expectations are beaten down, so there will be upside surprises – that’s how the markets work!

2. Bonds are less attractive – it’s the way lingering effects of quantitative easing works, so stocks look more attractive.

3. All the big banks are pushing their clients into stocks still 4. Flagship companies continue to do well, the leaders tend to pull up laggards 5. More emerging economies are coming on strong like the N11 – the names to countries smaller than the BRICS of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and including Vietnam.

These help raise sentiment.

6. The US is addicted not just to debt, but growth, and will do whatever it takes for growth, including debt issuance.

As my tutor at university always said, the US has one paramount advantage – it owns the printing presses to the world’s reserve currency. In one sense it actually has no debt at all.

Warning Sign 1: The Dow Jones industrial Average, ‘the Dow’ which is currently near its all time high, keeps sliding. I don’t think this will happen.

Warning Sign 2: A Dollar will buy one Euro. It currently buys 0.9 Euros. Close you may think. Actually, you would have to go back to 2003 for last time that happened.

Warning Sign 3: Gold will hit $2,000. I’m kidding.

That isn’t a warning sign at all. Gold got close and the world survived.

Warning Sign 4: The price of UK stocks is so low that that the dividends the average dividend of the top 10 best paying largest UK companies (those in the FTSE 100) goes over 10%.

Warning Sign 5: The pound only buys one Euro. At the moment it buys 1.1 Euros. Close? We would have to be at an all time low weakness for the pound for this to happen.

Warning Sign 6: The FTSE 100 goes below its low points of 2010 and 2009, ie below 4,800. It’s currently at around 7,500.

Warning Sign 7: Lack of profits in companies. You may think this has happened. With the current markets of the 100 largest UK companies, very few showed a loss in their most recent accounts. By the way, the most profitable hit over £10billion in profits.

UK pension scheme moves to stub out tobacco The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST), publiclyowned scheme set up by the government is going tobaccofree across all its investments. The giant UK pension scheme with more than 8 million members said stricter worldwide regulation, increasingly aggressive legal action by governments against the tobacco industry and falling global smoking rates have all led it to conclude that tobacco is a poor investment for its members.

NEST will quit tobacco across its entire portfolio, both passive and active funds. It, however, estimates it will take up to two years for it to completely fortify. The £6bn scheme’s exposure to tobacco is currently put at around £40m and includes holdings in British American Tobacco (whose brands include Dunhill and Rothmans) and Philip Morris, the company behind Marlboro.

NEST was set up by the government to help employers meet their obligations under the "automatic enrolment" retirement saving initiative, which went live in 2012. It said it has not taken the decision lightly, "but we don't think it makes sense to continue investing in an industry whose business model looks increasingly unsustainable."

UK-listed firms to start selling shares in China The London-Shanghai Stock Connect service is now open for business as UK builds on its efforts to build a stronger economic dialogue with China.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said the initiative represents a "strong vote of confidence" as Britain prepares to leave the European Union on October 31. Hammond, who is hosted Chinese vice premier Hu Chunhua, said, "Stock Connect is a groundbreaking initiative, which will deepen our global connectivity as we look outwards to new opportunities in Asia.

London is a global financial centre like no other, and today's launch is a strong vote of confidence in the UK market."

The scheme will allow international investors to access China A-shares from outside Greater China. At the same time, over 260 Shanghai-listed companies will be eligible to list in London through the initiative. It is intended that investors will be able to trade across London and Chinese time zones, allowing issuers from both markets to raise capital in the other market.

British Chancellor Philip Hammond with Chinese Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua at the London Stock Exchange

The Shanghai Stock Exchange said the new connect would give domestic firms support in expanding their global businesses.

Chinese brokerage Huatai was the first company to make its full London debut.

Hammond has sought to build economic ties with Beijing as Britain prepares for Brexit, despite controversies over issues like the potential involvement of Chinese tech giant Huawei, in the UK's 5G network.

He had attended a conference in the Chinese

capital in April to promote Beijing's multi-billion dollar Belt and Road infrastructure programme to develop new land and sea routes with the West. He has said the aim as to win lucrative financial, legal, and design services contracts for UK firms. The move will be a welcome patch of positively for China, with the nation currently locked in a bitter trade war with the United States.

After a joint economic summit between Britain and China in London, the chancellor said he welcomed the closer cooperation. He

Millions at risk of retiring on incomes below living wage Pension providers in the UK have been called on to do more to encourage people to save for their retirement as estimates suggest millions of people are at risk of retiring on incomes far less than the current "national living wage." Approximately 10 million people have begun saving since the introduction of automatic enrolment in 2012, which obliged employers to autoenrol qualifying staff in workplace pensions. A minimum of eight per cent of pensionable earnings must be contributed at present, five per cent by the employee and three per cent by the employer.

However, Aviva, the

insurer and pensions provider, claims millions of people earning the average wage of £27,500 run the risk of retiring on a pension of far less than £15,000, the equivalent of the current national living wage. It wants contributions increased to 12% of earnings over the next decade.

“We need to look again at the auto-enrolment system. It achieved its goal of getting people to save, but the 8% minimum may be inadequate to give people a comfortable retirement.

Millions risk disappointment at retirement,” said Alistair McQueen, head of savings and retirement at Aviva.

However, veteran pension campaigners have instead called for the industry to do more to encourage people to save.

“If pension companies cannot engage these millions of workers handed to the industry by the government, then they need to find ways to make their products more attractive, so that people want to buy more,” said Ros Altmann, the former pensions minister and campaigner for reform of the system.

“It is time that companies worked hard to persuade and enthuse people to want to buy more pension. Forcing others to hand the industry more

B A Finance & Mortgage Co. ESTABLISHED SINCE 1970

from £100K to £30M

also said Britain is "aware of the risks" facing sensitive sectors of the UK economy, such as energy infrastructure and telecoms, from overseas investments.

He added that the UK has controls in place to protect national security but will strengthen them further.

“The UK is an open trading economy that depends on inward investment and it’s vital that we forge a relationship with China that works both for trade and for investment to our mutual benefit. But of course we’re aware of the risks,” he said.

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money seems to be a suboptimal approach.”

Steve Webb, the director of policy at insurer Royal London, who was pensions minister under the coalition government when autoenrolment was introduced, agreed that hiking the contribution from 8% to 12% would risk large-scale optouts. “We need higher contributions from employers so that workers and firms are equal partners in pensions,” he said.

“Simply hiking contribution rates risks opt-outs, but there are more creative ways to get people saving more for their retirement without frightening them off completely.”

Buy To Let Mortgages

From 1st time buyer landlords to large portfolios.

IT contractors accepted even with umbrella companies.All employment types, residency types and domicile types considered

THE YIELD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

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Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap London Property Investment

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

We have recently exchanged on a property in W2 in a block called Park West. There are always suitcases going in and out of the small lifts.

There are hundreds of flats in the block. Strange cooking smells waft around the building’s communal parts. The décor looks cheap and from the 1970s. Not a place I would like to live.

project life. Flats in blocks can take rather a long time to get permissions through, as you have the managing agents involved, who generally are not motivated to get off their behinds to do anything.

And then you have another layer, permissions required at council level, not to mention the utility companies.

However, from an investment perspective, the location is solid. A little further down the road you have Marble Arch, and the new development going up there done by Almacantar. Rumour has it, the flats there sell for £4,500 a sq. ft., to put this in perspective this means a one bedroom flat consisting of 650 sq. ft. will cost you nearly £3M.

The average price of the properties in this block float around the £1,200 a sq. ft. mark.

We have bought many, many units in this block on behalf of our clients, and I suspect will continue to do so.

The location is solid, they rent well, despite my personal sentiment. And most importantly they rise in value almost year on year.

We did a transaction there last year, where we bought a large lump of 2,185 sq. ft. for £1.65M. At the time it was arranged as one flat. This equates to £755 per sq. ft. However, originally it was three flats. The angle here was simply to convert it back into three, and rent or sell on the properties.

This is clearly not the finishing you would put into a BTL property.

Bearing in mind the floor and the level of money put into the interiors, I think this would justify a premium above the average for this property in a stronger market. I would predict anywhere from £1,300 a sq. ft. for this property. In price terms this comes to £910,000. Time will tell but I

and so on. We realised that there are lots of women like her. And whether they use our turnkey solution, just some of our services or do it themselves, it is important for them to invest.

- Why it is important to invest in property as an asset class

Why a women’s seminar? There are many reasons, although the idea was inspired by a recent client of ours; a women, with a professional financial services job in the city. She had been wanting to invest in property for years, but didn’t have the confidence to take the step forward.

She also didn’t want her valuable spare time sucked up into the process. Meanwhile, prices kept increasing. So, she finally approached us knowing that she didn’t have to spend her time on finding the property, negotiating the price, dealing with the solicitor, arranging finance, finding the tenant

Seats are filling up fast for this event, this is testimony there is a demand.

- Why the current environment provides a great window of opportunity

Joining us will be guest speaker Bindar Dosanjh, who has won several property awards and has recently written a book called ‘Power Property Investing for Women’ - Winner of Business Book Awards 2019. She will be sharing her story, describing how property has saved her not once but twice.

- How to spot deals

BUY TO LET OPPORTUNITY

London, NW8 Purchase Price: £550,000

22 - 28 June 2019

This property is on the ninth floor, some would say it’s a penthouse. The finishing to this property is the best I have seen in the block. The joinery is all bespoke. The doors are all solid wood, the reception has rather grand sliding doors with windows.

Sow & Reap, in association with RecommendAsian, are pleased to announce our first women’s property seminar, to be held in Stanmore, on Thursday 4th July at 7pm.

The event will be a great opportunity for you to see how Sow & Reap can help you to invest in

19

Our recent deal in this block, which is in the midst of completion, was purchased for £575,000 which equates to £821 a sq. ft. this is a discount of 32% in a W2 postcode.

WHY A WOMEN’S PROPERTY SEMINAR? This plan is in motion and at the tail end of its

REAL ESTATE VOICE

believe this kind of level should be achievable.

The yield on the property is 5.8%, based on a £650pw rental. This number should tell you all you need to know about the deal. You would be hard pressed to find a yield of 5% in London, let alone in a central postcode. In this location the yield floats around 2-3%. 5.8% is solid testimony to what a good deal this is.

property.

At the seminar you will learn:

Dinner, of course, will be provided.

To book your place please give us a call or send us an email.

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PM Modi wants to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024 Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the goal was to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024. While the goal is challenging, it is achievable with the concerted efforts of the states, Modi said in his opening remarks at the fifth meeting of the governing council of NITI Aayog at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. All states should recognise their core competence and work towards raising Gross Domestic Product (GDP) targets right from the district level, he added. Recalling the recent Lok Sabha elections as the world's largest democratic exercise, Modi said that it is now time for everyone to work for the development of India. He spoke of a collective fight against poverty, unemployment, drought, flood, pollution, corruption and violence.

Amid several parts of the country facing a drought-like situation, Modi called for effective steps to tackle it by

adopting 'per-drop, more-crop' strategy. He said that the newly created Jal Shakti Ministry will help provide an integrated approach to water and states can also integrate various efforts towards water conservation and management.

PM Modi urged the members of the governing council to help create a government setup which works and has the people’s trust. He said, “We are now moving towards a governance system characterised by Performance, Transparency & Delivery. On-

ground implementation of schemes is vital.”

This was the first governing council meeting under the new Modi government. Among others who attended were Union ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman and Rajnath Singh.

The council, the apex body of the Niti Aayog, includes all chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, several Union ministers and senior government officials.

The meeting is being attended by all chief ministers, except West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee and Telangana's K Chandrashekhar Rao. Banerjee had earlier said that attending it would be "fruitless" as the Niti Aayog has no financial powers to support state plans.

The Governing Council reviews the action taken on the agenda items of the previous

meeting and deliberates upon the future developmental priorities. The first meeting of the Governing Council was held on February 8, 2015, in which Modi had laid down the key mandates of the Niti Aayog, which included fostering cooperative federalism and addressing national issues through active participation of the states.

The second meeting on July 15, 2015, had reviewed the progress made by the three subgroups of chief ministers and the two task forces. In the third meeting on April 23, 2017, Modi had pitched for conducting simultaneous elections of the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies and shifting to a January-December fiscal year.

The fourth meeting on June 17 last year had deliberated upon the measures taken to double farmers' income and the progress of the government's flagship schemes.

Jet’s lenders to begin insolvency proceedings Lenders have decided to initiate insolvency proceedings against Jet Airways after failing in their efforts to find a buyer for the grounded airline. State Bank of India (SBI) said that it has received only one conditional bid, which was subject to lenders arranging for regulatory exemption on an open offer. SBI, the leader in the consortium of banks, had arranged a meeting of all lenders to decide the way forward on Jet Airways. “After due deliberations, lenders have decided to seek resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) since only a conditional bid was received and requirement of the investor for Sebi exemptions and resolution of all creditors is possible under IBC,” SBI said.

Another reason why lenders have decided to go for

Abhishek Sachdev

In recent weeks international developments on trade, specifically the deteriorating US China trade negotiations coupled with rising political tensions in the Middle East and weak inflation figures globally, have contributed to a lowering of market participants eco-

insolvency proceedings is that Etihaad expects banks to write off most of their loans to the troubled airline. While a writeoff is inevitable given that assets are inadequate, lenders worry that a haircut larger than the liquidation value might be seen as favouring a business.

The regulations for insolvency resolution process for corporates define a liquidation value as the amount that is realisable by selling all the assets on the commencement date of the insolvency process.

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) will in any case be hearing on June 20 a bankruptcy plea application against Jet Airways by operational creditors Shaman Wheels and Gaggar Enterprises.

Shares crash 53% Jet Airways shares extended losses and crashed 53 per cent intraday to hit a record low of

Rs 32.25 on June 18 after a media report indicated that SBI filed insolvency petition against the company to recover dues.

The stock lost 73 per cent of its value in the last seven days.

India's largest lender State Bank of India approached National Company Law Tribunal in Mumbai against cash-strapped Jet Airways on behalf of the consortium of

lenders, reports CNBC-TV18 quoting unnamed sources.

Lenders do not see much hope for them from any of the proposals for reviving Jet Airways. Most of the proposals involve banks taking a haircut and are subject to their getting another investor. In the absence of Naresh Goyal, there isn’t any promoter for the lenders to chase.

Who cares about the yield curve?

nomic growth and inflation expectations.

This has resulted in yield curves’ (The “yield curve” is represented by a curve on a graph showing the interest rate for different time periods), internationally flattening and in some cases inverting.

General economic theory suggests a normalised yield curve, where rates are steadily increasing for longer maturities is synonymous with an expanding economy. Conversely, an inverted yield curve, when longer-term rates are lower than short term rates, forecasts an economy slowing and potentially falling into recession.

The transition period between the two types of curves is when the “curve flattens” as market participants adjust their views.

Looking specifically at points on the Uk yield curve we have observed, declines of 42bps in the 5 years, 40bps in the 10 years and 37bps in the 15 years since the start of 2019. This lowering of the curve coincides with the general perception that Uk Plc at best will flat line for the remainder of 2019 held back by ongoing Brexit, political uncertainty and the knock-on effect this is having on investment intentions and consumer consump-

tion.

However, this sanguine approach by the markets to the risk of higher interest rates could change dramatically if the various factors mentioned above are resolved, agreed, causing the respective yield curves internationally and specifically in the UK to normalise and steepen considerably from their current levels. Just this week, comments from Michael Saunders, member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee ( MPC) and Andy Haldane, the bank's chief economist, noted that not all of the

Noose tightens on Swiss bank account holders from India

Swiss authorities are in process of sharing details of at least 50 Indian nationals having accounts in Switzerland-based banks, with regulatory and enforcement agencies in the two countries tightening their noose on individuals suspected to have amassed illicit wealth. These individuals largely include businessmen associated with companies, including the dummy ones, in sectors ranging from real estate, financial services, technology and telecom to paints, home decoration, textiles, engineering goods, gems and jewellery.

When the Narendra Modi government first came to power in the year 2014, it had termed the crackdown on the black money, including those allegedly parked in Swiss banks, as a key focus area. Since then, the two countries have strengthened their framework for the exchange of information in cases of financial wrongdoings.

Citing the federal gazette notifications issued by the Swiss government to the concerned individuals, the officials said at least 50 Indian nationals have been issued notices in the past few weeks giving them one final opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details with the Indian authorities.

Some of these notices have followed after the preliminary appeals by the concerned clients of Swiss banks have already been rejected due to inadequate supporting facts and documents, leaving a limited chance of their further pleas getting heard, officials said. They said the sharing of details of Indian clients of Swiss banks with dubious records, showing suspected illegalities in amassing of funds deposited there, has been a continuing process in the recent months.

While details of more than 100 Indian nationals have been shared in the past one year by the Swiss government with the Indian authorities, there is a high chance that a large majority of the cases currently under scrutiny would result in the administrative assistance being provided in the coming months, officials said.

above uncertainties would necessarily need to be resolved before the bank raised rates again.

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in brief INDIAN WOMAN AMONG 26 INJURED IN SAUDI AIRPORT ATTACK An Indian woman was among 26 civilians injured in a missile attack carried out by Yemeni rebels on an airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia last week, a media report said. The attack came a day after Riyadh said it intercepted two drones fired by the Houthi rebels, which controls a large part of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. The attack resulted in the injury of 26 civilians of different nationalities, the report said, adding that the wounded included one Indian woman and two Saudi children. Eighteen of those injured were admitted to hospital for treatment of minor injuries and at least six have been discharged. Claiming responsibility for the attack, the rebels through an announcement said a cruise missile was used to carry out the attack.

INDIAN DETAINED IN DUBAI FOR ALLEGED MOLESTATION An Indian national based in Dubai has been detained for allegedly molesting a sevenyear-old girl, a media report said.

According to the prosecutors, the 36-yearold man, who was produced in the court, took advantage of the girl and touched her inappropriately when her mother was away, the Khaleej Times reported. The accused, a construction worker, denied the molestation charge. The incident happened in April at a gift shop. The girl's mother, a Moroccan housewife, said she was with her daughter and her younger son at the shop on April 17. "As I was busy shopping, my son went to the playing corner and then my daughter went after him. Moments later, she came back looking scared," she said. The girl did not tell her mother right away. Later, she pointed at the defendant who was standing near them and said that he touched her twice. Her father lodged a complaint after he learned about the incident.

KERALA TODDLER DIES AFTER BEING LEFT ALONE ON DUBAI BUS In a shocking development, a six-year-old boy died after being left alone in a bus for several hours in Dubai. The Indian boy, identified as Mohamed Farhan Faisal from Kerala, was a student of Islamic Centre in Al Quoz. Victims family said that Faisal slept off in a bus after boarding at Karama.

He was left behind as all the students alighted from the bus. According to reports, the driver found the child as he took the bus out to drop the students back home. After the initial investigation, the body was shifted to the forensic department for an autopsy. "The mortal remains will be handed over to the family after all legal and administrative procedures have been completed," an official said.

5 LANKA BLAST SUSPECTS EXTRADITED Five key suspects in Easter Sunday bomb attacks on Sri Lankan churches and hotels have been extradited from West Asia, police said. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said the suspects arrived from Saudi Arabia after their arrest in an unspecified West Asian country.

Gunasekara said the five include the main suspect in the killing of two policemen last year at a checkpoint in eastern Sri Lanka, in an attack blamed on Islamic extremists.

He was identified as Hayathu Mohamed Ahmed Milhan.

Terror funding: Pak faces downgrade by IMF, WB ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has failed to complete 25 of the 27 action points given by the international terror financing watchdog FATF to check funding to terrorist groups such as LeT and JeM and frontal groups like Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

With this, multilateral lenders like the IMF, the World Bank and the EU may continue downgrading Pakistan, making its financial situation more precarious.

The Paris-headquartered Financial Action Task Force has asked Pakistan to explain whether it has launched any investigation into the $ 7 million allocated to maintain schools, madrasas, clinics and ambulances originally operated by terror groups like Lashkar-eTaiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and LeT fronts Jamat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

LeT is responsible for a number of terrorist strikes in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the hijacking of an Indian Airlines

aircraft to Afghanistan in 1999.

Most recently, it attacked a CRPF bus in Pulwama in Feb this year, killing 40 soldiers.

Pakistan is in deep trouble at the FATF meeting in Florida in the US, people aware of the development said. "It has been unable to complete 25 of its 27 action points. It has one last chance, till its 15-month deadline ends in October 2019, when the FATF Plenary will be held," one of them added.

In June 2018, Pakistan was placed in the 'Gray' list and given a 27-point action plan by FATF. This plan was reviewed at the

last plenary in October 2018 and for the second time in February this year, when the country was again put into the 'Gray' list after India submitted new information about Pakistanbased terrorist groups.

The FATF continuing Pakistan in the 'Gray' list means its downgrading by IMF, World Bank, ADB, EU and also a reduction in risk rating by Moody's, S&P and Fitch. This will add to the financial problems of Pakistan, which is seeking aid from all possible international avenues.

In a bid to bluff the financial

watchdog, Pakistani authorities have shown arrests of LeT, JeM, JuD and FiF cadres. But all were apprehended under its Maintenance of Public Order Act and not under the AntiTerrorism Act, 1997.

Under the MPO Act, authorities cannot hold a detainee beyond 60 days.

Pakistan has detained JeM founder Masood Azhar and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed mostly under the laws that provide for detention for apprehension of breach of peace; they have never been prosecuted under antiterror laws.

The FATF implements UN designations, which do not warrant arrest. They ask only for freeze of funds, denial of access to weapons and travel embargo.

The financial watchdog also wants nations to impose penalties that are proportionate and dissuasive. The MPO Act is not seen as satisfying either of the two conditions. Therefore, none of these arrests will satisfy the FATF or the UN Designations Committee.

Pakistan appoints hardliner as new ISI chief ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday appointed a hardliner general as new chief of the powerful InterServices Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, replacing the agency's current head, Lieutenant General Asim Munir, after only Lt Gen Faiz Hameed eight months on the job. Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, a former senior ISI figure, was appointed director general of the agency, according to a statement by the military's press wing, which did not explain the re-shuffle.

The army is arguably the most influential institution in Pakistan, with the military having ruled the country for nearly half of its 71-year history since independence from Britain and enjoying extensive powers even under civilian administrations. By turn, the head of the ISI occupies one of the most important posts in Pakistan. The agency has long been accused of supporting Islamist militants targeting neighbour and arch-foe India as well as sheltering the Afghan Taliban and other militants. More recently, the ISI has been accused of muzzling the press, trying to skew last year's elections, and intensifying a crackdown against human rights groups, including the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), an ethnic rights movement that the military accuses of being funded by neighbouring countries.

Activists allege a pattern of growing authoritarianism by the military, which they say has become even more influential since Prime Minister Imran Khan swept to power last year. The military denies harbouring militants, intervening in politics or stifling dissent. The military's backers also say Pakistan faces external threats from most of its neighbours, especially India, and is working within the law to defend the country. Hameed was seen to be hugely influential within ISI during his previous stint at the agency, according to analysts.

He was one of the figures who brokered the

Faizabad agreement in late 2017, when protesters blocked off roads into capital

Islamabad, in an incident that further stoked civilian-military tensions.

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Punjabi girl dies in Arizona desert as mother looks for water HOUSTON: A six-year-old girl from Punjab died of heat stroke in an Arizona desert after her mother left her with other migrants to go in search of water, a medical examiner and US Border Patrol said. The girl, Gurpreet Kaur, soon to celebrate her seventh birthday, was found

by US Border Patrol west of Lukeville, Arizona, when temperatures reached a high of 42 degree Celsius, US Border Patrol and the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME) said.

The girl's death, the second recorded fatality of a migrant child this year in Arizona's southern deserts, highlighted the danger of summer heat as a surge of migrant families, mainly from Central America, cross the US-Mexico border to seek asylum.

An increasing number of Indian nationals are entering the United States from Mexico, according to immigration officials. They are among thousands of Africans and Asian migrants making the arduous journey, led by smuggling

Arizona desert

cartels.

The girl and her mother were among a group of five Indian nationals dropped off by smugglers in a remote border area, 27 km west of Lukeville, a US border town of 80 km southwest of Tucson.

After walking some way, the girl's mother and another woman went in search of water, leaving her daughter with another woman and her child.

"Once they went to look for water they never saw them

again," said US Border Patrol Agent Jesus Vasavilbaso.

The mother and the other woman wandered in the rugged Sonoran desert wilderness for 22 hours before being found by a US Border Patrol agent who tracked their footprints. Four hours later, Border Patrol agents found the body of the deceased girl from the border. Agents tracked the remaining woman and her 8-year-old daughter into Mexico, before the mother and child re-entered the United

States and surrendered to Border Patrol.

The deceased girl died of hyperthermia and her death was ruled an accident, said Greg Hess, PCOME chief medical officer. Up to May 30, PCOME recorded 58 migrant deaths in southern Arizona, most heat related. It recorded 127 deaths in 2018.

Border Patrol blamed Kaur's death on the smugglers "This is a senseless death driven by cartels who are profiting from putting lives at risk," Tucson Chief Patrol Agent Roy Villareal said.

Human rights activist Juanita Molina said US border security measures were also partly to blame, along with the exhausted state of Indian child migrants once they reach the border.

"They're trying to unload people in places where they can avoid detection themselves," Molina, director of Tucsonbased Border Action Network, said of smugglers. "For a young child, death can come very quickly," she added.

Bill in Senate to bring India on par with US’ Nato allies WASHINGTON: Two top American lawmakers have moved a legislation in the Senate, seeking key amendment in the country’s Arms Control Export Act to bring India on par with the US’ Nato allies. The lawmakers move will bring India at par with Nato allies - Israel, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea - when it comes to

sale of high-tech military items.

The necessary amendment to the US Arms Control Act has been moved by Senators Mark Warner, a Democrat, and John Cornyn, a Republican, which if enacted, will further institutionalise the recent designation of India as a major defence partner of the US. The move by Cornyn and Warner

comes after India and the US signed the COMCASA (Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement) last year. The two countries are also in advance discussion to sign another foundational agreement of the BECA (Basic Exchange Cooperation Agreement).

“It is a significant

development,” said Mukesh Aghi, president of US India Strategic and Partnership Forum, an advocacy group, which along with others, has been working on legislative changes to remove barriers to export of major high-tech defence equipment to India that is shared with only a few countries.

Indian family of four found shot dead in US IOWA: Mystery shrouds the death of four members of a Telugu family who were shot and killed at their home in West Des Moines city, Iowa, in the US. Sunkara Chandrasekhar (44), his wife Lavanya (41), and their two sons, aged 15 and 10, were shot and killed, a police statement said. The family belonged to Tsundur town in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district and had been living in the US for at least two decades.

On Saturday, at around 10 am, a local resident dialed 911 after being informed about gunshots being heard in Chandrasekhar’s house. Police officials found the four lying dead with gunshot wounds. Sources close to the family said they had moved into the house in March. A family friend, who is also a member of the Telugu Association of North America, said that Chandrasekhar has been suffering from depression for a

while and that there might have been a dispute in the family.

In an Instagram post, local police explained that at the time of the shooting other family members, including two adults and two children, were living in the house as guests. After discovering the bodies, one of them rushed out looking for help.

He found someone who then called 911. The police have not revealed the identities of the guests.

Although the police gave no detail about motive, they said there was no threat to the community. They have also said that investigations had revealed that at the time of the gun being fired, no outsider had entered the house. This is being interpreted by many as pointing to a family dispute. Chandrasekhar worked for the Iowa department of public safety’s technology services bureau. Lavanya was a software developer.

Crackdown on more Pak opposition leaders ISLAMABAD: The founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), one of Pakistan’s biggest political parties, was arrested during a raid by Scotland Yard in London last week but was later released on bail. Back in Pakistan, Hamza Shehbaz, the son of former PM Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shehbaz Sharif, was arrested in Lahore by the National Accountability Board in a money laundering case.

Though seemingly unconnected, the two arrests came a day after the arrest of former president Asif Ali Zardari,

again by the NAB, in fake bank accounts case. An accountability court in Islamabad granted the NAB, Pakistan’s anti-corruption watchdog, 11-day physical remand of Zardari.

A statement by London’s Metropolitan Police, without naming MQM’s founder Altaf Hussain, said: “A man has been arrested in connection with an investigation into a number of speeches made by an individual associated with MQM.” While several complaints were registered against Hussain in the UK over his hardhitting speeches

against Pakistan’s military establishment and spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the focus of the London Met police was on his speech in August 2016. A police team had visited Islamabad in April this year to gather evidence and interview key persons related to the speech. On August 22, 2016, Hussain, while addressing MQM workers protesting outside Karachi Press Club against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of his party’s workers, had not only raised antiPakistan slogans but also called

the country “a cancer for the entire world”. “Pakistan is a cancer for the entire world.

Pakistan is a headache for the entire world. Pakistan is the epicentre of terrorism for the entire world. Who says long live Pakistan... it’s down with Pakistan,” the MQM founder had said.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Pakistan’s interior minister at the time, had sought assistance from British authorities, asking them to take action against Hussain for inciting the people of Pakistan to violence.

in brief 61 KILLED IN CHINA FLOODS

As many as 61 people were killed and 356,000 evacuated from their homes as heavy rain and floods swept through large parts of southern and central China this week, rescue authorities said. China's Ministry of Emergency Management said 9,300 homes have collapsed and 3.71 million hectares of farmland damaged during the floods, with direct economic losses now estimated at 13.35 billion yuan ($1.93 billion).

It said more than 4,300 people had been rescued from floodwaters, which have affected regions stretching from Guangdong province in the southeast to southwest China's Chongqing on the upper reaches of the Yangtze river.

CANADIAN FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUAL ABUSE IN NEPAL A Canadian aid worker has been found guilty by a Nepalese court of sexually abusing two boys who were found at his home last year.

Kavre District Court official said the judge issued a guilty verdict this week against Peter Dalglish, a year after he was arrested at his home with the boys, who were aged 12 and 14. Dalglish was arrested from his mountain villa in Nepal in April 2018 and charged with sexually abusing children. He had denied the charges. Dalglish helped found the charity Street Kids International and has worked for decades for a number of humanitarian agencies, including UN Habitat in Afghanistan and the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response in Liberia. He has focused much of the time on working children and street children.

AFGHAN GOVT SAYS IT HAS FREED 490 TALIBAN PRISONERS The Afghan government says it has freed 490 Taliban prisoners from jails across the country in a gesture of good will as part of efforts to move a stalled peace process forward. Feroz Bashari, government media center chief said that the freed Taliban insurgents were either ailing or had less than a year remaining on their prison sentence. He says they are part of a group of 887 inmates that President Ashraf Ghani ordered freed to mark the Eid-al-Fitr holiday. He didn't say when the remaining prisoners would be released. The development comes as US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is in the Afghan capital of Kabul, trying to revive peace talks.

CHINA CONDUCTS WORLD’S FIRST 5G REMOTE SURGERY Doctors in China have successfully directed surgeons 200km away to perform a gall bladder surgery using 5G network in a remote area. The laparoscopic cholecystectomy was conducted last week in north China’s Hubei Province which lasted about an hour. There was almost no network delay, and the patient’s vital signs remained stable after the surgery, state-run Xinhua news agency said.

“With 5G network, more doctors can cooperate to conduct surgeries regardless of their distance,” Gui Kunpeng, an official with China Mobile’s Hubei branch, said.

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Major killed, car bomb hits Army vehicle in Kashmir Valley In two separate incidents in South Kashmir on Monday, an Army Major was killed in a gunbattle in Anantnag district and at least six soldiers, and two civilians, were injured in a car bomb explosion that targeted a military vehicle in nearby Pulwama, officials said. The officer killed in the gunbattle was identified as Major Ketan Sharma (31) of 19 Rashtriya Rifles. A militant, who is suspected to be a foreign national, was also killed in the exchange of fire during a joint security operation in Badoora village of Achabal.

Two other Army officers were injured, J&K Police said.

In the evening, militants detonated explosives placed

inside a car parked on the roadside at Arihal village of Pulwama when a modified Army vehicle was passing by. Pakistan had shared intelligence inputs with India and the US regarding a possible attack by militants in Pulwama district using an improvised explosive device mounted on a vehicle.

The Army described Monday’s attack as a “failed attempt” and said that a few soldiers were injured. “A failed attempt was made to attack a mobile vehicle patrol of 44 RR with a vehicle-based IED while the Army patrol was moving,” Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said. “(There are) a few minor injuries.

The damage was minimised due to the alertness of the patrol party.”

Police said the Army vehicle was damaged in the blast. “Six Army jawans have sustained injuries in the terror incident and are stated to be stable. Two civilians also sustained injuries in the explosion,” Police said. Sources said the car was placed at a location where vehicles usually slow down ahead of a diversion near a bridge that is not functional. They said the blast extensively damaged the front of the fortified Army vehicle. They said that three soldiers in the vehicle’s front cabin, including the driver, were grievously injured.

Following the blast, a joint

team of police, Army and paramilitary forces cordoned off Arihal and adjacent villages in a massive search operation.

Challenges on the ground The attacks are a reminder of the challenges on the ground for security forces and the administration in the Valley as J&K braces for the start of the Amarnath Yatra next month. The poll panel too is looking at a window for the conduct of Assembly elections in the state before the onset of winter. “The driver of the vehicle is injured and under specialist care.

Other soldiers, brought to the hospital with minor bruises and concussion/contusion are stable. The damage was minimised due to the swift

action of the driver,” the Defence spokesman said.

The gunbattle in Anantnag, officials said, began after a militant fired on a joint security team. “In the exchange of fire at the site of encounter, one Army officer Ketan Sharma sustained gunshot injuries.

He was evacuated to the hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

Besides, two other Army officers also sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment at hospital,” Police said in a statement.

Police said that arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter, and that the “identity and affiliation” of the militant was being ascertained.

Bihar fever death toll crosses 100; heatwave, malnourishment main causes Bihar’s health crisis continued to worsen, with state government officials saying 103 children, almost all of them below 10, had died by Monday from what is medically known as acute encephalitis syndrome (AES). The children have perished in the past few weeks in Muzaffarpur from the brain disease, which has also been linked to toxins found in litchis. Between 2000 and 2010, over 1,000 children in the district succumbed to the infection, which leads to swelling in the head. The cause itself has eluded researchers, but experts say a deadly cocktail of heatwave, malnourishment and binge-eating litchi on an empty stomach is to be blamed for the high death toll this year.

And the cure could have been as simple as timely administration of glucose.

Dr G S Sahni, head of pediatrics at Muzaffarpur-based Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), where the majority of the AES cases are admitted, said it would not be prudent to blame litchi alone. “Then urban kids too should have fallen to the disease,” he said. “In the past two decades, there have barely been four AES cases from urban pockets.”

Poverty and malnutrition may hold the answer. Most of the children dying from AES belong to the poorest of the poor - the Mahadalit community, including Musahar and scheduled castes (SCs) - and most of them were malnourished. Distraught parents lined up at hospitals in Bihar, with the fever now being reported also from neighbouring East Champaran, Sheohar and some parts of Sitamarhi districts. Recently, two blocks of Vaishali witnessed some suspected cases.

What seems to be compounding the problem is acute shortage of doctors, unavailability of key medicines, and lack of nursing staff and beds. State-run health establishments in Muzaffarpur, including SKMCH, all suffer from this. SKMCH superintendent Dr S K Shahi said the facility has not yet been provided any additional funds for the treatment of AES patients.

“Infrastructure is not adequate to deal with the influx of patients,” he said. Union heath minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and state health minister Mangal Pandey, who visited the hospital on Sunday, said a new and separate building for paediatrics with 100 beds would be built soon.

Affected families, many of them angry and waving black flags at politicians and

officials, said they were not getting the support they need. Sunita Devi, mother of 5year- old Nidhi who died at SKMCH on Saturday, said the hospital is crowded with children who need urgent attention.

But even as the number of patients grew, experts and doctors were unsure what could be at the heart of the disease. According to a study published in The Lancet Global Health medical journal in 2017, children in affected villages had spent most of their days plucking and eating litchis from nearby orchards, often skipping dinner, which led to an alarming drop in their blood sugar.

When sugar levels drop, the body starts to metabolise fatty acids to produce glucose.

But in malnourished kids exposed to toxins

such as methylene cyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG) found in litchis, glucose synthesis is impaired, leading to dangerously low blood sugar and brain inflammation. The same study had recommended minimising litchi consumption, ensuring an evening meal and implementing rapid glucose correction for suspected illness.

Muzaffarpur-based senior pediatrician Dr Arun Shah, member of the national executive committee of Indian Paediatrics Association, said. “In case of a sudden fall of glucose - termed as hypoglycaemia - the body uses its glucose reserves. Malnourished children have no such reserve in their body.

Thus, those given artificial sugar can be saved. But a delay of even half an hour can be

fatal. Sometimes their households have nothing to eat but litchis are in abundance in the summer.

Groups of children can be spotted in litchi orchards all day,” said Jahangir Alam, a resident of Dariapur, where most of the cases in the last five years have been detected. Experts have also connected intense heatwave in the country to the disease, although what role it plays is not clear.

“Excessive heat definitely has a part to play in the outbreak of AES and higher number of casualties this year. The temperature has been much higher than in the past couple of years,” Muzaffarpur civil surgeon S P Singh said.

I am not Gandhi or Godse: Vishnu Pandya Vishnu Pandya, chairman of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy, in a open letter clarified his stand regarding an article published in 'Hindustan Times' titled 'Godse Worship goes Mainstream in India.' The article which was published on 1 June 2019, was written by historian Ramachandra Guha on the basis of a debate in a Gujarati channel. Guha wrote that the cult of Nathuram Godse is no more marginal; but mainstream.

Its members include not only BJP MPs but also prominent Sangh ideologues. He had mentioned that in a recent television debate, well-known Gujarati writer, Vishnu Pandya, called Pragya Thakur 'a saint.'

Of her praise of the Mahatam's murderer, he commented, 'Godse was a patriot, and so was Gandhi.' Pandya is no ordinary Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh (RSS) worker, he is a Padma Shri awardee and the current president of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy.

Vishnu Pandya in an open letter clarified that he is not an RSS ideologue nor a spokesperson of the RSS. “Yes, I was an editor of a magazine 'Sadhana' that is inspired by the

RSS ideology for 15 years read my book 'Gandhi(1967-76). And I was Sardar-Subhash' you active in opposing would have thought the emergency twice before blaming imposed in India me in the article.

(1975-76) and preW i t h o u t censorship, wrote understanding the articles against reference of the emergency and was whole discussion jailed for a year. I you have quoted was convenor of that, 'if Gandhi was a 'Gujarat Biradari' and Patriot, so was Godse.

'Abhinav Bharat' with What was the context to Vimla Tai Thakar, an Vishnu Pandya that reference? Murder associate of of Gandhi is and will be Jayaprakashji, the social thinker. forever a cruel and despicable I penned her biography too. I incident for every citizen of not was a convenor of a committee only in India but all over the for the study of the borders of world.

Gujarat with Babubhai Patel, There cannot be any excuse chief minister and Gandhian for that. But from the statement political leader of Gujarat. I am a of Nathuram Godse, one can at writer of novels, essays, history least come to the conclusion and journalism and recipient of that he had the Hindu Nation in Padma Shri in 2017. Various his mind and for the Nation he institutions have conferred me committed the deed. In such with awards, including 'Gujarat circumstances, can he be Gaurav' and Hon.D.Lit from considered nationalist or patriot Gujarat University. The reason or Nation lover as per his why I am writing this is, you definition or notion of Nation. have blamed such a person for Why is this not reviewed having respect for not Gandhiji without partiality or prejudice? but Godse.

“You have mentioned in your article that I have “If you would have listened considered Pragnaji to be a saint or read my lecture 'Gandhiji and or saadhvi, Yes, her right to be Partition' or you would have

addressed or considered saint or saadhvi cannot be stripped off.

As per Hindu philosophy she left her home and relatives and worked without any worldly bondages and so only she won the election with such mandate.

Is it an ordinary matter that a simple or common saadhvi defeating the ex-chief minister?

The significant matter is that just being accused of Malegaon case, she was condemned by the then Central government and others with the phrases like 'safronised terrorism' and 'Hindu terrorism.' Not only that but the imprisoned woman had to suffer awful oppression from the jail authority. In fact, this was double crime as it was oppression of a woman that too imprisoned.

Should one keep mum about the outrage against saadhvi Pragnaji? There is no fanaticism or castism in the questions above. They should be examined with pure historical vision beyond any partiality or prejudice. I am a hardcore historian. Fifty years of my life I have given to journalism and being a person from literature strongly supported by historical facts.”

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SOUTH INDIA

Jagan Reddy bats for special status to Andhra Pradesh NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy once again vociferously demanded Special Category Status (SCS) for his state during the meeting of Fifth Governing Council of NITI Aayog in New Delhi. Terming the status as an "essential lifeline" for Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister said, "It is disheartening when we hear several rumours and excuses for not granting special category status."

On "widely rumoured argument" that few other states may demand SCS if it is granted to Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister said, "In the history of this country no other state was bifurcated with a pre-condition that special category status would be accorded to compensate the economic and financial hardships such bifurcation would entail, which was supported by both ruling and opposition parties that had representatives from all the states."

During his speech, the Andhra Chief Minister also criticised the previous TDP

Jagan Reddy with Amit Shah

government led by Chandrababu Naidu for "misgovernance and institutionalising corruption".

"Mis-governance and institutionalised corruption coupled with lack of sincerity during the past five years have left the state with high unemployment amongst youth, lack of investment in infrastructure and industry, a sharp deterioration of public education and health system and empty coffers," he said.

Jagan seeks Amit Shah's help Earlier, Jagan Reddy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the special status issue. Jagan Reddy said he took an appointment with the Home Minister "to try and prevail over him and to also soften PM's heart on the special category status. The meeting comes just five days after PM Modi promised "all cooperation from the centre for Andhra Pradesh's development" during a visit to the temple town of Tirupati.

PM Modi was received at Tirupati by Jagan Reddy, who accompanied him to the temple.

PM Modi's comment was linked by many to special status for Andhra, a long-standing demand that was promised by the Congress-led UPA government back in 2014, but has yet to be delivered by the current government. Former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ended his alliance with the BJP last year over his demand for special status.

Naidu was defeated in the assembly and national polls held in Andhra Pradesh last month. Jagan Reddy's YSR Congress won 151 from 175 seats, crushing the TDP. In the Lok Sabha polls, the party swept to victory in 22 of 25 parliamentary constituencies, making it the fourth-largest in parliament, behind the BJP, the Congress and the DMK. Special status means a large infusion of central funds to help with the state government's plans to develop its new capital Amaravati.

PUNJAB

No end to Amarinder-Sidhu spat CHANDIGARH: The stalemate over cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's new portfolio shows no signs of ending with CM Amarinder Singh, according to sources, standing his ground despite Congress chief Rahul Gandhis intervention. Sidhu has refused to take charge of power department, which he was assigned after the vabinet rejig recently.

Sources said Rahul Gandhi had spoken to Amarinder on the issue but the conversation did not lead anywhere. Amarinder is learnt to have told Rahul that there was no question of restoring the portfolio in the face of defiance. Sidhu had met Rahul earlier in Delhi.

It is obvious that a minister

not reporting in his department will be a cause of embarrassment. And also that the deadlock could not be ended even after intervention of the high command. Knowing both Amarinder and Sidhu, it seems they will stick to their guns. It is not an issue between Sidhu and Captain but it is an issue between Rahul and Captain now. It is unlikely that Amarinder will budge from his stand especially in the current scenario when the high command is weak, said a senior party leader. Sources close to Sidhu said he is unlikely to join in the present circumstances as he feels aggrieved as he was painted as a non-performer for reasons other than performance.

They added that he was in Chandigarh, spending time at his official residence. He was not available to media.

G e n e r a l Amrinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu all over the world that if a Secretary incharge Asha Kumari department's minister is not said she was not aware of any there, the department is handled developments or whether Sidhu by the Chief Minister. would join the department or Ahmed Patel likely to mediate not. Since power is an important Senior Congress leader department in the current Ahmed Patel is likely to be season with mercury soaring entrusted with the task of and paddy transplantation resolving the rift between starting, another senior leader Amarinder and Sidhu, party said if Sidhu did not join, the sources said. The sources said power department could be that veteran leader Patel is likely taken care of by the Chief to be entrusted with the job in Minister's office. Something will the wider interest of the party. have to be done. This happens

in brief KARNATAKA CABINET EXPANDED In an attempt to douse simmering discontent in the ruling coalition and ensuring stability of the one-year-old government, Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has expanded his Cabinet with the induction of two Independent MLAs - R. Shankar and H. Nagesh as Ministers. Governor Vajubhai R. Vala administered the oath to new ministers in the presence of Kumraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara. Former Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah, Home Minister M.B. Patil, Ministers, and Congress and JD (S) leaders attended the ceremony. Of the 34 ministerial positions, the Congress and the JD(S) have 22 and 12 respectively, by way of an understanding between the two parties.

With the latest expansion, only one Cabinet berth is vacant now.

WILL ENSURE SECURITY OF SIKHS: MEGHALAYA CM A delegation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) met Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma in New Delhi on Sunday. Sangma assured the delegation that the Meghalaya government would take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikhs living in the Punjabi Lane locality of Shillong. Sangma told the delegation that he had established a committee headed by the Deputy CM, which would look into the claims and counter-claims of the Sikhs as well as Khasis and come out with an amicable solution acceptable to both the parties. He said in the meantime, he had issued strict directions to ensure the safety and security of the Sikhs living in Punjabi Lane.

TMC-BJP FEUD CLAIMS 3 MORE LIVES Post poll violence continues unabated in West Bengal with two persons being killed in a crude blast in North 24 Pargana's Bhatpara.

North 24 Pargana continues to remain the epicentre of the poll post violence with five deaths being reported in four days.

Mohammad Halim (57) and Mohammad Mustak (60) were injured when unidentified assailants hurled crude bombs at them. While Halim died on spot, Mustak succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Four others have been injured. In another incident, a TMC supporter was killed in East Burdwan's Galsi area.

Jaydeb Roy (48) was returning home when he was allegedly attacked by BJP workers with sharp weapon. Grievously injured, Roy was rushed to the Burdwan Medical College hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

WEST BENGAL

Bengal docs call off strike after meeting Mamata KOLKATA: Junior doctors in West Bengal finally called off their week-long strike and promised to resume duty on Tuesday morning, ending a stir that crippled out patient departments and severely affected emergency services at hospitals across the state. At a meeting held at the state secretariat on Monday evening, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee told a team of 31 junior doctors, “Lakkhi chhele, ebar tomra strike tule nao (Please withdraw your strike like good boys)”, which they agreed to.

The doctors, relented in the face of some gentle persuasion and genuine-sounding assurances from the CM. Several issues were discussed at the meeting. They ranged from security measures - collapsible gates for emergency wards, regulated entry for patients’ kin and enhanced police presence on medical campuses with nodal officers responsible for

law and order - to the CM’s suggestion for third party PR professionals, who could act as grief counsellors and handle communication between “overworked doctors” and “aggrieved patients’ kin” and bridge the gap as well as grievance cells for patients.

“We are delighted with the cordial manner in which the meeting was held, the CM’s caring touch and concrete suggestions and assurances to the issues raised by us. We came here for a discussion because we wanted a solution. The CM’s commitment has assured us that our concerns will be looked into and appropriate action taken against the unwanted incidents,” one of the junior doctors said after emerging from the meeting. “We respect doctors and teachers.

They have genuine demands. We have listened to them and taken decisions to resolve them. This must be a continuous process. We have to see to it that such

untoward incidents are averted and strong action is taken if something happens,” Mamata said.

Bengal’s healthcare system collapsed The doctors' strike began in Kolkata after a junior doctor of the government-run NRS Medical College and hospital was attacked by the relatives of a patient who died, has become a pan-India protest. Hospitals across India on Monday suspended all but essential services in response to a call from the Indian Medical Association. The matter has also acquired political overtones with the BJP's Union Minister Babul Supriyo taking on the Mamata Banerjee government over it. " The state's healthcare system collapsed last week with more than 700 government doctors tendering resignations in an unprecedented show of solidarity with their striking junior colleagues.

The unprecedented number of resignations on a

Mamata Banerjee

single day appears to have been triggered by the chief minister’s response to the crisis, when she issued an ultimatum at SSKM hospital, asking striking doctors to either return to work or face action. Undaunted by the threat, junior doctors intensified the stir, with many senior doctors also joining them to express support. The principal and viceprincipal at NRS Medical College and Hospital resigned, as did 21 senior doctors at the College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital on BT Road.

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HERITAGE HISTORY

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22 - 28 June 2019

The Emergency Indira never wanted to impose

Diary of a new Canadian Immigrant

• Sanjay Gandhi told her angrily that he would not let her resign as PM • JP’s call to the armed forces and police to revolt changed the scenario

Mitul Paniker

ometimes certain perceptions created by interested groups make one accept the history as created without bothering to check and crosscheck. Four years after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984, her closest friend Pupul Mehta-Jayakar came out with her most authentic biography and revealed certain hidden facts about how she declared the Emergency in June 1975. Unfortunately, despite Indiraji and her Congress had repeatedly apologized for the black period of 21 month Emergency, those opposed to Nehru-Gandhi family and the Indian National Congress continued to abuse late Indira and late PM Rajiv, who was also assassinated, for the misdeeds and excesses during the Emergency. Both Indira Gandhi and her elder son, Rajiv, who was pilot with the Indian Airlines then, initially opposed imposing the Emergency and curtailing the democratic and constitutional rights of the people.

S

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was prepared to resign as the Prime Minister immediately after she heard the news on 12 June 1975 that the Allahabad High Court had set aside her election and disqualified her as a Member of Parliament.

Siddharth Shankar Ray, the last Congress Chief Minister of West Bengal, literally stop her from resigning and her younger son and heir apparent in politics, Sanjay Gandhi, forced her declaring not only the Emergency but was mainly responsible for all the excesses during the Emergency. Sanjay was even

Key Villains of the Emergency : PM Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi

factory, came home at lunch time. Unaware of what had happened, once he was told

Indira, the two are inseparable.’

Nani A. Palkhivala, a well-known constitutional lawyer from Mumbai was approached by her legal advisers to fight her appeal in the Supreme Court. He agreed. The Vacation judge, Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer heard the interim appeal on the stay order and on 22 June granted a partial stay order pronouncing she could continue as Prime Minister till the appeal was disposed by the full bench of the Supreme Court. On 24 June, Ray was back to Delhi to find the PM tense. She told

Entire Indian Opposition and Press Gagged 44 Years Back Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared the Emergency on 25 June 1975 late at night. The fundamental rights of Indian citizens were curbed. Right from her ‘dear uncle’ Jayaprakash Narayan, her Deputy Prime Minister turned foe Morarji Desai, Jan Sangh leaders Atal Bihari Vajpeyee and Lal Krishna Advani and even celebrated journalist Kuldip Nayar as well as many more opposition leaders were arrested and put behind bar. Two Rajmatas, Vijaya Raje Scindia of Gwalior and Gayatri Devi of Jaipur, were also arrested and locked up in most filthy jails. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS), Anand Marg and many other organizations were banned and their heads were put behind the bar. The Press was gagged as precensorship was imposed. PM Indira Gandhi’s son and Youth Congress leader as well as Amethi MP Sanjay Gandhi virtually became most powerful person who was calling the shots and even getting her Ministers like I. K. Gujral kicked out or replaced by others.

Despite Sanjay Gandhi insisting on extending the term of the Lok Sabha and avoiding the elections, the PM Gandhi declared the elections in January 1977, got the opposition leaders released and lost power in March 1977 when the election results were declared.

Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister and had two Deputy PMs, Chaudhary Charan Singh and Babu Jagjivan Ram. Charan Singh who aspired to be the PM preferred to seek Indiraji’s support to destabilize Morarji ministry and became Prime Minister for a short period till she withdrew support. In 1980, when the Lok Sabha elections were held Indira Gandhi again became the Prime Minister with thumping majority. Of course, she had tendered public apology in 1978 in a public meeting in Maharashtra and promised never to commit the mistake of declaring the Emergency again. keen that she did not declare the Lok Sabha elections in January 1977 and release all the opposition leaders who were imprisoned. Knowing it fully well that she would lose the elections, she declared the elections to be held in March 1977 and released most of the leaders.

Not only her Congress party lost the elections, she herself and her son Sanjay too were defeated from Raibareli and Amethi respectively. Of course, she bounced back within three years.

Pupul Jayakar writes in “Indira Gandhi: A Biography”: “Her instinctive response to the judgment was, ‘I must resign immediately.’

Siddharth Shankar Ray argued with her. ‘Let us think it over. You should not take a decision in a hurry.’ But she was adamant.” “Sanjay Gandhi, who was away in his car

he was quick to gauge the situation. He took his mother to her room and told her angrily that he would not let her resign. He was particularly outraged to learn of (D.K.) Barooah’s suggestion that she should take over the Congress Presidentship from him, while he took over as Prime Minister, for a short period, till her appeal was heard by the Supreme Court. Sanjay pointed out at once that

Next Column: JNU on the hit list then and now once Barooah had taken over as Prime Minister he would not vacate the post for her.” When Barooah could sense that his proposal to be acting PM had not found favour in Indira’s eyes, he started saying, ‘Indira is India, India is

him that Jayaprakash Narayan was to hold a mammoth rally on the Ram Lila Maidan where he was to ask the armed forces and the police to revolt and disobey orders which did not consider lawful. As a legal brain, he could find a reference in the Supreme Court decisions of US ‘for the imposition of Emergency laws’. And on 25 June at 8pm, both PM Gandhi and CM Ray were with the President, Fakharuddin Ali Ahmed, with the proposal to promulgate Emergency laws under Article 352 of the Constitution! And rest is the history.

Dr. Hari Desai (The writer is a Socio-political Historian.

E-mail: haridesai@gmail.com)

Pramukh Swami with dignitaries after the inauguration of BAPS temple in Toronto

Dear Readers, he weather here is as confusing to me as a dream but I am loving every bit of it. My husband and I went to the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Toronto recently, and needless to say, it was an experience. The Gujarati community is strong in the Greater Toronto Area. Adorned in Italian marble, and stone carvings, the temple itself is magnificent. We went in for darshan, took our blessings and proceeded towards the common area where we acquainted ourselves with several fellow devotees, some of them Christian by faith. The aura of the temple was divine and my husband and I couldn't be more at peace.

For the uninitiated, the temple was dedicated to the people of Canada on July 22, 2007 by HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj in a ceremony that was attended by then prime minister of Canada Stephen Harper, then premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty, then high commissioner of India Rajamanjinarayan, and then mayor of Toronto, David Miller. While the temple community is comparatively small with just 500 families involved, the number of devotees walking each day is significant and comprises of people of all faith and backgrounds.

The idea of the temple was rooted way back in 1973, when two gentlemen, Bhagwanjibhai Mandaviya and Ghanshyambhai M Patel separately arrived in Canada after taking blessings from Yogiji Maharaj. Inspired by letters from Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj, they soon began regular Sunday Satsang assemblies. A small assembly was held in United Methodist Church, near Niagra Falls, during Pujya Pramukh Swami's maiden visit to Canada in 1974. By the next year, 15 families had joined the satsang. Diwali and Annakut was celebrated in a church. In 1977, Pujya Pramukh Swami visited Toronto for the second time, met then solicitor-general of

T

Canada, Bop Kaplan and got the sanstha officially registered. Bhagwanji Mandaviya was appointed as president and GM Patel secretary.

Swamishri visited Canada for the third time to promote awareness of Bhagwan Swaminarayan Bicentenary Celebrations in 1980. Decision to establish the temple was made in 1984, during his fourth visit to Canada, and in 1988, his fifth visit, the Canadian Parliament honoured Pramukh Swami's contributions to the society. He conducted the murti-pratishtha of hari mandir in Toronto during his sixth visit to Canada in 1990. He consecrated marble murtis of Shri Akshar Purushottam Maharaj in Toronto during his seventh visit in 1991. He visited the country again in 1994, and in 1996 and in his presence an 18acre land was purchased off Highway 427 in Etobicoke for a shikharbaddh Mandir. In 2000, he performed shilanyas ceremony for new BAPS temple. The traditional Haveli was inaugurated in 2004 during Swamishri's eleventh visit.

It took steady perseverance on Swamishri's part to make the temple a part of Canada's history. However, he was supported by several volunteers who give hundreds of hours in helping with the temple construction between 2005 and 2007. They also performed several austerities, like praying for the completion of the project. Every day a devotee observed a nirjala fast, thus a continuous sequence of fasts was observed by the devotees. Even people who had recently arrived in the country donated all their savings for the temple.

Children and teenagers helped in keeping the temple clean and safe, and women gathered on the first Sunday of every month to observe a Malathon in which they turned the mala to pray for the temple. Every stone of the mandir is seeped in history and hard work of all the people who have been instrumental in making Pujya Pramukh Swami's dream a reality.

Vayu to cross over Gujarat coast as low pressure Cyclone Vayu has dissipated earlier than anticipated and will not make landfall over Gujarat, a senior weather department official said. Vayu was expected to make landfall by midnight Monday, according to an India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) assessment late on Sunday. “It has already become a ‘depression’ and by midnight will cross over the Gujarat coast as a ‘well marked low,’ said Madhavan Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences. While this would still bring in rains and winds - and fishermen have been warned to stay away - it effectively meant that Vayu no longer posed a threat to Gujarat. A ‘well marked low’ refers to a state when a tropical storm has lost is strength and no longer possesses an ‘eye’ or a centre, which is the hallmark of a cyclone. “For a landfall, the storm has to at least be a depression. Forecasting the track of this cyclone was tricky because there were complications posed by the monsoon pressure systems,” said Rajeevan. Now that Vayu was over, the monsoon could continue its journey along the western coast.

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Modi slams supporters of terror at SCO Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of terrorism and said nations which provided encouragement, support and financial help to the menace needed to be called out.

Without naming Pakistan, he reiterated his call for a global conference to deal with the challenges posed by terrorism.

The Bishkek Declaration, which was particularly on the same tone as India's case, said terrorism and spread of terrorist ideology were among the issues which required special attention because they were "crossborder in nature". It also condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, stressing that acts of terrorism and extremism cannot be justified.

The declaration also said the member-states believed it was important to take comprehensive measures to intensify efforts against terrorism and its ideology, as well as to determine and eliminate the factors and conditions that prommote terrorism and extremism. It said, "They (member states) note that interfering in other countries' domestic affairs under the pretext of fighting terrorism and extremism as well as using terrorist, extremist and radical groups to achieve one's own mercenary ends is unacceptable."

"The member states condemn the propaganda of the ideology of terrorism, extremism and religious intolerance, as well as manifestations of intolerance and discrimination based on

religion or convictions in any form." “It is a priority to step up the international community’s joint efforts to counter the attempts to involve young people in the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups and will continue to focus on preventing the spread of religious intolerance, xenophobia and racial discrimination, it added.

Meanwhile, Modi said, “I was recently in Sri Lanka where I visited St Anthony’s Church (where the Easter bombings took place). There I was again reminded of the ugly face of terrorism which surfaces anytime and anywhere to claim innocent lives. It is now time for all humanitarian forces to rise above their narrow confines and come together to deal with this danger." He added that countries which supported terrorism needed to be held responsible for their action. Modi also called on the SCO memberstates to cooperate under the SCO regional antiterrorist structure to end terrorism.

The PM said in his address that a peaceful, united, safe and prosperous Afghanistan was vital for the stability and security in the SCO. “Our goal is to support the people and the government of Afghanistan for an Afghan-led, Afghanowned and Afghancontrolled comprehensive peace process. We are happy that a further roadmap has been prepared at the SCO Afghanistan contact group,” he said.

He came up with a new template he described as "HEALTH" for cooperation among SCCO members. He said H stood for Healthcare cooperation, E for Economic

SCO Summit From L: PM Narendra Modi, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev pose for a photo in Bishkek

cooperation, A for Alternative energy, L for Literature, T for Terrorismfree society, and the last H for Humanitarian cooperation.

Modi holds talks with Chinese Premier Meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping on the margins of the SCO summit, Modi told him that Pakistan needs to take concrete action to address concerns raised by India and create an atmosphere "free of terrorism" which was not evident on the ground.

While reaffirming the "Wuhan spirit" between India and China, Modi emphasised that IndiaPakistan issues will remain a bilateral matter and said he had tried to pursue better relations but the process had been derailed.

At the first India-China bilateral meeting, Modi responded to Xi's suggestion of resumption of the IndiaPakistan dialogue by firmly stating that it was a bilateral matter and making it clear

that Pakistan has not done enough to restart talks.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale briefed journalists and said that India has a "consistent position". Modi told Xi, "We discuss all issues through a bilateral mechanism, look for peaceful settlement through negotiations." He also added that he had personally made "efforts in this regard but they have been derailed."

The meeting came after China recently allowed the sanctioning of Pakistanbased terror mastermind Masood Azhar after having blocked the move for years at the UN Security Council.

Modi also underlined verifiable action against anti-India groups as the bottom line for any fresh dialogue between India and Pakistan. Gokhale said Xi accepted Modi's invitation to come to India later this year for the second edition of the informal "Wuhantype" summit. While reports have said it could be in October in Varanasi, though

Gokhale clarified that "a date and venue is yet to be set". The meeting was scheduled to run for 20 minutes, but Gokhale said it went well over time. The PMO tweeted, " Deepening friendship with China. PM @narendramodi’s first meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit is with President Xi Jinping. Both leaders are discussing ways to further strengthen bilateral relations".

Imran Khan makes veiled attack on India over Kashmir Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday made a veiled attack on India over Kashmir during his address at the SCO summit. He said, "Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including State-terrorism against people under illegal occupation."

Relations between India and Pakistan reached a stalemate after the Pulwama terror attack, where India lost over 40 CRPF personnel.

No meeting between Modi, Imran No meeting was held between Modi and his Pakistan counterpart during the informal dinner hosted

by Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov for the SCO leaders. Sources said Khan and Modi did not even exchange pleasantries during the dinner. While Khan made his debut in the summit, this is Modi's first visit to a multilateral forum after being re-elected for a second term.

On its part, India has already clarified that there would be no bilateral meeting between the two leaders. The decision came despite Khan writing a letter to Modi saying Islamabad wants dialogue with New Delhi to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries. Also, Modi's chartered plane did not take the Pakistani air space for flying to Bishkek and instead, flew via the circuitous route through Oman and Iran.

Main event of International Yoga Day celebrations to be held in Ranchi The main event of International Day of Yoga 2019 celebrations will be held at Prabhat Tara in Ranchi on 21st June. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the main function.

Jharkhand government has planned to celebrate the day in grand manner by organising a week-long programme starting June 15. Speaking to media in Ranchi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghuwar Das said that presence of Modi on the International Yoga Day is going to be a great occasion for the state as Prime Minister will give message from Ranchi to the whole world on Yoga.

About 35,000 people will take part in Yoga Day event along with the PM Modi at Ranchi in open air, for which people can do online registration at website www.yogadayindia.nic.in and get their egatepass printed by themselves.

Yoga originated in India People around the world are getting ready to take out their yoga mats and do some yoga.

Yoga is considered to be an ancient practice which was originated in India. The practice is considered to be almost 5,000 years old.

Yoga was developed as a way to achieve harmony and balance between the heart and soul and to achieve divine enlightenment.

Not only this, with time passing by, it was

also seen that the practice of yoga had and still have medical benefits. It helps in curing many diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure and alleviating physical injuries and chronic pain. It has been practiced in India for centuries and now Yoga has also found its way in the western world. In recent decades Yoga became really popular outside of India and many other cultures have embodied yoga in them.

Brief history The United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 2014, announced that June 21 will be seen as International Yoga Day or World Yoga Day. Since 2015, International Yoga Day has been celebrated worldwide.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September of 2014 addressed the UN assembly and discussed the essence of Yoga. "Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies the unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with you" Modi said in the UN General Assembly.

The theme of each year The theme for 2015: Yoga for Harmony and Peace The theme for 2016: Connect the youth The theme for 2017: Yoga for Health The theme for 2018: Yoga for Peace The theme for 2019: Yoga for Heart PM Modi during his address to the UN General Assembly in 2014 said: The date is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and has special significance in many parts of the world. June 21 is the day of the Summer Solstice when the tilt of a planet's axis in the northern hemisphere is most inclined toward the star that it orbits in our case, the earth and the sun.

June 21 is considered the longest day of the year with the sun rising early and setting

late for the northern hemisphere. The summer solstice is also considered as an important day in Indian mythology as it marks an event that could be considered the start of Yogic science. When people saw the Adi yogi, they flocked to him for enlightenment but left as he stayed unaware of their presence.

Whereas, seven people stayed insistent to learn from him but Shiva refused to claim that a lot of preparation was to be done. The seven people then sat determined through 84 years of sadhana, after which Shiva took notice of them as the sun was shifting from the northern to southern run which was the day of the Summer Solstice.

It is said that he could no longer ignore them as they were overwhelming with knowledge. When the next full moon arose 28 days later, Adi yogi transformed himself into Adi Guru and started teaching the ways of the yogic science to his disciples.

Now, you know the reason why Yoga is celebrated on June 21, every year. Therefore, take a pledge this year and celebrate Yoga on the international Yoga Day. With this also embodied yoga in your daily routine. It will not only help you to connect your mind and heart but also it will help you get cure many diseases and problems.

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Mobile phones changing human skeleton People spend so much time looking down at smartphones and tablets they are growing bony 'spikes' on the backs of their heads, scientists say. Researchers said growing numbers of people have growths called enlarged external occipital protuberances at the base of their skull.

Considered rare when they were first discussed in the 1800s, we may now be able to feel the bony lumps with our fingers or see them on bald people. And younger people are developing them faster, with research showing the bumps are most common among 18 to 30year-olds.

Scientists at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, have done detailed research into the phenomenon. They scanned more than a thousand skulls belonging to people ranging in age from 18 to 86, BBC Future reports.

The lead researcher, Dr Shahar suggests the reason for the bony spike becoming more common is the amount of time people – particularly the young – spend looking down.

Hours spent scrolling on smartphones, tablets and laptops could be putting so

much strain on lesser used parts of the body that the body parts actually change.

Specifically, the muscles which connect the neck to the back of the head are overused as they try to hold still the skull – an average adult head can weigh around 5kg (11lbs).

According to research revealed last year, the average person in the UK spent 24 hours per week – about three-and-a-half per day – on their smartphones in 2017.

On average, people check their phones every 12 minutes, disturbing stats from communications regulator Ofcom revealed.

Some 78 per cent of Britons own a smartphone and one in five adults spend 40 hours or more online every week.

Dr Shahar and colleagues wrote in their study that 'repetitive and sustained mechanical load' leads to adaptation of the tendons and connective tis-

Bony lumps are becoming more common and larger among younger people who spend a lot of time looking down at smartphones and tablets because their neck muscles need bigger chunks of bone to attach to (Pictured: The bump of a 28-year-old is more than 3cm larger than a 58-yearold's in a study)

sues. And Dr Shahar said that, although the bony lumps are unlikely to cause any damaging effects themselves, they may never go away.

Meanwhile doctors have warned our obsession with checking our smartphones could lead to an epidemic of 'iPhone hands'. More and more patients are reportedly developing 'iPhone tendonitis' as swapping writing for touchscreens causes pain to develop at the base of our thumbs.

People's thumbs are becoming less muscular as our need for grip strength

reduces because tapping screens is replacing gripping pencils, the researchers claim.

Scientists from the University of Malaga even questioned whether the demise of pens could eventually leave our thumbs redundant. And if we then evolve a new hand shape, humans could have a 'reduction in brain function', which has occurred in other primates, they said.

Synovitis occurs when a joint's soft tissue, known as synovium, becomes inflamed. The base of each finger is formed by five carpometacarpal joints which could be affected.

The scientists worry the wide use of touchscreens, even in schools, means less of us are forming a pinch grip with our hands. And with writing becoming increasingly rare, we could eventually 'lose' our thumbs.

You should briskly walk seven miles a day to keep fit

Wearing dirty shoes indoors could protect children from asthma

Think 10,000 steps a day is enough to stay healthy? A new study suggests we might want to move quite a bit more to improve our fitness. Experts say 15,000 steps per day – equivalent to a seven-and-a- half-mile hike – are required to gain the maximum health boost, and only if the pace is kept brisk.

The figure is based on studies looking at the health of hunter gatherers in the Tanzanian savannah – and Glaswegian postmen. These found that the benefits of exercise rise the more we do – and only plateau at a remarkably high level.

Evolutionary anthropologist Professor Herman Potzner, of Duke University in the US state of North Carolina, outlined the new findings in New Scientist magazine. His research into a hunter gatherer group called the Hadza in Tanzania suggests the 'opti-

Wearing dirty shoes indoors could make children less likely to get asthma, research has found.

Children were at a lower risk of developing the common lung condition if the bacteria in their family home was more like that of a farmyard.

Scientists said larger numbers of certain organisms, which were found in soil, helped to build up children's resilience.

Researchers from the National Institute of Health and Welfare in Finland analysed the range of bacteria in 1,400 homes in Finland and Germany. They found children with more siblings were also less likely to get asthma.

Exposure to greater numbers of bacteria species which usually belonged outdoors made children's lungs healthier.

If living in urban areas where farmyard bacteria were hard to come by, children's asthma risk could be reduced by families wearing outdoor shoes indoors.

Having more siblings – and therefore more people to carry around different germs – and living in an older house also corresponded with a smaller chance of asthma.

Professor Pekkanen and

mal dose' of daily exercise is about two hours a day – or 15,000 steps.

People need to be walking hard enough to get the heart pumping faster than normal. The Hadza's high activity levels meant they had 'the healthiest hearts on the planet… and stay strong and spry into old age,' Prof Potzner added.

Separately, a study of postal workers in Glasgow found those who took more than 15,000 steps 'had cardio-metabolic health on a par with hunter-gatherers', despite living in a city known for its poor health.

Prof Potzner believes humans need so much exercise because we have spent the vast majority of our evolutionary history being active – spending our days gathering food and hunting animals. Unless we mimic ancient habits, we are likely to succumb to heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

in brief FIRST EVER 'LUNG ATLAS' MAPPING ALL THE CELLS IN THE HUMAN ORGANS COULD ONE DAY LEAD TO A TREATMENT FOR ASTHMA Scientists have created the first map of every cell in a pair of human lungs, giving hope of better treatment for millions of asthma sufferers.

The revolutionary 'atlas' will transform knowledge of the disease, according to the researchers who created it.

By comparing the cells to those of people with healthy lungs, scientists can better understand what causes the symptoms of asthma including coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.

It has already led to an entirely new discovery of how cells produce more mucus in asthmatics.

Asthma affected more than 350million people worldwide in 2015. In the UK it blights the lives of one in 11 children (1.1million) and one in 12 adults (4.3million).

The mapping of the lungs is part of a global project that started in 2016 called the Human Cell Atlas Initiative.

Over the next decade the team plans to discover how many cells people have, in their entire bodies, the different types and what they do in each organ.

PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS SEND A CHILD TO THE ER EVERY 2 HOURS Every two hours, seemingly harmless products like cologne, nail polish and remover, lotion, shampoo and makeup send a child to the hospital, a new report found.

There's something undeniably cute about a child trying to act grown-up by spritzing themselves with cologne, or smudging mom's lipstick around their mouths.

But getting into personal care products also leaves over 4,300 children under five poisoned or suffering chemical burns every year, a new Nationwide Children's Hospital study estimates.

The report's authors are urging parents everywhere to keep their cosmetics and toiletries out of sight, out of reach, and in the containers they came.

Their hope is that children won't be able to get to these products in the first place, but if they do, at least a picture on the package might signal to children that lotion is not, in fact, a tasty yogurt. And, worse comes to worst, parents will be able to identify what personal care product their child has mistakenly gotten into.

About 60 percent of the children that wound up in hospitals with personal care-related injuries were under two years old, so they were just learning to speak, and a long way off from being able to read.

WOMAN, 30, WHOSE EYELASHES WERE RIPPED OUT ON A NIGHT OUT HAS TRANSPLANT USING HAIR FROM THE BACK OF HER SCALP

his team said past research has found growing up on a farm alongside animals may as much as half the risk of asthma and allergies.

Although there were more of certain strains of bacteria, there were fewer of those which would normally be found in the human lungs or which could cause breathing infections.

Around 5.4million people in the UK and 25million Americans are living with asthma. Although the condition can normally be controlled with medication, sufferers live at risk of having potentially deadly attacks. The condition is caused by swelling in the tubes which carry air into and out of the lungs.

Allergies, smoke and pollution, exercise and colds or flu may trigger the condition.

The research was published in the journal Nature Medicine

A woman has undergone an eyelash transplant after her eyelid was ripped open during a fall on a night out.

Itinder Kaur permanently damaged her right eyelid when she stumbled while out with friends five years ago.

The now 30-year-old, of London, lost a clump of lashes from the centre of her right eye when her friend accidentally dragged her across gravel while trying to help her up.

Surgeons at the Crown Clinic in Manchester transplanted 16 new eyelashes into Miss Kaur's 'gap' using hair from the back of her scalp. Footage of the operation was shown at a conference, teaching dozens of surgeons from around the world how to perform the intricate procedure.

After her fall, Miss Kaur, an associate director at an engineering-services company, was rushed to hospital, where medics tried to repair the damage.

Although she does not blame her friend for what happened, Miss Kaur struggled to accept her new appearance.

Miss Kaur's surgeon Dr Asim Shahmalak agreed to carry out the £4,000 operation for free, providing it was broadcast at the FUE [follicular unit extraction] Europe conference.

Dr Shahmalak, who operated on Miss Kaur alongside the Beverly Hills hair-restoration surgeon Dr Parsa Mohebi, was the first medic to carry out an eyelash transplant in the UK in 2009.

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Becoming a Bollywood star is a work in progress, Taapsee Pannu 'Game Over' actor Taapsee Pannu said she feels secure as an actor in the film industry today, but still has miles to go in order achieve her dream of becoming the quintessential Bollywood star. "I'm very secure as an actor, but not as a star. I don't know where will I be sent back to if a couple of my films fail at the box office. But I think that is fine because it keeps me on my toes to find something new. If I start feeling too secure and comfortable, I might just relax, and then keep doing

what I'm good at, knowing that it will work. So I think I'm fine with it not being that comfortable. That's the joy of this profession, it keeps you on your toes," Taapsee said.

She added that becoming a star is a work in progress. "I don't identify myself being the star still because I feel the definition of being a star is that people just blindly trust you and spend money at the box office for you. Audiences do that for the Khans, they just go and watch their films blindly."

She also said, "So I’m waiting for

the day that happens for me where I consider myself to be a star. Before that, I’m just an actor who is trying to make interesting films. I hope that one fine day people will identify my choices to be worth their time and money."

Taapsee says she will continue to experiment with different roles as she is trying to build a "niche for myself. I think people, in the industry and even outside, now believe that I can pull off good performances. So that way, I’m a little secure because that is not in the question."

Akshay Kumar asks fans to not participate in ‘negative trends’ Priyanka moves back in New York

Akshay Kumar has urged his fans and followers to refrain from getting into "negative" discussions about his upcoming film 'Sooryavanshi'.

The 'Kesari' actor took to Twitter to issue the appeal, saying that he is working on the film with a "positive outlook".

He wrote, "Since the past few days l’ve noticed certain negative trends being done by people dearest to me…you guys. I can see and understand your angst, all I can do is request you all with folded hands not to start/participate in such trends.

I took up Sooryavanshi with a very positive outlook, let’s continue making and releasing it in the same

way."

The release date of 'Sooryavanshi', which is being directed by Rohit Shetty, was recently advanced to avoid a box office clash with Salman Khan’s 'Inshallah' and the news did not go down well with the netizens.

Announcing the change in date of release, Shetty had shared a photograph with Salman Khan with a caption that read, "You can Compete with the World but Not with your Family... See you soon Chulbul Pandey!!!"

Within the next few hours of the announcement, social media began flooding with messages asking the makers why they took the decision.

Zeenat Aman to act as Sakina Begum in 'Panipat'

Priyanka Chopra Jonas has landed back in New York, and shared a photo of herself holding husband Nick dJonas' han. She also later posted a video from the Jonas Beach in New York where the Jonas Brothers performed over the weekend.

Photos and videos from the concert were shared on several fan pages of the band. Kevin Jonas' wife Danielle shared a video from the concert on Instagram featuring PeeCee enjoying the music. The newly-reunited band will soon begin their 'Happiness Begins' tour.

On the work front, Priyanka just wrapped up the shoot of her Hindi movie 'The Sky Is Pink'. She thanked director Shonali Bose and co-actors Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, and Rohit Saraf for the journey. The film is scheduled to release on October 11.

Yesteryear diva Zeenat Aman will be seen as Sakina Begum in Ashutosh Gowariker’s 'Panipat'. The period drama, which stars Arjun Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Sanjay Dutt, will feature Zeenat in a special appearance. She will begin shooting for the historical drama by the end of this week.

According to the makers, Sakina led the province of Hoshiyarganj and lived within the confines of her kingdom, away from the politics of the region. She played an important part in the battle of Panipat when the Peshwas turned to her for

help. Ashutosh Gowariker, who has previously worked with Zeenat as an actor in 1989 mystery film 'Gawaahi,' shared his excitement of getting her to join the stellar ensemble cast of 'Panipat'.

The director said in a statement, “It is an absolute honour and a fan moment to be directing Zeenatji. There are many many of her films that I have loved and especially her work in them.

What is most fascinating about her is the humility despite all the stardom.”

Ashutosh further adds, “I am excited to reveal her look in the film now but can’t.”

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Parineeti opens up on remake of

'The Girl in the Train' Actress Parineeti Chopra is all set to start shooting for the Hindi remake of Tate Taylor's 2016 thriller 'The Girl on the Train'. The role is massive for the 'Kesari' actress as she will step into the shoes of Emily Blunt. While she is already being compared to the actor, Parineeti said she is not intimidated. She said she will "embrace the fact that parallels will be drawn."

In a statement, Parineeti said, "Emily Blunt’s performance in the film had blown my mind and it is a privilege for me to play the character that she has essayed so brilliantly on screen. The restraint and range she showed as an actor while playing a girl who is troubled and battling herself in the film showed what a fantastic actor she is. When any actor does a remake of a loved film, there are expectations to match the original, if not better it. So, I realise that audience will look at our film and draw comparisons to the original and compare my portrayal of the protagonist vs Emily’s."

She added, “There is nothing an actor in the remake can do to steer away from this conversation so the best way to approach this film for me is to embrace the fact that parallels will be drawn. Since the original film was so well received by people, I’m hoping my film will also receive equal acclaim. I’m not thinking too much about the comparisons because I want to do my best to bring this character to life for Indian audiences.”

The film narrated the story of a divorced woman who gets entangled in a shocking missing persons investigation that throws her life to the brink. Parineeti hopes to showcase her versatility with the movie and wishes people watch the uniqueness in her performance. "Emily's performance is a super reference point for me.

She has brought to life a character from paper and she was a genius at it.

I will try to add my own rendition to the character that people have seen and loved so much. As an actor, I have always wanted to challenge myself and enjoy acting. This role gives me an opportunity to do just that and showcase my versatility even more. I hope it will be interesting for people to see how Emily and I performed the same role with our individual uniqueness."

Don’t want to make a five-year plan: Varun Dhawan

Actor Varun Dhawan does not believe in making long-term plans about his career. A versatile actor, he said, "I want to take each day as it comes. For me, the next challenge is to try and excel in everything that I do. My whole idea is that take each day as it comes and to try and win that battle."

He added, “I don’t want to try and make a five-year plan. There are certain directors I want to work with and god willing if they feel (I’m) worthy enough, I can showcase some other things as an actor." On the work front, The 32 year old currently has 'Street Dancer 3D' to look forward to. The film will reunite him with his 'ABCD 2' director Remo D'Souza.

“We wanted to do 'ABCD 3' but then it took time. Street Dancer is subconsciously that brand only it is about dance. It is India’s biggest dance musical film. And it deals with a lot of teams. There are different teams in the film, I have my team, Shraddha Kapoor has her team, there are international teams as well.

And then you see who will win at the end.”

The film will introduce a number of new faces, something that Varun believes is important. “In 'Street Dancer 3D' there will be 20 new dancers.

My idea is to introduce new talent to every film. If you are a star, you have to take the onus of introducing new talent.” in Melbourne and look forward The coming-of-age dance drama also stars Prabhudheva, Raghav Juyal, to being back again, this time to Dharmesh Yelande, Shakti Mohan, Punit Pathak, Nora Fatehi and others. celebrate Indian cinema," Shah Produced by Bhushan Kumar under T-Series, the film is slated to release on Rukh said. Shah Rukh will open January 24 next year. the IFFM on August 8 along with other festival guests and in the company of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and festival director Mitu Bhowmick Lange. Andrews said he is looking forward to having the Indian actor as part have come to a reasonable understanding that while I Revelling in the success of her recently released 'Bharat', of the festival. “This event has got good reviews for 'Raajneeti', 'New York', 'Zindagi Katrina Kaif believes it is great to be in this phase, but is grown significantly over the Milegi Na Dobara', there were a few films in the middle, wary to get too attached to it. In an interview, when past decade and with the about three years ago, that didn’t do well. We remember asked how she looks at her transformation as an actor extraordinary Shah Rukh Khan just that phase because it is more recent. who used to be criticised for her here, this year’s festival is That’s what it’s like in the film industry. roles, to one who can hold her shaping up to be the biggest You really have to continuously deliver,” own in the presence of and most exciting yet,” he Katrina added. She further said that both superstars, the actress said, "I said. the hits and the misses stick for a while have been asked this question so Lange said the team is excited to host Shah and an artiste just has to get habitual to many times during 'Bharat' Rukh in the city. "He’s the nature of Bollywood. promotions that I went online truly an icon of Indian "Because when you do have the low and I felt I wanted to check cinema internationally, a phases, which will come for everyone, (reviews). At that time in my person millions and when you have the misses, those stick for career, everything moved so fast millions follow and look a while. Then when something starts and there was no digital, so it up to. We are looking working, that sticks for a while too! You wasn’t like it was constantly fed forward to have the best of both worlds," Kat said. back to you. They (the reviews) hosting Mr came in the paper and were gone.

“When you are in that phase, you need Khan in I went online and checked reviews to have tough skin, have to introspect, see Melbourne," of 'Namastey London' and 'New what can be bettered and what’s going she said. The York', and the reviews were very amiss. When you are having a great phase, festival will good for me.” “I started to think you have to think what I have done here r u n why do people have this without getting too attached to the through perception that positive reviews result. Praise makes you feel good, Aug-17. have only started to come now. I criticism pinches.”

SRK to be chief guest at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been invited to be chief guest at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, the organisers announced. Helmed by the Victorian government, Australia, the IFFM is back for its 10th edition in the cultural city and will celebrate "courage" as its central theme.

Stating that he is honoured and delighted to accept the invitation, the actor released a statement.

He said, "An industry of our magnitude and diversity deserves to be celebrated with great passion and fervour, which is what the festival embodies.

I’m particularly pleased with the theme of the festival this year which is courage, an emotion that resonates with storytellers who really have the might to change the society and the world. I have had g r e a t memories o f shooting f o r ‘Chak D e !

India’

You have to continuously deliver in Bollywood: Katrina Kaif

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Samantha trashes pregnancy rumours with humour 'Oh Baby' actress Samantha Akkineni trashed a report claiming she's pregnant in a way that won over her fans on social media. After her recent statement saying that the upcoming is the kind of comedy film she's been waiting to do before her retirement, media reports emerged that it could be her last film as she's planning to take break to embrace motherhood.

Sam had a funny response to one such report on Twitter, and replied, "Damn, is she? When you find out please let us know." Samantha's response was quite well received by her fans. However, there are several reports suggesting Samantha might take a break after the releases of 'Oh Baby' and upcoming Telugu remake of '96'.

Sources close to her have confirmed she hasn't signed any new projects and would like to take things really slow.

On the workfront, the actress currently awaits the release of 'Oh Baby', a film about a 70 year old, played by veteran actor Lakshmi, who magically finds herself in the body of her 20 year old after having herself photographed at a mysterious photo studio. This project, which is gearing up for release in July, marks the second collaboration of Samantha and director Nandini Reddy after 'Jabardasth', which bombed at the box-office.

Mahesh Babu's 'fanboy moment' Actor Mahesh Babu who is currently on a holiday in London with his family, had a special fanboy moment that he shared on the internet. The actor met West Indian cricketing legend Andy Roberts and took to Twitter to share the memory. He tweeted, "With the legend himself.

Andy Roberts. Huge fanboy moment." Mahesh Babu has been in London to cheer for team India. Pictures of the actor from the match went viral on social media.

The holiday is well-deserved, especially after the phenomenal success of 'Maharshi', in which he played a billionaire turned farmer.

Directed by Vamshi Paidipally, the movie went on to earn £200 million at the box office. On the work front, Mahesh Babu will now begin shooting for his next project 'Sarileru Neekevvaru' with director Anil Ravipudi. The film is set to feature Rashmika Mandanna as female lead. The film title was unveiled via special poster last month. To be produced by Dil Raju and AK Entertainments, the project marks the maiden collaboration of Mahesh and Ravipudi. The cast also includes Rajendra Prasad and Jagapathi Babu among others. The film is set to hit the screens next year during Sankranti.

Telugu actor Mohan Babu in Suriya’s 'Soorarai Pottru' Veteran Telugu star Mohan Babu has recently joined the cast of Suriya's upcoming Tamil action drama 'Soorarai Pottru', a film based on the life of captain Gopinath, founder of India's first budget airline, Air Deccan. Makers announced the news in a statement last week. The statement further added that he joins the film's sets in Chandigarh where the makers are filming the first schedule.

Directed by Sudha Kongara, the movie marks Suriya's maiden collaboration with a female director in his over two decade long career.

In the current schedule, the team is currently filming some major action sequences under the supervision of Hollywood stunt choreographer Greg Powell, best known for his work in films such as 'Skyfall' and 'Bourne Ultimatum'.

Leading lady will be played by Aparna Balamurali. The movie is also the southern debut of wellknown Bollywood producer Guneet

Monga, who will be coproducing this project. GV Prakash Kumar has been roped in to compose music.

Meanwhile, Suriya, who was recently seen in Selvaraghavan directed Tamil political thriller 'NGK', is gearing up for the release of his next release 'Kaappaan', which has been directed

by K.V Anand. If everything goes as planned, then 'Soorarai Pottru' could be his third release of the year.

No pressure directing Prabhas: 'Saaho' director Sujeeth Working with a megastar is no sweat for 'Saaho' director Sujeeth, who said he had no pressure collaborating with Prabhas as the actor trusts him.

He said, "I did not feel t h e

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pressure to direct a big star like Prabhas. He has faith in me and my work and that matters the most to me.

Also, the producers and the team members showed confidence in me. But now that the film is gearing for release in few months, I can feel the pressure."

Trailer of the action thriller dropped last week and r e c e i v e d positive buzz on social media. The movie was offered to Prabhas

before he became a nationwide phenomenon with 'Baahubali' and its sequel. "I had the script of 'Saaho', which was ready before 'Baahubali'.

I narrated him the story and he loved it." The movie marks Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor's Telugu debut. “It is an important role for the female character. Shraddha drives the film to the end. It was a conscious decision to make my female characters strong. When we started working on the teaser, we had two options here - to go with Prabhas, considered as a huge star and you expect

him to be there in the opening scene. And other was to begin it with Shraddha and we chose the latter,” the filmmaker said.

She, however, is not the only Bolly cast. The film also stars Bollywood actors like Mandira Bedi, Jackie Shroff, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Chunky Pandey. “It was never intentional to cast a Bollywood actor for the film. Whoever I think is apt for the story I cast them, actors like Jackie Shroff, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Chunky Pandey and Shraddha Kapoor were the best choice for the film,” Sujeeth said.

TV Listing

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SATURDAY JUNE 22, 2019 00:55 FILM: TUMSA NAHIN DEKHA 05:00 FILM: 18.11...A CODE OF SECRECY 07:27 FILM: JAAN SE PYARA 10:30 FILM: DARAAR 14:00 FILM: AWARAPAN 16:29 FILM: JAYANTABHAI KI LUV STORY 19:03 FILM: JAB WE MET 22:15 FILM: RAGINI MMS SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2019 00:00 FILM: DASTAK 05:00 FILM: PRITHIPAL SINGH... A STORY 07:00 FILM: RAM BALRAM 10:23 FILM: CHAALBAAZ 13:35 FILM: SANTA BANTA PVT LTD 16:00 FILM: DON- THE CHASE BEGINS AGAIN 19:40 FILM: KYA KOOL HAI HUM 3 22:21 FILM: WOH LAMHE MONDAY JUNE 24, 2019 00:45 FILM: CHAAR DIN KI CHANDNI 05:00 FILM: THE SILENT HEROES 07:20 FILM: YEH HAI MUMBAI MERI JAAN 10:00 FILM: SABSE BADA MAWALI 12:50 FILM: JURM 15:24 FILM: JAB WE MET 18:26 LIFESTYLE : STAR STOP 19:00 FILM: KOYELAANCHAL 22:01 FILM: LUV SHUV PYAR VYAR

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SATURDAY 22ND JUNE TIME TV PROGRAM NAMES 16:30 KAUN BANEGA CROREPATI 18:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW 20:00 SUPER DANCER CHAPTER 3 21:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW 23:00 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW SUNDAY 23RD JUNE TIME TV PROGRAM NAMES 17:00 KAUN BANEGA CROREPATI 18:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW 20:00 SUPER DANCER CHAPTER 3 FINALE

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MON 17TH - FRI 21ST JUNE 2019 15:30: STYLE CHEF 16:00: THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 2 16:30: RASOI SHOW 17:30: CHHUTA CHHEDA 18:00: RADHA PREM KI DEEWANI 18:30: UTTARAN 19:00: JAHAANARA 19:30: BEPANNAH 20:00: TERE NAAL ISHQ

* Schedule is subject to change

MON 17TH - FRI 21ST JUNE 2019 15:30: KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 18:30: KITCHEN CHAMPION 19:30: UDAAN 20:00: SHAKTI ASTITVA KE EHSAAS KI 20:45: GATHBANDHAN 21:30: BEPANAH PYAARR 22:00: SILSILA

TUESDAY JUNE 25, 2019 00:25 FILM: CHOR BAZAARI-EK ATRANGI PREM KAHANI 05:00 FILM: KRISHNA ARJUN 07:33 FILM: JAI BHARAT 10:30 FILM: ANJAANE - THE UNKNOWN 12:50 FILM: YEH ZINDAGI KA SAFAR 15:50 FILM: KYA KOOL HAI HUM 3 18:30 LIFESTYLE : STAR STOP 19:00 FILM: SHAKTI - THE POWER 22:35 FILM: KALYUG WEDNESDAY JUNE 26, 2019 00:35 FILM: GANGSTER 05:00 FILM: BEZUBAAN ISHQ 07:33 FILM: WAFADAAR 10:46 FILM: JUNGLE 13:55 FILM: BANGKOK SUMMER 16:30 FILM: D-DAY 19:32 FILM: SHAITAAN 22:03 FILM: JASHNN THURSDAY JUNE 27, 2019 00:35 FILM: UTTHAAN 05:00 FILM: THE PERFECT GIRL 07:00 FILM: AAKHRI GHULAM 09:51 FILM: MR. NATWARLAL 13:14 FILM: WOH 7 DIN 16:15 FILM: SHAKTI - THE POWER 19:48 FILM: KHAKEE- THE REAL POLICE 22:14 FILM: SHAITAAN FRIDAY JUNE 28, 2019 00:45 FILM: KAUN 05:00 FILM: GOOD BUDDY GADBADI 07:28 FILM: JOHNY I LOVE YOU 10:26 FILM: ANDHA KANOON 13:46 FILM: KHAKEE- THE REAL POLICE 16:15 FILM: ANDAAZ 19:23 FILM: DON 2 22:23 FILM: SANAM TERI KASAM

23:00 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW MON 24TH JUNE - FRI 28TH JUNE TIME TV PROGRAM NAMES 17:30 MAIN MAAYKE CHALI JAAUNGI 18:00 VIGHNAHARTA GANESH 18:45 MERE SAI 19:30 YEH UN DINON KI BAAT HAI 20:00 CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA 20:30 BEYHADH 21:00 PATIALA BABES 21:30 LADIES SPECIAL 22:00 CRIME PATROL SONY MAX 2 PRIME TIME 19:00 MONDAY KASME VAADE 19:00 TUESDAY DAULAT 19:00 WEDNESDAY 100 DAYS 19:00 THURSDAY KHATTA MEETHA 19:00 FRIDAY HAMARE TUMHARE

20:30: MOHE RANNG DO LAAL 21:00: BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE 22:00: COLORS KE SANG ANTAKSHARI KE RANG SAT 22ND JUNE 2019 17:30: CHHUTA CHHEDA 18:00: RADHA PREM KI DEEWANI 18:30: UTTARAN 19:00: COURT ROOM 20:00: KHATRON KE KHILADI JIGGER PE TRIGGER 21:30: ZINDAGI KI HAQEEQAT SE AAMNA SAAMNA SUN 23RD JUNE 2019 18:00: RADHA PREM KI DEEWANI 18:30: UTTARAN 19:00: COURT ROOM 20:00: THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 2 20:30: INDIA'S GOT TALENT SEASON 8 21:30: ZINDAGI KI HAQEEQAT SE AAMNA SAAMNA

22:30: KHOOB LADI MARDANI JHANSI KI RANI 23:00: VISH SAT 22ND JUNE 2019 19:00: BEPANAH PYAARR KAHANI AB TAK 19:30: COLORS SE SANG ANTAKSHARI KE RANG 20:30: DESI BEAT RESET 21:00: DANCE DEEWANE SEASON 2 22:30: KAWACH MAHASHIVRATRI SUN 23RD JUNE 2019 19:00: FEMINA MISS INDIA 2019 19:30: COLORS SE SANG ANTAKSHARI KE RANG 20:30: DESI BEAT - SEASON 3 21:00: DANCE DEEWANE SEASON 2 22:30: KAWACH MAHASHIVRATRI

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AsianVoiceNews

EVENTS

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

31

22 - 28 June 2019

Charity programme for children at Great Ormond Street hospital

A Moments Indulgence - by Rabindranath Tagore I ask for a moment's indulgence to sit by thy side.

The works that I have in hand I will finish afterwards.

Away from the sight of thy face my heart knows no rest nor respite, and my work becomes an endless toil in a shoreless sea of toil.

Amit Patel, Rameshbhai Patel, Hashmukh Patel, Hareshbhai Patel, Dinesh Patel, Pushpkant Patel, Ghanshyam Patel, Allan (Ambassador from GOSH), Bhavanaben Patel, Manjulaben Patel, Hansaben Shah, Ushaben Bhatt, Sarlaben Desai, K M Shah (not in the picture)

A charity programme was organised by Surrey Gujarati Hindu Society for Great Ormond Street Hospital on Saturday 8th

June at Lanfranc School in Mitcham, Surrey. 'Bhuli Bishri Yade' music event was attended by 380 people who enjoyed the old

songs and delicious vegetarian food from Sayona.

Surplus from the programme and a total donation of £5001 was given to

Today the summer has come at my window with its sighs and murmurs; and the bees are plying their minstrelsy at the court of the flowering grove.

Now it is time to sit quite, face to face with thee, and to sing dedication of life in this silent and overflowing leisure.

Great Ormond Street Hospital. People also enjoyed music by Indian Ocean and jokes by Ghanshyam Patel.

Eid social by Lions Club of Enfield BAPS chief Pujya Mahant Swami was in Morbi from 12th to 17th June. On 12th June, he along with Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala and other senior priests laid the foundation stone for a BAPS temple there. At the function he blessed all the participants. On 13th June women's day was celebrated.

Unity and dedication days were celebrated on June 14th and 15th respectively. At the evening assembly, the statue of Bhagavan Swaminarayan was weighed with silver. On 17th he left for Ahmedabad. l

Coming Events

BAPS Shri Swaminaryan Mandir Coventry Mandir murti pratishtha, Saturday 22 June Venue: Mercia Venue Banqueting suite Lockhurst Lane, Coventry CV6 5PD. Programme, Grand mahapuja: 3.30 pm to 5.15 pm Mahaprasad: 5.15 pm to 7 pm, Kirtan Sandhya: 7 pm to 9.30 pm l Sunday 23 June, Venue, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan 53 Heath Road, Coventry, Programme, Murti Pratishta vidhi and sabha 9.30 am, Mahaprasad: 12.15 pm onward, Mandir Darshan: 1 pm onward, For further enquiry contact, Nitinbhai Ladva 07956 877 353, Nagrecha Caritable Trust in conjunction with High Commission of India presents, 5th International Day of yoga. Sunday 23rd June from 9.30 am to 12 noon All are welcome, Please bring your own mat

Sneh Joshi

AJIT NINAN FOR TOI

CB Patel

building of valuable infra structure in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and subsequent migration to the Great Britain. The talk was well received by the club members and the guests.

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.

Editor: CB Patel Chief Executive Officer: Liji George Managing Editor: Rupanjana Dutta Deputy Editor: Urja Patel Advertising Managers: Kishor Parmar Head - New Projects & Business Development: Cecil Soans Graphic Designers: Harish Dahya & Ajay Kumar Customer Service: Ragini Nayak Tel: 020 7749 4080 Email: support@abplgroup.com Leicester Distributors: Shabde Magazine, Shobhan Mehta Mob: 07846 480 220

The UK’s leading Vedic writer and TV personality

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 Mars, Mercury and Sun transit

your solar fourth house now.

During this cycle, you are especially fond of spending more time at home around the family. You are more receptive and tend to be sentimental or nostalgic now. Loyalty and sensitivity in your relationships are more important to you than typically.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 Mars, Mercury and Sun are tran-

siting your solar third house now, indicating a more intense and intellectual approach to love and pleasure. You enjoy talking about what interests you, and you see value in the exchange of ideas. This transit can also be difficult with siblings, communications, or short trips if people around you have different opinions.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22 Make hay while Mercury, Mars

and Sun transit your Solar 2nd house. There is a lot of energy to make the most of money-making opportunities and this is a very resourceful time for you.

However, beware of conflicts over ownership and other legal issues. Also avoid being extravagant and trying to prove yourself to others using your material possessions.

With Mercury, Mars and Sun in your solar first house, your disposition is more intellectual than usual and self-expression comes easily. It is an especially fruitful time for any endeavour that requires communications. Your demeanour is more youthful.

Be careful that you don't step on anyone's toes as tempers can get frayed.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

Lions Club of Enfield, a premier organisation in North London celebrated its Eid Social event on Sunday June 2nd. The club has a proven track record of executing charitable projects in India and Africa over the last three decades in the field education and health care.

On this occasion, CB Patel, Publisher/Editor of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, was invited to deliver a guest lecture on Migration of people of Indian Descent to UK . He impressed upon the journey taken by the Gujarati community from India to the shores of Africa , helping in

while Mercury, Mars and Sun transit the twelfth house of your solar chart, your mind is focused on private matters. This is a time when you are searching for answers. This is a good time for research, quiet contemplation and meditation. You are likely to require a certain amount of solitude in order to be mentally productive. Though Mars will try its best to derail you.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

Mercury, Mars and Sun continue to journey through your solar eleventh house. This is a time when various networking activities are much appreciated and offer you learning experiences. Your ideas are progressive and you are also interested in spending time with people who are like-minded. Mars will try its best to upset the balance - be careful.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

Mercury, Mars and Sun transit your solar tenth house.

Relationships with authority figures, superiors, and with the public are in focus during this cycle. It's a time when being a team player reaps the most rewards, and you may be mixing business with pleasure now. This may be a time when you are especially enjoying your career or position and making the most of it

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22

The Sun, Mercury and Mars continue to shine their light on your solar ninth house now. This is a cycle in which you seek to expand your experiences and awareness, whether through philosophical thinking, higher education, travel, or simply activities that take you away from your everyday routines.

You may feel a little restless if you don't find ways to explore.

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SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

Sun, Mercury and Mars are transiting your eighth house of joint finances, loans, taxes, sexuality, and psychological matters. This is a time of increased accumulation of wealth if you manage your resources well. In some cases, a significant tax refund, inheritance, or other such benefit as long as you see eye to eye with people who are involved.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20 You'll probably be in the mood for peace and quiet as Sun, Mercury and Mars transit your solar 7th house. You will be feeling a bit edgy as the week begins.

You will need to guard against the possibility of injury due to dashing first and looking later. Everyone is a bit sensitive now. Either you or someone you're dealing with may over-react - be calm !

The Sun and Mars are in your 6th house with Mercury, placing emphasizes on your daily work and health routines. Mercury will help you organize and communicate your thoughts clearly at work. Mars and Sun will give you the energy to begin any gym or health regime. Venus the planet of love and romance is the moving force in regard to amorous experience.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

The Sun, Mars and Mercury continue transiting your solar fifth house. This is the time of year when you are ready for recreation, romance, connecting with children, and enjoying "performing arts". The keynote is emotional enrichment through close interaction with a loved one. Make sure you do not get over-sensitive if things do not go according to plan.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

32

Sport

www.asian-voice.com

22 - 28 June 2019

CRICKET // WORLD CUP

AsianVoiceNews AsianVoiceNewsweekly

INDIA HUMBLE PAKISTAN

India extended its winning record against Pakistan 7-0 at World Cups with an 89-run victory (in DLS method) in a rain-interrupted encounter on Sunday that likely will remain the most-watched game of the six-week tournament. India started ominously with Rohit Sharma scoring 140 from 113 deliveries and skipper Virat Kohli contributing 77 in a total of 336-5, a record for a one-day international at Old Trafford.

Pakistan was behind the run-rate required. Fakhar Zaman (62) and Babar Azam (48) put on 104 for the second wicket but when both were dismissed by wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav within nine balls, Pakistan's hopes faded with them. Pakistan had slumped to 166-6 by 35th over when rain intervened again. It just prolonged the inevitable - there was no chance of sharing the points because both teams had batted more than 20 overs. Set a revised target of 302 from 40 overs, the last 30-odd balls were a non-event. Pakistan finished 212-6, and India extend its unbeaten run to four games to start the tournament.

The rain interruptions didn't dampen the enthusiasm of a predominantly proIndia crowd that filled the 162-year-old venue to its 23,500 capacity. Seats were in excessively high demand, after all, with the International Cricket Council reporting more than 800,000 ticket applications for the game. There's always extra significance when the neighboring countries meet at ICC tournaments because India and Pakistan play cricket so infrequently in bilateral series. Things started going haywire for Pakistan after skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss and fielded, going against the advice sent via social media by Prime Minister and 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan. Overcast and cool conditions that

two of them gigantic. Glenn Maxwell then provided the late charge with an unbeaten 25-ball 46 as Australia posted a challenging 334 for 7. Chasing the total, Sri Lanka were 115 for no loss at one stage but then squandered the superb start to be eventually dismissed for 247 in 45.5 overs.

Afghanistan crumble to 125 all out against South Africa

usually would favour swing and seam bowling didn't greatly assist the Pakistan attack, with India racing to 52-0 in its most productive opening power play of the tournament. The Pakistan pacemen had trouble with the umpires, with Amir and Wahab each cautioned twice for running on the protected area in the middle of the pitch.

One further warning would have resulted in a suspension.

Bangladesh leave Windies breathless Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan slammed a superb century (124 not out) and added a 189-run unbeaten fourth wicket stand with the equally magnificent Liton Das (94 not out) in merely 135 balls to help Bangladesh pull off a record 322-run chase against West Indies with 51 balls to spare at Taunton on Monday. This is Bangladesh’s highest chase in ODIs. Incidentally this was always the second highest successful run chase in World Cup. With this commanding sevenwicket victory - their second in this World Cup, Bangladesh, with five points in five matches, have now leapt to the fifth spot in the table. During their match-winning

partnership, Shakib and Liton, playing just his first game in the tournament, added 95 in overs 30 to 40, which tells how they completely destroyed the West Indies fast bowlers.

Shakib, however, wasn’t the sole hero of Bangladesh’s tremendous chase. Das deserved credit too for matching him stroke for stroke during their match-winning alliance. After suffering their third defeat in five games, the West Indies, who started off with a bang against Pakistan, now are almost out of contention for a place in the semis they’ve just three points and sit at the seventh position.

Australia blast Lanka Skipper Aaron Finch stroked his way to a majestic century as defending champions Australia inched closer to the semifinal berth with a crushing 87-run win over Sri Lanka in their World Cup fixture. Finch forged two crucial partnerships – 80 with his opening partner David Warner (26) and 173 with Steve Smith (73 off 59) for the third wicket – in his 132-ball 153. It was his 14th ODI hundred which was laced with 15 fours and five sixes,

Afghanistan only managed 125 runs against South Africa. With the Proteas winning the toss and electing to field first, Afghanistan were blown away by their pacers and Imran Tahir and it was only a late surge from Rashid Khan that took them to a three digit score. The opening partnership of 39 between Noor Ali Zadran and Hazratullah Zazai turned out to be Afghanistan's best of the innings. Zazai (22 off 23) was the opening wicket with Kagiso Rabada getting the breakthrough. Zadran and Rahmat Shah then held on until the 16th over but contributed little to the scoreboard. There was a prolonged break in the proceedings due to rain while Zadran and Hashmatullah Shahidi were in the middle which meant that the match became a 48 overs a side contest.

Zadran was eventually dismissed in the 22nd over by which time Afghanistan were tottering at 69/4. Tahir then took over and South Africa reduced Afghanistan to 77/7, after which Rashid Khan countered to get them past the 100-run mark. Rashid played 25 balls in which he hit six fours and made 35 runs but fell to Tahir in the 34th over. Two balls later, Hamid Hassan was dismissed by Chris Morris for a duck, thus squaring off another dismal performance from the Afghanistan batting lineup.

HOW THEY STAND Teams NZ Eng India Aus SL Pak WI Bang SAfrica Afg

M W L Tied NR Pts NRR 4 3 0 0 0 7 +2.163 4 3 1 0 0 6 +1.557 4 3 0 0 1 7 +1.029 5 4 1 0 0 8 +0.812 5 1 2 0 2 4 -1.778 5 1 3 0 1 3 -1.933 5 1 3 0 1 3 +0.272 5 2 2 0 1 5 -0.270 5 1 3 0 1 3 -0.208 4 0 4 0 0 0 -1.638 NR - No result • NRR - Net run rate upto 17th June 2019

Kohli's gesture to crowd united Indian & Aussie fans As strange as it may sound, Aussie and Indian fans were on the same page during their World Cup clash recently after Virat Kohli's unique yet classy gesture to the crowd that won him equal praises from both the cricketing nations.

Steve Smith and David Warner haven't had the rosiest of receptions from the English crowd ever since their return in the green and golden uniform. The duo has been subjected to constant boos and taunts from the fans in attendance in all their World Cup outings so far as they returned to the side after serving a 12-month ban for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal last

year.

This, however, was against the liking of the Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who on several occasions, gestured to the Indian crowd to stop booing Steve Smith and cheer for him instead. "I think what's happened has happened long back. The guy is back, trying to play well for his side. Even in the IPL I saw him, it's not good to see a guy feel down. You don't want to see someone feel the heat every time he plays. Just because there are so many Indian fans here, I don't want them to set a bad example. He didn't do anything to be booed in my opinion. I felt for him and told him sorry on behalf of the crowd. In my opinion

that's not acceptable," Kohli said in the post-match presentation.

Kohli's classy gesture didn't go unnoticed at the Oval and social media and despite the two teams being the long-time arch rivals, fans from both the nations united to celebrate the good

cause. "Great gesture and sportsmanship from Kohli, asks Indian fans who were booing Steve Smith at the boundary to applaud and buck him up. Good lad," wrote a Twitter user.

Despite their differences, Aussie fans were quick to salute Indian

skipper's sportsmanship one they hadn't witnessed before. "Brilliant from the Indian captain.

He has matured so much in the past three or four years. He has always been a great cricketer, and now he is a great cricket ambassador. Much respect,

and thank you," wrote one commenter on Cricket Australia's Facebook page.

"As they say you mark a champion not by his words but by his actions. And today we witnessed a true champion with his actions & with his words! Well done VK your class showed when you were here over the summer & its continuing. I am an Aussie thru & thru, this is what cricket needed in the world & in Australia. I would love to see the aussie emulate the same sportsmanship like VK showed. Good luck to the Indian cricket team,(sic)" wrote another.